Aubrey Wynne's Blog, page 59
May 1, 2014
Spotlight: Jen Printy’s My Soul Immortal
Jen Printy’s My Soul Immortal Book Blog Tour
My Soul Immortal
Book 1: Fated Eternals
Jen Printy
An endless love, for an endless price.
Jack’s immortality is exposed when he prevents a liquor store heist, forcing him to flee to protect his secret—a secret not even he understands. But when he meets Leah Winters—a mirror image of his decades-lost love, Lydia—his very soul is laid bare. He begins to question his sanity. Is she real, and if so, what does that mean for Jack and his secret?
Jack’s not the only mystery man in town. A stranger named Artagan hints at knowledge Jack is desperate to possess. But can he trust Artagan, or does the dark newcomer harbor deadly secrets of his own?
As Jack’s bond with Leah grows, so does the danger to her life. Jack must discover just how much he is willing to risk in order to save the woman he already lost once.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILXSNOI/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-soul-immortal-jen-printy/1118731993?ean=2940148329886
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id824242895
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20727560-my-soul-immortal
Book Page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/my-soul-immortal/ (Note: The tour stops are listed here, as well as the contest.)
Author page on RAP: http://redadeptpublishing.com/jen-printy/
About The Author
Facebook: Since childhood, Jen Printy has been writing. Whether stories about a fantasy world or everyday life in Maine, Jen loved losing herself in the worlds she created on paper. The arts in all forms have always been an important part of Jen’s life, a love instilled in her by her father. When Jen isn’t writing, she’s sculpting as a freelance doll artist.
Jen lives with her husband, two daughters, and diva dog Cookie in southern Maine, where she loves spending time friends and family, finding treasures along the seashore, or enjoying a Guinness at her favorite local pub.
Get in Touch With Jen:
Website: https://www.facebook.com/JenPrintyAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7821912.Jen_Printy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenPrintyAuthor
My Soul Immortal Tour
April 28 – May 18
Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0510ed32/
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My Soul Immortal Tour
April 28 – May 18
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April 28: Review & Guest Post onIndy Book Fairy
April 28: Review on Tome Tender
April 28: Review & Guest Post onCoffee Talk Writers
April 28: Interview on The Gal in the Blue Mask
April 28: Guest Post onManuscripts Burn
April 28: Guest Post on Never Squat With Your Spurs On
April 29: Guest Post on Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
April 29: Review on The Gal in the Blue Mask
April 30: Review on Renea Mason
May 1: Review on Reader Girls
May 1: Interview & Guest Post on Jeanz Book Read ‘N’ Review
May 1: Interview on Wine & Chat with Cait
May 2: Guest Post on Reader Girls
May 2: Guest Post on My Book & My Coffee
May 2: Guest Post on Aubrey Wynne: Historical Romance
May 3: Guest Post on The Gal in the Blue Mask
May 4: Interview on Elizabeth Corrigan, Author
May 5: Guest Post on Big Al’s Books & Pals
May 5: Guest Post on Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My!
May 7: Interview & Guest Post on Zigzag Timeline
May 8: Guest Post on Escape by Fiction
May 10: Review on Offbeat Vagabond
May 10: Review on Ashley’s Bookshelf
May 11: Review on Sam the Bookaholic
May 11: Interview on The IndieView
May 12: Review on Lissette E. Manning
May 14: Review on Big Al’s Books & Pals
May 15: Review on I’m a Voracious Reader
May 18: Interview on KBoards
May 18: Radio Interview & Guest Post on Dandilyon Fluff
My Soul Immortal Tour
April 28 – May 18
Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0510ed32/
*******************************
April 28: Review & Guest Post on Indy Book Fairy
April 28: Review on Tome Tender
April 28: Review & Guest Post on Coffee Talk Writers
April 28: Interview on The Gal in the Blue Mask
April 28: Guest Post on Manuscripts Burn
April 28: Guest Post on Never Squat With Your Spurs On
April 29: Guest Post on Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
April 29: Review on The Gal in the Blue Mask
April 30: Review on Renea Mason
May 1: Review on Reader Girls
May 1: Interview & Guest Post on Jeanz Book Read ‘N’ Review
May 1: Interview on Wine & Chat with Cait
May 2: Guest Post on Reader Girls
May 2: Guest Post on My Book & My Coffee
May 2: Guest Post on Aubrey Wynne: Historical Romance
May 3: Guest Post on The Gal in the Blue Mask
May 4: Interview on Elizabeth Corrigan, Author
May 5: Guest Post on Big Al’s Books & Pals
May 5: Guest Post on Vampires, Werewolves, & Fairies, Oh My!
May 7: Interview & Guest Post on Zigzag Timeline
May 8: Guest Post on Escape by Fiction
May 10: Review on Offbeat Vagabond
May 10: Review on Ashley’s Bookshelf
May 11: Review on Sam the Bookaholic
May 11: Interview on The IndieView
May 12: Review on Lissette E. Manning
May 14: Review on Big Al’s Books & Pals
May 15: Review on I’m a Voracious Reader
May 18: Interview on KBoards
May 18: Radio Interview & Guest Post on Dandilyon Fluff
April 25, 2014
Release: Song Magick by Elisabeth Hamill
!
