Aloha to Susan Higginbotham and HER HIGHNESS THE TRAITOR

On this date in 1533, Anne Boleyn is crowned Queen of England.   Although Anne lived only 1000 more days before her execution, she demonstrated what sheer determination (and sex appeal) could accomplish through courtly intrigue.    

Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn in THE TUDORS

Courtly intrigue followed King Henry's Tudor successors - Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, and Queen  Elizabeth.   The award winning author Susan Higginbotham gives us an inventive perspective to the uncrowned queen, Lady Jane Grey.  The story unfolds from Jane's royal mother and ambitious mother-in-law in HER HIGHNESS THE TRAITOR:

As Henry VIII draws his last breath, two very different women, Jane Dudley, Viscountess of Lisle, and Frances Grey, Marchioness of Dorset, face the prospect of a boy king, Edward VI.

For Jane Dudley, basking in the affection of her large family, the coming of a new king means another move upward for her ambitious, able husband, John. For Frances Grey, increasingly alienated from her husband and her brilliant but arrogant daughter Lady Jane Grey, it means that she—and Lady Jane—are one step closer to the throne of England.

Then the young king falls deathly ill. Determined to keep England under Protestant rule, he concocts an audacious scheme that subverts his own father’s will. Suddenly, Jane Dudley and Frances Grey are reluctantly bound together in a common cause—one that will test their loyalties, their strength, and their faith, and that will change their lives beyond measure.

Helena Bonham Carter in LADY JANE GREY

I posted my review of HER HIGHNESS THE TRAITOR on Goodreads at this link.  Today I am visiting the 'Ionani Palace, also the scene of political intrigue.  I'll pick up a souvenir and give it away to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,


1.  Leave a comment about your favorite historical author.   From Susan's website (at this link),

In my idea of heaven, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Jane Austen will have each written a new novel every year or so since their deaths, and the celestial bookshelves will be sagging with their works. There'd be a new Shakespeare play to attend often as well.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

To learn more about Susan and her books, including links to order, check out her website at susanhigginbotham.com.

Aloha to Kate Angell and NO TAN LINES

[Danny] Summer lovin' had me a blast

[Sandy] Summer lovin' happened so fast

[Danny] I met a girl crazy for me

[Sandy] Met a boy cute as can be

[Both] Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights

Summer is here, bringing us carefree days and sizzling nights.  So grab your beach bag, sun block, and Kate Angell's NO TAN LINES:

There's a place where the ocean meets the shore, where kicking off your shoes and baring some skin is as natural as sneaking under the boardwalk for an ice cream cone and stolen kisses. But life isn't all a beach for Shaye Cates, even if her idea of an office is a shady umbrella at the water's edge equipped with cell phone and laptop. Steely-eyed Trace Saunders is the incredibly irksome fly in her coconut tanning oil. And running a kids' softball team with her long-time rival is going to have everyone in her little Florida town buzzing. Her scads of laid-back relatives and his whole uptight clan know that Shaye just wants to play ball while Trace thinks only of business. But beneath the twinkling lights of the ferris wheel, the magic of sea and sand can sweep away every inhibition...Suddenly, it's summertime, and the lovin' is easy. 

I posted my review of NO TAN LINES on Amazon at this link and Goodreads at this link.  I am a giving away Hawaiian beach gift pack to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,


1.  Leave a comment about the summer - what do you love most about it?


2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.


3.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm  in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


To learn more about Kate Angell and her books, including links to purchase, check out her website at kateangell.com.

  

Guest review - DARK FROST by Jennifer Estep

We are less than 60 days away from the RWA National Convention in Anaheim.  Highlights include the Literacy Autographing (open to the public at this link) and the awards ceremony.  We'll be rooting for Jennifer Estep, nominated as a Finalist for Young Adult Romance for TOUCH OF FROST (at this link).

Mythos Academy #0.5 Prequel E-Story	Mythos Academy Book #1	Halloween Frost: Mythos Academy #1.5 E-story
Mythos Academy Book #2	Mythos Academy Book #3

Jennifer is celebrating the release of Mythos Academy Book 3, DARK FROST:

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me — again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects — and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me — and I’m in for the fight of my life.

