A Thank You

Hi Cozies, I just had to take a moment and thank everyone who participated in yesterday's Fool for Romance post! The response was amazing and I'm so pleased I got to be a part of the FFR Contest festivities. The winner of the contest will be named by author Crystal-Rain Love on April 1st. If you commented yesterday here at Cozy, friended me on Facebook, tweeted me @ALeighWilliams, or sent me an email, you are officially a finalist, if you weren't already. There is still time to enter today at Victoria Gray's site and on March 31 - anyone who Likes Crystral-Rain Love on Facebook and posts "Enter Me To Win!" on her wall will also be entered before the drawing on Friday, the 1st! Don't miss out on some great prizes, including your very own Kindle! Prizes and participation links can be found here....

Fool for Romance Contest

FOOL FOR ROMANCE CONTEST: To enter the Fool for Romance Contest for a Kindle, a $15 Starbucks Gift Card and other awesome prizes, read carefully the rules at the bottom of this post. Thank you!

I'm a fool for romance! That's why I thought becoming a participant of this year's Fool for Romance Contest was appropriate. And since I added a coffee-related prize to the contest, I thought I would include this coffee-related excerpt from 1st Place Novella Blackest Heart....

Stella snuck into the kitchen early the next morning, hoping no one was up and about yet. She still didn’t know if she could face her father or Casey. After pulling a mug off the cabinet shelf, she poured steaming, fragrant black coffee from the fresh pot.

Taking the first sip, she closed her eyes on a blissful sigh. Starbucks was nothing compared to Nuala.

She went to the bay window overlooking the Range. The light of dawn was so fragile this time of morning. The sky was just beginning to turn from that dreamy blue hue to delicate pink. She usually didn’t wake up so early, but she hadn’t been able to shake the nightmares on her second night home.

The sound of a truck engine reached her ears moments before a pickup came into view, pulling a small horse trailer. She pursed her lips, curious, when she didn’t see the Range logo on either and waited while the driver backed into a spot near the stable entrance.

Her heart stuttered when Judd Black got out of the driver’s door. A stunned breath filled her lungs, surprising her. She watched him open the trailer doors and guide that big, black stallion out. Something inside her warmed when he lifted a hand to the diamond between its eyes and caressed, standing close in that sweet, predawn light.

She tore her gaze away from them, feeling like a giggly teeny-bopper spying on her first crush. With a shake of her head, she remembered how she’d lain in bed for hours the night before trying to get his mysterious eyes and the feel of his hands on her face out of her mind.

No more, she vowed.

Alas, I'm not able to offer a trip out west to Nuala's kitchen at Ridge Range, but I am offering the next best thing to the winner's prize package: a $15 Starbucks Gift Card!

***In order to qualify for a Kindle and tons of other awesome prizes listed here, readers must do at least one of the following...

1. Comment to this post

2. Friend me on Facebook OR tweet #foolforromance and a link to this page to @ALeighWilliams (Be sure to mention @ALeighWilliams or I won't see the tweet!)

3. If you do not have a Facebook or Twitter account, send an email to amber@amberleighwilliams.com. I will count that as an entry!

4. When commenting to this post, be sure to let me know that you have either friended me, tweeted me, or send me an email. If you have any questions, include them here in the comment section. I should answer quickly!

Announcement & Tribute

This week has been quite busy - sorry I haven't had a chance to update the ol' blog. First things first - my author website has been redesigned and is ready ahead of schedule. Whoop! There's plenty of new features - including a photo gallery on the Bio page and a section for Extras with book recommendations, book videos, and noteworthy articles. My contact email address was down for a day or so but is now up again and can be found on the Contact page! Feel free to roam around and let me know what you think here at Cozy or at my contact addy: http://www.amberleighwilliams.com/.


Author Linda Kage was kind enough to feature an excerpt from Forever Amore on her blog this week here!


I'd like to take a moment to thank those of you who helped me reach 400 followers on Twitter and new subscribers to my newsletter. If you haven't joined my exclusive mailing list where you can find the latest updates and news, you can do so by clicking the pink button on the right sidebar here at Cozy - it's fast and easy! I usually send an update once a month around the 10th so don't worry about inbox flooding, and unsubscribing is always quick and easy, too, if you change your mind.


