Aloha to the Washington Romance Writers (WRW) - Part 3

So many authors, too little time ... I have a few more authors to introduce from the Washington Romance Writers (WRW) "Hearts to You" luncheon for readers, bloggers, and librarians.

Diana Quincy, dianaquincy.com,

I wrote KIDNAPPED AT THE ALTER because I loved the idea behind the title, but the book was retitled to FROM LONDON WITH LOVE.

Hope Ramsay, hoperamsay.com,

I played guitar in an acoustic girl band in the last 1970s.  We played gigs all over DC.

Alix Rickloff, alixrickloff.com,

(from Did You Know), The family name of Trenowyth, used in the SECRETS OF NANREATH HALL, belongs to my sixteen times great-grandfather, Sir John Trenowyth, who lived from 1426-1497.

Sarah Robinson, booksbysarahrobinson.net,

I published my first romance novel when I was 24 and working full-time as a therapist.

Juno Rushdan, junorushdan.com,

I often wake at four a.m. with my characters' voices in my head, driving me to my laptop.

Elizabeth Safleur, elizabethsafleur.com,

My favorite place to write is outdoors, preferably on my screen-in porch.

Melissa Schroeder, melissaschroeder.net,

I got serious about writing romance when we were living in Hawaii.

Oh, yeah!

Delancey Stewart, delanceystewart.com,

I love setting books in New York City.

I am giving away RWA swag to four randomly selected commenters during the month of October. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your ancestors' names ... anyone notable in your family tree?

My mother's ancestors served in the Coldstream Guards,

It is the oldest regiment in the Regular Army in continuous active service, originating in Coldstream, Scotland in 1650.  

2. Comments are open through Tuesday, October 31, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday, November 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Coldstream Guard 

Aloha to Hope Ramsay and A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

 

Dr. Tom Crawford isn't feeling the spirit of the season when he arrives in Last Chance. Far from friends and family, he's the odd man out in this town of gossiping, tight-knit Southerners-until he meets a sweetly sexy single mom who makes him feel welcome. Suddenly the handsome doctor is thinking he's finally found a place to call home.

Local florist Teri Summers has her hands full of mistletoe in preparation for the holiday, yet finding someone to kiss is her last priority. But when the gorgeous new doctor makes a connection with her special needs son, Aiden, Teri finds herself wondering if she's finally found happiness in this season of joy. For Teri and Tom, Last Chance may be their best chance at love.

Amazon
B&N
iTunes
Kobo

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar. 

hoperamsay.com
twitter.com/HopeRamsay
facebook.com/hope.ramsay

I am giving away a digital copy of A MIDNIGHT CLEAR to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite holiday carol - I enjoy Carol of the Bells.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, December 5, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Forever Romance offers an except from A MIDNIGHT CLEAR ... 

“She turned to look over her shoulder. “Doctor Crawford, are you asking me out on a date?”

He couldn’t tell if she was shocked or surprised, so he gave her a nonchalant shrug. Maybe he could fool her into thinking he wouldn’t be disappointed if she declined. “I am. I was wondering if you would introduce me to the barbecue in this town. I’ve heard it’s excellent.”

“It is excellent. Much better than anything you’ve got in Boston.” She turned all the way around to face him. “But I’m afraid I’m busy tonight.”

“Oh, all right. Some other time then.” He backpedaled, and his prosthesis almost tripped him up. He stifled the urge to massage his knee. He was just proud enough not to want Teri to know about his missing leg.

He’d lost it as a result of bone cancer at the age of seven. His “peg leg” as Jimmy liked to call it, had been with him for a long, long time, and he was mostly steady on his feet. In truth, his scars from that time were far less visible.

He took another step back, steadier on his one foot. Luckily, Teri hadn’t noticed his awkwardness. Good.

“I’m putting up my own Christmas tree tonight,” Teri said in a rush, as if she was trying to explain her rejection. “Well, anyway, I’m going to try. But you know Aiden might not like it, so I was just going to, you know, put up something small and maybe put some angels on it or something. So I . . .” Her voice trailed off. Her face got redder.

“I see,” he said.

“Uh, well, Aiden and I are going to be on our own this Christmas, you know. And I need to put up a tree. I haven’t done that in a long, long time. I’m not sure how Aiden will react.”

“Want some help?”

She stood silent for the longest moment, either trying to compose herself or weighing the pros and cons. “You’d do that?” she finally asked.

He opted to play this scene straight. No need to give her a speech about his past. The less said about that the better. “I’m pretty good at putting up Christmas trees. Although”—he looked around at the mess—“I might not be up to your professional standards.”

Her mouth quirked as if she were trying to keep it from trembling. “My professional standards mean ”

Her mouth quirked as if she were trying to keep it from trembling
“My professional standards mean nothing. Aiden has definite likes and dislikes, and this year I thought I’d try to tailor Christmas to his standards, instead of forcing him to celebrate the holiday by everyone else’s.” She bit her lower lip.

