Sharon Struth's Blog, page 7

Sharon’s Choice

Yesterday when I went to Target to buy deodorant, I thought about my husband’s cousin who’d visited us from Germany a few years ago. I’d taken her with me on a routine trip to the grocery store, figuring she’d enjoy a slice right out of our all-American life.

As we strolled down the packaged cheese aisle, her eyes went wide and she said, “How do you choose?”

I was surprised by her reaction. “Why? Don’t you have a lot to pick from in the grocery stores in Germany?”

Her gaze drifted away from the numerous selections of low-fat, no-fat, yes-fat, sharp, mild, medium, aged, “real”,  shredded, blocked, yellow, white, single slice, *deep breath* extra sharp, crumbled, individual-sized packaging, extra large blocks, sticks, etc…. all hanging off pegs or stored on the refrigerated shelves below them. “Nein. Not this many.”

I’d almost chalk it up to a fluke, but my daughter is currently in graduate school studying international relations with several students from out of the country. She took them to a grocery store in upstate New York and told me, “I had to explain to one guy what all the choices were.”

I increasingly find myself overwhelmed when I go to purchase items that I’ve bought for years without a problem. The Target trip that took me down this path was an attempt to buy Secret Power Fresh deodorant,which is what I’ve used since the 1980’s. Yet for some reason yesterday, I saw everything BUT Secret Powder Fresh.

And it’s not just the deodorant. Shampoo, oatmeal, peanut butter, orange juice, pasta, ice cream–you name it…if it’s not fresh, it’s been transformed into some variation of the real deal. Oh dear lord, I almost forgot toothpaste! You can’t even send your husband to the store and say, “Pick up some Crest” without getting a call home asking which one he should get.

So I ask you, is it me or are the sheer number of choices out there completely out of control?

Love in a Small Town: Ten Homespun and Heartwarming Contemporary Romances (Crimson Romance Bundle)

I’m in a small town kind of mood since writing Share the Moon, so I’m thrilled to feature this bundled set of Crimson Romance stories centered around…you guess it…small town romances!

Love in a Small Town: Ten Homespun and Heartwarming Contemporary Romances (Crimson Romance Bundle)

California Sunset: Casey Dawes

Divorced mother Annie Gerhard meets rugged new bookstore owner John Johnson at the worst possible time in her life. Her high tech company is threatening to lay her off if she doesn’t move from California to New Jersey and her 15-year-old son David is causing trouble. The recession has hit Silicon Valley hard and there are no jobs for a middle manager, even if she hates what she does. And this is no time for romance, no matter how good the man looks in his jeans.

John has escaped Montana memories of a deceased wife and betraying girlfriend by buying an independent bookstore in California. He’s got bigger problems than falling for a spunky woman with control issues. Keeping a bookstore afloat in a recession and finding a home where he can stable his horse are all he can handle right now.

Unless . . .

John and Annie must both face their pasts in order to greet the future. Can they risk it?

Contemporary romance author Casey Dawes is an award-winning writer who believes in Casey Dawes contemporary romance authorthe power of friendship and love to change lives. Her novels are filled with real-life situations where people discover how to change their lives for the better to achieve real love.

Living in the beautiful state of Montana gives Casey and her husband plenty of opportunity to hike, camp, and photograph scenery, animals, and birds. When weather keeps her in, Casey also enjoys quilting, knitting, and cooking.

 

Slow Ride: Kat Morrisey

Kyla O’Grady hit the gas and drove her Mustang out of Rock River, Pennsylvania with one goal in mind: find somewhere to start over. Her life had gone sideways back home and Kyla needs something new, something fresh, and she needs to find the music again. But on a stretch of road off the coast of Maine, her car has other ideas. Broken down just inside the town limits of Ashten Falls, Maine, Kyla is stranded.

Cooper Moretto has a problem. In fact, the whole town of Ashten Falls has a problem in the form of a corrupt town official. Cooper had enough on his plate to last a lifetime, but on a stretch of highway heading into the town he spots a ’67 Mustang Coupe and does what any decent mechanic would do: stop to help. But getting this car back on the road is the last thing on his mind when he sees its owner, singing as if she weren’t in the middle of nowhere.

Kyla is speeding away from her past, unsure how to move forward. Cooper has been on cruise control, just hoping to get through every day without being arrested or harassed. Can the two slow down long enough to see that maybe the answers to both their problems lie in each other? And can they survive when enemies that are lurking in the shadows try to destroy them both?

Kat Morrisey lives in a small town in central New York State where she splits her time between her family, her jobs as both teacher and lawyer, and the fictional characters she writes about. She can often be heard on social media talking about a wide range of topics, including Highlanders, book boyfriends, happily ever afters, Jane Austen, hockey, fictional characters, men with beards, and of course, zombies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found on twitter, @KatMorrisey, and Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/KatMorriseyAuthor

 

Coming Home: Christine S. Feldman

No woman ever really forgets her first love. Callie Sorenson is no exception. Hers was tall, tanned, and – as her older brother’s best friend – completely off limits.

