Callie Hutton's Blog, page 11

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome back again. (Or for the first time). Today’s six are from my Christmas Romance novella Miss Merry’s Christmas. She and the duke are at it again:

Penrose stiffened his shoulders, his eyes wide. “I beg your pardon.”

“You should. Beg my pardon, that is.” She rested her hands on her hips. “You are the most arrogant man I have ever met.”

Here is the blurb:

The Duke of Penrose is not happy with Miss Meredith Chambers, the American governess his new wards have arrived with. He quickly replaces her, happy to have his unwanted attraction to the unsuitable woman behind him. Until his mother hires her as a companion…

England, 1817.  David Worthington, Duke of Penrose dislikes Miss Meredith Chambers, the American governess who accompanied his new wards. He especially detests his attraction to the insufferable woman, and is anxious for her replacement to arrive.

Merry is thrilled when the Dowager Duchess Penrose hires her as a companion. Now she can stay with her beloved charges. But can she ignore how her heart thumps when the pompous duke gets close?

Two people determined to ignore each other, despite the pull between them, and the sparks that fly whenever they’re together.

You can go the the ‘Excerpt’ tab (above) and read a bit more.  Be sure to visit the other talented authors on the Six Sunday website. And please leave a comment if you wish. Have a great thanksgiving!

 

Monday Magic welcomes Kristina Knight!

I’m excited to have a fellow Crimson Romance author with me today. Kristina’s book, What a Texas Girl Wants, sounds wonderful. After you read her blurb and excerpt, I’m sure you’ll agree. And now you can get your copy in either e-book or print form. But first, let’s hear what Kristina says about:

Books I Can’t Put Down


It’s kind of a push-pull, isn’t it? We all love those books we can’t put down, but at 4 in the morning the eyes get heavy and we start thinking about the next day at work….and eventually, you just have to put it down. Unless you only have about 20 pages left. Then, keep reading.

I’m in the middle of re-reading one of these books now. Word Gets Around by Lisa Wingate. I became a fan of Lisa’s with Texas Cooking, and this book doesn’t disappoint, either. I like the quiet spirituality of the book, I love the tension between the hero and heroine and I love the setting – Texas, horse ranch/movie set. I also like that she’s given both the hero and heroine some very deep-seated issues to work through and they are doing it, not just paying lip service to what has happened to them. Here’s one paragraph:


All these years, I’d been battering the same barriers over and over and over, thinking that the answer lay in breaking through and leaving the past behind. I’d looked for the answer somewhere outside – my work, my house, my car, my name in the credits…But every time I came up empty. The answer wasn’t there. One the way back to the hotel, it dawned on me: Maybe the answer isn’t in getting beyond where you come from but in learning to accept the things that went into your making.

I like that paragraph. I like the emotion, I like the idea of moving forward because of the past. I just really like it, as a person and as a writer.

As a writer, I want to dig this deep and bring the reader thisclose to the characters…isn’t that what we all want? A little direction now and then, even in the form of fiction?

What are you reading now? How is it affecting your sleep (or lack of sleep)? Are the books you can’t put down the books you keep?

What a Texas Girl Wants:  Kathleen Witte is a down-to-earth girl. She has to be, with the family ranch on the verge of success. After seven months of keeping it all together by swearing off men, however, Kathleen needs a bit of fun in the sun. Waking up with a husband she can’t remember isn’t how she planned to blow off steam. The last thing Jackson Taylor wants in his life is a down-to-earth girl. He has four weeks of freedom in which to find his birth mother. He’s done well avoiding commitment until now, so when he wakes up on a Mexican beach with Kathleen his first reaction is curiosity. When he spies the matching wedding rings on their left hands curiosity turns to concern. Neither Jackson nor Kathleen want to stay married, but when her family shows up, they have no choice. Once back in Texas, however, can they keep this all-business marriage from turning into an all-consuming love?

Sensuality Level: Sensual

About the Author
Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police-no, she wasn’t a troublemaker, she was a journalist. When the opportunity to focus a bit of energy on the stories in her head, she jumped at it. And she’s never looked back. Now she writes magazine articles by day and romance novels with spice by night. She lives on Lake Erie with her husband, three-year-old daughter, and twenty-year-old fur-kid. Happily ever after.