Tammy reviewed DARK FROST for SOS ALOHA:

Title - Dark Frost
Author - Jennifer Estep
4.5 stars out of 5

When I was given the chance to review this book I frankly hesitated because while I loved the first book in the series, the second one seemed to be a watered down version. But now that I've read this one I'm glad I took the chance.

This book continues the story of Gypsy Gwen Frost and her friends at Mythos Academy. In this one you see Gwen and her friends as they continue to learn and grow and at times I had tears in my eyes. So much so that I had to go back and read the last couple of chapters since I had a hard time reading with the words being somewhat hazy looking.

Gwen and her friends start this book by helping to repel an attack by The Repears and even though they are eventually successful there are deaths among the students. But the question that appears is were they really successful? Gwen and her friends did survive and they are fast becoming known among the other students, but is that a good thing or not?

Being a teenager is hard enough, but to be a goddess's Champion raises the stakes even higher. Gwen has to contend with learning more about herself and what she's capable of doing and being as well as being a teen.

I'd highly recommend this book as it has a lot of action/adventure as well as angst that it should keep just about anyone happy reading it. It did me that's for sure!

Mahalo, Tammy, for your review!   I am giving away a copy of DARK FROST to one randomly selected commenter (winner's choice for format).   To enter the giveaway,

1.  Have you found anything that you had hidden away?   I find Christmas presents after Christmas.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Jennifer and Sophie Jordan at RT Chicago

Aloha to FOR LOVE AND HONOR - an Avon Anthology celebrating military heroes

Breaking News:  I am a guest blogger at Romance At Random, spotlighting real military heroes for Memorial Day at this link.

Avon is honoring military heroes with the anthology, FOR LOVE AND HONOR:


Three military heroes . . . fighting to protect their countries, their homes, and the women they love.

For Love and Honor

In New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell's The Bookish Miss Nelson, it's the duty of daring Army Captain William Duroy to escort Miss Pippa Nelson through enemy territory, bringing her safely home to England. But can he resist falling in love?

In Lynne Hinton's Letters From Pie Town, a New Mexico town couldn't be prouder of its very own Raymond Twinhorse, injured while fighting in Afghanistan. So Trina Lockhart gathers letters from Raymond's friends and family, hoping their wishes will help to heal the man she loves—and bring him back home.

In Candis Terry's Home Sweet Home, Lt. Aiden Marshall returns to Sweet, Texas, after facing the devastation of war. With the help of the entire town—and a tail-wagging companion—the woman he's always loved makes her hero's homecoming all the more sweet.

FOR LOVE AND HONOR received a starred review from the LIBRARY JOURNAL at this link.  

Kim and Cathy at RT.
Photo by Anne Elizabeth

If you have been reading SOS Aloha for some time, you already know Cathy Maxwell - Navy Veteran.  Coast Guard Mom.  Known for her laughter, Cathy has delighted historical romance readers with 29 novels and novellas.   If you don't know Cathy, check out her website at cathymaxwell.com.  Her bio is humorous and heartwarming.


Let's meet the other authors from the anthology.   Candis Terry joins me for a cozy chat.

Kim: I read from your bio (at this link) that you live in Idaho. Can you share your favorite sight, sound, and smell of Idaho?

Candis: Idaho is spectacular in every way, so choosing just one of each will be difficult. However . . . when springtime blooms there are wildflowers everywhere. One time my husband and I were ATVing in the mountains, we rode a small trail up to the top and found ourselves surrounded by a field of blue lupine and snowy mountaintops. Just amazing. My favorite sound would have to be the rushing water of the Boise River or any of the many creeks we camp near. And without a doubt my favorite smell—dried leaves burning in Autumn.

Kim: I am a bit curious about your diversities,

The diversities in my life have enhanced (or twisted) my worldview. From working in a Hollywood recording studio to a graphic designer in marketing; from schmoozing with the likes of Charleton Heston and Motley Crüe to giving up my beach bum ways and making the move to an Idaho farm. I’ve designed costumes for 80’s heavy metal videos and scooped up road apples left on the parade route by my daughter’s rodeo queening horse.

What was the highlight of schmoozing with Charleton Heston and Motley Crue?

Candis: Ah, those were the days! Working (and playing) in Hollywood was very eye-opening. Where else can you go and in one night chat with Moses and George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) from It’s a Wonderful Life? We were at a party for the annual Jimmy Stewart Relay marathon. Champagne and caviar flowed. And both of these gentlemen demonstrated to me that old Hollywood truly was classy and glamorous, and way more down-to-earth than you would expect. Of course, that same evening we also met OJ Simpson (pre-murders). Shiver.

Now, Motley Crue? Total flip of the coin. With those boys it was all about playing hard--both with their music and life in general. At the time I worked in the music industry so I often went along with a couple of music producers to scout new talent. I saw a lot behind the scenes. A lot! Some I couldn’t even mention here. I once heard a certain singer tell a Roadie “They don’t come backstage unless they are a triple B.” I suspected that meant Blond, Beautiful, and Busty, but who knows. However, I will say that I had many an opportunity to talk with drummer Tommy Lee when he was married to Heather Locklear. Without his band in tow he was very nice and normal. Depending on what your version of normal happens to be.

Kim: Who or what helped you along the road to publishing?

Candis: I could never have become a published author had I not been a member of Romance Writers of America. The workshops and conferences I’ve attended helped tremendously. I also owe a ton to NYT Bestselling Author Rachel Gibson who has always been a huge support. And my family who never let me give up even if it meant them eating more frozen pizzas for dinner. After that it was my pure stubbornness that kept me trying even after 22 years without a sale. I’m so glad I never gave up!

Kim: Tell us about your story in FOR LOVE AND HONOR.

Candis: When Avon first asked me to be a part of this anthology I was beyond excited. We have a very large military here in Idaho and on a daily basis I shop, dine, and enjoy our beautiful state alongside these amazing heroes. I’ve heard personal stories from the war. I’ve read many articles from those who’ve returned home. And I’ve shed tears for our local boys who never made it home.

My story in this anthology is called HOME SWEET HOME. As an Army Ranger, Lieutenant Aiden Marshall has fought in some of the most hellish corners on earth. And he’s survived. Those closest to him had not. When he returns home to Sweet, Texas he’s lost everything--including his soul. The only fair thing he can do is tell the woman he’d loved--the woman who’s waited for him--to move on with her life. Without him. But sassy waitress Paige Walker has no intention of walking away. Aiden had served with honor, now with the help of the community it’s her chance to give him love and hope.

Kim: What's next for Candis Terry?

Candis: I recently completed the Sugar Shack novels. SOMEBODY LIKE YOU, the 3rd installment in the series will be released June 19. I also just turned in a proposal for a new series set in the town I’ve introduced in HOME SWEET HOME. It involves some really hot (and often stubborn) military men trying to rebuild their lives and the women who teach them that life is anything but status quo.

Mahalo, Candis, for joining at SOS Aloha! To learn more about Candis, check out her website at candisterry.com. I am giving away a copy of FOR LOVE AND HONOR to one randomly selected commenter. The winner can choose an ecopy (available May 29, 2011) or print copy (available June 5, 2011). To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about HOME SWEET HOME - what makes your house/town/area special to you?

2. This giveaway is open to all readers.

3. Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 2011. I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

The celebration continues at The Reading Reviewer with Lynne Hinton at this link. 

Aloha to Ruth Knox and ABOUT LAST NIGHT

This morning, my family is attending the Memorial Day Service at Punchbowl Cemetery.  My husband is singing with his barbershop chorus, SOUNDS OF ALOHA.   Ruthie Knox will be your host today ....


Gonna Make a Mistake... Gonna Do It on Purpose

Hello, everyone! I’m so happy to be back at SOS Aloha to talk about my second novel, About Last Night, which releases in less than two weeks. Kim asked me if I’d be willing to write about mistakes for this guest post, which I was really excited to do, because mistakes are right at the heart of what About Last Night is all about.

I think I’ll let the book speak for me first. This is an excerpt from an early scene, where the hero and heroine, Nev and Cath, are in bed together, and Nev is asking Cath about her tattoos, which are many in number. The scene is in Nev’s point of view.

Later, she lay on her stomach, and he stretched out beside her with one hand on her arse, studying the figures on her lower back. “Tell me about your tattoos. What do the numbers mean?”

There turned out to be four tattoos, each with its own small Copperplate numeral. The songbird came first, then a lit match, a book, and the intricate tangle on her stomach. All four images were interconnected with a matrix of lines and swirls.

“They’re my mistakes,” she said. “Each tattoo represents one of my worst mistakes. So I won’t forget.”

He traced the shape of the bird, wondering what she could have done to merit writing herself a memo on her body. “It’s a very permanent sort of reminder.”

She raised herself up slightly, catching his gaze and holding it. “They were really bad mistakes.”

She didn’t say Back off, but she told him all the same.

He tried a slightly different tack, wondering how far he could push her before she turned as fierce as she looked when she ran in the park. “What about the phoenix?” He slid one hand to her shoulder, picturing the tattoo beneath her collarbone. “It doesn’t have a number.”

Apparently this was a permissible question, as she relaxed slightly. “That one’s from when I decided to start over. You know, clean slate. No more mistakes. Phoenix rising from the ashes.” She gave him a small smile. “I was doing pretty well there for a while.”

Nev frowned, unhappy with the implication. “I’m a mistake then?”

“I don’t know yet. You have to admit, we didn’t meet under the most auspicious circumstances.”

“True.”

He did have to admit it. He didn’t have to like it. And it didn’t have to matter how they’d met. She was here, wasn’t she?

Cath didn’t feel like a mistake to him. She felt like a beginning. A clean canvas, ready to be painted. A gorgeous new idea.

She lowered her face to the pillow. “I’m trying not to think about it.”

“Want me to distract you again?”

“Yeah.”

He turned her over, kissed his way down her soft stomach, and spread her legs wide with his shoulders. No doubt he’d been someone’s mistake in the past. Perhaps more than one person’s, at that. But he wasn’t hers.

He’d simply have to prove it to her.

Now, I don’t want to give too much away here, but I will say that it takes Nev rather a lot of pages to prove it to her—but it’s an enjoyable journey.

Aloha means love ...

About Last Night is a novel with a damaged but resilient heroine, and for much of the novel, Cath is convinced that by allowing herself to trust and fall in love with Nev, she’s making yet another in a long series of terrible mistakes. And yet...she can’t stop.

I love this about Cath. In my own life, I’ve been the quintessential good girl, but I have managed to make one or two whopping big mistakes along the way, and one of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes we know we’re making them, and we do it anyway. I think those mistakes are the most interesting, because they tell us so much about ourselves. When our heads say “no” but something else says “yes,” what is that something else? Our hearts? Our baser instincts? And what deep-seated need are we fulfilling, doing something that we know is bad for us?

Sometimes—as in Cath’s case—what we’re reaching for isn’t bad for us at all. It’s quite simply the one thing in the world we most want and are most afraid of.

Love.

So how about y’all—have you made any really stupid mistakes, whether on purpose or by accident? Do you like to read about other people’s, or do you prefer your heroes and heroines less flawed?

  

About Last Night, coming from Loveswept (Random House), June 11, 2012!

Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.

Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.

Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine — even her name turns him on — with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.

When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?

Preorder/order links -- only $2.99, releases June 11

Amazon link.

Barnes and Noble link.  

iBooks link. 

Other links

Book page at Random House - link. 

Book page at Goodreads - link.

Ruthie Knox website - link.  

Ruthie Knox on Facebook - link.

Follow @ruthieknox on Twitter - link.

Ruthie Knox figured out how to walk and read at the same time in the second grade, and she hasn’t looked up since. She spent her formative years hiding romance novels in her bedroom closet to avoid the merciless teasing of her brothers and imagining scenarios in which someone who looked remarkably like Daniel Day Lewis recognized her well-hidden sex appeal and rescued her from middle-class Midwestern obscurity. After graduating from Grinnell College with an English and history double major, she earned a Ph.D. in modern British history that she’s put to remarkably little use.

