Reader Interview: Judie

Today I'm thrilled to be interviewing my reader Judie Greenlaw from Canada!

Lexi: When did you get into reading romance novels?

Judie: When I was a teenager.

Lexi: Tell me about your pet.

Judie: I have 3,  a 2 yr old part American Bully named Oreo Cookie, a 5 yr old part Doberman, and a 10 yr old grumpy Orange tabby named Ben

Lexi: LOL if I were Ben I'd be grumpy too with two dogs around ;-) What are you good at?

Judie: baking. singing

Lexi: I bow to you! If you could name a character in a romance novel, what would you name him or her? Why?

Judie: Sebastian or Daniel because I like the sound of them

Lexi: What makes you happy?

Judie: Love, laughter

Lexi: Tell me about your significant other.

Judie: His name is Daniel, he has the most beautiful blue eyes, and he makes me laugh.

Lexi: He sounds wonderful! What’s your favorite dessert?

Judie: Chocolate cake

Lexi: What types of romances do you like to read?

Judie: Historical, (highlanders, Regency, Vikings) time travel, Shifters, Aliens

Lexi: What are you proud of?

Judie: My heritage, I am Metis, (Cree/Scot)

Lexi: That is awesome! What’s your average day look like?

Judie: Painful, I am disabled with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ostioarthritis, and Fibromyalgia (I use reading as a tool for pain management)

Lexi: I'm so sorry to hear that, but I'm so glad you can read to escape a bit. What’s your perfect day look like?

Judie: Pain-free, beautiful warm sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, light breeze blowing with absolutely no worries.  Sitting in the shade reading….

Lexi: Speaking of reading, how many hours a week do you spend reading romance?

Judie: About 4hrs a day or more

Lexi: Who made the biggest impact on your life?

Judie: My Dad

Lexi: If you could go on an all expense paid vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

Judie: To New Zealand to visit my brother, or to Scotland to visit my relatives.

Lexi: Those would both be fantastic! How many books do have in your “To Be Read” pile (means you’ve bought them but still need to read)?

Judie: About 1000

Lexi: Wow. If you could give someone what they wanted most, what and who would it be?

Judie: Their health

Lexi: How many romance authors are on your auto-buy list?

Judie: 15

Lexi: What kind of car do you drive? If you had your choice, would it be that one or a different one?

Judie: 2012 Ford Focus, no  I would have a brand new Camero

Lexi: How many children, grandchildren, great grandchildren all total do you have?

Judie: 9

Lexi: What do you do for fun (besides reading romance novels)?

Judie: Gardening, sing in the church choir

Lexi: What did you think you’d be when you grew up?

Judie: Teacher

Lexi: Me too! What’s your favorite holiday? Why?

Judie: Easter, Jesus died and rose again for my sin

Lexi: What mistake have you made that you learned the most from?

Judie: Take your time to get to know someone before you trust them

Lexi: What color eyes do you have?

Judie: Green/hazel

Lexi: Me too! How old do you think is perfect for a hero?

Judie: 32

Lexi: Do you collect anything? If so, what?

Judie: Besides books? Stuffed animals

Lexi: What educational background do you have?

Judie: Graduated Community College

Lexi: Do you dream at night? Do you remember your dreams?

Judie: Yes, and yes

Lexi: What are some of your favorite movies?

Judie: Wedding Date, Avatar, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days,  Sweet Home Alabama, The Proposal

Lexi:  Great ones! Okay, time for the Quickies!

