Joya Fields's Blog, page 19

LOVE DELIVERED RELEASES in one week! Blog Tour begins!Fri...

LOVE DELIVERED RELEASES in one week! Blog Tour begins!



Friday, December 2, 2011
The Book Boost http://thebookboost.blogspot.com/

Monday, December 19, 2011
Coffee Time Romance Blog
http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/


Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Author Bernadette Marie will interview me on her blog
http://www.authorbernadettemarie.blogspot.com/


Author Sharon Buchbinder will host me on her Snap, Crackle and Popping blog
http://www.sharonbuchbinder.com/blog/

Wednesday, December 21, 2011
**Release Day for Love Delivered**
Savvy Authors will host me for a chat about family memories. www.savvyauthors.com


Author Mina Kahn will host me on her blog to talk about inspiration and writing.
http://minakhan.blogspot.com/


I'll be chatting about Christmas memories and grandparents at Long and Short Reviews.
Love Delivered tote bag giveaway! http://www.longandshortreviews.com/


Thursday, December 22, 2011
Author Laura Kaye will interview my characters from Love Delivered
http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/


Guest blogger on Bernadette Marie's site
http://www.authorbernadettemarie.blogspot.com/

Friday, December 23, 2011
Friday Freebie on Bernadette's blog http://www.authorbernadettemarie.blogspot.com/
Stop by to win romance trading cards, and other fun stuff.

Vicki Batman and I BELIEVE

Today's guest is Vicki Batman who not only has a cool name, but writes compelling stories. Vicki and I met in an online class a few years ago and we stay in touch via a loop for the magazines we write for. I loved getting to know Vicki better through this post and I hope you will too.


1. The heroine in I BELIEVE, Allie, desires the kind of man her cousins and sister have. Sounds like you have lots of experience with "girl talk." What kind of sisters, cousins, and friends do you have in your life?
I do have lots of opportunities for girl talk. I have three sisters, lots of girl cousins. Book club girls, yoga girls, Jazzercise girls, writer girlfriends, the Plotting Princesses. I go on girlfriend trips and have lots of chocolate. Girlfriends can be like psychologists.

2. You're obviously hopelessly in love because you've given your husband the codename Handsome when you speak of him publicly. Do your fictional heroes share any traits with Handsome?
My friend swears Jeffrey Carpenter in IB is Handsome. I'm like "no, he isn't." In fact, Handsome never came to my mind when writing this story, except for one major component: the chant. When I woke up and repeated the chant to my roommate at RWA, later on, I realized it is a poem I'd written for him.
Occasionally, I make a character tall, dark, and handsome like Handsome, but that's probably by coincidence. Living with men, I've learned they speak few words, are strong, honest, know what they want.
BTW, lots of people call him Handsome now instead of his real name. LOLOL. I began calling him that when we first married and he inscribed a card with Beautiful Wife and I put on mine for him, Handsome Husband. Squee!

3. What was the hardest thing about writing I BELIEVE?
I bet everyone out there can guess this--writing the SEX. (And this is the part my friend became embarrassed over because she thought Handsome inspired it). When a writer friend reviewed IB, she said it wasn't sexy enough. I thought "oh, boy," and worked to make it more so.

