Friday Fun Facts: Time for a Vacation

Hello readers! Hubby and I are off on a road trip to sunnier climes, so I'll be away from blogging for the next week or so. Have a FANTASTIC New Year -- can't wait to see what 2015 will bring! 

Writers' Wednesday: Merry Christmas Eve!

To all my friends, family and readers who celebrate Christmas, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you are able to enjoy today and tomorrow, to spend time with those who are important to you and enjoy the small, magical moments that we often overlook in our busy lives.

And if you'd like to read an original (and somewhat corny) adaptation of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," hop on over to our Passionate Kisses Facebook page! 

Monday Mentionables: A Yoga Memoir Worth Reading

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to mention a short, quick read, a yoga memoir that I had the pleasure of editing for my sister. Isn't this cover fantastic? It's a picture of her practicing yoga in Argentina:

“Yoga Makes You YOU” is a quick light read about a woman who had everything she wanted and nothing that she needed. What she thought was a perfect marriage, great job and beautiful home soon turned into an empty soul that took her on a journey across the country to find her true inner strength. Along the way, she found yoga, which helped her to refocus, gain strength and find love again.

It's always interesting to read/work on a book very different from one's own, and a nonfiction memoir certainly qualifies. If you're in the market for some inspirational reading, check it out!

Friday Fun Facts: Some 2014 Romance Stats

Happy Friday, everyone!
Whether you're a reader or a writer, you might find these statistics, published in the recent Romance Writers' Report, kind of interesting. I know I did! (Consider these, authors, when you're thinking about target market)

• Women make up 84 percent percent of romance book buyers, and men make up 16 percent.
• The U.S. romance book buyer is most likely to be aged between 30 and 54 years.
• Romance book buyers are highly represented in the South.
• Romance book buyers have an average income of $55,000.

• How long have been reading romance: 
• 35.1 percent: 20 years or more
• 20.6 percent: 5 to less than 10 years
• 20.4 percent: 10 to less than 20 years
• 16.1 percent: 2 to less than 5 years
• Top 10 popular romance tropes: (1) friends to lovers; (2) soul mate/fate; (3) second chance at love; (4) secret romance; (5) first love; (6) strong hero/heroine; (7) reunited lovers; (8) love triangle; (9) sexy billionaire/millionaire; (10) sassy heroine
  

Most-important factor when deciding on which romance novel to buy (ranked from most to least important):

(1) The story
(2) The author
(3) Price
(4) Review
(5) Part of a series
(6) Back cover copy
(7) Cover art
(8) Recommendations on a social media site
(9) Deal/bundle/bargain/special offer
(10) An endorsement by another leading author

E-book pricing: The $6 range is considered a "fair price" for e-books.

Interested in reading the whole article? Here's the link!

Writers' Wednesday: Notes on Promotion

Hello writers! You probably know by now that I try to share information with fellow authors whenever I can. Today, two pieces of info when it comes to marketing and promotion that you may find interesting:

1. Make sure you have a newsletter. Time and time again, I have read this piece of advice as one of the best. It costs very little (even free, depending on the subscription service you use and how many subscribers you have) and it's a great way of connecting with readers. I recently switched from YourMailingListProvider to MailChimp (cost reasons) and have been happy with how user-friendly MailChimp seems to be. I also recently ran a contest through Fresh Fiction, on the recommendation that it was a good way to gain subscribers -- I had 985 people enter the contest/subscribe to my newsletter, and when I sent out a new edition this past Monday, a few things happened:

A. 2 addresses bounced as spam (I had been warned about this but was relieved to see that the spam addresses were so low).

B. 28 people unsubscribed. That's not great, but that still means that I have over 900 new subscribers for my newsletter.

C. I had a nice sales bump of Cocktail Cruises yesterday and today, which I will attribute at least in part to the newsletter mention and also to my second point of today's post...

2. Don't hate the bad reviews. I'm running a blog tour right now of Cocktail Cruises, and while most readers have really enjoyed it, yesterday's did not love Sex on the Beach (#2 in the series). Among other things, she didn't like the heroine (even though she admitted that once the heroine started to change thanks to the hero's influence, she liked her a lot more). At first, I cringed. I mean, we want everyone to love our babies, right? But then I thought, OK, well everyone has an opinion. And when I had a sales boost yesterday, I thought perhaps at least some of those purchases came from people who read the review and maybe wanted to see for themselves. Remember, readers often buy books just because other readers are talking about them -- not necessarily saying good things, but just talking.

