This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Nina Pierce

This week's winner is Kytaira!!! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to keep Nina company!

Nina Pierce grew up in a house of readers. So falling in love with books was only natural. In her teen years she found her mother's romance books and became forever hooked on the journey of finding one's true love. Now, if you throw in a dead body and some mayhem, Nina is in reader nirvana.

A few years ago, reading about love wasn't enough. She is now driven to write stories of alpha-males with a chink in their armor and the kick-ass women who fall in love with them. And true to what she loves, more often than not, you'll find some suspense thread running through her plots, hopefully with enough twists to keep her readers turning the pages, staying up late, and burning dinner.

A native of Maine, Nina lives in what she affectionately calls "the great white North". She is fortunate to have married her high school sweetheart and true love twenty-five years ago. They share their lives with three grown children and a menagerie of pets.

Visit Website *** Visit Myspace *** Visit Blog

Welcome to the Tiki Hut Nina!

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Out of the Realm of Normalcy

by Nina Pierce

I’ll admit it. I love science fiction. I always have. When my peers were reading Judy Blume I was engrossed in the stories by Anne McCaffrey (Pern Series) and Madeline L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time). I watched Star Trek with rapt fascination. My imagination soared with the idea of aliens and prickled with the thought of ghosts living in our attic. I hated to think of monsters under my bed, but couldn’t keep myself from watching Frankenstein movies. (I know … I’m totally aging myself here … just pretend you’re not thinking I’m ancient. *wink*) I still enjoy the fantasy. The idea that the world is bigger than my senses can detect. And from the surge of paranormal books being devoured by the reading public … I don’t think I’m alone.

So what is it? What is the allure with everything paranormal? Did this recent flood start again with the Harry Potter craze and move into Twilight or has something always fascinated us about this fantasy world? A place in our imagination where vampires stalk the night and succubi invade our dreams and everything fanciful comes to life.

For me, it’s the stretching of my imagination, the possibility that there’s another dimension that exists around me. Losing myself in a story about a band of werewolf rebels fighting unseen dark forces or a faery realm where wars are fought and babies are borne, well, it just makes me sigh. Now add a love story, a broken heart, a mended relationship and I am in reader nirvana.

This has now carried over to my writing. Paranormal stories give me the opportunity to let my muse play in a world of make believe … to fantasize what it would be like to be saved by a vampire just as I’m about to be mugged on my way home from work … or meet a lion shifter on the plains of Africa … or discover that an alien species is attracted to human females. Oh, the places I can go! And I’ve just dipped my toe in the endless sea of possibilities!

My latest release Shadows of Fire in the Hearts Afire-May anthology (Liquid Silver Books May 2009) is about a military faction of vampires known as RISEN. Their job is to seek out and eliminate rogue vampires who choose not to live complacently with humans. Reese Colton is assigned to a fire station in Northern California with his partner in hopes of discovering why humans and vampires are being burned in mysterious fires. Of course the vampire he’s falling in love with appears to be wrapped up in the crimes and Reese has no idea whether to follow the clues or his heart. The book was a blast to write. The possibilities that opened to me were just plain fun to explore. I hadn’t expected the twists and turns and quite frankly … hated to leave that world. (Pssst … between you and me … I’m thinking I may go back there some day.)

My latest project is a wolf/cougar shifter series that will include at least three books. For those of you familiar with Blue Moon Rising in the Furry, Fluffy & Wild anthology (Liquid Silver Books Sept 2008), I am using the polymorphic shifter premise of Jayda Kynslan and her heart throb of a wolf shifter, Cole Takoda, to create this erotic suspense series. I just love playing in a world unlike my own.

So what is it that fascinates you about these creatures? Or are you one to avoid the paranormal craze? I’m very curious.

Visit Nina Pierce on the web at http://www.ninapierce.com/ or follow her regular blog http://www.ninapierce.com/romanceblog. She’s also found her way to twitter and would love to have you follow her very chatty posts http://www.twitter.com/ninapierce.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Jean Hart Stewart

This week's winner was Flchen1!!! Congrats! You get a free download of your choice from Jean's backlist. Please email me at AuthorIsland at yahoo.com with your email address so Jean can get with you as to which of her books you'd like. And thanks to all who stopped by to visit with Jean and keep her company!

Jean Hart Stewart feels she's very much a Californian although she was born in Ohio. California has been home for a good many years. Life changed drastically for her when she was six and her father died incredibly from an errant golf ball. A dishonest insurance agent forced her sheltered mother to seek work, and she became a teacher. Her hours required Jean to be alone in the house in the afternoon, and since she was forbidden to leave till her mother got home, she became an avid reader. The local library supplied most of the books and she developed early her two of main interests, Jane Austen and King Arthur.

Reading is still one of her favorite activities, although she sometimes has to push it aside to make room for her enduring love of writing. Her journalism degree was used infrequently until recently. Marriage and raising two children pleasantly got in the way. After twenty years of being a real estate broker and with the kids raised she finally could devote her time to writing, her first love.

Jean's enchantment with the lore and legends of Druids and, therefore, delving into their history led to fascinating research that inspired her popular Garland of Druids Series for Cerridwen Press.

Few things in her life have been so satisfying, especially when all her books have a happy ending. Wonderful to make happen. It only gets more interesting when a secondary character demands his very own book. Who would want to deny him? Not Jean!

Visit Jean's Website *** Visit Jean at Myspace

Welcome to the Tiki Hut Jean!

Magic Musings by Jean Hart Stewart

Wiritng has been my first love since I was a child. I put in quite a few years as a real estate agent after marrying the man of my dreams (he still is, incidentally) While I enjoyed working at the time I finally reached the point where I knew I had to quit and just write. Have an eight book series called Garland of Druids from Cerridwen Press, which can be bought on line from them and several other e-book sources. They are all coming out in print now, two at a time, at Amazon, B & N, Borders, etc. Titles so far are Druid Desires and Druid Duet. The entire series is (in order) Druids’ Daughter, My Darling Druid, Song of a Druid Princess, Kiss of a Druid Bard, Druid Redeemed, Druid Triumphant, Druid Disdained, and Druid in Flight. Each is a stand alone book, so dive in at any title that appeals to you. Excerpts are on my website, http://www.jeanhartstewart.com/.

I’m very excited about a new series about a family of mages. Go ahead and look up the word, or I’ll give you a hint. Merlin was a mage. This series has just been named, Song of the Mages, and the first, Damien’s Destiny, was just released! The first four are written and in line to come out. Try out Damien, he’s a doll of a hunk.




Jean Hart Stewart's New Release Kicks Off Her New Song Of Mages Series
Book One in Jean Hart Stewart's new Song of Mages Series.

Damien is a mage, inheriting from Merlin the potential for enchantment and wizardry. When he rescues Toria from drowning herself, Damien knows she claims a special place in his heart. He will need all his abilities to help Toria overcome her fear of being touched by any man after she was raped by her guardian. He hides her in a school for girls until she is of age, and then brings her to Tregaron, his home as Earl of Sinclair.