These days, she writes contemporary romance in which witty, down-to- earth characters find each other irresistible in their pajamas, though she freely admits this has yet to happen to her. Perhaps she needs more exciting pajamas. Her debut novel, Ride with Me, came out with Loveswept (Random House) in February.

 Mahalo, Ruthie, for joining us at SOS Aloha!   Random House is giving away an ecopy of ABOUT LAST NIGHT to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Answer Ruthie's questions:

So how about y’all—have you made any really stupid mistakes, whether on purpose or by accident? Do you like to read about other people’s, or do you prefer your heroes and heroines less flawed?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Weekly winners and Sara Humphreys' 4th Annual US Military Families Contest

We have winners at SOS Aloha!

Chrissie Wellington's A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS
- Mel B is the winner of a Hawaii sports gift!

Jill Shalvis' LUCKY IN LOVE
- Cathy P is the winner for Forever's giveaway.
- Winnie is the international winner.

Diamond Jubilee Celebration Hop
- Carol M is the winner of a book choice from my convention stash.

Gina Robinson's DIAMONDS ARE TRULY FOREVER

- Erin is the winner!

Nancy Stewart's KATRINA AND WINTER: PARTNERS IN COURAGE
- LSU is the winner of a dolphin shaped candy dish.

Winners - please claim your prize by sending your mailing address to sos.aloha@yahoo.com. 

Sara Humphreys is looking for a winning military family ... 

4th Annual U.S. Military Familes Contest— 

Open for Entries!

For the past couple of years, as a special thank you to our service members and their families, I have held a contest just for them.  It turned out to be an incredibly rewarding experience. I had the privilege of meeting several incredible women and their beautiful families. It's so easy to forget that there are real people who are deeply affected by the conflicts overseas. Hearing the personal stories of these families helped me remember that our troops are husbands, fathers, brothers and sons who are immensely loved and sorely missed.

This contest will run from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend but start sending those entries in now!

Who is eligible? Familes of any U.S. military service member may enter. Retired or active-duty.

How do you enter? Send an email to info@novelromance.net with a picture of you and your family member in uniform. Tell us a bit about what branch he serves in, where you've been stationed, challenges and so forth. We want to hear your story! Please put "4th Annual Military Families Contest" in the subject line.

Once a week, beginning Memorial Day weekend, I will pick one entrant to be highlighted on my blog. These weekly entrants are semi-finalists. Labor Day weekend I will select three winners.

Second Prize: A $25 Amazon Gift Card, Signed copies of Unleashed and Untouched

First Prize: A $50 Amazon Gift Card, and signed copies of Unleashed and Untouched

Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon Gift card and signed copies of Unleashed and Untouched

For more information about the contest and Sara Humphreys, please visit sarahumphreys.com and follow Sara on Twitter, @AuthorSara.

Check out the Huffington Post Article at this link.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sara Humphreys has been attracted to the fantasies of science fiction, paranormal, and romance since her adolescence when she had a mad crush on Captain Kirk. An actress and public speaker, Sara lives in Bronxville, New York with her husband, who is very considerate of her double life, and four amazing boys. For more information about the contest and Sara Humphreys, please visit Sara's website at sarahumphreys.com.

Aloha to Mary Hart Perry and THE WILD PRINCESS

On this date in 1878, Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera H.M.S. Pinafore opens at the Opera Comique in London.   By 1878, Queen Victoria probably needed some comic relief, after surviving several assassination attempts earlier in the decade.   So let's jump aboard the H.M.S. Pinafore and play eight degrees of separation!

1.  HMS Pinafore was the fourth collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan.  

2.  Queen Victoria's fourth daughter was Princess Louisa.

3.  Princess Louisa married a "common" aristocrat, one without Royal Blood - John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, who later became the Duke of Argyll. 

