Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Fabulous Release Alert!!!


Hey Everyone!

Want some steamy and fun summer reading? Take a look at this new release!

And to whet your appetite, here's a blurb for Elisabeth Naughton's novella:

Acapulco Heat

Sun, sand, skin and plenty of sex. That’s the name of the game in beautiful Acapulco.

Bodyguard Finn Tiernay’s new gig in the sultry city is nothing short of perfect. Too bad he can’t stand it. Hired to protect supermodel Lauren Kauffman during her very public, very sexy cosmetic shoot on the beach, Finn’s itching for a serious assignment and the chance to get away from the hot bod who’s set her sights set on him. Their mutual attraction has been brewing for some time, but he’s got no use for the super wealthy, isn’t about to become another diva’s boy toy. His no-fun-at-work motto might get him booted out of her bed, but when danger strikes, she won’t be able to shake him. And when he discovers things aren’t what they seem and that she’s more than a pretty face and smokin’ body, all bets are off. Lauren Kauffman’s about to take Finn for a ride he never saw coming. And there’s no telling who will survive.

Want to read more? I know I do! Here's a link to an excerpt:

http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/books/bodyguards-in-bed/#read-an-excerpt

Enjoy!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Recommend Monday

Happy Monday and Happy Memorial Day!

This is a day we've set aside to honor and remember our fallen soldiers. Their ultimate sacrifice ensured our freedom. They have my most sincere admiration and deepest gratitude. And to those who have served, both past and present, my heartfelt thanks for your service!

What's everyone doing for your long holiday weekend? Are you grilling? Got something special to read?

I'm not grilling (I'm hoping for a plate to come back to me from my mom's) and I'm not reading either. However, I am writing! Only a few weeks left before Jared and Mia's story, SWEET REWARD, is due. And wow oh wow, I can't decide who's torturing me the most, Jared or the elusive villain! I'm just glad that Mia is a strong woman! Wish us luck as we traverse through danger and delight. (:

Did you happen to notice that the back cover blurb for SWEET REWARD is up? Let me know what you think! Also, I got a sneak peek at the cover. And all I can say is, "Get read to drool!" Oh man! I love it! Hope to be able to show you within the next week or so.

SWEET REVENGE copyedits are done and winging their way to NY. I'd almost forgotten how much I love that book. Dylan and Jamie took me on a quite a ride but as I reread their story, I'm so glad they did. This book is so much fun. Even as I was reading it for about the tenth time, I continued to be surprised by it. I love it when that happens.

The Heart of Dixie Readers Luncheon is this coming Saturday in Huntsville. There's a signing after the luncheon that's open to the public, so if you're in the area, come on by and meet some of your favorite authors. Here's the link for information and a list of attending authors: http://heartofdixie.org/luncheon.html I can't wait to see some of my favorite people and meet new favorites too!

No current recommendations from me today, but I am looking forward to the release of Karen Rose's new book, You Belong To Me, on June 7. I know some of you have already read it and loved it. Her books are autobuys for me!

So, what great books are you recommending today? Are there any upcoming releases you're particularly excited about? Let us know so we can put them on our list!

Hope everyone has a spectacular day and a fabulous week!

Happy Reading! Happy Grilling! Happy Eating!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

RUN TO ME Winners!

Thanks to all of you who came by to chat about RUN TO ME yesterday. Sorry about the Blogger problems, but so glad to know that there's still lots of love for Ethan and Shea!

Here's the trivia contest with the answers. Everyone did a great job but that last question stumped a lot of people. There were only two who answered it correctly.

1) What kind of gun did Rosemount have hidden under his bed?
Colt .357 Magnum

2) What was Rosemount's nickname for Shea?
Kitten (gatita)

3) Rosemount had Cole beaten because he refused to do something. What did he refuse to do?
Refused to kill Jolene (snap her neck)

4) What is Ethan Bishop's real name? (the entire name)
Ethan Andrew Maurice Standifer

5) What did Shea name Ethan's cat?
Stella

6) What was Cole's first wife's name?
Jill

7) How did Ethan find out Cole was still alive?
Rosemount sent him a photo on his cellphone

Congrats to Crystal for being the first one to send all the correct answers! She's the winner of an Amazon gift card and two signed LCR books of her choice.