Lexi: Dark-haired hero or light-haired?  Judie: dark

Lexi: Vanilla or chocolate? Judie: chocolate

Lexi: Spicy food or not spicy? Judie: Not spicy

Lexi: Hot weather or cold?  Judie: hot

Lexi: Chest hair or no chest hair?  Judie: Chest hair

Lexi: Coffee or tea?  Judie: coffee

Lexi: Beach or mountains?   Judie: beach

Lexi: Cats or dogs? Judie: dogs

Lexi: Hero with long hair or short?  Judie: Long

Lexi: Rent or own?   Judie: own

Lexi: Working or retired?  Judie: retired

Lexi: Blonde heroine or brunette?  Judie: brunette

Lexi: City or town?  Judie: town

Lexi: Cook or eat out?  Judie: Eat out

Lexi: Tattoos or no tattoos?  Judie: tattoos

Lexi: Pajamas or naked?   Judie: naked

Lexi:  Thank you Judie for being my guest. It was so fun to learn more about you :-)

February Update & A Little Shameless Promotion

         Hello, gentle readers! Is anyone else surprised by how fast February is flying by? Seems the older I get, the faster the years pass. I don’t remember this speed when I was younger….I do recall the school year seeming to last forever!

         So much has happened since I last posted. As you know, the Glendale Chocolate Affaire happened last weekend and it was wonderful. Such a pleasure to meet new readers (and returning ones as well) and spend time with the other authors. Even the weather smiled on us. And yes, I came up with an idea for another story (I know. I was just innocently sitting there and boom! There it was! A voice in my head telling me her story!).

         I’m trying something new on the writing front. In the past, whenever I came up with an idea (usually while I was in the middle of working on another story), I jotted a few notes then went back to the main project I was working on. Now though, I’m working on both simultaneously! It’s a little different, but I’m trying really hard to see if I can do it. I can certainly read two stories at once (or three or four), but writing two is a challenge!

         Big news! The job search is over and I have joined the ranks of the gainfully employed once again. This is excellent news. Yes, I enjoyed my time at home (maybe a little too much). It was a much needed break and I was able accomplish quite a bit. The only one not happy about this turn of events is my dog (and maybe the DH, but I’m not quite sure)!

         And last, but not least, a little shameless promotion. My novel, A Kiss in the Sunlight, is scheduled to release on Monday, February 26! I’m so excited. This story wraps up the MacDermott Brothers trilogy with humor and heart and I hope you all enjoy reading Teague and Ryleigh’s story!

 

Remember, spread a little kindness wherever you go! A smile can go a long way to brightening someone’s day!

Marie

Veronica Reviews: UNDEFEATED by Stuart Reardon and Jane Harvey-Berrick

“It was the connection of people who just fit, for no particular reason. They differed and yet they were alike—changed, altered by events from their past.”

Nick Renshaw’s dream has always been to play rugby for his country in the Premier League World Cup. But when an injury puts him on the sidelines, he starts to see his dream transform into a nightmare from which he cannot wake. Enter Dr. Anna Scott—a psychologist that specializes in sports, and how the stress and injuries affect the athletes both physically as well as mentally. Dr. Scott is dedicated to her job, and when she meets Nick Renshaw, she holds firm to not letting past mistakes come back to haunt her. But there is just something about this man… With each passing day, they know they cannot step over the bounds of Dr/Patient. But when you meet your soulmate, how far will you go to claim what is yours? 

Nick and Anna are both broken, but in different ways. This romance is filled with second chances at finding love…and always trying to achieve some version of a HEA.

Stuart Reardon has co-written a romance filled with heart! Highly Recommend!

Sharing what I love, Veronica

Veronica is an avid reader with a flair for writing honest reviews. She lives in West Virginia with her husband and son. 

ABANDONED by Mary Martinez with a $20 Gift Card giveaway!

Abandoned By Mary Martinez
Mary is giving away one $20 Amazon Gift Certificate and one $20 Gift Certificate of winners choice to B&N or Starbucks.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other stops on the tour. You may find those locations here.  