4.  A common sailor aboard HMS Pinafore falls in love with the Captain's daughter.   

5.  The captain's daughter is named Josephine.

6.  Princess Louisa corresponded with British feminist Josephine Butler.

7.  From Wikipedia,  "The Butlers had strong radical sympathies, including support for the Union in the American Civil War."

8.  Mary Hart Perry features a dashing American Civil War veteran in a story about Princess Louisa, THE WILD PRINCESS:

A headstrong English princess. A dashing American Civil War veteran. Add a scandalous secret and threats against the queen by Irish terrorists, and you have a deliciously sensual Victorian thriller. Mary Hart Perry brings you the first of a series of stunning romantic novels starring the five daughters of Queen Victoria.

Fact: In 1871, Princess Louise (Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s fourth daughter) had a reputation for being the “wild child” of the family. She insisted upon mixing socially with commoners and being trained in London as a professional artist at a time when girls were denied the same education as boys. The nerve of her!

So…what is a princess to do when she longs to break out of Buckingham Palace and follow her dream—but her mother marries her off to a man who can’t return her love?


In The Wild Princess, Louise discovers that her new husband isn’t the man she thought he was. Although the marquess of Lorne comes from good Scottish stock, his hidden motives for marrying force her to look elsewhere for love. But a loveless marriage isn’t the worst of her worries. Desperate men have vowed to free Ireland from the Crown, even if it takes blowing up half of London, and the royal family with it. How will Louise protect those she loves?


Mary Hart Perry’s novels are an irresistible blend of romance, suspense, and lush Victorian settings. Enjoy!

Mary Hart Perry is giving away a print copy of THE WILD PRINCESS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,


1.  Leave a comment about operas - love them or loathe them?  


I know little about opera ... other than Frasier and Niles frequently attended the opera together!  Frasier may have even sang a few tunes from Gilbert and Sullivan.


2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.


3.  Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


To learn more about Mary Hart Perry, check out her website at www.maryhartperry.com.

Aloha to Carol Henry and SHANGHAI CONNECTION

When I grow up, I want to be Carol Henry ... she joins me for a cozy chat and you'll learn why I aspire to be her!

Carol: Thanks, Kim, for having me on your blog today. As a military family (of sorts) it’s always nice when someone highlights the veterans who so valiantly served and are serving our country. I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a man in uniform. Perhaps that’s why my hero in my second Destination: Romance—Exotic Romantic Adventures, Shanghai Connection with a release date of May 25 (my birthday), was an ex-military commando J.

Kim: Hau`oli Lā Hānau - happy birthday! You are a romance author, travel writer, photo journalist, town historian, community volunteer, and mentor. Whew! I knew military spouses are Wonder Woman but you set the bar high! How much of your life as a military spouse prepared you to multi-task?

Carol: I smiled when you referred to me as Wonder Woman because my husband is always calling me Wonder Woman. His take on it is “I wonder what she’s going to do next,” which isn’t always a compliment coming from him. Although, he does say it with a wide grin when he is talking to other men. When we were in North Myrtle Beach where we go so I can get some writing done, he surprised me with one of those big nostalgic signs of a picture of Wonder Woman that now hangs in my office J. I had to explain it to everyone who saw it there.

As for being a multitasker, I think I’ve always been one. I once had a gentleman at a benefit dinner ask if I had a twin because every time he turned around I was there. I do move quickly – I think it’s my high metabolism that keeps me going.

But, being a military wife, even though it was only for three years, I found myself transported overnight into a different world, a different culture, and a different country. And, on my own. Back when I lived in Germany there were no cell phones, no internet, and not much correspondence to and from back home. We didn’t live on base housing, so it was either stare at the same four walls and ceiling all day, or get out and meet people. So I joined Airman’s Wives’ Club, became treasurer, and it went from there. We were all in the same boat, so we pulled together. Many of us still keep in touch after all these years.

Kim: In your bio, you indicated that your husband’s assignment to Bitburg, Germany enabled the travel bug to bite you both. Tell us about some of your favorite travels when stationed in Europe. 

