Jennifer Wilck's Blog, page 29
August 15, 2018
Jean Grant on Audio
Audio book: A Hundred Kisses -- new release (of audio book)by Jean M. GrantWebsite: http://www.jeanmgrant.comTwitter: @JeanGrant05 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmgrantauthor/
Amazon Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Kisses/dp/B07FPWLXWF/Also available on iTunes. Amazon Paperback/e-book link:https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Kisses-Jean-M-Grant/dp/1509214410/Also available on The Wild Rose Press, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, etc.If you enjoyed A Hundred Kissesin audio, print, or e-book format, be on the lookout for its prequel, A Hundred Breaths, to be released in the upcoming months!
Bio:Jean is a scientist and a mom to two active sons. She currently resides in Massachusetts and draws from her interests in history, science, the outdoors, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women's fiction. She enjoys writing non-fiction articles for family-oriented travel magazines, and aspires to write children’s books while continuing to write novels. When she finally got to visit Scotland, it was nothing short of breathtaking. Jean enjoys working in her flower gardens, tackling the biggest mountains in New England with her husband, and playing with her sons, while daydreaming about the next hero and heroine to write about...A bit about the audio book process…I am an avid fan of listening to audio books. When I worked out of the home, they were my pleasant company on the commute. When we take long road trips, the lyrical voices sweep us away and help the hours pass (btw, the Harry Potterseries on audio – divine!). So, when I heard that my book’s publisher, The Wild Rose Press, added this opportunity, I jumped at it! After a few months and no bites from narrators, I took the next step: I researched several voice actors available with ACX, emailed them, and hoped for the best. If I learned anything in the past year of my first book’s release, it’s that the author must take initiative in marketing and promotion (and I am still learning and have a massive list of “to-do’s” to attack this fall for two more upcoming books). I was elated that Rosalind Ashford agreed to narrate the book. It was like Christmas each week for me when I received the audio book chapters to listen to and review. She was pleasant to work with and I hope you enjoy her work with A Hundred Kisses as much as I do! Happy reading, err, listening!Blurb:1296Two wedding nights. Two dead husbands.Deirdre MacCoinneach wishes to understand her unusual ability to sense others’ lifeblood energies…and vows to discover if her gift killed the men she married. Her father’s search for a new and unsuspecting suitor for Deirdre becomes complicated when rumors of witchcraft abound.Under the façade of a trader, Alasdair Montgomerie travels to Uist with pivotal information for a Claimant seeking the Scottish throne. A ruthless baron hunts him and a dark past haunts him, leaving little room for alliances with a Highland laird or his tempting daughter.Awestruck when she realizes that her unlikely travel companion is the man from her visions, a man whose thickly veiled emotions are buried beneath his burning lifeblood, Deirdre wonders if he, too, will die in her bed if she follows her father’s orders. Amidst magic, superstition, and ghosts of the past, Alasdair and Deirdre find themselves falling together in a web of secrets and the curse of a hundred kisses…
AUDIO Excerpt: https://www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Kisses/dp/B07FPWLXWF/ref=sr_1_1_twi_audd_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534339183&sr=8-1&keywords=jean+grant+a+hundred+kisses
Print Excerpt:She sensed no colors in the murky, lifeless water, and it was freeing. All breath escaped her. Muted visions passed before her eyes—her mother, her father, Gordon, and Cortland. Just a moment longer, she thought…Suddenly, a burst of warm light invaded her thoughts as air filled her lungs. Red-hot hands burned her shoulders and ripped her from her icy grave. She breathed life into her body. She coughed, gagging on the change.Muffled words yelled at her.Oh, God, so hot. His fingers were like hot pokers. Her head pounded as she slowly returned to the present. Heat radiated from her rescuer. Somebody had pulled her from the water.“Wh—?”“Hush, lass. You nearly drowned.”His voice was as soothing as a warm cup of goat’s milk on a winter’s day. A red-hot glow emanated from his body. Never before had she felt such a strong lifeblood, and it nearly burned her. She struggled in his arms to get free. She blinked, only seeing a blurry form before her. “Release me!”She splashed and wriggled, and he did as told. She clambered to the shoreline. Numb and shaken, she began to dress. It wasn’t easy as she fumbled with slick fingers to put dry clothes over wet skin. She instantly regretted her naked swim. She pulled on her long-sleeved white chemise first.She faced the forest, away from her rescuer. He quietly splashed to shore. His lifeblood burned into her back. He wasn’t far behind, but he stopped. She refused to look at him until she was fully clothed, not out of embarrassment of her nudity, but for what had just happened. He released a groan and mumbled under his breath about wet boots. His voice was not one of her father’s soldiers.When she put the last garment on, her brown wool work kirtle, she squeezed out her sopping hair and swept her hands through the knotty mess. She fastened her belt and tied the lacings up the front of the kirtle. Blood returned to her fingertips, and she regained her composure. Belated awareness struck her, and she leaned down and searched through her bag for her dagger. She spun around.She gasped as she saw the man sitting on the stone-covered shoreline, his wet boots off. Confusion and the hint of a scowl filled his strong-featured face. She staggered back, caught her heel on a stone, and fell, dropping the dagger. Dirt and pebbles stuck to her wet hands and feet, and she instinctively scrambled away from him.His glower, iridescent dark blue eyes, and disheveled black hair were not unfamiliar. Staring at her was the man she had seen in her dream—it was the man from the wood.
Amazon Audible link: https://www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Kisses/dp/B07FPWLXWF/Also available on iTunes. Amazon Paperback/e-book link:https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Kisses-Jean-M-Grant/dp/1509214410/Also available on The Wild Rose Press, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, etc.If you enjoyed A Hundred Kissesin audio, print, or e-book format, be on the lookout for its prequel, A Hundred Breaths, to be released in the upcoming months!
