Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Aloha to Beach Blanket Bingo, Teri Anne Stanley, and A SHOT WITH YOU

Puerto Vallarta
freephotooftheday.com

We are counting down to the RT Booklovers Convention (link) and the Beach Blanket Bingo (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Teri Anne Stanley is joining us for Beach Blanket Bingo.  From her bio (link),

TERI ANNE STANLEY has been writing since she could hold a crayon–though learning to read was a huge turning point in her growth as a writer. Teri’s first stories involved her favorite Saturday morning cartoon characters, followed by her favorite teen idols. She has also authored a recipe column (The Three Ingredient Gourmet), and scientific articles (Guess which was more interesting!). Now she writes fun, sexy romance filled with chaos and havoc, populated by strong, smart women and hunky heroes.
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Teri celebrated the print release of A SHOT WITH YOU (link):

Bourbon is in Brandon Morgan’s blood. His family owns the best bourbon brand in the country—or it will be with his marketing genius. And after meeting the fiery daughter of a tequila distillery owner, he’s never been more sure.

His barrels, her tequila. It’s a match made in heaven. But only if he can keep his hands off the owner’s daughter…and his secrets to himself.

Lesa Ruiz will do anything to keep Little Possum afloat, but one look at Brandon’s gorgeous dimples and Lesa knows two things for sure: forever is not in the cards with this man and he’s way too sexy to resist for long.

Well, three things… Brandon is hiding something, and she’ll need to get a lot closer to figure it out and save her family’s legacy. Shots, anyone?

Puerto Vallarta
visitmexico.com

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Teri Anne is featuring Puerto Vallarta at her table.  Have you visited Puerto Vallarta or any other Mexican getaways?  I have only crossed the border into Tijuana for the day.

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

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, April 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Image result for aloha on my mind fort lauderdale

Monday, March 27, 2017

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Elaine Viets, and Shop Till You Drop Mystery Series

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We have winners at SOS Aloha!  Jane wins a digital copy of HOT AS ICE.  Natasha wins a book choice from my convention stash.

I am also a winner by discovering Elaine Viets' SHOP TILL YOU DROP series:

Once on the fast track to success, Helen Hawthorne is now going nowhere fast. She traded in her chic life for a shabby one. And now she's on the fun, jumping from city to city and dead-end job to dead-end job, trying to stay one step ahead of her past...


Elaine penned 15 novels in this series unfolding in Fort Laurderdale, Florida.  Since I grew up in nearby Miami, I enjoyed the novels' backdrop.  As Elaine wrote in her acknowledgements, she has worked in every one of these dead end jobs.  I could related to Helen's experience as an "invisible" persona while rich clients walk over the employees providing service.  I can relate - I worked as a waitress, receptionist, and data clerk for minimum wage during college.    

Elaine follows the pattern for cozy mysteries - the heroine discovers a body; once she becomes a suspect, she is motivated to find the real killer; the plot includes a few red herrings; the heroine finds herself in danger but solves the crime.  Yet Elaine has a distinct writing style - she pulls the reader into the plot with dead pan observations that poke fun at pop culture while making a subtle statement of social issues.  Elaine's writing style is like a fine wine - I had to develop a taste for it.  The South Florida locale kept me reading .... and I eventually found myself cheering for Helen and her downtrodden coworkers.  I also learned a tip or two about upscale clothes boutiques, chain book stores, pet accessory shop, and hotel maid service.  

The creme de la creme was Helen's adopted cat - Thumbs is a polydactyl.  The fictional Thumbs may be a descendant of Ernest Hemingway's famous felines ... the real Thumbs is cared by a librarian.


From Goodreads (link),

As a young girl, Elaine Viets was taught the virtues of South St. Louis: the importance of hard work, housecleaning, and paying cash. She managed to forget almost everything she learned, which is why she turned to mystery writing.

Living in South Florida has not improved her character. But it has given her the bestselling Dead-End Job series. Like her amateur detective, Helen Hawthorne, Elaine actually works those rotten jobs. Perhaps her early training has given her a lifelong fascination with jobs. She and Helen both know working for a living can be murder.


Learn more about Elaine and her books, including other mystery series, check out her website at elaineviets.com.


I am giving away a book choice to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Have you worked at a dead end job?  If yes, what did you love about it?  Loathe about it?

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

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, April 3.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

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Friday, March 24, 2017

Ask a Blogger - A New Feature for SOS Aloha

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I am starting a new feature here at SOS Aloha - Ask a Blogger! Authors (and readers) often ask me about reviews, blogging, conventions, etc. So now I am accepting questions ... and will offer answers from a variety of experts, including other readers. 

I kick off this column with my thoughts on book reviews ....



... I believe there are NO rules!  Reviews are readers' thoughts ... and rules do not apply.  I would edit the above meme's title as "Suggestions for Book Readers".   

Thanks to Alethea Kontis for prompting this discussion. Here is my favorite part of her bio,

Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea currently lives and writes on the Space Coast of Florida. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie. Find out more about Princess Alethea and the magic, wonderful world in which she lives here: patreon.com/princessalethea.


Baklava - yum! 

Let's chat about the "rules":

1.  You do not have to have purchased a book on Amazon to leave a review there.  

From Amazon (link),

Important: Before you can post a review, you need to have an Amazon.com account that has successfully been charged for the purchase of a physical or digital item. Free digital downloads don't qualify.  

You don't need to have purchased the product you're reviewing. 

Hence, once you purchase something from Amazon, you have an account.  Once you have an account, you can leave reviews on anything.  

For convenience, I post book reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Where do you post reviews? 

2.  You do not have to read the whole book to leave a review.

But I believe the reader should be forthcoming - if a reader doesn't finish the book, offer a brief explanation in the review. For example, 

I brought this book with me on a cruise.  I loved the first few chapters, then left the book by the pool. I enjoyed the book enough to find it again and finish that story!

I've read half of the book - but life gets in the way of finishing it. The characters make me laugh but the pacing is slow.  Still, I plan to finish it as soon as my schedule lightens up.

I read the first chapter of this book and realized it is not for me. It might be for someone else, but I would like to move on to another book.

What do you think about a reader leaving a review before finishing the book?

3.  Reviews can be simple - yes!   THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE SPELLED CORRECTLY - no!  

Take the time to use Spell Check so the review, no matter how brief, looks like it was written by a literate person.  

What do you think about spelling in reviews?

4. Authors need reviews on Amazon.

It is not the reader's job to promote the author.  I don't like this pressure from authors.  If a book delivers, readers will organically promote it.  

That being said, I encourage readers to leave reviews at their convenience as a means to support authors. 

Exception: If a reader signed up for a blog tour with specific dates, then, yes, a reader should post a review as specified. 

Even then, authors should not hound readers who are not paid to review - a free book is not payment.

What are your thoughts on what authors expect from readers?

5.  Algorithms are not reading or grading your reviews.  

I don't believe authors should discuss algorithms with readers. It suggests a whiff of manipulation when reviews should be organic. Interaction between readers and authors should be focused on the emotional experience, not the book sale.  

Readers and authors, I welcome your feedback! What are your suggestions for reviews?  What encourages you to leave a review ... and what discourages you from leaving a review?  I am giving away a book choice to one randomly selected commenter (authors, I will assume you are not participating in the giveaway). Comments are open through Sunday, March 26, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

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Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Aloha to Jill Mansell and MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY

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International bestseller Jill Mansell weaves a heartwarming tale of love, family and friendship in her latest novel, MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY, available May 2, 2017, from Sourcebooks!

1. A brief encounter that could have become so much more…if only everything were different

2. Step-sisters, bitter rivals in every area except one—by unbreakable pact neither will ever steal a man from the other

3. A love triangle that starts out as a mess of secrets and mix-ups, and only gets worse from there

Plus!

Friendship, family ties, crossed wires and self-discovery, second chances and first impressions

Welcome to Jill Mansell’s blustery seaside world. Once you step inside, you’ll never want to leave!




With over 10 million copies sold, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Mansell writes irresistible and funny, poignant and romantic tales for women in the tradition of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Jojo Moyes. She lives with her partner and their children in Bristol, England.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sourcebooks offers an excerpt from MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY ... 

It had happened just before they’d turned eighteen. After almost two years of living together in the prickly way of two teenagers who would far rather not be under the same roof, Belle had acquired a private-school boyfriend called Giles, who’d come to spend a few days with them at Polrennick House the week before Christmas. Typically loud and confident, he’d made a joke one evening about being fought over by the two sisters. The next morning, Clemency had overheard him making a snide comment about her mum having won the lotto jackpot when she’d hooked up with Belle’s father. Later, when she confronted him about it while Belle was upstairs in the shower, Giles had smirked and suggested she was protesting too much. Then, on the last day of his stay, aware of her simmering dislike of him and purely for his own entertainment, he told Belle that her stepsister had made a pass at him.

Belle, believing Giles rather than Clemency, had hit the roof. Clemency, outraged at having been accused of something she hadn’t done, had been incandescent with fury, firstly at not being believed, and secondly because there was no way in the world she’d ever make a pass at the spiteful chinless rat-weasel that was Vile Giles.

Giles had left, but the insult hurling between the two volatile sisters had ricocheted on, and Clemency’s mum and Belle’s dad had been forced to intervene to prevent the upcoming Christmas celebrations being completely ruined. On the surface, at least, a precarious truce had been called.

Two months later, Clemency had begun seeing Pierre, a nineteen-year-old surf instructor who lived in Bude. Pierre was tall and rangy, with sea-green eyes and tangled blond hair. He was a beautiful specimen, confident and funny. A little bit wild, but charming too, he had won Clemency over completely. She’d been smitten, more so than ever before, and the thought of seeing him brightened each day.

Then, at Easter, she went up to Manchester for a week to stay with a friend who’d moved there from Cornwall the previous year. And when she returned, it wasn’t quite the happy homecoming she’d anticipated.

The absence of cars in the driveway had told her that Baz and her mum were both out. Hearing music coming from the first floor, Clemency had made her way up the staircase. When she knocked on Belle’s bedroom door, Belle opened it and said, “Oh, it’s you.” Then, with a little smirk, she allowed the door to swing wide open and added, “Oh dear.”

Except there was no Oh dear about it, because she’d known which train Clemency had been catching and exactly what time she’d be back.

In one way, you almost had to admire her exemplary planning skills, because ensuring that Clemency would be home to see Pierre asleep and sprawled across Belle’s king-size bed in just boxer shorts couldn’t have been easy.

“Why?” Clemency looked at Belle, who was fastening the belt of her green silk robe around her narrow waist. “Why would you do this?”

“Ooh, I don’t know. Maybe because I can?” With an air of triumph, Belle added, “And because it was so easy. And because now you know how it feels.”

Across the room, Pierre’s eyes snapped open and focused on the two sisters. “Oh shit.”

“Hi, honey.” Clemency addressed him with ice in her voice. “I’m home.”

On the outside she might appear cool, but inside her heart felt as though it was disintegrating like a cookie dropped in hot tea.

Pierre said, “Look, it was an accident…”

But Clemency was already shaking her head. “I think you’ll find it was deliberate.” She turned back to Belle. “Do you really like him?”

“He’s got a great body.” Belle shrugged. “We’ve had fun. But he’s not my type.”

“What?” Shocked, Pierre said, “Why not? What’s wrong with me?”

“Seriously?” Clemency counted the reasons on her fingers. “You didn’t have a private-school education, your parents aren’t super wealthy, you ride a moped…”

“So the last week hasn’t meant anything to you?” Pierre stared at Belle in disbelief.

“Well, it meant I got to teach my stepsister a lesson she won’t forget in a hurry. So I’d say that makes it worthwhile.” Belle turned to Clemency. “You can have him back now,” she said flippantly.

“You must be joking. I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole. I never want to see him again.” By some miracle, Clemency managed to hold herself together, though her voice was perilously close to cracking with emotion. “I wish I never had to see either of you again. God, you deserve each other. The pair of you are just…repulsive.”

“Are we? Are we?” Belle’s eyes were glittering. “Serves you right for making a pass at Giles!”

cornishcottageholidays.co.uk

Monday, March 20, 2017

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Avery Flynn, and HOT AS ICE

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We have winners at SOS Aloha - Natasha P. and Danielle D. win a book choice from my convention stash. 

Carol L. wins a copy of SMOLDER from Nancy Lee Badger. 

Winners - I'll contact you this week.

Virginia Beach, VA

The countdown continue for the Beach Blanket Bingo at the RT Booklovers' Convention (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!
I am looking forward to Avery Flynn joining us with her favorite beach - Virginia Beach!  From her bio (link),

Award-winning romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She fell in love with romance while reading Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory books. It wasn’t long before Avery had read through all the romance offerings at her local library. Needing a romance fix, she turned to Harlequin’s four books a month home delivery service to ease the withdrawal symptoms. That worked for a short time, but it wasn’t long before the local book stores’ staffs knew her by name.

Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

Find out more about Avery on her website, follow her on Twitter and Pinterest, like her on her Facebook page or friend her on her Facebook profile. She’s also on Goodreads and BookLikes.


Speaking of hockey, Avery is a contributing author to HOT ON ICE: A HOCKEY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY, available March 21 for a very good cause:

18 brand new sexy stories from bestselling authors, every one too steamy for the penalty box . . .

20% of royalties from sales of Hot on Ice will go to Homes for our Troops, a charity that builds specially modified homes for injured veterans.

Get ready to fall in love with the smokin’ hot hockey players of the New Orleans Cajun Rage. After this season’s Cinderella run all the way to the Finals, these heroes have won the Cup—and now your heart is the goal.

FREE AGENT, USA Today Best Seller Robin Covington – Finally out, he thought he knew his next step . . . until the man he might not be able to resist puts a sexy offer on the table.

BODY CHECK, USA Today Bestseller Desiree Holt - The Cup, the girl, and the future-could he make them all come together?

DEEP CHECK, USA Today Bestseller Kimberly Kincaid – There’s no such thing as in too deep…

BLOCKED, USA Today Bestseller Heather Long - He needs to clean up his reputation . . . Can this bad boy keep the pop princess safe?

RANSOM, USA Today Bestseller Nana Malone - The last thing he wants is to be stranded in a cabin with the one girl he's always wanted.

CAGED, USA Today Bestseller Virginia Nelson – She plans to melt the ice king’s heart and prove she’s just the girl to go skate to skate with him, whether he likes it or not.

BREAKAWAY BROOKE, Publisher's Weekly Bestseller Angi Morgan – Can he convince this Amazon beauty to stop fighting her erotic powers long enough to play his game?

THE WARM UP, Xio Axelrod - Toss a stoic defenseman, a no-nonsense nurse, and a ward full of crafty children in a Cup and anything can happen.

CHECK MY HEART, Christi Barth - The only thing that will make him happy again is the one woman he can’t have . . .

FULL CONTACT, Andie J. Christopher – This player has a bounty on his virginity. She has him up against the boards.

BLADE, Avery Flynn - Sometimes the line between love and insanity is as thin as an ice skate’s blade.

UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN, Kim Golden - When it comes to the game of love, he’s playing to win.

COURAGE, Lena Hart - This hot-tempered coach is fully prepared to fight for his wife—but can he win back her heart?

PENALTY BOX BLUES, Robin Kaye - The only woman who knows his secret can slam his heart against the boards with a sideways glance. He is so pucked.

BEAR NAKED, Katie Kenyhercz - When he sets his sights on a goal, it's only a matter of time.

IN SKATES TROUBLE, Kate Meader - Can a passion that started in the dark find a lifetime of love in the light?

MAKING HIS MOVE, Susan Scott Shelley – Making impossible saves is easy compared to falling in love.

CHECKING YES, Misty D. Waters – She’ll send him to the penalty box, and keep him there . . . for good this time.

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I am giving away a digital copy of HOT ON ICE to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Let's chat about hockey - do you have a favorite team?  How are you on the ice?  Or would you rather stay home with a cup of hot cocoa?  I'd rather be at the beach ... but I support our troops! 

