Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Guest Blogger R.C. Bonitz

Please welcome my friend and fellow author R.C. Bonitz today! He's going to talk about some books he's been reading, as well as his latest, A Blanket For Her Heart, and how you can get it free for two days. We're walking in the garden, why don't you join us? Bob, I'm dying to hear about Blanket.









Get a copy of A BLANKET FOR HER HEART  free MAY 24 AND 25 at
AMAZON    
I took a walk recently on a very bright and sunny day. Global warming has been filling the skies with clouds lately, but the sun looked really good. And since we had rain not too long ago everything was that brilliant Springtime green. Wonderful. But, enough about the beautiful day. I've got a bit of news about my books and a few others.
I've been very busy editing my new book (number three -- A Little Bit of Baby) and writing a new one and promoting the two that are out there already, so taking a break for the sunshine was really great. Despite all that I've had the time to read three books on my Kindle. Some of you may know the work of Kristan Higgins? Laura Moore? Natale Stanzel?
I've read most of Kristan Higgins books and loved them all. But I think she's outdone herself with the latest -- Somebody To Love. Parker Wells stuck with me from an earlier book even though she was a minor character in that one. This time she's the star of the show, and a very humble one at that. Kristan's humor cracks me up, but in the end this is a book that pulls at your heartstrings. Can't wait for the next one.
Another writer I'm hooked on now is Laura Moore, author of the Rosewood series. Her book, Believe In Me, the second in the series, was the first of hers I've read, but I'll be back for more. The Radcliffe sisters and their clan are the kind of cozy family you just wish you were a part of. And when Jordan meets Owen her world warms up considerably. (After it falls apart a bit.) Like Kristan's book, Believe In Me warms your heart as well.
My third recent read was Pandora's Box by Natale Stenzel. I had never heard of Natale until we connected on Linkedin. Liking romantic comedy, I thought I'd try her book, then discovered I was reading paranormal romantic comedy. Now there's an interesting genre combination- and Natale pulls it off very well. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Mina was a great heroine and I was ready to pop the Puca upside the head a few times, especially when it looked like Teague was in trouble, but with a few surprise twists the end was very satisfying.
Okay, I said I had some news about my own books. Here you go. I will be doing a free giveaway of A Blanket for Her Heart. It's about Anne Hoskins, who is suddenly faced with a decision that can change her life completely. Choose to hide, or give wings to her life? Which way will she go? Check out Amazon May 24 and 25 to get yourself a FREE read. I haven't gotten any formal reviews yet, but folks are going out of their way to tell me they enjoyed it. Take a look at the excerpt below and have fun. I hope you like it too. Cheers RC



