All Work, No Play?

We ran away from home on Sunday.

Both my husband and I worked non stop last week. I was trying to catch up in my Fortress Of Literature. That's what my son calls my attic office. My husband worked a bunch of overtime.

Sunday was his only day off and he still has some winterizing to do, wrapping taps and tying trees. It's been a remarkably warm November. Normally we have snow by now, so that outside work really, really needs to be done. He's playing chicken with the weather, he really is.

Me, I'm always on deadline and I have about a million emails I have to answer so I couldn't really afford a day off.

He did have Monday booked off, but that was because he had to drive three hours for a specialist appointment. Small town is wonderful until you really need something, like carpal tunnel surgery. Then you're feeling the distance to civilization.

You also feel it when you want to see a new, big screen movie. Everyone was raving about The Arrival and our little theatre is usually a few weeks behind.

So there we were, drinking coffee Sunday morning, talking about all the things we had to get done, and somehow decided to play hooky from all of it. (We did manage to take out the garbage, since it was garbage day.) Then we left a day early for his appointment, got a hotel, saw the movie (which was wonderful and thought provoking and poignantly beautiful), then saw his doctor and drove home in the sunshine, rejuvenated and not feeling the least bit guilty.

Now I'm back at my desk and my eyes are crossing at my To Do list, but sometimes you have to make hay while the sun shines, right? Also, it's been my goal for a long while to find a better work/life balance. Having fun with loved ones keeps your relationships strong.

Face-time (the real kind) is also how you build a relationship, which is what Nicki does when she helps Quincy connect with his son, Atlas, in His Christmas Miracle. She designs an Advent calendar of activities they all do together. One reviewer on Netgalley said:

"His Christmas Miracle is such a loving, family romance. Sound strange? Not really. This isn’t about a man and a woman falling in love. This story is all about falling in love with a family. Father and son. Man and woman. Woman and child. Family love."

I hope you'll check it out. There's even a link to download your own Advent calendar included in the back of the book.

ON SALE!

Also look for Blame The Mistletoe, Book Two in my Love In Montana series, on sale for a few more days at 99c. (All of my books can be read as stand-alones, but you'll visit with Liz from Blame The Mistletoe in His Christmas Miracle.)

How do you like to spend time with friends and family? Have you had any fun, impulsive getaways lately? Even for an hour?



Bio:

Dani Collins is the USA Today Bestselling author of thirty romances for Harlequin Presents, Montana Born and herself. She lives in Canada with her high school sweetheart. Join Dani's newsletter list and receive Cruel Summer, a short ebook romance, as a welcome gift. Sign up here.

Christina Hollis—Back In The Old Routine...

In sickness and in health...

I've had to take a break from writing over the past few weeks. My son was born with several health problems, and now sees consultants for three different conditions. This involves regular cross-county trips to hospital for check-ups and treatment. 

I fit my writing around these, and school runs. My system worked well until my husband was felled by Campylobacter. This is a horrible form of food poisoning. He spent the best part of three weeks in bed (and the bathroom), except for the times when I was ferrying him between the emergency department, various tests and doctor's appointments, and pharmacies. 

Join me on Facebook at  http://on.fb.me/1Ee1urM

Quite frankly, during that time writing was the last thing on my mind. I rarely had time to think, let alone sit down. I'm still trying to catch up, but what happened to my husband has made me take a long, hard look at my own life. 

My Other Half has a high pressure job, and he's on call around the clock as his firm has clients around the world. In many respects it's like writing (apart from the size and regularity of his earnings!).  Pressure is good—it's what drives us to succeed. Writers can react to the pressure of deadlines, get the work done and move on. The stress of a piece being rejected, or lack of recognition for the novel you've battled to create is bad. Very bad. 

Too much stress crushes your immune system. Problems snowball until your health breaks down, and you're forced to take a break. When you return, clearing the backlog while trying to push forward traps you in a downward spiral.

Find out more at myBook.to/MyDreamGuy

I cope by planning. I schedule my writing time, to include regular breaks to take the dog out for a walk. That gives both of us fresh air and exercise. A good thing too, as I love to relax by baking. Those calories have to be burned off somehow! 

I stop work well before bedtime, and spend an hour or so relaxing and looking for laughs. Nobody can function at the top of their game if they're too wound up to get enough sleep. 

