Slow Summer Kisses Giveaway: Romancing the Hop

What is your favorite thing about Romance? Well, we authors are ready to share our romantic tips and favorite romance reads! Starting on Friday and ending on August 31st, over 100 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about romance, reading romance, and dating.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 100 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 100 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: The following Swag Pack!

Yep. ALL of that! Whoot! Be sure to come back here on Friday and over the weekend to enjoy some stories and facts about our favorite Romance events and reads and enter to win!

Why I Love Romance?

It's been a part of who I am since my teen years! I love reading the beginning of a romance and how it evolves. My favorites are friends to lovers and opposites attract.

Romance can also be super funny! Have you read Jill Shalvis or Shannon Stacey? They are my faves! Here is a funny romance cartoon:

In honor of Romance and all the books that have brought me to life, I am giving away a Kindle copy of my fave author's first summer release, Slow Summer Kisses by Shannon Stacey.

Anna Frazier is used to living life at 100 mph, but being downsized out of a job in the financial industry has her permanently stalled. With nowhere to go, go, go,Anna hails a cab to her grandparents' neglected New Hampshire camp to plan her next move. It seems like a good idea—until she realizes there's no takeout to be had and the boy next door has grown into a sexy but surly recluse.

Cameron Mayfield knows he can kiss his peace and quiet goodbye when Hurricane Anna blows in. She was loud and bossy as a ten-year-old—and besides developing some attractive curves, she hasn't changed. Cam's not looking for a relationship, especially not with a woman like Anna. He nearly broke down on that road once before. So why can't he stop thinking about her?

It's not long before their sizzling attraction leads to smoking-hot kisses. But as the days get shorter, Anna must decide if she's found a new road to happiness, or just taken a detour.

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Please visit the other participants in this blog hop using the links below:

The "Call" - My "baby" will be published!

Time Changes Everything is like a little baby to me. When my youngest was born 6 years ago, I started writing it on my maternity leave (of course when he was sleeping). But then life got in the way and I couldn't finish. Just last year, hubby asked me why I haven't finished my novel and I thought.... "Yeah. I can do that now!" So, I did. (Thanks Rafa!)

The manuscript went through many eyes in my critique group at Critique Circle - the best critique group on the web. Finally, I decided to send it forward.

On August 6, I enetered a pitch contest at Romance University online. This is an untraditional way of "selling" your book. Entranced Publishing's Executive Editor, Ashley Christman, liked the  pitch and asked for me to send the full manuscript. This thrilled me! So, I sent it in the next day.

In a month's time Ms. Christman sent me the best news via email..... she liked my work and wanted to contract me! WOO HOO!

On the outside.... I was like this.

On the inside.... I was like this.

And since I'm a romance author, let's pretend I was like this:

I have to stop here and give you my "call" or "email" story here. It was Friday, August 24... which happened to be the second day of school. It was a BUSY time for me. I had just let out my period 2 class and thought I would work on my plans for the next week. Sitting at the computer, I then opened my email and found her message. The minute I saw the title of the email, my heart beat a million miles a minute. After reading the email, I stood up, shaking, and let out a SQUEEE!!!! Looking back now, I'm glad I didn't have any students in the room when I read the mail. So, I ran out of my classroom and to the office to call my hubby (my cell wasn't working of course). I was so excited and emotional that I couldn't even remember my own home phone number - so I asked the secretary. She probably still thinks I'm crazy. A quick phonecall later, I had to run back to my class to welcome my newest students with the biggest smile on my face.

So, now that I've reviewed and signed the contract, I am an official author and will have my first baby novel published next year with Entranced Publishing. So excited! As I go through this journey, I will write posts to update you on my process. I'm a newbie at this and other writers might find it interesting to go through it with me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Melinda

Reading is Sexy! Hump Day Hunks

As an English teacher, I try to motivate my students to read. One way of doing this is with a bulletin board with famous actors reading. So, I thought, "Hey, my blog followers would love this!" There are some hotties out there who are also readers and nothing is sexier than a hot men with a book in their hand. ENJOY!

JUST KIDDING! But, you got to admit, Yoda is a cutie in his own unique way. Now on to the serious hotties.

