Worry Pudding…Mama’s Secret Sauce by Nicci Carrera

Not only do we have a guest today, but she's got a Rafflecopter Drawing going on. Meet Nicci Carrera. Enjoy!

The three Cruz sisters featured in Love Caters All and Third Strike’s the Charm share a very smart and compassionate mother (who goes by “Mama.”) Whereas the first book, Love Caters All is a light confection of a story, Third Strike’s the Charm has a serious theme because Cara’s best friend has multiple sclerosis. She also happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s mom.

In this book I drew on what it felt like to help take care of my mom during the years of her disability. She didn’t have MS, she had memory loss and confusion otherwise known “dementia,” a label I dislike because I feel that it is dismissive of the person’s dignity and still significant capability.

In fact, that’s what I drew on, my passionate feelings people with disabilities are just as precious and special. Indeed those years with my mom were precious and special to me. I realized the gift at the time, and I am still warmed by those memories. There’s simply nothing like having the opportunity to care for a loved one who has special needs for experiencing unconditional love.

Cara’s and Jason’s love of Francie comes straight out of my love for my mom (who passed away in 2013).

So…what’s the worry pudding about?

After a health crisis, Cara comes home to find Mama whipping egg whites by hand. That’s a lot of work! But that’s the point. Her mama did it, Mama does it, and maybe Cara will one day too. All that elbow grease raises the endorphins and burns off the adrenaline of worry.

I hope you read the book! I’m  giving away one print copy today and a couple of gift cards, plus Third Strike’s the Charm is discounted from $5.99 to $.99 for two weeks, so I hope you give it a try and then let me know what you think on your favorite review site or shoot me an email.

Third Strike’s the Charm is the second in my Cruz sisters series and is also part of the Wild Rose Press’s Lobster Cove series. (Find out more on my website niccicarrera.com/.)

Please drop by my Facebook page to be entered in the contest. The contest runs July 28 to July 30. Good luck!

Contest Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZGYxYzYyNzRhZjcxMjQ2NmNiMmUxMDM0ZmYyNDExOjA=/?

Blurb:

Super student Cara Cruz made it all the way through her prestigious MBA program only to choke on the last final. Ordered by her advisor to take the summer off and clear her head, she’s home in Lobster Cove for some fun before retaking the exam. If she fails a second time, she will lose her dream job offer in Chicago. Meanwhile her best friend happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s mom, which means close contact with the man who broke her heart. Twice. This time she’ll protect her heart no matter the cost.

Ex-major-league baseball pitcher Jason Ward blew his money, his elbow, and his love life. Now at home taking care of his mom and working on a new life plan, he wants Cara back, but he already struck out, didn’t he? Maybe not, and now his mission is to win her back without telling her the truth about why he really came home.

Winning at love will be the only play that counts.

Excerpt from Third Strike’s the Charm:

“I found out I couldn’t go back to the majors the day of Maya’s wedding.”

She remembered his anger, the way he stormed off, how hurt she’d been at the time. “Oh no! I’m so sorry.” That news made Maya’s wedding day one of the worst of his life. “I had no idea.”

“I know. That’s why I wanted to tell you. I was in a really bad state of mind that day. I acted like such a jerk."

Her heart constricted. “The whole kiss thing was an accident, and I made it worse by not sorting it out right away. Now to find out you had that awful news hanging over your head makes me feel even worse.”

He frowned. “I overreacted.”

“Well, it’s understandable now.”

He cleared his throat, meeting her gaze. “Now that we have that cleared up, are you seeing someone?”

Did he want to try again? Her heart gave an inappropriate little bump. Remember your MBA, your new job. And remember how many times Jason disappointed you. “No. I’m not seeing anyone. I need to get my career settled before I think about anything like that.”

He frowned, and then nodded.