From now on I'm not going to answer the phone on its first ring, or reply to emails the second they come in. I only wish I could persuade my husband to do the same!

Incidentally, although the Department Of Public Health have investigated us, our relatives, friends, neighbours, work colleagues and everywhere we've visited (from several weeks before my husband fell ill until after he stopped being infectious), the source of his infection has never been traced. 

What's your tip for a productive working day? I'm offering a copy of my short romance My Dream Guy for a comment picked at random, on 21st November.

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. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Her current release, Heart Of A Hostage, is published by The Wild Rose Press and available at myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage  worldwide, and from http://bit.ly/2f8dKp1 in the US.

Hold Her Heart...What makes a family?

Last time I blogged here, I talked about heading to New Jersey...and I made it! I thought I'd share the highlight of my trip with you!  I had such a great time at the conference.  I traveled down with my pal, Susan Gable.  She shot the awards presentation.  You'd think, as a writer, I'd have prepared a speech.  Uh, obviously I didn't.  LOL  But I meant what I said, thank you to the New Jersey Romance Writers group, and to everyone who's picked up one of my books!

My big news...my new release, Hold Her Heart is out!!  

One of my all time favorite reviews is, "With books like this, if you aren't a Holly fan, you're likely a robot." ~S. Stone   It's part of my bestselling Words of the Heart series.  All the books are stand-alone, and yet they all tie together.  

This book, like so many of my books, deals not only with a romance, but with the question...what makes a family?  It's a theme that I write about again and again.  You'd think that the question would eventually be answered to my satisfaction, but here's the thing...families are made in so many ways.  I'm pretty sure I could ask that question for the rest of my writing career and never fully answer it.

I look at my own family. It's diverse and always growing.  And to date, my heart has never run out of room...and I don't anticipate that changing in the future!

I've been calling the books in this series (along with Just One Thing), Romance+ books.  They're definitely romance, but they're more than that.  They're a woman's journey...a journey that includes romance but isn't the reason for her journey.  Yeah, I tried to coin the term Womance (women's fiction + romance) but for some reason that didn't take off!  LOL  Romance+ seems to be doing better!

Some other Hold Her Heart reviews:

I will definitely be adding this to my must re-read list. Five stars doesn't come close, but that's all they give us. Please add this to your collection and enjoy.
By Literature Litehouse on September 14, 2016

Thanks for another beautiful story, Holly. And thanks for how you've woven these stories together. I an looking forward to the next one.

Published 12 days ago by Amazon Customer

This was a great addition to Holly's works of literature. She reminds us of the treasure of family, life and love. Another great read!

Published 25 days ago by Beth Anne

This is a realistic story of a child given up for adoption and she had a normal and happy childhood. Her mother's husband comes searching for her due to his wife's illness.

Published 1 month ago by Hcquarles

Hold Her Heart was an absolutely beautiful and emotional read. I cried my eyes out. Holly Jacobs truly played the emotion card when writing the follow up to Carry Her Heart. 

Published 1 month ago by Carolyn

A few readers read the opening and got worried...so I'll reiterate my promise here: There is a Happily-Ever-After.  Honest.

Other news...I started using Instagram.  Come visit if you have a minute!  

Holly

What's in A Name with Kate Walker

Last time I posted on here, I talked about the fact that I was celebrating my 65^th published title.  I even asked what sort of gift or other way of celebrating I could come up with to mark this occasion

It was supposed to be a ‘sky blue’ celebration. – which sounded lovely.,

But last weekend I was away on a break with some wonderful friends and they came up with a fabulous gift to mark this special milestone book and this was it:

A  scarf, printed with all the names of all the heroes and all the heroines in all my 65 books.  (There’s an extra one in there for me and my dh The Babe Magnet as well so that makes 67 names!) Someone went  to a lot of trouble to find them all and design this scarf with them on.

Isn’t it wonderful?

So now I’m reminded of one of the little things in my writing that I’m very proud of  - I’ve never repeated a hero or a heroine’s name  in any of my stories. Sometimes it’s be  difficult, sometimes downright hard – but so far I’ve always managed it.  It helps me to feel that I’m writing about someone new, someone whose story I haven’t told – if they have a name I haven’t used before.

