Saturday, December 25, 2010

The Frugal eReader: Special Holiday Promotions ~ All eBooks discounted...

The Frugal eReader: Special Holiday Promotions ~ All eBooks discounted...: "Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays Frugal eReaders!! Please take a look at the below eBooks. Each and every one of them is currently on a ..."

Merry Christmas!


I Wish That I Could Wrap Up Christmas

I wish that I could wrap up all the love and Holiday cheer
That comes along with Christmas and with New Year's every year,
Pack it in a pretty box and put it on my shelf
And pull it down again each year and give it to myself.

I wish that I could tie up all my favorite carols with twine,
Wind around some ribbon, too, and for twelve months call them mine
Until the next Yuletide came when the sounds again could be unfurled
And untie every single one then give them to the world.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Day 5 of Countdown to Christmas with Discounted Books from Kristie Leigh Maguire

Today's book from Kristie Leigh Maguire is Cabin Fever which is reduced from list price of $2.99 down to only 99 cents. Treat yourself or give as a gift to someone on your Christmas list with Amazon's gifting feature.

The beautiful and sexy Marcie Treyhorne is a steel magnolia who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Marcie's story began in DESERT HEAT. Her saga continues in CABIN FEVER. Marcie leaves the blistering heat of the desert but the searing passion she carries to the northern Nevada mountains will melt the deepest of winter snows. Author Janet Elaine Smith states, "...the ending is a twist that will hit you like a runaway train! You won't want to miss this one!"
 
*Kristie writes in a way that you want to follow every word – the sign of a true storyteller. -- Romance Junkies, Patti Fleishman

One reader stated: There are times when you read the first book in a series and the second one doesnt fails to keep the story line going. BUT this one will hold you through to the end. There are surprises in this one to match the first one. You will not want to put this book down either. It is another one day read because it is so well written and exciting.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Day 4 of Countdown to Christmas with Discounted Books from Kristie Leigh Maguire

Today's book from Kristie Leigh Maguire is Desert Heat which is reduced from list price of $2.99 down to only 99 cents. Treat yourself or give as a gift to someone on your Christmas list with Amazon's gifting feature.

From the scorching sun of the Mojave Desert to the brilliant neon lights of Las Vegas, the sexy steel magnolia Marcie Treyhorne blazes a trail of passion through the desert sands. Her heart is torn in half as her desire for her new boss grows into a raging inferno while her love for her longtime husband remains as steadfast as the ancient desert mountains that surround Mojave Junction, California. Don't expect the typical romance story with this novel. There are no shrinking violets or shy maidens who long to be taken against their will in DESERT HEAT. Get swept away into a world of sex and passion—if you dare!

“Maguire singes readers' eyes with the fire of her love scenes.” - Romantic Times Book Club Magazine

“Come take a journey to the Mojave Desert where the weather is hot and passion runs high. Desert Heat will intrigue readers with its fascinating characters and their ménage a trois. Ms. Maguire weaves an erotica filled with more than just fun and games.” - Just Erotic Romance

One reader stated: I started this book in the afternoon and after sleeping for only two hours I has to get back to it to finish. It is HOT without being nasty or unreal. You could see all of those feeling happening, well not in my lifestle but it made it sound like fun. I am not goung to say anything about the storline as I dont want to give it all away, but I fell in love with the main man.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Day 3 of Countdown to Christmas with Book Sales from Kristie Leigh Maguire

Today's book from Kristie Leigh Maguire is No Lady and Her Tramp which is reduced from list price of $2.99 down to only 99 cents. Treat yourself or give as a gift to someone on your Christmas list with Amazon's gifting feature.

No Lady and Her Tramp is an adult romantic satire.

A quirky hysterically hilarious read that is down and dirty!

The steamy, very descriptive sex in No Lady and Her Tramp puts Harold Robbins’ books to shame. The one thing Mr. Robbins’ books did not have is the humor that illuminates in this work of art.

No Lady is one woman’s accounting of the trials, tribulations, and antics of her life, and all of the other colorful characters (some even use the politically incorrect term of trailer trash to describe them) who live in President Park, a run down trailer park in Grapevine, Kentucky.

You may find the palms of your hands sweat, among other things, from the titillating sex that fill the pages. You will also find yourself laughing aloud, as humor runs consistently throughout the book.

These two authors, Kristie Leigh Maguire and Mark Haeuser, by putting their talents together, have written a very funny book laced with pure, unadulterated steam.

One reader said:
OMG, It is a GREAT book. I want more. I didn't want the book to end. I really like the the main couple and the things they go through. It has people that you want to club in the head, ones you want to be best friends with, ones you want to hug and say that it is going to be okay and ones you want to hate but they are all your neighbors. The sex is hot ......  The laughs are many .....  The OMGosh's are many and funny too. Everyone has to read this. It is a super fast read because you can't put it down.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Continuing the countdown to Christmas with Book Sales from Kristie Leigh Maguire

Only one week left until Christmas! Treat yourself or buy a book for someone on your Christmas list with Amazon's gifting feature.

Today's sale from Kristie Leigh Maguire is the Kindle edition of her title Second Chances which is discounted from list price of $2.99 down to only 99 cents. Second Chances is a sweet contemporary western romance that will warm your heart. Everyone deserves a second chance!

Jane Porter's dreams of marrying Mike Farley, the handsome cowboy who lives on the neighboring ranch, are shattered when Mike suddenly marries a redheaded stranger he met at the Wild Horse Saloon in Casper, Wyoming. After Mike stomped all over Jane's heart with his cowboy boots, can Jane ever trust her heart to a man again?

Mike Farley marries beautiful Samantha Jo Smith after a whirlwind courtship with no thought to Jane Porter, his childhood sweetheart and the woman everyone in Fremont County thought he would marry one day. Mike soon learns to regret his hasty marriage to Samantha. Can Mike win back Jane's heart even though he had shattered it into a million pieces?

Longtime friends and neighbors Jim Porter and Liz Farley turn to each other for support after the unexpected death of their spouses. Will Jim and Liz's friendship turn into something deeper even though they both feel they have had, and lost, their chance at love?

Is it ever too late for love? Is it ever too late for second chances?

Set in rural Wyoming, Second Chances is a sweet contemporary western romance that will warm your heart. One reader stated, "I read it through in an evening, and felt as if I had spent that evening with 'salt of the earth' folk." Another reader said, "I loved the double, no triple, second chances. It was a very sweet ending."

One reader stated: "Most of the characters in this book were really flawed, and I have to tell you that half way through the read I couldn't imagine how this would work out. But this is one skilled author and this was a really satisfying book. She really explores the characters motivations and leads everyone on quite a journey! I particularly enjoyed the character of Sammy Jo, it would have been so easy to turn her into a paper cut villan but I felt sympathetic towards her, which made the relationship between Mike and Jane all the more interesting. I can't wait to read more books by this talented author."

