Have Time for a Chat?

Thought for the day: In Ireland, you go to someone's house, and she asks you if you want a cup of tea. You say no, thank you, you're really just fine. She asks if you're sure. You say of course you're sure, really, you don't need a thing. Except they pronounce it ting. You don't need a ting. Well, she says then, I was going to get myself some anyway, so it would be no trouble. Ah, you say, well, if you were going to get yourself some, I wouldn't mind a spot of tea, at that, so long as it's no trouble and I can give you a hand in the kitchen. Then you go through the whole thing all over again until you both end up in the kitchen drinking tea and chatting. 

In America, someone asks you if you want a cup of tea, you say no, and then you don't get any damned tea.

I liked the Irish way better.  [C.E. Murphy]

Don't ya just love it when a friend stops by for a cuppa tea and a chat? 

Or a beer and a ballgame?

Or just to say hello?

Me, too. But after previewing what Carol has to say, instead of preparing a pot of tea and a tray of cookies, I shoulda stuck a ring of kielbasa on the stove. 

Too late now. She's here. Carol Kilgore, that is. The lovely lady has a few words for y'all... and she's giving me the day off. (And giving you the opportunity to win a signed copy of her book!) So, Carol? Take it away! 

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Thanks for having me on your blog today, Susan. I love visiting here. One day when I visited, I learned how to make kielbasa, one of my favorite things. Seeing what’s involved, I’ll just watch you make it. I’ll make you chili or enchiladas when you visit me. Or we’ll get takeout J

Hi, everyone!  Susan gave me free rein, so I’m going to take advantage and talk mostly about my upcoming release, Solomon’s Compass – April 2, Amazon, paperback and Kindle.

 Solomon’s Compass is the story of Lieutenant Commander Taylor Campbell of the US Coast Guard. While she’s on leave at the Texas coast tending to the details of her uncle’s estate following his death, she meets sexy former SEAL Jake Solomon, and sparks fly. There may even be buried treasure. But that’s another post.

Early on in the writing of Solomon’s Compass, I had a vivid image of Taylor sailing a catamaran. The Coast Guard has everything from small outboard boats for port security to large ocean-going cutters. But as of this writing, they don’t have catamarans. At least none that I know of. And I’ve never sailed a catamaran. So I yelled for help.

I was graciously put in touch with a man I’ll call Bob … because that’s his name. Bob is not only a former Coastie, he’s also a devoted catamaran sailor. Trust me, the man knows everything there is to know about all kinds of catamarans, not just Hobies.

But I couldn’t seem to grasp what he was telling me – for whatever reason. Well, I know the reason – I usually have to actually do something before I fully understand it. So I wrote and rewrote again and again. Finally he blessed it.

Then I changed it. In my defense, it was first draft.

I really tried hard not to change any of the sailing parts or the terms he used. Or the principles, which I think I finally understood part of. Maybe.

So when I wrote Bob to tell him about the book, he wrote back and told me he was glad the book was going to be available. He said he’d had a lot of fun telling everyone that he was “the technical advisor for a romance novelist.”

I made sure I thanked him appropriately on the Acknowledgments page.

And to thank you for reading this far, I’m going to give away one copy of my debut novel, In Name Only, to one lucky person who comments on this post. If the winner lives in the U.S., she has a choice of a Kindle book or a signed paperback. If she lives elsewhere, she will receive a Kindle book. He or she, of course, but that’s too clunky to write every time.

Also, I would like to invite each of you to my blog, Under the Tiki Hut, for a free virtual margarita to celebrate March Monday Mania.

Each Monday in March, guest bloggers on my blog are giving away a copy of one of their books. While they’re doing that, I’m giving away one copy of In Name Only on a different blog (like here today with Susan). Today’s guest at Under the Tiki Hut is Ciara Knight. Ciara writes Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian. To be eligible to win Ciara’s book, all you have to do is leave a comment at Under the Tiki Hut.

No home. No family. No place to hide. For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to Gabe, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible.

No matter how much she yearns for a real home, Summer relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. Summer has vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON

KINDLE AND PAPERBACK

Carol writes a blend of mystery, suspense, and romance she calls Crime Fiction with a Kiss. Always at least one crime; always a love story. Solomon’s Compass is her second published novel.

As the wife of a Coastie, she has lived in locations across the U.S. She and her husband now live in a San Antonio suburb and share their home and patio with two active herding dogs that keep them free from all danger, real or imagined.

You can find Carol here:

website . blog . facebook . twitter . goodreads . amazon

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Thanks, Carol. That was fun. Ready to order some take-out now? How about you guys? Anybody else want something...? Oh, don't forget to leave a comment, even if only to say "Howdy!" I've read Carol's book, and really liked it. I think you would, too... and an AUTOGRAPHED copy, yet! How cool is THAT? (Gee, I wonder if I'm eligible...) Nah? Oh, well. Good luck, all! Give it yer best shot...

Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.