Selena Robins's Blog, page 17
May 1, 2015
We Should All Take A Lesson From Melissa McCarthy
We Should All Take A Lesson From Melissa McCarthy by Maureen H. Cronin
For those of us who don’t exactly embrace our bodies, and frankly, I don’t know any women that do, I’d like to give a strong shout out to Melissa McCarthy.
She’s funny. She’s self-deprecating. She’s pretty. She has a dimple. She’s talented. She’s overweight. Which one do you think of first? If it’s overweight, you’re like 9 out of 10 women who judge themselves as harshly as they do others. You’re like me, and my sister, and my friends, who identify this extremely talented woman by her weight. Why? Because we define ourselves that way.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had moments in time where I think I’ve looked good. I have photographs, looking back at after a few years, where I look better than I thought I did when I first saw the picture. I even have a picture of me in a little black dress that my family is instructed to give to the police should I ever get kidnapped. I’ve gotten whistles, men crossing the street to meet me… I’ve turned some heads. I know this because my sister tells me. I know this because my mother has said it. They wouldn’t lie about it. My thoughts about that? That “they” were probably looking at the run in my stocking, or the smear of mascara under my eye, or my bad haircut.
Let me clarify what I mean by “my thoughts”. ‘My thoughts’ is this voice inside my head that tells the world it’s being humble or self-deprecating when it’s really the meanest, harshest judgmental bitch you will ever run across. It’s the one who sees every minor flaw, every non-tight area of my body, every drooping breast, every laugh line, every gray hair. It rarely takes in the whole picture. I mean, if you put the Mona Lisa under a microscope, all you’d see would be brush strokes of color. So is it fair what I do to myself? No. It’s not even sane.
And how many times have I let this judgmental bitch (let’s stick with JB from now on) prevent me from doing something I wanted? How many times has JB made me wear a jacket because my butt or my stomach wasn’t a sculpted, muscle-gleaming body on the cover of an exercise DVD? Too many times.
One of the women I idolized growing up (before I grew up and it became my mother) was Carol Burnett. I wanted to be the next Carol Burnett. I wanted to have a show and talk to the audience, and wear all those dresses, and do skits on movies and place bets on how soon any given skit could make Harvey Korman laugh hysterically.
Here’s the thing: I am funny. I am kind of a ham and I could have done something along those lines. I went to school for television production. I’ve performed standup comedy. I tell a great story. But JB hated the way I looked on television. And I went behind the scenes. The underground for performers-at-heart.
I’ve done a lot of work to shut down JB. And I’ve had a lot of validation – from men, women, my family, friends, strangers. It feels nice. But there is an inordinate amount of attention placed on being pretty. And people think you don’t have any problems because you look good. Not so. JB goes into full frontal assault at those times, and it’s taken repeated and consistent efforts to shut her down and go forth as a woman of grace, talent, and imperfections. Even more work to embrace all of it.
So thank you, Melissa McCarthy. Brave, to-hell-with-ya smiling, Melissa McCarthy. Melissa McCarthy, who does physical comedy, as well as my little girl hero. Fearless Melissa McCarthy, who uses every gift in her arsenal to her advantage. Melissa McCarthy, who has carried a movie on her own and stolen the show more than once. Melissa McCarthy, who plays characters that are funny, smart and sexual; who never plays women too fat for men to love. Melissa McCarthy, who is right now, inspiring young girls and young women who maybe don’t feel pretty enough or thin enough to be in front of a camera. Girls who need to borrow that bravery until they find it within themselves. Melissa McCarthy, who has shown me, more than any of those svelte, hot-yoga-ing, leaf eating actresses, what beauty and courage are all about.
About Maureen Cronin:
Maureen Cronin is the author of Go Faster Go: Memoir of a Friend, as well as numerous articles.
She is also an artist with exhibitions in the Long Beach public library and a website dedicated to artwork created on the famed Long Beach Boardwalk destroyed in Superstorm Sandy.
To learn more about Boardwalk Angels, One-of-a-kind Artwork, Gifts and Home Decor, follow on Facebook and/or visit Maureen’s website.
Look for Maureen’s new blog: Smart is the New Blonde, coming soon.