Toria's lecherous guardian, Baron Heath, continues to stalk her. Damien must summon all his capabilities to protect her. As he tries to safeguard her life, the battle to conquer her fear of men looms ever more difficult. Damien refuses to influence her thinking with his extraordinary powers. Will he be able to triumph, save her from the wicked baron and finally claim Toria as his destiny?

Buy the Book *** Read the Excerpt

Win - read the excerpt for Jean's new release DAMIEN'S DESTINY and tell Jean what you think and your name goes in the hat to win a free download of one of her books! A winner will be chosen from all those who leave a message today.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Cheryl Dragon

The winner of a free download of one of Cheryl Dragon's books is Marcy! Marcy, email me at AuthorIsland at yahoo.com with your contact information so Cheryl can get with you about which of her books you'd like to try out!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by to keep Cheryl company at the Tiki Hut!

A lover of unusual things, Cheryl Dragon enjoys writing unique stories with sinfully hot erotic romance or suspenseful mainstream paranormals. Never at a loss for ideas, there are plenty of stories in her brain waiting to be written. Her two favorites book settings are Las Vegas and New Orleans...where anything can happen!

Cheryl lives in the Chicagoland area with her deaf albino cat. By day she crunches & analyzes numbers as an Assistant Controller for a division of a large international conglomerate which leaves the creative juices free for her erotic romance and paranormal suspense novels.

Visit Website *** Visit Myspace *** Visit Blog

Welcome to the Tiki Hut, Cheryl!

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Escape for Summer….One way or another!

Some days I wish I had become a teacher. Some profession where I get the summers off. But no such luck here. Day job, writing, and life continue year round.

We all need to escape reality for a little while. Some of us can go on vacation. I went on a mini-working vacation in early June to the Lori Foster Weekend. Not a big vacation but affordable and fun. I got to see my writer friends and my slave labor promoters (like DeNita!).

Another way I personally escape is TV. I love my shows…like The Closer, Leverage, The Office, Family Guy, and more. I blog about the new stuff or a great rerun weely at my new blog: http://cheryldragon.blogspot.com/ You’ll also find info on my releases as they come out so there is a little promo there as well.

My other way of escaping is writing and I’ve got a lot of stuff coming out this summer. Ménage, m/m, paranormal, and all of it really really HOT!

Cheryl Dragon Summer Releases for your Escape Pleasure!!

May: Her Boyfriend’s Boyfriend
Available Now in Ebook at Loose Id
Link: http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Her_Boyfriend_s_Boyfriend-938.aspx

Excerpt Link: http://www.loose-id.com/CDHBBex.aspx

Genre: Ménage
Blurb:

Cassie has found the man of her dreams. Neil’s rich and smart and hotter than hell! He's perfect. Except for one small thing. Their sex life is cooling off and he’s not talking. It's not her, she's almost sure, and she's not giving up. She's determined to get to the bottom of it. And fix it.

What Cassie doesn't know is that Neil used to have a boyfriend. Lou. They used to pick up women together, have sex with them, enjoy them, but they never found one they wanted to keep. Then Lou moved on. Neil tried. He tried to go straight for Cassie and for his career, but he never stopped loving Lou and without that man in his bed, he's never going to have everything he needs, no matter how much he loves Cassie.

Once Cassie starts digging around, the truth can't be denied. And neither can the chemistry between Cassie and Lou. Is she the one they needed all along? Cassie's never had two men before. Not even just in bed. The idea of a ménage life scares her a little, honestly. But now that she knows how to please her boyfriend, she's not letting him go. Even if it means learning to love her boyfriend's boyfriend.

June:
Out of Body Sexy
Paranormal Rubenesque Erotic Romance
Available: Now at Ellora’s Cave
Length: Quickie
Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-7331-50-out-of-body-sex.aspx
Excerpt Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-7331-50-out-of-body-sex.aspx

Blurb:

Plus-size psychic Kim Vennon doesn’t know how to get sexy Matt Rayne but she can’t resist using her skills to get close. Going out of her body is freeing and she can play with his hard, sexy form anonymously. But it goes farther than planned. When he calls her name, she flees to her body but Matt follows, determined to get the full experience and no more games. Matt has wanted the voluptuous woman but fate kept them apart. Now he’s going to have his way with her, in and out of their bodies.



Psychic Rebels
Available TODAY at Loose Id
Link: http://www.loose-id.com/prod-Psychic_Rebels-965.aspx
Excerpt Link: http://cheryldragon.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-release-psychic-rebels.html

Blurb:

On again off again lovers Colin and Dennis, a psychic and a healer, know they are meant to be together, but the world is against them. They have the power to destroy evil before it happens, if only they can survive their lust for each other.

I also have two more releases coming out in August…keep an eye on my blog or my website for that info. Of course it’ll be on Author Island as well.

Let the Tiki gods sweep you away for summer fun! Enjoy and mix some margaritas to keep cool and check out my current contest up at Author Island to win some goodies!

Cheryl Dragon

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A chance to win - one winner will be drawn tomorrow morning from all those leaving comments for Cheryl today to win a free download of one of Cheryl's books - good luck!

This Tuesday and Wednesday At The Tiki Hut - Marie Treanor

The winner of a free download from Marie's backlist is ANNE - please email me at AuthorIsland at yahoo.com with your contact information, so Marie can find out which of her books you'd like to try!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to keep Marie company at the Tiki Hut!


This week's guest is Marie Treanor. Marie was born and bred in Scotland, but for some years moved around the UK working and studying. Now she's back home and happily married with three young children.

Having grown bored with city life, her family lives in a picturesque village by the sea where, instead of working for a living, Marie is lucky enough to be able to enjoy herself writing stories of romance and fantasy.

She draws the inspiration for her books mainly from the people around her and from Scotland's rich history and culture - with, of course, large helpings of fun and imagination!

Visit Website *** Visit Myspace *** Visit Blog *** Get Newsletter

**A CHANCE TO WIN** One person from all who leave Marie a comment will win a free download from Marie's backlist (anything except her two new releases).

Welcome Marie!

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Putting the gothic in Gothic Dragon


This week, I’ve been celebrating two releases: my quirky but passionate ghost story, Requiem for Rab, and, perhaps even more excitingly, my first print release at Samhain Publishing - Gothic Dragon.

Finally seeing this book in print, and holding it in my awed little hands, got me thinking about why I wrote that particular story at that particular time.

I couldn't remember :)

Well, the old memory's not what it was! I did recall getting up at five every morning during one summer and dementedly writing until the kids woke up, so I knew I was desperate to write it.

Then I re-read the blurb, and Samhain's humorous warning which says:

"As well as explicit and delicious sex, this book contains the secret of ultimate escapism which could be highly dangerous in the wrong hands. The reader experiments at her/his own risk."

And the metaphorical light bulb snapped on in my head. Escapism!

