Vote for my heroine's nick name.

The heroine in my WIP is a highly intelligent woman, who has a lot of self-doubts and is very klutzy. Her name is Leslie McAllister. I can change the last name, but not the first. Leslie is a character in my Christmas story release - A COWBOY'S DREAM. I asked a few days ago for some suggestions. All of them were great. Thanks for taking the time to help.

I then asked a few friends of mine to read over the suggestions and pick their top three. I'm posting them here, so you can vote on them.

Dizzy Lizzy
Hurricane Leslie
Miss Accident Prone
Grace
Messy Lessy
Klutzy Lutzy

Please vote once and by midnight, Friday August 15th. The person who suggested the winning name will receive WILD WOMEN OF THE WEST an anthology with stories by Delilah Devlin, Layla Chase and Myla Jackson. This book is rated REALLY HOT.

Thanks!

~Anna Kathryn

A COWBOY'S DREAM - coming Nov. 2008

Author Leah Smith has fantasized about her neighbor, Houston’s pro baseball player Marcus Slade, for years, but thinks it’s unlikely she’d catch the cowboy’s interest since her IQ is bigger than her bra size. Having already been hurt by a man who wanted size over substance, she’s not in a hurry to play in that ball field again.

When an unexpected opportunity gets Marcus inside his favorite author’s apartment, he’s not about to let a second chance at love pass him by. Their attraction is quick and electric and has him instantly thinking about something more long-term. But when a woman from his past intrudes, his hopes of a cozy Christmas with Leah are buried beneath her cold shoulder.

Unedited Excerpt:


The mouthwatering scents of seared steak wafted around Leah as Marcus escorted her into the world famous Kemah Steak House. Her stomach grumbled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten since early morning.

The hostess greeted Marcus by name and he smiled warmly in return. Leah glanced at him, wondering how often he came to the restaurant. Celebration dinners should be rare, not weekly—unless you found an excuse to celebrate every little thing. But what made them special then?

She slid into the booth and mentally shook her head. No matter what Marcus did in the past, this was her celebratory dinner. She smiled as he sat opposite her and determined to enjoy his company for as long as she had it.

The hostess handed them menus. “Would you like something from the bar, Mr. Slade?”

Marcus placed his Stetson on the booth cushion and raised a brow to Leah.

“Whatever they have on tap will be fine,” she said.

He grinned and nodded. “Two beers, please.”

Glancing at his ‘celebration clothing,’ she was glad she’d summed him up right. She’d nearly put on the nine hundred dollar designer gown she planned to wear to next month’s charity fund raiser. However, at the last minute, she went over what she knew about Marcus Slade. Celebrity though he may be, he was still a cowboy at heart. Instead of the silk and satin confection she’d thought to wear, she pulled on crisp blue jeans and simple button-up blouse. The result matched his jeans and western-styled shirt well.

Leah opened the menu and glanced over it. “You’re a man after my own heart. There’s nothing better to celebrate with than a cold beer and a good steak.”

He jerked back as if surprised. “You mean to say you’ll actually order a steak?”

“Of course.” She laughed, pushing her hair behind her ear. “What’s the point of going to a steak house and not ordering a steak?”

He opened his mouth, but then shut it for a moment before uttering, “Truth be told, most of the women I know don’t eat much meat.”

That was no surprise. Most of the women she’d seen him with were the size of twigs—except in the bosom area—and probably ate weeds.

“Well, I hope you brought along your charge card,” she teased. “I haven’t eaten much today and I’m starving. I plan to order a really big steak with all the fixings to celebrate.”

Marcus laughed. “Honey, the day I can’t afford to buy a pretty lady a steak is the day I’ll hang it up for good.”

Her heart fluttered at the endearment. Sure, it was common enough for Texans to drop honey and darling like hello and good-bye, but still, hearing it from Marcus made her insides quiver.
When he glanced down to study his menu, Leah released a small sigh. Since she was a Roughrider’s fan and a season ticket holder, she’d known who Marcus was before he moved into The Towers. To say she had a crush on him was probably an understatement, but she’d never suffered from delusions, either. Leah Smith, plain, average daughter of nomad archeologists just wasn’t the type of woman the major league outfielder dated. As much as she wished differently, she shouldn’t read more into this ‘date’ than what it was—a friendly, celebratory meal.

