Lori L. Robinett's Blog, page 16
January 6, 2015
Book Tour: Smolder on a Slow Burn
Virtual Book Tour Dates: 12/9/14 – 1/6/15
Genres: Western Historical Romance
Blurb:
When your life has been stolen from you and the man responsible wants you dead, where do you run? Who do you trust?
Allison Webster dreams of having an adventure like the characters in the books she loves. But there is no romance in being pursued by a man who wants her dead for educating the children of former slaves. Unlike the heroines she reads about she doesn’t have a trusty companion to rescue her…until she literally runs into A.J. Adams, a former Confederate cavalry officer. Now, she just has to convince A.J. he really is the honorable man and hero depicted in the dime novel she is reading.
When everything you fought for was stripped away, even your honor, what is left to fight for other than revenge?
Branded a “traitor” for more than ten years, scarred by harsh treatment in an inhumane prisoner of war camp, A.J. Adams wants revenge. Allison Webster’s arrival into his life provides the bait to destroy the men who murdered his wife and daughters and kidnapped his little brother. The men pursuing Allison are the very same men he has sworn to kill. Falling in love and admitting he might actually be a hero means surrendering his need for vengeance. Surrender is not part of A.J.’s battle strategy.
See the book trailer on Youtube
Excerpt:
A.J. watched her make her way from the boxcar with as much dignity as it appeared she could muster. The memory of that tiny waist in his hands and the slightness of her build had startled him. The barrier of that shapeless dark green sedge skirt vanished the moment his hands closed around her waist, and he could envision long, lithe limbs. He didn’t make it a habit to imagine any woman undressed, but this one knocked every bit of his equilibrium out from under him and he didn’t have the slightest idea why she did.
When she met his eyes, he’d been taken back. Slender, feathered brows lifted and eyes the color of melted chocolate widened—widened enough he was sure she saw all the way into the black abyss that was once his soul. Bright color flooded her cheeks when he told her to have a seat on the hay bale. Her slight Georgia drawl, hidden under layers of what sounded to be years of formal education, knifed into his chest.
He had watched her discreetly tuck several strands of walnut hair back under that ridiculous hat perched on her head. Realizing he had been staring at her, A.J. turned his back, letting the rapidly moving landscape occupy his gaze. She was lovely, he had to admit that. Walnut hair kissed with warm gold, high cheekbones that curved just enough to give her an elfin cast, a pert little nose, and the darkest chocolate eyes he’d ever seen combined into a rather alluring image. It had been a very long time since he had looked at a woman and not compared her to Cathy. He had sworn, as he knelt at Cathy’s grave that there would never be another. Now, a little slip of a thing had gotten in past his carefully constructed battlements and stirred something in him he could have sworn an oath to be long dead and buried beneath a live oak in Kentucky.
She was right, he was no gentleman. Sliding the door shut in her face hadn’t been the most gentlemanly thing he could have done, but he had long ago given up being anything that might even resemble a gentleman. He’d given that up sometime during his tenure in a veritable hell on earth called Camp Infernum. If he’d harbored hopes of regaining anything that came close to gallantry after watching men fight one another like animals for a scrap of moldy bread, all hope died on a warm spring afternoon when he collapsed to his knees at Clayborne at the graves of his wife and daughters and learned his younger brother had been taken by a band of roving deserters. A.J. knew his veneer of civility was just that—a veneer hiding a wounded, dangerous animal.
Buy Links:
About the Author:
Lynda J. Cox will tell anyone who will listen that she was born at least one hundred and fifty years too late, and most definitely in the wrong part of the country. She holds a master’s degree in English with a concentration in creative writing from Indiana State University after earning her BA from the same university as a non-traditional student. (Think being old enough to be mom to 90% of the students in her freshman cadre.) She’s kept busy with two spoiled rotten house cats, a 30 plus year old Arabian gelding who has been nicknamed “Lazarus” for his ability in the later years of his life to escape death, and quite a few champion collies. When she isn’t writing, she can be found on the road, travelling to the next dog show. She loves to chat about books, the writing life, and the insanity which is called a “dog show” and can be reached through her Facebook page.
Connect With The Author:
Giveaway:
Enter to win an ebook copy of Smolder on a Slow Burn! This giveaway will run 12/9/14 – 1/6/15. Open worldwide! Enter through Rafflecopter.
Tune in Tomorrow: Western Romance
Make sure you stop by the blog tomorrow for a special treat – I’ll be hosting an author with The Wild Rose Press. There’s a giveaway! 
January 4, 2015
One Word for 2015: Focus
For the past few years, instead of doing New Year’s Resolutions, I have chosen a theme for the coming year. In the past I’ve chosen “Imperfect” (because I tend to get so caught up in perfection that I don’t do anything), and “Intention” (because I don’t want to live life passively, I want to live with intention).
A major weakness of mine is indecision. I review, plan, research, Pin (ah, yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about!), but I can’t make a decision and DO.
For 2015, I’ve chosen the word “Focus” because I want to allow myself to zero in on what I really want, and then take action. I am starting the year with a clear picture of what I want to accomplish, and who I want to be.
I will be healthier.
I will publish Widow’s Web.
I will make time for my creative outlets.
So, what about you? What do you want to accomplish? If you are looking to read more in 2015, might I suggest you start with Denim & Diamonds, my debut novel? I’d be honored if you’d check it out – the e-book costs less than your daily Starbucks!
December 30, 2014
Finding my Zen: Suffering
As I’ve mentioned before, I began exploring Buddhism after my therapist suggested I look into Mindfulness as a way to deal with the stress of the Empty Nest. To my surprise, I found a philosophy of life that resonated with me.
The First Noble Truth is that life is suffering.
Lost . . .
Personally, simply noting that fact was a huge step in the right direction. I made this Truth my own by recognizing that suffering is a natural part of existence. We come into the world screaming (being born can’t be that pleasant – good thing we don’t remember it!) and it ends in death. All around us there is sickness, injury, poverty and depression. Instead of wallowing in that and focusing on the negative, I recognize that it is. Instead of fretting and worrying about the existence of suffering, I see life with a realistic view and can then focus on action and do something about it. Though my goal is happiness, I know that there is suffering. It is not something to dread. When I have a bad night, when the tears just won’t stop, I accept that suffering without judgment and move forward, ready to tackle the day without trying to analyze the feelings of the night before.
Acceptance is the first step. Then we can move forward.
December 28, 2014
Finding my Zen: Breathe
Those of you who’ve followed my blog for a while know that the past year and a half has been extremely trying for me. At one of my lowest points last summer, I visited a therapist on the advice of my family doctor. The therapist encouraged me to explore Mindfulness, and to consider taking a class.
Although I didn’t take a class, I did explore. Several quotes over the years from my sister-in-law about Buddhism resonated with me, so I began reading. Two sites were especially helpful, Zen Habits and Tiny Buddha. There were days I did not know how I could possibly continue, and that’s when I turned to Zen Habits and started with the basics: a simple post called “Breathe.” That staple helped me get through the rough points. When tears threatened or when I felt the weight of the world upon my shoulders, I could breathe. Couldn’t do much else, sometimes.
I know the holidays are often very difficult for people. There are times it seems that happiness is all around you, and you feel like an island of pain and suffering and doubt. Even in those moments, you can breathe. If you are having a difficult time, take a moment to read that simple blog post and DO it.
Trust me. You are stronger than you think.
December 27, 2014
Merry Christmas, damn it!
Christian Nativity Set
Though Christmas is over, the holiday hubbub has irritated me so much, I decided to write about it. I’ve seen so many comments on Facebook about “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” and “It’s Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays!” – and they make me cringe.
Full disclosure: I used to be one of those people. When schools renamed their winter programs “Holiday” instead of “Christmas,” it ruffled my feathers. When the focus was on Santa instead of Jesus, I puffed up.
