tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226584662024-03-19T00:00:34.035-07:00Rhymes With ForeplayPG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.comBlogger491125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-49977675844395533272024-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-19T00:00:00.252-07:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Do You Ever Feel Like Giving Up? ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, <b>"</b></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span id="docs-internal-guid-7d4f43d7-7fff-e0e2-6d84-6e69efa7fb49"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you ever feel like giving up on writing? If so, what motivates you to keep going?</span></span>"</b></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To which I can only say: <i>All. The. Time</i>. And: <i>damned if I know</i>.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Honestly, I think it's just sheer pig-headedness. I mean, I love writing and I have plenty of stories I still want to write but I think anyone in their right mind would have given up by now. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating worlds and characters is fun. And whenever I'm upset or confused or don't know what I think about a topic, writing things down is how I figure out how I feel, or what I want. So I don't think I could ever stop writing entirely. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">BUT the business of writing is often frustrating and overwhelming. I don't like that part nearly as much. In a perfect world--one in which I did not have to worry about marketing or making money from writing--I'd write all the time and not be bothered about whether or not my stories found their perfect audience; because of course they always would! In our very imperfect world, however, I have to rely on hope and pig-headedness and ignoring the small voice that says, "continuing to do the same thing over and over again and hoping for different results is madness" and instead hold to the idea that <a href="https://wtmx.com/believe-in-yourself-davine-joy-randoph-hopes-her-oscar-win-for-the-holdovers-inspires-others/" target="_blank">Da'Vine Joy Randolph</a> said recently, <b>"</b></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);">it </span>would not<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);"> be on </span>your heart if you weren<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);">'</span>t meant<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);"> to do it."</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);">I don't know if I actually believe that, but it sounds good and I'm going with it!</span></span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <u><b>Jill Haymaker's page</b></u> and find out what she has to say on the topic of giving up</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. And don't forget to check out her book, <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTNGYR9P " target="_blank"><b>The Boy in the Pink Convertible.</b></a></u></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVEB4jiXv1QdGEnM29PpSVHWelyi7q8B9ToMfWtNigc84qmX_VIIRnRe_bU-9hyphenhyphenV48RiQqvA3Mc3VI-W1rBjLl3oZpA916ztSzFUSA1NrxCy_COUNqr86JRgocNqXrXN_w96IyomXr_OQch59sbzq3XMueBB33ANJX6-ao97WSaDDXFLsYPZd/s480/432042299_10233180402916002_2191635110382565191_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVEB4jiXv1QdGEnM29PpSVHWelyi7q8B9ToMfWtNigc84qmX_VIIRnRe_bU-9hyphenhyphenV48RiQqvA3Mc3VI-W1rBjLl3oZpA916ztSzFUSA1NrxCy_COUNqr86JRgocNqXrXN_w96IyomXr_OQch59sbzq3XMueBB33ANJX6-ao97WSaDDXFLsYPZd/w640-h640/432042299_10233180402916002_2191635110382565191_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c5fd2a7-7fff-f2be-f855-5b45a2512a2e" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What secrets does a photograph hold? When Megan Forrester finds a old, worn photo of herself and a young boy, it propels her on a quest to find him, but along the way she finds herself, and maybe a little romance, too. Can one small photo change the course of her life?</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #181717; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3dc227f8-7fff-a064-6c00-caa1456d8054" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTNGYR9P" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTNGYR9P</span></a><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></span></span></span></p></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDSIAZ3n8WAf45ckxDlEkBaHxanoLtPK2IktHPgf6qtE4tKlJhrmwi_qASuNeretefVN_KzhMNlBEBFnSZyPVlRy9gwJvWr0tjKilNr-rsqM0N8bX1K76Bl1mEWM0C05G1OrDWfEkEExrJosdfAaE3N7ZxviUnSJTPWBQ1iZAEoStPvZXFtEr/s640/LA_LineBreak.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDSIAZ3n8WAf45ckxDlEkBaHxanoLtPK2IktHPgf6qtE4tKlJhrmwi_qASuNeretefVN_KzhMNlBEBFnSZyPVlRy9gwJvWr0tjKilNr-rsqM0N8bX1K76Bl1mEWM0C05G1OrDWfEkEExrJosdfAaE3N7ZxviUnSJTPWBQ1iZAEoStPvZXFtEr/w200-h125/LA_LineBreak.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e9802d; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 28px;">Waiting For The Big One</span></div><span style="color: #1f568c;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 20px;">LA Love Lessons 1.0</span></div></span></h1></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXHOYvAPXn0Gj72viWlMi_GhNigWKOeEcytRda1hK6Go8OlgapfxY9KSf3Lbv_10ZD4aVMAflqdrn2ydtPqViTmp_g9IXfhRksMLPztcuRQZI-KckUkRV4A0vQvfH1dNLZsuBcz_vbVQk_kOmQ51jsbKiZK90izSXmWh2Gm6P3HzKjXW4MLiw/s1080/WFTBO_promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXHOYvAPXn0Gj72viWlMi_GhNigWKOeEcytRda1hK6Go8OlgapfxY9KSf3Lbv_10ZD4aVMAflqdrn2ydtPqViTmp_g9IXfhRksMLPztcuRQZI-KckUkRV4A0vQvfH1dNLZsuBcz_vbVQk_kOmQ51jsbKiZK90izSXmWh2Gm6P3HzKjXW4MLiw/w640-h640/WFTBO_promo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: start;"><em><span style="font-size: 18px;">One girl, two guys and a quest for ultimate satisfaction</span></em><span style="font-size: 18px;">.<br /><br />Aspiring actress Gabby Browne refuses to consider her best friend, and personal trainer, Derek Novello for the role of soul mate fearing sex will ruin their beautiful friendship. When she meets Zach, she's convinced that he could be The One. Too bad Derek isn't willing to share-leaving Gabby forced to choose between two sexy co-stars.<br /><br />An early morning earthquake provides Gabby with the impetus she needs to stop waiting for the stars to align and finally cast her leading man.</span></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "Della Respira", serif;"><br /></span></span></p></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/the-big-one">https://books2read.com/the-big-one</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-8817133107197177282024-03-12T09:38:00.000-07:002024-03-12T09:38:04.977-07:00Romance Writers Weekly ~Hobbies? ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked the question, <b>"</b></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span id="docs-internal-guid-5fdf1840-7fff-3392-0cdf-a64718c69551"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What other hobbies do you have besides writing?</span></span>"</b></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Being the prickly wordsmith that I am, I'm giving that "other" some serious side-eye. Because writing isn't a hobby for me. If I'm feeling upset or emotional about something my first instinct is to write it down. To get it out of my system. Eventually, I'll probably want to alchemize those words and emotions into fiction. But whatever else it is, it's not a hobby. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Creating graphics and covers--that's closer to a hobby, but still not quite.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I think I approach cooking as a hobby (at least some of the time). Knitting is definitely a hobby, as well as embroidery (even though I haven't embroidered anything in YEARS). Gardening...that's not even a hobby; it's an occasional interest. I have A LOT of interests that don't quite make the commitment threshold for hobby status. And I satisfy most of those interests by giving them to my characters as activities/jobs/hobbies/etc. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm sure I engage in several more activities/interests that should qualify as hobbies, but where would it end? Is wine tasting a hobby? Is travel? Or exercise? Or reading? But I think I'll stop here. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://jennadasie.com" target="_blank">Jenna Da Sie's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn about her hobbies. </span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d4b0f87b-7fff-88ea-c6f7-84d90fee9651" style="text-align: start;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #181717; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-SN85dL7DlExz-BXJkw5rNoR8U6v1AYZjTkmzn6gGTLcQOzG0fnWLnRmmaUcR0FkgPR7X3yYX6hYczn-fsB6BbtTIxxTr-VLhVU1hgiecnV-vGzwag-4seApdot-IlgT0WDADLwKR98ecFPyVE7vrgPMvKu5u0TuzAU7uisfitlTL7ZWhjqW/s4000/heart.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-SN85dL7DlExz-BXJkw5rNoR8U6v1AYZjTkmzn6gGTLcQOzG0fnWLnRmmaUcR0FkgPR7X3yYX6hYczn-fsB6BbtTIxxTr-VLhVU1hgiecnV-vGzwag-4seApdot-IlgT0WDADLwKR98ecFPyVE7vrgPMvKu5u0TuzAU7uisfitlTL7ZWhjqW/w200-h200/heart.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8U-pOduP9kLigBMa4E3ksJNEdVEzmPwtrUSui_r0iEPqt3kI5JixUrgDvUjWBH81AGqIm2JgHaIPtmTXwq0T5VnFI266PtKYB7Z901yAPaJAX40JpcKz_8DJIePZz_LdXCE8jzLpOEvmygAsNbBoG2s3am0cbBQduiYoIofpyZn4Qn5DqnbR/s1800/CofN_Promo_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8U-pOduP9kLigBMa4E3ksJNEdVEzmPwtrUSui_r0iEPqt3kI5JixUrgDvUjWBH81AGqIm2JgHaIPtmTXwq0T5VnFI266PtKYB7Z901yAPaJAX40JpcKz_8DJIePZz_LdXCE8jzLpOEvmygAsNbBoG2s3am0cbBQduiYoIofpyZn4Qn5DqnbR/w640-h640/CofN_Promo_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Old Sins, Long Shadows</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Children of Night, Book Two</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-style: italic; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Living forever is hard. Loving forever? Impossible. </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-family: overlock, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Of all the mistakes Conrad Quintano has made, driving Damian away is the one that haunts him the most. He hates the fact that he's hurt the man he loves more than anything. For the sake of the twins, though, Conrad and Damian parent as a united front, a challenge that grows more and more difficult with each passing year. And with Conrad in his weakened state after his kidnapping, it grows more difficult than ever to be around the one man he can't have. </span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-family: overlock, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" /></span><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But an old enemy's mission to create a dangerous new breed of vampire threatens the twins' lives, and it's now more important than ever that the estranged lovers put the past behind them, or everything they hold dear might be ripped apart.</span></span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Buy ebook and/or print: </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/u/31KAka" style="text-align: left;">https://books2read.com/u/31KAka</a></b></span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">Read on Kiss: </span><a href="https://read.writekiss.com/details?book_id=609c0f98ca942135801ca731" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">https://read.writekiss.com/details?book_id=609c0f98ca942135801ca731</span></a></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-91108470713003229732024-03-11T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T11:18:05.518-07:00Musical Monday: Ricky Martin - La Mordidita<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I've been doing a lot of exercise lately--walking, biking, swimming, yoga--so I wanted to post an upbeat, exercise-y song. AND I just got back from Costa Rica, so something with a little bit of Latin flare seemed right. So here's something to get your blood pumping. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lBztnahrOFw?si=QqHYcGY2GVrBz7mV" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-3800536476278562322024-03-05T00:00:00.002-08:002024-03-05T00:00:00.340-08:00Romance Writer Weekly ~ Favorite Scents ~ #LoveChatWrite<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked "What's your favorite scent and does it help in your work?"</span><div><span><div align="left" dir="ltr" style="margin-left: 0pt;"></div></span><div><span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Yeah, as I think I've mentioned before, I don't realy have favorites. I love all the scents. Ad they absolutely help me in my work. I love to select the perfect scents for whatever book I'm writing--be it perfume, candle, tea, incense or some combination of all of them. I find them even more useful than the right music for getting me (and keeping me) in the right mood. Faster, too! </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><a href="https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog" target="_blank">Brenda Margriet's page</a></b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to</span></span> find out if she has a favorite scent. And don't forget to check out her book, <b><a href="HTTPS://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure" target="_blank">Taking His Measure.</a></b></span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3r6L0PNmqwWfNaD_CEHcox-Nyw6zjmgE-MX4Wb76sXGYHSkAJ31EGcscMxwR-QnqHqFTAJNUfIUgut6Gx2CtNQ7VGttdObFg9XySCpYXIxR3lBLa02A_du2n_DuZQs1-MagK4klGJV4OiRC5EF2AXiy34lK0fr6s-d3ggc_Yyz-6So1x-r5Aq/s480/384516994_6605246599602940_7566112367449884147_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg2Y-xNm7u0lkyP8dme9jquFpyfOrVhrLLeqgr_HKq_LcX5ptNdYRjY_x0uYLGIqZVe20cII8rFFbab6ZBUs30-Ban2HRNC-h2-hx0ajGN57ant1ygtlw1VldoCYBf1BjrqMiii7QDCOzJfJFHt48Ku5uz6jiYJP_ViigmdM9Ol2zEgFRtNrQ/s800/428637328_7154379194689675_5652149152192858792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg2Y-xNm7u0lkyP8dme9jquFpyfOrVhrLLeqgr_HKq_LcX5ptNdYRjY_x0uYLGIqZVe20cII8rFFbab6ZBUs30-Ban2HRNC-h2-hx0ajGN57ant1ygtlw1VldoCYBf1BjrqMiii7QDCOzJfJFHt48Ku5uz6jiYJP_ViigmdM9Ol2zEgFRtNrQ/s320/428637328_7154379194689675_5652149152192858792_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;">THE COMPLETE BENDIXON SISTERS SERIES</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Three steamy, open-door, full-length contemporary romances with all your favourite tropes!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">* Second Chance * Grumpy/Sunshine * Forced Proximity * Best Friend’s Younger Sister * Virgin Hero * Forbidden Love * He Falls First * Enemies to Lovers * Single Dad * Starting Over</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;">Allegro Court</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Determined to save her beloved construction company, Mattie Bendixon makes a reckless wager with Marcus Temple. All he has to do is stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;">Gateway Crescent</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Neither flighty Jo Bendixon nor steadfast Luke Donwell prophesies the temptation flaring hot and bright between them. It might scorch them to the heart…or spark a match made in heaven.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;">Crossroad Corner</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; text-align: start;">Will Danson can't stop thinking about his captivating business rival. Camryn Bendixon won't be distracted by the sexy single dad standing in her way. They are competing for construction bids and career-making contracts—but it is her battered heart that he truly wants to win.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="Https://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure" style="font-family: helvetica;">Https://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure</a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFSv1j3jLvMetqoeSiqriUhP6RlG8og4erF8I2V0I6gp5gnC4et1mVy8BlclbMTsU8qjKAenu1yvF_d18Ns9aUewT5AoQQi5YP05qF_303A3zE8qQK0QpPie8ny9xMO4Wxm9PFEX0cjm0FDVD_2LyCo_WyCFVfznibhm2LpkN3vH0ou6MreTQ/s5000/1_VmVjdG9yIHJlZCBhbmQgcGluayByb3Nlcw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5000" data-original-width="5000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFSv1j3jLvMetqoeSiqriUhP6RlG8og4erF8I2V0I6gp5gnC4et1mVy8BlclbMTsU8qjKAenu1yvF_d18Ns9aUewT5AoQQi5YP05qF_303A3zE8qQK0QpPie8ny9xMO4Wxm9PFEX0cjm0FDVD_2LyCo_WyCFVfznibhm2LpkN3vH0ou6MreTQ/w200-h200/1_VmVjdG9yIHJlZCBhbmQgcGluayByb3Nlcw.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ptzjFWtPlH5_W3VV-SShAajwaxvjzKRc4YDC7hzjtcEn-x2AewjauRMrWu1ywCsSbVth_PXQQk1RFlGDanmJlMxdfp0eOwJR0furY74kQDlfF_iOimiRRjYtYlk5_v7bcCxYemk4zvnNPt67uEGyXEAu66dzLXteS0HY2kMD1R_6UcIdRdHj/s1080/PG%20Forte__OBERON_lPromo_Bk1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ptzjFWtPlH5_W3VV-SShAajwaxvjzKRc4YDC7hzjtcEn-x2AewjauRMrWu1ywCsSbVth_PXQQk1RFlGDanmJlMxdfp0eOwJR0furY74kQDlfF_iOimiRRjYtYlk5_v7bcCxYemk4zvnNPt67uEGyXEAu66dzLXteS0HY2kMD1R_6UcIdRdHj/w400-h400/PG%20Forte__OBERON_lPromo_Bk1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h2 style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">Scent of the Roses</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Oberon Book 1.0</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Scent of the Roses (book one in the Oberon series) is a slow-burn, second chance, paranormal romantic suspense story featuring a (42M) former bad-boy cop and the (36F) girl who got away. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Available now in print and digital formats.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“An intriguing mystery complete with long-lost loves, twists I didn't expect, mysticism, murder, and great multi-layered characters…set in a magical small town. What's not to love?”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“This is one story you don't want to miss reading! I become totally immersed in this intriguing mystery.”</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“The characters that make up the small town of Oberon California are beautifully eccentric. The two main characters of Scout and Nick were exactly what a real couple should be yet so many authors shy away from.”</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/ScentRoses">https://books2read.com/ScentRoses</a></span></div></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-8898949483104239592024-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-27T00:00:00.143-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Do You Believe in Magic? ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span><span><span>This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "</span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><span id="docs-internal-guid-204e0cc8-7fff-9015-d832-7a2693157ab5"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you believe in magic? Tell us why or why not.</span></span>"</span></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Well, obviously I do. Anyone who's read any of my more "contemporary" romances knows that there's a little magic in almost all of them. And those that don't have quote/unquote magic, have a healthy dose of synchronicity, serendipity, and coincidence to take its place. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One of the major inspirations for my Oberon series was a series of conversations I had with other women I knew at the time at a coffee shop near our kids' school. Everyone had a story to tell about the odd and semi-supernatural things that they'd witnessed or experienced. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Could there be logical, rational, skeptical, "scientific" explanations for all of them? Sure. But I don't know what's one-hundred-percent true, and I don't think anyone else does either. Although, yes, I know many people think that they do. I just happen to think they're deluding themselves. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, why not believe in magic? It makes life more fun, it doesn't hurt anything, and what if it is true? Anyway, that's how I look at it. #ChangeMyMind</span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog" target="_blank">Brenda Margriet's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn whether she believes in magic. And don't forget to check out her book, <b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure" target="_blank">Taking His Measure</a></u></b>.