COOKIES!!! UMM-NUM-NUM-NUM-NUM!!!

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Cynthia D'Alba
This post is proudly a stop on the TEXAS TWO STEP Blog Tour. For a complete listing of all stops on this tour, please visit here. All contests are for U.S. residents only unless otherwise noted. Comments left on this blog will be counted toward the Texas Two Step Faithful Follower Gift Certificate. To see a complete listing of Blog Tour Prizes, click here. Be sure to check out the freebies. Yours for the asking as long as they last.

I’ll let the big guy open for me today.

Cookie Monster thief, not liar. 

So let me confess too…I am a Cookie Monster. I won’t lie. I will steal your cookies. I will eat your cookies. But more importantly, I will bake you cookies.

As writers, we all get the same question. It can be worded differently but everybody wants to know if we put ourselves in our books. The answer is no, but if the reader knows the author well enough, she might find a trait or favorite item of the writer embedded in the story. Now I’m nothing like Olivia (the heroine of Texas Two Step) nor do I have much in common with Mitch (the hero) except we all love chocolate chip cookies. But put a few pecans in mine! So of course chocolate chip cookies made it into the final version…

From Texas Two Step- Coming Feb. 28, 2012 (That’s TUESDAY!)

Olivia turned in the direction Magda had taken Adam. She followed the aroma of hot chocolate-chip cookies and found her way to the kitchen.

The gleam from all the stainless steel and granite countertops was blinding. Adam sat on a barstool, a glass of milk in his right hand and a chocolate-chip cookie in the other. Magda was leaning with her elbows on the countertop, engrossed in Adam’s story of driving Mitch’s plane all by himself on the way down.

“Wow, Adam. That’s really something. I don’t think Mitch has ever let anyone else fly his plane.” Magda took a cookie off the plate and took a bite. “He must really like you.”

“Uh huh.” Cookie crumbles dropped from Adam’s stuffed mouth.

Olivia hobbled into the room. “Excuse me? Do we talk with food in our mouth?”

Adam swallowed. “No, ma’am.”

Magda grinned. She ruffled Adam’s hair and stood. “Can I get you something, Olivia? Iced Tea? Coffee? Lemonade?”

“Coffee, if it’s already made. I don’t want to put you out.”

“Grab a stool. Coffee’s hot. How do you take it?”

“A little milk, please.” Olivia bit into a cookie and moaned. “These are wonderful, Magda. What’s your secret recipe?”

Magda set a cup of coffee down. “The back of the chocolate-chips package. I think you’re probably just hungry.”

“I don’t know about that. Adam and I are cookie experts, aren’t we?”

Adam nodded enthusiastically.

So that’s my recipe…the back of the Nestle chocolate chip package.  I tried others but I’ve never found one I like better.

So what’s your favorite cookie? Want to share a recipe?

For the authors…have you written one of your favorite things into one of your books? What?

Thank you for coming by today. I can’t wait to see what cookies come up today.

Don’t Forget!!! Texas Two Step comes out on Tuesday. My hero and heroine broke up six years before the book starts but I thought it might be fun to do a prequel. So for the past couple of weeks, I have been posting installment of Texas Two Step-The Prequel. The final episode is Monday, so today is a good day to catch up.

Also on Tuesday, the ladies of the blog will be celebrating with me with prizes awarded all day. Don’t miss the fun. There’s gift certificates, jewelry, crystal boxes, etc. Check here for a complete list.

Texas Two Step is available for preordering at Samhain, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

And if you buy it, I’ll eat a cookie in your honor!

Filed under: Cynthia D'Alba | Tagged: , , | 29 Comments »

The Wanderer

Posted on February 23, 2012 by kidell

 Question: When is Thursday really Wednesday?

Answer: When you had Monday off and you’re working Saturday, which has you so turned around you forgot to you were supposed to blog today.

Which is a roundabout way of explaining why you’re getting a post from my archives, but given the fun and games we’ve been having with our son since he started kindergarten, any of you who follow me on Twitter or chat in other places will appreciate that, yes, it’s always been like this.

The Wanderer

We have tried to teach our kid manners. Honest. We did not train him to rifle your cupboards when we come to visit. It must have been the daycare lady. We also wish he was slightly less inclined to wander off on his own.

