Wait! Summer's Over?

 

How did that happen? 

I confess, I've been inside a lot since March so I barely notice the change of seasons from spring to summer and now getting ready for fall. And, added onto that is that whatever is growing outside bothers my allergies, so, I'm indoors most of the time. 

And, of course, this is no UCR (usual-customary-reasonable) fall either. Staples and other stores selling school supplies should be packed. Beaches should be filled to capacity in that last effort to relax before the real world comes back. I should be on my way to Scotland for a 3-week tour/reseach/writing trip. But no, we're all trying to make our way from an unexpected summer to an unconventional fall. 

 The one thing that usually means summer to me is a visit to a beach - I love sitting on a beach and watching and listening to the waves. But mostly I like people-watching AND reading. I remember when my family rented a place on Long Beach Island and I began packing books first! The best part of that trip (since I had 3 boys at the time) was the long afternoon when my hubby took them back to the house and let me read uninterrupted on the beach for 4 hours! Bliss, sheer bliss! I may yet try to get down there for a couple of hours of beach reading....

Now (literally today!) the temps will shift a tiny bit cooler, forewarning us of the change of seasons coming. Personally, I love the fall - the cooler temps, the crispness in the air, the colors changing around me, the coming holidays. The smells of fireplaces and more baking will fill the air. Ahhhhhh. 

How about you? Are you mourning summer's departure or cheering fall's arrival? Was there a high point to your summer? Or expecting something fabulous this autumn? Let me know by commenting and I'll choose a summer and a fall person to receive a copy of my latest release - An Outlaw's Honor - or my rereleased - A Highlander's Hope. I'll choose on September 5.

 

Terri is working on her next Harlequin Historical romance while waiting for the release of TEMPTED BY HER VIKING ENEMY in November. The final book in the #SonsofSigurd series, it arrives on October 27(print) and November 1(ebook). Visit Terri's website for all the info! 

 

Favorite Books of Childhood

by Joanne Rock

My bookshelf from childhood-- with my hamster

I’ve started Christmas shopping this week and that means hitting the bookstore. Long before I sold my first book, I enjoyed giving books as gifts. So much so, I think friends come to expect that from me—I am the giver of books. It’s a pleasure to share that perfect story you think will really capture a friend’s heart or imagination.

That goes doubly so for kids. I remember so keenly how wonderful it was to discover the magic of reading independently as a child, and I always hope that giving the gift of a book will open that gateway for a child. Do you remember the first books that really made an impression on you as a child?

Here in no particular order, are some of the books that really had a strong impact for me as a kid:

1-     Black Beauty- this was the first time I recall sobbing while reading. And I had the experience of thinking- it’s crazy to realize I’m sitting safely in my bed, in my pjs, and crying so hard for the hurts of a fictional horse. That was really powerful for me, as I had my first taste of the way books teach us empathy.

2-     Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life- a book that spoofs the diva life and made me smile

3-     Nancy Drew- I owned about half of them and read all of them. I shared my collection with a friend down the street and vice versa. This series made me realize how much fun it is to share characters and story,lines. Books make for fun conversation.

4-     The Ghost of Windy Hill- this book kicked off my long love of ghost stories and the paranormal, even though this one isn’t particularly spooky. Very atmospheric!

5-      When We Were Very Young- this book of poetry by A.A. Milne was the first introduction to poems I read on my own—sweetly memorable.

6-     Stories from a Snowy Meadow – Anyone else remember Mole, Mouse, Shrew and Vole? I liked the emphasis on an older character, and the idea that storyteller Vole could be so important to the next generation. No surprise that I like a storyteller as hero!

7-     Snoopy and “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night” –Snoopy writes a book and has a book signing. I loved this book so much and have thought of it often over the years in my career as a writer, since Snoopy gets writer’s block, has big ideas, and even feels the pain of a book signing where no one shows up. The perfect book for a young writer.

My January 2018 McNeill story

What about you? Any memorable books from your youth? Or any books that your eager to buy for the young readers in your life? Share with me this week and I’ll give one random poster an advance copy of Claiming HisSecret Heir, my January 2018 Harlequin Desire! In the meantime, please be on the look out for His Pregnant Secretary, my December story, in stores December 5th.

The Rehabilitative Quality Of A Good Book

As a writer, some days I don't feel like writing. Now there are those normal, run-of-the-mill, short-term moments when the feeling lasts a day or two, but then I rebound and sit in front of the laptop and write.

On the other hand, there are the longer episodes when my brain isn't cooperating with the creative side to produce anything. It's not author's block, but more about feeling motivated. And authors who may suffer similar feelings completely get what I mean. There's no shortcut or easy solution, either. Everyone has to find her unique way to climb out of that hole.

Sometimes I fight through and use sheer determination to get to that necessary point. Lately, however, I've opted to give myself the space and time to figure it out. I'm not under deadlines so I can afford to slow down and take a breather.

And the best breather I know is to pick up a book and read.

Claire Norton at book club 

I'm a big reader. And this isn't about only reading when I feel blah about my writing. This sharing moment is about holding steady until achieving the creative balance. It's about taking a deep dive into book land and gorging on books. I tend to surround myself with books from most genres. And I especially make sure to include authors from various countries to enjoy the unique styles and flavors that come through due to the author's culture.

Now, filling my reservoir on books isn't about copying a particular author or copying a particular style. The joy in reading is about re-discovering the magical quality where a story sucks me right in and doesn't release me until well after the book is done. Allowing the imagination to roam and explore is a necessity like breathing. And I can only get that special rehabilitative quality through reading books.

So while I go through the process to get back in the saddle and write, I will enjoy every beautiful word, story, book that is in my e-reader TBR pile. As a dutiful reader, I will also leave reviews in Goodreads and on particular e-reader platforms.

I hope you have a book ready at your fingertips that will give you joy.

All the best,

Michelle
http://michellemonkou.com

Five Fav Shelfies

by Joanne Rock

My actual shelves

I’ve been on the road and away from my bookshelves lately. I miss them! As a book lover, I find it fun and inspiring to work while surrounded by stories I love. Plus, when I want to promote my own books or run a contest, it’s tricky to manage when I’m not within arm’s reach of my personal archives to take photos and post online.

I asked one of my sons back home to take some photos of my books for me, and in describing to him what I wanted, I got thinking about my five favorite shelfies—bookshelf shots that are art for art’s sake. I follow lots of them with the bookstagram hashtag on Instagram or shelfie tag on Tumblr. I know… some people follow cute animal pics. I like following books.

Anyhow, here are some of my favorite kinds of book pics:

PopSugar - see full article here

Rainbow- I think I love this motif because I’d never copy it in real life. Who could possibly USE a bookshelf organized by color, after all? I tend to group books by theme on my shelves. Medieval history in one place. Decorating in another. Romance goes together. Literary fiction has a place. But if you start grouping by color? I’d never find what I needed! However, it’s so pretty to look at and makes you focus on the physical joy of a book as opposed to the content. And sometimes, that’s really fun.

Teacups and Flowers- Less a shelfie than a book montage, the photograph of a beloved cover with coordinating teacup or flowers has timeless appeal! A colorful Harry Potter cover next to an equally jazzy bouquet or a quirky mug. A classic Jane Austen novel beside a teacup on white linen. It makes me want to run to the library and start reading.

White – Like the rainbow, I could never go for a color theme, but I’ve seen shelves where people wrap their books in protective papers so they all match. All white paper wraps are insanely pretty! I like the clean look of lovely white rooms that feel like a breath of fresh air. And to give the white some texture and depth with one book spine after another is so beautiful.

Vintage... so pretty!

