The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

 It doesn't matter who you are, reading is a sanctuary and everyone has a need and purpose to read.  

In the Kentucky Appalachians, Cussy Mary Carter is the Book Woman.  She travels by donkey with books, magazines, pamphlets, and any other reading material the local library can scrounge up and send to the hill people.  

Cussy Mary lives with her dear father.  Working in the coal mines, her father is fearful of an early death while he attempts to get a mate for Cussy.  Mating season in the hills is noted by placing a burning candle in the window.  A lit candle means an available bride.  

With little faith in the candle, she knows her unique blue skin places her status on the lowest rung of humanity.  Cussy's job as Book Woman gives her all the freedom she can hope for.  She teaches the mountain people to read and surprises them with materials of interest, when available, to keep them excited about knowledge.

On Cussy's route, Jackson Lovett settled himself in a cabin after traveling the country.  He appears to have an eye for Cussy, which she refuses to acknowledge.  No man of such wondrous standing would want anything to do with a blue woman.  

The local doctor repeatedly requests testing on Cussy's color.  Maybe there's hope to change from blue to white.  Or is the color of a person a vanity issue while the person remains the same?  Another problem for Cussy to encounter.

Jackson is held back from approaching Cussy, but he does show interest in simple ways when she approaches his home with her reading materials.  A bouquet of wildflowers confuses her.  Yet, does she sense his interest? 

Tragedy's are exchanged for hope.  Hope in life, reading, and love.  With each show of anger, jealousy, and prejudice, a page turns with strengthened friendship and love.  

Richardson's story is an intelligent, hopeful, and heartwarming tale.   It's easy to get involved with Cussy's life and wish her the best.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Books and the Holidays

 This is all about a happy holiday season and the things you give (up) and what gets done (or not)!

I'll start with what I've given and hope it makes a difference.  I've given a donation to my favorite charity, which helps domestic animals that are found to not have a happy life.  My hope is their lives are made better.  All animals should be spoiled.  

I also planted eight trees, maple, redwood, birch, and others, to help clarify the air.  Not to mention more shade and beauty all around.  

I compliment people for no reason at all.  Everyone should feel good about themselves, which can spread like a smile.

Moving on, I've given up trying to get a whole novel read this month.  Too many things keeping me busy.  By the time I want to sit down and soak in a great story, my heavy eyelids win out.

I always have a list of "Things to Do".  Now, this list can get out of hand.  I love to cross off what gets done, hoping to leave time to read or write.  Unfortunately, there's a pen laying around ready to keep adding necessary ideas.  The list never ends, and my lonely book or e-reader sits on the table glaring at me.  I think I made that up!

Overall, I've gotten a lot done and given my time resourcefully.  Yet, I won't give up on reading and writing or eventually getting another story read or written!

Keep your holiday season happy and peaceful!

Dawn 

XXX Thanksgiving

I’m going to tell you a short story today about thankfulness, imagination, and the not-so-common cold.

It all started a week ago when I was attacked by the local bug making a home up my nose, down my throat, and burrowing in my chest.  I haven’t had a cold for nine years.  I thought I was immune. 

I tried all the drugs the pharmacy assured me would work.  My uninvited visitors are still creeping around in their slimy glory.

As a writer, it’s best to think out of the box to keep a story lively, interesting, and unusually twisted.  I guess it’s time to make up my own medicine.  I’ve done stranger things.  Along with a recipe for an obnoxious cold, a story came to life. 

The XXX part is that I’m going to tell you where the story came from along with a dose of sexuality because it fits nearly every time when a romance author writes.  It’s rare to know the thoughts of an author as the story unfolds and how she/he came up with the ideas.

Words of the author are in parenthesis…

***Sabrina (name evolved from an adopted Rottweiler.  The former owner suspected that Sabrina was possessed, so she dumped the toddler dog at the Humane Society.  She became mineJ) researched herbs.  It wasn’t her normal passion, but herbs are healthy.  Herbs smell good.  Herbs are in the news.

