Welcome Anne Patrick & the Colts to the Football Blog Tour Stop!

STEPH: Anne, welcome to the blog. Who's your favorite football team? How long have you been a fan?

ANNE: The Indianapolis Colts has been my favorite NFL team since Peyton Manning started playing for them.

STEPH: Who's your favorite player "playing" right now? Why?

ANNE: Peyton Manning of course. I followed Manning's career when he was with Tennessee and knew he was going to be one of the greats. I even have an autographed rookie card that my little brother has been trying to get from me for years.

STEPH: Who's your favorite all time football player?


ANNE: That would be a tie between John Elway and Marcus Allen

STEPH: Who's the Colt's "evil" nemesis?

ANNE: I'm drawing a blank here. If we were talking college ball it would be Nebraska. I'm an OU (I'm a former Okie) and Kansas State fan.

STEPH: Ever been to a football game? What's it like?

ANNE: I've been to a few at Arrowhead Stadium, and the atmosphere is electric. My fondest memory is a game between the KC Chiefs and SF Forty-niners. I got to watch from the end zone as the legendary Jerry Rice made two touchdowns!

STEPH: Do you own a jersey?

ANNE: I have two. A John Elway and a Marcus Allen.

STEPH: What's your favorite food to eat during the game?

ANNE: Nachos.

Anne's Bio:
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award-winning and best-selling Fire and Ash, Lethal Dreams and Sabotage. Her heroines are usually strong willed, witty, and often very opinionated…combinations that usually land them in situations where death seems imminent. When she's not working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.

Here is the blurb from my latest release Journey to Redemption.

Detective Morgan Reynolds thought her nightmare was over when serial killer Gerald ‘The Slasher’ Tate was sent to prison for her husband’s murder. But she was wrong. The Slasher has escaped and he’s making it even more personal this time. Tate has kidnapped her son and is giving her 72 hours to find the answers he wants or Jared dies.
Buy links:

http://www.amazon.com/Journey-to-Redemption-ebook/dp/B005FCAHNI/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_12
http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/anne_patrick/Journey_to_Redemption.html

Reviews:

4.5 Books from LASR - Journey to Redemption is police drama that builds suspense while carrying a blossoming romance, all at a fast clip. The police work is believable and interesting. Morgan’s terror at her son’s disappearance and her efforts to rescue him are riveting. I found her steps to keep her relatives ignorant of the drama almost touching. She is definitely a lone desperado.... Journey to Redemption builds great suspense and has a creative twist to tie the loose-ends together. Ms. Patrick has developed a wonderful back story for this novel and it carries the plot along nicely. Her characters have the potential to carry another novel; her confident writing in this genre will make you want to pick up another one of her books. I plan to.

Book Wrenches rated it 4 ½ out of 5 – I was riveted by this physiological thriller from the moment I opened the book. I am hard-pressed to come up with a specific genre to put it in since it combines so many: from the mystery of a whodunit to the growing feelings between Morgan and Chase; there are so many other elements in between. The entire book kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what might happen. The story was fresh and memorable. Ms. Patrick is truly a talented storyteller. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good crime mystery.

Welcome Jeanne St. James & the Steelers to the Football Blog Tour Stop!

STEPH: Welcome to the football blog stop! Who's your favorite football team? How long have you been a fan?

JEANNE: I’m a huge Steelers fan! I became a fan back in 2001. Never watched football before that.

STEPH: Who's your favorite player "playing" right now? Why?

JEANNE: I’d say Hines Ward. I always love his smile. He’s a very versatile player and no matter how hard he’s hit it’s rare he doesn’t come up without a smile! I’m glad he won DWTS though I refuse to watch that show.

STEPH: Who's your favorite all time Steelers player?

JEANNE: Jerome “The Bus” Bettis. Awesome guy!


STEPH: Who's the Steeler's "evil" nemesis?

JEANNE: I’d have to say the Eagles. I know the Bengals and Browns are nemeses also being so close to Pittsburgh. But we HATE the Eagles. I won’t go into the reasons. ☺

STEPH: Ever been to a football game? What's it like?

