Round of Giveaway Winners!

Here is a round of May giveaway winners...

For Rebecca Savage's "book of choice" giveaway, the winner is...Commenter #1: Cathy M.

For Donna Marie Rogers's Meant to Be, the winner is...Commenter #1: Debra St. John

For T.M. Hunter's Friends in Deed, the winner is...Commenter #6: Alex Flynn

Congrats, winners! To claim your prizes, send an email to amber@amberleighwilliams.com!

Special Guest: TM Hunter (& Aston West)

Cozies, please give a big. warm welcome to guest author TM Hunter whose latest book Friends in Deed, Book II in the Aston West sci-fi series, is now available from Champagne Books...

Aston West was condemned to life on the prison planet Lycus IV for spitting in a man’s face. Being forced to reside with the likes of murderers and thieves, he owes his freedom to Lars and Elijah Cassus, who orchestrated an escape. Now the twin brothers call in the favor and force him to return with their team to Lycus IV to rescue crewmate Leah Jordan.

Aston discovers Leah’s desire to leave the twins forever, but Lars and Elijah use fear and intimidation to control their group and no one leaves alive. It’s a case of kill or be killed and Aston will need to become more like the brothers than he ever wanted.

First of all, Friends in Deed is the 2nd book in your Aston West series. Tell us a bit about how you came by this particular space pirate?

Aston West actually came from a character I had originally come up with for a different novel (which thankfully never saw the light of day). That novel never really panned out as I mentioned, but I resurrected the main construct of the starship pilot, and developed Aston after the inspiration for my first novel came to me in a dream. I'm a big fan of characters who know when they truly have to do the right thing, even if it's the last thing they want to do, and it was a natural fit for the story behind my first novel, Heroes Die Young.

I'm fascinated by the world-building process. What tools helped you carry Aston's world into Book II?

Well, I do most of my world-building the old-fashioned way, with pencils, pens and paper (sometimes notecards). I drew out what might pass off as maps for locations and such. The prison planet which serves as the backdrop for much of the story actually came about from a brief mention in the first novel. Most of my world-building comes from just random brainstorming. Most of the main locations were derived from some need of the plot, but constructing them all so they flow together is always a trick.

To you, what makes Aston's world interesting?

I figure the same thing that makes Aston himself interesting, the fact that anyone could see themselves in these very places, and doing these very things (well, some more than others...he is a space pirate after all). That it all takes place in a distant galaxy hopefully makes the reader believe that there really are places and people out there just like these I've described.

How will readers be able to identify with Aston?

Aston is everyman, as I've heard many readers say. He's the type of guy who really just wants to be left alone to his own devises, but he's never able to achieve that. Life just has this way of trying to put the bottom of its boot on his throat, and he has to fight his way out of his predicaments. We've all been there.

What inspired you to write science fiction?

I've always been a big fan of space exploration and spacecraft. Anything space-related, I just couldn't get enough of. In fact, I ended up getting my degree in aerospace engineering, which is ironic, because most of the stuff I write violates almost every rule of spacecraft physics there is (but in my opinion, makes it far more exciting).

As I understand, the Aston West books have received praise from reviewers. Here's your chance to plug those review quotes :)

I've had several great reviews, here's a few:

I couldn't put it down - and I was drawn in from the first page on.
- E-book Guru

Heroes Die Young is one of those rare books that you meet, where the character has had a vivid life before and after the book. You just get to ride along during an exciting slice of it, and darn it, you wish there was more.
- Novelspot

This book was great fun to read, exciting and believable... T.M. Hunter is a name to remember for you sci-fi fans out there.
- Midwest Book Review

I usually don't read sci-fi/space age type books, but I must admit that this book piqued my interest. Even then, I thought that once I began to read it I would get bored or not understand what T.M. Hunter was talking about. I was completely wrong. This book is awesome.
- Book Universe

Mr. Hunter has written a refreshing heroic story that promises to build into a spectacular series.
- Coffee Time Romance

What are your plans for future books in this series?

I already have at least 2 or 3 plots lined out for Aston and friends (and enemies). The third novel is currently in work and trying not to give anything away, he finally realizes a relationship that so many had wished for since reading the first book. Beyond that, I plan on him facing off once more against his nemesis from my latest book. From there, it gets a little fuzzy, but I'm certain it will come to me by the time I'm ready to work it.

A visit to Cozy wouldn't be complete without a round of random questions. What is your zodiac? What is it telling you today?

I'm a Sagittarius. It doesn't tell me much most days, as I don't read a horoscope. I'm more a comic strip-type of guy.
I love a good laugh.

If you could be a fictional hero, what genre would your novel be?

Well, my novel would still be science fiction...

What genre would I like to be in? Still have to go with science fiction, though if I wasn't already married, erotica might be a nice touch (or perhaps erotic science fiction...but sorry, I draw the line at anything with tentacles. Guy's gotta have his standards).

LOL - If you were a mixed drink, what would you be?

Pina colada...pasty white and tasty.

Cute :) What recent read would you recommend?

I'd recommend Blade Dancer by K.M. Tolan. He has a great knack for world-building that really draws you into the story. I have another of his books, Rogue Dancer on my to-read list.

Thanks! What's your favorite smell and what makes it significant?

Haven't really thought about it too terribly much, but I'd have to say that jet aircraft exhaust (burning kerosene) is right up there. In addition to spacecraft, airplanes have always been one of my favorite things. Smelling exhaust on an airport ramp is one of the finest smells I can think of.

What a unique answer - definitely haven't heard that one yet! If you looked into the Mirror of Erised, what would you see? (This object of Harry Potter lore reveals the deepest desire of a person's heart. Orphaned Harry sees his parents, friend Ron sees himself distinguished, and Albus Dumbledore claims to see a new pair of socks.) And, just for fun, what would Aston see?

