NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A READER...

Thanks to the wonderful Christine London for sharing this with me!

Never underestimate a reader...



One morning, the husband returns the boat to their lakeside cottage after several hours of fishing


and decides to take a nap.  Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out.


She motors out a short distance, anchors, puts her feet up, and begins to read her book..


The peace and solitude are magnificent.


Along comes a Fish and Game Warden in his boat.  He pulls up alongside the woman and says, 'Good morning, Ma'am. What are  you doing? ' 'Reading a book,' she replies, (thinking, 'Isn't that


obvious?')


'You're in a Restricted Fishing Area,' he informs her.


'I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading.'


'Yes,  but I see you have all the equipment.  For all I know you could start at any moment.
I'll have to take you in and write you up.'


'If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault,' says the woman.


'But I haven't even touched you,' says the Game Warden.


'That's true, but you have all the equipment.  For all I know you could start at any moment.'


'Have a nice day ma'am,' and he left.


MORAL:


Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think.

THE ROMANCE REVIEWS TOP PICK!!

I received a nice Mother's Day surprise yesterday!  

The Romance Reviews (TRR)  "Claimed"  A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING as their Top Pick giving the story 5 Stars *****

Read the Review here:

What a wonderful story! I absolutely loved this book. The author swept me away from the beginning with her amazing writing style and complex characters. The plot line is filled with rich historic elements. I felt like I was transported back into historic Arizona, and I didn't want to leave!

Chance Worth is most definitely a hunky, gorgeous cowboy that I would love to claim for myself! He filled a spot in my heart immediately, and I didn't want to say goodbye to him at the end. Watching him with Lizzie, knowing she was an innocent young woman, trying not to fall for her, was awesome. I cheered for him the whole way through the book. Being orphaned though, he's got a lot of secrets bottled up, and well, with Lizzie, he just wants to let go and be honest.

Lizzie Mitchell. Hmmmm. Now that is a young woman with spitfire written all over her! From the first chapter, when Chance had to rescue her from near drowning, to her sending Chance away after she fell in love with him. Well, I just wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up or send him my way! Lizzie has a good heart and knows that saving the ranch is important to her now that her grandfather has taken severely ill, and she knows that she needs to rely on Chance, but she's just not ready to do it!

Can Chance show her what it's like to have a real cowboy in her life? Or will Lizzie be unable to claim her cowboy as her own?

I absolutely recommend this read! It's a wonderful love story set in another era, and filled with lovable characters. This is most definitely worthy of 5 stars and I am happy to say that it's a keeper! I can't wait to see what other books are in store for this new series, as I am not ready to say goodbye to the Worth's just yet! Well done, Ms. Sands!

 

WE HAVE A WINNER OF CHARLENE'S BRAND NEW-SLETTER CONTEST!!

Congrats to Terriavidreader!!  

 

You have won your choice of  a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card and a beautiful Brighton Heart Necklace!!  I know you'll enjoy these prizes!!

Thanks to everyone who entered.  I loved hearing your marriage proposal preferences!
Look for more Contests coming VERY Soon at www.charlenesands.com

Sincerely,
Charlene Sands

 

HOW TO POP THE QUESTION WITH STYLE! Making Marriage Proposals Fun and a Contest!

Marriage proposals have changed quite a bit since the day when a man simply dropped down to one knee and offered up a ring to his lady love.  Nowadays it seems grooms go to great lengths to ask for their love's hand in marriage. 

THE PRIVATE PROPOSAL


When my son asked his wife for her hand, while she was out of town, he fixed their favorite dinner, arranged flowers and petals everywhere. The house was illuminated in the soft romantic glow of a hundred small, large and heart-shaped candles placed strategically around the rooms.The mood was set.  When his unsuspecting girlfriend walked inside, she was astonished and fully surprised. It was fun and romantic and of course, he went down on one knee with a ring to propose. 


My daughter's husband, had taken her to a charming Bed and Breakfast along the shores of Santa Barbara Beach.  While she was luxuriating in a Spa Treatment, he arranged twinkle lights in the gorgeous foliage in the garden outside and set the scene for her surprise. He'd also created a crossword puzzle and a loving tribute to her on his computer screen and while they were sitting on a benchseat, amid the sparkling lights, he proposed to her.

Another way to surprise her is to have the staff at your hotel arrange words "Marry me" on your bed and hide the ring under the pillow.

Or pre-write the words "Marry Me" in the sand along your favorite private beach path.

Or sneak into her computer and change her screensaver to say "I love you. Marry me?"  along with a loving picture of the two of you.

WANT HER TO SAY YES?

Don't ask too soon in the relationship.

Speak of marriage in vague terms often to gauge her feelings on the subject.

Be sure she is the ONE.

THE KNOT

According to The Knot , a site exclusive to weddings and marriage,  here are a few fun suggestions for a successful public proposal:
1.Take out a full-page ad in a newspaper you know your girlfriend reads daily.

2. Arrange a surprise proposal with a street caricaturist. Have him sketch a picture of you two with word bubbles. Yours will read, "Will you Marry Me?", and hers will say, "Yes!"

3. Pay the divers at an aquarium to put on a proposal show inside their biggest fish tank. Give them handwritten signs that say "Will You Marry Me?" to hold up against the glass.

4. Send your girlfriend on a treasure hunt. Start with a clue at home, then send her on a tour of your favorite spots all over town. When she gets to the last hint, the prize should be you on one knee.

5. Go out for a night of dancing, and ask the DJ or band leader to pass you the mic so that you can dedicate a song and propose on the dance floor.

6. Have a friend or family member set up a picnic -- complete with wine and cheese, or course -- for you in a park. Take your girlfriend for a hike on a route where you'll stumble upon this surprise "Proposal Picnic."

7. Hire a skywriter to spell your proposal for everyone around to see.

8. Flying anytime soon? Use the plane's loud-speaker system (of course, run your plan by the flight attendants first) and propose at 35,000 feet.

9.Movie buffs? Ask your neighborhood theater to run an ad featuring your proposal and make sure you get there in time for the previews.

10. Gather a bunch of your friends and family for a party. Have everyone in attendance put on a T-shirt bearing one of the letters in the phrase "Will You Marry Me?" When you walk in the room with your girlfriend, suggest a group picture and let the shirts speak for themselves.

Amazon   BN  Eharlequin

In my NEW RELEASE -- A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING, Chance Worth starts a traditon of marriage proposals that spans for generations.  Every Worth Man MUST propose to their loves, at Elizabeth Lake on the land where Chance first saved Lizzie's Mitchell's life.  Throughout the stories set in Red Ridge and Worth Ranch, you'll see the inventive ways my heroes get the heroines to the lake to offer their love and have the women say "YES".  

Be sure to enter my BRAND NEW-SLETTER CONTEST by signing up for my newsletter on the WIN STUFF  page. For 3 extra entries each post a comment here OR Tweet OR Facebook the Contest and be sure to let me know you did.  You could win a romantic heart-shaped Brighton locket AND a $50 Amazon Gift Card!  Secondary prizes awarded too!!   **Note if you already subscribe to my newsletter you are automatically entered, but take advantage of the Bonus Entries!

What's the most fun, inventive or romantic proposal you've had or have heard about? Which one of the above would you have liked for yourself?  

Leap Day Love

We have an extra day this year! Leap Day comes once in every four years on our calendar.   It was once believed that during  Leap Year and especially on Leap Day, women, who have tired of waiting for a proposal, are allowed to ask for a man's hand in marriage.  This dates back to B.C, but these postcards were designed in 1908 and depict some humor on the subject.

Be careful, Clara. He's a fine specimen!

The Maiden's Vow  1098

Charlie shall propose tonight

I swear it by on twinkling star,

For ages past might's been right

And all is fair in love and war

My father was born just after midnight on March 1st, missing being a Leap Day baby by just a short time.   Do you know anyone who was born on Leap Day, February 29th?



The Truth About Cowboys

I'm talking about Cowboys today at the Brand New Desire Blog.  If you stop by, I'll be giving away an advance copy of A Cowboy Worth Claiming to one commentor today.

Hope to see you there!! 

MY FAVORITE ROMANTIC MOVIE by Charlene Sands

It's Valentine's Day and Love is in the Air!

Whether it's love of a sweetheart, a child, friend or family member, today is the day that we celebrate LOVE.

So I got to thinking about the one romantic movie that does it for me every time.  The one movie, I never tire of watching. The one movie that fills my emotional well in one way and drains me, in another. For me, this movie is one of best stories of true love, that I've ever seen. 

I remember going to the movie theatre, not knowing what to expect exactly, and then being completely blown away. I hadn't read the book, so the story and the way it was told, really reached deep inside me and pulled at my heartstrings. Because of this movie, and my public display of crying,  (I wasn't warned to bring tissues) I have now shied away from all movies that I KNOW will bring on the waterworks.  Mostly, those are animal movies, but also stories of heartbreaking love.

But The Notebook was uplifting in it's love story.  No matter how many times I see this movie, I still cry during the sweet and poignant moments.  It's a movie I have to watch over and over again.

It reminds me of the tremendous power of love.

 
And what better day than today, to speak about true, everlasting love?  

Happy Valentine's Day to you. 