Admittedly most of my reading and writing is to achieve and provide escapism, but Gothic Dragon is all about it. Probably because I wrote it during a difficult phase of my life. Nothing very tragic, just frustrating - the bankruptcy of one of my publishers which effectively froze several of my books in legal limbo.

So books and escapism were on my mind...

Perhaps I should say at this point that Gothic Dragon is about a young, bored woman who falls into the pages of a book and lives among the characters in this Renaissance-like world which was created by a nineteenth century gothic romance writer. And naturally, my heroine falls in love with the sexy villain of the piece. (Well, who wouldn't? Have you seen his picture on the cover?)

Gothic Dragon has lots of the elements that made gothic romances so popular, particularly with women, in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries: a dangerous medieval setting, foreign location, sorcery, an insane and brooding villain and a Byronic hero (who are, in my story the same man!) And my helpless heroine, flung into this terrifying world with no control over her life.

Of course, my modern-day heroine learns to control as much as she can. She chooses to re-enter the world of the book and she discovers the truth behind its existence. She takes control of her "real" life, in which she has been passively drifting, and makes her own choice as to where and with whom to spend her life. Early gothic heroines didn't usually have such luxuries.

It's a little bit of a paradox that gothic romances were written largely to provide escapism for educated, middle class women trapped in the inferior role society had prescribed for them. They had very little control over their own destinies and were largely restricted to looking after home and children. Through gothic literature, they could identify with the heroine and be swept away to wildly exciting worlds of terror and romance. It must have been liberating and exhilarating. And yet, to be socially acceptable and therefore popular, the heroines of these books had to behave impeccably and keep their social place under the superiority of men. Which is where our readers started out!

So the heroines of these romances didn't cry out for independence or recognition as the intellectual equal of men. In fact, they were often stupid, and any hankerings after romance were shown to be a Bad Thing leading to disaster. Supernatural happenings were explained rationally, and the heroines found happiness by conforming. Like the readers.

But the excitement remained. And gothic novels retained huge popularity for decades, from Walpole's "original" and critically condemned "Castle of Otranto" published in 1764, through Anne Radcliffe's more "acceptable" creations and all the immitations which followed her. These ideas burgeoned in romantic poetry, including some by Keats and Coleridge, and even in architecture where it became fashionable to build neo-gothic piles with fake medieval ruins in the grounds.

Even when its popularity faded, the genre lingered on in other, changing forms, like the still much loved Bronte novels, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the stories of Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft... I grew up devouring the gothic novels of Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart and others, which come from similar roots. I loved the dark, brooding heroes with their mysterious and/or tragic pasts, and the whole delicious atmosphere of danger.

Gothic Dragon is my humble tribute to all of these great authors, and if you read it, I hope it gives you all the escape you want :)

Just be careful what you do with your books. And be doubly careful what you imagine...


Gothic Dragon by Marie Treanor is now available in print from Samhain Publishing: http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/p-gothic-dragon .

It is also still available in ebook formats: http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/gothic-dragon.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Sandy Lender

This week's winner is Jerry B - Jerry gets an autographed copy of WHAT CHOICES WE MADE!!! Congrats! Please send me your full name and address to AuthorIsland at Yahoo.com and Sandy will get you out your prize!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Tiki Hut to keep Sandy company!


Today's guest at the Tiki Hut is fantasy romance author Sandy Lender.

Sandy Lender began writing stories as soon as she learned to string words together on the page. As a child she entertained the folks in her great grandmother's apartment building in Southern Illinois with tales of squeaky spiders and mice picking berries, and then won awards with writing projects as she moved through the elementary and high school systems in the St. Louis area. It was apparent that a career in journalism was her calling, and she found herself proofreading, editing, and (finally) writing for trade publications after she graduated from Truman State University in Missouri. Those publications may have honed her skills in editing and writing about cattle husbandry, road construction, community management, and zealous forms of religious oppression, as well as developing her skills in public relations and marketing, but her desire to write fiction stayed with her throughout the career-building day jobs.

From her early memories of junior high, Sandy harbored the story of Amanda Chariss and the struggles of the continent of Onweald. It wasn't until the year 2000 that Sandy sat down at the computer and started typing out the words that would form her first fantasy novel, Choices Meant for Gods. By June of 2003 she had the creation that no literary agent had any interest in. But Sandy is pro-active and doesn't give up easily. She got Publisher Bob Gelinas to show interest in the story in January 2006, and the dream has since become reality.

Sandy now writes in Southwest Florida where her love of sea turtles and all things related to the Gulf waters keeps her imagination growing. Her epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods is now available as is her recent release What Choices We Made. She shares a home with a demanding but lovable sun conure, a 19-year-old water turtle who dances to the songs in her extensive Duran Duran collection, and a muse who often misplaces the key to the shackles at the computer desk. You can get information about grammar and writing from her 15-year-journalism and PR career at her main blog Today The Dragon Wins.

Leave Sandy a comment or question today and get your name in the hat for an autographed copy of WHAT CHOICES WE MADE.

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Sneaky Writers
By Sandy Lender

Terry Brooks says of writers in his book SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS: “Much of what happens around us goes into a storage bin in our minds for future consideration and possible use in a book down the line. What we observe is as important to us in determining what we write as what we know.”

You’ve got to watch out for writers. We’re sneaky. We use everyday stuff that you might not think is intriguing and turn it into a plot device or bit of dialogue. That’s right—if it happens in front of us, it’s fair game. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the presence of a non-fiction memoir-writer or a sci-fi/fantasy geek like me who makes up worlds that you could never envision a simple grocery store conversation ending up in. Oh, yes. Imagine my poor mom’s surprise to learn that a certain embarrassing moment from the early ’80s ended up in print in my latest release, WHAT CHOICES WE MADE.

Here’s how it happened. I was probably 12 or 13. Innocent. Naïve. We were in the check-out lane at the grocery store and I stared mindlessly at the tabloids. The headline on one about discussing a sensitive topic with your teens struck me as odd, so I turned to Mom at the other end of the buggy and asked, loudly, “Mom, what’s virginity?” Of course I mispronounced it. Long “I” on the “jine.” Virjinety.

Some people around us snickered, hiding their faces from my blushing mother. She leaned forward and said, lowly, “I’ll tell you in the car.”

Okay.

Years later, that recalled scene struck me as funny, and I knew the young, precocious version of Amanda Chariss, the heroine in the CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS trilogy, had to pull some such stunt on her wizard guardian Hrazon. (I figured Hrazon would forgive me for it.) But the scene would have to be a flashback because my lovely Chariss is 20 years old when we meet her in CHOICES MEANT FOR GODS. She knows what virginity is. And that’s not really the right word to embarrass Hrazon with. I needed something else. Something less contrived, perhaps. So I wrote a scene from their travels laced with a little danger due to Chariss’s age and the condition of Onweald’s social system, but it just didn’t fit in the novel. There wasn’t a place to put it. Yet it was so charming that I wasn’t content to delete and forget it. I wanted to share it with the readers who had fallen in love with Chariss. I pulled it into a short story called “Joveran Border Crossing” for WHAT CHOICES WE MADE.

