Top 13 for 2013

13 had always been my favorite number and I can safely say that 2013 did not disappoint. I would like to present my top thirteen favorite things that happened in my life this year:

13. Learned how to make Peanut Butter Pie. (Absolutely delicious and probably will be the death of me.)  

12. Managed to pack up my whole apartment and move it to a storage unit without setting anything on fire in a fit of rage.

11. Got to read just a whole of ton of amazing books.

10. Completed the A to Z Challenge here on the blog!

9. Had the pleasure of hosting 9 fantastic authors in the airing of their Not-So-Guilty Pleasures. (Check out the side menu!)

8. Saw a wombat for the first time. Life changing.

7. Tried a bunch of new things (such as going into Manhattan to audition for the Disney cruise line on a whim. Cause, why not? I had a free Tuesday.)

6. Finished my manuscript!!! (The fact that this is coming in at number 6 is just proof of how awesome this year has been.)

5. Got to work with the lovely and talented Cora Carmack on my manuscript (thanks to Pitch Wars.)

4. Did a lot of travel both internationally and domestically.

3. Got to celebrate a bunch of engagements of friends and family (plus one wedding, so far!)

2. Helped raise a bunch of money for RAINN (final total - $11,610! People just kept donating. It was amazing!)

1. My beautiful nephew decided to grace the world with his presence.

I hope that 2013 was just a wonderful for all of you and I look forward to seeing you here next year. Because I have some high hopes for 2014. 

Happy New Year's Eve!

2013 Reads

I can not believe 2013 is almost over. It’s been a crazy year. So many excellent things happened, but more on that tomorrow.

Today let’s focus on books, because we haven’t done that in far too long. I wanted to share some of favorites of the year. As my WIP is YA Fantasy, I will admit that my list is going to be very YA heavy. I’ve been in the zone.

Here they are (in order of release date):

Shrapnel (Stephanie Lawton)

Always been interested in ghosts and the Civil War so this YA paranormal was right up my alley. It was interesting getting to be in the heads of each of the three teens dealing with their psychic abilities in this haunted house. Every time I’d get annoyed at one, I’d find out what they were going through. Also really liked the idea that these teens were brought together by a reality show about psychics.

Asunder (Jodi Meadows)

Absolutely fantastic follow up to Incarnate. Wasn’t sure I could love these characters more, but apparently I could. Go figure.

Hooked (Liz Fichera)

There was so much about this story I enjoyed. Loved getting two different perspectives on the action and was particularly enamored with Fred’s voice. Also, as I don’t have much of a golfing background, I was very interested in that aspect of the story.

Man in the Empty Suit (Sean Ferrell)

A time-traveling murder mystery in which a man tries to solve his own murder despite the only suspects being himself at other ages? Yes, please.

The Nightmare Affair (Mindee Arnett)

Absolutely fell in love with the idea of nightmares as creatures rather than just bad dreams. Throw in a special school for magic folk and a murder mystery and my attention is pretty much guaranteed.

Jilted (Kelly Jamieson)

Bolted (Megan Benjamin)

Busted (Sydney Somers)

Hitched (Erin Nicholas)

These are the four books of the Promise Harbor Wedding series. What originally drew me to this was the idea of four authors writing books about the same event, each from the perspective of a different couple. It ended up being a ton of fun to read and I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite.

The Best Man (Kristan Higgins)

Fun contemporary romance. It was a great start to a new series. Really liked Faith and Levi and am looking forward to seeing how things for the rest of the quirky Holland family turn out.

OCD Love Story (Corey Ann Haydu) 

So compelling, not to mention beautifully written. It was extremely hard to put this one down, though at times I found I had no choice as I was getting so anxious for the characters. But I could never take too long a break before picking it back up.

Rumor Has It (Jill Shalvis) 

I’ve really loved all of the Animal Magnetism series and Kate and Grif’s story was no exception. Not only were the two of them great, but it’s always nice to catch up with the other characters. Feels like chatting with old friends.

All right, now I want to hear some of yours! Also, what books are you looking forward to in 2014? I'm always looking to add to my TBR list.

Holiday Ho, Ho, Horror

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of made-for-TV Christmas movies (See: this insanity). That being said, even with my blinding love of this genre, I can’t help but notice that if it wasn’t for everyone realizing the true meaning of Christmas by the end of them, some of these movies would be straight up horror flicks.

So, today, I offer you a smattering of synopses and you get to guess whether they belong to one of my beloved holiday movies or to one of my hated horror films. Answers are at the bottom. NO PEEKING.

1. Woman kidnaps man at gunpoint and proceeds to drag him blindfolded to her family’s cabin where they will be completely cut off from any technology. 

2. Man gets in car accident and wakes up in cabin, cut off from the world, with a woman who has no intention of letting him leave.

3. On the way to their holiday destination a man and his family take a short cut and pick up a young woman and her baby, a decision which changes their lives forever.

4. Man tracks woman down through letter that she sent to soldiers for the holidays. He does not tell her of his intentions, but instead slowly ingratiates himself with her family while undermining her romantic relationship.

5. With her husband away for military duty, a mother learns more about her daughter and herself than she ever expected.

6. Older man keeps tabs on younger woman, luring her into an employment opportunity before revealing the startling information he has on her.

7. Single mother and her aging uncle invite a strange man into their home and soon find that he is insinuating himself into every aspect of their lives.

8. A young couple searching for the woman’s sister find themselves at a strange motel with an even stranger proprietor.

So, how are we feeling? Jolly or jumpy?

ANSWERS:

1. Christmas: Holiday in Handcuffs
2. Horror: Misery
3. Horror: Dead End
4. Christmas: The Christmas Card
5. Horror: The Bad Seed
6. Christmas: Crazy for Christmas
7. Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
8. Horror: Psycho

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures: Megan Just

And the hits just keep on coming! We have another Not-So-Guilty Pleasures!

Today, I'm happy to introduce Megan Just, one of my PitchWars sisters (Go Team Cora!). Here are some of things she unabashedly loves: 


Not-So-Guilty Pleasures

Newspaper

I subscribe my community’s paper newspaper.  The environmentalist in me screams in protest, but there’s just something I love about a good, old-fashioned newspaper.  Besides, trees are a renewable resource, right?  And I bring the newspaper to work to share with my co-workers.

Coffee Shop at Work

My employer operates an amazing on-site coffee shop.  It’s better than Starbucks, but half the price.  And boy do I indulge!  I did a calculation last week and despite it being cheap, I spend 1/50^th of my salary on coffee shop drinks at work.  Yipes!

 

Christmas Cards

Another dilemma for the forest, but in the end, I like snail mail too much to give up on traditional Christmas cards.  A mail box full of photo-cards from friends and family is one of my favorite things about the holidays, and therefore I send them, too.

 

 

Junky Holiday Candy

Fancy truffles, éclairs, gourmet dark chocolate bars…I could take them or leave them.  But put a bag of Halloween candy corn in front of me and you’ll bring me to my knees.  Same goes for chocolate-covered marshmallow santas—or even better, yellow sugar-covered marshmallow chicks.  I feel no guilt while binging on any one of these items. They only come around once a year, after all.

Spoilers

I’m the girl who hides under a blanket during a horror movie incessantly asking, “What’s going on now?”  Thanks to online spoilers, husband can enjoy his scary movies in peace.  It’s not just scary movies, though.  I search Twitter when TV shows air on the east coast first.  I flip ahead in books.  I even read book reviews just to find out what happens next in a series.

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Megan Just recently finished editing her second novel (new adult genre) and is on the hunt for a literary agent.  She lives in California with her husband and toddler.  Twitter: @meganjust

Not-So-Guilty Pleasures: Susanna Ives

Holiday greetings, everyone! I've got a present for you today....the first Not-So-Guilty Pleasures since the spring!

Today's guest, Susanna Ives. Ms. Ives newest book, Wicked Little Secrets, came out just last week and today she's here to spill her own. And it would just be mean to keep you waiting any longer...



Not-So-Guilty Pleasures

Thank you, Kelly, for hosting me on your wonderful blog! What are my not so guilty pleasures? Here are five!

Music. I’m constantly listening to music -- in front of the computer, in the car, cooking dinner, doing dishes, roaming aimlessly around the house.  However, I have lousy taste. It’s not that I like bad music, it’s that I can’t discriminate between what is bad or good. I’m just happy to listen to it all.

Potato chips. If there aren’t potato chips in the house, I get edgy. I’m a pretty wired, easily stressed person. Potato chips are my comfort food.

Starbucks Frappuccino. It could be ten degrees Fahrenheit outside, and I would slip and slide across an ice-crusted parking lot to order that cold, slushy heaven.

Running. I’ve been laid up with an injury these last few weeks. I’m going crazy in a way that no potato chips can cure. Running takes all my tension and releases it, leaving me feeling relaxed and content.

Writing Romances. I read across many genres, but I only desire to write romances. Weird.

Susanna Ives grew up in the rural South, where she spent most of her youth at the local theater, acting in 

productions, working in the lighting booth, and building sets. Eventually she left her small town for the city lights of Atlanta, where she attended college and worked in corporations as a multimedia developer. These days she chases after her two curious, energetic children, designs web pages, and writes.

You can learn more about Susanna Ives’ work at:

 Website/Blog  | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+

RAINN Down Hope

When I first thought about organizing a fundraiser to benefit the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) back in September, I figured it would be a great way to start the holiday season. I hoped to get maybe 60/65 people to attend and I was determined to go door to door to businesses until I'd gotten twenty donations. If things went really well, then maybe I'd do it again next year and aim to make the event a little bigger.

