First, I want to apologize to M.S. Kaye. I was supposed to post this for her before Christmas, and I got lost in the holiday haolidays. So I’m happy to share it with you now. 

Once & Forever

Once book 3, by M.S. Kaye

Who is the mysterious Santa who leaves toys on the convent steps?

After a twelve-year separation, Eden is finally reunited with her brother, Thomas, but why hadn’t she reached out to him in all those years? Eden, a nun, is constantly struggling against her dark past of living on the streets, and her attraction to Trace, an ex-convict farm worker. As Eden and Trace confess their pasts to each other and grow closer, will they be able to resist getting too close?

Author Bio:

M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.

Once, book 1

Her first and also her once.

Jonathan and Rebecca’s paths cross at exactly the right moment, when each most needs to hear what the other has to say.

But Jonathan is three days from entering the priesthood, and Rebecca leaves him to his peace. But he is unable to find peace.

Without each other’s comfort and strength, they must each struggle to forge a new path, with only memories of the one day that changed everything.

But are they able to forget and let go?

Once & Again, book 2

She was once his secret desire… Will she be again?

Father Aiden, an ex-marine and new priest, falls in love with Maylynn, but he struggles to stay away from her. He’s successful for many years, though he can’t keep her out of his dreams.

Then one day she shows up for a pre-marital counselling session with her fiancé, Davis. Aiden soon realizes Davis isn’t who he says he is, but what does that mean for Maylynn, and for himself?

Excerpt book 3:

“You know what he did to git sent to prison?” one of the convenience store clerks murmured to the other.

Trace could just hear them over the horrible rendition of “Jingle Bells” playin’ through the speakers. He ignored them, like he always did. He tried to come into town late in the evening to avoid people as much as possible, but that also meant it was quiet enough that he could often hear what people murmured about him. Once he’d grabbed some protein bars and a can of beer, he headed up to the counter to pay.

The clerk with a buzz-cut told him the total, and Trace handed him some cash.

Neither of the clerks made eye contact with him, but they both hovered over the cash register as if he might snatch it and run.

Buzz-cut closed the cash drawer right quick and handed Trace’s change back.

“Thank you.” Trace stuffed the change in his pocket, took the bag of protein bars in one hand and his beer in the other, and walked out of the store.

He headed for the back lot toward the alley. He could get through most of downtown by way of the alley. This late at night it was almost too dark to see where he was goin’, but that was part of what he liked about it.

“Bitch,” someone growled. And then the sound of something—or someone—smacking into the brick wall of the back of the convenience store.

Trace moved more quickly and turned the corner, and he caught sight of a skinny, young woman punching a man in the face. His head snapped back. But then another man slammed his fist across her jaw. She looked so frail that the punch seemed like shooting a cannon ball at a piece of notebook paper.

“Hey!” Trace roared and ran at them. “Git away from her.”

This week, just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re talking about love—what is it?

According to dictionary.com, it’s  a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. or
a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. or
sexual passion or desire. But what does that really mean?

Poets and philosophers throughout the ages have tried to find the words that best explain the emotion. I’m included. Remember, before I turned to fiction, I wrote poetry. So, in honor of the holiday, here’s a poem I wrote ages ago.

        Serenade for an Insomniac

       The faucet in the bathtub in dripping
       Again.
       The heater clicks as it turns off.
       And on,
       And off.
       The clock is ticking time away,
       The waterbed sloshes as I toss uneasily,
       Then you turn to me
       And between snores, murmur sleepily,
       “I love you.”
       Suddenly, it’s a midnight rhapsody.

 While Valentine’s Day celebrates romantic love, there are many other kinds of love. The love of a parent for a child. The love between siblings. The love of nature. The love of self. The love of humanity.  For some, the love of God.

I occasionally tease my husband that he’s my second love and my first love is the mountains. I think this poem expresses it well.

      Beartooth Mountain Pass

      I stand at the edge of eternity
   
      Where the mountains and sky mingle
      In a curious cacophony of watercolours
      Where granite boulders
      With a furious freedom, defy gravity,
      Hang in precarious unbalance
      And do not fall
      Where winter snows linger
      Alongside short lived summer flowers

      Where the world falls away from my feet
      I teach myself to breath again
      12000 feet high

You can tell me what love means to you in the comments. To find out what out other authors think love is, follow the links below.

February 13, 2017 – Love – what does it mean to you. How do you show your loved ones love?
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

This week’s topic on the blog hop is to talk about our favorite song. Sounds like an easy one, doesn’t it? But how do I choose only one song when there are so many wonderful songs out there?

But if you’ve hung out here with me for any length of time, you know I don’t always follow the rules. And I fully intend to break them again this week.

I’ll start with the one song that is obvious to anyone who knows me. John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” He wrote the song to express his love of the Rocky Mountains, especially those near Aspen, Colorado. It become the unofficial state song of Colorado during the 1970’s and an official state anthem in 2007. But did you know it was banned on some radio stations in the 1970’s because people assumed that the word “high” in the title and in the song was a reference to drugs!

Now you’re asking “P.J., why is this your favorite song?” Well, I’ll tell you. I “blame” this song for getting my husband and I together. I’d dropped out of college and was working while deciding on a new major when I was introduced to this song and John Denver by a friend. (Thank you, Debbie!) I ended up picking a new course of study and choosing a college in Wyoming, partially influenced by Denver’s music. I ended up meeting my husband while at that college. Do the math and you’ll figure out how long we’ve been together! (Short answer—not long enough!)

Now, on to a few of my other favorite songs.

With the state of politics in the US, it reminds me of an earlier time of our history. So here’s one of the first protest songs I remember. There are many versions out there, but I love Joan’s voice.

Speaking of protest songs—have you ever heard this one?

Now for something a little more up-to-date. Way back, I was introduced to the music of Buffy St. Marie. She released a new album a few years ago and she still packs a punch when she sings.

So what is your favorite song? Tell us about it in the comments. And to find out what our other authors have to say, follow the links below.

February 6, 2017 – your favorite song with background information
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Dear Fans,

I know there are a few of you out there. Only a few, but you are part of the reason I keep on writing.

First off, I want to say thank you. Your kind words and reviews help me feel like I’m doing something right. Writing is a lonely business at its core, and knowing that at least a few people enjoy my stories makes it a little less lonesome. Yes, my characters keep me company, but it’s nice to interact with real people too.

After writing poetry for many years, releasing Wolves’ Pawn was a new adventure. While it never became a best seller except in my dreams, I got enough feedback to let me know it wasn’t a complete failure. So with a little more confidence, I let go of The Marquesa’s Necklace. Since then, I’ve also released Her Ladyship’s Ring and Wolves’ Knight.

I’ve had a complaint or two that I don’t write fast enough. I agree. Sorry about that, but until I can support myself with my books I have a “real life” job to do that takes up most of my day and much of my energy. Plus, many times I “overthink” and while that slows down the writing process I hope it results in a better book.

I’d like to call out my fans by name to say thank you individually, but I don’t know who some of you are except for the fake name on a review  on Amazon or other sites. So please accept my sincere appreciation to all of you. I hope that I’ve given you a few moments of pleasure in what can be a tough world.

What can you expect from me in the future? I’m currently working on two books, one in the Oak Grove series and one in the Free Wolves. I expect to get the next of Harmony’s adventures out first. It’s called “The Baron’s Cufflinks.” After that will be “Wolves’ Gambit.” With any luck, I’ll get them both edited and released by mid-year.

What’s up after that? I haven’t decided. I have a couple of older books that I never released that I feel are solid stories. I might pull them out, clean them up a bit and let them fly. Or there’s still a wedding story I need to write. Can you imagine Tasha from Wolves’ Knight in a bridemaid’s gown?

Before I leave you for another week, let me say it again. Thank you. And you. And you.

