Romancing the Hop - Day 3

The Calgon Moment ~ Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of the Romancing The Blog hop. I’m catching up on everyone’s comments, so don’t forget to come by and see what I say to you personally! Today is also Six Sentence Sunday where I put up six sentences from a current work in progress. It’s right below this post...and for those who post on both...you’ll be entered into a special drawing where you’ll get a $10 gift certificate from Amazon AND a copy of my book The Harvester...how cool is that?!?

The first thing I need to do is to award the $20 gift certificate to Amazon...the winner for September 1st is...throuthehaze! Come on down and claim your prize. I will email you at the address you provided. Congrats!

I want to thank each of you for sharing your favorite authors...they are some of mine as well...but being a writer, you’d think it would be hard for me to read. Well, sometimes it is hard for me to read a book especially if I want to get my red pen out...LOL! No, really, a lot of the times I have to turn off the editor in me because I want to read for the pure enjoyment of reading. It’s what I call my Calgon Moment...remember the ‘Take Me Away’ commercials? Yeah, reading is that moment for me.

All writers started as readers. We wanted to write a better story, something more intense, something in a different world. We wanted the story to take us away to far off places so we could see how the rich or famous live. I learned many things reading books. I’ll never forget the day while I was in college and a group of friends got together for dinner. Afterwards, we decided to play Trivial Pursuit...remember that game? Well, we went head to head, girls against boys and both teams were on the verge of winning. Just one history question stood between us...argh...history! I knew the two girls I had with me were a little lax in that area and as for myself, well let’s just suffice it to say a lot of my learning came for reading books for pleasure.

The conversation went something like this:

            “When did the Battle of Hastings occur?”

            I look at the girls and shrug my shoulders thinking as I didn’t want to give it away. “Do you think that’s recent history?”

            Girl 1 nods. “Absolutely sure it’s World War II. I remember my father talking about it.”

            At this point I want to scream but that’s another story. “Really? You think so?”

            Girl2 frowns. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t even know there was something called the Battle of Hastings.”

            Great. That means the decision is mine. I could win or lose this game based upon my answer. “So you think we should go with World War II?”

            Both girls nod and I see the boys across the board leering at me. This was going to be so fun. “Ok.”

            Boy 1 grins. “So your answer is World War II?”

            I shook my head. “I didn’t say that and since it’s my turn I’ll answer the question.”

            Boy 2, who just happens to be my future husband. “Fine. So what’s your answer? I’m sure you don’t know it as you aren’t a history buff.”

            I scowled. “Really.” I look back at the girls and give them a wicked smile before turning back to the guys. “The Battle of Hastings happened in 1066 when William the Conqueror  came across the English Channel and whipped King Harold’s butt.” The guys look was priceless. “Don’t ever tell me I don’t learn anything by reading romance.”

            Boy 2 is speechless. “What book? I’d like to know what book had that information.”

            I smiled. “A book called The Wolf and the Dove starts right after the battle and explains why the knight in it is going off to conquer new land for the king. I’ll go find it if you want.”

            Boy 2 frowns. “I believe you. I’ll never say anything again about you reading those books.”

            “Good because I want to write them.”

Never again am I questioned about my reading of romances. That event occurred over thirty years ago and I’m still with the guy.

Now today, I read for a different reason because personally if I want to learn something I do research on the internet or pick up an ebook to find out what I need to know. I read every day to escape into someone else’s world that they’ve created. Most days, I’ve been in one of mine all day and it’s nice to see just how another author has taken something thus making their own. I want to relate to their characters like I do my own but I want to do it for the sheer enjoyment of the written word.

I can remember, and I still do this, taking a book with me while I lounge in a bathtub full of hot water, soaking my cares away. I have a book with me everywhere I go today as there are many train rides for me getting to a final destination in Vienna. I have one to read as I wait for the doctor. Sometimes it’s an ebook, sometimes it’s a print book but there is always some sort of book in my hand.

How about you? When do experience your Calgon Moment? Do you have a story about reading romance? Can’t wait to hear your answers!

Remember, there will be another give away of a $20 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky person who comments today. Don’t forget to leave your email!

Again, here are the details for the blog hop. Hope you all enjoy!

What is your favorite thing about Romance? Well, we authors are ready to share our romantic tips and favorite romance reads! Starting on Friday, August 31st  and ending on September 3rd, over 200 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance, reading romance, and dating.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 giveaways,  one from each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that’s not all...

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Yep. ALL of that! Whoot! Be sure to come back here on Friday and over the weekend to enjoy some stories and facts about our favorite Romance events and reads and enter to win!

Now, there’s only one way to enter...and that’s to leave a comment...don’t forget your EMAIL address because we need to get hold of you should you win.

Here’s the list of who is participating in this blog hop. For every comment you make, you will get an entry for the fabulous grand prize. Can’t wait to see you answers...so...don’t forget to answer the question, what is your favorite thing about Romance?

See you all tomorrow!

Lynn