BLB has moved!
Dana Taylor
A Note from Dana Taylor– Hey Babes– BLB has moved! We are now at www.BOOKLUVINBABES.COM. It looks very similar, but the behind-the-scenes techno-stuff made the move necessary. And I am still on the learning curve, so be patient with me! In the coming months I plan to have some very special events and feature totally cool authors–Famous and Soon-to-be-Famous. BLB is all about bringing readers and writers TOGETHER. Where do you go to find TERRIFIC BOOKS? Book Luvin’ Babes.com! See you there– Dana Taylor
DEVIL MOON– “Either shoot me or marry me”
Enjoy the “Marry Me” scene from—
By Dana Taylor
Welcome to the mystical town of Beaver Cove, Arkansas where country ghosts offer homey advice and the moon makes lovers of total strangers! Maddie Harris left Boston in humiliation. She hopes the job as assistant principal in a small Arkansas town will keep her too busy to notice the hole where her heart used to be. Phil Wilcox, divorced former NFL star, returns to his hometown as the new football coach. He hopes to repair the tattered relationship with his eleven-year-old daughter, despite his thorny ex-wife. Maddie is neat and color coordinated; Phil takes “casual” to its limits. Neither is seeking romance, but a mischievous moon and a friendly spirit have other ideas. “Round Table Review” says “Devil Moon is a lovely romance full of whimsy, comedy and bittersweet twists.”
The set up: This scene is toward the end of the book. Maddie has been warned off Phil by his ex-wife who has threatened to take Phil’s daughter out of his life unless Maddie gives him up. (Maddie occasionally gets advice from her dead Grandmother.)
Setting: Maddie’s kitchen
Maddie sat up straight. She’d been wishing the interminable breakfast would simply end. And now he appeared on the verge of proposing marriage.
She put a hand on his arm. “Don’t say it, Phil.”
“Now you don’t even know what I’m going to say. See, we’re good for each other.” He covered her hand and looked at her with the innocence of a puppy. “I love you. I’ve known it for a good little while. You make me happy and I think we’d make a great team. We need each other. We’re right together. Oh, hell, Maddie, either shoot me and put me out of my misery or marry me.” He released a deep breath. “There, I said it. I think we should get married. What do you say?”
He looked so happy, she wanted to throw up. Her voice came out hoarse. “I can’t marry you, Phil. It just wouldn’t work.”
An expression of shocked pain flashed across his face before it quickly changed to anger. “Oh, I get it. It’s one thing to have a roll in the sheets with the football jock, but you wouldn’t want to marry him.”
“No, no, it’s not like that.”
“Then what is it? Explain it to me.”
Oh God, she wasn’t ready for this. She hadn’t rehearsed a speech. She crossed her legs and tried to assume an elegant air. “Well, you’re from one world and I’m from another and I don’t think we’re compatible. You’re much too messy. I wouldn’t want to be picking up your socks and picking out your clothes.” Oh yes she would, she really would.
Phil stood up. “Okay, sweetheart, you’re too good for me. I get it. An alcoholic, has-been football player isn’t your idea of husband material. Well, let me tell you something, babe. You’re passing up a good deal.”
She knew that. She knew he was the best thing that had ever come along in her whole life. “It wouldn’t be a suitable match, that’s all. I think you have many fine qualities, but you’re just not my type. I hope we can be friends, for the baby’s sake.”
He grabbed her chin and forced her to look in his face. “This is so much baloney. You came onto me the other night like it was for keeps. You didn’t say it, but I could feel it in your body, see it on your face. You love me, goddamn it! You look me straight in the eye and deny it. Say it. Say ‘Phil, I don’t love you.’ I don’t think you can.”
Maddie swallowed and dug deep down to a well of strength she didn’t know she possessed. She had to make the lie seem true. In a calm and measured voice she said, “Phil…I…don’t… love you.”
He released her as if he’d been burned, turned on his heel and rushed for the door. She flinched at the slam and closed her eyes. Taking a breath, she opened them again and surveyed the incredible mess he’d made making one small meal.