(Want to read the whole review? It's right here).

Write on, friends!

Monday Mentionables: Time for a Cover Reveal!

Okay gang, here it is, the cover for my upcoming novella, SETTING SAIL, which will be available ONLY as part of the Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set until mid-2015. Do you love it??

This story takes place about 3 years before the first book in the Cocktail Cruises trilogy, Tequila Sunrise, and introduces readers to Toby and Bryce (among other characters) before they became heroes in their own books. I LOVED writing this story and can't wait to share it with you all! It's romantic and a little more on the sweet side, and I think the cover captures the mood perfectly.

A quick peek: 

When real estate agent Jason McClintock discovers his billionaire client's latest target is the historic diner owned and run by his high school crush, Pearl DeVane, things get more than a little complicated. Does forging a successful career mean giving up everything from his past, including the only woman to ever steal his heart?

Haven't preordered your copy of the Passionate Kisses Boxed Set yet? Here are all the links: 

Amazon http://amzn.com/B00QL8OHEK
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1G2Cs1z 
Nook: http://bit.ly/12tDwwy
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1G3j9Ft

Friday Fun Facts: Covers Galore!

Have you "liked" the Passionate Kisses Facebook page? If not, you're missing out on new cover reveals that have been happening all this week -- sneak peeks at the 10 new stories coming your way as part of our Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set in February. I'm swooning already at what my fellow authors have in store...can't wait to read them all!

Just in case you haven't found us yet on Facebook, here's the link.

Enjoy all the beautiful covers!

Writers' Wednesday: Join Me For a Release Party!

Hey all, just a quick note: I'll be helping host Wendy S. Marcus's Facebook release party for her new book, Loving You Is Easy, TODAY from 4:00 - 4:30 pm EST. I'll be chatting, posting some yummy pictures to drive away those winter blues, and giving away both books and gift cards!

Please pop in so I'm not too lonely over there, OK? Here's the link: FACEBOOK RELEASE PARTY!

Hope to see you there!

Monday Mentionables: It's Time for a Cover Reveal!

Woo hoo! Happy Monday, everyone! I'm THRILLED to share the news that the ten Passionate Kisses authors have teamed up to bring you another boxed set filled with sweet-to-sizzling contemporary romances, this one releasing just after Valentine's Day in 2015! Of the ten stories, FIVE are brand new releases, never before seen anywhere else! Want to know more? Follow the link below to read the full blurb. Now without further adieu, here is our gorgeous cover. I love it!!

Don't want to wait to order it? You don't have to! You can preorder at Amazon today! (more retailer links coming soon -- stay tuned!)

Friday Fun Facts: You're Invited to an Author Event!

Happy Friday, everyone! If' you're local to the Mid-Hudson Valley, NY, tomorrow (Saturday) there's an author/illustrator event you won't want to miss at Thrall Library in Middletown, NY! The morning session will feature children's and Young Adult authors, and the afternoon will feature adult fiction writers.

And yes! Yours Truly will be there in the afternoon, from 1-4 pm, on the second floor in the Community Room. I will have a limited number of copies of Cocktail Cruises: The Collection for sale, so if you're looking for a great, signed holiday gift, stop on by and pick up a couple!

Hope to see you there :)

Writers' Wednesday: Congrats to All Contest Winners!

Thanks to all who entered the Rafflecopter giveaway celebrating the release of the Cocktail Cruises Collection! 

Here are the winners: 

$20 Amazon Gift Card - Linda B.

E-copy of The Opposite of Wild by Kylie Gilmore - Jody F.

Audio Book of Sink or Swim by Stacy Juba - Linda L.

E-Copy of Hard as Ice by Victoria Barbour - BrandyDM

E-Copy of Tequila Sunrise by Allie Boniface - Catherine L. 

Monday Mentionables: It's Release Day!

Woo hoo!! Helllloooo readers! Not only is it Cyber Monday, it's the official release day for Cocktail Cruises: The Collection! For only $1.99 you can own almost 500 pages of steamy summer stories (perfect now that the weather has turned colder) PLUS a collection of fun holiday recipes that span the year -- from some of my favorite fellow romance authors! Below are all the purchase links -- please help make my release day a super one!

P.S. If you reviewed an advance copy of this bundle, I'd love for you to leave your review today/this week. Thanks so much!!

Amazon - Kindle

Amazon - Print

Barnes & Noble

Apple

Kobo

Writers' Wednesday: A Very Happy Pre-Thanksgiving!

To all my readers, there's a great sale on Romance Bundles, all $4.99 or under, over at iTunes this month. Check it out!

And to all my U.S. friends, fans, and family, I wish you a very safe, warm, and happy Thanksgiving holiday. However you spend it, I hope you find laughter and warmth in sharing time with those that mean the most to you! 

Monday Mentionables: Ten Cocktails Coming Next Week!

Happy Monday, everyone! It's the last Monday of the month, which means the last Monday before the official release of Cocktail Cruises: The Collection, so as usual, I have a sneak peek for you. Below are the 10 yummy recipes that will be featured in the Bonus Section of this book. Want to know more, including who contributed them, how to make them, and how they match up with the authors' books? You know what to do.....preorder your copy right here! (or keep reading for an even better deal)

Hurricane

The Hot Flash

Amish Wedding Punch

Simple Summer Mojito

Rainbow Celebration Punch

The Blue Hydrangea

The Sling Forward 

Tailgate Martini

BEAR-tini

Shane's Spiked Hot Cocoa

Christmas Spirit Eggnog

Louisiana Snowball

Did you keep reading? OK, here it is: for all you readers interested in the print version of this collection, it's available NOW! Yes, that's right. One week early for all my traditional book readers. Click right here to purchase it from Amazon! 

Friday Fun Facts: Time for a Trailer!

TGIF, readers! For your viewing pleasure today, the trailer for Cocktail Cruises: The Collection. (Authors, check out Animoto to make free 30-second videos like this one. I love it!)

 

Cocktail Cruises: The Collection

Writers' Wednesday: Spotlight on Featured Author Marianne Sciucco

Welcome Wednesday readers! It's time to feature another of the contributing authors from Cocktail Cruises: The Collection. This week's spotlight is on Marianne Sciucco, whose first novel Blue Hydrangeas has garnered almost 100 4+ stars on Amazon and is the story of a couple facing the challenge of Alzheimer's. Marianne's cocktail recipe in the Cocktail Cruises Collection is, fittingly, the Blue Hydrangea, a twist on the traditional Cape Codder. Tempting, right?

For more about Marianne and her work, read on:

Hi Allie. Thanks so much for sharing some space with me on your blog and letting me speak to your readers. I'm so excited about my latest book project, a YA novel called Swim Season, the story of high school swimmer Aerin Keane, the new girl on the team who challenges a longstanding school record. 

I’ve been writing forever and indie-published my first novel, Blue Hydrangeas, last year. Like so many writers, I wear many hats, one of which is called “Swim Mom.”  I’ve shuttled my daughter to swim meets and swim practice for years, and now follow her across state lines during her college swimming career. All those hours sitting on cold, metal bleachers waiting to watch her swim for a minute or two gave me more than a sore you-know-what: It inspired me to write this book.

My goal was to write a story about the whole high school swimming experience, to show others who may not be as familiar with the sport how much fun it is and how hard these kids work. I started it four years ago and will soon have a completed manuscript. The plan is to publish in spring 2015. 

In Swim Season, Aerin is determined to leave her troubles behind as she starts her senior year in her third high school.  Senior year is supposed to be fun, right? Friends. Parties. Dating.  She wants to be like every other girl at Two Rivers. Except Aerin has two secrets: Her mom is not a nurse serving in Afghanistan (a twist on the truth) and she is not an average varsity swimmer (an untruth of epic proportions.) Ready to give up her dreams of a college swimming scholarship and a shot at the Olympics, Aerin decides she doesn't want to win anymore, she wants to swim for fun, it's her "therapy."  But when her desire to be just "one of the girls on the team" collides with her desire to be the best this school has ever seen, Aerin sacrifices her new friendships to challenge a longstanding school record attached to a $50,000 scholarship.