Filed under: Author Interviews Tagged: Carol Burnett, inspiration, Life Lessons, Maureen Cronin, Melissa McCarthy, women who inspire
April 23, 2015
Work-In-Progress Blog Hop – What’s Your Next Big Thing?
I would like to thank author Laurie Baxter for tagging me in the What’s Your Next Big Thing? blog hop.
Here are Laurie’s questions for me:
What is the working title of your book?
I’m putting the finishing touches on ONCE UPON A KISS, a contemporary romantic comedy with a mistaken identity theme, and a little bit of white magic.
Where did the idea come from for this book?
I love snow globes. I have an embarrassing collection of them, from holiday themed ones to Christopher Robin and Winnie the Poo to the Phantom of the Opera, and ones that I collect during my travels, portraying a landmark of that particular city.
There is something soothing about looking at a snow globe, after turning it upside down. There is also something magical about one particular snow globe that my brother-in-law gifted me many years ago.
I have one particular snow globe that some would say has a paranormal element—I’m still not 100% convinced, but one never knows. This snow globe sparked part of the story for ONCE UPON A KISS.
(If you’d like to read about the snow globe that may have sent messages to me and my family from Heaven, click here to read the blog post where I talk about it).
What genre do your books fall under?
Contemporary romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
This is a hard question to answer because when I create the characters I have a clear vision of what they look like, sound like, their expressions and even body language, and they usually don’t resemble actors. At this point, I can’t assign a particular actor to the characters as I want the reader to have their own vision of who they are. However, if Hollywood ever came knocking, I would sit down with the big guns and give them my vision and go through the tough process of meeting great looking Hollywood actors—tough job, I’m guessing. ;)
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will the interaction with an eccentric young woman spouting ambiguous sentiments, cement Jason and Sabrina’s shared belief that there is no such thing as true love, trust and happy-ever-after?
(I have to say, putting 100K words into one sentence is harder than writing the whole book.)
Will your book(s) be self-published or represented by an agency?
After careful consideration and exploring other avenues, I have decided to independently publish.
* * *
Now it’s my turn to nominate fellow authors to share their next big thing.
I nominate: Jasmine Aziz, Denise Agnew and Alexandra Isobel
Filed under: Selena's Musings, Uncategorized Tagged: Fiction Writing, writing
April 19, 2015
Nothing says home like the smell of baking.
I don’t eat bananas on their own, it’s not a fruit I gravitate toward, but my husband loves them, and he buys a few too many so that they can go soft and freckly so that I can whip up banana bread. I do love the smell of banana bread, and also the taste, now that I’ve nailed down a recipe I enjoy.
This recipe is not only basic, fast and easy, it is very forgiving and allows you a wide berth to add a variety of ingredients.
Have extra carrots or zucchini in your pantry? Grate them and add them to this recipe. You like nuts, seeds or dried fruit? Again, add them in.
The following recipe is my creation, but as I stated above, you can play around with the recipe and add your own ingredients. In this recipe, I use almond flour (making it gluten-free), however, you can substitute and use all-purpose flour or any baking flour of your choice.
Banana Carrot Bread
Ingredients:
Yields one loaf.
3 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside.In a large bowl add each ingredient one at a time, after adding these ingredients, stir to mix: mashed bananas, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs shredded carrots, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, vanilla
In a large bowl add each ingredient one at a time, after adding these ingredients, stir to mix: mashed bananas, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs shredded carrots, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, vanilla
To this bowl fold in: flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and stir until flour is moistened.
Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes, then turn loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Filed under: Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged: Banana Bread, Bread Recipe
April 13, 2015
Live, love, dream.
Is the tag-line for the Creative Pen Coaching website where multi-published author and certified creativity coach Denise Agnew coaches creative people to not only create outside the box, she also assists writers who face writer’s block and other creativity challenges.
Please welcome Denise Agnew as she answers a few questions that can be applied to any form of creativity, be it; writing, music, art, dancing or DIY crafts.
Selena: Is creativity something that can be taught?
Denise: I think everyone is creative, but many people believe they’re not for one reason or the other, or they’ve closed off their ability to create based on certain belief systems and experiences they may have had as a child. In any case, there are many different theories. My personal belief is there are certain people who have a drive to create that is stronger than others and that gives them the extra boost to pursue whatever creative endeavor most appeals to them. Regenerating creativity lost can be taught if the individual is willing.
