Spring Solace by @SatinRussell #RomanceGems

Hello, dear readers. How are you holding up through this global pandemic? First, before I get started on this post, a quick update. If you’ll remember, my last post was about whether I should “Push My Luck” and fly across country to give a presentation in San Francisco. Well, I decided last minute not to go. I just couldn’t justify putting myself and my mom (who is immuno-compromised and lives with us) at risk.

I’m SO glad I did! My presentation was on a Saturday and by that Monday San Francisco went under a stay-at-home order. Which happened the day I would have been flying out.

Just another reminder to always listen to your gut.

Now, ordinarily Spring is one of my favorite seasons because my birthday is April 3^rd. However, I think it’s safe to say this year, the season has felt a bit…strained.

Yes, I’m a writer and I’m used to working from home. However, all the news has been distressing. There is so much fear and sorrow and uncertainty in the world right now and I think many of us are picking up on it. It has made it very hard to concentrate and I have to admit, my writing has suffered.

So, what have I been doing, instead? I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading and taking walks on a rarely-used track through the woods near my house. One of those walks got me to thinking about a few things to keep in mind during these unsettling times.

1. Don't forget to look up!
Yes, metaphorically, but also physically. I know a lot of us have been looking at our phones quite a bit, whether we're reading articles, keeping track of news, staying in touch with friends via social media, etc. That can put a lot of strain on our necks and upper back. Take a break, go for a walk, do some laundry, try a new recipe, whatever you have to do to look up for a bit.

2. This, too, shall pass.
Hope and new beginnings are all around us. Remember, we will get through this.

3. Life finds a way.
It may not be how it was before. Some things will change, and that's okay. With change comes opportunity. It forces us to find new - often better - solutions to old problems.

4. Find beauty in imperfection.
Our cracks, our scars, our past challenges make us unique and even stronger.

5. A little rain helps us grow.
If all our days were sunny, we wouldn't be able to flower into our full potential.

I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and happy. I hope that you are treating yourself with patience and kindness. You don’t have to learn a new skill, clean all your closets, or make some great masterpiece.

During a global pandemic, your number one priority is to survive and not make it harder for others to survive. That’s it! Everything else is icing on the cake.

I am participating in the Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt again this year. You can search for my eggs on my Instagram, Twitter, or Website. Once you find it, fill in the information on the Rafflecopter form below. You can find more details on our MONTHLY GIVEAWAY page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pawprints On Your Heart - Writing Animal Characters by Kathryn Hills #RomanceGems

True love has four paws. That’s why sixty-eight percent of U.S. households—about 85 million families—include pets. (2017-2018 National Pet Owner’s Survey) For most, our four-pawed “children,” a.k.a. best friends, confidantes, comic relief, therapists, and all-around-joy-givers, are a HUGE part of life. It makes sense then that pets are important characters in our books. Does your favorite feisty heroine have a canine sidekick? Can that gruff hero have a soft spot for an aging cat? Might even the toughest, sexiest, bad-ass vampire find comfort in the unconditional love and companionship of a special dog? In my book worlds, YES!

Yet for all their charm and heart-warming abilities, writing animal characters poses challenges. Do you feed the dog and walk him? Change the cat’s litter box? Can they demand attention, hog the bed, make things awkward? Of course, that's the fun part! As authors we must weave those wonderful real-life scenarios into our stories with skill.

Animal characters are also non-verbal, at least in human dialogue terms. Unless you have a parrot... Think of the possibilities! 😊 Yet it’s imperative they “speak” in other ways. Eye contact, body language, sounds – all powerful tools for writers. There are also sensory cues. Soft warm fur slipping through fingers, rhythmic purrs, rumbling dog snores, soul-deep stares conveying understanding, loyalty, and acceptance. Or maybe these book pets are cranky and judgmental? That can be hilarious! Do they sense the bad guy or out the criminal quicker than any detective? See ghosts or hunt monsters? Likely they know more about human nature and the environment/setting than their human counterparts.

