Share the love this Valentine's Day with A Cup of Love

Buy on Kindle for $2.99 

 

 

I've been missing but I've been busy!

There's a new anthology on Kindle - A Cup of Love: Stories From the Heart. 30 authors writing on love and life in this charming anthology in time for Valentine's Day. It is my latest project and I am darn proud of it. Thirty author friends (some personal friends and some those Facebook kind you love) contributed their work for charity. All proceeds from this book go to First Book, a non-profit that helps bring new books and educational opportunities to children in need. They are a wonderful organization and we are thrilled to do a little to raise money to contribute to them.

We did this before. November 2014 with A Cup of Christmas. 31 authors for First Book then, too.

It is amazing and heartwarming to share this adventure with so many wonderful writers. Some of the stories are by award winning authors and some by those published for the first time. It is a coming together of folks sharing love to give back.

As in real life, these stories run the gamut from first kiss, first love to last love. And like love in real life - some of the stories are bright with happiness and a few sad with loss. Memoirs, fiction, and a few tasty recipes for a smashing dessert, the common bond with each - LOVE!

And my story? Of course, it has a dog in it.

I hope you find this sweet book and buy it, send it to a friend, or, if you are so inclined, you can make a donation straight to First Book by clicking here.

My projects are lining up. I will be back soon!

 

Free On Kindle Today "Danger In Her Words"

Click here to get your free Kindle copy on Amazon Today and Tomorrow

April 23 and 24, 2014

FREE ON KINDLE TODAY. Danger In Her Words. 'Sex Sells' was the theme at the writing conference. Author Susan Meyers decides to write something steamy and gets more than she bargained for. A book within a book with two widows looking for love in all the wrong places. NOTE: adult themed situations.

 

 

I've written a novel, a first for me. Writing a memoir seemed easy compared to writing fiction, but now I think I could just be hooked on writing both! I've learned there are voices in my head to join my signs from the universe. That's a heap of trouble waiting to happen!

 

Am I a widow themed writer? I am beginning to think so. My character Susan in Danger is a widow, and her character Jamie, in this book within a book, is also a widow. Two widows who haven't dated in several years who miss human touch. Jamie knows that about herself, Susan still has to learn she is hiding from a full life.

 

How much of this widow is in the book? Who me? Friends might tell you it is my fictional memoir! But it is really a work of fiction, tossed with things I love.

 

Take Susan's farmhouse for instance. I've wanted to move into a farmhouse but haven't. My fantasy life with small country towns, farmhouses, antiques, and . . . . . go figure, hen houses . . . round out the backdrop for Danger.

 

There is sex in my book, fun sex, steamy sex, but not the sex you find in erotica. I like to mention that, and most everyone I know is sick of me saying this. It was a difficult thing for me - trying to figure out how much sex was too much for my characters  . . . and for me. I still blush reading some scenes, but my more conservative friends tell me the mix is good.

 

Writing is so personal. I was surprised to discover I was more concerned about what I wrote for my characters than what I shared in my memoir The Unfaithful Widow. The fear in writing is that someone will take what I say the wrong way and I am not there to explain myself.

 

I've gotten my head around that, I think! I heard a writer speak the other night at a dinner and his words still echo in my mind. You have to write to be true to your story, not edit it to what you think people will like. If you do anything different, you cheat the reader.

 

Danger In Her Words is written the way it needed to be, the way I saw it in my mind. It is a fun story with romance, a dash of suspense, and a sprinkle of murder. Oh yes, and then the sex . . . well, it is hard to have a book about a writer penning out erotica without some sex involved. Or so I think!

 

Starting May 5th, through the first week of June, Danger In Her Words will be on a virtual blog tour with Women On Writing (WOW).  Check back here for specific dates and links. It is going to be fun!

 

Book Trailer!

 

 

 

"What's On Page 25?" Chick Lit Author Blog Hop and Grand Prize Raffle

Chick Lit Author Blog Hop 2013 asks: “What’s on page 25?”

Join in for a week of fun with the 2nd annual Chick Lit Author Blog Hop. Enter to win a Kindle Keyboard 3G and more. New to blog hops?  Want to learn how to win the grand prize by collecting the secret words? Find complete information by clicking here.

The Rafflecopter prize registry form will close at 11:59 pm on May 27, 2013. The winner will be selected by random drawing and notified by email the following morning. See form at the end of this post.

In addition to the grand prize, you can enter to win a free copy of  The Unfaithful Widow, by posting a comment below. A separate drawing on this blog only will be done for my e-book and the winner announced on May 28th.

List of other blogs below.

So Just What Is On Page 25 Of My Book?

I flipped open The Unfaithful Widow to be greeted with "Down The Rabbit Hole." Like Alice's white rabbit, I am always chiming “I'm late, I'm late.” I can't remember getting any place on time as far back as...well, as far back as I can remember! I used to think it was my creative brain working in a stodgy federal office. With a flex schedule that allowed me from 6 am to 9:30 am to appear at my desk, most days I didn't show up until 9:45. I was always in trouble it seemed. I haven't changed much.

