BIG HOLIDAY NEWS!

Surprise! I’m not plugging one of my books today. Nope. Today, I’m sharing my news with my blog readers first before I announce it elsewhere. Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that I will be giving away a Kindle Fire 3G on December 15th to one of the subscribers to my newsletter. Yes, just in time for either Christmas giving or as a great way for the recipient to enjoy reading over the holidays and forward. The sign up form is down on the sidebar, below the book covers, below the Bible verse, in the white square containing most of my book covers. Just click on it, and you'll see the sign-up form.

Me, hibernating in my pink cave to write.

Most authors lead a lonely writing life. We can wear whatever we wish to write. That's great. No coworkers to distract us or cause problems. ☺ That is both good and bad. We need contact with the real world to ground us. Readers and their reviews and comments keep us in touch. That’s why I want to repay my readers with a gift. Sorry I can’t give each of you something. At least I can give one of you a Kindle Fire 3G to show how much I appreciate readers. You are the spark that fires my writing!

As a technophobe, I wasn’t certain I wanted all the gadgets the Fire includes--in fact, I wasn’t even certain what those features were. I adored my earlier Kindle with the little keyboard and still do. I thought all I wanted to do was read ebooks. Surely that was all I needed, right? Then Hero gave me a Kindle Fire 3G and I couldn’t hurt his feelings by not using it. Guess what? I love it! Maybe I don’t actually NEED all the other features added to the Fire, but I love them. Why did I resist?

The Fire has color, so a child would like viewing children’s books on the screen. If you have Wi-Fi, which we do, capabilities include email and the internet. My friend who showed me her Kindle Fire had houseguests who usurped her computer and laptop, so she sent email from her Kindle Fire. Another time, before she had a laptop, her PC was on the fritz and she emailed from her Kindle Fire to let us know. Amazing, I can also post to Facebook or Twitter from my Fire, or watch YouTube or movies.

When I was in college at Texas Tech way back in the olden days, I remember the computers I used in a programming class. The fact that this KindleFire has more memory than those huge computers boggles my mind. Thank goodness the Fire is light and can slip right into my purse - even though I have several hundred books on it. One of my friends who downsized her to a smaller home has given away all her paper books except a few research and keepers. Think of all the additional space in her home. I'm not sure I can part with my favorite books, of which we have hundreds, but I am certainly limiting the new paper books I acquire.

Back to business. Here on the sidebar of my blog, you will find a square to click to sign up for my newsletter. Don’t think I’ll bombard you with email. Nope, only when I have a new release, a contest, or major news. Hero sometimes helps me with promotion, but no one but Hero or I will ever see your email or name, and neither of us will tell. Promise.

What are you waiting for? Go sign up.

I’m pleased to announce that Amy won Charlene Raddon’s giveaway on the Monday-Tuesday blog. Over at my post on Charlene’s blog, Ruby won my book. Congratulations, ladies! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

Thanks to each of you who stopped by to read or read and comment. I appreciate you showing up.


Thanks for stopping by!

DIANA COSBY'S GIFT OF THANKS

Diana Cosby

Please welcome my friend, Diana Cosby, author of historical romances set in Scotland. Diana is an amazing person who gives back in both time and money, and in large ways and small. She does everything from taking a neighbor a pie to organizing people for a Habitat For Humanity site. Last year, she originated a Food Bank Drive. This year, her goal is to make this an Annual International Food Drive. And her books are selling like crazy. HIS WOMAN and HIS CONQUEST are listed in the, ‘Best Historical Romance Novels,” on Best Romance Novels Today! HIS CONQUEST remained on Amazon's Bestsellers in Historical Romances list for 145 days strait! Diana appeared in the April 17th issue of Woman's Day Magazine in a story about "Achieving Your Dreams Over 40!" She was honored by the United States division of the Scottish National Trust for her donations to that organization. Now, she's looking forward to her 2012 booksigning at a Scottish castle. Well, you get the idea that she's a terrific writer as well as a terrific person. Here’s Diana to explain her philosophy, a recipe, and information about the food drive.


