My Favorite Year(s) by Alicia Dean

A list of some of my faves…

1961 – I was born, without which, none of the rest would be possible. I was born in Seminole, Oklahoma on July 1st, the same day and year as Princess Diana.

1972 – One of the best and worst years of my young life. We were devastated when we left our home neighborhood in Oklahoma City to move to a small town in Missouri. However, in no time, we were ecstatic. It was a beautiful place out in the country and, while we were city kids, we loved it. The school was fantastic; we made tons of new friends; our neighbors down the road had horses we learned to ride; and we were deliriously happy. After three months, our house burned to the ground. We moved back to Oklahoma City, and were more devastated than we’d been when we had to leave it. We ended up in Moore, where I finished growing up, raised my kids, and met my best friend, with whom I’m still friends after 40 plus years. Isn’t it funny how one thing can completely change a person’s destiny? I always wondered how different my life would be if we’d stayed in Missouri.

1975 – I saw Elvis Presley in concert for the first time.

 

1976 – I saw him in concert for the second time.

1977 – I saw him in concert for the third and final time. :(

1983 – My beautiful, smart, daughter, Lana Nicole was born.

 

 

1986 – My cute, precious, funny daughter, Lacey Jewel was born.

 

 

1992 – My adorable, funny, smart son, Presley Wayne was born (Yes, we named him after Elvis and John Wayne)

(Lana is funny, too, but she got ‘beautiful’ so the other two got funny. Of course, they were beautiful too, but…you know…)

 

 

2007 – My first novel was published with Wild Rose Press and I saw a lifetime dream fulfilled.

 

There were tons of good years mixed in amongst these, and some pretty bad ones, but mainly, there were bad things that happened in good years. But all of the experiences, bad and good, brought me to where I am today, which is a pretty great place.

And who knows what else is in store for me? Maybe the best year is yet to come. Although, I’m not sure how anything can top having my children—short of becoming young and gorgeous and hooking up with Ian Somerhalder.

 

(Okay, I guess it wouldn't be better than when I had my children, but that was a long time ago, and just LOOK at him...)

Fortunately, the fulfillment of my writing dream didn’t end with that first book in 2007, and I get (almost) as excited with each new release. I’m so thrilled to share my beautiful cover for my upcoming short story, releasing January 7, 2015 (the day before Elvis’ 80th birthday), from the Wild Rose Press.

 

Blurb:

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life. 

 

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother. 

 

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Excerpt: 

“Who kisses better? Me or my mother?”

Noah blinked as if not sure what he’d heard. Then, a hard look came into his eyes, and he set her from him with a not-so-gentle shove. “What the…? I should just leave your ass right here. It would serve you right.”

Toby ran her nail along his cheek. “Ah, come on, Noah. You wouldn’t do that to me, would you? How about you and I go somewhere private and finish what we never did at Make Out Point? We’re grownups now. No reason to hold off.”

He raked a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Good God, Toby, what’s gotten into you?”

“What’s the matter?” Unexpectedly, a sob rose to her chest. She suddenly wasn’t happy anymore. She was deeply, thoroughly sad. “I thought men liked tramps.”

His expression softened, and he gave her a tender smile. “You’re not a tramp, Toby. For God’s sake, your mother really did a number on you.” A dark look crossed his face.  “And that bastard, Wes… I wanted to kill him when I found out what he tried to do to you. Don’t let a scumbag like that make you feel bad about yourself. Other people might hold your mother’s reputation against you, but not me. I know the real you.”

 

Easy for him to say, but he didn’t walk in her shoes, didn’t suffer the ridicule, the shame of being Constance Lawson’s daughter.

She sighed and lifted a hand to brush the hair out of her face. His rejection might sting tomorrow, once she sobered up, but for now, she was spent. She just wanted to crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head. Sleep for a week.

“Please take me home,” she whispered.

 

 

 

Men who make me hot, men who leave me cold by Alicia Dean

Isn’t it funny how different a person’s idea of what’s sexy and what’s not can be? There are certain men (we’ll focus on celebrities only, so I don’t get in trouble ;)), who tingle my lady parts and others who do…nothing. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I can acknowledged that they are attractive, aesthetically pleasing, but they just don’t have that certain something, that charisma, or whatever it is that tickles my fancy.
 

I’ve provided some examples below of men who make me hot and men who leave me cold. (I didn’t include Elvis. He’s the ultimate fancy tickler, for me, but that goes without saying, so I’ve chosen three non-Elvis examples)

 

The Hot:

Tom Berenger (Bonus pic because he's wearing a baseball uniform) :-)

I’ve always found him incredibly sexy. Something about him just…sigh…(and did I mention the baseball uniform? YUMMMY)

 

Colin Farrell

DANG!!! One of the hottest men EVER. I love that he can play any role, bad guy, romantic, quirky, tough guy, and he can play them convincingly wiht a variety of accents. But, when he speaks with his genuine Irish brogue, oh my…

 

He’s the inspiration for my hero in my current WIP. (I like modeling my characters after celebrities. Gives me a better visual)

 

Ian Somerhalder

Wow. And wow again. Those eyes…that lopsided smile…that…everything. And, I’ve actually spoken to him. Seen him for real. TOUCHED him. And he’s just as beautiful in person as he is on television. More so.

 

 

The Not so Hot:

 

 

Ryan Gosling

 

Meh. I don’t get it.

Ben Affleck

Talented, but doesn’t do it for me. I like his brother, Casey, much better.

Johnny Depp

Extremely talented, but sexy??? Don’t think so!
 

I will acknowledge that it is possible I will change my mind about these ‘not so hot’ guys. Not long ago, Channing Tatum didn’t do it for me. (I couldn’t even remember if his name was Tatum Channing, or Chatum Tanning, or Chanting Tomato) I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Then, I saw Magic Mike. The ‘fuss’ became immediately clear. Crystal clear. Indubitably clear.

So…who does it for you? And who does NOT do it for you, although on some level, you feel they should?
 

(Speaking of hot guys…I have four Romantic Suspense stories featuring hot heroes on sale for a limited time)
 

Killer Love Kindle Boxed Edition -  ON SALE for 99¢ through March 28^th

Amazon Buy Link

 

Barnes and Noble: Buy Link

 

The set includes:
 

Nothing to Fear (novel) –  A frightened wife flees her psychotic husband and enters the witness protection program, but when an undercover cop out to avenge his partner’s murder tracks her down, she discovers her new location—even with her new identity—isn’t the safe haven she’d hoped for.

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Truly Madly (short story) – Haunted by her family’s tragic legacy, an artist moves back to her home town to settle her parents’ estate, only to learn that someone is out to frame her for murder.

Poetic Injustice (novella) – An ambitious detective investigating the murder of a high profile celebrity judge is distracted by the sexy, bad boy ME, who is exactly the kind of man she’s sworn to avoid.

Tears of the Wounded (novella) – A madman bent on revenge puts a diabolical plan in motion where a man’s race against the clock to save his daughter could mean death for the woman he loves.