Sunday, December 19, 2010

Come Party with Me!


Join me over at The Romance Studio Christmas Party! I'll be blogging and posting excerpts along with dozens of other romance authors. We'll be partying until December 23rd. There are contests, prizes and we'll even be giving away a Nook!

To celebrate the release of Finding Sean, I'll be giving away a copy of Finding Jen, the first book in the Lost and Found series. Click on my name on the right side of the web page to see all my posts.

See ya at the Party!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Things I Am Grateful For


With Christmas next week, I thought I’d take a break from the hectic whirlwind to reflect on a few of the small things that I am grateful for.

That I live in a warm climate where we don’t shovel our weather and I’ve worn shorts or gone swimming on Christmas Day.
The predictions for the last few years have not come true and we haven’t been hit with a hurricane season like 2004 when Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne hit the state. (The price we pay for swimming on Christmas Day.)

When I make a mistake or a faux pax, it doesn’t land on YouTube, Entertainment Tonight or the front page of the NY Post – usually.

I’ve been able to attend pro football games as a season ticket holder for the last 16 years. I love the game and was brought up believing the four seasons are Pre-season, Season, Post-season and Draft.

The elections are over and we are no longer being subjected to all the negative ads. The name calling this time was worse than little kids in a sandbox.

And, of course, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Depp and Eli Manning




Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Finding Sean Now Available on Amazon Kindle
and B&N Nook




Years ago, Jennifer Gilbert rejected Sean O’Connell because she could no longer tolerate the ménage relationship with him and another woman. She wanted Sean all to herself.


Now the tables have turned. When Sean finds Jennifer again in “Finding Jen,” the first book in the “Lost and Found” series, the only way he can have her is to share her with the other man she loves.

In “Finding Sean” the second book in the “Lost and Found’ Series, Sean’s tolerance of Rick, the other man, turns to interest, and then more. No one is more surprised than Sean. Now the love triangle is unraveling. Jennifer and Sean must search their hearts and decide once and for all what or who they are willing to give up for love.

I hope you enjoy the following excerpt:

“So who are you waiting for?” asked a squeaky voice directly behind Jennifer Gilbert.

Startled, Jen dropped the mail. “Oh, Mrs. Levitz, I didn’t hear you.”

Jen’s landlady reached up and shook her finger in Jen’s face. “You should pay more attention to your surroundings. I could have been a mugger or something even worse. You should never let your guard down. It’s not safe.”

Jen nodded and bent to pick up the mail, knowing it was useless to disagree with anything the woman said. Mrs. Levitz had an annoying habit of sneaking up on people and listening to their conversations, then dispensing unwanted advice. But Jen loved the old brownstone where she lived, and if Mrs. Levitz’s advice was the price she had to pay to stay here then she’d gladly put up with it.

She, Sean, and Rick rented the three apartments on the third floor although they spent most of their time in Jen’s. It was easier than trying to explain to Mrs. Levitz why all of them were living together. Besides, they needed the space. As far as Jen could tell, they’d kept their arrangement secret from the nosy woman. The less she knew the better.

“So you’re going out to dinner with the dark one. Do you think you can change him?” Even though Sean and Rick had been tenants for over six months, the landlady persisted in referring to them as “the dark one” and “the light one” as if they were some sort of superhero duo.

Jen shoved the mail into her portfolio handbag and stood. “Change him?” What on earth was she babbling about?

“You know, change him. Make him like girls.” Mrs. Levitz gave Jen a conspiratorial wink. “I noticed his boyfriend, the light one, he didn’t come back from vacation with him. Maybe they got tired of each other.”

“His boy -- are you saying Sean O’Connell and Rick Evans are gay?” Jen didn’t know whether to burst out laughing or blast her with some righteous indignation. She settled for innocent curiosity. Just what kind of gossip was the woman spreading?

“Well, you know they moved in at the same time, and I hear them talking on the stairs, their voices real low when they come and go. How come you didn’t spot it? You’re always going out with them. What do you think? Which one’s the girl?”

“Mrs. Levitz! That’s utterly ridiculous. I know for a fact they are both healthy, heterosexual men. No one’s the girl. How can you even think that?”

“Are ya sure? I mean, they both go out of town a lot, too. Do you think they go to a secret rendezvous place together?” Mrs. Levitz asked hopefully as if hating to give up the idea of two gay men as her tenants.

“I can assure you, Mrs. Levitz…” a frosty baritone voice said from the staircase “…I am not now…nor have I ever been…gay.”

