A Gift for Readers ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobin1220 #LynnCrain

  

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another Round Robin event. This month we’ve taken on a little bit different type of post. This month, it’s all about you the reader. Each one in the blog list will be giving away something to their readers. And since this is the Christmas season, I’ve decided to give a few things away.

I love Christmas and it’s my favorite season in Vienna. There are Christkindlmarkts and tons of fun things to do. This year is a little different as the weather is not normal. Normally, it’s cold with a promise of snow. Of course, that’s if it hasn’t already happened. This year, it’s sunny and warm and so unlike the Christmas season. So, in light of that, I wanted to bring a little bit more of the season into my place.

I’m doing a Christmas giveaway for five awesome prizes. 

The first prize is an Italian leather wallet in the shape of a heart. For those of you who don’t know me, I love hearts. And I try to give as many out as I can. After all, I do write romance and even if some is odd or weird, there’s still a relationship at the center. And it all begins with the heart.

Next we have this wonderful Murano glass necklace and earrings. Yes, they are from Italy, specifically Venice, which I visited this year.

Then we have some awesome Christmas ornaments from right here in Vienna. All are made of wood and laser carved locally. I love looking for these because so many are made elsewhere.

So what do you have to do to win these awesome prizes? It’s really simple and you have a variety of ways that you can enter. First, do one of these five things:

1 ~ Follow me here via email or subscribe to this blog.

2 ~ Like my author page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LynnCrainAuthor.

3 ~ Subscribe to my mailing list on my author blog www.lynncrain.blogspot.com. This will enable you to keep up with my latest news, books and more.

4 ~ Tell me what book is highlighted at my author blog www.lynncrain.blogspot.com.

5 ~ Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/oddlynn3.

6 ~BONUS ENTRY: Follow my author blog www.lynncrain.blogspot.com.

Once you’ve done one of those, let me know in the comments section here and tell me what one you’ve done. You can get one entry for each item you do, for a total of six entries. If you already do any or all of these, let me know as well and you’ll still get an entry for that item. REMEMBER to leave me your email address so that I can contact you privately should you be a winner. If you don't want to leave your email in a comment, email me privately at oddlynn3@gmail.com with your entry. This giveaway will run through January 11th, 2015 when winners will be drawn at random and posted. 

Thanks for being supportive of me during the year. Each of you hold a special place in my heart and it’s only right that I try to give back to you, my awesome readers, at least once a year. 

Don’t forget to go to each of the authors in the list below. Each of them is offering something very special this holiday season for their readers.

Here’s wishing each of you a very, very happy holiday season from here in sunny Vienna, Austria.

Lynn

T Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com/
T Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
T Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com/
T Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
T Rachael Kosnski at http://the-doodling-booktease.tumblr.com/
T Margaret Fieland at http://www.margaretfieland.com/blog1/
T Helena Fairfax at http://helenafairfax.com/
T Anne Stenhouse at http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
T Marci Baun at http://www.marcibaun.com/
T A.J. Maguire at http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
T Victoria Chatham at http://victoriachatham.webs.com/
T Kay Sisk at http://kaysisk.blogspot.com
T Skye Taylor at http://www.skye-writer.com/
T Connie Vines at connievines.blogspot.com

T Rhobin Courtright at http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/

Only in Vienna Mondays ~ @oddlynn3 #LynnCrain #OnlyInVienna

            Hi everyone!

            I have decided to start a new column here on A Writer in Vienna. Austria is an extremely interesting place and I have noticed things that I’ve not seen elsewhere in the world. Now, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist elsewhere, it just means if I see it here and make note of it then it’s different or unusual.

            Most of the time, it will just be a picture with a caption. Or it might be a picture with a question…you never know just what I’ll be thinking that day…LOL! Yes, there are many days where I ask myself ‘huh’ or ‘what is that’ or ‘what the hell is that’ because it’s very odd and definitely something I’ve not seen in the world that I’m used to seeing.

            So, sit back and enjoy yourself through the very different and odd things found in Vienna.

            Enjoy!

            Lynn

This weeks entry is easy and fun. We’re walking to the pet store to get Pup Harry his special dry dog food when I look across the street. Huzzah! Won’t the friends back in the US be so, so jealous. They don’t have one of these there!

Emotionally Explosive Scenes ~ @oddlynn #rndrobin0628 #LynnCrain

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another Round Robin event. This month we’re talking about our best explosive scene, literally or figuratively, physically or emotionally. Basically, the fireworks of your story.

It took me a while to decide just what I wanted to do since normally this blog only does things about Vienna. My one story set here does have emotional scenes but none has the impact of the scene I decided to use and had mentioned last time I did this Round Robin. Also, in the genres I write there are the occasional fight scenes as well. Sometimes the scene is huge in that it takes place in space with large ships and lots of big guns. But for me, I decided that the scene needed to be something really emotional. Gut wrenching even. So, here’s a scene from my book The Thing About Elves. In it the hero realizes he can’t do any more for the heroine and has to leave her fate to the gods. And in a way, it is about Vienna since I am penning the final book in this series and it will be done later this year.