Menorah
Then, one day, I passed along an email to a woman who was my Lupus mentor (introduced through the Lupus Foundation after I was diagnosed) about Jesus being the “Reason for the Season” and Christians were right and how everyone else could kiss my ass. Yeah, yeah, that wasn’t exactly what the email said, but let’s face it – that’s how it came across. Diane replied politely, something to the effect of, “While I appreciate your views and your beliefs, I am Jewish and do not believe in Jesus the same way you do. I do, however, celebrate Hanukkah in December and often greet both my Jewish and Christian friends with “Happy Holidays” to include both religions. Please do not include me on future emails like the one below. Thank you for respecting my wishes. Happy Holidays.”
Wow. That set me back on my heels.
I had been so self-absorbed, I hadn’t considered the fact that other people – good people – might not feel the same way I do. Up until I got that email, I know I said things like ‘Such-and-such is a good Christian person’ or ‘That’s the Christian thing to do’. After that email from Diane, I realized that there are people I think of as “good Christians” who are NOT Christians. Suddenly, the world blossomed before my eyes as I became aware of other religions.
Reindeer . . . or Stag?
After being called out by my Jewish friend, I became more cognizant of my behavior and the behavior of others, and how it appears to those who are not Christians. When Christians bluster about the Reason for the Season, it seems to belittle or discount other religions. Insisting that everyone greet friends and family with “Merry Christmas” is ridiculous. Personally, I don’t feel that it is my place to force my beliefs on anyone else. Many of the nastiest, most hateful posts I have seen on Facebook posts and comments on articles are written by people claiming to be Christians. It’s appalling. On the other hand, one of those most spiritual, giving people I know follows a Pagan religion.
And I have to share a little story that made me write a comment, delete it, write it again, delete it again . . . you get the idea. It was a Facebook post covered with red, white and blue and a cross. It said something about being a proud American, Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and then something about “Just like Israel” or something like that. I fought the urge to say, “You know most Israelis are Jewish, right?” (I kept scrolling, afraid my words might not be taken as the lighthearted poke I intended).
Please, before words leave your mouth (or your fingers), give some thought to how they will be heard by others. Consider the elderly woman down the street who may be lighting her Menorah, or the boy who mows your lawn who might be celebrating Yule with his family. How will they hear your words?
Joy . . . Do I need to say more?
What I’m trying to say is, I’m OK with any greeting you choose to use. Just be polite. And thank you for thinking of me enough to greet me pleasantly.
December 10, 2014
Book Tour: Sonar the Crashing – Shiray Romeland’s Inner Goddess
Shiray Romeland is a strong, passionate woman who is not afraid to fight for those she loves. Shiray faces the ultimate test. Her morals and values are the only thing that keeps her grounded.
Her husband develops amnesia and doesn’t remember their marriage. Trials challenge her relationship, but Shiray refuses to give up. Life wreaks havoc in her path. But she knows that life is not always black and white. She reaches deep inside herself and learns not to always look for a reason why trouble was in her mist. Sometimes there’s not a logical explanation. She had to accept the situation and forgive the people she loved. Shiray’s tribulations made her a stronger person.
Shiray’s not perfect, and makes mistakes, but she believes love is eternal. Love is so bold it has no boundaries to hold.
Shiray’s planet is dear to her, as is her family. Although she is royalty, she fights right alongside her comrades to protect Kadan. She is willing to sacrifice everything to keep her loved ones safe.
B. Truly
Author of Sonar the Crashing
December 9, 2014
Book Tour: Sonar the Crashing by B. Truly
Virtual Book Tour Dates: 12/8/14-1/5/14
Genres: Sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Blurb:
Is it more than déjà vu? With the Romeland family it may be destined to be true.
Life on Earth is not the only place where devastation occurs and hard choices must be made. The Royal 4 of Kadan live in the Sonar galaxy three million light years from Earth. They travel to Earth to obtain the resources they need to give their world a fighting chance.
Their mission is compromised and they’re faced with life changing events. They have amnesia and no memory of their past. Strange dreams start to occur. They wonder if it’s more than a dream, or is it déjà vu?
The mind is a complex mystery. Amnesia is a secret unknown. The role it manifests in these characters’ lives is a catastrophic cyclone.
Shiray is frantic when she is the first to find out about their true destiny and that the love of her life no longer remembers who she is. She must find a way to restore her family before all is lost. They must prevail because the fate of their planet lies in their hand.
