Great Summer Reads Day Four: The Milkman's Son by Randy Lindsay

RANDY LINDSAY is a native of Arizona. He lives in Mesa with his wife, five of his nine children, a dog, a cat, and a hyperactive imagination. His wife calls him the “Story Man” because he sees everything as material for a story. He has three books traditionally published and four indie-published titles.

As a family historian, Randy has 14 years of genealogy experience. He has researched over 5,000 names in his own family tree and helped over a dozen other people in their ancestral quests. He has a passion for family history and a newfound appreciation for the frequency in which family relations can turn out to be different than what everyone believes to be true.

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"Raised in a family he bore little resemblance to, Randy was jokingly referred to as ""the milkman's son."" This warm and candid memoir chronicles the unraveling of a family secret, which begins with Randy's dad having dreams about deceased relatives urging him to complete their family tree. Randy agrees to help with the genealogy, but after his searching leads to a dead end, he takes a commercially available DNA test. The results reveal a possible genetic match to a sister, which begins a familial quest that forever changes the author's life.

Featuring a cast of vivid characters, richly drawn from two distinct families, The Milkman's Son, reveals on man's family tree, pulling back layers of new information as he gets closer to the truth--a biological father, siblings, and family members he never knew existed.

This is a story of accepting, forgiving, reuniting, and, most importantly, it's about the bonds that connect us and the unconditional love that makes us feel like we belong. "

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Q&A With the Author:

1.   What do you like to do when you're not writing?

  
   A: Visit friend, play card/board games, and work on my family history. 

2.  What was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?

  A: The decision to actually write it. I didn't want to at first, but several of my friends convinced me that sharing my experience in finding out I had a secret family I didn't know anything about would be a great help to others. They were right. I've had so many people contact me and thank me for sharing my story. I'm glad I wrote it. 

3. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

  A: Ireland. That is where the Lindsay's come from and I would like to visit the ancestral home of my adopted family. 

4.  Where do you get information and ideas for your books?

  A: Most of the time, ideas come to me when I'm supposed to be doing something else. In this case, however, it was a matter of the events being part of my life. I wanted there to be a book about DNA surprises that was focused more on the positive elements of the experience rather than dwelling on the unfortunate parts.

5. Tell us a bit about a future project you are working on? Do you have any little sneak peeks you can share?  

  A: I have promised my dad that I will finish book 4 in The Gathering series. But most of what I'm working on now are projects to help people tell their own personal stories. Or the stories of their family. This includes My Historic Moments Journal to record a person's part of history in the making and The Easy-Peasy Method For Writing Memoir And Family Stories to make it easier for the average person to write stories about the people that are important in their lives. 

6. Now that we've gotten to know each other, tell us a story of a favorite childhood activity you used to do during the summer. It can be long or short. Funny, sad, or somewhere in between. Just make sure it's yours. Tell us a story?

  A: I have a cousin who is 9 days younger than me. We spent summers together, one year at my home and the next year with his family. Not only were we the best of friends and frequently in trouble, but it gave me an opportunity to visit different places. Oklahoma City and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. An entire summer in places that were green and filled with things that I didn't see at home. To this day, Bill is one of my favorite people. I'm glad he has been a part of my life. 

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Valentine Countdown Blitz Day Eight: The Promise (Veils and Vows) by Jean Oram

Jean Oram grew up in an old schoolhouse in a Canadian town, population 100 (cats and dogs not included). She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author of feel-good, tingle-inducing, heartwarming romances.

Jean lives in Canada with her husband, two kids, cat, dog, and the pesky deer that wander into her yard to eat her rose bushes and apple trees. She can often be found outdoors or reading a book. (And of course at her laptop writing your next irresistible read!)

Follow Jean on social media  www.instagram.com/jeanoram_author or subscribe to her newsletter: www.JeanOram.com/FREEBOOK."

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When worlds collide...opposites attract

Devon Mattson has never been as captivated as he is by Olivia. She’s smart, witty and rich. But above all is the fact that even though they come from different worlds she understands him, his small town charm and his need for speed.

He knows that to be together they’ll both have to give up a lot, but he’s promised to always be there for her. Now, in college, and afterward too. Forever.

Olivia Carrington has never felt more alive than when she’s with Devon. She no longer feels the suffocating weight of expectations—just the freedom and support to follow her secret dreams and to become the person she’s always been afraid to be.

But when reality comes knocking their dream world begins to collapse. Will these two young lovers find their way back to each other or will their hearts become shattered beyond repair?

Fall in love with this prequel novella--a bonus companion story for Devon and Olivia's novel The Surprise Wedding--about opposites attracting. Grab your tissues and start reading today!

This book is FREE today on Amazon

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Q&A With the Author:

1. Why do you choose to write romance? Do you write any other genres?
I write romance because it is fun! I love it when my characters banter and fall in love. But it’s hard, too. Right now my characters are supposed to be breaking up and I don’t want them to.

2.How long does it take you to write a book, typically?
 Some first drafts take me a few weeks to write and some take me months and months.

