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TO SEND OR NOT TO SEND

Thanksgiving has past and now the holiday season is upon us (we won’t discuss how the retailers think the holiday season starts after Halloween. That’s a different post for a different time). For the Cullen family that means putting up the tree, dragging out the decorations, and Christmas cards.

It saddens me that over the years the act of sending out Christmas cards has dwindled. I love reaching into my mailbox and finding a stack of cards, of reading the Christmas letters and looking at the pictures of everyone’s kids.

I guess in this age of social media and being so connected through Facebook and Twitter that people just don’t feel the need.

I’m not bashing Facebook or Twitter or any other social media site by any means. I’m addicted to all of them. But there are still some “old ways” that I cling to and one of those is sending out my annual Christmas cards.

Another one is my address book.

Yes, I still have an address book. The physical kind that has the three rings and the little laminated letters on the side so you can flip to the correct part of the alphabet.

Every year I dig that address book out (it seems I only need it at Christmas time) and I look through it. I’ve had the same book for about twenty years and that means there are lots of addresses crossed out and new addresses written beneath it. My grandmothers, both now deceased, are still in there as well as friends I haven’t seen in a long time.

It’s sort of a walk down memory lane for me to open that book. It makes me smile, reliving memories of the people written on those pages.

I hope that sending Christmas cards never truly goes away because I think it’s a wonderful way to reconnect to people that you normally don’t “see” on the internet or real life.

What about you? Do you still send out Christmas cards?

In Sharon Cullen’s sizzling novel of scandal and seduction, a headstrong beauty is pursued across Europe by London’s most notorious rake.

Having vowed never to wed again, widowed viscountess Claire Hartford is about to do the unthinkable: travel unaccompanied across the continent in search of a lover. Her adventure begins sooner than expected, when she meets a magnificent cloaked stranger on her ship’s gangplank. He is Lord Blythe, a man whispered about in London’s ballrooms and drawing rooms, a scandalous rogue hell-bent on seduction.

Nathan Ferguson curses the day he agreed to look out for his best friend’s wayward sister. The charismatic earl is traveling to Paris to uncover the truth behind his father’s death, but his desire for Claire threatens to be his undoing. From France to Italy, on a journey of passionate discovery and danger, Nathan is honor-bound to protect her—from himself most of all. What can he offer Claire? Only love, as he sets out to prove to the woman of his dreams that she belongs to him—body, heart, and soul. 

Advance praise for Loving the Earl

“Loving the Earl is charming and fast-paced. It’s filled with passion, intrigue, a resourceful heroine you’ll love, and a delicious hero you’ll fall in love with. An absolute delight!”—New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jacquie D’Alessandro

“Sharon Cullen is a natural-born storyteller. Her twists and turns will keep you turning the pages.”—Margo Maguire, bestselling author of The Highlander’s Desire

“With its bad-boy hero and spunky heroine, Sharon Cullen’s Loving the Earl is sure to please readers looking for more than the typical Regency come-out story. Intrigue and romance fuse seamlessly in this adventurous romp that takes the reader from Dover to Paris to Venice and finally to a sigh-worthy happily ever after.”—Shana Galen, author of True Spies

Sharon Cullen’s BIO:

Sharon Cullen is the author of the historical romance, THE NOTORIOUS LADY ANNE, LOVING THE EARL, and PLEASING THE PIRATE (available February 2014). She’s also published in romantic suspense, paranormal romance and contemporary romance.

Her other job descriptions include chauffer, laundress, cook and mediator to her three very busy kids, her husband and two dogs. She lives in southwest Ohio with her brood although her dream is to someday retire to St. Maarten and live on the beach.

If you’d like to find out more about Sharon and her books, you can visit her website. She’s addicted to social networking so you can find her on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion—books.

Links for LOVING THE EARL:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Random House

Got Ink?

Writing is my dream job, but my day job is actually about as stodgy as it gets.  The forced conformity has started to chafe like an ugly polyester uniform, over a girdle in a size too small, and toe-pinching heels.  All around me, I see tattoos decorating arms, legs, wrists, and backs.  The book covers in my favorite genres sport heroes with tattoo-painted muscles.  The real me wants purple hair, a piercing, and a couple of tattoos. 

My characters have the freedom that I am denied.  In Too Fast, Savannah has her nose pierced, and Luke has a tattoo.  They live in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, and a city close to my heart.  In Athens, the unique mix of music, culture, and higher education has fostered an environment that encourages individuality. 

Luke is no billionaire.  In fact, he’s got the responsibilities of a man twice his age and the means of a twenty-year-old.  Luke wouldn’t spend money on a tattoo without a good reason.  Since he didn’t have any friends who were tattoo artists (which by the way, each of us should have), Luke needed body art with real meaning.  His art signified his commitment to caring for his younger sister.  He works to shield her from the tumultuous home life caused by his mother’s mental illness.  Luke’s tattoo ends up playing a big role in the story.

