My 10 Favorite Writing Websites

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Kim Hotzon to the Power of 10 series. Today, Kim shares her favorite writing websites and her novel, Hands Full of Ashes.

Here’s Kim!

computerusehotzon I love lists. They’re handy, neat and informative. So, I’m thrilled to be joining author Joanne Guidoccio on her blog ‘The Power of Ten’.

Many ideas floated round my head, and I wondered, What could I contribute that would offer fresh content and interest readers? In the end, I thought I’d share my ten favorite websites that I’ve used in my writing career. Some of these sites cater to blogging, others to grammar and writing resources while some offer insight into marketing and publishing.

*Disclosure: I do not have any affiliation with these sites and I’m not being paid to promote individual sites. This list is merely a compilation of sites I’ve personally found useful.

1. http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl

Site name: Quick and dirty tips. Aka Grammar girl.

What it includes: This is a wonderful site created by Mignon Fogarty, a woman whose roles have included senior editor, magazine writer and technical writer, among others.

Why I love it: Her blog posts offer comprehensive grammar rules, memory tricks to recall those rules, and word choice guidelines. I love the questions posted by fellow writers as well.

2. http://www.rachellegardner.com/how-to-write-a-book-proposal/

Site name: Rachelle Gardner.

What it includes: Like many professionals in the writing/publishing industry, Rachelle has worn many hats, including agent, writing/publishing coach, speaker and book editor. She pens blogs about writing and publishing.

Why I love it: Rachelle offers several succinct, helpful blogs covering everything from crafting compelling book titles to writing a good query letter.

3. http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-agency-alerts

Site Name: Writer’s Digest.

What it includes: Several online editors contribute blogs and poetry on this site. Brian A. Klems writes a blog titled The Writer’s Dig. He covers all areas of writing, editing and publishing on his site. Chuck Sambuchino offers regular lists of agents seeking submissions. He also shares dates for writing conferences and lists upcoming writing competitions.

Why I love it: Besides the agent lists, another great thing about this site are the free downloads which include helpful articles on how to promote your work and protect it. Another great feature? The weekly writing prompts that can help jumpstart your creative juices if you find yourself in a writing rut.

4. http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/01/07/how-to-create-a-book-trailer/

Site name: The Creative Penn

What it includes: A site of resources for writers including book writing, publishing and marketing, by bestselling author Joanna Penn.

Why I love it: Though the site is filled with prompts to buy her books (she needs to make a living too!) there is a ton of free stuff that is relevant and current. I used one of Joanna Penn’s blogs on book trailers as a tool to create my own book trailer.

5. http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/

Site name: The free dictionary.

What it includes: A free dictionary and thesaurus online.

Why I love it: In addition to the online dictionary, there is also a feature for idioms and acronyms, though the thesaurus remains my favorite feature.

6. http://www.yourwriterplatform.com/category/blog/

Site name: Your Writer Platform

What it includes: Video podcasts and blog posts that offer information on book marketing! Know your target audience, create a marketing plan and have a successful book launch. The site’s owner, Kimberly Grabas offers detailed video podcasts about how to do this and what to avoid.

Why I love it: It’s nice to have a site that offers clear help on marketing your book. There is a lot of information on this site and it may take a few minutes to scroll through and find what you need but it’s there. I particularly liked the blog post about how to organize social media tools and plug ins for my website.

7. http://www.dailywritingtips.com/about/

Site name: Daily Writing Tips

What it includes: Whether it’s tips you’re after for creative or business writing, this site has you covered. A comprehensive list of blog articles about writing and grammar by a team of writers and editors. As the site name indicates, this website is updated daily!

Why I love it: I like that it’s constantly updated with fresh content; also I found the manuscript formatting tips quite useful.

8. http://www.scribophile.com/blog/keeping-the-purple-out-of-your-prose/

Site name: Scribophile

What it includes: An online writing community you can sign up and join to get critiques and reviews of your writing.

Why I love it: The blog posts are informative. One of my favorites was ‘Keeping The Purple Out Of Your Prose’ – a call to arms for eliminating flowery language and tightening your writing.