For those of you who get exasperated because your kids are afraid of the dark? It’s also not so great having one that has no qualms about going for a stroll at eleven at night…by himself.

He’s been this way for as long as he’s been mobile. And yes, he has scared us to the point of someone sleeping on the couch on more than one occasion. (Come on, parents, admit it. You’ve all had the ”I thought you were watching him!” fight.)

At least it’s better now that we live on the ranch, away from traffic and abduction-minded strangers and the big irrigation ditch that ran right in front of our house in Oregon.

. 

Not long before we moved back to Montana, my husband and Logan were home alone. Greg was shoeing a horse. Logan was playing with his tractors in the sand nearby. Nice thing about Hermiston, the whole place is one big sandbox. Greg hammered in the last two nails, set the horse’s foot down, and turned to check on Logan.

Gone.

He had sixty seconds head start, max. The pickup and trailer were parked between the barn and the house. Greg zipped around it to check the other side. No Logan. He hustled into the house, figuring Logan had gone for snacks. Not there.

Uh-oh. The irrigation ditch.

He sprinted outside and through the twenty yards of sagebrush to the ditch. No boy in sight. By now, Greg was in a panic, yelling for Logan, for all the good it did, because he didn’t ever feel the need to answer. Greg dashed back toward the house–just in time to see Logan come strolling out of the neighbor’s driveway, munching a strawberry Pop-Tart.

Definitely one of those if-I-weren’t-so-happy-to-see-you-I’d-kill-you moments.Especially when Greg realized the neighbor wasn’t even home.

Kari Lynn Dell   Montana for Real

Filed under: Kari Lynn Dell | 10 Comments »

Real Reader Review of Robyn Carr’s Hidden Summit

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Liz Talley

Happy Wednesday and welcome to a little something I call Real Reader Reviews. I totally made that up myself, but I love the idea of seeking out real readers to do reviews. When this one came across ENALR’s virtual desk, our regular (professional) reviewers were chock-full of commitments, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to try out a real reader review. My gineau pig was my sister-in-law Tafta Rogers, a busy mother, teacher and avid romance fan. I quickly contacted her and begged for her to be our first real reader reviewer. We had originally intended to have the review ready in January, the release month, but being that we’re also dealing with real life, it didn’t quite work out. BUT here we are today with the review, and I’m really happy to welcome Tafta and thank her for doing the honors.

You know, we writers wonder all the time what readers really think about our stories. That’s why we close one eye and with a anxious heart cast our eye upon Amazon or Goodreads for a check on how our babies are faring. Many writers swear that reading your reviews is something you should NEVER, EVER do. Others see it as an opportunity to gauge whether their writing is resounding with readers. I’ll admit to taking a peek every now and then. Sometimes it’s an ouchy. Other times a warm fuzzy, but either way, once you release your book into the wild world of readers, it never belongs to you again….even if it does have your name on it.

So, here’s Tafta’s thoughts on the arc of Hidden Summit. The blurb for the book follows the review.

Conner Danson (alias for Danson Conner) has temporarily relocated to the everybody-knows-everybody town of Virgin River because he is the sole witness in a high profile murder. Conner is restless because his sister and nephews have been sent to another town for their protection. He is used to being with them and providing for them after his brother-in-law died in war, so being apart from his family (especially with a potential revenge kill hanging over his head) is extremely difficult for him. Even so, Connor gets a job with Haggerty Construction and begins to relax in the homespun town.

 Leslie Pertruso transfers to Virgin River after her husband’s affair and subsequentiol devastating divorce. Because she been a loyal competent employee for the Haggerty family for some time and they all think her ex is a real pompous jerk, they were happy to help Leslie discover a new life in Virgin River.

Neither Conner nor Leslie is looking for love or even a serious relationship. Mostly they are both emotionally fragile, if not raw. It was fun to watch Robyn Carr allow their relationship blossom from acquaintances misjudging each other to friends to lovers. Both characters grow and discover truths about their self and their past that shows the reader that their future together will be a very sweet happy ever after.

