tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74323897908714215382024-02-19T01:11:25.112-06:00The Morgan DiariesJ. Morgan and Morgan O'Reilly tackle the big questions of Romance and writing in general. Want your book reviewed and discussed? Let us know. Have a question you just can't get a satisfactory answer to? Give us a shot. No Snarks, just honest, plain discussion.Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-32699166691209309512013-05-17T01:03:00.000-05:002013-05-17T01:03:31.555-05:00Guest Blogger: Candy Wall<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As if the question ‘Wanna pitch to an agent or editor’ isn’t
enough.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello! A huge thanks to all my wonderful hosts as I run all
over cyberspace talking about Agent/Editor Shop at the Musetracks blog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this crazy world of easy access to information, it’s also
easy to miss huge opportunities, or forget! Because I get so many comments that
writers either forgot, or didn’t know Musetracks did pitch sessions, I asked a
bunch of fellow writers, bloggers and readers to help me spread the word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For those of you who don’t me, I’m Candi Wall, one of the
authors who co-contribute to the Musetracks blog. Jennifer Bray-Weber,
Marie-Claude Bourque, and Stacey Purcell are my super smart co-contributors and
goodness knows where I’d be without them!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve been hosting acquiring Agents at Musetracks for almost
two years, and only recently, we decided to add editors as our guest. We’ve
been lucky to have agents like Melissa Jeglinski, Jessica Alvarez, Mollie
Glick, Becky Vinter, Kevan Lyon, Scott Eagan, Lois Winston, Jill Marsal,
Michelle Grajkowski, Kimberley Cameron, Emmanuella Alspaugh (now Morgan), Laura
Bradford, Jenny Bent, Sara Crowe, Weronika Janczuk and Stan Soper.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our guest editors thus far have been Rhonda Penders w/ The
Wild Rose Press, Jennifer Miller w/ Samhain Publishing, Debby Gilbert w/ Soul
Mate Publishing, Beth Walker w/ Secret Cravings Publishing, and the editors at
Books To Go Now have booked three dates in the future!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What we offer is a ‘Pitch Day’. I only take 30 pitches, and
only the first thirty VIABLE pitches that come in on pitch day will be seen by
the agent or editor. And I will warn you, I’m a stickler for following
guidelines. If you don’t include exactly what is in the rules… I delete without
prejudice. And I delete quite a few. (And yes, I receive plenty of hate mail.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can find us here:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.musetracks.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Musetracks</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
and there is a sidebar with Agent/Editor Shop dates and attending professionals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can find the rules for pitching here:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://musetracks.wordpress.com/agent-shop/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Musetracks
Agent/Editor Shop rules</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Please read them carefully!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve also created a Yahoo group so writers can sign up to
receive Agent/Editor Shop updates. I only send messages with agent/editor
attendance updates, reminders of pitch dates, and any information about the
contests we run on pitch day. Usually a giveaway or a chance to comment for the
Top Pitch Slot. You can request to join here:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EditorAgentShop/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Editor/Agent
Shop Newsletter Group</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Easy as pie! We welcome every stage of writer and at
Musetracks, we strive to help other writers, the way we were all helped when we
first started out, and the way we are supported today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope to see you all at a pitch day, and if not, feel free to
pass the word along to others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy reading and writing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~Candi</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A little about Candi:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Timeline_Cover_doNotRename41.jpg" style='width:458.4pt;height:169.2pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Emerald\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Timeline_Cover_doNotRename41"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Candi Wall is an author of contemporary romance, and YA.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her début novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Primitive-Nights-ebook/dp/B009SQRXU2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351634148&sr=8-1&keywords=candi+Wall">PRIMITIVE
NIGHTS</a> released from Samhain in Jan 2013, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stay-Changing-Tides-ebook/dp/B00C870WBU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367194447&sr=1-1">STAY</a>,
the first in the Changing Tides series releases from Samhain on Aug 6<sup>th</sup>
2013.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She’s a mother of four (21,17,12,9), a rescuer of six (4
dogs & 2 cats), proud auntie of too many to count, a soon-to-be grandmother
and great-auntie, a retired Cub Scout leader of 16 years, an avid animal
lover/protector and ex-animal control officer. Oh yeah, and wife. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can find her here:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.candiwallbooks.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">www.candiwallbooks.com</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://twitter.com/candiwall"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Twitter</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/candi.wall?ref=tn_tnmn"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Facebook</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551773.Candi_Wall"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Goodreads</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.musetracks.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Musetracks</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-44694192014021399212013-04-01T23:54:00.000-05:002013-04-02T11:15:50.608-05:00Cool Stuff Give Away!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawpU8Nj2Sn0Yr3SWINiakB8SjYSRuYVmQG1XpPliD0qnb5PV1sIYm8Xjtiy5sSBmdHOJWSGpRbGQxi941D2bTaBiOHKxpTrYDj9LDv2ZPgO-fa6xBv6q_gnSF_XgPMGR5ZAp6xo2yRQfa/s1600/Ultimate+Swag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawpU8Nj2Sn0Yr3SWINiakB8SjYSRuYVmQG1XpPliD0qnb5PV1sIYm8Xjtiy5sSBmdHOJWSGpRbGQxi941D2bTaBiOHKxpTrYDj9LDv2ZPgO-fa6xBv6q_gnSF_XgPMGR5ZAp6xo2yRQfa/s400/Ultimate+Swag.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've got STUFF! Really fun, cool, Morgan Stuff!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I got an itch this spring and started ordering swag like crazy. Well, crazy within reason. I have a large variety, but the quantities available are small. In the picture above we have:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Tote bag</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Mug</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Mouse Pad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Note Pad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Sticky Note Pad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Pen</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Bookmarks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">An autographed copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Dream-Too-Morgan-OReilly/dp/0578119447/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1364502496&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Cowboys Dream Too</a>!</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Not pictured is a "<i>Get Some Tonight</i>" temporary tattoo, but you can bet there'll be one or two tossed in the box!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyhow, before my husband sees the American Express statement, I need to give some of this STUFF away!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So here's the plan. One week. Ending Monday, April 7 at midnight (Central time), if your comment with email addy is posted in the comments below, your name will go in the hat. Write an excellent post (ie suck-up) and I'll add your name twice. Hubs will be out of town and I'll need something to make me smile, so the funnier the better.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If we get 200 comments, I'll give away ANOTHER complete swag pack. Yes, for 200 unique individual entries, I'll pick a second Ultimate Swag winner.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And if the comments are really good, I'll give away up to three more books with assorted goodies. Smaller swag packs, but hey, if you missed out on the free books in the Goodreads give away in March, here's another chance to score!</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One more thing... If you'd like to read the first chapter just look to the right, near the top, and there's a page for Featured Excerpts. Or, you can <a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/p/featured-excerpts-morgano.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to get there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Everything sound good? Then let me hear it!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Morgan Q. O'Reilly</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">PS: I solemnly swear your email will not be used for evil. No random spam, no unannounced newsletters, no selling the list. If you prefer to enter by email, send me a note at: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="mailto:morgan@morganqoreilly.com" target="_blank">morgan @ morganoreilly.com</a> (no spaces) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Please put "<b>Ultimate Swag Pack</b>" in the subject line!</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And for an updated Puppy Pic...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Neo graduated at the top of his Puppy Training Class</span>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT-oZxypq9pU-vzTKJn2M4C0uyvR8praF5vocYl1QjjKaUQ8EZtl4PeiEe-THmEnwi80eiywpb9s-DCReiGF5576gPyTc8EJfn6Rl1oP7Jw9uO7vgFyy7_glHxpyNBsxAW_Wr9YJYNGuF/s1600/3.3.13+Graduate+Pup2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT-oZxypq9pU-vzTKJn2M4C0uyvR8praF5vocYl1QjjKaUQ8EZtl4PeiEe-THmEnwi80eiywpb9s-DCReiGF5576gPyTc8EJfn6Rl1oP7Jw9uO7vgFyy7_glHxpyNBsxAW_Wr9YJYNGuF/s320/3.3.13+Graduate+Pup2.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
March 2013</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-52150715663449704012012-12-28T00:00:00.000-06:002012-12-30T09:47:39.097-06:00Naughty New Year JustRomance.Me Blog Hop<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12/30/12 Addendum</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to my original post: There's a new naughty boy in my life! He's just six weeks old and cute as the dickens. Naughty Neo who loves to nibble on Mommy's toes -- hey stop that kid! The sharp-toothed little bundle of joy came to live with us just last night. We managed three whole hours of sleep in one go!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0KL2MghEBS40ILlsgt6LGnDz81YUI5b70jpF4ZpuKMnaesEiEVX1CUQLaqeHYZraflTSami9HEV2YYJHXYUJG3hlKGllG3YCrtfT5NePNJziuYcOnnkY6wVgdTVff9S9GUeFnqD-qtAa/s1600/736978_10151366104077682_1839986011_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0KL2MghEBS40ILlsgt6LGnDz81YUI5b70jpF4ZpuKMnaesEiEVX1CUQLaqeHYZraflTSami9HEV2YYJHXYUJG3hlKGllG3YCrtfT5NePNJziuYcOnnkY6wVgdTVff9S9GUeFnqD-qtAa/s320/736978_10151366104077682_1839986011_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks for joining the JustRomance.me Naughty New Year Blog Hop! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If at anytime you get lost, just return to</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.justromance.me/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">www.justromance.me</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm at somewhat of a loss about what to blog about. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Resolutions? Nah, I don't do them. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Plans for the New Year? Get my writing room organized at last! For those who haven't followed my adventures this past year, we moved! Into our forever, and ever, amen, home. I don't know why the last dozen boxes are kicking my rear, but they are. I think it's because they're all paperwork. Evil, hated, dreaded paperwork! Does it need to be kept? Shredded? Simply tossed? Oh the decisions!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pretty much like my latest hero, Brennan Shaughnessy, of the Sexy Shaughnessys in my Open Window Series. It's New Year's Eve and he's taking his number one lady to lunch, making plans for the big night out. He has tickets to the biggest party in town, one where he's also a guest of honor. He also has a room at the hotel where the party is. All he needs is the social worker he's hot for to finally agree to go with him...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Scene from "Changing Directions" </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Book Four of the Open Window series</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brennan held out the folder with tickets and room reservations. He fully expected Whitney to smile and tease him with description of her dress. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'll pick you up at seven. Bring an overnight bag and we'll do the night up right. Room service for breakfast if you like."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whitney patted her lips with the white linen napkin, her eyes on her bowl of soup rather than him. "Brenn, I've been trying to tell you..." Warm brown eyes filled with sadness finally met his. "I can't. I'm leaving town as soon as we finish lunch."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brenn sat back in his half of the booth. "What? Why?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"My father--" she choked and reached for her water glass. "My mother called an hour ago. He had a heart attack. The first flight out I could get leaves at five. From here I'll go back to my apartment to pack and then catch a cab to the airport. I have to go."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brenn deflated as if he'd been punched in the gut. The wound felt as mortal as if she'd shot him point-blank. "Wh--"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The chime of Whitney's phone announcing a text interrupted and she grabbed for it. "My mother," she said as her eyes scanned the message. "He's at the hospital and stable, but they're talking triple bypass in the morning. Just a sec, let me text Mom my flight details. I'll get in around two in the afternoon."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brenn shook his head. "You'll have a long layover somewhere, can't you take a red eye from here? One with less of a layover in Seattle or wherever. You could still catch part of the party."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whitney hit the final button on her phone and looked up. The aristocratic lines of her face all drooped with sadness like he'd never seen before. He'd seen her upset, angry, depressed, even writhing in ecstasy that he'd given her, but he'd never seen her looking so utterly desolate. "I can't, Brenn. Look, I know tonight is a big deal for you. You should take someone who could relax and enjoy themselves. Someone like..." she looked around the dining room and Brenn knew who she was going to suggest before her eyes lightened, "... there, take your favorite waitress. Didn't you meet her at a similar event last fall? She goes to these things regularly. She'll fit in and be good for your networking. You know you get more clients when she hands out your cards." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shaking his head he held back the panic in his heart. "No, that's not fair asking a woman at the last minute. We've planned this for months now." Or rather he had. Fresh back from the double wedding of his twin siblings Cassidy and Cayden, he was ready to pour all his energy into pursuing Whitney. Tonight was to be the launch of his new campaign to get her focused on him as much as she focused on the kids she saved through Social Services. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Brenn, I can't believe you! I'm sorry this ruins your plans for tonight, but my parents need me. Mom's a mess and Dad can't pick up the pieces for her this time. I need to be there. Even if I went for a few hours, I just can't pretend nothing is wrong and act like I'm having fun. I'm not wired that way. Look, I know she'd love to go with you. I've seen the way she looks at you. I've seen the way you flirt with her. She's got a piece of your heart no matter how much you want to pretend otherwise."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And that was how he came to find himself asking Blaire to the Chamber of Commerce New Year's bash at the Sheraton. Even that didn't go as planned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Big green eyes sparkled back at him. "Thanks, but I'm already going. But tell you what, why not use that spare ticket for my Grandmother? I've been trying to talk her into going, but my dad can't get another ticket. You have a spare. We'll meet you there at eight." Red curls bouncing as she nodded decisively, she set the tray with the bill down in front of him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Oh no. I'll pick the two of you up."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dirty plates in one hand, she plopped the other on her hip. "But if she gets tired early..."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'll make sure she gets home safe and sound. Or she can use the room at the hotel and we'll take her out to breakfast before taking her home." Brenn handed back the tray with his credit card on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Oh, okay." Blaire sighed. "Let me go give her a call and see what she says. She'll have time to take a nap if I call her now. I'll be right back."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whitney patted the hand he had lying on the table top. "There you go. All set. Now, I have to get home and get packed. I've got work notified. Have fun tonight."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Call me when you get in?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The nod she gave him was distracted as she pulled on gloves and settled a kit scarf around her swan-like neck. She was everything a woman should look like. Tall, slender with subtle curves. A model of breeding, raised in a cultured environment. She was polished, sophisticated and dedicated to the children in the system, safe from abuse and neglect. She had goals and drive. She even managed to wear Sorel boots in an elegant manner. Ready for the cold waiting outside, she began to slide from the booth. Brenn got to his feet and offered her a hand. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Take care, Brenn. This may very well be good-bye for us." She laid a gloved hand on his cheek. "If Father is so very ill I may move back to be nearby. They need social workers in New York, too. I know how you feel about me. I wish I could return your feelings. Please, find another woman who deserves you more than I do." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You're cutting me loose?" The words came out strangled from a throat too tight to speak.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"It's for the best." She rose up and kissed his cheek. "You're a special man. More special than you know. Find the woman just as special as you."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"But--" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whitney whirled away, her short brown hair swinging out like carnival ride. Before he could summon the energy to go after her, she was gone and Blaire stood at his elbow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm so sorry, Brenn," she said quietly. "You didn't deserve that."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Drawing in a deep breath, he bit back the retort he wanted to spew. "Yeah, well..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Look on the bright side," she said with forced cheeriness. "You're now taking the two feistiest women in town. We won't let you brood. Grandma says you better have your dancing shoes on."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"I don't suppose I can back out now, can I?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Nope, you're not only double-booked for dates, you're one of the award recipients. You have to go." She shoved the tray with the receipts and his credit card into his hand. "Sign the paperwork and I'll bring a cheesecake--on the house--and fresh coffee."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By the time he left, his mood had lifted. How could it not when Blaire led the parade to cheer him up? Everybody in the kitchen made their way out one by one to slap him on the shoulder and sing Blaire's praises until she blushed the way only a red head could, deep red from her creamy cleavage to the roots of her hair. It was so endearing he couldn't help but chuckle, and even, a little, begin to look forward to the evening. Dancing with petite and perky Blaire, Blaire who knew everyone in the business community, with twinkly green eyes and generous, soft, curves that would make a saint cry. Yeah, he had something to look forward to after all.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">***</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Win one of these three books by commenting below and following the instructions for chances to win the Grand Prize,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a 7" Kindle Fire HD</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_dwogMaYc7aPGbXHgiharjkuV66O9Fdicie7Zmzy6VBJEQ6nWLvE5ZWWeMfnuCoiqhMIffkIt0J3GOBDUrp46IYEDT1_ait6ktUQlHt6Nd8spl_dBmlz6n2_-ubdIX7Oo9vz975CGXe5/s1600/naughty+new+year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_dwogMaYc7aPGbXHgiharjkuV66O9Fdicie7Zmzy6VBJEQ6nWLvE5ZWWeMfnuCoiqhMIffkIt0J3GOBDUrp46IYEDT1_ait6ktUQlHt6Nd8spl_dBmlz6n2_-ubdIX7Oo9vz975CGXe5/s320/naughty+new+year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Continue on with the hop!! You have until December 30th to enter by commenting on blogs and registering! </span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">* Live chat and grand prize drawing at 7PM EST on Dec 30th *</span></div>
<br />
<script id="naughtynewyear" src="http://justromance.me/naughtynewyear.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-22475532607957907392012-12-26T00:30:00.000-06:002012-12-26T00:30:03.228-06:00The Next Big Thing Blog Hop<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Or</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thanks <a href="http://www.boonebrux.com/">Boone Brux</a> for Picking Me to Carry Onward!</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />It's the day after Christmas. Are you hitting the sales? I might later today. Or are you laying around feeling fat enough to hibernate for a month at least? We're celebrating the fact that we're nearly a week beyond Solstice and the sun is coming back! Slowly but surely from here until June the hours of returning daylight will slowly start increasing. And that is truly an awesome thing to celebrate!<br /><br />My dear friend Boone sent me the list below and asked me to jump in on the day after Christmas, no less. But, hey, I'm game! Be sure to check out her blog for the other authors she invited to play. This <b>Next Big Thing Blog Hop</b> is HUGE. So much to look forward to in the coming year, including a big supply of great new books! I love books and I always want more! So here's what you can look forward to from me:<br /><br /><u> What is your working title of your book?</u></span><div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ Changing Directions, but I may change it. We'll see when the book is done.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> Where did the idea come from for the book?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ It's Book Four in the Open Window series featuring those sexy Shaughnessys. It's Brennan's turn to drive me crazy. He's not as cooperative as his sister or brothers.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> What genre does your book fall under?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ Contemporary Romance</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ I really have no idea. These characters are all red heads and there is a dismaying lack of red headed actors out there. Particularly really attractive men. I'd love to see more red heads on the big screen!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ Brennan must make up his mind, then convince his heroine she really is his fist choice.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ The first part of the series was contracted by Lyrical Press. We'll have to see if they like this one when it's done.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ Still working on it, so I can't answer that question. Fastest book from concept to publication was </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/That-Olde-Christmas-Magic-ebook/dp/B006MHUIJ8/ref=as_li_tf_sw?linkCode=wsw&tag=jusfas-20" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b>That Olde Christmas Magic</b></i></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. From start to pub was about three weeks. That one practically wrote itself like a Christmas miracle!</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ It will go with the other Shaughnessy books like a double blind dovetail joint.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> Who or what inspired you to write this book?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ Brennan has been around since Cassidy's book. So far he's featured in every story. It's his turn. But he's been so indecisive that he's been something of a challenge.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /> <br /><u> What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?</u></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ It's set in Alaska! And we'll get a peek at how the other Shaughnessy's are doing: Cassidy and Niall (</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Undo-Open-Windows-ebook/dp/B005CII7TG/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Til Death Undo Us</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">), Cayden and Candace (</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Courage-Live-Open-Windows-ebook/dp/B0074PMW5U/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Courage to Live</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">), Aiden and Azzette (</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weathering-Storm-Open-Window-ebook/dp/B00926Q3WM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_4" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Weathering the Storm</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - <a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/2012/09/fall-is-here-and-its-very-wet-in-north.html" target="_blank"><b><i>2012 royalties go to flood relief</i></b></a>!). We'll also see the introduction of at least one of the younger brothers, but whether it's Ethan, Declan or Finn remains a mystery.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFAfPDXD75KeNdxWcjKuJWRPgou1AYfxvVSmCSIFYYAPVuaH-G3gaeiR9tsbh-ZzVOEGRc2tXo1CYgL8WyCezf2q1Y8bHzX5a6q8NXGFQrNkarWTwjEEMpf5k9bxK34KqpxOWM_EXNwWM/s1600/Books+1-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFAfPDXD75KeNdxWcjKuJWRPgou1AYfxvVSmCSIFYYAPVuaH-G3gaeiR9tsbh-ZzVOEGRc2tXo1CYgL8WyCezf2q1Y8bHzX5a6q8NXGFQrNkarWTwjEEMpf5k9bxK34KqpxOWM_EXNwWM/s400/Books+1-3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Look for more next week. I've asked a few friends to play along by posting the same questions (with answers even!) on their blogs next week. Look for:</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
J. Morgan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Adriana Kraft</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gail Delaney</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Doreen Orsini</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Piper Denna</div>
<br />Hope everyone is having a great holiday season and the celebrations are all you wished them to be. </span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3Anchorage, AK, USA61.2180556 -149.900277860.7287781 -151.1637053 61.7073331 -148.6368503tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-78162232223336624142012-12-21T00:30:00.000-06:002012-12-21T00:30:00.432-06:00Happy Winter Solstice!<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.crystalinks.com/wintersolstice_fibonlady.jpg" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.crystalinks.com/wintersolstice.html" target="_blank">More on Solstice</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Winter Solstice is one of two very special days in the year to me. Not something I particularly noticed until I moved to Alaska as wee lass. That's when I learned how important the sun is, especially to places on the extreme ends of the earth. By that I mean North and South. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Alaska is as far north as you can get and still stay in the USA. Barrow is at the very top top of the state. Barrow hasn't seen the sun above the horizon since 1:44PM on November 17, 2012. It won't peek above the horizon again until 1:11PM on January 23, 2013. 67 days without seeing a single ray of shining golden sun. I must give thanks to Carmen Bydalek for this information she posted on the <a href="http://akrwa.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-shortest-day-of-year-or-longest.html" target="_blank">AKRWA</a> blog. Check it out. Lots of interesting facts there!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here in Anchorage the sun will rise at 10:14 AM and set at 3:42 PM for a total of 5h 27m 40s of possible sunlight. I say possible because clouds could interfere. When we look into the sky to see the sun, we will look due south. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My brother, an avid fisherman, has his birthday on Dec 22, a day he calls "Salmon Return Day." He insists that the salmon far out at sea can sense that very slight change as the daylight increases by a few seconds. It is then they begin their journey back to the streams of their origin. Just he can catch them and fill his freezer. He likes living in his world. The rest doesn't matter to him.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Although the sun is returning, bare seconds and minutes at a time, we're still in the deep long dark of winter. December, for all its darkness outside is bright with Christmas lights and the excitement of the holidays. The secret to making it through to the end of winter and avoiding cabin fever is to keep busy. Many ski, or take to the back country on snow machines (what the rest of you call snow mobiles. Some villagers call them snow-gos.) or the lakes for ice fishing. Others dig in, take Vitamin D supplements and read while avoiding the influx of the Christmas bills and tax forms hitting the mail boxes. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But now is not the time for dark contemplation. Today is for celebration! We're done losing light! From here to June we gain it!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Until then, read a Sci-Fi Romance that also celebrates the Solstices. FROZEN may be found at a variety of ebook retailers and is hot enough to keep the long, long nights warm indeed! However you choose to celebrate, I wish you all the best.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Morgan</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Get Some Tonight</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://morganqoreilly.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> ~ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Quinn-OReilly/27734521758" target="_blank">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/morganqoreilly" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Links to FROZEN: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frozen-ebook/dp/B004GHN550/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank">Amazon</a> * <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frozen-morgan-q-oreilly/1009339472?ean=2940000156551" target="_blank">Barnes&Noble</a> * <a href="https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/morgan-q-o-reilly/frozen/_/R-400000000000000183939" target="_blank">Sony eReader</a> * <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGKnn-kZJLo" target="_blank">YouTube</a> Trailer</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-6147232048592861732012-12-19T00:30:00.000-06:002012-12-19T00:30:04.082-06:00Caroline Clemmons Visits The Morgan Diaries<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mosey
on up to the blog. Have we got a dog-gone treat in store for you cowpokes
today. We've got the rooting tootingest Western Author sitting a spell with us
today. I dun near yipped my kaiyaaa when she agreed to come on The Diaries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">J.
Mo, I think you've overdone the Western Channel. Sorry, about that folks. You
know how he gets when he gets a burr under his saddle. Great, now, he's got me
doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Come
on, Morgan O. Let that inner cowgirl out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't
think so. Before he goes off and puts his Lone Ranger outfit on again, let me
welcome the amazing Caroline Clemmons to our blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
Thanks you for letting me share your blog. Thanks also for the lovely
introduction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>J.
Morgan</b>: I just finished <i>The Texan's Irish Bride</i>. Let me just say I was floored.
You can see your love for the old west shine through with your writing. When
did you first discover you wanted to write during that era in American History?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Perhaps, we should begin with what first sparked your love of the genre. For
the record, I read <i>The Most Unsuitable Wife</i> and <i>The Most Unsuitable Husband</i>. They seemed
like a matched pair, so I read them as such. I was right, they link together
nicely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
I do love reading and writing about the old west between 1870 and 1895,
especially Texas settings. I think my fascination began as a child listening to
my father talk about his ancestors coming from Georgia to Texas. When I studied
Texas history in school, his stories made what I read come alive. I enjoy
history of many eras, but the one just mentioned is by far my favorite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: The details in your books are so rich. How much research do you do for your
books?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
I do a lot of research, even though I've read and written this time period for
a decade. Each book requires particular research. For instance, <i>The Texan’s
Irish Bride</i> required learning about Irish Travelers, Irish blessings, Irish
history, and Central Texas. My daughter and I drove through Lost Maples State
Natural Area on a trip from San Antonio. No, it’s not on the way, but it was a
lot of fun to see the park first hand. We’d been to Bandera years ago, but went
through again and also to Medina. The trip gave me a fresh idea of the land in
the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>J.
Morgan</b>: You've got a few series out at the moment. I know this is one of those
questions all authors hate, but which one is closest to your heart?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>: The
book I’m writing is always my favorite, and currently that’s <i>Bluebonnet Bride</i>,
book 3 of the <i>Men of Stone Mountain</i> trilogy. I have to admit that <i>The Most
Unsuitable Wife</i>, Book 1 of the Kincaids, is probably my all-time favorite. In
2013, I plan to add another couple of books to the Kincaid series, one about
Storm Kincaid and one about the attorney cousin, Gabe Kincaid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Oh good, I like both Storm and Gabe. But which book presented the most challenges?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
The most difficult book I've written was <i>Brazos Bride</i>. The three Stone brothers
are very close knit, so they look and act alike. Giving them distinct
personalities and speech was impossible, but I tried. They develop more in the
two following books, <i>High Stakes Bride</i> and Bluebonnet Bride. I’m still writing
<i>Bluebonnet Bride</i>, but hope to have it completed soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>J.
Morgan</b>: In <i>Irish Bride</i>, you can really get a feel for the characters,
especially Cenora and her family. Do you have anything, or anyone, you draw
inspiration from to craft such rich characters?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Also, the settings in your books have an authentic feel to them. Do you base
them on actual places?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
My characters are real to me when I’m writing a book. I see them and hear the
sound of their voices. I’m pleased you call them rich because I work very hard
to create believable characters for readers, but they are not modeled after
anyone. But we are a composite of all our experiences, so I use this bit I've
heard and that. For instance, hearing about my neighbor’s dislocated shoulder
helped me write a scene in <i>High Stakes Bride</i> where the heroine has dislocated
her shoulder falling from a tree. My neighbor’s bull lovingly nudged her into a
round hay bale, so the experiences are different, but hearing her helped me
make the scene realistic. I prefer writing about fictional towns near real towns.
Occasionally, such as with Lost Maples State Natural Area, I use a real place.
Using fictional towns gives me the leeway to create whatever I need for the
story. No one can say “That street doesn't go there” or “That building was two
streets over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>J.
Morgan</b>: You also dabble in Mystery. Which comes easier to you when writing?
Suspense or Westerns?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
Most of my westerns have mystery in them. I enjoy both mystery and romance, so
combining them is perfect. I do enjoy writing contemporary mysteries, but right
now I’m concentrating on western romance with mystery included, particularly
historical romance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>J.
Morgan</b>: Before we allow you to saunter off into the sunset, it's a tradition
here on The Diaries to hit you with one off-the-wall question before we let you
scurry out the door. If you could be transported back to the Old West for one
day, would you rob a stagecoach or…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Strap on the tin star and single handedly ride down desperadoes Good looking
ones in tight chaps of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Caroline</b>:
I’d love to be a deputy and ride with the sheriff after those desperadoes which
is what I dreamed of when I was a kid. I wanted to ride with Roy Rogers and
Dale Evans to rid the west of bank robbers and rustlers. No single-handed
captures for me, though. I love reading and writing the Old West, but I’m glad
I live now instead of then, aren't you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Thanks, for stopping by today, but before you ride off into that sunset,
we'd love for you to dazzle our readers with an excerpt from one of your books.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Caroline</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
thought I would give you an excerpt from <i>High Stakes Bride</i>, book 2 of the <i>Men
of Stone Mountain</i> trilogy where Alice Price shows up at Zach Stone’s campsite
with a dislocated shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>~ Excerpt ~</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdwJxFh3DrNEv5Ra79Y7fkz3MDEILzaaParetCkfKOTJcBnF3x80PRqJTLJrtBpS-sX5tMDWkBqHP8lRJuz9sOCu0BmHLB2rotzTOvgUxUrEcX6ztsVFRSIJif8Ah0h2w8c2m42sbVFE/s1600/HSBnewfrontcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdwJxFh3DrNEv5Ra79Y7fkz3MDEILzaaParetCkfKOTJcBnF3x80PRqJTLJrtBpS-sX5tMDWkBqHP8lRJuz9sOCu0BmHLB2rotzTOvgUxUrEcX6ztsVFRSIJif8Ah0h2w8c2m42sbVFE/s320/HSBnewfrontcover.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach slipped into the bedroll and waited, pistol in
hand. He feigned sleep, wondering what kind of man tarried nearby. Whoever it
was could have picked Zach off, so the sidewinder must not have murder on his
mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Probably up to no good hiding out like that, though,
because any Westerner would share his campfire and vittles with anyone who rode
into camp. Zach wriggled into a comfortable spot and lay motionless. Anger at
recent events helped him remain awake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The footfalls came so softly he almost missed them.
He opened his eyes a slit, but enough to see a thin shadow move toward the
fire. About then heavy clouds overhead parted and the moonlight revealed a boy
who scooped up a slice of bacon and slid it into his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The culprit set Zach’s tin plate on the ground near
the fire, ladled beans into it, and picked up a fork. He squatted down and
balanced the plate on his knees before he commenced eating. Zach noticed he
kept his left hand in his pocket the whole time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Something must be wrong with the thief’s left
arm. Looked too young for it to have
been a casualty of the War. Lots of other ways to get hurt out here. Whatever
had happened to his left arm, his right one worked well enough. He forked food
into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach let him shovel beans for a few minutes. Crook
or not, anyone that hungry deserved a meal. When the kid stopped eating, Zach
couldn’t figure out what he was doing.
It looked as if he used the fork to scratch around on the ground, so he
must have eaten his fill. Zach slipped his hand from beneath the cover and
cocked the pistol. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hold it right there, son. I’d like to know why
you’re eating without at least a howdy to the man who provided the food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The boy paused, then set the plate down slowly. “I
left money here on a rock to pay for it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Odd sounding voice, but the kid was probably scared.
Zach slipped from his bedroll and stood, but kept his gun pointed at the food
robber. “Maybe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach walked toward the kid, careful to train his
gaze so the firelight didn’t dim his eyesight. Sure enough, he spotted a couple
of coins on the rock beside his pot of beans, or what remained of them, and his
empty plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He faced the intruder. “Why not just come into camp
earlier instead of sneaking in after you thought I was asleep?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I—I was afraid you weren’t friendly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach thought he also heard the kid mutter what
sounded like “...or maybe too friendly.” Must be the wind, he thought, as he
neared the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach motioned with his free hand. “I don’t begrudge
anyone food, but I hate dishonesty and sneaking around. Stand up so I can see
you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The kid stood, hat low over his face and his good
hand clenched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach reached to push the brim back. “What’s your
name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The kid stepped forward. “None of your business,
mister.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fistful of sand hit Zach’s face. He heard his
assailant run. Mad as the devil, Zach brushed grit from his eyes and set out in
pursuit. The kid was fast, he’d give him that, but so was Zach. His longer legs
narrowed the distance between them. With a running lunge, he tackled the kid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Oof. Let me go.” The lad was all wriggles and
kicking feet as he squirmed trying to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach wasn’t about to let that happen. They rolled in
the dirt. In one move Zach pinned the boy’s good arm. The hat fell aside and a
mass of curls spilled around the kid’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His jacket parted and unmistakable curves pushed
upward where Zach’s other hand rested. Zach stared in disbelief. Registering
his hand pressed against a heavenly mound shocked him and he jerked his paw
away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re not a boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The woman glared at him. “Right, and you’re not
exactly a feather. Get off me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach stood and bent to help her but she curled into
a ball where she lay. “Ma’am, you okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Just dandy.” She sat up, moving like a
hundred-year-old. She glared at him while holding her stomach with her good
hand. The other arm dangled uselessly. “You’ve likely broken the few uninjured
bones I had left.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His temper flared. “Hey, lady, don’t try to put the
blame on me. If you’d been honest and come into camp like any other traveler,
I’d have shared my food with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah, well a woman on her own can’t be too careful
and I don’t know you or anything about you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach saw her point. Though most Western men would
respect a woman, it wouldn’t help if she ran into one of the exceptions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What’s wrong with your arm?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She glared at him and appeared to debate with herself
before she said, “Fell out of a tree. My arm caught in the fork of a branch.
Pulled it out of socket and I can’t get it back.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well hell. As if he didn’t have enough on his mind.
Now that he’d decided not to speak to another woman unrelated to him, this
bundle of trouble showed up needing a keeper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Resigning himself to one more stroke of bad luck, he
said, “Take off your coat and come over here to my bedroll.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The campfire sparked less than her eyes. “I’ll do no
such of a thing. Don’t be thinking you can take liberties because I ate your
food and I’m injured. I paid for the food.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Zach exhaled and planted his fists on his hips.
“Ma’am, there’s not enough money in Texas to pay me to take liberties with you.
If you’ll move to my bedroll and lie down, I’ll put your arm back in place.
You’ll likely have to take off your, um, your shirt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She looked him up and down as if she weighed him and
found him lacking. “I figured you for a rancher. You a doctor then?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Ranchers have to know a good bit about patching people.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She straightened herself and swished past him as if
she wore a ball gown instead of a man’s torn britches. Watching the feminine
sway of her hips as she sashayed to the other side of the campfire, he wondered
how he ever mistook her for male. He followed her and tried not to appreciate
her long legs or the way the fabric molded to them like a second skin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When she reached the blasted bedroll he’d been stuck
with, she slid out of her jacket. A grimace of pain flashed across her face as
the weight of the light coat slipped down her injured arm. In one graceful move
she plopped down on the bedroll.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“You’re sure you can do this?” she asked and looked
up at him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Flickering firelight placed her features in shadow.
Moving closer, he figured the poor light played tricks on him, for he couldn't
tell the color of her hair. He decided she had light brown or dark blonde
curls. Whatever color her eyes were, maybe blue or green, they were big and
watched him with suspicion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yes. Sorry, I don’t have any spirits with me to
deaden the pain.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I never touch alcohol. If you’re sure you can do
this, just get on with it.” She unbuttoned her shirt and winced as she slid the
injured shoulder and arm free, and then stuck her chin up as if she dared him
to make an improper comment or gesture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He knelt beside her, keenly aware of the differences
that proved her womanhood. A chemise of fabric worn so thin as to be almost
transparent pulled taut across her breasts. He swallowed and willed himself to
ignore the dark circles surrounding the pearly peaks thrusting at the flimsy
material. The memory of the lush mound he’d touched briefly wouldn’t leave him.
He’d been alone too long and had better concentrate on the job at hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Stretch out and try to relax. I’ll be as gentle as
I can, but this will hurt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hurts already, but I better put my bandana in my
mouth so I don’t scream. I’m not a whiner, mind, but wouldn’t want to draw
attention if there’s others nearby.” She slipped the cloth knotted around her
neck up to her mouth like a gag, then laid down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She moaned but didn’t fight him. Zach had seen this
done numerous times over the years and had performed it twice. He probed her
shoulder gently, then rotated her arm to slip it back into place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He listened for the snick of the bone reseating
itself in the socket. When he finished, he massaged the muscles of her upper
arm and shoulder. She’d likely be sore for weeks, but the harm she had done
wasn’t permanent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Have to give it to you, ma’am. You were the
quietest patient I’ve ever seen.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXssJJZI_OmlDzT-56QsuiKT5fQpT1AsFaHcMlO39RcmqtE44a_rPCYYin5AL3VOEhldEPbCkCjKOgOpFiaEuNx4qjr7Mm8hSMM5RhutvZITM7EP6S1VKq1lsnRulaz0ovbjwVsZd1zk4/s1600/ZachStone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXssJJZI_OmlDzT-56QsuiKT5fQpT1AsFaHcMlO39RcmqtE44a_rPCYYin5AL3VOEhldEPbCkCjKOgOpFiaEuNx4qjr7Mm8hSMM5RhutvZITM7EP6S1VKq1lsnRulaz0ovbjwVsZd1zk4/s200/ZachStone.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She lay with her face turned away from him. When he
leaned over, he realized she’d passed out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .3in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> ~*~</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>J. Morgan</b>: And, don't forget to tell our
readers where all we can find you on the internet and some buy links. Okay,
Morgan, can I put my ranger mask back on now?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Morgan
O</b>: Oh, go ahead. Hi-ho Silver!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here
are buy links for <i><b>High Stakes Bride</b></i>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/238238?ref=CarolineClemmons" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Smashwords ebook</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Print or Ebook at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Stakes-Bride-Stone-Mountain/dp/1479253596/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350608418&sr=1-8&keywords=caroline+clemmons" target="_blank">Amazon</a>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-stakes-bride-caroline-clemmons/1112988981?ean=2940015617061" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a> ebook</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Yes,
I’m everywhere!) Here are my links:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.carolineclemmons.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> ~ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CarolineClemmonsRomances#!/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/carolinclemmons" target="_blank">Twitter</a> ~ <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/458092.Caroline_Clemmons" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> ~ <a href="http://pinterest.com/caroclemmons" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.wattpad.com/mystories" target="_blank">WattPad</a> ~ </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/ref=sr_tc_2_rm?qid=1354571759&sr=1-2-ent%20And%20I%20love%20to%20hear%20from%20readers%20at%20caroline@carolineclemmons.com" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Amazon Author Page</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View her <a href="http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BLOG</a> posts Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and find book reviews, giveaways, interview, and miscellany.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks
again for having me as your guest. I’ve enjoyed myself. Yours is a fun place to
visit!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-3770572896531159632012-10-10T00:00:00.000-05:002012-10-10T18:02:35.102-05:00Giddy Up! Here comes Paisley Kirkpatrick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqIMql7o1phtlt_hTIySWeGxteYi_02j05xsb_95SPT0udB8yyXJuA5hM1Kype1SY9puvaczxMekkfLv_sQ0zeo3ZTlXjfsVlUgEYOhUKGgtusgvtfkSwRsuaYJyFc6XiHuoNMU-Lc5Y/s1600/NightAngelCoverArt72dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqIMql7o1phtlt_hTIySWeGxteYi_02j05xsb_95SPT0udB8yyXJuA5hM1Kype1SY9puvaczxMekkfLv_sQ0zeo3ZTlXjfsVlUgEYOhUKGgtusgvtfkSwRsuaYJyFc6XiHuoNMU-Lc5Y/s320/NightAngelCoverArt72dpi.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLrSaf0W-YY7wG_knKVwDFj7XEUIRxPgVL6Mncw3fK2X5MKn27C8hgKLJf5_8qD06REbX1tajAaHoaRCsn2PhHsNq2IRPag96bE-2ATX8v1p4GcUlnGQ3QPalYwmGOTUyjSOuzARh7to/s1600/Paisley.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know by reading my books you might not believe this, but I love a good western. Grew up reading, and watching them. Don't know what happened to me, though. I guess that bite of the radioactive vampire is the reason I write paranormal romance instead of westerns. So when I got the chance to sit down with debut Western Romance author Paisley Kirkpatrick, I jumped at the chance. <br /><br />Well, I put on my Lone Ranger outfit from the third grade costume contest and jumped on my trusty steed, Mr. Horsey, and headed down to saloon to kick back and pick this amazing author's brain about her new release, Paradise Pines: Night Angel and what inspired her to throw on a pair of chaps and write off into the sunset.<br /><br />Jmo: Belly on up to the bar and have a shot of rockgut, Paisley. Watch your step, that spittoon looks a bit dodgy.<br /><br />PK: Evenin'. The place is a bit crowded, isn't it? Let's mosey on over to that quiet table in the back.<br /><br />Jmo: So, while you wipe that bit of ick off your shoe, tell the readers about Night Angel? Man, this rock gut has a kick to it.<br /><br />PK: I chose the fictional gold rush community of Paradise Pines to set Night Angel. The story occurs after the boom, when down-and-out miners searched for a way to make money. Instead of returning home, they stayed in towns that sprung up during the gold rush.<br /><br />Hero Declan Grainger owns a high-class hotel in Paradise Pines. He loses his heart to a high-spirited poker player when she arrives in town searching for a new life. Amalie Renard, who also performs as saloon singer Lily Fox, turns the town upside down with her vibrancy. She is looking for a way to have a stage of her own, not a box to stand on in one of the town's saloons. Declan provides jobs for the townsfolk by building Amalie's music hall while he continues his nightly jaunts through abandoned tunnels anonymously leaving the downtrodden food and supplies. Amalie is puzzled why the Night Angel gives to others, but takes from her. She draws Declan into her scheme to discover the identity of the mysterious man. Declan has enough on his hands finding workers for the building renovation after the town's self-righteous preacher demands his congregation not support the music hall, but goes along with her scheme to protect his identity. <br /><br />The challenges they face take them from the California Sierra Mountains to the hustle of a booming San Francisco. Could Amalie's lack of trust in herself and Declan steal her dream? If she faces the mistakes she made in her past and relies on a new self-confidence through the love Declan offers, she can have all she desires.<br /><br />Jmo: What first drew you to the Old West? Even though, you've probably been asked this a thousand times already, who were some of your influences?<br /><br />PK: I grew up watching the television show Gunsmoke. Gathering in front of the TV on Saturday night became a family ritual. My favorite character was Festus who referred to his earlobe has a hangy-down part of his ear. Ever since then we've always done the same. Isn't it fun to remember those days when life seemed simpler? Heroes were easy to define. Who didn't admire the Long Branch Saloon owner, Miss Kitty? Saturday mornings gave us Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, and so on. We had an array of cowboys to worship. I guess the seed was planted deep because writing about the western hero seemed to always be the right thing for me.<br /><br />Jmo: Do you mentally cast your books when you're writing? I know I do it while writing, and a lot of other authors do it too. Once we establish you're as crazy as the rest of us, tell us who would be playing who in the Night Angel movie.<br /><br />PK: I did have a certain hero in mind when I developed Declan Grainger. My hero is a Scot and nobody but Gerard Butler could fill this hero's rather large boots. Honestly, Gerry was my guiding light in developing this character who stole my heart from the beginning. <br /><br />Jmo: With Paranormal Romance pretty much dominating the Romance world, why do you believe readers still have a love for Westerns?<br /><br />PK: Westerns seem a staple in most personal libraries. As you know, paranormal is a bit over my head, but since several friends who are great writers work in this category I am reading more of this genre. It's a mystery to me why people choose a particular genre. Personal taste I suppose. <br /><br />Jmo: A lot of people consider Westerns just Westerns, but they're really closer to Historicals. Even though the genre is deeply ingrained in our society's view of itself, a lot of history has passed since the late 1800's and today. That said, how much research do you put into your books? How hard is it to dig up information about the Old West?</span><br />
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLrSaf0W-YY7wG_knKVwDFj7XEUIRxPgVL6Mncw3fK2X5MKn27C8hgKLJf5_8qD06REbX1tajAaHoaRCsn2PhHsNq2IRPag96bE-2ATX8v1p4GcUlnGQ3QPalYwmGOTUyjSOuzARh7to/s1600/Paisley.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLrSaf0W-YY7wG_knKVwDFj7XEUIRxPgVL6Mncw3fK2X5MKn27C8hgKLJf5_8qD06REbX1tajAaHoaRCsn2PhHsNq2IRPag96bE-2ATX8v1p4GcUlnGQ3QPalYwmGOTUyjSOuzARh7to/s320/Paisley.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PK: There is an abundance of history and research books with articles about the Old West. I am so fortunate to live where the 1849 gold rush happened. Placerville, which was referred to as Old Diggins and Hangtown, is a showcase for the Victorian style houses, a couple of gold rush saloons, tunnels zigzagging under the town, a gold mine to explore, and a hotel built in 1857. We have an interesting character who drives an old Wells Fargo stagecoach around town at Christmastime. He ties a tree on top and carries passengers through town so they can experience a slice of the past. We also have a re-enactment of a wagon train coming over the mountain from the Lake Tahoe area every summer and for several years the Pony Express rider came through our community.<br /><br />Jmo: From a personal standpoint, what is the most interesting part about this time in America history? What jumps out and grabs you and refuses to let you go?<br /><br />PK: It's the adventure of pursuing a dream, finding those shiny gold nuggets at the bottom of a gold pan. Of course, disappointment came with the excitement. More walked away without the riches, but they tried. They took a chance. Isn't that what life should be about? We take a chance with our writing. When we succeed, I'd say it was like finding that first nugget.<br /><br />Jmo: Every author has their favorite type of character to write. So what is yours? The White Hat? The Black Hat? Or Bob Hope in "The Son of Paleface"? I'm partial to Don Knots in "The Shakiest Gun in the West" myself.<br /><br />PK: Honorable heroes are my favorite. They have to have grit, but treat a lady with respect and give an honest day's work. <br /><br />Jmo: I couldn't let you go without asking the ultimate question when it comes to Westerns. John Wayne or Clint Eastwood? Know our friendship hinges on your answer.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PK: Ummmmmmm (rolling eyes) let me think - J Of course, the King I mean the Duke. He should have been called the king of cowboys but I suppose that belong to another cowboy who sang.<br /><br />Jmo: Paisley, one last question and I promise to unhogtie you from that spittoon. If at this very moment one man could come riding up on a white stallion to ride you off into the sunset, who would it be? Know your marriage hinges on your answer.<br /><br />PK: Hubby Ken and I have been married almost 44 years, and since it was love at first sight, I would always choose him to ride up on a white stallion. He'd probably prefer walking, but a large horse would be nice. <br /><br />Jmo: Thanks for stopping in and jawing with me a spell. I hope you have had as much fun as I have. Don't worry. I'm sure that chew juice will come out with a little vinegar and warm water. But, before you take off for the hills, be sure to let our readers know where to find you on the internet and a buy link for Night Angel. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2cD0AAZBuzsHOfJqZjcivAplkkh07xhWqwrUPBwcsDz1N6M4gat_z1lL_npXQm-JOLeUWxC1-i4gejij2CKQt3nIc4PcN7y52U86c2zQ43LEBuPdS1LNaYZgSb_-K7ld2d0WCrhj_Hk/s1600/NightAngel_animated_AvailNow.gif.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2cD0AAZBuzsHOfJqZjcivAplkkh07xhWqwrUPBwcsDz1N6M4gat_z1lL_npXQm-JOLeUWxC1-i4gejij2CKQt3nIc4PcN7y52U86c2zQ43LEBuPdS1LNaYZgSb_-K7ld2d0WCrhj_Hk/s320/NightAngel_animated_AvailNow.gif.png" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Website: <a href="http://www.paisleykirkpatrick.com/">http://www.paisleykirkpatrick.com/</a><br />Blogs:<br />Sweethearts of the West <a href="http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/">http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/</a><br />Scandalous Victorians <a href="http://slipintosomethingvictorian.wordpress.com/">http://slipintosomethingvictorian.wordpress.com/</a><br />Voices from the Heart <a href="http://voicesftheart.blogspot.com/">http://voicesftheart.blogspot.com/</a><br />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1272262167">http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1272262167</a></span></div>
