About Me

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Southeast, Florida, United States
I've had a love affair with books since I was a little girl. Once I discovered that stories could take me to amazing worlds where heroes and heroines could tackle insurmountable odds and yet live happily ever after, I was hooked. My overactive imagination always questions "what if?" and I often daydream about scenarios for the next story. Living in South Florida is a dream I fulfilled. For many years now, the balmy breezes, palm trees and surf crashing upon the shoreline have satisfied my soul. They often show up as settings for my stories. I used to say that I'd try anything once, but that was before some suggested skydiving, mountain climbing and swimming with sharks. Nowadays, I prefer the comfort of my chair in front of my computer where the most dangerous thing I face is writer's block. I let my characters tackle the impossible challenges and all I have to do is make sure they have a happy ending. I welcome readers to explore the fantastic world of my imagination where anything is possible and most likely will happen. Look for my books and e-books at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other fine e-tailers

My Website gaildeyoung.com

My Website gaildeyoung.com
Click on this picture to take you there

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Christmas Contest Winners!

We are pleased to announce the winners of our "Christmas Contest."

Barb Kettler - Amazon gift cert


Patsy Hagen - candy

Mina Gerhart - Chico's gift certificate


Thank you  everyone for participating and please come back often for the next contest. :) on web page and blog



Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Scent-sational !

The other day, I drove by a tent filled with live Christmas trees and without even setting foot inside, I recalled the wonderful scent of fresh-cut pine trees. I couldn’t resist the urge to immerse myself in the ambiance created by those trees, so I parked my car and wandered down the aisles, inhaling the scent that reminded me of the upcoming holiday. In my mind, I was suddenly transported to Christmas Day, and my mouth watered at the thought of roast turkey, candied yams, corn pudding and gingerbread cookies. I could hardly wait for the party to begin. How I love getting together with family and friends at this time of year!

Isn’t it amazing how easily scents bring back memories? Just smelling chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven is enough to make me salivate. The scent triggers an automatic reflex and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into them, especially when they’re still warm and soft straight from the oven. I get a glass of ice cold milk ready for the moment they’re done, just like I did when Mom went on a baking spree. Fresh hazelnut coffee has the same effect on me because of the wonderful aroma of the beans as they’re brewing. But food is only one of the many scents that can set off an emotional response.

Think of baby powder and what comes to mind? A baby, squeaky clean from a bath. Is there any smell more wonderful than a baby wrapped in a fluffy towel? Then there are roses. Inhaling the scent brings back memories of being a teenage girl receiving a boutonniere from a boy taking me to my first prom! When I smell fresh-cut grass, it reminds me of my childhood, when on warm, summer days, I would sit inside the house with the windows open, and listen to my father running the lawnmower in the back yard. The wind would capture the scent and carry it to me.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think there was something magical about scents. Fragrance manufacturers know quite well how we respond to sensory stimulus, and take full advantage of our sense of smell.  I’ll bet you can recall your favorite perfume or cologne right now even if you’re not wearing it at the moment.

Because we’re so accustomed to our sense of smell, we take it for granted. But imagine not having it. Wouldn’t life be duller? Perhaps even less enjoyable? I believe the same holds true of a story that doesn’t take advantage of our sense of smell.  We don’t have to have the item in front of us to know what it smells like, because our memories are so great about recalling them. Whether the scent evokes a pleasant memory or one that is nasty (spoiled garbage, for instance), we still react to the image. That is why I try as often as possible to mention a scent in my stories. I think it adds a bit of spice to the story. I hope you agree.

Here’s wishing you and yours delightful, scent-sational holidays!  

       

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Coming Soon - Kaily Hart



Website of Kaily Hart

Kaily Hart Blog

Kaily Hart on Facebook

Kaily Hart on Twitter

I'd love to hear from you, whether you have comments on my books, a question or just want to say hi! Please stop by my blog or send me an email at the below address:


kaily@kailyhart.com

Books:



Available Now:

Point Blank

Warning: This story contains one hot & hungry bad boy who has waited a long time for a chance at the one woman he could never forget. Now he just has to convince her he wants it--and her--for good.

















Available Now:

Play Me

Warning: This story contains one hot, leanly muscled bad boy. He thinks he wants it hard, fast and rough--until he gets his hands on Lily and then everything changes.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Available Now


Pay Up

Warning: This story contains a hot, ripped firefighter with wild and wicked thoughts about his next door neighbor. The excerpt contains noisy sex, a mention of toys and one frustrated heroine.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Available now!


Picture This

Warning: This story contains a disgruntled alpha male with crude thoughts, bad language and a hot bod. I so enjoyed writing the hero, Sam Steele. He's arrogant and too used to getting what he wants, when he wants it and how it he wants it, especially when it comes to women. And sex. Until he meets Jillian, of course. Enjoy!





Thursday, December 1, 2011

Marilyn Campbell Hijacked My Blog Today!




REMEMBERING MY FIRST TIME
(getting published, that is)

Once upon a time, long, long ago, I fantasized about being taken aboard the Starship Enterprise by Captain James T. Kirk and being the one female in all the Universe he couldn’t leave behind. Since I couldn’t turn that fantasy into reality, I decided to write a science fiction tale that allowed the hero and a lucky Earth girl (namely me) to have a happily ever after. Unfortunately, the publishers back then believed crossing genres was completely out of the question.

Sometime around my 70th rejection letter, I attended a Florida Romance Writers conference, where every editor and agent I approached confirmed the futility of writing the stories I wanted to tell. Thus, no longer caring what they thought of my mental stability, I attended a cocktail party and freely regaled the crowd with some off-color police stories. (Oh, it might help if you knew I was married to a Miami-Dade cop for a couple decades.) At the end of one anecdote, a young woman declared, “I want that book! When can you get it to me?” She was a Harlequin editor who thought I was relating an opening scene rather than an actual event. Although I had never read a category romance let alone considered writing one, I paused only a moment before replying, “In four weeks.” Although it wasn’t exactly Captain Kirk and the Enterprise, I figured this stranger was still offering me a shot at the stars.

Because of that unexpected opportunity, the anecdote became the opening scene in DAYDREAMS, my first published novel.  It was released in 1991 (yep, you read that right), under the pseudonym Marina Palmieri (my Sicilian grandmother’s name), because back then, publishers often included a clause in the contract whereby they legally owned the author’s name, even if it was her true name. Also way back then, I handwrote my manuscripts then typed them on a correcting Selectric typewriter. Adding one paragraph meant retyping a whole chapter. My first personal computer, a Commodore 64, was still a few years away (I was a bit of a holdout). Cell phones and the world wide web were in their infancy and I did research using a set of encyclopedias.

Well, I’m sure you are all aware of just how much technology has changed since then. So you can imagine how very excited I am to announce that, after substantial revisions and updating—technology is not the only thing that's changed—DAYDREAMS is now available in e-book at www.belgravehouse.com and most major e-tailers.

I think the new cover image perfectly depicts the tone of this contemporary romantic comedy about a yummy Miami cop with a penchant for daydreaming and a feisty housekeeper with a grounded agenda that leaves no room for a man in her life.

Blurb:  From the day he mistook Kathy Alvarez for a burglar, Officer Jake Slaughter’s daydreams focused on making her his wife. But Kathy’s marital experience convinced her to never give another man control over her or her child, no matter how sexy or considerate he is. Convincing Kathy to change her mind takes every seduction skill Jake has…and one he has yet to learn.

Tripling my delight, also re-released in e-book this month are PRETTY MAIDS IN A ROW and SEE HOW THEY RUN, the two sexy thrillers that put my name on bestseller lists fifteen years ago.

I always enjoy hearing from readers and invite you to visit my website to check out some of the other things I've done.

MARILYN CAMPBELL
Facebook: AuthorMarilynCampbell
Twitter: MarilynCampbel3
For excerpts and buy-links, please visit my Amazon Author Page: