Book Review: No Mistletoe Required

BOOK REVIEW

TITLE: No Mistletoe Required
AUTHOR: Jaenette Murray
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
RELEASED: Nov. 3, 2013


BLURB:
Dan Beckins isn't sure how he let his best friend con him into volunteering to build Santa's Winter Wonderland at the local hospital. He's got no problems with charity work, but anything Christmas-related is off-limits ever since he lost his parents on Christmas Day years ago. The only bright spot is working with smoking-hot Anna Smith.

Anna Smith loves Christmas and volunteering at the hospital is one of her yearly highlights. She had leukemia as a teen and then a breast cancer scare in her mid-twenties, and is now operating under a self-imposed rule that she can't have a relationship until the doctors give her a clean bill of health.

A little fling might be permissible, though, and sexy lawyer-turned-carpenter Dan seems like the perfect candidate. But when chemistry flares and the two start forming a real connection, will Anna run away before like turns to love?

REVIEW:
I have to admit that I definitely judged this book by its cover. Can you resist this hottie on the cover? I love his smile and his longer hair. Cute! And he wasn't a disappointment in the story either. Sweet Dan Beckins is "forced" to help build Santa's Workshop at the children's hospital, even though he hates the season. There, he meets Anna, a cancer survivor who turns out to be an advantage to working there. Ana's character is a formidable one. She goes for what she wants and guess who that is. Yep! But Anna has a rule not to get involved with someone that could be a long-time prospective boyfriend, since cancer is in her past. She doesn't want to let anyone down, least of all her. So, when their "fling" turns into a possible future, Ana scares away. Dan, on the other hand, is happy to explore where their connection could lead.

I give this book 3 stars, because it was too fast and I wanted more. That is a good thing, I guess, and since I went in knowing it was a novella, I should've expected it. Still,  I would've liked to have seen a more emotional connection between the two, even though the sexual connection rocked. Additionally, this has been the third "Christmas romance" I've picked up, and so far they all have the same male conflict - parents died during the Christmas season and they can't seem to get over it without the heroine's help. Overall, I would recommend reading it. It's fast, sweet, and hot. 

Thanks for stopping by,
Melinda 

Rafflecopter for Giveaways - #Wwow

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Today's Writer's Words of Wisdom is about Giveaways. Since I've been doing one giveaway a month, I thought I'd share the easiest way to handle them. 

RAFFLECOPTER!

If you are participating in a blog hop, or just having a regular giveaway, you must check out this website. It does everything for you! Go to www.rafflectopter.com. The home page looks like this:

Next, you SIGN UP for free with the GET STARTED button. There are other plans where you can pay, but those are not necessarily needed for simple giveaways. You may want to think about it if you plan on lots of giveaways.

Once you are logged in. It will take you to your dashboard. See mine below.

Next, you will need to PLAN ONE NOW. It is simple. 

Name your giveaway. For example, my last giveaway was BLACK FRIDAY HOP.

Decide on your prize. You can give anything. I find that Gift Certificates are favorites. Other authors give away their own books or other's books.

How do people enter? You can decide. Have them leave a blog comment, tweet about the giveaway, follow your blog, follow you on twitter or facebook. It's up to you!

Add in your start and end dates. Check carefully the time periods. 

Click GET THE WIDGET. You will now see what your widget looks like. Copy and Paste the HTML code and insert into your blog post. Simple!

Once your giveaway ends, you sign back in to Rafflecopter, click on the title of the giveaway and select a winner. Rafflecopter does it for you! Easy! I usually download the excel sheet to make sure that the winner has done what they said. It's only fair. 

Then you contact the winner. Ta-Da! Everyone is happy. 

Try it out. You won't be sorry!

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WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who write this weekly feature for their blog each Wednesday. While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way. 

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts. 

Paloma Beck

Tammy Dennings Maggy

Annie Rayburn 

Lacey Wolfe

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

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Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda

Black Friday Hop - Win Kindle/Nook, $75 GC & More

While the rest of the US is out handling the crowds, fighting for their holiday gifts, some of us like to stay in, shop online, or just ignore Black Friday all to together. This year, join us in our second annual Black Friday Blog Hop! It's a ONE DAY hop where we're giving away prizes, talking about books we love, and most likely  eating left over turkey. :-)

The hop is November 23rd and is ONE DAY only.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 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 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $75 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

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Did you watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade? In my upcoming novel, Time Changes Everything, my heroine Amanda, is a buyer for Macy's. Black Friday could be HELL for her! Always the positive (or at least she tries to be) she has Thanksgiving at her apartment without even a thought about the "day in hell." Afterall, it's easy not to think of anything but Jake.

