Kindle Copy of Nurse Blood--We Have a Winner!

There were 14 entries for a Kindle copy of Nurse Blood.

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Kathryn M. Romeo!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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Killer Thriller Book Launch--Luke Romyn

The Birth of a New Christ

My life has often taken me to strange places – not just literally, often merely figuratively. Dark, despoiled locales haunted by miscreants and lost souls alike, where hatred is your only brother, a blanket to keep you warm against the chill of a torturous world.

I never intended to write books involving God. My main aim in penning my first tome was to exorcize some of my inner demons, but without intending to, I somehow stumbled onto a deity I had long forgotten.

Is He real?

Ha! Good luck answering that one. I’m not going to fall into that trap, nor am I likely to be found preaching the word of the gospel – far from it. I find the thought of quoting from a two-millennia-old textbook ridiculous. It has some good stories, sure. They’re meant to teach the reader lessons about life, not be used as condemnations against those you hate.

And then I find myself preaching….

THE DARK PATH touched on certain religious aspects, and it got me thinking. Images trickled through my late-night ponderings – usually as I lay in bed trying to sleep – and I found myself wondering what might happen were Christ actually reborn. Would he shoot from the womb spouting philosophy? Or would he be birthed a man, a mere hominid, one with a task of colossal importance awaiting him, and he had to decipher all answers on his own?

I took this concept and played with it – tearing at the edges as I do in order to dirty things up a little.

What if this man were raised in the wrong environment? What if those supposed to nourish and support him instead tortured and bullied him, screaming script from the Bible at him as they whipped his fragile mortal frame? Would he still turn out the epitome of God, or would he morph into something a bit darker?

And that’s how CORPUS CHRISTI began….

The Clover Key--Settings

When I write, I need to create the people, places and things that I'm writing about. I thought I would share the visions I had in my head while I created the world for The Clover Key.

Present Day:

Another Chance

The Buchanan Home

The Garden 

17th Century:

Buchanan Castle

Inchtalear

Elspeth's Tower

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Four For Friday--Rebecca Besser

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Rebecca Besser from her novel, Nurse Blood.

Hi, I'm Sonya Garret, and I'm a nurse. I work at the local hospital as a cover for what I really do -- chop people up for parts to sell on the black market. Do you know how much money can be made that way? You're probably sitting there thinking I'm a cold-hearted bitch, but the truth is, I believe in killing one to save many. A lot of people are on the waiting lists to receive the organs that will save their life. That's not all either! There's also tissue from various parts of the human body that can be used for research. So, I ask you, why is it bad to kill one person when their death will give new life and hope to many?

I usually work with Roger -- whom I love like a brother -- and Jennings (he's really a pompous ass). Unfortunately, one of the members of our group quit so we had to find a new guy -- Jack. I hate him! Luckily, my boyfriend Lloyd came along to help me deal with all the stress.

I'm from somewhere in the United States (I can't really say where), and Sonya isn't my real name (shh, don't tell). There are a lot of things about my past that I can't and won't share with you for your own safety. The FBI is hot on our trail after all, and we never know what information will lead them to us. ;)

1. The worst Valentine's Day gift I ever received was...

when Lloyd thought I wanted a romantic dinner. Why would I want to go out when we could stay in and wear less clothes?!

2. My idea of the perfect date would be...

to have a bubble bath with Lloyd and spend the night in bed, pleasing each other.

3. If you want to give me candy...

I would prefer chocolate hearts. They remind me of my work and the hearts I provide to so many needy, sick people.

4. The song that best describes my current love life is... 

Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry 

________________________________________

Want to learn more about this character and author? 

Visit Rebecca's Amazon Author Page


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Hidden Under Her Heart--We Have a Winner!

There were 54 entries for a Kindle copy of Hidden Under Her Heart.

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Karina Vavere!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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Behind The Keyboard--Tools of the Trade

"Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." –George Herbert

While it’s true that writers do not require any special tools, there certainly are a large variety of them out there. Some writers find themselves more productive and comfortable using certain devices.

I began my writing career with only paper and pencil. I would take my handwritten manuscript to work and type it up during my lunch break. Revisions and edits were made at home with a red pencil and then brought back to work the following day for a retype. If you think this process sounds hectic and unproductive, you would be right.

