Mary E. Thompson's Blog, page 27
November 4, 2016
Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina
Before Hillary, There Was Victoria, an Unlikely Presidential Candidate
Since Hillary Clinton became the Democratic nominee for President in July, many people have noted that she’s not the first woman to run for President. Our nation’s first female Presidential candidate was Victoria Woodhull, who ran as part of the Equal Rights Party, a party she founded, in 1872.
This relatively unknown woman who doesn’t appear in most history books obviously wasn’t elected and may have faded into oblivion if the 2016 election had taken a different turn. This is why I wrote my book, Madame Presidentess, a biographical historical fiction take on the life of this outrageous woman. I couldn’t stand the thought of another generation losing a female role model just because someone decided she wasn’t important enough to include in the history books, despite her many “firsts” for women:
First woman to run for President in the US
First woman to own a stock brokerage on Wall Street (with her sister, Tennie)
First woman to speak before the House Judiciary Committee
One of the first women to run a weekly newspaper (also with Tennie)
While we may not know how many votes she garnered in 1872 (they either weren’t counted or were destroyed), we do know a fair amount about Victoria. But unlike her modern counterparts, Victoria wasn’t bred for a life in politics. In fact, she’s just about the least likely candidate.
The Female Sex
Victoria Woodhull was female in an age when women had little authority. Women couldn’t vote or serve on juries. Personal ambition in a woman was considered evil and there were social taboos against women speaking in public. To call attention to oneself in public was thought unladylike and considered a form of treachery to one’s husband or father because when a woman strayed from her proper place in the home, she caused him shame. The one exception to this were Spiritualist mediums, who could speak freely because it was the spirits speaking through them, not their own opinions being expressed.
Of course, many women’s suffrage leaders ignored these rules. Victoria happened to be a Spiritualist medium, and she did couch many of her words in the context of conversations with the spirits, but she also wasn’t afraid to speak her own mind, even going so far as to call for women to overthrow the government and start a new one that will not only listen to them, but give them equal rights. But it was still unthinkable for a woman to run for office, let alone the highest office in the land. Fun fact: Victoria’s sister, Tennie, ran for a Congressional seat in 1872; she didn’t win. (The first woman wouldn’t be elected to the House until 1916 and the Senate in 1922.)
Age
Victoria Woodhull was only 32 when she declared her candidacy and 34 when the election took place. According to the Constitution, one has to be at least 35 to serve as President. Whether or not Victoria or anyone else realized she was in violation of this requirement is up for debate. Chances are good a woman running to for President was controversy enough; it’s possible no one bothered to check her age.
Humble Beginnings
Nowadays we tend to equate politicians with money and many of them have had it since birth. But Victoria was not born to a rich family; she grew up in a small shack in Homer, Ohio, with a father who was at best down on his luck and unemployed, and at worst, a con man who broke laws in several states. Her mother was a religious zealot some called insane. The fifth of seven children (or 10 depending on who you ask) with two out-of-work parents, Victoria learned early to earn her keep. She started working when she was a young girl as a clairvoyant and healer alongside her sister, Tennie, a job which she continued until she was married at 14. Her husband’s drinking kept them poor, and Victoria took a job as a seamstress and actress before returning to life as a magnetic healer and medium. A second marriage brought her a more stable living, but not what you would expect from a presidential candidate.
Experience
Victoria Woodhull certainly didn’t have the experience to become President, never having held any kind of governmental or elected position. According to her own recollection, Victoria had at most three years of formal education. How she went from that to being a self-made millionaire by the age of 33 is anyone’s guess. After moving to New York in 1868 she was employed by Cornelius Vanderbilt as his medium; it may have been from him that she and Tennie learned the ins and outs of Wall Street, but that has not been proven.
Whatever the source of their financial skill, Victoria and Tennie opened the first female-run (and owned) stock brokerage on Wall Street in 1870. Hailed as the “Bewitching Brokers” and the “Queens of Finance,” their firm was a hit despite being extremely controversial. Victoria made a fortune from the Black Friday crash of 1869 and continued amassing funds as her firm prospered, allowing her to afford to run for President on the merits of her financial success.
In late 1871, Victoria added to her resume when she became the first woman to testify before a sitting House committee. She unsuccessfully argued that the wording of the Fourteenth Amendment already gave women the right to vote. This launched a successful speaking career that carried her to the 1872 election and beyond even though she had little directly applicable experience.
Why Didn’t We Learn About Her in School?
No one knows for certain, but I believe it to be a combination of two factors. First, when Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton released their History of Woman Suffrage, a multi-volume account of the suffrage movement, Victoria was barely mentioned. (This may have been in revenge for personal slights from Victoria against the two suffragists who had formerly been her friends.) Second, the 1928 publication of The Terrible Siren, a scathing biography of Woodhull by Emanie Sachs, did severe damage to Victoria’s reputation. Sachs’ biography (which has since been proven to be mostly false) painted Victoria as a seductress, blackmailer and even a prostitute, a reputation that practically banned her from the history books.