So now I’m on my 66^th book. The revisions  (tweaks) my editor asked for are just about done and I’m planning the  follow up – hopefully the 67^th. I already have names for the hero and heroine of the 66^th – they’re  Imogen and Raoul. And the follow up  already has the names in place as  these 2 characters appear in the 66^th – so they are Ciara and  - well,  her hero’s name started out being Aidan,  but it just wouldn’t work.  Even though he’s meant to be Irish – or part Irish – the name just wouldn’t ‘gel’.   

Then I realised why. Back in 1999  - and almost forgotten – I had a hero called Aidan. He appeared in a book called The Groom's Revenge.  And I’d already told his story – so I needed a new 

name.  Somehow when I looked at this name and just moved letters around a bit I found a new name that worked – Adnan. And that felt just right. But it changed ‘Aidan’ completely and the differences altered the story – for the better, I think!

So Adnan he is and I’ll be telling his story next just as soon as I’ve sent Imogen and Raoul’s story off to my editor.

 

And after that? I don’t know? I’ll have to think of a new pair of names for book 68!!   Do you have any ideas? What sort  names do you like for a hero   or a heroine?  Do you have any suggestions that might inspire me? If I use your suggestions I’ll let you know and maybe share a copy of the book with you . . .when I get it done!

You can find further details on all of these books over on my web site.

Meanwhile the 65th title Indebted to Moreno is in the shops now.

In the meantime, all  up to date news will be posted on my blog  or my Facebook page.

Carole Mortimer: Reading Tastes

Hi Everyone,

November is a month when I love to light the fire and sit down and read a book by one of my favorite authors. Do your reading tastes change with the Seasons? I’ve noticed that mine do. For some reason I prefer to read historical books in the winter months. Maybe it’s the darker evenings, but I so enjoy being transported to a different time and way of life. Probably in the knowledge I’m snug and cosily warm with my family!

It is now a year since I published The Duke’s Mistress (Regency Unlaced 1) and to celebrate I have now made this book FREE on all ebook sites. So download your FREE copy today!  

Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3), the 4^th book in my Amazon #1 contemporary romance series is now available for pre-order, with a publication date of November 30^th. 

The 7^th book in my Regency romantic suspense series, Pleasured by a Duke (Regency Unlaced 7), was published on October 28^th. This book has been an Amazon #1 since it went up for pre-order in August – so thank you to everyone who pre-ordered it and gave me that #1 spot. The pre-order for Seduced by a Marquis (Regency Unlaced 8) is also now available, with a publication date of December 20^th. If you like to read books about families, then you might enjoy that the hero of book 8 is the brother of the hero of book 7.

I am still thoroughly enjoying my venture into indie publishing.  From your response I believe you are enjoying reading these hotter books with added suspense too! I have a great team around me to help me, a US editor and copyeditor, my son Josh as my PR guy, son Matthew as my formatter, and a wonderful lady who has become a friend as my cover design and website lady. I have enormous fun choosing the pictures on my covers. I do so love a dark and brooding hero!

As always, the stories in my Regency Unlaced, Knight Security, and Alpha series are all romances with added suspense and/or danger. They are also more explicit in their language and sexual content than my other books. In other words, they’re hot, so you have been warned!

Love Carole x

Buy links for FREE The Duke’s Mistress (Regency Unlaced 1)

Amazon | B&N  Also available FREE on all other ebook sites.

Buy links for Pleasured by a Duke (Regency Unlaced 7)

Amazon |B&N  Also available ibooks, Kobo, and Smashwords

Buy links for Seduced by a Marquis (Regency Unlaced 8)

Amazon | B&N  Also available ibooks, Kobo, and Smashwords 

Buy links for Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3)

Amazon | B&N   Also available on iBooks, Kobo, and Smashwords

Carole Mortimer has written 220 books in the contemporary and Regency romance genres. She is Recipient of the 2015 Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award, a USA Today Bestselling Author, Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Romance Author—ever, 2014 Romantic Times Pioneer of Romance, and in 2012 was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II for her ‘outstanding service to literature’.

She is very happily married to Peter, they have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man.

Website: www.carolemortimer.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CaroleMortimerAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/carole_mortimer

Newsletter: www.eepurl.com/2rfzz

Life Happens . . . Anne McAllister

We moved in the summer from the Midwest (as in, "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa.") to Montana.  We didn't do it just because there are four grandchildren here.  We left four grandchildren in Iowa -- albeit older ones.  But they were a big part of it.  Also my mother's family is from Montana, and it always felt like home to me when we came back here when I was a child.

