Romance Writer Weekly Blog Chat for March 31, 2015

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well, you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all…… About our writing of course! Every Tuesday we’ll all answer the same questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site, we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride. Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

Welcome, welcome!

If you've joined me from the amazing Steven C. Mitchell, https://scmitchell.wordpress.com/, then thank you. Isn't his website fantastic? If you haven't, please jump back and check it out. I'm sure he's written something really unique for this week's blog chat.

Today the fabulous Veronica Forand, http://veronicaforand.com/, has inspired us to create a 100-word piece of flash fiction , using these three words: coffee, lizard and spring. Here is my snippet, I hope you enjoy it.

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She raised the cup of coffee to her lips, and blew a soft breath across the steaming liquid. A sip, a smile, and then a sigh. Delicious.

Shading her eyes, she squinted at the lizard as it curled across the top of a nearby sun-drenched rock. Absorbing the heat from an early morning sun that promised a day of lazy warmth, it lay motionless.

Like the lizard she relaxed, and let her body sink into the padded chaise lounge.

A perfect spring day. One she intended to enjoy at all costs.

The handgun tucked in her waistband would ensure it.

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

Thank you for visiting with me, and I hope you stop by next time. Before you go, please hop over to Veronica's blog, http://veronicaforand.com/. She always writes super flash fiction pieces. 

See you next time!

Warmly,
Mikki

Romance Writer Weekly Blog Chat for March 10, 2015

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well, you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all…… About our writing of course! Every Tuesday we’ll all answer the same questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site, we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride. Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

Welcome to my blog!

If you've hopped over from Collette Cameron http://collettecameron.com/blog I thank you, and hope you've enjoyed your visit with her. Collette's website is amazing - I just love the blue roses, don't you?

Our blog chat topic was selected by S.C. Mitchell https://scmitchell.wordpress.com/ and if you haven't visited his website, please do so! He's an amazing author of science fiction, fantasy and paranormal romance novels.

This week the authors of Romance Writers Weekly are chatting about "our perfect writing retreat."

In answer to that question, I might be a little out of the ordinary. I don't use an office. I worked in an office for over 30 years and can't stand to be confined to that one space any longer. Mind you, it was a nice office - lots of pictures on the walls, plants and my books, but all in all, it was still an office with corporate furniture, in a corporate building. No more.

Since our move to Florida almost two years ago, I have identified several places in the house that are comfortable and where I prefer to write.

First, is the leather recliner in the family room. There is a table and a lamp right next to me. I can raise the footrest portion of the recliner and even lean back. With my laptop balanced across my knees, I'm very comfortable and can sit (and I have) in that chair for several hours typing away. Besides, I keep a piece of chocolate and cup of something (tea, water, wine?) close at hand. That always helps.

My second favorite spot is the kitchen bar. Sometimes I like to stand when I write and it turns out that standing alleviates leg cramps and back aches from sitting too long. There were several people in
my old office who had standing desks and I never understood why until I tried it. It works! When I get tired of standing, I just drag one of the bar stools over and keep right on working. Plus the bar top gives me a lot of room for books, notes, etc. and the overhead lighting is perfect. Also plenty of room for my chocolate and wine!


The third spot is out of my lanai. I wish this could be my second favorite spot to write, but the entire lanai area faces south and it gets very hot, very quickly. So unless I plan on jumping in the pool every thirty minutes, which can be a bit distracting, I only use the table on the lanai when it's a cool day.

So, where do you like to write? Where do you feel you get your best work done?

I'm sure Gemma Brocato http://www.gemmabrocato.com/blog has an interesting answer to today's blog question, so be sure to visit her after you leave me.

Thanks for stopping by! As always, I hope to see you next time.

Mikki Cober

"Cookie Cutter" - Coming Soon by J.R. Richardson

Cookie Cutter

Author: Jo Richardson
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing
Genre: Contemporary RomCom

Release date: March 23, 2015

Iris Alden and Carter Blackwood couldn't be more different. Change-averse Iris likes her life neat and organized, while Carter's itchy feet mean he doesn’t plan to stay in the same place for long.