It is my hope that Madame Presidentess, while fictional, can undo some of this harm and help get Victoria Woodhull into the history books where she belongs.
Madame PresidentessNicole Evelina
Forty-eight years before women were granted the right to vote, one woman dared to run for President of the United States, yet her name has been virtually written out of the history books.
Rising from the shame of an abusive childhood, Victoria Woodhull, the daughter of a con-man and a religious zealot, vows to follow her destiny, one the spirits say will lead her out of poverty to “become ruler of her people.”
But the road to glory is far from easy. A nightmarish marriage teaches Victoria that women are stronger and deserve far more credit than society gives. Eschewing the conventions of her day, she strikes out on her own to improve herself and the lot of American women.
Over the next several years, she sets into motion plans that shatter the old boys club of Wall Street and defile even the sanctity of the halls of Congress. But it’s not just her ambition that threatens men of wealth and privilege; when she announces her candidacy for President in the 1872 election, they realize she may well usurp the power they’ve so long fought to protect.
Those who support her laud “Notorious Victoria” as a gifted spiritualist medium and healer, a talented financial mind, a fresh voice in the suffrage movement, and the radical idealist needed to move the nation forward. But those who dislike her see a dangerous force who is too willing to speak out when women are expected to be quiet. Ultimately, “Mrs. Satan’s” radical views on women’s rights, equality of the sexes, free love and the role of politics in private affairs collide with her tumultuous personal life to endanger all she has built and change how she is viewed by future generations.
This is the story of one woman who was ahead of her time – a woman who would make waves even in the 21st century – but who dared to speak out and challenge the conventions of post-Civil War America, setting a precedent that is still followed by female politicians today.
Excerpt from Madame Presidentess
With James’s support and my newfound conviction, I approached the second day of the conference not as the wide-eyed innocent of yesterday but as a potential future leader. The urge to speak out, to give voice to all of those whom society silenced hummed in my veins. The only remaining question was how.
Among the morning’s speakers was my old friend from St. Louis, Virginia Minor. After she was introduced, Mrs. Minor wasted no time in getting to the point of her speech. “You may know that my husband and I are vocal proponents of the idea that the Constitution already gives us the right to vote. But we are willing to put before you an additional piece of supporting evidence, found in the Fourteenth Amendment, that I believe gives all women the right to vote.
“As persons born in the United States, women are citizens. Nowhere in the text does it specify ‘males’ or ‘men,’ only ‘persons,’ which is a term without gender and therefore should include both men and women. The Constitution gives all citizens the right to vote. Therefore, as citizens, we already have the right to vote. The next line of the amendment elaborates, noting that no state is allowed to legally deprive citizens of their rights or deny them equal protection.”
I followed Mrs. Minor’s words closely, taking in each argument and dissecting it carefully. I was not trained to debate the finer points of law, but I could find no flaw in the woman’s logic. In fact, the longer I listened, the more I found myself agreeing. Around us, women whispered to each other, nudging husbands and companions in agreement with Mrs. Minor’s peaceful call to arms.
“Therefore, if the right is already ours, all we need do is take it back. Yes,” her voice rang out like the peal of an Easter church bell, “I mean we must take action. Perhaps you have heard of the Spiritualist town of Vineland, New Jersey? There, late last year, nearly two hundred women cast their votes. They pledge to do so annually until they are acknowledged. This is what I call on you to do.
“What I am asking of you is revolutionary, this I know. It goes against all we are raised to believe and how society demands we behave, but I urge you to open your minds to the idea. As a group, we have the power to change state laws, something which Miss Anthony, Mrs. Stanton, and other leaders of this group will be working to put into action. But each of us bears personal responsibility as well. So on your next election day, I ask that you hand over your ballot, not meekly but with pride, and demand to be counted among the citizens of this fine country. Only in that way can we hope to affect change in time to cast our votes for the next president in 1872.”
The crowd roared with applause, and I leapt to my feet, clapping as loud as my hands would let me. This woman was onto something.
“We should do this,” I mouthed to Tennie, who nodded enthusiastically. I would have to discuss the possibilities taking shape in my mind with James.
“They’ve got motivation now,” said a man in the row behind me. “Too bad they don’t have the money to see it through.”
His offhand comment snagged my attention. The party needed money, and I needed a way into its upper echelons. If Josie’s stock tips had taught me anything, it was that there was money to be made in the stock market—lots of it. Perhaps that could be my entry into suffrage society. I mulled over the thought as other people spoke. By the time Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the closing address, I was determined to work with Tennie to see how our budding business relationship with Mr. Vanderbilt might help advance our work for women.
