Today, I’m participating in an anniversary party for The Romance Reviews. Along with three other authors, I’m offering a prize to one lucky winner. Scroll down here and look for my question:
What is the name of the Greek restaurant in this novel? (Note: You will get a clue)
Answer correctly and you could win an e-book of Too Many Women in the Room.
This past winter has been has been a challenging one with record-breaking low temperatures and snowfalls, unrelenting winds and Nor’Easters, floods and cancellations. Today marks a new beginning, a season of rebirth, reinvention, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection, and regrowth.
Here are ten of my favorite “spring” quotes:
Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.
Sarah Ban Breathnach
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland
Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world. Virgil A. Kraft
You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.
Pablo Neruda
Every spring is the only spring — a perpetual astonishment. Ellis Peters
Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Spring is the time of plans and projects. Leo Tolstoy
It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! Mark Twain
Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’ Robin Williams
The spring wakes us, nurtures us and revitalizes us. How often does your spring come? If you are a prisoner of the calendar, it comes once a year. If you are creating authentic power, it comes frequently, or very frequently. Gary Zukav
Do you have a favorite “spring” quote?
Welcome to my Second Acts Series!
Today, we have Soul Mate author Madelaine Grant sharing her artistic and literary passions and new release, A Total Mismatch.
Here’s Madelaine!
I wrote my first story at age ten. The story was originally accepted by my elementary school magazine. Ecstatic with joy, I told everyone I was being published. However, fate intervened and my teacher told me, sorrowfully, that they had decided not to publish my story since an older student had written something similar. I guess they figured I’d have time to write more stories and be published later on. Taking this rejection really hard I decided then and there I wasn’t going to be a writer after all.
When my art teacher complimented me on my pastel drawings in sixth grade and told me I used colors well and could become an artist, I was delighted. That’s the direction I chose and followed for the next several decades. First I concentrated on commercial art, since I did have to make a living. Later on I began teaching art to children at a nearby museum. That led to more teaching jobs and finally to becoming Assistant Director of Art at that same museum.
But the writing bug would not totally disappear. I tried writing and illustrating a children’s story which almost got published. The company went bankrupt however. I finally joined RWA and my local chapter Tampa Area Romance Authors. After writing several romance novels which never made it I began writing short stories for True Confessions and True Story magazines. I had met one of the editors through TARA and, with her help, was finally able to see my work published. Emboldened by that first success I wrote several novellas which were published by Extasy Books. And now my first full- length novel, a romantic comedy titled “A Total Mismatch” by Madelaine Grant (pen name) has been published as an e book by Soul Mate Publishing. It will go into print in March and is available on Amazon and other distributors for pre order. Here’s a quick summary of the book:
Romantic comedy “A Total Mismatch” takes polar opposites Samantha Peabody and Jordan Hart on a wild courtship ride from lavish weddings and fine art to belly dancing and barroom brawls. This rollicking journey includes the best flavors of ice cream in New York City and a touch of tai chi. To read the first chapter of the book you can visit my web site http://www.madelainegrant.com.
I haven’t given up art. I still paint and exhibit my work. The combination of writing and art seems to be the best of both worlds. I love both and hope to write more books and paint more pictures for years to come.
Blurb
Fate brings polar opposites Samantha (Sam) Peabody and Jordan Hart together. Free spirit Sam is an artist, occasional belly dancer, and sloppy housekeeper while Jordan is a lawyer, fitness and neatness freak, and lover of ice cream.
The one thing they have in common is their dislike of big, fussy weddings.
After a fight with her oldest sister, Andrea, Sam decides not to attend Andrea’s lavish wedding. When Jordan is invited to a wedding, he asks Sam to accompany him, not knowing it’s Sam’s sister’s affair. Complicating Sam’s busy life is an offer from a local craft beer company to belly dance for a TV ad and become the symbol of their new beer company.
Sam’s disastrous first marriage and the difficult dynamics in her family make her insecure about a new relationship. Besides, she hates the idea of marriage. Can Jordan’s persistence win Sam over and dissolve her fears?
Where to find Madelaine…
Website | Blog | Facebook | Amazon
Joanne here!
Madelaine, I’m impressed by your creative talents. Best of luck with A Total Mismatch. It sounds delightful!