2. Comments are open through Sunday, March 26, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Image result for aloha on my mind beach


Friday, March 17, 2017

Aloha to St. Patrick's Day, Maggie Mae Gallagher, and CASKET GIRL





Public Domain (link

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  We are counting down the days to the RT Booklovers' Convention and the Beach Blanket Bingo (link). It seems only fitting that I introduce you today to a participating author with an Irish name ... Maggie Mae Gallagher! I don't know if Maggie is Irish ... let's learn more about her. From her bio (link),

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Maggie grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Maggie never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Maggie is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes erotic romance under the name Anya Summers. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
Maggie also attended my alma mater, the University of Tampa!
Maggie Mae recently celebrated the release of CASKET GIRL, Book 2 in her Mystic Series ...
All he wants is to find a killer…

FBI Special Agent Josh Blake has seen some bizarre cases in his day. His latest case is one for the record books. He has multiple homicides, corpses drained of every ounce of blood, and no suspects. When rumors surface that the French Quarter may be hiding an insidious monster bent on drenching the streets in dead bodies, he must suspend logic and place his trust in the mystical.

She wants a fresh start…

Isabelle Toussánt left her family home in the bayou five year ago, cutting all ties with her abusive whiskey swilling stepfather, to forge a new life in the French Quarter. Now a successful business owner of Madam Toussánt’s Mystical Gifts in Jackson Square, and a Seer with voodoo roots. The foundation of her new life shatters when one of her employee’s winds up dead and she is dragged into a deadly game where she becomes the target of a serial killer.

A passion neither expected…

Determined to stop the brutal slayings, Josh must rely on the beautiful Isabelle who makes him question everything he has ever known about life and death all while surrendering to a desire hotter than a Bayou night. When Isabelle disappears without a trace, with tourists flocking to the party capital for Halloween, and the body count continues to mount, Josh will be forced to push beyond the boundaries of what he thinks is possible and rescue the woman he loves before it’s too late.

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I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Have you visited New Orleans?  If so, what is a favorite sight, sound, or food!  If not, what would you like to see in the Big Easy?

2. Comments are open through Sunday, March 19, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Check out my pictures from RT/14 in New Orleans at this link, link, and link.



Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Aloha to Nancy Lee Badger and SMOLDER



Today I am happy to help Nancy Lee Badger, the multi-published and award winning author, announce her 19th book - SMOLDER! Nancy has used her love of all things Scottish, as well as years as a volunteer at a Scottish festival, to take her readers to Alba.  

SMOLDER is the third book in the Clan of Dragon series - paranormal fantasy romance. It is set centuries ago on the Scottish island of Skye.  


An interesting side note: Nancy’s son, Eric Badger, a former army drill sergeant, is the cover model for all three books in the series. The tattoo shown on all the covers is actually on his back, a remembrance of his 9 years in the United States Army.



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Book Blurb:

Fiona, a white doe, searches for her missing friend across Skye. Shifting, she swims in a fairy pool, until a dragon and two humans arrive. Their conversation about a festival makes her wonder if her friend might also visit the village.

Dougal, tasked with the safety of his kin while they celebrate Beltane, shifts into a human form. He would rather fly high, or race through the forest as a red stag. Spying the white doe he has sought for months, he follows her, but pirates, a villain, and drunken celebrators keep him from his task. Will he ever find her, and make her his? A dragon-shifter in pain wants nothing more than to fly, and he sure as hell kneels to no one.


Excerpt from Smolder:

“I be…a relation of Cliona Black. I be looking for her, as she seems to have disappeared from…our home.”

“Liar!”

Fiona sputtered, as if taken aback by the anger behind his accusation.

“You be not related to Cliona. You look like her, but why do you lie to me?” Dougal said. His Cliona had no family beside him, but the resemblance was uncanny. He could not let her out of his sight until she answered him. He tightened his grip.

Fiona gasped. “You be hurting me, sir. I shall try to answer you, but not while imprisoned.”

As he glared at her, the scent of smoldering ash replaced the aroma of the fresh bread. His inner dragon screamed to be released, to lash out and spew flames. She ought to fear him, and whimper like a meek human lass. For some mysterious reason, he couldn’t make his fingers let her go.

The human flesh beneath his fingers was warm and silky smooth, and he wondered if the rest of her was as appealing. She smelled heavenly, and the urge to taste her made his groin tighten, and his head lower.