So . . . we are 'home' now -- and instead of writing books about  Montana, which I seemed to do a lot of while I was in Iowa, before I barely got my computer unpacked I got asked to write a book set in England!

I said yes, of course.  That way I can justify going for research, right?

And I started writing -- or getting prepared to write.  I set aside my long-suffering hero of O'Driscoll Heir, promising to come back to him when my new fling had had his Happily Ever After, and I allowed my life to be taken over by some other man named Jack.

O'Driscoll had his revenge.  No sooner had Jack and I embarked on his book than I broke my wrist!

It is now three and a half weeks into the broken wrist. Jack's book is still on page 3.  But I've got some voice recognition software now, and I'm giving it a workout.  We'll see how it goes.

In the meantime, the Cubs waited until we left the Midwest to win the World Series, which was quite wonderful (sorry, Cleveland).  So I wallowed in baseball while waiting for the wrist to come around. It's still not quite there yet, so I'm not writing any more on this.  Just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you all and wondering what curve balls life has thrown you lately.

On the plus side, the lovely talented Lee Hyat (she of the Tote Bags and Blogs blog, in fact) has done yet another superlative cover for one of my reprinted cowboys.  You get to see it here first!

The Cowboy and the Kid was one of my favorite books, partly because it grew out of my weekend audit of bull-riding school which was one of the most fun experiences of my writing career.  It also got to be RT's series romance of the year back in the day.   I think it is just as much fun this time around.  Hope you'll check it out when it's released again in late January 2017.

Her Christmas Cowboy

I know that probably Christmas is the last thing on most people's mind today but I needed a distraction and thought you might too!

I love Christmas and I love Mariette, Mt--the fictional world created by Tule Publishing where I have set so many stories.  Readers have been asking for retired Marine hero Lane Scott’s story since he first appeared in A Cowboy For Christmas back in 2013.  And I’m happy to say it’s here.

HerChristmas Cowboy has all the feels that I love in a holiday story.  It’s got a sweet, shy girl who knew Lane in high school, lots of Christmas fun and of course a chance to catch up with all of the Scott Brothers and their new wives.

Because Christmas to me is tied to eating, drinking and watching holiday movies those things play a big part in Lane and Felicity’s story.  One of the games they play is a quick fire.  A game where they have to choose between two holiday themed things quickly. 

Here’s a snippet of the scene:

“Quick fire,” he said. “We each fire off three questions in turn. Sound good?”

She carefully sat down and then took a sip of her hot chocolate. Her favorite part of drinking it this way was when the whipped cream melted in her mouth as the hot liquid hit it. She opened her eyes to find Lane sitting next to her, watching her.

She licked her lips.

His eyes tracked the movement.

She set her cup down as a slow heat began to build inside of her. She was trying to play it cool but there was no way to do that around Lane. He was seriously built and just everything about him made her think of being back in his muscly arms. Feeling the warmth of his naked body against hers as he moved over her.

“Favorite Christmas TV show?” she blurted out.

He gave her a knowing grin and took his time settling back on the blankets. He moved with surety and confidence, which she had come to expect.

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” he said. “Yours?”

“Grinch—the animated one not the Jim Carrey one.”

He arched one eyebrow at her. “Midnight mass or the kids’ evening mass with the nativity?”

“Nativity—and not just because my students are usually in it. I like celebrating the holiday with kids.”

“Same,” he said.

His eyes were intense as he watched her and she was on the cusp of asking him to spend the night. Which she thought might be too soon considering they’d only had one date. “Snowy kisses or mistletoe ones?”

“If I’m kissing you: both,” he said. “But otherwise snowy because I’m kissing someone I want to and not because of tradition.”

***

I thought it would be fun to play here today.  Answer these holiday quick fire questions to be entered to win the e-book version of Her Christmas Cowboy for yourself and a friend!

Favorite holiday television show?

Favorite holiday cookie/cake/dessert?

Gift giving or receiving?

My answers are:

Charlie Brown Christmas

Pistachio and cranberry biscotti

Giving

Happy reading!

Kathy J

Addison Fox: Quotes

I’ll admit it, I’m a freak for quotes. I love them – those small amalgams of words that when put together leave us with tiny pieces of inspiration. I have them everywhere – most often on scraps of paper – and tucked in random pages of notebooks. They’re words I’ve convinced myself I’ll use again in the future (I really need to get a better filing system, by the way), equally convinced I will know exactly where to find that particular quote when I need it.

