Charlene's IN THE SPIRIT of GIVING WINNERS!

From a Random Draw, the winners of an ebook version of THE COWBOY CONTRACT are:

Donna

Tammy

Becky

LadyDi
Connie
Terriavidreader
Shelly W
Zehra
Alanajolie
fcammer2 

Congrats everyone!  Please contact me at charlenesands@hotmail.com with the email addy you wish to have the book delivered to and if you prefer Amazon or Barnes and Noble!

Remember, if you want to make my day, after you've finished the book, a fair and honest review would be greatly appreciated.  

Happy Holidays!   

Charlene and Family 

In the Spirit of Giving from Charlene Sands!

Win an Ebook today! 

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

For my newsletter subscribers only today!  If you're not a member, simply go to my WEBSITE or to my Facebook Fan Page to sign up in the pink Newsletter box.  It's that easy.

Then post a comment sharing your favorite holiday movie and you'll be included in a random draw for one of  10 free ebooks of THE COWBOY CONTRACT with the hopes that you'll write a fair and honest review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble after you've read the book.  There's no time limit or obligation but your fair and honest review would be a special gift to me. 

Winners to be announced right here on Friday, December 20. Be sure your email addy shows up in the comment box.

To increase your chances, I'll be blogging at PetticoatsandPistols on Wednesday giving away 3 more copies. Be sure to stop by and post a comment there too.  

I have two favorite holiday movies.  It's a Wonderful Life, of course, and more recently, LOVE ACTUALLY.  I adore both stories and characters, for different reasons.

So spill.  What's your favorite holiday movie?  
  

A memorable day in my life!

It's the day it all began, back on December 13, 1942.  Charlie and Caroline got married on Friday the 13th.  They thought of it as a lucky day.  

Now it's my favorite ornament on our Christmas tree!  

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.  

Miss you so much, but you are always with me.

5 CONFESSIONS of a WRITING JUNKIE and a GIVEAWAY

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Come visit me on Tote Bags and Blogs today!

http://tinyurl.com/n3kbs2d

Winners of "Falling for a Cowboy" Giveaway!!

It was fun seeing who you all would choose:  Rugged Trey or hunky Justin.   Thanks for your comments!!

And the random draw winners are:

Kathleen O

Bette Hansen

Janine

Contact us
at charlenesands@hotmail.com and we'll send you your prize!

CONGRATS!!!!!!

It's "FALLING" FOR A COWBOY" Giveaway....

It's "FALLING" FOR A COWBOY Giveaway!  

Simply read both excerpts and comment below to say which hero you'd fall for!  Win one of three $10 Amazon Gift Cards in a random draw next Tuesday!  Be sure to write your email addy in the comment section! 

Trey Walker the down on his luck hero, who thinks he's inherited the Walker Curse when it comes to women. He's a heart breaker for sure, but a man with a good heart! 

Justin Slade, comes home a war hero with injuries on the inside that no one can see, except the woman he'd met just once and lied to.   He's a 


THE SECRET HEIR OF SUNSET RANCH:

Justin Slade was home. It'd been three days now. 

His Ford F-150 truck barreled down the highway with enough horsepower to match the equine force of Sunset Ranch's best thoroughbreds, radio blasting Luke Bryan's latest country hit. It was beat-tapping music. At any other time, Justin would be pounding the dashboard in sync with the rhythm. 

But today, he wasn't enjoying the music, the blue Nevada sky or the morning weather, which was clear and crisp enough to remind him winter was on the distant horizon. His gut churned in half a dozen ways as he faced what he was about to do. The marine in him hadn't a doubt he was doing the right thing. He had to come clean for Matilda Applegate's sake and for…Brett. 

He punched the off button on the radio and Luke's voice disappeared. 

Appropriate silence filled the air. 

A cold shiver of dread hung around him like an invisible cloak, refusing to be shrugged off with upbeat music or good weather. Brett Applegate was dead. It was Justin's fault, and Brett's aunt, his only living relative, needed to know the truth. 

He pressed his foot to the pedal and glanced around the outskirts of Silver Springs as a sultry female voice on his GPS gave him the coordinates. Gravel spit under his tires. 

The deserted road narrowed and a knot in the pit of his stomach begged for this to be over. He'd been on dangerous missions in Afghanistan that hadn't caused him this much anxiety. Guilt and apprehension sucked as constant companions. 

Justin popped two antacids into his mouth. He'd been living on the darn things lately. 

