Destination: Love

I am known best for my historical romance novels, but I do love contemporary, and so every so often, I get the bug to write one. I’m thrilled to announce that my 3rd story in the One Night series has released in the Destination: Love anthology! Wherever You Are is the story of Max and Calista who meet one night on a beach in Grand Cayman–a night that will change them forever.

You first met Max in The Rebound Pact, when his sister Gabriella joins up with Holden to open a bistro at a local vineyard.

Check out an excerpt!

“What are you doing out here?”

“Staring at the stars.” She shrugged.

Max laughed softly. “No, I mean, here in Grand Cayman.”

“Vacationing like everyone else.” Calista turned away. What little part of her had felt the need to open up to this stranger tightened. Talking with a handsome stranger was one thing, relaying the melancholy that was her life was another.

“I don’t mean to pry,” Max said softly.

Calista’s lips curved slightly as she flicked her gaze at him. “Yes you do.”

Max laughed and tapped his hand to his chest. “You got me. I do.”

A little flip of her belly, and she found herself letting her guard down again. “Forgetting.” Though, she was doing a better job remembering and wallowing than anything else. And she had every right, didn’t she? “Forgetting,” she said again quietly, as if hoping to convince herself to do so.

He nodded but didn’t ask any more, as if he could understand the need to forget. He lay down beside her, stretched his legs out so the waves touched his feet and tucked his hands beneath his head. “Have to admit, this is a nice view.”

And it was. But Calista wasn’t looking at the stars anymore. She was staring down at Max. At his lean, cut body and the chisel of his features, dark reddish-brown hair that resembled the color of an old, lucky penny. He was handsome. Hot. Looking at him, a spark of desire flashed inside her, coursing its way along her limbs, making her breasts feel heavy, achy. God, she hadn’t felt like that in a while. Not even with Randy.

Desire. Need. Yearning.

If she were anyone else, she might have taken the opportunity that was being presented to her. Might have taken the chance and jumped this hot hunk’s bones. But she wasn’t any other person. She was Calista Adams. Jilted bride.

Tearing her gaze away from him, she flopped back onto the sand, her arm over her eyes.

“Can’t see the stars like that,” he murmured.

A smiled snaked over her lips, and she tried to stifle it. But all that kept running through her mind was the way she felt so at peace with Max here, lying beside her in the shallow water, waves lapping at their feet. And how wrong that had to be. Right? She shouldn’t feel like this. Not yet.

She’d not felt at peace since her life was inexplicably torn apart. Not since she’d lost—

“Do you live near the beach?” Max asked.

Calista cleared her throat, thrusting her sadness away. “No,” she whispered.

“Oh.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because of how comfortable you are just lying here. Sand in your hair. Clothes rumpled. As though it’s part of a routine you couldn’t live without.”

A routine she couldn’t live without. Warm water slicked up her legs, a gentle breeze soothed her soul. And this man… He was making her think of things that she’d not yet touched on. What she couldn’t live without. And that was affection, kissing, companionship, love.

Go the distance, fall farther than you planned…

Don’t bother with your passport – you can watch our HOT couples fall in love from the comfort of your couch! USA Today bestsellers Christi Barth, Eliza Knight, Misty D. Waters and Piper J. Drake, and Christina Elle take you along on sexy, romance-drenched vacations all over the globe. Enjoy the exotic settings, the steamy vacation flings that become something more. Take the plunge with five couples as they throw caution to the wind and give in to temptation. The final destination in this itinerary is love, and you’re in for the trip of your life.

Wherever You Are

After life takes a heart-breaking turn, Calista Adams indulges in a fling while on vacation. But that steamy encounter fills her heart with something she thought never to have again. Maxwell Dane can’t stop thinking about Calista, but he’s home in Paris, she’s an ocean away. Until Calista takes a nine-week sabbatical to travel Europe. With a second chance in sight, Max won’t let her push him away. This could be the forever kind of love, and there’s only one way to find out.

 

Order Destination: Love Now!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2rH8crI

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2rsSdOu

iBooks: http://apple.co/2rNJVE8

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2s29alS

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2tQEDbO

 

 

More Books in the One Night Series…

Kindle: https://goo.gl/eMQRv6
Nook: https://goo.gl/VsJXvx
Kobo: https://goo.gl/fuXaVc
iBook: https://goo.gl/WMyy8n

 

Kindle: https://goo.gl/bCcmyn
Nook: https://goo.gl/JktYp7
Kobo: https://goo.gl/af4vRd
iBook: https://goo.gl/xwCFTM

 

Multi-Author Collaboration

Tags

anthologies, boxed sets, Eliza Knight, Group author projects, Stephanie Dray, writing multi-author collaborations

So you want to work on a project with multiple authors? Check out this blog post that author friend Stephanie Dray and I wrote!

