Author Spotlight
Series Spotlight
Important Announcement for our Followers
To ALL our followers....It is time for Book Lovin' Mamas to make the switch from Blogger to Wordpress.
We do not want to wake up one day and notice that we cannot logon to our blog due to Blogger changing its policies.
We have worked too hard to have that happen...so it is long overdue, we have moved over to our domain.
It will make it easier for YA'LL to find us.
We have already started to post over at the new site...and August 1st will be official day we say GOODBYE to this site for good.
We would love for you to follow us over at our new site because we LOVE and appreciate you all for being with us on our Blogger site.
You can find us now at - booklovinmamas.com
You can even click our blog badge below to go to our new site -
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We hope to see everyone of you over there and I hope you all are prepared for lots of giveaways coming in August and are prepared for Anna & I's big 30th birthday bash - August 18th-September 5th.
We have lots of stuff to giveaway to you all and we are bringing our 30th birthday in style. =)
GOODBYE Blogger - It was nice while it lasted...but it's time for a BIG change and to make it easier for our followers to find us. =)
Showing posts with label Carrie Lofty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carrie Lofty. Show all posts
Thursday, September 13, 2012
"His Very Own Girl" Blog Tour - Guest Post
Easy on the Eyes
By Carrie Lofty
I’m a historian, but
I’m also a woman with eyes…eyes that are drawn to men in uniform. What is it
about a uniform that suddenly adds sex appeal to an otherwise ordinary guy?
Maybe it’s status. We know the sharper the dresser—and the more medals and do-dads
pinned all over the place—the braver he’s proven himself to be.
Men in business suits
wear the “uniform” of their position, but you can’t tell just by looking at his
sleeve whether he’s an intern or a VP. When looking out for the right guy,
those considerations are important! “Am I falling for a rich billionaire CEO,
or the guy who makes coffee?”
The military makes it
much simpler, and still very snazzy. I mean, look at this dress coat! That says
“squared away” and ready for action…of all kinds. And you know an image has
legs when advertisers try to capitalize on the mystique. Check out this Clark
Gable lookalike in the leather bomber jacket. In the 1940s, the message was
clear: You wanna be cool? You need to look like the Real Deal.
The heroine of HIS VERY OWN GIRL, Lulu Davies, is a British civilian pilot who meets soldiers and
airmen all the time. Leicester has been overrun with Americans billeting in
preparation for D-Day, so she’s made it somewhat of a hobby to be able read the
mysterious insignia of their uniforms. Here, she catches sight of a group
mingling outside of a club:
Each chap wore the golden wings
of a paratrooper and the AA arm patch of the 82nd Airborne. So they weren’t any
old Yanks. They were the All-Americans. A more boisterous, arrogant lot
couldn’t be found in the U.S. Army. They split their time between war maneuvers
and seeking out—in no particular order—women, liquor, food, music, and trouble.
They were heaps of fun.
And when she meets
paratrooper medic Joe Weber, she sizes him up with the same cheeky precision.
In this case, Lulu doesn’t mind at all that she’s landed herself a private
rather than a general!
“Now it’s my turn to guess.” She
took hold of his shoulders and turned his upper body to face her squarely. Joe shivered
when she gave his biceps a quick squeeze. A secret smile tilted the corners of
her perfectly painted lips. “Only one chevron,” she said, glancing at his tunic
sleeve. “Poor private.”
“First class, at least.”
“You don’t think I’d be seen with
any less, do you?”
“I wouldn’t presume.”
She touched the insignia of wide
eagles’ wings affixed above his right breast pocket. “No stars above your jump
wings, which means despite being with the 82nd Airborne, you haven’t
yet seen combat.”
“I’m impressed.”
“You shouldn’t be,” she said with
a dismissive wave. “Simply means I’ve idled with too many soldiers. Now all I
need is your name.”
“Joe Weber.”
Lulu finished her drink and
nodded for Joe to do the same. He complied. The beer wasn’t strong enough to
cool how hot his blood was running. Not by half.
She took his hand. “Well, Pfc.
Joe Weber, I’ll have that dance now.”
