Linda Joyce's Blog
February 1, 2016
Party with Me! Let’s make our own Mardi Gras!
It’s 7 days until Mardi Gras!
Check the Countdown Here: http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/news/news/countdown-to-mardi-gras-celebrity
Here’s place where you can view the festivities http://www.earthcam.com/usa/louisiana/neworleans/bourbonstreet/?cam=bourbonstreet
Today’s musical selection for today: Do You know what it Means to miss New Orleans. This song has special meaning to me. While you listen, I’ll share my connection.
(Billie Holliday http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhkxy3ei8os )
The song: Do You know what it means to miss New Orleans was written by Eddie DeLange. http://www.eddiedelange.com/home.html )
About a handful of years ago, my dad called me one Saturday afternoon. “Turn on TNT. There’s a movie you have to see.”
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1809181...
The movie is the re-release of the 1947 United Artist film, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans. The opening scene is of a riverboat, the General John Newton, rumbling its way to a dock. That riverboat is the one my grandfather piloted—many years ago.
My dad, a teenager when the movie was made, shared about the filming of the opening scene.
The movie, as you can see from the uTube videos, is in black and white.
How do you make billowing steam from the stack and have it visible on film – especially on a cloudy day? Remember now, the movie is in black and white.
Dad said the film crew tried several times and failed. Then a friend of Bobby Boy, my grandfather, got an idea for fuel—Tires.
Yes, they burned tires instead of wood or coal to make black billowing clouds. Dad also said the drifting wind carried the stench and it blanked the port of New Orleans.
When my grandfather, Captain Robert Brannan retired, the General John Newton was retired as well. Here you can learn about the history of the boat from the University of Minnesota. They purchased it after it’s decommission.
The photo below was painted by a friend of my grandfathers. By whom and when, I wish I knew. It hangs in my family room.
History of the Minnesota Centennial Showboat
The University Theatre had been thinking of purchasing a showboat for sometime, but the cost and unavailability of suitable boats prevented it from continuing the Mississippi tradition of entertainment on the river. In 1956, with the 100th Anniversary of Minnesota statehood fast approaching,University Theatre Director Frank M. Whiting judged a Miss Minnesota pageant with Tom Swain, Executive Director of the Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. The two discussed the idea, and both agreed a showboat would be a fitting addition to the Centennial festivities.
1899 The General John Newton, a 175-foot (53 m)-long paddlewheeler, is commissioned. Over the years, it is used as a maritime courthouse and is visited by at least four U.S. presidents
1958 The boat is purchased by the University of Minnesota for $1 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In celebration of the state’s centennial, the General John Newton is renamed and transformed into the Minnesota Centennial Showboat.
1993 In need of major repairs, the Showboat closes with Agatha Christie’sThe Mousetrap.
1994-1999 All energies are put toward the capital campaign and renovation of the Showboat. Captain Bill Bowell of Padelford Packet Boat Company indicates interest in the project, while Saint Paul Mayor Norm Coleman announces plans for Showboat’s permanent home at Harriet Island Regional Park.
27, 2000 Fire, set by an errant welding spark, destroys the original Centennial Showboat.
Soooo, let’s get going! Let’s meet down at the Bayou. Tab Beniot will take us there with his music. (Yes, Tab is the inspiration for the character Nick Trahan in Bayou Bound, book two of my Fleur de Lis series.)
Listen up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaApBolqc-8
No matter how you choose to celebrate, please have a safe and enjoyable time.
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Let The Good Times Roll ~
Linda Joyce
P.S. I do a giveaway every month. Details are in my newsletter, which comes out the first Tuesday of every month. The January prize was a Coach Purse. What’s up for February? Sign up now! And you won’t miss an opportunity for a monthly giveaway.
The post Party with Me! Let’s make our own Mardi Gras! appeared first on Linda Joyce.
January 19, 2016
A Crash Course in Mardi Gras
There’ll be a single-question quiz at the end, so pay close attention. Yes, there will be a prize—for 10 people who leave a comment.
Costumes: I’ll be celebrating Mardi Gras long distance this year, stepping out with my guy for a wonderful Cajun meal wearing my custom made purple, green, and gold corset, (thank you Ginny Lind) carrying my parasol and a hankie, all the while dreaming about joining a Second Line. 
Music: I don’t think of New Orleans without hearing the music. Mardi Gras Mambo is an iconic Fat Tuesday song recorded in 1954 by the Hawketts, a musical group of teenagers that included Art Neville. Chess Records released the R&B song, written in 1953 by Frankie Adams and Lou Welsch, and the Hawketts made it a hit.
As you listen to the music, compliments of themusicmenTV, see the sights of New Orleans at Mardi Gras. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1fBDVNn1pU
Dance: What is Mambo? Move your body and your feet. Rock steps, side steps, points, kicks, and flicks of the feet. But the important movement involves your hips. Mambo means: Shake it! Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfasHf-M-cA
Parades: Krewes, Marching Bands, Dance Teams, Flambeaux Carriers, and more.
Historically, flambeaux carriers lead the way at night with blazing torches for revelers so they could see the Krewe parades. Now, not every parade will have them since some parades are during the day.
A krewe is a group of people who band together, some of them form formal organizations to host a Mardi Gras ball, put on a Mardi Gras parade with floats, and have social events during the year. For example, the Krewe of Cork members gather for a monthly wine tasting.
Parades color the streets in and around New Orleans: French Quarter, Metairie, Uptown, West Bank, Slidell, Madisonville, Mandeville, Chalmette, Covington, and Mid-City. Every weekend is a treat. This year, starting on Wednesday February 3rd, and every day until Fat Tuesday, February 9th, multiple parades can be viewed. You must get out of bed early to witness the Krewe of Zulu—coconut throws anyone? Zulu rolls at 8:00 am.
Oh, I almost forgot to talk about “throws.” They’re the crowning glory for revelers. Throws are the items each Krewe throws/tosses as parade-goers as the floats pass the throngs of crowds.
So from all of this love of music, food, tradition, history, and partying, you can see why Mardi Gras is really bigger than Christmas.
Now y’all know about NOLA’s rich parade traditions. If you look at only one thing on this post, please click on the link for the second line. Second Line is another exciting element of parades. It works like this: the First Line is the main brass band of a parade. (Usually a designated group with a parading permits.) Followers tag along while strutting to the music, twirling parasols, waving handkerchiefs and it’s called Second Lining. Musicians wanting to show their stuff, fall in line and play, too, adding an even richer musical sound.
AND there are Second Line parades that can happen on any day of the week and virtually anywhere. Seeing and hearing adds to the understanding, so check this out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpKiuVVXXeA
QUIZ: I promised a quiz and here it is: For many, Mardi Gras is equated with one thing.
So in the videos, there’s one thing you Don’t see. What is it?
Answer: Bare Boobs.
In the videos, nowhere did you witness a woman flashing her body parts. Mardi Gras is predominately a family-friendly event. Thankfully, that behavior is pretty much kept to Bourbon Street, and even then, it’s not encouraged.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Linda Joyce
P.S. I’m giving away 10 eBooks of Bayou Bound–A 2015 InD’Tale Finalist and SWA’s 1st Place in Romance winner. Leave a comment to be entered to win. The winners of the eBooks will be selected on Fat Tuesday, February 9th–a Mardi Gras throw. If you win, you will need to send me your email address to receive the book via Amazon.
Want a chance to win something more? Check out my newsletter and follow the steps to the Coach.
The post A Crash Course in Mardi Gras appeared first on Linda Joyce.
January 5, 2016
Twelfth Night and a Journey into January
Carnival is a season, not a day. It begins on Twelfth Night, January 5th. (Yes, every year.)
There are 34 days until Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras 2016.
Here’s the link to the countdown clock: http://www.online-stopwatch.com/countdown/mardi-gras/
Now, to get the full benefit of this post, you must follow instructions. Click on the link and let Tab Benoit help you get your joie de vivre going. (In case you’ve not seen Tab before, trust me, he’s easy on the eyes. In fact, he’s the inspiration for Nick Trahan in Bayou Bound.)
Meet Tab Benoit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV9Ea8Yq5h8
Native Orleanian Fine Photography/Jerry Moran Images for Tab Benoit website.
Here’s his website: http://www.tabbenoit.com/
Yes, in the Pelican state or Louisiana, Mardi Gras is a holiday celebrated with an enthusiasm that matches Christmas. When most of folks in the other 49 states in the U.S. are winding down and putting away holiday decorations, down in the bayou, Carnival is getting underway.
