UPDATE: The winner is…Beckie!
*~*~*

Yesterday was fun. I had an ultrasound scheduled at the VA in Little Rock.

Those two sentences don’t seem to go together but hear me out. We dropped the girls at school and then headed to Little Rock early, hoping that if we arrived early at the VA they’d take me. And they did! Which meant we had all this time we thought we’d be waiting there to do something else before we had to be back to pick them up from school.

How to spend all that time?

Our first thought? THE INDIAN STORE! We’ve been dying to restock the pantry and freezer with chutneys, samosas, and naan bread. But alas, when we got there, we realized we had an hour to wait before they opened. What else could we do?

Barnes & Noble was just down the street. Once inside, Kelly headed to the chicken coop books, and I headed to the art section. One watercolor book about birds and a collection of skin-tone ink markers later, and we were ready for what was next—which was Trader Joe’s right next to B&N! I’d never been inside one so, of course, we had to go! Everything Bagels, tea tree oil shampoo, and shampoo bars later, and we were done!

Next was Target! (Don’t laugh, but Target is a treat in a Walmart-only small town!) Only, our goal was to be in and out fast because we knew we could spend some major time there, so we limited ourselves to the 5-dollar section of the store. What fun we had! I have a small watering can I don’t need and some small chalkboard signs I also don’t need.

So, it was lunchtime by the time we left Target. Indian grocer or Indian restaurant? Our stomachs won. Little Rock actually has one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve ever eaten at. We were first in the door before the lunch crowd, ordered our Chicken Tikka Masala and Lamb Korma with veggie samosas, and anyone sitting next to us would’ve been uncomfortable listening to us moan over the food. We took a doggie bag back to the car with enough leftovers we could stretch it with naan and samosas to feed the kids and us again later!

So, at last, we headed to the Indian grocery store. We know it well enough we were in and out inside 15 minutes with our incense, hot pickle, naan bread, samosas, and curry sauce.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC, what would your perfect day be like?

UPDATE: The winner is…Deb Brown!
*~*~*

Whew! I had two editing jobs I finished this week. Both were squeakers! Meaning, I got them done just in time! I’m rejiggering my work schedule now so I can fit in some ME time for a couple of days. The dd wants to hit the flea market today, and our entourage of flea markateers (ages 9, 14, and 18) is eager to roam the stalls. It’ll be a fun time, and I’ll get a chance to stretch some muscles other than those in my fingers.

I’ll have fun today then it’s back to business on Sunday. I have a short story to write, and I want to get some major pages done on the book coming your way in May! So, no time to drag my feet, although I really feel like I need a vacation. Oh! And there’s the theme for today’s puzzle. A vacation. Anywhere you want to go. If you had the money and the time, where would that be?

Saturday Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me where you’re going!

And I’ll love this Friday about midday. By then, I should be through with the last book I have to edit this week, and I can take a much-needed break!

What will I do with my time? I’ve neglected housework—but to hell with that. I don’t want to do ANYTHING productive. Maybe, I’ll just head back into season three of Fringe and watch some episodes back-to-back. It’s not a perfect Sci-Fi show, but I’ve been enjoying it. I think there are five seasons, so it should keep me going until next month. Then I’ll either start Picard or Strange New Worlds. (I don’t want to run out of Star Trek shows, because that will be just too sad, so I’ve been pacing myself.)

But anyway, I can’t stay here long. I have pages to read and kids to get out the door to school. I hope you have a GREAT Friday. Have you made any weekend plans?

Open Contests

1. Revisiting Conquests!—Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Hollow Beasts kept me glued! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. 3 Quick Reminders & the Saturday Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Briar Boleyn: Fantasy Heroes to Swoon For! — Win FREE books!
5. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: A Pioneer on the Entrepreneurial, Literary, and Astral Planes — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. A Quick Note & A Word Search: Male Stars I’ll Drop Everything to Watch — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Miki!
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A Quick Note!

Over on my Collections website, we’ll be posting “Getting to Know You” blogs about the authors who wrote stories for the Silver Soldiers anthology. We’ll post every few days, and there will be contests! The first post went up today! Be sure to check out “Getting to Know Rhonda Lee Carver.”

Contest

Solve the puzzle. These are my personal choices for movie stars I’ll drop everything to sit down and watch. It’s a subjective list. My list. Josh Duhamel isn’t anywhere near Gary Oldman so far as skill, but he’s lovely, isn’t he? So, solve the puzzle then tell me who you’d add to the list for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
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Harriet was born Harriet Adams on March 15, 1825 of mixed-race heritage in Milford New Hampshire. Her mother was an Irish washerwoman. Her father was of African-American and Indian heritage and made barrels. Orphaned by her mother after her father’s death the courts made Harriet an indentured servant to the Hayward family until she was eighteen. In 1851, she married a sailor, named Thomas Wilson and bore a son named George. Wilson died at sea and Harriet and her son went to live on the county Poor Farm.

Not without resources, in 1857 she produced and sold a line of hair care products which her ads claimed to be the real thing for anyone looking to have good hair. Unlike Annie Malone and Madame C.J. Walker, Harriet’s products weren’t targeted only to African-Americans. From 1860 to 1861 she was able to distribute along the east coast by partnering with a white druggist.

Two years later, she wrote an autobiographical novel, Our Nig, in order to make money for her sick son’s health care. He died in 1860. With the advent of the Civil War, her sales dwindled when her partner sold his business.

By 1867, she had become known in Spiritualist circles as “the colored medium. The Boston Spiritualist newspaper, “Banner of Light,”  called Harriet “Boston’s earnest and eloquent colored medium.” From 1867 through the 1880s, she spoke all throughout New England at camp meetings, spiritualist conventions, in theaters, meeting houses and in private homes throughout New England. Her speaking engagements often placed her on programs alongside other medium/spiritualists like Cora L.V. Scott and Andrew Jackson Davis. Harriet also made house calls and held medical consultations as a Spiritualist nurse and healer (“clairvoyant physician”).

She married again in 1870, this time to a pharmacist named John Gallatin Robinson. The marriage ended in 1877 although no divorce has been recorded. From 1879 to 1897, Harriet worked as the housekeeper of a boardinghouse in the South End of Boston where she rented out rooms, collected rents and provided basic maintenance.

On June 28, 1900, Hattie E. Wilson died in Quincy Massachusetts at the Quincy Hospital.

Today, Harriet is best known for “Our Nig; or, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black,” published in September 5, 1859 anonymously by a firm in Boston. The cover page of Our Nig reads “Our Nig, Sketches from the Life of a Free Black in a two-story white house, North, showing that slavery’s shadow falls even there.” It was felt because of her critique of Northern racism the book did not do well as Uncle Tom’s Cabin published in 1852. The rediscovery of Our Nig by author/historian Henry Louis Gates brought Harriet into prominence in 1981. He declared hers was the first novel written by an African-American woman. This has been debated because Our Nig is said to be more autobiographical than fiction. The novel is in the public domain and can be read for free here: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/584/pg584.html

In any case, once again I learned another woman proved she would not be hemmed in by the limitations placed on her by society because of her race and gender.

For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card share your thoughts about Harriet in the comments.

“Take Me to the Water”
by Michal Scott from Silver Soldiers

SILVER SOLDIERS: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY will satisfy the reader who craves stories with older alpha male heroes—those salt-and-pepper hotties with crow’s feet earned through rugged training and years of combat. Former soldiers finding their footing after their first careers, or current soldiers nearing the end of their military careers. They’re ready to find the right partner to put down roots, ones who aren’t afraid of scars and rough edges.

Pre-Order your copy here!

Excerpt from “Take Me to the Water”…

Weeksville Third Baptist Church glistened and glittered in 1880’s homemade Christmas regalia. Beribboned holly swags and fragrant pine cones infused the sanctuary with seasonal joy. Seasonal joy that missed the mark with Ambrose Stewart.

He remained ramrod-straight in the last pew despite the minister’s personal invitation for Ambrose to come forward for prayer. He refused the offer with a smile and a shake of his head.

The choir sang the hymn of invitation.

Take me to the water to be baptized.

He winced as the song took him back to that night when he and Hephzibah had sung those words to each other in a wonder-filled coupling of cock and pussy.

Several penitents came forward and stood before the smiling minister as the song continued.

None but the righteous shall see God.

Grumbling and gasping parishioners glared at Ambrose with get-on-with-it-stupid expectation.

“What’s he waiting on?”

“You’d think a disgraced, court-martialed soldier would be the first to go forward for forgiveness.”

Ambrose ignored them. He knew how not to be worn down by peer pressure. He’d only come to church hoping to find Hephzibah.

Hephzibah.

Her name meant “my delight is in her.”

His delight had always been in her. Of all days, he’d felt sure she would come to church the Sunday after Christmas.

But she hadn’t.

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

What makes the perfect hero for you? Is he a friends-to-lovers type or do you favor the bad boy or even the villain-turned-lover?

I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for the hero who says the words, “Who did this to you?” Or maybe even growls them. Yep, growling would definitely be better. There’s nothing like that toe-curling growl.

Here’s a list of my top three fantasy romance heroes. They are all more than capable of a good growl. Feel free to add your hero pick in the comments!