Bio:Jean is a scientist and a mom to two active sons. She currently resides in Massachusetts and draws from her interests in history, science, the outdoors, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women's fiction. She enjoys writing non-fiction articles for family-oriented travel magazines, and aspires to write children’s books while continuing to write novels. When she finally got to visit Scotland, it was nothing short of breathtaking. Jean enjoys working in her flower gardens, tackling the biggest mountains in New England with her husband, and playing with her sons, while daydreaming about the next hero and heroine to write about...A bit about the audio book process…I am an avid fan of listening to audio books. When I worked out of the home, they were my pleasant company on the commute. When we take long road trips, the lyrical voices sweep us away and help the hours pass (btw, the Harry Potterseries on audio – divine!). So, when I heard that my book’s publisher, The Wild Rose Press, added this opportunity, I jumped at it! After a few months and no bites from narrators, I took the next step: I researched several voice actors available with ACX, emailed them, and hoped for the best. If I learned anything in the past year of my first book’s release, it’s that the author must take initiative in marketing and promotion (and I am still learning and have a massive list of “to-do’s” to attack this fall for two more upcoming books). I was elated that Rosalind Ashford agreed to narrate the book. It was like Christmas each week for me when I received the audio book chapters to listen to and review. She was pleasant to work with and I hope you enjoy her work with A Hundred Kisses as much as I do! Happy reading, err, listening!Blurb:1296Two wedding nights. Two dead husbands.Deirdre MacCoinneach wishes to understand her unusual ability to sense others’ lifeblood energies…and vows to discover if her gift killed the men she married. Her father’s search for a new and unsuspecting suitor for Deirdre becomes complicated when rumors of witchcraft abound.Under the façade of a trader, Alasdair Montgomerie travels to Uist with pivotal information for a Claimant seeking the Scottish throne. A ruthless baron hunts him and a dark past haunts him, leaving little room for alliances with a Highland laird or his tempting daughter.Awestruck when she realizes that her unlikely travel companion is the man from her visions, a man whose thickly veiled emotions are buried beneath his burning lifeblood, Deirdre wonders if he, too, will die in her bed if she follows her father’s orders. Amidst magic, superstition, and ghosts of the past, Alasdair and Deirdre find themselves falling together in a web of secrets and the curse of a hundred kisses…AUDIO Excerpt: https://www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Kisses/dp/B07FPWLXWF/ref=sr_1_1_twi_audd_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534339183&sr=8-1&keywords=jean+grant+a+hundred+kisses
Print Excerpt:She sensed no colors in the murky, lifeless water, and it was freeing. All breath escaped her. Muted visions passed before her eyes—her mother, her father, Gordon, and Cortland. Just a moment longer, she thought…Suddenly, a burst of warm light invaded her thoughts as air filled her lungs. Red-hot hands burned her shoulders and ripped her from her icy grave. She breathed life into her body. She coughed, gagging on the change.Muffled words yelled at her.Oh, God, so hot. His fingers were like hot pokers. Her head pounded as she slowly returned to the present. Heat radiated from her rescuer. Somebody had pulled her from the water.“Wh—?”“Hush, lass. You nearly drowned.”His voice was as soothing as a warm cup of goat’s milk on a winter’s day. A red-hot glow emanated from his body. Never before had she felt such a strong lifeblood, and it nearly burned her. She struggled in his arms to get free. She blinked, only seeing a blurry form before her. “Release me!”She splashed and wriggled, and he did as told. She clambered to the shoreline. Numb and shaken, she began to dress. It wasn’t easy as she fumbled with slick fingers to put dry clothes over wet skin. She instantly regretted her naked swim. She pulled on her long-sleeved white chemise first.She faced the forest, away from her rescuer. He quietly splashed to shore. His lifeblood burned into her back. He wasn’t far behind, but he stopped. She refused to look at him until she was fully clothed, not out of embarrassment of her nudity, but for what had just happened. He released a groan and mumbled under his breath about wet boots. His voice was not one of her father’s soldiers.When she put the last garment on, her brown wool work kirtle, she squeezed out her sopping hair and swept her hands through the knotty mess. She fastened her belt and tied the lacings up the front of the kirtle. Blood returned to her fingertips, and she regained her composure. Belated awareness struck her, and she leaned down and searched through her bag for her dagger. She spun around.She gasped as she saw the man sitting on the stone-covered shoreline, his wet boots off. Confusion and the hint of a scowl filled his strong-featured face. She staggered back, caught her heel on a stone, and fell, dropping the dagger. Dirt and pebbles stuck to her wet hands and feet, and she instinctively scrambled away from him.His glower, iridescent dark blue eyes, and disheveled black hair were not unfamiliar. Staring at her was the man she had seen in her dream—it was the man from the wood.
August 13, 2018
Pucker Up & Blow
This summer has been filled with lots of…stuff, but in between all of that, my husband and I have also had a lot of fun laughing and spending time together while the kids are away. And of course, doing chores that somehow don’t get done during the rest of the year.
When the kids are gone, we look for things to do together that are different, and one of the things he suggested was glass blowing. There’s a glass blowing school he passes on his way to and from work everyday and he thought it sounded interesting, so I checked it out. The school offered a variety of options, including the chance for a group to make glass objects. The price was reasonable and we found friends to join us—she was in favor because it was a craft, and he liked the idea of fire.
You know how when you’re little, adults make you think you’re doing something for yourself, but really you’re not? Well, that was kind of this experience. First, they gave us a demo of what we’d be doing. With everything at more than 2,000 degrees, I was suitably nervous about touching anything, even the tools I was allowed to touch. The studio was 20 degrees hotter than outside—luckily it was in the seventies and raining outside, so we were just sweating, rather than melting. After the demo, which looked easier than it actually was, of course, we were told to choose one of four items to make—a paperweight, a bowl, a vase or a flower. Two of us chose a paperweight, because of the cool glass design you created inside a sphere of glass, one chose a bowl and one a vase.
At that point, we took turns and along with our guide, we made our objects. Remember how I said when we were little the adults “helped” us? Well, this experience was similar. Our guide never fully left us alone, and that was probably a good thing. The tools were heavy, the glass was hot and none of us knew what we were doing. The men (I use that term loosely) in our group—my husband and my friend’s husband—enjoyed making wisecracks and obnoxious comments throughout. Based on the type of comments they made and we laughed at, there’s a halfway decent chance I can take the experience either as a tax write-off or as inspiration for a future book. Regardless, I’m pretty confident that other than to pick up our objects, we’re never allowed back.
But, we didn’t burn the place down, didn’t break anything or anyone, and I think what we made turned out halfway decent. We'll know in about a week.
When the kids are gone, we look for things to do together that are different, and one of the things he suggested was glass blowing. There’s a glass blowing school he passes on his way to and from work everyday and he thought it sounded interesting, so I checked it out. The school offered a variety of options, including the chance for a group to make glass objects. The price was reasonable and we found friends to join us—she was in favor because it was a craft, and he liked the idea of fire.
You know how when you’re little, adults make you think you’re doing something for yourself, but really you’re not? Well, that was kind of this experience. First, they gave us a demo of what we’d be doing. With everything at more than 2,000 degrees, I was suitably nervous about touching anything, even the tools I was allowed to touch. The studio was 20 degrees hotter than outside—luckily it was in the seventies and raining outside, so we were just sweating, rather than melting. After the demo, which looked easier than it actually was, of course, we were told to choose one of four items to make—a paperweight, a bowl, a vase or a flower. Two of us chose a paperweight, because of the cool glass design you created inside a sphere of glass, one chose a bowl and one a vase.
At that point, we took turns and along with our guide, we made our objects. Remember how I said when we were little the adults “helped” us? Well, this experience was similar. Our guide never fully left us alone, and that was probably a good thing. The tools were heavy, the glass was hot and none of us knew what we were doing. The men (I use that term loosely) in our group—my husband and my friend’s husband—enjoyed making wisecracks and obnoxious comments throughout. Based on the type of comments they made and we laughed at, there’s a halfway decent chance I can take the experience either as a tax write-off or as inspiration for a future book. Regardless, I’m pretty confident that other than to pick up our objects, we’re never allowed back.
But, we didn’t burn the place down, didn’t break anything or anyone, and I think what we made turned out halfway decent. We'll know in about a week.
August 1, 2018
Please Welcome Caryn McGill, AKA Kendra Greenwood
Hi Jennifer, thanks for having me!