Vintage- The history lover in me could stare at vintage book bindings for days. Gold leaf. Worn leather. A hint of must. It makes me wonder who else has held the same books as me, and how many other minds have wrestled with the ideas in those tombs. There’s a beautiful sense of connection to share a book, or maybe to find an insightful marginal note scratched eons ago in a margin. It’s what makes estate sale shopping so rewarding.

Fairy lights- My fanciful romantic assures me every bookshelf in the world is just a little bit better with fairy lights. I would fret that too much heat would hurt my precious titles, so LEDs are a must with a little bit of distance from the books themselves. But I think seeing the tiny twinkling lights around a bookshelf reminds me of the transporting magic of a story. One of my favorite quotes is from the storyteller Clarissa Pinkola Estes who talks about the power of story this way, “Whenever a tale is told, it becomes night. No matter where the dwelling, no matter the time, no matter the season, the telling of tales causes a starry sky and a white moon to creep from the eaves.” Fairy lights help give that feeling, like the stars are coming out as night falls and a story is about to begin...

Win my April release!

What about you? Have you ever followed the art of book photos? How do you like to see a shelf arranged? Share with me this week on the blog and I’ll give one random commenter a copy of a red-spine book for your red themed book shelf—an advance copy my upcoming Harlequin Desire, The Magnate’s Mail-Order Bride. In the meantime, please be on the lookout for the next book in my Harlequin Superromance series, "Heartache, TN," Wishes at First Light, available March 1. 

Christina Hollis: Things That Go Bump In The Night?

The eye of a living dinosaur?

I love reading, but I don’t have much time to sit and concentrate. Things changed over the holiday season, as my daughter gave me a book for Christmas which kept me glued to its pages. Although it wasn’t my normal sort of reading matter I managed to finish it in only a few days days. That was despite needing to jump up at regular intervals to walk the dog, feed the poultry and visit the bees, not to mention running the house! 

The book was about the study of mysterious creatures (Cryptozoology), and I’d never thought of buying for myself but it was an absolute winner. Short, illustrated and exciting, Cryptozoologicon Vol I, by John Conway, C.M. Kosemen and Darren Naish, turned out to be a great present.

Scientist Dr Darren Naish and his fellow contributors set out to shine a light on what they call the sloppy and wishful thinking that brings the study of mysterious beasts into disrepute. Cryptozoologicon gives details of what is known about twenty-eight shadowy beings such as BigFoot.  The available sightings and reports are examined in the light of the authors’ idea that;

"...cryptozoology should be seen as a mixture of sociology, psychology and ethnology as well as zoology." 

Go down to the woods today—you're sure of a big surprise...

If you're fascinated by why legends are born and develop, and how humans always try to explain away the unusual, this is the book for you. Each of the weird and wonderful creatures is examined in detail, and illustrated.  The Chupacabra in particular stopped me going out into woods after dark for a night or two, I can tell you!

Like all the best books, Cryptozoologicon produces nuggets of fascinating (and genuine) information where you least expect it. If you've ever wondered how bats evolved or why there aren't any large, water dwelling marsupials, this book offers some suggestions.

This was a new reading experience for me, and it’s encouraged me to look beyond my usual genres in the new year.

Have you made any reading resolutions for 2017?

My Reading Manifesto

By Joanne Rock

Thank you for visiting the blog!

Today’s post was inspired by a blog post at Broke by Books, after I went looking for new ways to entertain you. (I do try.) I read a post about potential topics for blogging to a bookish community, and one of the suggestions was to write your Reading Manifesto. I was intrigued.

Of course, my first thought was that I don’t have one. I read so widely and eclectically, what could I possibly have to say that wasn’t too broad and general? Yet, the idea niggled. I went back and read the prompt more carefully, and Sarah, the author of the piece, suggested writing about “your identity as a reader, your challenges and personal missions, values, and where you see yourself in the reading world.”