Buy links:

Wild Rose Press:

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/3805-third-strike-s-the-charm.html

Amazon Kindle (eBook):

http://www.amazon.com/Third-Strikes-Charm-Lobster-Cove-ebook/dp/B01CWH7MI6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1458195608&sr=1-1&keywords=third+strike%27s+the+charm

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Third%20Strike%27s%20the%20Charm%20(Nicci%20Carrera)&ac=1&acp=third%20strike

iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/third-strikes-the-charm/id1090762566?mt=11

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/third-strikes-the-charm-nicci-carrera/1123508846?ean=2940158028403

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nicci_Carrera_Third_Strike_s_the_Charm?id=vcIODAAAQBAJ

All Romance eBooks:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html 

Find Nicci on the Web here:

https://www.facebook.com/niccicarrera2

www.niccicarrera.com

https://niccicarreraromance.com/ (blog)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9848514.Nicci_Carrera

https://twitter.com/niccicarrera1

amazon.com/author/niccicarrera

www.pinterest.com/niccicarrera/lobster-cove-romances

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bce7Jz

The Fun of Being in an Anthology by Betsy Ashton

I've been very lucky over the past few years. I've had a poem about my mother dying of cancer in two anthologies, Voices from Smith Mountain Lake and Candles of Hope. Proceeds from each publication went to charity: Voices supports the scholarship fund for Smith Mountain Arts Council, and Candles supports a UK cancer charity. Voices also published a short story and an essay which had run their life-span for contests. Last year, Reflections on Smith Mountain Lake picked up a different short story and essay. This collection honored the 50th anniversary of Smith Mountain Lake. Again, proceeds went to the same scholarship fund listed above.

And this year, I was invited to submit a story for 50 Shades of Cabernet collected by many of the same writers who were involved with Virginia Is For Mysteries. My story, a true tongue-in-cheek accounting of a winter solstice at a New Age church was too much fun to write.

First, I was honored to be invited. These same writers, many of whom are members of Sisters-in-Crime Internet Chapter, are terrific mystery writers. I felt like a charlatan being in their company, but I put on my big girl panties, put fingers on keyboard and let the story flow.  Many drafts later, I was satisfied with "Midnight in the Church of the Holy Grape" and submitted it. Yes, it's a send-up of In the Garden of Good and Evil. It's also a send-up of many New Age churches, including one out in San Francisco, the Church of the Holy Grape, which is authentic and exists so that the "leader" can buy wine without paying sales tax. But that's a story for a different blog post. Maybe.

Other stories include "Whose Wine Is It Anyway?" by Barb Goffman, "Love the Wine You're With" by Teresa Inge, "Wine, Women and Wrong" by Maggie King, "Life is a Cabernet" by Jayne Ormerod, and "Cobblestones and Cabernet" by Jenny Sparks. Yes, Cabernet had to be mentioned in the story to be included. Overall, there are seventeen stories in the collection.

Here's the plot.

Ryan is a member of this New Age church, the Church of the Holy Grape, which meets four times a year on the solstices and equinoxes to celebrate food and wine. He extracts a promise from,his reluctant wife to join him at the winter solstice meeting. First she reneges, then finally agrees to go one time only. He's ecstatic, because he is supposed to rise in the church to be a guide and wants Lucy to support him.

Things go horribly off track when the leader of the group, the Wrong Reverend Ruby Cabernet, intones a forbidden prayer and summons spirits of the past. These include The Mighty Zin and Madame Sauterne, among others. Mayhem ensues. Let's just say the evening goes so far off script that even Ryan can't see where it will end.

This collection will be out in March 2017. Look for many of us, in small groups or solos, to offer book signings at local wineries. Even if no one shows up to buy a book, we can always indulge in tastings. I wonder how far off script we can go next summer.

###

Betsy Ashton is the author of Mad Max, Unintended Consequences, and Uncharted Territory, A Mad Max Mystery, now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'm really excited that the trade paper edition of Uncharted Territory was released this week. Please follow me on my website, on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

Casualties of the heat

We made a big mistake and put a birdhouse not far from our front door. All this summer we had Mr. Aggressive Wren building a nest in there, terrorizing anyone who came near and scolding us whenever we tried to weed in the garden or come anywhere near his nest. He advertised the nest quite noisily for weeks and I think he finally found a lady to share it.

But alas, in the last few days, he has not been protecting his spot. I think the heat has taken its toll and the house, which does get some direct sunlight, is too hot for him. We had plans to move it later this year to a spot in the trees farther away from the garden which will hopefully be a bit more conducive to their needs. And a spot that will be quieter for those of us who sit near the window where he chides anyone who comes near the window, which is 10 feet away from his home (that appears to be his Safe Zone).

Of course, we'll have to make sure we don't put it where the deer like to relax in the heat of the day. We have a regular group who come and lie in the undergrowth under the trees (we have a very heavily wooded lot). There's a couple of moms and their kids who hang out during the hottest part of the day.  They poke their heads up now and then so I can see them among the brush. Can you imagine how hot it must be for them? Fur coats and all.

It's at times like this that I really appreciate my ancestors. They were pioneers, settling here in the Midwest in the early 1800s. Imagine that -- traveling miles away from all you know and going into a strange land. Heat, cold, back-breaking labor, illness, and misery. Talk about courage and perseverance!

I wonder if future generations will have as much admiration for us? Or will they wonder at the choices we're making? Will there be casualties because of choices being made now?

I tend to think this way because I'm working on a series set in the future, an alternate future that has been shaped by decisions made today. It's really made me aware of the ripple effect we all have on the world.

Like putting a birdhouse in the wrong spot in the garden...

To Steam or Not to Steam: The Ultimate Question by Anna Durand

It guest blog day so join my in welcoming Anna Durand to The Roses of Prose...

Long before I ever wrote a romance, I began reading them voraciously. Though I read all heat levels, I often gravitate toward the hotter end of the spectrum, with stories that range from steamy (think Lynsay Sands) to erotic (think Kresley Cole). When I wrote my first romance novel, Willpower, I kept the love scene sensual but more euphemistic than graphic. I soon realized, though, that I longed to write hotter—I just wasn't sure I'd be any good at it, and I felt a bit self-conscious about the prospect.

Now, some writers worry their friends and family will disapprove if they write hot love scenes, but my family was totally onboard with the idea. I needed to silence that little voice in my head that kept saying, "You can't do that, you've never written anything that sexy." But when I looked back at the love scene in Willpower, I realized I'd crafted a very sensual scene that I could easily have steamed up. In fact, I'd wanted to but held back.

So I took a few workshops on writing hot, to gain some confidence, but ultimately I just had to do it. (Pun intended, with a wink.) The first truly hot love scene I wrote appeared in the novella Reborn to Burn—and yes, the title does in part refer to the sensuality. Intuition, the sequel to Willpower, was my next published book to include steamy love scenes, as well as more sensuality sprinkled throughout the book. But in the summer of 2015, I took the final step in my steamy-writing journey. I wrote my first erotic romance, the short story Tempted by a Kiss.

The journey has culminated with my favorite of my books thus far, the erotic romance novel Dangerous in a Kilt. It includes several lengthy love scenes, very explicit but with a playfulness I enjoy writing. From here on, some of my books will be hot, some will be erotic, but always the romantic relationship takes center stage. The journey to writing steamy took a while, but I have no regrets. And yes, I'll admit it—I love writing hot!

Bio

Anna Durand is an award-winning writer specializing in steamy romances populated with spunky heroines and hunky heroes, in settings as diverse as modern Chicago and the fairy realm. Her romances have to date won eight awards and her novel Intuition was a 2016 RONE Award nominee, while her short story Tempted by a Kiss was a finalist in The Romance Reviews 2016 Readers' Choice Awards. Dangerous in a Kilt won first place in the 2016 Great Beginnings contest, contemporary romance category.

Website/Blog: http://www.annadurand.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAnnaDurand

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaDurandFiction

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/annadurand

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AnnaDurandFiction/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Anna_Durand/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/author/annadurand 

Dangerous in a Kilt

A feisty American. A hot Scot. Passion ignites.

