Loralee Lillibridge's Blog

This week, I'm participating in author Nancy Gideon's Haunted Open House Blog Hop!
I'm not a fan of HalloweenThere, I said it. I don’t like to be frightened. I admit to being the first one to cover my eyes at a gory scene in a movie or when a zombie pops up out of nowhere on the TV screen. I do NOT intentionally look for the scariest movies to watch or the bloodiest book to read. Participating in a real-live Zombie Walk is NOT on my bucket list. So I’m puzzled by my fascination with Nancy Gideon’s By Moonlight series. Book One, MASKED BY MOONLIGHT, is a gripping tale that begins in the darkest corners of New Orleans with no shortage of evil and frightening scenes. I’d never read any story with shapeshifters, but from this first book I was hooked. Why? Well, I’ll tell you – Nancy Gideon’s beyond-awesome story-telling talents brought her characters to life in such a way that never scared me, never made me squeeze my eyes shut, j ust made me keep reading about Max, a hero to die for, with extraordinary talents, and Cee-Cee, the woman who loved him in spite of those talents. I cared about those characters because I became a part of their life and I wasn’t afraid. Who knew? Thank goodness, the author kept writing about these should-have-scared-me-but-didn’t books. The series is 5-star Plus! So today it’s my pleasure to help announce the Release Day of UNLEASED BY SHADOWS, Book 10 of the By Moonlight series. Follow Nancy Gideon’s Haunted Open House Blog Hop for Halloween chills and thrills with giveaways!

And join Nancy at her Haunted Open House for more tricks and treats!


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Howdy! So glad to see you here at The Back Fence. I have a wonderful surprise for you today and I’m so excited about it, I won’t make you wait a minute longer for the excitement. You may know her as the fantastic, award-winning author and my super-duper critique partner, Nancy Gideon, but today she’s here as another equally exciting persona.

Please welcome my awesome writer friend, Dana Ransom, here to share a little about her newest contemporary romance, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. This is a deeply emotional story of two very different people determined to hide behind the protective shields they’ve built around their hearts in order to spare further pain to their wounded souls. Secrets of their pasts keep them from moving forward in their lives, but they’re determined to keep it that way for reasons they refuse to share.

From the beginning of the book, I was totally caught up in the lives of Robin Lee and Kyle Travers. The author’s touching portrayal of the characters inner struggles to keep their guard up against their true feelings made my own heart ache as if I knew the two personally. This is one book that will keep you turning the pages as you follow Robin and Kyle as they learn to discard the pain of their pasts and embrace the healing power of true love. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD – a story to remember.

Guest Post by Nancy Gideon
It’s almost painful to watch that first new growth of the season struggle to push its way free of the hard, dry ground that’s kept it prisoner all winter long. It starts with a crack and the first brave sprig of green. Then the earth breaks away to release determined shoots that unfurl into bright bursts of color. Spring is like that and so is romance reborn when two wounded spirits find the encouragement in one another to bloom again.

I’m thrilled that Amazon has chosen my Dana Ransom contemporary FROM THIS DAY FORWARD as part of their May Big Deal event. Beginning May 8 and running for the next few weeks, this original romance will be available for only $1.99! 
Amazon
Widowed on her honeymoon, Robyn Lee pours all her unfulfilled dreams of a happily-ever-after into her wedding planner business, hiding her own heartbreak by making perfect memories for couples beginning the loving future she was denied. The last thing she needs is for the brother of her dream client--whose endorsement will guarantee Robyn's success--to rock the boat . . . and her regimented world.
Through the lens of his camera, photojournalist Kyle Travers has witnessed all the ugliness life can offer. Still reeling from the death of his coworker in the field, he sees the frilly job of photographer at his sister's wedding as an annoyance--until he meets the steely organizer who protects her broken spirit almost as fiercely as he does his own--making him wonder if two fractured halves can make a stronger whole.
My fabulous critique partner (and awesome contemporary author in her own right-Can you say Yee Haw, Buddy Lee!) has invited me to introduce you to Kyle and Robyn, two broken people who don’t believe their hearts will ever heal enough for them to find love again. And I’m about to prove them wrong. Today, as a guest of Loralee Lillibridge here At The Back Fence, meet wedding planner Robyn Lee, a woman who professionally has it all together but personally is a disaster:

“Don’t make a habit of depending on me.”

She heard a volume in that casual warning. He was a bad boy and she’d better be on guard. Why didn’t she believe that? He did.

When she didn’t draw away, he seemed determined to prove it to her.

His hand cupped her wind-flushed cheek, his thumb hooking beneath her chin to angle it up. She knew what he was planning. She had plenty of time to resist. But her eyes were closing, her lips parting and when he finally bent to claim them, she all but melted down the front of him.

If he wanted to show her he was a man who couldn’t be trusted, he should have seized her up with a rough disregard. But he didn’t. He undercut everything he was trying to convince her of with a kiss that was achingly, searchingly sweet. Tough guys didn’t kiss like that. Disreputable womanizers didn’t go to such great lengths to ease up slow, seeking just the right slant, just the right pressure to earn just the right response. And Robyn responded with all the right emotions. For all of ten seconds.

Then her hands flew up, pushing against his chest with an unnecessary force. He wasn’t trying to restrain her. She was fighting against her own desire to linger in his embrace.

“Don’t,” she cried out in a hoarse little voice, all jagged and edged in fear.

And Kyle, not understanding that she was afraid of herself not him, growled in his own defense, “Did he hurt you or was he just a fool?”

“Who?” Robyn panted.

“Your ex-husband.”

“I—he—I’m not divorced.” She jerked away and began to fumble frantically in her purse for her house keys. She should have had them in her hand. She should have been ready.

“Not—I don’t get it.” He was staring at her, obviously confused and growing angry. “Are you separated? The ring—”

She grabbed up her key and jammed it into the lock, thrusting open the door so hard she almost fell inside. And she was angry, too. Angry at herself for feeling so scared and so aroused. There were tears in her eyes when she told him furiously, “I never would have left him. He left me. My husband died.”

He stood, stunned into wordlessness as she slipped inside and slammed the door in his face.

If you missed the chance to meet Kyle Travers, he’s visiting with Loralee’s mysterious doppelganger Lora Lee.

Happy Spring and Happy Reading . . . especially when it’s on sale! 
About Nancy GideonWebsite | Blog | Goodreads By Moonlight GroupFacebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest

Nancy Gideon is the award winning author of over 58 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix. She works full time as a legal assistant, and when not at the keyboard, feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl. She is thrilled to join Belle Books with reissues of her Dana Ransom contemporaries as well as with her “Touch of Midnight” vampire romance series written under her own name for Belle’s ImaJinn Books imprint. Watch for the first three books of the series to return to print and the entire series to be rereleased one-per-month beginning in July 2015 with all new covers.

Once Upon a Wedding (One Day at a Wedding – Book One)
Genre: Contemporary Romance – Novella
Published by: Forever Red Publishing, L.L.C.Release Date: December 12, 2014 Length: 67 Pages 

Cassie Anderson, bridesmaid extraordinaire, is tired of attending her friend’s weddings either solo, or with her best friend, Thad. Finding a real date is simply too much work. Especially when she sees an old acquaintance from high school, Dan, at her friend Shelley’s wedding.
After the spark shared between them, Dan has become the object of her affection. Too bad he has a nasty habit of having a date on his arm at every turn. Stealing another woman’s date is against the rules, but if she could just catch him alone…well, that would be fair game!

Unfortunately, timing is everything, and she and Dan seem to have the worst. Always the bridesmaid, walking away with nothing more than a dreadful dress, Cassie is committed to changing her luck and getting her man!


The Book Excerpt
“Cassie. Cassie, did you see who’s here?” Shelley tugged at her skirt, trying to get her attention directed toward the back of the church.

