Anthony Anderson and Lena Sledge at PVIFF

Here's this week's Wordless Wednesday photo. This photo of actor Anthony Anderson and myself was taken at the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) in Atlanta this past weekend.




Hope you have a great week! Happy Wordless Wednesday! Don't forget to add your Wordless Wednesday post to the Linky list below!

Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure Blog Tour

Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers.

Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings.
As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.

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Book Excerpt:

She was tired—oh so very, very tired. Never—not in all her life—had Evony Elorietta known such thoroughgoing fatigue. As she trudged out of the dark woods still veiled in the shadows of early sunrise, out across the expanse of cold, dew-drenched grass and onto the main road of the village, Evony wondered how she would ever endure a day that was only just beginning. Every bone in her body ached—every muscle throbbed in misery, every inch of her flesh begged for respite. Yet there would be none—at least not until she had finished her stitching—finished the near thirteen hours of sewing she now faced under the ever observant, incessantly critical eye of seamstress Agnes Teche.

After such a long, chilled, and sleepless night spent in watching—peering through the darkness and into the rooms of the inn in the woods, until her eyes were too dry to watch any longer—after listening to the shallow, often vile conversations, until her ears hurt from the foul ferment of it—Evony dreaded sewing for Mrs. Teche more than ever before. The woman was a banshee of an employer. And yet, she was grateful Mrs. Teche had had the keen eye to recognize Evony’s superior skills with needle and thread—for how else would Evony have managed to feed Mikol and Tressa—to shelter them—to keep them hidden?




Author Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”

Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.

Website * Twitter

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Ends 9/13/13
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Wordless Wednesday with Linky

3D Pavement Art. Amazing!

Tripping Prince Charming Interview by Ey Wade

TRIPPING PRINCE CHARMING CHARACTER INTERVIEW

"Three friends join their love stories to create a romantic magic that is both beguiling and whimsical."

Author Ey Wade waits in the studio of "IN THE CHAIR", waiting for the cast of ladies from Tripping Prince Charming to arrive. The novel started off as three separate books, The Cooking Class, Thorn in my Pocket, and the main characters being Carmella Candi, Ivy Gardiner, and Lillie-Rose McIntyre in that order. Each best friends who decided as children that they would never let a man run their lives or relationship. The three books rolled into one with three stories, but the ladies weren't happy and it eventually evolved into one book with' acts and scenes. Simply lovely.


Okay, my first question pertains to relationship and what you would like from one? Who would like to answer first?

CARMELLA "Oh, I will. What I want from a relationship is honesty. I don't like sly games or innuendos. "

IVY "Well, I would like a man who takes charge, but gives me room to be myself A relationship that's reallally a 90-10 and I retain the 90."

LILLIE-ROSE: "That's because you're bossy and always tryin' to run other people's lives." (everyone laughs) "If I could have my ideal relationship, it would 'be' one where there is mutual respect, lots of laughs and love, and no physical or mental abuse. "

I know that's right, we all agree with that, especially that last part (mutual sounds of agreement uttered from everyone) And since we all agree with that let's talk about your. ideal mate. We'll start with you, Lillie-Rose.

"Hmmm, my ideal mate would have to 'be' taller than I am so I can feel protected. My 5ft nothing self gets hit on a lot by men thinking I'm a kid. He has to be dependable, caring, with a job and most of all, he needs to 'be' able to control his temper."

What about you, Carmella?

"As I said before, he has to be honest, faithful, totally in love with me, and able handle it when I want to run my own life. I don't want someone who is so insecure he has to know where I am every minute of the day."

"Me," Ivy broke in. "I want a man who loves God just as much as he loves me. Honest, dependable and with a great sense of humor. Plus, he would have to like my girls, cuz we are a team."

Third question: I know the theme of the book is the disbelief of the 'happy ever after '. What made you dislike the fairy tale endings to stories? "

"The liars, the abusers, and the undependables" The three women answered in one voice, laughing and high fiving as if it were there stock answer.

But in the story you each have a man pursuing you through a lot of drama? How did you meet them?

"I met Franklin in church, but got to know him better while he was a member of my cooking class." Answered.Carmella.

"Same here, " put in Ivy. "I met Bernard through the church and it took a bit of maneuvering. "

"I met Nataniel at Ivy's parent's home." Lillie-Rose looked at her friends through narrowed eyes when they began to laugh. " They want me to say I pushed Nathaniel down a mountain."

"Well you did." they both agreed.

"Whatever, the audience can read about it in the book and judge for themselves. "

Oh, I know the story and its an reopened. Last question. Who is the romantic influencer in your life?

"Oh, that's easy. Uncle Michael, Ivy's dad." Carmella answered. "we call him, Pops."

"I have to agree. He told us so many fairy tales, built us an enchanted forest. He is the epitome of love."

"Yep, my dad would 'be' the answer."

I wish I could talk with him, But who knows. I may get that chance. Anyway, thank you ladies for coming and I await to get a copy in my hands. When is Tripping Prince Charming being released, again? "
August 8th folks, mark your calendars.




To stay up to date with Author Ey Wade, go to the following sites:

Tripping Prince Charming Blog

Ey Wade Website

Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure

Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers.

Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings.
As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.

Book Excerpt:

She was tired—oh so very, very tired. Never—not in all her life—had Evony Elorietta known such thoroughgoing fatigue. As she trudged out of the dark woods still veiled in the shadows of early sunrise, out across the expanse of cold, dew-drenched grass and onto the main road of the village, Evony wondered how she would ever endure a day that was only just beginning. Every bone in her body ached—every muscle throbbed in misery, every inch of her flesh begged for respite. Yet there would be none—at least not until she had finished her stitching—finished the near thirteen hours of sewing she now faced under the ever observant, incessantly critical eye of seamstress Agnes Teche.

After such a long, chilled, and sleepless night spent in watching—peering through the darkness and into the rooms of the inn in the woods, until her eyes were too dry to watch any longer—after listening to the shallow, often vile conversations, until her ears hurt from the foul ferment of it—Evony dreaded sewing for Mrs. Teche more than ever before. The woman was a banshee of an employer. And yet, she was grateful Mrs. Teche had had the keen eye to recognize Evony’s superior skills with needle and thread—for how else would Evony have managed to feed Mikol and Tressa—to shelter them—to keep them hidden?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kindle

Author Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”

Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.

Website * Twitter

Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/13/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Character Interview by Author Olivia Carter

Jake: The boy behind the story



Q: So Jake, first I just want to thank you for agreeing to meet with me today. We learned so much about you from Molly, but I can’t tell you how exciting it is to talk with you.
Jake: Yeah, I don’t usually do this kind of stuff. Molly does the storytelling. She’s got that longwinded thing going on. You know, like her Mom. But, I’ll do my best to give you a good conversation.

Q: I’m sure you will. Speaking of Molly, maybe you could start by sharing a little about the day the two of you met, you know, from your perspective.
Jake: Of course. Actually, the day I met Molly was not my best day. I almost lost my job the night before, boss was making cuts, you know. And Tad had come down with some kind of cold. It was just a bad day. And then she showed up, and I was just supposed to be rerouting some wires in the sound booth for Sunday. No big, right? But you know Molly, what with her attitude. She struck something in me from the beginning. It’s just like she puts it, when they drove away. I couldn’t stop thinking about her either.

Q: So there’s a little chemistry between the two of you then?
Jake: (Laughing) Yeah, no comment.

Q: All right, then let’s talk about something else. Every time Molly mentions you it’s at the church, but, obviously, a teenager like yourself has other pastimes. What kinds of things do you do for fun?
Jake: Ha, yeah. Um, for the most part, if I’m not working, then I’m out walking or biking or something. And if it’s too scorching for that, which it usually is, then I’m working on my music. Music is my life. It brings people together, you know? But, honestly, I spend a lot of time at home with Tad. Not your average teenager, I guess.

Q: You sure aren’t. But, I have to ask, if you love music so much, why aren’t you in the band?
Jake: Funny story, the guys asked me to be in their band. It was probably about two years ago now. They check up every now and then to see if I changed my mind. But I’m more of a solo act. Not like it’s an ego thing, just. I have a special relationship with my music. I don’t exactly like performing. I feel like everyone is always judging me.

Q: A trait you and Molly seem to share. What else have you noticed the two of you have in common?
Jake: Molly and I have a lot in common, I’m finding. We both love to write, for one thing. And we both love observing people. She’s a little more impulsive than I am. I like to think everything through logically, whereas she tends to just act. Actually, now that I think about it, we have about as much in common as we have different. But, it’s a good balance.

Q: Sounds like it. Now, you’ve basically grown up with your grandfather and Tad. That couldn’t have been a perfect balance all the time. What would your advice be to teens like yourself whose parents aren’t around?
Jake: Gee, that’s a tough one. But, I like to focus on the people I have in my life. Not the people I don’t. Everything happens for a reason, you know. People come and go, but the ones that stay for good, those are the ones who really matter. I can honestly say that not knowing my biological Mom always left me feeling a little incomplete. And when my dad left, it got even harder. But I always had Gumpa and Tad. And I figure there’s a reason I had the two of them instead of Mom and Dad. So, maybe, just focus on the good instead of the bad.

Q: That’s some really great advice. Obviously, your grandfather and your little brother are a very important part of your life.
Jake: You know, they really are. And now Molly is too. I have no doubt the two of us met when we did for a reason. Things have been a bit rough lately but I think having her around is really going to help.

Q: That is really great. Hopefully, the two of you can spend more time together now.
Jake: Yeah, actually, I think we’re going to end up going to the same school this fall. You know, for tenth grade. Geez, I tell you. It’ll be nice to have someone at school to talk to.

Q: So, am I to understand that you didn’t have many friends at your previous school?
Jake: Eh, not too many. Most of my friends are at church, and they’re really only surface friends, you know. It’s not like they really know me. The only good friend I have is Jim Collins. I think Molly mentioned him. We go way back, Jim and me. Used to race tricycles and have sand eating contests back in the day.

Q: Molly does mention Jim, actually. In fact, it almost seems as if she has feelings for him. How does that play into your relationship?
Jake: Truth is, Molly and I did hit it off. And it’s still hard, you know. I do love her. But I think the way things are is the way things should be. As far as Molly and Jim, well, between you and me, the two of them have secretly had it bad for each other forever. And if I know either of them I can pretty much guarantee you it’s going to be an adventure waiting for them to admit it.

Q: Well, that’s an adventure I think we’re all looking forward to. Thanks again for sharing with us. It has been great getting to know you a bit better and to hear the story ‘through your eyes’. And good luck with school this fall. We can’t wait to hear more about the special connection between you and Molly.
Jake: Sure thing. Molly definitely won’t be giving up on the story any time soon, I can tell you that.





About the Author:

Olivia Carter is a dual enrolled high school and college student residing in Arizona. She lives with her parents, younger brother, seven rescue cats and three dogs. She enjoys painting, photography, and looks forward to attending University with a major in ancient history.

Website: http://ocarterbooks.com/

Click for list of Jake's blog tour schedule at Irresistable Reads.




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Wordless Wednesday with Linky

Heart Touching Photos of Wordless Wednesday

I've been doing research for my upcoming novel and I ran across some heart wrenching photos that truly helped me construct my thoughts into meaningful words. As a writer, I need that emotional pull and tug on my heart sometimes. One of my characters is from Rwanda. Here's what inspired me.

Taken by James Natcheway. This Hutu man was against the genocide and placed in a concentration camp during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He was starved, and attacked with machetes. He was later freed and cared for by the Red Cross.

This Pulitzer Prize winning photos shows a heroic woman fighting against the militia all by herself on the West Bank settlement outpost of Amona, east of the Palestinian town of Ramallah. Her name is Nili. And she felt driven by a greater force, she later described as God giving her the courage to stand up and fight.
Photo was taken by Oded Balilty.



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GET INSPIRED!
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Summer Giveaway Hop 2013

Thanks for stopping by my Summer Giveaway Hop 2013! Let's make this simple. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form and you'll be entered to win.

What's up for grabs? (1) $15 Amazon Gift Card or up to $15 in purchases from the Book Depository.

How to enter: Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form.

There are over 100 blogs participating in this hop, so hop on over to them and enter their giveaways if you have time, you could win a lot of great prizes. The list of other blogs are at the bottom of the post. Thanks to BookHounds and I am a Reader for hosting this giveaway.

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