It’s my sixth Wednesday on tour with Goddess Fish.
Stop by and visit for a while. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Today’s stop – Jacquie Biggar’s blog
Author Archives: Joanne Guidoccio
Visiting and Sharing a Recipe
I’m visiting Addie Jo Ryleigh’s blog and chatting about The Coming of Arabella. I’m also sharing an easy-to-prepare recipe for banana muffins.
If you have a few minutes, drop by Addie Jo’s blog.
November is Manatee Awareness Month
Manatees are large marine mammals that inhabit shallow rivers, canals, saltwater bays, and coastal areas. A migratory species, they spend their winters in the Florida waters and move as far north as Massachusetts and as far west as Texas during the summers.
A bit of history
In his first journey to the Americas, Christopher Columbus caught glimpses of three sea creatures he first believed to be mermaids but had some doubts. He wrote in his journal: “…distinctly saw three mermaids which rose well out of the sea; but they are not so beautiful as they are said to be, for their faces had some masculine traits.”
Manatees must surface to breathe air. They are known to rise out of the sea like the alluring sirens of Greek mythology and often perform “tail stands” in shallow water. From a distance, they could be mistaken for humans. Their forelimbs contain five sets of finger-like bones, and their neck vertebrae allows them to turn their heads.
Interesting manatee facts
Manatees have a higher gray matter to white matter ratio in their brains than any other mammal known, including humans.
Primarily herbivores, manatees can consume fifteen to twenty percent of their body weight in vegetation daily.
While manatees can travel up to 20 miles per hour in short bursts, they usually travel three to five miles per hour. Along the coast, they travel in water that is 10 to 16 feet deep and they are rarely seen in areas over 20 feet deep.
Manatees are not sexually mature until they are about five years old. During breeding, a single female (cow) will be followed by a dozen or more males (bulls), forming a “mating herd.” The gestation period is about a year and mothers nurse their young for one to two years.
They have a lifespan of about 60 years with no known natural enemies. A certain percentage of manatee mortality can be attributed to natural causes such as cold stress, gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia, and other diseases.
Sources of danger
In the past, manatees were exploited for their meat, fat, and hides. But the most significant challenge faced today is the loss of habitat. Increased coastal development and poaching have significantly reduced the size of the manatee population. Experts believe that pollution in these areas may also have an effect on manatee mortality, as chemicals introduced into their habitats can lead to impaired immune systems.
A high number of manatee deaths result from collisions with boats when the mammals are surfacing for air. They are not fast enough to elude the boat propellers and suffer from fatal gashes. Other accidents include entanglement in crab trap lines and ingestion of fish hooks and litter.
Important dates for manatees
1893 – Florida is declared a manatee sanctuary and manatee hunting is illegal.
1907 – Law is revised to impose a fine of $500 and/or six months of jail time for molesting or killing a manatee.
1966 – The manatee became one of 78 original species listed in the Endangered Species Preservation Act.
1972 – The manatee was designated a marine mammal protected under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. This act prevented the removal of any marine mammal and imposed a fine of up to $2000 and/or one year in jail.
1973 – The Endangered Species Preservation Act was revised to increase federal protection of manatees.
1976 – Sea World of Florida began a Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Program.
1978 – The Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act amended the 1907 state law. Florida became an official refuge and sanctuary for the marine mammals. The regulation of boat speeds in areas of manatee inhabitation was now allowed.
1979 – Florida Governor Bob Graham established the first state-designated protection zones and made November Manatee Awareness Month.
1980 – Congress allocated $100,000 to the Marine Mammal Commission and the development of the initial Federal Manatee Recovery Plan.
1981 – Bob Graham and Jimmy Buffett formed the Save the Mantee Committee, the precursor of the Save the Manatee Club, which sought to protect manatees and their habitats.
1996 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised the Manatee Recovery Plan Objectives to include the following: assess and minimize causes of manatee mortality and injury, protect essential habitat, determine and monitor the status of the manatee population, coordinate and oversee cooperative recovery work.
Learn more about the Save the Manatee Club’s mission here.
10 Best Moments
I’m thrilled to welcome Louise Lyndon to the Power of 10 series. Today, Louise shares the best moments of her life and her latest release, Of Love and Betrayal.
Here’s Louise!
My best moments, in no particular order:
1. The first time I became an aunt. I was only fourteen, but it was still great!
2. Moving to England. I was 23/24 when I packed up and left my family and moved to the other side of the world. It was terrifying – I had only booked my first night accommodation, I had no job, and very little money. Yet, at the same time – it was exhilarating. I had no idea what was going to happen. Back then, I had no fear.
3. Holding my twin niece and nephew for the first time. They had spent a month in special care and we weren’t allowed to hold them – but when we were, it was brilliant. They were so small I thought I was going to hurt them.
