Book Review:

When I was about to start reading "Passion & Propriety," the author warned me that there were graphic physical scenes of the love category and that they did not fade to black. Because I generally enjoy clean romance, she did not want me to be surprised. I decided to go ahead and give the book a try because I'd heard a lot about the author and wanted to see what she had going for her.

The book is a historical romance, complete with vicars and viscounts. In fact, if the book were to be renamed, I would suggest "Vicars & Viscounts" for the name! Ha. I don't usually like books of the historical nature, but this one didn't dive too deep into the historical aspects other than the setting and the way people acted. It was also somewhat of a beauty and the beast type of story as the vicar's daughter undertook care of a scarred man and nursed him back to health when no one else thought it was possible. I wont' say much more about the plot so I don't ruin anything for anyone.

Yes, there were physical love scenes and they were rather graphic. If you do not like scenes like that you'll either need to skip over a few things in the book or skip the book completely. But one thing that I liked about the scenes in this instance was that the couple doing the deed was married before anything of the nature happened. While I personally don't feel like reading the details of such things, I am glad that they were at least married. So many romance books have strangers going at it and it just ends up making light of the whole situation. These scenes weren't as dirty just because the couple was married.

But back to the overall book plot and so on...the book was very well written and it flowed nicely the whole way through. Even though it was a genre I don't usually read, I found myself looking for time to get back into it so I could see how things were going to turn out for the characters. I enjoyed it and only blushed a few times. :)

Author Interview:

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I'm a mother of three and grandmother of one, and I will have been married for 31 years the day before Passion and Propriety's release day. I worked for many years as a counsellor and family therapist, but I'm currently taking a break and am writing full time.


Was writing something you always wanted to do or did it come later?

Definitely later! I've always loved reading, especially romance stories of all genres, finding it a terrific escape from the stresses of my work. About four years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of fan fiction. I made friends with some terrific authors who encouraged me when I plucked up the courage to write my own stories. To my surprise, my second story, A Forbidden Love, gained quite a following, and I was contacted by The Writer's Coffee Shop about becoming a published author. 

How do you come up with your ideas?

I started out wanting to answer the 'what if' questions that inspires many of us to have a go at writing fan fiction. Then after reading an odd little book giving the most appalling advise to young brides during the Victorian era, I was inspired to write my Forbidden Love series. A historical romance set in 1831, it is a rollicking fairytale story, with a ridiculously satisfying and happily ever after ending, that also tackles some tough issues to do with the exploitation of girls, the lower classes, and the almost non-existent rights of women during this time. My latest book, Passion and Propriety, was inspired, in part, by watching Disney's Beauty and the Beast with my gorgeous granddaughter. After multiple viewings, I found myself asking, how do we define beauty, what makes someone beastly, and how on earth would you tackle a 'realistic' story involving a curse?

 Is there a better time of the day for you to write?

Mornings are my best time when my mind is fresh, though my 'muse' sometimes prefers the middle of the night when I'm supposed to be sleeping.

How long does it take you to get through the first draft?

Too long! I wish I was one of those authors that could churn out thousands of words a day, but I'm a pretty slow writer. On average it takes me around four to six months to write a full length story.

What was the hardest part of the publishing process?

The initial editing process was very challenging! I was (and still am) keen to learn, but there were just so many things I had to learn, and going over the manuscript again and again was exhausting.

Any advice for new authors?

Make friends with other indie authors! Their support and advise will be invaluable.

Tell us about the other novels you have out.

I have had two books published by The Writer's Coffee Shop, Innocence and Protection. They are books one and two of my Forbidden Love series. Here's the summary for Innocence -

“Forced to flee her father's brutal heir, Anneliese Barlow masquerades as Lisa Brown, a servant, in the grand country mansion of the Duke of Worthington. Discovering the life of gentility she had known was a virtual fairytale, reality a dark and forbidding place, she faces danger at every turn. 
Captivated by the beautiful maid, the duke's heir, Nathaniel, the Marquis of Marsden, decides the only way to keep Lisa safe is by offering her his protection. With all hopes of returning to her previous station lost, she surrenders her virtue to the man she has come to love. Finding unexpected passion in Nathaniel's arms, her senses are awakened to a world of sensuality she'd not known existed . . . a world not without grave risks. If her identity is uncovered, Lisa's innocence won't be the only thing that's lost.”

