Christmas or Holiday
A romance set during Christmas or with holiday themes during the latter part of the year.
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Contemporary Holiday: Christmas Goes Analog @Kate_Lowell #RLFblog #LGBT
Christmas Goes Analog Kate Lowell, welcome
to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about your book, Christmas Goes Analog.Genre: Contemporary
HolidayPublisher: Loose IdCover artist: Valerie
TibbsLength: 30,000 wordsHeat rating: ExplicitTagline: When plans
to celebrate a traditional Christmas together with Rob’s family fall apart, Shawn
decides to create their own Christmas tradition.Blurb:When Rob’s dad was injured
by an uninsured driver, it spelled the end of Rob’s carefree childhood and, more
important to Rob, the idyllic Christmases they used to have. Hard work and sacrifice
nets him a degree in computer programming and then a contract at a rapidly-growing
video game company. Things are looking up, especially when he meets his new System
Administrator. But the closer it gets to Christmas, the more bugs there are in the
system.Shawn’s found him. The
Guy. But Rob’s had it rough and it’s been years since he’s been anything but responsible.
It all comes boiling to the surface when a family financial crisis is followed by
a work emergency that ruins Rob’s plans to bring Shawn home to meet the family over
Christmas holidays.With Rob’s mood growing
darker the closer it gets to Christmas, Shawn needs to find some way to give Rob
the Christmas he’s so desperate for. And he just might have the plan…Buy links:Loose Id http://www.loose-id.com/christmas-goes-analog.htmlAmazon http://amzn.com/B00H2TWRVW/ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-christmasgoesanalog-1366214-149.htmlWhat are your main characters’ names, ages, and
occupations?Robert Forbes, 24, works
as a video game programmerShawn Thomson, 26, works
as a system administrator/hardware guy at the same video game company as Rob.Interview
How did you get your start in the industry?I was laid off one summer,
from a job I hated, and decided that I would give the writing a serious go, as a
way to take back the parts of me that the hostile work environment had crushed.
I started several different projects, in differing genres, and kept noodling away
at them until I had one finished. At some point, I stumbled across my online critique
group, which has been the best thing that ever happened to me, because it was their
support and approval that convinced me to submit something. I was lucky enough to
catch the eye of Raven McKnight at Loose Id and it’s been a fantastic experience.
It’s nice to work with someone who gets your goofy jokes and actively encourages
your weirdness and ‘not in the box’-ness.What is the most important thing you do for your
career now, as compared to when you first started writing?I give it time and treat
it seriously. I think I’m more forward about promotion, because a professional treats
promotion like a part of the job. And I’m more likely to give myself the ‘down’
time between drafts, because I understand how I write much better now. I tend to
write a clean first draft, but–like many pantsers–it’s more of a detailed outline,
not a full first draft. Rewrites
Underground Erotica are necessary to add in the layers of information
and make sure plot elements are properly supported. So I keep a number of different
projects going at once (I have about a dozen right now, at various stages, from
single scenes to more than half finished.)What websites do you visit daily?Daily? My email. Twitter.
Absolute Write. My critique group. News sites and any interesting links that show
up in my Twitter feed or elsewhere. I try to stay off the internet, if I can, since
it can be a huge time waster and I’d rather make words.If you could change something about your first
book, what would it be?Lol. I’d write the prequel
first. The biggest complaint about the first book was that people wanted to know
the story of how Levi and Glynn got together. Bite Me Tender took place about four
years into their relationship. But I love those two so much, they’ll definitely
be coming back.What do you enjoy most about writing?I like that I’m independent,
that it’s a structured activity that taps my creativity in a way that everyday life
doesn’t even come close to. If you want to get all psychological about it, I’m an
INTJ, which makes me analytical, creative and someone who can’t help fusing things
that, on the surface, don’t belong together. Writing feeds a part of me that the
day job can’t even touch.If you could give the younger version of yourself
advice what would it be?Write anyway. Find some
time. Find some people to help you learn to do it better. Don’t be ashamed of your
ideas, don’t let anyone tell you that girls can’t write scifi or fantasy. Own your
weirdness and seek out people who are also weird. Experiment. Don’t think of a failed
project as a waste–it’s practice.And don’t let anyone
tell you that you’re too aggressive and it’s not appropriate. Screw that. Push.What is your work ethic when it comes to writing?When not tied down by
other responsibilities, I like to hit a minimum of 1500 words a day, though not
necessarily all on the same project. It’s nice if I get it all on one, but it rarely
works that way. A lot of days I’ll go beyond that, but not always. I keep a number
of projects going at the same time, because some days my subconscious isn’t ready
with the next step of a story, so I move to something else. As long as words are
coming out, I’m happy, but there have to be words each day.How do you cope with stress as an author?Work avoidance, until
I can’t take it anymore. :P Then I very deliberately open up a file that doesn’t
have a due date and put about 250 words on it. After that, things tend to flow smoothly.
