Lauri Robinson's Blog, page 10

Read an E-Book Week March 2-8

In honor of e-book week, Paty Jager and I are offering For a Sister’s Lovefor FREE at SMASHWORDS. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/84043  You can either use this code: FL74J or the code offered on the site which is RW100.
I go back and forth between paper books and e-books, and I honestly can’t tell you that I like one more than the other. When I first got my Kindle, I (wrongly) assumed that would mean I’d no longer have a stack of books on my bedside table. They are still there, but so lies the Kindle. I must admit, the Kindle is my traveling partner. I must also admit I’ve brought home more than one paperback only to discover I’d already downloaded the story on my Kindle. Not that I mind. There are plenty of books that I enjoy reading more than once. 
For those of you who don’t have a Kindle or other E-reader, you can download the app onto your cell phone and/or computer. (I have those, too. I really am never without a book.)
So…what else is happening around here? A lot, as usual. We’vereceived more wintery weather, which we took advantage of and dug out the toboggan. The granddaughter had a blast, and Bear, the granddog, was part of the fun. He pulled the toboggan back up the hill once, but was not impressed. I believe the thought the thing was chasing him, and the faster he ran, the faster it followed him. It was a sight. The girls also went snowplowing with Papa in his old red Chevy and while ‘blazing a new trail’ they became stuck. Luckily they were just in the woods beyond the front yard, so Isabelle ran up the driveway and she and I took the GMC down to pull them out.
 We also celebrated Hayley’s birthday. She is now the ripe old age of five. We had three celebrations, one at the restaurant of her choice on her actual birthday and then yesterday we had a bowling party with a dozen of her friends, and then a family party at her home afterwards. 
On the writing side, I’m on the final few chapters of the third roaring twenties story, and already getting anxious to start the fourth one. Which I must get back to right now.
Keep your head up and a smile on your face. It helps. Remembering winter can’t last for every helps, too.

Honky Tonk Winners

Thanks to all who stopped by to learn more about the Honky Tonk Hearts Series.
The winners are:
Gus' door prize of a TWRP Mug goes to...Calisa Rhose for her comment on Jannine Gallant's post.

The $25 publisher's prize TWRP gift card goes to...bn100 for her comment on Sylvie Kaye's post.

And the $50 authors' prize TWRP gift card goes to...Debby(236) for her comment on Donna Michaels' post.

Congratulations ladies! You’ll all be contacted by email.
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! We had a quiet evening at home with a wonderful surf and turf meal. Papa grilled steaks and I made lobster tails to go with it, along with other fixings. I spent the morning with one of my granddaughters celebrating in her preschool classroom, the afternoon shopping with her until we could pick up her sister from first grade, and the late afternoon delivering Valentine’s gifts to the other grandchildren. A love-filled day for sure.
Yesterday we watched a friend take a ‘polar plunge’ for the Cancer Society and had a great visit with my sister and her husband, and today we will be attending a swim meet.
Enjoy your week!

Honky Tonk Hearts Blog Hop!

Ladies, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking old Gus, owner of The Lonesome Steer honky tonk couldn’t have brought together all the lonely, broken hearts that he did. But I’m here to tell you I have. Not only do I have the pictures of these couples in my office to prove it, but there’s been a whole series of romances written about the men and women who found love at The Lonesome Steer. And just like every one of my couples, each of these romances is a keeper.
The authors of these books have put together a Valentine Honky Tonk Blog Hop, an easy way for you to get a sneak peak at every story. And there are prizes to put a bounce in your Texan Two-Step. To be Eligible, visit each blog link below and leave a comment. The more hop stops you visit and comment on, the more chances YOU have to win a $50 gift card to The Wild Rose Press. In addition, the publisher has provided a second grand prize of a $25 gift card to The Wild Rose Press and a TWRP Mug for a random commenter (Sorry, US visitors only for the mug prize). Some of the ladies will also be giving away their own personal prizes. So whatcha waitin’ for? Happy hoppin’! Nothing But Trouble by Jannine Gallant                    Sing to Me, Cowboy by Lauri RobinsonHonky Tonk Man by Sylvie Kay                                A Song for Sophie by Mackenzie CrowneThose Violet Eyes by Vonnie Davis                            Cowboy-sexy by Donna MichaelsLonesome Cowboy by Stacy Dawn                           Back Where You Belong by Vonnie Davis    The Morning After by Brenda Whiteside                   Lost Memories by Sherri Thomas
I hope you’re having a good time visiting all the blogs and reading excerpts from the stories! I loved writing Sing to Me, Cowboy, and have truly enjoyed the other stories in the Honky Tonk  Hearts series! Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win!
Blurb: Heather Gibson's past catches up with her one dark Texas night.

Locked in a custody battle with an ex-husband who's looking for any excuse to take her children, Heather doesn't need any more trouble. But when a broken-down car and a dead cell phone leave her stranded at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, she comes face-to-face with the one man who could jeopardize everything--including her heart.

Country-singing sensation Lance Dugan is back in Amarillo for his grandfather's birthday and to take care of a bit of unfinished business--apologize to Heather for leaving ten years ago. Lance has fought hard and won big the last few years, but seeing Heather again makes him wonder if he's been fighting for the right things.

Finding each other again may seem like fate, but one horrible secret, buried deep, could divide them forever.
Excerpt:
“Lance!”
A roar of clapping and stomping echoed over the parking lot as Bubba stepped out the door. “You’re up.”
The call of duty tore at Lance’s insides. This wasn’t the first time he’d played at The Lonesome Steer, but the other ones had been impromptu performances. This time Gus had advertised the event, and Lance couldn’t let the honky tonk owner down. However, right now there was something he wanted to do more than sing.
Frustrated he didn’t have a choice, he took Heather’s hand, flipped it over, and laid the cell phone in her small palm. “I’m sorry, but I gotta go. Use my phone to find the number and call.”
“How will I get it back to you?”
He shrugged, but it was an act. Deep down he wanted to beg her to stay, watch him perform. Learn he had made something out of himself. “You can hang around. I’m only singing a few songs. The tow truck probably won’t be here by the time I’m done.”
A smile shot across her lips like a falling star, here for a moment and then gone.
“All right. Thanks, Lance.”
He gave her a nod, and then slapping Bubba, his right-hand man on the arm, walked through the door. The crowd was chanting his name, and as usual, his heartbeat increased. He loved performing. Loved singing his songs for people, and here, in his hometown, he loved it even more.
The performer in him burst forward—a good thing since the man in him was still outside. Making his way across the dance floor, he nodded to folks he knew, and some he didn’t. In a single bound, he jumped onto the stage and lifted the guitar balanced against a speaker.
“Hello, again!” he shouted. When the noise died down, he added, “I had to step outside for some sweet Texas-night air, and I gotta tell ya…damn, it’s good to be home!”
The roar could have lifted the roof off the Lonesome Steer like a twister had done a few years back. Gus had to pay a big company out of Amarillo to put a metal roof on the weathered and well-used building. The man now loved to claim not even a Texas tornado could put him out of business.
Strumming the strings, Lance turned to Joey on the drums and Frank on the bass, two of his band members who didn’t mind playing hometown gigs for free. “She’s My Angel,” he said.
They both nodded, and simultaneously, started playing the intro. The words flowed over Lance’s tongue as automatic as a wristwatch ticked away minutes. There was no need to think. The music overtook him, made his toes tap, his fingers strum, and his hips sway. The crowd started to sing along, and he played it up, nodded to someone in the front row and then another, as if they had his full attention.
They didn’t.
His mind was still in the parking lot.
Would she wait? He didn’t have a right to, but he certainly wanted a few more minutes of Heather Childs’s time. Heather Gibson. That’s right. She’s married, and Matt’s home with the kids. A boy and a girl if his sister’s grapevine was right.
The song ended, and he flipped the guitar under his arm to take a bow.
“Lance! Sing Riding Across Texas,” someone shouted.
“Yeah! Riding Across Texas,” others agreed.
“All right. Don’t ever let it be said Lance Dugan doesn’t give his fans what they want.” He turned to Joey and Frank again, waiting for their signals, and then finding the right notes, sang his current number one song. It had been on the charts for the past thirty-six weeks, nineteen at number one. Nature once again took over. It was his soul that sang. His body was just a host. This time, he tried to keep his mind in the room, and off Heather, but as he looked over the crowd, his gaze linked with an unforgettable pair of blue eyes in the back of the room near Gus’s office. Her hair was pulled back in a single ponytail, and the neon lights behind the bar lit up her white tank top like a glow-in-the-dark poster.
He gave her a nod, just a gesture to say, I see you, but what she did in response almost stopped his heart.
Holding up his phone, she then set it on the bar, and disappeared into the crowd.

Here are the links to the other stories one more time:
Nothing But Trouble by Jannine Gallant                     Honky Tonk Man by Sylvie Kay                                 A Song for Sophie by Mackenzie CrowneThose Violet Eyes by Vonnie Davis                            Cowboy-sexy by Donna MichaelsLonesome Cowboy by Stacy Dawn                            Back Where You Belong by Vonnie Davis    The Morning After by Brenda Whiteside                   Lost Memories by Sherri Thomas

ACHOO...

