Fashionista Friday: I Always Wanted to be a Cowgirl

I did want to be a little cowgirl!  I had a red and black cowgirl outfit, boots, a white handled pistol and holster, and a rocking horse which I rode to death.  So, I still have a soft spot in my heart for a cowgirl.  What do you think of this jacket?  I think a real cowgirl would love it.  It's made of lamb suede and has paisley out out accents.  You can buy it at Maverick Western Wear for $373.00.  I had intended to look for jeans elsewhere, but I really do like the ones shown with the jacket.  Buy them at Maverick Western Wear for $95.00.

A cowgirl has to have boots too.  I love both of these pairs.  I suppose with the jeans the simple pair would be best, but I adore the flowers on the other pair.  They come from Maverick Western Wear too.

The flowered pair are $569, and the plain pair is $289.99.

 

Three Things You Might Not Know About Delaney Diamond

My guest today is the fabulous Delaney Diamond who's sharing some intersting things with us about her writing.  She's also offering a nice prize to one lucky commenter during her blog tour.  She'll draw a name out of the hat to receive a $10 gift certificate and an ecopy of Fight For Love.  Here's a little bit about Delaney.

Author Bio.

Bio: I was born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since 1998, Atlanta, Georgia has been my home. I write sweet and sensual romance novels in the interracial and African-American subgenres and the Love & Romance in Color column for Night Owl Reviews Magazine. I read romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. I wrote my first romance novel at the age of 14 and received rave reviews from my friends  . I tapped out 89 pages on a typewriter and called it Captured Heart.

I’m a diehard foodie, so when my head’s not buried in a book, I’m in the kitchen trying out new recipes or dining at my favorite restaurants with friends. My other interests include holistic health, traveling, and frugal living.

Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/DelaneyDiamond

Facebook personal profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001990293210

Website and blog: http://www.delaneydiamond.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/delaneydiamond 

And now, let's let our guest talk! 

3 Things About Me That Influence My Writing

When I was asked to share a bit about myself and my writing, I have to admit I was stumped. I wondered what I could possibly talk about that would be interesting that I haven’t already shared. In the past eleven months since I’ve been published, I’ve done posts on my blog and guest posts at other sites, and I’m always trying to find new ways to say the same thing, but it’s not easy. This time I’ve decided to share three things about myself that show up in my writing and are based on my own personality traits.

I don’t curse.

In real life, I don’t curse, and I never have. Even though I don’t do it, it doesn’t bother me when others do, unless it’s overdone, which can occur with cringe-worthy frequency in conversations with certain people and in certain books. In my books, I tend to say something mild, like “damn,” but I’ll never drop the f-bomb. I’ve played around with the idea of adding stronger language in my books, but I just never felt like it was warranted, so I haven’t. I don’t think anyone is missing it.

I love to laugh.

Most of my favorite shows on television are comedies (Modern Family, Happy Endings, and Rules of Engagement anyone?), and I enjoy watching stand up comics on video or attending their live shows. Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate more comedic scenes in my romance novels, usually using secondary characters to provide comic relief in contrast to my heroes and heroines. In The Temptation of a Good Man, there’s a funny scene in the kitchen of the family’s vacation home where Roarke’s younger sister starts talking about her sex life, but her brothers are strongly opposed to hearing about it. I’ve received positive feedback about the comedic scenes I incorporate into my stories, so who knows, maybe one day I’ll pen a romantic comedy.

I love alpha men.

I like men who are alpha, strong, and determined. The men in my novels reflect these traits. They take charge and tend to be aggressive, and only the women they love can get through their armor. In Temptation, Roarke is not as alpha as I’m used to writing my heroes, but those qualities come to the surface in his pursuit of Celeste.

Writers, which personality traits have you incorporated into your books? Readers, what common threads do you notice in books by your favorite authors?

Thank you, Delaney for your interesting post.  And now would you please share an excerpt with us?

Blurb

Can true love be found after one night of passion?

Celeste Burton goes out with her girlfriends to celebrate turning thirty and winds up spending an unforgettable night with the man of her dreams. One week later, as a favor, she attends a wedding with a friend as his date and is shocked when she sees Roarke again.