Title: Song Magick
Author: Elisabeth Hamill
Publisher: Fire and Ice, an imprint of Mélange – http://www.fireandiceya.com/
Cover Artist: Caroline Andrus
In a realm where magic was thought to be lost, young bard Telyn Songmaker is able to cast powerful spells with her music. Exiled from home in the violent aftermath of her song magic gone awry, Telyn endures a solitary freedom…unaware of the price on her head. Bound to the Wood by blood and by oath, Mithrais is dispatched to protect her by the dying sylvan gods he serves. Only Telyn can perform the dangerous counterspell that may save them. But love may be the most unpredictable magic of all…
Buy Links:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JW4OSA8
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/431772
http://www.fireandiceya.com/authors/elisabethhamill/songmagick.html
http://www.lulu.com/shop/view-cart.ep;jsessionid=1ADB5FA58A798638043F5907AA758B8F
Excerpt:
“Is it true that there was a murder in the Sildan court last year?” a calm, male voice called from the end of the room furthest from the dais. Telyn felt herself grow cold, her fingers stilling on the harp strings, and forced her voice to remain neutral.
“There was an unfortunate incident involving the son of Vuldur, Lord of the East. He was killed, but it was not murder. Lord Vuldur seems to have gone mad with grief and views it as such.”
“That is understandable,” the voice continued mildly. “After all, it was his only son. Isn’t that right?”
Telyn could not see who was asking the questions, and indeed, the voice now seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. She took a deep breath and answered, “Yes, it was his only son.”
Mercifully, the voice did not come again, and Telyn let her fingers move on the strings of her harp in the beginnings of the interrupted song, forcing herself to calm and concentrate on her music. Her heart was racing. It was entirely possible that the question was an innocent product of rumors filtering west of the Sildan capital, but even Riordan hadn’t heard anything about the incident until this afternoon. She played the song with single-minded focus, rigidly employing her disciplines until her breathing was normal and her heart slowed. It seemed that none of the guests had noticed her discomfiture and were smiling with pleasure at the music. It was just a rumor repeated, she told herself. It had to be that.
“I promised Lord Riordan a love song for his lady,” Telyn said, disciplining her voice to carry nothing but cheer. She glanced at the head table. Riordan smiled at her encouragingly with a reassuring nod, and Lady Ciara beamed at her. Mithrais, although he appeared relaxed, looked ready to fly to her side at an instant’s notice.
She closed her eyes and began to play one of the oldest Sildan love songs she knew, letting the haunting and beautiful music carry her song magic to the audience, enhancing an atmosphere of romantic anticipation. She had just taken a breath in preparation to sing the first verse when the sting of pain, a jangling discord of strings and the crunch of wood startled her eyes open.
Telyn looked down and saw the feathered end of a small crossbow bolt. The point was buried in the shattered soundboard of her harp, directly over her heart. A warm trickle of blood welled from a shallow cut on the back of her hand where the bolt had grazed.
Several women screamed; in the sudden confusion, Telyn sat frozen with the harp in her lap. Mithrais was suddenly there, appearing out of thin air to pull her to the floor and shield her with his own body, while Riordan protected Ciara, bellowing orders to his guards to find the person who had fired the bolt.
Ciara was pointing toward the rafters. Telyn clawed her mask off and tried to look up, but between Mithrais crouching over her and the guests running to and fro she could see only the floor, Mithrais’ discarded mask, and the shattered remains of her harp on the stones beside her. The dark iron crossbow bolt stood out in stark relief against the pale wood.
“This way!” Riordan beckoned Mithrais, who lifted Telyn up to her feet, still shielding her from the unseen marksman, and hurried to where Riordan was pointing. Behind the tapestry on the dais was a hidden hallway, and Riordan and Ciara followed them in. “It leads to my library. Go!”
About the Author
Elisabeth Hamill is a nurse by day, fantasy novelist by night. In seventh grade, she had “Famous Author” inscribed under her name on her yearbook cover – an aspiration that, while delayed, was never forgotten! Her first published work, SONG MAGICK, saw its first draft finished during recuperation from cancer treatment and surgery, and is the fulfillment of that lifelong dream of being an author. She lives in eastern Kansas with her family, where they fend off flying monkey attacks and prep for the zombie apocalypse.
Keep in Touch with Elisabeth:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHamillWrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/songmagick
Blog: http://elisabethhamill.blogspot.com
Website: www.elisabethhamill.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/risu21/song-magick-by-elisabeth-hamill/
Manic Readers: http://www.manicreaders.com/ElisabethHamill/
April 21, 2014
Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Q is for Quotes on Creativity
These are some of the best quotes I have read in a long time. I thank Linda Covella for posting them and having the stamina for the A-Z blogging challenge.