For me, four paws enrich a story. I typically write flanked by three amazing dogs, all unique and adept at speaking their own language. Fritz, our 11yo Dachshund, is our family time keeper. Never EVER does he miss a meal or fail to alert when someone should be home. Tank, our 4yo Beabull, (Beagle/Bulldog mix) is “The Killer of Beds.” And though he possesses the “yowl of the banshee,” he’s terrified of the vacuumed. Our most recent rescue, Wylee, only wants to have fun and be outdoors. (We have no idea what breed Wylee is – Plott Hound, Retriever, and Rottweiler have been suggested) Rain, shine, 24/7, he’s ready with his favorite gross ball and boundless puppy energy. I love them all beyond belief—they fill our world with happiness—so it’s only fitting they inspire characters in my books.

One example is Rocky, the endearing German Shepherd in Hellfire and Handbaskets. He is not only my hero's best friend, he’s a life saver. Dr. Rick Hauser is an Army veteran suffering from PTSD. Rocky possesses a strength and understanding Rick relies on. Readers love their special bond, and they’ve reached out to say so and share their own inspiring stories.

Another character is Barney, the one-eyed, scrappy, darling-of-an-old-cat from the same book. Fun fact… Barney is based on a cat my husband knew growing up. A sweet reminder of a dear pet who now lives again amid my pages.

I could continue, but you’ll have to stop back and see what fun creatures inhabit my next books.


Here's a blurb from Hellfire and Handbaskets - A Time Traveler's Journey

It’s hell in the ER, but Army veteran Dr. Rick Hauser wouldn’t work anywhere else. The hardened combat medic thinks he’s seen it all. Until she storms into his life.

Amelia Pennington is not just a pretty face. She’s a time-traveler. A medical student from 1895, forced to flee a madman. She’s been in trouble before, but this time everything she loves is at risk. Can a reluctant hero be the key she’s searching for?

What’s left of Hauser’s heart is still on the battlefield. Last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a mystery woman. But when he finds Amelia on the streets, he ignores the warning shots firing off in his head and takes her home. In less than twenty-four hours, she’s upended his self-protected world. Even his dog, Rocky, is in love.


Visit my Author Facebook Page for more pet antics. Saturdays are Caturdays, and Sundays are all about the dogs. I'd love to hear your stories and see your pics!

~Kathryn~

This cutie is here to say, "There's more fun with our APRIL GIVEAWAY!"

Check out all the details of our Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt, including how to enter and the prizes.

Of course, I'm participating, and you can find my Easter Egg in one of the following places:

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Happy hunting!

While Researching...by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

     I love this time of the year. The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and yellow (probably weeds?) flowers in Texas are flourishing. Even if the yellow ones are weeds, they’re still pretty. There are blankets of them in pastures across our state. Sometimes life can get so hectic we forget to look at what’s around us. Sometimes weeds can be really pretty.
    
     There was a skunk in the backyard last night. I’m almost certain it wasn’t the flowers I was smelling. Apparently, something scared the skunk because the night air was very ‘fragrant’. I remember our Pekingese saw a skunk in the yard once and started chasing it while I was frantically screaming NO! at the top of my lungs. Of course, she didn’t listen and the ‘kitty cat’ sprayed her.

     We researched every treatment we could find to get rid of the odor. Tomato juice, oatmeal baths, a mixture of vanilla extract with a gallon of water, apple cider vinegar… and baths. LOTS of baths. No matter what we did, it was still weeks before we finally got rid of the smell.

     Sometimes a writer’s research opens up possibilities. I ended up putting a scene in, How To Seduce A Texan, where the heroine gets sprayed by a skunk. It was a lot more fun than trying to get our little dog smelling better. By the way, we had a black and white cat visiting our backyard not long after that. Our little dog decided she wouldn’t mess with the cat.

     I love taking an episode from life and using it to fit a book I’m currently working on. I bet you can find little pieces of most authors in their work. It does make me wonder about Stephen King, though.

     If you celebrate Easter, I hope you have a fantastic one. If not, I still hope you have a great weekend! Southern Comfort is still on sale for 99 cents, but I’m not sure how long I’ll leave it at that price. Rescue Me, my newest book just released and I’m super excited about it. And don’t forget to enter our Easter Egg hunt!

