Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 58

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
Moon Craving
Congratulations Fannie you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's Moon Craving.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations books4me you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book Ready. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 

Guest Blog - Debra Parmley

Thank you Debra Parmley for guest blogging with me today.  I'm so excited to have share about your latest book and super excited that you have agreed to be one of the Team Captains for the Reader Fitness Challenge!  I know my readers will love your book and the great interview you gave below. 
Lucy, thank you for having me on your blog today! I'm excited about the chance to share my newest book with your readers and I am looking forward to meeting readers both here and in your Readers Fitness Challenge! What a fun way to pull together for better health, while sharing our common love of books.  1.  What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?As a Gemini, I will never be able to choose just one favorite thing.  I read constantly, love to travel (which I was able to fully indulge in when I worked as a travel consultant) and have set foot in thirteen countries, love to dance and to visit museums and gardens and I enjoy movies, swinging on swings and wiggling my toes in the sand. (Sometimes it is the little things.)  
2.  What books are sitting in your TBR pile right now?  What book are you currently reading? The top three books sitting in my to be read pile on my bedside table are, The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle and The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. I usually have more than one book I am currently reading and they live in different parts of the house. On my bedside table, the book I am reading is A Life Worth Breathing by Max Strom. In the living room I am reading Scottish Ghost Stories by James Robertson, a wee book I picked up in Scotland some years ago. It must be the living room book because I cannot read ghost stories just before going to sleep. My dream life is much too vivid for that, so I need a quieter sort of book before drifting off to dreamland.
3.  Please, share something you found most interesting or fun that you did to research for a book.Last summer when researching black powder guns I had the opportunity to shoot several different types of guns and a rifle. There is nothing like being down in Mississippi in the mid day summer heat shooting black powder guns with the smoke and the sound and the feel of the gun in your hand. I went home and completely rewrote the gunfight scenes for Dangerous Ties.  4.  How did you come up with names and plot for Dangerous Ties?The plot for Dangerous Ties arose from the initial scene I saw in my minds eye of the heroine strung up over a mineshaft and the rope was breaking. I wanted to know who had done this to her and why? Around the same time I had been reading an article about banks in the Wild West. In the Wild West banks often created their own bank notes and in some cases they weren't worth the paper they were printed on. Without the gold to hold their worth, what happened to the townsfolk in Dangerous Ties could easily have happened. There was no one to step in and save them if the banker took off with their money. Lillian's name came to me immediately when I first saw her and the moment I saw Nick riding down toward her, I knew his as well. For me, every story starts with that first scene and grows from there and always starts with the heroine. Dangerous Ties unfolded for me in an organic way, without having to look for names, or occupations, or setting. I wish all the stories I write would converge these elements as smoothly.   5.  Action adventure or romantic comedy?  What is your favorite movie lately?  I like action adventure and romantic comedy. With recent movies I tend to lag behind because we go to the local $2.50 movie theater more than any of the others. I'm blessed to have that option in this economy. The most recent ones I've seen are The Muppets, Puss in Boots, and the New Sherlock Holmes movie. All of which were good. 
6. What made you decide to be part of the Reader Fitness Challenge?I had already embarked on my own fitness journey and Lucy had shared the My Fitness Pal program with me as we'd chatted about our fitness goals and challenges. I was impressed with the program and the results Lucy was having. When she told me about the Reader Fitness Challenge I was thrilled! Because I know what a struggle it has been for me to get in shape and to find fitness tips that worked for me.  Others have struggled with this as well. I felt it was a chance to share what I have learned on my fitness journey with others and to be an encourager. Every Friday for the twelve weeks of the Reader Fitness Challenge I will be posting a blog with fitness tips on my website along with part of my fitness journey.  Lucy's Reader Fitness Challenge is a fun way to get fit and healthy within a supportive community and such a loving way for her to give back to her readers.  
Sometimes that one small voice at the end of the day which says you can do it is the one thing that keeps a person going. I am blessed and grateful for the opportunity Lucy has provided through the Reader Fitness Challenge and if I can be that one small voice for just one person I am thankful.
Here's a look at my newest release Dangerous Ties.....
Lillian's fiance convinces the townsfolk to exchange their gold for his worthless bank notes. When he disappears, every eye turns to Lillian. Even her cousin Carl insists she knows where the gold is. Carl is deeply indebted to Kingston, owner of the saloon and small town criminal. When Nick discovers Lillian she's strung up over a mine shaft and the rope is breaking. He saves her, tends to her wounds and teaches her to shoot. When his horse trading deal with Kingston goes bad, Lillian races to save Nick.
Dangerous Ties is available for your Kindle or Nook. 

52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy Monroe!