Excerpt: What a Texas Girl Wants:
 
“So the man calling you sweetheart on the patio isn’t your husband?”
 
Kathleen blanched. “No, idiot. He’s my grandfather. What do you think I am some Anna Nicole wannabe?”
 
 ”No, but. . .Well who else would call you sweetheart besides your husband?”
 
She glared at him. “Start talking, Cowboy. Am I remembering last night?”
 
“I’m not sure, either.” When Kathleen would have socked him in the shoulder, he continued. “I was sent down here on a photo shoot for Sports Weekly last Monday. It wrapped and I decided to stay for a few extra days. I have a show booked in New York in a couple of months and I thought some shots of the crowds on the Malecon would do well. That would have been. . .Wednesday. Then I woke up on the beach this morning with you. So assuming this is Thursday, yeah, we’re both remembering the same night.”

“Kathleen?”
 
She ignored Grandfather and focused on Jackson. “You seriously don’t remember how this”-she wagged her right index finger between their left hands-”happened?” His only response was a slow shaking of his head from side to side. Wonderful. Wait. Wouldn’t that make the annulment that much simpler? All the celebrities did it. Get drunk, get married, plead incompetence because of alcohol and get a quickie annulment. If it was good enough for Britney it was good enough for Kathleen. As long as she could get the annulment ball rolling before Grandfather found out.

Buy Links:
Amazon
B&N

My Links:
Website: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com

FB – http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknightromanceauthor

TW – http://www.twitter.com/authorkristina

I want to thank Kristina for stopping by today, and sharing her book with us. Wasn’t I right?  Doesn’t it sound great?

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!!!

Welcome back, so glad you decided to visit. This week my six sentences are from my recently released Miss Merry’s Christmas.

“Certainly nothing in the Colonies can compare to London?” Miss Jennings’ whiny voice grated on her ears.

Merry smiled at the governess. “Miss Jennings, you do remember we are no longer the Colonies? We defeated your countrymen−for the second time−a few years ago.”

The duke affected a choking sound, and Lord Brandon once again leaned toward her, “Bravo, my girl.”

Hope you enjoyed that very short snippet. If you would like to read more, here is the blurb:

England, 1817.  David Worthington, Duke of Penrose dislikes Miss Meredith Chambers, the American governess who accompanied his new wards. He especially detests his attraction to the insufferable woman, and is anxious for her replacement to arrive.

Merry is thrilled when the Dowager Duchess Penrose hires her as a companion. Now she can stay with her beloved charges. But can she ignore how her heart thumps when the pompous duke gets close?

Two people determined to ignore each other, despite the pull between them, and the sparks that fly whenever they’re together.

Miss Merry’s Christmas is available on Amazon.

Have a great Sunday, and be sure to stop in and see some other great sixes from many talented authors.

Monday Magic presents Romance Author, Susanna Fraser

Please help me welcome Susanna Fraser to Monday Magic. She’s going to sit in the hot seat and answer some questions, and then tell us about her wonderful new book, An Infamous Marriage. I’m very excited about her new release, and the blurb sounds wonderful. And you can’t beat a cover with Jimmy on it!

Okay, Susanna, you’re on. If you could be a character in one of your books, who would it be, and why?

Everything I’ve written so far, including An Infamous Marriage, is set 200 years in the past, and while I’d jump at the chance to visit that world, I wouldn’t want to live there. I’m too fond of electricity, the internet, and the right to vote. Not to mention antibiotics to cure the nasty strep infection I had a few years back and modern medicine that got me through a complicated pregnancy and labor.

If you hadn’t decided to become a writer, what other occupation can you see yourself in?

I have a full-time day job in academic research administration, but I’ve always loved to sing and often regretted that I never got professional vocal training. So maybe I’d be a professional choral singer (I think they exist) or choir director instead of just hunting for a Messiah sing-along or two every December. (Handel wrote the best alto parts!)

How do you pick the names of your characters?

I’m something of a research geek, so I try to stick with names that were popular at the time–or at least ones that existed then. Then it’s simply a matter of figuring out what sounds right for the character. Very much a gut thing.

