My book signing on Saturday was a lot of fun and a learning experience. I wish I would have told the local paper that I was going to be signing books and that I had given more thought to creating poster/signs outside of the gallery.
It was great to see everyone, the turn out was good. I had the response I've had to The Perfect Country and Western Story - has all been positive.
A big thanks to everyone who showed up on Saturday, I appreciate your support and next Friday on the 19th - I will be signing books at the Elks 44nClub in Brooklyn Park.
February 13...I'll be at the Robbin Gallery 4915 42nd Ave N., Robbinsdale, MN 55422 (
Signing books from 1 to 3 pm...
If you're in the neighborhood stop by and say, "Hi."
The Robbin Art Gallery is located two blocks east of Highway 100 on 42nd Avenue North in the Robbinsdale Historic Library Building. Look to your right for a high wooden privacy fence, then a beautiful brick library just before the railroad tracks. Turn RIGHT before the railroad tracks and park on the side street.
ISBN: 978-1-935348-58-0 Genres: Fantasy Romance Cover Artist: Mira Romano Book Length: Novel Heat Level: Spicy Word Count: 82,800
Blurb-
With rock-hard fortitude, Marohka Taunton battles to maintain her position as top mineralogist and refuses to see why she should marry even if the law requires she take a mate. Fighting her attraction for Stihl Fermesium, she struggles to save her father’s company.
Stihl, determined to win her as his mate, is faced with the commission deal of a lifetime and needs the money to save his family land. He wrestles with her emotional resistance and discovers someone other than Marohka is unhappy about their union. In fact, they want to separate them in the most basic of ways, death.
With the stairs a few steps ahead, she tasted victory and allowed herself a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."
A masculine voice in front of her chuckled. "It’s not over yet, princess."
Marohka paused to inspect the stranger. The laughter reflected in his warm brown eyes—surprised, the intelligent focus—intrigued, and the dark spark of interest—captivated. A foreign response slithered through her chest. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Her heartbeat rang in her ears. Her hands turned clammy. Awareness of the man claimed her senses.
His face, framed by dark brown hair, showed rough lines of strength and fortitude. A crooked nose, a square jaw, and a chiseled chin marked his unique personality. Added together, the sum indicated the man rarely backed down from a fight. He’d stand up for his beliefs and defeat his opponents. His lopsided grin with a dimple at the corner of his mouth teased her.
A silly feature on such a stern face. The little mark claimed her heart and spoke of a rare sense of humor, a trait absent in most men.
A tingle ran down her spine. Her toes curled. Either as an appealing partner or a worthy adversary, the man presented a dangerous combination. Right then, without question, Marohka decided never to cross paths with him again.
"It is for me," she responded to his comment. She lifted her chin a little higher and repaired the chip in her armor with a sassy comeback. "But you’re welcome to any of the girls behind me. I’m sure they’ll enjoy your charm."
Marohka lifted her skirt and swept up the stairs. The sound of his laughter spoiled her intended snub.
I am so excited.... I can't wait to hold my paperback...
Alexandra has the Stetson hat, now all she needs is the cowboy. But with three days and over 50,000 faces to search, will she be able to find the man who stole her heart?
Ben still can’t believe he was foolish enough to let the beautiful thief walk away with his autographed cowboy hat. If the heartbreaker dares to show up at Country Time again this year, he’ll not only be looking to get his hat back, but aiming for a little payback as well.
The month of January is Cowboy Lovin Stop by the The Cozy Page I'll be there January 28th - and I'll be talking more about Visioning and how visioning helps me write.
Visions... about 3 years ago I was down in South Padre Island with my sister and we went into Karens Custom Toe Rings.... and I knew I wanted one, but was running short on money... So, I decided when I turned 50 I was going to have a toe ring.
This year my daughter was on South Padre Island for New Year's Eve... and guess what she brought back for me....
Amber’s on her way to spend the Christmas holidays with her grandmother, accompanied by her faithful mischief-making dog, Charlie. On a snow covered road in a rural part of the country, Amber gets a flat tire and Charlie locks her out of the car. Enter Tony, a charming resident who helps Amber call a tow. Amber is smitten by Tony, but once he drops her off at her grandmother’s house, she wonders if she’ll ever see the handsome Good Samaritan again. The pacing is just right, leaving the reader, and Amber, worried for her as she tries to get help for her flat tire in the snow-covered road bank. Amber and Tony are characters that embody the Christmas spirit of giving and receiving. The story is told in the first person by Amber and Columbus does a great job capturing Amber’s own unique voice. The romance is “sweet” for CRR. Overall, Christmas Mischief is a heartwarming holiday read.
1. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. (hint: consists of a coconut center topped with an almond and coated with milk chocolate?)
2. A man is sitting on the edge of his bed with a rather ill look on his face and he says "I can't believe I ate the WHOLE thing". (hint: "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz")
3. NFL quarterback who appeared in a television commercial wearing women's Stockings... (hint: he wore number 12 for the Jets and was quoted saying, “When you win, nothing hurts.”
4. You'll wonder where the yellow went... (hint: The product's manufacturers ran a television advertising campaign for 'New Formula', featuring the 'You'll wonder where the yellow went' jingle from 1948 onwards.
5. What builds strong bodies 12 ways? (hint: Red yellow and blue balloons printed on the wrapper.)
Answers: 1. Almond Joy's got nuts / Mounds don't 2. Alka Seltzer 3. Joe Namath 4. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent? 5. Wonder Bread.
In 1998, a warehouse worker in the UK was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing more than 300 tons of what candy bar?
Snickers, Three Musketeers, Mars Bars, Butterfinger
Hint 1.76 ounces is 233 calories....
Mars Bar In 1998, Martin Keys, a former shift manager at an Oxfordshire warehouse, was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing eight lorry loads of Mars bars, worth approximately £70,000 each. Keys attempted to use his knowledge of the warehouse computer system to cover up the thefts. The stolen candy was said to have weighed more than 300 tons!
And for those who are wondering about the symptoms of anal glaucoma....
It's when you dial up the boss and say..."I'm afraid I won't be able to come into work today."
Of course the boss asks, "What's the matter?"
"I have a case of anal glaucoma," you say in a weak, nasal voice just a little bit louder than a whisper.
I am the guest blogger at The Word Place on Monday, October 19. ... Stop by for a visit and find out why I believe I have written the perfect country and western story.
What candy bar made its debut in 1912 as a premium 5-cent candy bar, and was met with much success… hint the candy contains a creamy maple center covered with real milk chocolate and fresh unsalted Virginia peanuts.
On Sunday, October 11, 2009 seriouslyreviewed.blogspot.com rated Trust Your Heart by Christine Columbus – Lifetime Keeper to be read and reread. Review: WOW!!!! I am not sure if I have ever wanted to slap so many secondary characters in my life! Ms Columbus, you have done such a fabulous job creating the emotions for this story that I wanted to jump into the pages and wring the necks of a couple of the nasty people who were total jerks to Michelle. Both main characters were so wonderful. Emotion ran rampant and more than once I experienced the emotion right along with them. When I read a story that can do that, I am at a loss for words. The beginning, middle and end left me a very satisfied reader. *Snaps* for a job well done and a toast for more to come from this talented author :)
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Blurb: Michelle, a divorced mother of two preschool children living in a Minneapolis suburb, maintains her subscription to her hometown newspaper. So when she bumps into childhood friend David, she already knew he was successful and a bachelor, but what the paper forgot to mention was how he had matured into a handsome man. Memories of their past resurface, and once more, she envisions playing house with him. Although this time it's the adult-rated version, where he's selling software that threatens her job, her co-workers refuse to play nice, her ex-husband is acting just plain weird and the hometown paper is in an uproar over who is sending her flowers and who she should date. Michelle doesn’t know whom to believe until she steps back and looks deep within and trusts her heart. POSTED BY ROMANCEREADER AT 10:36 AM LABELS: CHRISTINE COLUMBUS, REVIEW, THE WILD ROSE PRESS, TRUST YOUR HEART
In Minnesota we say, “Hot Dish.” Which is what we call baked casseroles – You Know… It’s like “Pop” for Soda… Or “Winnner” that season that last six months long and every conversation starts with “Shur is cold out…”
If you’d the recipe for Tootin Cowboys check out susanstthomas.blogspot.com
20 million pounds of Candy Corn is sold each year – if the kernels were laid end to end, they would circle the Earth 4.5 times. Candy Corn is made from sugar, corn syrup and honey…
...CANDY CORN BARK....
INGREDIENTS 16 sandwich cookies, chopped 1 1/2 cups broken small pretzels 1/3 cup raisins or 1/3 cup chopped nuts 1 1/2 pounds white chocolate, broken into squares 2 cups candy corn orange and brown sprinkles DIRECTIONS Spread the cookies, pretzels and raisins evenly onto a lightly greased small baking sheet. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from the heat while there are still a few chunks, and stir until smooth. White chocolate burns easily. Drizzle chocolate with a spoon over the goodies in the pan, spreading the top flat to coat evenly. Top with candy corn and sprinkles. Let cool until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
