Welcome Alana Lorens

April 15, 2011. Tax Day. I hope you filed already, because I've asked a great guest to visit today. I'm welcoming a fellow Wild Rose author, Alana Lorens. I've asked Alana a ton of questions, and she did an awesome job answering them. So, let's get to the interview.


1) Alana, welcome. Can you tell us a little about your story Secrets In The Sand, a blurp?

After a run of bad relationships, Lily Pearl Evans has finally become an independent woman, the owner of the Sassafras Social Club, a quiet little bordello. In the New Mexico desert town of Chaparral, she works for herself, sets her own rules, and is determined no man will hold her back again.

Gene Nicholas worked for more than a decade to achieve his dream to be a doctor. Wanting to share his gifts with those less fortunate, he leaves south Florida to volunteer for Doctors Without Borders in Mexico.

When Gene provokes a showdown with the local Mexican drug cartel, he becomes a man with a price on his head. On the run, he ends up on Lily’s doorstep--a mystery man forced to conceal his past to protect them both. With the cartel’s dangerous web drawing tight around them, can Lily and Gene survive a drug lord’s revenge?



Secrets In The Sand sounds AWESOME! I love a good suspense, as you well know. What inspired you to write the story?

Years ago my husband and I were members of a role playing game on the Internet, and these two characters were characters we developed and played. The characters of Gene and Lily were as potentially mismatched as they are in SECRETS IN THE SAND, but somehow they found their way to each other, and in this story, they did as well.


How cool. That is the first time I've heard of character development through a game. LOVE IT! Can you describe your heroine? Does she look like someone you know physically? Did you give her some of your character, values, and aspirations? What makes her special?

Lily’s a redhead, late thirties, deep blue eyes, with legs still worth a second look. She’s a little vain about signs of getting older, and vulnerable still from her mother abandoning her when she was a child. She likes to dress up—even though she isn’t one of the sex workers at the Club, she still wants to feel beautiful and sexy. When her aunt left her the house that she turns into the Club, Lily realizes she can be independent of any man and take care of herself, build her own security. Like me, she works hard, and tries to build a family out of those close to her.

I love reading about more mature characters. Now tells us about your hero. Does he look like someone you know physically? What are his best traits? What are his flaws? Did you fall in love with him while writing the story?

Gene is in his mid-thirties, a doctor who worked his way through many years of school, determined to save people after his brother died as a young boy from a sudden illness. His brown hair is cut close, and he’s got wide brown eyes that readily show his emotions. He cares deeply about his patients—this is what gets him in trouble in the town where he’s working through Doctors Without Borders. The local drug lord abuses one of Gene’s young patients and kills her. Gene acts to save the rest of the village without thinking about the personal consequences. Once he lands at Lily’s, he turns that caring and compassion on the young women who work at the Club as well as Lily herself. Throughout the story, though, he’s always just a little unsure he’s able to lift himself to the next level, to do what needs to be done, and this insecurity is definitely a flaw. But in the end he comes through big time. I’ve always been in love with Gene since my husband created him. He’s noble, brave and dedicated, but not too proud to get down on the floor and roll around with a baby or a dog when it’s called for.


Did you have to do special research for your story?

I had to learn about the southern area of New Mexico, and also a little bit about the drug cartels across the border. My one big investment was a visit to Radio Shack to find out how to locate a cell phone in the desert using a GPS. It was easier than I thought!

How many books have you written? And, which is your favorite and why?

I’ve probably written about 18 full-length manuscripts. SECRETS IN THE SAND is one of five I have signed contracts for in the last year. Three are part of an urban fantasy series from Dragonfly Publishing, Inc., THE ELF QUEEN, THE ELF CHILD and THE ELF MAGE; one, SECOND CHANCES, is a women’s fiction with romantic elements that will be out next year, and SECRETS is out this week from The Wild Rose Press.

That being said, my favorite story is a post-apocalyptic young adult book I’m still searching out a home for. It’s got a love story, survival, some violence—all the good stuff. 

Tell us a little about your writing process. What comes first, plot or characters?

Definitely plot. When I get into the “what if?” mode, then I kick around some likely combinations of where the story might go. Next step is to choose some characters to handle the plot. I love the naming process. Sometimes that takes me the longest time, to make sure I’ve got interesting names that really fit the vibe I’m looking for. Fleshing out the characters with positives and flaws both, to keep things interesting comes next. Then we begin at the beginning. I may outline a chapter or two ahead so I can see where I need to go. The only time I’ve outlined a whole book before is when I’ve written for NaNoWriMo, which I’ve won twice. There you don’t have a lot of time to run by the seat of your pants!

Do you feel it’s important for an author to read outside of the genre their write and why?

It’s important for a writer to read. Period. Certainly reading across genres, especially these days, will help you, because the lines between genres are growing thinner and thinner. They have gardening mysteries and sci-fi romance and chick-lit thrillers—you’ve got to keep up with all of it!

I have to agree. Very important to write and read everyday.

Do you have a list of craft books that you think should be included in a writer’s study guide?

I don’t. I have been fortunate enough to take some classes with the wonderful Margie Lawson, including her Master Immersion class last fall in Colorado. She has a real gift for teaching the way to release emotions into your work.

I've bwwn Margieized too. Love her.

Okay. Let me ask something personal. When you’re not writing, what are some of your hobbies?

I garden a lot, running a community garden for the folks in my father’s apartment building. I also love to travel, and since my kids are spread out across the country, we’ve been able to see quite a bit of it, from the redwoods in California to Washington DC to Florida and more.

What is next for you?

I’m busy writing the third volume in the Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series, which is scheduled for release in 2012. Hopefully after that I’ll be able to get into a new project—I have some interesting ideas for a paranormal romance I’m dying to get to.

It's wonderful to learn more about you. Thanks for coming by today.Thanks, Autumn, for inviting me to meet your readers, and best wishes for your writing in the future!

Welcome Friday Friend Amber Leigh Williams

Today, I welcome fellow Wild Rose and Wayback Series author Amber Leigh Williams. She is going to take care of my cyber home this weekend while I'm at the New Jersey conference. Yeah, Amber!


It’s October! Superstitions abound! Recently my sister informed me that Friday the 13th doesn’t mean anything sinister unless it takes place in October. I’m not sure if I agree, but October does seem to amp up my superstitious nature. I’m definitely looking out for those shifting shadows and strange happenstances. Growing up, I watched my grandmother draw an X on the windshield whenever a black cat crossed the road in front of her vehicle. We also had a family ghost named Myrtle. If you think I’m kidding, you should’ve been there when we heard frantic footsteps pacing across the attic floorboards late at night and when our refrigerator’s ice dispenser randomly spit out chunks—timed in such a way that passersby would get pelted. We were convinced Myrtle had a benevolent sense of humor. She never scared the bejesus out of anyone except the dog and a couple of new boyfriends. In fact, Myrtle was the boyfriend initiation rite. If the dude could handle a Myrtle encounter, we knew we had a winner! (Yes, my DH was one such contender…and, ah, the memories!) I wonder if to this day any old boyfriends think of us and shudder ;)

Last month, my western romance trilogy went from ebook publication to an audio book collection. In the final book, Bet It On My Heart, I was thrilled when the opportunity to throw in a powerful and poignant superstition scene presented itself. Years ago, in an earth science book I read about the ghost lights of Marfa, Texas.
For those of you unfamiliar with this phenomenon, for over a century outside this Texan town people have been seeing mysterious, allegedly paranormal lights. Scientists at first tried to distinguish them as a reaction to rocks underneath the soil but after some daytime digging no such rocks could be found. Then they attributed the lights to headlight reflections from a nearby route. Watching the lights, however, it’s clear that these aren’t headlight reflections and the reported sightings date back before cars were invented. The lights are so popular, Marfa built a viewing platform on the bluff overlooking the site and the TV series Unsolved Mysteries filmed a segment there.

