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Showing posts from April, 2014

Convention Time!

By the time this blog goes live, I will have attended, partied, and come home from Barbara Vey's Readers for Life Luncheon. There will be lots of pictures on my Facebook page but for the moment, let me tell you a little about the joys and sorrows of readers events from an author's point of view. 1. The greatest thing about going to readers events is... a. having a perfect business expense to leave home, stay in a hotel, and hang out with friends. b. road tripping with Elizabeth Hoyt which, let's face it, makes it awesome for anyone. c. putting on make up and high heels and pretending like I look this good all the time d. being an extrovert because I AM! I like to party, party, party! Sorry if you're an introvert. e. giving away a ton of gifts. I get to play "lady bountiful" and give #Squidge to lots of people. Lady   Bountiful  (plural  Ladies Bountiful ) A rich and generous woman. ( derogatory )  An  over-patronising  woman, showing off h

On Trying New Things (with ARC Giveaway!)

My five-year-old daughter, Little Miss R, is one of the most outgoing kids I've ever run across. So when she found out she was chosen to be in her kindergarten spelling bee, I expected her to be delighted. A chance to stand on a stage! To get lots of attention! And she was delighted--sort of. Actually, she told me, "I want to do it, but I want it to be over so I don’t have to do it." Ah, I thought. Finally my shy-in-public genetic material makes an appearance. "I've felt that way before," I said. "Do you want me to come watch? Will that help?" "Yes," she said. "Stay and watch the whole time." So I did. And she was nervous beforehand--but once she got up on that stage, all her fears went away. And she did great. Afterward, there was a lot of *bounce bounce* "I'm so glad I did it! It was fun! I want to do it again tomorrow!" Facing fears, it seems, can be addictive--and so can success. Segue alert: you

And the Winner is...

Pat! She left a comment on the blog "How Do You Like Your Heroes?" and won the $25 B&N gift card. Pat likes to read "wounded warriors" and "tender betas." Her prize ought to keep her stocked up on those latest men of romance. Be aware...I LOVE to give away bookstore gift cards.  If you want to keep up with the fun, why not join me? Newsletter:  http://ginaconkle.com/contact/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ginaconkle Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/gloveshistory/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GinaConkleWriter Website:  http://ginaconkle.com/   I write Viking and Georgian romance with a softly sensual side. Why not join the worlds of historical romance found only in my books.   ~Cheers to you, Reader!  Gina Conkle

Lest We Forget

So... I spend a lot of time writing about heroes, but yesterday (April 25th) was a day in Australia where we celebrate the most courageous of our national heroes: our ANZAC's. The acronym stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and every April 25th, we salute all who have fought for our country and commemorate the anniversary of the first major military action fought by our ANZAC forces in the First World War. So why is it so important to us Aussies? In 1915, the ANZAC forces set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, and ultimately Constantinople (Istanbul). They landed at Gallipoli on 25th April and met heavy resistance from the Ottoman Turks, with a stalemate that dragged on for eight months. Yep, that's right. Eight months. By the end of that time, both sides had suffered heavy losses and over 8,000 Australians were lost in action before they were forced to withdraw.   My boyfriend and I at Anzac Cove in 2008. In 2008, m

Gina's Split Personalities

Hi there, CasaFans! I've got a confession to make... I am two people. *GASP* Not only am I Gina Lamm, geek girl and gamer and historical romance aficionado. I am also... Regina Cole. Mistress of Sexy. Contemporary Romance Adore-er. Penning the steamiest of erotic romances to scorch your panties. Why do I tell you this now? Because, dear people, now Regina Cole is joining Gina Lamm in the ranks of the Sourcebooks Authors. (You may SQUEE now. I sure did. ;) As Regina Cole, I'll be writing a contemporary erotic romance series based on an alternative metal rock band called Son of Cain. The first title, ANY WAY SHE WANTS IT, will release sometime in 2015, with the next two titles to be released shortly thereafter. Each book will follow one of the guys in the band as he fights his inner demons and wins his true love, with a lot of hot smexin' along the way. Would you like to see the blurb for book one? Keep in mind, this is the pitch, not the actual "back of th

I Admit It...I'm an Addict by Shana Galen

I have a problem. Admitting it is the first step, right? Okay, so I'm addicted to news and photos of the Duchess of Cambridge (that's Kate Middleton to those of you who aren't royal watchers). This grand tour of New Zealand and Australia has been a boon for those of us who get jittery when we go too long without any photos or news of Kate. Obviously, this letter in the Times indicates that not everyone is eating up all the media attention the duchess receives. Have to love that dry British wit. The Brits are better known for humor than style, but Kate Middleton may very well be changing that image. Take a look at a few of the outfits she wore on the tour. These two make me want to buy a few dozen hats. This Diane von Furstenberg dress was so popular it sold out 8 seconds after Kate was pictured wearing it. This photo proves that hats and puppies are the ultimate accessories. Seriously, furry animals are always in style, even a bilby (who had ever he

Gearing up for RT!

This year I get to fulfill TWO big dreams that I've had for many years. First, I finally get to attend the RT Booklover's convention this coming May!! I finally get to meet authors I've admired forever. I finally get to participate in the always amusing RT twitter feed. I get to meet some of my readers and sign books, attend useful workshops and fun parties.   Second, I get to visit New Orleans, a place I've been dying to see since I read my first Anne Rice novel. My excitement knows no bounds. Since this will be my first convention and first time travelling alone, I'm going to try to take it as easy as possible. I'll attend plenty of worshops and author events and parties, but I really want to focus my attention on the 2 main purposes I have for attending this convention. Getting to know people, and exploring NOLA. I'm going to stuff my face with Cajun and Creole food. A few authors and I are planning a mini tourist expedition. If

A TASTE OF SPRING(Recipe) by Pamela Sherwood

Lemon Tree...and Feline Guardian! Just as there are certain colors and smells that you automatically associate with specific seasons, so are there particular flavors. So if autumn tastes like pumpkin, ginger, and cranberries, winter like peppermint and chocolate, and summer like strawberries and peaches, spring--at least to me--tastes like lemons. And right now, with the warmer weather coming in, Southern California's lemon trees are putting out bumper crops of sunny yellow fruit! And enthusiastic cooks like me eye the laden branches with mingled speculation--and acquisitiveness! Because lemons are among the most versatile of ingredients, finding their way into all kinds of dishes: hot, cold, savory, sweet, liquid or solid. Whether it's avgolemono soup or lemon cream pasta or lemon meringue pie, lemon enlivens any springtime menu. Today I'm sharing a recipe for madeleines, those pretty scallop-shaped cakes that you can now find as overpriced three-packs at your loca