Jennifer Shirk's Blog, page 39

Blog Holiday

No, it's not a new holiday.
But I wouldn't put it past Hallmark to capitalize on this soon enough.

It's just me, taking a break. I'll be back to comment on all your bloggie fun and good news really soon.
Or if you need a definite date... I'll be back this Friday.

In the meantime, check out this very short video I "lifted" from Ally Carter's blog. She was saying on her blog how people often ask her "How do you write a novel?" She says the best advice comes from this clip. All you have to do is substitute "write a book" for "run a marathon" and you've got it.



Have a good run--er, write this week!

Be Happy-- Read a Romance

Hey, all!

I've been busy in my little writing hole these past few days so I'm happy to fnally come out and announce that I've crossed the halfway mark of my WIP with about a month and a half still to go to meet my Book In Three Month Challenge. Woo-hoo!

And you know what else? I was so distracted on Monday that I forgot to announce my book winner. Duh. SORRY. So without further ado...


The winner of The Role of a Lifetime is lucky number 15--er, I mean Courtney! Just let me know whether you'd like the book in print or ebook format and I'll send it out!

Thank you SO much to everyone who came over and entered. It was fun and I really appreciate it. :)

And now for MORE fun!!

One of my favorite authors, Kristan Higgins did a really cute trailer for her new romance coming out, My One and Only, so I have to share it here too. I just think it's brilliant and fun marketing. :)
It's called "English Teacher Busted"




So there. Be happy and read a romance.
(As long as you don't get fired or go to jail or anything)

Have a great weekend!

Monday Musings

MOOD STATUS: "Distracted". Got behind on a few things I need to get done because I was sick last week.
WEEK OF P90X: Ten.
I really wanted to title this post "random thoughts"--but it didn't rhyme with Monday. So I had to get creative, hence the "Monday Musings". It sort of works. :)

Anyhew, as noted above, I'm a little distracted because I have so much to catch up on this week. So allow me to ramble (another word that doesn't rhyme with Monday) and clear my mind.

1) My neighbor offered to take my kidlet to the school carnival with his son on Saturday. I said, "Great!" My kidlet then came home with pink stripes in her hair and FIVE goldfish (really six goldfish but one died in transit)

2) I'm almost finished painting the kidlet's room. She picked two colors: blue and yellow. So I'm painting two walls Regal blue and two walls Daffodil yellow. It's going to looks super cute when I'm done.

3) I still can't taste anything. (because of my cold). The good news is that I think I lost a little extra weight as a result.

4) I skipped one day of P90x (because of my cold) But it was only Yoga, so I don't feel too guilty.

5) I love that new Secret Millionaire show.

6) I'm really excited because on Thursday I got TWO books that have been on my TBR list for ages.

7) We need to buy a new digital camera. I have one of those old ones with the postage size stamp screen now. I have it narrowed down to two. But there's a $200 price difference, and I'm torn. But we're going on vacation soon so I need to make a decision soon. UGH!

8) I missed a few days of writing last week (because of my cold) so I need to make those words up this week so I can still make my Book In Three Month Challenge.

Whew! That feels really good to get that all out.

How about you? Any musings or random thoughts you'd care to share?

Does Traditional Publishing Really Mean Anything Anymore?

Hey, all! Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by Ju Dimello's blog to catch my interview and giveaway. Just so you know it's still going on until Sunday. :)

**Now back to our regularly scheduled program**


Years ago if someone announced they had self-published a book, writers would cock an eyebrow and look down their noses. Maybe the self-published author would even get laughed at.


Not anymore.

Self-publishing is on the rise (if not already at a peak) and the only people laughing are the self-published authors. And they're laughing all the way to the bank.

Case in point is author Amanda Hocking who has been in the news a lot. Amanda Hocking is only 26 years old, yet she has 9 self-published books to her name, and sells 100,000+ copies of those ebooks per month. She has never been traditionally published.

Based on an article in the Noveler, you don't have to be traditionally published to sell a lot of ebooks. You don't have to be A-List famous, either. Take this monthly sales list of top Kindle indie authors, for instance: http://www.novelr.com/2011/02/27/rich-indie-writer

Now those, of course, are the success stories.

We like to point them out because they're what dreams are made of. Based on those authors, it gives hope as well as an option to writers.


I mean, do readers really care how a book is published if it's a good book?
Do readers really buy books because of the publisher?

No. Not unless you're drawn to Harlequin category books. Most readers probably buy more according to the author, or the book's reviews, and/or word of mouth. At least, I do.
More and more traditionally published authors are seeing that too--as well as the advantage of going independent.


Why are more authors choosing to self-publish?

