Weekly Winners from Fleet Week

I enjoyed a winning weekend at the New Jersey Romance Writers (NJRW) Put Your Heart in a Book Conference (link) - pictures to come this week!   We have winners here at SOS Aloha:

Máire Claremont's LADY IN RED

- Liz wins a $10 Amazon gift certificate from Máire.

Fleet Week with Jennifer Delamere
- Girlygirl wins a Navy tote bag.

Fleet Week with Heather Ashby
- Debby wins a copy of FORGIVE & FORGET

Fleet Week with Geri Krotow

- Di wins a Navy tote bag

Fleet Week with Cathy Maxwell

- BN100 wins a print copy of FOR LOVE AND HONOR

Fleet Week with Diana Cosby

- JMcGaugh wins a print copy of HIS CAPTIVE

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Fleet Week with Diana Cosby

We conclude Fleet Week with Diana Cosby - she's the Keynote Speaker on Saturday morning at the NJRW's Put Your Heart In A Book Conference (link).    From her bio (link),

After retiring as a Navy Chief, AGC(AW), Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world.

Her years of living in Europe inspired Diana to write in the medieval time frame. After watching the movie Braveheart and with her passion for writing complex plots, the idea for the MacGruder brothers series was born.

Sigh.  Scotland.   The sixth book in the series, HIS ENCHANTMENT, will be available December 19.  Meanwhile, I am giving away an autographed copy of Book 1, HIS CAPTIVE:

With a wastrel brother and a treacherous former fiancé, Lady Nichola Westcott hardly expects the dangerously seductive Scot who kidnaps her to be a man of his word. Though Sir Alexander MacGruder promises not to hurt her, Nichola's only value is as a pawn to be ransomed.

Alexander's goal is to avenge his father's murder, not to become entangled with the enemy. But his desire to keep Nichola with him, in his home—in his bed—unwittingly make her a target for those who have no qualms about shedding English blood.

Now Nichola is trapped—by her powerful attraction to a man whose touch shakes her to the core. Unwilling and unable to resist each other, can Nichola and Alexander save a love that has enslaved them both?

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about how many moves you have made - any drama?  Oh, there's plenty of drama with military moves!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Diana and her books, check out her website at dianacosby.com.   

Diana wrote a special post for my travel blog, Hawaiian Travels during Navy Tour, at this link.

Aloha to Fleet Week with Cathy Maxwell

On Friday, I am driving to the New Jersey Romance Writers (NHRW) Put Your Heart in a Book conference (link) with Cathy Maxwell.   It is a fan girl's dream come true.  From her bio (link),

You would never believe: That I’ve spent six years in the Navy. I worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence. I’ve also managed a watch factory, been a news broadcaster, and done costumes for local theater. Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.

It's a situation similar to the chicken and the egg - do I admire Cathy for her heartfelt romances?  Or do I admire her service as a Navy veteran, Navy spouse, Navy mom, and now a Coast Guard mom?  It's both ... her experience with military families clearly influence her voice, her humor, and her characters.   Again from her bio,

My favorite quote: From Debbie Macomber, “Attitude is the key . . . each one of us is as successful as we make up our minds to be.”

I am giving away a print copy of FOR LOVE AND HONOR:

Three military heroes . . . fighting to protect their countries, their homes, and the women they love.

In New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell's The Bookish Miss Nelson, it's the duty of daring Army Captain William Duroy to escort Miss Pippa Nelson through enemy territory, bringing her safely home to England. But can he resist falling in love?

In Lynne Hinton's Letters From Pie Town, a New Mexico town couldn't be prouder of its very own Raymond Twinhorse, injured while fighting in Afghanistan. So Trina Lockhart gathers letters from Raymond's friends and family, hoping their wishes will help to heal the man she loves—and bring him back home.

In Candis Terry's Home Sweet Home, Lt. Aiden Marshall returns to Sweet, Texas, after facing the devastation of war. With the help of the entire town—and a tail-wagging companion—the woman he's always loved makes her hero's homecoming all the more sweet.

To enter the giveaway,

1.  I'll have Cathy all to myself for three plus hours on the road ... what would you like to me to ask her?

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Cathy, her books, and her adventures, check out her website at cathymaxwell.com.

Coming January 2014

Aloha to Fleet Week with Geri Krotow

On this day in 1384, Jadwiga is crowned King of Poland. She was crowned King, rather than Queen, to designate that she was the sovereign in her own right rather than a consort.

On this day in 1869, Emily Davies, Barbara Bodichon, and Lady Stanley of Alderley established Girton College, England's first residential college for women.

On this day in 1916, Margaret Sanger opened the first US family planning clinic in Brooklyn, New York.