Yeah, Joe looked fine,
but I think she was actually more interested in what he wore underneath. This
is a romance novel, after all!
***
Summer has been a blast! Available now from Pocket Books are
three Christ Family romances. FLAWLESS
kicked it off with a tale of an estranged couple's search for love. The 99¢ tie-in novella, "A LITTLE MORE SCANDAL" follows two aspiring
lovers to London. And the Scottish-set second novel, STARLIGHT, was an RT
BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick. "Richly nuanced characters and a superbly
realized Victorian setting come together brilliantly." ~ The Chicago
Tribune
I've also launched a co-written pseudonym, Katie Porter, with my long-time friend and critique
partner, Lorelie Brown. Our "Vegas Top Guns" series of contemporary
erotic romances launched from Samhain with DOUBLE DOWN and INSIDE BET, both of
which were RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Picks: "This racy, raunchy, hella
good read…will move Fifty Shades of Grey to the children's section of the
bookstore."
Where to find me:
http://www.carrielofty.com
Twitter: @carrielofty
I'd like to give away a digital copy of HIS VERY OWN GIRL in any
format. Just answer: Which uniforms (cops, firemen, military) catch your eye,
if any, and why?
Thanks again to Book Lovin’ Mamas for featuring His Very Own Girl!
Giveaway
To enter for a chance to win a digital copy of His Very Own Girl please answer Carrie's question in a comment bellow with your email so that we can contact you if you've won.
Thank you so much for being here to day Carrie! I really enjoyed the book. To read my review of His Very Own Girl click here.
ARC Review - "His Very Own Girl" by Carrie Lofty
His Very Own Girl
Author: Carrie Lofty
Publisher: Pocket Star
Release Date: 9/4/12
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: Provided by The Novel Sidekick
Description
After the War took the lives of Lulu Davies’s parents and her fiancé, she promised herself she would guard her heart carefully and concentrate on her great love—flying the biggest and best airplanes in the sky. Lulu is a pilot in the British civilian air force, ferrying planes around Great Britain and keeping her eye on a coveted spot in a training program for world-class pilots. She’s perfectly content to strive for greatness in the skies, and dance with a few GIs on the way.
Brawny, quiet American medic Joe Weber signed up with the paratroopers to escape his checkered past; he’s hoping that jumping out of planes and patching up soldiers will earn him respect and a hopeful future. Joe’s first real test of medical skill is on a pilot whose plane takes a hard landing in a training field; after rushing to the crash scene, he is stunned to come face-to-face with a gorgeous Rita Hayworth lookalike. And when the two cross paths at a dance hall a couple weeks later, he can’t resist the urge to find out more about this spirited, dark-haired beauty.
Their flirtation breaks all of Lulu’s rules, but dance by dance, week by week, walk by walk, she finds herself falling in love with this honest, vulnerable man on the run from his demons. But as Lulu and Joe’s undeniable attraction gains momentum, World War II steadily intensifies toward D-Day. The lovers only have one night together before Joe is transported to France for the Battle of the Bulge, where his skills and his instinct for survival will be pushed to their limits. Lulu distracts herself with flight school and the friendships of her colleagues, but she can’t get the handsome medic out of her head. Only time and hope will tell if her love will return unharmed from War, and if the two will be able to overcome their pasts to form a beautiful life together in peace-time.
Review
This was a really great book and the first of it's kind that I've ever read. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I fell in love with the story and the characters. Now I'm not a history buff, so I can't say how accurate this the events in this book are, since it takes place during WWII and quite a few real historical events take place, but it really felt like the author knew what she was talking about and did her research to make the history as accurate as possible. I really felt like I was there with the characters, going through the good and bad with them and I'll admit there were quite a few tears. I just couldn't help it! I can't imagine living a life like that. To find someone you can love, finally, and then to not know. It definitely kept me turning the pages because I had to know!