Selena: What is something a creative person can say to themselves if they are feeling a resistance or anxiety about unleashing their creativity?
Denise: People are very individual. What will work varies from person to person. One trick people can try is to counter the lies their mind tells them about themselves and create a dialog.
Example: “People will hate what I create” and counter with “Some people will love what I create” or “People will love what I create.” They’re countering something they don’t know is true (could be an outright lie) and replacing it with a reasonable question/truth. Again, this isn’t the only method people might need to try. Usually people’s resistance to unleashing their creativity is complex and a coach will need to get in the weeds with the client to determine what’s really behind the resistance.
Selena: Do you think creativity involves putting your heart and soul into a piece of creative work? Or is it a matter of letting one’s mind flow freely?
Denise: Certainly both! I do think there are projects that just fly out of the person creating them and they’re less exhausting than other projects. Every project/endeavor has its own personality and there will be different challenges with each. Some creators need an outline or plan in order for their creativity to flow while others find that too constraining and just need to let their minds flow freely.
Selena: As a creativity coach, what do you recommend writers and anyone who wants a creative outlet do to keep themselves motivated and interested in their projects?
Denise: Create for your satisfaction first. Too much time obsessing with what other people may or may not think of what you’re doing or looking for outside validation can strangle creativity and make it impossible to move forward with a project. Creating has to come from personal enjoyment and a willingness to appease your own creative drive first. Ask yourself what it is that you love about acting, painting, dancing, writing, etc.? That’s what matters. Create meaning from the inside out rather than relying on outside validation. Outside validation isn’t a guarantee.
Selena: What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given with regard to creativity?
Denise: Get out of your own way. Create with self-satisfaction in mind and finding personal meaning within that creation.
Selena: What is the worse piece of advice you’ve been given with regard to creativity?
Denise: Create what the market wants.
Selena: Why did you decide to coach?
Denise: I felt that I have a somewhat unique approach to creativity and I wanted to assist people who are feeling trapped in their own creativity challenges.
“Creation is an act of faith. There’s no guarantee that anyone will appreciate, admire, read, watch, enjoy or otherwise note your work. There’s only the guarantee that you are creating and that it has meaning to you. Create with your satisfaction first and all other considerations second.”~Denise Agnew~
Denise A. Agnew, owner of Creative Pen Coaching based in Sierra Vista, Arizona, brings over twenty years in the publishing industry into her creativity coaching. Denise is the award-winning author of over sixty novels in a variety of sub-genres of romance including; historical, suspense, contemporary, fantasy, paranormal and erotic romance.
Denise has encountered many of the same challenges every creative individual has at one time or another, and this makes her uniquely qualified to understand creative barriers and how to escape them.
Utilizing her training, Denise helps individual excavate their way to the truth behind their creative challenges. She believes thinking outside the box assists creative people in finding new excitement, meaning, and fulfillment.
She offers a variety of coaching packages, group coaching and workshops for every level of creative experience and need.
For more information, please visit Denise’s website: Creative Pen Coaching.
“An artistic endeavor requires that we trust ourselves long enough to create. If we create with the attitude that it’s recess, not only is it fun but it may be a wonderful result. Trust in the fun.” ~Denise Agnew~
Filed under: Author Interviews Tagged: creative advice, creativity, Creativity coaching, Denise Agnew, writing, writing advice, writing tips
April 6, 2015
A party for the taste buds…one potato at a time.
I don’t think I’ve met anyone that doesn’t love potatoes in one form or the other.
Whether they are fried, baked, roasted, scalloped or mashed. Served in soups, salads, side dishes or a main dish, this root vegetable is affordable, versatile, healthy and come in a wide variety of shapes and colors—sweet, white, yellow, red, purple.
I’m sharing a roasted potato recipe that is guaranteed to give your family and friends that wow factor.
Perfect Roast Potatoes
Golden & crunchy on the outside. Light & fluffy on the inside.
The crunch and fluff will make your taste buds dance in deliciousness.
