SOMETHING NEW FROM ME

Hello from Gail Gaymer Martin at www:gailgaymermartin.com and belated Easter blessings.

Since I became a traditional writer, I never considered self-publishing.  Sadly, self-publishing had a bad name for so long, but as you know, today everyone looks at the option as a new possiblilty.

Untrained writers sometimes make a mistake and publish work that isn't ready for readers to enjoy. When I first began submitting, I sent my work to agents and editors  too soon and received nothing but rejections. Once I honed my craft, I knew what I had done wrong and learned a great lesson, Becoming the best writer a person can be is the only way to face the big world of publishing.

So to my surprise, now that I have over fifty novels written and fifty of them published, I face a new experience.  I now have my rights returned for eight of my old Barbour novellas and one of my novels. I can't bear to see them die a quiet death, and since they were published only in anthologies that many of my readers never purchased, I have made the decision to self-publish them through my agent. I'm thrilled to bring these good stories back to life next month.

Here's what you can look forward to.
TRUE RICHES
Contemporary romance from Barbour's MACKINAC ISLAND

A chance meeting on romantic Mackinac Island brings together a struggling young woman working at the Grand Hotel on a college internship and a helpful young man, the son of a wealthy physician who has a summer home on the island. Alison feels unworthy to pursue a friendship with someone whose life is so different from her own, but Jacob doesn't let her resistance stand in his way. Will Alison follow God’s leading and learn that being worthy has nothing to do with money or stature?


TO KEEP ME WARM
 Contemporary novella from Barbour's HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Ken Richmond, a widower, is left to raise his young disabled son. Separated from his three sisters at age six and raised by an aunt, Ken longs to find his missing siblings and is determined to give his son a home filled with unconditional love. Ken believes his purpose in life is to be needed. Though he is drawn to capable and independent Julie Gardner, he knows there is no hope for a relationship. She doesn’t need him. Or does she?

I hope these novellas catch your interest, and I’ll let you know the status on my website in April. Also look for announcements on Twitter and Facebook. Drop by my set just to look around. You'll find Gail's Kitchen packed with great recipes and Writing Fiction post is you're a writer. . .and naturally my novels and other books too.  If you leave a comment from any of the blogs or contact, you will be in a drawing in May for a free autographed novel. This occurs every two months.

Sorry I'm late...

Jenna Mindel here, wondering if you've ever had one of those days? 
I totally forgot about today's blog for which I humbly apologize.   
I'm still sniffle-ridden from sending our beautiful puppies onto their wonderful new homes this past weekend - even though we kept one, our Wallie-girl.  And I'm three shades of inadequate blue over my current work in progress that's due next month.  
Will I ever feel like a real writer?

Funny how one down-and-out feeling looks for company.   Does this stuff come in threes?   On my way to my afternoon job, I found my self praying without a clear prayer - more like pitiful utterances.  I mean really, who am I to complain when I've so much to be thankful for?

Even funnier are the things I reach for to make me feel better.  A stiff cup of coffee and a girl scout cookie.  Thank God they were delivered today!  A definite bright spot.   Just like the picture of our puppies below.

What helps pull you out of the blues?


Our beautiful puppies
 

Craving Routine

Susan Sleeman here! As I sat down to come up with a topic for my blog post this morning, I couldn’t seem to think of anything. I’ve recently moved cross-country. I’m still not settled into a routine andI find myself not being able to focus.

I didn’t realize how important routine was in my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love adventures, but there’s something comforting that at the end of the adventure I can come home to a safe haven where I can go on auto pilot and not really think about everything I’m doing. I miss that feeling. The comfort of it all.

In my upcoming May release, No Way Out, my heroine Alyssa craves the same thing. Her life is turned upside down when her police officer  husband is killed on duty and they find drugs in his car. His partner steps up, helping her take care of her twins, but life is in turmoil. She doesn’t think things can get any more unsettled when she finds out this partner is involved in illegal dealings as well.

