Linda O'Connor with a Spring Recipe and a New Romantic Comedy

Linda O’Connor, author of In the Game Hockey Romance series. (Romantic comedy) stopped by to give us a spring-like recipe and introduce us to her latest book, Behind The Bench. Take it away, Linda.

It’s April and we’re in the midst of a snowstorm in Ontario, Canada! I thought I’d share a spring-like recipe to try to nudge Mother Nature into giving us warmer temperatures. Everyone think spring!! 

Lemon Mousse
Soften 1 package of gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water for 1-2 minutes. Then stir over low heat until dissolved.
Add:  1 Tbsp. lemon rind
            ½ cup fresh lemon juice
            ½ cup white sugar
Stir in 2/3 cup plain yogurt OR Greek vanilla yogurt 0% fat.
Whip 1 cup whipping cream with ½ cup sugar and fold into above. Chill 3-4 hours.  Serves 4.

I’m very excited to celebrate the release of Behind the Bench, the second book of the In the Game Hockey Romance series. It’s included in the Coming in Hot 2:Rescue Me, a collection of 16 contemporary and paranormal medical romances – for only 99cents!!

Behind the Bench (In the Game Hockey Romance series, Book 2)

Dr. Danni Angelo is the team physician for the Clarington Quakes hockey team. She’s worked hard to earn the players’ respect, but the new coach, Trey Mason, is stirring things up, and Danni’s worried her job may be in jeopardy.

Trey finds Danni…distracting. Beauty, brains, and sexy moves on the ice have him uncomfortably attracted. He’s the new guy on the block. He has a reputation to build and a standard to set. The last thing he needs is a complication.

When the team spirals out of control and Danni and Trey get caught up in a drug scandal, things heat up on and off the ice. It’s a whole new game plan…Behind the Bench.

Excerpt

Danni watched the tail end of the in-house broadcast of the news conference and flicked off the screen. How could you not be impressed with that? Trey Mason was confident and eloquent, and spoke in a relaxed and engaging way. The beach-bum blond hair, sculpted cheekbones, and easy smile would win over the non-hockey fans, and his passion and knowledge of the game would impress the followers. He had it all, and landing in a town like Clarington must be a dream come true. For him.

And a nightmare for her.

She had worked part-time as the team physician for the Clarington Earthquakes, Quakes for short, for the past three years. It had taken time to gain the players’ confidence. Being a female physician for a men’s hockey team hadn’t been easy, but she’d built a solid professional relationship.

She loved everything about the job – the energy of the games, working with high-level athletes, and a new clinic in a state-of-the-art arena. She certainly didn’t want it to change because of a new head coach.

Trey Mason couldn’t fire her. Theoretically. That would be up to the owners of the team. He could, however, make her life miserable. And if there was friction between them, it would affect the players, and ultimately, what affected the players influenced the owners. There were two other physicians who shared the job with her and a few more who would be eager to take it on.

He, on the other hand, could be set for a long run if he delivered half of what he’d promised today. She certainly hadn’t seen any charm when he’d walked into the pressroom, and yet it came out in spades when he spoke. She could only hope that her initial impression had been wrong because, between the two of them, it wasn’t likely that he’d be leaving any time soon. Bottom line – she needed to suck it up and get along with the new guy. She sighed. She hated sucking up. She’d thought she was done with that. Apparently not. She shook her head and gritted her teeth. Time to smile and play nice.

 Sounds like so much fun. And you know I love your writing.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07942MKP1

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coming-in-hot-gina-kincade/1127238374

Author Bio

Linda O’Connor started writing a few years ago when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at the local home décor store. It turns out she loves writing romantic comedies and has a few more stories to tell. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic (well, even when she is writing she’s a physician, and it shows up in her stories :D ). She hangs out at www.lindaoconnor.net.

Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Website:  http://www.lindaoconnor.net

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA

Newsletter Sign up: http://www.lindaoconnor.net/contact/

Thanks for being here, Linda. Happy reading, everyone.

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Lynne Marshall 25 and Counting. #Giveaway

 Meet Lynne Marshall who's celebrating a very special book birthday. Her 25th book for Harlequin, Forever a Father, published March 1. And YOU may get a present. Lynne's giving away  two Mills &Boon UK  PRINT anthologies:(US only.)

1.     PERFECT PROPOSALS - Marry Me

By: Charlotte Phillips, Lynne Marshall, Catherine Mann

2.      A Duet:  The Doctor and the Princess by Scarlet Wilson and Miracle for the Neurosurgeon by Lynne Marshall I read and loved Miracle for the Neurosurgeon last year. The first romance I ever read with a parapalegic hero.

Lynne please tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a retired Registered Nurse with twenty-six years under my belt. I’ve been traditionally published with Harlequin as a category romance author for more than twelve years with twenty-eight books, counting the three coming out this year. More recently I’ve published with TULE a small independent publisher. I have also gone hybrid with self-publishing four backlist books that I’ve gotten the rights back on. 

