Weekly Winners

I am a winner after attending Lora Leigh's Reader Appreciation Weekend (RAW - link).   I enjoyed being around so many talented (and outrageous) women.   I'll post recaps on Wednesday, September 25, and Thursday, September 26.

We have winners here at SOS Aloha:

Theresa Romain's IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE
- Catslady wins a print copy.

Eryn LaPlant's THE BLUE LUTE
- May wins an ecopy.

Mia Marlowe's PLAID TO THE BONE

- Dorothy wins an ecopy.

Ella Quinn's THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE

- Cathy P wins a ecopy.

Julie Ann Walker's THRILL RIDE

- Kim H. wins a print copy.

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Celebrate Little Victories - USAF's 66th Birthday

The United States Air Force celebrated its 66th birthday on Wednesday, September 18.   The USAF was born from the National Security Act of 1947, creating a separate service for aerial warfare from the Army Air Corps.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun! (Give 'er the gun now!)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

Merline Lovelace, Air Force veteran and romance novel legend, offers her thoughts on this special celebration:

Can't believe our Air Force is 66 years young. Or that I was part of it for a third of those years! Actually, if you count the time my dad, my husband and I all served, we've got a total of 73 years in Air Force blue!!!!

I loved my time in uniform. I was so proud to wear the uniform - even in the dark days of the VN war, when the protesters and draft dodgers would throw blood at us and call us baby-killers. Thank goodness those days are gone and America welcomes their military home with open arms.

My all-time favorite assignment was as the Support Wing Commander/Base Commander of Eglin AFB, in Florida. I had all the support functions - the hospital, military police, airfield management, civil engineers, fire & rescue computer systems, logistics, personnel, etc - plus a test wing, a TAC fighter wing and Special Ops wing all located on my base. It was nonstop, 24/7, and I loved every moment of it!

It's almost as fun now to craft novels featuring men and women in uniform. My 90+ novels have included Roman centurions, Athenian trireme captains, cavalry troops, U-2 pilots, and NOAA's hurricane hunters, to name just a few. And I'm particularly excited about the new series I'm doing with Lindsay McKenna featuring men and women in Special Ops. The first book in the COURSE OF ACTION series comes out in November of this year.

Merline
merlinelovelace.com

Mahalo, Merline, for your service!   Do you know anyone who has served (or is currently serving) in the USAF?

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Julie Ann Walker and BORN WILD

On this day in 1893, the Duryea Brothers took their gasoline powered automobile to the road near Springfield, Massachusetts.   From Wikipedia (link),

The Duryea's "motor wagon" was a used horse drawn buggy that the brothers had purchased for $70 and into which they had installed a 4 HP, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car (buggy) had a friction transmission, spray carburetor and low tension ignition.  Frank Duryea test drove it again on November 10 — this time in a prominent location: past their garage at 47 Taylor Street in Springfield. The next day it was reported by The Republican newspaper with great fanfare.   This particular car was put into storage in 1894 and stayed there until 1920, when it was rescued by a former Duryea engineer Inglis M. Uppercu and presented to the United States National Museum.

One could say the Duryea Brothers were born wild to create a horseless carriage!   Speaking of BORN WILD, Sourcebooks is promoting the upcoming release of Julie Ann Walker's BORN WILD, Book 5 in her Black Knights Inc. series, available now for preorder for its November 5 release:

"Julie Ann Walker is one of those authors to be put on a keeper shelf with Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann, and Allison Brennan." —Kirkus Reviews

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker dives back into action with the red-hot romantic suspense Black Knights Inc. series! They claim they're bad-boy bikers who own custom motorcycle shop, but these special-ops guys—a mix of Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Marines, FBI and more—handle the jobs too tough for the government to tackle.

TICK...TICK...
"Wild" Bill Reichert knows a thing or two about explosives. The ex-Navy SEAL can practically rig a bomb blindfolded. But there's no way to diffuse the inevitable fireworks the day Eve Edens walks back into his life, asking for help...

BOOM!
Eve doesn't know what to do when the Chicago police won't believe someone is out to hurt her. The only place to turn is Black Knights Inc-after all, no one is better at protection than the covert special-ops team. Yet there's also no one better at getting her all turned on than Billy Reichert. She has a feeling this is one blast from the past that could backfire big time...

