Patty Smith Hall

Writers are always trying to find ways to reach our readers so when Camille Eide contacted me about a continuous author blog tour where I answer a few questions, I jumped at the chance. So thank you, Camille! Please go visit her at Extreme Keyboarding . Question 1 : What am I working on now? At the moment, I'm writing a proposal for a new series based in the Georgia gold rush--and yes, there was a gold rush in the North Georgia Mountains in the 1830s. An unconventional woman goes in search of her missing father after her by-the-book uncle arranges a marriage to save the family business. Question 2: How does my work differ from others in my genre? A writer friend once told me that I write about strong women facing unusual circumstances in order to do the right thing. I like that. I also create stories around pieces of history most folks have never heard of. Question 3: Why do I write what I do? When I first started writing about women in unique historical circumstances, i...

I'm not one to write a bad review. As a writer myself, I know how getting a story down on paper is like revealing the deepest depths of your soul. But when I come across a book where the character's conflict is meager at best and the story jumps from one sexual encounter to another, I can't keep quiet. I'd been looking forward to reading Bride by Mail by Katy Madison (Harlequin Historical, June 2014.) Here's the back cover blurb: 27-year-old fur trader seeks wife and helpmate." Expecting a plain, dependable woman to reply to his advert, what Jack Trudeau actually gets is pampered fashion plate Olivia Hansson. There's no denying she's pretty, but patently ill-equipped for life in his simple log cabin—with its one bed—in the wild Rocky Mountains. Olivia must make a success of her new life. But how to convince her skeptical husband that she is capable? She doesn't cook and only knows how to grow flowers, not practical vegetables! Undaunt...

That Girl Guides served as spies in World War I London? In the early days of ‘the war to end all wars,’ the MI5 (Great Britain’s version of homeland security) desperately needed someone to carry sensitive information through different sections of Waterloo House, their main base of operations. With the men at the front and women taking their jobs in the workplace, the intelligence agency turned to the Boy Scouts for help. But the boys proved to be too rowdy and unable to keep their work secret. So the Girl Guides were recruited and proved to be a valuable asset over the next four years. For their service, they were invited to attend the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

For a chance to win ALL TEN novels featured on our blog tour, please visit each blog, collect the answers to the questions, and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway on the BLOG TOUR PAGE . You have a new chance to enter each day of the tour! The contest opens June 2, 2014 at 1 am PST and closes June 13, 2014 at 11 pm PST. The winners will be announced on Monday, June 16, 2014. *Note* Several of the titles will not be released until later in the year—these copies will be mailed to the winners after the release dates. To win the prize of ALL TEN books, you must have collected ALL TEN answers. The winner must be prepared to send ALL TEN answers within 24 hrs of notification by email, or a new winner will be selected. You can enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway once each day! The more often you visit, the more entries you receive! However, you only need to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway once to be entered. But don’t forget…to win, you must have collected ALL TEN answers. To collect the answers...

Visit Melanie Dobson's blog for our continued celebration of the 70th anniversary of D-Day! http://melaniedobson.blogspot.com/2014/06/welcome-to-d-day-70th-anniversary-blog.html

Our wooden floors were filthy and in desperate need of a good steam cleaning. But I was hesitate as I studied the smudged little paw prints scattered like memories across the pine slants. Cleaning the floor meant wiping the last physical evidence of our nine year old Yorkie, Gizmo from our home. Our sweet boy passed away earlier this week after a short but devastating illness that robbed him of energetic zest for life. I'll miss the sound of his little nails clicking against the floor as he ran to the door to greet me. The twitch of his paws as he 'chased that rabbit' in his sleep. His warm body cuddled up against me while we lay on the couch, watching TV. Truth is, Gizzy's paw prints can't ever be wiped away--they're forever imprinted on my heart. Question: Have you ever had a special pet?

At a recent bridal shower, I was asked to give one piece of advice to the happy couple that they could carry with them through the next 40 or 50 years. So here it is: Marriage is hard work. Okay, so it's not the most romantic or sexy advice but I should get points for honesty. Because living with another person, loving them when there's only two dollars in the bank and the car payment is due or the baby has kept you up all night(again) or the dog has used your chair as his own personal fire hydrant can almost be impossible at times. But it's in these moments that a marriage is made; a forever love. Question: What piece of advice would you give a newly-wed couple?

I'm pretty picky when it comes to the television shows I watch, mainly because I don't have a lot of down time and when I do, I don't want to waste it on something that's not worth watching. And let's face it--for all the channels available, TV is a wasteland. But the Hallmark Channel has been a pleasant surprise in recent months. With original series like When Calls the Heart and Signed, Sealed and Delivered , and movies like The Color of Rain , the Hallmark Channel is proving that family television is alive and well. Question: What TV shows do you watch with your family?