Now tell us about this one!

Passion and Propriety is the first book in my new Hearts of Honour series. The heroine of the story, Hannah Foster, is the eldest of the widowed Vicar of Hartley's three daughters. Having spent years nursing her ailing mother and caring for her younger sisters, she is resigned to spinsterhood. Our hero, William Blackthorn, a military officer and wealthy Viscount, returns to Hartley after a ten year absence, seriously wounded and not expected to live. Passion and Propriety is something of a fairytale with a hidden 'beauty', an honourable 'beast', and a curse that threatens their happiness.

Any works in progress?

Yes! I'm a little over halfway through writing the second book in the Hearts of Honour series. It is called Duty and Desire and tells the story of Grace Daniels, the illegitimate daughter of a lord who has carved a career as a midwife and herbalist, and Jonathan Loring, a retired officer and younger son of a baron who is forced to work for a living as an estate manager. We meet both these characters in Passion and Propriety, and I'm very excited about their story.

What are your writing goals that you have not yet reached?

More books! I've got another three or four books I'd like to write for the Hearts of Honour series, but I also have a 'shifter' story involving a not-so-alpha wolf keeping me awake at nights, and a series of Nephilim stories involving descendants of angels I'm dying to tell.

We'd love to hear a few quirky facts about you that don't usually come up in interviews.

I was determined to learn to ride when I was a girl despite having serious balance issues caused by multiple ear infections. I fell off over 25 times on my first week long riding camp which made me very unpopular with my team mates, as we lost 5 points for every fall!

Last year, my wonderful husband and I took a four month caravanning holiday around Australia. It was the most amazing experience, with the Kimberley and Far North Queensland my favourite places. We travelled 20 000 kms, and I drove for exactly one hour! (Yeah...towing a caravan turned out harder than I expected.) It turned out for the best, as I rewrote and edited Protection along the way while hubby drove. :)

Anything else you want to add...

LOL! I think that's enough for now! I hope you enjoy my stories. :)

I love my "job" as a writer. I call it a "job" because it still doesn't feel like work to me. It's something I love so much it's hard to call it a job, you know! But with this career, there are ebbs and flows. It seems there are always a thousand things to do, or nothing to do. when I say nothing, I mean nothing I absolutely HAVE to do, but there are ALWAYS things I CAN do.

Case in point, I left home late last week with a clean slate. I was caught up. I had things I could do, but nothing that couldn't wait. I'd warned my clients that I would be away for a few days so I didn't expect too much to trickle in.

A few days later, I had two manuscripts to edit complete with deadlines and a full queue of articles from my England client!!

First, I received "Accept this Dandelion." It's on its first round of edits and my editor sent it to me and said she'd like it back in a month. Do-able! Can't wait to dig in! I was out of town, however, and decided to wait till I got back.

Second, I received "Wrong Place, Right Time," which I thought was done! I am supposed to go through a few small edits and approve or decline. Then I am to read the WHOLE thing again and make sure EVERYTHING is right. I am also to enlist the help of a friend to read through it with fresh eyes. Due by August 15th.

Third, my England client. Before I left home I updated my profile with them to tell them I would be away for a few days. They still sent an article order through due on the very day they sent it. Luckily, I was at a place I could use my laptop when it came through so I got those done easily enough.

Add those to the trickling little things that have come about and my head is full full full! I'm anxious to get started on all of it, but I know one thing at a time is best so I don't confuse myself. I think all of the writing people in my life get together and gang up. Surely they plan it so that they all send me stuff at once, right? Anyone else experience this? Is it ever steady? Or is it always dead or hectic??