Five years later, the process is only a little less hectic. I now own a laptop at home, and my tools have increased. I still write on paper with a pencil. I type it into an Open Office document but save it as an .rtf on Dropbox in order to work on it at the shop in Microsoft Word. Edits and revisions are still done in red, but I prefer the Pilot Rollerball.

I have a room fool of tools. Are they necessary? Not really, but they make life a little easier and that translates into higher productivity.

Let’s take a look at some of the tools available to writers.

Paper—is available in different sizes, weights and colors. I use 8-1/2 x 11 sheets of used paper. (I have tons of it from my day job, and I only write on one side anyway.)

Notebooks—come in a huge assortment: moleskins, journals, spiral or black marbled composition books. I have at least four of each kind, in every size.

Pencils—are available in mechanical, colored, or conventional wood in hard or soft. I prefer using mechanical pencils, but sometimes I use #2 conventionals. I line up a half dozen of them by my right hand. Running them through a sharpener when all six points are worn is like active meditation and gives me time to imagine a scene.

Pens—there are so many different pens in every color imaginable! Just a few examples are ballpoint, rollerball, gel, markers, fountain pens, or even a quill and ink. (Yes, I own a variety of each, but some are just decorative.) IF I use a pen, which is rare, I prefer a fine point in black.

Technology—is a must since almost all submissions and queries are done via e-mail. Social media is a necessary evil as well as maintaining a website or blog. And who doesn’t love the convenience of quick online research. Always, always, always make sure you back up your work on either a thumb drive or an online backup site. I use Norton. Your cache of technology may consist of a laptop or desktop, tablet, smartphone, and/or voice recorder. While I don’t have a smartphone (Yes, I’m still resistant.) I have all the rest. I find the voice recorder comes in handy when I’m driving. My muse sits in the back seat, poking me in the ribs while she spews ideas at me.

Craft and Reference books and e-books—may include a Thesaurus, Dictionary, Market guides, and Rules of Grammar. There are hundreds of  ‘How-to’ books on creative writing, writing a novel, poetry, characters, heck, you name it! One of the newest additions to my writing toolbox is the Emotion Thesaurus.

Computer Software and Programs—Besides Microsoft Word and Open Office, there are tons of writer’s programs available, such as Storybook and Scrivener to name a few. Some are free and some charge, but the one that piqued my interest was the Dragon Speech Recognition software. We’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage of the relationship, but I’ll keep you updated.

Writing sites—There are too many to name, and you can really spend way too much time in cyberville, but some of the best ones are Rhymezone, Nathan Bransford's blog and Kristi Holl's Writer's First Aid. There are sites that offer forums, discussions, critique partners, and any other form of writing support you may need. But Beware! If you spend too much time on these sites, you won’t get much writing done.

Prompts—For those times when your muse is on vacation, you can find websites that offer word and picture prompts, and there are even books that will give you ideas. I own The Pocket Muse but I’ll be honest, I haven’t had the need for it lately.

What is the one tool you NEED to stay productive?

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Four For Friday--Rachelle Ayala

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Rachelle Ayala from her novel, Hidden Under Her Heart.

Maryanne Torres

I’m Maryanne Torres, the unfortunate heroine in Rachelle Ayala’s latest book, Hidden Under Her Heart. Okay, so I’m darn lucky too, but that’s only because I twisted Rachelle’s little finger and demanded a happy ending and a hot hero, Lucas Knight.

Professionally, I’m a nurse and a pretty good one. I care about my patients and am happy to make their lives better. But I was a dating disaster and always picked the wrong men. I made some bad decisions and ended up raped and pregnant. Not very smart.

You’ll have to read my story, because it’s too embarrassing to talk about. I was shoved into a media circus while still in shock over my condition. I had tough decisions to make and even though Lucas tried to be supportive, I could not trust him to fully accept me. How Rachelle pulled it off is still beyond my understanding. But I’m more than satisfied with the ending, even though I didn’t think I’d survive the story.