"In fifty feet, turn right," the GPS voice instructed. 

Justin made the turn and drove his truck down a dusty dirt path that wound its way toward a one-story ranch house matured by frigid winters, hotter-than-hell summers and a string of bad months in between. Seeing Brett's home in such a state of neglect was a sharp shot of reality, testament to the economic misery the Applegates had suffered over the years. Brett had always said his uncle Ralph would've gotten heartsick seeing what had happened to his once-proud home. 

As the truck ambled closer, Justin caught a glimpse of a disabled car near the house, the back tire flatter than a flapjack, and a woman bending over, her head deep in the bowels of the trunk. Her jewel-pocketed derriere pointed skyward, drawing his immediate gaze. Hell, it was a beacon for any man in his right mind to stop and help out. 

Justin pressed on the brake, keeping his eyes trained on a sight he hadn't seen in a long time: a gorgeous, perfectly shaped female ass. It was enough to get his juices flowing. Heck, after nine years in the marines, it didn't take much. But hot damn, the view was fine. 

He swallowed and climbed down from the cab of his truck. His boots ate gravel as he neared the back of her car. The woman's silky blouse climbed her waist while she continued to search the trunk, and his eyes locked on to five inches of soft-as-butter, creamy skin. 

"Sweet heaven, what else is going to go wrong?" Her voice flowed over him like smooth bourbon. He grabbed a peek of that exposed skin again. 

Man, oh, man. 

He cleared his throat. Darn his mama for teaching him gentlemanly manners. Forcing his gaze away from her beautiful bottom, he focused on her curly, platinum-blond hair. 

"Excuse me, miss. Can I lend a hand?" She jerked up and hit her head on the inside of the trunk. "Ow." 

She scowled as her hand went to her head, rubbing away the pain. "Oh, I didn't see you—" 

Their gazes locked. Her hand froze in her shoulder-length platinum locks. Her brows pulled tight and her lips rounded. "Oh." 

She was a stunner. 

A twinge of recollection jarred him out of his lusty thoughts. 

He remembered those deep jade eyes, that pouty mouth and Marilyn Monroe hair only a few women could pull off. He would've bet his last dollar he'd never see her again. And now, here she was…in the flesh. 

On Matilda Applegate's homestead, no less. 

He didn't much believe in coincidences. And this one was too big to ignore. His gut churned again, begging for another antacid. 

Maybe he was wrong. It had been over a year and a half ago. Maybe she only looked like the woman he'd met in New York City that one weekend. 

Justin removed his Stetson and her eyes flickered at the gesture. 

"Sorry if I startled you, miss." 

Seconds ticked by as she took note of his shiny black boots, new jeans, silver belt buckle and tan shirt opened at the collar. She studied his face and gazed deeply into his eyes. With her hand in her hair, her fingers wove through the silver-blond strands as if she was fashioning some new upswept hairdo. With her arm raised and bent at the elbow, she tilted her head to one side and gave him thoughtful consideration. The move exposed the delicate softness of her throat. A breathless sigh escaped from her mouth. 

That bit of body language was unique to the woman he'd known. Sexy. Not forced. Genuine. A jolt hit him smack between the eyes. 

It had to be her. He thought back to that night at the Golden Palace Bar. 

"I don't date soldiers," she'd said as he stood by her table. 

He'd taken a seat and smiled anyway. "But you'll make an exception for me." 

"B-Brett? Is that really you?" The hope in her voice confused him and then another jolt hit. Oh, man, this wasn't possible. "I don't understand," she was saying. "We were told…we were told you were dead. Killed in a gun battle. Oh, my God, your aunt Mattie will be so happy. Was there a mix-up? What happened?" 

He pulled oxygen into his lungs, then looked away from her puzzled face and squinted against the bright afternoon sunshine. Jerk. He hated himself for the lie, and for the hurt he'd cause when he told her the truth. 

"I'm not Brett Applegate," he told the blonde. 

She pursed her lips and inclined her head, studying him. "But I remember you. Don't you remember me? I'm Katherine Grady. I go by Kat." 

Hell, yeah. He remembered her. But he didn't have a clue why the heck Kat was here, looking gorgeous, in front of the Applegate home. 

Silently, he cursed the bet he'd made with Brett Apple-gate. Justin never thought he'd lose an arm-wrestling match to his buddy. He never had before. But damn if Brett hadn't bested him three out of five times right before they'd been selected to accompany a high-powered general to a three-day summit in Washington, D.C. After they served out their mission, the general granted them weekend leave in New York, before they were to head back to their forward operating base in Afghanistan. 