Aston would see an endless supply of money and Vladirian liquor. The man's not hard to please.

Nice! Would you like to share an excerpt from Friends in Deed with us today?

Certainly...here you go:

***

Even in the depth of my nightmares, Lycus IV was a formidable hell. The scenery misled one to think of mighty grandeur. Lush green trees lined the banks. Sporadic cloud cover offered broken views of a pale blue mountain range.

The prison planet's terror was not found in its natural surroundings, but from its unwilling inhabitants.

A wide, slow-moving river flowed in front of me over a deep bed of rocks. My filthy clothing was ripped and shredded, and exposed bloody skin. I gazed back across the clear, inviting water.

A bellow filled the air and I turned. A pale, naked giant rumbled through the brush, stil yelling at the top of his lungs. High above his head, he gripped his makeshift mallet, a boulder strapped into the fork of a tree branch. I jumped aside as the weapon crashed down.

He stared with one wide eye and the other glazed over. Saliva dribbled from his lips.

"I am King of the wooded realm! You dare invade my territory?"

This wasn't a fight I planned to stick around for. Psychotics were the worst type of violent.

He hoisted his club and swung it at me. I stumbled back and it came so close I felt the breeze. I turned toward the opposite bank and sprinted across the riverbed.

"Your punishment is death! Vengeance is demanded!"

I high-stepped through calf-deep water while the beast screamed bloody murder. I dared not look back, because there was no doubt he gained on me with every step.

My foot caught a cluster of rocks under the surface and I splashed down, drenched by the cool, clear water. I flipped over and faced my attacker as he left me in a cold, dark shadow. Milky-white foam oozed over his lower lip.

"Prepare to meet your maker!"

He raised his mallet high above his head. At least death would be quick, but I couldn't say much for painless. I closed my eyes and waited for the crushing blow.

A whistle filled the air and the giant beast gasped and choked. My eyes flashed open as the beast dropped his weapon into the river behind him.

Only one object stood between me and oblivion, a homemade arrow buried in his neck. He couldn't pull it from the front, so reached back. His mind gave up hope as soon as his fingers probed the stone tip. The monster's eyes rolled up out of the way, then his body fell backward.

The corpse splashed down and huge waves rolled past me. I scrambled around and gazed at the opposite bank. There, a bow in his left hand and more arrows strapped to his back, stood the man who'd saved his life.

Elijah Cassus.

Thank you, T.M., for sharing with us today! As a new fan to sci-fi, I can't wait to check Aston's books out!

Readers, T.M. has kindly offered one lucky commenter a copy of Friends in Deed. Contest will be open until Thursday noon EST and the winner announced shortly after.

FOREVER AMORE at ARe

Good news in my inbox this morning - my historical romance Forever Amore is now available at All Romance eBooks! Click here to purchase it from my favorite ebook store! Forever Amore was nominated for Best Book of 2009 by Long & Short Reviews and is available in paperback from Black Lyon Publishing!

Reviews for Forever Amore...

"A beautiful love story woven with suspense to make you race through the pages!"
Lisa Britton Jacoby, The Baker City Herald
"This is a wonderfully written story of a forbidden love during wartime. The two main characters are extremely well developed and sympathetic and I felt so much sympathy for their plight. The setting of Italy during World War II is an exciting one filled with political intrigue and danger from all sides. The author has brought the era to life and filled it with some memorable characters. The villain DeMarco in particular jumps off the page. The descriptions of the Renaldi’s lives during wartime are quite detailed, from their personal lives to their social the first page to the last one."
Coffee Time Romance

"Amber Leigh Williams’ Forever Amore is a dynamic war-time romance novel. The love of the two main characters, Lieutenant Charles Tyler and Lucille Renaldi is wonderful, frank, and exciting. Almost from the start, we get to know them as real, believable people with many concerns and responsibilities, but we see that potential there. When it seems possible, we are then all too aware of the difficulties, too. Making him especially human is the Lieutenant’s camaraderie with his buddies in the early pages, and the natural dialogue. Meeting Lucille has an enormous impact on him. And then, of course, it is the age-old story of forbidden love, with the ensuing heartbreak, self-doubt or blame, and the struggle to make with their own perceptions. One of the nicest things about this is, in this case, it is the main characters’ own sense of duty, or propriety that provides the chief barrier. They are both extremely likable and engage reader sympathies at once. Perhaps, most touching is the efforts of everyday people – and the risks they take – to protect someone who is not even their own. There is both desperation, and determination. We feel very clearly the terror of invasion, the potential loss of family or home. The events here make the people who lived and struggled in World War II seem a finer sort than ordinary humanity. Through all this fear they still reached out to help someone else. We do know such tales have a basis in fact. This makes this story, this lovely romance, all the more moving. The two main characters dominate the narrative, but secondary characters are well-presented although in some cases stereotypical. There is also a most unexpected villain (as if a war wasn’t enough to deal with!) However, this interaction makes the story all the less predictable. There are so many scenes worth noting, that I fear this would become novel in its discussion. Suffice to say this features everything From dogfights to intimacy, love to desperation. “Mountains rear toward the heavens…” Williams has a particularly poetic turn of phrase and has brought the romantic back to romance. The wonderful visuals her words create and pace of the story give this an overall aura that is heartwarming. Our sympathies are engaged at once, and if feels as if we have stepped back in time and see these events first hand. I must give this a best book, as the rating sheet goes no higher. Mark this a must-read."
Long & Short Reviews

A Bit 'o' News

Hey, Cozies! Hope you enjoyed my Birthday Blog Extravaganza! Winners will be announced on Wednesday! Stop back by tomorrow for TM Hunter's special guest spotlight. I'm a sci-fi fan and TM is bringing his space pirate Aston West and answering a round of random questions so be sure to stop by! In addition, this week marks a wedding anniversary so there might be something special going on Thursday, May 27th. Stay tuned....

