Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 60

Humpday Hottie!

To feed our facination with firemen. Sends me into a lovely daydream.

March Retro Release Contest!

March Retro Release - Have you read this book yet?  If not, here's your chance to win your own copy!


The Sheikh's Bartered Bride by Lucy MonroeBy Lucy MonroeHarlequin Showcase - March 2011ISBN-13: 978-0-373-68822-7Originally Harlequin Presents - February 2005ISBN 0-373-12447-3© 2005 Lucy Monroe


After a whirlwind courtship Sheikh Hakim bin Omar al Kadar proposes marriage. There are no declarations of love, but shy, innocent Catherine Benning has already fallen head-over-heels in love and she accepts…  After their wedding day – and night, when the sheikh claims his virgin wife – Catherine and Hakim travel to his desert kingdom.  Catherine discovers that this is no love match for Hakim – he's bought her!
Click here to purchase this 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 week T.D. Jones blogged with me about having a creative place to write.  She described the room in which she writes.  What room in her house did she convert to a writing space?

Reader Fitness Challenge

Registration for the Reader Fitness Challenge begins this weekend March 18th. I wanted to repost this blog as it explains why this is so important to me.  I've already lost 24 pounds and I feel great! I hope you will think about being part of this challenge.  


Originally posted on January 23, 2012.
I am a Type II diabetic and have been for a few years.  Did diagnosis change my lifestyle?  For a while it did, but then I got complacent and well...lazy.  There were so many other things to worry about, my sedentary lifestyle, often eating only once -  maybe twice - a day, sugar binges and blood sugar levels within the normal ranges *for a diabetic* didn't really make it on the list.
But then a couple of weeks before Christmas, my blood sugars started going dangerously high.  Scared the crap out of me, honestly.  So, what did I do?  Stop testing them.  Yep, real effective that. ;-)  Not!  Then, the week of Christmas, the mother of one of my daughter's friends learned she was going to lose the bottom half of her leg...due to complications from her diabetes.
Wake up call?  A resoundingly loud one with the ringtone of archangels, if you really want to know.

I knew I had to do something because, see...I want to be walking in ten years.  I want to be healthy.  Bending over to tie my own shoes, still running after the grandkids.
I won't be, if I don't do something now.  My mom was a Type II diabetic.  She didn't let the disease beat her though.  That's all down to the Hep C that ravaged her body until the last flicker of light died in her eyes.
But caring for Mom during more than a dozen years of her fighting fatal liver failure taught me something.  If I have the choice, I don't want my own children in that same space.  I can't know what the future might bring, but I know that I do have a choice about some things.
Like my weight.  Like my Type II Diabetes.  Like my overall health.  I may not be able to prevent cancer or some unknown disease, but I can make choices now that exponentially increase my chances of living a productive, healthy life for decades to come.
The week after Christmas, my baby sister told me she'd signed up for the Hillsboro Fitness Challenge.  Did I want to do it to?
Did I?  Oh, yes!!!
So, I told my kids and my husband and they *all* enthusiastically agreed to pursue health with me.  They've not only joined the challenge, but we're all using MyFitnessPal to track our food, exercise and weight loss progress.
I started on January 9th and so far, I've eaten WAY better, exercised every day but 2 and lost 7.4 pounds.  I've learned I absolutely LOVE water aerobics! :)  I'm already stronger and more able to run up and down my stairs at home.  My blood sugars have dropped to much more acceptable levels and I'm no longer at risk for going on insulin.  I'm still on Metformin, but I'm hoping that will change once I lose enough weight.
I'm crying as I write this because I really want to give my children and grandchildren a healthy me.  They deserve it.  My mom, who never gave up for our sake, deserves it!
She didn't have a choice in so much, but what she had a choice in?  She did her utmost to make work with her body.  She nursed a Level 4 liver failure through more than a decade and stayed alive for us.I *will* be that strong for my children.  I will change my lifestyle and that of my immediate family get togethers to one that is healthier and more conducive to keeping us all active and strong in the years to come.
The Hillsboro Fitness Challenge ends in 2.5 months.  I'm trying my best to win the weight loss portion, but I think my baby sister or husband might just beat me.  If they do?  I'll consider it a win for all of us.  Because it will be.
I'll need a renewed commitment at that time.  I'm usually smart enough to know my weaknesses and potential pitfalls, and I see this one coming.
So, look for a Lucy Monroe Reader Fitness Challenge coming in April.  I'll post the details later, but know that I plan to provide prizes and parameters that will enthusiastically encourage the other people in my life I love best to be as healthy as I'm hoping my family will be.  My readers.
Watch this space for more details and updates on my healthy lifestyle efforts.
Mega hugs and healthy days ahead to each and every one of you!Lucy
http://www.lucymonroe.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LucyMonroe.Romance
http://twitter.com/#!/lucymonroe

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
The Sheikh's Bartered Bride
Congratulations nrobak 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  Mon_Cherie you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book 3 Brides for 2 Bad Boys. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 

Guest Blog - T.D. Jones

Where is your creative room? By T.D. Jones Every writer needs a creative room. It can be an actually room or even just a corner that you call your writing area. Make this place a sacred place that is only used by you and is only used for the business of writing if possible. Some writers, such as myself have turned a bedroom in the house into an actually office. This is my favorite room in the house because I know in this room I will be creating and doing other projects that involve writing. Some writers chose to write outside the house, such as coffee shops or libraries or any other place that they can be the most productive. The one thing to keep in mind is a writer writes no matter where your space is so even if you have to write at the kitchen table that is okay as long as you write. You may have to try lots of different setting before you find that one place where you are the most creative.  Some writers need very little in our creative area and some of us need a lot. If you have a small space then you are limited on what you can have, but if you have a large space then you can have as much as you want. Some writers are superstitious and need items around them they feel bring them good luck when it comes to writing. Others just need the simple materials to write with and they are good to go. Whatever you put in your creative world make sure it isn't something that is going to take you away from the reason you are there in the first place. What you need to have in your writing space is up to you. You are the writer in this area and no one else so just make it yours. Distractions are the worst thing for a writer. As writers we have a tendency to let our mind wander and daydream, it's in our job description. The problem is you have to learn when to tell if you're working while daydreaming or is your brain just being lazy. Talking on the phone to your friend and writing at the same time isn't really writing. Looking out the window and watching your neighbor take out his trash and writing at the same is not really writing. Writing is when your total attention is on the job at hand. If you have to turn the phone off or shut the blinds just so you can focus on what you are writing then do it. Don't let distractions keep you from doing the best writing you possibly can. Oh, and taking that nap you so dearly want to take is not going to help clear your mind for writing later. You will just be more behind in your writing when you wake up.  
It is your turn, what is your ideal work environment?  Where are you most productive?  I'd love to hear what you have to say. 
Here are some other places where you can catch up on all my latest news or connect with me.  Thank's Lucy for hosting me today. www.tdjones.weebly.comwww.writingonthego.blogspot.comwww.twitter.com/tdjones5Facebook: TD Jones/Author

52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy Monroe!

Week #10's Featured Book:

3 BRIDES FOR 3 BAD BOYSby Lucy Monroe
Kensington Brava - March 2005
Trade Paperback
ISBN 0-7582-0858-8
Kensington Brava - February 2008
Mass Market Paperback
ISBN 0-758-20863-4


They're not the marrying kind—more the Do NOT Take Home to Mom kind. But these three brothers are about to meet the tempting women who have what it takes to tame their inner bad boys... 




Click here to purchase the book (paperback or kindle).

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.)



3 Brides for 3 Bad boys tells three very luscious stories of three very bad boys.  Who was your favorite bad boy from this book?

Humpday Hottie!

I'm not really sure what he's looking at, but I like the view from my seat!

March Retro Release Contest!

March Retro Release - Have you read this book yet?  If not, here's your chance to win your own copy!



The Sheikh's Bartered Bride by Lucy Monroe
By Lucy Monroe

Harlequin Showcase - March 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-68822-7
Originally Harlequin Presents - February 2005
ISBN 0-373-12447-3
© 2005 Lucy Monroe

Read this excerpt from chapter 1

"Miss Benning."


She wasn't Miss Benning. She was Catherine Marie, captive of The Hawk, a sheikh who still lived by the code of the desert, where only the strongest survived.


He was coming now. She could hear his deep, masculine voice as he spoke in a tongue she did not understand to someone outside her tent. She struggled against the cords that bound her hands, but it was useless. The silk scarves were soft, but strong and she could not get her hands free.


If she did, what would she do? Run?


Where?