I thought this book would be just another small town romance, but I was in for a pleasant surprise. The depth of Carr’s characters and her intriguing story line make it so much more. The emotions are real and the conflicts sound…and I must say her description of Conner isn’t bad either ;) In short, I would love to read more Virgin River stories and much more by Robyn Carr. 

 Okay, there you have it. Real reader thoughts about the book. She seemed to like it pretty well, so good for Robyn Carr for bringing a tale that surprised and delighted :) Here’s the blurb for Hidden Summit:

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she’s got Paul Haggerty’s business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.

Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He’s got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she’s pretty busy “ignoring” the chemistry between them.

According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they’re done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!

Filed under: Book Reviews, ENLR Blogger, Liz Talley | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

The Age of the Bromance

Posted on February 21, 2012 by NJDamschroder

I have a confession. I love bromances. I don’t love the word, I think it’s stupid, but I do love deep relationships between two men, whether they’re brothers or partners or old friends. I don’t know why, really. I dig intensity, and I’m sure that’s part of it. You know the movie Blast from the Past with Brendan Fraser? He was kind of a doof. But when he blows on Heather’s knee and gives her that look, it makes me shivery. The only scene I remember of Dudley Do-Right is when he’s on a motorcycle and wearing black leather and once again giving that look. *shiver*

Anyway. Intensity. I dig it. So I really dig shows like Prison Break that give good-looking guys who care a lot about each other a reason to be all intense. I love the Sherlock Holmes movies because of the chemistry between Downey and Law, and so on. But intensity can’t be the only reason. I dug deeper and decided that maybe the reason it’s so appealing to me is because it’s not something that’s ever been part of my life. I have two brothers, but they have different mothers and didn’t grow up together. My dad’s brothers lived far away. I had a lot of guy friends in high school and college, but now? Not so much. So part of it is probably the appeal of something not part of my life that I kinda wish could be. (Just like trips to tropical beaches and season passes at Gillette Stadium.)

Lucky for me, this seems to be the Age of the Bromance. Oh, they go way back, of course. Remember the Lethal Weapon movies? Back then they called them buddy cop movies, but the movie’s center was always the relationship between the partners. Then we had Lord of the Rings, about the truest, deepest, most sacrificing of friendships—not just Frodo and Sam, but seven other guys ready to die for each other. After that came a succession of movies and TV shows like the aforementioned Prison Break, Numb3rs, and my all-time favorite, Supernatural.

Today I went to a movie that was a romantic comedy in which the female lead was almost superfluous. This Means War focuses on spy partners Tuck and FDR, aka Tom Hardy and Chris Pine, guys who will fight and die for each other and have no problem saying “I love you” with sincerity, not just an awkward back thump. The trailer looked funny, which was really all I needed, despite People magazine’s reviewer discussing the creepiness of Tuck’s and FDR’s illegal surveillance teams watching Lauren (Reese Witherspoon, one of my favorite actresses) when she doesn’t know it. (The reviewer was right, but it didn’t ruin the movie.) The end of the film gave the romantic black moment and resolution very short shrift, something that would have really bothered me in a normal romantic comedy.

But the bromance conflict was really the point, and these guys did it well. Imagine Mr. and Mrs. Smith without the ridiculous extremes. The guys’ chemistry was great, they were both yummy (though all three leads were WAY too skinny), and Chris Pine is a gifted comedic actor. I left pretty satisfied, though overcome by an urge to watch Star Trek again…another film filled with strong male relationships.

I’m all about falling in love. I’m a romance author! And I read and write very little that’s not romance. But I am so very happy that for once, the rest of the world seems in lockstep with me, and is giving me so much delicious bromantic entertainment.

How do you feel about bromances? Who’s your favorite non-romantic male couple?

Filed under: Natalie J. Damschroder | Tagged: , , , , , , | 23 Comments »

The Yo-Yo Syndrome – Are You at Risk?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Melissa Ohnoutka

Last week came and went like a flash of light. I’m sitting here writing this amazed I survived. LOL I can honestly say, I know exactly why we have children when we’re younger.

Why is it that everything has to get scheduled for the same weekend?  I do pretty well keeping up with my kids’ busy schedules most of the time. But when hubby is thrown into the mix and is out of town, it gets crazy around here.

