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Saturday, May 8, 2010

Saturday Spotlight - Linda Swift & Single Status

Good Morning Friends!

Well, I must say after attending The Wild Rose Press's "Saddle up & Write" retreat held at the Silver Spur Guest Ranch in Bandera, TX, being home this past week is a HUGE let down. Bandera has always owned a small piece of my heart - but now the beautiful hill country has a chunk of it. One thing is certain, I will go back!

IMW, please welcome this week's Saturday Spotlight guest, Linda Swift with her book, Single Status.

Linda Swift divides her time between her native state of Kentucky and Florida. She has been writing since she was ten and is an award winning author of published poetry, articles, short stories, and a TV play. Her first two books were published by Kensington.

Linda's Awe-Struck Publishing books include Single Status, available as an e-book and in print and The Twelve Days of Christmas, an ebook. Her first published historical will be available in 2010. Her contemporary books also include Circle of Love, available as an e-book and in print and Let Nothing You Dismay, an ebook, from The Wild Rose Press.

B.J. is a woman with a mission--to show that she can handle a start-up engineer's job as well as any man. Then maybe she can prove to her ex that she is not the helpless wife he left for another woman. Dana is a man grieving the deaths of his wife and young son in a terrorist plane crash. Through a mix-up at stateside headquarters, they are forced to share a villa in the single status job in St. Croix. B.J. is the scapegoat when things go wrong at work and Dana becomes her reluctant defender when he is not defending himself against her unjust conclusions about him. Despite their attempts to prove otherwise, the powerful attraction between them grows. B.J. is blamed for a bad accident at the plant and her job is on the line. When Dana is almost killed trying to find the real culprit, will B.J. finally admit that the love they have found together is the most important thing of all?

Excerpt: SINGLE STATUS

The tone of her mother's voice alerted B.J. that this was no ordinary chat and she prepared herself for the inevitable.

"Today when I was looking in your closet for a longer coverup for the pool, I saw…a man's things. Your dad said I should just keep out of it, but I'm your mother. And I know how vulnerable a woman in…your position can be." Matilda finished the celery and picked up a carrot. "Betty Jo, are you having an affair with that married man you play golf with?"

B.J. laughed, relieved at not being found out after all. "No, Mother. Absolutely not. I just--well, a guy I work with left some things here when he went home on emergency leave."

It was all true, just not all of the truth, but her mother looked skeptical. "I'll be giving them back as soon as he returns."

Matilda closed her eyes dramatically. "Only two daughters and both divorced. And your sister has already made the same mistake twice. I just hope you don't follow her example, Betty Jo."

"Not to worry, Mother, since I have no plans to marry again…ever." This time she spoke with the conviction of telling the whole truth.

"I can't see why both of you couldn't find a man like your father. All of them have been nice Atlanta boys from good families. I just don't understand it."

"Maybe that's our problem," B.J. said with mock seriousness. "Maybe Dad was the last good man in Atlanta."

Single Status is available now from Awe-Struck Publishing in Ebook & Print!

*Note* Linda is travelling today but will do her best to drop by and visit with anyone who comments.

Well Friends, that wraps up this week's edition of Saturday Spotlight. Stay tuned weekly for more great authors and their books!

Until next time....take care, Be Blessed and remember....when the going gets tough the tough go to God.

10 comments:

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Linda sent the following comment and asked me to post it for her!

Hello to all,
Due to a delay in our planned departure from our winter home in Florida to our home in Kentucky, my husband and I will be driving all day. So I wanted to take this opportunity to explain my absence and thank you for stopping by. I will try to check in tonight to read your posts and respond. Thank you, Pam, for inviting me to share this information about my book. And to all the mothers out there, I wish you a very happy day tomorrow. We will be stopping over in Nashville and I will get to spend the evening with my son, daughter, her husband, and our granddog. And yes, we were very anxious about the flooding in Nashville last week. Our daughter lives in Bellevue, the section of the city that had the worst flooding but thankfully, her home was not under water. And we are also thankful we didn't travel that way last weekend as earlier planned or we would have been stranded on the flooded Interstate. Or worse.
Linda

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Linda,
Single Status sounds like another of your wonderful books. Good luck with it. Glad you didn't get stuck in any floods and that your family are all safe.
Regards

Margaret

Unknown said...

Linda--you be careful on the interstates--and I know you'll be glad to be back home in your own "real" bed.
Pam and everyone--I've read all four of Linda's books, and immensely enjoyed them because she writes about real people and real emotions. She doesn't feel the need to add flowery adverby-kinds of phrases, but shows us in simple ways what she wishes to convey. As a result, the reader gets "the real story."
I especially love Single Status, and the cover. (We had a back and forth on that cover.) SS is a touching story between two hurt people, and both have determined to go it alone and take one day at a time. There is a little suspense in the novel, concerning some underhanded people, and the last several pages had me leaning forward toward my computer screen, holding my breath. So, if you want a good read that you'll remember--try this one. Celia

Donna B said...

LOL. Ooh, BJ sounds mouthy just like me! Single Status sounds like a great book. I just might have to go take a look at it.

Linda Swift said...

Hello Margaret, thanks for coming by. And thank you for your kind words. And yes, we are truly blessed to have family in Nashville who were not directly affected by the flood. So many were left homeless and jobless as a result. Happy Mother's Day. Linda

Linda Swift said...

Celia, my goodness, this is the best review I've had of Single Status. And of my work in general. I always think of you as my mentor since you led me through the process of creating my web site with your knowledge and most importantly, encouragement. And my dh is still praising your name for your recent helpful technical instruction to him. What would we do without you? Linda

Linda Swift said...

Hi Donna. Yeah, B.J. is a fiesty gal, trying to prove herself in a man's world. And wait till you meet the man who gave her the "attitude." If you like spunky women, you'll like B.J. Thanks for stopping. Linda

Linda Swift said...

Hi Pam, it seems business has been a little slow today but thanks for keeping an eye out for me. It's been a long travel day. Almost nine hours. And another long day tomorrow but I will check in again before bedtime here in AL.
And I didn't plan it that way, but I just noticed that my excerpt was between B.J. and her mother, which is very appropriate for a Mother's Day weekend, isn't it? Linda

Sharon Donovan said...

Hi Pam and Linda. Happy Mother's Day to both of you. Pam, I hear the retreat was a huge success and they are planning one for next year. You know for historical lovers, here in PA, we have a gorgeous retreat, Tara, a replica of /gone with the Wind, my favorite movie/book of all times. Sigh. The rooms are done in true character style, a Rhett cigar room and bar and a Scarlett Room for dining, with life-size figures of the characters. That might be a thought for a future retreat. I would love to meet both of you!
Linda, so glad you and your family are safe from the flooding storming through. It will be good to be home and safe and sound. Congratulations on Single Status! My goodness, with all these wonderful reviews, I dare say a trip to Awe Struck is in order. Best of luck, my friend.
Sharon

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

thanks everyone for stopping by.

Sharon, email Rhonda Penders with your suggestion - they will be doing a retreat every year BUT return to the Silver Spur every other time.

Linda, be safe travelling.

Happy Mother's Day ALL!