Tag Archives: blog tour

Feb 27 2011

And the winner is…

I can’t beleive it! Our Valentine’s Day Blog tour is at an end! I can’t speak for everyone, but I had a GREAT time. I met some new friends, learned some different takes on writing ideas, and generally had a blast blog hopping.

Thanks for everyone who participated both in writing the blogs and commenting (and thanks for letting this novice be a part of it!)

Our Week 4 winner is Rebecca Booth. She won $35 worth of TWRP gift cards. Now don’t forget Rebecca, be sure to save a few dollars until June!
And the Grand Prize goes to…da-da-da-da…Maria Yerton. Maria won $40 worth TWRP gift cards and a Bath and Body Works Full Size Set!

Thanks again! It’s been great fun. And I’ll get up a “real” blog sometime this week. Just as soon as I get some words on the paper! TTFN–Amie

Feb 23 2011

My Guest today–AJ Nuest

Well, this is it–the final stop on our Valentine’s Day Blog Tour. And what a great time it’s been. I for one have learned a lot and made some great new friends.

Today my guest is the talented AJ Nuest who’ll be telling us all her secrets for developing unique chacaters (well, maybe not all her secrets <g>).

But first, a little about AJ…

Author AJ Nuest lives in a small farming community in Northwest Indiana with her loving husband and two beautiful children. She is the author of two contemporary romance novels.

Contact Information:

Website:  www.ajnuest.com

Blog:  www.ajbooks.blogspot.com

Email:  ajnuest@yahoo.com

Jezebel’s Wish

Haunted by nightmares, tormented by guilt, Jezebel came to Redemption Ranch to escape the past—except now she’s stuck in the middle of nowhere with no redemption in sight. When her mother pushes her into riding lessons with local veterinarian Matthias Saunders, Jezebel balks. Sure, the doctor is gorgeous, but he’s completely obnoxious and knows how to push every one of her buttons.

Only her deep connection with The Reverend, a gentle stallion who guards her darkest secrets, has her agreeing to spend any more time with Dr. Saunders. Caring for the stallion is the first bright spot in her life in months, and if being around the horse means she has to deal with Matthias Saunders, then so be it. Surely a city girl like her can handle one country vet—even one with disturbing blue eyes. Can’t she?

 

Jezebel’s Wish Excerpt:

Jezzy stopped. “I thought I was having a riding lesson.”

“You are.” He nodded toward the empty paddock. “Go in.”

“Go in?” Jezzy propped a hand on her hip. “You sure you know what you’re doing? Because it was my understanding that an actual horse is needed for a riding lesson.”

“Don’t you think it would be wise at this juncture to leave the understanding up to the professionals?”

Jezzy rolled her eyes. “You’re making this way too easy. Professionals? Please. Don’t get me started.”

“Why not? Getting you started is exactly what I’m here for.”

Jezzy’s jaw dropped. She didn’t quite know how to interpret that remark.

He held out the rope. “Now go in. And take this lead line with you.” Steely blue determination glinted in his eyes. There was no way he was going to give in.

Jezzy snatched the lead line from his hand and stormed through the gate, then turned when he closed it behind her.

He put a foot on the bottom railing and rested against the gate, facing the horizon. “Take the chair to the center of the paddock and sit down.”

“And just exactly how is that supposed to teach me to ride?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You want out of the deal?”

Jezzy’s fist clenched tight around the lead line. What she wanted was to march back to the fence and smack his face.

Now put your cyber hands together for the lady herself!

Developing Unique Characters

All authors need to face one very harsh fact: If you can’t develop unique characters, you will quickly be shut out of the game. And to make matters even worse, your characters must not only differ between each manuscript of your own devising, they must also stand out from other novels already in print.

I’ve learned a few things about developing unique characters over the past three years. I’ve read many an aspiring writer’s story, trying to assist them in rounding out the players. Without fail, my advice always comes down to two words: Delve Deep.

I don’t speak for all genres, but if you hope to craft a good (or great) romance story, you must absolutely be prepared to explore the emotional aspect of your characters. Delving deep into what makes them tick will define who they are, and make them stand out from pre-existing characters in all the other books out there (including your own).

Numerous times I’ve critiqued stories where the hero and heroine can’t get together for whatever reason. Some misunderstanding is harbored between them, or someone is keeping a secret, or they take an immediate dislike to each other–whatever reason the author chooses to create tension between the two key players is usually laid out fairly well. However, I can’t tell you the times I’ve been happily reading along, and suddenly the hero or heroine takes some action completely contrary to their character development. In one sentence, the entire story structure crumbles.