“Sounds like a good plan to me.” Man, she had one kissable mouth. Too bad he hadn’t caught her under the mistletoe that she was clearly planning to hang before the day was out.

“Yeah,” she said with a little nod, “it does sound like a good plan, doesn’t it? I have no idea where this is going to lead though.”

Neither do I. “I’m adventurous.”

“I think that’s true. You came all the way from Boston to the middle of nowhere to do battle with Lillian Bray and the rest of the busybodies in this town. That takes courage.”

He was surprised. Ma had told him that joining the NHSC had been an act of supreme stupidity. “So, what time?” he asked.

“Uh, well, I guess about six.”

“Six it is, then.” He turned and made the quickest of getaways before she realized that he’d just sort of invited himself over.”

Aloha to the Sweet and Sassy Blog Tour with Hope Ramsay and Molly Cannon

  

Aloha!  It is my honor to host the Sweet & Sassy Blog tour to celebrate Hope Ramsay's INN AT LAST CHANCE and Molly Cannon's FLIRTING WITH FOREVER.  Both authors share their top 5 "sweet and sassy" things they love ...

From Hope Ramsay ....

1.  My husband, affectionately known as the Georgia Good Ol’ Boy.  He’s sweet, but he sure can sass.

2.  Southern men, generally.  (See #1 above)

3.  Pakka and Simba, my two cats.  Pakka is sweet.  Simba is sassy.

4.  Sour Patch Kids

5.  Ruby Rhodes, the hairdresser in Last Chance, South Carolina

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar. 

HopeRamsay.com
facebook.com/HopeRamsayAuthor
@HopeRamsay

INN AT LAST CHANCE

Jenny Carpenter is the unrivaled pie-baking champion of Last Chance, South Carolina's annual Watermelon Festival and the town's unofficial spinster. With her dream of marriage and children on hold, she focuses on another dream, turning the local haunted house into a charming bed-and-breakfast. But her plans go off course when the home's former owner shows up on her doorstep on a dark and stormy night . . . Mega-bestselling horror writer Gabriel Raintree is as mysterious and tortured as his heroes. His family's long-deserted mansion is just the inspiration he needs to finish his latest twisted tale, or so he thinks until he learns it's been sold. The new innkeeper proves to be as determined as she is kind, and soon Gabriel finds himself a paying guest in his own home. As Jenny and Gabe bring new passion to the old house, can she convince him to leave the ghosts of his past behind-and make Last Chance their first choice for a future together?

Amazon link

Barnes & Noble link

IndieBound link

From Molly Cannon ...

1. Nothing is better than being surrounded by loved ones, sharing food, talk and making memories. And of course  grandkids are such an extra special blessing.

2. I’m all jazzed about the mini-series coming out this summer of Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER!

3. Dinner with old friends. We meet with a group once a month and never run out of things to yak about.

4. Pecan pie and lemon meringue are tied at the top of my dessert love meter at the moment.

5. Live music.  Any kind, anywhere really gets my juices flowing!

Molly lives a charmed life in Texas with her nearly perfect husband and extremely large cat Nelson. When she's not writing, she spends her days reading, taking dance classes with the hubby and watching all kinds of sports. 

mollycannon.com

Facebook link

@cannonmolly

FLIRTING WITH FOREVER

Flying is Theo Jacobson's passion. Soaring above the clouds, he's on to the next adventure . . . and the next woman. So when he comes home to Everson, Texas, for his big brother's wedding, it's nothing but a pit stop. He'll act as best man, cover the family business while the happy couple honeymoons, and be on his way before the champagne goes flat. But all that changes when he comes face-to-face with the wedding planner-the very same woman who broke his heart without a backward glance years ago. Irene Cornwell started I Do I Do with a wing and a prayer. Now, with two weddings under her belt, it's a piece of cake . . . until Theo lands back in town. Just seeing his twinkling blue eyes and infuriatingly sexy smile turns her world upside down. For the sake of her business, she proposes an uneasy truce. But when the wedding is over-all bets are off!

Amazon link

Barnes & Noble link

IndieBound link

I am giving away print copies of INN AT LAST CHANCE and FLIRTING WITH FOREVER to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about cozy inns in small towns ... or flying in a small plane.

I flew in a small plane from Honolulu to Kalaupapa to visit the historic leper colony on Moloka'i - check out pictures on my travel blog at this link.

2. Comments are open through Saturday, May 3, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 4.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Kalaupapa, Moloka'i

Aloha to Forever's 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour with Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano

Forever is counting down the 12 days leading up to the release of the anthology A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER with Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano (link).

On the fifth day of Christmas, my favorite authors gave to me ....

..... 5 Best Holiday Stories!

