#PlottingPrincesses guest #author Donnell Ann Bell & a new suspense #MFRWorg #RLFblog #RWAKOD

Welcome to a dear friend to the Princesses, suspense author Donnell Bell! Let's get to know Donnell:

Donnell Ann Bell grew up in New Mexico and today calls Colorado home.  A homebody at heart, she leaves the international thrillers to world travelers, and concentrates on suspense that might happen in her neck of the woods – writing SUSPENSE TOO CLOSE TO HOME.  The author of The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall and Betrayed, all of which have been e-book best sellers, her fourth release, Buried Agendas is due out November 7th and is available for preorder on Amazon Kindle. Her books have won or been nominated for prestigious writing awards, including The Epic Award for Best Thriller Suspense, Greater Detroit’s Booksellers Best for Best First Book and Best Single Title, and the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery Suspense. Donnell co-owns Crimescenewriters a Yahoo group for mystery/suspense writers. www.donnellannbell.com    

.@ChrisKeniston : Military Heroes #MFRWauthor #WoundedWarriors

Holy Heroes, Batman !

Sometimes when I see reruns of the sixties TV series Batman I wonder what happened to Alliterating Robin when he grew up? Did he become an alpha hero like Batman or evolve into a loveable beta hero?  

We all love a good book with a good hero. I'm especially fond of the strong beta hero. The guy with a sensitive heart and the patience of saint, but not so mild that people walk all over him. My mind immediately turns to Commander Harmon Rabb of the TV show JAG.  He had it all – except that it took him 9 years to get the girl! But he did – and in full mess dress too. Heaven's he looked handsome.

Some folks prefer the strong, take charge, high risk alpha hero.  And I'll admit, I wouldn't throw one back!  I love those Navy SEAL books.  The guy who takes on the bad guys and leaves them in his wake like debris after a tornado. What's the cliché? Could eat 'em with a spoon- lol.

Today, I'd like to take a minute of your time to mention real heroes. Everyday heroes, like firemen, and policemen, and the person who risks his or her own safety for a stranger in trouble. But more specifically, our military heroes. The ones who put their lives on the line every day to protect our freedom. And who too often come home to face challenges and hardships no person who fought for our country should.

#PlottingPrincesses welcome Merry Farmer with a new book, Trail of Kisses. #giveaway #MFRWauthor #rafflecopter

What a treat to have Merry Farmer come to the Plotting Princesses to help launch her new book: Trail of Kisses!

Let's get to know Merry: 

Merry Farmer is an award-winning author of historical romance. She lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats and enough story ideas to keep her writing until she's 132.

#PlottingPrincesses : a treasured friend, author Kella Carlton & why is the last book she read entitled Foreplay? #MFRWorg #RLFblog

The Plotting Princesses are uber excited to have visiting today Kella Carlton. Kella is sharing some great stuff about her FIRST book, Rocky Mountain Stranger. 

Congratulations, Kella and welcome to the PP!

Let's get a little inside info on Kella: Kella is excited to launch her first book Rocky Mountain Stranger and is currently writing book two in her Mountain Blue Clique Series. Kella enjoys gardening, scrapbooking, and photography. Visit her website to view her most recent pictures. 



Speed Round:

Favorite movie: Titanic 
Favorite Book:  Outsiders 
Last book read:  Foreplay 
Favorite color:  red 
Stilettos or flip-flops: stilettos 
Coffee or tea: coffee 
E-book or paperback: paperback 
Pencil or pen: pen
Favorite song: Grenade

Michelle Miles: A Fair Weekend

The State Fair of Texas ended this past weekend. Every year I say, “Let’s go!” and every year we end up not going. Except this year we actually made it!

I remembered why we don’t go every year – it’s darn expensive! But you know…having not been in nearly two decades, it was a blast. The husband and I spent a small fortune on coupons, most of which we blew on food. Hey, you can’t go to the fair and NOT eat the food, right?

We arrived early to beat most of the crowd. By early, we were at the gate by 9 am. I’d purchased the tickets ahead of time because Kroger had them with a discount. That saved us a couple of bucks. Immediately inside the gate was the Chevy drive event. Now, I’m a Chevy girl all the way. Hubby is a Ford guy. We still managed to get along. ;) I paused to look at the new Tahoe. Candy apple red with this sleek knew interior, sunroof, drop down screen for the back passengers, third row seat, hidden storage in the back. I was in love.

.@VickiBatman - "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived" #MFRWorg #MFRWauthors #KOD #TWRP

Time to Party!

My Journey began a few years back when I took the challenge to write something. I am a huge reader. However, deep in my being was a tiny bubble, a kernel and I didn't dare admit anything to anyone about my secret desire: I wanted to write a book. 

But I was scared. Because writing a book meant showing it to someone to read it--right? Because books are meant to be read. Which meant what if readers don't like it? 

The idea of not being liked stifled me; so I shelved and shuttered the idea until...I was challenged. 

One of my favorite movies is Strictly Ballroom, a Cinderella story set in the ballroom scenario. A not-so attractive girl who everyone takes advantage of desperately desires to blossom by becoming a ballroom dancer. A young man has the chance to be ballroom champion if he picks the right partner. These two come together and fulfill their dreams. 

Right before the big show, the young man admits his fear about dancing in a new way. The girl quotes an old family saying, "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived." Wow!

Move Over Marley, You've Got Nothin' On Me #crazydog #plottingprincesses by Karilyn Bentley

I'm sure you've all heard of Marley, the lab that ate his way through his owner's home. I often wondered what the owner did to cause their dog to go so crazy. So, for my audacity, the universe blessed me with a couple of crazy pooches. At the end of this tale, you can tell me what we did wrong.<g>

Hop in your time machine and journey back with me several years ago when we had first moved into our brand new house and Clara, aka Jaws, still walked among us. Warning: never buy a new house if you own a crazy dog (or a puppy for that matter). Just saying.

Okay, back to the story. Let me set the scene. Clara (the usual eater of the home) had to have surgery (no, it had nothing to do with eating the house, she'd calmed down by this point and only snacked on mail or any other paper item lying around, which BTW worked better than any other shredder). Hell Hound had torn a gash on his leg and was forced to wear the cone of shame so he wouldn't lick the boo-boo. Outdoor maintenance men were coming over, and since HH had a nasty habit of jumping on the doors and windows while barking, snarling and drooling, hence scaring the crap out of the guys, we had to lock him in the bedroom (why not the crate, you ask? B/c he ate through a solid steel crate to get to the windows and the UPS guy. Crate had a broken door and was therefore a no-go.).

When we got home we were met at the door by Hell Hound. A very excited, Hell Hound.

Do You Love Bad Boys?

As a writer and a reader one of my favorite types of plot is changing a bad boy into a guy that falls in love. I like to take a strong heroine who sort of knocks the bad boy on his knees. When I say bad boy, I don’t mean someone who is abusive or criminal, but rather a guy who you know deep down is really a good guy, but he’s just got some tendencies that need to be tamed.

In my new novel, The Relationship Coach, just released last Friday...I hope I’ve done that. I love Reed Hunter, but as far as my hero's go, he’s out there. He uses women for his own purposes and never intends to get married. So when he and his boss get dumped after their girlfriends attend my Relationship Coach’s Twelve Steps of Dating Seminar, Reed is out for blood. Her blood. As a documentary filmmaker he has the tools to either promote or destroy her business.

Come along for the fun ride where my bad boy gets knocked to his knees and Lacey Morgan learns the value of passion in The Relationship Coach. 

Here’s an excerpt:

#PlottingPrincesses author @LindaSteinberg : wants to know What do the hero & heroine have in common? #MFRWorg #RLFblog

“But what do they have in common?”

 Emotion in Romance

How often have you read a romance novel where the sexual tension is palpable? Tingling, breathing heavily, you squirm in your seat, eager for the big payoff, wondering Will they/Won’t they/When will they? Of course, the would-be lovers can’t get together, because of a family feud, or a big misunderstanding, or he’s a firefighter and she’s an arsonist, fill-in-conflict-here.

But then that conflict gets resolved, and they are finally in each other’s arms (not necessarily in that order). And the couple suddenly realizes that not only do they share an intense sexual attraction, but that they like and respect and yes, love each other. 

And I as a reader scratch my head and wonder, when did this happen?