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg2Y-xNm7u0lkyP8dme9jquFpyfOrVhrLLeqgr_HKq_LcX5ptNdYRjY_x0uYLGIqZVe20cII8rFFbab6ZBUs30-Ban2HRNC-h2-hx0ajGN57ant1ygtlw1VldoCYBf1BjrqMiii7QDCOzJfJFHt48Ku5uz6jiYJP_ViigmdM9Ol2zEgFRtNrQ/s1080/428637328_7154379194689675_5652149152192858792_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGg2Y-xNm7u0lkyP8dme9jquFpyfOrVhrLLeqgr_HKq_LcX5ptNdYRjY_x0uYLGIqZVe20cII8rFFbab6ZBUs30-Ban2HRNC-h2-hx0ajGN57ant1ygtlw1VldoCYBf1BjrqMiii7QDCOzJfJFHt48Ku5uz6jiYJP_ViigmdM9Ol2zEgFRtNrQ/w640-h640/428637328_7154379194689675_5652149152192858792_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b>THE COMPLETE BENDIXON SISTERS SERIES<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">Three steamy, open-door, full-length contemporary romances with all your favourite tropes!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">* Second Chance * Grumpy/Sunshine * Forced Proximity * Best Friend’s Younger Sister * Virgin Hero * Forbidden Love * He Falls First * Enemies to Lovers * Single Dad * Starting Over<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b>Allegro Court<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">Determined to save her beloved construction company, Mattie Bendixon makes a reckless wager with Marcus Temple. All he has to do is stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b>Gateway Crescent<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">Neither flighty Jo Bendixon nor steadfast Luke Donwell prophesies the temptation flaring hot and bright between them. It might scorch them to the heart…or spark a match made in heaven.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b>Crossroad Corner<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">Will Danson can't stop thinking about his captivating business rival. Camryn Bendixon won't be distracted by the sexy single dad standing in her way. They are competing for construction bids and career-making contracts—but it is her battered heart that he truly wants to win.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b2978740-7fff-56ab-fcf8-2fbec76c5539" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure">https://books2read.com/TakingHisMeasure</a></b></span></span></span></p></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/s1000/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/w200-h200/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3X4YN_a3TOeFmxNffbcPLFN7at-bLaIDVAEFGtk-L_fONBTi8eQLtX0rTwfc4BOjAHpdCniyDwCpG0KB3xVCfJSYf6DC4mPgLAoy5M80Wb1bjVnqLmTR-iVDEHUL9L9-vzdnTAUNpcE0IKpN9fc0J8Je16shADezSftqIZmRazs4EVnGMovP/s1800/SVS_Valentine_Grid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3X4YN_a3TOeFmxNffbcPLFN7at-bLaIDVAEFGtk-L_fONBTi8eQLtX0rTwfc4BOjAHpdCniyDwCpG0KB3xVCfJSYf6DC4mPgLAoy5M80Wb1bjVnqLmTR-iVDEHUL9L9-vzdnTAUNpcE0IKpN9fc0J8Je16shADezSftqIZmRazs4EVnGMovP/w640-h640/SVS_Valentine_Grid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b8f58df-7fff-e343-f898-a4aa282cc831" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><h2 dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 18pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #27715a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sound of a Voice That is Still</span></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oberon: Book 3</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sound of a Voice That is Still </span><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is set in January/February and features four different couples celebrating Valentine’s Day.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well. “Celebrate” might be something of an overstatement in some cases.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/SoundVoice">https://books2read.com/SoundVoice</a></b></span></span></p></span></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-53788447455153501722024-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T00:00:00.152-08:00Musical Monday: Leaving On a Jet Plane ~ Peter, Paul, and Mary<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> So, this song has nothing to do with what I'm writing, but it's stuck on repeat in my head, so what else was I going to choose? </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm going to be flying later this week--for the first time in six years!--which seems momentous. And...that's it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I don't even have a travel-related excerpt to post because I'm so busy trying to get ready. So, hasta la vista! <br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/21quS0cDaKo?si=DnOnh9Pg-XRdmC6H" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-66558893337500892062024-02-19T23:09:00.000-08:002024-02-19T23:09:39.545-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Where Would You Live? ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked the question, <b>"</b></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-5749b6ec-7fff-c006-b8d1-825587f10446"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>If you could live in another country, which one would you choose and why?"</b></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wow. This is a tough one. There are so many places I'd like to live. But, if I have to just pick one, and I'm being at all realistic, I'd say Ireland. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">First of all, I could actually do it. Both of my maternal grandparents were born in Ireland, so I qualify for citizenship. But I also think it's beautiful. I like the weather, the culture, the music, the food. I can't speak a word of the language, but I'd love an excuse to try and learn it (I am horrible at languages) but lucky for me, I can get by just fine there speaking English. </span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Leslie Hachtel's page </a></u></b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn where she'd like to live. And don't forget to check out her book, <b><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3thW8BR" target="_blank">Come Back to Me</a></u></b>.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq72fiFC9O35_9sF5V1HJDmryfaLaN8sWVnod9jKfbBf-CT5olgY0tYJ1llVe-5RTRWBNR1PtlT1TM7Z-qoHBrOm3JTP39z13bAljNlkeU2sxwIz6Me-qeDPPBsSnOXLPB4zstV0e-BZjC1jS__Zp5ufC7U3k-syuUEXfd541MveoEFsbLc2gQ/s1500/81ift915HYL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="938" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq72fiFC9O35_9sF5V1HJDmryfaLaN8sWVnod9jKfbBf-CT5olgY0tYJ1llVe-5RTRWBNR1PtlT1TM7Z-qoHBrOm3JTP39z13bAljNlkeU2sxwIz6Me-qeDPPBsSnOXLPB4zstV0e-BZjC1jS__Zp5ufC7U3k-syuUEXfd541MveoEFsbLc2gQ/w400-h640/81ift915HYL._SL1500_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d4b0f87b-7fff-88ea-c6f7-84d90fee9651" style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #181717; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7ae1e38c-7fff-bd3b-f610-6df65cdb22a7" style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What would you do if you could go back in time to find your soulmate? For Skye Blaine, the answer is clear: she would do whatever it takes to be with the one she loves. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Follow her as she travels through time in search of her heart's desire, finding that the path to true love is never easy, but always worth it. </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Will she find her happy ending? This page-turning story of love, sacrifice, and courage is sure to captivate and inspire. Don't miss out on this unforgettable journey through time!</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #181717; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #181717; font-size: 12pt; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3thW8BR">https://amzn.to/3thW8BR</a></u></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/s1000/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/w200-h200/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></p></span></div></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">New Release!</span></b></h1><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5ZnsDZjaLWqC6Gh_pFL1V82dS43tLQJerpmmjvjIqmlyUuOQJwECpXsfAQXAFrpj3tWHwM1xr7VN4SScQECvA-A0KJj5BmeYZIwRmegMMGgPLIvev4sg5cbNLBvsK86PnYSC-TP-W8lzPGvmfJzPyAijvrFdMQDun-ZWyt5LcWDerICeM07G/s1200/new_ring_promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5ZnsDZjaLWqC6Gh_pFL1V82dS43tLQJerpmmjvjIqmlyUuOQJwECpXsfAQXAFrpj3tWHwM1xr7VN4SScQECvA-A0KJj5BmeYZIwRmegMMGgPLIvev4sg5cbNLBvsK86PnYSC-TP-W8lzPGvmfJzPyAijvrFdMQDun-ZWyt5LcWDerICeM07G/w640-h426/new_ring_promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Games We Play/Whole Latte Love Story</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">February 14th is just another day...until it's not!</span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Timing is everything. After three years, Rosie and Alex's friendship has finally caught fire. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">But is Valentine's Day too much, too fast? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-73975440796536079002024-02-19T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-19T00:00:00.353-08:00Musical Monday: Best I'll Ever Be Sister Hazel<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UACv_G5MOO3uxQZk2fDg_Yk9BwgQRNwyJAEGCBVPQ1eALvRp6Acl15Cv2FK2Xt1Ccp3ndVs4ngflqWXt9w_nN9rpZ_c8m5IQS9v2pdZ0fgn1twon1oQWgjkwrfd-ITX2GYW68GH2nlyHRflJRpytOAj7Avojto5tNr9Z3oLltEF_iudt_nsG/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> So, this song has been around for awhile, and I actually listened to it a lot while I was writing some of the later Oberon books. It's sooooo Seth! But this accoustic version is one I hadn't heard until recently and it's perfect for the book I'm working on now. A secret project that I still can't talk about. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Suffice it to say I have a hero and heroine who both think a lot about loss and missed chances. It's supposed to be a RomCom but I never do understand the assignment!</span></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a8tk-CHmkfY?si=Vy1PsV_Y8uAe19cR" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Since I can't share that, however, here's a sneak peek at the ninth Oberon book, and my tortured teen hero:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Seth chopped savagely at the ground beef browning in the pan, using the spatula like a cleaver as he took out his frustrations on the dinner he was making; reducing the meat to hash. So, he’d said he was making burgers––so what? <i>Change of plans. Deal with it</i>. And if she was disappointed? If she didn’t like it, or if she didn’t want to deal? Well, then she could damn well feed herself. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> He wasn’t in the mood to shape the meat into nice, round patties, or to even think about anything that might require that much patience or restraint, two things he was pretty much out of, at the moment. So, all the little details, things like slicing onions, hunting up pickles, toasting rolls or waiting for the friggin’ ketchup to drip out of the bottle, were flat out not gonna happen. They were all completely beyond his abilities to deal with. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Not to mention inquiring as to how Deirdre might want her meat cooked. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> He didn’t want to inquire about that. He didn’t want to inquire about anything. So, with his plans to make hamburgers gone to hell, like everything else in his life it seemed, he did what he always did when things got tough. He wussed out. He turned to his family for assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> A batch of his mother’s tomato sauce, one of several with which she’d stocked his freezer, simmered in the smaller of his two saucepans, while the water for pasta bubbled away in the other. He paused in his massacre of the meat to add some salt and a pound of Rotelli to the water, then went back on the attack. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Not that the beef needed to be further subdued, but he was just so...fucking...pissed...<i>off</i>! He was furious––with the world in general, and with women in particular.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> He was angry with Cara for waking him up too early this morning, for filling his mind with all her stupid, lame-brained, half-baked theories, for confusing the hell out of him. He was angry with Jasmine for being at the center today––when it should have been empty. For being helpful. And cheerful. And too damn smart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> But, first, last and always, he was angry with Deirdre. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> For being too good of a liar. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> For dropping that bombshell on him about the dogs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> For acting so concerned when he’d gotten upset, for sounding so sincere, looking so sweet. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> And for the way she thought he could just turn his feelings for her on and off at will,<i> like I’m some kind of fucking light switch</i>––that most of all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Time and again he’d gotten his foolish hopes up, only to have them shot down. Something––the words she’d say, the way she’d act––would make him think the two of them were going somewhere; but the minute he responded– <i>Wham!</i> Like a knee to his balls she’d smash his hopes flat. <i>Take that, sucker! Blam!</i><u><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 15pt; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As he mashed at the meat, grease splattered the stove. God, he was pissed! He was angry, horny, miserable and...confused.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> What the hell was he doing wrong, all of a sudden? How come nothing he tried seemed to work with her? He never had <i>that</i> problem before. All the other girls he’d hooked up with had melted for him, with almost no effort at all; even the ones who’d had a reputation for being cold. Not that there’d been many of those. And they’d all seemed to like sex at least as much as he did, too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> But, shit, what did he know? He’d never even left Oberon for more than a few weeks at a time. Maybe Jasmine was right. Maybe there was just something wrong with the girls he’d been hanging with. Or maybe it was Deirdre who was screwed up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Want some help?” she asked, coming up behind him. He was so angry, he hadn’t even heard her come in. As she laid a hand on his back, he flinched away. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Seth? What’s wrong?” She looked surprised by his reaction, maybe even a little hurt. <i>She has to be kidding, right</i>? If anyone should be feeling hurt right now, it was him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Nothing. Just...don’t do that anymore.” Under normal circumstances, or even half an hour ago, he’d have been perfectly happy to let her touch him––as much as she wanted. For two whole years it he’d daydreamed endlessly about it: in bed, in the shower, when he was with other girls. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> In vivid detail he’d imagine how it would to feel if he were with Deirdre instead, if it were her hands touching, stroking, squeezing him. But, now, when she was here and making him crazy? When she’d just gotten through admitting that she hadn’t thought of him at all while she was gone? When she’d, only a few minutes earlier, been complaining that he was rushing her? And when she wouldn’t let him touch her back? Now, having her touch him was hell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Sorry,” she mumbled biting her lip, looking like, any minute, she might start bawling. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> And, oh, fuck, no. He couldn’t deal with that tonight, either. He grabbed a large bowl from one of the cabinets and shoved it into her hands. “Here. Why don’t you make us a salad, okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Okay.” She took the bowl and headed for the refrigerator. “I thought you said you were making hamburgers?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “I changed my mind.” He turned off the heat under the pan and added the mostly-pureed meat to the sauce. “I didn’t feel like it. We’re having spaghetti.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “Oh. Well, whatever it is, it sure smells good. Did you just make that sauce?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> “What?” He turned to stare at her in disbelief. “In ten minutes? Of course not. Don’t you know it takes <i>hours</i> for sauce to cook?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Deirdre shrugged. “No, not really. I just always used the stuff that comes out of jars.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Of course she did. Shaking his head in disgust, Seth turned back to the stove. He thought briefly about offering to teach her to cook, but then changed his mind. He didn’t want to teach her anything. He didn’t even want to talk to her at this point. The pool house had never seemed as small or as crowded as it did this minute. He had no idea how he was going to get through the night. Especially if it was anything like last night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.pgforte.com/the-oberon-series">https://www.pgforte.com/the-oberon-series</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Helvetica; margin: 0in -0.5in 0in 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOhmKqDRkzcjph0nfG5IgB21wZpu4g5KffFpI2ZKKbY8IsjEh6_zphHqD2uyO04RAQIhNORJgzXAlWTB_0ukiwuU-_Vr-Lbdhla8iJSqN2o8ooES-JzQ-caU_2ylGDNTv1busI3RBMEubRZVmBqmiAE6iwvguGUy_84iMia9Yk_bnckma4r6u/s2850/NEW_SHADOWS_20th.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOhmKqDRkzcjph0nfG5IgB21wZpu4g5KffFpI2ZKKbY8IsjEh6_zphHqD2uyO04RAQIhNORJgzXAlWTB_0ukiwuU-_Vr-Lbdhla8iJSqN2o8ooES-JzQ-caU_2ylGDNTv1busI3RBMEubRZVmBqmiAE6iwvguGUy_84iMia9Yk_bnckma4r6u/s320/NEW_SHADOWS_20th.png" width="211" /></a></div><br />And Shadows Have Their Ending<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Oberon Book 9.0<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">The last two years have not been kind to Seth Cavanaugh. But, he's suffered and grown and he finally feels ready to put his troubled past behind him. So, doesn't it just figure that the girl who caused all the trouble in the first place should pick now to return and cause him even more torment?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> Deirdre Delaney Shelton-Cooper has spent the past two years trying to forget the events that marked her first visit to Oberon, but can you ever really forget the memory of your first love, no matter how painful those memories are? It's just her luck the boy she put herself through hell for has turned out to be such a loser.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> After a disastrous reunion, they'd both be content to have nothing more to do with each other, if only fate--and one very determined angel--were not conspiring against them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> There are some wounds that time can't heal. There are some dreams that won't come true. But, sometimes, if you're lucky, shadows have their ending. And the love you'd just about given up on returns.<o:p></o:p></p></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-40236014174104830852024-02-16T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-16T00:00:00.150-08:00Friday FAILS for Friday February 16, 2024<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyTuml70CfkAptHiMqcdVDBgWDcPfPTjtYpjz7F3Tofcbq7lBv_-Q1Erduc3z8IqNabMMjUGjti5KxmKvZoEXx0-ixzHZIPnkHPO0lB1nsHiMWzK4V9EJcLRd2TonRzqyIntyz-F2a9robl7k1vUJnuMHVD9fZd9_VvWp2pTuekbK0hqvrdYa/s851/Fails2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyTuml70CfkAptHiMqcdVDBgWDcPfPTjtYpjz7F3Tofcbq7lBv_-Q1Erduc3z8IqNabMMjUGjti5KxmKvZoEXx0-ixzHZIPnkHPO0lB1nsHiMWzK4V9EJcLRd2TonRzqyIntyz-F2a9robl7k1vUJnuMHVD9fZd9_VvWp2pTuekbK0hqvrdYa/w640-h236/Fails2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So...I'm trying something new, which could be a huge mistake, but that's kind of the point of it anyway, so...IDK. We'll see how it goes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Anyone who's read any of my "What I'm Reading" posts over on my Oberon blog (</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://oberoncalifornia.