Surely I could do that. So here goes…

The Olympians

As a reader, I am interested in fiction and non-fiction alike. I started reading to entertain myself, but educate myself. I took out mountains of non-fiction books, studying broad topics like ballet or western art, then narrowing my focus to art movements I liked. I studied wines for a summer in middle school (why, I wonder? And what did my parents think of all my books on wine making?) and was obsessed with learning as many pantheons as possible once I discovered the Greeks and Romans didn’t have a monopoly on interesting gods.

even in grade school, I turned to the library to

The Christmas gift I lobbied for last year.

For long stretches at a time, fiction took a backseat to my need to learn. And to this day, I still believe in scooping up lots of non-fiction for learning in the most fun way I know. Last year, for Christmas, I asked my husband for a copy Vatican: All the Paintings by Anja Grebe. It’s a gorgeous book that I keep at the breakfast bar, where I learn about the Borgia-commissioned artworks over my bowl of Lucky Charms.

My biggest personal challenge as a reader is the loss of brick and mortar stores. I really miss easy access to a huge bookstore. I love browsing the shelves to see what’s out and what other people are buying. It’s a different experience than a library and I miss it. However, one of my great reading joys has comforted me in the last ten years as bookstores declined. At the same time, my book club world opened up and I’ve learned a lot about the books I’ve read by sharing them with friends and talking about them afterward.

Tonight's dinner inspiration

My fiction reading serves whole other purposes, providing escape, adventure and greater understanding of human nature. I can’t imagine a life without books. My inner world is a place that comforts me when the real world lets me down. I lose myself in books. I learn from books. I explore new worlds in books. Even for the most practical of chores—like cooking dinner tonight—I open up a cookbook for inspiration.

There you have it, friends… my reading manifesto. Tell me what kinds of books populate your reading shelf and I’ll give one random poster a copy of my holiday romance 2-1 with Tawny Weber, Undercover Festivities.

Cleary hits 100 in 2016 by Michelle Styles

There are always some books which stick with you. Henry Huggins is one of those books. I can remember my teacher reading it to us and me thinking – yes I want to read that. I preferred Henry to Beezus and Ramona, partly because I felt Beezus was put upon. I too had a younger sister who needed looking after and was a character in her own right.

 Fast forward a few years to me being 11, and I was in my school’s library one lunchtime. I happened across a book called Fifteen. It was also by the same. It told the story of a young girl and her first love in the late 1950s. I can still remember bits. She thought he didn’t like her but he ends up with appendicitis. There is also a reference to Macbeth. Anyway I enjoyed it and looking for more books of that sort and that led me on to Constance and from there, the adult library beckoned and I discovered romance books.

I liked the Henry Huggins books so much that I sought them out in the early 1990’s to be able to read them to my children. This was pre-Amazon and getting hold of North American children’s books (even classics) in the North East of England was difficult. I used to stock up when I visited my relations in the US. Thankfully my children could appreciate the adventures of Henry, Beezus, Ramona and Ribsy.

Beverly Cleary who wrote the Henry Huggins, Ramona the Pest and Fifteen books turns 100 this year in April. She is still very much alive. And this year people are celebrating her centenary (particularly during April which is DEAR month – Drop Everything And Read – and promotes sustained silent reading).  I happened to click on something about this earlier this month and a whole host of memories welled up. I had totally forgotten about Fifteen but onc

e I saw the name, I knew the story and how much I had enjoyed it.

I am thoroughly delighted that someone whose first book was publishe

d in 1950 and whose books have been such a great influence in children's literature and literature in general remains alive.

So who else is a Beverly Clearly fan and which is your favourite Clearly novel or character. If you can quite remember – try visiting her website  to jog your memory. There is also a good article about her from 2011 Atlantic Monthly.  I plan to keep DEAR month. Actually thanks in part to Cleary, I don't need an excuse to read. I just do it. Maybe I could have a DEAR day today...