What would you do if you had amnesia and fell in love, only to learn upon regaining your memory, that you are already married? Find out in this Electric thriller!
Buy Links:
About the Author:
I have wanted to be an author since I was fifteen years old and grateful to have accomplished this dream. I have three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person I am today. I work full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.
I have very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. I like to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. I’m addicted to romance and get a thrill out of action and suspense. I write New Adult Fantasy, Sci-fi, and Paranormal-Romance.
In the Sonar series it was fun to explore different elements of Sci-fi romance and create various realms of powers for my characters. I want to show my readers that Sci-fi can be fun, but also traumatic. I hope you guys enjoy the Sonar Series.
Connect With The Author:
Giveaway:
Enter to win an e-book copy of Sonar The Crashing (Five Winners) or a $25 Amazon gift card! Open WW, this giveaway will run 12/8/14-1/5/14. Enter through Rafflecopter.
December 8, 2014
Book Tour: Life Discarded #BookTour #thriller
Virtual Book Tour Dates: 11/24/14 – 12/22/14
Genres: Suspense/Thriller/Mystery, Women’s Lit
Tour Promo: Unforeseen Consequences and Buried Appearances by D.E. Haggerty are free until 1/1/15.
Blurb:
Why would a woman who has it all throw her life away? Morgan has the perfect life. She married the man of her dreams. Daniel is smart, gorgeous and successful. Everything she has always wanted in a husband and the father of her children. But he’s also overprotective, jealous, and domineering. Is living with him enough to drive Morgan over the edge? Or does something more treacherous lurk beneath the façade?
Morgan
A gorgeous, sweet woman that is oblivious to her own beauty. She’s shy with men, but a rock to her friends. A librarian in a small town in the mid-west. She’s been waiting a long-time to find the one.
Daniel
An accountant in the city who will do anything to be the youngest partner in his firm. He always gets what he wants and he wants Morgan. He will pursue Morgan until she submits.
Together
They rush through a courtship and marry within a year of meeting. Morgan’s life is perfect. She has a job she loves, a best friend for which she would do anything and a husband that completes her. But things are not often as they appear. Behind closed doors the loving Daniel that Morgan married is jealous and overprotective. Sometimes he’s even domineering.
The Culmination
Morgan runs away – destroying everything in her path as she disappears. What made this good girl go bad?
See the book trailer on Youtube
Excerpt:
Prologue
Shaking hands steer the car to the nearest full service gas station. Only one or two gas stations in town still offer full service, but she had done her homework and knew this one did. Not only did full service guarantee that someone else would be pumping her gas, but its expense meant that there’s never a wait. Maneuvering the car to the furthest full service pump, she waits, hands clutching the steering wheel, for the attendant.
After what feels like an eternity to her fevered brain, the attendant finally notices her and saunters over to her car. Her eyes follow him, silently urging him to quicken his pace. Come on, come on. “Fill it up,” she squeaks at him when he finally reaches her car. She grabs her over-large purse and jumps out of the car, nearly tripping in her haste. Looking back, she whispers “I’m sorry” to the oblivious attendant before continuing around the building.
When she reaches the rear of the building, she frantically scans the area. Finally she spots the large garbage container, not in its usual spot. She jogs to it and squats behind it; shrinking into herself and covering her ears. Just in time. A loud bang shakes the earth below her feet. Looking up, she sees flames shooting into the sky.
Time to get out of here. She stands on shaky legs, taking a moment to calm her erratic breath before walking in the opposite direction – refusing to look back.
