Why Soren Kierkegaard is a Romance Junkie by Cecily White

I’ve been thinking about Soren Kierkegaard. I know, I know… why would anyone waste time thinking about Soren Kierkegaard. Anyway, he’s been on my mind, so I’m going to tell you his story. And brace yourself, because it’s possibly the worst love story ever.

Soren’s tale begins with his father, whose wife was dying a tragic, ugly, loooong, drawn-out death. Obviously, he couldn’t care for the kids and house alone, so he hired a maid. Fast forward a few months, the maid is pregnant, the wife is not yet dead, and here comes baby Soren, the newest and most hated member of the family. (I know. SOOOO Jerry Springer, right?)

Our hero passed a miserable childhood and adolescence, constantly wallowing in self-pity and religious turmoil. He never allowed himself to love – partly because he felt this would be cheating on his passionate love of God (groan), but also because he was uber-unattractive and had horrible posture. (Yes, your mother was right. Stand up straight and you won’t die a horrible, soul-crushing death.) The one comfort poor Soren took lay in the knowledge that his pain-riddled thoughts and observations were Pure and Important. In fact, he became so attached to his suffering he once noted that Depression was his most faithful mistress, thus, it was no wonder he returned her affection. (That quote TOTALLY reminds me of my college boyfriend, by the way.)

Pathetic? Yes.

Diagnosable? Absolutely.

(We’re still talking about Soren, here.)

Everything changed when our dear hero moved to a new city and encountered a girl (Get out! A girl? Soren likes a girl?!?!). Her name was Regine Olsen, and she captivated him. He’d not spoken to her, however, he found himself wanting to be close to her. So, poor Soren did what any desperate, socially stunted guy would do.

He stalked her.

He talked to her friends.

He figured out what she read, where she went to lunch, what kind of music she listened to, where she bought her undergarments.

Once he had all the deets sorted, it was time to make his move.

Soren: “Hello.”

Regine: “Hello.”

Soren: “That’s a lovely pink underfrock you’re wearing. May I buy you a cup of warm asses’ milk?”

Regine (laughing): “Oh, wait, you’re serious?”

Despite the rocky start, Soren had found love. And not just the kind of humdrum, run-of-the-mill love where the best part is when you file joint taxes. No, this was a passionate love. A love that defied reason and made people wonder whether Regine perhaps needed eyeglasses.

A happy ending, you say?

But no, that would be too easy for poor Soren. After a few months of bliss, he began to realize that his writing had lost its spark. No longer could he wallow in the doldrums, crucifying humanity for its many faults and exalting God’s impossible perfection. No longer could he wrestle with the dark plight of humanity. Regrettably, Soren was plagued with an illness more paralyzing than any plague.

He was… HAPPY.

Horribly, miserably, catastrophically happy!

He had to make a choice. Stay with Regine, and live his life in blissful mediocrity. Or leave her, and return to his lonely, anguished excellence and philosophical superiority.

Well, Soren being a man (and thus an idiot) made the only choice he could.

Soren: “I’m leaving you.”

Regine: “Excuse me?”

Soren: “I’m too happy. It’s not working out.”

Regine: “Is this because of the asses’ milk thing?”

Fast forward a few years, and Soren is living in an apartment (read: ManCave), writing book after book about why he left Regine and how true happiness without her is futile, etc, etc, wondering why she hasn’t come running back to him. Eventually, he goes to tell her he made a mistake, only to find that she’s married someone else, one of Soren’s fellow philosophers. (Awk-ward.)

At this point, Soren is so heartbroken, he can barely make it back to his dad’s house, let alone stop for a cup of asses’ milk. His father, of course, reminds him that if he would just stand up straight once in a while, maybe Regine would come back and it would all be okay. Soren shows his father what he thinks of this advice by promptly dying of a broken heart.

The moral of the story is summed up beautifully by some of the last words Soren Kierkegaard wrote in his private journal:

“To live without love is a mistake for which there is no reparation, either in this life or any other.”

So there you have it, my fellow romance writers and readers:

If Soren Kierkegaard were alive today, he would be the biggest romance junkie on the planet. He would be camped out with the Twi-hards, poring over Google, saying prayers for Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to rekindle. (Even though Justin is gay and Selena is clearly his beard… Don’t lie, you’ve all thought it.) So if you ever doubt that romance novels have substance, just think of Soren Kierkegaard. Writer. Philosopher. Lover. Because he knows what we all suspect and what the Fab Four sang so long ago: Love is all you need…

…and maybe a cup of warm asses’ milk.

Have you a more tragic story then our poor Soren & Regine? Tell us about it! GIVEAWAY: One eCopy to one commenter [US only]

Here is where you can find the book: Amazon / B-A-M / Barnes & Noble / GoodReads.com / IndieBound / Kobo / Powell’s Books
AUTHOR BIO: Cecily Cornelius-White, Psy.D. makes a habit of avoiding boredom whenever possible. She has enjoyed careers as a hand model, GAP salesgirl, movie projectionist, psychotherapist, yoga instructor, university professor, artist, dance choreographer, eating disorders specialist, psych diagnostician, book reviewer and copy editor. None of which are as much fun as writing novels.

She currently lives in Springfield, MO with two FABULOUS kids, and a schizophrenic yet well-mannered cat. She can swear in Klingon, take down an alien aggressor using only her mind (or a pair of chopsticks), and kill giant spiders without getting schmutz on her shirt. When not singing to herself, she spends time creating new worlds and thinking up ways to make this one better…

Where you can find her: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Unlikely Partners In Crime By Amanda Berry

I’m so happy to be posting to bookworm2bookworm, even though I was a bit concerned because I don’t write Historical Romance. I love reading Historical Romance though. From Dukes to Scottish Lords, I can’t get enough. I don’t think I have the patience to do the research for a historical, but I love reading them.

I had to come up with a topic for this blog post and decided to talk about my partners in writing. I write contemporary short romance for Harlequin, Jeannie Lin writes historical set in the ancient China, and Shawntelle Madison writes urban fantasy/paranormal romance with a funny twist.

When we first met, we were all unpublished and looking for writing friends. We formed a critique group with some other friends, Kristi Lea and Dawn Blankenship. After a year or so of being together, I received a contract for my first Special Edition, Jeannie won the Golden Heart and received a contract for her first Harlequin Historical, and Shawntelle scored an agent and sold her Coveted series to Ballantine.

What makes our relationship work, even though we write in different genres, is that we respect each other’s work and read other books within those genres. The great thing is that every now and then our books release at about the same time. Like now.

My May release is Father by Choice. (Jeannie suggested the title should have been The Middle Manager’s Secret Baby) When workaholic Brady Ward finds out he has a seven-year-old daughter with Maggie Brown, he has to figure out what’s more important to him: His career in New York or his new found family in his small hometown in the Midwest.

Shawntelle’s May release is Bitter Disenchantment. This is a prequel to her Coveted series, Coveted and Kept. Werewolf Natalya Stravinsky’s outspoken sidekick, Aggie McClure, is featured in this prequel short novel. Before Agatha set foot in South Toms River, New Jersey, she had to fight for the one thing she’s never had: a choice.

Jeannie has two books coming out. In May she has The Sword Dancer. A romantic adventure tale about a relentless thief-catcher and the clever sword-dancer who keeps on evading him, set in Tang Dynasty China. And in August, her first single title release The Lotus Palace comes out. (BTW I think she always gets the most gorgeous covers) A notorious playboy and a lowly maidservant find themselves thrown together unexpectedly to solve a mystery in the infamous pleasure district of the imperial Chinese capital.

There’s a little something for everyone. If you are looking for werewolves with compulsions to eat or collect holiday ornaments, check out Shawntelle’s Coveted series and next month’s Bitter Disenchantment. If you want a quick read with family drama set in a small town, check out my Father by Choice. If you want to escape into a time of silk and political intrigue, check out Jeannie’s ancient China in Sword Dancer and The Lotus Palace.

Please leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Father by Choice, Sword Dancer, and Bitter Disenchantment. Don’t know what to say? I’d love to know what your favorite type of book is to read?

AUTHOR BIO: After an exciting life as a CPA, Amanda Berry returned to writing when her husband swept the family off to England to live for a year. Now she’s hooked, and since returning to the states spends her writing days concocting spicy contemporary romances while her cats try in vain to pry her hands off the keyboard.

Her Marlene award-winning contemporary romance, L.A. Cinderella, debuted from Silhouette Special Edition in June 2010. One thing she requires of all her books is a happily ever after. Amanda grew up in the Midwest, but recently moved to the Southeast with her husband and two children. For more information, please visit http://www.amanda-berry.com.

Riding with the Harley Dogs: One Author’s Adventure by Angie Fox

I’d always known writing would be an adventure, but I never predicted my writing would put me on the back of a coal black Harley Davidson, with an Irish Setter in tow. I’d set out to write a paranormal about a straight-laced preschool teacher turned demon slayer who has to run off with a gang of geriatric biker witches. But my heroine has a smart-mouthed dog that, thanks to her new powers, can talk…and talk…and talk. And I really loved that dog. What’s a writer to do? Well, I went online and learned that there is a nationwide club of Harley bikers who ride with their dogs. So my heroine could have her pink Harley, and her Jack Russell Terrier too.

And of course I had to meet these Harley riding dog lovers. I called up a few of the members of a Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club and the adventure began. They invited me into their homes, introduced me to their dogs and, like my heroine, the bikers hoisted me up on the back of a Harley, with a dog in tow.

Things I learned right off the bat:

• After an hour on a Harley, you’ll walk like John Wayne for a week
• Helmets hurt when they are worn backwards
• Dogs love riding motorcycles

Stone, the biker who spent the most time making sure I didn’t fall off his hog, showed me how to ride, invited me to some biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink next time), and helped make The Accidental Demon Slayer as real as it can be (for a book about a somewhat sheltered preschool teacher turned demon slayer).

So just when I thought I was writing fiction, it seemed my made-up characters from The Accidental Demon Slayer weren’t so imaginary after all. One of the bikers I met even has a wife who is a biker witch. I’m wondering if she, like my heroine’s biker witch grandma, wears a “kiss my asphalt” t-shirt and carries a carpet bag full of Smuckers jars filled with magic. Maybe I’ll find out on my next adventure.

*And if you want to read The Accidental Demon Slayer, it’s available free for e-readers.

Amazon / Nook / Kobo

AUTHORS BIO: Angie Fox is the New York Times bestselling author of several books about vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night.

She claims that researching her stories can be just as much fun as writing them. In the name of fact-finding, Angie has ridden with Harley biker gangs, explored the tunnels underneath Hoover Dam and found an interesting recipe for Mamma Coalpot’s Southern Skunk Surprise (she’s still trying to get her courage up to try it).

Angie earned a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. She worked in television news and then in advertising before beginning her career as an author. Angie enjoys making up fun quizzes and thinks you should take one right now.

What’s Your Biker Witch Name?

4 Steps to Planning the Perfect Abduction by Valerie Bowman

I’m here to celebrate the release of the second book in my Secret Brides series, ‘Secrets of a Runaway Bride’. I was thrilled to learn that RT gave the book a 4.5 star TOP PICK rating. It’s in stores now and I’m so happy to share it with all of you!

The hero of ‘Secrets of a Runaway Bride‘, Jordan Holloway, the Earl of Ashbourne, is confounded by the heroine, Miss Annie Andrews, at every turn. She’s causing him trouble and all he wants to do his keep her reputation in tact while her sister and Jordan’s best friend are away on their honeymoon.

Annie proves to be a greater distraction than Jordan planned for and he finally takes matters into his own hands and carts her off to his country estate to keep her safe and keep an eye on her. It’s a good, old-fashioned abduction and to that end, today I’m offering up …

The 4 Steps to Planning the Perfect Abduction

1. Start with a saucy hoyden who won’t listen
   A true gentleman (and Jordan is definitely that) would never abduct a lady for no good reason. No. Jordan’s intent on saving the irrepressible Miss Andrews’ reputation and if it means dragging her away from London where she’s doing an admirable job of ruining it, so be it.
2. Take matters into your own hands
   When Annie takes off to Gretna Green with her would-be husband, Arthur Eggleston, Jordan’s through playing Mr. Nice Guy. He refuses to be a chaperone who fails at his job. And when he decides Annie’s safer in the country with him, to the country they shall go. No arguments.
3. Give her alternatives
   Jordan believes that Annie is a young woman in love with being in love. Mr. Eggleston is not the right chap for her. Everyone agrees. Everyone except Annie. So Jordan decides to give her alternatives in the forms of his strapping, single brothers. It’s not until he realizes that he’s jealous of his brothers that he understands how much trouble he’s really in.
4. Whatever you do, don’t fall in love.
   When Annie becomes aware that Jordan is the man who’s treated her well, had her best interests in mind, and been there for her, she’s determined to win him. And what Annie wants, Annie gets. Her attempts at seduction may not be experienced but they are very effective (wink).

And here’s a bit about Secrets of a Runaway Bride…

THE THRILL OF ESCAPE

Miss Annie Andrews is finally free to marry the man she loves. With her overprotective sister out of the country on her honeymoon, nothing can prevent her flight to Gretna Greene—nothing, that is, but an abduction by the wrong gentleman.

THE SWEETNESS OF SURRENDER

When Jordan Holloway, the Earl of Ashbourne, promised to look after his best friend’s sister-in-law, he didn’t realize she would prove so difficult. But when he spirits her away to his country house to prevent her elopement, he discovers that the tempting beauty knows how to put up a fight. To make matters worse, he’s stuck playing the role of honorable protector…when what he really wants is to run away with her himself.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | WalMart | IndieBound

For a chance to win one copy of a ‘Secrets Of A Runaway Bride’ [your choice of print or eBook] all you have to do is tell us if you have any favorite books that feature an abduction plot? Which one?

*Open to: US, Canada & Australia only.

AUTHOR BIO: Valerie Bowman is an award-winning author who writes Regency-set historical romance novels aka Racy Regency Romps! Secrets of a Runaway Bride has been named a 4.5 star TOP PICK! by RT Book Reviews. It’s been called “Too Delightful Too Miss!” by New York Times bestselling author, Lisa Kleypas, and New York Times bestselling historical romance author Sarah MacLean says it’s, “Everything a romance should be—sexy, quirky, fun…once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop!” Valerie’s debut, SECRETS OF A WEDDING NIGHT, the first in the Secret Brides series from St. Martin’s Press, was nominated by RT Book Reviews for Best Debut Historical for 2012!

Valerie has a B.A. in English Language and Literature with a minor in history from Smith College. By day, she is a technical editor at a computer software company. By night, she combines her love of writing, history, and romance to craft stories about people falling in love.

Originally from Rantoul, Illinois, Valerie lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her rascally rescue dog, Roo. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or watching Downton Abbey and Hoarders.
You can find Valerie on the web at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

How I Became an Author by Carla Kelly

I suspect many of us slide into what we do in life, because the circumstances were right. I’ve always liked to write. Why? Who knows?

Purely for my own entertainment, I am certain, I wrote my first book at age 6. It was called The Old Mill, and contained two sentences. Most of my efforts were expended on the construction paper cover, with the drawing of an old mill. Here’s the crazy part: those two sentences had a plot.

From six through 12, I wrote short stories and some poetry, the usual route of young writers, I suppose. In junior high, Mrs. Berstein let me build my spelling sentences into a short story, rather than just unrelated sentences. Thank you, Mrs. B, for that exercise in bending words to my will.

In high school, I fell into the clutches of Jean Dugat, who taught English and journalism at A.C. Jones High School in Beeville, Texas. What a teacher. She was exacting, demanding and difficult. For a few years I wavered between hating her and fearing her. When I was a junior, I caught the vision that if I listened to her, and did what she demanded, I could become a professional writer.

So it proved. My senior year, I was associate editor of our high school newspaper. My specialty was feature writing, which is a nice mix of creativity with journalism. Some state awards came my way, but the best part was the confidence that came from knowing how to treat a sentence to make folks sit up and pay attention. Thank you, Miss D.

College followed and degrees in history. Papers were a breeze (refer to above paragraph). Marriage and children followed. Busy times. We lived in Wyoming, where Martin taught theatre at a community college. I spent my summers as a seasonal ranger/historian in the National Park Service, working at Fort Laramie.

It was there that I started writing short stories about the frontier army, and found an outlet for them in magazines. A couple of Spur Awards from Western Writers of America came my way. I kept writing and selling longer and longer short stories.

A novel came next, Daughter of Fortune, which tells the story of the Pueblo Indian uprising in 1680 in colonial New Mexico. I acquired an agent along the way, and she suggested I write Regency Romances, which I am still doing. Thank you, Eileen.

I’ve become a specialist in Regencies focusing on the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy in particular. I credit my dad for that, a career officer in the U.S. Navy. Thank you, Dad.

Also along the way, I acquired some loyal readers, so there is always a market for my Regencies. I switched from Signet (two Rita Awards there from Romance Writers of America), to Harlequin in 2004, and continue to write Regencies. Harlequin also kindly let me write a novel based at Fort Laramie in 1876. It will be out in April, and has been tagged as part of a Harlequin promotional sent to 320,000 potential readers. And now there are ebooks of my earlier Signets available. Thank you, technology.

Through the years, I’ve become acquainted with helpful editors, one of whom invited me to write for CamelPress in Seattle. I’m writing a historical mystery/romance series for them, set in 1780s colonial New Mexico. I like borderlands history. I’m also taking a look at my own Mormon background with LDS-themed novels. I’ve written four of those so far.

Where from here? Who knows? I like to write.

GIVEAWAY!

What about you What’s your passion and who made an impact on it? One commenter will get a signed copy of ‘My Loving Vigil Keeping’. [*US ONLY]

Author Bio: Award-winning author Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America.

Recently, she’s been writing Regency romances (think Pride and Prejudice) set in the Royal Navy’s Channel Fleet during the Napoleonic Wars between England and France. She comes by her love of the ocean from her childhood as a Navy brat.

Carla’s history background makes her no stranger to footnote work, either. During her National Park Service days at the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Carla edited Friedrich Kurz’s fur trade journal. She recently completed a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered in 1881.

Following the “dumb luck” principle that has guided their lives, the Kellys recently moved to Wellington, Utah, from North Dakota and couldn’t be happier in their new location. In her spare time, Carla volunteers at the Railroad and Mining Museum in Helper, Utah. She likes to visit her five children, who live here and there around the United States. Her favorite place in Utah is Manti, located after a drive on the scenic byway through Huntington Canyon.

And why is she so happy these days? Carla is enjoying writing for an LDS audience now, where she feels most at home.

Find Carla at: Her Blog

Children and Animals in Books by Anne Gracie

W.C. Fields said “Never work with children or animals,” and for a lot of people that holds true for romance books, too. Some readers really dislike having children or animals in books, others love them. Me? I say it’s all in the execution. Sweetly lisping precocious bratty-type children? Little saintly critters? Generally no — though I have written several books with children. Animals? Well, I’m a sucker for animals.

The reason W.C. Fields said this was that children and animals generally attract the audience’s attention away from the star — him. And it’s true. There are no children in THE AUTUMN BRIDE, but there are animals — specifically kittens. I started with my heroine’s sister rescuing a cat and a litter of young kittens from a building that was going to be demolished. That was it. It was just meant to be a slight plot complication. But kittens have a way of attracting attention…

When Abby discovers elderly aristocratic invalid, Lady Beatrice Davenham living in squalor and at the mercy of her rapacious neglectful servants,  she’s invited by the old lady to move in with her. Abby and her “sisters”, calling themselves the Misses Chance and pretending to be Lady Beatrice’s nieces, move in, sack the servants and set about improving life for Lady Bea and themselves. It all works beautifully until Lady Beatrice’s nephew Max returns from the Far East and demands to know who these impostors are. So we’re all set for a confrontation — right?

Remember how I said animals upstage the stars?

“My nieces, Max,” said Aunt Beatrice with a smile that had a lot in common with the look the little cockney had given him. Lying through her teeth and daring him to deny it.

But why? “Damn it, Aunt Bea—”

“Later, Max,” she said airily. “Thank you, girls. My nephew and I have much to catch up on. Featherby, perhaps a cup of tea in half an hour.”

Max waited with folded arms as the girls bustled about gathering things—magazines and bits of lace and fur and fabric lay scattered all over the counterpane—and examining him surreptitiously from beneath lowered eyelashes….

(snip)

Why the hell had his aunt claimed them as her nieces? Was it some kind of blackmail? Or threat?

The women were still fussing over the bits of fabric, sorting them in a manner calculated to annoy him.

“That will do,” Max snapped. “Collect it later.” He moved to sit on his aunt’s bed.

As he did so, five women and a butler shrieked.

“What the—”

Lady Beatrice snatched up a tiny white kitten from the spot where Max had been about to sit and cradled it to her bosom. “Max, you could have killed her.”

“Well, how was I to know you’d taken to keeping cats? I thought it was a bit of fur.”

“It is—attached to a kitten. This is Snowflake, and over there is his brother, Marmaduke.” A small tortoiseshell kitten emerged from under a magazine, regarded Max and yawned extravagantly.