It's safe to say that I underestimated the massive generosity of people.

Saturday night over 140 people came to Molly Malone's to buy raffles for 69 donated baskets and 22 door prizes. By the end of the night, over $7500 was raised. When combined with the online donations, that is a grand total of $10260 (more than twice my original goal!) raised for RAINN.

Throughout this process I've been truly blown away by the response I've gotten. I've always believed that good outweighs bad in the world, but if I ever needed proof, I've got it.

First, the number of local and national businesses, as well as individuals, who made basket donations was staggering. If you're in the midst of holiday shopping and still looking for ideas, I'll be posting a list later this week. These authors, artists and stores all have wonderful products and are certainly worthy of patronage.

Then, there were the auction's attendees. There were a number of different groups, people from all different stages of my life, as well as some who I was meeting for the first time. They came from a variety of distances, from Maine to Pennsylvania to Virginia. I tried to speak with everyone for at least a little while and every single person who I spent time with expressed constant love and support. I was even stopped by members of the waitstaff, for handshakes and words of comfort.

Despite the darkness of the inciting incident that led to this event, Saturday night was all about the light. People cheered when others won auction baskets, regardless of whether or not they knew the winner. There were no cross words, no grievances. I was privileged to watch all these wonderful people give of their time and money, but even more impressively, of themselves.

 Getting ready for ticket sales! (Photo by Ed Johnson)

First table of baskets (Photo by Ed Johnson)

(Photo by Ed Johnson)

Long rows of generosity (Photo by Donna Schramm)

Mingling guests (Photo by Donna Schramm)

Scariest part of the evening for me. Was terrified I was going to throw up, but made

it through public speaking vomit free! (Photo by Donna Schramm)

Lucky raffle winner! (Photo by Donna Schramm)

I'm finding myself desperately searching for something bigger to say than "thank you," but I don't think the phrase exists. (Yet. I'm working on it, stay tuned.) So, again, thank you, thank you, thank you to all donors and attendees of the first RAINN Down Hope dinner and auction.

I have never been more inspired to truly embrace the spirit of the holidays.

And to answer a question I received many times the other night, we'll definitely all be getting together again next year.

Movie Madness

Happy Day After Giving Thanks! Hope you all had a phenomenal holiday and are now safely ensconced somewhere far away from crowded stores. Unless that’s something that you look forward, then I wish you all the greatest deals.

In case you are in any way the same type of crazy as me and have been counting the days until you can appropriately watch holiday themed movies without venturing into that scary “Christmas in July” territory, I’d like to present you with this year’s super nerdy – and borderline frightening – December movie schedule.

Hope you enjoy! But, really, mostly hope that you’ll forgive this display of mild insanity. After all, I did dedicate an evening just to movies staring members of the Saved By the Bell cast. That’s got to count for something, right?

The First of Many Thanks

Hello, all!

Sorry for the radio silence recently. Fundraisers and babies and weddings, oh my! I can not believe that the dinner auction is in less than two weeks and one of the weeks contains Thanksgiving. It’s a wonderful kind of insanity.

Also, having the holiday coincide with my preparations is fairly appropriate. I have a whole lot to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the amazing generosity of all the people I’ve dealt with in this process. Since some of said lovely folks are reading this, a monumental thank you for the signed books, gift certificates, artwork, and other wonderful donations. This auction is going to be beyond anything I’d imagined when starting. The baskets are taking on an awesome life of their own.

And counting!

So, thank you! I can’t wait to fill you in on all the details after everything is said and done. 

Parade Magic

Twelve years ago, my sister and I stayed over a night in Manhattan to watch my not quite one-year-old cousin (he’s going to be thirteen next week – insaneo!), so that my aunt and uncle could have a night out on the anniversary. The next day we went for a walk through Central Park before heading back home. My aunt and uncle brought us to see where all the balloons were being blown up for the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

As I mentioned last year, the parade is sacrosanct to me. That being said, never once have I wanted to battle the crowds to see it in person. I like pajamas and a jump start on eating copious amounts of food and the knowledge that I do not have to stand for one second of the festivities. Cozy cushions were made for Thanksgiving morning.

The morning before Thanksgiving? Totally different. Somehow seeing all the effort that went into making the parade the basket full of awesome that it is did nothing to take away from the wonder of it all. (Not like when you find out how a particularly cool magic trick is just smoke and mirrors. Bummer.) Instead it only added to it all.

Interestingly, it inspired the same feeling as when I’m getting ready to revise a story. All the mechanical parts are there, but they appear to be just random, disconnected bits and bobs. Then you blow life into them and abracadabra. Suddenly what you have is something full of fun and whimsy. Something that’s going to make people excited and happy. Something that can be enjoyed whilst eating eggs and bacon and, maybe, a cinnamon roll. And really, isn’t that what we all want for our final product?