And because Harlequin put these out or Valentine’s Day and I pressed send on my latest Viking:

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romance in a wide range of time periods, including VIkings. Her latest Viking  Summer of the Viking was published in June 2015.

YOu can learn more about Michelle and her books by visiting www.michellestyles.co.uk 

Christina Hollis: Three Ways To Give Your New Year A Great Start

Here's how to raise your spirits from their post-holiday slump...

Feed The Birds...A plague of grey squirrels meant we had to temporarily stop using our bird tables. Watching birds is a big part of our everyday lives, and suddenly the wintry garden was still and quiet. 

At least finding stocking fillers was easy this Christmas. We all bought each other squirrel-proof bird feeders! It’s lovely to welcome back the local winged hoards. 

Our new feeders hang from smooth, squirrel-proof metal poles, but in this battle of wits I’m sure those pesky egg-thieves won’t be put off for long. Most of these feeding stations are close to the house, but a good distance from bushes where our cat might hide. He spends a lot of his time indoors and has always preferred catching furry critters to birds, but you never know...

Give A Bit Back...another way to raise your spirits is by helping out your local food bank  They will be grateful for donations of dry goods like pasta, rice and dried potatoes, tinned food and long-life goods such as UHT milk. Toiletries, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste aren’t glamorous, but they’re needed and always welcome. And rather than throw away unwanted presents in the post-holiday clear-out, see if a charity shop would like them. Hand on decent copies of magazines to the waiting room in your local clinic or hospital. They'll make hanging around a bit less stressful. 

Find out more at http://bit.ly/1iNf2Gw

Be Good To Yourself... get some fresh air. During the shortest, darkest days of the year, things always look better in daylight. Even if the weather’s foul, get outside the four walls of home for an hour or two. The sun’s still up there somewhere, and exposure to natural light will raise your seratonin levels to increase your feel-good factor.  If you feel the need for company, there are bound to be other people out and about, trying to work off all that good holiday food. Once you've had some exercise, you'll have earned some time alone with a good book!

What’s your favourite way of lightening the post-holiday gloom? Comment below for the chance to win a copy of my latest release, Heart Of A Hostage. I'll draw the name of the winner at random on 21st January.

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. Her latest book, Heart Of A Hostage, has just been released. You can catch up with Christina at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, and see a full list of her published books on her website.

Read any good books lately? ~ Anne McAllister

 A few years ago I got an ebook reader that has pretty much changed my life. A part of my life at any rate.

Now that I don't have to worry about where I'm going to put a book on an actual physical shelf in my already over-run (by books) house, I buy more books.  I take a chance on authors I haven't read.  I don't always read them right away.  But there usually comes a time when I prowl through my earlier purchases to see what "sounds good" and start reading.  Sometimes I go back and re-read my 'virtual' keepers -- just as if I were pulling them off a real shelf.

I have quite a few I haven't read yet, but in case anyone's resolution is to read some good books this year, here's a half dozen I've enjoyed:

Elizabeth the First Wife, by Liane Dolan, charmed me.  Elizabeth, a college professor in Pasadena, made me laugh at the same time I nodded my head at the foibles of her family, her dreamy self-absorbed ex-husband, the potential new man in her life, and her summer at the Shakespeare festival in Oregon where it all came together in a perfect storm of enjoyment (for me. Not so much for Elizabeth).  I liked Dolan's Helen of Pasadena, too. I hope she writes more. Soon.

A Bad Boy for Christmas, by Kelly Hunter. I have pretty much never met a Kelly Hunter book I didn't like, so I was really looking forward to Cutter Jackson's story. It didn't disappoint.  Kelly has a way with words, with characters, with family dynamics that always keeps me reading.  And Cutter, who was trying to hold things together for everyone in his family without a lot of help from anyone, in the face of a new, unexpected potential threat to his family's well-being, while at the same time falling for the woman accompanying that threat - who was, let's face it, the last woman he wanted to fall for, completely drew me in.  She also set me up for Nash's book which she had better hurry up and write.

The Short Drop, by Matthew Fitzsimmons.  This was not an immediate grab for me. I like thrillers, but I knew nothing about this book save a few good reviews.  I could have got it for free, but I didn't. I bought it. I would buy it again in a minute. Gibson Vaughn was a man with a past that seemed out to get him. He'd weathered bad times, and confronting more, he was a reluctant hero at best.  The book grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me right into his world as after ten years, he tried again to find a childhood friend gone missing. Things were never quite what they seemed, and the deeper he -- and I -- got into the mystery, the messier things got.  There's a new Gibson Vaughn book in the works. I can hardly wait.

Necessary Restorations, by Kate Canterbary.  This is the third book in her series about the Walshes, set in Boston about a family of siblings in business together. I started with it rather than book #1 and I'm glad I did.  I enjoyed all of the books, but Sam was a hero unlike any other I've met in romantic fiction.  Sam had Issues, with a capital I, so many I wondered how she would ever manage to make me fall for him.  He was his own worst enemy on top of all the other things that plagued him.  I simultaneously wanted to slap him upside the head (a pretty much common reaction in his family, too) and cheer for him as he  overcame his demons -- or at least found a way to live with them that didn't destroy him.  Reading Sam's story took me into all the other Walsh books which I have enjoyed. But none as much as Sam's.

Peak by Roland Smith.  I raised a mountaineering son so Peak was a natural for me.  Peak (that's his name) was the fourteen year old offspring of a self-obsessed climber currently leading an expedition up Everest and a woman who had once climbed, too.  When Peak ran afoul of the law for a little climbing foray in New York City, he went to stay with the father he barely knew, a father who saw him more as a publicity opportunity than as a son.  It's up to Peak to navigate not just  the slopes of Everest, but the very human foibles which he faces as he learns what it means to become a responsible adult.  Smith followed Peak with The Edge, another story about Peak's mountaineering adventures, just as good as the first.

The Spring Bride by Anne Gracie.  I had the pleasure of reading, oh, a dozen or so beginnings of this book when Anne was writing it.  I heard about it.  But then she went off with it and wrote the whole thing, and I never got to read the rest until it came out as a book.  I wondered -- I always wonder -- how she's going to do the things she says she's going to do in a book.  I think, "I couldn't do that," and it's true. I couldn't. But Anne does. Every time.  Jane and Zach are wonderful together.  They don't have it easy -- the getting together part.  They both have plenty to overcome before the happily ever after.  But that's the joy of well-written, witty romance novels, isn't it? Watching the dance in progress, not the end.  I always eagerly await an Anne Gracie novel, even if I've had a chance to read a bit here or there in the process. It's always better. It's always more satisfying. It's always moving and enlightening and, at the same time, great fun. Jane and Zach were all of that and more.  This coming year I'm counting on Daisy to be a terrific Summer Bride!

So, what do you recommend for our reading pleasure?  Share some of your favorites of the past year in the comments or tell us about the ones you've got planned for reading this coming year.  

Eve Gaddy: 'TWAS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house
Everyone was exhausted, even the mouse.
The children were playing, and asking for help
The dog was too tired even to yelp.

Okay, I broke down after that. You see, I've been trying hard to think of a good blog for the day after Christmas. I got nothin'. Everything about the holidays is tied to traditions about that particular day or days, or the days leading up to it. No one ever talks about what happens afterward. (With the exception of day after Christmas sales.) I thought I'd list some things people might do, along with my own answers.

Eat leftovers--Yes! I do this! Especially the cookies and pie. I confess, one of the things I love about the season are the goodies.

Clean up from the day before--I try very hard not to do this. 

Look at/play with/assemble your own presents and kids' or grandkids' presents.--I do this too. 

Go to work--Sometimes if I'm on deadline, I'll write, but I prefer to hang out and do nothing useful.