She was in the middle of the desert. The sun beat against the tent, heating up the cavernous interior. She wouldn't last a day in the vast wasteland on her own.


Then he was there, standing in the entrance to the room in which she was held. His features were cast in shadow. All she could see was his big body encased in the white pants and tunic typical of his people. A black robe, his abayah, fell from his massive shoulders to midcalf and his head was covered with the red and white smagh that denoted his position as sheikh. The headband holding it in place was made of twisted black leather.


He was less than fifteen feet away, but still his face was hidden from her by the shadows. Only the strong line of his jaw denoting his arrogance was discernable.


"Miss Benning!"


Catherine Marie Benning's head snapped up from where it had been resting against her fist and her eyes slowly focused on her surroundings. Tent walls hung with silks faded, to be replaced by cool gray cement, relieved only by the posters advertising the upcoming book drive and literacy event. They were the walls of the break room in the Whitehaven Public Library, much closer to a cold and wet Seattle, Washington than the blistering hot deserts of the Sahara.


Fluorescent light cast a harsh glow over the pointed features of the woman standing in front of her.


"Yes, Mrs. Camden?"


Straightening her double-knit polyester blazer, almost identical in color to the library's walls, Catherine's superior sniffed. "Your head was off in the clouds again, Miss Benning."


The disapproval in the older woman's voice grated against Catherine's usually limitless patience. Perhaps if the man in her fantasies would ever show his face, she wouldn't be feeling so frustrated, but he did not. This time had been no different. The Hawk was as elusive to her imagination as he was in it.


"I'm still on break," she reminded the older woman.


"Yes, well, we all do what we must."


Recognizing the beginnings of a familiar lecture, Catherine stifled a sigh at the knowledge her lunch break was to be cut short. Again.


Continue reading ~ Click here to purchase this 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.    
Cover Model Seth Mitchel was my guest last Friday.  He gave a great interview.  This week's contest questions comes directly from his interview, if you haven't checked it out yet, now is  your chance.  Seth talked about 3 virtues every man should have.  List one of the three he spoke about.  

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
Moon BurningCongratulations  zookeeper78usa   you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's Moon Burning.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 



52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations girlygirlhoosier52 you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book The Power of Love (Anthology). Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 

Guest Interview - Model Seth Mitchell

Seth Mitchell is California based male model and the cover model for Lucy Monroe's novel Ready.  We caught up with Seth to ask him a few questions:

LM:  Welcome to the blog Seth, to start out can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sure, I am 46 years old.  I live in Southern California and I have been modeling for about eight years.  I am originally from the East coast and I moved out to the Los Angeles area when I was sixteen with my mother and sister.  I have lived in a few other places for school and work – Connecticut and Washington DC, but the West coast is my home. 

LM: What prompted you to get into modeling?

The modeling was pretty much a fluke.  When I was 38 I took a break from corporate America and I was trying my hand at personal training and writing on fitness & nutrition.  At that same time a national men's fitness magazine had sponsored a "Readership Model" contest and I decided to enter.  I didn't have any photos or experience so I just did some quick shots with a photographer friend.  I didn't win or even place in the contest, but I did have these photos leftover.  One day I posted a few of them on one of the modeling community websites (just for fun) and three days later I was hired for my first modeling job.

LM:  What was it like becoming a model?  If I understand you correctly you were someone who had worked a normal day job and you knew fitness, but had no training or experience modeling.

It was hard.  I was very much behind the eight ball compared to other models who had years of experience.  I had two things that worked in my favor: First, I had a look that for whatever reason resonated with some people - I thank my Mom and Dad for that. Second, early on I had a photographer named Andre DeLoach (www.EmpyreanPhotography.com) who took me under his wing and explained the industry to me.  We went over model releases (the legal document that governs the use of the images), what magazines to look at for poses, who to shoot with, what types of projects to be wary of, etc.  It helped me a lot.  It also helped to remind me that while there are some people who are just naturals, many skills can be learned. So I set about learning what I needed to know to be a model.  In some ways it is no different than any other job.  You show up on time, ready to work, you listen to what the photographer wants, and you get the job done with minimal ego.

LM: You mentioned ego, is there a lot of that in the industry?

Some.  People can get carried away with the whole thing and forget that it is just a job and you are part of team that includes photographers, stylists, make-up artists, assistants, etc. who are all involved in creating these images.  I had the benefit of being on project teams prior to modeling so I treated the work like I would any other project.