Buy Links:
About the Author:
D.E. Haggerty was born and raised in Wisconsin but thinks she’s a European. After spending her senior year of high school in Germany, she developed a bad case of wanderlust that is yet to be cured. After high school she returned to the U.S. to go to college ending up with a Bachelor’s degree in History at the tender age of 20 while still managing to spend time bouncing back and forth to Europe during her vacations. Unable to find a job after college and still suffering from wanderlust, she joined the U.S. Army as a Military Policewoman for 5 years. While stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, she met her future husband, a flying Dutchman. After being given her freedom from the Army, she went off to law school. She finished law school and moved to the Netherlands with her husband and became a commercial lawyer for more than a decade. During a six month break from the lawyering world, she wrote her first book, Unforeseen Consequences. Although she finished the book, she went back to the law until she could no longer take it and upped stakes and moved to Germany to start a B&B. Three years after starting the B&B, she got the itch and decided to pull the manuscript for Unforeseen Consequences out of the attic and get it published as an e-book. Deciding that she may have indeed finally found what she wanted to do with her life, she went on to write Buried Appearances. After moving to Istanbul, she started on Life Discarded, her third book. Between tennis, running, traveling, singing off tune and reading books like they are going out of style, she writes articles for a local expat magazine and various websites, reviews other indie authors’ books, writes a blog about whatever comes to mind and is working on her fourth book.
Connect With The Author:
Giveaway:
Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card on the Life Discarded by D.E. Haggerty Book Tour and Giveaway! Open worldwide, this giveaway will run 11/24/14 – 12/22/14. Enter through Rafflecopter.
November 19, 2014
Hey, baby . . . you wanna?
I get so frustrated with the lack of personal responsibility in our society. The current wave of public opinion on sexual harassment drives me crazy. Victim blaming is flat out WRONG. Every day, I drive past female college students with words on their rear ends, running with ear buds in their ears, oblivious to everything but the phone clutched in their hands. Let me be clear: assault is NEVER okay. It is never the victim’s fault. But it IS our responsibility as women to protect ourselves.
Jodie Foster in The Accused
The comments I read in a Huffington post piece infuriated me, and I am deeply concerned about the sexually charged culture of our schools. Victim blaming is nothing new. Remember the movie, The Accused?
Can we agree that no means no? Can we agree that rape, assault, and harassment is never okay?
But here’s the thing – drinking and driving isn’t okay either. Driving recklessly is wrong. Yet I still get in a vehicle with airbags, put on my seatbelt, and drive defensively. Burglary and home invasions are wrong. Yet I lock my doors, don’t open the door to strangers, and have a security system (and my husband and I are both pretty handy with a gun). What I’m saying is to think about your actions. Just as I try to make myself a less attractive target in a parking lot by walking with purpose, with my keys in my hand and looking around. Women can do things to make themselves a less attractive target.
It is time for women to start ACTING defensively. Take responsibility for your own protection. What are some things women can do to protect themselves?
Dress appropriately. I’m not saying you can’t dress sexy. Go for it. But there’s a difference between dressing sexy and dressing in a way that gives a bad guy easy access. I recently saw a picture of a young woman who was very nearly a victim in an underage club that had a “rape room” in the back. She was literally wearing a bra and a mini-skirt that was so short you could see her thong. I thought at first that she’d been attacked. Then it came out in the news report that she was just dancing. That was her club attire. I am NOT saying she is to blame for what she was wearing, but I am saying that she was an easy target.
Use the buddy system. If you go to a party, have a buddy. Agree that you will keep each other in sight, and look out for each other. Any time you are alone, you put yourself at risk of attack.
Ted Bundy
Choose your (potential) sexual partners wisely. Make sure you know someone (and trust them) before you are alone with them. I’m a bit twisted and read a lot of serial killer stuff. That handsome guy you fall for at first sight might not be such a nice guy. Ted Bundy was handsome and likeable and seemed trustworthy, too. And in more recent times, we heard about the Craigslist Killer.
Limit alcohol and drugs. You can not be fully able to protect yourself if you are impaired, and if you are impaired, you may allow yourself to get into a dangerous situation.
Be aware of your surroundings. Know who you are with. Know where you are. And see the previous point. If you’re totally wasted to the point that you can’t even say no, you’re not aware of your surroundings.
Take a self defense course. I have my conceal & carry. The class was about so much more than just carrying a weapon – a good part of the class was about being aware of your surroundings, how to get out of a scary situation, and how to spot red flags that should put you on high alert. Most colleges offer self defense classes through their campus police departments, and so do many martial arts gyms.
Those are my tips. What do you want your daughters, sisters and friends to do to protect themselves? What do you do to protect yourself?
And if you’re looking for an escape from reality, join Beth and Beau at the Diamond J Ranch in my book, Denim & Diamonds.
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