My oldest daughter had her FFA competition starting on Thursday and ending Sunday afternoon. Rafikki the rabbit hopped away with a second place ribbon. Pretty darn amazing since this was my daughter’s first year to ever participate or raise anything. I’m so proud of her. She took better care of this rabbit than I ever thought possible. He’s still a stinker though. So soft and pretty you just want to hold him and pet him for hours. But don’t dare even think about it. A lap rabbit he is not. LOL

Did I mention the weather is working against me too? Seems like it has rained every weekend since the Spring tennis season began. Going through one heck of a drought last summer, the rain is welcome. But it means my middle daughter is missing school for nothing. The team leaves Friday mornings around 6:30 a.m. to travel to the tournaments only for them to be cancelled due to the on and off rain showers. She sat on a bus in a school parking across town for 7 hours last Friday. It’s crazy.  At least this Friday she was able to play two matches before the rain started. But it too was cancelled. Ugh…

I’m feeling like a yo-yo again. Back and forth. Back and forth to the schools I go. I never thought about what my life would be like when these precious little ones got older. You know. How they would need to be chauffeured around to this and that. Shoot one kid can keep you busier than you thought humanly possible. But three is downright grueling.

I’m drinking. No not alcohol.  LOL  Emergen-C. A vitamin B supplement packet you mix with water, and I’m taking my multi-vitamins like there’s no tomorrow. They help with my energy level, but being in two places at once is just physically impossible. Thank goodness for the friends who have been there to help out.

It really does take a village to raise kids. LOL I’m still learning this one. We should not feel like failures because we can’t do it all. We are only human.  :)

Enjoy the moments in life no matter how hard or hectic they may be. Remember to laugh, love and spend time with the ones you cherish most.  Life truly is a precious gift.

Have any energy boosters you’d like to share? Or how about a time a friend stepped up and made your day a little easier?

Filed under: Melissa Ohnoutka | Tagged: , , , | 20 Comments »

Love Lifted Me by Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck

Posted on February 19, 2012 by juliemccrae

Book Description:

A fresh start is a gift. So is having a hand to hold.

Jade and Max share a deep love, though revelations from his past have recently shaken their marriage. And Jade is completely smitten with Max’s little son, Asa, whom she is now raising as her own. Their blended family brings her a joy she’s never known. But there is one more secret to be uncovered. One that will impact them all.

Max is doing his best to “man-up” and prove himself worthy of Jade’s devotion. As well as that of his young son. It seems like life in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, will pick up where it left off until Max is faced with an unusual opportunity-leave his family’s law firm to coach high-school football in Texas.

Realizing a fresh start will bring healing to their marriage, Jade takes the leap of faith and moves with him and baby Asa, bidding good-bye to her beloved Blue Umbrella shop.

The new beginning in quaint Colby, Texas, is soon sullied when Max discovers the high-school program isn’t all it seemed. While Max struggles to rebuild a once glorious football team, Jade wrestles with news that could break Max’s heart and change their lives forever.

My Review:

The third book in the Songbird Series definitely snagged my attention.  Whether or not you have read the other two books in this series, it really doesn’t matter because there’s plenty of background details for you to follow along with ease.

This is a really well written story with lots of lessons woven into each and every chapter.  Sometimes reading about someone else’s lesson in love, forgiveness and trust can make a person realize these lessons pertain to them as well.  I found myself hoping I could reflect these lessons in my life, and wanting to be more like Jade.  I realize that I don’t have the same issues to deal with, but don’t we all have issues where love, forgiveness, and trust could be practiced.

I loved the lessons of putting your trust in God, remembering to go to Him in prayer, and listening when He guides you.  When Max followed his dream by accepting the head coaches position in Colby, Texas he felt called to do so, but he didn’t realize that at first.  I hope that I can be like Max, and realize when God leads me to something.

This is a very contemporary realistic series, and this book fell right into place.  You will find yourself cheering for the football team, Jade, Asa, and Max.  Hope oozes off of these pages.  I highly recommend this book.  In fact, I highly recommend this series.

