The Shoe Box Room

My freshman year in college, I was stuck in the dorm’s basement with two roommates and three suite mates. That would have been okay if we hadn’t all shared one bathroom and my roommates (who never studied) hadn’t stayed up late every night. My best friend was also in an undesirable roommate situation, so we decided to ask for a room together for our second semester. Unfortunately, there was only one available, which would have been fine if it had been larger than a shoe box.

Of course, it wasn’t really the size of a shoe box, but that’s what we called it, since it was about half the size of a regular dorm room. And instead of the usual four-poster beds,   the room contained bunk beds. Nevertheless, we were desperate, and we really wanted to room together, so we took it. It was actually kind of cute, with built-in desks and louvered closet doors, but there was barely enough room to turn around in. And while I didn’t mind climbing up to the top bunk, I didn’t love jumping off several times a day to answer the phone. We covered the windows with colorful curtains that matched our bedspreads, and nearly everyone who visited talked about how cute our room was.

We grew accustomed to living in such a small space, but it did have its drawbacks. Our dorm was pretty old, and each room was heated by radiators. This was fine most of the time, but sometimes they would bang at night, keeping us awake, and a couple of times   it got so hot that we woke up in the middle of the night and found that our solid makeup had melted! We realized our little room couldn’t handle that much heat, so we turned   the radiator off before going to bed. With heat already built up and warm rooms on  either side, we were cozy all night.

We had our own bathroom right across the hall, which was nice, but it was old fashioned, with a clawfoot tub requiring a stopper. We were okay with that, but sometimes girls a couple of doors down from us stole our toilet paper instead of going downstairs to ask our dorm mother for some. It wasn’t such a big deal, but we got tired of it. Especially since they taunted us from time to time.

All in all, we loved our little room, and we have pleasant memories from that semester. But we didn’t love it enough to ask for it our sophomore year. We moved downstairs to     a spacious yellow room with real furniture, but we’ll always remember our adorable shoe box room with bunk beds.

LOST IN THE EVERGLADES

Suffering an airboat accident, Stanley and Maggie Cummings leave their mostly unconscious tour guide at an abandoned cabin and wander around Everglades National Park, seeking help. Constantly amazed by the one and a half million acres, complete with dangerous wildlife, they face the greatest challenges of their lives, including one they never expected.

 

Review: SCTiger78

“Lost in the Everglades” draws readers in at a leisurely pace and sets an easily recognizable tone in the excitement at the prospect of leaving everyday stresses behind and traveling to an unfamiliar locale, just as the main characters do. Almost without notice tension sets in, quickly followed by fear and outright panic; it is impossible to stop reading until the fate of Stanley and Maggie Cummings is revealed. Clearly, the author has a working knowledge of the wildlife and ecosystems of the Everglades. She skillfully uses imagery and vivid descriptive details, but not at the expense of realism. No part of the story is so far-fetched that it could not happen in everyday life; perhaps that is what makes it frightening. Pleasantly surprising is that this forty-three-page short story is completely free of profanity and sexual innuendo, a rarity in today’s market. Although the characters in this story are adults, Rogers could make a few alterations and easily expand her fan base to include young adults; YA readers love the type of peril this story offers. Regardless of the audience, it is clear that Dale Rogers is a talented writer with much to contribute, especially for those who are looking for wholesome entertainment of substance and quality. I highly recommend “Lost in the Everglades” to any and all readers.

Review: Grantland

Lost in the Everglades is a wonderful short story. It begins with a married couple, Maggie and Stanley, who take a vacation from their stress-filled life in Philadelphia. They are expecting a relaxing trip to south Florida, but a series of events pitch them into a difficult situation. Their circumstances seem to improve when they meet a man named Sam, but, as the plot continues, they meet with difficulty, then with a life-threatening conundrum. The author seems to have researched the area well. Her descriptions are thorough, and her plot development is masterful. I came to know and then embrace her principal characters. But I most appreciated a plot resolution which blended into positive life changes for the main characters. I highly recommend this short story for those who are looking for adventure in the context of what some would call a “clean read.” It is part of a larger Solstice collection (Let’s Have Fun), or may be purchased individually.

Buy link: myBook.to/DaleSRogers

 

The longest day of the year brings fun, excitement, danger, and romance. Come along on a journey through the stories of ten talented authors as we celebrate Summer Solstice 2016. In this volume of Let’s Have Fun, we explore this day in the far future, discover a crystal forest, and journey to past desire along with many more adventures. Arthur Butt, Candace Sams, Chera Thompson, CS Patra, Dale S. Rogers, E.B. Sullivan, Ilena Holder, James Osborn, Lou Rera, Simon Maltman.

Review: Karen Rock

I adored this wonderful anthology of stories themed for the Summer Solistice. It’s the perfect blend of faith and nature; uplifting and exciting reads. I particularly loved Dale S. Rogers novella LOST IN THE EVERGLADES for it’s fast-paced suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat and the incredible descriptions of the Everglades that were so vivid and rich in authentic detail that I felt as though I was riding shotgun beside likeable characters Maggie and Stanley. I couldn’t put this down and can’t wait to read more from this very talented author. Five Stars!

Buy link: myBook.to/DaleRogers

 

When I Found You

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

When I Found You is the story of San Diego Police Department K-9 unit captain Logan O’Connor, who readers were introduced to in the first two books of the trilogy, and Ariana Atkins, chief of security and loss prevention at San Diego’s international airport. Of course, a K-9 trilogy book has to have a furry, four-legged character, too, and in When I Found You, that character is Logan’s explosives detection dog, Boomer.

Although Heartwarming books are about happy-ever-afters, they also have emotional depth, are intellectually satisfying, and have the right amounts of humor, drama or action, depending on the book. In each of the three books of my trilogy, I’ve tried to introduce a current, socially-relevant issue for my characters to contend with. In When I Found You, these issues include terrorism, and aviation passenger safety and security. Here’s an interesting fact: explosives detection dogs are far more effective at   identifying bombs than trace detection devices, and they cost a lot less, too.

It would be wonderful if you could join me for some if not all of the fun stops for this tour. If you do, please leave a comment or two along the way. And if you get a chance to read When I Found You, I truly hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear from you.

Best wishes and happy reading!

—Kate

                                     

                                                       (K-9 Trilogy #3)
                                                        by Kate James
Adult Contemporary Romance                                                                                           Paperback & ebook, 365 pages

July 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

                           Is she part of the solution…or the problem?

It could be a terrorist threat. Or is it some other sinister plot? An unprecedented rash     of security breaches at San Diego’s international airport is putting passengers at risk and bringing the competence of the airport’s chief of security, Ariana Atkins, into question. With explosives the weapon of choice, police K-9 unit captain Logan O’Connor and his bomb detection dog, Boomer, might be Ariana’s best, if not only, line of defense. Logan is certain his belief in Ariana, and his growing love for her, aren’t misplaced…but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s misjudged someone’s intentions.

My Review

When chief of security Ariana Atkins learns that a Boeing 767 is on its way back to the San Diego International Airport shortly after takeoff, there’s no way she can predict all that would transpire in the next few days. And neither could the two young women who caused the plane headed for Barbados to turn around. The first question in everyone’s minds was, “How did those girls get onto the plane in the first place?”

Having worked at the airport for about a year, Ariana had tightened security, so it didn’t make sense that two inebriated people would be allowed onboard the plane. And when another breach surfaces, Ariana knows something is amiss. A security video reveals that an employee is causing problems, and Ariana has no choice but to fire him for leaving       a secure door open. It was difficult for her to do, but afterward she feels sure everything is straightened out. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

One positive result of these incidents is Ariana’s becoming acquainted with Logan O’Conner, captain of the police K-9 Unit. She feels an immediate attraction to him,     even though he’s not in the greatest of moods the day they meet, and she soon learns   that the feeling is mutual and accompanies him for drinks after his second visit to         the terminal. They hit it off right away, but Ariana keeps wondering about a phone conversation she overheard between Logan and someone name Becca. Did he already have a girlfriend?

While Ariana ponders whether or not to accept Logan’s invitation to dinner some evening, she has an opportunity to get to know him better at work. Things have settled down, but on Monday morning she finds an envelope on her desk. Thinking it’s not significant, she opens it to find a note threatening the security of the airport. Ariana has grown accustomed to idle threats, but somehow she knows this one is real.

The airport is put on alert, and Logan returns with his dog, Boomer, who’s trained to detect explosives. During the search, an explosion rocks the building. There are no injuries, but the message is received: Someone is challenging their security system.           And as the problems and investigation continue, the chance that Ariana and Logan will get together becomes even more slim. Could the jobs which brought them together ultimately keep them apart?

Kate James did an excellent job of describing airport security and K-9 operations in her riveting novel, which I would recommend to anyone who wants an exciting read along with romance.

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Other Books in the Series

                                                When the Right One Comes Along

                                                               (K-9 Trilogy #1)
                                                                by Kate James
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 293 Pages

October 1st 2015 by Harlequin

Brought together by disaster. Kept together by love.In the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, it’s chaos for trauma surgeon Jessica Hansen. Among the many victims, one patient stands out—San Diego Police K-9 search and rescue officer Cal Palmer.

