Sharla Lovelace

sassy . snarky . sexy . romance

On the 10th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Lauren gives to you…

The lovely tenth Bookmas Clue!!

What modernist literature author does Lauren particularly dislike reading?

** Insert howl here **

Go to BookEnds to see Lauren’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 9th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Kim gives to you…

The awesome ninth Bookmas Clue!!

Are you enjoying the game?  Just to let you know, on Friday, which is the 12th and last day of the contest, I will be having a little contest of my own for a prize.  Definitely come back in here on that day!!

Now…on to the clue…

What three authors has Kim chosen to read more than once?

** The first letter of each of these authors’ last names spells WAS **

Go to BookEnds to see Kim’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 8th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Jessica F. gives to you…

The awesome eighth Bookmas Clue!!

While Jessica F. was traveling to New Zealand this past summer, what two books by the same author did she catch up on?

** This author holds a special place in my heart, as she was the one Jessica recommended to me, in a conversation that indirectly led to query/partial/full…and her being my rockstar agent! **

Go to BookEnds to see Jessica’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 7th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Lauren gives to you…

The lovely seventh Bookmas Clue!!

What 3 books are Lauren’s picks for her Christmas vacation reads?

** Answers are scrambled! **

1.  RALOPTRIGHTEEAM
2.  GRINSUCCHITHET
3.  261321

Go to BookEnds to see Lauren’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 6th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Kim gives to you…

The lovely sixth Bookmas Clue!!

What works were Kim’s wall art excerpted from and who were their authors?

** To be or not to be…that is the question.**

Go to BookEnds to see Kim’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 5th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Jessica A. gives to you…

The lovely fifth Bookmas Clue!!

What was the first book Jessica A. found for Harlequin Historical?  And the first book she found for Love Inspired?

** first answer is a color but it’s not.  second answer could be a woman or an emotion **

Go to BookEnds to see Jessica A.’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 4th day of Bookmas…

…Agent Lauren gives to you…

The lovely fourth Bookmas Clue!!

At what two companies did Lauren complete her internships?

** One we love… the other–think of  XFactor **

Go to BookEnds to see Lauren’s complete puzzle description and leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 3rd day of Bookmas…

…Kim L. gives to you…

The lovely third Bookmas Clue!!

What piece did Kim have to memorize in her 10th grade English class and who wrote it?  And what author did Kim do her 11th grade presentation on and what’s the title of that author’s most famous work?

** four part answer…  BCOWBREAKYJ (scrambled) / author initials LC,    then CAREEBC (scrambled) / author is French**

Go to BookEnds for more on Kim’s description and to leave your answer, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 2nd day of Bookmas…

…Jessica A. gives to you…

The lovely second Bookmas Clue!!

What was the first romance Jessica Alvarez ever read?

** The title has three words, and the first word means “balance”. **

Go to BookEnds to leave your answer, and see more on Jessica’s story.  Use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for this day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

On the 1st Day of Bookmas…

…Jessica F. gives to you…

The very first Bookmas Clue!!

** I would love to live there…especially where it is dark. **

Go to BookEnds to see the Dec 1 puzzle, and use my clue above and those of the other authors listed on the BookEnds post to solve it!   First one to comment (on the BookEnds site) correctly, wins prizes for that day!

You can also follow some clues and leads at the hashtag #bookmas

Good luck!  And happy hunting!!

Fun book giveaway contest at BookEnds!

Well, I’m officially back from hiatus…and I’d love to say I completed book two…but no.  I am, however, on a better momentum with it, so I have hopes to finish by the end of the year.  That sounds better than the end of this next month, which is the same thing.

Today I want to announce a fun game/contest my agent Jessica Faust is putting on over at the BookEnds blog.  She did this last year as well, for any of you who might have participated then.  It is a spin on the Twelve Days of Christmas, called “The Twelve Days of Bookmas Giveaway” and involves a daily question posted by one of the agents–something that could involve their work life, personal life, books they’ve read, etc.   They post the question, and then their clients post clues to the answers on their own websites/Twitter/Facebook pages.  It’s a hoot, and by blog-bopping around, you get to meet new authors!

The first person to correctly answer the question in the comments section of the BookEnds blog that day is the winner, and will be announced the next day.

*FREE BOOKS!   FREE BOOKS!*

 Each new daily question will be posted no earlier than noon EST, which is 11am CST for me, so my clues will be posted at that time.

