RETURN TO CUPID TEXAS

By Guest Author Sylvia McDaniel

Sweethearts Candy

My fondest memories of Valentine's Day are from elementary school. Of course, I'm old enough to remember Valentine's Day parties and the little valentines you gave to your classmates. I have fond memories of going through my valentines to see what everyone wrote on the cards, looking for that special person in your class.  Every year someone would give you a little box of Sweethearts, the heart-shaped candies with sayings on them.  I remember putting a Kiss Me heart on the desk of a little boy that I liked in the third grade. He was my first boyfriend until Susan, that naughty temptress, lured him away.

For fun, I thought I would see if I could find some history on how these candies were created. Wikipedia had a full page devoted to these cute little candies. They began in 1847 when Oliver Chase invented a machine that cut lozenges from wafer candy. He built a candy factory and his brother, Daniel made a stamp that you could press into the candy with different sayings. At that time, the candies were made for weddings and had some unique sayings.  The heart-shaped candies that we know didn't get their start until 1901. Every year, Necco produces over 100,000 pounds of hearts each day from February through mid January.  In 1990, the company that owns the candies updated the sayings.

Curious to see what the updated sayings were, I bought a bag of Sweethearts. Now, I have an extremely busy life, but I decided I would write down all the sayings in that bag of candy. There were 56 different sayings, which I'm not going to bore you with here, but I'll give you the ones that I don't remember and thought were unique. So here they are: Game on, Reach 4 It, Race Me, Friend Me, Let's Ride, Hey Babe, Time 2 Dance, Shake It, UR Hot, UR It, Wink Wink, Soul Mate and Text Me! Glad to see the candy makers are keeping up with the times, though Race Me is kind of strange? Race me to the bedroom?

 Receiving a Valentine is always fun and every year my husband gives me a sweet card, candy and/or flowers. This day we all celebrate love with our significant others, our children and family. As Romance Readers and Writers, this day is made just for us.

What if you lived in a town called Cupid, Texas and there was a superstition that if you danced naked around the Cupid statue at midnight, the first person you saw was your true love. Would you do the Cupid dance for love?

If you’re looking for a fun series that will leave you with a smile on your face, then check out Return to Cupid, Texas. The Box set is only .99 cents through February 15th. Here's the buy link:

http://books2read.com/u/mdNROW

USA Today bestselling author Sylvia McDaniel has published more than thirty western historical romances, contemporary romance and even a few sci-fi novels.  Known for her sweet, funny, family-oriented romances, Sylvia is the author of The Burnett Brides a historical western series, The Cuvier Widows, a Louisiana historical series, Lipstick and Lead, a western historical series and several short contemporary romances.


Married for over twenty years to her best friend, they have one dachshund that reigns Queen Supreme over the house, a new puppy who is challenging the queen and a good-looking, grown son who thinks there’s no place like home. She loves gardening, hiking, shopping, knitting and football (Cowboys and Bronco’s fan), but not necessarily in that order.
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THE BOOK IDEA FACTORY

By Caroline Clemmons

One of the most frequent questions authors receive is, “Where do you get all your ideas?” One author, Bobbye Terry, says she gets them from a small factory in Ohio. That always makes me smile.

The truth is that ideas are everywhere. They pop into my head when something I read or hear sparks an idea. Anything works. When I was about twelve, my father told me a good writer could create a story about a grain of sand or a fly on the wall. I was incredulous until I thought about his comment.

Where had that grain of sand been? Had it traveled around the world on someone’s shoe or had it blown in from New Mexico on a dust storm? (I was raised in West Texas where we had frequent sandstorms and dust storms.) How did the fly get on the wall? Had it narrowly avoided a spider web? I realized my father was right—a writer can use anything as the impetus of a story.

Newspaper work is fun but didn't pay very well.

Much later I worked for a newspaper as a columnist and reporter. My job was to talk to interesting people and write about them in my column. Given that much license, I went crazy. Soon, I was filing too much content for my column and they were printed as human interest stories. I met so many fascinaing people in that job. But I digress.

You see, the idea for a book is the easy part. Yes, I’m serious. Numerous people have told me, “I’ve got a great idea for a book. Why don’t you write it and we’ll split the royalty 50/50?” Um, thanks but NO WAY!  The hard part is taking an idea and developing it into an interesting story.

Author Gene Fowler said, “Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank piece of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” Fortunately, writing is not that bad.

How do authors actually produce a book? I can only speak for myself. I’m part of a wonderful plotting group. To plot, four of us get together about twice a year for a several day retreat where we sequester ourselves in a lake house or hotel suite. (Adult beverages may be consumed to facilitate the process—as well as chips, guacamole, and lots of chocolate.) Each author brings her ideas for three or four books to the retreat.

Of course we look like this when we meet. ☺

She has to already have the hero, heroine, location, situation, motivation, conflict, and resolution in mind. Then we take turns fleshing out the book’s order, turning points, boosting sagging parts, and so forth. It was one of the members of this plotting group, Kathy Shaw, who came up with the name Bride Brigade for my latest series. The other two members are Geri Foster and Sylvia McDaniel.

Realize we aren’t “writing” the books together. We come up with a basic outline which the author takes home. The outline is like a road map when traveling. You know your starting point, your destination, and stops in between them. However, you can take side trips or add an extra stop or two on the journey.

If one of us has a problem between retreats, we meet for lunch and resolve the issue.  And we also meet to talk about marketing.  There’s always something new to learn about marketing. Keeping up is an author's constant battle.

Marketing--the author's dilemma

For critiquing the work, I am part of a great critique group of Geri Foster and Brenda Chitwood. We are constructively brutal when we read each other’s work, which means we don’t just pat one another on the back but we aren't mean-spirited. Each of us wants our book to be the very best it can be and want the same for our other members.

