Awesome Romance Novels: Man of Her Dreams by Teresa Blue

Awesome Romance Novels: Man of Her Dreams by Teresa Blue: ~Sizzling Sexual Tension~ Leslie Stone stumbles upon her fiancé cheating with the maid of honor just days before her wedding. Det...

News Flash

I just learned tonight that my book Man of Her Dreams will be featured on the Awesome Romance Novels blog 12/22 at 5pm.

So folks, that's tomorrow! If you've gotten all your shopping, wrapping, baking and last minute Christmas list things finished and find yourself with nothing to do, stop by! I'd love to see you.  And since I know it's next to impossible to have all that stuff done, please take a quick break to check it out.

http://awesomeromancenovelblogspot.com/ 



And Merry Christmas everyone!

Karma Loves Me!

Holly, holly guys! Ain't he cute?

But that's not what this post is about. Actually it's about old movies. The hard to find but never forgotten ones that live in our hearts forever.

 Karma loves me.

Or so it seems anyway. See, it all started like this….

 

My sister and I meet frequently, seriously, like every day or so at mom’s where we go to drink coffee. A place to sit and talk about everything under the sun and quite often we end up on the subject of some of our favorite movies. What we watched over the weekend or planned see.

 

Since old movies really are the best, our conversation usually turns to starlets or handsome leading men of the day. A time when Hollywood was filled with glamour, limousines, fur wraps and tuxedos.

We’re talking old legends here. Stars like Rex Harris, Doris Day, or Judy Garland. Remember Dial M for murder? And who would have thought the beautiful blond Grace Kelly would marry and become a real princess?

 

The conversation rambled on and on someone mentioned how much Don Knots looks like our cousin Jimmy, who passed away. We laughed with The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and that spooky playing piano. And then shifted to Margery Main who starred in Ma & Pa Kettle and the scene where she disappears into the wall on a Murphy bed. LOL. Pa’s tobacco slogan won them a brand new house complete with a pull down bed and a walk-in sauna (which he uses as a clothes dryer.) And we both agree that Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with Jane Powell and Howard Keel is the absolute best musical ever made. It literally takes days to get those songs out of my head.

 

And then I hit upon one she had never heard of.

 

 

 

 

 

Fancy Pants. A story about a British valet brought to the old west to teach Old World charm to a redheaded tomboy. But Bob Hope’s only portraying to be an English butler, he’s really an out or work actor and ultimately the townspeople believe him to be a real live earl. Teamed up with Lucille Ball, there’s a scene where he styles her hair into a tall birdcage complete with a singing canary! This movie left tears streaming down my face, I laughed so.

 

So over the weekend while digging through old relics of VHS being offered a last chance sale I found it! For the piddly price of .99 cents I now have a copy of my very own to watch anytime I choose.   :  )

 

Oh…life is good.

 

 

 Or as Red Skelton would… say Goodbye and God Bless.  

Countdown to Christmas!

Finally...December 1st! My very favorite time of the year!

You know how I love a good coffee cup. Check this out.

 

Isn't it great? I so enjoy the steaming hot coffee as I tiptoe around early in the morning.

Rarely do I find enough hours in the day to accomplish everything on my list to do during this very busy month, but hey, who does? We do what we can and have fun doing it!

Today starts the month off with our annual Cookie Party! 

Yep. We've been doing this for fifteen years and it's still going strong. With holiday shopping, decorating and trying to keep up with school programs, there's never enough time to really visit over the holidays. So we created the cookie exchange as the one day we forget about all the 'stuff' we  have to do and for a few hours enjoy the time spent with each other. Although it has grown considerably as the youngest girls grow up and are now participating as well. Mothers, cousins, aunts and kids of all ages bring a few dozen cookies (alright- this year its eight dozen to be exact. That's 96 cookies folks but who's counting?) and steaming hot dish to share.

This year I made those delicious chocolate Crinkles we get from Panara's. They're chewing and minty and oh-so-good!

 

 

 

Have a look.

Now, I've got to package them up, whip up a snack and I'm out the door! I'll add pictures of the party tomorrow.

Here's to a great day!

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing is a blog circle where authors tag each other. This allows fellow authors to showcase their Work-in-Progress (WIP).

