Brian Storming Process....

What is your brainstorming process for a new book?


You know how there are people who sing in the shower...

Writers-on-writing at TessQuinn.com

http://tessquinn.com/writers-on-writing-christine-columbus/

5 Diamonds

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Perfect Country and Western Story by Christine Columbus


T
Rating: 5 Diamonds
Heat Level: Sensual
Reviewer: Starla Kaye
Date: 2-18-09
Alexandra found the love of her life at a music fest a year ago and lost him the same day. A family tragedy tore her away from the event while he’d gone to bring friends back to meet her. Leaving so unexpectedly, she took with her a Stetson autographed by Toby Keith that he’d temporarily had her hold. Guilt has weighed heavily on her as much as her longing to see him again at this year’s event. If he comes…if she can find him in a crowd of 50,000…if he’ll forgive her for leaving with his prized hat. So many ifs.
Ben thought he’d found ‘The One’ a year ago, but evidently he’d been wrong. He’d left her alone for a few minutes at the fest and when he’d returned, she was gone, along with a prized hat he’d intended to give to his disabled younger brother. And he hadn’t even gotten her name. All he could hope for was that she’d come to this year’s fest, with his hat. He was no longer interested in anything more from her.


But love can be a complicated thing. It can twist a person’s emotions around and make them be stubborn at times. And yet sometimes it finds a way to bring people back together. If you enjoy second chance at love stories as much as I do, then this book is for you.
Posted by GOT EROTIC ROMANCE? at 5:59 PM
Labels: Christine Columbus, Starla Kaye, The Perfect Country and Western Story, The Wild Rose Press


http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/2010/02/perfect-country-and-western-story-by.html

First Book Signing A Success

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.

Saturday I'll be signing books....

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.

30 years ago

Thirty years ago my high school sweetheart said, “Promise me you’ll always write under your name.”

“Sure, but why?” I stared into his Wiley Coyote eyes.

Stop by http:// kmnbooks.blogspot.com

To find out why and for a chance to win a 3 pack of short stories (pdf) - Uncle Mike's Love, Coffee and Love To Go and Happy Meal.

Here's the link:
http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com/

Do you know the answer...

… people should ____________________ as many times as they can…

Hint…

Stop by www. HeroinesWithHeart.Blogspot.com
And read the interview with Christine Columbus
http://www.heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/

After Reading many posts – about Book Signings…

I have come up with a list of advice…

(of course feel free to correct or add to the list)

Prior to signing check out the store …

do they have any posters or fliers announcing the event…

Let the local paper know you’ll be signing books, maybe they have someone that wants to come to the event take a picture …

do an interview…

On the big day arrive 15 to 20 minutes early…

bring a camera (to snap your picture with the manager) –

bring small token of appreciation… flowers, chocolate…

Dress in layers in case you end up freezing…

Be approachable…

I guess that’s where taking off the layers would come into play…

Bring friends…and give aways…or give away your friends…

Potential customers are always shyer that the author…

So try to make them feel comfortable…

Smile…

(imagine everyone with their clothes off – until you start laughing

– than redress the customers in layers)

Have friends, family acquaintance stop by

and fondle and gush over your books…

create a little buzz…

if you can’t find friends to show up…maybe a flashing blue light…

a blue light to customers is like a bug zapper to insects…

just can’t stay away.

Offer anyone passing by a friendly hello

and a book marker or flyer a postcard

with you book cover on the front…(try not to stare

if you are still imagining them running around

in their birthday suits)

If the book store has a coffee shop…

place your book or table tents advertising your book signing….

Include an excerpt…

Also arrange to have your book displayed at the cash register.

Have people sign-up for a drawing or a raffle…

have people sign up for a mailing list…

Entice them closer to your table

with the scent of chocolate…

any food should do…

(After all it works for Costco to offer free samples)

When they approach your table

hand them your book when you introduce yourself.

People are too shy to pick up a book,

but if you hand them one, they will start to flip through it…

maybe start reading it…

maybe even buy it.

If you have a great reviews…

show them off in a frame or plaque and place it on your table…

have some of the reviews printed that you can hand off to customers…

Have Fun and Remember You are Living The Dream…

You Wrote a Book…

You Get to Sign Your Name…

Where to sign?

Title page - this is usually a facing page

(i.e. right hand side), and it usually only has the

book's title printed on it.

What to sign?

If you know the name of the owner of the book,

a brief personalized note is nice…

remember to correctly spell their name…

When my childrens story Nothing At All was published

it was fun to write…

I hope you enjoy ‘Nothing At All’

Christine Columbus

And you can always sign with the standard…

Enjoy the read,

Happy reading,

Or have the customer do the work…

have half sheet fliers with your picture of you

and your book cover…

For a personalize book please print the name

you would like inscribed with a brief message…

ie Happy Birthday…Happy Anniversary… Thank you…etc

2/27 Writers Helping Writers - EGG - Cerpt

Mating Rituals

from Amira Press

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.

Excerpt-

Staring straight ahead, Marohka Taunton avoided eye contact with every man she passed. Moving along the edge of the dance floor, she wove her way back and forth across the assigned path. Her steps, jerky and clumsy, she hid her natural smooth gait. No man, in his right mind, craved an ungraceful wife. At least, she hoped not.

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.

Find at www.amirapress.com

Thanks for participating in the Egg-cerpt Exchange,

Tina Gayle

www.tinagayle.net

Early Bird Relase....

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 Perfect Country and Western Story (paperback)

• by Christine Columbus

Retail Price: $11.99

Visions

Drop on by and say, "Hi."

01/22/10
Interviewed by Ana, stop by
Heroines With Hearts

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....

Last year it was Hot glühwein

Last year it was Hot glühwein at the Christmas Markets in Germany.

This year it will have to be mulled wine in Minnesota…

Mulling Spice Mix

The recipe makes 14 spice bags.

If you are giving as a gift, be sure to include the recipe instructions.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

14 double-layer cheesecloth 5-inch squares

14 (10-inch) lengths of white string

3 ounces whole cinnamon sticks

6 whole nutmegs (1 ounce)

1/3 cup chopped dried orange peel

1/3 cup chopped dried lemon peel

1/4 cup allspice berries

1/4 cup whole cloves

2 Tablespoons finely chopped, crystallized ginger (1 ounce)

Preparation:
Place cinnamon sticks and nutmegs into a heavy freezer bag. Smash into small pieces with a mallet or heavy pan.

In a bowl place orange peel, lemon peels, allspice, cloves, and ginger. Stir in small pieces from freezer bag.

Place equal amounts of the mix on the center of each cheesecloth square. Secure with string. For gifts remember to include the directions.

Yield: 14 bags each will spice a 750 ml bottle of red wine - 3-1/4 cups wine.

Mulled Wine Recipe Instructions

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup white granulated sugar

3-1/4 cups (750 ml bottle) red wine

1 mulling spice bag

Combine water and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Stir until sugar dissolves.

Add wine and spice bag.

Heat wine slowly over low heat and only until small bubbles
form around the edge of the pan.

Do not boil.

Discard spice bag and serve hot.

Remember When.... Tis The Season

Remember when happiness was:

An Easy Bake Oven, Electric Football Game, Barbie, G.I.Joe, Legos, Twister and my favorite Tiny Tears doll.

Rock Em Sock em Robots, (I’ll knock your block off) Hot Wheels, Spirograph, Kerplunk and Pong video game, mood ring and a pet rock.

Now at 50 Happiness is:

Family, Health and Love, Safe Travel, Big Smiles and Warm Hugs, Tis The Season….

4.5 wings

Classic Romance Revival gives Christmas Mischief 4.5 Wings

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.

http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?p=1511

Happy Thanksgiving

The drink that the Puritans brought with them in the Mayflower was.....









Beer.

I'm blogging at Dayana Knight . blogspot Stop on over and leave a comment for a
chance to win a download of Trust Your Heart.

www.dayanaknight.blogspot.com

Do You Remember theses ads?

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.

Candy Trivia

Candy Trivia

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.

"What the hell is anal glaucoma?"

"I can't see my butt coming into work today."

The Perfect Country and Western Story...

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.


www. judythewordplace.blogspot.com

Candy Trivia

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.

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My First Review

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

Tootin Cowboys?

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

How to make Tootin Cowboys