Whether you’re single or married or in a relationship, you can’t deny that romance is in the air. As a writer who writes about romance, this is one of my favorite times of the year. To my single friends: Love yourself and don’t worry about if you’re in a relationship. Valentine is your day too. Do something special for you?

Below is a list of some of my favorites. What are some of your favorites in each category?

My Top 5 Favorite Romance Authors

Francis Ray
Brenda Jackson
Beverly Jenkins
Donna Hill
Danielle Steele

Top 10 Romantic Movies I’m an avid movie watcher. The movies on this list I’ve seen several times. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, but they all have one thing in common – romance. Here’s my top 10 Romantic Movies list, but in no certain order: Love Jones Two Can Play that Game Lady Sings the Blues Love & Basketball You’ve Got Mail Bridget Jones Diary Sleepless in Seattle Brown Sugar When Harry Met Sally The Best Man To add one of these movies to your collection, click here.

Music to Set the Mood Besides books and film, music is another one of my passions. If you want to set the mood for a romantic evening, you can’t go wrong with putting one of these in your CD player. Best of Luther Vandross Time Life Soul Ballads Collection Body and Soul Collection Isley Brothers Greatest Hits At Last – Etta James Best of Sade

Win an ebook copy of The Bad Twin by Shelia M Goss:

The Bad Twin is sibling rivalry at its best. Rose’s ultimate goal is to remain in the spotlight; preferable on the movie screen. To her fans, Rose is sincere, glamorous, and charitable; but to Violet, her twin, she’s a conniving, manipulative person that starves for constant attention.

When Violet gives a shocking interview about the life of Hollywood actress Rose to a popular magazine, all hell breaks loose. Can these sisters ever be friends, or will they always stand divided?

What do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment on this blog post. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. cst on February 14, 2012. U.S. & Canada residents only. Avoid where prohibited by law.

You also have a chance to read about and enter other contests by visiting the sites on the blog hop. Here’s the link: http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/ 

I found out about Phyliss Wheatley, the first AA female poet, when I was in high school but it would be years later that I would find out about Frances Harper. I read a synopsis of one of her novels and had to get a copy.

Below is more information about Frances E.W. Harper from Wikipedia.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper(September 24, 1825 – February 22, 1911) was an African American abolitionist and poet. Born free in Baltimore, Maryland, she had a long and prolific career, publishing her first book of poetry at twenty and her first novel, the widely praised Iola Leroy, at age 67.

Iola Leroy was for some time cited as the first novel by an African-American author. Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.‘s 1982 rediscovery of Harriet Wilson’s Our Nig (1859) displaced it from that spot. Harper’s novel remains important as one of the earliest novels written by an African American and as a fictional work dealing with complex issues of race, class, and politics in the United States.

Frances Ellen Watkins was born to free parents in Baltimore, Maryland. After her mother died when she was three years old in 1828, Watkins was orphaned. She was raised by her aunt and uncle. She was educated at the Academy for Negro Youth, a school run by her uncle Rev. William Watkins, who was a civil rights activist. He was a major influence on her life and work.

At fourteen, she found work as a seamstress. Frances Watkins had her first volume of verse, Forest Leaves, published in 1845 (it has been lost). Her second book, Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects, published in 1854, was extremely popular. Over the next few years, it was reprinted in 20 editions.

In 1850, Watkins moved to Ohio, where she worked as the first woman teacher at Union Seminary, established by the Ohio Conference of the AME Church. (Union closed in 1863 when the AME Church diverted its funds to purchase Wilberforce University.) The school in Wilberforce was run by the Rev. John Brown (not the same as the abolitionist.) In 1853, Watkins joined the American Anti-Slavery Society and became a traveling lecturer for the group. In 1860, she married Fenton Harper, a widower with three children.

They had a daughter together in 1862. For a time Frances withdrew from the lecture circuit. Fenton died in 1864. Frances Harper was a strong supporter of prohibition and woman’s suffrage. She was also active in the Unitarian Church, which supported abolition.

She often would read her poetry at the public meetings, including the extremely popular Bury Me in a Free Land. She was connected with national leaders in suffrage, and in 1866 gave a moving speech before the National Women’s Rights Convention, demanding equal rights for all, including black women.

She also continued with her writing and continued to publish poetry. In 1892 she published Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted. One of the first novels by an African-American woman, it was quite popular. Harper continued with her political activism, and in 1897 was elected Vice-President of the National Association of Colored Women.

