May is National Military Appreciation Month - Aloha to Sally MacKenzie

Sally MacKenzie cohosted the Battle of Trafalgar table at the SOS America Military Tribute during the RT Booklovers Convention (pictures to come).   From her bio,

When not at her keyboard or staring into space musing on her next story, Sally can be found at the gym or in the middle lane of her Masters swim practice, trying to keep all her moving parts working. She loves to travel, particularly to England where she drags her poor husband to historic sites in the name of research or—as he puts it—to look at spoons. But since she also enjoys hiking over the English countryside, he remains relatively content. Sadly she doesn’t cook (but her husband does!) or clean, but she has good intentions...sort of.

I walked 5+ miles several mornings in Dallas - she has a fast clip!

Above, Sally (second from right) attended the SOS America Military Tribute in Chicago in 2012.  Sally is ready to celebrate the release of IN THE SPINSTER'S BED, available June 30:

At Spinster House, a woman can enjoy the spoils of single life—or find the love of a lifetime…

It has been twenty years since Lord William Wattles laid eyes on Annabelle Frost. Still, he remembers everything—her ethereal beauty, her bookish intelligence, her surprisingly modern attitudes about love...and lust. But Belle's allegedly wanton behavior led her father to send her away to save the family's reputation. Now she resides at Spinster House in the village of Loves Bridge, where an unmarried lady can live—and in Belle's case, support herself as a librarian—in peace...

Beautiful, passionate Belle—sworn off marriage? William can't believe the woman he once knew could end up like this. But when the hands of fate bring him to Loves Bridge, his long-lost love might just end up back in his arms. Is their unwavering desire worth the sweeping scandal that is sure to follow them both? Absolutely.

It is the prequel for her new series, The Spinster's House, with Book 1, WHAT TO DO WITH A DUKE, coming August 25.

May is National Military Appreciation Month. For the month of May, I am giving away one grand prize of 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. Both covers from Sally's new series feature a Calico Cat in the corner.  Do you like pets in romances?  Do you like cats?  I have four cats, three from Hawaii.

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 Sally and her books at sallymackenzie.net.

May is National Military Appreciation Month - Aloha to Elizabeth Essex

I met Elizabeth Essex at the Library of Congress' What is Love? Romance in the Digital Age (here, here, here, and here). Elizabeth was featured in the documentary, Love Between the Covers, at this link.   She shared her long distance relationship with a critique partner who lives in Australia.

Elizabeth is co-hosting the "Battle of Trafalgar" table at the SOS America Military Tribute (link). From her bio,

Elizabeth Essex is the award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Reckless Brides historical romance series. When not rereading Jane Austen, mucking about in her garden or simply messing about with boats, Elizabeth can be always be found with her laptop, making up stories about heroes and heroines who live far more exciting lives than she. It wasn’t always so. Long before she ever set pen to paper, Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classics and Art History, and then earned her MA in Nautical Archaeology from Texas A&M University. While she loved the life of an underwater archaeologist, she has found her true calling writing lush, lyrical historical romance full of passion, daring and adventure.

Elizabeth lives in Texas with her husband, the indispensable Mr. Essex, and her active and exuberant family in an old house filled to the brim with books.

Battle of Trafalgar By William Lionel Wyllie
Public Domain (link)

I want to be an underwater archaeologist!  I wonder what we would find in the waters off Cape Trafalgar?   Mahalo, Elizabeth, for entertaining readers with military men.  From A SCANDAL TO REMEMBER, 

For too long, Miss Jane Burke’s father has taken advantage of her painstaking research. Heading to the South Seas to make her own name as a scientist despite the crew’s insistence that a woman aboard is bad luck, she isn't prepared to be championed by a handsome ship’s officer who rouses longings inside her as wild as any storm…

For Lieutenant Charles Dance, a post on His Majesty’s survey ship Tenacious is just one more dutiful rung on the ladder of his career. Even a headstrong bluestocking on board is less troubling than the ship’s drunken captain—and the ferocious gales that drive the ship off course. Stranded on a remote island, passion blazes between them as hot as the sun, but it’s Jane’s love Charles wants forever…

A modern HMS Tenacious
Public Domain (link)

May is National Military Appreciation Month. For the month of May, I am giving away one grand prize of 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.  Do you have interest in archaeology?   I was fascinated with King Tut as a child.

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 and her books at elizabethessex.com.