Jack, the hero of An Infamous Marriage, is a special case. Last summer, when I was first starting to plan the manuscript, I lost two friends from my past–a high school friend to a long struggle with cancer and one of my very best college friends suddenly in a highway accident. The high school friend’s last name was Armstrong, and the college friend’s middle name was John. So it felt right, somehow, to make my next hero John Armstrong, nicknamed Jack, even though he’s very much his own character and not actually based on either of my friends. (Had to add that disclaimer in case either of their mothers are reading this!)

Is finding the right title easy or hard?

Extremely hard. I’ve yet to publish a book with the same title I first began writing it under. Sometimes I make the change myself and sometimes my publisher requests it, but evidently my first instincts aren’t reliable.

What did you do immediately after receiving your first ‘call?’

I text-messaged my husband after I got the email from Angela James. I’d always planned to call him, and even had the script all planned out, but I had laryngitis that week and could barely even whisper.

Now for a few fun things:

Mountain home or beach house?

Mountain home, though the beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest is that the mountains and the beaches aren’t far apart!

Gloomy day or sunshine to get your muse going?

Sunshine helps…though living in the Northwest I’ve had to force my muse to cooperate through our gray and gloomy months. (The summers are lovely, though. Sunshine, long days because we’re so far north, little to no rain after the 4th of July, and we call it a heat wave when it breaks 80. Really almost makes up for the other 9 months.)

Coffee or tea?

Tea. (Earl Grey, hot.)

Cat or dog?

Cat, though my husband is severely allergic, so we’re currently a petless household.

Beach vacation or sightseeing?

Sightseeing.

Jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, or pencil skirt, silk blouse, and killer heels?

Jeans, t-shirt, and clunky sandals for everyday, though I like to break out the fancy stuff for conferences or nice dates.

Carrie Underwood or Lady Gaga?

Neither, actually. I listen to a lot of Celtic and folk music, though my favorites have a contemporary spin. Like this song by the Carolina Chocolate Drops , or, now that the holidays are rapidly approaching, it’s time to pull out Fairytale of New York by the Pogues again.

An Infamous Marriage:

Northumberland, 1815

At long last, Britain is at peace, and General Jack Armstrong is coming home to the wife he barely knows. Wed for mutual convenience, their union unconsummated, the couple has exchanged only cold, dutiful letters. With no more wars to fight, Jack is ready to attempt a peace treaty of his own.

Elizabeth Armstrong is on the warpath. She never expected fidelity from the husband she knew for only a week, but his scandalous exploits have made her the object of pity for years. Now that he’s back, she has no intention of sharing her bed with him—or providing him with an heir—unless he can earn her forgiveness. No matter what feelings he ignites within her…

Jack is not expecting a spirited, confident woman in place of the meek girl he left behind. As his desire intensifies, he wants much more than a marriage in name only. But winning his wife’s love may be the greatest battle he’s faced yet.

Now for Susanna’s exciting news: One commenter here between now and tomorrow at 5 PM Pacific Time will win a download of An Infamous Marriage in the electronic format of their choice, and at the end of the tour I’ll be giving away a grand prize of a $50 gift certificate to their choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Powell’s Books to one commenter on the tour as a whole. You get one entry per blog tour stop you comment upon, so check out my blog for the whole schedule! If you wish to be entered in the drawing, include your email address formatted as yourname AT yourhost DOT com.

Susanna Fraser wrote her first novel in fourth grade. It starred a family of talking horses who ruled a magical land. In high school she started, but never finished, a succession of tales of girls who were just like her, only with long, naturally curly and often unusually colored hair, who, perhaps because of the hair, had much greater success with boys than she ever did.

Along the way she read her hometown library’s entire collection of Regency romance, fell in love with the works of Jane Austen, and discovered in Patrick O’Brian’s and Bernard Cornwell’s novels another side of the opening decades of the 19th century. When she started to write again as an adult, she knew exactly where she wanted to set her books. Her writing has come a long way from her youthful efforts, but she still tends to give her heroines great hair.

Susanna lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and daughter. When not writing or reading, she goes to baseball games, watches Chopped, Castle, and The Legend of Korra, and cooks her way through an ever-growing cookbook collection.

 

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!!!

So glad you stopped by. Six Sentence Sunday is so much fun. Today I’m sharing another six sentences from my newly released Christmas novella, Miss Merry’s Christmas.