Friday, December 17, 2010

Counting Down to Christmas! Kristie Leigh Maguire Book Sales for the Hoidays!

Kristie Leigh Maguire Book Sales for the Holidays!

The Christmas countdown is on. Treat yourself or someone you love with the gift of a book from Kristie Leigh Maguire. No need to leave your house to take advantage of this Holiday Sale. Just go to Amazon and download the Kindle book or send it to someone on your Christmas list with Amazon's gifting feature.

Today's book from Kristie Leigh Maguire is "You've Got Mail from Japan" which is discounted from $2.99 down to only 99 cents for a limited time.

Margie and Sandy, two American expatriate women, meet and become friends while living in Saudi Arabia. After their husbands' assignments were completed, both women returned to their homes in the United States: Margie to Nevada and Sandy to Texas. Margie soon accompanies her husband on to his next assignment to Japan while Sandy remains at home surrounded by her family and friends.

Some things are very private--diaries, phone calls, letters, and emails between friends. You've Got Mail from Japan lifts that veil of privacy. This book contains actual emails exchanged between Margie and Sandy, with all the 'warts' and misspellings as they were written, on an almost daily basis over the course of a year. The writing is real and down to earth, as only emails between good friends can be.

Step into Margie and Sandy's world. Follow their incredible, somewhat quirky and offbeat journey as it actually happened. Share their times of joy, times of sadness, times of highs, and times of lows. The friendship between these two women shines from the pages and you feel as if you have eavesdropped on a private conversation, but accidentally, and then they smile at you and welcome you into their circle of friendship.

One reader stated, "I love this book! It is like I have broken into someone's computer, hacked their email, and now I am looking at all the juicy details...wow, this is fun!"

NOTE: This book is not a travel guidebook.
 
 
Friends Without Faces

Author Unknown

We sit and we type, and we stare at our screens,
We all have to wonder, what this possibly means.
With our mouse we roam, through the rooms in a maze,
Looking for something or someone, as we sit in a daze.
We chat with each other, we type all our woes,
Small groups we do form, and gang up on our foes.
We wait for somebody, to type out our name,
We want recognition, but it is always the same.
We give kisses and hugs, and sometimes flirt,
In ICQ we chat deeply, and reveal why we hurt.
We do form friendships - but - why we don't know,
But some of these friendships, will flourish and grow.
Why is it on screen, we can be so bold,
Telling our secrets, that have never been told.
Why is it we share, the thoughts in our mind,
With those we can't see, as though we were blind.
The answer is simple, it is as clear as a bell.
We all have our problems, and need someone to tell.
We can't tell "real" people, but tell someone we must,
So we turn to the puter, and to those we can trust.
Even though it is crazy, the truth still remains,
They are Friends Without Faces, and odd little names.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

eBook Covers and Formatting

eBook Covers and Formatting is now open and ready for business. We will take your book into the digital age.

ATTENTION AUTHORS: With the popularity of Kindles and other eReaders, eBooks are the hottest rage in books. If you don't have your book published as an ebook, you are losing money.

Having problems formatting your book for Kindle or other eReaders? Quit pulling your hair out trying to get your book into ebook format! If you are having problems, or just don't have the time, to format your book for upload to Amazon.com and/or Smashwords.com, don't worry. eBook Covers and Formatting can do it for you. Contact us and save your sanity.

Need a book cover? eBook Covers and Formatting can create one for you.

Contact us at:
ebookcoversandformatting-info@yahoo.com

Monday, November 29, 2010

You've Got Mail from Japan

I have opened up a discussion on my Facebook Fan Page for You've Got Mail from Japan. If anyone has any questions for me about this book, feel free to join in on the discussion.

I have also uploaded pictures that relate to this book at my website. Go to my site and click on the "Got Mail - Pictures" tab at the top of the page.

Join my Facebook Fan Page.

Join the Kristie Fan Club.

Book blurb for You've Got Mail from Japan:
Margie and Sandy, two American expatriate women, meet and become friends while living in Saudi Arabia. After their husbands’ assignments were completed, both women returned to their homes in the United States: Margie to Nevada and Sandy to Texas. Margie soon accompanies her husband on his next assignment to Japan while Sandy remains at home surrounded by her family and friends.

Some things are very private—diaries, phone calls, letters, and emails between friends. You’ve Got Mail from Japan lifts that veil of privacy. This book contains actual emails exchanged between Margie and Sandy, with all the ‘warts’ and misspellings as they were written, on an almost daily basis over the course of a year. The writing is real and down to earth, as only emails between good friends can be. The friendship between these two women shines from the pages and you feel as if you have eavesdropped on a private conversation, but accidentally, and then they smile at you and welcome you into their circle of friendship.

Step into Margie and Sandy's world. Follow their incredible, somewhat quirky and offbeat journey as it actually happened. Share their times of joy, times of sadness, times of highs, and times of lows.

One reader stated, "I love this book! It is like I have broken into someone's computer, hacked their email, and now I am looking at all the juicy details...wow, this is fun!"

Warning: Do not purchase this book if you are looking for a typical travel guidebook or a how-to guide for being a model expatriate wife. You've Got Mail from Japan is not that type of book.

Download to your Kindle for only $2.99.
Download to other e-readers for only $2.99.

Kristie Leigh Maguire
Published Author

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Kristie Fan Club: DESERT HEAT.

Kristie Fan Club: DESERT HEAT.: "(WOW, what else can I say about this book. It was nothing like I expected it to be and was greatly surprised. It is a book that I have rec..."

Monday, November 22, 2010

Kristie Fan Club: Links to Kristie

Kristie Fan Club: Links to Kristie: "http://kristieleighmaguire.com/ Official site for getting to know Kristie/Margie. PLEASE remember to sign her guest book. http://www.a..."

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Kristie Leigh Maguire reads from You've Got Mail from Japan

Author Kristie Leigh Maguire reads from her latest release, You've Got Mail from Japan, at The Spinning Wheel.

Margie and Sandy, two American expatriate women, meet and become friends while living in Saudi Arabia. After their husbands’ assignments in Saudi Arabia were completed, both women returned to their homes in the United States: Margie to Nevada and Sandy to Texas. Margie soon accompanies her husband on to his next assignment to Japan while Sandy remains at home surrounded by her family and friends.

Some things are very private—diaries, phone calls, letters, and emails between friends. You’ve Got Mail from Japan lifts that veil of privacy. The friendship between these two women shines from the pages and you feel as if you have eavesdropped on a private conversation, but accidentally, and then they smile at you and welcome you into their circle of friendship.

You’ve Got Mail from Japan consists of actual excerpts of emails between Margie and Sandy as they were written, with all the ‘warts’ and misspellings. The writing is real and down to earth, as only emails between good friends can be.