So intrigued was I by the Marfa lights, I kept a photocopy of the book’s article in my writing notes. With Bet It On My Heart, the chips fell in all the right places. The book takes place in the fictional small town of Wayback in west Texas. The cowboy hero, Keefe, drives his heroine, Calli, out into the quiet countryside for some special alone time. What they see and experience there creates one of my favorite moments of the book. You can purchase Bet It On My Heart, and its award-winning prequels (Blackest Heart and Bluest Heart) in ebook at The Wild Rose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com/amber-leigh-williams-m-352.html?zenid=1be052bfd41335d14b8fdbcf81dd17dd) or in audio at AudioLark today (http://www.audiolark.com/books/tag/amber-leigh-williams/)!

So readers, I’d love to hear your favorite paranormal phenomena—real life or fictional! Writers, has your own experience ever crossed over into your work? A special thanks, too, to Autumn for letting me share today!

Walking Among The Stars

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I’m so excited. It’s been over a year since I’ve attended a conference or workshop. This weekend is the New Jersey Romance Writers conference and I’ll be there. Even though, my novel, EVIL’S WITNESS, is up for an award, Golden Leaf Best First Book that is not why I’m excited. Well, okay, I am but there's more. I can’t wait to be surrounded by other writers and learning more about the craft and industry which I love.

I’m sure you understand how it is no matter where your interest lay. When you’re with others who understand your enthusiasm for something, it’s like walking among the stars. I’m eager to meet face to face friends I’ve made online and to see those I haven’t seen in months. I feel like a sponge ready to soak up knowledge in the workshops I already have highlighted on my schedule to attend. I’m also a little nervous about taking an agent appointment, telling her about my new wip and hearing her thoughts on the romantic suspense genre in today’s tight market.

So today, I’ll be tweaking my pitch and getting my books and promo material ready for the book signing which is another reason for me to be excited. This will be my very first RWA conference signing.

God, it’s going to be a blast! If you’re in attendance, please say hi. Have a great weekend everyone and join me again next week for an update. AJ

Friday Friend Kathy Kulig

Today, I welcome a good friend and chapter mate, Kathy Kulig. Kathy writes HOT paranormal romances. You will really enjoy what she has to say and her books.

Take it away, Kathy.

I love flipping through mythology, ancient folklore and supernatural books to stir up ideas for my novels. Take a myth, twist it a little, surround it with interesting characters, a compelling setting and premise and you have the start of a story.

While researching shapeshifters and dragons for DRAGON WITCH, here are a few things I found:
Cryptids “are creatures that are believed to exist, but for which there are no existing physical records or evidence.”
And Cryptozology is the science of trying to prove the existence of these creatures.

Most of us are familiar with cryptids such as The Lock Ness Monster, Sasquatch or Bigfoot, but there are many others with fascinating stories. And if you’re a writer they may give you ideas to develop stories.

A few Cryptids that have yet to be proven as real:

Dragon of the Ishtar Gate is one of the Cryptid creatures depicted on the walls of Babylon (575 B.C.E). It’s cited in the Apocrypha—a collection of stories claimed by some to have been excised from the Bible—as a dragon that was kept in the Temple of Be by King Nebuchadnezzar.
Jersey Devil- I’m a Jersey girl so I’ve heard this one before. This legend dates back from Colonial times and this monster is supposed to be spotted in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
Kingstie- Is a 30-foot water creature seen in Lake Ontario since 1917.
Mothman-A tall, somewhat humanoid creature with fiery red eyes and large wings. It’s spotted in the area of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
Ogopogo- A plesiosaur-like creature seen around Lake Okanagan in British Columbia.
Trunko- A white-furred sea monster seen by a ship’s crew in 1922 off the coast of Margate, South Africa.

Some cryptids that were once considered mythological creatures but were later proven to actually have existed are: the duck-billed platypus, the giant squid, mountain gorilla, and Komodo dragon.

One of my favorite research books for myths and legends and just about anything strange and unusual when it comes to supernatural topics is THE CRYPTOPEDIA – A DICTIONARY OF THE WEIRD, STRANGE AND DOWNRIGHT BIZARRE by an author friend of mine Jonathan Maberry & David F. Kramer. http://tinyurl.com/33oey9x

In there he has a section on Dragons and Dinosaurs. Dragon myths are found throughout the world and share many similar physical characteristics even among cultures that had no contact with one another. The most common explanation for this is that these people unearthed dinosaur bones. The size and shape of these discoveries later developed the myths and legends for dragons.

A lot of this information I found in a reference book called “The Cryptopedia, A Dictionary of the Weird, Strange & Downright Bizarre” by Jonathan Maberry & David F. Kramer. This is a great source for stirring up paranormal story ideas.

I’m so impressed by the creativity of paranormal authors who can take an old myth and create a story with a new twist or make up an entirely new one.

Many of my stories have a variety of shapeshifters—a man with a 300 year old Celtic curse shapeshifts into a stag but he can be a man only beneath the moonlight. I’ve used a twist on an ancient Norwegian myth where a person can don the skin of any animal and become that animal by willing it so. In this particular mythology, I’ve had a shapeshifting mountain lion, wolf, bear and leopard. My demons also have the power to shapeshift, an ability mostly used as a disguise to hide their presence on earth. My demons have been a coyote, falcon, wildcat and one has the ability to appear as any other human. Imagine the trouble he can get into.

When I wrote DRAGON WITCH, I wanted to write something different. A friend at work does origami. She travels all over the world to origami conventions. She made me an origami dragon. Funny because I never told her I liked dragons. I have him on my desk at work. Of course, I looked at him and thought dragon shifter! This creature when in human form has a voracious sexual appetite. I set the story on another world, because It has always been my dream to write a SciFi-like story. Then I added another love interest, an interstellar transport Captain—a hunky guy that the biologist/witch heroine had a steamy affair with, and she can’t, for the life of her, forget. Toss them all on this planet in a desperate situation where lives are at stake, and that’s the set up for DRAGON WITCH. I hope you’ll enjoy it, because I had a blast writing it.

