Tink's Hump Day Heroes: Casey Ridge....

Happy Hump Day, everybody! Tink is continuing her sojourn down in West Texas. For a moment, I thought she wasn’t going to check in. She’s enjoying her time in Wayback with these cowboys far too much. Today she’s interviewing the hero of Bluest Heart, the second novella in my Ridges of Wayback, TX trilogy. This cowboy has enough charm and clean-cut appeal to make your heart melt. And he’s got it bad for the town bad-girl, Josie….

 

Tink: Name?
Casey Ridge
 

Tink: Hair color?

Sandy blond
 

Tink: Eye color?

Blue

 

Tink: Occupation?
Casey: My father, Leland, owns a cattle ranch in Wayback called Ridge Range. It’s been in the family since before I was born. My big brother, Keefe, my little sister, Stella, my friend and brother-in-law, Judd Black, and I all work as hands there. I also sometimes join the calf-ropin’ competition at the town rodeo on the weekends.

 

Tink: Hometown?
Casey: Ma’am, I’m proud to say I was born and raised right here in Wayback, West Texas.

 

Tink: Are you the first one on the dance floor or not so much?
Casey: I’ve been known to two-step a time or two. Especially if my girl, Josie, is singing at The Blue Bug Saloon.

 

Tink: What is your preferred mode of transportation?
Casey: A company 4x4.

Tink: Would you rather tell someone you love them or show it?
Casey: In Josie’s case, both. Most people know I’m good on my word, but I have a feeling my girl needs more than that.

Tink: Who is the person you look up to most in life?
Casey: My father, Leland. Hardest-working man I know.

 

Tink: Travel to the past or into the future?
Casey: I like the present, especially with Josie warming up to me.

 

Tink: What would you give your heroine if you needed forgiveness?

Casey: Josie’s been hurt a time or two in the past and it’s taken forever for me to get past that tough armor she carries herself in. I hope I’m never so careless as to lose her trust or her faith in me. For the sake of the question, though, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the sake of forgiveness. She’s worth it.

 

Tink: Would you describe yourself as more alpha or beta?
Casey: I guess I’m a little bit of both.

 

Tink: Would you make the first move or wait it out?
Casey: It depends on the situation. I’m not above making the first move or waiting it out.  

 

Tink: Do you have a favorite song?
Casey: That Kenny Chesney song. “Baby You Save Me.”

 

Tink: What is your idea of a dream date?
Casey: We could take the horses up into the range hills. There’s a little creek on the northern border that’s real nice. Bring a basket of Josie’s chipotle chicken. Maybe go skinny dippin’ :-)

 

Tink: Karaoke: yes or no?
Casey: Only when it’s warranted. And only if Keefe goes first.

 

Tink: And – most importantly – do you wear boxers, briefs, or commando?
Casey: Usually, I wear boxer-briefs. But summer in West Texas is brutal. Sometimes I choose to go a little commando. I don't think you'll mind my saying so too much ;-)

Certainly not, Casey! As always, thank you for answering Tink’s intrusive question with such charm and ease. Dang, I love that cowboy! Readers, if you would like to know more about Casey Ridge and his hard-to-get cowgirl, Josie, you can find the ebook for just $2.99 at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and wherever ebooks are sold. Find the audio book at Audible.

Be sure to check back next week for Tink’s final backlist hero and her last Wayback cowboy, Keefe Ridge….

[Authors: In May, I’m opening up the Tink Hump Day feature to guest authors. If you’re interested, please send an email to amber@amberleighwilliams.com with subject line: Tink’s Hump Day Heroes. Thanks!]

Chatting with Anna Kathryn: Part II...

Today I’m sharing the recipe for the hub’s specialty in the kitchen at Anna Kathryn Lanier’s blog! Come on over and learn how you can make the yummy, western-themed “Jake’s Fried Rice” at Chatting with Anna Kathryn….

Check back in Friday for this weeks’ Cozy Guest Friday with historical author and friend Vanessa Kelly, Cozy correspondent Tink, Captain Jack, and the usual band of miscreants!

Blog Hoppin' & Good Eatin'...

Next week I have the pleasure of being a guest of fellow western romance author Anna Kathryn Lanier on her blog, Chatting with Anna Kathryn – not just once, but twice!

