Get Your Sparkle on!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

One dress, four festive occasions…each with an enchanting hero!

Get your Sparkle on with this uplifting holiday series!

The concept for this holiday quartet (4 novellas) came about when author, Bettye Griffin reached out to me with an idea for a holiday series.  Bettye’s initial idea centered on a scarecrow who had inherited an overcoat; an overcoat with history. I countered by saying why not make these novellas about a very special rental dress that has the power to change the heroine’s life. And so the magic began.

We came up with four different holiday scenarios each of which one author would write. Unfortunately due to personal circumstances, two of the four authors dropped out of the project, leaving me and Bettye to write two novellas each.

The holidays/events chosen were a Thanksgiving Wedding, an Office Party, a Snow Ball Gala, and a New Year’s Eve, black tie event.

First up, and soon to be released, November 18^th, is Bettye Griffin’s Love on Lake Shore drive.  Available for pre-order on Amazon:  http://a.co/09gGBKD.    Also available at Barnes and Noble.

Set in Chicago’s Gold Coast, Reine Robinson settles in for a long wait when a sudden November snowstorm brings traffic to a halt.   

The tenants of luxury high rises lining Lake Shore Drive, brave the elements to offer refreshments to stranded motorists. This includes Chase Benedict, stuck at his parents' co-op. 

Chase takes one look at the beautiful driver with the weather-like name, and is smitten. He just has to see her again and asks her to be his date for an elegant family wedding.

Reine is stunned by the invitation. She's black and from Chicago Heights, and he's white and comes from wealth. But she does have that stunning red dress rented to wear to her class reunion the very next night...and Chase is soooo sexy...

Next up, and second in the series, is Naughty in New York, (my contribution to this collection,) and scheduled for release no later than December 6^th, 2016.

Theodora Johnston has worked all her life to get to where she is; Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Beau Visage; a major cosmetic house. Theo has sacrificed having a personal life, and given up on finding love. Now she is seriously considering having a baby on her own.

Theo hates the holiday season. She associates it with a difficult time of life when both parents were killed in a plane crash. Still, she’s obligated to attend the executive party on Long Island, New York, hosted by her CEO.  Important announcements regarding upcoming promotions will be made that night.

Enter, Anderson Macdonald, the newly appointed COO, and her new boss; a man Theo has had a love affair with almost two decades ago. There is unfinished business between them and a love that clearly remains.

Third on the docket is Bettye Griffin’s Holiday in Houston.  

Larissa Carvalho and her mother Valentina, are grateful to the McGee family of Texas for getting them out of slums of Rio. Larissa, just four years old at the time, grew up idolizing Devin, the eldest of the McGee’s two sons. And even though Devin left for college and she hasn’t seen him in 17 years she hasn't forgotten him.

Devin McGee is disappointed when his planned date for the Snow Ball, (Houston’s premier African American charity event) falls through.  He considers not going when his mother suggests he take Larissa, the daughter of her housekeeper. Devin remembers Larissa as a cute pigtailed kid and can’t imagine them having anything in common. He’s totally unprepared for the stunning woman Larissa has become.

And finally, number four, a New Year’s Eve story, my contribution, Loose in Las Vegas.

Lana Hunter, recovering from a broken engagement, has spent the last four months conversing online with software developer, Russ Connell, whom she meets on a dating site.  Discovering they are both at loose ends on New Year’s Eve, they decide to meet up in Las Vegas. Russ is invited to a black tie event and asks Lana to come along.

But surprise, surprise, it’s not Russ who wants to meet Lana, but his boss, Cato  Tennille, entrepreneur extraordinaire and  technical genius -  The new “Wonder Boy.”

What is Cato doing on a dating site when he could have anyone he curves his finger at? He says he’s looking for something serious. Lana is not. Their agreement was ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.’  But Lana needs to keep an open mind.  After all, they do share something else in common.

Please “Get your Sparkle on,” by bringing in this joyful season with our holiday quartet!  We enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your reviews  

Have a great Thanksgiving and  a wonderful holiday all! 

 

Warmly,

Marcia

 http://amzn.to/2fS50Vf

p.s. 
My gift to the first two people contacting me at mkinggambl@aol.com is a code to get one of my Audible books free!

About:

 Marcia King-Gamble hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue.

She is a former travel industry executive and a self proclaimed globetrotter. 

A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned 31 books and 6 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling, and with her animal family.

She loves hearing from you. E mail her at mkinggambl@aol.com or like her on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marcia-King-Gamble/12364168212

In Search of a Hero!

By Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

The dictionary defines heroes as men admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

In romance novels, the hero is the main male character in the book. He is usually bigger than life and gorgeous, (at least he is to the heroine) and he usually comes with baggage. This is where conflict comes into play. And he is flawed, but by the end of the book, he changes in remarkable ways and the heroine is the only woman he truly wants. By then he’s climbed a mountain to get her.

A recent survey lists the qualities women found to be most endearing in heroes. Surprisingly, at least surprisingly to me, the number one quality a woman is looking for is protectiveness.

Even today, women still want their men to take care of them. This doesn’t necessarily mean she’s looking for her knight in shining armor, or she sits at home waiting for him to bring in the bacon.  This is about emotional support.  And as one woman puts it, “What it comes down to is a hero's ability to make the woman feel cherished, and safe, without doing anything that would qualify for a restraining order.”

Second up, he needs to be intelligent. Smart men turn the ladies on.  It’s not about qualifying for Mensa; it’s what led up to his success that makes him so appealing. Intelligent men have curious minds. They are eager to learn new things, and that includes finding out everything about the woman who has his attention. Smart men make their heroines feel important, cherished, respected and loved.

A sense of humor comes in third.  We all love to laugh, and laughter in a man who doesn’t take himself too seriously, is particularly appealing.  When times get tough, break out the sense of humor.

Our hero has to be in control. Note, I did not say controlling.  This is a man able to make decisions. Some may call him alpha, I call it taking the lead, and going after what he wants, both personally and professionally. There’s nothing sexy or attractive about a namby pamby man.

Generosity of spirit is another big turn on.  And that’s not about buying the heroine, diamonds or furs. It’s more about providing her with the things money can’t buy. It’s about his willingness to give of himself and share thoughts and feelings with her. In other words it’s called selflessness. 

And surprise, surprise, it’s definitely about sex. At least 62% of readers want it hot and steamy, and this is where all the qualities of the hero tie in. In matters of the bedroom, proactive as the heroine might be in getting him there, the hero needs to take the lead. He’s protective of the heroine in bed, and despite how kinky they get, he makes her feel safe and cherished.

He’s also intelligent enough to know how to please a woman. This is not all about Neanderthal sex. Me Tarzan you Jane. You will submit. He takes his time making her feel special and really wanting him. He’s smart enough to know the sex will be off the charts this way and they’ll both feel fulfilled

.  

The hero breaks out his sense of humor. His sense of adventure comes to the fore when things don’t go smoothly. If they fall out of bed,  he laughs with her. If his leg cramps when they are in a compromising position, despite his discomfort, he makes fun of himself.  He’s in control and generous with his attentions.

Not so surprisingly, and as mentioned before, he’s flawed. He’s human after all.

Take Zach Mayo, our lovable hero in the oldie but goody, An Officer and a Gentleman.  It took him a while to come around, but come around he did. Women also fell in love with Jack Dawson in the Titanic because he took care of the heroine though he died in the end. Both were Cinderella stories, and although the second ended in tragedy, both celebrated love in its purest form. Both are reminders that men and women are made stronger by loving each other. 

Over the years women’s roles have changed as they have taken on more “manly responsibilities,” yet sensitive, take charge men with the characteristics of  heroes, still reign.

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Who are your modern day heroes and why? 

Is it someone like Alexander Neale, survivor of a personal tragedy, and the hero in my book, Just You?   Or is it the person you’re with?

 I’d love to hear the qualities  you've found in your hero. Please comment.

Romantically yours,

Marcia

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Summer Time and the reading is easy?

By: Marcia King-Gamble

 http://on.fb.me/1GF28CG

With summer right around the corner,  I’m embarrassed to say that while I have a long list of   ‘Must Reads,’ it’s more like ‘Must Get To.”

Don’t get me wrong, the desire to read is there and it’s very strong. I want to read each and every one of those books on my nightstand. In fact I’m dying to. My challenge is time, and the formidable stack competes with my writing energy.

So what to do? Miss those deadlines or get through those books.

Top of the list is Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Heroes are my Weakness. Yes, I know, considering this book was released last summer, I am coming to the party late.  But never would be out of the question. I love this talented author’s writing, and a more gracious lady you will never meet. Just about anything she pens becomes a favorite, and a good read to take to the pool with me.

Since I live in Florida, reading takes place beach or poolside, especially in the summer when temperatures soar.

Okay, so you didn’t ask, but I will tell you. What keeps me so busy this summer?  Writing of course. I’ve committed to a box set with seven other authors.

 For those of you who don’t know what a box set is, it’s a themed storyline that the authors all contribute to. Eight of us will write individual novellas but the stories are all packaged as one.   You get eight different voices and eight different stories and all at an affordable price. They are quick, easy reads. 

Women supposedly like Bad Boys (can you tell me why?)  So my colleagues and I bring you ‘Bad Boys on Holiday.’ These are hot guys on vacation stories. Can the heroines reel them in? Here is a wonderful Hawaiian sunrise to put you in the mood.

The cover’s not done yet, or I would share it with you. Be assured the moment it’s ready, you’ll get a sneak peek. My novella, titled Islands Apart and set on Oahu (Hawaii) – a place where I lived way back when - has a delicious bad boy, hero, Caden - A disgraced football player who thinks he’s about to be dropped from the team.  He’s having one last good time with his boys before the  real world intrudes.

My heroine, Livvy is a full figured software developer in search of her missing brother. She is pretending to be the quintessential party girl while looking around.   Their paths cross when Caden rescues Livvy from an overzealous 'player,' - not the athletic kind.

Our challenge is to keep these fast paced stories flowing and not make the romance seem forced. 

Second on my list of projects, is a novel that’s done but needs a bit of sprucing up. I’ve reworked this book so many times, to suit so many publishers, that I can probably recite each page line for line.  It’s a story that needs to be told and I’m bound and determined to do so.

The heroine, Juliette Sanders, is a divorced single parent, raising a twelve year old daughter, Halle - the result of in vitro fertilization.  Currently in remission for cancer, Halle’s only hope is a stem cell transplant. Juliette is obsessed with finding the anonymous donor.

My hero, Alexander Neal is in recovery after losing his wife and unborn twins in a tragic accident. The last thing he expects to hear is that a stranger has his child.  As a struggling grad school student, he sold his sperm. Now he is faced with the tough decision of  whether to get involved. This is one of my bigger books and one I am especially proud of.

So most of my reading will take place this fall.  Top of my list is a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum escapade. Having lived in New Jersey, her books keep me spellbound and laughing till my sides ache.  I’m finishing up Beverley Gail Eikli’s Reluctant Bride right now. It’s a historical and I am loving it.

The unread pile ranges from Sophie Kinsella to Emily Giffin, and a personal favorite (one of the reasons I started writing) talented author, Rochelle Alers.

Do you have a “Must Read” this summer - Share! Share! Share!

Marcia King-Gamble is a National Bestseller of 30 novels and 5 novellas. She hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. Marcia currently lives in the USA.

She is a former travel industry executive and a self proclaimed globetrotter.Visit her website at www.lovemarcia.com