P.S. I apologize for the lack of pictures etc. I'm on my laptop while away and not really sure how to make it do the things my computer does. :)

I love talking with other authors and learning about their processes.  It's amazing how much I learn about the craft I love so much by meeting and talking with others who have the same dreams and aspirations.  Technically, we should be competitors, but instead, I find a community of people who just want to help one another.  It was a delight to get to know Rebekah and I hope you enjoy hearing more about her as much as I did!  Here's my interview with Rebekah Lyn.  You can also find all of her links and details below her interview so get in touch with her!  She'd love to hear from you!


Tell us a little about your background.

I’m a native Floridian, but I absolutely adore the time I get to spend in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I have a degree in Communications from Jacksonville University and am indebted to my mentor there, Professor Dennis Stouse for having faith in me and giving me the courage to follow my dreams. I’ve held a variety of roles with a Fortune 500 company in Orlando for almost twenty years and have used many of my experiences from this work in my novels.

Was writing something you always wanted to do or did it come later?

I’ve always wanted to write. I was ten years old when I wrote my first complete story and I have numerous journals and incomplete stories from my high school years. I didn’t get serious about writing until around 2007, though.  

How do you come up with your ideas?

Many of my ideas come to me when I’m driving home from work or as soon as I turn the light off for bed. I’ve gotten good at finding the voice record option on my phone or iPad to capture the ideas before they disappear.

Is there a time of day that is better for you to write?

Not really. I work 5:30 am to 4:00 pm most days with an hour commute each way, so during the week, if I can find the energy to write, it would be in the evening. I do a large portion of my writing work on vacations when I will start around 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning and go until I run out of words.

How long does it take you to get through a first draft?

This varies depending on the book. Julianne took ten years, eight of those I wasn’t working on it at all. Winter’s End I completed the first draft in two months. 

Any advice for new authors?

I love talking with people who are interested in writing or who have just finished their first book and want to know what to do next. I encourage them to find a stellar editor, build a social support system, and be prepared for whatever may come, good or bad.

Tell us about any novels you have out.

I have four books out in two different series. The Seasons of Faith series has Summer Storms and Winter’s End, which follow the lives of five young professionals in Orlando, FL. They have some romance and suspense alongside a message of hope and forgiveness.

The Coastal Chronicles are more stand alone books each set in coastal locations, reflecting the sense of community found in these small towns. Julianne is set in a fictional town on the North Carolina coast and tells the story of a young woman trying to find her place in the world and fill a hole in her heart she didn’t even know was there until she meets an intriguing new friend.

My new release, Jessie, is also in the Coastal Chronicles, and tells the story of a family displaced from their home on Merritt Island, Florida when the government started acquiring land for what is now the Kennedy Space Center. We follow Jessie’s emotional journey from a young boy enthralled with the rocket launches taking place just a few miles from his home to a young man overcoming many obstacles to pursue his dream.

And what are you working on now?

I’ve been so wrapped up in finalizing Jessie and preparing a market strategy for it that I haven’t gotten too involved in my next book yet, but I have started dabbling on the next book in the Seasons of Faith series. I may participate in National Novel Writing Month again this year to get this book written.

Do you have a writing goal you have yet to reach?

I don’t know if you’d call it a writing goal, but I would really love to do a book signing in Barnes & Noble. For all the news reports of the demise of brick and mortar stores, I will always love B&N. I fell in love the first time I walked through their doors and saw the neatly organized rows of elegant bookcases. If all goes well, by the time this is published I may have accomplished this goal with a book signing for my new release.

We'd love to hear a few quirky facts about you they don't usually come up in interviews.

I am mildly obsessed with my garden, particularly my lemon tree. I visit the back window several times a day just to look out and admire it. I enjoy watching birds visit my feeder, but I don’t want them getting close to me. I had a bad experience in an aviary years ago that has made me skittish when birds get too close. I have a particular path I follow when shopping at Target and get anxious if we stray off that path.

Anything else you want to add?

I love to connect with readers and ask for opinions on my Facebook page. Please feel free to stop and ask questions or participate in the conversations. Facebook.com/authorRebekahLyn. I also blog about my garden and cooking, when it’s not too hot to cook, on RebekahLynsKitchen.wordpress.com and I have gathered a collection of authors that also write inspirational fiction on my website, RebekahLynBooks.com.

