Ava Stone's Blog, page 3

Romance Ramblings: Seriously Off the Cuff...

This week Ava and Jerrica (along with "That Guy") are imbibing once again. And you know what that means... ONE LIVELY EPISODE OF ROMANCE RAMBLINGS. This week we talk Snapchat (and why Ava can't get her user name and other more sordid details thanks to Eric), discuss how to sound properly German, the fun of audiobooks, and family trees!

What do you think is the next big social media "thing"? And Eric would like to know your Snapchat user name. ;)

A Pact Between Gentleman & A Gentlemen's Pact

The Falcon & the Philosopher Inn, Cambridgeshire – December 1814
Flickering light from the hearth at the far end of the taproom cast a warm glow across the floor, wooden beams, and six very serious gentlemen gathered in a circle around one of the tables. Only an occasional pop or crackle from the fire made any sound in the otherwise vacant tavern. “Richard would want us to drink to his name,” Rowan Findley announced, lifting a glass of whiskey out before him. Robert Hurst, the Earl of Northcotte, snorted. “Richard would want to be alive,” he grumbled under his breath, but the others heard him clearly. And on that point they were all in agreement. Richard Hollace, the late Lord Arrington, had lived life to its fullest. He embodied the sentiment “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die.” And unfortunately, the latter was true in his case. It was the way Lord Arrington had passed that had caused such a pallor to be cast upon the taproom. No man liked to think about his own passing, and certainly not passing before one’s time, but to be killed so viciously, and by one’s own wife…“Which is why we should drink to his name,” David Hounslow, the Marquess of Preston said softly, lifting his glass of whiskey as well. “Here, here.” Sebastian Stanwick raised his glass. The other three men followed suit as Findley said, “To Richard Hollace, a damn good friend.”“With a generous heart,” Preston added. “And a wicked sense of humor,” Nicholas Beckford, Lord Edgeworth tossed in. “The life of every party,” agreed Everett Casemore, the Marquess of Berkswell.“Knower of all things equine.” Northcotte smiled sadly.“Knower of all things female.” Stanwick frowned. That last bit swirled about the room, each man ruminating over the truth of it. Had Arrington known fewer females, he might very well be alive this night. He wouldn’t be lying six feet under with a hole in his head in the shape of a fire iron. The six of them wouldn’t have driven through the snow to Cambridgeshire on short notice. And they wouldn’t have sat through their old school chum’s funeral, wondering how such a tragedy could have befallen the man. One by one, they swallowed the contents of their glasses, each wondering how the world had stopped making sense. Ladies didn’t murder their husbands. They just didn’t do such things, except… Well, except one did. Something the lot of them would have thought unfathomable a fortnight earlier had become a tragic and quite frightening truth.“What’s going to happen to her?” Preston asked, his voice just loud enough to be heard over the crackling fire. “She’s been taken to Newgate,” Edgeworth replied. “I expect they’ll hang her.”“Richard should have been more careful of her sensibilities,” Stanwick said, raking a hand through his midnight black hair. “He should have taken care that she not find out about his paramours.”“I doubt he thought his wife was capable of such a thing,” Berkswell returned.“I doubt any man thinks so.” Findley sighed. “And yet women are very clearly capable of such things,” Northcotte began, “One only has to look as far as Richard for proof.”Again, silence befell the six men. One only did have to look as far as Richard to see that women were very clearly capable of murder. Northcotte had never spoken truer words. “Well, that settles it then—” Findley broke the silence, slamming his glass on the table in front of him a little harder than was necessary “—I’m never getting married. That’s the best and only way I can think of to avoid Richard’s fate.”It only took half a second for Preston to say, “I couldn’t agree with you more.”“Well, then, what about you?” Findley glanced from Berkswell to Northcotte to Edgeworth to Stanwick. Berkswell scrubbed a hand across his jaw and shook his head. “Certainly not worth the risk. My brother can inherit.”“As can my cousin,” Northcotte added solemnly. “Never planned on marrying anyway.” Edgeworth shrugged. “Nor I,” Stanwick agreed. “Then we’re agreed,” Findley announced, lifting his glass in the air once more. “I, Rowan Findley, hereby solemnly vow to never take a wife.”The other five lifted their glasses and repeated the vow in unison. Famous last words, most assuredly…
PRE-ORDER AvailableiTunes | KoboA PACT BETWEEN GENTLEMEN

