Jillian is first blogging at Lavada Dee’s blog and talking about Sebastian’s Salvation. http://ldee2010.wordpress.com/
Feb20
Tag Archives: Books
Feb10
Guest Liberty Blake
Today’s guest is Liberty Blake. She’s a super writer and an awesome friend. She’s in this great anthology from Still Moments publishing. I hope you’ll check out her story. It’s a really fun read! Enjoy!
The Dark Side of Valentine’s Day
Hi, Jillian. Thank you for sharing your space with me. I love your stories and am honored to be in Valentine Delights Be Mine with you.
A few years ago I worked as a cocktail waitress in a country bar (in the Boston area) and a bartender in a small hotel. They were both fun places, but you wouldn’t choose either place for a romantic dinner.
There were two nights a year I refused to work. One was New Years Eve. The other was Valentine’s night. That is the night when all the women who don’t have a Valentine get together at the local watering hole and try to drown their sorrows. It is also the night when they are easy prey for the “Smooth Move Lounge Creeper”. SMLC for short. The SMLC is a cross between an octopus, an ape, and a snake. They slither in when a woman is at her most vulnerable. The after effect of an encounter with a SMLC is worse than a hangover.
Then there are the couples who come in. The woman might have a date, but he didn’t spring for a nice meal in a good restaurant, instead he brought her for the all-you-can-eat free nibbles. It is always a special moment when he asks hopefully if it is “ladies night”.
Florist Melody Roberts, the heroine of Change of Heart always told her friends she hated Valentine’s Day, but the truth was her no good boyfriend never took her out. In seven years he never gave her so much as a card. She is finally dating a dreamboat and is eagerly looking forward to Valentine’s Day. That is until he didn’t ask her out.
Meet Melody and her friends in Change of Heart.
Change of Heart by Liberty Blake
After the night they spent in the hot tub, Melody believed her new man wanted a relationship, but now it was Valentine’s Day and not even a phone call. Did he have a Change of Heart?
Change of Heart, The Coroner’s Heart, and Latte Love are together in Valentine Delights the Be Mine Anthology from Still Moments Publishing.
Still Moments Publishing:
http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html
Valentine Delights Be Mine on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/130214
(Please remove adult filter, there is adult content in one story)
Feb8
Jillian is Guest Blogging.
Two books released in the same week is tough. Both babies are dear to a writer’s heart. Jillian is blogging two places today. http://dandwh.wordpress.com/ and http://benjaminwallacebooks.wordpress.com/
Aug29
A Fascinating Time Period
I love the early 1920s to the kate 1930s It was a time of peace in our country. Other than the stock market crash and Prohibition, people had fun, new dances were created, and the country underwent fantastic changes in many areas of life, such as architecture, art and science. The clothes were the cat’s meow and the shoes, well, the shoes were to die for. Being a shoe hound, I love that!
I wrote one book that’s out now called REDEMPTION FOR THE DEVIL and it’s based in 1920. I have a manuscript out on submission called THE GAMBLER and it’s based in 1937. They were both fun to write and weave in history and culture to the plots.
Apr5
Recent Adventures in Splurging
DSCN0862-The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA
I was aboard the Queen Mary docked in Long Beach, California. I’m writing a novel set onboard in 1937 and I purchased several books, post card packets and other items to use in my research. I also treated myself to a beautiful white scarf in the couture shop on board and a lovely brooch in the Scottish store. A productive and fun spree.
Mar28
How to Spend $1000 in an Hour
Cat and Cannon Bookstore, Lake City, Seattle
If I had a thousand dollars to spend in an hour, I’d go to the nearest book store and stock up on novels, biographies and research books. I love all books and the smell of paper and glue make me happy. I could spend $1000.00 in a book store before Samantha the witch from Bewitched could wriggle her nose.
Feb9
“Stolen Treasures” – a Review
Last night, I finished reading Stolen Treasures by Laurie Ryan. It’s a story about modern day piracy on the high seas. The heroine is involved with a yacht club that has organized a festival of ships. After being conked in the head, she accidently ends up out to sea on a ship called the Treasure. The hero is a marine law enforcement officer investigating the theft of a number of boats/yachts in the Pacific Ocean south of San Diego. The boat the heroine is stuck on happens to belong to the hero.
The heroine initially seemed to have a major anger issue. She throws things whenever she gets mad. It made for a pretty volatile first part of the book. She eventually settled down and got hold of herself. This book deals with sailing, romance, heat, the doldrums, a big storm and betrayal as well as a very satisfying ending where both the hero and heroine find a purpose for their lives.
There is a sequel to this book called Pirate’s Promise. I already have it downloaded to my Kindle app on my I-Pod and plan to read it soon. The first one was a quick read and very nicely done.
Oct31
Proof By Seduction by Courtney Milan
Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan was a pretty good read. I like a story that makes me weep in a few spots and Courtney succeeded in two places for me in this story. This was her first book and she did an excellent job. I quite enjoyed both the hero and the heroine. The hero was very much someone that I could fall for. The intelligence he displayed was sexy. He’s a scientist. I love a smart man. Way to go on this story, Courtney- it was a home run.
One thing about this story that hit home for me was that I need to give up any thought I have to write for HQN. My friend, Cynthia Eden, has told me that I do not have the voice for Harlequin and this book brought that home to me. That’s not a bad thing. I really like my voice and I’m ok with not having the voice that Harlequin wants. It’s just different and that’s all right by me. I’m happy with where I’m going with my stories. I have 7 sold short stories under this name and I have 2 shorts and 2 novels under my pen name- I learned I need to forget targeting Harlequin. I initially hit there 
as I thought I couldn’t write an 80,000 word book but I’ve done 2 over 80,000 and one at 75,000 so I think I’ll do all right.
Anyway, back to Proof by Seduction– I recommend it. Read it, enjoy it, love it.
Ramblings of a Writer 