Starting Monday, I’ll be blogging about rogue secondary characters! On Wednesdays, it’s the custom of Anna Kathryn and her guests to swap recipes. I’ll be sharing one of my all-time favorites.

Be sure to stop by Chatting with Anna Kathryn on Monday and Tuesday for all the festivities.

And stay tuned tomorrow for Tink’s next Cozy Guest Friday interview with author JenniferAnn Coffeen….

Cozy Guest Friday: Liz Flaherty + Giveaway

Welcome, Cozies, to our first Cozy Guest Friday of the year! I’m pleased to welcome author Liz Flaherty, whose latest novel, One More Summer, will be released this month from Carina Press….

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father's prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.

But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants - Promise, Grace's best friend since kindergarten, who's fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn't lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.

And Dillon, Grace's brother's best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace's guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts - but first, he'll have to convince Grace that she's worth loving...

Stay tuned for a sneak peak from One More Summer! For now, we go now to our Cozy correspondent, Tink, who is still sharing Captain Jack’s quarters on the Black Pearl somewhere in the Carribbean.... Take it away, Tink….

*a chorus of “Yo Ho Ho, and a Bottle of Rum”*

Tink: Arrr, maties, and hello from the Bermuda Triangle! As you can see by the patch, I have been officially inducted into Captain Jack’s crew. They call me Red-Handed Tink, aka Mrs. Jack Sparrow :)

Liz, it’s good to have you aboard! We’ll put one of the hands to work on getting us a round of drinks. If you were a mixed drink what would you be and why?

Liz: I would be a strawberry frozen margarita. Because (1), I’ve gotten girly in my dotage, (2) I’m as sweet as I can be J and (3) I can kick ass if the occasion calls for it.

Tink: If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only one of each of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Liz: Person would have to be my husband. We’ve been together for two thirds of my life and I don’t want to go to any islands without him, no matter how crazy we might drive each other. The song would have to be “It Is Well With My Soul” because even if I were not religious, the lyrics would offer comfort and quiet if I needed it. Book. Is a fully-loaded Kindle cheating? If it is, I’ll go for Kathleen Gilles Seidel’s Till the Stars Fall simply because it is that good and I’m due to read it again.

Tink: What would be the name of your pet gourd?

Liz: Felix. Because he looks like a Felix to me.

Tink: Now for a bit about your book. If you wrote to music, what would be this book’s theme song?

Liz: I have never, ever thought about this. “Amazing Grace” was the first thing that came to mind simply because the heroine is Grace and I think she’s amazing, but that’s just too…easy, and neither the book nor Grace fit. Wait, I know! There’s a song on an old favorite exercise video called, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” There are huge mountains of pain in the book—how Grace and Dillon cross those mountains is the story.

Tink: What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine (or vice versa)?

Liz:  Grace says, “Dillon, you’re late.” His to her were, “The cats wanted in.”

Tink: Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Liz: If I had to pigeonhole him, I guess I’d say beta with closet alpha tendencies. He’d never start a fight and would try to talk himself out of one, but he’d still be the last guy standing. And he’d still be talking.

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or commando? ;)

Liz: Briefs. White ones.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Liz: One where she doesn’t have to dress up or wear makeup. She’d a whole lot rather just stay home and eat pizza.

Tink: What is your favorite thing about each character?

Liz: Grace is the best friends anyone could have. Friendship is the one relationship that—I think anyway—is as important when you’re 80 as it was when you were eight, and Grace is good at it.

Dillon is a good friend, too, and he’s funny, and he’s a loving man who doesn’t pretend not to be.

Tink: More seriously, what was your biggest challenge crafting this story or these characters?

Liz: I have a tendency, not just in this book but in all the ones I’ve written, to make everyone sound too much alike. Since I can see and hear the differences, I expect readers (and editors) to be able to as well. It’s always a challenge to me to not just tell about their differences but show them, too.

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself J

What’s your favorite word? Least favorite?

Liz: My favorite word is joy. My least favorite, and I do apologize for this, is the f-bomb. When I was a kid and even thinking it would bring on the threat of soap in my mouth, it was good to have a word that was reserved for the truly awful—we no longer have one; it’s just become an annoying part of conversation. It doesn’t offend me; I just don’t like it.

