This week we’re talking about our favorite non-writing job. Before I begin, I have to disclose that i know my current manager frequently reads this blog. (Hi, bossman!) Although the job I have now is way up there on the list of good jobs, I can’t honestly say it’s the best one I’ve ever held. There are two others that compete for that honor.

At the top of the list would be the summer I spent as a counselor at a Girl Scout camp. Although the girls attending camp came and went in one or two week cycles, the staff that ran the camp stayed all summer long. We slept in tents, cooked over open fires, (and ate in the mess hall) and spent our days hiking and swimming and making crafts along with the girls we were in charge of. The best part was we got paid for it!

My fellow counselors were a great group of ladies and young women. Some were returning and old hands at the experience, others were young and untested like me. Two were from overseas—one from Nigeria, one from Holland. Working together, we found ways to overcome the obstacles we ran into, including the language barrier, to give the girls at the camp the best summer they’d ever had.

The weekends when no girls were in camp we got to play. Maybe that meant going to the nearest small town, doing laundry and picking up snacks at the store. Or maybe we went home for a visit. Or maybe we just hung around camp, swimming and canoeing without having to worry about keeping our eyes on anyone. At night, we’d hang around a campfire, singing songs we could never sing around little kids.

The other job at the top of the list was when I worked at a ‘road warrior,’ traveling through the United States doing computer networking jobs. I’d hop on a plane early in the morning and head somewhere in the Unites States. Sometimes my trips only lasted a single day. sometimes I’d be in one place for three or four days. One trip in particular I went with a small group. We got to our destination at 10:00 at night, went to the business we were contracted to at 8:00 in the morning, and took a red-eye home. Although I think I visited thirty-five different states, I got to see very little of each location. Still, the time I spent in each city was enough to give me a ‘taste’ of the local flavor.

What was your favorite job? Tell us in the comments. And to find out what the other writers have done, follow the links below.

March 6 – What was our favorite non-writing job and why?
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This week on the blog we’re talking about the greatest story ever told.

It has it all. Love and hate. Loyalty and betrayal. Friends and enemies and friends who become enemies. Birth and death. It keeps you on your toes throughout the entire story. What book am I talking about?  The Bible, specifically, The New Testament.

Leaving religion out of it (my apologies to those of you who are firm believers) the story of Jesus of Nazareth is a compelling tale. We have a hero who is born of humble beginnings and uncertain parentage who rose to become the leader of a movement that swept across the nation of Israel and later the world. With  nothing more than the carpentry skills learned from his father and an abundance of faith, he became a self-styled fisher of men.

His ability to do magic—turn water into wine, cure the sick and bring the dead back to life—was a major factor in his influence. But the wider his circle of friends and followers became, the more he opened himself to people who were threatened by his anti-establishment philosophies and wanted to destroy him.

We cheered along with the crowd when he turned a few baskets of food into enough to feed the assembly. We cried along with his mother when one of his friends turns his back on him and turns him over to the authorities. We wept with him when he was tortured and paraded through the streets.

When he was nailed to a cross and left hanging there, we almost tossed the book across the room in disgust. Only the hints that had been dropped about eternal life gave us any hope for a happy ending and kept us reading.

The ending (spoiler alert) —the resurrection and then the disappearance of the hero into the clouds—left the reader searching for answers.  The various points of view of the four narrators were at times confusing.  And although the story contains elements from tales of the time, overall, it cannot be matched.        

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February 27, 2017 – What is the greatest story ever told?
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How Adam Montgomery, hero of Desire, Deceit and the Doctor, became an army doctor.
Adam’s first decision was whether to attend an Army medical school. His great aunt, the multi-millionairess who doted on him, offered to pay his tuition fees as long as he didn’t follow the military route. Since her offer came with a generous allowance, he accepted. Of course, he had no idea how badly his great aunt treated his former girlfriend, the one he dumped when he thought she cheated on him.
After graduation, what next?
Adam enlisted. He needed to prove his was fit as well as meet the height and weight requirements. A natural athlete, and former captain of his high school football team, that wasn’t a problem for him. As a doctor, he didn’t have to complete basic training. Instead, he attended a six-week Officer Basic Leadership Course, which teaches about military life and the role of a leader.
What specialty did he follow?
Adam became an emergency physician, dealing with broken bones, bullet wounds, and other injuries. When stationed in the middle East, he got caught up in action and took out a sniper along with his two accomplices. His courage earned him a medal, but now he’s coming home to Westhorpe Ridge and buying into the local medical practice.
Boy, is he in for a shock.
Almost twelve years ago, he broke up with Mandy Devlin at their senior prom. Scared he’d forgive her and make up, he left town the next morning. Neither of them realized she was pregnant. Now the son he never knew existed is almost eleven years old. He didn’t expect Mandy and her son to move back to Westhorpe Ridge, but the last thing he wants is to rekindle old passions.

Tagline
After Adam Montgomery walked away and left her pregnant, dare Mandy trust him with her heart again?

Blurb
Twelve years ago, Mandy Devlin moved away from her friends and family–under threat. If she returned in the next ten years or told anyone who fathered her baby, her boyfriend’s great-aunt would bankrupt her family. She’s a single mom who dreams of her lost love and a good spanking. When she’s finally free to return to Westhorpe Ridge, the last person she expects to see is Adam—the man she loved and lost so long ago.

Dr. Adam Montgomery doesn’t know he has a son. Thanks to his great-aunt’s will, he has nine months to find a bride or he loses Montgomery Hall and the fifteen million dollars she left him. Although he seduces Mandy on his first night home, he still believes she betrayed him twelve years ago. No way would he marry a woman like her.

As Valentine’s Day looms, someone tries to kill Mandy. Is Adam trying to get rid of her? Or can Mandy trust him to protect them?

Buy links
Loose id http://bit.ly/2kTGqp5
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Kryssie Fortune Social Media
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About Kryssie Fortune
Kryssie Fortune writes the sort of hot sexy books she loves to read. If she can sneak a dragon into her paranormal books she will. Her paranormal heroes are muscular werewolves, arrogant Fae or BDSM loving dragons.
Kryssie likes her contemporary heroes ex-military and dominant. Her heroines are kick ass females who can hold their own against whatever life – or Kryssie – throws at them.

Kryssie’s pet hates are unhappy endings, and a series that ends on a cliff hanger.
Her books are all stand alone, even when they’re part of a series. Plot always comes before sex, but when her heroines and heroes get together, the sex is explosive and explicit.

What’s my go-to relaxation? Come on, anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis already knows the answer. You guessed it. Hanging out in the mountains somewhere while listening to music. John Denver being the musician of choice most often, but classic rock runs a close second.

I considered talking about something totally different to throw everyone off, but why bother.

So put on your headset, listen to some tunes, and take a look at a new batch of pictures from the last couple of weekends.

Feb. 20 – What’s Your Go-To Relaxation?
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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?
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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
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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.
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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).
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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
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