Jan Daiker has a wonderful short story in Snowbound Hearts from Still Moments Publishing. She has graciously offered to send an ebook to the lucky person whose comment is chosen at random.

Here's Jen!!!

I love telling stories. When I was young I’d spend my days writing silly stories about cupcakes and Polly pockets (yes, I had a huge fascination with both). I’d play Barbie’s and they always had their lives figured out. I suppose I’d always wanted more for myself. I grew up in a small town and hated everyone knowing my business, knowing my dad, and always tell on me when I found myself in trouble. I promised myself when I had the chance to leave I’d take it. When I was 19 I had the opportunity. My (now husband) and I picked up and moved to the big city (Houston), for new life experiences.

This is a little of how Snowbanked, my first published short story, came about. It’s only when I moved away that I realized the small town life was peaceful and more me. I gave up the snow which broke my heart. Every year I try and make a trip home to enjoy the white fluff puffs that grace the lawns of decorated holiday homes. It’s the little piece of home that truly feels like the holidays.

Now my main character, Parker, left behind her boyfriend in spite of her love for him, for the opportunity to live a little. Taking a job in a big city hoping never to return home. Of course, family never leaves, and she’s forced to return home for a party. Love never really goes away and in this story I wanted to put all my loves in once place – snow, small town, and obviously a whole lot of love.

Here’s a little more info on Snowbanked!

Tag Line:

Returning home can hold the best surprises, especially when love’s involved.

Excerpt:

What had I done last night? I held my forehead as I walked to the bathroom. A zombie version of my former self appeared in the mirror. The ball of fur on my head would have to be brushed out before I even attempted a shower. Mascara was smeared down my face, and my rosy cheeks were covered in soot. The ladies who promised me water-proof lashes would later be scolded for not divulging the truth. I splashed my face with water, hoping to relieve the headache destroying my thoughts.

            I walked to my suitcase and got sidetracked checking the clock on the swanky red side table. I had less than an hour to perfect my look and get to the venue for the big reveal. Just as I reached into the shower stall and twisted the hot water handle, a knock on the door startled me. I walked to the front door and looked through the peep hole and Grant stood on the other end. Why couldn’t he disappear? Didn’t he have someone else to torment? The surprises weren’t supposed to be mine. Didn’t he get the memo?

             “Parker!” he shouted.

            I unlocked the door. Each thud of his fist, mixed with his need to holler my name, sent shots of pain through my skull. “I’m here. Why are you yelling?”

The devilish grin on his face sent my heart racing. He didn’t look this good yesterday, did he? His jeans fit tight around his muscular legs and his brown sweater had me daydreaming about what was underneath. When our eyes met he dazzled me. He brushed his fingertips down my cheek and a cold shiver raced through my entire body.

Pick up a copy of Snowbanked and email me your thoughts! I love hearing from people. You can find me on twitter (jenunedited àhttp://twitter.com/#!/jenunedited) and avidly over at my blog, Unedited (http://jennifer-daiker.blogspot.com) ! Stop in for a chat!

 

Available now:

 http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html

Girl Cave

Shannon O'Brien has graciously agreed to step out of her Girl Cave for a little visit in the Spell Room. 

Girl Cave 

by Shannon O’Brien 

I’ll read pretty much anything.  I love to be transported to strange new worlds (The Hobbit), enjoy bizarre British humor (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy).  I love to be whisked away to foreign lands (Cutting for Stone) and getting creeped out (The Strain).  I love old whodunits (Murder on the Orient Express) and traveling back in time (The Other Boleyn Girl).  I love disturbing contemporary tales (Room), and sexy supernatural beings (Sookie Stackhouse Series).

And where do you think I go to experience all of these magical places?  My bedroom?  My recliner?  My formal library filled with plush wing-backed chairs and orderly rows of books snuggled into built-in mahogany shelves? 

Nope.  My bathroom.  That’s right, the tinkle closet.  I have a husband, two small boys, a boxer who thinks she’s a lapdog and a surly old cat.  I have to hide to read.  But they always find me.  Their voices haunt me from the other side of the locked door.  “Hon, does this shirt go with these pants?”  “Mommy, he’s not sharing!”  “What’s for dinner?” “Whattcha doin’ in there, Mommy?”  “Hon, you can’t hide in there forever!”  “Meow” and “Woof!”

Once in my Girl Cave I am transported into someone else’s life.  I get to crouch in the trees with Katniss Everdeen, soar over Hogwarts with Harry Potter, and kiss an ethereally handsome vampire with Bella Swan.  I get to be in the operating room, spaceship, swamps, and turn of the century London searching for Jack the Ripper.  You name it, I’ve done it.  Of course, only within the comfort of my little locked room.

I bet some of you hide to read too.  Would you like to know secret?  Short stories.  For example, my story, Winter Twilight, is a short contemporary romance which has just been released as part of an anthology, Snowbound Hearts by Still Moments Publishing.  In Winter Twilight, the young, recently divorced female protagonist, Teagan O’Leary, finds herself in a new city with a new life and falling for her coworker who is also a secret front-man for an up and coming Seattle rock band.  Wow!  So much to absorb yourself with, and it’s only twenty-six pages long!

You can purchase the anthology as a PDF document at http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html, and read it on your computer, laptop or print out one story at a time.  Or you can download it to your E-Reader, I-Pad, I-Phone, etc. (coming soon to Smashwords.com). 

With crazy schedules and getting pulled in thousands of directions, make sure to find some time for yourself.  And with all the choices you have on how to read books now, you too can have a Girl Cave anywhere your little heart desires. 

Forgive me, but I have to go now.  I need to finish a book…I-I mean, use the restroom.

~Shannon O’Brien

http://shannonobrienauthor.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/ShannonOBrienAuthor

Jillian Chantal is visiting us in the Spell Room today. Jillian's newest story "Sophie's Snow Day" is out in Still Moments Publishing's Snowbound Hearts. Say "Hi" to Jillian.

Thanks for having me here as a guest, Liberty. I can’t wait to meet some of your blog visitors. I love making new friends.

I’m Jillian and I have a story in the Snowbound Hearts anthology published by Still Moments Publishing. My story is called Sophie’s Snow Day and it’s a paranormal story. The tag line is “A snowstorm can be a life changing event. Just ask Sophie.” 

My inspiration for this story was my cat, Dixie. I call her the demon cat and mean it in only the most loving of ways. She’s unique and has so much personality, it’s sad that she’s merely a cat. I know she dreams of being so much more. Maybe a pirate or a race car driver or perhaps even a masseuse (and I say that because of the way she kneads my head when she wants me to get up and feed her).

Anyway, the demon cat is a demanding little eight pound critter and wants to be let in and out onto our screened porch all the time. She whacks herself up against the French doors to get our attention much like Tobias does in Sophie’s Snow Day to get the attention of the folks inside the house. So, that was the beginning of my story and it evolved from there. I wrote it on a trip to New York and was really rolling along when I had to stow my electronic device for landing. Don’t you hate that? It’s always right when you get to the good part.

I’m thrilled to be in the great company of the other writers in this anthology. I think all the stories will be wonderful. If you read Sophie’s Snow Day, I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks again for having me here, Liberty. I love to hear from readers. You can find me on the web at www.jillianchantal.com or Twitter at twitter.com/JillianChantal

Jillian Chantal lives in the Pensacola, Florida area where she practices law by day and practices writing fiction by night. She's a super Type-A personality and is never idle. She wishes she could be like a cat and relax. What an amazing life cats have- eat, groom, sleep and use the litter box; then do it all over again the next day. Jillian thinks she'd like that lifestyle but is quite sure she'd be bored in about two days. She loves to hear from readers and welcomes emails and comments on her stories.

Available at:
http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html