#30 Days of Gratitude - Day 29: Guilty Pleasures

 

I love to read in bed. Hubs doesn't mind. LOL He just pulls the covers over his head, even though I turn out the light. Often, I'll be so engaged by a story that I read into the wee hours.

Unlike my mom, mother-in-law, and most women, I'm not that fond of chocolate. Heresy, I know. Now, mix chocolate with ice cream . . . mmm.

Movies. Either at home or in the theater (not now, of course), I love movies. Like books, movies transport me to another place or time, even another world. Give me an action-adventure flick or a romantic comedy and I'm thrilled.

I'm thankful I can enjoy all my guilty pleasures.

What are yours?

 

Here's info about the #30 Days of Gratitude.

It's not too late to join in. Here's the Form: 30 Days of Gratitude 2020 Blog Hop

Stop by Tara Tyler's blog to see who else is participating.

#30 Days of Gratitude - Day 13: Books

If I said all I want about books, you would be reading this post until tomorrow. LOL So, I'll make it much shorter. Books are essential to my life. They entertain, educate, and help me escape from life's nastiness, like the pandemic and the division in our country. I'd rather read than watch TV.

Several years ago, my eye doctor told me I had cataracts. I dreaded what I knew was coming--eye surgery. No way! What if I lost my sight? I wouldn't be able to read. I knew I could listen to audio books, which I've done on long commutes. But my fear of losing my sight overwhelmed me. Eventually, cataracts dulled my sight enough that I had to face the inevitable. 

I am so grateful for the surgeon who returned my sight and made it better. Since I had severe astigmatism, I had an optional type of lens that took away most of the astigmatism. I could see well without glasses for the first time since I was 3 years old. For small print and the computer, I still need glasses. I can handle that. I have my sight. I can read.

Whether you love to hold a physical book or read on an electronic reader (like me), books enrich our lives. We give thanks for the people who write those wonderful books.

Here's info about the #30 Days of Gratitude.

Join in the fun! Here's the Form: 30 Days of Gratitude 2020 Blog Hop

Stop by Tara Tyler's blog to see who else is participating.

#MFRWauthor 52-week Blog Challenge - Favorite Things

I just joined the Marketing For Romance Writers 52-week Blog Challenge. Just what I need--another blog post to write. LOL I missed the sign up for this week but, hey, why not? This week's topic is Favorite Things.

My favorite thing is the ceramic Nativity set my mother made, long before Alzheimer's took its toll. She asked if I wanted all the colors, and I said no. I wanted them all gold, much like the Nativity set my grandmother had made when I was young.

If you'd asked me seven years ago, I'd say books are my next favorite things. I had shelves and shelves of books. Then I got a Kindle. I know people who love the feel of paper books. I used to think that way, too. I love the freedom of having something to read all the time. Many times, while waiting at the doctor's, dentist's, etc., I'd finish a book and have nothing to read. Carrying one paperback in my purse was okay but not two. With the Kindle, if I finish one book, I can start another. Still, I love books whether they are paper or digital.

When we moved three years ago, I had to let go of many things. Unlike our previous moves when the company paid for the move, this one was on our dime. Paper books are heavy (and we were paying by the pound), so many books went to the local library for their used book sale. I'm glad others will get a chance to read them.

Something that didn't go in the estate sale or get donated was my nutcracker collection. Each Christmas, I love putting them out and enjoy looking at them. My mother-in-law gave me my first nutcracker back in the early 1980s. As soon as she found out I liked them, she and her sister gave me one or more each Christmas and birthday for over 20 years. Hubs, who thinks more is better, kept giving me LOTS of them until I said no more! One a year only. Now he looks for the most interesting, unique nutcracker every year. I have to say (and did) that this year's was the ugliest. 

Sometimes I get too attached to things. People are more important. Like my grandkiddies. With them, I get to combine my favorite things. We read books together and they write stories with me. (They tell me what to write and I type.) Before Christmas, they helped put out my nutcracker collection by standing on my kitchen counters and putting them on top of the cabinets. OSHA would not approve, but they had fun.

Here's the link to the others participating in the challenge: http://mfrw.blogspot.com/2017/01/2017blogchallenge.html

New Year New Books #NewBooks4Me

Did you get an Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo gift card for Christmas or Hanukkah? Here's a chance to get more for your bucks. The authors listed below (and me) are offering 99 cent books. 

Have you read my book SWITCHED? I have a special place in my heart for this science fiction romance. It was my first published novel. The heroine, Jessie, is such a wise-cracker, especially when she's nervous. Unlike Jessie, I can never think of come backs until hours later.

As if being kidnapped by aliens isn't bad enough, Jessie Wyndom discovers they grabbed her by mistake. She wise cracks past her fear especially when she learns she was part of an experiment separating Terran twins before birth. Her twin just took Jessie's place back in Ann Arbor, Michigan while she gets to twiddle her thumbs on an Alliance of Planets starship. The only good part is the hunky captain. Except. He's so unemotional he could be Mr. Spock's double.

Captain Marcus Viator's well-organized life is turned upside down by the free-spirited female from Earth. Problems with the starship prevent him from returning her to her home. Fate brings them together. Treachery tears them apart. Is their love strong enough to reunite them?

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Have fun and happy reading.

Sign ups for New Year, New Reads Book Blog Hop

1.	Patricia Lynne	7.	Francis Mandewah	13.	Neal Roberts
2.	Tui Snider	8.	Rochelle Campbell	14.	Paige Warren
3.	Christine Rains	9.	Jemima Pett	15.	Kenna McKay
4.	Tyrean A Martinson	10.	Mary Pax	16.	Pembroke Sinclair
5.	A.A. Chamberlynn	11.	Diane Burton	17.	Kandi J Wyatt
6.	Connie B. Dowell	12.	Jessica Coulter Smith	18.	tara tyler

Or return to the source: http://www.patricialynne.com/blog/new-year-new-reads-sign-ups

Have fun, happy reading.

Happy Thanksgiving

It’s too bad many of us only think about what we’re grateful for at Thanksgiving. We should be thankful every day. We live in a land of plenty when people in other parts of the world go hungry, have no homes, no freedoms, and live with fear every day.

As we sit around a table laden with enough food to feed two or three times as many people, we give thanks for our many blessings. Here are a few of mine.

Grandchildren who make me laugh and fill me with good cheer.

Children who’ve grown into responsible, caring adults.

My husband who’s a quiet presence in our home, always supportive, a good man.

A family who takes care of each other.

Friends who love us and care about us.

Our house that shelters us, in a neighborhood of genuinely nice people.

My talent as a writer where I can entertain readers by giving life to the characters in my head.

Supportive writing friends.

Fans who are enjoy my books.

Books that have always been my friends.

My list could go on and on. Even though I mentioned him above, I am most grateful for the man I married 44 years ago on Thanksgiving.

Safe travels to all who will be on the road this week. 

What are you grateful for?

Showers

April showers bring May flowers—or so the saying goes. While I can’t wait for the flowers, I’m looking forward to another kind of shower. Next weekend, my daughter, granddaughter and I are giving a bridal shower for my niece.

Showers are a tradition when women gather to share in the happiness of one of our own. In our family, we always invite the young girls, too—mostly so they can share in the fun, but also so they’ll know how to carry on the tradition.

I love showers. They’re like birthdays and Christmas rolled into one. There are games that make us laugh and learn more about the newly engaged. And presents. Boy, are there presents! Often the bride-to-be encourages the little girl(s) to “help” open the gifts. We ooh and aah and enjoy the bride-to-be’s enthusiastic thank you’s. We tell her how much use she’ll get out of this appliance or that. We’ll share our experiences using such-and-such.

That’s something women do—share. It’s how we relate to each other. Last year, I blogged about how women are different from men. I shared insights garnered from a workshop done by Eileen Dryer at my writers’ retreat. (If you want to read that blog, click here for the link.) From the beginning of time, women have shared their experiences with one another as a way to help the next generation—at first, for survival then as a method of connecting.

