Monday, August 31, 2020

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Reading #Writing #Thoughts

Meander 1 - Reading -- Took a short break from Cherryh's Foreigner series and read two other books for a break in the action, Generation Five byRenee Duke - A YA time travel story that is rather a prequel to the rest of the series. Enjoyed the book a lot. Also read Frankenstein in Hamburg - a book in a series by MJ Hamilton. Enjoyed returning to her world and her characters. Between FBI and local police work. A few loose ends from the other books caught up. Back to the regular series reading and waiting for the next Foreigner book. Due to arrive in September.

Meander 2 - Thoughts - Scattered this week. A lot of concern about political things. Sure hope people wise up and see how they're being fooled. Also had to do a bit of thought about driver's license and car registration changed. Reading all one has to go through really sends one into a tizzy. Hopefully soon these things will be settled.

Meander 3 - Writing - Book is on schedule and am working on finding all the places where the chapters need to be expanded. Rough draft ended up around 40,000 words and that's a lit but there are still three drafts to finished so who knows what the final total will be. Am enjoying the writing and the decision making.


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Sunday, August 30, 2020

Sunday's Book features Murder and Mint Tea #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Cozy mystery #Hudson Valley

Murder and Mint Tea (Mrs. Miller Mysteries Book 1) by [Janet Lane Walters]

Katherine is a retired nurse and a retired church organist. The small Hudson River village where she lives in her Victorian “Painted Lady” makes her the neighborhood matriarch. Along with her Maine Coon Cat Robespierre, she guards friends and families.

When amoral Rachel moves into the first floor apartment of Katherine’s house, trouble erupts. The murder weapon is one she recognizes and makes her fear for her friends and family. Finding the killer becomes her goal.

Editorial Review
Murder and Mint Tea is a gem in its genre, combining the voice of a classic American whodunit with that of a traditional British detective novel. Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple in a beautifully crafted tale that makes the reader want to reach into the pages and dispense justice to the villainess themselves. ~ Writer Gail Roughton


Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
Yes, the book unfolds slowly, exactly as you can imagine such events happening. A glamorous young divorced 
woman and her children, boy and girl, move into a friendly, safe, pleasant neighborhood and rent the downstairs of a lovely old house. Pretty quickly, the landlady, a retired nurse with deep roots in her community, learns that her renters, foisted off on her by a trusted friend of her son, are trouble. Not the daughter, who both brother and mother treat as
 a live-in slave, but the boy, who is malicious and aggressive. Bit by bit, Mrs. Miller realizes that she has not one but two sociopaths living downstairs, because the mother proves to be a toxic personality. Plenty of creepy crawlies as you read, and piece by piece the true crime aspects of this "it could happen here" story unfolds. What I liked best about the book were the well-observed and true to life characters as well as the unsettling description of the unraveling of what has been a nearly idyllic neighborhood. I also loved the fact that Mrs. Miller is a mature woman
 and that her wisdom and her insights do have impact upon setting the world to rights again.
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2018
Verified Purchase
Mrs. Katherine Miller spends her days enjoying her friends and family and she's anxious for a new tenant in her downstairs apartment. Her son, Andrew, has found a woman with two children who will sign a year's lease.
The woman, Rachel, turns out to be loud, obnoxious, neglectful of her children, and seductive to any man in her vicinity.
Katherine worries about the woman's abused daughter and takes Susie under her wing.
This is more a slice of life story than a mystery. The murder happens nearly at the end of the novel, and the perpetrator surprised me.
I enjoyed the different characters in the neighborhood and Katherine is kind and good-hearted. She should have 
been more assertive with nasty Rachel. The woman threatened her several times, and Katherine should have reported her to the authorities for that and the obvious child abuse, which might have gotten Rachel evicted.
Of course, that would have ruined the ending. A good read for a rainy day.
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2017
Verified Purchase
The only way for a cozy series to get better is to keep on slogging forward. Few were perfect right from the get go.  We want and need more authors in the feline fiction genre. Hopefully Ms. Janet will do just that


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Saturday, August 29, 2020

Saturday's Blurbs feature Books by Hannah Rowan #MFRWAuthor #Beach reads # Love


Last Chance Beach: Summer's End by [Joan Reeves, Liz Flaherty, Nancy Fraser, Caroline Clemmons, Maddie James, Jan Scarbrough, Kathleen Lawless, Bonnie Edwards, Marcia King-Gamble, Kathryn Hills]

Look for LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, an Amazon Kindle Unlimited Collection on MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
Can’t Buy Me Love by Hannah Rowan

For the first time in her life, lottery winner Moira Campbell doesn't have to worry about money, except for her concern about people wanting to take advantage of her generosity. Noah Ramsey grew up with privilege and is absolutely certain people are attracted to his wealth. Both happen upon Last Chance Beach, where they are able to fashion new lives away from prying eyes and greedy outstretched hands. When sparks ignite between the two, both must decide whether to risk revealing their true identities to trust in love.

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach
Cocktails On Last Chance Beach is a free giveaway, the companion to Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End.  Fourteen authors, fourteen recipes for a refreshing cocktail to enjoy while sitting on the beach reading about the beach.  Many of the cocktails are the ones our characters enjoyed in the story.  Relax and enjoy.  Tiny little paper umbrellas optional.



Friday, August 28, 2020

Friday Hannah Rowan is Visiting and Talking About Who She Was Before #MFRWAuthor #Paranormal romance


1. What were you before you became an author? Did this influence your choices as a writer?

I had so many jobs growing up, from shoveling snow and washing cars as a kid, to my first job as a clerk in a hospital in high school, to my first “real” job in recreation at a state mental hospital. I worked while attending school to get a degree in psychology at a real mish-mosh of jobs, alternating full and part time jobs with full or part time classes.  I got my master’s degree in psychology around the same time my daughter was born and looked for something I could do that would allow me to be with her most of the time.  I became a certified hypnotherapist, but a crying baby wasn’t conducive to helping people relax when I had a home office. A job as a reporter more or less fell into my lap, and I could do most of my work on my own schedule.  Since it was a weekly paper I only had to be sure to turn in my stories by Friday morning every week.  Some of the stories I covered for the newspaper gave me ideas for fiction.

2. Are you genre specific or general? I don’t mean major genres but subdivisions or romance, mystery or paranormal.

I write contemporary romance.  I write paranormal romance and romantic comedy.  I really didn’t intend to write comedy, but just as when I wrote a humor column for my newspaper, people read my efforts to be serious and think I’m joking. I used to write true confession stories as well.  I’ve completed a women’s fiction novel that has yet to be published.

3. What is your latest release?

After a long hiatus I’m pleased to be included in Last Chance Beach” Summer’s End, a romance box set put together by 14 authors from the Romance Gems, a group that grew out of former Kensington Precious Gems authors who remained in touch after the line closed several years ago.

4. What are you working on now?

I have my rights back to a previously published Precious Gem novel they called Man Wanted, but which I always called Just a Gigolo.  It’s set in a fictional town called Rose City, New Jersey, and I have two more Rose City books for a series I call Rose City Chronicles.  I’m working on learning how to format e-books, getting covers, etc., so I can self-publish the series. Next I intend to revive a previously published paranormal romance set in the fictional town of Black River, New Jersey, and the accompanying two paranormal romances will make up the paranormal Black River series.  I’m plotting a three book romantic comedy series with the heroine from my story, Can’t Buy Me Love, from the Last Chance Beach box set, as a secondary character.

5. Does your reading choices influence your choice of a writing career?

I’ve always been an avid reader and I read a wide variety of books. I love contemporary romance of all kinds, sweet to steamy, paranormal, heart-rending, comedy, whatever. I also love romantic suspense and just plain suspense, thrillers and mysteries.  I read historicals by certain authors who I know will write a satisfying story, even though historicals aren’t my favorite. And though I love reading suspense my brain just doesn’t work in a way that would let me write it.

6. Where can we find you?

Right now I’m between websites and working on a new one, which will be HannahRowan.com. In the meantime you can find me blogging on the 9th of every month on the Romance Gems blog. I’m on Facebook.  Or my Amazon Author Page.


Thursday, August 27, 2020

Thursday's Fifth Scene -- Heartthrob #BWL:Author #MFRWAuthor #Romance sensual #Contemporary

Damon fisted his hands and stared at Magda’s door. He took a step, then a second
and raised a hand to knock. Drawing a deep breath he moved back. He wanted her now.
If she hadn’t slipped away he would have taken her against the wall. His cock throbbed
and was primed for action. He liked the way she moved. He liked the way she smelled.
Her response to him had danced along his nerves like an electric current.
     He growled. Her subtle scent lingered, teased and pushed his need to taste her
skin. During their brief encounter he’d waged a battle to keep from grabbing and
ravishing. He wanted to capture her taut nipple in his mouth and lick salt from her skin.
He’d wanted women before but his lust had never come close to slipping from his
control.
     When her tongue had slid along his finger he’d nearly lost his mind. Not a good
sign. He’d always set the boundaries of each affair. He couldn’t let lust become an
obsession. Never happened before. Couldn’t now.
     Good thing he’d begged off dinner with Lin, Ben and the woman they’d wanted
him to meet. He’d escaped a boring evening and a trap with jagged teeth to snare him. He
dashed to his apartment before he made a fool of himself. He strode through the living
room. How could he find a way to extend the dinner and what followed into a weekend
spent in the bed of his sexy neighbor?
     A quick check of the medicine cabinet and his dresser drawers showed he needed
some essential supplies. Call him cautious but he always wore condoms. He’d seen the
results of carelessness. Not for him. He hoped Magda felt the same. He grabbed the car
keys from the dresser.
     The cell phone chimed with the opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth. “Yeah,” he
said.
     “Ben here. There’ll only be three of us at dinner. Do you mind?”
     Guess he hadn’t talked to Lin. “So what happened to the woman you think is
perfect for me. The one so eager to meet me?”
     “She said no.”
     “Really.” Any other time that would have bothered him. Not tonight. “Did you
forget to mention I am a doctor?”
     Ben laughed. “She knows. That was her main reason for saying no. She doesn’t
do doctors. Not to mention you’re too young and she doesn’t play where she worked.”
     Damon chuckled. “Her loss. Doesn’t matter. I can’t come. Something interesting
came up.”
     “As in female?”
     “What else?”
     Ben groaned. “How long have you been in town?”
     “Five, maybe six hours.”
     “Amazing.”
     Damon strode toward the door. “Just lucky.”
     “Are you at the house?”
     “Found my own place complete with a hot woman.”
     “Is it wise to move in with someone you don’t know?”
     Damon closed the door and juggled the phone to lock up. “I’m not. Bought a
condo unit. Met the woman maybe fifteen minutes ago.”
     “What’s she like?”
     Damon heard the interest in Ben’s voice. “Tall, long legs, great body.”
     “Name?”
     Damon laughed. “No way, buddy. I won’t give you a chance to warn her about
your cousin-in-law’s rule of life.”
     “Imagine she’s beautiful.”
     Damon frowned. Was she? He pulled her image into his thoughts. Her features
weren’t classic. Pouty lips that cried for kisses. Brown hair and brown bedroom eyes.
Beautiful, no. Still, something about her hand hit him with hurricane force.
     “Is she?” Ben repeated.
     “Let’s just say she’s intriguing.”
     “Where’s the condo? I can stop by and we can discuss the practice.”
     Damon laughed. “No way. What could have changed since the last time we
talked?” He started downstairs. “You know what they say about curiosity.”
     “Caught me. Give me a buzz tomorrow. Want to go over the on-call schedule.”
     “If I surface.”
     Ben chuckled. “You’re incorrigible. Come for brunch on Sunday and bring this
hot woman.”
     “Don’t count on it.”
     “Is now a better time?”
     Damon clattered down the stairs. “No time. Need to run to the store. In case we
don’t talk before I’ll see you Monday morning at the hospital.”
     “Be there by eight. I’ll introduce you and we’ll make rounds.”
     “Will do.” Damon disconnected and slid into his car. He glanced at Magda’s
windows. One hour and counting.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Wednesday - Seducing the Attorney #MFRWHooks #BWLAuthor #Romance #Lawyer #shared child #Occupational therapy