But I do have a tendency, once I get a book open, to obsess over it and work on
it all the time, which is part of my stress-coping mechanism.Do things your family or friends do ever end
up in a book?Can I plead the Fifth,
even if I’m Canadian?I’ll confess, names
of people around me often end up in books. Very rarely do personalities get transplanted,
though, since characters tend to arrive in my head with very definite ideas of who
they are and what they want. Random stories often appear, with names changed to
protect the guilty. You’re all fodder to the word machine!What kind of books do you read when taking a
break from your own writing?I read MM and other
LGBT fiction, plus a variety of fantasy and science fiction. I’m a spec fic writer
by nature, but I love the challenges of writing in the MM genre and the freedom
it gives me to write about themes and ideas that are skated over or often downright
ignored in mainstream publishing. So I go back and forth between my two loves. Last
MM book read was the Power Play duology by Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant. Last
sff book (series, really) read was John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, which was an interesting
setting, though I found I was getting a little tired of the ‘Oh, what a cool universe
I’ve created’ by the fourth book, and began hoping for a bit more story.
Bite Me Tender What good book have you read recently?I listen to a lot of
audiobooks, because I do a lot of driving. So, I’m ‘reading’ Joe Abercrombie’s The
Blade Itself trilogy, which is a pretty interesting take on the fantasy genre. It
looks on the surface like a fairly generic epic fantasy, but he takes a number of
classic fantasy archetypes and–shifts them, ever so slightly. Odd little combinations.
His characters are likeable, the story keeps me coming back, though it’s so subtle
I really can’t explain the draw. Next book slated for listening is a non-fiction
about sociopaths.What do you like to do when you’re bored?Lol, I do research.
Or household repairs. There’s always a list for both. Right now, I’m researching
San Francisco history,
reading up on police procedures and making lists of angelic hierarchies. I’m also
fixing two broken chairs, building support frames for the firewood in the basement
and contemplating building a swinging gate in the pony barn.If you were a color, what color would you be?Red. Definitely red.
Or midnight blue.Please complete the sentences
I love pizza with ham
and pineapple.I’m always ready for
a nice bottle of red wine. Australian, preferably.When I’m alone, I giggle
and immediately throw my to-do list out the window, in favour of reading about boys
in love and drinking wine.You’d never be able
to tell from looking at my house, but at work I’m really incredibly organized.
Anally so, so to speak.If I had a halo it would
be dented and crooked, or lost under a pile of papers somewhere.If I could change
one thing about myself, I’d like to be able to sing, instead of just scaring
small children.I can never watch
horror movies because then I’m trapped in my house with the axe in my hand,
until the authorities take me away.Previous Books
Bite Me TenderBlurb: Levi is a werewolf.
His boyfriend, and the love of his life, is a witch. After living together for three
years, they decided to commit to each other and change Glyn into a werewolf. Levi
hoped the pack would accept Glyn more readily as a wolf. Glyn hoped it would eliminate
his erratic magic and erase the OCD it caused. One year later, they’re still trying…Levi can’t understand
why his bite won’t change Glyn and he’s running out of time to figure it out. His
pack is being threatened by a larger one, he’s facing dissension in the ranks of
his own ruling council and Glyn’s grandmother is poking her witchy nose into their
relationship.Under threat of a violent
takeover, the council pushes another potential wolf at Levi, infuriating Glyn and
adding weight to Levi’s own doubts. Council machinations divide the two lovers,
leaving both men questioning their lives, their love, and what they’re willing to
endure for each other.Full moon is a time
of power and change. It could be a disaster, or it could be the key to happily ever
after. If they’re strong enough to wrestle their happiness from its bloody claws.Amazon http://amzn.com/B00EIIYQ6YARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bitemetender-1268404-340.htmlNuts About You (in the Forgotten Menagerie anthology)Blurb: Nathan’s been
crushing on one of his regular Bulk Mart customers for a while now. In squirrel
form, he sits on Vince’s bird feeders, munching on seeds and enjoying the eye candy.