Ingredients
3 – 4 pounds all-purpose potatoes (Yukon Gold, blue & purple potatoes are excellent for roasting)
sea salt
table salt
extra-virgin olive oil
1 bulb garlic, separate each clove and peel
5 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
***Optional*** You can use bacon fat and melted butter if you choose.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F
Place roasting pan in oven to get pan hot, this helps with crisping up the outside of the potatoes.
Peel potatoes and cut into even chunks as much as possible. (Smaller potatoes will be halved, larger ones quartered).
Wash potatoes in cold water and rinse off the starch.
Fill a large pot with cold water and add 3 TBSP of table salt to the water then add the potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil to get them par-boiled. This helps them become fluffy on the inside when roasting.
Cook in boiling water for 7 minutes.
Drain potatoes in colander; shaking the colander to take off the excess water. Let them cool for 5 minutes.
While potatoes are cooling down, remove your baking pan from the oven and pour olive oil at the bottom, covering the pan.
Add potatoes into the baking pan, toss to coat with the olive oil.
Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, and add the garlic cloves between the potatoes.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove from oven and using a potato masher, gently squash each potato down.
Pour olive oil over potatoes to coat evenly.
Sprinkle with sea salt evenly.
*** (At this point, if you have chosen to add bacon fat and/or melted butter along with some oil, this is when you would do it.)
Return to oven and bake for 23 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn potatoes over, lightly sprinkle with sea salt on this side, then return to oven for 23 minutes.
Once done, line a plate with paper towel to absorb the excess grease, and place potatoes on plate.
Serve and enjoy!
For more recipes, plus two stories, one for children and one for adults and over 100 recipes, please check out WISHES, STITCHES & DISHES, available on Amazon.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: humble potato, Potatoes, recipes, Roasted Potato Recipe
March 29, 2015
It’s time to shake this off!
Opinion [uh-pin-yuh n] – A personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
“People can tell you to keep your mouth shut, but that doesn’t stop you from having your own opinion.”― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl
“All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others.”― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt
“Writing sharing. It’s part of the human condition to want to share things – thoughts, ideas, opinions.” ― Paulo Coelhog
“Disagreeing with someone’s opinion does not mean the opposite thought is coming from hate. It does not mean the person with a different point view is a hater. It simply means people have different ways at looking at the world around them.” ― Selena Robins
It’s time to REALLY Shake this off.
Thank you, Taylor Swift for the catchy tune that has had celebrities and even non-celebrity-types parody the song, making it a YouTube and social media entertaining sensation.
However, the coined phrase — “haters gonna hate” — bandied around is taking the edge off the true meaning of the word hate.
It’s time to shake that shit off. Especially when I hear tweens calling each other haters because another child happens to have a different opinion about a boy-band, nail polish color or a popular snack.
Hate – [heyt] – Verb (used with object), hated, hating. Feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward. Detest.
Thanks to pop culture this is now trending, big time — “haters gonna hate,” “you’re a hater.”
These phrases have now become synonymous with people who dislike something or express an opposing opinion.
I’m not talking about the people who spew vile rhetoric, hurling insults or being an all-around asshat in a discussion.
I’m talking about people who happen to have a difference of opinion about a movie, musical band, book, yoga pants, purple eyeshadow…basically anyone who disagrees with the majority, or even with a few people.
It’s also thrown at people on social media who offer their thoughts on someone’s behavior—-that someone putting it all out there on social media and inviting people to comment.
These opposing views are NOT hate-filled.
The people with opposing views are NOT haters.
They are people with an opinion.
Hate is a powerful action verb that can have an impact on the receiver when they are called a hater.
You know what’s even a more powerful action verb —- listening.
I know, we’ve all heard the saying, opinions are like assholes and everyone has one. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t have an opinion on something. It’s in our nature to express how we feel about the world around us.
It also doesn’t mean that people are jealous (another word that is tossed around) because they don’t agree with how others feel about a book, movie, sparkly running shoes, someone’s behavior, or the price of gas.
It doesn’t mean that our opinion, or their opinion is correct.
It doesn’t mean we are going to change anyone’s mind and sway them to change their opinion.
It certainly doesn’t mean the person or people who have a different view are hateful or haters.
I’ve been known to express my opinion every now and then on a variety of topics. Sometimes I’m in the minority with my opinion, but it never means I hate the other person’s viewpoint. Ever. I don’t hate someone because I don’t agree with them. I don’t agree with them because I’m right and they’re wrong (just kidding), I don’t agree with their thought process or how they viewed a certain subject, or the points they made to express their point of view.
It’s really as simple as that.
Hate has nothing to do with it, and in no time would I ever throw out….haters gonna hate because someone has different tastes in music, books, eyeshadow, or—fill in the blank, basically any topic.
I will tell what I do hate. Racism. Terrorism. Bullying (again, having a difference of opinion is NOT bullying—I’m talking about the harmful bullies). Deplorable acts of violence. When it comes to these things, yes, I hate them and people who commit unspeakable crimes are hateful.
Saying that someone is a hater because they don’t like a certain movie, diminishes the real meaning of the word.
We are flawed human beings with weaknesses.
We all have bad days.
We all have rant days.
We all make mistakes.
We all have a lapse in judgment.
We sometimes say and do dumb-ass shit. Someone calls us on it. They are not haters. They are people who are going to hold us accountable for our dumb-ass-shitness.
We’ve all screwed up at some point, sometimes real bad, and when we do, we are going to gain support from people willing to give us a free pass, no questions asked. No opinions given.
However, we are also going to face people who don’t understand, who are not ready to accept an explanation without more information, and who, yes, right or wrong, will give a strong opinion about it. These people are NOT haters. They are people trying to make sense of a situation.
We are flawed human beings with tremendous strengths.
We have compassion.
We have passion.
We have the ability to love and be loved.
We have the ability to be forgiven and to forgive.
We have opinions.
We have FREE WILL
So, please, let’s stop with the haters gonna hate and
let’s stop the labelling people with a different opinion as haters.
Do you agree with my opinion piece?
If you don’t agree with me, let me just say…..”I know people.” ;)
Filed under: Selena's Musings, Uncategorized Tagged: opinions, point of view
March 8, 2015
Always save room for dessert.
Remember the Friends episode when Jennifer Aniston’s character (Rachael) volunteered to make trifle? But she created a combo of shepherd’s pie with trifle.
Trifle is a light, delicious dessert, easy to make and you can tinker with the recipe and add your own touches….except do not add beef and vegetables….no bueno.
Here is a trifle recipe I converted and made it into a parfait.
Trifle Parfait
Ingredients:
5 oz milk
8 1/2 oz heavy cream
4 TBSP sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed (or 2 tsp. of artificial vanilla)
8 oz sponge or pound cake, cut into thick slices (slice and leave out for a day so they can dry) – or you can use lady finger cookies, or any type of hard cookie that you enjoy
1 can of peaches, sliced
1 can of mandarin slices
2 cups whipping cream, softly whipped
Directions:
In a large, round glass bowl, layer the bottom with slices of pound cake (or sponge cake)
Pour the juice of the canned peaches and mandarins over the cake (or cookies) and set aside while you make your custard.
Custard Directions:
Please note: You can use store-bought box mix for the custard, instead of making the custard from scratch if you want to save time. I’ve never tried it, but there are some good pre-mixed custard brands, such as Birds Custard.
Turn stove top to medium-low.
In a saucepan add milk and heavy cream and one teaspoon of sugar.
Bring to a gentle simmer. Once it is simmering, turn the heat to its lowest.
In a large heat-proof bowl, add the rest of the sugar and the egg yolks. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. The color should be a pale yellow.
Keep whisking and slowly pour the warmed milk into the egg mixture.
Strain the custard sauce through a fine sieve and then pour it back into the saucepan then add the seeds from the vanilla pod.
Over a low heat, stir constantly.
The custard will gradually thicken.
Keep whisking, and make sure the heat is on low, as you don’t want to burn your custard or have it look like curdles.
Once the custard is thickened, removed from the heat and pour through a sieve again.
Stir custard, so you don’t get a layer of skin on top. Once custard has cooled, wrap the bowl with saran wrap and put it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the parfait (or assemble the trifle in a large bowl)Once cooled, spoon the custard evenly over the peaches in a thick layer.
Assembling Parfait (or in a large bowl):
Once cooled, spoon the custard evenly over the peaches and mandarins in a thick layer.
Top with a thick layer of whipped cream.
