Friday's Top Ten

Comment and use the word Frozen or Rocks in your comment.

One random commenter from the team with the MOST votes

at the end of the week will win a copy of

IN NAME ONLY.
As of ten o'clock Thursday night, TEAM FROZEN is in the lead.
TEAM ROCKS, are you going to allow the FROZENS to take this away from you?

:::

The top ten things that shout red, white, and blue:

10. Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Topped with Blueberries

  9. Tie-Dye Tee

  8. Bomb Pops

  7. Texas Lone Star Flag

  6. Fourth of July Cupcakes

  5. Texas Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes

  4. Strawberry, Blueberry, Whipped Cream Parfait

  3. Fireworks

  2. Strawberries Dipped in White Chocolate with Blue Sprinkles

And the #1 thing that shouts red, white, and blue:

You won't be disappointed by Friday's HOT Fireman

on my Facebook Page either :)

Guest Blogger: Lynn Cahoon

Comment and use the word Frozen or Rocks in your comment.

One random commenter from the team with the MOST votes

at the end of the week will win a copy of

IN NAME ONLY.

:::

I've known Lynn Cahoon for about a year now. She's a versatile author who appears to have cracked the code for short stories at Woman's World. I hope you'll give her lots of support. And check out her book, too. I tried to find a saddle to hang in the corner, since her book is about cowboys; but the closest I could come was a new life ring. You'll see it hanging on the on the post over there by the crab pot - it says S.S. Minnow, which is no reflection whatsoever on the ... hmmmm endowments of the The Bull Rider's Brother :)

Thank you for inviting me to Under the Tiki Hut. As my blog tour for The Bull Rider’s Brother is winding down, I’m ready for a beach vacation. But my beach is just a little different.

I’m an Oregon Coast junkie. The coast is rocky, the water cold, and the views, amazing. When I was a teenager, my family took a vacation from our small rural farm to camp on the Oregon coast. We hunted for mussels on the rocky shore. When my sister and I went wading on sandy beach, a large wave crested. Since we had my miniature poodle in the water as well, I reached down to pick her up. The wave knocked my sister over instead.

The family story about how I saved the dog over my sister is still told over Sunday barbeques.

No matter how many times I tell them that the dog would have drowned.

Family.

This piece of family lore has me thinking about my Shawnee based stories. Three friends and a tagalong little brother have one goal, to escape the little town as soon as possible. Graduation, can’t come soon enough. But even then, one friend goes off to college, but two, James and Lizzie, stay behind – just for a year, waiting for Jesse, the little brother, to graduate.

And then the world changes.

The wave comes and James has to choose who to save. And like me, he chose to save the one that the wave would drown – his little brother. And so, the wave envelops Lizzie, and she’s left behind.

And a new piece of family lore is built.

Since I’m a few thousand miles away from the rocky beach I love, I’ll have to settle for the gentle beaches and high cliffs of the Mississippi river that runs through the little historical town I now call home.

So now that I’ve told my embarrassing family story, how about you? What stories do your families tell that make you cringe?

Growing up in the middle of cowboy country, Lynn Cahoon was destined to fall in love with a tall, cool glass of water. Now, she enjoys writing about small town America, the cowboys who ride the range, and the women who love them.

Contact Lynn at her website – www.lynncahoon.wordpress.com






The Bull Rider’s Brother

Rodeo weekend is the start of the summer for the entire town of Shawnee, Idaho. On a girl's night out, Lizzie Hudson finds herself comparing her life as a single mom with her best friend's successful career when James Sullivan, the cowboy who got away, walks his Justin Ropers back into her life. Seeing him shakes Lizzie's world but James is in for an even more eventful weekend, learning he has a son. James has enough on his plate trying to manage his brother's bull riding career.

When James Sullivan comes back for the town’s rodeo weekend and finds out that his high school sweetheart had his child, six years ago, Lizzie’s world is thrown into turmoil and she must decide if safety and certainty are worth giving up on a chance for love. A love that an emotionally damaged James may never be able to return, breaking her and her son’s heart in the process.

Buy link: www.amazon.com/The-Bull-Riders-Brother-ebook/dp/B008195C2I (also available at Barnes and Noble and iTunes.)

The Winner is ... Margaritas!

This week is the final contest to win a copy of IN NAME ONLY before it becomes totally available worldwide on Amazon - winner's choice, print or Kindle book if you live in the U.S. If you live elsewhere, you will receive the Kindle version.


So step right up. It's the Margarita Contest! Frozen or On the Rocks? Help choose!

Don't drink Margaritas? No worries! Just think of your favorite drink and decide if you prefer it frozen like a slushee or poured over ice.

How does the contest work? Comment and use the word Frozen or Rocks in your comment. One random commenter from the team with the MOST votes at the end of the week will win.

So if your team is behind ... get out the vote! Bribe your friends to visit Under the Tiki Hut and vote their comment. Just make sure they vote for YOUR team.

No stuffing the ballot box. One vote per person. Make sure you get yours in before 10:00 p.m. Central Time, Sunday, July 1. The winner of one copy of IN NAME ONLY will be announced Monday, July 2. Previous winners not eligible.

Which team will win? Team Frozen or Team Rocks? It's up to you!

:::

Guess who loves firefighters the most? Tracy Jo at Brand New Day!

Tracy Jo won a copy of IN NAME ONLY by saying this:

I love firefighters because they are hot, hot, hot!

Actually it didn't matter why Tracy Jo loves firefighters because all the names went into the hat and Live-In Handyman picked one. I just wanted to share that sentence with you because it was one of my favorites :)

Tracy Jo, please let me know if you prefer the print version or a Kindle book.

Congratulations!

:::

And last - but far, far from least - Laura Eno has a new book available Wednesday!  WRAITH. Isn't her cover fantastic!

Someone wants them dead. Another wants them captured. No one can be trusted. Secrets, lies, and revelations await Raven and Mikael as their search for Mikael's missing friend leads them to Wraith, a mysterious moon owned by Jeffrey Hamilton, cybernetics genius and Ben's creator. How much of the Oracle's technology does Hamilton possess and where did it come from?

Raven's nightmares from the past threaten her sanity, while Mikael's guilt slowly consumes him. Ben's in more danger than anyone as they race to find the answers to uncertain questions—questions which could lead to death for them all.

Laura Eno lives in Florida with a very tolerant husband, three skulking cats and two absurdly happy dogs. After spending years immersed in English literature courses, she now writes novels late at night with the help of muses from the underworld.

Friday's Top Ten

IF YOU HAVEN'T ENTERED THIS WEEK'S CONTEST YET,
finish this sentence in the comments to be eligible to win a copy of

IN NAME ONLY.

50 words or less.
Complete rules in last Monday's post.
Winner announced Monday, June 25.

I love firefighters because....

*^*^*^*^*

Top ten things women love to hear:

10. Did you hear about....

  9. Your perfume is fabulous.

  8. I love your hair.

  7. You're looking good!

  6. Where did you buy those shoes?

  5. You painted that?

  4. What do you think?

  3. This is delicious!

  2. That's a great idea!

And the #1 thing women love to hear:

  1. I love you.

And don't forget to take a peek at Friday's HOT Fireman on my

Facebook Page

Summer Solstice

Finish this sentence in the comments to be eligible to win a copy of

IN NAME ONLY.

50 words or less.
Complete rules in Monday's post.

I love firefighters because....

*^*^*^*^*

Today it's officially summer everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Just so you know. No matter if you're still wearing windbreakers. Or parkas.

It's Summer Solstice. A time for playing and merry-making. More daylight in 24 hours than you'll see until this time next year.

I've been wishing you all Happy Summer for a while now. It's because I live in a furnace. I've been wearing shorts since March, and our air conditioning has been on since April.

Here in Texas, we have Almost Summer, Summer, and Still Summer. Almost Summer comes after spring. The two are not the same.

But here at Under the Tiki Hut, it's a perfect day. Lots of sunshine all around. Blue sky. The surf is lapping, the fans are spinning just enough for a little breeze. The Margarita machine is whirring. Bob Marley is singing in the background.

But look at this guy to the right. He ran in and shimmied right up the center pole. Must be a firefighter in disguise. You think?

Maybe I need to call a real firefighter :)


I love firefighters because....
(enter now!)


A round of drinks on the house! Raise them in a toast to Summer Solstice!

Image Credit

New Week - New Contest!

First ... the winners of last week's contest:

Julie Kemp Pick
Heather M. Gardner
Liza Carens Salerno

Congratulations!

Each receives one copy of IN NAME ONLY. I've emailed each of you. But if you read it here first, please email and let me know if you prefer a print or Kindle book. I'll need your mailing address if you prefer a print copy.

But there are still books to be won. This week I'm giving away one copy of IN NAME ONLY. To enter this week's contest, complete this sentence in the comments:

I love firefighters because....

One sentence, 50 words or less. One entry per person. One free book.

If you already won a book, you can still complete the sentence, but you will not be eligible to win another copy.

Winner will be chosen from among all entries. And no, I'm not choosing the one I like best. Do I look crazy to you? All entries will go in the hat, and someone besides me will choose a name. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2012.

If your name is chosen and you live in the U.S., you may choose between a print or Kindle book. If you are a winner and live outside the U.S., you will receive the Kindle version.

In other news...

Last week LD Masterson tagged me on the Lucky 7 meme. I was also tagged with this same meme by Savannah Fox on Facebook. I've done this before, but at that point I wasn't up to page 77 yet of my WIP, so I shared those lines with you from IN NAME ONLY. With all the other things I've been working on, I'm still not up to page 77. Sigh.

See why I need chocolate? And wine! But I digress.

Anyway, these seven lines are from my next novel, which will be released next spring, titled SOLOMON'S COMPASS. It's mystery/suspense/crime with a love story - another Crime Fiction with a Kiss.

Taylor worked hard for a half hour before taking a break, drinking a bottle of water in two long swallows. The cabinets were emptied and wiped down, the contents tossed in the trash. Will brought over a set of wooden steps he used for climbing into boats to make it easier for her to lift bags into the bin when she worked alone.

Soon she'd be back to the world she knew on the Susquehanna. She couldn't wait. Being among people Randy had known was difficult. Everyone here seemed to place her under a microscope, and she didn't like having her wings spread and a pin stuck through her heart.

As has been my custom, anyone who wants to play is free to take the meme and say I passed it on. Because I do.

Happy Monday!

Friday's Top Ten

Last post to comment on for a chance to win a copy of IN NAME ONLY.

See Monday's post for details.


And don't forget to take a peek at Friday's HOT Fireman on my Facebook Page 

The top ten Chihuahua dreams:

10. Where's my crown?

  9. I'm a true Size 0.

  8. Watch it, big guy! You're not the boss.

  7. As a matter of fact, I do own the world.

  6. I'm not a toy.

  5. Leave my tacos alone!

  4. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

  3. We play by my rules.

  2. Size. Matters.

And the #1 Chihuahua dream:

  1. Super Dog!

Image Credit

My Summer Is Your Summer

I know some of you may not quite be experiencing summer yet. Especially those of you in the Southern Hemisphere. So I'll share some of mine with you.

Crape Myrtle Bloom

Dueling Hibiscus

Grass Rolling Dog

Heating Up

Ready for the Pool?

Don't forget...this week only...follow this blog and comment here

to earn a chance to win a copy of my upcoming release,

IN NAME ONLY.

See Monday's post for details.

Giveaway Contest!

The first ever Under the Tiki Hut contest begins!

Here is a brief rehash of the rules. To read them in full as originally posted last week go here.

The rules are simple. Three rules. Three books.
1. To enter, you must be a follower of my blog, Under the Tiki Hut - where you are right now.
2. You must comment on one of my blog posts this week. I post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
3. New followers will be eligible from the day they become a follower. The follower button to become a member of my Tiki Hut Team is in the right-hand sidebar near the top. If your link doesn't show up in my follower's list, you are not eligible to win. So if you're new here or you never clicked the button and you want to enter, please follow first, comment second.

If you comment on one post, you get one chance. If you comment on two, two chances. All three, three chances. But no more than one chance per person per post. I will be giving away three copies of IN NAME ONLY to three separate winners.

If you are one of the three winners and live in the U.S., you may choose between print or Kindle versions. If you are a winner and live outside the U.S., you will receive the Kindle version.

The contest began at 7:00am Central Time Monday, June 11, and will end at 11:59pm Central Time on Sunday, June 17. I will announce the winner here on Monday, June 18.

Checklist for Publishing a Book - Part Two

We left off with me in a state of PANIC! because of several things. So I'm backing up to where the waiting began. Updates in pink.

Send blurb to cover designer for back of print cover.
Wait.
Designer promises he is working on finishing details for back cover and spine of print book.
Wait some more.
Find formatter.
Send to formatter.
Wait.
Formatter sends PDF for print version.
Love it.
One tiny problem.
And another.
Formatter sends PDF again.
Fall in love with print version :)
Still waiting for ebook files.
Get as far as I can at completing the process at Amazon without having files to upload.
Wait.
Make Goodreads author page. Halfway.
Wait.
Thanks to the wonderful and marvelous Nas Dean, my Goodreads page is complete! Thank you, Nas :)
Realize my shelves will probably always be a mess. Sigh.
Wonder how best to get the word out about IN NAME ONLY.
I have a much better feel for this now. So much so, that there's no more this:
PANIC!


