Lynn Cahoon's Blog, page 27

The Allure of Knights – Rue Allyn

Today Rue Allyn takes over the blog talking about one of my favorite subjects, Knights.  I’m a big fan of the Knights Templar series and now, I have another knightly hero to swoon over. Take it away Rue! 

Thank you very much, Lynn for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you and your readers.

Do you love a novel with a knightly hero (either in or out of ‘shining armour)? I do. I’ve love the knightly character since I was old enough to sit on my grandfather’s knee and listen to stories about mailed men and daring do. For me the allure of a knight is partly personal experience, but I’m not the only one with this fascination. So where does this allure come from? Why are we interested in the men of the middle ages?

I went looking for answers on the web and found this. “Like most periods in history, the era of knights evolved gradually. The term “knight” originates from the Anglo-Saxon name for a boy: “cniht”. Indeed, most early knights were not much more than hired “boys” who performed military service and took oaths of loyalty to any well-to-do nobleman or warlord offering the most promise of money or war booty.” http://www.knightsandarmor.com/history.htm What this history site doesn’t say is that the the evolution of knights started with a horse and a sword. The man (or woman—but that was rare) who owned a horse or a sword (or better yet both) was rich by comparison with the average citizen, especially since that average citizen would pay (either in coin or barter) the sword bearing rider to defend the citizen’s farm, town, you name it. As the social structure of feudal Europe became more stable knights either settled becoming local lords or hired on with an existing power broker (read lord) as described in the quote above.

I think the allure of medival knights (like the American cowboy of the 19th century and the soldier/spy of the 20th/21st centuries) rests in how different a knight’s life was from the average citizens he was hired to protect. Us average folks can’t help but believe that any life different from ours must be exciting, especially if that life involves feats of daring do and self-sacrifice.

Please leave a comment and let me know if you share the allure or what you think of knights.

My own fascination with medieval knights lead me to study and subsequently fall in love with medieval literature. When I decided to write romance fiction, writing knightly characters felt very natural to me. My first effort resulted in A True and Perfect Knight, re-released yesterday by Samhain Publishing and written under an old pen name. Here’s a short sample and a blurb.

A True and Perfect Knight ~ Genvieve Dreyford as first seen by Sir Haven de Sessions (Order A True and Perfect Knight here.)

Sweet Jesu, she’s hideous. 

Purple-black splotches ringed her eyes.  Her skin paled to chalk against dark, colorless clothing.  Deformity stamped her features.  Her face pushed out on one side.  Odd streaks hollowed the opposite cheek.  A lump decorated her forehead over one eye.  As much as her appearance gratified, something about it bothered him.  It was that lump, he decided.  “Come closer.”

She hesitated but evidently felt that compliance was the better part of valor.

When she stood by his mount’s shoulder, Haven removed one glove and grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger.  The softness of her skin shocked him.  The impulse to stroke her twitched in his hand.  Instead, he turned her face up to his.  Astonished, he felt his eyes widen.

She was far from ugly.  He had seen lumps and bruises like those that adorned her face on battle weary men.  Beneath the swelling and discoloration lay a bone structure that Aphrodite would envy.  Eyes that blazed green lightning glared out at him from beneath delicately arched brows.  God created wide, bow-shaped lips like hers for only one purpose.

A True and Perfect Knight ~ Book Summary

Baron Haven De Sessions knows a hundred reasons despise the widow Dreyford.  The widow is entirely too independent, and a suspected traitor.  Worst of all, she had been married to his best friend—a man Haven arrested for plotting against the king.  Haven believes the treacherous widow should have given up her head, not his childhood friend.  Now an oath to that same friend forces him to protect a woman he does not want and cannot trust.

Genvieve Dreyford has her own reasons to detest De Sessions.  The man is far too handsome, and his reputation as Edward I’s most ‘true and perfect’ knight has swelled the baron’s head.  Worst of all, Gennie believes he betrayed his friendship with her husband to curry favor with the English king.  Now, because of Haven De Sessions, Gennie has lost her home, her title and nearly everything she held dear.  Only for the sake of her family, will Gennie place herself in the power of a man she fears and mistrusts.