4. Getting my first publishing contract. Even to this day I still can’t believe it! Being published had been a dream of mine for so long, it’s hard to believe it’s actually happened.
5. Know people – aside from family and friends – are actually buying my books. I mean, they’re actually spending their hard earned money on something I’ve written. That’s mind blowing.
6. The day my sister came out of an induced coma. On the day she had her twins, due to complications with eclampsia, her lungs fill with fluid and her heart stopped beating. She had to have heart bypass surgery, and was put into an induced coma for a week. We were told there would only be a 10% chance of her survival and if she did survive she’d have severe brain damage. Well, not only did she survive but there is nothing wrong with her brain!
7. Getting my ‘first sale ribbon’ at the Romance Writers of Australia Conference. When my name was called and I walked up on stage to be presented my ribbon by Graeme Simsion (the guy who wrote The Rosie Effect, and The Rosie Project) was a very special moment for me.
8. Starting and finishing my first Spartan Race. It was an accomplishment – one I never thought I’d be able to do.
9. When, after living in the UK for 16 years, I returned to Australia to live. Don’t get me wrong, I loved living in the UK – but I’m Australian through and through and it was great to return home.
10. Telling someone I loved them – and having them say it back.
Blurb
Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?
Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?
Excerpt
Aveline’s scream burned her throat; she tasted blood. Eudes staggered forward, his eyes wide. He looked at her as he fell to his knees and then slumped forward. Bright red blood rushed from his wound and pooled on the ground. She looked at Raimbaut.
“This time you shall not escape.”
She picked up her skirts and ran headlong into the forest and did not slow her speed as branches slapped her in the face and tore at her arms. The ground beneath her feet was icy and uneven. She risked a glance over her shoulder and did not stop even though Raimbaut was nowhere to be seen. He may not have been behind her, but it did not mean he was not stalking her.
Sweat trickled down her face and burned her eyes. Her heart pumped, her lungs gasped for air. She came to a skidding stop and looked wildly around. Should she keep running straight, go left or right, or make her way back to Gysborne? She turned in a circle and shoved her hair from her eyes.
A twig snapped behind her. She stilled and held her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blur rush by. Was it an animal? Was it Raimbaut?
She ignored the pain in her chest and her sudden need to loosen her bladder. But she could not ignore her trembling. She clutched her arms to her chest. A sour taste flooded her mouth as she did not see how she would be lucky enough a second time to escape from Raimbaut.
Buy Links
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook | iBooks
Bio
Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.
In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.
When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
Touring with Goddess Fish
It’s my fifth Wednesday on tour with Goddess Fish.
Stop by and visit for a while. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Today’s stop – Books Chatter blog
Loving These Mermaid Tips
Shortly after starting the Mondays for Mermaids series, I set up a Google alert for “mermaids.” Each day, I receive links to the latest mermaid posts or events. I have used some of the information and have bookmarked links for future reference. But when I received the link to Kayleigh Dray’s post, “23 Tips for the Ultimate Little Mermaid Wedding,” I couldn’t resist sharing.
Not to worry if wedding bells are in the distant future (or past). You can incorporate many of these tips into your next special event.
Visit the post here.
Here’s a sneak peek at three of my favorites…
10 Great Songs
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Addie Jo Ryleigh to the Power of 10 series. Today, Addie Jo shares ten great songs and her latest release, The Duke’s Temptation.
Here’s Addie Jo!
I’m always listening to music. When I’m writing. When I’m driving. When I’m working. And just for the heck of it. I often find some great music from movies. Even as a kid I watched a wide range of films and often purchased the soundtrack shortly after watching. A list of ten will never hit on a fraction of the music that fills my iTunes account but I’m happy to share a few.
1. Runaway Train – Soul Asylum – This has been a long time favorite of mine. It could almost win out as my favorite. It is my go-to song when I’m having a bad day. I don’t use the song to lift my spirits, more to let my emotions out.
2. Fancy – Reba McEntire – As much as I love a huge variety of music today, I grew up on country and I don’t think there is a Reba song I don’t like. But nothing will ever beat Fancy.
3. The Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace – I was sixteen when became hooked on the unique sound of this song. Today my boys and I often crank it up on the radio as we are driving.
4. Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen – It is such a beautiful song. It is impossible to resist.
5. Pocketful of Rainbows – Elvis – I’m hooked on Elvis movies and as a result, I love so many Elvis songs from his movies. This is just one of my favorites.
6. Horses – Rickie Lee Jones – As I write this list, I go back and listen to the songs and I’m reminded of how moving music can be.
7. You Gotta Be – Des’ree – A great message.
8. Someone Like You – Shawn Colvin – She has such an amazing sound and I could have added so many more of her songs.
9. If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher – Wow. Cher. How can she not make a list of ten?
10. The Trouble With Love Is – Kelly Clarkson – If my list was longer, I would have included more recent ones because just like books, there are amazing songs being released every day. This is the most current on my list and I love the soulful sound to it.