Come along and follow their incredible journey.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Romance: Top 10 of 2010 from Amazon.com

Romance: Top 10 of 2010 from Amazon.com


1. Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley















2. Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick














3. Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole














4. Sin Undone by Larissa Ione














5. Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas














6. A Hellion in Her Bed by Sabrina Jeffries














7. Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery














8.Burning Up by Susan Andersen














9. The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs














10. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Imogen Rose reads from Quantum at The Spinning Wheel today!

  Imogen Rose, the author of the Portal Chronicles, is reading from her latest release Quantum at The Spinning Wheel today. Come join us for the fun and virtual coffee and sweets.

Product Description

A whole year has passed. It’s October again… or is it?

As California teen, Arizona Darley, contemplates traveling back through the portal to seek out her dad, her life is plunged into a whirlwind ride through the unknown.

But this time, she doesn't disappear through the portal.

Has Arizona been kidnapped–again? Is Raj Sen to blame? Could Dillard have taken her?

As Kellan, David and her parents launch a frantic search with the help of the Wanderers, it becomes apparent that things are much more complex than they seem – for all of them. While investigating her daughter's latest disappearance, Olivia faces shocking revelations about the Wanderers and her life with Rupert.

In the meantime, what's happening in New Jersey? Are both of Arizona's worlds about to collide?

Quantum is the third book in the Portal Chronicles. Catch the start of Arizona’s adventures in Portal and Equilibrium.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hot off the virtual presses! "You've Got Mail from Japan"

***BREAKING NEWS***

Just released to Amazon Kindle. Available for download for only $2.99.

You've Got Mail from Japan
by Kristie Leigh Maguire

Margie and Sandy, two American expatriate women, meet and become friends while living in Saudi Arabia. After their husbands’ assignments in Saudi Arabia were completed, both women returned to their homes in the United States: Margie to Nevada and Sandy to Texas. Margie soon accompanies her husband on to his next assignment to Japan while Sandy remains at home surrounded by her family and friends.

Some things are very private—diaries, phone calls, letters, and emails between friends. You’ve Got Mail from Japan lifts that veil of privacy. The friendship between these two women shines from the pages and you feel as if you have eavesdropped on a private conversation, but accidentally, and then they smile at you and welcome you into their circle of friendship.

You’ve Got Mail from Japan consists of actual excerpts of emails between Margie and Sandy as they were written, with all the ‘warts’ and misspellings. The writing is real and down to earth, as only emails between good friends can be.

Come along and follow their incredible journey.

Prologue

You’ve Got Mail from Japan is an example of what true friendship can mean if you have the courage to reach out and embrace it. To forge the bonds of friendship and to hold that friendship close to your heart. To share your experiences, each becoming a stronger person for having shared those experiences with the other.

True friendship is a rare thing. Few have the courage to reach out and grab it. To hold on to it. To even recognize that it has been offered to them. To realize that their lives would be richer for having had it. True friendship is to be there for the other in times of adversity as well as joy. True friendship is a precious thing to be guarded like a valued treasure. Remember, that which has been shattered into a million pieces cannot be pieced back together again.

Over the years of my lifetime, I have been faced with many difficult choices. Which road should I choose next? How would the path that I chose to follow affect the ultimate design of the grand scheme of my life? It has not been easy for me to know which road to choose. I have had to make some very tough decisions along the way but I know the road I chose to follow at the time was the right one for me at that point in my life.

I have had to be tough. Very tough. I am like an old piece of rawhide. That old rawhide has become weathered and worn over the years. That old rawhide has been strengthened by the challenges that life has thrown at me. On the other hand, that same old tough piece of rawhide is constantly being polished to the soft sheen and luster of the finest piece of rare silk with each new test that I face and overcome.

I am woman! Hear me roar!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

C. E. Grundler is reading at The Spinning Wheel today

C.E. Grundler is reading from her novel, Last Exit In New Jersey at The Spinning Wheel today. Come join us for the fun and the virtual food.

Nice young ladies from the Garden State really shouldn’t be dumping bodies at sea. Then again, 20 year-old Hazel Moran is anything but your typical Jersey girl. Raised aboard a schooner and riding shotgun beside her father in their old tractor-trailer truck, there's little on the road or water that she can't handle; it's her people skills that need work. Normally that isn’t an issue – behind the wheel of a Kenworth most people tend to leave her alone. But when Hazel and her father become the targets of some unsavory characters hunting for her blue-haired cousin, their stolen tractor-trailer truck and a delivery that never arrived, she knows it's time to heed a lesson learned from her favorite hardboiled paperbacks: playing nice will only end in tears.

For ten sweltering days Hazel navigates the Garden State's highways and shorelines, contending with a suspiciously wealthy stranger, white trash, Born Agains, appliance salesmen, an unstable stalker and his curiously troublesome companion. It'll take all her ingenuity, not to mention some fishing tackle and high voltage, if Hazel hopes to protect her family and unravel this tangle of greed and betrayal. And anyone who gets too close, no matter their intent, will discover just how dangerous shy little Hazel truly can be as she sets in motion a twisted plan to uncover the truth, settle some scores, and if possible not wind up dead in the process.

Somewhat hard-boiled, slightly noir, Last Exit in New Jersey is an offbeat tale that travels from a Delaware Bay ghost-town to metropolitan north Jersey, where boats and big rigs set the scene for danger, suspense, dark humor and an unlikely bit of romance.

Author web site: http://cegrundler.com/

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Courtney Cascadian is reading at The Spinning Wheel today

Come join us today at The Spinning Wheel for Courtney Cascadian's reading from her novel The Nostrildamus Document. Plenty of virtual coffee and sweets and fun for everyone.

Review:
Not since Clockers or Homocide has there been such an insider's book. Told from a mercilessly real perspective-that of a smart, scheming, disturbed drug dealer, realistically flawed, who is able to invoke both sympathy and horror- the book is an explosive, cinematic tale that sets a new literary standard. --as seen in The New York Times Book Review

It s refreshing to read the memoir of a hardcore thug who, despite a jailhouse conversion, makes no apologies-and asks no forgiveness-for his willingness to exploit the weakness of others. The sharply written narrative is by turns fascinating and repulsive, intriguing and reprehensible. --Kirkus Discoveries

Product Description:
There is a right way to do the wrong thing...Here is my story, I'd like to thank Courtney Cascadian for helping me tell it.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Download No Lady and Your Tramp to your Kindle

Now is a good time to purchase and download No Lady and Your Tramp to your Kindle. Amazon has discounted it from $2.99 down to $2.39. The current ranking for No Lady at the Amazon Kindle Store is:

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,736 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

#43 in Books > Entertainment > Humor > Satire, General

#44 in Books > Entertainment > Humor > Satire

#48 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor


No Lady just received another wonderful 5 star review:
5.0 out of 5 stars That's not a Lady, She's my Tramp, October 8, 2010

By Family Kindle (Kansas/Kentucky) - See all my reviews - Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: No Lady and Her Tramp (Kindle Edition)

OMG, It is a GREAT book. I want more. I didn't want the book to end. I really like the the main couple and the things they go through.