Jen cringed at the icicles dripping from his words. Of all people for Mrs. Levitz to consider gay, homophobic Sean O’Connell should have been the last. Why, he even freaked out if Rick brushed against him while they were having a three-way. How much had he heard? Oh please, don’t let him have heard the part about being the girl.


Coming Soon – “Finding Rick, the third book in the “Lost and Found’ Series.


Visit my website and my pages at Amazon and Barnes and Noble for all my stories. Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Paradise Is Now Available Through Amazon Kindle
 and B&N Nook


Independent, career woman Roberta Miller wins a dream vacation – only it’s closer to a Jurassic Park nightmare: a camping trip, canoeing through the Okefenokee Swamp, dodging snapping alligators, mosquitoes the size of elephants and – “What do you mean there are no restrooms!”

Bad boy, Eddie McGraw chucked his successful Wall St. career to run the family camping business in his favorite place on earth. He’s through with races only the rats win and women obsessed with careers and designer shoes. He’s set his sights on settling down with a good old country girl, one who shares his passion for the simple life, that is, until he meets a very intriguing camper.

As I mentioned on my website, this story was previously published in 2006 but, never had a chance. After carefully researching which publishers to submit it to, it turns out I had not chosen wisely. The publisher declared bankruptcy, closed its doors, website and email and left its authors hanging. ::sigh::

Fortunately, we all eventually got our rights back but Robbie and Eddie were a bit shell-shocked by the whole experience and have spent the last few years hiding under my bed.

I figure they’ve had enough time to recover and have pushed them off in their canoe into the Okefenokee Swamp again. Bugs, gators, and things that go bump in the night all await these adventurous campers. If they happen to fall in love along the way, well, there are other things to do in a swamp besides listen to tree frogs.

I hope you enjoy their adventure!

ASIN: B0046H9ZCC
$3.99
173 pages

Buy Kindle Edition

Buy Nook Edition

Saturday, November 06, 2010

My Top Ten Excuses for Not Writing Today



He has nothing to do with the topic, but sometimes I like to open my blogs with a hot guy. For my money, Jason Taylor is seriously hot.

:: sigh:: Back on task…

Excuses seem to be a big topic on a lot of loops recently so I thought I’d chime in with mine. Here we go…

1. The sun’s in my eyes.
2. My shoes are too tight.
3. I just washed my hair.

Oh…Wait…Those are my excuses for not exercising. My bad…
Hmm… excuses for not writing…Oh yeah.

10. I have to take down my jack-o’-lanterns and put up my pilgrims. Gosh, I’m already a week late.

9. There’s a sale on my favorite wine at the local shop and I have to get there before the only other two people in this city who like it buy up the entire stock.

8. Christmas shopping! OMG! It’s the 6th of November and I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping yet!

7. I have to clean my house. Nayh, let’s not get ridiculous.

6. The cats are fighting. I need to break it up. (Regrettably, this really is an all day job.)

5. I need to figure out what’s for dinner. Italian…Chinese…Mexican… So many take out menus so little time.

4. I have to do the Sudoku in today’s newspaper. Really, for me, a day without Sudoku is a day closer to Old Timer’s Disease.

3. Wisconsin is at Perdue and Minnesota is at Michigan State. I can’t possibly miss those. (That’s college football for those of you not addicted to the game.)

2. I sprained my wrist (No, really, I did last Wednesday. I am such a bobo-head.)

1. Oh, my Number One excuse for not writing today…I wrote this blog instead!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Almost Home

Day 28 of my sojourn up the East coast and almost the last day. I head out on Sunday and plan to be in the land of milk and honey - or rather gators and oranges - on Monday. This trip has been a fantastic event of researching sites (and sights) for future books. As of today I satisfied the last item on my ‘to do’ list with visiting a cemetery with my mom. (Yeah, I'm working on another Lite Paranormal) Now, I’ve been to several cemeteries during my visit - there is a fascinating one near Ocean City NJ with early 18th century graves and another one that overlooks a highway and the new “Stop and Shop” - and they had a sense of contentment and caring (based on the items left near the headstones) about them. But the one I visited today was one of the creepiest I‘ve ever been to. Obviously, I didn’t say a word to Mom. We were there to visit my grandparents and several of her friends. She was the first to mention how spooky and cold it was.