Critique partner Monique Devere tagged me so without further ado…here goes!

Ten interview questions about my current WIP.

 

1. What is the working title for your book?

Letters From Inside

2. Where did the idea come from?

Hubby had left on a fishing trip for ten days and since I live very rural, like the middle of nowhere, I got to thinking what would happen if someone- a man someone…stranger, wandered back to the house asking for directions. What if- after realizing I was home alone, he wouldn’t leave?

3. What genre does your book fall under? 

Romantic suspense.

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

It’s my dream to transport the reader into a world where they become the protagonists. But I think Brad Pitt would make a really creepy ex-con. And Tom Selleck to play my hero (because all my hero are fashioned after him.) The heroine- always has my face.  :  )

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Linda Wheeler divorced her cheating alcoholic husband for a better life and discovers single parenting is harder than she imagined. And now the real challenge begins. Her teenage daughter has a pen-pal. One who is serving time in Jackson State Penitentiary.

 

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m undecided. One minute I plan to submit it to a publisher...and the next, I consider doing it myself.

7. How long did it take to write the first draft?

I wrote this story years ago and fiddled around with it even longer.

8. What other book would you compare this story to within your genre?

Since mostly I read romance, this book has love story within. It reminds me of Karen Robards, The Midnight Hour.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Once an idea takes form, it grows from there by asking myself who, what, when, why and where.

10. What else about this book might pique the reader’s interest?

As a mother who's biggest concern is whether her family is happy, fed and safe. I know others must feel the same way. What would you do if you’d discovered the biggest threat to yourself or your family came from inside?

Jessie turned on the small Holly Hobby lamp craddling the phone cradled next to her ear as she removed a wrinkled envelope from beneath the waistband of her jeans. 

Her friend Lisa’s high pitched squeal blasted through the receiver. “That makes what? Four? Five?”

“Five, not counting the card he made for me.”

“What will you do if he wants to meet you or something? What if he’s like totally weird…or a sex pervert? Have you thought of that? He could be a real psycho.”

“You’re starting to sound just like my mom,” Jessie said, suddenly not as brave. Her stomach fluttered. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. “The guy’s locked up, remember? Unless he’s Houdini there’s not much he can do behind bars,” she said and released another long exaggerated breath.

“I don’t think you should write him again. Besides. Couldn’t he get in trouble, you know, writing to a minor?”

“That’s the best part. I signed the letter Linda Wheeler. Cool huh?” 

 
YA author Ednah Walters, author of The Guardian Legacy is tagged. Please stop by her blog and read all about her Next Big Thing.
 

http://ednahwalters.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-next-best-thing-essence-book-1-of.html

And then stop by Crimson Romance author Johanna Lloyd. She's been tagged as well! Her blogsite is
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fjoannalloydauthor.wordpress.com%2F&h=WAQG9OnaI
Include the link of who tagged you.

http://moniquedevere.blogspot.com/

 

And that's what I have planned for My Next Big Thing. Nothing left to do but find a tag another blogger.

In case I don't see you before... Happy Thankgiving!

Welcome to Sleeping Falls!

Wouldn’t it be nice to take a little trip to a place frozen in time? Back when a general store literally kept a small, close knit community going.

I was fortunate enough to have stumbled into such place and couldn’t wait to share it with you. Come on…give yourself a minute and follow me. We’ll stop by the store and grab an icy soda then sit on the steps and watch how life in a small town can be anything but boring!


We're about to meet Leslie, the heroine from my novel Man of her Dreams and get her reaction as she discovers Harvey's Gas & Go.

Excerpt:

“You need gas?”

An old guy wearing bib overalls a ball cap bent down and peered through the smeary glass. 

He’d already turned away, his knotty fingers cranking the handle on an old-fashioned pump. A loud hum vibrated the tank and the flow of gasoline sent colorful balls spinning behind a glass bubble on top. 

“Um… excuse me. I’m having some kind of problem with the head lights—

“Do I look like a mechanic?” Gray hair poked from around his ears and out of his nose. She noticed the wide-tooth gap between his teeth and what looked like tobacco juice dribbled on his chin before he wiped it with his sleeve.

Right. There was no way this guy was capable of fixing anything. Although maybe at one time he’d been a whiz in the pit, it was clear he should stick to pumping gas.