Danny McCutcheon.

It’s a name that Callie hasn’t spoken in years, even if the man to whom it belongs has never really been all that far from her thoughts. Or her heart. But now a twist of fate will bring her back to the childhood home she left behind years ago, and to the hometown boy for whom she secretly longed.

When her mother takes a bad fall and breaks her hip, Callie leaves the bright lights of New York City to fly back west and help with the rehabilitation. It’s a tense homecoming due to a long time estrangement between mother and daughter, and it drives Callie to confront both a painful personal loss and her unanswered questions about the father who abandoned her when she was just a child. It also brings her face to face with Danny again, and Callie quickly realizes that old feelings die hard.

But for Danny, it’s new feelings that are a problem. Callie is not the young girl he remembers but a woman now, and a very desirable one. They both have reasons to fight the growing attraction between them, but the temptation may just prove to be too much to resist, despite some very real risk to their hearts. The past casts a long shadow over the future, though, and Callie will have to overcome it or else face losing the one man who means the most to her.

Christine S. Feldman writes both novels and feature-length screenplays, and she has placed in screenwriting competitions on both coasts. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her ballroom-dancing husband and their beagle.

 

Begin Again: Christy Newton

What if one night changed your life forever?

 

Maisie Scott lost not only her husband and unborn child in a tornado two years ago, she lost her will to live. Keeping busy is the only way she can get by. This small town waitress won’t let herself get attached to anyone . . . until Ryan, the new veterinarian for exotic animals, starts making regular trips to her diner. As hard as she tries not to feel anything, Ryan ignites a spark in her broken heart.

Ryan Tucker craves a happy family of his own more than his momma’s apple pie. Getting over his fiancée leaving him six months ago, he moves to Pleasant Valley for a fresh start. When he meets Maisie and notices the sadness in her eyes, he is determined to put a smile on her pretty face.

When another dangerous storm hits, Ryan stays by Maisie’s side. She fills the missing piece in his heart, but will Ryan share his secret? Can Maisie move on from the past and learn to begin again?

Christy Newton is a hopeless romantic and writes many genres of romance. She just might be the only author out there that doesn’t drink caffeine, but dark chocolate is her must have. She falls in love with each of her heroes and hopes you will too! Learn more about her at www.christynewton.com , on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christy-Newton/359791990763912 , and on Twitter @CNewtonAuthor.

Lake Effect: Johannah Bryson

Shelby Aylesworth knows what real love feels like. She also knows the pain of losing that kind of love. With her faithful collie dog, Norman, she takes refuge on Whiskey Island to try to put her life back together. When Norman arranges a most unusual introduction to the island’s newest resident, Shelby finds herself wondering if it isn’t time to stop grieving and start living.

Wyeth Packard has come to Whiskey Island under the guise of restoring and making profitable an old vineyard and manor house. What he really wants is some peace and quiet away from the fast pace of NYC. Being considered one of the city’s most eligible has thrown him into the path of every gold digging society princess out there. He longs to find a balance but has given up on ever finding a woman who will love him for who he is, not what he has.

Together they navigate the slippery slope of what it means to begin again. Can a new love fill the void left by an old love?

Johannah Bryson lives in NE Ohio, near the shores of fabulous Lake Erie. In addition to writing she’s also a Certified Personal Chef. She shares her home with her husband, a ten year old collie and a three year old Border collie. When she’s not writing or cooking, she and her husband love to explore the amazing food and music scene of Cleveland and the surrounding area. She loves to hear from her readers: johannahbryson@gmail.com

 

All About Charming Alice: J. Arlene Culiner

Alice Treemont has given up hope of meeting the right man and falling in love. Living in depopulated Blake’s Folly, a community of rusting cars, clapboard shacks and thirsty weeds, she cooks vegetarian meals, rescues unwanted dogs and protects the most unloved creatures on earth: snakes. What man would share those interests? Certainly not Jace Constant whose life in Chicago includes elegant women, fine dining and contemporary art. He’s in Nevada doing research for his new book but definitely won’t be staying: he hates the desert’s bleakness, the dust on his fine leather shoes and the dog hair on his cashmere sweaters. As for snakes — they terrify him.

So why does the air sizzle each time Alice and Jace meet? Why are they so fascinated by each other? Their feelings might go deeper than raw desire, but any long-term relationship is clearly doomed.

In need of juicy gossip, the other 52 residents of Blake’s Folly have decided Alice has been alone for long enough. The attraction between her and Jace is so obvious, why worry about differences? If you trust in love, solutions do appear. But don’t those solutions call for too many compromises, too much self-sacrifice?