Seducing the Attorney (At First Sight Book 5)

Join the authors as #MFRWHooks here http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com  for some great excerpts. Mine pits an attorney and an Occupational Therapist student   into a shared guardianship

Blurb:
Lauren Grant’s first meeting with Tony Carlin happened four years ago at her sister’s wedding to his older brother. There’s been an attraction but a wary one. The handsome arrogant attorney had showed disdain. At that time Lauren had been a troubled teen with streaked hair and piercings. Now, she’s working toward her Master’s in OT and has no time for more than school and her infant nephew. The death of Jamie’s parents has left Tony and Lauren as joint guardians of the baby.

Tony makes assumptions about Lauren’s current life-style. He’s as attracted to her as he was four years ago. But he’s a player and has no thought of making any commitments other than having sole custody of his nephew. He is grieving for his brother. Lauren grieves for her sister and Tony’s brother. A moment of mutual comfort sends them on a spiraling course.

Will they solve the problem of the custody and come to admit their feelings for each other?

2019 Book Hooks


Excerpt:
When she placed him in the crib he was asleep. She turned on the monitor. For a time she studied him. How much he resembled his father and uncle except for his hazel eyes, a gift from Carrie.
With a sigh she walked downstairs, straightened the kitchen and leaned against the counter. Her grief refused to be contained any longer. As though a water pipe had ruptured tears gushed and gasping sobs accompanied the flood.
Attempting to control the gushing grief she gulped deep breaths. She cried for her nephew deprived of the parents who had adored him. The tears turned bitter when her own loss hit. Carrie and Jim had dragged her from a slide into self-destruction and helped her become a woman with a future. The sobs morphed into mourning for the couple who would never reach their potential and never see their son become a man.
As she wiped her eyes thoughts of Tony rose. He had as little family as she did. Only Jamie belonged to both of them. Her body shook. He was determined to shove her from their nephew’s life. His vision of her was based on a single meeting four years ago in California, a few months after Carrie and Jim had helped straighten her life. A few of her rebellious quirks had remained.
Not now. Not for a long time.
Two years ago she had returned to the area where she and Carrie had grown up. She’d started college. When Jim had accepted a position at a nearby research laboratory she’s been happy. Carrie had found a position teaching English at one of several local colleges. Since their arrival she’d seen them several times a week.
Grains of resentment abraded her thoughts. In the five months Carrie and Jim had lived here Tony had never visited once. Her sister and brother-in-law had trekked to the city maybe three times to see him. They hadn’t wanted to intrude on his busy work and social life.
What was wrong with him? Didn’t he care?
Stop it.
She didn’t know why Carrie and Jim had named Tony and her as co-guardians for Jamie. She didn’t know what kind of relationship Jim had with his brother. She only knew she missed them. Fresh tears began.
The doorbell rang. She blew her nose and blotted her eyes, a useless gesture. Tears continued to drip. The glass panel of the door and her tears blurred the man’s face but she knew the dark hair and broad shoulders meant he had arrived. She opened the door.
In an instant his arms enfolded her. She pressed her face against the gray wool of his overcoat. As he stroked her back Lauren fought the desire to allow the comfort he offered make her forget they weren’t friends.
His hands slid lower. He cupped her rear pulling her against his erection. Lauren raised her head to protest. Before a word emerged his mouth covered hers in a kiss shooting dolts through her body.
One of his hands shipped beneath her sweater and stroked her skin. Slowly he backed her from the door, past the kitchen and the stairs leading to the second floor. He steered her toward the couch. His tongue played along her lips. Awareness struck. He didn’t like her. Why this passionate assault? A reason shoved into her head. He would use her response against her when she asked for sole custody of Jamie.
She jerked her mouth from the drugging kiss. “Stop!”
“What?”
“Stop. You’ve gone too far.”
“I haven’t gone far enough.” His dark eyes glittered with lust.
She pulled free and nearly tumbled over the arm of the couch. His hands on her arm prevented a fall. She glared. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re wrong.”
He grinned. “I don’t think so. I want you. You want me. Believe me, it’s going to happen.”

