Cora Seton's Blog, page 20
May 7, 2013
What I’m Reading – Speak No Evil, by Tanya Anne Crosby – Prize Below
Speak No Evil, by Tany Anne Crosby
When Florence Willodean Aldridge dies, she leaves behind her 27 million dollars and a house filled with family secrets and tragic memories. Caroline wants nothing to do with the house and nor does her sisters, Savannah and Augusta, but if they want their share of the 27 million dollars, they’ll all have to spend a year within its walls. Savannah must write the book she’s always meant to, Augusta is tasked with renovating the house. Caroline is ordered to take over the Tribune, her mother’s newspaper. None of the women will get through the year unscathed.
When a killer strikes and a young girl disappears, Caroline must figure out how to use her new position to help solve these cases before anyone else gets hurt. Doing so will bring her into close contact with Jack, the man she was supposed to marry, but left instead….
I enjoyed Speak No Evil immensely, from its Old South setting to all of its mysteries to the relationships between the three sisters. The pacing is impeccable, and the story had me hooked right from the first page. I don’t want to give away any clues to the mysteries, so I’ll just say that Crosby has a deft touch setting out her clues and leading the reader through a maze of possibilities to the final conclusion.
Definitely read this one!
Tanya Anne Crosby is having a blog tour for the next several days. Comment below for your chance to win a $50 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. (Just a note – I moderate all comments and will be checking in every hour or so to do so. Your comment may take a little time to appear, but it will get there!)
Click here to find the other blog tour locations!
May 3, 2013
A Wonderful Day
You wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had. I woke up this morning early after having a horrible dream about going on to one of those “America’s Got Talent” type shows and being completely unprepared (no dress, no makeup, no idea what song I was singing or the words to it). I stumbled to my computer, read my email and then checked my book sales.
Wowee!
Something big happened overnight! Sales have been going crazy all day. I finally figured out that The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride was probably in an Amazon new release email. How cool is that!
I’ve had a few questions from readers about the Chance Creek series, so I’ll answer them here. The Chance Creek series is ongoing. So far I have written:
The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride (already out, of course)
The Cowboy’s Designer Bride (to be released May 30th)
The Cowboy’s Imported Bride (to be released June 30th)
Bella Beats a Billionaire (to be released over the summer)
The Cowboy’s Eco-Bride (to be released mid-September)
I didn’t mean to write Bella Beats a Billionaire in the middle of the series – it just happened. 
It stars a minor character from book 3.
The Cowboy’s Eco-Bride introduces a lot of new characters to the series and so will both tie off the stories of Ethan, Jamie, Rob and Cab, and will introduce a new set of 4 – 5 stories that center around a common theme. Expect to see some minor characters from the first five books to “star” in these, as well, and to get glimpses of Ethan and the rest of the cast as the series goes on.
The Cowboys of Chance Creek is very much a small town series in the best sense – you’ll never lose track of your favorite characters, but there are enough stories to go on for a long time. My goal is to bring equal parts humor and heat to my books, but also to take my readers in some unexpected directions.
Remember to look for The Cowboy’s Designer Bride at the end of May!
May 1, 2013
Cowboys and Lawmen Blog Hop! Why I Love Sheriffs….
Today I’m thrilled to be part of the Cowboys and Lawmen Blog Hop. I’m giving away a ten dollar gift certificate to Amazon.com below. I hope you’ve set aside some time to browse the other blog stops and throw your cowboy hat into the ring to compete for lots of great prizes and giveaways!
Here’s some general information about the Blog Hop:
Join nearly 50 authors as we share why we love Cowboys and Lawmen. Cowboys are known as bad-boys, but what happens when the bad-boy is also the law in town? What is it about these contradictions that make small town sheriffs, Texas Rangers and ex-outlaws-turned-lawmen so irresistible? As you enjoy some awesome blogs and find fantastic books, for every post you comment on with your email address, you will be entered for some amazing prizes.
***PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO QUALIFY***
Grand Prize: At least a $75 Gift Card for Amazon or Barnes and Noble, your choice. The winner will be chosen at random from comments containing email addresses, and will be announced on May 7. This is open to both US and international readers.
My favorite sheriff of all time isn’t actually a sheriff at all. He’s a marshall, the federal equivalent of the local sheriff. Raylan Givens, Deputy U.S. Marshall, is the star of the television show Justified, and while he isn’t your traditional “western” sheriff, he wears a cowboy hat and is the quintessential bad good guy.
Why is Raylan Givens my ideal sheriff (ahem…marshall)? Here’s my top ten list:
10. The expressions on his face when he’s dealing with his petty criminal father, Arlo Givens.
9. He can’t resist a pretty face even when he really, truly should resist it.
8. No matter how hard he tries he can’t get away from his hometown, Harlan County.
7. He gives bad guys the chance to do the right thing even when that’s ridiculous.
6. He likes ice cream cones.
5. He still carries a torch for his ex-wife.
4. He’s a gentleman….and he’s no gentleman.
3. He wears a cowboy hat at all times.
2. His eyes.
1. The smart-ass things he says: “Did you not wake up this morning thinking this was another opportunity to mess up some bad guy’s day? I did.”
In my Chance Creek series, Cab Johnson is the Chance Creek County sheriff. We only get glimpses of his character in the first few books – a large, quiet man whom the other characters absolutely depend on in a pinch. We’ll get to know Cab much better starting in book 5 – The Cowboy’s Eco-bride, when he faces off with an old flame who has returned to Chance Creek to stir up a whole mess of trouble.
Like Raylan Givens, Cab’s a bit of a smartass when you get to know him. He also has a soft spot for the ladies – and one lady in particular. He’ll move mountains to keep the peace in Chance Creek and make his lady friend happy – even if those two things are diametrically opposed.
The Cowboy’s Eco-Bride will release this fall. Meanwhile, get to know Cab and the rest of the Chance Creek Cowboys starting with The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride, which just released April 30th!
Ethan Cruz should be mending fences on his Montana ranch, but instead he’s driving to the Chance Creek, Montana, airport – to pick up the bride he didn’t know he had. This latest salvo in his ongoing practical joke battle with his best friend, Rob Matheson, has gone too far, and Ethan plans to send his “bride” right back home, then get busy plotting his revenge. One look at Autumn Leeds changes his mind, however. Perhaps he needs a bride, after all. A breathtakingly beautiful city bride.
Autumn Leeds needs a story – fast – or she’s going to lose her lucrative contract with CityPretty Magazine, so when she sees the crazy video plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century. Making a video of her own, she casts herself as the perfect mail-order bride for a rancher, but when she finally reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.
Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. He’s about to lose it all because of the debts his mother racked up before his parents’ deaths. Now his sister, Claire, wants to sell the ranch and collect what little money they can. He’ll be out of a home and a job, and in no shape to support the bride he desperately wants to marry, after all.
Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her expose – she might be carrying his child. If she doesn’t write this article and secure her contract for another year, she’ll lose everything – her career, her apartment, and more importantly, her family’s approval. The only alternative is to stay and marry Ethan. But how can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?
Can a love based on lies last?
Buy at Amazon
Buy at Barnes & Noble
Buy at SmashWords
Buy at Kobo
Buy in Print
If you’d like to enter for the $10 gift card AND/OR the $75 grand prize gift card, comment below. Tell me if you’ve seen or like Justified and Raylan Givens. Or tell me who your favorite sheriff is. You must include your email in your comment to enter. All entries must be received by midnight EST, May 6th 2013.
I’m Going to be Interviewed on CBC Radio – Daybreak North
I just got a note from Betsy Trumpener of CBC radio (That’s her to the left) saying they’d like to interview me about my Cowboys of Chance Creek series, plus the other publishing-related work I do – I’m so excited!
This will be my first radio interview, so I’m nervous, but luckily my author friends from the Romance Divas have already stepped up and shared some tips and tricks for getting ready.