At a bridal shower, we share in the bride-to-be’s joy. When I look at my niece, happiness just seems to radiate from her. When she and her fiancé are together, they look so thoroughly in love. To some, this may sound sappy, but then I write about happy ever after.

Our books, where the romance is essential to the story, usually end with the engagement or at least the declaration of love and promise of a life together. That is just the beginning of a couple’s life together. Those of us who have been married for a while know that marriage isn’t all happiness and bliss. Problems spring up that have to be worked out together. Habits become irritable. Children change the dynamics. Selfishness spells disaster.

Though we know all that we still have great hopes for the newly engaged. Perhaps it’s because we see in them ourselves many, many years ago. We remember how in love we were. I wish there was a device that could capture a moment of pure happiness. Then, in times of trouble, the device would allow a person to “see” that happiness. Oh, wait. We already have that device. It’s called memory.

Next Saturday as I watch friends and relatives share in my niece’s happiness, I’ll remember how happy I was at my own showers. Because life added some weird twists to the journey Hubs and I began forty-plus years ago, that happiness has changed. It’s gotten stronger. I hope my niece will find that to be true for her and her fiancé.

River of Love by Rosanne Bittner

About River of Love {Book 3 ~ Savage Destiny Series}

Zeke Monroe will do anything to protect his Abbie and make sure she is happy, which is why he opts to settle into ranching and build his Abbie-girl a home of her own where they can begin raising a family on the plains of Colorado along the Arkansas River.  But the encroachment of white settlers and its affect on Zeke’s Cheyenne brothers begins to threaten his and his family’s safety, and the paradise he and Abbie find is short-lived.  Still, nothing can kill the devotion these two share toward each other, and it’s love that holds them together through heartbreaking adversity outside their private world.

Excerpt

“Come back to bed, Zeke,” Abbie told him softly.  “You know how I hate storms.  Come and hold me.”

The rain started pelting the roof then, and he came back beside her.  Both were naked, for that was the way they always slept.  … She pulled the buffalo robe over them, snuggling close to him, finding perfect shelter from the storm that frightened her.  She was afraid of nothing when Zeke was beside her.  He was like a rock, indestructible, strong, hard, never afraid.  She lifted her face to his.  Then his lips covered hers and she had no defense against the way he had of enticing her, as if his manliness and his touch were not enough. …
  
River of Love is available on Amazon (Book is exclusive to Amazon)

About Rosanne Bittner

I've been writing for nearly thirty years and to date have had 57 novels published, all about the American West of the 1800's and Native Americans. I write romance, but not the typical bodice-ripping adventures. My stories are deep love stories, often family sagas told as a series. It is the hero and heroine's love that holds them together through the trials and tribulations of settling America's western frontiers. I absolutely love the Rockies, the Tetons, the Sierras, and the wide-open plains, prairies and desert land west of the Mississippi. In my books, I strive to tell the truth about the settling of the West and how it affected our American Indians, as well as the gritty depth of what our brave pioneers suffered in their search for free land and a better life.

I am a member of the Nebraska and Oklahoma Historical Societies, my local southwest Michigan historical society, Women Writing the West, Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America (treasurer) and the national RWA, and a local charity group called the Coloma Lioness Club. I help run a family business and love doing things with my three young grandsons. If you visit my web site atwww.rosannebittner.com, where all my titles are listed as well as a page that lists all my many writing awards; or you can visit me on Facebook. At either site you will learn news of new books to come as well as reprints of many of my past titles soon to be published in trade paperback and as e-books! I also have an author site at Amazon.com.

 Rosanne's Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The Pilot Launch Tour

Stop #6 on The Pilot Launch Tour

 

 

Today I'm at Mara Jacob's blog talking about

 

The Call to Adventure

http://www.marajacobs.com/blog.html

 

Read an excerpt from The Pilot

For a chance to win a FREE copy of The Pilot check out:

http://lauries-interviews.blogspot.com/p/christmas-wishes-blog-hop-dec-7-13.html

Meantime, here's a little bit about The Pilot:

There’s no place like home . . . and he just confiscated hers.