Row after row after row of headstones all the same height, a few different shapes, as far as you could see; few flowers and very impersonal, or so it seemed to us. Now, I’ve been to Arlington National Cemetery many times where every headstone is laid out in rows but it’s very peaceful and I’ve never been creeped out there. Both Mother and I didn’t want to be anywhere near this place after dark. (Her words not mine.)

Well this little odyssey of a month on the road to renew my Jersey roots has been fantastic but I’m now looking forward to returning to the Sunshine State and putting what I found into some new stories. I discovered a lot and can’t wait to weave some magic around it.

Sometimes getting away has a way of bringing you back home again.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

On the Road Again

Day 19 of my journey up the East Coast. Today I thought I’d share some pictures of one of my favorite places in the world: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - The Met. I’ve been here dozens of times but I still get a thrill climbing the front stairs in anticipation. (And there are lots of stairs!)




And then, the minute I step through to the first gallery, I’m lost…literally. I can’t follow a map for anything. No matter how many times I ask directions, I don’t really listen. I hear part of what the guards are saying then think “Yeah, I know where that is” and I just don’t listen anymore. And so, of course I’m lost again after I make the first turn. But it really doesn’t matter. There’s always something wonderful and fascinating no matter where I am.

And so I spend the day aimlessly wandering and discovering until my feet need a beer and it’s time to leave. But before I do, I always head to my favorite gallery on the second floor to visit my three favorite paintings, which oddly enough are side by side by side. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Somehow, someway, they're going to land in a future story.


Springtime by Pierre-Auguste Cot




The Storm also by Pierre-Auguste Cot




Joan of Arc by Jules Bastien-Lepage

I will spend close to an hour staring and studying these marvelous works. There is just something in each of them that calls to me and I can’t look away.

That is, until my feet really become insistent about needing that beer. Last week, we headed to a great place on First and 86th called East End Bar and Grill. It took a few beers but my feet finally stopped shouting at me.

Have a great day!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Making A Commitment

Once again I’m on the road. This time in New Jersey, enjoying the beautiful Spring weather – actually, I’m freezing my behiney off – and visiting friends and family. Today I’m hitting Atlantic City.

The other night, I was watching TV with my sister and we began to list shows we watch on a semi-regular basis. I say semi-regular because I really can’t commit to being in front of a TV at the same time on the same day every week. It’s just too much pressure. Anyway here’s the list of TV shows I came up with.

The Big Bang Theory – What’s not to love about four guys who are the perfect stereotypes of the major geek groups? I went out with all of them in high school. (Yes, I even dated a Sheldon)

Two and A Half Men – Even though John Cryer is TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) on the show, I can’t help but root for him and hope that this time he gets the girl.

NCIS – Mark Harmon. Wow. Oh, and, regrettably if I were ever to meet the Tony DiNozzo character, I would feel obligated to stuff him down the nearest sewer for what he has done to poor Timmy McGee.

Jeopardy – I love playing but it’s become painfully obvious, I’m not Ken Jennings.

Castle – Hey, he’s hot, he’s witty and by his own admission, he is “ruggedly handsome” and best of all, he’s a writer!

Like I said, I can’t commit to watching a show every week. Can anybody? I mean, is there anyone who has seen every episode of 24 – in order? Or how about LOST? Has anyone seen every episode for six years?
 
Rick Castle...Yes, definitely “ruggedly handsome.”

Friday, March 12, 2010

Do you have a ‘Bucket List’?
I had such fun writing this blog for the Loose Id Authors Coffeetime Romance Retreat, I thought I'd recycle it here!


I’m asking this because I found mine while cleaning out the garage. (See the post on archeological digs.) Of course, when I wrote it, I called it Aims and Goals but since the movie everyone seems to know it as a Bucket List. Mine was written somewhere around my senior year in high school. I haven’t seen it for a long time, but I felt good that a lot of things were checked off.

What I found interesting was not what I had or had not accomplished (although I was able to update it with several things I’d done since I’d last seen it) The thing I really found interesting was what I considered noteworthy to spend my time and energy on in my future.

Yes, I did go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade (Boy, talk about a crowd of people!)

Yes, I have been to the Grand Canyon. (Indescribable)

No, I’ve never made it to Mardi Gras.

Yes, I have read War and Peace. (Loooong but so worth it)

No, I’ve never made it to the Olympic Games

No, I’ve never been in Times Square on New Year’s Eve (And that’s probably a good thing)

Some of the items were a bit surprising. "To go camping in Canada." Now, I’ve been to Canada several times and loved every minute of it, but camping??? Like in a tent and sleeping on the ground??? I don’t think so. I love nature but at night I need a hotel with cable and a hot shower.

I’m thinking that it’s probably time to revise my list. Update it with things that mean more to me now, but ya know…I still want to see the Hoover Dam.
Anyone Else Doing An Archeological Dig?

I had such fun writing this blog for the Loose Id Authors Coffeetime Romance Retreat, I thought I'd recycle it here!



Last weekend we finally did it!
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
In fact, it was downright fun.
It was so much fun, my husband and I are actually going to do it again!

Oh you silly! Not that!
We had a garage sale!

We had a wonderful time meeting people, complaining about the weather and handing off our discards to folks who thought they were treasures.

We actually got rid of enough stuff that we can get to the other side of the garage to the stuff we really want to get rid of. (Hence the thought about doing it again.)

We haven’t moved in a thousand years and things just piled up and piled up but they weren’t in the way so we had no incentive to do anything about it. Until my son moved back home after college…

It was hysterical some of the things we were saving. My husband had over 500 golf balls. (He’s not the greatest golfer in the world but he’s not THAT bad that he needs 500 gold balls.) I found my wedding album – from my first marriage. Somehow, I figure if I’ve been married for two decades to my second husband, I probably don’t need the pictures from the first. Right?

I found a tour guide pamphlet for Universal Studios in California. An adult admission price? $7.25! Children were $5.25! Today’s price? $69.00. I think I may hold onto this.

I have no idea why I'm saving most of this stuff. Somewhere along the line it must have been important to me but now, I think the only ones who might be remotely interested in it are archeologists looking to explore the last few decades in Surburbia.

Saturday, February 20, 2010


Loose Id Unleashed

Join me beginning March 1st and
Discover Love Unleashed with your favorite Loose Id authors at
Coffee Time Romance Readers' Retreat

Contests, Give-Aways and all sorts of exciting things will be happening everyday through March 20th!
Hang out with your favorite Loose Id Authors and learn how they write, what’s in the works, who their favorite authors are, and much, much more!

I’ll be hosting March 2nd along with multi-published and incredibly talented Qwillia Rain!
Throughout the month these wonderful Loose Id Authors will be stopping by the Reader’s Retreat.
Drop by their websites and check them out!

Ali Katz    http://www.a-katz.com/

Amber Green    http://www.shapeshiftersinlust.com/

Belinda McBride http://www.belindamcbride.com/

Eliza Gayle http://elizagayle.net/

G.G. Royale http://www.ggroyale.com/

Gemini Judson http://www.gemjudson.com/

Lissa Matthews http://www.lissamatthews.com/

Mechele Armstrong http://www.mechelearmstrong.com/

Michelle Hasker http://www.michellehasker.com/

Nica Berry www.orossy.com/nicaberry

Qwillia Rain http://www.clubdiabloblanco.webs.com/

Rosalie Stanton http://rosalie-stanton.com/

S. W. Vaughn http://www.swvaughn.com/

Selena Illyria http://www.selenaillyria.com/

Suzanne Rock http://www.suzannerock.com/

Treva Harte http://www.trevaharte.com/

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Come Join Me On February 9th!

I'll be guest blogging with Tracy Cooper Posey and her erotic romance alter ego, Teal Ceagh, on February 9th when my latest "Paranormal-Lite" novella, Waltz Me Through Time, is released by Ellora's Cave.

Come chat with me over at http://tracycooperposey.com/blog/ and you'll have a chance to win either a copy of Waltz Me Through Time or another one of my titles.  Hope to see you there!

Stanley Caldwell is ecstatic to finally locate his wife after losing her during a lively dance…but he’s not thrilled with what he finds!
     She doesn’t remember the dance.
     She doesn’t remember him.
     She doesn’t remember she belongs in 1902.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010



































Cover For
Waltz Me Through Time

I've just received the cover for my next release with Ellora's Cave. I absolutely love it! It captures the spirit of the story and especially the hero in his way-too-sexy tux.


Waltz Me Through Time is one of Ellora's Cave's Dance of Desire series and will be released on February 9th. It's another of my "paranormal lites" and with this one we do a bit of time traveling. 


Juliana Douglas has a thriving antique shop and a boyfriend who is likely to propose any day. Everything is working out just as she wants it to…until a handsome stranger arrives from 1902 and claims she’s his wife.