Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon by Dawn Marie Hamilton is book two in the series. If you loved Just Beyond the Garden Gate, then you are bound to love this tale too. Laurie’s handsome cousin Finn is the star of this tale. The man who had trouble believing in fairies and time travel finds himself hurtling through centuries.

Elspeth discovers the unconscious warrior in a stream. Although his language is peculiar, his manner and form are fine. So fine, she must remind herself that she is engaged to Alexander. An alliance forged at her birth. Her fiancé, who once filled her with awe, now feels more like a weight around her neck. For a man eager to marry, he has certainly taken his time. She finds herself enjoying bantering with the handsome stranger and wishing it were he, and not Alexander, who she’d marry.

Finn fell through time in an effort to capture the man who tortured his cousin, Laurie. His goal is to regain his strength to begin his search. He discovers his strength and ability may have more to do with an enchanted sword he carried from his time. Unfortunately, the sword disappears with a little help. Finn survives only on his natural ability, wits and charm as tries to unravel the intrigue in the castle, fight his attraction to Elspeth, and find loathsome McKay.

This tale included familiar characters from the previous tales making it easier to understand. Reading the first book is not a requirement for the second. It is interesting to see what mischief the fairies are up to in each book though. There is a feel of unrequited love about Finn and Elspeth almost Romeo and Julietesque, but they have a better ending.

Do you like men in kilts, passion, battles with two-handed claymores and brownies and fairies interfering in the affairs of men? If so, Just Once in a Verra Blue Moon is the book for you.

Today, I will be talking about editing and giving away a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a random commenter. After I  completed 68,000 plus words of of my story, I pasted a chunk of it on Grammarly. I use Grammarly for online proofreading because to check if my work is original. I know I wrote it, but I wanted to see if I actually came up as something new. It did. :) Grammarly also showed me areas where I could improve. 












My First Step

This is my novice journey into the world of self-publishing. I did learn self-publishing and vanity publishing are very different.

Please do not fall prey to vanity publishers. Author House contacted me early in the game and offered to publish my book for $10,000. Lucky for me, I didn’t have that type of money. They sent me copies of slick paperbacks they did publish.  One book had Los Angeles spelled Los Angles in the title.

The big difference between vanity and self-pub, besides the price, is the ability to change your work. I pointed out a mistake to a friend in her children’s book that she was able to correct in five minutes. If someone else publishes your book, you’ll learn to live with the mistake and move on. This is one of the major lures of self-publishing. The other lure is that it is cheap, but it’s not as cheap as you think.

Pick up a copy of The Naked Truth about Self Publishing to find out the real nitty gritty. Popular self-published authors who learned the hard way compiled this book. I downloaded a free Kindle book where the author told me she published her own book on Kindle free. She created the art work with Power Point and did her own editing. She admitted it didn’t look too hot, but it was a learning curve. Do any of us need a sloppy book out there with our name on it?

You really can’t do it on your own at first. No one edits her own work well. Even editors seek help.  Most people want to know how much will it cost. It depends. I've heard some people brag they publish for zero. Others paid thousands of dollars.  You can expect to pay for editing, proofing, cover art, formatting and an ISBN number. It depends on whom you use. A higher price doesn’t mean someone is better. Case in point for me was editing.

Sometimes you can get what you want.  Most writers want a copy editor who highlights mechanics mistake, flow, inconsistencies and sometimes  research inaccuracies. A content editor basically tells you how to write your story. This type of service doesn't come cheap. The lowest you can expect to pay is $3000 and it goes up from there.

I shopped for my editor. Editing is such a personal thing that there needs to be a good relationship between the author and editor. I interviewed several people. If you are wondering how you interview an editor, you allow them to edit a couple pages of your work. Here are some of my results.

*One woman rewrote my work in her own voice.

*Another one cleaned up my Western characters’ language, so they spoke proper English.

*Another seemed clueless about what she was doing. She didn’t understand fiction editing and wanted to take out any extraneous adjectives and adverbs, which meant all of them.

*One woman came highly recommended from several published romance authors and she’s very good.