A cry from the monitor ended the discussion. She ducked under his arm and ran upstairs. Hopefully once she rescued Jamie, Tony would be on his way back to the city.


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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Revision - Dialogue #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Dialogue #Writing #Individual

This is the last bit about dialogue and revision. All characters need to sound like individuals. I often find when I do the rough draft of a story and look at the dialogue, everyone sounds the same. During the process of revision, I look carefully and ask myself some questions. Does Mary sound like Jim or Sue? Could the dialogue be said by any of the characters. If you listen to the people around you, you'll find many things influence their ways of speaking. Are they educated? Do they speak differently in a more formal situation than when hanging out with friends? Does their job influence the things they say? So when you're revising dialogue, put your character's life under the microscope and have them speak in a way that's natural to them and to the situation. What emotion comes through in the dialogue? Anger may influence the chosen words. There are many ways to consider the dialogue and to make each character sound different than the others.

Think of dialogue between two people as transitional. They aren't just saying words. There's a goal to the dialogue. There's action and moving the story forward. So make sure there's a purpose to the dialogue and the reader will understand what's happening both within and without the characters. Remember people may say one thing and mean something else. Using internal dialogue that gives a different meaning to the dialogue can really help.


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Monday, August 24, 2020

Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Reading #Thoughts #Writing

Meander 1 -  Reading -- I'm back to reading my favorite series Cherryh's Foreigner series and planning for when the next book is released in September. I've found the culture and the story to be a great adventure. May the series go on forever.

Meander 2 Thoughts -- Voting. I'm champing at the bit looking forward to be able to vote and will do this in any way and as soon as I can. Hopefully, I'll get an absentee ballot but if not I'll find where to go and vote early or go to my place on the day of the vote. This is a vital election and I certainly hope all goes in the right direction. We need someone to bring this country together rather than tearing it apart like the last four years have done. Using the White House for political purposes is not right. While the president lives there, this is not his house. The house belongs to the people.

Meander 3 - Writing -- Have reached the halfway part of the book but the next half is a lot of re-writing and revision going on but it feels good that there are a few months to go. I really think this is one of my better works. and there are three more to go to complete the series.


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Sunday, August 23, 2020

Sunday's Book -- Heartthrob #MFRWAuthor #BWLAuthor #Romance #Contemporary

Heart Throb

Magda Malone likes men and has no desire to marry. She’s been there, done that and got burned. She’s happy with her position as coordinator of the cardiac unit at the hospital. A new neighbor promises many nights of steamy sex. Damon also has no desire for marriage. He had too many steps as a child and sees marriage as a serial sort of game. He doesn’t want to play. When Magda learns he’s a cardiologist, she blows him off. The problem is Damon has fallen in love and he must convince Magda there’s more between them than sex.

Review:

This was the first book I've read by Janet Lane Walters, but it definitely won't be my last. As you can see the cover is eye-catching and the story did not disappoint. Heart Throbs is steamy, exciting, enjoyable and entertaining. . .


Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
What a couple Damon and Magda were. Lust at first sight. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. There were quite a few typos where I had to stop and think what word was it meant to be, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

2 people found this helpful


Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is a hot and fast story that had me wanting to met a guy like that and be as bold as her. She was amazing in her prowlessness and made her way known, he was all for it and added to the delight of the story. great read!!!

One person found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2012
Verified Purchase
This book totally surprised me. I was expecting the usual boy meets girl, they fall in love and then spend time in the bedroom. But from the first chapter until the end, Magda and Damon are more often than not, in their birthday suit.

The surprise is that instead of something salacious, "Heart Throb" turned out to be a beautiful love story about two people who are afraid to fall in love but found themselves falling in love anyway. And yes, the sex scenes sizzle, but somehow, I cannot call this book erotica. There is something sweet and lovable about Magda and Damon that spending time under the sheets is a natural progression of things.

But, don't even think for one moment that this is PG 13. It is definitely Rated R. In fact, while I was reading the book, I had to check the product description if it was under Erotica. It is under Contemporary Romance. And you know what, Amazon classified it correctly!

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Saturday, August 22, 2020

Saturday's Blurbs Feature Books By Ashlyn Mathews #MFRWAuthor #YA #Romance



Beautiful Defiance: Cambridge High Mayhem (Kiss Starter: Cambridge High Book 1)

My current book release: Beautiful Defiance
She’s no damsel in distress.
I’m not an optimist. Or a pessimist. I’m a realist. After catching the unwanted attention of Seven Shanahan, the school bully and jock at the upper echelon of high school royalty, I prep for a battle of wills and aim to win, even at the cost of getting my heart broken.

He’s the wrong guy to mess with.
The new girl, Leigh Kim, should cool her temper. Be less defiant and a pain in my ass with this push-pull of me saving her life and she evening the score by stealing the things that matter to me.

Because the more Leigh challenges the status quo, the hotter I burn with the need to bring her to her knees. For her to worship me like the other girls do. For her to be mine and no one else’s until I’m done toying with her.

I expect this and more. I am the almighty ruler at Cambridge High and won’t be overthrown by a girl with enough attitude to light up a stadium. What I’m not expecting is for Leigh to threaten the one thing I’m unwilling to give to any girl—my damn heart.

My new adult romance: Kissing Game
Sworn enemies
Asher Tran has disliked Ezekiel Harrington since the day he yanked on her ponytail and stuck his tongue down her throat on a dare. That was in grade school. Fast forward to their last year of college and Asher is confident she’s changed for the better. Ezekiel? He’s the same. Rich. Cocky. Couldn’t care less whose feelings he’s hurt. Has a following of love-struck coeds.

So he plays rugby and has a super fine body? Big deal. A jerk is a jerk is a jerk.

A dangerous proposition
When Ezekiel asks for her help—he’s failing one of his classes (no surprise there)—Asher counteroffers with a dangerous proposition. It’s time someone reforms the bad boy.

Putting their hearts on the line
But when their arrangement brings them closer than they’ve ever let anyone in, Asher and Zeke are left wondering if their differences will keep them together or…tear them apart.

My new adult romance that is currently 99 cents: Wicked
“She’s mine. She will always be mine. You want her, you fight for her.”

Nail and bail, that’s me, Ryker Conway. A relationship is a complication I don’t need, the last thing on my radar. I’m too close to making my dream of playing ball professionally come true.

When a bet is thrown down—nail and bail on a girl I wouldn’t look at once, much less twice, and I’ll get my chance with the coed of my wet dreams—I readily agree.

What I’m not expecting is to get tangled in Harper Garrix’s messed-up life. Or for her to get under my skin in this hot and dangerous way no girl’s done before.

But the bet and my football dreams are the least of my worries. Something wicked from Harper’s past is coming for her, threatening my place at her side. I’m not having it. To get to her, the wicked of the world will have to go through me.