JEANNE: Yes, I’ve been to quite a few games as well as Playoffs and a Championship game. All at Heinz Field. It’s usually COLD! I wear lots of layers. You can usually only see my eyes during the game since I’m so bundled up. Though the last game I was at it was warm and I was sweating. The fans are great and you really get caught up in the excitement of the crowd.

STEPH: Do you own a jersey?

JEANNE: I own 3 jerseys and want to get a couple more (a Bradshaw and a Lambert jersey). My French bulldogs also have jerseys!

STEPH: What's your favorite food to eat during the game?

JEANNE: I never eat at the games. I always eat before or after. I usually hit Primanti Bros. for one of their famous sandwiches!


What could be better than waking up next to a hot guy? Waking up sandwiched between two of them.

Quinn Preston, a financial analyst, is not happy when her friends dare her to pick up a handsome stranger at a wedding reception. What better reason to give up men when her previous long-term relationship had not only been lackluster in the bedroom but he had cheated.

Logan Reed, a successful business owner, can’t believe that he’s attracted to the woman in the ugly, Pepto-Bismol colored bridesmaid dress. And to boot, she’s more than tipsy. After turning down her invitation for a one-night stand, he finds her in the parking lot too impaired to drive. He rescues her and takes her home. His home.

The next morning Quinn’s conservative life turns on its ear when Logan introduces her to pleasures she never even considered before. And to make things more complicated, Logan already has a lover…

Tyson White, ex-pro football player, is completely in love with Logan. He has mixed emotions when Logan brings home Quinn. But the dares keep coming and things heat up with the three of them. Nevertheless Ty wonders: will adding Quinn to the mix end up enhancing or destroying Logan’s and his relationship?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, BDSM theme & content, male/male sexual practices, ménage (m/m/f).

BUY LINK: http://www.loose-id.com/Double-Dare.aspx

WEBSITE:
http://www.jeannestjames.com/

Excerpt:
Quinn Preston almost choked on her Alabama slammer when her friend elbowed her in the ribs. "Ooof."

She saved her drink before it could spill all over her ugly bridesmaid dress. Yeah, that would have been a shame: to ruin such a nice, frumpy, pukey pink taffeta dress. One the bride had said she would be able to wear in the future. Like to a cocktail party. Or maybe her own funeral. Yeah, right. No one in their right mind would want to get caught dead in this thing.

Ruining the dress wouldn't have been a loss, but losing her drink would have. She was drinking slammers for a reason -- to get good and drunk.

Lana nudged her again. "You see that?" She nodded her head toward the back of the room.

"What?" Quinn really didn't care what Lana was excited about. She just wanted to get this day over with. She was tired of watching the happy couple. She was tired of pasting on a plastic smile for the photographer. And she was really tired of listening to the sappy congratulations. All things she might never have -- the wedding, the husband, the bridal bliss. And something her parents never failed to remind her. Especially now that she was in her early thirties. And single. Again.

Welcome Jillian Chantel & The Saints to the Football Blog Tour Stop

STEPH: Who's your favorite football team? How long have you been a fan?

JILLIAN: I’m a fan of the New Orleans Saints- The Who Dat Nation. I live only two and a half hours away from the city of New Orleans and it is a place I’ve loved to visit since I was a teenager. I am really more into college football and professional soccer and hockey than American football, but I do love me some Saints Come Marching In. I’ve been following them since I was in my teens.

STEPH: Who's your favorite player "playing" right now? Why?

JILLIAN: Drew Brees is the quarterback. I think it’s awesome that he and his wife have set up a foundation called the Brees Dream Foundation. They have already raised over $7,000,000.00 to go back into the local community. I think that is spectacular and a great way for him to use his celebrity. I have great admiration for him,



STEPH: Who's your favorite all time Saints player?

JILLIAN: Archie Manning was the quarterback when I got interested in them, so I guess I’d have to pick him although there have been many more great players on the team. And they all look amazing in those pants they wear, right?

STEPH: Who's the Saint's "evil" nemesis?