They all offered me different prices. The most expensive wanted a five hundred dollar retainer and would bill me hourly. I had this woman edit one page I wrote. It took her one hour to edit it. It didn’t take me that long to write and research it. With this is mind, a 300 page novel would cost me almost $11,000 dollars.

Normal rate for an experienced copy editor is .008 a word for an edit. Keep this in mind when you are having prices thrown at you. I am thankful for all the helpful authors who broke down the prices for me at the conference.

This is the tip of the iceberg. Next, I’ll address cover art.

Character Interview with Leah Carpenter

Today, we are talking with Rayna Noire, the high school heroine of Initiation.

What do you consider your most pressing issues?

RN: Well, uhm, there’s school. Not that it is that hard, but the social part is always hard for   me to navigate.

Why is that?

RN: There are all the cliques and unspoken rules. By the time, I discover who to avoid, we move again. Not that I blame my parents entirely for the moves it’s a pagan thing?

What do you mean it’s a pagan thing?

RN: (Exhales deeply, puts out hands about a foot apart.) Well, it’s hard to explain if you’re not pagan. My family is Wiccan to be more exact.  We never mention this when moving into a neighborhood because of what might happen.


What has happened to you?

RN: Our landlord asked us to leave after Nana put a pentacle on our front door. He just told us it would be best if we left.

Didn’t you try to fight it? That’s illegal.

RN:  Technically, yes, but after someone left the dead cat on our doorstep, we decided it was best to move. My cat, Theodora could be next.

Why do people do these things to your family?

RN: I wish I knew. Shows their ignorance. If they understood that being Wiccan is about honoring all life, then they might understand it’s a good thing to have a Wiccan family in the neighborhood.

How can people be educated in regards to the nature of Wiccan and witches?

RN: There’s the problem. For centuries, people have believed things that were not true. Such as witches are evil. People who are Wiccans worship Satan. The only way I can see of correcting some of these tales is going back in the past to stop them where they started.

You can’t go back in the past.

RN:  Well, (bites bottom lip before speaking) I thought that too. It appears the past wants me and keeps pulling me back.  My only problem, besides the local villagers trying to burn me as a witch, is why I am drawn back into the past.  Nana, that’s my grandmother, believes if I can figure out the problem, then I can solve it, and remain in the now.

As witches, can’t you just wiggle your nose and make it stop.

RN: See, there you go, television witches. Nope, this is my destiny I just have to figure out how to stay alive…and that will take a major dose of magick.



 INITIATION coming in January 2014

Blurb:
The woman who will one day wear Richard Lynsted's ring will be genteel, dainty, and well-bred.

This eliminates Grace MacEachin on all three counts. A hellion of the first order, the alluring, infuriating woman would be nothing more than a passing temptation to an upstanding gentleman like Richard—if it weren't for the fact that she's trying to blackmail his father!

Or, as Grace sees it, trying to get justice—and maybe just the slightest hint of revenge on the family that tore her life asunder when she was just a girl. And as for Lynsted, well, the stuffy, humorless man wouldn't suffer for time spent in company more exciting than that of his company ledgers. Only when Richard gets Grace alone, she discovers he may know a thing or two about excitement after all . . .

The Marriage Ring by Cathy Maxwell is a historical romance by a master of the genre. Who else would have two character diametrically opposed to one another in every way? Only Cathy Maxwell could make it work. Grace MacEachin has a bone to pick with the Lynsted family. They bore false witness against her father, which sent him to the penal colony for several years. This crime busted up her happy family and sent her fleeing Scotland for the London stage.

Grace wows audiences with her beautiful voice and voluptuous figure. When she’s not on stage, she’s fighting off ardent suitors who want to make her their own personal songbird.  The real reason she is in London is to blackmail the devious Lynsted twins who let her father take the blame for their misdeeds.  She has a wee bit of dirty laundry they might not like public. Her only goal is justice.

Richard Lynsted is a giant of a man. Beneath his mammoth proportions beats the heart of a romantic. Make that a romantic puritan. He keeps to himself while enriching his family with his financial acumen. Then one day, he overhears his father and uncle talking about being blackmailed by a Grace MacEachin. It is his duty to prove himself to his father by confronting the evil blackmailer.