Filed under: Recipes Tagged: dessert, English Trifle, parfait, recipe, Trifle Recipe
February 24, 2015
Tasty Tuesday. “Yes, soup for you!”
Besides a good comedy movie, book, dancing music, and interaction with family and friends, hot soup on a cold day brings a ton of happiness and gets your glow on.
Swiss Chard, Potato & Bean Soup
One of my favorite vegetables is Swiss chard. It’s not only healthy, but has a mild, unique taste that adds a lot of flavor to any soup.
Recipe yields up to 8 servings. (Leftovers can be frozen)
Ingredients:
1 can whole tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
4 potatoes, peeled, washed, diced
8 slices of bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches Swiss chard, washed, chopped into bite size pieces, and also the stalks can also be used. Cut the stalks crosswise.
1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
12 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 TBSP olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook diced potatoes in a separate pot in boiling salted water for 6 – 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a big soup pot, heat oil and add bacon, cook until bacon is still soft, then turn heat down to medium and add: onion, garlic and parsley, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, to loosen any bits at the bottom of the pot. Cook until onion is soft.
Add can of tomatoes and stir, breaking up the tomatoes, and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the broth and turn up heat to high and let cook for 10 minutes.
Then add the Swiss chard, potatoes and beans, stir well, and let the soup come to a boil. Then turn heat down to simmer for 15 minutes.
For more recipes PLUS a children’s novel and a comedy short story all bundled up in one book, please check out: Wishes, Stitches & Dishes: Bundle of Family Fun.
Filed under: Recipes, Tasty Tuesday Tagged: recipe, soup, Swiss Chard, Tasty Tuesday
February 23, 2015
Sister. Sisters.
Please join me in welcoming, author Rosanna Leo to the blog as she stops by on her blog tour for her new contemporary romance THE STAND-IN. Rosanna shares an excerpt of her new book, plus a behind the scenes look at creating the sister characters.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading THE STAND-IN and recommend the book for its relatable characters, snappy dialog, the right amount of heat, sprinkled with family dynamics, romance, and a page-turning love story.
Sister. Sisters by Rosanna Leo
I’d like to offer Selena a big thank you for being a wonderful hostess. I’m pleased to be here once again.
I’m here as part of the blog tour for my new contemporary romance THE STAND-IN. Being a romance, and a sexy one at that, of course, the main focus is the couple, Winn and Patrick. However, I’m a believer that a good romance thrives on having layers, whether it comes to plot or characterization. These layers can often derive from the relationships between other characters.
In THE STAND-IN, I tried very hard to create a believable, fun relationship between heroine Winn and her sister Enid. These two young women have shared so much in life. They’ve had to deal with feuding parents, infidelity, aging grandparents and men troubles. Like any sisters, they know how to support one another and they also disagree on some fundamentals.
If I had a sister, I’d want very much to have someone like Enid. This sassy, enigmatic woman is the first to stand up for her sister when things go wrong. She tells it like it is and has no trouble counseling Winn on her problems. When the plot thickens, she is vocal in her defense of her sister. Indeed, when Winn’s theater career fizzles, Enid volunteers to “take a hit” out on the producer.
One of Enid’s charms is her penchant for creating succinct nicknames for Winn’s ex-boyfriends. In the book, the reader is introduced to characters such as Pervy Phil and Suddenly Gay Dennis. It just shows how much Enid loves Winn. She’ll battle dragons for her sister…even if it means taking on hero Patrick.
I hope you fall in love with this sister act and that you enjoy reading THE STAND-IN.
Do you have a great sister story?
Please share it with us here.
She’s the best bridesmaid money can buy.
Blurb:
Failed actress Winn Busby is at the end of her rope. With no money and no prospects, she accepts the one job she never thought she’d see on her résumé. Professional bridesmaid. It should be easy. If only the idea of weddings and vows didn’t give Winn a case of the hives. Her role becomes more challenging when she’s told a reporter will shadow her work for a men’s magazine article.
Working for Player Magazine is Patrick Lincoln’s worst nightmare. A former political journalist, he used to write thoughtful columns for one of Toronto’s most respected papers. That is, until he was blackballed for allegedly sleeping with the boss’s wife. Overnight, Patrick becomes the city’s most reviled bad boy. And now he’s forced to write a seedy expose on, of all things, a bridesmaid.