When Mrs. Stanton said, “The need of this hour is a new evangel of womanhood to exalt purity, virtue, morality, true religion, to lift man up into the high realms of thought and action,” a chill raced down my spine. Those words were meant for me.
My sight blurred, and I blinked as a vision took over my consciousness. I stood in the center of a spotlighted stage, speaking to throngs larger even than the crowd gathered for this convention, as Demosthenes had promised.
A flash, then I sat on a platform next to the three Fates who ran the organization. I was the golden child sent to breathe new life into a movement desperately in need of new energy.
The next thing I knew, Miss Anthony was announcing me as president of the National Women’s Rights Convention.
Another shift and the vision began to fade, but not before a newspaper headline blared the fulfillment of the highest of Demosthenes’ prophecies: “Victoria Woodhull Makes History as First Woman President.”
Yes! I will bring this movement to the masses. I will show them that a woman like them, raised in the dirt, who works for a living, can be an agent of change. Then they shall see one Victoria sitting on the throne of England while her namesake guards the interests of women in the United States. Less than four years from now, I shall be president.
About Nicole
Nicole Evelina is a multi-award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Her most recent novel, Madame Presidentess, a historical novel about Victoria Woodhull, America’s first female Presidential candidate, was the first place winner in the Women’s US History category of the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction.
Her debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Reader’s Favorite Awards, and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. Its sequel, Camelot’s Queen, was awarded the prestigious B.R.A.G Medallion. Been Searching for You, her contemporary romantic comedy, won the 2016 Colorado Independent Publishers Association Award for Romance, the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests and was a finalist in the chick-lit category of the Readers Favorite Awards.
Nicole’s writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Independent Journal, Curve Magazine and numerous historical publications. She is one of only six authors who completed a week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness. As an armchair historian, Nicole researches her books extensively, consulting with biographers, historical societies and traveling to locations when possible. For example, she traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere’s Tale trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.
Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for The Historical Novel Society, as well as a member of the Historical Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West, Alliance of Independent Authors, the Independent Book Publishers Association and the Midwest Publisher’s Association.
Her website is http://nicoleevelina.com/. She can be reached online at:
https://twitter.com/NicoleEvelina
http://www.goodreads.com/nicoleevelina
http://pinterest.com/nicoleevelina/
https://www.facebook.com/nicoleevelinapage/
http://instagram.com/nicoleevelina
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyi5-knSn0Abm5ujfpcHgbg/videos?view_as=public
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November 1, 2016
Go For It, release day
It’s here! I’m so excited to share Go For It with you! Molly was a sweet and innocent woman with a desire to be a little wild. She didn’t want to change herself, she just wanted to have a little fun. Fun Owen was more than happy to help her with. He made it his mission to ensure she completed her list, even if it wasn’t always how he intended!
Excerpt from Go For It
The music in the club throbbed through Owen, beating in tune with his heart and the pulse in his cock. There was no way Molly wouldn’t notice how badly he wanted her when they were dancing. If she did though, maybe they could check a few more items off her list.
They agreed that for her to feel like she’d actually dirty danced with a stranger, he couldn’t walk out with her. He had to approach her and dance with her. He watched her walk away, into the throng of people gyrating to the pounding bass and horrible dance music. Dance clubs were not Owen’s favorite place to be, but he was quickly becoming willing to do just about anything if it could bring a smile to Molly’s face.
Her mostly white dress appeared to glow in the black lights overhead. He followed her through the crowd, more than a few paces behind, and kept his eyes trained on her. She looked radiant with her hair plastered to her neck in sweaty rivulets. Her eyes were bright with excitement. Her hips swayed tantalizingly, mesmerizing him and making Owen want her even more.
If that was possible.
He’d learned there was a lot more to the quietly beautiful woman than met the eye. And with every new discovery, he ached to understand more of her.
Something that both terrified and invigorated him.
Just as he was about to reach her, Molly spun, her hips backing right into the waiting crotch of a man with a hunger in his eyes. She backed away, but his hand circled her waist and held her to him. Her eyes snapped open and landed on Owen, realization dawning that the man at her back was not him. The look quickly turned to fear, driving Owen into action.
He walked up to them and gave the other guy his best back-the-fuck-off look. The dill hole didn’t hesitate long before releasing Molly and blending back into the crowd. She fell into Owen’s arms, sinking against him with what he assumed was relief. He pulled her body tight to his and pressed his lips to her neck. “I’ve got you, Molly. You’re safe with me.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking when I made that list.”
“Don’t worry about that right now.” He leaned back and met her eyes, smiling at her. “You definitely checked off number two though.”
