New Release!!

At long last, Book 2 of The Robinsons Series is available! In just hours, fewer than twelve, Her Unexpected Affair will be hitting the online bookshelves! Not just on Amazon, but also at B&N, Kobo, and other fine book sellers. And not just in ebook, but also in POD trade paperback!  Love holding a printed copy of my books in my hands.

You can read an excerpt here.

Be sure to also check out TRRs big Summer Sizzle event here. Prizes and tons of fun from many, many authors are being promoted in a Huge Month Long Party!

And while you are having fun playing games and winning prizes, I'll go back to sorting and unpacking from the big move... At least I know what happens in Book 3, Her Improper Affair coming out in November!!

Happy New Year! Join the Giveaway!!

The old year is past, the new one is wide open.

As far as writing goes, the big news is that "Her Foreign Affair" is on sale for the month of January. Only 99 cents!

And the follow on - "Her Unexpected Affair" Book Two of The Robinsons Series is in final edits for a release this June. It is available for pre-order. Those two items are BIG on the happy list.

So. Here's what I think.

It's time for a giveaway. Or ten. Or twenty. Yes, I said twenty. Keep reading and you'll find out what I'm talking about.

You only need to do one little thing to get your name in the hat.

A Review.

That's it. A little review of Her Foreign Affair.

Between today (1/12/16) and January 31, 2016, write a review on Amazon, post some stars on Goodreads, give me some love on Kobo or iTunes, then email me the link to your review (shea @ sheamcmaster.com), and you are in the drawing! If you win, I'll need your snail-mail address to send you a fabulous gift!

To make it easy, follow these three steps:

1) Post a review at any of the below sites:

Amazon/Kindle: http://amzn.to/1PJsMzU

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1kGYnp4

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1mx4P3P  

ARe: http://bit.ly/1R8lerR

iTunes: http://apple.co/1OIcjgE
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1OgRkOE

2) Email me the link along with your snail mail address.

3) Sit back and wait for the drawing on February 1 and see what you win!

The next question is WHAT will reviewers be in the drawing to win? Look at the photo below.

Now all that is going to multiple people. Not just one person.  The first sixteen winners will get a mug. The large ones won't hold the tea infuser, so the six lucky folks to get those will get a sample of tea bags, or maybe some coffee if I can find sample sizes.  The smaller mugs are perfect for the infusers, so those folks will get a sample of loose tea made in Alaska. Although I might run out of infusers before I do mugs. I have four more mugs on the way for a total of 16 mugs to give away!

As for the earrings and key chains, those might get stuffed in a mug. Or they'll go out separately with whatever little goodies I pick up the next time I'm out shopping.  Maybe even a signed copy of a Shea McMaster or Morgan O'Reilly book. We'll see what's left at the end of the month. A minimum of 20 people will get SOMETHING from the drawing. TWENTY people. These aren't cheap little swag items either. This is some cool stuff. Seriously cool stuff.

Don't delay!  Post an honest review (seriously, I want your true thoughts), don't say you know me even if you do, just keep it to the book and what you think of it. Amazon gets cranky about that and won't post your review if they think you're sucking up. If you hate the book, tell me why. I can't improve if I don't know, right? But say it gently. I do have tender feelings!

Love you all, and here's hoping you love my book enough to say something about it.

Many thanks,

Shea McMaster

Traditional Romance for Modern Women

FaceBook     Website

Shea is Back!

Wow. 

Forgive me, dear friends and readers. I didn’t realize it has been two years since I last blogged here. Or pretty much anywhere. But I haven’t been idle. Today I’ve been thinking over the months and realize I have learned a lot during my time away from blogging.

First of all, cute wee puppy boys grow up to be mischievous but loving companions. Neo is just shy of 2-1/2 years in age. The trouble he’s gotten into (swallowing an embroidery needle and not needing surgery to get it out), the dog beds, blankets, and stuffed toys he’s eviscerated, the two portable crates he’s destroyed… and here he is, a grown dog who couldn’t be more cuddly and loving. He’s calmed down a lot in the last eight months, but he can still stir up a room of big dogs at Doggy Day Camp. No one naps when he’s in the playroom! Good thing they love him over at PetSmart.

