Rula Sinara's Blog, page 6

After the Silence: Prism Book Tours Launch & Giveaway!

Welcome to the official Prism Book Tours launch for my upcoming March release, After the Silence ! The following post and interview is courtesy of Prism Book Tours, where you can find the original, plus info on so many fabulous tours, giveaways and books...so be sure to check them out! In the meantime, scroll down to find out more about me, the giveaway (including a $100 gift card) and the wonderful blogs I'll be visiting over the next two weeks. I'd love your company! :)
A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.
We're launching the BOOK TOUR for After the Silence By Rula Sinara
Two people from different worlds and separated by an ocean. Can love span the distance?
The February Tour9 - Launch10 - The Written Adventure11 - I Am A Reader12 - Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima, Rockin' Book Reviews, & JoJo's Corner13 - Mythical Books15 - Christy's Cozy Corners & Brooke Blogs16 - i blog 4 books17 - WV Stitcher & Wishful Endings18 - Katie's Clean Book Collection19 - Savings in Seconds &amp20 - Rockin' Book Reviews22 - Grand Finale
More About After the Silence and Author Rula Sinara
What is your motivation behind this book? Why did you want to write it?

This entire series grew from everything I’ve been passionate about since childhood, including Africa, wildlife rescue, nature and children. When I wrote the first book, The Promise of Rain, I was able to live my childhood dream of being a wildlife veterinarian in Africa’s Serengeti, or becoming the next Jane Goodall, vicariously through my heroine’s experiences. And as that story unfolded, I knew exactly which characters needed their own stories to be told in books 2 and 3 of the series. Sadly, I also knew that the death of a dear character in The Promise of Rain would happen in After the Silence. And I knew that my own emotional struggles with raising children who were blessed with being ‘outside-the-box’ would fuel Ben and Hope’s journey in After the Silence. Although so much of me comes through in my stories, they’re by no means autobiographical, however I hope that they do make readers experiencing similar circumstances know that they’re not alone.

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?

That there are no boundaries to love: not mountains, oceans, physical or emotional challenges, race, different cultures and not even species (sometimes a pet can open a heart when another person can’t). Love is a universal power that has an extraordinary ability to heal. And it always finds a way. Think of all the adopted children who found loving families in countries across the world where they’d never set foot before…yet those families were destined to come together and complete one another. Or soul mates, like Ben and Hope in this story, who also lived on opposite sides of the world and, given their circumstances, had very little chance of ever meeting…yet they did. So it’s all about a little destiny, serendipity, unconditional love and acceptance. And the world really needs more of it.

Do you have a favorite scene?

Oh, this is a tough one. There are so many! Anyone who knows me knows how self-critical I am, but this was an emotional story for me to write, so every scene is close to my heart. But if I had to boil it down, there’s a scene that takes place in the kitchen at Ben’s in-laws house where, for the first time, we see him letting his guard down a little as he plays a joke on Hope in front of his kids. We see that, behind his hardened exterior, he has a sense of humor. We get a glimpse of the father he used to be…the type of father his daughter is desperate for if she has any chance of breaking through her mutism…and we do see the potential impact his letting his guard down would have on her. So it’s a big turning point for all three characters: Ben, Hope and little Maddie.

Share something about you that is unique—maybe about how/where you write…or a favorite snack.

I’m chuckling because there are many things about me some might weird, as opposed to unique, LOL…like the fact that, when I need a moment to relax or decompress, I go outside and pet my chickens. I have a small backyard flock and anyone who has chickens knows just how sweet and loving the little ladies can be J. Plus, they give me delicious, organic eggs (I’m big on organic gardening and foods) every day. But really, they’re very grounding and such a symbol of life’s basics, that watching them puts life’s challenges in perspective.

As for a favorite snack, I’m such a coffee addict it’s not funny. And not just any coffee. It has to be good coffee. Smooth and rich. I think I hit a world record on coffee consumption while writing After the Silence, and when I was writing The Promise of Rain, I actually went out and bought a Kenyan roast to enjoy along with my heroine, Anna. Oh, the things I do to immerse myself in a story, LOL!

After the Silence(From Kenya, With Love #2)
Rula SinaraAdult Contemporary RomancePaperback, 368 pagesMarch 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Does following her passion mean losing her way?
Marine Ben Corallis is an expert at facing death, but nothing comes close to the terror that grounds him when his wife is killed in a car accident the day he returns from duty. He's left to raise an infant, a toddler and a ten-year-old girl who hasn't uttered a word since her mother's death.
It's hard not to care for the widowed marine with three young children. Yet he's still grieving, too burdened with guilt to fall in love again. And Hope Alwanga's future as a doctor awaits her on the other side of the world, in Nairobi. If two such opposites can't agree on a common country, how can they ever create a safe place to call home?
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin
About Book One in the Series(Each can be read as a standalone.)
The Promise of Rain (From Kenya, With Love #1)
Rula SinaraAdult Contemporary RomancePaperback, 384 pagesJanuary 1st 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

He wants to take her child out of Africa...
The Busara elephant research and rescue camp on Kenya's Serengeti is Anna Bekker's life's work. And it's the last place she thought she'd run into Dr. Jackson Harper. As soon as he sets eyes on her four-year-old, Pippa, Anna knows he'll never leave...without his daughter.
Furious doesn't begin to describe how Jack feels. How could Anna keep this from him? He has to get his child back to the States. Yet as angry as he is with Anna, they still have a bond. But can it endure, despite the ocean--and the little girl--between them?
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin - iTunes
Rula Sinara lives in Virginia’s countryside with her husband, three boys and zany but endearing pets. When she's not writing or doing mom stuff, she loves organic gardening, attracting wildlife to her yard (cool bugs included) or watching romantic movies. She also enjoys interviewing fellow authors and is a Special Contributor for USA Today's Happy Ever After blog. Her door is always open at her website and blog.
Website - Blog - Goodreads - Twitter
Tour-Wide Giveaway

Gift Card Prize Pack: $100 Amazon Gift Card and ebooks of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence (open internationally)
US Prize Pack: Paperbacks of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence + Swag
3 ebook of After the Silence (open internationally)Ends February 28th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Harlequin Heartwarming Valentine's Giveaway & Upcoming Tour!

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and the Harlequin Heartwarming authors are giving away extra special prize packs in the name of romance and love :). Treat yourself to a chance to win or chance to win a prize for a loved one. My upcoming March release, After the Silence , is in one of the prize packs (yay!), but I'm humbled to be included with so many extraordinary authors...I know you'll be wishing you could win them all! Check out the prize pack on Rafflecopter. Enter here or at our original announcement at the Heartwarming Authors Blog HERE.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

But that's not all...

I have a pre-release tour in February with even more fab prizes, including swag and a $100 Amazon gift card :). Check out the tour announcement and details at Prism Book Tours HERE or sign up to get involved with the tour HERE.


So many ways to win! February is going to be a fabulous month :). Spread the love. See you around!

Cover Reveal!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to 2015! May you all have great health, happiness, peace and love this year and forever after :).
Last January 1st, I kick started my year with the release of my debut Harlequin Heartwarming, The Promise of Rain . And now, I'm celebrating January 2015 with the cover reveal of my next book in the series, After the Silence (March 1, 2015). 

Does following her passion mean losing her way?
Marine Ben Corallis is an expert at facing death, but nothing comes close to the terror that grounds him when his wife is killed in a car accident the day he returns from duty. He's left to raise an infant, a toddler and a ten-year-old girl who hasn't uttered a word since her mother's death.

It's hard not to care for the widowed marine with three young children. Yet he's still grieving, too burdened with guilt to fall in love again. And Hope Alwanga's future as a doctor awaits her on the other side of the world, in Nairobi. If two such opposites can't agree on a common country, how can they ever create a safe place to call home?
Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Harlequin  (Coming soon in both print and ebook format)...and wherever you shop for ebooks
Happy 2015 to all!

My backyard chickens, coop building and hawk attacks

While helping my rooster scare off a hungry hawk this morning, it occurred to me that I never posted updated photos of my backyard flock. That handful of chicks I posted pics of back in March quickly grew to a flock of 18 chickens (they call the addiction 'chicken math'). One of them ended up being a rooster, which is fine since we live in the countryside. He has saved quite a few hens from hawk attacks, but we did lose one not long ago...and another to egg-binding complications. So our current number is 16, including the roo, Excalibur.

Excalibur, an Easter Egger Taken when he was younger.We have Easter Eggers, Speckled Sussex, Plymouth Barred Rock, Cuckoo Maran, Buff Orpington and Black Australorps. I'd  have to say that my favorites are the EE and Barred Rocks. This spring, I'd love to add some Rhode Island Reds to our family.