*To have more control over their career
. It's their book. They can call the shots. Thus, they're responsible if a book is edited and marketed succesfully. Some even hire professional editors. But they're also responsible if it's edited and marketed unsuccessfully. But if they have an established platform, they already do a bulk of their own marketing anyway.


*To increase their sales of their already traditionally published novels—and thus, make more $$$. They can offer their self-published ebooks at a cheaper price than the traditional publishers and those sales can help their traditionally published books.
HOW? If you own an ereader, aren't you more likely to TRY a new author for 99 cents VS $9.99? Then if you like an author, you're more likely to buy their other books, even if they're a higher price.


*To provide a home for books that didn't quite "fit" into that publisher/editor's mold or tastes.
I hear more and more stories like this: a traditionally published author writes another book. Assistant editor LOVES it, and talks it over with senior editor. Author goes out and buys champagne in anticipation of sale. Then gets the bad news. Old editor has stepped down. New editor does NOT love book like other editor. No sale.
So…does that mean that book is automatically bad now? Does that deem the book not publishable? I don't think so.
And now the author has an option.

The huge growth of digital readers and books (as well as social marketing) has made this avenue available for a lot of writers.
Don't be fooled, though, self-publishing is a lot of work!
(Which is one of the reasons I haven't considered it.)

However, for some authors willing to put in time and work hard at their craft, it can be a very good career move. And thanks to the amount of success smart writers are having, the line between traditional and self-publishing has blurred. The gateways to publishing aren't as restrictive.

And whether you embrace or shun it, it's here to stay.

But if an author is willing to work hard, write a good book and market it smartly, does it really matter in the end HOW it gets published? It shouldn't. A good read is a good read no matter how the book gets into your hands. :)


What about you? Have you thought about self-publishing for yourself?
Do you see a difference anymore between traditional and self-publishing?
Do you think it matters anymore what route a writer decides to take?

Blog Talk and a Giveaway

Hey, all!

I'm over at Ju Dimello's blog today (sick and all) talking about...well, myself-- as well as misconceptions I had when I first started writing.

Commenters will be entered to win either an ebook copy or print copy of my romantic comedy, The Role of a Lifetime .
Contest runs now through the weekend. So plenty of time to stop by if you have the chance. :)

I'm off to take Advil and have some more peppermint tea. :(

Four Reasons Authors can Feel GOOD about Goodreads

Well, you can thank my good bloggy buddies Heather Sunseri and Tana Adams for forcing--er, suggesting I talk about Goodreads. Actually, I'm so glad they did, because it's one of my favorite online places to visit daily. :)

So what is Goodreads exactly? According to wikipedia, it's a website that permits individuals to sign up and register books to create their library catalogs and reading lists. It also allows users to create their own groups of book suggestions and discussions.

Sound cool? It is!

So who is joining Goodreads anyway? Book reviewers, librarians , authors, readers, and/or some kind of combination of that list.

I first joined just to have a bio linked to my books, but then it became much more. I still feel as if I have yet to tap into all the nuances of the website, but here are my...


TOP FOUR REASONS I FEEL GOOD ABOUT GOODREADS:

1**I can easily follow new blog posts.

One of the nice things about Goodreads is the ability to link your blog feed to your homepage. Once you do that, all your friends (as well as any new person checking out your page) can see your latest blog update. I've also discovered new blogs that I wasn't already following through Google Connect.

2**I can easily see what new books my friends are reading and what they have to say about them.

Sometimes people actually "suggest" reads to friends through the click of a button. But if you check in daily like I do, you can just scroll down and just see updates to what your friends are reading and decide on your own if you're interested. I got introduced to new books I never would have heard of otherwise.
In fact, one of my friends recently read and wrote a review for the Jenny B Jones book, Save the Date . Well, I happened to see her gushing review. So I checked it out and the book sounded so...me that I ordered it.

See how that works?

3**I can easily do more Social Networking.
FRIENDS: When I first started on Goodreads, I naturally gravitated to all my blogger friends first. I knew them, liked them, and was interested in what they were reading. Then I started to expand that...
In Kristen Lamb's book, We Are Not Alone: the writer's guide to social media, she suggested ways to find friends on Facebook and Twitter. I took those ideas to Goodreads, and started looking at readers who have read books I've read and enjoyed. Chances are, our tastes in books are the same, so I may send them a friend request. There is a chance they might read your book or add it to be read at a future time. It doesn't matter if they don't, because you'll still be seeing ratings and reviews for books you'd like to read. WIN-WIN. :)

GROUPS:
For authors, there are plenty of groups on marketing, blogging, and social networking in general where you can get and exchange ideas as well as meet other authors. Also, if you have an interest in a particular author or genre, there's a group out there on Goodreads for you. Some of these groups are great places to meet people who have similar interests (and even potential readers).