Also, using Random.org, the chosen winner from yesterday's blog comments is Kris! Congrats, Kris! You're the winner of a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card!

Ladies, please email me at christy@christyreece.com so I can get your prizes to you.

Thanks again to all who commented. Remember next month, June 21, we'll continue our countdown to the release of SWEET JUSTICE with a discussion of NO CHANCE! Enjoy the reread or the first read of Gabe and Skylar's book!

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week. See you back here on Monday for Recommend Monday!


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

RUN TO ME Discussion

Welcome to the discussion of RUN TO ME. Grab your favorite beverage and a snack, then sit back and relax as we chat about golden haired Ethan and the love of his life, Shea. If you’ve not had a chance to read RUN TO ME, please be aware that plot points will be discussed and spoilers will be revealed!

The third book in the Last Chance Rescue series tells the story of Ethan Bishop and Shea Monroe and what some have called “the darkest LCR book of them all”. For those of you attended the RETURN TO ME chat last month and know my writing style, you won’t be surprised to know that Shea and Ethan’s story took me by surprise at almost every chapter. Every time I thought the story was headed in one direction, a character would lead me down another path.

If you’ll remember, Ethan is mentioned briefly in RESCUE ME as he assists Eden and Jordan in capturing the LaRues. Still, I had no real knowledge of him, except for Eden’s description:

Hotheaded Ethan, with a wild mane of golden hair and peridot eyes, had a reputation of having a death wish, often defying orders to get the job done. The jagged scar etched down the left side of his face was an indication of the hell he battled inside his soul.

Just based on that information alone, I knew I wanted to know more about him. How’d he get the scar and what had hurt him so deeply that people thought he had a death wish?

In RETURN TO ME, he showed up to guard Samara. Her description of him is poignant and so true:

There were a thousand tears in his eyes and Samara felt sure he’d never been able to shed one. His ravaged, scarred face held a deep, dark sadness and though he was a stranger, she ached for him. Whatever this man had gone through continued to tear at his soul.

Also in RETURN TO ME, we learned he’d once been in love with another LCR operative and that she had married his best friend, Cole Mathison. And we discovered that Ethan felt responsible for Cole’s death. Yep, the man had some major baggage.

So with all of that and absolutely no knowledge of Shea, one would think I’d begin the story with Ethan, but the moment I started typing, I knew it had to start with the woman Ethan had loved and lost. Having Shea go after the man who murdered her husband made sense, but then, as she's lying on the bed, tied up and defenseless, I realized she’s there out of guilt, too. She hadn’t loved Cole as she should have. Why? Because she still loved Ethan, of course!

One of the reasons I loved Shea and Ethan so much was the knowledge they had of each other. Even when Shea couldn’t remember their past, she still knew Ethan’s character and something inside her told her she could trust him. I enjoyed the fact that they knew each other faults and weaknesses, acknowledged them, but still had this deep, fierce love for one another.

Donald Rosemount? Okay, I’ll admit, I had fun creating him. Every time I wrote a scene for him, he would go over the top with his thoughts and actions. One of my favorites is near the beginning when Ethan abducts Shea and Donald wakes to the sound of gunfire. He was so obviously terrified, but with his giant gun (an over compensation, I’m sure) he storms through his house like a mighty warrior. Finding out he was a little pipsqueak was a delight.

Some have said that the identity of the mysterious man Donald was holding was obvious. Others had their suspicions and then others were shocked. Put me in the shocked category. I sincerely didn’t know who the man was. I did have it in the back of my mind that who ever it was deserved a story of his own, but I was well into the book before I realized it was Cole.

