A SCANDAL TO REMEMBER is out!

My Latest story A SCANDAL TO REMEMBER released on Tuesday, and I wanted to celebrate by sharing an exclusive excerpt with the Plotting Princesses, and by giving away a copy to one of our loyal readers!

The rules of courtship are swept out to sea when a shipwreck offers a Reckless Bride a true taste of paradise…  

CAN A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE

For too long, Miss Jane Burke’s father has taken advantage of her painstaking research. Heading to the South Seas to make her own name as a scientist despite the crew’s insistence that a woman aboard is bad luck, she isn’t prepared to be championed by a handsome ship’s officer who rouses longings inside her as wild as any storm… 

LEAD TO A PROPER PROPOSAL? 

For Lieutenant Charles Dance, a post on His Majesty’s survey ship Tenacious is just one more dutiful rung on the ladder of his career. Even a headstrong bluestocking on board is less troubling than the ship’s drunken captain—and the ferocious gales that drive the ship off course. Stranded on a remote island, passion blazes between them as hot as the sun, but it’s Jane’s love Dance wants forever…

Here's the Excerpt:

LIKE JOE MANGANIELLO? YOU COULD WIN A BLAZE!

SPOILER ALERT! Do NOT read the next couple of paragraphs if haven’t caught up with this season of TRUE BLOOD!

Ok, are they gone now? Whew! I almost titled this blog Alcide might be dead, but Long Live Joe. Then I realized some people might not have watched this season yet. Now I’m going to cry. And rant. CRY! Alcide, oh Alcide! Say it ain’t so! I’ve always been on TEAM Bill, because I always go with first love=True love in a Romance, but, still… That doesn’t mean you had to DIE!
WHY?? Why did you have to die? As Sookie said, you were so big and strong. And SO sweet! You deserved a happy ending!

#PlottingPrincesses have all the answers: What would a guy give a girl? #MFRWog #RLFblog

I have been working on a second book and was trying to come up with ideas of what a guy would give the new girl he had been dating. So I posed this question to The Princesses:

What would a guy give a girl? And here are some delightful answers:

Karilyn Bentley: My hubby isn't romantic but he's a great guy.  He usually gets me a plant for Valentine’s Day b/c he knows I don't like cut flowers. He manages my website and offers a lot of opinions on what I write and how a scene can be improved.  I appreciate his insights!  He's bought me a lot of techie stuff but has avoided the jewelry since the first year we were hitched. 

Michelle Miles: My hubby bought me a pair of Christian Louboutin's as a wedding present. Sometimes, he'll send flowers for no reason. Other times, it's when I make a sale. He almost always sends me fall flowers because he knows that's my favorite time of year. I love the little things. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture to make me swoon. :)

Alisha Paige Wilson: So after the birth of my baby, I was really, really dreading going back to work for this clown but it paid the bills. My husband woke me up one day and told me he had a surprise. He took my hand and led me into the living room where he had bought me a brand new desk and a shiny new computer and said, "Sit down. Now write your books. You never have to go back to work again." He is my hero. 

Michelle Miles: How to Behave in Public

This past weekend, the husband and I went to see the Dallas performance of Phantom of the Opera at the very beautiful Winspear Opera House. It’s a newer venue here in the area and I’d been wanting to check it out. I bought the tickets way back in May and had been looking forward to it since then. Plus, it was a great cultural date with the husband.

It was an afternoon performance. We dressed business casual for the event. I actually wore heels.

We arrived about an hour early. We weren’t the only ones hanging around there. It was already starting to fill in with people. Our seats were on the third level, so we headed up there to hang out and people watch, an activity we both enjoy.

What amazes me about people in general is when they go to these types of events, they wear everything. There was a lady in a lacy, very low cut dress. Her boobs were so big, they were about to pop right out. I don’t know. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but this was just inappropriate to me.

There were people dressed in jeans—inappropriate. If you’re going to spend that much money for an event, have the decency to wear nicer clothes, at least. Jeans don’t belong there. I don’t care how comfy you want to be.

#PlottingPrincesses are pleased as punch with special author Tina Donahue and Make Me Surrender #MFRWorg

The Plotting Princesses welcome a special guest, author Tina Donahue, to the blog. 

Let's get to know Tina: She is an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Siren Publishing, and Kensington. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. Three of her erotic romances (Adored, Lush Velvet Nights, and Deep, Dark, Delicious) were named finalists in the 2011 EPIC competition. The French review site, Blue Moon reviews, chose her erotic romance Sensual Stranger as their Book of the Year 2010. The Golden Nib Award at Miz Love Loves Books was created specifically for Lush Velvet Nights, and two of her titles (The Yearning and Deep, Dark, Delicious) received an Award of Merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competition (2011 and 2012). Take Me Away and Adored both won second place in the NEC RWA contest (different years). Tina is featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. She was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company. 

Is guest author Laura Strickland a Mary Ann or Ginger? An interview at #PlottingPrincesses #MFRWorg #historical

Hi, Laura, and welcome to the Plotting Princesses where we pride ourselves in asking funny questions! 

Let's get to know Laura better: Laura Strickland is the author of Scottish romance Devil Black as well as The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy consisting of Daughter of Sherwood, Champion of Sherwood, and Lord of Sherwood. She is currently working on the second book of a new Steampunk romance series.

Is she a Mary Ann or Ginger?


Speed Round:

Where do YOU Read?

What’s your favorite place to read? 

Fess up... 

Are you a book snuggler, like me? Do you take one to bed with you? Do you read under the covers? At the Park? 

Are you a sunny porch with a cup of tea reader? Do you have book tucked in your purse and whip it out whenever the opportunity to read arises? 

Do you read in the carpool lane? Are you a beach reader? Do you prefer the quiet of the library for your reading adventures? What about the easy chair in the living room, is that where you curl up with a good book?

Take our survey and let’s see where readers enjoy their books the most:

School Supplies -- Office Supplies -- My Addiction

Yes, August is upon us and soon it will be back to school time. Time to start thinking about new clothes, new shoes and school supplies. Getting my new school supplies was always the highlight of getting ready to go back to school.

Even now I seem to have this fetish thing with office supply stores. You walk in and automatically I start getting excited and thinking what do I need. There’s a smell that just says spend money now. Automatically, I grab a basket and start to fill it up and this stuff ain’t cheap.

On my desk at home, you will see an electric pencil sharpener. An electric stapler – love it. A cute little posted note purse, a timer and a beautiful paperweight given to me by an old friend.

Inside the desk drawers are organized with my trays and I have one whole drawer of posted notes. Yes, that’s right. Love the posted notes. A writers must have.