It’s Friday!

It is finally Friday! I know you have until 5:00 until the weekend officially starts but, do a little dance, spin around in your desk chair, and smile, because it is almost here. Enjoy the next two days because you deserve it. Weekends are a time of rest, contemplation and family bonding. So, go get a pizza and a movie. Sit down with your family or significant other, or all by yourself and just live. Have a great Weekend fellow bloggers!

“A Love Never Lost” Oh the turns it’s made!

“A Love Never Lost” My “New Book” as it was affectionately called until Tuesday is almost finished. The cover is ready and it now has an official name. Now I have to finish it.

When I started this book I had an idea of where the characters were headed. I knew what I wanted to be the premise of the story. Well, in the writing world, as many of you know, my characters have had a mind of their own. This week one of my characters took on a whole new mindset. It has been exciting seeing where they would go.

Those that are not writers are probably saying to yourself, this lady has truly lost her mind. Well that would be true (Smiling and nodding yes!), but in the case of my writing, I have to go with the flow. Let the river turn and churn where it needs to in order to make it interesting.

I have loved all my published books, whether anybody else did or not. This book seems to be taking center stage in my heart. I lay awake at night wondering what will happen next. It has been an awesome ride. This will be the longest manuscript of all my books yet.

The release of “A Love Never Lost” is scheduled for mid September, or no later than late September. It is so exciting to see your baby start to try to take small steps. Well that is where it is at.

Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Rainy Labor Day in Georgia!

 

Happy Labor Day to all! Well, we are finally getting some much needed rain here in Georgia. I know some of you are having BBQ’s and such, but guys we need the rain. I am sitting in my den, watching the rain and lightning outside the window. My hubby is watching hunting and my son is on the other laptop on Facebook.

It has been a productive weekend. I have been working on my “New Book” hoping to finish today. (Fingers Crossed). I have been doing some much needed  chores too. My mind just keeps going back to the book in need of finishing. I am going to give you a sneak peak of the book in a few more lines.

I want to give a shout out to my blogging friend Candace Knoebel for finally getting her book published. It comes out tomorrow on Amazon and Barnes & Noble so check it out. The name is “Born in Flames”. SO check it out when it comes out.

Now for an excerpt from “New Book”, (not really staying with that name, I promise) so here goes:

They reached the cabin just as the storm got closer. Zane put the horses in the shed and Lilly walked into the cabin. Outside the wind started to whip around the little cabin. She looked out the window and saw Zane running toward the cabin. The rain was starting to really come down.

He burst through the door, dripping wet. She laughed and handed him a towel she had found in the cabinet. He wiped his face and hair. He walked over to look out the window beside her.

“It is really coming up a good one now. I am glad we did not get caught halfway. We would not have made it home in time.” He tossed the towel to the table.

Lilly turned to look at him and had to turn back to the window. The rain had plastered his shirt to him. She had a lump come up in her throat. What was wrong with her? She had never felt this way about him. He was her best friend.

He saw her when she turned away quickly. He suddenly realized how isolated they were here in the cabin during the storm. The wind was whistling through the old windows and they rattled with protest on the pressure. The rain was beating on the old tin roof. The sound was almost deafening, but calming in the same instance.

He looked back at Lilly. She had her back to him, but he did not miss when she shivered. He noticed that she was damp from the rain too. He reached out and put his arms around her to get her warm.

He realized his mistake when he looked down at her startled eyes. He felt his body respond to her nearness. She was holding herself stiffly as if afraid to move. He knew he needed to step away, but he was glued to the spot. He felt as if his whole life was made for this very moment.

She could not move. Her whole body was reacting to him holding her so close. Her brain was getting fuzzy and she was having a hard time thinking clearly. She could hear the rain hitting the roof and the wind blowing outside, but it was muffled by the pounding of her heart. She could feel his heart where his chest was against her back. It was pounding as if in response to hers.

She had to turn and see his face. It was as if her life depended on it. She tried to reason with her brain, but no amount of common sense came through. She knew she would be lost if she saw what she thought she would see in his eyes.

She slowly turned in his arms. She heard his sudden intake of breath. She looked up into his eyes and saw what she had feared. He was feeling the same thing as her. His eyes were dark with desire. She had to get a grip, but that was past reasoning.