Until the day Vince notices him raiding the feeder…Storm Moon Press http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Forgotten-Menagerie.aspxAmazon http://amzn.com/B00G61D3BUARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-forgottenmenagerie-1326427-166.htmlLove UndergroundContemporary Romantic
Comedy, found in the Underground Erotica anthology. It was produced by a group of
erotica writers at Absolute Write as a fundraiser to help support the massive forums
there. My story is about the lengths we go to, in order to make our loved ones proud
of us. Even if it means trying to ignore your claustrophobia to go spelunking with
your outdoorsy boyfriend.Author site http://wp.me/P30c7r-hsFind Me Here
Website: The Blunt Instrument
http://thebluntinstrument.wordpress.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/Kate_LowellYou May Also Like
Is It True: Mistletoe in the City by Amber Daulton @amberdaulton1 #RLFblog #NewAdult
Read Christmas Promises the new #AspenGold Series by Cheryl StJohn, Bernadette Jones and *Lizzie Starr @gold_aspen #RLFblog #AmReadingRomance #Anthology
Double Feature: Heartwarming Anthologies by @AuthorMarian #RLFBlog #Holiday Romance
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Christmas Recipe: Tomato Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting @VickiBatman #RLFblog
Great Fruitcake Bake Off Welcome Vicki Batman to the blog with a wonderful cake recipe that has a secret ingredient (tomato soup).—When I grew up, my mom and her family baked and crafted special
things at Christmas time. Mom and our neighbor spent a whole day making divinity,
and yes, it was divine. My sisters and I did Wrap-a-thon. My grandmother was known
for her special dessert: Tomato Cake.Before you get all weirdly freaked out, know this: I am/was a
picky eater and I loved this cake. It does have tomato soup in it, but you know
what? If you didn’t know that was an ingredient, you’d love it too. There are spices,
nuts, raisins, and a decadent cream cheese frosting.This year, I wrote a hilarious holiday story entitled “The
Great Fruitcake Bake-off.” I do like fruitcake. There are lots of varieties,
some of which don’t have the candied fruit we’ve come to associate with the treat.Care to be daring and try a variation on Grandmother’s holiday
cake?Tomato Cake
From Campbells
Soup: http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/tomato-soup-spice-cake-243542 cups all-purpose flour1 1/3 cups sugar4 teaspoons baking powder1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s®
Condensed Tomato Soup1/2 cup vegetable shortening2 eggs1/4 cup waterHeat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan. Stir the
flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves in a large
bowl. Add the soup, shortening, eggs and water. Beat with an electric mixer on low
speed just until blended. Increase the speed to high and beat for 4 minutes. Pour
the batter into the pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
Frost with:Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
½ C crushed pineapple with juice2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugarBeat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a medium
bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until the mixture
is smooth and creamy. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Add the pineapple and juice,
1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is the desired consistency. Fill and
frost the cake.This version is a tad different from Grandmother’s as it uses
eggs and my sissie likes the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting. Grandmother added
raisins and chopped dates too.And just to keep you hungry, here’s a fun excerpt from
“The Great Fruitcake Bake-off.” Happy Holidays to you and yours!Buy Links
Museitup Publishing http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/coming-soon/the-great-fruitcake-bake-off-detail/And other e-retailers on December 6.About the Author
Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm–the list is endless.
Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories to True Love, True Romance, True Confessions, Noble Romance Publishing, Long And Short Reviews, and Museitup Publishing. She is a member of RWA and several writing groups and chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.
Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking “What if??”
