Vicki Batman's Blog, page 21

Handbags, Books...Whatever: Happy Proposal Day? or Happy April Fool's Day? #proposalgonewrong #ringonherfinger #MFRWauthor

For most of us, proposals are happy. Nowadays, destination proposals are the thing. Some take place at the Eiffel Tower, Central Park, the fifty-yard line on the alma mater's football field.

Alas, I didn't have a proposal quite like that.

Handsome and I had been dating for a while and I had an awareness something was going to happen. But on the night I thought he'd asked, a friend decided to come with us to a movie. Neither of us said anything.

The next night rolled around. We were watching tv at my apartment. He gathered me into his lap and asked me to marry him. I said yes!

It wasn't until later that I realized he'd asked me on April Fool's Day. Oh no!

I began to question the question. Did he really mean to ask what he'd asked? I had to know for sure.

The next day, I gathered a lot of courage. And said, "I need to ask you something." "Okay." "You know how yesterday was April Fool's Day?" "Yes." "Did you mean to ask me what you asked me on April Fool's Day?"

He grinned.

My heart stopped for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he said, "Yes."

Relief blew through me.

Inspiration for a story can be anything. For example, once I attended his alumni's board meeting. We'd just returned from a short trip and turned around to go to this one. As I unpacked, I realized I'd forgotten my little black dress.

And yes, that was the inspiration for "With This Ring," a very short story from Just Desserts...and other stories.

Want to read more?


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Book and Bag w C. Becker - I love my handbag and #thriller Finding Euphoria #readromance #MFRWauthor

I love my brown BCBG handbag. Every year I wear a purse out—probably because I buy inexpensive ones. This particular handbag I found at Ross’s on clearance. The tag was labeled $200 and I got it on clearance for $8. Couldn’t believe my luck from the bargain price.
My kids told me it was priced in error, but when I took it to the register, the cashier said she was the one who had marked it down and almost bought it herself. I waited a year, afraid to use it. Now I take it whenever I go to work. The bag fits my lunch bag and writing supplies. It’s perfect for traveling on a plane. I don’t know how long it will last, but I know I’ll never find another handbag like this one.

Hailey Langley refuses to be a victim and has moved on from her traumatic past. But her marriage problems worsen when a deadly illicit drug traps the son she gave away in a coma and threatens to draw her into the life she left behind. Trying to keep her husband in the dark, she works to unravel the mystery of the drug called Euphoria and find a way to save not only her marriage and son’s life, but countless lives, before it's too late.
More about C. Becker: A native of western Pennsylvania, C. Becker earned a B.S. degree in Medical Technology and MT (ASCP) certification. She has worked in clinical settings analyzing body fluids and testing drugs of abuse. After marrying and starting a family in Virginia, Becker relocated to WV and began writing stories. As an author, C. Becker has published multiple stories in various genres.
Red, White or Blue? Blue Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Summer Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? Chocolate cake Coffee, Tea, Champagne? Iced Tea Country music or Michael Buble? Classical Pencil or Pen? pencil
Find Finding Euphoria at: AmazonFind C. Becker at: Website

Handbag and Book w M. E. Bakos - #newcozymystery A Practical DIY kind of Gal #Guppies #newbook

Katelyn, my main character is a practical, home-renovating, DIY kind of gal. She turns to BFF Myra to dress her for the police officer’s shindig. Myra lends her a pretty, sleek, black evening handbag to go with her little black cocktail dress in FATAL FLIP. I found this black bag at a consignment shop.


The handbag has an elegant, girly vibe with a flower embellishment and a soft fabric. The silver chain can be removed or shortened with hooks on the inside of the purse. It’s perfect for a wedding, an evening out, or a special occasion.
Flipping houses can be deadly! Katelyn takes on a home renovation in Hiptown, Minnesota, that “has history . . . a murder” at BFF Myra’s urging. What was she thinking? Besides the young woman being killed by the home’s prior owner, she learns the girl didn’t get the justice she deserved. Because of a double jeopardy ruling, the killer got away with murder!  More about M. E. Bakos: In a prior life, I wrote short romance stories. Now, I am an enthusiastic fan of home improvement shows and have done numerous home projects through the years. My zest for home improvement and love of mysteries has led to writing light cozies. DEADLY FLIP is my second book in the Home Renovator Mystery Series. FATAL FLIP, published December, 2017 is my first novel. I am a member of Twin Cities Sisters in Crime, the SINC Guppies Group, and an alumna of the University of Minnesota. I live in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota with my husband, Joe, and our spoiled Morkie.
Red, White or Blue? Red Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? Chocolate AND cake Coffee, Tea, Champagne? Coffee AND Champagne Country music or Michael Buble? BOTH Pencil or Pen? Pen
Find DEADLY FLIP, a Home Renovator Mystery at: Find bookFind M. E. Bakos at: Website

Handbags, Books...Whatever - Tick-Tock Clock #findingatreasure #familyheirloom #shortstories

Over the past couple of years, my sisters and I have been sorting my parents’ things. Each of us claimed jewelry, pictures, other odds and ends. From one of Dad’s boxes, I picked up an Elgin watch. I had to laugh because the band was the classic expand-o-matic kind that I remembered being advertised constantly on TV. 
Just for grins, I gave it a wind, and sure enough, it ticked. I wound some more and set the correct time. Sliding it on my arm, every now and again, I would look to see if the time was holding up and it had! I wore the watch over the next few weeks just to confirm how it ran. All was good. So I took it to the jeweler for a check. 

The jeweler said the watch came from the fifties, that the band was probably the original – surprise! I asked to have it cleaned and  his initials engraved on the back. 
Not long ago, my mother-in-law passed, and as my sisters-in-laws and niece went threw her precious belongings, I picked up a small gold watch. Just for grins, I gave it a wind and set the time. This watch, too, stayed on time. The band didn’t snap properly. I thought “what the heck” and took it to the jeweler’s for his thoughts.
We didn’t guesstimate the era the watch came from. She was born in the mid-thirties; so I’m thinking she received the watch in the forties. He did listen and watch and was impressed that something so old kept good time. He said the watch repair man could fix the catch and would clean it as well. I opted to have the back engraved with all of her initials. 
I like wearing multiple things together on my left wrist-bracelets, watches. I have no problem in putting on two watches and something else. The more the merrier. I’m excited about having something that once belonged to family and now belongs to me.


Is it dessert time? I’m a chocolate a day kind of gal and rarely pass up cake. In that vein, how about delving into these dessert stories:

Love blossoms in the small town of Sommerville in these heartwarming, “cute meet” tales,
filled with fun and forever possibilities. ebook     print     B&N     other e vendors

Must Have Bag and Book! with Dee S. Knight - Only a Good Man Will Do and A gift from hubby #whensomethingwearsout #MFRWauthor #readromance

I love my handbag! It was a gift from my husband when my old one (also a gift from him) was tearing at the handles and collapsed into a puddle of wear whenever I set it down. Do I like to wear things out? Uh…yes.This bag has lots of zippered areas, which I love. A good place for my phone and keys, plus a couple of little pockets for cough drops, a pill holder, hand lotion, pens, etc. But the best thing about it is the cross-chest strap, so it’s out of my way and I’m hands free when walking. Honestly, the only thing lacking in this bag is a place for my Kindle, but I can live with that.


Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar's wife. Good luck with that!
More about Dee S. Knight:  Red, White or Blue? Blue I heard Joan Rivers say once that if she had blue eyes she would never be without something blue against her face. I take her to heart.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall Beautiful colors and brisk air!
Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? Cake I hate to admit it but I love frosting
Coffee, Tea, Champagne? Coffee But tea is a close second
Country music or Michael Buble? Country all the way!
Pencil or Pen? Pencil. I’m notorious for changing my mind!

Find Only a Good Man Will Do at: AmazonFind Dee S. Knight at: site

Book and Bag w Amber Daulton - Shopping with Grandma for Christmas and #contemporaryromance Lyrical Embrace #readromance

A few years ago, my husband and I were out shopping with his grandparents, and we went to a huge outlet mall with lots of sales going on. His grandma and I headed into the Coach store, and she was planning on buying every woman in the family a purse for Christmas.
Since I was with her, I got to pick out the purse I wanted. Granted, I wanted a purse much bigger and more expensive than the one I picked out, but I just couldn’t stomach the high-dollar prices, even with the purses being on sale. Anyway, Christmas came early that year, and I took the purse home with me that day. It’s the only Coach in my purse collection, which also includes a few Angier, a Guess, a knock-off Prada, and several cheap but really pretty purses available from little box stores. After Erica Timberly runs away from her abusive boyfriend, she winds up stranded in a small Vermont town and meets Dylan Haynes, the former drummer from her favorite indie rock band. Dylan knows Erica is in trouble, and her black eye is only the first clue. The stubborn yet vulnerable woman needs a friend, but he’s determined to give her everything she deserves.
More about Amber:Red, White or Blue? -- Red Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? -- Fall Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? -- Cake Coffee, Tea, Champagne? -- Champagne Country music or Michael Buble? -- Neither Pencil or Pen? -- Pen
Find Lyrical Embrace at: Amazon Find Amber Daulton at: Facebook

Handbags, Books...Whatever blog with Sandra Dailey - Eccentric or Unique? #readsuspense #handbaglover #MFRWauthor

Some people say I’m a little eccentric—I consider myself unique.
I have six siblings, one being an identical twin. Since becoming an adult, I strive to be unique. That’s why I love things like this little, pink, beaded purse.
I found it at a local secondhand store for $5.95. Let people laugh. Laughter is healthy and emotionally uplifting. An added bonus is that people tend to remember me. 

A wealthy novelist and a small-town hair stylist compete for custody of their orphaned nephew. An unconventional judge orders them to raise him together for two months. During that time, they have to learn to be parents while trying to figure out who wants to kill them. 
More about Sandra Dailey: Storytelling has always been my favorite way to pass time. I’ve often been told I should write a book. Finally, I did. It was so much fun: I felt I should write more, so I have. I live in North Florida with my husband, whom I torture with crazy storylines and half written manuscripts.
Red, White or Blue? Blue - as in denim Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Florida - Summer Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? Pie, but I can’t eat chocolate Coffee, Tea, Champagne? Coffee – it’s all I’m allowed to drink besides water (bad kidney) Country music or Michael Buble? Country (but Buble is a close second) Pencil or Pen? Pencil – I’m dyslexic and erase often 
Find The Co-Parent Project at: Amazon 
Find Sandra Dailey at:  Website 

Handbags, Books...Whatever: Book and Bag with Bethany Drake - I Love Michael Kors #Handbags #newbook #MFRWauthor

I love Michael Kors handbags. It’s all my step-mom’s fault. I used to buy those cheap five dollar bags from Walmart. I didn’t care about what my bag looked like. Then one Christmas she bought me a Coach bag. I found I used it all the time so I ended up buying another one when I wore that one out. Then one day I went to my local outlet shopping center. There nestled between two stores was the Michael Kors store with this beautiful light blue purse. It took me all day to decide because of the price but in the end I had to have that purse. I used it all the time and got compliments whenever anyone saw it. That made me a Kors fan for life.
A spaceship crashes nearby containing a beautiful pilot with amnesia. No one is supposed to know he’s still alive, but he’s a doctor so much help the pilot. He hopes nothing else goes wrong as he helps her remember.
More about Bethany Drake: Bethany Drake is a graduate of UNCC and a big fan of the 49er’s – the UNCC 49er’s. Owner of several cats she tells people it’s her crazy cat lady started kit. She lives in her own little world, creating new worlds for her characters.Red, White or Blue? Blue – I don’t look good in red or white
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Fall – was born in October so have always been partial to the fall
Chocolate pudding, cake, pie? Cake – cheesecake to be exact
Coffee, Tea, Champagne? Coffee – must have coffee in the morning or I’m not human
Country music or Michael Buble? Country, classic rock, some progressive – you know what I ove all music
Pencil or Pen? Pencil – I’ve taken art classes in school and have been caught doodling all the time.

Find Desire's Duty at: AmazonFind Bethany Drake at: Website

Book and Bag: author Jana Richards - A very practical handbag and #newbook Child of Mine #readromance

II’m a very practical person and my handbags reflect that. Nothing flashy, just utilitarian. That’s not to say I don’t love a pretty bag, because I do. But how often would I use something cute and flashy and beaded, no matter how pretty? It’s not like I go to fancy affairs often. Or ever. Something useful and long-wearing suits me far better.

When my daughter bought me a purse online for Christmas a couple of years ago, she didn’t realize how big it was until it arrived. At first, I thought it was too big, but its size has turned out to be a bonus. I can carry everything I need in the thing, and then some.
I carry the usual stuff: wallet, cell phone, cheque book, comb. I always travel with a paperback or my ereader. You never know when you’ll be stuck waiting somewhere and will have a few moments to read. I also carry a small pharmacy with me. Whenever someone at work has a headache or stomach ache, they know who to come to. Need a tissue or a stick of gum? I’ve got you covered. Like a boy scout, I’m always prepared.
Having a large purse has its down side. When I can get carried away and stuff too many things in it, it gets so heavy I can barely lift it. Let’s face it, even on its best days, it’s too heavy. But I still enjoy it.
I usually use a purse until it falls apart. I’m hoping my big fabulous purse hangs together for a long time to come.
What’s the most unusual thing you carry in your purse?
Is Lauren’s love for Cole stronger than her fear of scandal in her hometown?
Lauren didn't intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband's funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she's not sorry. Cole's given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He's been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she's afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn't his. Cole's been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother's. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren's heart ever be his? Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. 
More about Jana: When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist. In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada with an elderly Pug/Terrier named cross Lou.

Find Jana Richards at: Website
Find Child of Mine at: Amazon 

Book and Bag: Vicki Batman - Having to Buy my own Valentine #Valentinestories #husbandblewit #needlepointhandbag #MFRWauthor

I've been known to peruse ETSY for handbags, especially needlepoint ones. I TRY to resist, but couldn't this last time which turned out to be in my favor as Handsome blew it. Yup, nothing on Valentine's Day.

I couldn't be angry over his forgetting. He has been incredibly busy at work and we've had a loss in our family. Just too much going on--I get it.

So fortune shown on me when I saw this one:

This needlepoint bag is stunning. Gorgeous teal flowers with a gray background. Each side is the same. There are metal feet on the bottom, something I really like. Inside on one side is a large zippered pocket and sewn on top is a pouch pocket. On the other side is a pouch pocked, perfect for sunglasses. It measures 15 in in width x 9 in height.  A nice brass closure with a handle the same color as the gray trim.

What possessed me to buy this bag? The colors are so unusual and the size is perfect. I've toyed with replacing the handle with a cool clear beaded one. I'll think on that for a while. So Happy V-Day to me!
-Are handbags featured in my short stories? Duh! But I will add not all of them. These are very short stories and sometimes, there wasn't any room for one. Here's a tidbit from "Just Desserts":
I had no choice. Feeling like a rotten tomato, I shoved the key in my pocket, shouldered my handbag and stomped out.

He didn’t even say bye. Men.

-And another question: Why call it a handbag instead of purse or pocketbook? Very simple, really. I think purse and pocketbook is old-fashioned sounding. 

Ready to find romantic comedy shorts? Here's how: 
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