 

And then she meets Jay, the hero with the makings to be the man she's been dreaming of. Course they'll have to butt heads a few times because Jay has some preconceived -or should I say pre-historic notions about how a woman should act.   

“Awful late to be out driving.” 

The voice came from behind and Leslie spun around, nearly knocking off several boxes of cereal. Whoa! Tall, dark and handsome didn’t begin to describe the guy standing a few feet in front of her. Dark, brooding eyes surveyed her, his slight cleft chin tilted upward a notch. When he smiled, a dimple appeared on the right side of his cheek. It required enormous effort to drag her gaze from the lean, muscular body to look at her watch. 

“Depends on what you call late,” she said, glancing at her watch. It was only 10:30 p.m.

 See what I mean? Top that with a fiancé diddling her maid of honor plus car trouble in the middle of NOWHERE- hello! Leslie is more a little stressed right now.

The throbbing in her head returned and she reached for a bottle of aspirin. This was so weird. One minute she was planning a wedding and the next, a single woman on a mission, determined to forget the last few hours and start fresh. But first, she needed to get through tonight. Uncle Bob had been divorced five times and claimed the only warmth he needed came from a small bottle of Old Crow kept stuffed in his hip pocket. 

 And then later, asleep on the couch....

Leslie heard a noise and woke, one eye peeking out from beneath the afghan. A meager light left on in the bathroom spilled into the hallway. Her neck was cramped from the tiny couch pillow wedged beneath her head. She rolled onto her back as a hand clamped down hard across her mouth.

She struggled to sit up, but forceful hands pushed her back onto the sofa. Her heart palpitated. 
The sweet, powdery smell of Chantilly surrounded her as Sally’s face came into view. “Shhhhh. Don't move. You gotta be quiet. Spike’s outside getting ready to crawl in the window.”


 Heeheee. Things are far from boring. 

A history of Torture

We are so fortunate to live in a so-called civilized world; in a time when if caught breaking the rules at least we’re treated humanely.

I mean, supposed you were caught going over the speed limit? You may get a ticket or be forced to pay a fine. For a more serious crime one might be sent to jail or even prison. Even so, there are regulations in place to prevent harsh and cruel punishment.

 

But for those unfortunate souls born centuries ago that wasn’t always the case.

 

Let’s revisit some strange but true horrific tortures endured during a time when if you were caught doing the unthinkable, there really was hell to pay.

 

In 1535 the penalty for blasphemy was to have the tongue torn out. Antoine Poile has his tongue pierced and nailed to his cheek before being burnt alive in front of a blood-thirsty crowd.

 

Gee…these days I see young people of all ages gladly walking around with tongue piercings having chosen to wear a polished steel post ripped right through the middle of their tongue.

 

Torture by heat and fire seemed to be a method used often. Being burned at the stake or strung over a blazing bed of coals by those seeking justice was no doubt a horrifying experience. During the 16^th century in the southern Netherland, a victim was laid on his back with a large iron dish resting on his belly. A roaring fire was then lit and kept going until the dish burrowed into the entrails.

 

Ouch!!

 

If heat isn’t bad enough some went a different route and used Water torture. Always available and easily handled, torturers have used h20 in a variety of ways. The easiest would be to force the victim to simply drink. And drink…and drink…and drink until the victim becomes bloated and soon the belly becomes engorged, drum-like. The pain becomes intense. A victim has even been known to have water leak out of his nose and ears!

 

And there was that little contraption called ‘The Rack.’ A form of the rack- one that was popular in Germany- caused the victim to be not only stretched, but drawn at the same time over a succession of sharply studded rollers!

 

Some victims were attached to the rack by their thumbs and big toes.

 

And it wasn’t just men being punished. Women were tortured as well. Especially those caught…’um, let's say doing things they shouldn’t.

For those there was a thing called The Iron Maiden.

Shudder!

A collection of antiques once owned by the Baron Diedrich was unearthed in 1832. It had a cone-like body formed of sheet iron, topped with a female shaped head. The front opened allowing the victim to be placed inside. Protruding spikes were positioned so that as the doors were gradually closed, they pierced the lady’s organs. Two nasty nails were placed higher up inside the mask so that when the iron head snapped into place….


 

Whew!

