Aloha to US Flag and the US Army's 242nd Birthday

Today we celebrate US Flag Day ...

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

... and the US Army's 242nd Birthday

First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain: Then it’s Hi! Hi! Hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong (TWO! THREE!)
For where e’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.

(refrain)

Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.

US Army Fife and Drum Corps 

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1. Where have you seen the biggest flag?  Or where a flag inspired you the most?  Or do you know any Army veterans? Or have you visited an Army base or seen the Army band in a parade?

2. Comments are open through Sunday, June 17, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Monday, June 18.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

US Army uniforms through history

Weekly Winners, Eileen Dreyer, JAKE'S WAY, and Beach Blanket Bingo

We have winners at SOS Aloha from the past two weeks - LadbookFan, Gretchen, Glenda, Alexia, Girlygirlhoosier, and Denise win a book choice from my convention stash. Winners, please send your mailing address to sos.aloha@yahoo.com.

Award season is upon us ... romance author Eileen Dreyer takes to Facebook to share her thoughts on the winning gowns and winners' speeches. From her bio (link),

New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer, known as Kathleen Korbel to her Silhouette readers, has published 31 romance novels in most of the sub-genres, 8 medical-forensic suspenses, and 7 short stories.

A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.

A frequent speaker at conferences, Eileen is also an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She’s also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, which she figures could come in handy if this writing thing doesn’t pan out.

Eileen is rereleasing her classic Kathleen Korbel novels, including JAKE'S WAY, Wounded Heroes Collection No. 1:

Everybody knows Jake Kendall. Jake is a success story. Orphaned early, he did such a good job turning around a failing Wyoming horse ranch, he put his three siblings through school and gained a nationwide reputation.

Amanda Marlow is the epitome of an east coast author: bright, funny, curious. When she shows up at a cabin on Jake’s land to research a book, she threatens Jake’s entire world. She represents everything he longs for: freedom, exploration, learning. But Jake has a secret that could bring his entire life tumbling down. And if he lets Amanda close, she could expose it.

Eileen is joining us for Beach Blanket Bingo at the RT Booklovers' Convention (link),

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Eileen's favorite beach is Inch Strand, Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.  From Dingleway.com (link),

Famous for being the place where an inch is actually three miles long, the fantastic beach at Inch has been chosen several times as a film location. Hollywood movies that are familiar household names include "Ryan's Daughter" and "Playboy of the Western World". With continuous barrage of long rolling waves that come crashing ashore, it is easy to see why this dramatic setting has been picked time and time again.

A popular attraction for bird-watchers is the nature reserve behind the banks of sand dunes on the strand. These wetlands are important wintering grounds for many ducks and waders.

inchbeach.com

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Wyoming or Ireland!  My husband briefly lived in Laramie, Wyoming, when he Air Force father earned his degree in Engineering through AFIT.  His mother often shares the story of moose walking down the street.  Hubby and I have visited County Kerry, Ireland - just gorgeous!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, February 5, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, February 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

visitlaramie.org

A New Endeavor and Reader Opportunity

Aloha! I am hanging out my shingle as the Aloha Author Assistant at this link. This gives me the opportunity to work with authors while fine tuning my own marketing skills. Plus I will post topics of interest for authors once or twice a week. 

Readers, I value your input and seek your feedback to these posts. Each week I will give away a book choice to one randomly selected commenter.

This week I found inspiration from Hawaiian Comedian Rap Reiplinger's Room Service:

Room Service (Part 1) - Housekeeping (link)

Room Service (Part 2) - Russell, You Get Pen (link)

Please join me at Aloha Author Assistant ... we are all members of Romanceland!

Concierge Service, Hawaiian style

Here at SOS Aloha, I am giving away a book choice to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite comedian and/or comedic routine. Room Service reminds me of Who's on First from Abbott and Costello.

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

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

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Taxi Service, Navy Style

Aloha to Rachel Goodman and FROM SCRATCH

We recently moved from a rented townhouse to our own single family house with a great big stove!  But I'm that great of a cook.   Enter Rachel Goodman and her debut novel, FROM SCRATCH.  I invited Rachel for a cozy chat.  From her bio,

This is me: Mojito lover. Cheese enthusiast. Wanderluster. Book junkie. Romance writer. Engineered.

I am a Colorado native displaced in Texas and an engineer and university professor.

When I’m not creating optimization models or traveling the world, eating my way through city after city, I am usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up stories and typing away on the computer.