My new book just released and I’ve been reflecting on how I wound up a romance writer. It certainly wasn’t on my bucket list. My background is in science, having taught AP biology and chemistry at a Long Island high school before moving into administration. The only writing I’d done was scientific and professional, the complete opposite of writing fiction. My first published novel was book one in a paranormal trilogy called The Wives of Lucifer, released in 2016 and written under my legal name. The story is about reincarnation—homage to my little brother who died at three, when I was five—and a result of my years spent as an astrologer. I know, it sounds like the complete opposite of being a scientist. Truthfully, scientists are just dreamers who take the next step and transform their dreams into reality. Dreams are also important in my writing and I often dream my endings. I’m a self-taught writer and spent years in workshops and at conferences to hone my skills and learn the business. It took nine years to secure my first publishing contract, which turned out to be primarily a romance publisher. I’d never considered my story a romance and had actually never even read a romance novel. After Fifty Shades of Greycame out my writer pals teased that someone should jump on that train since it seemed to be a hot trend. Jokingly, everyone decided that I would be the one to write it. I laughed it off but soon a story thread began to unwind and characters starting talking to me. I’m a die-hard pantser. I always start with characters and a nugget of a plot and then let the characters talk to me, mostly when I’m falling asleep or as I wake. When I’m in the heat of it they often wake me in the middle of the night to tell me something important. The result was UNSUB and I quickly found a publisher. To my utter shock it did surprising well and my editor convinced me to turn it into a series: The Steel and Desire Series and book two, UNBOUND, just released. I write this series under a pen name to protect my two sons who are mortified that I write sexy stuff, plus I wouldn’t want someone who reads my paranormal stories to read one of these by mistake. So, I have a confession to make. I’ve become a terriblereader! I used to love to read but now I’m so critical about technique: story, plot, dialogue that my self-editor can barely get past the first chapter. My mentors trained me that the first page is vital, not only that, the first paragraph, first sentence…first word! Now, if that first page or chapter doesn’t grab me I’m loathe to keep reading. I sound like the younger generation who’s stereotyped as having a poor attention span. Guilty as charged, however I attribute it to my Aquarian nature, I get bored easily. I remember lamenting to my first astrology teacher that I had a habit of immersing myself in something, learning to do it expertly, then walking away: macramé, embroidery, wood sculpture, silver jewelry making, fusing glass. Why couldn’t I stick with something? Her response, “…because for an Aquarian the fun is in the discovery, the learning. Once you master it you move on to a new challenge.” Well, la-de-da…let’s hope this writing gig sticks around for a while!
Author BioKendra Greenwood has always been a storyteller. She often told stories to her kids at bedtime in lieu of reading to them. A serious daydreamer, she used to think it the complete opposite of her education and work in the sciences, but now realizes scientists are the ultimate daydreamers. Fantasy has always been an escape for Kendra…weaving a thrilling romantic tale around TV and film characters, her favorite way to fall asleep at night. Inspired by authors J.R. Ward, Cherise Sinclair and Sylvia Day, she decided to write her own series:Steel and Desire.
Kendra grew up on the beaches of Long Island’s bucolic east end, but recently relocated to Virginia. When she’s not writing you can find her in the kitchen whipping up something scrumptious or in the studio painting, or fusing glass into decorative dishes.
Blurb: You’re not allowed to be a coward and be in love. You must choose one. Special Agent Laura Logan had a difficult childhood and that’s putting it mildly. Laura channeled her buried rage into her studies, earned a law degree and joined the FBI. As a member of the new human trafficking task force, Laura wants to impress and she wants to make the perps pay. Detective Lieutenant Steve Moretti moonlights at a very exclusive adult club, his reward is a free membership along with other perks. His family is pressuring him to find a nice woman and settle down, but that bridge was burned by his ex. His new view: Marriage is betting half your stuff that you’ll love someone forever. A kidnapping shocks Steve’s town and the FBI is called in. Steve and Laura meet at the crime scene, sparks fly, and they work the case together. As passion ignites, their no-love commandment is tested. Can they overcome the heartbreak of betrayal and learn to love before it’s too late? Are they so afraid they refuse to love at all?
Publisher’s Note: This is book two in the Steel and Desire series, but reads as a standalone.
Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2NYHZ3i
My new book just released and I’ve been reflecting on how I wound up a romance writer. It certainly wasn’t on my bucket list. My background is in science, having taught AP biology and chemistry at a Long Island high school before moving into administration. The only writing I’d done was scientific and professional, the complete opposite of writing fiction. My first published novel was book one in a paranormal trilogy called The Wives of Lucifer, released in 2016 and written under my legal name. The story is about reincarnation—homage to my little brother who died at three, when I was five—and a result of my years spent as an astrologer. I know, it sounds like the complete opposite of being a scientist. Truthfully, scientists are just dreamers who take the next step and transform their dreams into reality. Dreams are also important in my writing and I often dream my endings. I’m a self-taught writer and spent years in workshops and at conferences to hone my skills and learn the business. It took nine years to secure my first publishing contract, which turned out to be primarily a romance publisher. I’d never considered my story a romance and had actually never even read a romance novel. After Fifty Shades of Greycame out my writer pals teased that someone should jump on that train since it seemed to be a hot trend. Jokingly, everyone decided that I would be the one to write it. I laughed it off but soon a story thread began to unwind and characters starting talking to me. I’m a die-hard pantser. I always start with characters and a nugget of a plot and then let the characters talk to me, mostly when I’m falling asleep or as I wake. When I’m in the heat of it they often wake me in the middle of the night to tell me something important. The result was UNSUB and I quickly found a publisher. To my utter shock it did surprising well and my editor convinced me to turn it into a series: The Steel and Desire Series and book two, UNBOUND, just released. I write this series under a pen name to protect my two sons who are mortified that I write sexy stuff, plus I wouldn’t want someone who reads my paranormal stories to read one of these by mistake. So, I have a confession to make. I’ve become a terriblereader! I used to love to read but now I’m so critical about technique: story, plot, dialogue that my self-editor can barely get past the first chapter. My mentors trained me that the first page is vital, not only that, the first paragraph, first sentence…first word! Now, if that first page or chapter doesn’t grab me I’m loathe to keep reading. I sound like the younger generation who’s stereotyped as having a poor attention span. Guilty as charged, however I attribute it to my Aquarian nature, I get bored easily. I remember lamenting to my first astrology teacher that I had a habit of immersing myself in something, learning to do it expertly, then walking away: macramé, embroidery, wood sculpture, silver jewelry making, fusing glass. Why couldn’t I stick with something? Her response, “…because for an Aquarian the fun is in the discovery, the learning. Once you master it you move on to a new challenge.” Well, la-de-da…let’s hope this writing gig sticks around for a while!
Author BioKendra Greenwood has always been a storyteller. She often told stories to her kids at bedtime in lieu of reading to them. A serious daydreamer, she used to think it the complete opposite of her education and work in the sciences, but now realizes scientists are the ultimate daydreamers. Fantasy has always been an escape for Kendra…weaving a thrilling romantic tale around TV and film characters, her favorite way to fall asleep at night. Inspired by authors J.R. Ward, Cherise Sinclair and Sylvia Day, she decided to write her own series:Steel and Desire. Kendra grew up on the beaches of Long Island’s bucolic east end, but recently relocated to Virginia. When she’s not writing you can find her in the kitchen whipping up something scrumptious or in the studio painting, or fusing glass into decorative dishes.
Blurb: You’re not allowed to be a coward and be in love. You must choose one. Special Agent Laura Logan had a difficult childhood and that’s putting it mildly. Laura channeled her buried rage into her studies, earned a law degree and joined the FBI. As a member of the new human trafficking task force, Laura wants to impress and she wants to make the perps pay. Detective Lieutenant Steve Moretti moonlights at a very exclusive adult club, his reward is a free membership along with other perks. His family is pressuring him to find a nice woman and settle down, but that bridge was burned by his ex. His new view: Marriage is betting half your stuff that you’ll love someone forever. A kidnapping shocks Steve’s town and the FBI is called in. Steve and Laura meet at the crime scene, sparks fly, and they work the case together. As passion ignites, their no-love commandment is tested. Can they overcome the heartbreak of betrayal and learn to love before it’s too late? Are they so afraid they refuse to love at all?Publisher’s Note: This is book two in the Steel and Desire series, but reads as a standalone.
Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2NYHZ3i
July 30, 2018
Meditation
Although I have several friends who are into meditation, I’ve never bought into it. I’ve tried it multiple times, all unsuccessfully.
In groups, I hate to close my eyes—either I refuse to close them, which seems to mess up the entire routine, or I spend the entire time worrying about what everyone around me is doing when I can’t see them. For a technique that’s supposed to calm me, it does the exact opposite.
In private, my mind refuses to shut down. I think about articles I read, people I’ve bee talking to, or I wonder how long until the damn timer goes off and I can stop what I’m doing.
However, it was recommended to me, again, and I decided to see what happens. I’ll admit, I’m going in with a “this is never going to work,” attitude, but I’m trying to psych myself out of that by saying “it can’t hurt to try.” Not sure which attitude is working at the moment.
So far, as expected, I’m not really able to clear my mind. At least, not for more than about three seconds in any ten-minute attempt. Someone better than I am with numbers will recognize that’s a pretty lousy percentage. But I’m still trying for the moment.
When my mind finishes scrolling through all my to-do lists, things that worry me, news articles I’ve read, plots for new books, and random clutter, it tends to latch onto two things, both of which make me laugh. They are scenes from two movies/shows—the meditation attempts by Dr. Strange when he first goes to Tibet (?), and the meditation practices of Trade Minister Tagomi in The Man in the High Castle. Maybe I think I’m them? It would be cool to be able to have any of Dr. Strange’s powers, or to transport to another time period. Somehow, though, I don’t think that’s the point of my meditation.
Banana Girl loves meditation, because she falls asleep doing it. I have to admit, that’s pretty tempting, too, although it hasn’t happened to me yet. I’m not quite sure how long I’m going to attempt this before once again giving up. I have great admiration for people who can successfully do this. I’m just not convinced I’m one of them.
In groups, I hate to close my eyes—either I refuse to close them, which seems to mess up the entire routine, or I spend the entire time worrying about what everyone around me is doing when I can’t see them. For a technique that’s supposed to calm me, it does the exact opposite.
In private, my mind refuses to shut down. I think about articles I read, people I’ve bee talking to, or I wonder how long until the damn timer goes off and I can stop what I’m doing.
However, it was recommended to me, again, and I decided to see what happens. I’ll admit, I’m going in with a “this is never going to work,” attitude, but I’m trying to psych myself out of that by saying “it can’t hurt to try.” Not sure which attitude is working at the moment.
So far, as expected, I’m not really able to clear my mind. At least, not for more than about three seconds in any ten-minute attempt. Someone better than I am with numbers will recognize that’s a pretty lousy percentage. But I’m still trying for the moment.
When my mind finishes scrolling through all my to-do lists, things that worry me, news articles I’ve read, plots for new books, and random clutter, it tends to latch onto two things, both of which make me laugh. They are scenes from two movies/shows—the meditation attempts by Dr. Strange when he first goes to Tibet (?), and the meditation practices of Trade Minister Tagomi in The Man in the High Castle. Maybe I think I’m them? It would be cool to be able to have any of Dr. Strange’s powers, or to transport to another time period. Somehow, though, I don’t think that’s the point of my meditation.
Banana Girl loves meditation, because she falls asleep doing it. I have to admit, that’s pretty tempting, too, although it hasn’t happened to me yet. I’m not quite sure how long I’m going to attempt this before once again giving up. I have great admiration for people who can successfully do this. I’m just not convinced I’m one of them.
July 25, 2018
Cover Reveal
Between The Shadows
She never expected to confront deadly villains…let alone fall in love with one…
Blurb:After her friend, York, encounters the ghostly image of a young woman, Mackenzie Reynolds seizes the opportunity to initiate a time jump, thrusting them back to 1865 Georgia. Resolved to thwart the girl’s untimely fate, Kenzi stumbles into a deadly conflict over a stockpile of stolen Confederate gold.
An injured Civil War survivor, James Adams departs for home with a war-fatigued companion he’s determined to help. After pilfering a horse and kidnaping a woman, he never dreamed his hostage would steal his heart.
Kenzi and James must unravel a deadly plot, while helping York save his ghost woman from a brutal death. But can she leave York in a violent past to save James’s life?
A Gripping Novel By Award-Winning Author Casi McLean, scheduled to be released September 18.
Presale Link: https://amzn.to/2m5Pjxn
Excerpt:
“Don’t you dare die on me, James Adams.”Kenzi pressed the blood-soaked gauze against the left side of his abdomen. “I won’t lose you. Not now.”Barely clinging to life, he opened his eyes a slit, raised his hand still clenching Colin’s gun, and shot two rounds.Stunned, Kenzi snapped around. “No.” She screamed and dove for the gun through the hazy blue mist engulfing them.“Brady...” His voice faded as he slipped into semiconscious mumbling.Yanking the pistol from his grip with her right hand, she maintained pressure with her left. A heartbeat later, the cylinder encasing them rotated open. Kenzi stood then sprinted across the room and pounded on a fist-sized alert button affixed to the wall. The resulting alarm shrieked through the underground chamber, reverberating as it radiated throughout the compound. Two men dressed in white jumpsuits burst through double doors.“Gurney. Now.” Kenzi screamed at the attendants. “And O-Neg blood. Hurry. Go, go, go.” She ran to James and knelt beside him. Lifting his head, she slid a knee underneath it for support and smoothed a chunk of his dark brown hair from his face. “I’ve sacrificed way too much to have you die now,” she whispered. “My ass will burn for this. Not to mention the repercussions for abandoning York.”Pulse racing, she checked his bandage. Despite her efforts, streams of crimson still oozed from the wound. Pressing again on the gauze, she shook her head. “Geez. You’ve lost so much blood. Please, hang on.”Again, the double doors swung wide. This time, a gurney pushed through, followed by the two assistants. One man ran to Kenzi.“Help me lift him.” Her hands, slick with blood, shot to her white T-top, already drenched in crimson. On second thought, she swept them down the rear of her jeans. Sliding her slippery arms beneath his back, she braced her stance with one bent knee.“One, two, three.” They heaved him in tandem onto the gurney. She doused her hands with Betadine then splashed more on James’s forearm, snatched an IV from the attached supply basket, and punctured a vein on the inside of his wrist with the sterile needle. Once connected, she hooked the blood pouch on the IV pole and barked at the team, “Let’s move. If this man bleeds out, there will be hell to pay.”The men, poised with hands on the side of the rails, awaited their next move. “Where to, Dr. Reynolds?” Kenzi stared at James’s ashen face, worried her meager experience wasn’t enough to save his life––but she had no option. “Surgery.” Springing into action, one man rolled the gurney down the hallway, while a second leapt onto the base and slipped an oxygen mask over James’s nose and mouth. “I hope this guy isn’t allergic to Propofol.” He attached an anesthesia drip to the IV. “Damn, what caused this gaping wound?”