About Rue Allyn

Author of historical, contemporary, and erotic romances, Rue Allyn fell in love with happily ever after the day she heard her first story. She is deliriously married to her sweetheart of many years and loves to hear from readers about their favorite books and real life adventures.  Learn more about Rue at http://RueAllyn.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/RueAllynAuthor

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RueAllyn

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5031290.Rue_Allyn

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rue-Allyn/e/B00AUBF3NI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Blog:  http://rueallynauthorblog.com/

Top Secret Santa by @LynnCahoon (SMP Anthology teaser)

Reblogged from J.R.Richardson:

Ready for another teaser from All I Want for Christmas is a Soulmate to get your Holiday season going?

Today I'm featuring Lynn Cahoon and her short story from the anthology.  It's titled Top Secret Santa.

The Hook: Two strangers, each starting a new life, realize that visiting Santa really is about Christmas magic . . .

The Excerpt…

Read more… 296 more words

Top Secret Santa is being highlighted over at JR Richardson's blog today.

Meet The Neighbors Welcomes Jaye Garland

Happy Wednesday! Today we welcome debut author, Jaye Garland. Jaye’s one of my lala sisters, a writing/goal setting group that can be a little wild. Jaye and I found we had a lot besides writing in common, including family ties to a little town in South Dakota.  But I’m chatting too much, here’ s Jaye! 

What’s it like to be a debut author?

JG: Scary as all get out, but exhilarating! Even though I’ve been writing for years, getting published is a whole new stratosphere. There is so much more involved beyond writing the story, revising to make it all flow, and the final edits. Authors must be savvy about the whole publishing spectrum. Since my book released, the unexpected delights have hit me when I least expect, and they’re like bolts of lightning. My first honest-to-goodness fan moment is posted on my blog. It’s called, Jaye’s ‘Moment of Fame’. Long story short: while catching a flight home from Chicago recently, the line to board quit moving when the flight attendants learned that I’d just published a book and they wanted signed bookmarks. My hubby is still smiling because he handed out the first bookmark back in the terminal.   

What’s your writing schedule?  Are you a full time writer?

JG: [[laughs!]] As soon as I get a writing schedule, I’ll let you know what it is. Seriously though, when we lived overseas, I was very fortunate to have huge quantities of time devoted to writing. I worked on several projects but only completed one full manuscript. Those were my learning years. I’m retiring soon and will finally be back to ‘the good old days’ of writing all day and all night—if I want to!    

Desert Island time – 3 must have books.

JG: 1. The writing project I’m working on right now, 2. the manuscript I’m editing, and 3. whatever book I’m currently reading to do a review.

What’s your writing must have snack?  Or drink?

JG: Those options are plural, right? When I’m starting a new project, I crave sweets like M&M’s, Jelly Belly’s, or Skittles. Water is my biggest ‘must have’ daily liquid, but in the morning, it’s coffee. 

Favorite writing advice guru?

Julie Cameron. She’s amazing! I’ve attempted her 12 week writer’s course, The Artist’s Way, twice. Never have finished because about the 6th or 7th week, I’m so deeply engrossed in my own writing project that I simply forget to keep going with the lessons.

How long does it take you to write a book?

JG: I hate this question because I don’t have a real answer. I’ve never been able to actually write one whole manuscript without several weeks-long interruptions. Life events keep getting in the way so I really don’t know. Sad, huh? I’ll be starting a new story in a couple months. Wish me luck on getting it written, start to finish, in one fell swoop. Ha!

Love giving you questions you hate.  Ha! If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?

JG: Life is much shorter than we realize. Get busy with what’s really important, and keep focused on the goal. All that other stuff can wait, or it can be delegated.

Amen! What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

JG: The one thing Julie Cameron taught that has stuck with me was to ‘train my brain’ to know it’s time to write by getting into a detailed routine. Every day when I sit down to write, I must do a series of things that, when completed, sends the ‘Green light, go!’ message to my writer’s brain. My series included laying out the colored gel pens that I’d be using that day for blocking out the scenes and free-writing, lighting a small and especially pretty candle, and then reading a little ‘writer’s prayer’ that I’d written earlier in her course. It worked for me. J

What do you think makes a good story?