J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-79245146767355947812012-09-24T06:20:00.001-05:002012-09-24T06:30:09.123-05:00Fall is Here, and It's Very Wet in the North<br />
Summer is long gone. There's snow on the mountain tops, the trees have been changing color for weeks and many are nearly bare of their leaves. Alaska has been battered by storm after storm after storm and many communities are dealing with floods. Homes have been washed away, flooded, roads have become rivers before being swept away, and even the railroad has a stretch of track hovering in mid air, its supporting soil and gravel washed out from underneath.<br />
<br />
It's enough to slightly dent the intrepid Alaskan spirit.<br />
<br />
In these clouds of rain there's a silver lining that the hurricane force gusts of winds can't blast away. Everyone is safe. No deaths have been reported due to the high water or falling trees, although there have been several accidents recently.<br />
<br />
And yet, here we remain. An earthquake or two didn't set us back, so a few storm clouds won't either.<br />
<br />
Now, I admit, I'm sitting pretty and cozy in my new house. No power outages, no flooding, no downed trees. I do have a camp robber carelessly tossing about the seeds I put out. He's too small to eat, so I may let him have his fun for a while longer.<br />
<br />
But I'm watching the news, especially for Talkeetna, one of those communities pumping out the flood waters. In a weird stroke of irony, at the beginning of September, I had a new release. <b><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weathering-Storm-Open-Window-ebook/dp/B00926Q3WM/ref=as_li_tf_sw?linkCode=wsw&tag=beauttutor-20" target="_blank">Weathering the Storm</a></u></b>, Book Three of the Open Windows series featuring those red headed Shaughnessys, is set in Talkeetna, Alaska. During which, there's of course, a big storm.<br />
<br />
In no way did I predict the catastrophe actually taking place. In fact, my story is rather mild in the face of the recent devastation that got the governor to declare it a disaster. With luck, that will open up some Federal money to help with cleanup and repair. Rebuilding where necessary.<br />
<br />
In the coming weeks we'll get a deeper analysis. I know that this weekend was to have been the Talkeetna Book Festival to benefit the library. I wonder just how damaged the library and the elementary school are, but when people are being advised to boil their tap water and their homes are a foot deep in water, the library is way down the priority list. The school is, of course, higher on the list, but after clean water I'm guessing.<br />
<br />
I did hear a report of one Walmart donating food and toiletries for those evacuated to various locations. I'm sure there are a lot of untold stories right now and in the coming days they'll start filtering through FB and the news sources. If you want to help, <a href="http://alaska.redcross.org/" target="_blank">The American Red Cross</a> is working with flood victims and will happily take donations. Cash donations are especially welcome to help buy the specific items needed. The link goes to the Alaska organization.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHX1LofkpqyFwjONK4lD0A2VilYfc9S30c1BJ_ZcrZEkRkjDpUTHUwEiOJeOjygpOQmYedv8t861pA8aysRcXcGD3qwS58FJDydyFrQcfKscrMpG85pmHQvhFmngOld61Hv4LKPvd6LE/s1600/weatheringthestorm+240kb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHX1LofkpqyFwjONK4lD0A2VilYfc9S30c1BJ_ZcrZEkRkjDpUTHUwEiOJeOjygpOQmYedv8t861pA8aysRcXcGD3qwS58FJDydyFrQcfKscrMpG85pmHQvhFmngOld61Hv4LKPvd6LE/s320/weatheringthestorm+240kb.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Or, buy a copy of <b><a href="http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_25&products_id=548" target="_blank">Weathering the Storm</a></b> and I'll donate the royalties to the Red Cross and/or whatever fund is set up to help the individual communities. Buy the book directly from my publisher this month, September 2012, and I'll be able to make the donation in mid-October. I'll post the total results here and over at The Morgan Diaries Blog when I get next month's statement.<br />
<br />
Let me be perfectly clear:<br />
Purchase a copy of <a href="http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_25&products_id=548" target="_blank">Weathering the Storm</a> between now and the end of this month, and next month the royalties will go to help the communities affected by the recent flooding. Ah, what the heck, same for any sales of this book made now through the end of the year, whether through Lyrical Press, Amazon, Nook or any other outlet. I'll make monthly reports of the totals, good or bad. I'll be totally embarrassed if my royalties drop to $10. $100 would be better, $1000 would totally floor me and actually do some major good. Anything beyond that and I'll probably faint after I put the check in the mail.<br />
<br />
Help me spread the word. You'll be getting a darn good read, and those picking up the threads of their lives after devastating floods will get a little more help. It's a win-win situation.<br />
<br />
Many Thanks, and Happy Reading!<br />
<br />
Morgan Q. O'Reilly<br />
http://morganqoreilly.com<br />
www.lyricalpress.com<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-71844296576277485082012-08-26T21:11:00.000-05:002012-08-26T21:25:02.061-05:00Comics and Romance: The Final Bam!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">When I started
this blog series, I wasn't sure where it was headed. I just wanted to talk
about one of my favorite topics and make it as enjoyable as possible for those
of you reading it. I hope I succeeded in some of that. But, as I starting
writing about the connection between comics and romance, I began to notice how
strong that connection truly is. For me, at least it is. For some of you too,
from the comments it has gotten.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">This is what I
hope you've gotten from all this. Comics are the beginning of wonderment for a
lot of kids, boys and girls alike. Why wonderment? It's very simple. Until we
get our first dose of Superman, Spider-man, or you can insert your own favorite
hero, we have no idea what it feels like to imagine to fly, or run faster than
a speeding bullet. We simply have no concept that those things are possible.
They aren't, but in our burgeoning imaginations they become possible. Comics
teaches us to dream. For some of us, those dreams become stories. Those stories
go on to make us writers or readers. We want to escape as authors, as much as
you do as readers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Our escape
enables you to find whole new worlds beyond this one we live in. That's a very
good form of release in my book. Better than sitting in front of a TV or
playing video games. Though, I have nothing against either of those. I do it
quite a bit myself, but reading enables you to open your mind and visualize for
yourself the wonders an author places before you. How many of us has seen a
movie or TV show based on a book, and just shook our heads saying to yourself,
'that's not how I saw' and felt a little disappointment over the fact. Why does
that seem to happen? Because, our imagination is greater than anything someone
else can come up with.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Romance does the
same thing at a different stage of our mental development. Most of us read our
first book in our teens. Talk about putting an unfair level for our boyfriend
or girlfriend to measure up to. Tough, it's that level that tells us what we
truly want. We might settle for second best, but most of the time second best
is better than what our minds dream up thanks to those books. I hate to knock
my genre but it's true. We as authors paint unfair expectations on those who
read our books. Why? Because, we visualize what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i> want. Hey, what can I say? We're delusional and write about it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">The thing is Comics
and Romance are learning tools. Believe me. I've learned some things in a
Romance Novel that would make a hooker blush. Despite that, we read and absorb
knowledge both directly and indirectly through others. Some of it makes us who
we are today, and some of it makes us the people we want to be. Not bad, for a
few hours of escapism.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">How does this all
tie into J. Morgan? If you've read any of my books, you know I start with a
definite line between good and evil. Why? Because Stan Lee did it that away.
More than that, in a world where there's more grey than black and white, I wish
we could tell right away who wore the black hat and the white hat. As a result,
I love my heroes. They are bigger than life and most of the time, the men I
want to be. Subconsciously, I guess they are a part of me, like what any writer
does when crafting a character. The heroine? I wish I could say they're the
women I would want to fall in love with. For the most part, they're the only
woman I've ever truly fallen in love with. My wife, Jenn. I couldn't think of a
better role model for my heroines. That doesn't mean they're a hundred percent her.
I have the greatest honor to know and have known some amazing women. They've found
their way into my heroines. So, we're talking fifty to seventy percent Jenn,
and the rest I steal from my friends and family. Still, not a bad ratio. My
villains, I owe to Stan Lee, and any other comic author who made it plain, the
bad guy is the bad guy. You'll know him or her by the evil oozing off them.
And, I guess I do have a dark side that comes out on the computer screen, instead
of me going postal on the rest of the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Authors are the
result of their environment and experiences. That being said, I guess that
makes me a costume wearing superhero behind a keyboard. So what should my
superhero name be? The Amazing Spider-Jmo? Uh no. Shooting stuff out of my
wrists sounds narsty for some reason. The Mighty Jmo? Mmmmm… I do like big hammers
and lightning bolts? No, I think for now, I'll just be Jmo and let you guys be
the superheroes and superheroines. After all, to me you already are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Hope you enjoyed
this series. Now, jump into your phone booths and up, up and away. I got a
deadline to not be too late on. Join me next week on The Writer Limits as we
kick off SciFi September. On the Diaries, we've got something special planned.
I just have to track down Morgan O. and find out what it is. Bye, for now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-12766709928747386732012-08-13T00:00:00.000-05:002012-08-13T00:00:04.342-05:00Stop looking at my boobs when I'm kicking yo butt<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Comic book
heroines have got it rough. I'll be the first to admit that. They work in a
male dominated field. They've got over 75 years of sexist stereotyping to
overcome. Lastly, they're written mostly by men. Still, they've come a long way
since the only role model girls had was Lois Lane screaming for Superman to save
her month after month. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">Wonder Woman
became one of the first strong powerful heroines unleashed on the comic world.
Unfortunately, there's some back story and issues to go along with Princess
Diana's early days. I'm not going into all that, because it has no bearing on
this discourse. The important thing is that she is still going strong. DC
Comics came out with a string of super heroines to compliment WW.
Unfortunately, they were all knockoffs of established characters like Superman
and Batman. So, we end up with Supergirl and Batgirl. Even though both were
grown women, they got tagged 'girl' for their troubles. I'm not saying they
didn't kick butt, because they did, just in a Fifties and Sixties type of way.
It would take almost another twenty years before these great characters would
evolve past the 'Girl' moniker and become truly strong women in their own
right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">When Marvel broke
onto the scene in the Sixties, they were no better. Sue Storm spent most of the
decade calling on Reed and the rest of the FF to save her. The Avengers had the
Wasp, who seemed more interested in shopping than actually fighting crime. Jean
Grey from the X-Men appeared to be around for the guys to moon over. I could go
on, but you get the point. The heroines were nothing more than window dressing
to draw in female readership without much in the way of substance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">The Seventies
changed that. Marvel amped up the X-Men with Giant Sized X-Men #1. Jean Grey
slowly started her evolution into Phoenix.
Storm became an aloof powerhouse. We also saw the birth of Spider-Woman who
would later become quite important to the new millennium of the Marvel
universe. The Eighties brought us The Savage She-Hulk. While both were Marvel attempts
to protect copyrights, both characters showed that inner and outer strength
could work in comics. Then Frank Miller introduced one of the most important
female characters of all time, Elektra. A woman out for vengeance over the
murder of her father, she proved the perfect embodiment of a powerful woman who
didn't take crap and could stand on her own two feet without a man coming to
the rescue. That Daredevil was hopelessly in love with her only heightened
Miller's run with the character. He proved that you could have a romantic twist
in comics without making the woman some damsel in distress.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">That didn't mean female super heroes weren't
still the subject of boob-ogling costumes, not to mention impossibly large and
perky boobs to begin with. We are still talking about comics. The Eighties did
give us some amazing female writers to begin the revolution of women coming
into their own. Louise Simonson started off as an editor on several Marvel
titles before becoming a writer on New Mutants, X-Factor and a host of other
titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="ptbrand">Ann Nocenti
became the acclaimed and often controversial writer of Daredevil, introducing
another strong female antagonist for Matt Murdock in the form of Typhoid Mary.
She also created fan favorite, Longshot. Wendy Pini introduced the wonderful
world of Elfquest to an eager comic audience. They aren't the only female
creators to make a difference but as personal favorites I couldn't pass up
going on and on about them.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span class="ptbrand"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Some others I'd like
to briefly touch on. Gail Simone went to work on DC's beleaguered female
characters and breathed new life into Wonder Woman, and the Birds of Prey, a
series combining the talents of Oracle (the original Batgirl), Black Canary and
Huntress, Batman's daughter?--not sure who she is now with DC's constant
revamping of their comics. Colleen Doran has worked on creator owned series as
well as DC and Marvel titles. Amanda Connor, Jill Thompson, Nancy Collins,
Elaine Lee, these are all women who have taken the reins of comics and made
them their own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Serena </span></span><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Valentino's utterly delightful Gloom Cookie is among
some of my favorite guilty pleasures of all time. In case you're asking
yourself, if Jmo is hinting for you to check some of these writers and artists
out, the answer is yes. Comics aren't just superheroes anymore. It's science
fiction, horror, and yes, romance. These women have taken comics in directions
you wouldn't believe.</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Now, how does all that tie into Romance?
Simply put, our mother's and grandmother's Romance novels painted women as
wilting violets in need of men swinging in to save them, just like early comics
did. Now, we have heroines that stand toe to toe with their heroes and refuse
to be put in a corner until the dust settles. Why do we love these new
heroines? Because, women weren't made to sit back and let men handle things.
They were made as equals to complete men, and with the ability to surpass them.
To portray them as anything but equals is a disservice to both sexes. With male
readership, and writership--yeah it's a word, I just made it up--on the rise,
men must feel the same way. </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Okay, that's my soapbox moment for the week.
I hope you enjoyed my comics and women history lesson as much as I did actually
researching it. If you knew me, you'd know how much I hate research. Join me
next week on The Writer Limits, as I examine creating the perfect story thanks to reading way too
many comics with a cautionary tale I like to call Stan Lee rotted my brain. While you're there you can catch up on this series by reading my views on the Spandex Conspiracy.</span></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thewriterlimitsauthors.blogspot.com/?zx=8c91679cd9311e3a"><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Writer Limits</span></a></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial;">.</span></div>J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-69581154935547585242012-07-30T00:00:00.000-05:002012-07-30T00:00:06.287-05:00Peter Parker is a Man Ho!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="//img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" />
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhTfEx9D8_oTRjtKmJ9O8tPP5kTq-xjTVFYDRFV1lJ5ZNSfOuc0aTN9aameVGhf_H_z4QKHx-47ni0U6PwpWhgE6TmTA_ZJAnJUEHjkQ6lPlSpwJAOssG2df9Vtt_5mLHorRiqenM7Ls/s1600/peter+parker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhTfEx9D8_oTRjtKmJ9O8tPP5kTq-xjTVFYDRFV1lJ5ZNSfOuc0aTN9aameVGhf_H_z4QKHx-47ni0U6PwpWhgE6TmTA_ZJAnJUEHjkQ6lPlSpwJAOssG2df9Vtt_5mLHorRiqenM7Ls/s320/peter+parker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Peter Parker
is a man ho! Some people might call that statement outrageous, but if you look
at his track record you can see two very important things. One, he has no clue
when it comes to women. Secondly and the most important, he has done untold
damage to the sex lives of geeks for over 35 years. Hey don't give me that
shocked look. I know from which I speak. I was once one of those geeks. Sure,
when you read a comic and see him juggling hot blondes and redheads like
nobody's business, you can't help but think that this guy has it going on.
Forget about the whole superpowers thing. Who wants the proportionate strength
of a spider, be able to stick to walls, and shoot webs out of your wrists?
Let's not even go into what that stuff really looks like. What we need to do is
see if old Pete's palms are hairy like a spider's. That's what we need to be
doing. Seriously!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">But, I digress
into the realm of a Kevin Smith movie. I'm here to talk about Peter's love
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let's go back to the very
beginning. Peter Parker was a nerd. That's the only way to describe it. Nothing
wrong with that. All of my friends started off in the throws of nerdom. Then,
bam! He get's super powers and everything changes. If we can trust Tobey
McGuire, he also gets six pack abs. I believe those were CGIed, in case you
were wondering. That's when the problems with this story really begin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Instead of Unc
Ben telling Peter with great power comes great responsibility, he should have
told him that he needed to keep it in his pants. So where does all this man
hoing start. If we trace it back to his high school days, we have to say it
began with Liz Allen, his high school crush. Sure, it really didn't lead
anywhere, but she was just a practice run for him. An aside, Liz would go on to
marry Harry Osborn, Peter's best friend and just would justso happen to go on
to become the second Green Goblin. From there he would have flirty run-ins with
Betty Bryant, J. Jonah Jameson's secretary at the Daily Bugle. Being a bit
older than our teenage photographer, Betty didn't succumb to his spidery ways but
she did dip in the well a couple of times. Once she came to her senses, she
married Ned Leeds, who goes on to become Hobgoblin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's two ladies in the Parker harem. Anyone
find it strange that one taste of spider-love makes them go running into the
arms of super villains? I'm not saying he's a menace, but J. Jonah might be on
the right track.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">They were just
a couple minor setbacks on his rollercoaster of love. One fateful day, his life
would be irrevocably changed. Face it, tigers. He hit the jackpot. Well, as
close as he could come in the form of Mary Jane Watson. I'm a bit partial to
redheads as a result of this one. She presented the perfect foil to Peter. Ms.
Watson saw through the façade. For one thing, she was smart enough to realize
he was Spider-man, while everyone else wondered where Peter got off to every
time Spidey showed up. Come on, people. Buy a clue. She was also able to resist
the Parker charm for close to 200 issues of continuity. If she had gone on to
give in to his nerdish advances way back around issue 42 the rest of this
rambling missive might not have clogged up your mental passages.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-XnTVDIfIP3djW7DbGRWpOu9hwS-eWMDj81UenWGhQ3pvMuO3Cg_M3D2zP0bwQDHqsH5to7N1a5mof32ipGtXjd6pfHHz8l1xeU06rC9g5VJPoFFXYTqvWYtjf5QUBQ-DIWx2GhG9po/s1600/gwen+stacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-XnTVDIfIP3djW7DbGRWpOu9hwS-eWMDj81UenWGhQ3pvMuO3Cg_M3D2zP0bwQDHqsH5to7N1a5mof32ipGtXjd6pfHHz8l1xeU06rC9g5VJPoFFXYTqvWYtjf5QUBQ-DIWx2GhG9po/s1600/gwen+stacy.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Another result
of Mary Jane playing hard to get was Gwen Stacy. If anyone knows anything about
comics you know what happens. If you don't, stay tuned for more exciting
revelations! Gwen might be considered Peter's first true love. The love of his
life. But, really aren't all first loves the love of your life? For awhile, the
women of New York
were safe from this shameless lothario. Love swept him up in its embrace and
with all the tenderness of a Greek tragedy ran him over like a freight train
with only one casualty. The one thing Peter had always feared came true. One of
his arch villains took the life of someone he cared for. Issues 121-122 of The
Amazing Spider-man, the Green Goblin, after remembering Spider-man's secret
identity goes after Gwen to prove to Peter that no one is untouchable. Faced
with the choice of saving Gwen or a bunch of kids, he tries to do both. Unlike
the movie, the comic Spidey wasn't up to the challenge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">How does he
deal with his loss? For twenty issues or so, he locks his heart away. For non
comic readers twenty issues or so equals three weeks in real time. Real time?
I'm a comic geek, so real time applies. Then he was off chasing anything with a
ponytail and silk underwear. College gave him the perfect opportunity to search
out his next victims. Deb Whitman, another go with the married Betty, a couple
run-ins with MJ, and I refuse to go into the new continuum started because of
Marvel feeling the need to rewrite his past.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeejTkyLcTmihjgHpJNKF25NlshD6GFfYw-No6_oYNCjmJ5Lob0Jh3hI40d89ZJ2Zg-pFBj4Qgi2T3KHU77jEfUY3GgUYP7pQNDyDYH4dMykqwdCjS5ycVTpVL9f-q6fXiKs5sqsDCOaA/s1600/black+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeejTkyLcTmihjgHpJNKF25NlshD6GFfYw-No6_oYNCjmJ5Lob0Jh3hI40d89ZJ2Zg-pFBj4Qgi2T3KHU77jEfUY3GgUYP7pQNDyDYH4dMykqwdCjS5ycVTpVL9f-q6fXiKs5sqsDCOaA/s320/black+cat.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Okay, this is
the point we reach Peter's second love, unless you count MJ, who hung around
through all this. Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, appears first as a villain then
as a love interest who keeps him on his toes for a nice long time. There's a
lot of does she, will she, but the break up finally happens because sweet
little Peter Parker can't take the fact that she loves Spidey more than him.
Well, duh! Who wouldn't? This of course results in another chorus of poor
unfortunates skipping through his web of love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFPrO3gX-Se59c_xYR8HLz0MJALgnHfPUrL6vgmUc8dwU8IyZjFHNJjihBwxhru2KfooMxFp62V_3OKo64uFr2o-q6O6eNj4k0ShlHEiAW8zVP7kkvRX9xWrllxbfE2FyhzYTVYy0HeU/s1600/spider-island-ASM671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFPrO3gX-Se59c_xYR8HLz0MJALgnHfPUrL6vgmUc8dwU8IyZjFHNJjihBwxhru2KfooMxFp62V_3OKo64uFr2o-q6O6eNj4k0ShlHEiAW8zVP7kkvRX9xWrllxbfE2FyhzYTVYy0HeU/s320/spider-island-ASM671.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Finally, Peter
convinces Mary Jane that he is her one true love. She already knew this of
course but her common sense had saved her up until this point. In Annual 21,
the deed was done, and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Parker were born. If this had been a
novel of the romance variety, we could have inserted a tidy happily ever after
in at this point, but comics like soap operas seldom give you what you want.
Instead we ended up with almost twenty years of angst, super villain attacks
and a costume becoming a super villain, not to mention clones out the ying
yang. It's enough to make ya stop reading comics, which I did. Well, not comics
but Spider-man, so I avoided the whole clone thing, even though it keeps
popping back up. Whether I want it to or not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Now, I
promised not to mention the continuum thing but let's touch on it briefly. Aunt
May is dying because Peter revealed his secret identity to the world. To save
her life Mary Jane trades her and Pete's love to the devil for a do over. Now,
none of the above stuff ever happened, and he's free to sleaze his way through
the Marvel Universe all over again. Shesh. And, you think romance novels have
got the market cornered on angst and tragic happily ever afters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">What's the
point of all this? Besides Peter Parker is a man whore? Partly. Mainly, it's
that comics and romance novels have a lot in common. Both throw a hero and
heroine into impossible situations that naturally bring them closer together in
such a way that the reader can't help but stick around to the bitter end. With
comics, it just takes a little longer. Now, I have to go. The new Spider-man
just came in, and Morbius, the living vampire, the Lizard and Peter Parker have
all planned dates with Carly, the hot CSI detective. I can't wait to see how
Pete is going to wow her by taking her to Burger King before swinging away
without paying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc99ff; font-family: Arial;">Join me next
week, as I examine more comic connections to romance with a little story I like
to call, So, how do they fit all that in that little spandex?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It'll be at my shared blog The Writer Limits
so make sure to stay tuned to that same Bat channel.</span></div>J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-1896609340716121692012-07-09T00:00:00.000-05:002012-07-09T14:46:06.339-05:00Things that go bump in the night – Horror vs Paranormal<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoKnMNQwQbMaUF61JKYXt3_0NCls0jGSwG7HNZBYLfJ7LaO9gzAuzAezP5_raYczW4EY5hF5EYLA9zITl91oYfOy1aaeM094zIhxyLNUsOLXy87hTm1cbcMa9Rkfahnij7pms5xeiPaQ/s1600/steph7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoKnMNQwQbMaUF61JKYXt3_0NCls0jGSwG7HNZBYLfJ7LaO9gzAuzAezP5_raYczW4EY5hF5EYLA9zITl91oYfOy1aaeM094zIhxyLNUsOLXy87hTm1cbcMa9Rkfahnij7pms5xeiPaQ/s320/steph7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">When I was a little
girl I was convinced there was a vampire under the bed. No joke. The
darned thing used to poke me through the mattress. I was six years old and used
to pull the covers up over my neck thinking that would keep the darn little
creature away from my neck. Silly me. Mom wouldn't let me use garlic.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">What convinced me I had
a vampire under the bed was watching a show called Creature Double
Feature. That show had it all – vampires, werewolves, zombies, mummies,
and even Godzilla. Creature Double Feature was all about horror. The creatures
were out to scare you. I got the chills watching those little nasties in
action. And that's what horror is all about – giving you the chills. The Spooks.
The Shivers.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">You know what gives me
the spooks? Bugs. Spiders. Little Creepy things. They inspire horror. You
can find some of my horror tales at my port on Writing.com at: <a href="http://www.writing.com/main/portfolio/item_id/966516-Horror-Short-Stories" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts">http://www.writing.com/main/portfolio/item_id/966516-Horror-Short-Stories</span></a></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">My favorite stories are
Grave of the Devil, the Secret Pyramid, and The Scorpion Temple.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Paranormal Romance?
That's a different "beast" altogether. Sure there are vampires,
werewolves, zombies, shifters, etc… but there's no intent to give you shivers –
it's all about giving you the warm and fuzzies and making you believe in the
power of love. </span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Our hero (or heroine)
may suffer from lycanthropy or deal with a lust for blood, but their desire to
control their condition and seek love is the crux of their journey. Romance is
about HEA. Horror has no HEA. </span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">My paranormal romance, Danube in Candlelight, which released in NOV 2011 is now
a finalist in the 2012 Reader's Favorite Contest in the Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
category. What would you do if you found out your father was a werewolf? Morgan
Duma has her world turned upside down when she discovers her father's secret.
She explores the lupine elements of heritage, growing reckless, but will her
recklessness driver her to become a wolf herself?</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">REVIEWS:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">5 Stars, Reader's
Favorite:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">This story is the
closest I have ever come to reading a book that feels like a movie!</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">4 Hearts, Sizzling Hot
Book Reviews: </span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Once again, Stephanie
Burkhart has touched my imagination and with her writing brings 1922 Hungary to
life. Danube in Candlelight is a very
romantic, yet spicy read. This is a must read if you enjoy the paranormal
werewolf stories or even if you merely enjoy a great romance.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">3.5 Stars, The Hope
Chest Reviews:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 10.0pt; margin-right: 10.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i>Danube in
Candlelight</i> was a pleasant, easy read. Ms.
Burkhart has created an interesting world with a mythology that is a little
different than any other werewolf stories I've read to date, and the historical
settings make them more intriguing to me than many contemporary paranormal
stories.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 10.0pt; margin-right: 10.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">5 Lips, Two
Lips Reviews</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">I found the setting for <b>Danube in Candlelight</b>
intriguing. The 1920 period <b>Ms. Burkhart </b>chose for this story lends it a
wonderfully dynamic tempo. The discerning reader will not want
to miss reading <b>Danube in Candlelight</b>; I highly recommend it.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Book Trailer on You Tube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgzUIHCRN0I" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgzUIHCRN0I</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGT7K1lJEYriYfgttt9vV4b7k-qiqtlcdG6XMnLVva_ngp16A0_P1svXmX8MKz82HPRbpFYwEYPf_WHzmL3mw7s-TQYfj7I-NWiAVmo-0S8oRr9uEND1At5dlLPgnz1GTglxr5n4Yu0w/s1600/DanubeinCandlelightCoverArt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGT7K1lJEYriYfgttt9vV4b7k-qiqtlcdG6XMnLVva_ngp16A0_P1svXmX8MKz82HPRbpFYwEYPf_WHzmL3mw7s-TQYfj7I-NWiAVmo-0S8oRr9uEND1At5dlLPgnz1GTglxr5n4Yu0w/s320/DanubeinCandlelightCoverArt+2.jpg" width="213" /></span></a><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> </span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Enjoy this Excerpt:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"Morgan, our fathers'
condition has a host of positive traits -- heightened senses, for example, but
the best trait is the healing factor."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"I understand, Adam. That
healing factor will help my mother recover from her awful injuries, but it comes
with a tradeoff -- she's going to become a werewolf."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"Is it better she become
addicted to morphine? That addiction is a beast in itself. Which would you
prefer she'd become? The soldiers hooked on morphine have vacant eyes, and
their hands tremble for their next fix. Do you want that for your mother?
Fighting something she can't win against, or do you want her dealing with a
manageable condition? Both our fathers are good men. They've managed it."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Morgan pursed her lips. Adam's
tone was laced in objectivity and confidence, offering her a plausible reason
for her father's actions. Morgan didn't want a shell of skin and bones that
resembled her mother -- she wanted her mother well, both emotionally and
physically. Why had she been so selfish not to see that?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMXUJNHPiDEc6Clq2R-NhKK7lOL2Jb1TSOltj_AQZHF2ypeE6SFzFh2fhe2blSyy14B4Fn4qp8lXrYYpcbDq-uU6iClboVpSrdL3HwXrklwuLaS9TfBjmYiZ6rvotg8RCRgRfILqFYXM/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMXUJNHPiDEc6Clq2R-NhKK7lOL2Jb1TSOltj_AQZHF2ypeE6SFzFh2fhe2blSyy14B4Fn4qp8lXrYYpcbDq-uU6iClboVpSrdL3HwXrklwuLaS9TfBjmYiZ6rvotg8RCRgRfILqFYXM/s320/IMG_0266.JPG" width="249" /></span></a></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"It doesn't bother you that
you have these traits?"</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"I'm comfortable with who I
am."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Morgan spun around, pressing the
length of her body against Adam, curving her hand around the nape of his neck,
and bringing his lips to hers. Their mouths met in a searing kiss full of
desire. Want. Warmth. Pleasure replaced Morgan's emotional pain, and she
deepened the kiss between them by sweeping her tongue into his mouth.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Adam groaned, wrapped his hands
around her waist, and tugged her closer. Morgan continued the kiss, nipping his
lower lip with her teeth. A blast of heat from his body washed over her like an
ocean wave, sending pleasure spiraling through her. God, she had never felt so
wonderful.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">He threaded his hand through her
hair and then yanked her head back. His mouth fell to her neck. Shivers of
delight followed the hard, demanding kisses he placed on her skin.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"Adam, God, don't
stop..."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">He did just that. He withdrew his
hand from her hair, sliding it down the side of her body to rest at her waist.
She looked into his golden eyes blazing with the flames of desire. Adam drew in
a deep breath.</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">"Damn, Morgan, I am a man,
and I have more control than that."</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">She placed her hand over his
heart. "You enjoyed it. Don't deny it."</span></div>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">PUBLISHER'S BUY<a href="http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-219/Budapest-Moon-Book-III/Detail.bok" target="_blank"> LINK</a><br /></span><div>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">AMAZON KINDLE <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hungarian-Moon-Book-Three-ebook/dp/B0061XJFG0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1320188529&sr=1-1" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a><br /><br />BARNES & NOBLE NOOK <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hungarian-moon-book-three-stephanie-burkhart/1107039692?ean=2940013659148&itm=1&usri=danube%2bin%2bcandlelight" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hungarianmoonbookthreedanubeincandlelight-636082-139.html" target="_blank">ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS</a> </span><div class="yiv962978690msonormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">WEBSITE:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<a href="http://www.stephanieburkhart.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">http://www.stephanieburkhart.com</span></a></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">TWITTER:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<a href="http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart" target="_blank"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart</span></a></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">FACEBOOK: </span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">GOOD READS:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">YOU TUBE CHANNEL:</span></div>
<div class="yiv962978690msonormal">
<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-89973059622225880992012-06-25T18:01:00.002-05:002012-06-25T18:01:22.485-05:00Summer Reading Trail<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have you discovered the <a href="http://summertreadingtrail.weebly.com/index.html" target="_blank">Summer Reading Trail</a> yet? No? Check it out! There are many free reads featured, and the list changes each month. Some of the reads are entire books, some are chapters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have two books on the <a href="http://summertreadingtrail.weebly.com/june.html" target="_blank"><b>list</b></a>: <b><i>Cowboys Dream Too</i></b> (A Morgan O'Reilly book) and <b><i>Rachel Dahlrumple</i></b> (by Shea McMaster). Both have the full first chapter posted. In a few days, when the calendar rolls over to July, the titles will swap out. If you haven't read the books, and you're curious, jump on it! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Come July Jmo will also have a book on the reading list, so make sure you check back, possibly while chillin' over the 4th. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9W7gY1EEief7j-4DL7ceQ9ZrXyN178bmPZ3_ZG0Ixpyz68GVqY2LmmtrL91NbGcyrWQ2xaQKtKwcMYJkkyRNgGIVeSugtg13UAzAARgpk45IPmJYQJYfekDsWCgp9AHrCWedSDhbJhkG/s1600/Summer+Reading+Trail+Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9W7gY1EEief7j-4DL7ceQ9ZrXyN178bmPZ3_ZG0Ixpyz68GVqY2LmmtrL91NbGcyrWQ2xaQKtKwcMYJkkyRNgGIVeSugtg13UAzAARgpk45IPmJYQJYfekDsWCgp9AHrCWedSDhbJhkG/s400/Summer+Reading+Trail+Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-507668746549597192012-06-24T19:41:00.001-05:002012-06-24T19:43:20.665-05:00Blog Hop Winners!<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Without further ado, we present the winners of the <b><i>Sexy Summer Solstice Just Romance Me Blog Hop</i></b>!<br /><br />Grand prize, NOOK GlowLight:<br />Missy C.<br /><br /><br />Other Prizes:<br /><br />Theresa J.<br />Stacia D. Kelly: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate<br /><br />Lisa J.<br />Nina Pierce: $15 Ellora's Cave Gift Card<br /><br />KEK219<br />Shapeshifter Seductions Authors: Talbot's Peak Calendar & assorted ebooks off backlist<br /><br /><b>Kathy G. <== Email me with your snail mail! (morgan at morganqoreilly.com)</b><br />Morgan Q. O'Reilly: Morgan O'Reilly tote bag and pen<br />Graylin Fox: Signed copy of Your Biggest Fan<br /><br />Renee B.<br />T.L. Schaefer: Choice from backlist<br />Rhonda L. Print: Guardian e-book<br />Maddy Barone: Free download of Wolf Tracker<br /><br />Cathy M.<br />Olivia Brynn: Choice from backlist<br />Alianne Donnelly: Download of Bastien<br />Trina M. Lee: Choice from backlist<br /><br />Catherine<br />Casey Crow: Dance with a Millionaire<br />Rosanna Leo: Up in Flames<br />Casea Major: One Knight in Brooklyn<br /><br />Juana E.<br />Lauren Fraser: Choice from backlist<br />Monette Michaels: Cold Day In Hell e-book<br />Annie Nicholas: Omegas in Love, Book 4 of The Vanguards<br /><br />Tiffany C.<br />Bronwen Evans: eBook copy of To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield Regency Romance<br />Paige Tyler: Choice from backlist<br />Virginia Cavanaugh: Mixing Business with Pleasure<br /><br />Stacie D.<br />Desiree Holt: Two ebooks of reader's choice<br />Alanna Coca: Choice from backlist<br /><br />Amanda W.<br />Alix the Weaver: Winner's choice of ebook<br />Kayelle Allen: Surrender Love<br /><br />And from The Morgan Diaries Blog side drawing, Catherine Lee, you win a copy of J.Morgan's Bite Marks Book One: Bite the One You're With<br /><br />Congratulations everyone and thanks for playing along!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-38481981291851015422012-06-24T00:01:00.000-05:002012-06-24T16:25:37.459-05:00Blog Hop Day 5<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, sadly, we're at the end of the blog hop, but we're also down to the top ten movies on our list of all time favorite Romantic movies. Know that we argued long and hard over this. I still have bruises over most of my body and in places no man should have bruises. Morgan O. fights dirty in case you didn't know.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Be quiet before that soprano lilt to your voice becomes permanent, Jmo. Because, I'm still thinking Murphy's Romance needs to be in the top ten, but our other choices didn't allow it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you mind putting down the cattle prod? Pretty Please. I agreed Murphy's Romance was the closest thing we had to a tie for ten. However, you know as well as I do, Dennis Quaid in his prime trumps James Garner after his prime. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So--drum roll please--without further ado,we present the Greatest Morgan Romance Movies of all time!!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6APh0LdxFg8OBVojV_LX8O3t9-MasJhAbLhHvBdznvT4Q0YzHwtSNDeHLD8ndbuXQ156csbCvCZwe4GsB9tIjyO2sGZkN3DxiNE6cqIeUFmRfzbEIdelUCtjb5q1rpMNxp_1z34H8AS6U/s1600/Big+Easy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6APh0LdxFg8OBVojV_LX8O3t9-MasJhAbLhHvBdznvT4Q0YzHwtSNDeHLD8ndbuXQ156csbCvCZwe4GsB9tIjyO2sGZkN3DxiNE6cqIeUFmRfzbEIdelUCtjb5q1rpMNxp_1z34H8AS6U/s320/Big+Easy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /> 10. The Big Easy <br /> 9. Romancing the Stone <br /> 8. Bridget Jones' Diary <br /> 7. The Ghost and Mrs Muir </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9-_RSQPOmr3w02UuqQpmZ8gWjzpqlpxZw-u5rWaCPg98s3vXJ2MWtKhx9biWGAQcOrdM5KugH2_Qoe8rO2u5iatYe4nrCK51JSTMtsqHYuw_Oniu_vAzlcOBi6-jAdxyw0O8yDms-GKf/s1600/african-queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9-_RSQPOmr3w02UuqQpmZ8gWjzpqlpxZw-u5rWaCPg98s3vXJ2MWtKhx9biWGAQcOrdM5KugH2_Qoe8rO2u5iatYe4nrCK51JSTMtsqHYuw_Oniu_vAzlcOBi6-jAdxyw0O8yDms-GKf/s320/african-queen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /> 6. African Queen <br /> 5. My Big Fat Greek Wedding <br /> 4. Notting Hill <br /> 3. Princess Bride <br /> 2. The Quiet Man <br /> 1. Casablanca </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L7Vz17r-D8ecodS0EIWwuAGCsi2bZKdMuqrnMWChIKLjJvV1ONAS_I6Z0XSrHxP-a3NnbbDbdmFKqFs_8yJz_fF1z862T14_4ZRlpb59qPvbulYW2M24fvHx6rsjCBSIdsk5f8NWmNVl/s1600/casablanca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L7Vz17r-D8ecodS0EIWwuAGCsi2bZKdMuqrnMWChIKLjJvV1ONAS_I6Z0XSrHxP-a3NnbbDbdmFKqFs_8yJz_fF1z862T14_4ZRlpb59qPvbulYW2M24fvHx6rsjCBSIdsk5f8NWmNVl/s320/casablanca.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks for playing along with us. Be sure to coast through to the end and get signed up for the grand drawing. One luck winner will get a Nook loaded with ebooks, and of course, something fabulous from me, a Morgan O'Reilly tote bag and pen. Very cool stuff! Jmo has a book in there as well. Join our blog and stay in tune with what's newest and greatest in the world of the Morgans. It's sure to be entertaining!</span>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-87672947561979935032012-06-23T00:01:00.000-05:002012-06-24T16:33:21.827-05:00Sexy Summer Solstice Hop Day 4<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Getting close to the end here. Have you been through the blog hop? Signed up to win? Commented for extra chances? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You should be seeing a lot of Cary Grant here. He's the best, in my opinion. Just haven't made anyone like him since. If there was one actor who you think might be capable of filling Cary Grant's shoes, who do you think he is? Of course I'm all about the men. Jmo may have some opinions on female leads. I think Julia Roberts is up there for him.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hey don't dis my Julia addiction, but this is definitely the Morgan O. block of the countdown, but we agree on a lot of the choices, otherwise they wouldn't be on here. Though, there was some biting and slapping over a couple of the picks on this part of the countdown. That was mainly me getting out of that closet Mo locked me in. By the way, could somebody explain why my mouth tastes like dog butt? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 40. The Runaway Bride <br /> 39. The Cutting Edge <br /> 38. Victor Victoria <br /> 37. Sweet Home Alabama <br /> 36. Something to Talk About <br /> 35. Across the Universe <br /> 34. Pillow Talk <br /> 33. Bride and Prejudice <br /> 32. Operation Petticoat <br /> 31. My Fair Lady </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDZcS7F1VwvggGg3ICRtLgEGacAoLc4_HDdiXHOavCgXlU1GtdoMq6s-PEVG-YuvwFwP_Wc2snsALBo4oppV63e33S4hlSHPevD0YX8_PsttDkPZ0S7dsmpDfeLGyRXG2WqMDPWUy6gmQ/s1600/Chocolat+-+Johnny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDZcS7F1VwvggGg3ICRtLgEGacAoLc4_HDdiXHOavCgXlU1GtdoMq6s-PEVG-YuvwFwP_Wc2snsALBo4oppV63e33S4hlSHPevD0YX8_PsttDkPZ0S7dsmpDfeLGyRXG2WqMDPWUy6gmQ/s320/Chocolat+-+Johnny.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">30. Chocolat <br /> 29. Fifty First Dates <br /> 28. Father Goose <br /> 27. Love Actually <br /> 26. Kate and Leopold <br /> 25. You've Got Mail <br /> 24. Witness <br /> 23. Jane Eyre <br /> 22. An Officer and a Gentleman <br /> 21. An Affair to Remember <br /> 20. When Harry Met Sally <br /> 19. Paint Your Wagon <br /> 18. It Happened One Night <br /> 17. Sleepless in Seattle <br /> 16. Moonstruck <br /> 15. Mama Mia <br /> 14. Ella Enchanted <br /> 13. American President <br /> 12. While You Were Sleeping <br /> 11. Murphy's Romance </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keeping up with the list? Coming in mid-stream? If you're not signed up on the <b><i>Sexy Summer Solstice Blog Hop</i></b> with <a href="http://justromance.me/"><b><span style="font-size: large;">JustRomance.Me</span></b></a>, get over there now and get with the program! Don't miss a chance to get some cool sway and great books!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As for our countdown list, you can find links to the past few days over on the Archives list. It's there to the right, scroll down until you see it and then click! You're in like Flynn.</span>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-92048214882382970532012-06-22T00:01:00.000-05:002012-06-22T16:02:43.249-05:00Sexy Summer Solstice Hop - Day 3<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On to day three of the hop, day two of our Romantic Movie Countdown. Jmo's still in the closet with the Beggin' Strips, but now I hear him howling for more. While I go toss in some more, take a look at the next section of our countdown. Agree? Disagree? Maybe you'll like our top ten better and that will explain many of our choices here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 70. Snow White <br /> 69. Smoky and the Bandit <br /> 68. Serendipity <br /> 67. Sense and Sensibility <br /> 66. Mystic Pizza <br /> 65. Robin Hood Men in Tights <br /> 64. Road House <br /> 63. Pride and Prejudice <br /> 62. Pretty Woman <br /> 61. Overboard <br /> 60. Out of Africa <br /> 59. Only the Lonely <br /> 58. Never Been Kissed <br /> 57. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves <br /> 56. Must Love Dogs <br /> 55. The Graduate <br /> 54. Two Mules for Sister Sara <br /> 53. Sleeping Beauty <br /> 52. Dr. Zhivago <br /> 51. Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer <br /> 50. Gone with the Wind <br /> 49. Rooster Cogburn <br /> 48. People Will Talk <br /> 47. Cleopatra <br /> 46. Charade, the original with Cary Grant and Audrey <br /> 45. Philadelphia Story, again with Cary Grant <br /> 44. On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever <br /> 43. My Favorite Wife <br /> 42. McClintock <br /> 41. Breakfast at Tiffany's</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have more movies to go! If you're joining us just today, feel free to check back for the last two days in the archives and see how we've ranked the movies. Also, the more you comment, the more generous we feel! If you've lost your way on the Sexy Summer Solstice Blog Tour, click on the link for<b> <a href="http://justromance.me/">JustRomance.me</a></b> and join the hop! You could be the lucky owner of a Nook loaded with great books!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Need more info? Check out <a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/2012/06/summer-solstice-is-upon-us.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 1</span></b></a> and <a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-two-of-hop.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Day 2</span></b></a> of the hop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And if you're looking for more reading material, check out this <a href="http://smittenwithreading.blogspot.com/2012/06/til-death-undo-us-by-morgan-q-oreilly.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">review</span></b></a> for Morgan O's <b><i>Til Death Undo Us</i></b>, the beginning of the Shaughnessys and all those hot redheaded men!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 416px;"><colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 14791; mso-width-source: userset; width: 312pt;" width="416"></col></colgroup><tbody></tbody></table>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-88303974518511510352012-06-21T00:01:00.000-05:002012-06-21T11:45:16.759-05:00Day Two of the Hop<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today is day one of our countdown of Romantic Movies. Don't quibble too much over our choices, or at least their placing. Jmo and I argued long and hard over the order. I won. I'm the female, I know. I also led him into a closet with the promise of bacon flavored Oreos. He's now locked in there and I'm wondering when or if he'll figure out it's only Beggin' Strips in the bag. Hell, bacon tastes like bacon, right?<br /><br />Anyhow, starting the countdown with 100 through 71. The odd numbering is so we can wind up with our top ten at the very end. The top ten is the most important, so we'll work our way there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 369px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 13112; mso-width-source: userset; width: 277pt;" width="369"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="19" style="height: 14.4pt; mso-yfti-irow: 103; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td class="xl65" height="19" style="height: 14.4pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-top: 0in; width: 277pt;" width="369"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">100. Music and Lyrics <br />99. Mulan <br />98. The King and I <br />97. Jerry McGuire <br />96. Hope Floats <br />95. Hitch <br />94. He's Just Not That Into You <br />93. Heaven Knows Mr. Allison <br />92. Hairspray <br />91. Grosse Point Blank<br />90. Four Weddings and a Funeral <br />89. Empire Strikes Back <br />88. Doc Hollywood <br />87. Dirty Dancing <br />86. Elisabeth Town <br />85. Cinderella <br />84. Chances Are <br />83. Bridges of Madison County <br />82. Beauty and the Beast <br />81. Aladdin <br />80. A Star is Born <br />79. 27 dresses <br />78. Top Gun <br />77. To Wong Foo <br />76. Tin Cup <br />75. The Ugly Truth <br />74. The Phantom of the Opera <br />73. The Mexican <br />72. The Gods Must be Crazy <br />71. The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm willing to bet you'll argue the placement of some, or most of our choices. You're free to do that, but this is our list, so this is how it stands. Tomorrow we'll see the next 30 down the list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remember to leave a comment, and if you fall off the hop, or want to start at the beginning, go to<a href="http://justromance.me/solstice12/" target="_blank"> <b>JustRomance.me</b></a> and get on board!</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-38524535544195544902012-06-20T00:01:00.000-05:002012-06-22T16:00:26.387-05:00Summer Solstice is Upon Us!<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You've found the Sexy Solstice Blog Hop!! This is the stop for <b><i>Morgan Q. O'Reilly</i></b> and <b><i>J. Morgan</i></b>. If you're lost or want to find the beginning, just go to <a href="http://justromance.me/">JustRomance.Me</a> and get on board!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Starting today we're celebrating the longest days of the year with the <a href="http://justromance.me/"><b>JustRomance.Me</b></a> group of bloggers and hopping from on sexy fun blog to the next!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the exception of the queen of the frigid north, Morgan O, we're fighting summer-melt-you-into-a-puddle conditions. Ignore her whining about days in the high 70s. She doesn't know what real summer is. Okay, so she doesn't have A/C in her house. Who needs it in Alaska? Seriously, go sit on a glacier.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__ez9NRJInUe9DNFtJZTRuTYbTnWmggpTol8FRimzhaBZpgPdoxlEv3ZrvzzTkn4Iae4Nbnqj2ZVEMbpRnrJ0otmUlmzv2Q-bOH8UYchaKs_bwnkF7TZgMh7SxS9ijiOyzHzpEajDvrE/s1600/Label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__ez9NRJInUe9DNFtJZTRuTYbTnWmggpTol8FRimzhaBZpgPdoxlEv3ZrvzzTkn4Iae4Nbnqj2ZVEMbpRnrJ0otmUlmzv2Q-bOH8UYchaKs_bwnkF7TZgMh7SxS9ijiOyzHzpEajDvrE/s1600/Label.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That said, what better way to spend those long hot summer days and nights than with the greatest romantic movies of all time, a comfy chair, and the air conditioning tickling your toes? Morgan O. and I decided to help you out by giving you our top 100 movies of all time. The electric bill is on you though. We do movies. How low you set the thermostat is all you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So how did we decide which movies to slip into our top 100? Simple. They're the movies we, meaning the twin Mo's, can watch over and over again. We just can't live without them. Now you have to bear with us as starting tomorrow we'll get this thing Summered up with the first 25 movies and count down until we hit that magic numero uno. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduCWcO0vQ3mlMdVK8hNGM2GZbjNBHkz1FN2ExrRWS5phlaimoT-PkxuyYLyzSM78iOgaEOL4-qLZWLdeL66TK52PzXd9BEbTWJPCA-eIGTQLc7kuH30xvXcQo8Du4qOjgn5evLGua_iI/s1600/Billy+Crystal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduCWcO0vQ3mlMdVK8hNGM2GZbjNBHkz1FN2ExrRWS5phlaimoT-PkxuyYLyzSM78iOgaEOL4-qLZWLdeL66TK52PzXd9BEbTWJPCA-eIGTQLc7kuH30xvXcQo8Du4qOjgn5evLGua_iI/s1600/Billy+Crystal.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We invite you to play along with us. Hit us with the movies you think are too low, don't belong or just hit you in the heart. Even better let us know which movies you can't live without. Believe me, our DVD shelves are over flowing like crazy, just like yours are. Yes, it's true, we have no lives. Sad isn't it? Good thing we write for a living or we'd never have a vacation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By vacation we mean, those little trips inside our heads, that you get to read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So get in the game! Comment to be entered into the drawing for whatever it is we're giving away. I know there's a Nook loaded with great reads up for the Grand Prize at the end of the hop. We'll also be doing some impromptu give-aways as the spirit moves us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3yw6RyyADphjSVqPy1R9je77eqofMt5_V2zOA6ZCSbu-GitIHKUkJMMsvthOMuoxKkYlmiVY_WeSdTZWpIcaqzg-Xmzv3dcZOptExTCDyt-PGtJVd50dLFPCsI1nFkm0Lz2lBPYBWLk/s1600/couple+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3yw6RyyADphjSVqPy1R9je77eqofMt5_V2zOA6ZCSbu-GitIHKUkJMMsvthOMuoxKkYlmiVY_WeSdTZWpIcaqzg-Xmzv3dcZOptExTCDyt-PGtJVd50dLFPCsI1nFkm0Lz2lBPYBWLk/s1600/couple+1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And as a bonus, if your favorite love story has not been made into a movie, tell us what it is and why you think it deserves to be on the big screen. If you just happen to mention of our our books, well, you might get special preference! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stick around, view the pages listed to the right and be sure to say nice things to us. We really like that!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Click<a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-two-of-hop.html"> <b><span style="font-size: large;">Here</span></b></a> For The Start of The Romantic Movie Countdown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Click <a href="http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/2012/06/sexy-summer-solstice-hop-day-3.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> for Part Two of the Countdown</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-23485059622530711782012-05-18T10:26:00.000-05:002012-05-18T10:26:38.457-05:00Spring Into Summer Swag Special<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm feeling a little giddy these days. The long, long, Alaskan winter is over and spring is finally busting out all over. The birch trees are sporting bright, fresh green leaves and the birds are singing nearly 'round the clock as the sun spends more time in the sky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNthDb_eMs2KrpRylakcHAHLLcXk4MEK7nAVQn9OHleclarHhUsRqWfTa9yQ5H0LZyzQvRzR_bZIWipm2VZAW39ontDx80OsdE2ekkhkza02EsHZpe60mh4qmDBshJFtA_4cMyphXCFoJe/s1600/MorganOReilly_CowboysDream_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNthDb_eMs2KrpRylakcHAHLLcXk4MEK7nAVQn9OHleclarHhUsRqWfTa9yQ5H0LZyzQvRzR_bZIWipm2VZAW39ontDx80OsdE2ekkhkza02EsHZpe60mh4qmDBshJFtA_4cMyphXCFoJe/s200/MorganOReilly_CowboysDream_200px.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other signs of summer are here. Mostly my house has been invaded by the offspring. Fresh home from college for the summer, he's quickly marked his territory with boxes, computers, clothes and dirty dishes. I sure love that kid! And I'm glad he has a good summer job this year. So far it's boring, but the Electrical Engineering Internship should be picking up speed soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have several professional things to celebrate. The re-edit and re-release of <b><i>Cowboys Dream Too</i></b>. It's a little shorter, and a few things have been clarified, but the story is the same. It has a hot new cover by Kim Killion of <i><b>Hot Damn Designs</b></i>. Pretty much says it all! The book is available at <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/157418" target="_blank"><b>Smashwords</b></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Dream-Too-ebook/dp/B007ZBVAVK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1335931477&sr=8-10" target="_blank"><b>Kindle</b></a>, and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cowboys-dream-too-morgan-q-oreilly/1017484545?ean=2940014466257" target="_blank"><b>Nook</b></a> online stores. Other retailers such as Sony should follow soon.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lIkdE_2SRaLtzfrjHQiVH0IYIM_AnJvjUJWGupbxl2uJ2jak-YOgrcbknAAtyeHuYBNH7udQfToOo4aykUU9AAGPgK21k-RX_nQQYpblcLttaEaDgFx8mmK9mAvCFqnSEeyJcI8fbIhQ/s1600/MorganOReilly_ThatOldeChristmasMagic_800px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lIkdE_2SRaLtzfrjHQiVH0IYIM_AnJvjUJWGupbxl2uJ2jak-YOgrcbknAAtyeHuYBNH7udQfToOo4aykUU9AAGPgK21k-RX_nQQYpblcLttaEaDgFx8mmK9mAvCFqnSEeyJcI8fbIhQ/s200/MorganOReilly_ThatOldeChristmasMagic_800px.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">AND, just today I found an awesome review for <b><i>That Olde Christmas Magic</i></b>! Woohoo! Just Erotic Romance Reviews reviewer, Silla Beaumont gave it a Silver Star Review. Wow! I'm pretty thrilled about that. You can read the entire review </span><a href="http://www.justeroticromancereviews.com/book-review.cfm?bookID=988436115&reviewID=8736&sNav=nav03-06" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a><span style="text-align: center;">. Don't be put off by the Christmas theme. This is a fun book for anytime of year. <a href="http://kinkybookreviews.com/wordpress/review-that-olde-christmas-magic-by-morgan-oreilly/" target="_blank"><b>Sir's Kitten</b></a> says so. Also available from <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/112433" target="_blank"><b>Smashwords</b></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/That-Olde-Christmas-Magic-ebook/dp/B006MHUIJ8/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337353704&sr=1-4" target="_blank"><b>Kindle</b></a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-olde-christmas-magic-morgan-oreilly/1108002225?ean=2940013863200" target="_blank"><b>Nook</b></a>, <a href="http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/morgan-o-reilly/that-olde-christmas-magic/_/R-400000000000000569068" target="_blank"><b>Sony</b></a> and a few other outlets. All my books with links may be found at my <a href="http://morganqoreilly.com/books-morgan" target="_blank"><b>website</b></a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Yes, all this is leading up to something. Not really huge, but fun! I just got in a bunch of swag that I'm planning to send to RWA Nationals. Since I won't be there, my fun stuff will. If I can find a willing chapter member to haul it down and dump it in the Goodie Room. Fast Fans will be able to grab a pen and bookmarks. Think I may do a repeat of last year's temporary tattoos. They're all kinds of fun!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Anyhow, to get an enhanced swag pack, I'm playing a little game on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Quinn-OReilly/27734521758" target="_blank"><b>Facebook Author</b></a> Page. Not really a contest, but trying to wake things up a bit. It's simple. "Like" my page and make a comment. Or if you're already a fan, just make a comment. You don't even have to "like" my page for long. You can dump it on Sunday if you want. I just want to play for a couple days. And on Saturday (May 19, 2012 -- also my 22nd wedding anniversary), I'll draw a name from the hat and one lucky person will get...</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBJOd7MxhrFmFPdjRcZ6FQfVbGprpy06HU5qjKBHRkeoeczkl5kacmzwehweQu2Ir087UkB396KCumI7_Di6x1pYp7EhJVvURoNx_5uBmAcA5mLkGtD9pjYcNZJDxLi25SUR0qTHmv_oB/s1600/Tote+May+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBJOd7MxhrFmFPdjRcZ6FQfVbGprpy06HU5qjKBHRkeoeczkl5kacmzwehweQu2Ir087UkB396KCumI7_Di6x1pYp7EhJVvURoNx_5uBmAcA5mLkGtD9pjYcNZJDxLi25SUR0qTHmv_oB/s320/Tote+May+2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only not...tipped sideways. Huh. I've tried to fix this, and everywhere else it's the right side up! For those with sore necks, that's a tote bag, a pen, and a notepad. And possibly a few other goodies I can cram into the small Priority Mail box. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ya know, I'll make it even more simple to win. Comment here and I'll drop your name in the hat. That way you don't have to "Like" another page. Amazing how those things add up and take up space and time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Spring!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Morgan Q. O'Reilly</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Romance for all Your Moods</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Quinn-OReilly/27734521758" target="_blank">Facebook</a> ~*~ <a href="http://morganqoreilly.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> ~*~ <a href="http://twitter.com/MorganQOReilly" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImWn0K9DMRgkEaecBAp564V7MX3ZMWZmPXtbfN5w2nyqLQZMpkRL59xq7vyZr_L39ltiXssf_y6qwgJ0U_M6fHL3_LZLv7xhHjleUcIB99AMJqjJ7smkhyN3oIZ8Ua4_9DRyMkfo3YEIw/s1600/GetSomeTonight_Lrg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImWn0K9DMRgkEaecBAp564V7MX3ZMWZmPXtbfN5w2nyqLQZMpkRL59xq7vyZr_L39ltiXssf_y6qwgJ0U_M6fHL3_LZLv7xhHjleUcIB99AMJqjJ7smkhyN3oIZ8Ua4_9DRyMkfo3YEIw/s320/GetSomeTonight_Lrg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-51150315656163449312012-04-01T17:00:00.002-05:002012-04-01T17:04:28.068-05:00Fling into Spring!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-mf9aKLe8J8L9G6WFoDiRG_CTdyYaDVZxNhPgs4WUjD-SC0JIDmF6qPpgWHIoWQL6M1rgMeYOPdiKUb58uMnC7IILCq6voISEQKKoAuu2ZLpvjuZw7ChGcfs1EpYbfBzfbIVZd_ncdI/s1600/SpringFling_468x60.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 41px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-mf9aKLe8J8L9G6WFoDiRG_CTdyYaDVZxNhPgs4WUjD-SC0JIDmF6qPpgWHIoWQL6M1rgMeYOPdiKUb58uMnC7IILCq6voISEQKKoAuu2ZLpvjuZw7ChGcfs1EpYbfBzfbIVZd_ncdI/s320/SpringFling_468x60.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726556196098902674" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255); font-family:arial;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Well when our minds turn to inspired flings, none other than a few select hotties spring to mind. Let's not forget to throw in a blood sucker or two, and some dark romance for reading on the beach or just in a nice flowering garden. Hey, it is Spring after all. So we thought why not toss a few of our favorite Hotties of Spring at you. A top ten of hotness, if you will. And we will. Insert brahwahwahwahwa here.</span></span><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;" >Over the next few weeks we're going to be counting down our top ten Spring Time Hotties of all time. What does this mean? It means pictures! Dazzling commentary between the two Morgans! Some other stuff we haven't come up with yet! That last bit should scare the pants right off you. But, mostly it means a ton of fun for you and us. So, when you think your day can't get any worse, and giant Rabbits are trying to get you to take the blue pill instead of the red pill, don't run and hide under the bed. We'll already be there so you need to find another spot. We suggest behind the coat rack at the Howard Johnsons out on Route 5. </span><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;" >When you get done doing that, come back to the blog and see if your hottie has made the list. If it hasn't, tell us why it should. We won't get mad at you. In fact, we'll add the top two suggests with the best explanation for why they should be on the list as honorable mentions, which will get the suggestee (suggestor?) well, whichever it is, that person will get a copy of either Jmo's or Morgan O's latest book. You can't get fairer than that. You can, but we can't exactly bump one of our hotties for one of yours. Their feelings might get hurt. A sobbing hottie isn't a pretty sight.</span><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;" >So, here's to kicking off Spring and making all our Hottie dreams come true! Or at the very least slobber on the screen when Morgan O posts the pics.</span><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><br style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;" >Don’t forget to look over the rules for the Night Owl Reviews’ Spring Fling and look for the answer to Morgan’s question for a chance at the huge list of awesome prizes, including a $25 Amazon gift card from us!</span><br style="color: rgb(102, 255, 255); font-family: arial;">J. Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18423123847802839361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-75613181889348698922012-03-28T00:30:00.000-05:002012-03-28T00:30:03.708-05:00Avon Impulse Debut Author Lizbeth SelvigToday we're welcoming Lizbeth Selvig, one of Avon Impulse's newest author to The Morgan Diaries. Liz and MorganO go back several years to when Liz lived in Alaska for too short a time. Below she blogs and then treats us to a very special excerpt. One she hasn't posted anywhere else. It's from my favorite scene! Oh heck, all her scenes are my favorite, but this one is extra Morgan HAWT.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>How Little Miss Goody Two Shoes Writes a Sex Scene</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, I want to thank the Morgans for inviting me to the
Diaries today. I’ve known about their site since its inception, and it’s got a
great reputation for fun topics and awesome discussions. They don’t shy away
from reality (or fiction!) here. So what better place for my mama’s “nice girl”
to talk about sex?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some time ago I got the reputation of being a “good”
girl—you know, the kind who gets warned with lines like, “Well, you might not
like this book, it’s pretty spicy.” I don’t precisely know how I got the rep
(because I tell really good naughty jokes) except that I’m a wimp about a lot
of things like graphic violence, the death of a hero I love, too much swearing,
more than six sex scenes, and heavy bondage. Hmmm, well, maybe that could sort
of describe a goody two-shoes, couldn’t it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nevertheless, let me tell you what I am not too Miss Goody
Two Shoes to enjoy: great action, great passion, great romance AND, above all,
a great sex scene. (Apologies to my beautiful daughter, who prefers to believe
she was a test tube baby or delivered by a stork, take your pick.) A good sex
scene can transport a reader to “somewhere else.” An excellent one can make her
fall in love with the characters in your book. The best scenes will make your
reader believe the characters will do more than just love each other—they’ll
love each other forever, no matter what else they face. And the very, very best sex scenes will make
you forget the characters are figments of someone’s imagination.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, how, you ask, does little miss wimpy-me me write that
kind of sex scene with no handcuffs and lots of euphemisms? Two words: relationships
and setting. Here’s what I mean.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Relationships.</b> In
my own books, I prefer fewer sex scenes per book, ones that contain no bondage
or dominate/submissive themes, and that feature a man and a woman. This is
based 100 percent on taste and zero percent on me making judgments. What I like
in my level of graphic description might be different from what others might
want, but whatever that level is, the most important thing for me is to believe
the characters involved are committed and caring and honestly intending to
share the best of themselves with their partner. I’ve read many books—by
writers I thoroughly admire—containing elements I’m not comfortable writing (or
am not good at writing) but that show a super high positive relationship
factor! Handcuffs or no, I approach
every sex scene by working foremost on the relationship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Setting.</b> To me, the
setting is fundamental in creating a love scene that’s unforgettable and not
just another boring Tab A in Slot B scene in the book. The most traditional setting for sex is
obvious—a bed. And a fine setting that is! But, with a common setting like
that, what will make my scene stand out? How do my hero and heroine get to the
bed? Where is it? I have to try to come up with something a little unique so we
forget they’re on sheets and not in the branches of a tree. (Of course, a tree
might be exactly what an author needs to make a scene unique.) I always work to
come up with a setting that’s imaginative all on its own, while still flowing
from the story and being conducive to building that all-important relationship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which brings me to the shameless plug for my new book, “The
Rancher and the Rock Star.” It has lots of sensuality and one sex scene. That
scene would be described as “vanilla” – meaning the sex is fairly traditional
with no “kinkiness.” But I’ve also had it called (by our own knowledgeable
Morgan among others), “one of the hottest love scenes” ever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I definitely doubt that—but I’ll take the compliment. Why do
I think it worked? It was a pivotal scene in my hero and heroine’s
relationship, and I set it in the woods next to a campfire and then had the
hero do a work out! Unusual? I hope so. Meaningful? It was to them. Hot? Well,
at least the campfire was! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll let you decide if it works. But first, tell me your thoughts about
love/sex scenes in books. Do you prefer no sex, some sex, vanilla sex, or hot
and steamy no-holds-barred sex? Do you
skim love scenes, avoid them, or relish them?