Tink: What sound or noise do you love? Hate?

Liz: I love the sound of kids’ laughter—or nearly anyone else’s, for that matter. I can’t stand mindless whistling, though I can’t explain why.

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?


Liz: Son of a bitch.

Tink: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Liz: A travel writer.

Tink: What profession would you not like to participate in?

Liz: Politics.

Tink: Now for a sneak peak from One More Summer….

"This is supposed to be a prom.” Dillon pushed aside his dessert plate. He gestured toward the backyard. “The dance floor waits.”

Grace got to her feet. “Remember how fragile these glass slippers are.”

He nudged one of her bare feet with the toe of his sandal. “Damn near invisible too. Isn’t technology something?”

Dillon and Steven had placed citronella torches in the yard, and the scent of the oil blended with that of the flowers. The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” filled the air and Dillon put his arms around Grace’s waist. Gently, not pulling her close. She rested her hands lightly on his shoulders, suddenly shy. Other than aerobics classes in the church basement that Promise had dragged her to, she hadn’t danced since high school.

As they moved across the lawn, however, his arms tightened and her hands crept up around his neck, the left one with its glaring white bandage held palm out. His muscled legs moved against hers, but the motions they made were liquid, graceful, and she wished whimsically for a waltz and a flowing dress.

The song changed, and he sang close to her ear. The grass dance floor was cool and damp beneath her feet, the star-filled sky a splendid ceiling, the flickering torches the most romantic of lights, the subtle scent of roses a seductive aroma. Almost against her will, Grace’s eyes drifted closed as his lips lowered to hers. The ambiance was lost on Grace as Dillon’s kiss took over her senses. All she felt were his hands splayed on her back, his body flush with hers. All she smelled was the pleasant mingling of charcoal smoke and Irish Spring soap that lingered on his shirt and his skin. She tasted only his mouth, flavored with wine and coffee, and she couldn’t get enough of it.

After the third kiss, when her insides were a roiling mass of sensation and emotion, she murmured, “Geezy Pete.”

He said, “You got that right,” and stroked a hand up her back. “What’s this? You didn’t wear a bra to the prom?”

She brought her injured hand into his line of vision and waggled it. “I couldn’t fasten it.”

His hand came around between them to cup one small, denim-covered breast. “What a shame.” He found her nipple and worked the bead of its tip between his fingers.

A low moan slipped uncaught from her throat. Clutching her composure like a lifeline before it disintegrated completely, she said, “The music’s stopped.”

“Do you really think so?” he whispered, and teased her lips with the tip of his tongue until they opened.

They had danced their way to where they stood among the trees. When she opened her eyes again, she caught sight of a torch to their left, anchored into the ground beside the single step that led inside the gazebo.

The gazebo.

“No decent man in his right mind’s going to want you, girl.”

“No, Papa,” she whispered, caught in the horror, and moved restively in Dillon’s embrace.

“Gracie?” His voice was soft, gentling.

“I need to go in.” The words sounded much more urgent than the situation demanded, but she couldn’t unsay them.

“Okay.” He answered immediately, and turned her toward the house, but didn’t release her. “I’ll take you back.”

Steven and Promise weren’t on the back porch. The candles had been snuffed, but the dishes remained on the table. “Leave them,” Dillon said, leading her firmly past the mess and into the house. “Steven and I will take care of it. You go on up.”

She nodded and moved toward the stairs, but turned when she stood on the second one. “Dillon?”

“Yeah?” He smiled at her, the expression not erasing the frown of concern between his eyes.

“Thank you. The ‘prom’ was wonderful.” Without waiting for a reply, she ran the rest of the way up the stairs.

Tink: And the final questions the pirates have been waiting all day to ask…. If you could choose anyone (real or fictional) to be the captain of your, er, ship…who would it be? 

Liz: Oliver Platt. Because, like Felix the Gourd, I like how he looks.

Tink: Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home – the Black Pearl, the Dead Man’s Chest, or the Fountain of Youth? 

Liz: The Black Pearl…and I’ll have Oliver, too.

Tink: Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Liz: LOL. My imagination isn’t good enough to get around this, so I’ll go with Blackbeard. Oliver will help me…

Tink: And most importantly – Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, or Commodore Norrington?  

