I am very, very excited to introduce today’s guest and share her new release. Several months ago, I decided to put together a group of authors from various countries to collaborate on a novella series, with each story set in a different country. I love gothic mystery romances, so I decided that would be a fun genre for our series. I put out a few feelers, and Marie was one of the authors who came on board. Marie is the launch author for our series of stand-alone novellas. Her story, Ghost in the Rain, released today, and it is awesome!!! And, guess what? It’s on sale for only 99 cents!
Welcome, Marie…
Tell us a fun fact about you:
When I first met my husband, he told me he played in a band and was going to be a rock star. It was Halloween. 🙂
What did you like about writing as a group effort?
I really liked the way ideas bounced around – how one author’s suggestion would set me thinking and spark another notion. Besides which, writing is a very solitary profession and it’s a lovely change to be part of a project that still lets you follow your own story.
What was the most difficult part of writing as a group effort?
To be honest, I don’t think I found any of it very difficult! I suppose I was very aware that if my story didn’t work, I would be letting the whole group down. I couldn’t just slide the manuscript under the bed and forget about it. So I worried that it wasn’t right for the series. But then again, the nice thing about a group effort is that other authors are there to give their opinion, and I was very glad this group’s was favourable!
Thank you for joining me today, Marie. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and working with you on our series!
Marie is giving away a FREE copy of Ghost in the Rain to once lucky commenter…a name will be drawn on Sunday.
(Isn’t this cover gorgeous?)
A haunted Highland house, battered by storms and murder…
Notorious rocker Dan Stewart isn’t anything like Dr. Kate Yorke imagined. Arriving at his remote home in the Scottish Highlands to research some valuable letters – only to discover he’s forgotten their appointment – Kate soaks up the Gothic atmosphere of Invershiel House. But it’s the owner who truly fascinates her.
Reclusive and abrupt, Dan is haunted by the deaths of his fellow band members, especially his one time lover Islay Lamont, whose shade seems to flit around the grounds in the rain. But the ghost is not the only mystery Kate encounters. Light bulbs disappear around her – and only Dan knows she’s scared of the dark. Then she trips over a dead body which inexplicably vanishes.
It becomes a race against time to find the identity of the body and the killer. And to discover if she and Danny have any kind of future together. Or even at all…
Excerpt:
I had to acknowledge that my peace was churned up by his unexpected presence here. It wasn’t even an unpleasant feeling; in fact it felt rather…exciting. But it was disturbing.
I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. I suspected Dan Stewart carried such disturbance wherever he went. If I thought about it, the whole house felt different now. As if its peace had gone too; as if it had sprung to life, eager, waiting.
Mocking my own silly fantasy, I stood abruptly and paced around the room, trying to recover my lost concentration. I suspected I was just tired and would work much faster and much better after a good night’s sleep.
I paused by the window to watch the storm. Although the thunder had stopped, the wind and rain were still blasting the trees and rattling the window. Close-up, I could feel the draught through my thick sweater. On impulse, I retrieved my phone from my bag and tried to capture the raging storm on its camera. But it looked too tame on the screen, not deep or dark enough, no real movement in those black clouds still scudding and swirling across the sky. I wished I could paint. For a moment, I even wished I could be part of it, to go outside in it again. There was nothing to stop me, except common sense.
I smiled to myself and lowered the phone, just as a movement in the garden below caught my eye. Someone was out in this. Someone not remotely dressed for it either. Through the darkness and the almost opaque mist of rain, I could make out only that it seemed to be a woman wearing only some kind of floating, white, wispy garment, more like the loungewear of wealthy women of past centuries than anything anyone would wear today for any purpose. The odd garment shimmered as the figure glided across the lawn, impossibly graceful.
On impulse, I raised my phone again and snapped.
Perhaps she moved too quickly. Nothing of her showed on the screen except an indistinct blur of light against blackness. Frowning, I looked again out of the window, but the woman had gone. Vanished.
Marie Treanor lives in Scotland, in a chaotic house by the sea, together with her eccentric husband, three much too smart children and a small dog who rules them all. Most days, she avoids both housekeeping and evil day jobs by writing stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.
Marie is the award winning author of over forty steamy paranormal romances – Indie, New York and E-published.
You can find out more about Marie and her books on her website: www.MarieTreanor.com.
When I was four years old I woke up in hospital, scared and alone. It was the start of six years of childhood illness where I was in and out of hospital and spent most of my time at home, away from other children. I recovered by age ten and have led a normal healthy life since. And although it may seem sad, this was when my imagination bloomed and I began making up stories to entertain myself.
As a teenager I spent summers with my cousins in Ireland. Being away from my parents and sisters in a different culture (Yes the Irish culture is different from the English culture) gave me a new perspective on the world and my ability to be independent in it.
Got a job at British Airways. This was a turning point for me. The selection process was long, difficult, and included; three interviews, a two and a half hour intelligence test, and a role-play scenario. Being selected was a huge ego boost. Getting that job changed me from a small, mousy, timid person into a strong, confident woman.
Travelled the world. That sounds more impressive than it actually is. I have travelled – probably more than most, but less than many. For a young person travelling can be a true eye-opener. I came to realize that the social expectations that ruled my life in England didn’t apply to the rest of the world.
Moved to Canada. When I was twenty-six I moved to Canada. It may surprise you to know that the Canadians didn’t want me; mainly because my work as a check-in agent at British Airways was not a skill they needed, so I became a nanny. Apparently they always need nannies. After two years working as a domestic servant I was allowed to stay in Canada and am now a Canadian citizen.
When I was twenty-eight I was involved in a car accident. The other car ran a stop sign. I broke bones in my pelvis, shoulder and jaw. It was a painful experience that made me aware of how our minds and bodies work in unison. It also had an effect on my story telling. By the end of the book I normally injure at least one of my main characters. No one escapes my stories unscathed.
Met my husband. After years of working indoors, as a nanny, I decided I needed to be outside for a while so I took a job as a courier driver in Vancouver. I was twenty-nine and had decided that marriage and children weren’t for me. Then low and behold I met my husband. He was one of the other drivers and six years younger than me – a mere twenty-three – and I remember being grateful that I could legally go out with him 🙂
Had children. I wrote this list in chronological order, but if I’d written it in order of most important then having children would have been number one on my list. It is by far the best, most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. My family brings me joy every day and makes me realize how truly blessed I am.