I applaud these pioneering women .... and it is my privilege to welcome another pioneering woman, Geri Krotow, to celebrate Fleet Week. From her bio (link),

Geri Krotow has traveled the world, first as a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman, then as a Naval Officer, and now as a Navy wife. She’s been to four of the seven continents and saw number five from a Navy ship on her 21st birthday. Geri never left her hometown of Buffalo, New York until she was nineteen but obviously made up for lost time. For news of where she’s currently living and her thoughts on that place, be it a different State or country, check out her blog.

Kim:  Please share a favorite Navy memory!

Geri:  My favorite Navy memory is meeting my husband at the Naval Academy. Then marrying him in the Naval Academy Chapel. Then having each child in naval hospitals/clinics... oh, and the homecomings. Navy homecomings are the best, and the one we had at Christmas when the kids were 8 and 5 remains the best ever.

Kim:  If you could vacation at any Navy base, which one would you choose?

Geri:  I'd vacation back at N.A.S. Whidbey Island, WA. This is a no-brainer with my current series set there. I'd love the chance to do more research and have a book signing.

Cultus Bay (Whidbey Island) at Low Tide
Image by Iwanafish
Released to Public Domain

Kim: What does this verse mean to you (from Anchors Aweigh):

Faith, courage, service true. With honor over, honor over all.

Geri:  Honor over all--integrity is the whipcord that holds the Fleet together. We see the ghastly ramifications of it being broken in the headlines every time a CO or senior enlisted gets caught making the wrong choice. But the vast majority of sailors and marines practice, live and breath integrity each and every day. This is why we have the greatest Navy in the world.

Mahalo, Geri, for your service as a Navy veteran, Navy spouse, and stalwart supporter of military families!   I am giving away a Navy tote bag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  If you could vacation at any Navy base - besides Pearl Harbor - where would you choose?  Check out this link for a list of bases.   

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Geri and her books, including her Whidbey Island series, check out her website at gerikrotow.com.

A RENDEZVOUS TO REMEMBER will be 

re-released in print in November 2013

Aloha to Fleet Week, Heather Ashby, and FORGIVE & FORGET

We return to our celebration of Fleet Week with Heather Ashby!   From her bio (link):

Heather Ashby is a Navy veteran, whose mother was one of the original Navy WAVES in WWII. 

After leaving the service, Heather taught school and raised a family while accompanying her Navy husband around the United States, Japan, and the Middle East.

In gratitude for her Army son’s safe return from Afghanistan and Iraq, she now writes military romance novels, donating half her royalties to support wounded warriors and their families.

An award-winning author of romantic fiction, Heather is a member of Romance Writers of America, and also belongs to regional/specialty chapters, including The Golden Network and First Coast Romance Writers. Additionally, she holds memberships in RomVets and the Military Writers Society of America.

Heather lives in Atlantic Beach, Florida, with her retired Naval Engineer husband. 

Heather:  Happy Birthday, U. S. Navy! Thanks for inviting me today, Kim, to share some of my Navy memories.

Kim:  Please share a special memory from the Navy.

Heather:  Nothing beats reunions on the pier when the love of your life returns from deployment. One of the Navy’s finest traditions is that the new fathers are the first to disembark the ship to meet their children for the first time. Fortunately my husband was present for the births of both of our children. It was getting him home to get married in the first place that was the problem. 

Fortunately, I was a Navy veteran when I attempted to marry a Navy man, so I understood “Needs of the Navy.” My husband and I planned to marry as soon as I was released from Active Duty in October 1976. Unfortunately, it requires a bride and a groom to have a wedding. Pete was the Executive Officer on a fleet tugboat at the time. Fleet tugs don’t have schedules; they go where they’re needed, when they’re needed—including overseas. 

The USS Shakori received orders early that summer to tow a section of dry dock from Norfolk to Scotland. Once there, the ship was in the perfect position to help locate an F-14 Tomcat that rolled off the USS John F. Kennedy in the North Sea. Since the Russians were cruising around the site, hoping to locate not only the jet, but also the top secret Phoenix missile on board, the fleet tug found itself in the national news for the next several months. Since the ship was not large enough to warrant mail delivery while at sea, at least now I was able to plan my wedding around articles in the New York Times and on the evening news.

After postponing our wedding six times, we were finally married on December 4, 1976. To this day, I smile at expensive weddings where every detail has to be perfect. We couldn’t even book a venue, because we couldn’t give a firm date. But somehow we and our fifty guests managed to have a beautiful, last minute, home wedding, and so far that marriage has lasted 37+ wonderful years.

My favorite Navy memory was the day the USS Shakori returned home so we could marry. Because he was the XO and the Navigation Officer, Pete was responsible for docking the ship. There he stood on deck, so handsome in his dress blues, supervising the docking—with his eyes repeatedly darting back to me on the pier. The look in his eyes and the fact that he was finally home trumped even our wedding day—five days later.

Love conquers all ... including unexpected deployments.

Kim:  If you could vacation one week at a Navy base, where would it be? 

Heather:  It would have to be Hawaii! I’d say I’ve never been there, but I technically have. I’m embarrassed to say that I actually got there as a Navy dependent, but never left the airport. Traveling Space Available with an 8-year-old and a layover of anywhere from 1 to 48 hours was not conducive to venturing off the base. Of course we ended up being bumped from all early flights and stayed for 48 hours, sleeping in the USO lounge. So I feel like I’m owed a trip to Hawaii. And since this is fantasy trip, where’s my ticket?

Hawaii beckons Heather ...

Kim:  What does this verse mean to you (from Anchors Aweigh):

Faith, courage, service true. With honor over, honor over all.

Heather:  One of the attributes I admire most about my husband is his integrity. This is the go-to-guy if you ever need to check your moral compass. He always does the right thing, because it is the right thing to do. I used to attribute it to his solid upbringing, but the more time I spent with his Naval Academy colleagues over the years, I see how much was also instilled in him at that fine institution on the Severn River. 

The series I write, “Love in the Fleet,” centers around three Naval Academy classmates as they navigate both the seven seas and the magical world of falling in love. The debut novel, Forgive & Forget, focuses on Philip Johnston, who is nicknamed, “Lieutenant Integrity.” Imagine his surprise when he discovers that Hallie McCabe, a “college student” he has given his heart to, is actually an enlisted sailor stationed aboard his aircraft carrier. (Well, she does take college courses.)

The reason she fails to share her Navy status is because he is exactly the kind of man she’s been looking for. A man of honor—unlike her rat bastard father. But if she tells Philip she is in the Navy, he will walk because his deep-seated integrity would never allow him to break fraternization rules. So he remains blindly in love, while Hallie scrambles to cover her tracks while she figures out how they can legitimately sail off into the sunset together. 

Graduating class, 1894, United States Naval Academy.
Public Domain (link)

You asked me what the above verse means to me. I consider myself the luckiest woman in the world, married to the real Lieutenant Integrity, who demonstrates “honor over all” on a daily basis. So much so, that I made him the hero in my first novel.

You’ll have to read Forgive & Forget to see if Hallie and Philip can combine deception, integrity, fraternization, and trust—plus a visit from al-Qaeda—to find their happily ever after. Good news! It’s on sale for $.99 on Amazon through October 15th.

I have a copy of Forgive & Forget for one lucky commenter below. What does “honor over all” mean to you?

Mahalo, Heather, for your service as a Navy child, spouse, and veteran!   To enter Heather's giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about what "honor over all" means to you.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 19, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Heather and her books, check out her website at heatherashby.com.

Coming December 2013

Aloha to Fleet Week, Lindsay McKenna, and DANGER CLOSE

The Mighty Mo docked on Ford Island

Fleet Week continues with the legendary romance author, Lindsay McKenna.    She served in the Navy as AG3, Aerographer's Mate.   I recall the Navy's recruitment slogan, “It’s Not Just a Job, It’s An Adventure”.   Lindsay has lived that adventure and written about it in her 100+  books.  She is known as the “Top Gun of Women’s Military Fiction," with 22 million books sold in 22 foreign languages.   Lindsay created the military romance genre in 1983 with CAPTIVE OF FATE.  Her most recent release, DANGER CLOSE, is the foundation for a new series, SHADOW WARRIORS, from HQN and HRS.   DANGER CLOSE is available as a free dowload on Amazon through October 15 at this link.

Kim: Do you have a special memory as a Navy Veteran?

Lindsay: My special memory as a Navy veteran was listening to my mother, Ruth, recount the horrors of Pearl Harbor. She was there with my father, when it was hit by the Japanese. It was tough for her to speak about it even in her late 80's, but the memories, the smells, the sounds, were as clear that day, as they were when I finally sat down to see if she'd talk about with me.

Kim: If you could vacation one week at a Navy base, where would it be?

Lindsay: I would love to vacation at: Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. I would enjoy going through the US Navy SEAL facility, watch the men and women (2015 they begin training) train in BUD/s as well as go to MacP's, the local hangout on the island, for SEAL brethren and just hang out with them. Authors are great watchers and listeners.

Kim: What does this verse (from Anchors Aweigh) mean to you:

Faith, courage, service true With honor over, honor over all.

