SPRING IN CENTRAL PARK, NATURE IN WORDS & PICTURES

Spring is trying to take over Central Park. Here are a few photos and a few lines from some of my books to remind us of this season of rebirth.

The community was totally dark as it was closed down for
the winter. There was an eerie feeling in the air to be there alone.
The streetlights on the road competed with the moon lighting the paths. Tall pine trees swayed in the gentle breeze, casting long
shadows over the fields and walkways. The scent of pine was as strong as ever, even though winter was almost here. The dark cabins appeared to be sleeping, hibernating for the winter until spring came and their families returned, bringing life back to their halls.    Snippet from Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights, a sweet contemporary romance in ebook and paperback.

 ****************** Callie was indescribably beautiful in her white satin gown, white veil, white flowers in her
hair and her bouquet of pink and white roses. Then she saw Mac, looking handsome wearing the black tux he didn‘t want to wear. She stared at him, feeling excitement welling up inside her at the idea she was about to wed this gorgeous man so totally in love with her.
Snippet from Now and Forever 1, a Love Story, a sensual romance available in ebook and paperback.

*********************
Wild flowers started to bloom and there were spots of color—lavender, pink, and yellow—scattered around the edges of the creek and in the field they crossed. The trees were still sporting the soft light spring green in their leaves. April marveled at the
natural beauty of Gavin’s special place. "Do you come here often?"
Snippet from April's Kiss in the Moonlight in ebook & paperback.

*************************
SWEET PEA
By Daniel Maine
I marvel at your sweet scent and your glorious pinks and blues,
Your slender stem, winding sensuously in green hues,
From your hidden flower flows love’s sweetest nectar
Your willowy fronds coax me into your garden’s star,
Flowers bursting with bounteous beauty, in a rainbow array 
Of delicate bosomy blossoms, to be picked another day.
Poem written by the hero, Danny Maine, to Eliza, his lady love in Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny.

 *************************

 The ride to Yankee stadium was quick with little traffic on a Saturday. Carrie sat back and watched the boats on the Hudson River as the car sped up the West Side Highway toward the Bronx. The gleam of sun off the water reflected on the trees and flowers in Riverside Park. A feeling of happiness washed over her as she sank back into the comfortable seat. Snippet from The Marriage List available in ebook.

All my books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The Now and Forever series are also available on the Secret Cravings Website and All Romance eBooks. For more info go to my website. To contact me, email at sunnydaysbook@gmail.com.
Click here to visit my Sweet Saturday Sample

A SALUTE TO PAPERBACKS! GIVE AWAY, TOO

THERE ARE 2 WINNERS! THEY ARE:
WORKOUT2DAY4EVR & ROMANCEREADERENTHUSIAST!!

PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH YOUR ADDRESS SO I CAN MAIL YOUR PAPERBACKS AND CONGRATULATIONS!


I'm honoring paperback readers today by posting snippets of my books that are out in paperback and the links to buy them that way. For those who still love the smell and feel of a paperback, here are four romantic books without embarrassing covers. Two are sweet and two are spicy. None are erotic. 
LEAVE A COMMENT AND ON SUNDAY NIGHT I'LL DRAW ONE NAME TO WIN A PAPERBACK COPY OF SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS


SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS (Sweet Contemporary romance)
Excerpt:
Before grocery shopping, it was time to scrub the grime of the old cabin off her body. She got in the shower and when she twisted the hot water spigot to adjust it, it came off in her hand. Scalding hot water shot across the shower, trapping Caroline against the wall. She opened the bathroom window, saw the figure of a man walking toward the Baron’s cabin across the way and screamed for help.

Blurb:

Do you have someone in your past you would like to reconnect with?  Caroline Davis White wasn't looking for Mickey, now Mike Foster, her childhood crush, she was fleeing her philandering husband, seeking peace and quiet, time to reflect on changing her life. But there was Mike, saving her from a mishap...again, bigger than life and even more handsome.

