Jean C. Joachim's Blog: Stories of Love and Passion, page 57

Sweet Saturday Sample of "April's Kiss in the Moonlight"

This snippet of April's Kiss in the Moonlight, a sweet contemporary romance, has never been shared before: 

The horse began trotting immediately, then broke into a canter as she neared the woods. The wind cooled Gavin's skin as they flew past trees . He gripped April firmly about the waist and felt the way she tightened her thighs to hang on. She moved her body to the rhythm of the horse and Gavin. Together the three of them became one. Gavin experienced the zing of excitement as he realized April was no longer afraid of the horse. The speed at which they rode through the field was exhilarating. But as Venus neared the woods, she slowed to a trot and then a walk.
Gavin led them along his favorite trail through the woods. The easy silence between them was broken only by the steady scuffle of Venus's footfalls and the subtle song of a chickadee. Shafts of sunlight penetrated the forest where there was a break in the trees. April shivered as they rode through the shade and Gavin realized she was dressed for the sun. He pulled her back into his chest where the heat from his body would warm her. She relaxed, moving with the horse, undulating easily with each step Venus took. April loosened her grip on Gavin's arm and he flexed his fingers. A small smile broke out on her face as April filled her lungs with fresh air and the scent of the horse mixed with Gavin's pine soap in her nostrils.
"You've got a good seat, there," he said.
"I beg your pardon?" April craned her neck, trying to have eye contact with him.
"Means you sit a horse well, April. I'm not commenting on your butt . . . though it looks pretty good, too," he said and then laughed.
"I've got a lot to learn," she chuckled.
"You can say that again!"
She elbowed him in the ribs and laughed.
"Don't you dare tickle me or we'll both go sliding off!" she wailed.
He wanted to pull back, to distance himself from her but her sweet scent and her body pressed up against his fought his resolve. He leaned down and let his lips brush her neck softly.
"Springtime," he whispered to himself.
"What? What did you say?"
"Nothing," he replied.

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A little bit about the book

Fresh from graduate school, April McKenna, beautiful and brilliant vows to strike out on a new path rather than return to San Francisco to take a job with her father's firm. She meets Rusty and sets off for an escapade that ends in tragedy. Injured and alone she is taken in by Sunny Davis, a friend of her mother's who lives in a small town in the Catskill Mountains in New York. During her recovery, April resolves to carve out an exotic life of travel and adventure. But she didn't count on a sexy fireman upsetting her plans. Gavin Dailey has dated practically every woman in the county, but when he meets April, he knows he's finally found the one he wants.  Only a stubborn man like Gavin wouldn't let April's resistance to his charm and his small town change his plans. Determined to win her, he pulls out all the stops until he encounters one stumbling block he didn't count on. Only a near-tragedy resurrected from the past gives April the tenacity she needs to make the right decision for her life in April's Kiss in the Moonlight. BUY LINKS - Only $2.99 for a full length novel. Also available in paperback.
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INTERVIEW WITH DAKOTA , FROM LINDSAY DOWNS' EMILY DAHILL, CID SERIES

We are interviewing Dakota, the heroic collie, from the Emily Dahill, CID mysteries by Lindsay Downs. Dakota is a collie and Emily's right hand helper in mystery solving.
                                                                  