                  A GIFT OF THANKS
              THIS HOLIDAY SEASON


Gifts come in many shapes and sizes, but I believe the most precious ones are those delivered from the heart. It's so easy to get caught up in the mayhem of life, particularly during the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, but every day, there are people amidst the chaos who help you, who take time out of their busy lives to make a difference in yours. This year, why not return that gift?

Diana, 3rd from left with five
Texas writers she recruited for
Habitat for Humanity last year

This holiday season, as wrapped gifts exchange hands, I ask you to pause, reflect on those who’ve truly made a difference in your life, and if possible, find a special way to say thank you. This can be a simple gesture—something as simple as a greeting card, a bouquet of flowers, or a heartfelt poem. Maybe you bake someone their favorite cookies? Or, you present them a coupon book filled with everyday chores they can tear out and give you to do on those trying days when they really need a helping hand. The absolute best gift you can offer another person is one given from the heart; and when special-delivered, without any strings attached, it touches their own.


This Christmas, I’m making gift baskets filled with my favorite things, most homemade, a few being macadamia-butterscotch chip cookies, shortbread, Vermont maple syrup, orange-lemon-maple syrup marmalade and more. With each one, I'm sharing a part of myself with the other person.


My gift to you is one of my favorite recipes, Peppermint Ice-Cream Pie!

          Peppermint Pie



Oreo pie shell
½ gallon peppermint ice cream
Coolwhip
Chocolate fudge ice-cream topping
Small candy canes crushed [*Three crushed per pie]
Place 1 quart of softened peppermint ice cream [1/2 tub] into Oreo pie shell and smooth out flat. Place a ½ inch or slightly more thick layer of cool whip. Pour on a layer of chocolate fudge ice cream topping. Sprinkle top of fudge with crushed candy canes. Put plastic top on and freeze.


*I usually make this a couple of days in advance and leave it on a flat shelf in the freezer.

**This takes less than 5 minutes to make. Amazingly, each of the ingredients balances the other. It’s wonderful. (And I’m not even a peppermint lover. :)

Let me share a couple of reviews for my latest release, HIS DESTINY, before I tell you about the Annual International Food Bank Drive:

Latest Release

5 STAR REVIEW
"Every once in a while a story comes along that makes me run the full gamut of emotions. HIS DESTINY by Diana Cosby is one of them. This amazing story is the fourth in the MacGruder series and yes I will say it, my favorite. It is a story of danger, deception and redemption all wound into one turbulent ride." - Kimberly, Book Obsessed Chicks
-For the complete review:
http://book-obsessed-chicks.blogspot.com/2011/10/his-destiny-by-diana-cosby.html?spref=fb


4 1/2 BOOK REVIEW
"HIS DESTINY is a journey back in time that enchants with an awesome love story of two wounded hearts and souls that find redemption and love together. Good reading!" - Camellia, Long And Short Reviews
-For the complete review:
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2011/10/his-destiny-by-diana-cosby.html


And now, to the main purpose for appearing on Caroline's blog today and a way you can give an easy, inexpensive gift of thanks on your own:

  INTERNATIONAL FOOD BANK DRIVEThe holidays are an emotion-filled time where it seems there are not enough hours in each day to fit everything in, not to mention dealing with the struggling economy. But, in this time of financial challenges, I ask each of you to please consider one more stop on your crazy to do list, that of making a donation to a local food bank. Your donation can be a dollar, a can of corn, whatever you can give. Anything you offer to those with nothing is a gift they didn't have.

Donate to your
local food bank

Last year, in addition to my personal donation to my local food bank, I decided to start a Food Bank Challenge. Except, it kind of wonderfully got out of hand. Amazingly, once I posted The Food Bank Challenge on my Facebook page and my Facebook fan page, people from across the U.S. began donating to their local food banks. Then, I read posts of donations from Canada. Holy cow, the Food Bank Challenge went international! And you know what, this is truly a blessing. In this venture, we all win. Gifts from the heart do that, they fill you, remind you there is good in the world, and that you can make a positive and profound difference in others' lives.


