Review: Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.






Today, I'm reviewing Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc.

He's handsome and in town for only 2 weeks. She wants someone interested in a fling. He wants someone interested in a ring.

Frankie is tired of faithless men who break her heart like the last guy just did. Okay, maybe he only dented her heart, but she's taking a break from men like him. 

At her friend's urging, she decides to have a summer fling. That's when she spies Scott, the perfect man to fulfill her new resolution.

Her words are braver and more brazen than Frankie though. She finds it difficult to follow through on her stated goal, but Tikki, her BFF, lends a hand.

Before she knows it, Frankie has a date with Scott. Frankie isn't a fling kind of girl. After spending time with Scott, she admits to herself that she wants more than a fling. Uncertainty about how he feels keeps her silent.

When he turns out to be much more than she bargained for, she wonders if he was just having a summer fling of his own.

This is a lovely, sweet romance that will make you smile, and probably laugh at the dive-bombing seagull and at Frankie's grandmother, a great character who reminds me of someone I know.

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the opportunity to meet authors you may not have read before. That's what's great about box sets like Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, still only 99¢. 

Review: Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.





Today, I'm reviewing Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker.

Can dreams of the future erase her nightmares of the past? She's looking for a fresh start, but he’s rented the same beach cottage. One bed, two people? Whatever will they do?

This was a sweetheart of a story. Jenny has driven away from her home in California and hopes to be leaving behind her painful past. Destination? Seaglass Cottage, the beachhouse her godmother owns at Last Chance Beach. 

She's looking for peace and sleep uninterrupted by nightmares. With her past a disaster, she's hoping she can figure out what she wants of the future.

Also heading for Sea Glass Cottage is Navy S.E.A.L. Scott Gordon. He's at a crossroads in his life too and needs some peace and quiet to figure out his next move now that he can no longer be a S.E.A.L.

Although Jenny is fleeing from emotional trauma, humor in the beginning softens the mood and adds just the right note to set up a "falling in love" story—if not at first sight, definitely after a couple of days in each other's presence.

Jenny finds the strength she needs from alpha male Scott, a hero who is sensitive to Jenny's needs. Together, they figure out a future neither expected.

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

Review: Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.




Today, I'm reviewing Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines.

Tempest Javid returns to Last Chance Beach to begin a new life. Sam Bennett is a single dad on vacation on the island with his pre-teen daughter. He's worried Abby, his daughter, may become too attached to Tempest, but maybe Sam is the one whose heart is at risk.

Tempest has a business as unique as her name. She grew up as a military brat and never had permanency in her life until her widowed mother remarries and deeds Rose Cottage to Tempest.

Her life seems complete. Then she meets Abby Bennett, a tween who is vacationing with her dad. Abby is sweet, vulnerable, and a little lonely. She reminds Tempest of herself.

Abby is fascinated by Tempest and by her perfumery. She's also eager for her single dad to meet Tempest. When Tempest finally meets Sam, she is immediately attracted to him. 

Paradise Perfume gives you a delightful picture of a girl ready to grow up, and a heroine willing to help her navigate that journey. The romantic short story also offers a lesson in perfume and scents.

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

No Reward for Perfectionists

I was looking through some posts I wrote many years ago. Guess what? They're still true.

One such post was based on the old axiom: "The World doesn’t reward Perfectionists—it rewards Finishers."

That is as true now as it was when I first wrote a post about the subject.

Why Perfectionism is BAD

Perfectionism is the enemy of the good. You can be good, darn good, but you'll never be perfect. 

The effort to be perfect is a major enemy of accomplishment. This is true if you're blogging, writing a book, decorating a room, or building a container gardem.

Never think your blog post or your book must be perfect, filled with words so carefully selected that angels weep at its brilliance. Write the best you can and move on.

This isn’t an excuse to be sloppy, but it is permission to be realistic. Write and keep writing. The more you write the better you'll get.

Takeaway Truth

Don't waste valuable time in the pursuit of perfectionism. Focus on finishing. 

Then move on to the next project, taking with you the skills you honed on the previous project.

Follow Joan Online 
 
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The Cowboy's Secret Baby by Maddie James

Maddie James has a new release, and you're going to love it.

The Cowboy’s Secret Baby, a Colorado Dreamin' Book, is available NOW for only 99¢.

This Western Contemporary Romance boasts a Sweet Heat Level., but it does have some graphic language.

Get to Know Maddie James

Maddie James writes to silence the people in her head—if only they wouldn’t all talk at once!