JG:  Ah! Great question. For me, it boils down to believability. That doesn’t mean it has to be factual. It just has to be plausible in the reader’s mind. It doesn’t matter what genre or time period, whether it’s a current day walk in the park or some outer space planetary war. If it’s written well, in that the characters behave in a manner true to how they were originally created/written, then that character’s journey (the learning arc or growth) is believable.

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they?

JG: My debut novel, THE 25th HOUR, is a Time Travel / Historical Romance peppered with Suspense. Here’s a short blurb:

Houston architect, Sheridan Wells, is chased through time by her oil baron father’s murderer. She lands in 1877 Wyoming Territory via the original blueprints drafted by a War of the Rebellion hero-turned-rancher.

Widower, Alexander Reed attempts to disprove the transient nanny’s story, labels her a charlatan and intends to dismiss her, but his precocious daughter has already claimed Sheridan as her new mother.

When the villain renews his quest for wealth and vengeance, Sheridan and Alexander must combine forces to defeat the crazed killer, then bridge the ominous twenty-fifth hour of twilight wedged between her current day and his long-ago era.

Finding Jaye:

Website: www.jayegarland.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JayeGarlandAuthor

Twitter: @JayeGarland

Email: jayegarland@gmail.com

Soul Mate Publishing: http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/categories/Time-Travel/

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/oqzhqm3

 

 

Cover reveal – Guidebook to Murder

 

So instead of writing, I’m flitting around the web and find Guidebook to Murder is up for pre-order on Amazon….

http://www.amazon.com/Guidebook-Murder-Tourist-Trap-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00FY54N72

Time for a cover reveal.  :)

 

 

Marriage Not Included is Free

Well, for a couple days. Stop by Amazon and pick up a copy.  November 5-6

Lauren is headed back to school, this time not as a fun loving coed but to achieve her dream of turning the family farm into Idaho’s first Heritage Seed Center. Selling organic produce at the local farmers market, she meets Miles. After an unexpected act of kindness toward her daughter, Lauren agrees to one date.

As a VP and heir apparent to HN Seeds, the family business, Miles unknowingly holds the future of Lauren’s farm in his hands. Lauren’s looking for anything but a romance. She’s got too much on her plate to risk the distraction. But he plays the one card Lauren can’t resist, family. Miles needs Lauren and her daughter to feel at home. And Lauren needs Miles and his large extended family more than she knows. But can she forgive the one betrayal that would ruin all of her plans for the future?

Available at Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Not-Included-ebook/dp/B00CXAB1ZI

It’s a Soul Mate kind of week – New release and free days!

Wednesday, November 6th,  All I Want for Christmas is a Soul Mate is available for purchase at Amazon. My story, Top Secret Santa, is set in a very special place, Idaho. But could have happened in malls across the USA.  Want a peek?

Top Secret Santa…  

“I’ve got to get back to Toyland anyway. My dinner break is about over.”

“No rest for the elven population this time of year.” He’d almost said ‘wicked.’ He watched her face as she considered his comment.

She tugged her hat over her head, bending the tip so the bell hung just right. She cocked her head toward a little girl staring from her chair. “You wouldn’t believe the working conditions. If I’m not making toys, I’m down here helping Santa get wish lists from all the kids. And manning the camera. Then there’s all the magic decorating we do every year. Keeping those lights twinkling takes work.”

“Thank you for your service to our holiday.” He mirrored the standard response he typically got when people found out he’d done four years in the Marines.

With a smile, the elf/girl/woman curtsied. “Your Christmas joy is all the thanks we elves need.” She waved at the little girl and skipped out of the food court.

He called after her. “I’m Chris. Make sure I’m not on the naughty list, okay?” 

And, since you’ve all been so good this year, we’ve made arrangements for Marriage Not Included, another of my Idaho set stories to be free for Kindle – November 5th and 6th. 

Download away… And share the love.

Merry Early Christmas.

Lynn

Wednesday, November 6th, All I Want for Christmas is a S...