Originally posted on Linda Covella, Author:
My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. Here are some quotes to inspire you in your pursuit of your creative endeavors. I think they are all gems.
“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” ~ Pablo Picasso
“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people” ~ Leo Burnett
“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” ~ Erich Fromm
“Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.” ~ Earl Nightingale
“Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience.” ~ Masaru Ibuka
“Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.” ~ Julia…
View original 110 more words
April 18, 2014
Spotlight: Amy Peterson’s Something Furry Underfoot
“Want to know what it’s like living with a houseful of pets while still holding onto your sanity? You’ve got to read Amy Peterson’s warm and funny book about her experiences coping with all manner of animals. Not only will you get a lot of laughs but you’ll also pick up some valuable tips about co-existing with your own critters!” – Bob Tarte, author of Enslaved by Ducks, Kitty Cornered and Fowl Weather.
This excerpt is from Chapter 7, Bumpkin, of Something Furry Underfoot. Nicole is a student co-worker, Mark is the author’s husband. Preceding this is Tip #37: A domestic duck can have as much personality as a dog.
On April 17, 2007, at around 3:00 p.m., Nicole approached me at work with a large shoebox, the contents of which was peeping. Word had gotten out that I was taking possession of a duckling, so with my new charge in hand and a half dozen co-workers gathered `round, I lifted one corner of the lid. Before I could see inside, the creature pushed upward on the lid of the box, and within seconds, we were face to face with a bright yellow duckling with orange feet and an orange bill. I heard several people say, “Oh, how cute.” One person asked, “What are you going to do with it?” but all I could do is wonder, “What kind of duck is this?” My next thought was that the little duckling would jump out of the box, so I had no choice but to replace the lid and carry my peeping charge out of the building and to my car.
Because the height of the box was only half the height of the duckling, I couldn’t bear to keep the duckling inside the box if I didn’t have to. Once I was seated inside my car and the door closed, I lifted the lid, took the duckling in my left hand and held it against my chest. It blinked, looked around, but made no attempt to wiggle or get away. So, using one hand to hold my duckling and the other to drive, we made our way the 10 miles home. The duckling never did wiggle; it was as if sitting on my chest was his or her preferred method of travel.
As we drove through the streets of Lansing, East Lansing and into Haslett, I was amazed by the heat coming off its little feet. Duck feet look rubbery, so I wasn’t expecting them to warm my chest. And when we took the turn into my neighborhood and I held the duckling close to my face, I wasn’t expecting its beak to be warm, too.
Once safely home, I carried the duckling inside where we were greeted by two curious dogs and one meowing kitten. The duckling blinked and peeped once in response. I told the three curious fuzzies that this was our new pal, and they would have to get used to it being around.
I carried the duckling down to the bathroom and placed her in a cardboard box I had retrieved from the local grocery store the day before. The box was lined with newspapers and soft towels, the former to throw out each day, the latter because a nest would likely have been soft and fuzzy, or at least not hard, I was thinking, and, well, okay, it was totally irrational to put towels in there, but I did anyway.
Above the box was a trouble light, which provided the primary source of warmth for the little duckling. The proper height of the light was very important—if it was too close to the bottom of the box, the duckling would bake; too far away and it wouldn’t be able to stay warm enough. What constituted too far and too close was completely beyond me and I had to trust that Mark would adjust it based on the fact that he had not baked any of his baby turkeys.
Everything looked to be in order, less the matter of food, and I was contemplating my next move when Mark appeared. Looking at the duckling he remarked, “Oh my, what a cutie. Do you know what kind?”
“I haven’t a clue.”
We stood there and stared at the duckling, who stared back at us, blinking every now and again. Finally, it peeped. Mark began talking to it, introducing himself and telling the duckling it had fallen into good hands. He picked it up and the duckling stopped peeping. As he was babbling on to the happy little duckling I asked, “So, uh, what do baby ducks eat?”
“Duck starter,” he said, and he turned as if snapping out a trance. “They’ll have it at Soldan’s.”
Since Mark had immediately assumed the role of the alpha male duck, I assumed the role of the alpha female duck, meaning, while he took up vigilance of the duckling, I found myself driving the fifteen minutes or so to a pet store in search of something I didn’t know existed. As I drove, I had plenty of time to ponder why anyone had named the substance I was looking for “duck starter.” The word “food” worked for just about every other species of animal, and the duckling I was going to feed had already started out in life without the substance I was looking for, so what I really needed was “duck keep growing.” On the other hand, I pondered, why isn’t human baby food called “kid starter”?
After wondering if anyone else has these types of issues, I asked the Soldan’s staff if they had duck starter. I was directed to the back corner of the store where, sure enough, there were five and ten pound bags of this pulverized pale tan-looking stuff labeled so that even I could determine what it was. The store also had turkey starter, which is probably how Mark’s turkeys had started out and why Mark knew duck starter existed.