In AVA STONE 's  A Bit of Mistletoe , Everett Casemore, the very serious Marquess of Berkswell, returns home for Christmas, slightly shaken by the death of an old friend. Determined not to suffer the same sort of fate at the hands of a woman, Berks resolves himself to eternal bachelorhood. Unfortunately, both his resolve and his peace of mind are threatened by the arrival of a beautiful, thoughtful, but mostly unsuitable lady. * Miss Theresa Birkin knows better than most that an error in judgment can lead one down an unfortunate path. If only she'd been wiser when she was younger. If only she hadn't followed her foolish heart. If only she'd met Lord Berkswell long before now. 
In JANE CHARLES's  Lady Disguised , Mr. Sebastian Stanwick never intended to marry. It was bad enough that his father gambled away everything they owned and then drank himself to death, leaving his mother broken until she could not go on. But the death of his good friend at the hand of the man’s wife only solidifies Stanwick’s decision to remain a bachelor. Women were simply unpredictable and unstable if not taken care of properly. * Hélène Mirabelle wants few things in life. One, is to perform on the stage, and the other, is to be out from under the roof of her overbearing new family: Lord Bentley and the Trent brothers. Since her mother’s recent passing, Hélène's desire to return to Milan and the stage has only grown. A husband could never fit into the plans because no decent man would take an actress as a wife. * One fateful night leaves Hélène questioning if being an actress is the only thing she wants, while Stanwick begins to wonder whether all women are truly prone to madness and if they are, he may never get Hélène off of his mind. 

In CATHERINE GAYLE ’s Thick as Thieves , David Hounslow, the Marquess of Preston, will not stand aside while those he loves are hurt. When it becomes clear his brother-in-law’s guest is up to no good, Preston determines to scrutinize every move of the would-be thief. Not that he minds such a task—Lady Frederica is as beautiful and intelligent as she is enigmatic. Considering her close relation to a wastrel brother and her current proclivity for the less-than-savory, Preston never expected to be won over to the lady’s charms. Yet she just might steal his heart. * Desperation has become Lady Frederica Bexley-Smythe’s constant companion due to her brother’s recent affinity for gambling and carousing. With the fate of both her mother and sister resting upon her shoulders, perhaps the time has arrived for Freddie to bend the rules. How else can she secure their future? Unfortunately, Lord Preston’s scrutiny is complicating her task. Far more perplexing than his perusal is his caring nature, which is distracting her from the treasures she intends to steal. But desperate times call for desperate measures…   PRE-ORDER Available
iTunes | KoboA GENTLEMEN'S PACT

In JERRICA KNIGHT-CATANIA 's All He Wants For Christmas , Rowan Findley can't imagine a fate worse than what his friend suffered at the hands of his mad wife, so he's made the decision to remain a bachelor for all eternity. That is, until Olivia walks into his cousin's drawing room for a Christmas party. Her fiery red hair and sweet demeanor remind him of a night so many years ago that he would never forget. * Olivia Edwards can't quite believe her eyes when Rowan Findley waltzes back into her life, as handsome and charming as ever. It's been almost seven years since she's seen him, and the secret she's been harboring all that time has her on edge whenever he's about. Yet she can't deny that she's still drawn to him, nor can she deny the desire she's kept hidden in her heart these many years.
In AILEEN FISH’s Chasing Lord Mystery , Lord Northcotte is not in the holiday spirit when he joins his sister’s family shortly after the brutal death of a friend. Discovering a matchmaking scheme is afoot, he tells them he will never marry Lady Miriam or any other woman. Now if only his heart would listen. * Lady Miriam’s mother accused her of chasing Lord Mystery after a noble act by a handsome stranger six years ago became the measure of all other men. Now he’s staying at the home where she’d hoped to escape a summons from her grandfather, the Duke of Danby. Terrified Northcotte will recognize her and reveal the contents of the scandalous letter she wrote him years ago, she can’t decide which is the bigger threat: the duke armed with a special license, or Lord Mystery, who carries a secret she’d never live down.


In JULIE JOHNSTONE’s ’Tis The Season For Surrender , Lillian Lancaster would rather catch the plague than a husband. Unfortunately, her abusive, recently deceased father’s will stipulates her inheritance hinges upon her marrying a lord. With time running out, Lillian proposes to the guilt-ridden, marriage-adverse Lord Edgeworth after securing his agreement to a marriage in name only. * Edgeworth feels responsible for his former betrothed’s death and believes he doesn’t deserve love, which makes Lillian’s proposal oddly perfect. Commanded by his grandfather to marry by Christmas or become penniless, the obviously perfect choice is a woman who wants nothing to do with him. * When Lillian displays a brave and true heart and Edgeworth reveals his honorable, protective side maintaining a marriage of convenience becomes harder than these two wounded souls imagined. Now, Lillian and Edgeworth must decide if they are courageous enough to risk their hearts and surrender to love.
Amazon                            Amazon                             Amazon                         Amazon
B&N                                  B&N                                B&N                                 B&N
Kobo                                   Kobo                               Kobo                                  Kobo
iTunes                              iTunes                              iTunes                              iTunes

Romance Ramblings: Ava & Jerrica's Top 11 1/2...

