Victoria Adams's Blog, page 52

Thursday 13 has 13 sentences from Red Tulip

From Red Tulip - contemporary romance with a little mystery twist - scene set- earlier there were 2 tulips in the vase in Darcy's apartment - now they are gone and a piece of paper rests next to the vase.

With trembling fingers, I picked up the paper. I tried to read it, but my vision blurred. I blinked and focused. "I...uh…can't read this." I held it out to Shamus.He looked at it and chuckled. "That's because it's in Gaelic.""Can you read it?"He shook his head. "No. I recognize it, but I can't read it."I chewed my bottom lip. "You didn't put it here?"

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Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance
28 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday
30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl
 

The mystery begins - Red Tulip on this week's Book Hooks #MFRWhooks, #MFRWAuthor

Welcome to my blog and Book Hooks - Pulllllllllllllease leave a comment - even if it's just Hi.  Over 500 views a day and barely ever a comment.

ok- enough whining for this week.

Scene set- Darcy is a work - she's a municipal gardener. She meets a mysterious stranger then moves on with her day, sees him again then at the end of her day a red tulip appears in the locked gardeners shed.




My fingers trembled as I picked up the tulip. How did it get there? Did he put it there?I glanced around the shed. Everything seemed normal. No broken windows. No doors swinging on bent hinges.


Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.Shamus McRae is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
Amazon - US Amazon - Canada Barnes and Noble - US Barnes and Noble - CanadaBarnes and Noble - UKiTunesKoboSmashwords 





Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

My Favourite Author #4 out 5 - Nero Wolfe's creator - Rex Stout

The 4th of my 5 favourite authors is not a British mystery writer or a female – he’s American mystery writer Rex Stout the creator of Nero Wolfe.
Photo credit – Wikipedia
Rex Stout was born in 1886 and died in 1975. He wrote 30+ novels and 35+ novellas featuring detective Nero Wolfe and his hard working and totally loveable assistant Archie Goodwin.

Rex Stout began his writing career in the 1910s. He wrote more than 40 stories which spanned genres including romance, adventure, science fiction/fantasy, and detective fiction, including two serialized murder mystery novellas that prefigured elements of the Wolfe stories.

In 1929 he wrote his first published book, How Like a God, an unusual psychological story written in the second person, and published by the Vanguard Press, which he had helped to found.

In the 1930s, Stout turned to writing detective fiction. In 1933-34, he wrote Fer-de-Lance, which introduced Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.


In 1959 Stout received the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. The Nero Wolfe corpus was nominated Best Mystery Series of the Century at the world's largest mystery convention, and Rex Stout was nominated Best Mystery Writer of the Century.
For absolute lovers of Nero Wolfe there is a website- The Wolfe Pack - http://www.nerowolfe.org/
Why do I love these books? I love the intellect of Nero. He rarely leaves his apartment – has a fabulous chef – everybody should have a Fritz – and yet he can solve the most baffling mysteries with only his mind. Plus – there is always Archie. Archie does the leg work and fights the fights and is about 2 steps behind Nero at figuring out what is going on. These books are fun and the characters and plots just grab you.

If you prefer a video version – there was a series made and it is pretty good. The late Maury Chaykin played Nero and Timothy Hutton plays Archie. It’s fun to watch with the added bonus of the time period and the fabulous clothes. Oh - and the orchids!


Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance25 – My Favourite Author – Rex Stout26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

My 3rd of 5 Favourite Authors post - British medieval murder myster writer - Ellis Peters

The next in my series – My Favourite Authors – is a well-known name if you are into British mystery writers and I am! Ellis Peters wrote a series of historical murder mysteries group as The Cadfael Chronicles.

Ellis Peters – Edith Pargeter’s pseudonym – wrote 20 novels tracing the story of Brother Cadfael as he ends one career as a Crusader and starts his next as a monk.
 The stories are set between 1137 and 1145, during what was known as the Anarchy. It was a horrible time with two people fighting for the crown of England and dividing the country.  Many true historical events are described or referred to in Peter’s books.
Why do I like these medieval murder mysteries? Two reasons.1. I love TV shows like NCIS or Bones – where they use high tech to solve murders. Cadfael had no high tech. He was a quiet man with a wide range of knowledge of herbs and medicines, plus what he learned on the battlefield about death.2. Cadfael is the 2nd reason. As I said he is a quiet man, content with his life, but with a strong passion for justice. His interactions with his non-monk friend, Lord Beringer, are true to life as two men start wary of each other then their friendship solidifies. Also, Cadfael’s life in the monastery. It is quiet fascinating to read about life there and the adorable ways Cadfael fits his life with theirs. He always choses a certain spot in the church where he can lean against a pillar and sleep during the long dull services.
The books are comforting reads for a quiet Sunday afternoon.
There is a British series that follows some of the books – I recommend it with reservations. It is interesting to watch to view what life was like in the 1100s. And Derek Jacobi who plays Cadfael is fabulous. 


Where the series falls apart is the friendship with Lord Beringer. The first part of the series, the actor chosen played Beringer acted as Cadfael’s friend. But for the 2ndpart of the series, another actor is used and the director chose – to add more conflict to the story- to have to two men constantly at odds. Which anyone who has read the books knows is very wrong. Cadfael becomes Beringer’s son’s godfather.
So this is definitely an author where I would say – buy the books – skip the tv version.



Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance25 – My Favourite Author – Rex Stout26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

A snippet from contemporary romance- Red Tulip on Weekend Writing Warriors #8sunday

Back to WWW 


Scene Set- Darcy is confused and scared how two tulips ended up in her vase when she only put one there. She dropped her microwaved supper on her foot.
After wiping my supper off my foot, I tossed another meal into the microwave then settled at the kitchen table with my laptop. While waiting for it to boot up, I pondered the meaning of tulips. Not recalling whether tulips meant a warning or a threat, I wondered about red.I typed what does the colour red represent into a search engine. Result - Red represents fire, blood, anger or love. Hmmm – should I be calling the cops? Hmph, and tell them what?My search for tulip resulted in - a declaration of love. My heart skipped a beat. Excuse me?
Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.
Shamus McRae is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
Amazon - US Amazon - Canada Barnes and Noble - US Barnes and Noble - CanadaBarnes and Noble - UKiTunesKoboSmashwords 
 


 Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance
24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

You feel soft and feminine and decidedly sensuous -From Circles Interlocked on My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday #MSS106

From the 3rd book in Circles Trilogy- Circles Interlocked.
Scene set - Julie snuck into Robert's bedroom and surprised him.



In the faint moonlight, Julie could see Robert's dark eyes had turned from exhaustion to lust.He wanted to finish what'd been interrupted in the barn. He lowered his face to her lips, savouring the sensations that electrified his body. His kiss was soft as it grazed her skin, just enough pressure to tease - to make her desire more.She trickled the tips of her fingers up his back. Her hand paused. Memories flooded her mind; laughing in class, kissing, eating supper together and being wrapped in each other's arms. How could she have driven him away? She had loved him. He'd loved her. She should've guessed what he'd done and not so many years hating him. She should've trusted him. Trusted those eyes, hands and lips. "I'm so sorry."He slid his body up hers. She could feel his hardness pressing against her belly. "You wanna talk?""I...I...feel...""You feel soft and feminine and decidedly sensuous. You feel and smell like the woman I love. She loves and forgives me for all of my faults and misdeeds and I had forgiven her long ago." He rolled over to his back and settled Julie on his stomach. "You sound like a woman whose head's lost in a whirlwind. Unable to focus on what's important."His hands roamed across her, leaving a trail of tingling sparkles in her flesh. "Forget about the past. Don't think about the future. I'm here and I want your attention. I want to make love to you." 
Having been betrayed by the man she assumed she was destined to be with forever; Julie Anderson slapped Robert Holiday in an angry ending to their brief love affair. Heartbroken that her love affair didn't end with the fairy tale Happily Ever After, Julie leaves town to pursue her dream of being a dancer. As fate has a curious sense of humor, eight years later, they wake up in bed together. Now it is up to love to fix what time cannot mend.
Amazon

Print copy  





Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance22 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday23 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

A sad moment for Darcy from Red Tulip on Friday Snippets #Fridaysnippets

From Red Tulip - contemporary romance with a little twist of mystery. Scene set- Darcy's faith in Shamus has been shattered. She saw him with another woman.

The taxi sped away from the curve, hurtling me away from…I clenched my fists. No, I wasn't going to think about Shamus. He made his decision and I was making mind. I picked up Tulip's carrier and rested it on my lap. She peered out the screened end. I wiggled my finger on it and she slapped at it with her dainty paws.Soft music floated from the taxi's radio, as Cher belted out, The Lady is a Tramp.I nodded in agreement. Oh, no, not that Cher's a tramp. I meant the one who snatched Shamus away from me. If ever in my life I harboured the desire to drop poison into someone's drink…I gave myself a shake.Good old Murphy's Law – if anything can go wrong, it will. When I arrived at the airport, my flight was delayed. Every other flight was on time. Mine was delayed. It's not like I could just hop on another flight. I was flying out of the biggest airport in the country to a little airport next to a corn field. The helpful ticket agent said they could ship Tulip on ahead, on a cargo flight. I was torn between wanting what was best and not wanting to release the most precious thing in my life.My cell rang. I apologized to the ticket agent and checked it. "Hi, Mom.""Hi, Sweetie. What a wonderful surprise having you come home. What time are you landing?""My plane has a small engine problem and is going to be delayed. But they are willing to ship Tulip. It's less stress on her. Can you pick her up? I really hate making you go to the airport twice."Mom and I settled the arrangements, while the ticket agent tried to reroute me, but conceded and said my best bet was to wait. He guessed about three hours. I kissed Tulip and asked her to be a good kitty then stood a breath away from being a babbling idiot as the ticket agent put the carrier on the moving belt. I swear my heart broke when I heard Tulip's little cry as the carrier disappeared into the back.


Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.Shamus McRae is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
Amazon - US Amazon - Canada Barnes and Noble - US Barnes and Noble - CanadaBarnes and Noble - UKiTunesKoboSmashwords 



Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance22 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday23 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 –author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

That's kind of spooky - Red Tulip on Thursday 13 #Thursday13

From Red Tulip - contemporary romance with a little twist of mystery. Scene set - Darcy is trying to figure out who the man she saw was - if it wasn't Shamus.

A jolt of remembrance made me snap my fingers. "There was also the man. He looked like you. Except he was dressed in older style clothes and had emerald green eyes. He looked like the man in the painting." "My great grandfather?" Shamus scratched his head. "That's kind of spooky.""You're telling me!" I emptied the last of the coffee and placed it on the edge of a heating unit.He put his empty mug next to mine then grasped my hand in his. "We'll just have to work together to unravel this romantic mystery."I felt the blush creep up my cheeks. 




Amazon - US Amazon - Canada Barnes and Noble - US Barnes and Noble - CanadaBarnes and Noble - UKiTunesKoboSmashwords 


  

Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance 21 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets22 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday23 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl
If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

I offer the gift of a red tulip. Red Tulip on Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor

Welcome to my blog and Book Hooks - Pulllllllllllllease leave a comment - even if it's just Hi.  Over 500 views a day and barely ever a comment.

ok- enough whining for this week.

Scene set - Darcy's had an usual day at work. She meets a mysterious stanger and then later he reappears.



As I reached the gardener's shed, I checked to see if, maybe, the Rolls was nearby. Or, possibly the man with the emerald gaze sat on a nearby bench. Both the parking lot and bench were deserted. No one but the ducks and me were in the park at this time of the day.Sighing, I inserted the key into the lock for the big door and drove the cart inside. A splash of colour on the wooden bench made me gasp. I jumped out of the cart and picked up the note resting beside the flower."I offer the gift of a red tulip."


Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.Shamus McRae is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
Amazon - US Amazon - Canada Barnes and Noble - US Barnes and Noble - CanadaBarnes and Noble - UKiTunesKoboSmashwords 





Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance

20 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1321 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets22 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday23 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl


If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Spotlight on Barbara White Daille and her latest cowboy romance - A Rancher of Her Own

Thanks to Victoria for inviting me to the blog today to share a teaser from my latest release, A Rancher of Her Own.

A REASON TO STAY Ranch manager Pete Brannigan has no interest in playing tour guide to a city slicker like Jane Garland. But spending a few days with the headstrong photographer is a small price to pay for everything her grandfather has given the single dad. Though Pete's drawn to Jane's sharp wit and striking beauty, he won't hurt his young children by falling for another woman who puts her career before family. Jane's seen the world through her camera…and used it to shield her emotions. With Pete, she can finally let her guard down. If only he could do the same. Despite their powerful bond, Pete still can't trust Jane with his kids or his heart. But if he keeps pushing her away, he may ruin any chance their relationship has to develop. ~~
When Pete is assigned to work with the boss’s pain-in-the-butt granddaughter, he can’t protest. Their differences make it easy for him to keep his distance…until their verbal sparring turns into a competition he’s determined to win.
She swung her leg over the top of the ladder and clambered down the steps, one hand held in front of her to protect the camera on its strap. “I think we’re done here.”
Pete glanced at the tub. “That’s a waste of hot water. And not to mention all the fun we’d miss out on with the bubbles.”
“Is it your turn to make me an offer?”
“Something like that.” He hadn’t deliberately echoed her words, but they were out before he could stop himself.
“You’re right. Why waste all those bubbles? Why don’t you feel free to jump in—” she raised the camera “—and give me a big smile.”
He stepped forward, reaching out to cover the lens. It put him close enough to see the pure silver-gray of her eyes surrounded by lashes as dark as her hair. “I’ll pass on that offer, too.”
“Why? Are you camera-shy?”
The real answer would take too long and tell her much more than he wanted her to know. “Let’s make things perfectly clear, the way you like 'em.” He tugged gently on her silver chain and watched her eyes darken. “Honey, I’m not shy about anything.”
Find A Rancher of Her Own:Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Books-A-Million ~ Harlequin ~ IndieBound ~ Kobo
About the Author:Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom.When she was very young, Barbara learned from her mom about the storytelling magic in books—and she’s been hooked ever since. She hopes you will enjoy reading her books and will find your own magic in them!Barbara’s new series, The Hitching Post Hotel, features a matchmaking grandpa determined to see his three granddaughters wed. The series began in April 2015 with The Cowboy’s Little Surprise and continues with A Rancher of Her Ownin July and The Lawman’s ChristmasProposal in December.She loves to chat with readers, and you can find her online at the following locations:Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Newsletter ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~ Harlequin ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest



 Rest of the month's highlights on Victoria's Pages of Romance
19 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks20 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1321 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets22 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday23 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday24 – author spotlight25 – author spotlight26 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks27 – Thursday 13 - #Thursday1328 – Friday Snippets  #Friday Snippets29 – My Sexy Saturday - #MySexySaturday30 – Weekend Writing Warriors - #8Sunday31 – author spotlight – Luanna Stewart – Portrait of a Girl

If you see an Author Spotlight place that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.