Head over to BookEnds right now, they have posted all the details and rules today!   Contest starts tomorrow December 1st!

So I will see y’all tomorrow here at 11am CST/noon EST for the first clue!  Yay!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Popping in to wish you all a very blessed Thanksgiving Day!!

So….while we all celebrate this holiday in different ways….some with turkey, some with gumbo, some with lasagna… (my table does NOT look like the above, by the way…) the basic idea is the same.  To reflect on the year, and the blessings you’ve been given.

For me… there are the things I’m always thankful for.  My family, my amazing supportive and loving husband, my kids who almost aren’t kids anymore.  They are 21 and just short of 17.  My old lady dog, Ruby.  The 21 cockatiels in our backyard aviary that are enjoying a little bigger feast this morning.  My awesome friends, both in person and online.  For having a day job which although I gripe about from time to time…it is a huge blessing to have nowadays.  Then to look at this year…I’m thankful for the new people that came into my life.  My friends at TCPT who showed me about dedication, the amazing PT family I got out of that.  My agent, Jessica, in February and my editor, Wendy, in April.  For a brand new book deal and entering the business side of this industry that I’ve been knocking on the doors of for ten years.  For getting more involved in my RWA-WF chapter, for being a part of Women Unplugged, and for being so blessed with the opportunity to keep writing.

So what are you thankful for this year?

 

 

Going under till Turkey Day! Slap me if you see me!

If I go a little awol for the next month, just letting you know that I’m going deep into the bat cave to get back on track.   🙂

I’m a bit behind on hitting my deadline for book two…there have been a couple of derailments knocking me off course, and so I’m unplugging.  (gasp!) 

I will still do my every other Wednesday post over at Women Unplugged, our group blog, because that’s not a big time pull.  But I’m not planning to blog here till Thanksgiving.  That’s my goal.   By Thanksgiving, I want to be hot on the heels of completion.   Oh dear Lord, please hear that. 

I won’t lie…I will still check things on my phone here and there…because I’m just not that good. LOL.   But I’ve already turned TweetDeck off on my computer at home which normally is always up.  I’m going to write longhand till it’s time to type it in, so I’m not tempted to go anywhere.  And I love longhand anyway.

So if you see me on Twitter or Facebook, call me out!  Slap me around!  Kick me back into that chair and tell me there will be no holiday sweets for me if I don’t get busy!   

Oooooh, that should do it.   🙂

Not the normal girl…

I have a very close friend who loves to go to the grocery store.  She loves to cook, and therefore browses the store with love, looking for that next culinary adventure.  I have more than a few friends like that, actually.

I do love to eat, and I do love amazing food.  But it doesn’t come from me.  I dig out a post it note with absolute disgust when the fridge gets pathetically skinny, knowing that I need to go to that place with the carts and the aisles and the endless cans and packages.   I go out of guilt, because you can only stop for Sonic and Dairy Queen so many times before your family starts to dry heave.

My sister in law adores cleaning.  Kind of fanatically, actually, I mean she has days assigned to certain parts of the house.  But my point is, she enjoys it.  She loves that feeling of a clean house.  Her house is so immaculate, that when I walk in and she gets all embarrassed over some invisible piece of lint or a pillow on the chair instead of the couch…I want to bury my head in shame.

My house is a perpetual experience in chaos.  I would love to say it’s just clutter.  I would kill to say it’s actually clean.  But it isn’t.  I have earthtoned tile for a reason, because I know how long it’s going to be between mopping.  I have a dog that can generate two of herself in dog hair every three days, and that is something that should be swept every day but isn’t.  I do pretty well on the laundry, but towels only get folded when the cabinet is empty, and the dining room table we never use only gets swiped clean of the boxes / paperwork / school notes / book notes / random whatevers that land there daily in the universal junk pile…when we have company coming.  Ditto to the mopping.  

I would give my left foot for a maid.  And I pick that appendage because my left foot always gives me grief anyway so what the hell.

It’s not that I don’t want to love to cook.  It’s not that I don’t want to live in a cleaned and primped house.  I would love both.  I have approximately four dishes that I do well, and I have to spread them out or my family will be on to the fact that I really do suck.   I love it when my house is clean, I just unfortunately don’t love the “doing it” portion of that equation.  I barely get writing time as it is, so I’m feeling pretty darn domestic if I get off work, go to the stinking store, cook and do laundry and write something beyond a paragraph all in one night.

So… tell me about you.  Are other people like you?  Can you invite people over without a panic attack?   Can you cook more than spaghetti?