Drive around and look at lights--I like this a lot.

Watch sports--yes

Shop!!! No, I don't do this, but I know a lot of people do and enjoy it.

Play board games--we do this more on Christmas day, but sometimes the day after.

Take down the tree and put up decorations--I usually don't do this until the 27th. The 27th also happens to be my anniversary. Taking down the tree seems like a dumb thing to do on your anniversary, nevertheless, that's what I do. 

Work on New Year's resolutions--Another confession. I hate New Year's resolutions. Every time I've ever tried to make them, I've broken them almost immediately. It's as if my subconscious says, "Who are you kidding? I'm not doing that." I suppose it's the rebel in me.

Read--Now we're getting somewhere. This is one of my favorite things to do. But I don't have to wait until after the holidays to do it.:)

           

Why yes, that's me. (Not really.)

There's still time to get Last Shot for $1.99 at your favorite digital outlet!

What do you do after the holidays? Have I hit on any of the things you do? What do you enjoy doing and what do you try your best not to do?

Visit me at:

www.evegaddy.net  

www.facebook.com/EveGaddyAuthor

Twitter: @evegaddy

Sweet or Steamy?

by Anna Campbell

Right from when I first started reading romance novels in state school (I was an early convert to the genre!), I've always liked a passionate read. As a teenager, books by Anne Mather or Kathleen Woodiwiss definitely got my adolescent heart pounding. All those wonderful sensual scenes and that sizzle of sexual tension.

But just lately I seem to have been on a reading jag for sweeter books so I thought I'd talk about a couple of sweeter reads that I've enjoyed over the years.

One of my all-time favorite books is A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS (1983) by Eva Ibbotson. I dare you not to be charmed by this gorgeous story of a Russian countess trying to make her way in England after the revolution and the lovely, heartbreaking, triumphant romance she has with the owner of the house where she finds work as a maid. I must have read this twenty times and it never fails to make me smile. Kisses are about as hot as this book gets, and I didn't mind at all!

One of my favorite category romances ever is the unforgettable A WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE (2010) by Liz Fielding. I'm pretty much a pushover for any of Liz's books. She writes so beautifully and with such deep emotion and her characters really take a hold on your heart.

This lovely romance is set on a game park in Africa, a place Liz knows well. Two damaged and outwardly incompatible people meet and find themselves falling hopelessly in love against the odds, but they both have to deal with the pain of the past before they can move on to the future they both deserve.

Like COUNTESS, this is another one I finished with a big happy sigh. A really good steamy romance doesn't stint on the emotion, but there's just something that catches at your heart about these particular books with their sweeter edge. And plenty of sensual tension if not actual love scenes.

My final sweet read is another all-time favorite of mine. Sophie Weston is an English writer who wrote some brilliant shorter romances, but my favorite book of hers by far is THE BEDROOM ASSIGNMENT (2002).

This one actually has a love scene but I find that with sweet and steamy, often the difference is one of tone rather than whether the relationship reaches physical consummation within the pages of the story. Mind you, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is a steamy read with that title which really doesn't express the pleasures of the story within!

The heroine of this one basically falls for the hero at first sight. He's the one who has to become self-aware enough to recognize that his new employee is the woman who will change his life forever and fulfill him in ways he's never imagined. This one will break your heart and then put it together again for a beautiful, sigh-worthy ending. Well worth going to the effort to track down.

So my question for you is, sweet or steamy or a mixture of both depending on your mood?

Knitting versus reading--Kandy Shepherd

Knitting—that was the topic of conversation when I met with friends last week for lunch.

They’d all taken it up—some after many years. Not for fashion or economy—the hand-knitted garments would cost more in yarn than a purchased one. No. My friends are all knitting for pleasure and relaxation.

I can knit—after a fashion. Simple combinations of plain and purl on large needles are within my skill range—though I freak at the thought of a cable! Years ago, bedridden recuperating from an operation, I found knitting a therapeutic way to pass the time. A very nice sweater resulted.