BLURB: Biologist and witch, Jaida Chel combines nature magick with herbal science to protect Kai, the last shapeshifting dragon on her world of Somerled. But when Captain Brayden Stokes reenters her life not only is Kai’s life at stake, but so is Jaida’s secured position in the colony. Brayden and Jaida can’t resist the sexual heat between them, even though she knows a relationship would be doomed. Fleet pilots don’t stay planetside for long.

Jaida is torn between Brayden and her dragon and companion, Kai. When Kai morphs into a human twice a year, his sex drive is ravenous. He must mate for twenty-four hours or die. Unrestrained passion between Kai and Jaida temps Brayden into a forbidden encounter. With Jaida’s sassy, wicked ways, the three cross boundaries, exploring eroticism beyond their imagination. When secrets and betrayals are revealed, Brayden must risk everything for one last chance at love.

Welcome Author Paty Jager

Today, I welcome fellow Wild Rose Press author Paty Jager. Paty has a fine backlist. You really do need to check it out at The Wild Rose Press, after you read her blog and comment of course. Remember one new follower of my blog during the month of August will win an e-copy of my sexy, contemporary western, Obsessed By Wildfire. Now please welcome Paty!


Paty , Congrats on your new release, Spirit Of The Mountain. I love your cover, BTW.

Thanks Autumn! I love the cover, too. Nicola Martinez did a wonderful job of not only showing the story but making a striking cover.

1)First, can you tell us a little about the story, a blurp?

Spirit of the Mountain is the story of a Nez Perce maiden's love of the mountain and country where she was born and honoring her gift to her people when she knows she could die and her heart is back on the mountain with the spirit who captured it.

2)What inspired you to write Spirit Of The Mountain?

I attended a RWA conference and the editors were looking for historical paranormal. Since I didn't do any of the other things that go bump in the night, the thought of putting spirits in the Native American history appealed to me. Only little did I know that Native American stories didn't sell. Anyway that's what the editors and agents all told me after I started shopping this story around. Thank goodness, Wild Rose Press is willing to take a chance to a story if it's good enough. They don't care what the "big publisher" think.

3)Can you describe your heroine? Does she look like someone you know physically? Did you give her some of your character, values, and aspirations? What makes her special?

Wren loves the country where she came to this earth and is distraught over having to leave to marry the enemy blackleg warrior. I gave her the deep love to seat the feelings the Nez Perce(Nimiipuu) have for the Wallowa Country. She tries hard to honor her family and her people but she has a deep feeling the marriage will not bring the peace it is supposed to bring. She doesn’t' look like anyone I know. I used a note card that had a Native American girl in historic dress and a wolf as my visual while writing this book. I don't think I gave her any of me, other than her wanting need for approval while at war with her true feelings. She's special because she is willing to sacrifice her happiness to help her people.

4)Can you describe your hero? Does he look like someone you know physically? What are his best traits? What are his flaws? Did you fall in love with him while writing the story?

Himiin walks upon the mountain as a white wolf. He sees himself as the guardian of the creatures, yet he battles with the belief he and his siblings were made spirits as punishment for his father's bad behavior. He is tall, strong, blonde hair, blue eyes that turn red when his emotions are high. He is of a band of Nimiipuu from the far north that had the lighter coloring of hair and eyes. His best trait is his honor and loyalty to the Nimiipuu. His flaw, believing he knows what is best. I did fall for my hero and his brother who will have his story in the next book.

5)Did you have to do special research for your story and explain?

I read a lot of books about and by the Nez Perce tribe. I also joined n online group of Nez Perce to get information. I found a Nimiipuu man and a woman who were willing to answer questions and dig for historical information for me, so I could make the life of my character's accurate in their day to day living. As for the spirit part, I read myths and legends of the Nimiipuu and worked to make a spirit entity that I thought would be believable in the world of the Nimiipuu even though they did not have such "creature".

6)How many books have you written? And, which is your favorite and why?

I've written fourteen books but have soon to be eight published. I have something about every one of my books that makes it my favorite. Either a character or a scene or even a secondary character.

7)Tell us a little about your writing process. What comes first, plot or characters?

I don’t' have a set process. aS in the case of this book, I responded to the request fro historical paranormal and I am most comfortable writing westerns so I decided on an Indian spirit and came up with three siblings and I knew it had to be set in the Nez Perce country where I grew up and that story took off. My contemporary came about from something I heard on the radio about a child who ordered stuff via e-mail with their parent's credit card and the parent didn't know it until it arrived at their door. So that's how a nanny arrived on an out of the way ranch porch. The first Halsey book came about from my attending a workshop on humor and decided the only way I could write humor was to make an accident prone heroine. And Darcy was born and Gil the hero had four brothers so they now each have a book that was inspired either by something that happened in the previous book or by their character traits. I have a contemporary western idea that has come about from a song I heard. So my books come about in all different ways.

8)Do you feel it’s important for an author to read outside of the genre their write and why?

I don’t know if it's important but I think it makes you a more rounded writer. I prefer reading outside my genre while I’m writing.

9)Do you have a list of craft books that you think should be included in a writer’s study guide?

Debra Dixon's GMC- Goals Motivation and Conflict
This book was the first craft book I read that made sense and helped me.

10)When you’re not writing, what are some of your hobbies?

When I'm not writing I seem to be helping my children and grandchildren, or farming. I also like to ride my horse and enjoy the outdoors.

11)What is next for you?

I have the second spirit book to send to my editor, I'm working on an action adventure romance, and I need to write the last Halsey brother book and the third spirit book. I'm never without something to work on.


Autumn, Thank you for having me here today. Everyone this is part of a blog tour that is all this week. You can go to my blog: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com and find the other places I've been and pick up the puzzle pieces. Send me the pieces to patyjag@gmail.com and you could win a copy of Spirit of the Mountain.

The Creative Gene Syndrome

Creative Gene Syndrome

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Once upon a time there was a girl. I’ll call her Sally. Sally had dreams. There were those who thought Sally was a little strange, but they didn’t know her. While other children weren’t content to play by themselves and would throw tantrums because friends weren’t allowed over, Sally was totally okay being on her own. Sally read so much she’d wear out her library card over the summer. She’d play with her dolls for hours, draw beautiful sketches or ride her horse to the mountain top and stare out over the valley below. Those who knew Sally knew she acted the way she did because she carried the creative gene.

When she looked at tree trunks or the clouds in the sky, Sally saw an elf doing a tap dance, a wolf leaping from boulder to boulder or something outlandish and absurd to those with her. She saw pictures in the strangest places—every plane of wood or grain of tile carried a tale, and Sally would weave stories to go with them. People would wonder about her, but they would listen with interest to the story she told.
As Sally became a woman, she longed to express the thoughts and the images that gnaw inside of her, but the people in her world said you can’t. You must stop being the dreamer and do something productive with your life—something that will benefit mankind. So, Sally laid aside her dreams, hushed the voices inside of her and followed the advice of others.

New calendars replaced the old many times over and each time Sally saw a teakettle or lion cub in an indigo sky, the voices tears filled her heart. Then, a child entered her life and soon after Sally whispered a tiny tale into his ear and the child smiled. Her delight at seeing his happiness tore a peep hole in the black veil she’d draped over the voices and Sally told him another story, and another, and another. Sally filled her lungs with a joyous laughter for the first time in years. She was being who she was supposed to be, a storyteller. And at that very moment, Sally realized every dream does have a purpose.