When Carter moves into the house across the street from Iris, to renovate it, she fights the disruption it causes in her life. Before long, though, it's not simply the house Carter's rebuilding, but Iris's heart, too.


Here's a little teaser from the book:

"What are you doing here?"

It’s Carter freaking Blackwood. Of course.

He smiles that ridiculously bright, white smile of his and lets out a soft snicker. "I’m fixing a floor for a friend, what are you doing here?"

It’s completely obvious what I’m doing here, seeing as I’m carrying two huge trays of sugar cookies in my arms.

"A friend? You just moved in. How do you have friends already?" I say it a bit harsher than I probably should but honestly, how does he have friends already? 　James and I were here a good six months before people started really talking to me. 　It was a year before I could call any of them friends. The edges of Carter’s mouth turn down and his head dips to one side as his shoulders hunch then settle.

"People like me, I guess."

The smug look on his face is enough to make me want to slap it. 　Or kiss it.

Wait. Not kiss it. I didn’t mean kiss it. Why am I staring at his lips?

"People who don’t want to kill me that is. 　Are you okay?"

I blink, and search my brain, but I’m still not quite sure what to say to him, so I extend my arms. "I brought cookies." As soon as I say the words, I hear them. I sound ridiculous and Carter’s bright eyes crinkle with amusement.

He closes his lids and he breathes the baked goods in. Then hums. The sound of his voice sends a vibration through me and I shiver. I am eternally grateful that he doesn’t see it happen.

His eyes open slowly. When they reach mine, I’m glued to his stare like a deer in headlights.

"Those cookies smell really fucking good, Iris."

The bedroom eyes catch me off guard and my mouth falls open so I snap it shut. I’m a buffoon with no ability to speak.

"Can I have one?" He reaches out and I balance the platter with one hand, then slap his fingers with the other while I find words. A word that is.

"No."

"Ow." He pulls his hand away, like a child getting reprimanded, only when we make eye contact again, he doesn’t seem child like to me.

I wouldn’t say he’s angry. He doesn’t exactly laugh, either. And his eyes gleam as he stares at me. I hate his eyes almost as much as I hate his teeth. Maybe more. Dammit, I’m staring, again.

"They’re for Ally’s class," I tell him. "Fundraiser, I mean bake sale." I fumble my words. He’s so frustrating.


Other works by Jo:

Cursed be the Wicked, a paranormal mystery romance, released March 2014 through Soul Mate Publishing

AMAZON | B&N | GOODREADS

Lost in Christmas, a short story included in Soul Mate Publishing’s 2013 Christmas anthology

AMAZON | GOODREADS

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

A movie fanatic, a writer of stories, a lover of life.

Jo grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity – but it was too cold up North for this thin blooded girl. So today, she lives in Florida with her two girls and a husband that shares her same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

Jo tells contemporary stories with romance, humor, the supernatural, the paranormal, suspense, mystery, action and anything else she can think up.

In 2012, she wrote Cursed be the Wicked, a character driven, paranormal mystery romance that was picked up by Soul Mate Publishing and released in March of 2014. Since then, Jo has also written a couple of short stories and her recently contracted contemporary romantic comedy, entitled Cookie Cutter, is set to release on March 23, 2015 through Little Bird Publishing.


Connect with Jo on Social Media:

WEBSITE: http://jrrichardsonfics.weebly.com

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/author/jrrichardsonfics

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JRRichardsonAuthor

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jofictionfreak

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/JRRichardson

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24974934-cookie-cutter


　


　

"Deception" Book Two of The Demon Hunters by A.S. Fenichel Coming in July 2015

 

When Demons threaten Regency London, only a Lady can stop them.

Lillian Dellacourt is beautiful, refined and absolutely lethal. She’s also the most feared and merciless demon hunter in The Company. She’s come a long way from the penniless seamstress’s daughter sold to the highest bidder, and it wasn’t by trusting a man, let alone an exiled Marquis with more on his mind than slaying the hellspawn . . .

For Dorian Lambert, Marquis de Montalembert, being sent to keep track of Lillian is no mean task. He’s wanted the fiery vixen since he first heard of her five years ago. But wooing the lady while fighting the demon uprising is no easy feat, especially when the lady’s tongue is as sharp as the Japanese sai blades she favors for eviscerating the spawn of hell.

These two will have to learn to trust each other fast, because the demon master is back, and he’s planning to turn Edinburgh into a living hell…

 

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

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press/Kensington Publishing
Date of Publication: July 7, 2015

Available for Pre-order at the following:

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Deception-Demon-Hunters-S-Fenichel-ebook/dp/B00ONTR7WS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Barns & Noble- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deception-as-fenichel/1120611640?ean=9781616505622

Kensington- http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/31375

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

Head over to Rafflecopter to participate in a giveaway - ends Friday:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bb0ebfb10/

About the Author:

 

A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back.

A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.

Multi-published in erotic paranormal, contemporary and historical romance, A.S. is the author of the Mayan Destiny series, Christmas Bliss and many more. With several books currently contracted to multiple publishers, A.S. will be bringing you her brand of romance for many years to come.

Originally from New York, she grew up in New Jersey, and now lives in the East Texas with her real life hero, her wonderful husband. When not reading or writing she enjoys cooking, travel, history, and puttering in her garden.

 

Want to know more? You can find A.S. Fenichel at the following:

Web Site- http://asfenichel.net/

Blog - http://asfenichel.net/blog/

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5154640.A_S_Fenichel

Twitter - https://twitter.com/asfenichel

Tsu - https://www.tsu.co/ASFenichel

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/A.S.Fenichel

Google +1 - https://plus.google.com/113195747154467378107/posts

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/asfenichel/boards/

 

Romance Writer Weekly Blog Chat for February 17, 2015

 

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well, you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all…… About our writing of course! Every Tuesday we’ll all answer the same questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site, we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride. Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

Sunset on Maui's North Shore

Hello! It's been a few weeks since you've heard from me, and I'm glad to be back blogging with the Romance Writer Weekly group. If you've joined me from Jeana E. Mann http://jeanaemann.net then, welcome. Jeana is the author of the Felony Romance Series, and if you haven't read any of her novels yet, then please do so! Her latest novel, "Impulsive" is due out this June.

This week we are blogging about our favorite vacation spot. This was an easy one for me. There is no place I'd rather be than Hawaii, and in particular, Maui.



Sunset in Lahaina (Maui)

There's nothing like a sunset on Maui, or on any of the Hawaiian islands for that matter. Fantastic. People sit and wait for the sun to slip below the horizon, hoping to see the "green flash" - considered to be one of the most elusive events during sunset or sunrise. What causes the green flash of light? For a specific definition, Wikipedia says "Green flashes occur because the atmosphere can cause the light from the sun to separate out into different colors." But I digress...

Maui is an incredible place. The first time I visited the island, I was on a business trip with my boss. We arrived at the Kahului Airport at 7:00 pm, and by the time we had gotten our luggage (warning - it's a small airport, everything is done by hand, and it takes forever for the baggage to appear), gotten our rental car and started driving... it was already evening.


Evening in Kona (Big Island)

Neither of us had been to Maui before, and we were following a map to our hotel located in Wailea. We had no idea where that was or how far, only what our little rental car map showed us. We left the well lit town of Kahului and started a rather long drive between rows of towering trees that obscured our view of the sugar cane fields we had been told would be on either side. The trees also blocked out the moonlight  and there weren't any street lamps. There were stars overhead, and as I peered up at them between the rows of trees, they seemed so tiny, so far away. To be honest, our trip along that unknown road was more than a little creepy.



Statue in Waikiki Gardens (Oahu)


I was starting to think we were going to end up in a Hawaiian version of 'Deliverance', and was about to suggest to my boss (who was driving) that we turn around. But I decided I was being a baby, after all we're on Maui! What could happen? A few minutes later, the main highway came to an abrupt end, and I really started to get nervous. There was only one way to turn, and that was to the right. As the road sloped downwards I looked around me, amazed (and relieved) at the sight. We were driving under enormous twisted live oaks and incredibly tall palm trees all covered with tiny white lights. The road towards the Wailea resort we were to stay in was gorgeous. As we arrived at the entrance to our hotel, framed by softly glowing Tiki torches, I truly felt as if I was Alice and instead of a rabbit hole, I had ended up in a magical paradise.