Sourcebooks is offering a special promotion for preorders. From Sourcebooks' Facebook page (link):

Send us your proof of pre-order of BORN WILD by JULIE ANN WALKER and we’ll send you a Black Knights Inc. bandana!

We’ll send a bandana to anyone who shows us their pre-order receipt until October 31, or supplies run out. Just email your receipt to sbpublicity@sourcebooks.com.

As an added bonus: EVERYONE who receives a bandana will have an opportunity to win a fabulous motorcycle-themed gift basket, inspired by the Black Knights. All you have to do is post a photo of you with your bandana and show it to us!

Post your photo to one of the following places:

Julie Ann Walker’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/jawalkerauthor

Sourcebooks Facebook Page: 

www.facebook.com/sourcebooks

Or you can Tweet your photo—be sure to tag @jawalkerauthor or @SourcebooksCasa

You have until November 15, 2013 to send us your photo! The winner will be chosen at random, and announced on Julie Ann Walker’s Facebook Page on Monday, November 18.

Amazon is currently offering BORN WILD for preorder at the great price of $4.79 at this link.   To whet your appetite for the Black Knights, Sourcebooks is giving away a print copy of THRILL RIDE, Book 4 in the series, here at SOS Aloha.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite song:

- with the word "born" in it ... here's a list.

or 

- with the work "wild" in it ... here's another list.

2.  This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Julie Ann Walker and her books, check out her website at julieannwalker.com.

Aloha to Ella Quinn and THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE

I am envious of Ella Quinn.  From her bio (link),

Ella Quinn lived all over the United States, the Pacific, Canada, England and Europe before finally discovering the Caribbean. She lives in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands with her wonderful husband, three bossy cats and a loveable great dane.

I will be very envious when the temperature drops in Maryland ... and the Virgin Islands will be welcoming warm!   No doubt Ella welcomes the buzz about her new series, The Marriage Game, and Book 1, THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE. Ella prepared a special post to celebrate Release Day here at SOS Aloha!

I love to explore, and I know Kim does as well. Much of my travel was with the Army, but not all of it. I’ve never taken a tour, because I like to do it myself. In my debut novel, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, I had to have to on the move. Fortunately Phoebe likes to travel and plan her own trips. That of course led me the question, how would one take a land journey during the Regency?

There were actually several different modes of transport.

The most basic was on foot. It could be for this very reason the English are so fond of hiking, even today. By horse. One horse could travel about thirty miles a day. Fortunately, England had a great number of inns.

If one didn’t wish to walk, or ride, there was always the stage coach. The conditions were crowded, but gentry did travel by stage. Jane Austen’s brothers traveled this way. If you were unlucky, a young blood, i.e. a well-bred young gentleman intent on mischief, who’d had a bit too much too much drink, would bribe the coachman to allow him to take the ribbons. As you can imagine, it many times led to disaster. My hero admitted to doing this when he was young. 

Stage Coach, "Behind Time"

Public Domain (link)

A bit higher on the traveling scale was the mail-coach. Mail coaches were faster than ordinary ones, though no less crowded, the rules were obeyed, and they were so timely towns set their clocks by them. As they frequently changed horses and drivers, the journey from London to Edinburgh could be made in two days. The man in the back had “the piece of tin” which was blown when approaching a toll, so the gatekeeper would open the gate.

The mail coach in a thunderstorm on 

Newmarket Heath, Suffolk, 1827

Public Domain (link)

But let’s say you don’t have your own coach, but wish to travel in a bit of comfort. Why in that case, you could hire a carriage and horses. They also came with a driver who rode on a lead horse. Called Yellow Bounders, because of their color, each time one changed horses, one also changed the driver.  The best and most expensive mode of transport was by private coach. One usually had one made to specification, or bought a used one. Occasionally, you might find one that had been ordered and not picked up. If you had the funds to set up your stable, then you’d have your own horses. You might even have the funds to keep your own horses at inns on the major posting roads so that you would not have to wait or be given inferior beasts. 

How would you like to travel?

May Morning in Park by Thomas Eakins
Public Domain (link)

Mahalo, Ella, for sharing tidbits from Regency England!  I am giving away an ecopy of THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE to one randomly selected commenter:

LADY PHOEBE STANHOPE, famous for her quick wits, fast horses, and punishing right hook, is afraid of nothing but falling in love. Fleeing a matchmaking attempt with the only man she despises, Phoebe meets a handsome blue-eyed stranger who sends her senses skittering. By the time Phoebe discovers the seductive stranger is the same arrogant troll she sent packing eight years ago, she is halfway to falling in love with him.

LORD MARCUS FINLEY last saw Phoebe striding regally away, as he lay on the floor with a bruised jaw and a rapidly swelling eye. Recently returned from the West Indies, Marcus is determined to earn Phoebe’s love, preferably before she discovers who he is. Determined to have Phoebe for his own, Marcus begins his campaign to gain her forgiveness and seduce her into marriage.
Can Phoebe learn to trust her own heart and Marcus? Or is she destined to remain alone?

To enter the giveaway, 

1.  Leave a comment to Ella's question - how would you like to travel in Regency England?

While it would be lovely to have a private coach, imagine the adventure on a mail coach!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Ella and her books, check out her website at ellaquinnauthor.com.  Look for more books in The Marriage Game series, coming November 4, 2013 and January 14, 2014.

Aloha to Mia Marlowe and PLAID TO THE BONE

This morning, Twitter teased me with a tweet from Historic Scotland:

Historic Scotland ‏@welovehistory

Let our Rangers take you on a guided walk from Blackness Castle to Hopetoun House. (Free event, booking required) http://ow.ly/okQgg 

And the details:

As part of West Lothian Walking Week, Rangers from Historic Scotland and Hopetoun House will be leading a guided walk. Beginning at Blackness Castle and heading to Wester Shore Wood to Hopetoun House by Abercorn Church this will be roughly 5 miles long, return transport will be provided.

Many points of interest will be highlighted along the way including cultural and natural heritage.

Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle is a 15th century castle guarding the Firth of Forth and the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow.    From its website (link),

In 1537, James V (1513–42) embarked on an ambitious programme to convert the 15th-century castle into a formidable artillery fortification. The looming threat from Henry VIII’s Protestant England was the catalyst. The work was completed in 1543, just as the ‘Wars of the Rough Wooing’ were about to erupt.

School children volunteer at Linlithgow Palace -
James V's birthplace and residence.

Ah, the rough wooing ... historical author Mia Marlowe features another "rough wooing" earlier in James V's reign in her novella, PLAID TO THE BONE:

A Bride Comes to Bonniebroch

But Cait Grant is hardly dreaming of wedded bliss. As a duty to her father, she must marry Adam Cameron, laird of Bonniebroch. And then, because of a blood oath to her clan, she must murder him. . .

If only her new husband weren’t so devilishly handsome. If only she didn’t have to play the loving wife for one long, languorous month. If only she didn’t surrender to his softly sensual touch, she would be able to fulfill her oath. If only she didn’t fall in love. . .

Marlowe delivers her trademark humor in this enchanting novella. PLAID TO THE BONE features all that I love about Scotland - pride, loyalty, and love.   This is a must read for all Albaphiles.  PLAID TO THE BONE is a prelude to a new series, SPIRIT OF THE HIGHLANDS.  Book One, PLAID TIDINGS, will be available on October 1 (link).

I am giving away an ecopy of PLAID TO THE BONE to one randomly selected commenter.   To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about a "historical walk" you would recommend from your hometown or somewhere you have visited.

My first assignment in the Air Force took me to Boston, where I soaked up Colonial Historical along the walk from Fanueil Hall to the Old North Church.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Mia and her books, check out her website at miamarlowe.com.  You can follow Mia on Twitter @Mia_Marlowe.

Plaid to the bone, indeed!

Aloha to Eryn LaPlant and THE BLUE LUTE

We have a few boxes left from recent move ... they are my husband's books.  It may surprise you to learn that he has more than me!   Still, we both have set an example for our children that books are treasures.  Eryn LaPlant is my guest today to celebrate THE BLUE LUTE ... she also learned from her mother that books are treasures.

 When I was growing up my mother always had books lying about our house. She was an avid reader and I’m so grateful for that, but what I wasn’t excited about were the titles and subjects of her reading pleasure. For some odd reason, my sweet, docile and loving mother of five daughters liked to read books about real-life crime, especially stories about mothers killing their children, like Diane Downs in Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule. Don’t ask me why she likes these things, but she does. I think the psychology of what makes a person do these things interested her.