But I haven’t knitted for years. No time! And I haven’t learned to embroider or cross-stitch either—skills I greatly admire and would love to master. My mother and grandmother were expert at both. In fact I see needlework and knitting as examples of womanly arts that have survived generation after generation.

But not inherited by me. I can sew using a machine. And I love to cook. But if I have any spare time I want to read.

Reading is my pleasure and relaxation. I want to read books—both traditional and e-books—magazines, newspapers, journals, even the back of cereal packets if all else fails. Fiction, non-fiction—I just want to read!

How about you? Do you manage to juggle a reading addiction with another hobby or craft? Or are you like me? Please share your story!

Leave a comment to win a free download of my e-book Something About Joe. Be sure to include your email address.

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Kandy Shepherd writes fun, feel-good fiction.

www.kandyshepherd.com

IMAGE CREDITS

Knitting

© Shcheglov | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos ; Old books © Mietitore | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos;

Reading in bath 

© Duey | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

A Holiday Reading Feast!

by Anna Campbell

Oh, the bliss of the summer holidays here in Australia. As I write this, just before Christmas, I'm really looking forward to a couple of days of complete sloth over the Festive season. Of lying by the pool. Of snoozing. Of knocking a few books off the TBR pile.

Every year, if I possibly can, I take the time off between Christmas and New Year. Here in Australia, basically the whole country shuts down and I don't see why I should be any different.

I stockpile special books for these days as I love to curl up with a couple of really luscious reads and enjoy my leisure time.

This year is no different (I hope. Touch wood. Salt over my shoulder). So I thought I'd share some of the books I'm really looking forward to. There are others on the pile but these are the five that caught my attention first.

First is a book I read ages ago in manuscript and absolutely adored. It's the perfect Beauty and the Beast story - and as a lot of you know, that's far and away my fave fairytale. It's the second in Christina Brooke's Ministry of Marriage Series, MAD ABOUT THE EARL. Beastly Griffin (except he's mega yummy under the beastliness) and beautiful Rosamunde have such a rocky road to love when they embark upon their arranged marriage that you won't be able to put this book down. I'm looking forward to revisiting this delicious love affair and losing myself in Griffin's arms...uh, story!

Another luscious historical on the TBR pile (and another one with a beautiful blue cover!) is DESIRED by one of my long-time fave authors Nicola Cornick. This sounds like such a sexy, tug of war between duty and desire. And I already know which one is going to win. I always close Nicola's romances with a big happy sigh. Look forward to the same reaction with this one.

Tawny Weber writes wonderful sexy, saucy, smart contemporary romance. SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE is the start of a new three-parter for her and it sounds wonderful. Intrigue, forbidden attraction, lots of flirty fun. I can hardly wait.

While I'm on a category kick, I'm really looking forward to the latest Sarah Morgan. Have you read her? I think she writes the most brilliant classic Harlequin Presents (marketed here in Australia as Sexy and believe me, these books just bristle with sexual tension!). The latest is ONCE A FERRARA WIFE... (love the elipsis!) which sounds like a passionate reunion story. I devour Sarah's books in one gulp like chocolate - can't imagine this one will be any different!

At the moment, I'm reading a lot of crime to go with my romance and a series I've really got hooked on is Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon Mysteries.

Anna, the principal character, is a middle-aged widow who works as a ranger in a series of national parks across America. The descriptions of landscape and environment are extraordinary, so vivid that you actually feel like you're there. FLASHBACK is the next one I'm due to read. It's number 11 in the series and what's a nice benefit of these later books is that Anna has mended her broken heart to the point where she's have a very nice romance with a sheriff at her latest national park. I love a bit of romance to go with my murder ;-)

So do you get to catch up with your reading over the Christmas/New Year break? What did you read that really made you sit up and pay attention?