Molly stilled for a moment then burst out laughing. Owen laughed with her, dragging her body back to his and moving them both to the beat of the music. It didn’t take Molly long to get into it and dance with him. She spun in his arms and pressed her hot little ass into his crotch.
And he nearly fucking blew it.
Literally.
Get it now!
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October 30, 2016
Q&A Sunday: My Younger Self
If you could travel back in time and visit your younger self, what message would you give yourself?
I don’t like having regrets. I made my choices in life and I can’t change the past, so there’s no use regretting it. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things I wished I’d done differently.
I stayed in a job I hated for years because I couldn’t see a way out.
I started a new career I wasn’t positive about because I listened to the advice of others.
I didn’t take care of myself when I was younger because there was no immediate threat to my health.
The list goes on. And on. And on.
But if I could go back (that’s me and hubby at our engagement party over 13 years ago), I’m not sure I would change anything. Everything in my life has brought me to where I am, and I love my life. Yes, there are things I’d like to change today, but changing my past would mean I’d change my present, and I can’t complain too much.
What message would I give myself though? That’s easy.
Live every day with love.
What do I mean by that? That’s a little harder.
There are a lot of different kinds of love. If we all live our lives with love, the world will be a better place.
Love yourself, for me, means taking care of myself but also accepting myself and loving me for my imperfections as much as my perfections.
Love others means caring about the people around you. Your family and friends, of course, but also the people you don’t know. For me, that means yelling at my kids less and forgiving that jerk on the road who cut me off (instead of swearing at them!).
I’m fortunate that I love my job, but I spend too many years in a job that was destroying me. When I was fired, three months before I intended to quit, it hurt, but it set me free. I know I wouldn’t have actually left on my own. I would have been too scared. I’m very lucky to have a job that makes me happy.
Loving God, because I’m Catholic and God is an important part of my life, means accepting when He tells me no and listening to His guidance. I’ve struggled at times with my career and my religion being at odds, but I honestly feel God has told me I’m in the right place. I love that I have His support, and I try to thank Him for that on a regular basis!
There’s a lot of violence and hatred in the world right now. I do my best not to bring it home with me, but I know I’m not nearly perfect. Focusing on love every day makes my life so much happier and I know would have made it easier at times too. Hopefully I can listen to my advice going forward, even if I can’t actually go back!
Thanks so much, Vicki, for your question! If you have a question, send me an email (mary (at) maryethompson (dot) com) with Q&A in the subject, or post it in the comments below, and I’ll answer your question right here on the blog!
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October 28, 2016
Season of Promises Holiday Anthology by Merry Holly
I’d like to thank you, Mary, for hosting me. It’s been an exciting week. I just received a four book deal from Kensington/Lyrical for my Jake Carrington Mystery Series.
But I not only write mysteries, I love to read and write romance. So today I’d like to speak about the latest Season of book, Season of Promises Holiday Anthology. This year I invited five authors to contribute a holiday romance story along with mine. They are wonderful, uplifting story from historical to contemporary to romantic comedy from very talented and award winning authors. There’s a little something there for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s a teaser from my novella, Unexpected Holiday Bonus, written under my pseudonym Merry Holly.
Chapter One
“I don’t care what you have on your plate, you will attend the holiday party, Suzette,” said Lois. “It’s important that you mingle with your employees and managers.”
“I know. I’m just not in the mood this year. What will I do without you, Lois?” Suzette said, looking around the crowded restaurant.
Luce’s was all the rage at the moment. Business posh mingled here with New York celebrities. If you were lucky enough to be seen dining here, you made the social column of the Daily Mirror. She recognized and nodded to a few other CEOs as they acknowledged her. Not one of them seemed worth taking for a test drive. Well, it looks like my dry spell’s going to continue through the holidays.
“You’ll keep being the success you are, just like before.”
“I’m more successful with you as my assistant.”
“Good, then I know I have a job when I get back.”
“Of course you do. How are you coming with the applicants to fill in for you while you’re out on maternity leave? I want someone familiar with manufacturing.”
“I looked inside the company and decided I didn’t want to put anyone in a temporary position. It would feel like a demotion to them when they had to go back to their usual departments. I have maybe two or three from the agency that are all right but nothing special.”
“You’re being pickier than I would be.”
“No, I’m using your logic. I’ll give it another week. Once I narrow down the list and test the candidates’ skills, I’ll forward them on to you.”
Nodding, Suzette lost herself in thought. Last week’s party had been the same as all the others her mother had forced on her, with one exception: the tuxedoed man in the far corner. His black, silky hair had fallen over his forehead as their eyes locked. When he pushed it back it showcased a chiseled face. Boy, she wished she could’ve made out the color of his eyes. Either way, what she had seen took her breath away. But by the time she’d worked her way across the room she couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. Why did she expect her luck to change now? Now he might’ve been a nice temporary distraction through the holidays. Lord knew she needed one. Her mother seemed more bent than usual on fixing her up.