Amanda's two best friends, Chloe and Veronica work at the parade and spend Thanksgiving lunch with Amanda and Jake. As the sparks fly between my two MCs, Chloe and Veronica provide a nice comic relief to the story.

In fact, I've thought about writing Chloe's own story. Click on this post from a few months ago titled Girls Just Want to Have Fun. What do you think? Does Chloe need her own story?

Happy SHOPPING! Remember to enter the rafflecopter for a chance at easy online shopping at Amazon. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the other links (today only) and enter to win at each site.
Website: http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by,
Melinda

How to Pitch Your Book Online

Last Saturday I guest blogged at From Corsets to Bustiers, Christina McKnight's blog. If you haven't checked it out, follow the link below and read my story about Rejections to a Contract. 

I give advice on how to do an online pitch. I'm not an expert, but that is how I contracted my upcoming novel, Time Changes Everything with Entranced Publishing. There are live pitch challenges right now! See what I did and push yourself to get out there.

I love to read comments. Please let me know your experiences with online pitches or what you think about them. 

Romance Tropes Poll - What are Your Favorites?

Some things never change and that rings true for the romance genre. In category romance, there are timeless romance tropes. Check out these older romances with obvious tropes:

Marriage of Convenience

Office romance

Love Triangle, Girl Next Door

Admittingly, I have my favorites. In fact, anytime I find a category romance with a Boy Next Door or Friends to Lovers theme, I immediately grab it. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't like those books where you can guess what happens from page one. I like a little mixture of tropes, to make the story line more complex and the characters believable.

Recent examples of my favorite tropes include:

Let Me Be the One 

by Bella Andre

Trope: Friends to Lovers, Secret Crush

Head over Heels 

by Jill Shalvis

Trope: Opposites Attract

The Marriage Bargain

The Marriage Mistake

by Jennifer Probst

Tropes: Marriage of Convenience

Tempting the Best Man

by J. Lynn

Trope: Best Friend's Sister

As I finish up my latest WIP, other ideas form in my head. I don't usually let myself dwell on new ideas until I finish with one. However, there are characters in those deep dark cushions of my brain waiting to get out. With that in mind, I thought I'd ask my blog readers' opinions. What are your favorite tropes? Use the poll below and help me out with a new idea! 

Check back for the results as they come in. Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda

Birthday Party Book Bash - 40 Books Giveaway!

Happy 40th birthday to my writing friend, Paloma Beck!

I also turned 40 this year, so I know what a milestone this is. Even though we don't want it to be a big deal, it is. Hears a toast to all those who turned forty this year! CHEERS!

So far, forty has been my best year yet, especially since a dream has come true... I signed a contract and I'm moving into the published author phase. Woo hoo! My book, Time Changes Everything, will be published by Entranced Publishing on May 13, 2013.

Amanda Larson has dedicated herself to her job and doesn’t want any interference – from a man or her bossy mother. That is until she meets up with her childhood crush, Jake Edwards, now a sexy big-shot lawyer in New York City. 

Jake Edwards enjoys the bachelor life and believes commitment is not in his blood, thanks to his dead-beat father. But, when Jake sees his little Mandy again, he realizes he might just be wrong.

In honor of Paloma Beck's birthday, I've joined her and 25 other authors to celebrate. Please check out Paloma's blog post and enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter below. You have a chance to win tons of books! 

Other authors who are participating include:

Click on their link  to see how they are celebrating!

Now for the goodies.... Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win 40 - YES FORTY - books and surprises.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: The Spirit of Christmas by Liz Talley

Title: The Spirit of Christmas

Author: Liz Talley

Publisher: Harlequin

My Rating: 4 Stars

The Spirit of Christmas is a charming story perfect for the holidays.

I have been a die-hard Super romance reader for many years. Since I’ve wanted to get into the “Spirit” of all things holidays, I thought this would be a nice read.  The story started off slowly. We don’t meet the hero until chapter 2, and I kept waiting for him. The first chapter did a nice job at introducing us to Mary Paige Gentry, the altruistic heroine.  So, I kept reading. Boy, am I glad I did. These two characters tugged at my heart. 

Brennan Henry is all business. His eyes are always on the end number and he worked hard to get to the top of his family’s multimillion dollar company.

Mary Paige Gentry got caught doing good and now is the face of “The Spirit of Christmas” for the Henry family business.  My favorite line to describe her? “Mary Paige Gentry, pea-scooping rebel of 2012.”

Immediately, these two think they don’t like one another. Of course, their hearts say different. They come to the realization that they need each other and that opposites DO attract. 

Another piece of story that caught my interest was the setting - New Orleans. Born in Louisiana, this was a nice reminder of my childhood and visiting Vieux Carre. What a fun place for a Christmas romance!

There’s a nice mixture of sweetness, discovery, romance and humor. I actually had to control my laughter at one point.  A pull at the old “Christmas Carol” story was nice too. One of my favorite scenes is when Brennan’s grandfather persuades Brennan to be a better man and go for happiness in life.

 “Remember the children beneath the robes?”

“Ignorance and Want,” Brennan said to himself, his mind clicking as he grasped the implications.”

“Don’t let them win.”

        If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, with a dollop of romance, humor and fun, pick this book up on November 29!

Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda

Authors - Use Pinterest!

When I signed up for Pinterest about a year ago, I immediately loved it. I found too many recipes, too many crafts and too many funny jokes. There literally is so much out there, it can be TOO much. However, it isn't just for those who are planning weddings, baby showers, or dinner for the night.

As I became a serious writer, I soon realized that I can use Pinterest to my advantage. Today's Writers Words of Wisdom is about how to use Pinterest to an Author's Advantage.

Here's what to do:

1) Create an author page. I created a separate page since I have a pen name to use for my writing purposes. My primary purpose to add this social network was to organize my writing ideas/pictures and to get my name out there. Check me out at www.pinterest.com/melindadozier and follow me!

2) Create boards. Click the ADD+ link at the top of the page. CREATE a BOARD link is next.  Of course, you are open to create anything! Here are the boards that I think are useful for other writers:

• A board for each book you write. For example, I have a Time Changes Everything board with pictures of my MCs, the setting, important events, my book cover, etc. 
• Story Inspirations: include quotes or pictures that may inspire future stories, novels, MCs
• Hero/Heroine Inspirations: Similar to above but only pictures of possible MCs
• Blogging: Here I pin blogs that I write (another great way to advertise yourself) and blogs I read that are useful.
• Author Tools: Anything I find useful for writing, such as tips from the #Wwow weekly posts!
•  Music to Write To: Yep! You can even pin videos. 
• On Reading/Writing: Quotes about Reading and Writing to help motivate writers

Take a look at some of my boards:

3) Find friends/authors. Now it's time to network. You can click on your name at the top right corner and there is a link that says FIND FRIENDS. You can search by email or Facebook. Aditionally, you can find names in the SEARCH box. I have followed favorite authors, writing friends and publishers.

All in all, Pinterest should not be overlooked as a way to promote yourself or to organize your ideas. If you haven't signed up, now is the time!

WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who write this weekly feature for their blog each Wednesday. While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way. 

Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts. 

Paloma Beck

Jessicca Collins

Tammy Dennings Maggy

You can follow us on twitter at #WWoW.

Or find us on facebook at Words of Wisdom.

We also welcome more authors' participation. Sign up is through our facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda

Ready for the holidays? #AHhop

What do you love about Autumn and Fall? What does it remind you of? What about reading? Do you think it's a good subject to read?  * Starting on Friday, Nov. 9 and ending on Nov. 12, over 200 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about autumn.

And while we do that, we are EACH doing a giveaway. Yep. There will be over 200 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 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

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You know what I love about autum reads? I love that all the winter stories come out. It gets me in the spirit of all things HOLIDAYS.  Since I live in Guatemala (also known as Land of Eternal Spring), it's nice to feel all cozied up with a good book, even if I don't even need to wear a jacket.

So, yes, I have a HOLIDAY TBR list just waiting for me to tackle. Here are the "Winter/Autumn" books on my TBR list. 

Which would you want to read? Choose one, enter my contest on the rafflecopter and you may when an Ecopy! :) Happy reading!




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the other participants using the links below. For every comment, you have a better chance to win the BIG prizes. Happy Autumn! Just go to this link: http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

MELINDA

Don't Forget to Laugh at Yourself!