The price of the bet? Reversing roles for the weekend. 

They'd emptied the contents of their pockets, and good ole Brett had jumped at the chance to live in Justin's skin for a few days. He'd waved Justin's gold credit card in his face and scooped up all seven hundred-dollar bills Justin had dumped onto the bunk. "Gonna have me some fun being you," he'd said, grinning like a fool. 

For his part, Justin had blown Brett's spending cash on a bottle of house wine at the hotel and afterward Kat had taken him to her tiny fourth-story walk-up. He'd been looking for a good time. He thought she was, too. They'd clicked. And then things got complicated. 

"I remember you, sugar?'' 

Her eyes softened. "No one else has ever called me that." 

Justin winced at the sweet tone in her voice. "My name isn't Brett. I'm Justin Slade and I live about twenty miles north of here. Brett and I served together on a tour of duty in the marines." 

Her voice dropped off. "You're Justin… Slade?" 

He nodded. 

"Sunset Ranch, Justin Slade?" He nodded again. 

"But, we… You told me your name was Brett Apple-gate. You were a marine heading back overseas. You told me all about this place… You—" 

He grimaced. He was the worst kind of heel. He'd taken advantage of a woman's trust, something he'd never done before. He swallowed down regret and then softened his voice. "I lied." 

She condemned him with her eyes. He didn't blame her. It was an idiotic bet and a fool thing to do. 

Slowly, her hand went to her mouth. Slender fingers covered her lips. She began shaking her head. "Oh…no. No, it's not true." 

"Maybe we should go inside the house and talk. I'll try to explain. Is Matilda Applegate home?" 

She closed her eyes and kept them closed as if she were silently praying. 

He spoke firmly. "Kat." 

Her eyes popped open and she blinked a few times. She spoke quietly. "We can't go inside." 

"Why not?" 

The front door creaked open and an older woman with hair the color of a sunburst stepped onto the front porch, holding a baby boy dressed in brown corduroy in her arms. The woman moved slowly, but with precision as if she calculated each step she took. Her light blue eyes were the most vital thing about her, painted with black eyeliner and deep-sea blue eye shadow. Blotchy face powder accented rather than hid the wrinkles on her face. But the kindness in her eyes was authentic and aimed straight at him. 

"I thought I heard voices. Who have we here?" 

The baby took a peek at him and then whipped around to grab at her neck with a death grip, his little legs kicking at her hips. She squeezed him tight, and whispered reassurances in his ear. "Now, now, Connor baby. Don't be afraid." 

Kat cleared her throat. "Aunt Mattie, this is Justin Slade."

Read the Excerpt below and  comment HERE or THERE.  Doesn't matter.  Random draw winners will be announced on Tuesday, November 5th!

IT'S "FALLING FOR A COWBOY" Giveaway!

It's "FALLING FOR A COWBOY" Giveaway.

Simply read both excerpts and post a comment to say which hero you'd fall for!  Win one of three $10 Amazon Gift Cards in a random draw next Tuesday!  Be sure to write your email addy in the comment section! 

FALLING FOR A COWBOY!

"I do," Trey Walker uttered. 

In a million lifetimes, he never dreamed he'd say those words. Especially not to Maddie Brooks, the auburn-haired beauty standing beside him, her eyes wide with gratitude. They stood under an arbor of lush traveling vines in the small garden area behind his house at 2 Hope Ranch. 

"I do, too," she offered. 

A gentle breeze blew by and tousled her hair in a sexy way. Trey swallowed. He was intrigued by the young woman who'd be living with him for an unforeseen length of time. In truth, the petite, green-eyed female scared the hell out of him with her innocent looks and wholesome demeanor. She was the exact sort of woman Trey avoided--the kind that said "KEEPER" in big, bold capital letters.  But damn it all, if Trey hadn't needed her, or rather if 2 Hope Ranch hadn't needed what she had to offer, Trey would never have agreed to this. 

"So you agree to the terms?" She repeated softly, her voice a mere whisper on the wind. 

"I do, Maddie. There's no need to sign a contract. My word is as good as gold." 

Maddie nodded a bit tentatively as she swiveled her body around, glancing at his property, her slender hands set in the back pockets of her denim jeans. Trey looked his fill, enjoying the view of a perfectly formed backside. He was one to appreciate a good-looking woman and Maddie was all that--even in her range-dusty work clothes. When she turned around, Trey snapped his head up to meet her gaze. Again, her words were soft as morning dew and Trey got the feeling she was as reluctant about this arrangement as he was. 

