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WHAT DO YOU DO?

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

How many times have you been at a party, and the person you have just been introduced to asks you, “What do you do?” I know my first instinct is to drone on about my boring day job.

But that all changed a while ago. I met a young woman and asked the standard ‘get to know ya’ question, “What do you do?”

She replied, “You mean for work, or what do I enjoy?”

I absolutely loved this. I responded. “What you enjoy, of course!”

She went on to tell me about her love of music. She didn’t play it, but loved to listen to it, and constantly went to hear bands. This sparked a further interesting conversation between us as we talked about bands we’d both seen, and music we mutually loved. But best of all, her response left a huge impression on me.

Why do we identify ourselves with our day jobs? For those of you who are lucky enough to get paid to do what you love, kudos to you. You’re all set. But for the rest of us who consider our day jobs a means to pay the mortgage, let’s all start answering that question this girl’s way. I’ll kick us off.

Partygoer: “What do you do?”

Melissa: “I write novels, listen to tons of audiobooks and search for mango ice cream to rival that of Blue Mountain Beach Creamery in Santa Rosa Beach.”

Surely there’s something in there to start a decent conversation.

 

FUN SUMMER READS

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

I love that people read more in the summer. I certainly do. I listen to audiobooks nonstop year-round, but I have more time to read in the summer because that’s when I sit by the pool. I have several friends who have asked me for recommendations for light summer reading, and I love to give those recommendations based on what I know about the person and what I think they like.

For instance, I recently recommended Janet Evanovich’s Motor Mouth to a friend who I know to be a huge NASCAR fan, and who wanted something funny. Another friend wanted something sexy, so I suggested Maya Banks to her. Another wanted a good intelligent but witty book for her book club, so I suggested Where’d You Go, Bernadette?

My own book club helps me stay diversified in my reading, but if I’m doing my own reading for simple pleasure, I gravitate toward women’s fiction and chick lit. For me to actually purchase a book to read, not listen to, it’s a huge deal because there are SO MANY books that I want to read that I either can’t find on audio, aren’t available at the library, or are too expensive to purchase — although, I must say with Whispersync on Amazon audiobooks are becoming quite inexpensive.

So allow me to wrap up this post by sharing with you some of my favorite reads from this summer.

Still Life With Husband by Lauren Fox — I listened to her book Friends Like Us and adored her style, so I went searching for anything else from her and loved this one even more. She is hilarious, insightful, and has the most fabulously flawed characters I’ve ever seen.

Tempting Fate by Jane Green — Ms. Green has been one of my favorite authors since I read Jemima J. over a decade ago. When I saw she had a new book I snatched it up without having a clue what it was about. She’s that good. If you’ve ever considered cheating on your spouse, I urge you to read this book first.

Just One Day and Just One Year, both by Gayle Forman — If you like young adult/new adult (can’t decide which this is) and you enjoy international travel, pick up Just One Day. But be prepared, because as soon as you put it down, you’ll want to start Just One Year, the follow up.

That’ll do for now, I suppose. But if you want suggestions on a great book to pick up this summer, give me a holler here in the comments and let me know your interests, and I’d be more than happy to make a personalized suggestion for you!

Happy summer reading!

YOUR SUMMER PLAYLIST

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

Am I the only one who never wants summer to end?

People say they love all the seasons. Not me! Provided I remember to visit thecomfortdoctors.com/air-conditioner-installation/, summer is by far my favorite month. There is nothing better than spending a long day in the sun before returning to your perfectly chilled-out home. I’ll trade you icy conditions that you still have to trudge to work in for vacation days with a book and a lounge chair while the summer sun seeps into my (sunscreen covered) skin. I’ll trade you freezing cold nights in front of the television for sipping cocktails on the back deck on a warm summer evening. In fact, I’ll trade you anything you want to be able to have the chance to go abroad and spend time in the sun there. The Cayman Islands would be perfect. My friend has just come back from there herself and said that it’s probably the best vacation that she has ever been on. But I think that’s because she stayed in one of the most luxurious villas, from somewhere like Exceptional Villas, during her stay. And I’ve seen pictures – it looked amazing! So of course, this only makes me want to go there even more and spend time in the warm sun away from those cold nights here.


Wherever you are, summer evenings have the potential to get really warm. This is lovely until you have to try and get to sleep. That’s the only downside to summer. Trying to sleep without a good air conditioning system is almost impossible. If your air conditioning system doesn’t seem to be working, you could get in touch with Castle Home Comfort Heating & Cooling – White Heath HVAC to see if they could fix yours. That should make those summer nights more bearable. If you haven’t got one installed, it might be worth looking into getting something to cool the house down. For example, whole house fans can be useful for this. Perhaps some people could consider contacting Safe and Sound Electric (visit company website here) to see if they could install these fans for you. Hopefully, this will cool the house down significantly.

Anyway, though the start of school is around the corner, I refuse to let summer end. Summer is not over until September 22nd, and you better believe I’m going to make every moment of it count!

No summer would be complete without a summer playlist. So if you are hanging on for dear life to this summer, load this playlist on your iPod, kick back, and let summer seep into your soul.

Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams

Stone in Love – Journey

Summer Nights – Van Halen

Magic – The Cars

Summertime Blues – Rush

Boys of Summer – Don Henley

Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts

Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Groovin’ – The Young Rascals

Vacation – The Go-Go’s

Wish You Were Here – Incubus

Rain in the Summertime – The Alarm

The Other Side of Summer – Elvis Costello

Girls in Their Summer Clothes – Bruce Springsteen

Tropic of Capricorn – Sammy Hagar

AUTHOR INTERVIEW – ANGELA BRITNELL

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

 

I am delighted to welcome my favorite British-American author to the blog today! Angela Britnell is here to discuss her contemporary romance Sugar and Spice.

Sugar and SpiceThe Way to a Hero’s Heart…

Fiery, workaholic Lily Redman is sure of two things: that she knows good food and that she always gets what she wants. And what she wants more than anything is to make a success of her new American TV show, Celebrity Chef Swap – without the help of her cheating ex-fiancé and producer, Patrick O’Brien. So when she arrives in Cornwall, she’s determined to do just that.

Kenan Rowse is definitely not looking for love. Back from a military stint in Afghanistan and recovering from a messy divorce and an even messier past, the last thing he needs is another complication. So when he lands a temporary job as Luscious Lily’s driver, he’s none too pleased to find that they can’t keep their hands off each other!

But trudging around Cornish farms, knee deep in mud, and meetings with egotistical chefs was never going to be the perfect recipe for love – was it? And Lily could never fall for a man so disinterested in food – could she?I am delighted to welcome my favorite British-American author to the blog today! Angela Britnell is here to discuss her new contemporary romance Sugar and Spice.

 

Tell us a little about yourself — who you are and what you write.

I grew up in a small village in Cornwall and left to join the Royal Navy many years ago – we’ll draw a veil over quite how many! On assignment in Denmark I met my wonderful American husband and married him before he could get away! We traveled for the next thirteen years, living in Sicily, California, Maryland and London before Richard retired from the Navy and got a job in Brentwood, TN. Along the way we had our three amazing sons who have now all left the nest. I now spend my days writing contemporary romance, usually with international settings/characters. Apart from writing most days I volunteer at my local library, belong to a book club, drink endless cups of hot tea and am a great believer in the medicinal qualities of wine and dark chocolate.

 

You are from a small village in Cornwall, England. Do your characters typically hang out in England, or here in America?

My characters hang out all over the place – from Nashville to Sicily, Cornwall to California and many places in between! I enjoy writing about the unique challenges presented by international relationships from things as diverse as language to simply the way to enjoy a proper cup of tea. ‘Sugar and Spice’ is set in totally the UK – mainly in Cornwall, but with visits to the Lake District, Oxford, London, Scotland and Wales. My novella ‘What Happens in Nashville’ is totally set in Nashville (there’s a surprise!) but the heroine is English which makes for a fun story.

 

Give us celebrity visuals of Lily and Kenan.

Christina Hendricks from ‘Mad Men’ would be a perfect Lily with her red hair and voluptuous figure. I can absolutely see her wearing Luscious Lily’s trademark flashy clothes and staggeringly high heels.

Kenan absolutely needs to be played by British actor, Richard Armitage, tall, dark, brooding and totally 100% male. Of course when ‘Sugar and Spice’ is made into a movie I’d need to supervise Richard very closely on set!

 

What is your writing process? Do you fly by the seat of your pants, or plot meticulously?

I can’t plot to save my life! I have tried – usually after attending a workshop or listening to another writer who vows their method is infallible! The most I ever start with is a vague idea about a character, setting or general idea for a story thread. I open a blank Word document and somehow manage to start! My first draft is where I learn the story and then go back and fill in the blanks, edit, and do more research.

 

Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you currently reading?

I love English author Joanna Trollope, of course Nora Roberts, Kristin Hannah is wonderful too (I had a fan girl moment when I met her at the RWA conference in Dallas.) I also read a lot of mysteries particularly ones by PD James, Colin Dexter, Ian Rankin and Elizabeth George.

 

Is Sugar and Spice a standalone novel, or will there be others in a series?

It’s a standalone novel. I’ve never tried to do a series and doubt I will because there would have to be plotting involved and the whole keeping track of characters, places etc which wouldn’t suit me!

 

What do you love about Kenan?

His strength of character and integrity. He’s not an expressive man with words but shows how deeply he cares about his family and friends by his actions, even if they’re sometimes misplaced. Of course he’s also extremely easy on the eyes which never hurts!

 

Name three things we’d find in Lily’s purse.

I could probably name you about fifty because she habitually carries around a bright pink tote bag filled with everything she might need in case of unspecified emergencies – but I’ll narrow it down to pink lip gloss, dark chocolate and perfume.

 

What’s your current work in progress?

I’m just finishing up the edits for ‘Celtic Love Knot’ which is due for release in digital format at the end of this month. Olivia Harding is a level-headed Celtic Mythology professor from Nashville who goes to Cornwall to research the local giants and attempt to lay to rest a family secret that has shaped her life. Lanyon Tremayne is a dark-tempered, fiercely private Cornishman, whose own painful family secrets have led to him being an outcast in his own community. They have to decide whether giving love a chance is worth the risk of exposing their secrets and their hearts?

 

What’s the heat level in this story on a scale of one to ten? (One is sweet and innocent. Ten is hot! hot! hot!)

I’d describe it as sensual, so probably around a four.

 

What first inspired you to write for the romance genre?

Sharing a house with my husband and three sons meant I desperately needed an outlet for my female side! To get out of the house for a few quiet evenings I took a short creative writing course back in 2000 and was so inspired I’ve been writing every since.

 

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Sugar and Spice?

The story grew from my obsession with the Food Network and gave me a good excuse to watch even more programs in the name of research! Food, and the way my characters think about the subject, is really a metaphor for the way Lily and Kenan view life differently at the beginning of the story but in the end it brings them together as good food always does.

 

Sugar and Spice is available on Amazon

Visit Angela’s website and follow her on Facebook or Twitter

Angela June 2014 - 4Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and joined the Royal Navy in order to meet her own tall, dark, handsome stranger, a US Naval Officer called Richard, while serving in Denmark. After multiple moves and having three sons they settled in Tennessee and she has been trying to get used to the hot, humid summers ever since. A lifelong reader she did a creative class in 2000 simply for fun and discovered a passion for writing. She’s had short stories published in international magazines and several category length romances with Scottish publisher, DC Thomson. Her first novel ‘Truth and Consequence’ was published in 2006 and she has four other contemporary romances available published by Desert Breeze Publishing. In 2013 she won independent British publisher Choc Lit’s ‘Search for an American Star competition’ with ‘Sugar and Spice.’ Choc Lit also released her novella ‘What Happens in Nashville’ in March, and her next novel ‘Celtic Love Knot’ will be published later this month.

 

PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

I was talking with a friend of mine who has come off of sugar, gluten and all artificial sweeteners. Needless to say, he’s feeling better all-around. He’s wide awake when he gets up in the morning and never lags throughout the day. He has lost weight, and pain in his joints has miraculously gone away. He says food even tastes better now.

So my immediate reaction is, “Sign me up!”

And then I go to the grocery store. Oh, I’m out of wheat thins, let me grab a box of…no, never mind. Hey, look! My Peach White Honest Teas are on sale for a dollar a piece. Wait…even though they are low sugar, they are still sugar. Okay, breakfast, where are the biscuits…doh!

So now my reaction is, “This is too hard. I’m giving up and going back to all my normal, comfortable stuff.”

And then his words ring in my ears. “We’re looking for progress, not perfection.”

Oh, so I can just try to make a few better choices, and that will help steer me in the right path, huh? Interesting. So maybe I trade my canned soup that I eat for dinner most nights for a bag of frozen vegetables and some chicken breasts. Maybe instead of a six pack of sprites I pick up a pack of Izze low calorie sodas. Maybe I pick up a couple of Peach White Honest teas, but I supplement with a large bottle of Gold Peak Unsweet tea, which I like as well. Maybe I pick up a pack of bagels for breakfast, but just forgo the dinner rolls.

Progress.

When I think about all I’m supposed to be considering when I go to the grocery store, it is SO easy to just throw my hands up. No gluten, no sugar, no bread, no pasta, organic-only, no hormones, no dairy, and I can only shop at Whole Foods for the items so I better pick up an application for a second job there while I’m at it. It’s enough to say screw it and pick up a diet coke, some fried, dinosaur-shaped, mechanically separated chicken nuggets and a pack of red hots at Walmart for dinner.

But I can work with progress. So this morning while I chow down on yummy breakfast pizza my husband made us, I do so without the guilt of veering off course, knowing that I will make better choices with the rest of my day, focusing on realistic life choices that I can manage rather than striving for perfection and falling flat on my face.

Maybe one day I’ll be as disciplined as my friend, but for now, baby steps.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW – CHRISTINE GLOVER

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

Please help me welcome author Christine Glover to the blog today to talk about her new contemporary romance The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion.

And she comes bearing a giveaway! To enter to win, just give a comment on the blog – any comment at all will work, and we’ll draw the winner on Tuesday, July 8th.

Maverick 2Can he satisfy his craving without losing his heart?

Corporate Maverick Zach Tanner returns to North Carolina to rebuild his dying friend’s resort. He’s got the money, the power, and the will to transform Sweetbriar Springs into a premier spa for the glamorous, but he doesn’t count on the woman he once loved…and lost…to handle the construction contract. Zach thought he’d buried his desire for Kennedy five years ago. He was wrong, and now he’s determined to satisfy his craving…

Construction company owner Kennedy Gibson is eager to restore Sweetbriar Springs, but when she realizes Zach is her new boss she’s terrified he’ll learn the truth about their breakup so long ago. She vowed never to hurt him again, but she can’t deny the passion he reignites in her. She wants to believe she has a chance for a different future with him, but will her secret threaten to destroy their red-hot reunion?

 

Tell us a little about yourself — who you are and what you write.

First, I’d like to thank you for inviting me to visit today. Currently, I live in Alabama with my husband AKA The Physicist. And like every wife/mom/cat-owned person, I am very active with my family. I write contemporary romances about strong women who fall in love with Alpha heroes with big hearts. 

 

Seems like it’s usually the man with the dark secret, but according to the blurb for The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion, our heroine, Kennedy, seems to be the one holding out on us in this story! Tell us about how this idea came about for you.

This idea was born out of another four book series I was contemplating to write in 2011. I had a very different plan in mind, but then I learned a dear friend’s mother—my surrogate mom in so many ways—had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS—also known as Lou Gehrigs). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. I was devastated, heartbroken and had to do something so I went online and researched this diagnosis. I learned that many people and families who struggle with this disease want something good to come out of it, too. So that’s how the reunion idea popped in my brain. My main characters are reunited by their mutual best friend, a former gold medal Olympian, who also wants to see something good come out of his diagnosis, too. He knows these two are made for each other, and he knows why Kennedy pushed Zach away. If people read the book, I hope they’ll root for Kennedy and Zach to find their way back to each other. 

 

Tell us three things we might find in Kennedy’s purse.

A picture of her parents, pretzels just in case she gets hungry, and coral lipstick because even though she wears a construction hat by day, she’s all woman at heart.

 

What is Zach’s worst habit?

Zach loves to ride his V-rod Harley Davidson, fast. Sometimes too fast and too aggressively.

 

Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you currently reading?

I read across all the romance genres. I love Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis, Lynn Raye Harris, Melanie Milburn, Suzanne Brockman, Julia Quinn, Katharine Ashe, Kristan Higgins, Meg Cabot, the list goes on forever. I love an author who can make me cry and laugh out loud. Currently, I’m reading Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris. It’s hot!

 

What’s the heat level in The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion?

Steamy, sizzling heat level.

 

What is your favorite part of the writing process – first draft, read-through, editing, etc.?

I love discovering the characters and planning the story, but I need to get through the first draft before I really know what’s going on. My favorite part is revising, hands down.

 

Give us celebrity look-a-likes for Kennedy and Zach.

Kennedy is a lot like Emma Thompson, but she has green eyes. I have a lot of Ryan Reynolds pictures for Zach.

 

What is your drink of choice while writing?

I write in the mornings so it’s coffee, tea or water. Once I sign off and 5PM hits, I’m ready for my first glass of wine.

 

Plotter or pantser?

A bit of both. I like to loosely plot the emotional turning points, but I’m really a pantser-fixer-upper. Doesn’t matter how much I prepare, the characters take over and drive the story.

 

What’s your current work in progress?

I’m working on the sequel to The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion—Hannah and Caleb’s love story. It’s a bad boy tamed by the hometown good girl. Hannah used to have a crush on him when she was younger. Caleb rejected her advances before he shipped out with the Marines. Now he’s home and working as a corporate troubleshooter for Tanner Enterprises. And Hannah’s one of his temporary employees at Sweetbriar Springs Resort. Caleb doesn’t plan to stay, but sparks are flying and this time Hannah won’t take no for an answer. But acting on his desire might lead to dangerous consequences to their hearts.

 

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion?

I’m donating a percentage of my royalties to the ALS Association. You can find out more about how to make a difference in your corner of the world by going to www.als.org.

Thanks again for having me! And I’d love to give one lucky commenter an e-copy of The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion.

 

The Maverick’s Red Hot Reunion is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Visit Christine’s website: christinegloversite.com where you can sign up for her newsletter

Follow Christine on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest

ChristineBorn in the Netherlands, Christine moved to Canada where she spent her formative years. Then she married her Texan Alpha Physicist, moved to the United States and she has lived both south and north of the Mason Dixon line. Now Christine resides in Alabama with her husband, two insane cats and her wonderful daughter. She enjoys finding the silly in the serious, making wine out of sour grapes, and giving people giggle fits along with heartfelt hugs. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling the world, cooking gourmet food, and desperately seeking a corkscrew.

AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

Apparently, June is audiobook month. Who knew!

If you’ve followed this blog much in the past year, by now you’ve learned I’m a huge proponent of audiobooks. I did a blog post about them a few months back, but to sum up, you can get them for no additional cost to you through your library (I never say free because you are already paying for them with your property taxes or rent), you can entertain yourself during frustrating drive and traffic time, and you can open yourself up to genres you would never have dreamed of wasting precious eyes to paper or screen time on.

So look what I found when I was supposed to be writing but was trolling the internet instead.

The Book Nympho is challenging us to listen to more books in 2014 than we listened to in 2013. She offers several different levels of participation from “newbie” to “binge listener.” Click on the icon or here for more info.

A few tips if you are just getting started:

As mentioned, you are paying for audiobooks already through your library system. (In Tennessee we have reads where you can download books through the Overdrive program.) There’s a little frustration in getting set up, but once you are there you have thousands of audiobooks at your fingertips. I’ve discovered so many new authors this way, and the best part is if you just can’t stand a book, you just delete it off your device and you had no out of pocket expense (other than your precious time of course). **One note — Overdrive works with iTunes, and with the latest iTunes upgrade, WMA version will no longer work with iTunes, so you need to select the MP3 version.

Audible.com has a base program that offers your first book free then $14.95 per month for one book a month. I’ve seen audiobooks cheaper than this, but more often they are over $20. One drawback with the library audiobooks is you usually have to get on a waiting list for a hot one, so if you aren’t the type that wants to wait, and you don’t mind paying, this may be a good option for you. Also, Audible has little hassle getting set up, and virtually no hassle once you are initially set up. One click ordering, baby!

One thing I’ve also been doing lately on certain titles is purchasing the Kindle version of book, then tacking on the professional narration for an additionally, often low price. For instance, for Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins, I paid something like $5.99 for the Kindle book then $3.99 for the professional narration. (I don’t think that same deal is running, but just giving an example.) You can also flip back and forth between your Kindle and your audiobook with Whispersync for Voice.

Finally, I will leave you with a few great audiobook suggestions. These books are ones that I truly feel like my experience was enhanced by choosing to listen rather than read, due to stellar narration.

Women’s Fiction: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, narrated by Kathleen Wilhoite

Young Adult: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, narrated by MacLeod Andrews and Nick Podehl

Suspense: Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge, narrated by Billy Baldwin (and several others)

Chick Lit: I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella, narrated by Jayne Entwistle

Time Travel: Mariana by Susanna Kearsley, narrated by Carolyn Bonnyman

Humor: Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich, narrated by C.J. Critt

Classic: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, narrated by Sissy Spacek

Happy listening!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW – JEANNE HARDT

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

Really excited to be talking with author Jeanne Hardt today about her debut novel Marked: River Romance, Book 1. I’ve been a follower of Jeanne’s blog for some time now and have learned quite a bit from her writing advice. I am looking forward to finally getting to read one of her books! I believe you historical readers are in for a real treat!

Marked 850Cora Craighead wants more than anything to leave Plum Point, Arkansas, aboard one of the fantastic steamboats that pass by her run-down home on the Mississippi River. She’s certain there’s more to life out there…somewhere. Besides, anything has to be better than living with her pa who spends his days and nights drinking and gambling.

Douglas Denton grew up on one of the wealthiest estates in Memphis, Tennessee. Life filled with parties, expensive clothing, and proper English never suited him. He longs for simplicity and a woman with a pure heart—not one who craves his money. Cora is that and more, but she belongs to someone else.

Cora finally gets her wish, only to be taken down a road of strife, uncertainty, and mysterious prophecies. When she’s finally discovered again by Douglas, she’s a widow, fearing for her life and that of her newborn child and blind companion.

Full of emotions, family secrets, and the search for true love, you’ll find it’s not just the cards that are marked.

Welcome Jeanne! Tell us a little about yourself — who you are and what you write.

I’m a North Idaho transplant. (Please, no potato jokes!) I moved to Tennessee in 1993 to pursue a career in music and acting. But, by industry standards, I was already over-the-hill. I’m still happy to say that I was able to do quite a bit of musical theater, voice over work, and commercials. As for singing, I do that in church. I started writing romance novels in 2010, inspired by a dream. And now, it’s my true passion. I think it’s probably the real reason I came to Tennessee. I’ve fallen in love with Southern history and most of my novels take place in the South in the late 1800’s.

Looks like Marked is book one in a series. Can you tell us a little bit about book two? Is it a continuation of this story, or will it feature a new romance?

Book two will pick up one week after the end of “Marked.” It’s a new romance featuring an unlikely pair. Entitled, “Tainted,” book two is the story of Francine, the French prostitute who you will meet in book one. The hero in book two is the new boat captain, Luke Waters, who is the son of a preacher. Yes…I can see those raised eyebrows, now.

What is your writing process? Do you plot everything meticulously or do you dive in headfirst without a rope?

I start with a basic plot. I use a white board to map out my plot points. I know how the story will start and how I want it to end, but the middle sort of works itself out. Sometimes my characters take me in different directions than I ever thought I would go with the story. They reveal things about themselves that have actually changed how I end the story. And yes, I talk to myself in different character voices. But luckily, my husband hasn’t threatened to have me committed.

Tell us something you love about Cora. In what ways do you think your readers will relate to her?

I love Cora because she’s not your typical heroine. She’s naive and flat-chested. Through the course of the story, she grows up and takes charge of her life. I think readers will love her innocence, and will cheer her on, wanting her to succeed.

Tell us about Douglas. Would you consider him an alpha or a beta hero?

I recently read that there is a hybrid male called the ‘gamma’ who is an alpha male with a sensitive side. I think that sums up Douglas. He’s not afraid of speaking his mind, but has lived under the thumb of a step-father who hasn’t given him the time of day. He tolerates the man to appease his mother–and he’s a very good and loving son. He longs for a simpler life, and when he meets Cora, he’s mesmerized. I could tell you more about him, but don’t want to risk any spoilers!

I’m always so interested in the research historical authors must have to do. What sort of research did you need to do for Marked?

I read a book about a gambler on the Mississippi, who made his rounds on the steamboats. It was non-fiction, and quite interesting. I also researched the area along the river to decide where I wanted Cora to live. Plum Point is actually where some of Mark Twain’s stories take place. And speaking of Twain, I read articles about him as well as some of his writing. He loved the river and was passionate about the idea of piloting a steamboat. The most fun I had was getting a tour of the American Queen, an enormous steamboat that was docked in Chattanooga, TN and preparing for a cruise. After that tour, I went on the Delta Queen. It stays docked in Chattanooga and has rooms that you can stay in overnight. The woman who gave me the tour of that boat had some great historical facts for me. Now I really want to take a cruise and hope that comes to pass. Also, when I completed the book, I sent it to a friend whose husband is a steamboat historian. There was only one little tidbit I got wrong, so with his input I was able to correct it. Even though I write fiction I like it to be as accurate as possible.

How does your background in acting influence your writing?

More than anything, I think it influences my character dialog. In fact, when I started writing my first novel, I had too much dialog. I was used to writing scripts! I think it also helps me to visualize the movement of my characters.

Who are some of your favorite authors and what are you currently reading?

I’m a big fan of Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis. I love fantasy. I read very little romance when I was younger, but when I look back on it I would say that the first exposure I had to romance was Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Legend books. I read them over and over and fell in love with Merlin. More recently, I’ve become fond of Nora Roberts and Jude Deveraux. I’m anxiously awaiting CJ Redwine’s final book in her trilogy, and I also just finished reading, “Heavens to Betsy” by Beth Pattillo. (One of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read!)

Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Marked?

My stories are not typical romances. I was told that “Marked” would more likely be categorized as Women’s Fiction. However, I do promise a happy ending. I think that in our industry, it is very important. And, I hope that my readers will enjoy getting to know Cora as she searches for true love.

Marked is available on Amazon

Visit Jeanne’s blog: http://www.jeannehardt.com

Follow Jeanne on Facebook or Twitter

JEANNEAs long as I can remember, I’ve been involved in the creative arts in one form or fashion, and in November of 2010, a dream inspired me to write my first novel. Having moved from the Northwest to the South in the mid-nineties, I’m drawn to Southern history. Though I moved to Tennessee to pursue a career in music and acting, once I set my hands on the keyboard, I realized that I had discovered my true passion, and I’ve not stopped since. I am now a member of RWA as well as my local chapter, Music City Romance Writers, where I serve as President Elect. In addition to writing, I’m an actress and perform with the Murder Mystery Players. I believe the theatrical experience has helped me tremendously with character development and dialog in my novels. My stories are far from typical romances, and fall more into line with women’s fiction, though I do believe in a happy ending.

HERE’S TO YOU, DAD!

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

 

Here’s to the dads who make dinner.

Here’s to the dads who drop off, pick up, or do both.

Here’s to the stay-at-home dads.

Here’s to the dads who coach their kid’s soccer team when they really just wish they were kicking back on the sidelines.

Here’s to the dads who spend one weekend day at least half the year mowing and weed eating.

Here’s to the dads who sleep on the side of the bed closest to the door to protect their families.

Here’s to the dads who sleep in their kids’ beds when nightmares threaten.

Here’s to the daddy-daughter dancers.

Here’s to the dads who make the lunches and drop in an extra cookie.

Here’s to the dads who forgo golf for a day of back-to-school shopping.

Here’s to the dads who fill out mountains of school paperwork.

Here’s to the dads who pick up junk food on a snow day.

Here’s to the dads who work weekends.

Here’s to the dads who take out the dogs at midnight.

Here’s to the dads who do the grocery shopping.

Here’s to the dads who turn off Sports Center for SpongeBob.

Here’s to the dads who show their boys how to defend themselves in a politically correct time.

Here’s to the dads who help with homework.

Here’s to the dads who remember to give kisses all around when they get home.

Here’s to the dads who love their kids around the world and back.

And here’s to my kid’s dad, who does all of this and more. Thank you for being the most incredible dad I could have ever dreamed of for our lucky kid! We both love you to pieces!

WHOLE FOODS SHAMED

Posted on by Melissa Chambers

Today I was shamed by the Whole Foods checkout clerk, and I spent the remainder of the day with my head held low, feeling like a complete failure as a human – like a hater of our planet who didn’t deserve to live. Allow me to explain.

I love the hot bar at Whole Foods. If I could eat one lunch every day of my life, and price and proximity were no issue, it would hands-down be a plate from the hot bar at Whole Foods. Not only does it offer an array of healthy foods such as steamed kale and broccoli, but the rabbit food actually has flavor. They offer ethnic foods I would never dream of preparing myself, or even ordering at a restaurant, but because it’s on the hot bar, I can sample to see if I like it. I can even get my kid to try all kinds of weird stuff because the whole hot bar idea is so compelling (and it doesn’t hurt that someone else prepared it).

So today, I happen to be downtown for an appointment and had run fresh out of boxes of frozen crap back at the office, so I drove a bit out of my way (though I tried to justify that it was SOMEwhat on my way back), fought traffic on the most notorious stretch in Nashville, wrestled with parking garage parking and made a beeline for the hot bar. I filled my plate with dill cod, vegan collard greens, garlic steamed kale, Moroccan chicken and some unpronounceable side dishes.

Now mind you, there are only two Whole Foods in town, and this one is the least desirable because it is located in the more swanky and congested part of town, and allows for two types of people – rich and pampered ladies who lunch and cool and earthy hippies. I am neither of these things, so I already feel self-conscious in the place. But again, the hot bar is so fabulous that I am willing to put up with just about anything to get to it. Also, this is the ONLY time I get vegetables outside of sugar snap peas on a crudité tray at my neighbor’s house.

Outside of the hot bar, there is only one other item I get at Whole Foods – their store brand of dark chocolate covered pretzels. Fresh market has them – not near as good and sometimes stale. Trader Joe’s has them – a decent backup in a pinch, but again, not the flavor I prefer. Dark chocolate pretzels have yet to make their way to Kroger, Publix or Walmart that I have been able to discover. But Goldilocks tried the Whole Foods pretzels and they were just right. I allow myself one luxury and it happens to be dark chocolate pretzels so don’t judge me, OK? Our normal groceries come from supermarkets like Walmart so I don’t want you to think we’re the rich hoity-toity types who do all our shopping in Whole Foods. Far from it. I’m not above looking for coupons and promo codes wherever I can find them. In fact, this site has proved to be a valuable resource for just that – https://www.raise.com/coupons/walmart. Discounts can make a big difference to your weekly spending and really help you stretch your budget.

So on my way to the register, I grabbed two bags of the dark chocolate pretzels. Now, I’m already in trouble with the hippy checkout clerk because I have forgotten my reusable bag, but she’s willing to part with one precious environmentally crushing brown bag. Then it dawned on me – that fabulous “hot” food was going to melt the pretzels at the bottoms of my elusive chocolate pretzel bags which I so rarely get because I don’t even do the grocery shopping in my family, much less am I ever in the near vicinity of a Whole Foods to obtain my beloved dark chocolate covered pretzels.

This is when I made the crucial error of asking for a separate bag for the pretzels.

I was given a look of complete disgust accompanied by an irritated sigh – hence, my shame.

I trudged back to my car, head hung low, drove back to the office, plopped down at my desk, consumed my lukewarm food, and finished it off with a handful of the pretzels I hadn’t had in months. I asked myself, “Was it really worth all that?”

Absolutely. Because I like what I like, and I’m even willing to be shamed for it.