Being Thankful - Sharing Romance with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

During the RWA Annual Conference back in July, I attended several publishers' signings.  I asked the authors to sign books as "Thanks for your service."  I have donated these books (plus books from other conferences) to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to distribute to the staff, patients, and families. 

 Avon Romance

Berkley Romance

Forever Romance

Harlequin Romance

Kensington Romance

Pocket Books

St. Martin's Press 

Sourcebooks

Mahalo, authors and publishers, for your donations!

For November, I continue to giveaway RWA swag to four randomly selected winners from all the comments posted. Plus a bonus prize - a leather bookmark for each winner from one of Scotland's castles in honor of St. Andrew's Day on November 30.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Do you have any family or friends who are veterans? I know I have asked this question several times, but we can never thank them enough times. 

2. Comments are open through Thursday, November 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Friday, December 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Tessa Bailey and DISORDERLY CONDUCT (The Academy Book 1)

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone…

Police academy cadet Charlie Burns can’t believe his luck when the gorgeous blonde he meets in a bar murmurs those magic words: “Nothing serious, ’kay?” Mind-blowing, no-strings sex with Ever Carmichael—it’s the holy grail of hookups for a guy who’s too busy following in his law enforcement family’s footsteps to think about getting serious. Charlie’s all about casual…that is, until Ever calls it quits and his world tilts on its axis.

Ever knows that when you control the relationship game, you can’t get played. But for the first time, she wants more than short-term satisfaction. Step one: end her fling with commitment-phobic Charlie. Step two: sacrifice herself to the ruthless NYC dating scene. Yet everywhere she turns, there’s Charlie, being his ridiculously charming self. No online match or blind date compares to the criminally hot cop-in-training, but they’re over. Aren’t they?

If love is a four-letter-word, why does the idea of Ever seeing someone else tie Charlie up in knots? Now he’s desperate to win her back…and a little date sabotage never hurt anyone, right?

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Learn more about Tessa and her books at tessabailey.com.

Tessa is hosting a giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from DISORDERLY CONDUCT:

“NYPD. Open up...”

Ever opens the door, but I can only see a sliver of her goddess figure because the chain is still on.

“Oh. Is something wrong, Officer?”

“As a matter of fact, there is.” I tug my ever-present notebook and pen out of my back pocket, pretending to consult the first page, which sucks,

since it means taking my eyes off her for a second. “We’ve gotten several complaints about the smell of chocolate coming from this apartment. You know anything about that?”

Ever bites her lip and throws a guilty glance over her shoulder. “Maybe. What’s it going to take to make this go away?”

I lean forward, close enough to hear her breath go shallow through the crack. “What’s it going to take?” I drop my eyes to her exposed stomach where a rhinestone sparkles from its place of honor in her belly button. “We can start with a thorough inspection of the premises.”

New York is full of surprises ... 

Aloha to Jennifer Ryan and ESCAPE TO YOU (Montana Heat Book 1) - Giveaway and Teaser

It's always sizzling in Romanceland .... Jennifer Ryan is celebrating the release of ESCAPE TO YOU, Book 1 in her new Montana Heat series:

He discovered her during a Montana blizzard, freezing cold, impossibly vulnerable, a little boy by her side. Undercover DEA Agent Beck “Trigger” Cooke is astonished to recognize Ashley Swan—award-winning actress, famous beauty—and missing for over a year. To keep her and the child hidden from a sadistic madman, he secrets the pair away to his isolated home.

No longer a prisoner, and protected at Hope Ranch, Ashley recovers and learns the tall, tempting federal agent may have a dark past, but it hasn’t destroyed his sense of honor.

As they shed past roles and find common ground, Ashley and Trigger can’t help but fall slowly, carefully, in love. But danger still lurks outside the boundaries of Hope Ranch, for until her crazed captor is brought to justice, and Trigger’s undercover past is laid to rest, none of them will ever be truly safe…

Jennifer Ryan is the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted, McBride, and Montana Men series. She writes suspenseful contemporary romances with outrageous plot twists, deeply emotional love stories, high stakes and higher drama. Her stories are filled with love, family, friendship, and the happily-ever-after we all hope to find. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.

Learn more about Jennifer and her books at jennifer-ryan.com.

agr.mt.gov

Jennifer is hosting a special giveaway at this link ... and offers a teaser from ESCAPE TO YOU: 

“What’s wrong?” Trigger asked.