"I'll move my things in tonight, and tomorrow I'll set up my office in the old barn. The animals all seem to be doing fine. I think this might just work out." 

Trey squeezed his eyes shut momentarily. He grunted a reply and held out his hand. A handshake in this part of Texas was more than enough to bind an agreement. Maddie lifted her right hand from her pocket and slid her palm into his. He shook the hand quickly before the impact of her touch could register to any other part of his body, other than his addled brain. "It's a deal then." 

She bit down on her lip drawing his attention to a heart-shaped mouth so pink and ripe that Trey was certain the Almighty had made her lips expressly for kissing. Too bad, Trey thought with regret, because he'd already set Maddie Brooks strictly off-limits. She was now a business partner, of sorts. She would rent out one room in his house, use the old barn as her office and treat her animal patients there. Not only would 2 Hope Ranch gain from the rental fee, but Maddie had also agreed to treat all of Trey's livestock for free. 

It was a deal he couldn't refuse. His ranch had encountered more than a few setbacks lately, and Trey just plain needed the revenue. He'd had no choice really and neither had Maddie. Her veterinary office had burned clear down to the ground just days ago, and Trey's was the only ranch within miles that had an extra barn and a ranch house big enough to accommodate her without any problem. There was no denying Trey had plenty of room on the grounds as well as three empty bedrooms inside his house. 

Trey had taken in her animals first thing after they'd been rescued by the fire department in Hope Wells. They included a yellow Labrador retriever recovering from a birdshot wound, a border collie named Toby that had been hit by a car, and two rabbits suffering from ear mites. They and various other small pets were now housed inside Trey's smaller, older barn. Hell, he couldn't have the animals suffer. They needed a home, but he hadn't bargained on Maddie coming to live with him. No sir. Uncle Monty had pulled a fast one talking him into this arrangement, and Trey wasn't at all certain his uncle hadn't had matchmaking on his mind. 

Maddie graced him with a small smile. "Deal." 

Trey began to walk off but turned when a thought struck. "You need help moving your stuff in?" 

"Uh, no. Not really. I don't have much at the motel but some clothes and a few things I managed to accumulate since the fire. I'm pretty much starting out fresh. I don't even have much left in the way of files." She shrugged, keeping up a brave front, but Trey figured Maddie was as broken up inside as that old border collie. "Guess I'm just going to have to improvise." 

Trey nodded. Maddie lived in a small apartment above her office in town, and now she'd lost almost everything. The insurance company came through with a small sum for the time being, but the rest of her claim was contingent upon an investigation into the cause of the fire. 

He tipped his hat. "I'll be here, if you need me." 

He was just being neighborly, doing the polite thing, yet those words sent his body into small shock. He shuddered and turned to walk away before Maddie noticed. No sense worrying the girl. She had enough to worry over. But the fact remained that Trey didn't want to be needed. Ever--and especially by a female. 

He'd been cursed in that regard. 

Both his father and grandfather had bad track records when it came to women. They'd done a great job of breaking hearts and wrecking lives. Trey had seen the destruction firsthand and it hadn't been pretty. From early on, after one failed engagement, Trey had vowed to keep his own life simple. And women close only when they both agreed on temporary. 

Trey didn't do permanent. Nothing was going to change that.


Simply read both excerpts and comment below to say which hero you'd fall for!  Win one of three $10 Amazon Gift Cards in a random draw next Tuesday, November 5th!  Be sure to write your email addy in the comment section! 
  

8 Great Heartbreakers and a Giveaway.

According to Noire website and Julia Austin, there are 8 Great Heartbreakers.  Can you guess which one Tom Cruise was in Cocktail?  Or which one Ryan Reynolds was in The Proposal?  

See all eight and be entered for a little surprise giveaway today at Petticoats and Pistols. 

THE COWBOY CONTRACT Cover Winners!!!

Trey Walker thought he was cursed when it came to women, but after a disaster destroyed nearly everything veterinarian Maddie Brooks owned, Trey offered the petite redhead shelter at 2 Hope Ranch. Maddie was smart, sexy and good with animals… impossible to resist, yet he vowed not to break her heart. 

Maddie knew the temporary arrangement she made with Trey was strictly business. For over a year she’d tried to get the handsome rancher to notice her, but the man never seemed interested. Now, she’d be living under his roof and using his barn to treat animals. 