I’m a Southern California native, have been married to a New Englander for a long time, and have two adult children of whom I am super proud. My daughter Emily is a Nurse Practitioner and my son John-Philip is an intensive care paramedic on the flight team for Duke University Hospital in North Carolina.  I’m also an adoring grandmother of two beautiful little girls from my daughter and son-in-law: Thea (just turned 4) and Cora (21 months). There’s nothing like being a grandma. Nothing.  I’m also a woman of faith, a dog lover, a cat admirer, a meandering walker, a curious traveler, and an optimistic participant in this wild journey called life. Yes, you are! Lynne is one of my favorite people in LARA-RWA - our local chapter of Romance Writers of America. The first heroine of Lynne's I met in A Doctor For Keeps had a mixed race background and was so well written. You never know who you are going to meet in a Lynne Marshall book.

Who are your favorite writers in your genre?

It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ books.  She is my favorite of all contemporary romance authors because of her quirky characters and settings and the humor she injects into her stories.  My favorite books by her are: NOBODY’S BABY BUT MINE, AIN’T SHE SWEET, and her most recent release FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT. If anyone out there has never read her before, check her out! A woman after my own heart! SEP is my favorite author!

How do you motivate yourself when inspiration takes a vacation?

I don’t recommend sitting around and waiting for inspiration to strike before going to the computer and putting in your daily words. Here are a couple of quotes to explain why.
“Don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work” ~Pearl S. Buck
“Inspiration is a selfish fleeting lover that only shows up in the mood. Who needs selfish lovers?” Lynne Marshall
Forgive my audacity to include myself with a quote from the incredible author, Pearl S. Buck, but we were talking about the same thing. Writing is work, and if you’re a published author it is also a business. The world would stop if everyone waited for inspiration to do things. Inspiration is a form of fantastical thinking. It is something that young minds thrive on, but as we mature we discover that part about putting bread on the table and a roof over our head. So we must write, and we can’t wait for inspiration to do it.
What about the times we feel blocked?

When I feel resistance to moving ahead with one of my stories, I’ve learned over the course of writing thirty or so books that something has been left undone in the prior scene. My brain instinctively knows it and flags it by holding me back. Until I’ve examined the chapter or scene, then stimulate my creativity by moving around (I like to walk, do aerobics, or take a shower) I can’t go forward. Sometimes this takes more than a day to accomplish. I don’t freak out. I know it is my process.
“You can’t think yourself out of a writing block; you have to write yourself out of a thinking block.” ~ John Rogers 

I whole heartedly agree with this quote.

Any advice for new writers just starting out?
You’ve probably already joined a writer’s group. If not, do so, immediately. Joining a group comprised of like-minded people is life-changing. There is much to learn and mentorship is the key. Listen to the wise ones in your new tribe. Their experiences can save you time and heartache. There are organizations for every writing genre; do you know where your manuscript belongs? If not, figure it out, immediately.

Roll up your sleeves. Invest more time in the process. Write every day, even if only a few lines. Read every day. Plop down some money for writing classes. Follow through on what you glean from workshops and author lectures. Apply this new knowledge to your work in progress. Don’t be offended by honest critiques. Learn from them, apply whatever makes sense. Ignore the snarky comments. Be open to suggestions. Rewrite. Edit. Delete. Begin again. This is the process. It cannot be ignored. 

Once you’ve finished your book, though you’ve officially written The End, it’s only the beginning of your journey. First, pat yourself on the back for pursuing your dream and completing your novel. Enjoy the sweet oblivion, the exhilarating notion that “if I write it, they will come.” Each stage of your journey is its own reward. Remember this when things get rocky. Now hold onto your hat, because the rest is going to be a crazy ride!
How do you get from here - new author with manuscript under arm - to there – published?

Life is filled with synchronicity. When you’re on the right path opportunities arise. A chance meeting with an editor at a writers’ conference may open a door in the future. Be aware. Be prepared. Maybe you’ve entered a contest or signed on for an agent or editor appointment and they’ve requested a partial or a full. Don’t panic. Follow through.

Polish and send in the requested material. A high percentage of writers don’t do this. Don’t be one of them. Revisions are inevitable. Do them. Rejection is part of the process. Get used to it. Don’t entertain defeat. Move on to the next opportunity and project. Don’t give up! Excellent advice.

Tell us about FOREVER A FATHER.

Here’s the blurb:

“Will you be my dad?”

Ask me anything but that.

Once upon a time, Dr. Daniel Delaney had it all. But he lost it in the blink of an eye, and he won’t let himself fall again—not even for his dedicated new assistant, Keela O’Mara, and her adorable, lonely little girl, Anna. Resisting a starry-eyed four-year-old is tough enough. Denying her perfect, loving single mom may be more than Daniel can handle…

Forever a Father is the launch book for The Delaneys of Sandpiper Beach trilogy for Harlequin Special Edition. It tells the oldest brother’s story, Daniel and is out in March, 2018.  Book #2 SOLDIER, HANDYMAN, FAMILY MAN, will be out in April and is Mark Delaney’s story, and book #3 REUNITED WITH THE SHERIFF, is the youngest brother, Conor Delaney’s story and will be out in May.

Meet the Delaneys of Sandpiper Beach: A family business with room to grow…

What’s your current WIP?