“He was shot...with a musket.”
Presale Link: https://amzn.to/2m5Pjxn
Casi McLeanRomantic Suspense, Time Slips, And Supernatural Mystery with a Sprinkle of Magic ….
Award Winning Author2016 Best Romantic Suspense Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Winner 2016 Best Heroine Still Moments Magazine2016 Aspen Gold Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense2015 Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews2015 Chicago Fire and Ice Finalist2014 Winner 2014 AWC Short Story AwardFiction: Lake Lanier Mysteries Beneath The Lake Beyond The Mist Between The Shadows Destiny Series: Destiny The Gift After Midnight Convergent The Pegasus Chronicle Deep State Mysteries Reign Of Fire The List Nonfiction:Wingless ButterflySo You Want To Be An Author
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads Amazon Author Page Blog Pinterest Instagram
If you sign up for Casi's website, you will receive a free story. You can access the award-winning short story, Destiny, through this link:http://casimclean.com/welcome-to-my-inner-circle/
After you click the link, you can scroll down to receive an additional special prize on her website.
She never expected to confront deadly villains…let alone fall in love with one…
Blurb:After her friend, York, encounters the ghostly image of a young woman, Mackenzie Reynolds seizes the opportunity to initiate a time jump, thrusting them back to 1865 Georgia. Resolved to thwart the girl’s untimely fate, Kenzi stumbles into a deadly conflict over a stockpile of stolen Confederate gold.An injured Civil War survivor, James Adams departs for home with a war-fatigued companion he’s determined to help. After pilfering a horse and kidnaping a woman, he never dreamed his hostage would steal his heart.
Kenzi and James must unravel a deadly plot, while helping York save his ghost woman from a brutal death. But can she leave York in a violent past to save James’s life?
A Gripping Novel By Award-Winning Author Casi McLean, scheduled to be released September 18.
Presale Link: https://amzn.to/2m5Pjxn
Excerpt:
“Don’t you dare die on me, James Adams.”Kenzi pressed the blood-soaked gauze against the left side of his abdomen. “I won’t lose you. Not now.”Barely clinging to life, he opened his eyes a slit, raised his hand still clenching Colin’s gun, and shot two rounds.Stunned, Kenzi snapped around. “No.” She screamed and dove for the gun through the hazy blue mist engulfing them.“Brady...” His voice faded as he slipped into semiconscious mumbling.Yanking the pistol from his grip with her right hand, she maintained pressure with her left. A heartbeat later, the cylinder encasing them rotated open. Kenzi stood then sprinted across the room and pounded on a fist-sized alert button affixed to the wall. The resulting alarm shrieked through the underground chamber, reverberating as it radiated throughout the compound. Two men dressed in white jumpsuits burst through double doors.“Gurney. Now.” Kenzi screamed at the attendants. “And O-Neg blood. Hurry. Go, go, go.” She ran to James and knelt beside him. Lifting his head, she slid a knee underneath it for support and smoothed a chunk of his dark brown hair from his face. “I’ve sacrificed way too much to have you die now,” she whispered. “My ass will burn for this. Not to mention the repercussions for abandoning York.”Pulse racing, she checked his bandage. Despite her efforts, streams of crimson still oozed from the wound. Pressing again on the gauze, she shook her head. “Geez. You’ve lost so much blood. Please, hang on.”Again, the double doors swung wide. This time, a gurney pushed through, followed by the two assistants. One man ran to Kenzi.“Help me lift him.” Her hands, slick with blood, shot to her white T-top, already drenched in crimson. On second thought, she swept them down the rear of her jeans. Sliding her slippery arms beneath his back, she braced her stance with one bent knee.“One, two, three.” They heaved him in tandem onto the gurney. She doused her hands with Betadine then splashed more on James’s forearm, snatched an IV from the attached supply basket, and punctured a vein on the inside of his wrist with the sterile needle. Once connected, she hooked the blood pouch on the IV pole and barked at the team, “Let’s move. If this man bleeds out, there will be hell to pay.”The men, poised with hands on the side of the rails, awaited their next move. “Where to, Dr. Reynolds?” Kenzi stared at James’s ashen face, worried her meager experience wasn’t enough to save his life––but she had no option. “Surgery.” Springing into action, one man rolled the gurney down the hallway, while a second leapt onto the base and slipped an oxygen mask over James’s nose and mouth. “I hope this guy isn’t allergic to Propofol.” He attached an anesthesia drip to the IV. “Damn, what caused this gaping wound?”
“He was shot...with a musket.”
Presale Link: https://amzn.to/2m5Pjxn
Casi McLeanRomantic Suspense, Time Slips, And Supernatural Mystery with a Sprinkle of Magic ….
Award Winning Author2016 Best Romantic Suspense Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Winner 2016 Best Heroine Still Moments Magazine2016 Aspen Gold Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense2015 Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews2015 Chicago Fire and Ice Finalist2014 Winner 2014 AWC Short Story AwardFiction: Lake Lanier Mysteries Beneath The Lake Beyond The Mist Between The Shadows Destiny Series: Destiny The Gift After Midnight Convergent The Pegasus Chronicle Deep State Mysteries Reign Of Fire The List Nonfiction:Wingless ButterflySo You Want To Be An Author
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads Amazon Author Page Blog Pinterest Instagram
If you sign up for Casi's website, you will receive a free story. You can access the award-winning short story, Destiny, through this link:http://casimclean.com/welcome-to-my-inner-circle/
After you click the link, you can scroll down to receive an additional special prize on her website.
July 23, 2018
Self-Motivation
One of the hardest parts of being a writer is being able to motivate myself to do things when I’m not under deadline.
Right now, I’m in a holding pattern. I’ve returned all my edits and I’m waiting for my galleys. I’m waiting on my cover art. I’m also waiting on a release date. That’s a lot of waiting. No, I’m not complaining—there are a lot of pieces in the publishing puzzle, and my job is to make sure I finish all of mine in a timely manner so that the rest of the team can do their job.
They’re doing it right now.
But that means I need to be doing something else.
Ideally, I need to be writing. It takes me approximately six months to write a first draft of a book. If I wait until a book is published before starting on a new one, I’ll never gain traction in a publishing industry that is crammed with authors. So when I’m not on deadline, I need to be writing the next book.
Because there’s no one standing over me with a whip forcing me to write, however, that’s sometimes harder than it sounds. Daily life gets in the way. The news makes me want to crawl into a hole. And self-doubt always rears its head when my characters that usually occupy that space are silent.
