Leap Year Blog Hop

Hi everyone!

I have one last blog hop of the season that I’m participating in...I won’t be doing any more for about six months...three in one month is enough for anyone. LOL! I hope you’ll love this one as well.

There are ten blogs to visit and comment on. Ten places to get prizes and find some new authors. The blog starts at the Marketing for Romance Writers Blog where it lists all the participants of the blog. I’ve listed them all at the end of the blog just in case you missed the first stop. First, I want to talk about the significance of this day.

A leap year, also known as an intercalary or bissextile year, is one that contains an additional day. All other years are called common years. This extra day is to keep the calendar year synchronized with astronomical year. Since seasons and astronomical events do not repeat in whole number of days, a calendar that had the same every year would over time, drift with respect to the event it was supposed to track.

In our current calendar, called the Gregorian calendar, most of the years divisible by 4 are leap years. Leap years add the extra day to February thus giving it 29 days instead of the usual 28. Adding the extra day to the calendar every four years compensates for the fact that our year of 365 days is shorter than a solar year by almost 6 hours.

Of course, as with anything there are some exceptions to the rule because the solar year is slightly less than 365 ¼ days. Years that are evenly divisible by 100 aren’t leap years unless they are also evenly divisible by 400 which makes them an end-of-the-century leap year. Wikipedia, where most of this information comes from, lists the years that were leap years and end-of-the-century leap years. They also show the various different algorithyms necessary to calculate this additional time. Even with these precise calculations, it is thought that every 8,000 years the calendar will be one day behind where it is now and can’t be accurately calculated because the vernal equinox will have changed some amount that cannot be predicted with any precision. Suffice it to say that our current calendar works for practical purposes.

Our Gregorian calendar is a modification of the Roman calendar, or Julian calendar, used by the Romans. It was based upon on even older calendar known as the lunisolar calendar whose many days were named after moon events. The Julian calendar was developed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and implemented the next year and thought to be in use until 450 AD. Again, this system seems to be arduous and should be studied extensively if one is writing about that period. Other calendars, such as the Hebrew and Chinese, have very convoluted thoughts on when and how a leap year should be integrated into their date system. Suffice it to say, this stuff could fill a lifetime of study.

Folk traditions have sprung up over time in regards to this most sacred day. On the British Isles, it is tradition that a woman may propose marriage during leap years. The claims of exactly who started the tradition are dubious at best. Some think that St. Patrick or Brigid of Kildare initiated it in 5th century Ireland. Others think that Queen Margaret of Scotland in 1288 decreed that any man who refused such a proposal would be fined in order to soften the blow. Other places tightened the tradition by restricting female proposals to the leap day itself. In Denmark, women can propose on February 24, which is the bissextile leap year day, and be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves if refused. In Finland, the man must purchase fabric for a skirt if refusing. In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered very unlucky and most Greeks avoid getting married during a leap year.

People who are born on February 29th can be called a leapling or a leaper. Birthday celebrations during the non-leap years can be done on February 28th or March 1st depending upon where that person is born. So, as you can see, while the addition of a leap day is based upon the science of time, there are many traditions and thoughts on getting it done correctly.

Listed below are the different blogs that are hosting MFRW’s Leap Year Blog Hop. Please stop by and show each of them some love and affection on this very special day that only comes once a year. I am giving away a $20 gift certificate to either Amazon on ARe as well as a copy of my indie short, A Lover for Rachel. The winner will be chosen from those commenting on the blog on February 29th only. Said winner will be notified of the win on March 1st. When commenting, PLEASE, don’t forget to include an email addy so I can get hold of you should you win. Your email address will NOT be used for any other purposes without your permission.

MFRW Blog
Marketing for Romance Writers Blog
http://mfrw.blogspot.com/

Amber Kallyn
Paranormal & Erotic romance
http://amberkallyn.wordpress.com/
1 e-copy (PDF) of Dragos Burned by Amber Kallyn

Barbara Edwards
Barbara Edwards Comments
http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/
ebook copy of Ancient Blood awarded to one lucky commenter

Meredith Ellsworth (M. S. Spencer)
M. S. Spencer ~ Tale Spinner
http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/
1 of my four romantic suspense M/F releases, Lost in His Arms, Lost & Found, Losers Keepers or Triptych

Juliette Springs
Juliette Speaks
http://www.darkersideofromance.com/
Paranormal Romance Paperback Pack (three books)

Wendy Soliman
Confessions of a Writer
http://wendysoliman.blogspot.com/
Copy of my contemporary romance ebook - A Class Apart

Rachel Haimowitz
Fantasy Unbound
http://rachel-haimowitz.blogspot.com/
An e-copy of each of my first-in-series titles: Counterpoint (Song of the Fallen #1), Anchored (Belonging #1), and Master Class (Master Class #1)

Janice Seagraves
Janice Seagraves
http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/
Pukka Shell Necklace

Lynn Crain
Lynn Crain’s XtraOrdinary Romance
http://www.lynncrain.blogspot.com/
Copy of my indie short, A Lover for Rachel, and a $20 gift certificate from Amazon or ARe, winner's choice

R. Ann Siracusa
It's The Journey That Counts
http://www.rannsiracusa.com/blog
First two ebooks of the Tour Director Extraordinaire series and a free critique of the first 50 pages of an unpublished novel.

Thanks for dropping by today and hope to see you back real soon!

