Guest Post by Lynn Reynolds

When trying to answer this question, the first thing you want to do is look for reliable sources both online and at your local library. I work at an academic library so I was able to ask our Archivist for help to get me started. The best thing about going to a library, besides the books, is asking for their expertise about your concerns in regards to your own collection.

When I went to Karen for her help, the first document she gave me was a printout from the Northeast Document Conservation Center. You can follow this link if you would like to print out their suggestions.

One of their suggestions is that you need a “…cool, dry, stable environment…” You also don’t want to store them in either your basement or attic. Water, heat, direct sunlight, and indoor pollution are all things that can damage your books.

The Library of Congress also gives you suggestions on the “Care, Handling and Storage of Books.” You can follow this link to find out their suggestions of the best way to keep your books around for a long time. While there, if you do a search of the word “decay” you will get a link for a lecture. One way to help decay is to digitize. So maybe having an e-reader just may not be a bad thing. They even suggest the proper way to pull your books off the shelf.

In the book “The Care of Fine Books”, by Jane Greenfield, it mentions at what temperature mold will grow. “Its growth can be prevented and/or controlled by maintaining a stable relative humidity…” If you want your books to be around for the long-term, you may want to check your local library to see if they have a copy of this book or you can get a copy on Interlibrary Loan. Our library has the 1988 edition but when I went out to Amazon there was a reprint of the book done in 2007 (in case you want to purchase for yourself).

You can also do your own search on the internet. One site I found is EHow.com. This site starts their instructions with prevention first. In your searches you can also find out how to remove mold if it has already started in your books. Even the University of Hawaii had information on mold. Just like everything on the internet you want to be careful. If you are never sure if what you are reading is legitimate, talk to a librarian or an archivist.

You need to watch the chemicals in your house. They may cause your books to decay over time. An interesting article was written up in the New York Times back in 1981. This article had to do with decay happening at the New York Public Library. You can read the article here.

I hope that this has helped you in some way decide how you want to preserve your favorite books. If there are books that you need to have rebound, talk to your local library. They can give you information in how to get in touch with bindery companies that can help you. The bindery companies should offer services for conservation and digitization if you have a very special library in your home that you want to preserve for many years to come.

• “Resources for Private and Family Collections.” Northeast Document Conservation Center, 9 Jan. 2012.
• “Care, Handling and Storage of Books.” Library of Congress, 9 Jan. 2012.
• Greenfield, Jane. The Care of Fine Books. New York: Lyons & Burford, 1988. Print.

Photo Credits: Leo Reynolds

• New York Skiing Vacation
• Center Console Fishing Boats
• Pennzoil Gas & Oil Companies Gas & Oil Advertising Collectibles
• Accordian Song Books Sheet Music & Song Books
• Center Console Boats

Guest Blog by Nina Benneton, author of Compulsively Mr. Darcy

I wish to thank you ‘Love Romance Passion’ for inviting me to guestblog today.

Germ Therapy for Mr. Darcy

I was crazy. I was foolish. I was mad for Mr. Darcy.

I was so mad for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy, my sister was concerned for my mental health. She, a fellow Jane Austen devotee, preferred Mr. Bingley. Bland, wishy-washy Mr. Bingley? Really, sis? I knew she was dropped on her too-small head as a baby. How could she resist the spiciness of Mr. Darcy?

“He’s too much in control,” she said.

“That’s a good thing in a man,” I countered.

It is a good thing for a man to be in control, isn’t it? Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy likes to be in control of himself, of his servants, of his friends…and pretty much everyone in the book let him. Except Elizabeth Bennet. She said ‘no’ to his first marriage proposal, told him he was an arse.

And thereby effected the beginning of a very successful navel-contemplation in the man, enough so that Mr. Darcy became the iconic romantic hero to many woman.

A man who changed for the love of woman he loved? Be still my heart. Who could resist that? (I know, I know. One shouldn’t want to change anyone, but, darn it, I want my hero, fictional or not, to change for the love of me.)

From this, I was inspired to write about my own version of the romantic hero Mr. Darcy. A modern interpretation. I wanted to borrow and portray certain aspect of Austen’s characters, but make them my own.

What if my modern Mr. Darcy was too controlling that it became a handicap for him? What if his control issues became the impediments to his having a healthy relationship with anyone? People who feel a need to control others often have a need to control themselves and their environment. He’d be someone who’d bring his own sheets to hotels. Think of the microbes lurking in sheets other strangers may have used. Microbes. Germs. Icky invisible bugs.

My modern Darcy as a control freak with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Perfect to inspire my muse.

This characterization gave me much material to work with. Here’s this guy who seemingly has everything going for him—he’s a billionaire philanthropist, he’s a successful businessman, he’s handsome and sexy—but his life was governed by fear. Fear of germs, fear of not being in control, fear of something happening to his loved ones. He decided long ago to limit the number of people he wanted to care about because letting people into his life and caring about them and training them took too much effort.