After I found the duck starter, I wondered what other things I might find in the store for ducks, so I wandered up and down the aisles looking for duck grower, duck finisher, duck preening supplies, duck bathing gels, something else for ducks. I found row after row of stuffed toys and bones and food and kitty litter and even horse supplies, but nothing for ducks. To be sure I hadn’t missed something, I asked the clerk at the desk. She was a long-haired brunette with a narrow, horse-like face, a neck like a Rottweiler and a rear end like a hippo.
“Do we have what?”
“Anything for ducks besides duck starter?”
“Like—?” she asked, turning her mane sideways and snorting like a piglet.
“Like, you have all these squeaky toys and beds and bones and everything for dogs, so, what do you have for ducks?”
“Ducks only need food and water and to be kept safe and warm,” she said, waving a fat panda-like claw.
“And ducks are different than dogs, then, in what way?”
“Dogs are fuzzy and loyal; ducks are feathery and messy?” she asked, her face wrinkled like a perplexed monkey.
“And that explains why you don’t have anything else for them besides duck starter?”
“I guess.”
As I drove home with my little bag of food, I couldn’t help but count the number of stuffed toys we’d given to my childhood dogs, Candy and Ashley—God rest their souls—the plush beds they didn’t use because they’d slept with me, and the rawhide bones that once littered our house. How ridiculously spoiled our beagle and cocker spaniel had been, since all they needed was food and water, safety and warmth. And of course, we’d taken spoiling to a new level with Dusty and Little Dipper.
But rather than pondering the hundreds of dollars wasted on dogs, as I pulled into the driveway with my first of what would be many bags of duck starter, I came to appreciate ducks for their simple needs.
“Have any problems?” Mark asked. He was sitting on the bathroom floor while the duckling was running about, pecking at the newspaper.
“Walked right to it,” I smiled.
After tucking the duckling in the box, Mark took the bag and sprinkled some of the powdery stuff on top of the water bowl. This created a circular pattern of spinning tan speckles.
“That’s fascinating,” I said. I turned my attention to the duckling, who was also watching the water spin around.
“See, ducks are attracted to things that move,” Mark explained. “In the real world, it’s stuff like bugs and worms. But here, when powdery food is placed on water, it creates movement. The duckling will peck at it, realize its edible, and in no time, start eating the Purina duck starter.”
I raised a skeptical eyebrow and waited for Mark to stop adding duck starter to the water, for the water to almost stop moving. I was about to sneer when the duckling stepped up to the bowl, dipped his head in the bowl, mucked up his beak and began to eat. And while it ate, it peeped. It was the cutest thing to hear a duck happily peeping away while eating. At times, it peeped with its head in the food-water mixture and made bubbles.
Convinced that the little duckling would survive we named her Bumpkin.
Tip #38: Dogs and cats can be trained not to eat baby ducks.
Review for Something Furry Underfoot:
Story Circle Book Reviews by Laura Strathman Hulka:
The book is presented to the reader with magic (the name of one of their bunnies) and great appeal. Whether you have pets of your own, had them in your childhood, or never understood the pull of being owned by a remarkable pet, this book will make you smile, laugh out loud and grimace in sadness. You will close the book with regret that it is over—and, yes, feel the urge to run to the animal shelter to see what enchantment you can find for yourself and your family. “See, every fuzzy and feathery that enters our lives has a story. And I believe it is our job as humans to make their stories as good as possible.”
When Amy married Mark in 1994, she became a stepmother to four children ages three, five, 13 and 15. Unable to find uplifting self-help books about step-parenting, Amy documented her own humorous, stressful experienced in From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds. This helpful, how-to book includes over 50 tips for step moms and is a fun, entertaining read.
At the same time Amy was thrown head-first into the world of step motherhood, she was also unwittingly plunged into the world of pet ownership, thanks also to Mark. Something Furry Underfoot documents Amy’s adventures in learning how to care for and spoil a variety of pets and how she ultimately fell for each one. In Something Furry Underfoot readers will meet a male hedgehog that escaped several times for encounters with a female hedgehog and fathered several unplanned litters of baby hedgehogs; a domestic duckling that out-pecked two dogs and a formerly stray cat; and a ferret that cost $1,200 in vet bills. Readers will also learn how it’s possible to get nine hamsters for the price of one (and why Mark wanted to keep all 8 babies), and why Amy’s second mynah bird is named BOGO. A portion of the proceeds from Amy’s book will benefit animal rescue organizations.
Amy works for the state of Michigan and lives with Mark and numerous critters. When not working or caring for animals, she tends to get into trouble while traveling and while trying to catch fish that are inevitably larger than Mark’s.
Contact links:
www.amylpeterson.com is where Amy blogs about nature, pets and life
amylpeterson@aol.com
@amylpetersonblg
http://www.pinterest.com/amylpeterson/
Other books by Amy Peterson:
April 6, 2014
Authors In Bloom Blog Hop: A Spring Celebration
April 7th – April 16th 2014
10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and more!
Plus a GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!