Forced to use her starship as collateral to replace stolen cargo, pilot Celara d’Enfaden risks losing everything if she fails to deliver the goods. Her ship is the home she never had as a child.

Determined to bring order to the frontier, rule-bound official Trevarr Jovano refuses to tolerate those who disrespect the law. So when an indie pilot refuses to obey, he seizes her ship and cargo.

The only thing Celara cares about more than her ship is her brother. To rescue him from the clutches of a galactic gangster, she’ll even join forces with Trevarr who is bent on avenging his wife’s murder.

The Pilot is available at Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

The Pilot Launch Tour

Stop #5 on The Pilot Launch Tour

Today I'm at Nancy Jardine's blog talking about

Villains

What villains do you love to hate?

 http://nancyjardine.blogspot.com/2012/12/talking-about-villains.html

Read a new excerpt from The Pilot

The Pilot Launch Tour

Friday, Dec. 7: Villains at He Said, She Said 

Tuesday, Dec. 11: Call to Adventure at Mara Jacobs' Blog

Thursday, Dec. 19: at Lynn Cahoon's Blog

Check out the  Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop Enter to win a FREE copy of The Pilot.

Also, for another chance at winning a FREE copy of The Pilot check out:

http://lauries-interviews.blogspot.com/p/christmas-wishes-blog-hop-dec-7-13.html

Meantime, here's a little bit about The Pilot:

There’s no place like home . . . and he just confiscated hers.

Forced to use her starship as collateral to replace stolen cargo, pilot Celara d’Enfaden risks losing everything if she fails to deliver the goods. Her ship is the home she never had as a child.

Determined to bring order to the frontier, rule-bound official Trevarr Jovano refuses to tolerate those who disrespect the law. So when an indie pilot refuses to obey, he seizes her ship and cargo.

The only thing Celara cares about more than her ship is her brother. To rescue him from the clutches of a galactic gangster, she’ll even join forces with Trevarr who is bent on avenging his wife’s murder.

The Pilot is available at Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble 

The Pilot Launch Tour

Stop #4 on The Pilot Launch Tour

Today I'm at Star-Crossed Romance talking about

"Sidekicks, Buddies and BFFs"

http://www.star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/2012/12/guest-diane-burton.html

Read a different excerpt from The Pilot

The Pilot Launch Tour

December 4 - 9: Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop
(enter for a chance to win a copy of The Pilot)
Wednesday, Dec. 5: Sidekicks, Buddies & BFFs at Star-Cross Romance

Friday, Dec. 7: Villains at He Said, She Said 

Tuesday, Dec. 11: Call to Adventure at Mara Jacobs' Blog

Thursday, Dec. 19: at Lynn Cahoon's Blog

Also, check out the  Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop Enter to win a FREE copy of The Pilot.

Meantime, here's a little bit about The Pilot:

There’s no place like home . . . and he just confiscated hers.

Forced to use her starship as collateral to replace stolen cargo, pilot Celara d’Enfaden risks losing everything if she fails to deliver the goods. Her ship is the home she never had as a child.

Determined to bring order to the frontier, rule-bound official Trevarr Jovano refuses to tolerate those who disrespect the law. So when an indie pilot refuses to obey, he seizes her ship and cargo.

The only thing Celara cares about more than her ship is her brother. To rescue him from the clutches of a galactic gangster, she’ll even join forces with Trevarr who is bent on avenging his wife’s murder.

The Pilot is available at Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble 

The Pilot Launch Tour

Stop #3 on The Pilot Launch Tour

Follow me to New Zealand where I'm at Anne Ashby's blog

Why I Write Science Fiction Romance

http://www.anneashby.com/guest-diane-burton/

Read a new excerpt from The Pilot

The Pilot Launch Tour

Tuesday, Dec. 4: Why I Write Sci-Fi Rom at Anne Ashby's

(this actually starts Monday evening since she's in New Zealand)

December 4 - 9: Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop
(enter for a chance to win a copy of The Pilot)
Wednesday, Dec. 5: Sidekicks, Buddies & BFFs at Star-Cross Romance

Friday, Dec. 7: Villains at He Said, She Said 

Also, check out the  Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop Enter to win a FREE copy of The Pilot.

