THAT GIRL'S THE ONE I LOVE by Alana Lorens

I've got a special guest today. A writer from both the fiction and non-fiction spheres of the publishing world. She has a new release this week from The Wild Rose Press--That Girl's The One I Love. For those of you who attended TWRP's writers' retreat in Asheville last year, you'll recognize the location of this story.

 

Alana Lorens has been a published writer for over 35 years, including seven years as a reporter and editor at the South Dade News Leader in Homestead, Florida. Her list of publications includes the non-fiction book 101 Little Instructions for Surviving Your Divorce, published by Impact Publishers in 1999, stories in A Cup of Comfort for Divorced Women, in December 2008, and A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Parents, in June 2009. Her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series (as Lyndi Alexander) is available from Dragonfly Publishing; THE ELF QUEEN in 2010 and THE ELF CHILD in March 2011, with THE ELF MAGE released in early 2012.

Her first release (as Alana Lorens) is SECRETS IN THE SAND, in the Crimson Rose line from The Wild Rose Press. Since then, the Wild Rose Press has also published CONVICTION OF THE HEART, another romantic suspense novel, the first in the Pittsburgh Lady Lawyers series, and Zumaya Publications published the second in that series, SECOND CHANCES.

Alana also takes care of a husband and a bunch of kids and blogs on a variety of subjects, including autism, science fiction and life at Awalkabout.

One side of the Biltmore Estate

 

I've asked Alana to tell us how she came up with the idea for this week's release. And for the location, as well.

Chef Kim

My daughter Kim took an internship as a pastry chef at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheville,_North_Carolina) several years ago after she finished her culinary arts degree, and so in visiting her, I got my first look at this beautiful city nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina. Subsequent visits have endeared the place to me, and that’s the reason I chose to set my latest novella, THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE, in that charming place.

Leyla Brand meets Arran Lake, when his band Copper Moon plays as part of the Bele Chere festival (http://www.belecherefestival.com/), a great site for arts every July.  They spend a day together, even going to the Biltmore Estate for a meal at my daughter’s restaurant, The Stable, where they share a slice of her signature dessert, a strawberry and lemon custard pie! (It is sooooo good.)

Front View of the Biltmore Estate

 

 

View of mountains from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC

I also spend an awful lot of time online, and discovered Facebook last year, later than most of those who follow all the latest trends. The ability to connect with long-lost friends and relatives interested me, and I also incorporated that into the story. The Internet has a broad reach, and every so often, it just might help the cause of true love, as well.

BLURB:

Leyla Brand has one perfect day in her life: the day she meets rock singer Arran Lake at the Bele Chere Festival in Asheville. They have so much in common, Leyla is sure they are soulmates and will have a future together.

The very next morning, when Arran receives the call to hit the big time, he vanishes into the world of California rock and roll to become an international star, leaving her behind. Only a few phone calls keep them in touch -- until his phone is disconnected. After that, all she has of him is every new song that hits the charts.

Five years later, she gets a message on the Internet from an unfamiliar address. Someone wants to know if she's the Leyla of Bele Chere. Should she open that door and discover who this might be? Who else could it be? And if it is Arran, why does he want to contact her now, after all this time? Will he just break her heart again?

EXCERPT:

He continued to stare at the flowers, lost now in some memory of the past, one that obviously hurt him. She changed the subject, wanting to lighten the mood again. “I like this one,” she said, pointing to a bright pink flower identified as oleander.

            “I’d make a different choice. That one’s poison.”

            She yanked her hand back. “Oh, my gosh!”

            He laughed. “Here. Now if this was my greenhouse, I’d give you...” He studied her a minute. “A string of white dendrobium orchids, like little butterflies. You could pin them in your hair, right here.” He reached over to tap her head gently, then his hand slid down her hair to her neck, while he looked into her eyes.

            She felt such a connection that almost without conscious thought she moved a little closer. His hand drew her in, till they stood inches apart, gaze still locked. Her lips parted, as if she intended to speak. Nothing came out. Before she knew it, he’d stepped in to kiss her. Right then she knew they wouldn’t leave each other till the morning.

            He seemed to feel the same way, because after they left the greenhouse at the estate, they went down to the Grove Arcade, looking in shop windows, then out to the botanical gardens, all the time holding hands and talking. If she could have predicted what a “soulmate” might be for her, someone who seemed to share so many common qualities, right down to their favorite peanut butter cup ice cream, she’d have chosen someone like Arran. A man who took no effort to be with. Someone she could really be herself with. No matter what she was wearing, or how her hair looked, or how much she earned.

            It was time.

            When they reached the end of the path at the rose garden, she whispered, close to his ear, “Why don’t you come home with me?”