I live in suburbia Dallas with my husband and two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels named Oliver and Rigby and collect Hard Rock Cafe shot glasses from each city I visit.

Kim:  Dallas! What is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of the Big D?

Rachel:  Love this question! My favorite place is White Rock Lake—Dallas's version of Central Park with cool little niches to explore. It's one of the best spots to experience wildlife and natural areas in an urban setting. It has a sort of woodsy-sweet scent that no one can really explain, and at all times of day you can find people gathering, picnicking, flying kites, jogging, cycling, kayaking, sailing. It's the perfect mirror to the city's soul.

Kim:  Eating you way through city after city ... you are my kind of gal! Can you share a funny story about exotic food?

Rachel:  My husband and I are avid travelers and choose to discover the heart and culture of a place through cuisine. We're very adventurous and will try anything once. Except fresh tuna eyeballs. That is something I have no desire to ever try again. The texture, the taste, the fact that an EYEBALL is staring at you, judging you, as you put it into your mouth—no thank you!

Funny enough, this story happened in my very own hometown. My husband and I live near a bustling Asian community in Dallas. One night we went to a local, authentic Japanese restaurant and the owner insisted we try the "house delicacy"—which, as it turned out, ended up being tuna eyeballs lightly sautéed in sesame oil, ginger, and soy sauce. But of course we didn’t know that when we agreed. The dish arrived, and at first I thought it was some weird-looking mushrooms in a kind of sauce. It was only after I put the eyeball in my mouth and forced myself to chew without gagging did the owner tell us what we were eating. I proceeded to promptly race to the bathroom and eject the contents of my stomach. At east my husband fared much better than I did and ate the dish so as not to appear completely disrespectful.

Kim:  I want to know what is your favorite cheese? Mine is Edam from the Netherlands.

Rachel:  Mimolette from Lille, France, which funny enough, was inspired by Dutch Edam. It's a hardy cheese that resembles a cratered cantaloupe, with a hard, craggy rind from the cheese mites intentionally introduced to add flavor and a bright orange center that is buttery, nutty, and rich. SO DELICIOUS. 

Kim:  Hard Rock Café shot glasses - we've collected the Hurricane Glasses (and then pilsner glasses) from our world wide travels with the military. My favorite is Cairo. How about yours?

Rachel:  Mine has to be London. It was the first shot glass I ever collected, even though I wasn't legally allowed to drink—I was fifteen and traveling abroad for the first time. That was the trip that sparked my wanderlust, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

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

Rachel:  My husband (cliché, I know). He's helped me keep my head above water and taken on so many responsibilities so I could pursue this dream. My close-knit group of critique partners and friends. They provided me with invaluable advice, honest feedback, and fostered the idea that I could create a book-shape thing. And my agent, Melissa Jeglinski, who has been such a cheerleader and advocate for me. She believed that my light contemporary romance could find a place in the market and she worked tirelessly to make that happen.

Kim:  Tell us about the FROM SCRATCH - what inspired it?

Rachel:  I’m heavily influenced by food (if that wasn't already obvious), so indulging in a meal that can simultaneously take me on an adventure and remind me of where I've been is always a fun treat for me. I also adore homecomings with a sprinkle of crazy relatives thrown in and second-chance-at-love storylines, so I wanted to write a book that incorporated all those things. Plus, it meant I got to partake in dessert every night as “research.”

I also wanted to explore the idea of a couple who got to experience that rush of first love as young teenagers—when everything is new and exciting and perfect. And then, as life is prone to do, the couple grew apart as they grew older. I wanted to explore the idea that sometimes a couple has to take separate, and sometimes painful, journeys to ultimately figure out what they want from life. But this time around, as wiser, more mature versions of themselves, they’re hoping for a different outcome. 

Kim:  What's next for Rachel Goodman?

Rachel:  SOUR GRAPES (sequel to FROM SCRATCH), releasing May 23, 2016 from Simon & Schuster/Pocket imprint, is about one of the characters in FROM SCRATCH who travels to rural wine country in Texas to fight for her own happily ever after.

I'm also currently drafting the first book in a new series that will, of course, have foodie elements in it.