JILLIAN: Probably Tampa Bay Bucs. That’s kind of amusing to me since they are from my state but I actually live closer to New Orleans and Atlanta so I’d pick them over Tampa to root for. I like what I call “local” teams.

STEPH: Ever been to a football game? What's it like?

JILLIAN: I’ve not been to a pro game. Almost went once but got sick. Had tickets and everything. I’ve been to many college ones and if they are televised, it seems like more time is spent on commercial breaks than playing. I imagine it’s the same with a pro team.

Steph's boys wearing their Saints Jerseys


STEPH: Do you own a jersey?

JILLIAN: Nope. Not for the Saints. I do have a couple of hockey sweaters (jersey, in hockey-speak). I’m not much of a t-shirt or casual shirt wearer.

STEPH: What's your favorite food to eat during the game?

JILLIA: A special recipe I make in the crock pot called super bowl dip which has hamburger, tabasco, Mexican Velveeta, cheddar, old English cheese, and Rotel tomatoes. Served with tostada chips, of course. It’s hearty enough to be supper.

Jillian Chantal is the nom de plume of a lawyer moonlighting as a writer of romantic fiction. Most often she can be found either at her keyboard banging out words, working on a legal issue or just surfing the web and calling it research. Her other guilty pleasure is her one-sided love affair with the actor Alan Rickman. She owns all his movies and would probably give away her cat for a chance to meet him. She’d keep her children, though. It would be a sacrifice, but she would be brave.

Her latest release is Redemption for the Devil available at Desert Breeze Publishing.



Blurb:December, 1920: Mary Margaret Kincade, known as Peg, a devout Catholic, is the only child of an Irish adventurer presumed dead in an Arctic expedition gone awry. When her odious cousin comes to take over the family business and presumes to force Peg into marriage, she decides to make a new life in America by working her way across the ocean on a cruise liner.

Liam Cormac, a Protestant member of the Irish Republican Army, fighting for freedom from English rule, signs on to the same ship with the intention of blowing it up in the middle of the ocean.

Liam and Peg encounter each other in the first class passenger lounge and the attraction is mutual. When Peg is taken hostage by Liam’s partner, Liam has to make a decision about where his loyalties lie- with his country and his mission or with an Irish Catholic lass.


You can find Jillian on the web here: www.jillianchantal.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JillianChantal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/jillian.chantal
SirenBookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/jillian-chantal
DesertBreeze: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok

Booktrailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izodnXeyzDI
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/redemption-for-devil-by-jillian-chantal.html

California Lighthouse Series - Lime Point, Marin County, CA

Lime Point, believe it or not, is under the Golden Gate Bridge. A rocky spur located on the northern side of the Golden Gate Bridge roughly extends 100 feet into the bay and is only 20 feet wide. Since San Francisco Bay is often engulfed in fog. An audible fog signal was built on Lime Point in 1883. The signal consisted of 2 12" steam whistles.

The steam whistles were an audible warning to passing ships. They were fueled by a 20,000 gallon water tank and approximately 150,000 tons of coal a year. Coal, in 1902, was not cheap. It cost $25.44 to operate the signal for 1 day. Oil cost $6.91 for a day so making the switch was a no brainer.

In November 1900, lens lanterns were added to the signal station officially making Lime Point a lighthouse. The lights hung on the wall only 19 feet above the water.

Two men were assigned to keep Lime Point running smoothly. A 3rd story was added for a 3rd Keeper.

In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was completed and built directly over Lime Point. Still, the fog was tricky despite the light and sound from the lighthouse. In June 1960, a freighter rammed into the station when it wandered off course. The station's repair bill? $7,500. The ship's? $60,000.



Just before Christmas 1959, the Coast Guardsmen manning the station were robbed. Hard to imagine since the signal house in on such a narrow path, but they got away. 18 months later the station was automated.

Now, the remains of the station are still there, abandoned and vandalized. The building mostly goes unnoticed by the tourists who can't help but admire the awe-inspiring bridge.

Welcome Nicole Zoltack and the Eagles to the Football Blog Tour

I absolutely love football. It’s by far my favorite sport. I started to watch football freshman year of college, in 2002. My team is the Philadelphia Eagles. That year, they went 12-4 despite injuries to their first and second string quaterbacks and made the playoffs, but their season ended in a loss in the NFC championship game.

After such an amazing season, how could I not be hooked? I’ve watched just about every Eagles game since that season and have been to a few games live. The Eagles train at Lehigh University during the offseason, which is about a five minute drive from my house. Can you say awesome?

There’s been a lot of hype about the Eagles this year. They signed a ton of big name free agents, including the shut down corner Nnamdi Asomugha. Despite all of their big signings, the Eagles still have a few weak spots, especially at the linebacker position. With this offseason being such a short one, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly the new Eagle players can become acclimated to the system in Philly.




One final point I want to talk about today, is my husband. He also loves football (although hockey is actually his favorite). Unfortunately, his team is not only not the Eagles, he likes the Dallas Cowboys, one of the Eagles’ main rivals. Throughout the years, we’ve constantly teased each other and trash talked the other team. We’ve even placed bets (and have both lost – on different occasions, we each had to wear jerseys of the other team, although I was smart enough to include having Todd’s picture taken while he was in Eagles green!). The ribbing is all in good fun. I just can’t wait for the offseason in which I’ll be able to boast that the Eagles are Super Bowl Champions. Who knows? Maybe this year could finally be their year?


"Woman of Honor" is Nicole's first book in the Kingdom of Arnhem Series.

BLURB: Aislinn of Bairdhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother's horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn's wish and she begins her long years of training.

Despite the mockery of the other pages, and the disdain of Prince Caelan who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her dreams and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. Through the years, Aislinn and Caelan grow from sparing classmates to good friends. They both know that someday Caelan will marry for the sake of the kingdom, but even that cannot keep them from falling in love.



The threat of war with the Speicans is a constant threat, and one that grows more frightening as she and Caelan train toward their eventual knighthood. Aislinn has committed herself to serving Arnhem, and has promised herself as King's Champion when Caelan claims the throne. She is willing to give up everything... her childhood, her life, even her heart for Arnhem. No matter the pain it brings.

4 Stars, Tara, Amazon Reader
Great book, well written, and about a strong female character.

5 Stars, Aubrie Dionne, Amazon Reader
I thoroughly recommend this book for everyone that enjoys fantasy, romance and adventure! I

4 Stars, Reader's Favorites Reviews
This book held my interest from beginning to end.

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Honor-Kingdom-Arnhem-ebook/dp/B0021L9YDK/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Publishers Buy Link:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-58/%3Ci%3EKingdom-of-Arnhem-Book/Detail.bok

Behind the Scenes - The Hungarian, Part 1

I'd thought I'd do a behind a scenes look of several of my books and stories for my Monday feature. Today takes a look at "The Hungarian," and I talk about how the story came to be. Enjoy! Smiles, Steph

*****

"The Hungarian," Book 1 in the Budapest Moon Series was inspired by my short story, "The Wolf's Kiss." Taking a dose of Victoria Holt, I infused her influence into the setting and the hero. "Matthias Duma" lives in a dark styled manor in Budapest overlooking the Danube. His young daughter, Emily, needs a governess so he sends to England for one. When Katherine Archibald arrives, Matthias can't help his attraction to her. Unfortunately, he has a secret – he's a werewolf. Dare he court the beautiful governess who makes him believe in love again? "The Wolf's Kiss" was an Honorable Mention Winner in the 2008 Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Contest. The narration was daring, switching between first person with Matthias and Katherine.

Why did I pick Budapest? In 1997, I visited the city on an USO tour and fell in love with it. The city captured an atmosphere of old world charm for me with its quaint buildings, majestic bridges, and haunting castles. Not only that, I'd like to think that Budapest is a place where you might believe that supernatural creatures like werewolves and witches exist.

My stories in the Budapest Moon series focus on the humanity of the man who is a wolf, and I enjoy exploring this aspect of characterization in the following books.

