Last fall, I found a great sale on novelty tulip bulbs and added them to my flower beds on a very chilly day in the beginning of October, working until the daylight failed, then scurrying inside for a hot shower to warm up.  I must say the effort was well worth it though.  This spring, my flower beds are bursting with new color.  My new favorites are the double red tulips – so full of petals they look like roses.  With bright blue grape hyacinth in front of them, they really pop out against the green lawn.

Encouraged by this new development, I couldn’t wait to add more  and bigger flowering plants to the landscape, so I bought two lilac bushes.  That was two weeks ago and I’ve only managed to plant one so far.  Am I lazy?  No.  Well, a bit.  In my defense, you need to understand how hard it is to dig a hole in my backyard.  The soil is mostly clay, so it takes a lot of effort to dig.  Then, of course, I need to haul in the more garden-friendly bags of soil to fill in around the new shrub.  Oh, and did I mention the sheer pigheadedness it takes to dig up the grass and uncover the dirt to begin with?

I know all the effort will be worth it.  The bush I’ve planted is already getting some of those lovely, fragrant spears of lilacs on it and has grown about three inches taller.  Next year, I’ll have even more flowers and the start of a shrub hedge to block the nasty old telephone pole that stands outside my fence in that corner of the yard.

Have  I stopped at that one, as yet unfinished project though?  Of course not.  On my trip out to buy more soil to plant the second lilac bush, I found the most beautiful stepping stones and decided to build a curving path up to my front door.  I’ve spent two trips so far to haul the stones from the store in my little four door sedan.  Next comes the digging, leveling, hauling of sand and then I’ll be able to place the stones and create the path.  I’ve also realized that the path will call more attention to my front porch, which needs to have the wood stained again.  I’m tempted to change the style of the post caps, too. There are some really great, stained glass-look cappers at Home Depot, but those aren’t cheap.  There goes the budget.  And my leisure-lounging-around-on-the-back-porch time.

At least, I’ll get outdoors and burn off a few calories!  One list I’ve found states that planting shrubs burns 306 calories per hour.  That’s comforting…and maybe an excuse to get a few more lilac bushes.

To check out more calorie burning garden tasks check out the Lawn & Garden section at  Calorie Count

Happy gardening, everyone!

When you click on the “click to chat button”, you will enter your “nickname” and hit the “Join chat” button which will put you in the lobby.  Then, click on the DOOR icon at the top on the right hand side, then click on ‘RJ Chat’ and it will take you to the right room.

Hope you’ll join in the fun!

It’s interesting to me that the sensitive artist won over the more macho men.  I’ll have to keep that in mind for future stories. Of course, it’s always nice to have contrasting types of men together in a story. Making the comparison is half the fun and the only way to really know what a woman wants…which is what Goldie’s adventure is all about!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the characters. Artist, warrior, or arch fay…who would be your favorite and why?

Thanks ot everyone who participated in the contest. Look for more during the upcoming months.

On Midsummer’s Eve, archaeologist Goldie Locke will find more than she bargained for at her dig site in northern Scotland.

For years her life has been devoted to discovering the equivalent of a Scottish Rosetta stone that will help her unlock the mystery of the Pictish language. After unearthing one segment of a promising carving, she falls asleep in a fairy circle and wakes up completely naked next to a sexy, equally naked Arch Fay named Tyrnan. She can see he’s well equipped to grant her every wish, but rather than spending a hot night with Tyrnan all work and no play Goldie opts for learning more about the stone carving.

Granting her request, Tyrnan transports her to the fifth century where the stone originated, but the Arch Fay has ulterior plans. She will meet two men connected with the stone: Artair, a warrior king, and Leathan, a gentle but passionate storyteller and carver. Those encounters will prove to Goldie that fairy tales do come true—though not always in the expected way.

Thinking back on the three men who I chose for Goldie to meet on her adventures, I can’t help wonder which one I would choose for myself. Since all three  were born out of my own fantasies, that’s a tough question to answer!

Tyrnan is no doubt the sexiest and most exotic, at least in my mind. And any man who has magical powers has to be well worth checking out. Artair? Hmm…I imagined Gerard Butler playing him while I wrote the story. Not a bad looking fellow. I do like him best when he plays gentler parts like in Dear Frankie and P.S. I Love You, though, so I guess Artair is not the one for me. That leaves Leathan. Ah, yes. An artist with strong hands, a gentle manner, and a way with words among other things. He’s the guy fo me.

You may have another opinion, of course. So why not put your two cents in. (By the way, you can do it as par of a contest I’m running write now. See my MySpace page for details or catch the promo on the yahoo groups readers lopps this week.)

Now, here’s some great news for all of you who entered but whose names weren’t picked: if you enter the Twelve Days of Christmas Goldie Contest, I will put your name in the hat for that drawing twice. You heard it right. If you sent an entry in for the first contest, you get a bonus entry for the second one – double the odds of winning.