Now for an update on the ALW news front. I have signed an Author's Agreement with D4EO Literary Agency. Agent Joyce Holland contacted me for representatation several weeks ago and it became official this weekend. I'm so thrilled and relieved to find someone as passionate about my paranormal romance, URBAN SECRETS, as I am. Thank you to all who have been supportive in this journey!

GETTING THE CALL w/ Sayde Grace

Today I welcome a good friend from the Gulf Coast Chapter of RWA, Sayde Grace, whose debut novel Riding Double launched this month with The Wild Rose Press...

First let me give a huge thank you to my host today, Amber Leigh Williams, lady you rock! Thank you for letting me have a chance to stop by your wonderful blog and share a few thoughts with your readers and to shamelessly tell everyone about my cowboy’s!

Today I was supposed to give you all an article on writing. I looked and looked and couldn’t find anything that “spoke” to me so I’m going to talk about an article I’m writing. You see there are many, many things that authors and industry professionals don’t tell you when you begin writing. One thing I learned that startled me: how happy yet jealous I could feel. I adore my writing friends and have been cheering them all on from the time I met them. So why is it that as one, then two of my friends get contracts or terrific agent news that I have this nagging in my head that screams “WHY NOT ME??”

The green side of publishing can be very ugly if you let it. I had never put much thought into what I would do if one of my friends “made” it before me because I’d assumed I’d be beyond thrilled. While it’s not the easiest subject to talk about because lets face its not very nice NOT to be jumping up and down the entire time a friend is telling you they’ve gotten an agent, made a huge contract, or renewed a contract but sometimes it needs to be talked about.

After a good friend of mine hooked herself a terrific deal and topped that glorious news off with a sparkling agent I screamed for joy for her. Then about two minutes later I slumped down at my desk and pouted. Yes, she knows I did this because I was honest with her about it. I felt so guilty too. This subject was NEVER brought up at any of my local RWA meetings and after a little while I began asking around to see how other authors felt about this subject. Turns out it’s not just me who has done this. In fact nearly everyone I have spoken with about this topic has felt this at one time or another. Now I think it is extremely important to let newer authors know that it’s perfectly fine to have those feelings of “Why not me?” while still being thrilled for others. It’s human nature.

My advice to all authors is to give your feelings time to work themselves out. The knee jerk reaction can be brutal and can cause you to say things you might regret. So take a few minutes to recognize the feelings and remember that we are all one large group of writers and the “call” is waiting for us all.

My call or rather email came from Diana Carlile at The Wilder Rose Press for my new release Riding Double which hit the digital world May 7, 2010. As a native of South Alabama I was raised among the cotton fields and dirt roads of the south. I have a deep love and appreciation for the rural communities and use my experiences of small town life in my books. I’ve been writing full time for two years and have written five full length manuscripts which range from romantic suspense to young adult and even erotica. Growing up in the equine and cattle industry has given me a behind the scenes knowledge of the industry which I use throughout Riding Double my erotic romance short story.

Stressed to the max by her rodeo production company, Billie turns to young bareback rider Chet Haskins for a night of fun. She expects to get her mind off her business and her bull rider ex-fiancé, Bo Bennett. What she gets is several nights of sinful pleasure with both Chet and Bo. Finding herself quite literally between two hot cowboys, will Billie decide to move forward with Chet or start over with Bo?

Excerpt:

My heart raced as I realized Bo was here. Here, and very nearby, watching Chet and me. I looked to my left. Next to the bucking chutes, Bo stood staring at us. I inclined my head in a hello, and he sauntered over. He stopped in front of me and grabbed my hand, pulling me to his side.

“I’ve missed you more, no matter what kind of smooth talk this dipshit has told you.” He gave a dizzying smile, which I returned. “But this weekend we’ve got to get something straight. If we’re to be together,” he waved his hand back and forth between us, “then you need to understand I expect some control over this.”

My eyes almost bugged out of my head. He did not just say he needed control. I’d kill him. I opened my mouth to argue, but before I had a chance, his lips closed over mine. I had a moment to panic. Everyone who’d just seen me kiss Chet would know I was also involved with Bo. I jerked away, and he let me go.

Bo’s jaw firmed, and his eyes bored into mine. “Make no mistake about it. If I’m going to share you, you’re gonna let me keep some control. Otherwise, I don’t know if I can go on with this.”

For an instant I thought about telling him to fuck off, but I couldn’t. His kiss had demolished my emotional barriers. I wanted him. I needed him and couldn’t deny it any longer.

“Chet may have missed you some, but I’m the one who thought about you every day.” Bo’s voice turned low and deep, filled with desire. His eyes blazed with lust. “Remembered your touch, the feel of your skin sliding against mine, and how sweet you taste.”

Chet snorted. “He’s been talking nonstop about you for two weeks.” He laughed. “I told him there was no way in hell I was bowing out. The two of you would have too much fun without me.” He turned and ambled away.

Bo stood, looking at the ground. I gazed at him for a second to let the giddiness of knowing how much that kiss had affected him rush through me. I might regret it later, but this weekend I was determined to have a good time, and if that meant spending time with him, pretending things were like they had been, fine.

“I gotta get to that meeting.” I turned to go but stopped. With a glance over my shoulder, I melted a little. He was staring at my ass. “I wanna be with you tonight, but nothing has changed. When this weekend is over, things will go back to the way they were before.”

My heart sank, but he had to know. I still wasn’t ready to forgive and forget. Maybe I never would be.

He smiled and shook his head. “You’re wrong. After this weekend, things will never be the same.”