There's often something unpleasant on the news, be it government shutdowns, natural disasters, or tragedies of one form or another. So this week, inspired by the government shutdown, Jerrica and I have compiled a TOP ELEVEN 1/2 list of things you can do to keep your mind off all the unpleasantness going on...

Do you have anything to add to our list? What is your favorite form of distraction...?

Romance Ramblings is BACK!!!

This week Ava Stone and Jerrica Knight-Catania catch up at Romance Ramblings. We discuss new houses, pets, the original rebel rouser (who is NOT Ava), and toss around the idea of having Jerrica's twins (in their younger years) pull some sort of prank on one of Ava's characters in an upcoming book.
I'm not sure why... but the video isn't showing up today. So if you're looking for it. You can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct-Hvx... says a bad word (consider that your warning). AND... Jerrica tries to convince us that she can turn into a gourd. 
QUESTION OF THE DAY - what sort of prank should Andrew and Michael Wetherby (when they're children) play on one of Ava's characters? And do you have a suggestion of which character will have a prank pulled on them? 

Welcome Talented Audiobook Producer - Stevie Zimmerman

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome audiobook producer Stevie Zimmerman to Lady Scribes! I have been fortunate enough to have Stevie produce/narrate all of the books in my Scandalous Series. (She’s currently hard at work on A Scandalous Past as we speak.) And I could not be happier. Stevie has such a wonderful voice and hearing her narrate my stories always brings a smile to my face. It’s been so long ago that I wrote the Scandalous Series, and hearing her retell the story reminds me how much I loved writing those books.
My good friends Deb Marlowe and Rose Gordon have also worked with Stevie on some audiobooks, and we thought it might be fun to have a little “chat” between the four of us.  So without further ado, please welcome Stevie Zimmerman!
AVA: Hi, Stevie, thank you so much for being with us today. I was hoping you could tell everyone how you became a voice talent and how you started producing audiobooks.
STEVIE: Hello everyone. Lovely to be here!
Audible | Amazon | iTunesWell, I got started quite by chance really. I took an evening class several years ago that turned out to be a thinly disguised sales pitch for a company making demos. I decided to ignore their expensive plans for me but was intrigued at the idea that there might be a niche for my accent in the US market. I found someone else to make a demo with and then contacted some local studios (in Hartford, CT) and got a few radio ads. My first job was doing 10 second ads for Hartford itself – promoting the things there were to do in town that summer. I think they wanted me because the spots were so short and my accent at least sounded different in the crowded radio noise. That started getting me some attention and I was hired to do a lot of e-learning narrations for companies that needed a voice that would work in lots of different markets and countries. My natural accent is perceived as sort of neutral by multi-national companies. I enjoyed the long-form much more than the quick commercials and so I started trying to find audiobook work.  Ava’s  “A Scandalous Wife” was my first ever book!
Audible | Amazon | iTunesROSE: What is your typical day like recording?
STEVIE: I work from home so a lot depends on what is going on with the rest of the world – it needs to be quiet, undisturbed, focused time. Not always the easiest thing in the world. I have an ancient cat who thinks she should be part of the action quite often! But ordinarily I try to record several chapters at a go and then return to edit them later. That way I get more of a flow to the narration and consistency in the tone and feel of the story and characters.
DEB: Do you read the whole book before you start recording or do you read them a chapter at a time as you record?
STEVIE: I read one chapter at a time. I like to get some sense of discovering the story along with the reader. I don’t want to know ahead of time that at the end of the story the bad guy turns out to be the hero and have that affect how I read him earlier in the story. Going chapter to chapter allows me to be part of the unfolding, the journey, not some omniscient presence. Perhaps I would have a different approach with a different type of book, but the novels I have done so far have all had an element of romantic suspense to them which I want to keep immediate.
Audible | Amazon | iTunesAVA: When I do a search for your name at Amazon, Audible and iTunes, it seems you have become quite the star of Regency Romance audiobooks. Was that by chance? Or was it a genre you were looking for? (And since you ARE English, do you find it odd the number of American writers who focus on that specific time period of British history?)
STEVIE: Thanks for the ‘star’! When I started auditioning for audiobooks the authors looking specifically for English accents were all Regency Romance authors.  You were the first person to offer me an opportunity and it grew from there. So yes,  quite by chance.