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">https://oberoncalifornia.blogspot.com/</a>) knows that I'm a picky and opinionated reader. I get bugged by stupid little things--All. The. Time--while I'm reading. Which is why I'm generally perfectly okay with people reacting in similar fashion to one of my books.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> I mean, sure I'd prefer everyone to love everything I write--who wouldn't? But that's not practical or possible or worth getting even slightly upset about. In fact, I get such a kick out of bad reviews that I once spent an entire week-long conference trying to convince other authors to let me tape them reading and reacting to their bad reviews.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sadly, this did not come to pass. But I got a review this week that's really made me want to revive this idea--at least on my own. So, here goes...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The review was for <b>Going to the Chapel </b>which is a light and fluffy follow up story to <b>Waiting for the Big One</b> (which is also light and fluffy and about as low-angst as it's possible for me to be). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The main complaint had to do with Derek (the hero of both stories) having made mention of his ex (Claire) only days before his wedding to Gabby. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"</span><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">I don't want to hear about how your most recent ex was "a freak between the sheets," especially when you're about to get married in a few days? Just not into that at all, sorry."</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">No need to be sorry, random reviewer. It's a perfectly valid point of view. The number of things that I'm "not into" while reading would fill several books. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">HOWEVER, the reviewer does go on to say that she hadn't read their book and might feel different if she had--and obviously I think she's right! I think she'd feel entirely differently. lol! BUT in a perfect world, the book I REALLY wish she'd read is <b>Let Me Count the Ways</b>, which is Claire's book.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Claire and Derek have the most adorable relationship with each other. They're friends who no longer enjoy each other's benefits but they're so caring and sweetly protective of each other that their scenes together come close to stealing the show. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">IMO YMMV</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Gabby is not at all threatened by their relationship. Mike (Claire's beau) OTOH, is maybe a little tiny bit jealous of Derek. Not that he has any need to be. Because that's one of the nice things about Derek and Claire. They're intensely loyal. They have excellent boundaries. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Also, neither of them are suffering from amnesia (that's a plotline for another story in the series!) so of course they can still remember having had sex with each other. It was good. They enjoyed it. And neither of them is ashamed of it. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This is what Derek actually says/thinks (in the midst of a conversation with his brother--who's questioning why they're suddenly getting married): </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"I still don't understand. Why the rush? Why now? You two have only been together, what? Three months?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> "We've only been <i>dating</i> for three months. But that's just because we were both with other people when we met. If things had been otherwise, we'd've been together for a lot longer than that." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Uh-huh. Let me guess. Neither of you are cheaters, so nothing was ever gonna happen while there were other people involved. Is that it?" <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 44.05pt;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Exactly. That's how come I started calling her Gabe instead of Gabby. She was driving me crazy. I needed some way to remind myself that we <i>weren't</i> a couple, that we could only ever be friends." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 44.05pt;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wyatt nodded thoughtfully. "I'd wondered. It seemed strange that you were the only one to call her that."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 44.05pt;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">What I didn't tell him, what I'd never told anyone, was that it had become something else now, the name only I ever use for her. I'm pretty sure she has no idea that when I call her Gabe what I'm really saying is, <i>I love you</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I shook my head, remembering. "It's kind of ironic. We became such good friends that, in the end, it took me months to coax her back out of the friend zone once we were both free. She didn't want to risk losing what we had." I hadn't wanted to lose it either, but I always knew we could be more. "Once we finally made the leap from friends to lovers, I guess I figured we’d already wasted enough time. Why wait any longer?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"So, you're saying it's like that movie with Billy Crystal<i>. </i>Now that you've found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start now?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"<i>When Harry Met Sally</i>? Yeah, pretty much." What I didn't say—though I really wanted to—was, "<i>you've actually seen that film</i>?" I'd have bet anything that Wyatt was strictly an action movie type of guy. Maybe he saw it on a date?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"And you swear it's got nothing to do with how pretty she is?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"I wouldn't say it had <i>nothing</i> to do with it. I'm not blind. But c'mon, you know what it’s like in LA. There are beautiful women all over the place." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">My last girlfriend had been a movie star. Claire Calhoun is stunning, one of the nicest people you could ever meet, and enough of a freak between the sheets to keep just about <i>anyone</i> satisfied. Not that Wyatt needed to know that. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Gabby's gorgeous," I said. "But that's not why I love her. It's just... It's just <i>her."</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was everything about her. Her heart, her mind, her soul. I still can’t explain it, but I’m happier when I’m with her than I am when I’m not. If we were really going to start quoting movie lines at each other, I'd have gone with <i>Jerry McGuire</i>, and said 'she completes me' but that would have been weird. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Well, okay, then. It's your funeral."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I fixed him with a stern look. "So, you promise you're not here to cause any trouble, or to try and talk me into backing out? You're not gonna stand up in the middle of the ceremony and say, 'I object'?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"You really think I'd pull a dick move like that?"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;">"If you thought I was making a mistake? I dunno. Maybe? You've done crazier things."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And this is Claire and Derek (from Let Me Count the Ways) right after Derek interrupts an argument that Claire was having with Mike:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Claire?” Derek’s voice penetrated my thoughts.</p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.3in;">I glanced up at him. “Hmm?”</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“I said, are you all right?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">I nodded. “I think so. Maybe.” I’d overreacted. I could see that now. Flicked on the raw, I’d jumped to conclusions. Stupid. I’d been stupid. “It was just a little misunderstanding.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“It sounded like it was a little more than that,” Derek answered dryly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Not really.” I shrugged. “People argue, Derek. They get upset. They say things they don’t mean.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“We didn’t.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“No,” I agreed. “We didn’t.” Not like that. Then again, what would we have argued about? I glanced at the clock on the wall. “I thought you had a class?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">Derek nodded. “I do. But they can wait.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">I stared at him, almost speechless with surprise. “They can what?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">He shrugged. “It’s not gonna kill them to warm up for a few extra minutes. If you need to talk, they can wait.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Thank you,” I said, smiling at the gesture. “But you should get down there. I just need to figure a few things out, that’s all.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Well, that’s for certain,” he said as he got to his feet. He glanced at the briefcase Mike had forgotten. “Want me to take that downstairs, leave it at the front desk?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“No, that’s okay,” I said quickly, laying a hand on the worn leather.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">Derek shook his head in disapproval. “All right. If you say so.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Thanks,” I repeated, continuing to smile until the door closed behind him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">My hand absently stroked the leather briefcase. Mike’s voice and the anguish in his eyes haunted me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><i>Why me, Claire? Was there anything about me that attracted you?</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">How did you answer a question like that? Why would he even ask it? I slid the case closer, turning it ‘til I could grip the handle. I imagined Mike’s hand clenched here, holding it just so... as though I could somehow intuit what he’d been thinking.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">A few minutes later, a burst of applause from the studio below drew my attention. I got up and glanced through the glass. Derek was on the floor doing push-ups. One handed. While a bevy of leotard-clad women looked on, cheering and counting. It wasn’t hard to imagine what that was all about. He always exacted a penalty for lateness. No doubt his students had decided to do the same to him.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">I suppose I should have felt just slightly guilty about that, but I didn’t. A couple dozen extra push-ups wouldn’t do him any harm. In fact, he was probably enjoying himself.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;">“Show off,” I muttered affectionately, watching until, his penance completed, he jumped to his feet. He wasn’t even out of breath.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Anyway that's it. End rant. Now I'm going to have to brainstorm having Claire show up for a cameo in the Gabby-and-Derek Christmas story that I have in the works. Hmm....</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can find links to all the books in the series here:</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><b><a href="https://www.pgforte.com/la-love-stories" style="text-align: left;">https://www.pgforte.com/la-love-stories</a></b></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3in;"><br /></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-79505750662617487952024-02-13T00:00:00.001-08:002024-02-13T00:00:00.248-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Who Has Your Heart? ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked. "</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who has your heart and how do they inspire you?</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">"</span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hmm. Well, that's a loaded question, isn't it? My children are the ones who inspired me to write. I think it's important to follow your dreams, and I wanted to model that for them. My husband loves travel and he's inspired me to go places that I probably wouldn't have bothered going on my own. My grandson inspires me to stay healthy and strong so that I live to see him grow up.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Leslie Hachtel's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn what she has to say on the subject! And don't forget to check out her book, <b><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3" target="_blank">Stay with Me</a></u></b>.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1asBvtjXCZjTkoGfVZl4Fa1uEzG9uv-mnTucTt-9qasbkGwx0JwnjUsdvFx9hzRmrcGfFu3yIrVFRtaQsg0daqY9DdUEEBvvuRyf6PD-EOyZCQJQRLn4ImC46vE7AyY9i4egLafwbFbvgLky4RQrg876Ochj33Hz1kwT0gf_yK-hr73zBe4F/s427/427910014_10226058954964988_4205438013807332274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1asBvtjXCZjTkoGfVZl4Fa1uEzG9uv-mnTucTt-9qasbkGwx0JwnjUsdvFx9hzRmrcGfFu3yIrVFRtaQsg0daqY9DdUEEBvvuRyf6PD-EOyZCQJQRLn4ImC46vE7AyY9i4egLafwbFbvgLky4RQrg876Ochj33Hz1kwT0gf_yK-hr73zBe4F/w420-h640/427910014_10226058954964988_4205438013807332274_n.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fdb5ba16-7fff-4815-508c-9f915eb5a617" style="text-align: start;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 13pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 13pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two women. Years apart. Linked by common experience and a cottage that has survived since the Civil War. When Rebecca reaches out from the past, Evelyn finds it life changing.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 13pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in their own times, each must discover strength and fight to find and keep true love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 13pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A 2023 NEST First Place Winner in Paranormal!</span></p></span></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3" style="text-decoration: none;">https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3</a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/s1000/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/w200-h200/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Out Now!</span></b></h1><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-PH6U6LBVFI?si=wa0iDD1qdITvriB0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Games We Play/Whole Latte Love Story</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">February 14th is just another day...until it's not!</span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Timing is everything. After three years, Rosie and Alex's friendship has finally caught fire. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">But is Valentine's Day too much, too fast? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></span></b></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br /></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/s1080/Rosie+Promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/w640-h640/Rosie+Promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-9394931405403385312024-02-11T23:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T09:30:49.698-08:00Musical Monday: Just Another Day Jon Secada<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0CKwvzMbmwLm7HJA3fn1uUYl2eSDbr_nzuiLxh2F-fPMTrd0G_Wu5fnAgp8_4DIM8f5xEVGPLlJBozC2bBPR9ny06xlhpBNBz24gRnZQk-_Jwb400DpSbEUA7t7fWDyFcNvAZbixj-arBLuNS_bPC3y4WMge-8uQYq9a2_dt-Sps_uPcqfZC/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0CKwvzMbmwLm7HJA3fn1uUYl2eSDbr_nzuiLxh2F-fPMTrd0G_Wu5fnAgp8_4DIM8f5xEVGPLlJBozC2bBPR9ny06xlhpBNBz24gRnZQk-_Jwb400DpSbEUA7t7fWDyFcNvAZbixj-arBLuNS_bPC3y4WMge-8uQYq9a2_dt-Sps_uPcqfZC/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Little known fact: a shorter version of <b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b> was released in an anthology titled Just Another Day--which was also the story's original title. Obviously, I had to change it for the antho, and the new name stuck! And, honestly, I love the new title and the new cover SO MUCH. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But this song still resonates. </span></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G0pDyyooUJE?si=y5CwDSQ4j4Cg1ikN" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Put a Ring Around the Rosie is LIVE tomorrow! Here's the teaser video to get you in the mood!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Games We Play/Whole Latte Love Story</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">February 14th is just another day...until it's not!</span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Timing is everything. After three years, Rosie and Alex's friendship has finally caught fire. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">But is Valentine's Day too much, too fast? </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Available for pre-order:</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></span></b></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-PH6U6LBVFI?si=3lchypoMIxe5gSux" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-58703120320759988622024-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:002024-02-09T08:48:00.138-08:00Flashback Friday: Truth or Dare<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6buLEZqZI6ahMc8ge3IUJbA5Cqkr_BuUaWx6q_bX8KldLHqGlMer7agaBuK8SxKinifxxaED7MSbdRSdVWadjYrTOO7sXKxC9zd9qrjDQwLy4jhWbtIyuzTm7wqv3OxxcR1vsta08cp9YSv6a5CAl1TpzruoTOG-4Cy9vHzSPXZ1CsqzQpX5n/s851/Flashback.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6buLEZqZI6ahMc8ge3IUJbA5Cqkr_BuUaWx6q_bX8KldLHqGlMer7agaBuK8SxKinifxxaED7MSbdRSdVWadjYrTOO7sXKxC9zd9qrjDQwLy4jhWbtIyuzTm7wqv3OxxcR1vsta08cp9YSv6a5CAl1TpzruoTOG-4Cy9vHzSPXZ1CsqzQpX5n/w640-h236/Flashback.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />I've just started a new REAM page and am taking part in a group promo that lets you try it for a month for free. I've posted Truth or Dare on my free tier, if you're interested in checking it out, details can be found here:</span><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: currentcolor !important; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #338fe9; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; outline: 0px !important;"><a href="https://amynovabooks.com/why-choose-ream" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #338fe9; outline: 0px !important;" target="_blank">https://amynovabooks.com/why-choose-ream</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: currentcolor !important; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5v8eTeBI23B1gKr_94h1Xfmq4pUGF85f8B3unjvmexbZhpNMDAt2C12bd-pFf07U0bzcVMU6ASJmJSZjui_CfTpRpJDf4Tjc2hfDHhn1j8bZW7BjjK598kJhRBL2h9dpVbBv6R9nJJGkMvkikKQ9Ni_MsGkucHJUp8683otDTwt3R8aZM9wRM/s2050/Many%20Hearts,%20One%20Love%20-%20Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="2050" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5v8eTeBI23B1gKr_94h1Xfmq4pUGF85f8B3unjvmexbZhpNMDAt2C12bd-pFf07U0bzcVMU6ASJmJSZjui_CfTpRpJDf4Tjc2hfDHhn1j8bZW7BjjK598kJhRBL2h9dpVbBv6R9nJJGkMvkikKQ9Ni_MsGkucHJUp8683otDTwt3R8aZM9wRM/w640-h156/Many%20Hearts,%20One%20Love%20-%20Banner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: #1d2228; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Excerpt:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 34, 40); color: #1d2228; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A couple of minutes later, the hotel’s big double outer doors slammed open, banging against the walls of the enclosed entryway. Gwyn glanced up, annoyed. What in the hell were the haunts up to now?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She was surprised—and to be honest, more than a little relieved—to see actual, corporeal people in the glassed-in entryway. Two men, one wearing a long black overcoat, the other in a navy peacoat and jeans, were struggling against the wind to re-close the front doors. She perked up at the thought of customers. Ghosts were fine, in their place, but they didn’t pay the bills.