Rebekah's Links:

Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/authorRebekahLyn

Twitter @RebekahLyn1

Blog http://rebekahlynskitchen.wordpress.com

Website http://rebekahlynbooks.com

Google+ https://plus.google.com/112199548267515667048/posts

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/itsrebekahlyn/

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/AuthorRebekahLyn/videos

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5444665.Rebekah_Lyn

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Rebekah-Lyn/e/B00635OY94/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebekah-Lyn/e/B00635OY94/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

 

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rebekah-lyn/id585949022?mt=11&uo=4

Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Rebekah-Lyn?store=allproducts&keyword=Rebekah+Lyn

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RebekahLyn

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=Rebekah+lyn

As some of you may know, I was a freelance writer before I became an author. I write articles, web content, blog posts and any number of other things. This is how I make money. Though I hope that as more of my books are released I can concentrate more on fiction and perhaps earn an income that way. I don't know if I will ever want to completely give up freelance writing, however. It's fun and allows me to write a number of different things and learn about topics I would otherwise never bother to learn about!

It's true of many careers, but there are ebbs and flows. Sometimes there's tons of work from tons of clients and other times things are slower. Right now I have two very steady clients that keep me busy for most of the time I have available to write. On the days when I don't have things from them that they need directly, I go to a few of the freelance writing websites on which I am an author and I can take jobs from their boards.

Monday, for whatever reason, I did a search on freelance writing and found a website that had a list of 20 different sites where writers can make money writing articles and other items. The site can be found here. Enough people have asked me how I got into freelance writing and where I find my work that I like to share what I can about the options out there.

I didn't have a ton of time to go through each of the websites mentioned on the above post, but I did look at a few. In fact, I applied at number 17, Writtent because it sounded interesting to me. I got an email a few hours later asking if they could interview my by phone. I did that interview the next day and now I have a sample blog to write for them. If I pass that test, I will be allowed access to their clients in order to write for them. I think...that's what it sounded like, at least!

These sites seem to be getting pickier about who they will hire. When I first started I created accounts and started writing and that was that! One some of the other sites listed on the site above, you have to take English, grammar and other tests in order to be allowed to write for them. It makes sense. They have clients to please and they want writers who can meet their needs.

So I plan on going through the rest of those websites someday. It'll be a great resource for when work is slow other places and I need something to fill the short amount of time I have. If that ever happens! I know when my daughters get old enough and they are BOTH in school I'll have a lot more time to mess with things like that. In the meantime, I wanted to get the resource out there for any other freelance writers or those who aspire to make money with writing!

P.S. For other details on freelance writing websites and tips, visit the "Freelance Writing" portion of my website. I list all of the sites I work for or have worked for and a few others where I have found jobs.

Guest Post by Lorenz Font

Topic:
Balance of writing and a fulltime career and family

As I’ve said in one of my blog interviews, I see writing as a full-time job on top of my day job as an Account Specialist. To be quite frank, it’s hard to excel at both. It’s a constant juggling act on my part to meet deadlines on both ends. I recently got a lucky break when I started a new job to work only three days a week. This gave me more time to write and deal with the other things that I’ve had a hard time juggling.

Balance, I’ve found, is a relative term. One must try different methods to find out what works best for them. In my case, I try not to think of what I have to write while I’m at work. I write notes during my break or I play scenes inside my head. Wearing several hats can get confusing at times. I have to mentally check myself to make sure I’m not drifting into dreamland while working with numbers.

Home life is quite easy, in part because my hubby rallied the kids and even the dogs to make it easy for me. The kids responded by taking some of my chores, with hubby bearing the brunt of cooking and running errands. The dogs, however, are another story. They think that just because I’m sitting on the sofa for countless hours, they can tear their toys to shreds, rip papers and magazines on the coffee table to give me something else to do.

I’m thankful for everyone stepping up to the plate to help me get more writing time. There’s a saying that you reap what you sow; I believe it now more than ever. I’d given my family all my time and attention, and they’re giving that back to me now.

This is a perfect example of having a cake and taking a big bite. Finding the perfect balance will come with time. For now, the troops and I are making it work, one day at a time.