“What’s the matter with you?” she asked Shelley and then turned to face the back of the church. “Ohh, now I see what you mean.”

“And yet, you ignored me,” Thad said from the other side.

She just blew him off with a wave. He would get over it in two seconds or less anyway.

There he stood, looking as dapper as a GQ cover. His suit was a very nice shade of blue, with a white shirt and what appeared to be a pinstripe tie. By the time Shelley had gotten her attention, he had already selected a pew and scooted by people for a seat. The most important thing Cassie noticed was his lack of a date.

Who doesn’t take their fiancée to a wedding?

This could be a good sign. Of course, she would have to do some more investigating before she determined whether he had a single status at this point, or remained affianced. It then dawned on her that she, herself, had brought a date to the wedding. She took her eyes off Dan long enough to glance over at Thad, currently very busy staring at the legs of the woman next to him.

Boy, can I pick ‘em. Even my pretend boyfriends are losers.

“Thad, do you think you could be a little more discrete about your appreciation for our neighbor there?” she asked through gritted teeth, trying to keep her disdain to a low roar.

“Oh, shit, I’m sorry Cassie. But did you see her calves? I swear, it’s just a professional thing,” he said this with the gigolo grin, his specialty, one that hardly ever worked on Cassie. Hardly ever.

“If this is where you tell me how you’re a critic and you were just admiring her legs in a professional manner, don’t bother,” Cassie uttered in her most stern, yet quiet, voice. “You critique the arts, Thad, her legs are not performing.”

“I could argue that point, but seeing how your face is scrunching up at me, I won’t. You’re right, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Thad did his best to appear remorseful and even went so far as to kiss her forehead and squeeze her hand. She did not squeeze back.

To Cassie’s way of thinking, the fact that he had been holding her hand the whole time, including while checking out the lady’s legs next to them, made it a little worse. What could she say, though, considering she had been waiting and hoping for the appearance of another man?

She turned her head and caught Dan glancing in her direction. His mouth immediately curved up into a smile and he waved in Cassie’s direction. Cassie returned the smile and raised her left hand to reciprocate the wave, realizing she’d brought Thad’s hand along with her. Making it obvious that she had brought a date to the wedding, she immediately dropped Thad’s hand. Too late. She knew Dan had seen already.

Damn it!

About Kelly RaeWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


Kelly Rae is mom to an amazing young man. Everything else is just a way to keep busy between laughs with her son, or a way to pay for his sports equipment and growing feet. When she was twelve years old, she hit the big leagues by winning a Young Authors Award (okay, okay, it was only within her school district. Shh.) Although she has been unable to duplicate this success in her adult writing, she is giving it her best shot. Kelly, her son, and their chocolate lab, live in the Pacific Northwest where they enjoy the sun when it shines and the snow when it falls. When they aren’t dancing in the rain or singing at the top of their lungs in the car, they are planning their dream vacations…which they might even get to take some day.

Hey Y'All - From October 27th to October 31st, I'll be participating in Nancy Gideon's Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop as part of Nancy's 4th Annual Haunted Open House! Stop by Nancy's Haunted House to read Halloween posts by some awesome authors, wander into the spooky Game Room or sample some of the spooktacular Halloween drinks, appetizers and desserts. And don't forget to check out Nancy's Tricks-or-Treats!


I admit I’m not a fan of scary stuff and totally avoid horror movies, so I guess you could call me a ‘fraidy cat, but that’s the way I roll. Always was, always will be. But I seriously believe in ghosts and spirits. Angels, too, but they don’t scare me.

The first time my very young children saw The Wizard of Oz on TV (a long time ago) and were frightened by the flying monkeys, I totally understood. I never liked those critters either. And I knew they weren’t real. Still, they were scary and so was the Witch.

I’m not quite sure what brought on this aversion to horror. As a child, I read all the fairy tales – you know, where the wicked witch tried to put Hansel and Gretel in her oven. Yikes! That’s horror, right? And when Snow White’s wicked step-mother ordered the huntsman to cut out her heart. Yeah, those kind. But I always knew Prince Charming would come, so I wasn’t afraid. Well, maybe just a little.