Lynn

Haven't Forgotten The Winners OR More Computer Woes

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten you at all. I will try to get all the gift certificates sent today. Remember the internet issues I've been having? Well, it's apparently a combination of things...like...my computer is probably dying.

Yup, just what I really, really need. So...I'm hastily backing up, which I do nightly anyway...and making sure I have all I need to transfer to a laptop in the interim. I just put in a call for my computer guru from the States to see if we can save the old girl...not sure we can...but I'm hopeful it might happen.

Last time these type of things happened with a machine I owned, I fried it. Yes siree...I killed that pup...so badly that the power unit exploded on me and I couldn't hear right for a week. LOL! Never had that happen for a while. I really hate to think about how our service men and women feel after being around the big guns for an hour. That one incident had my ears ringing for a couple of hours and telling everyone to speak up. Sure, it was an unexpected event and most of them will have ear plugs but I can sympathize. :-)

Have a little patience with me. I'm going to go and try it again here in about an hour. Amazon didn't like me when I tried it an hour ago. Even had to call my credit union AGAIN to make sure it was nothing I had done wrong. Nope, it's not me but rather something in how Amazon is processing the order that's making it crash. Personally, I think it's the damn computer. While I was on the phone there, Amazon got back to me and told me to try again in an hour.

I'll be keeping you all posted! I just know it's all got to be resolved today or tomorrow at the latest as we have one more blog hop this month. Ever hear of a Leap Year Hop? Yeah, we're doing it right here.

Later...

Lynn

Winners and Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I want to say a big thank you to all who have stopped by this past week, internet woes and all. It was a fantastic blog hop but now I think I’ll sleep for a week.

Here’s the winners from the past week. Please note that a winner was chosen at random for each day and a $25 grand prize winner. I have extended the deadline for notifying me in case I haven’t contacted you to February 26 at midnight. But I’m easy and if you’re a little late, I won’t mind.

2-15 BJ
2-16 Anne
2-17 Cayce
2-18 Cayce & Cathy M.
2-19 Marybelle
2-20 Fedora
2-21 Nikki
2-22 Menina.iscrazy

Grand Prize Winner: Gwen TLP

I’m hoping that you all got to visit other blogs while this blog hop was going on. There were some great ones out there this week. Hope you got lots of prizes on the way!

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Thanks to the lovely Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/ for putting this event together. It’s been a lot of fun!

And to all of you, thanks for stopping by! I am truly blessed to have such wonderful readers like you!

I do have one more blog hop this month...I’m doing a one-day leap year hop...on February 29 of course. I will be giving away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky commenter on March 1.

Thanks everyone and see you on leap day at the latest!

Lynn

A Bad Internet Day

Thanks for dropping by this Tuesday. I am sorry that this is so late but I woke up today to no internet. And it’s not like I can call someone to complain...no can do...see, being in a country where you can’t speak the language fluently can be an issue. So for four solid hours, I without my window to the outside world. This is tough, really tough.

But there’s a flip side to this. I wrote a lot. First, I wrote this blog then I did some editing then I wrote another blog then some more editing. By this time, I’m about to tear my hair out as I hate editing. LOL! The point is that I got a lot done.

Didn’t have a lot of visitors today but I do appreciate those I had. Again, I’m very thankful that you had time to fit me into your busy schedule. I know that life can throw you curve balls that don’t have much give. Writing can be like that too sometimes. Today’s winner is the lovely Fedora. I’ll be contacting you with information within the next couple of days as I can’t promise with the internet issue. You’ll be getting a $10 gift certificate and a copy of my short, A Lover for Rachel. Congratulations!

Today is all about you, the reader. Writing is a lonely profession and many times writers only get to interface with those he or she is writing for is during conferences. Sure, some of us put ourselves out there doing things like this and sometimes more. I mean I tweet...a lot...a I yap, a lot. But there are a lot of times I don’t ask about you, the reader. I want to know about you. What you like, what you don’t like, what you’d see in my books. Then there’s family: do you have any kids? Just getting married or have been married a long time? Just anything you want to share.

Am I demanding this? No, I just want to share with you and hope you want to share with me. Most of you know I have a husband, two sons, two grandsons, one daughter-in-law, two dogs and three cats. Some of you might remember when I had three snakes. Well, I had to get rid of the snakes when we moved to Vienna as those aren’t allowed to travel internationally. LOL! But did you all know I was born in Ohio? Or that my grandmother traveled from Kentucky to her new home with her new husband in a covered wagon? Yeah, interesting stuff isn’t it.

I’d love you all to share with me what you can or will. The idea is to find some common ground so we can forge a reader/writer relationship. Those are the really things that count in life. I want to thank you for participating in the Naughty After Dark Blog hop. Tomorrow is the last day and I do hope you’ll stop by to see me one last time.

If you haven’t visited anyone else yet, you need to visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list of the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop. Like I said yesterday, I’ll tell you all my favorites in a special blog after the event is over. Prizes tomorrow are an ebook from my backlist as well as a $10 gift certificate to one commenter on today’s blog. Unless you’re a multiple winner or course...then I’ll be doing something totally different for you! At the end of the Blog Hop, I will be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Thanks to the lovely Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and

Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/ for putting this shindig together. It’s been a lot of fun!

And to all of you, thanks for stopping by! I am truly blessed to have such wonderful readers like you!