Find Me Here
Website: http://vickibatman.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/VickiBatmanPinterest: http://pinterest.com/vickibatmanPlotting Princesses: http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com -
Cover Love: Misrule’s Mistress @nhurleymoore #RLFblog
Misrule’s Mistress Cover Love at Romance Lives Forever is a short intro to a
book and includes a cover, blurb, buy links, and social media contacts for the
author. Today’s featured book is Misrule’s Mistress by Nicole Hurley-Moore.Lord Barric Cranley wants Lady Ellette for his wife but she has
already refused once. He knows that Ellette loves him…it’s just she hasn’t realized
it yet. With a little help, cunning and the Feast of Misrule, Barric plans to capture
his bride and make it a Christmas she’ll never forget.Buy linksFind Me Here
Website www.nicolehurley-moore.comTwitter https://twitter.com/nhurleymoore -
Where Inspiration Comes From @vickibatman #rlfblog
LittleBirdie Who… The subtitle of this blog article is “It Just Came to Me!”
I’m turning over the blog to Vicki Batman today for her article on inspiration
for books.—“It Just Came to Me!”
I’m always asked where do you get your ideas for stories?Ideas can be found everywhere–a phrase, a word, a journal post,
a look, something overheard in a restaurant, something spoken on television…lots
of places. Something in my head goes boing! and I scribble it down.I began writing shorts after critiquing for a friend. I guess
osmosis set in because the next thing I knew, I’d written a whole bunch.Over the years, I’ve had many stories published in magazines
and thru e-publishers. However one magazine, Woman’s World, has eluded me. It isn’t
because my stuff is awful. Woman’s World receives over two hundred submissions per
week. Some of mine have been commented on; some kept for several months (the longer
the better). And others…they were returned quickly. LOLSo what does an author do with those stories? I’ve published
them for free reads. Expanded into longer stories and then, sold them.However, when the indie wave intensified, I got a badabing!
idea–why not put several stories together into a small book?So I did. My baby is born–“Little Birdie Who…and Other
Stories.”Here’s a tiny blurb from each story in “Little Birdie Who”
and what inspired that story:“Little Birdie Who”–a new resident helps
her next door neighbor rescue a little bird, but who is the birdie worth keeping?Handsome and I actually rescued a little bird stuck on a pest
strip in our garage.“Check Her Out”–Gum: it’s a sticky situation,
especially between a store manager and Auntie Caren when her nephew has to pay for
the package he stole.I know someone whose son stole gum several times when he was
five. Her rendition (and exasperation) stayed in my head and I just had to tell
the tale.“This is NOT Working”–Who knew Day One at
a new job would begin so badly and end with possibilities?Who hasn’t had a horrible day at a new job, but to make it a
first day ramped up the heroine’s awful situation. And someone near and dear said
he forgot to turn on his computer one day, and it nearly drove him crazy.So if you are sitting in a café, airport lounge, or do something
crazy, you might be overheard by a writer and become an inspiration for the next
bestseller!Little Birdie Who is COMING SOON!
Twinkle Lights Available Now:
Twinkle Lights
When the owner of a Christmas tree stand has a heart attack, a do-gooder and a reformed delinquent turned lawyer fall under the holiday spirit and staff the business. The two-some meet the everyday challenges of running the establishment and through their close association, began to care for each other. When the revenue goes missing, fingers are pointed.
Buy link: http://is.gd/9e9Nv7About the Author
Vicki Batman kicks back with a diet Coke and–hopefully–is weaving
writing magic.Find Me Here
Website: http://vickibatman.blogspot.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/vickibatmanPinterest: http://pinterest.com/vickibatmanAmazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Vicki-Batman/e/B005AY5ZN8You May Also Like
Read the new Sommerville Holidays by Vicki Batman @VickiBatman #RLFblog #SmallTownRomance #Romance
Is It True: Homemakers’ Christmas by Jill Piscitello @Piscj18 #RLFblog #SweetRomance #HolidayRomance
Is It True: You for Christmas by Valerie Ullmer @valerieullmer #RLFblog #MM #Holiday
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Character Interview: Blake @jamidavenport #christmas #romance
Love at First Snow. Jami Davenport, welcome to Romance Lives Forever.
