http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

Guest Post by Julie A. Lindsey!

Ruth! Thank you so much for letting me stop at your blog today J This is my very first blog tour and I am so happy it’s ridiculous. I’m still reeling over the idea of being a romance writer. It just goes to show, you never know where life will lead you.


Personally, I don’t feel like an author. I’m a reader. An avid, insatiable, word nerd. <-- That’s me. Writing romance was never on my radar. Then, I found myself improvising mentally through the flirting and kissing scenes in more and more books. The authors didn’t quite nail it the way my mind wanted them to. This is silly because of course that happens. We write from the heart and everyone has a unique set of life experience and perceptions they use to visualize the books as they read.

But it bugged me.

One particular book had me on the edge of my seat, screaming at the hero “Kiss her already!” I was a mess waiting in beloved anticipation. Then the kiss was ‘meh.’ You see, I already had something in mind I wanted to happen in the process of their first kiss, and for some unknown reason, the author who I have never and will never meet didn’t know what I wanted or didn’t care. As a result I was disappointed. I complained about it to my husband more than once, not remembering I’d already registered the same complaint. The second time, he said (probably something like, I don’t really care first) “Why not write it yourself.” I think he might’ve been thinking something more along the lines of fan fiction, but not me.

I started making believe while I was on the treadmill. Every day I jogged and daydreamed. Writers call it plotting, but I was in reader mindset and I was daydreaming. When I came across the Turquoise Morning Press’call for submission to the new Honey Creek line, I was already armed with a great kiss I’d imagined in my head a hundred times and a sassy heroine to go with it. I knew many of the factors I needed to write a fun romance and the press filled in the details about where my characters lived.

That ‘meh’ kiss I read, set off a series of events that changed everything for me. My debut novella Bloom is out now and you can read that kiss I that had wanted to read and instead got the chance to write. Bloom is now the first in my Seeds of Love series for Honey Creek where I got to write lots more kissy scenes. I swoon every time I think of it. I swoon a lot.

I hope you’ll visit Honey Creek. It’s a beautiful place where anything can happen. Kick off your shoes, relax into that porch swing and cuddle up to a steamy mug of cider. Taking a trip to Honey Creek is as easy as Amazon : ) See you there!

Bloom by Julie Anne Lindsey

In a town filled with her past, she never expected to find her future…

Seven years ago Cynthia left Honey Creek with a broken heart. Three years ago Mitchell arrived with one. Now Cynthia’s come home, and these two hardened hearts can’t stop arguing. If they’d only take a break long enough to find some common ground, they might be surprised to find love can grow anywhere.

If they’ll let it, love will find a way to Bloom.

*Bloom is book one in my new Seeds of Love series. I’ll be planting those seeds all year.

About Julie:

I am a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you'll find me online, amped up on caffeine & wielding a book.

You can find my blogging about the writer life at Musings from the Slush Pile

Tweeting my crazy at @JulieALindsey

Reading to soothe my obsession on GoodReads

And other books by me on Amazon

Valentine's Blog Hop!

Leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of any of my ebook romances!

Click on the link below to visit other stops on the hop :)
 
http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/
 

What Does a Writer's Space Look Like?

Check out the guest post below to see what my space is like. I even dusted for the picture - woohoo! :)

http://teacherwriter.net/2012/02/07/writing-space-of-author-ruth-hartman/#comment-2461

Happy Birthday to Me!

Since today's my birthday, I've decided to give one commenter a copy of "Murphy in the Paw-Paw Patch". I'll leave it open for comments until Friday, February 3rd, then I'll pick a winner :) Leave your email address in the comment!

Reader Rally - Book Giveaway!!

Winner has the choice of any of my romances in ebook form. Check right sidebar for book titles.
Leave a comment with your email and which book you would prefer :)

Have fun!

http://www.romanceatrandom.com/

Guest Post on Seven Night Writers

http://sevennightwriters.blogspot.com/2012/01/murphy-in-paw-paw-patch.html


#cats #books #childrensbooks

Win a Free Copy of "Grin and Barrett"!!

Today I'm at the Romance Author Hotspot. Check out my post and leave a comment to enter the contest!

http://romanceauthorhotspot.com/?p=1504

New Year - New Possibilities

I'm not a huge believer in resolutions. At least not just for the new year. If I'm going to change something, I need to make it an ongoing, life changing goal. So, instead of resolutions, which I rarely keep, I like to think of it as new possibilities.

In 2008, I was fortunate enough to have my first book published. I wasn't sure I had another book in me after that, but was pleased to discover, I did! What followed were several sweet, funny romances. I had a ball writing those. And there's more to come. Because I enjoy writing them so much, I can't seem to stop :)

I've also had published my first children's book. Not only did I get to write the story, I illustrated it, too. Now that was fun! I always liked to color and draw as a kid. Some things never change, apparently. As I planned, sketched and used my colored pencils, my story of a kitten born without paw-pads came to life.

There's always a letdown after a book is published. It's like looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. You plan. You dream. You eagerly await the day when you step on the plane that will whisk you away to your dream destination. Then, all to quickly, it's over.

That's why I feel so blessed to have more than one book in me. When one book is finished, I can move onto the next. And hopefully, will have learned enough from the experience that the following one will be better.