Read for free in KU
or Purchase Now

Still only 99 cents
or read for free in KU

 

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

Check out the Monthly Giveaway tab to learn how to play this month’s game.

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s egg can be found on my website:   www.authorkarenkelley.com 

Use the “Contact the Romance Gems” link on the left sidebar (toward the bottom) to send us your answer. Include the place you found it, the color of the egg, and either the author's name or date of the post.

Best of luck!                                                                              

             Karen Kelley
             www.authorkarenkelley.com

  

Write What You Know by @KariLemor #RomanceGems

Often the advice writers get is ‘write what you know’. If everyone followed this advice though, we’d never have any science fiction or paranormal or fantasy books. Every now and then, writers need to branch out of their comfort zone and use their imagination. Or at least Google.

My first series, Love on the Line, was a romantic suspense featuring men who had been in the military together. Since I’ve never been in the military, I needed to use my imagination. And ask my father-in-law about his experiences. He spent almost a year in Kuwait during Desert Storm. I also checked in with two brothers-in-law who are a cop and a prison guard. It’s great when you get help throwing more conflict at your characters.

But in my newest series, Storms of New England, I’m going back to the ‘write what you know’ advice. Growing up in New England, I’ve experienced everything the area has to offer. The gorgeous coastline, the beautiful mountains, the refreshing lakes, and the small-town atmosphere that brings people and communities together.  I love the neighbor-helping-neighbor type of location and the family closeness you often have.

I grew up a few streets over from my grandparents and lived in what was then the “French” district of our small city. I went to the French Catholic school, as did most of the neighborhood kids. I had cousins who also went to the same schools and hung around with some of the same friends. Often after school, I stopped to see my grandmother before I walked the rest of the way home. On holidays, we would make the rounds visiting friends and family who all lived nearby. I loved the tight knit community.

So I’m drawing on those memories with this new series. The Storms are a family who originate in the small fictional town of Squamscott Falls, NH. Grandparents Hans and Ingrid Storm have three sons, Peter, Kris, and Nick. These men have ten children between them. Whether I’ll get to all ten will be decided by how well the series is received. The books will take place not only in Squamscott Falls, but also the coast of Maine, Cape Cod, and possibly a few other New England locations.

The first book, Elusive Dreams, doesn’t have a release date yet, but I’ll let everyone know as soon as I do. The series is small town contemporary. I left out the suspense in this one, but that doesn’t mean I won’t throw in a wee bit of danger or angst. We all know I love it!

Here’s the blurb for this story:

Creating a family might be the only thing to heal two scarred souls.

Wounded Marine, Erik Storm, can barely walk. Taking care of two children is out of the question, though he’d promised their dying mother. Moving to coastal Maine seems ideal, with his grandparent’s house empty, and quiet Tessa living next door. Tessa Porter is happy to help. Years in foster care has made her leery of people, earning her nickname No-Touch Tessa, but two children can’t possibly hurt her, right?

When Erik’s claim on the children is questioned, he and Tessa enter into a marriage of convenience to retain custody. A scarred soldier and an agoraphobic freak make the perfect couple. No expectations for physical intimacy or falling in love. But will Erik grow tired of her innocence and inability to be around people? Will Tessa want more than he can physically give? And when their reason for the marriage is threatened, will love be enough to keep them together?

~~~

Check out my Pinterest Board for Storms of New England, and the specific stories in that series! 

Do any of them look interesting? What kind of setting do you like for your romances?? 

Kari Lemor on Pinterest

APRIL GIVEAWAY AT ROMANCE GEMS!

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

Check out the Monthly Giveaway tab to learn how to play this month’s game.

Today’s egg can be found on one of the pages on my website. You will have to search by clicking on the page links under the banner.

Go here:  Kari Lemor

While you’re on my site, sign up for my mailing list if you want info about new releases or free stuff. ( I have a free prequel to my book, Running Target, going out to subscribers soon)

Use the “Contact the Romance Gems” link on the left sidebar (toward the bottom) to send us your answer. Include the place you found it, the color of the egg, and either the author's name or date of the post.

Good luck!

Kari

What to do when you can't do anything by @BonnieEdwards

Some of you know I was away for a winter break for a couple of months. While there, I wrote the last 20 or so thousand words to my work-in-progress, Craving Jake, the third book in my Return to Welcome series. I helped get this blog rolling, wrote some ads, did quite a bit of social media and more.

It was great! I'm an early riser and would write or do whatever was needed while my husband slept in. But we had no responsibilities while we were there. No decisions bigger than, "Do we eat in or out tonight?" were required.

As time moved forward, we started to feel the pull toward home and all that awaited us here. First, we need a full week to recover from being 8 time zones away. We began to get email from family needing our time and our help on our return. Yes, they gave us the required recovery time, but they also gave us the hacking cough/cold that lingers (up to a month according to my doctor) when we were picked up at the airport. A week later, we were nearly immobile from this terrible virus.

But the help was still needed, the time still required by family. There was no way to avoid these obligations. Sick and tired and overrun, I had to give up any semblance of working. Emails were quick and blunt.

But how do writers cope? We do what we can, where we can. I couldn't focus on the book that needed a second draft, so I printed it out. It waits patiently for me. I've been reading and catching up on reviewing books.

Lately, I've been tweaking my older book Sweet Ride! I love this story and I was dismayed to learn that for some ad placements it was too short. By two pages. Yes. I just typed that. Two pages.

I've been going through it, deepening emotional responses, adding some needed colour, polishing the characters, brightening the prose. When I'm done it will not be a brand new book, but it will be a better read, a read more in keeping with the work I do now. I didn't have the creative juice to do second draft level work, but this, I can do.

Writers write. Even when we're sick and tired of being sick and tired.

An update: A full week after starting this post, we're still terribly ill. Nearly 3 weeks and counting. The doctor tells us it could linger for up to 2 months. We sound like lovelorn sea lions barking for a mate. Ugly. I've given up on the tweaking of Sweet Ride and am now noodling around with cover art. Because that's all I can manage to think about.

My post earlier this month had a Dinosaur egg hidden. Happy to inform you that said hatchling is now playing with my grandson. This time, the trick is to find the eggs I've added to a social media post.

https://twitter.com/BonnieEdwards

amazon.com/author/bonnieedwards

https://www.facebook.com/Bonnie.Edwards.Author/


In order to enter the contest, you will need to make a note of the following: The date of the post, the author’s name, where you found the egg (which social media site), and the color of the egg. Should you find an egg on our Facebook page, note where you found the egg, the date you found it, and the color of the egg. Then, using the “Contact the Romance Gems” link on the bottom left-hand sidebar of the Romance Gems blog site, send us an email with the details of your discovery. Please also include your full name as part of the email.

And Happy Happy Easter!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall—What the Evil Queen Taught Me by Connie Vines

Yes, every little girl wants to be Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, or Ariel.  Every Romantic loves the Idea of being swept away by Prince Charming, or riding in a glass carriage pulled by white horses.


While the princesses of the fiction have the promise of ‘happily-even-after’, castles, and room-service, the Evil Queen is dominating the Snow-White story.  Why does the Evil Queen dominate the story?  Because she has ‘magic at her disposal and she owns the best toys’.