Grace and Richard are thrown together as she convinces him to meet her father to prove how he’s been wronged by Richard’s family. Richard agrees to go, unaware that his uncle and father have sent servants to accompany them whose sole purpose is to kill Grace.

Grace and Richard’s attraction is a delight. Richard naïve assumption that honesty wins in the end gets him in all sorts of situations.  When Grace finally returns to Scotland to vindicate her father, she encounters a surprise.  I never saw this coming. Great job, Ms. Maxwell.

The Marriage Ring is another romantic treat. It is best if you have time to read it in one setting. Romance and historical romance fans should both enjoy it.

I will say my husband is a better person than I am because he finishes every book he starts. I don’t. I read for pleasure, knowledge and reviews. As for the reviews, I’ve been told not to read past the fifth chapter because I might give the story away. If I enjoy the book, I still finish it. However, a few things stop me cold.

1.       Mechanics can cripple a tale - I am not an editor. I need an editor to edit my work. Still, when I see glaring errors even I can pick out, it makes for difficult reading. It is almost as if the work has to be edited to make any sense.

2.       An unlikable character is another reason - Philip Roth, a masterful writer, may be able to make a pedophile into a sympathetic character. Trust me; most authors do not have this skill. I declined to review a book that included a selfish heroine who refused to have anything to do with her a father because he married a woman she didn’t like. She even kept her grandson away from his grandfather. When her father dies suddenly, she complains about how inconvenient it is and how she looks bad in black. I could not force myself to continue to read the book enough to find out if she developed a soul. I found out almost every  reviewer refused it too. The publisher was shopping it around for positive reviews only.

3.       Lack of research - I once read a book that took place on an Indiana farm. The author’s unfamiliarity with farming, the crops that grow in Indiana and the general geography hurt her credibility with anyone from Indiana, or with a farming background, or had the ability to use the Internet. Many people want to write historical novels, but they don’t want to do the research. Historical readers are great historians. They recognize an out of period item or even a word.

4.       Believability - Fantasy and science fiction get a pass on this. I understand fiction is pretend, but some things only happen in comic books. A cougar novel had the fifty-year-old former model heroine more beautiful and toned than her twenty year old model employees. Whenever she walked into a room, men’s mouths fell open. She was also a billionaire, owned most of the town and ran several businesses. The poor woman couldn’t find an available man to date. Which part do you find hard to believe?

5.       Sameness - I think people read novels by a particular author for some sameness. They’re comfortable with reading the same thing over and over. However, when it is the exact same plot line in the same place with different main characters, it’s still the same novel.

6.       Vulgarity factor - I don’t think of myself as a prude. I used to be a beta reader for several different types of erotica a few years back. While some of the books I read were funny, far-fetched, or just plan goofy, they do not compare to what’s out currently. Some writers have their characters tortured, kept hostage and raped by several men. They liked to call it bondage. Yeah, right.

7.       The agenda peddlers - You don’t have to read more than a chapter into these books to see what the agenda is. It could be pro-gun or anti-gun. It might be anti-meat penned by a vegan. Everyone has opinions. That’s fine, but an opinion is not a story arc.

8.       The story doesn’t go anywhere - I will freely admit to finishing these books thinking they will get better. Sigh. The best example I’ve seen is a mystery with twenty-two possible murderers. After persevering through 500 plus pages, the detective announces he can’t figure it out.

9.       Too little conflict - Everyone is wonderful in the story and there are no problems. What is the plot line again?

10.   Too much conflict - Some writers, hearing that conflict drives the story, manage to pile on endless twists, from unknown brothers to counteragents. After about the thirtieth conflict is introduced, I realize I no longer care.

11.   Great beginnings that melt into miserable middles - The book had so much promise, but then it went nowhere. The first part of the book was the contest entry, which explains why it was better than the rest.

12.   No explanation - This tends to happen more in fantasy or science fiction, where the writer uses language or terms that hasn’t been explained to the reader. He created the word so he knows what it means. The rest of us, however, might like a clue.