Wednesday, November 6th,  All I Want for Christmas is a Soul Mate is available for purchase at Amazon. My story, Top Secret Santa, is set in a very special place, Idaho. But could have happened in malls across the USA.  Want a peek?

Top Secret Santa…  

“I’ve got to get back to Toyland anyway. My dinner break is about over.”

“No rest for the elven population this time of year.” He’d almost said ‘wicked.’ He watched her face as she considered his comment.

She tugged her hat over her head, bending the tip so the bell hung just right. She cocked her head toward a little girl staring from her chair. “You wouldn’t believe the working conditions. If I’m not making toys, I’m down here helping Santa get wish lists from all the kids. And manning the camera. Then there’s all the magic decorating we do every year. Keeping those lights twinkling takes work.”

“Thank you for your service to our holiday.” He mirrored the standard response he typically got when people found out he’d done four years in the Marines.

With a smile, the elf/girl/woman curtsied. “Your Christmas joy is all the thanks we elves need.” She waved at the little girl and skipped out of the food court.

He called after her. “I’m Chris. Make sure I’m not on the naughty list, okay?” 

 

And, since you’ve all been so good this year, we’ve made arrangements for Marriage Not Included, another of my Idaho set stories to be free for Kindle – November 5th and 6th. 

Download away… And share the love.

Merry Early Christmas.

Lynn

The Inside Scoop on Publishing by Kensington CEO Steven Zacharius

Reblogged from Writers In The Storm Blog:

Writers In The Storm is honored to welcome Steven Zacharius, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kensington Publishing Corp. Steven has graciously offered to give us the inside scoop on the publishing world from his unique perspective as a New York Publisher. Be sure to find the link below to a YouTube video where Walter Zacharius explains how Kensington started their…

Read more… 1,807 more words

Loved this insider's look at publishing from the CEO of my newest publisher, Kensington.

Meet The Neighbors welcomes Arlene Hittle

Happy Wednesday – Or like the camel says, Hump Day!! Debut author Arlene Hittle has come to Meet the Neighbors to talk about her recent release, Diva in the Dugout. Take it away Arlene! 

1. What’s it like to be a debut author?

I can sum it up in two words: Thrilling and terrifying.

I’m happy that Turquoise Morning Press decided to take a chance on me. I’m excited to be able to share Dave and Melinda’s story with readers. I can’t wait to send my book baby out in the world.

But it’s also terrifying. I know not everyone will love my writing—I’ve been told I have a distinct voice. I just hope enough people enjoy the story to pick up my next one, and the one after that …

2. Tell me your call story.

It’s kind of funny, actually. You expect nothing less from a writer of romantic comedy, right?

It was the week of RWA Nationals. I’d decided a few months before the conference that I wasn’t going to go, and instead invest the money I’d have spent on the registration/hotel/travel costs on indie publishing.

That Monday, I shipped off my entry to the Golden Network’s Golden Pen contest (a precursor to RWA’s Golden Heart). I received an auto-response saying I’d receive formal confirmation from the category coordinator soon.

So when an email arrived in my inbox the next evening with the word “submission” in it, I didn’t think too much about it. I was at work, doing a drive-by check on my email, and I just assumed it was that confirmation from the Golden Pen.

I clicked through anyway, and only then did I realize what I actually had: Not notice that my contest entry, OVEREXPOSED, had been received but a contract offer from TMP for DIVA IN THE DUGOUT.

How I got the two confused I still don’t know. I blame checking email with half a brain, while I was working.

You should have heard my scream. My coworkers still have 30 percent less hearing in their left ears. I spent the rest of the evening NOT doing much work, let me tell you. I answered TMP’s email, saying that I’d love to accept the contract, and then started emailing a few of my writer friends with the phrase “It’s not official yet, but …”

Not blurting out the news on my Facebook author page until I’d signed the contract a few days later was pure torture.

3. Tell us about your release.

Before the death of his mother and a successful stint in rehab, Arizona Condors bad boy Dave Reynolds met up with a rash, almost-twenty-year-old blond bombshell who didn’t want to know his name. That suited him just fine.