How it works: When you donate to a local food bank, post on my Facebook page or Facebook Fan page, (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author/150109024636?ref=ts), beneath the daily International Food Bank Challenge post or, for this blog only, your donation along with your name and contact information as a comment, then I'll add your name in a drawing. On 6 December I will use www.random.org to draw from all of the names received. The winner will receive an autographed set of the MacGruder brother series to date; HIS CAPTIVE, HIS WOMAN, HIS CONQUEST, and HIS DESTINY. I will sign the set, and then send them priority to you or whoever you want to make them a personal holiday present!


2nd Annual International Food Bank Food Drive schedule:


November:
-11th Blog: Making A Positive Difference In Others’ Lives
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

-15th: Interview at USA Today's Romance Blog, Happy Ever After.
http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/index


-21st: FIRST for women's magazine interview about how I started the Annual International Food Bank Food Drive. The article is scheduled to hit newsstands on 11/21/11 and run until 12/12/11.

December:
-6th: The winner’s name is drawn using www.random.org, and they are notified.


*If you haven’t signed up for my Facebook Fan page, please sign up today!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author/150109024636?ref=ts


2012 International Food Bank Challenge – Goal: 1000 donations.

I sincerely wish everyone health, friendship and happiness this holiday season. As I mentioned above, this is a time when the best gift of all is the gift of yourself—that one-of-kind present that can make a difference in the life of another. And I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season filled with friends as laughter. May your every dream come true!

What ideas can you think of to share thanks with others? Remember—the more original and inventive, the more fun! :) I can't wait to hear your ideas!
 Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN Ret.

International Best-Selling Author of the MacGruder Brothers series set in Scotland
Highland vampire anthology: Title/Release date TBA
http://www.dianacosby.com/
 

Diana, I'm thankful you're with us this weekend and motivating us to share something of ourselves to those less fortunate.

Author Lisbeth Eng takes us to World War II Italy



Lisbeth Eng, Author

 Please Welcome author Lisbeth Eng to the blog today. Lisbeth is a genuine native New Yorker whose love of literature, history and romance led her on the rewarding path to romance writing. An English major in college, Lisbeth has also studied Italian, German and French. Besides writing, world travel is her passion, and trips to Italy and Germany have lent authenticity to her European-set World War II romance novel. Lisbeth currently lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a stone’s throw from Central Park and Lincoln Center, and loves the fascinating pace of life in the Big Apple.


Caroline: It sounds as if you lead the ideal life, Lisbeth. Please tell us about growing up. Siblings? Were you the shy kid or the tomboy?



Lisbeth: I have lived all of my life in New York City in four of the five boroughs. Born in Queens, I moved to Brooklyn around the age of two, then to Staten Island when I was nine. I lived in Staten Island most of my life, until about five years ago when I moved to Manhattan after my husband died. I love living here on the Upper West Side near Central Park. I have a half-sister Stephanie who is 18 years my senior. She’s from my father’s first marriage and although we didn’t grow up together we are close. She now lives in Virginia. My brother Jonathan is closer to me in age (he’s two years older) and despite the inevitable sibling rivalry of growing up together, we have much in common. He now lives in Ohio. I’m the only one left in New York, except for members of my late husband’s family. I was on the shy side growing up, not particularly popular with my peers and a bit of a “teacher’s pet.” My parents instilled the importance of education and I didn’t dare come home with poor grades!


Caroline: Sounds familiar. I don’t know what I thought would happen, but I also didn’t dare come home with poor grades. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Lisbeth: I read everything from romance to non-fiction to memoirs. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite fiction authors. I love his dry wit and use of irony. I enjoy the books of romance/women’s fiction authors Deanna Raybourn, Hope Tarr and Leanna Renee Hieber, among others. When I choose a romance novel to read, it’s usually historical, though I’ve read some good contemporaries, too.