Since the interview isn’t until May 29th (at just after 8 am – I’d better set my alarm clock!), I have plenty of time to prepare. What would you ask a cowboy romance author if you were interviewing me?
April 29, 2013
The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride On Sale Now!
It’s finally release day for The Cowboy’s Email Order Bride. Here’s the blurb:
Ethan Cruz should be mending fences on his Montana ranch, but instead he’s driving to the Chance Creek, Montana, airport – to pick up the bride he didn’t know he had. This latest salvo in his ongoing practical joke battle with his best friend, Rob Matheson, has gone too far, and Ethan plans to send his “bride” right back home, then get busy plotting his revenge. One look at Autumn Leeds changes his mind, however. Perhaps he needs a bride, after all. A breathtakingly beautiful city bride.
Autumn Leeds needs a story – fast – or she’s going to lose her lucrative contract with CityPretty Magazine, so when she sees the crazy video plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century. Making a video of her own, she casts herself as the perfect mail-order bride for a rancher, but when she finally reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.
Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. He’s about to lose it all because of the debts his mother racked up before his parents’ deaths. Now his sister, Claire, wants to sell the ranch and collect what little money they can. He’ll be out of a home and a job, and in no shape to support the bride he desperately wants to marry, after all.
Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her expose – she might be carrying his child. If she doesn’t write this article and secure her contract for another year, she’ll lose everything – her career, her apartment, and more importantly, her family’s approval. The only alternative is to stay and marry Ethan. But how can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?
Can a love based on lies last?
Buy at Amazon
Buy at Barnes & Noble
Buy at SmashWords
Buy at Kobo
Buy in Print
$3.95
I bought a car!
You have to understand that we are thrifty folks. We don’t make big purchases lightly. As a friend once said to me, “You and your husband overthink everything, don’t you?”
Well, you could put it that way, but I think that thinking through major (and minor) purchases is a good thing. Our household monetary policy comes down to two fundamental ideas:
1. Money in the bank = freedom.
2. We are responsible for the consequences of our actions.
Let’s put it this way: consumption = less money + more waste, unless you are really thoughtful about the way you consume. I don’t know about you, but I do a major household cleanup at least twice a year, and until I really cut back on my spending, I would take away bags and bags of stuff no one used anymore each time. A few years back I began to make a concerted effort to change my ways. You know you’re consuming wisely when spring cleaning hits and you have nothing to give away or stock a yard sale with.
All of this to say that deciding to buy a second car wasn’t easy for me. We’ve been a one car family for nine years. It’s worked for us because my husband and I both work from home, but there have been times when it’s been frustrating. Last year our ’99 Dodge Caravan got creaky and we traded it in for an ’01 Ford F-150. Not my idea of a family car (although we all fit in it), but very handy for all the hauling and building we’ve done on the acre this past year.
The F-150 gets cruddy gas mileage, though, and I don’t entirely trust it. Our nearest town is 45 minutes away through a lot of empty territory. I’m not comfortable piling my daughter’s friends in it and going for a day trip anywhere. Plus filling the tank for such an outing would put me in the poorhouse.
Enter the Honda Fit. It’s a 2007 and it’s seen some wear and tear, but I’m hoping it will get me through the next 6 – 8 years, until all the kids move out. It’s a great car for the last two to learn to drive on, and wonderful to run errands around town in. It should sip gas. I have a feeling the Ford is going to sit in our driveway an awful lot now.
Now to name her….
April 26, 2013
Stop Back Next Thursday For the Cowboys and Sheriffs Blog Hop!
Next Thursday is the start of the Cowboys and Sheriffs Blog Hop, so I hope you’ll stop by then for your chance to win a $10 gift card to Amazon and to connect to lots of other blogs hosting giveaways and prizes!
I’ll be sharing who my favorite sheriff is, and talking a little about the sheriff in my Chance Creek series – Cab Johnson.
Check back next Thursday for fun and prizes!