Marilyn:  One year when we lived in Georgia, we decided to surprise my mom for Christmas. The rest of the family knew we were coming, so they all found an excuse to show up at Mom's house the evening we were due to arrive. The surprise was on us, though, when we hit an ice storm in Arkansas and had to spend an extra night on the road. The family went home without saying anything to Mom, so she was shocked when we finally got there the next day. Oh, and despite my sisters' best efforts to stop her, she'd shipped our gifts to Georgia anyway. 

Molly:  One year early in our marriage we went to Houston to spend the holidays with my mother and stepdad. My mother was gone to the grocery store, and we were sitting in the living room talking and waiting for her return. The backdoor opened and she came in and put the groceries down and came in to say hello. As we were getting up to greet her, she got a funny look on her face and started frantically taking her pants off. Then she started yelling, “I’ve got ants in my pants.” She got them off before they bit her too badly, thank goodness! And my poor husband got to see a whole new side of his mother-in-law. 

Hope:  Every Christmas for the last few decades, since my kids were little, I’ve made gingerbread cookies. The kids always had a lot of fun rolling out the dough and cutting the cookies with festive cookie cutters. But the best part of making gingerbread is decorating and icing the cookies. I use royal icing in a number of colors that kids can paint on using brushes. Well, one year my husband’s Aunt Frances came visiting for the holidays. She was in her 80s, but she was spry as a spring chicken. She was also an award-wining watercolor artist. She wasn’t about to be left out of the decorating cookies with a watercolor brush. What she did to those cookies was truly amazing. We had gingerbread women wearing fancy bridal gowns, and their consorts in tuxes. These were the most gorgeous gingerbread men and women you ever saw in your life. No one wanted to eat the cookies they were so beautiful. Aunt Frances lived to be 94. She passed away last year. But every year, when we bake cookies, the family gathers around the table to ice the ginger bread men and we all remember Frances and the year she made cookies that were too beautiful to eat. 

Kristen:  Holidays have much to do with tradition and even as a very untraditional person, I still love the tradition of holidays.

I had long been away from my close family at Christmas having lived in England for nearly a decade and travel being too expensive during the holidays. So when I moved back to The States, I was excited to jump back into family holidays and their traditions. For us, this included Christmas morning opening of presents and the feeding frenzy and movie orgy that would go through the day.

Alas, last year, my brother-in-law, who’s a pilot, found out that he was going to be flying Christmas Day so Christmas morning was out. We were going to have to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve.

It was a little shocking how sad this was for all of us. Mostly that John wouldn’t be with us, of course, but also bucking tradition that had stood strong for the “adults” for over four decades.

But the most important part of the celebration of Christmas is doing it with family. So Christmas Eve it was, in order that we could be with John.

And…it…was…a…BLAST!

First, if you open up presents Christmas Eve night, you have absolutely no qualms downing a bottle and a half of prosecco all by yourself. This will lead you to being very tipsy which will lead you to being quite emotional during some present openings and, finally, when your family gives you an awesome pink Schwinn as the final present of the night, you will get on it in your jammies and ride down the street after midnight.

It was phenomenal. We loved it. Every one of us. We even talked about doing the same this year, just because it was so awesome.

The thing we all knew, though, was that it was awesome because we were all together. Christmas present giving can happen in the morning, in the night, the day before, the day after, a week later, in your living room, in your sister’s living room, on the moon and it would be awesome.

Just as long as the people you love are there.

Jill:  One year we all got stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve (ever been stuck in an airport with three little kids?). We got home cranky and tired and annoyed at 4 in the morning, with no one in a holiday mood. The house was frozen (we'd forgotten to leave heat on) and it took awhile for the wood stove to heat up so we all huddled around it and ended up staying up to watch the sunrise and open gifts and make breakfast together. It turned out to be the Best Morning Ever. 

Mahalo, Forever, for sharing holiday cheer with us!  I am giving away an ecopy of A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER to one randomly selected commenter:

Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite food from yesterday - perhaps you celebrated Thanksgiving or perhaps you just had a delicious meal!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, November 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, December 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Check out the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour:

12 Best gifts (11/22): Fiction Vixen Book Reviews
11 Worst/funniest gifts (11/23): Smexy Books

10 Quotes from your novellas (11/24): Bookish Escape

9 Items on your Holiday List (11/25):  Hesperia Loves Books 

8 Favorite holiday movies (11/26): Book Bliss

7 Things on your holiday wish list (11/27): Tiffany Talks Books

6 New Year’s resolution (11/28): Cocktails And Books 

5 Best Holiday Stories (11/29):  SOS Aloha

4 Holiday favorite foods (11/30): Stitch Read Cook

3 Books to read during the holidays (12/1):  The Window Seat

2 Holiday songs (12/2:  Kindles And Wine

1 Holiday recipe (12/3):  Taking Time For Mommy