All in all, there really aren’t that many books I don’t finish. I really hate it when I read an entire series only to have a sucky ending. I persevered through six books for that ending.  When do you stop reading?  

BLURB:
To their friends, Nick and Cathy Chance have the perfect marriage. High school sweethearts who’ve been together for ten years, they’ve weathered challenges and are as committed as they were when they first fell in love. Cathy trusts Nick, Nick’s world revolves around his wife, and the future looks golden.

To everyone who knows them, Cathy Chance and Roxanne Ruiz have a perfect friendship. They connected in grade school and since then have been each other’s confident and trusted advisor. Cathy loves the gorgeous Roxanne like a sister, Roxanne has fun-loving Cathy’s back in every situation, though lately there’s been tension between these two best friends…

And then, on a sunny summer morning, the unthinkable occurs, throwing into doubt the truth of what each of these people really know about themselves and one another.

Will Roxanne’s sacrifice be too little, and too late? Should Nick’s love for his wife be strong enough to risk trusting his heart more than logic? Can Cathy’s devotion to Nick give her enough strength to convince him to see her for who she really is?

Secret Sister proves how strong, how stubborn, and how trustworthy love can be as Nick and Cathy and Roxanne are challenged to overcome the secrets, the lies … and one extraordinary twist of fate that turns their lives upside down.


Follow Secret Sister tour by clicking on the book cover. Earn more chance to win $100 Amazon Gift Card at each stop.

 Hi Writer Wonderland Readers! Emelle Gamble here. My new book, Secret Sister, is a women’s fiction/romance/paranormal element story about Nick & Cathy. And Cathy and Roxanne. But before your mind goes frolicking off to ménage a trois land, let me caution you. As many readers and reviewers have found out, Secret Sister is not your average triangle. To peak your interest in the story, here’s some questions to think about it when your read it! Enjoy, and let me know what you think on my FB Author page or send me an email!

Top 10 Weird and Wonderful Questions about Secret Sister

10. This novel plays the amnesia card with a Joker…can you say ‘trading places’ body swap?

9. Someone  has hot sex with a man she thinks she knows…but is his identity the real issue?

8. Sister Zoe might see dead people…but then again, isn’t that a good thing?

7. Nick drives everyone crazy with his mourning…is he dense or just missing the obvious?

6. There are a lot of references to  great old songs…can’t any of these people get some Satisfaction?

5. There’s a cat named Pittypatt…what movie character is she named after?

4. Cathy Chance learns she doesn’t know everything about her best friend Roxanne…with apologies to every philosopher since Socrates, can we ever know another person?

3. Most of the characters eat at a restaurant named Simone’s …is great food sexy to read about or does it just make you hungry?

2. Roxanne Ruiz is drop dead beautiful, Cathy has a great personality…HA... would most women rather be Roxanne or Cathy?

And the #1 most weird and wonderful question about Secret Sister is…(take it away Paul Shaffer)

1.  Is the girl living in France with Nick at the end of the book who she thinks she is?

Excerpt:
When I ‘woke up,’ strange words to use after being unconscious for what was surely days, not hours, I felt remarkably lucid. Which is to say, I opened my eyes and saw and understood that I was in a hospital bed, there were nurses working in the area outside my glassed-in room, and I was hooked to an I.V. and some other kind of machine.

I didn’t know the story of how I got here, but assumed it was bad. I remembered hearing, somewhere, that I had been in a terrible car accident, but I was blank to any other details.

For instance, I didn’t know my name.

I examined the contents of my brain and started a list of unknown things. Where was I? No clue. What day was it? I looked outside and saw blue sky. Zero. I was blank to the most basic of information.

My chest tightened and a roar began in my head. Don’t panic. I gulped air, blinked; fought to stay awake.

 “Roxanne. Roxanne Ruiz. Do you know where you are?”

I didn’t recognize that name. In my brain I saw a face. A kind face, smiling. A great looking guy with strong arms and blue eyes.

But I had no idea who he was either …

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry and took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She has contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation.  She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take. 