I do find it amusing how popular the time period is over here – the popularity of Jane Austen on TV and in movies has always amazed me. Not because I don’t absolutely love Jane Austen – when I got married I made it a stipulation that my husband read “Persuasion” on our honeymoon! But because it always seemed to me her ironic commentary on England’s class structure and social rules and restrictions would be lost on a country which so prides itself on inclusiveness and the possibility of everyone ‘making it’. But the romance of that era is undeniable, and I see in my daughter, who is all-American, that there is still a real desire to be swept off your feet by a gallant hero. And there are nasty gossipmongers and rakes and cads everywhere. Pretty Little Liars is Regency Romance in modern clothes…
Audible | Amazon | iTunesDEB: I adored how you gave life to the different classes (from guttersnipes to dukes!) in The Love List, as well as the different nationalities.  Do you enjoy the different accents?  Or are they difficult?
STEVIE: I love doing the accents. It’s one of my favourite parts of the job. And “The Love List” has a great cast of characters to convey. I don’t have an endless supply, but when it’s called for it’s a really fun thing to do. I wanted to be an actress from the age of about 5 and, although I realized when I was in college that I didn’t have “it”, I am still very involved in theatre as a director in the DC area. The audiobooks allow me to still do a bit of acting!
ROSE: Be honest, did you imagine yourself as the heroine as you read the book?
STEVIE: Honestly, no!  I identify with the longing the women in all the books feel for romance, for independence within a strong and protective relationship, for the feeling of being adored and longed for. But since every heroine is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and I’m well into my twentieth year of marriage, that’s about as far as it goes. I did recognize some of the frustrations she feels (in “Her Reluctrant Groom”) dealing with such a reluctant and recalcitrant hero, especially when their mutual attraction is so obvious.
Audible | Amazon | iTunesAVA: As romance authors, I know I’ve gotten the “look” from people who find out what I write. Do you experience the same thing when people find out you’re narrating romance?
STEVIE: I think most people I work with in the theatre understand that all story-telling is valid. It may not be their choice of genre, but ultimately that’s what all actors and directors and designers are doing. Years ago I had the privilege of meeting Patrick Stewart, a great Shakespearean actor who had just taken on the reboot of Star Trek. He was being given a lot of grief about that but his view was that had Shakespeare been alive, he’d have been writing just the type of stories Star Trek told every week. Great story telling is nothing to do with the snobbish values some people want to put on it. Having said that, there are probably some people I actually haven’t told about this aspect of my work because it would change how they perceive me!
DEB: So, how do you feel about reading those sex scenes?  :-)
STEVIE: Well, I must admit I was a bit surprised when I came upon them in “A Scandalous Wife” only because I hadn’t expected it. I am no prude but reading them out loud took a little doing, and I had to make sure no one was eavesdropping!  It’s kind of like eating chocolate though – part of the fun is in the sinning…….
ROSE: Was there a part where you had to record it more than once so you could keep a straight face and a steady tone?
Audible | Amazon | iTunesSTEVIE: So far no. I have narrated one book that was so sexually focused - and different from the rest of the books I have done -  that I decided to put it under a different name. I didn’t realize going in what kind of book it was, and then I was committed. It wasn’t that I was embarrassed, although I didn’t get it quite, but that I didn’t want to put listeners off books such as “The Love List”, “Her Reluctant Groom”, and the Scandalous series by association with something honestly rather kinky. I hope listeners enjoy my narration enough to seek out other books I have done, but I also hope I can stay out of the way enough to allow them to have their own fantasy moments through those scenes.
AVA: Well, we know you are busy working on several projects, Stevie, but we really appreciate you taking the time to be here with us today and for answering our questions. And we’d also like to thank you for doing such an excellent job producing our books!
STEVIE: It’s been great having this chance to talk about the work! It can feel a little isolated sometimes, sitting reading into my microphone so it is great to have this chance to connect with all of you, and your readers. Cheers!

Originally posted at Lady Scribes 9/30/2013

Romance Ramblings

HAPPY FRIDAY the 13th!!

Some of you many know that Jerrica Knight-Catania and I have a YouTube show - Romance Ramblings. You can catch up on past Ramblings HERE. From now on, we'll be posting each week's show here at Lady Scribes.

This week we interviewed Samantha Grace and we..Well, we Rambled. It *is* in the name of the show after all.