Mahalo, Rachel, for sharing FROM SCRATCH with us!  Learn more about Rachel from her social media:

rachelgoodmanbooks.com

twitter.com/mojitomaven
facebook.com/rachelgoodmanauthor 

Amazon: link
Barnes & Noble: link
iBooks: link

Google Play: link
Kobo: link
Simon & Schuster Website: link

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about "from scratch".  Have you made anything - food, crafts, etc. - from scratch?  On Sunday, I take breakfast cake to church for our fellowship hour.  When the retired ladies compliment me on the cake, I respond I will pass along the positive feedback to Betty Crocker.

(for those outside the US, Betty Crocker is a prepackaged cake mix)

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winners on Sunday, September 13.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Patience Griffin, SOME LIKE IT SCOTTISH, and the Kilts and Quilts series

I have Scotland on my mind ... enter Patience Griffin, author of the Kilts and Quilts series.  From her bio, 

Award-winning author Patience Griffin has been sewing her whole life but didn’t discover her love of quilting until her late thirties. She decided the best way to acquire her first quilt was to make one for herself. At nearly the same time, she started commuting three and half hours a day for her dream engineering job. To pass the time on the long drive, she got hooked on audiobooks—especially books with love stories. Within a couple of years, she was writing stories of her own. It was no surprise to her family and friends when she combined her love of quilting, her small town roots, and her obsession with Scottish romances into novels. She has gained some recognition with her September 11th Story Quilt which has toured the country as the property of the Pentagon. She has a master's degree in nuclear engineering but spends her days writing stories about hearth and home, and dreaming about the fictional small town of Gandiegow, Scotland.

Patience joins me for a cozy chat ....

Kim:  Texas - what is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of the Lone Star State?

Patience:  When I moved from Iowa to Texas, the first thing that stood out to me was how big the sky was here and how blue. After eleven years, I’m still amazed by the big sky and the gorgeous shade of blue when I’m out walking in the mornings.

I love the late fall in Texas when the wind is blowing and my chimes outside my back door are singing to me.

Finally, the smell of the Lone Star State is epitomized in the aroma of Salt Grass Steak House. Pure yumminess.

Kim:  Tell us about the September 11 Story Quilt - I've seen it at the Pentagon.

Patience:  On September 11, 2001, I was home from work with my youngest child and watched on TV when the Twin Towers came down. Along with the rest of the country, I was devastated. To try to make sense of the tragedy, I made a story quilt of the events of the day.

When the quilt was completed, I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I spoke with the owner of Iowa Star Quilts, Cynthia Stary Drajna, and she suggested I donate it to the Pentagon. You can’t imagine my shock when I called the Pentagon, told them I had a quilt to donate, and they said, “Yes, let me connect you with the person who oversees the quilts.” I wasn’t the only one who had used quilting as therapy to get through those early days after the tragedy.

The quilt went on tour across the country as the property of the Pentagon. The woman in charge would send me pictures of servicemen and servicewomen hanging the quilts in their locations—Presidential libraries, big quilt shows, etc. My family was invited to Washington D.C. to tour the Pentagon when few others could get in. We were fortunate enough to see my quilt hanging in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center while we were in Washington.

For many years, I lost track of the quilt. Recently, while posting my quilts on Facebook, I came across a picture of the September 11th Story Quilt. I took a chance and made another call to the Pentagon to see if they knew what had happened to the quilt. Last I knew, my September 11th Story Quilt was hanging in the National Women’s History Museum. The operator at the Pentagon immediately connected me to the right person who said my quilt was indeed still around. The September 11th Story quilt is hanging in the Pentagon, along the tour route, and had been for several years.

I’m sure at some point, the quilt will be packed and stored away, but it makes me smile that so many people have been able to enjoy a quilt that gave me comfort to make.

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

Patience:  The list is long, encompassing all of my family, RWA in general, and a few key people specifically.

From the first moment I said I wanted to write a novel, PhD (my hubby) and my three children have been behind me one hundred percent. My children love to write as well.

While I was working on my first manuscript, I found RWA on an Internet search which led me to my local chapter, Iowa Romance Novelists, and then to Dallas Area Romance Authors. Both of those groups are filled with giving, talented writers.

But the number one person who has been my cheerleader and mentor is Kathleen Baldwin who invited me to join her critique group when I went to her booksigning in the fall of 2004. I have been involved in the multi-genre critique group ever since. Grace Burrowes is someone else who I owe a lot to for being my champion. Finally, Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency is my wonderful agent who found the right place for my book and series. She has also answered a ton of questions for me along the way.

Kim:  How did you research for your debut series, KILTS AND QUILTS?