Cal vows to help Kayla, a child orphaned by the disaster. But he needs Jessica’s help. Will their shared concern for Kayla and for Cal’s canine partner, Scout, allow them to put aside their personal torments and discover the difference love can make?

                              Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

                                              When Love Matters Most

                                                     (K-9 Trilogy #2)

                                                       by Kate James

Adult Contemporary Romance                                                                                                     Paperback & ebook, 368 pages

January 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

                                         Keeping her safe at all costs

Could their backgrounds be any more different? Rick Vasquez, a K-9 unit sergeant with the San Diego Police Department, fled drug-related violence in Mexico as a boy. Madison Long, who recently became primary veterinarian to the SDPD’s canines, is the privileged daughter of a judge. Rick has dedicated his life to curtailing cross-border drug trafficking and preventing other young boys from being drawn into the dark world of the cartels.

But everything Rick and Madison value, and the growing love between them, is threatened by the dangers of Rick’s job, and the risks he’s determined to take…

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Kate James spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Her writing has been recognized with a number of awards, including first place honors for Silver Linings in both the First Coast Romance Writers’ Published Beacon Contest and Ancient City Romance Authors’ Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award. Her November 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release,     A Child’s Christmas, received first-place honors from Southern Magic, the Birmingham Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, for the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, placed second in the Ancient City Romance Authors’ Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award, and was a finalist in RWA’s Desert Rose Chapter’s Golden Quill Award and the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence. Finally, her October 2015 release, When the Right One Comes  Along, the first book in her K-9 trilogy, has received a Best Book of 2015 award         in the contemporary category.

She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador Retrievers, Harley and Logan.

Kate would love to hear from you! You can connect with her by e-mail, through her website, her Facebook page, Twitter, or mail at PO Box 446, Schomberg, ON, L0G 1T0, Canada.

                                                               

 

Is Your Manuscript Too Short?

Earlier I wrote a post on “fleshing out” our stories, citing Marg McAlister’s extremely helpful article on doing so without padding. (http://wp.me/p1Nylx-r8)  As I continued     to work on improving my writing, I received advice from a couple of wonderful writer friends concerning the length of my manuscripts, which always seemed to be too short. For years I felt frustrated by the designated lengths for novels, since I felt I had a com- plete story, but I still had to abide by those standards. Thanks to the wise words from these friends, I’m finally catching on. My new strategy is related to and involves fleshing out (adding more detail), as well as avoiding the overuse of dialog tags, and it has given me surprising results.

Below are examples of avoiding overused dialog tags, i.e. “He said,” “She asked,” etc.                                                                                                                                                                   “What time are you going?” he asked.

Add some action:

He grabbed his hat and started toward the door, then he stopped and turned. “What time are you going?”

Not only have we avoided a dialog tag, but we’ve made the sentence longer with more detail. That’s three accomplishments by adding only one element!

Another example is:

“I don’t know,” he declared.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Again, give some details concerning what is happening:

He bent down, scooped up a stone, and skipped it across the lake. “I don’t know.”

It’s easy to see what a difference this makes. In knowing the person’s actions, we get a hint of his emotions, and we’ve made our story a little longer. We’ve also avoided another dialog tag. (Not that we don’t need them occasionally–they have their place–but we don’t want our writing peppered with them.)

And, of course, we don’t want to stick in useless words just to make our work longer. (You can find this addressed in McAlister’s article: http://www.writing4success.com/How-to-Flesh-Out-a-Story-Without-Padding.html.)

One of my writer friends also suggested that I extend my characters’ conversations, adding richness as well as length to my stories, since they’re expressing themselves more, revealing more about what they’re thinking.

As I add more detail to my writing, make conversations longer, and spend more time describing the action that’s going on, I’m amazed at how quickly my wordage increases. Even a few words per page can make a difference, not only in length, but in the overall story, eliminating excess dialog tags and improving writing quality at the same time.

 

His Kind of Cowgirl

 

                    Would he still love her…if he knew?

Tanner Hayes smashed Claire’s life to pieces when he chose the  rodeo over her ten years ago. And now he’d wrecked her truck!  Fantastic. She’d lost her husband, the family ranch was mired  in debt, her father was recuperating from a stroke and her son  was being bullied. Why not throw a reckless bull rider into the  mix?

All she’d wanted was a safe, stable life. But with Tanner back in town—and staying on her ranch—nothing was safe, or under control. Not the feelings she’d fought so hard to forget. Not the son she was determined to protect. And certainly not her long-held secret…

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Everything happened at once and in slow motion.

A crushing jolt shuddered through the truck. Her wheels skidded sideways. She         smacked against the window when her pickup rolled down an embankment, as if punched by something large and lethal. Glass rained deadly sharp. The earth tumbled around her, her truck in spin cycle. When a massive tree loomed, the Chevy slammed into it then stilled. Winded and stunned, she hung upside-down in her lap belt, blood, metallic and warm, on her tongue, a rushing sound whistling in her ears. Her heartbeat changed and grew slow and rolling in darkness. Something hurt, a long way away. Then nothing.

“Ma’am. Ma’am. Are you all right?” A man’s voice shouted, rousing her. She tried turning her head but pain held it in place. When she opened her mouth, silent panic   flew out.

“Hold on. I’m getting you out of there.”

Acrid smoke pierced her consciousness. She closed her eyes against the billowing grit. This wasn’t happening. It was a dream. No. A nightmare.

A tugging motion jerked her right and left, followed by a ripping sound. Large hands halted her sudden fall.

“Got you.”

Her rescuer cradled her against his chest, his breaths heaving beneath her ear. After carrying her some distance, he lowered her slowly to the ground. Grass scraped against her stinging cheeks and she opened her eyes.

“What?” she croaked, then swiped at the trickle leaking from her mouth. A man     wearing  a cowboy hat hunched over her, his features blurred.

“You’ve been in an accident. We have. Our trucks collided in the intersection.”

“My truck!” She bolted upright and clutched the swirling ground.

An arm snaked around her back and eased her down. “I called the dispatcher.                 The fire department’s on the way.”

A wail sounded in the distance and Claire wanted to shriek with it.

Her special day. Her anniversary. Ruined. No. Demolished by this…this…

She squinted upward and focused. A dark swirl of hair brushed across the tall man’s forehead; a light scar zigzagged down his square jaw. Recognition zapped through her.

It couldn’t be…

“Tanner?”

“Hello, Claire.” His mouth went up, just a fraction—the same ready-for-anything smile that had once undone her.

She closed her eyes, heart thudding. Ten years since she’d vowed never to see him again…and now here he stood, two for two in wrecking her life.

 

About The Author

Karen Rock is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary romance author. She holds a master’s degree in English and was an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time writer. Currently she writes for Harlequin Blaze and Harlequin Heartwarming. Her novel, A LEAGUE OF HER OWN, won the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction award in contemporary romance series and the 2015 Bookseller’s Best award for contemporary romance, long.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

My Review

Karen Rock has opened up yet another realm for her readers with her deep, heart-           felt writing, this time taking us into the world of ranching and bull riding via Claire Shelton and Tanner Hayes. Tanner is a successful bull rider with lots of fans, but just how much did he give up for his dream? Success alone won’t keep him warm at night. Doubts concerning his ten-year-long career are jarred awake when he literally runs       into his ex-girlfriend, Claire.

Their trucks collide at an intersection and they are re-acquainted, but Tanner was   already on his way to the ranch Claire shares with her father. Recovering from an     injury, Tanner doesn’t mind taking time out to work at Denton Creek Ranch, hoping       to save it, but Claire is slow to accept his offer. She feels he causes problems when       he’s around, and she’s terrified that he will find out her secret.

The author’s effortless writing style makes it easy for the reader to imagine the story,   and the details concerning both Tanner’s and Claire’s professions are impressive. Their   emotions are evident through their actions as well as their thoughts, and we realize     right away how strong these two characters are. Claire is fiercely independent, never wanting to accept a favor from anyone, but she loves her family and the husband who was taken from her. Could there be room in her heart for the person who has hurt her   the most?

Tanner is immediately likable, with his strong cowboy good looks, but he’d always thought all he could do was ride bulls. Working on the ranch causes him to wonder           if everyone was wrong about him and he can achieve more.

The deeper I delved into the novel, the more intrigued I felt, wondering if Tanner           and Claire would be able to work around all of the obstacles concerning the ranch, Tanner’s career, and their relationship. His Kind of Cowgirl is definitely an enriching reading experience I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romance.

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WISH ME TOMORROW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN LOVE MATTERS MOST

Now More Readily Available in Print

This is an exciting time for Harlequin Heartwarming. Thanks to the loyalty of our   readers, for the first time, our January releases, including When Love Matters Most, are available as mass-market paperbacks through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Harlequin.com. Also, When Love Matters Most will be available in select Walmart stores in the United States in February! Please check the Harlequin website for the location nearest you. Thank you to all our readers who made these advancements possible for us!

— Kate

When Love Matters Most

(K-9 Trilogy #2)
by Kate James
Adult Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 368 pages
January 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Keeping her safe at all costs

Could their backgrounds be any more different? Rick Vasquez, a K-9 unit sergeant with the San Diego Police Department, fled drug-related violence in Mexico as a boy. Madison Long, who recently became primary veterinarian to the SDPD’s canines, is the privileged daughter of a judge. Rick has dedicated his life to curtailing cross-border drug trafficking and preventing other young boys from being drawn into the dark world of the cartels.

But everything Rick and Madison value, and the growing love between them, is threatened by the dangers of Rick’s job, and the risks he’s determined to take…

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Harlequin

My Review

I was immediately drawn into Kate James’ novel, When Love Matters Most, and my enthusiasm lasted all the way through the last page. The author’s excellent writing style conveys to us an intriguing story concerning the plight of a narcotics officer working with a K-9 dog named Sniff. Haunted by a childhood trauma, Rick Vasquez has a heart for kids who are forced to deal drugs, and he also visits schools  in an effort to warn youth about the dangers of these substances.

A drug bust gone bad is the beginning of a virtual war between the police and the cartels, and Rick rescues an injured officer’s dog in the aftermath of a trap. Taking Zeke to Mission Bay Veterinary Clinic, Rick meets Madison Long, but he fails to make a good impression. Fortunately for him, because of the nature of his work and hers, he gets another chance.

Madison has a dog of her own, and she has dedicated her life to caring for and rehabi-       litating animals. The daughter of a Supreme Court judge, she has distinct values and   strong work ethics, as well as a great respect for policemen and their dogs, which makes   a relationship with Rick a natural fit. But will her strict adherence to the law and the sensitive nature of Rick’s work come between them? They have some issues they need       to work out, and the extreme circumstances of the battle with the cartels makes this even more difficult.

The author shows knowledge concerning K-9 Units, and she has artfully woven police business together with a romantic story. When Love Matters Most is a book that’s difficult to put down, and I can honestly say this is my favorite of the Kate James novels I’ve read so far.

Kate James spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built   a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Her writing has been recognized with a number of awards, including first place honors for Silver Linings in both the First Coast Romance Writers’ Published Beacon Contest and Ancient City Romance Authors’ Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award. Her November 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release, A Child’s Christmas, received first-place honors from Southern Magic, the Birmingham Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, for the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, placed second in the Ancient City Romance Authors’ Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award, and was a finalist in RWA’s Desert Rose Chapter’s Golden Quill Award and the Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence. Finally, her October 2015 release, When the Right One Comes Along, the first book in her K-9 trilogy, has received a Best Book of 2015 award in the contemporary category.

She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador Retrievers, Harley and Logan.

 Kate would love to hear from you! You can connect with her by e-mail, through her website, her Facebook page, Twitter, or mail at PO Box 446, Schomberg, ON, L0G 1T0, Canada.

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Look Out for Deer

My husband, Rick, and I lived in the country for nearly six years, and we experienced things there we never had before. Hardly anyone owned a cell phone at the time, so people sometimes stopped by our house to use the phone if they’d had an accident or some other minor emergency. Early one afternoon a large lumber truck stopped next to our home and the driver came to the door. He informed us that a woman down the road had hit a deer with her car and asked him to let us know, since we were acquaintances.

We hurried to our car and started in the direction he indicated, soon spotting a small car on the side of the road. Tire marks on the grass let us know right away that she’d tried to swerve and avoid the deer. Tammy stood next to her car, and she seemed glad to see us. She said that shortly after she left her house, the deer ran in front of her car. Tammy slammed on her brakes to avoid it, and her sunglasses flew off her face and out the window as the car spun around. The animal attempted to leap over it, leaving a long, broad scratch on the windshield, either from a hoof or antler.

We listened to Tammy’s story as she tried to calm down, then she made the under-statement, “It’s been a bad day.” I’m sure she didn’t mean to sound lighthearted or comical, but it almost came across that way, considering how close she’d come to calamity. We took her to our house so she could call her husband and the insurance company. She asked the claims representative, “Am I covered?” then she seemed   relieved at the good news.

When we dropped her off at her house, she relaxed some, and I believe her husband was on his way by then. Some local people removed the deer from the shallow ditch it ended up in, and we were all reminded of how careful we needed to be while driving.   One thing that surprises me is that I never saw a deer wandering around the area the entire time we lived there, even though they were prevalent.