A well-known artist, Sunny thought she could escape, disappear back to the cabin where she spent her summers as a child. But she was wrong. Her husband refused to let her go. There hadn't been a divorce in Brad White's family...ever! And he wasn't about to start breaking that tradition now.  Could Caroline shake him loose and what about Mike? Where did he fit into her life?

PAPERBACK  $7.99

      ________________________________________

APRIL'S KISS IN THE MOONLIGHT (Sweet contemporary romance)

Excerpt:

April dried her long, lustrous, dark brown hair, which fell to her shoulders in loose curls framing her bruised oval face. Her eyes, so dark they were almost black, reflected her troubles. Her black eye was turning yellow and the bruise on her delicate chin matched it.
She wrapped a towel around her body and tucked the corner in between her breasts, picked up her hair dryer and opened the bathroom door. She walked into the living room and ran smack dab into the best looking man she’d ever seen coming around the corner. She bumped into him and grabbed her towel to secure it. He steadied her with his big hands on her elbows as his gaze met hers. They stopped and stared. April felt a sizzle, like an electric current rise up her arms and shoulders from the touch of his hands.

Blurb:

April McKenna resolves to carve out an exotic life of travel and adventure. But she didn’t count on a sexy fireman upsetting her plans. Gavin Dailey has dated practically every woman in the county, but when he meets April, he knows he’s finally found the one he wants.  Only a stubborn man like Gavin wouldn’t let April’s resistance to his charm and his small town change his plans. Determined to win her, he pulls out all the stops until he encounters one stumbling block he didn’t count on. Only a near-tragedy resurrected from the past gives April the tenacity she needs to make the right decision for her life in April’s Kiss in the Moonlight.

PAPERBACK $8.99

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 NOW AND FOREVER 1, A  LOVE STORY (Sensual romance - 2 flames)

Excerpt:

Mac smiled and extended his hand, Callie placed her hand in his. He closed his fingers around her small hand but didn‘t let go, she didn‘t pull away. Callie felt her cheeks begin to flush.

"You‘re new here?" He asked, staring into her eyes.
"I am," she replied, mesmerized.
"Freshman?" He asked.
"Oh, no," Callie laughed, breaking eye contact, "I‘m getting my Masters."
"Ah, I see,‖ he said. "What field?"

"Education," she responded, again unable to look away from his eyes.
"Excellent," he said, finally letting go of her hand.
"She‘ll be working in the office with me every afternoon and all day on Friday," Jonesy
said, pausing for his reaction.
"Great. Welcome aboard," Mac said, smiling warmly.

 Blurb: 

Can Callie Richards turn her life of tragedy and heartache around on the campus of Kensington State University? Braving the school on her own, Callie meets the handsome dean, Mac Caldwell. As she and Mac draw closer and she makes new friends, a deadly campus drug ring sets their sights on her with heart-breaking results.  An emotional story, this is not a cookie-cutter romance. You’ll laugh and cry as Callie struggles to make a new life, find love and find her satisfying, happy ending.

 PAPERBACK 

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NOW AND FOREVER 2, THE BOOK OF DANNY (Spicy Romance, 3.5 flames)

Excerpt:

“Just mention the word female…” Benson joked.
The plane landed and Danny parted from Benson and two other members of his squad.
Marie Willis stood at the gate jingling car keys in her hand. Danny stored his gear in her trunk, then got in next to her.
“How long a trip is this, Sergeant?” Danny asked the washed-out brunette.
“Call me Marie.”
“Okay, Marie. How long?”
“Maybe four hours?”
“Too bad. Thought we might need to stop for the night,” Danny said, looking her over suggestively.
“That could be arranged.” Her eyes gave him the once-over, her smile told him she liked what she saw.

Blurb: 

Can an Army expert sharp shooter, killer and womanizer kick PTSD by running away? Danny retreats to a small town to teach English at the local college. He struggles to overcome his post-traumatic stress syndrome and make a new life when his drunken, abusive father is released from prison and seeks him out. Struggling to leave his horrific past behind, Danny attempts to forge a new path that includes love, success, friends and having his own family but dark forces and emotional obstacles block his way. The Book of Danny is a poignant story of love, loss and ultimate triumph that will touch your heart.