9. https://janefriedman.com/novel-synopsis/

Site name: Jane Friedman

What it includes: Jane Friedman is a well-known international speaker with many years in the publishing industry. Her site offers interviews, and resources for writers.

Why I love it: Helpful articles covering every aspect of writing and publishing. Need to find an agent? What about constructing a query letter? Should you keep writing? All of these topics and more can be found on her site. Jane also has guest bloggers post on her site. Recently, I found an article discussing best practices for Facebook author pages to be timely.

10. http://absolutewrite.com/about/

Site name: Absolute Write

What it includes: An online forum where writers can ask and answer questions on every imaginable topic related to their writing journeys. Some discussions get testy, but the Absolute Write Water Cooler is an informational juggernaut of names, places, events and sites that either come highly recommended or not!

Why I love it: It is a cornucopia of writing and publishing news. I find it enlightening first of all, eyebrow raising second of all. I also like that I don’t have to register or sign up (unless I want to submit my own comment). There are plenty of conversational threads to scroll through on any topic I might have a question about. You’ll find warnings about publishers or do’s and don’ts for querying in addition to general advice from writers both published and unpublished.

I’d love to hear from other writers as to their favorite sites! Whether it’s online forums, resource or publishing sites, share what you use and what you know!

Blurb

Olivia promises to fulfill her dying husband’s wish – to scatter his ashes around the world. Wading through grief and depression, she journeys to a remote orphanage in Uganda. Living amongst the children in their threadbare surroundings, she vows to fight for the children’s lives as she begins to fight for her own. While Olivia develops a passion for humanitarian work, the lonely director of the orphanage develops a simmering passion for her.

Just as time begins to heal the wounds of her heart, Olivia learns the truth of her husband’s unimaginable betrayal. She flees to the tiny country of Rwanda where her soul is reawakened with a startling new love. Olivia realizes that love always comes with a price when she is faced with a decision she thought she would never have to make.

Surrounded by the rugged beauty of Africa, Olivia is determined to find true love while learning how to survive in a region left torn apart by civil war.

Bio

kimhotzon Born in beautiful British Columbia, Kim developed a passion for writing at an early age. Her interest in people led her all over the globe, including a two year stay in Japan and a humanitarian trip to Rwanda.

She loves to write romance stories with a twist, usually involving a dangerous and dramatic backdrop. Her first novel, Hands Full of Ashes, was inspired by her trip to Africa.

Kim spent many years teaching young adults with learning disabilities at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and she currently resides in the sunny Okanagan with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found plying the local ski hills, or getting lost in her kayak in the surrounding lakes.

Where to find Kim…

10 Observations and Things We Need

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Ryan Jo Summers to the Power of 10 series. Today, Ryan shares ten observations and her latest release, Chasing the Painted Skies.

Here’s Ryan!

ryanjosummers 1. The river always flows down, never back up. Leaves fall down, never back up. Perhaps we should flow and fall downward, never back from whence we came.

2. Time moves forward, never back. Seconds hours, months and years never go in reverse. Perhaps we ought to live forward, never looking back but follow our path, the schedule, the cycle.

3. We need time to step out and fall, stand tall, get it all right and get it all wrong. Move out, move up and move along.

4. We need time to change our preference and change our priorities. Try and fail, try again and succeed. Know when to fight and when to concede. Make mistakes and learn from them.

5. We need time to learn when hang on and when to let go. To discover moments to savor and develop memories to treasure.

6. We need time to walk in the dark, find the light, both grow dim and shine bright. To experiment, create, dream big, Experience, grow, hope and wish. Taste disappointment and grow from it. Weep, cry, laugh, choose, love and lose.

7. We need time to learn humility, stand proud, show others and see for ourselves. Be a victim of circumstance and change those circumstances. Time to mature, grow, feel. Discover, hurt and heal.

8. We need time to find the heart hidden within, decide when to follow that heart. Hear that still small voice inside and learn to trust that voice.

9. We need time to change our goals, clothes and choices. Desires, directions and dreams. Tastes, attitudes and opinions. Styles, plans and habits.

