Sunday, December 1, 2019
Black Love Strong Love
This Thanksgiving I celebrated by going to the movies, a rarity for me. Queen and Slim was opening and I wanted to see if the movie was as interesting as the trailer. It is. It's interesting, atmospheric and dare I say, sexy. But more than sexy, it showcases something we rarely get to see in the movies, black love. Black people falling in love. And that is powerful. Too often black folks aren't allowed to be anything but the best friend in someone else's love story (see the Hallmark Channel). But in Queen and Slim black folks get to be the love story. There's more to the movie than love, a lot more. However, I contend that it might be the love message that is its most powerful one. Do yourself a favor and go see this love story evolve.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
We Belong Together
Although it's very cliched, my stories are inspired by all types of things and situations.This summer I went to Chicago to meet up with a bunch of my college friends. I had a fabulous long weekend with them, and after a while we began reminiscing about our classmates. And then we began spying on them via Facebook. Don't act surprised, you'd do it too. We landed on one classmates's page and my friend Aimee scrolled through her wedding pics. Ms. X just got married to another classmate, and get this, they'd found each other at our last reunion. Back then they ran in totally different circles but fast-forward twenty years and a hell of a lot more experience and they've fallen into each other's arms. Thus my new romance was born. It's all about Bailey and Sam, two women who were worlds apart in college who come back for their reunion and discover each other and love. I'm super excited to write this story and share it with you. Hopefully it will make you sigh as much as I sighed over my classmates' romance.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Red Light District
This month's blog post comes to you from Amsterdam. I'm here vacationing with friends, enjoying the laid back European atmosphere. I have to confess that like many folks who come to this lovely city, I've made it a point to hang out in the Red Light District. And yes, I've gone to one of those shows. And yes, it is odd to watch people you don't know getting down, (though possibly less odd than if you knew them ?). While I was sitting in the theater watching people doing the do, I couldn't help but come up with ideas for romance novels--what would happen if you met a stranger in a club, what would happen if you worked in a sex club, what would happen if you were a stripper...? So even dens of iniquity can spark the imagination and tickle my romance bone. So what has recently tickled your romance bone? If nothing has, I suggest going to Amsterdam. And tell them Mila sent you.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
A Little Shakespeare
Fall is in the air, and for some reason that reminds me of love, probably because it reminds me of needing to snuggle up with my honey to stay warm. What better way to celebrate fall and love than a poem? And who is better with words than Shakespeare? So I give you Sonnet 116:
Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand'ring bark, Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me prov'd, I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
All We Need is Love
In light of the tragedies affecting us in the last week, last month, last year, last decades, it felt right to remind us all that love will prevail. All we need is love, cheesey, but true. Stay safe everyone and stay loving.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Lazy Summer Days
There's nothing better than to laze a summer day away reading a good book. Even better if it's a an oldie but a goodie. At the moment I'm revisiting When Strangers Marry by my favorite romance author Lisa Kleypas. Actually, this oldie was originally Only in Your Arms, but she pc'ed it up almost twenty years ago to make it more modern. I, of course, prefer the less modern version :). But it's still damn good. So, I hope during these hazy lazy summer days you get the chance to enjoy a fabulous read.
Sunday, June 2, 2019
Little Women Big Girl
I was wandering my local library and stumbled upon the book, Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux. You might not know this, but Little Women was and still is my favorite children’s book (forgive me Anne of Green Gables). My favorite memory from childhood is of me snuggled up on my grandparents’ couch near the Christmas tree all alone reading Little Women. We won’t get into the psychology of my favorite memory being of me alone, suffice as to say, I loved Little Women. I empathized with Jo wanting to be a writer, I was crushed when she turned down Laurie, I was horrified when he married Amy instead and of course I cried when Beth died. I became obsessed with Louisa May Alcott and read many of her other stories (hello Old Fashioned Girl and Eight Cousins to name a few) and her biography (or two). So even though I don’t read a lot of non-fiction these days, I had to pick up Ms. Boyd Rioux’s book. I’m only on the second chapter, but it is taking me back in time. I hope there is a book from your past (even if it is recent past) that makes you happy to revisit it. And if you love Little Women as much as me, maybe you should pick up Ms. Boyd Rioux’s book too and go down memory lane.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Inspiration
Today my romance writers' group hosted Love Is In The Air, an event bringing romance writers and readers together. Throughout the event my friends shared excerpts from their books. I was too chicken to read myself, so my friend Shay Lacy read a passage for me. Finding a clean passage from my novella The Love She Wants was a little challenging. Even after I chose it, I felt I needed to tone it down, just in case children or the someone very conservative came to the event. Well, Shay being Shay, read it with a lot of gusto and the heat in the tango scene shone through, which is definitely a testament to her reading skills! And, I got a thrill hearing from others how much they liked the scene and how sexy they found it. The event and the reaction to my piece has totally inspired me to finish editing my work in progress so that I can lend a little more heat to the world. And in honor of the inspiration I'm feeling, I thought I'd share one of the dancing scenes that always inspires me when I watch it. Ed and his love aren't doing a tango, but their connection is so strong it doesn't need to be. Hopefully their dance can inspire you too.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Love Is In The Air
If you love romance, which I know you do, then join the Maumee Valley Romance Writers Inc. at the Wood County Library in Bowling Green, OH on May 4 from 1-4. The event is called Love Is In the Air and it's a great opportunity to meet MVRAI authors like Elizabeth Vaughn, Patricia Rasey, Jill Kemerer, Constance Phillips, Shay Lacy and more. They'll be book readings, raffles, refreshments and, you guessed it, so much more. I hope to see you there.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Spring Love/Love Spring
Spring is right around the corner and I can't help but think about love. New love, old love, comfortable love and exciting love. Laying in a field of flowers with a lover or making love in the middle of the day with windows open and a warm breeze wafting around you. Gotta love spring love.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
She Keeps Me Warm
Ah, I just love this video. I think it's so romantic. You've gotta love the beginning of a romance when you're all giddy and excited about each other. I hope yall have someone to keep warm this Valentine's Day!
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Love Is
Since it is the new year, I thought we should bring some God up in here :)
I hope everyone has a great 2019, filled with lots of love!
I hope everyone has a great 2019, filled with lots of love!
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