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Having finally triumphed over the doors, the two men paused to stomp the snow from their boots. Gwyn watched them appreciatively. She couldn’t see their faces clearly through the fogged glass of the entryway windows, but they were both tall—one more so than the other—and athletic-looking, well worth ogling. Then they turned toward each other, tenderly brushing stray snowflakes from each other’s shoulders and out of their hair, and her heart melted. Her hand strayed to her throat, and she absently fingered the gold and garnet triquetra pendant she always wore. The camaraderie between the two men, their ease with one other, was obvious from clear across the room. It touched her in ways she didn’t quite understand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It had been years since she’d seen two men this comfortable with each other, so at home. She didn’t even remember when the last time was. Then the taller and fairer of the two men said something his dark-haired companion found funny. He threw back his head in a laugh, and suddenly Gwyn recalled exactly when she’d last witnessed something like this.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“Yeah, Weidman, stop complaining. At least you have your hot girlfriend to keep you warm. Speaking of which, I’mma think I have to borrow her. You up for sharing?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“No way,” she whispered, horrified, as the blood drained from her face so quickly she nearly passed out on the spot. “No fucking way. It can’t be.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwyn had never been one to hesitate in the face of disaster. She jumped from her seat and grabbed the handle of the reception room door without waiting to learn whether her suspicions about the men’s identities were correct. Someone else could deal with this shit. Brenda, for example. Gwyn was almost positive her cousin was here somewhere tonight. She’d track her down and let her check them in. Or send them away? Oh yes. That would be even better. Although that option might take some explaining.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The door had other ideas about her leaving. It refused to open. No matter which way Gwyn turned the handle, the door didn’t budge. This is not happening, she thought as she started to panic. Behind her, two sets of footsteps crossed the lobby and stopped. She pushed at the door. Still nothing. <i>Damn it!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Miss?” A familiar voice spoke up behind her. “Miss, can you help us? Excuse me, miss?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Someone will be with you in a moment,” Gwyn said, attempting to make her voice as impersonal as possible as she continued to pull uselessly at the door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A moment’s dead silence met her response. And then, “<i>Gwyn</i>? Is that <i>you</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Well, fuck.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwyn took a deep breath. You can do this, she told herself firmly. Her “useless” Theatre Arts degree and the years she’d spent in amateur productions had to be good for something.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“What can I help you with?” she asked as she turned around. Two familiar faces stared at her—as though <i>she</i>were the ghost.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Berke looked stricken. Cam’s mouth had dropped open. Gwyn smiled blandly back at them. <i>Please say nothing. Please say you just got lost and need directions out of town. Please, please, do the decent thing and leave.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Gwyn, it’s us,” Berke said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>No shit?</i> Her gaze tracked blankly across their faces. “Is there something I can do for you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Gwyn…” Berke said again in a heartrending tone that made her want to break character and kick him. Preferably down a flight of stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“We, uh, have a reservation,” said Cam, who’d finally succeeded in getting his jaw back under control. <i>Ooh. Give the boy a star.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Oh yes? Well, let’s see now…” Gwyn glided back to the desk and slid gracefully onto the stool. She’d never in her life been more grateful to her Aunt Norah for having insisted all three of the cousins attend deportment classes as children. She opened the reservation calendar and stared sightlessly at her screen. “What name am I looking for?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“It’s, uh, under Steiner?” Cam said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Yes, of course it was.</i> Gwyn blinked furiously in an attempt not to frown. They’d been booked into the Captain’s Room for two nights. Whoever took this reservation was so fired. And yes, that was unfair and ridiculous and probably not even legal. She didn’t care. What the fuck was she supposed to do for the next two days—hide? No. Screw that. This was <i>her</i> home. They didn’t get to come here and act surprised to see <i>her</i>. Stupid bastards.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“I’ll need to see identification and a valid credit card.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cam fished them out and handed them to her. As she keyed the information in, she found herself babbling, making up fees and restrictions as she went. “There’s a key deposit that will be deducted from your bill when you check out. How many keys will you be wanting?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Two.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Okay, so, that’s two deposits each—one for each day of your stay. Plus there’ll be an additional amount added in the event you lose them both.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“I’m sure we won’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“I’m also placing a hold on your credit card against any damages to the room. That should be lifted within ten business days of checkout; if it’s not, you’ll have to take it up with your credit card company. Checkout is at nine a.m. If you’re more than an hour late, you’ll be charged for the extra day.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“<i>Nine</i> a.m.? Isn’t that a little early?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She smiled tightly. “Yes, it is. There are several other hotels in town, and they’re likely to have other hours. If you wish to cancel your reservation here, I’d be happy to waive the usual two-night cancellation fee. Should I do that now?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The two men exchanged a look. “No,” Cam said grimly. “That’s all right.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Damn.</i> “Okay, so let me just add the nonoptional resort fee. Oh, and since you’ll be staying in a nonsmoking room, I also have to charge you a nonrefundable deposit in the event you smoke in the room.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Nonrefundable?”Berke’s voice was edged in disbelief. “But we don’t even smoke!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwyn bit her tongue before she could ask when he’d quit. “As I said, if you’d like to cancel now…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“No.” Cam growled. “We’ll take it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A shiver of something that was not, not, <i>not</i> longing swept over Gwyn at the sound of that gravel-voiced tone. “Fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She turned away from them to collect their keys and pull their paperwork from the printer. “Your room’s on the third floor. There’s no elevator. There’s a staircase directly behind you, and another at the end of the hall.”She turned back again and laid the keys and the paperwork on the counter. “Sign here and here. And here’s your receipt.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wordlessly, Cam grabbed the paper, pocketed both keys, and slung the strap of his overnight bag over his shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Gwyn, I—” Berke tried again, but Cam interrupted him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Let’s go,” he said as he grabbed Berke’s arm and forcibly hauled him away.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Have a nice stay,” Gwyn called after them in her perkiest voice. She stayed where she was and continued to smile maniacally until they’d disappeared from sight. Then she slumped forward, resting her head and arms on the desk. “Out of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world,” she said with a groan. Seriously, though. How was this even possible?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"> It was clear from the looks of shocked surprise on both their faces that they had not expected to see her here. And why was that? It’s not like they didn’t know her family owned this hotel. It wasn’t as though neither of them had ever been here before. They had. Berke a couple of times, Cam once. The only possible explanation was that, in the years between then and now, they’d completely forgotten her existence. Which was exactly what she’d have expected from Cam actually, and…it was fine. It was perfect, really, because she’d certainly forgotten all about</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;">them</i><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.4in;">.</span> </span></div></div><div><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg4BosyGVYKfsdQIhs9EzXq1MaBkBmFE85XUMRy_0YsReaoiXgJOqZEtmvi2Mt5q0QbofMr03vrKy5N5ozmMU9EW2GpMY_h46x-lktjsxUsZC4o70Kqwyglrdcxo9bwjr4qAQv9YxUgife-btbLjtr85e-53ZqYsi845XqkfHg3rSRJRinjwD/s628/TRUTH_OR_DARE_WITH_LETTERS.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg4BosyGVYKfsdQIhs9EzXq1MaBkBmFE85XUMRy_0YsReaoiXgJOqZEtmvi2Mt5q0QbofMr03vrKy5N5ozmMU9EW2GpMY_h46x-lktjsxUsZC4o70Kqwyglrdcxo9bwjr4qAQv9YxUgife-btbLjtr85e-53ZqYsi845XqkfHg3rSRJRinjwD/s320/TRUTH_OR_DARE_WITH_LETTERS.png" width="220" /></a></div>Truth Or Dare</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Games We Play 1.0</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Gwyn has her hands full these days trying to help save the family business -- a quirky hotel on the Jersey Shore. She has no time for romance. But when the two men with whom she once spent a drunken menage weekend show up with a sexy proposition, how can she resist? Berke and Cam might have broken her heart once, but Gwyn is older now and wiser. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">She's not looking for forever. She just wants a good time. And, after all, it is Valentine's Day. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">For Berke and Cam, the weekend isn't just about fun, or adding some spice to their marriage; it's about winning back the woman who got away, and convincing her to give a committed three-way relationship a shot. They each have skills that could help make the hotel a success -- and they're not above bartering to get what they want. but first they have to get past the walls Gwyn's built to keep them out. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">But while Cam's biggest concern is making sure Gwyn doesn't break Berke's heart a second time, Berke is worried about what Cam will think if he learns about Berke's part in screwing things up the last time around.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://books2read.com/TruthDare3">https://books2read.com/TruthDare3</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Releases This Tuesday </span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">January 13, 2024</span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeCGlErOEE6s2JXQLkIzODzKW0vmi4KSizEIo9motRqeSfWUdudyYuQuBq7b91INZjPHsen_TbdUVwry2QgE6exu8P7qoDTmOuWLkJngPdtkB0U_pKG7UIPR1ek1m2acbsnnkYIswQT3E-cCrZZ4ZyfL_LNNn87iYHkdxIw75jRW8Sni_2CSs/s1080/Rosie+Promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeCGlErOEE6s2JXQLkIzODzKW0vmi4KSizEIo9motRqeSfWUdudyYuQuBq7b91INZjPHsen_TbdUVwry2QgE6exu8P7qoDTmOuWLkJngPdtkB0U_pKG7UIPR1ek1m2acbsnnkYIswQT3E-cCrZZ4ZyfL_LNNn87iYHkdxIw75jRW8Sni_2CSs/w640-h640/Rosie+Promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b>Click <a href="https://www.pgforte.com/rosie-excerpt" target="_blank">HERE</a> to read a FREE excerpt.</b></p></div></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-26198316918381527242024-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-07T00:00:00.146-08:00Wine Wednesday: Valley of the Moon Pinot Gris Viognier 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpL8CzTZKHw7yQ6US9VFRrT2hyphenhyphenDeB5YQq-dLu0zUPF9BpWdMBJ_wiU7tkRmz5-MjJ9v79z4UYmi2M22xn8Six0nELTBwGdbC-gQ9IeloqXQw04CWYb4RHDXtSxJ1mH10m5-n6Zz5R8naSJNCnORLhOnvzBqhCwT2FjUmtk1dHt231XMfUPQjtE/s640/WHITEWINE1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpL8CzTZKHw7yQ6US9VFRrT2hyphenhyphenDeB5YQq-dLu0zUPF9BpWdMBJ_wiU7tkRmz5-MjJ9v79z4UYmi2M22xn8Six0nELTBwGdbC-gQ9IeloqXQw04CWYb4RHDXtSxJ1mH10m5-n6Zz5R8naSJNCnORLhOnvzBqhCwT2FjUmtk1dHt231XMfUPQjtE/w640-h238/WHITEWINE1.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Today's wine is a rather unusual blend of Pinot Gris and Viognier. When I say "unusual" I mean it's not a combination that I would necessarily have ever thought of, what with Pino Gris being crisp and dry and Viognier being lush and creamy. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">On the other hand, it's an interesting blend that doesn't really taste like either varietal. So...mission accomplished, I guess? It's a lovely pale gold in color with a rather full-bodied creamy taste. It's like an alternative Chardonnay. By which I mean it doesn't really taste like Chardonnay, but it tastes more like Chardonay than anything else. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Yeah, it's like that.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Likewise, there's a lemon chiffon aroma that's not exactly citrusy. More like lemon yogurt than lemon, if that makes sense. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There are also notes of green apple and pear candy along with something more elusive. Honey dew, perhaps? It has a creamy mouth feel with hints of peach and vanilla. If Viognier is my idea of the perfect picnic wine, then this would be a really good candidate for my ideal Sunday afternoon hanging out on a boat with friends wine. I know. Pretty specific, huh? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">I have no idea what I would pair this wine with, other than a fire pit. Or a beach. Roast chicken, perhaps? Apples and cheddar cheese? Dessert? It might hold up okay against a spicy jambalaya. Honestly, it's great all by itself. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For info on what books I'd pair it with, check out this post on my "other" blog: </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.52); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><u><a href="https://oberoncalifornia.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-im-reading-post-for-wednesday.html">https://oberoncalifornia.blogspot.com/2024/02/what-im-reading-post-for-wednesday.html</a></u></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">The wine was bottled by Valley of the Moon Winery. The grapes themselves were grown on the Madrone Vineyard Estate. And I regret that I didn't get to either when I lived there. But they're both going on the list.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPugS3CMfmgAoET3pnEMFLz0b24QNuub3-zCwvhXmpuplsHKNMdKoebklr7nJqvHBNiGvhS6qVZBG7rfZ4bTjf4eFLte8q0WipT9k-4ofvcXvC1s9mOTNftiCsBMkL10qkwa83qU9CBGeCkLopz2jD0QZV8bzMsGq6A3acyL3q1hz0znHwVKhu/s851/DUB.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPugS3CMfmgAoET3pnEMFLz0b24QNuub3-zCwvhXmpuplsHKNMdKoebklr7nJqvHBNiGvhS6qVZBG7rfZ4bTjf4eFLte8q0WipT9k-4ofvcXvC1s9mOTNftiCsBMkL10qkwa83qU9CBGeCkLopz2jD0QZV8bzMsGq6A3acyL3q1hz0znHwVKhu/w640-h236/DUB.png" width="640" /></a></p><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-81877711403301971372024-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-06T00:00:00.154-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~Favorite Games ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked if we have "</span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1bf25047-7fff-d5eb-dcf8-377e46669d0d"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a favourite board or card game you like to play?</span></span>"</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">How perfect is this when the book I'm promoting atm is the latest in my <b>Games We Play</b> series? Even more perfect given how important TIMING is to Rosie and Alex's love story.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But I digress...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I love playing online games (far too much, in fact). Mahjong, Word Wipe, Block Champ--I blame my daughter for getting me interested in the first two, my grandson for talking me into the third. And I love playing online poker, as well (totally author Kinsey Holley's fault!). I can sit at a casino bar for hours (drinking wine for free) playing Texas Hold 'em. And because I'm such a conservative gambler, I've never done worse than break even...which actually puts me ahead, when you consider the drinks. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In terms of board games...I used to love Clue and The Game of Life. Recently I noticed a new trivia game at the store called Okay Boomer, which offers new and old trivia. I'm so tempted to try that!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My absolute favorite memory of playing a board game occurred at Christmas a few years ago. It was me, my daughter and her friend and we were playing a used and not quite complete game of Scooby Dooby Clue. You can't really play Clue with just three people, so we made some adjustments to make it more unpredictable and less boring. We changed the way you could move from room to room, to make it faster. And we shuffled the cards and put three random cards in the envelope. Totally random. It could have been three weapons, or two suspects and a room, or anything else. It. Was. Hilarious. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We also played Life--but changed things up so that it was more socially progressive and more reflective of current socio-economic realities. For example, graduating college was less advantageous due to the massive student loan debt that accompanied it. That was interesting, but maybe a little reality goes a long way with games.</span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyway, speaking of games, </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>Truth or Dare</b>, the first book in my Games We Play series, is currently available to members of my REAM subscription page. I'm taking part in a promo and the first month is FREE, so if you'd like to check it out visit: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; outline: currentcolor; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><a href="https://amynovabooks.com/why-choose-ream" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #338fe9; outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://amynovabooks.com/why-choose-ream</span></a></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R1ik-NP7BlIb-SYndo4FY6rvK_HwvamFIwY8kKc1vpJRkNjjXXDOXw3FmHXEqFiTNbt9stVRPU6o7GJIFji3OXWGf4jm-RldJaEcUCZuCyU5V3vY3HBM-EVMwEXPtHGXxQOMr8JSES-7dBHVXNY8qgGFZrQe5pbRRHYiRva5p1RFJZXxoMMQ/s1600/424685180_366723709644492_4954141559252215243_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8R1ik-NP7BlIb-SYndo4FY6rvK_HwvamFIwY8kKc1vpJRkNjjXXDOXw3FmHXEqFiTNbt9stVRPU6o7GJIFji3OXWGf4jm-RldJaEcUCZuCyU5V3vY3HBM-EVMwEXPtHGXxQOMr8JSES-7dBHVXNY8qgGFZrQe5pbRRHYiRva5p1RFJZXxoMMQ/w640-h160/424685180_366723709644492_4954141559252215243_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And now, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://www.brendamargriet.com/blog" target="_blank">Brenda Margriet's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> find out what games she likes to play. And don't forget to check out <b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/MountainFire" target="_blank">Mountain Fire</a></u></b>, the first romance novel she ever published.