 

Being punished is certainly a bummer, and at times can be an inconvenience. But it sure beats being tortured.

 

These fascinating facts were found in The History of Torture, an awesome book by Brian Innes.

Iron Maiden photo was found at Wikipeadia.

 

 

 

Hooray for Happy Meals!

2007 WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST

MADAME ALEXANDER DOLL MCDONALD'S HAPPY MEAL: WIZARD OF OZ

 

This adorable doll strangely enough is called The Wicked Witch and part of a collection of eight in the series of The Wizard of Oz created specially for MacDonalds. Although this photo doesn't do her justice because actually her skin is a soft mint green and complements her sparkling emerald eyes and black lashes.  

 

Can you believe this lovely doll came tucked inside a MacDonald happy meal box? Wow! Happy meals are more than just dinner in a box, but a real treasure chest. And this little gem is from one of the finest doll maker in history!

Madame Alexander Dolls

 

In 1923 Madame Beatrice Alexander founded the Alexander Doll Company. The daughter of Russian immigrants, Beatrice was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 9, 1895.

 

 

 

 

Raised above her father’s doll hospital (yes, for real! ) and the first of its kind in America, Beatrice developed a passion for handcrafting quality dolls, each painstakingly designed, beautiful, and award winning. Madame Alexander dolls delight children and collectors the world over.

 

And who knows children better than MacDonald’s?

 

 

The other day while cleaning out the toybox I found Woody and Buzz Lightyear, soft cloth twelve inch dolls I remember my son simply had to have.

MacDonald's has made some awesome and memorable toys that remind me of sticky back seats, smeared windows and scattered fries.  

 

And for a few bucks I was a hero.

 

The inspiration behind my Trashy potato recipe

 

 

As you can see gardening has always been a family affair around here. This picture’s an old one but always makes me smile. My son and granddaughter were sitting front and center watching Jim work in the garden. Earlier in the day I had tossed out some leftover cornbread for the chickens and gave one chunk to our beagle who’s always looking for a handout. Pretty soon the dog was traipsing across the freshly turned earth carrying the chunk in his mouth. About mid-way down a row, he dropped the bread and covered it with the dirt then ran off.

The kids flopped backwards onto the ground laughing and yelled across the yard, “Snippy’s planting cornbread!”

 

 

 

 

My all time favorite vegetable is the red Pontiac potatoes because of the delicate thin skin and delicious sweet taste, especially when dug at the ‘new’ potato stage. The skin on the potatoes are loaded with vitamins so I usually cook them in their jackets.

And I'm sure by now you know that I’ve been lucky enough to have this recipe included in the Passionate Cooks cookbook. I purposely titled the recipe Trashy Taters because 1. it's very eye catching and 2. you  really can add, sprinkle, or toss anything into the spuds during the last stages of cooking. I've used scrabbled eggs and fresh green  onions & crumbled sausage. Or you might want to try them topped with Hormel Chili and cheese.

Really...whatever trips your trigger!

Here’s the recipe and I hope you’ll try it.


Ingredients

3-4 med. Potatoes       salt, pepper, garlic powder  (to taste)

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ bacon pieces

Ranch dressing

 

 

3 or 4 medium size redskin potatoes –scrubbed and quartered 

In a medium size sauce pan add potatoes and bring to boil, cook for 10 minutes. Drain.

Melt 3 Tbsp margarine in a skillet, add par-boiled potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, course ground pepper and garlic powder to taste. Allow to cook over medium heat, browning well on one side before turning achieving a crispy brown coating.  Cook aprox. 10-15 minutes until fork tender. When potatoes are golden brown and fork tender add ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or any type of shredded cheese) and ½ cup real bacon pieces. Cover potatoes with a lid for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 Serves 4

Serve with ranch dressing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What if...a writer's passion

I love the game What if? To a writer it's the gas for our creativity. Finding that what if notion and.... 



 

Writing is an opportunity to be anywhere in the world with people I adore- the characters. My characters. After all, they are my babies. I gave them their physical appearence as well as characteristic traits that appeal to me. And if I'm lucky, to those who read my stories.