Movies were a whole different matter. I could never bring myself to watch movies like Frankenstein or Dracula, either. And that Hitchcock movie, The Birds freaked me out just watching the trailer. Reading about vampires keeps me awake at night. But I did get hooked on Nancy Gideon’s fantastic By Moonlight series and the deliciously dangerous shapeshifter hero, Max. And now I’m writing cozy mysteries that involve murder and mayhem even though they are humorous. Go figure. Maybe I’m growing up.

So this year I’m trying to be brave when the goblins and witches come to the door for Trick or Treat. I’ve got the treats ready for them.

If your name is drawn on this Halloween Hop, my treat for you is a $10 gift card to either B&N or Amazon – winner’s choice.

Please don’t trick me. I’m such a ‘fraidy cat.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Let's go see what everyone else is giving out!

Because the road to . . .  
Clever, cool and preternaturally lethal, Max Savoie is leader of a secretive shape-shifter clan, heir to a mobster’s legacy, and the love of New Orleans’ top cop . . . but he can’t remember any of them. The only way to recover his past, and his rightful place in the arms of the woman who risked all to save him, is to surrender to a mysterious visitor who could use him as a weapon against all he’d loved.

Happily-Ever-After . . . 
After rescuing her mate from his ruthless captors in the North, hard-hitting Detective Charlotte Caissie is now painfully vulnerable—a stranger in his eyes . . . and in his bed. The key to his memories is locked in a tortuous past. To reclaim the strength of their passionate bond, Max must learn to trust her enough to face that darkness at her side before the threat it hides exposes the secret Cee Cee carries.

Is never smooth. 
When an investigation into grisly deaths in an underground Shifter fight club points to more than just dangerous clan rivalries, Cee Cee enlists Max’s help to find a traitor in their midst while there’s still time to turn a deadly invading tide. But the cost of saving their treasured future may mean sacrificing his past. Especially when the enemy they pursue . . . might be Max, himself.

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 13, 2014
Length: 324 Pages
 

Listen to the Music 
by Nancy Gideon 
I’m a musical people (listening-wise, not playing-wise or singing-wise!). I can’t help it. When I’m riding in the car listening to my tunes and hear a song that makes me think of my WIP, my hero or my heroine, as soon as I get to the office or home, I jot down the title on a Post-It and clip it together with the others on my desk. Suddenly, I have a playlist. With each book, I have a soundtrack churning through my mind to serve as a setting or a mood, with lyrics that wail about my H/H’s relationship. Putting them together in an order that follows along with the rhythm of the story adds an extra dimension to the writing, and then the reading experience that I enjoy.

I’ve been collecting selections for REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT, the new release in my “BY MOONLIGHT” series, for a long time with the hope that I’d have the chance to bring my favorite couple, deliciously dangerous shape-shifter Max Savoie and his mate, NOPD detective Charlotte Caissie, back for another dance. Get ready to tango!

Remembered by Moonlight by Nancy Gideon on Grooveshark
Okay, it may seem like an odd assortment at first, but there was a method to my madness, and here it is, the reason behind each song selection:

1. Hands of Times : The first time I heard this plaintive tune on a movie soundtrack, I just knew it was part of Max’s, too, as it speaks about loss, being unable to turn back time, and leaving those yesterday’s behind. In his case, waaaay behind.

2. My Immortal : Addresses Cee Cee’s heartache and longing for a presence that lingers, and the blank that’s left behind (Max, duh!). Even though he’s gone, he still has all of her.

3. A Picture of a Broken Heart : Love the bluesy feel of Robert Cray as he describes my gutsy heroine putting up a front to carry on like its business as usual while that loneliness she feels inside leaves clues behind. Makes me think of Max’s reaction when he sees the woman he doesn’t remember walking toward him with “her broken heart in her eyes.”