Thanks again for letting me stop by and share. Hope you all enjoyed Riding Double available at The Wild Rose Press!

Thanks for sharing with us Cozies today, Sayde! As a fan of western romance, I can't wait to read this book!

THINGS MEANT TO BE w/ Donna Marie Rogers

Today I welcome a dear friend to Cozy, author Donna Marie Rogers! Her contemporary romance, Meant To Be, is on my Recommended Reads list. Stay tuned for an excerpt and a chance to win...

Still very much on my mind, on most people's minds, is the devastation in the Gulf Coast. Concerns are both environmental and economic. If marine life dies, the consequences on the fishing industry will be unimaginable. Not to mention the fear that no one will want to buy products from contaminated water anyway. Tourism officials worry that vacationers won't want to visit oil-tainted beaches; environmentalists are concerned how the oil will affect the birds, coral and mammals in and around the Gulf. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone personally effected by this unthinkable disaster.

As a friend of mine said yesterday, whether your children are of the two-legged or four-legged variety, I hope all you mommies out there had a nice Mother's Day!

Happy Birthday Week, Amber! It's always a pleasure to guest blog at The Cozy Page. Amber is not only a great friend, but an amazing author as well. And since she included Meant To Be in her April 10th blog, Recommended Reads, I thought I'd dig through the book and pull out a brand new excerpt. Meant To Be placed second in the 2010 NEC Bean Pot Awards, and is a finalist in the 2010 WisRWA Write Touch Awards. Hope you enjoy it!

She's running from her past, he's unsure about his future. Maybe together they can figure out what was Meant To Be.

Officer Garrett Jamison is at the lowest point in his life. He’s lost faith in his ability as a police officer after unwittingly setting his sister up with a dirty cop. Garrett ended up getting shot, and his sister's son kidnapped right out of his own bed. He takes a leave from the force, in need of some time to make a decision about his future. Too bad he can't get a decent night's sleep thanks to his sexy new neighbor and her howling cat.

Jessica McGovern moves halfway across the country to start a new life in Green Bay, Wisconsin after her ex-husband is convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of their young son. Her new neighbor is as infuriating as he is handsome, but when her ex is released from prison early and shows up in town, Jessica discovers she's never needed anyone more...

Excerpt:

"Remember, you promised to be good," Garrett reminded his nephew as he pulled open the door to the restaurant. "Any sass-mouth and I'll take you right home. I mean it."

Ethan frowned, but wisely nodded his head. He stomped through the door and stood next to the PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED sign. Garrett couldn't help but grin. Even annoyed, Ethan had better self-control than his uncle.

The hostess, a busty, middle-aged woman with a humongous salt-and-pepper beehive hairdo, walked up and winked at Ethan. "Hey, good-lookin', would you like a table or a booth?" She reached down and grabbed a menu, placemats, and a few crayons.

"We'll take a booth," Garrett said. "In Jessica's section, if that's all right."

She looked him up and down and smiled. "She has a booth open in the corner. Follow me."

Ethan dragged his feet the entire way, then climbed in and crossed his arms, his little face screwed up in a mutinous scowl. Garrett let out a resigned sigh. The hostess handed Garrett the menu, set down the paper placemats, and dropped the crayons in front of Ethan. "Jessica will be with you in just a minute."

"I ain't no baby," Ethan muttered as soon as she walked away.

"You're seven, sport. There's nothing babyish about coloring when you're seven." Garrett flipped open his menu, hoping a decent meal might sweeten Ethan's disposition. Hell, who was he kidding? The only cure for his nephew's foul mood would be if Jessica disappeared from the planet. And that would surely put Garrett in a foul mood. The thought of never seeing her again was enough to make his blood run cold. Damn, when did he become so attached?

He blew out a frustrated breath and glanced over the menu. "Hey, they have chicken quesadilla appetizers. Want to split an order?"

Ethan shrugged. "I s'pose." He picked up one of the crayons and started doodling.

Garrett felt a glimmer of hope. He certainly didn't need the little squirt's permission to date Jessica, but it would be nice if he could at least be civil to her.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you two here," Jessica said as she approached the table.

Garrett had to clear his suddenly dry throat. Jesus, what in the world was wrong with him? It hadn't been that long since he'd gotten laid. He shrugged. "We have to eat lunch, and this is as good a place as any." Had that sounded nonchalant enough?

"So what can I get you?" She pulled the pad and pen from her pocket before craning her neck to see what Ethan was drawing. "Wow, that's amazing. A dog?"

Ethan looked up with utter disdain. "It's a horse. Don't you know anything?"

Garrett's face grew hot with embarrassment. He slapped his menu shut and yanked the crayon from Ethan's grasp. "That's it, sport, I warned you. No lunch and no movies tonight. You can sit in your room and pout until you learn how to treat people with respect." His gaze moved to Jessica. Jesus, what she must think. "I'm sorry. I honestly thought his manners would've improved by now."

Ethan's eyes grew red and his chin quivered. "But it's a horse! Anyone can see that!"

Garrett had had enough. He started to push himself to his feet when Jessica laid a placating hand on his forearm.

"Please, Ethan's right. Anyone can see it's a horse. I don't know what I was thinking." She then said to Ethan, "You know, we make one of the best cheeseburgers in the city, and it comes with a big plateful of curly fries. And if you finish your food, you get a free sundae. What do you think? Are you up for it?"

Ethan shrugged a shoulder, but remained silent.

"If you don't think you can do it..." Jessica added, letting her words trail off as if in silent dare.

Garrett watched in wonder as most of the hostility faded from Ethan's eyes. The thrill of possible victory even brought a smug grin to the little shit's face. A free sundae? There wasn't much Ethan wouldn't do for that.

"Well, sport, it's up to you. Do we stay and have one of the best cheeseburgers in the city, or go home for some of Uncle Luke's Spam casserole?"