Here's the blurb and an excerpt: Allie deeply desires what her sister and cousins have--the man of their dreams. And they assure her she can…if she's willing to believe. When her sister shares their grandmother's spell for conjuring her own true love, Allie's deeply conflicted. After all, magic is a risky business. A woman died when a potion went wrong. Did she want to mess with magic, knowing it might not work? Only the outcome will tell....
"I Believe" explores what happens when someone is so desperate, she'll do anything to -- and quite possibly will -- find true happiness.
Loneliness is a four-letter word.
And I'd been lonely far too long.
June—the time of year for summer, picnics, baseball. And weddings. My cousins, my sister, and I had gathered in Bitsy's living room for the monthly meeting of the Single-teeners Club, the one we'd begun when we were fancy-free, out-on-the-town gals. Cheerfulness radiated from the girls like moonbeams in a sickening, sticky-sweet way.
I knew why: Everyone had found her beloved, her mate. Her happily ever after.
But not me.
As if reading my thoughts, my sister Paige frowned my way, then at her knitting project. "Allie Palmer, it's time you found a man."
"A man?" I snorted. "The good ones are hiding. You three got the only decent guys in the whole universe, and I'm stuck with alien, delivery man Jeffrey Carpenter, who persists in making goo-goo eyes at me while I'm working hard on Sweet Style's new wedding campaign. His "aw-shucks" manner is so corny. The fashion police should arrest him for those plaid shirts."
"Here we go again. He can't be that bad." With a click-click of her knitting needles, Martha, Bitsy's sister, said, "You need to get royally screwed."
"Martha! If our mothers heard you, you'd be dead. Served up like Sunday fried chicken."
Martha shrugged. "They aren't here—"
Bitsy looped yarn around a needle. "Praise the Lord."
I frowned. Since when did the Single-teeners become the Knitty Witties? I was without a knitting project, leaving me feeling left out of this club, too. "Where did you get the idea I needed a man? For sex?" I huffed. "Men aren't necessarily a requirement. Just ask my best friend, Alex, my vibrator."
"You don't have a vibrator. If anyone would know, I would," Paige said. "You're too picky."
"Yeah, picky," Bitsy said. "Men fall at your feet, even when you treat them like slime balls. And still they come back for more. Go figure."
"I. Am. Not. Picky." My eyes rolled ceiling-ward. "I followed Single-teeners's rules. Remember our standards? Doctors. Lawyers. Accountants. Not delivery men-slash-box company owners."
"Those standards go beyond club requirements." Paige clicked a stitch counter. "Picking boogers from noses . . . ." She snapped her finger in the universal flipped-off gesture. "Gone."
Bitsy perked up. "Moustache and/or beard?"
Snap went Martha. "Gone."
"Zip-up dress shoes—"
"Okay!" I flashed my palms their way. "Point taken, except for nose picking. Did you ever stop to think maybe nothing jived between those bozos and me? No chemistry? That's what a successful relationship needs, as you well know."
Paige resumed knitting. A small, white bootie dangled from the needles. "The only chemistry you're familiar with is the one you almost flunked in high school."
"So chemistry wasn't my favorite subject, Miss I-do-everything-perfectly. You're talking about the wrong kind, anyway. And I have more dating under my belt than you ever had." I tossed my hands skyward. "I don't know what else to do. Post a want ad on Facebook or Craigslist? Wave a magic wand?"
A hush cloaked the room. Paige's project fell to her lap. "Did Allie say magic?"
"She did." Bitsy nodded. "I heard her."
Pausing her knitting, Martha bobbed her head vigorously. "Me, too."
This conversation was going nowhere except down the Port-A-Potty. But as I sat there and thoughts passed through what little brains my dad teased I had, I noticed the girls shared a distinct look, like they knew something I didn't. Each lifted one brow, a shoulder raised in a bare shrug, as if they were communicating through . . . telepathy.

4. If your story were to be made into a movie, who do you think could play Allie's part and why?
Wow, Joya, this is a hard question. I'm really stumped. I'd never even thought of it as a movie. Any ideas?
Joya's note: LOL, so now I'm stumped, too. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say Kaley Cuoco (from "The Big Bang Theory). What do you think? Come on, Hollywood, give Vicki a call.

5. What's your next release and when is it coming out?
For sure, Christmas 2012 brings "Twinkle Lights." The publisher hoped to put it out this year, even got a cover, but nothing yet. It's a very funny story.

Otherwise, I have eight things on my computer to put somewhere. Am working on a secret project. And writing a new short story--"Raving Beauty." Yeah, it is a funny one, too. I'd be lost without my humor.

Thanks, Joya, for having me here. I wish you much success in your writing.
Great to have you and thanks for stopping by, Vicki. Best wishes to you for much continued success!

Vicki Batman is kicking back with her diet Coke and working on another short. Find her at: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com
Or at: http://vickibatman.blogspot.com
Find "I Believe," her sexy novella with a touch of magic at: https://nobleromance.com

Love Delivered, Trailer

It's release month for Love Delivered! 12.21.2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZWgfvgKxVQ

Check Bianca and Pete's book trailer.

Love Delivered Releasing December 21, 2011

I'm so thrilled to announce that LOVE DELIVERED, a short contemporary romance, will release from The Wild Rose Press on December 21st. Cover artist Kim Mendoza once again designed a cover that showcases the characters and the story. Thanks, Kim!

Here's a blurb about the story:
Bianca McClain has worked for years to achieve her dream job in New York City. After her grandmother passes away, she finds herself returning to the small town she grew up in to ready her house for sale. The slow, friendly pace of the town and its citizens, especially Pete the mailman, appeal to her—but there's no way she's giving up everything she's accomplished in New York.

Born and raised in Centreville, MD, Pete Schaeffer loves his small town mail carrier job and can't imagine leaving for any reason—or anyone—so he's dumbfounded by his intense attraction to Bianca, a woman with a fast-paced life in the big city.

Pete and Bianca soon find themselves lost in each other's arms. When the summer ends, they will have big decisions to make. Will the small-town guy and big-city girl find common ground and lasting love, or will their differences drive them apart?

Christi Barth's CRUISING TOWARD LOVE

I'm thrilled to host my good friend, fabulous author, and critique partner Christi Barth today for a fun post about cruises and love. She's a gal who loves her hubby, and loves to write. I hope you enjoy getting to know her better today through some Q&A and a wonderful excerpt from her newest release, CRUISING TOWARD LOVE.

One of the things you like your readers to know is that your husband is "absolutely the best husband." How did you meet and how has he influenced your writing?
We met at a callback to play the romantic leads in a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta. We pissed each other off that day, but got the parts and became great friends by the time the production closed. He then auditioned for another show just to be near me! He doesn't have any influence on the characters I write. After all, why would I want to share the perfect man with the rest of the world? There'd be a line at my front door. He does, however, support my writing career 110%, in innumerable ways. I wouldn't be at this point in my career without him.

2. You're a big supporter of local theatre. How has your ongoing interest in theatre contributed to your books and characters?
To say I have a flair for the dramatic would be putting it mildly. No doubt my years as an actress exponentially enhanced my adoration of a happy ending and a need to put a smile on people's faces. In my book the characters are realistic, but the situations might be enhanced a shade or two from reality to punch it up a bit. The theatre teaches you to go big!

3. CRUISING TOWARD LOVE takes place on a cruise ship. Have you ever been on a cruise? If so, what's your best "cruise advice" for someone who's never been?
I've been fortunate to cruise twice, and I can't wait to go again. They treat you like royalty, and you see amazing things. My first piece of advice would be not to wait – cruises aren't as expensive as you might think, so go book one! But the real cruise insider tip would be to not waste space in your luggage with packing beach towels for your shore excursions – the ship will provide EVERYTHING you need. You'll need that space for souvenirs…and duty free local rums, of course.

4. Zoe, the heroine in CRUISING TOWARD LOVE, has a very colorful family. What inspired the secondary characters in this book?
They're definitely not from real life, because I'm an only child. I thoroughly enjoy the interplay of secondary characters in the books that I read, so I wanted to be sure to interject it into everything I write. Kind of like buying presents for people that you'd like to keep for yourself. They are also a handy way to introduce humor, which I try to infuse into every book. My main characters are a cup of coffee. The secondary characters are the cream and sugar. You wouldn't want to drink an entire cup of sugar and cream, but they are enjoyable additions to the main event.

5. Nate, the hero in CRUISING TOWARD LOVE, is an Army medic. What sort of research did you have to do to make this character and his background authentic?
Probably not enough, I'll admit. I did research Army bases to figure out where he could've been stationed for the past ten years. My responsibility as an author is to make up the plots and characters, but to get all facts possible correct. So I do strive for a high level of authenticity. At a picnic, 2/3 of the way through writing the book, I mentioned to a friend who spent years in the Army something about Nate's gun. She immediately corrected me – soldiers always refer to their 'weapon', never their 'gun'. I never would've discovered that through research. So helpful, not to mention serendipity that led us to sit next to each other to share the mustard.

Want to ignore the leaf piles and biting wind by indulging in a funny, sexy romp through the Caribbean? Of course you do! So dive into the pages of Cruising Toward Love by Christi Barth. Here's a blurb to get you started. If you really want to get your feet wet, there's an excerpt below the banner.

Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance – and endless buffets – of a tropical cruise? When her sister is left at the altar, small town librarian Zoe Balis jumps at the chance to take the bride's unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise. But she didn't count on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago!
Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted - or the real reason why he dumped her on prom night after a year as high school sweethearts. And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind. Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made? After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if he can convince her to move past ten years of bitterness and hurt.
Once aboard the luxury liner, Zoe befriends a bored Internet mogul with more heart than tact. Nate vents his problems to a ship's photographer battling PTSD. The four team up on an island hopping treasure hunt. The stakes grow higher with each of Zoe's mysterious brushes with death. They race to discover why she's a target and who's behind it, while still competing in the treasure hunt. Zoe's never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life. But she already lost him once. She's not willing to risk loving a man whose career keeps him in a combat zone. Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart? Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!




"Did you stop kissing me because you weren't enjoying it? You see, I've dealt with the first time you rejected me, when you left all those years ago. There's no need to rehash the past. But I don't think I could bear you rejecting me a second time. So I have to know—did you not take me to bed the other night because I didn't turn you on, or was it because I somehow wasn't good enough at it?"
The world stood still while she waited for his answer. Zoe focused on the squawk of sea gulls and the muted slap of the surf at the base of the wall. The lyrical lilt of Spanish from the group of teenagers passing by. A low buzz which must be some exotic insect in the shrubbery along the path. Every sound in her immediate vicinity rang with absurd clarity—except the sound she waited on with bated breath—Nate's reply.
"If you still don't want me, just say so, damn it!" she burst out.
Was it anger that hardened the lines of his body? Disinterest? Annoyance? Zoe couldn't get a read on him. Nate advanced slowly. She backed into the turret, the space tight and cramped even for her stature. Built for the far shorter men of an earlier century, Nate had to duck his head as he edged ever closer. His sheer presence commanded as much area as his physical body. Something, some emotion rolled off him in waves, shimmering like heat above asphalt on a summer day. Why couldn't she tell what was going on in his head?
"The sky is blue," said Nate, his face separated from hers by only a breath.
Huh? "Is that a military thing? Are you talking in code?"
"The sun rises in the east. Play with fire and you'll get burned. These are all absolute truths. Indisputable facts. Well, there's one more absolute you need to file away in your mental card catalog."
Nate brought the lower half of his body so close Zoe felt the heat radiating from his legs. Despite the heat, her goose bumps had goose bumps. The anticipation of his touch brought her every sense to high alert. He raised his arms up, planted his hands on either side of her head to cage her in place. Then he tilted so his forehead bumped hers. Her field of vision narrowed to the indigo sea of his eyes, pupils flooding black in the shaded darkness of the narrow turret they shared.
"I want you, Zoe." He forced the words out in a heavy rasp. "I wanted you the day we met. You wore a red ribbon in your hair, dropped a stack of books on my foot, and apologized adorably for ten minutes. All I could think of was wrapping the ribbon around my hand to pull you in for a kiss. I wanted you the first time we kissed, on the bridge in a storm. One by one, I licked off every raindrop that clung to your skin. I wanted you when I saw you covered in mud last Friday. Wanted you badly enough to crawl right into the mud to be with you. I want you now, and I will always want you."
Zoe let her eyes flutter shut in preparation for a kiss. Such a heartfelt, utterly romantic speech could only end one way. Just as whipped cream hungered for a cherry, his words demanded to be topped off by a kiss. She didn't care about the past. With a handful of sentences he'd put her insecurities to rest. Nate dazzled her, and she was ready for more.
What was taking him so long? From beneath her lashes she snuck a peek. No Nate. Hoping the knees he'd melted to jelly would hold her, Zoe scrambled out onto the dirt path. Twenty strides ahead, Nate bellowed at her over his shoulder. "Hurry up. We don't want to miss the reading of the clue."
From confusion to relief with paper hearts dancing overhead...right back to confusion, all in less than five minutes. Zoe trudged after him with one thought uppermost in her mind—now what?
For more information and purchase links, please visit www.christibarth.com

Baltimore Book Festival, September 23-25

It's here! It's free! It's time for the Baltimore Book Festival. http://http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/ Author appearances, book signings, panel discussions, workshops and more! Hope to see you at the Baltimore Book Festival.When: Friday, September 23, noon-8 Saturday, September 24, noon-8 Sunday, September 25, noon-7Where: Mt. Vernon Place, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 Where to find Joya:Friday, 1:30 p.m. in the Maryland Romance Writers tent (look for the black-eyed susans) CHARMED BY CHARM CITY, WHY BALTIMORE MAKES A GREAT SETTING FOR A NOVEL Join Joya and her fellow Maryland Romance Writer friends Sharon Buchbinder, Laura Kaye, Kate Dolan and Jeri Smith-Ready to find out why Maryland is a great place to set a novel. Friday, 2 p.m. in the Maryland Romance Writers tent Joya will be read from BENEATH THE SURFACE, her debut novel which releases on January 18th, 2012. After the reading, Joya will give away a treasure chest filled with sea-themed items like Yankee Candle "beach towel" scented candle, turtle chocolate caramel candies, Swedish fish, a pirate boa and a Beneath the Surface tote bag. FREE to enter! Saturday, 3 p.m. in the Maryland Romance Writers tent Join Joya and her fellow Maryland Romance writer friends Laura Kaye, Christi Barth, Diane Wylie, Kate Poole and Sharon Buchbinder as they discuss Making the Most of Publishing with Small Presses and e-presses. Sunday, noon, on the City Lit Stage Join Joya and her Maryland Writers' Association friends Nicole Schultheis, T.C. Galltin, L.M. Preston and Eileen McIntire for readings and to discuss how critique groups can influence and shape an author's writing. Hope to see you there!

Cassandra Carr, Guest Author

Welcome to author Cassandra Carr today. She's taking over my blog, while I take over hers for a day. She asks a great question: Why can't real men be like my erotic romance heroes? –
This is an age-old question. From the time romance novels became popular, women have been asking why their men can't behave/look more like the heroes in their stories. I am here to offer a few reasons why:

Real men don't just "have" great bodies. They have to spend a significant portion of their time exercising. And when they're at the gym that long, they aren't attending to our "needs", whether that means a foot massage, a night of hot sex, or doing the dishes (hey, I don't know about you but I fantasize about my man doing the dishes without being asked!).

Real men aren't all brawny, virile beasts who make you feel like a small, delicate flower in comparison. Some are tall, some are short, some are thin, some are beefier. But do you want a perfect-looking guy? Personally, it would give me a complex. I'll take my five foot six husband, thanks very much. I can't wear high heels, but they pinch my feet anyway and I don't have to crane my neck every time I want to gaze upon his hotness.

Real men don't have unlimited supplies of testosterone. I mean really – what woman wants to put up a guy who's constantly up for sex? (Wait, don't answer that…) And what about a guy who lasted all night? Craig Ferguson is on, people!

Real men don't all have exciting careers as international spies and special forces soldiers. Truthfully, I wouldn't want my man to have either occupation – neither is home very often, which leads me back to that whole "attending to my needs" thing. My hubby has a fairly regular nine-to-five job, which means he's home at night. He entertains my daughter while I write and then keeps my bed warm at night. How could I ask for more?

Then there are the things that make real men better than romance heroes:

Real men aren't fazed by the minutiae in life. They pick up the kids from day care, wipe the runny noses, fix the leaky toilet, and trim the bushes. They go to the grocery store, crawl through the bounce house, and change the sheets in the baby's crib after she spits up. How many of us can actually picture the typical romance hero doing all of that?

So there you are, ladies. Real men aren't like romance heroes, but when it comes down to it, do we really want them to be?

Bio: Cassandra Carr lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out on Twitter. Her debut novel, Talk to Me, was released by Loose Id on March 22, 2011. For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com, "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassand... or follow her on Twitter athttp://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.

Buy links:
Loose Id
AllRomanceEBooks
Amazon
Fictionwise
eBookwise
Barnes & Noble

Hearts in Darkness Treasure Hunt

Two strangers. Four hours. One pitch-black elevator.

It's National Talk in an Elevator Day (seriously!) and what better day to celebrate Hearts in Darkness? This top-rated contemporary romance is about two strangers who find acceptance and dare to find love while trapped for four hours in a pitch-black elevator.

And, did you know…???

Hearts in Darkness is the #4 Top-Rated
Kindle Contemporary Romance on Amazon?

So, we're celebrating all this elevator-related goodness with a Treasure Hunt Giveaway! Here's how to play:

1) Find the hidden word on each of the participating sites, usually 1 page off the main page
2) Keep track of the sites/words as you search
3) Email your findings to laurakayepromotions AT gmail DOT com and put Treasure Hunt in the subject heading. Entries accepted through 12 noon PST Saturday 7/30!

What can you win???
GRAND PRIZE: $50 AMAZON GIFT CERTIFICATE
FIRST RUNNER-UP: $20 DIGIBOOKS CAFÉ GIFT CERTIFICATE W/20% OFF CODE
SECOND RUNNER-UP: BAG OF HEARTS swag bag

Here's where the treasure is buried:

1) For the Love of Books http://fourtheloveofbooks.blogspot.com/
2) Book Wenches http://www.bookwenches.com/laurakayes...
3) My Eclectic Bookshelf www.myeclecticbookshelf.blogspot.com
4) MyVampFiction www.myvampfiction.com
5) Where's my Muse? http://csmaxwell.blogspot.com/
6) Author AJ Nuest http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/
7) Author Jill James http://www.jilljameswrites.com/blog
8) Author Joya Fields http://joyafieldswriting.blogspot.com/
9) Author Sarah Grimm http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com
10) Author Sharon Buchbinder www.sharonbuchbinder.com/blog

When you're done, stop over to Laura's own blog for another fun giveaway opportunity!

Thanks for reading and playing!
Laura Kaye
Hot, Heartfelt Romance – Because everyone longs to belong…
Laura is a multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance with five books releasing in 2011

Read the reviews here!
Buy from amazon! | Buy from DigiBooks Café!
Follower Laura Kaye on twitter | facebook