RUN TO ME is definitely a dark book, much darker than the first two in the series. I know that turned some people off. Others liked it for that very reason. I wish I could explain why one book turns dark and another has lighter moments. I can’t. A story takes on a life and personality of its own and to try to manipulate it in one direction or another feels not only wrong but also disingenuous. The characters are who they are…they control the story and carry me along for the ride. Yes, occasionally I’ve seen them go in a direction I felt was completely wrong and I’ve had to nudge them a bit. But even then, if I try to force them to a place they don’t want to go, I’m the one backing off, not them. Yeah, I know…seems weird, but that’s the way it is.

Want some little known facts about RUN TO ME?

1) I was recovering from surgery when I wrote it and the love scenes were probably some of the toughest I’ve ever written.

2) The jungle scenes with Shea and Ethan are some of my favorite scenes from all of my books.

3) I sincerely disliked Gabe in this book and almost thought he was the mole. Thankfully he wasn’t and he redeemed himself.

4) Shea wasn’t supposed to shoot Ethan but she did it anyway. (Stubborn woman!)

5) There’s a minor character in RUN TO ME that will get a much larger role in this year’s trilogy.

6) I didn’t know Gabe was married until he told Ethan he never got divorced.

7) RUN TO ME is the first and only book I’ve written that my editor required no revisions.

8) It's original title was Remember Me, but my publisher didn't think that title sounded suspenseful enough

I have several favorite lines and scenes in this book and since I can’t list them all, I’ll give you my favorite:

************************************************************************

Taking several steps closer, she raised her arm, the knife grasped securely in her slender hand. Ethan looked into her beautiful face. If this was it…if he were to die, then Shea’s beautiful face was the last image he wanted in his mind.

“Go on. Do it!” Rosemount shouted.

The knife glinted as her hand twisted to reposition it for the kill.

“I love you, Shea.”

Her head tilted slightly. Beautiful lips curved up in a smile. She winked. The knife slashed down, slicing his bonds.

He was free!

************************************************************************

I think one of the biggest reasons I loved the above scene was because I had no idea how they were going to get out of that fix. When Shea winked at him, I thought, Go, Shea! And was thrilled!

So what about you? What are your thoughts on Shea, Ethan and Donald Rosemount? Did you know immediately who the tortured man was? Did you know the identity of the mole?

I did a quick reader's poll a year or so back to see which man was their favorite LCR hero and Ethan won by a landslide. Does he still hold up or has another LCR operative replaced him in your heart?

And to make this walk down memory lane more fun, one random commenter will win a $25 Barnes and Noble giftcard. And, later on in the day, I’ll post a RUN TO ME trivia contest. First person to get all the answers correct will win signed copies of two LCR books of their choice and a $25 Amazon giftcard.

Now, let’s chat!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Recommend Monday! (edited for update)

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a great week and weekend! Mine was fabulously busy. Jared, Mia and I went away for a long weekend. And though there were some tense moments, many of which involved yelling and snarling, I think we've come to an understanding. Wish us luck that it will last!

Much of this week will be filled with Dylan and Jamie. SWEET REVENGE copyedits arrived on Saturday. (According to my husband, who called to say that a GIGANTIC package arrived from Random House) LOL Sounds like I have my work cut out for me.

Lots of fun things going on in the Reece household. Today is my hubby's birthday. So in between polishing up Dylan and Jamie's story and pounding out Mia and Jared's book, I'm going to be celebrating the day my true love was born. Now that's what I call a good day!

The back cover blurb for SWEET REWARD is now up on my website. Yay! Just click on to the SWEET REWARD page. You can also see it on my Facebook page. Here's that link:


Tell me what you think! I've not even had a peek at the cover yet, but I've been told it's going to be spectacular. Can't wait!

Don't forget that the Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research is still going on through the end of May. Lots of great items to bid on and I noticed the bidding on my donation is low, so if you want to grab signed copies of all six of the LCR books for yourself or someone else, here's your chance and you'd be helping a wonderful cause too. Here's that link again:


No recommends for me this week. Reading while I'm on deadline is difficult, but I do look forward to having some free reading time once I'm finished. Now that'll be a SWEET REWARD!

