Under the Princess Crown with B K Nault & her book, The Kalideoscope #fiction #newbook #MFRWorg

The Princesses welcome author 

B K Nault writes both fiction and nonfiction (also as Beverly Nault). Empty-nested and downsized, she and husband Gary live full time in their RV they call Flight Risk - nicknamed “Fly.” Gary power-glides in "The Gnat" while Beverly safely explores new horizons on her Kindle, and banging the keyboard creating new worlds from her offbeat imagination.

Speed Round:

Favorite movie: Gone With the Wind
Favorite book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Last book read: How to Catch a Russian Spy
Favorite color: Peach
Stilettos or flip-flops: Flip flops
Coffee or tea: Coffee
E-book or paperback: E-book
Pencil or pen: Pencil

Favorite song: Moondance

Under the Princess Crown with author Gail Olmsted & Guessing at Normal #contemporaryromance #rockstar #MFRWorg

Gail Olmsted... a hopeless romantic, I am married to the love of my life and my favorite role is being mom to two young adults and three cats. I enjoy reading, boating, music and travel and am a college professor of marketing.

Speed Round:

Favorite movie: Goodfellas
Favorite book: Trinity (Leon Uris)
Last book read: A Thirty-Something Girl (Lisa Gott)
Favorite color: Orange
Stilettos or flip-flops: Flip-flops
Coffee or tea: Coffee
E-book or paperback: e-book
Pencil or pen: pen

Favorite song: Losing My Religion (REM)

.@VickiBatman - My first Lipstick #makeup #fashion #cosmetics #beautysupplies

Once upon a time...

I was very young--Big Surprise! 

Seriously, when I was younger, I was extremely shy. Painfully shy. My mom always said she could send my six year-old sister to buy milk in the convenience store over sending me. 

Thankfully, in my high school years, I grew out of that mess.

Around age ten, a new girl came to my elementary school. Her name was Joann and she seemed quite sophisticated to me. I was all skinny, ugly glasses, and --remember the shy thing?-- shy. Joann wore lipstick. One day after lunch, I said

it looked pretty on her and she passed me the tube. The lipstick was sorta purply pale colored. But I didn't care. By putting some on, I, too, would be cool and sophisticated like my new friend.

I passed it back; however, she told me to keep it. My insides went yipee!!!

After I walked home from school that day, my mom noticed the lipstick I wore. She asked me where I got it and being the obedient child I was, I showed her my gift. She took it away from me. Tears flooded my eyes. I wouldn't be cool any more. What would I tell Joann when I didn't wear it? Mom didn't care. No ten year old of hers would be wearing lipstick. 

I ceased being cool.

RWA 2015 Conference Memories @SloaneBCollins #RWA2015 #amwriting #MFRWorg #BFFs @sashawrites

Just a few short weeks ago I spent 5 days in New York City at the annual Romance Writers of

America annual conference.   I get just as excited about it as I do Christmas.  Every year I anxiously await the workshops to be posted, then I go through the list carefully deciding what sounds good.  Then, when the workshops are posted by day and time, I do it again.  Invariably and without fail, I end up with at least two for each time slot.  I make the final decision as to which to attend once I know whether it will be recorded or not.  Or, if the presenter is someone I want to hear in person. 

This is a time of fun, fellowship, friendship, motivation and inspiration.  I always come home rejuvenated and ready to write.  And this year was no different.

One of the best things at the conference this year: I met an author I’ve been a fan of for many years, one who hasn’t ever been at a conference that I’ve attended.  Jude Devereaux!  I met her at the

Literacy Signing on Wednesday night and was so excited to get my picture taken with her.  Then I attended the workshop she gave on Research on Thursday.  Would you believe she keeps a notebook for each book (as I do, actually) AND she writes in longhand!  The next day my BFF and I were waiting at the elevator on our floor, and who should walk up but Ms. Devereaux and her editor!  It’s the one time I was glad the elevators took a long time because we had her to ourselves.  So we chatted about various things, and it’s a memory I’ll always cherish.

Under the Princess Crown with L. A. Kelley & Second Chance City #MFRWorg #paranormal #newbook

L. A. Kelley lives in Florida where the heat and humidity have driven everyone slightly mad. In her spare time, she calls in Bigfoot sightings to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. They are heartily sick of hearing from her.

Speed Round:

Favorite movie: Star Wars
Favorite book: The Martian by Andy Weir
Last book read: Rain by Cynthia Barnett
Favorite color: Purple
Stilettos or flip-flops: Bare feet, baby
Coffee or tea: tea
E-book or paperback: either
Pencil or pen: pencil (as long as it has an eraser)

Favorite song: Shut Up and Dance

Streak or not: Not (The neighbors have complained)

Favorite dessert: Too many to list

Champagne or gin: Abstain

Paranormal or Historical: Historical paranormal

Ginger or Mary Ann: Lovey

5 Things I Learned When My Publisher Went Under @kellyleefiction #amwriting #myWANA #failure

There's nothing like the first time you sign a contract with a publisher. There's this heady sense of arrival. Of validation. Of overcoming your insecurity about whether anyone other than your mother or best friend will like your book. It fills your chest to bursting.

But what happens when that publishing experience isn't what you thought? (Hint: it never is) Or worse, when your publisher closes its doors forever? The latter happened to me, and after I stopped crying, drinking, and cursing….I settled down and learned some things. Important things. About the world of publishing, failure, the kinds of people I surround myself with, and most critically - myself.

If this has happened to you too, listen up.

Lesson #1: It's not because your writing sucked.

You didn't cause this to happen. Your book did not singlehandedly sink an entire company. In fact, there are probably several (if not many) award winning, bestselling authors who signed with your publisher. You can bet something was happening with the publisher you didn't know about and couldn't have predicted – like poor leadership, crappy business model, or ineffective execution. But know this: as a rule, publishers don't fail because they signed bad authors. Generally, the writing community knows this (thank goodness), but the people in your life don't and it can be hard dealing with sympathetic eyes tinged with a touch of suspicion.

Under the Princess Crown with author Charlotte Copper & Strawberry Summer #summerfun #contemporaryromance #MFRWorg

Charlotte Copper lives in Stouffville, Ontario - that's in Canada, eh. When she isn't working at her full-time job, Charlotte likes to craft, read, go to movies, and, of course, write. Charlotte hopes to have all of her stories published some day because, as a romance writer, she believes in happy endings!

Speed Round:

Favorite movie: Aliens
Favorite book: Gone with the Wind
Last book read: Outlander
Favorite color: red
Stilettos or flip-flops: flip flops
Coffee or tea: nothing hot
E-book or paperback: e-book