Filed under: 4 1/2 Hearts, Book Reviews, Julie McCrae | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Her Kilt-Clad Rogue by Julia Moffett

Posted on February 18, 2012 by habrewer
Her Kilt-Clad Rogue by Julie Moffett
* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Englishwoman Genevieve Fitzsimmons never expected she’d return to the wilds of Scotland. And she certainly didn’t expect to become governess to the son of Connor Douglas, the man with whom she shared her first kiss and her first heartbreak. The man who still intrigues her…

For Connor, duty means everything. Years ago, it forced him to break Genevieve’s heart and marry another woman—one who made him miserable. Now a widower at odds with his son, he’s determined to put his heart first.

As Connor and Genevieve begin to find their way toward a future together, they can’t escape the past. Someone is bent upon revenge against Connor and his feelings for Genevieve make her the perfect target.

Genevieve has just lost her beloved grandfather and has lost her home.  Salvation comes to her in the form of someone from her past.  She is offered a job as a governess for Ewan, Conner Douglas’ son.  She didn’t know that she was in for the challenge of a lifetime; can she survive Conner and his son?

Conner has never forgotten Genevieve and the summer kiss they shared.  He fell in love with her that day but was duty bound to marry another for the good of his country.  Now he is widowed and raising his troubled son.  He is determined to follow his heart this time, if he can convince Genevieve he’s not the rogue everyone says he is.

I really liked Genevieve’s character.  She was English and didn’t let anything deter her in the hostile environment she was in.  She knows that she doesn’t have anywhere else to go if she fails as a governess for Ewan.  She is still in love with Conner but she refuses to allow herself to be hurt again by him.  She is strong and a good match for Conner.  Her relationship with his son was special and I enjoyed watching it grow.

Conner has always done what was required of him, including marrying someone for the good of his lands.  He has been in love with Genevieve for years and he is determined to make her his.  It was amusing to watch him bumble through the “courtship” even though she didn’t realize that’s what it was.  He was not good at expressing his feelings because he has had to hide them for so long.  He is impressed at the progress she is making with his son and happy that she is there, even if she still believes all the stories she has heard about him.

I enjoyed the story and thought it flowed well.  The main characters were interesting and had depth.  It was fun to see their growth and interactions with each other.  The secondary characters provided more insight and background into the main characters.  Ewan was such an important part of the story too and seeing the transformation from troubled youth to Laird’s son was amazing.  He was really just a scared little boy that craves his father’s love.  The housekeeper was a pleasant surprise.

It was easy for me to see the scene around me because the author did such a wonderful job of describing everything.  There was an adequate amount of backstory to keep the reader informed without overpowering them.  The ending was a nice surprise, I honestly did not see that twist coming but it was definitely a good fit.

Overall I enjoyed this book and give Her Kilt-Clad Rogue 4 Flaming hearts. 

Filed under: 4 Hearts, Book Reviews, Heather Brewer | 1 Comment »

Dancing Crone

Posted on February 16, 2012 by keristevens

Once upon a time I was 19 years old. On a Friday night (and sometimes even a Thursday) I’d pour my skinny little self into a teal-green tube dress, back-comb my spiral permed hair, layer makeup onto skin as fresh and dewy as my future babies’ butts and go out dancing.

I looked great. I felt great. I danced great. Within three bars of Morris Day’s “Jungle Love” my work and class woes melted away, as did my awareness of everyone and everything else. Then and now dancing puts me into a blissful fugue state that no other form of meditation can touch. You could watch me. You could dance with me. But for pity’s sake, don’t bother me or require my attention. Can’t you see I’m dancing?

Last Friday, I went out dancing again with Toni Blake, Lindsey Faber and Melissa D. Unlike those halcyon days of youth (and someone please remind me to look up “halcyon”) this took weeks of planning. I had to schedule it around my sons’ science fair and the potluck at church. I had to work in a nap so I could stay up past midnight. And then I had to get ready.

First, the skin. I exfoliated my elbows so they wouldn’t snag the sleeves of the dress, and I layered on the tan-in-a-bottle so my bare legs wouldn’t glow in the black light.

Secondly, the foundation garment. I tried on three different ones. The full-body singlet disguised most of the back fat dripping out from under my bra, but I’ve given birth thrice since those halcyon days (What IS “halcyon”? A color? A mood?) and I knew that I’d need to pee. And pee. And pee again. In the interests of peeling down quickly in the ladies room and not being hobbled in my squat, I gave up on the singlet.  I tried belly-and-thigh constricting underpants, which required twisting and jumping, both to get on and get off.