Could she be the woman to break the Walker Curse?

Many of you voted and with over 75% of the vote Cover #1 is the WINNER! I can't thank you enough for helping me pick this wonderful, beautiful, stupendous cover!!  Yay!   

I'm thrilled to announce that the book releases today on  AMAZON and BN Nook

And now, (drumroll please!)  here are the lucky winners who participated and won a $20 Amazon Gift Card by a random drawing from this Blog and the Petticoats and Pistols blog!

Leslie 
Brenda R 
Kittygirl
Amandag1
Barbara T

I will be contacting you via email soon!! 

PICK MY NEW COVER for THE COWBOY CONTRACT AND WIN!!!

Dear Friends,

You've helped me pick the image for THE COWBOY CONTRACT and I'm very grateful!  Now I need help picking the actual style of the cover.  We whittled it down to two ebook cover versions! 

Just simply vote here (below in comment section)  for the one you like best.  I'll pick five winners randomly (you don't have to pick the winning cover image, you just have to vote)

On release day... September 26th, I'll let you know if you've won by email and this blog. And be sure your email addy shows up in the Comments Section.   

Win one of five $20.00 Amazon Gift Cards.   

VOTE FOR COVER #1 

or

VOTE FOR COVER #2

Available soon on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the book:

Trey Walker thought he was cursed when it came to women, but after a disaster destroyed nearly everything veterinarian Maddie Brooks owned, Trey offered the petite redhead shelter at 2 Hope Ranch.  Maddie was smart, sexy and good with animals… impossible to resist, yet he vowed not to break her heart.

Maddie knew the temporary arrangement she made with Trey was strictly business.  For over a year she’d tried to get the handsome rancher to notice her, but the man never seemed interested. Now, she’d be living under his roof and using his barn to treat animals.

Could she be the woman to break the Walker Curse?

Vote Below 

The Romance Reviews - Best Book of 2012 Nominee

I'm excited and jazzed to announce that A Cowboy Worth Claiming (Western) and Exquisite Acquisitions (Contemporary) were both nominated by THE ROMANCE REVIEWS for BEST BOOKS of 2012!

Voting has already begun at

http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php

If you enjoyed the books, I would love your vote!!

Excerpt and Brand New Cover for Luke's Story in Sunset Seduction!!

Hi!

Just pointing you in the direction of The Harlequin Desire Author's Blog today.  I've posted the brand new cover art for Sunset Seduction...Luke's story and the entire (mostly) opening scene!!  Run on over and take a peek!! 

Harlequin Desire Author's Blog

The night she'll never forget...is a night he can't remember


Audrey Thomas can't forget the night of passion she shared with Lucas Slade, the man she's loved for years. But it seems the sexy, superrich rancher has no clue who warmed his bed!

The mystery seductress at his Lake Tahoe retreat was Audrey? His best friend's off-limits kid sister? Now she's back at Sunset Ranch...and having his baby! Honor bound to do the right thing, Lucas never reckons she'll say I won't to his proposal-or that she'll settle for nothing less than all this cowboy has to give.

Enjoy!!

For my READERS WITH HEART!!

This month of love I'm giving away a BEAUTIFUL BRIGHTON CHARM PEN with case that reads, "Write from the Heart", which is what I always try to do. 

And also win a signed copy of Sunset Surrender!  I'm proud to say my first book in the Slades of Sunset Ranch series spent 4 weeks on Bookscan's Top 100 Romances! The Romance Reviews Top Pick!

Enter at Fresh Fiction!  

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all my wonderful readers!!

Charlene

TEN HOLIDAY GIFTS CONTEST from Charlene Sands!!

Happy New Year!  I'm happy to start the year off right by announcing the winners of my Exclusive to my Mailing List Holiday Gift Contest.

To every single one of you who have joined my mailing list and have enjoyed my books... a BIG THANK YOU!

And just so you know the prize is worthy, SUNSET SURRENDER is a Romance Reviews TOP PICK this month!

This decadent getaway into the world of the Sunset Ranch was a great read. I devoured it in about five hours in one go. It had me occasionally laughing, almost crying, and leaning forward, talking at the main characters in various degrees of urgency. It's going on my shelf because I'll probably want to read it again. If I could swoop online and buy the rest of the series I would, but they aren't out yet so I'll have to wait. In the meantime, I have 34 other romance novels from Ms Sands to choose from, thank goodness.


  You can read the entire review HERE!