After receiving my honorable mention, I wrote a full-length novel in the first person from Katherine's perspective. Gail Delaney, editor-in-chief at Desert Breeze, expressed interest in it, but wanted it in the 3rd person. I rewrote the novel and "The Hungarian" (mind you, it has a different plot from "The Wolf's Kiss") found a home with Desert Breeze Publishing.




Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZwaF8hAdow

REVIEWS:
5 Stars, Diane Craver, author of "Whitney in Charge"
THE HUNGARIAN is an exciting story of love and hope.

5 Stars, Maggie Young, reader, Amazon Review
This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good love-story with a twist. You won't be disappointed.

5 Cups, Happily Ever After Reviews
This is an excellent book and I think fans of both the paranormal and historical romances will really, really enjoy it."

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Budapest-Moon-Book-One-ebook/dp/B003K15NG2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1314029131&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/budapest-moon-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1029789952?ean=9781936000654&itm=4&usri=stephanie%2bburkhart

All Romance Ebooks: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-budapestmoonbookonethehungarian-427260-139.html


Excerpt:
The door squeaked open and Katherine peeked over the top of her book. A tall, muscular man walked in wearing a white button-down shirt and holding his blazer. He paused, as if surprised to find her, and then walked toward the window, his stride easy. He moved with wolf-like prowess, his long legs taking cool, calculated steps as his unusual eyes surveyed her. Katherine bit the inside of her lip, returning his measured perusal with one of her own. His silence was unnerving, yet intriguing.

His eyes drew her to him -- malachite green with a gold ring around the iris. Dynamic. Expressive. Even now, as he looked at her, they softened and grew translucent. He stopped in front of the window and casually threw his blazer onto a nearby chair as if he owned the room.

"Hello," he said.
"Hello."
"You're staring."

"I am? I thought you were staring at me."
He chuckled. "Perhaps I was admiring you."

"Me?"
"Who else is here?"

Jonathon Rhys-Meyers inspiration for:
Matthias Duma


Katherine pursed her lips as her insides warmed from the deep silkiness of his voice. He smiled and walked to her chair, slowly gliding around it, tracing his finger over the leather headrest, skirting her curly hair.
"What's your name?" he asked.

"And who is inquiring?" She tried to sound cool and composed, but she had to fight the nervous temptation to play with her hands.

"Romeo, perhaps?"
"Then my name is Juliet."

A teasing smile graced his lips as he walked out from behind her chair and glanced at a bookshelf before turning to look at her again.

"Would you fall for Tristan?"
"Only if my name were Isolde."

He walked over to a wooden table near the window and ran his long finger over a clay mock-up of Excalibur lodged in a stone. "What do you think of Arthur? Do you think it suits me?"

"Only Guinevere would believe your name was Arthur."

He crossed his arms, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Would you believe my name was Matthias?"

"I might, if--"
"If what?"
"If I knew more about you."

Find me at:

Website:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Burkhart-Author/149938795021166

GIVEAWAY:

Leave a comment and I'll pick two lucky posters to receive a copies of my free reads: Under A Christmas Moon and Moonlight Sonata. Remember to leave a good contact email so I can email you if you win.

Welcome to the Football Blog Tour!!

It's football season and there are bunch of us writers who enjoy sitting down and watching a good game. Over the course of the next 6-8 weeks, I've invited several writers to pop in and gush about their favorite football team. I'm kicking off the season so to speak with my favorite team - The New England Patriots! Enjoy! Steph

I may live in Southern California now, but my favorite football team is the New England Patriots. I caught football fever in 1986 when the Patriots went to Superbowl XX and faced off against the Chicago Bears. I still have my "Berry the Bears" t-shirt! It doesn't matter how far away from home I am, New England will always be in my heart. Enjoy the "Q&A" and Patriots "fast" facts. There's a contest/giveaway at the end.

Q: Who's your favorite player "playing" now?

STEPH: Tom Brady, of course! He's got the heart of a winner and it shows.


Q: Who's your favorite all-time Patriot Player?