Again—three babies. NO Jumping, ever again.

I settled on black tights (which, I must say, slid on nicely over my freshly-tanned legs) and changed my dress, which meant changing my footwear. Instead of flats, I went with boots—the low-heeled pair, but heeled nevertheless. My rule of thumb is one ibuprofen per individual inch of heel, so of course, I took two immediately.

For hair I chose a ponytail. I knew better than to leave it down. “Sweaty Slattern” is a sexy look in a 19-year-old. At 41, however, it becomes “Over-The-Hill Hooker.”

We met up for dinner at Panera, which is more stressful now that it used to be. Once upon a time, I ate what I wanted, when I wanted. These days, however, I must consider carefully. Black-bean soup? Gas on the dance floor.  Roast beef on the sandwich? Indigestion and belching.  And then there is the careful calibration of the diet cola. Too little and I’ll be sick with dehydration. Too much and I’ll be in the bar bathroom every half hour.

But the biggest stress of all was when we hit the dance floor. I’d forgotten how much work it is to NOT make eye contact.  With anyone.  Ever.  I’d been so good at it when I was younger.  Fortunately, I had my girls with me. We make our tight little circle just as we’d learned to do in junior high and with a touch to the elbow and a  glance, we steered each other through the crowd and away from the number of couples (my age and older, yo!) grinding booties against groins and making out on the dance floor–which was, OMIGOD, SO not halcyon of them!

But the music pounded as the music will and my sore feet and tight calves moved in spite of themselves. Thanks to the cleansing sweat of a good workout, I only had to pee every hour instead of every half.

I can’t wait to go back.

Filed under: Keri Stevens | 20 Comments »

Don’t Waste a Second

Posted on February 16, 2012 by LauraDrake

By Laura Drake

I heard today that a distant relative, after enduring brutal treatment for lung cancer, is in remission!  I’m so very happy for him, and his family. He’s such a sweet, giving man.

It reminded me of something I learned back in 1990, when I lost my sister to cancer. She was 32.

DON’T WASTE A SECOND

I thought I had a busy life already; I was married, had two kids, and worked full time. But I could no longer afford to let the years flow by, thinking I’d do things later. The gaping hole in my life was a constant reminder that ‘later’ isn’t a given.

I realized a basic truth – wherever I am at any given time is a result of what I’m focusing on. If I’m not where I want to be, all I need do is make changes in what I’m focusing on to change it. Sounds too simple, doesn’t it?

It’s not. The following is a quick list of my major goals and accomplishments since then:

  • Finished my degree. Since I kept working full time, it took 4 years, and my kids and I doing homework together, but I got it done.
  • Learned to ride my own motorcycle. I’ve logged 100,000 miles.
  • Learned to fly fish.
  • Learned to write – In December I sold a three book deal to Grand Central

Along the way, life happened. Kids got married, and produced the most beautiful grandkids (don’t make me pull out photos!) My husband and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary in March. We’re looking for a place to jump out of the rat race and into retirement.

People always are amazed when I tell them I get up at 3 am to write before going to work. I’m down to about 6 hours sleep a night. Hey, I’m getting older – I have less time to waste!

Would I have completed these things if I wouldn’t have focused on my ‘bucket list?” I don’t think so.

But the best part wasn’t ticking off the items on the list. It’s the fun I had along the way to achieving them. The challenge of trying to do something I’d never done – and not sure I could do.

So? What about you? What would you attempt if you realized there wasn’t a second to waste?

Laura has always been a storyteller.  She began on her front porch, telling ghost stories to the neighborhood kids.  They ran screaming, but kept coming back for more. If she wasn’t telling a story, she had her nose in one, bumping into students on her way to classes.

Her settings are Western, but Laura grew up in the suburbs outside Detroit.  A tomboy, she’s always loved the outdoors and adventure. In 1980 she and her sister packed everything they owned into their Pintos and moved to California, sight unseen. There, Laura met her husband, a motorcycling, bleed-maroon Texas Aggie, and her love affair with the West began.