West Shore beach on Oahu

We both stumbled from the car, too exhausted from a twelve hour plane ride, to do more than check in. I took time to accept a beautiful flower lei, admire the hotel's open air lobby, and from somewhere on the other side of the lobby, could hear the faint strum of ukuleles. At that moment, I wasn't interested in sight seeing - I needed sleep!

When I awoke before dawn the next morning - a six hour time difference is hard to get used to - I left my room in search of breakfast and stopped short, mouth hanging open. The view from the lobby was truly amazing and I stood in awe staring at the view. The ocean caught the early morning sparkle from the sun as it rose over the mountains behind me. The scent of jasmine and plumeria was in the air, and the sound of cooing doves surrounded me. I have never been touched by beauty in this way, and it filled me with complete joy and absolute peacefulness. It was incredible.



Standing above the clouds, taking in the view across Haleakala crater

I have been back to Maui several times over the years, and have also visited Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island (Hawaii). But to me, Maui remains that most magical and its pull on me is intense. There is something in the air on Maui. Maybe it's the fragrance of night blooming jasmine or white ginger, or the fact the ocean is crystal clear. All I know is you can't help but relax when you're staying on this piece of paradise.


Blooming Silversword

The following are some of the mental images that I have taken away with me from my visits to the islands.

• Surging waves crashing against dark black lava rocks;
• Rattling palm fronds when the afternoon trade winds start to blow;
• Standing above the clouds while on top of Haleakala, a dormant volcano 10,800 feet above sea level;
• Chancing upon a blooming Silversword plant which grows on the top of Haleakala and only flowers once in 50 years and then dies;
• Spotting a turtle on a black sand beach;
• Watching a fire knife dancer during a luau.

Sea Turtle on a black sand beach (Big Island - Hawaii)

Too beautiful for words, I have shared a few pictures from my various trips - I hope you have enjoyed them.

Native dancer at a luau (Waikiki)



And as they say in Hawaiian, whether you've just arrived or are about to depart - Aloha.

Before you leave, please jump over to Veronica Forand http://veronicaforand.com She always has something amazing to talk about on her blog.

Mahalo for stopping by. See you next time!

Romance Writer Weekly Blog Chat for January 13, 2015

 

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well, you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all…… About our writing of course! Every Tuesday we’ll all answer the same questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site, we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride. Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

Welcome to my weekly blog chat, I'm glad you're here. I love to have visitors, so thanks for stopping by!

 

 

If you've joined me from amazing author, S.C. Mitchell http://scmitchell.wordpress.com/  then welcome. His new cover is posted here, and he's releasing his new book "Valentine's Day Canceled" on February 4th.

If you haven't been to his website, then I encourage you to click on the link above and visit him before you leave.

 

This week, we are discussing an idea posed to us by Elizabeth Janette  http://elizabeth-janette.blogspot.com .  She asked us to blog about our TBR list, or for those who hate acronyms, our "to be read" list.

My list is incredibly long. Partly because I received so many wonderful, free, books at the last Romance Writer of America conference held in July 2014. I shipped home a huge boxful and I've been slowly reading my way through the pile. I'm not the fastest reader, and that's the other reason that my list is so long. Besides the boxful of books, I have a list of other authors I want to read, and when added to my RWA pile, it's a bit intimidating.

I'm also still in the learning phase of writing. However, having said that, I'm not sure anyone is ever finished learning. I believe we're all constantly expanding and adding to our writer tool kits. Because of my desire for self improvement as a writer, I have a tall stack of books on the writing craft.

To be honest with you, I bought them, love them, and they sit next to me when I'm writing but I don't sit and read them. Most times I'm a flipper. You might be one too. A "flipper" flips through the pages when searching for the answer to a question on grammar, punctuation, or word choice. I don't actually read these books cover to cover. However, I count these on my TBR list, because one day I promise to read them thoroughly.

