Welcome Linda Andrews!

 Today I'd like to welcome the fabulous Linda Andrews !

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

What signals the start of the Christmas Season for you?

I'm not talking about the store displays that go up before Halloween. Or even the piped in holiday Muzac that oozes through speakers. I'm talking about the tradition that has somehow managed to survive from your parents' house to yours.

For me, it is bringing out the spinning Nativity. Somewhere in the midst of my dad making his cracker stuffing and filling the house with the scent of sautéed onions and celery and augmenting it with sage, my mom would go to their closet, lift down the spinning nativity, and set it in a place of honor at the dining room table. It always smelled of sandalwood, cinnamon and pine.

No doubt from the red candles.

There were scorch marks on the blades from the flames, but I loved to watch the heat make it spin. Of course, it was only lit during Christmas breakfast because it was made of wood (even the candle holders) and, uh, wood likes to burn.

Not that I needed candles to make it spin.I had hands. And as a child, I'd always take time from preparing whatever was my job for the meal and spin the thing so fast the blades went flying. Remember that scene from Christmas Vacation when Eddie does the same thing while Clark Griswold is serving him a cup of eggnog? That was me, sans the delicious nog.  Every year.  Until I was twenty and then got married.  My mother would sigh, then tell me to put the blades back in. Which was part of the fun:-) 

Moving into my own house, I had to visit my parent's house to get  my spinning nativity fix. Then during my second Christmas, my parents moved from the Valley of the Sun to the City by the Bay. Christmas just wasn't the same and I couldn't find the blessed spinning nativity anywhere (Scrooge had recalled them for being a fire hazard). 

My husband tried to compensate by buying me a carousel from Avon that played Christmas carols. Okay, it moved but alas it just wasn't the same. By our fourth year, he'd hit up the ceramic houses and pewter figurines by Department 56. The pewter figurines were so my children didn't smash and break them, too badly. Each year, I was treated to different things until my collection expanded to Halloween and Spring, eventually inspiring my books The Christmas Village and Some Enchanted Autumn. 

To my children, the swapping of figurines and buildings signals the changing seasons. I spend the day cleaning then set the scenes the way I want, then my children come along and rearrange them. It's not hard to tell who was at work. My oldest moves the people into porches and corrals the animals. My youngest clumps everyone together in one giant group. My son builds Lego monsters that clutch people and topple buildings and figurines. I think messing with mom's stuff is genetic.

Over the years, I grew content with what I had until one year I went to Goodwill and low and behold there in the beam of a rainbow and a sprinkle of glitter a spinning nativity. My heart stopped. It didn't actually spin as the metal rod was bent and pieces were missing--fan blades and candle holders, but otherwise it was intact.

And it was beautiful. My husband picked it up. "We can fix it."  And we did.

Every year at Thanksgiving, I set it on the dining room table.

And the cats come and swat at the blades sending them crashing about.

And I go to my parents for Thanksgiving dinner (they've returned to the Valley) and spin the nativity until the blades fly off.  

And my mother sighs. 

Don't you love family traditions?

                                                                **************

I'd like to thank Linda for sharing with us today and I hope our visitors will take time to comment and maybe tell us about their own family's favorite tradition. 

You can learn more about Linda Andrews and her other books at http://www.lindaandrews.net/

The Christmas Village is available at  Amazon  and  Barnes & Noble

December Is Almost Here !!

So what does slipping from November into December mean at your house?  The tree is up and the house is suddenly all red and green?  Maybe Santa peeks at you from the mantle or a snowman plays Frosty when you walk by?  Or maybe the dining room table is covered with cards, envelopes, and multiple copies of the annual Christmas letter?

At my home, all of the above are signs that we're soon starting the month of December.  It also means that I'm knee-deep in planning the annual Christmas party for the Potter's House girls and the Melba's Manor girls. (This year is the 4th year)  These two homes help girls in trouble and once a year they're guests in my home and they get to have a great time eating, playing games and getting a gift from Santa when he arrives.   Yes, Santa has my address and stops by on December 5th with a Ho Ho Ho, a Merry Christmas, gifts and candy.