Liz: Captain Jack. Takes no imagination at all to answer that one!

Tink: It seems I have competition. :) Thank you for answering the crew’s nosy questions. From the Black Pearl, this is Tink and Captain Jack signing off….

Life is new and wonderful for writer Liz Flaherty these days. She retired from the post office in 2011, promptly gained 15 pounds—she swears it was overnight—and promised her grandchildren, The Magnificent Seven, that she would make each of them a bed-size quilt. She also planned to write all day, every day. What was she thinking?

She’s learned to write when she feels like it, sew when she feels like it, and maybe even to eat a little less. She’s gone back to school, where, yes, she is far and away the oldest kid in class. She’s learned to share the house and sometimes even the kitchen with Duane, her husband of, oh, lots of years. And she’s having a Very, Very Good Time. Her fifth book—she’s not really an overnight success; she just never gives up—is One More Summer a brand new release by Carina Press. She is thrilled to the point everyone she knows rolls their eyes as soon as she opens her mouth.

Visit Liz at her website and The WordWranglers where she hangs out with some of her best writer friends!

Cozies, you can find One More Summer this month at CarinaPress as well as Barnes & Noble and Amazon!

Liz has generously offered a giveaway for today’s Cozy Guest Friday. By commenting to today’s post and answering the following questions before midnight EST tomorrow, you will be entered to win a jar candle along with a book from her backlist:

What is your favorite scent and why? (If chosen as the winner, Liz will send your scent of choice!)

The winner will be chosen by the True Random Number Generator at Random.org and announced here at The Cozy Page on Sunday so please check back to see if you have won. (Chances of winning depend on the number of entries; you must be 18 years or older to enter.)

aMUSEments on Tumblr...

Hi Cozies! Tomorrow will mark the last Cozy Guest Friday of the year and Tink is making it count! Tune in this time tomorrow to find out what all she has in store for guest author Beth Trissel...

I just wanted to let everyone know that in addition to The Cozy Page, I'm blogging on Tumblr. My new page, aMUSEments, is a bit of a work in progress but I'm hoping to make it a fun place for readers to go to learn more about what inspires and amuses me in pictures, videos, quotes, and more! Hope to see you there!

Cozy Guest Friday: Rachel Brimble + Giveaway

Welcome to this week’s edition of Cozy Guest Friday! Today’s victim…*ahem* special guest is Rachel Brimble, author of Paying the Piper, available now from Lyrical Press...

Nightclub manager Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother's ashes are scattered but the owner wants to sell to anyone but her. And that owner happens to be her father...who has a secret she will do anything to discover.

Social worker and all around good guy Jimmy Betts needs funds to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. Time is running out and he's desperate for cash. He agrees to to a one-time 'job' for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl's beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.

Their lives couldn't be more different, yet one thread binds them: they're both trying to escape the bonds of their fathers. Maybe the only way they'll be free is by being together, instead of alone.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek into Paying the Piper! We go now again to our Cozy correspondent Tink, live from a lounge chair on her favorite tropical island of PutSomeRumin’it along with a few of her swashbuckling friends. Take it away, Tink…

*luau music*

Tink: Hello, Cozies! I’d like to take this time to point out that the island natives have appointed me their queen so I should herein be addressed as “Her Majesty.” J  

It’s a sunny day here on WanaLuvaPir’ate Beach. Jack believes that since I have named him my official consort he should no longer have to man the tiki bar....

Tink: Ah, no matter! Rachel, if you were a cocktail, what would you be and why?

Rachel: Rum and diet coke – Rum because I’d love to live somewhere hot and sultry with white sands and blue sea and diet coke because I’m a traditional kind of girl too. Does that make any sense at all, lol?!

Tink: Of course it makes sense – and most appropriate considering PutSomeRumin’it meets all your qualifications! Now for a game of Desert Island. Ready? If you were stuck on a desert island and could bring only one of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Rachel: Person – This feels so unfair because I’ve got two kids who I’d love there too BUT for the sake of romance, I will say my husband. He’s still my best friend after 19 years together and know he’d always make me laugh.

Song – “She” by Elvis Costello (my favorite song EVER!)

