The Gift

In keeping with the spirit of the season, I've collected some short stories from several writing friends. I will be posting them through out the next two weeks. They range from funny to touching. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

My guest today is Rand Phares. I've read many of his stories and love them. I want to share one he wrote last year entitled:

The Gift.

Abbot Timothy and Brother Samuel stood just inside the main doors of the monastery, swirling snow filling the dark night around them.

Samuel adjusted his hood and leaned closer to the abbot. "Are you sure you don't want me to wait for you?"

The abbot shook his head. "No, Samuel. I have one last chore before I can leave. I'll be along shortly, before the town road becomes impassable. You go on ahead before they've run out of room at the inn."

Samuel frowned and peered across the courtyard at the monastery's church, its windows lit with a wavering glow. "A pity it's come to this, after all our years of service."

The abbot laid a hand on Samuel's chest. "Though the abbeys are being dissolved and we're being evicted, you can always hold to your faith and continue that service here, in your heart." He turned to the doors, slid aside a wooden bar, and—with Samuel's help—tugged the doors open.

Samuel adjusted his robe. "You're sure you won't come with me?”

The abbot nodded. "Go."

Samuel went through the doorway, hesitated for a moment, then continued on, his dark form melting into the storm. A moment later, drifting snow covered his footprints and it was as if he'd never been there.

The abbot shook his head. The king's decree had arrived a week ago: The Order was dissolved, its members to renounce their ways and leave the monastery no later than Christmas Eve. Tonight. The monastery, its grounds, and its treasures would revert to the people. Even now, two of the king's men were in the counting room, reviewing the monastery's records.

One by one, the monasteries of the land were being dissolved, taken over by local governments, monies and lands distributed to those in power. Monks had been expelled, left to fend for themselves, which meant hardship and death more often than not. Friendship toward fellow man seemed to have dissolved in the face of hard times and the king's decree.

As abbot, he would be the last to leave. How had the others fared? Emanuel, the infirmarian? Ethan, the sacrist? What of the troubled brothers, especially James, gifted with a lyre, but unable to form a single sentence?

Where would he himself go? He had no family, no friends outside the monastery. Would he simply starve, sharing the same fate as the others? After all this time surrounded by these walls, he did not look forward to leaving. The king's decree guaranteed a lonely, destitute, and painful end beyond the monastery.

He shut and barred the doors, then turned and looked at the church, at the rise of its steeple. Was its symbolic gesture toward heaven still meaningful in these times? Across the length of the roof sat the silent bell tower, oddly enough even taller than the steeple. He knew it spoke of a long-ago time when the monastery—sitting atop a two-hundred foot cliff overlooking a great road—had served as a lookout against enemy hordes sweeping in from the north.

He stared at the bell tower until his eyes stung.

So lonely . . .

So high . . .

So . . .

Painful? Perhaps not.

The tower stared down at him.

Will you follow the path the king has set down for you? Or is there another?

He blinked, rubbed his eyes with icy fingers, and looked back at the barred doors.

The king's path lay beyond.

He stared at the doors for a long moment. Then, his mind made up, he crossed himself, turned away, and trudged off through the snow toward the church.

Snow had piled against the great door leading into the church, and the door complained as the abbot struggled to open it. He stepped into the front nave, escaping the storm, but not the bone-wearying cold.

With the door shut behind him, he made his way toward the choir at the back of the church, eyes adjusting to the thin light of candles burning in side chapels. A statue of the Saviour seemed to shift slightly in the flickering light as he neared. He crossed himself and started off toward the dark door near the east transept; the door that led to the bell tower.

He reached for the door's latch, but a coughing sound stopped him. He turned and found a robed figure sitting in the choir pews. Why had he not noticed? Wasn't everyone supposed to be gone by now? This was certainly not one of the king's tallymen, with their fine purple tunics.

"Can I help you?" the abbot asked.

The figure stood and tossed back his hood. A thin young man, dark hair, bearded, but not someone the abbot recognized.

"Are you Abbot Timothy?" the man asked.

"Yes. And you are . . . ?"

"Forgive me, abbot. I'm Sebastian. Innkeeper Thomas sent me with a sack of food for your journey." He held up a dark bag. "Some mutton, cheese, a small flask of wine."

The abbot looked at the bag. "That's quite kind of Thomas. And kind of you, of course, for bringing it here in this storm. Tell me, how did you get in? We keep the main gate locked."

"I slipped in when one of the brothers was leaving."

"I see." The abbot gestured toward the bag. "Well, thank Thomas for me."

He put a hand on the latch beside him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to extinguish the chapel candles before I leave. You'd better let yourself out and return to the inn before you become stranded."

"The snow is blowing very hard. You've no fear of being stranded yourself?"

The abbot glanced at the latch in his hand, then back at Sebastion. "I won't be long. You'd best not wait."

"That door leads to the bell tower?"

"Yes.”

"Are there many candles in the tower?"

The abbot frowned. He opened his mouth to reply, but Sebastian waved a hand. "Forgive my impertinence, abbot."

He looked around at the statuary and tapestries. "It's a pity the church is being stripped of its treasures. But isn't it a greater travesty that the countryside is being stripped of its faith?"

The abbot sighed. Would this young man not leave? "Yes, it's true, what you say about the country. But when I step outside these walls, the king says I'm no longer a man of God. So my days of worrying about the country's faith are over."

"That may be, but what about your vow of service to Our Lord? True faith is difficult to drive from a man's heart, even in the face of kingly decrees."

Sebastian nodded at the tower door. "Are you like the countryside, abbot? Have you been stripped of your faith?"

• The abbot blinked. Had he?

Sebastian laid a hand above his heart. "In spite of what the king says, you can always hold to your faith and continue that service in your heart."

The abbot stared at Sebastian. How did he . . . ?

Sebastian set the bag on a pew and looked up at the window. "It seems the snow has finally stopped. That should make your journey easier."

He looked back at the abbot. "One last word of advice, though." He smiled and nodded at the tower door. "Be careful putting the candles out up in the belfry. It's sure to be slippery up there, and I hear it's a long drop to the road below."

With that, Sebastian turned and walked up the nave, pausing only to cross himself at the statue of the Saviour. A moment later the shadows of the front nave swallowed him. In the snow-encased quiet of the church, the great door was particularly loud when it closed.

The abbot's gaze returned to the statue.

A thin bearded face, arms outstretched, a crown of thorns. From this angle, the candlelight made it look as if the statue stared back at him.

###

Abbot Timothy pushed open the great church door and took in the courtyard and the far shadow of the main gate. The young man had left the church after the storm died, but a silent mantle of white lay unbroken in all directions. And the air was still, wind no longer blowing snow across any newly laid footprints.

What was the hour? Was it Christmas yet?

He lifted the bag. Mutton, cheese, wine. A Christmas gift, perhaps?

He stared out at the night, and thought of the young man's words.

All of them.

And decided those had been the real gift this night.

Then, with a last glance back across the nave at the distant bell tower door, he shouldered the bag and walked out of the church. Heading toward the gate, the abbot was secure in the feeling that wherever the young man had gone, he was following.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT CHRISTMAS SHORT STORIES, YOU LIKE?

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Rand Phares's first foray into writing was at an early age, on a neighborhood "newspaper" he published with his brother. After a successful career in software engineering, he now focuses on psychological thrillers, and is within nanoseconds of completing his first novel, The Feast. Rand lives in NC with his family.

The Giddy, Joyous Feeling Of Being A Romance Author

Normally I have blogs set up to run Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. This week has been different. I hope I'm not confusing you. :-) Next week will be back to normal, I promise.

So why am I tossing in different blog days this week and confusing the heck out of you? Well, it's simple really.

I really wanted to have Amelia Grey as a guest on Over Coffee and the only day she had available was Tuesday.

I love reading Amelia's books and I like her attitude about writing romance. She loves what she does and does it well. So I worked with her schedule to be able to have her here.

I have many romance writers here, Over Coffee, but I was curious what Amelia's favorite part of writing romance.

You know me, if I want to know something, I ask.




I was asked to write about my favorite part of being a romance author. That is certainly easy for me to answer because I absolutely love writing, and I’m thrilled to be a published author. I’m happy to say that romance is the only thing I want to write.

It’s difficult to choose just one favorite part of being a romance author, but I have no problem admitting that I get this giddy, joyous feeling deep inside me the first time I see a copy my latest book with my name on it. When I first started writing, I really thought that after I’d published a few books, three, five, or even fifteen books the feeling would start to wane, or at least, that I wouldn’t be so eager to get my hands on the finished book that I’d get butterflies in my stomach, but guess what? That hasn’t happened.