Caroline: How many books do you read a month? What are you reading now?

From The Wild Rose Press

Lisbeth: That’s a very tough question because the past couple of years, I’ve been so busy revising, submitting, editing and now promoting my debut novel, IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY, that I hardly have the time or energy to read someone else’s book! But I keep buying them and they are piling up in my apartment. A few years ago, when I took a break from writing, I probably read about two or three books per month. I’m a slow reader and tend to savor ever word. The last book I was able to squeeze into my very busy schedule was Hope Tarr’s MY LORD JACK, a romance set in 18th century Scotland. Next on my to-be-read list is something totally different, BLACK EDELWEISS – A MEMOIR OF COMBAT AND CONSCIENCE BY A SOLDIER OF THE WAFFEN SS by Johann Voss. I will be giving a talk at Deutsches Haus at NYU in February on how the World War II German soldier is portrayed in romance novels. Reading this book is part of my preparation. But the main thing that keeps me extremely busy (and unable to read as much as I would like) is my full-time job in the finance industry.


Caroline: A paycheck is important, isn’t it? And I loved MY LORD JACK. When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

Lisbeth: Gee…I used to have hobbies! :) Besides writing, I like doing crafts, but haven’t had the time in ages. I repainted and stenciled a couple of old pieces of furniture a few years ago and they came out beautifully (if I may say so myself). I can also draw a little but haven’t in many years. I love to walk and am fortunate to live close to Central Park. On a nice day, a long walk in the park can be both invigorating and relaxing. I also love taking a long, hot bubble bath to relax.

Caroline: Ooooh, I love long baths, but usually settle for a quick shower to save time. Describe yourself in three or four words.

Lisbeth: Honest, loyal, detail-oriented (we’ll count that as one word) and generous.


Caroline: Would you like to share any guilty pleasures that feed your muse?

Lisbeth: I can’t think of any pleasures I feel guilty about. I’m very conscious of eating healthfully but will occasionally indulge in chocolate, ice cream, pizza or the like. But I don’t do it often enough to feel guilty about, and I don’t think it has anything to do with my muse!


Caroline: I refuse to admit chocolate doesn’t help my muse! LOL How long have you been writing?

Lisbeth: My first attempts at creative writing were in high school but I didn’t get serious about writing until about nine years ago. Though I was an English major in college, my entire career has been in the finance industry. IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY started out as a fluke, you might say. I was fooling around at the computer one day and the words just started coming out, unplanned.

Caroline: Don’t you love when that happens? Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

Lisbeth: I write at my full-sized desk at home on a full-size Mac with a full-sized keyboard. I even bought a special keyboard for my Mac because the one that came with the computer was too “flat.” I need to feel the keys beneath my fingers. I also have a pull-out drawer for the keyboard so I can type in a proper typing position, with my elbows at my sides. Otherwise, my shoulders hurt. I can’t imagine typing an entire novel on a laptop. And I prefer complete silence when I write. If I play music, I find that my mind drifts and I become unfocused.


Caroline: I also prefer writing at my desk although I listen to classical music while I write. Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Lisbeth: I am definitely a panzer. I write whatever scene pops into my head and figure out how it will fit into the book, if at all, later. With IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY, I knew how it would begin and end but it took months to figure out the middle, as I was writing it. I’ve written scenes that were never used, though I may recycle them for another book. :)

Caroline: Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

Lisbeth: IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY deals with the Italian Resistance to German occupation of northern Italy from 1943 to 1945. I was inspired by one of my Italian professors in college (I minored in Italian Studies and spent the summer between my sophomore and junior years in Italy). Professor Azzi told us stories of the Resistance (he was in Italy during the war) and it planted a seed, which grew into my Italian-set World War II romance novel twenty years later.


Caroline: He sounds fascinating. Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?

Lisbeth: With IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY, I did research along the way. As I said, I didn’t start out with a plan to write a novel, I was just fooling around at the computer. But as it began to take shape, I realized that if I were going to seriously pursue this as a complete work, I would need to learn a lot about World War II. So the fiction writing and research (which involved reading books about the war, as well as watching WWII movies and TV documentaries – I became a fan of the History Channel – and surfing the internet) went hand in hand. If my next novel involves a different historic period (I’ve ideas for a few) I think I will approach it the same way, though I may do more research at the “front end.”

Caroline: Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

Lisbeth: Since I work full time (actually, I sometimes work up to 12 hours a day at my regular job) I write mostly on weekends and some evenings, if I’m not too burned out from my day job. No, I don’t set writing goals. Now that my debut novel is out, I will write the next one at my own pace and not set any time limits. My day job comes first, but I also need balance in my life, which means time for socializing and relaxing, and I even do some volunteer work. A full night’s sleep is also essential for physical and mental health. So right now, writing has to be less of a priority.

Caroline: I don’t know how you’ve found time to complete your book. Obviously you are excellent at time management! Tell us about your day job.


Lisbeth: I am a registered representative for a brokerage firm. I have my broker’s license but have never had my own clients. I work primarily as a sales assistant to four portfolio managers, which involves both client relations and entering trades. A few months ago, I was asked to help out in another department, which was short of staff. So I’m really doing a job and a half, which is why it’s more than an eight-hour workday, much of the time. I’ve been with the same firm my entire career. I am grateful for the opportunities they’ve given me and dedicated to doing the best job I can. The past couple of years have been difficult in our industry (and in the economy in general) and I work very hard to keep the job I have. It pays the rent and everything else – until I win the lottery or sell the movie rights to my book!

Caroline: Wouldn’t either winning the lottery or selling movie rights be terrific? Of course, I never remember to buy a lottery ticket, so there's no chance I'll win. Actually, I think with my luck there's about as much chance as if I bought a ticket. LOL What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Lisbeth: In my European-set World War II romance novel, I portray people on both sides of the battle lines as human beings. There are no “good guys” or “bad guys.” I intentionally avoid the stereotypes one sometimes finds in fiction. Most World War II romances I’ve read depict Germans in a two-dimensional way. I’d like my readers to see that people of all nationalities can have a mix of positive and negative qualities, just like real folks. I want to break through preconceived notions and bias. And of course, I want my readers to enjoy the book and care about the hero and heroine (though you may not identify who the hero is right away).

Caroline: Portraying a human Nazi without embracing his cause must have been extremely difficult. You chose a really tough period to write! What advice would you give to authors waiting for publication?


Lisbeth: There are many things I could say but perhaps the most important is to believe in your work and to have perseverance. It took me years to find a publisher who would offer me a contract. I also advise attention to detail and care with grammar and usage. I’ve been in several critique groups and notice that many aspiring authors have less than a satisfactory grasp of grammar and punctuation.

Caroline: The cover for IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY is very well done. Tell us about your latest release.

Lisbeth: Here’s a blurb for IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY:

Isabella Ricci has pledged her life for the cause – to free Italy from Nazi oppression. Her mission for the Resistance, to seduce a German officer into revealing military secrets, could be deadly. Can she complete her assignment before losing her heart…or her life?

Massimo Baricelli, commander in the Resistance, and Isabella’s ambitious lover, charges her to uncover intelligence that the Allies need to vanquish the Nazis. But can he hold onto his woman while sending her into the arms of another man?


Günter Schumann is handsome, chivalrous, romantic…and a captain in the Army of the Third Reich. When he meets Isabella, he falls for her instantly, never imagining that she is a spy and he her unwitting target. What will he do when forced to choose between love and duty?


How much must be sacrificed for the cause of freedom? Will love survive the cruelest betrayal?


Caroline: All right, Lisbeth, you’ve hooked me. Please give readers an excerpt.