Good-girl Erica Teague is out on bail, charged with a crime her ex-lover committed. Her desperate bid to experience one wild night of sizzling sex, before her trial and certain conviction, lands her in the arms of Lachlan MacTaggart, a hot Scot with a secret past. She can't resist his offer to enjoy one month of sex and companionship with no strings. But when their hot fling gets personal, can their passion free their imprisoned hearts?

Read the first three chapters and vote for it on Kindle Scout:

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/TA1FZK0NG2X7

SHOWERING WITH MY CLOTHES ON by Brenda Whiteside

Love the mountains, hate the heat

Following up on How Not to Move from my last post, I have to lament the timing of the move for this post. We've done this before...moving in the Arizona summer. We all know the lifting and bending, walking back and forth, heaving and hoeing of moving. It's tiring on even a youngster. It's not that part I'm talking about. That ends. You finally sit down with a cool one and recuperate.

I'm talking about moving into an RV in the dead of summer, during monsoon season, in a basin which is surrounded by mountains. It's sort of desert. Not ugly desert, but still desert. That means hot. RV's like ours are not meant for extreme temperature comfort.

We ordered a portable evap cooler. Sent it back the second day. It was nothing more than an expensive fan. We have another on order for twice as much money, but supposedly more efficient. We'll see. Today, it got to 92 degrees in the RV with the AC and two fans running all day. Sure hope the new cooler works. At least, because we're not city, the desert does cool down by about 30 degrees once the sun goes behind the mountain.

Happy when the sun goes down

Meanwhile, I've found the secret to staying cool...when I'm not hanging out in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. My secret: I dressed in stretchy short yoga pants, a sleeveless cotton Tee shirt and jumped in the shower, fully clothed, under the cold water. Now I'm sitting on a towel on the couch with my ankles wrapped in ice packs and two fans blowing on me. I'm perfectly comfortable.

Maybe I should market my invention with instructions to just add cold water!

Be sure to check out my Romantic Suspense Love and Murder Series with a visit to my Amazon Author Page: amzn.to/1THrngg

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about life’s latest adventure on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Please note, I'll be on a road trip with Mom when this post goes live. I'll try to check in using my phone or iPad...but I'm not the most techy person.

Time for Celebration? Not Quite Yet by Margo Hoornstra

The other day I typed THE END on my latest work in progress. Bound by Duty is the second book in my Brothers In Blue series aimed at the 90K romantic suspense market.

It’s Done! Finished! Completed! The ended!

Does this mean it no longer is a work in progress?

Hardly. As many of you know, now the real and intensive labor begins.

But first, fresh eyes are needed. Not only that said eyes must be trained and alert, with the mind attached to them able to ferret out flaws and suggest corrections.  Is this primary character developed enough? Is that secondary character too overpowering? Is the overall concept of the story compelling and, more important, plausible? Is there too much of this or not enough of that? Is the heroine strong enough or too much so? Does the hero come across as sensitive enough or too weak? Does the narrative drag? Is the backstory information filtered in slowly and appropriately or dumped in there all in a heap?

Yes. No. Yes. No. Maybe. Could be. Possibly. Perhaps.

In other words, it’s time for the tried and trusted critique partner to step in. Flutter wave to Jannine, then batting my eyes for good measure. Her job now is to answer these and other questions. Spot the defects and, thank you, Jesus, offer viable solutions. Done properly, in my humble opinion, a manuscript critique is worth its/her weight in gold.

(Oh, and just a side note. The manuscript is at about 93K, ample copy to take down a page or two should need be.)

Some authors I know wouldn’t think of sharing their work, except with their agent, editor and/or readers. Others share in wild abandon with anyone and everyone, taking any and all suggestions to heart. Ruminating on their worth and digesting them like popcorn.

So how about you, oh, others of my ilk, what’s your preference on this matter? How does your work in progress, well, progress?