Meantime, here's a little bit about The Pilot:

There’s no place like home . . . and he just confiscated hers.

Forced to use her starship as collateral to replace stolen cargo, pilot Celara d’Enfaden risks losing everything if she fails to deliver the goods. Her ship is the home she never had as a child.

Determined to bring order to the frontier, rule-bound official Trevarr Jovano refuses to tolerate those who disrespect the law. So when an indie pilot refuses to obey, he seizes her ship and cargo.

The only thing Celara cares about more than her ship is her brother. To rescue him from the clutches of a galactic gangster, she’ll even join forces with Trevarr who is bent on avenging his wife’s murder.

The Pilot is available at Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble 

Meet Tracy Brogan

I’m so happy to introduce you to a fellow Mid-Michigan RWA chapter member and debut author, Tracy Brogan. Tracy is a two-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist. This prestigious contest is for unpublished writers and finaling often leads to publishing contracts, as Tracy well knows.

Welcome, Tracy. Please tell us about yourself.

Thanks for inviting me to visit your blog, Diane! It’s a pleasure to be here. I am a two-time RWA Golden Heart® finalist who writes fun and breezy stories about ordinary people finding extraordinary love, and also stirring historical romance full of political intrigue, damsels causing distress, and the occasional man in a kilt.  As a Michigan native, I’m one of those people who points to the palm of my hand to show where I live.  I have one bemused husband, two very dramatic daughters, and two dogs, one of which is brilliant, the other of which is not-so-very brilliant.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I didn’t choose writing. Writing chose me, and I’ve done it all my life. I dabbled with historical manuscripts on and off for years but when my youngest daughter started school I realized it was time to get serious. I wrote my first book that year and it was the first one I’d actually completed. It debuted on October 23^rd, but it went through a lot of changes and I encountered a lot of growing pains as a writer while working to get it published. And it’s contemporary. I never imagined I’d write a contemporary. I’m not sure where it came from.

How long does it take you to write a book?

There is much banging of the head against the desk when I am writing, and an inordinate amount of “pre-thinking.” I am a plotter of the highest order and cannot start writing until I know my characters thoroughly. When I finally start getting things on “paper” I can write pretty fast but the weeks (months!) leading up to that are agony. Those people who can sit down and draft a novel in a couple of weeks – without knowing the ending first – those people make me want to throw myself down an open elevator shaft. I am jealous of their ability.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Think about writing.

LOL I know what you mean. What does your family think of your writing?

My family is incredibly supportive. Last weekend I went to hotel alone, just me and my laptop, to get some writing done and my husband took care of the kids. He’s more excited about my books getting published than I am! Well, maybe not more, but equally excited. And my kids will get off the school bus and say, “What was your word count today, Mom?” because they know if I met my goal, everyone will have a more pleasant evening!

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve completed two, CRAZY LITTLE THING, which just got released, and HIGHLAND SURRENDER, which comes out December 4th. I’m currently finishing up HOLD ON MY HEART, another romantic comedy, which is scheduled for release in June, 2013.  It’s so hard to say which is a favorite! SURRENDER lived in my head for more years than I care to admit. CRAZY is the book that got me an agent and a publisher. And HEART is the one I’m immersed in now, so I love them all equally even though they each mean something different to me.

What do you think makes a good story?

I want to be engaged with the characters emotions. I don’t care if there are bombs blowing up, a mystery to be solved, a werewolf to tame, I want to know how the characters FEEL. A simple exchange between two characters sitting at a coffee shop can be just as riveting to me as a chase scene as long as I can “see” what they’re feeling. Donald Maas has this great explanation (and I’m paraphrasing) but he says when your character is being chased by a panther, it’s not the chase that has your attention. It’s the tension.  And a good writer can create tension with just about anything as long as the character has a reason to feel it.

What is the best part of writing for you?

I adore brainstorming a new story. That’s the most fun part. But the most satisfying part so far has been typing The End and sending my story off to my editor. This has been a huge year of ‘first times’ for me so each part is exciting. I got my first ARC’s (Advanced Reading Copy) and my first reviews and had my first release day. It’s all good right now. I feel VERY lucky.

