Kick Butt & Take Charge by Joan Reeves

I've been exiled from the computer for a month due to chiropractor's strong suggestion that I limit my time and give rehabbing my neck, shoulder, etc. a chance to work.

Needless to say, it's been hard to be limited to small blocks of time at the desk.

So my imagination has been working overtime, spewing out book ideas by the dozens. Literally.

One such idea was for a paranormal romantic suspense featuring a woman who's kind of a cross between Penny on The Big Bang Theory and Sarah Connor of the Terminator.

Go ahead and laugh. The photo at right is kind of how I picture her. She's tough and mean which of course hides her vulnerability.

How would a woman like this act? Good question, and I think I have the answer in something a friend sent me a few years ago. You know, it's one of those things that floats around the internet, usually without attribution of who wrote it. That's a shame because I'd love to celebrate the person who made this up. It's so very clever.

Kick Butt, Take Names, and Take Charge

That's what my heroine in Dead Heat does.

I figure a woman like the heroine I have in mind would kick that up another notch.

This is probably how she would feel about her friends. If she had any.

• When you are sad, I will jump on the person who made you sad like a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew.
• When you are blue, I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
• When you smile, I will know you are plotting something that I must be involved in.
• When you're scared, we will high tail it out of here.
• When you are worried, I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining like a baby.
• When you are confused, I will use little words.
• When you are sick, stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
• When you fall, I'll pick you up and dust you off.

I'll do all this because you're my friend.

Send this to 10 of your closest friends, then get depressed because you can only think of 4.

Dead Heat is a Kindle Unlimited free read, or buy it and keep it forever.

Takeaway Truth

Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend of reading.

* * * * *

Joan Reeves—Keeping Romance Alive…One Sexy Book at a Time—is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. Joan lives happily-ever-after with her hero, her husband. They divide their time between a book-cluttered home in Houston and a quiet house at the foot of the Texas Hill Country where they sit on the porch at night, look up at the star-studded sky, and listen to the coyotes howl.

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WELCOME SUZANNE ROSSI TO SMART GIRLS READ ROMANCE

By Suzanne Rossi

Hi everyone.

Before I say anything, I’d like to thank Caroline Clemmons for inviting me to join the “Smart Girls Read Romance Blog.” I’ll be here on the 30^th of each month (guess I get February off ) with what I hope will be interesting views into my world of writing.

Let me begin by introducing myself. I am Suzanne Rossi. I write romantic suspense for The Wild Rose Press. My two latest releases are “Through My Eyes” and “A Novel Death.”

Sasha Bellwood hates being psychic, but is forced to deal with her abilities when she witnesses a murder through the eyes of the victim. She is not fond of skeptics.

Detective Reed McIntyre hates being stuck on the cold case desk. Almost killed in the line of duty, he’s itching to get back into the action. He thinks psychics are frauds.

With Sasha’s abilities increasing daily, the two must overcome their suspicions of each other and their growing attraction to track down a serial killer before he strikes again. Unfortunately, the murderer already has both in his sights and is stalking them through the streets of Memphis.

How far can Sasha push her powers of the mind, and will she and Reed survive to claim a future together?

Finding the bludgeoned body of bestselling author Isadora Powell sends Anne Jamieson and her four remaining critique partners into a panic. All have secrets and motives for seeing the woman dead.

mysterAnd the victim, a genius at research, knew what lay hidden. With Anne leading the way, they attempt to help the police solve the crime. But each bit of evidence unearthed peels another layer from those secrets. Lies to the police and each other trip them up at every turn. Can they find the murderer before he or she strikes again? Could it be one of them? And can the budding relationship between Anne and lead detective Gil Collins flourish under a cloud of suspicion?

Okay, now that I have the blatant self-promotion out of the way, let’s move on.

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana—actually, a small town north of there called Carmel. Well, it was small when I grew up. Not so much anymore. I’ve been married 46 years (which conflicts with the fact I am only “39” years old and have been for some time now) come August to a man who thoroughly gets what I do, God Bless him. I have two sons and seven grandchildren. I’m also a dog lover. The more, the merrier—both grandkids and dogs.

At present I live in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida living just five miles from the beach. That’s far enough away to avoid the crowds, but close enough to enjoy the sand and surf on occasion.

My passions are my family, reading, writing, wine (must have wine!), shopping, and sitting on my lanai watching the boats go down the canal heading for the ocean. I love Italian and Mexican cuisines, but, in order not to resemble the Goodyear blimp, try to follow the Atkins diet. Sometimes I even succeed.

As time passes, you’ll discover I can be sarcastic, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I use a lot of it in my books along with humor. Can’t live without humor. It keeps me sane, especially during the times when that stupid plot line just won’t come together like I want.