I enjoy doing book reviews for fellow authors because it's fun to see what others are up to and it helps spark my own imagination as well.  I like comparing the different ways I write with how others write and so on.

When I saw that fellow Prism Book Group author Gay Lewis had a new book out and wanted reviews on it, I jumped at the chance.  I had just finished what I was reading and was ready for something new.  What I got was "Sarah and the Internet Dating Service."  And boy was it something new!

I had never read anything like this novella before.  It was a light-hearted, adorable, short little read.  When I saw the cover I assumed it would be about two people falling in love through the internet somehow.  What I got was an angel orchestrating the whole thing.  However, the angel did so very poorly and that's where the laughs come in.

The writing was top of the line, the story line was adorable and the humor was there.  This novella will keep your attention and keep you guessing, but it is also a fast read so you won't be spending much time on it.

If you need something to help put a smile on your face, this book should do the trick.  Enjoy it!  I know I did!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a humble, in the background sort of person. So realize that this post is tongue in cheek. I do not now not may I ever feel like I "Made it" as an author. Though I appreciate the successes I have had with more gratitude than you'll ever know! With that being said, onward with the post...this is how to know you've made it as an author.

Way#1: Writers Start Asking You for Advice!

You know you've made it as an author, at least in the eyes of SOME people, when other writers start asking you for advice. I've actually had several writers approach me, mostly through email or on facebook or linked in. One gal asked for advice on getting children's books published. I didn't know at the time because I had never written one. Ironic enough a few months later I wrote one and a few months after that had a contract to publish it. But you know you're "making it" as an author when people see what you are doing, want to get there as well, and start asking you how you did it.

Way#2: People Give You Ideas

I remember reading somewhere a quote, I think from James Patterson or some other huge author like that that he does not accept ideas from people. The ideas he puts into his book are his and his alone and he has plenty of them. You know you are making it as an author when people try to give you ideas for your books. I feel like my head is full of ideas, but if someone has a better one and wants to GIVE it to me, I am honored to listen! The fact that someone thinks I'm a good enough writer to write an idea they have is a blessing to me. I cannot guarantee I will ever get to such ideas, but I am more than happy to listen to them! I have had an online friend give me a story idea and it's a good one!

Way#3: Royalties

I have yet to put out what I consider a REAL book. I have three romantic comedy novels and one children's book under contract that I feel WILL be truly published books. But suffice it to say, if you are earning royalties, you are making it as an author. However small they may be. I was astonished when I realized Amazon was making DEPOSITS to my account instead of taking money from me for stuff I buy like they usually do! It took me a while to figure out that "Someone Always Loved You" was actually catching on and I was starting to see small residuals. It is what drove me to start promoting the book!

Way#4: You love it
The best way to make it as an author is to truly love it. If you love writing and you get to do it as a career or even a hobby, you've made it! Enough said!

I was introduced to DiVoran through a woman whom with I had emailed about her own work.  She suggested I contact DiVoran and look into an interview with her.  I enjoyed getting to know more about her and her work as well and hope you do too!  Here is my interview with DiVoran Lites as well as information about her work.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

I was born in Nevada. My dad was a meat cutter for Safeway, Mother worked in a laundry. She admired her work mate who was a Blackfoot Native American because when she and mother were both pregnant the other woman went home from work, had her baby and came back to the laundry, all in the same day. My mother and dad were both storytellers, and I feel that is as rich a heritage as anyone could ask for.

Now tell us how you got into writing.

My first memories of writing are of when I was seven years old and Mother bought a new typewriter. She let me try it out, so I sat a booth in the restaurant we owned and starting writing the story of my life. When Dad found out what I was doing he said, “It will sure be a short story.”

Was getting published hard?

Yes, it was hard. I’d rather write ten books than try to sell one. I received encouragement at writer’s conferences, several editors took my first book back to the company, but no one bought it. I gave up for a couple of decades, but then one day I met a friend at the store and we decided to get together and write novels. It was delightful. We both from there to publish on line and in print with Amazon. It was one of the best decisions either of us ever made.


Where do you get your ideas?

I get ideas from my own life and experiences. For instance, we loved camping at a campground like Sacred Spring when our children were young. It was about to be condemned and the property sold because of the antique plumbing. These freshwater Florida springs are irreplaceable treasures and I couldn’t bear the thought of a subdivision there. It would most likely kill the spring, so I made up my own story to solve the problem. I believe if you write it, it will happen. The campground was purchased by the state (long before the book came out) and made into a beautiful park.



How long does it take you to write a novel?
It’s hard to say, but if I stick to it, it probably takes about a year. I don’t write full time, because I believe in having a life as well.

What do you enjoy doing outside of writing?
I like being with our family, especially my husband of fifty-six years. I enjoy taking care of our two cats, Jasmine, and Lily, walking in nature, growing herbs, and reading several kinds of books. I like to paint—all mediums, except for oils, never really got into that. I like being with my friends and teaching ages 5-12 in our small church. I like taking naps, and writing emails. There’s one more thing, I love watching the British historical movies and series on PBS and Netflix.

Do you find certain times of the day or certain things inspire you to write?

My biggest inspirations come out of the things that occur in my daily life—such as our granddaughter’s recent commencement from college. I start every day with journaling and Bible reading and I get a lot of inspiration from that. I walk two miles a day, and as Brenda Ueland says, little bombshells of ideas explode in my brain during that time. My life is like a flow of writing and doing other things. I have a good routine that works for me. I write blogs for Rebekah Lyn Books and Old Things R New, as well as my novels. That keeps me sharp and I love doing it. I like the favorable comments too.

What advice would you give to a new writer wishing to make it in the publishing world?

Go indie, it’s so easy and fulfilling that I wouldn’t want to be published any other way and I mean that. Go indie and you’re the boss. Go standard and someone will always be on your back about marketing, you won’t get much royalty, and the books will belong to the company, not to you. Very few people of either persuasion sell a huge number of books. Why not own your own. It means, too, that you can write what you want to write within reasonable parameters.

We'd love to hear a few quirky facts about you...things that don't normally come up in an interview!


I sometimes do ridiculous, impulsive things to get a laugh. The most recent time I embarrassed myself was when the family was sitting at a big table out of doors at a nice restaurant celebrating our granddaughter’s commencement from college. It was raining and cold. My son’s suit jacket fell in a puddle behind his chair. Suddenly and I was seized by the funny aspects of eating under the portico getting soaked and cold and laughing and talking as if we were in a fine dining room. Suddenly, because my ears were cold, I picked up my large white napkin and tied it under my chin like a head-scarf. My family did laugh and that was what I was going for. My husband says it was cute and quirky. Yea!


Anything else you want to add!

Life gets better and better. I thank God many times a day for His goodness to all of us.

 The Florida Springs Trilogy

By DiVoran Lites

Sacred Spring, The Florida Springs Trilogy Book 1

 

Elaine Donovan’s forebears have owned the Sacred Spring campground in Central Florida for generations, and Elaine has become an environmentalist because of her love of nature and of the property. Duty weighs heavily on the twenty-three year old Elaine as she now finds herself responsible not only for the decrepit campground, but for her young brother, and aging grandfather as well. When she meets developer, Hank Schaefer, she senses he may have answers for her, but discovers that his scheming female partner, Reva North, has other plans for the property. Elaine is then compelled to find her own inspiration, that will preserve and fulfill her hopes and dreams.

Living Spring, The Florida Springs Trilogy Book 2

 

Jean Schaefer has suffered from overwhelming anxiety for the past four years, due to the death of her parents and an entanglement with her child’s father, which ended in a shocking rejection. She contracts for an original settler’s house in the woods near Living Spring hoping to use the renovation process as therapy. She must now learn to live in new ways and to allow people into her life again. As the history of the old house, along with elements of her own past begin to surface, Jean finds herself fighting inner battles she thought she had buried forever.