4. Feels Like Rain : No one masters the wailing essence of New Orleans like John Hiatt, especially when it’s a slow dance to an emotional guitar. This one, with its stormy weather rolling in, is all Max.

5. So Fine : The perfect infectious club tune for a swaggering, tattooed, rock ‘n roll prince to strut his stuff with our heroine. No one rocks out loud quite like Cale Terriot.

6. Stay With Me : This one is Max, adrift and alone, looking to make a connection. Even if it isn’t that love he’s supposed to feel with Cee Cee, it’s all he needs. A great R&B crooner.

7. Nothing Else Matters : Okay, my metal roots are showing. Dark and moody, these words define the lost relationship between the H/H, that trust they seek and always find in one another that makes them close even when apart.

8. Feels Like Home to Me : A good ole weeper with sentiments that echo Cee Cee’s need for love and security after the lonely life she’s led (and has now returned to). Max represents that home where she belongs.

9. Just Breathe : A perfect, uplifting tribute to the power of a life-long, lasting love after knowing only hurt and pain. And perfect for this couple.

10. By My Side : The song for Max and Cee Cee’s first dance and most memorable dance. These gently swaying sentiments speak of a love that grounds and is a saving grace. Especially for two lost and lonely souls. Sigh.

Listen and learn a little bit more about REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT.



ExcerptBy Moonlight Book TrailerMy ReviewWelcome to my Back Fence, y’all. Come on over and sit a spell while I introduce you to my good friend and one of my critique partners.

I’m excited to have award-winning author Nancy Gideon here at the Back Fence today to promote the release of her latest paranormal romantic suspense. Reading this ninth book in her By Moonlight series reminded me once again of her many talents as a writer. I think you’ll agree when you read the book that this is one of her best stories yet.

REMEMBERED BY MOONLIGHT bursts from the pages of this book with the intensity of molten lava, weaving a fiery path of danger and death through the dark, fog-filled alleys and shadowy docks of New Orleans and into the secret Shifter clans that complicate the lives of shapeshifter Max Savoie and the woman who claims to be his mate. Only Max doesn’t remember her or the past that ties them together.

Charlotte (Cee Cee) Caissie, the tough-as-nails New Orleans cop whose extraordinary love for Max defies all the rules of law and order will do whatever it takes to recover Max’s stolen memory and restore the passionate love they once shared.

Every page in the book burns with the intensity of Gideon’s story-telling talents. Every plot twist has an unexpected turn leading to startling events. Every moment the two are together sizzles with sexual tension as they fight an unforeseen enemy in the quest to unlock Max’s past. . .and his memory. But Max and Cee Cee each have secrets that must be revealed before they reach the ultimate fulfillment of their love. Can their love survive the reality of their past?

This book is 5-star all the way! A Gideon masterpiece of thrilling romance and heart-stopping suspense that will take your breath away.
About Nancy GideonWebsite | Blog | Goodreads By Moonlight Group | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest
Nancy Gideon is the author of over 55 novels ranging from Regencies, historicals and contemporary suspense to dark paranormal romance, with a couple of horror screenplays thrown into the mix. When not at the keyboard or working full time as a legal assistant in Southwest Michigan, she can be found feeding her addictions for Netflix and all things fur, feather and fin, enjoying Grammy time (usually watchingThe Avengers), and meeting new friends and readers through her GoodReads “Nancy Gideon by Moonlight” group. Her books can also be found under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings.

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational RomanceRelease Date: June 30, 2014Length: 232 Pages

Tied together as hostages in a bank robbery, an ex-race-car driver, Gina Branson, shares the shock of the bank guard, Thomas Woods, as he witnesses the murder of his twin brother.
Once freed, the roller coaster of Tom’s grief and rage alienates them on issues of retribution and clemency. Bound to each other from their first flicker of interest, the couple weathers both the bank-robbery trial and the death of Gina’s ailing mother to a final testing of their faith, trust and affection.