I have just started another contemporary romance for TULE called HEALING HEART ACRES. It is the third book in my Charity, Montana series. It’s about a man whose life is changed drastically when his dying father asks him to take on the care and responsibility for his half-brother, a fifteen-year-old. The teenager is extremely mixed up, and trying to help and get through to him, Wade Conrad discovers a wonderful place specializing in animal therapy. Wade also discovers a young woman there, an employee at Healing Heart Acres, named Erin, who has something in common with him – she was left to raise her niece when her sister died.

The complication: Half-brother Brent has a huge crush on Erin, and the kid has gone through enough recently losing his father and discovering his mother doesn’t want him, or never has. 

Is there heartache in store for everyone? Or will Wade and Erin find a way to make their own patched together family?

And finally, where can we find you?

Website: http://lynnemarshall.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynneMarshallauthorpage/

Google+:  https://play.google.com/store/search?q=Lynne%20Marshall&c=books

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lynne-Marshall/e/B0034P4WT8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1517182701&sr=8-2-ent

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lynne-marshall

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lmarshall0829/

Thank you for being here, Lynne.  I am entering your giveaway! Happy reading all.

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A Paraplegic Neurosurgeon as Hero? Read On!

Lynne Marshall is a fellow member of LARARWA, the Los Angeles Chapter of RWA and one of my favorite Harlequin authors. I am so happy she agreed to blog about her latest medical romance. Because Miracle for the Neurosurgeon is a romance with a difference.

From doctor…to daddy? 

 

Neurosurgeon Wes Van Allen is used to being at the top of his game, so when an accident puts him in a wheelchair, he'll push himself to the limit to regain his strength—he just needs a physical therapist who can keep up! 

 

Enter Mary Harris, whose sweet kisses he's never forgotten! She'll help Wes achieve his dream, if he helps her achieve hers—a baby! Captivated by Mary's sunny optimism, dare Wes hope for the ultimate miracle—a family, with Mary by his side?

Thanks so much for inviting me to blog.  On May 1^st, my nineteenth Medical Romance was released and I’m super happy about this particular story.  Miraclefor the Neurosurgeon is also my twenty-fourth book for Harlequin.

This is the first time I’ve written a disabled hero in a wheel chair. With the guidance of my editor, Flo Nicoll, I was able to keep what could have been a downbeat story upbeat and filled with hope. 

Wes Van Allan, a new paraplegic wants to continue with his medical practice as a neurosurgeon, but he goes about it all wrong. Mary Harris, a doctor of Physical Therapy, shows up on his doorstep to help the previously privileged, pampered and sometimes arrogant “Prince of Westwood” turn his life around. Of course, he isn’t a real prince, he’s just been treated like one by his family his entire life, and Mary is the person from his past who holds the key to his future.

I won’t lie, reading Me Before You by JoJo Moyes, that beautiful tragedy, put the idea for this book in my head.  I’m a romance writer and reader first and foremost, I need a happy ending, so I set out to give a guy whose life has been turned upside down from a spinal cord injury, a completely different plot. This is a story about a reunion between two strong willed people, and Mary is the perfect person who can both help Wes heal emotionally and physically to the best of his ability. She is also the one person who can bring love into his life again.

Doing research for the book was fascinating discovering all the strides that have been made for

paralyzed patients. I learned about an amazing Orthopedic doctor who devised a wheelchair that, using hydraulics, could lift him from sitting to standing so he could continue doing surgeries while safely supported and strapped into his chair. Wes, being the man he is, immediately upon learning of this device, orders one for himself. It opens the door for his return to work as a neurosurgeon, a calling he has felt since his teenage years.

I also loved learning how para and quadriplegics can drive, and wrote a scene where Wes takes Mary out to a special restaurant in Malibu, California.

I was touched by a recent review from a reader who is also in a wheelchair. She was very complimentary about the story, but had some reservations: “I would have been happier enjoying a HEA with a character who was successful in a wheelchair without the miracles of modern technology. Overall, the book is excellent and I highly recommend it!”

What I did in the epilogue wasn’t meant to be a cure for his disability, it was a chance for a guy who gets tired of looking up peoples noses all day, to stand and walk from time to time using an exoskeleton. The occasional walk around the room, thanks to advances in technology, was simply another skill to add to his repertoire. That device wasn’t what completed Wes, nor was it responsible for his success. His will to live and return to work and, of course, be wise enough to fall in love with Mary, were responsible for that. I prefer to think of it as the icing on his happy ending cake!

Do you know a “special” hero? Please share!

Thank you, Lynne. This is one book I have to read.  I just bought my copy for my Kindle app.

Dear, ones, this book is available across all formats. Here is the Goodreads link which will take you to your favorite link. Happy reading.

Lynne used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming, then she discovered she was supposed to write the stories in her head. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing stories which always include a romance, sometimes medicine, a dose of mirth, or both, but always stories from her heart. She is a Southern California native, married for almost thirty years, has two adult children she is super proud of, is a dog lover, cat admirer, a power walker, and fellow traveler on this wild road called life! 

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