It has people that you want to club in the head, ones you want to be best friends with, ones you want to hug and say that it is going to be okay and ones you want to hate but they are all your neighbors.

The sex is hot ......

The laughs are many .....

The OMGosh's are many and funny too.

Everyone has to read this.

It is a super fast read because you can't put it down.
 
Book blurb:
A quirky hysterically hilarious read that is down and dirty!

The steamy, very descriptive sex in No Lady and Her Tramp puts Harold Robbins’ books to shame. The one thing Mr. Robbins’ books did not have is the humor that illuminates in this work of art.

No Lady is one woman’s accounting of the trials, tribulations, and antics of her life, and all of the other colorful characters (some even use the politically incorrect term of trailer trash to describe them) who live in President Park, a run down trailer park in Grapevine, Kentucky.

You may find the palms of your hands sweat, among other things, from the titillating sex that fill the pages. You will also find yourself laughing aloud, as humor runs consistently throughout the book.

These two authors, Kristie Leigh Maguire and Mark Haeuser, by putting their talents together, have written a very funny book laced with pure, unadulterated steam

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Barbara Ebel reading at The Spinning Wheel today

Who says a rising neurosurgeon can’t fall from his pinnacle? From the skullduggery taking place deep in the Tennessee woods to the silent tension in the OR, Doctor Danny Tilson’s life takes an abrupt turn after performing surgery alongside a scrub nurse with aqua eyes and a velvet voice.

Can Danny’s situation get any worse after the alluring lady disappears, he inherits her roguish retriever, and his Albert Einstein historical book turns up missing? A pack of Tennessee attorneys pursue Danny while he develops a scheme with his paramedic best friend to payback the mysterious woman who left in a hurry.

Download to your Kindle for only $3.95.

Drop by The Spinning Wheel today where Barbara will be reading from her book.





Thursday, October 14, 2010

Eric B. Thomasma is reading at The Spinning Wheel today.

Author Eric B. Thomasma is reading from his novel SEAMS16: A New Home at The Spinning Wheel today. You can dowload this novel to your Kindle or other e-reader for only 99 cents.

Product Description

Space Equipment Authority is the number one supplier and manufacturer in the sector and their Maintenance Station 16 is the best of all the repair depots in the system. With its ability to manufacture any part needed for any repair and willingness to service any vehicle, from the smallest Personal Transport to the biggest Trans-Galaxy Ship, it has the reputation of being the best of the best and is favored by both locals and aliens alike. And someone wants Charlie to come work there. Life hasn't been easy for Charlie, as he has kicked around from one job to another. The one shining light in his life is and has always been his beautiful wife, Susan. So is this the chance of a lifetime, or is it too good to be true? Join Charlie and Susan as they discover A New Home.

From the Author
SEAMS16:A New Home was primarily written in waiting rooms, doctor's offices, patient rooms, treatment rooms, etc. My father was battling cancer at the time and I took him to all of his appointments. Writing became a means of escaping the depressing circumstances and helped me maintain a positive attitude toward the treatments. Sadly, my Dad lost his battle before I finished the story, so he was never able to read it, but I like to think he would approve.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Kristie Leigh Maguire reads from her novel, Cabin Fever, at The Spinning Wheel

Kristie Leigh Maguire reads from her novel, Cabin Fever, at The Spinning Wheel. Cabin Fever is the sequel to Kristie's novel, Desert Heat. Both are award-winning books. Desert Heat was voted Romance of the Year at the Affaire de Coeur Magazine Reader/Writer Poll and Cabin Fever placed at Number 5 in romance at the Preditors & Editors Poll.

Desert Heat and Cabin Fever can be downloaded to your Kindle or other reading device for only $2.99.

A 5 Star Review for Cabin Fever at Amazon.com:
The adventures of Marcie Treyhourne. This gal just has a way of finding excitement, erotic adventures with a splash of romance, along with a little trouble along the way. Kristie makes the characters come to life. If things got any hotter while I was reading the eBook, my laptop would have melted.

If you love romance with an erotic flair to it, you need to read Cabin Fever along with Desert Heat. Although it may be snowing outside at your house this winter, you'll be burning up after these novels.

Thanks Kristie for another exciting read!A 5 Star Review at Amazon.com for Cabin Fever:

Thursday, October 7, 2010

David George Richards is reading at The Spinning Wheel today

   
 David George (D. G.) Richards is reading from some of his many novels at The Spinning Wheel today. Come join us for the fun.

In David's own words:
I was born in Manchester in the North West of England in 1957. Although I have moved around a bit, Manchester is still both my physical and spiritual home. I am a Northerner. I am also married to Rosanna, and have been now for over twenty years.

I have an imagination that began when I was very young and never waned. I also like reading and so it was no surprise I suppose when I started writing. Because I am an unknown who has never been picked up by either an Agent or mainstream Publisher, I am a bit of a one man band. I even do my own covers and have become a bit of a digital artist as a result. I started writing when I was young and very bad. Now I am older and a lot better. My writing has improved too. I write science fiction, fantasy and romance stories. I also like to mix and match with romance in science fiction and so on.

One of the first books I read as a child was Gone with the Wind, and since then I have continued to read and enjoy books where women feature prominently in the story, in fact I tend to prefer books where the woman is the leading character. This is probably why I also enjoy writing stories where the female characters feature very prominently, many of them in strong and attractive leading roles. It gives my stories a female bias, but I think they are better for it. I also like every character, even the monsters and villains, to have a realistic reason for being and doing what they do. Like reality, everything blurs. There is no right or wrong, just different viewpoints that lead to conflict. But I also like my out and out villains to be really bad. If you like science fiction, thrillers and romance stories with particular emphasis on leading female characters that are exciting and adventurous, look no further.

You can also visit my website at http://www.booksandstories.com/.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

L.C. Evans reading at The Spinning Wheel today

L.C. Evans will be reading from her novel We Interrupt This Date at The Spinning Wheel today.

Product Description
Since her divorce a year ago, Susan Caraway has gone through the motions of life, feeling at best mildly depressed. Now she is finally coming out of her shell. Just when she decides on a makeover and a new career, her family members call on her for crisis assistance. First there’s her sister DeLorean who has come back from California with a baby, a designer dog, and no prospects for child support or a job. As soon as DeLorean settles in at Susan’s home, Susan’s son Christian comes home from college trailing what Susan’s mama refers to as “an androgynous little tart.” Then there’s Mama herself, a southern lady who wrote the book on bossy. A secret from Mama’s past threatens to unravel her own peace. But not before Mama hurts her ankle and has to move into Susan’s home with her babies—two Chihuahuas with attitude. Susan would like to start her new job as a ghost tour operator. She would like to renew her relationship with Jack Maxwell, a man from her past. But Jack isn’t going to stand in line behind her needy family.