“Damn stupid Bingley for dragging me here.” Darcy cursed under his breath. He swallowed his frustration and tried to improve his mood. Bingley was his best friend and, at this stage in his life, he didn’t want the bother of training another one.

With a hero like this on the first page, what kind of woman would be needed to effect a growth in him by the end of the book?

A man who has a pathological need to be in control needs a strong woman who’s going to show him she’s in control? Right?

Wrong.

People are very resistant to change. He’s not going to give over to her because she’s a beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated, strong woman. I didn’t want to write about two strong dogs fighting over a bone. A billionaire-philanthropist, my modern Mr. Darcy would have met plenty of those Cosmopolitan superwomen. And he didn’t succumb.

He needed someone different.

Someone who’s not a doormat, but doesn’t give a rat’s ass about his controlling issues or his frequent hand-washings. Someone who’s quirky enough to cure him with germ-sex therapy…

He needed quixotic, impulsive Dr. Elizabeth Bennet, an infectious disease doctor from San Francisco who’s volunteering in Vietnam.

And that’s why my romantic hero came to be called Compulsively Mr. Darcy.

If you were to write your own Mr. Darcy story, what would he be called? Leave a comment and some hand sanitizer here for Compulsively Mr. Darcy.

Author Bio: Nina Benneton was on her way to save the world and earn a Nobel Prize in something, anything, when her own Mr. Darcy and a bevy of beautiful children interrupted her plans. She woke up one day and saw she was too obsessive about alphabetizing her spices and searching for stray Barbie shoes. She turned to writing.

Her debut novel, Compulsively Mr. Darcy, earned a Best Book review from Long and Short Review, 'Hands down…a must read for lovers and fans of classic romance.' Fresh Fiction Review called it a 'tenderly written novel.' Publishers Weekly wrote, 'Die-hard fans of everything Austen will enjoy this update of her classic tale.'

• Find her at her website/blog: www.NinaBenneton.com
• Find her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nina-Benneton/273543669356518
• Find her on twitter @NinaBenneton
• Find her on her groupblog: www.AustenAuthors.com

Buy: Compulsively Mr. Darcy

GIVEAWAY: As Nina notes below, there are TWO books for GIVEAWAYS to US and Canada readers who leave a comment. Deadline 2/19/20. Winners will be announced here and at my website. Good luck!

• Life Jackets & Preservers Swimwear & Safety Sale
• Mti Fisher Pro Kayak Life Jacket Review Clothing Clothing, Shoes & Accessories Fishing
• For Fat People Clothing Running Deals
• For Two People Floats & Rafts Pool Fun Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• People Statues & Yard Art Garden Decor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living

Guest Post by Cheryl Brooks, author of Stud (Cat Star Chronicles)

Hello again, and thank you so much for having me as a guest here on Love Romance Passion! For those of you who haven’t met my Zetithians yet, allow me to introduce you to the sexiest men in the galaxy, the heroes of The Cat Star Chronicles. Let’s get started with the reasons why every woman wants—and deserves—a Zetithian of her very own.

10. Exotic features:

Every woman dreams of a handsome lover, but the men of Zetith all fit that description. Their upswept eyebrows and pointed ears mark them as an alien race, and with cat-like eyes that glow with passion and fangs hidden behind sensuous lips, they are every bit as dangerous as they appear.

9. Incredible hair:

A Zetithian man’s waist-length spiral curls are a symbol of his virility. Because they tend to exude sexuality, you will never see one with a shaved head. Nor do they have to shave their faces because the men of Zetith don’t have beards, which means you will never have your face or any other part of your body rubbed raw when one of them kisses you!

8. Prescient visions:

Ever wonder what the future holds in store? Your Zetithian man might have a vision someday. It could be as simple as a change in the weather or as profound as seeing your unborn children reflected in your eyes.

7. Superb fighters:

As sleek and strong as tigers on the prowl, their muscular bodies and cat-like agility give Zetithians the advantage over many foes. However, Zetithians would rather be lovers than fighters, which makes “warrior” something of a misnomer. Still, if the need arises for a sword-wielding, iron-fisted, gun-slinging hero, the normally peaceful forest dwellers of Zetith are definitely the guys you want on your side.

6. Longevity:

Zetithians have a longer life span than humans and are amazingly healthy with astonishing regenerative powers. The only down side to this is that they are practically comatose while they heal, which can be disconcerting to the uninitiated. The up side of mating with one is that bearing his children adds years to the mother’s life.

5. Honesty:

You will not find a dishonest Zetithian. These are men you can trust with your life, your money, and your heart. They will not lie to you. Ever.

4. Sense of humor:

Zetithians have strong emotions and a good sense of humor. Generally friendly and likeable, they are kind, considerate, and they SMILE.

