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Showing posts from March, 2018

Happy Easter Chocolate, Everyone!!

As my kids chirped repeatedly tonight before they went to bed: three more sleeps until Easter!! They're excited because a big-eared, fluffy-tailed, chocolate-wielding bunny will sneak into our house when everyone's sleeping and leave them candy. Me? I find it all just a bit creepy—especially when I think about what that bunny might be wearing (and how much chocolate I'll probably eat!). Speaking of chocolate... as you can see, my chocolate lab cross, Jasper, is pretty excited about the whole thing too. Funny story: when I bought the bunny ears, the tag said they were chocolate-scented. I guess you had to be a dog to notice. And he did. Repeatedly…as I was trying to snap the photo. (No bunny ears were hurt during the making of this blog!). . And last, but not least…chocolate.   Please share any of your chocolate—I mean—Easter traditions down below.  Have a great weekend, Everyone!! * * * * Alyson McLayne writes historical romance set in the Hig

Five of My Favorite (Not So Typical) Heroic Traits

Five of My Favorite (Not So Typical) Heroic Traits: 5.     He doesn’t always have to be the hero. I love when the hero’s there to help when he’s needed, but he also knows when to step back and trust that his love can handle the situation. It’s great getting rescued and all, but sometimes it’s more fun to be the one to rescue him . 4.     He’s shy. Confidence is hot, sure, but I have a soft spot for a rough and tough guy who gets a bit tongue-tied in the presence of his crush, especially if… 3.     He’s also secretly hilarious. If he makes me laugh, he’ll steal my heart. 2.     He’s really good at horseback riding. Whether he’s a cowboy or a Mountie, there’s just something about a man who knows what he’s doing on a horse. The tight pants don’t hurt, either. 1.     He loves animals. I mean, puppies and hot guys? Yes. Grumpy cats and hot guys? Yes. Rescued baby goats and hot guys? Yes. The combination of fuzzy animals and hot guys works every time. When someone steps in

Linda Broday: Epitaphs and Tombstones

Some people might think I’m morbid, but I’ve always loved cemeteries. I love walking through them, reading the tombstones, imagining the person’s story. Did they achieve their hopes and dreams? Did they know love? Were they loved in return? How did they die? So many questions go through my mind. In my newest book THE COWBOY WHO CAME CALLING that released last month, I had a scene where the H/H are discussing what they want on their tombstones. Glory is losing her eyesight and very distraught about the fact. Luke’s trying to lighten her spirits by telling her everything he wants his epitaph to say. Here’s the short scene: “Do you ever give any thought what you’d want as an epitaph, Glory?”   Saying the name that occupied Luke’s waking moments more and more, gave him pleasure. “Hell’s bells, what a morbid subject.” “I take that as a no.”   He settled his shoulder against hers, enjoying the intimate touch.   “Don’t tell me you haven’t at least considered death when yo

7 Ways to Spring into a New Series

I write romance. I also read romance, urban fantasy, fantasy, and a host of other genres. I'm always on the lookout for a new series to read. And I say series , because typically if I like a book, I want to read more in that world. But books aren't cheap, and it's tough anymore to find quality work that appeals to me because there is so much out there to wade through. So how do I find a new series to read that won't break the budget? Here are 7 tips that help me: Word of mouth and wait for sales. Not the best approach, but it works. And my friends and I talk about books, so if one of them says a series is worth reading, I pay attention. A sales advertiser, i.e. Bookbub. I subscribe to Bookbub and Book Gorilla. Those subscriptions are free and let me know when books (in the categories I choose) are on sale. I've found quite a few great reads through that. Author newsletters. Many of the authors I like have newsletters, and I subscribe to them. They will s

Happy Spring Equinox

In the northern hemisphere we’ve officially made it through the winter, even though there’s still plenty of snow in some places. The spring equinox is the time of year when the length of the day and night are equal. And from now on, the days get longer. Gardeners can plant or look forward to planting; the rest of us can anticipate flowers and returning warmth.  One thing I do at this season is consider what I might to let go of. It’s spring cleaning in the larger sense – mental as well as physical. I look at what I’d like to release. Futile worries, maybe, or a needless sense of limitation. Physical cleaning can be part of it, with piles of donations for charity. But I appreciate the internal openness even more. Sweep all the cobwebs away! Once the decks are clear I can think about what new initiatives I plan for the warm expansive times . What would fill the series I’m writing now with life and excitement? What would make me feel great? What can

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In my Silver Town Wolf series, some of the Silver brothers/cousins, have married two of the triplet Irish sisters who run the Silver Town Hotel. I'll be writing the third's ones story for release next year. Several of my ancestors were born and raised in Ireland. So my hat's off to you on St. Patrick's Day! Corned beef, potatoes, carrots and cabbage are on the menu! Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Terry “Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.” Connect with Terry Spear: Website: http://www.terryspear.com Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears.com Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

5 Ways Writing A Book Is Just Like Having Kids! — By Alyson McLayne

My five-year-old daughter had a major meltdown on the way to school this morning. We were walking fast because we were running late, and I’d been encouraging her and her brother to gallop their “horses” to each corner and wait for me to catch up. This worked well until we were a block or so away from school. Suddenly she was tired and stopped dead in her tracks. “Carry me,” she said. “No,” I said. “We’re almost there.” Not to be ignored, she laid down on the sidewalk and cried while I persuaded, cajoled, and counted to three—several times—to get her moving again. Ten minutes later, I finally got her off the ground and into class. As I was walking home, all I could think about was how I should have handled the situation differently. Being pushed for time, I tried to force her to keep moving rather than stopping, picking her up for a hug—on her schedule, not mine—and encouraging her to keep walking, staying open to her needs. Which made me think, isn’t that just l