Blurb
A Duke. A Runner. An Earl.
Three men, each born into different circumstances. Each fighting to overcome their own adversity.
All striving to change their past.
Gabriel St. James, Duke of Wesbrook, desires any birthright other than being the son of a hideous man. Unfortunately, Gabe knows the exact moment he became like his father—a night that has haunted him for seven years. Resigned to his future, he is unprepared when his illegitimate—and more importantly unbeknown—young daughter appears on his London doorstep. With no one to care for her but him.
Lady Elizabeth Blakely has loved only one man—her brother’s longtime friend, Gabe St. James. Not even his rakish and, oftentimes, wicked behavior dissuades her. Yet it all seems hopeless as he continues to overlook the woman she has become.
When Elizabeth learns Gabe is in need of assistance with his daughter, she seizes the opportunity. Gabe, less than thrilled with the situation—mostly due to his fierce desire for his best friend’s sister—has no option but to concede. Besides, a more sinister threat lurks; someone is blackmailing Gabe with his darkest secret. Through it all, Gabe vows to resist Elizabeth, no matter how tempting.
Sometimes it’s better to surrender . . .
Excerpt
Chapter 1
LONDON, ENGLAND
JULY 1816
Gabriel St. James, the sixth Duke of Wesbrook, locked his gaze on the lady—if one could even call her that. Having never dealt with this particular kind of lady before, he was not acquainted with the proper protocol.
Truth be told, he shouldn’t be so taken aback by the situation. He was, after all, his father’s son, and therefore destined to live the same debauched life. It still burned that after years of struggling against it, in the end, he’d had no choice but to grudgingly accept his place within the family line of scoundrels. His father had made sure there was no alternative.
He narrowed his eyes on the vision before him. To have his debauchery presented in such a fashion was something else entirely. Something he wasn’t certain he could withstand. He couldn’t deny that he gambled more often than not, consumed his fair share of liquor, and was a rake of the first order, but there were some lines he refused to cross. He’d vowed to never fully become his father.
That obviously failed. Not even he could dispute the proof standing there. The very evidence that confirmed he was more like the previous duke than he thought.
As much as he desired it, he could no longer ignore her—all thirty-six inches of her. Despite his confusion, there was no doubt the pixie-faced, three-year-old standing before him was his daughter. His illegitimate daughter.
There, he’d done it. He finally found a word to describe her. Daughter.
Fury pumped through his veins and caused his hand to tighten on the all-too-brief letter that had arrived with her. How the hell could he not have known he’d fathered a child three years ago? Denial might have been his gut reaction but in actuality there wasn’t a need for him to validate the information. He knew it was true. Her features might be feminine, but almost every scrap of her proclaimed she was a Wesbrook. From her wavy ebony hair that gave a hint of unruliness, to the way she raised her tiny chin under his scrutiny.
If that wasn’t enough to give credence to the girl’s lineage, her eyes said the rest. Penetrating blue eyes—a blue so rich it reminded him of the field of cornflowers growing wild on his estate—surrounded by lashes as dark as the night. Only one person had eyes like that.
Cecilia Fairchild, the child’s mother . . . the woman he’d almost married.
Bio
Addie Jo lives in the same cold winter and hot summer area of Minnesota where she was born and raised. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her very understanding husband that so graciously enables her to fulfill her dream of writing. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side.
Addie Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting. When not writing, she can most likely be found reading anything that has a great romance involved. When she ventures from behind a book, she enjoys photography and spending time with her family.
Where to find Addie Jo…
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Central
Mermaid Humor
While fishing, three men catch a mermaid who begs to be set free in return for granting each of them a wish.
The first man shakes his head and says, “Okay, if you can really grant wishes, then double my IQ.”
The mermaid says, “Done.”
Suddenly, the man starts reciting Shakespeare flawlessly.
The second man is so amazed, he says to the mermaid, “Triple my IQ.”
The mermaid says, “Done.”
The man starts to spout out all the mathematical solutions to problems that have been stumping the scientists.
Impressed, the third man decides to one-up his friends. “Quintuple my IQ.”
The mermaid looks at him and says, “You know, I don’t usually try to change people’s minds when they make a wish, but I really wish that you would reconsider.”
The man is adamant. “No, I want you to increase my IQ times five, and if you don’t do it, I won’t set you free.”
“Please,” says the mermaid, “You don’t understand what you’re asking, it will change your entire view on the universe. Won’t you ask for something else….a million dollars, anything?”
But no matter what the mermaid said, the third man insisted on having his IQ increased by five times its usual power. So the mermaid sighed and said, “Done.”
And the third man is transformed into a woman.
