ODDS AND ENDS aka BITS AND PIECES.

Especially after my week!

I seem to have misplaced a blogger or two, or perhaps they’ve misplaced me. Not really surprising with busy life styles and writing deadlines, is it? In today’s busy world there are times we would lose our heads if they weren't conveniently attached (My mom told me that so I know it's gotta be true). 

I’m not sure how your week was but mine has been filled with deadlines, meetings, bureaucracy galore,in other words, chaos. And I seem unable to have a quiet day at home. You know, that free and quiet time so you can reflect, catch up on things, and god forbid, maybe even read?

Yeah, well, not happening here. Hope y’all have had better success with that than me.

Some winners:

Laila won a $10 Amazon gift card at Loucinda McGary’s launch party last Friday.

Jo Wake and Tracy Dent won a copy of The Lady of the Storm by Kathryne Kennedy. I do have your email addys but I will need your physical address to forward to the publisher so the books can be sent to you.

A good book I read recently:

You remember IsabelCooper visited the blog a couple weeks ago—WITH TIME ON MY HANDS and her book, No Proper Lady. Well I ordered the ebook. It was a great book and I finished it swiftly. I couldn’t wait to see how everything played out. A historical and yet not as it has a touch of paranormal and scifi. Loved the time travel aspect of it—traveling back in time to save the world for the future. Joan is a skilled assassin and lives in a world so very different from England of 1888. Her adjustment to a relatively safe and normal world (except for corsets which she considers torture extreme) where there is plenty of food, wildlife, and shock, the world is full of green forests. It was fun to see her transformation from soldier (you would not believe where she hides all her weapons—she’d shock the leading ladies) to a lady who would fit into the Ton so she could get close to her target. I also loved the fact that the hero is a magician and his sister is a minor one. Both Simon and his sister have trouble wrapping their minds around what happens in 200 years.  Simon also has to come to grips with Joan’s language and sexuality—so different from the women of his time. On the last page, last scene, I was like, what do you mean this is the end? No, I want more, dammit! I really enjoyed reading this book. You should check it out.

 

A fun book trailer:

Another thing I thoroughly enjoyed is AlexCavanaugh’s newest book trailer, CassaFire. It’s high definition and well done, great voice over, scenes from the book, seamless animated content. 

I loved his first book and trailer, which is how I met up with him. For those of you who haven’t seen it if you click here  it will take you to it.

Check out his site too!  

A great movie:

My son, Jake, and I had a great movie night last weekend—popcorn, some chocolate raisinettes, and multiple kittens to snuggle with.  We saw Fast Five. I loved it. Lots of action, fast cars, and amazing scenarios with precision drivers—good guys win and bad guys lose and major slimebag first gets his butt kicked financially and then his just reward. 

Oh, yeah. Love kick ass and take name movies. An added bonus was Vin Diesel and The Rock. Sigh…They sure were purty to look at. I want to see it again.






Blogs I learn from or entertain me:


Beth Hill—The Editors Blog. Beth has some fabulous craft articles with good examples. She is also an excellent editor for story presentation, grammar, etc. She knows the market well. Check out her archives.


Olivia Cunning Musings From an Erotic Romance Author  Olivia is just plain fun and talks about writing, her work, polls, and other fun stuff.
  

So, there you have it friends.

Your turn to share.

• Any good books you've read? 
• Fun book trailer links? 
• Any good movies?
• Any good news?

C’mon, tell me all about it!

.  

Monday Musings: RAINY DAYS & BOOK WINNERS

It’s one of those weeks I don’t have a lot to say. I know, imagine that?

I’m sitting here enjoying my beautiful rainy morning, cats lying beside the keyboard snoozing, a cool fresh drifting in the open windows, the sound of rain falling, the distant roll of thunder, and enjoying a cup of coffee. I’m actually feeling pretty good for a change and god knows I’ve been fighting hard to get better. Some days I win or at least I see progress so I count that as a win. :-)

I have some book winners—YAY! It’s always fun to win books, isn’t it? Gives you a chance to read new to you authors.

Drum roll and piper piping…

The Vampire Next Door, Ashlyn Chase. Laurie Creasy and Tonya Kappes

In The Heat of The Bite, Lydia Dare. Erin Knightley and Olivia Kelly

Redeeming The Rogue, Donna MacMeans. Libby

Touch If You Dare, Stephanie Rowe. Crystal Trent and VR Foster.

Ladies, if you will contact me with your mailing addresses, I’ll pass them on to the publisher to send out your copies. siamckye@gmail.com If you’ve already purchased the book or whatever, let me know and I can pull another name out of the hat.

Upcoming guests this week:

Patricia Sargeant, introducing a new series, and Jo Robertson.

• What’s on your agenda today or this week?

Read any good books  you’d like to recommend?


.

We Have Book WINNERS!!

I figured I'd better post our winners of books in July and August (so far). Congratulations to the those who won books and thank you for stopping by OVER COFFEE. I appreciate all the readers who stop by and especially those who give support to the authors with comments.

As you can see, I've brought in the Clan Piper to salute the winners. 

The Insider:  Helen Ginger, Malcolm Campbell

Exchange:  Nancy Parra, Alex Cavanaugh

Seduced By The Wolf: Judi S (Sidhe Vicious Reviews), Cat 

To Conquer A Highlander:  Houston A.W. Knight, Kat Sheridan

Hero:  Vivian Archer, Stephanie McCarthy

AT HER COMMAND: Sherilyn Winrose

Wild Irish Sea: Elle J Rossi, Fedora

Cowboy Trouble:  Tonya Kappes, Wanda Huges             




I love this piece. He's a gifted player. Full of energy and joy. Of course I love bagpipe music at anytime and this one will have you tapping your feet. :-)

SOME OF MY UPCOMING GUESTS:

Thomas Greanias

Tawny Weber

Erin Kellison

Janice Hardy

Kylie Brant

Steve Tremp

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Glenda Larke

Monday Musings: Adaptable? Yah, Right.

"You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star."

(Dear Nietzsche does this mean I'm about to give birth to a galaxy?)




You know, I’m great at multi-tasking. Most of the juggling I do is easy to manage. I can track projects and solve problems regarding most jobs I have to do—I just seem to take it stride and always have. It’s been a strong suit of mine in business. No big.

However, when comes to my writing I’m not so adaptable. I’m fine working on a fiction WIP and moving to something non-fiction, articles, book reviews etc. I seem to be able to compartmentalize fine. You throw two fiction WIPs in the works and I’m in chaos. Gah. It gets noisy in my brain and it’s like being room with two TVs and both have good stories but you can’t concentrate on either because there is just too much noise. For me, insanity quickly ensues.

I have friends who write more than one story at a time, some who can write two different series and keep perfect track of what they’re doing and writing. I have to admire that because I’m so not there yet, lol! Of course the perfect solution is to put one on hold and finish the other.

E x c e p t...

They’re both screaming at me presently. As one friend put it, work on the one screaming the loudest and if they are both screaming equally loud? Then you gotta problem.

I knew that. But, I was hoping for a nice: well, first you do a), b) and then move to c) type of solution. Yup, I got a problem.

Sigh, what was I thinking? How did a nice writer like me get herself into this fine mess to begin with? Damned if I know. Blame it on an ADD type brain, I guess.

Meanwhile, I have one story I love and have wanted to write for some time. Entails quite a bit of research because the world base is different and you have to have that base accurate to build a viable world within our world and still weave the story into it. It’s also a story that makes me stretch as a writer, but that’s okay, it a story that excites me and I love the two MC, hero is hot and sexy and real wolf. Love those kinda males. :-) I’m quite a ways into this story.

Then there is story number two, which is now screaming at me. Different series, different world, more explicit sex, humorous, hawt hero who doesn’t believe in any type of woo-woo who comes face to face with big time woo-woo in the guise of a mouth watering heroine. Oh and few equally woo-woo practicing relatives.

So now I have to figure out a way to make both stories happy without having the characters from either or both stories attacking me in my sleep. Trust me, it would be a terrifying and bloody mess. I much prefer them visiting my dreams with scenes and dialog, not murder and mayhem.

I’ll let you know how I solve it because, dammit, I have to solve this or go nuts.



Fortunately, I got this nifty Stress Reduction gizmo. Who knows? It might just work.





Do you ever find yourself in such a fix? How do you solve it? Inquiring minds and all that.

On to something much easier to deal with:

Winners!
Cue drumroll and release the balloons

Donna Grant’s autographed Dangerous Highlander, a dark but wonderful read, goes to Kat Sheridan.

Christie Craig’s Shut up and Kiss Me, a fun read, goes to Helen Ginger. Second place winner: Dana Fredsti, who gets to pick out any book from Christie’s backlist.

Congratulations Winners!

Be sure to contact me with your addresses.

Just Another Manic Monday

I have to admit, usually Mondays are calm in my house. Everyone is either off to work or school and the house is mine, mine I say. And quiet. Today, not so much.

Today just tops off a rather manic week dealing with all sorts of fires including my son having surgery last Monday to remove tonsils as big as Texas. Nothing like having your kid famous for tonsils. Let me tell you, tonsillectomies are a simple procedure in the normal course of events and if the patient is 10 or under. At 15 or older? Not so much. Then you add the fact that most guys turn into little kids when they're sick. Or in this case, a toddler. A beleaguered mom has to bridge that fine line of sympathy and tough love. She is also reduced to pulling out a pacifier and disposable diaper (I keep a supply on hand for my grand nieces) when the whining becomes too much. But, by golly, it sure gets the point across in a very tangible way, lol!

All this has been going on as I do a mad scramble, after attending Romance Times Convention, booking authors for the blog for June and July. I'm still scrambling. But I do have some good guests coming up. On Wednesday I have Christie Craig, SHUT UP AND KISS ME. A fun book I really enjoyed reading.

Today, a week after surgery, was suppose to be calm. Ha! Teach me to think. I have a bleeding throat and a scared kid to content with. Have I mentioned I have the utmost respect for nurses? You don't get paid nearly enough and there should be a halo given for patience and maintaining a caring attitude despite cranky and hurting patients. Ah well, this too shall pass. :-)

I have some goodies to hand out. Namely winners of books. Yay. Winners are always fun and I have some great books to hand out to the following:

Francis Ray, IT HAD TO BE YOU:

• Leann Stewart

Cindy Gerard, RISK NO SECRETS:

• Lisa, (Modokker)
  

Brenda Jackson, HIDDEN PLEASURES (5 copies):

• Melissa Bradley
• Angewolfstorm
• Terry's Crafty Fingers
• LadySilver
• LaTiscia
  

Libby Malin, MY OWN PERSONAL SOAP OPERA:

• Annette Fitgearald

Lydia Dare, A CERTAIN WOLFISH CHARM:

• Vivian Archer


• Allyson Rueban

Emery Lee, THE HIGHEST STAKES:

• Sunsinger
• Barbara Croy

Congratulations to the winners! Be sure to contact me, siamckye@gmail.com with your physical address so we can get your books out to you.

Have a great week everyone!

Meanwhile, if you'll excuse me I'm just gonna.....

Odds And Ends

Recently, I had two wonderful romance authors visiting with us Over Coffee. Amelia Grey, October 13th and Anna Campbell, October 21st. Both offered prizes of their books to commenters of the day.


My mystical faerie, Lady Brianna, is happy to announce those winners. Don't mind her mischievous expression or her mussed hair. Brie has been frolicking with my hunky Scot and consequently is quite satisfied with herself and said Scot. Something about loving a tough Scots in chains, or was that with chains...hmmm, well whatever. She's shameless. I like that about her, lol!

Amelia Grey offered two books from her Rogue's Dynasty Series:

A Duke to Die For

What is a roguish young nobleman supposed to do with a shockingly lovely young ward?

The Duke of Blakewell believes he'd better marry her off as soon as possible, before he gives in to temptation himself...

But Henrietta doesn't want a husband— she wants her independence...

• Sure that she carries a curse that killed her previous guardians, Henrietta just wants the duke to sign over her inheritance before something terrible befalls him...
  

And book two:

A Marquis To Marry

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?

• Congratulations to:

Carolyn Goff

Terry Dubbs

We had a very lively discussion with Anna Campbell on October 21st. Anna said, "My favorite comment wins a signed copy of my new release, CAPTIVE OF SIN! Good luck!"

Captive of Sin

He pledged his honor to keep her safe...

Returning home to Cornwall after unspeakable tragedy, Sir Gideon Trevithick comes upon a defiant beauty in danger, and vows to protect her whatever the cost. He's dismayed to discover that she's none other than Lady Charis Weston, England's wealthiest heiress-and that the only way to save her from the violent stepbrothers determined to steal her fortune is to wed her himself! Now Gideon must hide the dark secrets of his life from the bride he desires more with every heartbeat.

She promised to show him how to love - and desire - again...

Charis has heard all about Gideon, the dangerously handsome hero with the mysterious past. She's grateful for his help, but utterly unwilling to endure a marriage of convenience-especially to a man whose touch leaves her breathless. Desperate to drive him mad with passion, she would do anything to make Gideon lose control-and fall captive to irresistible, undeniable sin.

Congratulations to:

Kat Sheridan

Congratulations Winners!!

Next Week's Over Coffee guests (and more goodies):

• Cindy McGary-The Treasures of Venice

Judi Fennell-Wild Blue Under Review and interview.

• Book Recommedations:

• A Journal for Jordan, Dana Canedy
• Dawn's Prelude by Inspirational Fiction author, Tracie Peterson Book 1 in the all new Song of Alaska series