Moonstruck Winner or Two

Just in case you’re wondering how I choose the winners each week, I use a couple of methods. One is a number randomizer, which you can find on the Internet. Or there’s the write each name (names, depending on the amount of comments you leave for the week) and fold them into itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka…hold up, going in the wrong direction there, very small pieces of paper and have someone pull out the winning name.



Well, this week, I used the number randomizer and we have two winners. Yep, you read that right, two of them. The first winner was / is Angie Fox and from her comment she has read this book. But it’s the first book of Susan’s she’s read. So…email which book you’d like from her backlist and Amazon will have it on its way.

The second winner, the one who will receive Moonstruck is…the galaxy is rumbling with excitement over this one…Karin!!!

Both winners please email me at vickilanewrites @yahoo.com, your snail mail addy where you would like the books to be sent.

Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by this week and I hope to see you next week. Also, major props to those who put the link for the contest on their blogs. You guys Rock!

Have a great weekend everyone.

WW’s and PD’s,
Vicki

Moonstruck by Susan Grant - Contest

The contest giveaway this week is Susan Grant’s book Moonstruck

I had the pleasure of meeting Susan this year at RWA Nationals. Okay, so we both got on the same elevator. I was on my down to the RWA check in area to drop off the proxy votes and Susan (I must confess, I didn’t recognize her) ask me if I knew where the place was. Yes, I tell her, in fact I’m on my way there now.

On our way down the escalator and then corridor we talked about San Fran and how this seemed like it would be a great conference. The conversation turned to writing (it always does when you’re with writers). I introduced myself and asked her what genre she wrote. She told me and then introduced herself but said I write under Susan Grant.

Yes, some of you have guessed what happened next. You see I’m not a star struck type of girl, but I love her books and here we where talking like, well…I don’t know, like we were in the same place with our writing. So not the case.

At that point I stopped dead in my tracks, stuck out my hand, and simply said, “It is a pleasure to meet you. Your books are amazing and your world building is great.” She smiled and told me thank you and I’d made her very hectic day better.

Imagine that. Me, the unpubbed had made her day better.

Now for the good stuff, what you’ve been reading this far to find out about. Here’s the backcover blurb:

PEACE IS FOR LITTLE GIRLS.

And Coalition starship admiral Brit Bandar is one tough woman. A mere intergalactic treaty could never get her to trust the Drakken Horde. There was too much bad blood between the Coalition and the Horde and, for intensely personal reasons, Brit wasn’t sure that she was through spilling it! But now a peaceful accord has made Finn Rorkken, a notorious Drakken rogue, second-in command on her starship – and through some grand cosmic irony – front and center in her thoughts…and her heart.

WARLEADER. PIRATE.

Either title sat easily on Finn’s battle-hardened shoulders. Though second-in-command to “Stone-Heart” Bandar? That would take some getting used to. Peace required as much sacrifice as war, so he’d comply even if his reaction to the gorgeous admiral fell decidedly outside protocol. But would he end up kissing or killing her if the galaxy’s tentative truce turned into all out war?

And for the click here for the excerpt.

If you’ve not read Susan Grant’s books, you’re in for a treat and you’ll be forever hooked. Her world building is terrific and from the beginning of page one to ending, you’re thrust deep within the story.

You know the drill and just in case there’s someone new to the blog who doesn’t, leave your comments all week to be entered into the drawing. On Friday afternoon, someone will be randomly drawn as the winner.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Last Week's Winner

Friday was a blur from the time I woke up, packed for the weekend, and left for work. I normally pack a couple of days early, or at least the night before. Anyway, I left work and met up with a couple of my TARA sisters to go to our writer's retreat.

I knew I hadn't announced the winner yet, but the hotel had wireless so no problem. Yeah, not so much. I could never get on the Internet. For some reason my laptop wouldn't find it. Said the signal was good, even great a few times, but then the dread no connect page.

So...last week's winner of The Undead Next Door is...Tetewa.

Please email me at vickilanewrites @yahoo.com with your snail mail addy and I'll get the book out to you this week (okay, probably this weekend) :D

Tomorrow I post the new contest for this week.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Mom's B-day Weekend

My mom's birthday weekend was a blast. We left on Friday for the seven hour drive. Yep, seven hours of riding in the car. Normally we fly, but this time there was stuff to take for the party and my son was going with us, so it made sense to drive. Remind me to check that made sense next time. :)





Friday night started the weekend with a small group of family, around 26 of us, at my sister's home. Drinks, appetizers, and dinner, were prepared and served by a chef who came to her house. How cool is that. They even did the clean up afterwards.



Saturday morning, Science Guy and I met my daughter and son-in-law for breakfast and to watch the waves. Although Ike was down by Texas, the storm surge still churned on the beach in Destin. I tried to capture the waves and how high they were, but this doesn't really do it justice. The Whales Tail is right on the beach and it's one of my favorite places to go have breakfast when we visit my family. Shortly after that there was a lunch and drinks at the beach club. SG and I didn't do that one. We drove around and looked at the water, did a little shopping, and then worked on the wish bowl for Saturday night.



So far it had been a great and busy weekend, seeing family I haven't' seen in years and in general enjoying the town. Then Saturday night rolls around. We're dressed and ready to go. Downstairs I see some of the family staying at the hotel. They asked if we want to follow them, but no, we're not quite ready to go yet. I had to get something from the car and take it back upstairs before we could leave.

What should have taken us all of twenty minutes to find the place, ended up taking over an hour. It's not like I don't know Destin, but when I asked for directions, well...let's just say they weren't exactly correct.

The first hour, the one that we missed, was where the staff walked around with drinks and appetizers for everyone while they mingled. So it wasn't to bad. Of course SG and I ordered drinks as soon as we arrived. After the hour of driving up and down Hwy 98, the margarita was a welcoming calm to the frazzled nerves.









Dinner was yummy and my sister had these hilarious sunglasses for everyone to wear. Afterwards we danced and danced, okay and danced some more.



Sunday morning was relaxing outside on the balcony overlooking the bay and then packing it all up to head home. After a stop at my mom's to pick up my son and short visit, we loaded my son's stuff in the car and hit the road to make the drive home.

Remember the seven hour drive? Yeah, well not so much on the way home. I was driving, we were all talking and I took a wrong exit. We hadn't paid attention on the way up and didn't realize there were two exits for this small town that would take us back to 19. We're driving and the road is beautiful. The hills were a welcomed sight for about ten minutes. That's when I realized we were not on the right road. I know what you're thinking, turn around and go back. Not so easy since there wasn't a place to turn around and on each side of the road was rather swampy. Finally we found a place, turned around, and headed back to the interstate. The seven hour drive turned into ten. Again, that's why I fly.

All in all the weekend was wonderful. Yes, the drive was long, but seeing family and friends was great and the my mom had the best time, being the queen for the weekend. Okay, so she's always the queen in our family, but this was an extra special queen time for her.

How about you? Do you drive for vacations?

WW's and PD's, Vicki

Contest Time - The Undead Next Door

The party this weekend was fabulous. I’ll post some pics and tell you a little more tomorrow. I know I said we’d start the weekly check in this week, but due to the craziness of last week, I’ll start them next Tuesday. So keep your word counts starting today to turn in next week.

A small bit of housekeeping, I still have not heard anything from the winner of the last contest. So, a new winner has been randomly chosen. And the person is….Hawk! Whoohoo, email me your snail mail addy and I’ll get the book out to you.

Okay now that’s done, let’s get on to new stuff.



This week’s contest is Kerrelyn Sparks book, The Undead Next Door.

Here’s the backcover blurb:

Three signs that something is very different with your new man:

1. He sleeps all day . . . which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night.
2. He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.
3. He never seems to age.

Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive . . . so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.

You can go here for an excerpt.

As always leave your comments all week long to be entered to win.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Party Time is Almost Over

My mom's weekend b-day party is winding down. Last night was the big party, complete with the sit down dinner and dancing. I've got some great pics to post later. My sister bought everyone cool sunglasses. Science Guys were guitars.

We're heading home sometime today and although it's been great to see family I don't see often and friends I miss, it will be great to be home with our babies (the dogs).

Tomorrow begins the Monday check in and another contest will be up. Hope everyone has had a great weekend and for those in the path of Ike, my thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Remembering....

I'm shocked at how I remembered yesterday and yet this morning in all the rush to get ready for work and leave on time, I forgot.

And now I sit here and feel the heaviness of the events that happened seven years ago. Our lives will never be the same. Sure, for many of us, we go about things each day much the same as perhaps we did before 9/11. But for many others, we wake each day to loss and pain of the senselessness of it all.

I remember, like most everyone, where I was seven years ago. I worked at Wharton High School. It was a normal hectic high school morning like every other morning when you work with 9th - 12th graders.

My phone rang and my ex was crying. He asked me if I knew. I thought omg, his mom has passed away. She'd been very sick. But no, as horrible as that would have been, actually was when she did, this was way worse.

The next sound was my Principal screaming No. He quickly called us together. We needed a plan to allow parents to sign out or pick up their children. Yes, at that moment the kids who believe they're grown, where once again children to everyone, including themselves.

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse the second plane struck and third plane went down, missing its target, but killing those brave people on board. Tears ran down our faces for people we didn't know and fear filled us as we each tried in vain to reach our own loved ones and friends who might be traveling by air.

Quiet descended on a normally loud group of 2300 students as our Principal spoke to them over the intercom. Anger from students who had no idea how to deal with this. After all they were American and this was the land of the free and the brave. This couldn't happen on our land. But it did.

Now seven years later, we no longer fly with the same ease, we no longer feel like it can never happen to us.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all who lost loved ones and friends and to the those of us who did not lose an actual person, but lost a part of our own freedom. The words We Will Never Forget rings on.

Maybe you're like me, and this morning you didn't watch the news and it slipped your mind for a few hours, but in all honesty, We will Never Forget.

Thank you is not an adequate word to give those who serve our country, our home, and other countries to keep us safe. You're love of this country and the people who most you will never meet is amazing and I for one am humbled by you.

Thank you and God Bless America today and forever.