Now on to the winners. If your name is listed below, please contact me at charlenesands@hotmail.com and let me know if you'd like an autographed copy and include your snail mail address or a $5.00 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to make your purchase.  The book is officially on sale TODAY!

Janine R
Sue F
Karen H
RW  1010
Leni
squiresj
mcv111
Joanne R
Christa
Maxie

**If you'd like to post an Amazon Review of the book, it's a great way to support an author and it's much appreciated!

Happy 2013!!!

12 Days of Christmas Holiday Surprise at Fresh Fiction!

HUNKY HEROES WITH HEART from Charlene Sands...

Head on over to Fresh Fiction to win an autographed set of The WORTHS of RED RIDGE Series AND a Signed Copy of Charlene's first book in The SLADES Of SUNSET RANCH...  SUNSET SURRENDER!! 

        

RICH RUGGED RANCHER SERIES... BRAND NEW!!

Contest Ends January 6th!!  

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS?

Oh Gosh,

There are so many good things about the holidays. Once you get past the stress, shopping and time crunch, you head into the good times!! IMHO



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 For me, it's the spirit of generosity and gift-giving. It's being able to help your children and get them those one or two special gifts that will put a smile on their face. I love the "togetherness" of the holidays too, the gathering of family, the decorating, the baking and cooking new things, or simply staying comfortable with the "tried and true" recipes. I love it all, the music, the weather, (not so bad here in California), the planning and anticipation.



Mickey Mouse has a place on our tree!


So what's your favorite Holiday "Thing"? What do you enjoy the most? If you're on my newsletter/mailing list, your comment enters you into my 10 Holiday Gifts Contest, where you can win a signed copy of SUNSET SURRENDER or a $5.00 Gift Card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

10 Winners will be announced on January 2nd.

If you're not on mailing list, you can join in the fun now at
www.charlenesands.com and you'll be entered when you post a comment.


Merry Holidays to all!!

7 HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS FOR THE FAINT OF HEART by Charlene Sands

It’s gift-giving time of year!! Shoppers are out in full force. The image portrayed on a TV commercial of a holiday shopper leaves you in a state of awe and wonder. She’s wearing a wool cap, gloves and matching plaid scarf strolling along an outside mall, sunshine reflecting on white fluffy mounds of snow in the background, as she clutches five shopping bags full of already wrapped gifts. Of course, her face beams with a broad smile, and holiday music plays in the background.

If only….

We all know holiday shopping isn’t like that in the real world.

Here are my 7 Holiday Shopping Survival Tips for the Faint of Heart:

One

Ask family and friends for a wish list…we this every year now at Thanksgiving. We ask for five “would be” gifts they desire…and some can be gift cards, but not necessarily. If you don’t want to ask friends for a wish list, then ask their spouse, children for ideas and keep your eyes and ears open for unintentional hints throughout the year. My husband did this last year with a gift for me. And he said afterward, “You see I really do pay attention.” Love that guy.


Two
Plan your budget – and plan to go over a little. It’s a fact of life things tend to cost more than we think they do. So build that into your money management. Give yourself a 10% leeway on your budget. Then think smart. If you have gift cards to purchase, many stores offer a “free gift card” or cash allowance, if you buy your gift cards at their store. So say, you spend $100 in gift cards, the offer might be a “free” $20 gift card, as a bonus. This is a deal you can’t pass up.

Three
Clip store and online coupons and KEEP them with you at all times. Having coupons handy, just in case you find a great bargain, even when you didn’t plan on shopping that day, can make a big difference. Can’t tell you how many times, I DIDN’T buy something because I’d left the coupon at home! Now, I keep a big envelope in my purse and try to go through them weekly, to keep them current.

Four
In store… negotiate the price of an item. I’m not a pushy buyer, but I also won’t ever buy anything for the full price. If I have a coupon with me, I’ll always ask the cashier, if she has a better coupon for that day. One time my discount jumped from 15% to 30% off… a huge savings, just because I asked. Just yesterday at Macy’s, I had a coupon for 20% and I saw the woman in line ahead of me with 25% coupon. When I reached the counter, I simply asked the cashier where the shopper got the coupon, and she gave me the bigger discount as well. I saved a lot of money on those purchases! Motto: never hurts to ask.

Five
Black Friday Secrets - There is all this hoopla about Black Friday shopping. Me? I’d never wait outside on a cold night for a store to open on Thanksgiving eve or in the wee hours of Friday morn for a sale. One, I cook for 18 on Thanksgiving and am bushed. And secondly, it’s not necessary. Yes, I might miss out on getting a Flat Screen TV or a Food Processor for half price, but if that wasn’t my initial goal, then I don’t need to brave the crowds and in some cases, risk my life and limbs, for a bargain.

A little known fact is, most of the Black Friday deals continue all day long (not talking big items with scant stock on hand here) and stores stay open late on that Friday night too. That’s when I’ve shopped and, oh BTW, no crowds, no trouble parking. This season, I went to Babies R US on Friday night at 8 pm and purchased a high chair for 50% off. I’d been tracking this item for a month and this was the VERY best deal in town. No hassles. Walk in, buy it, walk out. So if you’re one to say NEVER on Black Friday, reconsider shopping later in the day or in the evening.

Six

Cyber Monday Deals – are great! Do your online research. Sign up with your favorite stores and they’ll automatically send you coupons, BOGO and other great deals. But don’t despair if you missed Cyber Monday…once you sign up, you’ll continue to get deals offered to you at great prices. This Monday, I bought a Baby Einstein piano priced in the stores, at over $50… but one site offered first time, NEW customers 40% off coupon... I grabbed that deal and the item was shipped free to me within 2 days. It’s here now, waiting to be wrapped.

Many stores extend their cyber deals for the entire week. Cyber Monday only starts the online shopping craze…IMHO. I’ve been getting great deals all week long from online stores.

*Another thing I stumbled upon, is that when I’ve gotten halfway through an item purchase on a Online Store site, and I change my mind, get knocked off, or simply got distracted and didn’t complete the sale, that store often sends me an email reminder with an EVEN BETTER deal, to get me to complete my transaction. Have any of you noticed this? Sometimes, it’s a price reduction and sometimes, it’s an offer for free shipping that wasn’t there originally. Usually, if the offer is good, I’ll finish the transaction.

Seven

If you’re a late shopper and missed out on all of the above, on December 17th, certain online stores have FREE SHIPPING DAY. Best Buy and L.L. BEAN for sure, while others like Kohl’s and Amazon plus oodles more, might have a minimum balance for free shipping, but they guarantee delivery before Christmas.


AND BONUS EIGHT:

Wrap as you go...you'll thank yourself for this insight!  A few gifts a day...keeps the "wrapping frenzy" away.  Then have yourself a sip of tea or a glass wine, to celebrate your shopping success!


Enjoy the holiday shopping season!!   

AMAZON

Dear Readers,

Another great modern day cowboy story from Tanya Hanson!!  Isn't the cover amazing?

Read this blurb from her Hearts Crossing Ranch series and you decide!!  You can also find Tanya on
Petticoats and Pistols and  www.goodchristiancowgirl.com



Get ANGEL CHILD HERE


A bit about the story:

Determined to get her life back on track, Mary Grace Gibson takes on a substitute-teaching job, grateful for the room and board offered at Hearts Crossing Ranch. The bustling family life helps her heal after abandonment by her ex. But her little boy’s serious disabilities make her cautious about revealing her secrets to anybody. Even Scott Martin, the handsome cowboy who’s fast stealing her heart.

Her former student now grown up, cowboy and graphic artist Scott Martin is instantly drawn to the beautiful single mom. She’s had some hard luck but never let go of her faith. Their age gap doesn’t fret him, and their kisses ignite his love. But as they fall for each other, Mary Grace’s lack of trust in him shatters his feelings, for he’s been down that broken trail before.

How can he assure her he’s different from the man who hurt her and neglected her son?

WINNERS OF OUR WORTH THE RISK CONTEST X 2

Big thanks to everyone who helped Robin Bielman and I celebrate our same-title books!! I had a wonderful time blogging these past two weeks and each and every one of your comments made me smile. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and hope you’ll continue to stop by – I love the company!


While we didn’t reach our ranking goal (I did get close!), you were awesome in helping us spread the word – thank you!!

Before I announce the winners of the $25 Gift Card, I thought I’d tell you what my lies and truths were.

Here are my truths:

Yes, I've met my country idol Tim McGraw. LOVE HIM!   I stood on line for 4 hours with two friends and shook his hand, spoke a few words and took a picture. He was signing his book in a bookstore..how could a writer resist that?

Yes, I am related to Italian royalty.  My grandmother's mother lived in a castle in Italy.  She was a princess and to avoid a pre-arranged marriage, she ran away with the chauffeur.  How's that for a real life romance?