Born in New York, raised in Toronto, J.Arlene Culiner has spent most of her life in England, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary and the Sahara but now resides in a 300-year-old former inn in a French village of no real interest. Much to everyone’s dismay, she rescues and protects all living creatures — especially spiders, bats and snakes; her wild (or wildlife) garden is a classified butterfly and bird reserve. She can be found at: www.j-arleneculiner.com and at: www.jill-culiner.com

 

Broken Wings, Soaring Hearts: Beverly A. Rogers

Hailey Holman is a woman determined to keep her dad’s memory and his dream of reopening their small-town Texas base station alive. Jack Stinson is looking for a peaceful place to escape the rat race of the big city life and big city business of his own family’s airplane manufacturing business.

What a perfect match. Other than the fact that her mom hates the flying business with a passion and fights Hailey’s every effort, and Jack’s dad fought his every effort to make the break, then disowned him for leaving. Throw in two town bullies who insist on opening a base station of their own and reeking havoc on Hailey’s plans and her own determination not to get personally involved with the employees, and it’s anything but smooth sailing.

But these two focused pilots might just be surprised how things can work out with enough stubbornness . . . and faith.

Beverly A. Rogers is a Texas girl who writes with a heart as big as the Lone Star State. Her idea of a romantic man isn’t someone who will promise her the moon and the stars. It’s someone who will walk on the beach holding her hand, watching the moon and the stars from her eyes . . . and never complain about sand in his boots.  Learn more about Bev at http://www.BeverlyARogers.com.

 

Charmed: Inés Saint

Jamie Sullivan is a fun-loving, widowed mother of twin five-year old boys. A

creative goldsmith with her own line of designer charms, she is determined to

forge her own unique brand of success. Jamie guards a painful secret that leads

her to be emphatic about not letting a man into her life.

Nick Grey is the gorgeous, charming, and daydream-inducing headmaster of the private

elementary school Jamie’s children will attend. After single-handedly bringing

up his daughter while earning his doctorate and proving himself to the school’s

board of directors and the community, he feels burned out. Come the end of the

semester, Nick is taking a year off to travel the world.

When they meet, an instant attraction blazes through both. Nick and Jamie soon find their hard

earned peace of mind threatened by meddling matchmakers, old rivalries, and

children who can’t keep their feet out of their mouths. But Nick’s not

interested in starting over and raising kids again, and Jamie’s sure she can’t

trust her heart. Will they be able to nurture their friendship and attraction into something that can last forever?

Ines was born in Zaragoza, Spain and have moved approximately twenty times. I went to school in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico and I’m bilingual and bicultural. I’ve spent the last ten years raising my fun, inspiring little boys and sharing my life with the man I’d always dreamed of. My greatest joys are spending time with family and close friends and coming up with characters and interesting situations.

 

Angel Without Wings: Mari Manning

A war widow at twenty-six, Linnea Reyes is haunted by the soul-shattering fight she had with her husband just before he led his detachment into the ambush that killed him. When one of the wounded soldiers from her husbands battalion asks her to help save his family’s farm, she jumps at the chance for redemption. Unfortunately, she runs straight into a six-foot roadblock – the soldier’s older brother who has plans of his own.

After resigning from a promising army career to help his mother and wounded brother, Jesse McCormick is at the lowest point in his life. Now they are about to lose the family’s organic farm and only one plan will earn him enough money to get his family out of debt and him off the farm – a dangerous assignment with a paramilitary group. He can brush aside the protests of his worried family, but the good intentions of Linnea Reyes prove to be more than he can handle.

Angel Without Wings is Mari Manning’s second book from Crimson Romance. She has always loved small towns and romance … and writing. The result is Angel Without Wings and her first book, Holding Out for a Hero. Mari has finaled in several contests, including the Golden Claddagh and the RWA Valley of the Sun’s Hot Prospects contest. She is also a member of RWA and the Chicago North Chapter for which she serves on the board. Currently Mari is working on a three-part series of romantic suspense set in the hill country of Texas and, in her spare time, blogging at http://www.marimanning.com.

 

Breaking the Rules: Melinda Dozier

A forbidden love affair in the past has led Hope Robinson, a middle school principal, to Harbor Bay, Florida, where she commits herself to play by the rules. This can be difficult for a perpetual klutz, who—even strapped in a cast—has to uphold a competent attitude at all times.

Luckily, she has Dr. Colin Calaway on her side, a widower and father of a student, who is ready to give love another try. When Colin convinces Hope they should explore the connection between them, a steamy romance develops, though it could destroy them both. They must decide if their jobs—and their hearts—are worth the risk.

Melinda lives in Guatemala, Central America with her husband and three boys. She teaches English to middle schoolers during the day and finds time to write at night. Melinda has always been an avid reader and writer, enjoys watching reality tv, blogs, and relaxes with Zynga games. You can find Melinda at www.melindadozier.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/melinda.dozier

 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Small-Town-Heartwarming-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B00MR5ZQ2S/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1409590999&sr=1-5&keywords=melinda+dozier

B&N: coming

Kobo: coming

iTunes: coming

Crimson Romance: http://www.crimsonromance.com/contemporary-romance-novels/love-small-town-10-homespun-heartwarming-contemporary-romances/

 

 

Three Reasons Why You Should Read the Elemental Magic Series by Bryanna Curry

Thank  you, Sharon, for inviting me to visit today.  The inspiration for my Elemental Magic series was born from a dream. After that, well wild horses couldn’t keep me away from these characters. Here are three reasons you should read Elemental Magic. You’ll want to start with Earth Enchanted as the books are best read in order. :

#1. Magic and Faeries oh my – Much of the series is set in Ireland. Liv Corrigan and her siblings are hereditary witches with magical abilities. Descended from faeries, Liv has the gift of visions and telepathy. Her twin brother Skye is an empath, psychic. Ryan is a healer. and their cousin Devin is an all power phoenix. If magic and otherworldly things are what you crave, you’ll find them here.

#2. The suspense – Be it smugglers, psychopaths, dirty cops or just your average extortionists, books one through three will feed your need for tension and danger.

#3. The heroes – Jackson Roarke (an ex-cop turned writer), Gabriel Spiller (an FBI agent), Ryan Corrigan (businessman/informant/ healer), Skye Corrigan (handsome witch/artist with mad skills in the kitchen) and of course my favorite, Devin McLoch, (laird/jewel thief/mentor/protector and a phoenix too.) No matter why type of hero you prefer, you’ll fall just a little bit in love with these five wonderfully flawed, handsome and protective heroes.

For more on these books, visit Brynna’s Website or visit the buy links below.

Check out Brynna’s Giveaway: Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e561a37434/

Series Buy Links

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo│Kensington

Brynna’s Links:

Website│Twitter│Facebook│Street Team│Goodreads

Three Reason Why You Should Read “Sweet Bea,” by Sarah Hegger

Welcome, Sarah! I love your beautiful cover and this story sounds compelling. First a little blurb about Sweet Bea…

Is anything sweeter than revenge?

In a family of remarkable people, ordinary Beatrice strives to prove herself worthy. When her family is threatened with losing everything, she rushes to London to save them. Unfortunately, she chooses as her savior the very man who will see her family brought low.

Garrett has sworn vengeance on Sir Arthur of Anglesea for destroying his life when he was a boy and forcing his mother into prostitution for them to survive. He has chosen as his instrument Sir Arthur’s youngest daughter, Beatrice.

Can Beatrice’s goodness teach Garrett that love, not vengeance, is the greatest reward of all?

Thanks, Sharon, for having me over today. You asked me to pick three moments from my book and let your readers know why I think they would make someone want to read my book.

 So, here goes and I’m deliberately avoiding any spoiler moments here:

The first moment is early on in the book when you realize that Garrett, the hero, is not a nice guy at all. In fact, many of my earlier beta readers got downright angry at him. But if you bear with me, I will redeem him. Garrett is human, with all our failings and weaknesses and I always love a story where the flawed hero has to scramble for his redemption.


The second moment is Beatrice persuading Tom, her childhood friend, to help her save her family. Tom is trying to be the voice of reason and Beatrice is off on a flight of fantasy. They squabble like siblings and I think anyone with a ‘sensible’ sibling will be able to relate.


Moment three is where Beatrice rescues a child thief, Newt, from the stocks. At this point in the book, Garrett is putty in her hands and Beatrice is a born crusader for the downtrodden.

I chose this last moment to give you a small taste of Sweet Bea.

The market was small but thriving. Loud calls, hawking everything from bullocks to hair ribbons filled the air. Young bucks, dressed in their best tunics, hair neatly slicked back, paraded about. Eyes flashing brighter than their bliauts, a giggling huddle of girls looked them over from the stone cross central to the green.

Garrett drifted from stall to stall, sharing a word or two here, testing the produce there, but all the while steadily working his way toward the tables outside the tavern. He tugged Beatrice out of the way of small band of children, shrieking with excitement, and chased by a pair of barking dogs. He and Beatrice appeared exactly as he wanted them to: two unremarkable travelers stopping for supplies. The beefy rich smell of meat pastries tempted Garrett into parting with some coins.

Of course, Beatrice in her chausses caused more than one passing comment. A rotund farmwife huffed indignantly from behind her baskets of greens. He should’ve thought to get her to put on a gown, but he’d been too intent on preventing Beatrice from descending on the village with her lavish smile and her noble accent. If her family was looking for her, and they damned well should be, he didn’t want to lay a trail for them.

As she followed meekly behind him, munching on her pie and confining her comments to him, he wasn’t displeased with the way things were going.

Beatrice had forgotten her haste, for the moment. Her expressions held him captive, shifting in constant response to what she saw and thought.

Moving amongst the press of people, Garrett allowed time to lag.

He stopped at a baker’s stall. Large, golden loaves spread across the table, their yeast smell making his mouth water.

As long as no abused whore, starving orphan, or whipped dog stumbled across their path, they should get along without making too much of a ripple.

He should’ve known better than to toss temptation to fate. His nape pricked and he turned. His shadow was no longer where he’d left it. He caught sight of Beatrice stomping across the green. Her destination? Where else, but to the ragged creature confined to the village stocks. Jesu have mercy. He dropped the bread he was buying and dashed after her.

If this sounds like your thing, you can pick up a copy at AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE or pop along to KENSINGTON PUBLISHING for your favorite format.

 Who am I?

Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.

Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.

She currently lives in Draper, Utah, with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.

She loves to hear from readers and you can find her at any of the places below.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Meet my Characters Blog Hop~Meet Sophie Shaw from “Share the Moon.”

Hi everyone! I was invited to participate in this blog hop by Dixie Brown. Thanks for the invite, Dixie You can read her post here.

First, a bit of info about Dixie:

Dixie has been writing stories for years, storing ideas and first drafts of manuscripts in every spare closet and drawer. Then one day she decided she wanted to be an author more than anything, pulled out one of those story ideas and got serious!  Her romantic suspense novels are great for curling up and losing yourself in the story. Dixie’s first novel in the Trust No One series, All or Nothing, placed 3rd in the romantic suspense category of the 2011 TARA (Tampa Area Romance Authors) Contest. The second, When I Find You, has just been released. The third book in the series – If You Only Knew – is coming soon! Visit her website at http://www.dixiebrown.com.

Now, I’m supposed to choose one character from a work-in-progress or a recently published book and answer seven easy questions. Here goes!

What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?

My fictional character is Sophie Shaw, from Share the Moon.

When and where is the story set?

It’s contemporary and set in northwestern Connecticut in a small town on a large lake.

What should we know about him/her?

Sophie has lived her whole life in Northbridge. She’s a reporter for the Blue Moon Gazette, who lives by the creed of unbiased journalism. Only once in her life did she falter from that belief, and to this day she still regrets her actions—no matter how innocently they came about.

Circumstances have prevented Sophie from ever leaving her small town, the dreams of working at a large city newspaper vanishing when she gets pregnant during college and marries her high school boyfriend, Mike. She and Mike form a family, have other kids, but when the son who bonded them in holy matrimony dies, her marriage becomes unglued.

What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life? 

Sophie gets a chance to buy a vineyard, one she and her brother have always dreamed of owning. It’s on land her family used to own. It’s also the place where her son had died seven years earlier. She’s one step from owning the land, when a developer comes into town and outbids her offer—so far she can’t compete. The developer’s offer is contingent on zoning changes.

Sophie’s conflict, at first, comes when the only other reporter at the Blue Moon Gazette has a family emergency the night of a public hearing on the developer’s project. This leaves Sophie to report on the story. She grabs it, though; it’s a chance to redeem her reputation and prove she can even report without a bias.

Since she has a stake in land, she also hopes to uncover some dirt on this developer. Maybe zoning won’t approve his large-scale resort. Only her goals collide when a mysterious note about the developer’s family appears and she begins to see another side of him…a good side.  

What is the personal goal of the character?

To own the land where she lost her son and run the vineyard of her dreams.

Is there a working title for this novel and can we read more about it?

Share the Moon released in August 2014. Here’s a blurb:

“Heart-tugging small town romance with real emotion.  Struth is an author to watch!”—Laura Drake, author of RITA-award winning The Sweet Spot

Sometimes trust is the toughest lesson to learn.

Sophie Shaw is days away from signing a contract that will fulfill her dream of owning a vineyard. For her, it’s a chance to restart her life and put past tragedies to rest. But Duncan Jamieson’s counter offer blows hers out to sea.

Duncan still finds Sophie as appealing as he had during boyhood vacations to the lake. Older and wiser now, he has his own reasons for wanting the land. His offer, however, hinges on a zoning change approval.

Bribery rumors threaten the deal and make Sophie wary of Duncan, yet she cannot deny his appeal. When her journalistic research uncovers a Jamieson family secret, trust becomes the hardest lesson for them both.