Remember,  you have from now until August 6th to purchase a copy of Goldie and the Three Bares and answer the questions based on that story.  (I’ll be giving a hint on question #2 in the days to come, so be on the look out for that here and on the chat loops. )

The grand prize is:

• A 2o” decorative Santa
• an gold and crystal angel ornament
• a Thomas Kincade “Village Christmas” nightlight
• and a POSSIBLE BONUS of a 12-pack of Starbucks Cafe Via

If I receive at least 25 entries, the winner will be able to choose their favorite  brew for the Cafe Via: Colombia or Italian Roast.

Spread the word around so I get enough entries to add that bonus prize. As to whihc brew to choose, I’ll be no help at all; I love them both. I can tell you that having individual, instant servings of Starbucks coffee is the best thing since chocolate covered espresso beans. It’s a must-have for my desk drawer at work.

Here are those contest questions again:

1. What is the dedication inside the book?

2. What is Goldie’s favorite drink from Starbucks?

3. Where did you purchase your copy of Goldie and the Three Bares?

4. Trynan, Artair or Leathan: which of the three men Goldie encounters is your favorite and why? (There are no right or wrong answers to this one, of course.)

Purchase your copy at any of the following sites: Eternal Press, Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com. Then, just email the answer to me at: katiecat.katduarte@gmail.com with “12 Days Contest” in the subject line.  All correct entries will be put into the drawing. The winner will be announced on Monday, August 7th. Remember to tell your friends. The more entries the better the odds of getting that bonus added to the prize!

Good luck to all!

(And good luck twice to those who entered the first contest!)

Yes, half the year is already gone and retailers are eager to remind us that there are 153 days left to shop for Christmas. There’s nothing like being reminded that half the year in already gone, is there?  (No need to panic, but if you want to keep track of that holiday ticking clock here’s a link to a handy countdown website.)

As someone who loves the spirit of that holiday, I thought: why not let the gift giving begin?  Therefore, here are two new contests…

Christmas in July Contest

This is a quick one to start off the celebrations. From July 25th to midnight of July 27th, you have the chance to win a signed paperback copy of Angel Gets Her Wings and a goody bag of holiday treats. To enter, you must correctly answer these three questions:

1. Where is Flight 781 headed?

2. What is Sean Conlan’s nationality?

3. Is Stewardess Jeanie on the naughty or the nice side of Angel’s list?

You can find the answers in the book’s blurb on any of the following sites: Eternal Press, Amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble.com. Then, just email the answer to me at: katiecat.katduarte@gmail.com with “Christmas Contest” in the subject line.  All correct entries will be put into the drawing. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 28th.

Twelve Days of Christmas Goldie Contest

For the next twelve days, I’ll be gathering entries from those of you who purchase a copy of Goldie and the Three Bares, my latest story at Eternal Press. You have from now until August 6th to answer the questions below.  All correct entries will be put into a drawing for the grand prize: a 20″ decorative Santa, an angel ornament, and a Thomas Kincade “Village Christmas” nightlight. POSSIBLE BONUS: if I receive at least 25 entries, I’ll add a 12-pack of Starbucks Cafe Via (Colombia or Italian Roast, winner’s choice).

1. What is the dedication inside the book?

2. What is Goldie’s favorite drink from Starbucks?

3. Where did you purchase your copy of Goldie and the Three Bares?

4. Trynan, Artair or Leathan: which of the three men Goldie encounters is your favorite and why? (There are no right or wrong answers to this one, of course.)

Purchase your copy at any of the following sites: Eternal Press, Amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble.com. Then, just email the answer to me at: katiecat.katduarte@gmail.com with “12 Days Contest” in the subject line.  All correct entries will be put into the drawing. The winner will be announced on Monday, August 7th. Remember to tell your friends. The more entries the better the odds of getting that bonus added to the prize!

Good luck to all!

What four things would you take on a desert island, assuming that there was enough food and water there already?

My answer to that one was: Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion, a supply of dark chocolate, and mascara. Hmm. Gives you a bit of insight into my fantasies, doesn’t it?

It also became one of the answers in a quick contest I posted for the night owls on the loop. (I didn’t get on until about 10pm Central time here in the U.S. ) The other question related to my new release Goldie and the Three Bares: Where is Goldie’s dig site? Answer: Northern Scotland.

M. Chesick was the lucky winner and received a free copy of Goldie and the Three Bares as the prize. Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone for chatting with the Eternal Press authors and for those of you who stayed up late to chat with me. To read more of our answers to the authors questions drop by and sign up for the Romance Bistro loop (a Yahoo group).

Look for more chats and contests soon. In the meantime, check out all my books at Eternal Press.

Till next time,

Kat

I’m proud to announce my third book at Eternal Press. Goldie and the Three Bares has been released today, June 7th.  I hope you’ll drop by at the Eternal Press readers loop and check out the launch day party where you’ll be able to read excepts, chat with all the authors and join in the fun and contest.

