Recommend Monday

Good Monday All and Merry Christmas!

The big day has almost arrived. Santa's sleigh is loaded and headed to your house. Are you ready? I know there are millions of bright eyed boys and girls who definitely are.

As many of you already know, my fur-angel Blossom became a real angel last Wednesday. Preparing for Christmas in the midst of grief was probably helpful. With the need to concentrate on other things, we muddled through. Not happily but we got there, so we're giving ourselves points for that.

I'll soon be in the midst of family and friends and that's always a good place to be. I'm going to be away a while longer than I anticipated--at least through the new year. And since there's no Internet or phone service where I'm headed, I won't be able to announce the winners of the Kindle, LCR series, and B&N gift card until January 2. Be sure to check back and see if you're one of the winners. What a great way to start out 2013!

My plan is to return home with a completed CHANCES ARE. Writing the last few weeks has been sporadic at best but Angela and Jake are asking for their HEA and I'm anxious to give it to them.

Next year promises to be a busy one for me with the launching of the Ella Grace Wildefire series and more LCR books, along with some other self published works I'm anxious to get out to you. I hope you'll continue to come back here each Monday to recommend books and get recommendations.

With everything that's been going on lately, I didn't get the opportunity to send out a newsletter. However, I do plan to send one out in January with all sorts of newsy stuff I've not talked about so be sure you're signed up to receive both the Christy Reece and Ella Grace newsletters.

In the midst of holiday madness, I want to stop for a few moments and let you know how much you mean to me. Even though I don't always get the opportunity to answer each person individually, I sincerely appreciate you coming here each week and making your recommendations. I know there are many who rely on this blog to learn about the latest and greatest new releases or newly discovered gems. And I especially want to thank my readers. Your notes, messages, and emails encourage me and always make me smile. Thank you for wanting more LCR books, thank you for your excitement about the Wildefire series, and thank you for just being the wonderful readers that you are!

Christmas blessings to you and yours!

Now, tell us what great books we should be reading!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday Everyone!

I hope you found some great reads last week. In addition to those reads, tell us what your comfort reads are. The ones you go to when you need to get away and just forget reality for a while. For me, I usually go to Linda Howard's Sarah's Child or Mackenzie's Mountain, Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Ain't She Sweet or It Had To Be You, Julie Garwood's The Bride or The Secret, Judith McNaught's Almost Heaven, Something Wonderful or Someone To Watch Over Me. They always give me ease when things get to be too much.

As you might guess, I'm a little blue today, so no real news from me. Though several personal issues last week made it one of the most difficult in recent history, compared to what happened on Friday, my issues are miniscule.

Next week, I hope to be back full force with good news, updates, and lots of holiday cheer. Until then, I hope you'll continue to keep the families of Newtown, Connecticut in your thoughts and prayers. And be sure to hug and appreciate your loved ones.

Looking forward to hearing your recommendations.

Blessings to all!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday Everyone!

Hope you had a great weekend. Can't wait to hear what wonderful books you're recommending today.

Did anyone see the Hallmark movie, Christmas with Holly, last night? It was based on the Lisa Kleypas book, Christmas at Friday Harbor. What a sweet story! I've not read the book so didn't know how it differed from the original story. I think romances are incredibly hard to transfer over to film. There's so much emotion in them, which is sometimes difficult to translate for a visual audience. Don't you think?

I've finished up the page proofs for MIDNIGHT SECRETS and will be sending them off to NY either today or tomorrow. It was such fun visiting with Zach and Savannah again. Love this couple!

This week I'm concentrating on Jake and Angela. I'm halfway done with CHANCES ARE. The plan is still to release it early next year, possibly January. I love being immersed with the LCR gang again. Also, I'm delighted to have met a couple of new operatives. Can't wait for you to meet them, too. I think you'll recognize one of them from an earlier book. (:

Wednesday I'm going to be over at the awesome Norah Wilson's for Workspace Wednesday. I'll be sharing photos of my office along with little tidbits of my work day. I'll also have giveaways! As soon as I get a link, I'll come back and post it so you can come over and see the craziness and often extreme messiness of my office. Although I do plan to do some dusting and vacuuming before I snap the camera!

I'm headed back to Midnight for more brief visit and then it's on to London. Since I'll be traveling, would love something good to read on my journey. So tell me, what fabulous books are you recommending today?

UPDATED: My camera went on the blitz and I was unable to upload photos of my office for Workspace Wednesday. Norah was such a sweetheart for understanding my tech problems and has been kind and gracious enough to ask me to come back in March. As soon as we set this up, I'll let you know. On the positive side, I do have a clean office! (:

Recommend Monday

Good Monday Everyone!

Hope you had a fantabulous week and weekend. Mine was filled with stuff like: "Oh my gosh, this is the best book I've ever written." "Oh my gosh, this is terrible, nobody's going to like this book." "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I wrote such a great book." "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I wrote such a bad book." "Oh my gosh..."

LOL You get the drift. I go through the same thing with each book. Amazing insanity. Poor hubby used to look at me like I'd lost all of my marbles. After 11 books, he's gotten used to the massive insecurity issues. Now he just looks very calmly at me and asks how much chocolate am I going to need. (:

But MIDNIGHT LIES, Ella Grace's second book in the Wildefire series, has been sent in and I can at last go: YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! Yippee. I'm done! I'm done! I'm done! I did end up loving this book and I'm so very much in love with Quinn Braddock. There's just something about a man who refuses to lose control. Sigh. Hope you will love him, too.

Now that deadline is over, I'll be headed back to London and CHANCES ARE. Can't wait to see what Jake and Angela have been up to. Last time I saw them, Angela was working undercover and Jake was about to blow a gasket.

Also, I have page proofs for MIDNIGHT SECRETS to polish up. This is the last chance I'll have to change anything. I'm looking forward to visiting with Zach and Savannah again. Love this couple!

Since I haven't had a chance to read in the last few weeks, I'm anxious to hear what you thought was fantastic lately. Need something wonderfully romantic, steamy, with a sigh worthy hero and a feisty heroine. Got any suggestions?

BTW, if you haven't signed up for my newsletter here or on my Ella Grace site, be sure to do that soon. I'll be sending out a newsletter this month filled with lots of information you don't want to miss.

Okay, I'm headed out to take care of bunches of stuff I had to let slide the last few weeks. Then I'll head back to Midnight for a quick visit. Also hope to get to London today, too.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. Now, tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day with lots of family, food and fun. Did you brave the Black Friday shopping frenzy? If so, did you get any fabulous deals?

I'm in the midst of Deadline Dementia, a common occurrence when I'm only a few days from deadline and all those things I know I need to fix whirl around in my mind like a manic ferris wheel. In my dreams, the crazed operator controlling the ride looks eerily like my high school algebra teacher. What's that about?

Anyway, with deadline upon me, this will be another short and sweet Recommend Monday but with a twist. In addition to your regular recommends, name one book you wished you hadn't read yet so you could read it for the first time and enjoy all the delicious surprises again. Do you have any like that? I think for me, mine would be It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Linda Howard's MacKenzie's Mountain. Loved those two books!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. And don't forget, a recommend from you puts your name into a drawing for some fabulous prizes: (1) Kindle Fire HD; (2)Signed copies of entire LCR series; (3) $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card. Winner announced 12/31.

Easy Peasy!

Now tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday and a CHANCES ARE Excerpt!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and have some wonderful recommendations for us today. I'm zooming toward the deadline for MIDNIGHT LIES, so I'm making this short and sweet: Tell us what fabulous books we should be reading!

As you know, Thanksgiving is this week and though I'm grateful everyday for all the gifts in my life, I always get a little sentimental this time of year when I think about how truly blessed I am. And I include you in those blessings. Thank you for buying my books, for telling others about them, for your emails, messages, and kind comments. Thank you for coming to this blog once a week and sharing your love of books with others. Without you, I would just be a pajama clad woman sitting in her chair, stuffing her face with chocolate, and talking to imaginary characters. Not a pretty picture!

So, as a thank you, I'm sharing an excerpt from CHANCES ARE. Totally unedited, this excerpt might change a bit before it's finished, but it should give you an idea of Jake and Angela and will hopefully get you even more excited about their story.

Have a fabulous week and a safe and delightful Thanksgiving. Hope you enjoy the sneak peek at CHANCES ARE!

-->

“Come on, sweetheart, you know you want it. Take it. I won’t hurt you.”

It had been said that Jake Mallory’s soft, gentle whisper could charm the birds from a tree, the snarl off a grizzly, and the panties from the most virtuous woman. He’d never seen it happen himself, but the rumors had always made him laugh. Today he was trying to do nothing more than charm a mouse from behind his fridge. Didn’t seem fair to kill the poor thing but dammed if he wanted to share an apartment with it. The cheese, an excellent gyurere, had been a small sacrifice to make. Now if only the creature would cooperate.

He needed to move to a nicer place. The flat had been temporary diggs to hang his clothes when he’d come to Paris. Working for Last Chance Rescue had seemed like a perfect job but he counted on nothing anymore. Everything in his life was on probation, especially the things that seemed perfect.

Being an LCR operative had worked out so far. He’d been an operative for about four months now, had been on a half dozen rescues, saved lives and helped put bad people away. Nice to know that some things actually were what they seemed.

The LCR people he’d met were what they seemed, too. Odd, since much of their work dealt with lying. Half a year ago he hadn’t trusted a soul. Now, he trusted an entire organization. Working for LCR had restored his faith in people. Not all of them. Hell, he’d seen too much evil shit for that to happen. Even now, he stayed wary, just in case. Jake didn’t trust easy. Never again.

His attention moved to the present as a tiny, whiskered face peeked from behind his fridge. Jake stood statue still. A fishnet might seem like an odd device to trap a mouse but it was his best bet for a live capture and release.

The creature scurried to the cheese chunk lying in the floor. Jake waited till the twitching nose touched the cheese. Quick as a cat, he threw the net over the small heap, scooped up the now squiggling mouse and dropped it into a waiting shoebox.

 Grabbing his keys and jacket, Jake picked up the box and headed out the door. The abandoned building two blocks down seemed the perfect relocation. Should be plenty of company for his little friend.

The cellphone in his pocket played a familiar tune, telling him that his boss, Noah McCall was calling. The shoebox under his arm, he pulled out the phone and held it to his ear. “Mallory.”

“Can you come in?”

“Yeah. Half an hour okay?”

“Yes.”

The line went dead before Jake could answer. Phone etiquette wasn’t high on McCall’s ‘must do’ list. Most of the phone conversations they’d had consisted of one or two words but the tone in his boss’s voice sounded ominous and grim, more so than usual.

His head low to battle the icy, brutal wind, Jake strode to his car. Opening the door, he deposited the box on the front passenger seat and cranked the engine. As he pulled out onto rue de Morgan, he reflected on his boss. Before coming to Paris, Jake had thought Noah McCall was an urban legend. As a cop, he’d heard stories about LCR’s successes but had dismissed most of them as someone’s wishful thinking. It wasn’t until he’d gotten caught up in the middle of an LCR rescue that he realized everything he’d heard was true.

Jake had been a typical tourist the day he’d met McCall. He’d been in Paris for two weeks, staying at hostels, roaming the streets, soaking up the atmosphere. He’d stopped in for a cold drink and a cheap meal at a not so high-class establishment. What he had gotten was a busted mouth, a black eye and a job offer from McCall.

LCR had been running a sting. He hadn’t known that. All he knew was two drunks were attempting to pull a young woman out of the bar and no one was stopping them. He’d intervened and ruined the op. Thankfully another sting had been set up a few days later that had brought down a human trafficking operation.

Even though Jake had blown the op, McCall had been impressed with his intervention. Days later, the LCR leader had called and offered him a job. After listening intently, Jake’s world had shifted once more. For two years, he’d been mired in grief, with no purpose. McCall’s offer had shown him a new path. Now he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Making a quick stop at the abandoned warehouse, he unboxed his uninvited houseguest and watched it scamper away. Not his usual kind of rescue but what the hell. Killing something just because he could wasn’t his way.

He parked two blocks from the LCR office. It was a cold one today but the frigid air kept his mind from wandering where he couldn’t let it go. The moment he walked into the office, he’d be greeted with what he told himself he shouldn’t want and couldn’t have. Maybe this new assignment would get him out of the country for a while. Lately that had been the only way to keep his hands off of Angela Delvecchio.

-->

The instant he opened the door and saw her beautiful face, he called himself a fool once again. Her attraction to him had been obvious from the beginning. What had also been obvious was her innocence. Beneath that tough girl persona, the multiple tattoos and piercings, he’d seen the gentle, caring heart of Angela Delvecchio. A heart that could be crushed by some cruel bastard’s uncaring selfishness. Dammed if he would be that man.

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a good weekend and have some marvelous reads to recommend today. Don't forget, a recommend enters your name into the contest for some fabulous prizes. Drawing is 12/31/12

No recommends from me. Deadline is looming and until Quinn and Samantha find their HEA, I'll be working to help them get there. I'm looking forward to devouring some great books when I'm finished.

Just a few announcements.

First, a big YAY! The eBook for MIDNIGHT SECRETS can now be pre-ordered!

MIDNIGHT SECRETS eBook at Amazon 
MIDNIGHT SECRETS eBook at Barnes and Noble

Also, I was so pleased last week to get proofs of the MIDNIGHT SECRETS cover. Wow, oh wow, wow, wow. Absolutely gorgeous! Read on for a chance to win one.

Once MIDNIGHT LIES is zooming to my editor, hopefully by November 30, I'll be finishing up Jake and Angela's novella, CHANCES ARE. I'm halfway done and can't wait to get back to these two wonderful characters. And soon, I'll share with you that super sexy cover I mentioned.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all who have served our country, both past and present. Though Veterans Day is but one day a year, I am grateful each and every day for your service, courage and sacrifice.

Since all the heroes in the Wildefire series are former or current military, let's do this. In addition to your recommends, name your favorite military romance. I'll randomly choose a commenter's name and announce it on Friday. Winner gets a signed cover proof of MIDNIGHT SECRETS! Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you.

It's rainy and cool here in Birmingham so I'm headed back to Midnight where the sun is shining, birds are singing, steam is rising and a murderer is lurking!

Happy Monday!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

How was your week? Were you impacted by Sandy? My heart aches for all those hurting. Seeing those horrendous photos of devastation is just so very sad. If you were touched by the storm, I pray your recovery is swift and painless.

Last week I concentrated most of my efforts on MIDNIGHT LIES. Deadline looms and the entire town of Midnight is on pins and needles as we head toward to a screeching, volatile ending. Wish us luck that it works out well for everyone.

On Saturday, I attended the Southern Magic Readers Luncheon, which is my home chapter's readers' appreciation event held here in Birmingham. Sherrilyn Kenyon was the keynote speaker and Dianna Love the welcome speaker. We had a record attendance and such fun. Two regular commenters here, Jackie P and Kara attended and I was thrilled we got to hang out together. Such a good time!

Next year, the luncheon will be held on Saturday, November 2. So excited that NYT Bestselling Author Jeaniene Frost will be the welcome speaker. And I was thrilled and honored to be invited to be the welcome speaker. Would love to see you there if you can make it.

