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!
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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.
Preorder Now Available for every book in the series!
Click here → http://bit.ly/7Bridesfor7Blackthornes
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.
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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/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanneferrell.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SuzFerrell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/suzferrell/
Jul 1, 2019 | Authors Dish, Blog, Cate Taylor, July 2019, Kelly Maher, Robin Covington
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.
So, to all the newbies, and seasoned travel veterans, I’m running an Authors Dish specifically targeted on 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.
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.
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 USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Covington, Author Kelly Maher and Author Cate Taylor
Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?
Robin Covington:
a power strip for all my chargers (and my roomies)
earbuds to play music as I go to sleep – hotels are noisy!
at least two black jumpsuits – they go with any occasion!
my planner – its the only way I get it all done
flat shipping boxes and packing tape to mail books home
Kelly Maher:
1. Comfortable shoes. This is an absolute must for me as I developed plantar fasciitis when I first moved to DC and it stuck around for 2.5 years. I never want a recurrence of it if I can help it.
2. Pen and paper. While I often do take notes on my phone or tablet, in some rooms, the set up is just more conducive to pen and paper. Plus, I love the feel of a perfectly matched pen and notebook.
3. A refillable water bottle. It is *so* important to stay hydrated during the conference, and the hotel will suck you dry.
4. A wrap or cardigan. Just as the hotel air is dry, it’s often overly cool. I tend to run hot, so sometimes the cool air will be welcome, but I have a very fine range of when I’m comfortable and will go from feeling hot to “can’t get warm ever again!” in under 5 minutes.
5. My ereader. While I am a total extrovert and you’ll often catch me in the halls talking with people, sometimes I need a few minutes to regroup in quiet and read for a bit to let my brain process all of the conversations.
6. I’m going to stick in a bonus for those who rely on tech: portable battery charger!
Cate Taylor:
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-
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- Crocs (or other comfortable shoes). You’ll be on your feet much of the day and walking a LOT. Unless sexy shoes are your brand (a la Kim Kincaid and her fabulous footwear!), consider sacrificing a little fashion for comfort. I wear “fancy” Crocs or my Chucks.
- A pashmina. No matter where the conferences are, July is going to be hot. So the rooms will be air conditioned and/or the nights cool. A pashmina is a lightweight, easy to pack and carry way to keep the chill away. I usually bring a few, at least one dressy and one casual.
- A towel. Because one should always travel with a towel. (Shout out to the late Douglas Adams for that tip!)
- Business cards/bookmarks. It seems like a no-brainer, considering you’ll be networking, but you wouldn’t believe the number of people who forget. I’ve had agents and editors have to write their info on slips of paper because even THEY forgot!
- Really good unscented lotion. My skin dries out in the air conditioning and then I get itchy.
Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?
Robin:
fruit and nut granola bars
haribo gummi bears
dentyne fire gum
Kelly: I usually try to pack something with protein and tend toward peanut butter Clif bars. However, by the time I realize I’m hungry and need a hit, I tend to need to eat 2 to quench the craving. I’m honestly horrible about eating healthy, but when it comes to conference snacks, I like things like the Clif bars, Sargento’s Balanced Breaks kits (I prefer the white cheddar, almonds, and dried cranberries), or dried fruit packs from Trader Joe’s. They’ve got these 3-packs of dried apricots that are fabulous.
Cate:
- Trail mix
- Twizzlers (satisfy my sweet tooth but don’t melt all over the place like chocolate)
- Mints
Rae:What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?
Robin: I have a laminated list that I triple check – I can’t remember the last time I forgot something – I usually overpack! LOL
Kelly: I’m really lucky in that I’ve been going to conferences both for writing and the day job about 3-4 times a year for the last eight years that I’ve got my packing down to an art. If anything, I’m usually out of tissues. But, that’s the fabulous thing about being in New York, there are stores where we’re going! (Duane Reade, owned by Walgreens, is the convenience store of choice in NYC for those who’ve never been.)
Cate:
Rae: Thank you so much authors! 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!
Robin Covington: A USAToday bestseller, Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her books. Her stories burn up the sheets…one page at a time. A Native American author of color, Robin proudly writes diverse romance where everyone gets their happy ever after.
She is an unapologetic Indiginerd and comic book geek. She hoards red nail polish and stalks Chris Evans.
A 2016 RITA® Award finalist, Robin’s books have won the National Reader’s Choice and Golden Leaf Awards and finaled in the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, HOLT Medallion, and the Book Seller’s Best.
She lives in Maryland with her handsome husband, her two brilliant children (they get it from her, of course!), and her beloved furbabies, Dutch and Dixie Joan Wilder (Yes – THE Joan Wilder)
Drop her a line at [email protected] – she always writes back.
Social Media Links:
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.robincovingtonromance.com
Facebook Profile: http://on.fb.me/YSW9n3
Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1fCyWuQ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobinCovington
Tumblr: http://robincovingtonromance.tumblr.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/robincovington/
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1c1Tm5u
Amazon Follow: http://amzn.to/1L2PrAG
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5812874.Robin_Covington
Street Team: http://on.fb.me/1hZdeEu
Book+Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/users/1756
Bookbub Follow: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robin-covington
Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/1hde9GD
Kelly Maher is the author of contemporary romances that feature smart heroines, witty heroes, and settings that make you feel like you’reliving there. A city girl at heart, Kelly currently lives in DC where she works as a librarian when not writing.
Website: http://www.kellymaher.com
Cate Tayler is a beach baby, born and raised on the Connecticut coastline. She met the love of her life while serving in the US Air Force, and after extensive overseas travel, they are now raising their four children in the wild suburbs of Maryland. In addition to writing contemporary romance–always with a happy ending!–her passions include cooking, everything 80s, sappy Hallmark movies, Wonder Woman, and the Miami Dolphins.