Standing before the sink was the see-through figure of Grammy Harris. “Pitiful, simply pitiful. You’ve set the Harris womenfolk back ’bout a hundred years.”
****
February 2012 Amazon Customer review from Dafna Yee–
Devil Moon is a charming love story with well-rounded characters (even Grammy’s ghost has a great personality!). The dialogue is terrific and the banter between stuck-up Maddie and laid-back Phil gave me lots of smiles. Randy makes a wonderful secondary character as Maddie’s best friend while Pam makes a classic villain. I especially loved the sub-plot of the relationship between Phil and his daughter, Melissa, who ended up saving the day. The complex issues of single motherhood, abortion, homosexuality, and alcohol/drug abuse were dealt with sensitively and really added to the story line. This book is a cut above your usual romance and I definitely recommend it.
Get caught in the spell of Devil Moon: A Mystic Romance
A Hint of Murder from Lia Fairchild
Lia Fairchild’s debut novel, IN SEARCH OF LUCY, has been a break-out bestseller. It caught the eye of the Amazon editors and is now part of the Amazon Encore imprint. Well done, Lia! Today she is sharing her new novella HINT OF MURDER series–THE WRITER, THE DOCTOR, and THE BOUNCER.
QUICKIE CONTEST: Want to ask Lia about her sudden rise as an Indie Author? Make a comment or ask a question to be eligible for a FREE ebook from Lia.
Excerpt from A Hint of Murder: The Writer
Alicia Fairfield didn’t plan on being famous. Now a bestselling author with millions of fans, Alicia also has the attention of a killer. Someone has been recreating the murders from her books and the suspects are piling up; her mentally ill son, a disgruntled associate, and possibly even her loyal literary agent. The pressure of public recognition along with the guilt over these senseless killings could be enough to drive Alicia over the edge. Can she hold it together long enough to uncover a killer? (Story length 9,000 words)
Since the first body was discovered, she’d had nothing but heartache, worry and guilt. Alicia Fairfield prayed it was a coincidence; that the murdered young woman had nothing to do with the story she had created. A story that was played out on the big screen just last week. Perhaps making Vegas Vendetta, her tenth bestseller, into a movie had been a mistake. The Las Vegas Showgirl was fatally stabbed the night of the premiere. Alicia and her agent Edward spoke to the police the next day before Alicia returned to her million-dollar home snuggly perched in the rolling hills of Marin County.
Alicia clutched the bottle tightly, closed the medicine cabinet and stared at herself in the mirror. A pair of icy blue eyes gazed back at her as she smoothed down her straight blonde hair. At forty five, she was just beginning to show the signs of aging. For a moment, the stranger in the reflection hypnotized her but she tore herself away from the image and left for the kitchen. She passed through her dining room, decorated to perfection, and her hallway adorned with gorgeous paintings, some of them her own creations. When she reached the sink, she filled a glass with water and took it along with the pill bottle to the other side of the counter. Then she set them down next to her laptop and took a seat at the end barstool.
Alicia glanced down at the morning paper, and reread the headline. “Copy Cat Killer Strikes Again.” The article detailed the killing of the showgirl and linked it to the recent murder of a nurse found dead behind a free clinic in Novato. A source told the paper that a page from A.J. Field’s novel From the Shadows had been left with the nurse’s body. The pen name was Alicia’s attempt to have a private life and keep her family—mainly her mentally ill son—away from public scrutiny.
Alicia set the paper down and turned to her laptop. Mesmerized by the blinking cursor, she contemplated what she would write. For the first time, these would be her words. It was possible two lives had been taken because of the words she’d written in her novels. Should these be the last words anyone would ever read from A.J. Field?