Okay, that's it for me. Don't forget, our countdown to the release of SWEET JUSTICE continues tomorrow with a discussion of RUN TO ME. There will be prizes, so come prepared to chat and have a great time!

See you back here tomorrow. Now, tell us what great books we should be reading!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Is it really Spring? Today's high is 57 degrees! That's a December temp! One good thing about it though is that it's perfect writing weather. I'm about a month away from deadline and deadline dementia has started already. Crazy weird dreams, odd food cravings and the insatiable desire to throw objects against my office wall. Good times. (:

Last week I finished up page proofs for SWEET JUSTICE. Now Honor and Seth are in NYC enjoying their well-deserved and hard earned HEA and I'm here in Bama working on SWEET REWARD and watching Jared and Mia deny their feelings. More stubborn characters! I want to hurry and get as much writing done for them as possible because copy edits will be coming soon for SWEET REVENGE. I'm looking forward to another visit with Jamie and Dylan. Even though these two almost drove me crazy, I ended up loving them. And, once I finish copy edits, I'll be sharing an excerpt with you. I can't wait for you to read their story!

Good news alert! I was thrilled to learn that SECOND CHANCE finaled in the Greater Detroit RWA Booksellers Best Awards Contest. Yay for Keeley and Cole!

Don't forget that the countdown for SWEET JUSTICE continues with our next LCR discussion on May 24. We'll be discussing RUN TO ME. I've heard from several of you who are very excited to revisit Shea and Ethan. There's just something about Ethan. (: And there will be prizes!

What about you? What have you been up to? Read some great books you want to tell us about? In between deadline craziness, I did finish Cherry Adair's Hush. What a wild, fun book! Definitely recommended reading to those who love fast paced action and sizzling romance.

For those of you who might be looking for an opportunity to help the storm ravaged South, Help Write Now is a writing community auction to benefit southern storm relief. Lots of great items to bid on. I'm donating signed copies of my LCR series--the first six books, and also, a signed copy of SWEET JUSTICE. (As soon as I get one) I think the auction for my item ends tomorrow, May 17. Here's the link if you're interested: http://helpwritenow.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-8-item-1-six-signed-books-plus.html

Also, if you're on GoodReads, I just signed up to give away three copies of SWEET JUSTICE. I think the giveaway is still pending approval by the GoodReads' staff, but you should be able to sign up soon.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm diving into my writing cave and may not come out until Spring arrives once more. Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Now tell us what we should be reading!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a fabulous week and weekend! Did you do anything exciting for Mother's Day? Go somewhere fun, get a fabulous gift or treated extra special for your special day?

I went to see my mom and she's doing wonderfully well. She's even walking short distances without a cane. What an inspiration! Thank you all again for your good wishes and prayers. They're working!

Thank you also for the wonderful birthday wishes, cards and gifts. I can't tell you how much they meant to me. I sincerely, without a doubt, no question about it, have the bestest, kindest and SWEETest readers in the world!

Last week, in between birthday celebrations, I worked on page proofs for SWEET JUSTICE and also spent some time with Jared and Mia from SWEET REWARD. Deadline for their book is in June and today we're going to have a very direct face to face meeting about the importance of cooperation if they're to achieve their HEA on time. Wish me luck!

What do you think about the new website design? Doesn't it look cleaner? How's the navigation for you? Are you finding what you're looking for easily? There are a few glitches (the SWEET JUSTICE countdown clock isn't working), and a few date issues and such, but for the most part, we're almost there. Be sure to let me know if there's something else you'd like to see that would be helpful.

Regarding the new covers. SWEET JUSTICE cover is almost set, there's still some tweaking being done with SWEET REVENGE and I'm hoping to see something on SWEET REWARD within the next few weeks. Yay! And, as you can see, all three can be pre-ordered in various places. Double Yay!

I'm running behind on sending prizes out, so if you're one of the many who've won something here or on Facebook within the last couple of weeks, please be patient. They'll be sent soon. Promise!

The Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes opened last week and if you've not been to the site, there are some incredible things up for bid. The set of six books in the Last Chance Rescue series is up for bid, along with many many other awesome items. Here's the link for the LCR series.


Don't forget that our monthly LCR discussion, counting down to the release of SWEET JUSTICE, continues on May 24 with a discussion of RUN TO ME. If you've not had a chance to visit with Ethan and Shea lately, or haven't read their story, be sure to do so before the discussion. Lots of fun facts and major spoilers to be revealed!

So what fabulous reads are you recommending this week? I'm in the midst of reading Cherry Adair's Hush. And wow oh wow, what a wild, fun ride so far!

Okay, I'm headed back to my writing cave for the final polish to Seth and Honor's book and my meeting with Jared and Mia. Will check back soon to see what great reads you're recommending.

Have a fabulous week everyone!




Tuesday, May 3, 2011

DEMON HUNTING in DIXIE!


As promised, I have a special guest for you today. Lexi George is a debut author. Her first book, DEMON HUNTING in DIXIE, a light and funny paranormal romance, came out last week from Kensington Brava.

Lexi is a member of my RWA chapter, Southern Magic, here in Birmingham and a good friend. She's going to chat today about seven things she's learned as a newly published author. With only a little over two years under my belt as a published author, I can definitely identify with everything she mentions. And some of these things I'm still learning!

I hope you'll take a moment to say hey to Lexi and check out her awesome first book! Isn't the cover beautiful? I love the colors! And Lexi's generously giving away two signed ARCs of DHiD to two random commenters. So be sure to comment for a chance to win. Lexi's going to be stopping by frequently today, so if you have any questions about writing or being a newly published author, be sure to ask her.

7 Things I’ve Learned So Far by Lexi George

1. Sometimes you have to kill your little darlings. Yes, it’s tough. It might be funny, poignant, or the best darn passage you’ve ever written, but if it doesn’t move the story forward or tell the reader something new about one of your characters it’s extraneous. It slows the pace and kills the story. But, hey, write green. Save it in a junk document and recycle it in another book.

2. Don’t save anything for later—put it all out there. Don’t worry about saving ideas/ characters/ scenes or dialogue for the ‘next’ book. Use it all. Now. In this book. Trust your muse. There will be more later when you need it, I promise.

3. As much as I hate conflict in my real life, it is necessary on the page. I hate confrontation. I am a peacemaker. I avoid conflict in my personal life like the plague. But no one wants to read a story that is all lollipops and buttercups. Characters have to have conflict, internal and external, that drives the story along. Conflict is the hardest thing for me to achieve as a writer. It goes against my nature, but it is essential. Throw rocks at your characters. Big rocks and little rocks.

4. Sex scenes are . . . er . . . hard. I love romance and I love a sexy, romantic sex scene. When I buy a new romance I always thumb through and find the culminating moment between the hero and heroine. I don’t read it, mind you, but I know where it is. It gives me something to look forward to! I am NOT one of those women who skip the sex scenes. Nope. Uh uh.

Writing a sex scene? Arggh!!! It has to be emotional and sensual. It has to be satisfying to the reader, who has invested his or her precious time in the relationship of your characters and their love story. Sex scenes are significant with a capital ‘S,’ and darn hard to write. Especially when you have the image of the old maid librarian from grammar school haunting you, or when you imagine the reaction of your aunt, the Baptist preacher’s wife, when she reads your sex scene. Talk about your cold showers.

5. Your characters will surprise you. No matter whether you are a pantser or a plotter with flow charts and family trees for every character, at some point in the writing process, your characters are going to surprise you. You’ll think, Wow, I never expected her/him to say or do that! Secondary characters have a way of popping up in my books fully formed, like Athena from Zeus’s head. I don’t anticipate them and they surprise the heck out of me when they appear.

6. I can write funny! No, really, I never knew I had it in me. When I set out to write Demon Hunting in Dixie, I envisioned it as dark and steamy. Imagine my surprise when the story took a funny turn almost from the start! Lesson learned? When you write, not only will your characters surprise you, you will surprise yourself. Writing is a wonderful way to discover new things about your oldest and dearest friend, the person you thought you knew everything about: You! I highly recommend it.