So, ever since then, when I’m writing, my goal is the Thanksgiving Day Parade. What do you write towards?

Audio Disconnect

As a kid there was very little I loved more than story time. Listening to someone relay tales of fascinating worlds and beloved characters was the epitome of magic. And as I've mentioned many a time I've pretty much always been a fan of out loud solo reading as well. Love hearing spoken dialogue. 

But something about audio books just throw me. I've listened to quite a few of them, and it's not exactly that I don't like them, I just don't feel the same connection to the story as when I'm reading. I get distracted by line delivery choices and the voices that the reader has decided to give each character. 

For instance, the other day I was road tripping it up and decided to slap the iPod on shuffle and let the music gods determine my travel soundtrack. This is something I highly recommend, especially for those of us who have some downloaded audio books. There's something oddly enjoyable about suddenly hearing one fifth of a random chapter in the middle of Ella Fitzgerald and B*Witched. 

Anyway, I've both listened to and read the book that I was getting tastes of, so I can say with confidence that I enjoy the story. But, during this I wasn't thinking, Man, I want to listen to this whole thing again. Instead I just kept wondering, Why do all the male characters have Batman voice? It's not like they were interrogating criminals. In the scene I got an excerpt from they were removing a roof. Impressive, sure. But not the sort of thing you generally need a secret identity for. Of course, maybe that's not it at all and they've all just been eating gravel during coffee breaks. Who can say?

The point is, the audio books I've tried thus far haven't given me quite the experience I look for. And I would like to change that, as occasionally my enthusiastic car ride scream singing gives me a bit of a rasp. And then I'm the one with Batman voice. 

To prevent any confusion in the streets of Gotham, it would be nice to break up my driving concerts with a good book. So, I'm coming to you. Suggestions for really well done audio books please! All genres welcome. 

'Twas the Night Before The All Hallows'

'Twas the night before the All Hallows', when all through the dwelling

The dead were arising, the witches a-spelling. 

Revenants were spreading disease without care

Whilst vampires thralled mortals into their lair. 

The bats and the crows flew to the sky. 

The ghosts took turns pondering how it was they did die. 

And though in general I am not one to grouse

I did curse that which led me to this haunted house. 

The sounds from the graveyard, a terrible clatter,

First clued me in, this was no laughing matter. 

My gut started screaming, "Run away like a flash!"

But my feet wouldn't move, my legs wouldn't dash. 

Clouds surrounded the moon, giving an eerie glow. 

Light streaming through made shadows darker below. 

When, what through the mist did catch my eye

But a man dressed in rags, my throat went bone dry. 

His expression was bleary, quite haggard and worn

And I knew without words, his tale was forlorn. 

Before he spoke, a howl and screech clamored afar

No doubt a werewolf run afoul of a car. 

Oh demons! Oh harpies! Oh sneaky shapeshifters!

And vampires! Wendigos! And hitch hiking drifters!

They float up above and rise from below. 

Why I left my safe home, I'll never know. 

The dry leaves did crackle as the fellow drew nearer

The pit in my stomach grew deeper and queerer. 

His eyes spoke of madness, feral and grim

And still I could not move, damn traitorous limb. 

O'er the pounding of blood, I heard finally his voice. 

It was rusty, enthralling and left me no choice. 

I would listen to the man's story of woe,

Then, heavens be willing, unfreeze my legs and go. 

"I tricked the devil and called myself clever

No matter my sin, he would take my soul never. 

So, I lived on happily in transgression and vice

Never understanding what would be the true price. 

My hands - how they stole! My mouth - how it lied!

My knack for the cheating was a point of great pride!

In the towns where I traveled, I paid for nary a drink

And those I befriended? Their coins in my pocket did clink!

But one day I did die, as we are all wont to do

The devil, as promised, my soul did eschew. 

But here lay a problem on which I didn't count

My veniality prevented my soul from its mount. 

Safe from below, not wanted on high

My spirit was shackled, no where it could fly. 

I was bound to this earth for a life never ending

So I traveled in darkness on roads that were bending. 

Time seemed to cease, the night never quit

The laughing devil threw up an ember from his pit. 

In a hollowed-out turnip my hellfire does burn. 

And I answer to the name, Jack of the Lantern."

A banshee cried out behind me, breaking the spell

And I ran home faster than you can say "death knell."

But I heard a voice whisper as I shivered in fright,

"Enjoy All Hallows' Eve for it may be your last night."

Happy Halloween!!!

No Conversation Necessary

I've recently been spending a lot of time with a gentleman of few words. Well, to be honest, he's a gentleman of no words. He's three months old and try as I might he just refuses to say "Aunt Kelly is my favorite by far!" I figure he'll have it down by four months.