Then each girl gets a stocking full of goodies that the fantastic ladies of Eagles Landing First Baptist Church have supplied.  Shhh.  Don't tell them, but this year they will also receive a specially made pillow case that is bright and pretty and will remind them each time they use it that they're loved.

But the part I love best is when Sarah Roberts quotes (from memory) the story of Christmas...the REAL story of Christmas...the birth of Jesus.

My husband plans to record it this year and with her permission, I'll be loading it for your enjoyment soon after the party.

So what do you do each year that makes Christmas special for you or your entire family?  Share it with us and you'll be eligible for your very own Santa hugging a soft, cozy lap blanket.

WELCOME, DIANNA SHUFORD!!!

THE THANKFUL WRITER: 11 ways to appreciate you’re
blessings in 2011
          
The calendar has finally rolled around to November. That time of year when everyone indulges in more candy than they should. That time of year where people begin counting the days down to Christmas. That time of year where family gatherings are planned with individual efficiency.

Wait, stop the presses!!

My most favorite part of November is Thanksgiving: Giving Thanks for all those things that bring out the best in my life. Notice I didn’t say just the positive things because sometimes those negative events shape our character as much as the positive. So, really, it takes both sides of life’s coin to shape us and make us happy.

So as writers, let’s stop for a moment and count those events in our lives for which we should be thankful. I can’t speak for each of you, but I can share some of those things that made the top of my list.

1. I’m Thankful that God gave me not only the desire to write, but the talent and the ambition and the courage to follow my dream. Writing is often hard work. It can be lonely. It can be frustrating. It can be freaking fantastic! What other job can you work during the time of day when you’re at your best? What other
job can you work in your night clothes and do housework in between chapter breaks? How cool is that?

2. I’m Thankful for my wonderful husband- my number one cheerleader- and my children- who keep pestering me to get my book published already. They’ve learned not only to fend for themselves when I’m absorbed in my words, but they work with the inconveniences caused when I attend my local writer
chapter meetings and go to conferences. My husband especially recognizes how much writing feeds into my happiness, and he often encourages me to keep going…even when I really don’t want to hear it.

3. I’m Thankful for my mother, who only reads Nonfiction True Crime books, announcing that although romantic suspense wasn’t her kind of book, she’d definitely read mine when it’s published. Not if, but when. How encouraging is that? Wonder how she’d feel if I ever finished my paranormal story? Hm…

4. I’m Thankful for my critique partner, a truly awesome woman who contacted an unknown quantity and said, “Hey, how would you like to be in a critique group with me?” I mean, let’s be honest, she really didn’t know what she was getting into here. But, over time we’ve worked together and found how to best complement each other. My details to her big picture. My plotting and planning to her pantzing. And, we’ve rubbed off on each other, making both of us better writers. When either of us receives a bad judge’s contest score, or great news, or simply need to brainstorm with each other, we know we can count on the other. There is one thing we haven’t quite figured out yet. How to merge the early bird with the night owl. Yep, we’re still working on that one.

5. I’m Thankful for my local writing group, Georgia Romance Writers. Through this group I’ve received some of the best instruction and assistance in improving my writing, met many amazing writers, and realized there are other people who can get as weird as I can. I mean, where else can you meet other people who collect words like antique coins? Feel normal among the masses?

6. I’m Thankful for the published authors God has granted me the privilege of getting to know. Who’ve given me advice. Who’ve offered to read my work and send back notes on how to correct what wasn’t working. You know who you are, and to you I say, “Thank You!”

7.  I’m Thankful that God has provided me with a full-time job. Yes, there are many days- most days- when I groan because I’d rather be writing, but let’s look at the facts. Working a day job, forces me to set my priorities, forces me to be disciplined, forces me to set goals. And let’s be brutally honest, a day job keeps me from having to worry how my bills will get paid so I can focus on my writing.