Week 14's Featured Book

Ready

by Lucy Monroe
1st Book in Mercenary Trilogy Ready, Willing & AbleTrade PaperbackKensington Brava - July 2005 ISBN 0-7582-0864-2Mass Market PaperbackKensington Brava - July 2008ISBN-10: 075820874XISBN-13: 978-0758208743



As a writer, Lise Barton is used to coming up with wild scenarios for her characters, but the one that's playing out for her right now is no fiction—it's frighteningly real. Someone is stalking her, someone who knows where she lives and what she does. Someone who has even threatened her family—her brother, his wife, and their precious baby girl. Lise isn't about to let someone hurt them, so she packs up and leaves Texas for the anonymity of Seattle. And then the threats start again…
Joshua Watt's mission is simple: Go to Seattle and bring Lise home for Thanksgiving or he'll never hear the end of it from his sister. It's not like "Aunt Lise" to stay away from their adorable niece, and Joshua's pretty sure he's the reason for it. He's spent months trying to forget the taste of her lips, the feel of her soft hair in his fingers. Yeah, okay, he wants her—badly—but family comes first. But the minute he sees the fear in Lise's eyes, his survival instincts kick in. The former Army Ranger isn't about to let some creep terrorize an innocent woman—not on his watch. He's going to do what it takes to protect Lise and try to keep his personal feelings out of it. Because if there's one thing he's learned, it's that sex and work don't mix. Not ever. So far…

Click to watch Book Trailer ~ Buy the book.
Contest Question
(Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.)



Ready is the first book in the Mercenary Trilogy.  It has been on several Bestseller lists.  Name one Bestseller list that Ready appeared. 

Humpday Hottie!

A lovely bit of masculine beauty for your mid-week edification!

April's Retro Release!

MOON CRAVINGby Lucy MonroeISBN-10: 0425233049ISBN-13: 978-0425233047A Children of the Moon Novel #2Paranormal Historical WerewolfBerkley Sensation - February 2010
Bestselling author Lucy Monroe pens a scorching tale of passion, deception, and a wild love that can't be tamed... 
If it were up to him, Talorc—laird of the Sinclair clan and leader of his werewolf pack— would never marry. But when the king orders that Talorc wed an Englishwoman, the lone wolf is shocked to find his mate in the strong-willed Abigail. And after an intensely climactic wedding night, the two fiercely independent souls sense an unbreakable bond... 
Deaf since childhood, Abigail hopes to keep her affliction from Talorc as long as possible. And for his part, he has no intention of telling her about being a werewolf. But when Abigail learns that the husband she's begun to love has deceived her, it will take all of his warrior's strength—and his wolf's cunning—to win his wife back. And Talorc will have to face his biggest challenge yet: the vulnerability of a man in love...
Buy the book. 



Contest Question:Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.  

Last Friday Patti Shenberger shared an inspiring post with us titled Believing In You!.  She shared her story about surviving colon cancer.  Through it all her publisher believed in her and stood by her.  She got her "Yes" and so can you.  Patti has just released her newest book.  What is the title of her book?

Starting Strong...Staying Strong

 Back when I came up with my Reader Fitness Challenge idea, I shared with you all that I wanted to do it for two reasons.


1.  I always want to share my blessings and that included the amazing transformation to my quality of life via my attempts at a healthier lifestyle.
2.  I knew that once the Hillsboro Fitness Challenge was over, I'd need something to continue to keep me motivated as I did not want to lose steam.
So, the Lucy Monroe Reader Fitness Challenge was born.  And can I just say that I've been blown away by the response?  With over 50 entrants from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, I'm thrilled to say, the RFC is starting strong!  And we're going to stay strong.
But what does that mean?  Is it all about losing mass amounts of weight and dropping multiple dress sizes?  No.  Really, it's not.  Oh, I want to drop the dress sizes, no doubt about it.  And I've got nearly 100 lbs to lose to reach my initial goal weight and get my BMI just into the healthy range (I'm over 30% of the way there - yahoo!).  But I want more than that.  I want to be healthy.  Mentally.  Physically.  Emotionally.  Spiritually.
That means not just having self-discipline to turn down a Krispy Kreme doughnut, but having the mental discipline to eject negative thoughts telling me I won't succeed, or my efforts aren't making a difference.  It means believing in myself and my ability to get healthy in a way I haven't in a long time.  It means giving myself the gift of time to exercise - even if it happens late in the evening when I'd rather be snuggled on the couch reading.  It also, for me, means taking time to pray and meditate on not only my health, but about what I can do with my health.
We are in this together and we have started strong...let's stay strong.  Stay committed to tracking not only our progress, but our daily eating and exercise habits.  Stay committed to each other.  Encourage one another, be there for each other as each phase of this journey toward health takes us further down this wonderful and adventurous path!
Hugs and happy healthy endeavors,Lucy-- 
http://www.lucymonroe.com/
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Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
The Sheikh's Bartered Bride
Congratulations  bamagurlforever you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's The Sheikh's Bartered Bride.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations Bee070707 you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book Meagan's Chance. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 

Believing In You! an inspiring guest blog from Patti Shenberger

Welcome Patti.  This is a very inspiring post, thank you for sharing it with my readers.  I'm so excited that you have agreed to be part of the Reader Fitness Challenge by encouraging participants to lose weight and win prizes.

Believing In You!