PAPERBACK
REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRAWING FOR A PAPERBACK COPY OF SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS!

THE DAFFODILS OF CENTRAL PARK

The 5,000 daffodil bulbs given to Central Park by Holland after 9/11 are blooming. They remind me spring is here and are a living tribute to those we lost during those dark days. They burst with color, brilliant yellows and oranges, glowing as if they reflected energy from the sun. I'd like to share these glorious flowers with  you and bring their sunshine into your life.

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
 

 A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:



 

 For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

 

 

 

 

 

 They flourish in large groups...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 or small...

 In different colors...and varieties...

Brambles don't keep them down...

Old leaves can't bury them...they poke their heads up through anything.

Scattered even among trash...

They can't be strangled...choked off by other plants...

It is their mission to bring color...

Vibrancy.....

Variety...

and life, even when solitary by a fence...

Adding beauty to the drab, gray parkland beginning to wake up to spring.

Hail, the magnificent daffodil whose brilliant yellow reminds us sunny days are around the corner.

 

 

 

Interested in my books? Check out my website

GIVEAWAY TO HONOR MY HEROINES ON WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!

I'd like to take my hat off to my ladies, the heroines of my books with a snippet that shows off each lady for the wonderful character she is and a giveaway! Tell me your favorite heroine in a comment with your email address and on Sunday evening, I'll randomly select 3 commenters to get their choice of  a book for free!

NOW AND FOREVER SERIES
Now and Forever 1, a Love Story - Callie Richards
She couldn't control her feelings for Mac, it was like she was on a roller coaster ride, being taken through a pre-determined path and having no ability to stop or change course. Then she thought about the softness of his kiss, the gentleness of his touch and the comfort of his embrace and she knew she wanted to go the distance, take the full ride with him, wherever it ended up. 

 Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny - Eliza Baines
Eliza closed her office door and sank into her chair, waiting for her breathing to return to normal and the heightened color to drain from her face. Danny Maine affected her like a
hurricane, blowing into her life with gale force winds, sweeping her off her feet and stirring up long dormant feelings, sensations. 

THE MOONLIGHT SERIES

Sunny Days/Moonlit Nights - Sunny Davis
She had been called a natural beauty, so a little blush, lipstick and mascara was all she needed. She thought she looked pretty good for someone whose life had fallen apart. She heard a soft rap on the door. He was right on time.

 April's Kiss in the Moonlight - April McKenna
She was the prettiest and the feistiest woman he'd ever met, not falling all over herself to curry favor with him. He liked her independence, the challenge she was to him. He was determined to win her, no matter what. Smart, beautiful women with their own minds didn't grow on trees in Pine Grove.

  NEW YORK NIGHTS NOVELS
The Marriage List - Carrie Tucker
Carrie didn’t find it as relaxing as she expected. She couldn’t seem to get comfortable in her seat, perhaps because Grey was occasionally stroking her palm with his thumb, which kept her in a constant state of subtle arousal. She shifted again and heard the person behind her make a cluck of disapproval.

 Champagne for Christmas - Nina Wells
Clint’s face turned bright red. Then Nina figured out what he was looking at and she felt heat suffuse her cheeks, too. It had been a long time since a man stared at her breasts, she didn’t expect it. She was out of practice. How long has it been since a man made a pass at me? She smiled to herself. Can’t remember. 

Thank you, ladies for bringing your snippets today. Happy Women's Month. I take my hat of to each and every one of your strong, beautiful ladies who take control of your lives.  Don't forget to leave your favorite heroine in a comment with your email address for the GIVEAWAY of 3 books!
For more info on my books, check out my website

ROMANTIC MAN FACE OFF/CONTEST! MAC CALDWELL VS. DANNY MAINE

THE CONTEST ENDED IN A TIE!! EACH HERO INSISTED WE AWARD A FREE BOOK TO SOMEONE WHO VOTED FOR HIM, SO WE HAVE TWO WINNERS: ROMANCE READER ENTHUSIAST AND DESERE! CONGRATULATIONS!

