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.