CHICKENS ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD by Hannah Rowan #RomanceGems

The topic of city girl vs. country girl seems to be popping up frequently in my life lately. I was reminiscing with my daughter-in-law about a brief, unfortunate time when I left New Jersey as a child and moved to Michigan for a few months that felt like a century.

Why?

Chickens!

Imagine the culture shock of a kid moving from very urban Newark, NJ, to a farm in Michigan that included not just an outhouse, but chickens. Chickens who pecked at my skinny little nine-year-old legs every time I walked through the yard on the way to said outhouse. It was terrifying.

Chickens seem to be the current must-have item for many people I know. A friend in northern New Jersey built a palace for her new brood. Another acquaintance ordered 50 baby chicks through the mail. At the assisted living where I work, we joined a farm project where we borrowed an incubator and hatched 12 baby chickens. We had to turn the eggs every 90 minutes. Do mother chickens do this? When do they sleep

I recently read a book called HOW TO SEDUCE A TEXAN by Karen Kelley about an out-of-her element city girl reporter who goes undercover to a dude ranch to do an exposé on the hero, who is on to her and puts her in the most primitive accommodations imaginable. And that included not only chickens but a psychotic rooster. I felt her pain.

Now I’m not only reading about chickens but I’ve acquired four grand-chickens with the names Checkers, Siren-head, Cupcake, and another one I can never remember because who names their chickens? At least these chickens are safely confined in a lovely chicken coop—isn’t that what you call the houses chickens live in? Because this isn’t really my area of expertise. But I don’t want to think about the possibility of eating a creature I’ve been introduced to by name.

My grand-chickens aren’t about to become anyone’s dinner anytime soon, as far as I know. Their function seems to be wandering around making strange little sounds and laying multicolored eggs at an alarming rate.

I’ve been sent home with many, many eggs every time I visit. So although I don’t want to make a meal of a creature I know on a first name basis, it seems I have no compunction about munching on my…potential great-grand-chickens. Is that a thing?

In self defense I learned how to make something called a frittata, in a big old iron frying pan, which again reminds me                                                  of country living, but what could
I do?  My world has gone so chicken-crazy that my husband started talking about whether we could have a few chickens on the little balcony of our tiny two bedroom condo. If that ever happens, I’m flying the coop.

Don't forget to enter our monthly Rafflecopter drawing for some great prizes in Amazon gift cards! You can find the complete details and full entry form on our Monthly Giveaway page. Or, you can enter via the Short Entry Form.

Summer Reads Coming At You by @ElsaKurt #RomanceGems

I Started Doing A Thing

It's not a big thing, really, just a little something I call the #DailyBookDrop (hashtag and all) on my Facebook page. I've started with "dropping" my own books, and will add books in my current reading list, all-time favorites, books I want to read... and so on.



So, I thought I'd do one big book drop here. Below are my currently published books, which can all be read for free with Kindle Unlimited! Here we go...

 The Two Tenleys

Two strangers, one name. What could go wrong?

Everything, that's what! This light-hearted, but heartstring pulling story is a medical mix-up with a twist. 

Still Here

He thought he'd lost her forever...

Damon  & Birdie Harrison had the perfect life, or so it seemed. When the trip of their dreams becomes their worst nightmare, can they find their way back?

 Craving: Country Billionaire's Club & Craving: Loyalty anthologies

I loved these short stories so much, I may make them full-length! Country girl Ella meets Hollywood star Owen Collins  & sparks fly in Tomorrow Always Comes. Jenna's a girl on the run... into the arms of billionaire Griff Pierce. And Jaime is a boy on the wrong side of the tracks. Can the girl he used to love save him from himself?

 Awkward Adventures in Dating

This funny, sexy, awkward romcom is about newly divorced Keira. She's joined the online dating pool... and she's drowning in disaster. Add a snarky narrator who sounds suspiciously like Fitzwilliam Darcy and stir.

Lost & Found Girls

This hauntingly strange tale isn't quite your typical romance, but if you're looking for something different, here you go! When a young girl and her mother show up unexpectedly across the street, twelve-year-old Shayne discovers they may have more in common than she ever imagined.

The Writer's Romance

Take a reclusive writer, a charismatic, handsome reality tv host, set them in a small town... and you've got a Hallmark-esque sweet, romantic comedy. Katharine Evans is trying to work on her novel, but Mitch Form and his demolition crew have shown up next door. More than her peace gets disrupted when these to meet.

Livvy Takes the Long Way

Another non-traditional. Livvy is at the crossroads of her life. Stay married to a man she despises, or start over again? Nothing is simple in this touching story of one woman's journey toward finding herself.

 Welcome To Chance (Series)

Five families, eight years in the life. Welcome to the small, coastal Connecticut town of Chance. It's where small-town life meets big-time drama.

And There You Have Them

Is your TBR list as full as mine?! Not that that's a bad problem to have! I love reading list recommendations, so feel free to drop your favorites in the comments.

JUNE GIVEAWAY

We're giving away Amazon gift cards again! Check the MONTHLY GIVEAWAY page for how to win!

The Summer Solstice and Special Deals by Jan Scarbrough

From The Old Farmer’s Almanac:

In 2020, the June solstice is Saturday, June 20, at 5:44 p.m. EDT. This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.

Okay, it’s not technically summer yet (in the Northern Hemisphere), but it feels like it in Kentucky! It’s HOT! On these almost-summer nights, I’ve spent my time reading. And if you like reading like I do, I happen to have a few specials just for you.

My writing buddy Maddie James and I have a series of contemporary Western romances called The Montana Ranchers.

We’ve put them into a Five-Book Box Set called the Montana McKennas and it’s on sale for 99 cents for a limited time! Here’s where you can find the set at all of the familiar ebook retailers.

I’m also about to release my mystery-romance trilogy called The Ghost Mountain Ranch. The first book is already available for 99 cents. I call it Hank: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 1. Here are the digital buy links.

On Christmas Eve, Hank accepts the job of ranch foreman over the mountains in the Gallatin Canyon, Montana. But something dark is happening at the Ghost Mountain Ranch, where the past is reaching out in dangerous ways to haunt the living.

One thing you might want to know about Hank is that it was published in 2017 as Home for the Holidays, so you may have read it. When I wrote it, I wanted it to be Hank’s transition from the McKenna Ranch to the ranch across the mountain. Hank becomes the hero in the book to be released June 19 – Darby: Ghost Mountain Ranch Book 2.

Now, if you’d like to get a free copy of Hank, I’m giving it away to my newsletter subscribers on Wednesday. All you have to do is go to my website and sign up for my newsletter! https://janscarbrough.com/contact/

The authors of the Romance Gems are giving away Amazon Gift Cards again this month. Go to our Monthly Giveaway page for all the details.

In Search of a Lost Muse by Nancy Fraser

It always amazed me when other writers complained about not being able to write. For the majority of my career as an author, I couldn't imagine not being able to write. Writing...creating...was necessary for survival of both body and mind.

That was until recently. I'd like to lay the blame on the current crisis and the feeling of isolation that comes with it, but I can't. I'd lost my muse a couple of months before lockdown. Somewhere between Thanksgiving and the new year, the fickle bitch flew the coop!

A sense of emotional and creative melancholy set in and I couldn't shake it. I still haven't completely shaken it. This had never happened to me before, and it upset me. Which, in turn, only made the whole situation more confusing.

And, to make matters worse, I missed a deadline. Two in fact. Another first for me. What was most embarrassing was that the first deadline only involved twenty pages of edits. I just couldn't bring myself to look at them. I couldn't concentrate long enough to muddle through the pages.

My editor, bless her, was patient and understanding. I wasn't the first author to suffer a creative block and I likely wouldn't be the last. The second deadline was more disconcerting, as it was for the first draft of the next story in the same series. And I was nowhere ... ten pages at best ... and they were crap.

Fortunately, I'm back to writing again. Not as quickly, or as seriously, as I once did, but writing all the same. So, what broke me out of my melancholy???

My new book cover ... the one for the book I couldn't quite bring myself to edit.

What I've found over the many, many years is that there are "stages" of euphoria with writing a novel. Different times when, once accomplished, the muse kicks in gear and propels us to the next stage. What we (or at least I) need to remember is: that next stage of the process is just around the corner.

For me, those stages start with the completion of an idea, either in outline form or a synopsis. Because I've worked with all four of my current publishers for quite some time, most often I sell on proposal so all that's required is a complete synopsis and viable date for completion.

Completion of the first draft would definite qualify as the next propelling stage. It might be rough, a bit crappy even, but the words are there and waiting to be shaped and perfected.

Then, the proposal gods willing, comes the contract. It's like an affirmation .... YEAH! They like me! They really, really like me!

Next, is the polish. Getting out the fluff so I can submit to my editor

Then comes the "paperwork" ... the manuscript details (for the blurb writer) and the cover art sheets. I may be the only person I know who loves doing their cover art sheet!

From there forward, it's edits (one round is perfect, two the norm). Followed by a galley read-through, fine tuning edits, and the final read through.

The finished cover comes next, along with (usually) the official release date. This is when the business side comes in with the creation of advertising memes, a trailer, and a page-full of usable tweets and posts.

The final stage is, of course, release day! My book birthdays are usually even better than my real birthdays. Far more exciting at least.

At this point, if we're lucky and the muse isn't on vacation, we start from the beginning and do it all again!

To celebrate the finding of my lost muse, I'm going to give away a digital copy of my historical novella, A Saved Woman. I'll draw a name from those who comment below (please include your email if you want to be included in the draw). I'd love to know what is something that "keeps you going" when you're not in the mood to accomplish a task.

About the Book:

In her first twenty years, Katy Anderson has experienced more heartache than most know in a lifetime. Given to a man old enough to be her father, she has spent the past six years secluded from everyone except for her three young children. Her husband’s untimely death brings relief that ... finally ... she and her children are free.

When Sheriff Mitch Logan arrives at the Anderson homestead, he is moved by Katy’s sad circumstances and vows to right the wrongs done to her. Mitch has always shied away from marriage due to his dangerous profession, yet he quickly changes his mind when Katy comes into his life, and into his heart.

Don't forget to enter our monthly Rafflecopter drawing for some great prizes in Amazon gift cards! You can find the complete details and full entry form on our Monthly Giveaway page. Or, you can enter via the Short Entry Form.

Until next month...stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe and keep reading!

Nancy

Winner, Winner, No Chicken Dinner by Nancy Fraser #romancegems

The May Rafflecopter just closed a few days ago. With over 8000 entries, it was our busiest month ever!

That's not to say it wasn't without a glitch or two. Apologies to those who had trouble posting comments on consecutive days. An error code caused two issues, the other was a time issue. Our Rafflecopter runs on Central Daylight Time, so for those of you who are supporting us by posting comments, please realize you can't comment on two different posts on the same day without setting off Rafflecopter's radar.

We also had another issue that comes up from time-to-time and, while it's not the norm, it is disappointing. When we draw the winning names, we also verify the winning task. For instance, if we pull a winner and the qualifying task was "posted a tweet about the blog", we go and look for the link provided. If it doesn't exist, or the link belongs to something else entirely, that entry is disqualified. The same goes with a winning task that requires you to "follow" someone on social media, Bookbub, or sign up for a newsletter. This month, we disqualified four winning entries because the task the entrant claimed did not exist.

As well, the rules on the Rafflecopter draw state: no more then two people allowed to claim entries on the same IP address. We had two different IP addresses using 10-20 different names each. All were disqualified. After disqualifications occurred, our actual total of entries was much closer to our normal count.

The Romance Gems have generously funded these giveaways. All we ask for in return is that you actually complete the task before claiming the entry and that you don't assume a half dozen aliases to do so.

Enough housekeeping rules. Let's get on with the announcements !!!

First Prize ~ $20 Amazon Gift Card: Deborah Dumm

Second Prize ~ $15 Amazon Gift Card: Bob

Third Prize ~ $10 Amazon Gift Card: Karen Haas

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you for your support.

June's contest began bright and early on the first of the month. Our promotion for Summer Days and Summer Nights includes both blog and individual author tasks, as well as Twitter and Trailer shares. We have suspended the "comment" task until we work out a few glitches. Hopefully, it will be back again next month. In the meantime, please keep commenting and interacting with our authors. You can never tell when one of them may give away a book just for the fun of it!

June Prizes:

First Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card; Second Prize: $15 Amazon Gift Card; Third Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next month's results are in ... stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe! And keep reading!

Nancy

Courage by Karen Whiddon

I've been thinking a lot about courage these days.  As a writer, it takes a bit of that to put your stories out there for others to read and critique.  Some people will love them, others will hate them, and there's nothing you can do to change that.  All you can do is write the best story you can.

Writing romance stories through these tumultuous times take courage.  It's easy to allow yourself to become distracted by the news or by Twitter or Facebook, or even retreat to the pretty pictures in Instagram.  So much going on, and I can't think of another time in my adult lifetime when the world needed uplifting stories more.  So I write, and I read, and lose myself in mindless television and music and nature.  Acts of creation and enjoyment and wishing I had the magic thing that would make the insanity stop.  Of course I don't.  I'm only human.  As are we all.

Once upon a time, several years ago, I was terrified of public speaking.  I decided ENOUGH and contacted every writing group within two hours of me and booked myself as a speaker at their meetings.  I traveled around, gave my talks, and by the time I'd finished six months of this, I was no longer scared to speak to groups.  I tackled that fear head on.  Unfortunately, I cannot do that with what's going on today.

I, like so many others, wrestle with dealing with reality these days, I feel powerless.  Broken.  Devastated by the state of our country today.  Unable to help, unable to make much of a difference.  But then, as I put my thoughts together for this blog today, I realized small things CAN help too.  Many small things add up to one big thing.  I can support authors of color - heck, I already do that, but I will do it more.  I will write more reviews when I love a book, and I'll put the word out via social media, so that others can read the book too.  A small gesture, but if enough of us do it, surely it will help bring some light to beat back the shadows.

And I can share my own good news. In the middle of Covid-19, I received a new 4 book contract from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. I get to work with my favorite editor Patience Bloom and write stories I love.

June is also a book birthday for me.  My book  Colton's Last Stand is out now.  Check it out HERE
If you read it and like it, please consider leaving me a review.  While it is book 12 in the series, it's also a stand-alone story.

Romance Gems Rafflecopter is on for the entire month.  You can access the entry form HERE

Marcia King-Gamble, Our New Author by @JoanReeves #RomanceGems

Happy June, everyone. Whee! I love June. It's warm, but not blistering hot, and full of sunshine and flowers.

Giveaway Alert

I'm giving away a beautiful Journal graced with a picture of the Eifel Tower on the front cover and a map of Paris on the back. Look for Giveaway Details below.

New Month Brings News

I'm certainly looking forward to a new month. I hope it lifts the gray curtain of gloom too many are feeling.

It's been a tough year so far, but there's hope on the horizon. The best doctors in the world are working on this virus. The technology geniuses of the world are coming up with solutions to help us get back to normal, albeit a new normal.

Let's continue being smart, valiant, hopeful, and never yielding to fear and paranoia.

Actually, I've been too busy to think about much except writing and welcoming new authors to Romance Gems.

Latest Romance Gems News

Please welcome Marcia King-Gamble, our newest author who has joined  Romance Gems. Marcia will be blogging on the 22nd of each month.

Although Marcia is a travel industry executive and visited many countries, she's spent most of life in the United States.

Marcia is a National Bestselling Author who has written more than 34 books and 8 novellas.

I invite you to find out more about her on her profile on The Authors. You'll find her online links there so drop by and visit her at her website and social media pages.

Marcia's latest book is Ring in the Moment, the second book in The Ring series.

Here's a short blurb to pique your reader's curiosity.

Keisha Wilson gets the surprise of her life when her boyfriend, Brian O'Connor dumps her, and right before one of the biggest holidays of the year. Brian gives no explanation, and although Keisha is hurt she has no choice but to move on. What else can she do?

Brian has never stopped loving Keisha, but he's reluctant to drag her into a mess. A past indiscretion has come back to haunt him, and until he can get that situation handled, he's in no position to make a commitment.

When Brian realizes Keisha isn't going to sit home and mope—and he may lose her— he decides it's time to take action. Portia, the woman back in his life, has other plans, She's not going to walk away without a fight. Given Brian's secret, will Keisha take him back? Can love survive deception?

Author Spotlight Shines on Kathryn Hills in June

Drop by Author Spotlight and learn more about Kathryn Hills, one of the nicest authors you'll ever meet.

Kathy is into all things that go bump in the night and is the author of A Time Traveler's Journey series.

The Spotlight page contains an excerpt for the first book in her series, Haunting Highland House, and it's romantic and sensual!

Sneak Peak at My Work in Progress

I'm having a ball writing a Mystery Romance entitled The Key to Kristina. It will publish in July in a box set I created called Fortune's Favor: The Treasure.

Kristina's father never gave her anything but a hard time—until he died and left her a key. But a key to what?

My book will be 1 of 7 novels, all written by some of my best writing buddies, and each novel will feature a treasure of some kind.

I'll give you a clue. The Treasure in my book is a bit unusual. I hope everyone who reads it keeps the secret and doesn't mention what the treasure is in a review. All I'll say is that I had a fabulous time doing the research for it.

Later this month, I'll do a cover reveal in my free subscription newsletter. So sign up if you want to see the cover for my book and for the box set itself.

In late June I'll issue a call for readers who want to receive an Advanced Reading Copy for the purposes of posting a review of my book when the box set publishes. Get on my list now if you wish. Email me (joan @ JoanReeves dot com) and put ARC in the Subject Box if you want to be put on the list to receive an Advanced Reading Copy. (You must agree to review the book and post your review on the day the book publishes.)

Front Cover

Giveaway Details

Prize: I'm giving away a beautiful writing journal as seen on the right. That's the front cover. It's spiral bound and 1 inch thick with brown kraft paper pages.

That means you can use it as a journal or as a scrapbook or photo album—or all three!

The back cover is a graphic of a Paris map.

U.S. Winner: If the selected winner is in the U.S. lower 48, I'll award the journal and send it by USPS Media Mail.

Back Cover

Winner Outside U.S.: If the selected winner is outside that area, the winner receives her choice of any of my ebooks or box sets.

Random Draw Giveaway: Winner chosen by Random Draw from entries that include an email with a comment.

To Enter: Leave a comment on this post in answer to this question: What are you most looking forward to in June?

You must leave your email address written out NOT as a hot link with your comment.

Giveaway Closes: June 6, 2020, Saturday.

Winner Notified: No later than June 8, 2020, Monday, by email.

I look forward to reading your comments. Good luck, and have a wonderful month!

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