10. We need time to reach a point where we care less about what the world thinks and says and more about what we need for ourselves.

chasingthepaintedsky

Chasing the Painted Skies: Inspired by a lakeside photo, shrouded in swirling mist, it comes. Part mystery, part treasure hunt, part alternative paranormal, a dash of ghost story and all romance.

Blurb

Raven Koynes is a woman in hiding. Years ago she escaped to remote Gull Island Light Station, nestled far away in Lake Superior. She has carved out a life of peace and solitude for herself. Until famed nature photographer Sebastian Knight arrives—in the height of a nor’easter storm—to document the beauty of Gull Island. Unsavory treasure hunters also blow in with the storm, determined to find missing cargo from a sunken ship. And they think Raven knows where it’s stashed. A power outage is a final threat, pushing Raven to the limit.

Help arrives in the form of a stray German Shepherd Dog, who takes an immediate protective interest in Raven. He becomes her constant shadow and listening ear as she sorts out her growing—and conflicting—feelings for Sebastian.

Meanwhile, Sebastian came to the island looking for treasure as well, in the form of photographs, While he isn’t so sure about a sunken boat and missing cargo, he only needs one look at Raven Koynes to know he’s found his own valuable treasure. One he hopes he can hang on to once she learns about his mysterious secret.

Now that Madeline the resident ghost has found out, it’s probably just a matter of time until Raven does too. And with the storm and power outage, no one is going anywhere any time soon.

Bio

Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina writer who shares her mountain cottage with several rescue pets. She has been infatuated with the written word since early childhood, writing her first book at age ten. She comes from a long line of wordsmiths, in the form of poets and songwriters. She has had numerous articles and essays and one poem published over the years, many of them dealing with animals and nature. Her debut romance novel was published in 2012, followed by two more in 2014 and those will be followed by two more in late 2015/ early 2016. Her hobbies include painting, doodling cartoons, taking her new dog exploring in the regional national forests, visiting with friends, reading, working wiggly wordfind puzzles and playing Mah Jongg.

Where to find Ryan…

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

10 Leprechaun Tricks Revealed

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Kathy Bryson to the Power of 10 series. Today, Kathy reveals several leprechaun tricks and chats about her latest release, Fighting Mad.

Here’s Kathy!

kathybryson Fighting Mad came out this week – the 3rd in my series of leprechaun love stories.

It’s been an interesting experience trying to let the world know about leprechauns. They didn’t worry too much about me revealing their secrets because they knew that no one would take me seriously. In fact, they snickered – a lot!

Here’s what people don’t understand about leprechauns:

1. Leprechauns are not little, green men. The name comes from luch-chromain, meaning ‘son of Lugh.’ Since Lugh was the Celtic god of war, leprechaun are actually soldiers, fully grown warriors.

2. Leprechauns are not homicidal though. As any soldier will tell you, the job’s really more so you don’t have to fight. As Murphy explains the boxing matches in his pub to Carla, “How would we get corporate sponsorship if we were just a bunch of thugs?”

3. Leprechauns are not solitary creatures. They like a good party as much as the next person. From spontaneous dance-offs to friends gathering, their world is full of “sean nós singing and dancing. Something to do around the pub of an evening.”

4. They are handsome devils. Carla may want to be a responsible parent, but around Murphy, she’s “every bit of the giggly teenager my own child wasn’t, a tongue-tied, stammering mess. It was ridiculous, but seriously, you’d have to be dead not to notice Murphy. He was a damn fine man.”

5. But leprechauns don’t always have the ‘gift ‘o gab.’ Murphy might admire Carla, but when it comes to expressing his feelings, she “can’t have it both ways. Either I’m Irish and can talk, or I’m a man and I can’t.”

6. They get a bit miffy about their reputation even while closely guarding it. They’ll be the first to tell you “we’re not shamrocks and wee men. You should know the difference.”

7. But they keep the myth going for the sake of the gold. “What better way to hide it than to become a joke, a story nobody takes seriously?”

8. Leprechauns take their responsibilities seriously. Carla may waver over her attraction to Murphy, but for her, “he got me a car, he fixed my booth at the Farmers’ Market, he made my kids breakfast, he was even nice to Jinx!”

9. And they’re fiercely loyal. In fact, Carla has to protest, “You keep trying to protect me. You keep telling me what to do, what’s right, what’s wrong. You have got to stop that!”

10. But leprechauns are open to new ideas. When called to war, they fall back on their number one strength and “renegotiate the terms of our alliance.”

No, no matter how much I rant and rave about this secret order that controls most of the world’s money, it’s an uphill battle against popular preconception. It’s the leprechauns’ greatest trick. If they can’t fool you into forgetting the gold, they’ll charm you into giving it back!

Fighting Mad #2b Final (small) copy (2)

Blurb

Laid off from her job at the bank, Carla turns to her friends for support only to find they’re more concerned about their jobs. The one person she can count on is local bartender Murphy, but what kind of example is that to set for her daughters? Having learned the hard way, Carla’s not depending on any man, even if he is cute, charming, very kind, and some kind of leprechaun?

Murphy is used to sneers. Clurichauns are the redheaded stepchildren of the leprechaun world and then there are the late-night throw-downs at his bar. What he wants, however, is to protect the dainty little mom who ogles him when she thinks no one’s looking. He knows she’s fighting overwhelming odds, but she’ll need more than bravery when the conflict between the King and Queen of the Fairies becomes outright civil war!

Bio

Kathy Bryson knew she wanted to be a writer when she finished reading through her school and local children’s libraries. She honed her writing skills on marketing brochures, websites, and several unfinished manuscripts before going into teaching and finishing award-winning books with all the stuff she enjoys most – from coffee to love to Shakespeare! Kathy lives in Florida where she caters to the whims of spoiled cats and wonders what possessed her to put in 75 feet of flower beds.

Where to find Kathy…

Blog | Facebook | Google+ | Twitter

10 Interesting Things in Deadly Season

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Guelph author Alison Bruce to the Power of 10 series. Today, Alison shares ten interesting features of her latest release, Deadly Season.

Here’s Alison!

petriebuilding1 1. The City in Deadly Season is never mentioned by name but it’s based on Guelph Ontario. You can find clues in the books. There are lots of differences, but they are all based on things that might have happened at the time I started the Deadly Legacy.

2. The offices of Carmedy & Garrett Investigations are in the Petrie Building in downtown Guelph. I have it gutted and renovated so that it maintains its historical façade. The only problem is I can’t count. I gave the building an extra floor. I suppose, in another section of the multiverse, it could have an extra floor…right?

3. Carmedy & Garrett Mysteries were set twenty years in the future when I started writing them. Now they are only three years in the future. Why set them in the future at all? I wanted to fairly use the kind of technology we see in shows like Bones and CSI. (Most police officers will tell you that those shows might as well be science fiction.)

4. Back when I started, I anticipated the development of the Smart Phone. I called them eComs and they were a cross between existing technology, projected technology and Star Trek’s Tricorders.

5. My mother inspired the motive for murder in Deadly Legacy.

6. Deadly Season started off as a short story call The Christmas Cat Killer Caper.

7. Kate Garrett and Jake Carmedy came to me in a dream. Their adventures in my dream form the basis of Deadly Games—the next C&G book. (I’m leaving out the teleporting informant and alien waitress that showed up in the dream version.)

8. In Deadly Season Nelly the cadaver dog (more properly known as a Human Remains Detection dog) is named for and looks like my uncle’s golden retriever. Unfortunately, the real Nelly is no longer with us but C&G’s Nelly is alive and well and I hope will return.

9. One of my crises of credibility was whether or not police would use consulting detectives. One of my police sources said no. Most cops don’t trust most private investigators. Another police source said yes. He worked as a consultant since retiring from a career as a homicide detective. Since the precedent for detective working with the police was pretty firmly established in fiction, I knew readers would accept Carmedy & Garrett. However, I used my experts’ advice to inform how police characters would react to them.

10. Kate’s father Joe, who is an important character despite being dead, is based on an old joke my father told me. This guy Joe was so well known that he was invited to the Vatican. In a news report the co-anchor asked about him. The news anchor replied: “I don’t know about the guy in the robes, the man next to him is Joe.”