Here's a sneak peek: 

As soon as classes ended for the day, the team gathered on the pool deck dressed in our warm up suits, swimsuits underneath. The chatter was at a feverish pitch as the girls assembled into their tiny groups, the newbies huddling together at the end of the bench, watching as Coach and a few members of the boys’ team set up equipment for the meet. Some of the newbies looked terrified, including Charlie, who gave me a weak smile when I said hello. This was her first meet with the big girls, and she’d been talking about nothing else the last two days. She was petrified she’d make a mistake, be disqualified, or swim the wrong stroke. No matter how much Mel and I tried to convince her she had nothing to worry about she continued to bite her nails to the nubs and fear the worst.

The seniors staked out their own spot on the other end of the bench, joking amongst themselves, much more relaxed than the newbies. All of them had been on the team for several years, some as many as five. I was the only one who had never competed in this pool. I didn’t think it would be any different from any other swim meet. I leaned against the wall with Mel and Erica, waiting for Coach to come over and give us our pre-meet pep talk and plan of action. Our opponent had not yet arrived.

Coach walked over with his clipboard in hand. “Over here, girls,” he said, bringing us in close. “This is our first meet and we’re lucky it’s against the Hawks. We beat them most every time. This year they’re pretty thin. They lost their powerhouse senior, and haven’t replaced her with anyone as dynamic that we know of today. So, you can feel confident we’ll win again, but don’t feel too confident because I heard they’ve got a couple of foreign exchange students they’re keeping under wraps. We don’t know too much about them and they could surprise us. It’s happened before. They swim distance and butterfly, so Tatiana and Erica, you need to pay attention to what’s happening in the next lane, ok?”

He turned toward the newbies. “I want every one of you to take a few breaths.” He demonstrated some relaxation breathing. “And relax,” he said, smiling. “You’re all going to do fine. You’ll each swim one event, and some of you will swim two and a relay.” He looked at Charlie. “Just get in the water and do what you know how to do.”

They looked at him gratefully, an audible sigh of relief passing between them.

“Now, here’s the lineup,” Coach said. “I had to mix it up a little bit to cover all our bases.” He went through the order of events, announcing who would compete in each one. There were a few moans and a couple of groans from swimmers unhappy with their events. No one liked to race out of her comfort zone and many preferred to do what she did best. Only a few girls excelled in more than one stroke. I was not one of them. Coach had me in the 200 and the 500 freestyles, plus on the “B” team for the 200 and 400 free relays. No surprises. I figured I’d pace myself to a third or fourth place finish, maybe fifth, which would still earn points for the team. No way would I come in last. That never happened.

“Now, everybody in the pool for warm up,” Coach ordered.

We jumped into our assigned lanes and started easy laps, warming up our muscles, preparing ourselves for the impending races. I moved through the water languidly, stretching my arms and legs as far as possible, taking easy breaths on the third stroke. I shared my lane with four other swimmers and we stayed out of each other’s way. I executed smooth flip turns, not losing any speed, and glided from wall to wall. After about twenty laps, I stopped in the shallow end to catch my breath. Mel was in the next lane.

“Here they are,” she said, out of breath, her face red. I looked behind me and saw our opponents emerge from the visitors’ locker room in their red and white warm up suits. In minutes, they had stripped to their swimsuits.

“Wow,” I said. “They’re pretty big.”

“Not really,” said Mel. “The biggest ones are seniors and they didn’t do much last year, didn’t even make the finals in championships. That small one with the long, blonde hair is their best swimmer. She almost beat Tati in the 200 and 500 free last year. Other than that, no real threat.”

“If you girls are done with your warm up you can get out and head to the locker room for final instructions,” Coach said from the sidelines. I hadn’t noticed him sneak up on us.

Mel ducked under and headed for the ladder.

“You’re looking good, Aerin,” Coach said. “I hope to see something special from you today.”

I nodded. This was the first time he’d given me any praise or laid any expectations on me. I felt a tiny thrill and then a huge sense of foreboding. Part of me was proud to be recognized, but another part of me longed to remain anonymous. My intention to stay under the radar this season was still top priority. Gaining Coach’s attention threatened that, and made me a little uneasy.