I’ve also learned it really hurts to move the one and only child a long, long way away. The Kiddo graduated with honors from University of Alaska, Fairbanks with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He met a girl through friends of friends on FaceBook and he got it right. More on that later. Then I helped move him into a teeny studio apartment in Albuquerque where he’s nearly finished his MS in Electrical Engineering. All straight As, no less, and with a part time job since last fall. He continues to amaze us with his progress. He and the girlfriend have grown stronger over time. She’s due to complete her PhD this spring. They’re planning on moving to California’s Silicon Valley this summer. She has a job waiting for her. He needs to find one.

Another lesson I’ve learned is that no matter how far away good friends are, they can still be there via texting, instant messaging, FaceBook, email, and even by phone. Imagine that! With so many communication options there’s almost no excuse not to stay in contact. It’s fun to see what old friends are doing now. And with the kids all growing up and moving out, we have more time for ourselves.

A lesson re-learned: Cancer is painful, not only to the patient, but the family. The drama can be intense the greater the victim suffers. It can pull families together or push them apart. There are no casual emotions in the months leading up to the end. The relief is also quite liberating, especially for my 87 yo Father in Law. Should I ever contract terminal cancer, I certainly don’t want to draw it out. I’ve seen the pain and strain on all involved.  I’m also extremely fortunate that a few brushes with pre-cancer led to quick resolutions. Hysterectomies are good!

It’s also difficult to write when there are so many things going on. My attention has been pulled ten different directions and I’ve holed up with books and needle work. Embroidery, knitting, crocheting and now quilting have occupied much of my time. The quilting started when Mom gifted me with her Bernina. First quilt I made was for Neo followed by a couple dozen aprons for Christmas. What a difference a good machine makes! Sorry, Singer, this one has my loyalty. I just basted my 4^th project for quilting. It’s a bit larger than a lap quilt, but not quite a twin. I have another top to finish then I’ll quilt them one after the other. It’s fun playing with fabric.

But back to the writing, which is the point of my – ahem – career. I have a new book coming out June 9, 2015. Yes! A new full length novel with a very attractive hero and a feisty heroine. He’s Brit, she California girl. She’s been keeping a secret big enough to change not only their lives but those of the family around them on both sides of the pond.

Her Foreign Affair is up for pre-order.  It’s my first book with Lyrical Press since they joined up with Kensington. It’s pretty exciting!  Be sure to check it out. And pre-order if you think it looks good. Then I won’t have to remind you about the release date. Although, I probably will. Still, pre-orders make me look good to the publisher. And the best part, you get a good book for a decent price!

Shea McMaster

Traditional Romance for Modern Women

Website: http://sheamcmaster.com

FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shea-McMaster/240251469328338

Also Available From Shea

Borealis II: A Space Anthology – Bleu Lies (VI) ~ebook

Borealis XIII: Don’t Step On My Blue Suede Deuce ~ebook

Rachel Dahlrumple ~ebook

Author Bio:

The softer, sweeter side of Morgan O’Reilly, Shea McMaster lives for traditional romance.

Born in New Orleans, raised in California, Shea/Morgan got moved to Alaska in 1977, where she attended high school before running back to California to get her English degree from Mills College. Alas, once back home she met and fell in love with her own forever true hero, a born and raised Alaska man. Since then she’s had a love-hate relationship with America’s largest state.

With her one and only son out of the house, Shea is fortunate to spend her days engaged in playing with her cuddly yellow Lab, Neo, daydreaming, and turning those dreams into romantic novels and novellas featuring damsels in distress rescued by their own brains and hunky heroes.

Goodbye 2012

And hello 2013!

Like 2012, we're headed into 2013 with a mix of good news and bad news. The good news, we have a new baby in the house. We're the proud puppy parents of a 6-1/2 week old yellow lab boy. We've named him Neo. And he is sooo cute! And warm, and soft and cuddly! And chewy, and not yet housebroken, but we're working on it! He's a smart boy, so I'm pretty sure we'll get this down soon.