DeadlySeasonBruce

Blurb

Last month Kate Garrett was a Police Detective. Now she’s a Pet P.I.?

Kate recently inherited half her father’s private investigation company and a partner who is as irritating as he is attractive. Kate has been avoiding Jake Carmedy for years, but now her life might depend on him.

Kate and Jake are on the hunt for a serial cat killer who has mysterious connections to her father’s last police case. Kate’s father had been forced to retire when he was shot investigating a domestic disturbance. Is the shooter back for revenge? And is Kate or Jake next?

Buy Links

Bio

alisonbruce Alison Bruce has had many careers and writing has always been one of them. Copywriter, editor and graphic designer since 1992, Alison has also been a comic store manager, small press publisher, webmaster and arithmetically challenged bookkeeper. She is the author of mystery, romantic suspense and historical western romance novels. Three of her novels have been finalists for genre awards

Where to find Alison…

10 Interesting Facts About Splash

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I like to compare the making of this film to the story of The Little Engine That Could.

When producer Brian Grazer pitched the film, he was repeatedly turned down. At the time, Warner Brothers had lined up Warren Beatty to play the star in another mermaid movie. To sweeten a prospective deal with Walt Disney Productions, director Ron Howard promised to film Splash quickly and cheaply.

Howard kept his promise and produced the film on an $8 million budget. Principal photography began on March 1, 1983 and was completed by June 30, 1983.

Splash grossed $6,174,059 in its opening weekend and finished its domestic run with $69,821,334, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 1984.

As for the film starring Warren Beatty…it eventually fell through.

Here are 10 interesting facts about this popular film:

1. Jeff Bridges, Chevy Chase, Richard Gere, Kevin Kline, Bill Murray, and John Travolta were considered for the lead role before the producers decided upon Tom Hanks.

2. Daryl Hannah was Producers’ Choice #11. Tatum O’Neal, Michelle Pfeiffer, Lynne Frederick, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Genie Francis, Melanie Griffith, Fiona Fullerton, Diane Lane, Kathleen Turner, and Sharon Stone turned down the part of Madison.

3. The beach where Tom Hanks first encounters the nude mermaid is on the former Gorda Cay in the Bahamas.

4. During childhood, Daryl Hannah swam “mermaid” style with her legs bound together.

5. The elaborately designed mermaid tail by Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Robert Short was fully functional, allowing Daryl to swim so fast her safety team could not keep pace with her.

6. The mermaid tail had to be glued onto Daryl before being hand painted, a detailed process that took eight hours. To avoid using the bathroom, Daryl ate and drank very little. She stayed in her water tank and accepted bits of food thrown by the cast and crew.

7. Unfortunately, the tail decomposed very quickly after the movie’s release. Despite its decomposed state, it was put on display in a glass showcase at Planet Hollywood in Orlando, Florida.

8. The name “Madison” rose in popularity soon after the release of Splash. In 1990, it was the 216th most popular name for girls. Five years later, it rose to #29 and by 2000 had become the third most popular female name in the United States.

9. Well received by critics, Splash earned a 92% “Fresh” rating from the website Rotten Tomatoes.

10. Over three decades later, Daryl is still recognized by fans (many of whom have been named after her character Madison) of the 1984 romantic comedy.

10 Best Moments

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

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

10 Great Songs

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

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

10 Reasons I Love Historical Romance

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

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

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.

10 Anxiety Antidotes

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

For many of us, worry is a habit. Our minds whirl as we over-analyze and over-think each situation.

Is the report good enough?

Why isn’t he calling back?

What if the loan doesn’t come though?

It’s easy to become overwhelmed and let opportunities slip away as we ruminate about past events or worry about the future. To improve the quality of our lives, we need to find and implement appropriate stress busters.

Continue reading on Chris the Story Reading Ape’s blog.

10 Vintage Obsessions

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m thrilled to welcome Maia Chance to the Power of 10 series. Today, Maia shares the reasons behind her love of research and her latest release, Come Hell or Highball.

Here’s Maia!

Sometimes I deeply suspect that the real reason I write historical mysteries is because of the research portion of the job. Not, mind you, the dry, dusty, dates-and-facts part of historical research. No, I love the stuff.