Melinda Cline sought solace in the arms of the first hottie she met after her fiancé dumped her just weeks before their wedding. Not asking his name turned out to be a monumental mistake when she came up pregnant, but it was one she had to live with alone … until fate brought her face to face with her past. Dave says he wants to be part of her—and their daughter’s—future.

Now Dave faces the toughest test of his life: fatherhood. Can he step up to the plate and knock one out of the park? And will Mel be ready if he does?

Believe it or not, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT wasn’t the first baseball story I wrote. I started it in March 2011, right after BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER finaled in the Golden Heart. BEAUTY was one of two manuscripts I entered in the GH that year, and I figured that if it was going to be the successful one, I’d best start writing a companion. Lucky for me, I already had an idea involving the teammate of the hero of that novel.

4. What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?

I didn’t receive it personally—I wasn’t at RWA Nationals this year, remember? But I’ve watched the video of Kristan Higgins’ keynote speech (twice) and was moved to tears by the part where she talks about reasons not to write. (Emphasis is mine.)

“… This is the joyful battle of the writer. If I’m not struggling, if I’m not doubting, then I’m not working hard enough. Long before I love my books, I hate them. And it’s only through that doubt and misery that I end up with something I’m really proud of.”

Other gems from Higgins’ speech:

— “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, then 90 percent of humans would be authors.”

— “The beauty of writing is that no one can bench you. If you want to write, write. If one book doesn’t work, try another. … No one can lie on top of your computer and force you to stop—except your cat.”

The advice can be boiled down to one word: Persistence. Keep trying, and eventually your dream will come true.

5. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Let’s see … DIVA and BEAUTY are complete. A third book in my “All’s Fair in Love and Baseball” series is in the works now.

My first three finished manuscripts followed roommates living in the small Indiana town of Willow’s Grove (each one is a different woman’s story). There’s also a loosely related story about one of the brothers of the hero from the first story (the second brother doesn’t have his own book—yet).

Then there’s BLIND DATE BRIDE, a romance between two people whose friends enter them in a cable TV network’s “Get a Love Life” contest. (Its companion story, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, featuring the friends who got more wedding-night action than the bride and groom, is almost written.)

I’ve also finished a holiday novella, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, which I plan to release independently in November, and have completed drafts of two other stories.

Wow. That’s ten finished manuscripts with four more partially or mostly written and another one about a third of the way finished. I also have about two-thirds of a sci-fi comedy romance that’ll probably never see the light of day, even though it has some very funny moments.

Choosing between them would be like a parent picking a favorite child. Well, parents might have favorites—but they’d never admit it.

If pressed, I’d have to say DIVA is my favorite because it’s the first manuscript that sold.

6. What did you learn from writing your first book? 

My first book taught me all the things I didn’t know I needed to know. What? You mean you can’t hop from one character’s head to another in each paragraph? Aww … Honestly, that first version of my first manuscript wouldn’t recognize the current incarnation if they bumped into one another on the street.

7. List two authors we would find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.

Kristan Higgins and Susan Elizabeth Phillips when I’m in the mood for contemporary romance. Anne Barton or Ashlyn Macnamara for historicals.

 

Thanks for stopping in Arlene, now more about Diva in The Dugout… 

The blurb:

Can the Condors’ bad boy step up to the plate and knock out a home run for fatherhood? And if he does, will his daughter’s mamma be ready?

After a successful stint in drug rehab, Arizona Condors shortstop Dave Reynolds is still trying to outrun his bad boy reputation. When the team’s new owners tell him to shape up or be fired at season’s end, he vows to change. He doesn’t count on fatherhood playing a part in his transformation.

Melinda Cline makes a rash decision: take solace in the arms of a sexy-as-sin ballplayer whose name she insists she doesn’t want to know. Big mistake. Now a single mom to a four-year-old, Mel strives to live as quietly and cleanly as possible. But fate intervenes and she comes face to face with the man who insists on being included in their daughter’s life. The attraction between them is still strong, but it may not survive Dave’s reputation or his attempts to do the right thing.