Lynn

Visiting Others & Sharing

Happy Monday everyone. It’s been a very busy day for me today and the blog ended up on the back burner as other things, like editing and new cover art, took precedence today. Being an author is darn hard and most of us work our patooties off just to produce a great produce. Then there’s the promotion and more writing, more editing...it just never ends...LOL! I was very surprised when at dinner last night, an older woman who I had given my business card to came up to me and told me in great detail just how she’d shared her knowledge of me. Truthfully, I am very simple. I have pretty simple tastes although there are days I wonder why I wasn’t born independently wealthy. Or like another author friend of mine has in his signature line: Lord, let me prove to you that winning the lottery won’t change me.

I had tons of you stop by between yesterday and today. I am really thankful that you’ve fit me into your busy schedule. I know it’s hard when life starts crashing in on you. Today’s winner is the lovely Marybelle. I’ll be contacting you with information within 24 hours. You’ll be getting a $10 gift certificate and a copy of my short, A Lover for Rachel. Congratulations!

Today is all about sharing for me. Over the weekend, I had a class on promotions on one of my author loops. While it didn’t show me many new things, I did come away with the feeling that it’s all about sharing. Authors can be a finicky lot and sharing one’s toys may be hazardous but not for me. A prime example is The Log Line Blog. If you all haven’t stopped by, you should. All it has is the cover, author information, buy links and the 25 -50 word, 1-3 sentence blurb called a log line that sold the book. It should be enough to attract readers and publishers alike. Many readers can tell with just one line if they will like the book or not. Check it out at www.theloglineblog.blogspot.com and see for yourself. There is a monthly give away of a $20 gift certificate and the more you comment there, the more times you’re entered into the drawing. As more and more people drop by, more and more prizes will be awarded.

As far as sharing on the readers part goes, I’d love for you to share with me what you’ve seen, what contests you’ve enter and how many blogs you’ve been hoping to during this Naughty After Dark Blog Hope. Have you only gone to a few? How many of you have gone to all of them? None of them except mine? I’d love to hear your stories regarding the hop. Tell me if you’ve enjoyed it and would love more. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts about the blog hop!

If you haven’t visited anyone else yet, you need to visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list of the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop. It was posted on February 15 and is still up on the blog. I’ll tell you all my favorites in a special blog after the event is over. Prizes tomorrow are an ebook from my backlist as well as a $10 gift certificate to one commenter on today’s blog. Unless you’re a multiple winner or course...then I’ll be doing something totally different for you! At the end of the Blog Hop, I will be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/ are the two that have made this all possible.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

Eye Candy

Today is Sunday and it was my lazy day. So, I’m going to make it lazy here as well. We’re going to have some eye candy. One or two will be in the form of my book covers while some will just be sexy pictures. I might even ask a question or two.

While, I didn’t get too many comments today, the two I got were lovely and I decided they both get another prize. Yup, they’ve won on this blog and The Log Line Blog as well. Today, they will be getting a copy of my latest short, A Lover for Rachel. Cayce and Cathy M you’re winners again! Thank you for stopping by!

But first a quick plug for a very good author friend ~ I’ve finished Gini Koch’s book today, Alien Proliferation. It was everything I’d hoped for and more. At the end, it really made me wish I was home as I miss it a lot. Sure, I’m living the fairy tale but living it and just visiting, there’s a world of different. Home is still home, and Gini, thanks for reminding me where mine is. Now, you all need to go out and get a copy of this one as the next in the series will be out in April...and yes...I plan to have to her get that one to me as well! Way to go, Gini, thanks for a great read!

This is one from my backlist. Isn't it great? The book is also on sale for just $0.99 at eXtasy Books. You can get it here: http://www.extasybooks.com/shopping-spree-4/

Or how about this one? It's my latest and I don't know about you, but I can't ever resist a Jimmy Thomas cover. Isn't it cool? It too is just $0.99 and can be purchased from Amazon or Smashwords.

There is just something so sexy about this guy, I've wanted to write a story around this picture for years. What do you think?

I know that this guy's picture has been used many times but every time I look at it, I see how sexy he is. Absolutely predatory...please...let me be your prey. What do you all think? Can you see this guy as a werewolf? Or something else?

Skin to skin and still in their jeans. Sometimes, sexy to me is when my mind is left to imagine how the picture came to be, just how the couple got into the situation. Was it a good way? Or was it something else? What do you think?

She's wearing his shirt. And it's wet. Just how did they get that way again? You tell me.

Can’t wait to hear your impressions on these covers, men and sexy couples! Don’t forget to visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list of the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop. Prizes are simple this week as tomorrow, I’ll be giving away an ebook from my backlist as well as a $10 gift certificate to one commenter on today’s blog. Unless you’re a multiple winner or course...then I’ll be doing something totally different for you! At the end of the Blog Hop, I will be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/  and Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

Doing The Deed

Happy Saturday everyone! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Well, I spoke and you all responded. Thank each and every one of you for dropping by...and feel truly blessed...and am so thankful for you, the readers as you do respond when ask.

Today’s blog is going to be short and sweet. First, I’d like to give you the winner of yesterday’s drawing...Cayce come on down...you’ve won a $10 gift certificate to either Amazon or ARe. I’ll be contacting you shortly about your prize. Actually, it will be in about eight hours as it’s night time here in Vienna, Austria and I’ve got to hit the sack.

But first, my short but sweet talk. Many times when people write erotic romance, it is thought that every page has sex on. I have been asked many, many, many times about why my books aren’t that way. My response has always been that the characters make love exactly when they are supposed to do so, no sooner. That means if they take the plunge every chapter, then so be it. It also means they’ll do the deed where ever and whenever they want.