Romance University: Writing Multi-Author Collaborations

And be sure to check out our critically acclaimed novel A Day of Fire that was short-listed for the Historical Novel Society’s 2015 Indie Award.

Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop — My Favorite Christmas Cookies

Tags

books, Christmas, holiday giveaways, kilts, mistletoe madness, romance

I’m going to be baking a lot this week! Cookies for Santa, cookies for the Princesses classmates and teachers, cookies for the family and of course, cookies for me! I love to turn on sappy holiday movies while I bake–makes it so much more fun!

Here are a my top 5 favorite holiday cookies…

5. Peanut butter kiss cookies

4. Chocolate peppermint cookies

3. Cookie/brownie bars

2. Sugar cookies w/frosting

1. Pecan snowballs!

What are your favorites?

In my holiday novella, A Kilted Christmas Wish, Darla loves pretty much anything chocolate!

Check it out…

Down on her luck with men, Darla Strider wonders if she’ll ever meet her own kilted hero. Considering she lives in present day New York City, the likelihood of that happening is nil. She’s certain only a Christmas wish could make her dreams come true. Until the day Aaron Sutherland walks into her café, and changes her whole world.

Leaving his pain in Scotland for life in the States, the last thing Aaron has in mind is hooking up with a city girl. But one look at Darla and she’s got him singing All I Want for Christmas is You…

Read it! Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Leave a comment for your chance to win an ecopy!

But there’s more!!!!

Grand Prize from the core sponsors is a $200 Best Buy Gift Certificate!

For a chance to win the grand prize and to see other authors on the tour, click HERE!

 

Not Ready to Let Go…

At about two years old.

If you follow me on Facebook you may have seen some posts by me over the last 6 months about my dog having cancer. He has two different tumors–one around his heart and one in the lower lining of his stomach. Six months ago, we were told he’d have a month or two, and that hopefully the meds would help him to feel better.

They did! He was better than better–outside playing soccer and basketball, stealing the kids food from the table and even making a flying leap to snatch a Lemonade Girl Scout cookie. He was doing awesome. He gained weight, his coat looked beautiful, all the allergies he’d suffered from for the first 9 years of his life disappeared. He was the miracle dog.

And then overnight, everything changed.

This week 😦

When we returned from Thanksgiving, we found that his belly had bloated, like he’d eaten four dozen donuts. He wouldn’t lay down, he paced, he started vomiting and having diarrhea again. He’s lost interest in food (even the crazy expensive organic canned dog food I feed him!), though we’ve been able to entice him to eat cheese, ham and chicken (and Girl Scout Cookies!). I took him to the vet and they did x-rays. His tumors are bigger. Things are going down hill so fast. The vet gave us a few more meds to help. That night, he collapsed from exhaustion–since he wouldn’t lay down. The vet then gave us some pain meds for him. We figured out how to prop him up on pillows and cover him with blankets to get him to lay down for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, but that was it. Is it. Now his leg and foot are swelling up…

We were told at this point, he’s not going to get better, that we’re basically making him comfortable until its time to make THAT decision. But the thing is, he’s not comfortable. He’s in pain. He isn’t sleeping.

Deez at about 6 months–that’s how I found him in the morning 🙂 That’s all the paper her annihilated!

And yet today, when I came home from the store, he wagged his little nub tail like crazy. I bought him a toy and he actually played with it for five minutes.

So… he’s happy, even if he’s in pain?

How do you make the decision to put your dog to sleep forever when they still wag their tail when you walk into a room?

I grew up with dogs, dealt with their passage–I was sad, I cried, but this is different. This is MY puppy.

My Hubs and Deez as a puppy

On Mother’s Day 2004, my husband took me to a boxer breeder’s house to pick up my baby. There were two puppies left–one sassy girl who kept biting my ankles, and then this adorable little puppy with the biggest underbite I’d ever seen. Already he was a tough guy. Being a Vin Diesel fan… I named my dog Diesel, cuz he’s a big tough guy. (Nicknames: Deez, Deezy-wheezy, Deez-nuts, and Doidle <–this last one coined by Princess#3 who couldn’t pronounce his name).

We brought him home and things were never the same again. I have had a love/hate relationship with this dawg. And he with me–you see, he gains enjoyment out of driving me crazy! lol

Slobber icicle

First, the hate: He tore apart my wedding bouquet that I’d carefully preserved. He ripped up a new pair of shoes (only once for some odd reason). He humped a giant Tigger doll which forced me to throw it away. He is a master escape artist–give him five minutes and he can dismantle any crate, he can open outdoor gates, can dig up a lead and yank it out of the yard, and he knows how to open doors, freaking genius. He was also an expert at opening the diaper genie…not pretty. He shredded the molding around a door in our new house. He’s never learned NOT to beg at the table. He snores LIKE A CHAMP causing me many sleepless nights. If he’s mad at me, he sh*ts in the house. He smears his slobber all over everything. He lifted his leg and PEED on me during the fireworks…Poor dog suffered from TERRIBLE allergies…the vet told us he was probably allergic to himself (which I could understand since I got hives from petting him sometimes). When I talk on the phone he stands behind me and barks. When I sit at my computer, he stands behind me and barks…  Needless to say, there’s been a lot of hating going on.

On one of our many family hikes…thank goodness he didn’t jump into the lake this time since he CAN’T SWIM!

Just one of the kids!

BUT–he is the best damn dog I’ve ever had, and here’s the reasons why I love him so much: He’s a boss and he knows it. He is very loyal and protective–one time he head-butted a man out of the house. Coincidentally, the man was warning me that my deck was on fire. He is AMAZING with kids, and willing to dress up like a princess and play tea party. He loves to cuddle with the kids, and lay on my lap until my legs go numb. He is yard trained–he’d stay in the yard no need for an electric fence. He cleans up all the food under the table. We taught him to air lick kiss, so instead of slobbering your face, he licked the air around your face! Although, every once in awhile he’d make a leap in the air and get you right in the mouth! He makes the best faces–you can almost see what he’s thinking (I mirrored Frosty’s personality in THE HIGHLANDER’S CONQUEST after him). He is always glad to see me, no matter what. He loves to play ball–soccer, basketball, anything, he loves to run and jump and chase it with you. I love that he likes to hike and explore with us. He’s fun to play with. I love to watch him mangle his new “pets” when we give him stuffed animals. I love the way he finds any scrap of fabric

Curling up with one of his “pets”

and lays on it–even socks, and how he finds the places in the house where the sun shines in to lay down and relax. I love that he follows me around, that he wants to be with me all the time. I love when we get in the car, he sits on a seat like all the humans and doesn’t think its weird. I love the way we could make him “speak” at us. I love his energy, his fascination with life and his never-ending optimism that we’re definitely going to give him whatever it is he wants, and he’s not afraid to bark at us until we do. I love that he isn’t allergic to chocolate, because lord knows he’s sneaked into plenty of candy boxes. I love the way, when he yawns sometimes, his lip gets stuck on his teeth and he ends up making this really funny face.

Taking a ride in my sister’s Jeep. She let him sit up front 🙂

I hate that at some point I’m going to have to say goodbye.

And that point is coming quicker than I thought.

My dear friend’s aunt showed her this poem and she passed it on to me… It has helped me to feel better, but not 100%. I’m not ready to let go…

THE LAST BATTLE

If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this — the last battle — can’t be won.
You will be sad I understand,
But don’t let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn’t want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.
Take me to where to my needs they’ll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end
And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you will agree
It is a kindness you do to me.
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don’t grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;
We’ve been so close — we two — these years,
Don’t let your heart hold any tears.

— Unknown

**UPDATE** Thank you all so much for you kind words and support! It means the world to us. We sadly had to let go of Diesel on Friday. He was in so much pain. But we know he is in a much better place now–Rainbow Bridge. He’ll always be in our hearts, never forgotten.

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!!!

Hey all! Today’s my day in the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!

I’m giving away: Eliza Knight: 1 ebook copy of A Kilted Christmas Wish (Contemp Novella), (International) AND 1 Signed copy of The Rebound Pact, (US ONLY)!

Here’s the party link on Facebook!

TO ENTER TO WIN– CLICK HERE!!!

No Tofurkey for me!

Tags

Thanksgiving

We’re hosting Thanksgiving this year at my house! And can I just tell ya how many people were like–“but we need a real turkey!”

Yes, I’m a vegetarian. No, that doesn’t mean you get a fake turkey…

In fact, I’ve enlisted my sister and brother-in-law to make TWO turkeys, and from what I hear they are going ALL out! And everyone that’s coming is bringing something delicious that they love to have every year.

So what, you may ask, am I making???

Here’s my Thanksgiving menu…that everyone will be able to enjoy AFTER we play a friendly, family game of soccer 🙂

Appetizers

“Crab” Cakes

(my meat-eating friends have devoured these in the past)

“Cheese” Log

(along w/some real cheese…)

 Bread Bowl w/Hummus and Veggies

Main Dishes

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Pumpkin and Caramelized Onion Baked Ziti

(from Veganomicon)

Asparagus, Portabella, Sundried Tomato & Grains served in a roasted butternut squash w/a savory lime/evoo sauce

Side Dishes 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Mashed Potatoes

Vegan Sausage Stuffing

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Garlic & “Cheese” Bread

Herbed Pumpkin Knots

(from Oh She Glows)

Dessert

Pumpkin Brownie Pie

Looking for a sweet, holiday treat? Check out my new novella release, A KILTED CHRISTMAS WISH.

A KILTED CHRISTMAS WISH is a sexy, contemporary novella of about 20,000 words.

Down on her luck with men, Darla Strider wonders if she’ll ever meet her own kilted hero. Considering she liv
es in present day New York City, the likelihood of that happening is nil. She’s certain only a Christmas wish could make her dreams come true. Until the day Aaron Sutherland walks into her café, and changes her whole world.

Leaving his pain in Scotland for life in the States, the last thing Aaron has in mind is hooking up with a city girl. But one look at Darla and she’s got him singing All I Want for Christmas is You.

Read it! Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Smashwords

In Person Workshop Hosted by Maryland Romance Writers!

MARYLAND ROMANCE WRITERS is excited to announce its 2013 Fall Workshop

WRITING FROM THE GROUND UP

Learn the Steps Involved in Writing a Novel

This dynamic workshop will walk you through the creation of a novel from the opening hook, through plot points, world building and character building . . . all the way to the all-important black moment and The End.

We will cover the following topics:

• Pantsing vs Plotting with Lean Nolan
• World/ Character /Conflict Building with Lisa Blankenship
• First Lines / Beginnings–the Inciting Incident with Mindy Klasky
• Dragging Middles with Mindy Klasky
• The Black Moment with Christie Kelley
• After The End—How to edit/polish your finished manuscript with Brigid Kemmerer

DATE: Saturday, October 26

TIME: 1-5 P.M.

PLACE: Catonsville Library, 1100 Frederick Road, Catonsville, Maryland

COST: $30 for MRW Members and $35 for non-MRW Members.*

TO SIGN UP: Visit http://www.marylandromancewriters.com/

Countdown to RWA — Pitching

Tags

pitching, RWA Nationals

Happy Monday!

With the craziness of packing, etc… this post got away from me! But I still want you all to be prepared. Here is my Top 10 list for pitching at a conference.

TEN: Have a one line hook/pitch ready. Could be a sentence or a question, but gives the idea of the book.

Example:

A Highland warrior steals the intended of an English noble only to fall in love. — THE HIGHLANDER’S REWARD

Gabrielle thought sleeping with her brother’s best friend in college was a colossal mistake–until he becomes her rebound and shows her what real love is. — THE REBOUND PACT

What happens when an emotionally damaged woman travels back in time, into the arms of a dangerous, sensual Highland warrior, who challenges her to let go of her inhibitions? — BEHIND THE PLAID

NINE: Memorize your one line pitch.

EIGHT: On an index card, write down your title, one-liner, and your blurb. Carry this with you everywhere. You never know when an editor at a bar or in the hallway might ask for your pitch.

SEVEN: Be prepared to take 5 minutes to talk about your book and your characters. Why is it unique? Why should they bother paying for it? Make sure your pitch shows this.

SIX: Practice your pitch with friends. It helps to actually talk it out with someone else, rather than just what’s on the page.

FIVE: Don’t offer them your printed manuscript!

FOUR: Prepare some questions for the agent/editor you’re pitching to. Show that you are interested, and that you’ve done your homework. Make sure they acquire what you are pitching

THREE: Be prepared with a second pitch! They may ask for another book!

TWO: Take a deep breath and relax. They are people, too.

ONE: When you’re finished, don’t ruminate on anything you think was a mistake to say, or what could have gone wrong. Pitching is hard, but they are used to people being nervous. Don’t beat yourself up. Revel in the fact that you did it! Go chat with your friends!

Countdown to RWA — Your Budget

Tags

budget, RWA Nationals

 

Good morning and Happy Friday! Hope you have some fun things planned for this weekend. We will be doing a bit of unpacking, family coming into town AND I’m going to be sneaking in some time to pack a little for Nationals next week! AH! It’s coming quickly! If you haven’t tuned in already, I’ve written a couple posts in preparation for the conference (links below), and today I’m going to talk about the your budget — cash to have on hand.

Your Agenda

What to Bring and What NOT to Bring

• Taxi/Public Transit — Make sure you have cash on hand for your ride to/from the airport (plus tip if needed). I’ve heard from some it can be as little as $5 for the public transit (each way) and $35 or so for the taxi each way. If you can, try to double/triple up on the taxi ride! When you get to the airport, you’re bound to run into other romance authors, its odd, how we recognize faces from Facebook even if we’ve never met. Offer to ride together to the hotel.
• Food — there are some meals provided, but not EVERY meal is provided. I always bring granola bars, nuts, and things like that to snack on for breakfast or during the day when I’m hungry. But be sure to have cash on hand for morning coffee (unless you use the coffee provided in your room), lunch, dinner. Breakfast will be served on Thursday/Friday. Lunch on Thursday/Friday will be served. Coffee on Saturday. Looks like no lunch. Dinners will be on your own (used to be a dinner during the RITA awards, but its not looking that way this year). Sunday you are on your own for all meals. Try to go offsite to eat — not only will it be less expensive, but you’ll get a chance to see some of the town.
• Drinks — It may seem odd to include this in your budget, but even if you drink tea at the bar, you will most likely find yourself there. The bar is an area where everyone seems to converge and hang out. You can meet up with old friends, meet new friends and network.
• Sight-seeing — If you plan to do any, look ahead at costs. Make sure to figure in transportation, tickets, etc…
• Books — Not only do I always buy books at the literacy signing, but I also make my way into the bookstore that is set up. They always have a great selection of craft/research books.
• Hotel incidentals — you will no doubt have your budget already set aside for your hotel, but make sure to save a bit for incidentals, ie, internet, room service (if you end up getting it), hotel taxes and fees.
• Gift shop — I also tend to find myself in here for small gifts for those at home, but late night chocolate too 🙂
• Chapter events — a lot of chapters hold parties that you have to pay for to attend. Check on these prices/parties now so you can either pre-pay or have the cash to pay when/if you go.
• This item is a luxery… I forgot to check-in to my flight and got like the last spot on the plane. I had enough to upgrade to business class at the airport that morning. Not something I do every time, but something I will keep in mind.

That’s about it for what I usually run into. Remember there are always ways to save — splitting meals, bringing snacks, sharing your room, buying only a certain number of books, banning yourself from the gift shop, having only one/no drinks in the evening.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a post on pitching.

Cheers!
Eliza

Countdown to RWA: Your Agenda

Yesterday, I wrote briefly about what to bring and what not to bring. Today I’m talking about preparing your agenda. Before arriving at RWA Nationals, its always good to have an agenda written — even if it’s loosely written. Once you arrive, it can get very chaotic, overwhelming and busy. Imagine 2000 excited women converging in one spot–loud, lol. If you had workshops you wanted to attend, gatherings, friends to meet, etc… you don’t want them to get lost in the void of chattering, laughing, and whooping.

The first time I went to an RWA conference, I was 7 months pregnant and had just returned from Disney World. I was not prepared, and I was OVERWHELMED. Ever since then, I always make sure to have a loosely written schedule.

RWA.org, even has an agenda builder on it now to help you.

Here is a list of scheduled events: http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=560

Here is the list of workshops: http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=562 (also the link for the agenda builder.

In case you were wondering… I will be presenting at RWA! Along with Laura Kaye and Stephanie Draven, we’ll be presenting: How to Tackle Taboos in Erotic Romance (CRAFT). I will also be moderating: Focus on Nook Press (SELF-PUBLISHING). If you are a PRO member and attending the PRO Retreat, you may see me there as well–I am being awarded as PRO Mentor of the Year 🙂

In addition to marking workshops, events you want to attend, check in with your local chapters to see if they will be holding any get-togethers. Email writing friends who are going to see if they want to meet for a meal/coffee/wine.

Don’t forget to schedule in some down time. Whether you need it for a nap, for writing, for calling home, make sure you don’t forget to take it. I usually come back from a conference needing a vacation! Exhilarating, inspiring, exciting as it is, conference can also be quite exhausting.

I am an early to bed person, early to rise… Yet, my husband always teases me because at conference I may not be in bed until 3am…

If you see me, make sure to stop and say hi!

Come back tomorrow for talk on budgeting… You don’t have to spend too much to have a great conference!