3. They can purr:

A Zetithian man uses his purr to entice females, and very few are unaffected by it. Imagine curling up with a hot, sexy, purring man. You don’t have to love cats to appreciate that!

2. Incredible lovers:

With sexual abilities unsurpassed by any species in the galaxy, it’s no surprise that their homeworld was destroyed by an insanely jealous man. Zetithian semen has powerful euphoric effects, and just a taste of their penile secretions will trigger an orgasm. As long as their mate is willing, they can go all day or all night. BUT they can’t do any of it without the scent of a woman’s desire. A Zetithian man cannot force himself on a woman who doesn’t want him.

Their semen also acts as a fertility drug. Even their human mates will have triplets, but as any woman lucky enough to find a Zetithian man of her very own will tell you, it’s worth it. Plus, you will never experience morning sickness!

1. Best of all...

When a Zetithian man says Come, mate with me, my love, and I will give you joy unlike any you have ever known, he really means it!

And doesn’t every woman deserve that?

STUD BY CHERYL BROOKS – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2012

They’re galaxies apart…

Even for a Zetithian, Tarq Zulveidinoe's sexual prowess is legendary. Believing it's all he's good for, Tarq sets out to perpetuate his threatened species by offering his services to women across the galaxy...

But one force can bring them together…

Lucinda Force is the sensitive dark horse in a self-absorbed family, repeatedly told that no man will ever want such a plain woman. Lucy longs for romance, but is resigned to her loveless lot in life—until Tarq walks through the door of her father's restaurant on Talus Five...

Buy: Stud

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cheryl Brooks is a critical care nurse by night and a romance writer by day. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the author of The Cat Star Chronicles series and lives with her husband, two sons, five cats, five horses and one dog in Indiana. For more information, please visit http://cherylbrooksonline.com/ or follower her on Twitter: @CherylCatMaster.

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies of Stud graciously given by Sourcebooks. Open to US and Canada only. Enter by saying why you want a Zetithian Warrior! Last day to enter: February 17, 2011.

• Red Life Jacket Clothing Clothing, Shoes & Accessories Fishing
• Brooks Cascadia 2 Shoes Running Deals
• Air Force Gym Bags Gym, Workout & Yoga Exercise & Fitness
• Brooks Addiction 8 Shoes Running Exercise & Fitness
• Woman Bowhunting Hunting

Guest Blog by Rosanne Bittner, author of WILDEST DREAMS

Hello from Rosanne Bittner!

Glad to visit in response to the publication of my book, WILDEST DREAMS, this month! Be sure to visit my "virtual" Valentine Party at http://rosannebittner-virtualvalentine.blogspot.com/.

In response to the subjects you proposed I comment, I'll do my best to answer.

Secrets that Scar:

Interesting topic. I wasn't sure what you were looking for on this, but when I thought about it I realized that I have used this within my plots in many of my books, including WILDEST DREAMS.

In the beginning of the story, a secret the heroine tries to hide keeps her from allowing herself to fall in love and from believing the hero could really love her in return. The secret she carries truly has "scarred" her heart and her self confidence. In the brand new book I recently finished and which is now being shopped by my agent (PARADISE VALLEY) the heroine carries a secret all the way through the story - one that she knows could ruin the hero's love for her. As is usually best, she should have told the hero to begin with, rather than allow him to find out in the wrong way, which only makes the secret more damaging once discovered - but as always in a good romance, loved wins out!

Finding Love on a Westbound Wagon Train:

Well, how could this not have happened in real historical journeys west? Of course, with the hardship of such a journey, there really wasn't much in the way of "romantic" atmosphere on those real trips west. The journey was very difficult, with no bathing facilities, heat, mosquitoes, robbers, arguments, breakdowns, deaths, cooking on the trail, sleeping on the ground, endless chores, endless walking ... well, it just wasn't conducive to finding love.

Anyone on such a trip was probably too worn out to care. But human nature being what it is, love was bound to happen. Too often, a man and woman would marry for convenience and find a way to fall in love later. A man might lose his wife along the way and need a woman to cook for him and take care of young ones. In return, a woman who became widowed along the way needed a man to help with the arduous chores and to protect her and provide for her children. In such situations people married for practical reasons and fell in love "later" simply through living together and being grateful they found a partner who fulfilled their needs. Love in such circumstances was a far cry from what we think of love in modern times. I call it "necessary love." In my books my characters sometimes found this necessary love and ended up truly falling in love, but usually, because I write romance, there is strong attraction to begin with.

Creating Historical Authenticity:

This is something I work very hard to do in my stories. Naturally, if an author was "down to the bones" realistic in writing 1800's westerns, people would be dead by 35, have no teeth, not smell very good and not be in the best of health. I don't go that far in my stories, but I do try to be as realistic as possible to lend authenticity to situations in my stories. I also work hard on writing authentic locations, clothing, mannerisms and such - and I use real locations and real historical events, into which I wrap my fictional characters and my own fictional story. I have often heard from readers who feel they learned some real American history in a very entertaining way through reading my books. That makes me very happy. I do a tremendous amount of research for my books. I have visited nearly every location mentioned in my stories and have been traveling the West for over 30 years. Most of my research books come from the libraries of the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nebraska.

