CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Is on Sale May 5-11 for Just 99¢!
Just wanted to let you all know my latest release, CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING, will be on sale for 99¢ for a short time only (from now until May 12).
Check out the book and the sale on Amazon here.
This book is the second book in the Spikonos Brothers series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
It has a 4.8 star rating on Amazon and here’s what people are saying:
“An emotionally charged, funny, sexy read.”–Goodreads Reviewer
“This couple was a bit messed up, they have baggage, hell their baggage has baggage, but together they manage to unpack it and find their way, and I LOVED every single minute of Can’t Fight This Feeling.”
–Guilty Pleasure Book Reviews
Book Description:
SHE WANTS TO MOVE ON…WITH SOMEONE BLAND AND BORING.
Widowed psychologist Maggie McShae is ready to find someone who won’t make her heart beat fast, her knees grow weak, or her body go hot and cold at the same time. No one she can really love, because love brings too much pain.
Drew Poulos, son of a billionaire, is hiding out in Mirror Lake, working at his brothers’ brandy company. He inspires those very feelings Maggie’s determined to avoid. The hunky businessman, who left his high society bride at the altar, is the last person she’d ever seriously date. But he might just be perfect for a fling…
HE NEEDS A DATE FOR HIS BROTHER’S WEDDING…WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN CALM HIS QUIRKY FAMILY.
Drew’s too heartbroken to ever trust any woman again, but the sexy psychologist is the perfect person to deflect his family’s attention as his brother marries the woman Drew once thought was his.
As sparks fly, two injured hearts might just find that true love can be even better the second time around.
How to read the Spikonos Brothers books:
–Lukas’s story is the last book in the Rushford Family/Mirror Lake series, THIS LOVING FEELING.
–Roman’s story is the first book in the Spikonos Brothers series, CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU.
–Drew’s story is the second book in the Spikonos Brothers series, CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING.
(You can read more about the books from my Amazon page or on my book page.)
My Cat Posey
The Notorious Posamunde
Moral dilemma: my (elderly, demented and also probably crazy) cat pooped in my son’s tennis shoe. To tell or not to tell?
I opted not to. I cleaned it up and sprayed Febreze in the shoe, hoping for the best.
I had other problems to deal with, namely that the cat ADORES my new desk chair. To the point of obsession. This makes me completely crazy!
Posey makes me completely crazy too. But alas, she had a very hard life before we adopted her right before the 2004 Presidential election. She was found matted, underweight, and roaming the streets, looking pathetically sad like a Dickensian orphan, until we fell for her sweet, pitiful expression and insatiable desire to be petted and took her in.
Boy, did she get lucky. For the past 13 years, I’ve been dealing with a psychologically crazy cat with a myriad of bad behaviors and a predilection for loving only one person in the family (my oldest daughter) and barely tolerating the rest of us…but her saving grace is she’s really cute. And she adores being petted. So she has stayed.
Messy workstation, lovely new chair, cat!
So back to my brand new chair.
At first, I’d be typing away sitting happily in said chair when she would jump up suddenly in a sneak attack and land behind me, scaring me to death. Then she’d settle in for a long nap between my butt and the chair back.
Aw, cute! I thought the first dozen times. But then she began to hog the whole chair. I’d return from getting coffee to find her sprawled out in all her furry glory. Then I’d think, poor thing, I hate to wake her.
So you can probably figure out who rules the roost in our house, yes?
Lately I’ve taken to covering the fabric seat of my chair with a towel to protect it from all the cat hair. And cat spit from when she sneezes.
Finally, the other day, I’d had it. “Posey, one of us has to go. And I’m on deadline!” She didn’t seem to care about that. So I picked her up and sent her on her way.
Off she went, flipping her tail at me. Probably to poop in MY shoes.
By the way…my son did tell me his tennis shoes smelled really fresh 
And I’ll never tell!
How to be a Romance Writer at a Party
Here’s how it usually goes for me at a social gathering, where the attendees are often distant business associates of my husband’s. For some reason, some people are fascinated by my profession. Hmm, wonder why? Who knew writing love stories could be so intriguing!