“This is most improper.” She attempted to cover herself with her skirts, but they’d been twisted underneath her, exposing the bottom half of her legs.

“Don’t concern yourself, we need to get you home and send for the doctor.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,  I’m fine, and I don’t need a doctor.”

“That’s my decision to make.” He slapped the horse with his reins, and they cantered forward.

Can you see why he annoys her?

Here is the blurb.

THE DUKE OF PENROSE is not happy with MISS MEREDITH CHAMBERS, the American governess his new wards have arrived with. He quickly replaces her, happy to have his unwanted attraction to the unsuitable woman behind him. Until his mother hires her as a companion…

England, 1817.  David Worthington, Duke of Penrose dislikes Miss Meredith Chambers, the American governess who accompanied his new wards. He especially detests his attraction to the insufferable woman, and is anxious for her replacement to arrive.

Merry is thrilled when the Dowager Duchess Penrose hires her as a companion. Now she can stay with her beloved charges. But can she ignore how her heart thumps when the pompous duke gets close?

Two people determined to ignore each other, despite the pull between them, and the sparks that fly whenever they’re together.

Buy link: http://amzn.to/TSKlw1

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to check out the other wonderfully talented authors who also post on Six Sentence Sunday.  Have a great day!

Romance Author, Cynthia Gail

I’m excited to present Cynthia Gail, a fellow Soul Mate Publishing sister, who is going to tell us about her new book, Winter’s Magic.

Hi Cynthia. It’s great to have you here. I’m sure you’re super excited about you new book. What did you do immediately after receiving your first ‘call?’

I think I read Debby’s email ten times just to make sure I hadn’t misunderstood her words. When I finally realized that she was definitely offering a contract, I told my husband and called my best friend. But that feeling was nothing compared to seeing my book for sale on-line for the first time. It’s a feeling I can’t quite describe.

I can understand that reaction. Sometimes really good news is hard to believe. If you could be a character in one of your books, who would it be, and why?

Beth Sergeant is probably my favorite character in the series. She has a loving and supportive family that she values. She has a warm and forgiving personality. She’s tough on the outside, but every woman can relate to her internal vulnerabilities. I also love that she works for herself and runs an exclusive spa. Who wouldn’t want to work in the midst of luxurious female pampering?

I know I would sure like to work there. Is finding the right title easy or hard?

You would think that after writing an entire novel, coming up with one more ounce of creativity would be easy. But for me it’s excruciatingly hard.  Winter’s Magic was originally called Raising the Bar, a reflection of the opening scene between two co-workers, and a title I simply loved. After signing my publishing contract, I started looking at the bigger picture and decided a name change was necessary to brand the series more effectively. I came up with a list of words that I thought described the book—from there, the four seasons came to mind and fit with the timing and theme of the whole group. Spring’s Surprise, Summer’s Family Affair and Fall’s Redeeming Grace are planned for 2013.

Wow, you’ve got everything all lined up. That’s great. What is a typical writing day like for you?

I have a Monday through Friday day job, so most of my writing happens on the weekends. A typical Saturday starts with my husband and I having coffee together on the back porch (weather permitting), we alternate cooking breakfast, then we split up for much of the day. He goes to the garage or backyard to tinker, while I grab my laptop. Whether I choose the lounger or recliner, I put my feet up on a pillow, and write in a relatively peaceful environment. For as long as I possibly can. Some weekends, I write all day Saturday and again on Sunday. Other times, I barely get in a half-day. Life doesn’t stop, but my family is supportive and flexible. My husband and I have a commitment to always spend Saturday evenings together and my son knows he has to join us for dinner on Sunday nights.

Sounds like a great routine. When you’re not writing or working your day job, what are some ways that you like to relax?

Girly stuff. I love to get a facial, a pedicure, and have my hair and nails done. (It’s no wonder Beth runs a spa) A good book. Our neighbors have a boat they keep on Old Hickory Lake and we find ourselves regular guests on Sunday afternoons. I like to entertain, grill, and relax with friends on the patio. Life is busy, but even on the most chaotic weekend, I try to chisel out a fraction of time for just me.

Ooh, I love those girly things myself. Do you prefer redeemable villains, or like them nasty through and through?