Roarke Hawthorne despises cheating. Cheating tore apart his family years ago. When the physics professor sees the woman he spent the night with show up at his sister’s wedding on the arm of his brother, he knows he should keep his distance. But because of the night they set fire to the sheets in his hotel room, he can’t resist the urge to be close to her–nor can he resist the temptation to have her back in his bed.

Excerpt #2

Lust flickered in his eyes, and for tense moments they stared at each other, lost in the memories of heated whispers and tangled sheets. Then, as suddenly as he’d grabbed her, he dropped her arm like a hot coal.

“Derrick doesn’t deserve to be lied to and made a fool of.” He stepped around her toward the door.

Celeste grabbed his forearm to stall his exit. “Wait, please.”

“Celeste, I can’t do this.”

She slipped between him and the door. She couldn’t be the reason for a confrontation between the two brothers, and she couldn’t bear the humiliation of Derrick finding out she’d slept with his brother the first night they met. “Please don’t say anything to Derrick. I’ll stay out of your way. I promise. You won’t even know I’m here.”

He looked down at her hand, and she followed his gaze to where her fingers wrapped around his arm. She withdrew them with haste. When her eyes found his again, desire shimmied down her spine at the hunger she saw in his.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said, his voice thick and low. “I can’t be near you. You’re too much of a temptation. Maybe you can stay away from me, but I don’t know if I can keep my hands off of you.” He slammed his palms against the door above her shoulders.

Celeste jumped, her eyes widening in shock. Shaken, she pressed back against the hard door to distance herself from him. They were too close, and the instinctive movement did little to protect her from the heat of sexual frustration emanating from his pores.

His chest rose and fell with each deep breath, and a storm brewed in his dark brown eyes. “What are you doing to me?”

The tortured question needed no answer. Even if she’d been obliged to respond, he seized her mouth before she could, and his tongue thrust between her lips. The muscular, dark cords of his arms encircled her waist and held her against his body, crushing her soft curves into each hard contour of his.

Wow!  Bring me a fan!  Things are about to heat up.  Again.  Delaney, I loved finding out more about you, and I think I'll have to get a copy of The Temptation of a Good Man.  Readers, you can buy it at Amazon for only $2.99 which in my opinion is a steal.

Delaney, come back and visit us anytime. 

Sweet Saturday Sample

In this excerpt from Return Engagement my heroine Elizabeth and her friend Cathy are discussing a new script-they're actresses-when a surprise, unwelcome guest arrives.  Return Engagement is available at 

 http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=819

"What do you think so far?" Cathy demanded. "Is the script as good as I think it is?"

Elizabeth enthusiastically nodded as she set her coffee cup back into its saucer on the coffee table and polished off the last of her coffee cake. "It’s just great!" she exclaimed, spray-ing crumbs everywhere. "It’s almost as good as Paradise Bay."

Cathy giggled and flicked a big crumb off her leg. "That’s what I thought. And best of all, there are wonderful parts for both of us. We’d get to star together again."

The doorbell rang and interrupted their reading.

"I’ll get it," Cathy said. "You keep reading."

She returned a minute later with eyes as big as saucers and a scared look on her face. "Richard is here! What are we going to do? He says he wants to see you. I asked him if he knew, uh, I mean if you knew he was coming, and he said no, but to tell you he won’t leave until you two talk. I told him to wait in the foyer, but he could walk in here any minute!"

Elizabeth dropped her script and literally wrung her hands. "Oh, why did he come when Hank isn’t here? I…I…don’t know what to do!"

"What shall I tell him?" Cathy cried. She clapped her hand across her mouth. "He’ll hear us!"

Elizabeth picked up the script which danced in her hand. "Ah… I guess… I’ll… Cathy, we’re being stupid. What’s he going to do? Kill us? Tell him to come in while I..."

She stood up, but her knees literally shook. "Why am I so scared?" she softly cried. "After all those gifts he sent I knew I’d be seeing him soon."

"I can tell him you won’t see him."

Elizabeth’s heart leaped at the thought of a reprieve, but he had waited long enough. "No, I can’t put this off any longer. I need to see him and get it over with."

"Do you want me to stick around?"

Yes, she did, but she knew exactly what Richard would think of that idea. He’d probably tell Cathy to go himself. "No, just wait in the kitchen maybe. I have to talk to him alone."

"Yell if you want me."

Cathy went to the kitchen as Elizabeth took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart, but when she saw Richard standing there her knees grew weak. The tension heightened until the air turned positively electric and swirled with emotional currents. He made no effort to close the distance between them; neither of them said a word.

Richard finally broke the horrid silence. "You look wonderful as usual, but how do you feel?" he asked, his voice sounding cautious and hesitant to Elizabeth. He wasn’t sure of his reception.

"Much better now." Elizabeth rolled and re-rolled her script which she had forgotten to put down. "I need to apologize for how I acted in the hospital. I’m ashamed of the way I treated you, but at the time it was like I couldn’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth. I’m sure I embarrassed you, and that was never my intention. I want you to know I regret it with all my heart." A load seemed to fall from Elizabeth’s shoulders. She had owed him this apology for a long time now.

"So, do you think we could go into the living room and sit down?"

Elizabeth blushed even though he hadn’t said anything to blush about. "Yes, let’s do."

He followed her into the living room where he sat down beside her on the sofa, giving her a whiff of expensive aftershave. She wished her heart would settle down and behave it-self, but every time he so much as blinked it took her breath away.

"Did you get your gifts yesterday?"

Elizabeth’s eyes shone. "Yes, and it was the most romantic thing anyone ever did for me. Thank you."

Elizabeth almost melted when Richard smiled at her. She was glad he had wanted to sit down because she didn’t think her knees would hold her up. You didn’t know what sexy meant until he directed that high voltage smile at you.

"You know which one I liked best?" he asked.

"Which one?"

"It was the kiss I sent at one."

"Really? Why that? I loved them all. I don’t think I had a favorite."

"I liked it because I’ve been thinking about kissing you," he confessed.

"Is that why you came over?"

"Partly. Would you mind if I kissed you?"

Intoxicated by his nearness, Elizabeth forgot that he scared her and that she didn’t want to see him. "Try and find out."

Richard slid across the sofa and gave her a gentle, sweet kiss, nothing like the possessive, hot, demanding kisses he’d given her the last night they slept together. Elizabeth sighed and brushed her finger across his lips. "You’ve got lipstick on your mouth."

"Is it the lipstick that made you taste so good?"

"Mmm. I think the sensation of taste must be very powerful."

"Could I taste again?"

"Yes."

He pulled her firmly against his chest. Oh, lord she’d forgotten how those rock hard muscles fired her blood! This time he kissed her with much more enthusiasm.

"Are you satisfied now?" Elizabeth breathlessly gasped when he finally raised his lips from hers. "Did you taste enough?"

"No, I didn’t. I think I’m getting addicted."

Elizabeth’s heart raced. "What’s the cure for this addiction?"

"I don’t know, and I don’t care. I like it too much to get over it." Richard’s eyes turned a smoky, dark blue as he kissed her again. This time he didn’t hold back. He kissed her the way she’d both longed for and feared for eight endless weeks.

She inhaled the scent of him: masculine, heady. She looked into his face and saw a touch of aggression and recklessness lurking underneath the heat that smoldered in his eyes.

Her breath left her as she admitted the truth. He was dangerous. He always had been, and nothing had changed. No wonder she got an adrenalin rush every single time they were alone together.

Six Sentence Sunday

This excerpt comes from Return Engagement which is available at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=819

In this excerpt my heroine just got a message from my hero asking her to meet him in an unfamiliar place.

She took three steps into the quiet darkness before she finally realized something was wrong. Things didn’t feel right in this room. Every nerve in her body screamed danger, and she seemed to have ice water instead of blood in her veins. She was getting out of here!  With a gasp, she turned to run, but she had waited too late.  A small man stood between her and the front door.

Like Free Stuff?

Hello, readers. The month of December is almost over, so I'll soon get my blog back. Until then, I hope my characters are keeping you entertained.

Nikki: Hey, Elizabeth, what did you get for Christmas?

Elizabeth: A blue diamond ring.

Nikki: Let me look. Say, that's pretty.

Elizabeth: Richard's always had good taste in jewelry. What did Tommy give you?

Nikki: A trip to Hawaii. That's where we went on our honeymoon, remember?

Elizabeth: Yes, I do remember. You'll have loads of fun.

Nikki: (snickering) I'm counting on it. Now, tell me what's going on at Elaine's blog?

Elizabeth: Elaine decided to give her readers a gift. For the next twenty four hours, anyone who'd like a free copy of her novel Grandfather's Legacy can have it. All they have to do is leave their email in the comment section of the blog, or they can email her at elainecsc@aol.com

Nikki: I haven't read that one yet.

Elizabeth: Well, it was the second book Elaine wrote. It isn't quite as polished as her writing is now, but it's a really good story and got great reviews. The Romance Studio gave it 4 and 1/2 hearts.

Nikki: That's good enough for me. 4 1/2 hearts is a great review. I'm going right now to email Elaine.

Elizabeth: This is a nice opportunity, readers. I hope you'll take advantage of it and enjoy the book. Don't forget; you have 24 hours to request your book.

Welcome Sandy Nicks

During the month of December my blog has been taken over by my characters. I have no idea what they're going to do next! Your hostess is Elizabeth Lane heroine of Return Engagement. Her assistant is her cousin Nikki Lane who is the heroine of The Best Selling Toy Of The Season.

Elizabeth: Nikki, we have another guest today. This is Sandy Nicks.

Nikki: Hi, Sandy. Are you an author too?

Sandy: I sure am. I've got a book I'd like to tell you about too.

Nikki: Sounds good to me! I'm giving people books for Christmas, and I need one more.

Elizabeth: Sandy, could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself and your writing?

Sandy: Thank you for having me, Elaine, Elizabeth, and Nikki! I write romantic comedy and time travel romance for Vanilla Heart Publishing. My first novel, Falling for Autumn, was published in 2009. It’s the first book in the series Sisters for All Seasons. Book two, Crazy Days of Summer, will be released in early 2011. My time travel romance, Circle of Eternity, was released in February 2010.

I live near the Jersey Shore with my husband, four kids and nine spoiled pets. When I’m not writing, I like to read, go to the beach in Belmar, and hang out with my family.

Elizabeth: I love romantic comedy! My new movie that's coming out next summer is a romantic comedy.

Nikki: Sandy, Elizabeth is an actress, but I guess you knew that. Everyone knows her especially after Elaine told her story in Return Engagement.

Sandy: Everyone's heard of Elizabeth Lane!

Elizabeth: Can you tell us about your latest release, Sandy?

Sandy: The release date for Crazy Days of Summer has changed to early 2011. It’s about the middle sister, Summer. I had a lot of fun writing it and look forward to its release. It takes place in Hollywood and Belmar, NJ. Autumn makes an appearance as well as their beloved and fun mother Daisy. Spring, the youngest sister, whose book will be out late next year, also makes an appearance. Summer works for a movie star and things get hot and crazy…that’s all I’ll say for now : -)

Elizabeth: Wow, working for a movie star! I hope it's a nice star. Where did you get your idea for the book?

Sandy: The idea started with Falling for Autumn. Her family plays an important part in her life and in the story. I fell in love with all of them and wanted each sister to have her own story. I admit there are always pieces from real life woven into my stories. However, ideas can and do strike randomly and I always keep a notebook with me to write them down.

Nikki: Which is your favorite of all your books? Why?

Sandy: I honestly can’t pick one because I love all of my characters and their adventures. It’s also hard to choose because I write both contemporary and time travel romance. I love writing about the present day just as much as I do writing about the twelfth century. They also have a common theme that love and a sense of humor going hand-in-hand. I want my readers to laugh just as much as I want them to be sent on an adventure and fall in love.

Nikki: Elaine says shehas a hard time picking favorites too, but I bet my book is really her favorite. What are your plans for Christmas?

Sandy: We’ll be spending Christmas Eve at my sister-in-law’s house. In addition to my five year old nephew, we have a new nephew who’s just six months old so I’m really looking forward to being with them. When we get home that night, it’s a tradition for me, my husband and our children to watch the movie Christmas Vacation! On Christmas Day, we’ll be home opening presents, hanging out and eating lots of goodies!

Elizabeth: That sounds lovely to me, Sandy. We’d love to have a blurb and excerpt from your latest book. Be sure to include a buy link.

Sandy: Since the release for Crazy Days of Summer has been changed, I’ll just give you the blurb. If readers would like to read excerpts from Falling for Autumn and Circle of Eternity, they can be found on my web site: www.sandynicks.com.


Crazy Days of Summer blurb:
Crazy Happens.
Summer Winters is used to having a hectic life. She has no choice. She works long hours for a famous movie star, she’s planning her beach wedding in New Jersey from her office in California, and her mother calls ten times a day to discuss ideas for the ceremony that include mermaid ice sculptures, fish bowl centerpieces and having the bridal party jump in the ocean.

Bret Hartford is handsome, wealthy and famous. With a recent string of box office successes, he’s rocketing to A-list status. He throws lavish parties, attends red carpet events and is always flocked by a bevy of beauties hoping to win his heart.
Like violent waves stirred by a coastal storm, Summer and Bret are suddenly hit with lies and betrayal. Summer’s wedding plans quickly unravel when her fiancé becomes distant and her mother falls ill. Bret’s future takes a hit when he becomes embroiled in a scandal that threatens his career. While Summer tries to mend her broken heart and care for her mother, Bret is relying on her to help him uncover the truth.

When Summer and Bret join forces to get their lives back in order, their working relationship turns like the tide. From low to high, they soon find their friendship is changing to something more intense.
Can this heated passion endure the crazy days of summer?

All my books are available in print and a variety of e-book formats – including Kindle, Nook, Sony, iPad and more. They can be purchased at Amazon and B&N. To learn more about me and my books, please visit: www.sandynicks.com.

Thanks again, ladies, for having me!

Elizabeth: Thanks for coming, Sandy. And I do know Bret Hartford.

Low Country Tales

Not long ago I took a trip to Charleston, SC. If you’ve never been to Charleston you’re missing a treat, especially if you like history. In Charleston the past and the present mix so seamlessly you aren’t sure where one leaves off and the other begins. At any rate, I took a tour while I was there. As the tour progressed I noticed a great many small houses that were trimmed in blue. I asked the tour guide about that, and he said the doors and windows were painted blue to keep the spirits out. Intrigued by his answer, I decided to do a little research and see what I could find out.

My research led me to the Gullah people. The Gullah are African Americans who live in the Low Country of South Carolina, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands. This area once extended as far north as Cape Fear in North Carolina and as far south as Jacksonville, Florida, but today the Gullah are confined to the South Carolina and Georgia Low Country. The Gullah people are also called Geechee.

The Gullah are known for preserving their African linguistic and cultural heritage. They speak an English-based creole language containing many African loanwords and significant influences from African languages in grammar and sentence structure. The Gullah language is related to Jamaican Creole, Bahamian Dialect, and the Krio language of Sierra Leone in West Africa.

Most of the Gullahs' ancestors were brought to South Carolina through the port of Charleston. Charleston was the most important port in North America for the Atlantic slave trade, and almost half of the enslaved Africans brought into what is now the United States came through the port of Charleston.

The Gullah have been able to preserve so much of their African cultural heritage because of geography and climate. The slaves were put to work on rice plantations while the slave owners fled the hot, malaria infested rice growing areas. Left in relative isolation, the slaves were able to keep and pass on their cultural traditions.

African influences are found in every aspect of the Gullahs' traditional way of life including their beliefs about hags, haunts, and plat-eyes. Hags were believed to be the disembodied spirits of witches who could shed their skins and “ride” people. Riding meant giving people nightmares. Sometimes the hags were believed to be vampires.

The young and the old were especially susceptible to being ridden by hags. To stop a hag from riding you, you had to catch her when she was out of her skin and salt the skin. This was pretty hard to do so most people painted their doors and windows blue to scare the hag away.

Haunts were believed to be the spirits of the dead who could return to cause trouble for the living. The worst of these were “plat-eyes.” Plat-eyes were evil spirits that could assume various shapes and rob a person of their wits. To repel these evil spirits the people used a mixture of gunpowder and sulfur because no plat-eye could stand the smell of this mixture.

The picture at the top of the page shows sweet grass baskets that are made by the Gullah women. The baskets are beautiful, the quality is outstanding, and many of the designs date back to slave days.