I loved all of the characters but it was Joe that I especially loved. He's not just the hero of this story, he's a true hero in every sense of the word. During the heartbreaking war scenes I could hardly breathe, I was on the edge of my seat hoping that everything turned out ok with him. I almost couldn't stand it but without those scenes this book wouldn't have been what it was. And then when he's with Lulu, just wow! He's really the best kind of man and no matter his background he definitely deserved the best! Although he did have those few moments where he was a regular stubborn man and I just wanted to pop him on the head and say "shut up already" but like I said, he's a man and things were way different back then so I can imagine that falling for a woman who risks her life flying on a regular basis wasn't very easy for him, so he gets a pass. :) I also loved Lulu. I loved her sense of humor and how she never backed down when a man challenged her choice to fly. She's a very headstrong stubborn woman but it fit. And it being such an intense war atmosphere she really needed all of the strength she had. I enjoyed the dynamics between the two also. With both of their backgrounds making it hard to love someone it seemed close to a miracle that they found each other. But oh did they find each other! Such beautiful romance between the two! I loved them even more together than I did apart!
Now that I've read this book I have a craving for more. More of this time period, movies, books, music, whatever I can get my hands on I plan to devour! Thank you Ms. Lofty for writing this heartwarming story about a critical time in our history! The perfect characters, the depressing but true setting of a real war and the love story of an army medic and a pilot really touched me! I give this book 5 Moons and I recommend all romance lovers at least give it a try, especially you Historical Romance fans. It made me love history when I thought I hated it and it's such a beautiful story that in my opinion shouldn't be missed! Well done Carrie! I am beyond impressed by this book!
Side note: The cover for this book is absolutely beautiful! It really captured the feeling of the whole story and the whole time period!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Blog Tour: Inside Bet by Katie Porter (Guest Post/Giveaway)
Go Crazy for a Sharp-Dressed Man
By Katie Porter
(Confession: I wanted to be the ordinary shop girl who got a
make-over by the cool ZZ Top chicks in the video for “Legs.”
Could those clothes be any cooler? Could the sentiment that a make-over snags a
man be less feminist? Don’t care. I wanted those little anklets over tights.)
Anyway, yes, that little aside was brought to you by the title
of this post, which was inspired by ZZ Top’s famous “Sharp-Dressed Man.”
At least there, it’s the guy who gets the make-over!
Look around your office or at the me you pass walking down the
street. Do any of them catch your eye in a positive
way because of how they dress? Likely not. But the sexual effect of a man
dressed to the nines is undeniable. In fact, studies have been done on women
and their reaction to how men dress. Show a male model dressed in a janitor’s
uniform, and few neural signs of attraction fire up in the female brain. Show
her the same man decked out in a three-piece suit? That unconscious chemistry
goes crazy.
Dressing well says confidence, style, success, power—and those
things generally call to the secret need (and biological imperative) most women
have to be taken care of.
It can also say conceited asshole, but you take the good with
the bad.
Jon from Inside Bet is just such a man. He comes from money. Lots
of money. Thus he wears five thousand dollar suit like a second skin, or as
Vesper said to Bond in Casino Royale,
“Naturally you think
human beings dress like that.”
Aside from power and money, a man who dresses well is
intriguing. What would it mean, on an intimacy scale, to see him wears jeans
and a t-shirt around the house? To go barefoot? To wake up first thing in the
morning, looking the complete opposite of a man of empire? Aside from the need
for security, we often feel the need to be so singularly important to a lover
that these little intimacies are revealed.
Consider when Heather Morris, the heroine of Inside Bet, sees Mr. Three-Piece Suit,
Jon Carlisle, wearing “ordinary” clothes. Oh, and one additional piece of
clothing that brings home the fact he’s more than a million dollar trust fund
baby:
Dressed in a black T-shirt and
jeans, he actually looked his age. Young. Relaxed. Less intimidating. Less like
a well-groomed cat on the prowl. Less in control of the world and his place in
it. This version of Jon was a little closer to real, and a hell of a lot
scarier.
She knew his suits and his suave
bearing. She had no idea how to handle him being ordinary. His version of
ordinary was magical. Same sharp jaw, sarcastic mouth and dark, dark eyes. The
glare from the light above their table added silver tips to the ends of his
buzzed hair. Shoulders and arms, all shown to perfection by that simple
T-shirt.