Although I completely understand the author is trying to create some sexual tension in these scenes, or maybe holding back some critical piece of information for the big reveal. Whatever the case, unless the motivation behind each character’s behavior is clearly defined, this misdirection just leaves the reader confused. You cannot have your heroine overjoyed to be in the same room with your hero, and then consequently have her slap his face…unless her motivation is crystal clear. She’ll just come off like a psycho.

This leads me to my next salient point. Stephen King once said, “All bad writing comes down to one thing, FEAR.” Bravo! Hear, hear and can I get an Amen! I do not touch upon this topic lightly. Many times I’ve been afraid to broach an angle within my manuscripts for fear of what my readers might think. (Trust me. I live in a small town…and have to look many of my readers in the face. “Holy crap, AJ’s gone off the deep end. Did you read that?”) If you, like me, have struggled with introducing a touchy subject into your storylines, and FEAR of what others might think has stayed your hand, my advice is this: GET OVER IT!

The hard truth is we live in an imperfect world. To create characters that never have an immoral thought or do the wrong thing will make them seem too perfect. And this includes your heroes! In fact, giving your characters flaws will only make them appear MORE real, and in turn they will appeal to the reader, because the reader will be able to connect with them on an emotional level.

My favorite comment from a critique partner is, “Wow, have I ever been there.”

AHA! Even though the emotion my hero or heroine may be experiencing is far from saintly, because I’ve clearly explained the motivation behind these emotions, I’ve built a bridge to the reader’s heart. THAT is where a great romance story dwells.

Become your characters. Get up from the laptop and walk around a bit. Put yourself in their shoes, taking into consideration all the little pieces you’ve put into place, and then decide which reaction is most appropriate. Delve deep, and above all DO NOT BE AFRAID.  In the end your characters will be unique, genuine, and most importantly, real.

Thanks, AJ, that’s valuable advice. FEAR is the exact reason the keyboard has a backspace (well, that and sometimes I get to typing and forget where I put my fingers.<g>).

This is the last chance to win a weekly prize and/or get your name in the drawing for the grand prize,. So don’t forget to leave us a comment.

And take some time to check out what the rest of the talented ladies on our blog tour have to say about how they develop unique characters.

I’m with Caroline Clemmons this week at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

Then continue on and

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet author Amy Corwin at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com

Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at www.jilljameswrites.com

Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com

Good luck and happy reading! AL

Feb 20 2011

And the week 3 winner is…

Ann Cory! Yay! Ann wins 2–count ‘em 2– $15 gift certificates from the Wild Rose Press. (And lucky her, they’ll still be valid when my book comes out in June <big smiley face>).

Theses lucky readers are entered into the drawing for the Grand Prize next week: Stephanie Suesan Smith (2nd entry!), Denise Stockstill, Zequeatta Jaques (2nd entry!), W. Lynn Chantale (2nd entry!), Dawn Prochilo, Crystal Posey, and Kimberly Killion.

The tour continues this week. I’ll be hosting AJ Nuest (you’re gonna love her) and visiting with Caroline Clemmons.  All the authors will be blogging about Unique Characters.

Once again there are prizes and still opportunitues to get your name in the drawing for the grand prize worth over $50!

Full schedule? Well, I don’t have it, k? But I’ll post it at the end of this week,s blog. Remember the more blogs you read and comment on, the better your chances are for winning! Ciao! (until Wednesday!)

Feb 16 2011

AMY CORWIN on Meeting Her Significant Other…

Yay! Third week in the blog tour, and I’m happy to welcome Amy Crowin to the blog today. Amy’s going to  tell us about meeting her one true love! Take it away, Amy!

Finding the Love of Your Life 

If you want to find the love of your life, give up now. Stop looking. You’ll find love when you’re not searching for it and least expect it.

It sounds weird, but it’s true in life and fiction. Pick up a romance and you’ll generally fine a heroine who considers herself out of the dating game for myriad reasons. Take my Regency romantic mystery, The Bricklayer’s Helper. Sam, aka Sarah, is masquerading as a young man. She has no expectations of finding the love of her life and when she meets William, she’s only hoping he’ll help her stay alive after witnessing a ruthless murder.

Charlotte in I Bid One American not only doesn’t want to marry, but views the entire idea as ludicrous. And yet, once she meets Nathaniel, he’s as hard to resist as fate.

Even in my “real life” it took my decision to just give up and move on with my life as a single woman to throw me into the path of my husband. Or maybe it was the decision to follow my passion, bird watching, that did it. But one thing is true, meeting him was as unexpected as any confluence of events in any of my romance novels. I was living my own life and trying to spot a few more birds for my life list when I meet a man doing exactly the same thing. Oddly, he’d pretty much given up the idea of getting married, too, and was pursuing his passion of…bird watching.

Weird.

So the next time you’re complaining that all the dateable men are married and there’s no hope for you, just give up. And follow your mother’s or friend’s advice to pursue your own interests. You never know where they may lead you.

I guess it’s true (and just like my granny always said), we don’t find love…love finds us!

And here’s a little more about Amy’s books…


What would you do if you were a young girl, orphaned during the early years of the 19th century? Without a family and references, you’d find pitifully few jobs for women, leaving you to face a desperate life of thievery or  prostitution.

Sarah faces this terrible situation in The Bricklayer’s Helper.

When work takes her to London, a man from her past recognizes her and arranges a meeting, only to be murdered before they can speak. Desperate that she may be vulnerable, Sarah hires an inquiry agent from the Second Sons Inquiry Agency.

Unfortunately, her decision may prove dangerous to their heart…if not downright fatal.

* * *

In this scene, Sarah—disguised as Sam Sanderson—meets inquiry agent, William Trenchard, for the first time.

Excerpt from The Bricklayer’s Helper

“Sir,” Sotheby asked from the doorway. “There is a person here.”

William turned his head but didn’t bother uncrossing his ankles. There was a tone in Sotheby’s voice that made William’s chest spasm with a suppressed laugh. “What sort of person?”

“A—a common laborer, sir.”

“Really?” William sat up, removing his feet from the desk. “Well, show him in.”

A laborer? What on earth would a common laborer want with an inquiry agent? He stared at the door which Sotheby held open. The butler’s nostrils pinched as if he smelled a disagreeable odor.

To William’s surprise, a slender man walked in. Small puffs of reddish dust delicately swirled in his wake. The young man examined him while William half-stood, leaning over his desk with a hand outstretched. Finally, the lad clasped him with a firm handshake, his fingers hard with calluses.

“I’m Mr. Trenchard. And you are?” William asked.

“Samuel Sanderson, sir.”

A pair of clear grey eyes met his. Steady, honest eyes fringed with ridiculously long lashes that gave him a faintly feminine look. William sat back in his chair and motioned to his visitor to take the seat opposite the desk.

The man was indeed a laborer. His smudged and torn linen smock had large red patches of brick dust. Grit obscured his face and hands. His short, brown hair had long streaks of blond, bleached from constant exposure to the sun, no doubt. Large, intelligent eyes dominated his face.  He stared at William directly, measuring him even as he weighed his odd client.

Firm mouth, square chin, and a short, straight nose. William instinctively warmed to the lad, feeling a sudden and surprising rush of warmth. He looked like someone’s younger brother, in trouble and manfully resolved to admit it. Although his clean features appeared very young, no more than eighteen, there was something in his gaze that made William think his client was older. Still, Sanderson’s narrow shoulders and slight build spoke of hardship and near starvation, as did the hollows under his stark cheekbones.

Something caught suddenly in William’s chest in a ripping pang of sympathy.

“So, Mr. Sanderson, what can I do for you?”

Sanderson nodded sharply and fumbled under his smock for a moment before pulling out a worn leather purse. “Money’s always first. There is nearly a guinea here. I don’t carry more, but I can pay you an additional sum when the work is completed. Within reason.”

William stared at him, trying not to appear surprised. A guinea? Mr. Sanderson obviously had no idea how much Second Sons normally charged their illustrious—and generally noble—clients. Still, business had been slow. And he had a desire to prove to Mr. Gaunt that he wasn’t just another bored boudoir bantam who thought working as an inquiry agent might be amusing.

And William was curious.

“And what would be reasonable?” William asked.

“Five pounds. No more. That ought to be enough,” Mr. Sanderson said, his chin rising slightly.

“Enough for what?”

“There was a man murdered this morning.” Mr. Sanderson scrabbled about his person again before he pulled out a scrap of paper. He threw it into the middle of the desk.

William picked up the note and read it over twice before raising his brows. “Did you kill him?”

“Certainly not. I was to meet him this morning. He was murdered before I could.”

“Then why come to me?”

Mr. Sanderson’s remarkable eyes stared back. William thought he saw a flicker of disappointment and then fear, quickly submerged into their clear depths. “I want to know what he knew.”

Very intriguing!

Check out The Bricklayer’s Daughter and even more of Amy Corwin’s releases at thewildrosepress.com

Here’s how to find Amy when she’s not hanging out with me–

http://www.amycorwin.com
http://amycorwin.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/amycorwin
http://www.facebook.com/AmyCorwinAuthor

And don’t forget to leave us a comment! There are still many great prizes up for grabs! AL

Feb 13 2011

Next Stop

Well, we’ve hit the halfway mark on our Valentine’s Day Blog Tour. This week my guest will be Amy Corwin. She’ll be talking about Meeting Her Significant Other. So come by and see what she has to say. Don’t forget to leave a comment. We are still giving away prizes!

And speaking of prizes…Sherry Cahill is this week’s winner of the aforementioned goodies. She will receive two gift certificates worth $25! Her name along with Judy, Michelle Miller, S. Denson, Zequeatta Jaques, Jennifer Shirk, and Ciara Knight will be entered into the final drawing for a goodie package worth over $50!

This week I’ll be with Kat Duncan blogging on meeting my DH (the ladies on my loop assure me this stands for “dear husband” but I’m not so sure…). Come by and say hi!  http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

In fact, check out all the Roses as they tour this week–

Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James at http://www.authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary YA an adult romance author Linda Kage at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at www.jilljameswrites.com

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet author AJ Nuest at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

Meet author Lynne Roberts at www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com

See ya then! AL

Feb 9 2011

Jill James on creative ideas…

And here she is, contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James–

Where creative ideas come from.

As Stephen King has been known to say, we pluck them from the ether. It’s magic.

Of course, it isn’t magic. Everyone gets ideas; writers just do something with them. Everyone plays ‘what if’.

What if Suzy Homemaker across the street is a soccer mom by day and CIA assassin at night? She tucks the kiddies into bed with a babysitter and jets off to Istanbul to take out a third-world dictator there for an arms deal.

What if the CIA decides she and her kids are a liability with the picket fence, Fluffy the cat, and Spot the dog? What if they send hired killers to take out Suzy, the kids, and the pets?

What if she grabs the kids goes on the run to Little Town, USA and hides out? But, Hunk the Sheriff can tell there is something different about Suzy and her giant weapons stash.

Wait! I have to go write this down.

Just like that stories are born. Writers play ‘what if’ a lot. We do it alone, with critique partners, with a group of writer friends. One idea can spill over into a dozen more. One idea can fuel a different story for every member there doing brainstorming.

Reading the newspaper can spark an idea for a story. My local news had the story of J.C. Dugard and her 18-year kidnapping ordeal. How did she stay hidden for so long? How well do we know our neighbors? Suddenly an idea like Suzy the assassin doesn’t seem so far-fetched after all.

In Tempting Adam, I wanted a femme fatale heroine. She is a corporate raider who makes no excuses for what she does. She goes on the inside of companies and pulls them apart, looking for weaknesses to exploit, to take down the CEO, and make the company ripe for the picking. I couldn’t change who she was and have the same story. I had to change how she saw what she was doing from the inside out. She had to grow a conscience.

Tempting Adam started with just a little idea to have a businessman in over his head in the Hollywood movie studio system and a corporate raider determined to take him and his company down. I knew I wanted Adam to be a good man. And for Yvette to try to destroy him, only to discover what she truly wants in the end.

Ideas come from nowhere and everywhere. The magic is snatching them up when they do come and doing something with that little germ of an idea. Making a story and characters come to life. Writer’s magic.

TEMPTING ADAM by Jill James

They both want the same thing – St. Eden Studios.

Corporate raider Yvette Giardino intends to bring St. Eden Studios to its knees. It’s a job. One her grandmother’s health depends on. That Adam St. Eden will suffer isn’t personal. Until he awakens her sympathy and stirs her body in ways she can’t explain.

Adam wants one thing and one thing only – to protect the dream his grandfather began. But when the board demands he work with stunning Yvette, a woman he’d mistakenly indulged with in a little after-hours play, his world turns upside down. Missed meetings, unhappy clients, and nights of intense pleasure – he can blame one person.  Yvette.

With his corporation crumbling around him, can Adam rise above the fallout and see his sexy temptress for what she really is – a victim of manipulation and a woman who desperately needs his love?

Jill has loved to write since she first began putting on puppet shows in her garage for a nickel a person.  Her first love  was poetry until she picked up her first romance novel, Lily of the Valley, after that it was all romance.  She writes  contemporary romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance.  She is a member of RWA since 2004 and a  member of the From the Heart chapter, Black Diamond chapter, Kiss of Death chapter, and ESPAN chapter.  She has  been writing romance for a few years with a few poetry contest wins and a published short story, Lunch Break. She  lives in Northern California with her husband, the inspiration for all her heroes.

A little peek at Tempting Adam…


Yvette pulled herself together with a jolt.

 

It’s a job. It’s a job.

 

She repeated the mantra in her head in an endless loop, gazing into deep, blue eyes. This close, she noticed the subtle lines near his eyes from his outdoor living. If he had grown up in Hollywood, he would have had a facelift or two by now, instead of the natural look he pulled off quite well.

Adam helped her rise, his warm hand cupping her elbow. A tingle shot from her arm, to her chest, and to regions much farther south. A sexual moan almost escaped her lips. Yvette shook her head to clear the mental images of her and him and the hotel room. It didn’t help. Memories of that night still had the power to stir her senses. They hit Yvette in a place she didn’t think existed—her emotions.

His eyes darkened to indigo, and he leaned nearer. His fresh, evergreen scent enveloped her. Her head swam, and she tilted on the heels of her shoes. She berated herself for her juvenile behavior, unable to believe the She-shark of business might have met her match. At least in the sexual arena.

Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, led her to the bench outside the door, and sat beside her. “I hope you’re doing okay. I would’ve found you a seat inside, but they were getting back to work. I didn’t want anything else to delay the work schedule.”

Disbelief flooded Yvette while she replayed what had just happened. She needed to get a grip on herself and this job. Adam was nice enough overall, and was great—make that fantastic—in bed.

However, he was no ruthless businessman and knew next to nothing about Hollywood. He wasn’t the first CEO she’d taken down, and he wouldn’t be the last.

It wasn’t personal.

Tempting Adam will be available in just a few days! Watch for it February 16, 2011 from The Wild Rose Press

Jill’s Links

Website: http://www.jilljameswrites.com

Blog: http://www.jilljameswrites.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-James-author/172814579396783

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jill_james

Group Blog: http://www.trulymadlydeeplyromanceauthors.blogspot.com

Thanks, Jill!

All right all you sassy readers…don’t forget to leave a comment. There are still prizes to be won and other blogs to see.

I’m with Amy Corwin this week talking about all my “what ifs.”  http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/

And don’t forget to visit the rest of our Valentine’s Day Blog Tour

Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan at http://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/

Meet contemporary YA and adult romance author Linda Kage at http://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at www.jilljameswrites.com

Meet author AJ Nuest at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout

Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/

Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

Meet author Amy Corwin at www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com

You can leave a comment on each site for more chances to win!  Thanks for coming by today! <3

Feb 8 2011

Coming next…

And the Valentine’s Day of Wild Rose Press authors continues. Tomorrow I’ll have the über talented Jill James here talking about where Creative Ideas come from.

Same rules apply…leave a comment, and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win fabulous prizes. I do believe the diamond earrings have been spoken for, but there are some great gift certificates still up for grabs. Also…there’s a grand prize to be awarded at the end of the tour.

So stop on by and meet the lovely Jill!

Feb 5 2011

Thank You

Thanks everyone for stopping by this week. If you’re tuning in a little late, my guest was Linda Kage blogging on the importance of first lines. Be sure to check that out–along with her wonderful covers and excerpts.  Then be sure to come on back on the 9th and hear what Jill James has to say about creative ideas and where they come from.  I, in turn, will be blogging with Amy Corwin on the same topic–full schedule available  soon.

And a special thanks to everyone who left a comment.

Maria Yerton’s name was drawn from my list, but sadly she didn’t win the weekly prize. (Dang!)  That honor went to Marci! (Yay, Marci!) But every blog’s “winner” has been entered into the drawing for the Grand Prize worth over $50 big ones! (dollars that is)!

The complete list is as follows–

Chantale Williams, Maria Yerton, Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ruby CRNA, Barb H, Emma Lai (twice!) Jordan Rose, Clancy, and Stephanie Faris! Good luck ladies!


 

Feb 2 2011

Linda Kage on First Lines

And here she is… author of young adult romance and adult contemporary romance, Linda Kage!
Yes, I’m guilty of it.
After I buy a new batch of books, I bypass the back blurb and head straight to the first page.  I scan the beginning lines to each story and whichever one snags my attention the most is the book I place at the top of my TBR pile—unless I can’t put it down at all, in which case I commence to reading at once.
Writing an opening first line is like writing an awesome query letter.  It helps you move through the reader’s slush pile to get your book placed at that top of their interests.  Might not make the entire story better, but it can certainly grab enough attention to get your story noticed sooner…and actually read.
The bottom half of books on my TBR pile usually gets put back on the shelf and forgotten, sometimes never read at all.  So if you want to write a book people will actually read, remember how important that opening line can be—the entire opening scene actually—and make sure it’s intriguing enough to hook your audience’s attention.
Here are a couple FAMOUS first lines:
–Call me Ishmael.
(from MOBY DICK by Herman Melville)
—In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
(from THE HOLY BIBLE)
—It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
(from 1984 by George Orwell)
—It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
(from a TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens)
—There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.
(from THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER by C. S. Lewis)
—They shoot the white girl first.
(from PARADISE by Toni Morrison)
Here are a couple of my FAVORITE first lines.
—Jumping to your death was a crappy way to spend St. Patrick’s Day
(from HIGH NOON by Nora Roberts)
—Her chances of a decent marriage were about to be dashed—and all because of a ferret.
(from TEMPT ME AT TWILIGHT by Lisa Kleypas)
—“Honey, you need to get laid.”
(from FANTASY LOVER by Sherrilyn Kenyon)
And last but certainly not least, here’s my attempt at a catchy first line, coming straight from my next book, A MAN FOR MIA, releasing in April 2011.
—He’d never tried to stop anyone from committing murder before.
(from A MAN FOR MIA by Linda Kage)
So…which story do you want to begin now?

I grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now I live in Kansas with my husband, daughter, and our nine cuckoo clocks. My life's been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing's always been a major part my world, and I'm so happy to finally share some of my stories with other romance lovers. I'm a member of Romance Writers of America and a local chapter, Midwest Romance Writers, who meets monthly in the  Kansas City area. I’ve been through a writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children's Literarture, and then I continued my writing lessons by majoring in English with an emphasis in  creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University. My The Wild Rose Press Books: --The Stillburrow Crush - Young Adult Romance - released February 26, 2010  buy link http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-stillburrow-crush-p-3892.html?zenid=eb173d435ff79db3f83ce5bbd6afa07a  --The Trouble with Tomboys - Contemporary Adult Romance - released August 6, 2010 buy link http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-trouble-with-tomboys-p-4158.html --Delinquent Daddy - Contemporary Adult Romance - released October 22, 2010 buy link http://www.thewildrosepress.com/delinquent-daddy-p-4274.html?zenid=d2074fdef3ea3f200ee0c3da0016a6d0  BLOGGING: Linda Kage Blog Page - weekly - http://lindakage.blogspot.com/ Romance Books "R" Us - on the 12th of every month - http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com/ Climbing Roses of the Wild Rose Press - on the 12th of every month - http://twrpclimbingrose.blogspot.com/ The Writers Vineyard - Every Fourth Wednesday - http://thewritersvineyard.com/ Thanks, Linda for stopping by today!  Everyone remember to leave a comment so you can be entered into the drawing to win fabulous prizes. If I don't  have your email address,then I can't contact you. But it's not the end of the world. If you win, I'll announce  it on the post. You'll just have to check back and see if you're lucky. Otherwise, if you wait too long, the prize may go to the next winner. How long is too long? I dunno. I'm just doing this until my modeling career takes off!  Ta--Amie Disclaimer--I know I'm not the most techie princess out there, so if you have problems with any of the above links, let me know. I'll get with the fabulous Linda and make sure you get all the info you need to get her wonderful books! Don't miss these other great author blogs! Come see me at http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/ Meet contemporary, paranormal, and historical romance author Caroline Clemmons athttp://authorjenniferjakes.blogspot.com/ Meet historical and paranormal romance writer Lilly Gayle athttp://www.ajbooks.blogspot.com/ Meet erotic western historical author Jennifer Jakes at http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/ Meet author AJ Nuest at http://amycorwin.blogspot.com/ Meet author Lynne Roberts at http://www.jilljameswrites.com/blog Meet paranormal romance author Maeve Greyson at http://www.katduncan.net/writeabout Meet author Amy Corwin at http://lindakage.blogspot.com/ Meet contemporary and paranormal romance author Jill James athttp://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/ Meet romantic suspense author Kat Duncan athttp://www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com