What's your all-time favorite love story?

COFFEE ANYONE?

http://www.coffeetimeromance/

While most of the United States shivers, dreading arctic winds and record snowfalls, there's a place on the internet where the sun always warms the waves: Charlene Sands' website. Charlene's books feature bold passionate, heart-stopping heroes and always really good men. Within the pages of her website, you can explore her passionate stories, oogle some real-life and very hunky heroes, win copies of her books, and meet the author. So, come warm your toes in the sand.


Pretty cool to have my website featured at Coffee Time Romance. Click on link if you want to see what other great flavors they are serving up!

Saying Good Bye Ain't Easy and a Giveaway by Charlene Sands

As I write the final book in a four book series about the Worth Men, I find myself feeling extremely sentimental and a little bit saddened. After all, I’ve lived with these four cowboys for almost two years. I sort of fell in love with each one of them too. And isn’t that the way? If the author doesn’t fall in love with a hero of her making, then what’s the point? With each hunky man, I’ve matched a woman that has thrown them for a loop, rejected, loved to distraction and angered the hero. But what our heroines had above all else was enough grit to stick it out to the end for their own personal happily ever after.



Taggart Worth in CARRYING THE RANCHER’S HEIR was my wounded hero. He was a loner, a recluse who never wanted to love again. That story flew off my fingertips, because I knew him so well and I knew Callie too. She had a girlhood crush on Tagg as a teen that he didn’t know about. All he knew was that Callie was his enemy’s daughter.

Clayton’s story didn’t exactly fly off my fingertips, though. In THE COWBOY’S PRIDE, I had a pretty complex conflict – two people bent on divorce only to find love again with the help of adorable baby Meggie. SHE was fun to write, and I used my knowledge not only as a mother, but as a childbirth and parenting instructor to keep my facts straight about all things BABY.


In March/April, A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING comes out with Harlequin Historical (The Cover on this blog) Set in early Red Ridge, we find out how Chance Worth met Lizzie Mitchell and how the Worth legacy began. It seemed like the right thing to do – to go back in time to see how the legend of the ruby necklace and Elizabeth Lake came to be. Chance is a reluctant hero with a deep sense of honor, and Lizzie tests that honor time and time again.

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ADVANCED COPY GO HERE: http://bit.ly/wZEAzA


Both Chance and Jackson Worth’s story lure us in with “forbidden love.” Jackson, in WORTH THE RISK coming in October, is the most charming, best-looking Worth brother, a confirmed bachelor who is good-natured but used to getting what he wants. I’m working out the kinks in this story to give my readers a very satisfying ending to the series. So I write Jackson’s story with a heavy heart. I will miss these guys, Tagg, Clay, Jackson and Chance. I’ll miss Red Ridge too along with the characters I’ve created. Saying good-bye surely won’t be easy. I have only four chapters left in Red Ridge and then I’ll be moving on to launch Harlequin’s Rich Rugged Rancher series in 2013.


Recently I’ve said good-bye to some other series that I’ve loved, though not of my own making. Twilight is one series, I never thought I’d like. But those stories struck a chord and I had to read all of them, gobbling up the entire series in two weeks. I’ve also seen all the movies. Because I don’t get a lot of reading time these days, I watched the Swedish version of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies by Stieg Larsson. I wish I could have read the books too, but I’d heard the movies were actually excellent and the storyline extremely intense. Then there’s good ole bail bondswoman, Stephanie Plum in the series written by Janet Evanovich. What can I say about the Morelli/Ranger conflict that hasn’t been said before? I’ve read all of the books in the series and am awaiting the movie, One for the Money.

What series are you especially fond of? Do you have favorites? Which characters/stories are hard for you to bid farewell to?  

Here's my inspiration for all my Worth men. Just for fun! 

TAGG

CHANCE

CLAY





JACKSON


BE SURE TO VISIT ON FRIDAY/SATURDAY   http://bit.ly/wZEAzA  
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ADVANCED COPY OF "A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING"



Favorite Pics of 2011

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS...MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My TOP TEN FAVORITE HOLIDAY THINGS..by Charlene Sands

I'm at EHARLEQUIN today.  Stop by and post a comment for a chance to win 2 backlist Harlequin Desires and an advanced copy of my March/April "Worth"  Historical !!   It's the 3rd installment of my Red Ridge series!

Hope to see you there!  

A LITTLE BIT NAUGHTY BUT VERY FUNNY...

Subject: WHY PEOPLE DON'T ATTEND CLASS REUNIONS



Jan, Sue and Donna haven't seen each other since High School. They rediscover each other via a reunion website and arrange to meet for lunch in a wine bar.

