patient
Pronunciation: \ˈpā-shənt\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English pacient, from Anglo-French, from Latin patient-, patiens, from present participle of pati to suffer; perhaps akin to Greek pēma suffering
Date: 14th century
1 : bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2 : manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3 : not hasty or impetuous

I seriously need to add this word to my vocabulary. Publishing isn’t a business that moves at the speed of light. The buying of a manuscript is a serious and sober business that is never entered into lightly or on a whim. I know this. I do.

But the drive inside me cannot be slowed. I burn to see my stories on the shelves of bookstores. I ache to hear my agent say those magic words that will open up a whole new world for me. Patience is simply incompatible with my goals and desires.

I’m trying to channel all my frustration into writing. And I must admit that with that wealth of emotion behind me, I’m churning out words like crazy. I’ve recently reconnected with several people from my junior high school, and we’re planning a reunion next summer. Those recollections and remembrances sparked my creative side, so I have started a new women’s fiction story somewhat along the lines of Turning Thirty-Twelve. I only hope it’s as successful as that book has been.

My trust and faith lie in my agent’s ability to sell my books. I’m truly blessed to have her looking out for me, and just knowing she’s behind me helps.

In looking over the Webster Dictionary entry for “patient,” I noticed there is a fourth definition. As I read it, I realized that I might just be patient after all because the last definition is:

4 : steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity

Most of my books have made the “rounds” of review sites, but a few still post from time to time.

The latest is a very nice 4.5 heart review for Turning Thirty-Twelve from Brenda Talley at The Romance Studio. Thanks for the beautiful review, Brenda!!

Here’s what she had to say:

****

Jacqueline Delgado taught high school science and was the mother of two college boys. Patrick, 21, was a seasoned student and Nate, 18, was a freshman. They both attended Indiana University. Jackie was determined to not grow old. Therefore, her 42nd birthday was her Thirty-Twelfth. It was a running joke between Jackie and her school teacher friends. Jackie’s empty nest syndrome was hitting her so hard that her friends were determined to fix her up with a blind date. Finally she relented. Her second thoughts really started when she met him.

Mark Brennan was the father of one of Jackie’s students, Carly. They were new to the area and the oldest daughter, Kathy, was a freshman at Indiana University. Mark’s wife, Elaine, had died of breast cancer. He tended to lose himself in his work as a detective with the police force. He was extremely interested in Jackie from the first introduction.

Ms. Sandy James has written a good book about second chances and the problems with blending two families. The entire cast was plagued with difficulties. The more they tried to merge the families, the harder it became. The children, as well as Jackie’s ex-husband, threw all sorts of crises into the mix. At times the obstacles seemed insurmountable.

Ms. James’s personalities were strong and so typically shown that it was impossible not to find the story intriguing. The two main individuals were attracted to each other. However, “life” just kept interfering. The storyline was poignant and I shed tears. It was true-to-life and easy to delve into. The ending was a total surprise to me. I had no idea it would take the twists and turns it did. I was totally engrossed in the book.

I recommend that, especially if you love sentimentality, you read this book. You will be glad to have read it. It’s the type book that stays with you even after the last page.

The last of the Damaged Heroes – Faith of the Heart – was reviewed by Brenda Talley at The Romance Studio. To have a reviewer call this story “another blockbuster” means the world to me!! Thanks, Brenda for the fantastic 5 hearts rating!

Here’s what she had to say:

****

Sarah Reid healed people. Sounds weird, but it happened. She took the illness of a very sick person into her own body and the person was well. Her sister and brother-in-law, Hannah and Doug Fanning, were exploiting her clients without Sarah’s knowledge. They demanded $5,000 from the people after Sarah healed them. She had no idea they were doing anything like that because, after a healing session, Sarah would fall into a deep sleep for several hours. She was literally dying from the toll this was taking on her body. She didn’t try to stop it because she held herself responsible for her best friend’s death when they were both drunk.

Joshua Miller was a journalist who hadn’t written in the year since his wife died of cancer. His 13-year-old daughter, Libby, constantly worried about him. Then Ross Kennedy, who was married to Joshua’s cousin Laurie, called him and begged him to expose this “supposed faith healer” who had taken $5,000 from his sister. Cheryl had Lupus but was convinced she had been healed when she visited Sarah. When Josh went to visit Sarah, his life would change forever.

Book 4 in the Damaged Heroes series by Sandy James is another blockbuster. I have come to expect it after reading the previous books in this series. The cast of players in this offering were totally different. They were all individuals who came together to give us a great story with an emotional plot. The highs and lows of this tender storyline gave readers the expected dose of James’ magic.

As usual with one of her novels, I couldn’t imagine how a happily-ever-after could come from the story but I knew I would get one—somehow. This book had so much heartrending activity it was impossible to put it down. This definitely was not a predictable book. The sensuality was charged and tastefully done. The sizzle was there even though the circumstances were definitely unusual.

I loved this book and highly recommend it. You will see why Sandy James has found her own special place on my “must-have” bookshelf.

Overall rating: 5 Hearts

Next up to bat with Brenda Talley of The Romance Studio is All the Right Reasons, Damaged Heroes Book 3. My thanks to Brenda for this beautiful 5 Heart review!

Here’s her write-up:

****
Jozsa (Joy) Kovacs was a twenty-three year old woman of Hungarian descent. She was a gypsy artist. Her old-world father had already picked out her husband for her even though she had no intention of marrying Tamas. She worked at the family restaurant that was supposed to belong to her and Tamas when they wed. She was uninterested—she just wanted to paint. Her life had been a struggle to move herself into the current century. It was a constant fight with her father. And then she met Lucas Mitchell.

Lucas had left his military career after an extensive injury in Iraq. During the accident that left him severely scarred, Lucas’ best friend Brad was killed. Lucas blamed the death on himself. He refused to wear short sleeved shirts because of his scars. He came back to his hometown, purchased a rundown ranch and proceeded to refurbish it. His plans were to rehab retired racehorses. He worked part time with his brother Brian at the race track. Otherwise he was much like a recluse. Then he saw a beautiful woman sketching his house and then she was painting him….

Sandy James has once again surpassed my expectations with this third book in the Damaged Heroes series. This was by far the best one I’ve read and I absolutely loved the others. The differences in these two main characters were so profound it seemed nothing could ever work out between them. Each of them came into their budding relationship with a myriad of circumstances which weighed heavily on any actions they might take. The two were emotionally involved long before their physical connection. When they came together, their encounters sizzled.

James gave us this story in such a way that it moved quickly, was poignant and definitely a page turner. I didn’t want to put it down. The storyline offered several shocking actions which kept me mesmerized. This is definitely James at her best.

I highly recommend this book (and this series) to anyone who enjoys confrontation with an unlikely ending. You’ll definitely be thrilled you read this book.

Overall rating: 5 hearts

The second of the Damaged Heroes was reviewed by Brenda Talley at The Romance Studio. Free Falling was actually the first review to post to The Romance Studio site, but I’m blogging them in the order the series progresses.

I’m so thrilled that Brenda liked this series so much! What a wonderful 5 Heart review! Thanks so much!

Here’s what she had to say:

****

Dr. Laurie Miller was a psychologist in a free clinic. Her partner, Andrew, was a great friend. He had been the love interest of her roommate, emergency room doctor Deepika Sen for five years. They were so overworked that Laurie decided to escape for a period of recuperation to the family farm. The snowstorm was so intense that the power was out, the land-line phone was out, and there were no cell phone towers in the area. She was isolated which suited her perfectly.
Also overworked was attorney Ross Kennedy. Since losing his love, Katie, to the rich guy, Seth Remington, in the first book of this series, Ross worked excessive hours and usually seven days a week. He was pressured to go to the Miller home in River Bend, Montana to get Laurence Miller to sign the paperwork and take over running The Miller Foundation. No one bothered to tell him that Laurence was a woman’s name in French. This task was assigned to him by his boss who forced him to leave the office for a break.

This book was an amazing sequel to Murphy’s Law. This second book in the Damaged Heroes series was fast-paced and almost impossible to put down. The action was varied and followed a different format than other Sandy James’ books. I enjoyed following the main characters as they became involved with each other. Their relationship met with a myriad of problems. The book absolutely grabbed me from the first and intrigued me throughout the entire manuscript.

The supporting characters were diverse and so essential to the story. The non-stop action fascinated me. I’m not a big fan of mysteries, but the conflict was so intertwined it was thrilling to read. The romance was subtle at times, but beautifully written. The parts of the storyline which linked the varied parts of the book were amazing. There was never a dull moment—some tense ones, but never boring.

The ending was such a surprise. This is definitely another winner. I highly recommend this book for a place on your keeper list.

Overall rating: 5 Hearts

My Damaged Heroes have started to pop up among The Romance Studio’s reviews. I might as well start with the first book in the series. I want to thank Brenda Talley for her beautiful 5 Heart review of Murphy’s Law.

Here’s what Brenda had to say:

****

Seth Remington, heir to the Remington Computer empire, was engaged to Kristen Scott. The engagement wasn’t high on his list of priorities—it was just expected to happen someday. He was too busy being a playboy, wrecking several expensive cars and racking up insurmountable tickets and fines. Sterling Remington, out of time trying to force his son to grow up, rewrote his will in a very unconventional way.
Kathleen Murphy, Katie to her friends, couldn’t understand why she was required to be present when Sterling Remington’s will was read. Her only connection to Sterling was their mutual love of race horses. Murphy’s Law proved new meaning when she found that she had inherited Seth as a lowly groom for an entire racing season. The will was ironclad and neither Seth nor Katie could break it. Otherwise, Seth would automatically lose his entire fortune.

I have been impressed with what I’ve previously read by Ms. Sandy James. This book, however, gave more depth to her characters. This proved her abilities to delve into a plot and create a masterpiece. The main characters were, of course, attracted to each other (it’s a romance). They were so opposite that it was amusing. The entire cast of her characters was realistic, endearing (or aggravating) and so believable I was totally absorbed in her story-telling.