So sometimes I have to force myself to do it, despite how much I enjoy what I do. When that happens, the dog gets lots of exercise. We walk, which clears my head and gets my muse flowing. I try to talk to other writers—brainstorming with them about their writing problems shows me I’m not alone and also gets my muse flowing.
And I focus on marketing. Because unless people buy my books—and leave reviews—no one is going to know they’re out there.
Speaking of marketing, Amazon surprised me by putting one of my books on sale. If you haven’t read it yet, now is a great time to do so, especially since I have no idea how long the sale is going to last. Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Minutes-Love-Serendipity-Book-ebook/dp/B079WMLNJB
Right now, I’m in a holding pattern. I’ve returned all my edits and I’m waiting for my galleys. I’m waiting on my cover art. I’m also waiting on a release date. That’s a lot of waiting. No, I’m not complaining—there are a lot of pieces in the publishing puzzle, and my job is to make sure I finish all of mine in a timely manner so that the rest of the team can do their job.
They’re doing it right now.
But that means I need to be doing something else.
Ideally, I need to be writing. It takes me approximately six months to write a first draft of a book. If I wait until a book is published before starting on a new one, I’ll never gain traction in a publishing industry that is crammed with authors. So when I’m not on deadline, I need to be writing the next book.
Because there’s no one standing over me with a whip forcing me to write, however, that’s sometimes harder than it sounds. Daily life gets in the way. The news makes me want to crawl into a hole. And self-doubt always rears its head when my characters that usually occupy that space are silent.
So sometimes I have to force myself to do it, despite how much I enjoy what I do. When that happens, the dog gets lots of exercise. We walk, which clears my head and gets my muse flowing. I try to talk to other writers—brainstorming with them about their writing problems shows me I’m not alone and also gets my muse flowing.
And I focus on marketing. Because unless people buy my books—and leave reviews—no one is going to know they’re out there.
Speaking of marketing, Amazon surprised me by putting one of my books on sale. If you haven’t read it yet, now is a great time to do so, especially since I have no idea how long the sale is going to last. Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Minutes-Love-Serendipity-Book-ebook/dp/B079WMLNJB
July 18, 2018
Welcome to Stephen King!
Ramblings…..I’d sincerely like to thank Jennifer for letting me ramble about writing, the future, time travel, love, and oh-oh …. Genetic Modification of major food sources (that’s a mouthful). The 18thof July saw the release of my sixth book: Thirty-Three Days. I will try not to be boring, so if I see your eyes glaze over, it’s over – I promise.
All my life I wanted to write, and tell stories. For most of it I made excuses not to do so. That makes me a late bloomer. There are two fabulous things about being an author, for me. Number 1: the inborn need to tell a story, and if I can entertain a reader for a while; take them out of their day to day lives and take them to a place inside my imagination, well that’s just about heaven. Number 2: When someone does read one of my books, and takes the time to post a review, send me an email, or stop me at a party to talk about the characters I’ve created for their enjoyment…… Well, I tell you, there ain’t enough money in the world to buy that feeling. Is that egotistical? Probably.
TTD, as I affectionately call it, came to me in a dream. Now that was highly unusual for two reasons, firstly, I don’t dream, and if I do I rarely remember them. When I do they are nonsense. But I woke up in a state of euphoria having dreamt of Jenny, a lonely 68 year old lecturer in environmental studies who is approached by a man who says he is from the future. He is the sixth in a line of people who played leapfrog in time. They took an incredible leap of faith in the word of a stranger and took a drug to send their consciousness back in turn. Why? To meet her and convince her to do the same, because she can save the future of mankind from an all consuming Blight which is ravaging all plant life two hundred years in the future.
If she agrees, she must become a ‘Leaper’, take the drug he concocted, and wake up thirty three years younger. Once there she has just thirty-three days to convince a young micro-biologist not to release his genetically modified strain of wheat, which harbors the deadly blight in its gene structure.
But that is just the start of her problems…….In the past, she falls in love for the first time in sixty-eight years with his father, and she must convince them both of her sincerity before her consciousness goes back to the future, leaving her young self with no memory of the preceding time period. If she fails, the men in the future will send an assassin and she is torn between saving the planet, or the man she loves.
So, once I had that dream, I had to write it and I’ve never had such fun. Time paradoxes have always fascinated me; yes I’m a long standing Doctor Who fan. And, I also gave Jenny the chance to influence a team of soccer players, who haven’t won a championship in many years. But, with her help, maybe, just maybe, they can pull of a miracle win.
The most amazing thing to me about this book, and I am not ashamed to admit it, is there are three places in the story, that even after sixty or seventy read throughs; I choke up with emotion when I read them. Now bearing in mind I wrote the thing, and know what’s happening next, that blows me away, and my wife too when she looks up to see me sobbing over my laptop. She just raises her eyes and goes back to the TV show she is watching.
In all of my books, no matter how deadly, or thrilling the storyline, there is always a love story at its core. I believe love is an intrinsic part of our lives, and further, that love, and family are why we are here in the first place. Anything else you come by is a bonus. The song title sums it up best: Love is all around us (The Troggs). We either want it, have it, or just lost it and want it back. We love our children, good food, a piece of art….need I go on? I would venture to suggest, the word LOVE is the most used one we have….next to maybe: THE.
Now its time to talk seriously, please don’t nod off now. It’s the dreaded subject: Genetic Modification of food sources. This is the critical core of TTD plotline. There is a saying Jenny uses to Iaine on their first date: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. How many times have we seen people trying to do good, but inadvertently doing bad and causing a tsunami of destruction. Does Thalidomide ring any bells? Diet drinks using synthetic ingredients which we are now told causes health problems, trust me the list in endless. Whenever Man dabbles in Nature it seems to go poorly. When I was researching for this book, I found lots, and LOTS of similar cases. Here in Western Australia a while back, one farmer was suing his neighbor farmer because he lost his organic certification. That was because the genetically modified strain of Canola had spread from one farm to the other and contaminated, not just his crops, but the very ground it grew in.
Jenny also says to Iaine: You can start a bushfire with a match, and the fire rages on when you blow the match out. Some things we do to our planet are irreversible. I read we are losing 200 billion tons of ice a year from the polar regions, due to global warming. Did you know, according to the same article, that if, or should I say when, they completely melt; the sea level will rise 60 meters. Where will we be living then?
So Jenny has a chance so save every living person in the future by going back in time to stop an event that will become catastrophic, before it happens. Can she succeed? And can she somehow find a way to keep the love that took her sixty eight years to find? Oh, and can she help that soccer team win the championship?
Time for me to go, one or two of you are nodding off, I can see. Thanks Jennifer, and thank you for reading my ramblings.
The other, less famous, (Australian) Stephen King
Blurb:
Jenny is a lonely university lecturer who's consciousness has traveled back in time to her younger body to try to save the future of the world. A young microbiologist is going to release a genetically modified wheat that will mutate and ultimately destroy all plant life, leaving nothing but barren windswept dust bowls. In the past, Jenny finds a love that has been missing from her life; the kind that comes just once in a lifetime. But Jenny can only stay in that time period for thirty-three days. Meanwhile, in the future, fearful Jenny will fail, plans are made to send another back in time--an assassin. How can she choose between saving the man she loves or saving the future?