As successful as I am, Mom can’t get it through her head that I don’t need a man. I’m not her.
“Earth to Suzette.”
“I’m sorry, Lois. I was just going over a few things in my head. Is the party all set for the twenty-first?”
“Yes, I took care of everything. All you have to do is show up. I’ll be there if this bundle of joy lets me enjoy the holidays before she arrives,” Lois said, rubbing circles around her large belly.
“As long as you don’t have her at the office. It would freak me out.”
“Not to worry, she’ll be good.”
Dirk spotted that gorgeous woman from the party the minute he walked into the restaurant. After generously tipping the maître d’ he was able to grab the booth joining hers. He slid into it with his back to hers. He could eavesdrop this way. Hopefully, he’d find an opening and introduce himself.
Bits and pieces of her conversation drifted into his head as he ordered his lunch. A few people stopped by his table but he tried to shorten each conversation. Not many would recognize him. He had worked hard for years to remain anonymous while he built his father’s floundering company back up to its glory days. He and his mother hadn’t realized just how sick his father had been or how his meds had messed with his mind. Darren Harvey had been gone five years now along with his destructive decisions and ways—and under Dirk’s guidance almost all had been corrected. The firm, a leader in its field, was now one to contend with as its bottom line grew. It’s a benchmark for others.
With all his efforts thrown into reviving the company, he’d sacrificed his relationship with Eileen. She’d broken the engagement in year two of the revitalization. Looking back, he knew he’d dodged a bullet there. Twice married, Eileen had called him last week after the last one fell apart. He had chatted, but told her no thanks. Though he had no interest in relationships, he had to admit something inside of him had turned upside down when he locked eyes with the woman at the party. A one-two punch to his gut. Why had she had that effect on him?
Research gave him the basics. Youngest CEO of Sherman Industries and female to boot, she had proved over and over again why she’d gotten the position—with solid decision making, excellent management skills, and a strong knowledge of manufacturing. Since she took over the helm, she’d diversified into other lines besides fashion clothing. In the last three years Sherman industries had become a leader in the automotive parts field. Maybe down the line he could entice her to join his firm.
Her intelligence, strong moral character and strategies—three things he liked in a person—were written about in the industry publications almost weekly. Though she shied away from interviews, on occasion she did use the press to her advantage. But what he had dug up on her only related to business. He wanted more on the woman. What made her tick? What kind of men did she date? Damn, the woman kept her private life private. Add “respect” to his list of likes. Her name conjured up hot images of sweaty bodies entwined through long smoldering nights. Ah, Suzette LeBlec…
Her next sentence grabbed his attention. “Of course you do. By the way how are you coming with the applicants to fill in for you while you’re out on maternity leave?”
An idea formed as she and her admin chatted away. He took notes. Crazy, the idea was just crazy. But could I pull it off? It’d only be for a few weeks. And it might be quite fun…
He’d work out the logistics when he got back to the office. He would create a résumé and fax it over today. This was just what he need over the holidays to distract him, now that the Kaleigh deal was complete. And maybe, just maybe, he’d gain some insight into Adams’s methods he could use throw right back at him. Win-win! This had to be his craziest idea ever. Would Miss Suzette LeBlec fall for her admin, even a temporary one? Grinning, he signaled the waiter for his check.
The book is now for preorder and releases on November 1, 2016.
Preorder from:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, or Kobo.
To contact or follow Marian here are her links:Marian Lanouette/Merry Holly
Social Media Links:
Author’s Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Pinterest 2, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page
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October 25, 2016
Go For It, a mission
When Molly joins her best friend in Vegas for her wedding, she decides to go a little wild for the weekend. She put away the good girl she’s always been, packed a suitcase of her sister’s sexy clothes, and set her mind to her mission.
Having fun.
Excerpt from Go For It
She glanced at the seat beside her and breathed a sigh. Owen had finally fallen asleep.
He was a nice guy, but Molly didn’t know him very well. When their friends, Jared and Erika, announced they were taking everyone to Vegas for the weekend to get married, Molly thought it was a joke. But Erika and Jared insisted. Her parents had saved money for their wedding, but they wanted to elope, so they gave Erika and Jared the cash. And they decided to use it to take their friends to Vegas with them.
Which gave Molly the opportunity she was starting to regret as she sat thousands of feet above the ground.
Why did she think their long weekend in Vegas was a chance for her to let loose and have fun? To be someone other than herself? What happened in Vegas, stayed in Vegas, right? That’s what she kept telling herself, but sitting on the plane, she was doubting her sanity.
She had a suitcase full of Allison’s clothes. She was sharing a room with the man next to her, a virtual stranger. And she had a list of crazy things she was determined to accomplish over her weekend.
