Friday, May 16, 2014

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! SEE LAST COMMENT! Hop Against Homophobia/Transphobia-Why People Are Really Just People (WIN a FREE BOOK)

Hi! If this is your first time visiting my blog site, welcome! You are probably here because of the Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia. I know you have a lot of blogs to visit, so today just relax, read my post, and sign up for a chance to win a couple of FREE BOOKS.

I do hope you come back soon and search the archives. You'll find I blog about many things: men, women, life, love, art, writing. and rights of others. I could use more followers and would love it if more people responded to my posts. It makes it a lot of fun when you do.


The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is May 17th,  Here is the link to that organization: http://dayagainsthomophobia.org/

I'm participating in this event for a couple of reasons. First of all, even though I'm an older straight, married woman, I've always been keenly aware of the struggles others have to obtain basic human rights. Perhaps that's because I was a child of the '60s. I saw how women protested for THEIR rights and —being female—it was important to me even as a child and young teen. How could men feel they were superior to women simply because of their gender? It puzzled me that any human would want to make another human "less than" simply to make themselves more powerful.

As I left high school in small town America and moved to a large city, I "grew" a lot of friends over the years. Many of those friends happened to be gay or lesbian. It once again seemed odd to me when people would make hateful or snide comments about them simply because of their gender preference when it came to intimate relationships. I watched their struggles and pain. The Twin Cities of Minnesota is one of the more progressive places when it comes to human rights, but this fight was brutal at times. I am ashamed to be part of the human race when I see how my gay and lesbian friends are treated by some of the bigots who think they have the right to deny others their equality.

I'm also an author. I had completed three of the five books in The Gastien Series before I realized that each book at had least one character that was either gay or lesbian. Once I knew it, I simply smiled. This historical drama is also a family saga. All families have LGBT members, even if those members have felt the need to hide their true identity from the rest of the family. And, all of society has LGBT members. It only made sense to me to continue this in the novels I write. I made a commitment to include at least one LGBT character in each work. The last book of this series is gay historical drama and romance, the fourth book is half gay historical drama, and the first three, as I mentioned, have side characters that represent different colors of the rainbow.

I write novels about the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human. Humanity in ALL of its glory and ugliness. There is plenty of both, no matter what gender preference you have.

I recently talked to a friend who works in human resources. A co-worker of hers happens to be gay. A very femme gay. She shared with me a few months ago that their supervisor sat him down and told him that he was ineffective at his job. Why? Because he's gay! She said women thought of him as "just one of the girls" and couldn't take him seriously. Really? Many of the others in his position ARE female. Wouldn't they also not be taken seriously then? What about her?

The good news? That supervisor has lost her job. Finished. Over. See Ya. And no reference letter. Too bad, so sad. It wasn't just because of this one man. It was a culmination of many biases and prejudices she had. In this day and age we need to see ALL of these dinosaurs made extinct in the work force. I don't care if they are 60 or 20 years old!

What have I learned from my LGBT friends about lifestyle? Well, I've learned more about pain and suffering; more about low self-esteem and alienation. But those aren't lifestyles. As far as lifestyle goes, I've learned that it doesn't matter who you prefer to love, your lifestyle follows pretty much the same pattern. We all spend a lot of hours working. We all take out the trash, mow the lawn, write out bills, dream about making love a whole hell of a lot more than we actually do it, and—for the most part—try to be decent human beings. Who we love after doing all of that makes zero difference. And, frankly, with the pace of life today. all of us are lucky if we have the energy for a quick kiss and "I love you" before drifting off to sleep. The bigots really don't have to worry about big sex orgies happening next door. I don't have the energy as a straight woman, and my LGBT friends are in the same boat.

I guess people really ARE more alike than they are different.

And now for a chance to win that prize I promised. I am writing a saga about 6 teenagers who are victims of sex trafficking. It is a story about revenge and redemption. There are five girls and one boy. The gay boy (who arrives late in the first book, dumped at the brothel by his homophobic father) shares main character status with one of the girls. He will be a major part of destroying the man who bought them, along with his house of ill repute. The story is not pretty, but it is current. Sex trafficking is a big problem in every country today. Gritty, raw, and emotional, if you like psychological suspense, you will like this story.

To be entered in the drawing, please comment about why you want to read this saga. The THREE WINNERS will get e-books of the FIRST TWO BOOKS in the There Was a House Saga: House of Pleasure and House of Pain.  If you would also become a member of my blog, I would greatly appreciate it! 

This contest ends midnight PST May 27th 2014. 

