Friday, January 18, 2013

Happy Endings Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the next stop on the Happy Endings Giveaway Hop!
There are three things that all of my books have in common - no exceptions. Romance, comedy and a happy ending.
I know I'm supposed to tell you my "Happy Ending" story, but I haven't reached the last page. I don't know how it will end. And I don't want to jinx it. I often complain that romance stories end when the marriage begins, as if marriage is the nail in the coffin of romance itself. Seems most romantic movies and books end with an engagement or a wedding. The conflict is resolved, goals achieved, and haunting childhood issues overcome (in place of haunting childhood issues we can insert a tragic loss, an emotionally crippling past breakup, or debilitating disease to be cured). Even television shows get cancelled if the elusive romance blossoms into a burst of love or a fatal case of marriage. I have mixed feelings about that. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and the heart wants a happy ending (especially my cold, black heart) even if the happily-ever-after is the beginning of marital bliss.
 
For a writer of romance, I am probably one of the most cynical people about love. I joke that I keep my feelings buried in the back yard under a rather large rock. I leave the romantic gestures and declarations of love up to my husband, who by the way, tears up during movies and wept at our wedding. I hear a collective Ahhh. Me, I only cry during Field of Dreams, not sure why (now there's a married couple to admire and aspire to). I prefer a man to show his love by taking out the trash rather than telling me how pretty I am. A little less talk and a lot more action. Show don't tell. Actions speak louder than words. You follow me, right? If he wants to tell me how I pretty I am while taking the trash out - he's a keeper!
 
Despite my romantic handicap, my stories end - happily. I go get my shovel, move that rock and dig up my feelings, pouring them onto the page. My heroes are larger than life - flawed - tortured - sometimes brooding - always sexy. They will die for the heroine or kill for her. My heroines - well - my heroines are like me only braver. Sometimes cynical. Other times hapless. Sarcastic. Snarky. A little rough around the edges. In need of a hero to save her, but sometime she saves the hero.
 
How do you like your romance? Your heroes? Your heroines? No opinion? Then how do you like your eggs?
 

 
I will pick a random commenter to win a print copy of Lily in Wonderland (U.S. only)( or an ecopy International). Please leave me your email address for easy contact. And don't forget to check out the other Happy Endings bloggers.

 

Blurb: Lily Tucker is down on her luck and considering a career strutting her stuff around a pole when she gets a call about an unexpected inheritance. It’s every girl’s dream—her estranged grandmother’s kicked the bucket, leaving Lily a house on a private island in Wonderland. When she reaches Wonderland, though, she finds a house that’s more like a hovel, a job waiting tables at the local diner, and a crime wave that seems to begin and end with Lily herself. Sexy deputy Toby can’t decide if he should arrest her or drag her off to bed—until it becomes clear that Lily’s not the criminal. She’s the target.


39 comments:

  1. I like nerdy heroes, bad girl heroines and my eggs hot. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love romance with happy endings. Eggs scrambled. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy endings make the world go round. And I like scrambled eggs too, with cheese. Yum1

      Delete
  3. I love happy endings. And I love when the women are independent and can hold their own

    xo_veronica16[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. But I still want a guy to open my door. Not because I can't, but just because...

      Delete
  4. I love romances with a HEA, with little drama! I hate when there is cheating involved. I just think cheating is unforgivable!

    mamamoss08(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like romances hot and heavy with a little suspense thrown in. I like my heroes to be tough and a little emotionally damaged but extremely devoted. I like my heroines to be stubborn outspoken and a little submissive. I like my eggs over medium. Thanks for the giveaway.
    kaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by, Kaylyn. I like a woman who speaks her mind. I like my heroes to have a sense of humor in real life and in literature.

      Delete
  6. Ooo... is that a romance ala Alice in Wonderland?? That would make me so very happy! I love revamped fairy tales!

    mestith@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, it probably bears little resemblance to Alice in Wonderland, except Lily ends up in unfamiliar territory with some crazy characters and wants to get home.

      Delete
  7. I love my romances with a little twist or edge to them. My heroes I like to be alpha males, smart and sexy. My heroines I like strong, smart and sarcastic. My eggs...well that's the tough question, I like them several ways from scrambled to over easy as long is there is toast with them.

    uilani25(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you and I would get along great. I enjoy my eggs on my toast.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
    elizabeth @ bookattict . com
    GFC: BookAttict

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love giving stuff away. Thanks for leaving a comment.

      Delete
  9. I like epilogues in longer books. In my own stories, if they are short, I usually do without the "where are they now?" snippet. What I dislike are series where in book one the H/H get together and then in book 2 they are broken up and have to do it again. Not fair.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love my romance with a happy ending. I also love historical romance. Thanks.
    magic5905 at embarqmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love historicals. I've even penned a few, but I'm afraid my historical accuracy won't cut it.

      Delete
  11. I like romances that are emotional. I want to shed a few tears, laugh and adore the ending! Plus an alpha hero or a sweet hero with a smart heroine is nice :)
    Cambonified[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  12. My writing is mostly laugh-out-loud, but during my final read through of Lily in Wonderland (I read it aloud to my dogs), I did get emotional a couple times. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I like my romances with a strong hero... kick ass heroine who needs saving occasionally she can't be a wilted flower she has to have some backbone.. Oh yeah and the read has to be good... doesn't have to be steamy though that is always a plus but just well written leaving me satisfied.

    j.m.platt83@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love all types of romances and I'll give any of them a shot really <3 emotional romances are of course always a plus.
    Thanks for the great giveaway
    lilypondreads at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love mystery, suspense, paranormal....the one constant is romance...

      Delete
  15. I love happy endings and I think that sarcastic heroines in romance novels are a great thing! I like the heroes to be tortured and flawed. Perfect guys are great to look at but who would want to live with one! Thanks for the great giveaway!

    thompsonem3 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like a romance that isn't cheesy...I dont always like a happy ending, but in most cases that's what I find myself rooting for. I tend to like the good guy character when it comes to the hero...the bad boy is great, but they're usually too arrogant for my taste.
    oddball2003 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like the average Joe hero...a regular guy who is put in an extraordinary situation and must rise to the occassion.

      Delete
  17. ordinary people who have their struggles in life but who can overcome them and everything ends happily. Those kind of stories I like.
    tessa (dot) bamberg (at) kolumbus (dot) fi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen. Something we can relate to and strive for.

      Delete
  18. I like the tortured hero/bad boy :-)who is passionate and intense!
    kacidesigns AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  19. hot and steamy but has to have a good story as well
    kaholgate at ymail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm guessing we're talking about your romance and not eggs ;)

      Delete
  20. I like when the character plays hard to get and hides his feelings but shows them here and there. And then at the end reveals them. Thank you for being a part of this fun and awesome blog hop!!
    livvie_v@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you must see Silver Linings Playbook. Loved. I normally I like the guy to be all in and the girl to play hard to get....but mixing it up is fun too.

      Delete
  21. Sounds like a good book, can't wait to read it!

    tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have picked a winner. Just waiting on her reply.

    ReplyDelete