8. I’m Thankful for the ability to enter my work in contests. Yes, it can get expensive if contests are entered indiscriminately, but if you learn how to research the best contests for you, there are a lot of positives you’ll get in return. Critiques received from contests help hone your work and help you see patterns in your writing to avoid. (Even the bad scores and hurtful comments, if looked at objectively, almost always provide a few insights into your work.) Contests provide a deadline for unpublished writers in getting their work completed. Contests provide a way to get your work into an editors hands while avoiding the slush pile of doom if you final.

9. I’m Thankful God has met my writing needs with technology advances. When I was in college (no I won’t tell you how long ago that was) all my papers had to be completed on a typewriter. Very time consuming and expensive when you’re pulling an all-nighter and mistype often. I love my laptop, my netbook,
my iPod touch, and my e-reader, all of which make my writing life easier.  Let’s face it, when you have limited time to write, anything that helps you accomplish your goals faster is worth it.

10. I’m Thankful to have the internet at my fingertips for researching. When working full-time and raising a family, spending days at the library simply isn’t always possible. Let’s face it, if the only time I can find to work on my story is midnight, I can still get my research done. Yes, I have children and know firsthand the pitfalls the internet can be to those who haven’t developed good judgment in choosing websites to visit, but that’s what parental controls are for and passwords so certain persons can be banned from the computer if
necessary.

11. I’m Thankful for all the awesome blogs out there that provide so many opportunities for writers to learn more about writing and for readers and writers to connect. It’s awesome how online communities are being built across cities, countries, and continents. I never would’ve thought I’d get to know someone in Australia, New York, Minnesota, or even my home state of North Carolina through blogs. It provides awesome networking opportunities for introverts like me who often embarrass themselves when they open their
mouth but don’t have a problem communicating through the written word.

For me, keeping that attitude of Thankfulness, helps keep me pointed in the right direction. It helps me keep a perspective on my situation when things are not going so well. This writing road we’ve chosen to travel can take years to reach the milestone of publication so we have to guard our outlook and our goals. Living in Thankfulness gives individuals the weapon to fight defeat, failure, and depression.

Now, it’s your turn. What are the things for which you’re most Thankful?

If you leave a comment, you'll be entered in a drawing to win a $5.00 gift card from Barnes & Noble or Amazon so you can buy your favorite book.




Want to know more about Dianna Shuford? 


Dianna Shuford is a multi-finalist in the prestigious Maggie Award for her manuscripts Fear Not (receiving 3rd place in 2008) and Charmed Deception (receiving Honorable Mention in 2009 and 3rd place in 2011).  She was also a 2010 finalist in the Genesis Award: Romantic Suspense Category for her manuscript Charmed Deception.  Most
recently, her manuscript Charmed Deception was announced a finalist in the 2011 Finally A Bride contest.

She is an active member in her local RWA Chapter, Georgia Romance Writers, serving as a current Board Member and a category coordinator for the Maggie Award. She is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and visits the local ACFW WORD chapter whenever possible. She is a member of a critique group and mentors new writers whenever possible in an effort to give back to the organizations in which she’s involved.

Dianna graduated from Georgia State University with a major in Education, works as a high school teacher, and helps her husband maintain their family owned business along with caring for their three children.


Be sure to visit her website:   http://www.diannashuford.com/

SATURDAY BOOK REVIEW!!

Today I'm featuring Debbie Kaufman's debut novel, The Doctor's Mission.  It's a Love Inspired Historical by Harlequin and it's located in Liberia, a setting that I've never seen used before, but one I found fasinating since Debbie brought some of the tribal customs into her book for...flavor.  Oh, did I mention that there are cannibals in this jungle?

Maybe you've never thought of a missionary as an alpha male...well, Debbie stepped outside the sterotype and  gave us (Pastor) William Mayweather.
                                                      ****************
In the story, Mary O'Hara is a red-haired doctor and she's in a caravan through the jungle to the outpost hospital.  A shot has been fired, so she rushed to the front of the procession, even though William has told her to stay to the back and remain out of sight.
            

      Looking down the hill to the spot where the path widdened at the village edge, Mary saw William.  Hanabo was on one side and another porter, Jabo maybe, stood on the other.  She stopped were she was to take in the scene.  No one lay on the ground or clutched a wound.  Who or what had been shot?
      All of her dramatic worries and it was just a serious discussion with a group of natives.  No one was at war here.
      All of them were deferring to the one native in a worn black bowler hat and bright red loincloth standing with his arms folded across his chest, a chest hung with some type of decorative necklace.  Must be the chief.
      Whoever he was, she knew the moment he became aware of her.  He put out a bony finger and pointed.  Was he ponting at her?  All conversation ceased.
     William turned to see what Bowler Hat was pointing to, and if there had been any doubt in her mind she was the object of attention, the glare from William removed it.
     Bowler Hat began to speak.  Mary wasn't close enough to hear anything.  By the frequency of gestures, there was a debate or perhaps a trade.  She knew that trading was one way a missionary made inroads into a tribe's favor.
     The conversation ended abruptly.  Bowler Hat's arms were back in place across his chest.  William and Hannabo turned and headed toward the caravan.  Hannabo looked on stolidly, but William's face morphed from blank and emotionless to raw fury.
     When he drew near, his voice came out in a low hiss.  "I told you to stay put.  Turn around and follow behind me."
     "I beg your pardon.  I..."
     "If you don't want to be that old man's newest wife, you'll do as I say and you'll do it right now."
                                                         ***********

Then there's the moments when Mary is wondering what's in the stew and, quite frankly, that's where I would have made the decision to run for home.

Debbie has proven to be an engaging writer, one who weaves facts into her story and leaves the reader wanting more about William and Mary when the story ends.  I can only hope that there will be more stories set in Liberia because the first book is a very interesting trip through the jungle.

Congratulations to our Winner!

Good morning everyone,

Thank you for all the nice comments you left for Debbie Kaufman and a random winner has been chosen.

Congratulations Mary Marvella!! 


Now, tomorrow, Saturday, drop back by and check out the Saturday Review---I'll be reviewing Debbie's book, The Doctor's Mission. 


Have a great day!

Welcome Inspirational Author, DEBBIE KAUFMAN!!

    I'm pleased today to have as my special guest                   Debbie Kaufman,  
                 author of Harlequin’s latest 
                    Love Inspired Historical, 

                    The Doctor’s Mission

      I took a few minutes and sat down with Debbie to ask her some questions that I thought might interest her readers, but if I miss something that you want to know, be sure to leave your question for Debbie.  This will also give you a chance to win your own, autographed copy of Doctor's Mission.

So, without wasting another moment, let's get to the interview.

1)      Debbie, where did the idea for your missionary book come from and why did you set the story in Libera? 

I was knee-deep in revising a suspense story when my daughter and son-in-law brought me a book about a missionary relative of his.  The book was co-written with H. B. Garlock. a pioneering missionary in 1918 Liberia, Africa.  Garlock like others before him, came face-to-face with the cannibal tribes of that place and survived.  I finished reading it one evening while lying in bed, turned to my husband and told him about all the cool things that God had done for this missionary family.  The next words out of my mouth were “I wonder if I could set a romance there.”  And, so I did!  

2) Since this is your debut book, tell us the most difficult part of the process.  

The book was easy, it’s everything else that is difficult.  For example, action items like getting my website up and running, creating and updating Facebook and Twitter accounts, deciding on promotional events, designing bookmarks, and even keeping up with the blog tour while trying to write book two all kept me just a little behind schedule.  

3) Since your book is set in early 1900’s, how much research did you have to do?

A lot!  I spent countless hours researching the place through reading missionary accounts, explorer’s journals, online sites dedicated to the country.  For the period clothing, I got together with a local costumer who is a close friend and discussed wardrobes.  I spent even more time trying to find detailed maps with places and locations.  Liberia itself wasn’t thoroughly mapped at the time.  Exploration was still going on and different groups, like the 1920’s Harvard Expedition were still creating their own maps.  On this first book, it was the mapping that I found most difficult and time consuming.

Just to give you a better idea, on my current book-in-progress, I spent more than 30 hours researching when the capital city first got electricity.  You would think that was an easy fact to check, but it wasn’t.  First, Google searches, no matter how you worded them, brought up the restoration of some electrical power five years after the seven-year civil war (1989-2003) which destroyed most of the country’s infrastructure.  Second, communication within Liberia is still difficult and emails to universities and museums largely went unanswered. 

4) If it took 30 hours just to find out about the electric lights, how long, in hours, days or weeks, did it take you to complete all the research needed to complete the book?

If I had to guess, I’d say I easily put in 200+ hours on research, and the number is low because I am a very, very, fast reader. 

5) Now a quick question for our author friends.  If you were giving advice to an aspiring historical author, what advice would you give? 

Don’t skimp on the research, but learn when to use it and when to keep it to yourself.  Your book isn’t meant to be a history lesson.  The fruits of your research should show up naturally in your story, and what does will probably only about be about 10% or less of all you now know on the subject.

6) Okay, I have to say at this point that I've read The Doctor’s Mission and I loved it.  Give us a quick glimpse of the next one.   

My next book is also set in the Liberian jungle, this time in 1920.  It involves a female missionary, a hunky mining engineer, and, of course, cannibals. 

7)  Let's steer away from your writing for a moment so I can ask a few personal questions so your readers can get to know you better.  What is your favorite pastime when you’re not researching or writing?

     Reading.  There can never be too much reading, LOL! 

8) What is your dream vacation location?

     The Continent and the British Isles.  I’d love to do the whole tour, starting with Italy.    

9) Let’s assume you’re at a Reader’s Luncheon.  Other than your name, give us five things you’d tell a complete stranger about yourself within the first ten minutes of meeting him or her.

Hmm.  I think there are a lot of things we consider baseline information.  For example, I’ve been married to the same wonderful man for 34 years now.  I have four children and three grandchildren.  My fourth child is from China, a product of the international adoption program I helped start back in the 1990’s.  And let’s not forget that I totally love to read almost anything: suspense, urban fantasy, paranormal, historical, futuristic, contemporary, and the occasional comedy.  

Below is an excerpt from The Doctor's Mission that I'm sure you'll not only enjoy, but will intrigue you enough that you'll want to hop right over to Amazon and order her book.

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Privately, Mary doubted this healing tale.  She’d bet the story traveled and grew with each telling.  Prayers of dying men assaulted her ears at Argonne and no heavenly relief came.  Her own were uttered in vain.  

     She concealed her thoughts, so as not to destroy Hannabo’s fervor.  Instead she only asked for clarification.  “How did this lead to their deaths?  You say Nana Mala wanted their medicine?  Who is Nana Mala?”

     “Nana Mala is an evil man who does not know the true God.  When he heard of the healing, he sent for Nana Pastor Joseph and Mammy Ruth.  They went to preach, but Nana Mala just wanted the secret of their magic.  When he did not like their answers, he killed them and took their magic for himself.  This is my fault.”  Hannabo’s eyes looked downward in shame.

     Oh my.  This explained a lot about Pastor Mayweather’s calling.   But Hannabo shouldn’t carry the guilt for what another tribesman had done.  She sought to reassure him.  “This is not your fault, Hannabo.  You are not to blame for the actions of others.”

     “But Mammy Doctor.  It was my fault.  I was that man.”

     “Which man are you talking about?

     “The one Nana Joseph healed.  I bragged to many people, especially Nana Mala.” 

     “Oh, I see.”  Mary masked her surprise.  Hannabo believed he’d experienced a miracle first hand.  She couldn’t tear apart his faith, but she could set him straight on his guilt. 

     “Hannabo, it was fine to tell others.  The Bible often tells of people who were healed and told many others.  It’s natural.  What’s strange is Nana Mala believing he could get magic from Pastor Mayweather’s aunt and uncle.” 

     “No, no.  Not strange.  Every bush man knows how to take magic.”

     “Okay, so how did he think he could take their magic?”

     Hannabo cocked his head to one side and looked at her like she was a simpleton.  Even his tone seemed one of patient explanation to a lesser mind.  “By eating them, of course.” 

                                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much for visiting with us today and if you leave a comment and/or ask Debbie a question, you'll be in the drawing to win a free print copy of her novel.  Good luck and happy reading!

The Doctor's Mission   To buy a copy of her book, just click on the link provided.

 If you'd like to find out more about Debbie Kaufman or if you'd like  to follow her on Facebook or Twitter
                            

For more about Debbie, visit her website: www.debbiekaufman.com

To read an excerpt of The Doctor’s Mission: www.debbiekaufman.com

You can also find Debbie at: www.facebook.com/debbiekaufmanfanpage and on Twitter: www.twitter.com/debbie_kaufman                                 

Debbie Kaufman will be in the House Nov 15th

If you've stopped by today, I want to tell you about my special guest tomorrow, Wednesday, November 15th.  Tomorrow, Debbie Kaufman will tell us about her debut Inspirational novel, released by Harlequin's Love Inspired Line.

Do you think Inspirational stories are preachy or boring?  Think again!  The Doctor's Mission doesn't "preach" and it's chocked full of surprises....like what's in the stew they're eating.  

So, drop by and read about Debbie's interesting journey to publication and have a chance to win a signed copy of her new release, The Doctor's Mission.

Welcome YA Guest Author, Patricia Mason!

The Best Villain is a Hero Too 

            by P.R. Mason

 

As an avid reader, I enjoy learning about the authors' creative processes. So when Sandra gave me the opportunity to participate in her excellent blog, I thought I would write about how I created one of my favorite characters.

 

ENTANGLEMENTS, my recent release, is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy about a teen who enters a dangerous alternate dimension to rescue her stepsister. In plotting the story, I wanted to include a villain who's more than just a stock baddie. He had to be dark and evil, of course. But I didn't want him to be like a slasher movie automaton, acting inexplicably except for some psychopathically insane dementia. To me, an evildoer's far more insidious and scary if there's an understandable motive to his actions. So I set out to create a villain who's also a hero...or at least one who thinks he's a hero.

 

I started by considering that much of Entanglements takes place in a dimension where history has taken an alternate path to that of our universe. I imagined a place largely frozen in Victorian times. It's a London where paranormal creatures abound.

 

In researching Victorian England to come up with an historical figure that could serve as the basis for my villain, I sought to find someone who could have, if events were slightly different, come into a position of power and authority. The perfect candidate presented himself in the personage of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the son of Britain's Queen. My decision to use Leopold was solidified when I learned he was afflicted with hemophilia, a genetic disease that prevents blood clotting and significantly shortens the life of a sufferer. Even a trip and fall can result in internal bleeding and death...which is what happened to Leopold in real life.

 

In my alternate history, the Queen, desperate to save her son, employs a wizard to find a cure. But this cure is less than successful and transforms Leopold into a vampire. The prince then sets about fathering a vampire aristocracy and gathering other paranormal creatures into his Empire

 

As a side note, a bit of unexpected synergy occurred in the selection of Leopold as the villain. One integral part of the Entanglements plot is that heroine, Kizzy, accidentally opens a vortex/portal to the Prince's world. In researching one such alleged vortex located in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia, I discovered that the symbol purportedly drawn to open the portal was a swirling circle. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that a glyph used by Queen Victoria included this same swirl.

 

As Entanglements begins, the human race is on the verge of extinction in Leopold's world. Even though "free-range" humans are being rounded up and put into a feedlot system, the food supply for Leopold and his subjects is dwindling. He views the heroine, Kizzy, as the key to opening the portal to our world for exploration and plundering. Obviously, Prince Leopold thinks he's the hero of the story.

 

At one point, Leopold asks:  “Am I so very different from you, Kizzy? You do all you can to save your sister and your friends. I merely do all I can to save my people. I wish to prevent them from perishing in unspeakable agony. How can that be wrong?”

 

And to her surprise, Kizzy sort of understands his logic. She recognizes the morality of monsters feasting on human flesh and using their bones as toothpicks is relative.

 

I hope I achieved my goal of creating a heroic villain or villainous hero. One the reader can empathize with even as he scares them silly. Please follow me on twitter @PRMason and visit my website www.prmason.net

 

Thank you, Sandra for allowing me to be here and for giving me the chance to connect with other readers and authors.    

Entanglement    (YA Paranormal Romance)

    by P. R. Mason

        Blurb:  She is driven by love.  He is bound by duty. Together they are swept through a votex to adventure and danger.

Welcome to my Special Guest: Author, KC Klein!

Hi everyone! Thanks so much to Sandra for having me here. I love to connect with readers and talk about my passion, which is writing books. Sandra thought it would be a good idea to tell everyone a little about how I got started writing. 

Like most writers, I’ve been enjoying books since I first learned how to read. I started writing my first book around middle school and even remember dedicating an entire summer to writing The Great American Novel. Well, um…I wrote about a half a page and then my typewriter burned out. 

Regardless of my rocky start, my dream of becoming an author never changed. Even through college, marriage, and two kids I always had the desire to tell stories.

I started writing seriously a few years ago. I still remember putting down the eighty dollars for my RWA membership. There was major guilt over the fact that I was taking money away from my family and spending it on a pipe dream.  But…I did it anyways. I think that’s a good lesson. I was nervous about writing, scared I would fail, unsure if I had any talent, and yet, I did it anyways. 

There’s a quote in my office that I think is appropriate.

            Look for the dream that keeps coming back. It is your destiny.

                                                                                    Author Unknown

It’s true. If the dream of writing keeps coming back, then go for it, you have nothing to lose. 

It’s also important to have a dedicated place to write. I’ll leave you with a picture of my office. Of course, this is in the middle of my house so noise canceling headphones are a must. 

Thanks everyone for stopping by, and make sure to leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win an e-copy of my book, DARK FUTURE. 

Come follow me on Twitter @kckleinbooks and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKCKlein. And I try real hard to keep my website up to date so stop by and take a peek. KCKleinbooks.com.

Happy Reading! 

                                                          ***********

For a sneak-peek at KC's book, here is the blurb:

     Awakened in the middle of the night by a future version of herself, Kris Davenport is given a mission: go forward in time to save the world—and His life. Of course, her future self doesn't tell her who he is, just sends her into an abyss and straight into an alien invasion.

     He turns out to be ConRad Smith, the callous, untrusting Commander of Earth’s army and the world’s last defense. There’s only one way to know for sure if this strange woman is an alien spy—slice her throat. Except, he didn’t anticipate the heat he would feel as he interrogates the hot-tempered, warm-blooded woman. For a man whose sole focus has been survival, she's more temptation than he can handle. But a world on the brink of destruction leaves no room for love…and time is running out.

SATURDAY BOOK REVIEW

I'm excited to be sharing Lisa Mondello's THE KNIGHT & MAGGIE'S BABY with you today.

Here is the blurb that's up on Amazon:   Amazon    or     Barnes and Noble

Sometimes fate needs a little help…

Jonah Wallace knows what it’s like to grow up without love. Despite having more money than the Queen of England, his childhood was cold and stale as he grew up in boarding schools. He’s dedicated his life to helping homeless and displaced children find the love and support they need by creating the Haven House Foundation, work that resulted in him being Knighted by the Queen.

Now that he’s living in America, his work is going along just fine…until his grandfather gives fate a little nudge by insisting he take a wife before he can inherit.

Coffee shop owner, Maggie Bonelli, is pregnant and the baby’s dad has gone AWOL. She knows too well the pain of growing up without a daddy. So when Jonah Wallace comes into her shop proposing marriage for a year, she takes him up on his offer, even if it’s only for a year. Live in a mansion and give her baby a name and a daddy to call his/her own. But can they keep their perfect arraignment strictly business…or will fate’s helping hand bring them love at last?

My thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed the story.  It's a full-length novel, but I finished it in two sittings.  The premise seems a little unusual, even though she gave each of them valid reasons for moving forward, but she carried it off.  You understand each of their reasons and fall in love with the couple as they fall in love with each other.  Oh, and if you want to know if they had a boy or a girl....well, you'll just have to read the book...down to the last twist that endears this man to any woman's heart.

The Knight and Maggie's Baby can be purchased today at:   Amazon  or Barnes & Noble

ROAD TRIP!!!!

Hi Everyone,

This morning Debbie Kaufman and I are heading West on a road trip.  Sounds exciting, right?  Well, we're excited about it, but it's only a few-hour drive...over to Birmingham, AL... and only for one night.

Yes, we're both leaving our hubbies to fend for themselves while we head to a Reader's Luncheon where we'll hostess a table of readers during the luncheon and then we'll be signing books afterward.  Since we're driving over today (Fri) it will give us time to get in a lot of writing where we're away from the household distractions and then we'll be fresh and smiling in the morning for the Luncheon.

I'll be sure to tell you more about the luncheon after I return...and I'll include some pictures, but in the meantime, don't forget that tomorrow (Saturday) is the Saturday Book Review and I'm featuring Lisa Mondello's book, The Knight and Maggie's Baby.   DON'T MISS IT!!!
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My Special Guest, today is author, LISA MONDELLO !!

Hi Everyone!
 I'm excited about my guest today.  She's a fabulous writer and despite being snowed in without power, she got this blog to me so noone would be disappointed.  This lady deserves a medal...and a cup of hot chocolate and a nice fire in the fireplace.   After you read her post, be sure to leave a comment ....the least we can do for her is to warm her heart.   So, take it away, Lisa! 

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Hello from Lisa Mondello.  I want to thank Sandra for having me here today!

                       

I am sending this post from my cell phone because 18 inches of snow that fell Saturday knocked out my power. So this will be short and sweet.

I want to talk about determination. If blogging from a cell phone isn't determination I don't know what is!

As a writer you need determination as much as you need talent to survive in publishing. So often I hear of a writer getting a rejection or two and then just quitting. That writer will never survive the publishing industry with a give-up attitude!

To survive you need to be tenacious. Allow yourself tine to feel bad about rejection. But have a plan and then move on.  I have a 24-hour rule. I get to mope and eat chocolate for 24 hours and then it’s right back to work.  What do you do to survive the publishing industry’s ups and downs?

Thank you for stopping by.

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Lisa has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Knight and Maggie's Baby to one lucky commenter today, so leave your comment!

 

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ALSO, as an added bonus for those of you who own a Kindle, below is a link to go to Amazon to get a free copy of ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU.

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For a listing of all Lisa's books, click on one of the two links below...and Happy Reading!
                                Barnes & Noble
                                Amazon 



Don't forget that on Saturday I'll be posting the SATURDAY BOOK REVIEW and my featured book is THE KNIGHT AND MAGGIE'S BABY.  I can't wait to tell you about it, so don't forget to drop by and leave a comment on Saturday.