While I was at the hair salon Wednesday morning, I heard with great sadness that screen legend Elizabeth Taylor passed away. When visiting my grandmother's house throughout the years, my sister and I watch great movie classics like The Sound of Music and Gone with the Wind. One summer we all sat down and watched National Velvet, the film that put Elizabeth Taylor on the Hollywood map. I associate her fragrance White Diamonds with my other grandmother. Both women, to my mind, exemplify elegance. During her lifetime, Elizabeth did more than star in movie gems like A Place in the Sun and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (which are two of my favorites from her long and impressive filmography). She went on to win Oscars for her performances in BUtterfield 8 and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She married eight times and was often the subject of scandal and tabloid fodder.


If ever there was a woman who believed in love and lived with passion, it was Elizabeth Taylor. She married eight times, twice to the same man - the love of her life, Richard Burton. She became the Angelina Jolie of her lifetime when she was accused of breaking up the marriage of her fourth husband, Eddie Fischer and America's Sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds. The gossip was made worse by the fact that she had lost her third husband, Mike Todd, in a plane crash a mere year before. Later the pope denounced her when both she and Richard Burton divorced their respective spouses while filming Cleopatra in order to marry. They had one child, divorced then married again later. Elizabeth cited in one interview that there might have been a third marriage if Burton had not died in 1984. Toward the end of her life, Elizabeth feared that Burton's legacy had been forgotten and, though she never authorized the many biographies written about her over her lifetime, shared very personal letters from their notorious affair with the writers of Furious Love: Elizbaeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century. As a fan of love letters (Forever Amore was inspired by love letters of World War II), I can't wait to read it!


Among her many achievements, she was one of the first celebrities to campaign for AIDs/HIV research and raised millions and millions of dollars for the cause she dedicated her life to after the death of friend and fellow star, Rock Hudson. With her dark brows and violet eyes, she was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. I thought I would pay tribute to the life and times of an icon who inspired many, many people and enriched so many lives. Here is my favorite scene starring Elizabeth and Burton from her signature role in Cleopatra....




Several romance authors were cited in this USA Today article on her passing: "What Elizabeth Taylor taught us about love, passion"

"Every breath you take today should be with someone else in mind. I love you."
- Elizabeth Taylor via Twitter on July 22, 2010

Why I Love the Irish...

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Cozies! Or as my sister likes to say, "Happy Excuse to Get Drunk Day!" The green beer isn't the only thing I love about St. Pat's. It all started when I was five. My first St. Patrick's Day memory harkens all the way back to the first grade. The class was coming back to our classroom after lunch and we opened the door to find little green footprints trailed across the long line of windows. There were gold doubloons filled with chocolate littered all across the windowpane. After an experience like that, how can anyone not believe in leprechauns and love St. Patrick's Day?

Another reason I love St. Pat's is because I have ancestors from The Emerald Isle. Although I've never been to Ireland (must remedy that soon), when presented with pictures of the country I feel more of a connection to it than any other land. I feel as much for crumbling Irish castles, the country's misty moors as well as its rain and verdant green hills as I do for my beloved hometown here on the coast. I like to think the one thing besides my complexion I get from my Irish lineage is my storytelling abilities. Oh, and my love of potatoes and bagpipes, of course!

The thing I love most about the Irish is their impact on television, movies, and literature. It is said the Jane Austen herself loved an Irishman. James McAvoy played that delightful hero, Thomas LeFroy in Becoming Jane. In the documentary show Who Do You Think You Are? in which celebrities trace their ancestral roots, Jeremy Irons found his Irish heritage. The frontman of one of my favorite bands, Bono, is also Irish as is James Bond...er, make that Pierce Brosnan. Though they play the rogue (sometimes in real life), Colin Farrell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are both from the Emerald Isle. In fact, Jonathan portrayed a good Irish hero in the movie August Rush. The always lovely Liam Neeson is a product of Ireland, too. My most recent favorite Irish hero is Branson from Downton Abbey. Branson may not get as much screen time as Mr. Bates or Matthew Crawley but he certainly shows his Irish every time he walks onto the scene in his chaffeur uniform - which he wears quite well ;)

