Holiday Mocha by Jennifer Anne F. Messing

It’s December again. And here I am, sipping a delicious fruit punch, enjoying our church’s annual Christmas Party potluck which is always held at Patty Richards’ home. I’ve often thought someday when my children are grown I’d love to open my home for Bible study and other events.

Of course, before I can ever be a sweet and hospitable middle-aged woman with grown children I first have to get married! I must admit that, being 25, the thought of meeting Mr. Right, being courted and getting married has seemed more appealing than ever this past year. I think I’ve got an idea who Mr. Right is, but God hasn’t confirmed it to me yet—what I mean is, this man hasn’t ever asked me out. But I wish he would!

Another thing I don’t want to do is step ahead of God’s timing in my love life. Every time I’ve attempted to orchestrate things or tried to force a relationship to work, I’ve been hurt or my heart’s been broken. This time, I want to allow God to bring me His choice of a mate for me.

From across the room I catch my friend’s eye and smile at her. Janice has been my best friend since high school. She walks over and says, "You’ve got to try Patty’s Turkey Pot Pie. It’s mouth-watering."

I’m starving. Janice and I head for the buffet table. It’s beautifully spread with many of my favorite holiday dishes.

After filling our plates, Janice and I sit down at one of the tables. It feels so nice to chat and visit with her, just like old times. Ever since she got married two years ago, we haven’t had as much one-on-one girl time like we used to. I miss her!

"Can I get you pretty ladies something to drink?" asks a familiar male voice. I turn and see David Barnett setting his plate down next to mine. My heart quickens. David is looking quite handsome. His deep-set eyes are as blue as his crisp shirt.

"I’d like some punch, David," says Janice, smiling.

"And a 7UP for me," I add.

"I’ll be right back," David replies. Then he turns to go.

"David’s looking sharp today, isn’t he? Janice whispers.

"Uh-huh."

"Why don’t you ask him to go with you to your office party next Saturday? That wouldn’t come across as too forward, would it? Besides, it seems to me like David’s been paying you more attention lately."

Janice is well-meaning and a sweetheart. "I don’t think I want to do that," I reply. "Don’t misunderstand me—you know I think he’s cute . . . gorgeous, actually!" I chuckle softly. "He’s kindhearted and spiritually mature, and he’s doing a great job leading our young adults group. But I don’t think it’s too old-fashioned to want a man to make the first move. Besides, I’d also feel more confident that he’s the man God is bringing into my life if I don’t have to initiate things."

"You have a point," Janice replies. "But you can’t stop me from praying! I really do think the two of you would make a great pair."
I see David arriving with our drinks and I gently nudge Janice in a discreet way so she’s aware he’s back.

"You sounded beautiful singing your O Holy Night solo," David says, handing me the glass of 7UP.

I blush. His attention makes me wonderfully uncomfortable. "Thanks," I reply. "It’s one of my Christmas favorites."

"I think the whole church service flowed very well today," Janice says. "Say, Patty’s asking me to come and help set out some other desserts. Will you two excuse me?"

I know Janice is doing this on purpose! "How’s it going, David?" I ask, looking at him. "Anything new at work?"

He sits beside me and takes a bite of pumpkin pie. "We’re going to have a week-long advanced management training at West Coast Wireless in mid-January. I’m looking forward to it."

"That sounds exciting," I answer. "Our manager has mentioned we’ll be having further training some time next year. Right now, though, I’m just busy trying to get everything done in time for Christmas."

"Me, too." He nods.

"I’ve gotten most of my shopping done. This next week, I’m going to bake. That’s one thing I enjoy at Christmastime—baking cookies and treats and sharing them with friends and family."

"What do you like to bake?" he asks.

"I have a couple of favorites: cocoa fudge cookies and cheesecake brownies."

"Yummy!" David says, grinning. "Save some for me, will you?"

"I might be able to save you a piece or two," I tease. "I have a lot of friends who look forward to eating my cookies."

"Then I’ll just have to stop by and try them, won’t I?"

"Works for me."

"Christina," David says, looking into my eyes, "I’d love to get to know you better. A friend of mine helped direct and is playing a part in a local production of A Christmas Carol this upcoming Friday. Play starts at 8. Can I pick you up for dinner at 6, and then the play?"

Is this really happening?!?

"Sure, count me in."

"Oh, and afterwards, I’d like to take you out for a peppermint mocha and dessert at this awesome new café. It’s a cozy place. Sound good?"

"I’ll be looking forward to it all week," I answer, knowing this may be the best holiday mocha I’ve ever had. I think God can orchestrate a romance better than I can!

About the Author: Author, poet, speaker, and singer Jennifer Anne Messing of Portland, Oregon, is a wife, and mother of three children. She has a bachelor's degree in Religious Education and a diploma in Journalism and Short Story Writing. Jennifer Anne has had over 180 articles, short stories, and poems published in 55 different magazines and books including The Storyteller, Christian Fiction Online, Romancing the Soul, The Gem, Bible Advocate, Evangel, LIVE, and Seek. She also reviews classic and family-friendly movies as the Portland Classic Movies Examiner for Examiner.com. Jennifer Anne has authored two poetry gift books. Her second one, Morning's Promise: Poetic Moments in His Presence, will be published in 2012. Her website is:www.JenniferAnneMessing.com.