See? They upstage. But Max, being a hero, rallies, of course, and takes the kittens in his stride…

He reached out to pat the white ball of fluff, and a small black missile flew out and attached itself to the fabric of his sleeve. It clung determinedly, growling.

“What the—” Max picked his assailant off his sleeve. Black as soot, black as sin, the tiny piece of fluff sat on his palm and stared back at him, undaunted, then clamped needle-sharp teeth down on his thumb.

“Ouch!”

“This is Max,” his aunt said. And then, bewilderingly, “Stop it, Max! That’s a very bad habit.”

Max frowned at her. “I beg your pardon?”

Mischance, repressing—not very successfully—a smile, came forward and removed the kitten from his grasp. “Yes, Max,” she said sternly addressing the kitten, face-to-face. “A very bad habit.” The kitten gave her nose a few exploratory pats.

“You named that kitten Max?” Max said.

“Yes.” His aunt beamed up at him.

“Why?” He looked at the small, scruffy kitten, now resting against the soft bosom of a deceitful woman. The creature was too young to know the dangers of that.

“Because he is bold and dashing and handsome, of course,” said his aunt.

“Because he is always off adventuring and never where he ought to be,” said Miss Abigail Chance at the same time. With a pointed look, damn her cheek. What did she know of his business?

She held the small black kitten against her bosom, caressing it behind the ears. Max the kitten purred blissfully, like a rusty little coffee grinder.

Max the man glowered.

See? The poor man hasn’t a chance. Not only are there five women to deal with — all of them lying in their pearly white teeth — there are kittens. . .

W.C Fields would sympathize.

So what about you? Are animals in books a problem for you? Or are you an animal lover? And if so, what’s your favorite animal? Tell us for a chance to win one copy of my book!

*INTERNATIONAL Giveaway

For Anne’s Bio, click on her pick. You’ll love it!

Places to find Anne Gracie:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Tweeter /

THE AUTUMN BRIDE available now at: Amazon /  B&N

A hero demands his own story by Cindy Gerard

Did you ever meet one of those guys who was so compelling, so intriguing, so drop dead gorgeous and who you knew was much more than a pretty face and a flirty smile?  Well, I meet a lot of these guys in my day dreams.  Six of them for the Body Guard series.  Seven for the Black Ops series.  And it was in the 6^th book of the Black Ops series (‘With No Remorse’) that Mike – Primetime – Brown showed up all flashing eyes and dazzling smile and irreverent wit.  I was in lust the moment he stepped on the page.  All Mike was supposed to be was an extra player – a vehicle, so to speak – to help me showcase the other guys and help me with a logistical problem.  I needed a pilot who wouldn’t be averse to the possibility of pushing the envelope when it came to international law.  Up stepped Mike.  And freaking blew me away.

I had a feeling then that he’d have his own book someday.  But when he showed up again in ‘Last Man Standing’, all flash and swagger and holy Hannah, heroic as heck, I KNEW I had to figure out his story.

And boy, does he have a story.  See, I always figure that any man who shows such a give a damn smile and in your face attitude to the world at large might just have some skeletons in his closet.  Figure he might just have some ghosts that haunt him and some wounds that hurt him that he is determined not to let the rest of the world see.  Turns out I was right.  ‘Killing Time’, book one of my new One-Eyed Jacks series is Mike’s book and I had such a blast writing it.

Mike, I found out, had a secret.  A big one.  One he was ashamed of.  One that kept him hiding out in South America running a semi legit, semi bogus air cargo business, kept him awake a lot of night and got him flat ass drunk one night every year.  The anniversary of the end of life as he’d known it.

For a peek of an excerpt that sets the stage for his book, click HERE.

I think you can see that life as Mike had known it for the past 8 years is about to change – big time.  And I’ll be thrilled if you decide to come along for the ride.

‘Killing Time’ (One Eyed Jacks #1)

An exciting new series featuring Mike “Primetown” Brown, a character from her popular ”Black Ops, Inc.” series.

For the seven years after Operation Slam Dunk went south, Mike Brown got drunk on each anniversary. The eighth year was no different–until he was drugged by a woman and woke up to her questions about what had happened eight years ago in Afghanistan. CIA attorney Eva Salinas has her own theory behind what happened to Mike’s team–which included her husband–in Afghanistan eight years ago, and she’s determined to prove foul play. Though she doesn’t trust him, Mike is the only person she can turn to for help. Under an assumed name, Eva convinces Mike to assemble a new team and go after the traitor who screwed up both their lives. As they track down the rogue who started it all, Eva and Mike discover they can’t live without each other. But can they stay alive while an enemy is still on the loose?

Publisher:  Pocket Books/Publication date:  January 22, 2013

Purchase from: Amazon / B&N / Simon & Shuster

Read an Excerpt

AUTHOR BIO: The only thing Cindy had in mind when she started writing her first book was finishing it. The issue of actually selling it came much later. Only after she made that life-altering first sale did she realize that one book would never be enough. Now, over 20 books and numerous awards later, Cindy laughingly admits that she can barely remember life before…well, was there life before writing?

Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. “Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines.”

Cindy’s writing has netted her spots on bestseller lists, numerous RT nominations and awards, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a National Reader’s Choice Award and two RITA nominations.

Between writing and working full time you wouldn’t think Cindy would have much time for anything else. And while she does find her work and her writing rewarding, there does have to be more. Cindy has more. Much more. She is happily married to the perfect man. Tom’s a cowboy, ladies!