He looked down into her eyes. It was as though this moment was made for them. They were the only two people on earth. He ran his hands slowly up her arms and framed her face with his hands. He was holding his breath. He finally took in a cleansing breath.

He knew he had to kiss her. If he did not he would surely explode. He slowly lowered his lips to hers. She realized what was about to happen. This was wrong somehow this had to be wrong.

She pulled her head back and turned back toward the window. He just stood there. He was unable to move. He wanted to kiss her so badly. His whole body was vibrating with desire for her.

He turned her back toward him. She kept her eyes focused on his boots. He reached out and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. He could see desire and confusion in her eyes.

“What is happening here?” He asked the question, but he knew the answer.

“I don’t know. Maybe it is the circumstances.” She tried to pull away but he held her steady. He leaned his forehead toward hers. They stood there for a moment just trying to breath.

She put her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating wildly. She knew that he wanted to kiss her. She was so afraid that things would never be the same for them if they kissed. Her heart told her that it would never be the same if they did not kiss.

She slowly looked back up at him. Her eyes going to his lips. He slowly lowered his lips to hers. This time she did not pull away. He kissed her and his heart soared. He felt like this is what he had waited for all his life. It was as if her lips were made for his. He turned his head slightly and tried to deepen the kiss.

She pulled back suddenly. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She could not do this to their friendship. She wanted him so badly to deepen the kiss, but she knew things would never be the same.

“Lilly, what’s wrong? I know you want this too. I can see it in your eyes.” He looked at her and could see she was struggling.

“I can’t do this Zane. We can’t do this.” She turned and ran out the door. The rain had stopped. She jumped on Buttercup and almost ran over Zane as she burst through the door.

He tried to grab her reins but they slipped out of his hands. “Lilly! Don’t leave, let’s talk about this.” He yelled to her fleeing back. He ran and got on his horse and tried to catch up with her. She was riding as though she was running from the devil himself.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little snippet. Let me know what you think. I love to hear from readers, especially when the baby is still in diapers and not quite ready for the first step.

Have a great holiday! Even if you have to stay inside, make the most of it. Play a game with your kids, snuggle with your hubby, or just curl up with a good book. As for me, I am curled up working on this book

Summer’s almost over, Bring on Autumn!

Well, it’s official, Labor Day weekend is here. I always feel this refreshing giddiness during Labor Day weekend. I look forward to the crisp Autumn air and the beautiful palette of colors that God uses to color the many trees in front of my house. Case in point, picture above is front yard last fall. I always feel good, knowing the hot, humid southern summer is almost over. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer too, but after two months of 1oo degree days, bring on Autumn!

Autumn is a beautiful time of year. There are so many festivals and fairs to attend. There’s the annual trip to the North Georgia Mountains. Also, Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. My favorite time of year! I walked in the grocery store this week and was assailed with the scent of cinnamon. It took me to another time and place. I was suddenly humming “Jingle Bells”. My son just looked at me and laughed. Then he told me to hum quietly, someone might hear me.I obliged since he is not feeling well. He is coming down with a dreaded summer cold, as am I. Good thing it will be a three day weekend

With this renewal of spirit, I plan to have a write-a-thon this weekend. I have set a goal to finish one of the manuscripts I am working on. It is lovingly entitled “New Book” and no I am not leaving it named that. I hope the name will come to me as it progresses. This is one of those books that just keeps evolving with every chapter. It will be the longest novel I have written so far. I was surprised when I actually looked at the page count. I am already at 125 pages and nowhere near the climax or the ending.

My assistant is busily working on my 4th video trailer. She has promised to strangle me if I work on one of my other manuscripts in process. I am excited about this new book. Hopefully by Monday afternoon I will have a completed manuscript, ready for editing and cover design.

So, Happy Labor Day to all! Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend and for those of you from other countries, go ahead and consider yourself honorary Americans and take the weekend to enjoy life!

Shameless post for the week!! Sorry!!!

 

Ok, so here is my shameless blog for the week. I have 4 books in publication now. (Grinning widely, with much fear in the background). I would love to hear some feedback or reviews. I have gotten some really nice reviews, thanks by the way, and only one review that was not exactly the best, but he admitted that romance was not his genre, so I took him at his word. 