Author Interview with Rachel Brimble

The Long and the Short of It is pleased to welcome Rachel Brimble, whose latest book Paying the Piper was released from Lyrical Press in September. I asked her to tell us a little bit about Paying the Piper.

"Paying The Piper is my longest and grittiest contemporary romance so far. It is set in the UK against the backdrop of city life and nightclubs. There is tension and suspense, heated attraction and tears. I loved writing this book and pray my readers enjoy it too."

Nightclub manager, Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother’s ashes are scattered – except the vendor wants to sell to anyone but her. And the vendor happens to be her father…with a secret Grace will do anything to uncover.

Social worker and all-round good guy, Jimmy Betts needs cash to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. In a desperate bid for cash, he agrees to a one-time ‘job’ for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl’s beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.

Their lives couldn’t be more different – except for one binding thread. They’re both trying to escape the bonds of their fathers. But is it possible the only way they will ever be free, is to be together rather than alone?
Rachel told me she always wanted to be a writer.

"I am so happy to be living my dream and having a husband who is one hundred percent behind me. When I was young I wanted to be a journalist but got sidetracked and ended up working ten years in a bank," she said with a laugh. "So once I became pregnant with my second daughter I sat down and got on with it seriously before my writing was put on the back burner again."

Her first book, Searching For Sophie, was accepted and published in 2007.

Currently, Rachel's written six published novels, a seventh (her first romantic suspense in over three years) is under consideration at a publisher, and her eighth is with her agent.

I asked her which was her favorite and she said, "My favorite…is probably The Arrival of Lily Curtis which I loved writing and my readers and reviewers seem to have enjoyed the most. Next favorite is my latest release, Paying The Piper!."

She shared the working blurb of the romantic suspense with us.

Detective Sergeant Cat Forrester’s life revolves around her alcoholic mother and her career in the UK police force. When Jay Garrett, an old friend and “one off” lover calls asks for her help investigating the murder of their mutual friend at Templeton Cove on the English Riviera, Cat is torn. The case is out of her jurisdiction and her mother’s drinking is out of control – she shouldn’t leave her. But when Jay confides he feels it’s his fault their friend is dead and he could have prevented it, Cat has no choice but to go.

Jay is handsome, wealthy and successful but needs to make amends for the massive mistakes he’s made. Once a drug addict, Jay’s conscience is riddled with the wrongs he committed and he is desperate to prove to the people he hurt, and himself that he has turned his life around. Reunited with the girl he let go seven years before, Jay’s determination to avenge their friend’s death and make Cat his is all the motivation he needs to put things right.

Both struggling with their demons and anger, Cat and Jay seek solace in each other and join together to find a killer – and everlasting love. As their relationship deepens so does the danger – but will their love versus a killer’s hate triumph in the end?
All of Rachel's books have started with a character talking to her, she told me.

"Once I hear that voice and it won’t leave me alone, it takes me a while to figure out where their story fits. Because I write across the sub-genres of romance, the voice is in my head for quite a while before I know if their story is suspense, comedy, contemporary or Victorian. Once I have that figured out, I can move onto the plotting!"

Rachel's very lucky to have, as her writing space, a log cabin-type office in her back garden (backyard).

"I love working in there because it takes me away from the house and ‘normal life’," she told me. "I have two young children who are growing up fast and taking over the house with more and more stuff and more and more friends coming over so my office is my haven. One wall is completely covered with books and then I have a L-shaped desk with two walls covered in cork so I can pin up pictures and notes at will. The final wall is entirely windowed and gives me a view out onto the garden. Bliss!"

Rachel writes every day without fail, even if it's just starting a blog post or completing an interview. Her goal is for a thousand words a day, but with a part-time and have a young family, it's sometimes a challenge. She did receive one piece of advice that has helped her a lot, however.

"The best bit of advice I ever received was to allow myself to write a ‘dirty draft’," she explained. "If I would have known that it was okay to work all the way through a book from beginning to end and worry about fixing it later, I would have enjoyed the whole process a lot more."

The one thing she does do, on her way to meeting her goal, is "keep to my ‘dirty draft’ so any serious writing I do is at least moving my story forward. On my non-day job days, I aim for at least two thousand five hundred words so my average weekly output is around eight thousand."

On a more personal note, I told Rachel, "You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?"

"Being trapped on a roof for twelve hours after been caught up in the middle of the French floods last year. We were finally rescued by helicopter."

"What do you want to know about the future?" I asked.

"Whether I’ll hit the big time and earn enough money from my writing that my husband can give up work and we can cruise around the world while I write page-turning novels on my laptop."

Finally, I asked Rachel what's the one piece of advice she would give to a new writer.

"Just write – a full page can be polished, a blank page can’t."
You can keep up with Rachel on her blog, http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com.

A Christmas Reunion by Elinor Carson

“Mom, I’m going out,” Jared called up the stairs, pulling on a wool hat and taking his scarf off the hook.

His mother’s head poked out from the second floor. “Where are you going?”

“Just out, Mom,” he said, and immediately winced. He might be turning thirty this year, but something about being home made a man revert to being a kid again. The truth was he still didn’t have a Christmas present for his mom, and he wanted to get to the mall early before it got too crowded.

Undeterred, his mom started down the stairs. “Well if you’re headed out, do you mind running an errand? I thought I had plenty of yarn for your uncle’s sweater, but I want it to have more give in the waistline, if you know what I mean.”

“Mom, I should really--”

“Here’s what I need,” his mom barreled on, jotting something down on a piece of paper. “And from the store over on Carlston, please, not that other place. Just show it to the girls, they’ll know.”

So somehow, almost inexplicably, Jared found himself outside of Needles and Pearls, mentally groaning as he pushed open the door.

He could see why women liked this store, actually. It smelled good, like cinnamon or something, and everything was neatly tucked into baskets and pretty little displays. But he still felt like an idiot as he approached the counter.

“Hi, uh, can I ask you something?”

When the woman turned around with a bright smile, Jared did a double take. “Lainey?”

“Jared!” Lainey exclaimed, her face turning the lightest shade of pink as she registered his presence. “It’s been ages!”

It had been two years, actually, since they’d broken up and Jared left her sitting alone on a park bench just four blocks away. He could still remember the hauntingly beautiful sight of her, snow gently drifting down on her figure, which looked so small against the drift-covered lake. Jared had been leaving for a job in Barcelona, and Lainey hadn’t been ready to move away from everything she knew. Jared still thought of her as the one that got away.

“What are you doing here?” they asked simultaneously, and both echoed it with a slightly nervous laugh.

“My mom roped me in to doing some hours here, because we get so busy around Christmas,” Lainey said lightly.

“I had no idea this was your mom’s place!” But Jared had a feeling his own mother knew that fact very well. “I’m back in town for the holidays, and my mom asked me to pick something up for her.”

“Oh, well, let me help you with that.” Lainey smiled shyly at him, and Jared thought he felt his heart skip a beat.

“She wrote it down for me.” Jared handed her the slip of paper and couldn’t help but add, “You look really good, Lainey.”

She did look good. Just like he remembered, with those gentle curls of light brown hair and laughing, happy blue eyes. She was wearing a gray sweater dress that clung gently to her curves, and knee-high boots that caught his attention. And, when she noticed him eyeing her, that pretty pink on her cheeks intensified. He’d always loved to tease her and watch the blush stain her cheeks, to see her eyes grow glassy while he ran a hand along those curves and told her how beautiful she was.

“Um, we’ve got that yarn right here,” Lainey said a little too loudly as she pulled out a thick skein of dark green.

“Thanks,” Jared said, barely glancing at it. After dating Lainey for four years, he knew her every move, and he knew she could feel his eyes on her. And for some reason, he wanted her to know it. Suddenly he ached with the longing to touch her again, to hold her in his arms. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until just now.

“Listen, I’m looking for a present for my mom, too,” he said quickly, wanting to prolong their interaction in any way possible. “Do you have anything nice, or maybe know something she’s been eyeing?”

“Hm,” Lainey said, biting her lip as she thought. “We do have this gorgeous cashmere blend I remember she looked at last week. It’s in the back—let me get it so you can take a look.”

Perfect, Jared thought. “I’ll come with you.”

“What—no, that’s okay, really,” Lainey said with a breathless laugh and a toss of her hair. She wants me too, Jared realized with a thrill.

“Oh, come on. You can trust me,” he said quietly, meeting her eyes.

Something in them made her pause, and then she smiled. “All right, come on back,” she said, and held out a hand to him.

He was startled by the gesture, but when he took her hand, it felt warm and comfortable and right.

Lainey led him through a small hallway and into a dimly lit room with towering stacks of boxes, neatly arranged onto industrial shelving. Jared took a closer look and said wonderingly, “Every single thing in here has a label.”

“How else would we find anything?” Lainey said drolly before turning to a shelf.

Jared stepped closer to her, a little uncertain, but knowing he couldn’t leave without at least giving it a shot. He reached out a hand and caught some of her hair, tugging gently so that she turned to him.

“Lainey,” he said, and watched those precious blue eyes looking up at him, watched her lips part wordlessly for just one second before conscious thought left him and he leaned down to capture her mouth with his.

He’d always loved the taste of her mouth. And the feeling of her lips, a little hesitant at first, then pressing against him with more intensity, more need, fueling his own desire. His hands circled her waist, and her hands found his shoulders, until they held each other close enough that he could feel her heartbeat. So he felt it speed up when he slid a hand up her back to cradle her neck, arching her closer into him.

“God, Lainey,” Jared groaned as he pulled his mouth away from hers to nip at her ear. “You feel so good.”

She breathed his name in a shuddery sigh as he shifted, wrapping one arm around her while his other hand slid up her dress to firmly cup her behind. Their lower bodies molded together gently, then more securely when she lifted a leg to wrap around him. Even as he moved to kiss her neck, he took advantage of the easier access afforded by her dress hiking up even further, his fingers gently brushing against her, teasing her.

“Jesus,” he heard her gasp as he tilted his head back to look at her face. Her eyes were fluttering between open and closed, and though she was panting, her lips were somehow forming a rapturous smile.

Then a bell jangled, and Lainey’s eyes flew open, anxiety dulling the stars in her eyes. “That’s the front door! Jared, I have to—” She moaned when he pressed his fingers against her, and he bent to kiss her collarbone. Her body involuntarily jerked towards him before she caught her breath. “Oh, God, Jared, I really need to go …”

“I’ll let you go on one condition,” Jared murmured into her neck.

Lainey’s head was tilting back now, and he thought he might be able to keep her back here if he tried, but he didn’t want her to get in trouble either. He let his lips skim the tops of her breasts before he spoke again. “Come to dinner with me tonight.”

“What?” he heard her manage faintly.

“I’ve missed you, Lainey,” Jared said softly before letting his tongue dance along the valley between her breasts. “I need to see you again. Tonight.” He eased his fingers away and used the arm around her waist to help her stand, wanting their gazes to meet again.

“I—okay,” Lainey said, her breath starting to return to normal. “Yes. Tonight. Just lay low here for a while and I’ll come get you when the shop’s empty again, okay?” She smiled at him again, looking a little flushed, but happy.

He watched her leave, the smile on his own face becoming irrepressible. Now that he’d seen Lainey, he realized she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he wasn’t planning to let her go again. Whatever it took—even if he had to move back from Barcelona, he was going to find a way to make it work this time.

Jared knelt to pick up a ball of yarn that Lainey had dropped on the floor. He’d even found the perfect Christmas present for his mom, without having to brave the mall crowds. So far, it really had been a fantastic day.

About the Author: Elinor Carson is passionate about writing romantic fiction, including fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary stories. Her other interests include bad reality television, baking, and running. She lives with her husband and their cat. Her first published novella, Lone Wolf, is available at Cobblestone Press. www.ElinorCarson.com

Author Interview with Karen Rose Smith

The Long and the Short of It is pleased to welcome Karen Rose Smith, whose latest book, Once Upon a Groom, the second book in her Reunion Bride series from Harlequin, was released in October. She also has a never-before published ebook novella available, Always Devoted, which is a blend of mystery and romance and is the third book in her Search for Love series.

Karen's interest in writing began when she was in high school; she had a superb English teacher who made poetry come alive. By reading poetry, Karen learned that poets could express their feelings about any and all subjects, and she liked that. As an only child in a traditional Italian Catholic family, she had learned that feelings weren't communicated with words—food maybe, but not words. So she started writing poetry to express her emotions. Her first taste of seeing her words in print came when she submitted one of her poems to the high school literary magazine.

When she went to college, she began her first novel that was loosely based on the Beatles (Paul was the hero in her head), and she and a cousin wrote a script for the Monkees TV show.

"We sent it to all their concert venues that summer by registered mail!" she remembered. "That was my first collaboration project and it was a ton of fun and exciting, too!"

She became serious about writing a book in the late eighties. She'd had back surgery and for four years was flat on her back.

"I needed something more than crocheting to keep me occupied," she told me. "I began with short stories that grew too long to be published. So I decided--why not a book? Since I’d read relationship novels beginning with YA romances and graduated to Harlequins, I thought a romance would be perfect. I wrote for six years and finished thirteen manuscripts before I sold. And then I sold two books in one week to two different publishers—Meteor/Kismet and Silhouette. "

The third and fourth books in the Reunion Bride stories are scheduled to be released next year. I asked her to tell us a bit about the series, which is set in the fictional town of Miners Bluff near Flagstaff, Arizona.

"These books revolve around the characters’ fifteenth year high school reunion. That night, many plot elements are set in motion. In the third book, Dawson asks Mikala, a music therapist, if she’ll consider taking on his son and helping him remember what happen the night his mother died. Eight-year-old Luke was in the car with his mom but can’t remember anything that happened the day of the accident or the accident itself. Now ten, he’s getting into fights at school and generally having a tough time. The book opens with Dawson moving back to Miners Bluff from Phoenix to start a new life for him and his son. This book has been a challenge. I’ve struggled with Luke taking up too much space in this romance. But I think I’ve found the balance that fits perfectly with the romance to make this a highly emotional story."

"How do you develop your plots and characters?" I asked.

"My plot and characters develop from universal emotions. I watch the news, talk shows, read human interest stories. Some element will trigger a desire to see my hero or heroine work out that situation. So a situation can be the trigger point. Or a hero or heroine’s profession can propel a plot. My books are definitely character and emotion driven. But there must be a situation that will spin those emotions into a healing story about love and commitment. I always say my characters can be anywhere doing anything if the conflict between them is strong enough. Conflict, plot and characters are all woven together."

Sometimes Karen with get the I-don't-want-to-write blues (she denies that it is writer's block, saying, "If I deny it, maybe it doesn't exist?"). She gets those blues when she realizes she is forcing writing.

"Sometimes I don’t know my hero or heroine well enough. Or maybe a scene isn’t quite right. Or maybe I need to switch points of view or go deeper into the character I’m focusing on," she explained. "When any of this happens and I get stuck, I have several different strategies. I take a long shower and relax and just think about what I’m doing with the book. I might listen to music—passionate songs that are my favorites, country songs if they better suit the book I’m writing. Music has always inspired me. Or… In the summer I go outside to write on the patio. Gardening is a hobby and I love the flowers, birds, and butterflies all around me. Or… I sit on the patio under the moon and stars and think about my hero and heroine doing the same. Usually one of these methods will move the scene again and I’m on my way."

She has an office where she does much of her writing.

"Years ago my husband decided he needed a garage. So when we added on to our house, I insisted if he got a garage then I needed an office over it! I love working there. I write many ranch books and the western mystique intrigued me from my first 'cowboy' book. I’m also interested in Native American culture. So, although I live in Pennsylvania, my office has a Southwestern flavor. When we were planning it, my son bought me a beautiful turquoise vase painted with wolves. I decorated the room around it using sunset colors, turquoise and off-white. I have an L-shaped desk and buttered-plastered walls with French doors leading onto a small deck. The room is filled with light."

Karen rarely writes at the computer. Other skeletal problems came along with her back surgery. She has fibromyalgia that also affects her eyes, so she's adapted the way she writes so she can keep on writing. She records her first draft on a tape recorder and has a typist that transcribes it. She then edits the hard copy over and over until she's satisfied with it. Even before the tape recorder, though, she would write everything in long-hand on a legal pad and then type it up.

When she's not writing, she listens to books on CD, gardens, or cooks.

"Listening to CD’s or books stimulates the creative flow," she explained. "Each year I look forward to winter ending. Usually in March I begin planting seeds for tomatoes and flowers. I love watching them grow. I love the colors and scents and textures they produce. Playing in the dirt is soothing and relaxing and takes me back to another time when I helped my grandmother plant in her backyard, when my mom would spill zinnia seeds into our garden for color, when my son was a small child and my husband and I showed him a rose in our apartment’s small garden. Cooking also takes me back to my roots. My grandmother and mom were wonderful cooks. Both made their own cannoli and ravioli and desserts galore. I like recreating their recipes and coming up with my own. When our garden begins producing tomatoes, zucchini, onions and herbs, I toss them together to make healthy dinners. But every once in a while I bring out those old recipes that are too good not to make."

"What did you want to be when you grew up?" I wondered.

"While I was growing up, women’s roles were beginning to change. But not a lot. My mother was a teacher. I went to Catholic school and she taught in public school. So when I would have days off, I would go with her. As I got older, I would help her, even taking a reading group now and then. Teaching seemed natural to me. Yet I thought I might want more than that. I took four years of French in high school and two years of Spanish. I decided to major in French and English in college keeping my options open to become an interpreter. But then I met my college sweetheart and after graduation, we married. I became an English teacher, then a home decorator, then a writer."

Finally I asked, "What do you want to know about the future?"

"Turning sixty gave me a new perspective on life. I try to enjoy every precious moment and love as much as I can. Friends and family mean more to me now than they ever did. So if I could see into a crystal ball, I’d want to know how long my husband and I have together."
You can keep up with Karen on her blog, http://karenrosesmith.blogspot.com.

Friday Spotlight: A Clockwork Christmas Authors

All a Steampunk Author Wants for Christmas
by
A Clockwork Christmas authors




So, now it's time for the A Clockwork Christmas authors to confess what their dream steampunk devices would be. Remember, comment on any post this week to go in the draw to win a set of A Clockwork Christmas romance trading cards.



***

J K Coi



My ideal steampunk device? Well, I asked my son this question because he’s also fascinated by steampunk, and he said … a steampunk Transformer! Wouldn’t that be cool?







***

P G Forte



I think  my ideal steampunk device already exists, at least in some fashion: a steampowered coffee maker.  Really, what more could an author want?



In the fantasy realm, however, I would love a telectroscope.  http://gothamist.com/2008/05/22/telectroscope_t.php#photo-1



***

Stacy Gail



Oh, this one is EASY.  I love writing on my laptop, really.  Sometimes, though, a story will hit a brick wall, and that’s when I throw my brain a change-up and reach for a pen.  What I wouldn’t give to reach for a pen like this one:



http://mental-design.blogspot.com/



But I would like to add a few things to it:

• A Taser device


• A blowgun equipped with tranquilizer darts


• A perfume atomizer (filled with Pleasures, from Estee Lauder =D)


• Lip balm


• Maybe a Geiger counter or zombie detector built into the handle.  You know… just in case.

***

Jenny Schwartz



I wish I owned a Cabinet of Curiosities House, one that unfolded like a pop-up book, shooting out new rooms as and when they were needed. It would be so convenient. Guest bedrooms that only needed cleaning when someone visited. A dining room that only emerged at Christmas or big formal gatherings. More spectacularly, imagine having a fold-out ballroom or a dirigible landing platform? Yup, I definitely want a Cabine of Curiosities House.



However, in the real world, I'm happy to settle for my beloved copy of "The Steampunk Bible" (http://steampunkbible.com/). It's full of inspiration and provides a strong sense of the vibrant Steampunk community -- one which welcomes everyone! I love the fantastic Steampunk ethos Bruce Sterling shares in the book, "The past is a kind of future that has already happened." p.13.



***

How about you? Any steampunk devices you wish you had? Or are lucky enough to own? Or make us truly envious and tell us about anything steampunkish that you've created.



***

A Clockwork Christmas

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas



Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.



Anthology includes:



"Crime Wave in a Corset" by Stacy Gail

"This Winter Heart" by PG Forte

"Wanted: One Scoundrel" by Jenny Schwartz

"Far From Broken" by JK Coi



Stories also available for purchase separately.

Thursday Spotlight: A Clockwork Christmas Authors

Jed Reeve, an Inventive Scoundrel
by
Jenny Schwartz

I'm delighted to introduce the hero of Wanted: One Scoundrel, Jed
Reeve, to LSR.

Jed is a Californian inventor, newly
arrived in the Swan River Colony, Australia. Patents on a range of devices, from
an auto-valet that knots the perfect tie to a transportable, extendable bridge,
have made him independently wealthy. His dream is to build a bounding-vehicle
based on the motion of jumping kangaroos, using pedal power and a kinetic
energy capture system. Although adding an artificial 'roo tail to the design is
proving a problem.

Jed's determination to design a
bounding-vehicle comes from his fascination with Dayenne's mechanical models of
animals. Jed owns a Dayenne horse in which steel replaces bone, cogs and gears
replace muscle and the whole is driven by clockwork. The metal horse is a
tribute to the elegant efficiency of the natural world.

If Jed were to walk out of the pages of Wanted: One Scoundrel I know his first action would be to book a ticket
to France. The steampunk creatures of Nantes are triumphs of
imagination and engineering skill.

***

For your chance to go into the draw to
win a set of A Clockwork Christmas Romance Trading Cards, remember
to leave a comment below.

***

Wanted: One Scoundrel

All suffragette Esme Smith wants is a
man. A scoundrel to be precise. Someone who can be persuaded to represent her
political views at men-only clubs. As the daughter of the richest man in
Australia, Esme can afford to make it worth the right man’s while.

Fresh off the boat, American inventor
Jed Reeve is intrigued by Esme’s proposal, but even more interested in the
beauty herself. Amused that she takes him for a man who lives by his wits, he
accepts the job—made easier by the fact that he already shares her ideals.
Soon, he finds himself caught up in political intrigue, kidnapping and
blackmail, and trying to convince his employer he’s more than just a scoundrel…

***

A Clockwork Christmas

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman
must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always
what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an
American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a
clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

"Crime Wave in a Corset" by
Stacy Gail

"This Winter Heart" by PG
Forte

"Wanted: One Scoundrel" by
Jenny Schwartz

"Far From Broken" by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase
separately.

***

Jenny Schwartz is a West Australian
author, born and bred. She studied Australian social history at university,
never dreaming she'd end up re-writing it with a Steampunk twist.

Wednesday Spotlight: A Clockwork Christmas Authors

Roderick Coddington, Professor of Vengeance
by
Stacy Gail

I’d like to introduce CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET's hero, Roderick Coddington, by answering a few questions about him and
his favorite (albeit deadly) invention.

WHO: Roderick Coddington is an
Engineering Professor at Cambridge University.  He is a mechanical
genius, especially when it comes to inventing his own never-before-seen
devices.  His favorite device: a perpetual-motion timepiece that
masquerades as a wristlet, but in fact is a timer counting down to midnight,
Christmas morning.  Once zero-hour is struck, it won’t be just
peace on earth.  It’ll be death for the wearer.

WHY: There’s only one reason Roderick
would create such a deadly device—revenge.  Six months earlier, a
Faberge egg was stolen from his dying sister.  The only thought he
has is to get that egg back, and the key to making that happen is getting to
the thief who stole it in the first place—the ever-elusive Cornelia
Peabody.  Getting Cornelia to steal back the egg would be a virtual
impossibility unless she had proper motivation.  And that leads to…

WHEN: Midnight, Christmas morning is
zero-hour for the timepiece.  Once Roderick manages to lock his
diabolical device onto Cornelia’s wrist, he believes he is in complete control
of the situation.  Little does he know that the heart is the one
thing that can’t be mechanically manipulated to do his bidding.

****

For your chance to go into the draw to
win a set of A Clockwork Christmas Romance Trading Cards, remember
to leave a comment below.

****

Crime Wave In A Corset

Boston, Massachusetts—December, 1899

Roderick Coddington is on a mission to
make Cornelia Peabody pay. After identifying her as the thief who stole a
priceless Faberge egg from his dying sister, he finds her and shackles a deadly
timepiece to her arm. If she doesn’t return the egg by Christmas morning, she
will die.

Normally seven days is more than enough
time for Cornelia to carry out the perfect crime, but Roderick’s intrusion into
her life is beyond distracting. He challenges her mind, and ignites her body
with desire she’s never felt before. But worst of all, he threatens the
independence she values above all else…

As Roderick spends time with Cornelia,
he realizes there’s a lonely soul hidden beneath her beautiful but criminal
veneer.  Falling for a thief wasn’t part of Roderick’s plan, but
plans can change and he has no intention of letting another priceless treasure
get away from him.

*****

A Clockwork Christmas

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman
must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always
what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an
American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a
clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

"Crime Wave in a Corset" by
Stacy Gail

"This Winter Heart" by PG
Forte

"Wanted: One Scoundrel" by
Jenny Schwartz

"Far From Broken" by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase
separately.

*****

A competitive figure skater from the age
of eight, Stacy Gail began writing stories in between events to pass the time.
By the age of fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a
figure skating coach who was also a published romance writer, or a romance
writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice
with her students, and writing everything from steampunk to cyberpunk, contemporary
to paranormal at night, both dreams have come true.

You can find Stacy Gail at:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Stacy_Gail_ 

FB: http://www.facebook.com/people/Stacy-Gail-Author/100002015699203

Blog: http://stacygail.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Spotlight: A Clockwork Christmas Authors

Dario Leonides
by
PG Forte

Today I’d like to introduce you to Dario
Leonides, the hero of This Winter Heart.

When we first meet Dario, he’s a bitter
man who feels himself betrayed. Worse yet, he believes he’s let his family down
and doomed himself to a life of loneliness by giving his heart to the wrong
woman.

The last surviving member of a once rich
and powerful family, Dario had gone against his parents’ wishes to wed the
daughter of a brilliant but eccentric scientist/inventor. He knew he and
Ophelia were not born into the same social strata, but he believed love would
conquer all. It never occurred to him to wonder whether his bride might be a
machine!

I think Dario’s favorite steampunk
device is the “mechanical greenhouse” (complete with robotic bees) that he
commissioned his father-in-law to design for him as a present for his wife.

Super-heated water flowing in pipes
beneath the garden’s surface kept the soil warm, even in
winter.  Hidden valves allowed steam to vent above ground while
elaborate engines kept the temperature constant, balmy and warm, and created an
artificial breeze to help circulate the air.

Overhead, an electrified wire-mesh dome
allowed sunlight to enter and could be set to either keep the heat in or, in
during the summer months, keep the excess heat out. The shiny, reflective wire
was almost impossible to make out, but if you stared hard enough, you could
just discern the faint metallic sheen behind the shimmering illusion of a
cloudless, blue sky.

***

For your chance to go into the draw to
win a set of A Clockwork Christmas Romance Trading Cards, remember
to leave a comment below.

***

This Winter Heart

Santa Fe, The Republic of New
Texacali, 1870

Eight years ago, Ophelia Leonides's
husband cast her off when he discovered she was not the woman he thought she
was. Now destitute after the death of her father, Ophelia is forced to turn to
Dario for help raising the child she never told him about.

Dario is furious that Ophelia has
returned, and refuses to believe Arthur is his son—after all, he thought his
wife was barren. But to avoid gossip, he agrees to let them spend the holidays
at his villa. While he cannot resist the desire he still feels for Ophelia, Dario
despises himself for being hopelessly in love with a woman who can never love
him back.

But Dario is wrong: Ophelia's emotions
are all too human, and she was brokenhearted when he rejected her. Unsure if
she can trust the man she desperately loves, she fears for her life, her
freedom and her son if anyone else learns of her true nature...

***

A Clockwork Christmas

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman
must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always
what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an
American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a
clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

"Crime Wave in a Corset" by
Stacy Gail

"This Winter Heart" by PG
Forte

"Wanted: One Scoundrel" by
Jenny Schwartz

"Far From Broken" by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase
separately.

***

PG Forte wrote her first
serialized story when she was still in her teens.  The sexy, adventure
tales were very popular at her oh-so-proper, all girls, Catholic High School,
where they helped to liven up otherwise dull classes.  Even if her teachers
didn’t always think so. 

Monday Spotlight: A Clockwork Christmas Authors

Colonel Jasper Carlisle
by
JK Coi

Please let me introduce the hero from my novella, Far From Broken, Colonel Jasper Carlisle.



When I wrote this book for Carina Press’s Steampunk themed holiday anthology, A Clockwork Christmas, I knew immediately what it was going to be about. Jasper had already been talking to me for months, you see (even though I’d been trying hard not to listen because I was so busy with other projects).



But it got to the point where I could no longer ignore the story that Jasper was trying to tell me. It was one of heartache, loss, guilt, pain, betrayal and danger…but also acceptance, forgiveness, strength, and love.



I couldn’t resist.

Lord Jasper Carlisle is a Colonel turned spy for Britain’s War Office. He’s always been a soldier and wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he didn’t have that anymore. He’s also desperately in love with his wife, a beautiful ballerina who wants him to give up his dangerous job.



One last mission destroyed everything.



Now while Callie is broken in body and Jasper is broken in spirit, he can’t help but hope that a spark of the love they shared can be rekindled. He’ll move heaven and earth to give his wife what she needs to heal, and to help her find some joy in being alive. But it’s a long, dark road for them, and it doesn’t help that every time he looks at her he sees how badly she was hurt…because of him.



What would Jasper’s favourite steampunk technology be?



I think he thanks God for the technology that saved Callie’s life, even though she hates the iron posts, balls and gears that make up her new legs, hand and eye. He is also fascinated by the nano-organisms in her bloodstream that make her strong and carry messages through her body so she can control the limbs.



***



For your chance to go into the draw to win a set of A Clockwork Christmas Romance Trading Cards, remember to leave a comment below.



***



Far From Broken 

Soldier. Spymaster. Husband.



Colonel Jasper Carlisle was defined by his work until he met his wife. When the prima ballerina swept into his life with her affection, bright laughter and graceful movements, he knew that she was the reason for his existence, and that their love would be forever.



But their world is shattered when Callie is kidnapped and brutally tortured by the foes Jasper has been hunting. Mechanical parts have replaced her legs, her hand, her eye...and possibly her heart. Though she survived, her anger at Jasper consumes her, while Jasper's guilt drives him from the woman he loves. He longs for the chance to show her their love can withstand anything...including her new clockwork parts.



As the holiday season approaches, Jasper realizes he must fight not just for his wife's love and forgiveness...but also her life, as his enemy once again attempts to tear them apart.



***



A Clockwork Christmas 

We Wish You a Steampunk Christmas 



Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas. 




Anthology includes:



Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail

This Winter Heart by PG Forte

Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz

Far From Broken by JK Coi



Stories also available for purchase separately.



***

J.K. Coi is a multi-published, award winning author of contemporary, paranormal, steampunk romance and urban fantasy. She makes her home in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and son and a feisty black cat who is the uncontested head of the household. While she spends her days immersed in the litigious world of insurance law, she is very happy to spend her nights writing dark and sexy characters who leap off the page and into readers’ hearts.



You can find her online

Website: www.jkcoi.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jkcoi

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JKCoiAuthor



She also writes Upper YA as Chloe Jacobs (www.chloejacobs.com)

Author Interview with Delia Latham

The Long and the Short of It is pleased to welcome Delia Latham, whose third book in the Solomon's Gate series will be coming out soon (release date to be announced).

Delia often says she was born with a pen in her hand—and it's not that far from the truth. She can't remember a time when she didn't keep a pencil and paper in hand—writing little poems and songs and then graduating to what she calls "very bad short stories." She won an essay contest when she was in the third grade and was determined to be a bona fide author one day.

"I continued to write all my life, and became a newspaper journalist for a while, but I always promised myself a novel…someday," she said. "One day a few years ago, I just kind of woke up to the fact that I’m not getting any younger, and if I really wanted to write a novel and see it published, I needed to get crackin’! And the rest, as they say, is history."

Not only did she write from an early age, Delia shared with me she's also been a voracious reader.

"I was reading far ahead of my age group from my very first reader - always LOVED to read. I devoured all the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, and Sherry Ames books I could get my hands on. (There were others, too, but I can't remember all of them now. That's been (ahem!) a few years ago...)," she told me. "As a teenager, I started reading Grace Livingston Hill, and she was probably the strongest influence on my own writing. Even though I've worked hard to develop my own voice and style, I occasionally notice 'shades of Grace' in my writing. And that's okay - I'd be honored if readers recognized her influence in my work."

"How do you develop your plots and characters?" I asked her.

"Okay, I admit it…I’m not a plotter. In writing, as in the rest of my life, I pretty much fly by the seat of my pants. (I feel like I should stand up in front of a roomful of writers and confess: My name is Delia Latham, and I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer.) What usually happens is that I get the seed of an idea, and if I like it, it won’t go away. I mull it over in my head while I’m washing dishes and making beds, chew on it while I vacuum the floor and dust the furniture, and dream up plot elements as I drive down the road. By the time I actually plant myself in front of my keyboard and start writing, I have a fairly good idea who my characters are and where I want the story to go. Which is not to say that when I start putting the words together, things don’t change. Most often, the characters take over and tell me what’s going to happen!" she said with a laugh.

Titles are always a lot of fun for Delia, and she'll often have the title before she even starts writing the book. Sometimes she'll sit down and start making lists of titles that sound like a great story could be built around them.

"For instance, I overheard a conversation in which someone sarcastically stated, 'In your dreams!' It's nothing new, right? Still, at that moment, it triggered something in my mind and I jotted it down," she explained.

She's currently working on a story titled "In Her Dreams."

"When did you first consider yourself a writer?" I wondered.

"When I sat down and seriously started working on my first real manuscript. Until then, I considered myself a 'wannabe' writer, even though I had been writing for many years, and had seen my byline in print over and over again in newspapers and magazines. In hindsight, I know that I was a writer all along," she said, with a smile. "But getting to the point where I could comfortably answer, 'I’m a writer,' when asked what I do…that was a huge step for me—and an important one. Because once I learned to think of myself as a writer, and to declare myself a writer, I began to perform that role with more believability and success."

Delia does her best writing at night, when the rest of the world is asleep.

"Nobody’s knocking on the door, the phone isn’t ringing, no one’s sticking their head in my office to ask questions or trying to drag me out of the house to go shopping or yard sale-ing or any of a hundred other things that can get in the way," she told me. "During the day, I use my computer time to market and network."

She was surprised to learn that writing the book was only the beginning—and that the creating of the book was the fun part.

"There’s still the long process of submitting and being rejected—sometimes over and over again; marketing, which is not really my cup of tea, is also a necessary part of things; networking never ends," she said. "Most writers would love to just write and leave all the other pieces and parts to others. While I guess it’s possible that authors who are household names, like maybe Stephen King and Nora Roberts, can get by with that…but most of us can’t. So it’s important to be willing to jump through all the hoops."

I asked her which of her books was her favorite.

"That’s like asking a mother to choose her favorite child!" she said with a smile. "The closest I can come to an answer is that each new novel is my favorite for a little while. But every book means something special to me, and I love them all. I will say that the Solomon’s Gate books are near and dear to my heart because God did such a profound work in me as I wrote them. It was an amazing experience, and I will always treasure these book for that reason—and I think they’re seriously good stories, if I may say so myself!" she added with a laugh.
You can keep up with Delia on her blog, http://delialatham.blogspot.com