Patrick begrudgingly accompanies Winn to a series of strange weddings. As they are forced to work together, he learns there is more to the stand-in bridesmaid than puffy dresses and pretty speeches. She, in turn, begins to question whether or not Patrick actually deserves the derision of his peers. As much as they fight their attraction, it begins to threaten their work and their sanity.
For so long, Winn has felt second-best. A stand-in. She finally meets a man who believes in her value. But can she let go of the past and accept him?
Excerpt:
She glanced at her computer screen again. “Let’s see. Ah, yes. We’ll have you meet with Winn. And by the way, she’s lovely. She has the perfect look for this job. Accessible and fresh, but not intimidating. You’re in luck. She’s in the building right now.” She texted a command into her phone. “I’ll have my assistant send her right in.”
In the time it took Margie Kent to flash her very pearly whites, a knock sounded on the door. These stand-ins were prompt. He supposed that was good in any business.
“Come in, please,” Margie called.
Patrick lifted his gaze toward the door and watched as a pear-shaped blonde entered. Christ. Margie had called this woman un-intimidating. He knew a few dozen men who’d be intimidated into next year by her girl-next-door sex appeal. Chin-length golden hair framed her pleasantly round face. Amazing cheekbones. Bright blue eyes and a body that looked made for squeezing. Just the thought of pressing that luscious flesh made him hard. If she was a high-class call girl, and if he had to pay for love, he might be tempted to pull out his wallet. He cleared his throat and thought of the day Jason Dietrich fired him, just to make his boner disappear.
Margie did the introductions in her singsong voice. “Winn Busby, this is Patrick Lincoln.”
She stuck her hand out. “A pleasure to meet you.”
As he shook her soft hand, Patrick waited for the old “that Patrick Lincoln?” but it never came. Thank God. Someone who didn’t know of his ruin.
THE STAND-IN is available at:
Liquid Silver Books
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
About Rosanna Leo
Romance author with Samhain Publishing and Liquid Silver Books. My favorite things are my family, dusty libraries, and Nutella. I love it when the geeky, awkward girl gets the hot guy, and have made it my mission to see this happen in my books as much as possible. My books include For the Love of a God, Predator’s Kiss, The Selkie and the upcoming Vice.
Filed under: Author Interviews, Uncategorized Tagged: Bridesmaids, Romantic Fiction, Rosanna Leo, Sisters
February 9, 2015
WINNERS ANNOUNCED – Authors significant others tell what it’s like to be in love with an author.
WINNERS PLEASE NOTE:
Please leave your email addresses in the comments below, OR email me directly at selenarobinswriter@gmail.com
Here are the list of winners:
Everyone who commented will receive a copy of Alexandra Isobel’s Romantic Heart Beats.
Gift certificate winners:
sylve t
Felinewyvern
Laura
Jane Yendle-Davies
Nina
Stephanie Hannaford
Donna_A
malex239
Lorraine Hatt
Rebecca
Julie
Pat Egan Fordyce
Allyson
You will all be contacted, via email by an author for delivery of your prize.
ENJOY!
February, the month that dedicates a day to pancakes, ground hogs, a big bowl of football, and LOVE.
To express our love and gratitude to readers, bloggers, authors—-everyone who’s as passionate about books as we are, we are giving away 13 GIFT CARDS.
For your chance to win a gift card, please see contest rules below.
Have you ever wondered what an author’s significant other endures living with their creative partner?
If so, you’re in for a real treat, as 13 authors’ significant other share their thoughts on this topic.
We each polled our significant other, asking this question:
What’s it like living with an author?
Jasmine Aziz author of SEX AND SAMOSAS
Jasmine’s partner in love & crime: “I love dating an erotic author — reading her book aloud and an oral presentation mean two different things…”
Sheryl Babin author of THE HUNT FOR SNOW
Mr. Babin: “Being married to a writer is an interesting proposition. First and foremost, it’s a wonderful position to be in because it means we don’t necessarily need a second income! The flip side of that is…. we don’t have a second income! In all seriousness, a writer is an interesting creature in that their brains are constantly working and in some imaginative state. For my wife, that usually carries on well into the night long after I’ve gone to bed. When I get home from work, I do everything in my power to decompress and shut my brain down, while my writer wife usually has her brain firmly planted in hyper-drive! It’s a challenge sometimes, but one I’ve grown to love and embrace. Being married to a writer also means finding unfinished or forgotten items that have fallen victim to the proverbial “shiny object”. Yep, never a dull moment when you’re married to a writer.”