In the meantime, he's crushing it with the non-verbal communication:

                                

So, in his honor, I present five awesome characters of a taciturn nature: 

1. The Magic Carpet

This guy never said a single word, but every time he got excited or depressed I was right there with him. Come on, don't say you weren't. That rug drooped over and shuffled away after Aladdin started yelling and you just wanted to give him a cuddle. And you know it. 

2. Tara Maclay

Sure, we may have gotten to hear her both talk and sing later on, but we first got to know her in silence. And, let's face it, even if The Gentlemen hadn't been involved in that whole stealing people's voices shenanigans, Tara's first impression probably still would have been hushed. And that's fine because it was worth waiting to hear what she had to say. 

3. Snoopy

This guy didn't need to do a lot of yapping. He had swagger. Even after he started sharing his thought bubbles, all he really needed to do was don his pilot goggles or grab his saxophone and coolness began to emanate. No conversation needed. Plus, he liked to write! And who doesn't love a kindred spirit?

4. Arthur "Boo" Radley

A prime example of actions being far more impressive than words. He might have kept his own counsel, but that didn't mean he didn't care about the people around him. In terms of neighbors, I'd choose the one who leaves gifts in trees and is willing to fight for local children over some joker who's an open book, but who doesn't give a crap about anyone else and insists on playing "F*** You" at deafening levels on a Tuesday at one forty three in the morning. 

5. Waldo

I have never read or heard anything that this man has to say. Literally the only things I know about him is that he likes to travel and has a shockingly limited wardrobe and yet I know I will never, ever stop looking for him. How many inspirational speeches can really boast inspiring that level of devotion?

How about you? Any silent charmers you'd like to add the ranks? We can get them all together and throw a giant party. I'm willing to bet money we wouldn't get any noise complaints. 

But while you're finalizing the guest list, I've got to get back to my number one laconic lad. If my calculations are correct, it's time for our daily staring contest. 

                                 

He always wins. 

Romance for a Reason

Hey there, folks! Today we are lucky enough have Lauren Grimley visiting with us again. She's winding her way through her Romance for a Reason tour and today we get to read what she has to say on list item number five. Enjoy!

Top ten things more fictional (and real-life) females ought to do:

1. Save themselves (and everyone else) whenever they can.

2. Accept when they can’t.

3. Know themselves.

4. Be willing to change.

5. Embrace their sexuality.

6. Champion their femininity.

7. Appreciate chivalry.

8. Celebrate girl power.

9. Eliminate cattiness.

10. Cry a little & laugh a lot.

I am surrounded by real-life women warriors fighting life’s toughest battles, something that’s become even more evident as I’ve talked with people about my recent project: Romance for a Reason. Yet, as a reader and writer of romance (among other genres), I find few admirable fictional female warriors. So I decided to explore the issue, making a plea to writers and readers to demand more of their fictional heroines and explaining my reasons in posts throughout the month. Today, thanks to Kelly, I’m talking about number five on my top ten list. (See the calendar on the Romance for a Reason page for dates and links to the other posts.)

Where Romance Has it Right

Of all the requirements I came up with for kick-butt heroines, embracing sexuality is one area that most romance writers get right already. So why mention it? Because society still gets it wrong, sometimes infuriatingly wrong! And writers and their readers need a reminder that there are those of us out there who appreciate an honest look at women as lovers.

A little over a year ago, in the height of the Fifty Shades madness, I gave in to the hoopla and read all three books. Even as an amateur author myself, I agreed with the literary critics that they weren’t the most well-written works I’d read recently. I also agreed with the fandom, though, that they were a fun and interesting summer read. Ana fails to meet most of my requirements for strong females, particularly in the first book or so. Since it was a trilogy and based off the same basic plot as the Twilight series, I wasn’t bothered by that, knowing that her sexual awakening was just around the corner and would bring with it a stronger, more self-aware heroine. It did. The trilogy ended with a young woman who wasn’t afraid to admit she liked it a little kinky between the covers and who finally saw herself as an equal to her partner.

Enter Pastor Douglas Wilson, and his blog post “Fifty Shades of Prey,” in which he basically implies that women who willingly engage in certain types of sex are asking to become victims. I won’t repeat my complete irate rebuttal (you can read my reply to the good Pastor here), but let’s just say things got ugly.

Clearly this was an extreme example of someone who can’t accept females embracing their own sexuality, but society is full of less extreme examples. Single men who have healthy love lives, for instance, are studs. Single women with the same are called by another five-letter s-word. It seems only in romantic fiction, which unlike society and the media, tends to be ruled by female writers, readers, and first person narrators, is it okay for a woman to enjoy love making as much as her male counterparts. (Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse with her variety of lovers—not just in number, but also in species—and her honest comments about her sexual appetite is probably my favorite example of this.)