Patience:  First of all, I’m a quilter and have been fascinated with the strong bond within the community of quilters. Our group in Iowa met the first Saturday of the month where we sewed our projects together, had potluck meals together, and laughed together. I didn’t know it, but I think I must’ve been doing research even back then because my journals have little snippets from those times of us together.

I’ve bought a lot of books and have done a lot of reading about Scotland. I’ve spent a huge amount of time on the Internet pouring over photos and gathering information, and enjoying every second of the research hunt. Finally, I’ve gone to Scotland and traveled to many small fishing villages and other sites around the country. It’s incredible to walk in the same places that I’ve seen in the pictures that I love so much.

Finally, I think it comes down to putting it all together in my imagination. I grew up in a small town of roughly six hundred people. I’ve taken bits and pieces of what I know, what I’ve learned and experienced, and came up with Gandiegow and my other villages in Scotland. When people ask me if I have based my books on one specific town, the answer has to be ‘It’s a lot of places.’

Kim:  What's next for Patience Griffin?

Patience:  I’m off to Scotland in mid-September, doing research in a small fishing village and then I’m off on a quilt tour. I’ll be speaking at the International Gathering of Guilds in Glasgow while I’m there. I’m so excited about this trip that I’ve been packing for weeks! While I’m in Scotland, I’ll be finishing book five in the Kilts and Quilts series, The Trouble with Scotland, release date April 5, 2016.

Right now, I’m also gearing up for the release of The Accidental Scot, book four in the Kilts and Quilts series, which comes out December 1, 2015. For anyone who quilts, the next Quilt Block contest will be starting near the end of September which will ultimately lead to us giving away then next quilt by the end of the year. I’ll post the contest details around September 15th and of course, send out a newsletter to let people know.

Shortly, I’m going to start something fun on Facebook. I’m crazy about the feature quilt for The Accidental Scot, called the Gandiegow Hometown Quilt. I’m going to make time to get the quilt started—pick out some fabric while I’m in Scotland (with the help of readers), post pictures and videos of my progress, and hopefully finish the quilt in the next year. Here’s the draft of the quilt designed by Iowa Star Quilts. Cynthie wants everyone to know that this is a preliminary design because she plans to add a thistle applique around the motif. It will be lovely. But I can get started on the Jacob’s Ladder quilt blocks now. I hope everyone will help me pick out fabrics and join in the fun. 

But I can get started on the Jacob’s Ladder quilt blocks now. I hope everyone will help me pick out fabrics and join in the fun. 

Lastly, in October, I’ll start work on the sixth book in the Kilts and Quilts series. I know what the story is about but I don’t have a title or a release date yet. I’m having the time of my life with this series, writing about the quilters and the trouble they can get into.

Kim's picture from Alba

Mahalo, Patience, for sharing your love of kilts and quilts! Patience is giving away a copy of SOME LIKE IT SCOTTISH to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about quilts - do you have a treasured one?  I have three made by my husband's fourth grade teacher (and family friend).  She made one for our wedding, my oldest son's birth, and my youngest son's birth.  She make the final quilt two years after his birth, when we were living in the Netherlands, so she incorporated "Dutch boy" into the pattern. I look forward to hanging them in our new home (we are closing today, transforming us from renters to owners).

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 29, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 30.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Patience and her books at patiencegriffin.com.

Check out my review of her Rita nominated debut book, TO SCOTLAND WITH LOVE, at this link.  Stay tuned for more reviews from the Kilts and Quilts series.

Aloha to Jeanette Murray and BELOW THE BELT

There's more than one way to win in the debut of the First to Fight series…

Athletic trainer Marianne Cook is ready to do whatever it takes to turn the men of the Marine Corps boxing team into fighting machines. After all, her ultimate goal is to land a job training professional athletes. But when she notices a certain hard-bodied marine trying to hide an injury, Marianne realizes that she’ll have to use covert tactics to get him talking.

First Lieutenant Brad Costa has waited years for the chance to fight for a spot on the Marine Corps boxing team, knowing he has to push twice as hard to get half as far as his younger counterparts. Brad tries to downplay his injuries to the attractive trainer who has his dreams in her hands, but Marianne isn’t buying it. Maybe it’s time to deploy some targeted flattery.