We learned a lot this week... A) It's good to have a fireman with a hose living on your street. B) The Graces are entering the 20th Century with Air Conditioning and they'll get running water soon. C) Go on vacation with Ava *only* if you can move quickly.

For all of that and more, this week's ROMANCE RAMBLINGS...


So I'll re-post Samantha's question... What is the most romantic thing that has happened to you recently? OR  - Do you like to roller skate, with or without ferrets?

And then - what topics would you like to see us ramble about in the future?

If I Don't Say it, I'm Gonna Burst...

All right. From time to time, things annoy me. I know this surprises no one. I have been known to rant before. This isn’t so much of a rant as it is a plea for people to stop (and a healthy dose of me snobbishly passing judgment, of which I’m fairly proficient.)
Maybe I’m the only one this annoys. Maybe I’m all alone, and it doesn’t bother anyone else in the world. But it’s been nagging at me for a while and for some reason – today – my annoyance with it overflowed.
Why do people trash up their car with bumper stickers and decals?
This isn't it, but looks a lot like the back of the car of belonging to the woman my ex-husband married. 
I would have taken a shot of her car, but I'd rather not get that close to her. Ever. 
Why?!? They’re ugly! I don’t care that your 1st grader made the honor roll. I don’t care how many children, dogs or cats you have at home. I don’t care about your political leanings. I don’t care about your Jesus fish or your evolved Darwin fish eating a Jesus fish. I don’t care about your views on gun control, abortion rights, or education.  I really, truly don’t. (Let’s be honest, I only care about my own opinion on those matters. Well…and friends who happen to agree with me. And if I don’t know you, I don’t really care that you’ve spelled out your girlfriend’s name in gold letters on the back of your car. SIDE NOTE – I don’t have any friends who would do something that tacky.)
I mean what is the point? It’s not like the driver is putting a sticker in their back window to reaffirm their own thoughts or combat Alzheimers. “For a minute there I couldn’t remember who I was going to vote for for Governor. Thank heavens I put that sticker in my back window. I might have voted for the wrong guy.”

Of course not.
It’s to show support, right?
Well, if I’m behind you and happen to share your views, it hurts my soul when you make stupid driving decisions. I’m left with thoughts like “Great! An idiot in my camp.”

And if I don’t happen to share your views, my right foot is just raring to ram you off the road. (Ok, not really – but you have pissed me off. “One more imbecilic $#*@er who lives in North Carolina. Great. Move it, idiot. Your intellect is clearly reflected on your back bumper.”)

And do you really want people in other motor vehicles pissed off at you? I don’t. Driving is dangerous enough as it is.
Not one time has a message on a bumper sticker swayed my views. “Well, I was going to vote for Candidate A, but this random guy is voting for Candidate B. Whew! Glad I caught my mistake in time.”

Nope.

Not once.  

I can’t imagine that anyone has, actually. And if someone has – I really, truly don’t want to meet them. Ever.
I’ve never picked a restaurant, church or vacation spot because of someone else’s bumper. All you’ve done is make your car look trashy, like a middle school English book covered in scribbles of the boy's name you thought was cute in 2nd period and TeenBeat stickers. Seriously.
And I’m the one stuck behind you in rush hour – thinking all sorts of uncharitable thoughts about you and your obnoxiously smart, brown-nosing 1stgrader.
There. I’ve said it. Finally. I mean, it had to be said. (OK - I'm stopping to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart.) 
So, bumper stickers and decals…Your thoughts? Are you a whole lot nicer than me? Do you think about them at all? Do they bother you? Or do you…gasp….have one/some on your car? 

*Originally posted at Lady Scribes 9/6/2013

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend... Or... Ava's Vaca from Hades and Beyond

This last Christmas, The Scientist and I gave our children a cruise vacation for this summer. My son is in traditional school, while his daughter is in “year-round” school. With the track she was on, the two of them actually only had one week off all summer that matched up.
I’ve been waiting for this vacation for months – MONTHS, I tell you! And as it got closer and closer, I needed it more and more. Before I left, I experienced a horrible case of road rage, I lost checks I needed to put in the bank (only to be found later in the refrigerator, of all the ridiculous places), and my temper was shorter than normal at work (“Excuse me” was shorthand for “Leave me the $#@% alone.”) I needed this vacation like I’ve never needed one before.
A private cabana on a private island, snorkeling in The Bahamas, and my first Royal Caribbean cruise as a “DIAMOND Member”. (That’s right, C-Gayle and JerricaKC…I’m no longer a mere Emerald Member. What riff-raff those people are.) What does “DIAMOND Member” mean, you wonder…? That I’ve spent nearly two months of my life aboard various Royal Caribbean’s vessels, that’s what. Hi, I’m Ava, and I’m addicted to cruising…
But life wasn’t ready to let me board the ship and go along my merry way…No, life wanted to stick it to me first. The day before we flew to Florida, The Scientist and I came home from walking the dog only to realize that my air conditioner wasn’t functioning. In North Carolina. In the middle of the summer. So I called an emergency A/C guy, but he couldn’t come out until the next day…when The Scientist, our children and I were all supposed to be on a flight headed for Miami.
How can this sweet
face have done
something so
awful?!?!And then…I realized that Lord Catsby had decided to use my suitcase as his own personal litter box. (My theory is that he knows what a suitcase is and wasn’t happy that we were going to be leaving him.) He had no idea that doing so would only make me want to throttle him.
On both counts, however, Catherine Gayle came to rescue. She brought me two suitcases to use for our trip and she even offered to wait for the A/C man the next day. So in case anyone is wondering…she truly is an angel.
But life wasn’t through with me yet. Ha! Life was just warming up. Before I woke the next day, a “friend” came for a “visit” and I suddenly had to pack some Midol, if you know which “friend” I’m referring to. And that particular “friend” can go hang, just in case anyone was wondering. 
Did I mention that I really needed this vacation? But life still had me in her clutches! Oh, we flew to Miami and we even made it to a nice hotel near the port. That night, the four of us even enjoyed a nice leisurely dinner at one of the five restaurants on site. However, we apparently chose the wrong one.  Yep – LIFE.

I was up the ENTIRE night with food poisoning. (Luckily, no one else ate the same dish I did.) I was in excruciating pain, worse than childbirth (but then I’m a believer in “pain free childbirth”- had an epidural and took whatever drugs they wanted to pump me full of. Don’t judge. I have no regrets) Thankfully, The Scientist and my son took a cab to a 24Hour Walgreens at 2:00am to get me some medicine. My heroes! What would I do without them?
Truly, it was one of the longest nights of my life. For a while there, I wasn’t sure if I was even going to make it on the ship the next day. And that made me feel even worse. Neither The Scientist nor his daughter had ever been on a cruise and I was about to ruin their vacation.
So I sucked it up, downed more Imodium and Midol than was probably healthy and boarded the ship as early as possible. Grin and barely bare it, that was my new motto. I suffered through the blasted Muster drill (a tedious chore one must do on every cruise, regardless of the line) in the hot Miami heat. I had to will myself to remain conscious, to not pass out on the Promenade Deck, standing there with the rest of the other 2,000 cruisers.  If anyone spoke to me, I bit their head off. I was in too much pain to be courteous, and pleasant was out of the question. Besides it took me repeating over and over in my mind, "Don't pass out. Don't pass out. Don't pass out," to remain on my feet. Being conversational only distracted me from my purpose.
Don't they look like they're
having fun? I spent the rest of that first night in my cabin, sleeping in a fetal position and trying to recover from the blasted food poisoning. To say I wasn’t a ton of fun would have been an understatement. My poor traveling companions. At least there was plenty for them to do, other than sitting around listening to me writhing around in pain.
The next morning, I awoke feeling a little bit better. The four of us boarded a catamaran and snorkeled the waters off Paradise Island in The Bahamas. I wasn’t in the water long, as my stomach was still in a huge Imodium-induced knot, but I did get to see a school of zebra fish and I got to take several pictures of my loved ones who were having a splendid time.
The following day, we tendered in Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian island – Coco Cay. This has traditionally been one of my most favorite destinations. We always get a private cabana and seclude ourselves to one side of the island, away from the majority of the other cruisers (or the riff-raff I mentioned above). That’s right, I’m exclusionary. And this trip was no different. Although I was still wracked with pain, I was able to lie down on the sectional under the cabana most of the day and listen to the breeze and waves crashing up on the shore.
VIEW OF the CABANA
Doesn't it look peaceful?
It is. Trust me!  VIEW FROM the CABANA The ocean, the sky, the palm
trees! I could stare out at this view for weeks at a time.
WEEKS, I tell you, and never get tired! I just need a cabana boy,
lots to drink, a variety of cheeses, shrimp cocktail, and
mounds of fresh fruit. Oh! and a charger
for my laptop. I could write and write and... 