I’ll be giving away one free copy of my new book to the first person who answers the question I’ve posted on the EP readers loop, so hurry on over.

Meanwhile, here’s the blurb and a short excerpt to give you an idea of what my newest work is all about…

On Midsummer’s Eve, archeologist Goldie Locke will find more than she bargained for at her dig site in northern Scotland.For years her life has been devoted to discovering the equivalent of a Scottish Rosetta stone that will help her unlock the mystery of the Pictish language. After unearthing one segment of a promising carving, she falls asleep in a fairy circle and wakes up completely naked next to a sexy, equally naked Arch Fay named Tyrnan. She can see he’s well equipped to grant her every wish, but rather than spending a hot night with Tyrnan all work and no play Goldie opts for learning more about the stone carving. Granting her request, Tyrnan transports her to the fifth century where the stone originated, but the Arch Fay has ulterior plans. She will meet two men connected with the stone: Artair, a warrior king, and Leathan, a gentle but passionate storyteller and carver. Those encounters will prove to Goldie that fairy tales do come true—though not always in the expected way.

Excerpt:

“Let me get this right. You’re saying I’m in a fairy tale and you’re one of those little floaty things with wings, like Tinkerbell?” She knew full well what he meant by archfay. You couldn’t avoid a few lessons on the folklore of the Celts when you studied their languages. However, the use of stories about the daomine sidhe, the Tuatha De Danann, as a stepping-stone to decipher ancient texts was a far cry from believing in their existence. She’d meant to get a rise out of him and had, but not in the way she’d intended.

Tyrnan got to his feet and drew up to his full height. All six-foot-plus of him rippled with hard, lean muscle. Whether from the sunlight here in his enchanted field or some inner glow, he looked almost luminescent. Tall, radiant, powerful and certainly not tiny—in any way.

He stretched out his arms and a richly adorned green velvet robe appeared around him from nowhere. A headdress of gold shimmered into existence, his dark curls interwoven with the Celtic knots of its bright metal bands.

With him clothed, even in part, Goldie felt more naked than before. She drew back and wrapped her arms around her bent knees to cover herself. Cowering like a child. But she couldn’t help it. He was downright imposing. Okay. So maybe he is what he claims to be.

“If you are not overhappy to be here with me, I can send you back,” he told her, looking not entirely pleased himself.

A thought struck her. She didn’t really know that much about faery folks’ powers, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Can you send me anywhere?”

“Any where, any when you desire.”

I hope you enjoy my latest work.

Till next time,

Kat

]]> http://www.katduarte.com/2009/06/07/new-at-eternal-press-goldie-and-the-three-bares/feed/ 0 http://www.katduarte.com/2009/03/21/now-available-on-amazon-angel-gets-her-wings/ http://www.katduarte.com/2009/03/21/now-available-on-amazon-angel-gets-her-wings/#comments Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:49:35 +0000 Kat http://www.katduarte.com/?p=37 Great news, readers!

My lovely publisher Eternal Press is now offering their books as print on demand paperbacks on Amazon.com.  The wonderful (and apparently indefatigable) Ally Robertson and her staff at EP have been working day and night to get the current titles converted to Amazon’s POD format and finally all their hard work is paying off.

My latest, Angel Gets Her Wings, is now available and Rise of the Wolf will no doubt be coming soon.

From now on fans of all the Eternal Press authors will have theer choice on how to read our stories. Those of us who just have to have the tactile sensation of turning actual paper pages when we read can get their hands on a physical copy and those who prefer the ebook experience can still get their downloads for EP on launch day.

When my next book comes out, you can count on some special contests with prizes including autographed copies!

Till next time,

Kat

Are you interested in finding out how to enter to win a free Eternal Press book a month for a year? The details are in Eternal Press’ February newsletter. If you don’t already subscribe, send an email to: eternalpresspromotions@gmail.com with the word ‘newsletter’ in the subject line. That will sign you up and they will get that February issue to you asap.

There are so many great authors at Eternal Press, I’m sure you’ll find more than one book you’d like to buy, but if you haven’t purchased a copy of Rise of the Wolf or Angel Gets Her Wings this is the perfect time to get one or both.

(Who knows, if you enter EP’s contest and write a good review of one of my books, there just might be a special prize coming your way from the Cafe Lotti!)

Remember to check EP’s February newsletter for the detailed instructions but for now here’s a simple breakdown of how to enter:

1. Buy a book from Eternal Press by Feb. 28th.
2. Post a review of the book by March 14th 

3. Send an email to at EPContests@gmail.com with a proof of purchase(receipt, which is usually an email that can be forwarded) along with a link to where your review is posted (or a copy of an email if you send it out via email instead of posting online).

All the links will be listed in the Eternal Press April newsletter. The winner gets a free book a month from EP for a year!

Good luck to all who enter!

Till next time,

Kat