April 22, 2013
Bookmarks!
I sent The Cowboy’s Designer Bride off to my critique partner today, worked on an edit I’m doing for another author, then spent the afternoon creating a bookmark design. I need something to hand out in swag bags, etc., and a bookmark is the obvious answer. I used PrintPlace.com and was saved by their chat service. Otherwise I would have ended up with a million low-resolution bookmarks which would have been awful.
You can see the design above. I used this image instead of The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride’s shirtless cowboy in a clinch for the sake of the more prim and proper readers in my audience. As my friends keep telling me, not everyone wants to flaunt around a naked man’s chest on the cover of their reading material – although every single one of them seems more than interested in checking it out when I show them the cover.
I’m happy with the way the image turned out. On the back of my bookmarks is my awesome recipe for mint chocolate chip cookies. Yummy. We’ve been making them so often here that I’m actually beginning to get sick of them. Impossible to imagine, right?
I won’t get my bookmarks until mid-May, unfortunately. I guess I should have done this sooner….
April 16, 2013
Book Review – Pennsylvania Patchwork, by Kate Lloyd
Kate Lloyd’s Pennsylvania Patchwork is the second in a series about three generations of women in a traditionally Amish family. Anna Gingerich has always lived in Lancaster County as a member of the Amish church, but her daughter, Esther, left the fold as a young woman, and her granddaughter, Holly, never even knew about her Amish roots until just recently. Pennsylvania Patchwork picks up where Leaving Lancaster, the first in the Legacy of Lancaster series, leaves off, with Esther being courted by Nathaniel Fleming, and Holly still in love with her Mennonite fiancé, Zachary Fleming.
When the past begins to catch up with several characters, however, both couples’ futures are sure to be affected. Nathaniel’s wife – long presumed dead – is spotted in Ohio and the Lancaster Bishop sends Nathaniel to learn the truth. Meanwhile, a soldier friend of Esther’s husband (who was MIA in Vietnam and also presumed dead) delivers a strange package from him that has Esther and Holly in an uproar. Finally, Holly’s old friend, Larry, shows up when he decides that he wants more than friendship from Holly. Throw in Nathaniel’s younger brother, Armin, who takes a shine to Holly, and you’ve got a tangled web for our heroines to unwind.
What I liked: Amish romances are one of my favorite genres because of the comfortable pacing that echoes the slower pace of the Amish lifestyle. I enjoyed how Lloyd let the thread of her story unwind and gave us ample opportunities to get to know her characters. I was definitely kept guessing who Holly would end up with until the very end of the book, because two out of her three suitors were highly eligible.
I also liked the interplay between the three generations of women, and all the mysteries Lloyd threw into the story.
What I wanted more of: I wish Lloyd trusted her readers more when it came to throwing in Pennsylvania Dutch phrases. She often has characters translate what they’re saying – a very awkward way to make sure readers get it. I would prefer for her to assume we’ll figure it out either by the context of the situation or by the other characters’ reactions to it.
I also wanted to see more of Amish life and of Esther and Holly’s struggles to fit into it. I especially wished Holly would have made more of an effort to become Amish. Perhaps we’ll see more of that in book three of the series.
An enjoyable Amish romance for those that love the genre!
April 10, 2013
More Reviews for The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride!
It’s been such a busy week because I’m writing a first draft of Book 3 of The Cowboy’s of Chance Creek series. That’s two first drafts back to back, or for those of you who like numbers – 100,000 words in one month! (Head hits desk!)
But I had to pass on links to two more great reviews for The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride. I’m so excited that people are enjoying the story. I feel like I’ve found my voice with this series and that’s good – because I have tons of story lines to go with it.
Wanda McLeod writes, “Really who doesn’t love a sexy cowboy story! But this book was so much more, great storyline and very well written!”
Denise Koopman says, “I loved this book a whole bunch.It really is a good story.I think every person who is a romantic needs to read this book!Read this book!”
Music to a writer’s ears, ladies – thanks so much!