It’s really funny as I was reading Gini Koch’s book today, Alien Proliferation, her main character, Kitty Katt-Martini had been put on the spot as to the many places she and her husband had made love. Some were unusual, like in an elevator, some weren’t, like in a bathroom. The point was that people gave the character a whole list to prove to her that she would make love to her husband at the drop of a hat. It didn’t matter where and it didn’t matter when. The only thing was discretion. Meaning, they didn’t go all the way in front of anyone.

So, here’s my question to you all today: where’s the weirdest, or coolest, place you’ve ever made love, or did the deed, with your significant other? Let’s just say, mine was unfortunately rather public as making out in a small compact at a public rest stop can be rather risky. Thank goodness it was night time! LOL!

Can’t wait to hear your stories! Don’t forget to visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list of the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop. Prizes are simple this week as tomorrow, I’ll be giving away an ebook from my backlist as well as a $10 gift certificate to one commenter on today’s blog. At the end of the Blog Hop, I will be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com and Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

Those Naughty Couples

Hi Everyone!

Hope your day has been a wonderful one so far...I’m hoping to make it more so...LOL! See, I haven’t gotten very many comments during this blog hop so far and that makes me sad, very sad. I’ve been trying to get the word out to you all about the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop but apparently it’s not good enough.

Which is why I waited so long to see if anyone commented. See, I tweeted that I would be giving a $10 gift certificate to the first one who commented on yesterday’s blog. I did this at 8:52 am PST and have been waiting ever since. Noon was the cutoff...sigh. Does that mean I don’t love you guys? NO!! It doesn’t. What it does mean is that I’m upping the ante and going to give away an ebook AND a $10 gift certificate to the first one that comments today.

But now...what to talk about, what to talk about? Yeah, a writer who doesn’t know how to yap? How unlikely is that one? LOL!

Today I want to talk about all those naughty lovers in our stories. Yesterday, I mentioned Gini Koch’s Alien series that has the naughty lovers, Kitty Katt and Jeff Martini. All I can say is hot, hot, HOT!

Now, I have my fair share of hot lovers in my books as well. In each of my Santa’s Elves books, I have a sexy elf combined with an extremely sexy leading lady that’s human. I had fun writing each one of those characters and hope that some of you have had a great time reading them as well. My favorite all time heroes to write about are those that seem bigger than life. Most of them seem to be of the Scottish persuation and are in upcoming books. I love Logan MacKenzie from Where’s My Underwear? and Alfred the dragon from A Dragon’s Lady. Here’s a little tidbit from Where’s My Underwear? to get you going. Please remember this has not been professionally edited but it has going through lots of critiques and tons of self-editing. Yeah, it’s getting more. LOL!

“No, Ronald, this is something I should be doing myself.” I stepped from the lift and straight to the door, pressing my finger against the button. I turned slightly when I heard the doors of the elevator close as the penthouse door was flung open.

“What the bloody hell is it now?”

And there he stood in all his wild glory. This was not going to be easy because this man looked better now than when we had been younger. His hair still had that wild, jostled look but in a more refined way. His eyes were still as green, his face still as angular but where the leanness of a young man had been were the more masculine hard lines of a fully mature male. While the shirt looked to be a designer style, he still wore jeans and they still left nothing to the imagination. I swallowed hard. He was sex incarnate.

“It’s only me, Logan.” I waved at him. 

He stopped and stared back at me. I wondered what he saw but I knew it wasn’t that young kid any more. However, I’m not sure the mature woman was better than the young girl I had been but I knew I wasn’t the worst thing around either. I must have sighed then because it seemed to bring him out of his trance.

“I suppose you’ve come to collect your property.” His predatory stare  would make any girl squirm but then again, I wasn’t just any girl.

No ‘hello, how have you been the last fifteen years’ from this man. It was all strictly business. I’m sure this would be only the first change of many I would be seeing. The Logan I knew really couldn’t give a rat’s ass about business or anything else for that matter. He had been warm and loving and carefree. It had caused a rift between him and his father which was something I couldn’t understand in the least. My parents had died in a car crash when I had been half way through grad school but we were always close. At that point my Grandmother took over for the parents who were gone.

“Good…straight to the point. I’m sure your wife loves that quality about you.” I nodded my head in agreement. “If I can come in and collect my underwear…”

He cut me off mid-sentence as he opened the door to usher me in. “No wife.”

This caused me to stop even with him and look up into his smoldering green eyes. “No wife?” I murmured as my heart beat faster.

“No wife,” he whispered back and dipped his head slightly toward mine.

What I wouldn’t do to feel those lips on mine. Until I had my property back I had to maintain focus. Maybe this working vacation would turn out better than I thought. “I – I need to get my underwear back from you.”

“No can do.” He stepped back, his hand pressing into my back, moving me inside.

Stepping a few feet away, I turned and looked at him. “What do you mean ‘no can do’?”

The door shut firmly behind him, he leaned back against it. “What do you want it to mean?”

I sighed out loud this time, realizing this would be harder than I thought especially since there was no wife in the picture. Logan had never been a push-over as he was proving once again. “Logan, I’m not here to play games. I want my underwear back.”

He stared at me a moment more before he pushed himself away from the door where he leaned, watching me as his eyes meandered up and down my body. “Why don’t you follow me and then we can discuss it.”

As I followed him through the large penthouse flat, I noticed the artful blending of old and new. The sofa might have been new but the knitted blanket I recognized as one his mother had knitted. Past and present dotted the walls in the form of pictures and other memorabilia.“It looks like you’ve done really well for yourself.”

“I get by.” He continued walking, not even turning to acknowledge the fact I had actually enquired about something personal.

“Boy, friendly, aren’t you?” I muttered under my breath. Suddenly, I found myself pinned against the wall. Not in a bad way mind you but in a sexual, predatory way. My heart felt like it would leap from my chest any moment now. I watched him consume me with his eyes, hot smoldering eyes that spoke of sin and sex and heaven only knew what other delights.

“What do you want me to say, Aeryn?” He leaned into my hair as if breathing in the scent. “Did you expect me to say something like ‘hi honey I’ve missed you these past fifteen years’? Or would you rather I cut right to the chase and take you right here?”

My eyes opened wide and I felt my body drip with desire as my nipples hardened. I wanted this man like no other but I couldn’t…no it wouldn’t do to let him know that fact…not one little bit. But I hadn’t expected the anger and maybe it had something to do with last night. “Ah – actually – ah, I really just came for my underwear.” I swallowed hard and watched him look at the workings of my throat. I realized it would take little to entice him to place his mouth there.

Slowly, he leveraged himself away from me, making sure I felt every bulge and muscle in his entire body. “Like I said, no can do.” He turned to continue on down the hall and as I followed him I saw he lead me to a rather large office with a splendid view of Edinburgh Castle.

“Wow.” I could only stare at the castle dominating the scene. “You get to look at that everyday?” I glanced at him amazed at the wonder I saw in his eyes. He was just as affected by what stood out the window as I was.

“I do.” He indicated a dark leather chair in front of his desk as I returned to the reality of the situation.

Turning away from the window, I slowly sat in the chair when my eyes caught something above his desk. I gasped and leaned forward to get a better look. In a beautiful display case were my underwear artfully presented like any other piece of art I had seen while walking through the penthouse. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” I finally managed to grind out through clenched teeth. This wasn’t funny one little bit.

See...I can write them really hot! Hope you enjoyed that little snippet. It’s your turn. Tell me about your favorite naughty couples and let me know what you like about them. I can’t wait to see your answers!

Don’t forget to look at yesterday’s blog entry and visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list. Our prizes are simple this week. Tomorrow, I’ll be giving away an ebook from my backlist as well as a $10 gift certificate to the first one who comments on today’s blog. At the end of the Blog Hop, I will be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Thanks, Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/ for doing this wonderful blog hop!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

 

A Naughty Girl

First, I want to apologize to everyone. I don’t know what I thought but for some reason I didn’t realize my post wasn’t showing up. Sigh. Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go right. Must have started at 1 am when the dog decided that the bedspread needed some of his special kind of love. And on the husband’s feet too. Thank goodness he’s still a puppy as I’m sure his life might have literally been in the dog house for a while. LOL!

Because of this unfortunate event, it took me over two hours to get back to sleep. Normally, I would have come in to write but I didn’t have the energy. So, I read. What did I read, you may ask...and I would tell you...I’m reading Gini Koch’s Alien Proliferation. It’s book 4 in the series and is hot, hot, hot. Gini and I became good friends when we entered a contest together and somehow, I won over her. Unfortunately, that story is still in edits and still unsold but it is one kick-ass story.

So, by now, I know you’re wondering about the title. We’re always talking about the naughty boys, those alpha males we love so much but what about the naughty girls? Kitty Katt in Gini’s Alien series is the quintessential naughty girl. She is the superhero I want to be when I grow up. Sort of. Mine is more of an elemental nature but none-the-less a kick-ass geek-girl from another world.

In my book, the naughty girls have to be more likeable than the guys because we have to be able to identify with them. The guys we can empathize with but we can never exactly think like them because we aren’t guys. With girls, we’re at least on an even playing field but we can be much more picky about what we do or don’t like about them.

When I was younger, I loved the sweet heroine. The one who let the guy sweep her off her feet and off to a life of wonderful, wealthy bliss. Right. If you believe that, I have a bridge for you. By the time I realized that wasn’t going to happen, I noticed that I really loved strong heroines like the kind in gothic novels who stood up to and for their man. They took no crap but did it in a much more elegant way that I could have ever hoped for at all.

Then I saw Sigourney Weaver in Alien and I wanted to be her. Heck, I’ve wanted to be every kick-ass women I’ve ever seen in some way or another. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t like reading about those other women, I do to a point. The one thing I absolutely need to know about them is that they can take care of themselves with or without a man.

This leads me to the current Urban Fantasy phase that we all seem to be in right now. Well, to be honest, there are some heroines in those books that I just want to throw off a bridge. How can they be so whiney yet somehow save the world? That brings me to today’s question: What makes a kick-ass, totally together and competent heroine in your book?

I can’t wait to see your answers!

Don’t forget to look at yesterday’s blog entry and visit some of the other kick-ass blogs on the list. Our prizes are simple this week. Every day I will be giving one ebook away from my backlist, which will be posted on its own tab by tomorrow afternoon. At the end of the blog, I’ll be giving one lucky person a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe. Today’s winner is BJ (beejee77) and I’ll be tracking her down sometime today in a non-stalker like manner. :-)

Again, I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Nikki http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and

Natasha Blackthorne http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

Winners & The Naughty After Dark Blog Hop

Hi Everyone!

I’m sure you’re all here for the winners of yesterday’s drawing and to see who the grand prize winner might be!

Here’s the important stuff...the winners of yesterday’s drawings are: marybelle ~ you have won a copy of my latest release and I will be sending it to you shortly; mbourn ~ you have won the $10 gift certificate and I’ll be emailing you to get your choice of place. And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for...the announcement of the grand prize winner...KaylanDavis1986 come on down! You’ve won the $25 gift certificate of your choice and the entire Santa’s Elves collection. I’ll be emailing you shortly with the list!

First, I want to thank all of you for participating in the Valentine’s Day Blog Hop promoted by The Blog Hop Spot and I don’t know about you but I had such a fun time that I’m doing another one starting today. I’ll give you the particulars of that one at the bottom of today’s blog post.

Now, I know you might think I'm crazy but on to my next blog hop. This one is the Naughty After Dark Blog Hop and I’ve listed the entire group for you to visit. Each one is giving something special away and you’ll have to check with each of them for their rules. Here’s the list:





For me, I’ll be giving away an ebook a day and at the end, another $25 gift certificate. This blog hop runs from today, February 15, through next Wednesday, February 22. I’ll be posting daily with what needs to be done in order to get into my prize drawings. Again, it will be easy and will always include a comment.

Today for instance, all I want you to do is to pick one of the people on this list, go to their blog and tell me about it. That’s it...just a comment on who you visited...and what you saw. I’ll be awarding tomorrow’s prize again around noon...don’t forget I’m in Vienna, Austria...and your middle of the day is my night!

I’d also like to thank these two ladies for sponsoring another great blog hop! Please stop by and show them some love!

Nikki at http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/ and

Natasha Blackthorne at http://natashablackthorneblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn

The Day of Love

Today is the last day of the Valentine Day Blog Hop promoted by The Blog Hop Spot and I’d like to welcome you all! Please go to their event page for all the details at Valentine Blog Hop Event Page and see the wonderful group of authors that are promoting there. There are two-hundred and sixty three authors, that’s right you heard it, 263 authors who want to give things away to you! Glad you could stop by! Click on some or click on all, with each you’re guaranteed to find great authors with fabulous giveaways.

Just a reminder to leave a comment to be included in my drawing. Unfortunately, I’ve had to have comments on moderation so they don’t show up right away but will be there with a reply from me on the next day at the latest. Today’s comments didn’t arrive in my mailbox until after 12 am Pacific time and while that means I see them right away being in Vienna, you won’t see them until the next day. You can still also send me an email and I’ll reply to that as well.

Here’s the important stuff...the winners of yesterday’s drawings are: winners of yesterday’s drawings are: Shannon and Renald ~ you both have won a copy of my latest release and I will be sending it to you shortly; Jennifer L. ~ you have won the $10 gift certificate and I’ll be emailing you to get your choice of place. Everyone who makes a comment will be entered into the grand prize drawing which will be announced on Wednesday, February 15th.

Today, I want to talk about great romantic moments. It’s Valentine’s Day and who hasn’t had at least one in their lives. I am lucky as I have a man who believe in romance and what makes a moment romantic. I won’t bore anyone with my own details but can say that when my husband said he wanted to run away with me to live in Vienna so we could be alone again, it won my heart.

Now who can forget these very romantic lines? Each and every one of them turned a woman’s heart toward the man who said it. From the moment each was uttered, the girl belonged only to that guy. Here are some of my favorites.

Kyle Reese to Sarah Conner in The Terminator: I came across time for you, Sarah.

Jerry Maguire to Dorothy Boyd: You complete me.

William Thacker to Anna Scott: You can stay forever.

Now, it is your turn...please tell what your favorite lines are from either books or movies...can’t wait to see who you all pick! See you all tomorrow!

Don’t forget...tomorrow is the grand prize drawing!

Lynn

What Makes a Couple Great

Today’s title is much better, isn’t it? LOL! 

Valentine's Day Blog Hop

Today is the third day of the Valentine Day Blog Hop promoted by The Blog Hop Spot and I’d like to welcome you all! Please go to their event page for all the details at Valentine Blog Hop Event Page and see the wonderful group of authors that are promoting there. There are two-hundred and sixty three authors, that’s right you heard it, 263 authors who want to give things away to you! Glad you could stop by! Click on some or click on all, with each you’re guaranteed to find great authors with fabulous giveaways.

Just a reminder to leave a comment to be included in my drawing. Unfortunately, I’ve had to have comments on moderation so they don’t show up right away but will be there with a reply from me on the next day at the latest. Today’s comments didn’t arrive in my mailbox until after 12 am Pacific time and while that means I see them right away being in Vienna, you won’t see them until the next day. You can still also send me an email and I’ll reply to that as well.

On to the more important stuff...winners of yesterday’s drawings are: shadowestr ~ you have won a copy of my latest release and I will be sending it to you shortly; ashley.vanburen ~ you have won the $10 gift certificate and I’ll be emailing you to get your choice of place. Everyone who makes a comment will be entered into the grand prize drawing which will be announced on Wednesday, February 15th.

Today, I want to talk about what makes a good couple great. There are many things that can take a couple from being good to over the top in my book. I will be using two from yesterday’s list to illustrate my point. I’m also using movies as people can visual them better than books. You might ask why and the answer is simple. You’ve seen it. The images of what the couple look and sound like are ingrained in your psyche. When we read a book, I will never have the same visual of the characters that you do. Therefore, I tend to use movies in many of my talks and blogs as we will be on pretty much the same page.

When we first see Lucy in the movie, While You Were Sleeping, she didn’t know who her hero was but she knew who she wanted him to be. He came by her booth every day and hardly gave her a look but she dreamed and dreamed and dreamed about him while she worked for the Chicago transit system. One day, she rescued her supposed hero, Peter from the impending doom of being run over by a train and the story begins.

Lucy is overheard by the hospital staff saying she was going to marry Peter and the nurses inform his family about a fiancée. From this point, she falls in love with the quirky Callaghans over a short period of time. When her secret is found out accidentally, it is decided to ignore the truth because the family has been brought closer together than ever before. During this whole process, Lucy begins to know Jack, Peter’s brother, and falls in love with him. Of course, the truth comes out in the end, or rather at the wedding, on who Lucy really loves.

One of the big things that makes this movie and this couple work for me is the true quirkiness of the story. It has some great lines in it. Here are a few of my favorites and who said them:

Lucy: I've had a really lousy Christmas, you've just managed to kill my New Year's, if you come back on Easter- you can burn down my apartment.

Jack: I'd say that she gets under your skin as soon as you meet her. She drives you so nuts you don't know whether to hug her or, or just really arm wrestle her. She would go all the way to Europe just to get a stamp in her passport. I don't know if that amounts to insanity, or just being really, really... likable.

And one of my all time favorite scenes:

Lucy: [to Jack] Okay, um. What do you mean by the leaning thing? You mean because he gave me flowers?
Jack: And then you leaned.
Lucy: And then I leaned.
Jack: Yeah.
Lucy: Okay, how did I lean when I leaned?
Jack: It was a lot different from hugging. Hugging's very different. Hugging that involves arms and hands; and leaning is whole bodies moving in like this...[leans toward her suggestively] Leaning involves wanting... and accepting. Leaning...
Joe Jr: Hey Luce! Is this guy bothering you?
Lucy: [Laughs] No, no.
Joe Jr: Are you sure? Because it looks like he's leaning.

But the moment I knew that they were one of my favorite couples ever was when Jack gave Lucy the snow globe of Florence. He knew what she needed and understood her better than anyone except her father. She understood this and she was hopelessly in love. And so was I.

The next story we’ll take a peek into is Notting Hill and just like yesterday all I can say is OMG. What man doesn’t dream of having a famous movie star as a date? How would you like to own a store where said actress stops to check out your wares? Or how about the fact you don’t even know who she is? That’s how this movie starts out. But wait...it goes from bad to worse when William spills a drink on Anna...she’s mad and needs somewhere to change. William graciously offers his place but she needs convincing that he really only wants to help.

This story moves along at a somewhat slow pace but every scene moves the love story forward. We see them at his sister’s birthday party where they talk about traumatizing moments. We see them at dinner or in her hotel and even a movie junket where William has to pretend he’s a movie buff of sorts. He isn’t and that lends an even more incredible look into this couple’s budding love.

The movie shows me a side of Hollywood that people rarely glimpse and that is of the true reality and enormity of the whole fame idea. There are some great lines in regards to fame and the damage it can do. Here are a few:

Anna: Rita Hayworth used to say, "They go to bed with Gilda; they wake up with me."
William: Who's Gilda?
Anna: Her most famous part. Men went to bed with the dream; they didn't like it when they would wake up with the reality. Do you feel that way?
William: You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been.

Anna: The fame thing...it isn’t real.

The moment that I started to truly see these two as a couple was when this line was uttered:

Anna: "For June who loved this garden from Joseph who always sat beside her." Some people do spend their whole lives together.

And the reason it turned for me there, so early in the movie, was that I realized this woman was searching for something she didn’t have. And maybe never did at any time in her life. She was worried so much about the Hollywood, unrealistic way of life that she forgot what it was like to be normal , to be a person who could love someone else forever. The fact that William stood there and watched her wanting an everyday thing, made me realize he was truly the man for her.

Yet, the best was still coming and no one can argue that the ending scenes where Anna says, ‘After all... I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her’ definitely does it for me. The final press conference scene is absolutely adorable and keeps in line with the whole movie. And the end montage that goes through their next few months or years together is the stuff of great romance. This is one happily-ever-after I’ll not soon forget.

Now, it is your turn...please tell me why a certain romantic couple works or doesn’t work for you...can’t wait to see who you all pick! See you all tomorrow!

Lynn

Our Second Day

Yeah, never say I was one to not think of great titles...LOL! I was just lazy today but there’s nothing lazy with announcing winners from yesterday. Please go to the website for all the details at Valentine Blog Hop Event Page. and see the wonderful group of authors that are promoting there. There are two-hundred and sixty three authors, that’s right you heard it, 263 authors who want to give things away to you! Glad you could stop by! Click on some or click on all, with each you’re guaranteed to find great authors with fabulous giveaways.


Valentine Day Blog Hop

 First, let me commend the one commenter that emailed me to say that my comment function on this blog wasn’t working. For that, I am truly sorry. Many of you actually tracked me down via Twitter or looking through this blog and sent me personal emails. I’m glad you made it. The problem’s all fixed now and all you need to do is to click on the number after the word ‘Comment’ at the top of the blog. I know it’s odd to have the comments at the top but I didn’t realize that when I started using this template. I will be getting a whole new blog soon and can’t wait.

Also, remember, to be in the grand prize drawing, you must comment on this blog. Just passing by and reading it won’t get you anything but a good read in the blog-o-sphere. Commenting will and the more the merrier as well as increasing your chances for a win.

Now...on to the important stuff...the winners of yesterday’s drawings are: Kimbre15 ~ you have won a copy of my latest release and I will be sending it to you shortly; books4me ~ you have won the $10 gift certificate and I’ll be emailing you to get your choice of place.

Today, I’d like to talk about great love stories. Yesterday, I talked about why we even have a Valentine’s Day and why it even came into the public eye. I’m going to list out my favorite ten couples of all time. And I’ll be like David Letterman and give them to you in reverse order. I think some of you will be surprised as not all of them come from books but rather movies. That's what happen when a good love story comes to the screen.

10 ~ Del & Tiger from Sword Dancer by Jennifer Roberson ~ This is a wonderful fantasy book about two people from opposite sides of their world and how coming together is for the good of not only themselves but the rest of their world.

09 ~ Julius & Cleopatra ~ Most people fall in love with the Mark Anthony and Cleo story but not me. How these two manipulated each other in and out of the bedroom is something to behold. Their story is timeless in oh so many ways.

08 ~ Scarlett & Rhett from Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell ~ Who can have a list without these two? I know, I know...it doesn’t end happily but the story telling is so good that just for a moment, you forget that.

07 ~ Heather & Brandon from The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss~ This was the first true romance that I ever read and I was smitten. Need I say more?

06 ~ The Warriors of Spider by W. Michael Gear ~ This book is set in the far future. It has a Native American like culture, a group intent to destroy it and a man kidnapping a woman...what more can a girl ask for?

05 ~ Frank & Rachel ~ The Bodyguard ~ This is one of the best love stories around and today my personal tribute to Whitney Houston, may she RIP after her tumultous life.

04 ~ Lucy & Jack ~ While You Were Sleeping ~ This movie is so endearing and who can resist the leaning dialogue with all sexes trying on the shoes.

03 ~ Will & Anna ~ Notting Hill ~ OMG! This is one of my favorites of all time. It has some great lines and is hot!

02 ~ Martini & Kitty ~ If you haven’t read any of Gini Koch’s Alien series, all I can say is...what are you waiting for? The pairing of these two is a tango worth reading.

01 ~ Kyle & Sarah ~ The Terminator ~ Yeah, this is my all-time most romantic pairing ever. What girl can’t resist this: ‘I came across time for you, Sarah.’ My heart still flutters every time I hear it, say it or read it. I did name my youngest Kyle in honor of this movie. Yes, it did help that the name was part of my husband’s family history and we both got what we wanted. LOL!

Now, it is your turn...what are your ten most romantic couples?

See you all tomorrow!

Lynn

Today It Starts

Hi Everyone!

Valentine Day Blog Hop

 Today is the first day of the Valentine Day Blog Hop promoted by The Blog Hop Spot and I’d like to welcome you all! Please go to their event page for all the details at Valentine Blog Hop Event Page. and see the wonderful group of authors that are promoting there. There are two-hundred and sixty three authors, that’s right you heard it, 263 authors who want to give things away to you! Glad you could stop by! Click on some or click on all, with each you’re guaranteed to find great authors with fabulous giveaways.

For my contribution to the gift giving, I will be giving away a $10 gift certificate to Amazon OR ARe and one copy of my latest ebook, A Lover for Rachel, each and every day from February 11 through February 14 from the group of commentors. Wait – there’s more! Everyone will be entered into a Grand Prize drawing for a $25 Amazon or ARe gift card and a copy of the entire Santa’s Elves collection in ebook. The Grand Prize drawing will take place February 15. How’s that for a fantastic Valentine’s gift?

Today, I’d love to look at the Valentine’s Day itself and its origins. While most of you might think they aren’t romantic, I would beg to differ. Valentine Day started in 496 A.D. by Pope Gelasius I in honor of the many church martyrs named Saint Valentine. Pop Paul VI deleted it off the official Roman Calendar of saints in 1969, so it has no affiliation with church at all.

We have Geoffrey Chaucer in the Middle Ages to thank for associating the day with romantic love. Chaucer wrote in Parlement of Foules in 1382 and combined Valentine’s Day with love. Here are those famous lines:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day

Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

Roughly translated that means, “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.” Isn’t old English grand? LOL! Chaucer wrote this poem to honor the 1st anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. They married when they were just fifteen years old.

A “High Court of Love” was established in Valentine’s Day in 1400 in the romantic city of Paris. That particular court dealt only with issues that involved love such as contracts, betrayals and violence against women. The judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading.

Even the Bard himself mentions Valentine’s Day in the play Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5. It goes something like this:

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,

And dupp'd the chamber-door;

Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more.

—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5

Modern day Valentine’s more than likely started in Victorian England where paper Valentines became so popular that they were assembled in factories. Leigh Eric Schmidt reinvented Valentines for England in the 1840s while Ester Howland did the same in the US in 1847. The second half of the 20th century found the practice of just exchanging cards was changing to include all sorts of gifts such as roses and chocolates, many packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s the diamond industry began to take notice and prompted many to make it an occasion for giving jewelry. In 2010, there were an estimated 15 million e-valentines sent to Valentine’s all over the world.

Can one get any more romantic than that?

Please continue on with the blog hop at Valentine Blog Hop Event Page and hope to see you back here tomorrow!

Lynn