STEPH: Teddy Bruschi. He was great on defense and no one could deny he had the heart of a patriot. His steadfastness and loyality helped the team win 3 superbowls.

Q: Have you ever been to a football game?

STEPH: Sadly, no. I'm working on it.

Q: What's your favorite football food?

STEPH: Pizza & beer.

Q: What's your favorite "Patriot" memory?

STEPH: Watching the Patriot/Raider game in 2001 which was played in the snow at Foxborough. Both teams were playing with a lot of heart. I'll never forget watching Adam Vinteri make that field goal in the torrent of snow that just came heaping down on the field. The Patriots won the game and went on to win the superbowl.

PATRIOTS FAST FACTS:

The Patriots joined the NFL in 1970 when the AFL merged with the NFL.

Foxborough is 22 miles south of Boston.

Boston Globe artist Phil Bissell designed the original Patriots logo.

Pats owner James Orthwein (1992-1994) oversaw the change of the logo to the silver/blue Patriot "hat" logo.

TRIVIA:

Answer the following questions right and you'll be entered to win a PDF ARC copy of one of the following:
Victorian Scoundrel
Spring/Easter Anthology featuring my story "A Polish Heart"
The Wolf's Torment

1. What year did the Patriots hire Bill Belichick?
2. Who is the current owner of the Patriots?
3. In 1971, the "Boston" Patriots wanted to change their name to this, but the NFL rejected the name. What name did they reject?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stephanie Burkhart's latest release is a steampunk romance called "Victorian Scoundrel" with Desert Breeze Publishing. She also writes paranormal and contemporary romance. USC (University of Southern California) is her favorite College football team.

BLURB for: VICTORIAN SCOUNDREL, steampunk romance



It's 2011 and compressed natural gas has taken over form the coal producing steam machines of the Victorian Age. Alice Windsor, Princess of York, follows her mischief-making cousin, Prince Edmund of Wales back to the past and 1851 where Prince Albert is hosting Britain's Great Exhibition.

Alice soon discovers Edmund has struck up a friendship with their great-grandfather, Prince Albert, and his mischief making entails leaving a dinosaur-sized footprint in history. She also meets Grayson Kentfield, Earl Swinton, and the Prime Minister, Sir John Russell. The Prime Minster finds her odd, to say the least.

It's only when Alice falls for the handsome Earl Swinton does she realize the dangers of time travel. How can she give her heart to a man from the past while striving to stop Edmund from changing time with his forward thinking ideas?

BOOK TEASER ON YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IUYj2d7ZeY

AMAZON KINDLE BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Windsor-Diaries-Book-One-ebook/dp/B0058UG9Q6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310085532&sr=8-1

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewindsordiariesbookonevictorianscoundrel-571272-141.html

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK BOOK BUY LINK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-windsor-diaries-book-one-stephanie-burkhart/1104099940?ean=2940012813824&itm=1&usri=the%2bwindsor%2bdiaries

REVIEWS: 5 Stars, Readers Favorites, Molly E: I have never read a Steam Punk novel before, but because of her fantastic writing, her engaging plot line, and fun loving characters, it will NOT be the last. I highly recommend this with highest of 5 stars, and I can't wait until the second Windsor Diaries installment releases!

5 Stars, Tami Dee, Author of the Mists of Time Series: Stephanie Burkhart has a fresh, quick, quirky, inventive imagination and she gives the readers of Victorian Scoundrel a delightful mixture of all of the above!


Find me at:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com
TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Burkhart-Author/149938795021166

Some Thoughts on Borders

I love books. As a young girl in the 1970's, I loved going to the city library. They had a wonderful selection of books from dinosaurs to the Hardy Boys. In the 1980's as a teenager and young adult, I grew to love spending time in a bookstore. There's nothing like the feel and scent of a new book. So it's with a heavy heart I say goodbye to Borders.

Borders was the #3 bookseller for books in the US, but it was losing money long before it declared bankruptcy. In my opinion, Borders failed because it didn't keep up with the times. While I think publishing models are currently in flux (with ebook and self-publishing taking off as viable publishing options) clinging to a traditional publishing model now will make it hard for authors and those houses to survive. You've got to change with the times.

