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You're invited to Sweet Romance Speak, where bestselling authors share about all things romance. Enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at authors, books, the writing process, and more!

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Beth Labonte received a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She worked as an administrative assistant for fourteen years, turning to writing as her creative outlet in an excruciatingly mundane corporate world. Beth now writes full-time and resides in Massachusetts.  Sign up for her mailing list & receive exclusive access to Summer's photo albums! Sign-up on her website www.bethlabonte.com.

Ciara Knight is a USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author who writes 'A Little Edge and A Lot of Heart' that span the heat scales. Her popular sweet romance series, Sweetwater County (rated PG), is a small town romance full of family trials, friendly competition, and community love. Also, there is a brand new sister series, Riverbend. The prequel novella is now available on all online retailers, and the first four books will release in 2016. For more information on the different genres and heat levels, to read excerpts, and learn more about the person behind the stories visit Ciara's website at www.ciaraknight.com.

Melinda writes sweet to medium heat contemporary romances as Melinda Curtis and red hot reads as Mel Curtis. She loves writing romances about women who don't realize how strong they are until a hero comes along to show them, while capturing the wry humorous power struggle of falling in love - because, really, who lets the man have the last word? Learn more about Melinda (and Mel) at www.melindacurtis.com.

A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a best-selling author of clean romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her blog at www.shannahatfield.com.

Susan Hatler is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, who writes humorous and emotional contemporary romance and young adult novels. Many of Susan's books have been translated into German, Spanish, French, and Italian. A natural optimist, she believes life is amazing, people are fascinating, and imagination is endless. She loves spending time with her characters and hopes you do, too. You can reach Susan at www.susanhatler.com.

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Aloha tp Melinda Curtis and A MEMORY AWAY - Author interview and giveaway

I recently spotlighted Melinda Curtis' A MEMORY AWAY.  I was intrigued by her bio, so I invited her for an interview. From her website bio,

Although Melinda has lived in Georgia and Texas, she's a California girl at heart. Her earliest memories are of life on an isolated 50-acre sheep ranch in rural Sonoma County, California. Picture rolling hills covered in brown grass, a eucalyptus forest, a long gravel driveway lined with plump sheep and no sidewalks. It was a big deal to drive into town on a one-lane road in a ramshackle, bubble-fendered pickup for an ice cream.

Flash forward to this century. Melinda lives in California's hot central valley with her husband - her basketball playing college sweetheart. With three kids the couple has done the soccer thing, the karate thing, the dance thing, the Little League thing and, of course, the basketball thing.

Learn more about Melinda and her books at melindacurtis.net.

Maui beach with Lanai in the distance

Kim:  You mentioned Maui in your guest post (link).  What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of the Valley Isle?

Melinda: Anyone who has experienced finer dining at Maui has to say Mama's Fish House is where you go for outdoor dining, a beautiful lagoon, fantastic food and great drinks. You'll see bridal parties getting their pictures taken at the lagoon, famous faces, and other vacationers in flip-flops. This is what Maui is to me - a combination of come as you are relaxation in a beautiful setting.

Kim:  Who or what helped you along the path to publishing?

Melinda:  Paula Eykelhof at Harlequin put up with me...er, mentored me until publication. I submitted to her for two years, accepted her feedback and made changes until she bought my first book for Harlequin Superromance. Never underestimate the power of being easy to work with and able to take direction if you want to pursue a career in traditional publishing.

Kim:  What inspired the Harmony Valley series and A MEMORY AWAY?

Melinda:  I was born in a small, isolated Northern California town, so I feel very comfortable setting stories in small worlds. But what gives Harmony Valley heart are its elderly residents. More than a decade ago, the mill blew up, jobs dried up, and everyone but the retired moved out of Harmony Valley. What could be more fun than a town of old people who are welcoming (or not) the younger generation moving back to town? My parents are 90 and their friends are the inspiration for many of the characters in the series. My dad has been known to get up in the middle of the night and drive to Jack in the Box for tacos wearing his long johns. A few years back, my mom promised not to drive, but refused to sell her car. She had two walkers - one in the car which we used when we drove her places and one she used around the house. My brother came to visit one day and found the car gone but the house walker next to the driveway. Mom had escaped! It's that kind of independence and pride that make Harmony Valley characters so much fun!