That’s how an embarrassing moment for my mom ended up in print in a fantasy story more than two decades later. Seems so easy, doesn’t it? These situations happen daily for writers. We see something that may seem ordinary or mundane to everybody else, but it’s story fodder for us. When you see one of us whip out a notepad and start scribbling like mad, you know something’s going in the storage bin for a future book.

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Here's a trailer for Sandy's latest WHAT CHOICES WE MADE

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Jean Hart Stewart

This Tuesday we welcome historical and fantasy romance author Jean Hart Stewart.

Jean Hart Stewart feels she's very much a Californian although she was born in Ohio. California has been home for a good many years. Life changed drastically for her when she was six and her father died incredibly from an errant golf ball. A dishonest insurance agent forced her sheltered mother to seek work, and she became a teacher. Her hours required Jean to be alone in the house in the afternoon, and since she was forbidden to leave till her mother got home, she became an avid reader. The local library supplied most of the books and she developed early her two of main interests, Jane Austen and King Arthur.

Reading is still one of her favorite activities, although she sometimes has to push it aside to make room for her enduring love of writing. Her journalism degree was used infrequently until recently. Marriage and raising two children pleasantly got in the way. After twenty years of being a real estate broker and with the kids raised she finally could devote her time to writing, her first love.

Jean's enchantment with the lore and legends of Druids and, therefore, delving into their history led to fascinating research that inspired her popular Garland of Druids Series for Cerridwen Press and her upcoming series about Mages that kicks off with her June 22nd release DAMIEN'S DESTINY.

Few things in her life have been so satisfying, especially when all her books have a happy ending. Wonderful to make happen. It only gets more interesting when a secondary character demands his very own book. Who would want to deny him? Not Jean!

Welcome to the Tiki Hut Jean and thanks for your article on How to Make a Reader.

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How to make a reader?????

I’ve been obsessed lately with wondering why some children turn into avid readers and some never learn to like that is one of my life’s greatest joys. It’s not intelligence, as I was blessed with two bright kids, one how now reads much deeper subjects that I can even tackle. (He’s a mathematician, way over my head!) The other child never even would sit still to listen to me read. She’s just as smart, although not a mathematician. So it’s not a matter of reading to them, which you often hear, as I did with both. Or tried!

I polled some good friends, but found little consensus. One, a child development teacher, found what worked for her four children was limiting TV and reading to them extensively. Been there, done that. She’s raised four bright successful adults who are all readers. Another, mother of five, states it’s exposure to books and following up any clue if they seem to like a certain book or author. Very good points, and with today’s libraries so well stocked fairly easy if a child gets a fix on a certain author. Her daughter fell in love with the Nancy Drew series, which my granddaughter did last year. A third friend has one reader and one non-reader like me, both bright but simply with different inclinations. She’s thinks it’s like so many other traits. A parent gets what he’s dealt.

I’ve mentioned in various biographies and chat talks how my father’s early death forced my mother back to teaching and how I wasn’t allowed out of the house until she came home. I was six years old. With no TV and lots of library books I became a compulsive reader. I’ll fixate on cereal boxes if nothing else is handy. Incidentally, some of their blurbs are pretty funny, although they may not mean to be.

Certainly if you don’t do anything as a parent, let the TV be unlimited, don’t provide them with books, and don’t read to them you cut down the chances. Yet I think some children simply can’t be stopped from becoming readers. They’ll find books on their own no matter what.

Conclusion? Draw your own. I’m baffled!!!

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Learn more about Jean and her fabulous books about Druids and Mages at JeanHartStewart.com .

Here's a video taste of her upcoming June 22nd release DAMIEN'S DESTINY.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Renee Reeves

Today's special guest at the Tiki Hut is Renee Reeves.

Renee Reeves was born in Stuttgart, Germany but raised in the US. On her mother's side, she is Irish and English and on her father's side, she is German and Irish. Ever since she was a little girl she has loved to read. Her mother, always supportive, made it a point to take her to the library as often as she wished and to get her to each and every school book fair. She would come home with bags of books and would gobble them up in only a few days. She would sit against her pony’s stomach when she was lying down in the pasture and read a book while her pony napped.

Reading, along with horses, was and still is one of the great loves in her life and that love turned into a desire to write. Renee is now married and her husband told her if she wanted to write a book then do it. So she did and is now a published author.

Her first book, NIGHT ANGEL, was just recently released. It is a contemporary about an ex-con, Nick Evanoff, who has turned his life around and now owns a horse sanctuary. He meets Morgan, an abused widow, who has moved to Montana for seclusion and things go from there....;) Renee is now working on 2 paranormals.

Be Renee's friend over on Myspace and check out the first three chapters of NIGHT ANGEL at Black Velvet Seductions.

Leave Renee a comment today and your name goes in the hat for a copy of NIGHT ANGEL!

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Motivation…Finding it and keeping it.

By Renee Reeves


I don’t know about anyone else but I can find story motivation just about anywhere. A walk out to the barn can spark scenes and images galore. A day trip can immerse me in my own imaginative world, or motivation can hit me when I’m doing nothing more than sitting in a chair gazing out of the window. Most of the time that motivation comes from me wondering, ‘what would I like to be doing now if I were someone else?’

A day trip to a SC church ruin (yes, I know Night Angel is set in Montana!) and staring at a boring hotel wall was how the characters in Night Angel came about. The scene in Night Angel when Nick first sees Morgan is very quiet and peaceful—straight from the SC church ruins. But after that scene I wondered, ‘what now? Now that he’s seen her and wants her, what should their story be?’ I decided both Nick and Morgan just had to have extremely traumatic and horrific previous lives in order to fit together and it took me a while to decide on what those lives should be.

So, finding motivation is simple for me, but keeping it is another matter entirely. I am one of those highly emotional people. My emotions dictate how I am going to feel every single day and right now my emotions are in an uproar because my mother is fighting advanced cervical cancer. Being her fulltime caregiver is physically and emotionally exhausting, not to mention extremely stressful, and really leaves no time for me to manage those characters and scenes bouncing around in my head. At times I am even too tired, or, if I really want to be honest, too depressed to get on the computer and type. During those times I find the storylines in my head to be an annoyance because I know I have to get them out and on paper, or the computer, before they disappear…and, at times, the motivation to do that is NOT there. But, if I ignore them and do nothing I give nasty ole guilt the ability to worm it’s way into me because I know I am wasting not only time, but also talent, scenes, imagery, and what may be a story and characters that some reader out there might really love.

So, how do I handle difficult writing/motivation times like those? I guess I can say at times I get mad and take it out on my characters, putting forth my own depth of emotions in their fictional lives. At times it works and at other times I read over what I wrote and think, ‘ugh…what in the world was I doing to them? They don’t deserve this!’ I also try to use writing as an escape and handle it little by little, maybe one word or one line at a time, and eventually, for a short period of time, I am able to lose myself in the lives of my characters, or at least use them for an emotional outlet.

So, my question to readers is, how do you handle stress or lack of motivation in your own life?

This Tuesday and Wednesday At The Tiki Hut - C. Fern Cook

Joining us at the Tiki Hut today is author C. Fern Cook. Fern started out as a freelance writer in the late 90's doing articles for how-to and inspirational markets. Followed by a few short stories and poem published in 2002. "Wild Evolution" is her second novel, "South Dakota Way", an inspirational romance, was published in 2008. Fern worked as a police officer for many years, something that has helped her a great deal in her writing, and she stopped by the Tiki Hut today to tell us a bit about it.

Visit Fern's Website *** Visit Fern's Myspace *** Read Fern's Interview

Anyone leaving Fern a comment or a question today (4/15/09) will be put in a drawing for an autographed copy of her first novel - SOUTH DAKOTA WAY.

A Cop Story.
C. Fern Cook

When I became a cop, I was the first in the department to have a husband and kids. Back then there was a push to hire females. So no matter how good I was, some of my fellow officers believed I was only hired because I was a female not because I deserved the job.

That didn't stop me. I received several commendations for a job well done. One arrest for a crime in progress was particularly funny. Two high school kids set out to steal x-rated movies from a movie rental place to sell at school.

The girl friend was waiting in the car a few stores down with the parking lights on eating potato chips in the driver's seat. It was past midnight and all the stores were closed. So I stopped to see what she was doing there. About then the alarm went off for the movie rental store. I handcuffed the girl to the steering wheel and told her not to leave.

The boyfriend came running around the corner from the back of the stores with an arm load of videos. He saw the cop car, dropped the videos and ran. I simply chased him with cop car until he was too tired to run anymore. When I came back to store, the girlfriend was still waiting in the car handcuffed to the steering wheel. I was amazed she didn't drive away.

The thing I liked most about being a cop was the stuff you would run into a daily basis. There is no way you could make up the stories people told you for excuses for the crimes they had done.

There are many reasons people become cops. Mine was because when I was arrested as a juvenile I felt the officer really cared about what would happen to me. You can't change the world, but you can help one person at a time. That is what I tried to do when I was a cop.

After seven years on the force I started to get burnout. I was angry because I would arrest people for burglary or breaking into cars or assault and they would get probation. But if I wrote someone a traffic ticket for speeding they would be fined and have their car insurance go up or maybe even lose their license. The people getting traffic tickets usually received more punishment than real criminals. I decided that was not justice and no longer wanted to be a part of that system. I don't regret quitting, but I do wish the system worked better.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Catherine Stang

Today's special guest is Catherine Stang. Catherine is a hopeless romantic, who has been reading and writing romances for as long as she can remember. She writes romantic suspense, historical romance, paranormal romance and mainstream romance.

Cathy lives in a small town in Kansas with her husband, teenage son and three very active Papillons, and a tiny Yorkie who are therapy dogs. She and the dogs enjoy their weekly visits to the nursing home.

Visit Cathy's Website *** Visit Cathy's Blog *** Visit Cathy's Myspace

Welcome to the Tiki Hut, Cathy!

***

When I began working on the background for The Bargain I soon knew that I had too much story for one book. Although Cassandra’s brothers were gone during most of story, I could image what would happen to them when the war was over. So I pitched the series to Debra at Whiskey Creek and was thrilled when she liked the idea and gave the go ahead to write it.

I had written connected books before, but I had written each one as a single, hoping they would be picked up together. It has been freeing creatively to know to be able to plot these books together.

The series starts out during the war with Cassandra, her sister-in-law and younger sister, who are trying to hold things together while the men are gone.

Here’s a blurb about The Bargain:

In the midst of war two enemies will make a bargain that will change their lives forever.

Major Joel Bradshaw is the Chief Medical Officer in charge of setting up a new front line hospital for the Union Army. Unfortunately, his first task is to evict the women who live in the big plantation house he must commandeer.

Strong-willed Cassandra Beaumont is determined not to allow the Yankees take her home. But when her sister-in-law develops complications during labor, Cassie is forced to swallow her pride and ask the Yankee doctor she just threatened for his help. All she has to barter with are her nursing skills and so she proposes a trade that will bring her loyalties into question.

Joel, however, soon finds himself wanting much more than a business arrangement. Torn between his orders as an officer and his desire to protect Cassie, Joel finds a way to ensure the safety of all the Beaumont women – if only Cassie will say yes!

It’s available now in print & e book from http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/ Visit my website for excerpts http://www.catherinestang.com/

The second book in my Finding Home Series, Dare To Love, was just released.

Here’s a blurb: Be careful what you wish for….

Jessica Monroe is up to her neck in problems when her father dies leaving her with a house full of orphans, a widow and her twins, and an ex-madam, plus a horse farm to run. She wants her brother, Caleb, to come home from the war to help her. She should have been careful for what she wished for because Caleb didn’t come back alone. With him is his band of ex-raiders turned mercenary.

Now they expect her to look the other way while they use the edge of her land as a base to commit their crimes. Well, she won’t do it. While trying to help a neighbor fend off the raiders, she ends up bringing home a wounded stranger who appeared out of nowhere to help them. Just her luck, handsome Tyler Beaumont is a marshal intent on bringing down her brother and his outlaw friends.

Finding Home Series, Book 2
Sometimes home is where you least expect it.

I have excerpts on my website http://www.catherinestang.com/ DARE TO LOVE is the book of the day over at Author Island, so be sure to comment today for your chance to win a copy.

Have a great week!

Cathy
http://www.catherinestang.com/
http://www.cathystang.blogspot.com/
http://www.thesecretlifeofromancewriters.blogspot.com/

Dare To Love - in print & ebook from http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
The Bargain – in print & e book from http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
More Than A Wife – Regency – available from http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
Secret Wishes – paranormal regency – available from http://www.cobblestone-press.com/

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Nina Pierce

Today's special guest at the Tiki Hut is author Nina Pierce. Nina grew up in a house of readers. So falling in love with books was only natural. In her teen years she found her mother's romance books and became forever hooked on the journey of finding one's true love. Now, if you throw in a dead body and some mayhem, Nina is in reader nirvana.

A few years ago, reading about love wasn't enough. She is now driven to write stories of alpha-males with a chink in their armor and the kick-ass women who fall in love with them. And true to what she loves, more often than not, you'll find some suspense thread running through her plots, hopefully with enough twists to keep her readers turning the pages, staying up late, and burning dinner.

A native of Maine, Nina lives in what she affectionately calls "the great white North". She is fortunate to have married her high school sweetheart and true love twenty-five years ago. They share their lives with three grown children and a menagerie of pets.

To learn how you can win a free download of Nina's BLIND LOVE, head to AuthorIsland.com today and check out today's Book of the Day!

Visit Nina's Website *** Visit Nina's Myspace *** Visit Nina's Blog

Say That Again
by Nina Pierce

Like most authors, I was a voracious reader long before I decided to write my first novel. There is nothing I enjoy more than losing myself in a great story. Sometimes the writing is so vivid and the journey of the characters so compelling that I hate to get to the last page. I don’t want to read those two little words “The End”. NOOO! Tell me more! I want to find out what happens to the hero’s brother and the pregnant wife who left him for all the wrong reasons.

Enter series writing.

The first series I remember losing myself in was the science fiction Freedom series by Anne McCaffrey. I love those books. I picked up the first one at the local library, not knowing it was a series until I was half way through. I immediately went to the library and signed out the second, only to discover (argh!) the library didn’t have the third. I drove to the local bookstore and picked up the third book in the series that day! Anne McCaffrey had pulled me into her world and I had no desire to leave until everyone got their happy-ever-after!

James Patterson also hooked me into his “Alex Cross” series. I diligently read each book as they came out, excited to find out what Mr. Patterson would do next to this poor man. Then of course, there were all the families Nora Roberts wrote about, each brother, sister, and grandparent with their own journeys of love to catalogue and enjoy. So many authors I love to read have wonderful series. I can’t name them all, but suffice it to say … I just love series books!

Hmmm … maybe there’s something to this.

When I sat down to write my first novel I decided I too would like to eventually hook readers into a world and keep them there. My first erotic suspense book “The Healer’s Garden” (published by Liquid Silver Books in December 2007) stands alone, but it is purposefully open-ended and I already have outlines for books two and three.

There are many types of series writing, but the one I enjoy reading and writing the most are trilogies. There is a major plot running through the series, but the hero and heroine of each novel resolve a minor plot and find their happy-ever-after and the major plot isn’t resolved until the end of the third book. Usually the characters in this type of series are related in some way, either by friendship, a curse, location or blood bonds. (Nora Roberts’ “Three Sisters Island Trilogy” or Michelle Bardsley’s “Broken Heart” series) It is a challenge to keep the major plot line woven into the minor plot of each book, but the payoff is worth the work! I can’t put this type of series down until I’ve read all three books and I can’t stop writing them until I’ve given each character their happy ending.

But trilogies aren’t the only type of series available to a reader or an author. There are also the series where the author uses the same hero/ine in each novel. Each story resolves a major plot, but the arc of the main character is a slow progression. At the end of these books, you understand our hero/ine has much to learn and there is still so much more growth potential. (Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” stories or Tess Gerritsen’s “Jane Rizzoli” series) In that same vein are the series where each book highlights a different character, the major plot is resolved, but new and old characters continue to pop up. (Sally MacKenzie’s “Naked” series or Suzanne Brockman’s “Troubleshooter” series)

These authors have all figured out how to hook their readers and keep them waiting on tenterhooks until the next book is released.

So, when you sit down to plot your next novel--consider writing a series. Your readers could be just one book away from falling in love with a whole new world of characters and waiting with baited breath for your next book!

Nina Pierce writes erotic suspense novels. Blind Love, the first novella in her Tilling Passions series was a liquid erotic release in April 2008 from Liquid Silver Books (http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/). The second and third books released in the summer of 2008. Visit her on the web at http://www.ninapierce.com/.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Joanna Waugh

Once again it’s guest blogger day at the Tiki Hut. Joining us beneath the beach umbrella is Regency author, Joanna Waugh. Her debut novel, BLIND FORTUNE, released last July from Cerridwen Press and is now in trade paperback. It was chosen as one of Romance Lists’ top ten notable historical romance debuts for 2008 http://romancelists.com/lists/notable-romance-debuts-2008-pirates-blind-ladies-and-more , and the music room love scene from it won Midnight Seductions’ 2008 Endless Romance Contest http://midnightseductionsauthors.wordpress.com/winners-of-the-endless-romance-contest/.

For a chance to win an autographed copy of her debut, head to AuthorIsland.com today and check out the Book of the Day!

Welcome to the Tiki Hut, Joanna!

Thanks for inviting me to your island, DeNita! It’s great to lounge in the warm sun while everyone back home is shivering.

A little about me -- I live in Northwest Indiana, just a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan and the beautiful Indiana Dunes. BLIND FORTUNE is my first published novel. Here the blurb:

They say love is blind, but Lady Fortuna Morley doesn’t believe it. Sightless since birth, she can think of only one reason a gentleman would wed her—for the dowry and three thousand pounds a year her father will provide. She’s in London the spring of 1814 to help launch her younger cousin into society, but prefers living quietly in the country with her music. The last thing Fortuna wishes is to cross swords with the arrogant Marquess of Granville.

Charles Lowden, Lord Granville, has decided to take a wife. The bride he’s chosen is thirteen years his junior, but meets all criteria. What he won’t abide is interference from the girl’s impertinent cousin, the outspoken and opinionated Lady Fortuna Morley. The woman is determined to thwart the match. Charles is just as determined to charm Fortuna out of her disdain for him.

What neither expects in the ensuing battle of wills is to fall in love.

The question I’m most often asked about BLIND FORTUNE is -- why a blind heroine? As many readers already know, I wrote the story based on personal experience with my husband who lost his sight to diabetes. But I also was fascinated by pre-21st century attitudes about people with disabilities.

During the Regency, the principle cause of blindness was conjunctivitis contracted by newborns. Remember, this was a time before the concept of germs and sterilization. In addition, people lost their vision to small pox, scarlet fever, measles, and whooping cough. By 1851, one person out of every 979 was blind in England and Wales.

Some folks believed physical disabilities were a mark of the devil or God’s punishment. Sightless people were thought to be mentally inhibited and uneducable. Blind women especially were vulnerable to unscrupulous men. In BLIND FORTUNE, Lady Fortuna fears that if she marries, her husband will lock her away in an asylum once he gets his hands on her money.

Not until the late eighteenth century did notions about the blind begin to change. In 1784, the first European school for the blind was founded in Paris. Once a week students enjoyed an outing to the local botanical gardens. Their teacher led them there by a rope onto which each of them held. I used this idea in BLIND FORTUNE when Lord Granville creates a ropewalk on his estate for Lady Fortuna.

A young boy named Louis Braille attended the Paris school. In 1824, at the age of fifteen, he invented a system of six raised dots that, when arranged in combination, represented letters of the alphabet. Unfortunately this revolutionary reading method came too late for Lady Fortuna. But, by the middle of the nineteenth century, it was the world-wide standard.

So what are some of the things you are passionate about as a reader or writer? What life experiences have effected the way you view the world?

To read excerpts from and reviews about BLIND FORTUNE, go to my website at http://www.joannawaugh.com/

Be sure to friend me on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/joannawaugh
and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/people/Joanna-Waugh/1355015961
and check out my blog about British customs and holidays at
http://www.joannawaugh.blogspot.com/

BLIND FORTUNE is available in ebook format and trade paperback at http://www.cerridwenpress.com/
Look for it soon at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Cornelia Amiri

Today in honor of St Patty's Day, I'd like to welcome the Celtic Queen herself, Cornelia Amiri. Cornelia draws on her love of history and fifteen years worth of research on the ancient Celts to write her romantic tales of long swords, hot heroes and warrior women. Ms. Amiri is the author of six Celtic/Fantasy/Romance books: A FINE CAULDRON OF FISH, DRUID QUEST, THE FOX PRINCE, THE VIXEN PRINCESS, DANGER IS SWEET and ONE HEART ONE WAY. The latter of which was a finalist in the 2004 EPPIE Awards. And has stories included in two anthologies: SLEEPING WITH THE UNDEAD and A DEATH IN TEXAS.

Over a hundred of her short stories and articles have appeared in both print and on-line magazines. Her next Celtic romance novel will be released in the fall of 2008.
She lives in Houston, Texas with her wonderful son.

Visit Cornelia's Myspace

The King of Green
by Cornelia Amiri

On St. Patrick’s Day, at least in the United States, anyone who doesn’t wear green gets pinched. So this St. Patrick’s Day, when you don your green to honor Ireland, give a thought or two to old King Tighernmas (Teernmas) of Tara, who brought the color green to the emerald Isle.

Through trade with the Phoenicians, he obtained dyes to create green, yellow, and blue and introduced those colors to Ireland between 900 – 1534 BC, as his reign fell somewhere in that timeline. He also enacted sumptuary laws on the numbers of colors worn by the different classes. Six colors to the highest of society, kings, queens, druids, five for the chieftains, four for land owners who offered hospitality, three for warriors, two for peasants and one for slaves. By using plaid the Irish and other Celts wore multi-colors, three to six, at one time. So under Tighernmas’s law slaves or servants wore solid colors, peasants wore checkered patterns, and plaid for higher classes.

Also, speaking of Celtic apparel, the legend is the first smelting of gold in Ireland occurred during Tighernmas’s reign. The King’s wright, Iuchadán, worked gold found near the Liffey, the river that runs through Dublin. So the Irish could pin their plaid cloaks to their tunics with gold broaches and band their necks with gold torques. Torques, neck rings, open-ended at the front, are the most recognized ornaments of the Celtic world. Worn from 1200 BC to 600 AD, by Kings, Queens, and Druids, as emblems of royalty like a crown. Not only did they serve as symbols of power, but also held power. An example is a story passed through time of a Roman solider, Manlius Torquatus, who earned his name after taking a torque from a fallen warrior. By stealing the torque, Torquatus captured the warrior’s strength, conferring it onto himself. Torques weren’t the only thing Tighernmas ordered from Iuchadan, he gave gold drinking horns to each of his followers.

Tighernmas is known for introducing the worship of Crom Cruach a harvest or solar god and a main deity of Ireland until St. Patrick brought Christianity to the isle in 5th century AD. Crom Cruach isn’t included in St. Patrick’s writings, but it’s believed the deity referenced as Cenn Cruach in the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick, written in the 9th century, is Crom Cruach. When Patrick approached the idol of Cenn Cruach and raised his staff, the stone image fell face-down, with an imprint of St. Patrick’s staff left on it. Then, the god appeared and St. Patrick cursed him, casting him to hell.

The idol of Crom Cruach stood on Moyslaught (The Plain of Adoration), in a circle with twelve smaller standing stones. An old reference to Crom in ogham translates, “In it Cruach was and twelve idols of stone around him and himself of gold.” It’s alleged that he demanded sacrifices of children at Samhian. But Crom Cruach cannot be identified among the Danaan divinities. Classical Roman writers described the idol as a rectangular stone with no carvings. Even in that time period, when ancient Romans wrote of Crom Cruach, the idol was so old only the tops of the twelve stones remained visible above ground and the main idol had slanted or toppled over.

Tighernmas has a reputation of introducing the worship of an evil god, but we know little to nothing of Crom Cruach. What his worship entailed, if there were sacrifices or not is a total mystery. However, a king who gave Ireland the color green and gifted all his followers with gold drinking horns can’t be all bad. So when you honor Ireland and St. Patrick, don’t forget those who came before, such as Tighernmas of Tara.

I dedicate this article to Tara or Teamhair, currently under threat. It is the sacred and ancient seat of kings where Tighernmas and so many others ruled and where they are most likely buried. Please see these links for further information:
Protest Song for Tara - http://www.myspace.com/songfortara Save Tara petition - http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=195681174
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vliZK6pwI8w
Tara Watch - http://www.tarawatch.org/

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Marie Nicole Ryan

Award-winning romantic suspense author Marie-Nicole Ryan has four books published with Samhain Publishing. The sensuality levels range from mild to “scorcher”. One book is a mystery/suspense, One Too Many—that’s the milder one. She’s a 2008 EPPIE winner for her erotic romantic suspense, Too Good to be True. This year, One Too Many is up for a 2009 EPPIE in the mystery suspense category and Marie-Nicole should know if she won by the time you read this. She has two other romantic suspense novels with Samhain, Love on the Run and Holding Her Own and is almost finished with a historical western novella.

What ever possessed her to write a mystery/suspense when her previous books were all romantic suspense? Here’s what she said.

I just had to write a follow-up story to Love on the Run. One Too Many starts right where LOTR left off: David and Randi’s honeymoon. They are two of my favorite characters and I just had to let readers know how American musician Miranda (Randi) Raines adjusts to being the wife of one of Scotland Yard’s detective chief inspectors, as well as being Lady Middlebury. Plus, I had so much fun researching the beautiful East Anglia countryside, weather, tide tables, train schedules, et cetera. I even corresponded by e-mail with a sergeant of the Metropolitan Police, Firearms Policy Unit. I’ve always been a fan of British mysteries, both in books and on TV and movies, so this book was a joy to write.

Randi is an impulsive gal, but she’s also the mother of a young boy by her first disastrous marriage. How she and David came together and formed this brand new family is told in LOTR (not The Lord of the Rings one). I hope to continue their journey in the future, but since my current publisher isn’t publishing mainstream novels, I’ll be on the lookout for a new publisher for that possible series.

Marie loves to hear from readers at marie@marienicoleryan.com You can read excerpts from her books at http://marienicoleryan.com/. She also maintains MySpace and Facebook pages. She posts regularly at Marie Blogs About Writing and Shades of Suspense. And if you have any desire to hear about her boring daily life, you can follow her on Twitter, too.

Marie-Nicole loves living in Nashville, Tennessee where her favorite activities when not plunked down in front of her computer are checking out the local antique shops (like Randi does in OTM) and meeting friends for lunch, especially writer friends. She’s addicted to entirely too many TV shows: NCIS; Bones; The Closer; Burn Notice; and The Mentalist. These shows all have one thing in common—great characters and touches of humor. She hopes you’ll find the same in each of her books.

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - LuAnn McLane

Joining us at the Tiki Hut today to celebrate her new release, REDNECK CINDERELLA and her 50th birthday is our favorite redneck romance writer, LuAnn McLane.

LuAnn writes for Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library. Although she still enjoys penning sensual contemporary trade-sized romances, she now also writes romantic comedy in mass market including DARK ROOTS AND COWBOY BOOTS, DANCING SHOES AND HONKY TONK BLUES, A LITTLE LESS TALK AND A LOT MORE ACTION, and her most recent REDNECK CINDERELLA.

Raised by her widowed father, Jolie Russell could keep up with any man - that is, until wealthy and sexy land developer Cody Dean struts into her life.Cody buys the Russell farm with an impossible-to-refuse multimillion-dollar offer, then relocates Jolie and her dad to the Copper Creek Estates. But the country club atmosphere isn't ready for Jolie's kind of country. As her two worlds collide, Jolie wonders how she can ever hope to capture Cody's heart without giving up her grits.

LuAnn lives in Florence, Kentucky, just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. When she takes breaks from writing, she enjoys long walks, watching chick flicks with her daughter and tries to keep track of her three active sons. She loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at luann@luannmclane.com.

Visit LuAnn's Myspace for excerpts of the new book!

Welcome LuAnn and a super happy birthday to you!!!

****

Dark (okay gray) Roots and Red Boots!

I’ve been whining about it for a few weeks and on March 3rd it will be official: I turn 50! Yes 50! I’m old enough for AARP and to join The Red Hat Society… both wonderful organizations mind you but for those of you who know me, well, I like to do things a little differently. So, instead of a red hat I bought red cowboy boots and I plan to go down kicking and screaming! I don’t mind turning 50… if fact I am proud of my age but it is a wake up call that I need to make my bucket list and start checking it off! There are just a few things (okay a lot of things) I’ve always wanted to do and places I’ve always wanted to see. As of March 3rd, 2009 I will have the list ready and I will make every effort to accomplish each and every one! So, here are a few things I want to do and or see. Oh and if any of you want to join me or have connections with people who can help me accomplish any of my goals send me an e-mail and we will hook up. I am also open to suggestions of unforgettable things you all have seen or done that should be on my list. So here is just a sample in no particular order:

1. A ride on the back of a Harley (hopefully with a hot guy driving)
2. White water rafting on the Gauley River
3. A trip to Australia (Aussie men are so sexy… not that it has anything to do with it. (Okay maybe a little)
4. A trip to Tuscany, Italy (to eat the food and drink Chianti)
5. An Alaskan Cruise
6. Swimming with dolphins
7. Making the New York Times (you all can help me with that one!)
8. Attending CMA Fan Fair
9. A sunset cruise in Hawaii
10. A Hot Air Balloon Ride in California Wine Country

Okay any other suggestions? Anyone want to join me? Jump on in!

This Tuesday At The Tiki Hut - Kay Stockham

This Tuesday, our special guest is Kay Stockham. Kay sold her seventh completed manuscript to Harlequin Superromance on February 11, 2005, and eight months later hit the Waldenbooks Series Bestseller List with her debut. In the time since she's contracted an additional nine stories to Superromance, as well as a novella featured in THE POWER OF LOVE with Berkley Publishing.

A HOLT Medallion, Book Buyers Best and RITA finalist, Kay is a happily married wife of seventeen years and mother of two who now makes her home in southern Ohio. For more information on her books, fabulous contests, excerpts and book trailers, surf to her website or friend her over at myspace.

Recently, I asked Kay about how her series the Tulane's of Tennessee came to be. Here's what she had to say......

Two years and a few months after I sold to Harlequin Superromance, I went to RWA's national conference to meet with my editor. I had a couple books under my belt, a couple releases in the works and a great idea percolating in my head. So, in our one-on-one meeting I decided to do the unthinkable as a rookie author--I pitched five books.

That's right. Even though I hadn't been published all that long, I had a great idea for a series. Even more surprising? My editor loved it and wanted to see more.

Putting together the proposals took some work. Since I was so new, the senior editor didn't want to contract all five stories at one time so the series was broken down into two three-book contracts.. But wait a minute, I said five books, right? Before I confuse anyone, the extra book was actually my December 2007 release A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER. ACTR was included in the first contract along with the first two books of my proposed series the Tulanes of Tennessee. Months passed, my editor moved to a new line and I was handed off to another. If you know anything about publishing then you know this is a normal occurrence. But what did it mean for my series? What if the new editor didn't like where I was headed? I admit, I had some scary moments but things worked out perfectly in the end.

I've been asked how I came up with the name, the setting etc. The setting was easy--I love Tennessee. Yes, I'm an Ohio gal and I was raised in Kentucky, but my family has made quite a few trips south to the gorgeous mountains of Tennessee. If you've never been--go. You won't regret it. (Note: Make sure you take a drive to Cade's Cove. Beautiful! Pick a sunny day, blast the radio and hit those windy roads!)

As to the name... When I was fleshing out my proposals Katrina made her appearance. My family was safe and accounted for, but on television I watched as frantic parents evacuated their children from Tulane University. Yes, my Tennessee family was named after that school and those kids because as a mom I felt the terror those parents were going through in trying to locate their children. So, in honor of them, my Tulane family was born.

On March 10, book three of my Tulanes of Tennessee series hits the shelves with HER BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER. Each of the stories stands alone so if you haven't read the series so far, no worries. You can still order ANOTHER MAN'S BABY and HIS SON'S TEACHER online (or you just might win them here at Author Island!). Also, mark your calendars because in September, 2009, SIMON SAYS MOMMY will showcase the eldest brother, Ethan, and in spring of 2010 the baby of the family, Alexandra, will wrap things up.

RT gave HER BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER 4.5 stars which designates it as a "Keeper" and they also chose it as a RT Top Pick. To say I'm thrilled is putting it mildly. Although I'd never compare a book to one of my children, I feel like a proud parent and I hope you'll pick up HER BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER and give it a look. For a sneak peek, go to my website to view the trailer and read an excerpt.

I've put a lot of time and thought into this series. Even though I thought I knew my characters pretty well when I pitched them, they've given me a lot of surprises. The Tulanes are honorable, sexy, down-to-earth and yet go-getters. And best of all? When they find love, they do everything in their power to keep it. I'm writing the last story now, and yeah, I'm going to miss them. *sniffle*

So, that's how I broke a rookie rule and pitched five stories at once. I'm hoping some of you have been following along with the series and have questions. If so, please post them here. And if you haven't, well, there's no time like the present to get started reading. I think DeNita has come up with a great contest and I hope you'll play along!

God bless,
Kay
--Kay Stockham
The Tulanes of Tennessee series-Five stories, five ways to fall in love!
HER BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER, March 2009
SIMON SAYS MOMMY, September 2009
http://www.kaystockham.com/
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