Friday, May 1, 2015

May is National Military Appreciation Month - Aloha to Elizabeth Boyle

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I invited Elizabeth Boyle to serve as a table hostess for the SOS America Military Tribute on May 14, 2015, in Dallas (link).   From her bio,

According to her family, Elizabeth Boyle has always been a storyteller. That is if you count the far-fetched tales she used to make up about her imaginary cow, John Clapper, or the fictitious accounts she’d conjure as to who exactly broke the cookie jar. So it was no surprise to them when Elizabeth’s first novel, Brazen Angel arrived on the scene with a great splash, snagging the Dell Diamond Debut Award (snapshot of the winning moment at left) and went on to win the Romance Writers of America RITA for Best First Book.

In addition to writing, Elizabeth loves gardening, knitting, reading, traveling, exploring tea shops and trying to find low-fat recipes that taste like something her grandmothers would have made. When not writing, Elizabeth chases after her two active sons, or as she likes to call them, her “heroes-in-training.” She lives in Seattle with her husband Terry, and considers her hectic life the best slice of heaven one could ever wish for.


I invited Elizabeth based on the acknowledgement in her latest release, THE VISCOUNT WHO LIVED DOWN THE LANE:

To the Skyway VFW Post 9530 and to Chad Hassesberoek.  For all your kindness and dedication to the special needs Boy Scout Troop 419.  They are blessed to have your example and leadership in their lives.  For your generosity of time and sponsorship, as well as the brave service you have given to our country, I thank you.

I was touched by Elizabeth's words ... and reminded that military families continue to serve long after they hang up their dog tags.  THE VISCOUNT WHO LIVED DOWN THE LANE features a Regency hero with PTSD.  It is the best book I have read this year - link to my review:

She has no desire for love...

As she arrives in Mayfair, Louisa Tempest is horrified when her incorrigible cat bolts from the carriage and dashes into a neighbor's house, where she comes face-to-face with the reclusive Viscount Wakefield. But even more dismaying than his foul temper is the disarray in which she finds his home. Convinced his demeanor would improve if his household were in order, Louisa resolves to put everything to rights.

...until she meets the viscount who lives down the lane.

Much to his chagrin, Wakefield finds it impossible to keep the meddling Louisa out of his home, invading his daily life with her "improvements," and his nights with the tempting desires she sparks inside him. Wounded in the war, he's scorned society ever since his return . . . until Louisa opens the door to his heart and convinces him to give love a second chance.


Congratulations to Elizabeth - THE VISCOUNT WHO LIVED DOWN THE LANE will receive the RT Bookreviews Reviewer's Choice Award for Love & Laughter Historical Romance in Dallas. 

Mad About The Major

I am excited for Elizabeth's next release, MAD ABOUT THE MAJOR, available June 2 from Avon Impulse:  

The pampered daughter of a duke…

Lady Arabella Tremont has spent her entire life protected and overshadowed by her restrictive father. But she is a Tremont, after all, and the morning after she is nearly ruined at a ball by a handsome stranger, Arabella’s father demands she make an arranged match with the heir to a dukedom. In desperation, Arabella takes matters into her own hands.

Takes a London holiday with the most unsuitable of chaperones…

Major Kingsley is in London to avoid his parents’ dreadful house party. To his surprise he runs into the enticing—and unforgettable—minx he met at a ball the previous night. Arabella, or Birdie, as he knows her, insists he owes her three favors—for he’s put her in a terrible pinch. Kingsley agrees, if only to delay his trip home and because the notion of spending the day with this enchanting bit of muslin is too tempting to resist. But all too quickly he discovers Arabella’s requests are hardly what he expected…


Mahalo, Elizabeth, for your support of military families!  

Sailor in period uniform from
USS Constitution - Old Ironsides

For the month of May, I am giving away one grand prize with books and swag from the authors featured this month (link). Plus five more commenters - one for each branch of service - wins a book choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,

1.  What makes you laugh?

2.  Comments are open through Sunday, May 31, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Monday, June 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Elizabeth Boyle and her books at elizabethboyle.com.

Also check out my interview on her website at this link.

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31 comments:

  1. My husband, my new dog, The show Modern Family, Jon Stewart.

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  2. There are to many to even post, I am someone who laughs very easily.

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  3. My family and friends, my dogs, funny people, and old comedy TV shows

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  4. Clever writing or TV or movies or my children make me laugh. There ought to be more laughter in the world.

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  5. Sports follies
    Kimh

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  6. A good romance novel always makes me laugh & my cat who's very playfull and comes up with new ways to entertain herself. A couple of days ago I could not find her & as I did a second round of my home I spotted her, clutching the curtains. Could not help but laugh at the sight of her hanging there.

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  7. My kids make me laugh on a daily basis :)

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  8. Kids and animals do the funniest things

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  9. Most everything can become funny and so I laugh a lot. One thing last summer was the video of our soldiers serving overseas in a desert lip syncing to the 'Call me' tune by Carrie Jepson [sp?] guys popping out of the sand, etc..

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  10. A funny movie or a Shannon Stacey book.
    patoct

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  11. thanks for such a great post! My dog makes me laugh :) thanks for sharing!

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  12. My animals make me laugh...all the time. They are just goofy.

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  13. Any thing funny makes me laugh, sometimes it's the boys next door enjoying the weather and running around and playing.

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  14. My parents,my sister,my brother and my nephews :)

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  15. Definitely my cats but also friends and family members and The Big Bang Theory.

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  16. My grandson doesn't really like school. When I ask him what sort of day he's had, he usually says "horrible". The other day I asked him the same question, and he said "I had a wonderful day". I laughed so much, as I knew he was just saying it to please me, but hearing him say it really made me happy,

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  17. My husband's wacky sense of humor. Hearing a baby/really young child laugh.

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  18. kids and animals - I love it when a fun video pops up on facebook thru YouTube - you just can't make these things happen, they just do naturally!

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  19. My neighbor's dog Daisy makes me laugh.

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  20. After a day with my four grandkids...yep, they make me laugh.

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  21. My son makes me laugh! Thanks for the wonderful giveaways!

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  22. One of the things that make me laugh is when relationships are filled with humorous misunderstandings and slightly clueless characters who get into trouble while trying to be "helpful."

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  23. My son can make me laugh on a regular basis, he's very funny. I love to read books that have humor in them, to laugh out loud while reading is always a treat. Romantic comedies make me laugh, and videos of babies laughing, that always makes me laugh right along with them.

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  24. Depends on my mood, but often things my kids say or do (even now that they are almost adults), things my animals do, funny bits in books, or on TV. :-)

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  25. I have a sad sort of humor in which my family, while growing up, always learned to laugh at our mishaps. Thus when one of us falls, trips, bumps their funny bone, stubs their toe, etc, we laugh. It tends to make the hurting person laugh and thus forget their misery. We aren't mean - we know when we see blood that we need to fix that first. ;) So my family, kids, animals all make me laugh.

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  26. I laugh at the silly things animals do. My grandkids also make me laugh, and I enjoy shows like The Big Bang Theory.

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  27. My daughter.
    Karen T.

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