2/27/2015

Get Lost in Historical Romance with Màiri Norris

From the wild, beautiful landscape of the moorlands of England's North Yorkshire to the rolling bluegrass pastures of Kentucky, one young woman's passion carries her from love's first bloom to a love everlasting.

On the brink of womanhood, Katherine Fairbanks glories in the sweet love of the boy next door. When her life is brutally ripped apart by tragedy, she believes she will never love again and seeks only peace for her life. But betrayal sweeps her across the sea and lands her in the hands of a man she dares not trust.

Thoroughbred breeder Jayce Langston has little interest in taking a wife. His time is consumed with the struggle to help his family recover from the devastations of America's Civil War. When a beautiful, mysterious woman pursued by thugs drops in a deep swoon at his feet as he leaves a New York club, Jayce is both captivated and intrigued. He returns with her to his Kentucky stud farm in hopes of learning her identity. 

Together, they must work against terrifying odds to secure a future where love triumphs over loss.

Excerpt

Mid-1860's Kentucky

    In the early hours of the night, the violent reverberations of thunder shook the house, waking Katherine from a sound sleep. Somewhere close, a loose shutter banged. Rain slammed against the windows as if trying to break through the fragile glass panes. The wind roared like a whole pack of banshees.
    Katherine hid herself, curled into a tight ball beneath her covers. She clasped her hands over her ears, trembling and whimpering as Abbey used to do. An eerie howl commenced and quickly escalated to a ghastly shriek. It was only the wind, but she buried herself deeper.
    It wasn’t the first time she’d done so since she’d been at Langston Hall. Storms came often to the area, though this one was the worst. Furious with herself for her childish fears, she nevertheless could not overcome them. The turbulent weather was a catalyst for memories still too painful to bear.
    She nearly leaped from the bed when, in the midst of the storm’s tumult, she felt herself caught up, blankets and all, into a powerful embrace. Strong hands pulled the covers from her face.
    From the darkness came Jayce’s deep, calm tones. “Don’t be frightened, Kate. Go back to sleep. I’m here.”
    He made himself comfortable on top of the bedclothes, his body wrapped around hers, offering warmth and the security of his arms.
    “Jayce!” Uncaring that he should not be there, she buried her face in the smooth hollow of his throat. Despite the raging elements, her trembling eased. She drowsed, and then slept.
    When Bess woke her to bright sunshine the next morning, there was no sign he’d been there. Had she dreamed his presence, and the comfort he gave?
    She dressed and hastened to the office. Jayce was at his desk, writing. She stopped in the doorway.     He looked up, and in his dark eyes glowed tenderness tinged with a gentle mirth.
    She sat at her own desk and picked up a pen. “Jayce? Thank you.”
    “It was very much my pleasure, Kate.”

On sale now for $2.99 at Amazon

Meet Màiri

Màiri Norris is a USN vet who lives in Virginia with her USCG retiree husband and three cats, though her heart belongs to the Highlands of Scotland. She loves to read, travel, and make dollhouse miniatures when she's not busy writing. Màiri made up stories in her mind from childhood. Her mother taught her to read at age six, when she discovered a whole new universe to explore through books. She is a proud member of Romance Writers of America, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, Hearts Through History Romance Writers, Chesapeake Romance Writers, Beau Monde and Clan Donald, USA.

Email: mairinorris@gmail.com
Website: http://mairinorris.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MairiNorris
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mairi.norris
Blog: http://mairinorris.com/blog/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7884262.Mairi_Norris

E.E.: How often do you get lost in a story?
Màiri: as often as possible! I read constantly, both for fun and research. Historical romance is my favorite sub-genre, but I also enjoy the old sci-fi and western writers, mysteries (I'm a sucker for Donald Blain's "Murder, She Wrote" stories) and romantic suspense.

E.E.: What turns me off like nothing else?
Màiri: The one thing that will result in my setting aside a book and never returning to it is a H/H who for selfish reasons commits actions that put others, especially the one they claim to love, in jeopardy. True love is selfless, giving and if necessary, sacrificial.