As Brad and Marianne’s attraction turns red-hot, there’s more than one person having a hard time keeping their eyes on the prize…

Marines in my backyard ... at the Strawberry Festival

Jeanette lives just outside St. Louis with her husband, daughter and their lovable-but-stupid Goldendoodle. When she's not writing her next romance, she's found hanging out with the new friends she's made here, catching up with old friends from past duty stations on Facebook, or surfing Pinterest pretending she can cook. Catch up with her on Facebook or Twitter for contests, sneak peeks of what she's working on, and updates about her life in general.

jeanettemurray.com
Facebook.com/JeanetteMurrayBooks
@KJMurrayBooks 

I am giving away a print copy of BELOW THE BELT to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Marines ... do you have a favorite movie and/or TV show that features Marines?   I recently enjoyed A FEW GOOD MEN on Cable ... excellent cast with Tom Cruise and Demi Moore.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, April 11, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, April 12.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

 

Coming in October 2015

Aloah to Katharine Ashe and I LOVED A ROGUE - Book Review

In the third in Katharine Ashe's Prince Catchers series, the eldest of three very different sisters must fulfill a prophecy to discover their birthright. But if Eleanor is destined to marry a prince, why can't she resist the scoundrel who seduced her?

She can pour tea, manage a household, and sew a modest gown. In short, Eleanor Caulfield is the perfect vicar's daughter. Yet there was a time when she'd risked everything for a black-eyed gypsy who left her brokenhearted. Now he stands before her—dark, virile, and ready to escort her on a journey to find the truth about her heritage.

Leaving eleven years ago should have given Taliesin freedom. Instead he's returned to Eleanor, determined to have her all to himself, tempting her with kisses and promising her a passion she's so long denied herself. But if he was infatuated before, he's utterly unprepared for what will happen when Eleanor decides to abandon convention—and truly live.

Cornish cost near Tintagel Castle
English Heritage (link)

All, everything that I understand, I only understand because I love. — Leo Tolstoy

I LOVED A ROGUE is the last book in the series but the first book I have read. Perhaps this gave me the opportunity to focus on Eleanor and Taliesin who are probably the "quieter" of the characters in the series. Previous characters (Eleanor's family) make a guest appearance at the start and end of the story, but I LOVED A ROGUE is all about Eleanor and Taliesin.  Eleanor and her sisters were adopted by their father, a parish vicar, when they washed ashore from a shipwreck off Cornwall.  Taliesin was part of a gypsy family who annually migrated to St. Petroc to sell their wares.  Eleanor and Taliesin became friends as children.  Their friendship was tested as they both grew into teens, forcing Taliesin abandon St. Petroc ... and Eleanor.  

Eleven years later, Taliesin attends the vicar's wedding to a local widow.  His reappearance disrupts Eleanor's plans to make her own way as she believes she must leave her home for her father's new wife.  Taliesin reignites feelings within Eleanor but she holds onto her resentment that he abandoned her.  As Eleanor struggles with these feelings, her sister Arabella tasks Eleanor to continue the search for more information about the shipwreck.  Arabella then asks Taliesin serve as Eleanor's guide since he is familiar with the Cornish coast.  Thus begins a wild adventure for the fated lovers with a pinch of Jane Austen and a dash of Daphne Du Maurier.  

At first, Ashe employs internal dialogue to create the emotional conflict between Eleanor and Taliesin.   Once they depart St. Petroc, their external dialogue further drives them apart as they cannot see that they compliment each other. Their search is akin to National Treasure - a clue leads to another clue that leads to another clue.   This romance laced with mystery kept my attention to read straight through the story.   The added bonus is the history Ashe shares about Cornwall and its connection to the Caribbean.   Recommended read for Regency fans seeking something outside the London Ballroom.

I received a print copy from Harper Collins for an honest review.

St Petroc's Church, Bodmin
Cornwall Guide (link)

I am giving away a print copy of I LOVED A ROGUE to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about the Caribbean - have you visited any of the islands?  I have not despite growing up in Florida.   I would like to visit Puerto Rico for its colonial history.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 28, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Katharine and her books at katharineashe.com.

Speaking of the Caribbean, check out my weekly column, State of Romance, for USA Today's HEA Blog - today we visit the US Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands at this link.

Aloha to Sabrina Jeffries and IF THE VISCOUNT FALLS - Book Review

From New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries, the deliciously sexy fourth book in the “Duke’s Men” Regency romance series—the first of which was called “a totally engaging, adventurous love story” (RT Book Reviews, Top Pick).

