Saturday, May 25, 2013

Start Your Engines!

It's Indy weekend!

The Indianapolis 500 is a big deal in my household, since my husband is a life-long motor sports fan, so he will be glued to the TV most of the weekend. Indycar is his favorite venue, but it's not the only race this weekend. NASCAR has two races: the Nationwide on Saturday and the Sprint Cup on Sunday afternoon from Charlotte, NC. And Formula 1 is running the fabled Monte Carlo Grand Prix Sunday AM. 4AM on the West Coast, to be specific. That one will get recorded, of course.

The Indy speedway was built in 1909 and the first 500 mile race was run on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911. In those days, there were two men in the cars: a drive and a riding mechanic who checked oil pressure and kept an eye on other traffic. The winner that year was Ray Harroun, who was considered a hazard on the track because he was the only driver without a mechanic. The photo to the right shows Joe Dawson winning the 1912 race. (Photo from Wikicommons via Wikipedia)

Auto racing has been around almost as long as automobiles, and the early races provided a chance for the carmakers to show how well their products worked (or didn't) and built public enthusiasm for the new horseless carriages. Nowadays, race cars are designed for racing and most are not street legal. The days of racing in production cars are long over.

Unlike most racing circuits, which started as gentlemen's competitions, NASCAR has its roots in bootlegging, with moonshiners souping up their cars to outrun the federal revenue agents. It's the common man's motor sport, which probably accounts for its continuing popularity. It's also a darn good show, and the drivers are highly competitive and not always gentlemanly, including the occasional after-race fist fight. In most racing sports, the announcer says, "Gentlemen, start your engines," but at NASCAR, it's more often "Drivers, start your engines." Which is a good thing since women are finally making inroads into auto racing, Danica Patrick being the best known woman drive.

The premier racing circuit is Formula One, also known as Grand Prix Racing, as every event in the circuit is called a Grand Prix. Very upper class, jet-setting kind of circuit with races all over the world, from Europe to Australia to China to Abu Dhabi. For a long time, there was no American GP but there will be a US GP in Austin, Texas this coming November.

The hero of Worth The Risk, the romance I wrote with Anne Farrell, features a former Formula One driver as hero.

An ex-race car driver's life spins out of control when scandal hits a small California town. Will love come at too high a price?

I won't be watching all the races with the hubby, since that is prime writing time, but I'll catch some of it. What race, if any, will you be watching?

And if you're one of the millions on the nation's highways this weekend, drive safely!

Linda

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Sunday Update

My website is down this weekend; no idea why. Hope to see it back up soon.

In the meantime, here's my latest news:

I'm blogging today at Savvy Authors on Point of View Basics. And there's another Sneak Peek Sunday snippet from Rogue's Hostage at Lyndi's Love Notes.

Lady Elinor's Escape and Rogue's Hostage are now available at iTunes!

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon!

Linda


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Tova's Dragon Featured


My alter ego, Lyndi Lamont, is blogging over at Close Encounters of the Night Kind, talking about how Tova's Dragon came to be written.


Drop vy to read an excerpt or to enter the rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the ebook and a $10 Bath & Bodyworks card.

 Linda

Monday, May 6, 2013

Back to Normal But Better

The Book Lovers Buffet is over and so is my mini-blog tour for the release of Lady Elinor's Escape. Now I'm hoping to get back to actual writing!

Congratulations to Jane S. who won the $10 gift certificate. I'm still awaiting the list from the TRS Party to pick the winner of a copy of Romancing the Pages.

And best of all, it rained last night and into the morning here in Southern California. That's not back to normal, it's better than normal! We need rain so badly.

Have a good week, everyone.

Linda

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Book Lovers Buffet Extended



GOOD NEWS: Due to popular demand, the Book Lovers’ Buffet “Bouquet of Books” sale has been extended through Sunday, May 5. More than 175 e-books, all reduced in price to just 99 cents. Save in categories such as Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense, Erotic Romance, and more, including my historical romance Rogue's Hostage! I'm loading up my ereader, how about you?

My Lady Elinor's Escape mini-blog tour finishes up today with a First Sight Saturday post at Jill Hughey's blog.

Lady Elinor's Escape is now available at Amazon,  All Romance eBooks, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. Coming soon to other retailers.

Don't forget, the new release giveaway continues through May 5. I'm giving away a $10.00 gift certificate of the winner's choice: Amazon, BN, Starbucks, etc. Winner will be notified on May 6. There are several ways to enter.

1) Leave a comment here. If you are commenting anonymously, please leave an email address so I can find you if you win!

2) Friend me at Goodreads or Shelfari. (I will friend you back)

3) Join my YahooGroups announcement list.

Linda

Thursday, May 2, 2013

More Historical #bookbuffet


The Book Lovers’ Buffet contnues. Load up, you won’t gain a pound!

The Buffet’s “Bouquet of Books” sale will be open May 1-3. More than 175 e-books, all reduced in price to just 99 cents. Save in categories such as Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense, Erotic Romance, and more, including my historical romance Rogue's Hostage!

PLUS, visit the website to win gift cards to your choice of online retailers. $400 in gift cards up for grabs!

Today's focus is on foreign-set historical romances, including Regencies.

An Exotic Heir - Meredith Bond

Warning--dangerous to your heart:
love and revenge in Regency Calcutta.



To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield - Bronwen Evans

Book #1 Wicked Wagers Trilogy, Regency Romance

Spirited heroine, rakish duke, and three wagers that will change their lives…


Wear Black - Heather Hiestand
Victorian Paranormal

Death is only the beginning... Vampires & Jack the Ripper!



Redeemed - Jill Hughey
Medieval Romance

Doeg has two requirements in a wife. Philantha has only one, but it will test the barriers he has erected around his body and heart.


To Wed the Earl - Anthea Lawson
A Regency Novella

When the rakish Earl of Edgerton catches Miss Miranda Price breaking into his library at midnight, secrets are revealed that will change the course of their lives... forever.


Ventre a Terre - Lydia M. Sheridan
Quirky Regencies Sweetly Told

Rosamund Hilliard, singing for her supper at the grand houses of England, must flee her suitors when her scheming is discovered


Go to the Book Lovers Buffet site for all the books and buy links. Enjoy!

My Lady Elinor's Escape new release giveaway continues through May 5. I'm giving away a $10.00 gift certificate of the winner's choice: Amazon, BN, Starbucks, etc. Winner will be notified on May 6. There are several ways to enter.

1) Leave a comment here. If you are commenting anonymously, please leave an email address so I can find you if you win!

2) Friend me at Goodreads or Shelfari. (I will friend you back)

3) Join my YahooGroups announcement list.

Linda