Monday, May 27, 2013
Beyond the Book:
How I Got Him To Marry Me
HOW I
GOT HIM TO MARRY ME
By
Cherise Kelley
BLURB:
He likes it. Now get him to put
a ring on it! Learn from these 50 stories of
women who have been there!
Sandy's boyfriend Jack wouldn't
even bring up the 'm word'. She started leaving her things in his apartment,
including some tampons in his bathroom. It worked! Too off guard to make
excuses like "Living together is just as good as being married," Jack
said, "People will start to think you're my wife!" "Well, how
about it?" Sandy asked Jack.
EXCERPT:
"I got tired of waiting
for my boyfriend Jack to propose to me. We had been together for two years, and
he hadn't even mentioned the 'm' word to me. If things had been left up to
Jack, we would have been boyfriend and girlfriend for the rest of our lives. I
had just turned thirty and could not wait much longer to be married. I knew I
had to do something to push him along.
First, I tried giving him a
taste of the good side of married life.
Jack was raised in a family
where two people should not be together if they were not married. I could not
just move myself in and wait for him to do the rest, as many of my girlfriends
were doing with their boyfriends, in hopes of getting that 'm' word mentioned.
I figured I had to slowly make myself a fixture in his apartment. When he got
home from work, I would suggest going to his place instead of going out. I
started to do some housework for him. I would tell him how messy his place was
and offered to help him clean it up. I would wash the dishes and vacuum. After
about two weeks of "giving him a taste of the good side of married
life," nothing changed.
I even did the unthinkable and
cleaned his bathroom. All I got for that was a "Thanks, I owe you
one." I had to come up with another idea that was more intensive."
AUTHOR INFORMATION:
When Scott asked me to be his
girlfriend, I surprised him by saying, "No." We were on the phone, as
we were every night. I could tell he was hurt, but since we were on the phone
and not together in person, we had to talk, and that was a good thing.
I explained, "I'm 30 years
old. I've already had the last boyfriend I am ever going to have. In the
future, I am going to have a husband, not a boyfriend."
He surprised me by taking this
in stride. "I understand," he said. "You do realize I am in the
Navy and all that entails?"
"I was born in the
Navy!" This was true. My dad was in the Navy.
Four months later, he took me
on a date to the top of the Space Needle in Seattle.
He passed me a little black
velvet box under the table, and whispered:
"Babe, will you marry
me?"
"Do you mean it?"
Yes, that's what I said. Not
very romantic, was I?
LINKS:
Amazon.com
<<< paperback, too after April 1, 2013
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRDWME6
Barnes and Noble
<<< paperback, too, but later than Amazon
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-i-got-him-to-marry-me-cherise-kelley/1114814242?ean=2940016181950
Kobo
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/How-Got-Him-To-Marry/book-VH3jNeXrVkOy3IzeWkxqFw/page1.html?s=pAWwqUmdoE6cAh27aLXwOQ&r=2
Cherise Kelley's Goodreads
Profile
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6550175.Cherise_Kelley
Sound good, ladies? Cherise is giving away a $25 gift certificate to one lucky commenter, so follow her tour and comment often. Tour schedule: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-book-tour-how-i-got-him-to.html
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Weekend Writing Warriors: Arranged Marriage
"I have respected your wishes for
three years now, but my patience is at an end. You will wed Lady
Maybina as I have commanded."
"Father, having married once for love, I have no desire to
marry a woman whom I have never met! Can you not understand?
Think of the love you share with my mother. Is it so bad that I
desire the same kind of relationship?"
The king's face turned purple, but he took a deep breath and
returned to sit upon his huge jewel-encrusted throne. He wiped his
face with a lace-trimmed handkerchief.
The Enchanted is available at most online retail outlets. You can find more lovely sentences from participating authors here.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Sweet Saturday Sample: Wedding Reception
Morgane seated herself beside him as he held out her chair.
Her skin looked as smooth as satin and as creamy as the finest
milk, but no one could miss the horrible red scar that marred her
face. She turned her head and caught him staring. Her face flushed
red, causing the scar to look that much worse. Turning away from
him, she fastened her eyes on the wall in front of her.
As Bowdyn signaled for the feast to begin, lively
conversations broke out all around the table. Alan gave a grim
inward chuckle. Someone should have a good time tonight. He turned
to Princess Morgane. ʺI hope that my wedding gift pleased you."
Morgane flexed the finger on which she wore the blue ring.
"It is very nice."
Love Blooms Blog Hop
If you came for Fashionista Friday, scroll down after you check out the blog hop. You don't want to miss either one.
Prince Alan:
Not at all, Madame Cantrell. My father’s entire kingdom holds you in the
highest regard and would do anything for you. The king and queen send you
greetings and say to think you for attending the book release party in your
honor.
Elaine: It was
my pleasure. Readers, the party is over, but if you’ll scroll down to the May
14 entry you can see how the king honored me. You can also read chapter 1 of
The Enchanted. Prince Alan, please tell the readers how you met the love of
your life Princess Morgane.
Alan:
(smiling): This is a subject dear to my heart, but it was not always so. My
father arranged a marriage between me and Princess Morgane. I had never even
met her.
Elaine:
(looks appalled) That probably wasn’t much fun.
Alan: No
indeed, yet I soon grew to love my princess with my whole heart. How could I
not? She has the heart of a dragon and beauty beyond compare, but this is not
what drew me to her.
Elaine:
Really? What was it then?
Prince Alan:
(His face softens; his eyes grow dreamy.) It was the noble kindness in her soul.
She suffered much at the hands of her father, yet she remains brave, strong,
tender, and kind. Anyone who knows her soon discovers her basic goodness. She
is a friend to all, especially to me. Thanks to her love I am a better man.
Elaine: She
did save your life twice, didn’t she?
Prince Alan:
Indeed. If not for the princess who has no battle training whatsoever, I would
now be dead. (He smiles proudly.) She does indeed have the heart of a dragon. I
wish that you could talk to the warrior Renweard. He praises Princess Morgane
all the day long.
Elaine: If I’m
not being rude, tell me how you and your father are getting along. Things were
once very tense between you.
Prince Alan:
(nods) It is true that my father and I often did not see eye to eye, but the
recent events in the kingdom have shown us that in spite of our differences, we
care for each other.
Elaine: Did
you ever paint that picture for Princess Morgane? You promised her a painting
filled with sunshine on the day that you two were attacked and began your
incredible journey.
Prince Alan:
Yes, the painting is complete. Princess Morgane loves it. You may post a picture of it if you like.
Elaine: It’s beautiful. Is there anything else you’d like to tell my readers?
Prince Alan:
(eyes twinkling) Tell them they may return soon to see the painting of my son
or daughter.
Elaine:
Wonderful! Congratulations to you and Princess Morgane.
Prince Alan:
Thank you. My father the king is most gratified.
Elaine: Prince Alan, do come again soon. To find other authors in the Love Blooms Blog Hop, look below, or go to http://www.candlelightreads.blogspot.com/p/love-blooms.html for the list.
Elaine: Prince Alan, do come again soon. To find other authors in the Love Blooms Blog Hop, look below, or go to http://www.candlelightreads.blogspot.com/p/love-blooms.html for the list.
Fashionista Friday: Ethereal
Scroll down for the Love Blooms Blog Hop after you enjoy this ethereal outfit.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Kidnapped Cowboy
Kidnapped Cowboy
by Lindsey
Brookes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Retired
rodeo star, Dalton Barnes, gets the surprise of his life when he’s abducted by
a soft-spoken female with a ‘gun’ and taken to the retreat his family owns. He
soon learns she’s kidnapped the wrong cowboy by mistake. She wanted his
brother. Things go from bad to worse when a late spring snowstorm strands them
together at the cabin. But it’s during their snow-in that Dalton learns why
Caitlin has gone to such lengths to save Stoney Brook. Having had issues with
his older brother himself and a not so happy past, Dalton promises to do what
he can to help her.
When
confronted Brandon tells Dalton he’ll hold off on his plans for the retreat,
but only if Dalton agrees to stick around and help run it. Keeping his promise
to Caitlin, Dalton agrees and what starts out as a common goal to turn the
troubled teens’ lives around that summer ends up turning theirs around as well.
Can a man who has always avoided putting down roots and a woman with a
deep-seated fear of abandonment hang on to the happiness they’ve found
together? Or will the past return to threaten their newfound love?
Love,
laughter and a heartwarming read…
“D...don’t move or else.”
Dalton Barnes froze, one leg hiked up on the chrome running
board of his brother’s truck, one hand curled snugly about the open door. Being held up on the main street of Lone
Tree, Montana, where crime was virtually nonexistent, was the last thing he
expected to happen when he’d driven into town that evening for a couple of
drinks.
No, make that being held up by a woman on the main street of
Lone Tree.
“All right,” he said in the same calming tone he used when
working with horses, “I won’t.”
If his assailant were a man he might have attempted to
wrestle the gun away. Instead, it was a
female jabbing the barrel of her weapon into his back. A nervous female at that if the trembling of
her hand was any indication. Not a good
combination.
“Good.” Her voice
shook as much as her hand.
“If you’re after money, there’s about fifty bucks in my
wallet.”
She let out what could only be described as an unladylike
snort. “That’s all?”
“Look,” he said, his patience slipping, “I can get
more. There’s an ATM machine across the
street. We can just take a walk on over
there and I’ll get you whatever you need.”
He started to turn.
“D...don’t turn around,” she gasped, sounding panicked.
The barrel felt like a tree trunk pressing into his back. “I
won’t,” he said, throwing up his hands.
“Just take it easy.”
“I don’t want your money,” she replied, sounding more shaken
than he felt and that was saying a lot, considering he was the one with a gun
barrel rammed into the center of his back.
“I want you.”
Okay, now that was unexpected.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Romance
author Lindsey Brookes grew up reading romance novels. She penned her first
romance, a historical, at the age of seventeen. From there she went on to join
Romance Writers of America where she learned the ins and outs of the publishing
business and ways to hone her craft. She switched to writing contemporary
romance and has finalled in/or won more than 75 RWA chapter sponsored contests
with over a dozen different manuscripts. She is also a four time RWA Golden
Heart finalist as well as a past American Title III finalist and winner of
Harlequin's Great American Romance Novel contest. She's married to her
childhood sweetheart, her hero, with whom she has two beautiful daughters.
Check
out her websites:
www.lindseybrookes.com
www.possumhollowseries.com
Facebook
page - https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.brookes.9?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter
- https://twitter.com/Lindsey_Brookes
Buy links:
Amazon:
Barnes &
Noble:
Readers, I don't know about you, but I liked this excerpt, and I'm in love with her cover. I hope all of you will follow her tour and comment often for a chance to win the gift basket pictured below. You can find her schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-book-blast-kidnapped-cowboy-by.html I've got to stop hosting all these authors. My TBR pile is getting tremendous!
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