Now, why bring this subject up today? Well, my mother’s fascination with real-life crime caused a spark of interest in my reading as well, but I was more intrigued by historic crime. I was captivated by stories of criminals from what historians call America’s 18-month crime spree. From 1933 to late 1934 people like John Dillinger, Baby-face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Bonnie and Clyde roamed the Midwest wreaking havoc on banks and little towns in America’s heartland. Some of those criminals were bloodthirsty, others were just out for vengeance, and others still were bored and needed a little thrill and adventure in their lives.

My favorite (and by favorite I mean in interest only, I don’t condone his criminal activity at all) from this short list was John Dillinger. He was handsome and charismatic but ruthless when he needed to be. When I created the villain for The Blue Lute, Nick Abruzzio, I drew on Dillinger.

Luckily, The Blue Lute just made its debut this week and you can read all about Nick Abruzzio and the mayhem he caused in 1928. Is there anyone in your life (we don’t need names) who’s just been a thorn in your side? Tell us about it in the comments below and enter to win your very own copy of The Blue Lute for your Kindle.   

The Blue Lute by Eryn LaPlant

Available from Amazon at this link.

A doctoral candidate in history, Lilly Charles lives in a modern-day treasure trove of 1920s architecture—Manhattan’s St. Jean Apartments. The former hotel was once in the center of New York City’s jazz scene, and holds secrets Lilly is only beginning to discover.

A musical star in his own time, Brandon Crowley lived in an age of prohibition and gangsters, surrounded by the glamour of old Hollywood and the comfort of true friendships. As co-owner of the notorious speakeasy, The Blue Lute, he poured his life and love into his business—as a storm fueled by passion, liquor, murder and money was unleashed. And in the midst of it all, Brandon simply … disappeared.

When Lilly sees Brandon in a nearly 80-year-old photograph from the basement of the St. Jean, her reality comes undone. Could he be the same man she just saw arrested for breaking into the building? As Lilly is drawn deeper into the mysteries of Brandon’s life, a new storm of desire and danger begins to brew. Beneath the silvery moon and glitter of Times Square, an epic love story across the decades is about to unfold.

Kim's picture from Times Square

Mahalo, Eryn, for joining us today.  To enter Eryn's giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about anyone who's a thorn in your side (no names, please).

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Eryn and her books, check out her website at novelisterynlaplant.wordpress.com.

Aloha to Theresa Romain and IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE

Oh, this cover is hot ... and so it the emotional romance in Theresa Romain's IT TAKES TO TO TANGLE.  Theresa joins me for a cozy chat to celebrate the launch of her new series, The Matchmaker Trilogy.

Kim:  From your bio, you hail from the Midwest.  My hubby grew up in Dayton, Ohio and attended college at Purdue. He's a Midwest boy through and through. What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell?

Theresa:  Hi, Kim—thank you so much for hosting me today! It’s a pleasure to visit SOS Aloha.

Give your hubby a Midwestern high-five for me! I was born and partly raised in Louisiana, but I’ve lived so long in the Midwest that it feels like home. One of my favorite sights is the quiet farmland that unrolls just outside of every city. I also like the fat little doves that sit on our porch and coo. (When my daughter was a toddler, she learned the sound of a dove along with cat, dog, and other more common animals.) There aren’t too many distinctive smells around here, but maybe that’s a good thing? :-)

Kim:  You wrote on a recent blog post that you have two tiaras ... where do you wear them?

Theresa: Ha! Well, you caught me out: the tiaras actually belong to my daughter, though she’s generous about lending them out. She would wear them anywhere I would let her, including to school, in the bath, or to bed. Fancy Nancy is her style icon.

Hawaiian tiaras glitter with fresh flowers.

Kim:  From your blog, you bought a box of colorful macarons (link) - what was your favorite color/flavor? As a writer of Regency writer, what did the ladies like to nibble on during tea time?