🙂

 

Paying It Forward!

In the spirit of linky-love today, I’d like to direct your attention to my “Links” page.   Over there is a long list of wonderful places I’d love to visit every day but there isn’t enough of me or hours to go around. 

I do make a point of picking five random ones each day to visit and comment on, and I highly recommend them all!  Go check out the page, and if you feel so moved, pick five of your own to visit!  

And to further the spirit… leave me a comment below with a new link of your favorite blog to visit.  Because…yanno…even though I already have too many places to go, I’m always looking for a new trip!

 

What’s Your Creative Process?

I mentioned a couple of days ago how my writing process works when all the stars line up in a perfect world.  Because–that’s what we all have, right?   🙂

Being a character-driven writer, I don’t come up with the story first and then fill in with characters.  I let the characters find me, and the story will come.  I should have known my latest attempt was all back-ass-wards when I spent most of a day on name databases looking for the perfect name for my mc.  That should have been the first clue!

Because yesterday, as I sat on my front porch bench at home, staring across the street at my mother’s old house…the one I grew up in and is now inhabited by strangers and doesn’t look like the picture below anymore… my mc came and sat next to me, stared at the same house, and told me her name is Emily. 

I was full of happy…

Because even though I don’t know what the story is yet, I know it’s going to be about this house, and besides that, I’m getting to know her and that is where the good stuff comes from.

I knew Dani from THE REASON IS YOU long before I knew her story.  I knew her name was Dani Shane, and I felt the weight of the world on her shoulders as she drove down a highway in the heat of the summer in an old car with no air conditioning.  That’s how she started.  I knew nothing else.

Now, I’ll wait for Emily.

So tell me about you.  If you write, are you plot driven or character driven?  If you are an artist, where does your inspiration come from?  Whatever you do…what inspires you?

Revisions, dreams, and potato chips

Finished editor revisions this weekend…YAY!!!!  HAPPY DANCE!  Well…maybe it’s too soon for the happy dance.  I finished them, I sent them, with a note that I took out all 543 “glances” and 88 “eyerolls’.  Ok, that’s an exaggeration, but truly, once I did a search on those, it was scary.  Editor Extraordinaire (EE) thought so too, as she pointed out many of them (hence, my curiosity to search).  But as I was saying, the revisions may be sent, but until EE does the sign of the cross on them, they aren’t final.

And I’m playing with a new character the last few days.  From a distance…she hasn’t come to introduce herself yet…but I’m hopeful.  Since what I was doing for book two tanked, I’m trying not to push this one.  Trying to let it come to me with its magic and settle in all happy and content.

“Trying” being the key word there.  Trying to let it come to me while actually saying “come on, already, don’t be so freakin’ poky!”

In the meantime, I had two dreams last night.  One that I was driving a boat that became a roller coaster.  The second was that I had a booksigning for THE REASON IS YOU and nobody showed up.  Want to guess which one was more horrifying? 

*wide-eyed stare*

Yeah.  Let’s all hold hands (or here, just hold mine) and think positive thoughts that that won’t happen.

Okay, now I have to go do the day job, so my family can keep eating me out of house and home in potato chips, and then the grocery store for more chips, and then I’ll have my bootcamp workout and laundry and dinner…and then maybe play with that character again.  If she’ll quit being so elusive.

What are your plans today?  Well, you can go over to Women Unplugged and read Christy’s take yesterday on dogs and their people.  Too cute.

Then what?

What would you do?

In the course of my day so far today, at work at my day job and worrying about editor revisions for book one and new ideas for book two and the workout program we have to do tonight and whether my daughter is keeping up with her homework and whether we have milk and what we need to do before the parade I just found out is this weekend since my daughter didn’t inform me… (stopping to inhale…..)    I’ve come to realize something important. 

I need to be rich.

I mean, not the filthy stinking buy-diamond-encrusted-dog-bowls kind of rich, but the kind of rich that warrants the following:

  • Quitting my day job—-do I really need to explain?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.
  • A maid—-because with my full time job and after work responsibilities, there is not enough of me to write AND do laundry AND clean the house.  And I’m tired of the dirt and the clutter.
  • A cook—-same reason as above…and they would then clean the stovetop or delegate to said maid.
  • A personal shopper—-ditto ditto ditto…and maybe between this person and the cook, my family and I would stand half a chance to eat something healthy and not in a box.
  • An office—-granted I sort of semi-have one.  See Women Unplugged post here for details on that.  But I’m talking about a real one.  With an airtight/noiseproof seal and a keypad that only I can unlock so I can shut myself in there.
  • A personal trainer—-so I can stay in shape when I actually make it out of that awesome office.

That’s the kind of rich I’m talking about.  I’d be satisfied with that!  I mean, I’m not talking about needing a cluster of clones…which would be cool too, but that would be getting greedy.  And maybe a little creepy.  And possibly confusing for my husband. 

But the little band of helpers I’m asking for?  Especially the MAID?  Oh my goodness, I could handle that.

So….if you were suddenly rich, what kind of rich would you want?  And what would you do with it?

 

 

Random and rewriting and Cheers!

Oh the craziness today.  And pardon the ADHD randomness, but I’m pinging everywhere.

Do you feel it?  It’s raining down on me…okay not REALLY raining down on me…although it was supposed to because Tropical Depression 35…(13?…33?…one of those “3” numbers) was headed our way.  Now it’s going more north, which is good for us, not good for Louisiana, but I would like a band or two of the wet stuff to stray off our way.  My grass is dead.

Not that it is gone…it’s dead but the weeds are still green.  They are like alligators and cockroaches.  They never die out.

I have to hit the road for Friday night football tonight (go Indians!) because darling daughter marches at halftime.  And while we make the hour and a half trek, I’ll be working on a rewrite of book two.  In my head. 

And hopefully retain those thoughts and not spew them out with the yelling I’m going to do at tonight’s game. 

Everyone have a wonderful holiday weekend!  I’m going to do nothing but write like a coffee-crazed wild-eyed woman.   *holds up coffee cup*  Cheers!

 

The Back-To-School Train

The Back To School train.

Yeah…. 

Depending upon your perspective on those words, they can make you breathe a sigh of relief or pull your hair out.

I know some fortunate people who don’t work outside the home, that do that “sighing” thing.  They are tickled to death to have the house to themselves again, free of chaos and noise. 

I’m not one of those people.  I work full time, write every other possible moment, do laundry/cooking/cleaning (ok not so much) during those same moments.  So back to school time is a nightmare for me.  Summer is the one time I DON’T have to worry about homework being done, projects being forgotten/late/researched, after-school practices, meetings, tests, football games (see prev post), little sis gifts, and grades.   Back To School is a train that roars loud through the whole first semester.

Not that I should have to worry about all that…my daughter is a junior…but I do.  She doesn’t.  She doesn’t because she knows that I do.  LOL.  If it were up to her, life would float by and hand her what she needs when she needs it, and it doesn’t seem to matter how many times that concept slaps her down…she doesn’t change.   She wants to…I’ll give her that.  She always has good intentions.  But that cable that connects intentions to actuality?  Yanno…the red cable with the yellow dots…not the black one.  Yeah, that one.  She’s missing it. 

I give her journals to keep track of things because the Momma Can’t Keep Doing This train is about to derail,

but they stay blank or full of notes (to friends, not classes) or pictures she’s doodled or story ideas she has (she’s a writer too).

But the Momma Can’t Keep Doing This train isn’t loud enough, apparently.  I’m wondering if the Your Car Stays Home Give Me Your Keys train will be louder in a few months.  

What are your thoughts?  Are your kids self-sufficient in that respect, or do you have your own trains to manage?

 

  • About Sharla

    sharlaAward winning author of sassy, sexy love stories. Texas girl. Wife of Superman. Frequently speak of coffee, dogs, TV shows & men with sexy eyes. {Read More}

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  • Reader Reviews

    Don’t Let Go Review from The Romance Room

    Sharla Lovelace has produced one of the most emotionally charged and beautifully written second-chance love stories I have read in a very long time. The characters, the storyline, the twists, the surprises, the emotions, the tears.. everything… it’s just the most perfect book. - The Romance Room
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:44:18-06:00
    Sharla Lovelace has produced one of the most emotionally charged and beautifully written second-chance love stories I have read in a very long time. The characters, the storyline, the twists, the surprises, the emotions, the tears.. everything… it’s just the most perfect book. - The Romance Room

    Don’t Let Go review by Vilma’s Book Blog

    A beautiful story about second chances brimming with all the feels you can imagine. One of my absolute favorites this year! - Vilma's Book Blog
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:46:47-06:00
    A beautiful story about second chances brimming with all the feels you can imagine. One of my absolute favorites this year! - Vilma's Book Blog

    The Reason Is You review from Jodi Thomas

    “A hauntingly beautiful story from a writer with a fresh new voice.” - Jodi Thomas, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:49:38-06:00
    “A hauntingly beautiful story from a writer with a fresh new voice.” - Jodi Thomas, NY Times and USA Today bestselling author

    The Reason is You review by Kathryn Magendie

    “A spot-on debut novel, Sharla Lovelace’s prose is smart, witty, funny, with a hot sexy edge that makes The Reason Is You an oh-so-tantalizing romantic journey…the line between our world and the mystical one is deliciously blurred.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Tender Graces, Secret Graces, Family Graces, Sweetie
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:51:23-06:00
    “A spot-on debut novel, Sharla Lovelace’s prose is smart, witty, funny, with a hot sexy edge that makes The Reason Is You an oh-so-tantalizing romantic journey…the line between our world and the mystical one is deliciously blurred.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Tender Graces, Secret Graces, Family Graces, Sweetie

    The Reason is You review by Therese Walsh

    “The Reason Is You is a romantic story about love, ghosts, and second chances.  But under all of that, it’s a story about redemption.  This novel is the definition of a page-turner.” ~ Therese Walsh, author of The Last Will of Moira Leahy
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:52:05-06:00
    “The Reason Is You is a romantic story about love, ghosts, and second chances.  But under all of that, it’s a story about redemption.  This novel is the definition of a page-turner.” ~ Therese Walsh, author of The Last Will of Moira Leahy

    Before and Ever Since review by Romantic Times Book Reviews

    "Lovelace does a great job of bridging the past with the present. The characters are smart, funny and well rounded. It is refreshing to see a female character, with obvious vulnerabilities, exhibit such strength in situations that would make other women cringe." ~Romantic Times Book Reviews
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:53:31-06:00
    "Lovelace does a great job of bridging the past with the present. The characters are smart, funny and well rounded. It is refreshing to see a female character, with obvious vulnerabilities, exhibit such strength in situations that would make other women cringe." ~Romantic Times Book Reviews

    Before and Ever Since review by Joyfully Reviewed

    "Before And Ever Since is a beautifully crafted, thought provoking story that engaged me from the first few words. The chemistry between Emily and Ben was sizzling hot, and I was quite enamored of these two attempting to work things out…that I could NOT put this story down until I finished it."  ~ Joyfully Reviewed, November 2012 Recommended Read
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:54:52-06:00
    "Before And Ever Since is a beautifully crafted, thought provoking story that engaged me from the first few words. The chemistry between Emily and Ben was sizzling hot, and I was quite enamored of these two attempting to work things out…that I could NOT put this story down until I finished it."  ~ Joyfully Reviewed, November 2012 Recommended Read

    Before and Ever Since review by Rhapsody Book Club

    "Emotionally rich and beautifully told, Sharla Lovelace’s Before And Ever Since is a magical tale of love and family. You’ll hate for it to end."  ~Rhapsody Book Club
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:56:14-06:00
    "Emotionally rich and beautifully told, Sharla Lovelace’s Before And Ever Since is a magical tale of love and family. You’ll hate for it to end."  ~Rhapsody Book Club

    Before and Ever Since review by Cocktails & Books

    "Sharla Lovelace is a gifted storyteller. She creates characters that are very down-to-earth, flawed and understand that there isn’t a fairy tale happily ever after waiting for them at the end. It’s raw, it’s gritty and it’s not tied up with a pretty bow, which makes it feel so very real. I look forward to reading more from Sharla Lovelace in the future."    ~Cocktails & Books
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-03-06T12:56:58-06:00
    "Sharla Lovelace is a gifted storyteller. She creates characters that are very down-to-earth, flawed and understand that there isn’t a fairy tale happily ever after waiting for them at the end. It’s raw, it’s gritty and it’s not tied up with a pretty bow, which makes it feel so very real. I look forward to reading more from Sharla Lovelace in the future."    ~Cocktails & Books

    Loving The Chase review by Publishers Weekly

    "...the excitement of Texas’s dramatic weather and Maddi and Zach’s dramatic history make [Loving The Chase] an exhilarating and satisfying read."  ~Publishers Weekly
    Sharla Lovelace
    2015-06-02T00:05:44-05:00
    "...the excitement of Texas’s dramatic weather and Maddi and Zach’s dramatic history make [Loving The Chase] an exhilarating and satisfying read."  ~Publishers Weekly
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    Sharla Lovelace