If you recall, we decided to build a coop from scratch. Yes, I thought it would save money. No, it didn't. Well, it did if you compare what we made to buying an equivalent, but it wasn't the cheapest project. I just got all HGTV with it LOL. So here are a few pics summarizing the process. It's 8 x 8 with a sealed floor covered in sand that I scoop like kitty litter. We put in sand/sweet pdz filled poop boards under the roost and every window, eave, vent etc...is covered in 1/4 in hardware cloth to keep out predators. Lots of door locks too!












Note: I now have shredded pine in the nest boxes. They thought the shredded paper was delicious. 

Cynder our Barred Rock Zuni my sweet Easter Egger who lays blue eggs The hen up front is Rain, an Easter Egger. She lays pinkish brown eggs. My other EE, Moon (not pictured), lays green eggs.

The nutrient difference free ranging makes. Store bought on the left. Ours on the right. See the color?So now my biggest problem is hawks. I love all animals and know the hawks needs to eat too, but I'd rather they not eat my chickens. We have evergreen trees the chickens hide under...and plenty of other places to take cover, but the hawks have figured out that our evergreen trees have a fence near them. A perfect place to perch and wait.

That hawk I mentioned was hanging out this morning? He came back while I was in the middle of writing this post and went after one of my Buff Orpingtons named Pippa (after the little girl Pippa in The Promise of Rain). I heard our rooster alarm and ran out in time to chase the hawk away, but he did manage to peck at her comb. I now have her in our basement in a large dog crate I converted into an emergency chicken hospital a few months back. I cleaned up the blood and am hopeful that she'll be okay. She's pretty shaken though and I locked up the rest of the flock in their coop for the rest of the day.

They really love free ranging but I need to put more places for shelter up. This is their first winter with us and many of the shrubs/small trees, such as our fig, that they were successfully using as hiding places, have lost their leaves. We have large expanses of grass where I'd like to add large, ornamental grasses or shrubs where they can hide (berries to eat would be a plus). If only I could train my dogs to guard the flock and not eat them. They're still getting used to our new kitten, Grimalkin.

Predator scares or not, I absolutely love having chickens. I've done so much research on keeping free range, backyard chickens as safe as can be, but I'm off to do more. Finding that balance between giving them a beautiful life and keeping them safe isn't easy. Parenting is parenting...tough no matter what species you're caring for! Tips anyone?

I'm heading downstairs to check on Pippa. I hope you enjoyed the coop building pics!

Note: Many thanks to www.backyardchickens.com and all the backyard chicken keepers that hang out there, www.the-chicken-chick.com, www.fresh-eggs-daily.com and so many other chicken keeping sites. I'm a lurker, but without all the info and ideas shared online, plus great books and magazines, I wouldn't know half of what I do about caring for a flock of fluffy butts. Thanks!!

Pretty PLEASE, with ice cream and a cherry on top...VOTE for THE PROMISE OF RAIN!

It really is raining today. Actually, it's freezing rain and icicles are hanging off the trees. I love a rainy day. I usually find them cozy, but it's quite cold and gray outside today and I'm feeling forgotten.

I had a blast kick-starting 2014 with my debut, The Promise of Rain , but the downside to a January release, is that by the time end of year contests roll around, folks have forgotten that your book release date qualifies it for a nomination. I realize not all books are for all people, but it really did get awesome reviews...you can check them out HERE .

So this week, I noticed two Goodreads Listopia lists/contests up that focus on wholesome, tender romances. One is for Favorite Harlequin Heartwarming ...I saw my book on this list, but I'd love to see it climb the ranks...and the other I just learned about at Jennifer Shirks' blog Me, My Muse and I. It's called the Swoony Award and voting ends Dec. 31, 2014. I'd love for someone to nominate The Promise of Rain (Jan 2014)! I think at least 3 votes are needed for it to qualify for the list. It's Goodreads page can be found here, if needed.

So two contests/lists on Goodreads I'm shamelessly begging for a little love and votes on:

Favorite Harlequin Heartwarming

The Swoony Award

If you vote or nominate The Promise of Rain, thank you, thank you, thank you with virtual ice cream with a cherry and whipped cream on top! If not, no worries. I'll still thank you for reading this because that means you've taken the time to visit my blog :).

I don't have a cover of my second book, After the Silence (March 2015), to share with you yet, so I'll leave you with my kitten Grim's sweet face...


Please vote for Mommy's book! She loves animals! It has baby elephants in it who are almost as cute as I am :).

Latest Interview, New Kitten, Next Book and more!