My days to blog here are the 11^th and 23^rd. For more about me and my stories, please visit me at  www.margohoornstra.com

Meet Hercules ~ by Leah St. James

As many of my fellow Roses have written on these pages, one of the toughest parts of this writing job is grabbing readers’ attention. When I was first published in 2010, I was clueless (seriously, painfully clueless), but I figured that like anything, marketing can be taught. And even though I’m far from a natural at it, I can learn best practices. Right? 

So I set out to learn everything I could. I studied the blogs and social media accounts of successful authors. I created my own accounts and tried to replicate their behavior. I’ve taken classes and spent hours experimenting on what “engages” readers.

Here’s what I’ve learned:  Readers like personal tidbits they can relate to. Women especially like anecdotes and photos of young children or grandchildren, and young animals. Or animals of any age, actually. And pictures of hunky, bare-chested men. Some hobbies or expertise/interest in a particular subject matter can work as well.

So for these past six years or so, I’ve been bemoaning the fact that I don’t have  young children, I don’t have grandchildren, and I don’t have pets. I love my "day job," but it's not unusual (and there's only so much I could share), and I don't have any fascinating hobbies. And as much as I personally love photos of hunky, bare-chested men, I can’t help seeing them as someone’s son and wondering what their mothers think seeing their sons plastered like that all over the web! (I know, I know...it’s a curse.) 

But, hallelujah, today I have exciting news to share. 

My older son (whom I refer to as on No. 1, because I’ve promised to never name or tag him online) has come home to live with hubby and me while he works on his Ph.D. dissertation. He had one request (other than living here):  “So, yeah....uh...Mom, can I get a cat?”

“Cat?” My ears perked up, and I’m sure my face brightened. “Of course!” I said without even thinking of consulting hubby. We’ve had cats before. I love cats...hubby (a dog person) accepts cats. AND (let’s be real here) I NEEDED SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE! My only condition was that Son No. 1 would be responsible for cleaning the litter, which he gladly agreed to. 

I had mentioned this to a friend who’s a vet, and two days ago she emailed me. “I have a kitten,” she said. “He needs a good home. Take him.” The kitten was being “fostered” with a local groomer and was “ready to go.”

That night we hit up the local pet supply store and armed ourselves with food, dishes, a litter box and litter...and a cat carrier that will hopefully last for years....it cost enough. By the middle of the next day, we were proud kitten owners. Or, uh...Son No. 1 is a proud kitten owner. :-)

I know I’m just a tad biased, but if this isn’t the most adorable kitten ever born...I don’t know what. He’s a black tabby – looks all black from a distance, but up close you can see definite stripes. He has one tiny patch of white fur on his chest. He’s playful and fun and curious about every inch of our house. He purrs all the time and is really affectionate. (He’s sleeping at my feet as I write this..purring.) Even hubby has fallen in love with this kitten. 

My son named him Hercules,  a name I’m sure he’ll grow into, in a good way...I hope.

Hecules barely stops moving, but that hasn't stopped me from using up most of my phone's storage taking photos of him. My son said he spent about 30 minutes the first day shadow-boxing himself in a mirror. (But did he get video that I could share??? NO. Argh!)

Anyway, I’ve “talked” enough. Meet the cutest kitten ever born. Am I right?

Hercules LOVES playing with pens. Who knew?
(On a side note, I included this as proof of my ability to grow at least two houseplants.These are African Violets which are NOT toxic to cats...althoughI'm not sure how wise it is for their health to leave them in Hercules' path right now!)

Sleeping behind my laptop. (Please disregard any dust you see.)

Peering out the window from my desk.

Another from my desk.

Sleeping behind my laptop...
Can't have too many "at my desk/laptop" photos, right!?

The eyes are the camera's and photographer's (my) fault, not Hercules'.

Now...I'm off to post on Facebook! :-)

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Leah writes stories of mystery and romance, good and evil, and the power of love. If you'd like to keep up with stories about Hercules, here's her Facebook page. She loves visitors!