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C.  with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years,  and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Email: emellegamble@aol.com

Website:  www.EmelleGamble.com

FaceBook:  Author Emelle Gamble

Twitter: @EmelleGamble

I am sure my daughter saw every animated Disney classic ever produced. One summer evening, we watched the latest Disney flick in a drive-in movie theater and watched Quasimodo’s mother killed by the French police forcing him to stay with the monks of Notre Dame. I thought this rather violent for a kids’ cartoon, especially in the first five minutes. Still, it followed the Disney theme of protagonists losing their mothers.



Think hard about all the Disney movies you sat through with your daughters. Did any of the protagonists have a mother? A few had fathers that had the bad taste to marry evil stepmothers and promptly die. Another handful had absent-minded fathers who end up endangering their daughters. Even Bambi lost his mom. To be fair to Walt, he didn’t write all these tales. Most came from fairy tales.

The dynamics include a young heroine in peril without a mother to turn to for help. Often her father doesn’t understand her, which forces the girl or mermaid to strike out on her own. I noticed romances follow the same dynamics. I kid you not.

I just finished reading Dangerous Refuge by Elizabeth Lowell. It was an amazing book, a total five stars, but also a good example of the bad family history. Our heroine is on her own because she’s been ostracized by her social climbing family. She also wants nothing to do with them. This forces her into a situation where she has to make things work on her own. There will be no help from her family if things go wrong. I don’t want to say much more and ruin the story.

Often authors will kill the parents off and make the heroine an orphan. I can’t even count how many orphaned heroines populated the various books I’ve read. I can understand this in historical romances. The mother is absent to force the daughter into an unfortunate situation. Even in contemporary novels, we often find the heroine in a hard spot with no parents, neglectful parents or really horrible, rotten parents.

I guess I wonder why the parents matter so much. In the Disney classics, the lack of a mother caused the princess to fall into an evil plot twist that needed the help of cute animals and a prince to rescue her. You can have female protagonists with perfectly fine mothers.

Julia Quinn introduced a warm and loving family unit with the Bridgertons. Their calamity was a lack of money. Romance complications depended on other things as opposed to a neglectful or missing mother.

Does not having a mother make the heroine more sympathetic? I don’t know. I do know that my latest heroine landed on her aunt’s doorstep as her mother chased after her latest military bad boy. Even though, Amy, my heroine, has an aunt who is a much better maternal figure than her mother ever could be, she still feels unlovable. This perception causes her to miss love that is right in front of her nose.

I also noticed that heroes could have perfectly wonderful families. They often bring their new found love into the family. What’s up with that? Do you have an opinion either way?

Thinking over all the movies I’ve watched, I did notice that Dumbo had a mother. Was that because he was male? Was a baby elephant in the circus without a mother too unbelievable? Do only human females suffer the lack of a mother? Too bad, Walt isn’t alive to ask. 

What do women find romantic? Not obviously, what men think they do. In a recent blog on AskMen, the blogger suggested a complex scavenger hunt for the woman after a hard day at work. I looked at my husband after reading the suggestion, and shook my head emphatically no. I have never liked scavenger hunts. This would not amuse me in any way. I decided to ask women what they found romantic. I am betting it is different from what men think. This is in no certain order. Some of the ladies were from across the pond too.

1.      Dancing. Anytime. Anywhere. I remember my husband dancing with me at an open-air concert we attended and the various women elbowing their escort because they didn’t do likewise.

2.      Small token gifts for no reason. These presents can be a favorite candy to a book by a favorite author. They show that the man is aware of the woman’s likes and is currying her favor.

3.      Handwritten love notes or letters. (Texting is not the same, but it is better than nothing.)

4.       Making her something from a poem to dinner wins a man mega brownie points.

5.      Cleaning up. This can be done when you’re gone or together.

6.      Trying something, she likes. It could be anything from walking to scrapbooking.

7.      Be supportive, which could be standing up for the woman or just letting her unload after a rough day without telling her how to solve her problems.