I've been quite scarce in the blogosphere the past few months, popping in every so often at the Heartwarming blog...but that's been about it. I've missed you all, but sometimes things happen we can't control. Shortly after returning from Nationals, I became very ill, spending most of August with a fever, flu-like symptoms and foggy brain. It turns out, I had stage 2 Lyme Disease...a diagnosis that came the day I got my revisions for my second book.

Of course, the die-off reaction I had when I began Lyme treatment was severe and the arthritic and nerve pain (I had a lot of neurological manifestations) made typing nearly impossible. After a few weeks, I managed somewhat, but I had to reserve all my typing energy for revisions, and that meant no blogging (because it really hurt). I still  have some symptoms, but I'm doing so much better now and improving daily. Now, Murphy's Law, right when my hands were not functional, all my major appliances had to break down, including but not limited to my microwave and dishwasher. Sigh.

Also, last month, I had to nurse my eldest through a terrible, resistant strain of pneumonia. We're talking fevers of 103-104.5 while on medication, and an antibiotic that didn't work. He ended up on two different oral antibiotics, plus daily injections (in lieu of hospitalization). Luckily, he finally responded to treatment and is doing well...BUT...I ended up with two weeks of bronchitis that turned into laryngitis and was finally diagnosed with pneumonia myself. Not as bad a case as my kid's, but bad enough, given my asthma. I'm still recovering, but at last I have enough energy to rejoin the world.

A million other things were going on through all this and my stress levels were out the roof, but things are starting to look up now and I have some news to share (warning: cute kitten coming up)!

First of all, my latest interview at USA Today's Happy Ever After is up! It's with fellow animal lover and author Kate James and you can check it out HERE !

Secondly, my second book in my Harlequin Heartwarming series is due to release March 1st, 2015! Yay!! It's titled After the Silence and you can check out the blurb or pre-order HERE.

And finally...

I adopted another kitten from out local SPCA! Those of you who hung around here last November may recall that I adopted two brother kittens (Nimbus and Storm...or as my kid says, Stormageddon) who were taken in after their mother was killed by a car. THIS is the post I had up with their pics at the time. They're much bigger now and the best cats ever.

Well, they've just been joined by a little boy who looks like a Maine Coon mix. My teen named him Grimalkin (Grim for short) after the character in The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen).




Now, cuddling with him makes the past few months worth it :). I hope you all have been well. See you around!

Giveaway & HEA Interview!

Happy September everyone! I hope those of you in the U.S. and Canada had a great Labor Day weekend. Today marks the first day of school in my area and fellow Harlequin Heartwarming author Catherine Lanigan and I are blogging together at the Heartwarming blog and giving away a gift bag designed for kicking back and relaxing with a book and a cup of tea (see pic ;).

The gift bag giveaway includes:
Autographed copies of Catherine Lanigan’s Love Shadows and Heart’s DesireAutographed copy of Rula Sinara’s The Promise of Rain with matching bookmark

A canvas tote bag, approx 15x15in, (great for lunches, books, groceries & more) imprinted with the cover of The Promise of Rain

A 16 oz, BPA free, Stainless Steel Contigo Travel Tumbler

Teatulia Black Tea, Organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified

A custom ‘Sweet and Heartwarming’ bracelet from the Harlequin Heartwarming authors and…

A ‘Think Harlequin’ button pin

(Please note: The gift bag drawing is open only to entries from U.S. or Canadian residents. One winner will be chosen by random drawing. All other entries (international) will be placed in a drawing for an e-book copy each of Love Shadows, Heart’s Desire and The Promise of Rain.)
All you have to do to enter is hop on over to the Heartwarming blog and leave a comment. Pretty cool, huh?Here's the link: http://www.heartwarmingauthors.blogsp...
Oh, and one more link...
My latest USA Today HEA interview is up! It's with Harlequin Superromance author Claire McEwen and she shares her personal experience growing up with an alcoholic parent. Please check it out HERE!
Have a great day!

RWA Nationals 2014

I usually get my photos from RWA Nationals posted within a day or two after the meeting, but better late than never! Every year at Nationals is a different, fabulous experience. This year in San Antonio was extra special because I went as a published author and got to sign at the Readers for Life Literacy Autographing. My first book signing! I was even asked to sign a few of the canvas totes with my book cover you can see too the far right in the photo :).


Thanks to Beth Andrews for sending her hubby over to take that photo, otherwise, I wouldn't have one. And thanks to Jeannie Watt and her daughter Jamie for helping get me set up.