He melded his mouth with hers, and drank in her deliciousness. She tasted sweet, with a hint of mulled cider. Her lips were as soft and plump as the clouds over the Black Cuillin Hills, and he wondered if her breasts, concealed beneath a shabby dress, were as soft.

Buy Links

Amazon 
Amazon NL

Also available in PRINT ISBN 978-1543171433.


Nancy Lee Badger loves chocolate-chip shortbread, wool plaids wrapped around the trim waist of a Scottish Highlander, the clang of broadswords, and the sound of bagpipes in the air. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, Nancy moved to North Carolina where she writes full-time. Nancy is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, Triangle Association of Freelancers, and the Celtic Heart Romance Writers. Nancy and her family volunteer each fall at the New Hampshire Highland Games surrounded by…kilts!

Connect with Nancy Lee Badger:

Blog

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0

Nancy is giving away an ebook or a print version of Smolder to one lucky person, so please answer this question in the comment section:

If you were to visit the Scottish island of Skye, would you head to the Black Cuillin Hills or the Fairy Pools?

Comments are open through Sunday, March 19, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Monday, March 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Fairy Pools
placestoseeinyourlifetime.com

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Washington Romance Writers, and Christie Craig


We have winners at SOS Aloha - Karen T. and Anita H. win a book choice from my convention stash. I will contact the winners about their prize.

Don't forget the ongoing St. Patrick's Day giveaway from Cheryl Etchison at this link



I was a winner on Saturday as I attended the Washington Romance Writers (WRW) monthly meeting featuring Christie Craig:

Morning Session: Build a Character, Build a Book

Craig will give you the tools to get your characters in shape, then this southern spitfire, who has received thousands of rejections, is gonna give the waning writer in you a good swift kick in the pants.

Afternoon Session: It’s Not Just Adding a Naked, Tattooed Guy: Using Humor in Your Writing

Craig speak on writing humor. She’ll cover the benefits of laughing & laughing hard, how to exercise your funny bone and techniques of writing humor. This workshop offers suggestions on how to add humor, a little or a lot, to your novel. Highlights include recognizing and exploiting the universal truths in life for comedic effect, the importance of timing and pacing in applying humor. Attendees should come prepared to laugh…a lot, and learn…a lot.


About Our Speaker

Christie Craig, AKA C.C. Hunter, a New York Times Bestseller, is an Alabama native, a multi-published writer, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. Author of thirty-five books, she brings humor and heart to all her works. Her novels are sold in seven different countries, and she recently sold film rights to her series. She currently hangs her hat in Texas and writes the USA Today best-selling young adult paranormal romance series, Shadow Falls, published by St. Martin’s Press/Griffin. When she’s not writing her young adult novels, she’s working on her humorous romantic suspense novels under her real name. Learn more at CCHunterBooks.com or christie-craig.com.

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The meeting gave me the opportunity to chat with Lori Ann Bailey (link) and Jamie Farrell (link).   Lori writes Scottish historicals.

Sigh.  Scotland.

Jamie is a military spouse and Scout mom.  Thanks, Jamie, for your family's service!

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How was your weekend?  I am giving away book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts.  Comments are open through Sunday, March 19, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Monday, March 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

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Friday, March 10, 2017

On this day in History ... Aloha to Johanna Lindsey!

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Johanna's first book .... 

I wasn't sure what I would write today ... so I scrolled through "March 10" on Wikipedia ... and a birthday caught my eye! On this day in 1952, Johanna Helen Howard was born in Germany during her father's service in the Army.  

Thank you, Johanna, for your father's service!  

After her father's death, Johanna and her mother moved to Hawaii, where she met her husband, Ralph Bruce Lindsey.  

Oh, Hawaii.

I discovered Johanna Lindsey while living in the Netherlands - I devoured the romances I found in the American Thrift Shop in Schinnen and the Army Library Annex in Brunssum.  One of Johanna's books still remains on my keeper shelf - UNTIL FOREVER, published in 1995 by Avon Romance:

From the shadows of the past.

Prim and beautiful professor Roseleen White clutches her new prized possession - a thousand-year-old Scandinavian sword. And suddenly, a dream stands before her: a magnificent Viking warrior sworn to satisfy Roseleen's every desire.