My two boys. The furry one is Neo.

On the downside, we were awakened at 4:30 this morning with a phone call that my husband's step-mother had fallen. His father was calling the paramedics and hubs dressed and met them at the hospital, along with two of his step-brothers. Pelvis broken in two spots, otherwise she's doing okay for being 84 with Alzheimer's. It's doubtful she'll ever go back to their two story house (main floor upstairs). Maybe a week in the hospital and then off to extended care. 

Aging parents are the norm for us these days. Just got the kid raised up to where he's 98% on his own two feet (he's 21, in his last year of college, and looking at grad schools for next year). But this is life. New babies and aging adults. We deal.

Here's wishing you all the best for 2013. May it be better than 2012 and bring with it peace and prosperity for all. A pretty tall order, but I keep hoping!

Shea

VBT: Author Chris Karlsen

Journey in Time

by Chris Karlsen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

TRAPPED IN TIME

London attorney, Shakira Constantine, finally agrees to spend the day with her handsome client, Alex Lancaster. While riding in the countryside, the couple finds themselves caught in a time warp and transported back to the 14^th century, and an England preparing for war. Everyone believes Alex is the Baron Guy Guiscard...a baron who died in the upcoming battle.

If they can’t discover a way to return to the 21^st century, Alex will have to sail with the army to certain death. Shakira will be left alone to survive in the alien and terrifying medieval world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

Nothing made sense. Whether it was a crazy university project, a period movie, or re-enactors too into their roles, she didn’t care. This was not the weekend she envisioned. She wanted to leave. The atmosphere, the people, and the looks they gave her made her uneasy. She didn’t know what was going on with Alex. Why did he know everyone? Why had his manner suddenly grown so stiff and imperious? What about this place made it so dangerous for them?

She had enough.

Alex must’ve sensed her anxiety. He interrupted his conversation and was at her side in a matter of seconds.

 “I’ll help you dismount.” He took the reins from her firm grip and lifted her down to the ground. “Come.” He offered his arm and tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow.

 “No.” Shakira refused to move. “I want to go home.”

He looked ill, green around the gills, like he was seasick.

“You can’t.”

 AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse. 

Links:

Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  

Happy Autumn, Grab a Sump Pump

Summer is long gone. There's snow on the mountain tops, the trees have been changing color for weeks and many are nearly bare of their leaves. Alaska has been battered by storm after storm after storm and many communities are dealing with floods. Homes have been washed away, flooded, roads have become rivers before being swept away, and even the railroad has a stretch of track hovering in mid air, its supporting soil and gravel washed out from underneath.

It's enough to slightly dent the intrepid Alaskan spirit.

In these clouds of rain there's a silver lining that the hurricane force gusts of winds can't blast away. Everyone is safe. No deaths have been reported due to the high water or falling trees, although there have been several accidents recently.

And yet, here we remain. An earthquake or two didn't set us back, so a few storm clouds won't either.

Now, I admit, I'm sitting pretty and cozy in my new house. No power outages, no flooding, no downed trees. I do have a camp robber carelessly tossing about the seeds I put out. He's too small to eat, so I may let him have his fun for a while longer.

But I'm watching the news, especially for Talkeetna, one of those communities pumping out the flood waters. In a weird stroke of irony, at the beginning of September, my alter ego, Morgan Q. O'Reilly had a new release. Weathering the Storm, Book Three of the Open Windows series featuring those red headed Shaughnessys, is set in Talkeetna, Alaska. During which, there's of course, a big storm.

In no way did I predict the catastrophe actually taking place. In fact, my story is rather mild in the face of the recent devastation that got the governor to declare it a disaster. With luck, that will open up some Federal money to help with cleanup and repair. Rebuilding where necessary.

In the coming weeks we'll get a deeper analysis. I know that this weekend was to have been the Talkeetna Book Festival to benefit the library. I wonder just how damaged the library and the elementary school are, but when people are being advised to boil their tap water and their homes are a foot deep in water, the library is way down the priority list. The school is, of course, higher on the list, but after clean water I'm guessing.

