RESEARCH CAN BE A BLAST...LITERALLY

By Linda Swift

    In case we haven't met, I'm Linda Swift and I write a variety of genres (yes, I know that successful writers stick to one genre and gain a loyal following but that's not what I do). At different stages of my life I have focused on different genres. In the Year BG (before Google), I wrote speculative fiction. At that time, research was done (gasp) in brick and mortar libraries and one needed to know how to use the Dewey Decimal System.

    The stories I was writing evolved from events or images that nagged at my mind and wouldn't let go. They often required knowledge I didn't have and I was hesitant to ask a librarian if she had any material relating to certain subjects. So I decided to ask people I thought should be able to help me due to their professional experience.

    Ever since a family vacation in Chattanooga, I had been haunted by the elevator at Ruby Falls. Its doors were like an open cage and one could see the slick rock walls as it descended almost three hundred feet  underground. It was difficult to find anyone who could give me the information I needed about elevators. For instance, if an elevator stopped in its descent due to a power outage, what would happen to someone trapped between the cage and rock wall when power returned?A fellow teacher took an interest in the question and found all the facts I needed to write a plausible story. My husband was able to "talk me through" the dead generator and how to troubleshoot that problem. "The Good News" was the result.

     A co-worker was an epileptic and she had instructed me on what to do if she had a seizure at school, which she once did, so that was a real-life experience. A nurse was able to enlighten me on Epilepsy. This became "Give It All You've Got."

    Visits to my grandparents in a nursing home, then a hospital, gave me firsthand observation for another story. A comment by my grandmother became the title--"Nathan, the Buttercups Are Blooming."

    I was living in Alabama at the time and Kudzu was rampant. I needed facts about its rate of growth and how to kill it. I called a pest control company and asked questions. The man offered to  send someone to eradicate the vines so I had to explain why I needed the name of a good weed killer but not an exterminator. He got so engrossed in the story, he wanted to hear the entire plot. Through our conversations, I learned that the aggressive vine grows inches every day in season; and the "dead" vines remain when dormant and then resume growth to quickly spread further. While I was writing the story, I happened to notice that Kudzu vines were creeping through my back fence from the field behind it and thought I might need the exterminator after all. My creepy story about the creeping Kuduz was called "Winner Take All."

           Note:Winner Take All is now available as an audible-audio edition (Hear  a free sample at this Amazon link below.) 

Winner Take All 
by Linda Swift 
Link: http://amzn.com/B01BH5GPMS

    To write a story about a school busing incident, inspired by current events, I had to learn how a Molotov cocktail was made. Since I taught in elementary school, I didn't imagine any of my fellow teachers had the answer and I was hesitant to ask the high school science teachers. So I called the police department with the question. Before the police detective gave me an answer, he asked my name, address and other personal questions. Apparently satisfied, he told me what I needed to know. My questions included what size cocktail would be needed to blow up four people; how long it would burn after lighting before exploding; what type material would be best for a wick. I have an idea that my name remained on the police records for a long while, and looking back, I'm thankful nothing happened in the town that might have made me a "person of interest." This story was published as "Three To Make Ready."

   

You can read my collection of these stories in "Take Five" which has just been released with a new cover (and all of the single short story covers in full color inside). $2.99 at Amazon. Link: http://amzn.com/B0096R15T8 

Or if you would like a single story, buy them by titles:

The Good News; Give It All You've Got; Nathan, the Buttercups Are Blooming; Winner Take All; Three To Make Ready.

Each of the five is available separately from Amazon for 99cents at Books by Linda Swift.

Visit me here:
https://www.facebook.com/linda.swift.359?fref=ts and www.lindaswift.net

See all of my books at  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Books+by+Linda+Swift                                                                                 

By Celia Yeary

   From the beginning of my Writing Adventure, the stories seem to naturally turn into a series. How did this happen? Probably because I loved a secondary character and decided he/she should have a separate story. Or perhaps the underlying theme worked, so why not try it again?
   A “series” includes stories that are similar in some way: location, family name, friends, or time frame. Each succeeding story may briefly feature a character or two from the preceding one, but the plot usually revolves around a new main character. In other words, each story, however related, can act as a stand-alone book.
   An example of a series featuring the same main character might be the vintage children’s books I loved: Strawberry Girl or The Bobsey Twins.

