Sweet and Historical Blog Hop

If you like your stories on the sweeter side, or you like to fall back into history, be it regency or 12th century Scotland,  Check out these amazing authors from SCP! 

Did you know the SCP stands for both Secret Cravings Publishing and Sweet Cravings Publishing?

We have Romance for ALL of your heat needs!

We are offering a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card as a Grand prize for the Blog hop.

Please visit all the sites below for a look at some wonderful books and authors

and a chance to win more prizes!

Happy Hopping!

VIOLET INGRAM

SANDRA NACHLINGER

MAGEELA TROCHE

TRICIA ANDERSEN

MJ DANIELS

LINDSAY DOWNS

VIRGINNIA DE PARTE

JEAN JOACHIM

MORGAN WYATT

JEANINE MCADAM

Enter the rafflecopter bellow for a chance to win $25.00

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To Love or Not to Love- Jean Joachim

Can two men be having two different conversations at the same time? Penn Roberts and his uncle Alfred do in TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE. They are preparing for a business meeting and Alfred is grilling Penn on the new woman in his life.

“Alf, I’m thirty-two years old, stop asking personal questions.” The younger man frowned.

“I’m looking out for your interests, like your father would, if he were here. Is she good enough for you?”

“Forget it. I don’t need you to look out for me. Any news about the new project?”

“Still deadlocked.”

“Damn. Where’s the agenda for today’s meeting? And no, she doesn’t have money, and I don’t care, okay?” Penn said, impatiently.

“Fortune hunter? Here’s the agenda,” Alf Roberts handed his nephew a piece of paper.

“Doubt it. Where are the financials?” Penn asked, looking over the list then opening his briefcase.

“Can you be sure? Sam is bringing them,” Alf said as the buzzer on Penn’s desk sounded.

Penn flipped a switch, and Nina announced the arrival of the members of the eleven o’clock meeting. Penn cleared his throat, snapped the agenda to a clipboard, and walked toward the elevator with Alfred.

“Not all poor women have class like your mother had, you know,” Alfred whispered.

“And not all of them are fortune hunters, either,” Penn whispered back.

“She must be very attractive.” Alfred smiled at his nephew.

Penn sensed a blush steal up his neck. He coughed as they rounded the bend and entered the reception area.

“I was young once, too,” Alfred said, chuckling.

“Sometimes, I wonder…Hello, Mr. Martin.” Penn extended his hand to the visitor.

If you’re curious how the poor young woman fares with the rich young man, you can find links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retail links here:

http://jeanjoachimbooks.com/the-manhattan-dinner-club/to-love-or-not-to-love-manhattan-dinner-club-4/

A bit about the book

Miranda Bradford had given up on men. Weighed down by family “baggage”: a sick mother and a sister in design school, Miranda had become the responsible one. Not available for “over-night” dates, she was stamped “undesirable” by most men, despite her good looks. Until Penn Roberts came along.

Drawn to her by a mutual love of dogs and laughter, he moved in quickly on the sexy, dark-haired beauty with the magnetic blue eyes.  Attracted to him by his outward qualities, it was his loneliness and caring attitude that turned heavy-duty chemistry into love. 

A secret revealed soured her love to hate, or did it? Will the truth destroy her dreams, leaving her bitter? Forced to face her true feelings, will she decide TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE?     

Lori Foster's Reader/Author Get Together 2014

 The Marriott in West Chester Ohio

Beautiful from the moment you walk inside!

Lovely seating areas in the lobby allow readers and authors to chat in comfort.

Our own Cheryl Gross, Jean Joachim and Morgan Wyatt, Sit with Pamela Reveal

   

These registration ladies are volunteers and they work their collective tails off!

The charity raffle is one of the biggest events at RAGT, this year it raised over $1700 for One Way Farms! The baskets were amazing! Secret Cravings Publishing was represented well. Sandy Sullivan donated,along with many others (I hope I'm not forgetting anyone: Beverly Ovalle, Tricia Anderson, Morgan Wyatt, Tamara Hoffa, Gretchen Roberts, Jean Joachim.

 

We got SCP author sashes this year, next year we're getting tiaras! I'm thinking cowboy hats with tiaras attached, what do you think?

Friday night was the Digital/ Small press author signing
Morgan Wyatt and I had a ball with the SCP group and we met so many wonderful readers!
 

 The Monopoly Game in the Secret Cravings Board Room was a roaring success! The room was packed with players and everyone had a ball.
Here are a few of our winners.

Joy from Joyfully Reviewed always has her ears on!

Eve Langlais came all the way from Canada!

Readers put our authors on the spot with a question and answer panel

Becky McGraw and her husband Rick were rockin' the cowboy look

The ballroom hosted the meals and raffle

Tricia cuddles up to the cutout

We ended the weekend with breakfast together at Bob Evans, where Jean Joachim lost her biscuits and gravy virginity! I can't tell you what else happened, but there was a lot of laughter involved (and some pink cheeks)

                             I think a great time was had by all and I can't wait until next year! 