I did hear a report of one Walmart donating food and toiletries for those evacuated to various locations. I'm sure there are a lot of untold stories right now and in the coming days they'll start filtering through FB and the news sources. If you want to help, The American Red Cross is working with flood victims and will happily take donations. Cash donations are especially welcome to help buy the specific items needed. The link goes to the Alaska organization.

Or, buy a copy of Weathering the Storm and I'll donate the royalties to the Red Cross and/or whatever fund is set up to help the individual communities. Buy the book directly from my publisher this month, September 2012, and I'll be able to make the donation in mid-October.  I'll post the total results here and over at The Morgan Diaries Blog when I get next month's statement.

Let me be perfectly clear:
Purchase a copy of Weathering the Storm between now and the end of this month, and next month the royalties will go to help the communities affected by the recent flooding. Ah, what the heck, same for any sales of this book made now through the end of the year, whether through Lyrical Press, Amazon, Nook or any other outlet. I'll make monthly reports of the totals, good or bad.  I'll be totally embarrassed if my royalties drop to $10. $100 would be better, $1000 would totally floor me and actually do some major good. Anything beyond that and I'll probably faint after I put the check in the mail.

Help me spread the word. You'll be getting a darn good read, and those picking up the threads of their lives after devastating floods will get a little more help. It's a win-win situation.

Happy reading!
Shea McMaster/Morgan Q. O'Reilly
http://morganqoreilly.com
www.lyricalpress.com

Happy Fourth! It's a Hot Time in the Kitchen

Cooking seems to be the theme lately. I've spent a goodly portion of my day in the kitchen, baking, baking, baking! The only break I've had was to pack a box, jump in the shower, then dash over to Mom's house to have a midday celebration with SIL, nephew (eldest brother's #2 child), his wife and adorable little girl. At 20 months, she sure is a doll.


My contribution to the feast included a loaf of No-Knead Bread, and a platter of Naan.


Once home again, I made up a batch of Oatmeal Muffins that the guys take for work day breakfasts, and in the oven this very minute is a loaf of Banana Bread.


Below is my version of the Oatmeal Muffins because I took the recipe posted above, and made a few variations. You can look at their pretty pictures. Mine pictures didn't turn out as nice, but the idea is the same.

Individual Oatmeal Cups

Ingredients 

• 1 banana, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• 6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1 1/2 teaspoons stevia powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  
• 5 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans 
• 1 cup frozen blueberries 
• 2 3/4 cups milk (I used 1% Lactose Free)

• Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips - I've used chocolate chips and combo of blueberries, but the guys tell me the like the pecan/blueberry combo best and since those are mixed in, no need for additional toppings.

Directions

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.   In a medium sized bowl mash banana, then add eggs, vanilla, applesauce, and Stevia and mix together.

3.   In a large bowl combine oats, salt, baking powder, flax, cinnamon, nuts and frozen berries, then add wet ingredients. Mix well.

4.   Finally pour in milk and combine.

5.   Spray 2 Extra Large (6 half cup) capacity muffin tins with cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups. About half cup each.

6.   If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now.

7.   Bake 45 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in Ziploc bags. If using the smaller cupcake pans, bake 30 minutes.

We did a calculation and my husband determined one muffin counts as 10 or 11 points on his WW program. By using cupcake pans, figure about 5-6 points per muffin.

Additional Notes:

• Use a half cup to one cup of honey in place of stevia if you don’t have any. I've also used Truvia.
• The batter will look RUNNY, don’t worry!
• Freeze them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag after they have cooled. Thaw overnight in refrigerator for morning you want them.
• Reheat 45-60 seconds in microwave.
• Adding cream or milk over the top after warmed is very yummy!
• If you are gluten free, make sure you are using certified gluten free oats and baking powder.
• If you don’t have the stevia packets or powder only liquid, here’s the conversion chart.

Son just came up the stairs saying, "In the back of your car -- what is that delicious smell? Banana bread? Wow!"  So I'm guessing that's a win! Oh, and what's in my car? Trash to take to the transfer station as we clean out in preparation of the great move... oh yeah. Fun times.

Happy Independence Day to you and your families!!