That crummy filing system often conspires against me, but I’ve not yet let that deter me. More, when I do find the exact right quote for a project, it’s like finding a small gem, hidden away just waiting to be discovered.

I love the way the right quote can sum up a book or a character’s journey and I needed one for the my latest project. I found what I needed, but while searching I came across another. I don’t have a use for it yet, but I can almost see the story that would spring from this:

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”  -- Shakespeare

The words are powerful, as the Bard is so capable of, and so very human, too. In many ways, this phrase is the reason I write. I know my characters – I see them as clearly as if they were standing before me – but it’s in the writing that I come to know who they will be. It’s the joy of the job and it’s the mind-numbing frustration of it, all rolled into one.

Of course, I’m glad today I finally wrote this one down. You never know when I may need to pull it out, brush it off and use this quote for just the right occasion.

Thanks for joining me today!

XO,

Addison

Despite early ambitions of being a diver, a drummer or a doctor, Addison Fox happily discovered she was more suited to life as a writer. She lives in New York and - thankfully - doesn't have to operate on anyone. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com. Her latest two releases, AT LAST from St. Martin’s Swerve and A HUNTER UNDER THE MISTLETOE from Harlequin Nocturne are currently available. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com

Roxanne Snopek: Bags, Bags and More Bags

Anyone else here addicted to bags? Tote-Bags and Blogs – I’m guessing so!

We recently visited with friends who have a very large, beautiful house, with the best walk-in closet and laundry room I’ve ever seen. I confess, I had storage-envy after seeing their place.

And I immediately recognized another bag-lover. Not only does my friend has a long shelf in her closet devoted to her handbags, but she also has another floor-to-ceiling cupboard in their laundry room to house those shoes and bags she uses less often. I LOVE it!

I’m currently looking for a good bag that can be used every day, as well as for travel and this is the one I’m leaning towards. I adore the purple, but it comes in a bunch of other colors, too. And the prices are very reasonable.

Travelon Anti-Theft Red

I already have a different cross-body Travelon bag in red and I really like it. But as I almost always carry a water bottle or two with me, I’m thinking this might be a good change. Plus, PURPLE!

Travelon Anti-Theft Cross Body Purple

For years, I was hooked on Derek Alexander bags. They’re an entirely different kind of bag, leather, elegantly designed, and very pricy, so I can’t indulge myself much on these. But this is one of the best organizer bags I’ve ever had.

Derek Alexander Crossbody

Sometimes though, I wish I had a cute little bag for when you’re going out and you only need to bring keys, a credit card, tissues and lip balm. A friend of mine has this adorable pink Kate Spade mini-clutch.

Kate Spade Mini Clutch

Who here also loves bag shopping? What’s your favorite bag?

CJ Carmichael: My Thankful List

Author Melissa McClone’s newest release, A Thankful Heart, (book 2 in our Love at the Chocolate Shop series) showcases a heroine with a huge heart. Dakota knows how to appreciate the good things in her life, and the lessons she has to teach the hero help make this a truly special read.

Since I’m working on the Love at the Chocolate Shop series with Melissa, I was able to read an advance copy of this wonderful book, and it left me with a real appreciation for the importance of being thankful.

Every time I pick up a newspaper or catch the news on TV or the radio, I am thankful for all the big things in my life that make me one of the truly fortunate. I’m thankful for my children, husband, friends and family. I’m thankful to live in a lawful country that respects the rights of all humans. I’m thankful for my health, for my home, and for having the means to live comfortably unlike so many in the world.

Yes. So fortunate.

A poem I was reading last night also reminded me it’s important to reflect on all the little things that give joy as well. And so, today, as I sit at the island in my kitchen and look out my window I am thankful for…

The delicious latte my husband makes me every morning…

The lovely finches and chickadees who are feeding on sunflower seeds outside my window right now…

The space and quiet to do work I love right from my own home…

The knowledge that I don’t have to cook dinner because there is left over pot roast in the fridge…

And maybe best of all, a wonderful book waits for me to start reading it when I finish my work for the day…

What joys are making you smile today? I hope anticipation for reading a good book is one of them.

Warmly,

C.J. Carmichael

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