************
Lia Fairchild is a native Californian who loves reading, writing, movies, and anything else related to the arts. For more about Lia and her books visit http://www.liafairchild.com and http://www.ahintofmurder.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/#!/liafairchild”
The Anthology is available on
Amazon US http://ow.ly/7xiI7
Amazon UK http://ow.ly/7xiKW
Ice-cream, yoga & love from Meryl Davids Landau
Meryl Davids Landau makes her fiction debut with Downward Dog, Upward Fog, a book that was just nominated as a General Fiction Book of The Year Finalist by Foreword Reviews. She is a certified yoga teacher and Reiki practitioner, and has written many articles for national publications, including O, the Oprah magazine, Reader’s Digest, U.S. News & World Report, Huffington Post and Whole Living. Her writing has won several awards, and was a finalist for a prestigious National Magazine Award.
BLB: Have you got any funny yoga anecdotes to share?
I didn’t really know what yoga was when I met my first yoga teacher. I was happily bicycling away at my gym’s stationary bicycle when this woman walked by—no, I have to say she floated by. Her energy was amazing. When I asked someone who that was, they told me it was the yoga teacher. I got right off that bike and followed her into her class, wanting a piece of whatever she was selling! Fortunately, she was as great a teacher as I’d hoped, and I was hooked.
Since then I’ve taken and, subsequently, taught many yoga classes. My favorite funny situations happen when people twist or bend in a certain way that, shall we say, purges the body of excess gas. Some yoga poses are actually designed to do that, because cleansing the body is a good thing. But in our culture, being the one to let ‘er rip seen as mortifying. I considered having this happen to my character, Lorna, when she goes on her first yoga retreat. But I decided Lorna was hard enough on herself for her perceived flaws and still unsure of her yoga at that point (which she later embraces with gusto) that passing gas might send her permanently fleeing!
Book description: Lorna Crawford has a great boyfriend, longtime friends, and a well-paying job as special-events coordinator at a premium ice-cream manufacturer. But, out of sorts and filled with self-doubt, the 33 year old soon realizes that what she really wants is to stay on the spiritual path she keeps diving off of. Lorna jump-starts her efforts at a silent yoga retreat. But after returning from the mountain, she quickly loses her connection in the face of scheming coworkers, judgmental girlfriends, and, especially, her overly critical mother. Lorna also wrestles over her future with her boyfriend, a hot guy who takes her to the hottest places, but who can’t discern a meditation cushion from a toad stool. Reading spiritual books and visiting a channeler and energy healer move Lorna forward, but her confusion remains. Lorna’s seeking is put to the ultimate test when personal tragedy strikes. Will she come to truly understand that living spiritually has little to do with how you pretzel yourself on the yoga mat (although she gets plenty good at that), and everything to do with embracing the twists in everyday life?
I Like Big Feet and I Cannot Lie!
Chavis’ Corner
Recently, I was at the movies, and a preview came on of Peter Jackson’s upcoming film The Hobbit. Maybe it was because of the huge IMAX screen, but seeing that preview gave me chills. The Hobbit or There and Back Again (that’s its full title) is one of my most beloved reads. I first read it as a ten-year old, and I still read it nearly every year because it is truly timeless without any age limits. 
You may be familiar with Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien because of the huge popularity of those wonderful films, but you may not be aware that there is a “prequel” (though it’s not really a prequel) to the story called The Hobbit. It was Tolkien’s first book, published in 1937 with Lord of the Rings following in 1954 and 1955. Some people call The Hobbit a biography of Bilbo Baggins, the main character, but I like to think of it as much more than that. Take a look at this first line:
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”
Thus begins the story of Bilbo Baggins! Legend has it that Tolkien was grading papers, and wrote that sentence on the back of a student’s paper, and he didn’t do anything with that sentence for years, but it sparked an idea for a book, which eventually made literary history.
Tolkien’s book focuses on the race of hobbits which are folk that are about 3 feet high with big, hairy feet. They live an idyllic lifestyle in the village of Hobbiton in the world of Middle-Earth. Hobbits enjoy the quiet of the daytime, smoking pipes, farming, digging in the dirt in their gardens, and eating delicious and rich foods.