My novella, Night Bird, actually was inspired by a song. A haunting melody filled with beautiful lyrics about a woman who found a man down on his luck in New Orleans and she took him in. The words in the song claim she taught him how to fly. So, she must be paranormal, right? Part of the undead. And that's how my what if took flight.   :  ) 

 

The afterlife…or new life, as I like to think of it. And that got my writer’s muse considering all kinds of things that could be possible if only we believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s an excerpt from the short story Night Bird.

 

 

 

A crashing wave knocked Emma off her feet and plunged her beneath the water, grains of sand biting her skin as the gushing tide tossed her upon the shore. She struggled to break the ocean’s grip, her sodden skirt throttling her ankles as she tried to stand. Another rushing wave pushed her to her knees. A heavy object slammed against her side and drove them both aground.

     A man.

     Foamy bubbles gathered in a small pool of water where his body lay indented in the sand. Her heart roared in her ears, drowning out the pounding surf. In the past, she’d witnessed countless felons jump ship rather than face the adversity of chains, starvation, and brutal prison beatings. Many saw the island’s wide cove as a passage to freedom and often died trying to swim across.

The dark shape lay unmoving beside her. After only a brief glance she knew he was different. He had strong, classic feature and a think robust body. She couldn’t squelch her curiosity. Who was this man? A ship’s captain, perhaps? Or a meager fisherman with a run of bad luck? Maybe he’d ignored the dangerous winds and threatening clouds, driven by the greed she’d seen in eyes of other men. Fishing boats of all sizes had been destroyed upon the deceptive coral reefs, led on by the tempestuous sea witch that lured them beyond the next horizon.

      Emma pushed aside the drenched charcoal locks covering the man’s eyes and revealed thick brows and a strong forehead. His cheeks bore stubbles of whiskers.

   The white tailored shirt, although frayed and worn, was that of a whaleman sailor, its hem floating up to expose heavy, coarse trousers. Suddenly, his fingers caught the fabric of her bodice and gave the slightest tug to draw her near.

      “Help me,” he pleaded, his voice barely more than a whisper as his arm dropped to his side.

       Moisture blurred her vision at the helplessness she’d heard, the desperation that filled his eyes. She blinked back tears. How much longer must she witness death? Emma was unable to actually save life, but could offer a brief reprieve for the tormented lost one. Usually the men she encountered were the blackest of the lot: convicts, murderers, and thieves were among those needing her most.

         But this man’s appearance didn’t seem to be that of a weak or starved convict. Instead, his body looked firm, reasonably fit. Perhaps the made his living on the water. Lately, she’d witnessed many Yankee whalers drawn to the Pacific, all eager to fill their casks with valuable sperm oil.

     His breath came out weak and unsure as his chest labored and fell. A strong will to survive etched deep across his face and the vulnerable expression played on her heart. He was someone’s son, perhaps a father, but clearly a man unable to let go. With each painful gasp, his eyes pleaded, asking the impossible.

    But she knew…death was inescapable. It was the after life she hoped to change.  Already the icy water had stiffened his body, his breathing faltered. Emma measure each one his last. Even if she did manage to warm him, he would die of fever, the life-taking chill never leaving his body.

      He’d asked for her help…but was his need to survive strong enough to carry the burden to eternity?

    Precious seconds passed. The uneven rise and fall of his chest warned her it was nearly too late. Is she didn’t decide soon, he’d be left to face the judgment he’d earned in life without having the chance to reconcile whatever desperate burdens were holding him back.

     Emma lowered her head. No breath came from his lips, his eyes faded as death stole over him. Swiftly, she pressed her lips against his neck; a metallic taste filled her mouth when she pierced his skin. It took only seconds to exchange his blood with the substance flowing in her veins. The wind howled in protest and sprayed them with a mist of salt-drenched water while the waves crashed around them.

     It seemed forever and then…he moved.

     “My crewman. Where is my crew?” he whispered.

    Although his eyes shone with gratitude, would he still be grateful after learning the conditions of his survival?


 

 

In case you're wondering what I've been up to....

AllRomance is publishing a cookbook featuring recipes from some of the hottest romance authors out there. The book is titled Passionate Cooks and I was lucky enough to have a contributing recipe.

The entire month of October will be shouting and promoting this fabulous cookbook which, best of all, is FREE!

Yep. That's right. From today’s hottest romance authors! This is a great collection of recipes “a hot new cookbook featuring tempting delights from your favorite romance authors”

With over 150 mouth-watering recipes- many which can be seen on Pinterest. PASSIONATE COOKS is coming in October and available as an eBook exclusively from All Romance eBooks/OmniLit, so make sure you don’t miss out on your copy.

Here is the link to pre-order your copy today. http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=title&qString=Passionate+Cooks

What makes characters... Unforgettable

What makes a character memorable?




I love characterization. The hunt for flaws and ripples, tears and patches of characters I’ve run into and come to love. Those who have stayed with me since our first introduction as if they were real. I decided to examine a few of their traits to see if I could pin-point what it was that has made them so endearing. Because for me it’s not the plot that’s kept me up late, no matter how exciting. The action is merely the backdrop. Like a stage, it’s the people that keep us up all night. Watching them overcome their obstacles or conflicts in order to achieve a happy ever after ending. But just what is it that leads us to develop a bond to make-believe people, characters that literally grew from an author’s imagination and stays with us long after the last page is read?



Let's revisit some memorable characters, shall we?




1. Many call her the funniest redhead in comedy. Need I say more? I’m sure you know exactly who I’m talking about. It doesn't matter if she’s stuffing her floppy hat with chocolates, her jaws bulging like a wily squirrel or sitting on the arm of her sofa twirling the dark locks of Desi’s hair as she trys convincing him she’d be perfect for the snappy dance number at the Cabana, Lucille Ball will always be the known as ‘that crazy redhead.’
Somebody had to write the scrip. Whether she was bawling loudly with sniffles and screeching at the top of her lungs, ‘Lucy’ portrayed a so-called ordinary housewife of the fifties as a unique, one of a kind persona. There’s no one indentifying character trait, but many. And remember this was just an actor. Fleshing out a character. fully developed. Believable. I mean, come on….Do you really think Lucille Ball was like that in real life?

2. How about the deputy who’s only allowed one bullet?

I know I don’t have to say more. But let’s examine the traits given to deputy Barney Five.


Thin as a whip, is it any wonder he’s constantly pulling on his gun belt? Adjusting it to settle around his hips...if he had any. And I'm pretty sure he only owns one suit, a heavy tweed one (probably a dull brown) patent leather shoes and a white straw hat that he wears out for a date with Thelma Lu or Wauneta at the diner. I heard from Barney himself that the most expensive purchase he made was an anniversary gift (a septic tank) that he bought for his folks. And although Barney try’s to convince those around him he’s keen on procedure, everything still goes awry. If only they had more modern technology like the police force in Mount Pilot. Mayberry and its success definitely belonged to Barney. He made the show memorable by giving all us a very warm and funny character that will live in our hearts forever.

3. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” I know you can see the swagger as Rhett Butler plunks the hat on to his head and steps out into the early morning fog. Because we’ve seen firsthand that Rhett is not at all the rake many southerners would have you believe. Why, it was his manners that kept him from making his presence known while Scarlett confessed her undying love to Ashley. And because of his close relationships with Ms.Wattley, is a good example that Rhett isn’t one to judge people and is ready and willing to fight any man who would slander his friends. And he's not an uppity fellow, no sir, but very comfortable in his surroundings even while being held in a horse jail! Rhett has given money to widow’s fund and joined in to fight a dying cause because simply put, it was the thing to do. And he's faithful to Scarlett, unable to get her out of his head or his heart.

I know you’re probably thinking, memorable, yeah. But these characters were all in the movies.


Although now made into movies, most of these characters were first introduced to the world between the pages of a book. Painstakingly crafted by an author who managed to write her story people right off the pages and into the hearts of us all.


Here’s some more.




4. He’s green and hates Christmas.

Sort of. Mean ol' Mr. Grinch live miles away from town high on Mount Crumpet because, he claims, he prefers to be alone. Except...he's not alone. He has a companion. His dog Max. And I gather from the old sewing machine in the corner that the Grinch uses fairly accurently, I think Mr. Grinch loves to sew. Or at the very least enjoys doing crafts. We've all seen him make a reindeer with quick imagination, an antler and string. He doesn't like shopping- instead wears shoes that are sizes too small. But his parenting skills aren't bad. Notice how he gives little Cindy Lou a drink of water, pats her gently on the head and tucks her back into bed. When we look beneath his green skin what we find is really just an old softie that loves celebrating, especially with friends.