I have to believe that everyone has redeeming qualities. Winter’s Magic was originally the first book in a trilogy called Music City Hearts. But I just couldn’t leave Lauren as a villain, so I’m writing book four to share her story.

What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

This is such a hard question because there are so many scenes that I could call my favorite. Chapter One I love because it’s the first meet and chemistry flies between them immediately. Chapter Two gives us a glimpse into Nick as a person. His soft heart and family values. Chapter Ten shows Nick loosening up a bit from his starched, formal personality. He’s spontaneous in ways you’ll have to read to find out.

I must tell you I love your cover. Now for a few fun things:

Mountain home or beach house?  Mountain home in the winter. Give me plenty of firewood, hot cocoa, blankets and my laptop and I could write by the fire for hours.  Beach house in the summer. It would be a dream to sit on the porch and let the sound of waves and busy beach-goers inspire my stories.

Gloomy day or sunshine to get your muse going? Sunshine. A gloomy/rainy day makes me want to curl up with a book or movie. Sunshine gets my creativity flowing.

Coffee or tea? Coffee in the mornings. Hot spiced tea on a winter afternoon.

Cat or dog? We have 3 dogs. Larry and Daisey are basset hounds. Biscuit is a puggle.

Beach vacation or sightseeing? Sightseeing.  I’m dying to go to Europe. I haven’t even traveled within the U.S. very much, but I want to go to England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. I’d like to spend an entire month experiencing the various cultures and visiting all of the sites we only get to see in pictures. I also want to go to Canada and Alaska. I have several author friends who live in these areas and I just can’t wait to visit for myself.

Jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, or pencil skirt, silk blouse, and killer heels?

I’ve worked from home for the past 3 ½ years, so I live in jeans/sweats, t-shirts and flip-flops most of the year. I look forward to opportunities to dress up and go out on the town.

Carrie Underwood or Lady Gaga?

Carrie Underwood. My music tastes are pretty wide-ranged. I like Maroon 5, Jessie James, Daughtry, Colbie Caillat, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan. But I also love slow jazz—the kind you play when you’re taking a bubble bath, surrounded by lit candles.

Can you tell us something about your book that would make me run out and buy it?

Winter’s Magic is a fun, fast read. There are parts that will make you laugh, while others make your heart squeeze. A few surprises. Steamy love scenes. It’s the perfect book to grab a blanket, a cappuccino, and curl up with during the holiday season.

Cynthia was nice enough to share a blurb and excerpt from Winter Magic:

Beth Sergeant and Nick Chester come from opposite ends of the social food chain. While he sees a beautiful woman without an agenda, she sees a wealthy playboy. Can he convince her to let go of her insecurities and take a chance on love, when challenges from his past force her to reveal her most guarded secret?

In the following scene, Nick and Beth have just met for the second time. She’s reluctantly attending a Christmas party with her parent’s at the Chester family estate. Despite the attraction, she knows he’s out of her league. She had hoped to avoid him as much as possible and stick close to her best friend, Jenny, who hasn’t arrived yet.
 
Beth made her way over to the tree to get a closer view. Several handmade pieces intermingled with the sparkling crystal ornaments and gold strands of glass beads. She fingered the row of cotton balls that ran along the edge of a red felt Santa hat. On the top, in glitter writing, it said 1982. “Who made these?”
 
Nick laughed, but when she turned her head, she caught a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I made them with my mother when I was in grade school. Every year, on the first day of holiday break, we would go to the craft store and buy materials to make a dozen ornaments.”
 
 “A dozen?” She wondered how a person ever got over losing a parent, much less losing both. Or if you even could. And his poor grandfather, losing a child … Her chest tightened at the thought.
 
“One for our tree at home, one for Grandfather’s, several neighbors, and the mailman. And I’ll never forget Mrs. Sawyer at the bakery. She used to give me a free cinnamon roll when I came in with my grandfather.”
 
“We weren’t very crafty at my house. But Mom and I would bake like a storm. Candy, cookies, fudge. We always took packages to our neighbors on Christmas Eve, right before we went to church for Midnight Mass.”
 
“Do you still go?” The reflection of the tree lights sparkled in his eyes as he spoke. At this very moment, he didn’t look, or act, like the city’s most eligible bachelor. She could feel her resolve slipping. She needed Jenny.

