Monday, August 27, 2012

Two Become One

Bless this pair of hearts so true.
Make their troubles rare and few.
Keep love and laughter in their days.
Grant them joy in every way.
What once was two join as one.
Together eternal.
Never undone.




September 22, 2012, our family will gain a very wonderful young man. Soul mates and true love aren't just in romance novels. ;-)

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The dialogue of planning a wedding…


Next month, my oldest daughter marries the man of her dreams. He proposed to her last December. Since then, some very interesting bits of conversation have surfaced while we’ve traveled (survived) the path of planning for the big day. By the way, this child of mine is by nature the very detail oriented, almost obsessive compulsive organizer of all things. Yes. Wedding planning has propelled her strategizing to frightening new heights.

Conversation between just engaged future son-in-law (FSIL) and his mother:

FSIL: *bragging voice* “I don’t have to worry about her turning into some sort of bridezilla, Mom. You know how level-headed she is. Everything will be fine.”

FSIL’s Mom: *knowing smile toward her poor deluded son* “Whatever you say, dear. I just don’t think you realize how important this day is in a girl’s life. It’s a day they all dream about.”

Three days later FSIL calls his mom, whispering into the phone while hiding in a safe place.

FSIL: *panicked whisper* “Mom. We have wedding books. Lots of them.”

FSIL’s Mom: *stifled giggle* “Really?”

FSIL: “And binders. And magazines. And a folder with dates. And an appointment with a wedding planner.”

FSIL’s Mom: “That’s nice, honey.” *knowing chortle*

Conversation between daughter (Bride-to-Be or B2B) and her younger sister (Matron of Honor or MoH) and me (Me) during the FIRST wedding party dress fittings. (Yes. There is never just one fitting.):

B2B: *determined, chiding tone* “If you don’t suck it in, I’ll never get it zipped.”

MoH: *teeth clenched about to kill her sister tone* “It’s my freakin’ rib case. If I suck in more air, it’ll just get bigger!”

B2B: *exasperated huff* “Then blow it out and don’t breathe any more ‘til I tell you.”

MoH: No reply. Just looks at me in the mirror with a “you better do something or I’m going to be an only child” glare.

Me: “Maybe we need to try a different style?”

They didn’t kill each other and here’s an iPhone shot of the lovely Matron of Honor.
Granddaughter is going to be a junior bride’s maid. As long as she got to twirl in front of all the “magic mirrors” as she called them, she was happy.

Conversation between daughter (B2B) and hubby (Father-of-the-bride or FOB):

B2B: *threatening I-have-been-pushed too far tone* “You are NOT wearing your kilt to my wedding!”

FOB: *amused that he’s miffed his daughter tone* “Why not?”

B2B: “It clashes with my colors.”

Me: I don’t say a word, just give Hubby the “look” signaling I have heard enough of him pestering B2B.

FOB: *resigned tone* “Fine. I’ll wear the damn tux.” *brighter tone* “But I’m wearing my kilt to the rehearsal dinner and the reception!”

B2B: *knows she doomed so dismisses him with a wave* “Fine.”

Conversation between B2B and myself.

B2B: *strained patient tone she always uses when she’s ready to launch into a lecture* “Mom. Have you found your dress yet?”

Me: *Living with hubby for thirty-three has ruined me. I can’t resist teasing her just a bit.* “I’ve decided I’m wearing nothing but my pearls.”

B2B: No reply just a stony stare.

Here’s the dress SHE picked out for me since I’m only an expert on jeans.

Conversation between B2B, MoH and myself in the shoe store.

B2B to me: “Here. These shoes will look great.”

Me: “I don’t want any heels. I’ll break my neck.”

B2B: “You can’t wear flats with that dress. Try these on.”

Me: “They hurt my feet.”

B2B: “Can you walk in them?”

Me: *sullen tone* “Yes.”

B2B: “Just wear them to the wedding and for a little while at the reception.”

MoH: “I like them.”

Me to MoH: “The wicked things are yours after September 22nd.”

MoH: “Sweet!”

Here’s the wicked shoes AND the comfortable pair I’ll be changing into once I’m given permission.


Most recent conversation (text messages) between myself and bridezilla…er…B2B:

Me: “How many days?”

B2B: “35.”

Me: “Holy crap!”

B2B: “I know! I’m about to hit ultimate freakout.”

Me: “Yes. We know.”

**Disclaimer: Bride-to-be is normally a very patient, loving soul. We all look forward to a return to her usual fun-loving personality once “demon planning bridezilla” is successfully exorcised on September 22nd

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Marriage of convenience or recipe for love?



I’m so pleased to host the very talented Sandra Dailey at my cyber home today. And guess what? Sandra’s giving away a pdf copy of her new release, The Chief’s Proposal. So, don’t forget to leave a comment after you enjoy her post. I’ve decided Sandra is also a bit of a tease. She’s piqued my interest with a personal story that we’re going to have to wrangle out of her at some point in the future! Join me in welcoming Sandra and you’ll see what I mean. Welcome Sandra!

Thanks for hosting me on your blog today, Maeve. I can’t wait to meet your friends.

I’ll start by telling you all a little about myself.