If there’s anything you want to tell me, here’s your chance. Tell me in the comments!

Sincerely,

P.J. MacLayne

P.S. You want a picture? Okay, here’s one.

P.S.S. You may have noticed that my plea to sign up for my newsletter is gone. I’m going to be switching companies I do my newsletter through. Pleas stay tuned! If you have already signed up, you won’t need to do it again. I was able to preserve your email addresses.

January 30 – write a letter to your fans.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Want the inside scoop on Tasha Roeper? The heroine of Wolves’ Knight? Well, keep reading, because you’re about to get the untold story on what happened to her in between Wolves’ Pawn and Wolves’ Knight.

When I created Tasha Roeper in Wolves’ Pawn, I wrote her as a strong if somewhat cocky companion to Dot, the main female character. She had the skills Dot lacked—she could shoot, knew surveillance techniques, and understood pack politics. In many ways, Tasha was “one of the boys.” But about halfway through the book, she was captured by a rival. And I’ll let her tell the rest of the story.

Tasha:
I don’t remember being captured. I was on patrol and my partner and I were investigating a suspicious noise when I heard a “POP” and my muscle in my shoulder started to sting. When I came to, I was tied to a chair and surrounded by men from the Choate pack. I remember the rope burning and no matter how I squirmed I couldn’t relieve the itch. There’s not much else I remember because I found out later they were kept me sedated, injecting me with a silver suspension and the ropes contained silver strands.

Even under the capable care of the Fairwood pack physician, as well as my supposed rapid healing trait, it took a long time for the silver to flush out of my system. The psychological damage took longer to heal.

When Elders Fairwood and Fenner made the decision to send me away to the pack in Maine, I fought the vertict. I didn’t want to leave when the pack was in crisis. At least, that’s what I said out loud. What I didn’t say was that I was relieved. I felt useless. Vulnerable. Scarred. Afraid. If I hung around, someone would figure out my secret.

What I didn’t know was what I was getting myself into.

The Maine pack wasn’t your ordinary run-of -the mill pack. The Radferds specialized in providing
security and bodyguard services. At least, that was what they advertised. What they didn’t talk about openly were their skills in difficult hostage situations and search and rescue in enemy territory. It didn’t take me long to figure out that they could train me in more than advanced weaponry.

The men coming back from several days worth of training in the same clothing they wore when they left only covered in dirt and mud was the first giveaway. The congratulations they got from the rest of the pack was the second. Whatever they were doing, I wanted in.

I gave the pack elders a sob story about needing to have the skills to take back to my pack. They saw straight through it. They forced me to admit what I really needed was to prove something to myself. That I could survive in the toughest of situations. That I was my worst enemy and my best weapon. With reluctance, they agreed to add me to the advanced training. Then began a year of hell.

I hated it and loved it. Tested physically and mentally, I almost broke. Correction. I did break. The first time I participated in a mock-capture scenerio, I froze. It took the combined efforts of my teammates and trainers to bring me back from the memories I’d caged myself in.

After that, I was given a choice. Quit or go all in. I chose to give myself and the training a second chance. It wasn’t easy, and there were many moments when I doubted myself and my decision, but I powered through them, and got stronger. I got good enough that I was given an invitation to sign on with the Radferd pack.

And I considered it. I could see myself spending the rest of my life having one adventure after another, risking my life on a regular basis for the cause of what is good and right in the world. But when the call came for me to return to the Fairwoods, I realized where home was. And that’s where I went.

You can read the rest of Tasha’s story in Wolves’ Knight.

http://www.amazon.com/Wolves-Knight-Free-Book-ebook/dp/B0199BC6YI/

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/wolves-knight

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wolves-knight-pj-maclayne/1123127673


https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1066865102

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0199BC6YI

Oh, and thanks again to K.M. Guth for the great cover!

To find out what our other authors are revealing about their characters, follow the links below.