And the flight jacket. Holy
Christ, she hadn’t been prepared for that at all. Aside from the war stories
Leah and Dash had told at the club, she had proceeded with Jon’s military
service as mere background knowledge. He was so different from the servicemen
she’d known growing up— her dad’s men, or the guys she’d eventually made her
hobby. No way was her pretty flyboy of that same ilk, ready to fight and die
for his country.
But he was.
Stories about Jon had chipped
through that artificial barrier. Seeing him in his flight jacket when he’d
walked into the diner— that had crumbled them altogether. She glanced at where
he’d hung it across the back of the booth. The man in the three-piece suit was
the slick nighttime version of this genuine fighter pilot.
So the sharp-dressed man? Oh, my oh my, if you thought the suit
looked good, you should see the man underneath—with all that implies.
Up next for Katie Porter, the co-writing team of Carrie Lofty
and Lorelie Brown:
Now that both RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Picks DOUBLE DOWN and INSIDE BET
have been released, we're looking forward to the September 25th
arrival of HOLD 'EM,
featuring wild child Leah and a surprising reunion with a fellow pilot. The
final two installments of the "Vegas Top Guns" series will follow in 2013.
November brings the
m/m Christmas-themed CAME UPON AMIDNIGHT CLEAR,
and in January, LEAD AND FOLLOW will launch
the five-part “Club Devant” series of erotic multi-partner romances set in a
hot New York City burlesque club.
Where to find us:
http://KatiePorterBooks.com
Twitter: @MsKatiePorter
Or individually: @carrielofty and @LorelieBrown
We'd like to give away a copy of DOUBLE DOWN or INSIDE BET
(winner's choice) in any format. Just answer the question: Who’s your favorite
sharp-dressed man? Let’s see if we get any replies that don’t involve James
Bond *g*
Thanks again to Book Lovin’ Mamas for featuring Katie Porter and
Inside Bet!
Giveaway
To enter for a chance to win the copy of Double Down or Inside Bet (winner's choice) please leave a comment below, with your email included, and answer Katie's question. This contest will last for 5 days and end at 11:59PM on Sept. 6. (This giveaway is for everyone)
You can find my review of Inside Bet HERE. Review for Double Down is coming soon. :) Thanks so much for being here today Katie! I LOVED these two books and I'm so excited for the next one.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Guest Post/Giveaway w/ Carrie Lofty "Starlight"
By Carrie Lofty
Book Lovin’ Mamas said to me: I'd love to know about the research process for the Christies series or
any of my series.
Now you’ve done it!
You’ve asked a historian to talk research!
I have a master’s in
history, so the research has never been a problem. Initially, for my debut medievals
and for SONG OF SEDUCTION ,
I swear I spent more time researching that I did writing. There was such an
imbalance. SONG, in particular was my first romance (although it was not my
debut). The first draft read more like a tour conducted by two amiable lead
characters. Where was the romance?
Since then, because of
a better understanding of craft and because of increasingly tight deadlines, I
needed to streamline my research process. In no way did I was to skimp out on
the factual worldbuilding required of an enthralling historical
romance—especially when I chose unusual settings—but the romance had to come
first.
Now, I head to the library and make
the absolute most out of interlibrary loans! I submerge myself in a half dozen
books and, if possible, raw data or personal letters to give me two essentials.
First, I need a sense of feeling from
the place and time I’m writing. Second, I ask myself whether the plot I have in
mind historically possible.
After establishing that roughly
two-week base, I start writing! Go for it!
Only afterward, during revisions, do
I weave back the details that make a story more atmospheric. That’s when a
story becomes grander, more epic. Romance truly becomes historical romance.
For STARLIGHT ,
I consulted a number of books on industrial and Victorian Glasgow, particularly
accounts of women. I learned how women accused of prostitution were sent to
mental hospitals, in an attempt to keep the streets clean of unwanted filth.
How life for women in a tenement and having married at a young, young age was
tantamount to prison. And yet…how since the late 17th century, both
boys and girls were permitted access to elementary school education. That meant
even an ordinary girl from the worst neighborhood could, with the right
parental support and personal drive, could forge a better life.