Lindsay: Faith means when things turn bad, you keep moving forward toward your objective. Faith is the internal GRIT that gives you the will to move through adversity . Courage is doing something even if you're scared and have fear. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is about not allowing it to stop you from doing what you have to do. Honor is about one's integrity, one's word, having the other person's back, not lying and always being truthful. It also is the receptacle of our morals and values, as well. How we conduct ourselves every day in our life with honor is my personal goal.

View of Pearl Harbor from the Mighty Mo

Mahalo, Lindsay, for your military service ... and your continued support of military families!  I look forward to seeing you at the RT Booklovers' Convention, May 14-18, 2014, in New Orleans.  To learn more about the convention, including Lindsay's workshops, check out this link.  To learn more about Lindsay and her books, check out her website at lindsaymckenna.com.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Old Glory aboard the Mighty Mo

Aloha to Fleet Week, Jennifer Delamere, and A LADY MOST LOVELY

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.

Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

On Sunday, the US Navy celebrates its 238th birthday. Let's kick off Fleet Week with Navy brat-turned-romance author Jennifer Delamere. She, too, is celebrating the release of A LADY MOST LOVELY, Book 2 of The Love's Grace Trilogy. 

A Heart of Gold

Socialite Margaret Vaughn is the wealthiest heiress in London—or so everybody thinks. Saddled with debts left by her father, she agrees to marry a rich man who can save her family’s estate. But when her fiancé turns out to be just another poor social climber, Margaret faces financial ruin—and social humiliation. Just when she thinks all is lost, she finds an unlikely savior in Tom Poole . . 

After amassing a fortune in the gold fields of Australia and surviving a harrowing shipwreck, Tom Poole is the toast of London society. Yet despite his new found fame, he’s never forgotten his own humble beginnings. When he learns of Margaret’s plight, he offers her financial assistance—but his interest is not strictly business. This rugged adventurer now seeks a different kind of gold. Although many men pursue Margaret’s hand because of her beauty and lands, can Tom convince her it’s her heart he’s after?

Kim: Can you share a favorite memory/place/experience from your life as a Navy brat?

Jennifer: First, I’d like to thank you for having me on your blog today! My thanks and gratitude goes out to everyone who serves in the military, along with their families.

When I was eight years old we spent a summer in Panama. My brothers and I spent every day at the pool, and I have loved swimming ever since. We also toured the canal locks and took a scenic train ride through the jungle. Our furnished rental home had a bookcase with a large collection of Nancy Drew mysteries. That’s how I discovered Nancy Drew, and that summer I’m pretty sure I devoured them all. My dad and several of his Navy buddies were into folk music, and sometimes they would come over to our house in the evenings for “jam” sessions. I can remember falling asleep to the sounds of great music coming from the living room. It was, in all, a wonderful summer.

The USS John Stennis renders honors to the
USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor

Kim: What did you learn from fans and even the publishing industry after your first book, AN HEIRESS AT HEART?

Jennifer: I’ve learned that fans can be super awesome! I’ve gotten some lovely feedback from people who have enjoyed my books. When those first reviews went up on GoodReads and Amazon, it was a surreal feeling (in a good way) to see people discussing the characters that had been in my head for so long. From publishing I’ve learned how to work faster and write better. I hope to keep improving in both those categories.

Kim: The cover for your new release, A LADY MOST LOVELY, is stunning. What inspired the story?

Jennifer: Thank you—I’m thrilled with the fabulous book covers I’ve gotten from my publisher, Grand Central! A Lady Most Lovely is a follow-up to An Heiress at Heart, although each book stands alone as a complete story. I love “marriage of convenience” plotlines, and I found it worked well for telling Tom and Margaret’s story. When doing research for A Lady Most Lovely, I came across an amazing tidbit about a shipwreck off the southern coast of Australia in the 1800s. A racehorse aboard that ship survived by swimming seven miles to the shore. That’s how the story of Tom Poole and his stallion was born.

Kim: What’s next for Jennifer Delamere?

Jennifer: I’m finishing the final book in this trilogy, which will be out next year. The hero is James Simpson, a lighthearted and lovable rogue whom readers will know from the first two books. James thinks he is a confirmed bachelor. No one will be more surprised than he is at the woman who finally steals his heart! Thanks to James, the book will have plenty of humor. I think readers will enjoy this wrap-up to the series.

The Mighty Mo stands guard over the
USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

Mahalo, Jennifer, for joining us at SOS Aloha! I am giving away a Navy tote bag to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about the sea - do you like to sail/cruise? Do you like water sports? Do you know anyone in the Navy?

2. This giveaway is open to all readers.

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Jennifer and her books, including an excerpt, check out her website at jenniferdelamere.com.