Both Tom and Cindy enjoy gardening and have recently expanded their annual beds into a perennial garden. Cindy says she can hardly wait for spring and the promise of all that reawakening and the colorful blooms.

In addition to the horses, the Gerards have two dogs, Ellie and Boomer, who pretty much get anything they want. Tom and Cindy have one son, Kyle, who, after years of keeping them in suspense, found Eileen, the perfect woman.

Connect with Cindy:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Cindy’s Amazon Page

GIVEAWAY

Cindy is giving away a signed paperback of DEADLY PROMISES ANTHOLOGY (signed by Cindy) to one winner who can tell her who’d they cast in the role of  Mike Brown, the hero of her new series. 

*US/CANADA ONLY

*Grand Prize giveaway info:

Grand Prize drawing of a $25.00 Gift Card (Amazon or B&N) and an autographed copy of KILLING TIME for one lucky winner that follows the tour and leaves a comment at every stop!

To enter the Grand Prize drawing CLICK HERE!

KILLING TIME Blog Tour Schedule

 

1/14 – Books-n-Kisses

1/15 -  Under the Covers

1/16 -  Just Romantic Suspense

1/17 -  United by Books

1/18  - Reading Between the Wines

1/19 -  – Book Monster Reviews / Literal Addiction

1/20 –  Book Lovin Mamas

1/21 – The Reading Café

1/22 – Cocktails and Books

1/23 – Romancing the Book

1/24 – Ramblings From This Chick

1/25 – Sizzling Hot Books

1/26 – bookworm2bookworm

1/27 – My Secret Romance

1/28 – All Things Books

1/29 – RR@H Novel Thoughts

1/30 – Romance Crush Junkies

1/31 -  Pimpin’ Reads

2/01 -  The Book Nympho

‘An Unexpected Angel’ by Janet K. Halling

STORY: Ella Davies, is focused, independent, and driven. Her hard work is finally paying off and she is on the brink of great success. But what no one knows is that her frantic drive is born not from a desire to succeed, but from a need to forget – forget her past, forget her guilt, and mostly, forget the tragedy that changed her life forever.

Ella’s strategy seems to be working but on Christmas Eve she meets Cohen, a strange man with an even stranger purpose. Cohen catapults Ella back through time and forces her to confront not only her own pain, but the pain of those long since passed. In the process, Ella learns about courage and compassion and that in the darkest hour, no one is ever alone.

BEHIND THE STORY by Janet K. Halling

My main inspiration came just from pondering some of the big questions in life such as why we are here and where we were before being born. I believe in life before birth and after death and so I wanted to explore that.

The other inspiration came during a trip to New York City with my sister. We were there in December and had spent the day shopping and of course everything was decorated to the hilt and it was completely crowded with people. It was quite late and as we were walking back to our hotel, I looked up into the lit windows of the skyscrapers and could see people who were obviously still at work. It was just odd. Here was all this revelry going on below and they were working. So I started wondering what their lives might be like and that provided a lot of the structure for Ella.  The story opens with her working late on Christmas Eve.

EXCERPT:

“Somewhere there was a rhythmic humming—a kind of a swooshing sound that increased and decreased in volume at regular intervals. She couldn’t remember where she was. Her whole body ached, and her head felt as if it would explode.

Ella groaned and opened her eyes. She was still in the gym, lying crumpled against the weight machine. The treadmill had stopped, and the rhythmic sound was coming from the man riding the spinning bike, which sat nearby.

Her fingers trembled as she felt the goose egg on the side of her head. Her face was on fire, probably scraped on the belt, and her knees were bloody, also from the belt.

Suddenly she stiffened. There was a man riding the bike! A man riding the bike. While she had been lying there unconscious. Had he just sauntered in and climbed on without seeing her at all or had he viewed her inert form without concern? That was cold, even for New York City. Gingerly, she turned her head to look at him.

It was the clerk from the deli, and he didn’t stop pedaling as he glanced her way. “Oh good, you’re awake.”

She stared up at him in mute astonishment.

He reached for his water bottle and took a long drink. “I’m glad you woke up on your own,” he said pleasantly. “I was about ready to pour this in your face, so you can thank me for sparing you an unexpected shower.”

Ella grasped the weight machine and pulled herself slowly to a sitting position. Her head was throbbing, and her stomach lurched. “I could sue you for failing to come to the aid of an injured person,” she snapped rather feebly.

The man studied her contemplatively. “Hmmm, yes, you would think of that, wouldn’t you? But I’m not too worried, Ella. You’re not going to sue me and we both know it.”

She opened her mouth to snarl a retort but stopped abruptly. “How do you know my name?” she demanded. “And what are you even doing here? You don’t live in this building.” She hesitated, realizing she wasn’t sure. “Do you?”

He jumped off the bike and held out his hand. “You should get up. Want help?”

She shrank away from him. “Don’t touch me! Who are you, and how do you know my name?”

“Well, it’s simple really. My name is Cohen, and I’m your guardian angel.” He broke into a brief but rapid tap dance routine and finished with flair. And with jazz hands.

Ella stared at him in perplexed silence, unsure if he was a hallucination or just crazy. “Uh-huh. Right,” she finally said, groaning as she pulled herself to her feet. A wave of nausea hit her, and she stopped, doubling over and willing herself not to vomit. She for sure had a concussion.

She tried to think. Should she go to the hospital? Or maybe just go home and try to sleep? She didn’t know. She made a move toward the door, but Cohen tap-danced over to block her path.

“Get out of my way,” she snapped at him with more bravado than she felt.

He grinned. “Can’t do that. You and me, we have business tonight.”

For the first time, she felt a small dart of fear. Cohen wasn’t exactly menacing, but he certainly was strange. If he attacked her, would she have the strength to fight him? If only her head would stop hurting!

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I already told you, I’m your guardian angel. Well, not technically an angel, but that word will serve as well as any other. Anyway, I’m here to help.”

“Sure. Like you helped me when I was unconscious a minute ago? If that’s your kind of help, no thanks.”

“No, not that kind of help, silly.”

“Look, whatever you’re on, whatever you’re offering, I’m not interested. Just leave me alone, please? I’m sore and tired, and my head is killing me. I need to go lie down.”

“Oh, right. That.” He made some sort of vague gesture and instantly her nausea subsided and the pain in her head vanished.

Chills raced up and down her spine, and she stared at him, “Wait . . . what’s . . . what’s going on?”

“Okay, no more joking around.” Cohen looked suddenly serious. “Here’s the deal. You need help and there’s a lot you need to learn. Only you’re far too stubborn to admit it. You might not even know how much help you need. But I know; so here I am.”

The pieces were starting to fall into place. “Wait . . . Christmas Eve . . . guardian angel. This is some kind of a joke, right?” she said before adding sarcastically, “What’s the matter, Jacob Marley was busy? Clarence already got his wings? Or wasn’t he on duty tonight?”

He grinned. “Both good men. But you got stuck with me. Although, all things considered, maybe it’s me who got stuck with you. You can be quite unpleasant, do you know that?”

Ella snorted derisively. “So when does the Ghost of Christmas Past show up? Or is he waiting for me upstairs?”

“Dickens took some liberties. It doesn’t exactly work like that. At least, this time it won’t.”

“You have exactly one second to get out of my way or I’m going to start screaming at the top of my lungs!”

Cohen cocked his head to one side and gave her a brief shrug of resignation. “Okay then, you win. Can’t say I didn’t try.” He stepped smoothly to one side and swept his arm in a wide arc toward the door. “Be my guest.”

Throwing him what she hoped was a withering glare, Ella marched past him, flung open the door—and stepped into a nightmare.”

REVIEW: Ella is one of those heroines that at the start of the story you’ll not like much. Growing up, she was the overachiever that grew into a workaholic  She is good-looking, single and dedicated to her work. Her work week consists of not just putting in seventy hours at the law firm, but extra hours at home as well.

She is the epitome of one of those women that are best described by the three B’s: Boring, Bland and Blah.The author did an excellent job in portraying her as too serious, rude and not likable at all. Even her living quarters are telling of her personality.The colors of the rooms are in varying shades of white, gray and light blue. Oh, and she dreads Christmas. Something about it brings up unpleasant memories that she’s not ready to face.

As for her love life, well there was none after Stuart and it looks like she doesn’t even want to be in a relationship. This woman’s life was just pathetic, and of her making. Until one evening when she meets Cohen….

For a little novella, this story sure packs a punch. From page one, right off the bat, it will grab you and keep you glued until the end. It will make you think and question its many what ifs and maybes. The author achieved in making the reader ponder this life and the next, and possibly the previous. This is my first time reading Janet Halling, but trust me, it won’t be the last.

Oh, and make sure you have the Klinex with this one too!

FEATURED AUTHOR: Janet K. Halling

Author Bio: Janet Halling discovered her love of writing at the age of six when her story of a lonely duck won a first grade writing contest. She has a degree in Marketing Communications and lives with her family in northern Utah. She is currently working on her next novel.

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Developing A Heroine by Karen Rose Smith

When I create a heroine, I try to fashion a woman with compassion in her soul.  If my readers are going to care about my characters, my characters have to care deeply about something…or someone.  ABIGAIL AND MISTLETOE is a retro romance.  I wrote it in the early nineties and it was the first in which my heroine had a therapeutic profession.  Abigail is a trauma makeup artist and she plunged herself into her profession for a very good reason.

I like to choose professions for my characters that impact the plotline of the novel.  I had watched a talk show about the trauma makeup profession and I thought—”What a terrific career for a heroine.”  From there I established the plotline.  For my heroine to be affected deeply by the clients she helped, I felt she had to be touched by her profession in some way.  Envisioning Abigail, I gave her a port wine stain on the side of her face.  It affected her childhood.  That stain made her feel different from everyone else and isolated her from the rest of the world.  There is no doubt she understands everything about feeling different and being rejected.  Feeling inferior touched her heart and her soul, and still now it’s sometimes difficult to shake those feelings off.  She doesn’t want anyone else to ever experience that desolation.  She knows first-hand the heartache and devastation that isolation and curling up within your own shell can cause.

Readers might say the theme of ABIGAIL AND MISTLETOE is “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” or “Beauty isn’t only skin-deep.”  But I intended a deeper theme for the book.  When you love someone unconditionally, you only see their beauty, not their flaws.  When someone loves you unconditionally, you can forget your flaws and concentrate on your purpose and others you can share your life with.

The pristine setting of a snowy Colorado Christmas seemed to be the perfect backup for this book.  A lodge owner is a long-time friend of an actress who’d experienced a disfiguring accident.  She won’t come out from behind her veil.  Abigail’s expertise with makeup can give her back her life.  Abigail has first-hand proof of how it changed hers.