Thanks so much, and I hope everybody enjoys WILDEST DREAMS!

Buy: WILDEST DREAMS

• Gs Koa Fall 2008 Ltd Taylor Right-Handed Acoustic Guitar Acoustic Musical Instruments
• Love They Neighbor Plaques & Signs Garden D�cor Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Principal Secret Anti-Aging Products Skin Care Store
• Real Estate Opportunities
• West Virginia College-NCAA Fan Apparel & Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

Guest Post by Jodie Becker, author of Dirty Beautiful; and Sidney Bristol, author of Flirting With Rescue

JODIE: Yes, we dig sports. We like to sit down and watch a good game and cheer our team on. I, am a HUGE rugby league fan. I watch it every week come footy season and follow my team in the hopes they make it to the final.

My team? The North Queensland Cowboys. They have long been thought of as the underdogs and they fight every year and even made it in the top 8 to finals the year before last. Last year they didn't do so great. It shows how quickly the dime spins and sometimes we don't know who will win it.

No, I don't watch it for the mighty biffs... well okay, yeah, nothing like a good fight on the field to get the supporters all riled up. And yes, I do like watching men run around in shorts and tight shirts and wrestling each other to the ground... LOL Okay, there is a bit of perv factor in it, but I find I actually go for the mean looking forwards than the pretty boys in teams. Give me a raging bull over light foot any day. Sid, your fav week in week out sport?

SIDNEY: Hockey. I like rugby, don't get me wrong, it's my second favorite sport to watch boys play. I appreciate the tight shirts and short shorts, but they just don't play it enough in America! Hockey is the sport I watch. I love the physicality of the sport. How many other sports out there openly bring guys onto their team for the express purpose of being violent?

Okay, so they did away with most of them when they revised the NHL years ago, but there are still players on the teams you know are out there to hit hard and throw a few punches! It might not be the highest scoring game to watch, but it's hell'a exciting. I go to Dallas Stars games, which is a NHL league, and Brahma games, which is a local minor team.

JODIE: I've seen some games on ESPN. They don't feature, I'm sure, like they do over there, but I did enjoy watching it even if it took me aaages to understand the basic gist. I still don't get it, but I marvel at how well these guys are on the ice. I can't even skate backward, but to do it AND defend? Wow. And to fight on skates? That takes a whole lotta talent.

Summer sports are different of course. Here, it's all cricket. It's not that fun for kids, it requires patience to watch. But I tell you, people go to the matches for the beer. It's an event that can go on for several days with each side batting. But, since they introduced the one-day matches with only 40 overs (240 pitches/bowls to the batter) it makes the game go faster.

I can see your eyes glaze over. Cricket players actually play all year around because when it's summer here, it's winter in another cricket nation, and then they go overseas to play in England (for example) during their summer months. In the summer, what is your sport?

SIDNEY: Because of the Texas heat, it's really hard to have any summer sports. During the spring and fall I'll watch local rugby leagues when I have time. There's some kind of big boom about people getting involved in it, and it's super fun to go and watch. Not to mention the after parties are loads of fun.

I guess the true summer sport for me is roller derby. I used to play it several years ago, and I'll keep track of which league's travel team is in the standings to progress to the championships. Modern roller derby is huge here in Texas because this is where it had it's rebirth, thanks to the Texas Roller Girls (Kill! Kill! Kill!). Mostly it's flat track derby, all women, though I have played with a men's league before, it's kind of frightening.

I know I'm the weird Texan out because I'm not a basketball, football or baseball fan, but I like my sports where hitting and fighting are part of the game. Maybe I'm a little blood thirsty?

Buy: Flirting With Rescue, Dirty Beautiful

So, Dear Readers, what sports capture your attention? Is there a team you root for more than any other?

GIVEAWAY: We're so glad to have had the opportunity to join you today! One lucky commenter will win a package of boutique fudge. Entries must be US citizens, leave an email address or way to contact you and answer the question. Last day to enter: February 3, 2012.

• Guides, Recipes, Games Barware Collectibles
• Joust Toys & Games Pool Fun Pools & Spas Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• 1980-84 Ornaments: by Year Hallmark Decorative Collectible Brands Decorative Collectibles Collectibles
• Kids Roller Skates Skate Shop
• Caps, Hats Texas Rangers Baseball-MLB Fan Apparel & Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

Guest post by Amanda Usen, author of Scrumptious

Oh, boy. Back in the day, before I met my perfect husband, I never met a bad boy I didn’t want to…date. Emotionally unavailable men were my favorite flavor. The more distant the man, the more I wanted to stand beside him. It started in high school when the uber-cool artistic senior drama dude took an interest, and then gave me my first taste of “it’s not you, it’s me,” a few months later.

