AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Caro Carson

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N

 Good afternoon, everyone!

I do apologize for coming in late today. I've been under a creative deadline that I finally closed on around noon today - all while winding up the head cold and finding out my dear sweet Tabby cat will have most of her teeth removed. I so feel for her.

We are continuing our list of authors from the Something Blue anthology - Caro Carson

Here's a bit of background on Caro:

Despite a no-nonsense background as a West Point graduate and U.S. Army officer, Caro Carson has always treasured the happily-ever-after of a good romance novel. After her military service, she worked in the healthcare industry with a Fortune 100 company, talking science with doctors who were rarely handsome bachelor Texans like the doctors in her books.

Now a USA Today bestselling author and RITA award winner, Caro is delighted to be living her own happily-ever-after with her husband (who actually is a handsome Texan) and their two children. They live in the great state of Florida, a location which has saved the coaster-loving theme park fanatics a fortune on plane tickets.

Blurb from Caro's story - THE CUSTOM-MADE BRIDESMAID

Bethany Shepherd is on the verge of opening her own bridal boutique, as soon as she finishes this final job as a seamstress for an over-the-top wedding with fifteen bridesmaids. At the last minute, Bethany is forced to fill in for a missing bridesmaid on top of the fifteen dress fittings she must complete as a seamstress. Worse, the groomsman she’s paired with is her old college flame, the wealthy and arrogant Jovian Taylor, who suddenly seems more than willing to stay by her side, for better or for worse.

You'll find Caro Carson by following the links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   YOUTUBE

BOOKBUB   GOODREADS   GOOGLE PLAY   APPLE BOOKS   

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

I'll be back much earlier tomorrow when we'll meet Cassidy Carter.

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Lacey Baker

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N

 Good morning, everyone!

We're back with another talented author from the Something Blue anthology - Lacey Baker!

Let's get acquainted with Lacey -

Lacey Baker, a Maryland native, lives with her husband, three children, two grandchildren and an English Bulldog in what most would call Suburban America – A townhouse development where everybody knows each other and each other’s kids. Family cook-outs, reunion vacations, and growing up in a church have all inspired Lacey to work towards her dreams and to write about the endurance of family and the quest to find everlasting love. To date, she has written in several genres including small town romance, YA paranormal (as Artist Arthur), a cozy mystery series titled Rumors and an adult paranormal (as A. C. Arthur).

Here's a bit about Lacey's story from Something Blue -

Short-staffed and not in the mood for wedding day excitement, Emory Bellson is forced to DJ a reception or risk bad publicity from one of the most notable brides in Miami. When she’s somehow roped into standing in the line of single women and ends up catching the bouquet, she thinks the day couldn’t possibly get any worse. Except it does, the moment she notices the groomsman who catches the garter, Hayden Rivers, is also a guy she’d dated and ghosted three years ago.

So, how many of you have come face to face with a guy from your past  in a similar situation? Did you wish for the dance floor to open up and swallow you? Inquiring minds want to know.

Lacey has a new book releasing July1, 2022. Pre-order links provided below the book cover:

AMAZON PRINT   eBOOK   AUDIBLE   

B & N AUDIO     B & N Print

You'll find Lacey Baker by following the social media links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   INSTAGRAM   PINTEREST   BLOG

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Teri WIlson

 

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N

Good morning, everyone!

I do apologize for missing last Wednesday. The headcold just got the better of me. I'm steal dealing with a cough but am up to working. Yay!!!

Today, I'm shining the spotlight on another of the contributors to the SOMETHING BLUE anthology - Teri Wilson.

Let's get to know, Teri Wilson:

USA Today Bestselling Author, Teri Wilson writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy. Three of Teri’s books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies by Crown Media, including Unleasing Mr. Darcy (plus its sequel Marrying Mr. Darcy), The Art of Us and Northern Lights of Christmas based on her book Sleigh Bell Sweethearts. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction and a 2022 inductee into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame.  Hallmark has called her the ‘queen of royal romance,” which totally means she gets a tiara, right?

Teri loves pretty dresses, Audrey Hepburn films and following the British royal family. 

Here is Teri's Something Blue story - Four Royal Weddings and an (Almost) Funeral

Someone post, someone new, someone annoying, something… true? A pair of royal correspondents from rival news outlets in London can’t seem to stop bumping heads at a succession of royal weddings, but when they band together to find one of the queen’s puppies while the dog is running amok in Westminster Abbey, things get even more royally complicated. 

If there is one subject Teri Wilson knows ... and well, it's anything and everything royal. She brings an authenticity to this story I don't think any other author could. I've been a fan of her books and movies for a long time and was thrilled to have her take me on another trip across the pond and into royal territory.

Teri has a new book releasing with Harlequin Special Edition on June 28th. Click the Amazon link below to Pre-Order your copy.

AMAZON

You'll find Teri Wilson by clicking on any of the following links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK    TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   

BOOK BUB   PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

I'll be back tomorrow with another author from the anthology - Lacey Baker!

All my best

~Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Finding Balance

 Good morning, everyone!

Shhhh.... don't tell anyone but I'm actually ahead of the game this week. 

I'm still battling a head cold but the worst is behind me. At least I can think of two things at once. 

Bob leaves tomorrow and I can dive in to a full work schedule again. I am soooo ready to get caught up. June is going to be a busy month with something going on every weekend. Ugh! The last thing on the list is my in-laws coming for a short visit the last week of the month. I'm okay with that. They've chosen not to stay with us but they'll be here during the day so I really do need to put the house in some semblance of order. Wish me luck!

My Top 3 for this week don't even include writing... just catching up.

1 - Items into the etsy shop

2 - A 5-part art project with a deadline of May 31st. Thanks to company and a head cold I haven't gone beyond the design stage for them so I'll be super busy this week

3 - begin a major purge around the house

This should set me up for next week when I can get back to writing. I need to order the new cover for Somewhere Down the Line, do edits on the story then schedule a time to get the book formatted so I can put a much better version of the book out than what has been up the past 10 years. Having the rights back has been such a relief. 

I also need to look at potential contest entries for the Ozark Creative Writers conference coming up in October. Deadline for entries is usually mid- August. Check out the link. We'd love to have you join us! Though I will warn you that hotel rooms at Best Western Inn of the Ozarks & Convention Center fill up fast! You'll find other hotels in the area though. That is peak season so don't wait too long!

Page Lambert is our keynote this year. Page is delightful and always full of inspiration. There are others joining us but Friday night entertainment will be western author/ songwriter, singer Mike Blakely. I first met Mike at this conference over 25 years ago. You won't want to miss his sessions or his music!

That's it for me this week! Time to throw Sunday dinner together then see if I can continue my winning streak in cards. 

Tomorrow, we continue our Author Spotlight series with two more from the Something Blue anthology! Teri Wilson has quite a royal reputation and Lacey Baker is multi-genre talented! 

All my best!

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Something Blue - RELEASE DAY!!!

 

Good morning, everyone!

I'm a bit under the weather today. I managed to catch Bob's head cold and I am six ways of miserable. I'll jump back in with our Author Spotlights next week. 

I didn't want this day to go by without formally announcing the release of Something Blue!

If you haven't already pre-ordered your copy, you can grab yours today! Purchase links are down below.

I'm going to give this cold a week to find a new place to reside and enjoy Bob's last few days at home.

I'll be back next week to continue our Author Spotlight series.

You'll find SOMETHING BLUE by clicking on one of the three links below.

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N

All my best

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Sasha Summers

 

Releases May 17, 2022

PRE-ORDER - .99

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N   

Good morning, friends!

I thoroughly enjoyed Sasha Summers' Harlequin Special Edition, The Rancher's Baby Surprise back in March. The story prompted me to look up more of her books. That's when I discovered this anthology - SOMETHING BLUE. There are eighteen different authors, each very talented in their own right and their own stories to tell. 

Let's get reaquainted with Sasha Summers:

USA Today Bestselling Author Sasha Summers writes stories that celebrate the ups and downs, loves and losses, ordinary and extraordinary occurrences of life. Sasha pens fiction in multiple genres and hopes each and every book will draw readers in and set them on an emotional and rewarding journey. When not writing, she’s reading or spending time with her family somewhere in the Texas Hill Country. With a puppy on her lap and her favorite Thor mug full of coffee, Sasha is currently working on her next novel.

 She adores hearing from fans and invites you to visit her online.

Here is Sasha's story from SOMETHING BLUE:

THE GROOM THAT GOT AWAY –

Johanna Hurley hadn’t counted on meeting “Mr. Dreamy” at the bridal salon, while wearing her best friend’s wedding gown and bouncing her rambunctious nephew on her hip—all Maid of Honor requirements at the time. Of course, he left before she’d had the chance to explain things, knowing she’d never see him again… Until she did. But what will she do if the man of her dreams is already someone else’s groom?

You can find out more about Sasha and upcoming releases by checking out the 3/29/22 Author Spotlight.

You will find Sasha Summers by visiting the following links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   GOODREADS   PINTEREST   

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - SOMETHING BLUE - Susan Sands

Releases May 17th

PRE-ORDER NOW FOR .99

AMAZON   B & N   KOBO

 Good morning, everyone!

I am so pleased to kick off this series with author, Susan Sands!

Thanks to Susan's wonderful information on her website, I will be running the authors in order as she has their blurbs listed, with two exceptions. 

1 - Sasha Summers introduced me to this series so I'll be dropping her in next week .

2 - Shirley Jump has asked if I could put her near the end as I had a special request for her. She just got married and was wrapped up in pre-wedding planning. What an appropriate time for this anthology to launch!  I've known Shirley since our very early days on AOL where we both led writing workshops. I will be sharing her post on July 12th, then she will be our July Writer's Nest guest on July 15th.

~ ~ ~ 

Susan has been a tremendous help in launching this Spotlight Author series through July 13th.  I have a BONUS surprise for you at the end of this post. Let's get started!!

BIO:

A self-described late bloomer, Susan Sands began writing her first novel at age forty. She compares her challenging journey to publication as “raising another child—a difficult one.”

Susan has published five southern, contemporary women’s fiction novels set in Alabama. She describes her humorous small-town stories as fun, romantic, and filled with big family love. Susan also writes authentic place-as-a-character southern fiction with a humorous voice in addition to her Alabama series.

Susan has three grown children and lives with her dentist husband in Roswell, GA. She has a degree in elementary education, is a member of the Georgia Romance Writers, the Romance Writers of America, the Atlanta Writer’s Club,  Womens Fiction Writers of America (WFWA), and the Broadleaf Writers Association. She participates in book festivals, book clubs, and writer’s conferences around the South. Susan is the recipient of the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year award for romance.

Each author has crafted a story for this anthology centered around the Wedding theme. Spring is a wonderful time for weddings - full of promise in the season for new beginnings.

Then, And Now – Susan Sands

New Orleans Interior designer Kate Lafitte is thrilled to meet her daughter Casey’s new boyfriend, Drew. But she’s mortified to learn that Drew’s dad, Trevor, is her former college boyfriend, to whom she’s compared every man since. As the kids’ romance becomes more serious, it leaves Kate and Trevor to rehash the past and learn that their chemistry still smolders.

I loved the concept of this story. Imagine believing your have your life in order only to have your daughter re-introduce you to someone  from your past by which you measure other potential suitors! While I admit some things are better left in the past, sometimes they were only put on hold. 

NOTE: I will not be doing individual quill ratings for each story. Rather, I will give an over-all review during the wrap-up post on July 13th. 

You'll find Susan Sands by following the social media links below.

WEBSITE   BLOG   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM

GOODREADS   PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Susan also has a solo book releasing on May 13th. 

Louisiana Series Book 1

RELEASES MAY 31ST

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW

AMAZON   TULE PUBLISHING

It’s not true that you can’t go home again, but do you want to?

Paris gallery owner Leah Bertrand returns to her historic, moss-draped Louisiana hometown to fulfill a deathbed promise to her friend and mentor. She’s been matched as a bone marrow donor to a stranger, yet the match is so close that doctors suspect a family relationship. But how? Leah’s family has always seethed with drama, but this visit home promises secrets as deep, dark, and mysterious as the water in Cypress Bayou. And then her ex arrives, and Leah realizes the feelings and secrets she buried years ago have come back to haunt her.

Dr. Jake Carmichael returns to Cypress Bayou after years away and is shocked to see Leah, his childhood sweetheart and first love, back in town and on his patient roster. The sparks still burn, but when he tries to discuss what went wrong and perhaps rebuild their relationship, Leah refuses.

Jake’s not ready to give up on their future together. But Leah fears she has even more to lose this time…

That's it for me. I'll see you tomorrow with Sasha Summers!

All my best

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Something Blue Anthology

 

Releases May 17, 2022

PRE-ORDER - .99

AMAZON   KOBO   B & N   

Good morning, everyone!

I am so happy to introduce you to eighteen fabulous authors of sweet romance. My kind of ladies! 

I first found this anthology when I put the spotlight on Sasha Summers HERE. I promptly pre-ordered my kindle copy then set out to introduce myself to the other seventeen authors.

Here's a bit about the book over-all:

Toss the bouquet and say "I do" to this collection of sweet wedding-themed romcoms from the team who brought you the USA Today Bestseller Christmas Actually! 18 all-new novellas by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors.

I'll kick off the series tomorrow with Susan Sands and her story THEN, AND NOW

I hope you'll join us!

All my best

~Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Find the Office

 Good morning, everyone!

I had a nice weekend in Springfield. Bob wound up not getting home until Thursday afternoon around 1. We ate an early supper then I was on the road by 3. I was flat tired by the time I got to the hotel. I didn't even go out for supper. Just a quiet night in the room visiting with writer friends in Chatzy.

Friday I got some work done at the hotel, a little magazine/ coffee time at Barnes & Noble where I fell in love with this beauty. 

I refraind from spending almost $40 on her... at that moment. I went back and got her Sunday afternoon. I decided that since I knew there wouldn't be a Mother's Day present coming my way, I'd just treat myself. Hand-tooled leather from Tusany, Italy. I haven't decided what I'll use her for yet, but I wanted her. Sometimes that's all you need.

While in the city, I bought a compact external 1T hardrive to put a copy of the manuscript files on. I don't think I can lose this 3x4 drive. 

My sister and I had lunch together after my talk on Saturday. Was nice to just sit and visit with her for a couple of hours and talk writing. She is an excellent writer just not interested in the publishing end, but she's a great sounding board and bouncing ideas off of. 

The writer's group meeting with OzarksRomanceAuthors went well. Was great to see old friends. I belonged to the group as well as their sister group Sleuth's Ink, but Springfield is a four-hour round trip plus the meeting time, followed by lunch.Since I was coming into the city anyway, I wanted to do some shopping so the Saturday meeting turned into usuallya 2-night stay at the hotel. Mind you, I get an excellent rate based on the number of years I've been staying but I just couldn't afford the expense anymore. 

Saturday night, several of us met up again for dinner at Mikado's Supreme Buffet for Chinese and crab legs. 

Available May 17th

Pre-Order now for .99

I spent time Sunday morning before check-out trying to get blog posts set up. Tomorrow, I'm kicking off nine weeks of the Something Blue series. There are eighteen authors in this series. Rather than the normal Author Spotlight on Tuesday's, I'll be running them Tuesdays and Wednesdays until you've had the opportunity to meet all of these talented ladies and read their sweet romance stories.  

I'll start by showcasing the anthology overall. Then I'll kick off the series with the first author, Susan Sands and her story, THEN, AND NOW.

I look forward to sharing this anthology with you. In the meantime, click the pre-order link above so you'll have your copy as soon as the book releases to Kindle. 

With this being Bob's first week home, I only have one goal this week and nothing to do with writing.

I have a friend in the states from England. She will be here later this week. I MUST find my studio. LOL So, I'm picking one project in there per day until I've made it possible for us to sit in there to craft and visit before she heads for another artist friend's house in SE Kansas for a crafting retreat. When the project is done for the day, then the rest of the time will belong to Bob.

All My Best

~ Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Busy Week Ahead and....

 Good morning, friends!

A new month with a full calendar. Surprised? I'm not. 

Saturday, I'll be speaking to the Ozarks Romance Authors in Springfield MO. Bob gets home Wednesday night then I'm headed to the city Thursday morning after coffee. I'll have some quiet time at the hotel to (hopefully) get some writing done.  I just have one problem....

My manuscript flashdrive for An Ozarks homecoming has vanished. I only keep it in one of two places and it isn't in either place. I know I worked on the manuscript here at the dining room table within the past 3 weeks. This is where I've been living since Bob went out. By Wednesday I'll be back on my work table in the office - just in time for Bob to come home. LOL However, that isn't helping me find the flashdrive. 

I've about decided I'm supposed to start over. I have a good portion in Word on the computer and I think most of my research links bookmarked.  I'm trying not to sweat about it. The flashdrive is in the house and will turn up when it's time. 

In the mean time, I have enough to keep me busy this week:

* Finish Presentation outline, design/ print handouts

* Officially move off dining room table

* Have blogs/ videos done and uploaded to computer by Wednesday afternoon

Sadly, this week is all about the prep work for leaving Thursday. I'll probably sleep like a rock Thursday nigth then Friday I'll be able to make sense of starting the manuscript from the pieces I have. 

Spotlight Author for the next Tuesday/ Wednesday Through end of the month will focus on the authors in the anthology Something Blue. The book releases May 17th but you can pre-order now for.99.

That's it for me today. Time I started plowing through the list.

All my best

~ Angela