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
___________________________________________________________
May you have:
A world of wishes at your command.
God and his angels close to hand.
Friends and family their love impart,
and Irish blessings in your heart!
___________________________________________________________
May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been
the foresight to know where you’re going
and the insight to know when you’re going too far.
___________________________________________________________
May God grant you always…
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
___________________________________________________________
May your troubles be less,
And your blessing be more.
And nothing but happiness,
Come through your door.
___________________________________________________________
May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun.
And find your shoulder to light on.
To bring you luck, happiness and riches.
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
___________________________________________________________
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
Master storyteller and director Guillermo del Toro has created an adult fairy tale set against the backdrop of the Cold War era. In a high-security government laboratory, the lives of two janitors, brilliantly played by Sally Hawkins (Elisa) and Octavia Spencer (Zelda), intersect with the lives of a nasty military officer (Michael Shannon) and a sympathetic researcher (Michael Stuhlbarg).
Point of intersection: a secret classified experiment that has captured the interest of the Americans and the Russians.
An amphibious creature—often referred to as the “asset”—is shackled and tested while its future is being debated. The scientists consider the asset to be a biological miracle that could be used to help future astronauts. The military is considering the asset as a potential weapon against the Russians while the Russians are plotting their own takeover of the asset.
Elisa tries to keep her head down as she cleans around the asset’s tank, but she can’t resist taking a peek. There is an instant connection as soon as her eyes connect with the blue orbs of the amphibian (Doug Jones). An inter-species romance develops as Elisa secretly shares boiled eggs and music during her lunch breaks. The two outsiders—a mute woman and an amphibian—form a silent bond.
Emboldened by her love, Elisa decides to liberate the creature. What follows is an unlikely but fascinating tale of escape and the repercussions for all involved.
So much to like here—Sally Hawkins’ ability to express herself without uttering a word, strong performances by all supporting actors, breathtaking underwater visions, expert narration by Richard Jenkins (who also stars as Elisa’s eccentric neighbor), unexpected plot twists, and Guillermo del Toro’s extraordinary vision of a magical world brought to life.
The most-nominated film at this year’s Oscars, The Shape of Water won in four categories: Production Design, Original Score, Director, and Best Picture.
A visionary and one of the most influential scientists in history, Stephen Hawking died early this morning. He was also an astronomer, cosmologist, mathematician, and author of numerous articles and books, among them A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 10 million copies.
His theories have changed how we understand black holes and relativity. But it was how he communicated science in spite of a debilitating disease that impressed and inspired all of us. Diagnosed with Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) shortly after his 21st birthday in 1963, Stephen Hawking defied all the odds and persevered for fifty-five years, well beyond the original prediction of two years.
PRINCETON, NJ – OCTOBER 10: Cosmologist Stephen Hawking on October 10, 1979 in Princeton, New Jersey. (Photo by Santi Visalli/Getty Images)
My favorite quotations from Stephen Hawking…
Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.
The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.
We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.
My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.
Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.
People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.
We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet.
Not only does God play dice, but… he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen.
However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.
Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humor.
On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.
Born on March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein is considered one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century. The German mathematician and physicist developed the special and general theories of relativity and went on to win the Nobel Prize for physics in 1921. His work had a major impact on the development of atomic energy.
In 1999, Canadian scientists studied his brain and discovered that his inferior parietal lobe, the area that processes spatial relationships, 3D-visualization and mathematical thought, was 15 percent wider than in people with normal intelligence. It is not surprising that he had a passion for inquiry.
Here are 10 of his life lessons…
I’m thrilled to announce the release of this audiobook!
Written by: Joanne Guidoccio
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Narrated by: Eliza Huberth
Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
Genre: Mystery
Release date: 2018-03-05
Language: English
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
You can now listen to this book wherever you are and with any of your devices. If you take advantage of a 30-day free trial with Audible, your first audiobook is free. You can keep the audiobook if you decide to cancel at the end of the month. Find out more here.
Blurb
Hours before the opening of her career counseling practice, Gilda Greco discovers the dead body of golden girl Carrie Ann Godfrey, neatly arranged in the dumpster outside her office. Gilda’s life and budding career are stalled as Detective Carlo Fantin, her former high school crush, conducts the investigation.
When three more dead blondes turn up all brutally strangled and deposited near Gilda’s favorite haunts, she is pegged as a prime suspect for the murders. Frustrated by Carlo’s chilly detective persona and the mean girl antics of Carrie Ann’s meddling relatives, Gilda decides to launch her own investigation. She discovers a gaggle of suspects, among them a yoga instructor in need of anger management training, a lecherous photographer, and fourteen ex-boyfriends.
As the puzzle pieces fall into place, shocking revelations emerge, forcing Gilda to confront the envy and deceit she has long overlooked.
Buy Links
Amazon (Canada) | Amazon (United States) | Audible
Can you compose efficient and effective emails?
When I heard this question, my first impulse was to say, “Yes, of course.” But glancing through my in-box, I realized I wasn’t that efficient or effective. While I don’t ramble or use ambiguous language, I could improve the tone of my emails.
In her book, Playing Big, Tara Mohr devotes an entire chapter to “Communicating with Power.” She stresses the importance of identifying those “little things” that “walk the fine line of saying something without coming on too strong, but in fact they convey tentativeness, self-doubt, or worse, self-deprecation.”
Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.
I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Kate Randle. Today, Kate shares her writing journey and latest release, Taking Flight.
Here’s Kate!
Thank-you so very much to Joanne for hosting me on her blog today and giving me the opportunity to speak about my writing journey.
After writing more essays than I could count completing my studies at university, I decided to swap out the world of academic prose for something more exciting, romance novels.
I’ve always been drawn to the love of contemporary romance, so that’s where I began my writing career. The idea for my first novel, In Pursuit of Paradise had been bouncing around in my head for years. I finally put it down on paper 2016. After some interest from my publisher and an extensive rewrite, it was published by The Wild Rose Press in January of 2017. From there, I published a second novel with Extasy Books entitled, Searching for Sanctuary. My latest story which I’m going to share with you today is entitled, Taking Flight.
These stories are filled with all of the things I love about romance novels. Exotic locations, relatable heroines and of course handsome heroes. I’m now hard at work on my next manuscript and have had so much fun on this writing journey. I’ve taken various classes, attended workshops and a national conference. I never stop learning and trying to improve my craft. But I think the most fun I’ve had was meeting some amazing fellow writers who share my passion.
I live near Toronto, Ontario with my super supportive husband and two kids. Three adorable rescue felines round out my family to keep things interesting and covered in cat hair.
Blurb
Ivy Castlefield is a famous motivational speaker who has lost the drive to go on with her career and her life. But after six months of wallowing in her own misery, she decides to get back in the game and boards a flight bound for Las Vegas to present at a conference.
Lucas Freeman is the handsome pilot of this plane, but he strikes out when he approaches Ivy to introduce himself. When they reach their final destination, the pair are reunited and given another chance to reconnect. But can Ivy overcome the scars of her past and give Lucas and herself the chance at love they both deserve? And can Lucas fight off the demons that threaten to separate him from Ivy when they have only just found each other?
Excerpt
“Excuse me, Ms. Castlefield,” said that smooth, sexy voice she had heard before take-off. She thought she must be imagining things. Then she glanced up and saw him.
She was looking into the most exquisite green eyes she had ever seen, and the face surrounding them was unbelievably handsome. Strong cheekbones and a chiseled jaw stood out beneath naturally tanned skin. His hair was light brown and longish with golden streaks in it, like he spent a lot of time in the sun. He had a neatly trimmed goatee in the same shade as his hair. His breathtaking smile faltered as he looked at her. She needed to say something, but what?
“Hello,” she finally managed, tearing her eyes away from his and feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. What is the pilot doing here, sitting beside her in the vacant seat? He was dressed in a crisp, white shirt with gold and black epaulets emblazoned on his broad shoulders.
Ivy suddenly felt underdressed in her yoga pants and sweater now that she was faced with this gorgeous man in uniform. But he didn’t seem to notice. She had no idea what to say to him, but he broke the silence.
“I wanted to welcome you onboard Fantasy Airlines and ask if you were having an enjoyable flight today.”
“Um, yes, thank you, Captain. . . .”
“Please, call me Lucas.”
Where to find Kate…
Website | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter
Joanne Guidoccio 