I was hooked, so hooked I dated (off and on for THREE YEARS) a psychology major in college who responded to my every legitimate relationship complaint with “I’m sorry you feel that way.” Even my perfect husband appeared to be a bad boy when I met him. I call him my sheep in wolf’s clothing because he tricked me. (Thank goodness.) Oh, yeah, I had it bad. The question is: why?

What is it about the men who don’t want us, the guy we can have for a night but not a relationship, or the one that got away, that enchants us? And why is it so intoxicating when they finally succumb to true love? These questions fascinate me. Although I broke my bad boy addiction and am now unconditionally adored, I still live with the ghosts of boyfriends past. I can’t chase them anymore (marriage will do that to a girl) but I can bring them to life in my characters.

In Scrumptious, I deliberately set out to create the baddest boy of them all, Joe Rafferty. During his two years at Culinary Arts College, he slept with “every available female, a few unavailable ones, three mail clerks, and at least one chef-instructor.” Joe is a traveling chef-for-hire so commitment-phobic that the only thing that could get him to consider settling down is a deathbed command from his mother.

Enter Marlene Bennet, a love ‘em and leave ‘em pastry chef who imagines “a night with Joe would be an experience to remember. Fondly.” When he turns down her proposition, he becomes the ultimate challenge…a man whom everyone has had – but her.

What are the perfect ingredients of a bad boy?

In Joe’s case, he’s tall, dark and delicious. He’s such hot chef hardly anyone can keep up with him on the line. He’s left a trail of broken hearts behind him, so he’s jaded. Most alluring of all, he’s got issues, little holes in his heart just waiting for the right healing touch. In my opinion, that’s what makes a bad boy.

He’s attractive, talented, experienced and hurting, even if he doesn’t know it or won’t admit it – especially if he won’t admit it. If you can get that guy’s attention, then you are special. And if he decides you are the one, then you have triumphed where all else have failed. *Sigh* Triumph is incendiary.

But that’s just my opinion. I’m a sucker for a hot guy with a bored expression and the first one to admit I’ve got a competitive steak. What about you? What do you think makes a bad boy? And why is it so sweet when the “unattainable man” finally commits?

Buy: Scrumptious

• Perfect Flame Charcoal Grills & Accessories Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Other Makes Hybrid Vehicles
• Sport Chef Golf Bag Set BBQ Tools & Accessories Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Perfect Flame Gas Grill Covers Gas Grills & Accessories Outdoor Cooking & Eating Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living Nursery
• Magic Chef Refrigerators & Freezers Major Appliances

Guest Post by Christie Craig, author of Murder, Mayhem and Mama

1. Grief sucks.  Love heals.
2. Believe it or not, sometimes mama does know best.  Even when she’s dead.
3. Painting your toenails is equivalent to a happy pill.
4. Sometimes there’s a hell of lot more to our dreams than we think.
5. When a tough guy resorts to sniffing a girl’s sweater that she left behind, he might as well give up the bachelor pad, he’s on the road to falling in love.
6. A guy who offers you a shoulder during a meltdown and doesn’t try to cop a feel, just may be a keeper.
7. When a guy says all he wants to do is sleep with you, he might not be talking sex, you might just be his answer to insomnia.  Then again, he’ll probably want sex when he’s had some sleep.
8. When all else fails, try saying the magic words:  please and thank you.  It’s a manners thing.
9. Be leery of opening your boyfriends medicine cabinet, it’s not just what you might find, but what might fall out and bounce right into the toilet.  Explaining how his 36 pack of condoms got wet could be embarrassing.
10. While being a better bitch isn’t something we should aspire to, learning to stand up for oneself is definitely goal worthy.
11. Sharing food off each other’s plate could lead to sharing a toothbrush.  And after that all bets, and possibly the clothes, are coming off.
12. Bad habits die hard.  Then again, the sergeant general doesn’t say anything about smoking after you’re dead.  Just ask Mama.
13. Take a man’s favorite leather jacket, and he might offer you his heart to get it back.

Murder, Mayhem and Mama

BEING A MAMA IS HARD. BUT THE JOB’S EVEN TOUGHER WHEN YOU’RE DEAD…

Cali McKay’s mama isn’t ready to pass over to the “other side” yet. Her unlucky-in-love daughter needs her now more than ever. Before Mama can chain-smoke her way to heaven, she’s gotta make sure Cali’s ex deadbeat boyfriend doesn’t get her daughter killed.

GRIEF SUCKS. LOVE HEALS…

Cali lost her mom to cancer. Detective Brit Lowell, lost his partner to murder. Now he’s in the mood to take down some dirtbags and Cali’s ex just happens to be a dirtbag leaving a trail of dead bodies behind him. Can Brit trust this beautiful woman to help take down her ex? Can Cali look past this sexy cop’s hard exterior to trust him with her heart? Can life get any crazier when Mama starts meddling from the grave? Only one thing is for sure–none of it will matter, unless they catch a killer before the killer catches them.