Clear Spring, The Living Spring Trilogy Book 3

 

Mel Nicolaides, one of five children, has lived a happy, sheltered life with her family at Living Spring in Florida. Now, while the others head for a vacation in Europe, Mel elects to stay at a remote North Florida spring to work. Her job is to illustrate a botanical book. The author whose Seminole name is Walking Woman teaches Mel about Seminole Indian medicine and culinary herbs. She also helps her to become more independent which is, after all, Mel’s primary goal for the summer. The revelation of a skeleton in the family closet, however, forces Mel to find sources of strength that she never knew existed.

Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/DiVoran-Lites/e/B00A4DKQYI art:

http://www.creativeartworks.cc/a_118.html blog:

http://oldthingsrnew.wordpress.com website:

http://www.rebekahlynbooks.com

One thing I've been learning a lot about in the past month or so is online Facebook parties. They are a lot of fun and this month, I have been invited to a lot of them and am participating in several as well!

All you need to do in order to participate is visit the page where the party is happening and click on "Join" or "Going." You will then receive updates as part of your newsfeed while the party is happening.

If you are available on the date/time of the party, you can sit and watch it happen and participate in the chat live. If you are not available at all time, you can pop in and out. You can even look through some of the feeds later if you are not there at all.

The parties are fascinating and a lot of fun. Whether you're a reader, a writer, an author, or someone in between, you might consider participating in a party or two when you have the chance.

I'm going to attempt to gather the party information for those that I am a part of this month below so you can join whichever ones you would like to join! I invite you to any and all of them. They are a lot of fun and the more the merrier!

July 7th: I took over the page "Two Ordinary Girls and Their Books" from 8-10pm Central time. This event is over, but it was so much fun while it lasted!

July 14th: I will be participating in the Sweet Clean Romance Author Event and hosting the event from 7-9pm central time on Monday July 14th.

July 16th: I hope to have a slot on the Prism Book Bash party between 5 and 8pm central time, they are my publisher for two upcoming romantic comedies.

July 23rd: Ropin Romance Party 1-2pm central.

July 24th: Lorenz Font Book Release Party. I don't have a link for this  yet, but if I remember correctly, I have an afternoon slot. I asked for a time when my daughters were napping so I could attend and host undisturbed. :)

So this is your formal invitation to any and all events. Sorry I don't have embossed paper or enough stamps to go around. Hope to "see" you there either way! :) It's a fun way to get to know people I don't know and enjoy talking with people I do know!

If my girls aren't asleep for every party, this is how I will be attending...

Title:     Curves in the Road

Series: The Southern Devotion Series Book #2

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Author Name: Amy K McClung

Synopsis:

When you build a road from one place to another, it won't always be a straight line.  Sometimes you have to add curves to move around the obstacles.  Life is like that as well.  Sometimes we have a straight path of what we want in life and we do everything we can to follow that path until suddenly a mountain appears and we have to veer off course to get around it. Even though we face those curves, it doesn't mean we won't end up on the same path we started.  Then again, sometimes we discover roads that we never knew existed and that will get us to where we want to be. 

Derrick Collins lives in Nashville TN with his six year old daughter, Katelyn.  Derrick found love once before in a girl named Mary Jane, until she moved away to Florida to fulfill her dreams of becoming an engineer.  Derrick's life hasn't been the same since Mary Jane left two years ago.  His days are spent working long hours in order to give his daughter a good life.  His social life is non-existent these days and he's decided it's time for a change.  Derrick sets out to find his happily ever after once and for all.

Mary Jane Evans' life took a different path than she ever dreamed.  She moved to Florida for an intern program at Disney.  She left her life in Nashville that included childhood friends, family, and the first man she ever loved, Derrick Collins.  Now it's time to decide if she will move back to that life or stay in the new one she has created for herself.  Will Derrick still be waiting for her?  What if she's been gone too long and he no longer cares?

Can these two find their paths back to each other or were there too many Curves in the Road?

FB Pages: 

www.facebook.com/AmyKMcclung

www.facebook.com/CascadesofMoonlight

Goodreads Author Page:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6421342.Amy_McClung

Amazon Link to Book #1

For the Love of Gracie (The Southern Devotion Series, Book #1 NA Contemporary)

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Gracie-Southern-Devotion-Series-ebook/dp/B00ELJQKTG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384392312&sr=8-1&keywords=amy+mcclung