5. “I’m having an old friend for dinner.”


6. “Go ahead, make my day.”


7. He went down in history because of his bright nose.


8. An Iowa housewife who finds love with a photographer.


9. “There’s no place like home.”


10. The sea captain who seeks vengeance against a white whale.



Characters and the story behind them make me so glad to be an author. What a rush to first dream and then design that special someone capable of capturing an audience.

Do you have a favorite and unforgettable character? I'd love to hear about them.

Harvesting~ the best part of gardening!

August is nearly over and somewhat cooler weather has finally arrived! At least sporadically but hey, nothing's guaranteed, right?

One thing's certain, if you plant a seed, it will grow! And I love to see how my efforts have paid off. Put on your garden shoes and follow me.

Now, what'd I do with all those lovely tomatoes??? Well, I promised myself I'd eat BLT's and sliced tomatoes every day. And I have, with pleasure! I also hauled buckets of them to the neighbors down the road, and shared with friends and family living in town so they could enjoy them too. And what kind of gardener would I be if I didn't can a few jars?

Oh, and I saved the best for last. It's inside the pen....

We're expecting!!

That's Hazel and Lucy, two very competitive hens with an 'Anything you can do, I can do better!' attitude. They're both sitting on eggs and I can't wait to see how they will tell their babies apart! For sure it's going to be one big happy boxful!

Yep...definitely looking forward to September!

How do you read your books? KINDLE…NOOK...ANDROID

Whew! This past week was tremendous, stupendous, and everything a new author can hope for thanks to all of you! Now that the hoop-la’s over, I plan to dive into my stack of TBR books and read non-stop for a while. Because I love reading and never want to lose sight of the fact that without readers, where would authors be?

When ebook publishing busted through the gates and into the publishing community, ( I mean world- taking the publishing world by storm) I wasn’t at all sure what it meant for people like me. There were still many who believed online publishing and books was simply a flash in the pan. Like vinyl records and eight track tapes. (You do remember those, right?) Well, my concerns were for all the folks who didn’t have an ereader or didn’t want another gadget cluttering up their life.

I’ll admit, it took me awhile before finally breaking down and purchasing my Kindle. Seriously, it was a gift from my kids. I probably wouldn’t have shelled out that kind of money, but kids...hey, they owe ya, right?

But....
Did you know you can download a Kindle app. free onto your computer? That’s right. You don’t have to actually buy an ereader to read ebooks. Amazon offers free Kindle downloads.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=7893047648&ref=pd_sl_3ies3d4yuc_b


You can even down load the Kindle app to your smart phone, Kindle Cloud reader or tablets.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771




Why, you ask, do you want one? Because every day thousands of books are given away absolutely free! Honest. And if you love reading as much as I do, you don’t want to miss out. You don't need to miss out. All you need is an Amazon account. And then shop and read to your heart’s content.


Of course there's more than one fish in the sea. So here’s a few sites other sites offering free ereader apps. All you do is download to your pc.

http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailsreader.asp

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook-for-pc/379003591/

Easy and free.


So…what’s stopping you?

Blogging today!

It's been a whirlwind release week with Man of her Dreams available now worldwide! Wow! The internet is amazing at getting the word out. As for the many friends like you who decided to give it a try, you're pretty amazing too!
Thank you! And I hope you enjoy meeting the folks in Sleeping Falls, a laid-back, friendly community...Home of your dreams.
But I haven't been sitting with my feet up, let me tell you.





I've got a few more places to go before the weeks up. Today I'm wrapping up at Bella's

http://enwalters.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-teaser-man-of-her-dreams.html?spref=fb

And tomorrow I'm cooking over at Jennifer Lowery Kamptner's romancerecipes.wordpress.com I'll be sharing a delicious chili-dog sauce recipe just in time for fall. The sauce is thick, spicy and perfect to smother your favorite hotdog with.

I'm scheduled to stop at Peggy Bird's blog too. She's another Crimson Romance author.








http://www.peggybirdwrites.com/#!/interview-with-teresry-blue/

Maybe I'll run into a few of you there. : )