And more doubts that she had room for in her luggage.
Molly pulled the list from the pocket of her mini-shorts. Allison’s mini-shorts. The ones that barely covered her ass when she was standing and sent a swift breeze headed right up her new thong, and her ass, when she bent over.
Why didn’t she try these things before she decided they were a good idea?
She didn’t have time to worry about all that anymore. She was in the shorts and on the plane and halfway to Vegas. When she got there she’d be fine. She wouldn’t worry about her ass hanging out. She’d just enjoy the day.
And the way Owen’s eyes darkened when they looked at her.
She glanced at her seat mate and soon-to-be roommate again. He was hot. Blonde hair that was a little too long, curling over his collar. Blue eyes, when they were open, that looked like the deepest of oceans. Built arms and legs that rippled with muscles. A broad chest and narrow waist.
He was sexy.
And she was spending the weekend in the same hotel room as him.
Molly really thought Erika was joking about that part, too. Jared’s old roommates, Ben and Mark, both had to work over the weekend and couldn’t get away for the wedding. Erika wasn’t really close to anyone besides Molly and Jenny. Jenny was coming, with her boyfriend, Logan. Logan was also a good friend of Jared’s and was standing up as his best man. But when it became just the six of them, Erika asked if Molly would be okay sharing a room with Owen.
She glanced back down at her list. Have a one night stand glared at her from the page. She nibbled her lip as she looked back at Owen again. He was sexy, but she wasn’t sure he’d be up for a one night stand.
At least not with her.
Molly shook her head and studied her list again. She knew making a list of things she wanted to do to be wild and crazy was counter to the whole idea, but she didn’t want to miss anything. Which was why she made a list.
1. One night stand.
2. Dirty dance with a stranger.
3. Sing karaoke.
4. Free drink from a guy.
5. Make out in public.
6. Go skinny dipping.
7. Strut the strip.
8. Get drunk.
9. Play a hand of poker.
10.
Molly took a deep breath. The blank spot next to number ten glared at her. She wanted her list to even out to ten crazy things. Things she’d never done. Things she never thought she’d do.
Things she always wanted to do.
Preorder Go For It Now!
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October 23, 2016
Q&A Sunday: Lessons Learned
My kids are off school tomorrow so I sort of forgot today was Sunday! Sorry about that!
Vicki has a new question for me today, one that tugs at my heart…
If there was 1 lesson that you want your children to learn, what lesson would it be?
There are a lot of lessons I want my kids to learn. I want them to be better than I am. Happier than I am. Healthier than I am.
One lesson is tough. But there is one thing that I think is important. Maybe the most important thing I can teach them.
Always be yourself.It’s hard to say this is the biggest thing, but too often people aren’t true to who they are. People try to be someone else. We want to make others happy. We give in to peer pressure, we do things we don’t want to do, we have regrets.
But if we’re true to ourselves, those are fewer and further between.
We tell our kids all the time they can be anything they want to be as long as they aren’t doing something illegal. I want my kids to have jobs that they can excel at, but I want them happy. I want them to follow their hearts. I’ve been keeping a list since they were even younger of what they each want to be when they grow up. A few of the options they’ve come up with so far are…
Teacher
Firefighter
Marine biologist
Princess
Farmer
Rock star
And the list goes on.
If they decide that’s what’s right, I’m all for it! As long as they are true to themselves. They will find real happiness if they do things for the right reasons, for their reasons.
It’s not always easy, as a mom, to let them make choices I don’t agree with, but they’re making their own choices. And that makes a big difference to us!
Thanks so much, Vicki, for your question! If you have a question, send me an email (mary (at) maryethompson (dot) com) with Q&A in the subject, or post it in the comments below, and I’ll answer your question right here on the blog!
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October 21, 2016
Sunrise by Victoria Adams
Hi, I’m Victoria Adams and I write romance – contemporary romance, NA and flash fiction. What’s flash fiction? Stories inspired by prompts. The prompts could be words – red car, Tuesday or maybe baby elephant – or the prompts could be photos – a flower, an alien or a flat tire.
Then using one or all of the prompts a story is created. I’m working on the final edits of one such story, titled Sunrise. (3 guesses what the inspirational photo was.) I was hoping to have it completed by now, but summer got in the way – beach time, kayaking, visiting family and friends, family and friends visiting.
Since Halloween is closing in upon us – I thought I’d offer up a slightly scary excerpt.
Scene Set – Sian, a popular romance writer, lives alone in a cottage by a lake. She’d been meditating on her dock when something crashed onto the dock behind her. She thought it was a man, but she fell off her dock and when she surfaced he was gone.
A shadow of a movement caught her attention. OMG! A shiver slithered down her spine. He’s still out there. She reached for her cell and pressed 911. When a voice answered, Sian blurted out her concerns.