January 23 – post background information on your characters (possibly things that will never be in the books, but are back of who they are).
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

We’re talking about food this week. Specifically, our five favorite foods. You know, the food you couldn’t live without.

Of course, I’m not talking about nutrition-wise. I’m talking comfort food and the oh-my-heavens this is the good stuff type food.

The first thing on my list isn’t one particular dish. It’s a whole category. Italian. I inherited my love of Italian food from my mother. There’s not a drop of Italian heritage in our blood, but we share the tatste for spaghetti and lasagna and fettucini alfredo and pizza and okay, I’ll stop now. Just thinking about it makes  me hungry.

Next on the list is homemade chicken and dumplings.Yes, it takes most of the afternoon to make, although it’s an easy recipe, but when you finally get to take a bite—YUMM! One helping is never enough.

For number three? On a whole different wavelength, when I’m in the right mood, I enjoy a good chef’s salad. The mix of meat, cheese, egg, salad greens and whatever else I want to add can turn a boring salad into something delectable. It’s got to have a great dressing, of course. That way I can eat healthy and dangerous at the same time.

For number four—although I’m not from the South originally, I did live there for quite a few years. That gives me an honest claim to the next food on my list. BBQ. Specifically, pulled pork. Of course, it has to have the right sauce. The sauce makes or breaks the dish. It has to be the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. I’m not a big fan of dry rub BBQ, I prefer my meat to be messy when I eat it. Paper-towel messy, preferably. I’m 50-50 on having coleslaw on the sandwich itself. Baby-back ribs come in as a close second in the BBQ category, but the cost drops them out of contention for first place.

I saved the best for last. Number five might not count as a food at all, but I’m including it anyway. Chocolate. Milk chocolate is good, but dark is better. And I don’t need any fancy fillings or flavors. Give me a piece of creamy, melt-in-your-mouth plain dark chocolate, and I’m good. For a little while, anyway. But if you want to offer me some chocolate-covered raisins, chances are I won’t turn them down. Ditto for just about any chocolate candy bar you name.

So what are your favorite foods? Feel free to let us know in the comments. And to check in with the other authors, click on the links below.

January 16 – list your 5 favorite foods you could not live without
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

There are quite a few events I’ve lived through even if I wasn’t there in person. The assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and  Martin Luther King, and the attempt on George Bush Sr.’s life. The first landing of men on the moon. The fall of South Vietnam and the rout of the US military. The attacks of 9-11.

But the one event I wish I could have been at? Hands down, Woodstock. The original one.

Why? The music is the big thing. So many talented musicians sharing their hearts and souls to a crowd that reflected the love right back to them. Great songs that live on today.

How about Joe Cocker ?

Or Santana?

How about Joan Baez? And so many others?

But what do I find most attractive about Woodstock? Sure, it was an imperfect event, but for a brief moment, peace and love reigned. People shared food, water and “other things” and helped their neighbor, even when that neighbor was someone they met walking the long road to the concert. Love was in the air in more ways than one.

There have been many attempts, but I don’t believe any event has ever matched what happened those four days. I wish I had been there.

To find out what moments in history our other authors wish they witnessed, follow the links below. (If they aren’t working, they should be soon.) If you want, tell me about what event you wished you witnessed in the comments.

January 9 – If you could witness a moment in history, what would it be and why?
Rules: 1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

Happy New Year! We’ve made it to 2017 and have a chance to start fresh. At least, that’s what the pundits tell us. Over and over again. So let’s talk about making resolutions.

The experts also tell us we should use the new year to make resolutions. Things about ourselves that we want to change. Butt my question is, why wait?

So the simple answer to the question of “Do you make New Year’s resolutions?” is a resounding NO!

I prefer to make my resolutions throughout the year. No waiting for a new year. If I need to make a change in myself, I need to start now, not in a month or two. Or three.

Experience has shown that most people don’t keep their resolutions anyway. Ask the experts at the fitness places.

So what is my current resolution that I made before the New Year started? I owe my readers a couple of books, one in each series. I’d like to get them both published during the first half on 2017. I’m this close to finishing the first draft of Wolves’ Gambit, then I can go into an editing frenzy for both it and The Baron’s Cufflinks.

So do you make resolutions? You can tell me about them in the comments. And to find out what our other authors have to say, check out the links below.

January 2 – New Years resolutions or no? If yes, what are yours? If no, why?
Rules: 1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code

It’s the day after Christmas, and I hope that whatever holiday you celebrate, your day was happy. Although Christmas is about so much more than gifts, there’s no denying that most of us look forward to receiving a package or two. So this week we’re taking about the favorite present we ever got, as well as the ones we wanted and didn’t get.

The best gift I ever received? That’s an easy one. My daughter. She was born a few days before Christmas. The tree was up before I went into labor, thank heavens, and even at a few days old she appeared to watch the blinking lights. I was glad she was born before Christmas, on not on Christmas itself, so we’d always be able to make her birthday about her.

And the gifts I wanted and didn’t get? Two come to mind. The first was a Bible, interestingly enough. I think I was a sophomore when I asked for Bible for Christmas and didn’t get one. I never asked why not, but I got other things on my list. My parents were religious folks, so it didn’t make sense to me. That’s probably why I remember it. (When I got my first job, I bought one.)

The second thing I remember asking for and not receiving was a Carrom board. It was a wooden game board that had several different games—checkers, backgammon, a game loosely based on pool that used plastic rings instead of balls, and another game on the back. (see picture.)

And why, you may ask, does this one stick out from all the things I may have asked for and didn’t get? You see, my parents encouraged us to make lists from the Christmas catalogs so they had an idea of what we wanted. We all knew we wouldn’t get everything on the list and there was a limit to the money they’d spend, but at least we’d get something from the list. So what was so memorial about this particular toy?

One of my older brothers got it! I’m assuming he had it on his list as well. I remember being hurt when he unwrapped it, and knowing there wasn’t any way Santa had brought two. I’m sure I got other things on my list, and my brother did share it with all of us kids, but it always bugged me that he got it and I didn’t. I eventually bought a copy for myself.

So what did you always want for Christmas that you didn’t get? And what was your favorite present? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. And to find out what our other authors wanted, follow the links below.

December 26 – What your favorite Christmas present ever received? What’s the Christmas present you never got and wished you did?
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code
<!– end InLinkz script —

“Walking in the rain with the one I love …”

I’ve never been one to be afraid of being out in whatever weather the day throws at me. (with a few exceptions—thunderstorms and -20° temperatures come to mind.) Taking a walk in a gentle rain is a great way to clear my mind. Having lived on the Oregon Coast, I’ve experienced lots of rainy days and gotten wet (by choice or by accident) many times. Taking a walk along the beach (dressed properly for it) with your favorite person is an experience I hope many of you will have.

But sometimes, you want to stay inside. So what to do then?

The first answer is easy. Read. Better yet, put on some of my favorite music and listen while I’m reading. Add a cup of hot cocoa or tea and a favorite blanket and you have the makings of pure bliss. Do I need to even comtinue?

But I will, because if I don’t, this will be a ridiculously short blog post.  And what do you expect from an author but writing? A rainy day is as good excuse as any to avoid yard work and stay inside and write. The rain can be inspiring, bringing with it the scent of fresh air and moist earth, simple joys for a country girl.

Yes, I’ve danced a time or two in the rain when no one was watching. And I’m not a good dancer!

One more thing I like to do when it’s raining. It’s the perfect excuse for a long session of needlepointing. I spread my yarn over the nearest surface, settle into a comfortable chair, and watch the pattern develop as I weave the needle in and out of the canvas.

Want to find out what the other authors have to say? Follow the links below the next video. And feel free to tell me what your favorite rainy-day activity is in the comments.

December 19 – Describe a rainy day activity
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

Code for Link:

get the InLinkz code