Sponsored by diannevenetta.com and acozyreaderscorner.com
You will have 10 days to enter each individual author contest and then submit your entry for the grand prize!! To win the grand prize, you must visit each and every author on the hop. It’s a spring celebration designed to introduce you to authors and give you a chance to win prizes: from books to swag, promotional products and more. Each author will be posting a giveaway, gardening tip, recipe or both!
The grand prize: Kindle or Nook (a $200 value)
Two $25 gift card worth of ebooks!!!
Circus Peanut Jello Salad
This has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. It disappeared first at our barbecues and the adults loved it just as much as the kids. These days, though, it’s hard to find the orange circus peanuts. I still find them at our local Farm and Fleet.
Ingredients
44 circus peanut candies, divided
1 cup boiling water, divided
2 packages (3 ounces each) orange gelatin
2 cans (8 ounces each) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
My Savings Add to Grocery List
Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1 piece) equals 189 calories, 3 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 16 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.
Directions
Cut 32 candies into small pieces; place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup of boiling water. Cover and microwave on high for 45 seconds; stir. Microwave 45 seconds longer. Stir until smooth. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in remaining boiling water. Stir in candy mixture and pineapple. Refrigerate until partially set.
Fold in whipped topping. Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. dish coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares; top each square with a circus peanut. Yield: 12 servings.
Editor’s Note: This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.
This was taken from Taste of Home. You may visit their website at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/circus-peanut-gelatin
Enter the rafflecopter below for the a chance to win an ebook or $5.00 Amazon gift card.
Merry Christmas, Henry
By Aubrey Wynne
Henry, a shy and talented artist, moonlights as a security guard at a museum and loses his heart to a beautiful, melancholy woman in a painting. As his obsession grows, he finds a kindred soul who helps him in his search for happiness. On Christmas Eve, Henry dares to take a chance on love and fulfill his dream. Published by Melange Books, LLC
Pete’s Mighty Purty Privies
By Aubrey Wynne
Pete McNutt needs customers for his new business. Spring has arrived and it’s prime time Privy Season. After much consideration, he refines his sales pitch and heads to the monthly meeting of the Women’s Library Association. Published by AlfieDogFiction.com
By April 19th we will post the grand prize winner(s) on the main page. Individual authors will contact the winners of their author-specific giveaways. You will be required to claim your prize according to each giveaway’s terms and conditions.
Click the image below for the linky list of authors.
“Giveaway ends April 16th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Rafflecotper.com and be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Dianne Venetta, host of the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop, is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you in obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.” VOID where prohibited by law.
April 3, 2014
Celebrate Romance Spring Blog Hop
Welcome to the Celebrate Romance Giveaway Blog Hop!
Sponsored by Fanged Fantasy
Mother Nature washes away the remnants of winter and brings us new beginnings. Buds open to reveal their beauty and romance blooms. Join us in celebrating April and her romance.
Movies: My Favorite Romantic Scenes
The King And I
Yul Brenner and Debra Kerr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgVPnWmUqd4
I love the hot and sexy Yul Brenner in this movie. But my favorite scene is when Debra Kerr sings about the thrill of dancing. The song itself, Shall We Dance, is lovely. Yul Brenner is intrigued with her description of dancing with a partner (unique to his culture) and demands she teaches him the steps. There is a part halfway through the scene when Yul realizes something is not right. They are not close enough. The excitement and tension as he eases his hand around her waist and demands to hold her other as he pulls her close… Her chest is heaving in anticipation of the touch and my heart pounds every time I watch it.
Affair To Remember
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3EIbIYB5M
Deborah Kerr had the best leading men. Cary Grant is the quintessential playboy and an artist. But Deborah makes him work for her love when they meet on a cruise to America. When she meets his grandmother on an shore excursion, she gives in to her heart. He wants to marry her and she doesn’t trust he’s given up his irresponsible ways. So she strikes a deal. In one year, if he still loves her they will meet at the top of the Empire State Building.
SPOILER: Well, of course they are still in love. But on her way to meet him, with the rendezvous in sight, she is hit by a car and paralyzed from the waste down. Heartbroken, Cary continues to paint. One day, someone buys the portrait he did of Deborah. The gallery owner said a woman in wheelchair bought it. When he runs into her at the theater (she is sitting down with a male friend who is about to retrieve her wheelchair. ) She is aloof and he walks away thinking she loves another man. He looks her up to give her his grandmother’s shawl after her death. Granny saw they were a match and willed it to her. He realizes (when she doesn’t get up from the couch) something is amiss. He strolls into her bedroom and finds the painting. The expression on his face when he realizes why she did not meet him is heart-wrenching. The following scene when they are reunited makes me cry happy tears every time I watch it.