I recently joined a group there called "Clean Reads", a group of readers as well as authors who are looking for just that: a nice, wholesome clean read. I decided to join since that's exactly where my books belong, so I introduced myself and added by books to their catalog. Because of doing that simple thing, I've already gotten the nicest review for one of my books and have my other book added to their TO BE READ list.

4**I can easily participate in or host a giveaway.

Did you know you can get free new books there? Explore their giveaway section and see all books listed by genre. All you have to do is click on the book of your choice and you'll be notified if you win.

I joined Goodreads after my book was out and after I had already done blog giveaways, so I didn't get a chance to list there.

But you better believe I will list my next book on Goodreads and here's why:

Say you have 500 to 1,000 blog followers (and that's a good number) and you do a giveaway. Will you actually get all 500 to 1000 commenters trying to win your book? No, probably not. Maybe at best you'll get, 100 people really excited and anxious to get your book to enter your giveaway. That's good.

In fact, I'll be doing a little blog giveaway this Wednesday... (hint hint)


However, if you list a giveaway on Goodreads, you have the ability to run the contest for a longer period of time as well as get an expanded reader/viewership. I've seen anywhere from 1000 to 2000 people requesting to win on one book!!

Best yet, you've just been introduced to new people who've never seen your blog or heard of you before! And although the book winners aren't "required" to do a review, they are encouraged and most likely you WILL get one. Isn't that what really sells books in the long run?

More WIN-WIN!
And THAT'S really something to feel good about. :)


What about you? Have you joined Goodreads?
What do you like or not like about it?
Do you see the value as an author in joining?

You can find me on Goodreads HERE. :)

A BAD Case of the Sillies

MOOD STATUS:
"Happy". Making some serious progress on my WIP. Who wouldn't be happy about that?

Well, at the risk of TMI (too much information), I just have to share with you anyway what's been going on in my household these past few weeks.

My hubby and I have had a case of the sillies.


No, it's not life-threatening and I'm sure eventually—like MONO—will pass. But there you have it. We have the sillies. What can I say? We like to laugh.
How did this suddenly happen you might ask? Well, it all started with a couple of boxes of Gleem toothpaste my hubby bought for the family.

Okay, I know I could stop right there, because me using Gleem toothpaste is funny in itself. I mean, who buys Gleem?


Well, apparently we do. It's very inexpensive. But I digress...

So anyway, the hubby took the toothpaste out of the box and apparently just dropped it into the bathroom trashcan. He did not bend it so it would fit. He did not crush it. NO. There it was sticking up and halfway out of the trashcan like a huge straw. Now I, being the neurotic woman I am, finally couldn't take looking at it any longer and picked it out, crushed it, and threw it away properly.


I know, hilarious. But stick with me.

Well, the hubby goes into the bathroom and notices that I couldn't take how he threw out it out and makes a comment about how I mutilated his precious Gleem box. Which had me laughing.
But it goes on.


Unbeknownst to me, he picked the Gleem box out of the trashcan, flattened it, and left it for me to find—under my laptop to be cute.


Well, when I found it, I laughed and decided two can play at his game. So I hid it where he'd find it: his sock drawer.

Then he hid it for me in my makeup bag

Well, I hid it in his shower caddy yesterday. (you can see for yourself the silliness of this nature) The hubby congratulated me on that one, by the way. It really took him by surprise. :)



The beauty of this comedy is that we each find it every couple of days—and just when we've completely forgotten about that stupid toothpaste box, it shows up again.


Now, you may be thinking, Jennifer, you need to get more. There's no doubt about that. But I still have to say, it's the cheap little laughs in life that I enjoy the most. :)


What about you?

Do you think you're more of a serious person? Or do you get a case of sillies (like me) every once in a while?

Writing for Harlequin Romance by Melissa McClone

Good Morning, all!
I'm so happy to have a special guest author on my blog today: Harlequin Romance author Melissa McClone. My blog happens to be one of the stops on her whirlwind blog tour.
So please give Melissa a hardy welcome and hear how she got started writing sweet romances for Harlequin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I never thought a high school English assignment would lead to a career as a romance writer, but that's exactly what happened to me. I was a senior in high school. Our class had taken the A.P. English test, and we still had a few weeks until graduation. Our teacher decided to expose us to various forms of writing. This included advertising copy and genre fiction.

One of those genres was romance. A classmate's mother loaned my teacher a brown grocery sack full of Harlequin Romances. I'd never read a category romance before. Each of us, including all the boys, received a book to study so we could come up with an original storyline. The assignment was to write the back cover blurb for our own romance novel.