Ethan shivered in revulsion. Garrett and Jessica both laughed.

"I guess that settles it," Garrett said. "And I think I'd like to try that challenge as well." He handed Jessica both menus as he mouthed the word "thanks".

She winked at him. "Okay, so that's two cheeseburger challenges. What can I get you to drink?"

Ethan glanced at Garrett who nodded. Ethan's eyes lit up. "A large orange soda. And no onions on my cheeseburger."

"Make it two sodas." Garrett leaned back and laid his arm along the back of the booth. "And no onions on mine either."

Jessica rolled her eyes, and then softened the blow with another wink.

Thanks again for having me, Amber! And thank you to everyone who stopped by! For a chance to win an e-copy of Meant To Be simply leave me a comment...about anything you'd like. ;-)

Thank you, Donna, for sharing with us today! And Cozies, this is one read you don't want to miss out on!

TALKING INSPIRATION w/ Rachel Brimble

My birthday blog extravaganza continues with TWRP author Rachel Brimble! Welcome, Rachel!

It’s great to be here today, thanks for inviting me, Amber! I want to take this opportunity for your readers to get to know a little bit about me and my books.

To start with a little about me, I’m married with two young daughters and live in South West England, just a few short miles from the beautiful, historical city of Bath (yes, the place where Jane Austen set Northanger Abbey and Persuasion).

I began writing once my second daughter was born and it soon became a hugely important part of my life. Many writers will tell you they NEED to write and I couldn’t agree more – I write everywhere…doctor’s waiting rooms, while the kids are at dance practice, on holiday (my husband does not find this amusing in the least)…basically as much as I possibly can around a part-time job, two kids, a home and social life.

Romance as a my chosen genre happened organically – I decided to sit down and attempt a short story one Sunday afternoon and before I knew it, I was on the hazardous, bumpy path of boy meets girls, things going wrong, they try to be together, they fail, they try again and eureka! Happily Ever After triumphs!

And on it went, and after MANY short story rejections and two years had passed, I decided to forget the short story and go full steam ahead with a novel idea that had been bouncing around in my head for almost a year. The result? My first romantic suspense novel `Searching For Sophie’, which was accepted for publication by The Wild Rose Press in 2007.

Since then I have published a book a year. Another romantic suspense in 2008 called Reluctant Witness, a romantic comedy in 2009, The Sharp Points of a Triangle which I am here to talk about today…and for 2010? My very first historical, The Arrival of Lily Curtis.

The inspiration behind The Sharp Points of a Triangle was a newspaper article about a couple who met again after years apart and were married within six months – a bit cut and dried for a page-turning romantic comedy so I added one or two (or maybe closer to a dozen!) problems to keep my hero and heroine, Jamie and Hannah, apart….here’s the blurb…

Hannah Boyd has been crowned the youngest Independent Financial Adviser in the UK. She has kicked out her boyfriend whose idea of romance is leaving a present of skid-marked boxers on the bedroom floor, or sharing a chilli-kebab in front of the football on a Saturday night. She is successful, single and about to secure the one of the wealthiest men in England as a client. But then the one person she never wanted to see again reappears as her biggest competitor…and temptation.

Jamie Young never stopped loving her but is now competing against Hannah in the cut-throat business world. He has to find a way to secure both the lucrative client and her. Will she agree to work to him so he can keep her close and let him mend the heart he broke so badly? Or has he lost her forever?

I am thrilled with the reviews so far! Check them out at LASR and Got Romance Reviews! If you fancy reading the entire book, it is available direct from my publisher’s website! I LOVE hearing from readers of romance fiction or anyone generally interested in talking about books and writing, feel free to contact me anytime on rachelbrimble@googlemail.com.

Rebecca Brimble is an author of both Romantic Suspense, Romantic Comedy and most recently Historical Romance. She lives in Chippenham, England, a small market town near the famous Georgian city of Bath or Jane Austen country as some people like to call it. Find out more about her upcoming releases at her website!

RELATIONSHIPS IN REAL LIFE THAT SPILL OVER INTO YOUR DREAM LIFE: WRITING w/ Rebecca Savage

Welcome to another special edition of guest author spotlights during my birthday week extravaganza! Today's author, Rebecca Savage, is the author of romance Guard My Body. Take it away, Rebecca...

No matter what, the people in your lives affect your writing. If you’re a people watcher, you pick up little personality traits and appearance characteristics and put them in your work. It’s what writers do. Even non-authors watch and think about people and what they’re thinking, feeling, and doing.


Carry that a step further, and you put your feelings and how you deal with your everyday life into your stories. After all, that’s what voice is. It’s your personality and views put into your plot, dialog and internal thought.


It’s basically unavoidable. Experience makes us what we are. Even the bad experiences. Even the people we’d consider bad influences and those who drag us down as if they’re sucking the time and energy right out of our lives.


We are made up of our past experiences and those around us, whether we like it or not, and it’s hard to ignore friends, family, peers, associates, or even strangers and the way they cause us to incorporate how we see and deal with the world.

This leads to a question: Why do you read/write romance? Is it because you have true love in your life, and your husband or significant other is wonderful, and the stories are examples of how great he/she is? Or is it because you are missing that part of your life, and you fulfill that void with wonderful romantic stories that relate to something you’d like to have but haven’t found, and it’s like escapism in that way as much as it is from the daily grind?

Whatever the reason, romance is fun, and whatever subgenre you prefer just makes it all the more entertaining and diverting from the annoyance of stress in your life.

Have fun! Read romance!

CONTEST: Leave a comment here and cut/paste a bit of my blog onto the form you find on my contact page on my website and email me through there. If you do this, you are entered to win a free pdf copy of my book, whichever one you choose.