Who said life had to always be serious? I know it’s easier said than done, but we need to have fun sometimes. I know life can get in the way, but we make life the way we want it.  As a mother, wife, teacher, friend, and writer, I have a busy life. I have to learn how to balance all the responsibilities and in the midst of it all LAUGH. Laughing is important to me. Luckily, I have a silly husband who is right there beside me, supporting me, pushing me and loving me. Yeah, sappy right? Laugh all you want! At least you’re smiling. J

My husband makes me laugh ALMOST every day. One of the best parts of our relationship is that we can be who we are and not be embarrassed. Silliness evades our household. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Reading a romantic comedy is a great stress reliever. And yes, I fit it in to my daily schedule. Two queens of romantic comedy are Jill Shalvis and Shannon Stacey. In fact, here are some fantastic quotes from their last two books I read:

“If I looked like him,” Tara said. “I’d want to have sex with myself. All the time.” 
― Jill Shalvis, Simply Irresistible

“Two of my fav pieces of wisdom from Phoebe:

- Men are like parking spots. All the good ones are taken, and those that aren't are inaccessible.

- Remember, it's always better to be the smartass rather than the dumbass.” 
― Jill Shalvis, Simply Irresistible

“Who’s there?”
“The scratcher of your itch,” he said.
She opened the door a crack and stuck her nose out. “Was that supposed to be romantic?” 
― Jill Shalvis, Instant Attraction

"Josh: Just because you’re not looking for something doesn’t mean you won’t find it. 
Sean: Well, aren’t you quite the fucking fortune cookie." 
— Shannon Stacey (Yours to Keep (Kowalski Family, #3))

"He could do this. He'd survived boot camp. He'd survived combat and the harsh weather of Afghanistan. He could survive broccoli. Probably." 
— Shannon Stacey (Yours to Keep (Kowalski Family, #3))

My last advice is to always make sure you laugh during the day. “A day without laughter is a day wasted. – Charlie Chaplin.”

What do you do to laugh each day? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda

Be sure to check the other Writer's Words of Wisdom authors:

Tammy Dennings Maggy

Paloma Beck

Jessicca Collins

Keep it real, folks!

Monday Funny - 11/5/12

This past weekend was a four-day weekend for me. AHHHHHHHH! 

I have to admit, it was much needed. We chose to do nothing and nothing was the best.... for the adults of the house. However, the teenager, preteen and six-year old thought otherwise. I can't even tell you how many times I heard "I'm bored." Well, I was bored of hearing "I'm bored." When did parents have to become the entertainers of the household in addition to all the other responsibilities? What happened to the days of playing out in the street and feeling fulfilled. So, in honor of my weekend of being a 24/7 mom, I thought I'd share these funnies that were stolen from MOMMIES THAT KEEP IT REAL on Facebook. They always have a way to make me laugh in between the whines and screaming. :)

AND REMEMBER!!!!!

Keep it real,
Melinda

The Next Big Thing - Frequent Flyer WIP

What luck! I've been tagged three times to participate in The Next Big Thing hop. Of course, I'm thrilled to have the chance to brag about my newest WIP and hopefully it will be "The Next Big Thing!" Thanks to Michele Shriver, Ana Blaze and Lorna Peel for the tag.

Here are the rules:
1) Answer the questions.
2) Tag 5 other writers, providing the links.
3) Let the writer's know you tagged them.

Let the fun begin!

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What is the working title of Your Book? Frequent Flyer, although I do think it will have to change eventually, since it doesn't seem very romantic. What do you think?

Where did the idea come from for the book? Colin, the MC, popped into my mind when I ate lunch with my brother-in-law one day. He is a widower and raises two girls on his own. Plus, he started dating again recently. This made me think how hard it would be for a single dad to date. And BOOM - I said, "Hey, I can create a character going through that."

What genre does your book fall under? Contemporary Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

Colin Callaway - Single dad, Orthopedic Doctor - Chris O'Donnel

Hope Robinson - Single, Middle School Prinicpal - Candace Cameron

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I'm still working on it, but I started around December of last year (2011). I'm 80% through and have the rest plotted out (a big deal for panster me) and hope to be finished in the next month.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I haven't read anything really like this, but know that it has the basic romance tropes: forbidden love, single dad. I would hope it is similar to contemporary romance authors Jill Shalvis or Shannon Stacey, only because I strive to write like them. The are my writing idols. :)

Who or What inspired you to write this book? I think I inspired myself. LOL! I am a Middle School teacher and I've known I wanted a heroine who was a teacher or principal in that setting, since I know a lot about it. So, with that, I created Hope. Then the writing bug hit and all my ideas splattered onto my canvas and POW - it was there! 