Yep, that’s what has been going on around here. So far DH hasn’t caught it, and I hope he doesn’t. The cold weather has kept his shop doors opening and closing. I on the other hand, had to finally and most reluctantly, take to my bed last week. It was one of those nasty bugs that drags a person down. Even Bear, granddog extraordinaire, felt sorry for me and crawled up on the bed to snuggle. Bless his yellow-lab heart. I’m happy to say I’m on the mend, and therefore, running behind. Although I’m making good progress on the third roaring twenties story, where Twyla and Forrest are having a blast flying around in his 1920’s airplane, I have some catching up to do. Thanks goes out to my darling brother Norman for answering a few antique plane questions the other day when I barely had a voice to ask them!
So, a few things have happened during my down-under-the covers-days…
Chapters have continued to be released for The Stolen Kiss on Harlequin’s website. There’s an online discussion happening if you’re interested in joining in. 

The Major’s Wife was released on Saturday, and continues to hang around at the number one slot for Harlequin Historicals at Amazon. Thank you all for being such wonderful and dedicated readers! I so appreciate each and every one of you!

The Wild Rose Press has released The Quinter Bride Series in a boxed set! Now you can get all five stories at once for one low price! I still get emails, got one just today, asking if there will be more books in this story. People want to know about Ma. I can’t say yeah or nay right now, but maybe someday. 
I received the cover art for my May 1st released, Never Tempt a Lawman. No blurb yet, but I will post it when I get it. 
Other happenings around here include me, on ONE of the coldest days of the year (we’ve had so many below zero days they’ve merged together to form at least a month I’m sure) I managed to lock myself out of my car—while it was running! There I was with fifty pounds of dog food in my arms, and no extra set of keys in my purse. Thank goodness for our wonderful local police department! 
We also had a surprise visit from one of my nieces and her lovely family on Saturday. Bear was ecstatic to have BOYS to throw the ball for him and ran until he collapsed on his doggie bed in pure satisfaction. (He’s been missing his master and number one human who is in North Carolina for work right now.)  And we had a super bowl party with lots of food to capture our attention far more than the game did. I will add the Budweiser puppy/horse commercial won my heart.
Now that I no longer need to have a tissue in one hand at all times, I’m back to writing, which I better get back to.
Have a wonderful week, and rejoice in the little things, some day you’ll remember them as very big moments.

FREE READ

On Monday Harlequin will release the first chapter of The Stolen Kiss. Each day thereafter for twenty days another chapter will be posted on their website. 
If this link  doesn’t work, go to www.harlequin.com, hover over extras on the red menu bar and you’ll see free reads. Click on that.  
The chapters are short, and easy to read on line, and there’s even a comment section, if you are so inclined. 
The Stolen Kiss:
From rivals…to lovers!
The moment beautiful Cassandra Halverson arrives in Tulsa, Micah Bollinger knows she'll be trouble. No sooner has she set up her dressmaker's shop than she starts poaching his customers. Determined to beat Cassandra at her own game, Micah decides to keep his enemy close!
Cassandra wants nothing more than to create a new life doing what she loves and to leave her past behind her forever. But the presence of her infuriatingly gorgeous competitor threatens it all. When an unexpected kiss takes them both by surprise, it's not long before fury turns to red-hot passion!
This story is related to The Major’s Wife, which is now available in paperback! The ebook version will be released Feb. 1st!
WILL THE TRUTH SET THEM FREE?  
Major Seth Parker knows his wife, and the woman standing before him isn't her. The manipulative vixen who tricked his hand in marriage could never possess such innocence—nor get his heart racing like this! 
Millie St. Clair has traveled halfway across the country to pull off one of the greatest deceptions ever. But with everything at stake it soon becomes clear that the hardest part might be walking away from the Major when it's all over…. 
Our weekend agenda includes an ice fishing trip—for Papa and the granddaughters. Although the fish house is well heated and roomy, I’m not a fan of sitting atop frozen water, warm or otherwise, so I will stay home and work on my next WIP. It’s the third story in my roaring twenties series. Set in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, these stories are about four sisters—each with their own book. The four Nightingale women, Norma Rose, Twyla, Josie, and Ginger, all embrace the freedom gained by women in the 1920’s. However, their father, Roger Nightingale, aka The Night, is one of the country’s largest bootleggers and set on keeping his girls as innocent as a morning breeze. 
Not.
The first story is Ginger’s, a short e-book only tale. (No release date yet, but the edits have all been completed and the story is set to go.) Ginger, the youngest of the girls, takes her future into her own hands and runs away from home—by hiding away in the back of Brock Ness’s truck when he leaves for Chicago to perform on the radio. Brock unfortunately owes Roger Nightingale a good sum of money, so when he discovers Ginger under the tarp of his truck, snuggled up to his guitar case, Brock is anything but impressed.
The next story is Norma Rose’s. Final edits were just approved by my editor today! Norma Rose’s story is a full length one and will be available in print and ebook. She’s the oldest sister and has brought Nightingale’s from nothing more than a dance pavilion to a sprawling resort that caters to those with money to spend. This also includes plenty of gangsters, and where you have mobsters, there’s sure to be a revenue man sniffing about. Norma Rose recognizes Ty Bradshaw as a government agent the moment she meets him, and is determined he will not bring her family down. Ty is after public enemy number one, Ray Bodine, and doesn’t care who he has to bowl over to catch the mobster, including Norma Rose Nightingale and her bootlegging father.
The third story is Twyla’s, the boldest and wildest sister. This is my current WIP. Twyla’s story will also be a full length book available in print and ebook. She loves living at the country’s largest speakeasy and isn’t about to let anyone rain on her parade, including rival night club owner Forrest Reynolds.
The last story will be Josie’s. Another full length book. Josie’s the quietest and most secretive sister. I’m still plotting out her story, so at the moment, all I can say is the ladies aid meetings she’s continuously going to aren’t as innocent as they appear.  
To say I’m having a lot of fun with these sisters and their stories is an understatement. I’m also working on a story set in Cody, Wyoming that has a ghost in it—sort of.
That’s all for now.
Stay happy!