3. Since a lot of romance books show both male and female perspectives, share with us the most difficult thing about writing the perspective of the opposite gender?
Sometimes figuring out what the male character wants is tricky. If the heroine has made the story very much HER story sometimes it is hard to figure out what the man wants and why he’s not getting it and how his story fits into hers. But otherwise, writing the opposite gender is fun!

4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have absolutely no idea what an interesting writing quirk of mine would be!

5.Tell us a bit about a future project you are working on? Do you have any little sneak peeks you can share?
Right now I am working on a Texas series which will release later in 2020. It’s still unnamed and the sneak peeks are very rough drafts so I will keep those hidden for now. But what I can say is that it is about a close knit family of five brothers set in a small town. Some want to keep the family ranch and some do not. Like brothers they are all very different…and also very alike. Lots of fun and conflict as well as history between them!

6.What is the most romantic date you have ever been on? Or, what is your idea of the perfect Valentine Date?
My husband and I don’t do a big thing for Valentine’s Day. We’re actually kind of unromantic about “events.” We do try to go on dates every week or two and I always kiss him every day and tell him that I love him. And honestly, that constant love that continues to grow and strengthen between us (20 years strong!) is probably the most romantic thing I can think of.

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Valentine Countdown Blitz Day Seven: A Cookie and a Kiss by Lauraine Henderson

Lauraine Henderson began writing as a child, poems and journaling, until babies, building houses, and bookkeeping jobs usurped her world. 

Now, well established in Oregon and with the children grown, she devotes her time to writing her favorite genre: clean romance. Years of life experience translate into plots, calamities, and happily-ever-afters as she writes her inspirational and romantic stories about fictional people who seem so real, you’ll want to know what happens after the book ends! 

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Where’s the harm in pretending to be engaged for a couple months?

Elliott Palmer’s brilliant impulse to propose a fake engagement to his sister’s teacher in order to get rid of a stalker may be the biggest mistake of his life. Or it could be the best thing to happen since his cookie empire went national. 

Charlotte Bloomberg feels like she’s walking a tightrope at work after the scandal last year that almost cost her teaching job. Yet…Elliott’s proposal could be the answer to her saving face with not only her co-workers, but her family, too. 

As the two work through school calamities, nosy family members, and a stalker getting closer all the time, the lines between real and fake start to blur when hearts get involved. But what happens when the police insist a wedding date will bring the stalker out in the open, and Elliott suspects Charlotte of being a crook?

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Q&A With the Author:

1. Why do you choose to write romance? Do you write any other genres?

I love writing clean romance because I love reading clean romance. There is so much negativity and hardship in the world, people with disabilities of one kind or another, and societal unrest. I want my readers to be able to escape their everyday challenges and relax for a couple hours. I don’t write any other genres at this time. I’ve thought about writing some non-fiction and I may do that someday.

2. How long does it take you to write a book, typically?

Typically, it takes me about six weeks of steady writing to write a book. Unfortunately, I don’t always get to spend my time steadily writing, which means my books take a lot longer. Once the first draft is completed, it usually takes two to three more weeks of editing and revisions before I get to the final manuscript.

3. Since a lot of romance books show both male and female perspectives, share with us the most difficult thing about writing the perspective of the opposite gender?

The hardest part of writing from a man’s perspective is getting the emotions right. I know men and women think differently and feel differently. I use music and listening to the comments of men in my world to figure out my hero’s perspective. 

4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

This is a difficult question. I guess I would have to say that sometimes, when I’m writing, my character will say something that changes the direction of the scene and I will usually go with it, letting the story write itself in many ways.

5. Tell us a bit about a future project you are working on? Do you have any little sneak peeks you can share?

I’m working on the second book of the Cookie Romances, A Cookie and a Promise. This is the story of Elliott’s sister, Kelly, and her ex-boyfriend, Brandon. They were both supporting characters in the first book, A Cookie and a Kiss. The time is five years later, after Kelly and Brandon are out of college. Kelly hasn’t seen Brandon since the summer before senior year in high school, when Brandon broke up with her. Now, Kelly is done with school and excited to take her place at her brother’s side in their family cookie business. Brandon was promised an internship by Elliott and he takes it. When it’s obvious they still have some unresolved feelings to work through—read: they can’t seem to stop fighting at work—Elliott forces them to collaborate on a new cookie recipe or they’re both fired! Collaboration leads to reconciliation, but all is not at it seems when the cookie recipe fails and Kelly and Brandon have no one to blame but each other.

6. What is the most romantic date you have ever been on? Or, what is your idea of the perfect Valentine Date?

My husband provides me with a lot of inspiration. Our first date—yes, the very first one—was one of the most romantic dates ever. He picked me up in the morning, we double-dated with another couple and tried to go boating, but the boat wasn’t working, so we came home. To make up for the wasted day, we went out for dinner and he let me pick the restaurant. I chose a restaurant at the top of a hotel in downtown Portland. We dressed up in long dresses and suits and had the most elegant dinner. He said it was the best steak he’d ever eaten. Great conversation and lots of laughs over the calamities with the boat. Once dinner was over, we dropped off the other couple and he took me to “the top of the world,” a deserted street at the top of a hill that looked out over the lights of the valley. He parked the car, turned on the radio (hey, it was before the days of iPods and cell phones), and we slowed-danced in the street. Then he took me home and tenderly kissed me good-night.