James Dean

Andrew Garfield

Paul Newman

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

Melinda

Am I Tech Savvy? Monday Funny

Monday Funny - August 27, 2012

Guess what? I've entered the high-tech world! I got an Ipad! It may not be a big deal to you, but this is a big deal for me. Sure, I use my Kindle for reading, but that is about as far as I've gotten with these techy devices. So, I thought I'd share a funny commercial that I can relate to. Although the commercial is in a foreign language, I think you will get the drift. Enjoy!

Even though I don't think I am as bad as this man, I am learning slowly how to use this new toy device, especially in the classroom. When it comes to writing, I am still happy to have my good-ol' laptop. 

What experiences have you had with technology? 

Thanks for stopping by,
Melinda

Time Changes Everything - 2013 Here I Come!

Celebration Time!

Join me in celebrating the news! Time Changes Everything will be published by Entranced Publishing in 2013. Keep checking for updates and blogs on my publishing experience. 

For more information about Entranced Publishing, check out their webpage, www.entrancedpublishing.com.

For more information about Time Changes Everything, click the link to find previous posts or the tab above. 

More to come.

Happy Dance! Woo hoo! 

Sizzling Books of Summer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to another Summer Giveaway! Summer is ending, and since I'm sure you are as sad about that as I am, I will be giving away an e- book that made me sizzle. 

Grab some sun tan lotion, sun glasses, bathing suit and a yummy drink, this hop is sure to be a hot one! 

The books that made me sizzle this summer include:

Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

She thinks he's stuffy. He thinks she's spoilt.
Then the gloves come off and so do their clothes!

For six years Violet Sutcliffe has known that Martin St Clair is the wrong man for her best friend. He's stuffy, old before his time, conservative. He drives Violet nuts - and the feeling is entirely mutual. Then, out of nowhere, her friend walks out just weeks before her wedding to Martin, flying to Australia on a mission of self-discovery. Back in London, Violet finds herself feeling sorry for suddenly-single Martin. At least, she tells herself it's pity she feels. Then he comes calling one dark, stormy night and they discover that beneath their mutual dislike there lies a fiery sexual chemistry.

It's crazy and all-consuming - and utterly wrong. Because not only are they chalk and cheese, oil and water, but Martin once belonged to her best friend. A friend Violet is terrified of losing. What future can there be for a relationship with so many strikes against it? (taken from www.sarahmayberry.com)

About Last Night by Ruthie Knox
Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.

Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine — even her name turns him on — with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.

When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime? (taken from www.ruthieknox.com)

To help you cool off with these SIZZLING reads, why not make a drink? This drink included Peach Schnapps, in honor of Martin St. Clair. If it wasn't for the Schnapps, they wouldn't have gotten together!

White Sangria

Ingredients

1/2 cup peach schnapps

1/2 cup cognac

1/4 cup white sugar

4 oranges, sliced into rounds

2 mangos, peeled and sliced

4 bottles of dry white wine, chilled

1 liter ginger ale, chilled

Directions

1. In a pitcher, combine peach schnapps, cognac, sugar, sliced oranges and sliced mangos. Chill for at least an hour. 

2. Pur fruit mixture into a large punch bowl. Stir in white wine and ginger ale.

Choose which book you would like to win and tell me why in the comment section below. Make sure you also enter again through the Rafflecopter below.




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Poor Grammar vs. Sex Life

Did you know grammar can affect your sex life? Has this happened to you?

Gold Medal Hunk Day Hunks

Some of my favorite GOLD MEDAL hunks from the past week...

Michael Phelps...the king of the medals

Ryan Lochte

Nathan Adrian

Ryan Lochte

Who reads my blog?... Monday Funny

Has something like this happened to you? It seems like any mistake we make, it is overly noticed. However, anything else we do is ignored.  This especially reminds me of when I am teaching in the classroom. If I misspell a word on the board (and yes! It happens), there is always a student who will let me know...in front of others...loudly...so everyone else knows how smart they are to catch a mistake from a teacher. My response is always, "I knew that. I was wondering who would catch it. Great job!"

My blogging days are slowing down. I've had a wonderful summer full of writing activities that I will never have time to do again until next summer. School begins for teachers in a week and I will be back onto my regular schedule of craziness. I hope you continue to watch my Monday Funnies and any other post I have time to write. 

Happy Monday,
Melinda