Decided to write a book. Unlike most people who write, I didn’t start writing until I was in my forties, although I always had characters dancing around in my head. I guess you could say that writing is part of my mid-life crisis. I woke up one day and realized that if I wanted to put my stories down on paper I had to do it soon. Then, of course, I had to learn how to write, but that’s a whole other blog post.
Contracted by TWRP. After many false starts, half written manuscripts, and six years of struggling to learn the craft of writing – a profession that is profoundly humbling and rewarding at the same time – My novella A Woman of Honour was contracted by The Wild Rose Press. TWRP then contracted the complete series, A Woman of Love and A Woman of Courage. I’m hoping to publish a collection of short stories entitled Murder by Bear and Other Short Stories, in April or May. I’m also working on a full–length contemporary suspense entitled Sun Seeker.
***On Sale for $0.99***
Blurb:
When an injured Fianna Byrne turns up at Connell O’Neill’s gate twelve years after their separation he knows this could be his last chance to find happiness with the woman he loves.
False accusations against Fianna had strained relations between their clans and forced Connell, under Irish law, to divorce her. Their disastrous three-month relationship left Fianna pregnant and heartbroken. She has avoided Duncarraig and her ex-husband ever since.
But with her home obliterated by the Vikings, Fianna must face her past in order to save her son, and prove once and for all she is a woman of courage.
Excerpt:
Twelve years ago she’d been Connell’s wife. His devastating rejection of her, after only three months of marriage, and their subsequent divorce caused a pain so real it twisted her insides. The hostilities that ensued after their separation, followed by an uneasy truce when she found she was pregnant with their son, Lorcan, made it prudent to restrict her contact.
During their short marriage he had weakened her in a way no other man could. She’d transformed into a woman so overtaken with lust she’d been blind to everything, including his true feelings. With Connell all her instincts, control, and intellect became like overcooked oats, a sludge that thought of nothing except him.
Her breath caught when her former husband strode out of the large central house, marching toward her. His long limbs and easy stride accentuated the rippling muscles of his legs. Every movement emphasized his grace and strength. He was still tall and broad, with long, smooth, black hair and a black beard to match. He would have been too handsome, too pretty, if it hadn’t been for his large crooked nose. That imperfection added to his allure, making him more appealing. Her pulse quickened, and her body warmed with need. She forgot her reason for being here, forgot everything except him. Damn it. Even in her injured state, with everything she had endured, he still had the ability to turn her mind to mud.
Marlow will award a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner at the end of the tour. (Click on Rafflecopter link below) Follow the tour and comment the more you comment the more chances you have to win. Tour stops can be found at: http://www.marlowkelly.com/appearances-giveaways-and-news.html
After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. Her need to write about strong women in crisis drives her stories. You can visit Marlow at www.marlowkelly.com
[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]
Some interesting, random facts… (Well, to me, everything about Elvis is interesting. :))
In 1954, when Elvis was cutting some early records at Sun Studios, he auditioned for an amateur gospel quartet called the Songfellows. They turned him down. Ha, can you imagine???? I would bet they sorely regretted that.
Not only was Elvis a direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln’s great-great grandfather, Isaiah Harrison, he was a distant cousin of Jimmy Carter.
In 1973, Elvis gave Muhammad Ali a $10,000 white robe, with the words “People’s Champion” emblazoned across the back. Ali was touched, and wore the robe on 31 March, when he fought Ken Norton for the first time. Norton broke Ali’s jaw in the second round, before winning a 12-round decision. Ali vowed never to wear the robe again, although he maintained his friendship with Elvis.
In 1976, Paul McCartney’s wife, Linda, purchased the stand up bass used by Bill Black (a member of Elvis’ original band). The McCartney’s knew someone in Nashville who knew Bill Black’s family. The bass was just sitting in a barn. In a PBS performance here while back, Paul unveiled the bass before a small studio audience. With the instrument in his hands, he visualized himself being on stage with Elvis. “If I were Bill Black, then Elvis would have been right there,” he observed, pointing to a spot just a few feet in front of him. Then he played the bass while singing Heartbreak Hotel. I would guess the bass is extremely special to Paul, not only because it belonged to Bill Black, but because his beloved wife Linda gave it to him.
Some of Elvis’ best songs were not all that well-known by many people, even those who ‘liked’ Elvis but weren’t obsessive Elvis fans. Are you familiar with these?
How many of those have you heard? I love them all, and I think they should have been huge hits. Not sure what happened there.
I’ll leave you with a quick little anecdote and a song I’m sure you’ve heard, but I’ve recently re-fallen in love with it:
My favorite line is “Baby if you ever loved me, then Bonnie and Clyde loved the law.” 🙂 So cute!
A while back, I worked on the assembly line for General Motors. I listened to Elvis radio the entire time, which made the long, boring hours so much easier to handle. A guy I worked with once commented that he couldn’t understand how I listened to Elvis, and only Elvis, for all those hours. He said, “I like Led Zepplin every bit as much as you like Elvis, and I couldn’t listen to them non-stop.” I replied, “Then obviously, you don’t like Led Zepplin’ as much as I like Elvis.” DUH…am I right? 🙂
Thank you for stopping by…Happy Friday!
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
[INTRO: I am a die hard, card carrying Elvis fan and have been for as long as I can remember. There is so much about Elvis to love; his incredible singing voice, his generous spirit, his looks (the most gorgeous man ever), his movies (yes, his movies. They make me happy, so critics can just shush), his service in the army, his magical presence on stage, his transcendent charisma, and…I could go on and on. As a matter of fact, on my 50th post, I believe it was, I DID go on and on. I listed 50 things I love about Elvis. It wasn’t difficult. I am an author and I mention Elvis in almost every story I write. I named my son Presley. I was fortunate to see Elvis in concert three times. I have been to Graceland five times… See? I love Elvis. I have been blogging weekly for more than a year, but going forward, I will blog every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. My life is insanely busy and I found myself missing weeks from time to time. This way, I’m more likely to be consistent. Hopefully, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you appreciate something about him and will find my posts interesting. Feel free to comment. Thank you so much for stopping by!]