An avid reader can become a prolific writer. Such is the case with Rebecca Savage who had no idea she would eventually become a romance junkie and writer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and MORWA and is published by Champagne Books and The Wild Rose Press. Her publishing credits include Fueled By Instinct, Cloaked In Assassination, Destination Ever After, Coincidence, Combustion, Consequences, and Double Dragon/Carnal Desires: Guard My Baby. Learn more at her website!



And now for a peek into Guard My Body...

A hard core CIA covert ops expert like Nash Kincaid takes everything seriously, especially his mission to retrieve classified information from his contact, take it to the right people, and stop the deaths of thousands of children at the hands of home-grown terrorists.

A librarian with a wild side could throw a ringer into his plans, but Ayden Devlin takes most things seriously, too, even when she decides to live out the lives of the characters in the books she reads by helping her sister Leigh, a spy for the CIA. She lets Leigh insert classified information into her mouth where there’s a missing tooth, so she can safely transport the info to Nash.

Nash and Ayden meet in a biker bar, and a hit man tries to kill Ayden. Nash throws his body in the path of a bullet to save her. A bullet grazes Ayden’s head and knocks her out cold. When she comes to, she and her rescuer have to establish trust. They don’t know each other, and the mission has gone awry. It takes time to convince each other of their respective honesty and identity.

It takes no time at all for them to realize they’re hot for each other, and not much more time to realize it’s more than heat. Love blooms, stoked by building passion, the flames rising higher with each new dangerous encounter.

Will they survive to share their love and lives?

DEVELOPING A BELIEVABLE ANTAGONIST w/ Neil O'Donnell

The Birthday Blog Extravaganza keeps going today with some great antagonist pointers from Neil O'Donnell, author of People of the Sword...

In writing my first novel, People of the Sword, I learned a great deal about the writing process. One of the most important things I learned was that the villain of any story is as critical as the hero. Consequently, creating a well developed and believable antagonist is essential for crafting a tale worth reading. How does a writer succeed in accomplishing this?

First, devote time to develop the villain. A writer will find it difficult to generate a convincing antagonist if she or he spends little time crafting the villain. The antagonist needs to be as three-dimensional as the hero or readers will lose interest quickly, which requires a writer to spend an equal amount of time constructing the antagonist's motivations, history, strengths and frailties.

Secondly, establish clear motivations for the antagonist. People, generally, don't just wake up and say "hey, I'm gonna be bad today." Villains in books don't either. Writers need to provide readers with an understanding of what motivates the antagonist to commit "evil" acts. Is the antagonist acting out of a need for revenge [as was my ‘villain’ Crarnock], or is the antagonist suffering from a mental disorder? Readers want to understand why villains do what they do. Give your readers that.

Lastly, expand upon the relationships between the antagonist and her or his underling. One characteristic I find amongst my favorite novels is that the authors revealed in detail the intricacies of the antagonist's relationships with underlings. Does the villain find his or her underlings to be a source of frustration or stability? Does the villain trust every detail of his or her ruthless plan with a henchman or is the underling to become a casualty in the end along with the hero? In answering these questions, the writer may very well hook an entire legion of readers.

Neil Patrick O’Donnell, an anthropologist and life-long resident of Western New York. After years of studying changes to Native American and European societies through contact, he incorporated his discoveries into journal articles and short fiction pieces. O’Donnell’s intent was to relay professional discoveries to a wider audience. People of the Sword, the first in a historical saga, is the culmination of these efforts.

Thank you for sharing with us today, Neil! And now, readers, here's a peek at his book:

People of the Sword combines myth, history, and conquest with music, sorcery and a touch of romance to impart the struggles of two vastly different cultures suddenly dependent on one another for survival. Confronted by a common enemy, the wizard Crarnock, the druids and knights of Tropal realize that only through cooperation can they defeat Crarnock’s goblin army. The journey will test the resolve of both peoples as they realize that their collective bias and misunderstandings are as much a threat as Crarnock himself.

MayNoWriMo: BOOKS I'VE TRUSTED ALONG THE WAY

Hi Cozies! May marks spring's answer to National Writing Novel Month (November): MayNoWriMo! To learn more, visit Joely Sue Burkhart's site! Joely Sue was kind enough to let me blog about MayNoWriMo here at Cozy on my birthday! Yay!

Is it any surprise that nine times out of ten as writers we turn to books if we ever need to learn or be motivated? 2010 is the five-year mark for me as a full-time writer, meaning I actively began seeking publication in 2005.

Exactly five years ago today for my 19th birthday, my dad bought me The Marshall Plan for Getting Your Novel Published by Evan Marshall. This book was a crash course in everything I needed to know about the submission process, which takes you step by step through everything from researching agents and editors, formatting, and even gives examples of query letters, long and short synopses, and the right way to package a requested partial or full manuscript. It introduced me to terms I would soon use every day: genre, sub-genre, word count, and—my favorite because it took me weeks to figure out what it meant—SASE. It advised me on how to keep a submission log to keep track of my submissions, an organization process my very unorganized self learned to appreciate in later years. It also introduced me to writing organizations like RWA and conferences and contests. This book was instrumental in leading me down the right path to publication.