Brrr.....

We are in the deep freeze here in Minnesota, which isn’t all that unusual, but the wind chills have made being outdoors dangerous, therefore schools and several businesses are closed. It also means my hubby is busier than ever. Cars do not want to start when it’s this cold, and the phone is ringing off the hook with people asking him to make house calls. Poor guy. The good thing is—it won’t last long. The weather man is predicting a January thaw this weekend. 
My family is now enjoying all the wonderful gifts they each received for the holidays. One of my sons got the Ancestry software and is really having a ball with it. He’s discovered one of my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great (I think that’s right) grandmothers involved in the Salem Witch Trials. She wasn’t prosecuted and lived for another thirty years or so afterwards. Another son is spending every spare moment in his fish house ice fishing, and the third son has already spent the ‘cash’ he received on tickets for his family to fly to Florida later this month. The granddaughters are loving their Doc McStuffins Check-up Centers and the numerous other toys and gadgets they received. One of my favorite gifts was a new fuzzy and warm throw that matches my overstuffed ‘writing’ chair, and Bear, the ultimate granddog, is greatly enjoying the old quilt I used to snuggle under. (His doggie bed is next to my chair and he waits for me to toss the quilt over the top of him after he lies down.)
I received some great feedback from my critique partner on my latest work in progress this weekend and am enjoying getting to know Beth and Rance, the heroine and hero of this story set in Cody, Wyoming. 
The first chapter of The Stolen Kiss will be released on January 27 on Harlequin’s website. The Major’s Wife will be released in print on February first, and e-book later that month, and Never Tempt a Lawman will be released on May first. 
In the mean time, stay warm, keep smiling, and make 2014 all you dream it can be!   

Here Comes 2014

The fast and furious pre and post Christmas days are now but memories, wonderful memories, as we now focus on the coming of the New Year. I sincerely hope your celebrations were, and continue to be, fantastic. 
Our fun times continued through the weekend. After going to see Frozen on Friday—an amazing movie with utterly spectacular music—all three girls spent the night. I’m questioning what I was thinking when I purchased the futon for the playroom. Snuggling to watch a movie is one thing, sleeping all night with three little girls is a completely different thing. However, come morning, after stretching out the kinks, I realized these days are few and precious. Time goes so fast there soon will be a day when the three of them will want to sleep alone, sharing secrets and giggles without grandma, so until then I’ll cherish the moments, stiff muscles and all. 
Getting back into a writing routine is a must for me now. I’ve started the next roaring twenties story, however, I’ve also started the story that came on strong while we were in Wyoming last fall. Those characters have been very impatient so I had to start getting things ‘down on paper.’ I like working on two stories at the same time. When one comes to a fork in the road that needs a bit of pondering, I can work on the second one. 
Mid January is when Harlequin will put up the free read, The Stolen Kiss, and The Major’s Wife, will be released in February. Next up will be Never Tempt a Lawman, release date to be determined.
Enjoy your final days of 2013! It was a year to remember, as they all are.