Links:Facebook is @stephenbkingauthorTwitter is @StephenBKing1Website is www.stephen-b-king.com
Buy link for TTD: http://a.co/3lxTDJj
July 11, 2018
Welcome, Mary Morgan!
OATH OF A WARRIORLegends of the Fenian Warriors, Book 2by Mary MorganGenre: Scottish Historical Fantasy RomancePublisher: The Wild Rose Press
"You met them in the Order of the Dragon Knights. Now, journey to the realm of the Fae and witness their legends!"
Fenian Warrior, Rory MacGregor’s love conquests are legendary, but he has never spoken of the one mortal female who captured his heart. After his dark secret is finally revealed, he is ordered to return and seal the wounds left open by her death. Yet, he finds the timeline altered and swears an oath to rewrite fate, even if it brings about his own death.
Erina MacIntyre is known for her healing herbs and love charms. Determined to aid others, she refuses to listen to the whispers that call her a witch. When a Highlander steps forth into her path, he ignites a thread of strange familiarity and sparks a flame of desire she is unable to control.
Can the destiny of two lovers find love once more among the ashes of death and betrayal? Or will history repeat itself, leaving a scorching path of destruction for both mortals and Fae alike?
“Erina, mo ghrá,” he groaned, taking her mouth with savage intensity. She tasted of honey and spices, filling him completely and easing the torment that continually plagued him.
Breaking free, he placed his hands on either side of the door. Giving her all of him required something more from Erina. Without the assurance of accepting him for what he was, Rory would be a lost man.
Are ye certain ye want to ken all of me? I want ye as sure as the sun rises and sets over the land each day, but ken this, Erina—there is more to me than a simple bedding. There are things about me that might frighten ye. What I’m about to share with ye may cause ye to question my existence, or worse, my sanity.”
Her laugh was seductive and soothing as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “From the moment ye stepped through those trees that first day, I realized ye were not like any man I had encountered. It was as if the trees parted and ye came forth from inside them.” She brushed her fingers along his brow. “For one, ye have the most mesmerizing eyes and they shift colors.”
“And the second?”
Her face turned a rosy glow, yet, she held his gaze. “I thought your body chiseled from the old Gods, especially with all the markings on your back and arms.”
His gaze swept over hers. “I am nae God, Erina, though some would call me a demon.”
She traced a finger down along his arm and shook her head. “Ye are not a monster, but I am nae fool. Ye are not like other men, Rory. I have seen the markings on your body elsewhere.” Her finger curved around his shoulder and he trembled. “They are similar to the ones on the standing stones carved by the ancients.”
Rory fought the tide of emotions sweeping through him. She had come to the conclusion all on her own. “And ye would not flee if I told ye I was one of those ancients? One where the bards wove tales of giants who lived thousands of years ago among your own people? Others would call the story incredulous and filled with heathen words.” He held his breath, fearing her reply.
The smile she gave him speared straight to his soul. “Nae. I would not flee.”
Amazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ Kobo ✯ The Wild Rose Press
QUEST OF A WARRIORAmazon ✯ B&N ✯ iTunes ✯ The Wild Rose Press ✯ Goodreads
You met them in the Order of the Dragon Knights. Now, journey to the realm of the Fae and witness their legends!
Fenian Warrior, Conn MacRoich has traveled the earth for thousands of years, guarding the realm between mortal and Fae. His deeds are legendary. Yet, one mistake will force him on a journey to fix a broken time-line. However, on Conn’s quest, he must face a human female who will eventually bring this ancient warrior to his knees.
When Ivy O’Callaghan inherits her uncle’s estate, she never imagines there will be more secrets to unravel, including the one she hides from the world. With the help of a mysterious stranger, she learns to trust and step out of the shadows. However, nothing prepares Ivy when she learns Conn's true identity.
As the loom of fate weaves a thread around the lovers from two different worlds, will the sacrifices they make lead them to love? Or will their secrets destroy and separate them forever?
Award-winning Celtic paranormal romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California, with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.Mary's passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. She spent far too much time daydreaming and was told quite often to remove her head from the clouds. It wasn't until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling--writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.
If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.
Goodreads ✯ Twitter ✯ Facebook ✯ Amazon ✯ Website ✯ Blog ✯ BookBub
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July 9, 2018
Cleaning
We’re spending the next couple of weeks with my parents as we get our floors redone. The dog is confused—she’s used to staying there when we go away, so every time I come back from an errand I get the “You again?” look. It’s like having the teens home.
In preparation for the work, we had to clean out most of the house so the furniture could be more easily moved. We also cleaned out the garage because, hey, it looked like a war zone and I made it into our “fun couple’s project” while the teens are away.
So my dining room is stored in my bedroom, my family room is stored in my daughter’s room (shhh, don’t tell her!) and my living room is stored in my basement. There are various items stored in the office as well. And now that the floor guys moved the furniture, there are random furniture items stored in the newly cleaned garage. Lucky for us we emptied it out.
I spent a good deal of time making fun of all the things that my husband wanted to save, which probably was not great thinking on my part:
1) He did the majority of the lifting, I really just pointed, which means he would have been justified to just stop at any time (but he didn’t);2) I screamed at the bugs;3) The last time I cleaned out the garage, I used a leaf blower to clean out the dirt—there is still dust over everything;4) And even I am sentimental about some things we kept, like a wheelbarrow.
But he was an excellent sport, knowing I needed the physical activity to keep my mind off things, and got rid of way more than he probably wanted. Some day, those things will probably come in handy, saving me a trip to the store to re-buy it. So, sorry honey!
The bonus, which gave me great pleasure, was leaving our “junk” for others. In fact, a landscaper stopped by and was thrilled with all of the yard equipment we were getting rid of simply because we don’t use it anymore.
And somewhere, someone is enjoying a pogo stick!
In preparation for the work, we had to clean out most of the house so the furniture could be more easily moved. We also cleaned out the garage because, hey, it looked like a war zone and I made it into our “fun couple’s project” while the teens are away.
So my dining room is stored in my bedroom, my family room is stored in my daughter’s room (shhh, don’t tell her!) and my living room is stored in my basement. There are various items stored in the office as well. And now that the floor guys moved the furniture, there are random furniture items stored in the newly cleaned garage. Lucky for us we emptied it out.
I spent a good deal of time making fun of all the things that my husband wanted to save, which probably was not great thinking on my part:
1) He did the majority of the lifting, I really just pointed, which means he would have been justified to just stop at any time (but he didn’t);2) I screamed at the bugs;3) The last time I cleaned out the garage, I used a leaf blower to clean out the dirt—there is still dust over everything;4) And even I am sentimental about some things we kept, like a wheelbarrow.
But he was an excellent sport, knowing I needed the physical activity to keep my mind off things, and got rid of way more than he probably wanted. Some day, those things will probably come in handy, saving me a trip to the store to re-buy it. So, sorry honey!
The bonus, which gave me great pleasure, was leaving our “junk” for others. In fact, a landscaper stopped by and was thrilled with all of the yard equipment we were getting rid of simply because we don’t use it anymore.
And somewhere, someone is enjoying a pogo stick!