About the Author
L.C. Evans loves to write. She grew up in Florida and now lives in North Carolina with her husband Bob and their three dogs. Occasionally there is a sighting around their home of a certain neurotic cat that may or may not be a part of the Evans household. Ms. Evans loves to hear from fans. Contact her at: Lcevans@lcevans.com

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Rebecca Forster reading at The Spinning Wheel today.

Author Rebecca Forster is reading from 2 of her books at The Spinning Wheel today. Come join us. Plenty of virtual coffee and sweets for everyone.

Rebecca Forster:
As an advertising executive I marketed a world-class spa when it was still called a gym, did business in China before there were western toilettes and mucked around with sheep to find out how my client's fine wool was made. Then I wrote my first book. . .

On a crazy dare, I tackled a project that would prove to be my passion. Though I had never written before, I was lucky enough to sell my first novel. Many books later - including the bestselling legal thrillers, the Witness Series, and the USA Today top seller Keeping Counsel - writing is still the most exciting thing I have ever done.


 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Helen Smith reading at The Spinning Wheel today.

Today's reading at The Spinning Wheel is from author Helen Smith who will be reading from her book The Miracle Inspector which is available for download to your Kindle for only $2.99.

Come join us in the fun. Plenty of virtual coffee and goodies for everyone.

Product Description
A darkly comic literary thriller set in the near future. England has been partitioned and London is an oppressive place where poetry has been forced underground, theatres and schools are shut, and women are not allowed to work outside the home. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, try to escape from London - with disastrous consequences.

Helen Smith was the recipient of an Arts Council Award for The Miracle Inspector.

'Smith is at the very least a minor phenomenon.' The Times

About the Author
Helen Smith writes novels, children's books, poetry, plays and screenplays. She lives in London and is a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture where she mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Spinning Wheel: An Old Fashioned Café and Bookstore for Authors and Readers

THE SPINNING WHEEL

See the sign over the door?

"The Spinning Wheel: An Old Fashioned Café and Bookstore for Authors and Readers."

The mellow yellow letters painted on sea foam green background goes well with the white brick building with the navy shutters on the windows.

Please wipe off any negative attitudes on the welcome mat before entering this building. We welcome everyone but we don't welcome negative attitudes. Please leave them on the other side of the door.

Close your eyes and envision what is on the other side of the door. You are about to enter the No Spin Zone.

Rows and rows of books on shelves with pots of ivy and the occasional geranium scattered around. Smell the fragrant candles along with the hint of homemade oatmeal cookies wafting through the air?

Miss Daisy, the resident cat, is curled up on the top bookshelf. She seems to be dozing but don't let that fool you. She's watching you. Or perhaps she's keeping an eye on Ralph, the resident dog, snoozing over by the potbellied stove in the corner. It's always cold on that side of the room so the fire stays burning all the time. Feel free to wander over and warm yourself. Throw a log on the fire if it needs it.

See that place in the corner across from the potbellied stove? Where the big overstuffed couches and easy chairs are located? That's the lounge where we all congregate. It's nice to have a place to just sit and relax and have a nice hot cup of coffee or tea but don't forget to read the sign hanging on the wall of the lounge.

"Treat others as you would like to be treated. Respect goes a long way in keeping The Spinning Wheel a friendly little old fashioned bookstore where everyone is welcome."

There are so many books just waiting to be read. The bookshelves are crammed to overflowing. Open your mind. Explore new possibilities. Think beyond what has normally been your comfort genre. Or if you aren't up to exploring new genres, we are bound to have something you like on our shelves. The possibilities are endless.

Pick up a book. Download a sample and browse the pages. Buy it if you like it but there is no pressure here at The Spinning Wheel to do so. You can browse here to your heart's content.

Head on over to the lounge area if you would like to discuss the books with others. If you hang around long enough you might even get to discuss the books with the authors who wrote them!

Authors and readers alike are welcome at The Spinning Wheel where the door is always open and the books are waiting for you.

Readers and authors, please introduce yourself as you come in.

Authors, feel free to place your book(s) on the shelves of The Spinning Wheel by posting the blurb for your book and the link to where it can be purchased when you first come in. Thereafter please limit to just placing a link to your book when you post or when you feel it is appropriate.

Readers, get those questions for the authors ready.

By the way, my name is Kristie Leigh Maguire. I am the proprietor of The Spinning Wheel. I am also an author and a reader. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you.

The Grand Opening of "The Spinning Wheel: An Old Fashioned Café and Bookstore for Authors and Readers" has begun! Come on in, everyone! Have fun!

***

Edited to add:

We now have completed construction of a screened in sun porch out back of The Spinning Wheel. It faces Lake Serenity. We have plenty of hammocks for relaxing and reading a good book while the bamboo fans stir the air overhead. Baskets of hanging ivy add a nice touch of greenery.

We have added a 5 Star Resort for Dogs and Cats so you are welcome to bring your pets and let them play while you visit The Spinning Wheel. I have nicknamed this resort The Animal House.

Another added event at The Spinning Wheel is author readings. Authors, if you would like to schedule a reading just post a message on the bulletin board at The Spinning Wheel and let me know. I will reply to you with a post at The Spinning Wheel with a date. I do not send out emails.

Both authors and readers are welcome to drop into The Spinning Wheel. I hope it becomes your home away from home.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

JC Phelps: Second Chances

JC Phelps: Second Chances: "Second ChancesKristie Leigh Maguire Click the links below to get your copy! Buy in Paperback at AmazonBuy in Kindle Format at Amazon Buy..."

Friday, August 13, 2010

One Real Cowboy by Janette Kenny

Another cowboy romance for download to your Kindle. Yes, I know I'm on a cowboy romance kick especially since writing my Second Chances book. :)

Review
Four stars! "Fans of western romance will welcome a new voice. Kenny's powerful debut--with its seductive marriage-of-convenience plot -- has snappy dialogue, appealing characters, a passionate romance and a few too-close-for-comfort accidents that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they turn the pages." --Maria Ferrer -- Romantic Times Book Reviews March 2007

Product Description
Cord Tanner has a very simple plan: get paid to be Beatrix Northroupe's husband for a month so the prim, but sexy, Englishwoman can gain rightful ownership of her family's stud farm. Money in hand, he's going to get as far away from Revolt, Kansas, as a fast horse can take him.

But Cord soon finds that he admires his Trixie's reckless courage--not to mention she's one great kisser. Maybe he's crazy to hope for a real future with her instead of heading for the hills, but now that someone's staking a dangerous claim to her farm, Cord's decided to stick around as long as the lady needs protecting. That wedding ring he put on her finger means her reputation is safe--and he's determined to win her heart. Cord Tanner may not be the most refined man on the frontier, but he sure is the lovingest..."