Until forever.

Accursed for untold centuries, mighty Thorn is now enslaved to a woman. Yet it is Roseleen who is the true prisoner, held willing captive by a handsome barbarian who sweeps her back to the ancient past on a journey of sensual discovery. But only by banishing him from her life forever can Roseleen free Thorn from immortality's chains - forcing her to make a devastating choice that will either imperil their future or preserve a love more powerful than time.

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Do you have a favorite Johanna Lindsey book?  Or a favorite time travel novel?  Or a favorite Viking romance?  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Sunday, March 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Monday, March 13.  

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Below is Johanna's former home in Kaneohe, Oahu.  Check out the article about the house at this link.



Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Aloha to RT Booklovers' Convention, Beach Blanket Bingo, Joanna Shupe, and MOGUL


I have been chatting on the phone in preparation for the RT Booklovers' Convention, May 2- 7, in Atlanta (link).  Kim Rocha and I are hosting Beach Blanket Bingo (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!


We are proud to announce Joanna Shupe will join us!  From her bio (link),

Award-winning author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. In 2013 she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical.

Joanna’s first Gilded Age historical novel, Magnate, was named one of the Best Books of 2016 by Publishers Weekly, and one of 2016′s top romances by The Washington Post and Kobo. The Washington Post named Joanna’s The Lady Hellion as one of 2015’s top five romance novels.

She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband.

When she’s not writing or doing laundry, she can be found online at Facebook (Joanna Shupe Author) or Twitter (@joannashupe).

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Joanna recently celebrated the release of MOGUL, Book 3 in her Knickerbocker Club series:

The privileged members of the Knickerbocker Club can never climb too high up the social ladder. But for one charming New York bachelor, does the ascent take precedence over love in the Gilded Age?

As owner of a well-respected national newspaper, Calvin Cabot has the means to indulge his capricious taste for excess—and the power to bring the upper crust of society to its knees. So when a desperate heiress from his past begs for his help, Calvin agrees . . . as long as she promises to stay out of his way. Except, like the newsman, this willful beauty always gets what she wants.

Lillian Davies lives a life brimming with boundless parties, impressive yachts, and exotic getaways. But when her brother disappears, Lily knows that blood runs thicker than champagne and she'll spare nothing to bring him back alive. Unfortunately, the only man who can help her is the one she never wanted to see again. Can Lily keep Calvin at arm's length long enough to save her brother and protect her name . . . even when the tenacious powerbroker turns out to be absolutely irresistible?

Aerial view of Newport
Image by MVASCO (link)

Natually, Joanna's table at Beach Blanket Bingo will celebrate ... Newport, Rhode Island!  From its website,

Home to spectacular coastal scenery, awe-inspiring architecture, a thriving waterfront downtown, and welcoming hospitality, Newport, Rhode Island is considered by many to be a shining gem in the coastal crown of New England. From weekend getaways spent touring the famed Gilded Age mansions that once were the summer playground for socialite families with names like Astor and Vanderbilt to an afternoon of wine tasting through Newport's three scenic vineyards, the options for interesting activities, distinctive stories, and enticing photo opportunities are countless!

During my Lieutenant days at Hanscom AFB (outside Boston), I rented a house with 9 other gals in Newport for three consecutive summers.  I have fond memories of exploring the historic mansions, Cliff Walk, and Naval base.  Perhaps I will sit with Joanna at Beach Blanket Bingo!

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View from the Cliff Walk
Image by Sixlocal (link)

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about Schoolhouse Rock - do you have a favorite song?  Here's a list just to prompt your memory.  I'm partial to Conjunction Junction, What's Your Function?

For those not familiar with Schoolhouse Rock,

Schoolhouse Rock! is an American interstitial programming series of animated musical educational short films (and later, videos) that aired during the Saturday morning children's programming on the U.S. television network ABC. The topics covered included grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and civics. The series' original run lasted from 1973 to 1985; it was later revived with both old and new episodes airing from 1993 to 1999. Additional episodes were produced in 2009 for direct-to-video release.

Hubby and I bought the entire video collection for our children - perhaps we'll watch it over the weekend!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, March 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, March 13.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City