FIRST TIME AVAILABLE IN WIDE RELEASE!

Buy for NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-mayhem-and-mama-christie-craig/1108034535

GIVEAWAY: I have 1 e-copy of Murder, Mayhem, and Mama up for grabs. Leave a comment to enter! Open internationally. Last Day to Enter: January 20, 2012.

• Posters Grateful Dead G Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
• Grateful Dead G Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
• Eragrostis Purple Love Ornamental Grasses Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• Photos Grateful Dead G Rock, Pop Music Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia
• Heart Rate Monitor Watches & Pedometers Running Deals

Guest post by Rebecca York, author of Dark Moon, Chained, and Ambushed.

Because I’m a romance writer, some people feel free to ask me, “Do you practice your love scenes?"

I like to answer that I also write suspense, and nobody ever asks me if I practice murder.

I’ve got a good enough imagination to come up with hot love scenes and cold-blooded murder scenarios. However, research IS a big part of my writing process.  If I’m setting a book in a particular area, I want to go there, if possible, to find out details I’d never know if I hadn’t visited.

Take CHAINED, the novella in my new indie romantic suspense series called DECORAH SECURITY.  To give you a little background, it’s about a woman hiding out from bad guys on a ranch near Sedona, Arizona.  A ghost saves her life.  Or is he?

How do you have a happy-ever-after with a phantom?  You could have the guy’s consciousness get transferred to some other body.  In CHAINED, I think I came up with a much more interesting solution, which I’m not going to give away.

The whole premise of how I bring the hero and heroine back together revolves around a feature unique to the area.

To quote Isabella, my heroine, in CHAINED:

Still scrambling for explanations, she thought about the vortexes that were all over the Sedona area.  The places of power that the Native Americans had known about for thousands of years.

In modern times, they had become famous among adherents of New Age philosophies, people who incorporated Eastern and Western traditions into their spirituality and who took ideas from many different fields--as diverse as motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, and even quantum physics.  Rather than relying on dogma, they were willing to use anything that worked for them.  Including the vortexes.

They had fascinated Isabella, and she’d read as much as she could about them.  In the physical world, they were forces of wind and water.  Like the circular motion of a tornado or water whirling down a drain.

In Sedona, they were created by spiraling spiritual energy-- locations where the conditions were right to facilitate prayer, meditation and healing.  Mystical, magical places, if you put it in those terms.

From her earlier research, she knew they were believed to have an energy flow that existed in multiple dimensions.  Some people could get in touch with that energy.  And maybe she was one of them.

I’d heard of the vortexes, of course.  But I had to hike to them, walk around them, and sit and meditate at them to really get the sense of how I could use them in my story.

I needed to visit the vortexes to write CHAINED.  But sometimes a life experience or previous research comes in handy.

That was the case with DARK MOON, the werewolf novel from DECORAH SECURITY.  It’s set on a cruise ship that a very nasty villain has turned into a kinky pleasure palace.  No, I haven’t been to an S & M club.  But I have cruised.  And I drew on those experiences to design the Windward, the ship where my werewolf hero, Cole Marshall, and fellow Decorah agent, Emma Richards, go to rescue a young woman who’s been kidnapped by a business rival of her father’s.

Thrown into the pressure cooker of sensuality and danger on the Windward, Cole and Emma try to fight their attraction for each other.  But can they complete their mission before the owner of the ship discovers their identities and has them killed? Will they get caught in the mutiny that’s threatening to send the Windward up in flames.  And how do they cope when the bad guys capture them naked?

AMBUSHED, the short story of the set, takes place in Washington, D.C.  And there I’m really lucky.  I grew up in D.C. and still live nearby.  I know the city.  I’ve visited a lot of federal office buildings.  I’m familiar with the security.  And I love to use my hometown in my work.

In the story, hero Jordan Stone has a sixth sense for danger.  He’s going to need it to save the life of federal witness, Elizabeth Bannerman. But he’s not only fighting the bad guy.  He’s also fighting his notion of right and wrong, which could prevent him from giving in to his attraction for Elizabeth.

Do you notice the research in an author’s work?  The trick, of course, is to weave it in so it adds to the story and doesn’t overshadow the plot and characters.

Author Bio: An award-winning, best-selling novelist, Ruth Glick is the author of over 100 books. Writing as Rebecca York, she has authored or co-authored over 50 romantic suspense novels.

Buy: CHAINED, AMBUSHED, DARK MOON

• Security Systems Home Security Home Improvement
• Home Security Home Improvement
• Vest Life Jacket Clothing Clothing, Shoes & Accessories Fishing
• Canadian Fly In Cabin For 3 People Trips Fishing
• Tokens: Love Exonumia Coins & Paper Money

Guest Blog by Linda Wisdom, author of A Demon Does It Better

Please enjoy an original short featuring Cleo, the latest sassy sidekick from Linda Wisdom’s A Demon Does It Better!

“Desdomoana Haversham here,” the ghostly television hostess smiled at the camera. Dressed in a flowing white gown, her snowy hair rippling in waves down her back, and skin like rare porcelain, the spirit looked the part of one long gone. “My guest today is Cleo, the former queen of the Nile.” She wrinkled her aristocratic nose and stifled a delicate sneeze. “I deeply apologize, I am allergic to cats.”

“You’re dead.” Cleo sniffed back. The chinchilla Persian cat sat on a bright pink silk cushion with the same regal bearing. “Plus, I do not shed.” She ignored a couple silvery hairs floating in the air.

Desdomoana dabbed at her nose with a snowy-white linen handkerchief. “Yes, well, we are here to talk about you and your witch, are we not?”

“Yes, we are,” the fluffy feline purred. “And I must say I am very pleased to be back in San Francisco and especially, Inderman where we can find a higher quality of salmon.”

“What can you tell my viewers about Lili Carter? Yes, we know she is a powerful witch with healing magick in her bones, but what is she like at home?” Desdomoana leaned forward, her pale blue glittering with glee at the prospect of learning the dark and dirty. “Does she have odd habits? Uses her magick all the time? What is going on with the lovely witch now? Tell all, my dear.”

Cleo tapped her paw against her mouth in though then sighed. “The witch is boring with a capital B.”

“Boring? Never!”

The feline leaned forward. “Do you know how long it’s been since she’s gone on a date? Even had coffee with a male, appropriate or non? As for sex, well …” her voice drifted off. “What can I say? For someone of Greek descent, she is more a Vestal Virgin. Although they weren’t as virginal as they claimed. The ones in Pompeii were especially ….”  She tittered. “But I hope to see that change.”

“How so?” Desdomoana’s purr rivaled Cleo’s. “Don’t tease us, darling.”

Cleo looked over her shoulder before turning back to the PNN, Pretenatural News Network, hostess. “Well, as you know, Lili is on the staff at Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum,” she said in a low voice as if afraid of being overheard other than the thousands of creatures watching the broadcast. “Now you tell, me how many suitable males can you find at a hospital?”

“Mundanes always seem to enjoy if they affiliate with a doctor,” Desdomoana chimed in.

“Trust me, not at Crying Souls.” Cleo raised her eyes to the ceiling. “Not a suitable one in the bunch. I have devoted my life to seeing that witch mated the an appropriate male, but that isn’t happening.” If she’d been humanoid she would have looked as if she was biting her lip. “It’s a trifle dry in here, don’t you think? Would you have any catnip wine around?”

“No, we don’t. You found someone for her,” the sultry vampire cooed. “Didn’t you?”

“I have more chosen a proper male for her than once and she has always turned them down.” The cat sighed. “Lili is not one to choose well and I’m afraid that could happen this time. Although,” she absently chewed on a claw, “we did meet this lovely specimen in the scent shop in Inderman. Her pulse did race when he spoke to her and I must say I’d raise my tail for him any time.” She looked around. “Are you sure you don’t have any catnip wine in the studio?”

“Yes, I am,” Desdomoana snapped. “We are here to discuss Lili Carter. She’s well known for her work with not just the supernatural community but even treating mundanes. And you are also known for your involvement helping the younglings when they’re in the hospital. Why would you both return to San Francisco after so many decades? Did she leave because of a scandal?” Her dark eyes fired with avarice for juicy gossip. “We understand that Dr. Carter worked in Bedlam hospital during its worst. Is that why she will be working in the asylum at Crying Souls? It’s been said there are truly evil creatures housed there. Isn’t she afraid of dealing with the afflicted?”

Cleo uttered a hiss of frustration. “She’s a doctor, for Fates sake! She treats who is ill.” She ripped off the tiny microphone slipped in her fur. “This interview is over. I should have known you were too cheap to have catnip wine on hand.” She stalked off the set.

“We aren’t finished!” Desdomoana yelped, raising blood-red tipped fingers.

“The Queen of the Nile has left the building,” came back to the vampire.

What about you? What question would you ask Lili’s furry partner? And best if you have catnip wine on hand.

Linda

A DEMON DOES IT BETTER BY LINDA WISDOM – IN STORES JANUARY 2012

A madhouse is not place for a curious witch…

After more than a century, Doctor Lili Carter, witch healer extraordinaire, has returned to San Francisco and taken a job at Crying Souls Hospital and Asylum, where something peculiar and wicked I shappening. Patients are disappearing, and Lili wants to know why.

And double dangerous for a demon…

Lili finds herself undeniably attracted to perhaps the most mysterious patient of all—a demented but seriously sexy demon named Jared. What’s behind the gorgeous chameleon demon’s late-night escapades?