A COWBOY'S DREAM - coming November 2008 from The Wild Rose Press

Thanks, Bess.

Thanks Bess for blogging for me. I really enjoyed reading about your stories and not having to blog myself ... :-).

If she hasn't already, Bess will draw a winner from those who commented and they'll win one of her books .... I've forgotten which one, though.

And of course, all who commented are eligible for my August drawing - a $15 The Wild Rose Press gift certificate.

~Anna Kathryn

Bess McBride Sails into the Sunset

Just as a reminder, I'm running a quick prize giveaway for whoever goes to my website at http://www.bessmcbride.com/gpage5.html, watches my new book trailer for A Trail of Love, coming out on August 16th, and posts a comment on Anna Kathryn's blog with the name of the handsome bear ranger. The deadline is midnight tonight Hawaii time. For all I know, that could be sometime tomorrow! :-)

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Bess McBride
www.bessmcbride.com
www.rvromance.com

Bess McBride Rides A Train Through Time

Last but not least is one of my favorite books, A Train Through Time, my time travel, which is due to be released in e-book format on August 22, 2008, print version to follow in February 2009. It will be available at www.thewildrosepress.com and www.amazon.com at the Kindle Store. I loved doing this time travel, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to do more of them! Isn't the cover of this fabulous?? Done by Tamra Westberry...

Blurb: College teacher Ellie Standish thinks she’s on a sleek modern train heading to a conference on women’s studies in Seattle, but she awakens from a night’s doze to find herself on a bizarre historical train full of late Victorian era reenactors who refuse to come out of character. When the leader of the group—one handsome, green-eyed Robert Chamberlain—finally convinces her the date is indeed 1901, a skeptical Ellie decries any eccentric theories of time travel and presumes she is smack dab in the middle of a very interesting historical dream. She turns the directorial reins of her dream over to one smitten and willing Robert, only to realize that dreams cannot last forever. Someday, she must wake up to reality, though Ellie no longer has any idea what reality is. She only knows that Robert must play an important part in her future. But how can he...if he’s only a figment of her imagination or worse yet...a man who belongs to an era long past?

Excerpt:
“I’m not going to marry an eighteen-year-old girl, Grandmother.” Robert turned away and strode to the bay window. He stared down onto the city below.
“Robert, be reasonable. You need to marry sometime. Don’t you want a wife? One young enough to give you children? Any one of your sister’s friends would be quite suitable.”
“I’m afraid not, Grandmother. I’m waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Mrs. Chamberlain muttered.
“The right one. She will come along. I know it.”
“For goodness sake, Robert. Where will you find her? You never appear even to look.”
Robert continued to stare out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. “I do not think I have met her yet, but I feel certain that I will know her when she does finally appear.”
“Robert, what nonsense! You are usually so sensible in all matters except when it comes to this subject. It seems my son’s wife raised a silly romantic,” the older woman muttered.
“Perhaps she did, Grandmother. Perhaps she did,” he murmured with a smile.
“Give me great-grandchildren, Robert. I cannot live forever.”
He turned away and grinned at the frail appearing silver-haired woman resting on the green velvet settee.
“Yes, you will, Grandmother. You will outlive us all.”
“Hmmppff,” she muttered looking away. “The house is quiet. We need children in it once again.”
“Perhaps my sister can do the honors in a few years, Grandmother. All she lacks is a suitable husband.” He consulted his pocket watch.
She eyed him with a piercing stare.
“Have you become a confirmed bachelor, Robert? Has time passed you by then?”
Robert laughed and bent to kiss his grandmother’s pale cheek.
“I hope not, madam. I did not intend to remain a bachelor for the rest of my life.”
“Then why do you wait? Give me a practical reason, none of your romantic musings.”
He straightened and grinned. “I can only assure you once again that I wait for the right woman. I know it sounds foolish, but it is the truth.” He turned away toward the door. “I must go into the office to see to a few things before we leave tomorrow. I look forward to riding the train. I always do.”