Ten More Days

Until Christmas! I’m happy to say I’m ready. Just one more grocery shopping trip for the big meal. I had a wonderful surprise today. These flowers were delivered from a fan I have yet to meet in person, but will soon, I hope. That was just so sweet and very precious of her!
As always life has been busy around here. We celebrated our granddaughter’s 7th birthday (her birthday is the 23rd so her mommy and daddy make sure we celebrate a couple weeks ahead so it doesn’t get lost in the holidays, which we all appreciate!) last weekend, and she had a gymnastics meet the next day. Lots of fun! A friend had told me about a blooming flower birthday candle, so I ordered one for the big day and it was a great hit! (I got it at http://www.partyswizzle.com/MusicalCandle.html)
This weekend we renewed our conceal and carry permits. It is always so informative. I’d take the class every year instead of every five if I could, laws change so often. We also had our youngest granddaughter over for the day while her parents went to the football game. The Vikings won! (Must have been good luck for them to be at the game.) Granddaughter and I made cookies, several batches with more frosting and sprinkles than needed, which is all the more fun.
Writing has been very productive, too. Snowbound with the Sheriff was released December 1st! The free read that Harlequin will be offering in January has been officially titled The Stolen Kiss. This short story connects with The Major's Wife which will be released February 1st. AND I finished another roaring 20’s story and sent it off to my editor. I really wanted it done before the holidays so it wasn’t ‘hanging over my head’. I of course have another one well in the works, but have plenty of time so there’s no pressure. That was my one Christmas wish for myself.

For you and others, my wish is that your wishes come true, and that you have happiness and love in your hearts now and all year long.
Christmas blessings to one and all.

Thanksgiving and Beyond

Where ever you are, however you celebrated, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The kind that fills your heart with peace and joy over all your blessings. We ate too much, laughed hard, and thanked the Lord above for blessing us so, and then came home for an evening of quiet time. A blessing too. 
To those of you braving the stores today, I hope you were successful! I crossed that off my bucket list years ago—not that it was ever on my list, but because others wanted me to join them, I participated. Now I can sit back and listen to the almost frightful tales of others, and be thankful that I don’t have to be a part of all that.
However, we will soon be out the door. Hubby is best man in a wedding tomorrow and today is the rehearsal with a dinner following. A fun time will be had, I’m sure of it. 
I’m wrapping up the ending of my story. At the point where I can’t type as fast as the story appears in my mind. It may sound silly, but characters have known to surprise me, and these two, Ty Bradshaw, a federal prohibition agent, and Norma Rose Nightingale, a bootlegger’s daughter, have given me more than one, ‘REALLY?’ moment.  
Stay warm. Stay happy. And keep smiling!

It's a Wonderful Life

Yes, I love that movie, always have. And I’d like to share how that movie touched my family’s life. 
First, I’ll start with this little guy. Our grandson born on July 31st of this year. I do believe he’s utterly adorable, as are his two older sisters. And I’d like to tell you how they all started…
Several years ago I was the Central Minnesota Division Director for the March of Dimes. One of the fundraising events I was in charge of was held in November and that year the committee decided we would use the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” as the theme for the event. We transformed the entire event center, with the help of many local stores, into Bedford Falls. To put the event ‘over the top’ we hired Karolyn Grimes, she stared as Zuzu in the movie, to be the emcee. She is a terrific lady and did a wonderful job, and the event was marvelously successful.
So…To pull off the event which had many aspects including live and silent auctions and raffles, I needed the help of many volunteers and contacted the local college to recruit several. I also recruited my family, which wasn’t anything new. All three of my boys had helped out at many, many fundraisers over the years, and even the ones no longer living at home still stepped in when I called for help. (They truly are good people.)
My middle son was in charge of a particular raffle, and asked me to find ‘cute’ girls to work him and the friend he’d recruited to help out. Before the event started, I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, but happened to notice a group of college students arrive. I directed them to where the volunteers had to check in, but specifically told two of them to tell the volunteer check-in person that I already had jobs for them, and that I’d meet back up with them in a few minutes. Of which I did, and escorted those two girls to where my son and his friend were getting ready. 
My parents were also at that event and at one point during the evening asked me who the adorable girl helping my son was. My mother claimed both my son and the girl had stars in their eyes when they looked at each other. That was proven later in the evening when my son put his arm around me and whispered, “Oh, mom, you so know where it’s at.”
And here we are, years later, and those two, my son and that adorable college student—now working on her PHD and teaching for two colleges online while raising three of my grandchildren—still look at each other with stars in their eyes. 
Papa teases that I hand-picked our daughter-in-law and couldn’t have done a better job. I can’t take all the credit, but I do believe “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
I wish you all a wonderful thanksgiving, full of family, friends, and love.