My life isn’t quite so dramatic. Yet, right now, I can really feel her distress. So what about you? Do you like routine or do you like to mix things up?

Here’s a sneak peek at the third book in The Justice Agency series.

NO WAY OUT
WHO CAN SHE TRUST?
Alyssa Wells has uncovered evidence that her police officer husband was murdered by his partner-a dangerous claim in a small town. After two tours in Iraq, protecting Alyssa and her children shouldn’t be a problem for private investigator Cole Justice. Alyssa feels drawn to him, but how can she trust anyone after everything she’s been through? Cole’s sure his heart is closed off to love, but Alyssa and her children seem to have found a way in. As the killer draws closer, Alyssa realizes she’s trusting Cole with more than her safety.

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SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. Her first romantic suspense title, High-Stakes Inheritance earned a spot on the ECPA bestseller list and her Garden Gate Mystery series, which features Nipped in the Bud, and Read Between the Tines has enjoyed time on Amazon bestseller lists as well. And The Christmas Witness was named a finalist in the 2011 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
Much to her husband's chagrin, Susan loves to look at everyday situations and turn them into murder and mayhem scenarios for future novels. If you've met Susan, she has probably figured out a plausible way to kill you and get away with it. Don't worry, she'd never follow through on it.
In addition to writing, Susan hosts the popular internet website www.TheSuspenseZone.com
. She currently lives in Oregon, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law, and an adorable grandson.

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To connect with Susan outside her– Website

Visit any of these social media sites-

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Book giveaway - FORSAKEN DREAMS by MaryLu Tyndall

Camy here! I’m giving away an autographed copy of:
Forsaken Dreams
by
MaryLu Tyndall

Embark on a seafaring adventure in a brand-new series from bestselling author MaryLu Tyndall. After witnessing the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, Colonel Blake Wallace is eager to leave his once precious Southern homeland for the pristine shores of Brazil and the prospect of a new utopian community. Widow Eliza Crawford seeks passage on Wallace’s ship harboring a dirty secret—and a blossoming hope for a fresh start. But will dangers from the sea and from man keep them from the peace and love they long for?

Click here to enter! (You can only enter by using the link, not by commenting here.)

Ideas that come a Knocking

Pamela Tracy here, and I'm thinking about my purse. Yes, really mypurse. I always have my purse with me. Sometimes it's full (right now mine has a wallet, kindle, calendar, pens, chapstick, sore throat losengers [sp?], gift/store cards [30!], cell phone AND Lego men, cub scout cap, and McDonald toy). Sometimes it's not that full. My purse and I are a team, without it, I feel lost.


Ideas, yes for books, are like that. Always with me.

Last month my son received his wolf badge for cub scouts. There was a huge ceremony for all the different ranks from Webelos on down to Bobcats.

Ideas were flowing right and left.

The event started with the flaming arrows.

All around me was conversation:

"Does the school allow fire exhibits?"

"I wonder if the planes flying overhead thinking we're shooting at them?"

"What if a flaming arrow hits someone?"

Real life was even more dramatic:

One scout shot his arrow into the ground at his feet - not his finest moment.

The sound the flaming arrows made was a great swish.

Rockets were also set off:

One landed in a tree.

One on top of the school.

And the writer in me was thinking...

1. Setting for boy scout flaming arrow historical story - in the Big Woods, flaming arrow hits a bear: conflict.

2. Setting for boy scout flaming arrow contemporary story - at the school, flaming arrow lands in yard of single woman yearning for love. Single father climbs fence to find it. Police called. First impression. Opening scene.

3. Setting for boy scout flaming arrow paranormal story- dark night, at camp, flaming arrow hits a vampire: conflict.

Well, you get the idea. Or, hey, can you come up with another.

I wish I had more time to write.

Leigh Bale Blogs About Spring

Spring is trying to get here, folks. Here in Northern Nevada where I live, our weather waffles back and forth between blinding snow storms and wind gusts up to eighty mph on Monday, and then wham! Tuesday, we get several days that reach temperatures up in the sixties. I’ve lived here for twenty-eight years now, and the weather is always the same. Freezing snow we have to shovel out of our driveway, then tomorrow it’ll be in the sixties and every bit of snow melts off. And every February, the bleeding hearts, tulips and daffodils start to poke their heads up. I keep telling them to tuck back down or they’ll get their heads frozen off, but they never listen to me. Here’s a picture of my tulips coming up. They’ll be bright yellow and always lighten my heart to see this manifestation of Spring. (Have I mentioned that I hate winter?) Is Nevada the only place that has back and forth weather like this? What about where you live? In the meantime, stay warm. Especially you Easterners who are getting snowstorm upon snowstorm without reprieve. We’ve had that kind of weather here in Nevada before and you have my sympathy.

You're Invited...

Barbara Vey (L) and Debby Giusti (R)
at the Reader Appreciation Luncheon 2012

Barbara Vey, Contributing Editor to Publishers Weekly, is hosting her second annual Reader Appreciation Luncheon, and you're invited.

Held at the lovely Crowne Plaza Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday, April 27, the day starts at 10:30 A.M. with a Meet and Greet. New York times Bestselling Author James Rollins is the keynote speaker. He'll be joined by 37 additional authors, including some of your favorites.

Each author will host a table. I'll be bringing gifts and a book for all those sitting at my table. In addition, everyone attending will receive a huge bag of books and goodies to take home. Books will also be available for sale and signing.

Debby and her winner with the tote Debby gave away
last year.

In addition, each author donates a basket jammed packed with fun gifts that will be given away, along with other baskets raffled off throughout the afternoon. Add a delicious lunch, great conversation, and an opportunity to get to know the authors you love to read and you can see that Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon a reader's dream come true.

To learn more about the event, go to: http://www.BarbaraVeyReaders.com
If you can join me for the day, email Barbara, at  barbaraveyreaders@gmail.com and let her know you want to sit at my table. I'd love to see you there.

Happy reading!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
www.DebbyGiusti.com
www.seekerville.blogspot.com
www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com

THE GENERAL'S SECRETARY

By Debby Giusti

Trusting the Wrong Person Can Be Deadly...

Lillie Beaumont's dark past has just turned up on her porch--fatally wounded. The dying words of the man imprisoned for killing Lillie's mother suggest hidden secrets. Criminal Investigations Division special agent Dawson Timmons agrees. He has his own motive for seeking the truth, and it gives Lillie every reason to doubt him. But even as they reluctantly begin to face painful secrets together, Dawson fears that a murderer is waiting to strike again. And this time, Lillie is right in the line of fire...

Allie Pleiter on Happy Moments

That’s me, 24 years ago today, dancing smitten with my new husband.  It’s my very favorite photo from our wedding, and I’m sure you can see why.  Even now, so many years later, it brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

It’s good to mark the happy moments, to keep them alive in our memories.  It helps us balance out the bad recollections life is all too eager to hand us.   Too often, I’ve found, we devote lots of energy to “making the bad go away,” when that’s not really possible.  Better to spend our time and attention capturing all the good we find to serve as a counterbalance.

I’ve also found that frequently the good we seek hides inside what feels like tragedy.  It’s definitely been true in our lives--our son’s cancer was a devastating experience, but there have been so many blessings in that journey and his recovery that it’s “balanced out.”  I don’t think it’s an accident that his diagnosis date was March 10 and my wedding anniversary is March 11--both were launching dates of incredible journeys.  We acknowledge both.  I once had a character say, “that’s why God gives us two hands...one to hold the good and the other to hold the bad so we can balance them out.”  I believe it to be true.  It is one of the deepest lessons Holly and Mason learn in my new book “Family Lessons.”

Where’s the good in your life today to balance out the bad?  Finding good, hunting it down wherever you are, is a habit that can be learned.  Adopt my daily practice and find four good things in every day.  It will train your brain to find the good (even the tiniest good) in the life you have now, not the one you wish for.