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Maverick Wild

Maverick Wild by Stacey Kayne

Chance Morgan had locked away his heart. Until Cora Mae Tindale crossed half the country to find him. The beguiling creature who insisted on turning his serviceable ranch into a home was hiding something--and Chance was hell-bent on finding out her secrets! Cora Mae only wanted a place to hide, but her youthful protector had grown into a war-hardened rancher with looks that could tempt a saint. Yet his dark glances were filled with distrust...and unmistakable desire. Cora Mae's childhood crush was rapidly becoming a much more adult craving!




Stacey Kayne has always been a daydreamer. If the comments in her elementary school report cards are any indication, it’s a craft she mastered early on. Having a passion for history and flair for storytelling, she strives to weave fact and fiction into a wild ride that can capture the heart. Stacey lives on a ranch near the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her high school sweetheart turned husband of eighteen years and their two sons.
Visit Stacey online.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Barefoot Bride by Joan Johnston

Western Romance - Download to your Kindle for the discounted price of only $6.29 (save $1.70 off list price of $7.99).

Young widowed Molly decides to leave the security of Boston and travel to the wilds of Montana as a mail-order bride. After all, she has two children to consider. She'll marry first, and reveal her family later. But Molly isn't prepared for a dashing doctor, who has a heart of gold and kisses to match.

From Publishers Weekly:
Johnston's ( Sweetwater Seduction ) 19th-century romance is light on originality and heavy on sentimentality. Widower Seth Kendrick, a doctor in rural Montana, needs a wife to civilize his rambunctious, tomboy daughter Patricia (known as Patch), so he advertises for one. Widow Molly Gallagher needs a home for her children Whit and little Nessie and decides to accept Seth sight unseen. The couple wants to make the best of things, but the children intend to sabotage the effort. Patch opens the hostilities by pushing Molly into the Missouri River as soon as her steamboat docks; Whit retaliates by shoving Seth in after her. The youngsters' hostility doesn't prevent the newlyweds from rapidly registering their mutual attraction, although Molly is occasionally uneasy about her secretive bridegroom.pk Seth is extremely reticent about his past, seems to be the only man around who refuses to wear a gun, would rather be called a coward than stand up and fight and sometimes stays out all night, offering up an excuse that wouldn't fool his horse, let alone Molly.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Joan Johnston, the New York Times bestselling author of the Bitter Creek novels A STRANGER'S GAME, THE NEXT MRS. BLACKTHORNE, THE RIVALS, THE PRICE, THE LONER, THE TEXAN, THE COWBOY, and the historicals NO LONGER A STRANGER and COLTER'S WIFE, has written more than forty award-winning historical and contemporary romance novels. She received a master of arts degree in theater from the University of Illinois and graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. Joan Johnston lives in Colorado and South Florida.







Print this

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Sizzling Hot July Sale!

The ebook versions of Desert Heat, Cabin Fever, No Lady and Her Tramp, and Second Chances are discounted 50% off the list price at Smashwords.com. Get your copy for only $1.50 each. The coupon code can be found on the book page at Smashwords. Use the code when you check out.

Kristie Leigh Maguire Smashwords.com Page

Desert Heat - sensual romance
From the scorching sun of the Mojave Desert to the brilliant neon lights of Las Vegas, the sexy steel magnolia Marcie Treyhorne blazes a trail of passion through the desert sands. Her heart is torn in half as her desire for her new boss grows into a raging inferno while her love for her longtime husband remains as steadfast as the ancient desert mountains that surround Mojave Junction, California.

Cabin Fever - sensual romance
The beautiful and sexy Marcie Treyhorne is a steel magnolia who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. Marcie's story began in DESERT HEAT. Her saga continues in CABIN FEVER. Marcie leaves the blistering heat of the desert but the searing passion she carries to the northern Nevada mountains will melt the deepest of winter snows.

No Lady and Her Tramp - adult romantic comedy
A quirky hysterically hilarious read that is down and dirty! No Lady and Her Tramp is one woman’s accounting of the trials, tribulations, and antics of her life in President Park, a run down trailer park in Grapevine, Kentucky. The steamy, very descriptive sex puts Harold Robbins’ books to shame. The one thing Mr. Robbins’ books did not have is the humor that illuminates in this work of art.
 
Second Chances - sweet contemporary western romance
Set in rural Wyoming, Second Chances is a sweet contemporary western romance that will warm your heart. Mike Farley stomped on Jane Porter's heart with his cowboy boots. When he realized he had made the biggest mistake of his life, could he ever get it back the way it should be? Ma Liz Farley and Pa Jim Porter decided they had to do anything they could to make it right.

Kristie Leigh Maguire is the author of Second Chances, Affairs of the Heart: Desert Heat and Cabin Fever (Collector’s Edition), Desert Heat, Cabin Fever, Emails from the Edge: The Life of an Expatriate Wife, From the Far Side of the Sun, and co-author of No Lady and Her Tramp, as well as a contributor to several anthologies.

She was voted Best Up and Coming Author of the Year and her novel Desert Heat was voted Romance of the Year by the Affaire de Coeur Magazine Reader/Writer Poll. Her novels Cabin Fever and No Lady and Her Tramp placed in the Top Ten in the Preditor & Editor’s Poll. Her novel Affairs of the Heart: Desert Heat and Cabin Fever (Collector’s Edition) was an Amazon.com Number One book in Sensual Romance.

Kristie Leigh Maguire and her husband have lived all over the United States and many foreign countries while following his career. While living in Japan, she found it very difficult to find books to read that were written in English. This situation was intolerable as she was an avid reader and had been known to resort to reading cereal boxes if nothing else was available. Have you ever tried to read a cereal box written in Japanese? It was not a pretty picture. Ms. Maguire began writing her own books just to have something to read. She discovered a new passion in writing.

Although Kristie Leigh Maguire is originally from the South and will always remain Southern at heart, she and her husband now live in Nevada. During her expatriate years she lived in St. Croix, Aruba, Thailand, Japan and three times in Saudi Arabia and visited many other countries.

Ms. Maguire is the Founder of Star Publish LLC, the Co-Founder of Global Publications Inc. (GAP Inc.), the Owner and Designer for Book Covers and More, and the Founder of NUW (Not the Usual Way) Authors Community.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Bringing back a classic

War Eagle, son of a chief of the Oglala Lakotas, leads his hunting party on a raid, killing many soldiers and taking a white woman captive. Caroline Sims sparks a forbidden attraction in the fierce warrior, and the pair soon find themselves locked in a passionate battle for their lives.


Bringing back a classic, July 13, 2010 - 5 stars
This review is from: Lakota Flower (Kindle Edition)

I read this book when it first came out in paperback and loved it. When I saw that it was now offered as a Kindle version, I grabbed it. I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed reading this story again. You just don't see books like this written now. Some recent reviewers of this book say they didn't enjoy it because there was too much history in it and not enough romance. I thought it was a very good blend. I just got back from a trip to the Black Hills and really enjoyed reading "how it used to be" vs "how it is today". Thanks to Janelle Taylor and her publisher for bringing this classic back to life with a Kindle version.