Before long, Lili and Jared are investigating each other—and creating a whole new kind of magic.

Buy: A Demon Does It Better

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Wisdom has published more than 70 novels with 13 million copies sold worldwide including traditional, paranormal, humor, action/adventure romance, and romantic suspense. Her bestselling books have been nominated for RT Book Reviews awards and the Romance Writers of America Rita Award. She lives with her husband in Murrieta, California. For more information, please visit www.LindaWisdom.com.

GIVEAWAY 2 copies of A Demon Does It Better. Open to US and Canada only. Enter by answering Linda's question. Last Day to enter: January 14, 2012.

• Pinot Noir Red Wines Wine Food & Wine Home Store
• Male Enhancement Herbs Plants, Seeds & Bulbs Gardening & Plants Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living
• New South Wales Wine Food & Wine Home Store
• Barbera Red Wines Wine Food & Wine Home Store
• Jackets San Francisco 49ers Football-NFL Fan Apparel & Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

Guest Blog by Patricia Rice, author of The Lure of Song and Magic

My name is Patricia Rice and I’m a romance reader. And writer. The two go hand-in-hand. Over the years I’ve published probably fifty historical and contemporary romances. In THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC I’ve finally combined the magical Malcolms and logical Ives from my historical MAGIC series (being reissued by Sourcebooks) with my love of contemporary romance.

I absolutely believe that the human brain is capable of far more than we train it to do. My magical Malcolms simply have stronger psychic abilities than the average person and generally, as a family, they learn to enhance those abilities. By psychic, I don’t mean they read minds. I mean they have extraordinary mental abilities like telekinesis, clairvoyance, empathy, astral mediumship, and more. The heroine of THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC is a siren—although, because she was abandoned by the side of the road when she was only four, she has no understanding of her ability and no training in how to use it.

I’ll admit the idea for this particular device came from watching the Anonymous Four in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou with George Clooney some years ago. The music of the sirens on the shore was utterly haunting, and I tracked down their albums. The harmonies are a perfect background for stirring my creativity, and because the group often sings in Latin, the words don’t interfere with mine when I play their music as I write. But the voices… I needed to find a story for those voices.

So if you listen to any of the Anonymous Four albums, or singers like Charlotte Church or Aria Tesolin (video is above) you’ll hear the heroine of THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC— Philippa Syrene Malcolm James, the child singing sensation who crashed and burned before the age of eighteen. Syrene’s passion soars from delicate harmony to dramatic opera, depending on her tempestuous moods. She’s had ten years to practice controlling the rage and seduction her voice exudes, ten years of hiding her magical, destructive gift. She’s not about to waste those years by listening to the pleas of a fast-talking Hollywood producer who can’t take no for an answer. Until he explains his son is missing, and she may be the only person in the world who can help find him.

The story has been building in my head for years and when I finally unleashed it, it simply poured forth, threatening to take over my computer and my life. I hope readers will be as swept up in the emotion and the mystery as I was. Do you enjoy a bit of mystery with your romance, or would you prefer to concentrate on the couple? Since this book also includes a small town full of characters, do you enjoy reading about the other people and the setting? Leave a comment and take a chance on winning a copy of the book!

You can read an excerpt, sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter and Facebook or connect with one of my blogs by stopping by my website at http://patriciarice.com/. A list of all my books, including e-book reissues is available there. I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to stop by and say hi.

THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC BY PATRICIA RICE – IN STORES JANUARY 2012

Her voice was a curse…

When Dylan “Oz” Oswin’s son is kidnapped, the high-powered producer will do anything to get him back. Desperately following an anonymous tip, he seeks help from a former child singing sensation called Syrene, only to find she’s vowed never to sing again. Immune to her voice but not her charm, Oz is convinced she holds the key to his son’s disappearance—and he’ll stop at nothing to make her break her vow.

Only he can make her sing…

She knows the devastation her talent can bring. There’s more than a child’s life at stake, but Syrene cannot unleash her dangerous siren’s voice upon the world, even for a man who is impossible to deny…

Buy: THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With five million books in print and New York Times and USA Today’s bestseller lists under her belt, Patricia Rice’s emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards and have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories. A former CPA, Patricia Rice currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, please visit http://www.patriciarice.com/ or follow her on Twitter, @Patricia_Rice.

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies of THE LURE OF SONG AND MAGIC for giveaway. Open to US and Canada only. Enter by answering one or both of Patricia's questions up above. Last day to enter: January 13, 2012.

• Revenues Back of Book United States Stamps
• Military, Historical Sheet Music Sheet Music & Song Books
• Postal Cards & Stationery Back of Book United States Stamps
• Magic Mountian Harp & Dulcimer String Acoustic Musical Instruments
• Art Dragons Fantasy, Mythical & Magic Collectibles