1. The worst Valentine's Day gift I ever received was... 

Valentine’s Day before Lucas Knight was a depressing day. If I had a date, or a steady boyfriend, they were more interested in what I would do for them. My last boyfriend before Lucas would say, “I believe in women’s lib. Where are you taking me?” Oh, and the one before that? Jerk. He gave me a pack of condoms, jumbo sized. What a laugh. That was the worst thing I ever received on Valentine’s Day.

2. My idea of the perfect date would be... 

with Lucas Knight, of course. He’s daring me to take a ride in a balloon over the foothills. It would be thrilling and we can touch a piece of Heaven while up there. We’ll get into the position and kiss right at the highest altitude.

3. If you want to give me candy... 

You can always placate me with chocolate, the darker the better. Lindor Dark Chocolate Truffles, Lady Godiva, and Guittard, right here in Burlingame California.

4. The song that best describes my current love life is...

You Da One by Rihanna. Lucas Knight is the only man for me. I knew it about halfway through the book, but I doubted near the end, afraid I had lost him because of a secret from my past. Fortunately, I almost broke Rachelle’s finger and she gave me my man back.

***********

Rachelle Ayala is the author of three novels, Michal’s Window, Broken Build, and Hidden Under Her Heart. Please visit her website: http://rachelleayala.me blog: http://www.rachelleayala.com or Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rachelleayalawriter

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Divide by Zero--We Have a Winner!!

There were 32 entries for a PDF version of Divide by Zero!

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Sarah Butland!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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The Leibster Award

First of all I'd like to thank Gemma from across the pond at Missuswolf's StoryLand for the award. 

Please stop in and give her blog a peek. 

I'm to give 11 random facts about myself and then answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated me. Sure! I can do that. Then, I'm to think up 11 new questions and nominate 11 new blogs. Now there's the problem. All of the blogs that I follow have already received the award. So, I won't be following all of the award instructions. 

If you have a blog and haven't received the Liebster award yet, then by all means please grab the blurry little picture above. You can answer the same questions that Gemma asked me!

11 Random Facts about Me:

1. Along with fairies, corks, and story ideas, I also collect boxes and tins. 

 This one was a gift from a customer.

This one is one of my favorites. 

2. I grind my teeth at night. My jaw clenches so tightly, I could probably snap someone's finger off. I wear a guard at night.

3. I always wanted to open a coffee, tea, and dessert shop and call it, 'Just Desserts.' Go ahead, you can use it if you'd like because it will never happen for me.

4. Depending on my mood and what I'm doing, I listen to every kind of music: Country, Classical, Disco, Hip-hop, Blues, Jazz, or even Latin.

5. I hate cruises. I've been on a few of them over the years, and I hated it every time. 

6. I can't swim. I never learned and I won't go into water over my head. So...

7. My biggest fear is drowning.

8. My very favorite show in the world is SURVIVOR!!

I follow Jeff Probst on Twitter and I never miss an episode. The only thing stopping me from making my own video and auditioning, is #6. I'm hoping some day they will have another season in the Australian Outback. They didn't do any swimming that year.

9.  I hate Winter and Summer. I'd prefer if it was Spring up until the week of July 4th, then it can be hot for a week. Immediately after, I'd like Fall until Christmas Eve. It could snow that night into Christmas Day and then melt on the 26th, then it can be cold through New Year's Day and then be Spring again. Is that too much to ask?

10.  I'm basically a shy person, but once I know you, I'm so silly and outgoing that you'll forget I was once quiet and reserved.

11.  I work best under pressure. I procrastinate until the very last minute and then put my whole heart and soul into getting the task done. 

11 Questions Asked by Gemma:

1. What inspired you to start writing?

I was an only child until the age of seven. I've always had a great imagination and loved to create things, whether through crafts, drawing, or making up stories in my head. I didn't start writing until the nest was empty, and I sat down and thought about what I wanted to be when I grow up.

2. What is your New Year's resolution?

I don't believe in resolutions. See here.

I'm constantly changing and rearranging myself and everything around me. (except my hubby, of course!)

3. If you could be in someone else's shoes for one day, who would that be and why?

If I could choose a fictional person, it would be Carrie Bradshaw. 

She always wears awesome shoes!

In real life, it would have to be JK Rowling. I can't imagine having a whole theme park built around a world you created for your characters. I want to spend time in her shoes so I can poke around in her mind.