For my heroine, Polly Gowan, I
wanted details about women’s involvement in union politics. In studying the
community, I sought information about how men and women interacted, their
social customs, their occupations. And regarding the romance, I needed to know
how self-made and new money men such as the hero, Alex Christie, were regarded,
and how much of a class barrier that would be to overcome.
Beyond facts, I wanted what I
mentioned above: atmosphere. For me that meant a playlist comprised almost
entirely of Scottish and Irish bands, particularly Simple Minds, Big Country,
and U2. They sang of the feeling of living in that place, if not the era. That also
meant visual impressions of Glasgow in the 1880s. The paintings of John
Atkinson Grimshaw made a huge impression on me. Shipping on the Clyde and GourockNear the Clyde Shipping Docks evoked a mist-shrouded, intriguing,
urban setting that is very different from our picture of Scotland with its
Highlander freedoms. And yet cities like Glasgow are as important to Scottish
history as warring clans.
So, with regard to research… A
little bit of this, a little bit of that. And a time limit! Otherwise I’d be
stuck forever in medieval Spain or Napoleonic Austria or England in WWII—just a
few of the many places I’ve set my romances. For me, history is just that
seductive!
What’s next for me:
After RT BookReviews
4½ Star Top Pick STARLIGHT hits the
shelves, I'll be looking forward to the release of HIS VERY OWN GIRL,
a historical romance set in World War II. It's not women's fiction. It's not
literary fiction. It's a genuine romance, complete with sexy times and a happy
ending. Look for it September 4th as a Pocket Star digital original novel. I
cannot wait to see how readers respond!
I'll also be launching
a new co-written pseudonym, Katie Porter, with my long-time friend and critique
partner, Lorelie Brown. Our "Vegas Top Guns" series of contemporary
erotic romances will launch from Samhain on July 31 with the release of DOUBLE
DOWN, which is also a RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick. Two more from the
series, INSIDE BET and HOLD 'EM, will follow in August and September. You can
learn more about these and future books at our website.
Where to find me:
Twitter: @carrielofty
I'd like to give away a copy of STARLIGHT, and I'll ship anywhere. Just
answer the question: If you had the time to learn more about any era or
location, what would it be?
Thanks again to Book Lovin’ Mamas for having me!xx
GIVEAWAY:
To enter for a chance to win a copy of Starlight please fill out the rafflecopter below. This contest is for everyone!
Review - "Starlight" by Carrie Lofty
Starlight
(The Christies #2)
Author: Carrie Lofty
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: 6/26/12
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: ARC provided by The Novel Sidekick
Author’s Website: www.carrielofty.com
Description
An esteemed astronomer, Alex Christie, the eldest and most steadfast of the Christie siblings, has never possessed his late father's ruthless business drive. But to protect his frail infant son from his cruel father-in-law's bid for custody, the young widower must undertake Sir William Christie's posthumous million-dollar challenge: to make a Glasgow cotton mill profitable. At sea in an industrial world of sabotage and union agitation, Alex meets Polly Gowan, daughter of a famed union leader, who hopes to seize a mysterious saboteur without involving the police. Because a sympathetic mill master would aid her cause, Polly becomes Alex's guide to urban Scotland. From soccer games to pub brawls, Alex sees another side of life, and feels free for the first time to reveal the man--vital and strong--behind his intellectual exterior. Polly is utterly seduced. Their ambitions, however, remain at odds: Alex vows to earn the mill bonus to save his child, while Polly fights for the needs of her people. Is there strength enough in their sparkling passion to bind them together in their quests-- and in a lasting love that conquers all?
Review
Once again Carrie Lofty has dazzled me! I so love this series. The characters are funny, charming and totally likable, even when they're being difficult. And let me tell you, Polly and Alex are just that! Even the secondary characters are really entertaining. I loved the setting for this one. I don't know much about this kind of history to know if she got it all right but her descriptions and details felt totally realistic. I found the whole Scottish mill setting fascinating and I'd love to learn more about it now that I've read this book.