This is me in a nutshell—I love clichés. I hope you don’t find me bland or boring. In June I’ll get down to the nitty gritty (see, told you I loved clichés) and give you some insight on how I view the world and my writing.

Thanks to all of you. See you soon.

Suzanne Rossi

I Feel Like I'm on a Merry-Go-Round of Writers

Most writers find their niche and stick to it, growing a following and improving their skills. I mean, can you imagine Agatha Christie writing paranormal romance?

Some write 2 sub-genres, say contemporary and romantic suspense. Then there are a few--like me--who have no clue what they want to write when they grow up. My writing career, short though it's been, has been on a revolving wheel of "gee, what do I wanna write next?" Now that I'll soon be writing exclusively for Random House Loveswept, I'm being told what to write or given a choice between what's hot on the market.

My first book was a contemporary Western. Then I wrote two historical
Westerns followed by two more contemporary Westerns. Some were books and some, novellas. I wrote a 3-book romantic suspense series set in Paris. Following that was a 3-book bear-shifting contemporary series set in the Scottish Highlands. Intermixed with the bears was a 3-book series of firefighters in Florida. Now, my editor wants a series of ex-SEALS with physical and emotional wounds, finding healing on a ranch.

How am I going to develop a following when I keep hopping from one type of story to another? Readers won't be able to say I love the suspense stories or the Westerns written by Vonnie Davis, because I'll have no niche. Look for me on the merry-go-round of writers. Mainly under the section marked "spiced with humor." Now, there's my niche.

KATHY IVAN SHARES LOSING CASSIE AND A TIP

By Guest Kathy Ivan

Well, hello again.  The lovely ladies here at Smart Girls Read Romance asked me to come back and talk a little about my latest release, Losing Cassie.  It is available for individual sale but it's also included in a new box set, 9 Ways To Fall In Love, which releases on September 1^st for the awesome price of $0.99. 

LOSING CASSIE is book #2 in the Destiny's Desire series.   When I finished the first story, a novella called SECOND CHANCES, I knew Jake would be the hero of book #2.  He grabbed me by the heartstrings and wouldn't let go.  (In book #1 Jake gets a letter and it mentions a woman named Cassandra.  That's all we know about her, her name in a letter and how just seeing her name makes Jake feel.)

Now my brain immediately says . . . Okay, who is Cassandra?  What's her connection with Jake?  From that moment the idea for Jake and Cassie's story started coming to life. 

My writing method is a bit of a what if or why process.  I'll usually start with a character or an incident that evokes a question.  What if Jake goes to Destiny's Desire? Another question, why aren't Jake and Cassie together?   What problem is strong enough to tear them apart and keep them apart years later? 

Want to know the answers.  Well, you'll have to read LOSING CASSIE to find out.  J 

EXCERPT FROM LOSING CASSIE by Kathy Ivan

Why had Chase sent that letter?  

Jake could go for days at a time now without thinking about Cassandra and everything he'd lost when she disappeared.  Seven years and everything still felt the same.  The same loneliness, the overwhelming knowledge some important piece of his soul was missing.  Why did the mention of her name bring everything pouring back, pulling the scab off a never healing wound?

         Glancing around, he surveyed the destruction he'd wrought throughout the master bathroom suite.  Bathtub smashed.  Walls ripped completely back to the studs.  The double sinks and vanity lay in pieces amidst the carnage.  The only thing unbroken was the huge mirror that used to hang above the sinks.  Still whole and unscratched, Jake's image stared back at him, mocking the calm façade reflected back at him.

         Disgusted, he moved the mirror outside the bathroom door, leaned it against an intact wall, went back and packed away all his tools, shut off the lights, and locked the house up tight. 

         Anxious to get home, he drove the short distance back to his condo in Denver, grabbed a shower and made a couple of calls.  He knew Ryan would cover his shifts, his buddy still owed him from Christmas. 

         Jake couldn't think of one good reason, at least a valid one, but his decision was made. 

Watch out Quinton Chase.  I'm tired of being your frigging puppet.  Think you can pull my strings, mention Cassie's name and I'll come running?  You better have a hell of a good explanation for resurrecting her memory after all these years. 

Destiny's Desire Lodge, here I come. 

Thanks for letting me visit with you again. 

Readers can find LOSING CASSIE at

http://www.amazon.com/Losing-Cassie-Destinys-Desire-ebook/dp/B00EMMQXOE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377874812&sr=1-1&keywords=kathy+Ivan

and in the NINE WAYS TO FALL IN LOVE BOX SET on Amazon at

http://www.amazon.com/Ways-To-Fall-Love-ebook/dp/B00ERAREBW/ref=sr_1_11?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377740637&sr=1-11&keywords=caroline+clemmons