Who is more romantic, Capt. Danny Maine or Dean Mac Caldwell? Both men have been debating this issue for a year now and I've decided to let them argue it out here on this blog and my other blog. Please VOTE for the mot romantic hero by leaving your choice and your email addy in a comment. A winner will be chosen Sunday. Thank you for entering.  
This blog is for Mac Caldwell. Okay, Mac, make your case:

Even though you didn't put my name in the book title, *coughs* I'm not mad at you. You know how I hate to get mushy, Jean. But I may have to since I know Danny doesn't play fair. I"m letting my book, Now and Forever 1, a Love Story (btw, Danny, MY book is #1) speak for me. 

 Here are excerpts that prove I am the more romantic man:
In the office, Mac tried to keep up a professional appearance and not show too much interest in Callie, but every time he came to her desk and leaned over to give her instruction about a document, the fresh scent of her hair and the soft lavender of her perfume drove him wild with desire. His face flushed a bit and he became slightly tongue-tied in her presence. He thought she must also have sensed the electricity between them because when he was close to her, he saw a slight blush rise in her cheeks to go with the warm smile she sent his way. The way she looked
up into his eyes as he leaned over her desk, made him want to fold her in his arms and kiss her, causing him to retreat quickly before his self-control melted.
 Beat that, Danny! Here's more:
"Can I walk you home? It‘s late to be out alone," he said.
She smiled at him as he followed along next to her. Mac shot her a questioning look but she still didn‘t reveal what made her so sad.
"I‘m sorry, Mac. It‘s too…too…"
"I understand. Too personal, too painful. It‘s okay," he said, taking her hand. She laced her fingers through his, absorbing his quiet strength. She leaned into him a little and he was surprised he felt so protective toward her. Although Mac usually shied away from a woman with so much sadness and pain in her life, Callie‘s beauty and sweetness drew him to her.

And this!He felt drawn to her like iron filings to a magnet. Whenever he encountered her in the file room, the kitchen or the library…when he entered, she turned around, as if, she could feel his presence. The gaze from his icy blue eyes was pulled to her soft blues. They hesitated, eyes locked for a few seconds, enough to make two pulses race.

 Try beating this one, Danny-boy!
He took her right hand in his and folded it into his chest, covering it with his while his other hand found her waist. He pulled her close. She rested her left hand and her cheek on his chest
and snuggled up to him. He bent his head down to rest lightly on hers and they moved around the dance floor as if in a trance. Callie sang the words softly while the sweet scent of her freshly
washed hair and her lavender perfume enticed him.

 I'm not going to reveal any...uh...intimate scenes here. This is a PG rated blog, but I will hit you with the fact that Jean's favorite sentence comes from MY book and though it's a bit sexy...well, see for yourself.
He kissed her awake and made love to her again, while the day was just beginning and their love was still so new.
Hah! Okay, Danny-boy, beat THAT for romantic!! *rubs his hands together*. Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know what you think of my "romantic" side. *Blushes* In a comment!
CLICK HERE TO SEE DANNY MAINE'S REPLY.

A bit about Now and Forever, a Love Story

Callie Richards was no stranger to heartache. Her parents were killed when she was sixteen. Left with her older sister, she fell into a romance with good-looking, Kyle Maine. They became engaged and Callie’s future was set until he was killed in Iraq. Two years later, she pulls herself together to get her Master’s degree and restart her life on her own.

Working and studying at Kensington State University, Callie meets Mac Caldwell, the handsome dean. Together they fall in love, then fight a deadly campus drug ring with heart-breaking results. This is an emotional story, not a cookie-cutter romance, that will make you laugh and cry as Callie struggles to make a new life, find love and her happy ending.

Check out reviews and more on my website
Buy links

AMAZON

SECRET CRAVINGS PUBLISHING

BARNES & NOBLE

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Available in PAPERBACK too!