All the "Honky Tonk Hearts" Novellas Combined in Two Boxed Sets

Early in 2011, The Wild Rose Press announced a new series: Honky Tonk Hearts. These novellas had to have at least one pivotal moment happen in The Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, along Route 66, outside Amarillo, Texas. Descriptions of the building were given, inside and out, as well as 3 minor characters. One of the minor characters, Gus Rankin owner of the saloon, considered himself a matchmaker. He even had Polaroid pictures of the couples he'd brought together on the wall of his small, shabby office.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE IDEA APPEALED TO ME.

IT APPEALED TO SEVERAL OTHER WRITERS TOO.

My problem was I'd never written "short." Could a wordy soul like me develop a good story in half the word count of a full-length book? Oh boy, I had a lot to learn. Mainly, I learned to make every word count and to get to the action from the get-go. I ended up writing two stories for the series--Those Violet Eyes and Back Where You Belong.

Today, you no longer have to buy each story separately because all the novellas are available in TWO BOXED SETS for your enjoyment. Think about it...cowboys, country singers, current and ex-military personnel, strong women, the Texas two-step, bull-fighters and love Texan style.

AMAZON BUY LINK:  http://amzn.com/B00L9KZ7Y4

AMAZON BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B00L9KZCWQ

Sometimes We Need to Pull Back Projects by Vonnie Davis

I was an excited, wet-behind-the-ears old broad when I signed my first publishing contract with The Wild Rose Press on November 16, 2011. The contract was for Storm's Interlude, the third book I'd managed to finish. The first two? I'd long since deleted them from my computer. It seems agents, nor editors like stories written in twelve points of view...or with a heroine so bitchy even the dog hated her. Oh, the lessons I've learned along the way, I could write a book about how to write a book.

But The Wild Rose Press was good to me. There's no other way to put it. They took a no-name writer and published her book, one that won several awards, by the way. At their writers' retreat in Asheville in 2012, Rhonda Penders, one of the owners of the press, gave me some wise advice. "Write two 'shorts' for every 'long'." I didn't think much of it at the time. I was all about writing books, not novellas. But I am smart enough to try the opinion of someone who knows more about an industry than I do. So, when Stacy, an editor, laid out her Honky Tonk Hearts series, I wondered if I could write short. I took an online class on "Writing the Sensual Novella." 

Still I wondered. Then, one night Win rode into our bedroom on his Harley, took off his helmet and asked me to tell his story. He was a veteran from the War in Iraq, with PTSD, an amputated leg below his knee and some hearing loss. Would romance readers enjoy reading about such a man? Those Violet Eyes, my best seller at TWRP, was born.

I began writing more novellas, enjoying the process and seeing their worth.

Even so, I kept writing novels, especially about my favorite city--Paris. I set a series there. A series that, for some reason, never caught on. And, loving Paris the way I do, it hurt. I promoted them the best way I knew how, yet the sales just didn't happen and thus the reviews. Ten for one and eleven for the other. So the books sank into a quagmire of nothingness.

My agent and I talked. We decided to ask for the rights back for them. Maybe in my spare time, after my paranormal Scottish series for LoveSwept at Random House and my firemen's wild heat series for HarperImpulse are all published, I can rework those three books. Make them shine a little more. 

While my novellas remain at Wild Rose Press, my books are in my hands now, no longer for sale. When I hit a rough patch in my current WIP, I'll zip over and read one of those books, correct the errors and breathe some life into it. Or maybe I'll realize they, too, need deleted. It's all a learning process, isn't it?

  

Romancing Your E-Reader Book Bash!

Welcome readers. Did you find a new e-reader under the tree? Well, have we got a sweet deal for you.

 

22 Authors – 27 E-book Romances – Two Grand Prize Winners!

 

That’s right. Two lucky winners will be filling their new toys with free romance e-books.

 

** First prize: 15 titles.

 

* Second prize: 12 titles.

 

How do I win, you ask? Simple.

 

The contributing authors have posted the blurb from their book at their websites (links below) and have asked a question about the blurb. Answer the question in a comment at each site.

Each question answered is another entry toward one of the two grand prizes. And that’s not all. Many of the hops along the way are offering individual prizes as well. So be sure to visit as many as you can.

See? Easy Breezy!

(Grand prize winners will be announced on the 30th.)

 

The book I'm giving away is my romantic suspense set in Paris. Read the blurb and then answer the question in your comments. In addition, I'll be choosing two of the commenters here on my blog for a copy of my fantasy short story, A TASTE OF CHOCOLATE. Lots of chances to win, folks.

BLURB:

Gwen,

You won’t believe this email. I’m sitting in a French safe house, eating caviar and drinking champagne with handsome government agent, Niko Reynard. He’s wearing nothing but silk pajama bottoms and mega doses of sex appeal. I’m in big trouble, little sister. He’s kissed me several times and given me a foot massage that nearly caused spontaneous combustion. I'm feeling strangely virginal compared to the sexual prowess this thirty-year-old man exudes.
When I came to Paris for a bit of adventure, I never imagined I’d foil a bombing attempt, karate-kick two men, and run from terrorists while wearing a new pair of stilettos. I met a German musician, a gay poet from Australia, and the most delightful older French woman.

Don't worry. I'm safe...the jury's still out on yummy Niko, though. The more champagne I drink, the less reserved I feel. What an unforgettable fortieth birthday!

Alyson 

MY QUESTION: WHAT TWO THINGS IS NIKO WEARING?

HERE ARE THE BOOKS OFFERED AND WHAT A SELECTION! WE HAVE AWARD WINNING AUTHORS, BOOKS THAT HAVE GARNERED EXCELLENT REVIEWS AND ONE OR TWO UP FOR BEST OF THE BEST AT EDITORS AND PREDITORS. NOVELS, NOVELLAS, ANTHOLOGIES AND SINGLE SHORT STORIES. AWESOME-NESS!

HOME by Calisa Rhose ~ calisarhose.wordpress.com
MONA LISA’S ROOM by Vonnie Davis (plus a little sweet) ~ vintagevonnie.blogspot.com
STEPPING OUT OF LINE by Linda Carroll Bradd ~ blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com
DECEPTIONS OF THE HEART by Denise Moncrief ~ ~ denisemoncrief.blogspot.com
BE STILL MY LOVER’S HEART by Lisa Hannah Wells ~ memorymakerscreator.blogspot.com
MURDER IN THE BUFF by Maggie Toussaint ~ mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com
THE TREASURE OF COMO BLUFF by Alison Henderson ~ AliceHenderson.com
SHANGHAI CONNECTION by Carol Henry ~ macsmadmania.blogspot.com
SOMEWHERE MY LOVE (A ghostly time travel romance) by Beth Trissell ~ bethtrissel.wordpress.com
FAERIE FOOL by Silver James ~ Silverjames.com
CLEAR AS DAY by Babette James ~ babettejames.com post link -- http://wp.me/pjagl-1Tr
AN UNEXPECTED GIFT by Katherine Grey ~ katherinegrey.blogspot.com
TAKE ME HOME, COWBOY by Krista Ames (Plus 4 Anthology titles below) ~ apassionforromance.blogspot.com
THE DOLLHOUSE (For the Love of Christmas Anthology) by Dani-Lyn Alexander~ danilynalexander.com
STUDIO RELATIONS by Georgie Lee ~ georgielee.blogspot.com
Carolyn Sullivan
A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER by Joanne Stewart ~ jm-stewart.blogspot.com
MAGIC OF THE LOCH by Karen Michelle Nutt ~ kmnbooks.blogspot.com
THE BETTER MAN by Ceri Hebert ~ cerihebert.wordpress.com
THREAT TO OUR FOREVER by Em Epe ~ emeperomances.blogspot.com
CONNECT THE DOTS (For the Love of Christmas Anthology) by Jennifer Eaton ~ jennifermeaton.com
FADEOUT by Rolynn Anderson ~ blog.rolynnanderson.com
Diane Okey ~
Plus four anthologies, courtesy of Krista Ames.
BELIEVE CHRISTMAS ~ BE MINE, VALENTINE ~ ALL BETS ARE ON ~ SUMMER SHORTS