So here are the links where they can be found, if anybody is even remotely interested. (Fingers crossed).

I tried to make it simple with these links! Come on give it a whirl!

 

Ghost Lover can be found at the following locations:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/212795

http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Stephanie-Payne-Hurt/dp/1478376864

https://www.createspace.com/3958430

 

Moonbeam & Roses can be found at:

https://www.createspace.com/3942428

http://www.amazon.com/Moonbeam-Roses-Stephanie-Payne-Hurt/dp/1478336811

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/180924

 

 

Tender Flames can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Flames-Of-Love-ebook/dp/B0084USOE2

https://www.createspace.com/3958658

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/217823    (Free on Smashwords)

  

With All My Heart… Can be found at:                                                                                                         

http://www.amazon.com/All-Heart-Lean-Him-ebook/dp/B0090Q0UB4

https://www.createspace.com/3972999

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/217755    (Free on Smashwords)

Well my new novel has a name!

As I have spoken in the past couple of posts, I finished my new Contemporary Christian Romance novella. I have been struggling for a month or so about a name for my book. Well, finally after several attempts, it is done. The name is

“With All My Heart…”. I can say that I put a lot of my own faith in this book.

The book hopefully will inspire others to search out their faith and renew it. I have prayed over this novella several times. It is scary when you go to a new side of the genre you write in, but I feel like I have been led to write this

Christian series. I just hope it is helpful to someone out there that may not have anyone to help.

Maybe just the act of picking up a book will help inspire them to get out of their shell. But isn’t that what all authors want to accomplish when we put pen to paper. We want to inspire people to do something. Maybe it is to inspire a single mom to step out of her comfort zone and do something for herself, or maybe a widow/widower to open their heart to love again, even help someone who has had a tragedy in their life to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I know, maybe that was a little deep for Tuesday morning, but that is how I feel when I write. I want to be able to ignite a little romance in everyone. Romance helps keep your marriage new and exciting, it helps any relationship to stay healthy. When you lose the romance, it is sad.

My readers will be surprised when they read this new book. My books always have a cowboy and horses, but this one really steps away from my normal work. I am a country girl, what can I say. There is something about a cowboy that just inspires romance in my mind. Maybe you don’t get into cowboys, but at least be open to the romance.

So, if you follow my books, check out my new book. It will be available this week. I will update you on the way to find it later when the info is available.

To all my followers, have a wonderful Tuesday and try a little romance today! Step out with your Faith and just go for it.

Until the next time, Good Blogging my friends!

 

Well, I did what I hoped to today!

I told you this morning I had a goal to finish one of my works in progress. Well ten sore fingers and

two tired eyes later I have finally finished one of them. This will be the first in a series of Contemporary

Christian Romance books. The series is called “Lean on Him” and it is written to inspire people through

faith in God. All of the books in the series are based on a tragedy or problem that needs to be solved.

Through love and faith, the heroine or hero solve the issues at hand.

Hopefully this series can help someone who is experiencing troubles in their life.

Well now to the fun part. Editing and designing the cover.

 

Well to all my followers and fellow bloggers, have a great day and a blessed one!

 

I have too many book ideas going through my head!!!

Well it is Saturday morning! I have checked all my book sites and need to clean house, but

I have four book manuscripts started and five outlined ideas for manuscripts fighting in my head for

my full attention.

It is a good problem if you are a writer, but man on man, which one do you start with? I would love to finish at least one of the four I have started by Sunday. Yeah, like that will happen!!!

I have had a great week. I received three good reviews of my work this week. That is always a good

thing when you are a writer. I am excited about where this is going. I have let a couple of people in on the content of my unfinished manuscripts and they are wanting to see the finished product. My assistant has promised she will strangle me if I don’t get at least one of them finished. She has read all four manuscripts and she said I had left her dangling in mid-air without a net. HAHAHA!

Well, maybe in my next blog I will have at least one of the works in progress completed.

On a personal note, wish me luck. I have my 25th High School Reunion tonight. Yikes! I don’t feel like I have been out of school that long. Well, life goes on!

To all my followers, thanks and check out my new author page on Goodreads.com. at

https://stephaniehurt.wordpress.com/