From flirty contemporary romance to darker erotic titles—often mixed with a dash of suspense or a hint of paranormal—James pens stories that frequently blend a variety of romantic sub-genres. The happily-ever-after, of course, is non-negotiable.

Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense.” 

Maddie is the award-winning author of over fifty titles of fiction—from short stories to novels—and a Top 100 Amazon Bestselling Author. Learn more at http://www.maddiejames.net.

Visit Maddie Online:

Website http://www.maddiejames.net

Twitter https://twitter.com/maddiejames
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MJNovelist

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maddiejames_1/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/themaddiejames/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/660725.Maddie_James

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maddie-james

About The Cowboy's Secret Baby

She’s the maid of honor. He’s the best man. Both are keeping secrets from the other.

The long-requested sequel to Maddie James’ first published novel, Roses & Rawhide, is now available.

Readers wanted to know...

What happened to Jillie and Mack’s relationship at the end of Roses & Rawhide? Why did Jillie go back to Kentucky? Will they get back together? What’s their story?

Their Story: The Cowboy's Secret Baby

While Kim Martin and Thad Winchester find their happily-ever-after in Roses & Rawhide, their best friends, Jillie Abernathy and Mack Montgomery, end their sleeping-bag-sharing relationship during the rugged, two-week pack trip into the Colorado San Juan mountains.

But when Kim and Thad host their wedding at Thad’s Colorado ranch a few months later, Mack and Jillie must come face-to-face with reality—and with each other. She’s the maid of honor. He’s the best man. Both are harboring secrets—secrets that could break a potential future relationship if they both avoid telling the truth.

Can they reveal those secrets to each other? And if so, can they get past the withheld truths to plan a future together?

Excerpt from The Cowboy's Secret Baby

Mack exhaled. “The company is a multi-billion-dollar international business, Jillie. I’m the CEO for Montgomery Oil out of San Antonio, a Fortune 500 company.”

Jillie felt her face screw up. He was the CEO of an oil company? “Oil?” It was the only word she could squeak out.

“Yes.”

“In San Antonio.”

“Yes.”

“That’s Texas. You own a Texas oil company? Did you say multi-billion?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’re…” She unwound her legs and stood. The afghan dropped to the floor. Only one way to say it. “Rich.” She glanced about and tossed up her hands. “Of course, you are. Look at this house!” She picked up the afghan and wrapped it around her shoulders again, paced away from the sofa, turned, and glared. “You’re rich. You’re a billionaire. You are goddamn rich?”

“Yes.”

“Can you say anything else but yes?” The question came out a little louder and more forceful than she intended. “You’re a freaking billionaire?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“Suppose?”

“Well, the company is worth billions. Me? It’s debatable but let’s just say I’m very comfortable. It’s not like having money is a bad thing, Jillie.”

She faced him. All this time she thought him a real-life cowboy. Did it matter that he wasn’t? That he was stinking rich and had failed to tell her that? But why would he? She imagined that might be a difficult thing to work into regular conversation. “I don’t know what to say.”

Mack stood and shoved his hands into his pockets. “It’s all true.”

She stood stone still and glared. “You were rich last summer.”

Exhaling, Mack took a few steps forward and reached for her arms. Jillie jerked back. “Jillie, yes. My family has been well-off all my life. However, I know hard work, so don’t think I’m just a guy in a suit. I grew up on a cattle ranch and I did rodeo like my brothers most of my growing up years. I am a cowboy, a rancher, through and through. Dad made sure we understood the value of hard work and I have mucked stalls and rode fences and moved cattle with the best of them. But I also went to college and got an MBA. I worked hard. And when the time came to go back home, when my dad needed me, I did. I left Colorado for a while, stopped working with Thad, and finally made use of that degree.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why did you let me believe you were Thad’s ranch manager? I don’t understand what the big deal is.” She paused then and stared into his eyes. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, oh. You didn’t tell me because you thought all I was after was a cowboy conquest. If I knew you were a billionaire, I might also be a gold-digger, huh? Only after your money?”

He stepped closer. “No, Jillie, actually, that wasn’t it at all.”

“I’m not sure I believe you—but to tell you the truth, I can understand it if you did think that.”

“Well, it wasn’t that.”

“Then what?”