Where I Work - Jean Joachim

I used to work on the kitchen table but the call of food was too tempting. So I moved to the tiny desk in my son’s room. I have just enough space for my laptop, a gooseneck lamp and a few odds and ends, like my notebook. While this is where I type my novels, the real work is done somewhere else.

Where do I really work? I work in my mind. When I’m walking to the drug store or on my way to workout, I’m thinking about my stories.  I may be working out a plot dilemma for a current book or be lost in the backstory of a new novel. I call this “noodling”, giving the story the “brain time” it needs for developing the characters and perfecting the plot. Working out my stories in my head means I can work anytime, any place.

My favorite place to “noodle”? Walking my pug, Homer, in Central Park. Homer is my muse. So many plot problems have been solved when in the park with Homer. I talk to him, too, and he’s an excellent listener!

People think I write my books super fast, but that’s not true. A story can be kicking around in my head for months before its written. Spending time noodling means when I’m ready to write, much of the story is thought out and flows quickly onto the printed page.

If you pass me on the street, call out my name and I don’t respond, please don’t take offense. I’m not snubbing you, I’m lost in thought, transported away to Willow Falls or Pine Grove or a beach far away. I’m noodling and I hope you understand.

  

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE ALL JEAN JOACHIM'S BOOKS   

CLICK HERE TO VISIT JEAN JOACHIM'S WEBSITE

ADORA SMUTZ ROUND TABLE INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

Adora Smutz, here. We have a roundtable discussion today. I have four heroes of Jean’s books with me today. Please welcome, Tunney Nichols and Jim Caterson from “The Renovated Heart” and Mac Caldwell and Danny Maine from Now and Forever 2 and Now and Forever 3.

Leave a comment and be eligible to win a copy of The Renovated Heart!

Mac: Hey, guys, I thought this was a bowling alley.
Danny: Adora Smutz! What are you doing here?
Adora: Hi, guys. *grins* Fooled you, didn’t I? That free bowling coupon works every time.
Tunney: Who is this babe?
Adora: Ahhh, he called me a babe! Tunney, you’re such a sexy guy.
Tunney: *backs away*, hey, hey. Down, girl. Kit would never approve of this.
Adora: Who’s Kit? What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right? *bats her eyelashes*.
Jim: How do we get out of here?
Adora: The doors are locked gents. So sit down. You’re my captives for a while. This is a round table discussion. Here *passes out beer*, might make you more comfortable. *sound of beer bottle tops popping*.
Mac: What do you want, Adora?
Adora: Just want to ask you all a few questions. Let’s see…hmm, which do you prefer, blonde, brunette or redhead? Mac, you’re the oldest, you start.
Mac: Thanks a lot for the age crack. Let me think, slam dunk, I prefer chestnut hair and blue eyes on a woman. Danny?
Danny: Blonde and green eyed. Jim?
Jim: Big blue eyed brunettes do it for me. Tunney?
Tunney: blonde and blue-eyed.
Adora: What a bunch of creeps! Those are the descriptions of your girlfriends and wives. Brother, how unoriginal. Okay…*tosses out index cards*…so much for Jean’s questions. Now you’re gonna get my questions! *the men shift in their seats* What’s your favorite position for sex? Danny, let’s start with you.
Danny: Whoa, Adora! Not answering that one. *raises his hand*.
Adora: Coward! Mac…how many times a week do you have sex?
Mac: *blushes*…uh…I don’t remember.
Adora: A likely story! Tunney…ever do anything kinky in the bedroom?
Tunney: Uh…hmm…define ‘kinky’ Adora.
Adora: You know what I mean! You faker! Jim, your turn…How many times in one day do you have sex with Sarah?

Jim: *blushes deep red* uh…don’t think I’ve ever kept track, Adora.
Adora: You are all a bunch of phonies, killjoys! *stomps her foot*.
Danny: *gets up close to Adora. Puts his arm around her* But maybe we can set some new records with you, Adora…
Adora: Oh? Really? Raises her eyebrows.
Danny: Sure…*slips door open, signals to Mac to leave*…yup. How many times a week do you want to have sex?
Adora: *gets shy* well, gee…I haven’t thought about it…
Danny: *shoos Jim out the door* Think about it. There are four of us and one of you…
Adora: I love those odds…uh, ratio?
Danny: *motions for Tunney to leave* Do you have the stamina to take us all on? Close your eyes and pucker up, baby.
Adora: *closes eyes* Ooohhh, this is so exciting. Who’s going to be first? *Danny slips out the door, closing it quietly*. Come on, guys, don’t be shy. I don’t bite. Bet I can take you all on, one at a time that is. Hmm, come on, Adora’s waiting. *taps foot*…Mac? Jim?...Tunney?...Danny? *opens her eyes to see an empty room*. DAMN! Danny Maine, I’ll get you for this *shakes her fist*. Jean! Jean! Where the hell are you? I have some ideas who you should kill off in your next book. Jean! Get down here! This was your stupid idea. Jean!!!!

If you’re interested in Jean’s books, check out her website. I told her how to do it.
http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com

Don’t forget to leave your email address to be entered into the giveaway of “The Renovated Heart”.

Check out my other books here

Meet the Author- Jean Joachim

Meet Secret Cravings Author Jean Joachim

Her newest SCP release The Renovated Heart is now available

Growing up- Growing up was an adventure for me. I was a very independent little girl. I walked to school from the time I was seven years old, had a best friend who lived two houses down who shared in my escapades. If I wasn’t making clothes for my paperdolls, reading or playing board games, I was out with Laurie, climbing the fire escapes at the local synagogue. We played imaginative games running up and down those rickety, rusty stairs from floor to floor, laughing and carrying on. No one ever knew we were there playing as we never got caught. Sometimes I shudder when I recall how dangerous that was. But it made me bold and confident, which carried over into my schoolwork. I became a star in elementary school.

Favorite games (board games and outdoor activity)  I’m sure I’m going to date myself on this one. Monopoly was a huge favorite with me. We used to set up two boards and have double the money. You could play this game for days, which we did. We even set up checking accounts with the bank and wrote checks. Outside games – well you couldn’t beat Ringaleevio, played with boys and girls in middle school. I also made up stories (precursor to my fiction writing) I acted out with my cousin, Andee in the backyard. And played horses with my neighbor and dear friend, Lydia. Impromptu games of kick ball sprung up on our street in the warmer weather. I was good at that and loved to play.  I adored the outdoors, wanting to be outside all the time in warmer weather and was a very active child, often wearing out friends and family.

Family pets  My brother brought home a dog who followed him from Hebrew school. He was allowed to keep the dog he named, “Boy”. No, he’s not the writer in the family. Boy was a Gordon Setter mix and an amazing dog. He followed me to school once. They kept the doors of the school open in those days. I was in the second grade and remember looking at the classroom door, horrified to find my dog standing there. I tried to hide behind my desk, but with his long snout, Boy picked me out immediately. He came trotting over, proud to have found me and licked my face, “outing” me as his owner. I had to take him to the office, call my mother who had to come pick him up. The principal was ticked off. So was my mother. Boy came to a sad end but left an indelible, loving paw print on my brother and myself.

Favorite holiday memory
There are many because holidays were the happiest times in my house growing up. Beloved aunts, uncles and cousins came to visit, brightening my days. I’d often sit by the big picture window when they were due, waiting to see their car come up the street. Christmas couldn’t be beat. Thanksgiving was also a favorite and still is as well as Passover. These were jolly times, stories and jokes were told, people ate fabulous food and spirits were high. I’m still a lover of holidays, perhaps as a reminder of the happiest times of my earlier life. Of course the one Thanksgiving when we discovered my black kitten standing on the turkey before we brought the bird to the table was a stand-out. We shooed him off and plopped the huge turkey on the dining room table as if nothing had happened. My mother and I laughed about that for many years.

When you grew up, you wanted to be ___________. Why?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, even when I was seven years old. I’m not sure why, but I thought writers were the most exciting people on Earth. Of course now that I am one, I know better! LOL. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I made up stories often when I was young. Or that my parents respected writers. And I was a reader, constantly with my nose in a book when I wasn’t running around. I feel lucky to be now what I dreamed of becoming when I was a child.

Favorite music group while a teenager

The Beatles, of course! Their music shook up the world of rock and roll and I loved every moment of it.
The Beach Boys. They were so adorable as well as talented.

Now-

I would do anything for/to ____________.
I would do anything to bring happiness to a friend, DH or my children. It’s corny, perhaps, but I’ve been in love with happy endings in life as well as literature ever since I can remember. And the wisdom of a few years experience (okay, maybe more than a few years) has not changed my optimist expectations or outlook.

Candy bar that best describes me. Why? Milky Way – because even if frozen, I’m still soft in the middle. And if not frozen, take a bite through the sweet chocolate outer layer and find a gooey soft center, that’s me.

Your idea of romance (ex. an event, a moment, a gift)
Most romantic gift I’ve ever received was from DH – tix to see the “So You Think You Can Dance” dancers live on stage in New York City. It showed so much thought and advance preparation, I was stunned, wow’d and in love.

Most romantic setting – a quiet place outdoors, perhaps in a green field, a sunny day, a luscious picnic and a hunky guy.  Throw in a blanket, some bird songs, a couple of butterflies…total peace. I wouldn’t be able to resist him for a second.


An embarrassing moment that happened to you written in a newspaper headline.
 Idiot Inexperienced Radio Copywriter Puts Commercial Through as Live that Should have Been Recorded. Subhead: Causes DJ to read “tip, tip, tip” (a sound effect) 42 times on the air!!
Sub subhead: Nice DJ Allows Copywriter to Live.


If I wasn't an author, I would be a/an____________.
I would be utterly miserable. Writing is my life. I guess I’d write stories in the sand at the beach with my finger or tell them to whoever would listen. There isn’t anything else I want to do.