7. You can’t do it alone. Every writer needs friends who write. Writing can be a lonely business and you need your peeps to encourage you, support you, and give you the occasional kick in the butt when you need it. Moreover, feedback and constructive criticism are essential if you want to grow and improve as a writer. You can’t write in a vacuum. Join (or start!) a writer’s group and your local chapter of the RWA. You will find friendship, a wealth of information, and support. Networking can help get your foot in the door. Without the help of other writers, I would not be published today.

Seriously. For one thing, if not for Christy’s generosity, I would not be on this blog. Thank you, Christy!

Fabulous Release Alert!!!

Hey All-

Just wanted to remind you that Pamela Clare's BREAKING POINT is out today! It's a fabulous book and one I wholeheartedly recommend! Zach and Natalie's story is amazing, thrilling, sexy and fulfilling. This is one you don't want to miss!

Here's a link to Pamela's website: www.pamelaclare.com


An excerpt from BREAKING POINT: http://www.pamelaclare.com/excerpt_breaking.php

Follow Pamela on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Pamela_Clare

Also, I'll be posting another excerpt of BREAKING POINT on my Facebook page and giving away a copy of BP, along with an LCR book of your choice.

Here's the link to my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristyReece

Bottom line: BREAKING POINT is a must read!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Wow, where do I start? Amongst the usual book news and such, I sometimes have an interesting tidbit of something or the other, but today it seems I could write a book. First, how was your week and weekend? Did you do anything fun you want to share with us? What about great reads? What books did you devour that you can't wait for others to know about? Please share!

Last week was a very scary time around here. As most of you know, the South was ravaged by tornadoes on Wednesday. Several states were devastated and my home state was one of the hardest hit. The last I heard, we had over 250 dead in Alabama alone. Many people lost their lives, their loved ones, their homes and everything they had. My family and I were so fortunate to have escaped any damage and my heart and prayers go out to those devastated families. If you are interested in helping these victims, here's the link to the American Red Cross.

Then, of course, on Friday, was the lovely wedding of William and Kate. What a beautiful bride, hero-handsome groom and absolutely perfect wedding. My romantic heart pitter-patted in delight at the sheer happiness the couple exuded. I wish them every happiness.

And then, of course, the news yesterday, that one of the most reviled men in the world had finally been killed. While it seems odd, strange and sad to be happy that a man is dead, evil has been met with justice. And, for the first time, when typing SWEET JUSTICE, I'm not talking about my book. (:

God bless our US Military, especially the Navy Seals and most especially Seal Team Six! And God bless the USA!

Now, back to the wonderful world of books. As you know, Pamela Clare's Breaking Point comes out tomorrow. I've read this book and it is a highly recommended read. I adored Zach and Natalie and I know you will too. Tomorrow, I'll post links to excerpts, but wanted to give you a heads up to 'Buy This Book'!

On Wednesday, May 4, I have a special guest for you. Lexi George will be visiting here. Her debut novel, Demon Hunting in Dixie, came out last Tuesday. It's a hilarious paranormal romance and if you've not had a chance to read it, I encourage you to grab a copy. Lexi will be giving away a copy, so be sure to come by and comment for a chance to win!

Last week, just when the storms were hitting, I was finishing up revisions for SWEET REVENGE. Glad to say I got them off! And, only a few moments ago, the Fed Ex. man dropped off page proofs for SWEET JUSTICE. However, I'm running behind on SWEET REWARD, so in between all these SWEETs, I am blessed with work!

Since today is my birthday and I'm feeling euphoric and a bit giddy, (I've heard that's common when one reaches certain advanced ages) I'd like to offer one person a signed copy of NO CHANCE and LAST CHANCE. The first person who comments on this blog with the words "I want these books!' wins!

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed back into my writing cave to cover myself in SWEETs! If I left out any exciting or breaking news, please forgive me. There's just been so much going on, it's hard to keep up.

Wishing you a wonderful Monday. Can't wait to hear what books you're recommending this week!