Bilbo Baggins, while loving the life of Hobbiton, has always had a secret yearning for adventures. He gets his wish granted ( or rather it’s forced upon him) when the wizard Gandalf The Grey stops by and gets himself invited for dinner; when Gandalf returns for dinner, he brings a gaggle of dwarves with him. Bilbo’s house is thrown in disarray when the dwarves eat everything in sight, but after the meal, they start to sing songs about reclaiming their claim to a place called “Lonely Mountain.”
After this point, the characters set out for many adventures including captures by goblins, trolls, elves, gigantic spiders, a dragon, and all manner of creatures. This book is so wonderful for the imagination for people of all ages. It’s such a magical experience, and not because it’s classified as “fantasy.” Tolkien felt that his home country of England lacked a true mythology, so he created a world that looks a lot like England, even though it’s called Middle-Earth, and created this wonderful tale that truly has mythic proportions.
If you’re interested in Lord of the Rings, but haven’t read them yet, The Hobbit is an excellent place to start, or revisit even if you’ve read the other books. While Tolkien has immense pages of details in his writing, The Hobbit doesn’t overdo it. The beginnings of Tolkien’s books are usually where we get the most dense descriptions, and some readers either jump in and swim in the details, while others may find it overwhelming, but if you can hang in there, you’re in for a rare treat. I truly cherish this book, and I hope you will too!
Swept Away with Marsha Canham
Dana Taylor: Hi Babes! I’m very excited to have USA bestselling author, Marsha Canham, as our guest at BLB. Marsha has been around the block, as they say, in the publishing business. She’s enjoyed a successful career as a traditionally published author of historical romances and now she’s “gone Indie.” 
I’ve enjoyed her very frank posts in the Writer’s Café at Kindle Boards talking about the book industry. She tells it like it is on her blog site, Marsha Canham’s Blog. Quickie Contest: Make a comment or ask a question to be eligible for a FREE copy of Marsha’s latest release, THE FOLLOWING SEA.
Tell me, have you gotten any backlash from publishers or traditional authors by “going Indie?”
Marsha Canham: Funny you should ask that now when all the Indies are up in arms over a blanket statement by Jodi Piccoult in a recent interview telling authors NOT TO SELF PUBLISH. According to her wisdom and pithy perceptions, we’ve “not yet separated the wheat from the chaff” and “There’s a lot of crap out there, and one day we may find a way to segregate well written self published fiction from that stuff which anyone can throw on Amazon, but I just don’t think we’re there yet ”
I guess that means I’m not there yet LOL! So to answer your question, the only backlash seems to come from authors who think like publishing houses, that a system that has worked for a hundred years should continue to work for a hundred more. Problem is, a hundred years ago there was no such thing as the internet or ereaders. What we read is up to us, the readers, and we can choose to read an Indie book, or we can choose to read a traditionally published book. By telling authors NOT to self publish, she’s not only denying the author the right to publish …and believe me, back when I began, if I thought ten people might read my first book, it would have been a thrill and inspired me to keep writing and keep improving my craft… but she’s denying the readers the opportunity to read some damn good books that publishing houses either don’t think fit into their line of works, or they like the book, they just don’t have room for it.
DT: Kind reminds me of the guy who wanted to close down the United States Patent Office in the early 20th century because “everything has already been invented!” Marsha, you write wonderful, swashbuckling romantic tales. Can you give people who might be unfamiliar with your work an idea of what inspires you and what they’ll be likely to find in a Marsha Canham story?
MC: Dana, before we close, let me thank you for inviting me on your blog. I’ve also enjoyed the interaction on the Kindle Boards, it’s a great group of people, readers and authors alike, who share information and give advice generously.
Hmmm…what are readers likely to find? Well, I have been dubbed the Queen of Swashbuckling Romance by Romantic Times on several occasions. I enjoy writing historical romances with a lot of action and adventure and try to put the words onto paper the way I see the scenes playing out in my mind, like a film. I choose eras to place my stories in that have always fascinated me, like Medieval England or theScottishHighlands, or my ultimate favorite, the high-seas. My most recent book, an original straight to ebook format, is The Following Sea, which completes the Pirate Wolf Trilogy begun with Across A Moonlit Sea and The Iron Rose. A lot of swashing and buckling, sea battles, land battles, lost treasure galleons, and of course, romance.
Marsha Canham Bio: I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Writing mostly historical romances set in many of my favorite periods and themes: medieval, pirate, regency, Scottish. My books have won many awards from Romantic Times, including Best Historical of the Year, Best Swashbuckler of the Year, Best Medieval of the Year, Storyteller of the Year, and I have twice received Lifetime Achievement Awards. The Iron Rose won accolades from Publishers Weekly for being one of the seven best fiction books of the year. My novels have consistently appeared on USA Today bestseller lists. Nasty rumors of my retirement have been greatly exaggerated.
Quickie Contest: Make a comment or ask a question to be eligible for a FREE copy of THE FOLLOWING SEA from Marsha.
Inspired by a Psycho Lover by Anne R. Allen
Guest Author Anne R. Allen:
When I was in college, I dated a man named David Whiting—an odd duck who seemed to live in an F. Scott Fitzgerald fantasy world. A couple of years later, he was found dead in actress Sarah Miles’ motel room during the filming of a Burt Reynolds movie.
His death sparked a huge scandal, because Ms. Miles was married, and tabloids even accused Burt Reynolds of murder. Friends suspected suicide or an overdose. But the forensic evidence wasn’t conclusive. The coroner finally ruled it an accident.
But I knew things about David most people didn’t—he once said I was the only person who really knew him—and I’m pretty sure I know what happened that night.
For decades, I’d mulled over the story, unsure of how to tell it. But when I was in England promoting my first novel, Food of Love, I came across Sarah Miles’ autobiography in a used bookstore, read the chapters about David, and the seeds of a novel began to grow.
David had been a true “ladies’ man”: he had no male friends and collected gorgeous, wealthy girlfriends the way Carrie Bradshaw collected Manolos. He wasn’t wildly handsome, and his phoniness bordered on the comical, but somehow he always ended up with some supermodel or movie star on his arm.
He made it clear to me from the beginning that I wasn’t A-list enough for girlfriend material. We didn’t have the term “friends with benefits” in those days, but that would have described our relationship. I dated him mostly because I found him hilarious. Every date was a piece of performance art.
Because I wasn’t emotionally into him, I found his fabulist lies and way of sneaking into my room and rearranging things or leaving odd tokens was funny. I hadn’t yet seen the classic film “Gaslight” and wasn’t aware how terrifying “gaslighting” can be.
It wasn’t until I read Sarah Miles’ book that I realized how David hooked his prey. He made himself indispensable—taking care of everything from getting the best table at trendy restaurants to financial, career and even medical advice.
Then he would start “gaslighting” making, the women believe they were crazy or incompetent and unable to function without him. When they’d try to break away, he’d use the secret weapon of most abusers: self-pity. He’d even threaten suicide. (Which is why his death is still often called a suicide, although he only had trace amounts of drugs in his system.)
The characters in The Gatsby Game are totally fictional, and I’m not sure what Ms. Miles would make of the character of Delia Kent, the movie star who befriends—then is almost destroyed by—the Fitzgerald-obsessed con man I call Alistair Milborne. I added a smart-mouthed nanny who first falls for Alistair, then hates him, and finally forgives. I call her “Nicky Conway” as an homage to Nick Carroway, the detached narrator of Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby—Alistair’s obsession.
Although it’s Alistair’s story, it’s also Nicky’s—the story of a woman who fights to make her own way in the world and ultimately triumphs, finding real love along the way.
Anne R. Allen is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and spent twenty-five years in the theater–acting and directing–before taking up fiction writing. She is the former artistic director of the Patio Playhouse in Escondido, CA and now lives on the Central Coast of California. She has a popular blog she shares with NYT bestselling author Ruth Harris.
Theresa Ragan, “Overnight success”
And here’s the rest of the story–Part 2 of our interview with Theresa Ragan (T.R. Ragan), author of the Lizzy Gardner series and more.
Dana Taylor: I love these tales of people who are “overnight successes”! Theresa, there are a lot of Indie authors uploading a lot of manuscripts, but few are having your level of success. What would you say is making your stories stand out? Also—why did the agents and editors miss a 6 time Golden Heart finalist?
TR: It is strange…writing for nearly two decades and feeling like an overnight success. Why did agents and editors miss a 6 time Golden Heart finalist? Good question! Ha! Long ago, I had heard that once an author finalled in the Golden Heart, the chances of selling were better than ever. Six finals in the GH and still nothing. I had signed with two agents, but ultimately both agents had a favorite book that they tried to sell, which meant that two or three of my books were submitted to about 20 or 30 editors. That meant that 20 or 30 people had decided my future writing career. If I were to give advice to an author looking for an agent, I would say don’t sign with an agent unless he/she loves ALL of your work, or at least most of it. 
Looking back, I blame myself since I don’t think I was pro-active enough. Instead of leaving it up to my agent to make a sale, I should have found a way to make sure ALL of my books were being submitted around NY. Regarding your first question about why my books are standing out…when I wasn’t selling I would sometimes ask “why me?” And now that I am selling, I sometimes ask “why me?” I really have no idea why my books are selling well, but if I had to guess, I would say that it really is about luck and timing. Thrillers are hot right now. I hit the right genre at the right time. And maybe, just maybe, I finalled in the Golden Heart six times for a reason. I always believed that finalling in the Golden Heart meant that my stories had a certain “appeal.”
DT: Seeing how capricious “success” seems to be in the book business, it does feel like there are perhaps Greek Gods simply playing with authors as their little pawns. At any rate, I think your increasingly popularity has to be a sign that READERS LIKE YOUR BOOKS! They read one and continue on with the series.
Will you give us a mini-tour through your books and some of your favorite characters?
TR: As I mentioned earlier, when I sat down to write my first book years ago, it was a medieval time travel romance. My plan was to write medieval time travels forever! I worked so long and so hard on Return of the Rose that I practically have the book memorized. I love every character and I think this book will always be my favorite. I especially adore the hero, Derek Vanguard, Lord of Braddock Hall. He is misunderstood. He’s one hundred percent alpha male, gruff around the edges, but most importantly, he’s a genuinely nice guy.
A Knight in Central Park is the second book and the second medieval time travel I wrote. The hero, Joe, is based on a thought I had one day when I wondered what my husband, Joe, would do if he found himself miraculously transported to another time–a time without toothpaste, hot showers and soap. My husband would not handle it well and neither does the hero in my book.
I wrote Taming Mad Max and Having My Baby (coming soon) out of desperation to sell to NY since time travels weren’t selling, or at least that’s what I was told. I love reading and writing romantic comedies and I plan to write many more.
The next book I wrote was Finding Kate Huntley, a romantic suspense. I really like Kate, the heroine. She’s feisty and she doesn’t take any crap from anyone. After my agent shopped it around and the book didn’t sell, I read about Lisa Gardner’s transition from writing romance to thrillers. I was fascinated by her two-year journey. I spent the next few months dissecting popular thrillers. I read every article Lisa Gardner wrote on plotting thrillers. By this time, I was a tiny bit annoyed about not selling and I decided that I was going to write a thriller and kill off my characters along with my frustrations. It was working, too, but then I began to research real-life serial killers and I started having nightmares. I couldn’t cook dinner without visualizing all of the horrible things that my killer could do with the knives in the drawer.
Abducted was the first book I had ever written that I couldn’t wait to read the minute I wrote The End. I feel connected to every character in my Lizzy Gardner series. They are all resilient characters who have lived through horrible events, but who are also determined to not allow their demons to get the best of them.
Okay, that’s the end of my “mini” tour, Dana. Aren’t you glad you didn’t ask for the full blown tour? As you can see, I tend to ramble on and on. I can’t thank you enough for inviting me to talk with you. If anyone has any questions at all, ask away!
DT: Theresa signed a contract with Thomas & Mercer at Amazon at the end of March for her Lizzy Gardner series. All of her books are enjoying steady sales. You can visit Theresa at her website http://www.theresaragan.com/. Be sure and ask a question or make a comment here to be eligible for a FREE copy of one of her books.
Coming soon to BLB–Marsha Canham and Anne R. Allen. As always, we remind you to support your favorite authors by writing customer reviews.
T.R. Ragan–Break-out Indie Author
Dana Taylor
Dana Taylor: Hey Babes! You’re in for a treat. You may have noticed a gal by the last name of RAGAN bouncing all over the romance bestseller lists at Amazon. The tagline on her website reads “3 genres, 2 names, 1 author.” Writing as both T.R. Ragan and Theresa Ragan, this author is hitting her stride. Here are the ASTOUNDING numbers–as of March 31, 2012 she has sold 255,655 books as an Indie Author. That doesn’t include the over 185,000 free downloads. Is it any surprise that she just snagged her first publishing contract with her Lizzy Gardner series with Amazon’s Thomas and Mercer Imprint? I’m very happy she’s agreed to stop by BLB and let us get to know her.
DT: Welcome to BLB, Theresa. I’ve been watching your star rising for the past several months. Can you give us a little background about yourself and your road as an author?
Theresa Ragan: 
Hi Dana. And hello to ALL of the Book Luvin’ Babes out there! Thank you so much for having me.
Personal Info: I’ve been happily married for twenty-five years. In fact, it just keeps getting better and better. I love spending time with my four kids. I have been playing the piano since I was 8 years old. I love to travel and I have been spoiled by my sister who has taken me on many faraway adventures.
Author Info: Nearly twenty years ago, I read A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, and the minute I finished that book I knew I wanted to write my own time travel romance. I was pregnant with my fourth and last child, home on leave of absence from work, and I was tired of watching Young and the Restless.( I can still hear the theme song after all these years.) Five years later, my youngest was entering Kindergarten when I finished Return of the Rose. When daycare costs became more than my paycheck, I had to quit my job as a legal secretary. With four kids at home, I had to write early in the morning, late at night, and in the car while waiting for the kids to get out of school.
It was 1997 or 98 when a friend of mine told me that there was a group of writers called the Romance Writers of America. I didn’t have a computer at the time, but I went to the library, found a phone number and joined RWA. I still remember how exciting it was to talk on the phone with Patti Berg about joining the Sacramento Chapter of RWA. It was so wonderful to meet other like-minded people who had crazy scenes, characters, and dialogue running through their head. I learned more in that first year of being an RWA member than in the five years I had been writing. I learned all about point of view and dialogue tags. Seven national conferences, two agents, too many contests to count, 6 finals in the Golden Heart competition, hundreds of workshops and creative writing classes later, my youngest was entering college! Where did the time go?
I had written more than ten 400-page novels, I had worked with agents and editors, but I still had not made a sale to New York. I was writing every day. I was doing everything right, but my time was up. It was time for me to get a real job that paid real money. While reading through the Want Ads and looking for a job, I had an epiphany. Well, really my epiphany came in the form of Cate Rowan talking/blogging about self-publishing. Why not self-publish my two time travel romances? I read Return of the Rose for the millionth time and I knew it was time to give my books a chance. I had absolutely nothing to lose. Within weeks, I had sold hundreds of books, and within months, I had sold thousands. I was blown away. I still am.
TOMORROW–The Indie road and a mini-tour through Theresa’s books.
Spring into Books Winners Announced!
Thanks to all the participants in the Spring into Books Blog Hop. I had quite a pile of entries! Drum roll, please. The Cockatoo Tote Bag winner is…
KITTY CARTOUCHE 
Winner of the $20.00 Amazon Gift Card is JULIE WITT and because I’m feeling generous–MARY MICHAUD & ANDREA BRIGNET are receiving free copies of JAGUAR JACK 
Thanks to everyone who participated! Keep visiting Book Luvin’ Babes. We have a lot of fun plans for the coming months. As always–we remind you to support your favorite authors by posting customer reviews.–Dana Taylor
Book Luvin' Babes 