LM: You sound pretty down to earth, any particular influence you can accredit that to?

Good parenting.

LM: From your pictures you appear to be in terrific shape.  Anything you want to sure with our readers about staying in shape?

You have to find things you enjoy doing to stay active.  I mix it up a lot.  During the Winter I tend to spend more time in the gym and then during the Summer when the days are longer I take more of my workouts outside.   Working out doesn't have to be just going to the gym and lifting weights, although I am a big fan of resistance training, it can be as simple as 10-15 minutes of yoga and core work in the morning or going on a good hike on the weekends.  You really need to have fun with it.

LM: You were a personal trainer at one time correct?
Correct.  I was trainer throughout college and part of graduate school.  It helped pays the bills and I enjoyed it.


LM: Since this is a romance blog, tell us a little about your romantic life.  Have you ever been in love?
Absolutely

LM: What was the most romantic thing you ever did for her?

For her birthday one year I set up a mystery hunt for her to find her gift.  There were clues in various places throughout the house and she had to go from clue to clue and figure out the riddle behind each before she could eventually get to the gift.  Some of the riddles were easy, some were a little tougher, one of them was even at the bottom of her wine glass.  We had a lot of fun that evening.  

LM: So what type of women have you been involved with? Do you have a type?

No, not really a type per se.  Most of women I have dated certainly have things in common; they all tend to be smart, active, and have a good sense of humor.

Only one of them was a model.  The others were a physical therapist, a registered dietician, a lawyer, and a surgical assistant.


LM: If you really wanted to impress a woman what would you do? What is your perfect evening?

I would set up something where we would have a chance to really talk and get to know one another.  Bars and clubs are loud and not conducive to conversation.  It would be a nice dinner; someplace quiet and a little romantic.  Afterwards we would go for walk and just enjoy the evening together.  

LM: Do you consider yourself old fashion?

In some ways.  I am old-fashion in that I like some of the chivalrous traditions (opening doors for a lady, bringing flowers, being courteous, etc.) but I do like some of the newer conventions on dating that allow either partner to initiate or take the lead which I think in some ways lead to better communication.

LM: Do you have a favorite place, somewhere in the world you would want to take a woman?

I have traveled a good amount for work and for fun: Spain, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, China, and Thailand.  If I were going to take a woman on a trip I would take her to Thailand.  I spent two weeks there sailing from Phuket, Thailand to Langkawi, Malaysia and visiting the small islands along the way.  That part of the world is simply gorgeous.

LM: I also see from your bio that you used to teach self-defense, you are a busy man. Any self-defense tips you would to share with our readers.

Sure, I have taught women's self-defense courses in the past.  I think the most critical element in staying safe is awareness.  We live in a world filled with distractions; text messages, cell phone, etc.  When you are out and walking somewhere, whether to your car or just down the street, you need to be in the moment and focused on where you are, what is around you, and any potential threats.  The best way to prevent a physical encounter is to avoid the situation completely.  When I taught we used to practice how to walk through a parking garage.  It was important that the students learn how to walk through a garage without getting too close to a pillar or a doorway where someone could be hiding (or at least be aware of those areas).  If there are mirrors hanging in the garage, you should use them to see what is around you. You should be aware, confident, and direct in your actions.  If you are heading to your car have your head up and your keys in your hand.  Most importantly, don't be afraid to follow your intuition (women in general have a more developed sense of intuition than men do).  If a situation feels somehow wrong, don't go into it.  That could mean waiting until other people are around or just taking a moment to discern what exactly seems wrong and taking the appropriate steps.

LM:   What do you think is the most important virtue a man should have?

There are three that I think are critical for a man: Courage, Compassion and Humility.  


Courage; to accept your responsibilities and obligations and do what you can for those around you.


Compassion; because we are all on this planet together and, as much as possible, we need to try to appreciate the circumstances of those around us.


Humility; (this is one I would like to see a lot more of these days), because each of us is simply part of a larger framework and none of us is innately better than any other, we are just different and some of us have been more blessed. 


Thanks Seth for stoppinig by and giving a great interview.  I'm sure my readers have enjoyed getting to know you and I know they enjoyed the pictures you shared with us!

You can learn more about Seth or catch up on all his latest endeavors by checking out his website  www.modelmayhem.com/seth or connect with him on Facebook www.facebook.com/ModelSeth.