The heir presumptive to the Viscount Rathmoor, Dominick Manton once had his heart’s desire within reach—a bright future as a barrister and engagement to Jane Vernon, a wealthy baron’s daughter. Then a shattering betrayal by his vindictive brother George snatched away Dom’s inheritance and his hopes of offering Jane a secure future. Brokenhearted, and attempting to end their engagement without destroying Jane’s reputation, Dom staged a betrayal of his own to convince her that he’s not the husband-to-be that she thought.

Now George is gone and the viscountcy restored to Dom, since his brother’s widow, Nancy—Jane’s cousin and closest confidant—never bore an heir. But when Nancy goes missing, a panicked Jane calls on her former fiancé to track down her cousin. Dom knows the mistakes of the past may be unforgiveable—but now, entangled together in mystery and danger, will they rekindle a passionate longing that was never lost to begin with?

The First Quadrille at Almack's
Public Domain (link)

To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love. - Jane Austen

In the opening chapter, Dominick Manton spies his beloved fiance, Jane Vernon, dancing with another ... as he is late to the ball.  In fact, he doesn't want her to see him just yet until he can figure out a way to break off their engagement.  Dominick cannot support Jane as a lady among the ton once his vengeful brother cut off his inheritance.   So he takes the cowardly way out and kisses another woman.   

Years later, Dominick assumes the title of Viscount Rathmoor upon the death of his brother.   Jane contacts him to help her find the missing Viscountess who happens to be Jane's long time friend.   Fate throws Dominick and Jane together but they have grown wiser and wary.   Jeffries delivers a passion filled "road trip" as the couple find themselves with another chance of love.   Along the way, hero and heroine bring along their emotional baggage that disrupted their first courtship.   

WHEN THE VISCOUNT FALLS is Book Four in the Duke's Men series.   I have not read the previous three books (gasp!) but I was able to follow along the story line as if it was a stand alone novel.   Characters from previous books make guest appearance (as they are connected to the emotional baggage) but the focus remains on the fated couple.   

Recommended read for fans of Regency romance as Jeffries excels in the pomp and circumstance of the time period.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Caricature of longways dance by Rowlandson
Public Domain (link)

I am giving away a print copy of IF THE VISCOUNT FALLS to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1.  Let's talk about the cover ... notice the ruby necklace cascading down the heroine's back.  What is your favorite necklace?  Mine is a long gold Victorian chain link necklace from my English granny.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 14, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 15.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Sabrina and her books at sabrinajeffries.com.

Aloha to Theresa Romain and SECRETS OF A SCANDALOUS HEIRESS

One good proposition deserves another…

Heiress Augusta Meredith can’t help herself—she stirs up gossip wherever she goes. A stranger to Bath society, she pretends to be a charming young widow, until sardonic, darkly handsome Joss Everett arrives from London and uncovers her charade.

Augusta persuades Joss to keep her secret in exchange for a secret of his own. Weaving their way through the treacherous pitfalls of a polite world only too eager to expose and condemn them, they begin to see that being true to themselves is not so bad…as long as they’re true to each other…

Amazon: link
BAM: link
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Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest. 

Learn more about Theresa at theresaromain.com.

Theresa offers an excerpt from SECRETS OF A SCNADLOUS HEIRESS ... 

She tilted her head, setting the loose curl free again. “Are you doing what you wish?”

Doing what he wished? No, of course he wasn’t.

Right now he wished he could make her smile as she had when giving away her gloves. He wished he could dispense with his conscience and plead for her to take him as a lover. He wished he could pluck the pins from her sunset hair and send it tumbling over her naked skin, wished he could stop kissing her only to make her cry out in pleasure.

But always, in the face of a wish, came prosaic reality. A scarred wooden table, a plate of mutton and potatoes, a wedge of cheese. An adequate fire and a roof over one’s head. Such a reality was perfectly acceptable, even if it didn’t hold the luster of a gemlike fantasy.

“I try to wish,” he said in a calm voice, “for what I know I might attain. For respectable employment for a reasonable wage. For a reasonable employer.”

This brought a faint smile to her features, but the expression fell away in another instant. “That seems a very small dream.”

“What on earth do you mean by that? It’s a very suitable dream.”

“But it’s not really a dream, is it? It’s what you have now, just shuffled about a bit.”

Again, he folded his arms. She lifted her hands, placating. “As you say, it’s perfectly suitable. And if you insist that it’s exactly what you want, then I suppose it is a dream, after all.”

Of course it wasn’t a dream. It was good sense. It was practicality. “I don’t know what else I ought to wish for. This is my life. I am a man of business for a nobleman.” Remembering Chatfield’s words, he added, “I am not in bodily danger, nor in mortal peril. It could be far worse.”