Let’s talk about your book, Love at First Snow.Genre: Contemporary Romance (Holiday Romance, Christmas Romance, Lunchbox Romance)Buy links: http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/love-first-snowPublisher: Boroughs Publishing GroupCover artist: Chris KeeslarLength: 13,050 wordsHeat rating: 3 out of 5Tagline: A Christmas MiracleBlurb:Four years ago, NHL defenseman
Blake Daniels lost his entire family in a floatplane crash. This Christmas a snowstorm
and a small gray kitten will lead him to life, love, and a whole new shot at happiness.What are your main characters’ names, ages, and
occupations?Dr. Sarah Whitney (32) VeterinarianBlake Daniels (34) Former NHL Hockey PlayerInterview With Blake Daniels
Tell us about yourself. What
are you like?For a long time, I was
driven and focused on my hockey career. After the tragedy four years ago in which
I lost my entire family, I spent the next four years floundering like a ship lost
at sea. My career went down the tank, and my personal life was even worse. Meeting
Sarah this Christmas changed all of that. Now I have a direction and a future that’s
bright. I’ll be opening a little bistro on one of the islands (San Juan Islands) because I love to cook.What do you think is your strongest
point?I think my kindness
to animals and others.Do you have a weakness? (If
so, what do you think it is? What does your lover think it is? What does your enemy
think it is?)I think my weakness
is my tendency to close up when things get tough and keep everything inside. I’m
pretty sure she’d agree with that, though she’s better at getting me to open up
than anyone else I’ve ever met except my mother. The only enemies I’ve ever made
were on the ice. They’d say I was a ruthless hockey player in my earlier days.What drives you to do the things
you do? What makes you want to be the “good guy?”I was raised by a loving,
caring family and parents who set a good example for me every day of their lives.
I constantly strive to be the son who would make them proud.
Forward Passes What’s your favorite guilty
pleasure?A naked Sarah and warm
chocolate fudge at the same time.If you didn’t know how old you
were how old would you be?About sixteen when I’m
with Sarah.A biography has been written
about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?He overcame Tragedy
to Love AgainIf money were not an object,
where would you most like to live?Right where I am (Washington State’s
San Juan Islands)What song would best describe
your life?Garth Brooks’ “The Dance”If you were a tool, what would
people use you to do?I’d be a hammer because
I hope I’d be used to build things and make life better.Picture yourself as a store.
Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold
there?Definitely a grocery
store, but one that sold hard-to-find items and fresh produce.As a child, what was your favorite
thing about school?After the final bell
rang and going to hockey practice.Tell us an embarrassing story
that has to do with a pet. If you have no pets, a story about a significant other
will do.My sister had a schnauzer
that had it in for me. One time at family reunion, he peed on my jeans’ leg. I never
noticed it but everyone else did. My brother managed to get it all on video.If you came with a warning label,
what would it say?Beware, this man will
seduce you with whispered promises and great food.Please Fill in the Blanks as Blake
I love pizza with all meat.I’m always ready for dinner and sex.When I’m alone, I like to read or watch sports.You’d never be able to tell, but I’m actually
pretty romantic.If I had a halo it
would be surprising.If I could go back and win the Stanley Cup I’d be
one happy man.I can never forget because they meant
too much.About the Author
An advocate of happy
endings, Jami Davenport writes sexy romantic comedy, sports hero romances, and equestrian
fiction. Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber
husband, a Newfoundland
cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and
an opinionated Hanoverian mare.Jami works in IT for
her day job and is a former high school business teacher and dressage rider. In
her spare time, she maintains her small farm and socializes whenever the opportunity
presents itself. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion,
it is the most beautiful place on earth.
Jami Davenport Previous Books
Fourth and Goal (Book
1 in the Seattle
Lumberjacks Series)Forward Passes (Book
2 in the Seattle
Lumberjacks Series)Books Coming Soon
Down by Contact (Book
3 in the Seattle
Lumberjacks Series)Find Me Here
Website: http://jamidavenport.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/jamidavenportTwitter: http://twitter.com/jamidavenportOther sites: http://BoroughsPublishingGroup.com