About the Book: 

Glenna Beckett loves her family dearly, but being the youngest of six can be overwhelming. Moving across country helped her learn who she was outside the family. She’s built a successful business in the form of a quaint shop on Main Street of Calistoga, that sells a bit of everything vintage, the new age term for antique. What more does she need? Then he walked into her shop. International playboy, Lance Gordon. After a whirlwind courtship he asks her to marry him. Burying a niggle of doubt in the pit of her tummy, she says yes. He’s even agreed to have the wedding in Brooklyn so her family can attend. But he never arrives. Glenna refused to believe she’d been abandoned at the altar and asks her brother, Tyler, to contact an agent friend on the West Coast to search for Lance. Patrick McGinnis can’t believe he’s walking into a prissy shop in the high end of the Napa Valley searching for a missing groom. The bride, Glenna Beckett, is everything he feared, drop dead gorgeous, and a spoiled brat. Not that he’d ever tell her brother that. He hates wild goose chases, and this mission is exactly that. Patrick’s certain the playboy fiancé is off wooing some other delectable creature. Unfortunately, once Patrick started to dig, he finds there’s more to the tale and it will take all his skills as an agent to keep Glenna safe. Especially when the case takes a turn and threatens the safety of his son, Finn.

The Beckett Series Free and/or On Sale Through 3/8/18:

Disappear (Book I The Beckett Series)

FREE - https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3zymvpmjib

Innocent (Book II The Beckett Series)

Only $.99 Amazon Buy Link

Quiet (Book III The Beckett Series)

Only $.99 Amazon Buy Link

Illusion – Utopia the Beginning (Book IV The Beckett Series)

Only $.99 Amazon Buy Link

Profit – Utopia the Conclusion (Book V The Beckett Series) Only $.99 Amazon Buy Link  

Abandoned  (Book V The Beckett Series) Amazon Buy Link

For more links:

Website: www.marymartinez.com

Excerpt:

Patrick McGinnis thumbed his phone off and dropped the thing on the table with a thud. What had he just agreed to? He held in a groan, barely.

“What’s up dad? You look like you just ate a sour grape.”

Finnegan, his sixteen-year old son, and the joy of his life, walked to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl. He filled it with cereal and added milk and then joined Patrick at the table. He dipped his spoon for a large scoop, and as he brought it to his mouth, Finn gave him the I’m waiting look.

“I just received a call from an old friend,” he said in way of explanation, he really didn’t like talking work with his son.

“It must not have been a good conversation.”

“It was good to catch up. He was with me at Quantico.” Best to focus on the old acquaintance part.

“Dad, I’m in high school. You can stop sheltering me now. He must have called for a reason. One you’re not too thrilled about. What’s up?” He repeated his earlier question.

Damn, Finn was growing up to fast. And the kid was right. He had a tendency to shield him from his work. Something he’d always tried to do, but more since Finn was three and the worst thing that could ever happened to a child had happened.

“Tyler is an agent in New York, however, he has a sister in Calistoga.”

His son let out a hoot of laughter. “Match-making from the east coast.”

“Ha, ha. No, his sister seems to have lost her fiancé and her assistant.”

“What they elope and left her behind? Why’d he call you?”

“The fiancé never arrived at the wedding. And then when his sister went to open her shop she found the assistant had been shot.”

“Oh.” Finn ate for a few minutes in silence. “Does the lost fiancé and the dead assistant have something to do with each other?”

“That’s one of the things Ty wants me to find out.”

Finn suspended his spoon half way to his mouth. “What is the other?”

“He wants me to find the missing fiancé for his sister.” He pulled his fingers through his hair. “It’s a wild goose chase if you ask me. If the guy had wanted to get married he’d have been at the wedding.”

“You’d think, unless he couldn’t.”

Patrick contemplated his son. He would make a good detective. He’d already helped solve a few of his cases, by just listening and making comments that brought other solutions to mind. Patrick wasn’t sure he wanted that for his son. He loved being a federal agent. For a while, after the incident with his son, he’d tried something else. However, his true passion was law enforcement and he’d been placed back on duty within the year.

You couldn’t help where your heart led you. No matter the consequences. 

“That is what I need to find out.” He stood and poured more coffee into his cup to warm up the cooling liquid. He leaned a hip on the counter while he sipped. “What’s going on at school today?”

Finn finished his cereal and stood to wash his bowl out. He appeared to be thinking as he put his dishes in the dishwasher.

“I have an algebra test. Just a fair warning, Dad, it’s kicking my ass.”

“Language son.” But he smiled, he’d heard a lot worse. “I have a few minutes do you need my help?”

His son gave him a skeptical look, which was well warranted. Algebra had thoroughly kicked his ass in high school, too, to the point he’d needed Saturday morning classes to pass the damn class.

After a moment he answered. “No, Mrs. Stewart said she’d meet me before school.”

“Old Mrs. Stewart is still there? I had her for Algebra.” He smiled and resisted the urge to ruffle his son’s hair. Since the boy was almost as tall as he was, it’d be a little awkward anyway. “You’re in good hands then. Do you want me to drop you on my way to Calistoga?”

 

Author Bio:

Mary lives in Magna, a little town west of Salt Lake City, Utah. Together with her husband, she has six grown children, and six wonderful grandsons and five beautiful granddaughters. She loves to spend time with family and friends--she includes good books as friends! Mary and her husband love to travel, especially to the Caribbean for relaxing, and Italy for the wine. And most recently she discovered she was Irish and Scottish, of course they had to visit Ireland and Scotland. Mary fell in love with both, but the green hills of Ireland felt like home. With the experience from the exotic places she has visited, she is able to fill her books with colorful descriptions of cities, painting a colorful backdrop for her characters. One of her favorite US destinations is New York/Brooklyn, where her beloved Beckett's live. When she visits, she can wander their neighborhoods, favorite parks, and visit their favorite pub, Putnum's. They are avid concert ‘Ho’s’! Yes, they pretty much want to do them all. They love outdoor amphitheaters the best and attend as many during the warmer months as possible. Mary writes mostly romantic suspense, romance, women's fiction, and she has just begun to dabble in young adult mystery. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). During her writing career she has been a conference coordinator, workshop presenter, and chapter president for the Utah Chapter of RWA. In 2007 she was presented with the Utah RWA service award in acknowledgment and appreciation for outstanding service. Mary has also participated in numerous library panels on writing and co-presented a workshop on writing a series at the League of Utah Writers conference. Mary and her husband are also enthusiastic college football fans. They have season tickets to the UTES, University of Utah Football and they tailgate every game. They love tailgating so much, that they were married at a tailgating in 1999. GO UTES! Website and social media links: Buy Link Amazon:

www.amazon.com/Mary-Martinez/e/B006MWJ1T6

Website: www.marymartinez.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryMartinez

Twitter: twitter.com/marylmartinez

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mlmartinez3/

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/1646623.Mary_Martinez

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCTww3B2ofa11UPFrSe0WGAg

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/marylmartinez3

Mary’s Garden Blog: marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com

The After Work Cook: theafterworkcook.blogspot.com 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MASQUE only 99¢ until Feb. 23 on iBooks and Kobo!

iBooks Bestselling Romances Special – MASQUE only 99¢ (usually $3.99) until Feb 23rd. iBooks

 

Secret sale on Kobo too! 

Kobo

Rena Mills plans to turn an abandoned abbey into a haunted bed-and-breakfast to prove she can be successful without her ex-fiancé. What she finds inside is Synn MacAllistair, the distinguished, self-proclaimed Ghost Keeper. Her dreams soon fill with sexual cravings for him. But are they dreams?

Synn, born in 1828, is determined to free the souls of the resident spirits, blaming himself for bringing the Red Death that killed them. When Rena steps into the old Pleasure Palace, he’s sure he can take her through the after-midnight Pleasure Rooms and stoke her passion to complete the Masque so the souls can cross over. Her innocent fire makes him crave more, but it’s far too late for him.

As Rena begins her erotic journey, her heart becomes more involved with every sensual caress until she discovers by completing the Masque she would lose her ghosts. Synn’s betrayal wars with her compassion for her ghostly friends. Torn, she must make a choice between her financial security and freeing seventy-three trapped souls. Either way, she could lose her Synn.

iBooks  Kobo

I hope you enjoy!

Always, Lexi

www.lexipostbooks.com