Alex is my kind of leading male character, strong in mind and body, utterly charming and a little tortured inside. Something about a man with troubles to be solved really gets me. Struggling to raise his infant son and keep him away from his late wife's disgusting father gave him the depth emotionally he needed to convince me. From the beginning of the book I was rooting for him to succeed with his father's plan for him so he could get rid of that vile man and when Polly showed up I was rooting for him to fall for her too.
Polly is a scheming little firecracker. I so loved her, she really gave Alex a run for his money... literally! Her loyalty to her people was admirable and the woman sure had spirit, that's for sure. And I loved her family, wish there would have been more about them, I didn't get enough.
This story had it's ups and downs with a little twist here or there and I just couldn't put it down. Starlight is a very entertaining read. I recommend all historical romance lovers pick this book up today. You won't regret it!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Guest Post & Giveaway - Cast This Book By Carrie Lofty
It’s
one of Pocket’s first original digital releases. You can read more about those
fabulous new originals here ,
including an extended excerpt of “A Little More Scandal.”
But
there. Aside from the blurb, that’s my sales pitch. Let’s do silly stuff now…
I am
one of those writers who likes to “cast” my hero and heroine before writing any
romance. Generally I don’t talk about it because what a reader imagines and
what an author describes are greatly divergent. No sense in ruining the
fantasy! Covers, too, can alter even my impression of what person or persons
initially inspired characters.
Here
today, I thought we could play a little game. If I offer descriptions of
William, the hero of “A Little More Scandal,” and of Catrin, his brave heroine,
would you cast them for me? I’ll never reveal my inspiration, but I’d love to
see what entertainers these passages describe for you!
First
up, William:
William
Christie had the build of a mythic giant, all muscle and silent intimidation.
His suit was unaccountably fashionable for someone who wore it so poorly. He
appeared half-strangled by his cravat, and hugged indecently by a slim-fitting
coat that had been tailored, inexplicably, to diminish the breadth of his
chest. His rich, golden-blond hair was neatly combed and his face cleanly
shaven, but she could imagine him scruffy and wild atop some distant Scottish
peak, his big-boned body meant for the freedom of a Highlander’s garb.
How
often did one notice a man’s lips? Hardly ever, in Catrin’s experience. They
hid behind mustaches or dimmed in comparison to high cheekbones or a fine head
of hair. Even a nice set of teeth was more noteworthy. But Mr. Christie’s mouth
was . . . beautiful. A full lower lip. A perfectly symmetrical upper lip, with
a sharp curve that suggested devilish possibilities.
Next,
his lady Catrin:
In a
word, she was contrary. Entirely contrary to the sort of woman who generally
caught his eye. She was short and almost boyish in her stature, whereas William
preferred sinuous curves that could annul a man’s ambitions.
The
potency of her gaze was mollified only by her soft features. Such a tidy little
face, haloed by russet brown hair, so rich, shimmeringly rich and thick with
curls. Her lips were nearly as round and plump as they were wide, just like an
apricot. Laughing eyes shone with the luster of honey in sunlight. As if
perpetually surprised, her russet brows lifted away from the bridge of her
petite, turned-up nose.
Let
your imaginations run wild! I’ll only say that William and Catrin are modeled
after an actor and actress, both of whom are fairly well known. I’m so curious
who you’ll “see” from these descriptions. Feel free to leave multiple
possibilities if you can’t decide. When it comes to inspiration, there can
never be too much.
For
those of you who participate, you’ll be entered to receive a copy of FLAWLESS , the first of my Christies series
from Pocket. I’ll ship anywhere. Anyone who already has FLAWLESS can win any
choice from my back catalog.
What’s
next for Carrie:
STARLIGHT , the second full-length romance in
the Christies series, is set in Victorian Glasgow. It just received a 4 ½ stars
Top Pick from RT BookReviews. It come
out on June 26th. Then comes another Pocket Star digital original,
HIS VERY OWN GIRL .
It’s a historical romance set in WWII.
Carrie
on the internet:
Twitter: @carrielofty
Giveaway:
Make sure you fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win a copy of FLAWLESS or if you already have it you can choose a book from Carrie's back catalog. This contest is open to everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