Some of my favorites…

Pyrex. To me, colorful vintage Pyrex bowls are like candy. I don’t know why this is, but I take solace in knowing that I’m not the only one . . . and I know this because not only are Pyrex museums in existence, but there are a lot of people on Etsy who are DRIVING UP THE PRICES on Pink Gooseberry Cinderella bowls. *Shakes fist*

Shoes. Louis heels, t-straps, jeweled buckles, button-up . . . I love them all. It is unfortunate that I have somewhat large-ish, wide-ish feet, so I never can find vintage shoes that fit me. At least, not women’s shoes. Maybe men’s. (Although I saw a few pairs of Napoleon Bonaparte’s shoes in a museum exhibit. Shockingly small. They aren’t joking about his tininess.)

Maps. I am a total Map Nerd. I loathe that turn-by-turn navigation lady on computerized maps. She is so micromanaging. I love to unfold paper maps alllllll the way and navigate. And I LOVE looking at old maps. You can get a sense of a historic worldview just by studying, say, the blank spots on old maps.

Clothes. Oh my goodness. One word: Pinterest.

Furniture. I have this theory that the “historical body”—the gestures, carriage, and even, to some extent, the shape of the body itself—is conditioned not only by food, clothing (corsets, for example), and modes of labor, but also by the furniture a person uses on a daily basis. The cushy feather bed or the scratchy straw mattress? The crude stool that makes you hunch to keep your balance, or the straight-backed armchair that presents you as a ruler but makes your lumbar ache?

Transportation. They simply don’t make cars the way they used to. Period.

Food. I adore researching and writing about food. I edit out SO MUCH detail on food from my early drafts. I mean, I totally understand that it can get in the way of a fast-paced plot, but who isn’t at least a little intrigued by towering aspic jellies, Spam mousse, or orgeat?

Slang. I believe there is no better way to give a story the flavor of history than by inserting some choice slang. Butterfly’s boots? Confabulate? Geewillikins? Sign me up!

Makeup. From demure Victorian face powder to 1920’s Maybelline cake mascara to mod nude lips, makeup really sets a historical tone. I purposely created heroines for my two series who happen to have a knack for cosmetic application: One is an actress and the other, well, she simply likes makeup. Part of the reason for this was I wanted them both to be good at creating disguises. Also, secretly, I want a reason to study vintage magazine ads.

Houses. Here’s another place I have to pare way, way down with the description. I’m totally serious when I say that all of my books have started with a house. Before the characters, before the plot. Because a house (or a castle, chateau, shack) is so suggestive of both a time period and, well, just sitting empty there, it’s got to be filled with a story.

Blurb

31-year-old society matron Lola Woodby has survived her loveless marriage with an unholy mixture of highballs, detective novels, and chocolate layer cake, until, her husband dies suddenly, leaving her his fortune…or so Lola thought. As it turns out, all she inherits from Alfie is a big pile of debt. Pretty soon, Lola and her stalwart Swedish cook, Berta, are reduced to hiding out in the secret love nest Alfie kept in New York City. But when rent comes due, Lola and Berta have no choice but to accept an offer made by one of Alfie’s girls-on-the-side: in exchange for a handsome sum of money, the girl wants Lola to retrieve a mysterious reel of film for her. It sounds like an easy enough way to earn the rent money. But Lola and Berta realize they’re in way over their heads when, before they can retrieve it, the man currently in possession of the film reel is murdered, and the reel disappears. On a quest to retrieve the reel and solve the murder before the killer comes after them next, Lola and Berta find themselves navigating one wacky situation after another in high style and low company.

Charming, witty, often laugh-out-loud funny, Maia Chance’s Come Hell or Highball introduces a sparkling new voice in crime fiction.

Bio

Maia Chance writes historical mystery novels that are rife with absurd predicaments and romantic adventure. She is the author of the Fairy Tale Fatal and The Discreet Retrieval Agency series. Her first mystery, Snow White Red-Handed, was a national bestseller. Her latest releases are Cinderella Six Feet Under and Come Hell or Highball.