Happy Friday!

I hope you had a great week! I can't believe it's the last Friday in May, and June starts on Sunday! This year has flown by. I can't help but believe the second half is going to be even better!

I'm so grateful to have wonderful friends helping me share the gorgeous cover for Goddess, Awakened. Thanks to Beckey White for posting it on In the Pages of a Good Book - another blog you should be following, if you aren't already.

Last day to enter!
The giveaway at Night Owl Reviews is on until tomorrow! If you haven't yet entered to win an ebook of Rock Bottom, I hope you'll pop over now. I'd love for you to read this fun, rock'n roll contemporary novel, recently re-released by Kensington's new Lyrical imprint.

Great review for Charmed
I'm likewise grateful to reviewers for taking the time to read and post reviews. I'm thrilled that Jasmyn of Bitten by Romance rated Charmed a 4-star read! And she's asked to read the third in the trilogy, Claimed. Woot!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Two clicks, por favor?

I never, ever win these things. And I really want to!

For my contemporary, A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe, Mina Carter designed a lovely cover deserving of a win. I would so appreciate a vote at April's Cover Love Poll: http://www.lollytova.com/aprils-cover-love-poll/

This one's very easy - no registering, just go to the site and vote with two clicks. 

Danka, gracias, merci, thank you very much!

Have a great day!

Cursed up for best cover!

I'm so excited that Cursed is in the running for Best Cover at You Gotta Read Reviews. It would be such a thrill to win - but I can't do that without your vote!

Please visit the site and vote for #10, Cursed, The Vitruvian Man book 1.

I'm so grateful for your support. :)

Party time at TRR

Today, you can enter to win an ebook of Going with Gravity - go to The Romance Reviews' Anniversary Party page and answer a simple question. Easy peasey! There are lots of other great goodies to win, too. Don't miss out! :)

Going with Gravity was a 2011 EPIC finalist, and has garnered some wonderful reviews. You can learn more here. Good luck!

Would love your vote!

You Gotta Read Videos included The Magic of Lavender in this month's contest. I'd love your vote for it! It's number Six.

Thanks so much for your support!

More cool news

I'm so jazzed that Embrace the Shadows included my cover for Dead to Rights in their August Cover Clash! How cool is that? Even more cool because I created the cover myself. It went through several versions before I finally hit on one that worked best.

So, while I hate to always be bothering you for votes, it would be so wonderful if you would vote for Dead to Rights!

Would love your vote!

My trailer for Just the Right Amount of Wrong is up this month at the You Gotta Read Videos contest. I'd love for you to give it a click! It's entry #15 -just click on the poll to the right.

This was a very fun video to make, and I love the music. But then I always find great tunes at Incompetech.

Here's another look at the trailer, so I can sway your vote. :)

You can find out more about Just the Right Amount of Wrong here.

Thanks, as always, for your support!

Would love your vote!

I tried to post this link to Facebook, but it prevented me with a warning it was Spam. On my own page? It's gotten a bit ridiculous.

Anyway, Alternative-Read.com notified me that they chose to include the cover for The Magic of Lavender in its July cover contest. Hooray! Now I just need some votes.

Come on - it's a beautiful cover! :) I was going to post it again, but you can see it in the post just below this one.

I'd be grateful if you'd give it a click. Thanks!

Valentine's Day celebration!

 

The Long and Short Reviews is throwing a Valentine's Day celebration this weekend! I'm jumping in on Sunday, so look for me then, both at the LASR site and the Goddess Fish Party Pavilion. Gotta love a party! Especially one with great prizes. For the grand prize, the winner will have her choice of a WiFi Nook, a WiFi Kindle or a $150 GC to either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Other prizes include at least four $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift cards, randomly awarded to a commenter.  And if participation numbers are up, LASR will add more $5 and $10 gift cards to the mix. So make sure you leave plenty of comments, and spread the word!

Hope to see you Sunday! Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

 

Holiday giveaway!

Leave a comment by midnight tonight at the Desert Island Keepers Ladies Rule blog for the chance to win a PDF copy of Design for Life!

Four-time EPIC finalist!

I'm dancing on air! EPIC notified me that I'm a finalist in the 2011 competition - for these four stories!

Right away, I made reservations for the conference in March. Can't miss that party!



One Soul for Sale - Paranormal Novella
BLURB: When Madelyn sells her soul on UBuy, she’s not ready for the hell that’s unleashed. All she really wants is to make a success of her art. But the gorgeous stranger who buys her soul for $666 asks her to perform a few tasks. Tests of her true worth, Madelyn thinks, as each brings her – and her cat Brutus – into greater danger. And closer to the frightening shadowy figure stalking her. On All Hallows Eve, her final test will open the gates of hell. Or is it heaven?

Going with Gravity - Contemporary
BLURB: Publicist Allison Morris plans her own life – what’s left of it – around the life of her boss Michelle McCarter, the ex-wife of a famous rock star. When Michelle needs emergency public relations patchwork in Hawaii pronto, Allison arranges a flight to the dream destination. At the airport, she meets Wes Hamilton, a six-foot-three sun-bleached blond whose blue eyes and dazzling smile rekindle her fizzled-out sizzle. A world-renowned surfer, Wes captivates her with his charm and wit, though his easy fame and on-the-edge lifestyle are the polar opposite of her own. When their jet loses its fuselage in mid-air, she takes advantage of what she thinks are her last minutes alive with Wes. The plane lands safely. Wes takes care of her when her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. When Michelle accuses Allison of using Wes to gain fame for herself, Allison’s world falls apart in an explosive confrontation. Wes is waiting with open arms when she has nowhere else to go, but can Allison learn to stop planning and go with gravity?

Picture This - Contemporary
BLURB: Harrisburg News reporter Sydney Welles writes award-winning, attention-getting news stories. Her career’s on track, but she’d like a little more attention in her personal life. A year ago, she shared a great kiss with Philadelphia Daily News photographer Ben Taylor. Since then, nothing but a string of one-hit wonders. Suddenly, Ben’s back in her life – well, in her newsroom, anyway – but he acts as if he’s meeting her for the first time. Their story assignments throw them into uncomfortably close quarters, but Claudia, her editor, reminds Sydney she’s a consummate professional. She can handle it. Sydney’s not so certain when she and Ben go undercover to expose the mayor for shady dealings and he kisses her again. To keep their cover, he says. The mayor resigns amid shame, and Sydney’s the toast of the town. Two other reporters take an interest in more than her journalistic talents, but Sydney can’t help picturing herself back in Ben’s arms. Will she still want to once she learns Ben’s secret?

Wilderness Girl - Contemporary humorous erotic
BLURB: When Dana’s boyfriend drags her to Wilderness Outfitters on a Friday night, she wonders why so many people find The Great Outdoors so great. Until she meets Hank— six feet of tanned muscle, wrapped in a faded black T-shirt and jean shorts loose on his hips. Eyes like wildfire burning in a sun-kissed face. Grinning like a fox.
After her boyfriend dumps her in the parking lot, humiliation becomes gratitude when Hank invites her to his favorite camping spot, and she seizes on the impulse to change her boring life.
A web programmer, Dana’s outdoor experience had consisted of walks to and from her car. Alone on a mountaintop, as she struggles to set up camp, a five-foot snake doesn’t seem a welcome sight: until Hank comes to her rescue.
He initiates her to the pleasures of hiking, campfires, and Harley rides down winding roads. Making love beneath a starry sky, Hank awakens a primal Wilderness Girl in Dana she never knew existed.
Their weekend feels like a fantasy, which proves all too true on their return to civilization. As the daily grind eats into their time together, their romance begins to come untethered.
Will her high-tech lifestyle clash with his low-tech one? Can she manage to recapture the passion of the wilderness in their city existence?

Last chance to enter the RJ Summer Contest!

It's almost the end of August! Hard to believe, but it's here. That means only a few days left to enter the Romance Junkies summer contest!.

I'm giving away a print copy of Fever Dreams and a beaded book thong, like the one shown below.



Here's the trailer for Fever Dreams, which the Pen and Muse called "a well-written contemporary novel that delves into the emotional journey of a woman deeply entrenched in a life headed nowhere. When Diana met Cal at her new place of employment she was thrust into a world of dark dreams and intense attraction. Two very flawed people come together in passion that can’t be denied and take you along on an unsuspected path where the line between love and obsession get very blurry."

Still time to enter the RJ Summer Contest!

I'm part of the Romance Junkies summer contest! You can check it out here.

I'm giving away a print copy of Fever Dreams and a beaded book thong, like the one shown below.



Here's the trailer for Fever Dreams, which the Pen and Muse called "a well-written contemporary novel that delves into the emotional journey of a woman deeply entrenched in a life headed nowhere. When Diana met Cal at her new place of employment she was thrust into a world of dark dreams and intense attraction. Two very flawed people come together in passion that can’t be denied and take you along on an unsuspected path where the line between love and obsession get very blurry."

Cast a vote for Winning!

My book trailer for my short story Winning is one of this month's entries at You Gotta Read Videos. I'd love your vote for #18!

Enter the RJ Summer Contest before August 31st!

I'm part of the Romance Junkies summer contest! You can check it out here.

I'm giving away a print copy of Fever Dreams and a beaded book thong, like the one shown below.



Here's the trailer for Fever Dreams, which the Pen and Muse called "a well-written contemporary novel that delves into the emotional journey of a woman deeply entrenched in a life headed nowhere. When Diana met Cal at her new place of employment she was thrust into a world of dark dreams and intense attraction. Two very flawed people come together in passion that can’t be denied and take you along on an unsuspected path where the line between love and obsession get very blurry."

New Year's Eve giveaway!

Congrats to Jane Richardson, who won the New Year's Eve ebook giveaway! Jane, please let me know which of my releases you'd like to receive. All excerpts, trailers and reviews for the stories are on my web site.


Have a safe and happy new year! And not just another auld lang syne.

Still time to enter the holiday giveaway!

Christmas may be over, but there's still time to receive a gift from me! The holiday giveaway is still open. Just tell me what draws you to a story, and you’re automatically entered! On New Year’s Eve, I’ll pick a winner at random and announce it here. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I know how to contact you. The winner will have the choice of any of these releases:

1. Seventh Heaven, a Sixties-era short romance, the #1 bestseller on The Wild Rose Press all of July! Woo hoo!
2. The Duende and the Muse, a short fantasy romance
3. Liberation via Pen, a short contemporary romance
4. One Soul for Sale, a contemporary fantasy
5. The Lure of the Vine, a contemporary fantasy
6. Going with Gravity, contemporary romance
7. Picture This, contemporary
8. Wilderness Girl, contemporary erotic romance
9. Reflections, a short contemporary fantasy

You can find excerpts, trailers and reviews for these stories on my web site.

I hope your holiday was warm and wonderful! May the new year bring you all the best.

Holiday giveaway

2009 was an incredible year! I’ve had nine releases, from shorts to novellas. Another novel’s in second edits, and the eleventh contracted story will be released on Feb. 10, 2010 (two days before my birthday – nice present, huh?).

It’s been a real whirlwind of a year, and went by too quickly! But I’m looking forward to more of the same next year. I have three novels under submission, and another two ready to go.

Because it’s the season of giving, starting today I’ll run a contest here on my blog. Just tell me what draws you to a story, and you’re automatically entered! On New Year’s Eve, I’ll pick a winner at random and announce it on my blog. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I know how to contact you. The winner will have the choice of any of these releases:

1. Seventh Heaven, a Sixties-era short romance, the #1 bestseller on The Wild Rose Press all of July! Woo hoo!
2. The Duende and the Muse, a short fantasy romance
3. Liberation via Pen, a short contemporary romance
4. One Soul for Sale, a contemporary fantasy
5. The Lure of the Vine, a contemporary fantasy
6. Going with Gravity, contemporary romance
7. Picture This, contemporary
8. Wilderness Girl, contemporary erotic romance
9. Reflections, a short contemporary fantasy

You can find excerpts, trailers and reviews for these stories on my web site.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday, and may the new year bring you all the best!

And finally, here are more Christmas tunes. Springsteen's Santa Claus Is Coming to Town is an all-time favorite, and not just because I'm a Jersey girl. Here, his youthful energy and enthusiasm shine through.



I've always been a big Pretenders fan, too, so when Chrissy Hynde released 2000 Miles, it became an instant hit with me, at least.

Answers to Christmas song quiz

Congrats to Maria Durst! She submitted the correct answers, and got every one right! I admit I scored pitifully low on this song quiz. I think I only had the Kinks, the Pogues and the Waitresses right, though I love Elvis Costello and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Some, I admit, can hardly be qualified as 'artists' but it's all for fun!
How about you? How many did you get right?

1) The Everly Brothers: c) Christmas Can Kill You
2) Brenda Lee: f) I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus
3) Root Boy Slim: j) Xmas at KMart
4) Mighty Mighty Bosstones: i) Xmas Time (It Sure Doesn't Feel Like It)
5) Sherwin Linton: a) Santa Got a DWI
6) Stan Freberg: b) Green Christmas
7) Cheech and Chong: e) Santa Claus and His Old Lady
8) Wild Man Fincher: u) I'm a Christmas Tree
9) Weird Al Yankovic: l) Christmas at Ground Zero
10) Stan Freberg and Daws Butler: d) Christmas Dragnet
11) Elvis Costello: g) St. Stephen's Day Murders
12) Loretta Young: p) To Heck with Ole Santa Claus
13) Commander Cody: k) Daddy's Drinking Up our Christmas
14) Johnny Horton: s) They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose
15) Martin Mull: x) Santafly
16) Father Guido Sarducci: o) I Won't Be Twisting This Christmas
17) Sonny Cole: n) Santa to the Moon
18) Staple Singers: h) Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?
19) Doug Legacy and the Legends of the West: v) Christmas in Prison
20) Marc Anthony: q) Mama's Twistin' with Santa
21) Butterbeans and Susie: w) Papa Ain't No Santa Claus (And Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree)
22) The Waitresses: y) Christmas Wrapping
23) The Kinks: m) Father Christmas
24) The Pogues: r) Fairytale of New York
25) Jim Croce: t) It Doesn't Have to Be That Way

And now, to get the Waitresses out of my head, here are a few more Christmas clips. I managed to buy an underground copy of this Beatles Christmas album when I was a teenager.



And I love this Rob Thomas Christmas song.



This one I'm throwing in for the sheer bizarre factor, though it's laudable Bob's donating the proceeds to charity from this CD. I just never imagined him doing a Christmas polka! I'd have loved to have been an extra in this video. It looks like a blast. (Is that his son Jakob running away?)

Congrats to book giveaway winners

Congrats to Bill Barrett, who yesterday won the basket of books donated to the Mechanicsburgy Mystery Book Shop by the Susquehanna Writers.
By an odd coincidence, Joe Barrett won Saturday's drawing for the basket of books at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.
Preceding Saturday's drawing, Mike Silvestri gave a fascinating talk on Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 as part of The Big Read.





Mike donated a copy of "Bark of the Tree" to the basket, which the group provided to the bookstore in celebration of National Bookstore Day.



Four other members of the Susquehanna Writers were on hand for the drawing.

Don Helin, who contributed a copy of "Thy Kingdom Come"


Tina Crone, who contributed "The Yellow Stone"


Lori Myers


Cate Masters, who donated "Picture This" and "One Soul for Sale"


Afterward, Mike had a signing for his new scifi anthology, It Came From Beyond the Sun.


I even signed a copy of One Soul for Sale!


Enjoy your books, Joe and Bill Barrett!