Kristie Leigh Maguire
author of Second Chances

Saturday, July 10, 2010

SAS(c) - Secret Authors Society - Featured Author of the Month

I am Featured Author of the Month over at Secret Authors Society. What? You don't know about the Secret Authors Society? Oh, I forgot! It's a secret organization! Shhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone that I let the secret slip out!

Look around to see if anyone is watching you. No? Come a little closer so I can whisper the secret link in your ear. Lean in now! No, I can't do it. I'll put it in code below.


Now slip on over and read all about it. If you feel you must share the secret with someone, please whisper! We must keep this just between ourselves. We would NOT want the world to know about our Secret Authors Society.


Thursday, July 8, 2010

Featured Author of the Month

I am the Featured Author of the Month over at InknBeans.
What Writers Write (And How They Write It) - Kristie Leigh Maguire, author of Second Chances.
Welcome. She's smart, she's sassy, she has a pen that drips sizzling ink. If you like steamy stories or the Happily Ever After kind, then this is a name that belongs on your bookshelf. Author of Second Chances, among others, Kristie's got the pedigree for writing romantic fiction; she's been writer, a publisher, a designer, and a part of her own HEA for years.

Read the rest of the story.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Hotter than the 4th of July and twice as sizzling!

Desert Heat: Affairs of the Heart Book One - Kindle Download
From the scorching sun of the Mojave Desert to the brilliant neon lights of Las Vegas, the sexy steel magnolia Marcie Treyhorne blazes a trail of passion through the desert sands. Her heart is torn in half as her desire for her new boss grows into a raging inferno while her love for her longtime husband remains as steadfast as the ancient desert mountains that surround Mojave Junction, California. Don't expect the typical romance story with this novel. There are no shrinking violets or shy maidens who long to be taken against their will in DESERT HEAT. Get swept away into a world of sex and passion-if you dare!

"Maguire singes readers' eyes with the fire of her love scenes." - Romantic Times Book Club Magazine

"Come take a journey to the Mojave Desert where the weather is hot and passion runs high. Desert Heat will intrigue readers with its fascinating characters and their ménage a trois. Ms. Maguire weaves an erotica filled with more than just fun and games." - Just Erotic Romance

Cabin Fever: Affairs of the Heart Book Two - Kindle Download
The beautiful and sexy Marcie Treyhorne is a steel magnolia who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. Marcie's story began in DESERT HEAT. Her saga continues in CABIN FEVER. Marcie leaves the blistering heat of the desert but the searing passion she carries to the northern Nevada mountains will melt the deepest of winter snows. Author Janet Elaine Smith states, "...the ending is a twist that will hit you like a runaway train! You won't want to miss this one!"

Kristie writes in a way that you want to follow every word - the sign of a true storyteller. -- Romance Junkies, Patti Fleishman

From an Amazon reader: When I read the author's introduction in this book I was thinking it was going to be a tame romance. Heck no. There's some threeways and a lesbian encounter in these pages. To me, this was one of those steamy books that I wish were more readily available.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Tuscan Holiday - FREE Kindle Download

Tuscan Holiday by Holly Chamberlin - FREE Kindle download

In this smart, tender, insightful new novel, bestselling author Holly Chamberlin introduces two very different women who, over the course of two unforgettable weeks, learn about unbreakable bonds, unshakeable love, and the chances that come once in a lifetime -- and change us forever...When Elizabeth Caldwell planned a trip to Florence with her daughter, Marina, she secretly hoped for a warm, fuzzy bonding experience worthy of a Lifetime movie. But Marina -- twenty-one, newly graduated, and close to her mom in many ways -- has always been more the PBS type: dependable, practical, and completely in control. Elizabeth knows Marina wants to avoid the kind of "stupid mistake" that left Elizabeth a single mother at twenty-two, and she's bitten her tongue as Marina settles for a wealthy fiance who gives her everything she thinks she wants. After all, Elizabeth? -- unable to bring herself to fully commit to the man she has dated for years -- is hardly an expert in romance. Still, a lot can happen on vacation, especially in Tuscany, where every scent borne on the warm breeze inspires delight, and every view makes the heart soar. There, on streets once walked by Dante and Michaelangelo, Marina is blindsided by a gorgeous Italian named Luca who shows her how gloriously unpredictable passion can be, and Elizabeth finally lets go of the role that has defined her for so long to embrace her own uncertain future...

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold

I just downloaded this book to my Kindle. I haven't read it yet but I've heard a lot of good things about it though. It is a western romance. I am very much into reading western romances at the moment because of my latest release, Second Chances, which is also a western romance. Second Chances is my first western romance release but it won't be my last. I'm hooked on the genre, at least for now. :)

Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold is a story of family conflicts set in Colorado in 1885. Anne Wells has embarrassed her rigidly proper family since she was a child with occasional but grievous lapses from ladylike behavior. They blame those lapses for the disgraceful fact that she is a spinster at 28. Cord Bennett, the son of his father's second marriage to a Cheyenne woman, is more than an embarrassment to his well-to-do family of ranchers and lawyers - they are ashamed and afraid of their black sheep. When Anne and Cord are found alone together, her father's fury leads to violence. Cord's family is more than willing to believe that the fault is his. Can Anne and Cord use the freedom of being condemned for sins they didn't commit to make a life together? Or will their disapproving, interfering families tear them apart? Kindle Locations: 4,846.

Ellen O’Connell lives in Douglas County, Colorado, with a motley crew of Rottweilers, Rottweiler mixes and a Morgan horse. She was active in Rottweiler rescue work for almost ten years, first on her own, then on the Board of Directors of Rottie Aid (www.rottieaid.org). At the present time, her rescue work is limited to transporting dogs for Rottie Aid, but she expects there will be other foster dogs in her future.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

2 for 1 book deal!

What a deal! Not only 2 books under 1 cover but the price is only 99 cents to download to your Kindle!

A Bride for Tom
Tom Larson is having trouble finding a wife, and Jessica Reynolds decides to help him overcome his awkward and clumsy manners so he can attract women. (This romantic comedy is rated G.)

A Husband for Margaret
When Margaret Williams posted an ad for a husband, she expected Paul Connealy to arrive, but instead, his older brother, Joseph, came...and he brought four children with him. (This light-hearted tender romance is rated R.)


About Ruth Ann Nordin
When I am not playing wife and mother, I am a writer. So how do I have time to write? If I don't write, I can't sleep since the story ideas will keep me awake. I have written outside the romance genre, but that was before I took writing seriously. I try not to think of those books, though they have opened the door to where I am today. My recommendation is to stick with the books on this site. That way, you get my best work.