The Book Excerpt
Other Books by Rohn Federbush Amazon.com Widgets

About Rohn Federbush Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Pinterest

Rohn Federbush retired as an administrator from the University of Michigan in 1999. She received a Masters of Arts in Creative Writing in 1995 from Eastern Michigan University. Frederick Busch of Colgate granted a 1997 summer stipend for her ghost-story collection. Michael Joyce of Vassar encouraged earlier writing at Jackson Community College, Jackson, Michigan in 1981. Rohn has completed fourteen novels, with an additional mystery nearly finished, 120 short stories and 150 poems to date.
Follow @RohnFederbush
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Support (n.) encouragement, help, boost, assistance, backing, sustenance
All of the above definitions describe perfectly what I receive from my support group i.e. my critique partners in writing. We started out sixteen years ago with one published writer and three unpublished. Over the years we increased in number and now are an ensemble of eight with six published, one in the process of submitting and one professional cover artist/writer. At a recent writer’s meeting, six of us presented a panel discussion on how we draw support from each other in spite of writing in different genres. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. Our group is blessed with some who are excellent plotters and some who read for details. Characters are my strong point but I always need help plotting. Others have a talent for nailing my story’s sluggish pacing on the first read and offering suggestions to fix it. We have experts in grammar and punctuation, too, and I always need help with that. We are a blended circle of writers in the paranormal genre, historical eras and contemporaries, inspirational stories, romances both sweet and sexy, mysteries and suspense. We are diverse in age as well as talents. Over the years we’ve learned how to share what we do best in ways that benefit each other without being boring. Believe me, our critique sessions are never boring. They are lively, educational and productive. They are better than a dose of medicine for what ails me.

I remember watching my mama in the kitchen and being fascinated by the different ingredients she added to her cooking, tasting as she stirred, approving or disapproving the result. Even though what she made might be a dish she’d cooked many times, she always tried to improve the final creation. Mama loved experimenting and trying something new, adding a spice here or an herb there. Sometime it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Her only support group back then was the experience of other cooks and their recipes. I still have her wooden recipe box filled with her recipes written in pencil. The box is over one hundred years old now and I plan to pass it on to my children someday.

Mama’s audience was her family gathered around the dining room table at meal time. Her goal was to win their approval, the reason she spent hours in the kitchen striving to reach that goal. Writers’ goals are no different. They spend long hours writing and revising until their goal is in sight.

Writing is a lot like mama’s cooking. My support group gives me recipes to follow and tips to improve my stories, but I’m always the cook. It’s up to me to set the pot on the stove and light the fire. I have to begin to put the main dish together by tasting a little bit at a time. That new spice someone suggested might speed up the slow pacing I struggle with, but I have to be careful to add just the right amount of heat. Introducing a secondary character might enhance the story like an herb enriches an entrée. By revising and experimenting with the basic recipe and using advice from my support group, I’ll have a much tastier main dish to present when my novel is fully cooked. My creative main dish will make me proud when I know I’ve pleased my readers.

Here’s the tasty result of one of Mama’s creative cooking sessions!


Old-fashioned Peach Cobbler – serves 6

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

½ c. sugar
1 Tbls. cornstarch
14 tsp. cinnamon
4 c. sliced peaches (6 or 7)
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 Tbls. shortening
1 c. flour
1 Tbls. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ c. milk

Mix ½ c. sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in peaches and lemon juice. Cool, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Pour into ungreased 2 qt. casserole and keep in hot oven while mixing topping.

Topping: Cut shortening into flour, 1 Tbls. sugar, baking powder and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk. Drop 6 spoons full of dough onto hot peach mixture.

Bake until topping is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm - with cream or ice cream if desired.

SUPPORT— What we also receive at the Insecure Writers Support Group on the first Wednesday of every month. Check out the other IWSG bloggers to learn more about writers and writing.

