SEASONS GREETINGS

Cover Reveal for Craving His Best Friend's Ex Katherine Garbera

One of my favorite parts of publishing is when I get an email from my publisher with the first glimpse of my cover.  I'm never exactly sure how my characters look, I feel them more than see them when I'm writing.  I definitely know their hair color, eye color, if they have a six pack or chubby thighs. :) But the way those features all come into play are sort of nebulous to me until I get the cover.

I was recently talking about covers with my good friend Eve Gaddy.  She always likes images that show her characters smiling at each other and I'm like ugh, no, I hate it when they are smiling.  I think it's because I really like an emotional book. One that packs a lot of punch right in the heart.  Of course, they will be happy and smile during the book but I want to see the moment before they find the happy-ever-after on my cover. I want that intense longing, the wanting each other but know that it's not going to be easy to fall in love with each other.  I want them to both be aware that the attraction between them is going to cost them.  That falling in love with each other will mean that they will never be the same.  Whew! That's a lot to ask of a cover. :)

Fortunately, the art department at Harlequin Books always delivers that for me.  And without further ado, her is the cover for Craving His Best Friend's Ex, my August release from Harlequin Desire.

What do you think?! 

What kind of covers do you like? Tell me in the comments below. I'm giving away autographed copies of The Tycoon's Fiancee Deal and Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise to one lucky commenter.  

Happy Memorial Day!

Katherine

May the FOURTH be with you!

Whether you're a Star Wars fan or not, you're probably familiar that May the 4th is Star Wars Day. That's when social media gets to post crazy memes and fans (like me) take pride in sharing. Not familiar with the Star Wars movies? Are you like one of my physical therapist assistants and have never seen one of the flicks? Wow and sad face. When the original movie (A NEW HOPE) premiered I was one of the few people in my group that had a car and could drive. I stood in line a long time (no multiplex theaters), Gas was inching up in price so if you rode, you contributed to the fifteen mile drive to the ONLY theater where it was showing. I know I saw the original movie (in theater) as many times as their were weeks in the summer. Yep. That was me. I hope you a have a wonderful day (and weekend) and yes, I have to say it...May the Fourth be with you!

Taking advantage of this day in pop culture history, I asked the Crew to share a Star Wars memory--good or bad. So I'll start...

ANGI MORGAN
I've seen the original three movies more than I can count. But I still remember the very first time I saw the space ship appear in the very first scene.  It kept going and going and going. I got goosebumps. So of course by the time I had kids, I wanted to share it. Just wasn't the same watching on a small screen television off a video tape (which took years) but we did it anyway.  So...a funny memory related to Star Wars:

My son had everything Star Wars, toys, pajamas, figurines, models, and books. And in 1983 books came with read-along tapes. My son listened to his tapes all the time. One night at my parents, he was ready for bed and told my dad he'd read the story to him. AND HE DID. My dad was so amazed. I mean REALLY amazed. He thought my kid was brilliant...right up to the middle of the book when my son said, "BEEP. Time to turn the tape over."  Yeah, my son was smart, but he'd only memorized the tape. My dad laughed about that for years and years. I can still hear him laughing until he had tears in his eyes.

May the Fourth be with you!

Now for the commercial...  Have you pre-ordered RANGER GUARDIAN yet? Out in stores mid-June and available for download July 1st. Don't miss book 3 in the Texas Brothers of Company B series.

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LIZBETH SELVIG

I'm old enough that I was out of high school and ready to graduate from college when the first Star Wars movie (Episode 4) came out in 1977. I went to see it in the theater with my husband and sis-in-law, and we were mesmerized right along with everyone else. I will never forget the scene where all the young rebels are going after the Death Star, trying to get that shot down the tiny shaft. When Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon showed up to save the day, nobody at that time had seen the movie or expected Han's return. Literally every person in that theater stood straight up and cheered--as loudly as anyone ever cheers for a sporting event. I still remember my goosebumps! Nowadays my kids are the Star Wars experts. They think they own the geekiness of being a SW fan--but I know differently. I was there at the very start! And it was a magical ride.




I don't write Star Wars but my two most recent books are adventures in their own rights. Check out Missing By a Heartbeat and pre-order Wild Deadwood Tales containing my short story "Gotta Have Faith" at your favorite retailers!

NANCY ROBARDS THOMPSON

This may be an unpopular confession, but I’m rather blasé about Star Wars. Yep. I am. I know! I know! I can hear some of you gasping and muttering behind your hands, What’s wrong with her?? Rest assured, I don’t hate the Star Wars franchise. They're great stories. They just don't strike the same chord with me that they do in others. I don’t get jump-up-and-down excited when the newest installment hits the big screen. Having said that, I usually see the movies…eventually…when my husband or daughter drags me to see them…and I always find them enjoyable enough. So, in that spirit, May the Fourth be with you. Is that how you say it?

P.S. While Star Wars isn't exactly my thing, romance is. If you're looking for a fun secret crush/ rivals to lovers story, please check out my latest release, MADDIE FORTUNE'S PERFECT MAN. It's part of Harlequin's best-loved Fortunes of Texas series (and my 3oth book for Harlequin). If you haven't read any of the Fortunes stories, never fear, all books stand alone. This would be the perfect place to jump in.

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E.E. BURKE
My favorite scene in Star Wars is where Leia tells Han she loves him. He has the best reply ever.

I just LOVE Han Solo. He has all the makings of a romance hero. Who are some of your favorite hero figures from movies or books?

My latest hero is a wise-cracking blind man with a dog named Bear. Hank Donovan has a rather unconventional romance with the local madam in JOLIE, one of the Brides of Noelle books. You can check it out at my website, along with my latest project: www.eeburke.com

May the Fourth Be With You!

AMANDA McINTYRE

Confession. Serious Star Wars geek. So much so that stood in line with friends three hours before the theater opened the day of its release. I can remember thinking it was the most amazing cinematography I'd ever seen. But SW geekdom was not limited to simple movie madness. Heck, no. Why not make it a part of your wedding?

Picture an August evening. A beautiful Iowa sunset. A grand pipe organ at the back of the historic catholic church in a the peaceful rural farm town...and a musician who knows his way around a pipe organ!!

Our recessional (he cranked up the volume on that pipe organ!) )  was the music from the original S.W. Final /Throne Room scene, which btw, makes for a very nice wedding recessional! Here is the you-tube of the music. #starwarsgeeksforever

Star Wars opened up our imaginations, once again proving that love (be it for family, hero, heroine, friends, or even strangers) will always find a way!

You can find my contemporary western and historical at: http://bit.ly/AmandasAuthorPage
May the Fourth be with you!

NAN DIXON 
My favorite memories are renting the movies and having a weekend Star Wars marathon. We would buy two dozen tacos, nachos grande and cinnamon twists and have a picnic in the family room. (It takes a lot of food to feed 5 athletic kids.) No pop--they had to drink milk. And at least one child would snuggle up or even fall asleep.  Great memories!  

Maybe it's because of all my family memories that I create families in my stories. And in my latest Fitzgerald House release, I introduce a secret half-sister. (It was really fun.) You can check out TO CATCH A THIEF  and read about the entire series on my website.

KATHERINE GARBERA 

I think I fell in love with Star Wars when I saw the very first commercial for the movie as an eight-year-old.  I didn’t know what was going to happen in the movie at all but it looked like a fun adventure with a scary bad guy.  I made sure to sit by my dad when we got to the theatre (I have two sisters so this took some planning!) and then the movie started and I was swept away into a world that I have never forgotten.  My mom was very strict about our time when we were younger and allowed only one half hour of television a day so my sisters and I would spent most of our time outside playing different movies or books that we loved.  And Star Wars dominated our playtime that summer.  Of course my middle sister who likes to cause trouble was always Darth Vadar—she volunteered! My youngest sister and I were the Princesses Leia and her sister and we would fight against Darth Vadar all day and then sometimes escape the Death Star that mom had made for us out of sheets drying on the clothes line.   I still love the Star Wars universe and look forward to each new foray into that world that film makers and novelists make though none of the stories are as exciting as our acting it out on those long summer days back in 1978. 

 

Coming August 2018

from Harlequin Books 

& Katherine Garbera

PJ FIALA 
I've seen all of the Star Wars movies. Not always the day they come out, but soon after. As a writer, even though I don't right science fiction, I still live mostly in a fantasy world. So, Star Wars fits right in with that fantasy. Add in a husband and children who love fantasy and we've got a great recipe for family fun. 

Star Wars has it all in terms of what people want to see. 
The good will save the world, even though it isn't easy - check. 
Family drama - check. Who can forget the words, "Luke, I am your father."
Sibling rivalry - check.
Adventure - oh yeah.
Travel - through the stars and then some.
Magical creatures - Some of the weirdest creatures ever known to man.
Leave the theater feeling like you can conquer the world? For sure!

I invite you to check out my latest release, Ford, The Bounty Hunters Book One.  And coming soon, Moving Home, book 6 in the Rolling Thunder series will be released.  Let me know your thoughts won't you?

And, May the Fourth be with you!

JILLIAN STONE
For me, the best thing about STAR WARS is Carrie Fisher aka Princess Leia. Once you get past the wacky hairstyles and strange wardrobe choices, it's really all about attitude with her. It can't be easy being Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan surrounded by all that fantasy space opera testosterone. But Carrie pulls it off—a heroine who is smart, sassy and can handle a blaster as well as the boys.

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Resolutions vs. the Bucket!! What's on your list?

RESOLUTIONS VS. THE BUCKET LIST

This time of year is slated for those resolutions we all have made at one time or another. Whether losing weight, exercising more, getting more sleep, taking more time to read books (thinly veiled market ploy) …but I think its equally as important to stop and make a “fun” list—those things that spark a fire inside you, hold your imagination and perhaps cause tingles to think about doing! 

We’re talking ‘BUCKET LIST” PEOPLE!!

I never gave a second thought to making a list like this when I was younger. Way too busy living life!! BUT…as I’ve gotten older (phewwett, yeah older) those thoughts of “yeah, I’d really like to do that, or see that someday, become a little more important. Now, other serendipitous things may occur that make checking off those dreams/goals—but thats the beauty of the bucket list—IT CAN BE CHANGED! NO GUILT. NO REMORSE. I like to think maybe MORE GRATEFUL.

While you may or may not achieve all the goals, I think its important to have them. Whether big or small, it really makes no difference as these are YOUR goals, your dreams.

Here's what the GLIAS authors had to say when asked “What are 5 things on your bucket/goal/dream list?" Here we go, starting with mine!

AMANDA

**Not necessarily in exact order!

1. Visit Ireland/Scotland
2. Visit a Dude ranch
3. Go to Gettysburg Battle Field
4. Enjoy watching my grandchildren grow & fingers crossed “their” kids as well
5. Continue to write stories about the Kinnisons and the small town of End of the Line, Montana!

LIZBETH

I have so many things on my bucket list--here are five of my favorites! I've been blessed with the chance to knock a few off already, but I always have more ready to fill in the spots. The main item, really is to stay healthy enough to keep adding dreams until hubby and I are really really old!

1. Ride a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
2. Visit Australia with my hubby--I was there in 2002 and have known ever since that he HAS to see it, too!
3. Take several more long-distance walks in England and Scotland (we did 200 miles in England and, recently, 100 miles in Scotland--it's addictive).
4. See my kids and grand kids have safe, healthy, and amazing lives the entire time I'm alive!
5. Write a wildly successful series of books!

Hope you'll enjoy checking out my newest release, "Missing by a Heartbeat," and watch for Book #5 of my Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys series coming this spring! Check out all the details HERE. And if you're into NEWSLETTERS, I'd love to have you sign up for that, too!  

AVRIL
I’m lucky enough to say that most things I really wanted to do in this life, I’ve already done, but there’s always room for more…

1. Reorganise my life to spend half of every year living in Italy – stage one of this plan was completed when I became an Italian citizen and got my passport, watch this space for stage two.

2. Write a fictionalised account of my family history – believe me, it’s drama all the way.
3. Get that fifth tattoo and go big with it.
4. Visit Spain and Portugal at last.
5. Learn to make my mother’s spectacular ragu.

KATHERINE

My bucket list is pretty simple for this year.

1. Trip to Norway to see the Northern Lights
2. See the outer Hebrides
3. Go to Dublin with my daughter for St. Patrick's day
4. Go back to Venice with husband
5. Take a trip on the Orient Express

ANGI

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My bucket list changes soooo often. There's always something new to do and add to the list. 2018...is no different.

1. Traveling is always at the top of the list. Doesn't matter where...just some place new (2018 will be in the northwest states).

2.  NYC for the Macy's Day Parade.

3.  See the Japanese Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC (or Japan with one of my besties, Shizue).

4.  Be on the Amazing Race.

5.  Join a cross-country cycling group

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E.E.

1. Spend quality time with friends and family 

2. Travel somewhere new

3. Walk more, sit less

4. While doing #4, write more, fret less

5.  Learn to speak French

JILLIAN

February 2018

I'm so grateful to have had the good fortune to explore nearly all my bucket list places, including an amazing African photographic safari. There is, however, one more place in Africa:

#1. I'd love to explore Ancient Egypt! The pyramids at Giza/Sphinx, Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamen's tomb, Luxor Temple, Dendera Temple Complex, which includes the Temple of Hathor. Both Karnak and the Philae Temples…I could go on and on and on, but I'd be taking up too much space here! 
#2. Write a Contemporary Romantic Suspense series! There are three series I'd like to complete: Wolf Lords of London, a new new romantic suspense series, and a young adult paranormal series. Big plans—I'd better get writing!

PJ Fiala

1.  I'd love to spend an entire month in Italy, exploring, eating the food and drinking the wine.

2.  I should probably diet, but, it's so bothersome. So, I'll settle for walking more and sitting less.

3.  I want to grow my readership this year - exponentially.  

4.  I'd love to go on the Amazing Race with Angie.  

5.  Make more memories with my family and friends.  

Nancy

My bucket list for 2018: 

1. Get settled into our new house (find a place for everything and donate what doesn’t fit). 2. Paint weekly (at least).

3. Work in my art journal daily.

4. Exercise daily.

5. Cook at least one new recipe a week.



Nan

My bucket list sounds a little like my goals!

1. Be a kinder person. There is too much hate in our world.

2. Take a European River Boat Cruise - hopefully during tulip season.
3. More International Travel!! I need to get more country dots on our travel map. And need to make the time to see family not in Minnesota. 
4.  Remodel master bedroom and bath. My closet is not adequate!
5. Get back and STAY in shape!

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