* * *

Book Trailer:

Buy Links:

AMAZON  / BARNES & NOBLE / KENSINGTON BOOKS

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE 

 8/25 Stops on the “Meet My Character Tour” will include:

Shehanne Moore

When not cuddling inn signs in her beloved Scottish mountains, Shehanne Moore writes dark and smexy historical romance, featuring bad boys who need a bad girl to sort them out. She believes everyone deserves a little love, forgiveness and a second chance in life. Visit  her blog to find out about past releases and hear more about her forthcoming time-slip historical,  The Viking and The Courtesan.  http://shehannemoore.wordpress.com/

 

Pamela Turner

Pamela Turner drinks too much coffee, and wishes she could write perfect first drafts. Influenced by shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, and Twilight Zone, she writes paranormal suspense. Publications include the short novels Death Sword, a finalist in the Chanticleer Book Reviews’ Blue Ribbon Paranormal Awards 2013, Exterminating Angel (both from Kensington Publishing’s Lyrical Press imprint), and The Ripper’s Daughter (BlackWyrm Publishing). She’s published the following short stories: “It’s in Your Blood” (Bites – Ten Tales of Vampires), “Family Heirloom” (Scared – Ten Tales of Horror), “The May Lady Vanishes” (Beltane – Ten Tales of Witchcraft), “Obsession” (Spells – Ten Tales of Magic), and “The Murder Window” (Dragons – Ten Tales of Fiery Beasts). Her short, dark suspense story, “Family Tradition” (MuseItUp Publishing), was a finalist in the EPIC 2014 EBook Awards, and her short screenplay “Cemetery” placed second in The Writers Place Short/Teleplay screenplay competition. She’s a member of RWA, Sisters in Crime, EPIC, and a supporting member of HWA. Besides coffee, she likes cats, cemeteries, and old abandoned buildings. You can find her at http://pamelaturner.net

PH Turner

Teaching and shooting news and documentaries took me to work on the East and West coasts, the Midwest and an island in the Gulf of Mexico. I learned I love America and her rich heritage of many cultures. Born a fourth generation Texan, I live in Austin with an energetic mutt that waits patiently every day for me to come home and write.

Lyndi Alexander

Lyndi Alexander has been a published writer for over 35 years, including seven years as a reporter and editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida, where she found it much warmer than her current home not far from the banks of Lake Erie. Lyndi writes paranormal mystery, urban fantasy, science fiction and more, including her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series and the Horizon Crossover series.

Her list of publications includes the non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, published by Impact Publishers in 1999, stories in A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women, in December 2008, and A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Parents, in June 2009.

Lyndi is the single mother of two special needs children, and volunteers making blankets for Project Linus as well as at her local domestic violence/women’s support agency.

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Sugar-coated Memories

When I was in my early twenties, I purchased my first recipe box. It came with lined recipe cards, so I pictured I’d have a neat and tidy assortment of recipes at my fingertips, one I’d treat with the respect a librarian gives to the card catalog.

Only I never did use those lined cards. Recipes came at me at different times and places, so I’d usually grab the nearest blank writing space, jot down hasty instructions, and somehow turn out a nice finished product. Like the backs of envelopes, notices from school, note pads and post-it notes. Plans to re-write the instructions were always in my head, but I’d do it later, when I had some free time.

I didn’t ever seem to have free time for the task, though.

The other day I searched for a recipe and remembered my commitment the day I had purchased the box. For a brief moment, I regretted my messiness, but then I saw some advantages to the haphazard pile of recipes before me.

Each time I take out this Peach Cake recipe, for example, I go right back to the day my roommate, Barbara, had rattled the recipe off the top of her head as I scribbled it on the closest thing I could find—this Gary Larson Far Side notepad paper. I remember how we thought the picture was hilarious (and I still do) and I think about how I’m lucky Barb is still in my life, even though she lives eight hours away.

Or my nana’s Scottish shortbread recipe…the second time it was given to me. I’d misplaced the first one Nana gave me while she was alive. After she died, I realized I’d lost the treasure. This small paper scrap is from the day I frantically called my mother and asked if she had the recipe. Thank God she did! This small piece of paper hardly does justice to the fond memories we all have for Sadie’s famous shortbread, but each time I pull this from the box, I think about Nana, the pride she took in making those each Christmas, and how I’d better not lose the recipe again.

Then there is one of the “neatest” recipes in the box, given to me by my friend Kris. One day while I visited her, she offered up her own lined piece of paper so I could copy  her Apple Crisp Recipe. It’s still written in my hasty scribble, but each time I see this I think about the early days of our friendship and our great conversations over tea and, sometimes, chocolate.

What memories lurk in your recipe box?

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And it’s Hey for the Tartan. A little moon sharing with Sharon Struth

Sharon Struth:

Hey Outlander fans! Click on the link “View Original” and check out the modern day scottish hero from SHARE THE MOON in my post, “My Kilt-less Scottish Hero.” Kilt-less you say? Oh, there’s still plenty of kilts to go around on this post. PLENTY…but maybe not in the most conventional of ways but I’m sure they’ll make you smile. Come visit me with Scottish author Shehanne Moore for a little kilted fun.