A BLANKET FOR HER HEART- EXCERPT

~ ONE ~

First light formed leaf shadows on the cabinets as she entered the kitchen. Those big trees had been there for years, but they were old now, tall and thinned out, blocking less of the early morning sun. Winter sometimes seemed better, on sunny days when bright rays slid through barren branches to flood the breakfast table. Not always though. Not when winter’s cold was dark and penetrating.
Bright and sunny, just comfortable, the day was starting well. She’d been up since three, reading and pacing, waiting for the light so she could start her day outside. Early was a pattern lately, into bed and out of it, bored to numbness when sleep was so elusive.
Her friend Molly thought it was time to see a doctor, but there was nothing a professional could say she didn’t know already. Physically her health was perfect.
"I need a new bed, that’s all," she told her friend. "Besides, I’m always thinking of what I’m going to do in the morning."
"What’s so important?" Molly asked, and she offered the usual list of things.
That was what she did, things. This thing, that thing, nothing. Tend her garden, read Jane Austen or some travel book; wash the dishes, paint, or whatever. Granted, her paintings were beautiful and she did so many one always sat unfinished on the easel, but she hadn’t sold any. Furniture restorations brought in some income, but she usually didn’t do that many pieces.
Fifty-four years old and not counting, she lived like a hermit with few friends. She did know one neighbor, but she’d never married, and had always lived alone. Molly often told her she’d be happier if she did more with her life and she struggled with such thoughts these days.
She turned on the TV, hoping the movie channel might have something good.
Sly Stallone in his first Rambo. So stimulating. Thought provoking. Annoyed but too bored to care, she settled back in the sofa and within minutes the images barely touched her mind. By seven-thirty, she’d had enough and punched the off button with the remains of her wrist. Dry cereal and milk, half an orange, and coffee for breakfast; she dumped the dirty dishes in the sink twenty minutes later and abandoned the kitchen.
The patio garden looked like an impressionist’s palette. Her one green thumb coaxed flowers to brilliant life year round. Indoors in winter of course, but she had plants ready to bloom as spring temperatures began. Each morning she spent two hours weeding and pruning, winding her fingers through the dirt to carefully arrange it to her whim. The stump of her left arm served as well as her right hand, caressing dirt and flowers with the same gentle touch. It was a touch returned by the earth, giving her the best hours of each day in quiet occupation of her mind. She put a dozen pansies in a juice glass and remembered she hadn’t thanked Molly for picking up the flats this year.
After gardening, she returned rake and hoe to the garage and cleaned up at the slop sink in the corner. She wiped black dirt from her knees and delivered a good scrubbing to the right hand. A brush screwed to the wall just above the sink did the job. Small stitch scars in her stump got an easy wipe. The skin was smooth and quite soft for all the abuse it got. Both hand and stump got a dose of hand cream, spread liberally, but only lightly rubbed. A wipe with the old towel she kept handy finished the job.
Lunch was the usual. Peanut butter and grape jam on white, red wine, and a handful of Lorna Doones. Sometimes it was cream cheese instead of peanut butter, chocolate chips instead of Lorna Doones, but that was about it as far as variety went. She took two glasses of merlot this time instead of one. That was not unusual lately.
Afterwards, she wrapped a dishtowel around the left arm and secured it with two rubber bands to wash the dishes.
"You’d be amazed what I can buy through the mail now, Hannah. Rubber bands, seeds, books, clothes, all sorts of things. You’d probably be selling things on a website these days yourself." She wiped the breakfast bowl with the left arm towel and set it on the drying rack. "Not like me though. I hate that ridiculous computer. Molly talked me into buying one, but I can barely turn it on right.
"I’m having trouble with that painting I've been working on too. It looks so bland, not even that maybe, so much as gray and dismal. I should probably trash the thing. You know what? I think I’m going to catch a little sun this afternoon."
It was one sided, this conversation with her dead grandmother, but quite all right. She knew it was imaginary, though sometimes it almost seemed she got an answer.
Her father got an occasional remark as well, but little more. It was Hannah she talked to, Hannah she often wished were truly at her side. Their chats had served to keep her company, at least until now. There was no one else to talk to most of the time.
Except Molly, or Grace, when one of them came around. Which didn’t seem to be that often lately. The house was still too, her world so very silent these last few months.
Dishes washed, towel removed, she headed for the bathroom, stripping off her pink tee shirt as she went. She dropped it in the hamper, brushed her teeth and hair, and relieved herself quickly. Then it was out to the patio, where she pulled one white lounge chair into place and stretched out to take the sun on her back. She’d heard all the cancer warnings, but never did the sun thing very long. Besides, everyone needed some vices in their life.
Face down on the lounge, wearing only shorts, she was drifting into sleep when something made a sound behind her. She turned. A man smiled weakly, then stared, eyes wide, as she dashed for the house.
"Please. I need help," he called as she slammed the door in his face.



It's so beautiful out here, I think I could stay forever. Blanket sounds wonderful, RC, and I'm intrigued to know more about the Baby book. I hope you'll share with us when you're ready. Let's just relax here for a while, okay?

Thanks for stopping by, everyone. Glad we got to share this beautiful day!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie


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