Monthly Archives: February 2015

A Tough Week For Those Who Mourn

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Today is my late husband’s birthday, the first without him, and Saturday is Valentine’s Day, so it’s going to be a tough week for me and others who mourn.

Swan Lake Companion Urn

Swan Lake Companion Urn

In the month or so since his death, I’ve had some time to reflect on loss and grief. I’ve lost other loved ones–parents, in-laws, friends and relatives–but I’ve come to realize that some losses are not just harder than others. They are life changing events. The loss of a spouse falls into that category. The day we got the diagnosis of metastatic, stage four bladder cancer, I knew my life had been changed irrevocably. The end came sooner than I’d expected, leaving me adrift and rudderless.

In the past, death was more commonplace. The recent measles outbreak has reminded me that prior to the introduction of antibiotics and other modern medicines, infectious disease was the number one killer worldwide. Yes, people still died of heart attacks, stroke and cancer, as we do today, but far more died from infectious diseases like tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia, and even measles. Modern sanitation eleminated the outbreaks of water-born disease like choleral and typhus, but it took modern drugs and vaccines to eliminate diseases like polio.

Tuesday night, the local PBS is going to show The Forgotten Plague: Tuberculosis in America. I’m planning to record it since one of my mother’s relatives died from tuberculosis at the age of seventeen, and her Aunt Martha survived the disease.

The Victorians had elaborate rules about funerals and mourning, including the following: “A person in deep mourning does not go into society, or receive or pay visits.” I’m so glad I’m not living in those days, though I have friends who have gone into self-imposed seclusion after losing a spouse. Each person mourns differently, and one size doesn’t fit all. Having to remain isolated for an entire year would drive me mad.

I’m not out partying, of course, but I have been to meetings and spent time with friends over a meal or coffee or to watch TV. Distractions like that are welcome. The house is far too quiet without my husband in it. So tonight I’ll be at Lady Jane’s Salon OC to hear my fellow romance authors read from their books, and on Saturday, I’ll attend the monthly OCCRWA meeting. This will be the first Valentine’s Day in years that I’ve had to buy my own candy, but that’s okay. I’ve been hoarding a See’s Candy gift card for a rainy day, and this is it.

Sorry to be such a downer, but this is my life now. In time, I will feel more cheerful. I hope you all have a good week. Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card & 2015 Mouse Pad Calendar. There’s only a week left to enter and this may be the last drawing for a while.

Linda / Lyndi

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Martini Club 4 – The 1920s with @Alicia_Dean_

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I’d like to present Alicia Dean and friends, sharing a fun new series, the Martini Club. But before we dive into their stories, the four ladies each want to share a fun fact:

Amanda McCabe: Sometimes I get asked what is your favorite snack food that inspires you when writing? A kinda weird question, but I am always happy to talk about junk food! I love Dove Salted Caramel Dark Chocolates. And ice cream sandwiches–even in winter. What about you??

Alicia Dean: I modeled my hero, Vince, after Robert Redford.

Kathy L Wheeler: My daughter asked how I choose names for my characters, and I know it will not come as a surprise to my cohorts, but I keep a spreadsheet. And I alphabetize it. This is so I don’t choose all names that begin with “A”. Because I did do that one time and the story was entered in a contest. Guess what her comment was?

Krysta Scott: I am responsible for TV shows being cancelled. It’s true. If I start watching a show when the pilot airs, it hangs in the balance. Some examples are Roswell, Nowhere Man and most recently Believe. I can’t explain it. If I’m really into a show, the network is sure to hate it.

Martini Club 4 – The 1920s

A few years ago, myself and three of my writer friends—Amanda McCabe, Kathy L Wheeler, and Krysta Scott—began meeting each Friday evening (unless something extremely important kept one of us away, and trust me, it had to be IMPORTANT) for Martinis and various other libations, at the Martini Lounge in Edmond, Oklahoma. In time, we came to dub our gathering the ‘Martini Club.’ We unwind, vent, chat about writing, laugh, and strengthen an already strong bond of friendship. It’s not only fun, it’s beneficial. As all writers know, no other friend besides a writer friend truly understands us. (We also have an honorary MC member, Cindy Sorenson. Although she is a writer, she declined to write one of the stories, but she has been invaluable as far as brainstorming and beta reading. So, what else could we do…we named a character after her in the series!)