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25zGdxw8ZSiJQPXXtz0FVjMf60fCOommDn_QjymDUzsyXqcoVkuJKpMBf4bPp9hCpRwM-YwZTBxH3HDW7kJcTX8KN-Klz4eW6ZaNRU9oHINraNLwU8GGL_R8rlqnoTVKh3pA3sqai4R61B-vHsiiMFgzCJFRIHawRMKcQPo7fU1-ZlGBn8kve/s1080/424742080_7070157569778505_5227374090842888037_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25zGdxw8ZSiJQPXXtz0FVjMf60fCOommDn_QjymDUzsyXqcoVkuJKpMBf4bPp9hCpRwM-YwZTBxH3HDW7kJcTX8KN-Klz4eW6ZaNRU9oHINraNLwU8GGL_R8rlqnoTVKh3pA3sqai4R61B-vHsiiMFgzCJFRIHawRMKcQPo7fU1-ZlGBn8kve/w640-h640/424742080_7070157569778505_5227374090842888037_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><h1><span style="font-family: helvetica;">MOUNTAIN FIRE</span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><i>A mountaintop mystery leads two conservationists to dangerous obsessions and violent passions.</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">Natural resources student June Brandt climbs Longworth Mountain for some alone time. But when Conservation Officer Alex Weaver arrives to look into the death of a grizzly bear, June is caught up in the investigation—and fascinated by Alex. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">Alex is attracted by June's competence and coolness under fire—as well as her lithe body and honey-blonde hair. Although their mutual interest in protecting the natural wonders of the area brings them together, they soon realize they view love from very different angles. He offers passion and pleasure, but June wants more. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: start;">When one of Alex’s colleagues is murdered, June and Alex must work together to find the poacher before other lives are lost. And Alex must look deep inside to discover if he can give June what she deserves.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-325b5e2a-7fff-129c-0bab-e10010af4297" style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #181717; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><a href="https://books2read.com/MountainFire"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">https://books2read.com/MountainFire</span></a></u></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/s1000/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggF3LcEU9KXg8ScxByAVk-3jFWwuYBCwotYgjXSEBEj0EkTDrZO1euR2_AdFRxMyDkXLCUXFAiwYvMO2-NpY5153DKFA70FqgU5ihjEcl37qG_oxo88XKddAtXzHE5C1V3ccatmgPi4abusHr1mPvgWc6ExPrksQXqYIl4_d7sRYXdWSutjCWM/w200-h200/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p></span></div></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Releasing Next Week!</span></b></h1><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b>Tuesday, February 13, 2024</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/s1080/Rosie+Promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/w640-h640/Rosie+Promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Games We Play/Whole Latte Love Story</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">February 14th is just another day...until it's not!</span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Timing is everything. After three years, Rosie and Alex's friendship has finally caught fire. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">But is Valentine's Day too much, too fast? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Available for pre-order:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-58570493231175302782024-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T00:00:00.139-08:00Musical Monday: 2 Become 1 by Jewel<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaZIOt558TeZL3EzPIMOgQyb_GMHc15UQuyCLosBSiI909RcM3TZViihI3sCO1jCuh4s9kGof7UdP9SWVwH41it2AkMTxl-FO_HX1g0wfQ8YRy0MMCrnSn7_qM5mH9iPM2Q0RzI2uxzESsZ8O3cFnvbPbYx7dUQ5jcuD08cDj2YZwTf36kDdv/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaZIOt558TeZL3EzPIMOgQyb_GMHc15UQuyCLosBSiI909RcM3TZViihI3sCO1jCuh4s9kGof7UdP9SWVwH41it2AkMTxl-FO_HX1g0wfQ8YRy0MMCrnSn7_qM5mH9iPM2Q0RzI2uxzESsZ8O3cFnvbPbYx7dUQ5jcuD08cDj2YZwTf36kDdv/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Jewel provided a good bit of the soundtrack for the LA Love Lesson series. Her albums 0304 (2003) and Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (2006) were both so evocative of Los Angeles to me. And of the LA Love Lesson heroines. The songs spoke to Gabby's youthful zest for life, April's amnesia-driven </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">naïveté and Claire's wistful longing--both for the fame she'd achieved (now mostly in the past) and the dreams she had to sacrifice in order to get it. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(77, 81, 86);"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">She even looks like Gabby in this video. OR like a very young Claire. Huh. I wonder why I never saw that before? No wonder Derek fell for both of them!</span></span></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QMnjYDWOxD4?si=m4EtlBZR2PE9FZau" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Since it's February (and Waiting for the Big One was set in February, I'm posting an excerpt from that rather than one of the other books. But, as I said at the start. The song works for all three books, really.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgs0BPwhFeZ2qqzJoNdzaE7JEXbSC-eoSRyPAOW_U3txiC5RESZbRuPBCIPeUXBqfcrCjRmua0IWiZh_aNOJVqYDy7FkY_m9YopyXHwVXWYJlB-eMkIn_1b0DVclEOm0s4y8ftMywanptqTpx-h_QthRUXRxWuoLa-ARJ8I_YV4cKuzhgYYLx-/s2560/Waiting-For-The-Big-One-Generic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1749" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgs0BPwhFeZ2qqzJoNdzaE7JEXbSC-eoSRyPAOW_U3txiC5RESZbRuPBCIPeUXBqfcrCjRmua0IWiZh_aNOJVqYDy7FkY_m9YopyXHwVXWYJlB-eMkIn_1b0DVclEOm0s4y8ftMywanptqTpx-h_QthRUXRxWuoLa-ARJ8I_YV4cKuzhgYYLx-/s320/Waiting-For-The-Big-One-Generic.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br />Waiting For The Big One</span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b>LA Love Lessons 1.0</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i>One girl, two guys and a quest for ultimate satisfaction.</i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Aspiring actress Gabby Browne refuses to consider her best friend, and personal trainer, Derek Novello for the role of soul mate fearing sex will ruin their beautiful friendship. When she meets Zach, she's convinced that he could be The One. Too bad Derek isn't willing to share-leaving Gabby forced to choose between two sexy co-stars.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">An early morning earthquake provides Gabby with the impetus she needs to stop waiting for the stars to align and finally cast her leading man.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://books2read.com/the-big-one">books2read.com/the-big-one</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Excerpt:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was just before midnight when Zach left my apartment. It was still technically his birthday, so he was going to meet some friends for drinks. Musicians don’t do anything early and they rarely do anything alone. He invited me to join them, but I had dogs to walk in the morning, so I turned him down. He kissed me good-bye, thanked me once more, and turned off the lights on his way to the door, so I wouldn’t have to get up again. Pisces are thoughtful like that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wrapped my quilt around me but, tired as I was, I couldn’t fall asleep. Lazy thoughts kept circling in my brain, like leaves in a fountain, bobbing and spinning ‘til I sat up again and reached for my phone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“What’s wrong?” Derek asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I felt myself frown. “Why do you always ask that? You make it sound like I only call you when there’s a crisis.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Well, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tears pricked at my eyes as I slid open the drawer of my night table and dug out some emergency chocolate. I’ve told you how Pisces tends to mimic all the other signs. Well, at the moment, I was feeling as moody as a crab. “No. Stop being mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Has something happened that I don’t know about?” Derek asked cautiously.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I chomped on my chocolate macadamia bar for a moment. “Mmm. I took your advice.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“What advice?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“The strip tease. Did you get that idea from Claire, by the way?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Did I— <i>What</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“It seemed like such a… such a Claire thing when I was doing it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Oh, Jesus. Are you fucking kidding me?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I could hear Derek moving around in his apartment and I closed my eyes to better imagine what the noises filtering through the phone might mean. <i>Kitchen,</i> I thought. Glass. Bottle. Pouring. I could imagine him standing at his counter, with the light from his faux Tiffany fixture spilling down on his dark hair, gilding it with a faint green-gold tinge. I could imagine him lifting one of his square glass tumblers to his lips, tossing his head back with a quick motion that would leave his hair in disarray.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“What are you drinking?” I asked, feeling thirsty, feeling like I was right there in his apartment with him, running my hand through his hair to comb it back into place, trailing my fingers down his cheek. He had a nice place, right above the studio. When the windows were open, you could hear the water and the wind chimes in the courtyard below. It was dark and mysterious—just like Derek. It was cozy, crammed with things he’d picked up on his travels. It was warm...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Never mind what I’m drinking,” Derek snapped, sounding <i>not</i> warm. “What happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I sighed, breaking off another square of chocolate and popping it in my mouth. “Pretty much what you’d expect to happen, I guess. It worked. He got the message. He came over.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“You <i>slept</i> with him? Already?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, I certainly wouldn’t put it like <i>that</i>. Sleep? No. Not even. Silence hummed over the line. I listened as Derek poured himself another drink.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“How was it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“It was great,” I replied, sliding back down between the sheets. “But, you know, probably even soul mates don’t start out at the peak. Right?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This time the silence stretched even longer. “I think you’re rushing this,” Derek said at last. “What do you even know about this guy? Nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“That’s not true.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Prove it. You said he’s a musician, right? So, tell me what his favorite groups are. What kind of music does he like? What’s the name of the band he plays in? Give me three local artists he’d be likely to follow.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I sighed. “We did talk, you know.” Not much, but enough. Music was definitely one of the topics we’d covered. I had no problem reeling off the names of a half dozen bands I felt confident would be at the top of Zach’s list.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“But I don’t see what good knowing all that is supposed to do for me,” I said. “How is that gonna get me what I want?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“You need to slow things down with this guy,” Derek replied, ignoring my questions. “Stop pushing so hard. You haven’t made any plans to see him again, have you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Well, sure. He’s coming over for dinner tonight,” I said, feeling exhausted as I thought about it. Maybe Derek was right. Maybe I was pushing too hard for this. Maybe it was one of those Zen things where the only way to find what I was looking for was to stop looking.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Dinner?” The way Derek said the word; you’d have thought it was a foreign concept. “Where--your place? Tonight?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I snuggled even further beneath the covers. “Mm-hmm. You’ve heard of it, right? Dinner...it comes after lunch...before bedtime...and speaking of which...”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Funny,” Derek muttered, although I thought the only thing funny was how <i>un-</i>amused he sounded.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Nite, Der,” I murmured sleepily. “Sweet dreams.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Yeah.” His voice was quiet. Almost too quiet. “Yeah, you, too.”</span><o:p></o:p></p></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-92017409037943157292024-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-31T12:03:25.600-08:00Wine Wednesday: Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexj8ETi8h3ci2OXV7mpUHUO-NfvbNWol342vNVTxaQ9jZG6oXyqWk3_v656TTeGmrm2k7B7iKps69l5DSKbMOIw_B598HGU5Q_f3IkgayDMx0N0GqE_EH3DI1mkL9EFBUiqZTFnOEZENRw0NYYvh9s3a9sRJyfFKcx2K924Lq0oKQYxpv7qqk/s640/WINE1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexj8ETi8h3ci2OXV7mpUHUO-NfvbNWol342vNVTxaQ9jZG6oXyqWk3_v656TTeGmrm2k7B7iKps69l5DSKbMOIw_B598HGU5Q_f3IkgayDMx0N0GqE_EH3DI1mkL9EFBUiqZTFnOEZENRw0NYYvh9s3a9sRJyfFKcx2K924Lq0oKQYxpv7qqk/w640-h238/WINE1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div> </div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm not generally a big Pinot Noir fan. I think it's partially a reverse-Sideways effect. I'm contrary and easily annoyed with people who refuse to drink Merlot or chardonnay because someone else told them it wasn't any good. (Do I see the irony in me deciding NOT to like something because other people think I should? Why, yes. Yes, I do.) But mostly it was because the bottle that was my introduction to Pinot Noir was infected (I think that's the correct word?) with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Brettanomyces yeast, which gave it a pronounced barnyard smell. And I DON'T mean that in a good way! I love the way horses and stables and farms smell. But this wine was NOT to my liking, even though some people think Brett-tasting wines are the shit. (I agree, only I mean it literally!)</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In any case, every once in awhile, I like to mix things up. So when I was out to lunch the other day (the same steak house with which my husband is obsessed, god knows why) I wanted to try something different than my usual Cabernet--good as it is. I ordered a La Crema Pinot, but they were out. So instead I got the Trinity Oaks. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This was a lovely wine that I'm sure I'll have again. Pinot Noir is exceptionally soft (well, when compared to some Zinfandels I've known and loved) it's juicy without being sweet. I tasted a lot of blackberries on the nose, sweet cherry on the palate. Maybe some hints of oak and leather. It went nicely with my steak although the spice in the roasted, balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts did overpower it a little. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">But I think this is a wine I'd drink with chocolate cake, Brie cheese (but definitely not with cheese and cake at the same time!) or maybe brunch! I think this would make a nice brunch wine.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now here's a Pinot Noir excerpt from Oberon--from one of the books that isn't available atm, but which will be returning later this year. For information when that might be, join my newsletter:</span></span><a href="https://www.pgforte.com/newsletter"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>https://www.pgforte.com/newsletter</b></span></a> <span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Or follow me on Ream: </span></span><a href="https://reamstories.com/pgforte"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">https://reamstories.com/pgforte</span></b></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ILv2-1q7k1VawjurnVQMuyKBTZOpJdBb65u5R7CHKdKjwZq7_mKfuYci3beCi-U_zD5c_T-9JYMxOtoNTGIg28kYARtd9HhzUi0T1UJUaqsU410K456QIjYnnW4aqvixgUgA0dhqsSQ82bDJX38tD7JK0wrxpOOHhk9X3QRc7gA4N4ZmEoZg/s5000/Cheese%20set-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5000" data-original-width="5000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ILv2-1q7k1VawjurnVQMuyKBTZOpJdBb65u5R7CHKdKjwZq7_mKfuYci3beCi-U_zD5c_T-9JYMxOtoNTGIg28kYARtd9HhzUi0T1UJUaqsU410K456QIjYnnW4aqvixgUgA0dhqsSQ82bDJX38tD7JK0wrxpOOHhk9X3QRc7gA4N4ZmEoZg/w200-h200/Cheese%20set-03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Excerpt:</span></div><div><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> The pinot noir was extraordinary, and Adam Sasso could barely contain his excitement. The color was good––a deep, blood red, bordering on black. It had long legs, a vibrant nose, and a rich jammy fragrance that fell somewhere between black cherry and plum. And then there was the taste of it! It was lush and juicy in the mouth, rich with fruit flavors, just a hint of cedar and a long, satisfying finish. It was the first wine produced at Lupa e Cervo using only their own grapes. The first vintage whose production he’d overseen since taking over as head winemaker, as well as owner of the winery. The moment he’d tasted it, he knew it was something special. And he couldn’t wait to share it. So, he’d grabbed two bottles from the line and headed for the door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> He’d glanced at his watch as he hopped into one of the waiting jeeps. It was still a few minutes before noon, and he figured Sinead would be just getting ready to start lunch. Any guests lucky enough to be dining in at The Morning Glory Inn today were in for a real treat. But it was Sinead’s reaction he was eager for. After all, who better to share your triumphs with than the love of your life?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “What’s wrong?” the love of his life asked as she hurried into the dining room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Wrong?” Adam arched an eyebrow at her and smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. I have a surprise for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>A surprise?</i> Sinead felt her mouth tighten. <i>Gee. What a coincidence</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Adam glanced around the empty room. “Where is everyone? What happened to lunch?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Out,” she answered. “Box lunches or eating in town. We’re a bed and breakfast, you know, not a boarding house. Lunch was always just an add on.” And, at the moment, a really bad idea. When even thinking about the smell of food was enough to turn her stomach, how on earth was she supposed to get through the next few months? “So, what’s your surprise?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Adam smiled and held up two bottles of wine. “The pinot noir is ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText2" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Wine?” She stared at the bottles doubtfully. She shouldn’t drink wine now, should she? But the question was moot, because just the thought of it was making her sick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> A slight frown creased Adam’s brow. “Tesoro, darling, piacere. Try and focus for a moment. I know you believe this inn is the center of the known universe, but there’s the little matter of this winery I’m attempting to run. Lupa e Cervo? Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Very funny.” She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Wine,” she muttered in disgust. Jeez. At least he hadn’t brought her tequila.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Yes, wine,” Adam answered, looking seriously disgruntled now. “Of course, wine. Is there something else we’re making around here that I should know about?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Sinead blinked. Oh. My. God. Was there ever. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> She stared at him for a moment, and then shook her head. “I can’t do this,” she muttered, as she fled for the kitchen—although God alone knew what she expected to do once she got there—not eat, that was for sure. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It wasn’t fair. She’d never wanted children. She’d always been so careful. And now–<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Adam followed after her. “Sinead? Are you okay? Is something wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “No,” she insisted trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. “Nothing.” <i>Everything</i>. “But, I’m really not in the mood for wine right now, Adam. So, why don’t you just go back to work, all right? And I’ll see you tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> He snorted derisively. “Like hell. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Sinead frowned. Damn it, she should have figured. He was maddeningly persistent. But, if that’s what he wanted– She opened her mouth…and then closed it again, as close to panicked as she’d been in months. Oh, Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>I can’t tell him</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Right now, it wasn’t real. Right now, she still had options. Once she spoke the words aloud, that would all change.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i> He has a right to know</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Yeah, but that was the problem, wasn’t it? Adam wanted children more than any man she’d ever known. How could she tell him now, when she wanted to keep her options open? And if she decided she couldn’t go through with the pregnancy? How could she tell him then, knowing what that would do to him? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> No. Once she told him, the die would be cast. There’d be no way out, no turning back. She’d be trapped. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> But…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> She sighed, turning her head to stare out the window as tears filled her eyes. There was no way out for her, anyway, was there? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> He’d been content to let his dream of having children die—for her sake. And in the year they’d been together, he’d never once attempted to pressure her to change her mind. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> And now, when his dream was coming true and hers was dying, what option did she really think she had? Other than a fantasy one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Sinead,” Adam’s voice was a gentle caress. “Beloved, what’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Sinead sighed. Well, at least one of them would be happy. That was something, she supposed. She took a deep breath and turned back to face him. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just– I’m pregnant.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “You’re what?” The color drained from his face. He didn’t look happy, Sinead thought in dismay, he looked horrified. The wine bottles slipped from his hand to shatter on the stone tiled floor. They both jumped backwards to avoid being cut by the flying glass. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Oh, my God,” Sinead moaned. She clapped her hand to her mouth. “It’s an omen. A curse. I knew it. We’re doomed.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “What?” Adam repeated, staring as if she’d lost her mind. “A curse? What are you talking about? How could it be–”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “The wine,” she said, pointing to the floor. “Look at all that broken glass—that’s seven years bad luck. At least.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Oh, gods,” Adam shook his head in exasperation. “What are you thinking? That’s <i>mirrors</i>. Breaking wine bottles is good luck. People do it all the time when they christen ships.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “This isn’t a ship we’re talking about,” she gritted between clenched teeth. “It’s a baby!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “I know that,” he said. He stared at her, distractedly. “But...Sinead? Are you certain? You’re really––?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> She nodded, feeling miserable. This was even worse than she’d imagined it would be. He hadn’t said one word about being happy. Or about how wonderful she was for doing this for him. Even if it hadn’t been on purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “But, you, we, I– I mean…” He seemed to be having a hard time getting the words out, but if he thought she was going to help him with that, he could think again. It had been hard enough saying it once, she was damned if she was going to repeat it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> She glared at him angrily. And why was he looking so shell shocked, anyway? He should be ecstatic. This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? What the hell was wrong with him?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “How did this happen?” he asked at last, faintly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> How did it <i>happen</i>? Sinead’s temper flared. Of all the stupid questions. “You know damn well <i>how</i> it happened, Adam. What are you–” she broke off as another thought occurred to her. <i>Oh, no. No fucking way. </i> She scowled at him furiously. “Don’t even think about trying to pretend it’s not yours.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> His mouth dropped open. “Not mine? Are you insane? Why on earth would I want to do that?” He fixed her with an angry frown of his own. “Now, listen, if you have any ideas about leaving my name off the birth certificate, you can just forget it. This is the most incredible thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m not gonna let you–”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> But Sinead didn’t wait to hear any more. She launched herself at him with an angry cry, nearly slipping in the spilled wine, to pummel him in the chest. Tears streaked down her face as she yelled at him. “Nothing’s happened to <i>you</i>, damn it. It’s happening to <i>me</i>!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Sinead, stop it.” Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close. “You’re getting too worked up. You’re going to hurt yourself. You’re going to hurt our baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <i>Our baby</i>. Oh, God. As quickly as that, her anger dissolved. She collapsed against him, sobbing inconsolably. “I thought you’d be at least a little bit happy.” It would sure be nice if <i>one </i>of them was.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “What?” Adam said, once again, sounding even more confused than before.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Sinead wept harder. <i>What, what, what</i>; was that the only thing he knew how to say? Dear lord, how was it possible she’d never noticed before now, what a limited vocabulary he had? She just hoped that their child didn’t inherit his brains. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> “Sinead—I am happy.” He pulled back far enough to look her in the face. “Of course I’m happy. Darling, I’m thrilled and– And you’re wonderful. And I love you. And, and– what can I do for you? Tell me. What do you need? Is there anything? Anything at all? Just tell me what it is, and I’ll get it. Or do it. Or buy it. Or– Anything you want. Just name it.”<br /> Sinead just shook her head wearily. There was only one thing she wanted him to do—wave a magic wand and turn back time. Make this all go away. But that would never happen. And even if it could, even if Adam were a sorcerer who could work that kind of miracle, she could never ask him for something like that, anyway. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dMmL7idOaaRm6XIrthiEWKtkR8uPNQyUmiCQa8DVTJfEpyY6YjABWkprwzwBXfXwX22jQYqKfDBzGsYBI18gvv1isGOkGkNPQwU_OwUfbTmbWEsO4MxRmxwfPV63JLrQHdlvt7V6icc565kWmP2FIf6nbcsz3NTLNRlNaeXFR0FIS7o06D3I/s5000/Cheese%20set-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5000" data-original-width="5000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dMmL7idOaaRm6XIrthiEWKtkR8uPNQyUmiCQa8DVTJfEpyY6YjABWkprwzwBXfXwX22jQYqKfDBzGsYBI18gvv1isGOkGkNPQwU_OwUfbTmbWEsO4MxRmxwfPV63JLrQHdlvt7V6icc565kWmP2FIf6nbcsz3NTLNRlNaeXFR0FIS7o06D3I/w200-h200/Cheese%20set-03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: #4c1130;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi209LD4K8CfuX60XIkIqAvIXFQ6XodCDwPgG7fH_iVfAxSMhGMkiX5vfducEayrj4otUgtL7s9n91b9SpUtBKW9m0vmR0CgWH0a04SFs4p13QXdT84lqRV2lkRYuhcYRjcGUUh19wqBY5J2VfA8BJzjFL7_nr22cvmu10Dh4Gn-9HdWykwL1HS/s2850/NEW_TOUCH_20th.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi209LD4K8CfuX60XIkIqAvIXFQ6XodCDwPgG7fH_iVfAxSMhGMkiX5vfducEayrj4otUgtL7s9n91b9SpUtBKW9m0vmR0CgWH0a04SFs4p13QXdT84lqRV2lkRYuhcYRjcGUUh19wqBY5J2VfA8BJzjFL7_nr22cvmu10Dh4Gn-9HdWykwL1HS/s320/NEW_TOUCH_20th.png" width="211" /></a></div>Touch Of A Vanished Hand</span><br /></b><b>Oberon Book 5.0</b></span></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">Sinead Quinn has always been something of a drifter. But now, with her ex-husband trying to blackmail her, and her ex-boyfriend's widow trying to put her in jail, she has no choice but to go to ground. What better place to hide than with your family? After all, what are sisters for? Especially when you're a twin.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> But the first rule of hiding out, is to keep a low profile. And that does not mean kissing your sister's boyfriend (even if he can't tell the two of you apart); rescuing a troubled teen; or taking a highly visible job as hostess of Oberon's most celebrated new inn.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> Adam Sasso has always dreamed big. But big dreams beget big complications. First, his goal to turn the vineyard he inherited from his grandfather into a world-class winery is threatened by a mysterious saboteur. Next, his plan to run the finest bed & breakfast Oberon has ever seen, is broadsided by a hostess who wants to run him. Finally, it seems his fondest wish, of finding love-everlasting with the soul mate of his dreams, is about to go up in smoke when he can't convince her that they're destined to be together.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> This summer, it's going to take all the wizardry in Oberon to craft a happy ending for the drifter and the dreamer.<o:p></o:p></p></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-64668048750325348852024-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-30T00:00:00.134-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ My Writing Journey ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked the question: <b>"</b></span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span id="docs-internal-guid-e7f65cf7-7fff-b31c-2f75-039ab0d477ba"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How has your writing journey changed over time?</span></span>"</b></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That's a tough question. I mean, how hasn't it changed? I've been published for twenty years, after all. I guess nowadays, when I find myself in a writing slump I'm not quite as convinced that it means I'll never write again. On the other hand, when I am writing I find it harder to concentrate now than I used to. I'm also working on multiple series at the same time--which is a newish development. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe the biggest change is that I'm mostly indie now. I love the creative control and creating my own covers, etc. but I don't love having to do absolutely EVERYTHING myself. Some aspects of publishing are not in my wheelhouse. </span></div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://jennadasie.com" target="_blank">Jenna Da Sie's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn about her writing journey.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcowwMccX3UQv91rMiWiQyQmi9KnVI6KJ4PVebk4nd064_deH0lJbC_sF_0nktRt_CUes7f2KFaVNN0IRE1J7k6FUzjBNsPMhvXUJqnWGYdOpkXR23_wf0x6YTfThRGuSeRE1bzBckwjBGgdKDGI9uXK7t0ScCw8SdPQAnSt4rLlFBFtK65Ivm/s1000/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcowwMccX3UQv91rMiWiQyQmi9KnVI6KJ4PVebk4nd064_deH0lJbC_sF_0nktRt_CUes7f2KFaVNN0IRE1J7k6FUzjBNsPMhvXUJqnWGYdOpkXR23_wf0x6YTfThRGuSeRE1bzBckwjBGgdKDGI9uXK7t0ScCw8SdPQAnSt4rLlFBFtK65Ivm/w200-h200/Depositphotos_252408710_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b>Releases in just TWO WEEKS!</b></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><b>Tuesday, February 13, 2024</b></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/s1080/Rosie+Promo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xk62HGWkX8cPXKvxz0aPe4dYM_TPuM0PGZIt_tPM3BQv-F07EWj_1pskwKjiTTseugXZwOJ7parBJEdo4O6NZFOBHvfxDYKKS15VZP17ionUYC-9DbTVoT2vMe-fJXmMQToGQSyl6KCmiro7iWgDTRaCMlKCd_bitWABKWGU3Q0G_ws8xGIO/w640-h640/Rosie+Promo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #990000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Put a Ring Around the Rosie</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Games We Play/Whole Latte Love Story</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">February 14th is just another day...until it's not!</span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span color="rgb(var(--color_15))" style="font-family: helvetica;">Timing is everything. After three years, Rosie and Alex's friendship has finally caught fire. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But is Valentine's Day too much, too fast? </span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 16px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: helvetica; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/RingRosie">https://books2read.com/RingRosie</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-72110931050614157932024-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T00:00:00.130-08:00Musical Monday: Collide by Howie Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJWxNzLGLLitGMQhpMQgg1L2O7DoLpX7G7XQGru-rN9sB1n5ZmeKWKp7WvfCcfOgF2WRCRZqmTOnD-CQSl3TkQN9d_8iucLekmSSlHksYFU38k7Mfdg-ZW7jbdz8ZoHw1siROU4B91ChbhPJ2g4F5J7yIxgDNnju-xSf2GcljQaj5qgK4ROhV/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJWxNzLGLLitGMQhpMQgg1L2O7DoLpX7G7XQGru-rN9sB1n5ZmeKWKp7WvfCcfOgF2WRCRZqmTOnD-CQSl3TkQN9d_8iucLekmSSlHksYFU38k7Mfdg-ZW7jbdz8ZoHw1siROU4B91ChbhPJ2g4F5J7yIxgDNnju-xSf2GcljQaj5qgK4ROhV/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I have vivid memories of listening to this song a couple of years after it came out. I was back in Berkeley (after a short hiatus in Florida) and would have been working on one of the later books in the Oberon series and spending a couple of mornings a week volunteering as a docent at the Nature Center in Shorebird Park. </span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ca9ub9rpNK4?si=Pz4CtNdspNfM0XZj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">At the moment, the only Oberon books available are the first three books. But quite a lot of books two and three are set at Oberon's marine wildlife nature center which is very loosely modeled after the one in Berkeley. You can get both of them in the Welcome to Oberon Omnibus which released last week. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 26px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; color: #168975; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhud4bDXsbpgUtxdoSxPDjPlcF5mr8SsWJv8m040OaSruL-8SZpGHJx8tFbLKtP0f2Tb0_FaK7MFaax4aoxqcoDBEy-DdcFPxUCRPMI-b0lveiHe1pV1sTqYc0Jd8G99tyJS4TXbggJsMwQtItlLa81EpqC7V1scg1mbYvu7Xw9C4Ggjt2YHrwh/s2560/Welcome-to-Oberon-Generic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhud4bDXsbpgUtxdoSxPDjPlcF5mr8SsWJv8m040OaSruL-8SZpGHJx8tFbLKtP0f2Tb0_FaK7MFaax4aoxqcoDBEy-DdcFPxUCRPMI-b0lveiHe1pV1sTqYc0Jd8G99tyJS4TXbggJsMwQtItlLa81EpqC7V1scg1mbYvu7Xw9C4Ggjt2YHrwh/s320/Welcome-to-Oberon-Generic.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>Welcome to Oberon</span></span></span></span></h5><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Omnibus One: Books 1 - 3</span></span></span></h5><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></h5><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon">https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ever wish you could find a small-town love story with magic, mystery, a huge cast of characters and a happy ending? How about an entire series like that?</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Welcome to Oberon, California. Where murder and mysticism combine. Where the focus is always on friends, families and feelings. And where love will save the day…eventually. connected tales of love, murder, mystery...all set in a mystical small town where anything might happen.</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This volume contains the first three books of the Oberon series:</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Scent of the Roses</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Sight to Dream Of</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sound of a Voice That is Still. <br class="wixui-rich-text__text" /><br class="wixui-rich-text__text" />Second Chances, Friends to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Hurt-Comfort, Age Gap, Betrayal, Suspense.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-57521325837102222422024-01-24T01:00:00.000-08:002024-01-24T01:00:00.128-08:00Wine Wednesday: Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT-I8KW1P_iUbNSCG1e8nwlYVH3lXx3WUmdvMb44oJYsocc3tvwjmI8xltCHmeb0HN-N2lwf4n4WuVnDa2Bl_QGD3PNnghIg9Z90uAidWpzH0bQPTSHETq8FYzIX-cneOpxfLZmVVF4PxlKohUx4MOpcvyM1eVnegxNz4NZEhaLWbqPTqxcrq/s640/WINE1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT-I8KW1P_iUbNSCG1e8nwlYVH3lXx3WUmdvMb44oJYsocc3tvwjmI8xltCHmeb0HN-N2lwf4n4WuVnDa2Bl_QGD3PNnghIg9Z90uAidWpzH0bQPTSHETq8FYzIX-cneOpxfLZmVVF4PxlKohUx4MOpcvyM1eVnegxNz4NZEhaLWbqPTqxcrq/w640-h238/WINE1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wine is subjective. I'm predisposed to like today's wine because I have fond memories of visiting/drinking wine at Coppola's winery in Napa. Also his Sofia Blanc de Blanc is my go-to for sparkling wine. But, the fact is, he no longer owns that winery and I have no idea where (other than somewhere in California) the grapes for this wine come from. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm predisposed to enjoy drinking it out of the glass I bought at the winery--waaaaaay back in the day--which is supposedly a replica of the glasses his Italian grandfather used to drink wine out of back in Italy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My father's family is Sicilian and whenever I drink a Coppola wine out of this particular glass, I always feel like an extra in the Godfather during the scenes where Michael first comes across Appolonia. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's a nice wine. Not blow your socks off, but very, very drinkable. The tasting notes suggest blackberries, cherries and spice on the nose. And, of course, I disagree. I almost always disagree. I get the spice, and maybe a little bit of leather, but to me the aroma is dried blueberries with a hint of cocoa. It's medium bodied. Opaque, dark red color--it's the color you think of when you think of wine. Not purple, but not a rusty red, either. Like a deep, deep, deep magenta. No legs to speak of, which is odd given the fact that it's only a 2020 vintage--which is not at all old for a Cabernet. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I taste toasted oak and--ooh, okay! THERE'S the cherry. It's nice. Juicy and lush. But it's not at all what I think of when I think Cabernet Sauvignon. It's softer. Less bold. If I didn't know better, I'd guess a merlot blend. The bottle suggests pairing it with...well, anything apparently! Steak tacos, prime rib, pasta...these are not the same thing. I would not choose the same wine for all of those...well, unless the choice was wine or no wine in which case, yes please, hit me up! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And...subjective, you know? I can kind of see the tacos. But the rest...not so much. I would suggest pairing this with charcoal-grilled burgers, steak salad or a nice charcuterie board. I wouldn't say no if you poured me some to go with pasta or pizza but...Chateau Martelena has my heart when it comes to pizza. Everything else is an also ran. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">For</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> reference, I'm currently drinking it with some sharp cheddar and an apple. And it's good. But, yeah. I think a nice juicy burger would be absolutely perfect. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQt9UCgwiorcbAA3GhloWDZr5a2SZ3iFbdYOnljHlUrLjLW8Ig-F1QLCpZMeoxezTFvtUqvPJme08VQ3wOtn1Dx3vy_ceUGs5aXGRsy3fjPxWPM0qWjiyUgjEhHkcR9P4uqcIhSw1XkFewN3myAWbsp0aNensRdOgFe4bzo4cx471a874XjaO/s851/DUB.