Frankie and Johnny:
This wasn’t one of my top Elvis movies, but I enjoyed it. As a kid, I wasn’t aware it was set in the 1800’s. I just thought everyone was dressing in costumes. Although, as an adult, I must admit it’s not entirely clear. I believe some mixed signals were sent. The costumes and some of the references, such as a reference to confederate money, indicate the 1800’s, but some of the dialogue sounds a little more modern, such as Elvis using the word ‘chicks’ to refer to girls. 🙂
About: Elvis plays Johnny, a performer on a Mississippi riverboat with a gambling addiction. I wonder how tis would of played out if online casinos for real money existed back then. He and the other performs put on a short production that plays out the lyrics of the song, ‘Frankie and Johnny.’ When a gypsy tells him a redhead will change his luck, and he promptly meets a gorgeous redhead, he begins winning with her at his side, but he loses his girlfriend, Frankie, played by Donna Douglas. Of course, he gets the girl in the end, even though there is a close call. A well-meaning but misguided dufus switches out a blank for a real bullet and when Johnny and Frankie perform their routine and Frankie shoots Johnny for two-timing her, the bullet hits his lucky charm Frankie had given him, rather than his heart. As a child, I was terrified until I learned Elvis was okay, which was only a few brief moments. 🙂
Side notes: Elvis and Donna Douglas spent a lot of time discussing religion on the set. They didn’t have a romantic relationship as he did with many of his leading ladies. I didn’t see a lot of chemistry between them on screen either. As you all probably know, she played Elly May Clampett on ‘The Beverly Hillbillies.’ I couldn’t help notice in this movie, she had that same ‘Elly May’ posture where her shoulders tilted forward a lot. 🙂 I’m not sure if it shows all that well in this video, but it does a little. There are other parts of the movie where it’s more obvious. However, this is also my favorite song from the movie, and perhaps my favorite scene, so it’s worth watching.
The movie people thought Elvis was ‘fat’ and supposedly used an image from ‘Girl Happy’ for the body on this album cover:
I think he looked pretty damn good…
Favorite Song: ‘Please Don’t Stop Loving Me’ (Although I like the title song a lot too)
Favorite Scene: Either his fight scene. As you can see in the above pic, he looks pretty sexy fighting. Or, it would be the scene in the video above where he’s trying to win Frankie back by singing to her. He does that sexy, hurt thing pretty darn well. 🙂 – Hmmm…I seem to be using the word ‘sexy’ a lot. Go figure! 🙂
Paradise Hawaiian Style
Definitely not a top pick. There honestly wasn’t much of a story and the songs weren’t great. Still, any time I can watch Elvis, I am not upset. 🙂 Something I noticed in this one, unless I missed it, he never kissed Suzanna Leigh, the leading lady. He kissed several other girls, but not his love interest. As a matter of fact, this movie seemed pretty weak in the romance department. Elvis’ friend and business partner told Elvis the girl was married, and Elvis barely paid attention to her during the entire movie. Then, suddenly, they’re in love, I suppose. Although, nothing really indicates that they are. They just sort of get together. At the end, Elvis is about to kiss her and he’s pulled away by some local islanders to perform and the movie ends after his performance. He didn’t even tug the girl onto the ‘stage’ with him for a movie-ending kiss. Not sure what that was all about.
About: Elvis plays Rick Richards, a pilot who is suspended for hanky panky with a stewardess. He goes to Hawaii where his friend joins him in a helicopter business. His friend hires ‘Friday,’ a good-looking blonde, to run the office, but they tell Elvis she’s married so he’ll keep his playboy paws off of her. Toward the end of the movie, they confess she’s not married, and Elvis says he knew all along, he can spot ’em a mile away. (or something to that effect). Then, after that, they are ‘a couple’ even though, as mentioned above, there really wasn’t any romance that lead up to it. It would have been better, if perhaps a little cliche, if Elvis had resisted his feelings and felt bad about yearning for a married woman, then he was hurt when he realized she’d lied to him.
Side Notes:
Elvis loved Hawaii and was always happy to be there. This movie was supposed to be an attempt to duplicate the success of ‘Blue Hawaii,’ but it failed to reach that goal.
One thing I always love is when kids are in Elvis’ movies. The kid star in this one was ten-year-old Donna Butterworth, who was a singer/performer in Hawaii. This was her third and final movie. She did an interview years later where she was asked what it was like to work with Elvis. She said he was professional, but a kind and wonderful human being. She was confused because Priscilla was on the set, yet she saw Elvis kissing all these other girls. Elvis invited her to lunch. He and his bodyguards picked her up on a golf cart and took her to his dressing room. From Donna’s interview: “He had cheese burgers and I had tacos from Del Taco because that was my favorite. He set there for an hour explaining to me the difference between love and being in love. He explained it in a very loving way. God wants us to love all his brothers and sisters. We are making a movie that’s apart of the story line, but of course you can only be in love with only one person and that is Priscilla. So here is the king of rock and roll sitting down with cheeseburgers and tacos. Taking time out in his enormous life to explain it to ten year old me.”
Favorite Song: The songs were not his best. (I hate to sound critical. I adore anything Elvis did. I’m just comparing this to his other movies and songs). Probably the one I liked best was Datin’ where he did a duet with the little girl.
Favorite Scene: Not any particular awesome scenes in this one. I always love it when he fights and sings. He had some cute moments with the child.
Spinout:
Now we’re talking. Loved this movie. It had great songs, a cute story line, amusing dialogue, and all kinds of fun, fun Elvis stuff. I vividly remember watching this one as a child. I was a bit confused, though, at the end. Elvis doesn’t end up with a girl, although three were chasing him all through the movie. When the three suitors of those women demanded that Elvis choose, he said he was going to marry all of them. Then, it went to a scene where he took turns kissing each of the women, who were wearing wedding dresses, and after Elvis kissed them, he said things like: ‘I married Cynthia, to Philip’, and he passed the girl along to her ‘guy.’ My sister and I determined that Elvis must have been a preacher, although it was a well-kept secret during the movie. 🙂
About: Elvis plays Mike McCoy, a singer and race car driver. A rich girl sets her sights on him. She wants to marry him and her father wants him to drive his car in an upcoming race. Elvis’ drummer, a girl named Les, and another woman, an author, Diana St. Clair, are all vying for Elvis’ hand in marriage, but he is a confirmed bachelor. The rich father and his daughter scheme and manipulate Elvis, but in the end, he’s his own man. He wins the race without the rich man’s fancy car, and he avoids the clutches of matrimony.
Elvis with the ‘rich girl’ played by Shelley Fabares
Elvis with his drummer, played by Deborah Walley.
Elvis with the author, played by Diane McBain
Side Notes: President Lyndon Johnson visited Elvis on the set of the movie.
This was one of three Elvis movies Shelley Fabares co-starred in, although in the other two, ‘Clambake’ and ‘Girl Happy,’ she was his love interest and she got him in the end.
The two male members of Elvis’ band, Larry and Curly, were each in one of Elvis’ other movies.
Shelley and the actor who played her father, Carl Betz, were also father and daughter in ‘The Donna Reed Show.’ Jimmy Hawkins, who played Larry in the movie, also appeared in ‘The Donna Reed Show.’
Some of the filming took place at Dodger Stadium and at Ascot Motor Car Racing Ground.
Oddly enough, this is one of the few movies in which Elvis did not have a fight scene.
Favorite Song: This is kind of tough. He sang two beautiful ballads, ‘Am I Ready’ and ‘All That I Am’ and I love them both, but my favorite is probably ‘I’ll Be Back,’ which was also a favorite of my middle child, Lacey, when she was about two years old. I had it on a CD and each time we got into the car, she demanded I play “BeBack.” 🙂 One thing I love so much about the song is the way he performed it, including the cute drum playing toward the end. (He ends up with a gorgeous brunette drummer, so a future romance is definitely foreshadowed) Check it out:
Favorite Scenes: I had a few favorites… One was when his drummer, Les, a girl who was looked at as ‘one of the guys,’ dressed up and came into the room where Elvis was singing at a party. He stumbled over his words and the look he gave her was sooooo sexy and sweet. I also loved the scene at the beginning when Shelley Fabares runs him off the road into the water. He’s furious, while she’s up on the road above, acting as though nothing happened and gushing about how much she likes him. She says, “I really go for you.” and he angrily says, “Honey, I’m just about to go for you.” And he threatens to ‘paddle her bottom.’
Another of my favorite scenes was a brief moment where the author is spying on Elvis through binoculars and he approaches and stares back at her through the other end of the binoculars and we get a close up of his gorgeous eyes:
All in all a ‘feel good’ movie that put me in a great mood, as do all of his movies. 🙂
Thank you for joining me. Have you seen these movies? What did you think?
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
I’m happy to share several holiday stories that are on sale for only 99 cents. With TWENTY-SIX 99 cent books, you get enough reading material to take you all the way through the cold, holiday season. AND, some of these bargains are multi-story sets. So, settle in, get cozy, shop, and enjoy!
**** The first 5 commenters will win their choice of any 3 of these holiday stories!!
As a little bonus, I am giving away a $20 gift card. All you have to do to enter is sign up for the Novel Notes Authors Newsletter. It’s a multi-author newsletter, from myself, Kathy L Wheeler, Diane Burton, and Leah St. James, with great bargains, fun articles, and book recommendations. Each month we give away a $25 gift card. Click on the image to be taken to the sign up page. Once you receive your ‘Please confirm your subscription’ email, forward it to me at AliciaMDean@aol.com and I will enter you in the contest. (I will verify that the winner actually confirmed their subscription) Winner will be drawn on December 17th.
Now, for the holiday bargain books: (Click on the covers to be taken to the Amazon buy page. Make sure they are actually 99 cents…I cannot guarantee they will be)
An anthology of 8 Christmas Romantic Suspense stories. My story is The Twelfth Day:
A decade ago, she was the lone survivor of a serial killer attack on her family. Now, two weeks before Christmas, someone is sending her threatening messages related to the 12 Days of Christmas. Is her new love behind the twisted countdown to Christmas day?
Being dumped by your gorgeous fiancé is bad enough no matter when it happens, but he did it at Christmas time! Marley thinks she’ll never get over it, but Rob Travers disagrees. He sets out to win Marley’s heart, well aware that when she finds out about his past, she may turn her back on him forever.
Are you on the Naughty List? Thirteen Naughty Holiday stories to warm up your winter. Including paranormal, historical, sci-fi, and contemporary romance from bestselling authors!
Naughty Chances: Take A Chance On Romance. Seven naughty winter stories including Fantasy, Futuristic, Historical, Holiday, M/M, M/M/F, Military, Paranormal, and Shapeshifter romance from bestselling authors!
When spirited Victorian debutante Felicity Reginald masquerades as the ghost of a willful 18th-century beauty at a Christmas house party, she never imagines the danger and romance that will follow–and neither does dashing, obstinate Sir James Darrington.
While waiting to purchase another house for her Christmas Village collection Sara falls and hits her head. Transported to a fantasy world she falls in love with a man in her dream. Is she willing to give up real life to be with him? Or should she trust that he’ll be there when she wakes up?
It’s beginning to look at lot like Romance in this charming story of an unlikely minister, the woman he loved but left behind, a special child and a town that might finally bring them all home.
Find Annie Jones here: https://www.facebook.com/anniejones.author
On Christmas Eve, a snow storm, a little boy, and a kitten bring together two lonely, damaged people.
When the holidays get you frazzled, relax with a bit of murder and assorted mayhem in 13 cozy holiday mysteries from bestselling and award-winning mystery authors Lois Winston, Joanna Campbell Slan, Neil Plakcy, Annie Adams, Jenna Bennett, Nancy Warren, Sara Rosett, Camille Minichino (also known as Ada Madison, Margaret Grace, and Jean Flowers,) Nancy Jill Thames, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Joyce and Jim Lavene, and Teresa Trent. Includes link for free bonus material crammed with recipes, craft tips, projects, and more.www.loiswinston.com
As the eldest daughter, Lady Estella must protect her sisters so that they will marry well. When a strange knight arrives demanding a wife, Estella has to step up. Even though he has a hidden agenda, is she smart to risk her heart as well?
It’s the season of second chances in this heartwarming, contemporary holiday romance where two single parents find each other—and another chance at love—in the most unexpected of places!
It is the event of the season—on Twelfth Night, the Dunsmuirs have invited the cream of London society to celebrate the marriage of Lady Claire and Andrew Malvern. Captain Ian Hollys brings his fiancée Alice Chalmers to London to attend and to meet his family—people who cannot see past her flight boots to the woman who stands by his side as an equal.
When a happy-go-lucky reindeer-liberator is stranded, half-frozen, at Three River Ranch, the lonely sheriff who arrests, er, rescues her finds his quiet Christmas hijacked by a blizzard, a crackling fire, candles, carols, and an irresistible stranger…who might be a felon.
Heartbroken and confused, Brinn Bartoli returns to her hometown to run her family’s bakery. Tyler Emerson’s ex-wife left him and their daughter for a big-city life and another man. Can Christmas Magic help Brinn & Tyler find their way to a forever love?
Valerian Caine leaps at the chance to take on his human form, even though he’ll be transported ahead a hundred years–after the duel that killed him. He has until Christmas Day to end the family feud he launched and ensure the happiness of the Caine and Sevaric descendants.. But standing between him and his goal is the obstinately unhappy and acerbic Gwen Sevaric–and his surprising desire to be forever the one who makes her smile.
Jasmine Landers is about to be married for the first time to the man of her dreams. Handsome groom Monte Davis is on a business trip in the northeast. Guests have arrived and food has been prepared, but will Monte make it in time for his Christmas Eve wedding?
Jasmine & Monte Davis have built a home together as well begun building a life, but the illness of Jasmine’s only living relative has cast pallor over the season. Will Jasmine’s Christmas spirit be broken? Or will the true meaning of giving touch their lives?
A prodigal son’s trip home for Christmas leads to the discovery of startling family secrets, someone in need of his protection, and the realization that he never stopped loving his best friend’s widow.
Marti Bell is facing the prospect of a very unmerry Christmas. Reluctantly, leaving her married lover she travels toward ice, snow, and judgmental family until a magic Santa sends her to a surprise destination in the warm waters of the Caribbean.
Gemma and Chris were childhood best friends until their lives took separate paths, both leading to heartache. Fifteen years later, a surprise reunion at Christmastime offers them a second chance at happiness.
Dahlia, a Santa’s Elf, has 21 days left before Christmas to create the best toy in the world without using magic or revealing her true identity. Liam, an up-and-coming financial analyst, swore off women after getting dumped by the love of his life. Will their Christmas fling get her unstuck, or will she turn her back on her beloved career for her heart, and will Dahlia be a welcome distraction, or will she turn Liam’s life upside down?
On a cold December day Bethany Miller and her son arrive in Riverton. She hopes the Miller family will be a Christmas blessing for Michael. She’s less hopeful about what this homecoming will be for her. Then she sees Luke Kalli and wishes she hadn’t come here at all.
A desperate bachelor enlists his neighbor to pose as his wife to appease his mother, whose dying wish is to see her son married—and producing grandchildren. At first, his plan appears to be a success. That is, until he discovers Mother has a few deceptive plans of her own…
She escaped to the mountains to avoid Christmas and the memories of her ex-boyfriend. What she didn’t expect was the danger lurking outside her log cabin, or the sexy landlord who would become her savior. As the danger increases, will she survive the season and allow love to restore her holiday spirit?
I am thrilled to share my latest release, a Christmas anthology with 7 other authors. Settle back and take a peek into the stories and get to know my fellow authors. And, guess what? The ENTIRE anthology is only 99 cents!
In Deadly Holiday, all of the characters from the previous three Deadly Series books play a role. The characters return to search for a lost boy, fight breast cancer, deal with the personal financial impact of a bad economy, and seek a Christmas miracle.
Favorite lines:
“He then tiptoed to the big rocking chair where he sat and gazed with wonder at the tiny baby kicking her legs beneath the pink blankets in the bassinet next to him. With his index finger outstretched, Shawn ever so slowly stroked the velvety soft skin of her arm, and then smiled with delight when her tiny hand clutched his finger and she cooed. She was named Mylee. Her middle name was Faith, because Mom said that faith was the only thing that got her through the days he was missing. She told him that faith would get them through all the days ahead.”
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
I’m from Indiana and one year we were snowed in for the holiday and it was great. My brother, sister, and I went sledding and then had hot cocoa in front of the best electric fireplace. One of my best holiday memories.
A sizzling, suspenseful SHORT STORY wrapped in a puzzling mystery that will leave you hungry for more.
Tantalizing Tidbit:
The story is set in the town of Goldwash, Nevada, which is a fictional town I created based on the real ghost town of Goldfield, Nevada.
Favorite lines:
“That woman was nuttier than a squirrel turd. Her leaving was my good fortune.”
“Well, well, well. Look what Santa brought you, Monty, a hunka-hunka burnin’ heartache. You must have been naughty this year.”
“Montana, think about what you’re up against. He’s twice your size, built up with years of prison bulk and revenge, and probably pissed as hell at the woman who helped put him behind bars.”
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
My favorite memory is making Buckeye candies (little peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate). I make them now with my kids, who eat one for every ten we dip, I swear. Ha!
Contact info:
(website) www.anncharles.com (Facebook) Ann Charles Author; (Twitter) AnnWCharles; (Pinterest) AnnWCharles
Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano ~ Holiday Justice
When the wrong Santa comes down your chimney…
Tantalizing Tidbit:
Misty’s:
The story contains viewpoints from 4 of our characters. It was fun to revisit Grey, Sydney, Caroline and Mitch all over again!
Adrienne’s:
I can hit a bullseye from 220 yards with a .308 sniper rifle.
Favorite lines:
Misty’s:
A clang behind them made Mitch whirl, ready to jump on whoever was coming up the fire escape. A second later, Sydney’s head popped up over the roof edge.“What the hell are you two doing?”
And that’s when an idea—a terrible, awful idea—formed in Mitch’s head.
Adrienne’s:
His eyes narrowed, and even through the cold, she spotted the simmering heat that always charged her body, made her tingle with anticipation because their love of cupcakes didn’t necessarily include eating them. The things they did with cupcakes should, in fact, be illegal.
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
Misty’s:
Watching Christmas movies. I love all of them from White Christmas to The Grinch!
Adrienne’s:
Spending Christmas Eve with my extended family. We do a variation of the Feast of the Seven Fishes and I look forward to it every year.
Kim Hornsby ~ Christmas Interrupted (Dream Jumper Christmas)
How well do you know your neighbors?
Tantalizing Tidbit:
Christmas Interrupted is a Stand Alone Novella but continues from the last Dream Jumper book (if you’ve read the series.) I did not give away much of anything so readers can go back to the first book, read the series and still enjoy all the twists and surprises in all three books. And I included a recipe for Christmas cookies!
Favorite lines:
“I heard the woman jumped off the widow’s walk to her death and soon after the husband and kids moved away.”
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
Christmas Caroling! I love to get a group of kids together to go door to door singing.
A Christmas Wedding with the Grayce Walters Mystery Gang!
Tantalizing Tidbit:
The house where Maddy and Hunter are on a stake out is a friend’s house.
Favorite lines:
“No way would Maddy Jeffers admit, even under the threat of torture, that her killer shoes were killing her.”
He was a professional soldier, a top-notch intelligence officer, and the idea of a wife—not any wife, but Maddy—terrified him. This assignment made Belarus and Yemen seem like child’s play.
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
Singing Christmas Carols, baking Christmas cookies with my mom.
Last minute Christmas shopping can be downright deadly!