The lie:  I don't have a clue about karate. Never took a class.  But now I wish I had (I guess it's never too late)

Robin's lie is that  – She is not related to Franz Gruber. But she's a fabulous writer who is Worth the Risk on reading her debut romance.  You'll love it!

If you guessed right, and a few of you did, you got an extra entry in our giveaway.

Lastly, Robin loved reading all the captions you guys came up with for Harry! They all rocked, but after deliberating with the hubby and youngest son, the winning caption goes to bn100 – “Is getting off the couch Worth the Risk?”

The WINNERS ARE:

Robin's random winner of  $25 Gift Card is also bn100! (I think those extra entries helped.) Congrats, bn! Please email her your gift card preference to robinbielman at gmail dot com and I’ll send it off to you.

The gift card winner on Charlene’s blog was Cathy P!! Congrats Cathy! Please send me your email addy and preference and I'll send you gift card out pronto!!

Have a wonderful week everyone!  We hope you had fun!!

Charlene And Robin

Top Five Ways You Know it's A Great Book!! by Charlene Sands and Robin Bielman

The Risky Release party continues...

(Play Robin's Caption Game HERE for 5 extra entries and post here too)

It’s after 2 AM, you’ve got work in the morning and you can’t put the darn book down.

I’ve done this too many times to count. One time, I stayed up until 4 AM. Before I started reading on my iPad, my hubby would wake up in the wee hours of the night and grumble at me to turn off the light already.

The author’s voice resonates with you from page one and you know you’re gonna finish the book pronto.

This happens to me when I pick up a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book, but I have come to expect that from her brilliant writing. I set aside at least 8 hours to read her book straight through. And if I can’t do that, then I settle for two 4 hour sessions. I don’t dare open the book, unless I have a LOT of time to read.

I was shocked that I got hooked so quickly on the Twilight series. I don’t read paranormal, much less vampires. But Stephenie Meyer’s words jumped out on the first pages with me and I realized I would read the entire series. The same thing happened when I read the first two paragraphs of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.

The characters in the story stay with you for days and days afterward.

You can’t get them out of your head. They wander into your thoughts at all times of the day and night. Scenes play out in your mind. You can’t seem to forget them, no matter what. If the hero is magnificent, you’re daydreaming about him. Yes, that’s happened to me. I’m not ashamed to admit it.

There’s a charm and certain magic to the book that you don’t find in all stories, with all authors.

The book is something special. You’re in love, not only with the characters or the plot or the dialogue, but the story itself pulls you in and grabs you. If it were a movie, it might be Shakespeare In Love, or my favorite all-time movie classic, It Happened One Night. Now, that’s a story that has it all. It was made in black and white, but the story comes alive with such richness you tend to think of it in color. Charm and Magic.

After you read “The End” and put the book down, you wish you’d written it.

Yes, that’s so true for writers. When we read an exceptional book, we’re floored, thrilled and filled with admiration. And as we lust for more, we pray to the story gods, that one day we could tell a story so well.

Do you agree? How do YOU know you’re reading a great book? Post a comment here and on Robin's Blog  and be entered to win Gift Cards and e-books at our Risky Release Party contest.

Here are the details:

RISKY RELEASE PARTY AND A CONTEST "WORTH" ENTERING:

Robin and Charlene have the same titled books. Check our recent blogs for more fun contest stuff!

Post a comment during the this week and last week's blogs to be entered to win the gift cards!

Please spread the word about Worth the Risk. Help us achieve our goal of ranking on Amazon or Barnes and Noble Top 1000 books and one lucky commenter will win a Nook Color (Value: $149) or Kindle Fire (Value: $159) or gift card equivalent IF we do. (We need to rank in triple digits)

Mention our Risky Release Party on Facebook.

Tweet about Worth the Risk on Twitter

Post a review on Amazon, BN or Goodreads

Amazon for Robin's Book

Amazon for Charlene's Book

Like and Tag us on Amazon
Check out our books

Tell your friends about our books.

Sample FB or Tweet:


FB -- Win prizes @CharleneSands and @RobinBielman's Risky Release Party. You'll be entered to win $25 Gift Cards and an ereader. www.charlenesands.blogspot.com and www.robinbielman.com/blog/

Twitter-- Don't miss @CharleneSands & @RobinBielman's Risky Release Party & you could win an e-Reader! http://charlenesands.blogspot.com/ http://robinbielman.com/blog/

Contest Ends October 15th.

Thanks so much for being a part of our celebration!

Charlene and Robin