8.      Unexpected calls to say I love you.

9.      Being told you’re beautiful

10.  Cover her eyes and lead her to a lovely surprise

11.  Whisk her away somewhere exciting for the weekend

12.   Tell her that she is the most wonderful woman you have ever met

13.  Run her a relaxing bath after she has had a bad day at work  

14.  Wake her up with breakfast in bed

15.  Offer her your coat when she is cold

16.  Send her a bouquet of flowers, or a box of chocolates at work

17.   Make her a compilation of her favorite music

18.  Wake her up to see a meteor shower together.

19.  Walk through the forest together.

20.  Watch the sunrise or sunset together holding hands.

It depends on the woman too. One woman might think getting tickets to a football game is cool, while another might want to see the Ice Escapades.

My husband has done several romantic gestures. One that was infinitely dear to me is when he got the cover of my first book framed. What a sweetheart.

It shouldn’t be surprising that my book heroes are kings of the romantic gestures. Of course, I base them on my husband. :)

Here’s an excerpt from Incognito.

Setup: Marcus remembers that Teresa had her grandmother’s pearls stolen. He wants to do something special to show how much he cares.

Excerpt:

 His body hummed as his hand continued to stroke her legs. A glimpse of her contented face made him realize it was time. Reaching over her body, he touched the bag he carried into the bedroom in their impromptu flight. “I have something to show you the depth of my feelings. Let me preface this by saying it’s not a ring. I know Millie expects a ring, but I hope you will like what I got you for now.”

Teresa pulled out the gift-wrapped box in awe. She offered up a shy smile before tearing into it like a five year old. She held the lustrous string of pearls with the heart charm. “Just like grandmother’s.” She hugged them to her chest, tears filling her eyes. “Only better because it’s from you.”

Her hand caressed his hair, pulling him closer for a long kiss, providing a hint of pleasures to come.

Marcus placed the pearls back on the bedside table. “Let’s put the necklace up before it gets hurt.” He rolled her on her back, hovering over her, his weight balanced on his elbows. “So tell me, how would you feel if I hung around all the time?”

Love to hear from you. Visit me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. I have an amazing collection of Star Trek Pins. 

I am still running a contest on my Author Facebook Page. The person who is 200th like gets four free books of  their choice.  www.facebook.com/AuthorMorganKWyatt

Americans are obsessed with size. The current price of a healthy self-esteem is being able to squeeze into a size smaller than a six. Female movie and television stars somehow manage to work into interviews that they are a size zero. The way I figure it, they must not exist. As a teen, I was a size five, the smallest size available. Many people accused me of being anorexic because I was skin and bones. I can’t imagine how tiny a woman must be to wear a zero.

One plastic surgeon recently made the news because he offered free plastic surgery for anyone who can introduce him to his future wife. His requirements include college graduate, natural blonde and a size zero. You can understand why the average American woman believes any size above an eight is obscene.  

Every generation struggles with image issues. The beautiful Marilyn Monroe was a voluptuous size fourteen. No one seemed to have issues with that then, but women were squeezing their feet into shoes too small for them. A small shoe size was indicative of femininity. My own mother has ruined her feet because of this preference.

Seriously, why are we torturing our daughters with unrealistic Photo-shopped images of models and celebrities? One British magazine publisher just went with computer-generated images because they couldn’t find models thin enough. Shame on you, I expected better of the Brits.

It is for these reason, I am excited to introduce a novel about a real sized woman. Skin by Lydia Michaels tells of a real-sized woman at first can’t believe the hunky hero finds her beautiful. Please check out Lydia’s story and the Skin trailer.

BLURB:
When Finnegan McCullough gets a flat tire he bumps into a woman he’s never seen before. After a stern lecture on trespassing, he offers her a ride and a friendship takes shape. Mallory Fenton is unlike any girl he’s ever met. She’s funny, sexy as hell, and sweet as pie, but she doesn’t see herself that way. 

After literally crashing into Finnegan McCullough, Mallory is a hot, tongue-tied,mess. A true lumberjack, he wears his flannel well and possesses the sexiest smile she’s ever had thrown her way. Unfortunately, men like that don’t look at girls like her. When Finn confesses his desire to be more than friends, Mallory is shocked. After years of being the ‘fat girl’ she knows better than to believe a man like Finn could ever find her attractive. But she’s gotten under his skin and Finn is determined to show Mallory how beautiful she truly is.
 A realistic and heartwarming romance that proves love and beauty come in all shapes and sizes.