The softness in his voice made Ashley look up at him. Way up. The man was so tall.

She found her voice under the wave of fear gripping her. “I know you don’t mean to, but you’re scaring me.”

“Look at me, Ashley.”

She sucked in a breath, found a shred of bravery from the tatters of her will, and raised her gaze to meet his.

“I will never hurt you.”

She fell into the depths of gray and flecks of blue in his eyes and drowned in the sincerity and promise she found there. Deep down, she believed him. Part of her needed to believe him, because she needed something real to hold on to before she sank any deeper into despair and the paranoia that everyone wanted to hurt her.

She nodded. “If he finds me, he’ll kill me.”

“He’ll have to get past me first.”

From RWA .... what makes a blogger tick?

During RWA, an author asked me, "What makes a blogger tick?"  I have asked other bloggers to write a guest post with their answer. For now, here is mine.

Why do we use that phrase, "What makes you tick?"  It refers to what motivates a person.  I assume the phrase is a metaphor for the second hand of a clock, that literally ticks each minute, moving forward to the next hour.  To understand what keeps me moving forward, let's take take a quick peek into the past on how I discovered romance.

Kasteel Limbricht, with a medieval moat and bowling alley
Link

In 2003, I was living in the Netherlands near Kasteel Limbricht - I walked around it every day as part of my morning exercise. My husband worked for NATO and I volunteered with the International Spouses' Club.  I enjoyed afternoon tea with the British delegation.  NATO troops has just deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan as peacekeepers.  They contacted the American Spouses' Club (ASC) to collect and send donations for an orphanage the troops adopted as community outreach in Kabul.  As the president of the ASC, I recruited volunteers to empty the shelves from our long neglected thrift shop.  We sent what we could - clothes, linens, and toys - leaving behind the paperback books written in English.  I  picked up a blue cover with a tartan sash, Cathy Maxwell's THE MARRIAGE CONTACT.

Unlike most members of Romanceland, I was not a voracious reader as a child. I read a few Nancy Drew books. As an adult, I indulged in some cozy mysteries (with a cat, no less) while traveling in the Air Force. But it was Cathy Maxwell - Navy veteran and Avon author - who drew me into the enchanting world of historical romance. The heroine, a penniless London debutante, accepts a contract from the hero's sister to marry the "mad" lord who buried himself in the Scottish countryside. The story centers around their discovery of what makes the other tick. For the hero, it is helping his Scottish kin to reclaim their Gaelic culture after a hundred years of British suppression. Maxwell includes an epilogue of the couple's descendants participating in the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 after the Scottish people overwhelming voted for its own government.

I realized that the so called "bodice rippers" were, in fact, smart reads. Romance books delivered the hope that we all seek in our lives ... just as NATO troops was trying to bring hope to the orphanage in Kabul ... and the people of Afghanistan. NATO continues to support an orphanage in Kabul at this link. 

Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford
"Inventor" of afternoon tea 

Fast forward to 2007 on Fort Meade, Maryland. As the vice president of the Officers' Wives' Club (OWC), I hosted an Old Fashioned Tea Party with romance authors. I previously posted the details on my blog at this link. The first author I invited to attend - Cathy Maxwell. She drove 3 hours from Richmond, VA, in snowy weather to join us. I did not realize how many spouses read romance until they "came out of the closet" to attend this event and share their passion for Romance. This experience taught me that romance brings people together - authors and readers - to celebrate the hope in the books we loved.

Fast forward to 2010 on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After living in Hawaii for nine months, I felt detached from Romanceland.  So I started a blog, SOS Aloha, to share my life in Hawaii, to offer suggestions for readers to support military families, and, of course, to share what I was reading in romance.  

Fast forward to 2017 at the RWA Conference at Walt Disney World. During the St. Martin's Press cocktail party, an author asked me what makes bloggers tick. Just as I was about to answer, others joined our table and the conversation shifted focus. But author's question has remained in the back of my mind.

And the answer is .... hope! Hope makes me tick. The hope that I can escape into a smart read. The hope that I can find others who enjoy romance. The hope that I am welcomed just as I am into Romanceland.