Here’s usually how it goes:
“So, what do you write?” is often the first question someone asks me. (And I am NOT sexist, but this type of dogged Question Griller is usually male.)
“I write romance,” I say.
“Ooooh,” comes the reply. “You mean like Fifty Shades?” (This is usually followed by elbow nudging and eyebrow wailing in my husband’s direction.)
“Um, that’s erotica,” I say. “Sorry, I don’t write erotica.”
“Oh! I know! You mean like those Harlequin books my mom used to read?”
“Um, yes, sort of. My books are about love and families and heartache and struggle…”
(Cuts me off.) “Are your books like those ones with Fabio on the cover?”
“Well, Fabio hasn’t been on a romance novel cover since the early 90’s. They’re a little different now.”
“Oh.” (Disappointed.) “Well, do they have sex in them?”
“A little. But mostly they’re about love and families and heartache and struggle…”
(Completely uninterested now and turning to my husband): “I bet you’re the one she does her research on, huh?”
My husband has heard this question at least a hundred times (and I’ve only been published for two years!). So in good humor, he usually says something ridiculous like, “Well, if she used me for research, her books would be Triple X.”
To which I usually roll my eyes, and he smiles, and the person finally stops asking questions.
I don’t often get on my soapbox. I don’t say how wonderful romance novels are, or why I read them and write them. God knows I’ve tried, because many poor souls need educated about what a romance novel is, but the truth is, this type of person doesn’t really want to know. Or should I say, isn’t very open to learning.
Good thing my husband has had a good woman to show him the way. He’s so much more enlightened than those other folks
I did just give a fun library talk this week, where I talked about all these things. Too bad that guy from the party wasn’t there, huh?
Fun fact: Did you know Fabio wrote some romance novels of his own in the 90’s? Go Fabio! Brains and brawn!
Super Sale! Mirror Lake Books are Just 99 Cents Each in April!
My first 3 Mirror Lake books are on sale this month for just 99 cents each!
You can check them out here. And you can read more about them on my book page.
Should Hats Come Back in Style?
I absolutely loved watching Season 1 of The Crown on Netflix, the drama about the early years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. One of the things that was total eye candy for me was her gorgeous wardrobe from the 1950’s, including the hats.
Old and glorious live oaks in Forsyth park.
I’ve never worn hats–(and I’m now talking about the utilitarian kind, not the pretty kind). Partly because as a kid, my parents were constantly telling me to not go out without one and partly because I have the kind of hair (curly) that develops instant HatHead on wearing one. I do wear one at the beach or disaster ensues (I pretty much go straight from pale to burn). But I’d love to imagine living in an era where you get to wear hats for fun–the artistic, cute kind.
Forsyth Fountain, which dates back to 1858.
There is a display called One Hundred Years of Ladies’ Hats in Savannah, Georgia, in the lobby of an iconic hotel called The Mansion across from Forsyth Park, with its famous fountain and huge live oaks and its Civil War monument. (You can read a bit more about the exhibition here.) I discovered this exhibit by accident on a recent visit to Savannah when we sort of randomly walked into the fabulous lobby of this historic hotel.
I could have stood there for hours reading about all of these hats but here are just two that caught my eye. In the first photo below, all the hats are lovely, but take a look at the hat with tiny yellow flowers hanging down simply from a leafy top. Simple, whimsical, and bright. I love this hat! In another life I would wear it to church on Easter Sunday.
In the next photo, take a look at the biggest hat. This beautiful lace-covered hat in the center of this case came with a story. It was made for a “Northern Lady” for her wedding to a “Southern Gentleman.” The lace is very fine, high quality, and handmade. The two colors of blue ribbon are symbolic of the North and the South. I was very touched by this symbolism and stared at it for quite some time. Like maybe if I stared at it long enough I would feel whether or not they got their happy ending, that Northern Lady and her Southern Gentleman. I sure hope so.
Hat with tiny yellow flowers is in the middle.
The Northern Lady’s beautiful lacy wedding hat is in the center.