Even I felt a little better in the cabana.
But who wouldn't with this wonderful
man to keep me company?At one point, my son dragged me to the DIAMOND only lounge because I had to see it. The first day he went up there, he said they were going to turn him away because it's for DIAMOND members only, and he's just 15. When he flashed his DIAMOND card, they suddenly bent over backwards to welcome him. Imagine my surprise when every waiter/ess in the lounge knew my son by name (think Norm from Cheers) and asked if he wanted his "usual". Yeah, my 15 year old son has a "usual" in a DIAMOND lounge. (He was definitely having more fun than I was.)

Thanks to a dosage of Dulcolax, the Imodium finally left my system sometime in the middle of the night, so I was recovered enough to do the “White Knuckle Thrill Boat Ride” with my son in Key West the next day. It was a blast. Something we’d wanted to do on our first trip to Key West several years ago, but my mother and brother were too chicken to participate back in those days. This time we went by ourselves, and I was very happy to be able to enjoy it with my son.
My son and I are in the front row next to "Doug" the Captain.
Here's my son wearing his recovered
sunken treasure pendant.We then boarded a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus ride around Key West with The Scientist and his daughter - spotted Mile Marker 0 and the Southernmost point of the Continental United States. (We were closer to Cuba at that point than even mainland Florida).

We finished up Key West at the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum where sunken treasure from the Spanish Galleon the Nuestro Senora de Atocha (which was sunk during a hurricane off the coast of Key West in 1622 and discovered in 1985 by treasure hunter Mel Fisher) is on display. The four of us got matching pendants made from salvaged silver in the gift shop, which we thought was a pretty nice way to end our trip.

The next morning, we woke up as the ship was arriving in port. We were among the first dozen people to disembark as our flight back to North Carolina was fairly early. I am happy to report that the return trip was much less eventful than the outbound. At least for now. And I intend to see that it stays that way.

Are you a cruiser? If so, what is your favorite port? And have you ever had illness or some other unforeseen event derail a well-planned/needed vacation?

*Previously published at LadyScribes July 11, 2013

To Be Loved AND Appreciated

I was going to talk about how this was my last good month (I turn 40 in less than 2 weeks, but I figure Samantha Grace will lose her trademarked niceness just to kick my butt.) Therefore, today I'm going to address the other big thing that's going on in my life these days. Griffin Stone, the 1st Marquess of Catsby
(Yes, he has a fancy name. He was already
wearing the tux.) If he kills a mouse, he'll be
upgraded to King Griffin I.Anyone who follows me on Twitter or likes me on Facebook already knows that there is a new member of the Stone household. Griffin Stone, the 1st Marquess of Catsby. We call him all sorts of things for short… Griff, Griffin, Lord Catsby...it kind of depends on what he’s done or what we’re trying to get him to do. But two things we don’t have to try to get him to do is love and appreciate us. He’s pretty much done both of those things since the moment we opened our door to him. Griffin is a 4 year old boy who has lived at least the last year in a no-kill shelter.  The cage he was in was pretty big, actually; but he shared it with two other cats.  The space he has now, however is a good-sized home for him to roam, explore and (hopefully) protect from outside critters. (We all know my house has a history with squirrels and other unsavory creatures. I’m betting that’s all in the past with Griffin here now.)I have had cats most of my life and I do still have Geri who is almost 13. Geri is the only one in the house not thrilled with Griffin. Whenever she spots him, she hisses – which is the fastest way to not make friends. Don’t believe me? Get introduced to someone and hiss… let’s see how that turns out for you. The people at the shelter were surprised that I was interested in an adult cat. Until now, every cat I’ve ever had I got when they were kittens. But I don’t think I have the time or energy for a kitten this time around. I work outside the house 40+ hours a week and 40+ hours is a lot of time for an unwatched kitten to tear up a house. Griffin is also declawed. (And while I could never declaw a cat myself, he came that way to my house so I have no guilt.) I do know that my new couch won’t get torn to shreds while I’m at work. (Deb Marlowe and Catherine Gayle could chant "imported Italian leather" with me right now, I'm sure, as I've said it way too many times. But I really didn't want a kitten shredding "imported Italian leather".) My son adores this cat!Griffin has a lot of plusses. I didn’t expect him to adapt so quickly to our house. He’s taken to sleeping in my son’s room and Griffin likes to say on schedule. If it’s time for bed, he’ll start meowing until my son walks up the stairs to his room. The cat follows him the whole way and then waits for my son to climb into bed so that Griffin can sleep at his feet. The cutest thing ever.  There’s still Hissing-Geri  to contend with, not that he gives her any notice at all. Whenever she starts hissing, he drops to the floor in an ultra-relaxed position with a look that says something like “Is that all you got? I’ve seen a lot worse than you, old lady.” And I think he has. I’m not sure what happened in his life that ended with him being in a shelter, but I can tell you that I’ve never felt quite so appreciated as I have since we brought him home. You can see it in his eyes, a little sparkle he has that looks a whole lot like he has a second chance at life. Have you ever rescued a pet from a shelter? If so, tell me all about your pet. You know the look of appreciation I'm talking about, don't you?Before we got him, Griffin was well-cared for and healthy at Safe Haven for Cats in Wake County, NC. They have other cats who are in need of loving homes. So if you live in the area and have thought about adding a kitty to your home, do check them out. And if you're somewhere else in the country, I'm sure there are wonderful shelters in your area too. Anyway,  I’m providing a link for the shelter where we found Griffin. They do have a donate button, if you’re interested in helping out some feline friends (but don't really want to bring one into your home.)  SAFE HAVEN FOR CATS.

* Originally posted at Lady Scribes 06/12/13

Now Hear This...

I'm so very happy to announce the release of my second audiobook - A SCANDALOUS CHARADE! Yay!! (Throws confetti and dances around my desk...ahem...OK, I'm good now.)

Audible  |  iBooks
For those of you who haven't heard me say so before, there's nothing quite like hearing your words being read aloud by an actress, the sound coming through the headphones of your computer. In a word, it's SURREAL. When I first heard my narrator's sample chapter, I had to get up from my computer and step away. It was slightly unnerving.

The narrator was wonderful, don't get me wrong. It was just so very, here's that word again - SURREAL. But I sat back down and listened to every word of my novel come to life as Ms. Zimmeman read my words aloud.

Audible   |   Amazon   |    iTunes
Early last month, my first novel - A SCANDALOUS WIFE was released in audiobook format. And I couldn't have been happier. Like most authors' first books, this is the book I labored over, struggled with, poured my heart into, the book that gave me my first lessons in the craft of writing. A lot of authors call that first book the "book of their heart", and that was true for me too. In fact, my tortured heroine, Lydia, was inspired by my grandmother as a girl; and therefore she is a character who is very close to my heart. Thought I relate more closely to some of my other heroines (personality-wise), Lydia's struggles are more personal to me than perhaps any other heroine I've ever written.

Lady Juliet St. Claire, the heroine of A SCANDALOUS CHARADE, is much more closely related to me in real life. She is sarcastic, she is strong, determined, a little on the spoiled side of things, and slightly unsure of herself when it comes to falling in love with Luke Beckford. (Not that I fell in love with Luke Beckford...I mean, you kind of fall in love with each of your heroes, but...Well, I think you get what I'm saying.) Anyway, I loved writing Juliet. I loved getting to know her strengths, weaknesses, and watching her grow.

These two heroines are as different from each other as night and day. Lydia was raised in a poor, unconventional, and sometimes very frightening home. Juliet is the second daughter of a once powerful duke. Lydia sees the world as a dangerous place for the weak. Juliet is much more singularly focused on her brother, sisters and her own small circle. Both are strong women, in their own way, however. And both are exceedingly loyal.

As an author, it's always fun to explore different sorts of characters from one book to the next. For me, it keeps the stories exciting and hopefully fresh for readers. What sorts of heroines do you most like to read about? Do you prefer to read about heroines who are like you or those who have a different outlook on life than you do? What characteristics, in your mind, makes for the best sort of heroine?

Back of the book blurb for A SCANDALOUS CHARADE:

Handsome ladies’ man Lucas Beckford has agreed to help his friend, an impoverished baron, win the affections of an icy heiress. It should be a simple task, especially for a seducer of his reputation. However when Luke catches sight of the enchanting lady, he is captivated with her pretty brown eyes, quick wit, and sharp tongue; and his desire to see his friend marry the girl quickly evaporates. Now he just has to find a way to convince the penniless lord to turn his attentions elsewhere—leaving the Ice Princess to him.
Lady Juliet St. Claire has always believed that her fortune would protect her from ever having to relinquish her freedom in marriage. Though fortune hunters endlessly hound her, Juliet’s outwardly cold demeanor keeps most of them at bay, licking their wounds or patching up their pride. However when Luke charms his way into her life, he easily melts more than just her heart. Unfortunately, the rogue is of the love ‘em and leave ‘em variety, and leaves Juliet’s tender heart in pieces. But when her fortune lands her in danger from an unscrupulous foe, Luke returns to her side, offering his help and protection. Now Juliet has to decide if her heart is strong enough to trust the rogue a second time.

*Originally published at LadyScribes 5/28/2013