One of my good things today?  Looking at that photograph and feeling myself smile.

Ask Elnora--About Free Time-- Lenora Worth

Hello, my little loafers. Elnora is between books. This is a good time to clean out the clutter and get things set up for my next project. Only I didn't do that. Instead I was out of the house most of the week, hanging out with Big Daddy. We had fun, bought some things we'd had on our list, and did some handyman work for a friend. Well, Big Daddy did the work. I mostly held the nails and handed him the tools. And sat in my lawn chair and made notes for my next book. 

This goofing off on purpose got me to thinking-- what do you like to do when you have absolutely nothing to do? Do you find something to do? Or do you try to do nothing? Is loafing sometimes a good thing? Does rest help us to be better at our jobs? Or does doing nothing drive you nuts ?? Elnora is somewhere in the middle. I like to rest , but I also like to get back to work. Let's discuss. What would you do if you had nothing to do??

Lenora Worth

Love Inspired--Sweetheart Bride Feb. 2013

Reissue--Deadly Texas Rose March 2013

LI Suspense--Lone Star Protector--June 2013q

March On by Terri Reed

It's March!  A lot is happening in March.

For you sports fans-- March Madness!  I don't know much about this, but I hear its pretty popular.

Girl Scout Cookies!!  My favorite are Thin Mints and Savannah Smiles. But I certainly wouldn't turn down any of the others.

March 17th is St. Patrick's Day.  Don't forget to wear green!

The official start of spring is March 20th.  

March sees my 25th release with Love Inspired, the fourth book in the Protection Specialists series.

Framed!

For years after the suspicious death of his wife, single dad Wyatt Monroe isolates himself on his Wyoming ranch…until he's accused of murder. With a body at his doorstep, he's arrested and Wyatt has only one hope—a blue-eyed, blonde bodyguard. But it'll take more than skill for work-obsessed Jackie Blain to save her reluctant client, who just wants to be left alone. She'll have to gain his trust by keeping him and his daughter safe. With their lives in her hands, Jackie is faced with her toughest assignment ever—saving the cowboy and guarding her heart.

Protection Specialists: Guarding the innocent

And I'm heading to England and France for ten days to visit my daughter at college and to see Paris!  I don't speak a lick of French but I'm so excited!  

Hope you all have a blessed March!

Bayerische socks

Camy here! I must admit, I am inordinately proud of these socks! The patterns are Bavarian motifs and I absolutely love them! They took me a long time to finish, but that was partly because I wasn’t knitting much during the latter part of last year.






My knitting notes are on Ravelry for any of you who are interested: http://ravel.me/camytang/bs

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. The fourth book in her Sonoma series, Narrow Escape, released January 2013. She is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders frivolous things like knitting, running, dogs, and Asiana. Visit her website to sign up for her quarterly newsletter.

When Inspiration Strikes

Hi, all. Charlotte Carter here.

I have recently endured a hard-drive crash. This, as many of you may know, is not a fun thing. In my case I could handle e-mail on my hubby’s computer but he doesn’t have the word processing program that I use for my writing.

Talk about having withdrawal pains for nearly a week!

The good news is that my sub-conscience kept on working away. On the second night of withdrawal, I woke abruptly at 4:00 a.m. My energetic sub-conscious had found the ‘perfect’ conversation the hero and heroine need to have in the new proposal I’m writing for my editor.

The hero, it seems, had given up on prayer and faith when things started going wrong in his career. God wasn’t answering his prayers. The heroine, sweet girl that she is, points out that maybe God was answering, but hero wasn’t receiving the answer he wanted. What other answer could it be? he asks. I bet figures it out by the end of the story. <g>

Now I’m in great shape for that proposal if I’m able to read my 4:00 a.m. scribbled handwriting.

When does inspiration strike you?

Happy reading.....
Char......
Home to Montana, Love Inspired, available now www.charlottecarter.com