“I’ll do my best,” I said.

Swim Season means so much to me - and to many of the swimmers and swim parents I've talked to - that I decided to do something different to ensure its success. I recently launched a campaign on Pubslush, a marketing platform that offers me a way to test the waters, build an audience, and provide start-up funds necessary to publish, distribute, and promote Swim Season. Please take a moment to check out my page  where you can read the first chapter and watch a short video where I explain my project. Then please join my team. There are lots of great incentives, including free books. You don’t even have to get wet!

About the Author

Marianne Sciucco is not a nurse who writes but a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she dreamed of becoming an author when she grew up, but became a nurse to avoid poverty. She later brought her two passions together and writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. Her debut novel, Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story, is a Kindle bestseller, IndieReader Approved, a BookWorks featured book, and winner of IndieReCon’s Best Indie Novel Award, 2014. A native Bostonian, she lives in New York’s Hudson Valley, and when not writing works as a campus nurse at a community college. She loves books, the beach, and craft beer, and especially enjoys the three of them together. Follow Marianne’s Adventures in Publishing on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

You may purchase Blue Hydrangeas at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and other online booksellers.

Monday Mentionables: It's Time for Another Free Read!

Happy Monday, everyone! It's time for your free read, this week from Chapter 1 of Between the Sheets, the third book in the Cocktail Cruise series. Enjoy!

Between the Sheets

An affair with an exotic cruise line dance instructor might be just the escape this single mother needs… 

Andrea DeMarco is determined to merge a cruise ship career and single motherhood. But that leaves zero time for sex or love, so when she has a chance for a fling with a sexy cruise ship dancer, she goes for it. 

Sebastian Vasquez enjoys a low-key life as the ship’s dance instructor, a welcome change from his previous life in Argentina as the star of a hugely popular dance show. But when Andrea sweeps into his life, everything changes. 

Will new love help him come to terms with his past, and convince her to find room in her life for another man? 

CHAPTER 1

Savvy Tip of the Day:

There is nothing wrong with having a no-strings-attached fling. As long as you’re clear from the start about what you’re looking for, getting naked with someone can be the perfect way to regain your mojo after a long dry spell.

Andrea DeMarco rested her chin in one hand and finished reading today’s article on her favorite advice website, The Savvy Sex Goddess’s Guide to Life, Love, and Getting What You Want. Dry spell? She had a whole Sahara Desert stretched out in her past. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten naked with someone. Well over a year. Maybe even pushing two. Ugh. Depressing thought. She shut down the computer and rooted around in her makeup bag for lip gloss. She was already running late, and she had a cruise ship to catch in less than six hours. Between now and then she had to get her son off to school, pack, and stop by corporate headquarters in Tampa before boarding the Spirit of the Sea.

The cruise ship. Now there was a place filled with possibility for a no-strings-attached fling. Cocktail Cruise Lines specialized in singles’ cruises, which meant the ship was bound to be filled with men of all ages, types, heights and builds.

“Yeah, and I’m there to work,” she muttered.

She zipped her suitcase and put her laptop into its case. Even though she worked in the cruise line’s marketing department, she rarely stepped foot on any of the ships. She was sailing this time only because the CEO wanted someone from corporate to see the new itinerary. True, she wouldn’t be chained to a desk or stuck inside an office the whole time. She could mingle. She was supposed to mingle, and get passengers’ opinions, which meant she’d be talking to single men. But she wouldn’t know the first thing about going from talking to actually having a fling.

Andrea pulled on a long-sleeved pink t-shirt and rolled up the cuffs. For just an instant, the ship’s tall, sexy ballroom dance instructor flashed inside her mind’s eye. Sebastian Vasquez had been working on the Spirit of the Sea for almost a year. She’d crossed paths with him twice before, and each time he’d pulled her onto the stage for a little two-step to please the crowd. But oh, it had definitely pleased her as well. She could still recall the way he’d spun her in circles and left her weak in the knees.

Now that would be someone to have a fling with. South American and sexy as hell, she bet Sebastian had women lined up to sleep with him. That body. That accent.

She bent over her makeup bag and peered inside. She had bought a new Funky Fuchsia lip gloss, hadn't she? She could have sworn she had. She pulled her long blonde hair off her neck and reminded herself to make an appointment for a cut when she returned, because –

            “Mommmmmyyyyy!”

            Drew's screech echoed through the small, ranch-style house. Andrea dropped the makeup bag and stood straight up. Little tubes and pallets and brushes scattered across the bedroom floor.

            “Mommmmyyy!”

            She dashed for the living room, heart ratcheting out of her chest. Drew never screamed like that. Ever. She skidded down the hall on bare feet. He was conscious and breathing, if he was making noise, right? He shrieked again, and she prepared herself for blood or a femur sticking through the skin or worse.

“What, baby? What's wrong?”

            Her tow-headed six-year old stood in the middle of the couch, eyes wide, pointing at the floor. “Mommy, look!” No blood. No broken bones. Her stomach righted itself.

            At that moment, the house’s resident mouse scuttled from under the coffee table to the baseboard heater. A smaller one followed. Andrea laced her hands over her eyes. There are two of them now?

            “Mommy, did you see them? Did you see both of them?” Drew clutched his hands together in the gesture that normally made her smile. Today she marched over to the couch and grabbed him under both arms.

            “Yes I did, but you scared me.” She planted him on the floor and put one finger under his chin. “Do you understand? When you yelled like that, I thought you were hurt.” Perspiration covered her face. Her heart still hadn't settled down.

            Drew's bottom lip pushed out. “I wanted you to see them. You never see them.”

            Yes, I do, she almost answered. Calling the exterminator just wasn't near the top of her list of priorities. She wasn’t hurting for money, but she was desperately short on time. She couldn’t wait around during a four-hour window for someone from Rid-a-Rats to show up. She'd hoped that putting traps in the closets would have done the trick, but it looked as though these mice weren't hungry for peanut butter.

            “Come on.” She took him by the hand and led him back down the hall. “You need to finish packing.”

            “I don't wanna go to Uncle Toby’s.” Drew's walk turned to a sliding of feet along the hardwood. He pulled at her arm. “I wanna go with you.”

            “I know, baby, but you can't. Cruises are for very extra special occasions. You know Mommy is only going for work.” She'd probably made a mistake bringing him along to Cozumel last year. It was all he could talk about now: meeting the captain, getting to ride the elevators, selecting from the endless meal choices on the buffet. She rubbed the top of his head, messing his feather-light blonde hair. She'd probably made a thousand mistakes in all these years of raising him alone, and was bound to make more.

            They stopped in the doorway of his bedroom, and she dropped to her knees and hugged him. One thing she hadn't done wrong, though, and that was love him to the moon and back.

            Do you know how hard it is, raising a kid on your own?

            Ron will never be around. You'll have to sue him for child support.

            There are other options, you know. Have you thought about adoption?

            Unexpectedly pregnant one year out of high school, working a part-time job, she'd listened to her friends and family at first. She’d spent nights lying awake in tears, she’d made lists, she’d weighed her options, and then she'd ignored everyone’s advice. From the moment she felt Drew move inside her belly, she'd loved him. When the doctor laid him in her arms, pink and wet and bawling his little lungs out, she'd loved him. Every scraped knee and nightmare and tantrum, every minute of letting go as he learned to walk and talk and dress himself and climb to the top of the jungle gym, she'd loved him. She hadn't known her heart could grow with the love that filled it, that every day and week and year her heart would get bigger as Drew did. It amazed her.

            “Mommy, you're strangulating me,” he said against her shoulder, and reluctantly she pulled back. His blue eyes met hers, and she knew in a minute he'd tug her in with that don't-leave-me look. In those moments he reminded her of his father, the way he could cajole and manipulate and twist her inside out. She stood and brushed the dust from her black jeans.

His father. Damn it to hell. After five years of moving around the country, of sending the occasional post card from a commune in New Mexico or a mountain top in California, the jackass had showed up in Florida last year and announced his intentions to get to know his son.

            “Over my dead body,” she said aloud.

            Drew frowned. “What does that mean?”

            “Nothing, baby,” she said, and steered him into his room. “I was talking to myself.” Toys lay scattered across the bed and floor. His denim knapsack sat open and empty on his bed. Much as she would have liked to bring him with her, snuggle into his skin at night, point out constellations from the Aloha Deck, and have the ship's cook make him Mickey Mouse pancakes, that simply wasn’t an option this time.

            “Uncle Toby will be here in an hour to take you to school. You need to be ready to go. Decide which toys are going with you and which are staying here.”

            Drew gave a dramatic sigh and launched himself onto his bed, where he began sorting his toys into piles.

            Andrea’s cell phone rang. “Please tell me you’re not running late,” she said as she answered on the first ring. Her brother had a tendency to do that, and today was not the day for – 

            “Late for what?” came the low, scratchy voice in response.

            Oh, hell. Andrea stared at the phone, reading the number on the screen for the first time. “Ron? Why are you calling me at seven in the morning?”

            “I’m going out of town for a few days.”

            “And not coming back?” she asked hopefully.

            “And I’m hoping we can sit down when I get back and talk about working out some time for me to spend time with Drew. You didn’t return my last couple of calls.”

            Her fingers drew into a ball. As much as she wanted to refuse to see him, or to let Drew see him, she had no legal grounds. Ron had left her three months after Drew was born, but he hadn’t waived his rights. He’d always managed to send money. And in the last six months, he’d made her life miserable with threats about suing for joint custody.

            “Is that going to be a problem?” he asked when she didn’t answer. “We’ve been around and around about this. I’m tired of waiting. It’s almost Christmas. I’d like to be able to see my son for the holidays.”

            My son. How dare Ron say those words so glibly? “We’ll talk about it when you get back,” she answered around the lump in her throat. Like he could take Drew to sit on Santa’s lap and everything would be fine. 

            “I’ve already talked to my attorney about the hours you work,” Ron said.

            “What?”

            “You work twelve, fourteen hour days at the office. You told me that.”

            Her jaw tightened. She had, too, when she’d announced that she made a six-figure salary and provided well enough for Drew that they didn’t need Ron’s money. She’d thrown the words at him, proud that she’d worked her way up the corporate ladder and didn’t rely on anyone to support her.

            “A six year old needs his mother at home. Not at the office until nine o’clock at night.”

            “How dare you –” She stormed down the hall and into the half-bathroom by the front door. Seething, she spit the words through clenched teeth. “How dare you accuse me of neglecting my son. You think you know what a six year old needs from his mother? How about what he needs from his father? Oh, but wait. You wouldn’t know anything about that. You don’t have the first clue about raising a child, or you would’ve stuck around after he was born.” She turned on the faucet to hide her trembling voice and prayed Drew wouldn’t come looking for her.

            Ron cleared his throat. “I’m talking about the present, Andrea. I’ve made mistakes in the past. I never said I didn’t.”

            “I am not having this conversation with you right now.”

            “I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be away until the middle of next week.”

            She didn’t mention that she’d be out of town as well. Ron didn’t need to know the details of her life. If he had an issue with her staying late at the office, what would he say if he knew she was leaving Drew in the hands of his uncle for six days? He’d turn that into some shit about maternal abandonment.

            “Fine,” she said and hung up. She pulled her hair back from her face and stared into the mirror. Two pink circles burned in her cheeks, and her mascara was smudged. She didn’t imagine she’d be having any flings on board the Spirit of the Sea now, regardless of the opportunity or the Savvy Goddess’s advice. The last thing she needed was Ron finding out and twisting the facts to suit his purpose.

            Sometimes Andrea wished the Savvy Goddess had a section on her website for foolproof ways to get rid of unwanted exes and dispose of the bodies without getting caught. A small smile tugged at her lips. Or, at the very least, how to live as a single mother and not spend nights wondering if she was ever going to fall in love or feel attractive to a man again. 

Want to read more? You can order your copy of Cocktail Cruises: The Collection for only $1.99 today! 

Friday Fun Facts: A Teaser Picture or Two

Yummy, yummy! Look at this fun teaser picture I made to celebrate the upcoming release of Cocktail Cruises: The Collection! 

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I like this one too, a little more subtle but stolen from the actual boxed set cover:

Two-ish weeks and counting! 

Writers' Wednesday: Spotlight on Author Stacy Juba

Happy Hump Day, everyone! Today's post features Stacy Juba, who contributed the Rainbow Celebration Punch recipe to Cocktail Cruises: The Collection. Welcome Stacy!

Cassidy Novak from my mystery/romantic suspense novel Sink or Swim has spent the last few months on a ship, but it's definitely not a cruise ship. She sure could use a drink from Allie's collection, though, after the grueling weeks toiling aboard the Atlantic Devil. During her time on the reality TV show Sink or Swim, Cassidy worked as a crew member on a Tall Ship, where she  scrubbed toilets, chipped paint off bulkheads and climbed ratlines to furl the sail. She slept in a wire-frame airless berth stacked three tiers high, and don't even ask her about the disgusting food! Below is an excerpt depicting how Cassidy walked the plank after attaining second place during the final week. Little does she know that a stalker is watching and things are about to get even worse....   

Gabriel’s sword blade brushed her back. Not only were her dreams drowning, she was about to undergo torture. The humiliating kind.

Her breath rasping, she eyed the twenty-foot drop. The end of the plank seemed miles away, though it was only ten feet. Trying not to look down, Cassidy inched forward. At the verge, she halted and willed her gaze toward the dark cold water below.

Gabriel stepped up behind her and touched the cold sharp steel to the nape of her neck. "Time to sink or swim."

Don’t show emotion. You’ve got to lose with dignity. Cassidy said a silent prayer, folded her arms across her chest and vaulted off the plank. Ice cold waves pressed around her shoulders as she thundered underwater. Cassidy gulped a mouthful and shot back up into a straight line, desperate to break the surface.

Stinging water overflowed her eyes and Cassidy pawed her eyeballs with wet hands. She squeezed her clogged ears with her fingers, swallowed to ease her raw throbbing throat.

Treading water, Cassidy hiked down the sopping shorts that rode up her legs and adjusted her soaked tee-shirt. She swam over to the rope ladder dangling against the side of the ship and craned her neck. Dozens of faces gaped down at her.

She climbed the ladder, the rungs burning her hands and bare left foot. Her right canvas shoe slipped on each notch; Cassidy’s other shoe had floated away. Teeth chattering, Cassidy extended her leg over the railing and dropped onto the deck with a bang. A production assistant tossed her a Navy blanket. Muttering her thanks, Cassidy wrapped herself in the scratchy warmth.

She had to cheer up. Even though the amount was a mystery, the runner-up won a prize. Maybe it would be a hundred grand. Even $25,000 would help to eradicate her college loans and car payments.

But, it wouldn’t finance an affordable private health club where participants could work out with personal trainers, a pilot site that could have eventually blossomed into a full-blown franchise via all the endorsement money and popularity showered on savvy winners of Top Ten reality shows.

It wouldn’t propel her into an overnight success.

Sink or Swim: A fun beach read endorsed by contestants from Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race. Ambitious personal trainer Cassidy Novak has gained fame for starring on Sink or Swim, a hit reality show. Not only does she lose and have to walk the plank, but after the game show ends, the terror begins. Upon returning home, Cassidy discovers she has attracted a stalker masterminding his own twisted game. She struggles to focus on her health club job and celebrity endorsement opportunities, but her stalker has other plans. As her former competitors get knocked off one-by-one, Cassidy refuses to play by the stalker's bizarre rules. She's also being shadowed by hunky photographer Zach Gallagher, who has been assigned to capture her personal moments for a spread in the local newspaper. She wants to trust Zach, but fears he may not be what he seems. When the stalker forces a showdown, Cassidy must once again walk the plank...this time for her life.

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Stacy Juba contributed a non-alcoholic recipe for Rainbow Celebration Punch to Cocktail Cruises. Stacy loves to write stories about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. She has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s Barnes & Noble Bestsellers and GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears learning to raise the U.S. flag. Stacy also offers the affordable Crossroads Editing Service for writers and does her editing the old-fashioned way, on a hard copy. In addition, she teaches online writing and book promotion classes for various writers organizations. Watch for her upcoming romantic comedy Fooling Around With Cinderella.

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