            He drew back, his eyes narrowed. “Are you sure? You’ve just met me.”

            Another surprise. She’d always believed men were hardwired to say yes any time they were propositioned. Arran was indeed out of the ordinary.

            “I’m sure,” she said. “I’ve even got a couple of Danish in the refrigerator for breakfast. And coffee.”

            “Breakfast, hm?” He studied her a long moment. “Leyla, I don’t want you to think that because I sing in a band means I just use women. I’d never take advantage of you.”    

               Now, that could be one hell of a line. Maybe it was. But his eyes were so sincere. She didn’t want to frighten him off, not now. That kiss had promised much more. “Guess I don’t usually stalk guitarists and throw myself at them, either. Does that make us even?”

            He actually blushed. “Hey, I’m the one who asked you to lunch.” He held out his right hand. “Let’s call it a draw.”

            She took his hand and shook it. “Deal.”        

            He let go and slipped an arm around her waist, his hold on her possessive. She did the same. “Which way to your place?”

BUY LINKS:

At The Wild Rose Press (digital): http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_133&products_id=4971

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/That-Girls-One-Love-ebook/dp/B009ADS5KA/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1347594735&sr=8-10&keywords=alana+lorens 

LILLY GAYLE--ROMANCE AUTHOR

My guest today on Vintage Vonnie is fellow Rose, Lilly Gayle. Lilly lives in North Carolina in a small town—so small, in fact, that it just became a town last year. Her home is full of love and laughter with her husband of 31 years, her youngest daughter, who's still in college, a dog, a cat, and various critters--both dead and alive--that the cat occasionally drags through the doggie door. Lilly writes paranormal and historical romance because she believes love is an adventure no matter the century.

Tell me, Lilly, what is your life like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household. Jazzie, my cat, wants to know more about your pets.

We have a sweet little maltipoo named Titi (pronounced T.T.) and a somewhat evil cat named Cha Cha. It’s not that I don’t like cats, but Cha Cha, aka Satan, aka Devil Cat, is completely black. And he loves to stalk bare ankles in the dark. He’s also known for bringing live and dead animals into the house, including squirrels, a flying squirrel, moles, voles, rabbits, mice, rats, and an assortment of birds. Luckily, Titi has become a champion mouser because Cha Cha just likes to torture them…and me!

Tell us how do you research your storylines or locations? 

The lifesaving station on Portsmouth Island, NC. That's my husband walking toward it.

I do most of my research on  line. But when my first historical - Slightly Tarnished, released 6/3/11-- was still a WIP, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit Portsmouth Island, a coastal village in NC. The village was once a thriving seaport but after the Civil War many residents left and never returned. It is now a State Park and many of the houses look just as they did in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. After walking down the sandy lanes and stepping into those homes, I added the Prologue to Slightly Tarnished.  Before I wrote that Prologue, I had massive backstory dump in the first three chapters. But starting the story with a Prologue allowed me to show Nikki’s history and vulnerability while giving the book some NC flavor.

Ancient Cemetary in Nuremburg, Germany

I also visited a cemetery in Germany this past April for my current WIP, a sequel to my paranormal romance, Out of the Darkness.  The trip to Germany was a visit to my daughter and son-in-law who live there. The trip to the cemetery was a fun diversion and great research.

What part of the writing process brings you the most pleasure? The most angst?

I get the most pleasure out of edits. I know that sounds crazy, but by the time I get to the editing phase, I’m usually close to finishing or finished writing completely. At least, I used to finish the book before editing. But then I got what seemed to me to be a prophetic fortune cookie. It said: “Be satisfied with one chapter at a time.”

I taped the fortune to the base of my computer monitor and now, I can’t turn off my internal editor. So, it now takes longer to write. But hopefully, that’ll mean fewer edits when I do finish.

And nothing causes more writing angst for me than promotion! I stress over what works, what doesn’t. I stress over cost. I stress over having to “put myself out there.” And I stress over feeling like a salesman. And trust me, I couldn’t sell firewood in Antarctica!

 

My husband is also an author, although his writings are more literary. When he reads my chapters, he wants to turn them into Hemingway sparseness by crossing out description. Of course I smile sweetly, think demon thoughts and then pay him no mind. Does your husband read your writing?

Bless, his little heart. He tried. He bought a copy of my first book and read the prologue and first chapter. And that’s as far as he got. He said there were no pictures of cars in it. Lol! And he has read excerpts over my shoulder as I was writing. But, despite the fact he’s not really a romance reader, (VBG) he’s been incredibly supportive.  He’s a route salesman and has told all his customers about my books.

What are you currently working on?

A sequel to my vampire romance, Out of the Darkness. It’s Gerard’s story and at the moment, I’m calling it Into the Light. I’m thinking of maybe calling it Into the Sun so it won’t be quite so cliché. I guess I’ll let my editor decide if it gets published.

Tell us about your current release…or soon to be release.

Slightly Tarnished is an historical romance set in England. Here’s a blurb and excerpt.

 BLURB:

 

Victorian romance laced with danger.

 

When a brooding English earl with a SLIGHTLY TARNISHED reputation marries his dead wife’s American cousin to save her from her uncle’s vengeful schemes, the sea captain’s daughter with a taste for adventure sparks desires he thought long dead.

Nicole Keller has always been headstrong and independent, but after a failed business venture and a sinking ship take her father, her home, and her childhood sweetheart, Nikki must support herself and her mother. But moving to England and marrying Chadwick Masters, Earl of Gilchrest isn’t what she has in mind. And falling in love with the mysterious earl could endanger both their lives.

EXCERPT 

        “This will be your room.” He opened the door and stood to one side so she could enter. “I’m afraid you will have to continue to make do without a lady’s maid. The only household staff I employ are Mrs. Lomax, Dickens, Cook, and my groom. My driver lives in the village as do the few maids I hire on occasion to help Mrs. Lomax with the laundry and heavier cleaning.”

Nikki smiled. “That’s quite all right, Lord Masters. I’m used to doing for myself, and it’s only for a week.”

He returned her smile and leaned forward, his warm breath fanning her cheek. “What happened to Chad? Surely we’ve gone beyond such formalities now, Nicole.”

Gooseflesh rippled over her skin. Her body quivered. “I don’t think it would be proper for me to call you by your given name.” She risked a glance at his face and wished she hadn’t. His eyes no longer looked worried. They were hot—almost feverish. Her skin heated.

“It didn’t stop you before,” he said, his deep voice a husky rumble. Despite the heat, Nikki shivered.

Oh my!

“I don’t think this is proper either,” she stammered when he brushed his lips against her temple. A delicious tingle skittered down her spine.

“No, probably not,” he said, nibbling her neck.

A strange tension rippled through her muscles, tightening them with pleasure. She arched her neck, granting him access as he slid his lips along the column of her throat. Her hands bunched the skirt of her plain, serviceable dress. Her stomach quivered.

“What are you doing?” she asked, breathless and giddy.

He pulled his hands from his pockets and pulled her closer. “I’m seducing you, I think.”

“Seducing me?” Her heart hammered against her ribs.

“Hmm. You’re doing it again.” Then he lowered his mouth and kissed her

www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com

www.lillygayle.com

www.facebook.com/lillygaylebooks 

A Gathering of Roses

Calvin and I attended The Wild Rose Press Writers' Retreat in Asheville, NC last weekend. Our journey there was arduous: a late flight, missed connection, hours on standby moving from gate to gate, hoping to catch the next flight. Instead of arriving in Asheville at 3:20 in the afternoon, we got there after midnight. Calvin's weary expression as he sits in our room mirrored mine. We were exhausted.

The retreat was held in a quiet, lovely, secluded mountain setting. Birds sang just for us. Leaves slowly rustled to the ground. Brief rain showers everyday kept the area a deep, vibrant green.

Many workshops were scheduled on topics from writing a synopsis, to crafting a query letter, to how to attract an editor in the first 10 pages of your manuscript, to self-promotion. Here Rhonda, co-owner of TWRP, is asking if anyone has a synopsis for her to read and critque to the group.

Rhonda and RJ, along with all editors attending the retreat made themselves accessible to us all weekend for questions, private chats and readings. I was fortunate to have the beginning of my romantic suspense, Mona Lisa's Room, read by an editor from the Crimson line (romantic suspense line at TWRP).

 

On Saturday, we toured the Biltmore Estate, America's largest home. The place was breath-taking, full of artwork and antiques. Calvin and I had a great time in the gift shops, too. We each tried on hats--



Calvin did buy a hat, but not this dandy straw job.



What do you think? Is it me?

We had enough trouble getting through security at the airport on the way home. Can you imagine my trying to get through wearing this bad boy?

TWRP arranged for a private buffet at the Deer Park Restaurant on the Biltmore grounds. The food was fantastic and the desserts to die for, especially the key lime pie.

Wrapped around the special events of the 3-day retreat were sweet moments of laughter, conversation and encouragement from all who attended. We became acquainted, but more importantly we became a sisterhood of writers.

Our final night there, Rhonda and RJ gave out doorprizes ranging from goodie bags of books, shirts, candles and water bottles to homemade quilts to cameras to Sony eReaders. We were treated like family--cherished family. You can't ask for better than that from your publisher.