Within a few moments the wail of a siren screeched. Sian smiled. Being famous did have some perks. The siren stopped and the sound of car doors slamming made Sian scurry downstairs to her back deck. “Officers. I’m so glad you’re here.”
After Sian explained, they checked out the gazebo, boathouse, dock, garage and inside the cottage. Sian bit her bottom lip. What if he’d been inside the cottage?
The officer wearing the Robertson name tag stepped forwards and half nodded. “Well Ms. Newel, we’ve checked everywhere and there’s no sign of anyone other than you.”
“But…”
Officer Robertson held up his hand. “You said you were on the dock, early this morning, meditating. So you weren’t completely focused. It coulda been a fish jumped up on the dock. You know, chasing his breakfast and got carried away. When you fell into the lake, he probably flopped off the dock and swam away.”
“The shadow you say you saw was probably a deer slipping back into the forest.” The other officer shrugged.
Sian did her best to paste a relieved smile on her face. “A fish. A deer. Oh how silly of me. I am so sorry.” Yeah, right!
“No problem, Ms. Newel. We’re just glad it wasn’t anything more serious. And the Captain asked me to thank you again for the generous donation to the Policemen’s Fund.” Officer Robertson smiled and tossed her a quick salute.
Sian escorted the two officers to their cruiser. “My pleasure. You men do a good job protecting us.”
She stayed in her driveway and waved until the police car was no longer in sight. “Ok, Sian Newel, enough of this craziness. That book just isn’t going to write itself.” She marched upstairs to her loft, picked up her mug and took a sip. Ugh! Cold. How about a fresh cup and take my laptop onto the deck? And no excuses, two thousand words or bust.
Placing a fresh mug of hot coffee onto her patio table, she opened her laptop and tapped on the screen to retrieve her file. She rubbed her hands together. “Ok. Lance hasn’t made love to Samantha in ten pages, so I have to get them together. They’re sitting in a private booth at an exclusive restaurant. Yeah, he could easily slide his hand up her leg. She could lick cocktail sauce off a tiger shrimp. Oh, yeah, that’ll work.”
As she placed her fingertips on her keyboard, her scream was muffled as a cold hand gripped the front of her throat and another covered her mouth.
About Victoria
I live in Ontario, Canada with my husband and pets. Daughter’s grown up and is now teaching. I like to garden, cook and study Raqs Sharqi (belly dance). In the summer, cars slow down when they pass my front yard and the passengers gaze at my flower beds. Friends love to be invited over for supper as the meal is going to be good, good for you and nowhere near low-calorie! No dieting allowed at dinner parties. As to belly dancing, find a class and try it. It’s a blast!
I’ve been writing since I was little. Being an only child, long car rides were filled with making up stories in my head about the people I saw out the car window. When my daughter was younger, I made up stories that she suggested. I’d say – Once upon a time there was a…. She’d shout an answer – chicken! And the story went from there. Great creativity exercise as it turns out. Now, my writing style has taken a split to contemporary romance for adults and contemporary romance for new adults.
Circles Trilogy is my first series.Dancing in Circles – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PFNPMG
Circles Divided – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BBKNDAC
Circles Interlocked – Ebook link – http://www.amazon.com/Circles-Interlocked-ebook/dp/B005S8LI46
Print – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/circles-interlocked-victoria-adams/1113052929?ean=9781475268928
A Guy and A Girl – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L2GRD1U
Red Tulip – Amazon – US – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012EQECQA
Amazon – Canada – http://www.amazon.ca/Red-Tulip-Romantic-Flashes-Book-ebook/dp/B012EQECQA/
Where to find me
Blog – Pages of Romance – http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/victoriaadams.romancewriter
Facebook Author Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Adams/244325918978641
Facebook page – Books by Victoria Adams – http://www.facebook.com/CirclesTrilogy?ref=hl
Twitter – http://twitter.com/_VictoriaAdams
Google+ – Victoria Adams
Website – http://victoriaadamsromance.wix.com/victoria-adams
Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Adams/e/B007DVKQVC/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1434080349&sr=1-2-ent
Wattpad – http://www.wattpad.com/user/VictoriaAdams
Tribberr – Pinterest – Wattpad – GoodReads – all Victoria Adams
I’d love to hear from my fans. It helps to connect with what my readers what to read.
The post Sunrise by Victoria Adams appeared first on Mary E Thompson.
October 18, 2016
Round & Ravishing, cover reveal!
I’ve been waiting to show you the Round & Ravishing cover until I could reveal it at the right time. I probably should wait another week for all the preorder links to be available, but I couldn’t delay any longer. I’ve just been too excited!
Ready? Here it is!
Do you love it? I think it captures Tara. She’s a little edgy and a little wild. She’s caught with her pants down, literally, and I thought this was the perfect shot to depict that! What do you think?
In case you don’t remember, in Round & Ravishing, Tara’s ex leaks nude pictures of her online. The quiet life she was building in Winterville is threatened. She can’t leave her house, she can’t work, and god forbid date.
Noah has other plans though. Oblivious to everything going on in Tara’s life, Noah pushes for her to go out with him. She resists, but he’s so persistent she gives in.
But is Noah telling the truth about why he’s interested in Tara? Or is there more to him than he’s letting on?
Preorder Round & Ravishing Now!
Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords
Amazon preorder will be available October 25.
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October 16, 2016
Q&A Sunday: Favorite Movie
What is your favorite movie?
That’s an easy question. Hands down, I have one favorite movie. You’ve probably never heard of it.
Sliding Doors.
You know it? Didn’t think so.
It came out my freshman year of college and my best friend and I went to see it together. We’d only met a couple times at that point and we have some very entertaining stories around that movie. I’m fairly sure Sliding Doors is one of the reasons we became best friends.
But anyway… the movie is an indie Gwyneth Paltrow film about a woman who gets fired and on the way home her life splits into two different scenarios, divided by a pair of… Sliding Doors. In one story, she catches the train. In the other, she misses it.
It’s the ultimate question we all ask…
What if?
What I loved about the movie is that it gave me hope. It made me believe that no matter what if, everything works out in the end exactly the way it was supposed to. I love movies that make me feel that way.
Whenever I have a bad day, or am in a funk, or just want to smile, I watch Sliding Doors. It’s my go-to movie when I need a pick me up.
But, when you find it on Netflix and watch it, I’m warning you… There will be a moment in the movie where you’ll want to yell, just like my best friend did in a theater full of people, “This movie sucks!” But stick with it. I promise, you won’t regret it.
Thanks so much, Vicki, for your question! If you have a question, send me an email (mary (at) maryethompson (dot) com) with Q&A in the subject, or post it in the comments below, and I’ll answer your question right here on the blog!
The post Q&A Sunday: Favorite Movie appeared first on Mary E Thompson.
October 14, 2016
After Midnight by Trevann Rogers
Thank you for having me as a guest today, Mary. More than Friends aptly describes the relationship between Jewell and her girlfriend Ria, the vampire heroines in my Urban Fantasy novella AFTER MIDNIGHT—although friends they most certainly are.
Jewell and Ria met as college roommates. Neither of them had had particularly happy lives but in each other found a kindred spirit and a love they’d never imagined. They meet and fall into…something…with Cheyenne, a sexy, talented incubus who aspires to be a rock star.
Their affection for Cheyenne surprises them—vampires and incubi are mortal enemies and aren’t supposed to associate, let alone date. What should be the time of their lives is fraught with peril.
Love, however, finds a way to prevail. Here’s a short excerpt that gives you a bit of insight into their complicated ménage:
~~~~~~
“I’m at the end of my time with you tonight,” Cheyenne spoke to the audience. “But I’ve got one more song in me. It’s an original. Do you want to hear it?”
The audience roared its answer.
“Then catch this groove.” He entreated them to clap, echoing the pattern he drummed on the back of his guitar. “Now slow it down a little bit. Gotta get to the sweet spot, baby. Yeah, that’s right,” Cheyenne growled into the mic as if he was making love to it. “Keep doing it. Just. Like. That.” He looked at Jewell and held her gaze as he began to sing.
We were not meant to find each other,
The sea is far too vast.
But the rhythm of a perfect wave carried me to you.
Jewell turned away from the stage and buried her face in Ria’s shoulder as Cheyenne continued.
You think you’re the lucky one,
But you calm the chaos that I am,
And the rhythm of a perfect wave carried me to you.
“Do you think he wrote this for us?” Jewell’s voice was thick with emotion.
“No, he obviously wrote it for you. If it was for me, it would be more like, ‘The violent surge knocked the crap out of me and deposited my heart on the jetty.’” Ria kissed Jewell’s forehead. “Don’t waste this moment being all sappy. Look at him. Let him sing it to you. And remember he’s coming home with us.”
About Trevann
Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her stories incorporate an unquenchable addiction to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight. Find Trevann at:
After Midnight
Prequel to House of the Rising Son
Living After Midnight Series
Author: Trevann Rogers
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Improbable love. Impossible life. Immeasurable danger.
Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who can’t keep her fangs to herself.
Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who’d be happy to share their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.
Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.
Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of procreation: She’s going to have a baby.
While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing choices no one should have to make.
Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn to decide…and it’s already After Midnight.
You can find AFTER MIDNIGHT at http://amzn.to/2dEOt59
HOUSE OF THE RISING SON, Book 1 in the series, is available at http://amzn.to/2bmiPx8
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