As for romance, I do define my stories as romance, but it's not the romance that the traditional publishing houses like, which is the reason I kept getting rejected by them. They actually said that they didn't like the fact that I have themes in my books. My romances are more of the "rubber meets the road" type of romance. That means I don't focus so much on the lust factor. I do have rated R romances, so a good sex life between the married couples in my books is important--as it is in real life. However, the key to the romances is in how the man and woman treat each other and how they overcome struggles in order to solidify their relationship. So yes, I do write romances. Mine are just not the typical romance formula because the book's theme and secondary characters play a prominent role.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

CHRISTINA DODD CELEBRATES THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS OF HER WRITING CAREER

Readers become writers, and Christina Dodd has always been a reader. As she was growing up, she read everything, but discovered, because she liked humor, that she liked romance best. In romance, the relationship between one man and one woman holds center stage, and that’s always good for a laugh.

A woman wants things like world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants things like a Craftsman router with attachments, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will miraculously make his bald spot disappear.

So while Christina was working as a draftsman, she would read during the lunch hour, go back to work to design a sawmill, and plot the conclusion of the story in her mind. The book never ended like that, and she liked her endings better. When her first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to quit work and write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?

Quite a bit, it seemed. It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before her first novel, CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, was published.
Now she celebrates her first twenty years as a writer. All authors should read Christina's blog about this milestone. I am going to print it out and keep it on the bulletin board in my office as I continue with my own writing career. It is words for authors to live by.

 http://christinadodd.com/blog/

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Mossy Creek by Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Debra Dixon, and Virginia Ellis

I just finished reading this book. It was fabulous! What an enjoyable read!

Welcome to Mossy Creek, your home town. You'll find a friendly face at every window, and a story behind every door.

We've got a mayor who cleans her own gun, and Police Chief who doesn't need one. We've got scandal at the coffee shop and battles on the ballfield, a cantankerous Santa and a flying Chihuahua. You'll want to meet Rainey, the hairdresser with a tendency toward hysteria, and Hank, who takes care of our animals like they were his children. Don't forget to stop in for a bite at Mama's All You Can Eat Café, and while you're there say hello to our local celebrity, Sue Ora. Like as not, she'll sit you right down and tell you a story. People are like that in Mossy Creek.

Award winning authors Debra Dixon, Donna Ball, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Nancy Knight, and Deborah Smith (Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes) come together once again to blend their unique southern voices into a collection of tales about the South, this time focusing their talents on the fictional town of Mossy Creek, Georgia. Chances are, you'll recognize it. But even if you don't, you'll want to come back, again and again.

So welcome to Mossy Creek, the town that ain't going nowhere and don't want to.


"The Mossy Creek Hometown Series has struck a resonant chord." —David Minnich, Director Wead Library, Malone, NY

"Delightful." —Georgia First Lady Marie Barnes, wife of Governor Roy Barnes

“The characters and kinships of MOSSY CREEK are quirky, hilarious and all too human. This story reads like a delicious, meringue-covered slice of home. I couldn't get enough.”—Pamela Morsi, USA Today bestselling author of Simple Jess

"In the best tradition of women's fiction, Mossy Creek points to a genuine spirit of love and community that is our best hope for the future." —Betina Krahn, NYT bestselling author of The Last Bachelor

"MOSSY CREEK is as much fun as a cousin reunion; like sipping ice cold lemonade on a hot summer's afternoon. Hire me a moving van, it's the kind of town where everyone wishes they could live." —Debbie Macomber

“A fast, funny, and folksy read. Enjoy!” —Lois Battle, acclaimed author of Storyville, Bed and Breakfast, and The Florabama Ladies Sewing Club And Auxiliary

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith

A beautiful woman, scarred for life.
A tortured man, seeking redemption.

Brought together by fate in a small town high in the majestic Appalachian mountains

Live. Love. Believe.

Beauty is in the lie of the beholder.

Heartbroken and cynical, famed actress Catherine Deen hides from the world after a horrific accident scars her for life.

Secluded in her grandmother's North Carolina mountain home, Cathryn at first resists the friendship of the local community and the famous biscuits served up by her loyal cousin, Delta, at The Crossroads Café, until a neighbor, former New York architect Thomas Mitternich, reaches out to her.

Thomas lost his wife and son in the World Trade Center. In the years since he's struggled with alcohol and despair. He thinks nothing and no can make his life worth living again.

Until he meets Cathryn.

Best book I've read in a long time! (5 stars)

I just finished reading The Crossroads Cafe. When I first started reading it, I didn't think I was going to like it. However, the further I got into it, the more I liked it. Then it got to where I literally couldn't put it down until my Kindle low battery warning came on and I was forced to stop reading for the night. Today I finished the book. It is the best book I have read in a very long time.

I don't quite get the few 1 and 2 star reviews this book has received. They must not have read the same book that I did.

I am a writer and I strive to write such a compelling tale as this one turned out to be. My hat is off to you, Deborah Smith. You rock!

Kristie Leigh Maguire
author of Second Chances and other titles



Visit Deborah Smith online.
Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, Sweet Hush, The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.
With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.

For the past nine years Deborah has been a partner in BelleBooks, a small press known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.

In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels. Deborah produces book trailers for the Bell Bridge and BelleBooks titles, creates the company's podcasts, and also narrates and produces audiobooks for BelleBooks Audio.

In 2009 Deborah will launch a new professional persona as Leigh Bridger, a pen name for her edgy urban fantasy novels.

She lives on a secluded dirt road high in the mountains of north Georgia with Hank, her husband of many years, plus a herd of deer, a flock of turkeys, numerous well-fed raccoons, possums and the occasional bear, also eight cats, a dog and more than one-hundred pond-raised goldfish.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Heart of Stone by Sandra Kay


A marriage in name only. A secret past. Can love be found amid the tangle of distrust and betrayal? Alone and pregnant with twins, Amber Wilson has only a fuzzy memory of how she got that way. One thing she knows for sure—no man will ever get near enough to hurt her again. But when she meets Stone Brandon, the attraction is too great to ignore. Stone’s ex-fiancée’s betrayal has hardened his heart. Though he is drawn to Amber, he knows he can never fall in love again. Still, with her help, the dreams he has for the expansion of his family’s ranch can become a reality. A platonic marriage seems like the logical answer for both of them—until he realizes that a marriage in name only with Amber is a hell of his own making.


From Sandra Kay's website:
My name is Sandra Kay. I am a published author with The Wild Rose Press, Yellow Rose Line. Cowboys, the eternal icon of the old west -- and the present day west -- are my heroes. There's just something about a Stetson tilted just right, Wrangler's that fit like a glove, and cowboy boots!

Currently, I'm writing contemporary western romance novels, and I am in the process of completing the sequel to Heart of Stone. This 2nd book in the Brandon Cattle Ranch series has a working title of Cady's Chance. The 3rd book is about Tyler Brandon, and the 4th and final in the series will be about the youngest brother, Jefferson.

The Brandon's have a cattle ranch in Central Texas, a beautiful part of the great state of Texas. Having visited there many times on my granddaddy's farm, I have first hand knowledge of the beauty and greenness of that area.

I love the characters in this series, and hope that you will, as well.