June 27, 2018
Welcome Leslie Bowes
I'm introducing a new author on my blog today, Leslie Bowes.
I never saw myself as a writer. Writing was just something I did for fun. I started going to school for movie editing but I had to take a writing class and I love it and started writing my first novel.Heart Healer started out as a historical romance called Rose Hill but it did not get published. So I stared on a contemporary romance called A Second Change At Love. When I was in middle of writing, I noticed something was miss. So, I pulled out Rose Hill again and put parts of Rose Hill and A Second Chance at Love together and it became Heart Healer
Bio:
I was born and raised in southern Maryland. When I was thirteen I moved Summerville, South Caroline where I fell in love with the Lowcountry culture and history. South Caroline was my inspiration for my book Heart Healer. Recently I moved to central Va and now I am enjoying the beauty and history of this area. The rolling hills and pastoral views will surely inspire ideas for future stories.
Blurb:
Catherine Andrews is an English woman living in the 1800's. Her father sells her to Blake Von-Clyer to be his wife to pay off debts owed to Mr. Von-Clyer. Catherine soon finds out Blake is a cruel and horrible man.
On their wedding night, to escape his cruelty, she throws herself into the river. Death is better than marriage to a beast.
Christopher King is living in 2014 doing his best to raise his young son Ryan after his wife left him. One night, Christopher finds a woman in the river unconscious and barely breathing. She is also wearing old fashioned clothes. Christopher does everything in his power to help the young women. When Catherine regains consciousness, she finds herself in a strange and unbelievable situation. Terrified, she does her best to keep her guard up against Christopher. But as she gets to know him, she can't help but fall for the man who saved her life. When Catherine's dangerous past comes back to haunt her, it has Catherine and Christopher fighting for each other and their love.
Excerpt:
“That’s true, but I don’t need a servant. I need a wife.”Catherine dropped the spoon as her whole body shook. What was her father planning to do? Hard work? A wife? What was going on? She was not her father’s slave to trade as he wished. She was his daughter. Too nervous to turn around, Catherine prayed that she heard wrong.“What did you say?” her father asked, shocked.“You heard me.” Mr. Von-Clyer laughed. “You had no problem selling her to me as a servant Mr. Andrews, but now that I want her for my wife your conscience haunts you. What’s the difference? Either way your debt to me is paid.”“Catherine, get over here now!” her father yelled drunkenly. The longer she stared at the vein in her father’s neck; she realized that she was making him angrier than Catherine had ever seen before.She slowly walked over to the table and stood in front of her father. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she watched him drink his last bit of wine.“You will be Mr. Von-Clyer’s wife to pay off my debt.”“What debt?” Catherine asked angrily.“Catherine, do not speak unless you are spoken to,” her father snarled.“What debt?” Catherine yelled.Her father jumped up from his chair with an angry shout, bumping the table, but James jumped in front of him.“You cannot treat Catherine like that, Father. She is your daughter and my sister, not your slave!” James yelled.Catherine’s father was having none of that. He lunged for James, but Catherine got in between them before her father could do anything. She knelt in front of James and wiped his tears. All the while she prayed for strength.“Thank you, James, but I need you to go to your room.”“But, Catherine—”“No buts. Go to your room and stay there until I come for you.”As soon as James was in his room, Catherine’s father grabbed her arms and shook her hard.“Don’t you ever speak to me like that again, Catherine! Do you understand me?”“Yes, sir,” Catherine whispered, scared for her life.“Good. Now go with Mr. Von-Clyer and pay off your debt.”“Father, I beg of you. Tell me what my debt is?”
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXZRLCM/?tag=thewildrosepr-20
https://www.facebook.com/Heart-Healer-702127559856732/
I never saw myself as a writer. Writing was just something I did for fun. I started going to school for movie editing but I had to take a writing class and I love it and started writing my first novel.Heart Healer started out as a historical romance called Rose Hill but it did not get published. So I stared on a contemporary romance called A Second Change At Love. When I was in middle of writing, I noticed something was miss. So, I pulled out Rose Hill again and put parts of Rose Hill and A Second Chance at Love together and it became Heart Healer
Bio:I was born and raised in southern Maryland. When I was thirteen I moved Summerville, South Caroline where I fell in love with the Lowcountry culture and history. South Caroline was my inspiration for my book Heart Healer. Recently I moved to central Va and now I am enjoying the beauty and history of this area. The rolling hills and pastoral views will surely inspire ideas for future stories.
Blurb:Catherine Andrews is an English woman living in the 1800's. Her father sells her to Blake Von-Clyer to be his wife to pay off debts owed to Mr. Von-Clyer. Catherine soon finds out Blake is a cruel and horrible man.
On their wedding night, to escape his cruelty, she throws herself into the river. Death is better than marriage to a beast.
Christopher King is living in 2014 doing his best to raise his young son Ryan after his wife left him. One night, Christopher finds a woman in the river unconscious and barely breathing. She is also wearing old fashioned clothes. Christopher does everything in his power to help the young women. When Catherine regains consciousness, she finds herself in a strange and unbelievable situation. Terrified, she does her best to keep her guard up against Christopher. But as she gets to know him, she can't help but fall for the man who saved her life. When Catherine's dangerous past comes back to haunt her, it has Catherine and Christopher fighting for each other and their love.
Excerpt:
“That’s true, but I don’t need a servant. I need a wife.”Catherine dropped the spoon as her whole body shook. What was her father planning to do? Hard work? A wife? What was going on? She was not her father’s slave to trade as he wished. She was his daughter. Too nervous to turn around, Catherine prayed that she heard wrong.“What did you say?” her father asked, shocked.“You heard me.” Mr. Von-Clyer laughed. “You had no problem selling her to me as a servant Mr. Andrews, but now that I want her for my wife your conscience haunts you. What’s the difference? Either way your debt to me is paid.”“Catherine, get over here now!” her father yelled drunkenly. The longer she stared at the vein in her father’s neck; she realized that she was making him angrier than Catherine had ever seen before.She slowly walked over to the table and stood in front of her father. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she watched him drink his last bit of wine.“You will be Mr. Von-Clyer’s wife to pay off my debt.”“What debt?” Catherine asked angrily.“Catherine, do not speak unless you are spoken to,” her father snarled.“What debt?” Catherine yelled.Her father jumped up from his chair with an angry shout, bumping the table, but James jumped in front of him.“You cannot treat Catherine like that, Father. She is your daughter and my sister, not your slave!” James yelled.Catherine’s father was having none of that. He lunged for James, but Catherine got in between them before her father could do anything. She knelt in front of James and wiped his tears. All the while she prayed for strength.“Thank you, James, but I need you to go to your room.”“But, Catherine—”“No buts. Go to your room and stay there until I come for you.”As soon as James was in his room, Catherine’s father grabbed her arms and shook her hard.“Don’t you ever speak to me like that again, Catherine! Do you understand me?”“Yes, sir,” Catherine whispered, scared for her life.“Good. Now go with Mr. Von-Clyer and pay off your debt.”“Father, I beg of you. Tell me what my debt is?”
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CXZRLCM/?tag=thewildrosepr-20
https://www.facebook.com/Heart-Healer-702127559856732/