Now you know how we take an idea and create the framework for a novel. Then comes hours and hours and hours of time at the computer. I use a desktop PC in my “pink cave” office and tap away at the keys. I love writing. As my grandmother used to say, “I’m as happy as if I had good sense.”

Happy me in my little office

My latest release is ANGELINE, Bride Brigade book two, which came out March 1 and is available at http://www.amazon.com/Angeline-Bride-Brigade-Book-2-ebook/dp/B01CEK3W0S/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1456929859&sr=8-18&keywords=Caroline+Clemmons.

I’m still promoting my Montana Sky Kindle World, AMANDA’S RANCHER and the link to buy that is http://www.amazon.com/Montana-Sky-Amandas-Rancher-Kindle-ebook/dp/B01BL0HKPK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1456929757&sr=8-3&keywords=Caroline+Clemmons

In April, I’m part of an anthology titled COME LOVE A COWBOY. My contribution is a novella, GRANT ME THE MOON, which will be released as a single in June.

As you can tell, I have lots of ideas and implement as many as possible. 

Thanks for stopping by. I’ll give away an e-copy of ANGELINE to someone who comments today.

I FEEL LUCKY!

This fall I am indeed fortunate because I have multiple releases. As an author, productivity is important. How else can an author hope readers will remember my name and look for my books? Readers are who keeps authors motivated to please. We court you and pray you'll buy and enjoy our books.

I don't write literary fiction. No angst-filled downers from the authors on this blog. I seek to entertain readers and to provide an escape from whatever problems devil readers. Books I write guarantee a happily-ever-after for everyone but the villain.

Please let me share another occasion with you. WILD WESTERN WOMEN, my latest release, is a boxed set with four other authors.  For this release, we have a gift card, free downloads, and several lovely pieces of jewelry. You can enter at the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

One of my giveaways--a black and silver-plated
Dreamcatcher "Power of Three" neclace and earrngs

The five novellas and two bonus short stories are:

USA Today Best Selling Author Kirsten Osbourne – MAIL ORDER MISUNDERSTANDING

Julia traveled West to be a schoolteacher. Thomas requested a mail order bride. When he arrives at the train station to pick up his bride, Thomas mistakenly thinks Julia is there for him. Julia sees Thomas and thinks he's there from the school board. She's married an hour later.

USA Today Best Selling Author Callie Hutton – A CHANCE TO LOVE AGAIN

Widow Rachel Stevens is very happy with her job as a cook for the Lazy Sunset ranch where she is raising her son. However, the new foreman, Rusty McIntyre, is turning her life upside down. She could overlook how her son has begun to idolize Rusty, but she’s having a heck of a time ignoring the flutters in her stomach every time the man smiles at her.

But Rusty has problems of his own. His previously unknown fourteen year old daughter has just arrived to live with him. Used to always being on his own, now he has a young boy following him around imitating his every move, and a surly young lady glaring at him. Throw into the mix the tug he feels toward the ranch cook—who wants no part of him—and life is no longer as easy as it once was.

Best Selling Author Caroline Clemmons – SAVE YOUR HEART FOR ME

After fleeing an abusive husband six years ago, Beth Jeffers wants nothing more than to protect her son Davey and to help her mother operate a Texas Hill Country boarding house. The strong women in her family have had no luck with men, and she has no intention of letting any man influence her son. Not even handsome lawman Matt Petrov, no matter how much her lonely heart urges otherwise.

Federal Marshall Matt Petrov, also known as Lone Wolf Peters, fell in love with Beth the first time he saw her. Then she was another man’s wife, so he kept his longing a secret. But he’s saved his l heart for her for six horrific years. Now, the lovely widow and he have crossed paths again. This time, he intends to risk all for a chance at happiness. First he must rescue his distant kinsman from an assassin’s clutches and protect Beth’s son Davey from the villain. Mystery, kidnapping, and twists await Matt and Beth. But will Matt’s secrets shatter the love he and Beth share?

Best Selling Author Sylvia McDaniel – DESPERATE

After the death of their father, the McKenzie sisters, Meg, Annabelle and Ruby try the normal ways for women to earn a living in a small western town. When they fail, the McKenzie sisters decide to take up their father’s profession, bounty hunting. They quickly learn they can use their feminine wiles and their Baby Dragoons to earn their way in the old west. They’re tough and resilient, badass women in this historical western novella. Kick off the adventure with the first installment of the new series, Lipstick and Lead with Desperate.

Best Selling Author Merry Farmer – THE INDOMITABLE EVE

The one thing Eve deLaurent has wished for in the two years since her sister, Amelia, was whisked away to America was to be a family again. But the tragedy that befell her once Amelia was gone has left her wounded, body and soul. Now, reunited with her sister, all Eve wants to do is run. Amelia’s new, happy life is a betrayal deeper than Eve can stand. She would leave and never look back, were it not for Mark Andrews.

As Cold Springs’s reverend, Mark is used to people confiding their darkest sins and looking to him for help. So when he sees the pain behind Eve’s mask of confidence, all he wants to do is help her. But Eve awakens a desire in him that reminds him that even a man of God is still a man. They seem to be everything the other wants and needs, but can the people of Cold Springs accept an actress in their pastor’s arms? Can they be together if bitter family betrayals keep Eve and Amelia at each other’s throats?

You’re only as strong as the loves that hold you together...

Bonus Stories

Plus bonus stories from Caroline Clemmons, "Stone Mountain Reunion," and from Merry Farmer, "A Hero's Heart"

All of this at the bargain price of 99 cents!

WILD WESTERN WOMEN Buy links are:

Amazon                AmazonUK

iTunes

a Rafflecopter giveaway