Blurb

It’s been two years since Angie’s friend, Tessa, got married to Jedrick and introduced her to his brother, Ardan.  From the moment, she saw him she knew he was the man for her.  There’s only one problem…he’s elf…an elf who swears human and elves don’t mix. But Angie has other plans in mind.

Ardan sat by Angie’s bed. There was nothing more that he could do. It had been almost twenty-four hours and she hadn’t stirred at all. He had failed. For the first time in his life he had failed himself and the people he loved. But most of all he had failed Angie Hudson.

Taking her hand in his, he looked at the small hand. In all the time he had her, he never really looked at her hands. They were tiny, like the rest of her. The nails were trimmed neat. And within those hands were a power he never thought possible. Those hands could heal with just one touch. Why hadn’t he realized how powerful they were from the start?

He didn’t want to in the beginning, he knew. He tried to deny the hold that she had over him but he couldn’t. And now he would never get the chance to explain to her just how wrong he had been. Caressing her hand gently, he knew that the last sense to leave the body was one’s hearing.

“I am so sorry for everything, muileach,” he whispered.  “Tha mi duilach. I understand that you are probably in a far better place. I just wish now that I had realized what a jewel I had in my grasp. I was so wrong for pushing you away, for not allowing you in. I don’t know the consequence of us just starting Nor’ahkeem. I just know that I will love you forever. You are my cridhe. Tha gaol agam ort. I beseech Scathach for your very soul.”

He gulped hard. “Maybe if I tell you about how I envision our life you’ll come back to me. We both love helping people and will continue to do so until we die. And that should be a very long time from now. I kinda thought that we could do some of the Doctors without Borders thing you seem to like so much. Plus, we don’t have to stay here all the time. I know that there are some ancient elven lands in Scotland and other European places for us to visit. I know that you would love to see some of those places.”

Clutching her hand, he tried hard to keep it together. “And I want children. Lots of children. I want children with you and now…”

Ardan leaned his head on the bed, clutching her hand and began to sob heartwrenching, deep sobs. They came from the very depths of his soul.

This scene was powerful to write and read. I cried when I wrote it and many times today, I cry when I read it. Hope you enjoyed it!

The Thing About Elves is the second book in my Santa’s Elves series and you can find it at eXtasy Books here.

Lynn

* Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog 
* Heidi M. at http://heidiwriter.Wordpress.com

* Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

* Kay Sisk at http://kaysisk.blogspot.com
* Anne Stenhouse at http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
* Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
* Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
* Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
* Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
* Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

It's All About Setting ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobin0524 #LynnCrain

Good morning everyone! Hope you all are ready for a wonderful Round Robin fest today.

But first, I must apologize for not participating the last couple of months. In early March, I was called away to the States for an emergency concerning my father. Unfortunately, late that month he passed away. It took me almost another month to tie up some loose ends and to get back to my European home. While it’s taken me almost another month to get some of my writing mojo back, I’ve been told it can take a while…and so it shall. So, let’s get to the topic of this month.

What is the most inspiring, romantic, or dangerous setting you ever read or written?

Wow…this topic covers a lot of ground…and I’ve read and written some pretty interesting things. One of the scenes I remember most from Romancing The Stone is when the heroine, Joan Wilder played by Kathleen Turner, is completing her novel and she starts crying at the end. That scene has stayed stuck in my over my years as a novelist as I felt I had to have at least one scene that left me crying. And I did.

In the second book of my Santa’s Elves series, The Thing About Elves, I had a gut wrenching scene at the end that when I read it today, still makes me cry. The hero, Ardan, realizes as a doctor there is nothing more he can do for the woman he loves, Angie. He has to let her go and see what the gods have in mind. It breaks him to realize with all his elven magic and medical knowledge he can’t save her. It was one of the most intense scenes I have ever written and also one of the most inspiring. Check out the book at http://www.extasybooks.com/lynn-crain/the-thing-about-elves/ to see how the story ends.

As far as romantic settings, I would say that there is at least once in every book where the setting spells romance. In my Santa’s Elves series I use the North Pole and Scotland with a dash of Boston included. In my A Taste of Vienna series, I use the city and the transportation system for some pretty steamy scenes. I do have to say that my all time romantic setting is Scotland. As I am mentally going through all my books, I realize I have used that country for more books than any other. And why not? Scotland is in our psyche as one of the most romantic places in the world. Having been there twice I can hardily concur.

For dangerous settings, well one can make any place dangerous. Think of all the times you’ve seen Las Vegas used as a dangerous place. I have to admit there are some shady areas but since it’s just over the hill from my backyard, I have to think positively. Yet, I too have used it as somewhere to fear.

As a writer, I can make any place romantic, I can make it inspiring or even dangerous. That is the joy of the job. I’m just thankful that I am not Joan Wilder, truly living the dream…then again…maybe I am because I do live in one of the most romantic cities in the world…Vienna.

See you all next time. Don’t forget to visit the rest of the lovely writers, listed below, in this month’s round robin.