Book – Because I’d want a hefty tome that I could read again and again, I’ll say Gone With The Wind. I have made a ceremony of reading the book every 10 years since my 15^th birthday. So far I have read it three times – the next due date is 2019!

Tink: Excellent choice! Rhett Butler was my second choice for official consort…but alas, Jackie charmed the title out of me. Now for a bit about your book. What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine (or vice versa)?

Rachel: “What are you--” (my heroine)

“Doing rummaging around in your rubbish?” (my hero)

From Paying The Piper

Tink: Intriguing! Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Rachel: Jimmy is most definitely beta – I can’t even write alpha heroes, I’m afraid. As I don’t find alpha men that attractive in the real world, I find them incredibly hard to write in the imaginary one. I love a hero who is the whole physical package on the outside but softer in the center. That’s makes a real man to me rather than a guy going around shouting the odds!

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or commando? ;)

Rachel: Boxers.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Rachel: Naked in bed with Jimmy – door shut, wine opened, old movie on the TV and her father and the business far, far away.

Tink: I could relate to Grace. What is your favorite thing about each character?

Rachel: Grace (my heroine) – her tenacity and her undying loyalty to her mother. I admire her in ways I never knew I would when I was creating her. She has a tough job but is able to look after her loved ones at the same time.

Jimmy (my hero) – his pride. Rather than being a sin in Jimmy, it’s his essence. He takes pride in his work, his kids (he’s a social worker in charge of several homeless children) and his decisions. He bows down to no one and I really like that in a man. He gets what he wants through hard work and consideration. Yes, I am in love with him… J

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… *puts on her smart glasses* I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself J What’s your favorite word? Least favorite?

Rachel: Possibility  - Favorite

Prejudice - Least

Tink: What sound or noise do you love? Hate?

Rachel: Noise I love – my kids belly-laughing

 Noise I hate – my kids fighting!

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?

Rachel: I honestly don’t curse a lot (I leave that for hubby!) – “Crap” is usually enough for me to vent my frustration, lol!

Tink: We have that in common, Rachel…though Jack mostly keeps his cursing to bugger. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Rachel: Editing – I quite fancy the idea of getting to read all those stories first and helping writers craft it into a bigger and better story. That must be such a fantastic motivation for getting up every day J

Tink: There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, just in time for our weekly luau, let’s share a sneak peak from Paying the Piper with the Cozies back home….

She sat bolt upright. “Where are you going?”

“To the soup kitchen. Four of my kids have been helping out down there today, so if you don’t need me ‘til seven--”

“Can I come?”

“What?”

“What?” Gerald echoed.

Jimmy stared at her. Was she serious? But knew he wouldn’t refuse her when her eyes were wide with that damn innocent doe-eyed look again and her cheeks flushed pink. He swallowed, clenched his hands into fists inside his pockets.

“You want to come to the soup kitchen?” he asked, hoping against hope he’d gotten the wrong end of the proverbial stick.

She winked, and it had as much the same effect as if she’d wrapped her hand around his penis. “Why not?”

He opened his mouth. Shut it. Opened it, took a breath, but still nothing came out. Her smile widened. “Cat got your tongue, Jimmy Boy?”

Just a few short days ago at her mother’s pub, he’d wanted to ravish her, possess her, let her know what she did to him. And now the same desire coursed through his veins again. She never stopped surprising him and it just added more fuel to the already burning fire.

“And why would you want to do that?” he asked.

“Beats going into the club early,” she said, brushing past him.

She wandered across the room. Her slender body sashaying around the furniture and then her piece de resistance was to snake all five feet nine inches of it across the oblong dining table to grab her bag--the sight of her perfect ass and even better legs sent Jimmy’s senses skyrocketing. His nostrils flared. Grace by name, Grace by nature. She was beautiful, sexy, funny, and he didn’t doubt for one minute she knew exactly what the sight of her did to him.

She turned around and hitched the bag onto her shoulder. “My life is sad. I’ve got nothing else planned for the afternoon. Come on, Jimmy, help me show my father I have a life away from him. Even if it is a complete lie, for now.”

He threw his hands in the air. “Fine.”

Tink: And the final questions Jack has been waiting all day to ask…. If you could choose anyone in the world to be the captain of your…er…ship…who would it be? J

Rachel: My husband – without sounding corny, he is the best man in the world. Seriously.