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQt9UCgwiorcbAA3GhloWDZr5a2SZ3iFbdYOnljHlUrLjLW8Ig-F1QLCpZMeoxezTFvtUqvPJme08VQ3wOtn1Dx3vy_ceUGs5aXGRsy3fjPxWPM0qWjiyUgjEhHkcR9P4uqcIhSw1XkFewN3myAWbsp0aNensRdOgFe4bzo4cx471a874XjaO/w640-h236/DUB.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-4030871906095982342024-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-23T00:00:00.129-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Foods We Can't Live Without ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked "<b>What Food Couldn't You Live Without</b>?</span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">"</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Uh...yeah, I really can't answer that. I love food. I have so many "favorites" that I couldn't begin to count them. I still have vivid taste memories of dishes I haven't eaten in fifty years. My husband and I used to go on food pilgrimages--recurring road trips where we'd stop at the same restaurants each time to have the same meal because we'd enjoyed it so much the first time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, yeah. I don't want to live without any of it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I have gone on very specific food jags, however. Yes, as an adult. And YES! I still do it. But I don't think my craving for Navratan Korma while I was pregnant with my daughter really counts. I mean, yes, I wanted to eat it every day--who wouldn't? But it wasn't an OBSESSION. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sesame noodles was an obsession. I was first introduced to the dish while I was living/working out of a loft on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 21st Street in Manhattan. (Fabulous loft, btw, with floor to ceiling windows on two walls and a view of the Empire State Building.) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We'd gone with a group of people to Chinatown and we'd all ordered a bunch of food to share. Well! There was no sharing once I got a taste of it. OMG. It was life-changing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As luck would have it, there was a teeny, tiny little Chinese restaurant right across the street from our loft. For MONTHS following that dinner I was in there every day--sometimes twice a day--ordering sesame noodles. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">We've moved around a lot and there were a few years (looking at you Southern California) where I couldn't find it. So I learned how to make it myself. Because needs must. Actually, I just had some yesterday. </span></div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <b><u><a href="https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Leslie Hachtel's page</a></u></b> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn what food(s) she can't live without. And don't forget to check out her award winning book, <b><u><a href="https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3" target="_blank">Stay With Me</a></u></b>.</span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohA39aCpE0h7o3-Z1IsecO8t4iHLaoT3X21rtpGz59EhTYmnLm4IZc6Htriqm5W-M04zIqgcOADenD6i95-RBmxkU1jM-g3fdXe5224wWeyyD7UcoLL1GcHIt-zK7wUj-n8z7k_qALnkinQZwWvTbooLkhyphenhyphenM07Z2QdLeB8-myN3jNiFqFQZrs/s2048/420968919_10225972712648984_2035893654262451714_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1344" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohA39aCpE0h7o3-Z1IsecO8t4iHLaoT3X21rtpGz59EhTYmnLm4IZc6Htriqm5W-M04zIqgcOADenD6i95-RBmxkU1jM-g3fdXe5224wWeyyD7UcoLL1GcHIt-zK7wUj-n8z7k_qALnkinQZwWvTbooLkhyphenhyphenM07Z2QdLeB8-myN3jNiFqFQZrs/w420-h640/420968919_10225972712648984_2035893654262451714_n.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e472086a-7fff-c228-fe15-54d749b44a4e" style="text-align: start;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 13pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 13pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #2a2a2a; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two women. Years apart. Linked by common experience and a cottage that has survived since the Civil War. When Rebecca reaches out from the past, Evelyn finds it life changing.</span></p></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-86225494-7fff-149b-7ee5-33bc6cf8cc4b" style="text-align: start;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 13pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in their own times, each must discover strength and fight to find and keep true love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 13pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A 2023 NEST First Place Winner in Paranormal!</span></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="text-align: start;" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ace1141-7fff-c956-ee5d-0b0bf6be11b5" style="text-align: start;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3">https://amzn.to/3VtxaZ3</a></span></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #181717; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZhh044gsP-mAXPgRqkWp5H-3t72VnH82MogsFq5bYrFlO2zYNqMigqxvRr6JCdNrG0eF4JpdGZ7nDrEQU8dpd5rHmQLSO1oYyaSq1nQp1pkDTtf9P6jYbxntHIThLQVPcZ5rWExRgcXpkDR9sBi9J9IFx6cMRc0KCbJCBJAHVFAXkXEluCv5/s1000/OB-CA.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZhh044gsP-mAXPgRqkWp5H-3t72VnH82MogsFq5bYrFlO2zYNqMigqxvRr6JCdNrG0eF4JpdGZ7nDrEQU8dpd5rHmQLSO1oYyaSq1nQp1pkDTtf9P6jYbxntHIThLQVPcZ5rWExRgcXpkDR9sBi9J9IFx6cMRc0KCbJCBJAHVFAXkXEluCv5/w200-h160/OB-CA.png" width="200" /></a></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">It's Release Day! </span></b></span></h2></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon">https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon</a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUT3Sie_LYtBq3TtJO0O9OiAcF7L7w7Avcu4DMFXWuC_nEREVL6wNCNOe0PdtfwDIqbWNRGv8CFWbsoI5LYDc4Z5gTBXccr7BHDL0C5xSddhlqvExpZI4LUpqckyknrzPktA_4jcZV9EzbUCh_p5mkU3SyWFFiEwQofK-ARQyepSec9tVA1dk/s1080/OBERON_Promo_OmniOne.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUT3Sie_LYtBq3TtJO0O9OiAcF7L7w7Avcu4DMFXWuC_nEREVL6wNCNOe0PdtfwDIqbWNRGv8CFWbsoI5LYDc4Z5gTBXccr7BHDL0C5xSddhlqvExpZI4LUpqckyknrzPktA_4jcZV9EzbUCh_p5mkU3SyWFFiEwQofK-ARQyepSec9tVA1dk/w640-h640/OBERON_Promo_OmniOne.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" face="avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: #45818e; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Welcome to Oberon</b></span></span></span></span></div><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" face="avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-size: large; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Omnibus One: Books 1 - 3</span></span></h4><h4 class="font_4 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inherit-font-size wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></h4><div><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div class="MW5IWV" data-hook="bgLayers" id="bgLayers_comp-lm2l1y6i1" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; height: 314px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; mask-image: var(--mask-image,none); mask-position: var(--mask-position,0); mask-repeat: var(--mask-repeat,no-repeat); mask-size: var(--mask-size,100%); outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; pointer-events: var(--fill-layer-background-media-pointer-events); position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 2156px;"><div class="VgO9Yg" id="bgMedia_comp-lm2l1y6i1" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; height: 314px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;">Ever wish you could find a small-town love story with magic, mystery, a huge cast of characters and a happy ending? How about an entire series like that? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to Oberon, California. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;">Where murder and mysticism combine. Where the focus is</span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"> </span><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" face="overlock, sans-serif" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">always</span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"> </span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;">on friends, families and feelings. And where love</span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"> </span><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" face="overlock, sans-serif" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">will</span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"> </span><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;">save the day…eventually.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span face="overlock, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0em; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This Omnibus contains the first three books of the Oberon series:</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Scent of the Roses</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Sight to Dream Of</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sound of a Voice That is Still. </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Three connected tales of love, murder, mystery...all set in a mystical small town where anything might happen.</span></span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Second Chances, Friends to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Hurt-Comfort, Age Gap, Betrayal, Suspense.</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""open sans", sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></p></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon">https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-14138454359150114052024-01-21T23:00:00.000-08:002024-01-21T23:00:00.339-08:00Musical Monday: Nessun Dorma (Puccini)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42w3rNzoC09YhAEfR7D0FPcLqhmXKCyRcDy35KEuQmouEpEbIrNXzGXkeiSuk1kSPrR47y3oxIk2ZVmEOv_mSVJWE8yXFmsL_zzNlNxMDkeMjFgMcdBakTRBU8O4a26TVbKKeSdOUMUXouJmV__k89vO1oRs7HJYYJSDpPOrainLetqMpg1Gf/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42w3rNzoC09YhAEfR7D0FPcLqhmXKCyRcDy35KEuQmouEpEbIrNXzGXkeiSuk1kSPrR47y3oxIk2ZVmEOv_mSVJWE8yXFmsL_zzNlNxMDkeMjFgMcdBakTRBU8O4a26TVbKKeSdOUMUXouJmV__k89vO1oRs7HJYYJSDpPOrainLetqMpg1Gf/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>Welcome to Oberon</b> releases tomorrow, so I wanted to post a song that I'd listed on one of the playlists for the first three books. There are a lot of them, and I wasn't sure which one to pick, then I happened to see the video below, and that decided me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I actually listened to A LOT of Puccini while I was writing Oberon. I'm not sure why, exactly. I listened to a lot of different music. Nessun Dorma has always been one of my favorites. It's just so ineffably beautiful. I grew up listening to a lot of opera--my father's entire family sang. But my earliest recollection of this song was from the movie <b>Yes, Georgio</b>, which featured Pavarotti. I remember NOTHING about the movie, but THIS SONG, which I've always felt is far too short. It needs to be at least six times longer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Anyway, OBVIOUSLY I wasn't listening to this version of the song while I wrote Oberon, but flash mobs were a big thing back then, and this one takes place in a bookstore! Also, Jonathan Tetelman is gorgeous and someone needs to write a romance book with a hero who looks (and hopefully sings) just like him. </span></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d8V_4EhRGEU?si=o2j7KayDNkzAXOMn" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3_OxcPDuHSLaiTmf7xOqyw80IGmSPvwuVfqFwZ5z-tb9CPBLwqK34qig_GUzI47NQYRn8Y82vML-8KwssDPVcDSzgbxWKoCLt9QL1pGrKTgvSd6xdX4CgVvV5yLHOaegmWIAmc0Ewy4hyNlVi2JVGRdUZCn6OpQSKNVCucNo16aBV8OJ1i4C/s5802/apgj_7h2k_140310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3791" data-original-width="5802" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3_OxcPDuHSLaiTmf7xOqyw80IGmSPvwuVfqFwZ5z-tb9CPBLwqK34qig_GUzI47NQYRn8Y82vML-8KwssDPVcDSzgbxWKoCLt9QL1pGrKTgvSd6xdX4CgVvV5yLHOaegmWIAmc0Ewy4hyNlVi2JVGRdUZCn6OpQSKNVCucNo16aBV8OJ1i4C/w200-h131/apgj_7h2k_140310.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And now, here's the "Nessun Dorma" excerpt from <b>A Sight to Dream Of</b>:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Daylight was dying in the air when Marsha arrived at the cabin. It was still a little early in the day for a full moon ceremony, but she just couldn’t handle the trip both ways in the dark. It would be hard enough driving back, but her need to come here tonight—to ground herself and find peace and balance—had overwhelmed even the fear she harbored of being on the road at night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was Alex’s fault. Try as she might to forget about the scene with him earlier this evening, she had not been able to let go of the nasty, painful emotions he had stirred up. Grief and loneliness had roiled around inside her all evening, pushing her ever closer to the edge of a seemingly bottomless well of despair. Even after all this time, even after all her vows of indifference, he still could get to her. She was still tied to him with emotional threads she had woven herself—with spells and prayers and incantations. Threads she couldn’t seem to sever no matter how badly she might want to. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>Never again,</i> she swore, taking a couple of slow, deep breaths. Never again would she make herself so vulnerable. Never again would she allow herself to become so dependent on anyone that the fear of losing them would lead her to make the kinds of mistake she had made with Alex.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Never again would she use magic to hold someone—she’d seen firsthand the damage it could do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As she stepped out of the van she was practically knocked over by swells of music—lovely and otherworldly—pouring from the cabin. She wandered around to the back, following the sounds; seduced, not just by the beauty of the music, but by the purity of the tenor voice, singing words in a language she did not recognize, but which moved her almost to tears, nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As she rounded the corner, she saw Sam sitting on the back step, eyes closed, lost in the music—like Merlin enchanted by Nimue. Reluctant to break the spell, she waited, watching him, as the music eddied and swirled about them both, rising at last to a sweeping crescendo, before ending, almost too abruptly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sam opened his eyes and stared at her for a long time without speaking. She was startled into immobility by the intensity of his gaze. After a moment, he relaxed back against the doorframe with a sigh, and veiled his eyes again as if he were shutting out the sight of her. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Hey,” he said, breaking the silence at last. His voice sounded harsh, as if it had not been used in days.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Hi. That music...what is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Nessun Dorma,” he answered, not opening his eyes. “Puccini, of course. It’s from Turandot.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Oh. It’s very beautiful.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Yes, it is.” His mouth quirked upwards in a wry smile. “And believe it or not, I usually find it very calming.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“But not tonight?” she asked curiously.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“No. Not tonight.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">She was suddenly aware of the rigidity in his posture, the tension that shimmered in the air around him. He didn’t want her here, she felt certain of it. Disappointment pressed on her heart with a crushing weight.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I know I’m probably interrupting your evening, coming here like this and…I’ll be out of here as quickly as I can. I’ll try to stay out of your way and—”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Marsha,” he interrupted her, his eyes open again, the ghost of a smile flitting across his face. “You’re not going to be in my way tonight. I promise.” He got to his feet, and stood, irresolute. “So, a Mabon ceremony, huh? Out there in the glade?” His glance strayed to the ring of trees at the back of the property. “Sounds like fun.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Yes. Well, no, not fun exactly. It’s a spiritual ceremony, and...” Her voice trailed off as another thought struck her. Oh, dear heaven, he wasn’t going to ask to watch, was he? She’d feel guilty turning him down, but at the same time, there was no way she could let him stay. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Oh. I suppose you’ll want some privacy?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“Yes,” she breathed gratefully. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He nodded and pulled open the door. “Okay, well, let me know if you ah, need anything.” He flashed her a wry smile as he disappeared into the cabin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“I will. Thanks,” she whispered to the empty air. She stared at the closed door for a long moment, before heading back to the van for the supplies she’d brought with her.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwl1_nUh8r0khASbPXWVmZXRl6wS02lvJtew7JKORz1xzsE16oMiIZWUnYZG2ZBDN88NLbkdXD9hQPq8H4NK8BjKk2v2FOATpNpgt7TOchbk8CitirCbANXFGhESSSyej1hgTz-OG5KLHFbnjLFVjC6lvyTnxH87ON6zcV3SB-u2W_7X-pHk7/s1000/Depositphotos_668345060_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwl1_nUh8r0khASbPXWVmZXRl6wS02lvJtew7JKORz1xzsE16oMiIZWUnYZG2ZBDN88NLbkdXD9hQPq8H4NK8BjKk2v2FOATpNpgt7TOchbk8CitirCbANXFGhESSSyej1hgTz-OG5KLHFbnjLFVjC6lvyTnxH87ON6zcV3SB-u2W_7X-pHk7/w200-h200/Depositphotos_668345060_S.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; font-family: overlock, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 23, 23); color: #181717; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: overlock, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYARgC3JyG-G-LwVdxDTfttc4pp2MXV3LohqxfAzm396mV54qXHJpTGNHAnTnTCBycRwPL7ndk2C0O8lCHQSb-H-GlfuMEsMdIDZMO7CQoxapqumW2jrk0UGMAcoOidD41d0uoCcyfJzMJUcU06xRGByaKpmPT73bbKsUn1bTJX1jGhwlLG6a/s2560/Welcome-to-Oberon-Generic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1684" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYARgC3JyG-G-LwVdxDTfttc4pp2MXV3LohqxfAzm396mV54qXHJpTGNHAnTnTCBycRwPL7ndk2C0O8lCHQSb-H-GlfuMEsMdIDZMO7CQoxapqumW2jrk0UGMAcoOidD41d0uoCcyfJzMJUcU06xRGByaKpmPT73bbKsUn1bTJX1jGhwlLG6a/s320/Welcome-to-Oberon-Generic.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Ever wish you could find a small-town love story with magic, mystery, a huge cast of characters and a happy ending? How about an entire series like that? </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Welcome to Oberon, California. Where murder and mysticism combine. Where the focus is </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.4in;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">always</span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"> on friends, families and feelings. And where love </span><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">will</span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px;"> save the day…eventually.</span></span></div></span></div><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.4in;"><br /></p><p></p><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 26px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; color: #168975; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Welcome to Oberon</span></span></span></span></h5><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Omnibus One: Books 1 - 3</span></span></span></h5><div><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon"><b>https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon</b></a></span></span></span></div><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; font-family: avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496, avenir-lt-w05_35-light, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></h5><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Three connected tales of love, murder, mystery...all set in a mystical small town where anything might happen.