Category Archives: Uncategorized

Moonlight and Magnolias 2015

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I got to attend the conference this year in Atlanta and had a wonderful time despite Joaquin, the hurricane and the torrential rains in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. During the conference we were inside and dry with Cody Johnvin – Clean Reads cover model and all round great guy for putting up with us! cover models at M&M 100315

The Georgia Romance Writers really know how to put on a conference. Nancy Lee Badger and I drove down and roomed together to meet and visit with Laurel Blount, Kay Butler, Darila Pichanick, Mia McKimmy, and Kim Turner to mention a few.

Got to hear Jana Oliver and Chris Marie Green at lunch presentations. Jana OliverAttended classes led by Bryonna Nobles, Tyra Burton, Annie Ooortman and Maria Connor on editing, marketing, and even the importance of Greek myths in our current literature. Hearts of Carolina’s own Laura Simcox and Michele Summers led a super class on storyboarding, which had me thinking in new directions! Got to meet and visit with Carrie Nichols, winner of the Maggie for her Contemporary Category Romance – The Sheriff’s Little Matchmaker.  

Donna and Carrie Nichols

My friend Elena Dillon couldn’t make it this year, but many congratulations to her for finaling in the Young Adult Maggies for Shimmer! Also congratulations to HCRW’s Virginia Kantra for willing the Maggie for Carolina Man!

 

Carrie Nichols!

Lunch-1 100215   Lunch-2 100215  Lunch!

Laura Simcox at M&M      Candice Havens   Laurel Nancy & me

Laura Simcox                  Candice Havens            Laurel Blount, Nancy Lee Badger & Me

2015 MandM 015

 

 

 

Back to School

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Boy, does that have a new meaning for me this year! Yes, there were all those years when I had to go back myself and dreaded it with a fervor that was real. I didn’t miss seeing my friends, in my tiny hometown everyone I wanted to see was within bike range and I saw them more in the summer without the math or history. I probably had some teachers I liked—Mr. James in freshman English comes to mind, but school doesn’t bring up positive memories for me. Bullies were the norm then and I never escaped, just keeping my head down and getting the work done. back to school

It took years before I realized my sister, the schoolteacher, dreaded going back just as much or more than the students. That was an eye-opener. Teachers pray for snow days harder than students too. Who knew?

Then I moved from working at a university in the Provost Office to the Business Affairs division. The pace is incredibly different in Business Affairs. For one thing, we don’t deal that much with students face to face. We’re the infrastructure people—the police, the plants, the plumbing, the post office, the parking and summer is when we had to go into high gear to get things done before the students descend on us again.

Now don’t think we had any summers off—that’s the professors and the students, not us drones. We were working harder than ever in a compressed time frame and the way we knew the kids were back was the parking got screwed up and we couldn’t go off campus to eat anymore because we’d never find a place to park when we got back. It takes a good two weeks before a freshman can figure out parking, so we’d huddle in our offices out of the way and bring in a sandwich.  campus parking

But I retired!!! I don’t have to go back at all this fall. I almost missed it altogether and boy am I missing it—not at all. Now I can read what I want when I want, and if I can’t find the book I’m looking for, I can write it. For those of you facing back to school, if you’re a student—hold on, it won’t last forever and if you’re a parent—congratulations on getting them back out of the house. Enjoy!

 

Cassie’s Ordeal – Release Day!

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Cassie’s Ordeal  – Book 7

Cassie's Ordeal book cover
Cassie loves her life on the river with Tom and her friends. She feels Tom has her wrapped in a safe and protected cocoon of love. But her world is jarred when the phone calls begin. Cassie hesitates to tell Tom about them knowing he’ll over react and she will be the one under ‘house arrest’. But when the calls go from annoying to frightening she has no choice. Tom brings in the police to find out who is behind the harassment and make plans to keep Cassie safe, but he’s too late – Cassie is gone without a trace.

The police began an all our search, but there are few clues to go on. Will life on the river ever be the same again?

Excerpt from Cassie’s Ordeal

I’d stepped outside to see where Willow was, and was just coming back in when I heard Sue shout, “Who the hell is this?”
I hurried into the kitchen to see Sue standing there with the phone in her hand. I didn’t need to ask to realize she had just received a call from my harassing caller. Sue looked truly rattled.
“You just got called a bitch, didn’t you? Don’t worry, this creep’s called a couple of times before. He seems harmless. What did he say?”
“He said, ‘I’ll get back what’s mine, or I’ll get you, bitch.’ That was the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard. Damn, Cassie, you say he’s called before? What did Tom say?”
“I’ve don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it to Tom. Sue, relax, okay. It was just a phone call.”
“That wasn’t just a phone call. That was a threat! What do you mean you haven’t told Tom? How often does he call?” I could tell Sue was really upset, and I tried to calm her down.

“It’s some old drunk that got this number by mistake, I’m guessing. He tells me I’m a thief and calls me a bitch. The first time it happened I had totally forgotten about it by the time Tom got home. He’s called a couple more times. He probably calls every time he ties one on, and evidently he doesn’t drink all that much.” I laughed. But I couldn’t get Sue to see any humor in it. She was rattled and that’s not like Sue.

~  ~  ~

The Cassie books don’t have to be read in order – feel free to jump in anywhere. But if you like to read in order the first four can be found in the Cassie Box Set. It’s on sale right now for $6.99. And the first book, Cassie’s Space is on sale for .99 cent.

Cassie box setCassies space

Release Day for Mac’s Family

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My latest small town romance is now available!

Amazon,  AllRomance,  Barnes & Noble

Macs Family-Flat

When Mac gets home, he’s lost, alone and needs to heal. That’s why he left the safety of his home that first night, to get his bearings. That leads him to his grandfather’s worksite in the middle of the night.

Nina has no experience as a waitress, much less in closing up the diner. When she’s attacked on her way home, it’s Mac that comes to her rescue despite his own injuries.

The repercussions of that night are far reaching for both of them. His wealth and lifestyle are outside of her experience, but she doesn’t want to deceive him.

Congrats to Karrie M. for winning the $10 Amazon gift card!!
Congrats to Pearl S., Eliz F., and A. H. P. for winning the three copies!
Be sure to get in touch with me