Having a huge number of Harlequin Heartwarming authors attend this year was another reason the meeting was so great! Getting to meet face-to-face was wonderful and working together to promote the line was a blast. Everyone met early one morning to put together bags for the Librarian's Day luncheon/Book Fiesta. Cheryl Harper made the cutest labels for the water bottles we included!


We also joined forces in the Goody Room. I'm pretty sure the airport security guys who searched my luggage raised a brow or two at the fact that I had one entire suitcase stuffed with books and craft supplies...including a hot glue gun. A few hours in my hotel room and I had this box ready for action.



 Copies of Harlequin Heartwarming books flew out of our box so fast, we could barely keep up! Our 'Sweet & Heartwarming' bracelets were super popular too.


Heartwarming authors at the Book Fiesta: Pamela Tracy, me, Cheryl Harper and Melinda CurtisThe lovely and talented Anna J Stewart made all her fellow HW attendees these custom pins. Mine has an elephant because of my book...and she even made us mini book pins!


And now I'll just run through pics...
Jamie Steinman, Jeannie Watt & Kimberly Van Meter: best roomies ever! Me, Jamie and JeannieAnd I was so happy to see Cathryn Parry and Karen Foley again and to meet Nina Nilay Singh.
Cathryn, Karen, me, NinaThe Harlequin Heartwarming authors had a fab time when we got together for dinner at Boudro's on the Riverwalk. I wish I had more photos (my phone cam is terrible in dim lighting) but I only have a few. For those of you who followed our #GoHeartwarming and 'Where is Tori' social media fun leading up to Nationals, you'll notice Tori (aka the HW Barbie mascot) joined us for dinner too. Here she is with fellow Heartwarmer Carol Ross.

Tori and CarolAnd with namesake Senior Editor of Harlequin Heartwarming, Victoria Curran.

Victoria and ToriNow, no RWA Nationals is complete without the Harlequin PJ party! In celebration of my debut, The Promise of Rain, I sported a custom made (aka iron on transfer) t-shirt with baby elephants on it, elephant earrings and giant fuzzy elephant slippers. I wasn't the only animal lover at the party! Check out Harlequin Forum moderator, Love Inspired author & fellow chicken lover Dream/Danica Favorite's chicken pj's.

Danica and meOther buddies at the pj party...
Pamela Tracy and Karen Rock
BBA Finalist buddies Barbara Wallace and Cathryn Parry
Barbara Wallace and meOne of the big events at Nationals is the Harlequin Book Signing. Awesome ladies Karen Rock and Jennifer Snow represented Harlequin Heartwarming. 
Karen (in red) and Jennifer Karen RockAnd awesome Harlequin Superromance authors Beth Andrews and Jeannie Watt...

Jeannie and Beth

I really admire what Brenda Novak has done for diabetes research through her Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research. She raised well over a quarter of a million this year! Participating with my fellow Heartwarming authors this year was an honor, as was getting to meet Brenda in person. She's such a genuinely sweet person. Check out an interview fellow HW author Kate James did with Brenda HERE.

Brenda Novak

Walking out of the signing, I ran into a lovely person I'd interviewed and met online, but never in person...Nicole Flockton. She was even nicer in person :).
Nicole and meLater on, I finally got to meet fellow organic gardening lover, Harlequin forum friend and super Supers author Holly Jacobs! She's truly uplifting and full of glee. #OMGHollyJacobs!
Me and HollyAnd then came the famous Harlequin Party. This year we got red dancing socks. Last year's were pink and I wore them whenever I was writing during the winter. They're so comfy. Anway, the party was fantastic as usual and everyone burned off plenty of calories dancing. 

Jennifer Snow, me, Carol Ross & Amy Vastine taken w/Amy's camera Karen Rock and Kate James Sweet authors Roz Denny Fox and Marion Ekholm Jennifer Snow's shoes. Her fancy heels are a tradition ;).Jeannie Watt's fabulous dress...which she made herself!!! This woman can sew like nobody's business. Seriously. And her specialty is vintage dresses. You should check out pics of what she's made at her blog Retro Sewing Romance Writer.


And I leave you with our group Heartwarming photo. Pamela Tracy did join the fun but we'd already taken the pic :(.
Top left to right: Tara Randel, me, Roz Denny Fox, Kate James, Cheryl Harper, Anna J Stewart, Karen Rock, Amy Vastine
Bottom left to right: Victoria Curran, Jennifer Snow, Carol Ross, Marion EkholmWe had an incredible Heartwarming Open House as well and Nationals came to a close with the RITA/GH awards ceremony. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners this year!
Amy Vastine, me, Pamela Tracy, Tara Randel and Carol Ross at the Awards ceremonyWhew! I know that was a lot of pics, but I hope you enjoyed them. I met so many more people who I haven't mentioned or don't have a photo of. Every one of them was amazing. No amount of pics can express the supportive spirit, friendship and unmatched energy that envelopes you at an RWA Nationals meeting. I always return recharged and ready to write. 
And btw, I'm also blogging at the Heartwarming Blog today, where I'm doing a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card, so go leave a comment! Of course, I'd love for you to leave one here too :).
Have a great one! 

Coastlines and Crime with Carol Kilgore!

What better way to celebrate our last month of summer break than a visit to the Texas coastline with resident crime fighter writer and super friend, Carol Kilgore? As Queen of The Tiki Hut, Carol knows all about hosting a nice, relaxing time at the beach...but she can't relax for long, because she always finds herself in the middle of a thrilling, dangerous situation...and this time it involves SECRETS OF HONOR. 
Carol, hanging out with you is always so much fun! Now I'm dying to know what those secrets are! But you're forgiven for not giving away any secrets just yet, since you're giving away an Amazon Gift Card this month! (See details below)

Thanks so much for hosting me, Rula. I’ll be guest blogging someplace every week in August in the run-up to the release of my third novel – Secrets of Honor – on September 15. I’m thrilled to kick this off by blogging with you.
Like my first two books, this story is set in the Coastal Bend of Texas. These three books are standalones with different story worlds, but they’re each set in separate Coastal Bend locations.
For those of you not familiar with Texas geography, the Texas Coastal Bend is roughly the area between Port O’Connor and Baffin Bay, where the Texas coastline curves from running east-to-west to running north-to-south. Ocean currents meet here, the fishing is outstanding, the beaches are wide, and the weather becomes more tropical. It’s also a hotbed for passion and intrigue...especially if you’ve lived there and have a vivid imagination J

There’s nearly always an afternoon and evening breeze to help you cool off from the daytime heat. So if you’ve recently returned from RWA Nationals in San Antonio, you know how important a little air movement can be!
The largest city in the Coastal Bend is Corpus Christi – the setting for Secrets of Honor. Just a few weeks ago, Corpus was named one of the ten happiest cities in our country. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I like it. I hope you’ll like it, too!

While I’m out and about, I’d also like to share a few offerings with you.
First, I’ve recently begun a monthly contest on my website – http://www.carolkilgore.net. Click on the Contest tab and play along – you can answer with one word or a little story – the choice is yours. This month I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner.
Second, this week only, the Kindle version of my debut novel, In Name Only , is on sale at Amazon for $0.99. Get your copy now!
BLURB FOR SECRETS OF HONOR:
By the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot. Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitely sleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top priorities were so simple.
As an operative for a covert agency buried in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter of her dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.
Kat and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and will require more than any of them bargained for.
The kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter of life or death will become more than a possibility.
BIO: 
Carol Kilgore sees mystery and subterfuge everywhere. And she’s a sucker for a good love story—especially ones with humor and mystery. Crime Fiction with a Kiss gives her the latitude to mix and match throughout the broad mystery and romance genres. Having flexibility makes her heart happy.
You can connect with Carol and her books here:
blog . website. facebook. twitter . goodreads. amazon
Carol, thanks for visiting with me today! 

Secrets to Synopsis Writing, Upcoming Interviews and more!

I'm back from RWA Nationals in San Antonio and I have to say that I had a fabulous time. Stay tuned for a post on Nationals complete with pics in the next few days! In the meantime, I have two new writing related posts up:

Secrets to Synopsis Writing - over at Kelly Steel's Chasing Happy Ever After blog and...

Muse-Jogging Tips & Alternatives - over at Romance Book Paradise

Also, I'll be interviewing some fabulous authors over at USA Today's Happy Ever After blog in the next few months, starting with the incredible and lovely Catherine Lanigan, the real author behind the character, 'Joan Wilder', who wrote the famous Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile. Look for the interview on August 1st (I'll post the link here or check out the right column when it goes live). Check out my 'upcoming interviews' in the right column to see who'll be in the spotlight in September and October!

And if you can't wait to see at least a few of the upcoming pics, check out the one's I tweeted from Nationals @RulaSinara but I'll post even more here soon :).

I hope everyone is having a fab summer! I'll see you soon :).