Reservations for Two Giveaway!

To enter the drawing for a PDF copy of Reservations for Two go to my website and use the contact form and leave me a message telling me you would like to enter this months drawing.  That's it!

Widower’s Maggie O’Brien and Carson Jennings are both on a journey to rediscover who they are. Maggie, an adventurous former pastor’s wife of thirty-nine years, hopes to find closure in the place she and her husband spent their honeymoon. Carson, a retired judge, is living his lifelong dream of traveling across the U.S. in his RV. When their paths cross in the tranquil setting of Mason Springs, New Mexico, love is the last thing that either of them expects to find.

When this mix matched pair comes together they find themselves in some hilarious and even precarious situations that will make you laugh and sometimes cry. As the romance begins to blossom they face many obstacles that threaten to tear them apart and what Maggie discovers about herself in New Mexico will redefine her future and alienate one of her children.

Will Carson and Maggie’s love for one another be strong enough to weather the storms or will their love for their children keep them apart?
 
Interview with Maggie:
Joining us today is Maggie O’Brien, the heroine from Reservations for Two. I had to travel all the way to Mason Springs, New Mexico, and then hike up a mountain just to find Maggie so I could interview her. And sadly I have to admit she’s in much better shape than I am. She could put the Energizer Bunny to shame.

Anne spots Maggie on the trail ahead, taking in the beauty of the valley below, and pauses to catch her breath. The sixty-two year old woman with salt and pepper hair and small build looks like she just took a stroll through a garden instead of up a mountain.

[Maggie] You look like you could use some oxygen there, kiddo.

*Anne makes a face at her. She’s still trying to catch her breath*.

*Maggie saunters over and takes a seat on a nearby log.* Are you sure you’re okay?

[Anne] I’m fine. We couldn’t have done this down at the inn? *her voice still a tad shaky*

*Maggie grinned* I suppose we could of, but then you would have missed this. *She makes a sweeping motion with her hands*

*Anne cautiously gazed over the side of the cliff and over the tops of huge aspens and conifers to the spectacular view of the valley below* So is this why you traveled all the way from Nebraska on a bus?

*Maggie shrugs a shoulder* These trails hold some very fond memories of when Joe and I spent our honeymoon here, so I guess you could say I came here to find closure.

[Anne] I know you and Joe were very close, but it’s hard to picture the two of you together.

*Maggie laughs* I wasn’t your typical pastor’s wife. Nor was I a very good missionary…at least not as good as Joe.

[Anne] You spent nineteen years in the mission field, right?

[Maggie] That’s right. We met in Brazil, corresponded a while, married here in the states, and then I moved there. We also lived in Africa. Can you tell I like to travel?

[Anne] What brought you back to the United States?

[Maggie] After Joe’s dad passed on the church where he served offered Joe the pastoral position.

[Anne] Do you ever miss serving in the mission field?

[Maggie] I miss the traveling the most. I’ve always wanted to visit other countries, learn the different cultures, and see how the rest of the world lives.

[Anne] You recently met someone who also likes to travel, would you care to enlighten us about him. According to Joann, down at the inn, the two of you have been spending a lot of time together.

*Maggie blushes* Joann needs to mind her own business.

[Anne] Oh come on. I traveled a long ways to get the scoop on you and Carson. Now give.

[Maggie] Carson’s okay I guess. I’m not really in the market for another husband though. We’re just friends, with similar interests, spending part of our vacations together. That’s all. Besides, even I did care for him…which I don’t…my kids would have a conniption fit. They’re under the impression I’m going senile or something. They’re always harping on me to move closer to them so they can keep an eye on me. I swear, you’d think I was standing at death’s door or something the way they carry on sometimes.

[Anne] Wouldn’t you want to live closer so you can spend time with your grandchildren?

[Maggie] I can spend time with my grandchildren without living next door…or in the same house with them. Now that I’m retired I plan to do that as often as I can. When I’m not traveling that is.

[Anne] So you’re really serious about recapturing your dream of seeing the world?

[Maggie] You bet I am. I’m in the prime of my life here.

[Anne] So will Carson be joining you on this journey of yours?

[Maggie] Good heavens, give me a break, I just met the man. Not only that, but he doesn’t really strike me as much of an adventurer…if you know what I mean. He’s more the type to live out his retirement on the golf course.

[Anne] But he has a motor home, so he must like to travel.

[Maggie] That’s true, I guess. He did agree to go hiking with me.

*Anne peers over the edge of the mountain again, wondering how’s she’s going to get down without breaking her neck* If he’s agreed to go hiking with you I’d say he’s an adventurer.

*Maggie grins* We’ll see about that.

[Anne] So how’d the two of you meet anyway?

[Maggie] I was rollerblading up town and had a bit of a mishap and he sort of came to my rescue.

[Anne] You’re being awful vague, Maggie. What sort of mishap? Was anything broken…did anyone get hurt?

[Maggie] Of course not, I’m a better skater than that. I’ve been rollerblading with my grandchildren for years. Is this interview about over? I promised Carson we’d go out tonight and I want to get in a few more miles before heading back to the inn. You could join me, if you want.

*Anne considers the invitation only briefly* No thanks. I don’t mind hiking, but I don’t care too much for heights. So you and Carson are going out tonight?

*Maggie stands up and slips on her daypack* Yeah. He wouldn’t tell me where we’re going though. He said it was a surprise.

[Anne] Well I better let you get back to your hike then. I wouldn’t want you to be late for your date on account of me. You two have fun.

*Maggie blushes* Oh I’m sure we will. He comes up with some of the best surprises.

What sort of surprise do you reckon Carson has in store for Maggie?
 
Reservations for Two can be purchased at Amazon.com or from the publisher.

And the Grand Prize Winner is.....

Wow, what a month!!! We’ve had some great guests, awesome comments, given away some wonderful books and I don’t know about you but I had a blast. Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for.

The winner of my grand prize drawing in March Madness is…*drum roll of course* Lady_Graeye and the winner of my Scavenger Hunt is…*another drum roll* Beverly Taylor. Congratulations ladies!!!! Lady_Graeye won an autographed copy of Lethal Dreams, a download of one of my other books and a tin of chocolates. Beverly won a $50 VISA gift card. How awesome is that!

I want to thank EVERYONE who participated in my March Madness Contest & Scavenger Hunt. I’ve enjoyed all the wonderful comments and emails, and I am especially grateful to all the talented authors who visited this month and gave away copies of their books.

Now there is still one giveaway under way and that is for a free download of Reservations for Two, written my alter ego Kinzie Monroe. If you haven’t read Maggie’s interview yet, scroll on down a few posts. Maggie is my main character in the book and she is a real hoot. You’d never guess her late husband was a pastor. This rollerblading grandma loves adventure and she’s on one now that is liable to change the course of her future or alienate her family.

Val at You Gotta Read Reviews gave Reservations for Two it’s highest rating: "Kinzie Monroe has written a story laced with intrigue, drama and a very pure and captivating romance. Reservations for Two is the type of book that captures your attention and takes you away to places you may not have been. The imagery is spectacular and I felt as though I was hiking and experiencing the sunsets right there with the characters. If you are looking for a sweet romance that will give you an "aha" moment, then look no further than Reservations for Two. I highly recommend this book to any lover of the romance genre. Ms. Monroe, I commend you on a well written book with characters that kept me coming back for more." Please read the whole review here!

For a chance to win Reservations for Two all you have to do is leave a comment with your email address or some way of contacting you if your name is drawn on Sunday. Good Luck!!!

Character Interview & Book Giveaway - Reservations for Two

Joining us today is Maggie O’Brien, the heroine from Reservations for Two. I had to travel all the way to Mason Springs, New Mexico, and then hike up a mountain just to find Maggie so I could interview her. And sadly I have to admit she’s in much better shape than I am. She could put the Energizer Bunny to shame.

Anne spots Maggie on the trail ahead, taking in the beauty of the valley below, and pauses to catch her breath. The sixty-two year old woman with salt and pepper hair and small build looks like she just took a stroll through a garden instead of up a mountain.

[Maggie] You look like you could use some oxygen there, kiddo.

*Anne makes a face at her. She’s still trying to catch her breath*.

*Maggie saunters over and takes a seat on a nearby log.* Are you sure you’re okay?

[Anne] I’m fine. We couldn’t have done this down at the inn? *her voice still a tad shaky*

*Maggie grinned* I suppose we could of, but then you would have missed this. *She makes a sweeping motion with her hands*

*Anne cautiously gazed over the side of the cliff and over the tops of huge aspens and conifers to the spectacular view of the valley below* So is this why you traveled all the way from Nebraska on a bus?

*Maggie shrugs a shoulder* These trails hold some very fond memories of when Joe and I spent our honeymoon here, so I guess you could say I came here to find closure.

[Anne] I know you and Joe were very close, but it’s hard to picture the two of you together.

*Maggie laughs* I wasn’t your typical pastor’s wife. Nor was I a very good missionary…at least not as good as Joe.

[Anne] You spent nineteen years in the mission field, right?

[Maggie] That’s right. We met in Brazil, corresponded a while, married here in the states, and then I moved there. We also lived in Africa. Can you tell I like to travel?

[Anne] What brought you back to the United States?

[Maggie] After Joe’s dad passed on the church where he served offered Joe the pastoral position.

[Anne] Do you ever miss serving in the mission field?

[Maggie] I miss the traveling the most. I’ve always wanted to visit other countries, learn the different cultures, and see how the rest of the world lives.

[Anne] You recently met someone who also likes to travel, would you care to enlighten us about him. According to Joann, down at the inn, the two of you have been spending a lot of time together.

*Maggie blushes* Joann needs to mind her own business.

[Anne] Oh come on. I traveled a long ways to get the scoop on you and Carson. Now give.

[Maggie] Carson’s okay I guess. I’m not really in the market for another husband though. We’re just friends, with similar interests, spending part of our vacations together. That’s all. Besides, even I did care for him…which I don’t…my kids would have a conniption fit. They’re under the impression I’m going senile or something. They’re always harping on me to move closer to them so they can keep an eye on me. I swear, you’d think I was standing at death’s door or something the way they carry on sometimes.

[Anne] Wouldn’t you want to live closer so you can spend time with your grandchildren?

[Maggie] I can spend time with my grandchildren without living next door…or in the same house with them. Now that I’m retired I plan to do that as often as I can. When I’m not traveling that is.

[Anne] So you’re really serious about recapturing your dream of seeing the world?

[Maggie] You bet I am. I’m in the prime of my life here.

[Anne] So will Carson be joining you on this journey of yours?

[Maggie] Good heavens, give me a break, I just met the man. Not only that, but he doesn’t really strike me as much of an adventurer…if you know what I mean. He’s more the type to live out his retirement on the golf course.

[Anne] But he has a motor home, so he must like to travel.

[Maggie] That’s true, I guess. He did agree to go hiking with me.

*Anne peers over the edge of the mountain again, wondering how’s she’s going to get down without breaking her neck* If he’s agreed to go hiking with you I’d say he’s an adventurer.

*Maggie grins* We’ll see about that.

[Anne] So how’d the two of you meet anyway?

[Maggie] I was rollerblading up town and had a bit of a mishap and he sort of came to my rescue.

[Anne] You’re being awful vague, Maggie. What sort of mishap? Was anything broken…did anyone get hurt?

[Maggie] Of course not, I’m a better skater than that. I’ve been rollerblading with my grandchildren for years. Is this interview about over? I promised Carson we’d go out tonight and I want to get in a few more miles before heading back to the inn. You could join me, if you want.

*Anne considers the invitation only briefly* No thanks. I don’t mind hiking, but I don’t care too much for heights. So you and Carson are going out tonight?

*Maggie stands up and slips on her daypack* Yeah. He wouldn’t tell me where we’re going though. He said it was a surprise.

[Anne] Well I better let you get back to your hike then. I wouldn’t want you to be late for your date on account of me. You two have fun.

*Maggie blushes* Oh I’m sure we will. He comes up with some of the best surprises.

What sort of surprise do you reckon Carson has in store for Maggie? If you want to find out, all you have to do is comment. I’ll be giving away a free download of Reservations for Two to one lucky person. The drawing will take place Sunday afternoon. And don’t forget the grand prize drawing coming up midweek. The winners will be notified on Thursday. Please be sure to leave your email address or some way I can get hold of you if your name is drawn.

Book Trailer for Reservations for Two

This Inspirational Romance can be purchased as an ebook at Whiskey Creek Press.

Also, I was going to work on my contest idea this weekend but as it turns out I'll be working on second round edits on Out of the Darkness (my May release) and two other book trailers that I need to get done.  I will give you a couple of snippets though.  I'm calling it March Madness and there will be mega giveaways!  Prizes will include free books (mine and hopefully some other authors), some chocolates...Mmmm...and who knows what else I'll come up with.  So be sure to check back.  I hope to have all the details ironed out in the next week or so.

New Releases - Lethal Dreams & Reservations for Two

That’s right Lethal Dreams & Reservations for Two are now available! Lethal Dreams, a ‘Sweet’ Romantic Suspense is available in print from Whimsical Publications & Reservations for Two an Inspirational Romance, by my alter ego, Kinzie Monroe, is available in eBook from Whiskey Creek Press. Here are the blurbs and buy links:

Lethal Dreams - Dr. Erin Jacobs is making a name for herself in the sports world. Drawing on her own life experiences, she encourages and inspires athletes to recover from career ending injuries. So why would someone want to hurt the good doctor? Detective Logan Sinclair is determined to find that answer. He’s been mesmerized by Erin from the moment she found him and his partner shot in an alleyway. Since that night their lives have never been the same. Will Logan be able to solve the puzzle of who wants Erin out of the way before it’s too late? And if so what impact will those answers have on their lives? Purchase here: http://www.whimsicalpublications.com/index.html

Reservation for Two - Widower’s Maggie O’Brien and Carson Jennings are both on a journey to rediscover who they are. Maggie, an adventurous former pastor’s wife of thirty-nine years, hopes to find closure in the place she and her husband spent their honeymoon. Carson, a retired judge, is living his lifelong dream of traveling across the U.S. in his RV. When their paths cross in the tranquil setting of Mason Springs, New Mexico, love is the last thing that either of them expects to find. Purchase here: https://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/
To read an excerpt please visit Kinzie’s blog: http://www.kinziemonroe.blogspot.com/ and click on excerpts.

Now for those of you who were wondering about a book launch party….well, it’s still in the making. The truth is I’ve been so swamped with promoting these new releases and doing edits on my spring releases I just haven’t had the time to do much else. Actually I’m thinking of foregoing the party in lieu of a March Madness Contest with lots of giveaways and maybe even a scavenger hunt. How’s that sound? I plan to put together some ideas this weekend and will give an update hopefully by Sunday. So be sure to check back and see what I’ve cooked up :-).

An awesome review and look who's coming Monday

If you haven’t heard me shoutin’ it from the roof tops yet, you must be indoors where it’s nice and warm. Val, over at You Gotta Read Reviews, gave Kinzie’s (my alter ego) upcoming inspirational romance, Reservations for Two, a ‘You Gotta Read’ rating. Once I scraped myself up off the floor I had to come and share the news with you. Just click here if you want to check it out.  But please finish reading the post first :-)


Before my head gets any bigger, I’m going to move on. I’m really excited about Monday’s interview. Author Jane Toombs is going to be here sharing her journey to publication. I’m sure most of you know who Jane is, but in case you don’t, Jane is the author of over eighty published books, both in paper and electronic. These include the various romance genres--gothic, suspense, contemporary, historical, Regency and paranormal--as well as other genres such as mystery, fantasy and horror. She’s going to tell us the difference between being published with the big guys in NY and the smaller independent publishers. She’ll also be sharing news about her new releases. So be sure to join us. You won’t want to miss it!

Now how many of you have thought about making a trailer to promote your books and thought the process was too complicated? Well I’ve recently attempted this feat but I have to tell you my product didn’t turn out nearly as well as Cathy’s did, over at Word Vessel.  If you haven’t checked out her blog I encourage you to do so. It’s informative and Inspirational. For instance this week she’s breaking down the process she went through to create her fabulous book trailer, and how to format your manuscript for Smashwords in case you’re considering self-publication. Check it out, you won’t be sorry!

Also, Diane Craver’s having a great contest over at her blog, so be sure to drop by her place too.

Well I’ve rambled on long enough. I better get to work. Have an awesome weekend everyone!