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Great Summer Reads Day 13: Deat at the Dakota by M.K. Graff

Marni Graff writes two award-winning mystery series: The Nora Tierney English Mysteries and The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries. She teaches writing workshops and mentors the Writers Read program, and is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press. 

Graff also writes the crime review blog Auntie M Writes, www.auntiemwrites.com.

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Nurse Trudy Genova is making plans to take her relationship to NYPD detective Ned O'Malley to the next level, when she lands a gig as medical consultant on a film shoot at the famed Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, which John Lennon once called home. Then star Monica Kiley goes missing, a cast member turns up dead, and it appears Trudy might be next. Meanwhile Ned tackles a mysterious murder case in which the victim is burned beyond recognition. When his investigations lead him back to the Dakota, Trudy finds herself wondering: how can she fall in love if she can't even survive?

Readers of Death Unscripted, the first book in the Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery series, will find the same pleasures in this sequel: fast pacing, engaging characters, twists and turns on the way to a satisfying close. From the award-winning author of The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, this second series is a winner. Once again M.K. Graff reveals her talents in crafting this delightful mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural.

Part procedural, part cozy, Death at the Dakota is a well-crafted and highly entertaining mystery.- Bruce Robert Coffin, #1 bestselling author of the Detective Byron mysteries.  

I fell in love -- not only with co-protagonists, Trudy and Ned, the richly detailed and historic setting of The Dakota, and the unique cast of characters, but with the unusual plot of Death at the Dakota. Sherry Harris, Agatha Award nominated author of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries

  
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Snippet:

Ned left the dining room and wandered back toward the living room, certain Trudy had said she would be here today, but he hadn’t seen her yet.

A cluster of people stood around an actress in a filmy white wedding dress standing near one of the tall windows. From Trudy’s description, he thought the man who fussed with arranging the back of the gauzy gown must be the costume designer, Rashid Something. Troy Benedict, dressed in tuxedo pants with his shirt hanging open, stood off to one side, tapping his fingers on the top of the grand piano. Meg approached him with a handful of shirt studs and a bow tie.

Afternoon sun cast muted fingers of light into the room, where three still photographers ringed around the woman, snapping away as of Phin Hill-Yorke directed. Egan and another man Ned knew to be Perry King stood on the other side of the room, hovering. Ned had seen the salt-and-pepper-haired King on his popular morning show, and was surprised by how much shorter he looked in person. But then Monica was petite, like Trudy, and King would look taller on television next to her.

The director’s assistant stood off to one side, out of camera range, holding a bouquet of flowers. Ned approached China and asked if she’d seen Trudy Genova. The woman grinned widely.

“Yes, I’ve seen her, and so have you, detective.” China gestured toward the actress.

“I suppose that fall will do,” Phin said, appraising the bride. “Turn away from the window a bit, please,” she instructed, and the bride turned slightly.

Trudy! Ned watched her move and recognized her profile. She wore a wig of blonde curls and the front of her hair had been sprayed a lighter blonde.

“Give her the flowers, China,” Phin continued, and China handed the lavish bouquet to Trudy. “And toward me a bit more, please.”

The cameras whirred and clicked once Trudy accepted the bouquet and moved into place. She noticed Ned and a bright red flush spread up her neck and into her face.

“Stop snapping! Trudy, what the hell—” Phin remonstrated, and turned to look in the direction of Trudy’s focus. When she saw Ned, the director nodded sagely. “Ah, the penny drops.”

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Christmas Countdown Blitz Day Eighteen: One Winter Night by Heather Tullis

HEATHER TULLIS has been reading romance for as long as she can remember and has been publishing in the genre since 2009. She has published more than twenty books. 

When she’s not dreaming up new stories to write, or helping out with her community garden, she enjoys playing with her dogs and cat, cake decorating, trying new jewelry designs, inventing new ways to eat chocolate, and hanging out with her husband. 

Learn more about her and sign up for her newsletter on her website.

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Jonah Owens thought moving to Echo Ridge to open his art gallery would solve all of his problems. The need to sell his grandma's house adds an unexpected complication. It would be easier if his neighbor didn't have all those farm animals.

 Kaya Feidler's family has owned their land for nearly a hundred years--long before the neighbors were there. There's no way she's giving up the animal therapy business she's been struggling to make profitable. She gets a temp job helping Jonah in the gallery. 

Spending time together is a recipe for romance, but can they overcome their own hangups to be more than friends?

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Top Ten List:

1) I'm the second of six kids

2) The last four pets that we've adopted have been named (or renamed) after some kind of sweet food. 

3) I have never broken a bone.

4) I wrote many a scene in the back of an ambulance when I was an EMT.

5) At one time I had about 150 poultry in my back yard: chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, guineas, and even a few quail.

6) I really miss having chickens.

7) I don't have a middle name. 

8) My husband and I lived in a travel trailer for a full year.

9) I could mix paint, cut glass for windows, and install tile all before I graduated from high school.

10) Twice I've written 20,000 words in a single day--that's about 60 pages.    

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