For more information on Frances Harper and to read some of her poems, go to: http://www.afropoets.net/francesharper.html

Win an ebook copy of The Bad Twin by Shelia M Goss:

The Bad Twin is sibling rivalry at its best. Rose’s ultimate goal is to remain in the spotlight; preferable on the movie screen. To her fans, Rose is sincere, glamorous, and charitable; but to Violet, her twin, she’s a conniving, manipulative person that starves for constant attention.

When Violet gives a shocking interview about the life of Hollywood actress Rose to a popular magazine, all hell breaks loose. Can these sisters ever be friends, or will they always stand divided?

What do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment on this blog post. Contest ends on February 28, 2012. U.S. & Canada residents only. Avoid where prohibited by law.

According to BlackAmericaWeb, Sarah Rector, a former slave, became one of the richest little girls in America in 1914. The headlines would read: “Oil Made Pickaninny Rich – Oklahoma Girl With $15,000 A Month Gets Many Proposals – Four White Men in Germany Want to Marry the Negro Child That They Might Share Her Fortune.”

$15,000 a month back then is probably the equivalent to millions a month now. I came across the most fascinating article the other day about Sarah Rector. Below is a short excerpt from the article and the link.

When she was born, Rector was given a rough, hilly allotment, considered worthless agriculturally, in Glenpool, 60 miles from where she and her family lived. Her father had petitioned the Muskogee County Court to sell the land, but he was denied because of certain restrictions placed on the land, for which he was required to continue paying taxes.

In 1913, when she was ten years old, large pools of oil were discovered on Rector’s land. One year later, her land produced so much oil that she had already yielded $300,000; her fortune was increasing at a rate of $10,000 per month. Her mother had died years earlier from tuberculosis. In 1914, her father died in prison, leaving her orphaned.

Even before her father’s death, Rector was appointed a guardian who was responsible for managing Rector’s money and providing for her education and care. The law at the time required full-blooded Indians, black adults and children who were citizens of Indian Territory with significant property and money, to be assigned “well-respected” white guardians who often cheated them out of their lands. There are stories of swindlers, oil tycoons and other unscrupulous types who kidnapped and murdered the children and adults to get their land.

Click on the link to read more: http://www.thedefendersonline.com/2009/02/18/sarah-rector-the-richest-colored-girl-in-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-2773

Win an ebook copy of The Bad Twin by Shelia M Goss:

The Bad Twin is sibling rivalry at its best. Rose’s ultimate goal is to remain in the spotlight; preferable on the movie screen. To her fans, Rose is sincere, glamorous, and charitable; but to Violet, her twin, she’s a conniving, manipulative person that starves for constant attention.

When Violet gives a shocking interview about the life of Hollywood actress Rose to a popular magazine, all hell breaks loose. Can these sisters ever be friends, or will they always stand divided?

What do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment on this blog post. Contest ends on February 28, 2012. U.S. & Canada residents only. Avoid where prohibited by law.

I’m highlighting Mary Eliza Mahoney today for two reasons. #1 She was the first African-American registered nurse and #2 Our past might be entwined as her name comes up when I trace my family history on my Dad’s side.

Her exact date of birth is questionable. Some sources say she was born in April and others May of 1845.

According to various sources, including ASU, Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African-American registered nurse in the U.S.A. She was born free on April 7 or May 7, 1845 in Dorchester, Massachusetts and became interested in nursing when she was a teenager. She worked for fifteen years at the New England Hospital for Women and Children (now Dimock Community Health Center) in Roxbury, Massachusetts as a cook, janitor, washerwoman and an unofficial nurse’s assistant. In 1878, at the age of thirty-three, she was admitted as a student into the hospital’s nursing program established by Dr. Marie Zakrzewska. Sixteen months later, she was one of four who completed the rigorous course (of forty-two who started with her). After graduation she worked primarily as a private duty nurse for the next thirty years all over the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. She ended her nursing career as director of an orphanage in Long Island, New York, the position she had held for a decade. She never married.In 1896, Mahoney became one of the original members of a predominately white Nurses Associated Alumnae of the United States and Canada (later known as the American Nurses Association or ANA). In 1908 she was cofounder of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN). Mahoney gave the welcoming address at the first convention of the NACGN and served as the association’s national chaplain. Mary Eliza Mahoney died January 4, 1926. She is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, Massachusetts.

In 1936, the NACGN created an award in honor of Mahoney for women who contributed to racial integration in nursing. This award was then continued by the ANA after the NACGN was dissolved in 1951. In 1976, fifty years after her death, Mary Eliza Mahoney was inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame.

To read more about Mary Eliza Mahoney, click here.

If you know someone interested in nursing, there’s a Mary Mahoney scholarship given out to minority nursing students. There’s a site dedicated to Mary Mahoney. Please visit: http://www.marymahoney.org

Win an ebook copy of The Bad Twin by Shelia M Goss:

The Bad Twin is sibling rivalry at its best. Rose’s ultimate goal is to remain in the spotlight; preferable on the movie screen. To her fans, Rose is sincere, glamorous, and charitable; but to Violet, her twin, she’s a conniving, manipulative person that starves for constant attention.

When Violet gives a shocking interview about the life of Hollywood actress Rose to a popular magazine, all hell breaks loose. Can these sisters ever be friends, or will they always stand divided?

What do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment on this blog post.  Contest ends on February 28, 2012. U.S. & Canada residents only. Avoid where prohibited by law.

Cynthia Eden has become one of my favorite romantic suspense writers. Deadly Lies is her new book and I got a chance to ask her a few questions. Check out the interview below.

7 Questions with Cynthia Eden

By Shelia M Goss

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a writer.  I wrote my first story in elementary school, and when I was eighteen, I wrote my first novel (a very bad novel, but I still wrote it!).

Do you find it hard to write in multiple genres?
I actually love to write in multiple genres. Switching genres challenges me, and I think that challenge pushes me to be a better writer.

I’ve read the other two books in the Deadly series and can’t wait to read Deadly Lies. The cases from the books seem so real and they read like newspaper clippings from real cases. Did you have to do research before writing this series?
Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed the other Deadly books.  The Deadly books are definitely the most research intensive books that I’ve ever written.  Before I started writing them (and while I was writing them), I read a ton of books and talked with all sorts of experts. For DEADLY HEAT, I even went and toured a fire station (and got to shoot the hose, but that’s another story…)

Does it matter which order readers read the books in the Deadly series or should they start in order before reading Deadly Lies?
The books are written so that they can stand alone, but I think readers will gain more insight into the characters if they start with DEADLY FEAR, then read DEADLY HEAT, and finally pick up DEADLY LIES.

Samantha Kennedy has to be tough in her line of work, but what makes her soft and vulnerable?
An FBI Agent certainly does have to be tough, but Samantha is still recovering from a traumatic attack when DEADLY LIES opens.  So while she’s putting on a brave front, she’s actually terrified on the inside. Sam has always been more comfortable behind a desk than in the field, but she is desperate to regain control of her life, so she’s pushing herself to step up her game and find courage.

Tell readers about Samantha’s love interest Max Ridgeway.
Max is a complex guy.  Tall, strong, handsome, he’s a self-made millionaire, but he’s also a guy with a very dark and twisted past—one that is coming back to haunt him.

How can readers learn more about you and your books?
I have excerpts and book information on my website:  www.cynthiaeden.com.  Readers can also follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/cynthiaeden) or friend me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cynthiaeden).

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden

Two ways to enter:

2. Throughout the month of March, you will have other opportunities to enter. The more comments you leave, the better chances you have to win. At the end of any post between now and April 1, 2011, leave a response. Your comment will automatically increase your chances.

To be updated on the blog posts, I suggest you sign up to my mailing list if you’re not already a member. To sign up, click or paste the following link: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=498262

All entries must be in between now and 11:59 p.m est 4/1/11. Several winners will be chosen at random. US & Canada Residents Only. Void where prohibited by law.

 Introducing Pynk

I’ve read some of your books under your real name. Why did you decide to use a pen name?

Thanks for reading my works. Appreciated! ! Years ago, I was asked to contribute an erotic short story to an anthology called Morning, Noon and Night. It was challenging, but I enjoyed the no-limits aspect and decided to write a full-length erotica book under a pen name. The main reason I chose a pen name was because I wanted readers to be able to identify my erotic works from my mainstream works, and also to ensure that contractually, the different genre releases would not conflict.

Was it an easy transition into a new genre?
Yes, because most of my women’s fiction titles were hot and steamy anyway – May December Souls, Hot Boyz, Make Me Hot, Dr. Feelgood, Something He Can Feel. The intimate scenes in those titles were pretty sexy. I write mainstream and inspirational romance as well, but when I’m actually into the nitty-gritty of writing, I don’t think genres as much as concentrating on throwing fiction-friction in the lives of the characters whom I work so hard to develop. The only difference is if it’s erotica, I’m free to use grittier words. In some erotica books I use those words a lot, and in some I don’t - it just depends upon the story, the characters, and the scenes.

Tell readers a little back story on Magnolia, Rebe and Darla from Sixty-Nine.
Sixty-Nine is a story of sexual repression. Magnolia Butler, Rebe Richardson,and Darla Clark have been best friends since high-school. They were born in 1969 (thus Sixty-Nine) and are about to turn the big 4-0 in 2009. Each has had her share of major drama in life, and dated and/or married in the past, but find themselves single on New Years’ Eve, wishing they’d lived outside of the box, particularly as far as sex is concerned. Magnolia is always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Rebe’s NFL ex-husband left her for the freaky cheerleader, and Darla’s husband passed away five years ago yet she’s been celibate ever since. Set in Miami, Sixty-Nine is a coming-of-age story of life awakenings and sexual discovery as these women go beyond the missionary and explore the wild side of life.

Who are the men of Sixty-Nine and what makes their roles so important in the ladies lives?
The men (and there are more), Neal, Armani, and Six Nine are important catalysts to the unveiling of the repressive sides of these three women. Neal has been Magnolia’s “stop to start” man, and she just can’t seem to let him go, even after he breaks her heart, again. Young hunk Armani works hard to show Rebe the swinging vixen in her, but an unexpected person changes everything. And Six Nine is the man in Darla’s x-rated imagination, whom she feels safe with in that with him, she won’t actually betray her deceased husband, but even her husband ends up in her dreams. Can she ever share her bed again without him in it? 

Do you think women place too much of an emphasis on turning 40?

Good question! I do believe age is nothing but a number, however, even though we may believe that in our heads, our bodies have a totally different plan. We begin to go through the dreaded menopause, and even if we don’t dread the word, we will soon find it is no joke. Our libidos change, cycles downshift (not to mention night sweats, moodiness, etc.), our metabolism slows down so we gain weight, our memories play dirty-little tricks on us, we begin to reflect back upon life like never before, and we’re willing to take greater risks upon the recognition that life is short. Forty is young, but it is not the new 30. It is a real crossroads for a lot of women. Yes, we look better at 40 now than women ever did before, but we’re also noticing that we’re now old enough to be the moms of these twenty-something women of the world. For me, creating forty year old women was critical to the story.

What message would you like readers to take away from reading Sixty-Nine?
I’d like women who are afraid to experience true satisfaction with their husband, lover, etc., to examine what’s blocking their ability to let go and enjoy. What voices are they hearing from years ago that set the tone for their repression? Sexual repression is very real and there are some women who have never experienced an orgasm. It’s okay to embrace our sexuality without being slutty or taking bad risks. Healthy, safe sexual exploration between grown folks is okay. Ladies, it’s not just the men who should come away satisfied. Use the “ladies first” theory and know what pleases you. Ask for it or do it yourself. Change those old messages and become, as I call it, Sex-See!

How can readers learn more about you and your books?
Readers can visit www.authorpynk.com to find information about my books, tour, contact information, and more.

Thank you so very much for this opportunity to share my latest book, Sixty-Nine, with your readers. I had a ball.

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Sixty-Nine by Pynk

Two ways to enter:

2. Throughout the month of January and February, you will have other opportunities to enter. The more comments you leave, the better chances you have to win. At the end of any post between now and February 28, 2011, leave a response. Your comment will automatically increase your chances.

To be updated on the blog posts, I suggest you sign up to my mailing list if you’re not already a member.  To sign up, click or paste the following link: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=498262

All entries must be in between now and 11:59 p.m est 2/28/11. Several winners will be chosen at random. US & Canada Residents Only. Void where prohibited by law.

 Have you picked up your copy of DELILAH yet? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment here and if you don’t mind, also post your review on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Y’all (with my southern accent) just don’t know how excited I am about Delilah and I’m also excited to announce the winner of the Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry Contest and the three winners of the Love, Honor, and Betray by Kimberla Lawson Roby Book Contest.  

The winners are listed in the comments section of this blog post. Congratulations!