The winner will be posted after the 27th, no later than the 29th. I WILL POST THE WINNERS WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER THAT. IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO LEAVE AN EMAIL, YOU MUST CHECK BACK AND EMAIL ME WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU ARE THE WINNER, OR YOU WON'T RECEIVE YOUR PRIZE. THANK YOU!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you here again soon. Let's get to know each other by you commenting about my thoughts and vice-versa.

Here is a link to continue on to other blog post for this hop:



Caddy Rowland is a novelist and painter. Her social media links follow.
To find out about her novels visit http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005FW8BZE
Sign up for New Release Newsletter by Email: http://eepurl.com/rfjaX
Author Email: caddyauthor@gmail.com
Twitter: @caddyorpims

Monday, May 12, 2014

Exciting News! Nominated for Best Series and Best Historical Fiction eFestival of Words 2014



I am proud and excited to announce that Gastien: Circle of Destiny has been nominated for Best Historical Fiction and The Gastien Series has been nominated for Best Series in the 2014 eFestival of Words! This means a lot, as nominations are made by other people in the industry like authors, publishers, etc.

Nominated Best Historical Fiction


The board will now be narrowing down the finalists for each category. Finalists will be announced 7/1/14. Even if I don't make finalist, it's an honor and a thrill to have my work selected.

Nominated Best Series, This is Book 1, The Place to Start.





Additionally, many of my author friends have been nominated, too. Check out their books for some great reads: Andrew Ashling, J.R. Tomlin, John L. Monk, Rhys Ford, Kristine Cayne, Brandon Shire, L. M. Ironsides, Libbie Hawker.

There are many others who are nominated and who I have read or know from author forums. The above people are listed because I have had conversations with them and consider them at least casual friends. :)

Good luck to everyone!

Caddy Rowland is a novelist and painter. Her social media links follow.
To find out about her novels visit http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005FW8BZE
Sign up for New Release Newsletter by Email: http://eepurl.com/rfjaX
Author Email: caddyauthor@gmail.com

Twitter: @caddyorpims



Sunday, May 11, 2014

Are You Signed Up for the Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia?

  http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/

The writer community is coming together to stand against discrimanation of LGBTQ works, and to spread awareness of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.


The hop is now open for sign-ups.

Dates:
Sign-ups for the HAHAT will end on May 14th.
The hop begins on May 17th and runs through May 24th.

If you write, review, publish or do book covers for LGBTQ you qualify to take part. Please note: You do not have to work with LGBTQ works exclusively. 

Get detailed info herehttp://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.com/

I'm excited to be part of this. As a writer of dramatic fiction, I write about the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human, and my work is LGBTQ inclusive. I do not write strijctly LBGTQ, just as I don't write strictly straight characters. Humanity is varied. So is my work.

Please join us for this worthy blog event! You will see my post on the 17th. Cheers!


Caddy Rowland is a novelist and painter. Her social media links follow.
To find out about her novels visit http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005FW8BZE
Sign up for New Release Newsletter by Email: http://eepurl.com/rfjaX
Author Email: caddyauthor@gmail.com

Twitter: @caddyorpims

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Eight Books Set in Paris (Because Paris is Always a Good Idea!)




Most would agree: Paris Is Always A Good Idea. Who can resist the lure of French wine, food, art, and history? The City of Light is loaded with charms and wonders you can't find anywhere else on the planet.

Books about Paris are a surefire hit – from romance to mystery to history, you can't go wrong when you decide to lose yourself in a story set in that fabulous city.

I've hand-picked a selection of French-themed books below and to help you decide which ones fit your style, I've asked each author the following questions:

1. Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris/France?
2. If your book was a drink, what would it be?
3. Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
4. Who would absolutely hate your book?

Read their responses and check out their books!




Becoming Josephine
by Heather Webb

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris?
Becoming Josephine is about a famous and beloved French historical figure and much of the novel takes place in Paris.

Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
One of the scenes set during the September Massacres, also, perhaps one of the hotter scenes between Napoleon and Josephine.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $15.00 http://www.amazon.com/dp/0142180653/
Kindle: $7.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMCV2SC

Connect with Heather:
Website:  http://www.HeatherWebbauthor.com  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Webb-Author/124095350992513
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/msheatherwebb



Je T'Aime, Me Neither
by April Lily Heise

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris?
Paris is almost a character in my book rather than the setting, perhaps a coy antagonist? I'd like to think that the passion of Paris was a root of most of my romantic misadventures, but I can't blame it all on Paris!

Who would absolutely hate your book?
Readers looking for an idealized story of Paris. Truth is more interesting than fiction, but reality can clash with some people's dreams of perfect Paris.