“Because I didn’t want to be a CEO those two weeks, Jillie. I went on that pack trip because Thad was short-handed, yes, but mostly because I needed a break from Corporate America. I took a two-week vacation and gladly handed over my cell phone. My younger brother took the reins while I was gone, and with dad’s help on the sidelines, he was fine. All I wanted to do was play cowboy again for a while and disappear into the mountains. I didn’t want to talk about my other life. No cares, just me and my horse and the trail.” He peered deep into her eyes, then shifted his gaze over her shoulder, thinking. His voice lowered. “I just hadn’t counted on you.”

The Cowboy's Secret Baby available here:

Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088N5TTH5/

Apple iBooks  https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-cowboys-secret-baby/id1513571287

Kobo  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-cowboy-s-secret-baby-5

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cowboys-secret-baby-maddie-james/1137031859

Universal Link  https://books2read.com/cowboys-secret-baby

Bookbub  https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-cowboy-s-secret-baby-by-maddie-james

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54427676-the-cowboy-s-secret-baby

Takeaway Truth

I have my copy The Cowboy's Secret Baby, along with several other books, so I'm ready if the hurricane heads this way.

Review: Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.



Today's review: Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills.
 
Kat must convince her Gran to move to the mainland, but Gran—and hunky neighbor Ben—want Kat to takeover the B&B and antique shop. 
 
What will it take for Kat to stay? Some of Gran’s special island magic?
 
This was such a sweet story with goodhearted, believable characters. Kat is determined to do the right thing for her grandmother, but that right thing is what Kat's mother has decided. Kat is stuck between following through on her mom's plans and honoring her grandmother's wishes.
 
It doesn't help that Gran obviously is in need of some help, and that's where Ben comes into the story. Ah, Ben. Kind, intelligent, good-natured, and exactly the kind of guy Kat wants. Instead of rejoicing that she's met this great guy, she's smart enough to see Ben brings more complications in an already complicated situation.
 
Will Kat have to give up her own career, and her life on the mainland? Even though she's supposed to be acting in the best interests of her grandmother, she begins to realize that Gran's wishes should be respected too. You'll be rooting for Kat to make the right decision for all parties in this story.

There's nothing second-rate about Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills. It's delightful.

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I'm loving these stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

How To Make Characters Larger Than Life

Writer Wannabe Corner

Today's post is for those who want to be writers. 

Books on writing talk about making characters larger than life. You may scratch your head and wonder how the heck to do that?

Change the way you think about it. Instead of using the phrase larger than life, call it making them memorable. That's easier to understand because we have all met people who are memorable.

So what makes a person memorable? Think about real people you know. Are there people that are memorable? What makes them stand out to you?

Think about the visual media of movies and television. What characters stand in television series or movies stand out to you?

Movie Example

Just about everyone has seen an old Cary Grant movie. In every movie, what is the one characteristic of his roles that sticks in your mind?

For me, it was his suave sophistication. That's a memorable characteristic that can be seen in every role he played. It made him memorable, or larger than life.

What about Clint Eastwood?

When you think about Clint Eastwood, what stands out in your mind? In all of the Dirty Harry movies and the westerns and even in Gran Torino, he is larger than life. He's memorable for his stern will, his strict moral compass, and his protectiveness. He will do what he thinks is right, come hell or high water. He will protect those who can't protect themselves.

Takeaway Truth

In developing your characters think about the attributes of real people and characters in visual media. Identify what makes them stand out. Then use what you've discovered in creating your own characters.

Sign up for my FREE Newsletter, and you'll be the first to know about new books and giveaways. When you confirm your subscription, you'll receive a link for a free ebook. 

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Review: One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.


Today, I'm reviewing One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble.

In today's world, it's not uncommon for a so-called private sex tape featuring a celebrity to be released publicly. It's not surprising that one or more of those tapes have been digitally altered to place a famous person's face on the "body" in the video.

In fact, for some aging actors, doing this is considered a way to jumpstart a faltering career.

That's the situation facing actress Dania Browne who stars as Madeline Miller in a popular sitcom. She's entirely innocent in this fiasco—her ex-boyfriend did it to get revenge for her breaking it off with him.

Dania is mortified and thinks her career is over, not propelled to more popularity. Even worse is that the whole world thinks the nude woman in the video is her! What's worse than that? Her own family thinks it's her too!

Unable to face the public humiliation, Dania retreats to the family beach cottage at Last
Chance Beach, with only her dog Bob to keep her company. 

She adopts the personal of Delia White, complete with tats, pink hair, and a nose ring, nothing like her usual "America's Sweetheart" look.

Then she meeets Kael Huntington, the "boy next door" who appeals to her in every way. He's sweet and kind and is everything a woman could want—or so she thinks until she realizes he's a former celebrity photographer.

When all of Kael's buddies show up, and they're all watching the sex tape, Dania decides it's time to leave.

What about Kael? Has he watched the tape? Can he convince Dania that there's a good life ahead of her despite the phone sex tape? Will Kael be a part of her life, or will he sell the candid photographs he took of her on their many dates?

One Last Shot features the kind of hero every woman wants—a guy who will support you through thick and thin and "talk you off the ledge" when your life crumbles around you. Kael is that guy. 

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

6 Ways Vinegar Cleans Appliances

I'm cleaning house today—I do this occeasionally, but not nearly as often as I should.

My house always looks clean because we're tidy and tend to not leave things lying about. I do try to give it a good cleaning every now and then—even dusting which is my least favorite chore.

With cleaning on my mind, I thought I'd share some of my tips on cleaning without expensive chemicals.

I'm always amazed at the many uses for white vinegar. If you're interested in natural cleaning, pick up a copy of  Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of by Vicki Lansky

This book has recipes and cleaning tips. You'll be surprised how many things you can do with plain old white vinegar which is the strongest vinegar solution. Here are just a few that I use for appliances.

1. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of your dishwasher to keep the drainline clean and odor free. (Vinegar coutneracts the effect of hard water.)

2. Pour enough white vinegar to fill the water chamber of your steam iron. Leave it overnight. The next morning pour it out and rinse the water chamber thoroughly with warm water. (Remember, don't get the electrical cord wet!)

3. Dip a sponge or cloth in white vinegar and wipe out the oven interior and the microwave oven interior too. Doing so prevents grease buildup.

4. Need to clean copper, brass, or bronze? Make a thick paste of table salt, white vinegar, and plain flour. Rub it on the metal, leave it about 15 minutes, wash, rinse, and dry thoroughly.

5. Hard water ruining your coffee maker or electric teakettle? Fill the water reservoir with vinegar and run it through the coffee maker's brewing cycle. Empty and rinse well. For electric teakettle's, do the same. Fill with vinegar, bring to a boil. Let it cool then dump and rinse well.

6. Does your clothes washer smell funky? Fill it with water and add 1 quart of vinegar. Let the machine run through a complete wash cycle. The vinegar cleans the tub and the drain hose too.

Takeaway Truth

Cleaning lime scale from appliances makes them last longer and work better.

Review: Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.

Today, Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards.

Stacy made a huge error in judgment the night she was in Vegas for her best friend's bachelorette party. Meet Danny Carling, Stacy's best friend's big brother who she married that crazy night in Vegas.

Weeks later, Stacy is trying to erase that mistake with a quickie divorce before anyone find
out. Unfortunately, Danny isn't cooperating. In fact, he's doing everything in his power to stay married to Stacy.

Hangover Husband was a delight in every way. The author deftly makes the whole scenario believable and infuses the characters with such personality that you root for them to the verry end.

Totally loved it! 

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

Review: The Rich Are Different

I have a book on the drawing board that I hope to be writing before the end of the year. It's about the daughter of an extremely wealthy man.

I've written a couple of books with similar characters, but this time, the heroine hasn't cleaned up her act before the story opens.

Just for fun, I picked up a copy of a little blue book—Tiffany blue maybe?—titled The Rich Are Different: A Priceless Treasury of Quotations and Anecdotes About the Affluent, the Posh, a nd the Just Plain Loaded

The book is one of those you thumb through, reading here and there since it's filled with quotations.

Winokur does a good job of providing entertaining and thoughtful entries into the quotations where everyone from Ancient Rome to the late 20th century hold forth on their definitions of rich or wealth among other subjects. 

Compiled by Jon Winokur, it really makes you realize that the WAY the rich live is more mind-bloggling than you thought.

Here's a brief selection of quotations from authors, of course, about how they view money.

Ground-breaking author Jacqueline Susann said, "Money is applause."

Playwright Neil Simon said, "Money brings some happiness. But, after a certain point, it just brings more money."

Carl Sandburg said, "Money buys everything, except love, personality, freedom, immortality, silence, peace."

I won't even tell you about the chapter on the arrogance of the super rich!

Takeaway Truth

Reading this book explains how the trust fund babies of the world end up with little common sense and too many episodes of "people behaving badly." 

Review: Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:






Today I'm reviewing Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless.

Of all the beaches on the coast, who shows up on her beach? Him! A former competitive surfer runs into her former love, and revisits all the reasons things didn't work out for them before.

Alisha and Mark have unfinished relationship business. When they meet again on Last Chance Beach, they find they still are attracted to each other, but there are obstacles as large as mountains that stand between them.

Those mountains are emotional traumas each inflicted on the other. The problem is neither really knows
the reasons behind the decisions the other made. Decisions that changed their lives.

Now, together again, if only for a few days, can then communicate honestly and mend the rift between them? Can the magic of Last Chance Beach heal their heartache and give them a second chance at love—and at life with each other?

Blue Sky Summer is a lovely, emotional second chance at love romance. Even better, I suspect it's the setup for a series with the destination to be Blue Sky Island.

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere.

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I hope you're enjoying the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. If you haven't bought your copy yet, it's only 99 cents. 

Great Opening Sentences

Whenever I start a new book, I glance through my collection of opening sentences.

Years ago, I started jotting down the first sentence of a book if it really captured my fancy.

The opening sentences I'm sharing with you are real winners. They inspire me to work on that all-important first sentence of a new book.

Some of these are familiar because they're quoted so often, but others may not ring a bell with you.

From Oldest to Most Recent

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. —Charles Dickens, 1859

"The strange thing was," he said, "how they screamed every night at midnight." —In Our Time, Ernest Hemingway, 1925

"Where's Papa going with that axe?" said Ferm to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. —Charlotte's Web, E. B. White, 1952

It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbers, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York. —The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath, 1963

There were 117 psychoanalysts on the Pan Am flight to Vienna, and I'd been treated by at least six of them. —Fear of Flying, Erica Jong, 1973

Nobody was really surprised when it happened, not really, not at the subconscious level where savage things grow. —Carrie, Stephen King, 1974

The scream was distant and brief. —Phantoms, Dean Koontz, 1983

The lady was extraordinarily naked. —Eight Black Horses, Ed McBain, 1985

There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever. —One for the Money, Janet Evanovich, 1994

I knew what it was when I heard the shots. —Suitable for Framing, Edna Buchanan, 1995

The wild child of Parrish, Mississippi, had come back to the town she'd left behind forever. —Ain't She Sweet?, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, 2009

The evening sky was streaked with purple, the color of torn plums, and a light rain had started to fall when I came to the end of the blacktop road that cut through twenty miles of thick, almost impenetrable scrub oak and pine, and stopped at the front gate of Angola Penitentiary. —The Neon Rain, James Lee Burke, 2010

The only thing that saved Sabrina Snow was the car alarm on the twenty-year-old Renault Espace she'd bought when she'd arrived in France. —Dead Heat, Joan Reeves, 2017

What on earth was she doing here—so far out of her comfort zone, she might as well be on Mars? —The Key to Kristina, Joan Reeves, 2020

Takeaway Truth

What kind of opening sentence captures your imagination?


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Review: Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough from Last Chance Beach: Summer's End

I'm reading the stories in Last Chance Beach: Summer's End, and I'm reviewing them, one story at a time. 

So far, I've reviewed:





Today, I'm reviewing Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough.

If you think a romance between a middle-aged married couple isn't exciting, think again. In the expert hands of Jan Scarbrough, Jen and Joe's floundering relationship is honestly presented, but a flicker of hope keeps the readers rooting for Jen.

Jen's relationship and her unhappiness may be one many readers recognize. It's the "Is that all there is?" that many confront after years together. Not exactly unhappiness, but not joy either.

The comfort zone of a long-term relationship can easily become the boredom zone. Jen feels alone. There's something missing from her life, and she doesn't know exactly what that is.

Unlike too many women, she doesn't moan and mope about her unfulfillment. She scours the past for answers and accepts why her HQ, happiness quotient, is what it is. She realizes what she must do if she wants that to change. The big question is, does she want it to change?

In reflecting on how she and her husband felt in the beginning, she realizes she still loves him.

Does he still love her? That's a question that haunts her as she tries to figure out a way to change the status quo.

If you're young, this story will make think twice about what it means to be older and in love—and lust—with your husband.

If you're middle-aged or beyond, this story will make you think of exactly the same thing. Plus, it may inspire you to shake things up if your relationship comfort zone has become more boring than comfortable.

You'll love this story!

Did you get your free copy of Cocktails on Last Chance Beach yet?

This companion book has a drink recipe from each author with some remarks about why she chose her recipe to share. It must be five o'clock somewhere. 

Find a recipe to try and stock up on ingredients so you'll be ready for a cocktail party of your own—even if you and your significant other are the only guests!