The way I see it, I’d much rather be warm than cold any day. Sadly, the time has come all too soon to say good-bye to the short sweet days of our West Michigan summer and prepare for the long winter days ahead. Can you tell I’m not a native of the North? Nope, I hail from the Texas Hill Country but I’ve lived up here longer than I lived in Texas, so I’m not quite sure what that makes me. Tex-Mich, maybe? I love both states in totally different ways, but I’ve never been able to “love” long, snowy Michigan winters. However, the vivid colors of a Pure Michigan Fall season are a magnificent sight to see, rivaled only by the breathtaking fields of Texas bluebonnets in the spring. What’s a writer to do?

So far, my three published novels have been set in the Hill Country and my upcoming cozy mystery Joyful Noise series has a Texas setting, also. I’m thinking there must be a Michigan setting for a book somewhere in my imagination. Maybe there’ll even be a snowstorm. I’ve had plenty of up-close and personal experience with those events. A serious writer always keeps a folder full of ideas for future projects. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing the Joyful Noise cozies. Watch for Book #1, Bringing in the Thieves, to debut in November. 


For now, I’ll enjoy the crisp, cool days of Fall as I bid a fond farewell to the short, sunny days of Summer. It’s time to pull out all those delicious comfort food recipes to savor through the long, winter days. Here’s one you can easily prepare ahead so you have more time to write – or read!

Crock Pot Chicken & Noodles

Ingredients :4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 stick oleo
2- 15 oz cans chicken broth
24 oz frozen egg noodles (usually found near bread dough)

Directions :
1. Cook chicken, soup, butter and broth in crockpot on low for 6-7 hours.
2. Take chicken out and shred.
3. Put chicken back in crockpot.
4. Add noodles and cool on low for 2 more hours, stirring occasionally while cooking.
Now let's go see the other party guests!

Amazon | Barnes & NobleGenre: Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: September 15, 2013Length: 356 Pages

An inhuman agenda…
In 1982, Annette Pretorius lives a life of privilege afforded to those of European descent in South Africa, but when her husband is murdered, she discovers a shattering secret: he’d been commissioned by the whites-only South African government to develop a lethal virus aimed at controlling the growth of the black population–already oppressed under the cruel system of apartheid.
A clandestine organization…
The murder came with a warning to Annette from a secretive organization: keep our secrets or you too will die. Captain Trevor Watson, Annette’s former boyfriend, is appointed to lead the investigation. Watson’s loyalty is tested as the evidence stacks against his high school sweetheart.

And the killing isn’t over yet…
When the investigation points in a terrifying direction, Annette and Watson face a wrenching choice: protect those they love or sacrifice all to save innocents from racial extermination.

Praise for Operation: Genocide
Diabolical motives and charismatic characters populate Yvonne Walus’ breath-stealing adventure, Operation: Genocide. – Dr. Allen Wyler

Excerpt
About Yvonne WalusWebsite | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
By trying to portray what South Africa was like at the height of its apartheid era, by inspecting both sides of the coin, I’m sure I’ve managed to offend all parties. Still, I’m not sorry.
South Africa means a lot of things to a lot of people: lions in long yellow grass, diamond mines, apartheid, Nelson Mandela, rugby. All of those images are right, yet none of them – in my opinion – are representative of the misunderstood country or its people. None of them describe what it’s like to live in South Africa, both in the 1980s and today. I’d like my readers to smell the red dust of the continent and to fall in love with Africa the way I did when I first set foot there as an impressionable teenager, a refugee from communism and the bitter cold of Poland. I left my heart in Africa, and I invite you to do the same.
The Giveaway
$5 Amazon or B&N Gift Card!a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’m blogging today about small towns and why I set my books in them. Some folks believe nothing interesting ever happens in small towns. Not true! I don’t know what those readers call interesting, but let me assure you, small towns can be fantastic fodder for all genres of fiction. Mysteries, hot romances, sweet romances, thrillers, romantic suspense...small towns can have it all. Sure, big cities have a larger scope, more places for mysteries and romances to occur. But I write about what is familiar to me. It’s easier and a lot of fun. I believe writing should be fun, as well as satisfying. I enjoy reading about big cities and foreign locales, historical as well as contemporary, but I’m much more comfortable writing about the small towns in my imagination.
In a tight-knit community, people are often privy to their neighbors’ personal life. And if neighbors know each other that well, chances are there’s an active gossip hotline. That kind of closeness can be a good thing...or not so good, depending on what genre the writer chooses to write. Follow me so far? Getting any ideas yet?

