A leading voice in romance, Avon, announced this week a blow out celebration for their 75th anniversary.   The HarperCollins imprint that brought readers Kathleen Woodiwiss, Loretta Chase, and Eloisa James wants to honor the milestone with a year-long party for their readers. Not only will Avon discount key-titles from their backlist, they will also host a series of popular KissCon reader events and a pair of gala signings at Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention and the Romance Writers of America National Convention. “Avon has always represented the ‘Diamond Standard’ of romance, so we are especially thrilled to celebrate our 75th anniversary,” says Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President, Publisher of William Morrow and Avon Books. “From publishing such trailblazers as Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’s THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER in 1972 to nurturing the careers of our authors, we’re proud of all that we have accomplished in this ever-changing industry. And we can’t wait to see where our authors and readers will bring us in the years to come.” Readers can find out more information about Avon’s 75 anniversary plans by visiting their website.

“Only the most mature of us are able to be childlike. And to be able to be childlike involves memory; we must never forget any part of ourselves. […] For growing up never ends; we never get there. I am still in the process of growing up, but I will make no progress if I lose any of myself on the way.” Madeleine L’Engle Walking on Water Do you remember the optimism of childhood? The anticipation you felt when a friend asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Or how overwhelming it seemed to pick only one occupation? Even as a high school senior you probably thrilled at the prospects before you. Different possibilities glimmered with hope, with opportunity, with the promise of fulfillment. Then adulthood slapped you across the face and woke you from the your childhood delusions, right? Yeah, me too. Responsibilities, bills, family pain—even the ‘good’ stuff—can weigh us down and steal our joy. The loud shouts of reality easily drown the whispered dreams of childhood. This paradigm shift is what draws me to the genre of Fantasy. Those quiet voices speak a little louder, reminding me that life is bigger than my…

Fresh Pick for Friday, January 15th, 2016 is FINDING PROMISE by Scarlett Dunn #InspirationalFriday – #Western About FINDING PROMISE She may be an heiress, but Parker Promise Sinclair cares more about living an adventurous life than snaring a suitable husband. So it’s no surprise when she joins a Wyoming wagon trail—only to survive a massacre that leaves her with no memory, a target on her back—and her abiding faith tested by the only man who can possibly protect her. His gunfighting skills and trail savvy have saved U.S. Marshal Jake McBride more times than he can count. And his instincts tell him the only way to keep Promise alive is to take her along on his high-stakes cattle drive. But she soon proves she can ride and shoot with the best of them—and Jake finds it increasingly difficult to keep himself from falling for her. Soon, with danger closing in, they’ll have only one chance to face their doubts, their fears—and their growing love… Buy FINDING PROMISE: Amazon.com | Kindle|BN.com | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Powell’s Books | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR About Scarlett Dunn Scarlett…

Stories could be set in this city, once a small fishing village . . . Sarasota: Culture & Circus Stuffed with people and culture today, I can’t imagine Sarasota, Florida, once was a small fishing village with only a few hundred people at the turn of the 20th century. Charles N. Thompson was the manager of Ringling Brothers Circus in the 1890s. He checked out the village and bought a 154 acre track for $1650, then later added 30 acres more. Dresses for dancing cost that much today. Hard to imagine all that land then for the price of one dress now. Sounds like a fairytale.   Read more…. About Gail Ingis Gail Ingis writes historical romance, loves history and romance of course, has taught history, and her weekly blog frequently covers historical content. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ingis’s early days began and ended with writing, drawing and music. Her inspiration to write came from books gifted to her by an aunt. But life had other ideas. After graduating from the New York School of Interior Design with a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and masters’ studies in Architecture and Design Criticism at The New School (Parsons)….

How many adults dreamed about being a cowboy when they were kids? I think especially those of us who are . . . ahem . . . over a certain age, were more enamored of riding the range and fighting the bad guys, due to the prevalence of western TV shows and movies during the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. While growing up, my little sister, Jenny, wanted to be a cowboy SO badly. She had all the toys—the Johnny West set, the toy truck and horse trailer, the cowboy hat, the whole nine yards. Me, I just wanted to own a ranch full of horses. We lived in a small town with a couple of hillside acres, but our parents weren’t horse savvy, and we weren’t either. I remember my first foray into riding alone—I was about 14 and had the opportunity to ride a neighbor’s semi-broke horse. Jet black, not too big, but no saddle or lessons. I did great the first few days, until the horse decided to take off at a canter around a corner. He went one way, I went the other, and the resulting sprained wrist ended my wild cowboy days until years later. I…