“I haven’t been in years. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been since I graduated high school.”
 
“I haven’t, either. You can imagine my surprise when Grandfather asked me to take him this year.” He glanced back at the tree. “Would you like to come with us?”


Buy links
Amazon link http:// amzn.to/PdYIyf
Barnes & Noble link http:// bit.ly/RnxlBC

Soul Mate Publishing link http://bit.ly/VwT9ZI



A Little bit about Cynthia:


I live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee with our eighteen-year-old son and three dogs. When I’m not working or writing, I can be found with family and friends. I love to bake in the winter, grill in the summer, and on occasion, I sneak away from everyone and curl up with a good book.

Now for something really special!! Cynthia is offering a swag pack (includes chocolate) to one lucky commenter.

Also, she’s invited us all to her Facebook release day party!!! It’s Friday, November 2nd, from 3 to 6 PM, EST. Lots of games and prizes. http://on.fb.me/TORH3y
 

Monday Magic welcomes Amanda Shalaby!!

Hi everyone. Today I’m presenting Amanda Shalaby, a fellow Crimson Romance author.

NaNoWriMo Is Fast Approaching… What Will You Write?

 One month.  50,000 words. 

I know what you’re saying.  Where did 2012 go?  Is it really almost November?  But there is no time for that!  This Thursday, National Novel Writing Month officially begins, and if you have always wanted to try your hand at writing a novel, this is the time to do it.  So grab your notebook, pen or pencil, laptop or iPad, and let’s get to it!  What are you going to write?

Since I was a young teen, I have had characters vying for my attention, demanding their turn to have their stories committed to the written page.  Give yourself a moment and reflect – what inner voices are demanding your attention?  Whose stories are you responsible to tell?  It’s not something to take lightly.

Fortunately, you still have a few days to decide who it’s going to be, (and if you’re in the path of Hurricane Sandy, as I am, we’ll perhaps be able to look upon any power outages as a golden opportunity to do just this).  Whoever is the most persistent at tapping you on the shoulder, haunting you on your way to work, and sneaking into your thoughts while you cook dinner – November is their month!  You owe it to your characters, and you can show them that you’re ready by signing up here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en

Take a look at the beautiful cover of Amanda’s book, Rhianna. Here is the blurb and buy information:

Upon the unexpected death of her parents, Rhianna Braden finds the enigmatic Lord Guilford Kingsley on her doorstep. He escorts her to Kingsley Manor, where family secrets and scandals begin to unfold.
Her uncommon beauty captures the attention of the dashing Lord Thayne Brighton of Ravensleigh, but Rhianna is certain, despite their mutual attraction, that he would never choose her over his wealthy intended. Meanwhile, Lady Lydia Kingsley suspects her husband’s attention to Rhianna has led to an affair between them. Events turn deadly when the truth of their relationship is discovered.
Eventually, Rhianna is forced to make a life-altering decision—while discovering that some secrets are not meant to be kept.
 
Available at: Crimson Romance ebooks | Amazon | B&N | iTunes

Now, back to NaNo. Amanda asks: What are you going to write?

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday

Hi everyone. Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday. Today I’m once again sharing six sentences from my soon to be released (October 31st) Regency novella, Miss Merry’s Christmas. Lots of clashes between the duke and Miss Merry. Take a look:

“Miss Chambers took a fall from her horse. I’m taking her to her room while we wait for the doctor.”

“Oh my goodness, is she badly hurt?” The dowager hurried behind the duke who had Merry bundled in his arms.

“I’m not hurt at all, Your Grace,” Merry called over his shoulder. “But His Grace is too stubborn to listen to me.”

His mother covered her mouth with her hand, looking suspiciously as if she tried to hold back a laugh.

As you can see, the duke’s mother is amused at how flummoxed her very staid and stiff-necked son is. For the blurb and excerpt from Miss Merry’s Christmas, check out ‘coming attractions.’ http://calliehutton.com/?page_id=478

Be sure to check out the other six sentences from some very talented authors. Six Sentence Sunday.

Debut Author, Anna Kittrell!!

I am super excited today to present my Oklahoma RWA sister, and fellow author of the Scrimshaw Doll series books, Anna Kittrell. Her debut book, Skinbound released from The Wild Rose Press on October 17th.