Carol: Oh, my gosh, there were so many great experiences in the three years we lived there. I certainly don’t have room to list them all. The opportunities abounded, and being young, we didn’t have any misconceptions to hold us back. My cousin and her husband were stationed near Heidelberg at the same time, and came up to visit us. We took them to Paris for the weekend. I had taken French in school, so I was able to get directions, order from the menu, and get a hotel for the night. The first thing we did was to pull into Paris thinking that we had driven straight to the Arc d ‘Triumph. We were so giddy, only to find out that it wasn’t ‘THE’ Arc. When we did reach the real one, it was almost a let down we were so tired. And then, my husband took a wrong turn down a back street early in the morning and we ended up in an alley where farmers were unloading produce for the markets and restaurants. We were stuck there for hours until the road cleared again. But it was a surreal experience that I found fascinating.

While in Bitburg, Germany, of course, having time on our hands, and being so close to all those old-world towns and villages, it was only natural that we spend as much of our free time (mostly weekends) traveling about Europe. I attribute that time to ‘getting the travel bug’, even though it wasn’t until much, much later that I realized I could actually write travelogues and features and get paid!

Kim: When did you become interested in travel writing? How does one break into that business? What has been the best reward? Biggest challenge? Exciting moment? Scary situation? 

Carol: I always dabbled in writing something, but never seriously—not having the confidence. An old English teacher put the damper on that. But thinking to write children’s storybooks, I enrolled in a correspondence course, which led to various writing and eventually writing for several local newspapers. We did a lot of traveling with the kids while they were growing up, then headed out on our own around the States, then started cruising, and traveling internationally. With my love of writing developing into something I felt more comfortable with, and my deep love of traveling around the world, I wanted to share my experiences with others. I started small, writing a series of travelogues for a newspapers. Then got bold enough to query a major magazine publisher – Porthole Cruise Magazine with a feature on Hawaii. That was in May. I didn’t hear from them and was about to give up on them when they actually called me at work and offered me a contract! My travel writing took off from there. And, I still write for them and their company’s many other cruise ship books and magazines. The biggest challenge is getting a contract before I leave home and then trying to pull a feature together by the time I get back. Every travel destination is a different adventure and exciting—there have too many to count. As for scary situations—walking in the jungle in the Amazon. We were told to keep on the path, but honestly, I didn’t see a path or narrow trail anywhere. Thankfully, our local guide knew where we were going. At least he got us out of there safe and sound J.

Amazon valley from Wikipedia

Kim: When did you become interested in Romance Writing? How did you break into it?

Carol: My older sister got me interested in reading romance – Harlequin, of course. So, you can imagine, as a writer of many years, I determined I could write a romance, too. And, like many, I have a few manuscripts that will never, ever, see the light of day again. What was I thinking? That’s when I decided I really needed help. I read a lot books on writing, was teaching a children’s 5th & 6th graders general writing class, and joined a local writing group. I joined RWA, and once I retired from Cornell, I joined a local chapter – STAR (Southern Tier Authors of Romance). By that time I had decided to get serious about writing, and although I thought I was writing a contemporary, it ended up being romantic suspense adventure—Amazon Connection. Who knew I could write a suspense? Well, I did read a lot of mysteries growing up—Dana Girls, Nancy Drew, Agatha Christy…. But it wasn’t until I took a class on branding, that I identified what it was I was writing—Destination Romance: Exotic, Romantic Adventures. Who knew?

Kim: Tell us about Destination Romance.

Carol: Although the learning curve of writing romance was a revelation in itself, it wasn’t until I took an on-line class on ‘branding’ that I was able to understand exactly what I was writing. I know that seems naive, but, again, the lack of confidence was still strong going into romance writing. Working with a critique group was both a good and bad experience, but when I finally hit my stride, worked out my brand, and let my creative juices do their thing, I knew what I was writing was ‘a good thing.’ So Destination Romance: Exotic, Romantic Adventures was born and that became my mantra. In fact, I still have my entire ‘brand’ printed in bold colors posted next to my keyboard. It states the following:

What I write: Exotic Romantic Adventures

My Writing Brand: “Carol Henry writes Exotic Romantic Adventures that will take you around the world.”