During one of these gatherings, one of us, and I can’t remember who, made an offhand remark about writing stories centered around the Martini Club. The idea blossomed from there, and the ‘Martini Club 4’ series was born. We thought it would be fun to set our first MC4 stories in the 1920’s, but we intend to write more in other decades in the future. During the planning, plotting, and writing, we have had a few weekend retreats that were loads of fun, and some were even productive. What a joy to do something that I love so much—writing—with a group of ladies that I love so much!
Martini Club authorsLeft to Right: Krysta Scott, Amanda McCabe, Kathy L Wheeler, Alicia Dean

Without further ado, I’d like to present the four novellas in our Martini Club – The 1920’s series.

*** Release date is February 26, 2015 and the price at that time will be $2.99 each. If you pre-order, they are only 99 cents each! ***

Please check out and ‘like’ our Facebook page. The entire series can be found at Amazon.

MC1-RebelliousCover200x316Rebellious: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s

Amanda McCabe

Blurb: Can an aristocratic lady melt the cold heart of a Russian gangster?

Lady Jessica Hatton fled her high-society London debutante life for one of investigative journalism in New York—only to be relegated to the fashion pages. Searching for a juicy story leads her to Club 501, the city’s most glamorous speakeasy—and its handsome, mysterious owner, Frank Markov. But his past of war and revolution puts their hearts—and their lives—in danger…

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICWBC8
Contact info: http://ammandamccabe.com

cover of RuinedRuined: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Alicia Dean

Blurb: She vowed she’d be no man’s doxy, but fate had other plans…

After the Earl of Goodwin attempts to force himself on her, housemaid Eliza Gilbert flees England for New York, hoping to build a better life. But the land of opportunity proves as harsh as the London docks, and she finds herself in a situation more dreadful than the one she escaped.

Former boxer, Vince “The Fist” Taggart dreams of marrying, having a family, and living a quiet, peaceful life. But when a girl he’s known since childhood disappears, he heads to New York in search of her and meets Eliza, a woman with a less than honorable reputation. Inexplicably captivated, Vince can’t force himself to stay away, especially when he learns Eliza is the key to finding his missing friend.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICLM2I
Website: http://aliciadean.com
Blog:http://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008364070487
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alicia_Dean_
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/aliciamdean/

cover of RecklessReckless: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Kathy L Wheeler

Blurb: Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger…

Singer Margaret (Meggie) Montley needs money…fast. Her friend is in a dire situation with nowhere to turn. While Meggie is on the brink of stardom, it’s not soon enough to save her friend.

Harry Dempsey is out to avenge the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of a ruthless gangster. But trouble spirals out of control when Meggie Montley shows up the night he meets his nemesis to settle the score. Saving the impetuous woman from a crime lord might be easier than saving her from her own reckless behavior.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RICW0G0

Contact info: kathy@klwheeler.com
Website: http://kathylwheeler.com
Blog: http://kathylwheeler.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kathylwheeler
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathylwheeler
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kathylwheeler

cover of RunawayRunaway: Martini Club 4 Series – The 1920s
Krysta Scott

Blurb: Can she prove her innocence before more than her dreams are destroyed?

After escaping an arranged marriage, Lady Charlotte Leighton lands on a new shore, determined to realize her dream of opening her own bakery. But her plans are shattered when her former fiancé follows her to New York. Now, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom.

Haunted by a string of failures, Detective Felix Noble is determined to solve his latest case. But his efforts to find a murderer are jeopardized by a forbidden attraction to his number one suspect. While he’s certain Charlotte Leighton is keeping secrets, instinct tells him she’s not the murderess he first believed.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00RIFHGPC

Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to enter Linda’s Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card & 2015 Mouse Pad Calendar.

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