First Friday With The Crew: Exploring The Language of Love

It's February! Valentine's Day will soon be upon us, and this month, above all others, is a time when we love to celebrate LOVE.

What better way to celebrate than to explore the language of love. We asked the crew how for them love is best expressed and/or received, either in a personal context or for the characters in their books. Here's what they had to say:

E.E. Burke

Some years back, I came across a bestselling book, The 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman, which really spoke to me because it hit the nail on the head when it came to how I both expressed and received love.

In summary, the 5 love languages are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. I won't go into all the details about these (you can read it here), but I will say that I personally best accept and express love through Acts of Service. I'm also big on giving gifts, and I love thoughtful gestures. Even a candy bar given in love excites me!

The characters in my upcoming book, Jolie, A Valentine's Day Bride, have a difficult time overcoming cultural stigmas as well as personal conflicts that arise when their goals clash. But one thing that speaks volumes to Jolie, the madam of a popular whorehouse, is a Valentine's card she receives from Hank--with no strings attached. That simple gift ultimately leads to Jolie's decision to trade her hard-won security for love, even knowing it could lead to heartbreak.

What are your love languages? 

Jolie, A Valentine's Day Bride is part of new multi-author series The Brides of Noelle, which came from our Christmas series, The Twelve Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides.

Follow me on Amazon and BookBub for announcements on new releases and promotions.

Find out more about this series and the first books coming out in February by joining our exclusive Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1625057007540555/

Or check out my latest books here:
www.eeburke.com/books


Avril Tremayne

Interestingly enough, for a romance writer I’m not demonstrative about love. Nobody in my family is especially affectionate; we’re not huggers or kissers or expressers of emotions (except to our own kids, and then all bets are off). I’d say that my specialty is quiet, unswerving loyalty. 

When you’re in my inner circle, no matter what you do, I’ll be there with the big guns – asking no questions, telling whatever lies you need to be told, volunteering to bury the bodies. 

And that’s what I expect in return, so keep your flowers and your chocolates and your I-love-yous and give me blind loyalty and we’ll be in it for the long haul. 

I think that’s reflected in my books, which tend to be pretty intense by the time the happily ever after arrives, no matter how much fun the characters have had reaching that point: it really is about belonging to each other come what may.

Check out my latest book, The Dating Game: books2read.com/u/mKJ9eB

PJ Fiala

What is the way my characters express love? In Missing Desire, Nita Brown is a big beautiful

woman. Trouble is, she hasn't felt beautiful in a very long time. Before she was widowed, her husband cheated on her and since that time, she's struggled with feeling less than. She's simply focused on raising her three children and growing a business.

Enter Chuck Layton. Chuck is a big fellow, tall, broad and strong. Trouble is he's always been belittled by his father as being big and dumb, so he grew up feeling that way. Chuck meets Levi Jacobson and his life changes. Levi needs someone like Chuck to work for him in his security business. So this match is perfect, Chuck is able to get away from his father and Levi gives Chuck something he's needed his whole life - confidence in himself.  Moving to Chandler County Kentucky with the business helped Chuck move away from his abusive controlling father and settle in to find himself. 

He meets Nita and holey moley, sparks fly, birds sing, rainbows appear. Not really, but there are sparks and interest. They way Chuck shows Nita love is acceptance. She's not a big beautiful woman to him, she's a beautiful woman and he tells her this often. He sticks up for her when men make fun of her and she's never had that. Nita shows Chuck love by taking care of him and showing him how much she needs him. They are a match made in heaven for each other and they meet at just the perfect time in both of their lives.

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Angi Morgan

I’ve always believed showing is a lot better than telling. Not only in my writing, but also in life…especially expressing love. 

In most of my stories, the hero and heroine best show their love by being willing to give up everything and believe in the other person. 

In my own love life… well, most of the flowers I get are apology blooms. But my guy supports my writing and has given up brand new cars, upgrades on the house, etc so I can write full-time.

 I think that’s one of the best ways to show me he believes in me and loves me.

RANGER DEFENDER

She needed a miracle. She got a Texas Ranger

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AMANDA MCINTYRE

This was an interesting question because I’m certain my answer would have

been different at various times in my life. This past year or so has been challenging in many ways, both personally and professionally, but something that has filtered to the surface in my daily life has been gratitude. I am guilty as anyone about taking people and things for granted, but experiences in my life recently have reminded me to be grateful for the people in my life, the gifts that I have, and the ability to share those gifts. In a similar vein, when my family, my friends or readers show gratitude, it’s inspiring, right? It costs nothing. It’s calorie free. And one size fits all. I highly recommend gratitude this Valentine’s Day!!

My current release is part of a multi-author holiday series; Twelve Days of Christmas Mail-Order Brides; the Piper. It features my hero Christian Ezekiel Kinnison (And yes, Kinnison Legacy fans there IS a relation here!) and Genevieve Walters, a widowed wife of Zeke’s Commander in the Union Army. Entrusted to be his right hand, Zeke would read aloud the letters from the commander’s wife and in the process, fell in love with her. When the unthinkable happens, he must confront the woman and his emotions and in the heat of passion stolen kiss brings guilt, tearing these two apart for the next dozen years, until fate cloaked in the magic of the holiday season offers these two a second chance at true love.

Due to the joyful, emotional impact of reader responses, the twelve authors agreed to create a spin-off series featuring the Happily Ever-After’s for some of the secondary citizens of the fictional mining town, Noelle, Colorado.

Starting February 14, there will be two new stories from authors, Kit Morgan and E.E. Burke with more “Brides of Noelle; Love for All Seasons” series. And coming March 17, in time for St Patrick’s Day, I’ll offer a third story—"Norah; a

St Patrick’s Day Bride.”

You can catch all of my books at my Amazon Author Page and I’d be grateful if you’d follow me!!

https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-McIntyre/e/B002C1KH2Q

**Don't miss 2/21/18 on the GLIAS BLOG!! I'll be having my birthday bash with sweet prizes and more!

Have a wonderful February!!

Amanda

Available for pre-order February 22.

JILLIAN STONE

My favorite love stories are about characters who believe that love just isn't in the stars for them. Maybe they've had the shit kicked out of them by love and have given up. Or maybe they've come to believe that love—the kind you read about in fairy stories and romance novels will never find them.

Hints of wolf love are in the air this February with the release of book #2 in the Wolf Lords of London series, Wolf on Fire.  Elle Hathaway continues to discover her wilder wolf side as she confronts the reality of being mated and soon married to a powerful wolf lord. Think about her dilemma for a minute. She hardly knows Detective

Inspector Abelseth Durant, but he's also offered her protection from insurgent wolf packs. In book #2, closely held secrets of London's wolf culture are revealed as well as the shocking backstory on the handsome wolf prince who offers Elle everything but his heart.

Wolf, Interrupted is the prequel novella to the series and is available for $0.99 at Amazon. And don't miss out on the Wolf Lords of London Giveaway which includes a chance to win signed books, a 'find your wild' tee shirt, or a Kindle Fire HD8.

Go to jillianstone.com and sign up for my mailing list. (Wolf Lords of London reader/reviewers receive free pre-release ebooks.)



NAN DIXON

How do I express love? I think by doing and giving. And making food. When the people I love are helping in the kitchen--laughing and smiling--life is fabulous. And if Prosecco or wine is involved that's even better!

But if you want to find your way into my heart, it's simple. Bring me a cup of tea in bed. It will start my day out with a smile.

My characters almost all love to cook, it's' their way of giving, too. And there is always Prosecco.

My upcoming release--TO CATCH A THIEF is part of the FITZGERALD HOUSE series. and this one was fun. Normally everyone in my world loves the Fitzgeralds. Carolina--not so much.  This time you see the Fitzgeralds through a new angle, through the eyes of somebody who starts out despising them.

I'll be celebrating my book birthday in March with giveaways so be sure to check back.   

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NANCY ROBARDS THOMPSON

My family has always been very open about saying, “I love you.” However, it’s not just lip service. We are a small, tight-knit bunch and we will go to great lengths to be there for one another.

We’re not perfect by any means, but we try to not to take each other for granted. We’ve known our share of loss and I think it has made us aware that life is uncertain. You don’t know what tomorrow will hold.  

Communication is key for us. We keep in touch and communicate often. Mostly by text or phone, in person, when we can swing it. We’re not always available and we understand that and know we will catch up soon. If something is wrong, we make a point to talk it out and not go to bed mad. We can always work it out.

That makes me think of another way we show our love—we’re aware of what makes each other happy and what presses buttons. My husband retired recently. Sometimes when I’m at my desk, he’ll bring me an apple or a cup of tea without me asking. These small, thoughtful gestures mean the world to me. For him, it’s us spending time together that makes him happy. He’s so supportive of my career. I try to strike a balance between work and home, because I can be somewhat of a workaholic. He’s definitely worth it! 

My next book, MADDIE FORTUNE'S PERFECT MAN, is an April 17 release. It's my 30th book for Harlequin and my 40th published book overall. It's book five in Harlequin's 2018 Fortunes of Texas series. 

Maddie Fortunado, heir apparent to her father’s real estate business, is stunned to learn that she’ll have to fight for the job she’d assumed was hers! Even worse? Her rival is none other than Zach McCarter, her secret crush. 

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LIZBETH SELVIG

To me, love is truly everything, and it's all that really matters in the world. I have been so fortunate in my life to have, first and foremost, long-lasting, forever romantic love, as well as close and loyal family love, and the love of wonderful friends--many of whom have been in my life literally since childhood. 

Edinburgh=Romantic Travel

I met my hubby when I was fifteen and married him when I was barely nineteen. Statistically we shouldn't have "worked," but because there has never been a question of love, because we share the belief that our "job" in marriage is to make each other's life easier (my husband is by far the best at this!!) we've been together 43 years!

Our language of love follows the same form as a good romance novel: show rather than tell. Hubby does the traditional romantic things once in a while:  flowers, unexpected prezzies, dinners out. More importantly, he does those "women's porn" things:  he cooks, he does laundry, he supports every dream I have. I try to do the same back--but I'm way more spoiled than he is.

In all my books, the path to romance and love is the same: my hero and heroine do for each other. It's never about the sex or even the attraction (although there is definitely always attraction), it's about helping each other grow, about making a family however big or small, about being each other's priority. It's about the relationship. Without "rescuing each other right back" to paraphrase the movie Pretty Woman there's no point in the story as far as I'm concerned.


In my most recent book Missing By a Heartbeat my hero and heroine definitely need each other and absolutely make each other whole. Tori, a racetrack veterinarian, has never found anyone who will love her for exactly who she is. Winn, a successful horse trainer, had a rough youth and only turned his life around with perseverance and dedication. He barely believes he's worthy of lifelong love. By learning to trust each other, they learn they are much more together than they've ever been alone.

And that's the absolute language of love: helping another person be his or her very best--whether it's a love, a family member, or a friend!

You can check out Missing By a Heartbeat HERE. 
I cordially invite you, too, to sign up for my NEWSLETTER and visit my FACEBOOK page!

 
Tell us the ways you express or receive love. Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance at a $25 Amazon gift card! Winner will be drawn on Valentine's Day.


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