Thanks to Anna Kathryn for having me here today! I'll be checking back later to see who wins the prize!

Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com

A Trail of Love Followed by Bess McBride

Hi again!

Moving along with the day! Thanks again for your comments. Remember, if you watch the book trailer for A Trail of Love on my website at www.bessmcbride.com and post a comment to this blog with the name of the handsome bear ranger, you'll be eligible to win a free download of the book and a gift certificate from Anna Kathryn Lanier.

And while we're talking about A Trail of Love, why don't I tell you about the book. As many of you might know, this is my second summer working seasonally as a park ranger at Glacier National Park. I love to write books to celebrate my travels, and this is one of my favorites. I hope I captured the beauty of Glacier National Park in the story.

Here's the blurb and an excerpt and a lovely review.

Kerrie is on the run from a painful past, and she hides in plain sight as a summer employee in the majestic setting of Glacier National Park. Lonely and isolated from the family and friends she left behind, she dreams of the day when a kind and gentle man will say to her: “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you across the room.”

Dace Mitchell could be that man! The handsome bear ranger rescues Kerrie from her own foolish behavior--more than once--and she finds herself drawn to him against her will...until she discovers he’s already involved with someone else.

When Kerrie begins to get mysterious silent phone calls, it seems the past has caught up to her. Can Dace save her from a violent man who will stop at nothing to have her?

Dace cleaned off the battery posts and reattached the cables. He got back in the truck and turned the ignition over. The truck started right up. Kerrie was sure she actually heard it purring under his care.

Dace unfolded his long legs from the small truck and got out. “There you go,” he said with a grin as Kerrie kept her distance.

“Thank you, Dace. I really appreciate your help. I should get one of those gizmos so I don’t have to stand by my dead truck like a helpless female.”

His eyebrows shot up, and he tilted his head inquiringly. “I doubt you’re helpless. I’ve discovered you women are pretty handy when you need to be. Goodnight, Kerrie.”

Dace climbed in his truck and watched Kerrie pull out of the parking lot. Her taillights disappeared into the night. What was with that woman? For that matter, what was with him? He had better things to do than stalk an unwilling female. Didn’t he? A vision of his sterile, lonely apartment in government housing popped into view. Okay, so maybe he didn’t have anything better to do.

Still, there was something in those beautiful brown eyes of hers that compelled him. Loneliness was turning him into a hopeless romantic, for Pete’s sake. Every now and then, he caught her looking at him with an expression of... What was it? Longing? Dace bit his lower lip. If anything, Kerrie acted like she would be happy to see the last of him. For the most part.

He smiled at the last thought. There was something about her, and he wasn’t going to be satisfied until he knew what it was...or she gave him firm marching orders. With a sigh, he pondered the night ahead, hoping he would be able to get some sleep...though that seemed unlikely. Images of the silky dark curls of a complicated woman had been interrupting his sleep for the past few nights.

A moose! Baby mooses! Was that the right word? Kerrie had never seen moose before in real life. They were magnificent! The dark brown mother so tall, her long stick-like legs seemingly incapable of bearing her great weight. The dark blonde youngsters, though lighter in color and smaller in scale, were perfect mirror images of their mother.

She turned to face an approaching vehicle, casting a last glance over her shoulder to make sure the moose cow and her calves did not reenter the road.

A large silver truck pulled up to the kiosk and Kerrie wished she could have slid down to the floor of her booth. The driver was Dace and he wore the same Smokey Bear hat as she, except as one of those outdoorsy men, it looked so much better on him. He worked for the Park Service. Her summer had just gotten much, much longer.

Kerrie’s heart tapped an excited rhythm against her chest. If this was any indication of what the summer promised, her hiding place suddenly looked a lot like Paradise.

I'm thrilled to announce that my upcoming August 16th release, "A Trail of Love" received five hearts and a recommended read from Diana at Night Owl Romance.

"Ms. McBride outdid herself with this story. I immediately felt drawn to Kerrie because of everything she had gone through over the years. I felt bad for her that she had such lack of self-esteem for herself. I also fell in love with Dace because he was the perfect knight in shining armor for Kerrie. He was everything that she had hoped to find in a man and so much more. Ms. McBride wrote this story from the heart and she even had me laughing at loud during some of the scenes. Pick up a copy of this story. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. You did a fantastic job, Bess!"

For the rest of the review, follow this link: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=2005

The book will be available at www.thewildrosepress.com and www.amazon.com at the Kindle store on August 16th. Print follows in February.

Bess McBride, www. bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com

Bess McBride Checks Back in With A Sigh of Love!

Hi all!

It's me, Bess McBride, checking back in. I see I already have a couple entries to my little prize giveaway (see earlier post). Thank you for commenting!

August is going to be a busy, busy month for me! I have three releases this month. Can you believe it? Three!

My beloved Alaskan romance, A Sigh of Love, (inspired by a true incident in my life), is out in print now, and available at all online bookstores. I have my author copies in my hot little hands, and if you'd like a signed copy, I'm sure we could arrange a little something.

Here's the blurb and a short excerpt.

Blurb: Abbie is on her way to Anchorage, Alaska to meet George whom she has been corresponding by telephone for the past three months. George has repeatedly asked her to come up to Alaska for a visit so they can meet in person. Call her crazy, but Abbie makes airline reservations to fly from her home in Seattle up to Anchorage to meet George. She’s lonely. Why shouldn’t she make a mad romantic dash up to the last frontier to meet a man? She’ll just ignore the practicality and logistics of a long-distance relationship. When she calls George to let him know her arrival time, he chooses that awful moment to let Abbie know that he thinks they don’t have much in common after all and she should cancel her plane reservations. Abbie is stunned, humiliated and ashamed of the lonely desperation that drove her to make nonrefundable airline reservations to Alaska.

What to do? Abbie decides to go to Alaska anyway. A grouchy and depressed Abbie meets Tom on the plane, a tall, handsome anthropology professor who happens to be half Native Alaskan and half Caucasian. As the plane flies north, Tom and Abbie discover a mutual attraction. By flight’s end, Abbie is completely enamored of the stranger, and she doubts her judgment, perhaps even her sanity, as she finds herself falling again for yet another Alaskan male...until George shows up, that is.

Excerpt: Abbie shoved her carryon bag under the seat in front of her as far as it would go. She had the aisle all to herself, and she fervently hoped that the two seats next to her would remain empty. She was in no mood for casual airplane chitchat. From her seat, she could see down the length of the plane, and it appeared as if most of the passengers had already boarded and seated themselves.
Good, she thought with satisfaction stretching her legs out in front of her and placing her paperback on the seat next to her. What kind of idiot takes an 8 p.m. flight to Anchorage, Alaska, in September anyway? She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Besides me.

Abbie let loose a sigh which began deep within her soul. It came out louder than she planned, and she hoped no one else on the quiet plane heard the understated groan. She opened her eyes and found a tall man standing in the aisle next to her seat. Startled, she blinked and met a pair of almond-shaped, obsidian eyes that crinkled at the corners. His friendly smile widened to a grin.
“May I?” he asked, indicating the window seat past her.
“Oh, sure.” Abbie quickly scrambled out of her seat and stepped into the aisle to allow him to pass. She caught her breath when he slid past her to take his seat. His face was strikingly handsome. Exotic eyes were the prominent feature in an angular bronze face with a narrow nose and full lips.


As the plane rolled onto the runway, Abbie leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment. It wasn’t too late. She could still jump up and ask the attendants to stop the plane and let her off. She smiled imagining the scene. Would they open the doors and let her out onto the runway to trudge back to the terminal on foot? Would they take the airplane back to the terminal and boot her out the door—forbidden ever to book a flight with them again? A quiet hysterical giggle escaped her wayward lips. Or would they force her to inexorably march on and continue the flight to Anchorage against her will?

As they neared the downtown area, Abbie observed with joy that summertime Anchorage remained as festive as she remembered. Large luscious baskets of flowers hung from ornate lampposts along the streets and colorful blooms spilled over flowerboxes affixed to buildings and gracing the sidewalks. People flocked downtown to wander the streets and admire the lush growth of trees, grass and flowers made possible by the almost unending light of the long summer days.
The market seemed much larger and more crowded than Abbie remembered, but she happily wandered up and down the vendor rows with Tom while they discussed the various arts, crafts, and food for sale. She noticed with amusement that tourists occasionally paused to stare at Tom with his obvious Alaska Native heritage and distinctive long hair. He appeared oblivious to the stares and double-takes as he moved through the stalls. Other people of Alaska Native ancestry who sold artwork or browsed the stalls showed the same unconcern regarding the curious glances of visitors.
Abbie was taken aback when two older women with silver hair, white sunhats, and sporty leisure suits stopped Tom and asked if they could have their photo taken with him.
He gave them a huge grin and said, “Sure, ladies.”
Abbie stifled a giggle when he put his arms around the much shorter women and pulled them in close for the photo that a bystander was coerced into taking. The older women laughed in delight while gazing up at Tom with something akin to adoration on their faces. Abbie suspected she knew how they felt since it was all she could do to keep the same adoring look from appearing on her face.
Tom gave each woman a quick squeeze before he released them. He waved as they wandered off, whispering to each other, giggling, and throwing longing glances back in his direction
“Well, Tom, you seem to be in your element. Does this sort of thing occur often?”
He winked at her. Her knees weakened at the gesture, and she wished she too could have been one of the women pressed up against him in an embrace.
“Happens all the time during tourist season,” he chuckled. “It’s the long hair,” he said, tugging on his ponytail. “They get a kick out of posing with a local.”
Abbie smiled and wondered if he had any idea how handsome he was. No matter what his ethnicity, she suspected the ladies would still have asked to have a picture taken with him because he presented such a striking figure.
“You don’t think your looks have something to do with it?” she smiled brightly.
Color stole into his cheeks, giving him a boyish quality.
“Aw, come on. I look pretty ordinary around here. You should see my sister and my mother. Now, they’re quite beautiful. Even Dad is a pretty good-looking fellow. I’m the runt of the litter,” he laughed self-mockingly.


Tom and Abbie pulled over at a man-made fish ladder to watch exhausted sockeye salmon attempt to jump over the ladder and make their way into the lake on the other side of the road to their final spawning grounds.
“I wish I could just pick them up and help them over. They’re so tired. It seems like such a sad journey, doesn’t it? To make it out to sea and then return to their hatching place to spawn and die.”
“I don’t think I ever thought of it that way,” Tom smiled. “They’re fighters, that’s for sure,” he said watching the fish, bright red as they neared the end of their lives, trying to fly over the ladder.
“Is it still against the law to touch them?” Abbie asked sadly.
“Yes, I’m afraid it is. Something about impeding the natural movement of fish...even if it is with the best intentions.”
She looked up at him with misty eyes.
“What a struggle they have,” she said mournfully as she walked over to the lake on the other side of the road. Those bright red fish that had successfully made the jump milled about peacefully in the shallow waters.
“I’m glad we don’t just die after we procreate. Our lives would be so short.” She peeked at Tom with dancing eyes. “Mine would be much shorter than yours since I’ve already had my kids. You could still be spawning.”
Abbie found herself laughing uproariously at her joke.
It wasn’t that funny, Abbie!
She hoped she wasn’t disintegrating into hysterics. Tears of laughter streamed from her eyes. She glanced at Tom to find him watching her with a strange light in his eyes.
Tom unexpectedly pulled her into his arms and bent his head to kiss her. Without thought, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to pull his head even closer as she kissed him back. His embrace tightened, and she rose up on tiptoe to close any possible gap between them. His kiss was firm and insistent, and she lost herself in the magic of his lips. The world around her began to sway, but his strong arms kept her from falling to her knees.
He raised his head and loosened his grip around her waist as he looked down into her half-closed eyes.
“Wow!” He cleared his throat, but failed to rid his voice of its sensual huskiness. “I’m not sure what came over me. I can’t believe I just did that. Are you okay?” he asked with a frown between his narrowed glittering eyes.
“Ummm...oh yes, I’m fine,” she said backing away in embarrassment at her own loss of control. She avoided his intent gaze and turned to stare blindly out at the lake. “I’m sorry too. That’s not like me.”
“Hey.” He tilted her head back with gentle fingers, forcing her to meet his glittering gaze. “I didn’t say I was sorry. I just said I can’t believe I did that.” His color was high as he added, “I don’t usually grab women and maul them. I hope I didn’t scare you off.”
Abbie’s heart skipped at least one beat.
“No, I’m not scared. I didn’t exactly run,” she murmured. She closed her eyes against his seductive gaze.
“No, you didn’t, did you?” He released her chin and put his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad,” he said simply and turned to head back to the jeep.

Five Hearts from The Romance Studio! Read it here! http://www.theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/sighlovemcbride.htm

Buy Link:
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Sigh-Love-Bess-McBride/dp/1601541775/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218126803&sr=1-2
Barnes and Noble.com http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Love-of-My-Heart/Bess-McBride/e/9781601540911/?itm=1

Bess McBride, www.bessmcbride.com, www.rvromance.com

Good Morning from Guest Blogger Bess McBride

Good morning (afternoon to some of you) all!

Anna has graciously allowed me to guest blog today! Since it's 11 a.m. Mountain Time, she must be wondering if I was ever going to show up! But you all know how it is...I wanted to get my e-mails out of the way before I settled in for a visit.

I've "known" Anna for, oh, about nine months now when I first joined a multi-author contest she was coordinating. I've been a contest addict ever since. I have to tell you an insider tip though! Anna and Skhye give away the best prizes! Okay, nuff said. Can't reveal any more than that!

And speaking of prizes...Anna asked me if I wanted to give away a prize today while guest blogging, and I said...sure! So, the prize will be a free download of my upcoming release, A Trail of Love, my contemporary romance set in Glacier National Park featuring a woman running from a painful past, a handsome bear ranger, grizzly bears and love, love, love.

But what's the contest part, you say?

Hmmm...thinking.... Okay, got it! I just finished the book trailer for A Trail of Love, and (not to overuse the word), I "love" it! Love those book trailers.

Here's the link to the book trailer page on my web site http://www.bessmcbride.com/gpage5.html. Go ahead and give the trailer a look see, and tell me what the handsome bear ranger's name is.

You've got till midnight tonight (let's make it Hawaii time) to post the answer in a comment to this blog!

I'll be back in a few!

Bess McBride

"Romances for Armchair Travelers"

www.bessmcbride.com www.myspace.com/bessmcbride

www.rvromance.com

Love of My Heart available now

A Sigh of Love available now

A Trail of Love coming August 16, 2008

A Train Through Time coming August 22, 2008

Caribbean Dreams of Love coming December 12, 2008

www.thewildrosepress.com www.amazon.com

Join Bess McBride and me in THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Contest

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Is the August heat and price of gas keeping you indoors? Never fear. The DOG DAYS OF SUMMER contest has romantic and inspiring prizes to help you beat the heat. Just find the picture of a dog (excluding any book covers) on the following websites to be in the running for prizes from 12 romance authors. To enter, visit each author's website, find the picture of a dog, and note that website page on a list that you will send to mailto:happyendings07@aol.com by midnight CST, August 30th, 2008.

Get started visit one of the Participating Authors' websites:

Skhye Moncrief
Sky Purington
Bess McBride
Anna Kathryn Lanier
Dayana Knight
Kyann Waters
Connie Rachal
Anh Leod
Aithne Jarretta
Donna Micheals
Tarah Scott
Alisha Paige

Come Chat with Bess McBride

Join me on Monday as I welcome guest blogger Bess McBride. She'll tells all about her wonderful life and her great stories:

Bess McBride is multi-published, with two stories set to be released in August.

Love of My Heart available now
A Sigh of Love available now
A Trail of Love coming August 16, 2008
A Train Through Time coming August 22, 2008
http://www.bessmcbride.com/
www.myspace.com/bessmcbride
http://www.rvromance.com/

~Anna Kathryn