Tornadoes Blow

Well, this blows...literally.

I'm writing at midnight. We were all snuggled in bed when the storm came at about 10:45pm. Thunder, lightning, lots of wind and rain, spitting hail. Hubby turned on the TV to check the status. The TV signal was down, home phone line was down, Internet was down. After, the storm passed, we finally got the weather alert on our cell phones to warn us our county was under a tornado warning. We turned on the police scanner to hear a tornado had actually hit. Good to know after it was over, huh?

So while I sit here, listening to the scanner and hearing about lots of snapped telephone poles, trees down, and buildings down, the hubby is out there, helping to check on damage to all the neighbors. The storm has passed our area and moved on to the east. Our place is okay. I Texted my sister who lives near the path of the damage. Her house is standing, but she had lots of tree limbs down. Her early-twenty-something kids were driving home through it all, but besides being scared spitless, they made it home okay

On the scanner, they are talking about needing chainsaws to cut away trees that are over the road, which means there must not be too many human injuries, mostly some property damage, probably nothing of epic proportions. I can't really tell how bad anything was.

Meanwhile, the kiddo has croup and has been coughing all night, though strangely she slept quite peacefully through the storm. Kids!

So that's how my Wednesday has started. How are you guys doing? I should get some sleep; need to be up in a few hours to get ready for work...that is if my library didn't get hit.

Say that Again

Okay, I'm trying a new editing technique. I'll have to let you know how it goes. To combat my insane urge to repeat some words over and over again, I did a find and replace search, replacing each high-alert word with the same word but in a highlighted format. After I found and replaced one word, I changed the highlight preference color and found & replaced another majorly-used word. I did that six times with the words:

WAS
THAT
LOOK
SIGH
TURN
TOWARD

Once they were all highlighted with different colors, I put the page on two-per-page view and just did a color find. If I found a color highlight too many times on one page (kind of like this page below), I went in and looked for a way to delete or change a few of them.



In other news, there are still A LOT of contests going around, giving away copies of my stories, so listed below are the currently open contests, upcoming contests, and winners from the latest contests. Congrats to all the winners!

Have a good Monday

CURRENT CONTESTS:

"Email-Me" Contest
(Open Now!)
If you don't want to head all over creation to enter the contests below (or maybe you simply want to enter more chances to win something), you can email me directly at linda (at) lindakage (dot) com with CONTEST written in the subject line for a chance to win an ebook copy of either The Right to Remain Mine or The Best Mistake. One winner for each book will be drawn.
Contest open until March 20th.


***
"Paperback-Adventures" Contest
(Open Now!)
On Friday, February 18th, Paperback Adventures showcaseed A Man for Mia. There you can put your email into the Facebook Raflecopter to win a regular-print paperback copy of A Man for Mia. One winner will be drawn.
Contest open until March 2nd.


***
"For-the-Luv-of-Sanity" Contest
(Open Now!)
On Friday, February 24th, For the Luv of Sanity interviewed me. If you comment there, you can put your email address in to win an ebook copy of The Best Mistake. One winner will be drawn.
Contest open until March 15th.

UPCOMING CONTESTS:

"The-Romance-Review" Contest
(opening March 6, 2012)
On March 6th, enter your email address at (The Romance Reviews) for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Best Mistake. Three winners will be drawn.
Contest open until March 14th.


***
"Reading-Between-The-Wines" Contest
(opening March 7, 2012)
On March 7th, head over to the Reading Between the Wines Blog (LINK HERE) and comment on my blog post to win an ebook copy of The Best Mistake. One winner will be drawn.
Contest open until ??.


***
"A-Tasty-Read" Contest
(opening March 14, 2012)
On March 14th, I'll be interviewed at "A Tasty Read" Blog (LINK HERE). If you comment, you'll be entered to win an ebook copy of The Best Mistake. One winner will be drawn.
Contest open until ??.

LATEST CONTEST WINNERS:

"The-Romance-Reviews" Contest
(closed)
LINK HERE
Contest open until February 6th.
Winners: Mrs AJ Ward & Teresa B.


***
"Goddess-Promotions-Party" Contest
(closed)
LINK HERE
Contest open until February 5th, 9PM EST.
Winner : Marie Rose Dufour!


***
"Romancing-the-Book-Blog" Contest
(closed)
LINK HERE
Contest open until February 24th.
Winners: Allie & Patti P.

Another Interview

Yeah, yeah, I've gone a little interview-and-guest-hopping happy lately.

This time Fallen Angels Reviews asked me a couple questions, and well, I answered them. Go figure!

So, I'm over there today. If you think there's any more to learn about me that you don't already know, feel free to pop in and check the place out.

Have a great Friday!!

PS: Update 7:30am on 2/24/2012 - Okay, so the interview isn't up yet. In fact, it doesn't look like they have their January interviews loaded either, so who knows when the February ones will be posted!

In other news I finished my WIP I was working on. I just love typing those two magical words, "THE END!" Makes me feel like I accomplished something big, which after 91,000 words, the story is one of the bigger ones I've ever written.

Now it's time to celebrate! What do you do when you finish writing a story?

Romancing a GIVEAWAY!!

Guess what? I'm not here today!

I'm over at the Romancing the Book blog today. Not only am I giving away two of my newest stories (a copy of THE RIGHT TO REMAIN MINE and a copy of THE BEST MISTAKE) to some lucky commenter, but I'm guest posting too.

I'm sorta proud of this post because I made it a game to play! Even the webmistress of the blog had to comment back about it and tell me how she did on the game!

So...that's where I am today.

Oh, before I go. I learned that a couple of my books are on sale. If you're into book sales, here are the details!

Today only:
--Hot Commodity is 50% off in ebook at Champagne Books with coupon code: ecoupFD
--Hot Commodity is 20% off in print at Champagne Books with coupon code: pcoupFD
--The Right to Remain Mine is 50% off in ebook at C.B. with coupon code: ecoupFD
--The Trouble with Tomboys is 50% off in ebook at The Wild Rose Press

I Have no idea how long these prices will last:
--A Man for Mia is 50% off in ebook at Amazon.com
--A Man for Mia is 75% off in print at Amazon.com
--How to Resist Prince Charming is 25% off in ebook at Amazon.com

'Kay, that's all I have to say now. Have a great Monday.

Linda Kage... the, um, Speaker Today!

I guest posted about my few speaking encounters over at Whispers Publishing Author Blog today.

So I'm not here.

Hope you have a good Wednesday!

PS: And don't forget, if you find all the bold-faced capitalized letters in every blog at Whispers this month to discover what they spell, you can enter for a chance to win a kindle. (More information HERE)

You Gotta Read....my interview!

Sorry for the tacky post title, but I just couldn't help it because...

I'm being interviewed over at You Gotta Read Guest Blog today.

So, I'm not here.

Have a happy Monday!

Two Years Ago...

Has it been that long already?

Crazy Author Superstitions

I'm guest posting over at the Writers Vineyard today, talking about....yep, Crazy Author Superstitions!

You can check it out at http://thewritersvineyard.com/. It's mildly short and sweet.


In other news, I was spotlighted at at Joyfully Reviewed. Here's the link to that interview : http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/interviews/author-spotlight-linda-kage

Hope you have a happy Wednesday!

Release Day - The Right to Remain Mine

The Right to Remain Mine

Contemporary Adult Romance* Champagne Books ISBN : 9781926996783 Legnth : 79,000 words - 193 pages Available : TODAY!!!! In Ebook and later in Print *Sexually Explicit Scenes and Language You have the right to remain cherished. Anything you read or scream out in ecstasy can and will be used against you in the bedroom of Willow DeVane. You have the right to enjoy a big, sexy cop. If you can’t find your own, one by the name of Raith Malloy will be provided for you to enjoy and explore thoroughly within these pages. Tempers flare from the first moment divorce lawyer Willow DeVane crosses paths with sheriff deputy Raith Malloy. Both too stubborn and controlling for their own good, Willow and Raith butt heads until anger turns to passion, and they begin an affair despite their brewing hostilities. But more than one force works against them when they learn Willow’s being targeted by a dangerous stalker.

Okay, today is the last day I'll bother ya'all with information about my new release, THE RIGHT TO REMAIN MINE!!! Well, unless I receive a nice review I want to share, or sell record sales on it (snort), or win an award (double snort)...okay, okay, I'm sure I'll mention it again, but not for a while.

So, anyway, it's a release day for me. YAY!!! I'm giving copies of this book away in a few contests (check out my Wednesday 2/1/2012 post to learn where) and now I feel like sharing the first couple pages with you.

So here you go...The beginning of The Right to Remain Mine. Thanks again for putting up with me while I went through all this promo fun!

PROLOGUE



“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Raith Malloy muttered under his breath as the judge’s gavel slammed against its partnering sound block.



Innocent.



The jury’s verdict continued to echo through the room seconds after the jury foreman spoke. A hushed commotion followed as everyone in the crowd whispered personal judgments to each other. Raith’s fingers constricted around the butt of his gun strapped in its holster as he glared daggers through the back of the defendant’s head. He watched Max Kettle’s smug grin as the slimy ass turned to murmur something to his lawyer—probably a congratulations.



“Order,” Judge DeVane roared. “The jury hasn’t finished. There’s one charge left.”



The room settled, and all eyes shifted to the head juror—a short, plump, balding man—who nervously cleared his throat and rushed out the words, “On the charge of possession of an illegal substance, the jury finds you... guilty.”



“What?” With indignant innocence, Kettle surged to his feet and gaped slack-jawed at the twelve seated in the jury box. “But I—”



“Be seated, Mr. Kettle,” DeVane commanded from his throne. He gripped his gavel as if he might use it as a hatchet to chuck at Kettle’s head. “Now.”



From the last row near the door, Raith smirked. Possession of an illegal substance wasn’t quite the justice he craved, but it beat letting the bastard go scot-free. Now if God were smiling on him, the jury would’ve given Kettle a guilty charge for illegal trafficking with intent to sell as he deserved. By this point, however, he’d take what he could get.



“Your sentencing is set to take place in five weeks on the twenty-seventh of next month. At that time…” DeVane droned on, explaining the sentence hearing process, until he finalized the case and adjourned court.



And it was over.



Observers pushed to their feet, already gossiping about the outcome as they shuffled toward the exit. A pair of uniformed court security officers flanked the convict when he stood. As they led him away in cuffs, Kettle glanced over his shoulder to glare directly at Raith. His eyes clearly snarled, This is your fault, Malloy. When I’m out, you’re dead.



Hinton, a fellow deputy standing next to Raith, bumped their elbows together. “I don’t think he likes you much, bud.”



“And here I assumed all my feelings were one-sided.” Raith winked at Kettle, making the con’s face flush a bright, angry red.



Kettle heaved his body toward Raith, struggling against his restraints. Two more officers who had just testified rushed forward to help contain him. Raith moved to assist as well, but the prisoner was so quickly back under control, he paused, deciding he better stay away as not to incite another scuffle.



Hinton lifted his eyebrows. “I’d watch myself if I were you, Malloy. He’ll be out again sooner than you think. And I have a feeling you’re the first person he’s going to look up once he’s free.”



“Yeah, well, he can just get in line behind the rest of my admirers.”



Raith waited until Kettle disappeared through a side door before he turned toward the public exit. The younger deputy followed.



“Man, I can’t believe we caught him with twenty-three kilos of cocaine, and his lawyer was still able to throw out most of the best evidence. That’s bull----. All the work we went through, and he’ll probably only have to serve two years.”



“Or nine months if he gets out on parole for good behavior,” Raith sneered.



Hinton shook his head and hissed an obscenity under his breath. “---- lawyers. I tell you what—the world would be a better place if it weren’t so full of all these idiot attorneys, making money by putting rapists, murderers, and drug dealers back on the streets.” He paused to glare at a passing suit they both knew to be a lawyer.



Appreciating Hinton’s sentiment, Raith hitched up the corner of his mouth in amusement. “I hear you, kid.” He slugged the younger deputy companionably on the back as the two of them parted ways.



Though he still would’ve liked to bash a couple counselors’ heads together, listening to Hinton rant calmed Raith’s boiling blood to an irritated simmer. He pushed out of the building and jogged down the million and one marble stairs toward the sidewalk.



Decked out in his formal dress uniform, which the department required its deputies to wear to court, he resisted the urge to readjust a certain area of his anatomy. But, gah, he hated these monkey suits. He was so used to going commando, he usually forgot to put on underwear when he wore the abrasive polyester pants, and they never failed to irritate the hell out of his ----. He couldn’t wait to change back into his worn BDUs and return to regular duty.



At the curb, Raith passed a BMW with an American Bar Association sticker in the window parked in a handicapped spot. Noticing it, he slowed to a stop and scowled at the silver car.



“Freaking lawyer,” he muttered, shaking his head as he bent down to glance through the window for any sign of a handicap label or tag. The dirt bag owner was probably the very attorney who had just saved Kettle from serving hard time.



When Raith found no proof of the owner’s impairment on the license plate or anywhere else, he decided it was time to take action. Wanting revenge on all lawyer scum around the world, he unleashed his anger on this particular idiot. He headed toward his cruiser for the proper forms and went to work.



Leaning against the driver’s side door of the BMW, pen in hand and ticket pad resting on the roof, Raith sighed, waiting for dispatch to get back to him with a name, when he heard the voice.



“Hey! Excuse me.”



He turned. And holy hell.



Instant lust.



Sex in a business suit appeared on the top step of the Dexter County courthouse’s entrance, leaving the building like some kind of dark goddess come to tempt him into sin. The woman stepped from between two tall columns, her straight skirt with a slit up the side whipping around and clinging seductively to her lethally long legs. The breeze mashed her designer jacket to her chest. Her dark auburn hair came loose from its low bun, and she pulled out the rest of the pins to shake the locks free into a long, luscious mass.



Raith sucked in a breath as the waves of hair spilled over her shoulder and down her chest to bounce against the swell of her full, pert breasts. He told himself right then it would be his new life mission to someday bury his hands in that hair.



“What’s wrong with my car?” she demanded, scowling as she descended the rest of the marble stairs of the portico in her tight skirt and heels.



Raith glanced at the BMW and quirked an eyebrow. “This is your car?”



----, she was a lawyer. Life would suck like that.



“Yes, it’s my car.” She approached, came close enough for him to smell. She exuded some kind of musky, purely female fragrance that made his already painful ---- nudge polyester with a burning insistence, demanding to be free of his pants.



“Is there a problem with it?” she asked, her voice made for the bedroom despite the irritation lacing its tone.



He gave her a slow, intense look. “As a matter of fact, there is.” He waved his ticket book. “You parked illegally.”.......

Book Giveaways

One of my publishers, Whispers Publishing, is about to celebrate their 6th Anniversary so....all February long, they're providing a chance for someone to win a Kindle!

Here are the official rules of the contest.

Visit the Whispers Publishing blog every day here: http://whispershome.com/category/authors-blog. Find the CAPITAL AND BOLDED LETTER in the blog post, blurb, recipe, etc, and write it down. Each day there’s a new letter. On February 29 (Leap Year-yay!), collect your last letter to solve the puzzle. Then email the message the letters spell out to promotingwhispers@gmail.com with KINDLE in the subject. All names will be put into a drawing to win a Kindle!


My day to blog post is February 15th. I'm all excited.


IN OTHER CONTEST NEWS....

Yep, I'm giving away a couple copies of my newest releases at a couple different place.

==THE ROMANCE REVIEW==

Starts Today!

If you want a chance to win a copy of The Right to Remain Mine, head over to The Romance Reviews (LINK HERE) and enter your information for a an ebook copy. Two winners will be drawn. Contest open until February 6th.

I think you may have to sign up for a The Romance Review account to enter, so if that's a problem, just email me personally (linda @ lindakage . com) with "CONTEST" in the subject line and I'll see that a third copy of the story goes to one you non-Romance-Review contestants!

I love how The Romance Reviews has all their contest giveaway listed in one spot. It's super easy to create a contest there too....if any of you are interested in giving away a copy of your book someday, that would be a good place to go, IMHO. They just email you the winner's email address for you to contact them.

==ROMANCING THE BOOK BlOG==

On February 20th, I'll be guest blogging and hosting a little book game at Romancing the Book Blog, and if you answer the blog question, you'll be entered into a chance to win an ebook copy of either The Right to Remain Mine or The Best Mistake.

==READING BETWEEN THE WINES==

Then, on March 7th, some lucky commenter will win an ebook copy of The Best Mistake at the Reading Between the Wines Blog.


==THAT'S ALL==


That's the only three places you'll find my books in giveaways for a while (I'll be happy when book promoting is over for a while!), but another place I've always wanted to get one of my stories added into a giveaway contest is Goodreads. Here's the link to look at all their current contests ( http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway).

I've entered to win there before (and it's easy to enter), but I've yet to set up a contest because they only allow paperback or hardback books to be offered, and I think my next YA romance story (coming in September) is the first I want to give away there.

Do you know of any places where you can find a bunch of books being given away ALL THE TIME? I say you can never get enough free books!