But Abigail’s port wine stain is a secret to everyone but the closest friends.  When she meets the sexy former stuntman who owns the lodge with his dad, she feels she must keep it a secret from him.  But secrets and trust issues hinder a budding romance.  The question Abigail constantly asks herself is—Can Brady love the woman she is, rather than the woman he sees when she’s wearing makeup?  Can she show him the person she is underneath the veneer?  In the past, someone rejected her when he found out about her “imperfection.”  Will Brady be the same?

I believe what women want most in a relationship is to be loved for ourselves without any pretense.  Only if Brady can love Abigail unconditionally will they find happily ever after.

In many ways this is a book about redemption.  Brady has his own wounds to heal.  But it’s mostly about trusting others enough to show them your heart.

Excerpt from ABIGAIL AND MISTLETOE:

“Brady, I need to tell you something.  I—”

He brought her tighter against him on the small dance floor.  “You feel so good in my arms.”

His voice floated around her, caressing her as his green eyes had.  A voice whispered, Tell him, but a louder voice said, A little more time won’t matter.  Take this moment and hold on to it.

He brought her hand to his chest and smoothed his thumb over her knuckles.  “What did you want to tell me?”

His hand on her back scorched through her sweater.  His thumb on her hand created a rippling pleasure throughout her body.  His shirt under her fingers, the scent of clean soap, his beard almost brushing her chin intoxicated her.  “Nothing.  Not now.”

His nose grazed hers as he murmured, “Good thinking.”  He dropped the lightest of kisses on her lips, locked his hands at her back waist, and pulled her flush against him.  All the air whooshed from her lungs as she laid her cheek against his shoulder and let his thighs guide their movement.

His lips brushed her ear and a shiver zipped up her spine.  He must have felt it because he whispered into her ear, “You’re a very sensual woman, Abigail Fox.”

She lifted her head.  “Are you trying to seduce me?”

Amusement mixed with passion in his deep green eyes.  “Here?  In the midst of this crowd?”

Several other couples had joined them on the dance floor, and most of the tables were filled.  She wrinkled her nose at him.  “I think I accepted a date with a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

His amusement faded away.  “My intentions are obvious.  I want you.  I’m not pretending differently.”

Award-winning and best-selling author Karen Rose Smith will see her 80th novel published in 2013.  She writes happily-ever-after relationship romances about love’s power to heal.  Relationships will also be the basis for her mystery series about a home stager sleuth beginning next year.

Would you like to win a Free Kindle copy from Karen? One commenter will, and all you have to tell us is…What puts you in that Christmas Spirit?

 

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Seven Love Song Dedications by Anna Campbell

Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for having me as your guest today on bookworm2bookworm!

I’m a sucker for a great love song. I suspect most romance fans are. There’s something so beautiful about the quintessence of love refined down into a three-minute burst of melody and heartfelt lyrics.

In honor of my seventh historical romance, SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED, out 25^th September from Forever, I’m listing my seven favorite love songs. It’s really difficult, though – after all, most great songs are love songs. There’s something about the romantic urge that lends itself to melody!

7.            Undisclosed Desires by Muse: this song played constantly in my head when I wrote MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. There’s a savage tenderness in the lyrics and in the music that really hit me hard and so suited the love building between Ranelaw and Antonia.

6.            Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol: skinny Irish guy lying on pedestrian crossings in New York, singing about longing. What’s not to like?

5.            Heroes by David Bowie. The bleak, doomed romanticism of this one always gets me right in the solar plexus. There’s something about Bowie’s tortured baritone above that wall of sound – like the Berlin Wall he’s singing about perhaps? – that cuts straight to the heart. Definitely one for the tragic romantics!

4.            If I Loved You by Rodgers and Hammerstein: I love that this song from CAROUSEL is about NOT being in love, but by the end of it, they’re both head over heels. Not that it does them much good. It’s not the jolliest of plots, CAROUSEL. Actually I could have done a whole post featuring beautiful love songs from musicals. Oh, well, next time I write a book with ‘seven ‘in the title.

3.            I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Frank Sinatra (and Cole Porter): oh, no, more longing. What is the story? The lyrics of this one are just gorgeous and I think Frank Sinatra’s version gives a wonderful balance between the unconvincing outer “I really don’t care” to the hidden message of “You’re breaking my heart.” Sigh.

2.            Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers: who doesn’t love this song? It reappears as a hit with every generation and I’m not at all surprised. It’s simple but it’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful. A true classic. And it must have done wonders for enrolments in pottery classes!

1.            Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You by Frankie Valli: hard to pick a number one love song but this one is just breathtakingly beautiful and with its simple lyrics, so true and sincere.

Oh, no! I haven’t been able to fit in Something by the Beatles or Angie by the Rolling Stones or… Perhaps next time I’ll have to write 14 Nights in a Rogue’s Bed! I’m sure my hero and heroine won’t mind!

OK, that’s my seven favorite love songs (for today anyway). Any favorites of yours in the list? What are your seven favorites? What do you think makes a great love song? One commenter today wins a signed print copy of SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED which includes lots of scenes with Jonas and Sidonie making beautiful music together. International giveaway! Good luck!

To learn more about Anna, please click on her pic, or get in touch with her on Facebook, Tweeter or her website! She loves hearing from her fans!!!