Find DIVA IN THE DUGOUT at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks and Amazon. Smashwords will begin distributing to BN, Kobo, iTunes and other e-tailers soon.

Arlene Hittle is a Midwestern transplant who now makes her home in northern Arizona. She suffers from the well-documented Hittle family curse of being a Cubs fan, but will root for the Diamondbacks until they run up against the Cubs. Longtime friends are amazed she writes books with sports in them, since she’s about as coordinated as a newborn giraffe and used to say marching band required more exertion than golf. Find her at http://arlenehittle.com, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/arlenehittle or on Facebook at Arlene Hittle, Author.

 

Meet the Neighbors Welcomes Tara Kingston

Hello Cyber Peeps – Today we welcome Tara Kingston author of Secrets, Spies, & Sweet Little Lies. Tara and I are both lalala sisters, a goal setting, accountability, and kick butt group of writers who first gathered to reach for The Golden Heart. Now, we’re more about supporting each other in our dreams of publication. Tara, thank you so much for agreeing to talk to us about your writer journey. So let’s begin.

Tell us about your release.

My upcoming release is a historical romance set during the Civil War, Secrets, Spies & Sweet Little Lies. The story revolves around a Union spy who’s tasked with intercepting a senator’s daughter before she can rendezvous with the scoundrel she intends to marry. Here’s a little about Secrets, Spies & Sweet Little Lies:

Emma Davenport was a model senator’s daughter: prim, proper, but hell-bent on escaping the dreaded fate of spinsterhood that awaited her under wartime Washington’s all-too watchful eye. She was going to be a bride, and no one was going to stop her. Not even the daring renegade who steals her from a train transporting her to a forbidden marriage. Her heart tells her this mysterious captor is a dangerous man, but the undeniable attraction he wields is a more potent threat than any weapon.

Major Cole Travis is a highly trained secret agent, as skilled with deception as he is with a gun. Keeping a beautiful traitor from her rendezvous with a treacherous scoundrel shouldn’t be a challenge for the battle-seasoned spy—but he’s not the only one after his tempting prisoner. Emma Davenport must be kept out of enemy hands at all costs. Drawn to this woman whose innocent allure may be just another weapon in her arsenal, Major Travis risks his neck to shield her. Soon, however, protecting her from his own heart’s desire becomes another story entirely.

Desert Island time – 3 must have books.

Oh, this is a hard one. I have tons of keeper books, but if I had to choose three to have on a desert island, I’d bring:

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert – I love memoirs, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s account of her experiences in Italy, India and Indonesia brought those settings to life. I found her personal journey fascinating and enlightening, as well as inspiration for my own bucket list.

Thief of Hearts by Teresa Medeiros – I’ve got to rank this as one of my all-time favorite historical romances. I fall in love with the pirate/bodyguard hero every time I read it.

Sons of the Wolf by Barbara Michaels – I adore spooky gothics, and this is one of my favorites.

What’s your writing must have snack?

Chocolate – especially dark chocolate.

Agree with you there. Chocolate is a must have. What’s your writing must have drink?

Diet Coke…I am constantly grabbing another can from the refrigerator.

Favorite writing advice guru?

Margie Lawson – I’ve taken several of her classes and always learn something that enriches my writing.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t want to write. I’ve been penning stories since elementary school days – my mom even got me a little manual typewriter when I was in the second grade for my writing. Writing and reading have always been a part of me.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love to read. Fiction, non-fiction, you name it, I’ll read it. I also love outdoor activities – hiking, biking, canoeing, and long walks with my hubby. I’m also a movie buff, and I’d love to find time to start knitting again. You might have noticed an omission from this list: cooking. I have two shelves full of cookbooks that are pristine and lovely and for the most part, unused. My sons say I use the smoke alarm for a kitchen timer.

What does your family think of your writing?

My husband and sons are very supportive. My hubby is wonderful on those days when I have my fingers on the keyboard and forget all about making dinner.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love creating my characters. I feel like I get to know them, their strengths and weaknesses as well as their idiosyncrasies.

Is your muse demanding?

She’s a demanding harpy who’s constantly nagging me to get back to the computer J

Website:  http://www.tarakingston.com