Tintagel Castle in Cornwall
English Heritage (link)

I am giving away a swag pack from RWA17 to four randomly selected commenters from my posts published in the month of August. To enter the giveaway,

1. Let's chat about castles - do you have a favorite? Mine is Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, England.  Its ruins hug the coast and whisper the legend of Arthur ... a boy who brought hope to England.

2. Comments are open through Thursday, August 31, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Friday, September 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

RWA Recap (part 1) - Authors Everywhere!

I recently returned from a week in Florida, part of which I spent in Orlando for the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Annual Conference.  I enjoy being a part of the Romanceland and soaking up the creative vibes from authors, publishers, publicists, assistants, graphic artists, editors, reviewers, bloggers, and readers!

I arrived on Tuesday, July 25, at the Dolphin Hotel at Walt Disney World.  After dropping my luggage in my room, I returned to the lobby for lunch options.  I bumped into Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who always has a smile on her face! I then sat in the lobby, greeting all the authors arriving at the hotel, when I spotted my roommates, Cathy Maxwell and Tamara Argyle (local blogger Danielle Gorman would be our fourth throughout the week). Tamara pointed out that Avon printed quotes from previous keynote speakers, including Cathy Maxwell, on the key cards.  Cathy said in 2013,

What we do is good.

Wednesday gave me the opportunity to hobnob with other bloggers (whom I'll introduce in a separate post).  After changing into party clothes, we climbed aboard the shuttle bus to the Avon Cocktail Party at the Four Seasons. I was blessed to sit next to and chat with Jill Shalvis.  She is as lovely as her books. You may now be jealous.  The Four Seasons gave us a great view of the fireworks over Disney World each week.  But I was more thrilled by the personal favorites I met - Katharine Ashe, HelenKay Dimon, Cheryl Etchison, Laura Lee Guhrke, and many more!

From Walking in The Clouds (link)

Thursday brought more hobnobbing, publishers' signing, and then the Rita Ceremony. The ceremony announced the winners in each category (link), awarded the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award to Beverly Jenkins, and featured three videos about friendship among authors (I'll write a separate blog about that).

I suggest reading through #rwa17 on Twitter to find quotes from these inspiring speeches, especially Beverly.  She really knows to encourage us all to achieve excellence.

From Cheryl Etchison (link)

On Friday morning, Cathy and I woke early for a brisk walk around Disney's boardwalk ... I could not keep up with Cathy's happy pace!  Still, the walk gave me the energy to hobnob more during publishers' signings.  I later enjoyed nibbles at the St Martin's Press Cocktail Party at the Boardwalk Dance Hall ... then hustled back to the hotel to volunteer alongside Cathy, Tamara, and Danielle in setting up for the literacy signing.  It was amazing to meet the authors who volunteer each year for this special task.  Once the boxes were emptied, we walked over to Flying Fish on the Boardwalk.  We ended dinner with "the evolution of cheese" platter plus priceless stories of Navy life from Cathy and Tamara. 

Tomorrow - Blogger Social, Librarian Luncheon featuring Brenda Jackson Luncheon, Literacy Signing, and Farewell.

I am giving away a swag pack from #RWA17 to four randomly selected commenters from the posts published in the month of August.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about cheese - do you have a favorite?  I like Blue Cheese!

2.  Comments are open through Thursday, August 31, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Friday, September 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

disneyparks.disney.go.com

RT Recap Day 4 - Military Tribute, Avon Romance, and Margaret Mitchell

How about a cowboy to start off the day?  I attended the Librarians/Booksellers' special program - In Conversation with BJ Daniels, Lorelei James, and Lorraine Heath:

Cowboy books have never been more desirable--Meet some of the genre’s biggest stars - they will share personal anecdotes, the history of the genre, where they think it’s headed and how they started out.

I moseyed on over to the annual SOS Military Tribute:

Our military is the backbone of our country. They pay the price for our freedom through all of their sacrifices. This military tribute is a multi-author-sponsored event to pay a moving tribute to our military and all they have done for our country. This event is open to all. Tables will be decorated by authors representing Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, etc.

Hosts included KaLyn Cooper, Cristin Harber, Elle James, Cat Johnson, Kim Lowe, JM Madden, Trish McCallan, Donna Michaels, Megan Mitcham, Caitlyn O'Leary, Ella Quinn, Julie Rowe, Susan Stoker, Natasza Waters, and Sabrina York.

It amazes me each year how much readers appreciate our military. Thanks to the authors who made this an emotional event.