My twentieth book, A Marquis To Marry, which is the second book in the Rogues’ Dynasty Series has just hit the shelves, and I was like a school girl waiting for a birthday present. I couldn’t wait for the first copy to arrive at my door. When my authors’ copies arrive, I grab a copy with my hot little hands, and run all over the house saying, “It’s here! It’s here! Come see it!” My family usually lets me do that for about ten seconds, and then they bring me back down to earth.

Another favorite part of being a romance author is that I love the creative part of thinking up the characters. I have an incredible excitement about my work. I look forward to going to the computer each morning and letting my imagination take flight with characters, conflicts, and emotional drama. I enjoy the control I have in creating a book from start to finish. I like the fact that in “this world” I get to decide the color of everyone’s hair and eyes. I get to give them their names, their personalities and their quirks and faults. I decide who the bad guy is going to be and what the intrigue is going to be about. I mean it doesn’t get any better than that.

I like working out their character traits. Who will be impulsive and who will be a neat-freak. Who will play by the rules and who will break them? Working out all these kinds of things is tremendous amount of fun for me, and I love the complete and total control.

An example of this in A Marquis To Marry, the second book in The Rogues’ Dynasty Series, I had to make sure that while the book kept the same tone as I had in the first book, I needed the hero and heroine in the second book to be completely different. In the first book of the series, A Duke To Die For, which is still available at local and online bookstores, the hero’s life is chaotic and undisciplined so I gave him a young, innocent heroine who was and orderly and stable. In A Marquis To Marry, I had to do something entirely different so I made the hero fun-loving and carefree. I gave him a heroine who was a widow his own age and of a serious nature.

I also love it when I hear from a fan that they loved my book or a particular character or scene in one of my books—so maybe that’s my favorite part—pleasing my readers and fans.

As you can see it’s difficult to talk about just one favorite part of being a romance author.

So why don’t you tell me what is your favorite part of a romance book: the meeting, the break-up, or the making up and getting back together?


A Marquis to Marry
Book Two in the Rogues’ Dynasty Trilogy
In Stores October 2009

Alexander Mitchell Raceworth, the dashing fourth Marquis of Raceworth, is shocked when the alluring young Duchess of Brookfield accuses him of stealing priceless pearls belonging to her family. Susannah Brookfield is the most beautiful, enchanting woman he has ever met, but despite his attraction, he's not about to hand over the pearls.

Though suspicion and mistrust drive them apart when the pearls are stolen, Race suggests they pool their resources to recover them. If they do find them, will they finally be able to give in to love, or will the truth of the elusive necklace tear them apart once and for all?

Two of Amelia Grey's books, A Duke To Die For, and A Marquis To Marry, will be awarded to two commenters on todays blog. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you.

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Amelia Grey’s awards include the Booksellers Best and the Aspen Gold, and as Gloria Dale Skinner, the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Her books have been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs. Happily married for twenty-five years, she lives in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Amelia's Website

Circle Of Friends and Diane Wolfe

My guest is an inspirational author, Diane Wolfe, who has created an intriguing series called Circle of Friends; a five-book Southern-based series portrays love and friendship overcoming all obstacles.

What intrigues me is her ability to get into the heads of her young characters in such a way that both old and young can enjoy the story. Connect emotionally with the characters and find inspiration as well.


Her stories, like Diane herself, are positive and uplifting. The series focuses on friendships—love between friends, fulfilling your dreams, and how to overcome problems, as well as the challenges all face, but especially teens and young adults.

Having a teen and seeing his close connection with some his friends made me appreciate how Diane presents the problems these young men and women face. I have several nieces and nephews I’m close to who are in their early twenties. I’ve watched and listened as my son as well as his cousins’ talk of problems they’ve had and how they’ve tried to resolve them. Sometimes asking for guidance, sometimes not. Many times they only want a listening ear. They, like us, rely on a circle of friends to give support and advice. Some things aren’t easy to solve, or forgive, regardless of your age and have lasting impact on our lives.

Such is the case with Mike Taylor, the young protagonist in Book IV of Diane’s Circle Of Friends series.

What if a decision compromised your spiritual values?

What if a past mistake went against your very moral foundation?

Could you live with the guilt?

Mike Taylor is the epitome of stability. His family is proud of his academic and athletic achievements at Georgia Tech, and despite the temptations of college life, he has maintained his moral standards. Yet beneath the peaceful surface, Mike is consumed with guilt, fearing condemnation and rejection. A former girlfriend’s abortion and the intense love he feels for his roommate’s wife constantly remind Mike of his failures. Unable to forget and full of shame, he refuses to forgive himself.

When Danielle enters his life, he realizes he can no longer hide the past. Will she be able to reach him or is Mike past the point of redemption?

Book Trailer on YouTube

My Thoughts:

Mike is a good friend, just not good friends with himself. He has his moments of laughter and fun, he cares deeply about his friends (if you’ve read the other stories you see another side of Mike), and has a code of honor. Faith if you will.

At times I wanted to smack him, which is nothing new when dealing with males and young ones in particular (I grew up with seven, very Celtic and southern brothers full of attitude, lol!). There were points in the story I wanted to tell him, get over it for goodness sakes and come out of your miasma of negativity.

Then I reminded myself that the young are harder on themselves than anyone else can be. Life is more black and white with little gray area. I think the gray tends to develop as experience does. Guilt is tough regardless of the age, but young ones Mike’s age, don’t have the life experience yet to put things into perspective and this is what the story is about. Dealing with the blows life hands out, putting them into perspective and making sense of them so you can live life to the full. About moving past mistakes and growth as a person.

Mike is very realistic as a character. Diane did a good job getting into the mind of someone consumed with guilt. She understands males are just as deeply affected by problems of life and emotional issues, as females, but being males they are supposed to be all stoic and tough. They still have to process things emotionally to grow. Some, like Mike, feel things very deeply, especially when they feel they’ve compromised their moral code.

When he meets Danielle he learns about acceptance and forgiveness. Danielle is the perfect foil for him. She’s full of spunk and has a positive attitude. I like how the two of them are together. Danielle is my kind of girl.

This story is by no means negative. It’s a good story about finding inner peace and forgiveness. It touches the heart.

Those that have followed this series will no doubt love this one told in Mike’s point of view and how resolves his guilt and how he faces his future with hope.

“Book IV…Mike is such a powerful, engrossing, incredible, beautiful novel. But it still manages to be light hearted, funny and heart felt. There is real emotion and real people in these pages…”

-The Book Pedler -

I had the chance to ask Diane a few questions about Book IV:

• What's special about your hero? What made you choose Mike?
  
  Each book in The Circle of Friends follows one of the friends. Mike was briefly mentioned at the end of Book I, but in Book II, he became a central character. His internal struggle with guilt became the focal point of Book IV. He does not possess the strength and leadership of Jason or the survivor instincts of James. Mike is an average young man whose life would’ve been easy and simple if not for one major mistake in his past. And while this slip of character would’ve bothered anyone, Mike’s firm spiritual beliefs cause the incident to haunt him.
  
  Guilt is a feeling of which many suffer. Our inability to let go of the past and forgive ourselves can seriously hinder our future. The stronger our moral convictions, the more difficult it becomes to move on with our lives. I wanted to explore this situation with Mike and follow the process of healing.
  
  What was the most fun about writing this story?
  
  The central location for Book IV was a lot of fun, as I used to live in Albuquerque, NM. Those four years of my life were special, so I enjoyed exploring old haunts and new adventures through Mike and Danielle.
  
  The books in this series overlap as they move forward in time, so it’s equally delightful to show the progress of the characters from the first three stories. Readers who grow attached to the other characters will continue receiving glimpses into their lives. Until the last page of Book V, their stories never really end!
  
  What was the hardest to write?
  
  Nothing in this book presented a real challenge, although I had to really stretch with the character of Danielle. I’m a feisty redhead as well, but Danielle’s life is very different from my own. I also had to balance some tough social issues with a strong spiritual theme.
  
  My biggest challenge with this series came with Book V’s Heather! The complete opposite of me, it was difficult to get into the head of someone so driven and dominating.

• What is your greatest challenge as an author and how do you deal with it?
  
  I’m not with a really big publisher, so exposure is always an issue. My books aren’t displayed front and center in bookstores and the media isn’t pounding at my door for interviews. My books don’t contain vampires, so I’m not flowing with a trend. So it’s an internal battle of frustration and envy sometimes.