What are some jobs you've done that would end up in a book?

My husband is an emergency medicine physician and so is the hero in my book. This being the case, I cannot convince my husband that the hero is not based on him. I can assure you, though, the job is where the similarity ends. <g> 

What two authors would we find you reading when taking a break from your own writing?

Oh, I can’t pick just two because it depends on what kind of mood I’m in. So I’m going to cheat and list a bunch. Kristin Higgins and Jennie Crusie are my probably my two favorite contemporary writers. Reading a Higgins book feels like visiting old friends. You just know you’re going to laugh and have a good time.

For historical writers, my new favorite is Cecelia Grant. Her voice is so bold and confident and original. I’d like to live inside one of her books. I also think Joanna Bourne has an incredible talent for creating a deep point-of-view from the character. I’m always immersed in her world when I read her books. And Kieran Kramer is another recent find for me. Her books are so fun and clever with just the right combination of light and depth. I’ll stop there but I have several more authors I adore.

Tell us about your latest book.

I have a dual-personality. My debut novel, CRAZY LITTLE THING, is pure, beachy-read fun. Here's the blurb:

If Sadie Turner is good at anything, it’s putting stuff in order. So when she finds her “perfect” life in disarray, she hopes a summer vacation at her aunt’s lake house will help her piece it back together. She wants to relax, reboot, and heal the wounds left by her cheating ex-husband. And that requires time away from men. All men. 


Or so she thinks. 

With two slobbering dogs and two cousins living there—one a flamboyant decorator intent on making over Sadie—it’s hard to get a moment’s peace at eccentric Aunt Dody’s house, especially with everyone so determined to set her up with Desmond, the sexy new neighbor. 

Desmond is Sadie’s worst nightmare. Tall, tanned, muscular…and to top it off, he’s great with her kids. But he must have a flaw—he’s a man—so Sadie vows to keep her distance.

CRAZY LITTLE THING is available digitally and in print at Amazon:
http://amzn.com/1612186009

My historical, HIGHLAND SURRENDER, has more depth and the plot is significantly more complex. I love writing in both genres because while writing contemporary, I can exorcise my sense of humor (yes, I do mean exorcise as opposed to exercise J) but my natural writing voice leans more toward historical. Plus I adore history. 

BLURB:

To seal a fragile truce, Fiona Sinclair’s brothers trade her in marriage to their sworn enemy. Though devastated by their betrayal, she has little choice in the matter, for if she refuses, her innocent young sister must take her place. The spirited Fiona is willing to sacrifice her freedom to protect her kin, but she vows never to surrender her heart. 

As the eldest son of a clan chief, Myles Campbell is accustomed to having his own way. But when the king of Scotland commands he wed a defiant Highland lass instead of a French mademoiselle, Myles must obey his royal duty. Meeting his bride for the first time on their wedding day, he is pleased to discover the lass is a beauty, but she quickly proves she’d just as soon kill him as kiss him.

When two such warrior spirits collide, sparks fly, igniting a fiery passion that strains against the bonds of family honor, clan loyalty— and the ultimate surrender—love.

HIGHLAND SURRENDER will be available digitally and in print on December 4th: http://amzn.com/1612186963

My latest book, HOLD ON MY HEART, blends history into a contemporary setting. It’s the story of a career-driven woman who loses her job and her fair-weather boyfriend and has to move back in with her parents. She agrees to help her father realize his dream of opening a vintage ice cream parlor in an old, abandoned one-room schoolhouse. Enter a sexy historical building restoration specialist who is estranged from his pre-teen daughter and you have the set up for a history lesson in good, old-fashioned romance! HOLD ON MY HEART will be released in June, 2013.

Where can readers find you?

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTracyBrogan

http://www.tracybrogan.com/

Amazon author page

Tracy has graciously offered to give away a copy of either CRAZY LITTLE THING or HIGHLAND SURRENDER to one lucky commenter. Be sure to leave your email address.

Thanks so much for being here, Tracy. Much success on both your books.