In my 11th grade AP English/Language Arts course, my teacher made the entire class buy copies of Lucille Vaughan Payne’s The Lively Art of Writing. The title of this book always cracks me up because grammar is a hell all its own to some people, me included, and both this book’s title and its cheerful yellow cover beam like a housewife from one of those ads from the ‘50’s. The joke was in fact on me, I discovered, because Lively whipped me into grammatical correctness. Well, not quite. But most of the way :)

Along the way, I sought advice and publication stories from other writers. My favorite among these books is How I Write by Janet Evanovich and On Writing by Stephen King for obvious reasons. However, it’s easy to overlook books like The Official Nora Roberts Companion or The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide by J.R. Ward. First of all, just looking at Nora’s backlist in her official companion is inspiration alone for me. But she also talks about her chief motivating factor when she sits down to write: fear that the words won’t come. My favorite quote from the book concerns writer’s block, which she doesn’t believe in: “Writing is a job. You do your job. People in other professions don’t get blocks. Have you ever heard of plumber’s block?” In Ward’s Insider’s Guide, she dedicates a small part of the book to her writing process. Quotes like “Write. Out. Loud.” and “Plotlines are like sharks: They either keep moving or they die” have been posted on my office’s dry erase board ever since.

A writer’s process can’t be learned, in my opinion. A plotter can’t be changed into a pantser. A pantser can’t be changed into a plotter. You are what you are. There are books that help both and those are the ones that I looked for most. For example, Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel or Dianna Love and Mary Buckham’s Breaking Into Fiction, which uses foolproof templates to plot—a method even stalwart pantser Sherrilyn Kenyon swears by. I attended Love and Buckham’s workshop at the Silken Sands Conference on the Beach in 2008 and took away invaluable “hook” placement and pace-keeping techniques I’ve used ever since in plotting and writing. If I ever need a plotting kick in the pants, I turn to Kelly L. Stone’s Time to Write: More Than 100 Professional Writers Reveal How to Fit Writing Into Your Busy Life. Stone interviewed authors like Sandra Brown, Catherine Coulter, Christine Feehan, Eloisa James, Jodi Picoult, Debbie MacComber, Hallie Ephron, and so many more as well as breaks down the excuses and blocks writers blame for not writing in addition to practical steps for finding time to write no matter if you’re a full-time writer or a working mother. It’s impossible not to be motivated to write by this book.

It’s important to research. This was never made clearer to me than when I read Lee Lofland’s Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers. I knew nothing about forensics or proper police procedure until I read this book. Lofland points out that writers have a responsibility to use fact when writing about something as intricate as police procedure and not make it up as they go. Because of fake methods popularized by television shows like CSI, court cases have been held up thanks to misinformation and thanks to people who just plain didn’t do the research. This guide took me layer by layer through being an investigator and how to become one as well as offered personal accounts from the line of duty that were just as important to me while I was plotting my second paranormal as anything else in the book.

Motivation is key when in writing. That would explain why my copy of Anne Lamont’s Bird by Bird is so dog-eared. Also a comfort? Madeleine L’Engle’s Circle of Quiet. The book that gives me a sure kick in the pants when I’m lacking in the motivational department? Again I turn to Kelly L. Stone and her second book, Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind, which shows you how to unlock your writing potential by using the power of your subconscious mind. This book helps me defeat that little self-defeating voice in my head.

From the beginning of my writing journey, inspiration has come in many forms. Above all, I began writing romance thanks to inspiring real life love stories. That’s why I bought and continue to go back to Larry King’s Love Stories of World War II and Gerda Weissmann Klein and Kurt Klein’s compilation of personal post-war love letters entitled The Hours After.

On that note, I’d like to start a discussion. Since MayNoWriMo is in full swing, I want to know about what books motivate or inspire you as a writer or have been instrumental in either your writing process or your path to publication? And thank you to Joely Sue for letting me share with all MayNoWriMo participants on my birthday :)

FINDING THE WORDS ON MOTHER'S DAY w/ Lisa Lipkind Leibow

Today is Day 1 of my big Birthday Blog Extravaganza! As I've mentioned, to celebrate my birthday this week I wanted to bring some of my favorite writers to Cozy and give them the chance to share their thoughts of writing. Today fellow The Roses of Prose blogger, the awesome Lisa Lipkind Leibow gives a writing tribute to mothers. Take it away, Lisa:

We all play so many roles in life. In no particular order, I am a daughter, dog lover, wife, foodie, recovering-attorney, mother-of-three, writer, author of smart women’s fiction, skier, cyclist, yoga enthusiast, and more.

When Amber invited me to visit The Cozy Page on Mother’s Day of all days, it thrilled me! Of all of the facets that help to define who I am, two of my favorites are mother and writer. So, today, I’m going to share the fruits of the first time I discovered these two aspects of me could meld together to make a something special.

It happened when I was a young child of six – just learning to write, and looking at motherhood from a daughter’s point of view only. My mother provided unconditional love, plenty of hugs, bedtime stories, lullabies, play dough, crayons, and home-cooked meals. Mother’s Day arrived and I wanted to thank her in a special way. I climbed onto the desk-chair, tucked my feet under my tush, and grabbed paper and crayons. I set to work, writing my very first heartfelt poem. But how could I capture all of these complex emotions with a six-year-old’s vocabulary? Here’s what I came up with. DON’T LAUGH!

Mothers are nice.
Mothers are sweet.
Mothers don’t have smelly feet.

…okay, … LAUGH, but remember, I was only in first grade! I’ve come a long way baby!
Today, I’m a writer and many of my tales explore the complex interactions of mothers and daughters, families, friends, and more. I hope you enjoyed learning a new tidbit of where it all began.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Lisa Lipkind Leibow is an author of smart women’s fiction. Her novel Double Out and Back (Red Rose Publishing) takes the reader on the roller-coaster ride of infertility treatments as seen through the eyes of three women. Originally working as a lawyer, Lisa decided to trade the billable hour lifestyle for fiction writing. Lisa’s work has also appeared in Pisgah Review and Sanskrit Literary Arts Magazine. She lives and writes in Northern Virginia with her husband, three sons, a clumber spaniel, and two red-eared sliders. You can learn more about Lisa and her writing at http://www.LLLeibow.com

Lisa, I know you're a mom, too - both at home in Virginia and as Blog Mom at The Roses of Prose! Happy Mother's Day from one of your blogettes! And now a peek into Double Out and Back:

Who will find friends, family, and fertility?

Three women-s lives are intricately intertwined, as Amelia Schwartz and Summer Curtis struggle with the complex dynamics of intrafamily embryo adoption, and Chandy Markum strives to make her patients- dreams a reality.

After more than a decade, of mourning her parents- deaths, anal-retentive Amelia Schwartz decides to take control of her life, pursuing single motherhood via embryo adoption. While her fertility doctor, Chandy, is preoccupied with the destruction of the cosmopolitan Cape Town of her youth and her first love in apartheid-torn South Africa, believing all is lost, her niece, a young, married, overachieving attorney Summer Curtis, juggles zealous career ambitions, demanding bosses, and friction with her husband over family and fertility issues. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings.

Thrown all into this is one story that can make or break. Are you up to it?

Guest at Three Wicked Writers

I'm talking The Steam Factor this week at Three Wicked Writers. Read how I mold sexual chemistry around romance characters and read three excerpts from the Wayback Ridge trilogy!

And don't forget that next week I'm throwing a Birthday Blog Extravaganza and inviting six of my favorite writing peeps, starting Sunday with fellow TRoP blogger Lisa Lipkind Leibow!

Wednesday Watch: Julie & Julia

This week started out with a bang. I can’t wait to talk more about it, but I found it quite coincidental that just last week Netflix brought the movie Julie & Julia to our doorstep. I adore this movie and not just because it’s directed by Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless In Seattle) or Meryl Streep’s Oscar-nominated performance (divine!). There’s a strong writerly theme throughout both Julia Child’s post-war storyline and Julie Powell’s modern-day plotline. Which is why I’m tackling this movie for this week’s edition of Wednesday Watch.

I love this movie for so many reasons. First of all, it makes me hungry. Oh so hungry, particularly the scenes with the boeuf bourguignon! Nom! I forgoed the more practical Spanish foreign language courses for French because I’m in love with everything Paris. I thought the Childs’ lives in France were fascinating, particularly the timing which we don’t see a lot of in either fiction or non-fiction. It’s also the story of two marriages. Julia and Paul’s love story is surprising and wonderful and I dare anyone not to love Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci together. I’m a fan of Amy Adams and thought she was fun as the character of Julie Powell, author of Julie & Julia and the 2002 Julie/Julia Project blog.

From a writer’s standpoint—because “from a cook’s standpoint” so wouldn’t ring true from my non-cook self—what Julie Powell did in 2002 with her blog and long-term goal of cooking through Julia Child’s cookbook is absolutely inspirational. For writers who lack motivation, it’s something to see. Something else inspirational and more directly linked to writing is Julia Child’s path to publication. We see her go first of all from newbie to gourmand. Her dedication to cooking and to the collaboration with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle in the making, revising and publication of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (which, by the way, is now in its 49th printing six years after her death) is a determination I admire as a writer. When one publishing avenue has closed, Julia revitalizes the others by reminding them why they began writing the book in the first place. And then in another scene she’s packing away a copy of the manuscript and says something every writer who’s ever submitted their work will identify with: “I just want to savor this moment. The moment when anything is possible. The moment that you just imagine they’re going to love everything you did and it’s going to sell a million copies and change the world.”

A particularly favorite scene is one where Julia is in a rare case of doldrums after a rejection from a publisher. The spouse of any writer—fiction, non-fiction, reference, cookbook, whatever—is a brave individual. Here we see Paul Child picks her up with a litany I’ve heard from my own spouse repeatedly over the years: “Someone is going to publish your book. Someone is going to read your book and realize what you’ve done. Because your book is amazing. Your book is a work of genius. Your book is going to change the world.” At the end of the scene, Tucci also says something that my husband has said in response to rejection or criticism which always makes me laugh and which had me rolling on the floor during the movie: “F--- them!” :) Similarly, I’ve had many talking sessions like the one Julie and her husband, Eric, have on their bed after she receives bad news. Again, brave people marry writers. I loved the fact that Julie & Julia acknowledges that fact. A factual quote from Paul Child in a toast to Julia says, “You are the butter to my bread and the breath to my life.” This is something that every supportive spouse deserves to hear from their significant other, whether they be writer or whatever else.

Did anybody get chills when Julie replaces her phone messages after her article appeared in the New York Times? I certainly did. Though it’s disheartening that Julia Child didn’t appreciate what Julie Powell did, it’s also a lesson in idolatry, that idols not always who you think they are but it’s still no less important to have idols, to have the kind of inspiration that Julie Powell did. And it’s nice that the movie also shows Julia Child at her lowest point and almost simultaneously, Judith Jones, her eventual editor, receives a copy of her manuscript and loves it. What if Julia had quit? What if you, as a writer, quit after rejection or criticism and missed out on something as wonderful as Julia’s success? No matter how long it takes, if you continue to learn and grow and weather the crazy process that is the journey to your dream, you will be rewarded for it. [Insert Paul’s pep talk again here :)]

The scene that finally brought me to tears was the one in which Julia finally receives the acceptance letter from Knopf. The amazing actress that she is, Meryl Streep so perfectly embodies the nerves and subsequent joy that that moment brings, something I experienced this week.

Finally, I come to Meryl dedication to the character of Julia Child. Can I say perfection? It was important to Streep to stand at Julia’s actual height of 6’2” so she could know what it was like to tower over everyone else and how that led Julia to treat people with the kindness and cheer she was famous for. It takes work for an actress as well-known as she is to sink completely into character and make us forget anything except the person she is portraying. If you have not yet seen the film, I highly recommend it just for this as well as the subtle humor that is a stable of every Nora Ephron movie.

And My Life in France by Julia Child is now on my birthday list!