Anna Kittrell has written stories for as long as she can remember. She still has most of her tattered creations—leftovers she was unable to sell on the playground for a dime—written in childish handwriting on notebook paper, bound with too many staples. Her love of storytelling has grown throughout the years, and she is thrilled her tales are now worth more than ten cents.

Growing up in small town Oklahoma, Anna spent many a summer day on the lakeshores she often writes about. Today, she works as a middle school secretary in her beloved hometown, where she resides with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, Tim, and their two practically grown children, Evan and Brandilyn. She still loves visiting those muddy red lakeshores of her childhood, when she’s not too busy writing about them instead.

Now I’m going to turn it over to Anna, and let her tell us about herself by answering a few trick questions.

Do you prefer redeemable villains, or like them nasty through and through?

Normally, my villains don’t have many redeemable qualities. But I do believe redeemable villains are much more threatening. Volatile, fly-off-the-handle people—sometimes nice, sometimes not—terrify me. You never know what you are going to get. Plus, when they decide to be nice, it’s hard to conk them over the head or kill them off, if need be.

And we do want to be able to rough up our villains, lol.  What faults do you prefer your heroes to have?

I like my hero to have a fierce, unspoken belief in happily ever after that makes him vulnerable and causes him to risk all. Some men might view this as a fault.

Maybe so, but how many men read romance?? So we can write our heroes that way. How do you pick the names of your characters?

My ears are always open for new names. Sometimes I hear one, it lodges in my heart, and I know right away it will become the name of my next heroine or hero. A couple of weeks ago, in Wal-Mart, I overheard a woman speaking of her newborn grandbaby. As I listened, I was thinking, I am sooo going to snatch that baby’s name…

In Skinbound, my hero’s name is Cabin Creighton. One day my friend was talking about a boy she knew named ‘Cabin,’ and I fell in love with it, only to find out later the boy’s name was really Kavan—not Cabin. I’d misheard her. LOL. I like the uniqueness of the name Cabin; it is a strong name. I like it even more now that I know I made it up! As for the twins, Darcy and Scarlett, I chose names similar in alliteration, but different in mood. To me, the name Darcy says, smart and pretty. The name Scarlett says, dangerous and beautiful.

Names can be tricky, but is finding the right title easy or hard?

I love making up titles as much as I love choosing character names. The title, Skinbound, has a double meaning. It describes Darcy and Scarlett, forever bound by identical features, but also defines an important plot point in the story. In order to understand the full meaning behind the title, the book must be read—if I told you, I’d spoil the ending. J

We don’t want any spoilers. Who would you like to see cast as the hero and heroine in a movie made about your latest release?

Hmmm…I can see Ryan Gosling as thoughtful, tormented Dr. Cabin Creighton. Reese Witherspoon can easily slip into the dual role of kindhearted schoolteacher, Darcy Vaughan, and her shrewd, evil twin, Scarlett.

Now for some fun stuff. Mountain home or beach house?

Mountain home. My husband has family in Montana, the scenery takes my breath away. Creating stories while surrounded by beauty of that magnitude sounds heavenly. Then again, I’m not particularly fond of cold weather…good thing my husband is in the climate control business.

Gloomy day or sunshine to get your muse going?

Gloomy. The house feels quieter, not as many people come knocking. Also, when it’s raining I don’t worry that I should be mowing the lawn or mopping the floors, instead of clacking away on the keyboard.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee. With creamer. Sometimes I shake in a little cinnamon-sugar to remind me of my great-grandma.

Cat or dog?

Small dog. A twelve year-old Chihuahua/Pomeranian/Rat Terrier mix named Bruce. Happy to be anywhere I’m at…even under my desk on the cold wood floor. He’s curled up beside me on the sofa now. Later he’ll bring me his ball and fetch until he drops, exhausted.

Beach vacation or sightseeing?

Beach vacation. Sightseeing seems like work.

Jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, or pencil skirt, silk blouse, and killer heels?

I’m a dress up girl: styled hair, lipstick and eyelashes. I wear fitted skirts and high-heels to work each day and to church on Sundays. What might surprise you is where I get my extensive wardrobe. Thrift stores and resale shops. I am such a fan! People say I should keep it secret, but I’m proud of my bargains, and can’t keep them to myself. If someone compliments my top, I’ll eagerly answer, “Thanks! I paid a dollar for it at Goodwill.”