Jan arrives first, wearing beige Versace. She orders a bottle of Pinot Grigio.


Sue arrives shortly afterward, in gray Chanel. After the required ritualized kisses she joins Jan in a glass of wine.


Then Donna walks in, wearing a faded old tee-shirt, blue jeans and boots. She too shares the wine.


Jan explains that after leaving high school and graduating from Princeton in Classics, she met and married Timothy, with whom she has a beautiful daughter. Timothy is a partner in one of New York 's leading law firms. They live in a 4000 sq ft co-op on Fifth Avenue , where Susanna, the daughter, attends drama school. They have a second home in Phoenix.


Sue relates that she graduated from Harvard Med School and became a surgeon. Her husband, Clive, is a leading Wall Street investment banker. They live in Southampton on Long Island and have a second home in Naples , Florida.


Donna explains that she left school at 17 and ran off with her boyfriend, Jim. They run a tropical bird park in Colorado and grow their own vegetables. Jim can stand five parrots, side by side, on his penis.


Halfway down the third bottle of wine and several hours later, Jan blurts out that her husband is really a cashier at Wal-Mart. They live in a small apartment in Brooklyn and have a travel trailer parked at a nearby storage facility.


Sue, chastened and encouraged by her old friend's honesty, explains that she and Clive are both nurses' aides in a retirement home. They live in Jersey City and take vacation camping trips to Alabama.

Donna admits that the fifth parrot has to stand on one leg.



Top Ten Ways a Baby Makes a Book Better

Click Here

Babies and books are my business. Put the two together,add a handsome cowboy and you get  The Top Ten Ways a Baby Makes a Book Better!!

ANNOUNCING WINNER of CHARLENE's HH AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY PRIZE....

SQUEAKYMOM!! 

Congratulations!! 
You've won the  $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!
I hope to hear from you soon. Please contact me at charlenesands@hotmail.com !!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Thanks to everyone who entered and remembered you are still in the running for the Grand Prize.  Be sure to visit the Main Calendar to enter the other authors' daily prizes!!

KINDLE FIRE AND DAILY PRIZES at the HH AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY.. DON'T MISS IT!!

                                                               CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!

JOIN ME IN THE HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

Today’s my day -- DECEMBER 1 st for the Giveaway!

And I’d love to know about your Christmas/ Holiday shopping plans. Are you the forward thinker who shops all year round so by the time the holidays are upon us, you’re not scrambling to get the gifts purchased? Or are you the Black Friday shopper, who ventures in the dark of night to hunt for the greatest bargains in town?


Are you a shopper like me, who waits until after Thanksgiving and takes those few weeks to find the right gift at the right price? I hit the sales, and try my darnedest to make sure I’ve gotten the most for my money. I have not bought one gift yet, but thanks to gift cards, my shopping list isn’t too hard to navigate through.


Or are you the last minute shopper? Someone who can get it all done within a day and usually that day is RIGHT before the holiday?


Post a comment about your shopping habits TODAY and THRU the weekend and I’ll post the winner from a random drawing on SUNDAY. All commenters are automatically entered into the drawing for the Kindle Fire (or equivalent) on December 23rd. Try to visit all the blog sites from November 29th to December 23rd to increase your chances of winning!!


MY PRIZE: A $25 Gift Card to ONE of these outlets: Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Macy's or Target (You get to choose for your shopping pleasure!)

BE SURE TO STOP BY ON SUNDAY FOR THE WINNER!

Follow the Calendar November 29th to Dec 23rd.

                                                   For Rules and to navigate calendar

                                                               CLICK HERE

                                             Post your comment below:

Fun Happenings Today and Tomorrow!!

Today is my Eharlequin "LAUNCH PARTY" for THE COWBOY's PRIDE.

Come join the fun and win prizes throughout the day! 

I'm giving away "Desire" and "Love" Necklaces, gift cards and more!! 

Meet Me THERE!!


*******************************************************
And remember tomorrow, Thursday December 1st is my official day for the HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

All you have to do is come back here and post a comment about your holiday shopping habits to be entered!

LET THE PARTY BEGIN! THE HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO BEGIN WITH WONDERFUL HISTORICAL AUTHOR

MICHELLE WILLINGHAM

November 29th

WINNER OF THE BOOK of the WEEK!!

I'm thrilled to announce The Cowboy's Pride won the Long and Short Reviews Book of the Week!!

Thanks to all of you who have voted this weekend!!

To see the entire book review CLICK HERE

Tomorrow starts the Harlequin Historical Author Holiday Giveaway!

Tomorrow is the official launch date for the Giveaway.  It's a fun way to blog, win daily prizes and be entered for the Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire. Details to follow, starting with Michelle Willingham.