IMAGINE



Excerpt from EVIL'S WITNESS

After a week, her touch was familiar. His heart melted. He grabbed her hand, holding her in place as he turned and smiled down on her. Her nipples pushed against her white T-shirt. He gently brushed a knuckle across one peak. “No. It was hell without you.”

“Mmmm. Same here.” She pulled back and lifted his arm around her, curling into him.

Looking out over the lake, she sighed. “I could stay here forever, if you’d let me.”

“I wish we could.” He gathered her closer and kissed the top of her head. “But eventually Bobby and Em would have to go to school.”

“I could home school.” Her chuckle was strained.

He felt her pain. He smiled while his heart wrenched. He would like nothing more than to forget about the world and stay here with her and the kids. But they couldn’t. “Sooner or later Ben will call. We’ll have to go back.”


“I know.”

Steph moved away. A cold void took her place.

She drifted to the other porch column. Leaning against it, she folded her arms across her chest. Her lips pressed together as if she was forming the right words behind them. “I know I said that our time together here was going to be enough to last me a lifetime, but—” Tears brimmed her lids. “I was wrong. A lifetime won’t be enough.”

John stepped toward her. “I don’t know what—”

“I know; you don’t know how we can be together. So, Ben will call. We’ll go back, and I’ll identify Victor. You’ll toss him in jail and throw away the key. You’ll drive off in pursuit of the next bad guy and me…Well, I’ll go home and wonder where you are. Wonder if what I felt was love.”

The woman knew how to make a guy feel like a heel.

John pulled her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest and cried softly against him. He kissed her head and smoothed her hair. “Steph, I didn’t think I’d ever love again,” he whispered softly, cupping her chin and tilting her face up until she looked at him. “Like a bomb, you dropped into my life. Every defense I’d put up to protect myself from ever being hurt again came tumbling down. You opened up my heart. As much as you don’t want to live without me, I don’t want to live without you. I love you."



He kissed her gently. Her arms wrapped around him and held on. “Somehow, we’ll figure this out. I promise,” he assured her.




No part of this post may be used without the expressed permission of the author, Autumn Jordon.

The Winner of $50.00 B&N Certificate is..

First, I'd like to thank everyone for helping me get the word out about Evil's Witness. You were AWESOME! There were quite a few of you entered. GRIN And a number of people entered mutiple times. Yeah you!

The last two weeks have been amazing. Evil's Witness received it's first review from Night Owl Reviews. Here is what NOR said...

This is a good romantic suspense novel by Ms. Jordon. There was a lot of physical action and the romance was spicy enough to keep the story interesting....The romance between John and Stephanie was genuine and very well incorporated into the story. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Jordon’s work.

I'm so happy she wants to read another story. Maybe she'll review Obsessed By Wildfire. Hmmm.

My blog tours continue and I'm giving away more prizes. Where I'll be is listed on my website under news. So jump over there and mark the dates down.

Now for the drawing. I'm reaching into my basket and drawing a name...


Drum Roll

Wanda Flanagan

Yeah Wanda!!! I hope you use part of the $50.00 to buy Evil's Witness. Please contact me at autumnjordon@yahoo.com so that I can get your snail mail addie.

Thanks again everyone for making my debunte AWESOME. Have a wonderful holiday.

(((HUGS)) AJ

Stephanie's Story

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Startled by a crash, Stephanie woke and fell from her couch to the floor. The boom reminded her of the episode last winter when a car skidded into their front porch taking out a corner post. Gripping the leather cushion, she sat up, swept her hair back from her face and stared into the dark corners of her living room. The red display of a digital clock on the entertainment center read three forty-two.

Another thump vibrated the floor seconds before the door which lead to the garage burst open. Light spilled across the carpet. Gene was home, finally.

“Damn kids.” His words were slurred and the alcohol he’d consumed over the last six hours while at his weekly poker game preceded him by about twenty feet.

More rattling.

“Stephanie, I’m caught. Get this damn thing off of me or I’ll—“

“Will you keep it down?” She scurried to her feet and hit the light switch to the high-hat lights above the fireplace. “The kids are sleeping. They have to get up for school in two hours.”

“This is my house and I’ll yell at them for leaving their freakin’ bikes lying in front of the door anytime I want.”

Em’s bike had been parked against the wall where it was supposed to be. Gene probably knocked it over making his not-to-steady way inside. However, arguing with him while he was in this state of mind was not going to do her any good. He’d only get more boisterous and eventually wake the kids just to scold them for something they didn’t do, and was his own fault. God, she was tired of Gene’s partying. He was married, a father of two. What example did he set for Bobbie? Would he ever grow up?

The sadness which filled her cemented the truth in place. No.

Gene fell forward and she grabbed him under his arms. As he struggled to free his foot from between the railings of Em’s bike, he leaned onto her and Stephanie’s nose became buried in his beer stained tee shirt. “My, God. How much did you have tonight? You didn’t drive home, did you?”

Em’s bike clattered against the garage’s concrete floor. “Damn straight I did. “

“You’re drunk.”

“So. “

Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of their wedding portrait and wondered where that happy, young couple went wrong.

Disgusted, she pushed Gene away. “So you’re a cop.”

“Yeah." He shrugged and then scratched his stomach, pulling his tee shirt up over the flat abs he worked hard to maintain since he quarterbacked for their high school football team. "Don't worry. The guys won't ticket me.”

She folded her arms across her chest in order to keep her hands from reaching out and strangling some sense into him. “What about hurting yourself, or God forbid, someone else?”

“I didn’t, okay.” He waved her away. Then with dithering steps, he made his way into the kitchen and flipped on the lights. “What’s to eat?” He called over his shoulder. “I’m starved. Rosie got pissed with Tony and threw the pizza we ordered at him. ”

Steph drew a breath as she raced after him hoping he wouldn’t reach the pots and pans before she could block him. His buddies probably ordered the pizza after midnight and the delivery guy woke Rosie’s seven-year-old twins. Poor Rosie.

She stepped between Gene and the stove just as he reached for the knob to turn it on. “Why don’t you go get a shower and I’ll—”

His frown turned wolfish as he grabbed and pulled her close, grinding his hips into hers. “You’re hoping I’ll fall asleep aren’t you?” He nuzzled her neck. “After I grab a couple eggs, I’ll be ready to take care of you, babe. Why don’t you whip them up for me?”

Not in the mood to be manhandled, she pulled away from his clutch. “Stop it, Gene. I’m not in the mood for your games. I’m going to bed.” Stephanie turned only to be stopped by the bite of his fingernails on her arm.

His eyes narrowed. “I said I’m hungry.”

“And I want a divorce.” She yanked her arm free. “See who gets what they want first.”



Author's note: I hope you enjoyed Stephanie's Story. The official release date for Evil's Witness is June 18, but it's on sale now at The Wild Rose Press, as an early bird special. Here is the link. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Also remember, if you leave a comment on either John's story or Stephanie's, your name will go into the June 23 contest drawing. I'm giving away one e-copy of my January release Obsessed By Wildfire, which has received two GREAT reviews. You can check out those at my website. Because OBW is rated spicy, you must 18 to win. If you're under 18, I'll send you a great gift via US snail mail anyway. If you've already bought OBW, and many of you have, thank you very much, you can choice to receive a $5.00 Starbucks ceritifcate. Each time you comment, your name goes into the hat, so comment on both posts.

Make a memory today. AJ

No part of this posting may be used without the expressed permission of the author.

30 Days Until...

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Thirty days. I’m so excited. SEE ME DANCING. A dream is coming true. (No. I’m not going to Disney World, although I really would love to go in July for RWA National Conference, but the money is not in the checkbook this year. ) On June 18, 2010, my Golden Heart Entry, EVIL’S WITNESS, releases from The Wild Rose Press.
It’s been a long 18 months, since I signed the contract to publication. I can’t wait until I hold this book in my hands and smell its pages. Sounds silly, huh? I wonder if its scent is as thrilling like a new car aroma or as precious as a newborn smell. I imagine it’s close, since our works are our babies and we’ve worked our fingers to nubs polishing them.

Anyway over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting free reads— Steph’s and John’s stories before they meet— maybe I’ll even post Victor’s interview. (Did I ever tell you, I fell in love with Victor?) To learn more about the story, jump over to my website, www.autumnjordon.com You can view a trailer there too.
Oh, in the coming weeks, there will be contest information. Everyone likes contests right?

Tomorrow, author Beth Trissel joins me, so please stop by and say hey.
Take care, AJ

Why I'm A Romance Writer

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The US NEWS Industry had no problem filling their pages, slots or air time this week. The oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the flooding in the south central states and the bombing attempt in Times Square has kept the reporters typing and anchormen/women chatting. Activists and volunteers have already rolled up their sleeves and God bless them. At some time during our lives, the fickle finger of progress or the forces of nature will touch each one of us. If you don’t take a blow, you’re truly blessed.

Events like these remind me of why I’m an artist, a romance author. Out of the headlines, thousands of tragic stories will emerge. Short U-tube clips show the lost, that is what they time for. Only a handful of stories of triumph will be told. Ones which will bring joy to our hearts and tears falling to our cheeks. People need to hear the success stories in order to restore their hope and faith and give them the courage to put one foot in front of the other. They long to hear them.

I wonder if the media should take a look of the genre books sales for guidance in their reporting. While I know it is important to report the tragic developments for a score of reasons, I think the news should end on that happy note— for the well being of all.

With that off my chest this morning, I’m going to plan to celebrate the day by helping an elderly lady clean her kitchen, call my children and tell them I love them, plant a tree and some flowers, play with my dogs and cats, and then this afternoon continue to write a love story with a happy ending.

Oh yeah, since it’s Cinco de Mayo, I’ll share a Margarita with DH too.

Please keep those in need in your prayers.

Microsoft's Devil

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The dang cursor hangs there sometimes and stares at me, and it even has the gull to wink at me.
Damn thing. One of Microsoft’s devils.

But you know what? The devil has become a motivator for me to write. I see the winky-blink and my fingers itch to press the smooth keys of my laptop and my mind starts whirling through the hundreds of topics or projects I could write about. And there lays the problem I think many writers have. It’s not that we don’t know what to write. We can’t choose from the many voices in our heads, shouting out at us, pick me, you promised me, you need to write about me today.

Usually it’s the last scenario which wins our attention. It takes up a good chuck of our freshest muse and it’s not be our WIPs. It’s a blog post, an interview or an article due. Sigh. It’s our WIPs we really want to spend time on. What to do?

Well, we could not write blog posts or do interviews, or articles and write only your books but be warn today is the age of the world-wide info net. At some point we will need to establish a presence in the arena which will require writing other material besides our WIPs.

So how do we do that? If you’ve read any of blogs in the past, you know I make goal lists each day. The hardest part for me is to shut off the other voices which sound a lot like my four children did when they were pre-teen and focus on a project. But I’ve found if I make my list in priority order, set a time limit for the project, turn on my white noise, sit my butt in chair and stare at the cursor all this has helped me write the other projects and then drag my muse to the WIP.

So, tell me how do you handle the writing juggling act? I’d loved to learn different tactics, to change up and always beat the Microsoft Devil.

American Idol Judges Wise Or What?

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Last night, I watched American Idol. Not a big deal, right? Millions do every week.

What I found interesting was the judges’ comments to the contestants. After each performance, every single time, one or more of the judges either said, you need to find out who you are, or, you know who you are. The five contestants who heard you need to find out who you are, disappointment wiped away their smiles. The light, which had illuminated from them when they took the stage, seemed to fade, quickly. In their eyes, you saw the plea for help, your vote, so that they might have one more chance to show the world they know who they are and will achieve their dreams.

I felt sorry for them. I understood them.

Finding out who you are, for many is a long difficult process. Sometimes it takes years even decades until finally a person finds their talent, their niche, their voice and becomes so comfortable with themselves that they shine to the rest of the world.

I have to admit the three contestants who the American Idol judges declared as knowing themselves, were in my opinion by far the best performers. So are the judges right in telling these young hopefuls that they need to find out who they are if they're going to have any hope of winning this contest? I believe so.

The question today then is, how do you find out who you are? Here are a few tips that helped me. And if you'd like to share your journey tips, please do.

1)Look inside. What are you passionate about? Not just what you like. What really makes your blood rush with excitement?

2)Feed the passion every day.

3)Use the talent you unearth every single day.

4)Don’t compare yourself to others. Be you. Be passionate about being you.


*****
If you like this blog, please consider following me here, on facebook, on twitter or Myspace.

******
Next week, March 17th, Ellora's Cave author Kathy Coddington joins me.

Debut author Tess Quinn

Today I welcome author Tess Quinn. Tess is an incrediablity talented writer and I'm so excited she has chosen me to throw her a kick off party for her blog tour featuring her new release, THE BEWITCHED COWBOY. So grab some cyber-bubbly, a party hat and a plate full of chocolate covered strawberries and let's welcome her.


Book release date: February 24, 2010
The Wild Rose Press: Faery Rose Line
Novella. You can purchase the book at:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-bewitched-cowboy-p-3889.html?zenid=8305df24b5b6991feffd8aedd1f5ca2b


You’re a law student and a reader for an agent. How do you find time to write?

I actually give a workshop that involve Asian cultural and traditional techniques for better time management. In the workshop, I explain how it’s important to stick to a schedule, to write out everything you would like to achieve before the day begins, and attempt to cross off every item written on the list. I do this every day, but there are other reasons why I can do so many things. The first is, I’m single. Because I don’t have a family, juggling a lot of things is easier than if I had a child or husband. Second, I’m a stickler for the reward and punishment system. I’ll only reward myself with something, whether it be ordering Chinese food or buying a new pair of shoes, if I finish my word count for the week. Guilt and a hunger for Chinese take-out are strong motivators. Last but not least, I believe in a marathon writing day. Once a month, I’ll sit down and write for at least eight hours in one sitting. I’ll get up to use the bathroom and to grab food but that’s it. I call this my ‘catch up’ time if I wasn’t able to get as much done during the month as I would have wanted.

Recently, you submitted a workshop proposal for the RWA National conference and that proposal was accepted. Inquiring minds want to know what is the workshop’s topic and why are you the one to give this presentation?

The workshop topic is “Goal, Motivation, & Conflict in the YA Novel.” I write YA under my other pen name “Nisha Sharma” so I’m intricately entangled with the genre. The reason why the RWA workshop panel thought I was an appropriate speaker for the topic was first: I got approval from Debra Dixon who is the creator of the “GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict” structure, so I was legally allowed to talk about the subject. Second, I’m the national young adult book reviewer on Examiner.com so I have to read a lot of YA for my columns. Third, I was a remote reader for two literary agencies where I did a fair amount of YA reading whether it was queries or full manuscript requests. I was also a freelance editor and book doctor for YA authors. I recently stopped the freelance editing and the remote reading because I wanted to focus on my own writing more, but I gained a lot of experience through each job. Additionally, when I started writing YA, I decided to take Jennifer Crusie’s approach when attempting to write in a new genre: read 100 books. In one year, I think I read over 300 YA books in all different subgenres. In the process I created a chart where I wrote down in a few words what the goals, motivations & conflicts of the protagonists were. I read tons of psychology books and guides that talked about writing for the YA market. In the end, I had all this information which I was able to structure under Goal, Motivation, & Conflict along with research techniques and ways to get started with writing a YA novel. I applied it to my own writing and I landed a fabulous agent! Since it was a “tested” system so to speak, I decided to share the information and research I had done. Every three months I update the information in my workshop whether I’m speaking during that time or not, only because the genre is constantly evolving. I’m really excited to be giving the talk at RWA nationals!

You have a unique way of brainstorming which brought about the idea for your new release. Could you tell us about it?

Sure! I Googled.  I’m a law student so when I’m working on papers or legal research, I immediately go to Google because I’m able to get a general understanding of my subject and then find authors or articles, etc. that help narrow my focus even more. I use the same methodology when I’m brainstorming for a book. I start with a character, a very general premise, and I throw random words together in a Google search string. For my book ‘The Bewitched Cowboy,’ I knew I wanted to do something with a cowboy. I can’t remember exactly what my search string was, but it involved the words ‘cowboy’, ‘farmer,’ ‘romance,’ and ‘magic.’ I ended up with a bunch of hits for both wineries and Wiccan churches. Ding, ding, ding! The light bulb went off and after fooling around with Google a bit more, I ended up with a cowboy witch that controls the weather who lives on a vineyard.

The key to Googling is to keep an open mind and read everything. When I got hits for Wiccan churches and cowboys in Montana, I read it all, digested it, and didn’t discard a single idea or thought until I was completely saturated with information. It’s a great exercise I encourage everyone to try!



Book Blurb:

The last thing Matt expected his twin to tell him was that he had to marry the woman of his parents’ choice or suffer the loss of his powers.
Destiny, a PhD and successful parapsychology writer, certainly did not expect her mother to tell her that she would die if she didn’t get married to a man chosen for her in infancy.

The collision of two hardheaded, anti-marriage witches makes Destiny and Matt’s first encounter explosive. Now they have to figure out a way to get along for the two weeks they can’t be separated without doing the one thing that could change their fate forever…falling in love.

Excerpt:

Destiny’s voice was thick and sluggish with sleep. “How can you not believe I’m your other half after everything that happened today, cowboy?”
Matt smiled into the crown of her hair. Her question bothered him, but he didn’t think he could hide the truth from her. He didn’t want to. Despite everything, he wanted to be honest.

“It’s not that I don’t believe in bonding. I just don’t want anything to do with it or marriage. The last time I got involved with helping someone find the person they loved…bad things happened.”

Destiny looked up at him, her face close to his as she continued to rest against his chest. “Sometimes, you can’t stop life from going the way life was set to go.”

“You can’t stop ‘destiny,’ huh?” Matt knew he sounded rueful, but he couldn’t help respecting her for her answer. For someone who reacted so intensely to any reminder of her mother, she didn’t carry any guilt or blame anyone for her difficult life.

“What are we going to do for the next two weeks?” Destiny said, yawning. “We can’t be away from each other, apparently. Leaving you doesn’t feel…right.”

Matt knew saying that must have taken courage. He didn’t want her to know how close he already was to her. How panicked he felt. Was Destiny really the other half of his soul? He took a deep, ragged breath.

“Have you ever ridden a horse, Dr. Snow?”

“No.”

Matt smiled at the dry tone in her voice. “Well you’re going to have to get a crash course in riding, I guess.”

“In your dreams, cowboy.”

Matt smiled as he wrapped Destiny against him more firmly. Holding her this way calmed him, and that was what scared him the most.

****

Award-winning author Tess Quinn was raised in the countryside of northeast, Pennsylvania. With very little to do in a town where the local high school gym was a barn and the cow-human ratio was 2.5 to 1, Tess filled her spare time with eighties music and a lot of reading. Unfortunately there was only one bookstore and two libraries in the Valley while Tess was growing up, so she started writing sequels to her favorite novels. When she ran out of favorites to write about, she started creating her own stories, and she has been writing ever since. Tess graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in English. She continues her obsession with writing while she currently attends law school in New York.

Visit Tess at http://www.tessquinn.com

Check out Tess’s website tomorrow for her book birthday give away! She’ll be revealing her super secret contest information and the fabulous prize giveaway!

OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE'S FIRST REVIEW

I'm so thrilled. Thank you, Fern at Long and Short Reviews for the totally awesome review S4Aa4JwviTIof Obsessed By Wildfire. I'm so happy you love it!

Here are some tidbits Fern said:

My-oh-my, do they make things hot in Wayback or what? This isn’t my first journey to the Texas town, and you can guarantee after reading the newest story, Obsessed By Wildfire, it won’t be my last.

Due to mind-blowing chemistry and fantastic dialogue, the sex scenes positively sizzle. You’ll laugh, you’ll wriggle and squirm, and when things get dangerously hot, you’ll hover on the edge of your seat.

To read the entire review go to: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm

View the trailer below. Press arrow.




Please don't forget to follow me. WINK

VALENTINE'S DAY WAYBACK STYLE

Welcome to my blog. I'm so excited. Today seven talented WayBack authors join me, and we're showcasing our cowboys and their ladies' special Valentine moments. We hope their stories bring warmth to your day and ideas to surprise your special valentine.

AJ





FINDING THEIR WAY BACK by Cindy Spencer Pape

“This is wonderful,” Freya Malone said as she leaned back on the picnic blanket and let the sun warm her cheeks.

“Well, it’s our first Valentine’s Day,” her husband Zane said, stretching out beside her. “I wanted it to be perfect.” As if to add emphasis, one of the horses tethered to a tree behind them nickered.

“And your mother is thrilled to babysit,” Free added. “I adore Daniel, but it is nice to have a little break.” Not that she was complaining. With Zane’s parents living on the Triple M ranch with them, she had all the help she needed with their three-month-old son.

“Nice to spend a little time alone with my wife,” Zane agreed, leaning down for a kiss. When he’d finished, they were both breathless. Then he pulled a small package from his pocket.

With trembling fingers, she unwrapped it, revealing a heart-shaped turquoise pendant on a heavy silver chain.

“This belonged to my grandmother,” Zane began as he took it from her to clasp the chain around her neck. “My grandfather was an Irish cowboy who saved up and bought some land. He fell in love with a Mexican waitress, and they took a lot of crap from local bigots. But they loved each other until the day they died.”

Tears welled up in Free’s eyes. She loved him so very much. “Thank you.”

His hand cupped her cheek as his dark eyes gazed lovingly into hers. “I know our romance was fast—we never dated, we got married in March, had baby in November. But I wanted to tell you the same thing my Grandad told his wife. I want you to know you’ll always have my heart.”

To order Finding Their Way Back go to :
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/anthologies-c-149.html


Cindy Spencer Pape
www.cindyspencerpape.com
www.cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com
Wayback titles: All the Way Back
& After the Rodeo in Finding Their Way Back

**********

FINDING THEIR WAY BACK by Stacy Dawn
One Starlit Valentines:

Hard to believe he’s really here.

Sometimes the unbelievable path her life had taken still amazed Elizabeth. She wiped at the blissful tear tickling her cheek as she watched the large cowboy brush their young daughter’s curls as he softly sang Gretal a lullaby.

The low timbre of his voice rumbled through her chest like the first roll of thunder on a cool spring night. Would there come a time she ever got used to this? She hoped not. These moments were all the more special because of the time they’d already wasted.

When finished, he turned and came to stand before her in the doorway.

“Keep looking at me like that, Lizzy, and I’ll forget about this Valentine’s Day dance and show you what I’d really rather be doing tonight.” His warm lips came down and showed her exactly what he had in mind. “Maybe we could work on giving Gretal a little brother or sister?” he suggested, now nuzzling her neck.

“Well, I planned to save this as your Valentine’s gift tonight,” she managed to sigh out. “But since we’re skipping the party—”

His head pulled back slightly; a roguish grin, curved beneath eyes dark with desire, left her breathless.

“Let’s just say we don’t have to work very hard at all.”

Link to buy: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/anthologies-c-149.html


www.stacydawn.com

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THE WRONG SIDE OF LOVE by Sylvie Kaye

Lili rolled her neck, weary from twelve hours on her feet in the beauty shop. Today was Valentine’s Day and every regular wanted her hair done for the big night of anticipated romance. From past experience, she knew some gals would be back next week bemoaning their big disappointments. In Lili’s opinion too much importance was placed on the day.

Love was every day. Love was the little things.

By the time she dragged herself home, propped up her aching feet and flicked on the TV, Luc drove up. He’d been out of town on business and looked as bone tired as she felt.

“Hi, beautiful.” He bent, kissed her slow and tender. “Mmm..I’ve missed you,” he said, pulling away to tug off his jacket. Before tossing it, he patted the pocket as if remembering something. “They set candy out at the meeting. Know how much you love a chocolate bar.”

Her heart warmed. Even with his hectic schedule he’d thought of her.

Just then a TV commercial blared. Something about saying it with jewelry, flowers, and greeting cards this Valentine’s Day.

Luc’s shoulders slumped. His dark eyes met hers. “I forgot.”

“No you didn’t.” She smiled at him, unwrapping the chocolate bar, breaking off a piece to savor while he sat down next to her and draped his arm around her shoulder.

To order THE WRONG SIDE OF LOVE go to:
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/books-in-series-wayback-texas-c-172_173.html?page=2&sort=7a

Slip under the covers with Sylvie Kaye
LOVING JILLY July 9, 2010 The Wild Rose Press
BANNED IN TEXAS~In Print at Amazon.com & Barnes&Noble
WRONG SIDE OF LOVE,Wayback, Tx~The Wild Rose Press
DEVIL IN COWBOY BOOTS ~Amazon and B&N
HER MAINE MAN~In ebook and print at TWRP
Contest and Excerpts at www.sylviekaye.com


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OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE
By Autumn Jordon


Isobel slipped out of Warner’s truck and was immediately trapped by his hard body. Her shawl fell from her shoulders and Warner’s warm lips caressed her exposed bare skin. The man’s maleness wrapped around her senses, crushing her defenses into dust. Her knees buckled as tingles followed his assault over her dress’s thin strap, up the cord of her neck to the sensitive area under her lobe.

Tilting her head toward the snow moon, Isobel’s eyes drifted close. “We’re together six months and you still can’t wait until we get inside?”

“Remember our first date?” He mumbled against her ear.

“I’ll never forget. You wanted me so bad.”

He pulled back and chuckled. “I wanted you. You ripped my shirt off before I made it up the porch steps.”

“I think all the smoke you’ve inhaled while investigating fires has affected your memory, Yankee.” With her hands splayed on his hard chest, she pushed him back. “Why don’t we head in and I’ll show exactly how you assaulted me.” She entwined her fingers with his and started toward the house only to be yanked back.

“I need to show you something first.” Grabbing both her hands, Warner backpedaled toward the barn.

“No. I’m not dressed for the loft.”

“Trust me.”

Isobel laughed. “I’m in trouble if I do that.”

Warner rolled back the barn door and hit the light switch.

Lizzy whinnied.

Isobel took a moment to give the mare now completely blind in her right eye a treat of winter apple. As the horse’s soft muzzle tickled her palm, Isobel wished she’d find another horse as great as Lizzy was at the barrels and as pretty as the Appaloosa she’d seen at auction last week.

“Come on.” Warner’s hot breath brushed her ear.

Her new dress would smell of straw and beast if Warner had his way. The gravel floor crunched as Isobel dug her FMN cowgirl boot heels into its firmness. “No way I’m going to make out—”

A nicker drew Isobel’s attention to a stall that should be empty. “What was that?

She peered through the bars at the handsome Appaloosa colt she’d lost to a higher bidder at the auction. Her heart thumped under her breast. “I don’t understand. How?”

Warner’s eyes danced with wicked joy. “I knew how much you wanted him. Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

Isobel laced her fingers around Warner’s neck and pulled him closer. “Yankee, you’re going to get your shirt ripped off again.”

To order OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE visit The Wild Rose Press
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/obsessed-by-wildfire-p-3839.html

www.autumnjordon.com
2009 Golden Heart Finalist EVIL'S WITNESS coming June 18, 2010 TWRP



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BLUEST HEART by Amber Lehigh WIllimas

Josie Brusky had been on her feet pretty much since dawn. Valentine’s Day made Josie’s Treasures—Wayback, Texas’s solo gift shop—the one-stop place for every cowboy with a sweetheart from a hundred miles around. Now she was finally home and her arches were screaming for some downtime.

As she walked into the house, she kicked off her heels then frowned. The jars of candles around the room were lit. A vase-full of bluebonnets overflowed with blooms on the coffee table. And the scent of something zesty tickled her nostrils. Following the sound of country music, she made her way back toward the kitchen.

Her jaw dropped. Standing at the counter, beer at his elbow, white Stetson pulled low over his eyes, Casey Ridge poured marinade over two thick, juicy-looking steaks.

It wasn’t the fact that the man was cooking that stopped her in her tracks. What astounded her was the fact that he wore a starched, white KISS THE COOK apron…and nothing else but the Stetson and cowboy boots.

Josie clapped a hand over her mouth as a wide grin broke over her face. Thoughts of a good glass of wine and a quick nap flitted out of her head as she stepped across the tile floor.

He turned his head and grinned, dimples digging into his sun-bronzed cheeks and blue eyes gleaming. “Hey there, pretty lady.”

“Well, well.” She shook her head, skimming her eyes from his hat to his boot-clad toes then back up again, enjoying the view. Sliding her hands up his chest and onto his shoulders, she beamed into his face. “You really know how to make a cowgirl happy on Valentine’s.”

He bent his head to kiss her. “Like the apron?”

“I’m thinking about untying it, actually.” She pursed her lips, considering. “You know, I think I’ll dress to match.”

“Ooh.” He smirked as she backed away, hand slipping from his. “Wear the red boots.”

She threw a suggestive wink over her shoulder. “You betcha.”


Amber Leigh Williams
URL: www.amberleighwilliams.com
amber@amberleighwilliams.com

See more of Casey and Josie in BLUEST HEART, available now from The Wild Rose Press. Meet the first hero of The Wayback Ridge trilogy, silent cowboy Judd Black in BLACKEST HEART—also available now from The Wild Rose Press. Look for BET IT ON MY HEART, the final story in the Ridge family saga, March 3, 2010!


************



Finding Their Way by Roni Adams

“Dusty?”

“Yeah, I’m in here.” He walked back down the barn aisle past the empty stalls. As he reached the doorway he stopped in his tracks. His wife held the reins of two of the most beautiful horses he had ever seen.

He frowned. “Who’s horses?” He reached out to touch them; his expert gaze roamed down the animals appreciating their muscular form.

“Their mine. I’d like to hire you to train them.” Her blue eyes sparkled.

“Car,” he startd. She knew how he felt about her spending any of her own money on his new horse training business.

She stepped forward. “You asked if I wanted candy or flowers for Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t decide.” She waved her arm towards the two matching horses. “This one is Candy and this one is Flowers.”

He tried to be mad at her but she was so damned cute thinking she’d outsmarted him. “It’s not a present if you paid for it yourself.”

“Oh you’ll pay, cowboy.” She slid her gaze down his body and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her hard into his arms. “Its probably going to take me a long time to work off that bill.”

She linked her arms around his neck. “Then I suggest you put my horses away, while I slip upstairs and wait for you to come to work.”

With a quick kiss she slipped from his arms and was gone. Dusty stared after her not entirely sure how on earth she managed to give him the best Valentine’s Day gift ever.

Link to buy: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/anthologies-c-149.html


Roni Adams
www.roniadams.blogspot.com
www.roniadams.com
Watch for the fourth in the Double B Series "The Cowboy's Duet" due out fall 2010

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Re-ride at the Rodeo
By Anne Carrole


Clay shoved his hands in the pockets of his worn and dusty jeans as he stared at the wide expanse of Texas land he called home. Would she like it, he wondered, not really sure what he’d do if she didn’t. Dusty was a small town girl, used to having lots of people around. He kicked at the hard earth. Dirt and pebbles sprayed against the tire of his pick-up.

In the distance a cloud of red dust barreled toward him. Her Silverado stopped a few feet from Clay and within a heartbeat Dusty was bounding out of the cab, her long blonde hair flying. Grabbing him around the neck, she planted a heart-stopping kiss on his lips. She still had that effect on him, months into their engagement. The June date for their wedding couldn’t come fast enough. And yet, he worried it might never happen.

“Your mom sent me out here.” She looked up at him with questions in her beautiful blue eyes. Clad in jeans and a t-shirt, this petite, fine-boned woman looked remarkably at home on his ranch. Today he’d find out if that was just wishful thinking.

“I’ve got your Valentine’s gift in the truck,” he said, taking a step back.

She looked into his pick-up’s cab. “Where?” she asked with the eagerness of a little girl looking for her surprise.

Clay reached into the truck’s flat bed. “Here.” He drew up a white picket section of fence, a bow tied on one of the boards.

She blinked, a puzzled expression on her face. “A fence?”

“Yup. A white picket fence. Which I was hoping you’d want to situate right about here.” He set the fence posts down in the holes he’d dug earlier.

The frown that had furrowed her brow gave way to a smile. “For our house?”

“I thought this wouldn’t be too far from the road or from the main house, but far enough we won’t have to worry about the kids playing in the yard or my mother dropping by too often. Developer said it could be done by May.”

Dusty laughed, the sunlight glinting in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. Our home.”

The pressure on his heart eased and Clay gathered her to him. “And with those two words, you just gave me my Valentine’s gift, honey.”

Buy Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/reride-at-the-rodeo-wayback-texas-series-p-991.html
Re-ride at the Rodeo
By Anne Carrole
http://www.annecarrole.com


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SHADOW OF THE HAWK by Judith Rochelle



Maggie Riley walked into the living room, the twins finally asleep and the ranch settled for the night, and smiled at her husband. Hawk stood beside the stone fireplace, waiting for her, reaching out to take her hands as she neared him.

“Maggie, mine.” His eyes were dark with passion and love as he drew her near. “The day we met I would have died if not for you, You not only saved me that day but for always. You made me want to live again. And love. Oh, yes, definitely love. And I want you to remember every day of our lives how much you mean to me.”

He handed her the box. Maggie’s hands trembled as she opened it and tears gathered in her eyes as she lifted the necklace from its cotton nest. A silver heart with a hawk etched into its surface swung from a graceful chain.

“Oh, Hawk.” She was so overcome with emotion she couldn’t find the right words.

“It’s my heart, darlin’. It belongs to you and no one else. I wanted to give you a very special Valentine’s Day gift to show you just how much you mean to me.”

He took the chain from her shaking hands, fastened it around her neck and pulled her close for a passionate kiss. When he finally lifted his mouth from hers, Maggie lifted her hands and touched his cheeks.

“I love you so much, Hawk. And I have a special gift for you, too.”
He cocked one eyebrow, questioningly.

“You do? I don’t see any packages.”

She looked into his eyes, so full of love it nearly brought her to her knees.

“It won’t arrive for a few months yet. Happy Valentine’s Day, Hawk. We’re having another child.”

Link to buy Shadow Of The Hawk: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/books-in-series-wayback-texas-c-172_173.html?page=2&sort=7a

Judith Rochelle
www.judithrochelle.com
romantic suspense with a twist