TEXAS BLUE

   Texas Blue is the first book I wrote. Set in the nineteenth century, it stars a pretty blond blue-eyed woman barely out of her teens--Marilee Weston.
   Banished from her home by her father, she lives in near isolation with her illegitimate baby girl deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas.
   A tracker, Jeffrey “Buck” Cameron, finds and rescues her. They eventually marry and Buck adopts the little girl. Josie Weston becomes Josephine Cameron. Buck and Marilee also have a baby together, a girl they name True Cameron—because of her “true blue eyes.”

Texas Blue sold pretty well, so I immediately launched into writing Josephine Cameron’s story, titled Texas Promise.

Later, Josephine's younger sister True got her own story titled Texas True.

Here were three stand-alone full-length novels that sold fairly well, but I was bothered that they were separated by different publishers and also by covers.
This is where Rebecca J. Vickery stepped in and accepted my wish to have these three novels under one series title: The Camerons of Texas. Still, the covers did not match. Again, Rebecca graciously allowed me to connect them with similar covers. Thank you, Rebecca, Laura, and Karen.

During the few short years I’ve been with PBRJV, I have written four short novellas that were originally connected under a general heading for numerous westerns called Dime Novels. Again, I was allowed to write four separate stories, and they are connected mainly through similar covers by Jimmy Thomas, a similar time frame and area, and also connected by similar names:Angel and the Cowboy
Addie and the Gunslinger
Charlotte and the Tenderfoot
Kat and the US Marshal

This series became my best-selling books of all.

Still, a third series was born, and these have sold well, too.

Trinity Hill Brides:
Kathleen-Book I
Lorelei-Book II
Annalisa-Book III

I still write stand-alone novels, but creating a series is really more fun. Please leave a comment. I'd like to hear your opinions.  
(Find all my books on Amazon under Celia Yeary)

Thank you!!!!

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/celiayeary

 My Website

My Blog

Sweethearts of the West-Blog

My Facebook Page 

Valentine's Day in a small town

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet,
and so are you....

An age old poem for an ageless holiday.

One of the many things I remember growing up in a small town is the Valentine's Day festivities at school. The Ground Hog had no sooner slipped back into his burrow for six more weeks of winter weather, than we'd be issued a list of supplies to bring in for our "project".  Of course, our mothers, who were great predictors all on their own, knew the upcoming events and had already procured the tissue paper, shoe box, and red construction paper needed. If you were lucky, your mom saved a few of those paper dollies from some other holiday and your book bag would be filled to the brim making you hunched over, resembling a miniature pack mule trudging into class.

In the afternoon, after lessons were completed, the transformation began. Desk cleaned, we'd spread out our paper and with extreme care, lift the edges to cover the box. With technical skill, we'd labor to cut out precise hearts of various sizes and glue them onto the top and sides. Then, with our best penmanship, we'd place our names for all to see. The teacher would collect our "mailboxes" and line them up on a table awaiting the next day's special delivery.

Armed with a list of our classmates, we'd journey home and spend hours at the kitchen table making sure our valentines matched the person we were sending them to. It was not allowed to skip a name or to 'accidentally forget' a classmate, no matter the disagreement. On Valentine's Day, everyone was deemed special and therefore it was mandatory to give a Valentine.

We turned in 'our assignments' the next morning and waited. Oh, how hard it was to know that twenty five to thirty slips of paper, some adorned with suckers or other treats would be at our disposal come three thirty in the afternoon. The day done, boxes clutch against our chest, we'd rush home and read each and everyone of them. Friendships were renewed or developed depending on the choice of the card. It was magic.

I hope the magic of the day reached  your house. If you are needing some ideas for Valentine's Day next year, think about purchasing some tulle bags from the cake decorating or scrap booking section of your local department store. Fill them with chocolate, favorite candies, or paperclips teachers might need.

For your gardeners, a clay pot painted with hearts of clover for upcoming St. Patrick's Day can be filled with a pair of gloves and flower seeds.

Another simple gift idea, is a box of crayons and a blank notepad for budding artists. You can put them in a dollar store sand bucket along with colored chalk and bubbles for outside fun.

Here's wishing you lots of front porch greeting!
Have a grand day,

Nan O'Berry

For more fun in a small town, check out stories set in Rebel's Crossroads.
Playing with Fire
Random Acts of Kindness 

  

Let's Talk About Bad Boys

Let’s Talk About Bad Boys

            My latest release, Once in a Blue Moon, is a light-hearted romp about the ultimate “bad boy” and the woman who's determined not to succumb to his charms.

If you ask me, every woman loves a bad boy. Even if we don’t like to admit it, there’s just something attractive and infinitely intriguing about men who live life close to the edge. The guy with the chip on his shoulder, a thirst for danger and excitement, one determined to live outside what society calls “the box”. Independent thinkers, daredevils, rogues.

           
            When James Dean roared onto the scene in the 1950’s, with his smoldering good looks and his I don’t give a damn attitude, females of all  ages were immediately hooked. His tortured persona, packaged in a plain white T-shirt and blue jeans, made women everywhere long to heal him, wrap him in their arms and love away the hurt, destroy the demons inside. Isn’t that why romance readers are so drawn to vampires and werewolves, pirates and cops, firemen and Navy Seals? Ooh, and cowboys! Give us a big strong cowboy any time, right ladies? We love, love, love a rebel, yet who can resist the ultimate protector, a man who will stand between us and the world and come out victorious regardless of the odds?

            Characters like Rhett Butler, James Bond, the Count of Monte Cristo, Mr. Rochester, Edward Cullen and even Jacob Black capture a woman’s imagination, fuel her romantic fantasies, and make her yearn to be part of the grand adventure. Whether you like your heroes wounded and vulnerable or the in-your-face tough guy, I think most of us would agree there’s nothing quite as sexy as the alpha male.

             
           I have my own favorite alpha heroes, of course. I’ll admit to having quite the crush on Edward Cullen a few years back, and Linda Howard seldom created an alpha hero in her romantic suspense novels that I didn’t swoon over. Amanda Ashley turns out tall, dark vampire alphas that are awfully hard
to resist. My current favorite alpha is Finbar Burke, of Nora Roberts’ Cousins O’Dwyer Series. After learning that he is descended from an especially evil demon, Fin is torn between trying to outrun his despised heritage and facing down the demon who sired him in order to protect the powerful witch who holds his heart.

            
           In Once in a Blue Moon, Jake Benedict is a Harley-riding, leather-jacketed werewolf hunk who finally finds the woman he wants to spend his life with, only to be rebuffed precisely because of his bad boy image. Casey’s sworn off Jake’s type forever, and nothing’s going to convince her to give him a whirl. But Jake knows a secret about Casey that’s about to flip her entire world upside down.

            Who are some of your favorite literary or cinematic heroes?

Vicki Crum






Once in a Blue Moon is available in ebook and print.
Amazon
Smashwords

Learn more about Vicki's works at:
Publisher Website
Vicki's Website

All We Need Is Romance by Karen Michelle Nutt @KMNbooks @RebeccaJVickery #contest #books

Everyone likes a little romance. It gives us the feeling of togetherness. It makes the relationship stronger and gives us a possibility of experiencing our first breathtaking kiss all over again. Romance is warmth and understanding, a bond of trust and love. Valentine’s Day gives us a chance to charm the one person we care for most. 

***Readers celebrate today by telling us about your favorite Valentine’s Day or what you think is romantic. Is it a stroll along the beach? Movie night? A nice bubble bath? Share you favorite romantic couples of all time either from a book or a movie.

One of my favorite couples is Claire and Jamie from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

**Contest: Answer the question above, and you'll be entered to win a eBook copy of Be My Everything. ** 

Valentine Superstitions and Fun Facts

The first name you hear will be the name of the person you'll marry. 

If you see a squirrel on Valentine’s Day, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money. 

If you find a glove on the road on Valentine’s Day, your future husband or wife will have the missing one. 

 ***

There are superstitions associated with the kind of person you’ll marry based on the first bird you see on Valentine’s day.

If you see a goldfinch, you will marry a millionaire.
 
If woman sees a sparrow, she will marry a poor man.

If you see a flock of doves, you will have a peaceful and happy marriage.

If a woman sees a robin, she’ll marry a sailor.

If she spots an owl, she will never marry.

Now that you’ve found your beloved, there are ways to predict how many Children you will have by blowing on a dandelion. The seeds that remain on the stem will tell you how many children you will have.  

Superstitious saying we still say today.

Today we say, “to wear your heart on your sleeve,” meaning it is easy for people to read you.  In the Middle Ages, men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their Valentine would be. They would wear the name they chose on their sleeves for a week. 

Rituals

In the 1700’s, on the Eve of Valentine’s Day, ladies would pin five bay leaves sprinkled with rose water to their pillows. One leaf was pinned in the centre of the pillow and one at each corner. Rosemary was pinned inside the pillow. Before going to bed, the woman would eat an egg, removing the yolk and eating the rest with salt. They would a say a prayer with a hopes of seeing her true love in her dreams.

Another way to find one’s future husband or wife was to take a piece of paper with names on them and roll them in clay. They would drop the balls into water. The first paper to surface would be the future wife or husband.

Victory Tales Press and romance...

This Valentine's Day enjoy six stories sure to warm your heart.

Available at:
Ebook: Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Createspace


About the Book:
Six complete sweet to sensual stories from six multi-talented authors. Let us take you into a world of romance where love is in the air and tantalizing kisses lead to an everlasting love.

My story in the collection:
Heart of the Sea.
Sirena Seafair of Grimm Nitch is half human and half Merrow, one of the merfolk. At fourteen, she saved a teenage boy who'd drowned, but magic always comes with a price. She forfeited the red cap – the very essence of the Merrow and her ability to shift into a mermaid – the moment she breathed life into the teen.

Ten years later, Sirena has made a living for herself in the human world, but she has never felt like she's truly belonged until Jack O'Casey. Jack's made Grimm Nitch his home and has opened a restaurant overlooking the cove. This Valentine's Day, he's bound and determined to make Sirena his sweetheart, but she's just as unwavering to keep him at bay. They're from different worlds, but Sirena is about to find out Jack may have a little magic of his own.

*

The other stories in this Valentine Collection:

Hearts as One by Barbara Miller 
Candy Lane has just catered her best friend's intimate wedding and is feeling a little teary because she is once again a bridesmaid. While she is putting away leftovers, a handsome stranger drives up to The Haven, her friend's B&B, and asks for a room. His hypnotic eyes almost compel her to rent him a suite. What is such a hunk doing alone on Valentine's weekend? 

Bryson Williams has been scouting for a location for his next horror film, and after reading about the town called The Hallows and specifically The Haven B&B, he thinks he has found it. But the caretaker is so wholesome looking he decides to keep his real mission a secret so as not to shock her. What could Candy Lane possibly know about ghosts, zombies or the undead? 

A Valentine Wedding by Lindsay Downs
When Guy, Earl of Tining Abbey receives an intriguing plea for his assistance, he decides to return to the scene of his greatest defeat. London. Once there, he learns, Lady Julia, author of the letter, has taken up residence with his mother. As the events unfold, he places the lady under his protection. Escorting her about town and to balls, Guy's reception remains the same within the ton. What he finds interesting, Lady Julia doesn't shun him as the others do. Even when her parents, The Duke and Duchess of Shamton, arrive she chooses to remain with the earl.

As preparations continue for the annual Tining Abbey Valentine Eve ball, Julia goes missing. Immediately, Guy knows who took her and where they were going.

Will he be able to rescue the fair lady so they may marry, or will she be lost to him forever?
Clint's Choice by Rebecca J. Vickery
Clint Sanders, rancher and horseman, loses the woman he loves to bright lights and a modeling career. He thought she was a happy bride-to-be two years ago, but two days before the wedding she ran away. The bright lights of the city and the lure of a modeling career outweighed anything he could offer.

Skyelar Harrison discovers all is not glitz and glamour in the big city. The endless round of early shoots, late night parties, drinking, sexual advances, and losing control of her life take their toll. Used and abused, she has no one to turn to but Clint. But will Clint choose to put the way she treated him in the past behind them and help her?

Afterlife by Cecilia Corona
Scotlynn Marjun, a psychic medium, is finally turning her life around when she opens up her shop called Afterlife where she helps clients – both living and dead – find peace, but then a past love shows up to shake things up. Marshall Kingston is rich, handsome, and a real charmer, but when his stepmother plans his murder, he seeks his ex-girlfriend's special talents to bring justice to his family.

Murder. Mayhem. Ghosts. Valentine's Day promises to be an adventure of a lifetime.

A Latte Love by Denise Stout
Lorna Rosetti, a do-it-all paralegal, hasn't found Mr. Right. Notoriously late and a sometimes klutz, she stumbles into the arms of a stranger at the local coffee shop. Joe Thornton, a pharmacist new to town, has hopes for a bright future, and when Lorna falls into his arms, it sparks an attraction he can't ignore.

With Valentine's Day approaching, love is in the air, but Lorna and Joe receive a little push from Miss Maybelle – Joe's aunt and designated town cupid – to make their budding romance everlasting.

About the Author

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she’s not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates pre-made book covers to order at Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”. You can also check out her published cover art designs at Western Trail Blazer and Rebecca J. Vickery Publishing.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.
Follow the author at:

Amazon Author's Page   /  Facebook    /  Goodreads   / Twitter @KMNbooks

Google+ / Pinterest / Linkedin
KMN Books Blogspot

Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”

GETTING TO KNOW YOU by Sarah J. McNeal

It’s been quite some time since I posted anything about myself and I’m certain new people have come to Publishing by Rebecca Vickery either authors or readers. So, let me reintroduce myself to you.

My name is Sarah J. McNeal. I have no pseudonyms in any of my books or short stories. Everything I write is under my real name.

Although I was born in the tiny college town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, my family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when I was 5. My parents raised my sister and me in a Yankee kind of culture, but we turned out southerners in the end. I’ve been married and divorced, and then settled down with my rescue pets. I have Lily, rescued when she was 4 months old from the Golden Retriever Rescue Club of Charlotte, and my cat, Liberty, who was hit by a car in front of my veterinarian’s establishment on 9/11/2001 when she was just a kitten.

I play several instruments: the violin, bag pipes, guitar, and harmonica—none of them very well. I enjoy music and I find playing musical instruments brings me peace and helps me get centered.

I have been actively writing since I was 13 years old when I submitted my first short story to Seventeen Magazine. That story was rejected and for good reason. I wasn’t good enough yet. Mine was a rather bumpy road to publication. I wanted to be an English major, but my post depression era father was devoted to practicality and would only pay for a college education in some medical profession. To allay his fears that I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself independent of my parents, I became a nurse. It was a long road to becoming an RN, but I am not going to bore you with those details. I worked as a critical care nurse for 47 years before I finally retired in 2009. Love retirement. I finally get to devote my time to what I really love—writing.

The thing is, I never quite writing in all the years I had to focus on my education and then work at a nursing profession. Sometimes I had to put it on hold while I accomplished other goals for the sake of making a stable living. Ugh!

I eventually sold 5 short stories in 1996, and then wrote longer works which became published. Several publishers later, here I am.

I write in different genres, but for my lengthier work, they are mostly under the name of a series such as LEGENDS OF WINATUKE, a trilogy of fantasy novels published by Publishing by Rebecca Vickery which includes Dark Isle, Lake of Sorrows, and The Light of Valmora, or The Wildings series, my western romances published by Prairie Rose Publications. I have short, paranormal stories in PbRV’s 2011 FALL COLLECTION (Curse of the Amber Tomb), the 2012 CHRISTMAS COLLECTION (Gifts From The Afterlife), and this year’s Autumn anthology, MYTHS, LEGENDS and MIDNIGHT KISSES (Pennytook). One of my favorite stories is a paranormal piece about a young musician fighting for his life against cancer titled Heart Song. 

I am offering this story from my publisher as a FREE story. I would love it if you got this story and read it. It’s a story that means a great deal to me personally.

Blurb:

Gideon thought he had the perfect life as a musician with a beautiful model as his girlfriend, until he was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Ashamed and afraid he may die, Gideon hits bottom when his girlfriend dumps him for a “real” man.

Hope comes in the form of his father’s ghost and a person he has just met. Can he beat the odds and survive? And if he does, can he ever find happiness again?

Here’s the link if you would like a copy:

Smashwords

AMAZON

For the anthology MYTHS, LEGENDS, AND MIDNIGHT KISSES, I wrote the story Pennytook. Pennytook has always been a special character for me. He is the funny, party loving Gypsy with mystical knowledge and common sense advice who has appeared in all three of the LEGENDS OF WINATUKE books. Early on he suffered the loss of his wife and baby son to the Witch Queen, Mahara. Things changed for him as the trilogy progressed, but finally, I got to write a story in which Pennytook could find love.

Logline:

Myths are supposed to be false…but some are terrifying and true.

Blurb:

Pennytook is a war weary Gypsy who longs for peace from the past and wants something meaningful in his life.

Esmeralda, a Gypsy trick rider, has harbored a deep affection for the chieftain, Pennytook, for many years. But her dark secret will never allow him into her life.

A mythological creature is about to unleash its horror and change the destinies of Esmeralda and Pennytook.

Excerpt:

A deep ache spread through Pennytook's chest as he walked beside Esmeralda to the shelter where the horses rested. Something was very wrong and it filled him with dread. The night air had grown cold. He wanted to tuck his woolen cloak around her shoulders, but he knew she would refuse. The music of the tribe and the Chergari were distant now as if it were the music of the spirit realm. He shivered at the thought.

Buy Link for the anthology:

Smashwords

Amazon

Before I wear out my welcome, I’d just like to say thank you for allowing me to tell you a bit about me and I look forward to getting to know all of you along the way.

Sarah J. McNeal

Author of paranormal, time travel and western romance

Facebook

Twitter

Website

My Amazon Author’s Page

Prairie Rose Author Page

The Wildings

PbRV Author Page

Fantasy and Dreams Blog

Once Upon A Word

Sweethearts of the West

Prairie Rose Blog

31 Clever Valentine Sayings @KMNbooks @RebeccaJVickery #valentine #romance

 

Do you remember passing out Valentine cards when you were in school? I couldn't wait to pass them out to all my friends. Some of the sayings were funny and some down right corny. Here are some of those silly Valentine sayings. Do you have a few you'd like to share?

1. Map/ globe: You mean the world to me

2. Chap stick: Read my lips, Valentine…I’m yours

3. Cookie cutter: You’re a cut above the rest

4 Socks: We're the perfect pair  

5. Google Eyes: I’ve got my eyes on you

6. Crazy straws: I’m crazy for you

7. Sewing kit: You’re sew special to me

8. Band Aids: I'm stuck on you

9. Magnet: Can’t resist your pull

10. Friendship bracelet: Our class would knot be the same without

11. Candle: You light up my life

12.Dry erase/ chalk board: I’m never board when you’re around

13. Socks: You knock my socks off

14. Watch: You make my heart go tick tock

15. Light bulb: I love you a whole watt

16. Paper/electric fan: You blow me away

17. Toothbrush: I can’t smile with out you

18. Painted twigs: Stick with me, Valentine

19. Typewriter doodle: You’re just my type

20. Sheep doodle: I love ewe

21. Owl doodle: Owl be you’re friend forever

22. Star Wars: You’re the obi-one for me

23. Clothes pins: I’d love to hang out with you

24. Rocket ship: You’re outta this world

25. Owl doodle: You’re a hoot

26. Deer doodle: You’re a deer to me

27. Maze: I think you’re a-maze-ing

28. Flower: I’d pick you any day

29. Thumbprint: Thumb-body loves you

30. Pixie sticks: Stick with me, Valentine

31.Chocolate coins: Don't ever change Valentine 

32. Gum: I chews you as my Valentine

33. Mints: We’re mint to be

34.Tootsie rolls: Happy Valentine, toots!

35. Pop Rocks: You rock, Valentine

36. Krackel chocolate bars: You krack me up

37. Snickers: Thanks for making me snicker

38. Hot tamales: You’re one hot tamale

39. Butterfinger: Life is butter with you in it

40. Any candy: You’re sweet

41.Blow pop: You blow me away, Valentine!

30. Hershey kisses: A kiss for my Valentine

31. Life Savers: Valentine, you float my boat

Meet the authors from the Be My Everything, 2016 Valentine Collection

  Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes / Smashwords /Nook /Createspace

 

Barbara Miller author of Hearts as One (Contemporary romance with a slight paranormal element- Haunted Inn and scrumptious treats has the hero wanting to book a room indefinitely.)

Barbara Miller teaches in the Writing Popular Fiction graduate program at Seton Hill University and is Reference Librarian at Mount Pleasant, PA Public Library. She has published historical and contemporary romances, mysteries, young adult books, a storybook and a paranormal novel. Two of her plays have been performed at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival. You may email the author at scribe@fallsbend.net or visit her Website.

Lindsay Downs author of A Valentine Wedding (Regency/ suspense. A lovely damsel seeks a brave hero to be her champion in this regency romance.)

Lindsay has been an avid reader ever since he was old enough to hold a red leather The Lady of the Lake in my lap.

bound first edition copy of Sir Walter Scott's

So it only seemed natural at some point in his life he took up pen and paper to start writing. Over time his skills slightly improved which he attribute to his English teachers.

His breakthrough came about in the mid 1970's when he read a historical romance written by Sergeanne Golon, Angelique. This French husband and wife team opened his eyes to the real world of fiction. Stories about romance, beautiful damsels, handsome heroes and plots, which kept him, hooked. Of course, being a man, he had to keep his reading hidden from others as that wasn't appropriate reading for men.

His debut regency romantic suspense was released in 2012.

He lives in central Texas, and is a member of Romance Writers of America and their local chapter.

You can find the author on the web: Website / Facebook  / Facebook Pages  

         

Rebecca J. Vickery author of Clint's Choice (Contemporary Romance. A runaway bride returns home, but can the handsome cowboy convince her not to run again.)

Rebecca J. Vickery has been married to the same very patient man for quite a while now. She has one son, a special daughter-in-law, and three wonderful grandchildren.

She lives in South Carolina, USA, and slips away to go camping at Myrtle Beach whenever possible. Long walks on the beach help her to unwind and often ignite her imagination with new stories.

She enjoys the challenge of adding a special twist to her stories of romance. Usually they involve the paranormal, mystery, adventure, suspense, or a bit of fantasy along the way to a happy ever after ending.

Mrs. Vickery also branched out into speculative fiction and has several short stories published in that genre. She owns Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery, a small independent company, and also Victory Tales Press, where invited authors share their stories in various anthologies.

You may visit Rebecca at these sites online:

rebeccajvickeryauthor.com

rebeccajvickery.com

victorytalespress.com

She loves to hear from readers and fellow authors.

Cecilia Corona author of Afterlife (Paranormal mystery/ Got ghosts? This psychic medium has her hands full when an ex-boyfriend, now spirit, seeks her help.)

 

Cecilia Corona is a massage therapist by day and enjoys the adventures of writing by night. When she's not sitting at her computer plotting her next tale, she's enjoying the Southern California weather. She loves movies, animals of all kinds, especially her three dogs, and she's a big fan of mermaids. When she was young and saw the movie Splash for the first time, she believed sprinkling salt in the bathtub would magically allow her to grow a tail. She was sadly disappointed when the experiment didn't work. If she can't be a mermaid, then maybe she'll just have to write about them.

Visit Cecilia's Website / Facebook

Denise Stout author of A Latte Love (Contemporary Romance- You'll be charmed by this sweet hometown tale. Coffee and romance to go, please.)

Denise Stout dreamed about writing from a very early age, guided along the way by some special teachers who took interest in her writing and encouraged her to pursue her words in print. She loves to write stories about strong women who strive for the best in life, sometimes faltering, but who always have the fortitude to pick themselves back up again while finding love along the way.

A frequent contributor to FindSubscriptionBoxes.com, she also reviews books, movies, and products. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware. When not driving carpools, watching her boys play sports from the sidelines, volunteering or other activities, she loves to read. And write. Or watch Jane Austen adaptations. Denise lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and three sons. You may email the author at: denisestoutauthor@gmail.com

You can find the author online: Amazon US Author Page /Amazon UK

 /Facebook / Pinterest

Karen Michelle Nutt author of Heart of the Sea (Contemporary romance/mermaids: A mermaid loses her ability to return to the sea, but when she meets the new restaurant owner, she finds being landlocked holds a certain charm. )

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she's not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates pre-made book covers to order at Gillian's Book Covers, "Judge Your Book By Its Cover". You can also check out her published cover art designs at Publishing by Rebecca J. Vickery and Highland Press.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

Amazon Author's Page   /  Facebook    /  Goodreads   / Twitter @KMNbooks /Google+ / Pinterest / Linkedin /KMN Books Blogspot