“It could be. But if you want it to be better...”

“Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to buy happiness.”

“No one is fortunate enough for that.” She turned over her fork and scratched the tines into the surface of the table. “That’s not what I meant. I know happiness can’t be bought, or I would have bought it.”

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Aloha to Jacquie Biggar and TIDAL FALLS - Author Interview and Book Giveaway

Indie author Jacquie Biggar joins us today for a cozy chat!  By the way, I love this cover!

From the time I was twelve years old, I knew I wanted one day to be a writer. That year I wrote a short story called Count Daffodil after spending countless hours searching for ideas for my English Assignment. That story garnered me an A++ and was read aloud through the school's loudspeaker system. Needless to say, after that I was hooked.

I grew up, got married, raised a family and left my writing urges to simmer in the background unattended. 

I owned and operated a successful diner in my hometown for a number of wonderful years. And now I'm ready to take up the writing reins and see how far I can travel. 

I expect it to be an exciting, new journey and would be honored to have your company along the way.
And so it starts.

Kim:  Congrats on your debut, Tidal Falls! Before we delve into your new writing career, let's chat about your bio. You owned and operated a diner. Oh, now I'm hungry! What is your signature dish? What did you learn from the restaurant business that you could apply to your writing career?

Jacquie:  I owned a landmark café in the small town where I was born and raised. The restaurant was situated right downtown on Main Street and had been around for fifty years. I’d worked there as a teen, lol. When I took over I knew next to nothing about cooking. It was a steep learning curve but thanks to my mom, I learned. We served all-day breakfast. I think our most popular dish was the Screw-up. A tempting mix of three scrambled eggs, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, green onions, & topped with mixed cheese, a side of bacon, sausage and homemade hash browns along with your choice of toast. I messed up making an omelette one day, and ta-dah, a masterpiece was born, lol. It was even featured in a foody book, The Food lovers trail guide to Alberta.

I think the main take-away I learned from owning that business is to never give up on your dreams. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t overwhelmed with the responsibility of making the restaurant a success. But I have an overabundance of stubborn tenacity in me. Lots of times in the early years I’d go home dead tired after a twelve or fourteen hour day, and still have the books to do (yeah I learned that too J) not to mention a husband and young daughter to take care of, and I’d swear I was going to quit.

My DH, God love him, would just give me the look, and tell me he believed in me. That I could do whatever I wanted to do. He’s still my biggest supporter.

Kim:  What happened to Count Daffodil - the character and the story?

Jacquie:  Now that’s a great question. This story kind of happened out of desperation. I’d procrastinated (I know, hard to believe right?) and my book report for Language arts was due the next day. I sat on our couch and grumped and groaned half the afternoon away. What was I going to do? When I spotted this big bouquet of daffodils on the table, that worry transferred itself into the storyline. Suddenly, there it was. I was going to write about a vampire with a fear of daffodils.

This is the first line:

Today I tell you this story because I fear the count is after me and tomorrow it may be too late.

Needless to say in the end the daffodils saved the day and the count was vanquished. I’ve saved that story all these years, maybe one day I’ll try an illustrated children’s book, who knows. J

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

Jacquie:  It’s always been my dream to write a book and have it published by Harlequin. I moved from teen to womanhood reading Harlequins, and love them still. When I finally began the journey to publishing I learned of this other, new way, to get the book before the readers, self-publishing. Like learning the ropes at the café, at first this seemed daunting. I had no idea what to do. Then I heard of a group of romance writers who support each other, learn from each other, and most importantly, have the same dream. I joined Romance Writers of America. The most important step I could have taken. It’s opened up a world of like-minded people for me. My main interest is in romantic suspense, so when I heard of the on-line group called Kiss of Death (The name alone makes you want to belong) I had to check them out. I’m so glad I did, there isn’t a finer bunch of men and women anywhere. I also became a member of our local RWA, and have joined a couple of critique groups within these organisations.

From them I learned the road to self-publishing doesn’t have to be difficult at all.

Kim:  hat inspired Tidal Falls? How did you research a wounded marine and a mother-on-the-run?

Jacquie:  My inspiration for Tidal falls came from watching all the news clips of the war in Iraq and the craziness happening in Mexico with the cartels. It seemed obvious to me, that one probably helped fund the other, and suddenly I had to write about it. The heroine, Sara, came from the news also. There was a lawyer suspected of ties with the cartel who was gunned down in his own driveway. I wondered about his life, his family, and from there my antagonist emerged.