I reported for duty at the Avon Romance Reader Party - Clinch It:

How daring are you? Find out at this fun game-show style event, which will pair readers with Avon authors in a series of fun challenges, with participation judged by a panel of judges. Earn points for participation! Winners take all ... the books, that is! The winning team will win totes generously stuffed with books and swag, compliments of Avon.

Authors included Lenora Bell, Viola Carr, HelenKay Dimon, Megan Frampton, Lorraine Heath, Beverly Jenkins, Cathy Maxwell, Charis Michaels, Alisha Rai, and Lia Riley.

I was honored to be asked by Pamela Spengler-Jaffee, Senior Director of Publicity for Avon Romance, to serve as a judge along with historical author Beverly Jenkins and editorial director Erika Tsang.  I put my math skills to use as the scorekeeper, too.  Let me tell you this was the best reader party, second only to the SOS Military Tribute. Readers were laughing, singing, posing, and conspiring with the author at their table to win the big prize - a tote bag stuffed with romance books and a bottle of wine! Charis Michaels belted out THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA to lead her team to victory!

Clearly Avon was on my mind as I followed the historical authors to the Margaret Mitchell House for a special Q&A with Lenora Bell, Megan Frampton, Lorraine Heath, Beverly Jenkins, Cathy Maxwell, and Julia Quinn.  Charis Michaels moderated this lively discussion of historical romance in one of Atlanta's sacred homes.  Thanks, Avon Romance, for a fabulous day!

Margaret Mitchell House 

For this week of recaps, I am giving away a sampling of books and swag from RT. To enter the giveaway,

1. From the authors I have listed in today's blog, who would you like to meet? 

2. Comments are open through Monday, May 15, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Tuesday, May 16.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Margaret Mitchell House

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

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.

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.

Aloha to Avon Romance with Jill Shalvis, Toni Blake, and Lori Wilde

Yesterday I received a lovely package from Avon Romance - three holiday titles plus a logo glass:

Jill Shalvis' THE TROUBLE WITH MISTLETOE (Heartbreaker Bay Book 2):

If she has her way ...

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her ...

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him ...

Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice ...

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let the mistletoe do its work ...

Toni Blake's CHRISTMAS IN DESTINY (Destiny Book 7)

“Go to Destiny. There’s something waiting there for you.”

Shane Dalton’s new life is waiting in Miami, complete with fast cars and faster women. But first, he’s heeding his father’s dying words and stopping off in Destiny, Ohio. The detour wasn’t supposed to include a busted pickup and a blizzard. But Candice Sheridan, the cute redhead who reluctantly offers shelter, could prove a pleasant diversion. Trouble is, she thinks Shane’s bad news. And he’s pretty sure she’s right . . .

Candice had her trust broken once before. Yet something about Shane won’t let her stay away. By Christmas, he’ll be gone. Until then, she’s itching to stop playing nice and safe . . . and try being a little naughty for once.

As their holiday romance heats up, Shane uncovers a shattering secret and Candice is preparing to face heartache once again. But there’s no better place than Destiny—especially at Christmastime—for two lost souls to find the gift of sweet, surprising love . . .

Lori Wilde's A WEDDING FOR CHRISTMAS (Twlight, Texas Book 7)

The whole town is ready for the holidays: The Cookie Club is baking, Main Street glitters with lights, the carolers sing . . .There’s even a Christmas wedding.

When bodyguard Ryder Southerland sees his best friend’s sister Katie at an L.A. Christmas party, he mistakes the slinky blonde for a celebrity stalker and tackles her. Then they tackle each other . . . at his place. The next morning, Katie’s gone, and Ryder tells himself it’s for the best. It isn’t. Now, one Christmas later, Ryder’s falling for the woman he’s been missing in the town he hasn’t missed at all . . .

Katie Cheek’s outgrown the romantic fantasies she had about Ryder when she was fifteen. Katie’s packed their hot night away in a box labeled “fling”—or tried to. But Twilight’s bad boy is the best man in her brother’s wedding. And up-close and personal, Ryder’s impossible to ignore. So Katie can either go into hiding—or surrender to Christmas magic.

I share my windfall with one randomly selected commenter - the winner may choose one of these three titles plus a choice from my convention stash. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your holiday plans this weekend, whether or not you celebrate Christmas.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, December 25, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, December 26.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City