  1.   Are you upset your name is not in the title?Upset doesn't begin to describe how I feel. Furious would be a better word. I'm just as smart as Emily, actually in some instances smarter. I can hear when someone is approaching silently and my nose can out smell that little thing between her eyes and mouth. I'm also brave, trustworthy, loyal (as long as there's a steak for me at the end of the day). Even though Dakota, the wonder collie, isn't in the title-hold it, that is a little long and might cover my magnificent picture on the cover. Thinking about it that way, yeah she can have her name in the series title.2.   Do you have any annoying habits your author did not share with us in your book?I'm not the one with the annoying habits. Emily is with her insistence on drinking that horrible black stuff when she gets up in the morning. Makes me want to gag even thinking about it. 3.   Do you have siblings? Are you close to them?I've got 2 brothers, Nibs and Patches along with three sisters: Roxy, Zoey and Maddie. Right now I'm closer to Patches and Roxy as they live in the the US. Patches lives on the here Army base with his partner Mary Todd, while Roxy and Jenna Janson, her partner, live in DC.The other; Nibs lives in England while Zoey and Maddie are overseas in locales that I can't disclose as they are with Special Ops Army units4.   Any hobbies we might be interested in knowing about?Does chasing squirrels count as a hobby?5.   Are you happy with the profession your author chose for you or would you rather be working at something totally different and why?Are you kidding me? Being part of one of the best investigative teams in the Army is something that can't be beat. I wouldn't trade jobs for all the sirloin steaks in the world, now if you offered me bone-in porterhouse steaks it might be a different matter. Seriously, though I've got the best partner and job going.6.   Are you planning to make an appearance in a sequel? If not are you unhappy about that?I've been in all the books and from what Lindsay tells me I'll be in the rest. I should point out that in the 2011 Christmas story, A Dog Gone Christmas, I wasn't the main collie. That position went to my mom, Kebi. 7.   Now for a personal question. Is there enough sex in the book for you? Would you have liked more? You might be surprised but there's no sex in the books, which works for me. I blush easily. You might, when Emily and her boyfriend get together, see kissing but I'm usually there to make sure it doesn't go any farther. If they try, as they have to do the nasty, I step in. This is one of the lessons mom instilled in all us kids. If we don't like the other person we make sure it never happens and that has saved, at least with Emily on more than one occasion, heartbreak.
8.   Are you happy with the setting? Did you want a bigger house or car?I live in the greatest house going. It's the right size for me and Emily. There's even a spare bedroom when her dad or Jarrod sleeps over. The backyard is fenced in, not so much to keep me in but some of the forest creatures, squirrels excluded, out. Just about nothing will keep those pesky animals from burying their acorns on top of my hidden bone stash.Oh, and living nearby is a real cool wolf mom and her cubs. We hang together a lot especially during hunting season to keep people for shooting our animal friends. Oh, I almost forget, Emily has the neatest 1969 Chevy pickup but my favorite is her rebuilt, all original parts WWII Harley-Davidson motorcycle. I've even got my own little side thingie I sit in and the coolest goggles to protect my eyes.9.   How many re-writes did you have to live through?If I'm lucky I usually only have to deal with 3-4 rewrites per story but it's my editors that have the hardest time understanding me. I mean, really who hasn't heard of Collie POV. It's just like the others, except I don't talk and you get to see all the cool things I can do.10.        Did you get enough time in the story or do you feel shortchanged?Let me ask you this Jean, can the hero ever get enough time? The amount isn't exactly equal but one of these days I know Lindsay will give me more time than Emily. It's just a matter of waiting and having, as I love to say, the patience of a Saint Bernard.11.        Who was your favorite supporting character?Emily, oh wait, she's the heroine so I guess she can't be a supporting character even though on many occasions I do support her in an investigation. I really don't have a favorite one. I mean the team members are all great people and wouldn't want to even try to single one out.12.        Were you happy with your wardrobe?What wardrobe? I have fur. Do you mean the dog collars I wear? Well my favorite is the round leather one since it doesn't bind on my mane. If I do say so, I cut a dashing figure in the CID vest Emily had specially made for me.13.        Did you fight much with your author or did you two see eye-to-eye?The only way we see eye-to-eye is when either I get up on my hind legs with my front paws on Lindsay's shoulders or when Lindsay comes down to my level. But, no we don't fight much. If we do I win. Teeth beat brains any day.
Emily Dahill, CID Part 1Final Mission-After being seriously wounded in a copter crash in Iraq Sgt. Emily Dahill meets her new partner as she embarks on her new Army career as a CID agent. Who could this new partner be?A Body in the Snow- Emily and her partner, Dakota, cross bullets with their most determined foe. Who will survive?Right Place, Wrong Day-On leave to hang with friends Emily gets the surprise of her life.Dog on Fishing-When it comes to knowing how to fish, and catch the big ones, never underestimate your partner. He might surprise you.
A Dog Gone ChristmasWhen a call for paws goes out, five friends bring their collies without question to a friend's house. They learn the collies are needed to help seven children with the grief of losing a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan. Now, with seven friends, four collie yearlings and their mother, they set out to help the childrenNot far away a mother hopefully leads her seven puppies to safety from a man intent on selling them for illicit purposes.By a miracle of fate the two mother collies find each other right before the man sells the puppies.That Christmas morning will be one the children will remember all their lives and they are united with the puppies.

A Body in the AtticSpecial Agent Emily Dahill, Dakota along with her team of technicians are sent to Master Sergeant Annabelle Carlyle's Victorian style house for what they think is a simple break-in. What they find however, turns out to be even more ominous and far reaching.A secret passageway leads to a mysterious gunshot. When the prime suspect is cleared they still have no clue who the shooter is, or why. Could the shooter be the same individual who took a shot at Dakota? Add into the mix the FBI and their unexpected involvement in the case.Soon they learn the break-in had been a cover-up for a more nefarious crime. One that involves Emily's nemesis, the brown-haired man, and millions of dollars being sent to terrorists.Will they solve the case before the money disappears forever and more bodies turn up? Not even the inestimable Dakota is sure.


Buy links for Emily Dahill, CID Part 1-Astraea PressAmazonBarnes & NobleBookstrandTo request an autograph on your kindle (my author page)http://kindlegraph.com/authors/ldowns2966


Buy links for A Dog Gone ChristmasAstraea PressAmazonBarnes & NobleAll Romance To request an autograph on your kindle (my author page)http://kindlegraph.com/authors/ldowns2966

When I get the buy links for A Body in the Attic I'll send them to you

TUESDAY TALES - SNIPPET FROM "THE RENOVATED HEART"

Here is a snippet from my WIP, soon to be subbed.

 Last week we learned that Kit had been dumped by her husband of twelve years. She has come to Willow Falls where her daughter is in boarding school to break the news of their divorce. After a rough day with her daughter, Kit goes out to her first restaurant dinner alone. This is a picture of the center of downtown Willow Falls.


She had always been a devoted wife and mother, putting Johnny and Zoe before herself; She liked being a wife and mother, she was good at it and had tried to talk Johnny into having another child. But he refused. Now she had no one to care for, to cook for, and to plan for…no one to miss her.  She didn't know where she belonged. She couldn't have felt worse if Johnny had cheated on her. Kit shivered, not due to a cold breeze, it was August, but because she had never felt such gut-wrenching loneliness in her life. The silence surrounding her was deafening. She had no place to go and no one to turn to, except her friend, Sarah. Hunger gripped her belly so she walked into town and went to Bon Appetit, the only restaurant she knew.****
Don Rosen, the co-owner of Bon Appetit with his wife, Sunny, was tending bar when Kit arrived. (Bon Appetit is on the first floor of this brick building on the right.)"Good evening. Looking for a table?" he asked Kit."Yes.""How many?""Just one," she said, cringing inside, unable to look him in the eye."We have a big group here tonight, so we're packed. How about sitting at the bar? We serve dinner there, too and I can seat you here right away," he said, motioning to one of two empty chairs. Kit nodded at him and sat down. She pulled out a small pad and pen. Time to make a what-to-do-with-my-life list."What are you drinking?""A Cosmopolitan?" she asked."Coming right up," Don said.Kit sat with her pen poised, but she couldn't think of anything. How do you make a list for putting your life back together? There were so many things she had to do; Kit stared at the empty page, unable to organize the mess that was her life into a neat to-do list. She felt paralyzed. She took a sip of her Cosmo and put the paper and pen down on the bar."Writer's block?"She looked to her left and directly into a pair of warm brown eyes looking at her with an amused air. There was a man sitting next to her in the previously empty seat. She didn't even see him sit down. Kit looked at him but couldn't find her voice. He was gorgeous with dark brown hair to match his dark eyes, broad shoulders and a wry grin turning up one corner of his sensuous mouth. He wore a white long sleeve shirt open at the neck that emphasized the darkness of his hair and eyes and a blue striped tie, loosened to indicate the end of his work day."Is he annoying you?" Don asked her, his eyes twinkling, "Because if he is, I can have him thrown out of here in two seconds. He comes in here every day hitting on pretty, single women and I have to shoo him out of here."She gave Don a quizzical look, as if she didn't understand he was kidding.  Check out my books on my website.

Sweet Saturday Sample of "Now and Forever 1, a Love Story"

Thank you so much for stopping by. Your comments are always appreciated. To return to Sweet Saturday Samples CLICK HERE
Our hero, Mac, has stumbled upon a sma ll chest of mementos, memories Callie is keeping. He knows he shouldn't pry and look inside but he can't help himself. In this scene, he's looking at pictures she kept of her fiancé who was killed in Iraq. Mac picked them up and saw the first one showing Kyle alone, standing at ease in hisuniform, a handsome young man with sandy hair and blue eyes. He didn't look very tall, but hewas powerfully built and smiling broadly with a lover's gleam in his eyes. He must have been looking at Callie.The second picture was of both Callie and Kyle, with his arm around her, beaming. Callie looked so fresh and young, radiating happiness. She wore her heart on her sleeve. From this picture Mac could tell how much in love with Kyle she was.The third picture showed Callie and Kyle kissing. Someone took it without their knowing because it showed a private, passionate embrace. Jealousy engulfed him. He put the pictures back, sorry he found them. As he was about to return the wedding band to the chest and the chestto the closet, he saw Callie standing by the bed."What are you doing?" she asked."I stubbed my toe on this thing, so I took it out to see what it was.""Did you look through everything? You didn't read my letters from Kyle did you?" she asked, horrified."I didn't. Honestly, I didn't. I did look at some stuff, but I didn't touch the letters. I wouldn't," Mac said quickly."Don't you think opening this chest and even looking inside is an invasion of my privacy?""Maybe…but I couldn't help it. Besides, I was curious about your life before. You never talk about it, about him. And, I found something very interesting, speaking of being untruthful..."Mac said."Were we speaking of being untruthful?" she asked."I found your wedding ring. You never told me you were married. In fact you told me you weren't married!" Mac said, cradling the ring in his palm.Callie was speechless. No one ever saw or heard about the wedding ring except Kyle, the pawn shop man and Callie. It was their secret."I…I…I wasn't married.""How do you explain a wedding ring?""We never got married. I would have loved to married Kyle, but he died before we could," she said, stinging him with her words."That's what you told me. But what about this ring? How did you get it?"Please don't make me explain. It's so…so hard. Please can't you trust me about this?" she asked, near tears, taking the ring from his hand."I'd like to, but I can't," Mac said. "Why can't you tell me, Callie?"   A little bit about the story Callie Richards was no stranger to heartache. Her parents were killed when she was sixteen. Left with her older sister, she fell into a romance with good-looking, Kyle Maine. They became engaged and Callie's future was set until he was killed in Iraq. Two years later, she pulls herself together to get her Master's degree and restart her life on her own.
Working and studying at Kensington State University, Callie meets Mac Caldwell, the handsome dean. Together they fall in love, then fight a deadly campus drug ring with heart-breaking results. This is an emotional story, not a cookie-cutter romance, that will make you laugh and cry as Callie struggles to make a new life, find love and her happy ending.
Buy links only $2.99, full length: AMAZON SECRET CRAVINGS PUBLISHINGALL ROMANCE EBOOKSBARNES & NOBLE

INTERVIEW WITH SHERRI HAYES

1)     I am interviewing the delightful Sherri Hayes today. 

    Sherri has a brand new release! "Behind Closed Doors". Click on any of her covers to go to Amazon and buy the book.  Now for the good stuff:
    How old were you when you knew you wanted to become a writer?Writing was something I sort of fell into. Throughout my school years, English was one of my worst subjects, so it wasn't something I'd ever considered as a profession. It wasn't until I posted a story on-line at the age of thirty that I considered writing as an option. 2)     What did you do for a living in your "previous" life?I worked mainly in customer service before I started writing. 3)     What do your closest relatives thinking of your writing career?My immediate family is very supportive. My mom tells everyone she meets that her daughter is a published author. 4)     What genre do you write?  I write romantic suspense and BDSM erotic romance.   5)     Are you a plotter or a pantser?I'm a pantser. I've tried plotting out stories on paper and after a chapter or two those outlines get left in the dust, so I don't even bother anymore. I talk things out in my head, get a general idea of the direction the story is going, and then I just write.   6)     Do your characters ever take over when you're writing?Most definitely. I was writing a scene in my upcoming novel, Need. I had the whole thing laid out in my head. Everything was going smoothly. And then something happened, Brianna reacted to it, and it changed the entire chapter. 7)     Do you get inspiration from real people or places?I get inspiration from everywhere, including news stories about real people.  8)     Would you like to be any of your heroines? No, not really. I tend to put my characters through the emotional and sometimes physical wringer. 9)     Do you do a lot of editing before you submit a manuscript?I have two beta readers. They read through my draft and let me know if I've missed something or there needs to be more explanation. It's always good to have trusted eyes, other than your own, to look over your draft. As the author, I know what I'm meaning to say even if it doesn't come across that way to the reader.
Now some personal questions (please feel free to elaborate) :1)     Chocolate or vanilla?Chocolate. Vanilla is just a little too plain for me unless you are adding some toppings. 2)     Do you listen to music when you write? What do you listen to?I don't usually listen to music when I write, but when I do I listen to classical. 3)     Favorite color?Purple.4)     Black, white or gray?Grey. Again, there is more variety. 5)     Favorite ice cream flavor?Mint chocolate chip or rocky road; it just depends on my mood. 6)     Favorite line of description from one of your books.Not sure if I'd say this is my absolute favorite, but it's one of those that's stuck with me long after I wrote it. "He hadn't had a downstairs neighbor for three months, and it was going to take some getting used to. No more running out in just my boxers, he thought, laughing to himself.It had happened years ago, but Jan never let him forget it. He'd been living here only a few months when, on his way in, he'd dropped some papers. Later that night he was getting ready to climb into bed with his usual mound of paperwork, when he'd realized something was missing. Instead of putting his clothes back on, he decided to duck out into the hallway and check.Unfortunately, the papers were just out of reach and as he stretched to pick them up, he heard his door click shut, locking him out of his apartment. He'd had to run down the stairs in nothing but his boxers to retrieve the spare key from Jan. It was embarrassing enough, but at least there hadn't been anyone else living here at the time to add to his humiliation." ~ Chirs, Behind Closed Doors7)     Favorite dialogue from one of your books.Again, it's difficult to pick just one, but again, this is one that I've always loved.'"Who was accompanying Alvin to the gala?"Trying to suppress her knowing smile, Lisa faced Matthew. "No one. He was going solo.""Can you arrange for another place next to Cali? She will not be going alone.""Sure," Lisa smiled politely. "Whose name shall I have put on the invitation?""Mine," Matthew said, and Lisa nearly jumped with glee.' ~Hidden Threat8)     Favorite minor character from your book.I think that would have to be Jason from Hidden Threat. He and Lisa had their own side story going.  9)     Dog or cat?Cat.10) Country or city?Country.    11) Beach or mountains?I don't really like cold, so I'll go with the beach.   12) Skirts or pants?Pants.   13) Early morning or late night?Late night. I am not a morning person.   14) Cruise in the Caribbean or camping in Yellowstone National Park?I've taken a cruise in the Caribbean and would love to do that again. Camping just doesn't hold the same appeal. 
Thank you for visiting with us today, Sherri.

Valentine's Day Blog Hop

With love...with the love from animals! This blog will honor dogs and cats! For every comment, I will donate $1.00 to the ASPCA! (up to $150.)
And 5 lucky winners will receive a free copy of the book of their choice from my list.
Read the excerpts from my books with dogs and cats in them below and unscramble the name of one of the animals in the excerpt. 
Here is the list of names to unscramble:  Omoer, Rxitie, Cryok, Elub, Saidy, Stuber. Click on the pix on the right to go to Amazon to buy any of these books. Prices range from $1.99 - $4.99.
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE BLOG HOP
APRIL'S KISS N THE MOONLIGHT
His slow, leisurely kiss started a fire inside April. She wound her arms around his neck as he braced himself, propped up on each elbow with his hands in her hair. His lips pulled gently at hers until she opened them for him. She sighed as his tongue teased hers. Her hands moved up into his hair as his kiss deepened and the heat between them increased. April was lost in Gavin's embrace when she heard a loud meow coming from the deck. Opening her eyes, she gently pulled away from an unhappy Gavin and got up to investigate.
When she opened the front door, a lively male ginger striped cat bounded in. He wound around her legs, purring. Then he jumped up on the kitchen table. Laughing, April shooed him off and looked for something to feed him, but there was no food suitable for a cat in the refrigerator or the cupboard.
"Sorry, kitty. I'll put cat food at the top of the list when I go to the store."
She knelt down to pet him as Gavin came through the door, straightening out his shirt.
"Your cat?"
"Never seen him before," she said.
"Looks like he's adopted you," Gavin said, reaching down to scratch the cat behind his ears.
"I think I'll call him . . . hmmmm," she said, thinking, her gaze tipped up to the ceiling, her hand on her throat.
Then her focus narrowed on Gavin's face.
"Romeo!"
"That's his name, not mine," he huffed.


1. NAME TO UNSCRAMBLE: OMOER  

SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS


The quiet of the night soothed her spirit and Mike took her hand in
his. The peacefulness of the short walk home was interrupted by Trixie's
barking as she sensed their approach and was protecting the cabin. Sunny
opened the door and the small pug came charging out, barking at Mike and then jumping up on Sunny, trying to lick her face. He dropped Sunny's hand, crouched down and attempted to make friends with the feisty little dog, but Trixie was still sizing him up.
"She takes a while to accept people," Sunny explained.
"She sure is cute." he commented, rubbing her behind the ears.
"Do you have a dog?" she asked.
"Yes, two mutts. Both are black lab mixes, one male and one
female."
The dog quieted down and inspected him with her big, soulful
brown eyes.
Sunny flipped on the light on the front deck and moved toward the
door. Mike stood there, fidgeting with his car keys. The jingle of the keys made Trixie bark, calling attention to his nervousness. It was obvious he wanted to kiss her good night by the way he stared at her lips, but it was awkward and too new, so he stepped back and nodded to her instead. 2. NAME TO UNSCRAMBLE:  RXITIE
 NOW AND FOREVER 2, THE BOOK OF DANNY
 Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. Danny wondered who could be there and secured the
Glock in his pocket before he opened the door, followed closely by Rocky and Blue. He was surprised to see Kaitlyn and Sally on a Saturday afternoon. By the looks on their faces when the dogs slobbered their greetings on the girls, he could tell they were stunned to see the dogs.
Surprise was replaced by eager grins as the girls lavished attention on the mutt and the pug. Rocky and Blue circled them and wagged their tails, licking faces and making everyone laugh. Danny gestured for them all to come inside.
3 & 4 NAMES TO UNSCRAMBLE ARE: CRYOK & ELUB 
THE LOVE LIST

Jenna shoved him in the shoulder as they headed toward the front
door. The sound of dogs barking grew louder as they approached the house.
"Daisy and Buster have been waiting for you," Jenna teased her
brother.
When the front door opened, two pugs raced out the door, heading
directly for Grey. They jumped up on his leg woofing and pawing at him. He dropped down on one knee petting first Daisy then Buster, and then Daisy again. Buster managed to jump high enough to lick his face. Carrie stopped to greet the dogs, too, running her hands through their soft tan fur. Wide pug grins took over their faces and their curled tails wagged at a furious pace.
 5 & 6 NAMES TO UNSCRAMBLE:  SAIDY & STUBER


DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDY FOR THE BOOK DRAWING!!!

FOR MORE INFO ON MY BOOKS CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY WEBSITE 


Thank you for stopping by. And the dogs and cats protected by the A.S.P.C.A. thank you, too! Happy Valentine's Day!!

EVERYDAY HEROES

Although we sometimes berate men for not communicating more, most men share their love by doing, not talking. Today I honor those men, the ones who help for the sake of helping...the men who do small unselfish acts everyday. 

Today is your day guys as I dedicate this blog to my everyday heroes, men I know and don't know who have touched my life in positive ways...you know who you are:


1) To the two gentlemen who stopped, briefly, to pick me up, one guy on each arm, when I slipped and fell at the bottom of the wet subway stairs on a rainy day.

2) To the man who stopped in the parking lot of Peck's grocery store in Narrowsburg. The second I put my hands under the hood of my car, he was there, asking me what was wrong and if I needed help. Then he proceeded to show me where to put in the wiper fluid, unscrewed the cap to the little tank and left before I even made eye contact!
3)  To all the men on the streets of New York who have stopped to pick up whatever I dropped before I even bent my knees. Klutz that I am, that number is huge.
4)  To my friend in the community who came down to the lake because I told him I was going there to swim by myself and he felt it was unsafe.
5)  To all the men on airplanes who, when seeing me with a large carry-on bag, stood up and put it in the overhead rack for me without even being asked.
6)  To the thousands upon thousands of men who have held doors open for me, allowing me to pass through first.
7)  To the two young men on line in the grocery store who offered their frequent buyer cards to me so I could get the discounts, too. 
8)  To the man who took the dead mouse out of my mousetrap and disposed of it for me. Yucky! 
9)  To all the young men in high school and college who politely took "no" for an answer and either still continued to date me or became my friend.
10) To all the men who got up to give me a seat on the bus or subway when I was pregnant.

11) To my male writer friends in NRW who encourage me every day and still flirt with me.
12) To the men I met on countless vacations who danced with me, bought me a drink at the bar and didn't hit on me.
13) To the man who came to the emergency room with me on a first date, waited forever and held my hand while I got a tetanus shot. 
14)  To my writing partner, Ben, who encourages me every day, never tells me my ideas are dumb or gives me a hard time about my typos or lack of punctuation and listens, patiently, to me rant about life.
15) To the man who took two hours out of his day to show me how to do my website for the price of a bagel.
16) To the two men who took my pictures and designed book covers for me just because they are my friends.
17) To the man who walked me home after dark when I ducked into a bar because someone was following me...and took "no" for an answer with charm and grace. 
18) To the man who drove me through a blinding snowstorm and back so I could bring a stray cat with an infected paw to the vet.
19) To Doug, our guest, who surprised me with a Tiramisu cake just because I had admired it in the bakery window. 
20) To the man who jumped into a Facebook group to defend me when several people attacked my opinion.
21) To all the men who let me go first...from the check out counter at the grocery store to the bread counter at Zabar's... simply because I'm a woman. 
22) To the unknown young man who gave me a lift 60 blocks up Madison Avenue to Mt. Sinai Hospital when the subway wasn't running and my father was in surgery.
23) To the men in IRM who are never stingy with hugs or encouragement.
24) To DH who sometimes fixes things before I ask.


To all you everyday heroes, thank you. Thank you for all you've done and continue to do quietly without fanfare...and for the shy smile you give me when I acknowledge your help. Love you all!

Who are the everyday heroes in your life?

If you're interested, check out my books on my website, CLICK HERE!

Sweet Saturday Sample of "The Love List"

Thank you for stopping by today. My Sweet Saturday Sample is from "The Love List" my brand-new novella, sequel to "The Marriage List" just released last weekend. Grey and Carrie awaken at his family's old Victorian house in upstate New York. It's the day after Thanksgiving. Carrie stared at her left hand. The brand-new, three-carat diamond
resting on her fourth finger twinkled its brilliance and clarity at her,
reminding her of her engagement, now three days old. Grey sat on the
window seat in front of a bird feeder and pulled her onto his lap.
There's food in the feeder. Are there still birds this far north in
November? Haven't they all migrated by now?
Neither one spoke but Grey slipped his arm around her waist,
steadying her and she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Come on," he said, easing her off his lap, taking her hand and
leading her to the back door.
They pulled on down parkas and gloves, Carrie tucked her
shoulder-length streaked blonde hair under a knitted hat. The early risers trudged out into the cold where their shoes crunched on the thin layer of hard snow. Their breath hung suspended in the frigid air. Grey took her hand again and she followed him down a well-worn path to the lake. The bright sunshine bouncing off the frozen water peeked through gaps in the trees, blinding her temporarily. She could see the thick ice on the lake and a smile came to her lips.
"Let's go," she said, pulling on Grey's hand to increase their speed
and moving out onto the frozen surface.
A sudden sharp tug on her hand pulled her back with a jerk.
"No!" Grey hollered at her, folding his arms around her so she
couldn't move.
Carrie looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. "Grey? What
the…"
"Don't go there." He tightened his grip, his mouth set in a grim
line.
"But it's frozen solid. And it's so much fun to walk on."
"It isn't frozen solid."
"It is. Look," she said, squirming to get away but unable to shake
off his firm grip.
"No, no, no Carrie." His eyes shone as he held her still, and she
watched him blink back tears.
"What?"
"The ice, it's wrong. It looks frozen but it isn't. When I was eight,
my best friend, Tom, dared me to go out on the ice. I refused and tried to keep him from going but he wouldn't listen. He fell through and died before I could get help."
Carrie hugged him, her cheek on his chest. She moved back a step
and looked into his eyes, catching a glimpse of the frightened little boy he was on that horrible day. What a terrifying experience! Her heart melted.
"I'm so sorry. I won't go there. I promise."
He leaned his head on hers and closed his eyes. "I couldn't stand to
lose you, too. I love you so much," he whispered.
"I love you, too." She snuggled more tightly into the comfort of his
embrace.
They held onto each other while the sun melted the ice coating the
tree branches and the air began to warm up. Cold water dripping down on them from trees above forced the lovers to move.

A little bit about the book

Can the swinging bachelor change his ways and become a devoted, selfless and faithful man overnight? Grey's marriage list brought them together. But when Carrie starts her own list, can Grey incorporate her ideas about love into his life? Family issues, jealousy and an icy lake threaten to destroy the happiness Carrie and Grey have found together. An argument, a holiday trip to visit family and confronting an old fear test the lovers who have pledged their love and now must learn to make it stronger every day. Buy Links Only $1.99 AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE

INTERVIEW WITH LEE ANN SONTHEIMER MURPHY

We are privileged today to interview Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy, a very talented writer and one of my favorites. First the cover of her brand-new release, The Patient Heart. Relax, Lee...refreshments are on the side table. Help yourself. Here we go:  1)     How old were you when you knew you wanted to become a writer?I remember dictating a story to my mother before I could read or write – and by the age of nine or ten, I told everyone who would listen I wanted to grow up to be a writer.2)     What did you do for a living in your "previous" life?   I worked in broadcast radio straight out of college and did a little bit of everything.  I began as an advertising copywriter and worked up to doing on-air work including commercial production, news, interviews, and weather.   I took time out when my kids were very small and when I returned to the working mother world I worked for the local school district as a substitute teacher until I gave that up to write full-time beginning with this school year.3)     Do you have a family?   Yes, I've been married for seventeen years and we have three children, fifteen year old twin daughters and a ten year old son.4)     What do your closest relatives thinking of your writing career?  My dad – who passed away three years ago – was one of my biggest supporters.   My husband and kids think it's wonderful I've made the leap to becoming an author.  And I have several amazing cousins who are there with support and help.  5)     What genre do you write?  At this point romance in almost all flavors, from sweet to heat.  6)     Are you a plotter or a pantser?  When I start a novel, I know where it begins and how it ends.  For everything in between, I am a total pantser.7)     Do your characters ever take over when you're writing?  They do – they often do things I didn't anticipate and then I have to roll with it.8)     Do you get inspiration from real people or places?  Yes, I do.  My novels and stories are set in real places, most of them places I've lived or visited so I'm familiar.   Real people do inspire some of my characters but they're also so altered the character really is not any one person.9)     Have you ever gotten a story idea from a news story?  10) Would you like to be any of your heroines?  They're all a little bit me but I wouldn't mind being Cara Riley Brennan, my heroine from my paranormal romance series from Evernight.  She's talented, she's brash, she's strong, and she's amazing.11) Would you marry any of your heroes? I love them all.  I'd have to become a bigamist but I'd love to marry any or all of them!12) Do you do a lot of editing before you submit a manuscript?  I do.  These days, I even edit as I write.  I write slower now than I did when I first starting writing novels and much more deliberate.   Before I submit, I go over the MS several times. Now some personal questions (please feel free to elaborate) : 1)     Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla2)     Do you listen to music when you write? What do you listen to?  Almost always.  I have eclectic music tastes but I often listen to something fitting the theme of my work – i.e. when I was writing my WWII historical, I listened to a lot of Glenn Miller and Andrews Sisters, writing A Patient Heart I listened to rock and roll.3)     Favorite color?  Green4)     Black, white or gray? Black5)     Favorite ice cream flavor?  Pralines and cream.6)     Favorite.line of description from one of your books:  After we spent our emotions, poured them into one another, we sat down on the sand, wrapped together and listened to the wondrous night music of God.
7)     Favorite dialogue from one of your books.From "In The Shadow of War" coming May 17 from Rebel Ink Press:Something shifted within Bette and her tears ceased.  She lifted her head up with pride and said, "I'm Mrs. Levy, Mr. Brown and yes, there was a soldier here.  He's my husband, Private Ben Levy and he's shipping out tonight.  I'm not 'Miss Sullivan' anymore and if it's a problem, I'll leave now."
8)     Favorite minor character from your book:   I liked Ross Ramsay, the main character's older brother from Love Never Fails so much I gave him his own story in an upcoming Rebel Ink Press Single Dad anthology.9)     Dog or cat?  Dog10) Country or city? Both – depends on the mood I'm in and what I'm doing11) Beach or mountains?  Beach12) Skirts or pants?  Pants13) Early morning or late night?  In my life they tend to segue into each other but I probably do my best work early mornings.14) Cruise in the Caribbean or camping in Yellowstone National Park?  Caribbean!
A bit about the book A Patient HeartContemporary romance, Valentine's Day theme, second chance at loveRebel Ink Press (Feb 2, 2012)
Summary: As a little girl, Catherine dreamed she'd marry Connor Donavan one day and as teenagers, that dream seemed within reach. Until Connor ended their relationship, leaving town and breaking Catherine's heart. Ten years later, far from the old hometown, Catherine reports for work as a nurse one snowy January evening and learns that her new patient is none other than her old love, Connor. When he recognizes her, all the old feelings stir but a few sparks fly, too. As Connor recovers from an accident, Catherine realizes she loves him more than ever and he seems to love her as well. But after he leaves the hospital and convalesces at her home, his real life intrudes into their quiet time together. Then Connor leaves Catherine behind and she stays until a message sends her speeding to Kansas City, to Connor's club... On Valentine's Day.
EXCERPT:
"Kiss me," he said, those dark eyes steady like a star in the night sky. Their pull drew her in like the tide on a beach, irresistible and powerful. Catherine couldn't resist so she maneuvered in and put her mouth over his. As if weighted with magnets her lips attached to his and he kissed her back, strong for a man in the hospital. The deep mouth caress made her tingle and her body revved, answering the intensity with the same. She broke away first, still skittish about being caught."Is that better?" she asked."A lot," Connor said, "I'll be here when you get back but hurry or I might starve."Catherine laughed. "I doubt it."When she returned with a bag from one of the fast food places out on Neosho Boulevard in hand, she found him back in the chair. He sniffed at the aroma wafting out of the sack when she opened it and sighed with happiness when she handed him his double cheeseburger."Thank you," he said, appreciative. "It smells so good."She opened her single burger. "Go slow, Connor. You haven't eaten much yet and I don't want to make you sick.""I'll be fine," he said as he bit into the thick burger. He devoured it but with such slow precision Catherine found no fault. She finished hers at the same pace and removed the trash then sat back on the edge of the bed since he had the sole chair."That was awesome," Connor said, looking somnolent after his meal. "I think it made me sleepy, though."Always a nurse, she asked, "Would you like to go back to bed?"He turned his head so he could face her. "I don't unless you want to climb in with me."All of sudden, he evoked the past, revived memories that sent a fever racing through her blood with warp speed. Whether he kidded or meant it, Catherine's heart race increased, so much she was glad she wasn't hooked to any monitors. Her breath caught somewhere between lungs and throat and then he winked."Scared you, didn't I?" Connor said, laughter enriching his voice. "I'd love to just cuddle with you but somehow I figure they wouldn't like it here.""No, I don't think they would. You got my attention, though.""Did I really?" One minute he seemed tough, the next vulnerable and she couldn't read him, decide which was real or if both were."Oh, you do," Catherine said. "But you might want to lose the Foley first, heal a bit more and get some strength back before you invite me into bed, here or anywhere."He shifted in the chair, winced and with a wry smile replied, "Point taken, lady. So if we can't go to bed, what are we going to do?" Somehow she doubted they were going to play checkers but she laughed. "Tell me what'd you be doing right now if you were back home and not in the hospital.""What time is it?"She checked her watch. "It's almost seven."Connor sighed. "I'd be at my club and the early crowd would be there. We'd be serving drinks half price right up until seven and then we'd have an hour before the band, if we had one tonight. If not, I'd tend a little bar, keep an eye on everything, stroll through the place doing a meet and greet and keep everything rolling.""You do all that?""Yeah, I do most of the time.""Don't you have any employees? You make it sound like a one-man operation."He chuckled. "It was when I started the place but I've got a couple, a guy named Larry who tends bar, Lupe, who works in the kitchen, and King, my bouncer. They handle a lot. Then I have three waitresses, Trixie, Lisa, and Jen."Catherine counted six, four of which were women. Green jealousy reared up, ugly and potent but in a mild tone she asked, "Are they running things while you're gone?""I hope the hell they are," he said, and then dismay clouded his face. "I hadn't thought about it. How many days have I been here? Two?""This is the evening of the third full day," she told him. "If you feel up to calling, I'll loan you my cell phone."He wrinkled his nose. "Maybe I should call up there tomorrow. Tonight, they'll be busy or they should be. What day of the week is it, anyway?""This is Tuesday."Connor nodded. "They should be able to handle it. I bet they wonder why I haven't called by now – I planned to check in every day. Did you cancel my reservation or did I just dream you were going to do that?""I haven't," she said, "It slipped my mind but I can do it whenever you want."His eyelids drooped to half mast. "I'm tired tonight. Maybe you can take care of it tomorrow.""Okay. Now, seriously, do you want to lie back down? I can help you crawl back in bed without tangling the IV lines and the Foley cath.""Maybe in a few minutes," he said. "I want to get my strength back and get out of here as soon as I can."Fatigue touched his face but under it she saw determination and stubborn will. On impulse Catherine rose from her seat on the bed and came behind the chair. She plucked a comb from her purse and fluffed out his shoulder length hair. "Then will you let me comb your hair? It's a mess.""Yeah," he said soft-voiced. "I'd like it."She laughed. "It may hurt – some of it is tangled. I'll try to be gentle."She ran the comb through his hair, lank now from his hospital stay but she thought under normal circumstances it would be just as soft and thick as she remembered. Catherine worked the knots out of his locks with careful hands and he grunted with pleasure more than once."Don't quit," he said, eyes shut. "That feels nice.""Good." Catherine teased the comb through his hair again. "Tomorrow maybe you can get a shave.""Maybe I should just let you shave it all," he said.A frisson rippled down her spine, delicious and cold as she imagined how he might look without facial hair. Curiosity warred with an inner appreciation of his moustache and beard which gave him an exotic flair and desire to restore him to the clean shaven look she recalled."It's your call," Catherine said and he grinned."My people at the club would crap," Connor laughed, "It itches so I think I'll let you shave it all. They won't recognize me."But I did whiskers and all. BUY LINKS
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TUESDAY TALES - THE DATING LIST

Here is a continuation of "The Dating List," a WIP, sequel to "The Marriage List" and "The Love List" written to the word prompt, "save". One significant change. Delia has been changed to Leah, a different character altogether! Here is Part Two:


"Save some for me, first…I have some good news.""Do tell," Carrie said as she put the top down on the coffeemaker and turned to face her.Leah got up and retrieved a small portfolio from the outside pocket of her suitcase. Colin's gaze followed her. He noticed her leggings hugging her slim legs. When she bent slightly to unzip the pocket his eyes traced the outline of her firm behind, nicely rounded but not big, not out of proportion to the rest of her small frame. His tongue felt thick and his fingers twitched slightly at the idea of running them along the smooth skin of her bare rear end.
"Remember I told you I did some drawings of lingerie…" she began, flopping the portfolio on the counter top. Colin left the sofa and moved toward the kitchen. He placed his empty beer bottle in the kitchen sink, then wandered over to see what the women were fussing over."This is our cue to leave, Colin. Two women, the word lingerie…""Stayin'."
"Your funeral. I'm going to see if there is a game on, any game," Grey said, disappearing through the den door that opened onto the kitchen.Leah flashed Colin a warm smile before unbuckling the small case."Hurry! I'm dying to see these," Carrie said.Leah took out three single sheets of drawing paper with sketches on them."I took these from the historical romance I was reading. What do you think?"Leah chewed her lip as she watched Carrie pick up and examine the first sheet. Colin moved back so he could look over Carrie's shoulder. He saw a stylized drawing of a woman, long legs, willowy, wearing a lacy confection that looked like a corset."The material is soft…it just looks like a corset but it isn't hard, no whalebone. Silk and lace and it hangs down a whisker below her…" Leah looked over at Colin, then back at Carrie."Low enough," Carrie put in.Leah nodded, licking her lower lip, her eyebrows knitted."Do you like it?" She asked Carrie. "Do you think it's sexy?" She looked at Colin."I think it's amazing…so original, Leah. It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. But as for sexy, let's get a man's opinion."
Carrie turned to face Colin and raised her eyebrows.
Heat pooled in his chest as the two women trained their eyes on him. Suddenly his throat went dry. His gaze dropped down to the picture. The model had hair the color of Leah's. In the drawing, the soft bustier-type garment draped gently around the model's curves. Colin narrowed his eyes and pictured it on Leah. He stole a glance at Leah's hips and legs outlined perfectly in the leggings. He could see the edge of the lace on the garment Leah designed barely covering her luscious-looking rear end. For the neckline, again he stole a peek. With quick mental calculation, he figured Leah's breasts would more than fill his hands. Her long-sleeved aqua tank top was cut low enough to reveal a nice helping of inviting cleavage, especially as she leaned slightly in his direction awaiting his opinion. Mentally he made the switch from the tank top to the bustier top. His breathing snagged for a moment.
The heat of the mental image of Leah in the skimpy garment brought warmth to his cheeks. Not only could he see her in the garment but he'd have given his right arm to have her in it at that very moment."So…what's the verdict? Sexy?" Leah asked, running her tongue over her lower lip."That's an understatement." Colin said when he managed to control his breath.
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