 The villainess in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs wanted so badly to be the fairest of them all, so much so that she went as far as to have Snow White killed and have her heart placed in a box. After the Evil Queen discovers that the Huntsman, she hired to kill Snow White is unsuccessful, she uses magic to concoct a poison to deal with the situation herself. She changed her shape, she’d maim, she’d kill.  She understood desire, and embraced it, too.   The Evil Queen's determination becomes her obsession, and it gives off the implicit message that, no matter what you want or desire, if you work hard and get creative, you will find whatever means to achieve your goal.

While Snow White received top billing in the Disney 1930s version of the animated feature, the movie was really all about the Evil Queen.

Don’t get me wrong.  I like Cinderella and all the other heroines starring in fairy tales.  I am happy they are living happily-ever-after in storybook land.

These heroines were goodness and songs—these heroines did not own toys.  Cinderella wore hand-me-down dresses, borrowed horses and carriage; Snow White was a house-keeper and short-order cook for seven strangers.

However, the Evil Queen had magic at her fingertips.  Most importantly, she owned a Magic Mirror.

Magic Mirror.

I was fascinated by the Magic Mirror (I ignored the fact someone was trapped in the mirror).

I always wanted a magic mirror.

While I do not recommend featuring an Evil Queen as the heroine of a romantic novel.  I like to give my heroines a touch of her determination, the strength to overcome obstacles, and self-reliance.

Still, there is my ‘unfulfilled desire’ to own a Magic Mirror.

I was watching television last night and a commercial flickered across the screen.  I won’t name the manufacturer of the product, but you guess it –this is the stuff of fairy tales--a Magic Mirror!

This mirror mounts in the bathroom and is voice activated (connected to your Wi-Fi network). LED lights, music.  A digital assistant looks up salon hours, edits your shopping list and even controls other bathroom amenities, like turning on the shower.

Wow!

A Magic Mirror is finally within my reach!

Who is your favorite fairy tale heroine?  Do you have a favorite toy or gadget you'd love to call her very own?


Remember, it’s Romance Gems Contest time.

Oh, where or where, is Connie’s Easter Egg hidden?

All my readers know I love gingerbread.   Now is the time to search for my gingerbread-egg!  When you find my egg, click on the contest link to the Egg Hunt. Once there, enter where my egg is hiding and what color it is.

Happy Hunting!

Connie

My egg is located on one of my social pages:

www.novelsbyconnievines.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorConnieVines/
https://mizging.blogspot.com/

Do You Dream In Color Or Black And White? @kathleenlawless #romancegems

Half a century ago, three-quarters of Americans, including those of college-age, rarely saw color in their dreams.  Today, a recent study suggests people over 55, not exposed to color TV as children, dream in black and white at least 25% of the time.

I worried I must dream in black and white, because I tend to create my first draft that way.  And of course, those TV Westerns that I loved as a child were broadcast in black and white. 

Then recently I had a dream about poached eggs.  (Apparently, I was hungry in my dream and hungry when I woke up.)  I was amazed to remember the yellow egg yolks in my dream.  Yay!  I dream in color. 

Which must mean I write in graduated shades.  The first draft is a charcoal sketch.  Definitely black and white.  The second draft draws on depth from color pastels, as the story takes on hues and tones.  The third draft contains brush strokes of bold color.  By this time, I really know where my story is going. I top it all off with a final polish, a gloss coat, to really bring out the layers in my work. 

I never thought of myself as an artist until I wrote this.  

Check out the layers in my award-winning western historical, GRACE’S FOLLY, on sale for .99 on April 18^th, an early Easter gift. Here’s a teaser.

Grace’s breath caught in her throat. Was it possible Dex really, truly understood? “Are you saying we’re not so different, you and I?”

“On the contrary,” Dex said, his voice a sexy rumble in his throat.

She glanced up, recoiling at the smoldering look in his eyes as his gaze traveled her length.

“You’re afraid to get close to me, afraid to touch me. I, on the other hand, can’t seem to fight this compulsion I have to touch you.”

As he spoke, he pushed her blouse off one shoulder. Grace trembled at the feather-light sensation of his fingertips grazing her skin.

“Not so bad, is it?”  He caught her hand in his and placed it on his chest. She could feel the steady beat of his heart, not nearly so erratic as her own. His skin was warm and smooth, textured by the thicket of hair which spread across his pectorals, angled into a thin line, and disappeared into his trousers.

She moistened her suddenly dry tongue, and the movement seemed to catch and hold Dex’s

fascination.

Her knees started to tremble as he stared hungrily at her mouth, then pushed her blouse off

the shoulders and down her arms. Wet cloth clung stubbornly to her skin. As he peeled the

uncooperative fabric away from her, she could feel the faintly abrasive rasp as he worked to separate her from the garment.

At last he managed to free Grace from her blouse. He dropped the sodden garment, and it landed on the wood floor with an ungracious flop. He trailed his hands lightly up her bare arms. “There. Isn’t that better?”

His touch, rather than chasing away the goosebumps, seemed to enhance the pebbled texture of her skin and heighten the shivers which coursed through her. Heat from his body radiated outward in

undulating waves. She was afraid of melting beneath his touch, of going up in flames. She was

afraid of far more than that.

“Put your arms around my neck.” When she didn’t comply, he took the initiative and did it for her, looping her arms across his shoulders and pulling her close. “I faked being a doctor today, with your help. It’s your turn now. Your turn to fake being a wife.”

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9D1AF6

On sale April 18th.

~ ~ ~

To get a jump start on the Easter celebrations, I’ve hidden some cute Easter eggs on one of my social media sites.  They should be easy to find, they’re in one of my favorite colors.  Naturally, I’d love it if you like my page while you’re there. 

Once you find the eggs, head back to the blog page, click on the Contact Romance Gems link at the bottom left hand side and enter to win a $20 Amazon gift card.  All you need to mention is my name or the blog date, the site where you found the eggs, and the color.  And of course, your name and email, written out as in dot com.  Do not post your answer in the comment section below.  Make everyone else scavenge to find the eggs the way you did.

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kathleen-lawless

https://www.facebook.com/kathleenlawlessnovels

www.kathleenlawless.com

Don’t forget to download your free prequel to my upcoming 

Seven Brides series, by joining join my reader group news for updates on new releases, fan-pricing and special freebies.        

http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1  

Most importantly, have a Happy Easter.  May the bunny bring you lots of treats. 

Kathleen

PLEASE DON’T SAY THAT! by Hannah Rowan

I’m a writer and writers are supposed to love words, so they say.  And I do, I really do.  It’s a thrill to find just the right word to express an idea.  It’s lovely to come across a word I’ve never heard before and to learn what it means.

But there are some words and phrases that make me grit my teeth and long to bash someone over the head with a shoe.  If I wore heels, I’d possibly even use a stiletto, but I doubt I’d hurt anyone with my Keds sneakers.  So I’ll just have to issue a heartfelt plea – don’t say these things in front of me or you’ll ruin my Zen.

I admit it’s irrational, but I can’t stand it when someone says they’re going to “sleep in.”  What does that even mean?  I adore the idea of sleeping LATE!  I hate to get up in the morning!  But sleep IN? In what, where?  Don’t say it, please!

My husband often tells me he’s going to “take a hot tub.”  I bet it’s obvious what I’m going to say.  Take it where?  Please don’t take the hot tub!  Go into it, and then leave it where it is so others can enjoy it later.

When someone asks how I’m doing, I’ll say “fine” or “great” or something along those lines.  But some people say, “I’m doing well.”  Yes, it’s grammatically correct.  But still, it always makes me pause and think that the person seems, well, kind of stuffy.

Then there are individual words that make me cringe.  

For a long time it seems that the heroes in romance novels were extremely fond of “laving” various parts of the heroine’s body.  Though I haven’t encountered this in a while (Dare I hope it’s become outdated?) I can still recall my outrage every time I encountered this activity.  Because “lave” means “wash,” according to Webster.  Not quite the image the author had in mind, no doubt.

In no particular order, I can’t stand the words puke, zit, fart, and bolus.  Why bolus, you ask? I have no clue, but when my dentist once said I had a bolus of food stuck under my gum I wanted to retch (not puke, please!) not from the thought of the food itself but from the sound of the word.  I’m not sure why all of these words describe somewhat unpleasant bodily functions.  I have nothing against the functions themselves.  Except bolus, which falls into another category entirely.

I once had a friend who couldn’t stand the word “bosom.”  I delighted in singing “Rock my Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” endlessly to her.  Maybe my aversion to the above words and phrases is payback of some sort.  One never knows.

###

Don't forget our Easter Egg hunt! You'll find an egg on one of my social media sites. Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads. Once you've located the egg, use the "Contact the Gems" link on the lower-left sidebar to submit the date, egg color, the author’s name, and location where you found the egg.