Carrie Underwood or Lady Gaga?

Neither! I’m an eighties rocker, through and through. I love the music of John Mellencamp, Night Ranger, 38 Special, Loverboy, Eddie Money and Cinderella, to name a few, and have seen them all in concert.

I’m a thrift store addict myself. Love the bargains. Now let’s hear a little bit about Anna’s book.

Blurb:

An ancient scrimshaw doll—does its gypsy magic protect or destroy?

As a child, Darcy Vaughan cowered beneath the malice of her twin sister, Scarlett. Now, Scarlett is back and Darcy hopes to establish the sisterly bond she’s always longed for. Instead, Scarlett tries to destroy Darcy’s life—and her new relationship with the town doctor.

Dr. Cabin Creighton returned to his hometown near Lake Chickasha, Oklahoma to take over his father’s practice. One look at Darcy, and Cabin wants nothing more than to love her forever. But a guilty heart and memories of his deceased wife are holding him back.

When someone from Scarlett’s past reappears, bad things start to happen. Darcy and Cabin struggle to keep their love alive, but as danger draws closer, Darcy finds herself once more at her sister’s mercy, with nothing but the yellowed bones of an ancient doll to protect her.

Excerpt:

“Really? This is how you treat your sister? Your twin?” Scarlett pushed past Darcy, into the living room.

“What—”

“You promised to check on me. I had a coughing spasm and very well could have died in that house all by myself.” She shook a cigarette from her pack, looked around the room, then slid it back in.

“May I intervene?” Cabin asked, his piercing gaze aimed at Scarlett. “You’re perfectly fine. I would have sent you to the hospital if I’d thought otherwise. As for the coughing spasm…you can blame those cigarettes for that.”

“Thank you, Dr. Drew. I’ll check into Celebrity Rehab right away.” She cackled, her breath reeking of alcohol. She turned to Darcy, snatching the doll from her hand. “Where did you get this?” she demanded. “How many crap-filled dumpsters did you have to dive into before you found the ridiculous thing? They should’ve buried these dried up bones right along with that crotchety old bat’s.” She pumped the doll’s legs in a suggestive motion and laughed, holding it from reach as Darcy grabbed for it.

Cabin circled Scarlett’s wrists with one hand, twisting the doll free with the other, and handed it to Darcy.

“My, you are a strong one.” Scarlett batted her lashes over bloodshot eyes. “I can certainly see why my sister…my twin sister…has such a bad case of Cabin fever.” She turned on her stilettoed heel and staggered through the doorway, onto the porch. “I hope you can remedy that, doctor.” She laughed as Cabin shut the door.

Here is the buy link:

The Wild Rose Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Where you can find Anna:

Twitter link:

https://twitter.com/KittrellAnna

Twitter user name: @KittrellAnna

Facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/mskittyanna

mskittyanna@facebook.com

Facebook author page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Kittrell/308789205843840?ref=ts&fref=ts

Website:

http://www.annakittrell.com

 

Anna is so excited about her release that she’s giving away a free pdf download of Skinbound to one lucky commenter. So comment away, and get your hands on a copy of this wonderful book.

 

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday, where you can read six sentences from many talented authors.

The last few weeks I’ve been posting my six sentences from my book, A Prescription for Love, which hit the cyber shelves October 17th. This week, I’m sharing six sentences from my WIP, Miss Merry’s Christmas, a novella that will hit the cyber shelves October 31st.

“Your Grace,” she puffed and attempted a clumsy curtsey.

The only sound in the room was the soft click of the door as the butler exited. Merry waited patiently to be invited to sit. Instead, the brown eyes kept staring at her, then leisurely slid their way down her person, and obviously from the additional tightening of his full sensual lips, finding her wanting.

Eventually, a long-fingered hand flicked in the direction of one of the two leather chairs in front of his desk. “Sit.”

I hope this little snippet has tweaked your curiosity.  If you would like to read the first chapter of Miss Merry’s Christmas, it’s here under the preview gallery at Amazon Preview

Also, please check out other authors six sentences.

I’d love to hear what you think of my six.