Tantalizing Tidbit:
I, personally, have never had to call 911, or known anyone who’s been a 911 dispatcher, but I found plenty of information on different sites. The story takes place in Beaumont, TX, so I was able to pull up info from their area. My son-in-law is a cop, so he helped me out with the info for the weapons and ammo, and even whether or not a gunshot would shatter or fracture the door glass. I also had inside info from a dear friend who works at the courthouse in Beaumont to know at what point the bad guys could help a prisoner escape. She told me they had one prisoner appear at the courthouse and he nearly escaped by putting a ham sandwich between his skin and the ‘shock belt’ they place around their waist (like a taser) so that it didn’t shock him when he went to escape. He jumped down some stairs and hurt his leg, so they caught him.
Favorite lines:
(Scene set-up) 8 1/2 month pregnant Cori, is telling Luke, the 911 dispatcher, how her husband had left her for another woman because Cori couldn’t have children. Her husband wrapped his car around a tree while his girlfriend was giving him oral sex. “Yeah. Here’s a tad more irony for you. There he was, wanting to procreate, but his last DNA ends up . . . well, one can only assume where it ended up, I guess.”
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
I rent two cabins on a lake about an hour from our home and our family spends the weekend there, usually two weeks or so before Christmas. This will be the first time in seven years we don’t do that…and I’m kind of bummed about it. 😦
-I wrote this entire story in a weekend and revised it in a few days, along with working my day job and other projects.
-My ex-husband and son helped me with a research question.
-My model for the hero was James Marsden and for the heroine Kate Beckinsale.
-My heroine loves science and dislikes football, which is the exact opposite of me.
Favorite lines:
A ping sent icy chills over her skin. The familiar, terrifying music played and the words, On the eighth day of Christmas appeared. Along with an image of a figure—a young man, blank eyes staring at the ceiling—lying in a dim room.
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
I have lots of great memories from my childhood, but my favorite memory/tradition is with my own three children. Even though they are grown and don’t live with me, every year on Christmas Eve, the three of them spend the night with me and we wake up the next morning and open gifts and the stockings ‘Santa’ filled during the night. Even the three years I lived away in Kansas City, we managed to keep the tradition. I know that will end when they have families of their own, but in the meantime, I’ll just enjoy and appreciate it.
Amara Draska ~ The Way Evil Does
A story about right, wrong, and what you can’t stop yourself from doing.
Tantalizing Tidbit:
My POV character, Rebecca, is a departure from the norm. She has inner demons to contend with and makes different choices than many of us would. Before this was published I considered modifying her character to conform to the expectations most readers have for a female lead, but it bothered me to see her changing into someone else. In the end, I stuck to my original vision of Rebecca with her kind heart, quirks, awkwardness and bad behavior.
Favorite lines:
And even though he was gagged, the part of his mouth that was still visible showed a smile. He was grinning the way evil does when it knows it has you.
It felt so damned good to be with him, but at the same time it also felt sick and wrong, and much like the contrary mixture of sweet and sour in Chinese food, it was delicious as hell. God help me.
He had gotten under my skin, turning frigid on me after my remark about his desperate, delusional horseshit. In retrospect, that had been the wrong approach to take with him.
Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:
We always make snowball cookies (proper name: Russian Teacakes). It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them.
Love this movie! I adore Shelley Fabares, who played in a total of three Elvis movies. She was so gorgeous, but I was not fond of her hairdo. 🙂 This one had good music and I love the story line.
About: Elvis, Rusty Wells, has a band and they want to head to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break, but the guy they are working for in Chicago, Frank, has booked them for more shows there. Elvis learns that Frank has a daughter who is going to Fort Lauderdale, and he’s worried about her. So, Elvis tricks him into hiring his band to keep an eye on her. Of course, Elvis falls for her, then she learns that he was hired to be with her. I know it might be cheesy, but I love the trope where the girl finds out guy was with her because of a bet, or like this one, because he was paid to be. Then, he has to prove he really loves her, in spite of the reason he was with her in the first place.
Side notes:
The song “The Meanest Girl in Town” was one of the only songs not composed for this movie. It had been written for Bill Haley and the Comets and recorded by then in 1964 under the title “Yeah She’s Evil”
When Rusty is backing the boat trailer up to deliver Valerie (and Romano) to the motel, the frames are segmented resulting in a jumpy image. This is because Rusty is actually driving forward and the film has been reversed.
Favorite song: Puppet on a String or Cross My Heart, Hope to Die
Favorite scene: I loved many of the scenes. There were some very cute lines, such as, when Elvis is trying to seduce Mary Ann Mobley, and he takes his phone off the hook. His dorky neighbor brings his phone to the door and says, “You’ve got a call. Your line isn’t working.” Elvis says, “It hasn’t had a chance.”
I love that moment when Elvis’ feelings for Shelley Fabares changed. He’d been pursuing another girl, but when he finally notices her, you can it on his face, hear it in his tone. This video is just after that ‘moment’ but still, it’s cute…
Ha, and Elvis wore a dress to escape from jail. Somehow, he still looked masculine and sexy.
Harum Scarum
I think I spoke too soon here while back when I said Kissin Cousins might be my least favorite Elvis movies. This one is neck and neck. It was not great, although, as usual, I’ll suffer through about anything to look at Elvis. And, it holds a special place in my heart because it is the movie that my sister, Ruth, remembers me showing her when we were probably 5 and 7, or maybe 4 and 6, and saying, “Look at that guy, isn’t he cute?” or something like that, and we became obsessive Elvis fans from then on. I also love that Mary Ann Mobley (she passed away last December from breast cancer) was in it. She was also in Girl Happy, although she wasn’t his leading lady. She adored Elvis and had nothing but good things to say about him, about how kind and gracious he was. One of her quotes: ‘I’ll forever be indebted to Elvis’, Mobley said.We’d sit around and talk, and we really did have a unique friendship. He said, ‘Ma’am, some day I’m gonna have a party that I can invite you to’. Whenever he had to change his phone number, somebody would call and say, ‘Ma’am, we got a new number at the house, and Elvis wanted you to have it in case you ever need him’.
About: Elvis plays Johnny Tyrone, an American actor who is promoting his latest film in the Middle East. He is abducted by a group who wants him to assassinate a King. Elvis meets a girl he thinks is a slave girl, but it turns out, she’s the daughter of the King he’s expected to murder.
Side Notes: Colonel Parker disliked the script and suggested they add a talking camel so people would think it was a comedy. Elvis liked the costumes so much, he wore them at home as well. The director, Gene Nelson, also directed Kissin Cousins…hmmm…two of my least favorite Elvis movies.
Favorite Song: So Close, Yet So Far, From Paradise
Favorite Scene: I don’t know if I had a favorite scene, but I always love seeing Elvis interact with kids, and there’s a cute little girl he does a dance with. He had quite a few fight scenes, which I always enjoy. I also liked a few of his lines, such as this one:
Johnny Tyronne (Elvis): [Referring to the children that Sinan threatens to kill if Johnny does not assassinate the King] How can I be sure they won’t be harmed? Aishah: Assassinate King Toranshah and you have Sinan’s promise that no harm will come to them. In a thousand years no leader of the assassins has ever violated a promise. Johnny Tyronne: Well, it’s nice to know you’re doing business with such a reputable firm.
Tickle Me:
Definitely one of my favorites. I LOVED every song from the movie, and I love that there is a segment in a ‘haunted house.’ My son, Presley, was crazy this movie when he was little, especially the ‘scary’ parts. And, Elvis’ co-star, Jocelyn Lane, was gorgeous.
About: Elvis plays Lonnie Beale, a rodeo rider who ends up working on a dude ranch while waiting for rodeo season to start. He falls for one of the staff members, Pam, who is looking for her grandfather’s treasure. Some bad guys are trying to kidnap Pam in order to get to the treasure, but Elvis keeps showing up to save the day (although, Pam tries to help him by attacking the guys he’s fighting, but keeps hitting Elvis instead). Pam is falling for him too, but when she catches him kissing the (female) boss, she is furious. Elvis goes on the rodeo circuit but can’t get his mind off Pam. He goes back to ‘tell her off’ and ends up following her to a ghost town where they run into some ‘spooky’ characters and end up finding the gold, and declaring their love. 🙂
Side Notes: My first ever romance (I wrote at age 11) was a story called ‘Just Pretend,’ (from an Elvis song) and my hero looked just like Elvis, and his name was Lonnie Beale, from this movie, of course. 🙂
In the first Elvis fight scene, the guy he’s fighting is Red West, Elvis’ friend he met in school and bodyguard.
This is the only movie where no original songs were written, but they all came from 1960-1963 recordings.
Favorite Song: Soooo many. But, maybe my favorite is probably Feels So Right. I also loved Dirty Feeling, Such an Easy Question, Put the Blame on Me, Slowly, but Surely, I’m Yours (see, I told you I loved a lot of them…)
Favorite Scenes: Again, quite a few…
When Elvis was on the rodeo circuit and he couldn’t get his mind off Pam, so he kept getting thrown. He looked so sexy thrown in the dirt, wearing cowboy clothes and leather gloves, looking angry. 🙂
The scene where Elvis is kissing his boss and he says, “I’ve just never kissed my boss before,” then he looks at the camera and gives a little shrug, and kisses her again.
Many favorite scenes at the haunted house: When he’s caught in a downpour, and he just looks great wet…
When he and Pam are arguing and he’s trying to get her to come in out of the rain and she won’t, and he gives this sexy smirk and calls her dumb dumb.
There’s this thing Elvis does, sort of like a clearing his throat, sucking in a breath thing, when he’s taken aback, that I can’t really describe, but it’s adorable, and he’s done it in several movies. He does it after finding an old man rocking in a closet in this movie, so that’s one of my fave moments.
Have you seen these movies? What did you think?
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
I don’t like to talk, or blog, about Elvis’ death, but of course, with the anniversary approaching, I felt I must. Sunday will mark 38 years since he passed, and it goes without saying that his legacy remains in full force.
Even though I’m a huge Elvis fan, it has always amazed me at how people, even those who aren’t big fans, remember the exact moment they heard of his death. I would venture to guess, even though it’s much more recent, only die hard Michael Jackson fans recall the moment they heard about his death, same for John Lennon, or any other number of entertainment icons. Elvis, like him or not, is in a class all by himself.
Side note: Today is the anniversary of Elvis’ mother’s death, August 14, 1958. I’m sure everyone knows how close Elvis was to his mother. He grieved for her the rest of his life. After he passed, there were stories circlulating about how Elvis died at the exact same age as his mother, but she was actually 46, and he was 42.
Before we get into the sadness of recalling the day we heard the news, I’d like to share a song that is one of my favorites, but you don’t really hear much about it. His voice in this song is bluesy and beautiful and emotional. I swear, you can feel what he’s singing all the way to your soul. And, as a bonus, the pictures are gorgeous. 🙂
I posted on Facebook and asked people to tell about learning of Elvis’ death. I’ve shared some below, but first, even though I’ve told it before, I’ll share mine…
I was 16 and working at A&W drive-in. The boys I worked with always gave me a hard time about Elvis. Rob, one of the car hops was off that day, but he came into the store and he saw me and, quite cheerfully, said, “Hey, Elvis died.” Thinking he was joking, I said, “Haha, shut up, Rob.” He said, “No, really he died. I’m not kidding.” About that time, my manager, Harold, came out of the office with this baffled look on his face. (I later learned that Mom told him that I would need to leave once I heard, and he said he didn’t think that would be necessary, and she said, “Oh, trust me, it will definitely be necessary.” Once he saw my reaction, he knew she was right.) He said, “Your mom called and said you need to go home.” My insides froze. I looked back at Rob and I must have had a horrified expression on my face, because his expression suddenly turned serious, and more quietly and with less enthusiasm, he said, “He really did die.” I looked out the window and my sister, Janis, had pulled into the parking lot. She was crying. And then, I knew. The bottom dropped out of my world. My sisters and I grieved for weeks. Looking back, my parents were very understanding. They let us hang posters on the outside of our house and yellow ribbons around the porch columns. Although, after a month or so of us carrying on, my dad said we needed to snap out of it, or something along those lines. 🙂 However, even though he used to tease us unmercifully about Elvis, he was sad, too, and he promised he would never make fun of him again. As far as I can recall, he never did.
Now, for some other accounts of that day…
Elizabeth Jeeves I was in hospital for a small op and I saw it on the front of someone’s newspaper the king is dead and when I read it I saw that it was elvis the king
Judy Allen Jankowski OMG, I remember it so well ~ I was at work and the announcement came on the radio; I just busted out crying. Could not believe that it had happened…that is all that was on the radio and TV stations when he passed. No one gets that much press time unless it is the President. I was glued to all the news media all the way through his funeral. What a sad day for all of us who loved this man for who he was and what he gave to his fans
Alison Henderson I was in Disneyland on a delayed honeymoon. I remember being shocked by the news. Very sobering.
Wendy Kendrick I was bartending and when I heard it on the t.v. I had to leave work I got so upset
(My sister) Ruth Robertson-Zimmerman You KNOW I remember! Momma had just fixed HB Patties w/Mushroom & Cheddar soup. Sheri came out of her bedroom saying :Elvis died between her sobs. Momma thought she said Alice died but I knew what she had said! Then…Janis wanted to come & get you from work before you found out. So…I said I had to go with her! Most bosses would have thought that was crazy! But 3 of us Robertson giels were working for the same guy @ A&W…& he KNEW it was smart to get you away from there! One of the saddest moments of my life!
Lisa Dolan I was only 6 but brought up with everything Elvis I adore him. Elvis is a unique individual xxx
Janet Carter Beam I was standing in the front yard in Graford, TX and a girl about 13 yrs old came running down the street screaming “Elvis is dead”! She was just hysterical…..I think I was in shock…
Kelly Fennell-Cox I was at my mom’s house & saw her neighbor ran into the house screaming & crying, “He’s dead! He’s dead!” My mom & I thought she was talking about her husband. Finally, She said, “No! Elvis is Dead!” I was in shock!!! I think I cried for several days!!! I still can’t believe he’s gone!!! So thankful for his movies & music.
So…what about you? If you were old enough, do you remember the moment you heard of Elvis’ death?
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Please, do yourself a favor and listen to the below audio. (My sweet, beautiful cousin, Barbara Bratton, shared it with me, and I’d never heard it). It was recorded at a concert, and Priscilla and Lisa are there, along with Elvis’ girlfriend at the time, Playboy cover girl, Sheila Ryan. It gives us a rare glimpse of Elvis sharing his true feelings about his ex-wife and the divorce. I’ve always thought Priscilla was INSANE for letting him go, and at one time I disliked her immensely (admittedly, part of it was jealousy :)), but the truth is, Elvis cared about her deeply, always, and she was the mother of his only child, the only woman he married. And, she’s done an incredible job with Graceland.
Elvis starts out by saying: “Let me make something clear, I’ve been singing that song for a long time, and a lot of people have kind of got it associated with me because they think it’s personal to me, but it’s not, it’s a beautiful song written by Marty Robbins…”
He is referring to “You Gave Me a Mountain.” He says he thinks he heard Frankie Laine doing it. I listened to Frankie’s version, and I am afraid I was unimpressed. Marty does a beautiful job, and of course, Elvis knocks it out of the park. Which reminds me, recently, I was talking with a few of my author friends about the Aloha From Hawaii special, which recently aired and one of them (who shall not remain nameless: Kathy L Wheeler, and the other friend was Krysta Scott, FYI) had watched the special. Kathy said he didn’t sound quite up to par (or something along those lines), and they both agreed that, with age, singers often begin to lose it a little. However, Elvis still had his beautiful, powerful voice right up to the very end. Granted, there might be performances where he wasn’t feeling well, and his voice might have shown that, but overall, his voice was always spectacular. Here is Elvis performing “You Gave Me a Mountain” in the Aloha special, and I cannot find a single thing wrong with it…
Among other remarks in the below recording, Elvis says, when he introduces Priscilla: “Boy, she’s a beautiful chick. I’ll tell you for sure, boy. I know it when I pick ’em.”
About the divorce, Elvis says, “We’re the very best of friends and we always have been. Our divorce came about not because of another man or another woman, but because of the circumstances involving my career. I was traveling too much; I was gone too much. It was just an agreement.”
This shows how close Elvis and Priscilla were, even after the divorce. Lisa was 6, so it would have been in 1974. It’s adorable when he introduces Lisa, especially when he tells her to pull her dress down. 🙂
There are just snippets, Elvis says more, so listen to the entire recording:
How awesome is that? He was, indeed, an incredible person with a lot of love for family, friends and fans.
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
One of the obvious examples of Elvis’ impact on our culture is the songs that are either about him, or mention him. There have been hundreds, some are despicable and not worth mentioning, but a few of my favorites are…
Walking in Memphis by Mark Cohn
Black Velvet by Allanah Myles
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen – I’ve listened to that song off and on since ! and only just discovered it was written by Freddie Mercury as a tribute to Elvis. How did I NOT know that?
Things Change by Tim McGraw
From Graceland to the Promised Land by Merle Haggard
Here is a long list of songs that either mention him or are about him (including the horrible ones :))
I get very excited when I’m watching a non-Elvis movie and one of his songs plays. That alone can make a so-so movie an excellent one. 🙂
Some of the movies that played Elvis songs (my movie buff daughter, Lana, had to help me with a few of these, and I know I’m still forgetting a ton of them.)
Lilo and Stitch
Practical Magic
Ghost of Girlfriends Past
Lethal Weapon
Fools Rush In
3000 Miles to Graceland
The Man in the Moon
Men in Black
Then, of course, there are the TV shows that mention him, most memorable would be Uncle Jesse in Full House, played by John Stamos, who is a huge Elvis fan in real life. The Graceland tour now includes Ipads to conduct tourists through the mansion, and John Stamos is the narrator. I haven’t been back since they started using these, but I hope to go check it out soon.
And, no one can make a trip to Las Vegas without being exposed to various Elvis-related items, whether it’s Elvis slot machines, the song “Viva, Las Vegas,” the new Elvis Experience show, the Elvis ‘show’ during the Freemont Experience, or, and I hate to even mention the impersonators, because I’m extremely anti-Elvis impersonator, but it is a true testament to Elvis’ impact on our society, our world, even 38 years after his death.
What songs about Elvis do you like? What movies do you recall that played Elvis songs (other than HIS movies, of course :))?
~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*
EOLS Charity
Elvis was known for his giving heart and charitable work during his lifetime. Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley Enterprises have continued that tradition with their involvement in various charities. In 1984, The Elvis Charitable Foundation was formed. The EPCF created a scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts. The charity also contributes to one of Elvis’ favorite charities, Goodwill Homes, a Memphis facility that provides counseling and services for abused children and their families. The EPCF also assists numerous other charities, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs.
On Elvis’ birthday this year, I released a Vintage Romance short story set in 1957, and of course, my heroine is an Elvis fan. 🙂 As a tribute to Elvis’ generosity, and in order to assist with this worthy cause, 10% of my proceeds for End of Lonely Street will go to the EPCF.
All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.
Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.
What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?
Author Alicia Dean 