Genre: Memoir

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $13.49 http://www.amazon.com/dp/0992005302
Kindle: $6.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DAI30I8

Connect with Lily:
Website: http://jetaimemeneither.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeTAimeMeNeither
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JTaimeMNeither
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18129584-je-t-aime-me-neither



Gastien: The Cost of a Dream
by Caddy Rowland

If your book was a drink, what would it be?
If The Gastien Series was a drink, it would be absinthe, of course! That was the preferred drink of the bohemian artists of nineteenth century Paris. Strong, beautiful and mind-altering, the "green fairy" is a drink that forges its own path, daring to be different.

Who would absolutely hate your book?
People who don't like dark, raw, gritty, emotional, and - at times - brutal stories would hate my book. I don't write "pretty" stories, I write about the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human. That doesn't guarantee "happy" but it does guarantee "real".

Genre: Historical Fiction, Family Saga, Drama

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $14.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1492890391
Kindle: $4.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FI62BS

Connect with Caddy:
Blog: http://caddyrowlandblog.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcaddyrowland
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/caddyorpims
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5106723.Caddy_Rowland



Paris, Rue des Martyrs
by Adria J. Cimino

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris?
It will transport you to the Paris of Parisians... You won't feel as if you have vacationed in Paris, but as if you have lived there.

If your book was a drink, what would it be?
Café au lait: Bitter and sweet, dark and light... Opposites come together, creating unforgettable flavor!

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Buy now or read the book's description:
Kindle: $3.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IAY344W

Connect with Adria:
Website: http://ajcimino.com
Blog: http://adriainparis.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdriaJ.inParis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Adria_in_Paris
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7751480.Adria_J_Cimino



Confessions of a Paris Party Girl
by Vicki Lesage

If your book was a drink, what would it be?
A glass of red wine – classy but accessible. You want to share it with friends and you have fun drinking it.

Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
The airplane vomit story, for sure. Or maybe the passing-out-on-the-bathroom-floor story. If you enjoy drinking, this might make you stop. If you don't drink, you can smugly watch me learn my lesson. I do eventually grow up, it just takes a while.

Genre: Memoir

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $14.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494701529
Kindle: $4.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/0992005302

Connect with Vicki:
Website: http://vickilesage.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vickilesagewriter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vickilesage
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20521413-confessions-of-a-paris-party-girl



I see London, I see France
by Paulita Kincer

If your book was a drink, what would it be?
An Absinthe Chocolate Cocktail (http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/2013/03/chocolate-absinthe-truffles-chocolate.html). Traveling with three kids while figuring out if a marriage is worth saving brings some definite worries, thus the absinthe to help forget those worries. And the chocolate, well that makes everything better, right?

Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
Some of the scenes in my novel are hot, but they don't get into graphic details of slot a fitted into slot b. What might raise some eyebrows would be Caroline, the main character's, realization that she may have some prejudices. She rolls around the beach in Nice and is certain she is ready to break her marriage vows to have sex with a sensual gypsy man (think Johnny Depp). She leads him up to her hotel room and realizes she's never been inside a building with the man. She only pictures him outdoors. And the prejudice of the hotel clerk plants doubt in her mind. Most middle class Americans have trouble admitting they may have prejudices.

Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $14.00 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1304698882
Kindle: $4.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HBY90M2

Connect with Paulita:
Website: http://paulita-ponderings.blogspot.com



Paris Was The Place
by Susan Conley

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris?
At times Paris Was the Place is like a guided walking tour of Paris. You get to eat delicious crepes, hear some good jazz music, drink red wine and fall in love.

Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
When narrator Willie Pears falls for a Frenchman she meets in Paris, she jumps in his truck and heads to the South of France. It's a drive that turns out to be one long roadtrip of foreplay.

Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $26.95 http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307594076
Kindle: $10.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BVJG4CM

Connect with Susan:
Website: http://www.susanconley.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanConley.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Susan_Conley



The Paris Game
by Alyssa Linn Palmer

Why is your book a "good idea" for someone who loves Paris?
It's an especially good idea if you're fond of late night jazz, or wandering the streets of the Left Bank. That's where I focused most of the story.

If your book was a drink, what would it be?
Something quite strong, whiskey on the rocks.

Which scene might raise a few eyebrows?
The entirety of chapter one.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Suspense

Buy now or read the book's description:
Print: $15.95 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1484834828
Kindle: $4.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1484834828

Connect with Alyssa:
Website: http://www.alyssalinnpalmer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaLinnPalmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alyslinn
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5625881.Alyssa_Linn_Palmer