Let's get to know: Author Melissa Keir & her book Crashing Into Love #contemporaryRomance #MFRWorg #anthology

For my Vegas wedding, my books and computer came with me but there wasn't enough room for my wedding shoes. It’s all about priorities! Currently living in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan with my darling husband, way-too-grown-up children and spoiled dogs, I enjoy getting away through a book to escape the harsh winters or summer road construction.

Speed Round :

Favorite movie: Valley Girl
Favorite book: Good Bones and Simple Murders
Last book read: Hog Wild by Jenna Jaxon
Favorite color: Green
Stilettos or flip-flops: Stilettos
Coffee or tea: Flavored coffee
E-book or paperback: Both
Pencil or pen: Pen

Favorite song: Melissa by the Allman Brothers

Streak or not: Oh yes!

Donny Osmond Was My First @sloanebcollins #PuppyLove #FirstCrush #DonnyOsmond #LastingLove #PlottingPrincesses #Romance #AmWriting #MustRead #MFRWorg

I was thinking about crushes the other day, and happened to think I covered a lot of firsts with my own first crush, Donny Osmond.  He was my first crush, my first poster on the wall, my first record album (yes, I’m old), my first concert, my first fan club.  I even had the requisite purple socks with his face on them, all the record albums (still have them, in fact), the Donny & Marie dolls, and the concert posters. 

He’s come a long way from the young boy on Andy Williams show. He’s a husband, a father, a grandfather (how’d that happen?), a man of very strong faith, and he continues to entertain fans of all ages.  I still love his music, and I want to go to Las Vegas for the Donny & Marie concerts there.

I graduated from pop star to actor with Vincent Van Patten in 1974 when he played the son on Apple’s Way.  Imagine my surprise several years ago when I caught him announcing some world of poker show.  Only problem with that show is there wasn’t enough face time! 

@sloanebcollins - Kitty Love - #birthingkittens #mommacat #ourthreeboys #amwriting #MFRWorg

@sloanebcollins  #birthingkittens  #mommacat  #ourthreeboys  #amwriting

A little over a year ago, a pregnant stray cat chose us to come live with. We had no idea how far along she was, so we Googled cat births, since we didn’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ kittens (having previously only had two male cats).  On that rainy Sunday afternoon, she took turns sleeping on our laps as we researched.  Having never been around pregnant animals before, it was fascinating to me to feel the babies moving in her belly as I petted her.  We watched YouTube videos on how to care for Momma, what to do when she goes in to labor, etc.

So my husband went to bed (since he works nights), and I realized she was actually in labor (thank heavens I’d watched those videos!).  My husband had already lashed two boxes together with a hole cut between them so she had extra space to move around, and we’d padded it with an old quilt and towels.  Over the course of three hours, she gave birth to three kittens, one per hour.  I was petrified something would happen, but she knew exactly what to do to care for them.  So by midnight that night, we had a momma and three babies.  And so precious! Two of them were Tabbies, miniature replicas of the mom, and one was a grey Tabby.

We had already decided we’d foster them until they were old enough to get fixed, then try to find homes for all of them.  But as time went by, we couldn’t fi

nd homes, and I thank God we couldn’t. 

Kathy Ivan: Cupid Comes Calling (But He's not Knocking Down My Door)!

I hope you're having fun visiting with the Plotting Princesses and reading all these wonderful stories about love, happiness and finding that "perfect one." Make sure you keep coming back and leave a comment to be eligible for the $200 gift card at the end of the tour.

I've loved reading all these stories of first meetings and happily ever after. Love and romance is a huge part of my life. After all, it's what I write every day. Bringing together two people. That spark of attraction. Eyes meeting across a crowded room. Sharing that first magical kiss.

Okay, time for my confession. I'm single, as in never been married. I've never made that perfect connection. Sure, there have been people in my life that I've loved and still care about. But that one special person, the deep heartfelt connection you know will last for all eternity? Um, hasn't happened for me (yet).

NEW RELEASE!!! NEW RELEASE!!!! NEW RELEASE!!!

Princess Kathy here letting everybody know that my latest book, Losing Cassie, is available now. Here's the back cover copy and an excerpt to tempt you.

Welcome to Destiny's Desire Lodge, where The Fates can manipulate the threads of life at their whim and the Fate-Keeper battles to unite the predestined souls of true love.

Firefighter Jake Stone lost the love of his life when his high school sweetheart disappeared. The arrival of a mysterious letter promising answers draws Jake to Destiny's Desire.

Cassie Daniels has been running for seven long years. At Destiny's Desire she might finally have a chance for a happy future, if she can face the evil from her past.


When Fate and Destiny Collide . . . Can Love Survive?

Amazon

Amazon paperback version:

SMASHWORDS

Below is an excerpt from Losing Cassie.

EXCERPT FROM LOSING CASSIE by Kathy Ivan

Vicki Batman: When I Fell in Love

When I Fell in Love

NO! not with Handsome. I'll save that story for another day. This is about when I fell in love with romance books.

Around age fourteen, I was totally bored. School was out. Didn't have anything special going on. I'd read everything I'd wanted to read.

My mom noticed and asked what was up. When I told her, she said, "Go read something." "But what?" I whined. She fastened on me a long stare and then reached for a small paperback on the shelf where she stashed her handbag. "Try this."

This turned out to be a romance by Emilie Loring.

Golden Wedding Anniversaries

This is the month of brides, and while we celebrate new beginnings, it’s also great to celebrate couples who have been together for many years. My aunt and uncle will celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary on June 15^th, and all the family is gathering to honor them on this very special occasion.

I’ve known four couples to make it to their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Both sets of grandparents, my parents and now my aunt and uncle. So I asked my uncle to tell me why he thought that their marriage had lasted when others have not. He gave me such a wonderful detailed description that I don’t have the room to put everything he said here. 

True Romance

A few years ago I had a great writer's group. One Friday night we met in a funky little coffee shop near my home because it's just so hard for me to leave my baby behind. At the time, he was 1 and 1/2 and two to three hours without Mommy was his max. The coffee shop was five minutes from my house in the old downtown square. My group has like fifty members but usually only 15 to 20 people show. And now that I've scheduled it closer to home, even less people come because they prefer the meetings in the heart of Dallas. I figured the people that truly wanted to come would show, right?