My Slogan: “Destination: Romance -- Discover ‘Wild and Wonderful’ Romance with Carol Henry – One Exotic Adventure at a Time”

My Industry Brand: Spirited, Discovering, Achiever

My Look: Vivid Shades of Nature, Bold Colors of the Macaw, Deep Greens of the Dragon, and the Brash Hues of Royalty.

My Brand Promise: Carol Henry takes you to love in Exotic Places -- adventures where the heroine discovers more than the ‘wild and wonderful’ world around her – she finds her inner courage, and a once-in-a-lifetime love.

I’ve been referred to as an ‘imagery wizard’ (I love that), utilizing the exoticness of place as a perfect setting for the backdrop of my stories. I guess that’s all thanks to my love of travel, writing, and the military for sending us to Germany, which opened our eyes to a whole new adventure that’s still in progress.

As for the title of my books, I’ve always looked at my life as ‘connecting’ with something, someone. When I wrote Amazon Connection, it was a working title and I figured the editor would change it. Surprisingly they didn’t. When I was writing Shanghai Connection, it just seemed natural as all my characters are ‘connected’ in some form and are in an exotic location that brings them together. What’s next? Rio Connection of course!

Rio de Janeiro from Wikipedia

More about the Author:

Carol lives with her husband in the beautiful New York State Finger Lakes area, where they are surrounded by family and friends, and are involved in community activities. World travelers, Carol writes about her visits to exotic locations for major cruise lines’ deluxe in-cabin books, and takes pleasure in sharing her adventures with her readers in her suspense adventure novels. Carol currently writes for The Wild Rose Press’s Crimson line, where her book are available in both digital and print at this link. Her books are also available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Visit her website at www.carolhenry.org to find out more about her books and where she’s appearing. Of course you can always join her on Face Book at this link.

Mahalo, Carol, for joining us in virtual Hawaii! You are welcome to visit me in real Hawaii ... perhaps it will inspire Hawaii Connection! Following the German tradition of giving presents to others on one's birthday, Carol is generously giving away AMAZON CONNECTION and SHANGHAI CONNECTION. Let's spread the wealth so we'll have two winners and they'll decide between themselves which book they win. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about travel - please share a funny, romantic, or inspiring place you have visited!


2. Comments are open through Saturday, June 2, 10 pm in Hawaii.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, June 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

Aloha to Nancy Stewart's KATRINA AND WINTER: PARTNERS IN COURAGE

Once week, I get together with Nadja and Renee, published authors, to dish about books, movies, and life.   Today we dished about movies, specifically, BATTLESHIP.   All of loved it ... and appreciated its loving tribute to military families.  I posted my review of BATTLESHIP at this link.   From my review,

Greg Gadson rocks! Sam first meets his character, Mick, in the therapy room with other amputees. Mick feels his life is over without his legs. I believe real life wounded warriors feel the same about their injuries. Sam takes him hiking with his new legs when they discover the aliens are setting up shop on their mountain. Mick's "warrior instinct" kicks in ... and he uses his steel legs to combat the aliens. They are titanium after all.

Greg is an actual double amputee - he has embraced life even after a roadside bomb blew off his legs.  Greg is an adult inspiration .... and I would like to introduce you to a child inspiration in Nancy Stewart's KATRINA AND WINTER:  PARTNERS IN COURAGE:

All Katrina Simpkins longs to be is a normal girl. Because she must wear prosthesis as a leg, she feels anything but. When she meets and befriends Winter, the tailless dolphin, at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, everything changes, including Katrina’s whole life. Read the story of these real life partners in courage!

This book is suggested for 8 - 12 year old readers ... but it is a timeless story to warm your heat.  The bonus is Winter starred in DOLPHIN TALE:

And Winter resides in my home town at the Clearwater Aquarium.  In honor of KATRINA AND WINTER:  PARTNERS IN COURAGE, I am giving away a dolphin shaped candy dish with Hawaiian treats to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about dolphins.  I was a fan of Flipper growing up in Miami.

Flipper

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 26, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii