Jerrie Alexander's Blog, page 9

Monday Musings-My most important utensil

Of all the existing kitchen utensils in my kitchen, I’ve made a discovery. I have a favorite. Get lost with out it. Not to say my wisk isn’t near and dear. So are my other assorted tools.

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My mixer, a wonderful Christmas present for darling daughter and her family, gets a ton of use.

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But my most elusive piece of equipment is my potato peeler. Somebody must be stealing my potato peeler. Either that or I’m absentmindedly tossing the damn darn thing out with the peelings.

I don’t need a fancy one…I just need one to be there when I need it. Currently, I have two. One I bought and one my darling daughter bought and hand delivered.

So enough silliness, what did all this tell me?

It reminded me how important the little things are. The seemingly unimportant things that we expect to be there when we need them. The ones we don’t pay enough attention to.  The ones we need but don’t, won’t or can’t hang onto. So I resolve to pay more attention to my potato peeler, my family and my friends.

 

 

Writer’s Wednesday with Molly Cannon

Today’s guest is a friend and North Texas Romance Writer’s chapter mate. She warm, friendly, always smiling, and her books are laugh out loud funny. You’ll enjoy getting to know her!

Molly lives a charmed life in Texas with her husband, Mr. Wonderful and her extremely large cat Nelson. When she’s not writing, she spends her days reading, taking dance classes with MW, and watching every kind of sporting event imaginable. Molly has three grown children, all married to terrific people and two wonderful grandchildren. Life is good!

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Let’s get her answers to a few questions!

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

It depends on the book.  I try to talk to people who share the occupations of the hero/heroine to help round them out.  And hobbies have to be explored.  In CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE my daughter had to beat me at darts a few dozen times just to make sure I understood the scoring.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for over 40 years, so I believe happily-ever-after is alive and well today.  Contemporary romance gives me a chance to tell those stories.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m finishing the third book in the Everson, Texas series.  It’s is Jake’s (from AIN’T MISBEHAVING) younger brother Theo’s story.  He appeared in the first book, and now he’s back!

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

Oh boy, I have had to delete big chunks of books when eventually I trace it back to the place where it went off the rails.  Hopefully, I realize it before I go too far.  Sometimes when I hit a wall, that turns out to be the reason.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport.

Where will you go and what will you pack? Italy! And I’ll pack good walking shoes and enough money to find good places to eat and a nice balcony to sit on in the evenings to enjoy the scenery.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Fashion Police.  I do my best, but it’s not a top priority for me!

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

I’ll go with Tyne Daly.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I was one of the children picked to greet Ann Margaret at the airport with flowers when she flew to Dallas for the premiere of the movie State Fair. I have an old photo somewhere, and she must have been alarmed at the group of ragamuffins surrounding her.

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound? I love the cello.

Sad song?  You’re Young and You’ll Forget-Glen Campbell (I guess that shows my age!)

Day?  Saturday-because there is still one more day left in the weekend to enjoy when it’s done.

Smell?  Rain.  It makes me think it will be a good day to read!

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Here comes trouble…
 
Etta Green kissed Everson, Texas, goodbye years ago. A big city chef, she intends to return only long enough to settle her beloved grandmother’s estate and then hightail it back to Chicago. But Grammy Hazel had other plans. In her will, she left Etta part-ownership of a B&B that’s about to go bankrupt before it even opens. And what’s worse–Etta’s partner is Donny Joe Ledbetter, a handsome devil with some serious bad boy charm. Growing up, Donny Joe didn’t give Etta a second glance. Now, she’s got his whole attention.
 
A far cry from the shy bookworm he once knew, sexy, spirited Etta Green is nothing but trouble. Yet Donny Joe decides to play nice. After all, the quicker they open the B&B, the faster this exasperating–and irresistible–woman will be on her way. Donny Joe has never been a one-woman kind of man. But one crazy little moment of unforgettable desire may change his mind–if he can convince Etta to stay for good…

Excerpt:

“Belle thought you and I needed a do-over. She thought since we’ll be working together on the house we should see if we can play nice.”

He leaned back on his bar stool giving her a lazy once over. “Well now, when a woman tells me she wants to play nice that’s usually a mighty tempting offer.”

She tried to ignore the feeling he’d finished undressing her with his eyes and would be just as happy if she kept her clothes on.

He leaned toward her and announced, “But in your case I’m not sure you even know the meaning of the word nice, and you sure don’t strike me as a woman who plays much.”

“Now wait a minute. I play. I play all the time.” Good Gravy, she sounded like an idiot. Why was she explaining herself to this man anyway? She should have known he wouldn’t make things easy. “So, do you want to dance or not? Belle’s watching us like a hawk.”

He sat there a moment like he was considering all his options and then pushed his beer mug away like he’d lost a mighty struggle. “Well hell, by all means. Since your sister is watching let’s dance.” He stood up and held out his hand. “Miz Green, I’ll play nice if you will.”

She sighed before standing up as well. “Might as well get it over with.”

She took his hand, struck instantly by how warm and how strong it felt as he led her onto the dance floor. The song was slow. He tucked her in close to his body and started moving around the floor. Without considering any possible consequences, she inhaled the scent of him, masculine and clean. His shoulder was sturdy beneath her hand, his denim covered thighs brushed against her legs. Donny Joe moved with the grace of a man who knew how to partner a woman. In every way possible, she thought in a moment of recklessness. It had been a long time since she’d lost herself on the dance floor in the arms of a man. He swept her around the dance floor, and she surrendered, letting herself be swept. Just for one dance. Just for one song. It had been a long while since any man had made her feel the kind of slow, unhurried heat simmering beneath her skin. Before she realized it her head was nestled against his chest, and the song was coming to an end.

Social media links:

 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Molly-Cannon/298904883457662
Twitter: @CannonMolly
Blog: http://molly-cannon.blogspot.com/
 
Buy links:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Little-Thing-Called-Love/dp/1455515760/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_mas?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374942450&sr=1-1&keywords=molly+cannon
 
Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crazy-little-thing-called-love-molly-cannon/1113742226?ean=9781455515769

 

Monday Musing – How do you beat the summer heat?

Okay, it’s summer in Texas! Believe it or not, I love this time of year. Granted, if the AC goes out, unless the repairman can be here in a flash, I’m headed for the nearest motel. Come to think of it, a motel’s not a bad idea. I’d pick one with a pool, call the family and announce, “Come on over! We have a swimming pool.”

Maybe I suffer from sunlight deprivation and should ask my doctor for a prescription to move to St. Kitts. Really! A few dark cloudy days and I’m not near as upbeat as I am when sunlight is streaming through the windows. I open all the blinds and welcome the light in my house.

To prove my point that the sun is a good thing, I decided to share a few pictures of why I love summer with you.

Back when my granddaughter turned seven, her mother and I left the husbands at home to man the fort, and we took baby snorkeling. That’s happened for seven years in a row. We choose a different country and head for sand and warm water. It’s a labor of love as we save all year and my daughter stays on alert for a fabulous deal. She out did herself when she came up with our trip to Belize. We watched dolphins play from our balcony. Took snorkeling tours and swam with sharks and string rays.

We’re always glad to get home. Back to the family and good old Texas heat because means family time to me. Here or on the road.

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Because a dear friend of mine will call me out on this (right, Marsha?). And I forgive her for loving cold weather. I thought to post a few pictures that I think she would use to describe our summers.

 

 

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Okay this last one should read Texas! I’ll stop now! But I had to share and ask your opinion. Is summer your time of the year?

 

 

Writer’s Wednesday with Georgie Lee

Good morning! I’m pleased to have Georgie Lee with me today. Some of you know, I love a good Historical Romance, and Georgie’s books will feed that habit!

[image error]A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.

Her first novel, Lady’s Wager, and her contemporary novella, Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood, and Studio Relations, a love story set in 1935 Hollywood, are currently available from Montlake Romance. Look for her Regency novella, Hero’s Redemption from Carina Press on July 29, 2013, and her Regency novel, Engagement of Convenience, from Harlequin Historical on October 1, 2013.  

When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit  www.georgie-lee.com for more information about Georgie and her novels.

 

Let’s jump in and  learn more about Georgie!

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

It depends on the novel. I tend to research as I write, unless there is a large “could this scenario really have happened?” element to my novel. I especially use research when a story becomes stuck. While I was writing my upcoming Harlequin Historical, Engagement of Convenience, I was three-quarters of the way through the first draft when the story stalled. Thanks to a little inspiration from a history-themed daily desk calendar and some research, I was able to get the story back on track.

For Hero’s Redemption, I had to research the battle of Hougoumont Manor which took place during the battle of Waterloo. My hero, Devon, the Earl of Malton is wounded at Hougoumont Manor so I had to research the manor layout, the French and British positions, and even the weather since it had rained before the battle. I used these details to help make Devon’s story more realistic.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre? I love history, especially British history so writing in the Regency was a perfect fit for me. I moved away from the Regency for a while to write contemporary novels, a novel set in 1935 Hollywood and a novella set in ancient Rome. However, I came back to my first love, the Regency in my upcoming novella Hero’s Redemption and I will be staying in the Regency for the forseeable future.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it? I am working on my second novel for Harlequin Historical about a widow and a marquis and their struggle to overcome the past in order to rediscover their love for one another.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around? Unfortunately, I do hit walls. My writer friends and I have a joke about this, we say that when we are stuck, burning something in the story down or killing a character will get the action moving again. I have to admit, it does work.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack? I would go to London and I would only pack one carry-on. I know I can do London on a carry-on because I’ve done it before. It saves time at the airport so I spend less time at Heathrow and more time at Harrod’s.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police? I’m ashamed to say it would be Fashion Police.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part? Vivien Leigh. Of course, this also assumes that time travel is possible, but hey, both a movie about me and time travel in my lifetime could happen.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell. I once took classes in how to speak New Kingdom Ancient Egyptian and how to read hieroglyphs. I can only say one sentence in Ancient Egyptian, but I can still recognize many of the hieroglyphs.

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound? I love the sound of wind chimes, especially the metal tube ones. I have two outside and the tinkling sound on a breezy day is beautiful. However, during a major windstorm at 2am, not so much.

Sad song? Enya’s One by One. It is a whole song about saying goodbye.

Day? Saturday

Smell? Cookies baking.

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Hero’s Redemption

by Georgie Lee

London, 1817

Devon, the Earl of Malton, is a hero for his deeds at the Battle of Waterloo. But he suffers terrible nightmares, and drinks himself to sleep most nights. A habit he vows to break when he awakes one morning to find a woman sharing his bed, no memory of how she got there, and her angry brother at his door.

Cathleen is mortified when her wastrel brother and his greedy wife propose a blackmail scheme involving the earl, but as a penniless war widow she’s at their mercy. She goes along with the plan and sneaks into Devon’s bed one night, and ends up comforting him through a night terror.

 Charmed by her beauty and kindness, Devon determines that rather than pay the blackmail, he will offer his hand in marriage to Cathleen. Although she is deeply attracted to the stoic earl, Cathleen cannot understand why Devon would want to marry her. What she doesn’t know is that Devon owes her a debt that can never fully be repaid…

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgie-Lee/259729314054846?ref=hl

Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2985551.Georgie_Lee

Blog: http://georgielee.blogspot.com

Website: www.georgie-lee.com

Buy Links

http://ebooks.carinapress.com/05D92BD3-7720-46F7-A802-0E90E74AB2E5/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=DBC6503B-E226-468E-B6B3-19970DCD7C85

http://www.amazon.com/Heros-Redemption-ebook/dp/B00CC68FSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370404068&sr=8-1&keywords=hero%27s+redemption+georgie+lee

 

Monday Musing – Controversial Topics

The other day I was asked why I selected controversial topics for my books. My from the hip answer was because they were interesting. Later that day when I’d had a chance to think about it, I regretted my answer.

Not to say I don’t want the core topic to be interesting. Lordy, I’d never sell a single copy if the story wasn’t interesting. I personally find controversial topics, real life situations to be intriguing. The human spirit amazes me. You read or hear stories everyday about individuals who overcome incredible situations.

I also think the media glamorizes killers. The offenders feed off the press. They love it when the media repeats their name and deed…again and again. Think the Boston bomber didn’t love seeing his picture on the cover of Rolling Stones Magazine? I believe it made his day.

I prefer stories about the people who, when faced with tragedy, rise up, regroup, and live on.

So yes, my book topics are controversial.

A woman, who defending herself, kills her abusive husband. She runs from the accusing eye, but no matter where she hides, bad news seems to always find her. Does she keep running or take a stand? Can she find love while living her secret?

A victim of rape who doesn’t believe in abortion. She plans to give up her child to adoption after it’s born, but love and the maternal instinct take over the first time she feels movement. How does she guard her son from the past, especially when the rapist is out of prison and plans to kill them both.

An ex Ranger, now FBI, carries the reminder of war on his face. He finds a woman who doesn’t stare, doesn’t act like his scar exists. Can he drop his guard?

A cop turned vigilante, sworn to kill the men who beat and torture women after his daughter was beaten to death.

A Child Protection detective hell bent on stopping a human trafficking ring finds herself a target. Does she cave? Or does she prevail?

Okay, okay! I’ll come clean. All my stories have a happy ending. Why? Because I believe in that unbeatable, resilient human spirit and the ability to overcome obstacles and thrive.

 

 

 

How about you? Did you find the picture and story of the Boston bomber splashed on the front page of the Rolling Stone offensive?

 

Friday Special with Marsha R West!

On occasion I write a Friday post. Today is a special one for a special friend. We’re celebrating Marsha West’s release of her debut novel, VERMONT ESCAPE!

I’m super pleased to be visiting you, Jerrie, on the birthday of VERMONT ESCAPE because you played a big part in the book making it to publication. Guests can expect chocolate cake, Merlot, tea and coffee (iced or hot depending on the temps where you are.) balloons and who doesn’t love bubbles? We’d do fireworks, but they’re outlawed most places. 

Marsha, I’m honored to be the first to host you as a published author!  We should really warn folks. When we get together the conversations are LENGTHY!

 

 

 

 

So, Jerrie, let’s see what you want to know.

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

Depending on the book, I do. VERMONT ESCAPE deals with a gambling threat and I needed to know where Vermont was on that issue. For Texas, I keep up with all that, just by reading the paper every morning. (I know there aren’t many of us left, but I still like the feel of the newsprint.J)

I went on-line to Vermont.gov and found lots of info. They call their legislature the assembly. The body meets every year as opposed to in Texas, which meets every other year. Because of story issues, I had to know when the term ran. What were their gambling laws and their gun laws? I’d visited Woodstock two times and had maps and info on business and things like that. It really helped to have been there. (I just realized I failed to mention in my acknowledgements in the book the friend, Klaran Warner, who several years ago introduced me to Woodstock. L Nothing is perfect, try as hard as we might.)

Even during the final edits, my heart stopped when I thought for a moment I’d messed up about electronic cigarettes. Quick search of the internet led to a big sigh of relief. What I’d written was okay.

For other books, I’ve checked out how you join a police department, how/where can you do paternity testing in Fort Worth. The internet is amazing. But best are real live people. Info on gas leasing came from DH and a son-in-law. Real Estate info came from Daughter 1.

I usually write about stuff that I’m familiar with. However, I remember with my third book about a small town theatre a contest judge told me I was wrong on some specifics of what was going on in the theatre. Really reamed me out for writing about stuff I didn’t know or hadn’t researched. Again, I called my resident expert, this time Daughter # 2, who’d worked in the particular theatre I modeled the one in my story on, and in New York. She confirmed I was right. I refrained from writing the judge back to correct her, just learned from the experience. When I judge and notice something odd, I ask if they’re sure of their facts, but never tell them they’re wrong.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I’ve always been a reader because my parents read to me. I can remember being a little girl, lying in bed at night, and they took turns reading The Bobbsy Twins to me. As a kid, I read Nancy Drew and the Danna Girls. Loved the mystery. My mother shared her Emily Loring books with me, and I was captured by that Happily Ever After. They sometimes had a tad of mystery to them. When they didn’t, I realized I missed that. Then of course, after reading Rebecca by Daphne du Mauier, I was totally hooked on romantic suspense. I went on to read Victoria Holt, Mary Stuart and Phyllis Whitney. I like romances. I like mystery/suspense. But when they’re put together? That’s just perfect.

LOL So the short answer to your question is I write what I love to read. 

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I thought I’d be submitting TRUTH BE TOLD (SWAT member wants to stop her father’s blackmailer. Brother’s former partner struggles with physical limitations received saving her brother’s life.) to my publisher by now, but pre-publication activities have swamped me. I might still get it in before Friday, which was my goal. So I’m not writing anything now. Just doing the marketing end of the writing business. Whenever I get TRUTH submitted, then I’ll finish off SECOND CHANCES, which follows up with a secondary character from VE. Gosh, then I’ll begin writing something brand new. Should be a follow up the Second Chances.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

You know I’m a plotter, Jerrie, but even with doing that, I find times when I scratch my head and say, “What now?” I’ll go back to my internal/external conflict charts, which I use to plan what’s supposed to happen next. I’ll re-read the last chapter to see if that won’t stir some things up. When those two things don’t work, I call real live people and bounce ideas off them. J One of those usually works.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

I love this question. Anybody who knows me knows I’m taking off for New England, probably somewhere along the rocky coast of Maine: Camden, Bar Harbor, Rockport, and York Beach (though this is a sandy beach). Moosehead Lake up northwest is also spectacular. Perhaps Booth Bay Harbor where we’re going in October will become my favorite. I love the history, the old homes and buildings, the gorgeous trees. Along that rocky coastline, the stone is amazing. Add in the crash of the waves with highs seldom in the 90s, and I’m a happy camper.

Even though, I’ve been fortunate to go there many times, in all honesty, I don’t think I can pack in 90 minutes. I’m a planner. I try to make outfits coordinate. Limit the number of shoes. That sort of thing takes a while. Let’s assume everything was clean and I could fit into everything J then…jeans, long & short sleeved Ts, sweaters, good walking shoes, probably car coat (regardless of the season, it can turn really chilly, though I have friends up there who say, it’s unseasonably warm right now-like low 90s), lap top, I-phone, Nook, and DH. Oh and skin care products so I stay young looking. LOL

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Think I’m going with Fashion Police even though most days you’ll find me around the house in jeans and a t-shirt. (Perhaps one with a collar, but still a t-shirt) So I’m not a likely candidate for the fashion show. If we’re going somewhere, I spend a lot of time figuring out what to wear, maybe even shopping for something. I also notice what other people are wearing and what’s in the stores in the mall.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

Sally Field. I really identified with her in Steel Magnolias. Her character and I both wore our hair the same way for 20 years. LOL But there have been times in our lives when Patty Duke and I really resembled each other. Both of these are short and have played strong women. Of course, I haven’t been as small as they are in many moons. I wouldn’t think it necessary for them to put on weight to play the role. LOL

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

Well, only if you promise. When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to be a US Senator. Think I’d just learned about Claire Booth Luce. She was cool, and powerful, and she wrote the wonderful play, The Women. It was so fun to watch the original movie on TV just the other evening.

Here’s a few quickies. What’s your favorite:

Sound?

Ocean crashing on the shore

Romantic song?

Almost anything by Barry Manilow: Weekend in New England, Can’t Smile Without You, Looks Like We Made It to name a few.

Day?

Any day I can stay home and get a lot of work done. Any day I’m on vacation. (What can I say? I must have something of a split personality. J)

Smell?

Tea tree oil my daughter uses to clean her Pilates studio. It makes me think of a spa. Also Lavender/Vanilla body soufflé from Origins. And popcorn. (Sorry, I couldn’t do just one.)

Blurb:

Jill Barlow flees to Woodstock, Vermont after her husband and then her father are murdered. The gambling syndicate will kill again for the damning evidence she possesses.

Considering buying a crystal store, Jill is surprised by the attraction she feels for the owner’s son, Jerrod Phillips. He’s a Vermont State Assemblyman and seems to resent her presence in his town. A terrifying series of break-ins shatter her peaceful new life. Will Jerrod put aside his suspicions to help her? Jill is scared but doesn’t tell her adult children that violence continues to stalk them.

Despite having lost so much already, with the lives of her family and friends at stake, will Jill be required to make more sacrifices?

 

Excerpt VERMONT ESCAPE:

Jill Barlow reached for her make-up kit and brushed against the one thing she’d been doing her damnedest to avoid. Her heart rate tripped into overtime.

The package she received days after her dad was murdered. One month ago, but she couldn’t face opening a reminder of the nightmare.

Pictures of her vigorous father mixed with recent images of his closed casket. Nausea hit. Again. Damn. Why would someone blow off her father’s head? She didn’t stay to find out. She ran.

She’d pushed herself on a four-day trip from Texas to Vermont. Emotionally and physically exhausted, all she wanted to do was unpack her pajamas and climb into bed. Habit required she clean and moisturize her face. Habit provided comfort when life was chaotic. Habit could get her through the worst. Or not.

 In the Woodstock Inn suite, her hand trembled when she removed the package and dropped it onto the bed where it lay on the white coverlet like a scorpion.

 Hands propped on her knees, she leaned over, drew in needed oxygen. A minute passed, and then she straightened.

“Okay, open this. Every time you’ve come across the thing, you implode, morphing into a quivering mass of mush.” 

Hey, guys, sorry for sending another post, but I didn’t send a good link yesterday. Here are 3 good ones.

MIU  http://goo.gl/nJtaa

B & N http://goo.gl/1lR6D

Amazon http://goo.gl/qhzBm

 

BIO:

Marsha R. West, a retired elementary school principal, is also a former school board member and threatre arts teacher. She writes romantic suspense. Experience required. Her heroes and heroines, struggling with life and loss, are surprised to discover second chances at love.

 Marsha, who loves to travel, lives in Texas with her supportive lawyer husband. They’ve raised two daughters who’ve presented them with three delightful grandchildren. She admits to being at the beck and call of two dogs, who run her home.

She’s currently editing her latest work in progress.

Social Links

http://www.marsharwest.com/category/blog for Thoughts on Thursday and Tuesday Author Chats

https://www.facebook.com/#!/marsha.r.west

http://www.twitter.com/Marsharwest

          She’d love to hear from you.

 

Writer’s Wednesday – Can we talk about our appearance?

So here we are, another Wednesday and my guest wasn’t able to be with us today. So along with a little blatant self-promotion, let’s talk about appearances. But first, CONGRATULATIONS to Carolyn Williamson. She had subscribed to my newsletter and won the Amazon gift card!!

Yesterday, dear husband and I went the city…yes, we do live in the boonies. Both of us wore good jeans and nice shirts, him in boots and me in flats. Heck, I even slathered on makeup and fixed my hair. Off we went to a major hospital here in the DFW area, and then we stopped on the way home for lunch.

I’m not sure why I noticed, but it struck me that in both places we seemed to be overdressed! When did it become okay to go out in public looking like we’ve been working in the yard all day? I’m not talking about a quick trip to grab a loaf of bread while praying you don’t run into someone you knew. Unshaven, unkempt, legs stuck out in the aisle, ragged shorts, and worn T-shirts.  And we didn’t stop at McDonald’s, we ate a real live restaurant!

So tell, me. Is this a sign of the times? Am I just showing my age?

Okay, with that off my chest, let’s hear a hip-hip-hooray! I finally self-published Hell Or High Water. Just like it takes a village to get a book written well enough to publish, it’s takes one to ‘self-publish’ too.  I’m so grateful to Meredith @Author’s Angels for my fabulous cover!

But to everyone who has held my hand and supported me on my journey…bless your hearts!

So here’s the cover, blurb, and excerpt! If you read it and enjoy the story, please leave a review, and email me so I can thank you personally. Oh, here’s the buy link: http://goo.gl/Uzven

 

Blurb from Hell or High Water

A woman in trouble. A man she loves but can’t trust.

When ex-SEAL Nate Wolfe learns a woman from his past is in danger, nothing will stop him from protecting her. Not even her.

Dallas Child Protection Services Investigator Kay Taylor doesn’t want or need Nate in her life. But he doesn’t seem to understand the word no. He seems to also have forgotten the brand he left on her heart.

When Kay is taken and sold to a monster, the devil himself couldn’t stop Nate from doing whatever it takes to find her…but will he be in time?

 Excerpt Hell or High Water -

A chill slammed into her. Again, somebody’s eyes on her sent a shiver up her arms. She whirled.

A black Harley was parked down the block. She paused at the rear of the car and stared at the rider. Odd that he’d parked away from the funeral crowd and sat there watching. Damn, the black visor didn’t stop the burn as his gaze bore down on her. Her breath caught. Was this the man who’d saved her? Wearing a black leather jacket and matching helmet, the man sat motionless.

She started toward him, and the rider stepped off the bike. If this was her ninja, she’d demand answers after she thanked him. He turned his back to her and then removed the helmet. His fingers wound through shoulder-length black hair, tying the strands together with a piece of leather. There was something vaguely familiar about him. His movements. His shoulders. His hands.

He turned to face her, and her heart rate raced toward the ozone.

“Hello, Kaycie.”

Ten years of missing Nate Wolfe boiled over. He was here. Really here. She sprang into his arms, clutched his broad shoulders and leaned into his hard-as-a-rock chest. God, his scent, a mixture of leather, woodsy cologne and virile man washed over her. Damn. Her body betrayed her by melting into him.

“Nate,” she whispered into his neck. “You saved me.” Her flesh heated when his large hands flexed against the small of her back and drew her closer.

“Come hell or high water,” he whispered, his warm breath sending heat streaks across her skin.

A split-second passed before memories of his lying tongue using that same phrase so many years ago hit her. A volcano of heartbreak erupted and spewed forth. 

“Don’t touch me,” she spit the words at him while scrambling out of reach. “And don’t you dare say that to me. Ever.”

“You hugged me.” His eyes went wide and he held his hands up in surrender.

Damn him and his Cheshire cat grin. Kay plowed her right fist into his jaw. God, pain shot up her arm. His head barely moved. Still, she relished the snap of his teeth. Obviously, she didn’t hit him hard enough. He rubbed his scruffy jaw while that sexy little smile inched right back up his cheeks.

“Why are you following me?” Her knuckles hurt like hell, but he’d never know.

“What?” He held his hands in front of him, palms up. “No good to see you, Nate? No how you been? No nothing.”

“I’ll try this again, slower. Why. Are. You. Fol—”

“We need to talk.” The fun left his gaze. The sparkle dimmed to seriousness.

She stepped further away and sent him a glare designed to blister his flesh from head to toe. Unaffected, he picked up the cell phone earpiece she’d knocked off and reattached it to his ear while never taking his navy blue eyes off her.

“No, we don’t. Thank you for saving my life. Now do what you do best. Go away.” She spun on her heel. Rubbing her now swelling hand, Kay stalked straight to her waiting friend.

“You okay?” Holly asked over the top of the car before she slid behind the wheel.

“If I didn’t break my fist on his cement jaw, I will be.” Kay stabbed her seatbelt a second time before fastening it properly. She cursed the tears welling. Cursed the feel his warm body imprinted on her breasts. Cursed the memories that sent her heart spinning.

Holly dropped her .380 in her purse.

“Did you take that in church this morning?”

“Yep. God knows I carry. And the law gave me a permit. Glad I had it, because I didn’t know what the hell was going down when you hit him. Who was the hunk?”

“Nate Wolfe.”

“Holy shit. The guy from college?”

“The same. He’s been watching me. I’m sure of it.”

“I should’ve shot him.” Holly punched the gas pedal, ignoring the speed bumps.

“Thanks for having my back. And for getting the concealed carry license.”

“I’m never without protection. Or a gun.” Holly chuckled at her own joke. “Where to?”

 

Monday Musings- Unresolved Hero Issues

If you stopped by last Monday, Donnell Bell and I each picked a candidate for Hero Material. Both were worthy candidates. But a general consensus wasn’t reached, so I offered my next selection. Everything about Mark Harmon screams hero, don’t you think? His NCIS TV series is the most watched show on the air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to be outdone, Donnell came back with her own recommendation. Meet Jason O’Mara. Jason’s credits include the TV series Vegas and the hit movie, One For The Money. I admit, Donnell has really good taste.

 

 

 

 

 

So today, I present two new candidates. What do you think?

 

 

I don’t when I’m reading, but before I write one word, I know exactly what each person in my story looks like. I search for pictures and add them to a character description form filled with information on each person. Even the killer gets a picture and a background! In fact, there are four pages hanging on the board above my desk. They are the folks my work in progress is about.

If you write or read, do you put a face on the hero? Imagine his crystal-clear blue eyes, or his smoky gray gaze as he looks you over?

 

 

Writer’s Wednesday with Sharon Hamilton

 Welcome, Sharon. I’m thrilled you stopped by today.  Let’s jump right in and let the folks get to know you.

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Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

 Writing about Navy SEALs does require some special research. I’ve visited the Navy SEAL/UDT Museum in Ft. Pierce, Florida, as well as the JFK Special Forces Museum in Fayetteville N.C. this year. I’ve joined both groups as a major donor and gotten to know retired SEALs and active duty SEALs who tell me what they can.

There are also a lot of great books out there on the Teams. According to the SEALs I’ve met, these are good and bad. Some books and movies contain extremely inaccurate details, some details that should never have been revealed. The whole concept of the SEALs is that they work in secret, so these reveals, especially by those that should know better, are a big problem.

Right now I’m reading American Sniper: http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store/dp...

Q. What made you pick your particular genres?

 I love reading and writing heroes, true heroes. Started with vampires, but the idea of a contemporary human warrior, flesh and blood, who is so well trained he can push the limits of what man is capable of, and yet is a quiet, unassuming man who is good to his wife and children – this idea appealed to me. I began reading other military romances, and found them satisfying, so I began my journey.

When I got started writing vampire stories, frankly, I didn’t really like a lot of the other authors I was reading. I thought I could bring a different twist to the genre that they were missing. I like my vamps to be able to walk around in the sun, so I invented the Golden Vampires of Tuscany series, where there are two races of vamps: Darks and Goldens. I hope this series goes into a high concept work I’m plotting out after I finish my next two books in the SEAL Brotherhood Series.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m completing SEAL Undercovers as I write this. Navy SEAL Armando Guzman is fiercely loyal and protective of his sister (they have both appeared in Books 1 and 2) who can’t stay out of trouble. Mia has a beautiful best “friend”, Gina, who is really an undercover cop looking to bust Mia and some of her lowlife friends.  Sparks fly as a forbidden romance blooms “under the covers” between the cop and the SEAL. This is Book 3 in the SEAL Brotherhood series, and will continue with at least two more after this.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

Oh I know about hitting the wall. I’ve planned to kill off a character, and then couldn’t do it. I don’t like miraculous recoveries, so it gets tricky for me. When you do a series, you have to be sure to give the readers the authenticity and story thread that is consistent. In some cases, I’ve kept a character alive, changed who got killed off. Usually it makes for a better story in the long run.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. What’s the title of your favorite sad song?

I think my favorite sad song would be Trace Adkins’ If The Sun Comes Up Tomorrow. About a warrior telling his lady that she needs to go on with her life without him. Makes me cry every time I hear it. I love all the songs on the soundtrack from Act of Valor. Two Soldiers Coming Home by Lori McKenna is another one that is difficult to listen to without crying.

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

If you looked at my bookshelves and my closet, you’d have to say Hoarders. I’ve taken responsibility for it by recently hiring a “Spacialist” who has admonished me to stop buying notebooks for the next 10 years. I just love colored notebooks. I’m a savvy shopper, so when I buy them on sale, I save a lot of money. But I buy a lot. LOL. Sort of defeats the purpose.

I had my closets done recently and gave away at least 10 bags of clothes to the Salvation Army. They asked me if someone died when I brought them in. I didn’t have the heart to tell them I had even more at home.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

A movie of my life? Some unknown actress who is smarter than everyone gives her credit for. Would be in keeping with how I have lived my life and raised my family. We don’t go for the big splashy things, but for quality. I’ve always surprised people with the quiet and unassuming success I’ve had in several fields, not just writing. And I wasn’t always a likely prospect. This is my third successful career.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

One of my careers was actually being a Realtor (and still am) for 27 years. I held an open house in the wrong house. I had been given the wrong address and lucky or unlucky for me, the front door was open, so I went inside and set up shop. I used this in the beginning of my Accidental SEAL book. Of course, what happens to Christy isn’t what happened to me, but there’s a little bit of truth in all my books, some about me, some about others I know.

                                                                                                                            

In real estate I got to buy and sell properties for some famous people, and that was fun, to see how they lived, behaved. I use that in my stories as well.

I’m a naturally shy person. I learned to create a good living for myself in sales, and later to be able to speak to large groups of people. I helped coach other people to success as a life coach.

Of all these things, however, writing was always the career I really wanted, but thought I could never have. Well, I guess I underestimated myself too.

 

[image error]SEAL Brotherhood Boxed Set #1:  http://www.amazon.com/SEAL-Brotherhood-Boxed-Set-ebook/dp/B00CYKAVA8?tag=sharohamil-20

 

 

[image error]Fallen SEAL Legacy:  http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-SEAL-Legacy-Brotherhood-ebook/dp/B00AKJN1TI?tag=sharohamil-20

 

[image error]Mortal Bite: http://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Golden-Vampires-Tuscany-ebook/dp/B00BEM0YEU?tag=sharohamil-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday Musings-Looking for Hero Material. Donnell Bell, the challenge is on!

For those of you unfamiliar with the ongoing Man Wars on Facebook, it’s a fun thing where three authors, Avery Flynn, Kimberly Kincaid, and Robin Covington try to one up each other by posting pictures of handsome men on Facebook. I believe, and this is just a guess, Avery Fynn might have started the war.

Up until now, I’ve stayed out of them, opting to stay on the sideline and enjoy the pictures of gorgeous hunks. But a challenge issued by Donnell Bell has called me to action.

I’ve posted her challenge below for you to read:

“All right. Closed group in Session. I cannot believe Jerrie Alexander thinks there’s a better looking guy than my Viagra Firestarter/Tent Erector She thinks Bailey Chase, the character in Longmire running against Walt (the fantastic Robert Taylor who might give my Viagra Firestarter/Tent Erector a run for his money) is cuter than my VFTE guy. What say you?”

Now I ask you, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t accept the challenge?  

What do you think? Have you seen the Viagra commercial featuring the handsome guy building a fire next to a tent? I have to admit he’s rugged and hot, especially when he uses his brain to solve his problem with the fire.

Have you watched Longmire and laid eyes on deputy Branch Connally played by Bailey Chase?

If you read my first book, The Green-Eyed Doll, can’t you just visualize Matt looking exactly like Bailey?

 

 

I searched the Internet for a picture of Firestarter guy and couldn’t find one, making it unfair to ask you to vote for which one should win our first ever Hero Material search. Which means this will be an ongoing challenge. Right, Donnell?

You guys watch for posts on Facebook as Donnell and I search for and compete to find the perfect Hero Material. Be sure you comment and tag us both!

Or maybe you have a candidate? Share with us.