Second Chance at Love Blog Tour

I'm very happy to host Victoria Wells on her second day of the Second Chance at Love Tour. Join me to welcome her and to learn even more about Victoria!

GETTING TO KNOW VICTORIA WELLS


What is your favorite book to date?
I actually have two favorite books. Sister Got Game by Leslie Esdaile and Someone To Love Me by Francis Ray.

Who is your favorite author and why?

This is such an unfair question because I have so many favorites. If I had to pick one I would say the late great L.A. Banks. She was such a dynamic and gifted author. Whether it was her romance novels, political series, paranormal series or her latest young adult novel, I enjoyed them all. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Banks in person twice and she was just a sweetheart.

Why do you write?

I enjoy the freedom it gives me to escape into another world. Being able to write for hours is very therapeutic. When I’ve had a stressful day, there’s nothing like iving into the lives of my characters to ease the stress away.
Receiving emails, FB messages and guest book messages from readers also encourages me to write. Knowing that others find what I write entertaining and having them express wanting more stories is a great motivator.
In a nutshell, I write for both myself and those who enjoy my stories.


ABOUT THE BOOK

As a young widowed mother, love is the last thing on Karen Johnston’s mind. Her busy life revolves around caring for her two young children, which becomes even more challenging when her children begin to show signs of needing a father in their lives. Just as things start to go haywire in the Johnston household, in walks ruggedly handsome Dominic Peretti, Jr. The attraction between the two is undeniable. Karen spends restless nights dreaming of his touch. As he begins to crowd every space of her life, will she give in to her sensual desires? Or will she sacrifice her desires for the sake of her children?
Dominic ‘Dom’ Peretti, Jr. isn’t looking for a serious relationship when he accepts the task of surrogate father to Karen’s children. But he can’t get the ever so lovely and sexy woman out of his mind. His intention is to have nothing more than a hot, steamy fling to satisfy his appetite. However, as he gets a taste of life with the Johnstons, he has a decision to make. Will he give love a chance? Or will he walk away, leaving Karen and her children in harm’s way?

Be sure and follow the tour each day to learn more about Victoria. Leave a comment each day to be entered to win a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card courtesy of Victoria!

Lavender Balm (And Ale)

Yesterday I helped Lily create a creamy butter balm for her best customer. And when she added her signature ingredient, the lovely and fragrant lavender essential oil, I learned something new. Essential oils are distilled from the leaves, flowers, bark, or roots – truly the essence of the plant. Fragrance oils are artificially created synthetics. “Not that they don’t smell good,” she told me. “But watch out for that woman with the New-Age, breathy voice immersed in a bathtub surrounded by candles – if she tells you the watermelon fragrance is an essential oil, she’s lying!” And what better way to toast a bit of new information than with a bottle of Longshot Honey B’s Lavender Ale

Yesterday I helped Lily create a creamy butter balm for her best customer. And when she added her signature ingredient, the lovely and fragrant lavender essential oil, I learned something new. Essential oils are distilled from the leaves, flowers, bark, or roots – truly the essence of the plant. Fragrance oils are artificially created synthetics. “Not that they don’t smell good,” she told me. “But watch out for that woman with the New-Age, breathy voice immersed in a bathtub surrounded by candles – if she tells you the watermelon fragrance is an essential oil, she’s lying!” And what better way to toast a bit of new information than with a bottle of Longshot Honey B’s Lavender Ale!

Welcome to Sanctuary: What's In a Name?

Welcome to Sanctuary!
My novella is the lust-turned-love story of free spirit lavender-grower Lily Lomax and the very delectable NYT best-selling author Tony Marchand. When they finally find their way back to each other, Tony tells his publisher that his next book will be written by him and Lily. But I need your help - I've written myself into a corner and I'm stumped. What title should they give their book? My wonderful publisher Arrow Publications came up with the solution. Let my readers pick a name - one that celebrates both Tony and Lily's passionate and unpredictable relationship and the subject matter.

So, what should Tony and Lily call their book? It should be a title that celebrates their relationship and be appropriate for the genre. Those are the only hints; you'll just have to pikc up a copy from Arrow Publications, and available from MyRomanceStory.com, All Romance eBooks, the Apple App Store and Amazon's Kindle Store. It will also be available soon in print from Amazon.com.

All entries will be judged on...

— Creativity

— Aptness of title

— Faithfulness to the original story and characters

HOW TO ENTER:

To enter, send your title suggestions in the body of an email to SanctuaryTitleContest@gmail.com.

Your entry must also include

— Name

— Address

— Phone number

— Email address

— A link to your personal Facebook page (if you have one)


CONTEST PERIOD:

The contest begins August 22, 2011 and all entries must be receive no later than midnight November 30, 2011 with winners to be announced on December 30, 2011


THE PRIZES

1st Place
Sanctuary Gift Basket of a Lily's Lavender Loofah Soap, Sanctuary Soap and Lavender & Pink Grapefruit Body Oil from Sand and Silk*.

Total Value: $40

2nd Place
Sand and Silk Gift Basket of Tropical Smoothie, Island Breeze Sandals Soap and Sand and Silk Coconut Body Oil from Sand and Silk*.

Total Value: $35

3rd Place A signed copy of Niambi Brown Davis' Sanctuary, a MyRomanceStory tote bag and a gift certificate from Sand and Silk*.

Total Value: $25

*Some products are not yet available on the site - you'll be the first!

Good luck, spread the word and enjoy Sanctuary! "Like" Sanctuary on my Facebook page for more give-aways, tips and recipes for your body and your tastebuds. (Lavender cookies and body scrub, anyone?)

A Video Review(And The Happy Dance)

When Sabor a Mi was first released, I had the bright idea to time it with a promotional video. It wouldn’t be a trailer. Instead, I planned to talk directly to readers, revealing just enough of the story to make them rush online and load it onto their Kindle or PC. However, my timing was off and it never happened. Among the many reasons was my hair. I couldn’t show up on camera “undone.” As much as I love my twists, I need a professional to keep them from looking like a clone of Coolio.

Still, the reviews and emails were great. More than once, I did the Happy Author Dance. And then I saw Tasha Martin’s video review of Sabor a Mi. I bow to her; she talked about my story as if it was something good to eat! Tasha did just what I intended to do, but so much better. Perhaps I should leave the videos to the experts (lol).

Here’s an email from Edwina Putney, who has a way with words herself. Needless to say, I was totally thrilled!
“Sabor a Mi is so good that I couldn't put it down. The settings are so exact in your descriptions that my mind pictured every detail. And let me tell you, I had to keep drinking iced water! But I was also heart-broken and then relieved and overjoyed at the plot development. Loved the mystery/suspense wrinkle. Didn't really see that coming. Young love or mature love--it's all about forgiveness, letting your guard down, and being open to love's possibilities."

Click here for more reviews.

Download a copy - I hope you’ll cross your fingers for Melody and Ray, two ballroom dancers whose contentious first meeting leads to love and heartbreak. And that you’ll cheer for Joel and Ivy. They’re Melody’s parents and a couple whose love story rivals that of their daughter. When you read about Norman, (a little man who wants desperately to be a big shot), you’ll laugh and then want to kick his Napoleonic butt. I know you’ll like Andrew – a trust fund, good guy golden boy with a taste for women of color. You might even like Melody’s conservative, Tea Party brother Jay