Lisbeth: Although my book is sensual, here’s a PG excerpt:

Before she could make sense of what was happening, the men were there inside the room. She wanted to scream, to flee, but she knew the slightest movement could be her undoing. She shook and her eyes filled with tears. But she discovered that if she concentrated on each breath, her lips tightly sealed, no sounds would escape. Crouched beneath the desk, she pressed her hands and feet against the floor to keep them from knocking against anything.
 The two men spoke casually to each other, almost lightheartedly, in contrast to the deadly terror she felt. Though she struggled to comprehend what they were saying, she couldn’t decipher all the words. She thought about reaching for the dictionary that lay by her side, but that was too risky.

Every second was agony, as if death might come at any moment. But she admitted to herself that a swift demise would be easy compared to her fate if discovered. She would face humiliation, torture, and then finally, mercifully, death. The thought made her throat constrict painfully, as if a noose were being tightened around it. Was this what Marco felt when he died? Fear evolved into despondency. Just breathe...slowly, deeply...focus only on that—don’t think about anything else. Concentrate only on breathing.

Caroline: Wow! That excerpt was intense! IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY sounds like a real page-turner with great characterization. I want to read more. Where can readers find your books?


Lisbeth: They can buy my book as a paperback or as an e-book at The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/lisbeth-eng-m-748.html and also at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers. It is not in “brick and mortar” bookstores.

Caroline: How can readers learn more about you?


Lisbeth: They can visit my website at http://www.lisbetheng.com/ and contact me from there if they wish. I love to hear from readers!


Caroline: Thank you so much for joining us today, Lisbeth. Best of luck with book sales for IN THE ARMS OF THE ENEMY—and in selling to the movies and winning the lottery. LOL

Me posing for my newsletter
Sure, that's how I really
look, why do you ask?

Readers, if you haven't already done so, please sign up for my Mostly Monthly Newsletter in the space on the sidebar. Time is near for the next issue with an exclusive FREE short story, recipes, news, and more. Don't miss out on this issue.

Come back on the 12th to hear from my friend, Tracy Garrett.

In the meantime, don't forget books make great gifts! Mine are at www.thewildrosepress.com/caroline-clemmons-m-638.html

MY FUNNIEST GIFT--AND I DON'T MEAN HA HA FUNNY!

As we near the gift giving season, the gals at the Mojito Literary Society (my kind of people) thought it would be fun for some of us to join them in relating the story of the funniest--as in not quite appropriate--gift we'd received from our spouse or significant other. Even though it's the wrong season, I'll tell you about the Mother's Day gift my sweet Hero gave me during my first pregnancy.

My husband and I had been told I could not conceive, so we were completely overjoyed when the OG-GYN told me I was pregnant. I already knew. I swear I was sick from the second of conception. Talk about morning sickness! I bordered on toxemia, so I was just plain sick the entire time, but I won't bore you with all the yukky details. On Mother's Day, my Hero told me he would plan a wonderful surprise day for me since as a mom-to-be I qualified for Mother's Day honors.

I'm an indoorsy kind of person. You know, the nerd who reads all the time or writes in a secluded corner as opposed to playing sports or camping. My idea of roughing it is staying at a three star motel. My Hero is pretty much the same except for fishing. He loves fishing! His mom loved picnics and fishing. So what did he do? You guessed it. He thought all women loved picnics. We went to Lake Tawakoni east if Dallas.

Lake Tawakoni

Here I was with swollen feet and hands and looking like a beached whale, and he took me out in the heat, with insects, on a picnic to a lake about an hour from our home at that time. I was trapped. He'd planned so completely, I couldn't tell him I was miserable. At least I hope I concealed my discomfort and dislike of the whole idea. Well, I enjoyed the drive there and back in our air-conditioned car. During the afternoon--which lasted at least 72 hours--he was so solicitous and caring. I was a woman who wished she were home! You have to understand that my Hero is extremely considerate and loving. Unless you're a person so mean you kick puppies, you just can't be bitchy when confronted with Hero's attitude. Well, at least not too bitchy.

That's my story of my funniest gift. What's yours?

You can see the stories of others at the link below.