Tink: I sense a theme here with romance writers and their husbands ;) Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home – the Black Pearl, the Dead Man’s Chest, or the Fountain of Youth?

Rachel: Is this a good place to admit I’ve never watched any of the movies only trailers? Shall I tip-toe out of here now…

Tink: Not at all! I’m glad I could introduce you. *lowers voice* Though we won’t tell Jack. J Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Rachel: A mermaid – has to be better odds of survival, doesn’t it? Yes? No?

Tink: Mermaids can be avoided if, as Georgie pointed out last week, one stays out of the water – so very wise choice on your part.

And most importantly…Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner or Commodore Norrginton? ;)

Rachel: In any other role it would be my boy Johnny but as Sparrow, not so much. I’ll take Will, thank you very much J

Tink: Ah, Will – Amber will be pleased he made a cameo on WannaLuvaPir'ate this week….

Tink: And now we hula! From PutSomeRumin’it…this is Tink, Rachel, and Jack signing off….

Thank you to Tink (and Jack, of course) for another great interview. And to Rachel for answering Tink's nonsensical questions. She does love nosing around. And so glad I’ve found another lady who would choose Will Turner over Jack Sparrow…though I will admit it can be a difficult decision at times....

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK.  She started writing short stories about eight years ago but once her children were at school, she embarked on her first novel. It was published in 2007. Since then, she’s had several books published with The Wild Rose Press, Eternal Press and Lyrical Press.  She recently acquired a US agent with her second Victorian historical. A member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, Rachel hopes to have a further two novels, one contemporary and one Victorian published in 2012. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family.  Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England. And in the evening? Well, a well-deserved glass of wine is never, ever refused… Find out more about Rachel at her website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook!

***Cozies, for this week's discussion - do you prefer your heroes alphas or betas?

****GIVEAWAY: For one lucky commenter today Rachel is generously offering a free download of the winner’s choice from her backlist, including her most recent release, Paying the Piper! Enter before midnight EST tomorrow evening for a chance to win and be sure to check back in Sunday morning to see if you have won….

(Must be 18 years or older to enter; chances of winning depend on the number of entries.)

Cozy Guest Friday: Georgie Lee

Welcome to this week’s edition of Cozy Guest Friday! Today’s victim…*ahem* special guest is Georgie Lee, author of A Little Legal Luck available now from The Wild Rose Press....

 On St. Patrick’s Day, the last thing paralegal Lisa Brennan needs is another lawyer in her life, but when handsome attorney Daniel Wilson shows he’s a sweetheart in an industry of sharks, she’s intrigued. Daniel is impressed by the pretty paralegal and her desire to succeed despite a bad job, but with the pressure of running his own firm, does he have time for a relationship? Thrown together in the jury pool, Lisa must overcome her prejudices about attorneys to trust Daniel and get lucky in love.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek into A Little Legal Luck! We go now to our Cozy correspondent Tink, live from her favorite tropical island of PutSomeRumin’it along with a few of her swashbuckling friends. Take it away, Tink….

*luau music*

Tink: Hello, Cozies! It’s a sunny day here on WanaLuvaPir’ate Beach. *rings bell* Jack will get you something to drink from the tiki bar…. Jack?

Tink: Oh, never mind. The rum’s probably gone anyway. Speaking of cocktails… Georgie, if you were a mixed drink what would you be and why?

Georgie: A pina colada, I’m a little bit serious, a little bit fruity and all in a curvy glass.

Tink: Excellent answer! We’ll have Jack bring us a round of those when he’s done playing tag with his friends. We’ll pass the time playing a round of Desert Island. Ready?.... If you were stuck on a desert island and could bring only one of the following…what would they be? Person? Song? Book?

Georgie: I suppose a survival guide would be the most practical thing but I think I would bring my husband.

Tink: Most importantly….what would you name your pet gourd? :)

Georgie: Gordy.

Tink: Now for a bit about your book. While we’re playing with the island jukebox, I might as well ask…if you wrote to music, what would be this book’s theme song?

Georgie: Irish Eyes Are Smiling. A Little Legal Luck takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and Irish imagery plays a big part in the story.

Tink: What are the first words your hero speaks to your heroine?

Georgie: “We aren’t going to get pinched today, are we?” These are Daniel’s first words to Lisa.

Tink: Would you define your hero as an alpha or a beta? Why?

Georgie: Alpha. He’s an attorney who put himself through law school and now runs his own firm. He takes chances and goes after what he wants.

Tink: Does your hero prefer to wear boxers, briefs, a kilt? Or does he go commando?

Georgie: Boxer-briefs. He likes the support but doesn’t want to be too snug.

Tink: What is your heroine’s idea of the perfect date?

Georgie: An evening at an Irish pub with a pint of Guinness and some greasy pub food.

Tink: What is your favorite thing about each character?

Georgie: I love Lisa’s determination and the way she keeps trying despite a number of setbacks. I love Daniel’s sweet side. He’s a lawyer but he isn’t the stereotypical sleezeball.

Tink: More seriously, what was your biggest challenge crafting this story or these characters?

Georgie: The biggest challenge was weaving in the Irish elements without being corny or disrupting the story. I wanted St. Patrick’s Day to play a part in the story but I didn’t want to hit people over the head with the Blarney Stone.

Tink: Now for a more in-depth look at the author… *puts on her smart glasses* I will now ask you a round of nosy and nonsensical questions developed by Bernard Peevo and used by James Lipton on Inside the Actor’s Studio…. Brace yourself J What’s your favorite word? Least favorite?

Georgie: Cloy is my least favorite word. When I took the GRE (the most pointless test in the universe, I might add), this word kept coming up in the study guide, and for some reason, I could never remember the definition. My favorite word is clearance. I hate paying full price for anything.

Tink: What’s your favorite curse word?

Georgie: A lady never cusses, dammit.

Tink: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Georgie: I once considered becoming a pharmacist but alas, math and science are not my strong points.

Tink: What profession would you not like to participate in?

Georgie: Corporate motivational speaking. I just cannot shovel that much manure all while pretending to believe it.

Tink: There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, just in time for the luau, let’s share a sneak peak from A Little Legal Luck with the Cozies back home….

“I’m hoping St. Patrick smiles on me today and I get picked for a trial.” Lisa laughed, finding the stranger’s upbeat mood infectious. “I’d kiss a lot of blarney stone to get out of work for a few days.”



He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “Then we must be the only two people here eager to do our patriotic duty.”


Glancing around the room at the bored women watching the morning show on the large overhead TVs and the college students absorbed in their i whatevers, she had the distinct feeling they were in the minority. “You want to serve?”


“I’m a lawyer, I know how important jurors are to the system.”


Her body tensed and the muscles in the back of her neck tightened.


Not all lawyers are like Lou, she reminded herself, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to relax.


Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice her unconscious reaction as he held out his hand, and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Daniel Wilson.” She grasped his hand, her skin tingling as his long fingers curled around hers.

Tink: And the final questions Jack has been dying to ask all day…. If you could choose anyone in the world to be the captain of your…er…ship…who would it be? J

Georgie: My husband, of course. Followed a close second by Mr. Darcy.

Tink: Which savvy piece of the Caribbean would you most like to take home – the Black Pearl, the Dead Man’s Chest, or the Fountain of Youth?

Georgie: I’ll take the Fountain of Youth please. Oil of Olay isn’t working like it used to.

Tink: Would you rather take your chances with a zombie, a mermaid, or Blackbeard?

Georgie: A mermaid. Like Jaws, if you stay out of the water, you aren’t in danger.

Tink: And most importantly…Captain Jack Sparrow or Will Turner? ;)

Georgie: This will surprise you, but my answer is none of the above. Captain Norrington is the man for me. The uniform, the accent, the height all combined with a calm commanding presence in the face of trouble. Yummy.

Tink: Ah, Norrington. Not to be forgotten! Especially when he comes back all disheveled-like in POTC: Dead Man's Chest.

Tink: C'mon, who doesn't want to hug that? And now we hula! From PutSomeRumin’it…this is Tink, Georgie, and Jack signing off….

A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry. When not writing, she enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Visit  www.georgie-lee.com to learn more about Georgie and her books! She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter....

Readers, Jack still seems to be drumming up some votes for himself. If you had to choose between our naughty pirate, Will Turner, or Norrington, who would it be?