You'll also get to read an excerpt from each story in the boxset.

Takeaway Truth

I'm really enjoying these stories. They're all different, but the two things they have in common are: (1) very good writing (2) the happily ever after we always want.

Try the Last Chance Beach: Summer's End box set. It's only #99cents, and it's a great way to try new authors.

Write from Beginning to The End Without Stopping

I've posted several times about using the 1,3,5 List method to organize my day which has helped me use my time more effectively.

As a writer, time is money. The shorter the time between books, the more money, potentially, I'll earn because my name, or my brand, stays in the readers' minds. 

One thing that has helped me write faster is learning the secret to writing a draft from beginning to end as fast as possible. 

It's taken years for me to get to the point where I can write a first draft of a full-length novel in a month.

Then I use the next month to make it "pretty" because William Zinsser was correct when he said, "Rewriting is the essence of writing well: it’s where the game is won or lost."

On Writing Well by William Zinsser is a book everyone—fiction and nonfiction authors—
should read. Get a copy. You'll be amazed at the succinct and relevant advice offered in this book.

However, I'm not here to actually review this book, but to tell you how to write fast. The end product of your fast writing will be what you work on a la Zinsser's advice. 

Zinsser explained it this way: "You won’t write well until you understand that writing is an evolving process, not a finished product. Nobody expects you to get it right the first time, or even the second time."

How to Write from Beginning to The End Without Stopping

The answer is between your ears—changing the way you think about yourself and your writing. In other words, change your attitude, and you'll change your writing life.

1. Once you start, NEVER go back to the beginning.
Do not go back to the beginning of a chapter, or the beginning of a book, and start editing or proofreading for typos. Doing that is just a way to procrastinate. Better to ask yourself why you're not moving forward.

2. NEVER edit or rewrite as you're writing.
That's another way to procrastinate. You're stuck in a scene instead of moving forward. The problem with going back to the beginning or editing as you write is that what you worked on may end up deleted! 

As a story develops, unaticipated changes happen. You're wasting time rewriting something that may end up on "the cutting room floor."

3. Once you start NEVER change your mind about your story.
Just about every author reaches a point when she/he thinks the story sucks. It's hopeless. If you reach this point and decide you want to change your story, you'll probably never finish that story. Push past that "my story sucks" attitude. A day or two later, you'll be "into" your story and wonder why you wanted to quit it.

4. NEVER wait for life to be perfect before you start writing.
Life will never be perfect. The house will never be spotlesssly clean, the kids happy and helpful, the yard looking like a master gardener lives there, and troubles will never vanish. 

People you love get sick and have problems. Bills keep rolling in. Family and friends will never understand why you spend so many hours on writing when you have so little to show for it. 

In fact, start something challenging and exciting, and I guarantee that the storms of life will hit like a hurricane. You'll want to give up, but if you give up, you'll never win because there will always be something threathening to sidetrack you.

5. NEVER think about how what you write will affect others.
Don't start thinking how readers—or your mom, your husband, your kids, your neighbors—will view your book, and how they will view you! That's a way to guarantee you'll never finish a book.

6. NEVER sabotage yourself in any way.
Be careful what you say to yourself. Internal thought can be devastating. Your internal thought is often what people throughout life may have said to yourself. The problem with negative assertions made by others when you were young is that you internalize those statements. 

When you're tired or feeling low, it's easy for your brain to release those negative affirmations. "You'll never amount to anything." "Romance novels are trashy." "You're not smart enough to write a good book."

On and on, those negative statements may bombard you. It goes without saying, if this is one of your problems, you probably need to work on your emotional problems in whatever way is most effective for you. 

Then arm yourself with some positive affirmations so you can fight back. Of course, you must recognize when you enter that self-sabotage phase.

7. ALWAYS wallow in positivity.
Some people wallow in negativity, self-pity, discouragement, and depression. Fight that tendency. Wallow in positive affirmations. 

Listen to uplifting audio books. Read uplifting books. Visualize yourself achieving what you want most in life. Make little posters with positive thoughts and tape one to your bathroom mirror so it's the first thing you read in the morning.

You may think I've strayed from the topic of How to Write from Beginning to The End Without Stopping, but I have not.

If you take the 7 steps above, you will be able to sit down with your plot notes or chapter
outlines and write from the first word to the last, without stopping. You'll be amazed the first time you've done this.

The second time, it will be even easier. The third time, it will be joyful.

Takeaway Truth

Your writing output is what you design it to be by your daily actions—just as Life is.