Golden Heart Finalist Kathleen Bittner Roth is an expert storyteller. Her intricate and spellbinding historical/romantic suspense takes the reader from England to India and back again. Spun against a lush background of Indian palaces, exotic jewels, a cheetah, and an uprising, her characters and writing sizzle as much […]
The scruffy man approached me on a Manhattan street with a fan of tickets in his hand. “Would you like to see a free show?” he asked. “Uh, no.” It was 1989 and when men in the Times Square section of NY asked you that kind of question they invariably meant […]
Several days ago, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying: “Russian forces could take over Ukraine’s capital in two weeks’ time, if they wished.” I keep thinking, in this 100th anniversary year of World War I, and 75th anniversary of World War II, how similar some of the current […]
Living in Washington is wonderful. The city is a museum, culture is everywhere, and politics often makes sleeping pill prescriptions totally unnecessary. Sometimes I lose sight of how interesting and different our city is, but events like the one I attended on Friday night shake out complacency. Yes, I was […]
Am I too old-fashioned? While Kindles are wonderful, the idea of using a digital copy of the constitution, or the Bible, to swear anything, just doesn’t seem respectful in some ways. This is a major-moment, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. Would the ambassador have come to it in torn jeans and […]
Originally posted on Kiss and Thrill:
Military romantic suspense is a wildly popular subset of romantic suspense (one of my favorites to read and write). But why are men in uniform so attractive? I know why I love them so much (especially the one I married), but I…
Originally posted on Cecily Nabors:
This morning we had an exotic guest on our patio. A beautiful peacock (who roamed the neighborhood last year) paid his first visit since our long cold winter. He was an eye-catching sight amid the spring greenery and blooming narcissus. A barrel on…
Last time I griped about Burger King. Today Victoria’s Secret is up on the block. Just going into Victoria’s Secret is difficult. Entering that world of underwear and lingerie is like setting foot on an alien planet. I tend to be a bit of a girly girl, but […]
You walk into the Burger King at the Clara Barton rest stop on the NJ Turnpike. Quick for ten points, who was Clara Barton? (See answer below) Amid the vast choices of spectacular food you choose an exotic burger (that’s sarcasm for those of you who’ve never been […]
Okay, I admit it, I’ve got a problem. I am absolutely addicted to Korean TV. Yes, it is in Korean. No, I don’t speak Korean. Thankfully there are subtitles. Imagine Disney merged with your steamiest soap opera merged with the history channel. Welcome to Korean TV — or […]
Ellen Byerrum is fantastic. She’s a novelist, playwright, reporter, Washington journalist, and a graduate of private investigator school in Virginia. Her Crime of Fashion mysteries star a savvy, stylish female sleuth named Lacey Smithsonian, a reluctant fashion reporter in Washington D.C. Her books are fun, sassy and unexpected. […]
Vincent Pirruccio has worked for most of his life as an artist. His sculptures are magnificent and important. Books have been written about him, though I’d never seen any of his pieces up close. I was lucky to be in Taormina where his exhibition, The Geometry of Space, […]
Originally posted on Cecily Nabors:
Panda dad eats Panda mom naps. Lou and I went down to the National Zoo yesterday, one of the great perks of living in this metropolitan D.C. area. I really wanted to see the baby Giant Panda, who’s now four months old…
Originally posted on Buried Under Books:
Like her fictional character Claudia Rose in the award-winning Forensic Handwriting Mysteries series, Sheila Lowe is a real-life forensic handwriting expert who testifies in handwriting-related cases. She holds a Master of Science in psychology and is licensed to provide continuing education for…
I recently posted about Christmas miracles — the small ones that we often forget about. I wished all my readers miracles big and small — little did I know I’d be the recipient of one myself. 😉 You see, by the time Christmas got around this year, I […]
Okay, I admit it, Karna Small Bodman intimidates the heck out of me. She’s had more high profile government jobs than anyone ranking under Secretary of State. And to be honest, there are a few Sec’s that she’s run rings around. This is a woman who knows first hand […]
Gravity is the latest in a string of spectacular films by two of my favorite actors, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. The cinematography is incredible and well worth seeing in 3-D. My husband enjoyed it so much, that after seeing it by himself, he dragged me to the […]
With my friends Carey Baldwin and Lena Diaz out on book tours doing presentations on radio and TV, I thought I’d mention Jan Fox’s great book, No MuuMuu, Please! once again. I met Jan, a four-time Emmy award winner and news personality, at a local National Speakers Association […]
Allison Leotta is a former federal sex crimes prosecutor. That brings to mind a stereotypical image of a hardened woman, more male than female, tough enough to toe it with the big boys, and able to stomp down on the revulsion most of us would feel when confronted […]
One of the world’s most beautiful sights is the wild pony swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague every July. It sets the heart thrumming in a universally spiritual moment that brings about 50,000 people* to the tiny island nestled in the waters between Maryland and Virginia. Who knew […]
Please welcome Rita-nominated guest blogger, Sarah Andre, as she extends congratulations from all the Kiss and Thrill gals to Sharon Wray for her fantastic debut novel, Every Deep Desire. Thanks for posting today Sarah. I’m so excited for Sharon Wray, and know my readers will be, too! by Sarah Andre All nine of us are […]
Originally posted on Jacquie Biggar-USA Today Best-selling author :
Tall, Dark & Dangerous/SEAL Team Ten #12 New, never before published, full-length novel First published May 2018 Navy SEAL Lieutenant Jim “Spaceman” Slade’s got a problem. A SEAL Team is only as fast as its slowest member—and right now, thanks to his battered knees—that’s Jim. He reluctantly…
I’m a bit more conservative than most authors. Gorgeous guys on book covers are not my personal style. Still, this gorgeous cover for Gwen Hernandez’s Blind Fury, the first in her Men of Steele series, really has me thinking. Do I really need to be that shy about my heroes best physical assets? I was […]
Originally posted on TOP SECRET WASHINGTON:
Like thousands of other Americans, I eagerly awaited the release of the movie, A Wrinkle in Time. As a kid’s fantasy adventure, it contained the special effects, star-studded cast, and fast action designed to create a modern blockbuster. A film you waste a couple of hours on and then…
Today on BookSmart, I’m interviewing historical romance author, Valerie Bowman. Her novels are smart and fun and I’m a big fan. Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor […]