Wow, talk about a stressful title for a blog post.  Yet, it's true.  If you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect others to?  How do you convince an editor or agent to take a chance on you, when you aren't feeling up to the task?  How do you start believing in you????
I am a five year colon cancer survivor.  I was diagnosed on October 9, 2006.  Scariest part is I had self-diagnosed myself on Sept 28th and no one not even my hubby could change my thinking.  Why did I think this?  Because a dear friend had gone through the same thing years before, and our symptoms matched in every possible way.  So when I called my doctor to get an appt, I already had my mind made up as to what they were going to tell me.
I had the dreaded colonoscopy Monday, October 9th, and when I opened my eyes the doctor was at my bedside.  No smile, no jokes, no nothing.  She closed my chart, looked at me and said "I found a tumor."  From that second on, I stopped listening.  All I remember is getting out of the bed, dragging my IV pole with me and off I went to the bathroom.  I didn't want to hear anymore, despite the fact nothing she said surprised me.  My hubby was in more shock than I was.
The next three weeks were spent preparing for surgery, taking a leave of absence from my job and letting my family and friends know what was happening.  Two weeks before my surgery, I got an email from a publishing house and also from an agent.  Both wanted to see more of my work.  A week later, the publishing house offered a contract and asked to see more work from me.  Doesn't it figure when it rains it pours.  Why now?  Why couldn't they all have wanted this earlier in the year?  Why did it have to be when I was facing the biggest challenge of my life?
I sent the agent a note saying I had to decline to send more at the present time and explained why.  The publishing house, I accepted the contract and sent off the next book I had completed.  But I also told them I had cancer, was going in for surgery and if they wanted to pull out, I would understand.  Then I went back to doing what I was doing. 
Lo and behold the next day a note came back saying the contract would stay, they would work with me for whatever time I needed to do edits and such.  I was thrilled beyond belief.  It was the one bright spot in my day and I really needed it at the time.  I did everything necessary and sent everything back to the publishing house.  Then I had colon surgery.  Surgery was successful and I was sent home to recover for six weeks, and then start chemo.  I spent my recovery submitting more work, doing edits and once more getting prepared for whatever life was going to throw at me next.
Well, life threw me a curveball on the first day of chemo.  Chemo started off fine and dandy.   I was told to give up my beloved Pepsi addiction (G) and I got my period!!  Yup, all in one day.  Talk about a tough day in the neighborhood.  And things went downhill from there.  On day seven, the chemo drugs hit me like a ton of bricks and I could barely get out of bed.  Writing was the furthest thing from my mind.  I was terrified it was going to be like this for the next seven months. (It wasn't).  Once more the panic set in as to how I was going to do my edits.  Then after I laid there and thought about it (a lot to be said for being forced to stay in bed), I realized if I could sit up if only for an hour a day, I could do edits, and take my mind off me for a while.
That's what I did.  I started out slowly, got to the computer, and little by little did my edits.  I finished well in advance of what I had given myself as a deadline, turned them in, and on New Years Eve 2006 learned that they wanted to buy my next book.  What a great way to celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of another.  A few weeks later, they wanted to buy the three short stories I sent in and soon after that another two books.  
This gave me the will to put pen to paper and keep on going.  I took my notebook and pen to chemo sessions with me and wrote.  I kept them on my nightstand so all I had to do was reach over and grab it whenever I wanted to write.  
The belief the publisher and the editor had in me was what I needed to keep going, keep trying when all I wanted to do was lay there and feel sorry for myself, keep pushing on when I thought my writing career was over.  Never once did I miss a deadline.  My hubby would have preferred I put it aside and focus on getting better.  My doctor said as long as I was doing what he wanted me to do, then whatever else within reason was fine by him.  My heart said keep writing, it'll take away the moments when lying in the bedroom late at night, unable to sleep, my mind wandered to the dark side.  A dark side that I didn't know if I would be able to pull myself out of.  A dark side that makes you doubt anything will ever be normal again.  But it was and it is.
All you have to do is set your mind to it.  It's like the old adage – If you don't write, you can't submit – if you don't submit, you can't get published.  Ah but yes, if you don't submit, then you won't get rejected.  And that's true too.  But if you don't put yourself out there, and I'm not just talking about writing, it can be anything in your life, a new job, a move across country, a new love life, then how will you know if you'll succeed or fail?  You won't know because you didn't try.  And what's the worst that can happen in pretty much any situation?  They said NO!  Best case scenario, they said YES!  And if it was a no, then look at it as a practice experience.  One you learn and grow from so you are better prepared the second time.  
Just remember, all it takes is one YES to start the ball rolling.  At the risk of sounding like one of those 'I can millions and so can you infomercials', it worked for me and it can work for you.  
Thank you all for spending a little time with me.  Have a wonderful day. Patti Shenbergerhttp://www.pattishenberger.com/
The Zodiac Club Book 5
Available April 1, 2012
Extasy Books

52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy Monroe!

Week #13's Featured Book:

Meagan's Chanceby Lucy Monroe

Samhain Publishing (May 1, 2008)

ISBN-10: 1599987910    ISBN-13: 978-1599987910





Buy the book.
Contest Question
(Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.)



Shattered by her ex-husband's infidelity and her own infertility, Meagan O'Hare is starting over. Through what unsuspected disaster does Meagan meet Adam?

Humpday Hottie!

A hero inspiration for your midweek pick me up!