1) Hawke Flynn, from Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash

“With my sword and with my life, I vow to keep you safe.” – Hawke

Hawke is an interesting hero because he’s not only friends to lovers, but he’s enemies to lovers, too. He starts off as the handsome man Poppy kisses in a tavern on her illicit “night out.” When he’s assigned to her as one of her bodyguards, he becomes her fiercest protector and slowly her friend. But by the end of Book 1 in this series, things take a fierce twist. You’ve never seen friends-to-lovers-to-enemies done like this before! I highly recommend checking out this unputdownable series (especially if you like medieval vibes and vampires).

2) Rhysand, from Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses

“He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.” – Feyre

Like most readers, I hated Rhysand at first. Last night I saw a new Sarah J. Maas reader post in a Facebook romance reader group I’m in saying just three words: “I HATE RHYSAND!” The comments below the post were hilarious, as you’ll understand if you’re already an ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) fan. The fandom itself is worth reading the series for. Fans of SJM are rabid and devout. There are so many memes and so much fan artwork! And it’s fun to be in on the “twists” of the story.

One of the biggest ones of which is… (STOP READING NOW IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SPOILERS)

That Rhysand may begin as Feyre’s enemy but he slowly worms his way into her heart and reveals himself to be villainous only for the very best reasons (protecting his people is a great reason imo). Moreover, Rhysand and Feyre share something very few romance heroes and heroines share (maybe Jamie and Claire from Outlander are one exception) – similar trauma, right down to their tormentor, which helps them to bond.

3) “Max” Maxantarius Farlione from Carissa Broadbent’s Daughter of No Worlds

“I wanted him in so many ways. As a friend, as a kindred soul, as a fierce teammate. As skin and lips and teeth. As a hitched breathless moan in the darkness or a lazy embrace in the sunrise. I wanted that. I wanted it all.” – Tisaanah

Okay, Max is my exception here because he fits the villain or enemy definition in only the loosest terms. His villainy was forced upon him (read the book to find out how). By the time our heroine Tisaanah meets Max, he’s a quintessential grumpy hermit. With a nice age gap to boot! Max becomes Tisaanah’s mentor and as he trains her in the ways of magic, a friendship slowly blossoms. This is a slow burn romance but the romance is absolutely there! I’m looking forward to finally getting to book 2 of this series.

And finally, my very own fantasy romance hero can be found in my newest release. Queen of Roses is out April 15, 2023. Here’s a quick excerpt…Then keep scrolling for a giveaway!

“Who did this to you?” Draven’s voice was a guttural growl. The sound of a furious animal, not a man.

I shook my head mutely.

“You won’t tell me? You think I won’t find out for myself?” He shook his head as if in frustration. “Morg–”

My eyes widened.

He tried again. “Princess. My lady.” I could see him trying to soften his voice. Which was impossible. A steel sword could never become silk. “Tell me so I may help you. That is all I ask.”

I tried to clear my throat. When my words emerged, my voice was hoarse and cracked. “Thank you, but… there is no need for any of this. I’m fine.”

This time he really did growl. A sound low and deep in the back of his throat.

I tried not to flinch. I failed.

“Last night in the market. Now this. You are not fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head. “Tell me this. Has it happened before?”

I was quiet.

The truth was, it had. But not this badly. Last night… Last night was the worst.

Florian had cornered me before. He had hurt me, bruised me. He had even used his knife. I had small scars in a few hidden places from those encounters.

But compared to last night, those had all been childsplay.

Again I thanked the Three that Draven could not see the rest of the marks I bore. Strange, the things we thought we ought to be grateful for.

If he could see Florian’s name carved across my chest, just above my breasts, well… I had the feeling he would explode into a tempest of rage that nothing would be able to contain.

KEEP READING

Giveaway

Want to win a copy of Queen of Roses and other great books? Enter to win a collection of paranormal and fantasy romance books here! (Contemporary and Historical Romance collections available, too!) https://coverandpage.com/april-bookbub-follow-giveaway/

UPDATE: The winner is…Joy Boutwell!
*~*~*

Just so you know, in case you don’t frequent my Upcoming/Coming Soon page, I have three books coming out in quick succession!

1. Danger Zone releases next Tuesday, April 18th!
2. Silver Soldiers: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology releases May 9th!
3. Cold Hard Cash, the first in the We Are Dead Horse, MT, series releases May 23rd!

And that’s my Public Service Announcement for the day! If you haven’t already pre-ordered your copies, do so now! *I will pre-order. I will pre-order. I will pre-order.* Did my mesmerizing skills work? 🙂

The Saturday Puzzle-Contest

 First, solve the puzzle. Then, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC, tell me if this was a scene from a horror or sci-fi movie, what would happen next?
Don’t think too hard! Have fun with it!