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Originally posted on shehanne moore:

Hey, hey, hey, what’s with this? You guys know fine that that was the other week. Don’t confuse my readers.  Hell, don’t confuse me.

But guys, that was earlier this week.

Nonsense. I am always the essence of surprise.

Well today, we do indeed welcome Sharon Struth. And NOT to It’s Girl Friday either. What can I say re the lovely Sharon? Well, in addition to her being a good writer pal and one talented writer, oh, and having this special deal on just now on her first book,

The Hourglass

she has a secret passion.

OOOOOOH.

Yeah. Men in kilts. Do you know the trouble I go to whenever I’m out in public, whipping out my camera at a click’s notice, should one happen to stroll by? The trouble I get into too. Just so I can send her a pic. She has a spesh blog post regarding kilts. With…

View original 939 more words

You’re Invited…

What: Please join me on August 4th on Facebook to help celebrate the eBook release of “Share the Moon.” This novel centers on a struggle over vineyard land in the Northwestern part of Connecticut, so what could be better than a wine theme? Hmmm…maybe the ability for me to pour you a glass of the fermented beverage over the Internet, but this “virtual” party is the best I can do.

When: Stop by WHENEVER you can over a 24-hour period starting at August 4th at 8:00 a.m. EST. 

Where:   Click on this link to Facebook.

Throughout the day, I will post:

• A wine trivia contest with prizes 

• Wine humor

• Fun Wine Facts

• Chances to enter the GRAND PRIZE raffle! Two lucky winners will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Pour yourself a glass of chilled chardonnay or a full-bodied Shiraz, head for the computer and stop by the “virtual” open house on Facebook. Invite your friends! The more the merrier!

Note: A Print Book Launch Celebration will be held on August 23rd at Byrd’s Books in Bethel, Ct. For more on this event, please go to http://byrdsbooks.com/2014/07/01/join...

Latest buzz on Share the Moon...

“Heart-tugging small town romance with real emotion. Struth is an author to watch!” —Laura Drake, Rita winner and author of The Sweet Spot 

“Throw in a hunky dad, a small town and a savvy heroine who gets the job done and you’ve got me hooked” —Rachel Brimble, author of The Seduction of Emily

5-Stars Goodreads Review:

“A small town, a big lake, old secrets and ever-raw losses–Share the Moon, first in the Blue Moon Lake Series by Sharon Struth, grabs all of those in a top hat, stirs it up a bit, and manages to pull out magic. There is not a detail of setting or character left for us to guess at. Struth gives her readers exactly what is in her head to create a fully-realized town and the people in it. We know every facial tick, every thought–what we don’t know is the mystery hiding just behind each face, in each head. Struth gives her readers just enough to pull us along, to make sure we keep turning the pages–and just when you think the mystery is solved, it takes another turn.”

Available for pre-preorder or buy Share the Moon at:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kensington Books / Byrd’s Books / Google Books

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Three Reasons Why You Should Read A World Apart by Cd Brennan

I’m thrilled to have Cd Brennan visiting me today, author of A WORLD APART and a new friend I’ve made at  Kensington Books/Lyrical Press, publisher of my upcoming release, SHARE THE MOON. (release date 8/4, preorder available)

Today Cd will share with us three reasons you should take a peek at A WORLD APART. I, for one, am excited to get my nose into this story. It takes place in Scotland, birthplace of my nana and a place where I still have some family. A place a definitely plan to visit one day. Plus, I love these Scottish cows.

She left home to find herself…and found love along the way.

Lizzy travels to Scotland to track down her roots, hoping where she comes from will help her figure out where she needs to go. An Aussie girl through and through, tough as nuts and a bit wild, she believes there’s nothing so wonderful as a world seen through wine-tinted glasses…

…until she meets Hottie Hamish, Bridge of Allan’s most eligible bachelor.

Hamish is Lizzy’s polar opposite in every way. He’s serious, driven, and motivated, focused on becoming the youngest associate professor at the Glasgow School of Art. But he’s hiding a social phobia behind his gruff exterior that makes it almost impossible to connect with people…

…until he meets Lost Lizzy, all sunshine and lightness, an Australian beauty with the proverbial heart of gold.

Where they come from may be worlds apart, but atop a Scottish Munro, they begin to realize where they’re going is best traveled side by side.

CONTENT WARNING: Graphic descriptions of haggis ingredients.