Laura rides her own motorcycle. She owns two; Elvis, a 1985 BMW Mystic, and Sting, a 1999 BMW R1100. She’s put on a hundred thousand miles riding the back roads, getting to know the small western towns that are her book’s settings.

On an annual pilgrimage to Texas, Laura was introduced to her first rodeo, and loved everything about it. She was even more excited to discover Pro Bull Riding was shown on television every week! She’s since attended any event within driving distance, as well as two PBR National finals.  Several people in the industry have been gracious in sharing their knowledge with a city girl. Her love of this sport has grown into three books to date.

Ideas are still growing.

Filed under: Author Interview, ENLR Blogger, Laura Drake | Tagged: , , , | 10 Comments »

Welcome to Honey Creek!

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Keri Ford

Please give a big welcome to the adorable Julie Anne Lindsey! I first met her on twitter and since then, she’s joined my publisher! Today she’s here with her DEBUT release and telling us about the line it’s part of. Take it away Julie!!!

A new line of books arrived this month from the Turquoise Morning Press. Honey Creek books are here. This line will center on the same fictitious small town in rural Ohio. The books will come in different genres, but I’m excited to say I get to write for their Honey Creek Sweet line.

The debut novella for Honey Creek is also my debut.  I called it Bloom based on one of my favorite sayings, “Bloom where you’re planted.” Finding a home for my work at TMP has been an amazing experience and getting to write sweet romances for a town much like my own, is the whipped frosting on my cupcake.

There’s just something about a love story that gets my eyelashes fluttering and my hips swinging. I think of parasols and fainting spells and the zing of first learning he like me too. *sigh* Without the physical relationship to seal the deal or deepen the relationship, I have to work extra hard to get you rooting for my couple. That’s no easy task. The characters must be flawed but relatable, and of course redeemable. The hero must take your breath away with a single kiss or telling look. The heroine needs to be feisty enough to handle him and sweet enough to earn him. There’s a whole lot going on in a sweet story beneath that crisp white coating.

Some of my favorite readers are romance lovers and they like to poke a little fun at me with my sweet stories. I don’t mind. I think it adds to our fun. When they sway me to read their latest favorite, I offer a fast trade. A “I’ll look at yours if you look at mine,” kind of trade. I find that most times we’re both pretty pleased with the little switch up.

I guess the bottom line is a romance lover is a romance lover and we’ll take it in whatever form it’s being served. Send me a heaping helping of teasing looks and leading kisses and I will fall right off my couch. *big dreamy eyes*  I promise you that.

If you’re looking for a new line of books or a new author to try this year,  I hope you’ll visit Honey Creek. It’s a beautiful place where anything can happen. Kick off your shoes, relax into that porch swing and cuddle up with a steamy hot toddy. Taking a trip to Honey Creek is as easy as Amazon : ) See you there!

Keri here again! Before you go, Julie, this is Everybody Needs A Little Romance. What’s your idea of romance?

My idea of romance is when two people connect on that other level. The one where they’re in sync. Where they can have a conversation made just out of looks. Where they share memories or jokes from a place and time where only the two of them would understand. When they’ve built a world together separate from everything else and when they tap into it, it feels so intimate and private. I feel like romance can happen anywhere at any time. Lovers can sense the shift between them. And though they might be in a room full of people, they’ve mentally checked out of the bigger picture and only the two of them matter.  That feeling curls my toes every time.

 

Bloom by Julie Anne Lindsey

In a town filled with her past, she never expected to find her future…

Seven years ago Cynthia left Honey Creek with a broken heart. Three years ago Mitchell arrived with one.  Now Cynthia’s come home, and these two hardened hearts can’t stop arguing. If they’d only take a break long enough to find some common ground, they might be surprised to find love can grow anywhere.

If they’ll let it, love will find a way to Bloom.

*Bloom is book one in my new Seeds of Love series.  I’ll be planting those seeds all year.

About Julie:

I am a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you’ll find me online, amped up on caffeine & wielding a book.

You can find my blogging about the writer life at Musings from the Slush Pile

Tweeting my crazy at @JulieALindsey

Reading to soothe my obsession on GoodReads

And other books by me on Amazon

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