Sabrina’s cold, flue, or dirty rotten germs (I really had a cold and checked the herbal remedies) persisted longer than two days.  This was ludicrous and she acted rationally.

She came up with a list: Oregano, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lungwort, and don’t forget the peppermint (I really used all except peppermint and lungwort.  They weren’t handy at the time).  The list could’ve included an entire garden, but Sabrina focused on the top ten before the idea became a burden.  (I have superb intentions all the time.  I don’t always follow through with those that are a chore and don’t have to have attention).

A basket buried at the back of her clothes closet supplied folded cheesecloth (I used paper towel).  Sabrina felt she was on the right track.  Witches used cheesecloth (or is that my imagination?) and wrapped all kinds of potions and remedies that her targets feared.  She was not afraid.

Recipe: A heavy dollop of each herb mentioned (true) on the cheesecloth dampened with hot water.  Tuck the remedy to your chest.  Hint:  It’s helpful to use your bra to keep it in place.

Sabrina breathed deeply, feeling the essence of her created drug seep into her lungs and clear the path for a deep breath.

The snow glowed under the sun and streamed through the four patio doors.  The fire crackled.  The couch invited.  Sabrina noticed a portion of the cushions left for her between two dogs already lounging (true story).

Enter the XXX scene…

Sabrina snuggled on the couch, head cushioned by Satchel’s shoulder and her legs wrapped around Minnie (Actually quite comfortable).  Her eyes drooped closed with The Twelve Men of Christmas carrying on in the background.

The coffee (I really drank a Bloody Mary- virgin style) steamed and the heavily scented (probably from the poultice of herbs nestled in her bra) cup of mushroom barley soup was set in front of her.  Sabrina sat alone at a worn wooden table in the Grasshopper café (great place in Wisconsin). 

She entertained herself with the antics of other patrons.  Two joyous twenty-somethings sat at the bar and batted their eyes and cracked their lips whenever the dark haired bartender visited their spot.

Two tables away a group of four apparently thought everyone else enjoyed their conversation (truly loud enough). 

In walked a serious face, stubble starting in the early day, khaki pants and a windbreaker.  He sat by himself, kept to himself, and waited.

Sabrina kept her head dipped toward her soup as the next man entered and joined Windbreaker.  He, the new man, was heavenly (Yes, he walked right past me).

Six feet of steel.  Dress pants, mock turtleneck, tightly trimmed light brown hair, and the serious look that must be the protocol to join their group.

Six Feet motioned to the bartender and flashed a badge. (I didn’t see the badge, but I heard his statement).  “Federal DEA agent.  We need a private room.”  Oh, how I, I mean Sabrina nearly jumped out of her clothes onto him. 

A real Federal agent in her little town of thirty thousand people!  He was evocative, strong, and powerful just like the characters in romance novels.  They’re truly out there!

To save all the preliminary actions as this is a short story, Sabrina peeled off her clothes and the DEA Agent took her all over the evacuated restaurant as his muscles pulsed and throbbed for her visionary delight and physical enjoyment.

It was a happy dream.  Sabrina blamed it on her herbal poultice. 

Warning:  Poultice not approved by the FDA, but rather concocted by myself.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and appreciate everyone and –thingJ

Dawn 

A Romance Author's Vacation...Part III

As is tradition here on HEAT, an author speaks on Sundays with a giveaway!  Leave me a comment or a curious question and you’ll be in the running for an e-book of Inked (From the CIA 1)!

On with the journey of the United Kingdom!

After we traversed the lowlands and skirted the highlands of Scotland, a ferry scooted us across the North Channel between the Irish Sea and North Atlantic Ocean.  Sounds cold and frigid talking about deep waters and when I leaned over the edge of the ferry – had to do it – the churning waters below were mesmerizing.  I might have to kill someone in the waters in the next book!

Our next stop was Belfast, Northern Ireland.  Expecting to see destructed areas from the war with the IRA during the Troubles, instead we crossed a maintained and recreated city. 

We stopped at the Titanic Museum.  Really?  A museum built to honor the failure of what was supposed to be THE unsinkable ship of the times.  Okay, the story behind the museum is when the love story “The Titanic” was filmed and made oodles of money, Belfast, where the ship was built, wanted in on the cash. 

Let’s get back to the brilliant green pastures where we encountered a horse ranch, a very special ranch, The Irish National Stud.   This ranch is home of highly bred racing horses that have run the Kentucky Derby, English Derby, and other well-known races.  Owners pay some hefty fees to mate their mares with the handsome, sleek, and fast studs.

The ranch uses “Tommy the Teaser,” a tempting stud, to assure the mares are ready to mate with the paid for stud.  Prices range from 6,000 euros to a million euros for mating.  A euro is approximately $1.48 (when I was there) and constantly is in flux.

Attached to the ranch is a Japanese garden.  The garden is full of orchids, maples, streams, sculptures, and words of wisdom.  One of my Aussie friends decided to grab a piece of a statue, right between the legs…maybe she needs to read a romance

Time for a sip of Irish Scotch and a few hours of sleep before we continue.

Create an adventure and do something different!

Dawn 

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown

 

When an eighteen-year-old messed-up murder case is depicted as a fiction novel, of course the nerves of those involved are rattled.  The family, the police and the investigators, and the suspects all have a bone to pick with Bellamy Lyston, the little rich-bitch author and sister of the dead.

Bellamy uses a pen name, but is soon uncovered.  She leaves New York and returns to her hometown, Austin, mainly to make amends with Dent Carter, a former suspect.

He’s not happy to see her, even if his Levi’s rise when she wants him to help her find out who really killed her sister, Susan.  

The mysterious element common in Brown’s novels is that the criminal is hard to find among all the players. 

With only circumstantial evidence, the paperwork neatly disposed of, the family, the attorney, the detectives, and the local low-life all had a chance, motive, and desire to put Susan underground.  Anyone who might be able to ferret out the real murderer will be on the criminal’s hit list.

In other words, Bellamy, Dent, and anyone else in the way have a dagger pointed at their vitals. 

Constant tension will leave you shocked at the outcome of the investigation and whether Bellamy and Dent can secure a future together.  It makes me tingle at how it’s all wrapped up.

 

Happy reading,

Dawn

Reading Time

     Oh my gosh! I actually have some free time (carefully carved out of my busy schedule) so, of course, my thoughts go toward….reading a book. I downloaded a bunch of Tessa Dare’s work onto my Kindle (thanks to a gift card for Amazon) and I can’t wait to dig in.

            So when an opportunity like this presents itself, how do you get ready? Do you sit in a favorite chair? The couch? Lay in bed? Do you have a nice tall glass of iced tea? Or wine? Coffee? What about something to snack on? Because you know you’re going to be sitting there for quite some time. Cookies? Cake? A big bowl of chips? Chocolate?

            For me, it’s the corner of the couch. I rest my Kindle on the arm. There’s a cup of freshly brewed coffee next to me and a bowl of grapes (I’d rather have some Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano cookies, but when in reading mode, I can demolish a whole bag and that’s not good for my waistline). Okay, now I’m ready.

              And here comes the dog with that look in her eye and her stuffed animal in her mouth. She wants to play simply because I’m sitting down for a change. *sigh* Looks like this carefully arranged reading time will have to wait.

As always, happy reading!

Marie

What Are You Reading?

When I’m out and about, I sometimes will spot someone (a complete stranger) reading a book and I cannot, for the life of me, resist asking “What are you reading?”

           

Now sometimes, I’ll get a look and the stranger will close the book and walk away (rather swiftly, I might add), but in most cases, the opposite is true. The reader will generally close the book (with his or her finger marking their place) and show me the cover and there begins a discussion on favorite authors and genres. Right there. In the middle of the sidewalk or standing in line at Starbucks or the grocery (yes, I do spend a lot of time at the grocery store or so it seems) or waiting for an elevator. Me and a complete stranger although anyone who loves to read, especially authors I enjoy, is never really a stranger…just someone I haven’t met yet.

           

I love when this happens. I always feel like I’ve made a new friend, one who appreciates the writings of others and the pleasures found deep within the pages of a novel as much as I do. And it’s the perfect opportunity to let this reader know about other authors she/he might like and I never hesitate to name several (I’ve even told them about myself. I know! Can you believe that?) I’ve found new authors because of this as well.

           

So next time you’re out and about and some woman approaches you with a big smile and asks “What are you reading?”, it might be me. Don’t close your book and walk away. Stay for a minute. We’ll chat and share our love of reading.

As always, happy reading!

Marie

One Book At A Time?

When you read a book, are you one of those readers who starts it, reads all the way through, finishes it and basks in a story well-written before you plunge into another story?

           

Oh, I so envy you! I am NOT one of those readers. And I’m not sure why. Have I taken multi-tasking a step too far? Maybe.

           

I am currently reading four novels….no! Wait! That’s five novels. Well, four novels and a resource book but it still counts. This is the breakdown. I have one in my bedroom on my night stand (yes, right beside one of my TBR piles). I have one I keep at work and it will stay there until I finish it (because I do try to take at least thirty minutes for lunch now instead of working straight through which I used to do). I have one in my purse because one never knows when one will be stuck waiting somewhere and I’d rather read than twiddle my thumbs (I also carry a small notebook and pen because one never knows when inspiration will strike). The research book is on my desk in the computer room and lastly (I’m almost embarrassed to admit this), but I have a book in my powder room.

           

Oh, I forgot my Kindle, which I read while walking on the treadmill (a habit I picked up from HEAT’s lovely webmistress). So that makes six! Six books I am currently reading and you know what’s funny, I can pick up any one at any time, read a sentence and be back in the story just like that. It’s a little scary.

            So what about you? One book, two books, three books, four? 

As always, happy reading!
Marie

A Favorite Place to Read

I read an article recently about an author’s favorite place to write. She describes the joys and pleasures of sitting in her screened in porch and writing in the fresh air after the coldness of winter. Pictures accompanied the article and I had to agree, her screened in porch was quite lovely (and so much different than where I write, which is a small spare room I share with my three dogs). The article got me to thinking…..if you have a favorite place to write, would you also have a favorite place to read?

My favorite place to read? Well, I don’t really have one. No nicely set up corner in the house with a comfy chair and plenty of natural light. No special place where no one bothers me (believe me, the world outside the story ceases to exist when I’m eyeballs-deep in a book). 

I’ll read anywhere – curled up at the corner of my couch, sitting in my husband’s recliner (which he’s not completely happy about), even standing at the kitchen counter with open book in hand while I’m stirring something on the stove. I’ve read standing in line at the grocery, in my car (no, not while driving), in restaurants, on planes, even sitting in a lawn chair with a fishing line stuck in the water. (Yes, I admit, I have fished or rather, I have thrown my line in the water then stuck my nose in a book and completely ignored the fish nibbling at the bait on the hook). 

Where do you read? A special place? Or like me, anywhere the fancy strikes you?

Happy Reading!

Marie

Need Recommendations for New Romance Reader

I recently met a young woman who had read a Jade Lee, Harlequin Blaze romance. It was the first romance she’d ever read. She probably picked it up at one of the hotels or bars here on the island. Many have a spot where tourists can take a used book to read. Anyway, this young woman said she liked Jade’s book and wanted me to recommend other romances that she might like because, as she put it, “I don’t really know what my taste is.”

So, I need help. This young lady is a Science Professor at the University. My guess is she is late twenties. She is married and living in the Virgin Islands. She also has a grant to conduct scientific research. And she has just discovered romance novels. The book she read was The Tao of Sex which involved a Sex Goddess and a Dragon. As a Blaze it was hot. She didn’t seem to mind the heat, but said she loved the plot.

My question to you is, can you recommend any recently released (within the last year) romances that you think she might like? I’d love some suggestions as I offered to go with her to Undercover Books (the bookstore here) and help her choose some romances. So all recommendations are not only welcome, but definitely needed :-) Thank you for your help!



Alexis

Riveting Romance

“Alexis.” “Alexis.” “ Alexis!”

“Huh? Oh, what?”

This is how the start of a conversation usually goes between me and my husband if I’m reading a romance novel. For some reason when I delve into a great romance, I don’t hear anything. Many people may not find this surprising, but for me, anything that requires concentration requires silence, pure, uninterrupted silence. Whether I’m writing, preparing class, or going over my budget, I need complete quiet, no music, no lawn mowers, no people talking in the background.

But when reading a romance novel, all bets are off. I can read in the airport, the doctor’s office, standing in line waiting to buy tickets to the ballet. I can even read in front of the television. I start off by reading during commercials and before I know it, I’ve missed the last half of the movie!

Does anyone else experience this complete shut out of the real world while reading a romance? Or is my experience just a little out of the norm? Please, do chime in on this. I’d love to hear if you find romance novels as riveting as I do.

Alexis

A Place to Read

Having just moved, I find myself in a quandary as to where will be the most comfortable place to read. Of course, not everything is unpacked nor all the furniture in its place; however, that doesn’t preclude me from wishing to get comfortable with the next book from my “to be read” shelf.

I could always go outside and lay in the sun, but I have found over the years this is not a good idea. In addition to the obvious risks, I discovered I’m one of those people who can sit still for long periods of time. Yes, I’m a portrait artist’s dream. The only problem with this ability to remain motionless is it usually results in a very serious sunburn. It is one thing to get a burn while being active. It is a completely different experience to do so while remaining perfectly still!

So, where will my comfort area for curling up with a good book be? I don’t know, but I’m open for suggestions. Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a comfy chair or is a lounge chair by the pool more your style? Let me know :-)

Alexis

Don't Bother Me . . . Please

This cat knows how to relax. For him it means nothing more than an afternoon nap on his back, but for some of us two legged creatures, relaxing can be difficult, especially when under the stress of deadlines, jobs, family responsibilities, etc. Unfortunately, I’m not one who can meditate or enjoy a good massage; however, I can enjoy a good romance novel.

What I do to relax is take a day to read. I sit down with a great romance novel and read all day. I do nothing but read. Forget about the laundry, Monday’s lesson plan, or the bills that need to be reviewed and just relax with a good story. When I allow myself this indulgence (not often), I usually have the book finished by dinner. I always take a day to read whenever I have to work an event on the weekend or help a friend move. I take the only day of my true weekend and read. It’s as if I’ve been away from work a week. I feel completely refreshed by Monday. Of course, I’ve traveled back in time, gone to Scotland, and fell in love, so of course I feel as if I’ve been away from work for a long time.

We don’t often treat ourselves to a guilty pleasure, but it seems there are a lot more expensive and time consuming addictions than reading romance novels. Are there tasks you push aside when you want to read? I’d love to know I’m not alone in shirking my daily chores once in awhile for a good read. Do you ever take day and tell your loved ones not to bother you so you can read? Do tell.

Alexis

When She Doesn’t Like It

If you are anything like me, you have your favorite authors. You read every book they publish. And when a friend asks me for a new author to try, I first find out what she likes and doesn’t like. Then, of course, I suggest some of my favorite authors based on her tastes. I’ve done this for years and my friends have always liked the authors I’ve suggested.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered that one of my friends wasn’t thrilled by my recent recommendation. She read a couple of the romances and liked them, but the author failed to impress. I was stunned. I’d never had this happen before. I had suggested authors to this friend before and she’d loved them. So what happened? Have I lost my touch, my critical ability, by sense of what she likes?

Have you ever had this happen? What do you think went wrong? I’m still trying to figure it out :-}

Alexis