If you’re a writer – do you have a process? I have one fellow writer who
keeps a book of her scenes and is known to recycle them. Is sex a controversial
or uncomfortable subject for you?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After you think about all these steamy questions, have a
peek at the exclusive excerpt below. My critique partners and I call it “The
Push up Scene,” and you’ll only find it here on the Morgan Diaries or in the
book itself. Then have at it and share your thoughts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most of all, enjoy!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELm0XTn0NhAFYMRrL_Zoj5cXj8xNNO7omaOztsNVmtT3VeQENID6AOjqLWYBKig-FyDlJqDjfl-Z81Ic8jjNR7ojShyphenhyphenQaLenRMZnRvV8xsA6UJCtO1a0uxaodSXL7od5uJx39uc6r-G4/s1600/RancherAndRockStar+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELm0XTn0NhAFYMRrL_Zoj5cXj8xNNO7omaOztsNVmtT3VeQENID6AOjqLWYBKig-FyDlJqDjfl-Z81Ic8jjNR7ojShyphenhyphenQaLenRMZnRvV8xsA6UJCtO1a0uxaodSXL7od5uJx39uc6r-G4/s320/RancherAndRockStar+Cover.jpg" width="199" /></a>EXCERPT – <i>THE RANCHER AND THE ROCK STAR </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
(Exclusive to TMD)<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Turning back to the campfire, Abby closed her eyes. She loved the heat on
her face—the ultra-hot flush from the flames. The heat was intensified tonight,
in every secret spot of her body. Gray’s presence owned her awareness, along
with the cricket songs and the pounding of her pulse in her ears.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“You look cold.” Gray's voice startled her, banishing the last thoughts of
horses and losses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
A laugh spilled from her lips. “That’s ridiculous.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s not. I say you’re shivering.” He unfolded his powerful legs, pushed
to a stand, and Abby’s stomach moved into a rocking samba of excitement as he
strode to stand over her. “I can see you shaking from here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“You need glasses.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“No, I need something much different.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He knelt in front of her. Her stomach dipped; her breathing accelerated.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I think my plan to slow you down has backfired.” She swallowed. “You
need to work off some of this sugar high.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
He placed four fingers between her breasts and pushed with gentle, steady
pressure until she lay on her back, her head just off the quilt. Walking his
hands up either side of her body, he crept forward until he was suspended over
her, balanced on his hands and toes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Good idea.” He lowered his body, and his hot breath, sweet with a lingering
scent of the schnapps, swept her face. She sucked it into her lungs like the
smoke of a drug</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
His biceps contracted then straightened. A perfect push-up. “One,” he
said. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh, jeez.” Her breath escaped like steam from a valve.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
His arm muscles bunched—down and up again. “Two.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The third time, his torso whispered against hers, prickling like static
electricity. “Three.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Next he brushed her full body, breast to thigh. Blood pounded to her
core. “Four.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Who does pushups anymore?” The words squeaked past her larynx. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“I do. Five.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
The campfire’s heat jumped from the pit to Abby’s body, and she fought to
keep from pulling him onto her to end the teasing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Six.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh. Gray.” She closed her eyes as throbbing settled between her thighs
and radiated until it pounded behind her navel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She thought she’d been ready for him, but she’d never imagined anything
like this. Push ups. Just—<i>push ups.</i> She’d
never think of them the same way again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Seven.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
Soft lips touched her forehead. Foreheads weren’t supposed to have this many
nerve endings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Eight.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
She reached around and grabbed hold of his biceps. She arched her back and
when he came down again, her pelvis grazed his with a slick shot of current.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Nine.” His lips found her nose, and she whimpered.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Ten.” Lip to lip. Wet, lingering, he pressed against her for several
seconds before pushing up. He hadn’t even broken a sweat, and when she forced
herself to open her eyes his were riveted on her, a dreamy, opaque,
cousin-of-blue color like new steel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Eleven.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“How many can you do?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“As many as you want. Twelve.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“How many can you really do?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
His full weight came to rest atop the length of her and the melt-down
began. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
“Tonight? Only twelve.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNtYCxy1Ugb9MRo4yUIQlRMZFZqhSN_l4FQurRN4cK3DcZRidhvkaQwwuK6IIuaUmHWNn6ayNAKf4ivpnP6mE4icxRqs5VnFnWoJpEFDZZTrRThCycxWLZAT8CV812d4eH-nnnp5pMRM/s1600/Campfire+silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNtYCxy1Ugb9MRo4yUIQlRMZFZqhSN_l4FQurRN4cK3DcZRidhvkaQwwuK6IIuaUmHWNn6ayNAKf4ivpnP6mE4icxRqs5VnFnWoJpEFDZZTrRThCycxWLZAT8CV812d4eH-nnnp5pMRM/s320/Campfire+silhouette.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>Morgan2xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00579035241056033136noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-794150366930166332012-02-27T15:02:00.000-06:002012-02-27T15:02:00.038-06:00Dawn's Reading Nook: Welcome Morgan O'Reilly Today<div>I'm at Dawn Roberto's Reading Nook today. Stop by and say Hello!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-morgan-oreilly-today.html?spref=bl">Dawn's Reading Nook: Welcome Morgan O'Reilly Today</a>: Welcome to Dawn’s Reading Nook, Morgan O’Reilly. Please let my cabana boys/girls get you a drink and make yourself at home. Comfortable?...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-53533573409798298392012-02-23T00:01:00.003-06:002012-02-23T00:29:01.786-06:00Guest Blogger - Beth Ann Masarik<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbAvneh7b-MsmGBLmyGeMlocoDqpGf-g7n9c_oWefbaltwq6n5ZnWaajITwi2XUJd0gObN6LyVioOYehb7JHFuVBoH_UN8IG6Pv7_He-PXvRgHhDmveZnCvQBiqP8JwbShCTtHwrw9Fs_/s1600/tourbutton.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbAvneh7b-MsmGBLmyGeMlocoDqpGf-g7n9c_oWefbaltwq6n5ZnWaajITwi2XUJd0gObN6LyVioOYehb7JHFuVBoH_UN8IG6Pv7_He-PXvRgHhDmveZnCvQBiqP8JwbShCTtHwrw9Fs_/s320/tourbutton.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712213869796475986" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>Today is day 20-something on <a href="http://www.bethannmasarik.com/">Beth Ann Masarik's</a> incredible blog tour. She's going all February and you can find the schedule at the link above. We're honored to have her and hope all you Morgan Readers give her a big welcome! Today she's taking a bit of a break from the usual questions of "how did you come up with this story" and "who inspires you most" type questions and she's talking about her upcoming wedding, on a most auspicious day no less. Oct 14 is Mr. O'Reilly's birthday! A good day for celebration if we ever heard of one. At the end, be sure to register for the awesome give away she's doing for one lucky TMD reader.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>PS: Be sure to wish Jmo a Happy Birthday! He's so young, it's hardly worth it, but hey, he keeps us laughing. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">------------</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>Thank you, Morg</span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">an and Jmo, for having me on your blog today! For those of you who are meeting me for the first time, it’s a pleasure to meet you all! And for those of you who are coming back for more, welcome back! You guys are in for a real treat today! Why? Because today I am going to talk about my wedding plans!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><span style="text-align: center; ">*hears wedding bells in the background*</span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Yup! For those of you who don’t know, I am engaged, and am getting married on October 14</span><sup style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">th</sup><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> of this year.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">SQUEE! LOL.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span><span>I honestly </span>couldn't<span> be happier with the man I am with.</span></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Out of everyone I know, he is one of the most supportive of my crazy endeavors.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">He puts up with all my rants and writerly craziness.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I mean hey, he’s only going to have to live with me in a couple of months, he may as well get used to it, right? LOL.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span><span>Most girls dream of getting married in a big church and all that jazz. But me, </span>I've<span> always dreamed of getting married in my little parish in the town of Port Washington, NY.</span></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">It is a 60 year old church, and has a cute little charm about it that makes it feel warm and welcoming.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">No, it’s not as big as the other Catholic church in town, but it’s my church, and the people there are warm and welco</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">ming. It’s my second home, and the people there are part of my family in some way or another.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I was reassured that Tuesday night when Kevin & I were crowned the King and Queen of Mardi Gras at our church’s party.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span><span>I will be perfectly honest, there are times where I am scared crapless that I am going to mess up my relationship, or scare Kevin off with all my crazy ideas. I mean, hello, I talk about my characters as if they are real people sometimes. Who </span>doesn't<span> think that’s crazy? LOL. But, for whatever reason, Kevin sticks around, and I am grateful for it.</span></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I honestly don’t know where I would be today without him in my life.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>We have 8 months and counting until our big day and we still have so much left to do. HOWEVER, we can cross the following items off our list:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "></p><ul style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><li><s><span>My wedding dress</span></s></li><li><s><span>Bridesmaid dresses</span></s></li><li><s><span>The Church</span></s></li><li><s><span>The reception hall</span></s></li><li><s><span>Mother of the bride dress</span></s></li><li><s><span>Our wedding rings</span></s></li></ul><p style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>While those are some major things that we have done, we still have so much to do! I know we will get it done in due time, but the clock is ticking, and soon enough the big day will be here.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><span>I have been blogging wedding progress reports on my blog which is </span><a href="http://www.bahbammymusings.wordpress.com/">www.bahbammymusings.wordpress.com</a><span>.</span><span> </span><span>Please feel free to follow along and offer any wedding advice you can give us!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><span>Why am I writing about weddings, when I should be talking about <b><i>The World Among Us</i></b>?</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Well, I felt like a bit of a change for one thing, and for the other, weddings lead to romance and The World Among Us is heavily involved with love…especially the forbidden kind.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>About <b><i>The World Among Us: Prince of Darkness</i></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(24, 24, 24); "></span></span></p><span><span>In <i>The World A</i><s style="font-size: 16px; "><span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEBMSVLrKgw8Y6ylGBeAI4f3ZJC8_nandAXccL-SkseMTKwStPPHSdlSn3i07dV3wLORHOEFikwuDbSXb8lXJeVGmPkDvP3AtKuR4gtbrdlMO67WjEWcONddh2j1VsB5hkAoRY0IteK9H/s320/wau_final-4+%25281%2529.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712213584284585650" style="font-size: medium; float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 250px; " /></span></s><i></i><i>mo</i></span></span><div><span><span><i>ng Us</i>, Hades, the god of the Underworld, plots to take over the world, and remove Gaia, the head Deity, from power. In order to do so, he plots against his own son, Damien, and cons him into killing his soul mate, the beautiful goddess of the moon, Selene. Hades does so, because Gaia is his natural enemy, and Selene is her favorite grandchild. He thinks that by killing off Gaia’s favorite grandchild, he will weaken her. </span></span><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>With Selene out of the way, Hades then moves in on the Creatures of the Night. He wants to kill off their leader, Jason Aysel. Jason is the go-between person between worlds, and another person that Gaia highly regards. Hades manipulates and cons Jason’s best friend, Leon Greene, into murdering him, by offering him Jason’s position as his reward. </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Because of these actions, a war is to take place on earth between the gods and other Creatures of the Night. During this time, Selene is reincarnated, and kept hidden as a secret weapon to win the war against Hades. In order to win the war of wars, the gods and some of the demons will have to fight together, and learn to co-operate with each other. </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>Will the Titans and Olympians be able to set aside their differences, and take back the world from Hades? Or is the world as we know it, doomed to fall under dark shadows, forever? </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>THE GIVEAWAY: I am giving away the following: </span></span></div><div><ul><li>A signed paperback copy of The World Among Us: Prince of Darkness</li><li>A Fanclub t-shirtAn autographed poster</li><li>A bookmark</li><li>And a TWAU pin </li></ul></div><div><span><span>To enter, please leave a comment here on the Morgans' blog to show them some love and fill out the rafflecopter. This contest will run through Feb. 24th, so you will have a couple of days to enter. Please join me on Giselle’s blog tomorrow, Feb 24th for some more blog tour fun!</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span> </span></p> <a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; width: 100%; text-align: center; display: block; " id="rpow-d1063a6"><span><b>a <i>Rafflecopter</i> giveaway</b></span></a><a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; width: 100%; text-align: center; display: block; " id="rpow-d1063a6"><span><b><br /></b></span></a><a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; width: 100%; text-align: center; display: block; " id="rpow-d1063a6"><span><b><br /></b></span></a><span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /><noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</noscript></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><span></span></span></p><b><span><i>Beth Ann Masarik </i></span></b><div style="font-size: 100%; ">Author of <i><b>The World Among Us, Prince of Darkness</b></i> (available where books are sold!) </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; ">Founder of <b>Literary Lunes Magazine</b> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.literarylunes.com" style="font-weight: normal; ">www.literarylunes.com</a> for more details! </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; ">Founder of <b>Wordsmiths and Ink Scribblers</b> writing network <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.wordsmithsinkscribblers.spruz.com" style="font-weight: normal; ">www.wordsmithsinkscribblers.spruz.com</a> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; "><b>Follow me here: </b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BethAnnMasarik">https://www.facebook.com/BethAnnMasarik</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldAmongUs">https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldAmongUs</a> </span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span>Twitter: @theworldamongus </span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span><span>Personal Website: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bethannmasarik.com">www.bethannmasarik.com</a> </span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span>Goodreads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/bethmasarik">http://www.goodreads.com/bethmasarik</a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); "><span style="background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/bethmasarik" target="_blank"></a></span></span></span></p></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432389790871421538.post-35762271866759381852012-02-12T20:41:00.003-06:002012-02-12T20:44:36.035-06:00Cupid's Choice... Who Won?Big, big drawing today. Many awesome books given away. So sorry you all couldn't make the chat, but never fear, you still get to win.<div><br /></div><div>Our first winner, announced at the chat is Shadow! She won a copy of Til Death Undo Us, by yours truly, Morgan Q. O'Reilly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Winner of Jmo's book, Were the Moon Don't Shine, is Ilona!</div><div><br /></div><div>Both winners have been emailed, so let us know if you don't get them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a message!! We hope you had as much fun as we did.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Morgans</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1