I believe that the act of getting a tattoo always has meaning—sometimes a rite of passage, coming of age, or act of bravery.  I have seen body art honoring loved ones, memorializing special events, and featuring literary characters. 

Do you have a tattoo with special meaning? 
How do you express yourself through body art?

Too Fast by Alexia Haynes

Twenty-year-old Savannah enjoys a one-time one-night stand because a real relationship would never fit into her busy schedule.  Working two jobs and pursuing her degree takes all of her time.  Besides, the guys she has dated haven’t been much better than the random barfly.

It’s a good thing Luke’s body is honed by the long hours of carpentry and construction because he carries the weight of his family on his shoulders.  School hasn’t been an option for him since he dropped out to make the house payments his mother had failed to make. 

Luke finds what he’s been longing for in a night with Savannah.  She’s determined to stop with a one-night stand, but he wants more.  Neither can deny the perfection of their passionate interludes, but with such imperfect lives, do they have any chance for a future together?  Suddenly they’re falling in love but it’s all happening much too fast.

Staying organized!

Some people ask me how I can write under so many names, so many genres, run a family, cook meals, and keep a clean house (fairly clean!) and still find time to get lost in a good book.  Well, the answer to that is by staying organized!  How do I keep organized you wonder?  By keeping lists, and lists and more lists, and being careful to stick to them.  I have a notepad in front of me and every night I make a list of what I need to accomplish the next day, and not just work wise.  I have a family, and they need food and clean clothes once in awhile, so I put that in there too!  I also delegate duties. Hey I’m not superwoman, and when it comes to meals, the crock pot is my friend!  This might surprise you, but nine times out of ten, if you’re on the phone with me, I’m sweeping my floor!  I’m a serious multi-tasker!

And of course, I’m careful to schedule ‘me’ time in there, otherwise I would work day and night…yeah, I’m a bit of a workaholic for sure…but isn’t every writer?

The last few months have been very hectic for me, I received edits on three different books from three different publishers, and one book required a major overhaul, with a very, very short turnaround time.  During all this I was invited to participate in two boxed sets with some very special authors, that required major promotion time!  Then when another opportunity came up, and I had to write a brand new story during all this commotion, and I knew it was something I really wanted to be a part of, I scheduled it in.  I certainly feel that being organized has opened doors for me, and given me new opportunities. 

Well I’m sure glad I was able to schedule those writing days in, because UNRAVELED, the boxed set I was invited to participate in, and my story in it YOURS TO TAKE, just hit the USA today bestsellers list!  It’s currently on Sale for $.99, but this won’t last long so grab your copy today!   

Buy at Amazon

Be sure to also keep your eye out for SEDUCTION IN THE SUN, the third boxed set I was invited to participate in, and my brand new story HANDS ON, with the billionaire CEO…by Cat Kalen, a very sexy New Adult romance coming out December 3^rd!

Some months ago, my mother bemoaned the fact her traveling days were over. My father isn’t in the best of health and likes to stay close to home. He’s not very fond of boats (he gets seasick) or crowds. But my mother has always wanted to go on a cruise. So, I said I’d go with her. We chose a short cruise, one of those hops from Miami to Key West, then on to Cancun and back. Four days only. Long enough to see some things but not wear her out completely, and not so long dad would pine.

On Sunday, we’ll fly to Miami, stay the night, and on Monday, we’ll board the cruise ship. I have guests lined up to entertain you while I’m gone, and I have some pre-posted contests to celebrate the release of Texas Surrender, which happens on December 4th while I’m gone, so you still have plenty of reasons to stop in every day. 🙂

So answer me this: Have you ever been on a cruise? Is there somewhere you’re dying to sail?

Thanks so much to Delilah for hosting me today! I’m celebrating the release of an all new, completely original boxed set titled, Midnight Ink.

One tattoo shop, eight couples and more steamy action than I can count!

The Midnight Ink boxed set is a little different than what you’ve seen lately. You see, besides being completely new stories, each of the titles touches the others in one way or another. There are cameos, overlapping stories—it’s amazing we pulled this off!

We chose New Orleans as the backdrop for this book for many reasons, which I soon realized were an awful lot like the characteristics of a romance hero… So today I give you…

The top five reasons New Orleans is like a romance hero:

1) It will show you a good time.

I’ve only been to New Orleans once, but combine that with all the other personal stories I’ve heard about the city and I’m totally convinced you always have a good time there. Romance heroes like to woo their heroines, and not always between the sheets. I love a book where a hero goes out and does something with the heroine, a new experience, something one or the other loves—I’m sold! Show me a good time and you’ve got me.

2) It has manners.

Every romance hero I’ve read has at least some type of manners. He might not be the open the door and pull out her chair kind of man, but he won’t let her be disrespected. Touring up and down Bourbon street was a whole other experience, but everyone was always so very nice about bumping into you or going in or out of places. It really seems as if there’s an ingrained sense of the southern charm there. And I’m a sucker for a southern gentlemen with a little rough edge.

3) It has a rough side.

Yes, that rough edge. We love a rough-around-the –edges hero, don’t we? New Orleans is a beautiful place, but all the plumage and glitz can’t hide that under the fun times. Even before Hurricane Katrina, there was a darker, dangerous side to the city that’s appealing. Anything too perfect is unsettling, and New Orleans is rough enough to feel a little dangerous, but also just a bit familiar, too.

4) It knows how to feed you.

Have you had a beignet? I could wax poetic about the cuisine! You can’t just win over a man through his belly. Even a picky eater like me could fall in love with New Orleans on the food front alone.

5) It always makes a lady feel special.

Any hero has to make the heroine feel special, and New Orleans doesn’t fail to come through on that front either.

So come explore New Orleans in the pages of Midnight Ink!

When Burke Levine got marching orders, he couldn’t bear to make his girlfriend Chavon White a military widow. Years later, discovering his name tattooed on her perfect ass via a New Orleans’ artist’s portfolio confirms his epic mistake. Will Midnight Ink’s New Year’s Eve party grant them a second chance?

Sidney Bristol
Picture Her Bound, a Bayou Bound novella

She’s a police officer desperate enough to break the rules. He’s the bounty hunter standing between her and ruin. Picture Her Bound is —the first book in the brand new Bayou Bound series from Sidney Bristol—a story of right, wrong and binding pleasures.

Robin L. Rotham
Not So Over Eli

Paramedic Bart Rigger finally has the life he wants rather than the one his father dictated, thanks to hot new fiancée Rhonda Giannetti. But a whirlwind trip to New Orleans puts it all at risk when he’s forced to confront unresolved feelings for his first love, tattoo artist Elijah Bell.

PG Forte
Inked Memories

All Sophie wants is a tattoo to commemorate her battle with cancer. What she gets is celebrity tattoo artist Declan Ross, the same sexy bad-boy who used to rock her world. This time, they’ve both got scars and it’s still the ones you can’t see that are the hardest to cover.

RG Alexander
To The Bone, a Bone Daddy novella

Etta Santos has one resolution—to cover up the last visible evidence of her past. When Christie Ryder, sexy musician and new owner of Midnight Ink, pursues her, he seems too good to be true. His music touches her soul, but can she risk trusting another bad boy with her heart?

Eden Bradley
Dangerously Inked, a Dangerous Romance novella

When the tattoo artist Finn Carter lined up for his visit to New Orleans turns out to be the mysteriously alluring sub he played on New Year’s Eve at The Bastille, the city’s BDSM club, more than his skin will be marked forever—and Rosie is just the woman to bring this playboy to his knees.

Carrie Ann Ryan
Ink Inspired, a Montgomery Ink novella

In Carrie Ann Ryan’s Ink Inspired, the prequel to her upcoming Montgomery Ink series, Ice Princess Shea Little wants ink and a change. Shepard Montgomery not only wants to ink her, but get through that icy exterior.  Together, they’ll heat up the streets of New Orleans…and each other.

Mari Carr
Blank Canvas, a Big Easy novella

Disillusioned by divorce, Jennifer’s about to discover her wild side, starting with a tattoo from Caliph. And continuing with submission, spankings, wax play…all under the skilled hands of her wickedly sexy tattoo master.

Buy Midnight Ink: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo   

—

It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

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First, I have to brag. This was a momentous week for the Devlin house. From the USA Today Bestseller’s List:

Nuff, said, right? Whee!

Company left early this morning. We celebrated Thanksgiving early because this past weekend was the only time all the siblings’ schedules matched.  It was a lovely weekend. Lots of gossiping to catch up on. Tons of laughter. Now, it’s back to my writing cave.

This is the last week of NaNoWriMo and I have some catching up to do. I think I’ll make it. I just have to be in “writer-mode”—head down, fingers flying on the keys. I removed my solar nails so I can type faster. 🙂

Yes, November’s nearly gone, which means November’s prize will be awarded next weekend. Be sure to comment as often as you can this coming week to add more chances to win the Amazon gift card!

And to give you something to comment on, and for us to learn a little bit more about you, here’s a question…

In your opinion, what is the most beautiful foreign language to hear spoken?