Back to my fiction TBR list. Some of my books are on my eReader, and others I have sitting on several bookshelves through out the house. I am slowly working through my list, and at this moment I'm reading Kathy Reichs "Bones Never Lie". 

I have to admit I was proud of my reading list for 2014. I finished a total of 30 books last year, and I hope to read at least 50 in 2015. Remember, I'm not the fastest reader - I love to savor the words on the page - I have trouble skimming. So 50 books may be a bit optimistic, but I'm going to go for it!

I figure that with my current reading backlog, plus the new box of books I'm sure to receive at this years RWA conference in New York, and other books from various author friends who are publishing their latest in 2015, I'll have 50 books or more on my TBR list.

How about you? Are you reading? If not, give it a try. Reading a good novel that absorbs you, and transports you to another place is amazing. It's like watching a movie taking place in your mind.

 

All right, that's enough from me. Why don't you hop over to Fiona Riplee  http://fionariplee.com/blog  and see what she has to say about her TBR list. I'm sure it's terrific. 

 

 

Have a wonderful week reading a book that's been collecting dust on your shelves.

Stop by anytime - it's always nice to have you visit.

Warmly,

Mikki Cober

 

Romance Writer Weekly Blog Chat for January 6, 2015

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well, you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all…… About our writing of course! Every Tuesday we’ll all answer the same questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site, we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride. Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and are ready for 2015. I know I'm looking forward to this year and all of the opportunities for reading new books, writing my next novel, and creating some fun new blogs for you to enjoy.

So, without further delay, let me say thank you for stopping by my first blog of 2015. If you jumped over from the fabulous Ronnie Allen at http://ronnieallennovel.com/blog then thank you for stopping by. If you haven't visited Ronnie's website, then by all means, hop on over once you've finished visiting with me.

Today we are chatting about a question posed to us by the wonderful Xio Axelrod. Please stop by her blog website at  http://www.xioaxelrod.com   Xio asked us to describe "A Day in the Life...", or "What do you do when you're not writing?"


One thing I love and really enjoy doing is playing golf. Yes, I wake up early on my golfing days, stagger around in the dark to get dressed and grab some breakfast, before I meet up with my golf friends at the clubhouse. Sometimes we're there before the sun is up. Other times the fog is so dense we can't even see the ball after we've hit it. And on a rare occasion, there might be the tiniest bit of drizzle falling around us. As long as the rain isn't coming down in torrents, we're going to chase that ball around those eighteen holes.

Are we crazy? Maybe. But we do have fun.

And look at this beautiful picture of the golf course. Who wouldn't want to be outside on a lovely sunny day, feeling the breezes, listening to the birds, and driving a golf cart on emerald green grass. Mmmmm - lovely.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not a great golfer by any means. My handicap is an embarrassment and I won't print it here. But I'm not into golf for the glory, or a shot at the Ladies PGA. I'm into it for the fun. Some rounds are better than others, and it drives me crazy when I have a really great game one day, and then one of my worst games the next.

They say that golf is a four letter word - and I have to admit it, whoever first came up with that phrase is absolutely correct. Some days I want to break every club in my bag and hurl my balls into the lake.

But sometimes everything goes right, and you have a magical round of golf.  There was one day in particular when my drive was perfect, my second shot sublime, my chip shot amazing and I ended up putting into the hole from four feet away. All I can say is that I shouted my favorite words - I MADE PAR!


I was so excited I took a picture of my chip shot, and then the ball in the hole after my putt to prove to myself, and to anyone else who might ask, that I actually did it!

These photos are a testament to a special day of golfing, when all the stars aligned and life was good.

I think golf is a lot like life, and Forrest Gump said it best "... life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

The same is true of golf.


Well, I hoped you enjoyed your visit to my blog and thank you for stopping by. When you leave here, please hop over to the lovely LaNora Magnano  http://jeanne1965.wix.com/finding-lanora#!blog/c112v  and see what she has to say about her day of not writing.

See you next time!

Warmly,
Mikki Cober