Every author has his or her niche and I try to focus on that instead. My books have a unique place and audience, and I do not compromise my values just to sell more books or gain attention. I simply focus on what I do well!

• When will your next book be published? Can you tell me a bit about it?
  

Book V wraps up this series and is due out March 16, 2010. Heather has just earned her master’s degree at Duke and taken an assistant coaching job at Clemson. She’s also dealing with annoying player, an incompetent sister, and a parent dying of cancer.

It was the most difficult of the series, too! Heather is one tough cookie, and by Book II, it’s difficult to even like her. I had to take a character who is dominating, selfish, and often not a nice person and through the course of the story, explain the reasons for her negative personality and the decisions she’s made in life. Since each book follows two main characters, I had to incorporate a difficult and flawed male lead as well, and the two butt heads often. Think clash of the titans! However, the resulting story is incredibly powerful and will be a great sendoff of the series.

Thank you Diane for visiting with us Over Coffee and giving us some insights in this delightful series.

You can visit Diane http://www.spunkonastick.net/ or http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/

Wolfe is the author of a young adult series entitled The Circle of Friends. It follows a group of sports-minded couples through relationships, college and into their early careers. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, these books have been described as “encouragement personified”. This series feature morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. The stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything. Many of today’s young adult novels are salacious & controversial and glorify frequent sexual activity, negative attitudes, and deviant behavior. Wolfe’s series focuses on wholesome and uplifting stories that are suitable for adults and teens alike.

Wolfe’s other upcoming title, “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, is an inspirational self-help book. The author has tied all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package! Seven other authors also contribute to this title, which features the five keys to success and summary points for each chapter.

Known as “Spunk On A Stick”, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars on promoting, leadership and goal setting. Ten years associating with a motivation training system and her experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principles. The author offers her seminars through community colleges, organizations and clubs. Wolfe travels the East Coast extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements. She averages over one hundred appearances each year, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, and contribute articles for several other sites. She also does characterization sessions for schools and speaks to writer’s groups.

She began writing as a teenager and was inspired to return by the adage that everyone needs “something to hope for and someone to love”. The author loves people, and her optimism is fueled by her spunky, sanguine personality. Wolfe does not believe in the word impossible and is willing to do whatever it takes to spread the message of hope found within her series. A Christian and a vegetarian, Wolfe enjoys sports and has a passion for roller coasters. Growing up in Salem, Oregon, the author now resides North Carolina with her husband and two cats. She is self-employed and a professional photographer.

A Chest Full Of Treasures

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will.” George Bernard Shaw


I'd like to welcome my friend, Adina Pelle, to Over Coffee. Adina is a debut author of Ghost Words And Other Echoes. A book that New York Bestselling author, Warren Adler, calls "A true exploration of a woman's emotional and erotic life."

Ghost Words is a wonderful collection of short stories based on Adina's philosophical and geographic wanderings through life, and as a way to make sense of the many echoes of her memories. It's beautifully written and almost poetic in her use of imagery and the rhythm of her words.

Adina discusses what made her decide to write these thoughts down and then publish them. Her journey, so to speak.


I bow, like a pauper, before a chest full of treasures in front of all the writers and their books, with all their marvelous characters enchanting my imagination from an early age. Just like the small and insignificant creek later becomes the mighty Mississippi, the books I read and loved as a child started with a gentle prick to my imagination and blossomed in the splendor of my intellect later in life, especially when I started fancying the idea of being a writer myself. And honestly, as I type the word “writer” now, the surrealism of the concept makes me stop and scratch my head.

As I remember, when I was a kid, besides being extremely weird, imaginary friends and all, I hated going to sleep at night. I was absolutely convinced that everything remotely interesting in the world must happen after I go to sleep. It made perfect sense since life was boring and annoying during the day. Nobody liked chores or, creamed spinach, or scary Miss Chloe with her ugly mole on her chin flunking everybody in her chemistry class, so the way my mind rationalized it, all the fun things must be happening during the night.

Thirty or so years later, I maintain the same philosophy even though I do not mind creamed spinach now and Miss Chloe is but a vague memory. I don’t sleep at night and instead I wander around the house trying to look busy and efficient. Intellectually efficient at least as I usually write my stories at night...

And seriously, the story of my coming out from the folds of being a lonely insomniac and becoming a writer, packs in slightly more than lack of sleep.

I embarked on this road mostly by mistake: out of sheer boredom and some selfish therapeutic need to stare at my thoughts on paper or relive memories long buried away in my middle-aged cortex. This way I thought I spared my husband or my therapist, who, between you, me and the internet shivered every time I walked into his office, the agony of listening to my ramblings and trying to fix me.

I remember the face and calm voice of my shrink while pointing out an escape into fiction as a possible panacea to all my psychological distress and boredom, be that through reading or writing.

So, immediately following that session, I went home and stared for a couple of minutes at a blank page. Soon, I managed to put some order in the chaos of my thoughts and I was flabbergasted with the result. I wrote a short essay on the art of living and I could not get enough of the sight of my own words, orderly and rather coherently lined up against the white screen of my laptop.

From that point on, the monster I created needed to be fed. My entire life has been a social and geographic pilgrimage and it didn’t take long for me to realize my true self revolved around my travels and my imagination.

Born in the same town the roman poet Ovid lived his last years and died I came to be inspired by the written word and its power from a very early age. Ovid’s Metamorphosis was always on my desk even if for a couple of years his words made little to no sense to me.

George Bernard Shaw once said, “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will.”

So there you have it. I quickly realized how I lived my entire life with the secret hope of learning the words of the universal language of human expression. How everything I did and do now starts with words and returns to being words after reaching their destination.

Just like a perfect storm, with all the details of my chagrin into place, I slowly became a committed translator of my very own and different perceptions of reality.


It is a tough road to travel. I am aware of it and I am fully expecting disappointment alongside success, but the way I see it, any disappointment, any amount of it at any point in time is preferable to a life of error.

What do you think? How have books opened worlds to you? How do they shape your perceptions of the world?


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Adina Pelle was born in Constanta, the same town the roman poet Ovid lived his last years and died. Ovid’s Metamorphosis ignited her love for the written word from a very early age.

As a lonely and rather peculiar child, she was engulfed in books most of her free time. From Russian, British, French literature, love, pain, and social justice became reflected through an astonishing amount of reading.

She lived in many places all over the world before moving permanently to USA twenty years ago. This pilgrimage gave her a unique perception of the world.

She worked for years in the Art business managing Art Galleries in Philadelphia, Chicago and Pittsburgh and later became a business analyst for an insurance company. As a result, when crafting her stories she combines the dispassionate attitude of a scientist with the sensitivity and psychological understanding of an artist.

She now lives in Connecticut with her husband Stan.

You can read an excerpt: adinapelle.com.

Visit Adina's Blog: http://blog.adinapelle.com/

Why I Came Back To Harlequin

~Sia McKye~

I have to be honest; I stopped reading most Harlequins some years ago. The stories had become trite and tired—outdated if you will. How many stories can you read about Tycoons, Sheiks, Millionaires, Nurses, Females too stupid to live, or surprise babies without getting bored. Where were the sassy, independent women? The hot realistic heroes that made you go, Whoa, yah baby! Realistic stories that fit today’s women? Where were the meaty stories with a sizzle?

Let me give you the reason I returned to reading Harlequin this past eighteen months: authors like Tawny Weber, Samantha Hunter, Alison Kent, Gena Showalter, Susan Gable, Holly Jacobs, Rhonda Nelson, Diana Duncan, and Brenda Joyce. Anyone of these authors, in my opinion, regardless of the particular imprint with Harlequin they write, all tell involving stories, characters that act and react realistically, good storylines, well-paced enjoyable stories. Even those that write for the lighter end have well-thought and entertaining stories. Books that I don’t want to throw across the room and hope they hit the trash can.

Today, I’m talking about two books I’ve recently read that I’ve enjoyed and can recommend reading. An example from two different ends of the spectrum, if you will. Tawny Weber and Brenda Joyce. One is new to me and one is an author I’ve enjoyed reading for some years ( I started with the Bragg Saga and loved the deWarrens).

Tawny writes for Blaze. I enjoy Blaze. They’re fun hot reads. Some are lighter than others, but I’ve really enjoyed Tawny’s. Her latest one was fun, with smart characters, hot without being too blatant (which is why I read very few erotica, but that’s a subject for another blog).

Here’s the blurb for Tawny Weber’s latest book available this month.


Hello, hot blast from the past!

Zoe Gaston needs to unmask a mystery man for work. She also must survive her dreaded high school reunion—and the costume party that opens it. So Zoe, once voted Girl Most Likely to Die a Virgin, comes dressed as a leather-clad dominatrix…whip and all!Her scandalous costume catches a secret lover. He seems so deliciously familiar under his disguise…. He's gotta be her long-ago crush.But Zoe is shocked to discover the sexy body she's been so thoroughly enjoying belongs to Dexter Drake—her oldest friend! And he's hiding something bigger than just his identity….

Dressed to Thrill: The best part of dressing up is taking it off!


Read an excerpt: http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?itemid=20045&cid=416


Now, what captured my interest was the line that said Zoe had been voted the Girl Most Likely To Die A Virgin and then she shows up in a leather-clad dominatrix outfit (funny, my muse wears the same outfit. Wonder if she got hers from Dressed To Thrill Fantasy Shop?) Right away, that whole idea just tickled my funny bone. Now that’s a woman with moxy, lol! My kind of woman. Especially given the last thing Zoe wants to do is go to her High School Reunion.

What intrigued me was she was on a quest to find a mystery man to help her brother—also something I could relate to. Zoe finds that her classmates are still living out their high school glories ten years later and she’s regretting mightily being talked into this adventure. So begins several escapades and a sexy encounter with a hot man in costume that rings all her bells. I won’t spoil it but parts of her story cracked me up and parts made go, ‘Whoa, Yah, you go girl!’ I thoroughly enjoyed Zoe. I have to tell you, I wouldn’t mind going a few rounds with the masked hottie either!


If you haven't checked out Tawny Weber's books, I recommend you search them out. They're well worth it. They can be ordered directly from Harlequin Blaze website: http://www.eharlequin.com/



The second book I enjoyed, is written by Brenda Joyce. She writes a series called The Masters of Time. Definitely a (cue Austin Powers) ‘yah baby’ series. Brenda’s books are paranormal Romance for HQN and about Highland warriors sworn to protect Innocence through the ages... Any who read my blog know I’m a bit partial to Scott warriors, preferably kilted.

The blurb for her latest book, Dark Lover.


Highland Warriors, sworn to protect innocence through the ages...

Ian Maclean’s arrogance hides a terrible secret—for decades he was held prisoner by demons. Not a day goes by that he isn’t tormented by his darkest fears of powerlessness. Now he is about to sell to the highest bidder a page he’s stolen from the Book of Power—if one woman doesn’t stop him.

Every Rose woman has her destiny

Slayer Samantha Rose’s latest mission is to recover the stolen page—and get payback from the only man who’s ever rejected her. What she hasn’t counted on is the raging attraction between them—or her growing realization of what MacLean has survived. As the powers of the evil from his past gather, Sam will do anything to help him—even if it means following him into time and facing his worst nightmares with him...

If you want to read and excerpt: http://mastersoftimebooks.com/excerpts/lover_one.html


I’ve been following the series. It a hot, sensual time travel story about powerful and sexual medieval warrior warriors of old Scotland whose job it is to protect the innocent from demonic forces and evil. These warriors can jump through time to fight their battles and do and in the process meet up with some strong, independent modern women that knock these alpha males for a loop. The warriors are dark with some real emotional hang-ups and have lived hundreds of years battling evil and personal loss. Brenda’s characters are layered and intense, but have a strong sense of honor. Some are at the point of where you aren’t sure they will remain heroes or become the enemy. Enter the smart women that fall for them and the adventures begin.

What I enjoyed about Dark Lover is the combining of disparate characters—at least on the surface. We have Ian MacLean, an intensely private man scarred by unspeakable torture and one who no longer cares about right and wrong, or so he thinks, but is all about looking out for number one. Ian’s strong, definitely alpha male, but he’s also vulnerable. Then you have Samantha Rose, modern day woman and warrior. She’s feisty and smart mouthed and she makes me laugh even in dangerous time. I like her a lot. Sam is a woman sure of her destiny, her strengths, her sexuality and knows how to use it to her advantage. Sam is one of the good ‘guys’. She’s a tough woman and dangerous. She’s also scarred from her past and it because of this she is a slayer. When the two come together it’s sparks and fire all the way. And danger.

Brenda Joyce is a fabulous writer. Her characters complex and three-dimensional and I like that. Her stories have laughter, danger, hot sexual encounters, magic and an engrossing story. Good wins, but not without paying a high cost.

If you haven’t checked out the Masters of Time series, I highly recommend doing so.


Just two reasons why l came back to Harlequin. Do you have any recommendation? Why?

Why do I Write?

My guest is Romantic Suspense author, Elle James. Elle's books have been Romantic Times Top Picks in 2008 and 2009.

As writers we plug away perfecting our writing skills. We query, we work hard for a contract and we want a book out there with our name on it. Not an easy task. But Elle asks a timely question that calls to our motivation for writing and trying to become published. Why do you write? To find the answer we have to look inside. She shares with us why she writes:



When I was a beginning novelist with very little writing experience under my belt I didn’t have a clue where to start or why I wanted to write. I just knew it was something I’d wanted to do for a long time. Sure, I’d written poetry for my family and friends and the occasional skit for the enjoyment of my co-workers, but I didn’t get serious about writing until I joined a writer’s organization that took writing seriously at the end of 1999. I was amazed at how enthusiastic other writers were about their work - writing. Up until then, writing was just something I did when I felt like it and forgot about for the rest of the year.

I met published authors and unpublished authors and wondered about their motivations for writing. Some people wrote as a source of income, others wrote to have an outlet for all the stories in their heads. Still others wrote because it was a challenge to get from the start of the story to the end.

One of the first workshops I attended asked the participants to evaluate their reasons for writing. The statement that resonated with me and has been repeated by many other writers in the industry since was - don’t quit your day job! If you are writing strictly for money, it can be done, but it’s a tough haul. Not many writers can support themselves off the royalties they make, assuming they are fortunate enough to get published.

Needless to say, I was a little discouraged, but not enough to stop me. At the time, I had a good day job making a good salary, so I jumped into learning the business of writing. Soon writing became an obsession and all I could do or think about in my spare time was writing. At work, I’d think about the story waiting for me at home. That great day job became a drag, and I began questioning my desire to earn a real living when I could be starving and doing what I love most—writing!

I eventually did get published, and I did quit my day job and DID take a HUGE cut in pay. And at least annually I ask myself why I write. If I’m on a real downswing in ego and motivation I make a list of all the reasons I write.

It all comes back to the love of telling stories. I write because I have stories bottled up in my head that need to get out. If I didn’t write, I think my head would explode! I write because I like to elicit emotion from the reader, even if the reader is only me. Whether it is humor, sorrow, joy, fear or anger, I like knowing that what I’ve written is felt by the reader. I like that I have a creative outlet that I love and that now I can make a living at—albeit a much more modest living. There is nothing like seeing your book on the shelves, getting emails from your readers saying how much they enjoyed your story, because they GOT IT.

If you’re a beginning writer, or an experienced writer that hasn’t been published yet, or a published writer questioning your reasons for sticking with a business that may or may not pay the bills, you need to get down to the basics and ask yourself:

Why Do I Write?

That simple question may take you from “because it’s cool and fun” to “because it is who I am”.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Elle James always loved playing make-believe and inventing stories of adventure and fun. At the turn of the century, she and her sister, Delilah Devlin decided it was about time to take writing by the horns and make it happen!

They challenged each other to write a romance novel. After chapter one, they decided to join forces and learn the craft together. Their first five novels were co-authored. After that, they took off on their own. Delilah turned to the hot stuff, writing romantica for Ellora's Cave. Elle writes a variety of genres from romantic comedy to suspense. She loves writing paranormal elements into her projects and does whenever possible!

Elle won the 2004 RWA Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance for her manuscript TO KISS A FROG, her first book to sell. Dorchester Publishing released it in March of 2005.

In 2004, Elle left her successful career as an Information Technology Manager to pursue writing full time. She loves escaping into her stories, learning and growing with each character and plot. She writes because she likes to experience and evoke all the emotions from happy to sad, funny to frightening. She digs them all!

At home in Northwest Arkansas, Elle is busy writing tales of murder and suspense for Harlequin Intrigue. With thirteen Intrigues under her belt, she’s still going strong.

Stay tuned for more from Elle James!

Visit Elle at http://www.ellejames.com/