The book I received was set on the Canary Islands. I can't remember the title, but I recall a postmark on the cover. (Today, I'd call it a flash.) I read the book that night. I attacked the writing assignment with vigor. Not everyone was as serious as some of us—okay, me—but we had fun listening to everyone's back cover copy.

I enjoyed my book so much I wanted to read another. I borrowed more of my friend's mother's books to read. I spent my summer devouring Harlequin Romances. I remember one book in particular, The Devil in Disguise by Jessica Steele. It featured a Greek hero and an innocent heroine. I'm not sure I'd feel the same way about the story today as I did when I was a teenager, but I must have read that book half a dozen times. Maybe more.

I loved the exotic settings, the emotion and the characters. Most importantly, I loved the happy endings. Harlequin Romances were so different from the other books I'd been reading at the time. When I'd finish a Harlequin, my heart would sigh. I loved that feeling (and still do!)

During college, reading romance novels became my escape from studying engineering. My reading expanded to include more category lines, both Harlequin and Silhouette, as well as Loveswept. I remember heading to the Waldenbooks store at the Stanford Shopping Center when the new batch of books arrived each month.

I also bought a book titled something like How to Write a Romance. That thin, little book inspired many daydreams. But I never wrote more than a line or two before a problem set or my work-study job at the engineering library would pull me back to reality.

After college, my reading expanded across the romance genre. But category romances, especially the "sweet" or "traditional" romances, appealed to me the most. I liked being able to finish a book in one sitting after a long day at the office or a night class working toward my MBA. I knew I'd fall in love with the hero right alongside the heroine. I'd be smiling and feeling all warm and fuzzy when I read the words "The End." I also appreciated the characters not having sex unless they were married.

I was in my early twenties. There was enough pressure in real life to have sex. "Sweet" romances gave me what I craved the most…romance. Sure, the rich, powerful, gorgeous hero would have slept with the heroine if she'd said yes, but he was willing to wait (and wait and wait) if she said no.

Fiction. Fantasy. Totally refreshing.

A perfect escape from the reality of the dating world.

When I decided to write my own romance novel, I knew I wanted to write a sweet. I wanted to make readers feel the same way my favorite authors made me feel when I finished reading one of their books.

So that's what I wrote. Rather, attempted to write. I didn't have any luck with the sweeter lines. Harlequin Mills & Boon rejected everything I submitted. But an editorial assistant at Silhouette was willing to read my stuff. In spite of her rejections, she told me to keep submitting. I did. I even quit my engineering job to pursue my writing full-time.

Soon, I began thinking I didn't have a "sweet" voice so I wrote a short contemporary. I sold that one to Silhouette Yours Truly. When that line ended—my book was the last published—I was moved to Silhouette Romance. I was so excited to be at one of my favorite "sweet" lines and wrote nine books for them until that line also closed.

I was then brought over to the Harlequin Romance line edited out of the Mills & Boon office in the UK. Finally. After all those years since my high school A.P. English class, I was writing for the line that first introduced me to category romance. I felt as if I'd come home!

Do you read category romances? Do you have a favorite category line you read?
If so, what line is it?

**********
CONTEST:
The tour will run February 14-March 1. Melissa will be giving away $20 Amazon.com GC to one randomly drawn commenter from her tour.
For Melissa's blog tour schedule, click HERE.



Suddenly a Princess...

It's not every day that a tall, dark, handsome prince strides into your workshop and announces he's your husband! Mechanic Izzy nearly drops her wrench. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she'd become a princess!

Independent Izzy struggles with exchanging her oil-stained overalls for silken gowns, let alone becoming responsible for an entire country! Yet her attraction to Prince Niko tempts her further into the fairy tale. And then two small surprises change all the rules of the game....

Sounds great! Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!



****Side note: The winner of Friday's book giveaway, A Billion Reasons Why, is....
Cindy R. Wilson!!***** Congrats!!

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


Kristin Billerbeck

and the book:

A Billion Reasons Why

Thomas Nelson; Original edition (February 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kristin Billerbeck was born in California to an Italian father and a strong Norwegian/German mother. Her mother tried to teach her to do things right, how to cook, clean, sew, and budget accordingly—all the things a proper girl should know in order to be a contributing member of society. Yet Billerbeck said she "failed miserably," although her grandmother must still hold some hope since she gave her a cookie gun for her 40th birthday.

Billerbeck has authored more than 30 novels, including the Ashley Stockingdale series and the Spa Girls series. She is a leader in the Chick Lit movement, a Christy Award finalist, and a two-time winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award. She has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. She lives with her family in northern California.


Visit the author's website.


SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
There are a billion reasons Kate should marry her current boyfriend.

Will she trade them all to be madly in love?

Katie McKenna leads a perfect life. Or so she thinks. She has a fulfilling job, a cute apartment, and a wedding to plan with her soon-to-be fiance, Dexter.

She can think of a billion reasons why she should marry Dexter…but nowhere on that list is love.

And then in walks Luc DeForges, her bold, breathtaking ex-boyfriend. Only now he's a millionaire. And he wants her to go home to New Orleans to sing for her childhood friend's wedding. As his date.

But Katie made up her mind about Luc eight years ago, when she fled their hometown after a very public breakup. Yet there's a magnetism between them she can't deny.

Katie thought her predictable relationship with Dexter would be the bedrock of a lasting, Christian marriage. But what if there's more? What if God's desire for her is a heart full of life? And what if that's what Luc has offered all along?


Product Details:

List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595547916
ISBN-13: 978-1595547910

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:



A Fine Romance


Katie McKenna had dreamed of this moment at least a thousand times. Luc would walk back into her life filled with remorse. He'd be wearing jeans, a worn T-shirt, and humility. He'd be dripping with humility.


That should have been her first clue that such a scenario had no bearing on reality.


"Katie," a voice said.


The sound sent a surge of adrenaline through her frame. She'd forgotten the power and the warmth of his baritone. A quick glance around her classroom assured her that she must be imagining things. Everything was in order: the posters of colorful curriculum, the daily schedule of activities printed on the whiteboard, and, of course, the children. All six of them were mentally disabled, most of them on the severe side of the autism spectrum, but three had added handicaps that required sturdy, head-stabilizing wheelchairs. The bulk of the chairs overwhelmed the room and blocked much of the happy yellow walls and part of the large rainbow mural the kids had helped to paint. The room, with its cluttered order, comforted her and reminded her of all she'd accomplished. There was no need to think about the past. That was a waste of time and energy.


Her eyes stopped on her aides, Carrie and Selena. The two women, so boisterous in personality, were usually animated. But at the moment they stood huddled in the corner behind Austin's wheelchair.


Carrie, the heavyset one in the Ed Hardy T-shirt, motioned at her.


"What?" Katie pulled at her white shirt with the delicate pink flowers embroidered along the hem and surveyed the stains. "I know, I'm a mess. But did you see how wonderfully the kids did on their art projects? It was worth it. Never thought of the oil on the dough staining. Next time I'll wear an apron."


Selena and Carrie looked as though there was something more they wanted.


"Maddie, you're a born artist." Katie smiled at the little girl sitting behind a mound of colorful clay. Then to the aides: "What is the matter with you two?"



Selena, a slight Latina woman, shook her head and pointed toward the door.


Katie rotated toward the front of the classroom and caught her breath. Luc, so tall and gorgeous, completely out of place in his fine European suit and a wristwatch probably worth more than her annual salary, stood in the doorway. He wore a fedora, his trademark since college, but hardly one he needed to stand out in a crowd.


As she stared across the space between them, suddenly the classroom she took such pride in appeared shabby and soiled. When she inhaled, it reeked of sour milk and baby food. Her muddled brain searched for words.


"Luc?" She blinked several times, as if his film-star good looks might evaporate into the annals of her mind. "What are you doing here?"


"Didn't you get my brother's wedding invitation?" he asked coolly, as if they'd only seen each other yesterday.


"I did. I sent my regrets."


"That's what I'm doing here. You can't miss Ryan's wedding. I thought the problem might be money."


She watched as his blue eyes came to rest on her stained shirt. Instinctively she crossed her arms in front of her.


"I came to invite you to go back with me next week, on my plane."


"Ah." She nodded and waited for something intelligible to come out of her mouth. "It's not money."


"Come home with me, Katie." He reached out his arms, and she moved to the countertop and shuffled some papers together.


If he touches me, I don't stand a chance. She knew Luc well enough to know if he'd made the trip to her classroom, he didn't intend to leave without what he came for. "I'm afraid that's not possible." She stacked the same papers again.


"Give me one reason."


She faced him. "I could give you a billion reasons."


Luc's chiseled features didn't wear humility well. The cross-shaped scar beneath his cheekbone added to his severity. If he weren't so dreaded handsome, he'd make a good spy in a Bond movie. His looks belied his soft Uptown New Orleans upbringing, the kind filled with celebrations and warm family events with backyard tennis and long days in the swimming pool.


He pushed through the swiveled half door that separated them and strode toward her.


"That gate is there for a reason. The classroom is for teachers and students only."


Luc opened his hand and beckoned to her, and despite herself, she took it. Her heart pounded in her throat, and its roar was so thunderous it blocked her thoughts. He pulled her into a clutch, then pushed her away with all the grace of Astaire. "Will you dance with me?" he asked.


He began to hum a Cole Porter tune clumsily in her ear, and instinctively she followed his lead until everything around them disappeared and they were alone in their personal ballroom. For a moment she dropped her head back and giggled from her stomach; a laugh so genuine and pure, it seemed completely foreign—as if it came from a place within that was no longer a part of her. Then the dance halted suddenly, and his cheek was against hers. She took in the roughness of his face, and the thought flitted through her mind that she could die a happy woman in those arms.


The sound of applause woke her from her reverie.


"You two are amazing!" Carrie said.


The children all murmured their approval, some with screams of delight and others with loud banging.

Luc's hand clutched her own in the small space between them, and she laughed again.


"Not me," Luc said. "I have the grace of a bull. It's Katie. She's like Ginger Rogers. She makes anybody she dances with look good." He appealed to the two aides. "Which is why I'm here. She must go to my brother's wedding with me."


"I didn't even know you danced, Katie," Selena said. "Why don't you ever come dancing with us on Friday nights?"


"What? Katie dances like a dream. She and my brother were partners onstage in college. They were like a mist, the way they moved together. It's like her feet don't touch the ground."


"That was a long time ago." She pulled away from him and showed him her shirt. "I'm a mess. I hope I didn't ruin your suit."


"It would be worth it," Luc growled.


"Katie, where'd you learn to dance like that?" Carrie asked.


"Too many old movies, I suppose." She shrugged.


"You could be on Dancing with the Stars with moves like that."


"Except I'm not a star or a dancer, but other than that, I guess—" She giggled again. It kept bubbling out of her, and for one blissful moment she remembered what it felt like to be the old Katie McKenna. Not the current version, staid schoolmarm and church soloist in Northern California, but the Katie people in New Orleans knew, the one who danced and sang.


Luc interrupted her thoughts. "She's being modest. She learned those moves from Ginger and Fred themselves, just by watching them over and over again. This was before YouTube, so she was dedicated."


Katie shrugged. "I was a weird kid. Only child, you know?" But inside she swelled with pride that Luc remembered her devotion to a craft so woefully out-of-date and useless. "Anyway, I don't have much use for swing dancing or forties torch songs now. Luc, meet Carrie and Selena. Carrie and Selena, Luc."


"I don't have any 'use' for salsa dancing," Selena said. "I do it because it's part of who I am."


"Tell her she has to come with me, ladies. My brother is having a 1940s-themed wedding in New Orleans. He'd be crushed if Katie didn't come, and I'll look like a hopeless clod without her to dance with."


Katie watched the two aides. She saw the way Luc's powerful presence intoxicated them. Were they really naive enough to believe that Luc DeForges could ever appear like a clod, in any circumstance or setting? Luc, with his skilled charm and roguish good looks, made one believe whatever he wanted one to believe. The two women were putty in his hands.


"Katie, you have to go to this wedding!" Selena stepped toward her. "I can't believe you can dance like that and never told us. You'd let this opportunity slip by? For what?" She looked around the room and frowned. "This place?"


The cacophony of pounding and low groans rose audibly, as if in agreement.


"This may be just a classroom to you, but to me, it's the hope and future of these kids. I used to dance. I used to sing. It paid my way through college. Now I'm a teacher."


"You can't be a teacher and a dancer?" Selena pressed. "It's like walking and chewing gum. You can do both. The question is, why don't you?"


"Maybe I should bring more music and dancing into the classroom. Look how the kids are joining in the noise of our voices, not bothered by it. I have to think about ways we could make the most of this."


But she hadn't succeeded in changing the subject; everyone's attention stayed focused on her.


"You should dance for the kids, Katie. You possess all the grace of an artist's muse. Who knows how you might encourage them?"


Katie laughed. "That's laying it on a bit thick, Luc, even for you. I do believe if there was a snake in that basket over there, it would be rising to the charmer's voice at this very minute."


Luc's very presence brought her into another time. Maybe it was the fedora or the classic cut of his suit, but it ran deeper than how he looked. He possessed a sense of virility and take-no-prisoners attitude that couldn't be further from his blue-blood upbringing. He made her, in a word, feel safe . . . but there was nothing safe about Luc and there never had been. She straightened and walked over to her open folder to check her schedule for the day.


Tapping a pencil on the binder, she focused on getting the day back on track. The students were involved in free playtime at the moment. While they were all situated in a circle, they played individually, their own favorite tasks in front of them.


"Carrie, would you get Austin and Maddie ready for lunch?"