If you need a little mystery or suspense, consider the fact that illicit affairs might be difficult to keep secret in a small community. A moral slip-up of any kind would be a disaster of deadly proportions if discovered. And what about the stranger who moves into town? Is he/she someone you can trust? Suspicion is contagious and folks in older, established communities tend to look after each other. Nosy? You betcha! But there’s usually a good reason. What about that staid businessman who’s lived in the neighborhood for years? What goes on behind the closed doors of his home that suddenly causes his wife to become a recluse? Does their neighbor notice something out of the ordinary and investigate or report it to the police? And what if there’s a bad cop on the police force? Stuff happens, folks. Small town citizens are human. They have flaws and secrets to hide, as well as dreams to pursue. More fodder for the writer’s imagination.

On the positive side, good deeds done by well-meaning citizens are always recognized and praised by the town council. Local newspapers spread good news through the community on a regular basis - often for free - with an attitude of love thy neighbor. Town folks give pats on the back and high fives when meeting each other in the local café or market. Churches hold festivals and town celebrations for the entire community to enjoy. Kids ride their bikes around the neighborhood without fear of being harmed. Folks are genuinely concerned when a neighbor needs help, and never hesitate to offer a lending hand. A small town takes care of its own. And if the community has been around for a long, long time, the town’s past history often holds secrets and surprises that could stir up a hornets’ nest, if discovered. Old friendships turn into love affairs after a small town class reunion. New loves can blossom when an unlikely pair meet under unusual circumstances. You see what I’m sayin’? Fodder for fiction and very likely close to real-life.

Romance writer Robyn Carr sets her terrific VIRGIN RIVER series in a small mountain community in Northern California and her THUNDER POINT series in a similar Oregon region. For another intriguing small town mystery series, read Susan Wittig Albert’s CHINA BAYLES series, set in the fictional town of Pecan Springs, Texas. Susan Mallery writes a compelling FOOL’S GOLD series that’s a must read. And the list goes on.

What are some of your favorite books with small town settings? Why? What draws you to them? I’d love to read your comments. And while you’re thinking about your answers, I’ll share a couple of regional recipes from my small town memories. Please remember, they come with NO guarantee. The recipes, I mean. 


MAMA’S CORNBREAD

1 ½ cup yellow cornmeal 1 tsp. salt
½ cup flour ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder 1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk

Sift together dry ingredients. Add egg and buttermilk and beat well. Pour into greased and floured pan (Mama always used a pie pan) and bake in moderate (350*) oven 25-30 minutes or until brown on top. Slice and serve hot, slathered with butter. Yum!

FRIED OKRA

1 pound fresh okra 2 cups self-rising flour
½ tsp. salt vegetable oil for frying
1 ½ cups buttermilk

Wash okra and drain well. Remove tips and stem ends, cut into 1” slices. Sprinkle with salt. Add buttermilk, stirring until coated. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain okra well and dredge in flour. Deep-fry in hot oil (375*) until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Enjoy! (I know, I know. Not everyone likes okra.)

LEMON LUSH

Mix as crust: 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ stick margarine, then add ½ cup chopped pecans. Press in bottom of 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes until brown.

Filling: Mix well 1 softened, large cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.

Mix 2 pkgs. Instant Lemon Pudding with 3 cups milk until thick. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Top with more whipped topping and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill before serving.

NOTE: To make MISSISSIPPI MUD, substitute Instant Chocolate Pudding for the Lemon Pudding. Both are scrumptious!
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