Caryn Moya Block author of AERIAL MAGIC
Husband Michael: “Being the spouse of a romance writer keeps me on my romantic toes, always trying to surprise or spark her, but at the same time, it is also critical to give her space to stir the creative juices, because it is her romantic creativity that I love the most.”
Leah Braemel author of FEEDING THE FLAMES
Mr. Braemel (aka Gizmo Guy): “I won’t say that living with a writer is always fun – many a night I have rolled over only to find the other side of the bed vacant –– ‘the characters started talking to me… I had to let them work it out…’ I think there is a very fine line sometimes between the creative and the insane.”
Tilly Greene author of HORSE
Husband: “What is it like to be married to a romance writer? Fine, well, impoverished, but I have fun when she asks for title help. She laughs, says they’re too naughty even for erotic romances, and never uses them – should I feel hurt?”
Alexandra Isobel author of ROMANTIC HEART BEATS
Mr. Isobel: “In a word? Annoying. She constantly walks around with her head in the clouds – like life is one big romance novel. Then when something happens, she looks around as if to say, this can’t happen to me, I’m just a character in a book. Annoying.”
Kelly Jamieson author of PLAYING DIRTY
Mr. Jamieson: “I love being married to a romance writer. Who else comes home to be greeted with; ‘Can you tie me up?'”
Celia Kenney author of VENUS RISING:
Husband (Paul Kennedy): “It would be great to marry a writer; their creativity spills out into all aspects of life. It’s even greater when the person you marry turns into a writer before your eyes.”
Jennie Marts author of the PAGE TURNERS SERIES
Husband Todd: “Being married to a romance writer means that my wife now considers pajamas pants and t-shirts to be her writing “outfit” and that we get weird looks in restaurants when she starts conversations like, “But what kind of poison do you think would kill someone and not leave any trace?”
Alisa Mullen author of THE GOODBYE TRILOGY (Book Two coming in March)
Mr. Mullen: ️”I honestly can’t believe how much work goes into Alisa’s writing. She is so dedicated to her stories and her readers. I wish the Indie world was like bands where people support one another. Nevertheless I am so proud of her.”
Selena Robins author of WHAT A GIRL WANTS
Mr. Robins (aka Mr. Rugged): Being married to you is like eating chocolate chip cookies, you can’t get enough you just keep going back for more.
Me: That makes no sense. Try again.
Mr. R: Being married to an author means that when you try to get metaphorical, she edits you.
Me: Give it another shot.
Mr. R: There’s a party going in inside my wife’s head, I hope to be invited some day when I’m too drunk to realize where I am.
Me: You don’t drink!
Mr. R: Exactly.
Angelisa Stone author of #TRIPLE X
Mr. Stone: “I love being married to a writer; it definitely has its perks. I can always tell when she’s just written a sex scene. I reap those benefits–again and again.”
Angelisa’s Sister: “I’m so proud of her all the time. I brag about her constantly to all of my friends. However, I have said on numerous occasions, ‘I’m going to tell you something, but it better not end up in a book.”
Michael John Sullivan author of the THE GREATEST GIFT
Mrs. Sullivan: “Living with you is like living with two different people. There’s you with the children. And there’s you with your work. You smile a lot with our children. You torture yourself with your writing.”
PRIZES:
12 Amazon Gift Certificates ($5.00 each)
1 Gift Card from All Romance (ARe) ($5.00)
Every commentator will receive Alexandra Isobel’s Romantic Heart Beats
CONTEST RULES:
Share your thoughts, or ask a question in the comment section, and your name will be entered in the draw to win one of 13 gift cards.
We would more than appreciate you sharing the link on Twitter and Facebook as well, and thank you in advance for your support and most especially for sharing your love of reading with us.
Winners will be contacted via email, on Sunday, February 15th.
Filed under: Author Interviews, Uncategorized Tagged: Author Spouses, February, Fiction Writing, Love, Marriage, Relationships, Romance, Valentine's Day