There were many individuals in this book which could have been confusing. It wasn’t! James’s writing ability was exemplified through the basic storyline as well as several “side” actions going on. I love her ability to make readers (me!) forget everything except what is happening at the time. There was a sensual undertone but the sexual activity was minimal.

I loved how the book flowed and I did not see how the book would bring about its happily-ever-after. The tension and happenings were surprising. I cannot imagine a better conclusion. I highly recommend this book to anyone whether or not you love horses and racing. Finding out at the end that there is a sequel was an added bonus. Ms. James has found a place on my must-read list.

Overall rating: 5 Hearts

I had some super reviews this week! The first to share with you comes from Val at “You Gotta Read!” Her write-up for Faith of the Heart was beautiful! My thanks to Val!

Here’s what she had to say:

****
I am so in love with the entire Damaged Heroes series. Faith of the Heart did not fail to amuse, captivate and enthrall me! Joshua Miler’s character was incredibly moving. He had just lost his wife the year before and in all reality had ceased living. Sarah had lost someone extremely close to her and found herself blaming the only person she felt was responsible, herself. The instant attraction Joshua and Sarah had, kept just enough sparks flying for me to rapidly turn the pages waiting to find out what happened next. The way Sarah was able to heal took my breath away. I thought the fact that Joshua had a teenage daughter made this book very relatable with very believable characters. This is truly a story about finding your hidden strengths. The ending was brilliant! This is a book that could be read on it’s own but it was so wonderful to revisit the characters from some of the previous books.

Ms. James never fails to bring the heroes that are less than perfect emotionally but make up for it in the deeply devoted way they treat the women they fall in love with. This is one author who writes a touching story with very real emotions and a romantic story line that will leave you craving more. I highly recommend not just book but the whole series to everyone who is a fan of an intelligently written novel that is enchanting, intriguing and just down right sexy!

Murphy’s Law (Book 1)
Free Falling (Book 2)
All the Right Reasons (Book 3)
Faith of the Heart (Book 4)

I’m proud to announce that Turning Thirty-Twelve is a finalist in the Aspen Gold Readers Choice contest!

Yes, I know I’m a diva. I blame my mentor since she encouraged me to start contesting. I blame my parents, too. They always taught me to strive for the best, and since they supplied my DNA, it must be their doing that I’m so superlatively Type A.

I have to say that this final is incredibly satisfying — just like the Award of Excellence final was. I know I’ve had some fantastic reviews. I also know in my heart that Turning Thirty-Twelve and my Damaged Heroes series are good books. But to have my work validated in a contest against writers who are published by big houses means more to me than I can express.

If you’re a reader or an author, you should be on Goodreads!

A sister BookStrand author sent me a website for book lovers that is growing by leaps and bounds. Once I logged in, I knew I’d found a “home.” There are so many features that have been lacking in other sites. If you’re a reader, you can connect with so many authors, from the New York finest to the epubs. You can visit pages the author sets up for her books, or if those books aren’t listed, you can add them. You can write reviews and rate the stories. You can post messages. Think of Goodreads as the Facebook of writing.

If you’re an author, you get some one-on-one with readers. You can set up giveaways of your print books to draw attention to your stories. And you can join discussions groups.

Come “visit” me at Goodreads! And feel free to “friend” me!

I have the best friends and family ever! Murphy’s Law received a wonderful “5 Book” review from Long and Short Reviews this week, which made it eligible for Book of the Week. This is the fourth time one of my books has been up for this honor, and for the fourth time, I was able to call out the vote. My thanks first to Snapdragon for the beautiful write-up on Murphy’s Law and the “5 Book” rating! And my thanks also to my family, friends, and students for always being there for me!

Here’s what Snapdragon had to say about Murphy’s Law:
****
Murphy’s Law brings us to the world of high stakes harness racing, and even higher stakes love.

Seth Remington, chaser of thrills, is a lot like his Porsche; all about speed. Is father – life – expectations, even the woman he proposed to, all are just tethers, keeping him attached to a world and the threat of a corporate life he simply does not want. He might pretend that sort of thing holds appeal, but he puts off dealing with reality. He thinks he can wend his way around those expectations and live the life of a playboy, but events – one in particular – seal his fate. Reality hits in so many ways.

Katie Murphy – accomplished horse trainer – can hardly expect her part in Seth’s life either, but it’s a case of like it or not, no turning back.

Murphy’s Law starts off just plain intriguing. While Seth might seem, at outset, the stereotypical playboy, it’s easy to identify with his motivations, and understand his pursuit of freedom. He is unlikable for some things. He has a wildness we all might wish for… and Katie knows about that kind of yearning. She knows how to channel the drive. Eminently practical, she just might prove to have a wild side.

James does an exceptional job presenting her characters, and developing them throughout the work. The setting, largely in a busy Standardbred Racing Stable, contributes to an overall sense of achievements. The track environs, the horses, patrons, trainers, groom and drivers all become the community that Seth gets to know, feel part of, and quite unexpectedly, is contributing to. Yet, even as things improve in some ways, Seth’s options are still limited by a hand from the past.

Beautifully written, engaging, and hard to predict, Murphy’s Law was a pleasure from start to finish.