There has been a lot of talk about my new book, SKIN, and I’d first like to say thank you. Thank you to all the readers out there who share my dreams and make it possible for me to follow them. Without you, I couldn’t do what I do.
 
So everyone is curious about the book SKIN and they should be. The fact that so many readers are connecting with this topic gives me such joy. SKIN is different from any book I’ve ever written or read because the heroine is real. She is you. She is me. She is every woman who has ever looked in the mirror and not liked her reflection. My decision to write SKIN was inspired by the media's sudden overzealous interest in celebrities packing on baby weight, respected clothing chains making disrespectful statements about not wanting girls bigger than a size twelve wearing their attire, and the inescapable fact that I have been shopping in the plus size department since I was thirteen.

Here’s some real news. I am curvy and I am beautiful. I have skinny friends and they're beautiful too. Beauty doesn’t come in a shape or size.Beauty is defined as a quality in a thing or person that gives pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind. Beauty is a smile, a laugh, a look. Beauty is confidence. Beauty is love, loving yourself and others. When society tries to pigeonhole beauty we often don’t laugh. We see ourselves and frown. We look at ourselves differently,unfavorably. Our confidence becomes shaken and we love ourselves a little less.Why? If everyone looked the same, our minds would lose interest. Variety keeps the world beautiful.

Beauty is about perception and we must, as a whole, begin perceiving ourselves as beautiful, not on levels, but on a diverse plane where no quality outweighs another. We are all beautiful.

I love writing and reading romance, but never have I read a book where the heroine’s thoughts matched mine. I don’t think there is a woman out there who has not contemplated how her body appears in the midst of an intimate encounter. Nobody is one hundred percent confident one hundred percent of the time. When I wrote SKIN, I wrote it honestly. I wanted the reader to truly know the character’s thoughts, fears, insecurities, and dreams. Mallory Fenton wants to change the SKIN she’s in. Her journey is an emotional evolution that does indeed change her, but not the way she assumed it would.

I hope that you enjoy this story and the rest of the McCullough Mountain Series. SKIN releases on August 22, 2013 and it is dedicated to you.

Read an excerpt from Skin. Because the excerpt is so steamy, I can't post it here. (blushes)

EXcapades by Debra Kay is an erotic romance centering on the evolvement of the abandoned wife, Lila. It opens with Lila and her husband dropping off their only child at college. Lila is looking forward to a little more freedom and fun activities as her mother role decreases, but her husband has other ideas. He leaves her in the first few pages, admitting he was tired of her and has impregnated the former babysitter.

Lila finds herself in a tailspin because she never saw it coming. She wrestles with anger feeling as if she gave up her dreams to support her husband with this as her reward. As with many women, the anger turns inward and she becomes depressed stumbling her way through the divorce.  The one shaft of light in the brown fog of depression is the memory of her ex, Blake, and the wild sexual adventures they once had. She was fearless then, not a beaten down shell of her former self.



Not surprisingly, Blake and Lila do bump into each other and find the spark still exists, but medical issues and family obligations rear their heads disturbing what should be an easy second chance at love. Ask any divorced middle-aged woman, she’ll concur that love is never easy after an emotional devastation of a divorce, but it is infinitely sweeter.

The chemistry and romantic dance between Lila and Blake is delightful. There’s a natural growth of Lila from dutiful wife and mother to free-spited woman. Jane is a great secondary character as the friend, who for some reason, I kept picturing the actress from the Shirley Valentine playing the part. The cover may mislead you into thinking this is a tale of loosely patched together sexual exploits. It is not. It’s a tale of growth, self-discovery, hope and love.

EXcapades is for the romance reader who enjoys tales on the sensual side. It is also a book for women and men who want to believe in second chances and adventure. Two thumbs up to Debra Kay who not only went with an older woman as a protagonist, but also included all the troubling details of being that woman.