E.E.: Is there a "blooper" in one of my stories?
Màiri: Lol, oh yes. Sometimes it seems impossible to prevent the occasional mistake, no matter how carefully we research. For instance, in my post-Conquest medieval, Rose of Hope, I call Wulfsinraed, the home of my heroine, a "burh" (loosely meaning a fortified village, a town set aside by the king for the purpose of defense). I didn't discover until shortly after I published Rose of Hope that while there were 33 royal burhs created by Alfred of Wessex, not one of them was in Essex, where my story is set. Eventually, I may republish the story and fix that small error. In the meantime, I'm allowing "creative license" to rule!

E.E.: Do you write while listening to music? What kind?
Màiri: I sometimes do, yes, if I can find music evocative of that particular story. When I was writing Viking Sword: A Fall of Yellow Fire - The Stranded One, I listened to the theme song to The History Channel's "Vikings" and to Wardruna, a Norwegian music group. For An Edwardian Christmas Tale: Loft At 22nd Street I listened to historic Scottish songs. I also love Adrian von Ziegler's Celtic and Medieval style music.

E.E.: If you were given a chance to travel to the past, where would you go, and why?
Màiri: Viking England (as long as I could come home again, alive and well, lol). I am utterly fascinated by the ancient Norse people and their culture. Life was so very difficult in that time, but they faced it with a singular courage and resilience. Incredible warriors, merchants and seamen, they were among the best of all three. But what draws me most to them was their curiosity. Yes, the promise of wealth did lead many among them to risk life and limb to travel to new places, but the desire to learn of different peoples and of new lands also sent them across the waves. I understand that sense, that longing for learning and adventure.

E.E.: Which already filmed movie represents your writing style?
Màiri: Hmmm. Interesting question. I think perhaps Frenchman's Creek with Joan Fontaine and Arturo de Cordova, with maybe a little of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings mixed in.

E.E.: What would we find in your heroine's purse?
Màiri: My heroine, Katherine Fairbanks, would have a book inside her purse, as she loves to read. She might also carry the usual things: a handkerchief, a bottle of smelling salts (for other ladies - she is no wilting violet), her keys, watch and comb, a little pocket money, and perhaps a small sewing packet with a needle, thread, scissors and thimble (to repair tears to those hems!)

One last question, this one for our readers…and to make it more interesting, I'll be giving away an e-copy of To Dream of Langston to two of our responders.

In a sense, most historical romance books are fairy tales. In light of that, what is your favorite among the old fairy tales (I think my favorite would have to be The Little Mermaid)?

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2/26/2015

Travel Back To Regency England with Tamara Gill


One small mistake in the past will change everything about her future...

Archaeologist Sarah Baxter just broke one of the biggest rules of time travel: leaving a piece of 21st ­century equipment in 19th century Regency England. Unfortunately, when she goes back to retrieve it, she makes an even bigger mess of things—resulting in the death of an English Earl. Now his brother is not only out for revenge, but he also has Sarah's device. Which means an entirely different approach is needed.

It doesn't occur to the new Earl of Earnston that his charming acquaintance is responsible for his brother's death. He is merely swept away by a passion that threatens his very reputation. Yet he gets the distinct impression that Miss Baxter is hiding something from him. Now Sarah must find a way to steal back her device, hide the truth about the earl's brother and—most importantly— not fall in love...


A Bit about Tamara 

Tamara is an Australian author who grew up in an old mining town in country South Australia, where her love of history was founded. So much so, she made her darling husband travel to the UK for their honeymoon, where she dragged him from one historical monument and castle to another.

A mother of three, her two little gentleman's in the making, a future Lady (she hopes) and a part-time job keep her busy in the real world, but whenever she gets a moment's peace she loves to write romance novels in an array of genres, including regency, medieval and paranormal.


Clover: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Tamara: Hi Clover and thank you for having me today! Now, what do I do to unwind and relax, well I read of course. I also like to lie around watching movies with my kids. But oddly enough, to relax, I also write, go figure. *g*


Clover: What three things are, at this moment, in your heroine’s purse, satchel, reticule, weapons belt or amulet bag (whatever she carries)?
Tamara: In my current WIP my heroine has a knife, rope and rosary beads. It’s a Scottish time travel and she’s a little nervous being stuck in medieval Scotland.


Clover: What is your hero’s “kryptonite” – in other words, what will bring him instantly to his knees?
Tamara: In A Stolen Season the book that released Monday, my heroine is my hero’s kryptonite. And better still, my heroine knows it.


Clover:  What drew you to write in the genres you do?
Tamara: I read across a broad range of genres, and loving all the books that I read I wondered if I may be able to write in these genres as well. To date I’ve written, time travel, Regency, Medieval and Mythological Paranormal romance. I hope my readers think that I’m doing the genres justice, it’s always fun to step out of the box and try something new.

Clover: What do you have coming up for us next?
Tamara: Well, up next for me is still a little secret, so I can’t share yet, but let me tell you it’s with Entangled, Select Historical and will be scandalously fabulous!
Clover: Oooh, I can’t wait to find out. You’ll have to come back and visit us.


Tamara will be gifting an ebook copy of Defiant Surrender through Amazon to one of our commenters.

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.


DON'T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes.  Clover 

2/25/2015

Cara Connelly Gets Lost Saving the Date

THE WEDDING BAND
Save the Date, book 3
Avon Impulse

It's the most secretive celebrity wedding of the year, and Christine Case is going to be there!

No-nonsense journalist Christine Case still believes a newspaper should inform, not entertain. But when Chris's biggest story blows up in her face, she's out of a job unless she does the one thing she's sworn never to do—infiltrate a celebrity wedding and write an exposé on the happy couple.

A-list heartthrob Dakota Rain loathes the press. So when he hosts his equally famous brother's wedding at his Beverly Hills estate, keeping the vultures at bay is Dakota's top priority—until he meets the sultry singer in the wedding band.

Posing as a singer is no problem for Chris, but when Dakota talks her into a private-island getaway, the hot days—and sizzling nights—make it impossible to go on deceiving him. But what will happen when the media-hating movie star discovers the woman he's falling for is really an undercover reporter?
 
Read a Little, Buy the Book: Amazon    Barnes & Noble    iBooks    Avon

CARA CONNELLY is the author of the sexy Save the Date series of contemporary romances published by Avon. Her latest novel, THE WEDDING BAND, was released on February 10. Cara’s smart and sexy stories have won several awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart, the Valley Forge Romance Writers’ Sheila, and the Music City Romance Writers’ Melody of Love. A former attorney and law professor, she lives with her husband Billy in the woods of upstate New York.

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 
CARA: The Owl and the Pussycat. I loved it -- the beautiful pea green boat, the runcible spoon... I still have the old, dog-eared copy. But the first adult book I remember reading is Little Women. I read it over and over again.

ANGI: Hiking Boots or Dancing Heels?
CARA: Hiking boots! Give me a rugged trail with my dog Bella any day.

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?
CARA: So many things…but most of all, I love that Dakota takes in the animals no one else will adopt. Dogs, cats, horses, a guinea pig… Even though Dakota has the ego that goes with being an A-list movie star, he also has a heart as big as California.

ANGI: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?
CARA: Chris Pine by a mile. I mean, those eyes… And he nailed Captain Kirk.
ANGI: Absolutely right about nailing Captain Kirk. Irrr…I mean portraying Shatner’s long-standing expressions.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
CARA: Last of the Mohicans. Romance, adventure, tragedy, and more romance. This movie has it all. "Stay alive…I will find you…" *sigh*

ANGI: Would you rather be in a Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
CARA: Action adventure! I've often thought I'd like to be reincarnated as a bridge officer on the Starship Enterprise.
 
ANGI: What’s your favorite meal?
CARA: Anything with potato chips on the side. Or on top. Or just potato chips by themselves, in a bowl, or a bag, or with onion dip...

ANGI: What’s your favorite rerun on television?
CARA: I can't resist Star Trek TNG. (I'm a little concerned to realize that this is my third Star Trek reference. Could I have become a Trekkie without realizing it? Will I end up stalking Patrick Stewart at a Star Trek convention? Help!)

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I noticed you were at Nora Robert’s bookstore last fall. What was that experience like? What will you remember most?
CARA’s GOTTA ANSWER: Being part of the seven-author signing at Turn the Page Bookstore in Boonsboro was probably my coolest writer experience yet. Besides Nora, the other authors signing at the event were Kristan Higgins, Marie Force, Donna Kaufman, Brenda Novak and Anne Barton. An all-star cast! Naturally, most of the 400 readers who attended the signing were there to see Nora and the other luminaries, not li'l ol' newbie-author me, but the line snaked right past my table, so during the course of the 6-hour book signing I chatted with many avid romance readers, sold a bunch of books, and gave away a ton of swag. I've already received emails from readers who bought my debut novel, The Wedding Favor, at the event and fell in love with it! 

So not only was the event a ton of fun, but I definitely found some new readers. And that's what this romance-writing gig is all about, sharing stories with readers who love them. Getting to Boonsboro was a bit of a trip for me, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As for what I remember most about it -- everything! It was a thrill from beginning to end, and I'd recommend it to any authors or readers who have a chance to attend! So much fun!! 

FIND CARA
Contact  Website  Facebook    Twitter   @ Cara_Connelly    Goodreads 

UP NEXT for CARA
The WEDDING GIFT
Save the Date, novella
Read a little, Buy the book


PREVIOUS RELEASE
by CARA
The WEDDING DATE
Save the Date, novella
Read a little, Buy the book
 


The WEDDING FAVOR
Save the Date, novel
Read a little, Buy the book


The WEDDING VOW
Save the Date, novella
Read a little, Buy the book


CARA is giving away a signed copy of The Wedding Favor -- the first novel in the Save the Date series --North America Readers only

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

UP NEXT ON GLIAS:  Tamara Gill

Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook
or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

CARA WANTS TO KNOW: I’d love to know about your favorite potato chips! Brand? Flavor? Any recipes that include potato chips? Favorite dip? I’m open to all suggestions! Any potato-chip related comment will do!

2/24/2015

Get Lost in a new mail-order brides series from USA Today Best-Selling Author Kirsten Osbourne

Triplet brothers and mail-order brides, oh my! You've met two of the handsome brothers, now meet the third, in The Rancher's Mail-Order Bride by USA Today best-selling author Kirsten Osbourne.

Through no fault of her own, Gwen Blue found herself embroiled in a scandal that would set Beckham, Massachusetts on its ear, and get her locked in her room for two months. When she found herself betrothed to a man she found loathsome, she wanted nothing more than to disappear. When her sisters liberated her from her room and proposed a journey to Texas to visit an old school friend, she didn't have to be asked twice.

Walton Dalton always had a plan for his life. He'd spent years learning everything he needed to know about ranching, and he had a large parcel of land adjacent to his two brothers' land. Between the three of them, they were going to build a Texas ranching empire. For his empire, he needed a bride. 

Without his brothers’ knowledge, Walt sends off for three mail order brides from a matchmaker in Beckham. He knows from the moment he sees ‘Gorgeous Gwen’ that she's meant to be his. Will she agree to the marriage? If she does, will she be able to get over her self-centered attitude and be a good wife?

Excerpt

    At that moment two men, who were obviously twin brothers, stepped between them. 
    "Are you ladies the Blue sisters?" one of them asked.  He had brown eyes and black hair.  His shoulders were the broadest she'd ever seen.  She wouldn't mind stepping out with him at all.
    Gwen nodded slowly.  "Who are you?"  She'd never seen these men in her life.  Why were they looking for them?  Were they there to drive them to their new home, wherever it may be?  She still didn't know why they were in Texas.
    The man who'd asked the question grinned.  "I'm Walton Dalton, and I pick you."  He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms before she had a chance to reply.  His mouth covered hers and he kissed her, right there in the middle of the train station.
    Gwen stomped on his foot, enjoying the kiss, but she knew it wasn't proper to kiss a man she'd just met. "Unhand me!" She wiped her hand across her mouth, trying to stop the tingling that had started as soon as his lips had met hers.
    Walt smiled down at Gwen. "I'll unhand you for now. Preacher's standing by."  He kept his arm firmly around his little fiancé's shoulders. "Which sister are you?"
    "I'm Gwendolyn. Why do you persist in touching me?  I don't know you!" She struggled against him, but realized it was futile.  He was much stronger than she would ever be.
    Bonnie smiled at Walt. "I'm Bonnie. I'm the oldest sister.  I believe I'm the one you're supposed to marry."
    Walt looked back and forth between the sisters. "I don't care who's oldest. I'm marrying this one."  He nodded at Nate. "That's my brother Nate. Bart should be here by now, but I'm sure he'll be along." 
    He'd better be along.  He'd promised Walt he'd be there by three.  It was quarter after.
    Bonnie glared at Walt and turned to Nate, who was openly staring at Libby. "Libby's the youngest," she announced, seeming to think that would matter to the brothers.
    Nate looked back and forth between Walt and Bonnie.  "I thought we were here to see a man about some cattle."
    Walt grinned at his brother. "Surprise!  Since Bart isn't here, you get next pick. Which one do you want for your bride?" He didn't expect a lot of problems from Nate.  Bart was the one who would protest the loudest.
    Nate blinked. "You sent off for brides for us?  The cattle salesman was a lie?"
    Walt shrugged. "I didn't think you'd come if I told you why we were really here."  He kissed the top of Gwen's head as if they'd been in love for years. "Pick one." 
    He wasn't letting this little beauty go.  He'd expected all three sisters to be homely.  Gwen had been a fabulous surprise.
    Nate pointed at Libby. "I guess I'll take the youngest." He leaned close to Walt and whispered, "I'll take care of you later."
    Gwen gasped in shock. "You can't just pick me and say you'll marry me.  No!  What on earth is happening here?  Bonnie?  What have you done?"  As grateful as Gwen was to her sister for rescuing her, she was furious about this arrangement.  She had no desire to marry a stranger or anyone else for that matter.
    Bonnie blinked as if fighting tears.  "Libby knew why we were here.  We just didn't want you to be stubborn.  We rescued you after all."
    "Rescued me?  You kept me from marrying a crazy old man, yes, but he was at least someone I knew!  Now you expect me to marry a total stranger?  He has a stupid name!  I can't marry a man named Walton Dalton!  Who would name their child that?  What if he thinks we should name our child Dalton Dalton or something?"

Meet Kirsten
Kirsten Osbourne is a wife, mother, and compulsive reader who lives in Arlington, Texas with her family.  She spends most of her time pecking away at her keyboard writing.  She loves to laugh and tries to incorporate laughter into every story.

Contact Kirsten at 
kirstenosbourne@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/kirsten.os
twitter.com/AuthorKOsbourne

E.E. What’s the first book you remember reading?  
Kirsten: The Monster at the End of this Book. I've had it memorized since I was four.  I sometimes read it for children holding an imaginary book and letting them turn imaginary pages.  It's fun!

E.E.: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
Kirsten: Fairy Tale without question.  Action makes me really nervous whether in books or movies.  If an action scene needs to be written, I can't do it.  My husband does it, and then I take his words and put them into my voice.  

E.E.: What’s your favorite movie of all time?  
Kirsten: That's hard.  I'd say it's a cross between Princess Bride and Notting Hill.  I prefer to only watch romances, and romantic comedies are the best.  

E.E.: What is your biggest vice?  
Kirsten: Chocolate. What else could it be?

E.E.: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
Kirsten: Oh absolutely!  I think that's why I hate stupid heroines so much.  If they're too stupid to live, then it's hard to think of yourself as them.  It's really hard when you want to smack them through the pages of the book.

E.E.: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?  
Kirsten: Historical Romantic Comedy.  If you can make me laugh while sharing a love story and add in some humor?  I'll be your fan for life!

E.E.: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go and why?  
Kirsten: I would go to the time of knights, but I would need to take my indoor plumbing with me.  We all think about how glamorous it would be to live in the past, but that's one modern convenience I won't do without.

E.E.: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?  
Kirsten: Travel. I've been to many places we never would have been able to go if I didn't write.  I've visited the Giant Rodent in Florida three times in the past year. I've been to NYC (a dream trip for me) and many other places. Europe is on my horizon.

E.E.: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?
Kirsten: I prefer to write in my pajamas and a tiara.  There are a lot of days when I never bother to dress at all.  Why would I?  Bras completely stifle creativity.



The Dalton Brothers series also includes The Cowboy's Mail-Order Bride by Kit Morgan, and The Drifter's Mail Order Bride by Cassie Hayes.
  
The Rancher's Mail-Order Bride is available on Amazon, and is one of three connected sweet romances in The Dalton Brides series, which includes books by two other bestselling authors Kirsten Osbourne and Kit Morgan. Here's the order:

The Escape (A Prologue) by Kirsten Osbourne, Cassie Hayes and Kit Morgan (also included at the beginning of each book) 
The Rancher’s Mail-Order Bride by Kirsten Osbourne 

The Cowboy’s Mail-Order Bride by Kit Morgan
* The Drifter's Mail-Order Bride by Cassie Hayes

Kirsten is known for her mail-order brides stories, and today she's giving away her Brides of Beckham series...four books! Just leave a comment and enter the raffle.

If you were a mail-order bride, which husband would you pick? Rancher, cowboy or drifter?

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2/23/2015

MarilynBaxter's crush is Hugh Jackman -- why not? -- and her #newbook : Direct Deposit #baby #singleparent

Welcome, Marilyn Baxter, to Get Lost in a Story!

I --Vicki-- broke into fiction writing through the romance magazines, but wasn't sure I was doing the writing right. That's when I came across Marilyn's class. I took it and learned so much. When people say to me that I should teach a class on writing short fiction, I say "no" and point them to Marilyn. :)

A Bit about Marilyn:  In 2001, Marilyn discovered romance novels quite by accident, which led to a renewed interest in writing. She’s had over forty stories published in the confessions and romance magazines and taught a class in how to effectively write for this genre. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter, Heart of Dixie Romance Writers. Her involvement on the local and national levels has combined to give her a great love of the romance genre and to develop friendships that span the globe.

In addition to reading and writing, Marilyn loves to knit simple things, cook in the crockpot and garden in a few pots on her patio. Her motto is “Have passport, will travel,” and she recently added Ireland and Wales to the list of 32 states and 21 foreign countries she has visited.

A native of North Carolina, she came to Huntsville, Alabama by way of Frankfurt, Germany. She has lived there longer than anywhere else and calls it home. After raising two great sons, she loves to dote on her two granddaughters. And somewhere amidst all the above, she fits in a day job as an administrative assistant for a boutique law firm.
 Family law attorney Maddie Prescott is driven to succeed. A pawn in her parents’ messy divorce, she devoted her career to representing children in court, and when her husband’s early death makes it seem like she can’t have it all, she’s ready to beat the odds by going to a sperm bank. One advantage to single parenthood is that her child will never be a pawn. That, and she’ll never have to deal with sarcastic ladies’ men or liars.

Jack Worth promised to look out for his dying best friend’s wife: a small repayment for someone who once helped an irredeemable bad boy find the path to happiness. So, while Maddie Prescott’s baby plans are questionable, duty and loyalty prompt Jack first to volunteer as the sperm donor…and then to propose a marriage of convenience. And the more he gets to know her, the more this onetime player will see that Maddie is the woman of his dreams, and that the child they will make deserves to be from a direct deposit.


Find Direct Deposit at: Amazon

QUESTIONS for Marilyn:

Vicki:  I’m a huge handbag girl. What is your favorite accessory? 
Marilyn: Scarves, scarves and more scarves. I have square ones, oblong ones, pashminas and infinity scarves. I can take a scarf and make an inexpensive t-shirt or sweater look fabulous. Check out this video for ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYAEz777AU

Vicki: What’s your favorite cartoon character? 
Marilyn:  Wiley E. Coyote! He never gives up!
Vicki: I love Bugs Bunny. 

Vicki: What turns you off like nothing else? 
Marilyn:  Rudeness.

Vicki: Can you tell us about a real-life hero you’ve met? 
Marilyn: My mother.  She was widowed at age 43 with two teenage daughters to raise.  She had re-entered the work force years earlier when my father was laid off from his job, and by the time she retired, she was the head of the advertising department of a local newspaper.  She just celebrated her 88th birthday (don’t shoot me Mom!) and still lives on her own.  When I get discouraged, I think of her, and I know I can’t give up because she never did.
Vicki: I feel the same way about my grandmother.

Vicki: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Marilyn: Romancing the Stone. I love this movie because the heroine is a romance writer.  It’s been a favorite since I first saw it in the theater when it was released in 1984.  Who knew then I’d be a romance writer one day? How cool is that?

Vicki: What is your biggest vice? 
Marilyn: Sweet tea with lemon

Vicki: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Marilyn: The biggest compliment you can pay an author – me or any other author you read – is to post honest reviews of their books online and telling others how much you enjoyed their books.

Vicki: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Marilyn: I would LOVE to be a private investigator specializing in divorce investigations.

Vicki: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Marilyn: I watch documentaries on Netflix, PBS and Smithsonian Channel. My tastes are eclectic and I watch everything from archaeological digs at Stonehenge to Nelson Mandela and the South African rubgy team to Steve Martin and the history of the banjo.  I also like to knit and often have knitting needles in my hands while I watch these documentaries. 
I knit scarves and hats for a Lakota mission my church supports.  I knit dishcloths to give as gifts.  And back in November and December, I experimented with knitting fingerless gloves.  I used a simple pattern but in my copious free time (insert sarcasm here) I want to learn how to do circular knitting so I can knit more difficult items. (I’ll send a photo of the fingerless gloves I knit for myself.)

Vicki: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
Marilyn: I have made friends with an amazing variety of writers who span the globe.  The sun never sets on my circle of writing friends.  I never imagined I would be on a first-name basis with New York Times best-sellers on the one hand and helping new writers work toward their dream of being published on the other.

Vicki: What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?
Marilyn: Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy.”  It’s the ringtone on my phone.  ♪♫♫Clap along if you know what happiness is to you. ♫♫

Vicki: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do?
Marilyn: Reading the genre I write – short contemporary romance.  I picked up my first short contemporary in 2001, devoured it, wondered why I hadn’t been reading them before and never looked back.

Vicki: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
Marilyn: A news article appeared in my feed one day with the headline “Seeking Sperm, Not Sex, Online: Online banking has taken on a brave new meaning.” After learning that many women are turning to online sperm banks, I began developing a story about a woman who decides to do the same.

Vicki: Who's your celebrity crush and why?
Marilyn: Hugh Jackman.  And why the heck not?!?!?!?
Vicki: I agree!

FIND Marilyn at:  Email Website  Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest

What's NEXT:  Picture This, tentatively scheduled for release in March 2015. It features a secondary character from Direct Deposit

PREVIOUS RELEASES:
Find Tea for Two at:  Amazon
Find Better as a Memory at: Amazon

WILL YOU HAVE A DRAWING FROM THOSE LEAVING COMMENTS or do you have a promotion you'd like us to link to? Yes, North America only and please leave an email address in your comments for the drawing. I’ll give away a digital copy of Direct Deposit and a handmade zipper pouch great for make-up, change, flash drives or whatever you’d like to put in it.  

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?  
Why do YOU read romance?