IN NAME ONLY
No Home. No Family. No place to hide.
For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to Gabe, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible.

No matter how much she yearns for a real home, Summer relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. Summer has vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

Available July 10, 2012

In Print and Kindle Versions

From Amazon.com

Friday's Top Ten

Don't forget about Friday's HOT Fireman on my Facebook Page!


Last week's top ten was all about Gabe the Firefighter. Today's is all about Summer.

The top ten things to remember if you are in the Federal Witness Security Program:

10. Memorize all the data about your new life and who you are

  9. Don't use Ancestry.com

  8. Don't write a memoir

  7. Don't act suspicious around everyone you meet

  6. Don't call your grandmother on her birthday

  5. Don't tell anyone where you were born

  4. Don't keep a photo of your parents on your mantel

  3. Never drink so much wine you forget your current name

  2. Don't enter politics

And the #1 thing to remember if you are in the Federal Witness Security Program:

  1. Never, ever wear this tee

From Cafe Press

Contest? Did Someone Say Contest?

Remember PANIC! from Monday's post?

Still got it.

But I also have the beginnings of a plan.

Part of the reason for the panic is that I'm a week late - no, no...not THAT kind of late. I'm late starting promotion of any sort because I took three weeks off for vacation at the worst possible time, except for maybe July. It's a timing thing. I wanted to start running contests this week, to have one every week of June before IN NAME ONLY releases on July 10.

But I ran out of time.

So the first contest will be next week.

The rules are simple, and will be restated again next week.
1. To enter, you must be a follower of my blog, Under the Tiki Hut - where you are right now.
2. You must comment on one of my blog posts next week.
3. New followers will be eligible from the day they become a follower. The follower button to become a member of my Tiki Hut Team is in the right-hand sidebar near the top. Welcome!
That's it.

This is a contest for me to say Thank You to all of you who take time to visit and comment. I've enjoyed getting to know all of you, and I try to give you good reasons to hang here a few minutes every week.

If you comment on one post, you get one chance. If you comment on two, two chances. All three, three chances. But no more than one chance per post.

I blog three days a week, so I thought it fair to give away three copies of IN NAME ONLY. The contest will begin at 7:00am Central Time on Monday, June 11, and end at 11:59pm Central Time on Sunday, June 17. I will announce the winner here on Monday, June 18, and give you the rules for a new contest then. The second contest will be different. And the third, different again. All will be painless :) You can only win one book.

If you are one of the three winners and live in the U.S., you may choose between print or Kindle versions. If you are a winner and live outside the U.S., you will receive the Kindle version.

As of right now, I do not yet have books. As soon as I do, I will send them to you. Whenever that is - see PANIC! above - you will have them before they will be available on Amazon. Even if that turns out to be days, hours, or minutes.

I'm new to this game. Did I mention that?

See PANIC! above.

Checklist for Publishing a Book - Part One

Fall in love with the story.
Write the story.
Finish first draft.
Still love story.
Send to critique partners.
Rewrite the story.
Edit.
Edit.
Edit the stupid story.
Edit.
Hate story.
Edit.
Party.
Send to editor.
Rewrite the story.
Love story.
Send back to editor.
Edit.
Story sucks.
Write dedication, acknowledgments, bio.
Find copyeditor/proofreader.
Send to copyeditor/proofreader.
Find out I still suck at hyphenation.
Edit.
Party.
Find cover designer.
Tell cover designer I have no idea what the cover should be.
Wait.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Maybe I chose the wrong designer.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Fabulous ebook cover!
Love story again.
Send blurb to cover designer for back of print cover.
Wait.
Find formatter.
Send to formatter.
Wait.
Get as far as I can at completing the process at Amazon without having files to upload.
Wait.
Make Goodreads author page. Halfway.
Wait.
Wonder how best to get the word out about In Name Only.
PANIC!

This is where I am now.

I may have missed a step or two. I definitely messed up a time or two. Did things wrong, had to redo. Did stupid things, looked like a fool.

I'm releasing some of the panic through dreams. Almost nightly I have a dream where I'm in a car that goes off a cliff or off a bridge. Or I'm driving and the brakes fail. Or I'm naked in a room full of clothed people.

Next Monday I'll pick up where the waiting begins.

Wednesday, I have CONTEST NEWS!