Romance…Not for everyone…

So many people ask me why I write romance. Well, I love anything romance and believe that everyone needs a little romance. Of course I’ve met many skeptics that don’t believe in romance. They often tell me it’s only found in sappy novels, Valentine candy or something similar, but they insist it’s only in the mind. For me I don’t believe that. I don’t consider most romance novels sappy, but sometimes the sappier the better, but I’m a romance novel junkie and I readily admit to the problem. Many have asked me when I started loving romance. My love for romance began when I was the tender age of 13 and picked up my first romance novel. I read many Harlequin and dime store novels, so many in fact that I carried them everywhere. One of my dear friends from school came to my book signing on Valentine’s Day and she told me that she remembered me carrying a romance novel everywhere I went. She said it only made sense that one day I’d be a romance author. But the day I picked up the book “Remembrance” by Danielle Steele, well let’s just say I was lost in a world of the imagination. She took me to foreign countries and many adventures that stirred this country girl’s young heart. That’s when I started filling notebooks with the words that sprang to my heart. That was when I woke up to the world of romance. Unfortunately not everyone shares my love of romance. Some people have been hurt by love and they turn away from romance. Some people look in the wrong places for the right person and they end up bitter and alone. But some try desperately to find romance and when it’s not found easily they become skeptics. I’m not saying everyone will find that once in a lifetime romance, but I will say this, in order to find romance you’ve got to believe in it with all your heart. That’s where romance comes from and if you believe, it will come. I know I’m just a sappy romance writer, but I know romance exists. I’ve experienced romance and it’s wonderful. That’s one reason I love writing romance. I want my readers to see how real romance happens. My books explore romance but in real life form. It’s not always easy and sometimes my characters struggle to find it. But that’s how life is sometimes. Some of my fans say I take them away from everyday life and immerse them into my world of romance for a while as they read. That always makes me smile.

So, do you believe in romance? I hope so because everyone needs to experience it at least once in their lifetimes. It can happen in a simple touch, dinner or just a look across the way. But it exists for those that believe and when you find it everything seems better. As always, good writing and May God Bless you…

Her Wish For Christmas... Pre Order up

Good Wednesday morning to everyone! It's a beautiful, chilly morning here in Georgia. I just love the crisp air that Fall offers. It's so invigorating and refreshes my soul. I begin to get more itchy to write which is scary because some days I could write for 24 hours a day. Yikes, that sounds a little obsessive, but if you're a writer you know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm currently working on Her Wish for Christmas, the 3rd book in my Lean on Him Christian Romance Series. This book has torn at my heart and brought me to tears several times. I thought book 2 in the series, Faith Through the Tears was bad on my nerves, well this one has totally cleared out my tear ducts. Actually had a fan recommend sending out a box of tissues with each copy sold. Good Wednesday morning to everyone! It's a beautiful, chilly morning here in Georgia. I just love the crisp air that Fall offers. It's so invigorating and refreshes my soul. I begin to get more itchy to write which is scary because some days I could write for 24 hours a day. Yikes, that sounds a little obsessive, but if you're a writer you know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm currently working on Her Wish for Christmas, the 3rd book in my Lean on Him Christian Romance Series. This book has torn at my heart and brought me to tears several times. I thought book 2 in the series, Faith Through the Tears was bad on my nerves, well this one has totally cleared out my tear ducts. Actually had a fan recommend sending out a box of tissues with each copy sold. If you're wondering why it brings me to tears, well it's a book about a problem that plagues this nation and it's something that just affects me so deeply. But it's the reactions of the characters that totally takes me by surprise. If you're not a writer, the last statement might seem strange, but sometimes as writer's we're surprised by how the characters take over. Also, for this book, it's on pre order through Amazon until the release date of November 14th at http://www.amazon.com/Her-Wish-Christmas-Lean-Book-ebook/dp/B00OJI0BN0. I'm donating 50% of my royalties from all the pre order sales and first week after release sales to a domestic violence charity. I want to help out with making a difference. This is such a problem and it breaks my heart that so many feel they have nowhere to turn. The first couple of days the pre order was out it was in the top 100 on Amazon which is exciting. I'm so touched by the response to this book and can't wait for it to be up and running. Since the book is almost completely through the editing process I'm crossing my fingers that maybe this book can inspire someone to speak out and get help. As always, great writing and May God Bless You...

Authors are like bees!

Authors are like bees! Ok, I know you’re saying, now where is she going with that? Well, let me explain. I was watching a bumblebee buzzing around my flowers and I was thinking about the pollination process. If you think hard about it you’ll get where I’m going with this :) As authors we start with the seed that grows into a flower which of course is our book. Once we’ve completed our work of art we start spreading it everywhere. Then of course other authors or bees in this analogy, spread it to other places and so on and so on. Are you getting the picture? Of course we do want to make sure to cross pollinate too. We need to work together as authors and helps other authors promote. It’s a win, win. Have you noticed that we do a lot of promoting on other authors sites and them on ours? I was asked by a non writer once why we do that and I laughed. I told them it may sound crazy, but it still gets our name out there. We all have followers that read what we post. Then of course if we recommend a book they’ll go over and check it out, then also when we cross pollinate, the original author gets more views from the other authors followers. It may sound confusing, but it’s really quite simple. It’s like a pyramid, but legal. So, have you cross pollinated lately? Don’t forget about Romancing September Across The World will start Septemeber 1st. I’ll be posting more in the next week regarding it. But I’ll tell you this, we’ve got 30 awesome authors involved and it’s going to be a great chance to do some pollinating, ummm…. you know what I mean, sharing :) As always, good writing and May God Bless You… For more info: http://rosieamber.wordpress.com/romancing-september-tour/ Also, the countdown is getting close for Safe In The Pirate’s Arms…

Valentine's Day - A Romance Author's Favorite Day...

Today of all day's is for romance. Maybe you don't have a significant other, but you can still curl up with a good book of romance or a romantic movie. Romance is in the air as we start this day. Luckily here in Georgia the sun is shining and the ice is almost just a memory as it faded into the soaked ground. As most of you know I love anything romance. I'm like an old soul with romance. I think it is needed in any relationship. I know, you're saying that it's not possible in some relationships, but it is. It could be the look in your eye for your lover, or maybe the little things you do to make things special. Maybe it's a little note in their wallet or on their pillow that can just have your kiss on it to make them smile. Romance is such a simple thing that can so mystifying. I was drawn to romance as a teenager with my first romance novel and it's been all uphill since then. I've always pined for that moment in a book when their hands touch and you just know it's the real thing. I get so excited that I'll sit up half the night reading to get to the end, hopefully a happy ending. Today is an important day to bring in some romance. Go all out. Everyone has candles in their house. Light a few. Even if you have children, make it a family thing. The kids have to go to bed eventually. Send him a look across the table that promises romance to come. You have to make time each week for each other. It's important to keep the romance and surprises going. It doesn't cost anything to leave a cute note for them. So try it and let me know how it goes. If you need to find a great romance novel, go to avonromance.com and you'll find anything you need in romance novels. It's a great site to shop from. As always, good writing and May God Bless You...

Faith Through The Tears in final stages!

As you know I've had several works in progress. One in particular is "Faith Through The Tears" which is the 2nd book in the Lean On Him Christian Romance Series. I'm in the final stages of it and getting really excited. If things go well, I look to have it up and run this weekend. It still has a couple of nudges and tweaks, but it's going smoothly. It's amazing when you get in the groove and everything just falls into place. Since the cover has been completed for months that makes the process much smoother. Now it's down to those pesky little edits that plague every writer. But this one has been close to my heart so I look forward to the final read through before we hit publish. Let me give you a little hint of what this book is all about. It's a continuation of come of the characters from "With All My Heart". It starts with Randy and Rachel's love story and her battle with cancer. But it takes a sad turn and yes, it's a box of tissues kind of book. I cried the whole time I wrote the first half of this book. It just tore at my heart. A couple of months ago I posted the first chapter on Avon Romance's blog site and I received responses ranging from 'you made me cry' to 'I've got to know how this comes out'. It's so exciting when you can grab the reader with just an excerpt. This book has some surprises from the first book regarding Luke and Amanda. So many readers fell in love with their story of faith and love through the challenges. I've brought out some of their lives too. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with this one. It's filled with tremendous faith and the challenges that life brings when you lose your soul mate. So, I hope everyone is staying warm and safe from the world's crazy weather patterns. But for now it's time to pick up the ledgers and get back to accounting. At least I'm in a beautiful environment with the snow covered back ground behind me. But bring on Spring! As always, good writing and May God Bless You...

As the fire crackles and the pines crack!

Here we go again, but this time it's ice. I live in the south. For pity's sake where did the southern weather go? As I sit at my dining room where I've set up my laptop so that I can work, I hear the crackling of the fire in the den. But behind me is a set of french doors that lead onto our back patio, from there you hear the snap, crackle, and pop of the pine trees that can't hold the weight of the building ice. I did venture out earlier to grab some paperwork from my office and I could actually smell fresh pine. It's like I was walking into a room with a pine air freshener. I love snow, but not ice. Ice is dangerous and usually cause massive power outages. Luckily at the moment we have power, but it's flickered a couple of times. Even northerners have to say ice is different than snow to deal with. When we had snow a couple of weeks ago, people were still on the roads a little bit, but when you have ice it's eerily quiet. Of course the cold has brought out the beautiful red birds. I love to watch them as they poke around for a bit of food. I've got to admit the ice on the trees is beautiful, but the danger still looms. I'm staying inside for now and hoping for the best. As for my writing, I made some large headway last night on finishing up "Faith Through The Tears". I actually powered through almost 5000 words as the story unfolded in my head. I'm so excited about this installment to the "Lean On Him" Christian Series. Of course I'm working steadily on my other works in progress. It's fun to be a writer and get to live in so many different worlds with my characters. One moment I'm in a small town and the next I'm on a horse ranch or maybe I'm on a beach in Savannah. I get to experience so much diversity through my characters and they become a part of me. It's an awe inspiring experience. I do hope that all of you are warm and safe. Also a shout out to my friends across the pond as you're experiencing really scary winds. I send my prayers for everyone to stay safe. Bundle up with a good book and ride out the storm in another world. As for me, as long as I have power I'll be working on accounting, but if the power goes out I have several books and plenty of paper. The work will go on by candle light which could bring on a whole new inspiration. As always, good writing and may God Bless You and keep you safe...

Changing Up...

Before I published my first book I did a lot of investigating. The general comment that I saw from several well known writers was to keep writing. They said that the more you write the better your craft and the better the sales. Well, I wondered how this would pan out for my future career as a writer. Now that I'm coming up on my two year publishing anniversary I can say that this is a fact. It's funny that when I read my first published book I shake my head. I'm in the process of revising a couple of my first books. I've learned so much about the process and writing in the last two years. I changed a lot of how the process goes. Also, I've slowed down a bit. Of course that could be age, but let's get past that point. I've seen a huge difference in sales. The first 6 months after publishing my first book my sales were minimal. Every month after that I've seen a upswing. I've also learned to put a decent price on my work. Even though you might sell less in numbers, the end result if a larger profit. As for my covers I've stepped up the game. Now I put more effort in making each new cover pack a punch. I want them to stand out in the enormous crowd of other newly published books. I study other covers that I see and what the current trends are. I get a lot of response on my covers which makes me smile. One thing I've learned from multiple published books, I've added more descriptions. I've added more insight into the characters and more information on the surroundings. Some of this comes from fans writing to me. They tell me that my earlier books were good, but they wanted more from the characters. I've listened to the readers and now I write further detail into every book. Patience has been a hard thing for me to have in my writing. When you can see the end and your excited, sometimes you press it too quickly and lose the middle structure. My publishing process has become very detailed. I've slowed that process too. Now I do a little more marketing than before. As you've noticed in my blogs I'm working on several manuscripts that have been in the works for a while. I also have a couple of surprises coming up, but that's for another blog down the road. As always, good writing, and May God Bless You...

When Writing A Death Scene...

I've been working on a piece that includes death scene. I'm not talking about a shooting or stabbing death, but a death caused by cancer. Death scenes can be tricky, especially in these circumstances. If you're having a character killed off you just have them shot or stabbed and there's a moment of dying then that's it. But in this instance the character is in a hospital spending her last moments with her loving husband. Yeah, I cried all the way through writing the scene which took several days. It was mentally and physically draining. The scene spanned a chapter or two as this was a pivotal point of the story line. It sets the scenarios for the rest of the book. And no it's not a tear jerker all the way through. It's a really sweet romance from start to finish. The main character is just such an amazing man. He's so full of Faith, family and love that you can't help but fall in love with him. I've cried with him, laughed with him and now it's at another pivotal life changing event and I've just sat and sighed with him. Let's just say it's going to pull you up in your seat. In a death scene such as this, you have to be careful. I wanted the death scene to flow easily but not too quickly. The emotions and the last words are pivotal in the mechanics of the main characters decisions later on. Yes, I even put some romance in the death scene which is hard to do, but with these two it's easy. Their love was immense and totally empowering. It's also a little eye opening for my own life. I've lost so many family and friends to cancer so it was a little sad. It also made me think of my own immortality. How would I handle my last minutes on earth? Could I be as brave as Rachel? Would I be a complete mess? How would I handle my last moments with my child and my husband? It's something to think about. I spent a little time digging into my own heart. It was a reality check for sure. As always, good writing and May God Bless you...

Time Travel - Something new...

As I work on my latest manuscript I have to sigh. Have you ever gotten so lost in your work that you react to every detail? This has been such a step away from my normal writing, but I'm really enjoying it. I have some surprises in store for the readers with this one. And yes before you ask, there are horses and a handsome cowboy. I mean it's me writing it. I've based this story in one of my favorite cities, Savannah. It's so rich with history and beautiful places. I love history. That was my favorite subject in school beside literature. I wonder why I like literature... I thought I'd give you a little sneak peak of "Finding The Right Time" and as it happens, this books will not be coming out for a little while. I made a huge decision Saturday to enter this manuscript in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. Last year I entered "A Love Never Lost" and it made it through to the 2nd round which was exciting. Fingers crossed and hopes abound. Well, here's a little bit: Rafe walked around in front of her and held out his hand. “Would you like to dance?” “I don’t know how to dance to this, but if you’ll lead.” She smiled up into his handsome face which was full of mischief. “I’ll lead you anywhere my dear.” He said as he pulled her in amongst the other couples waltzing around the makeshift dance floor. Which actually was just a marked off area of the dirt road. She grabbed his hand and he gently placed his other on her waist. “You smell wonderful.” He put his nose to her hair as he pulled her closer. “It’s lavender from your grandmother.” She smiled. It was heavenly dancing close to Rafe. His muscular chest was under her cheek. Every movement caused his muscles to ripple. “This feels right holding you in my arms. Thank you for staying tonight.” He kissed the side of her head as he held her close. He didn’t care what anyone thought at that moment. All he could think of was holding her for possibly the last time. Could his heart take it if she decided not to come back? She closed her eyes and almost forgot where she was. Suddenly someone started to sing an old Irish sounding tune. She smiled up at Rafe as he didn’t stop moving to the music. Neither was aware of the whispering among the town. They were mesmerized by the couple in the middle of the dance floor. Brody sat down beside Mrs. Emma and put his arm around her. “Gran, I do think our boy has finally given his heart.” “As do I Brody. She’s a wonderful girl. I do hope she’ll make the right decision and stay with us.” Her voice quivered with worry. She’d seen the uncertainty earlier in Lily’s eyes. She knew that feeling only too well. She’d made the right decision for herself, but what was Lily’s? “Do you think she’ll leave again?” He watched the couple and had his doubts. He saw the love in their eyes and it was mutual. “I hope tonight will give her reason to stay.” She watched the couple. Then she looked around and everyone there was watching them and smiling. Everyone could see it, but would Lily? She just prayed it would become crystal clear tonight. After five songs Rafe pulled Lily off to the side. “Let’s get some air.” She followed as he led her to the edge of town away from the buzzing crowd. When they were out of sight of everyone, he turned and pulled her into his arms. His lips were suddenly on hers and she was lost. He pulled her close to his body. He’d held his emotions all evening, but he was about to snap. It was as though she was his water and he was thirsty. He drank of her as though he’d been without for years. She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him into the kiss. As she deepened the kiss he groaned. This felt so right to her, but could she leave everything. For tonight she’d be his. He ran his hands up and down her back. It was as though he couldn’t get her close enough. When he finally released her it was only to pull her between two of the buildings. He pressed her against the side of the building and kissed her passionately. Their breathing was ragged as passion took over their bodies. He knew he needed to stop but he couldn’t seem to muster up the strength to let her go, not yet. He wanted her badly and the knowledge that this could be their last time together was almost his undoing. She was the first to push at his chest. If they went any further she’d never be able to make a clear decision. This was so hard to not just give in to her desires. She knew it’d be so easy. He leaned his head against hers as he tried to control his breathing. “Lily please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.” “There’s nothing to forgive. I wanted you too, I still do, but this will not help my decision.” She pulled away from his embrace and leaned against the wall. He put his hand on her shoulder. “If you want me as badly as I do you, then the decision is made.” He looked down at her face. It was hard to see her expression in the darkness. He knew his want was from mostly love and what he knew was also lust. “It’s not that easy Rafe. I don’t want to make a decision based on passion. That’s not love. I want my decision to be true to my heart, not my body. Can you understand that?” She turned to look up into his face. “I’ll have to understand it. I just want you to be my wife.” He ran his fingers through his hair in heated frustration. He could use another dip in the cool stream behind the house. He’d had several of those since Lily had come into his life. That’s where he’d been the night she’d seen him from her window. She realized he’d just laid his heart on the line. “Oh Rafe, you’re such a wonderful man. Please give me until the morning.” She laid her hand on his heart and it was beating wildly. He reached up and covered it with his large hand. “I am a man of my word. I’ll give you until the morning, but I will tell you this. If you decide to stay, I want us to be married as soon as possible.” His voice was stilled ragged with passion. “If I decide to stay we will be married before the next setting sun.” She reached up and grasped his face, pulling it down to hers. It was the most passionate, sweet, heart wrenching kiss. It touched her soul in a way she’d never expected. Rafe touched her soul, but was it enough? I know that was more than a bit, but I just love this part. It's going to be hard holding back on the publishing of this one. Hopefully I can restrain myself. I have to make my final decision before February 16th. If I get an offer for it before then, I'll jump but keep your fingers crossed. This book will be a game changer for me. As always, good writing and May God Bless you...

Cold Hands, Warm Heart...

Good Monday morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend filled with joy and lots of writing. Of course today is a school holiday so I got to sleep in. That's always a plus. As I sat down in my office I was met with a really cold chair and desk. My fingers are struggling with this post due to the cold. It was a little warmer on Friday when I left, so I didn't set the heater to come on as much over the weekend. That's what I get for not looking ahead at the forecast. It's freezing this morning. Have you ever heard the old saying, "Cold Hands, Warm Heart". That's me this morning for sure. I always have cold hands. Since I'm a hopeless romantic I guess you could say I always have a warm heart. When I love I do it with my whole heart. I don't love half heartedly. It's just not in my makeup. Maybe this is why I'm drawn to writing about love. I love every aspect of it. It mesmerizes me and draws me into it's depths until I'm lost in it's beauty. Now don't get me wrong. Love can be a tedious thing, like walking on a tight rope over a deep canyon. As you know, I'm afraid of heights so I try to keep off the tight rope as much as possible. I've had so many readers ask me if my writing comes from life experiences and I usually laugh. A writer never fully reveals the secrets behind their craft. I will tell you this, I've loved and lost, but in the end I've loved for eternity. There it is, a writer's answer. We love to write in riddles, never really giving it all away. When I was a teenager I looked for Prince Charming. He'd come up on his white horse, of course, and he'd have on a crisp white Stetson with a winning smile. You know the type, the one that's only in your mind. Oh yeah, I had it bad. I'd read one too many romance novels, if that's possible. Sometimes it can be dangerous for a girl coming of age. She looks for that one special man. Poor boys, I left several along the road side wondering what they'd done wrong. Hey, I didn't leave them literally by the roadside, but you get what I'm saying. One reader asked if I had a cowboy in my past, well I'm from the country and that's a resounding yes. You can't throw a stone without hitting at least one cowboy or country boy. As a writer you have to pull from things that are familiar but then you have to make them stand out and interesting. So, do you have a warm heart? Do you pull from your past experiences when writing? As always, good writing and May God Bless You...

Friday and Romancing the Coffee

Good Morning! It's Friday people. It's the last day of the work week for most, but for an author that works a full time job it's the start of the long work weekend. I work everyday on my manuscripts. Some days not as long as others and especially at this time of year. I have deadlines all around me. There's W-2's to finish, end of the year balancing, 1099's, Tax return prep, manuscripts that are being finalized, covers to design, editing to do, VBS pre season prep, and dare I go on, on my! As I sit here nursing my second cup of coffee, I contemplate my morning. I have a hour or so of social media, blogging, and a little editing before I go to the office. It's funny the life of a writer. I sit down at my computer and my fingers automatically go to the keyboard ready to write. It's just natural for me to put my thoughts in writing. Do you use your morning effectively? The morning hours are very productive for me. It's the mid day that I sometimes get a little foggy, but then as I sit down after dinner I get creative again. Generally I'm not a morning person, but after about two cups of coffee I start to wake up and get inspired. This morning I have a crackling fire going and a sweet little bird on the banister outside the window watching me. Of course he probably thinks my head is a nest as I've yet to run a brush through my hair or even get dressed for that matter. This is "Me" time. The sun is spreading across the front lawn and the world is starting to come alive. As you know, I love romance and in the mornings I love to write a little and feel the power behind romance. Have you ever felt it? If you're a romance writer or reader for that matter, you've felt that power. It draws you in and refreshes your faith in life. Yeah, I'm a romance advocate. I had a reader tell me the other day that they don't believe in romance, well they received a long talk about the possibilites of romance. Needless to say they laughed and said they'd give it another try. But they have read all my books. That's a start. Well I'm almost done with my Friday morning rambling, but I must leave you with this question. Do you believe in romance? It's a simple question. I'm curious about your responses. With romance being the best selling genre in books, I'm pretty sure at least more then 50% of you do. As always, good writing and May God Bless You...Image

Forgetten Work!

Well as you noticed in yesterdays post I've been cleaning my office, which is a rather large job. As I was cleaning out some file boxes I ran up on an rather large notebook. When I opened it I found a spiral bound notebook inside. I pulled it out and was going to put it in the office supply pile, which was growing rapidly. I have a bad habit of losing office supplies only to be found later when I open a clients file and there it is. I drive my assistant crazy :) On with what I found. I decided to open the notebook to make sure it had paper left in it. Well to my surprise I had started a story inside this hidden notebook. For a moment I just stared at it wondering when I'd started this hidden story. Since I was in a cleaning mode I put it to the side to check out later. My eyes kept straying to the notebook on the corner of my desk. I carried the notebook in my house and opened it like a child opening a Christmas present. I was so excited because truly I did not remember this story. As I read the first couple of paragraphs I was taken back about five years. This was a story that came to me suddenly in a dream. Of course I was so excited when I finished reading. It was actually about twenty pages of writing. The story started to come into focus and well as any writer would do I started getting excited. It's funny how these things happen. I know what you're thinking and yes I will be finishing my works in progress. I had strength and put the notebook beside my chair. I know this story has a ending in my mind, but I've promised my wonderful fans that I will be finishing the 2nd books in three of my series. I do have deadlines to follow, but boy this story has taken a toll of my brain. So I will reveal a bit of it really soon, but for now I'll finish up my works in progress. But who knows, maybe I can multi task. No, promise I'll be a good little writer and finish what I've started ;) As always, great writing and May God Bless You...

Happy New Year's Eve...

Well here in the US we only have hours left in 2013, but many of my friends abroad are celebrating the New Year. For those of you that are already in 2014, Happy New Year. I wish you well in the New Year. I hope that everyone has a great New Year's Eve. It's a time to reflect on the year going out and on the possibilites of the new year. For me I am excited about the coming year. I've set many goals that are exciting and extremely positive. I'll let you in on them as they unfold, but for now I'll just keep them under wraps. I have several books in the works that will come out in 2014. That's exciting and scary. Why does it always scare me when I hit that publish button? The work will have gone through many edits and rewrites, but it's still a anxious time. Will my readers like it or will it be a huge disaster? I guess that's the art of this line of work. As you celebrate the new year remember those that were lost in 2013 and those that were born. It was a year of many changes and so many laughs. I'm honored to have been featured in three magazine articles in 2013 and I gained many new friends through my blog and writing. I want to thank all of my wonderful, adoring fans that write to me and make my work worth while. Thanks to all my colleagues who support me and give wonderful advice and sometimes even a high five when something goes right. So, celebrate and be safe on this New Year's Eve. I love you guys, you're all wonderful. See you in 2014! As always, good writing and May God Bless you...

What makes a good romance for you?

Romance novels come in many genres. It's amazing how they've changed since I first picked up my first romance. I remember the intense feelings that the book brought out. It was based in Europe in the World War 2 era. I remember crying, laughing and being inspired to find my Prince Charming. I also remember finding out through reading that my Prince Charming would not always be perfect as the fairy tale goes. For me a good romance needs to take you to another place. I want to be taken away from my normal world and transported into a exotic place, mystical place or just another time. I want the book to carry me away with emotions. The writer needs to make me think I'm there with the character, feeling the emotions, the anger, the sadness, the love, and especially the romance. I want to be able to still feel it even after I put the book down. I can't even imagine how many romance novels I've read in my lifetime. Recently I went through my collection of novels that are stored in my attic. I had to put them in plastic storage boxes as the boxes were falling apart from age and over use. It's amazing how many times I've read some of them over and over. I even pulled some of them out and read them again. There's nothing like the feel and smell of a aged book. The yellowed pages pull you in and keep you engrossed. I had several authors that I bought everytime I saw a new book in their collections. As I reboxed them I separated them by author. The publishers of most of them are still around, such as Harlequin, Avon and many others. I always knew if it had the Harlequin or Avon symbol on the side that it would be great. I remember going to flea markets and browsing hungrily through the many shelves of used books. As a teenager it was like a scavenger hunt for more titles from some of my favorites. A couple of my favorite books have been purchased a couple of times. You may be wondering why, well let me explain. I would lend them out and they never got returned. Then I would go on a mad search for them. When I'd find them again, they would stay with me. So for me a good romance needs to make an impression. I want to think about it again and again even after I've read The End. I want to read it over and over and still fall in love. The characters need to pull at my heart strings. I want to be able to see them in my mind's eye and carry that throughout the book. Recently I heard from one of my dear fans. She told me that the descriptions of my characters made her see them clearly. She said that she felt like she knew them personally as she read through to the end. I was pleased that I'd accomplished that goal. Sometimes that can be a hard thing for a writer. You have to make sure that your character is well thought out and explained. If they are blonde, make sure they are blonde throughout. I read a book not too long ago and the main character started out as a blonde and the writer somehow I guess forgot and by the end their hair was ebony. And no they didn't change hair color out of a bottle. It totally blew my mind. I love to read a romance that makes me cry. It doesn't have to be from sadness, but it could be just the sweetness of the romance. I have several books that I read over and over that make me cry every time. It's just such a sweet, tender romance that it draws out the emotional part of me. So as you write, think about what draws you in. If you like time travel, then write about time travel. If you like a good, sappy romance, then write that sappy romance. If it's erotica you love, then write erotica. Everyone has a niche and you have to find that niche. For me it's the tender, sweet love story that builds throughout the story. I try to throw in a little intrigue and mystery, but in the end it's the romance that draws you in. So, as always, good writing and May God Bless You...

Christmas Eve...

Good chilly morning to all... I do hope everyone is ready for Christmas. I've still got some baking to finish and payroll to complete, but the gifts are bought and wrapped. Well all but one and I tripped over it this morning in the bedroom, LOL. I'll wrap it when I get back from delivering payroll. 'Tis the season to be jolly and why is it that most people this year are not jolly? My son and hubby are not in the Christmas spirit. It's driving my insane. I'm going around singing Christmas carols and decorating everything that's not standing still. They just sit and look at me like I've lost what's left of my brain. Well, maybe I have, but it all went into my books. Last night I was thinking of spending it finishing up the latest manuscript that's captured my little brain and then it hit me. "I've got to put some Christmas spirit in these men of mine." So I whipped out "Frosty The Snowman" and "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and told them to sit down and enjoy. Of course I giggled like a school girl and they just sat there and made fun of Rudolph's red nose. Oh well, I tried. Speaking of manuscripts, I'm hoping to spend some time off from accounting this week and finish up "Finding The Right Time". It's been taking over my brain this week. While I was up and down last night with my pulled back muscle I played with the idea of pulling out my laptop and just working through the night, but my back told me otherwise :( So here's hoping you all have a wonderfully Merry Christmas Eve and hope Santa is very good to you. Remember to smile at someone you don't normally smile at, hug your loved ones and sing carols even if they're out of tune. Put the Christmas spirit in your whole day and enjoy the season of joy. Don't forget the reason for the season as you celebrate with family and friends. Tell Jesus Happy Birthday! As always good writing and May God Bless You...

Picking the right cover photo

I know I've harped on this before but I can't stress enough the importance of a great cover. I was looking at some of the new books on Amazon and to tell you the truth a couple of the covers were non imaginative. They were just bland and didn't exactly go with the book description. But of course there were some that I was just stunned at the creativity and dare I say 'beauty'. Your book cover is the first thing potential readers see. If you go the extra mile it will help you tremendously. Like right now I'm scanning photos for my newest work in progress. I have in my mind what I want and it has to be perfect. I've looked at thousands of photos and let me tell you, it's a lot of work, but the payoff makes it worth it. If your cover doesn't fit the book, why even go there. If you write a Christmas romance and put a Easter bunny on it, well you get the picture. Don't give away too much with your cover either. This means don't put a picture of the ending on the cover. If all the way through the book you keep the reader in the dark about if the couple is going to marry or get pregnant, you might not want to put them in a wedding dress or looking pregnant. But then again that could increase sales. Sometimes it's a catch 22, you just have to know how to make it work. Also, one last thing that's a huge, big piece of advice. For next to nothing you can purchase a picture from a reputable site and make it really pop. Don't just pull something from the family photos and make it work, unless it really goes with the book. I use several sites, but my favs are bigstockphoto.com and istockphoto.com. There are several, but these are the two I use. As always, good writing and may God Bless You... By the way, don't forget that my publishing service designs great covers. Check out the tab above for Horseshoe Publishing on my main blog.

Christmas Spirit, Love and Sharing

Image Today's post is a step away from my normal writing and publishing blog. I want to ask you a simple question, Do you have the Christmas Spirit this year? I'm not talking about the I've got to go shopping today, the ornaments are up , but the Christmas Spirit. You may be saying, What are you talking about? Well, it's quite simple really. Have you done something for someone less fortunate this Christmas season and not just to get a tax benefit, but from the heart? Have you spent time with family and friends and thought about someone or something other than yourself? I went with my family out to eat last night for Christmas. It was great to be with my uncle and aunt and couisins and their families, not to mention my mom, her friend, my brother and his family and my hubby and son. I sat there looking around the table thinking about how much our family has grown. We've gained lots of new members in the last twenty or so years. But it was nice to take a moment out of our busy lives to just be together. Yes it was crowded in the small room we'd reserved but the point was to be together. As we left I felt sad that we didn't get to spend more time together, but life takes over sometimes. Tommorow at Church we're getting together as a Church family and putting together boxes for the families at the local family and children services. These families won't have much for Christmas so we try to give them something special to unwrap on Christmas morning. Some gifts are as simple as a doll or car, toothbrush and toothpaste. Actually things we take for granted but they'd be thrilled to have. Even hairbows and brushes, pencils and school supplies, things that they need but don't have. It warms my heart to help with such a special cause, but it's never enough. Why can't we just spend a couple of dollars to help those less fortunate? It's not about the huge, pricey gifts. It's the thought. No child should wake up Christmas morning without at least one thing under the tree. Christmas is by no means just about the gifts, it's about our Savior's Birth. But we need to teach our kids the spirit of giving which He spoke of so often and for some reason we've stepped away from it. It could be something simple like a warm blanket and coat. You may be warm in your house, but what about families that can't afford heat. Give them something warm to wrap up with. But why not all year long. Why do we only think of those less fortunate at Christmas? We should keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts year round. We should follow His word and give to those in need all year. Think of the troops that are away from home. They are not just away at Christmas, they're away for months to years at a time, but most only think about them at this time of the year. So my challenge to you is this. Do something nice for someone. Maybe set a goal to do something for someone every month of the year. Plan a special project you can do for someone in need. It could be as simple as cooking a meal for a shut-in or just collecting cans and donating them to a family in need. The smile you'll receive and the feeling will get contagious and dare I say it, you might become an habital giver. As always, good writing and May God Bless You... photo credit: Rdoke via photopin cc

Saturday Morning and The Coffee's Flowing...

I love Saturday mornings. For one thing I get to sleep in for a little longer and when I get that first cup of coffee I can sit and enjoy it. This morning is no different. I sit here sipping coffee and eating the biscuits my hubby pulled out of the oven as I walked down the hall. It's wonderful to wake up to breakfast already cooked and the aroma of coffee drifting into the bedroom. The day in Georgia will be dreary and rainy, but it's Saturday so no matter. My day will be filled with decorating our Church for Christmas. I look forward to this every year. As I've said before several times, I love Christmas. It's a fun time as we gather together to adorn His house with garlands, trees, snowflakes, ornaments and whatever else we can get out. When we're done it's transformed into another place, a place of excitement and enjoyment. The children will come in tomorrow and their eyes will let us know if we've accomplished our goals. It's the same with our writing. If the reader isn't taken to another place or setting we've failed. I try to push the envelope. When I was writing Open The Heart I knew it would be different. I strived to put an element of the wow factor. I wanted you to feel the icy cold chill of a Christmas in the snowy Alps of Switzerland. I've had readers that said they felt like they were there. That's a writer's goal. Take the reader away from their everyday stressful life, if only for a moment. When I read a book I want to be transported into another time or place. I want to see it in my mind through the words of the writer. If you can't pull them into the story you've cheated them of a experience. When I wrote Open The Heart I could see every detail and I wanted my reader to see it and feel it. One time during a particular scene where they're in the snow literally I actually had to wrap up. I had a chill as I wrote the story but when they were inside by the fire I shed the blanket. Funny how your writing affects you... So, enjoy this day and make it your own. Embrace the world you live in. Do something for yourself today. It's Saturday!!! As always, good writing and May God Bless You... One more thing, Check out the new link to my book at the bookclubreading.com at: http://bookclubreading.com/open-the-heart/ and go over to avonromance.com to pick up some great Christmas romances. They've got a great selection to choose from.

Have you got a character you don't like?

When you're a writer you get the chance to meet many characters through your books. Sometimes the characters leave a lasting memory on you. I've fell in love with many of my characters. Wes in "Moonbeam and Roses", Jared in "Ghost Lover, and Drake in "Open the Heart" just to name a couple of them. It's amazing the way characters in your writing get in your heart. But then there are the characters that you love to hate. Those are the characters fans tell you they don't like which is exactly the point to their bad ways. Take for instance Thomas in "Ghost Lover". He's a real snake in the grass. He's handsome and tries to make everyone including Jess think he's a wonderful man. But his true colors start to show when Jared comes into the picture to still Jess's heart. He does everything including attempted murder to get her to love him. Oh, then there's Ty in "A Love Never Lost". He uses his wealth and horse ranch to woo Lilly. But he is obsessed, not in love. He resorts to kidnapping to try to get what he wants. That's just not nice at all. Then you have Brent in "Open The Heart". He leaves Lacey at the altar and then tries to guilt her back. But he soon finds out that true love wins in the end. Here are three traits that make a bad character: 1: Jealousy - It gets them everytime. Jealousy can cause a character to take drastic measures and make bad decisions. 2: Obsession - Sometimes an obsessed character can do some nasty things to get what they want and usually their wants are not the same wants as the one they're obsessed about. 3: Evil - Now evil can really make a bad character. They will stop at nothing, even murder to get what they want. Sometimes the bad characters have fans too. It's amazing how some people only remember the bad characters in a book. Some of my fans write to me and ask how some of these nasty characters were started. Were they based on people I know? But usually the good ones are based on people I know, not the bad ones. So as you write your characters, try to put in a couple of bad ones. It makes for an interesting read and can enhance a romance as they try to break it up. Some bad characters can even turn good. Wouldn't that make a good twist? As always, good writing and May God Bless You... Here a couple of links to some of my nasty characters: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Never-Lost-Stephanie-Hurt-ebook/dp/B009IQ0LQ0 http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Stephanie-Hurt-ebook/dp/B00COQZI5K http://www.amazon.com/Open-Heart-Alpine-Christmas-Romance-ebook/dp/B00GW6T6AQ

The day after the feast...

The day after the feast and I sit here feeling like I'm still full. I don't even think I can eat breakfast. Although I will make room for a cup of coffee. I always have room for that. It's crazy the feeling I have on the day after Thanksgiving. The excitement of the Christmas season is stirring around in my mind. I feel the decorating bug coming on heavily and know that by the end of the day my house will look like as my hubby would say "Christmas threw up all over the place". I'm not a shopper like most on black Friday. Going out into the wilds of shopper frenzy is not the least enticing to me. Now cyber Monday is my day to shop. I can sit in my living room and shop til my fingers cramp. No hassles, no crowds, no fighting over the last sale item, just me and my laptop. Now that the Christmas book is finished and the other books are in the works I feel a little better. But the stories dance in my head like sugar plums. I'm trying to finish the works I've got started, but the stories keep popping in and taking over. So as I sit here and enjoy a long leisurely morning of movies, coffee and Christmas decorations my mind is whirling with stories and covers and other bookish things. Why is it a writer never takes a vacation or holiday? Since my accounting office is closed until Monday I don't have figures dancing in my head, but the writer in me stays awake at night with thoughts and ideas. I watch movies and ideas pop in my head, I listen to music and ideas pop into my head, I see a picture and ideas pop into my head. yeah I've got it bad. Someone asked me one day, 'Don't you ever run out of things to write?' Well, sometimes I have writer's block on a certain story line. That's when I move on to the other work in progress and eventually I move back the one that was blocked for a little time. As a writer your mind is usually on overdrive. Crazy how it works. The only bad thing about the stories whirling in your brain is the times you want them to stop they usually speed up. As I slipped into bed last night I thought I was sleepy, but as soon as my head hit the pillow I knew it was useless. I lay on one side and then the other, fighting with sleep, try desperately to win. Finally I sat up realizing it was futile. I grabbed my Kindle and headed to sit by the fire in the den. I needed to clear my head so I read for three hours, yeah three hours. When I looked up at the clock I was glad that I didn't have to go into the office the next morning. As I sit here this morning watching Sabrina and enjoying my coffee the stories are pushing past this post, wanting to escape. I know what all needs to be done to get ready to decorate, but the writer in me wants to just sit here all day with Christmas movies in the background and my laptop in my lap. Oh I love this life. But alas, I do need to make my house look festive as this is my favorite time of year. So buckle yourself up and get ready for the ride because from now until Christmas I'll be in high gear. Let's get our Christmas on... As always, good writing and May God Bless You...