So how do we change society’s double standard? By pointing it out whenever we see it. I’m not sure Miley Cyrus got it right, but I seriously wonder if anyone would have cared if some male artist rubbed himself all over a half-dressed dancer—which, from what I remember of MTV, is pretty much what happens in nearly every rap video ever made. Her twerking, like E.L. James’s writing, got everyone talking. Now we just need to turn the topic of conversation to the real issues: women, like men, have desires. It ought to be perfectly acceptable for females in real-life, like in our fiction, to embrace these desires...Although perhaps we can all agree to keep it off prime time!

The Romance:

Unbridled: A collection of short stories from the Alex Crocker series

By Lauren Grimley

“Think Law and Order SUV meets The Breakfast Club” was Ellie’s trite explanation of what Alex had been dragged into. Add a few fangs, Fifty Shades of Oversharing, and a dash of Dr. Phil, and she was in for quite a Thursday night.

Alex couldn’t deny she had become the pint-sized poster child for PTSD lately, but she didn’t exactly expect to find a support group for teachers turned vampire chew toys in Bristol, MA. Listening to the tales of the four other females gathered to help her heal, however, she accepts that perhaps both the worst and the best of life can blossom from the unexpected.

Unbridled is a novella-length collection of four connected stories focusing on the unlikely friendships and less likely lovers of the female characters from the Alex Crocker series.

“Grace and Dignity”

Ireland, 1713

Even a female whose mating has been arranged most of her life still thinks about what she wants in a mate. Not one of the qualities Sarah had hoped for were easily evident in her betrothed, the future Regan of the Rectinatti coven. Perhaps, though, there were more layers to Darian than he liked to reveal, but how does a subject unmask a prince?

“Rules and Recollections”

Bristol, Massachusetts, 1902

You can’t fall in love with someone you barely recall, but that, Vivian supposed, was the point. After a terse meeting with the Knower, a mind reader, memory manipulator, and the coven’s most notorious lecher, Vivian isn’t herself. She can’t shake the feeling that the solution to her mood lurks just below the surface of her consciousness. Only plunging into darkness, though, will bring everything to light.

“Blood and Secrecy”

Bristol, Massachusetts, 2008

The shared need for blood brought them together, but individual desires for secrecy are keeping them apart. Each already left behind a life of privilege for reasons the other likely couldn’t understand. Now both Rocky and Ellie need to decide if they’re willing to open up about their pasts in order to ensure a future.

Series: Alex Crocker series, can definitely be enjoyed without reading the first two books in the series, but is written to fit after the events of book 2, Unveiled.

Genres: paranormal romance, vampire series, urban fantasy, short stories

Release date: October 1, 2013

Available formats: ebook & paperback (178 pages)

Website page: http://www.laurengrimley.com/Unbridled.html

Purchase links:

Amazon

Unbridled

Or for those who want just a bite, three of the individual stories are available as well:

“Grace and Dignity”

“Rules and Recollections”

“Blood and Secrecy”

  

Barnes & Noble 

Unbridled

“Grace and Dignity”

“Rules and Recollections”

“Blood and Secrecy”

The Reason:

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As the daughter of a breast cancer survivor and a friend and teacher of too many women who’ve been affected by violence, I chose it to also to be the release date for Unbridled. I may not love wearing pink or purple, the colors of these two issues, but I do love a good fight for great causes. I’ve just chosen to battle this one with my pen. Please consider helping in your own way!

How you can help:

Read some romance. Proceeds from Unbridled will be donated to the two charities listed here.

Donate. Make your own individual donation to these two charities or choose a local charity supporting these and other causes affecting women in your area. To learn more about each charity and my reasons for choosing them, visit the Romance for a Reason page. Or click through to donate directly.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation

V-Day

Party hard. Gather the women (and men!) of your book club or just a group of friends for a Romance for Reason party. Party ideas? Check out my blog for ideas on how to plan your gathering. Then download the Romance Reading Questionnaire and/or the Body Lingo Bingo for some fun party activities!

Share. Tweet, status update, review, or just chat with friends about the books, the tour, and the charities (mine or yours)!

About the author: 

Lauren Grimley lives in central Massachusetts where she grew up, but her heart is on the beaches of Cape Cod where she spends as much of her time as possible. After graduating from Boston University she became a middle school English teacher. She now balances writing, reading, and correcting, all with a cat on her lap and a glass of red wine close by.

Unforeseen, the first novel in the Alex Crocker Seer series, was Lauren’s debut novel. She was thrilled this spring to continue the series with Unveiled and now Unbridled. To learn more about her or her writing or to connect with her online visit her website at www.laurengrimley.com.

Blog: http://blog.laurengrimley.com

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Grimley/e/B007Y5ZZSG

Twitter @legrimley: https://twitter.com/legrimley

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenGrimley

Google+: http://plus.google.com/u/0/105156245095191358255/posts//p/pub

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5825387.Lauren_Grimley

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorlegrimley/

Feeling lucky? Enter Lauren's giveaway!