I live in North Florida with my husband of thirty plus years. I’ve included a picture of a place just north of us called the Okeefenokee Swamp. It would be south of the area where The Chief’s Proposal takes place.
I’ve had a list of careers in the past, but none have been as much fun as writing. Unlike most of my peers, I wasn’t born with the burning desire to write. What I was born with was a huge imagination.

One day a few years ago, I was confined to my house after surgery. I had just moved and my supply of unpacked books was thin. I finally found one I hadn’t read. I opened that book and it inspired me. Yes, it was the worst book I’d ever tried to read. I thought to myself that I could do better. I opened my computer and went to work. That first manuscript is still sitting in a box. Since then, I’ve taken a few writing classes and here I am.
My new release, The Chief’s Proposal, is dear to my heart. Not only is it my debut, it’s also a marriage of convenience story. My own marriage began as ‘an agreement’. That’s a longer story then I have time to tell today. However, as I said above, we’ve now been married for over thirty years. I can’t imagine living with anyone else. I think my hero and heroine in The Chief’s Proposal feel the same now, but in the beginning they had a pretty rocky start.

Here’s an excerpt of my hero and heroines first morning after meeting:

Just as Ginny began to drift off, a loud clatter came from down the hall. It was followed by a stream of cusswords. Someone was breaking into the house. Could this night get any worse?

Ginny threw on the light robe she’d left on the end of the bed. She groped around in the dark for a weapon. She grabbed something solid from the dresser and slowly sneaked down the hall. The light was on in the kitchen. She flattened herself against the wall and peeked around the doorframe.

“You a coffee drinker?” Brett stood by the stove looking as gorgeous, and as formidable, as he had the night before.

“All the noise woke me up.”

Brett raised a brow. “Yeah, well, your hair dryer was a nice surprise at three o’clock this morning too.

Here’s another rule. No loud noises while I’m sleeping.”

“Sorry.”

“So, what’s with the duck?” he asked, nodding at her hand.

Ginny looked down to find she was holding a wooden decoy duck by the neck. So much for showing confidence and class.

The Chief’s Proposal has a few laughs and a little suspense and a lot of sexual tension.

You can find my book at:

The Wild Rose Press http://bit.ly/PSiSNR
Amazon for Kindle http://amzn.to/MCNbDU
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/RTDJ01

You can find me at:

Friday, August 3, 2012

Exciting new read alert!!!

Yep. You heard me right. EXCITING NEW READ ALERT! Allow me to introduce Linda Trout, a fresh new voice of Romantic Suspense with The Wild Rose Press.

I’m so glad you came to visit my little cyber home as one of the stops on your blog tour, Linda! By the way dear Readers, be sure and check out the other stops on Linda’s tour at her website:  http://www.lindatrout.com/  Leave a comment  at one or more of her blog stops because at the end of her tour, Linda’s giving away a digital copy of her new release GRAVE SECRETS!

Maeve, Thank you so much for having me! I love your website and the man candy, there’s nothing like a good looking man in a kilt. I write romantic suspense, but I’m not an RS snob. I love reading a lot of different genres and Scottish books are right up there.

The pictures of your Mystical Seven inspired me. I don’t have any dragons, but I do have a Gargoyle. Does that count? 
Let me tell you a bit about myself. I grew up on a farm in northeastern Oklahoma. I’m a degreed accountant and wound up in the oil & gas industry. My husband is a retired Marine and has also retired from his civilian job. Thank goodness he supports me in my writing. We have 2 black Labrador Retrievers and 4 cats, who all think they have to help me write.

I’m a motorcycle mama. Yep, I love riding my own bike. I used to ride behind my hubby, but got tired of him asking me if I was done squirming yet. Uh, no. My butt hurt so I most decidedly was NOT done squirming! But it was incentive to learn how to ride my own. That and the first time we went to a motorcycle rally in Sturgis, SD, he kept staring at the women bikers…said he found them sexy. Well, all rightly, then. Here I am posing with my Duece, and yes, that’s a Harley.  However, when I’m riding I don’t look much like this, not with the leathers and horrible helmet hair. LOL

I’d thought of having my heroine in GRAVE SECRETS riding a bike, but it wasn’t happening. She’s a businessman’s widow who lives in the better part of town. Only she’d give it all up to have her husband and baby back. Her child disappeared the day of her husband’s funeral and she’s been searching for her daughter ever since. Here’s a blurb:

When Sara Adams' infant daughter is abducted, she moves heaven and earth to find her. But six months later, time is running out and Sara turns to the one man she shouldn't—insurance investigator Morgan Daniels. Dangerously attractive, he's a threat to more than just her heart, and if she isn't careful, he'll unearth secrets better left buried.

Proving Sara murdered her husband is Morgan's top priority. Helping her find her child is the perfect opportunity to get the proof he needs. But when he starts to think of her as a woman rather than a suspect, she slips under his armor. He can't trust her. Worse, he can't trust himself around her.

All evidence points to Sara as a murderer, but Morgan's gut tells him the evidence is wrong. Is his obsession with her blinding him to the facts? Or is the real murderer still out there…stalking Sara?

Maeve, thank you again for having me on your blog. Here are buy links to GRAVE SECRETS:

The Wild Rose Press: http://tinyurl.com/d4cxc7h

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Grave-Secrets-Linda-Trout/dp/1612173071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342970187&sr=8-1&keywords=grave+secrets+by+linda+trout