Lynn

* Anne Stenhouse at http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
* Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
* Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
* Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
* Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
* Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
* Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
* Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog 
* Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
* Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

* Heidi Thomas at http://heidiwriter.Wordpress.com

There's Something About Heroes ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobin022 #LynnCrain

Welcome back this month’s round-robin and A Writer in Vienna. Each month we have a new and exciting theme. I’m still writing away on some Viennese stories but the theme is the antithesis to last month. This month, it’s all about the Heroes…again, what we like to read, what we like to write…and of course, no article would be complete without our favorites.

Hmmm…this one is hard for me…why some might ask. Well, I’d have to say it’s because I’m a hero whore. Yeah, I can’t get enough of those men. Now, the first hero that I was aware of would have to be Rhett Butler, Margaret Mitchell’s redeemable bad boy. He was sexy and knew just how to keep Scarlett in place. Too bad he realized that she was high maintenance because they could definitely had some hot sexy. LOL!

The next one that I really remember anything about would be Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy. Oh heavens…that man could cause many a woman’s heart to flutter…as least in my version he could. Yes, my mental movie was definitely a more sexed up version than what we see or read from the historic text. But let’s move on because there are plenty.

As far as current books, I have read many and fallen in love just as many times recently. The main one that comes to mind are the sexy heroes of my friend, Gini Koch’s books, The Alien Series. There are so many there that they get a girl’s heart fluttering faster than an FTL drive. They are all good looking and they all wear Armani. Who could ask for more?

The ones mentioned above are my long time favorites but personally, I haven’t meet a hero I didn’t like. Sure some of them were Alpha men that made me want to scream but that didn’t mean I didn’t see a redeeming quality about them. Otherwise, they’d been out the door in a flash. Even those alphas need to have something that draws you in, something that needs fixed or refined or whatever.

But without a doubt the ones that I write the most about are those Scottish men. The ones in the kilts with the sexy accents. See, I married a Scot and when he gets the brogue on, there is nothing finer.

So, what about all of you? What do you like to see in a hero? Is he handsome or just the average Joe? Is he rich or normal? Is he an Alpha that blows you out of your shoes or just the boy next door? Tell me your answers and there will be a $10 Amazon gift certificate for one lucky commenter.

Now don’t forget to drop in to the rest of the round robin group as listed below. Tell me just who you’ve visited and you’ll get another entry for every other blog you dropped in on.

See you all next time!

Lynn

Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca

Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/

Lynn Crain at http://lynncrain.blogspot.co.at/

Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/

Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com

Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/

A.J. Maguire at http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/

Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com/

All About Heroines ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobin0125 #LynnCrain

Almost every month, I do a round-robin blog with a great group of women. Each time we have a different and exciting theme…this month is no different. Our theme this month is all about heroines: what type, traits, personality etc. draws me into a story? Has that changed with time? And do I write this type of heroine?

Well, I just love this topic. I love heroines. From the prime and proper to the tough and ready, I love heroines. And I’ll be honest, I’ve written all of those and more. However, I have a favorite. A favorite I will write about again and again. And that’s the kick-ass variety. You know the type: think Underworld, Alien or Aliens if you prefer, and who could ever forget Gone With The Wind. Now, wait a minute…I’m sure you’re saying this to yourself…why Gone With The Wind?

To be honest, Scarlett O’Hara is the first kick-ass heroine I fell in love with. She had a horrible situation, in a world ruled by men and somehow, each and every time she came out on top. I don’t think I have to explain just why Selene is a kick-ass heroine. She can definitely hold off the bad guys when she needs too…and yet…some would consider her a bad one as well considering she’s a vampire.

My all-time favorite, kick-ass heroine has to be Ellen Ripley or just Ripley to all her fans. That woman is everything I want in my heroines. She’s funny, serious, not afraid to show she’s afraid, yet always has her wits about her.

Now, like I said, it runs the gamut from historical to urban fantasy to horror. Just suffice it to say that these are the type of women I like and the type I normally write about. In A Viennese Christmas, my heroine leaves everything she knows to move to a new home for a wonderful job. In The Harvester, my heroine leaves her home as she doesn’t want to become queen because doing that means she has to kill her mother. And the list goes on and on. You can check out my books here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Crain/e/B002DMMD2G

As far as my attitude changing over time…I don’t think it has. I’ve always liked women who took hold of their own destiny. That doesn’t mean I want to see them without a romance though. I love romance and feel that every woman, good or bad, deserves to have a soul mate. I can say that how I write those heroines has changed over time. In the beginning, I wrote to what the publisher wanted, now I write to what I want and that’s made a world of difference.

Don’t forget to check in with all the other authors in this round robin. They’ll each be telling you about their heroines. So, click on of the authors below and be taken to their world of the heroine.

Marci Baun at http://www.marcibaun.com/
Kay Sisk at http://www.kaysisk.com/
Ginger Simpson at mizgjng@gmail.com
Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/ 

A.J. Maguire at http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/ 
Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

Thanks and see you all next time!

Lynn