Dating again the first year after my husband's death was a challenge. I wanted out of the house to be alive with people, but the effort to be on time was staggering. After years of just grabbing my husband's arm and heading out the door, I now had to prep to look my best for someone who most likely would look their worst.

Anyone who has done the online dating thing will agree there aren't many reasons to spur you out of the house in anticipation. Dinner was my inspiration. I'd pay for my meal, order what I wanted, then rush back to the comfort of my house and dogs. (Win the grand prize! The 24th secret word in the 25-word sentence is: hopping)

I finally got up the nerve to invite a male I knew to my house. Timing is everything. It's hell to be caught with your pants down, or in my case, in my undies. A short excerpt follows:

* * * * * * * *

“Come over for dinner tomorrow.” I couldn't believe I actually said those words. No one had been in my house other than my best friend since my husband died.

“What are you cooking?”

Obviously he was not a close friend if he asked that question.

“Pizza delivery. Does that work for you?” Now I am sorry I've opened my mouth to take this step

But the plans were made and my friend was due shortly.

I looked at the floor with its fine layer of dog hairs and then at the clock. Plenty of time, I thought. I'll run the vacuum. Dog hairs are my social faux pas. It is especially fatal when the person is wearing black.

I had just pulled the vacuum into the living room when there was a loud knock on my front door.

The dogs started barking and I ran up to the door yelling over the howling hounds, “Yes, who is it?”

My guest had arrived early. Another indication this was not someone who knew me well. There I was standing in my knickers and bra.

“Wait a minute. I'll be ready in a jiff.”

Well, I thought pleasantly to myself, no need to vacuum now.

* * * * * * * *

The Unfaithful Widow is my story on my first year alone doing all those things I thought I'd never do again with the help of a vintage Corvette, the best girlfriends, a bevy of rescue dogs, bad dates leading to good things, and signs from the universe. For a true confession it has all the elements of a great chick lit story, shared over a cup of tea, or as I prefer, a frozen Margarita!

I'd love to meet all the authors here in person. Talk about a great girls night out! Join me and let's go see what's on their page 25!

Blog Hop List

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Critique From Writer's Digest Judge

The Unfaithful Widow was entered in the Writer's Digest 20th Annual Self-Published Book Awards this year. My book did not place, but it was critiqued by a Judge. Below are the judge's comments. Since this was my first attempt at writing, I am thrilled with my critique. Working hard on my next book of memoirs, so stay tuned!

I haven't posted on this site in some time, but if you look under my blog title photo, a new page has been added: view my other blogs. While I haven't been writing here - I have been writing all over the place! Cheaper than therapy and fun. I am my own best audience. Chances are if I have to talk, and no one answers their phone when I call, I sit down and clear my head by writing!

And now:

Judge's Comments:

Books were evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5. This scale is strictly to provide a point of reference, it is not a cumulative score and does not reflect ranking.

Structure and Organization: 5
Grammar: 5

Production Quality and Cover Design: 5

(Woo Hoo on my high fives!)

What did you like best about this book?
Unfailingly candid, and often heartfelt as well as humorous, the author recounts her diverse experiences and mixed feelings during her first year as a widow after many years of being with the same man. The various essays show an engaging personality who copes, with varying degrees of success, in the difficult process of reshaping her life. The book is divided on a seasonal basis. Friendships, new and old relationships, and the factor of habit and memory, all play a meaningful role. The rigors of dating are vividly described, often bringing a chuckle or two, especially with computer-borne images of prospective dates. The adventures and misadventures of a spunky sixty-year old widow display a rich assortment of encounters, acceptances and rejections, that compose a busy life. You're able to enter and share the writer's world which is a test of a good book. Her other interests, as an antique dealer and raising several dogs, also show other aspects of her persona. Her life could easily be an inspiration to other women who have lost a spouse after many years.

And because I love some good advice, I will share the information below. I am taking it all to heart when I design my new book. Thank you Judge No. 55 for your kind words.

How can the author improve this book?
The book could use a greater graphic dimension than just a few shots of the author's dogs and chapter opening photos. Shots might include a bigger one of her than on the rear cover, one of or with her husband, some with friends, and some with her dogs. Shots of the individual dogs identified in the text would certainly be a good idea. A shot of her antique store would also be useful, all contributing to key activities in her life story. There might be some illustrations, humorous and otherwise, and cartoons in the public domain which relate to widowhood, etc. These might be of the dating scene including restaurants, etc. A print-out of some dating material from computers might work well. While the chapters or essays are relatively short, some could use subheads which can pinpoint specific happenings and also enable readers to better absorb and appreciate what follows. The dating blues poem is a solid addition. More poems on the widowhood situation would be apropos. Taking stock of the present at the end was fine, and expectations about what the future might bring would also serve to round the out the book.

The Unfaithful Widow, available on Amazon and Kindle. You can peek inside on Amazon!

Check out my latest interview with Morgen Bailey in England on

Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog.