And the winners are *drumroll*
$75 Amazon Gift Card— Kim Turner
$25 Starbucks Gift Card— Trudy Baker Dowling
$25 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card— Shirley Ann Speakman
Three e-books from my list--Kristen
Confessions of the Sausage Queen--Elizabeth
Thanks to everyone who participated in the blog hop and entered the contests

Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street. And also for beach reading. So, to celebrate the season, I'm joining some romance writing friends and were doing a hop. Hop around, stop at all the stops for leads on great summer reads and some fun prizes, including a  grand prize raffle with three terrific prizes: a $75 Amazon Card, a $25 Starbucks Card, and a $25 gift card for either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. 

I always like to think of my romantic comedies as being summer time reads.  I have a new comedy coming out in July. Confessions of the Sausage Queen is my wildest book to date. It's the story of Mandy Minhauser, who, through no fault of her own, finds herself in charge of a Bill's Big and Tasty Sausage (and yes, she's aware of the sexual innuendo). I had way too much fun writing Mandy's story and filling the book with quirky characters who are just a shade crazy, but also have a lot of heart. I hope you'll download a copy for a lazy summer day.
The book releases on July 7. Meantime, there's lots more about the Sausage Queen Here

And--I have an announcement. *Clears throat while climbing onto chair* My first three romantic comedies are coming out as a bundled set--one big book, three stories full of fun and romance. The set will include Afterglow, The P-Town Queen and Searching for Superman. Stay tuned for more information. Meanwhile, you can find out more about all the books by checking out these pages here at my website

The P-Town Queen
Searching for Superman
Afterglow

I hope you'll consider downloading all of them for your trip to the beach. Or the pond. Or the backyard. Or the pool. Though you don't want to get yout reader wet, so maybe not the pool. Maybe poolside. Yes, that's it, poolside. 
And (bet you thought I was done, ha!) as an extra incentive bonus and because I love getting comments, leave a comment with an e-mail address and I'll chose two lucky winners for
three of my books-- your choice.
or
A copy of Confessions when it comes out on July 7. 

Please welcome Jennifer DeCuir to the blog today.  Jenn writes romances set in  a small town in Maine, a town a lot like her hometown of York, which is a lovely coastal New England town. 
Here's  what Jenn has to say about the challenge of balancing writing and motherhood.

I’m writing in the minivan…again. I was running errands this morning and finished with fifteen minutes to spare. I could have used that time to run home and put everything away. But I am a mom and moms don’t know when they’ll get a free minute. It’s best to grab those moments whenever you can.

Last night I talked through some upcoming scene ideas while I bathed the dog. Taking the time to brainstorm through the lather, rinse and repeat. Our dog, Luna, was a good listener, but she sure didn’t have much to add to the conversation.

Oh, I have the best of intentions. I get up at 5:30am, after all. But when my little guy surprises me by presenting himself at my desk before I’ve even taken a sip of my first cup of coffee, and then proceeds to fire off 50 thousand questions about theology, the cosmos and anything else he can think of… well, my morning writing time is officially shot.

Don’t get me wrong. I know how incredibly lucky I am to be able to stay home with my kids, to catch all the milestones and answer every question the little guy can come up with. I love being able to drive my daughter and her friends around. I bring my notebook. I bring my laptop. And I roll with it.

I’ve written at gymnastics, soccer and at trampoline birthday parties. I’ve written in this minivan more times than I can count. (Hey, does that mean I can deduct gas and mileage on my taxes?) I’ve written at the beach and the movie theater. I can tell you which playgrounds in the area have the most comfortable seating for writing (and which have the cleanest bathrooms).

And I can mentally switch gears like nobody’s business, going from inside the head of a heroine in emotional turmoil to whip out my phone and snap a picture of the dog and the kids – all dressed as superheroes. (I’m telling you, we have THE most patient dog in the world.)

When I’m under deadline, dinner is probably going to be pizza delivery or cold cereal. Then again, if I’ve had a really productive writing day, I’m just as likely to recruit my little helpers to make a sweet treat in the kitchen to celebrate. Around here, you never know what kind of day it’s going to be.

No two days are alike, but every day is crazy. That’s my writer mom world. It’s fun. It’s hectic. Sometimes I’ll need a glass of wine to relax after the kids go to bed and sometimes I’ll need a cup of coffee to get those last few words on the page before I go to sleep. My life is a juggling act and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Writer peeps… where is the strangest location you’ve ever stopped to write?

Jennifer DeCuir writes small town contemporary romances while wrangling two kids, a husband, and three neurotic pets. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she can never get enough sunshine or caffeine. Her Scallop Shores series, published by Crimson Romance, is based on her hometown of York, Maine. When she isn’t writing or reading, she is probably adding to her obsessively huge yarn stash and wondering what gifts she’s going to crochet for Christmas this year.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: http://bit.ly/160UYHt

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/HdgQXi

Website: http://bit.ly/1bbkFom

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1aE8XBg

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1k35SPl

A childhood promise brings Wynter and Sam together again after tragedy ripped them apart over ten years earlier.  Fate has given him a second chance to tell her how he feels.  This time he's not going to run.

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/Qlv4cG

B&N: http://bit.ly/1m2yOxy

The new Rodgers Memorial Library is five years old and they're having a party. 
If you live in my area, I hope you'll stop by on Saturday (June 7) from 10 to 3  for the celebration. There will be music and kids crafts and a cupcake contest. 
There's also an Author fair and a number of local writers, including me, will be on hand with books and goodies.
The library is at 194 Derry Rd (route 102) in Hudson.  
Did I mention they're having cupcakes? 

Answer a question about The Sausage Queen and win a copy of the P-Town Queen, plus points for some other great prizes today at Sizzling Summer Reads!