In the 1990's bookstores consolidated and added "ambience" to their appeal. They offered DVDs, CDs and in house coffee shops along with a spot to plug in your laptop.

In the 2000's, technology took off. Amazon became a successful online retailer by offering a wide variety of products. With the introduction of Amazon's Kindle, ebook readers made ebooks fun to read.

Borders didn't jump on the ebook bandwagon soon enough. According to stats, print sales are dropping and ebook sales continually show high returns; the most popular genres being romance and mainstream.

What I'll miss is the ambience of hanging out with my friends and I'll miss the scent of new books.

What will you miss about Borders?

Welcome Guest Author - Regina Andrews

Hi all, I usually don't do guest authors on Tuesday, but Regina Andrews asked me for a favor and who was I to refuse? *grin* Reinga is an inspirational author who lives in Rhode Island and one of the kindest authors I know. I've visited her blog many times and I've always enjoyed hanging with her for a day? Who wouldn't with a view of Newport, RI & the manisions? *wink* Regina has a new book out, "Angels of The Heart." She's here to share a blurb & and excerpt. Enjoy!
Smiles
Steph

*****


Blurb:
The life of a television journalist has been good to Maryanne Lynch and life in Sterling Lakes suits her well. That is, until she learns of developer Travis Collimore’s plans to destroy a local landmark, the Townsend Barn along with its rare angel weather vane, as part of the renovations of St. Luke’s Church. The reappearance of her former high school friend who moved away years earlier turns Maryanne’s life into a series of events which put her values, her character and her beliefs to the test. Will she be able to maintain her professional and ethical standards in the face of a ghost from the past…who looks to be clouding her future?




EXCERPT :

"That's a wrap, everyone, thank you. Another great show."

Reviewing the studio audience, WMAS television host Maryanne Lynch started to remove her earpiece as usual and roll the wire into a neat coil. This time though, the stone on her diamond engagement ring snagged the strands of her sleek black bob, tangling up the wire and interrupting her thoughts. She freed herself only to have the ring hitch again, this time catching the jacket pocket of her cappuccino business suit as she tried to slip her earpiece safely inside it.

Kirk Blackstone, her producer, approached her. "Maryanne, there's a bunch of girl scouts here. Doing some badge about media careers. Can you meet with them?"

"Sure, in the conference room. Just give me one minute, okay?"

She moved through the studio, scanning the crowd while remaining intent on her purpose. "I had to wear a pencil skirt today," she mumbled. One of the guests today had looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She hurried to catch up with him, while considering an even more pressing matter about the show's topic.

When she turned the final corner before the studio exit doors, she spotted him. With his tall frame and blond hair, he stood out in the crowded lobby area.

"Excuse me!"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for visiting the show today."

His brown eyes traveled up and down her frame. "No problem."

"Everyone is all worked up about the renovations to St. Luke's Church and the new face of Sterling Lakes. It's a hot topic."

"It's good the town folks are interested."

"They are more than interested, they are reborn. This is the new lease on life that Sterling Lakes has been praying for so very long. You can't imagine what it means to us."

"Heartwarming. Now, if you'll excuse me?"

Maryanne had done enough interviews to know his tone of voice probably meant he was not really interested. She took one step closer to him. "There's just another thing to clear up. If you develop St. Luke's the way you explained on my show, it means you'll have to raze the Townsend Barn."

"There is a structure--"

"Townsend Barn."

He nodded. "There is a structure, Townsend Barn, thank you, which currently stands right in the middle of the land that will house the rectory and youth center. To build the extension, the barn has to go."

"That can't happen."

"The architect has designed for it to happen that way."

"The people of Sterling Lakes love the barn. It has an angel weather vane. That's very rare, you know."

"I don't know what to tell you. The plans have been drawn up and approved."

Maryanne arched one eyebrow. "Really? We all know plans are made to be broken."

Link to book on DB site: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-189/Regina-Andrews-Angels-of/Detail.bok