One Point in Favor of Hard Copy Books

I love reading on my iPad. Absolutely adore it.

As for buying books electronically? An awesomely dangerous convenience.

I don't even have to put on pants to go buy a book? One click? That's amazing!

*Cut to me looking at my credit card bill.* 

I spent how much money on books this month? Well, that's okay. I'll just cut back on my other luxuries. You know, like food. I can definitely get by on less of that, right?

Anyway, electronic reading is amazing, but paper books still have some advantages. One of the big one is the ease of sharing.

As I mentioned, I've had some recent success in the world of garage sale book buys. I spent a considerable amount of time in a waiting room the other day. I knew it would be a time consuming morning going in, so I prepared. Filled my bag with two of my new paperbacks and set out.

I was well into my waiting when another woman in the waiting room asked what I was reading. At this point, I have never been asked about my reading material when reading electronically. Maybe they will someday, but thus far no electronic versions have engendered conversations with strangers. Not that I'm necessarily complaining - I enjoy solitary reading time as much as the next bookworm - just observing.

I told her and handed her the book to read the back cover. She said it sounded like a fun story and I told her that if I finished it before I left, it was all hers. As I'd gotten a head start on it during my hour long train ride, I did indeed finish it prior to my departure. The woman thus became the new proud owner of Suzanne Brockmann's Kiss and Tell and I got the joy of coming home and realizing that this book was one of the duplicates in my garage sale box, so I still also own a copy. It was a big win/win of a book day and not one that would have happened had I been reading an electronic copy of the story.

Sure, we might have started chatting even if I was on my iPad and perhaps would have touched on books. But even if I told her about my current selection, she could have at most written down the name and that would be that. This way, I got to actually share a book and see someone's excitement about reading it, which is always fun.

I'll likely never see this woman again, but I'll remember her and that waiting room every time I re-read the book.

Paper books can not be gotten instantaneously and they require a hell of a lot more storage space, but I'll probably keep collecting as many of them as I do electronic books. I guess that day in kindergarten is burned on my subconscious because I really like sharing (at least when it comes to books, do not try to eat my nachos) and hard copies just make it easier.

Garage Sale Win

This past weekend my town had its annual garage sale. Once a year, people drag all the stuff that they're looking to get rid of down to the town park and set up stands. It's the usual mix of things nobody wants and hidden treasures.

I didn't head down until the late afternoon, at which point most of the hidden treasures had already been found by those who braved the park in the morning hours. But I did not leave empty handed. In fact, I found out that arriving late has its benefits.

I, as I am wont to do, gravitated toward stands selling books. One table in particular was laden with boxes of them. All clearly well loved. They were being sold for three books for a dollar. A deal in which I was more than happy to partake. I decided to splurge and spend a whole two dollars for six of them. The very nice woman selling these was getting ready to close up shop and I think the idea of trucking all of her books back home was a bit daunting.

And that's how I ended up walking away with a box of thirty one books for my two bucks.

When I went to pay, she insisted that I take one of the boxes off her hand. As I'm sure you can tell, it takes some real arm twisting to get me to go home with more books than planned. Basically, I thanked her for taking care of my fall reading, grabbed the box and ran away laughing maniacally.

I didn't go through my box of awesome until I got back home. I will admit, four of the books were duplicates (the extras will be dropped off at the library), but that does leave me with twenty seven books I've not year read. Averaging out at around seven cents a book, I'm still calling it a win.

No complaints here.

The moral of my ramblings, if you're looking to score some inexpensive reads, go to garage sales late. No one but crazed book lovers wants to cart anything heavy home. And therein lies the secret of our success.

The Right Kind of Spooky

Fall is officially upon us. Probably my favorite season, despite the inevitable packing on of caramel apple weight.

No matter how much I love Christmas or watching new flowers bloom or sunny days by the ocean, I never feel as inspired as when the weather is cooling and the leaves are changing colors. In the summer, storms bring to mind pirates, but in the fall, dark clouds mean witches, ghosts and all manner of spooks hiding in the shadows, waiting to be found. They make me want to create some magic of my own.

The ideas flow. Some in the entirely wrong direction, but they're still fun to consider. And when I take a break from my own worlds to visit someone else's, I like it to be just the right kind of spooky. Not really scary, mind you. Because I am what is generally known as a giant mega chicken when it comes to horror movies. No, thank you. I am interested in sleeping again at some point in my life.

But I do like to feel a little spooked. A slight chill up the spine, as opposed to a sudden, overwhelming desire to hide under my bed and ne'er emerge again. Thankfully, this fall has offered me some new fare. 

First, my sister recently introduced me to Delta Rae. If you're not already listening to them, you should definitely check them out. They're pretty much an explosion of awesome. And one of their songs is exactly what I'm looking for when it comes to an autumn playlist. Fun to sing a long to, a touch of the supernatural and an intensity from the lead singer that creates just the perfect amount of spookiness.