</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Contains the first three books of the Oberon series:</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Scent of the Roses</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Sight to Dream Of</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: none; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sound of a Voice That is Still. <br class="wixui-rich-text__text" /><br class="wixui-rich-text__text" />Second Chances, Friends to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Hurt-Comfort, Age Gap, Betrayal, Suspense.</span></p></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-47283178273220006682024-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T00:00:00.130-08:00Romance Writers Weekly ~ Writing Goals 2024 ~ #LoveChatWrite<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/s640/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0K5poXhYA9oL987jhTc_CBh-PEZK-knNumimAtJ9GFyxz7hOPdFRqPFyZYaRthScWglj6etDjhouxNF5-v9gF7duI2RSyukPKagygLFAMNxCJ7qTcC1FwzqfTjuc_5dtr3VBIfRXJhGnUTNmkNDsKSBs3dMg07hnmdOQY0fQGgp5QsnsdA/w640-h238/RWW-FB-Banner%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "</span></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-137478e6-7fff-e9ad-9000-5a92d83f1e34"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3f113aea-7fff-d312-bd20-b3e5de13bb22"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How many books (stories) do you plan to write in 2024? Is this the same or different from previous years?</span></span>"</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This should be a simple question, right? After all, it's just math. Somehow it's not that simple. I actually wrote about this in <a href="https://mailchi.mp/pgforte.com/newsletter_01_12_2024" target="_blank"><b>last week's newsletter</b></a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">See, the last couple of years, I've overreached a little...or, you know, A LOT! I signed up for too many anthos and collaborations and then had to bail on some of them. This year, I was trying to cut back on my commitments, but with a dozen books being re-released, it doesn't feel like cutting back at all!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Last year, I think I wound up writing and releasing three new books. And re-releasing...five? This year, I'm almost tripling the number of re-releases while attempting to finish four new books. Which is...still a lot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I guess I'll see how it goes! If you want to track my progress, sign up for my newsletter!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span><a href="https://www.pgforte.com/newsletter"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>https://www.pgforte.com/newsletter</b></span></a></div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">N</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ow, hop on over to <a href="https://jennadasie.com" target="_blank"><b>Jenna Da Sie's page</b></a> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9740c0b6-7fff-80d0-9b41-1fb000a75332"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">to</span></span> learn about her writing plan for 2024. </span></span></div><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-976fc085-7fff-2b0d-535f-059c82f4d833"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4kfpL2lv9jM8_aahZ5tnrmWPg5Unbylckeq2a3IUHppXHPmlWFcyweFiQfIVqev3u_ouUIAfxD4KxseHloVISnc0ALR-RommQtjLC0hBKjpSIImD-4JCS1fh1VctlNAcBfVVr2Ttj7IsYfAAADujnIUp_vGskna1Cv8_Dtt9PTugHMTsos3H/s1000/OB-CA.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4kfpL2lv9jM8_aahZ5tnrmWPg5Unbylckeq2a3IUHppXHPmlWFcyweFiQfIVqev3u_ouUIAfxD4KxseHloVISnc0ALR-RommQtjLC0hBKjpSIImD-4JCS1fh1VctlNAcBfVVr2Ttj7IsYfAAADujnIUp_vGskna1Cv8_Dtt9PTugHMTsos3H/w200-h160/OB-CA.png" width="200" /></a></p></span></div></div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Releasing in One Week!</span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 26px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #068e83; font-family: helvetica;">Welcome to Oberon</span></span></span></span></span></h5><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 20px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Omnibus One: Books 1 - 3</span></span></span></span></h5><h5 class="font_5 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; font-size: 22px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></span></h5><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Three connected tales of love, murder, mystery...all set in a mystical small town where anything might happen.</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Contains the first three books of the Oberon series:</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Scent of the Roses</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A Sight to Dream Of</span></p><p class="font_9 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Sound of a Voice That is Still. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Second Chances, Friends to Lovers, Opposites Attract, Hurt-Comfort, Age Gap, Betrayal, Suspense.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Now available for Pre-Order!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7j7C_xfEUQcffAkcHa8DPXgUFuJHbfbsmSgAlX1JIX-0VKzmzYXoifUrq6xzcEiyjRQsEoWXEp_ZNqPC84GIv3DwJb8uKYQsoIH-vCwM_yBacfdTjLDvo1uyhA4BxLx8i29VrjIHCf5Uo35-_Li8SEmvVOCB6Ab_362toHHTL2CjwbQQRh3P/s1080/OBERONBS1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7j7C_xfEUQcffAkcHa8DPXgUFuJHbfbsmSgAlX1JIX-0VKzmzYXoifUrq6xzcEiyjRQsEoWXEp_ZNqPC84GIv3DwJb8uKYQsoIH-vCwM_yBacfdTjLDvo1uyhA4BxLx8i29VrjIHCf5Uo35-_Li8SEmvVOCB6Ab_362toHHTL2CjwbQQRh3P/w640-h640/OBERONBS1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="font_8 wixui-rich-text__text" style="background: repeat; border: 0px; color: rgb(var(--color_15)); margin-block: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; pointer-events: auto; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon">https://books2read.com/Welcome-to-Oberon</a></span></b></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-23534398389456518792024-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:002024-01-15T01:00:00.212-08:00Musical Monday: Carole King Now and Forever.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Suy6L4fG2rGQHP4uc94Rd4SL2J4JvKB6PyRw95k7ZOxvW8P_tL7WLbHmJrk4fl5CbHLvh7Db2noJErLBabJS6uL43fahXbT6oHS15AvvhRuhkGJnVrXXQu4XFzHzKlF-zg3ct71qaIG2Iul9xkcshhHS_O9QgGllknPUBppaGYRhTt1OZPfy/s851/Musical2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Suy6L4fG2rGQHP4uc94Rd4SL2J4JvKB6PyRw95k7ZOxvW8P_tL7WLbHmJrk4fl5CbHLvh7Db2noJErLBabJS6uL43fahXbT6oHS15AvvhRuhkGJnVrXXQu4XFzHzKlF-zg3ct71qaIG2Iul9xkcshhHS_O9QgGllknPUBppaGYRhTt1OZPfy/w640-h236/Musical2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here's a song that I listened to a lot when I was working on <b>Scent of the Roses</b>. But it feels particularly apropos for this past week which saw the anniversaries of my Mother and Mother-in-law's passing (six years ago and eleven years ago--although I swear it feels like two or three. At most!). They died exactly five years and two days apart. Which means this is really not a good week for us.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Oddly enough--or maybe not--I've been missing my dog more than usual. I think because he was such a comfort to me when I was caring for them both. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Anyway, grief sucks. <br /> </span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t-tDCWZu6OI?si=yzCX5GGJswKASkeX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-58257473294195040562024-01-11T23:30:00.000-08:002024-01-11T23:30:00.132-08:00Steamy MM FR33 Reads!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyR3gUgTnQ-cd_HsNaOwAY7m9Soea-vssTX67NuJdwm9bYn87Ru8vFARZUWJ0S661MAe0BnqhmDs4hBwmwczFC8XLnNSaiFc24AovDTWxjjt5Oh4iayaWdQNP5nC5hnE3IFkx1Wtxp_Al_PY5wxNCL2zJS_m_WTojk0IB3l4Luq0NuZoQb6DR/s851/Freebie2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyR3gUgTnQ-cd_HsNaOwAY7m9Soea-vssTX67NuJdwm9bYn87Ru8vFARZUWJ0S661MAe0BnqhmDs4hBwmwczFC8XLnNSaiFc24AovDTWxjjt5Oh4iayaWdQNP5nC5hnE3IFkx1Wtxp_Al_PY5wxNCL2zJS_m_WTojk0IB3l4Luq0NuZoQb6DR/w640-h236/Freebie2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Check out these FREE Steamy MM Books on Bookfunnel:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://books.bookfunnel.com/mmfreebies/vu34moeomo"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">https://books.bookfunnel.com/mmfreebies/vu34moeomo</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JK5ya_zrQ9v_EABEl3Czobzp8eqeJ1I-mnmfI-rGhd3wLCRJVEfqHRzKnizZuDLEqF9r19mMDR7JKb-PxqauZVMx0Q3MZJAJ8NXVjcPz3Lv4NAgnklfLYx30bz46QJpIn-7biXiyZXj5uZQ9rIjdPSSPmnKKcPFBj39yGFJFG3McCN46n0K8/s1000/header.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="1000" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JK5ya_zrQ9v_EABEl3Czobzp8eqeJ1I-mnmfI-rGhd3wLCRJVEfqHRzKnizZuDLEqF9r19mMDR7JKb-PxqauZVMx0Q3MZJAJ8NXVjcPz3Lv4NAgnklfLYx30bz46QJpIn-7biXiyZXj5uZQ9rIjdPSSPmnKKcPFBj39yGFJFG3McCN46n0K8/w640-h218/header.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Includes my story, <b>Angel Mine</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaybJHNrrepjI7J7auQ4EB1JNp_CWmPGkmFlkZsGvGhxjDgnTaPBtTNTB9KoTBZz-X4oRKszFGtNM4FkKW-0PZdflxomsE8Fx0R5KZMCch2mWFeL1ovC8ZHWezkDpkI30rKDfHNWwT2iwDKZPuXXcOAFFzCFBjSQYV9-qi7W7GdqXFDVUM24Py/s1080/AngelMinePromo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaybJHNrrepjI7J7auQ4EB1JNp_CWmPGkmFlkZsGvGhxjDgnTaPBtTNTB9KoTBZz-X4oRKszFGtNM4FkKW-0PZdflxomsE8Fx0R5KZMCch2mWFeL1ovC8ZHWezkDpkI30rKDfHNWwT2iwDKZPuXXcOAFFzCFBjSQYV9-qi7W7GdqXFDVUM24Py/w640-h640/AngelMinePromo.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><a href="http://tinyurl.com/Angel-2">http://tinyurl.com/Angel-2</a></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Excerpt: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It’s night now. Or, at least it’s something that looks and sounds and feels convincingly like a night at the lake, even though I’m not altogether convinced time is actually passing—or that there’s an actual lake out there at all. But I can hear the sound of water lapping softly against the dock. Shooting stars blaze lazy trails across the sky. There’s a soft breeze, scented with wood smoke and pine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It’s pretty damn realistic and romantic as fuck. Which, given the company I’m keeping, is a total waste of ambiance. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Still, as much as he obviously wants to be rid of me, I can tell Edge feels bad about leaving me here all alone. I guess that’s something. He clearly doesn’t know what else to do with me, however, and I’m no help. I can’t think of another place I want to be either, other than somewhere I’m not dead. And since time travel is, apparently, not an option, he blinks himself away with a thought. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And there I am: all by myself once more, stretched out on the bed I outgrew in my teens, in a house that no longer exists, wondering who’s been paying to keep the lights on all these years, and how it is that the sheets still smell fresh?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As philosophical questions go, I bet no one’s heard either of those before.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, here’s another little fact that I managed to pry out of Edge on the subject of limbo. Unlike purgatory where, after you’ve served your time, so to speak, you’re automatically cleared for heaven, limbo has no set timetable. You could be here for a week, a year, an hour. Or you could stay for eternity. No one knows. It all depends on how quickly you clear up your issues. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Edge won’t say how long he’s been here—shocking, I know. But I get the feeling, from stuff he’s let slip, that it’s been awhile. And since I can’t even figure out what my issues are yet, I suspect my stay here might also be lengthy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">At least I’ll be in good company, I think in the instant before it occurs to me that I may be completely delusional. I’m stuck here with a man who drags me out to the middle of nowhere without explanation, who snarls at me for no reason, won’t divulge any personal information, and runs when I try to get close. And this is my idea of good company now? Clearly, I’m not only delusional <i>and </i>masochistic, I’ve also lowered my standards. When did this happen? Is it an aftereffect of being dead?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If that’s the case, however…it does make me wonder what Edge used to be like before <i>he </i>died. Was he always this surly and uncommunicative? Not that he’d ever tell me, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Edge claims he doesn’t like answering questions about himself because he’s here to help me, not the other way around. I guess that makes some sort of sense. He is older, after all, and more experienced in the ways of the afterlife, so I suppose he figures that’s all the reason he needs to take the lead. But it just doesn’t sit right with me. Competitive remember? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The way I see it, we’re both in the same situation. He’s not doing any better than I am, so why shouldn’t I give it a try? Or, here’s a compromise for you, why can’t we work together to help each other out? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I did <i>try</i> to point out that, most of the time, two heads are better than one, but he took it the wrong way—thought I was making a reference to his <i>little head—</i>and got all flustered again. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Even though it pissed him off, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It gave me the best laugh I’ve had since I’ve been here.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I suppose I should stop. I should give up on Edge; find someone else; or say the hell with sex and just focus on getting myself out of here. Honestly, I’m not sure why I don’t do exactly that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Why am I trusting Edge to help me get out of here when he can’t even get himself out? Even more to the point, why am I wasting time on him at all?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">He’s clearly one of those guys who likes to pretend that he isn’t interested, that sex is the last thing on his mind. And I’ve never been one to play those games. Life’s too short, you know? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Although, I guess that’s no longer an issue, now is it? Besides, I can tell he’s not as indifferent as he wants me to think. Every now and then he lets his guard down. And the yearning I read in his gaze then, the looks he keeps shooting me, so full of heat and hunger, how could I not respond to that? How can I give up on him? How can I see all that potential and just walk away?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I just wish he’d give us a shot. I wish he’d given me one lousy dance. One dance, that’s all it would take. Afterwards, I bet we’d both know exactly where we stood with each other. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If I close my eyes, I can feel it. We’re back in the bar, and it’s still just the two of us. There’s no one to see, or judge, or bother us. The jukebox is playing something sweet and slow. I don’t know what it is, but it sounds exactly right. We’re holding each other close and swaying to the music. No pressure, no tension, no expectations, we’re just two strangers finding comfort in the touch of someone else’s hands on their skin. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It doesn’t have to be forever. It doesn’t have to be anything more than one, perfect moment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I lean in and press my lips to his. He hesitates for just an instant, then a soft sound breaks from his lips. A whimper, a sigh, a moan, a groan—is there even a word to describe it? It doesn’t matter, whatever you call it, it’s the sound of surrender. Then he’s kissing me back, and I know I have him. I know that, for tonight, at least, he’s mine. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I cup his face in my hands and feel the flare of heat beneath his skin. His hands on my hips pull me tight against him. His cock rubs against mine, both of us hard. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">“<i>Matteo</i>.” My name on his lips, his voice in my ear, and I can’t tell anymore if any of this is real, or if it’s all a fantasy. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Alone in my room, I reach into my shorts and free my dick. As I stroke myself, I imagine it’s his lips wrapped around me, that he’s gone to his knees—right there on the dance floor—and taken me in his mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Our gazes lock, as he sucks me off. Yet I swear his voice is still whispering in my ear. I come hard, laying down stripe after stripe of white hot cum all over the bedspread. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">As I’m dragged back into sweet oblivion, I wonder if the sheets will still smell fresh in the morning?</span><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22658466.post-65158904095125997332024-01-11T12:45:00.000-08:002024-01-11T12:45:08.358-08:00Thankful Thursday post for January 11, 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mPomV6wb7SrdzIdtLx1B95elvSUABZmhSXRMip8k7p42UbHlNRzK75-P_YaKFm5_NUTgWwUGCQoFY1ENwQO6V8DIECX1oEUOc7DzRG3QG4UETR3js_ykgd_HrEUcdE0tivLtBUCvjP2CuIjh_EyOJH1pyNl7soCpb_HR3fRfy5iBFpFIJPw0/s851/ThankfulWARM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mPomV6wb7SrdzIdtLx1B95elvSUABZmhSXRMip8k7p42UbHlNRzK75-P_YaKFm5_NUTgWwUGCQoFY1ENwQO6V8DIECX1oEUOc7DzRG3QG4UETR3js_ykgd_HrEUcdE0tivLtBUCvjP2CuIjh_EyOJH1pyNl7soCpb_HR3fRfy5iBFpFIJPw0/w640-h236/ThankfulWARM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> One of the things I'm most thankful for today is my new(ish) computer. I was finally able to update some of the programs that have been glitching for the past few years and it's DELIGHTFUL. Especially the WORD program. It's SUCH a relief not to have to stop every couple of words and remove the extra letters that the program was randomly throwing into every sentence. </span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was also nice to be able to let my old and new computer handle the transfer of files from one computer to the other all on their own. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I COULD wish that it hadn't taken ALL WEEKEND for that to happen, but it's all good. And I have a cool, new Sonoma screensaver now, so that's another plus.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It was my son and DIL's anniversary yesterday. I'm thankful for them--and the fact that they produced my wonderful grandson. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm thankful for the weird Texas weather. It's supposed to get pretty cold here in the next few days, but then it's supposed to warm up again. Which, like I said: weird. But, hey, it's better than weeks of cold weather. So, no complaints here. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And speaking of cold weather, I'm thankful that it's January because there are so many freebies and health challenges and other start-the-new-year-off-right events going on. Not that I'm attending most of them, but I COULD!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mostly today, I'm thankful that I have a little bit of time free in which to WRITE. I've been neglecting my WIPs shamefully and I REALLY need to get on that, STAT.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">So...that's it for now. See you next week!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve6QPYReJWBAmADrj1hGc2gzzPLrUNADgD9ksm8WYo0TAGRrwz4Bcb1ghXnrlV7pJvwiL2Up8ICNSjz7sogvV3bXXZfVJmS99o6UO-sgrId-aTROT6CTmfVnJpSDBsZLO0quGjM21Xr2t2J_0JGL79Ht4uhiQBZRKr8rXDzOlPgUTx5v93GYo/s851/TAIG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="851" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve6QPYReJWBAmADrj1hGc2gzzPLrUNADgD9ksm8WYo0TAGRrwz4Bcb1ghXnrlV7pJvwiL2Up8ICNSjz7sogvV3bXXZfVJmS99o6UO-sgrId-aTROT6CTmfVnJpSDBsZLO0quGjM21Xr2t2J_0JGL79Ht4uhiQBZRKr8rXDzOlPgUTx5v93GYo/w640-h236/TAIG.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>PG Fortehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00819909187492632526noreply@blogger.com0