3 Reasons Why You Should Read A WORLD APART

#1 A World Apart is about stepping out of your comfort zone to achieve something great in your life. A life lived in fear is a life half-lived as they say.The entire Love Where You Roam series explores this meme. In AWA, it’s not just about Lizzy traveling overseas where she immerses herself in a different culture, environment, food, language (yes, it’s in Scotland and even though they speak English, if you’ve ever been, it feels like a different language half the time), it’s about finding out who you really are by pushing those boundaries. Both Hamish and Lizzy, as polar opposites, come to realize that what they were looking for is not what they expected to find.

#2 AWA is a great beach read and quite lighthearted. At only 55K, it has plenty of action and good pace. It’s not too angsty or introspective. Even though it addresses some big steps in a person’s life, it does so through funny scenes, miscommunications, and social (or for Hamish un-social) interactions. A couple of readers have picked up AWA thinking it was woman’s fiction–that’s when the covers changed LOL. Have fun with AWA, and if you are so inclined, Watershed, the first book of the series. They guarantee a few laughs and a smile on your face by the end.

#3 Only in the last year was A World Apart changed from the adult contemporary romance genre to New Adult. When Book 1 of LWYR, Watershed, was published in 2011, this genre was so new, I wasn’t sure that’s where the books fit. But they are perfect in their new home. NA is becoming more popular for its first mature love combined with youthful fantasy and silly mistakes. Young adults face profound life choices and powerful emotion. Parfait them with great sexual content, and you can’t help but have a winner.

Excerpt:

Just as Lizzy had determined that she would be brave and take his hand, Hamish leaned into her. “This song they are playing is called Flower of Scotland.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Aye…it’s our song.”

Lizzy leaned in closer, her eyes buried deep into the Scotsman’s, mere inches away. “Ours?” It came out a whisper.

His eyebrow rose in question. “For all the Scots…for you, too. It’s one of our unofficial national anthems.”

“Oh…righto.”

Embarrassed, Lizzy looked away from him to the dance floor. She was surprised no one was dancing, only a few remained at the edge in small groups, laughing and talking animatedly. That’s where Hamish should be.

The lights in the room had finally been dimmed to get ready for dinner, and servers went from table to table lighting the candles.

“Will you dance with me?”

“The ceilidh doesn’t start until after the dinner.”

“Who says we have to dance when everyone else dances?”

Author Bio

Having traveled and lived all over the world, Cd Brennan now talks with a strange accent, a mix of distant terminology, a blend of culturally cute but confusing euphemisms that leaves everyone looking at her with a blank stare. Luckily, her Australian husband (who she met in Ireland) and her two Aussie/Yankee sons have no problem understanding her – well, except for the word NO.

Now settled back “home” in Michigan, she enjoys reliving her glory days by writing about them. She considers the last fifteen years abroad the perfect research for her Love Where You Roam series; matchmaking women and men from different cultures, even different hemispheres, helping them find their true one across oceans of difference.

As destiny plays a hand in all the stories, Cd Brennan truly believes that what is for you, won’t pass you by. She hopes to inspire others to get out there: “Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” [Mark Twain] And of course, fall in love.

Get in touch with her at www.cdbrennan.com

Buy links

AMAZON   AMAZON UK   AMAZON AUSTRALIA  iTUNES   B&N   KOBO   BOOKWIRE

https://www.facebook.com/CdBrennanauthor

www.twitter.com/CdBrennanauthor

www.goodreads.com/CdBrennan

www.pinterest.com/cdbrennan2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ringing Bells, Pavlov’s Dog & Ice Cream

One afternoon I went out on my deck to water the plants when a bell ringing in the distance stopped me dead in my tracks. My taste buds watered. Visions appeared before my eyes; childhood memories of chocolate eclair bars, ice cream sandwiches and popsicles so cold they would make your teeth ache with a single bite.

I paused, awed by the idea that as much as the world has evolved, one constant has remained; the ice cream truck. A dinosaur by today’s standards of thrilling kid things, yet a sound still capable of making me salivate like one of Pavlov’s puppies.

 

When I returned inside the house, all I could think about was the integral role a visit from Mr. Softie played in the summer months when I was in elementary school. After we’d spend hours in our above-the-ground swimming pool playing Marco Polo, making whirlpools, and floating on our backs while staring at the bright sun, we’d get out, dry off and wait for the Mr. Softie truck. He always arrived a little before 4 o’clock, just minutes before Dark Shadows came on TV. We’d get our ice cream and huddle in the small den of my family’s small cape cod styled house, watching Barnabas Collins and a host of scary folks, all while we devoured the delicious soft serve before it could melt all over us.

The other day I was walking my dog. I passed a little boy who had moved into the neighborhood a few months ago. He ran over to pet the dog then said, “I’m waiting for the ice cream truck. He always comes now.”

I wished him luck getting his treat and headed home. In a world filled with change in every corner of our lives,  I found it comforting to know how it still matters to a kid that the ice cream truck visits his street.

Anything leave you feeling nostalgic? Was a visit from the ice cream truck part of your childhood memories?