I definitely believe that she could take out the village before being thrown in the river. It's all in the eyes.

And then in the realm of television, I am getting into Sleepy Hollow big time. It may be a pretty big leap from the original source material, but as far as I'm concerned the changes are paying off so far. I tend to feel a little twitch of unease while I'm watching but the lingering effect isn't nightmare inducing fear. When I finish an episode, I just feel like writing. Not anything related to what I watched, I just want to get back to work. I don't think I can coherently explain why that is, but suffice it to say, I'm happy to be inspired in whatever ways possible.

Now, though, I'm looking for books that will fit into the category of spooky, but not necessarily scary, to add to my TBR list. Particularly paranormal or mystery. Any suggestions?

It Be Upon Us Yet Again...

Illustration by Ghergich & Co.

Ahoy, me hearties!

It be that great, grand day once again, wherein we be encouraged to talk like pirates. Unlike all the rest of the long, dreary year where we be damned to the fate of land lubbers.

And on such a day I know what question be lurking in the damp recesses of ye hearts. What do buccaneers be readin', pray?

- How I Became A Pirate (Melinda Long/David Shannon)
  It be important that we each recall how we came to the sweet trade.

- The Gold Bug (Edgar Allan Poe)
   This be a cautionary tale if ever there was one. None but a scurvy dog would leave treasure marked so clearly by dead man's bones.

- Granuaile (Anne Chambers)
  Any who seek port on the Emerald Isle would do well to know of the Pirate Queen, Grace O'Malley. Unless, of course, ye be wanting to walk the plank.

- Pirate Haiku (Michael P. Spradlin)
  Don't be lettin' our fearsome demeanor fool ye. Pirates be lovin' poetry, or you can call me the son of a biscuit eater.

- The Book of Pirates (Jamaica Rose/Captain Michael MacLeod)
  For days that find ye loaded to the Gunwales. It always be helpful to have ye a grasp of the guidelines.

Of course, this be only a small samplin' of the mental grog to be had. And there be more ships on the horizon. In but a year, I, for one, will be readin' Hook's Revenge. I be hopin' that his daughter goes after that crocodile wi' a wannion. And any who say the beast deserves different is a squiffy, scurvy dog!

Now it be time for me to go on the account. See ye on the seas!

On a Serious Note

Hello, friends. Today I'd like to share a personal story and unfortunately one which is much more serious than those I've talked about in the past. 

There's no easy transition into a topic like this, so I'm not going to try to create one. 

Three and a half years ago I was raped by a stranger who forced his way into my apartment when I was leaving for work. 

If someone had previously asked me if fourteen minutes was a long or short period of time, I would have said short. No question. And I would have been wrong. Fourteen minutes is an eternity. 

But I count myself lucky because in the fifteenth minute, light overcame darkness. 

Thanks to the extremely quick thinking of my roommate and best friend, the police arrived at my apartment before my rapist left. Her actions saved my life and ensured he was never again out of custody. I was saved the torment of knowing he was out in the world or having to identify him in a lineup. The tireless efforts of the detectives and prosecutor assigned to the case saved my sanity. And the unswerving support of my friends and family saved my soul. 

At his sentencing I was given the opportunity to give a statement. I did so with my roommate standing at my side and my loved ones seated behind me. And together we received the news that he would serve twenty-four years. 

I wish I could say that after that moment my life returned to what it had been before March 25, 2010. It didn't, of course, but I am more than proud to say that while it may not be the same, my life is awesome. Because I refuse to settle for anything less. 

Every day brings more healing and more proof that, despite how it sometimes seems, good does outweigh bad in this world. By a lot. 

This past summer was particularly monumental for me. Three and a half years ago, I would have said that I would never again live alone and that was fine. The idea of traveling solo overseas would have been more than laughable. Now, not only was I able to do it, but I loved every minute of it. 

Not surprisingly, I'm kind of in a celebrating mood. 

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the holidays. Those of you reading last year were subjected to my daily Christmas movie calendar. And to the newcomers.... it's coming. Get pumped. 

But this year I've decided to do more. I'm combining all the things that make me happy right now and planning a holiday dinner auction in early December to benefit the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. It's a phenomenal organization and one that has helped me at various points over the last few years. 

It should be a wonderful night and I'm really excited about it. Right now I'm at the harassing-local-businesses-for-auctionable-donations stage. It's quite enjoyable. 

So, if any of you know of anyone who would be interested in donating anything for auction - like maybe (hint, hint) a signed book, fellow writers - please shoot me an email. 

And if you're interested in more information on the fundraiser, please check out rainnmakers.rainn.org/kjohnson. 

I know this post has been a bit long. Thank you so much for reading. 

I truly appreciate it.