So this new year brings new possibilities. And new stories to tell. New illustrations to draw. New people to entertain.

I , for one, am really looking forward to that!

Have a Blessed New Year!

Sale on Children's Book!

Right now at Amazon, "Murphy in the Paw-Paw Patch has its price reduced!

http://www.amazon.com/Murphy-Paw-Paw-Patch-Ruth-Hartman/dp/1935817205/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322682840&sr=1-1

#childrensbooks #cats #picturebooks #sale #amazon

Guest Post and Giveaway!

Click on the link below to check out my guest post and have a chance to win an ebook of "Grin and Barrett".

http://thebookboost.blogspot.com/2011/12/snow-drifts-and-lip-lifts-with-guest.html

Another Giveaway!!

Click on the link for another great ebook giveaway!!

http://jfjenkinswrites.wordpress.com/

#books #romance #funny #cats #ebooks #giveaway

Christmas Blog Hop!

I'll be giving away the reader's choice of any of my romances in ebook form :). Just leave a comment and your email address in the comment section below for a chance to win!

My Romances include:

"Men in Uniform"
"Grin and Barrett"
"Purrfect Voyage"
"Flossophy of Grace"
"Pillow Talk"

Check the right side column for more info on each.


Visit the link below for free books!!!

http://thspot.wordpress.com/event-page/

Holiday Blog Hop! Book Giveaway!!!

The link at the bottom of this post is the main starting point for the blog hop book giveaway. All the books being given as prizes are listed there. I'm giving away an ebook copy of "Grin and Barrett". One commenter on this post will win the ebook. The blog hop is today through the 11th. Good luck!

"Grin and Barrett"
Remmie Grin is a self-sufficient dentist who has her life right where she wants it. That is, until handsome, flirty Dr. Victor Barrett moves in next door. He constantly bugs her about selling her practice to him—but she's not budging. How can she convince him to leave her alone when all she really wants him to do is kiss her again?


Excerpt:

Chapter One


Grabbing the sides of the wooden stepladder, Remmie Grin squinted against the bright sunlight. The sign she’d hung in her front window tilted, just a little. Rats. She’d have to climb back up there to straighten it. Did the New Patients Welcome sound too pathetic? Did that sound as desperate as she felt? She’d like to kick the new dentist who was moving in right next door. Hard.

How obnoxious could he be? With all the empty buildings in town, why did Dr. What’s-his-name have to come breathing down her neck? It made her want to spit. She wrinkled her nose. She’d worked her fanny off building her practice. Now she’d have to compete with the new guy. She wanted to claw at his ugly face.

This new dentist wouldn’t know what hit him. When she was through with him, he’d be nothing more than a pile of dirt on the sidewalk. And as for the man’s lawyers, she’d like to take a hunk out of their hide, too. Did they really think that calling her every single day would change her mind about selling her practice to them? Since they’d never revealed the name of the dentist, she’d have to come up with a name on her own. Hmmm. Gargoyle? Tarantula? Nah. Those names were too pretty for someone as repugnant as him. The creep.

“Looks good.”

A deep velvety voice shot tingles down her spine. She turned and stared. A Greek god with ice blue eyes and salt and pepper hair stared back. Oh my. Would he object if she reached up and tousled that perfect hair? Her gaze traveled down to his massive shoulders. The fabric of his sports shirt straining over hard muscles. He must be a stranger in town because she’d never laid eyes on anyone as pretty as him.

“Thanks.” Her breathing became shallow.

“So, you’re taking new patients?”

“Yep.” She crossed her arms. “Why, are you looking for a dentist?” What she wouldn’t give to have him in her dental chair right now. His luscious lips close enough for her to lean down and….

“Not really.”

“Oh.” Drat. She had such dreamy plans for him.

“Just admiring the scenery.”

He turned away from her and headed down the block.

No! She didn’t want him to leave. “Wait, the scenery?” She frowned. It took four seconds for it to sink in that he’d meant her. Yikes. And he’d just walked away? How was that fair? It wasn’t as if she got compliments from handsome men every day of the week. Not even the occasional Tuesday.

She blew out a frustrated breath as she picked up the lightweight stepladder, lugging it back inside her office. She leaned it against her front counter and snapped her hand back. She looked at her palm. A splinter, of course. Picking at the tiny wound only irritated her skin more. Hmmm. Too bad the handsome stranger from the sidewalk hadn’t stayed. She’d gladly let him get out her splinter. Which would involve him holding her hand. Kissing her neck, her face, and her lips. She sighed. But he hadn’t. So, she needed to put on her fuchsia big girl panties and get to work.

The town she lived in was small, so maybe she’d run into him again some time. At the very least, her postal carrier, June, knew everything about everyone. Maybe she would have a clue who the stranger was. If Remmie knew June, she’d have the stranger’s coffee preference, shoe size, and contents of his glove compartment in no time.

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Grin-Barrett-ebook/dp/B005HB9850/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323445597&sr=8-2

Main Link to Hop:
http://www.carlyfall.com/the-holiday-blog-hop/

Kept By Cats - Guest Post

Some Girls Carry Purses. I Carry Cats. http://keptbycats.blogspot.com/2011/12/some-girls-carry-purses-i-carry-cats.html #cats #books #romance #childrensbooks