Fierce Romance

2021-02-04T11:33:00.001-05:00

And more to tempt you...

2021-02-04T11:31:00.003-05:00

Gotta give a shout out to my buddy Leigh Court on her new release, Rock Star! It's an awesome read (and I should know, being the rock & roller of the two of us)!

Here’s the blurb:

Rock singer Sebastian Roe was shot onstage during a concert five years ago, leaving him with a deep fear of performing. But his love of music is too strong to keep him off a stage forever, despite the fact the police never caught the gunman. He’s just announced a new U.S. tour, but his performance anxiety is putting the shows in jeopardy.

New York City therapist Mia Merrill was in the audience the night of Sebastian's fateful concert. She loves his music and wants to help him overcome his PTSD, but there's another reason she's determined to become his therapist -- She's the reason he was shot.

Driven by guilt and a need to atone, Mia takes Sebastian on as a patient. Forbidden romantic sparks fly between the two during their therapy sessions, but no sooner do they start to make progress on Sebastian's stage fright than the gunman announces he's back to finish the job.

And [hot!] here's an excerpt:

Sebastian Roe lived for nights like this one.

The roar of the audience echoing in his ears, the wail of Nick’s guitar making his body vibrate, the pounding of Trevor’s drums pulsing like a living heartbeat.

In concert, Sebastian gave every ounce of energy to his fans, every drop of sweat, everything he had. They loved him for it, and he fed off that love. Hell, he mainlined it. It was a beautiful symbiosis, like a massive orgasm shared with thousands of people.

And this moment of anticipation before each song started was like delicious foreplay, a breathless excitement that danced along his nerve endings.

The first recognizable notes of “I Can’t Live Without You” launched into the air and the roar of the crowd became thunder. A solid wall of sound. Even with his in-ear monitor, Sebastian could hardly hear Nick’s guitar to listen for his cue to start singing. But he knew this song as well as he knew his own name so he strutted to the front of the stage, throwing open his arms in a show of embracing them all. Every single person out there in the audience.

The roar got even louder.

“The sands of time run through my hands, my dreams and hopes and all my plans,” he crooned, his voice intentionally cracking to convey the sad emotion of the song. “I can’t live without you.”

It was his biggest hit. But more than any of his songs, Sebastian’s favorite music was the sound of the crowd’s deafening approval. He wasn’t disappointed now.

He grinned widely, and then suddenly felt an odd sting in the vicinity of his left shoulder. It pushed him back on the stage a few steps, as if a ghost had just shoved him. Weird. He looked around, but clearly nobody else was onstage except him and the band.

The sting became a burn, but he ignored it. Had he just pulled a muscle? No time to deal with it now. He straightened and then noticed a commotion in the seats near the front of the stage. A fight, maybe. People were running, shoving each other, climbing over chairs.

Whatever the problem, the band knew enough to keep playing. Sebastian took a breath, readying for the next verse, but he was distracted by an odd warmth now spreading across his chest. He looked down and tried to make sense of what he was seeing – a stain on his shirt where he’d felt that stinging burn. As he watched, the stain got larger. It was a dark shade of red.

It was blood. His blood.

His head started to spin and he sank to his knees. The wail of Nick’s guitar stopped. The pounding of Trevor’s drums stopped. Everything went eerily quiet in a venue built for sound.

Sebastian felt of the heat of the spotlights still trained directly on him, and as his vision began to fade his last thought was that he’d lived his life on a stage and tonight he was going to die on one.

© by Leigh Court

The book is available at all outlets, but here's a quick link to amazon: https://amzn.to/3j02bBV And here's her website, with links to all other outlets where you can buy the book: www.leighcourt.com.

You will fall in love with Sebastian Roe from the first page!

Jenna
www.jennaives.com

A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas Released Today! 5 Star Review!

2018-09-25T09:02:00.000-04:00

MY REVIEW:

The two doctors in this charming and daring romance capture hearts and draw readers into their story as search for a cure, defy alphas and brighten up the holidays. These two strong characters are bold with lots of charismatic traits that grab readers’ attentions and ensure that they want to know exactly what happens. Their drive and passion for medicine and for finding a cure for the decline in the werewolves lifespans is only surpassed by the sizzling magnetic chemistry and heated passion of these two characters as they defy a pack leader in order to achieve their objective and their happily ever after.

During this steady to fast paced and smooth flowing plot, thrills and adrenaline pumping suspense keeps readers glued to the pages with a search of a banished wolf, an exciting rescue, pack strife fun and charming bodyguards, loving family and delightful romance and holiday cheer. And in a surprising twist, Holly and Aiden will have pull off a holiday miracle in order to rescue her old pack and escape with all of their lives. Santa Clause, the whole holiday atmosphere adds delight to this story along with the love of family as they come together throughout the story through thick and thin which makes this story one that warms the heart and makes readers smile in pleasure as the author brings it all to brilliant life.-- Stormy Vixen's Book Reviews

5 STAR Release Week Review! A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (Billionaire Wolf #2 / Heart of the Wolf #26) Terry Spear!
Terry Spear Sourcebooks
#5stars #review #availablenow #newrelease #paranormal #romance #paranormalromance, #paranormalreaders #paranormallovers #PNR #pnrlovers #shifters #shifterromance #werewolves #werewolfromance #wolfshifters #holidayromancce #Christmasromance #billionaires #billionaireromance #ABillionaireWolfforChristmas #BillionaireWolf #HeartoftheWolf #TerrySpear #Sourcebooks #NetGalley #StormyVixen

ABOUT THE BOOK:
When the wolves’ own blood betrays them, they risk their lives to find a miracle.
Wolf shifter Dr. Aidan Denali has been working day and night to find a cure for werewolves’ alarmingly sudden decline in lifespan. The key to the problem eludes him. But when Aidan grudgingly leaves his work to do some holiday shopping, he meets a remarkable she-wolf whose mysterious pack could bring him one step closer to the answer.

