Jul 5, 2019 | Anna Campbell, Annie West, Authors Dish, Blog, Geri Krotow, July 2019
Welcome newbies and seasoned travel veterans to Authors Dish. With only three weeks until Romane Writers of America 2019 I’m searching for what authors and industry professionals always include in their suitcases, what they stash in their conference bag to avoid hunger pains and the things they forget once and hopefully never again.
While some of the authors contributing are not attending, we love that they want to contribute and hope their words of wisdom help to ease any anxiety you might have getting all the things in your suitcase.
May these posts inspire you to shop early, make your lists, and triple check so you are prepared for just about anything. If you’re heading to #RWA19 I’d love to say hi. Let me know in the comments below so we can meet up in NYC.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we’ll have plenty of tips and tricks in the upcoming weeks so check the blog daily.
Today in the cafe are USA Today Bestselling Author Annie West, Author Anna Campbell and Author Geri Krotow.
Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?
Annie West:
Comfy shoes!
Spare comfy shoes.
A pashmina or cardigan for when the air conditioning turns cold.
Notepad and pen. For some reason at a conference I prefer taking notes by hand. Plus I need something for scribbling midnight story ideas because conferences always get my creative juices flowing.
A spare bag for bringing home new books.
Anna Campbell: Teabags (I love hot tea and there are never enough supplied in the hotel room, especially in the U.S.), pens, bookmarks featuring my latest release, my favorite lipsticks, my camera
Geri Krotow: The 5 things I absolutely pack for RWA are: (1) comfortable shoes. If my feet aren’t happy, it makes what’s otherwise a wonderful time miserable. (2) Bandaids–in case my comfortable shoes fail me. 🙂 (3) Ginger tea bags–I like ginger or chamomile tea in the room at night. It’s a good way to unwind from the constant motion of an RWA conference (2000 people is a lot!). (4) Headphones of some sort so that I can do a meditation app or listen to great music while working out in the gym. (5) And I try to always remember to pack my smile!
Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?
Annie:
For the flight – some sweets to suck on – a great way to avoid sore ears when the plane changes altitude suddenly.
For the conference itself, some chocolate Tim Tams since I’m Australian and I love to share.
Anna: Actually I’m not a big snack person. I tend to save my eating for meals! One of the fun things about conferences is getting to eat somewhere new and with someone else doing the washing up!
Geri: I don’t pack a lot of snacks to carry around, because lucky for me, my roomie Heidi Hormel lives in the snack capital of the world and brings plenty of Utz snacks. But I do like to have raw almonds and lots of water with me.
Rae:What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?
Annie: Extra Tim Tams – they disappear so quickly!
Anna: My pashmina. I always forget it until I’m in an airconditioned room and find it’s too cold for me and I’d like something over my shoulders. It’s perfect for conferences because it’s light to carry and fits into a handbag, and yet it’s really warm – and still I forget it!
Geri: I often forget the multi-plug extension cord. It’s a must! Another thing–it’s a good idea to have a massage or good yoga session before RWA week, to get my body relaxed so that I don’t tense up from all the hauling of luggage, etc. I’ve learned to pack light but it’s still a lot more lifting and twisting than I’m used to.
Rae: Thank you so much authors! Readers, what’s the ONE thing you always forget and swear to include next time when you travel? How do you make sure that you remember ;).
I’ll be keeping a running list and will post it a week before #RWA19 so that hopefully no one needs to make a quick run to the lobby market or drug store around the corner. I’ll see you soon for new authors and more ideas!
Annie West: Annie is devoted to the study of charismatic, sexy heroes who cause trouble in the lives of their heroines. She enjoys writing passionate, intense, contemporary love stories and is a USA Today bestselling author, published in 25 languages. She lives in eastern Australia and loves to travel to exotic locations for research. Her next release is ‘Sheikh’s Royal Baby Revelation’.
Anna Campbell: ANNA CAMPBELL has written 10 multi award-winning historical romances for Grand Central Publishing and Avon HarperCollins, and her work is published in 22 languages. She has also written 22 bestselling independently published romances, including her series, the Dashing Widows and the Lairds Most Likely. Anna has won numerous awards for her Regency-set stories including Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, the Booksellers Best, the Golden Quill (three times), the Heart of Excellence (twice), the Write Touch, the Aspen Gold (twice) and the Australian Romance Readers Association’s favorite historical romance (five times). Her books have three times been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award, and three times for Australia’s Romantic Book of the Year. When she’s not traveling the world seeking inspiration for her stories, Anna lives on the beautiful east coast of Australia. Website: http://annacampbell.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaCampbellFans Twitter: AnnaCampbellOz
Geri Krotow: Geri is the bestselling author of the Silver Valley, PD for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, where she also contributes to the Coltons continuity series. The Bayou Bachelors with Kensington Lyrical Caress. She also penned the Whidbey Island series for Harlequin Superromance. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Intelligence Officer, Geri left her Naval career to pursue a writing career two decades ago. Geri enjoys creating sexy contemporary romances and tingling suspense, preferably with settings that she has personally experienced in her global travels. Geri loves to connect with readers! Please find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and at her website, where you will find a complete book list and can sign up for her newsletter, at www.gerikrotow.com
In case you missed our other posts here’s the recap so far:
7-3-19 Authors Dish RWA2019 with USA Today Bestselling Author Eliza Knight, Author Golden Czermak, and Author Olivia Dade
7-2-19:Authors Dish RWA 7-2-2019 with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cathy Maxwell, Author Tarina Deaton, and Author Tonya Burrows7-1-19: Authros Dish RWA 2019 – USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Covington, Author Kelly Maher, and Author Cate Taylor
6-30-19 USA Today Bestselling Author Naima Simone, Author Nancy Northcott, and Author Gail Z. Martin / Morgan Brice
6-29-19 Authors Dish RWA 2019 with USA Today Bestselling Author Suzanne Ferrell, Author Jeanne Adams, and Author Olivia Hardin
Jul 4, 2019 | Blog, July 2019
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th. It’s been raining off and on in my hometown but hopefully there will be fireworks tonight. Enjoy your picnic, BBQ, or party. There is nothing sweeter than celebrating with family and friends. Let the games be fun and the food be delicious. Stay hydrated and be water safe, it only takes a second for tragedy to strike.
To my Canadian friends, I hope your celebrations earlier this week were plentiful and full of all the things.
Time to get dinner ready. I’ve got seafood, salads, sweets, and a few cold drinks in the fridge.
What’s on your menu?
Jul 4, 2019 | Blog, July 2019, Lynn Raye Harris
Ross by Lynn Raye Harris releases on August 15th!
Books I Love A Latte participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on the link and purchase the featured book and/or anything else during that shopping session, Books I Love A Latte will receive a small percentage between 2-6%. Any profit earned from this transaction is given directly back to readers via giveaways (gift cards, books, etc.) Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance for your continued support.
Meet the Blackthorne men, each one as hot, fast, and smooth as the whiskey that built the family fortune, and yachts and race cars that bear their name. From proud Scottish stock, Blackthornes never lose. But, one by one, the seven sexy men in this family are about to risk everything when they fall for strong and beautiful women who test their mettle in life…and love.
Don’t miss these sexy, heartwarming, emotion-filled books by seven bestselling authors: Barbara Freethy, Julia London, Lynn Raye Harris, Cristin Harber, Roxanne St. Claire, Christie Ridgway and Samantha Chase.
Jul 3, 2019 | Authors Dish, Blog, Eliza Knight, Golden Czermak, July 2019, Olivia Dade
Welcome newbies and seasoned travel veterans to Authors Dish. With only three weeks until Romane Writers of America 2019 I’m searching for what authors and industry professionals always include in their suitcases, what they stash in their conference bag to avoid hunger pains and the things they forget once and hopefully never again.
While some of the authors contributing are not attending, we love that they want to contribute and hope their words of wisdom help to ease any anxiety you might have getting all the things in your suitcase.
May these posts inspire you to shop early, make your lists, and triple check so you are prepared for just about anything. If you’re heading to #RWA19 I’d love to say hi. Let me know in the comments below so we can meet up in NYC.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we’ll have plenty of tips and tricks in the upcoming weeks so check the blog daily.
Today in the cafe are USA Today Bestselling Author Eliza Knight, Author Golden Czermak and Author Olivia Dade
Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?
Eliza Knight: A dress for the RITA award ceremony, amazing shoes, a fun new piece of jewelry, fun swag related to my newest book, a sweater because it’s always freezing in the workshops!
Olivia Dade:
1. My e-reader, first and foremost. Even though I’m exhausted at the end of each day, I can’t sleep unless I wind down from all the peopling and crowds and noise, so I read before bed every night. Once upon a time, this meant hauling a carry-on bag full of paperbacks, so I’m dedicating my lack of shoulder pain to my Kindle. I ♥ you, Kindle! Never, ever leave me! ::clings::
2. Comfortable shoes. Every year, I pretend I’ll wear heels at some point. Every year, I am once again That Author in Slightly Worn Sandals and/or Flat Mary Janes.
3. Clothing arranged by length of hemline. I will shave my legs once for a conference. Once. (Technically, it’s probably more of a shearing, but “shaving” sounds classier.) So, if you’re bored during the conference, feel free to track the ever-lowering hemlines of my clothing as I move from knee-length to midi to maxi to It’s Time for Pants Again, Yay!
4. My planner, which is where I keep all my friends’ contact info and scrawl down notes about various planned meetings. I have heard that my cell would also serve this purpose, but that would involve learning how to use crucial features of my phone, and nah.
5. A pin with my author avatar on it, so people who only know me from social media can spot me in person. A hint: In real life, I’m somewhat more three-dimensional and am in full color!
Golden Czermak:
Camera Gear, Signing banner, table runners, gum, cologne
Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?
Eliza: — a power bar or some nuts
Olivia: I don’t really snack, but I need ready access to water at all times.
Golden: protein bars and Bang energy drinks
Rae:What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?
Eliza: — my pins for my badge
Olivia: I keep meaning to locate and pack a less-socially-awkward version of myself, but so far, she has evaded me. Damn you, elusive Alternative Universe Olivia! Damn you!
Golden: Beard balm
Rae: Thank you so much authors! Readers, what’s the ONE thing you always forget and swear to include next time when you travel? How do you make sure that you remember ;).
I’ll be keeping a running list and will post it a week before #RWA19 so that hopefully no one needs to make a quick run to the lobby market or drug store around the corner. I’ll see you soon for new authors and more ideas!
Eliza Knight: Eliza Knight is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical, time-travel and contemporary romance novels. Under the name E. Knight, she pens rip-your- heart-out historical fiction. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain with her own knight in shining armor, three princesses and two very naughty puppies.
Connect with Eliza at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
Olivia Dade: While I was growing up, my mother kept a stack of books hidden in her closet. She told me I couldn’t read them. So, naturally, whenever she left me alone for any length of time, I took them out and flipped through them. Those books raised quite a few questions in my prepubescent brain. Namely: 1) Why were there so many pirates? 2) Where did all the throbbing come from? 3) What was a “manhood”? 4) And why did the hero and heroine seem overcome by images of waves and fireworks every few pages, especially after an episode of mysterious throbbing in the hero’s manhood?
Thirty or so years later, I have a few answers. 1) Because my mom apparently fancied pirates at that time. Now she hoards romances involving cowboys and babies. If a book cover features a shirtless man in a Stetson cradling an infant, her ovaries basically explode and her credit card emerges. 2) His manhood. Also, her womanhood. 3) It’s his “hard length,” sometimes compared in terms of rigidity to iron. 4) Because explaining how an orgasm feels can prove difficult. Or maybe the couples all had sex on New Year’s Eve at Cancun.
During those thirty years, I accomplished a few things. I graduated from Wake Forest University and earned my M.A. in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I worked at a variety of jobs that required me to bury my bawdiness and potty mouth under a demure exterior: costumed interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, high school teacher, and librarian. But I always, always read romances. Funny, filthy, sweet—it didn’t matter. I loved them all.
Now I’m writing my own romances with the encouragement of my husband and daughter. I have my own stack of books in my closet that I’d rather my daughter not read, at least not for a few years. I can swear whenever I want, except around said daughter. And I get to spend all day writing about love and iron-hard lengths.
So thank you, Mom, for perving so hard on pirates during my childhood. I owe you.
*******
If you want to find me online, here’s where to go!
Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Newsletter
Golden Czermak: In the beginning, Golden worked the standard corporate rat race, completed college for a Chemical Engineering Degree, and began a small photography company on the side.
Since then, and the growth of the FuriousFotog brand, Golden became an internationally published modeling/fitness photographer and eventually began working as a book cover model.
Having been in the industry for at least six years, he has interfaced and networked with countless authors and other clients. As part of his work as a photographer, he worked with them to create book cover images – now numbering over 550 at the beginning of 2018.
Learning the ins and out of the book world, along with being an avid reader and storyteller himself, Golden finally decided to write and publish his first book, Homeward Bound, in 2016.
www.onefuriousfotog.com (Photography)
www.goldenczermak.com (Books)
In case you missed our other posts here’s the recap so far:
7-2-19:Authors Dish RWA 7-2-2019 with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cathy Maxwell, Author Tarina Deaton, and Author Tonya Burrows7-1-19: Authros Dish RWA 2019 – USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Covington, Author Kelly Maher, and Author Cate Taylor
6-30-19 USA Today Bestselling Author Naima Simone, Author Nancy Northcott, and Author Gail Z. Martin / Morgan Brice
6-29-19 Authors Dish RWA 2019 with USA Today Bestselling Author Suzanne Ferrell, Author Jeanne Adams, and Author Olivia Hardin
Jul 2, 2019 | Blog, Cathy Maxwell, July 2019, Tarina Deaton, Tonya Burrows
Welcome newbies and seasoned travel veterans to Authors Dish. With only three weeks until #RWA2019 I’m searching for what authors and industry professionals always include in their suitcases, what they stash in their conference bag to avoid hunger pains and the things they forget once and hopefully never again. While some of the authors contributing are not attending, we love that they want to contribute and hope their words of wisdom help to ease any anxiety you might have getting all the things in your suitcase.
May this inspire you to plan, make your lists, and triple check so you are prepared for just about anything. If you’re heading to RWA2019 I’d love to say hi. Comment below so we can be sure to meet up in NYC.
Hopefully you won’t find yourself waking up in the middle of the night panicked that you now need the very thing you forgot to pack. Or, finding out moments before you have a meeting or fun place to go, you ran out of or forgot something essential.
Stay tuned as we’ll have plenty of tips and tricks in the upcoming weeks so check the blog daily.
Today in the cafe are New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cathy Maxwell, Author Tarina Deaton, and Author Tonya Burrows.
Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?
Cathy Maxwell:
Sneaks and flats, swag, something dressy for publisher parties, lavender oil for a restful night’s sleep, and all the buttons that I’ve collected over the years of attending RWA to wear on my name badge.
Tarina Deaton:
Comfortable shoes. A notebook for notes. My plot bunny notebook (I never leave home without it). Business cards. Extra space (for all the goodies I take home).
Tonya Burrows:
1. Comfortable shoes. (Very important!)
2. Swag and/or books depending on the conference and if I’m attending a signing. If there’s not a signing, then business cards.
3. Leggings. After a week of dressing up, by the last day I’m ready to go back to my regularly scheduled writer wardrobe.
4. Water bottle. (Hydrate, people. Seriously. You’ll thank me for this one.)
5. Alcohol. Hotel bar drinks are expensive!
Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?
Cathy: Fruit. I keep a bag of clementines or a banana in my room.
Tarina: I’m really bad about remembering to put snacks in my bag, but it would probably be wasabi almonds because I like to crunch on things.
Tonya: I usually pack protein bars and keep a filled water bottle on hand at all times. Between all the drinking and walking, I tend to get dehydrated at conference and then I end up waking up in the middle of the night with leg cramps. No fun.
Rae:What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?
Cathy: A cork screw! (And I bet I’m not the only author who has forgotten one.)
Tarina: This is only my second big conference I’m attending as an author, but the one thing I forgot last time was business cards. I had to run out to Walmart and get the printable ones so I’d at least have SOMETHING.
Tonya: I’ve been doing this conference thing for seven years now, so I’ve got packing down to an art. But at my very first RWA in 2012, I didn’t even think to pack a small sewing kit and of course the strap on my RITA dress broke. Luckily, one of my new friends came to my rescue, but I went out and bought one as soon as I got home. It lives in my suitcase now, along with a small first aid kit and a bag of safety pins. I hardly ever use it, but I’ll have it when I need it.
Rae: Thank you so much authors! Readers, what’s the ONE thing you always forget and swear to include next time when you travel? How do you make sure that you remember ;).
I’ll be keeping a running list and will post it a week before RWA2019 so that hopefully no one needs to make a quick run to the lobby market or drug store around the corner. I’ll see you soon for new authors and more ideas!
Cathy Maxwell: Cathy Maxwell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty historical romance novels. She never minds spending hours in front of her computer pondering the question, “Why do people fall in love?” To her, it remains the great mystery of life and the secret to happiness. To discover more about Cathy and her books, visit www.cathymaxwell.com
Tarina Deaton:Tarina is an award winning author who has spent her entire life in and around the military – first as a dependent and then as an enlisted Air Force member. Her debut novel, Stitched Up Heart, released in September 2016 and hit the number one spot on Amazon’s Top 100 Free Military Romance. She uses her life as inspiration for many of her stories, because truth is stranger (and funnier) than fiction.
Tarina is still active duty and a single mom of six-year-old twins. Her favorite hobby is sleep. She has delusions of retiring from the military and being a stay-at-home mom.
Tonya Burrows: Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance at age 13 and hasn’t put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. As of now, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with The Boyfriend, a diva schnoodle, a plucky pug-mix, and #writercat.
When she’s not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found kayaking, hiking, or road tripping across the country. She also enjoys painting and B grade disaster movies.
If you would like to know more about Tonya, visit her website at www.tonyaburrows.com. She’s also on Twitter @tonyaburrows and Facebook www.facebook.com/tonyaburrowsauthor
In case you missed our other posts here’s the recap so far:
7-1-19: Authros Dish RWA 2019 – USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Covington, Author Kelly Maher, and Author Cate Taylor
6-30-19 USA Today Bestselling Author Naima Simone, Author Nancy Northcott, and Author Gail Z. Martin / Morgan Brice
6-29-19 Authors Dish RWA 2019 with USA Today Bestselling Author Suzanne Ferrell, Author Jeanne Adams, and Author Olivia Hardin
Jul 1, 2019 | Blog, July 2019, Suzanne Ferrell
This is a re-post from my original review when it was included in the Capitol Danger Anthology.
Unmasked (an Edgars Family Novella) by Suzanne Ferrell
Luke Edgars and Abigail Whitson have one job and when the unexpected happens, will they be able to save themselves and their mission? Luke and Abigail must work as a team and when secrets surface will it distract them or keep them on point? Suzanne has written four books with sexy and edgy Edgars men.
Once again, she delivers us a great story with Luke and Abigail. Can they make it through the gunfire with their love intact? Maybe a little gunfire is what they need to put their relationship into perspective and finally commit to each other.
Looking for more from those sexy Edgars men? Check out Suzanne’s series Edgars Family Novels, there are plenty to choose from.
I previously received an ARC from the author for a fair and honest review.
Books I Love A Latte participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click on the link and purchase the featured book and/or anything else during that shopping session, Books I Love A Latte will receive a small percentage between 2-6%. Any profit earned from this transaction is given directly back to readers via giveaways (gift cards, books, etc.) Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance for your continued support.
USA Today Bestselling author Suzanne discovered romance novels in her aunt’s hidden stash one summer as a teenager. From that moment on she knew two things: she loved romance stories and someday she’d be writing her own. Her love for romances has only grown over the years. It took her a number of years and a secondary career as a nurse to finally start writing her own stories.
Currently there are two main series she’s actively writing in: The Westen Series, a contemporary small town series based in a fictional Ohio town where “things aren’t always what they seem”, and features Close To Home, Close To The Edge and Close To The Fire. The second series is the Romantic Suspense books KIDNAPPED, HUNTED, SEIZED and VANISHED, featuring the Edgars family as they fight for justice, even if it means stepping slightly outside the rulebook.
KIDNAPPED and HUNTED were both Golden Heart finalist, and SEIZED, book #3 in the Edgars Family Novels, was a finalist in the novella category of the OKRWA’s National Reader’s Choice Awards contest.
Suzanne’s sexy stories, whether they be her on the edge of your seat romantic suspense or the small town romantic suspense stories they’ll keep you thinking about her characters long after their Happy Ever After is achieved.
You can Find Suz at:
Website: https://suzanneferrell.com/