The Lake House
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dAdUO8m4zo
Spoiler: Can I just say that Keanu Reeves gets sexier as he ages? This movie involved an odd type of time travel. Keanu designed a lake house and two years later Sandra rents it. The mailbox has magical powers allows them to exchange letters. They find a way to meet but Sandra finds out that he is hit by a car (yes, again) and dies crossing the street to meet her. She sends an urgent letter canceling the meeting and asking him to wait another two years. They will meet at the lake house. The final scene, when they meet, is delicious. They walk towards each other slowly, looking one another over. She says, “You waited for me.” And all patience flies out the window. He grabs her and kisses her like a starving man. I have the last ten minutes of this DVR’d and watch it every so often to remind myself why I write romance.
Giveaways
I will be giving away a copy of my short romance Merry Christmas, Henry and a $5 Amazon gift card. Please click the link of Cary and Deborah below to go to the rafflecopter.
Please click on the button below to follow more authors and win more great prizes.
March 25, 2014
The Cranky Ladies of History Blog Hop
Cranky Ladies of History
Blog Tour
Late in 2013, Australian writer and editor Liz Barr blogged about Tsaritsa Sophia Alekseyevna of Russia, dubbing her one of history’s great “cranky ladies”. Being the editor I am, I immediately thought of several fantastic writers I would love to see write short stories about history’s cranky ladies, those women who bucked the trends of their time and took on cultural norms to challenge society’s rules and ideas about how women should behave. Within just a few days, I had the project idea fully formed, had brought historian, editor and multi award-winning writer Tansy Rayner Roberts on board as co-editor, and we had begun the process of soliciting authors to submit. The speed at which projects can come into being is perhaps one of the biggest advantages a boutique press like FableCroft Publishing has, and we use it well!
fab weeks, the feedback and response from readers and writers everywhere proved so positive that Tansy and I started looking at ways we could take the project to the full heights it deserves, and we conceived the idea of crowdfunding for the anthology, in order to be able to pay our authors, artists and designer the pro-rates they really deserve.
We have been so fortunate to have an astonishing selection of authors express interest in writing for us, from all over the world.
Isn’t that just an awesome group of people?! We are so delighted to have multi-award winning author Jane Yolen confirmed for the anthology, and stories already in hand from some authors. While we have established and award-winning novelists and short story writers keen to be part of the book, we are also dedicated to supporting emerging writers, and are very excited to see what all our writers bring to the Cranky Ladies table (of contents).
Which Cranky Ladies might they be?
Part of the brief for writers was that we were aiming for a diverse range of cultures, historical periods and reasons for historical notoriety, and we think we’re doing okay on that front – it was great fun reading the story pitches for the anthology and discovering wonderful women from history we wanted to know more about!
If you would like to support the the Cranky Ladies of History Pozible campaign, you can do so here – thank you!
http://pozible.com.au/crankyladies
Tour Stops
Cranky Ladies of History: the crowd-funding campaign
Tansy: Prelude to a crowd-funding
FableCroft: Kicking off the Tour – the Night Witches
Tansy: Cranky Ladies of History are GO
The History Girls: Cranky Ladies of History
Faith Mudge: Let’s Have A Rousing Discussion About Truth, Dragons and Historically Authentic Sexism
Sue Bursztynski: Margaret Bulkley, Dr Barry
Lee Battersby: Charlotte Corday
Joyce Chng: Leizu
Laura Lam: The Lioness of Brittany, Jeanne de Clisson
Lyn Battersby: Watch out! A cranky lady resides here
Ann Martin via FableCroft: Lottie Lyell (Australian film frontier-woman!)
Tansy Rayner Roberts via Champagne and Socks: History, fiction and cranky ladies
Tansy Rayner Roberts: Cranky Ladies, Horrible Histories & Mary Seacole
Joan Lennon via History Girls: Mary Anning in my mind
Dianne Touchell: Let’s talk about sex baby (Josephine Butler)
Kaia Landelius: Queen Margareta of Sweden
Benjamin T Smith: Joan of Arc
Narrelle M Harris: Euphemia Allen and “Chopsticks”
Tansy Rayner Roberts via SF Signal: Let’s talk about Cranky Ladies
Sylvia Kelso: Lilian Cooper, MD, FRACS: Writing a Cranky Lady in History, One
Elanor Matton-Johnson: Lady Jane Grey
Alex Pierce: The Pankhurst Women
Bess Lyre via FableCroft: Khadija
Juliet Marillier via FableCroft: Hildegard of Bingen
Liz Barr: Janet Kincaid
Kaia Landelius: Queen Kristina of Sweden
ABC News Online: Cranky Ladies article!
Gillian Polack via FableCroft: Helen Leonard
Narrelle M Harris: Lola Montez and the arts of beauty
Pamela Freeman: Lores Bonney
Tehani Wessely: Australian Children’s Authors of History
Mary-Louise Jensen via The History Girls: Aphra Behn
Katherine Roberts via The History Girls: Time and Boudica’s Daughters
Elizabeth Fremantle via The History Girls: Katherine Parr – Character, Courage and Commitment
Nicky Strickland: Boudicca
Alex Pierce & Tehani Wessely: Galactic Chat
Penny Dolan: The Book of Bossy Girls
Theresa Breslin via The History Girls: Cranky Old Lady
Celia Rees via The History Girls: Fight for the Right – Emily Davison and the Internet
NM Harris: Julie d’Aubigny aka La Maupin
Tansy Rayner Roberts via The History Girls: Sulpicia
LM Myles: 10 great military leaders, probably cranky ones
Tehani via Stephanie Burgis: Henry Handel Richardson
Bess Lyre via FableCroft: Tarenorerer
SF Signal included us in their crowdfunding roundup!
Kaaron Warren via Gillian Polack: Dr Emma Constance Stone
Aidan Doyle: Sei Shonagan
Jason Nahrung via Gillian Polack: Emilie Louise Flöge
Alex Isle via Gillian Polack: Mary Read (and Anne Bonney)
Jason Franks via Gillian Polack: Celia Franca
RJ Barker via Gillian Polack: Margaret of Anjou
Carrie Vaughn via Gillian Polack: Lilia Litviak and Ekaterina Budanova
Elizabeth Chadwick via The History Girls: Empress Matilda, having the right to be cranky
Marianne de Pierres via FableCroft: Jean d’Orléans
Becky Ferreira via Motherboard: Émilie du Châtelet (how cool is it how many cranky ladies posts out there, even when they aren’t written just for us?!)
March 21, 2014
Smexy, Witty Shehanne Moore and Loving Lady Lazuli
Loving Lady Lazuli
By Shehanne Moore
Genre: Historical Romance Published: 2104 Etopia Press
A woman not even the ghost of Sapphire could haunt…
Only one man in England can identify her. Unfortunately he’s living next door.
Ten years ago sixteen year old Sapphire, the greatest jewel thief England has ever known, ruined Lord Devorlane Hawley’s life. Now she’s dead and buried, all the respectable widow, Cassidy Armstrong, wants is the chance to prove who she really is.
A man who knows exactly who she is…
But not only does her new neighbor believe he knows that exactly, he’s hell-bent on revenge. All he needs is the actual proof. So when he asks her to choose between being his mistress, or dangling on the end of a rope, only Sapphire can decide…
What’s left for a woman with nowhere left to go, but to stay exactly where she is?
And hope, that when it comes to neighbors, Devorlane Hawley won’t prove to be the one from hell.
Buy Links:
Reviews on Loving Lady Lazuli:
Excerpt:
She leaned forward and brushed his lips with hers. The feel of him, even through the linen bed sheet, would only be terrifying if she let it. Actually the feel of him hard as iron made tiny bubbles of pleasure fizz in her blood. And his sensuous mouth was sweet as any fruit when she nuzzled it like this.
“So don’t be coy,” she whispered against it. “Or I’ll have to tie your ankles as well.”
“Is that so, Miss Armstrong?”
“Cassidy. You should call me it.”
He shifted suddenly. The air left her body in a startled gasp even as she reached for the bedrail and landed on her back on the mattress. Now he was on top, his breath brushing her lips, her hair, as he gazed down into her eyes. The look had changed somewhat from a second ago when it seemed she’d mesmerized him, to something where his eyes fought to recover their contemptuous glare, their hardened poise, and were therefore a great deal more predatory because of it.
More so, his straight-browed, intent perusal of her. Then there was the matter of the stray hair ends falling like a curtain across his face. The dark stubble outlining his jaw and upper lip.
What would it take to overcome her defenses? That wall she had systematically erected around herself? Nothing at this moment in time.
“Well, Cassidy, we do it this way, or I won’t be able to stop myself.”
About The Author
Shehanne Moore writes gritty, witty, historical romance, set wherever takes her fancy. What hasn’t she worked at while pursuing her dream of becoming a published author? Shehanne still lives in Scotland, with her husband Mr Shey. She has two daughters. When not writing intriguing historical romance, where goals and desires of sassy, unconventional heroines and ruthless men, mean worlds collide, she plays the odd musical instrument and loves what in any other country, would not be defined, as hill-walking.
Other Books by Shehanne Moore
The Judas Bride
To love, honor, and betray…
To get back her son, she will stop at nothing…
For five years Kara McGurkie has preferred to forget she’s a woman. So it’s no problem for her to swear to love and honor, to help destroy a clan, when it means getting back the son she lost. But when dire circumstances force her to seduce her fiancé’s brother on the eve of the wedding, will the dark secrets she holds and her greatest desire be enough to save her from his powerful allure?
To save his people, neither will he…
Callm McDunnagh, the Black Wolf of Lochalpin, ruthlessly guards heart and glen from dangerous intruders. But from the moment he first sees Kara he knows he must possess her, even though surrendering to his passion may prove the most dangerous risk of all.