This week, I'm focusing solely on MIDNIGHT LIES. I'm loving Quinn and Samantha so very much and I hope you will too. Can't wait to give this couple the HEA they deserve.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed back to my writing cave that I hope will transport me to Midnight, Alabama where it's about to get really steamy! (:

Have a great week everyone. And if you're in the US, don't forget to vote tomorrow!

Now, tell us what great books you read last week!

Recommend Monday

Happy Monday All!

Sorry I'm late today. It's chilly outside and it took longer for me to start up this morning. Love snuggling with my fur-angels on cold mornings. And speaking of fur-angels, I'm so pleased to announce that Blossom is doing wonderfully well. She can see again! She's still in the recovery stage and her vision will slowly improve over the next six weeks. But just one week is a major improvement. And she's getting her spunk and sass back, which I have so missed. Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts. They worked! And are much appreciated!

So are you in the path of the Franken-storm? If so, please be safe. Every time I turn on the news, it's like I'm watching a sci-fi movie. I know Sandy has already caused death and destruction along her path to the U.S. but I'm hoping and praying she'll peter out and not cause the havoc that's being predicted. If you're anywhere near where she will cause problems, my thoughts and prayers for you and yours!

Last week, in between tears and fears for my fur-angel, I spent much of my time finishing up copyedits for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. I also wrote on both MIDNIGHT LIES and a few pages of CHANCES ARE.

Have I mentioned the cover of CHANCES ARE to you? It's a completely different kind of cover than my first 9 LCR books. I hope to reveal it to you soon. I've shown it to a few people who describe it as beautiful and very very sexy. I hope it's not so out there that people will be discouraged from buying it. However, the cover is a scene straight out of the story and I will admit, when I saw it, I loved it. But there's this straight-laced side of me that fears I'll shock you. Anyway, I'll show it to you soon and let you tell me what you think.

Although I'm not going to be able to get CHANCES ARE out to you by the year's end, I do plan to have it for you early next year. However, I have to finish my contracted book first. MIDNIGHT LIES, the second book in my Ella Grace series, has surprised me with its many twists and turns. I can't wait for you to read it and I am so in love with the hero, Quinn Braddock, I can't see straight. (:

Once I'm finished with ML, I'll get back to Jake and Angela's story. I left them in a dangerous situation and I'm anxious to see if they survived!

Okay enough about me. Tell me about you. What are you reading, what are you recommending and what are you looking forward to buying on release day tomorrow? I've seen lots of posts on Facebook about tomorrow's releases. Looks like lots of awesome ones are coming out. What are you most looking forward to reading?

Just a reminder that I'm posting a Midnight Tale over on my Ella Grace site every Friday, so be sure to check them out when you can. You'll learn lots of tidbits about the town of Midnight and some of her most interesting characters. Also, be sure to sign up for my Ella Grace newsletter. The first day of each month, beginning November 1, I'll choose a subscriber at random to receive a $10 bookstore gift card.

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed to Midnight where the holiday festivities are about to get explosive! Now tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a lovely weekend. Since it's getting cooler, I love the thought of snuggling up with a cup of hot tea and a good book. Sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Thank you all again for the good wishes and prayers for my fur-angel, Blossom. We were thrilled to learn that she is indeed healthy enough for surgery. That's planned for tomorrow morning and we're so hoping her sight can be restored. Would appreciate continued good thoughts and prayers for success!

Last week I received copy edits for my first Ella Grace book, MIDNIGHT SECRETS. How could I have forgotten how much I loved this book? (: The copy edits are due this week. Once they're finished, it's back to MIDNIGHT LIES where Quinn and Samantha are about to discover that Midnight, Alabama is not big enough for the both of them. Expecting fireworks!

Also last week, I looked over some possibilities for the cover of my LCR novella, CHANCES ARE. I'm considering going in a completely different direction. Having the freedom to choose my own cover is very freeing but scary, too. What if I get it wrong? But then, I can always put a different cover if it's not working. Now that is so very cool.

This particular cover is way sexier than any of the other LCR books but the scene is right out of the storyline. So it'll be interesting to see what you guys think. Still not sure when the novella will be released but the second I know for sure, you will know the very next second. Promise!

The Monday recommends have increased substantially but I would love to see more. I created the contest to increase the awareness of Recommend Monday and, of course, my books. I would sincerely appreciate it if you would share news of this contest and blog with your reader friends. And the added benefit is more recommends. A win-win for us all!

As a reminder, here's the contest rules and prizes:

One entry per each Recommend Monday, no matter how many books you recommend or how many times you comment.

The drawing will take place, Monday, January 31 at 12:00 PM (CST)

Grand prize: Kindle Fire HD.
First place prize: A signed copy of the complete Last Chance Rescue series (all 9 books)
Second place prize: $25 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Let's see how many comments we can get this week!

Okay, gotta get back to copy edits. Hope you all have a great week. Can't wait to see what you're recommending this week.

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a good week and weekend. Looking forward to hearing about all the great books you read last week. Remember the contest for the Kindle giveaway ends 12/31 and a recommend from you each week is another entry in the contest. (Only one entry per week)

Last week wasn't the best for me. Blossom, my fur angel, who has been with me from the very first word I typed, went blind. It happened overnight and we were devastated. We took her to the opthamologist and learned she has diabetes. In a way, we were relieved because that is a treatable disease. However, the blindness continues. We're checking this week if she's healthy enough for eye surgery. So hoping we can get her sight back. Would certainly appreciate good thoughts and prayers that we get good news!

On a happier note, things are heating up in Midnight, Alabama with MIDNIGHT LIES. I am loving this story. If you didn't get a chance to read last Friday's Midnight Tales, be sure to check it out. It features a photo of the Wilde mansion and has a short excerpt from MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Click on the mansion for more. Here's the link: A Midnight Tale

Great news for my UK readers! I noticed that the first six LCR books are up for pre-order on Amazon. Here's the link: RESCUE ME for UK readers The other titles can be found there also. Looks like RESCUE ME releases in January, RETURN TO ME in February, etc. I can't wait to see the new covers!

MIDNIGHT SECRETS is also available for pre-order in the UK but only the paperback so far. As soon as it goes up for Kindle, I'll let you know. Be warned, it's still showing a March 26 release date and not the new one of April 30. Here's the UK buy link: MIDNIGHT SECRETS for UK readers

With the family issues that came up last week, along with a 10/31 deadline for MIDNIGHT LIES and copyedits coming this week for MIDNIGHT SECRETS, there is a strong possibility that CHANCES ARE won't be ready to release this year. I really want to get Jake and Angela's story to you but I also want it to be LCR worthy. I'll let you know as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience. I can't wait for you to meet Angela and Jake!

Okay, that's it for me. Got lots of writing to do. Wish me luck!

Hope you have a wonderful week. Now tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Last week's comments were amazing, with lots of book recommendations. Would love to increase that even more this week, so come on and share your great reads!

Remember, by recommending a book here, you're entered into a contest for:

Grand Prize winner: Kindle Fire HD
First Prize winner: Signed copy of entire Last Chance Rescue series (9 books)
Second Prize winner: $25 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Winner will be announced December 31.

Thanks to all who commented about my Ella Grace site. Be sure to check out the Midnight Tale I posted on Friday. Faye's Diner is the oldest restaurant in Midnight and holds more secrets than most people would expect.

Also, thanks to those who commented here or sent an email about how you'd like to read CHANCES ARE novella, either eBook or paperback. Still don't know if I'll be able to offer it in paperback yet but I'll be sure to let everyone know as soon as I know.

I have tons going on this week and the deadline for Ella's MIDNIGHT LIES looms ever near, so please forgive the shortness of this post.

Looking forward to everyone recommendations!

Have a great week!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday Everyone!

Looking forward to hearing about all your great reads from last week. There have been some fabulous releases the last few months. Can't wait to hear about the ones you're recommending.

Thanks to everyone who came by to check out my Ella Grace website.  I sincerely appreciate your kind comments. I hope you got the chance to read the MIDNIGHT SECRETS excerpt. Also, last Friday I posted the very first Midnight Tale. Inez Peebles, the oldest resident of Midnight, wrote an interesting and informative blog about her hometown. If you didn't get to read it, here's the link: A Midnight Tale. 

As promised, since the Ella Grace site is now up, the focus on this blog will be future Christy Reece books, including the upcoming LCR novella, CHANCES ARE. And to keep that promise, here's a snippet for you. The first paragraph: 

CHANCES ARE

Prologue

London, England

He had been following her for days. She was young, beautiful, and deliciously unaware of anything outside of her field of vision or interest. Was there anything more enticing or tempting? Without a doubt, she had no clue that her life was about to make a hairpin turn and dead end abruptly. 

I'll try to share a few lines every couple of weeks. I've so enjoyed getting back to the LCR gang. Both Angela and Jake have surprised and delighted me. I think you're going to love them as a couple. I'll soon be working on the cover and can't wait to see how that turns out. As soon as it's finalized, I'll post it here. I'm still hopeful that I'll get CHANCES ARE out to you by the end of the year.

As you know, I'm self publishing CHANCES ARE, which means it will be released as an eBook. I'm not sure yet if I'll release it as a paperback, too. Much of it depends upon what readers want. So if you wouldn't mind letting me know how you would prefer to read CHANCES ARE, I'd sincerely appreciate it. You can comment here or email me at christy@christyreece.com.

As mentioned last week, today is the beginning of a huge contest for me. I've never done this before and am quite excited about it. My website has the most hits on Monday because of this blog, however, over the last couple of months recommends have slowed considerably. I'd love to regenerate interest because even though we have only a few recommendations, many viewers come here to get good book suggestions. I want to continue that service. So, to help increase the comments and hopefully the traffic, I'm going to have a 3 month contest. Each person who recommends a book(s) will be entered into the contest. Only one entry each Monday but the more Mondays you recommend a book, the more times your name will be entered. There are 14 Mondays between now and the end of the year. That 14 times you could enter.

The drawing will take place, Monday, January 31 at 12:00 PM (CST)

Here are the prizes:

Grand prize: Kindle Fire HD.
First place prize: A signed copy of the complete Last Chance Rescue series (all 9 books)
Second place prize: $25 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble

So, let's hear it for Recommend Monday! Remember, the contest starts today. And since it's a win-win for everybody, be sure to let others know about the contest. We all get great book recommendations and at the end of the year, three people will win a fabulous prize!

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed back to Midnight. I hope you have a fabulous week. Can't wait to read your recommendations!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday Everyone!

Hope you had a successful week and fun-filled weekend. And really hoping to see lots of book recommendations today. I'm getting restless not reading my favored genre and feel the need to immerse myself into some fabulous reads!

As you know, I had hoped to launch the Ella Grace website last week. Well, I learned a hard lesson. I am not a techie person and though I knew that, I decided to pretend otherwise. It didn't go well. My poor web designer was probably screaming at every email I sent her. But lesson learned. Let the professionals do their jobs and stay the heck out of their way!

Also, I got the news last week that the release date for MIDNIGHT SECRETS has been pushed back a month. The new release date is April 30, 2013. A little bit of a disappointment but not that much longer of a wait.

However, I am pleased to announce that the Ella Grace website is now officially live! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ella Grace website

Please note that it's EllaGraceBooks.com Hope you enjoy!

Also, I have a major contest announcement coming next Monday, October 1, for this Christy Reece blog. Be sure to come back for that. I think you're going to love it!

On the writing front, things are going well in Midnight. Endless surprises this writer did not see coming are happening in MIDNIGHT LIES. So exciting!

Because Ella's site is now live, I'll start talking more about it over on that site. Which means, on this blog, I'll talk about CHANCES ARE and what's going on with Angela, Jake and the LCR gang. Stay tuned because I hope to be able to share an excerpt with you soon. I think Angela is going to surprise many of you. She's certainly surprised me!

Okay, that's it for me. Can't wait to hear what books you're recommending. Remember, when you recommend a book, you're performing a public service for both readers and authors. So please tell us what we should be reading!

Have a great week all! And be sure to come by and say hey to Ella!

Ella Grace Website Coming Soon

Hey All!

Just popping in to say there was a delay on my new Ella Grace website. My fault! I made a mess of some stuff and my kind website designer had to fix it for me. Yikes, I need to stick to writing!

Anyway, I have high hopes that we'll be able to unveil it early next week, possibly as early as Monday.

So thanks for your patience and stay tuned.

Have a great weekend!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

How was your weekend? Do anything fun, read anything grand? Let us know!

Last week I sent in the revised version of MIDNIGHT SECRETS to my editor. Amazing that as I read through the book, I cried in the same places I did when I wrote it. Even knowing what was going to happen, I still cried. I hope this means it's a good book and not just because I'm a weenie. (:

I believe, at last, my Ella Grace website will be revealed this week. When it goes live, I'll hop on the blog to let you know. Did you get a chance to read the excerpt of MIDNIGHT SECRETS on my Ella Grace Facebook page. I may be wrong but I don't think you have to be on Facebook to read it. Here's the link: MIDNIGHT SECRETS excerpt on Facebook

This week I'm working on MIDNIGHT LIES. It's due in six weeks and I'm way behind. When I went back to it late last week, I reread what I've written and was extremely happy with it. So yay, onward and upward! In between that, I will continue to work on CHANCES ARE. I really want to get Angela and Jake's novella in your hands. I think you're going to love it. At least I hope so!

There's a fun blog blitz going on over at my RWA chapter's blog a chance to win books, prizes and gift cards and also a Kindle Fire. Here's the official ad:

Starting September 17 through October 16, weekdays only, Southern Magic will have a great line up of authors/writers giving away books, gift cards and swag! For every comment during these four weeks, the commenter's name will be placed in a drawing for a KINDLE FIRE! So the more you comment, the more often your name will be entered for the e-reader. 

So check it out at Romance Magicians' Blog Blitz

Okay, that's it for me. Have a great week and tell us what great books we should be reading!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday Everyone!

Hope you had a fabulous week and weekend. Did you read anything fabulous? If so, here's your place to tell us about it.

Thanks to those who celebrated National Buy a Book Day with me. I didn't know it existed but now that I do, I'll be sure to celebrate every year. Supporting authors by having a special book buying day is a wonderful idea. I can't wait to read the one I purchased. And congrats to Steph99 for winning the contest. Steph99, please email me at christy@christyreece.com with your choice of two signed LCR books and your mailing address.

I'm still in the midst of MIDNIGHT SECRETS revisions. Hope to finish them up by mid week so I can get back to CHANCES ARE and MIDNIGHT LIES. I'm anxious to see what my characters have been up to.

My Ella Grace site is coming along and should be ready to launch any day now. Since I want to share an excerpt of MIDNIGHT SECRETS before that, I'm going to post it to my Ella Grace Facebook page. I have a question for you about excerpts. Do you prefer the beginning of the book, the first meeting of the hero and heroine or their first kiss?

Though I'm immersed in revisions, I do have a fabulous recommend. I read True Shot by Joyce Lamb last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. The hero was an unlikely one and I loved that about him. The heroine was strong but vulnerable too. The last fifty pages of the book were some of the most intense I've ever read. Took me hours to settle down after I read it!

Okay, that's it for me. I'm offline for the rest of the week to get MIDNIGHT SECRETS polished and shiny. Be sure to check on Friday for the excerpt at Ella Grace Facebook Page

I can't wait for you to meet Zach and Savannah. My editor said that Zach stole her heart. I hope he does that to yours too. (:

Have a great week all. Now tell us what we should be reading!

Happy National Buy A Book Day!

Happy Friday Everyone! Did you know that today was National Buy A Book Day? Me either! But now that I know, I feel compelled to do my part. Want to join me? There's a prize in it for someone!

Here's the challenge: Go buy a book, either eBook, paperback or hard cover, from your favorite online source or bookstore and come back here and tell me what you bought and where you purchased it. Heck, you can even tell us a little bit about it and why you wanted to read it, if you like.

On Monday, I'll select one person from the "I just bought" comments to win two signed LCR books of your choice. How's that for a 3 for 1 deal?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going book shopping. I'll stop by a little later and tell you what I bought!

Support an author and buy a book today!

Recommend Monday

Happy Monday All (and for those in the U.S.) Happy Labor Day!

Did you have a good week and weekend? Get lots of reading done?

My week was...well, I'm going to quote John Steinbeck, with a little addition: The best laid plans of mice and men and romance writers. I had planned to finish the first draft of CHANCES ARE. However, revisions came for MIDNIGHT SECRETS, which meant Jake and Angela had to step out of the way while I went back to Midnight and Zach and Savannah. But there's definitely a silver lining to this. My editor said: "Sweet, sexy, emotional and suspenseful, MIDNIGHT SECRETS is an utterly engaging read--a riveting first book to introduce the Midnight/Wilde sisters series." So a big YAY on that! I can't wait for you guys to meet Zach, Savannah and the residents of Midnight.

So I'm now in the midst of some minor revisions but once I'm finished, hopefully by next week, I'll get back with Jake and Angela and finish up their story. And of course, I have Quinn and Samantha waiting in the wings in MIDNIGHT LIES. Never a dull moment around here, that's for sure!

Also, I heard from my wonderful UK editor at Headline Publishing Group. They're going to be releasing all nine LCR books in their Eternal line early next year. Which means that UK readers will finally be able to get the LCR books in eBook form.  Headline will also be publishing my Ella Grace books in the UK at the same time they come out here in the U.S. So excited to be reaching new readers as both Christy Reece and Ella Grace!

Been kind of a busy week and weekend, so no new romance reading for me. I have started a fascinating non-fiction book, American Sniper by Chris Kyle, who is a former Navy SEAL. I've read the first couple of chapters and am mesmerized and enthralled already.

Okay, that's it for me. Again, I apologize for not being as attentive as I need to be on this blog. Writing is taking up all available time right now but hopefully once the books are out, you'll love them so much, you'll forgive my inattention. And just a reminder that though I'm not able to comment immediately, Monday is the heaviest traffic for my website, which means the books you're reading and recommending are being seen by lots of people. So please, keep up the recommendations for all your fellow readers out there!

Have a great week everyone. Stay safe and read something marvelous.

Now, tell us what great books you read last week!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday Everyone!

Wow, where did summer go? It's so hard to believe that it's almost gone. Schools have started back for many, Labor Day is coming up next week and soon Halloween decorations will be filling the aisles of stores. I am seriously concerned that no one but me seems to notice how fast things are moving. Maybe I'm living in some kind of time warp or is that mind-warp? LOL Hubby would probably agree with the warped mind part.

How was your week and weekend? See any great movies? Read any fabulous books? Do anything exciting and fun that you want to share? Tell us!

My week was super busy. My characters were practically screaming at me to get their words on paper. I'm not complaining though. Very happy they're talking to me!

This week is a major writing week for me. I've decided to try to finish CHANCES ARE by the end of this week. So, if things go well, I will write 150 pages and should have a full novella by September 3. Please wish me well! The sooner I can get it written, the sooner Angela and Jake will be on your e-readers!

BTW, if you're on GoodReads, a lovely lady and SWEET reader created a Last Chance Rescue group to chat about the books, upcoming stories and anything else LCR related. If you'd like to join, here's the link: Last Chance Rescue Goodreads Group

Thank you all so much for participating on Recommend Monday and please forgive my absence. I hope you understand and forgive me for not being able to answer and comment immediately on your posts. I promise you, it's for a good reason. I'm doing my best to get books out to you! Thanks so much for your patience.

Okay, that's it for me. Just a reminder to keep the people of the Gulf Coast--Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi--in your thoughts and prayers. So hoping Issac heads back out into the ocean and disappears forever.

Have a great week everyone. Now, tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday Everyone!

Did you have a good week and a fun weekend? Do anything exciting? How about books? Did you read some great ones? I hope so. Over the last month, I think I've purchased at least half the books that's been recommended here. When I'm finally able to binge read, I'm going to have a blast.

Today is the first day of school for a lot of families. Do you remember how you felt those first days? Even decades later, I can remember a morass of emotions churning through me. Here's hoping that everyone, students, teachers and parents, have a fabulous first day!

MIDNIGHT LIES is coming along quite well. Samantha and Quinn had a very dark moment early in the book, are currently away from each other, but will soon be reunited. Well, not exactly reunited since there are some major issues to overcome. Have to say, once again, I am so in love with Quinn Braddock! Can't wait for you to meet him.

I took a break from CHANCES ARE for a few days to give Angela and Jake a chance to recover from a volatile scene. After checking in with them over the weekend, I think we're ready to resume. These two are smouldering! Staying undercover while dealing with these rampaging emotions won't be easy, especially considering the undercover role Angela has taken on. Expecting something explosive this week!

I have high hopes that my Ella Grace website will be up and running soon. Thanks to everyone who has clicked on to the site. Hopefully soon you'll see something besides a coming soon sign!

If you're on Facebook, be sure to check out my notes on the Last Chance Rescue page--Thoughts, observations and 'oh my gosh' moments of writing SECOND CHANCE. Feel free to ask questions of me or any of the characters. Hope you enjoy! Here's the link: SECOND CHANCE notes

No new recommends for me this week but as I mentioned above, I'm enjoying everyone's recommends and have been a busy buyer, if not reader. So recommend away! Can't wait to see what you've been reading.

Have a fabulous week everyone!

Want to win a signed LCR book?

Hey Everyone!

Just dropping in real quick to tell you if you'd like a chance to win a signed copy of one of my books, Riverina Romantics is giving away SWEET JUSTICE, SWEET REVENGE and SWEET REWARD. Enter for a chance to win one of the SWEET books!

Here's the link: Riverina Romantics

Good luck!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a great weekend and you're ready to recommend some fabulous books. And maybe some movies too? Did anyone see the new Jason Bourne movie, Bourne Legacy? I'm hoping to see it some time this week. Love those movies.

Last week I had an emotional scene to write in MIDNIGHT LIES and put it off as long as possible. Whenever I have scenes like this (think the final confrontation between Eden and Jordan in RESCUE ME) I put it off and think and think and then think some more. I have to internalize and feel the pain before I can write it. LOL Yes, I'm weird. I finally wrote several pages on it but still have more to go. I hated hurting these characters but I already see their emotional reunion in my head and that definitely helps.

I briefly visited with Angela and Jake in CHANCES ARE last week and am so happy they're finally on the job in London. We're about to see some action!

No new recommends for me, however, I did purchase two books that were recommended here last week. Couldn't resist. You guys made them sound so good!

This week is going to be another busy one of traveling between Alabama and London. I'm hoping to get lots of progress done on both books. Would love to be through with the first draft of one of them by the end of this month. Which one that will be depends totally on which characters are talking to me. So if you're listening Angela, Jake, Quinn and Samantha. Get to talking!

BTW, if you love swag, Riverina Romantics is having a great contest to win lots of stuff from some of your favorite romantic suspense authors. Here's the link to enter: Riverina Romantics

That's it for me this week. Hope we all have a wonderful and productive week! Now tell us what we should be reading!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a productive week and a fun-filled weekend. Are you watching the Olympics? They're addictive, aren't they? What are your favorite events? I love just about everything but the water polo--just way too much splashing around for me. (:

Things are zipping right along for MIDNIGHT LIES. I'm already so in love with my hero, Quinn Braddock, I can hardly believe it. I'm not sure I've ever fallen so hard this quickly for a hero. However, he's about to do something soon that's going to break my heart, so we may be on the outs for a while. But I foresee a time when all will be forgiven. Samantha Wilde, the heroine, is nothing like what I thought she would be but I am loving her. She and Quinn are going to have a wild(e) time!

In CHANCES ARE, Angela and Jake are headed to London. Last week they had an encounter that turned a cold, chilly Paris day into a sultry, hot summer's night. Whew! These two have fabulous chemistry! Now they just have to make sure they stay alive to enjoy their new relationship.

Last week, I asked a question on Facebook and wanted to make sure I asked you here. CHANCES ARE will be my first self-published endeavor and I want to get the cover just right. I've never had total control like this before and while it's exciting, it's also a little scary. I would really appreciate your input. What kind of cover would you like to see for CHANCES ARE? Hero only? Hero with or without his shirt? Half a face? The entire face? Hero and heroine? Action scene? Almost kissing scene? Are there any particular covers you absolutely love? Let me know what they are and thank you in advance for your help. This is going to be so much fun!

Though I'm focusing totally on writing right now, I recently ordered several books for my Kindle that I'm looking forward to reading. That one click buying is way too easy! Here they are:

A Night To Remember by Tessa Dare (This one won the Rita award! And it was only 99 cents. What a deal!)

Because You Are Mine by Beth Kerry (This is a serial romance that I think will have 2 - 3 chapters released every week for 6 weeks or so. Interesting concept!)

Avenging Angel by Tara Janzen (I love Tara's books! I think this is an older one she's republished and I believe it was a Rita winner, too.)

Deadly Offerings by Alexa Grace (Thought this one sounded intriguing and the price was great!)

Dark Cravings by Donna Grant (This is a novella and looks fabulous. I love Donna Grant!)

Castles by Julie Garwood (This is an older historical by one of my favorite historical romance authors.)

Silenced by Allison Brennan (I adore Allison's books and this one was a steal at 2.99!)

So, as you see, that one click buying is dangerous!

What about you? What great books have you read? What books are you looking forward to reading? And since I haven't asked this in a while, seen any good movies lately?

Can't wait to see what you're recommending. And don't forget to weigh in on the CHANCES ARE cover.

Have a fantabulous week everyone!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday Everyone!

I hope you had a good weekend. The weather is still steamy here but I have hope for relief soon. My mom said someone predicted that October will be as hot as August. I refuse to believe that prediction. It just can be true! LOL Hubby thinks it's funny that I'm complaining about the heat because I'm usually reveling in it. But enough's enough. Right?

So many good things happened last week that I want to share with you. First, I was so thrilled and honored that SWEET JUSTICE won the KOD chapter's Daphne contest for Best Single Title Romantic Suspense! I was thrilled to final and be among some of my favorite authors, but to win? Wow, I'm just over the moon! So happy for Seth, Honor and the whole LCR gang!

Also I received the back cover copy for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Here it is, let me know what you think!

***

AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT, THE HEAT BEGINS

On a hot southern night, with a storm on the horizon, a family is shattered. Three beautiful daughters—Savannah, Samantha, and Sabrina Wilde—go on with their lives, each significantly changed, as they bear the memory of the murder-suicide that killed their parents. For years, they have stayed away from Midnight, Alabama. Until Midnight calls them home.

Savannah is the first one back, when a grueling case in Nashville leads the young prosecutor to seek shelter in the quiet of the once grand Wilde mansion. But when she finds letters casting doubt on her family’s dark, shameful past, she realizes that peace in Midnight is a shallow façade and sinister secrets lurk beneath the surface. Zach Tanner, once the town’s bad boy, is now the new police chief and still has a wild hold over her. Zach can feel it, too, but he hurt Savannah once. As teenagers, they broke every rule together. Now it’s his job to keep her safe, even though he isn’t sure who her enemies are, or which ones might be his own. All he knows is that they have only each other to face dangers they can’t see coming.

***

And to make things even more cheery, both MIDNIGHT LIES and CHANCES ARE are coming along nicely. I'm only in the early stages of MIDNIGHT LIES, by my hero and heroine, Quinn Braddock and Samantha Wilde, are experiencing some major angst already. Love it! (:

Also, in CHANCES ARE, not only did we decide to return to a London setting for the story, Jake Mallory and Angela Delvecchio are heating up the pages. And I love that several LCR operatives have made an appearance. So far, I've seen Noah, Eden, Jordan, Ethan, Shea and Aidan. Oh, and Sabrina Fox, who you met briefly in SWEET REVENGE, is involved too. In fact, she's given me some signals that she's wanting her own story. Yay!

As you know, the RWA National Convention was last week and I'm so glad I was busy since I was in serious envy and major regret for not going. Saturday night was the Rita and Golden Heart ceremony, which is like the Academy Awards for romance writers. Here's a link to the list of winners. The first names on the list are the Golden Heart winners, which are some of the future stars of the romance genre. Scroll down to the Rita award winners and get some fabulous recommendations! http://www.rwa.org/cs/2012RITAGH

Okay, that's it for me. I'm headed back to Midnight, Alabama for a few hours and then will fly to London for a quickie. (:

Hope you all have a marvelous Monday. Can't wait to hear your recommendations!

SWEET JUSTICE is a Winner!

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to pop on and share some fabulous news with you. SWEET JUSTICE is the winner of the KOD Daphne du Maurier contest for Best Single Title Romantic Suspense! Woohoo! The competition was incredibly fierce and I'm so thrilled to have won! Yay for Seth and Honor!

I'm going to celebrate our win with chocolates as I write a few more pages on CHANCES ARE and MIDNIGHT LIES.

Have a fabulous weekend. Hope to see you back here for Recommend Monday!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

I hope you had a good weekend. After the tragedy and horror in Aurora, it seems escaping into a good book is even more enticing, especially one with a happy-ever-after ending. I hope you were able to do that. My heart grieves and aches for the victims.

Did you get a chance to see the cover for MIDNIGHT SECRETS? What did you think? I'm still trying to figure out how to get a life sized poster for my office and my hubby is still trying to figure out how they took this picture of him without him knowing it. (:  I'm so happy the cover depicts the sexy, drool-worthy hero that is Zach Tanner. Can't wait for you all to meet him. Didn't get to see the cover? You can see it in the blog post before this one or check it out here on my Ella Grace Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=362765027126615&set=a.362765020459949.78084.347027175367067&type=1&theater

This week is the RWA National Convention in Anaheim, California. I made the decision a few months ago that I wouldn't attend this year. I knew when the time came, I would have serious regret and of course I am. I love the energy and dynamics created by hundreds of people gathering to share, learn, and celebrate the many facets of the romance genre. I'll probably miss the literacy signing most of all. Meeting readers is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being an author. I'm definitely attending next year. It's in Atlanta, which is only two hours from me. So nice not to have to fly!

As you know, I've been having monthly LCR book discussions over on the Last Chance Rescue Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/LastChanceRescuebooksbychristyreece?ref=hl  If you get a chance, drop by on Friday, July 27, where I'll be discussing the characters, story and 'oh my gosh' surprise moments of NO CHANCE.

What books did you read and love last week? I'm holding off reading anything new for a few more weeks. I really need to concentrate on my characters and storylines and don't like to blur my thinking. However, once I'm ready to read again, I'm definitely going to have a stack higher than my house. Man oh man there are some great books out there.

Okay, that's it for me this week. I hope you have a fabulous one. Now tell us what great books we should be reading!

MIDNIGHT SECRETS

Hi Everyone!

Hope you're having a fabulous week. And if you're not, take comfort that it's half over!

You may notice I've made some changes to my website. Let me know what you think. Are you seeing what you need to see? Is it easy to navigate? I've also added some new information, so if you're familiar with my website already, I hope you'll take some time to read through it again.

You'll see I put up a link to my Ella Grace website. It's not live yet but I hope to have it up within the next month or so. I'll be sure to let you know when it's ready to view.

I forgot to mention that MIDNIGHT SECRETS is up for pre-order on Amazon. Just the paperback so far, but the Kindle pre-order should be up soon, along with other sites such as Barnes and Noble. I'll put up the links as they become available. Pre-orders are gold and most sincerely appreciated! Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345538366/?tag=publishmarket-20

And now, as promised, here's the sigh-inducing, drool-worthy cover for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Do you like?

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a good week and weekend! Can't wait to hear your recommended reads and/or movie recs. Oh, and did you know yesterday was national ice cream day? Did you celebrate with a scoop? I certainly did! Vanilla with chocolate sauce. Yum!

Last week was a busy one for me. My LCR novella, CHANCES ARE, is finally coming together. Jake and Angela decided to stay in Paris, France, for which I'm relieved. Now the story is taking off!

Also, got the go-ahead to share the cover for my Ella Grace title, MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Stay tuned because I'll pop back on this week and share it with you. Prepare yourself for some major hotness!

Since I need to spend most of my time in Paris, with a few side trips to Midnight, Alabama for the second book, MIDNIGHT LIES, I won't be online much. If you need to get in touch with me or ask me a question, email me at christy@christyreece.com.

Once I get more into both stories, I'll share some lines and excerpts with you. Also, stay tuned for some changes to my Christy Reece website and be on the lookout for the new Ella Grace website. Lots of exciting things coming up!

I'm in the midst of reading Joyce Lamb's Flash Heat and thoroughly enjoying it.

That's it for me. What about you? What are you recommending today?

Have a great week everyone!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a productive week, a fun-filled weekend, and you're ready to recommend some great reads and/or movies.

No recommends for me this week. I did read a couple of books but can't say either of them made me glad I read them. Hate it when that happens. I did purchase Jill Shalvis' Forever and a Day and Pamela Clare's Defiant, so I definitely have some good reads to look forward to, when I have the time.

Last week, in CHANCES ARE, Jake and Angela led me on a wild goose chase. We went from Paris, to London to Tennessee. LOL They can't decide where this story should take place. We finally ruled out London since the Olympics would impede the case they're working. I think we're back in Paris today and will hopefully stay there.

In between trips to Paris and London, I've been working on MIDNIGHT LIES. The second book in the Ella Grace series. I cried twice while writing the outline so beware of some strong emotions in those books. (:

I'm still having Internet problems, so probably won't be online much this week. I'm hoping to get it fixed soon. Fingers crossed!

So what about you? What have you read that you loved? Did you see any fabulous movies you want to recommend? I admit, I really want to see Magic Mike. Did anyone see it yet? If so, is it a good story too or just full of beautiful men?

That's it for me. I'm headed to Paris for a while and then need to return to Midnight, Alabama where the only thing cooling down there is the weather.

Have a fabulous week everyone!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

So sorry I'm late on the blog. I've been having major Internet troubles for the past week and then yesterday, I lost it completely. I now have a temporary fix but who knows how long it will last. Isn't technology wonderful, as long as it works?

How was your week and weekend? Do anything fun, read anything fabulous, watch any great movies? Here's your place to share or brag.

Wasn't it a scorcher of a weekend? I think the highest temperature we reached was 104 but man on man, that's just way too hot for me. I stayed inside and was so grateful for the air conditioning. I know some of you were in the storm's path and I hope you'll check in and and let us know you're safe. Others had hotter weather than we did in Alabama and some even lost power. Can't imagine how miserable that was. Hope everyone is cool and safe this Monday.

Last week I did a bit of writing, reading, and more catch up work. Angela and Jake went quiet on me for a couple of days and I was about to panic. Thankfully it looks like they're back and we're ready to roll again. Whew!

Nothing new on the reading front. I am rereading several of my LCR books to get me back into an LCR frame of mind. So, if you haven't read the series, it's one I highly recommend. (:

Okay, that's it for me. I figure I'd better not push my luck with this Internet issue. I'll try to pop back on later this week and say hey. Stay cool and safe. And for those in the US, have an absolutely fabulous 4th of July!

Now, tell us what great books we should be reading.

Bestselling Author Donna Grant talks magic. Do you believe?

Magic – Do you believe?

It seems in every culture throughout history there has been mention of magic.  Some would say it doesn’t exist, some would argue it does.  How can something so widely spoken about not be real?  And if it is real, how do you prove it?

The wonderful thing about writing fiction is that I can include all kinds of paranormal elements in my worlds.  The world in my Dark Warriors series is most definitely filled with magic.  Both my heroines and heroes hold magic, though in different ways.

My heroes are warriors with primeval gods inside them giving them immortality as well as enhanced senses and the ability to control something be it water, people’s minds, or the very air you breathe.  The gods also transform my Warriors.  Each god favors a color, so when unleashed, the heroes turn the color of their god.  They also have fangs and claws, and some even have horns and wings.  It has been fun matching heroes to their powers.

My heroines are Druids, blessed with certain magical abilities that will aid the heroes in defeating the evil spreading over their world.  There are two sects of Druids in the series – the mie, or pure Druids, who practice healing and using their magic for good.  Then there are the droughs who go through a ritual that binds their souls with evil to create black magic.

In MIDNIGHT’S LOVER (Jun 26, 2012) the heroine, Danielle, is a Druid. Danielle’s magic is having an object find her, and then it tells her its rightful owner.  She has no choice but to return whatever the item is to its owner or suffer unimaginable pain.

The hero, Ian, has been brought forward in time four centuries at the exact moment his twin brother was murdered.  Ian is fighting the god within him for control as well as dealing with the grief.  The one thing he wants most is to be isolated so he doesn’t hurt anyone.  He ends up saving Danielle, and in the process finds himself fighting the very evil that sent him forward in time while trying to keep Dani safe.

A WARRIOR’S PASSION

Driven by the fierce god within him, Highlander Ian Kerr is sworn to fight for the land he loves – and the brother he lost.  But when he’s magically transported four centuries into the future, he finds himself fighting his own desires – for a beautiful, bewitching woman who could hold a warrior spellbound…

A WOMAN’S MAGIC

Danielle Buchanan has heard the legends.  She has felt the power of Druid blood in her veins.  But she has never known a man as fearsome – or as haunted – as the warrior Ian.  With her magic, Dani must help him battle an ancient evil.  With her heart, she must join him in his quest.  But only with her soul can she free him from his curse…and seal their fates together.

 

My question is: If you could have any kind of power, what kind would you have?

I’ll be giving away a signed copy of DARKEST HIGHLANDER, the sixth book in the Dark Sword series (the beginning to the Dark Warriors) to a commenter so talk to me.   J

To find out more about me, read more about the Dark Sword series, see pics of the Warriors, take the quiz, download wallpaper, read excerpts, search characters, or watch the book trailers please visit my website at

www.donnagrant.com. 

Happy Reading!

Hugs,

D

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a great week and weekend. Did you do anything fun or read anything fabulous? If so, here's your place to brag and chat about it. What about movies? See any good ones? I've heard that Brave is really good. Anyone see it?

My week was filled with a little writing and lots of catch up. I'm still deciding on what I want on the Ella Grace website, so don't forget to let me know what you like in an author's website. Thank you to those who have already given me suggestions.

Speaking of Ella Grace, I do have an official release date for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. It's going to be out a little earlier than I thought, which is fabulous. The new release date is March 26, 2013. That's better than May, right?

This week I'm focusing on writing as many pages as I can for the LCR novella eBook, CHANCES ARE. If you didn't get a chance to read the teaser I posted on the Last Chance Rescue Facebook page, here it is, revealing the identity of the heroine:

Angela leaned forward, her dark, velvet brown eyes searing his. “Will you ever be absolutely sure, Noah? You’ve treated me like family from the moment I walked through LCR doors and I can’t even begin to express how much that means to me. But it comes down to this. I’m an LCR employee. And I’m a trained operative. This is an operation I know I can handle. It’s time to let me be what you trained me to be.”

I hope you're excited to see that Angela Delvecchio, LCR's receptionist/researcher, will get her own story. I've received more emails asking for her book than any other LCR character, with the exception of Cole's. I'm teaming her with LCR operative Jake Mallory, a hero in every sense of the word. Can't wait for you to meet them both!

I have a special treat for you this week! One of my favorite people is coming by on Wednesday to chat. The incredible Donna Grant, bestselling author of historical and paranormal romances, will be here! I met Donna a few months ago and was instantly charmed. What a lovely person she is and so talented! I hope you'll make a point of coming by on Wednesday and chatting with her. I know many of you are already fans, so be sure to show her your love. (:

As for recommendations, I'm in the middle of Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy. Lots of yummy heroes, strong heroines and daring rescues. Can't wait to finish it!

Also, I finally got to see This Means War with Reese Witherspoon. What fun! Such a cute, funny movie and just what I needed this weekend.

So enough about me. What about you? Movies, books, television shows, vacation plans, fabulous recipes? Share and have fun with it. I'm off to LCR land where Noah, once again, is laying down the law. I'm just hoping Angela listens. (:

Have a fabulous week everyone!

Some LCR Treats!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Hope you've had a great week and are looking forward to a restful, relaxing and fun-filled weekend. Just wanted to give you a heads up on a few things:

Yesterday, over on my Last Chance Rescue Facebook page, I asked readers to name up to five characters from previous LCR books that you'd like to see make appearances in the CHANCES ARE novella. Be sure to come over and list your 'must have' favorites.

Today, I'm sharing some random lines from CHANCES ARE. Have you been wondering who the heroine might be? Come over and find out!

Also, tomorrow is the 3rd anniversary of the release of RUN TO ME and I'm sharing thoughts on the characters, writing the book, and all those 'oh my gosh' moments I had. Hope you'll come over and chat with me about Ethan, Shea and the vile Donald Rosemount.

Here's the link to the LCR Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LastChanceRescuebooksbychristyreece?ref=tn_tnmn

Have a fabulous weekend. See you back here on Monday for Recommend Monday!

Recommend Monday

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a fabulous week and weekend. Can't wait to hear about the books and/or movies you're recommending today.

Last week was catch up week for me. Focusing on all those things I let slide during my deadline kept me busy. I also had to write a brief synopsis--one of my least favorite things to do. Taking what will someday be a 400 page book and whittling it down into a one page outline is sheer torture for me. And it didn't work this time. I couldn't get it smaller than 2 pages. LOL Each word seemed so valuable and precious. However, I will say that the story synopsis of MIDNIGHT LIES, the second book in the Midnight series, turned out even better than I anticipated. I almost cried twice while I was writing it. Not because I hate writing synopses but because of the story. I wanted to stop a couple of times and just hug my characters. Can't wait to get started!

This week I'm focusing on a Last Chance Rescue novella, CHANCES ARE. If you get a chance, go over to my Facebook Last Chance Rescue page at https://www.facebook.com/LastChanceRescuebooksbychristyreece where I'm sharing random lines from the book every few days. I worked on the story a little last week; it was so good to chat with Noah again!

Also this week I'll continue planning for the new Ella Grace website. I'd love to get your input on what you'd like to see. Other than a brief bio, a reader letter and the books with excerpts, what else do you like to see on a website? Are there any particular websites you think are done really well? If so, let me know so I can check them out.

Still haven't seen any new movies. Seems like life gets in the way of having fun sometimes. My sweetheart and I need to make that a priority at least once a month. Guess Mr. Reece and I need to have a chat. (:

I am back to reading again--mostly at night before I go to sleep. I'm in the middle of several books and hope to be able to recommend them once I finish. I did read and love Pamela Clare's novella Skin Deep. I adore the I-Team series and Pamela is such a wonderful writer!

Okay, that's it for me. I'm going to take a walk with one of my fur-kids and hopefully have a nice long talk with Noah McCall. He's got a dilemma with one of his employees and I can't wait to see how he plans to solve the problem.

Hope you all have a fabulous week. Stay in the shade and read something delicious!

Recommend Monday and Some News!

Good Monday Everyone!

How was your weekend? Anything fun or exciting happen? Read anything fabulous or see a great movie? Here's your place to share!

I have some great news. MIDNIGHT SECRETS is now in the hands of my editor. Can't tell you how exciting it is to send Zach and Savannah on their way. I so love this book and these characters. Hopefully my publisher will too!

One thing I've struggled with in this new series is the name of the town. Since all the stories will take place there or close by, the town is a character on its own. Therefore it needed a name that depicted the right atmosphere. For months it was called Mimosa Springs, Alabama. And while that's pretty, it's a little too light and fluffy and just didn't have the right ambiance. Last week, I finally decided on the name. The first story takes place during summertime; here's a description of the town:

A small fictional town of about 1500 residents, about thirty-five miles west of Mobile, Alabama. Sweltering hot, lazy days and long, sultry nights. The air is thick and fragrant with the sweet scent of magnolia and mimosa trees in full bloom, along with wild honey suckle and wisteria that grows everywhere. Lots of water--rivers, lakes and sandy beaches. Ancient trees, heavily draped with gray moss, line the streets like giant, fierce centurions. The town is old south--think plantation homes with large, manicured lawns and wide streets. Residents include sexy, heroic men and strong, courageous women, along with liars, gossips, murderers and a multitude of secrets. 


The town is now called Midnight. So much more appropriate, don't you think?

Another bit of news--well, maybe more than a bit. Since this new series is so different from my LCR series, my publisher and I decided a new name would be in order. So the new series will be written under the name Ella Grace. How cool is that? A new website will be coming, along with new Facebook page, Twitter account. The whole shebang!

Christy Reece will write dark romantic suspense/action adventure books and Ella Grace will write steamy southern suspense. Double your reading fun! (:

As soon as the new website goes up, I'll be sure to let you know so you can check it out. Of course it'll be linked to christyreece.com so you'll be able to switch back and forth easily. And hopefully soon, I can show you the steamy HOT cover for MIDNIGHT SECRETS. Just be sure to have a fan and a cold drink close by!

Well, that's more than enough from me. This week I'm working on the outline for the second book in the Midnight series, along with writing more on an LCR novella. Plus, I'll be discussing the new website with my web designer, along with some major changes for christyreece.com. Lots of exciting and fun stuff to do! However, I am anxious to get back into my reading mode and am looking to you to tell me what I should be reading. And if you have some movie recommends, I'd love to hear them, too.

Have a great week everyone!