4. What is your favourite season?

I would have to say Fall. I love the colors and smells, the crisp air, and the feeling of nesting. 

5. Where has been your favourite holiday destination?

Since Gemma is from the UK, when she says 'holiday' I think she means 'vacation.' It's a toss-up. I loved Mexico, specifically Isla Mujeres, a white sand island off the coast of Cancun.

I also loved Basel, Switzerland

The kid with the circle around her head is my daughter. Her fife and drum corps performed in Switzerland in 2001.

I want to go back to both places one day, but there are so many places yet to be seen!

6. Where do you see yourself this time next year?

I will have an agent. The Clover Key will have been published and making a substantial amount of money, and my second novel (not yet titled) will have offers from multiple publishers. How's that for positive thinking?

7. What has been the highlight of your writing experience so far?

Seeing my name and work in print never gets old.

8. Do you prefer coffee or tea?

Coffee. All day. Everyday. Yeah, definitely coffee.

9. What is your favourite song?

I don't have a favourite song, exactly. There are so many songs that when I hear them I just say, "Oh my God, I love that song!"

10. What has been the most influential book you have read, that has really caught your attention and made you think?

Gee, this question is really hard. There are so many books that have done that for me. The Secret, The Bible, and others I can't recall, have influenced me, but the book that really caught my attention and made me think is probably Anne Rice's Memnoch the Devil.

11. What has been your highlight of 2012?

The answer to this question is very easy:

The birth of my grandson, Caleb 

and the birth of my niece, Jane.

Four For Friday--Sheila Deeth

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a PDF version!

This week's post is by Sheila Deeth from her novel, Divide By Zero.

The name’s On-DRAY-uh, not Andie, and I’m sick and tired of the way Steve Walker says it, like he knows me just ’cause he went to school with me. I don’t say anything to him of course, not anymore. Steve may not be my best customer but he’s shopped for more than one work of art since he started going out with his Amethyst. Anyway, I’ve got my own man now, and no, I’m not going to tell you anything about him. He’s my secret, and I’m his.

1.      The worst Valentine's Day gift I ever received was...

…also the best. He stood on the path with a bunch of dandelions and a smile and I thought, what’s that? Then he took me off through the trees and I saw what he’d built, and it was all for me… 

2.      My idea of the perfect date would be...

…if he’d just go somewhere public with me, like he wasn’t ashamed of me. That’s all I want. But if he won’t, I’ll make our secret place the best it can possibly be so he’ll never leave me. 

3.      If you want to give me candy...

…don’t get your sticky fingers on the artwork. 

4.      The song that best describes my current love life is...

...you remember it? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme… Simon and Garfunkel was it? Scarborough Fair or something? I used to think the thyme was time, you know, like love might last forever. And our little place, it’s got the parsley and sage with the dandelions… and we’ve got time… Yeah, that’s my song.

Please stop by Sheila's Blog and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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Christmas Shoppe Magic--We Have a Winner!

There were 15 entries for a Kindle copy of Christmas Shoppe Magic.

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Patcharin Reynolds!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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Fun Facts about Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14^th each year, in many countries around the world.  What started as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus, later became a romantic holiday.

In the Middle Ages, the tradition of courtly love flourished. The day became associated with romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer. By the 15^th century, Valentine’s Day evolved into an occasion where lovers expressed their love for each other by offering flowers, confections, and greeting cards.

King Henry VII declared February 14^th the holiday of St. Valentine’s Day in 1537.

The modern Valentine’s Day symbols are the heart-shaped outline, doves, greeting cards, and the figure of Cupid.

The Legend

Valentine was a priest who refused an unattested law by Roman Emperor Claudius II that ordered young men to remain single. The Emperor did this to grow his army, believing married men did not make good soldiers. The priest secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out, Valentine was arrested and thrown in jail. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first ‘valentine’ card and addressed it to the daughter of his jailer. He signed the letter, “From your Valentine.”

Cards

The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love is in the poem, Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. The poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their valentine. The earliest surviving valentines in English appear to be in the Paston Letters, written in 1477 by Margery Brewes to her future husband John Paston.