Mardi Gras is only one day. However, Carnival is THE season for celebration.
Do you know how to calculate the date of the day of last big “hoorah”? Grab your Farmer’s Almanac. Find the date of first full moon AFTER the Spring Equinox, then count back 47 days. In 2016, it will be 2-9-16.
On Twelfth Night, there are parades and celebrations throughout the state. Parties include King Cake; a pastry decorated with Mardi Gras colors: green, purple and gold. Often there is a small plastic baby inside. Whoever gets the baby in their slice has to provide the next cake–usually next week. The homemade cakes I’ve tasted used a Mardi Gras doubloon instead of a plastic baby.
http://www.mardigrasday.com/party-sto...
Check out Christy Jordan’s site. She has a great step-by-step King Cake recipe I can’t wait to try. Maybe we need to have a King Cake bake off. Anyone up for that?
http://www.southernplate.com/2011/02/super-easy-king-cake-wow-good.html
Now about Mardi Gras colors. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but according to the Mardi Gras New Orleans site, the Krewe of Rex selected the official Mardi Gras colors in 1872 to honor the visiting Russian Grand Duke Romanoff, who suggested the colors. The 1892 Rex Parade theme “Symbolism of Colors” affirmed the colors’ meaning.
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mgcolors.html
Purple is for Justice.
Green is for Faith.
Gold is for Power.
Post a question below that you have about Carnival or Mardi Gras. I’ll answer questions and pick a winner from those who post questions. The prize is an autographed copy of Bayou Bound. The winner will be announced in my newsletter, Letters from Linda, on February 2nd.
Don’t get my newsletter? Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/4y5Yj so you can find out if you’re a winner on February 2nd.
Laissez les bons temps rouler
Let the Good Times Roll,
Linda Joyce
The post Twelfth Night and a Journey into January appeared first on Linda Joyce.
December 30, 2015
Is this all there is? Purse Dump
Project Purse Dump: Juliette Cross
Hi, everyone! So, my purse is ultra boring. Nothing but piles of receipts, my wallet, phone, sunglasses, and my reading glasses which I can never seem to find. Instead, my character Genevieve Drake from the Vessel series will share with you what’s in her purse. FYI, Gen is a college co-ed turned demon hunter in New Orleans. Take it away, Gen!
Tommy Girl Hand Lotion—My hands get chapped, and a girl’s gotta smell nice, right?
Chocolate—Always have some stashed in my purse. Helps me in all kinds of emotional emergencies.
A Benchmade Knife—My dad’s first present to me when I moved out of the house into an apartment with my bestie, Mindy. (Check out the closeup! It’s got the cutest butterfly.) And Jude almost cracked a smile when he saw me carrying it. Almost.
Mindy’s Ferrari-red Lipstick—Mindy has way more fashion sense than I do and insists I wear it when we go out.
Pony Tail Holders—Gotta have ‘em.
Celtic Bracelet—I bought this in the French Market because it reminded me of my mother and her artwork. She always loved Celtic scrollwork and interlacing. Jude gets a sort of sad look on his face when I wear it, so I usually just stick it back in my purse.
Vincent Van Gogh Sticky Notes—Couldn’t pass these up when I saw them at the NOMA souvenir shop. You always need sticky notes. Why not have some classy ones?
Matches—I don’t smoke, but I pick up matches wherever I go. These are from the Cigar Factory on Decatur, Pat O’Brien’s in the Quarter, and Commander’s Palace on Canal from the last time Dad took me.
Pens—You always need a pen. Be prepared.
Dickinson Pocket Poetry—Though I’ve had to set my English studies aside for more noble pursuits, like hunting demons with Jude, I can’t give up my favorite book of pocket poetry. Emily inspires me. When life gets tough, I always go to these lines, “Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops—at all.”
About Juliette: Multi-published author of paranormal and urban fantasy romance with Samhain and Kensington Publishing, Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana, home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance–brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more books set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.
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December 11, 2015
Watch it! KaLyn Cooper is packin’!
Please meet KaLyn Cooper
I should probably be thrown out of the Girlie Girl Club because I don’t carry much in my purse. Given the opportunity, I don’t even carry one. I often stuff cash in a front pocket with a Chapstick or lipstick on the other side and I carry a very small, leather pouch for credit cards.
Years of long distance traveling has taught me that a purse can get stolen so quickly and weighs you down. By the end of the day, your shoulders ache. I also have a tendency to leave it hanging on the back of a chair so more than once I’ve revisited a restaurant in search of the darn thing. Fortunately, I’ve only lost it once. So I often don’t take one with me when I leave the house.
Unless I’m carrying.
Yes, I have been known to carry a gun in my purse. And yes, I have a Handgun Carry Permit. And yes, I know how to use it. I hope I wouldn’t hesitate to do so if a life-threatening situation should arise. I am a shooter and can often be found on the range. To see a picture of the gun I carry, visit my blog site listed below.
So, on to the contents of my purse:
Let’s talk about the purse itself. I only buy unembellished Coach leather purses. I have some that are over twenty years old that still look good and function well. I rotate them out summer and winter, thus the dark brown one currently in use.
Two leather-bound checkbooks. Although I do more banking online than with a written check, sometimes you simply need to write a check. After the second move, Macho Marine and I decided we needed a stable bank account for his direct deposit but in those days, a local bank was always necessary. Thus the one has been in existence for over thirty-five years and the local account.
That non-descript medicine bottle contains: at least two migraine pills for Macho Marine, he can never find his when he needs them; two daily meds for Favorite (only) Son, just in case; and a few mega Motrin for me. The Tylenol is also for MM because he forgets his all too often when we travel. Is there a picture of our family dynamic forming here?
Business cards. You never know when you’ll run into a Romance reader.
Pens and a small pad of paper. Even though I most often use the app on my phone, I never know when I’ll need to write a note or make a list. I love office supply stores the way MM loves old hardware stores. I could spend hours looking at all the pretty paper, interesting office gadgets and pens that I might need and all too often purchase. They have to be ultrafine point and pretty as well as functional. But never pink or purple and never ever write in those colors. See, I could so easily lose that Girlie Girl card.
Glasses case and lens cleaner. I wore contacts for years and still do on occasion but prefer my glasses these days. I switch to prescription sunglasses when I go outside. Maybe I should try transitional lenses.
Wallet. Again Coach because they last so long and again leather. I guess I’m a natural materials person when it comes right down to it.
Not pictured but should be mentioned: Sometimes I will also have a receipt or two that I stuff into the back compartment but not today. Writing is a business and it keeps my CPA happy when I have the receipt from lunch with my author friends. I also shove my cell phone into the exterior pocket but I needed it to take the picture.
Pretty boring stuff for the most part.
But there is one more item I often carry. It’s deadly and I didn’t want it plastered all over the Internet. To see what it is, please visit my blog https://kalyncooper.wordpress.com/.
About KaLyn
KaLyn Cooper’s romances blend fact and fiction with blazing heat and heart-pounding suspense. Twenty-two years as a military wife has shown her the world, and more than thirty years in PR taught her that fact can be stranger than fiction. She leaves it up to the reader to separate truth from imagination. She, her husband, and bird dog live in Tennessee on a micro-plantation filled with gardens, cattle, and quail. When she’s not writing, she’s at the shooting range or paddling on the river.
Be sure to check out her book Christmas in Cancun and two upcoming releases Captivated in Cancun December 28th and Claimed by a SEAL Kindle Worlds Hot SEAL Cancun Crossover Novella releasing January 26th
For all books by KaLyn Cooper, please visit her website www.KaLynCooper.com.
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December 9, 2015
Be Mine by April Hollingworth, Irish Author
Is there a more magical place on earth than Ireland?
Meet Irish author April Hollingworth and her characters.
From her soon-to-be released Be Mine, she’s interviewing Mark and Beth.
Interview of Mark and Beth
Interviewer: “So tell me when you first realized you loved each other and how come it took you so long to get together?”
Mark: “Well to be honest I never noticed Beth in a more than little sister’s friend way until arriving back and she threw that lasagna at me. What can I say, she knows how to get my attention.”
Beth: Hey that’s not fair, I didn’t deliberately throw it at you and you know it. Though you keep that up and I might do so next time. Sorry what was the question again? Oh yes, when did I fall in love with this clown. (Blushing slightly, Beth looks away before turning back and admitting) “When I was six, I told my mum that I loved Mark and would one day marry him.”
Mark: “Seriously? Why did you never tell me?”