She has nothing left to fear except love itself…
Now only Kara can decide what passion can save or destroy, and who will finally learn the truth of the words…Till death do us part.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks
Rule One: There will be no kissing. Rule two: There will be no touching…
Widowed Lady Fury Shelton hasn’t lost everything—yet. As long as she produces the heir to the Beaumont dukedom, she just might be able to keep her position. And her secrets. But when the callously irresistible Captain James “Flint” Blackmoore sails back into her life, Lady Fury panics. She must find a way to protect herself—and her future—from the man she’d rather see rotting in hell than sleeping in her bed. If she must bed him to keep her secrets, so be it. But she doesn’t have to like it. A set of firm rules for the bedroom will ensure that nothing goes awry. Because above all else, she must stop herself from wanting the one thing that Flint can never give her. His heart.
Ex-privateer Flint Blackmoore has never been good at following the rules. Now, once again embroiled in a situation with the aptly named Lady Fury, he has no idea why he doesn’t simply do the wise thing and walk away. He knows he’s playing with fire, and that getting involved with her again is more dangerous than anything on the high seas. But he can’t understand why she’s so determined to hate him. He isn’t sure if the secret she keeps will make things harder—or easier—for him, but as the battle in the bedroom heats up, he knows at least one thing. Those silly rules of hers will have to go…
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks
March 19, 2014
KC Sprayberry: Evil Eyes Book Tour
Kc Sprayberry Release Day Event
Evil Eyes
March 17 – March 21, 2014
Will Lisa survive Fred’s evil intent?
Lisa is so ready for a break from the grueling first semester of college. Along with five other friends, she returns to Landry, and hopes to have nothing but fun. Within days, one of the group is the victim of a vindictive stalker, and Lisa herself is now in the man’s sights. No matter what she does, she can’t shake this person.
Fred has a little problem, but he figures he can take care of it himself, if he achieves fame with his folk rock band, Olney-Oak Lane Sounds. Then he happens to see this beautiful woman, who turns out to be just like every other woman he’s met. He takes care of her, and is immediately drawn to Lisa. No one will get between Fred and Lisa, absolutely no one.
On Christmas Eve, Lisa has to fight for her life and sanity after Fred kidnaps her. She turns out to be very different from the other women, in a way he never figured.
Buy Links:
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00J1QC3V8
YouTube Book Trailer:
March 8, 2014
A Bit O’ Irish Mini Blog Hop
Join us for some Blarney and bits and pieces of the Emerald Isle.
Sign up now through March 17, 2014
Welcome to the Bit O’ Irish mini blog hop.
Rules: bloggers must post something Irish, even if it is vacation pics taken while on the Isle. Participants may join in any day before St. Patrick’s Day. Please make sure to visit fellow hoppers. If you would like to add something to the main giveaway, please notify me with a comment. All participants are welcome to add their own giveaways on their site. Erin Go Bragh!
So we all love St. Patrick’s Day and the rolling green hills of Ireland. We love the enduring human spirit that characterizes the Irish people. The holiday should be about this:
But instead becomes more about this:
But no matter how you celebrate this Celtic holiday, make sure you have some fun this week. Post a favorite Irish ditty, limerick, symbol, saying, picture or recipe. As with the Irish, anything goes.
We will be spotlighting Jill Bisker’s inspirational story Within Reach and giving away a variety ebooks and two $5 Amazon gift card.
Within Reach is the story of Emma, a woman coming to terms with her mother’s increasing dementia and the everyday challenges associated with it. Inexplicably, she finds herself ‘re-living’ specific events from her past. She soon wonders if her own sanity is slipping, and only her mother can help find the key.
About The Author
Jill Bisker lives in Stillwater, MN with her husband and a calico cat named Senora, and a grown son who is in college. She believes in empowering women to be strong enough to protect themselves, while still soft enough to be loving and compassionate. Her work includes paranormal mystery, traditional high fantasy, as well as contemporary and humorous fantasy and an everyday living blog. Once a dedicated stay at home Mom, Jill now writes full-time.
Connect with Jill:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorjillbisker
Pinterest Page: http://www.pinterest.com/jillbisker/
Website/Blog: www.jillbisker.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillBisker
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/102225571446174386202
Email: jkatbisker@gmail.com
Join in the Blarney. Click on the Pot of Gold below for a chance to win cash prizes great reads.
Choose from the following ebooks:
Within Reach
By Jill Bisker
Merry Christmas, Henry
By Aubrey Wynne
Contemporary Romance
Craving Vengeance and Covert Exposure
By Valerie Clarizio
Romantic Suspense
Morna
By Mary Kate Brogan
(Romance set in 1950′s Ireland)
Click below to add your link. Remember to stop by these blogs for more luck o’ the Irish:
http://new.inlinkz.com//luwpview.php?id=381178
1. Aubrey Wynne: Historical Romance
2. Valerie J. Clarizio: Romance Author:
3. Jill Bisker | Author
4. Coffee Talk | Great women. Great books.
5. Melange Books, LLC
6. Shelley R. Pickens | Author -
Note: When you add your link, you can copy and paste the thumbnails to your page and the links will be all done for you. Less work and more time for green beer and corned beef with cabbage.