"I'll do it," Selena said. "And, Katie . . . you really should go to the wedding."


"I can't go to the wedding because it's right in the middle of summer school."


"You could get a substitute," Carrie said. "What would you be gone for, a week at most? Jenna could probably fill in. She took the summer off this year."


"Thanks for the suggestions, ladies," Katie said through clenched teeth. "But I've already told the groom I can't attend the wedding for professional reasons."


The women laughed. "I'm sorry, what reasons?" Carrie asked, raising a bedpan to imply that anyone could do Katie's job.


It was no use. The two women were thoroughly under Luc's spell, and who could blame them?


"Maybe we should talk privately," Luc said. He clasped her wrist and led her to the glass doors at the front of the classroom. "It's beautiful out here. The way you're nestled in the hills, you'd never know there's a city nearby."


She nodded. "That's Crystal Springs Reservoir on the other side of the freeway. It's protected property, the drinking water for this entire area, so it's stayed pristine."


"I'm not going back to New Orleans without you," he said.


Apparently the small talk had ended.


"My mother would have a fit if I brought one of the women I'd take to a Hollywood event to a family wedding."


Katie felt a twinge of jealousy, then a stab of anger for her own weakness. Of course he dated beautiful women. He was a billionaire. A billionaire who looked like Luc DeForges! Granted, he was actually a multimillionaire, but it had been a long-standing joke between the two of them. Did it matter, once you made your first ten million, how much came after that? He may as well be called a gazillionaire. His finances were too foreign for her to contemplate.


"And who you date is my problem, how?"


"If my date tries to swing dance and kicks one of my mother's friends in the teeth, I'll be disinherited."


"So what, would that make you the fifth richest man in the United States, instead of the fourth?"


"Katie, how many times do I have to explain to you I'm nowhere near those kinds of numbers?" He grinned. "Yet." He touched his finger to her nose lightly. "My fate is much worse than losing status if you don't come. My mother might set me up to ensure I have a proper date. A chorus line of Southern belles. And I guarantee you at least one will have the proverbial glass slipper and think her idea is so utterly unique, I'll succumb to the fantasy."


"Wow! What a terrible life you must lead." She pulled a Keds slide from her foot and emptied sand out of her shoe. A few grains landed on Luc's shiny black loafer. "To think, with courtship skills like that, that any woman wouldn't be swept off her feet—it's unfathomable." She patted his arm. "I wish you luck, Luc. I'm sure your mother will have some very nice choices for you, so go enjoy yourself. Perk up, there're billions

more to be made when you get back."


"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, Katie."


e was right, but she didn't trust herself around him. She'd taken leave of her senses too many times in that weakened state. Since moving to California, she'd made it her goal to live life logically and for the Lord. She hadn't fallen victim to her emotions since leaving New Orleans, and she'd invested too much to give into them now.


"I'm sorry," she said. "I only meant that I'm sure there are other nice girls willing to go home and pretend for your mother. I've already done that, only you forgot to tell me we were pretending. Remember?"


He flinched. "Below the belt."


A pencil fell from behind her ear, and she stooped to pick it up, careful not to meet his glance as she rose. "I'm sorry, but I'm busy here. Maybe we could catch up another time? I'd like that and won't be so sidetracked." She looked across the room toward Austin, an angelic but severely autistic child in a wheelchair. He pounded against his tray. "The kids are getting hungry. It's lunchtime." She pointed to the schedule.


Luc scooped a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. "Where else am I going to find a gorgeous redhead who knows who Glenn Miller is?"


"Don't, Luc. Don't charm me. It's beneath you. Buy one of your bubble-headed blondes a box of dye and send her to iTunes to do research. Problem solved."


He didn't let go. "Ryan wants you to sing at the wedding, Katie. He sent me personally to make sure you'd be there and sing 'Someone to Watch Over Me.' I'm not a man who quits because something's difficult."


"Anyone worth her salt on Bourbon Street can sing that. Excuse me—"


"Katie-bug."


"Luc, I asked you kindly. Don't. I'm not one of your sophisticated girls who knows how to play games. I'm not going to the wedding. That part of my life is over."


"That part of your life? What about that part of you? Where is she?"


She ignored his question. "I cannot be the only woman you know capable of being your date. You're not familiar with anyone else who isn't an actress-slash-waitress?" She cupped his hand in her own and allowed herself to experience the surge of energy. "I have to go." She dropped his hands and pushed back through the half door. "I'm sure you have a meeting to get to. Am I right?"


"It's true," he admitted. "I had business in San Francisco today, a merger. We bought a small chain of health food stores to expand the brand. But I was planning the trip to see you anyway and ask you personally."


"Uh-huh."


"We'll be doing specialty outlets in smaller locations where real estate prices are too high for a full grocery outlet. Having the natural concept already in these locations makes my job that much easier."



"To take over the free world with organics, you mean?"


That made him smile, and she warmed at the sparkle in his eye. When Luc was in his element, there was nothing like it. His excitement was contagious and spread like a classroom virus, infecting those around him with a false sense of security. She inhaled deeply and reminded herself that the man sold inspiration by the pound. His power over her was universal. It did not make her special.


"Name your price," he said. "I'm here to end this rift between us, whatever it is, and I'll do the time. Tell me what it is you want."


"There is no price, Luc. I don't want anything from you. I'm not going to Ryan's wedding. My life is here."


"Day and night . . . night and day," he crooned and then his voice was beside her ear. "One last swing dance at my brother's wedding. One last song and I'll leave you alone. I promise."


She crossed the room to the sink against the far wall, but she felt him follow. She hated how he could make every nerve in her body come to life, while he seemingly felt nothing in return. She closed her eyes and searched for inner strength. He didn't want me. Not in a way that mattered. He wanted her when it suited him to have her at his side.


"Even if I were able to get the time off work, Luc, it wouldn't be right to go to your brother's wedding as your date. I'm about to get engaged."


"Engaged?" He stepped away.


She squeezed hand sanitizer onto her hands and rubbed thoroughly.


"I'll give a call to your fiancé and let him know the benefits." He pulled a small leather pad of paper from his coat pocket. "I'll arrange everything. You get a free trip home, I get a Christian date my mother is proud to know, and then your life goes back to normal. Everyone's happy." He took off his fedora as though to plead his case in true gentlemanly fashion. "My mother is still very proud to have led you from

your . . ." He choked back a word. "From your previous life and to Jesus."


The announcement of her engagement seemed to have had little effect on Luc, and Katie felt as if her heart shattered all over again. "My previous life was you. She was proud to lead me away from her son's life." She leaned on the countertop, trying to remember why she'd come to the kitchen area.


"You know what I meant."


"I wasn't exactly a streetwalker, Luc. I was a late-night bar singer in the Central District, and the only one who ever led my reputation into question was you. So I'm failing to see the mutual benefit here. Your mother. Your date. And I get a free trip to a place I worked my tail off to get out of."


She struggled with a giant jar of applesauce, which Luc took from her and opened easily. He passed the jar back to her and let his fingers brush hers.


"My mother would be out of her head to see you. And the entire town could see what they lost when they let their prettiest belle go. Come help me remind them. Don't you want to show them that you're thriving? That you didn't curl up and die after that awful night?"


"I really don't need to prove anything, Luc." She pulled her apron, with its child-size handprints in primary colors, over her head. "I'm not your fallback, and I really don't care if people continue to see me that way. They don't know me."


"Which you? The one who lives a colorless existence and calls it holy? Or the one who danced on air and inspired an entire theater troupe to rediscover swing and raise money for a new stage?" Luc bent down, took her out at the knees, and hoisted her up over his shoulder.


"What are you doing? Do you think you're Tarzan? Put me down." She pounded on his back, and she could hear the chaos he'd created in the classroom. "These kids need structure. What do you think you're doing? I demand you put me down!"



My Review:
I totally ate up the romance and the cast of characters in this book. I couldn't put this book down. I also appreciated the whole New Orleans setting and the love of the forties era that the main character, Katie, had. You really felt the chemistry between the hero and heroine, too. The only thing that I questioned was the hero's reason for their initial breakup and why he let eight whole years slip by, but it didn't deter me from completely enjoying this read. Check it out and see for yourself.

Contest:
**If you would like to win my ARC copy of this book--A Billion Reasons Why--then leave a comment below. Contest will run now through Sunday, February, 27 11:59 PM (EST).
Winner will be announced on Monday morning's blog post.

Have a great weekend!

Holiday Weekend!

IN THE NEWS:Suspect throws rubber cement at Pittsburgh police. Read more HERE.


Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend!

I'm going mattress shopping with the family in a bit, but before I sign off, a few things:

1) went to the library this weekend and was SO happy because they had two titles in that I have been dying to read. Yay!

2) got my edits back from my editor for Sunny Days for Sam on Friday. Boo! I haven't even looked at them. We've been just staring each other down whenever I enter my office. But today might be the day I actually try to tackle them.

3) this Friday I'll be spotlighting the new Kristin Billerbeck book, A Billion Reasons Why and I'll be giving away my ARC copy of it. It's really good. (hint hint) So stop by then. :)
And that's all for me.

Enjoy the rest of your break (if you have one).