One of my all-time favorite authors is Suzanne Brockmann. I want to grow up to be just like her one day. Her Troubleshooter books are in my keeper shelf and have been read again, and again. So when I considered who I wanted for a hero my thoughts automatically went to her books, and Sam Starrett. (sigh)

First I made Nick a SEAL, then I read about the Marines with their rescue dogs, who go fearlessly into the danger zones with the SEALS, searching for bombs and contraband. I knew this was going to be Nick.

We own a German Shepherd, Annie. She’s the smartest, loyalist companion and loves my DH unconditionally. She’d do anything for him. This became Jake in my story.

Kim:  What's next for Jacquie Biggar?

Jacquie:  I’ve just finished writing the second book in the Wounded Hearts series, tentatively titled , Redemption, which I hope to publish in the spring of 2015. I’ve also started book three, all based around the fictional town of Tidal Falls, Washington.

Thank you for having me on your blog today. I would love to gift a commenter with a copy of Tidal Falls.

Falls along the Road to Hana on Maui

Mahalo, Jacquie, for sharing your journey to TIDAL FALLS:

When Love is a Lie

ALL SHE WANTED WAS TO LIVE HER LIFE

Sara Sheridan found the courage to escape from under her husband’s oppressive thumb, so she sure wasn’t interested in getting mixed up with another alpha attitude laden male. Especially with her ex hot on her trail.

ALL HE WANTED WAS PEACE AND QUIET

Nick Kelley needed escape from the memories that haunted him. He wanted to just be left alone. So what was it about his reticent neighbor and her child that tempted him to give it up?

THEN LOVE GOT IN THE WAY

Nick and Sara’s growing attraction for each other leads them down a dangerous path as her ex-husband closes in on the new life she’s made for her daughter and herself and threatens to blow it all apart.

Waimea Falls, Oahu

To enter the giveaway, 

1.  Leave a comment about falls - do you have a favorite?  Mine, of course, is the Waimea Falls on Oahu.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 17, 10  pm in Baltimore. 

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 18.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Learn more about Jacquie and her books at jacquiebiggar.com.

Falls from Fantasy Islands on Kauai

Aloha to Tracy Solheim and BACK TO BEFORE - Book Review

Chances Inlet, North Carolina, has an infamous power for second chances. But its charms are lost on the town’s favorite son—until she comes along…

When his father’s sudden death puts his family’s construction business in serious debt, architect Gavin McAlister is forced to put his dream career in New York on hold. Making matters worse, his fiancée calls it quits. Desperate to return to his big-city life, he discovers an opportunity to save his family, one that has him reluctantly starring in a home restoration TV show.

Former soap star Ginger Walsh hopes this job as a TV makeup artist will lead to better things. So far it’s only brought her to a hamlet full of people who don’t like her—except Gavin. After a wild night out leads to Ginger waking up in Gavin’s loft—and the rest of town talking—the two of them soon wonder if getting back to before is what they want. Because being in each other’s arms certainly feels like what they need… 

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. - Melody Beattie

Gavin is counting the days until his project - restoring the Dresden Mansion during a DIY reality show - comes to fruition and he can return to his life in New York City.  Ginger is also counting the days until her project - serving as production assistant to the DIY reality show - is over so she return to choreography for a cable music program.  Gavin is welcomed back into Chances Inlet as a beloved son. Ginger is chided as the scheming character she played on a soap opera.   Yet Gavin is drawn to Ginger ... and Ginger gives into her attraction to Gavin.   Neither planned to fall into lust that would ultimate turn into love.   

Solheim delivers another heartfelt romance with lovable characters with flaws all over.   I applaud her for allowing the secondary characters to contribute to the small town charm which creates the magical atmosphere for Gavin and Ginger.   Solheim sprinkles plenty of laugh out loud moments along with a dash of realistic drama to create a feel good "small town" romance.

BACK TO BEFORE kicks off a new series in Chances Inlet for Gavin's brothers to find romance, too.   Chances Inlet is the home town of a character from Out of Bounds series - I appreciated the connection between the two series although BACK TO BEFORE can be read as a stand alone novel.

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash, including books from the Out of Bound series, to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about coastal towns - do you have a favorite?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 17, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 18.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Learn more about Tracy and her books at tracysolheim.com.