A Yoga Oxymoron
I collect oxymorons—or to be more technically correct, oxymora—and like to pepper my conversations with same difference, random order, and open secret. When I use less common oxymora such as planned spontaneity, controlled chaos, clean dirt, and pontificatory salvos, I enjoy watching the puzzled expressions on the faces of listeners who wonder whether they should laugh or not.
But I was taken aback by the yoga oxymoron that appeared in the pages of my cozy mystery, A Season for Killing Blondes.
Continue reading on the Heroines with Hearts Blog.
10 Reasons I Love Historical Romance
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Caroline Warfield to the Power of 10 series. Today, Caroline shares the reasons she loves historical romance and her latest release, Dangerous Weakness.
Here’s Caroline!
1. Castles and manor houses—I wouldn’t want to clean one but it is fun to fantasize living in one. I would particularly love a house with fabulous views from every window.
2. Servants—who wouldn’t want them?
3. Tall ships—they look glorious under sail, and impressive when docked. Although I would without doubt suffer from mal-de-mer if I had to sail on one, I love to look at them.
4. Paper—deep cream-colored vellum, or scrolls of parchment or papyrus. Old books and documents draw me like a bee to honey.
5. Houses with libraries in them—nothing is better than walls lined with books, dark wood and the smell of bees’ wax.
6. Standards—most historical periods come with clear standards for behavior, honor, and romance. The rules give structure to the age old dance of love, and ease the writer’s task.
7. Clothes—long gowns and soft fabrics look yummy. Periods in which the fashions are simple and take a natural shape such as ancient Rome, the Regency, and the first thirty years of the 20th century appeal to me the most.
8. Heroes—men who have honor and courage, with a mix of protectiveness and tenderness. Heroes who aren’t afraid to both manage a nation and build a family, bending from great issues to small children when called upon.
9. Family–sadly enough I find stories about family and life-long marriage easier to write when placed in an earlier time.
10. History itself—I love stories placed against the great events with their larger than life heroes.
Blurb
If women were as easily managed as the affairs of state—or the recalcitrant Ottoman Empire—Richard Hayden, Marquess of Glenaire, would be a happier man. As it was the creatures—one woman in particular—made hash of his well-laid plans and bedeviled him on all sides.
Lily Thornton came home from Saint Petersburg in pursuit of marriage. She wants a husband and a partner, not an overbearing, managing man. She may be “the least likely candidate to be Marchioness of Glenaire,” but her problems are her own to fix, even if those problems include both a Russian villain and an interfering Ottoman official.
Given enough facts, Richard can fix anything. But protecting that impossible woman is proving to be almost as hard as protecting his heart, especially when Lily’s problems bring her dangerously close to an Ottoman revolution. As Lily’s personal problems entangle with Richard’s professional ones, and she pits her will against his, he chases her across the pirate-infested Mediterranean. Will she discover surrender isn’t defeat? It might even have its own sweet reward.
Excerpt
“We will marry of course,” he told her. “Quickly, but not so abruptly as to cause comments.” He walked toward the door, expecting her to follow.
“I beg your pardon,” she called out to him. “We will what?”
He turned on his heel. “Miss Thornton, you will be the Marchioness of Glenaire. That is far from ideal, and the difference in our state will no doubt cause talk. We will have to endure it.”
“Why?” she demanded. “Why this ‘far from ideal’ demand? Has Lady Sarah refused you?”
“Don’t be coy, Miss Thornton. You have led me into folly at every step. After last night I have no choice. I shall have to marry you. My family—”
“Your family would have kittens if I married you, which I will not.”
“You have respectable, if not the highest, breeding, you will show to advantage when properly dressed, and you will do well as a diplomatic hostess. My family, I was going to say, will have to deal with it.” He stalked away. “So will you.”
“I will not,” Lily shouted after him.
Buy Links – Amazon
United States | United Kingdom | Canada | Europe | India | Australia
Bio
Caroline Warfield has at various times been an army brat, a librarian, a poet, a raiser of children, a nun, a bird watcher, an Internet and Web services manager, a conference speaker, an indexer, a tech writer, a genealogist, and, of course, a romantic. She has sailed through the English channel while it was still mined from WWII, stood on the walls of Troy, searched Scotland for the location of an entirely fictional castle (and found it), climbed the steps to the Parthenon, floated down the Thames from the Tower to Greenwich, shopped in the Ginza, lost herself in the Louvre, gone on a night safari at the Singapore zoo, walked in the Black Forest, and explored the underground cistern of Istanbul. By far the biggest adventure has been life-long marriage to a prince among men.
She sits in front of a keyboard at a desk surrounded by windows, looks out at the trees and imagines. Her greatest joy is when one of those imaginings comes to life on the page and in the imagination of her readers.
Where to find Caroline…
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter
Giveaway
Caroline will give a Kindle copy of the winner’s choice of Dangerous Works or Dangerous Secrets to one randomly selected person who comments.
Joanne Guidoccio 