Theresa: Weren’t those beautiful? I bought those to celebrate turning in a book to my editor. The chocolate macaron was my favorite. (It’s not in the picture I posted because it was already eaten.)  But now the shop has added more flavors, including a coconut caramel macaron that’s one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Regency ladies would have loved macarons, I’m sure! Their sweets were usually heavier and less sugary than the teatime treats we enjoy today, because sugar was expensive and leavening was a less precise art. We know that cookie (they would say biscuit) recipes were around, though—like shortbreads and ginger cookies. Fruitcake-style treats with candied or preserved fruits were also popular.

How about a green tea coco puff?
lilihabakeryhawaii.com

Kim:  You are kicking off your second series, The Matchmaker Trilogy, with IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE.  What did you learn from your first historical series? How have you grown as a writer since then?

Theresa: I hope I grow as a writer with every book, as I learn new ways to tell a story and paint a character. I’ve found that I get a clearer sense of place and time—and even plot ideas!—if I can hook my fictional story to a real-life event. In the case of It Takes Two to Tangle, the ex-soldier hero, Henry, was wounded at the battle of Quatre Bras (just before Waterloo). Once I decided this, I could research details related to that battle. That helped me figure out so much of Henry’s backstory and (I hope) to make it more vivid.

The 28th Regiment at Quatre Bras 
Elizabeth Thompson - 1875
Public Domain

Kim:  Let's talk about your new series, The Matchmaker Trilogy. What inspired it?

Theresa: It started with the characters, and then I came up with a plot that suited them. I wanted to twist some familiar character types like the wounded ex-soldier and the war widow. Henry is a troubled hero, but he’s not terribly dark and brooding. Instead, he’s optimistic and determined to rebuild his life. Of the two characters, the heroine Frances is the one with more guilt and troubles. Unlike many widows in romance, she loved her late husband deeply. She’s reckless, having sacrificed status and wealth for that past love.

Mix one sense of optimism with deep, bubbling passion, and what’s the result? A take on the Cyrano story seemed to fit: secret letters, mistaken identity, unrequited love, people who mean well but keep screwing up. But unlike Cyrano and Roxane, Henry and Frances get their HEA in the end.

Kim:  What's next for Theresa Romain?

Theresa: Thank you for asking! The next Matchmaker book, To Charm a Naughty Countess, will be out in May 2014. There’s a teaser in the back of It Takes Two to Tangle, if you want an early peek. The heroine is Caroline, Frances’s irrepressible friend/employer/cousin. And who better to pair with Caro than a very serious, very proud “mad scientist” of a duke? (I’d like to thank my agent for that excellent description.) :) To Charm a Naughty Countess is a Pygmalion story, with the hero getting lessons in society—and both characters learning about love, of course.

But before then—actually, in about two weeks!—my third holiday historical romance will be released. Season for Scandal tells the story of a marriage of convenience that soon becomes a marriage in trouble. I do love to give my characters a brush with happiness, then yank it away and make them work hard for that HEA. Er…what does that say about me?

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE BY THERESA ROMAIN – IN STORES SEPTEMBER 2013

Wooing the Wrong Woman...

Henry Middlebrook is back from fighting Napoleon, ready to re-enter London society where he left it. Wounded and battle weary, he decides that the right wife is all he needs. Selecting the most desirable lady in the ton, Henry turns to her best friend and companion to help him with his suit...

Is a Terrible Mistake...

Young and beautiful, war widow Frances Whittier is no stranger to social intrigue. She finds Henry Middlebrook courageous and manly, unlike the foppish aristocrats she is used to, and is inspired to exercise her considerable wit on his behalf. But she may be too clever for her own good, and Frances discovers that she has set in motion a complicated train of events that's only going to break her own heart...

Praise for It Takes Two to Tangle:

“A delightful romance. Its intriguing plot, replete with unforeseen twists and coupled with a set of passionate characters, quickly turns this into a page-turner.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest and is working on more Regency romances. Please visit theresaromain.com for more information.

To Purchase It Takes Two to Tangle:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-a-Million
IndieBound
Chapters/Indigo
iBookstore
Sourcebooks

I am currently reading IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE -Theresa delivers out-of-the ballroom characters with emotion baggage.  Yet they still find humor, friendship, and passion with an unlikely partner.  Sourcebooks is giving away a print copy of IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE.   To enter the giveaway,

1.   If you were a Regency lady hosting afternoon tea, what special treat would you serve?   I'd serve shortbread as it is my favorite!

2.   This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

3.   Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City