Interviewer’s observations: His voice has turned soothing and there’s a look of devotion on his face that makes me feel as if I’m interrupting this moment between them, especially when he wraps her smaller hand between both of his and leans in closer to her, as if urging her answer from her. To be honest, I’m dying to know her answer too.
Beth: A slight smile slips across her face, turning towards him her blue eyes light up, with her free hand she strokes the side of his face and finally answers his question, “Well I was six, and you never noticed me back then, granted that wasn’t surprising. When we met again… What was I going to say? Hi Mark, sorry about the lasagna oh you’re going to marry me, I decided when I was six? Yeah, I don’t quite think that would have gone down well.
Mark: “Probably not, but you were right, I did marry you and I would again in a heartbeat.”
Interviewer: “Wow, when you were six? So I have to know, what is your favorite food?”
Mark: “Toad in the hole. There’s something about that crispy batter covering the sausages that I just love.”
Beth: “Mine’s lasagna, but instead of using white sauce I love it with chicken bake pasta sauce. It just gives it a really delicious creamy taste to it.”
Mark: “I have to admit, the way you make it is wonderful.”
Interviewer: “Are you being serious? You use a pasta bake sauce instead of white sauce?”
Beth: “Totally serious. I’ll give you the recipe if you like?”
Interviewer: “Okay. I’ll give anything a try at least once. Can I have the recipe to your Toad in the Hole too?”
Beth: “No problem, and don’t worry, there’s no actual toads in the dish.”
Interviewer: “I’m relieved to hear that. So Mark, you were in the army, what kind of missions did you go on?”
Mark: Well we went on quite a number of different ones, most of which I can’t talk about, though there was a few that were… unique.”
Interviewer: “Unique how?”
Beth: “Didn’t you have to dress up as a girl?”
Interviewer: “What? Why would you have…”
Mark: “No that was Jonathan.”
Beth: “That’s not how he told it!”
Mark: “It was Jonathan. He lost the coin throw and had to dress up as a girl to distract… Anyway, who he had to distract doesn’t matter, what does matter is it was Jonathan and not me. Also it worked better than we thought it would.” A huge grin spreads across his face as a chuckle rumbles from him, shaking his head presumably at the memory, me mutters, “Good times.”
Interviewer: “So definitely some intriguing missions. Tell me Beth, if you don’t mind that is, why exactly did you begin to learn self-defense?”
Beth: “Because I never want to feel helpless again. To be unable to protect myself or someone else. Also I used to hate the thought of walking in the dark, just from fear of someone hiding in the shadows. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t take any unnecessary chances, but knowing I can defend myself, it’s given me something back.”
Interviewer: “I must admit, I do love walking at night, it can be so peaceful, but yes I also understand how it can be nerve-racking when hearing a sound or seeing groups of people even. So on the mention of safety, how’s the security business doing?”
Mark: “Excellent thanks. I’ve gotten a lot of referrals and am kept busy. I’m thinking about branching out.”
Beth: “You should do it.”
Mark: “I probably will, I just need to finalize a couple of things first before making the decision.”
Interviewer: “Branching out how?”
Beth: “Mark’s thinking about hiring ex-special forces soldiers for private security. I think he should do it instead of thinking about it.”
Mark: “Kitten, you know it’s not that simple. I need to make sure that I have the men and women to do the job and the demand for them to be hired before I can make that decision.”
Interviewer: “Kitten?”
Mark: “Yep I call her Kitten, for she’s adorable but has claws, also I can make her…”
Beth: (Going completely scarlet) “Mark!” to which she receives a lascivious smirk and a wink from her unrepentant husband.
Interview: “So Beth, how’s your writing coming along?”
Beth: (With a look of relief flickering across her face at the change of subject, she flashes me a relieved smile.) “Wonderful thanks, well mainly wonderful I should say. Sometimes that dastardly writer’s block strikes, and when it does ugh it drives me crazy, other than that it’s fabulous.”
Interviewer: “So final question for you both. What’s your plans for the future? Where do you see yourselves in ten years?”
Mark: “Well, I see us having two or three kids, Beth as a full-time author and my security business has expanded. Probably we’ll have a dog or cat. What about you?”
Beth: “That sounds about perfect to me, but we’ll probably have both a dog and cat.”
Mark: “As long as you’re by my side, I don’t mind at all.”
Beth: “Same here. As long as we have each other. I’m blissfully happy.”
Interviewer: “Wow, okay, it’s been fabulous having you both here. I wish you both all the best and thanks for taking time out to share some more about yourselves.”
Mark and Beth: “Thanks for having us, it’s been fun.”
Toad in the Hole:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
115g/4oz plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg beaten
300ml/10fl oz milk
450g/1b good-quality pork sausages
1tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7
To make the batter, sift the flour and salt together into a mixing bowl.
Make a well in the center and add the egg and half the milk.
Carefully stir the liquid into the flour until the mixture is smooth.
Gradually beat in the remaining milk.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Grease a 20 x 25-cm/8 x 10-inch ovenproof dish or roasting tin.
Prick the sausages and place them in the dish.
Sprinkle over the oil and cook the sausages in the oven for 10 minutes, until they are beginning to color and the fat has started to run and is sizzling.
Remove from the oven and quickly pour the batter over the sausages.
Return to the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes, until the batter is well risen and golden brown.
Serve immediately.
Beth’s Lasagna:
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 chopped carrots
55g/2oz peas
225g/8oz fresh mince beef
400g/14oz canned chopped tomatoes with garlic
225g/8oz dried no-precook lasagna sheets.
115g/4oz freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
Salt and pepper
½ tbsp. of dried spices: parsley, sage, thyme and oregano.
A jar of chicken pasta bake sauce.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5
Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan.
Add the onion, stir for 5 minutes or until it softens.
Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over.
Stir in the carrots and peas and cook for five minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add in parsley, sage, thyme and oregano and tomatoes.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
In a large, rectangular ovenproof dish, make alternate layers of meat sauce, lasagna sheets and parmesan cheese.
Pour the chicken pasta bake sauce over the layers, covering them completely, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
Serve immediately.
Be Mine (A Candy Hearts Romance) by April Hollingworth is now available for pre-order http://www.amazon.com/Be-Mine-Candy-Hearts-Romance-ebook/dp/B018YN002M/
Contact for April Hollingworth
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aprilhollingworthauthor
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4759078.April_Hollingworth
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/April-Hollingworth/e/B00H48PPAG/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/No1Bitchmaster
Website: http://aprilhollingworth.wix.com/april-hollingworth
AND don’t miss April’s first release: Double Magick
Happy Reading!
Linda Joyce
The post Be Mine by April Hollingworth, Irish Author appeared first on Linda Joyce.
December 7, 2015
Holiday Sale! 99¢ Bayou Beckons
Bayou Beckons at Amazon
Get your copy now.
5 – STAR Reviews
and check out the PINTEREST board for Bayou Beckons.
Excerpts:
Camilla scooped up her ante and tucked the winning hundred and fifty into the front pocket of her frayed jean shorts. “Nice playing with ya’ll.”
The three men circled her. “What’s your hurry?” When one of the men grabbed her arm, she jerked away. “Don’t touch me.” Her gaze darted from man to man. Swallowing hard, she took in a deep breath to mask her fear, then released her breath and squared her shoulders.
“Little lady, we know how to take care of a woman as good as any dude from the south.”
“Excuse me.” A tall, tanned man inserted himself into the group. Blond streaked his sandy brown hair, and a pale thin scar in front of his ear ran from his hairline to his jaw, adding to his ruggedly handsome good looks. She guessed he was a businessman from the dark khaki slacks and crisply pressed, light blue shirt with a button-down collar. His eyes glowed deep blue. Camilla drowned in those eyes. Her mouth dried like someone had stuffed it with cotton. Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Gorgeous’ ran through her brain as though it were the only word in the world she remembered.
Excerpt:
“Camilla, I’m falling in love you.”
She lifted her head and pushed the rolled jeans back into place as a pillow. “You shouldn’t have said that. That complicates everything,” she said quietly. Her expression closed. Shut him out. He hoped he’d captured her heart, but it appeared her mind wanted to war again.
“Why? Most people fight to find the perfect love.”
She tried to move him, but he refused to budge. “Perfect?” she snapped. “There’s nothing perfect about me.”
“Woman, I’m explaining that I love you. I want you in my life.”
She sprang up.
“I’ve got to go, Jared. I told you, you don’t know me.”
She was incorrect in her understanding. He knew about her. He knew her heart. She loved him. He’d been with enough women to understand Camilla was the only one he’d ever loved. Completely.
And you’ll want to catch up on the rest of the series:
BAYOU BORN, book one of the Fleur de Lis series is a 2014 RONE Award Finalist
BAYOU BOUND, book two of the Fleur de Lis series won 1st Place in Romance from Southeastern Writers Association. It received a 4.5 Star Review from InD’tale Magazine and Long and Short Reviews.
Bayou Beckons at Amazon
Happy Reading!
Linda Joyce
The post Holiday Sale! 99¢ Bayou Beckons appeared first on Linda Joyce.
December 5, 2015
Paula Tiberius: Peek inside… a purse tells a story
Please meet Paula Tiberius
I never used to carry a purse. While my high school, then university compadres mooned over their new Coach bags and fished around for keys for half an hour, I always had cash in my front right pocket, one slim key in my left back pocket, and whatever lipstick I had on when I left the house was good enough for the night.
Now?
My wallet – a freakin’ wallet, people. I’m a grown-up.
Sunscreen. I live in Los Angeles and my husband Richard has had five skin cancers removed so far. This is the only kind that doesn’t feel oily. If you’re reading this, Neutrogena, I am looking for sponsors on my blog.
Rice Krispies treat – this is “for Violet” (my 7 year old daughter) when “she” gets cranky in the car.
Two pens stolen from my credit union, an over-sized My-Pal pencil (because sometimes you just don’t want the finality of a pen), a Sharpie (because sometimes things can’t be indelible enough),one pen from The Pleasure Chest (because I cover sex seminars there for Sexpert.com), and a pen from an Australian hotel – that’s right, I went to Australia. I’m a grown up with a purse.
TWO travel tissue packs, because one would leave me quite insecure.
A GO train receipt from my visit to Toronto in June. It’s now September.
A red button. Thinking, thinking….it’ll come to me.
A metal mesh turtle pendant without a chain. Don’t you have one in your purse?
Migraine meds. I used to leave them at home thinking that it was bad juju to carry headache medicine when you don’t have a headache. But then I kept getting headaches while out in the world with my giant purse that had no medication in it.
A one-time-use-only toothbrush. I know I’m married with a kid, but I might still have a one-night-stand at some point. You never Actually I stole it from a spa in Palm Springs last weekend.
Two plastic stencil sheets. I picked them out from a counter full of crap to redeem points at an arcade. My daughter Violet was dead set against them, but I remain certain that she will change her mind. Stencils rock.
A green feather from the boa Violet wore at her rock and roll camp performance this summer. She borrowed it from her father who wears it in our band Fame Whore. Yes, we’re setting an excellent example.
Ear buds. You can’t talk on the phone without them in your car, and I’m always in my car.
Red lip gloss that my friend Tara gave me about six months ago when I was feeling really, really shitty and broke, overworked and underpaid. She told me that it was the “lip gloss of abundance,” which seems to have worked, actually. Now I’m afraid to throw it out even though its fuzzy wand is drying up.
An Always mini-pad. I pay extra for the black box kind because I like to have stylish cardboard in my bathroom cabinet.
A tester tube of double-helix water cream, given to me by a medical intuitive who channels angels. He is awesome and so is this cream. I’m putting it on my C-section scar to see if it helps it disappear.
I don’t smoke, but my husband does. Also, I used to be a pyromaniac.
A packet of salt. Don’t listen to people who say salt is bad for you. It makes everything better.
Pink and red paper clips tied together in a chain. I grabbed them for a parent teacher board meeting and did not use them.
Orange bauble hair tie. I used to hate this kind when I was a kid. I wonder if Violet hates them too? I should ask her.
Big black hair clip. That’s the shit you want.
A coupon for a free cupcake at Barnes & Noble – now expired.
About Paula:
Paula Tiberius is an author, musician and filmmaker living in North Hollywood, California with her husband, daughter and gigantic German Shepherd. She wrote and directed the feature film Goldirocks, authored a romance novel The Cowboy Singer, and is creating a kids’ album with a message called Be Who You Are. She loves to create work that inspire kindness and self-worth. Visit her at www.paulatiberius.com
The post Paula Tiberius: Peek inside… a purse tells a story appeared first on Linda Joyce.
December 4, 2015
Sarah Heggers: Purse is command centeral
Please meet Sarah Hegger
So, it’s my turn to dump the contents of my purse and tell you all about them. I must say, this feels akin to opening my underwear drawer and letting everyone poke about.
My purse functions as the mobile command center for my family.
I see my sunglasses are missing from the picture, but I never go anywhere without them. Someone told me years ago, when I was still in my teens, that they’re the best form of wrinkle protection, and I stick by that. The effectiveness of this method is a topic for another blog post altogether.
Now let me explain myself, items one through thirteen
A collection of invoices that I’ll need within the next week or so. In this case, the invoice for my new glasses and beneath it for kitchen stools I’m waiting to be delivered. Pieces of paper get lost in my house, so my purse is the best place to keep them.
Um, it got nothing. These are receipts from grocery shopping, and I routinely get rid of them. Typically when I can’t find stuff in my purse anymore.
Two teenage girls. ‘Nuff said.
The pencils and pens I never have when I need one, but are always lurking around the bowel of my purse.
I hate grocery shopping with a passion, and if I don’t have a list I end up not getting everything I need.
The trusty wallet. Probably filled with even more receipts I’ve kept for some reason or other, and will get rid of when they bug me.
The dog tags I bought to put on my dogs, but haven’t been back to Pet Smart to have them engraved with my dog’s name and a contact number. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll get around to it.
The iPhone. And thank God I take out insurance because I have dropped these babies in a cup of tea, a dehumidifier bucket, down the stairs, had one stolen out of my car…
Cheque books, because you never know when you’re going to need one. Not often, but damn when you need one, you need one.
Both our cars have keyless ignition, but you need to have the fob close to the car to open it. Why two of them? My husband routinely loses his, and I give him the one I have, and find the lost one and put it in my purse.
A collection of business cards that are too useful to throw away, but I can never find when I need.
Lip balm and gloss, both to prevent dry lips, which living in Colorado make a must have.
My business cards and bookmarks for those conversations that start with “What do you write?” It should be noted that since I started carrying these around, nobody has had that conversation with me. But we all know that once I take them out of my purse, I’ll have that conversation with the next person I run into.
There we go, the contents of my purse, and they don’t vary too much from day to day. When the girls were younger, it also used to be filled with nicely colored rocks, bits of toys, feathers, shells and other paraphernalia young children ‘need’ to keep.
About Sarah:
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 Colorado 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.
Sarah is the recipient of the 2015 EPIC Award for Historical Romance.
She is represented my Nalini Akolekar of Spencerhill Associates.
The post Sarah Heggers: Purse is command centeral appeared first on Linda Joyce.
November 29, 2015
Don’t miss this SALE! Bayou Beckons for 99¢
Praise for Bayou Beckons
Linda Joyce delivers another compelling story of second chances that will have you heeding the Bayou’s Beckoning. ~ Melissa Klein, author of Her Hometown Hero
Linda Joyce is the master of emotional impact and epic storytelling. ~ Kathy L Wheeler, author of Color of Betrayal
*~*~*~SALE~*~*~*
99¢ Bayou Beckons
Meet Camilla Lind:
A tear ripped Camilla’s heart. The man was getting married? The image of her private dance with him sprouted wings and flew away.
Excerpt:
Camilla scooped up her ante and tucked the winning hundred and fifty into the front pocket of her frayed jean shorts. “Nice playing with ya’ll.”
The three men circled her. “What’s your hurry?” When one of the men grabbed her arm, she jerked away. “Don’t touch me.” Her gaze darted from man to man. Swallowing hard, she took in a deep breath to mask her fear, then released her breath and squared her shoulders.
“Little lady, we know how to take care of a woman as good as any dude from the south.”
“Excuse me.” A tall, tanned man inserted himself into the group. Blond streaked his sandy brown hair, and a pale thin scar in front of his ear ran from his hairline to his jaw, adding to his ruggedly handsome good looks. She guessed he was a businessman from the dark khaki slacks and crisply pressed, light blue shirt with a button-down collar. His eyes glowed deep blue. Camilla drowned in those eyes. Her mouth dried like someone had stuffed it with cotton. Her breath caught in her throat. ‘Gorgeous’ ran through her brain as though it were the only word in the world she remembered.
Bayou Beckons at Amazon
Happy Reading!
Linda Joyce
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