Of course, my hubby has been a huge support and pushes me to continue to write. Thanks, hon!

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? How about a teaser? 

     He shook his head. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
     “Doing what?” She looked around, confusion in her eyes.
     “Talking about the weather.” He scooted closer to her, making her back up toward the railing.
     “Colin-” A warning came from her mouth.
     He moved her all the way back and put his arms around her,holding onto the rail. “Life is too short to ignore the truth and the truth is that we are extremely attracted to each other.”
     She started to open her mouth to protest, then closed it before saying anything.
     “Don’t deny it.” He raised his hand and caressed her cheek.
     Leaning into his palm, she said, “Remember we’re just friends.”
     He shook his head. “To hell with friends, Hope. I haven’t felt like this in so long.” He placed his forehead on hers and leaned in more. Enough that he could feel her quickened breath on his chin.

Thanks so much for stopping by and please don't forget to visit the writer's I tagged:

1) Paloma Black
2) David Lascelles 
3) Christina McKnight
4) Rachell Kall
5) ST Bende

Guest Author: Dariel Raye & Giveaway

I'm happy to have author Dariel Raye on my blog today. Her newest release is Jordan's Wings: The Alerians Dark Progeny, Book One published by Red Rose Publishing. As a treat, I asked Dariel a few questions and have a giveaway of Dariel's first novel, Dark Sentinels: Sable. 

1) What was the first romance novel you read that made an impression on you? There are so many, but Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Dark Hunter" series drew me back into reading for pleasure after formal education nearly killed my desire to read.

2) What is your favorite scene in Alerians - Dark Progeny: Jordan's Wings? I can show you better than I can tell you :-)

Excerpt:

Jordan woke suddenly and sat up in her bed. She rubbed at her eyes to make sure she saw what she thought she saw. “You! What are you…? How did you…? Get out of my room!” She stood up and stalked toward him when he just sat there, that smirk apparently tattooed on his face, a face too handsome to belong to such a lowlife.

Canaan’s smirk-smile widened as she got closer. He was looking at her body, and some of his teeth didn’t look right. She didn’t have the presence of mind to identify just what was wrong, though. Jordan glanced down and was immediately reminded that she had slept in the nude.

3) What are your future projects? Right now, I'm working on three paranormal romance series: "Dark Sentinels Book Two: Torin," "The Alerians - Dark Progeny: Gideon's Light,"  book two in "The Alerians - Dark Progeny" series, and  the "Children of Cain" series. Book one of "Dark Sentinels Book One: Sable" was released July 13, 2012, a shifter romance series about super shifters whose purpose is to protect and defend wildlife and other shifters. In "Children of Cain,"" descendants of Cain live as indentured assassins charged with buying freedom through service. 

Check out Dariel's newest cover and description. I LOVE IT!

“The Alerians – Dark Progeny: Jordan’s Wings”

Jordan Taylor is a feisty, take charge, Rubinesque beauty with a tough façade, but after a string of lackluster relationships, her dream of a man who truly loves and appreciates her strength seems impossible…Until she meets Canaan, the man her fiancé claims is his best friend! Instinctively, she knows her neat, if lackluster life is about to change.

Born more than 200 years ago, Canaan looks like an angel but he’s far from it. In his world, the ratio of men to women is 500 to 1, and although he’s a superior being, he’s willing to break the most sacred law of his brothers, even drink human blood, to have one meant for him alone.When he meets Jordan, he knows she’s the one he’s been searching for.  To claim her, Canaan will have to betray his friend, humble himself enough to win her love, and risk his very life.

Red Rose Publishing: http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=1302

ENTER AND WIN AN ECOPY OF DARIEL RAYE'S DARK SENTINALS: BOOK ONE, SABLE ON THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW! This giveaway runs from 11/2 - 11/5 midnight, EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you, Dariel! If you want to find out more about Dariel and/or her books and music, please follow any link below:

 Blogs: http://www.pendarielraye.blogspot.com

http://www.darkparanormalromanceseries.com

Goodreads: : http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8640181-dariel-raye

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@Pendarielraye

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/darielraye