Dr. Holly Gray is thrilled to meet the wolf who’s been working so hard to help others. Now, it’s her turn to help him. But while their attraction is sizzling, the packs are at odds, and the danger is increasing. It’s going to take a holiday miracle for Holly and Aidan to get themselves–and their loved ones–out of this alive…

Billionaire Wolf series:
Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing (Book 1)
A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (Book 2)
What People Are Saying About Terry Spear’s Wolf Shifters:
“Packed with adventure… Magnificently entertaining.”–RT Book Reviews TOP PICK for Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing, 4 1/2 Stars
“Spear has become a master storyteller.”–RT Book Reviews for Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, 4 Stars
“Nobody does werewolf romances like Terry Spear. The romance sizzles, the mystery intrigues, and the characters shine.”–The Royal Reviews

Buy Links for A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Billionaire-Wolf-Christmas-Terry-Spear/dp/1492655848/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-billionaire-wolf-for-christmas-terry-spear/1127704371?ean=9781492655848
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Terry_Spear_A_Billionaire_Wolf_for_Christmas?id=acxdDwAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-billionaire-wolf-for-christmas
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-billionaire-wolf-for-christmas/id1391355951?mt=11
BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=7079882685730&query=billionaire+wolf+for+christmas&filter=product_type%3Abooks

Okay, off to spread the word! I was busy with working on edits for Cougar Magic, adding another 2,000 words to the novella, Night of the Wolf, and working on The Countess and the Wolf (an older story that I’ve been revising periodically about a Highlander, Saxon countess, and her Norman step-family during the period of William the Conqueror after he took over rule.) But I’ve made it into a historical wolf shifter story, so still working on that. Love the changes so far.

Have a wonderful day!!!! I’m off to howl to the world that a new book is out!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

SALE! SALE! SALE! Ebooks for Wolf and Jaguar Shifter Lovers

2018-09-20T08:42:00.000-04:00

Lots of reduced wolf prices!! You can have your own hunky wolf for less than a cup of my favorite peppermint mocha latte at Starbucks! And drink up these hunky wolves for yourself!!! Sale ends in a couple of weeks, less time on a couple of them, but I don’t know which, so get yours now before they’re back up to $7.99 an ebook.

For a a short time:
REDUCED PRICES!!!! https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-White-Christma…/…/B01MZFBH0D
EBook Price
Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing
$ 2.99
Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply
$ 2.99
Between a Wolf and a Hard Place
$ 2.99
Destiny of the Wolf
$ 2.99
Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas
$ 0.99
Dreaming of the Wolf
$ 2.99
Heart of the Wolf
$ 2.99
Hero of a Highland Wolf
$ 2.99
Highland Werewolf Wedding, A
$ 2.99
Highland Wolf Christmas, A
$ 2.99
Howl for a Highlander, A
$ 2.99
Legend of the White Wolf
$ 2.99
Savage Hunger
$ 2.99
SEAL in Wolf’s Clothing, A
$ 2.99
SEAL Wolf Christmas, A
$ 2.99
SEAL Wolf Hunting
$ 2.99
SEAL Wolf in Too Deep
$ 2.99
SEAL Wolf Undercover
$ 0.99
Seduced by the Wolf
$ 2.99
Silence of the Wolf
$ 2.99
Silver Wolf Christmas, A
$ 2.99
To Tempt the Wolf
$ 2.99
Very Jaguar Christmas
$ 2.99
Wolf Fever
$ 2.99
These are on all the sites–not just Amazon, but BN and iBooks, Kobo, etc.
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Pitched 3 New Wolf Tales

2018-09-15T07:36:00.002-04:00

Pictures I took of origami at the Minnesota arboretum and of Axel, emergent Arctic 2-year-old wolf at the International Wolf Center. And then of Holly, 2-year-old black bear at the bear center nearby.

So I pitched three new stories–red wolf Christmas (Leidolf’s pack), Billionaire Wolf (Rafe’s friend), and Wolff (2 brothers and 2 sisters that own the Timberline Ski Lodge in Silver Town) for publication in 2020.

Also, I asked if we could do a 10th year anniversary re-release of Destiny of the Wolf. Yes! This will be for 2019, and I’ll have 3 other new releases that year also: You Had Me at Jaguar, SEAL Wolf Surrender, and the Silver Bells Wolf Christmas, whatever the title will be. And I will be writing a brand new novella to include in the re-release of Destiny of the Wolf also.

Purple Halloween bear I make.

I finished a bear I need to send off to Australia, and was working on another Halloween bear, this one with orange fur (new fur). My Janome of decades conked out on me, so I had to buy a new heavy duty Singer, much lower price, but as much as I use them for as many years as I do, it’s still a cheap investment. My Janome cost me about $13 a year.

We received 2 inches of rain, yay! But it looks like we’re drying out after this. And it’s heating up, then finally starting to cool down a little bit. Yay!

I’m off to write on Cougar Magic, trying to write the final scenes. Only 10,000 words to go, then need to jump on the novella for Destiny of the Wolf. Then I’ll be working on Claiming the White Bear, I have some of them adrift on an ice floe and need to rescue them! What I do to my poor characters!

Have a great day!!!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

The Difference Between Night and Day

2018-09-08T08:07:00.000-04:00

You never know what will happen in the dark of night when a park closes.

When writing a book, the scenes in it truly can be the difference between day and night. I had picked up some Halloween books for my granddaughter and one was about what the owl sees and hears at night. Usually the books are all about babies and animals spending the day doing something and then going to bed at night. At least that’s what we want the children to get from the bedtime story–we had fun, now it’s time to sleep.

The nocturnal animals aren’t out during the day, and the diurnal animals sleep at night, so even this has to be considered when writing about night and day.

The other thing is people can’t see at night.

When I was writing one of my Highland stories, I realized they really couldn’t see each other in a room without light. lol So I had to make a light source. With my shifters, the animals can see well at dusk and dawn because their wilder animal halves can.

It’s the same with doing photography. Where is the light coming from? What is highlighted and what is in the shadows? How can the photo pick up anything in the dark without some kind of light?
At night, you can’t go to many of the stores because they’re closed. You can’t get hold of certain places in the dead of night. Some stores aren’t open until later in the morning, some restaurants only open in the evening.

So what happens with an ordinary set of stairs leading up to the maze gardens in the Arboretum at night when the center is closed? You’ll have to experience it for yourself because at night, the world is a whole different place.

I wrote 1,000 on Cougar Magic last night, despite baby wearing me out. But I also brainstormed with one of my beta readers on an issue I need to resolve in the story. Now I need to figure out how to bring that part of the story out. I still need to work on SEAL edits, but I needed a fresh mind to figure out how to change the opening–my editor says I have too much stuff packed into a couple of days and trying to change that is going to be a nightmare since everything is connected. I think all the stuff is doable. I could do them.

I might have to show that time frame better. Her flight is only 1 hour and 15 mins, but delayed by 15 mins, and then she gets lost driving from Denver and that could add another 15 mins. So she’s half an hour late to the rehearsal…and I said dinner, but I can change it to luncheon. Yay! And now I think I can do everything I wanted to do like I had it! I think my editor was imagining like a 3 1/2 hour flight and an hour delay, etc…. I just have to make it clearer.
Okay, I’m off to get busy! Have a super day/night!

Terry

“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Bear Shifters, Anyone?

2018-09-01T08:51:00.003-04:00

Holly Black Bear, picture I took in Minnesota

Of course! I started out with Loving the White Bear, but I also have a confrontation with a grizzly.
I started to have a grizzly in one of my wolf shifter stories, but it seemed like too many characters and I was afraid my editor wouldn’t like it. He was just adorable too. But I went ahead and cut out all the scenes pertaining to him, and every time I re-read it for proofing, I missed him. So he will have to be in his own story too.

For now, I’m back to working on cougar shifters. I reached 30,000 words last night, not sure I’d make it because I had baby all day, had to take her to the doctor and then to the grocery store to get medicine for an ear infection.

I'm also working on Taming the White Bear and hope to have it done this year.

This weekend, I hope to make it to the halfway point!

Have a great day!!! We might get rain. Yay!~ We got some yesterday, twice, both not predicted at all and much appreciated!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Fear of Flying

2018-08-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve been afraid of airplanes my whole life. Well, that’s not entirely true. But my fear of flying was formed on my first flight.

When I was nineteen, my grandmother took me on a high school “graduation present” trip to Rome. I was a little nervous getting on the plane in New York City, but the overnight flight was fine until we started our descent into Leonardo DaVinci airport. The 747, as I learned later, did a common ‘step landing,’ which entailed descending a few thousand feet, gliding, then descending a few more thousand feet, on its approach to landing.

Trouble was, every time the plane sank those thousands of feet on its glide path, I was convinced we were falling to the ground. And since I’ve never been very good with roller coasters, the rolling, dropping, wavy motion of the plane had added to my stress level and made me sick to my stomach. The minute I’d felt a sour taste in my mouth, I’d known I was in trouble.

The flight attendants ordered everyone to buckle their seatbelts for landing, but I unhooked mine and scrambled into the aisle, making a mad dash for the bathroom in anticipation of throwing up. I never made it. A flight attendant at the back of the plane blocked my desperate beeline down the aisle and literally shoved me into an empty seat in one of the last rows, ordering me to buckle up for the landing.

That’s where a good Samaritan came to my rescue. Blond hair, blue eyes. I’d seen him get on the plane in New York carrying five tennis racquets, and wondered who he was (since I’m a big tennis fan myself). Now he turned out to be my savior. He urged me to put my head between my knees and just breathe. I remember shaking with the effort not to get sick in front of this gorgeous guy, when I felt his hand gently stroking my back, trying to calm me. Of course, with his other hand, he slipped an air sickness bag between my knees, but it turned out I didn’t need it.

His advice worked. The plane landed without me making a scene.

Except, that is, for the scene my grandmother made later, when she yelled at me for being so reckless by leaving my seat during the landing.

The name of that gorgeous guy? Well, he said he wanted to be a professional tennis player, and he was on his way to Rome to follow the tennis circuit in order to make a name for himself. I can tell you he had blond hair and blue eyes and that he went on to win many, many major tennis tournaments, but that’s all I’m going to say (or else I’ll date myself)!

This real life event has inspired my latest book. In my story, a fortune teller informs my heroine, “You’re never going to die in a plane crash.” Which immediately makes my scaredy cat heroine think "Okay, but that doesn't mean I'm never going to be IN a plane crash!"

Of course this is a romance, so expect lots of steamy scenes as my travel writer hero tries to help my book publicist heroine overcome her fear of flying!

How about you? What are you afraid of? I’d love to hear!

Leigh Court

www.leighcourt.com

On The Road Again To…Warsaw!

2018-08-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last month I shared with you my adventures in Prague. On that trip I also went to Warsaw.

Warsaw was… better than I expected. It has a terrible wartime past but it also has a beautiful Old Town and lots of fascinating history.

For instance, did you know that the Polish composer Frederic Chopin was so afraid of being buried while still alive that on his deathbed (he had tuberculosis and died at age 39 in 1849) he made his sister promise to cut out his heart to make sure he was really dead? So… Chopin’s body is buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris (along with Jim Morrison of The Doors) but his heart was sent back to Poland, and is eternally encased in this pillar in the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw. Fascinating!

Warsaw is a very Catholic city, and has many beautiful churches…

And also, like Prague, Warsaw has some fabulous architecture…

It was also fascinating to see the Barbican, the ancient city gate and battlements (built around 1548) that protected Warsaw… The walls have been painstakingly restored.

Front biew

Walls and old moat

Arrow slit

Warsaw is also the home of the astronomer Copernicus…

Coopernicus

And here is the old Royal Castle…

Readers of this blog know I’m obsessed with (er, I’m a really big fan of) the Rolling Stones. So the highlight of Warsaw for me just might have been seeing this… In one of the Old Town squares, a husband-and-wife team built marionettes/puppets of the Stones, and had them “dancing” to the Stones’ music. Pretty good likeness, right??? LOL.

This is just a quick look at my 3-day stay in Warsaw. Hope you’ve enjoyed getting a glimpse of this beautiful city and consider putting it on your bucket list!

Jenna

www.jennaives.com

What’s an Aperol Spritz? It’s Your New Favorite Drink!

2018-07-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Recently, I was in Europe at an evening party with my husband. The alcohol was freely flowing, but I didn’t want to get buzzed because there were a number of people I wanted to speak with. So I asked the bartender if he could make me something “light.” He took one look at my jacket (which was orange, red, black and yellow) and brought me a red-orange drink in a pretty stemmed glass, which he called an Aperol Spritz.

Little did I know it’s the trendiest drink in Europe. (And soon-to-be in the U.S. too, is my prediction.)

Aperol is a citrusy bitter liqueur that has been popular in Italy since the 1950s, but this summer its popularity seems to have spread like wildfire. Literally every person I stopped to speak with at the party said, “That’s an Aperol Spritz!” and seemed dumbfounded when I admitted I had never heard of it before.

The attention-grabbing orange liqueur is combined with either white wine or prosecco or champagne, and topped off with a splash of tonic water or club soda. Customizable to your own taste!

Now that I’m back in the U.S. (and asking friends about my new favorite drink) I’m finding out that an Aperol Spritz almost as popular in California and New York as it is in Europe. I understand someone has even created a frozen version, like a slushie!

According to a recent article in the New York Times, the spike in Aperol consumption is in line with a rising demand in the U.S. for herbal bitter liqueurs. Traditionally, these bitters have been produced in Europe, but now, American-made versions are taking off in popularity.

So… give this orange-y bubbly low-alcohol drink a try. It’s very refreshing on a hot summer day, and it just might become your new favorite drink! It's definitely mine.

Leigh

www.leighcourt.com

On The Road Again To… Prague!

2018-07-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited (and readers of this blog know I’ve traveled a lot)! History has it Prague was spared from bombing during World War II because it is so spectacular.

Prague’s Old Town Square is one of several highlights…

Here's the Church of Our Lady before Tyn with its spectacular twin spires...

There's beautiful architecture, everywhere you look…

And below is Prague’s famous medieval astronomical clock. It was designed by clockmaster Jan Růže (also called Hanuš) around 1490. My tour guide recounted the story that the astronomical clock was such an impressive and beautiful piece of work that the Prague City Council was so jealous Hanuš was getting offers from other European cities to create similar clocks that the Council kidnapped Hanuš and gouged out his eyes so that he couldn’t create another masterpiece!! However, Hanuš – now blind and knowing his career was over – got his revenge by climbing to the top of the clock tower and throwing himself into the gears, killing himself but disabling the clock for more than 100 years! (The clock IS beautiful... at certain times of day, little carved figures come out and parade around to mark the hour.)

The other major site in Prague is the Charles Bridge, named after King Charles IV who founded Prague (modeling it after Paris). The Charles Bridge is pedestrian-only (since it was built in the 1300’s) and statues of saints and apostles line the bridge…

Statue of King Charles IV at the entrance to the Charles Bridge

You can see the statues of saints and apostles lining the bridge (above)…

There are quite a few bridges that cross the Vltava river. This shot (below) actually DOES remind me of Paris!

Catholics believe the Infant of Prague (a statue located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious, said to originally been owned by St. Theresa of Avila) can grant miracles. We all know someone who needs a miracle, so I stopped to say a prayer…

Remember I said King Charles modeled Prague after Paris? It seems tourists who come here are trying to make it more like Paris by “locking” their love to a railing near the Vltava river, then throwing the key into the water so that love lasts forever (i.e. it can’t be unlocked)…

I leave you with this spectacular picture of Prague at night…

Prague should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list! It is a beautiful city. I'll have pictures of Warsaw next month!

Jenna

www.jennaives.com

FREE book... My Wild Highlander

2018-07-11T15:21:00.000-04:00

My Wild Highlander is free for a limited time only at Amazon and all retailers. Download your copy today and enjoy a virtual trip to the Scottish Highlands!

Lady Angelique Drummagan, a half-Scottish, half-French countess, has suffered much pain and betrayal in her past. She wants nothing to do with the sensual Scottish warrior that the king has ordered her to marry because the rogue could never be a faithful husband, but she has little choice in the matter. Dangerous, greedy enemies threaten her from all sides and she’s in dire need of his protection.

Sir Lachlan MacGrath, known as Seducer of the Highlands, possesses a charming wickedness and canny wit which has earned him much popularity. After the king decrees that he wed the fiery hellion in an arranged marriage, Lachlan discovers there is one woman who can resist him—Angelique. Can he break through her icy façade and melt her heart, or will the dark secrets lurking in her past not only cost them their future together, but their very lives?

National Readers' Choice Award Winner

"My Wild Highlander was a great read." 5 Stars, Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews

"This author truly is a master of the written word and I look forward to reading her work for many years to come." Kindle Reader

Bonus!
My Brave Highlander is only 2.99 at the moment at all retailers. Regularly priced at 4.99.

Battle-hardened warrior Dirk MacLerie isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's Dirk MacKay, heir apparent to the MacKay chiefdom and Dunnakeil Castle on the far north coast of Scotland. When he returns home after a long absence, will his clan know him and will the duplicitous enemy who tried to murder him twelve years ago kill him in truth this time?

Lady Isobel MacKenzie is a beautiful young widow betrothed to yet another Highland chief by her brother's order. But when her future brother-in-law accosts her and threatens to kill her, she is forced to flee into a Highland snowstorm. When she runs into a rugged and imposing man she thought dead, she wonders if he will turn her over to her enemy or take her to safety.

Dirk remembers the enchanting, dark-eyed Isobel from when he was a lad, but now she is bound to another man by legal contract—an important detail she would prefer to forget. She wishes to choose her own husband and has her sights set on Dirk. But he would never steal another man's bride… would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own treacherous clansmen plot his downfall.

Visit my Amazon page.

Thanks!
Vonda

10 Things We Can Learn From Our Dog

2018-06-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

It’s hard to concentrate on work (writing or otherwise) on lazy, hot summer days. I just want to be rocking in a hammock with a glass of iced tea! So today I’m taking a break and blogging about something totally different.

Recently I was reading the morning newspaper (yes, GULP, I still actually read a newspaper) and saw this sweet list I wanted to share with you:

10 Things My Dog Taught Me

-There is great beauty in the quiet stillness. Let it envelop you.

-Sniff it. Touch it. Feel it. Taste it. Hear it. Engage all your senses in the world around you.

-Plunge In! You can always get out and shake it off.

-Don’t be afraid. Just stand your ground (and bark when necessary).

-Trust that most people have an innate goodness.

-Forgive fully, then let it go.

-Love is unconditional. If it has conditions, it isn’t really love.

-Accept the inevitable with peace and grace (even if it’s a trip to the vet).

-It’s okay to feel sadness, but remember that joy is just a moment (or squirrel chase) away.

-Live in the moment. Embrace it. Feel it. Become it. Share it. Then repeat for all the moments that follow. Life is not about the quantity of moments; it’s about the quality of moments.

(Thanks to Dana Riley for this list.)

Powerful words to live by! So remember to savor every moment of your summer…

Leigh

www.leighcourt.com

What’s Your "80/20" Number?

2018-06-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

I read a fascinating article by a woman named Noelle Nelson that I want to share with you, because it can apply not only to writers, but to everyone in the world. How’s this for a fascinating fact:

Most of us spend 80% of our time on things that really don't matter and only 20% of our time on the things that really do matter.

WHAT, you say? Well, there's a concept in economics called "Pareto's Law," or the "80/20 Rule." In a nutshell, a 19th century economist, Vilfredo Pareto, noticed that 20% of the people owned 80% of the land, and similarly that 20% of his peapods produced 80% of his peas. Much later, Joe Juran, looking to improve factory production during WWII, realized that 20% of the factories were responsible for 80% of all defective parts, and vice-versa.

What could the "80/20 Rule" possibly have to do with you? Simply put, most of us spend 80% of our time on things that really don't matter all that much to us, and only 20% of our time on the things that really matter. Huh . . .

Ask yourself, who do you spend the most time with? The people who uplift you, support you, cherish you? Or those who bore you, annoy you, cause you endless irritation or grief? What do you spend most of your time doing? Complaining, blaming, feeling sorry for yourself? Or praising, appreciating, finding value in what you do? How about activities? Do you spend most of your free time in activities that engage you, inspire you, thrill you? Or do you just go with whatever flow happens to, well, flow at the moment? Facebook, TV, surfing the web . . .

It dawned on Noelle that she’d rather work a little longer/harder to earn some extra bucks (given that she really enjoyed her work, like we writers enjoy our writing), so she could pay a house-cleaner to clean her home, an activity she did not enjoy. And when given the option of taking a dance class rather than spending an hour on the couch watching a TV program, the appeal of a dance class won out. Dancing is now on her list of "top things she loves."

What's your percent? When you sit down and honestly assess with whom and where you spend your time—which is the same thing as saying "with whom and where you spend your life?"—what's your 80/20? Noelle suggests that we deliberately cut out or reduce those things that don’t give you joy, so that more and more of your time is spent in the 80% of stuff you really like to do.

Take a look at your friends and social life, including your social media life. She suggests we deliberately reduce or cut out the time we spend with those who don’t make our “things I love” list.

It may sound odd to take such a calculated approach to life, but time really is all we have. How and with whom we choose to spend that time very much defines how happy we are in life. So stop for a few minutes to consider your “80/20” and you might just change your life!

P.S. I am taking Noelle’s advice to heart. Readers of this column know how much I love to travel, so I just surfed the web for some cheap airline flights, and it looks like I’ll be travelling to Prague and Warsaw at the end of June!

Now THAT makes me happy!!

Until next month,
Jenna
www.jennaives.com

Birthday Celebration Time!

2018-06-02T10:43:00.002-04:00

Garden pictures, birthday flowers from my son, and a composite I did of the dandelion and fairy.

My SIL and I have a birthday celebration today!
Have a great one!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
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Memorial Day is a Day to Honor Those Who Died…

2018-05-26T08:55:00.000-04:00

…in all the wars while serving in the American Armed Forces. Memorial Day started as Decorations Day in 1868 to honor Civil War soldiers who had died. That’s what Memorial Day is all about. Not just a 3-day weekend holiday off from work, government agencies and banks are closed, and we don’t get mail, and lots of folks are having barbecues.

But it’s nice to take a moment to remember what the day stands for. Thanks to those men and women who served during the time of war and sacrificed their lives.

And I’m off to work! Need 2,000 words on SEAL Wolf Surrender, just for minimum word count, and my publisher is changing the title from the other book: Her Jaguar Protector to You Had Me at Jaguar. I thought that was cute.
Have a great weekend, whether it’s a 3-day holiday, or just the same old thing. I’m off to write.
Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
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Total Recall: How To Improve Your Memory

2018-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

We all lead such busy lives these days that sometimes our brains get “too full” and we feel like we have no more room for any additional information. And it’s not just adults who suffer! As my 8-year-old niece often says, “It fell out of my ear,” meaning her head is too stuffed with facts to fit one more in there, LOL. Having a full brain can certainly make retrieving a particular fact difficult, but I recently read an article by a psychologist with tips that might help us remember the important stuff:

Names:

-When introduced to someone new, try to immediately repeat their name back to them, as in “Nice to meet you, Joan” or “My mother’s name is Joan, too!” This helps cement a name to a face.

-Imagine their name written across their forehead. The name will make more of an impression if the person is bald, has bangs, etc. The individualness of their forehead will help trigger name recollection next time you see them.

Numbers:

-Always break down long strings of numbers into groups of three. Our brains are somehow wired to remember information in groups of three (“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” or “I came, I saw, I conquered” etc.)

Strings of data:

-One of the oldest and best-known retrieval cues is still the most effective: the mnemonic. Roy G. Biv helps us remember the colors of the spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) and HOMES helps us remember the names of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Whenever possible, come up with a simple, catchy word or phrase that will help prompt you to remember a string of data.

There are also some general tips for improving memory:

-Don’t skimp on sleep. Instead of staying up all night cramming for an exam or trying to figure out the next plot twist for your novel, you’d be better off getting a full night’s rest so you brain is fresh are ready-to-think the next day.

-You are what you eat. Stay away from brain-sluggish food like saturated and trans fats, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables, especially blueberries and Brussels sprouts! (Okay, maybe not Brussels sprouts, but definitely walnuts…)

-Read a print book. Studies done in Norway showed volunteers remembered more information they read in a print book than the same information they read on a computer screen (or tablet, or phone).

-Chew it over. Psychologists from the University of Northumbria found that volunteers who chewed gum retained more information after a 20-minute memory test than volunteers who did not chew gum. Chewing gum increases heart rate, so maybe more oxygen gets delivered to your brain while you chew, oxygen that can aid in memory!

-Have a latte. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that volunteers were able to recall more images if they drank the equivalent of one cup of strong coffee immediately after studying a series of images.

All this scientific stuff is fascinating, but remember, if all else fails, try tying that string around your finger. It actually does work!

What about you? Any tips or tricks that have helped you remember things? Let me know!

Leigh

www.leighcourt.com

Nantucket Beaches

2018-05-20T13:50:00.001-04:00

I've just completed a mini-vacation to the island of Nantucket, located about 30 miles off the shore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The above picture is Cisco Beach. We biked there. It's about 6 miles from town (one way).

This next beach is much harder to get to. It's called Great Point, and is located on the northern tip of the island, between both the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Sound.

This beach is actually part of the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge and is an area protected for seals and birds. You can only reach it via 4 wheel drive jeep, and a 5 mile drive over a thick and rutted beach. My husband and I were the only ones there that day, plus the ranger.

Madaket Beach (below) was easily our favorite because it's wide and long and just beautiful. The only problem - this is Nantucket, so you can't really get here easily for a beach day. There is no parking. So you need to have one of the very expensive homes near the beach to enjoy it, or you could ride a bike there.

There are even houses right on the beach which don't have any parking, not even for one car. I was wondering how they use a house like that. But the beach is gorgeous.

I like this view of Sconset Beach because of the pretty dune grass which is all over Nantucket. The island suffers from severe erosion problems so they leave the grass alone.

Since Nantucket is an island, they have many more beautiful beaches. The only problem is they can be hard to access. Nantucketers are not anxious to be bombarded by day trippers, and most of the beaches are bordered by homes which are private property. Still, we managed to see a fair number of them with a jeep and some bicycles.

My story, Love Charm for Dakota, is set in Nantucket.

Would you use a love charm to capture a man?

Nantucket is the home of hedge fund titans, old money and hidebound tradition. Habits are comfortable, and the habits of the rich are very comfortable. Into Cabot Saltonstall's sedate world blows Dakota Bishop, possessor of a wild spirit and a magical love charm. Cabot's blue-blood family history includes an ancestor who resigned from the Salem Witch trials, because he refused to believe in witchcraft.

But Cabot is all too willing to be bewitched.

Dakota can't stay still long enough for anyone to tie her down, nor is Cabot the right kind of guy for her. If only he'd have sex with her so she could get him out of her system. Why does he need to be so traditional with his emotions and plans for the future? Does she know enough of witchcraft to overcome the spell of the accidentally cast love charm?

Writing and Gardening

2018-05-19T08:47:00.001-04:00

I’ve been working on the cover for Claiming the White Bear. It helps me to visualize the characters. I added a little word count to that book yesterday (up to 12,000+ now), and to SEAL Wolf Surrender. I’d prefer a conflictive couple for the cover of the new white bear book but couldn’t find any. Conflict is better! For a book that is romantic suspense.

Anyway, I started Claiming the White Bear at Christmas time while visiting my son and DIL. He was playing a game and I was watching it and giving direction (lol) and writing. Perfect vacation. But then I got a new contract for 3 more books and had to get down to writing deadline books.

Oh, and my daughter claimed the Sunshine ligustrum that volunteered next to the house. So I’ve got to try and dig it up for her. I love being able to share plants!
I’m back to the word count!!! Have a great day!!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
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Come With Me To Merry Olde England!

2018-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Readers of this blog know I have itchy feet. It doesn't take much for my wanderlust to kick in, and then I'm off on another adventure. So...

Last month I filed my taxes, figured out my refund, and immediately bought a ticket to the closest fun place I could think of to spend those dollars, er pounds... England!

So here I am in London for three weeks! I love England. Once out of the capital, the scenery is like a postcard! Last weekend I rented a car and hit the road. This is the countryside on the way to Poole in Dorset.

Ate lunch at this typical British pub… The Cleave

This is the main street through Poole…

Typical thatched roof cottages and stone cottages line the roads – so quaint!

The roads are pretty crazy out in the country… this one in front of the whitewashed cottage was actually a 2-way street!!! Gives new meaning to “driving defensively” LOL!!

I hope these pictures came out okay, because I was (mostly) taking them from a moving car, LOL! It was a rare sunny weekend (but COLD) and today (Friday) it’s predicted to be rainy (as usual) in London as you read this.

I'll be back home before next month's post, but I wanted to share these classic pictures with you!

Cheers,

Jenna

www.jennaives.com

The Highland Werewolf Box Set--99 cents!

2018-05-05T08:05:00.000-04:00

From 5/3 to 5/7 for the Highland Werewolf Boxed Set!
What’s even better than a wolfie romance? Hot Highlanders in kilts!!! Who are also hot wolves!
From 5/3 to 5/7 for the Highland Werewolf Boxed Set!
What’s even better than a wolfie romance? Hot Highlanders in kilts!!! Who are also hot wolves!
$0.99 across all platforms during the designated time frame.
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/highland-werewolf-boxed-set.

https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_S68nzWSxsajRgt&asin=B00NT4ISQM&tag=kpembed-20

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-werewolf-boxed-set-terry-spear/1120380313?ean=9781492618621
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/highland-werewolf-boxed-set/id922627975
Get yours while you can!!!

https://read.amazon.com/kp/card?preview=inline&linkCode=kpd&ref_=k4w_oembed_S68nzWSxsajRgt&asin=B00NT4ISQM&tag=kpembed-20

Love this new review!!
“A thrilling good time with a woman who gets her wolf!”
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WOLF is a thrilling good time with a woman who gets her wolf and a hero who is overjoyed to be captured. It’s always great seeing familiar favorite characters and revisiting Silver Town. I can’t wait to see if Jenna’s sisters find mates in future stories. As always, I look forward to Terry Spear’s next werewolf romance.~~Miranda Owen, Fresh Fiction http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=65760

Working on edits for the new book coming out next year (Her Jaguar Protector), and over halfway done on SEAL Wolf Surrender coming next year!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

All's Fair in Love and Wolf Just Released!!!

2018-05-01T07:51:00.001-04:00

Zoerro gray timber wolf at the New Mexico wolf reserve drinking water from a bowl on our cabin porch.

Ladies, and Gents, and Wolves, it’s out!!! All’s Fair in Love and Wolf can be in your hot little hands/paws now!

The Silver Town wolf pack has your back

Wolf shifter Sarandon Silver’s in trouble with the law, and bounty hunter she-wolf Jenna St. James is determined to bring him in for trial.

Lucky for Sarandon, the entire Silver Town pack is ready to fight for his innocence. But until the case is solved, Jenna’s sticking to Sarandon like glue…

Silver Town Wolf:
Destiny of the Wolf (Book 1)
Wolf Fever (Book 2)
Dreaming of the Wolf (Book 3)
Silence of the Wolf (Book 4)
A Silver Wolf Christmas (Book 5)
Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply (Book 6)
Between a Wolf and a Hard Place (Book 7)
All’s Fair in Love and Wolf (Book 8)

What People Are Saying:
“Sweet and sexy.”―Fresh Fiction for Between a Wolf and a Hard Place
“Spear has become a master storyteller.”―RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars for Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply
“Magnificently entertaining.”―RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars TOP PICK! for Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing

May 1, 2018

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alls-Fair-Love-Wolf-Silver/dp/1492655813/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alls-fair-in-love-and-wolf-terry-spear/1127125943?ean=9781492655817#/
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Terry_Spear_All_s_Fair_in_Love_and_Wolf?id=r6ZBDwAAQBAJ
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/alls-fair-in-love-and-wolf/id1321676949?mt=11
BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Alls-Fair-Love-Wolf/Terry-Spear/9781492655817?id=7079882685730
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/all-s-fair-in-love-and-wolf

Put up that Do Not Disturb sign and enjoy another Silver Town Wolves’ story!

Have a super wonderful day!!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
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Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Heart of the Wolf--Thriller!

2018-04-28T09:40:00.001-04:00

“The thrilling start to a wonderful werwolf series!”

Heart of the Wolf
Terry Spear

Reviewed by Kim Roller
Posted April 23, 2018
HEART OF THE WOLF is the first book of the series of the
same name and I look forward to reading the rest. I was also pleasantly surprised to get a bonus novella about Bella’s twin sister Serena after finishing this newly reissued title. There was also a sneak peek of the different series based on the white wolves that Terry Spear is writing about also. I look forward to reading all of her Werewolf series in the future. They are definite must-reads on my list of series to complete. http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=65658

Learn more about Heart of the Wolf

SUMMARY

Danger, intrigue, and forbidden love in a wolf shifter world so compelling, you’ll swear it’s real life…
Bella, a female red werewolf, was adopted by a pack of gray wolves as a pup. Now grown up, the alpha of the pack tries to make her his mate against her will—Bella knows she has no choice but to run away.
She makes her way as a lone wolf until childhood friend, Devlyn, comes to bring her home. On their journey back, they get tangled in up in unimaginable danger and must apprehend a werewolf murderer while keeping their identity secret from humans. The chemistry between them sizzles like never before…but they both know if they mate, Devlyn will have to fight the pack’s wicked alpha…and it’s a fight to the death.
As a companion to Bella and Devlyn’s story, this edition includes an exclusive, brand new novella that brings the story of the lupus garou family full circle.

Purchase

Amazon

Kindle

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

iTunes

Google Play

Powell’s Books

Books-A-Million

IndieBound

.

Off to write! Have a wonderful day!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
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Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Between a Wolf and Hard Place $1.99!! And How Does $1,000,000,000 Stack Up?

2018-04-21T08:33:00.001-04:00

$1.99!!!

Alpha werewolf Brett Silver has an ulterior motive when he donates a prized family heirloom to the Silver Town hotel. Ellie MacTire owns the place with her sisters, and he’s out to get her attention.
Ellie is even more special than Brett knows. She’s a wolf shifter with a unique ability to commune with the dead. Ellie has been ostracized, so she protects herself and those she loves by revealing nothing—not even when strange and dangerous things begin to happen in Silver Town. And especially not to the devastatingly handsome and generous wolf who’s determined to win her over…

So I was trying to figure out how big a stack of $1,000,000 would be in $100 bills. Hey, it’s doable. You can put it in a briefcase, no problem! You can stick $10,000 worth of $100 bills in your pocket, easy. That bundle is 1/2″ thick if it’s all new dollars. If it’s old bills, it can be up to 1″ thick. You can do it!

Research is fun, but time-consuming. I end up reading all kinds of things that I don’t need for the story. Sometimes, I discover something else that might really add to the story. Sometimes, I learn I can’t do what I envisioned because it wouldn’t be feasibly possible. Now, if I wrote strictly fantasy, then I could stretch the bounds of reality, yet I still would need some constraints to make the fantasy world seem real. Even though my world isn’t exactly straight up real, I mean, if werewolves didn’t really exist, I need to keep the world as real as possible.

I learn all kinds of amazing things when I do research for a book. Who would have ever thought you could keep $10,000 in your pocket without any problem???

Have a super fun day!!

Terry
“Giving new meaning to the term alpha male where fantasy is reality.”
Connect with Terry Spear:
Website: http://www.terryspear.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/421434.Terry_Spear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerrySpearParanormalRomantics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerrySpear
Wilde & Woolly Bears: http://www.celticbears.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/u63qP
Follow Me for new releases and book deals: www.bookbub.com/authors/terry-spear

Short Story Dispensers Are Coming To America

2018-04-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love this, and just had to share it! Thanks for the article, Matt Grant! https://lithub.com/frances-beloved-short-story-dispensers-are-coming-to-america/

In Francis Ford Coppola’s Café Zoetrope in San Francisco, an odd machine stands in the middle of one of the dining rooms. It’s a tall black-and-orange cone with a lighted monolith sticking out of its top. The kiosk, built by the French publishing company Short Edition, is called a Short Story Dispenser. It’s the first of its kind in the United States. With just the push of a button, the dispenser prints a one, three, or five minute story, completely free of charge. The stories come out on long rolls of paper like a receipt.

Lydia Valledor, Café Zoetrope’s General Manager, says the dispenser has been a huge hit since it was installed a year and a half ago. “I love the idea, especially for us,” she says. “We are all about Art; we have a lot of art on our walls. We also have Mr. Coppola‘s magazine Zoetrope: All-Story, which is a short story magazine. So the dispensers are very related to our place.” Valledor add that the dispenser comes in handy since the café tries to encourage patrons to stay off their phones and digital devices. “When people ask if we have Wi-Fi for the kids, we point to the machines and say, ‘No, but you have a story you can read.’”

The dispensers first started popping up in Short Edition’s hometown, the French city of Grenoble, in October 2016. “We always believed in the power of short literature, and the fact that it is particularly adapted to the modern world, as a way to bring (or bring back) people to reading,” says Loic Giraut, and international business developer for the company. According to Giraut, The dispensers were born after a seemingly routine have it ended in a flash of inspiration. “One day, while they were in front of the coffee vending machine, the four cofounders of Short Edition thought: ‘Why couldn’t we do the same thing, but with culture stories instead of coffee? Literature should be available everywhere!’” The company build a prototype and showed it to Grenoble’s mayor Eric Piolle, who commissioned eight machines to be erected around the city.

The dispensers are extremely simple to operate. “When plugged in, the machine connects to the GSM network, which allows us to manage and adapt the content,” says Giraut. For example, during December, the dispensers only put out Christmas or holiday-themed stories. Writers are discovered through Short Edition’s expansive online community of 100,000 short stories by 9000 authors. An even larger community of readers – some 200,000 – vote on their favorite stories.

“We always work with the community… to identify the best texts,” says Giraut. “Anybody can create an account on short-edition.com, take part in a writing competition that we organize, and publish his or her text.” Submitted stories are eligible for one of two prices. The public winner receives the most votes. The Short Edition editorial board and a jury of readers select the winner. “All the texts that have sufficient quality are then included in the dispenser worldwide,” Giraut says.

Reaction to the dispensers has been overwhelmingly positive so far. “We are receiving tons of messages both by email and social media, of people just saying thank you, or telling us that the story they read has made their day,” Giraut says. “We often hear people saying they had the feeling that story they picked up randomly was made for them, that it was really related to their actual life. It makes us really proud, because this was our goal when we invented the dispenser: to create emotion.”

Today, there are more than 150 short story dispensaries worldwide, most of which are in France. But there are 20 machines in North America, and that number is about to grow. “Our objective is to pursue our development in North America by installing more and more dispensers and starting to gather content from North American authors by launching writing contest in the U.S.,” Giraut says. “We have a lot going on in the beginning of 2018, and new machines should very soon appear on both west and east coasts.”

Sure enough, on March 22, at the 2018 Public Library Association‘s conference, Short Edition announced that they are installing four more machines on U.S. soil. This time, they will benefit public libraries: the Akron-Summit County (Ohio) Public Library, the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Richland Library in Columbia South Carolina, and the Wichita Public Library in Kansas. Each dispenser will be specifically branded to the library. And that’s not all Short Edition has planned. They hope to eventually include translations, allowing author is to be read internationally as well. “At some point, our objective is also to have a worldwide community of writers and readers, and have some Asian authors read in Europe or America, American authors read in Africa or South America, etc.,” says Giraut.

For now, Valledor says the one dispenser in San Francisco has become so popular that people come in off the street just to print out a story. While in most establishments it might be considered rude to do such a thing without being a paying customer, Valledor encourages it. She says it helps the café find new customers, all through the power of literature. “It’s like I always say, they’re coming today for a story – people who have never been here before – they open the door, see the space, they love it, they come back.”

Until next month,
Leigh
www.leighcourt.com

Fierce Romance

A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas Released Today! 5 Star Review!

SALE! SALE! SALE! Ebooks for Wolf and Jaguar Shifter Lovers

Pitched 3 New Wolf Tales

Pictures I took of origami at the Minnesota arboretum and of Axel, emergent Arctic 2-year-old wolf at the International Wolf Center. And then of Holly, 2-year-old black bear at the bear center nearby.

Purple Halloween bear I make.

The Difference Between Night and Day

Bear Shifters, Anyone?

Fear of Flying

On The Road Again To…Warsaw!

What’s an Aperol Spritz? It’s Your New Favorite Drink!

On The Road Again To… Prague!

FREE book... My Wild Highlander

10 Things We Can Learn From Our Dog

What’s Your "80/20" Number?

Birthday Celebration Time!

Garden pictures, birthday flowers from my son, and a composite I did of the dandelion and fairy.

Memorial Day is a Day to Honor Those Who Died…

Total Recall: How To Improve Your Memory

Nantucket Beaches

Writing and Gardening

Come With Me To Merry Olde England!

The Highland Werewolf Box Set--99 cents!

All's Fair in Love and Wolf Just Released!!!

Zoerro gray timber wolf at the New Mexico wolf reserve drinking water from a bowl on our cabin porch.

Heart of the Wolf--Thriller!

“The thrilling start to a wonderful werwolf series!”

Heart of the Wolf Terry Spear

Learn more about Heart of the Wolf

SUMMARY

Purchase

Between a Wolf and Hard Place $1.99!! And How Does $1,000,000,000 Stack Up?

Short Story Dispensers Are Coming To America

Heart of the Wolf
Terry Spear