In 1797 a British publisher issued The Young Man’s Valentine Writer which contained suggested sentimental verses for the young lover unable to compose his own. Printers produced a number of cards with verses and sketches, called ‘mechanical valentines.’ A reduction in postal rates in the next century ushered in the practice of mailing valentines. Cards could be exchanged anonymously and so racy verse appeared in the otherwise prudish Victorian era.

Fancy valentines were made with real lace and ribbons. Paper lace was introduced in the mid-19^th century. In the US, the first mass-produced valentines were sold shortly after 1847. The US Greeting Card Association estimates that approx 190 million valentines are sent each year.

Teachers will receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.

Chocolate

Casanova ate chocolate to make himself more virile.

Physicians in the 1800s advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining for lost love.

Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800s.

More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold.

Roses

The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

Over 189 million stems of roses are sold in the US on Valentine’s Day.

California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the greater number sold on Valentine’s Day are imported from So America.

Regional Customs.

In Norfolk, a character called Jack Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses, leaving sweets and presents for children. 

In Wales, many people celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen on January 25^th. The day commemorates the patron saint of Welsh lovers. 

In Finland, the day translates into ‘Friends day’ and is about remembering all your friends. 

In Lituania and Latvia, it is common for people to put stickers on faces and clothing of a friend or relative.

According to Jewish tradition, the 15^th day of the month of Av—Tu B’Av (usually late August) is the festival of love. In ancient times girls would wear white dresses and dance in the vineyards where the boys would be waiting for them.

In South Korea, women give chocolate to men and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14^th. Those who did not receive anything on either day go to a restaurant to eat black noodles and mourn their single life.

Did you know?

Every Valentine’s Day, the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s  lovers, Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.

Men spend an average of $130 on candy, cards, jewelry, flowers and dates.

What are your thoughts on Valentine's Day? Do you exchange gifts with your loved ones?

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Four For Friday--Juliette Hill

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy!

This week's post is by Juliette Hill from her novel, Christmas Shoppe Magic.

Sophia Ward

My name is Sophia Ward, and I’m one of the major characters in Juliette Hill’s Christmas Short, “Christmas Shoppe Magic.” I’m 24 years old, and I live in a small/mid-size town about 30 miles north of Washington, D.C. Last summer, I completed a two-year MBA program at a local university. Two other friends and I were sharing an apartment until they received fantastic job offers and moved out of state.  That left me with the entire rent each month. I’ve been waitressing at a downtown Italian restaurant as well as helping out 

where I can.

My boyfriend, Joe MacMillan, and I became engaged on Christmas Eve. He’s the best guy in the world. He’s the only guy for me. I met him while working at my waitressing job when he, his mother, Patrice, and his brother, Henry, all came in for dinner one night before Thanksgiving. Joe lives in Seattle where he is Chief Operating Officer of a computer software company he and his two best friends started right out of grad school. He’s tying up loose ends there until we get married.

After we met, I had the opportunity to help the family out working as needed in their shop, MacMillian’s Christmas Shoppe. The shop’s been in the family for generations, I helped with cleaning out their warehouse/storage area downstairs as well as inventory and set up. The shop has been special to me ever since I was a young girl, although I had never come to know the family personally until last November.

Joe and I hit it off pretty quickly as we spent many hours working and hanging out together. The rest is history as they say! He’s very sentimental and romantic and surprised me with something very special last Christmas Eve. If you’d like to find out what that was, check out our story in “Christmas Shoppe Magic” by Juliette Hill!

1. The worst Valentine's Day gift I ever received was...
   
   
   a sticky, messy mud pie in the shape of a heart from my first grade buddy when I was six years old! He handed it to me, and of course it completely fell apart all over my hands. I went running in my house crying!
   
   
2. My idea of the perfect date would be...
   
   
   Joe and I having a romantic candlelight dinner at a table on the beach somewhere in the Caribbean. I love the ocean and Joe does too.
   
   
3. If you want to give me candy...
   
   
   please give me orange creams covered in milk chocolate or strawberry cream hearts covered in milk chocolate. Yummmmm!
   
   
4. The song that best describes my current love life is...
   
   
   “How Do I Live Without You” by LeAnn Rimes.
   
   
   Please stop by Juliette's Blog and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

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