A Memory Away was created on a dare from Harlequin Heartwarming senior editor Victoria Curran. I was pitching new stories for the series and mentioned an idea for amnesia. She said she hadn't seen the trope done well recently. A couple of drinks later (did I mention this was in a bar?) I had a story. It's the first series book of mine that Harlequin as categorized as romantic comedy. I think Victoria owes me a drink.

'Iao Valley, Maui

Mahalo, Melinda, for sharing Maui and small towns with us!  I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.   Do you have a favorite "valley" - Maui is home to the 'Iao Valley, a sacred place with pristine beauty.

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

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Waterfalls along the Road to Hana, Maui

Aloha to Melinda Curtis and A MEMORY AWAY

 

A Hawaiian State of Mind
by Melinda Curtis

Every author has a different writing process. Some people write on laptops, some on tablets, some on legal pads. I write about 75% of each first draft in a notebook, and I do so away from my desk. I have standards for the notebook, too. It has to be small enough to fit in my medium-size purse, and it must be pretty. I don’t like much noise while I write, so I can’t keep my husband company while he watches reality TV (he’s a reality TV junkie, although he’d never admit it).

I’ve written in my daughter’s bean bag chair in the backyard with only my dog and cat for company. I’ve written in my husband’s Lazy Boy chair (it’s good for writing my way out of the troublesome middle). I’ve written in bed and on airplanes. But my absolute favorite place to draft is in a chair or lounger overlooking the ocean.

This could be a problem, because I’m landlocked. I only learned of this preference because this summer, Mr. Curtis and I went on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise and the weather was perfect to hang out on the deck and get writing done while Mr. Curtis went to the casino or watched the NBA Finals on television. I drafted four novellas during that trip. But that still isn’t my favorite place to draft. We have a timeshare and go to one of the Hawaiian islands every other year. I’ve drafted entire books sitting on patios overlooking the Pacific ocean during a seven day holiday. I dream of drafting that fast the other 103 weeks out of the two years we’re landlocked again.

Mr. Curtis and I recently joked about how I could cost efficiently get that Hawaiian state of mind production. He suggested I buy one of those digital photo frames (the kind that rotates pictures every few seconds) and only upload beach pictures. I countered that a huge ocean poster might be put over my office window. He suggested I write in my bathing suit. I suggested a wave machine. He suggested moving to Maui.

Do you have a suggestion as to how I can capture that Hawaiian state of mind? 

Award winning, USA Today bestseller Melinda Curtis writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet and emotional romances for Harlequin Heartwarming, and the sweet romantic comedy Bridesmaid series. A Memory Away is Book 6 in the Harmony Valley series. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”. Melinda also writes hotter romances as Mel Curtis. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “Sharp, sassy, modern version of a screwball comedy from Hollywood's Golden Age except a lot hotter.” 

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Maui is a memory away ...

A MEMORY AWAY 

For better or worse, she's family now

Duffy Dufraine just found out he's going to be an uncle. Jessica Aguirre came to Harmony Valley in search of the father of her unborn child, which is by no means him. An accident may have damaged the expectant mom's memory, but he knows his twin is the man she's looking for. But Greg's gone, which leaves Duffy the only family Jess has. And he has to make things right. Offering her a temporary place to stay seems an ideal short-term solution. Until she stirs desires that make the embattled vineyard manager rethink his own long-term game plan. Is he ready to offer Jess and her baby a home to call their own—with him?

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Print Book via Harlequin (available January 1, 2016)

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I am giving away Hawaiian swag to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Answer Melinda's question - Do you have a suggestion as to how I can capture that Hawaiian state of mind? 

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

Maui on my mind ...