In terms of the romance genre, it's hard to beat Nora Roberts's Irish heroes. It started out with her Born trilogy and continued later with the Gallaghers. (Aidan still makes me swoon!) Her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, is still one of my favorites. Nora carries her love of the Irish into her J.D. Robb books. In fact, I think the character of Roarke embodies the perfect Irish hero. And I'm convinced, if ever Hollywood wanted to give us a little Roarke, Gerard Butler would be the suitable choice for the role. That is, Gerard as seen in Timeline and heard in P.S. I Love You.

If you're looking for a good ol' Irish read this St. Patrick's Day, I highly recommend Kris Kennedy's The Irish Warrior. Finian is up there with Roarke when it comes to ideal Irish heroes.

It's your turn, Cozies! What do you love most about St. Patrick's Day? And if you have any favorite Irish heroes, fiction or non-fiction, shout 'em out! Most of all, here's wishing you the luck of the Irish today and always!

I'll leave you with this quick flying trip to Ireland as well as a fun link: Why Guinness is Good for You!

Celts & More + Deleted Scene

Hi Cozies! I'm excited because today for the first time ever I'm sharing a deleted scene from Bet it on my Heart (Book III in the Ridges of Wayback, TX trilogy)! Head on over the Sky Purrington's A Writer's Mind blog to read up on Keefe and Calli's latest mischief!

My March newsletter went out this morning with some Luck of the Irish...or news on how you could win a Kindle! If you missed it, sign up for my exclusive mailing list with the pink button on the Cozy sidebar or visit the Fool for Romance Contest page!

More great news! I've picked a theme and developed a header for my new website. At this point, it might be mid-April before the new site opens for business. Again, thank you for being so patient with me on this point. You'll be the first to know when the redesign is completed!

Read an Ebook Week Cont... (at Black Lyon Publishing)

Today I continue my Read an Ebook Week special with a feature on my second publisher, Black Lyon Publishing. My experience thus far with BLP has been much like that at The Wild Rose Press: very positive! At the moment, I have one title available from BLP and that's my historical romance, Forever Amore! It is published in both trade paperback and ebook. Black Lyon Publishing is an independent publisher based in Oregon and recognized by Romance Writers of America. BLP's operations include authors, photographers, illustrators, cover models, and contract editing/proofreading staff. It releases 1-2 titles a month and now publishes novellas as well as full-length novels.

BLP publishes a range of genres - from women's fiction to romance to literary love stories (think Nicholas Sparks). The most notable sub-genres in their catalog are contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and historical romance. Readers also always know what heat level they're buying with sweet, language, and mature labels. Both paperbacks and ebooks can be ordered from the BLP site or found at online booksellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Forever Amore's ebook edition is available for Kindle, Kobo, and Nook users! Ebooks can be found, too, at Target.com. Some BLP titles, like Meander Scar by Lisa J. Lickel, Gallimore by Michelle Griep, and Lily in Bloom by Margaret P. Cunningham are even available in large print from Thorndike Press.

One of my favorite aspects of BLP is its blog, The Order of the Lyoness where authors and publisher insiders share book-related news and topics with readers. Owner, Kerry A. Jones, also recently won an Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008. The Baker City Herald provided Forever Amore with my first cover quote: "A beautiful love story to make you race through the pages!" Another great thing about BLP? They provide their authors with professional book trailers available for view on the BLP website.

Visit Black Lyon Publishing today to celebrate Read an Ebook Week in style!

Read an Ebook Week (at The Wild Rose Press)

This week is a fun one because in a way it allows authors who love their epubs to really get out there and show readers why! I love both my publishers, The Wild Rose Press and Black Lyon Publishing and today and Wednesday I'll be showcasing some of my favorite ebooks available from both.

We start, of course, with The Wild Rose Press! TWRP has been very good to me as an author and the quality of their ebooks is top-notch. This is the third year in a row TWRP has been voted Best Publisher by readers at Predators & Editors. I've been with TWRP since 2008 when Denied Origin and Blackest Heart were published. The Way Back Home anthology was published the following year. In 2010, Bluest Heart and Bet It On My Heart followed. The only book not published in ebook is The Way Back Home. With working with other publishers, particularly small press, I tend to use TWRP as a yardstick because of the great relationship authors have with the editors of their respective lines.

And speaking of lines, one of my favorite aspects of this publisher is its range. There are four separate conemporary imprints. The first is Champagne Rose which is steamy contemporary romance. The second is Sweetheart Rose, which is like Champagne, only sweet. A sub-category of both these lines is the Last Rose of Summer imprint, which features 40+ heroines. Another contemporary imprint is Yellow Rose, contemporary westerns like my Ridge family saga. A separate imprint, Crimson Rose, is reserved for books like Denied Origin, which are romantic suspense.

Historical imprints are divided in much the same way. There's the American Rose line which features historical romance set against the backdrop of American history. Related to this is the Cactus Rose imprint, featuring western historical romances. The English Tea Rose imprint is reserved for non-American historical romances such as Regency, Highlander, Medieval, etc. Finally, the Vintage Rose line features more recent historical periods like World War I and World War II, the Roaring Twenties, and the early 1900's.

Paranormal romance is also a popular imprint at TWRP. They are published under two imprints. First, the Black Rose line where you'll find shape-shifters, vampires, and other dark supernatural characters. In the Faery Rose, authors tackle fantasy and futuristic worlds. Climbing Rose titles are reserved for the young adult crowd. In addition, TWRP features holiday , time travel, multicultural, and series romances. (Some romances in a series at TWRP include Wayback, Texas, Jewel of the Night, Men in Uniform, and Song of the Muses.) Some of their anthologies are published in ebook editions as well. Readers can find a variety of lengths from novel to novella, short stories and free reads (Rose Petals). TWRP also published erotic romance titles in their WILDer Rose catalog. Inspirational romance titles are sold on the White Rose Publishing site.

As you can see, TWRP publishes something for everyone! Visit The Wild Rose Press today at www.thewildrosepress.com to find a romance for you and celebrate Read an Ebook Week in style!

Denied Origin & RED

Last summer, I was informed by my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, that the creators of the movie, RED, had requested a box of prop books, mostly romantic suspense titles from their Crimson Rose imprint, to be used in the movie. Sarah, the heroine of RED played by Mary-Louise Parter, is a fan of romance, particularly those with elements of danger and intrigue - like romantic suspense. In one of my favorite scenes, Bruce Willis even reads up on the latest romance on her TBR to impress her.

I loved not only that the heroine was a fan of romance, but that my romantic suspense, Denied Origin, could have been one of the books used as props in the background of Sarah's apartment scene. And yes, the hub tinkered for sevearl minutes with the rewind, pause, and zoom buttons on the DVD player remote to try to read the titles on the spines of the dark trade paperbacks in one apartment shot. They're fuzzy, but my baby might just have wound up on Mary-Louise Parker's shelf! Squee! If you like action flicks with humor, I highly recommend the movie and not just for Valentina and Mark's brief cameo. The movie was an enjoyable one with a great cast of some of my faves - Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich. And Bruce Willis is never too hard to look at ;)

My March newsletter will be go out on Monday, the 14th and will include a link to a never-before-seen deleted scene from Bet It On My Heart! Fans of the Ridge saga will not want to miss out. To sign up for monthly updates on book news, special events and other fun and quirky stuff from yours truly, sign up with the pink button on the sidebar. I'd like to take a moment and thank friends for getting me to 400 followers on Twitter and 550 friends on Facebook! I appreciate you more than you know! And finally, I am aware of issues with my website. I promise I'm working on it and the redesign will begin this month as soon as I work out a few kinks. Thank you for being patient. I can't wait to unveil the new look!

I'll leave you for now with RED. Enjoy!

Today at Sweethearts of the West...

It's the 4th, which means I'm blogging at my western romance group blog - Sweethearts of the West! This month I'm singling out some of my real-life western muses and members of the Hall of Great Western Performers. Find out who defines the word "cowboy" for me (think mustache) and be sure to shout out your own ideas!