FREE!! Until Friday midnight, get Only a Good Man for FREE!!

Dee S. Knight

A year ago almost to the day, Book 1 of the Good Man series was published: Only a Good Man Will Do. Today, the second book in the series is available: One Woman Only.

Dee S. Knight

For this week, meet the first Goodman bother (Daniel) for FREE!!

Meet the second brother (Jonah) on Kindle Unlimited!

After this week, get both Only a Good Man Will Do and One Woman Only on KU!

I loved Only a Good Man Will Do, loved the characters, loved the attraction between the heroine and hero. It told the story of Daniel Goodman, PhD, teacher of young men, resident master in a dormitory of children. He has one goal in mind and that’s to become headmaster of the school where he works. Westover Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the world and they only accept teachers, parents, and students of the highest pedigree. Daniel feels he has a good chance of achieving his goal…until in one week, the daughter of a board member comes on to him, one of his students is found drunk in a place forbidden to students and staff, and he meets the beautiful Eve Star who danced on stage (no, not the Broadway stage) as Evening Star. He handles each crisis until it’s down to Eve, his student, or his dream.

What’s a good man to do?

In the next book, One Woman Only, debuting today (YAY!!), we meet Daniel’s brother, Jonah. Jonah Goodman is something of an opposite to Daniel. Jonah works on a NASCAR team…or he doesn’t. He makes enough money for his needs, but he’s not about the prestige or the power. He lets life take him where it does. Then, he meets the woman he’s loved since high school and he wonders why life has dragged him back into her orbit. Contrary to what others think, it’s not easy being Jonah Goodman!

But with Kelly Shepherd, he’s a good man trying hard to be a better man.

For this week, introduce yourself to the Goodman brothers for FREE with Only a Good Man Will Do, and then visit with the second brother, Jonah, in One Woman Only, on KU!

One Woman Only: Dee S. Knight

ROMANCE!! Sweet or hotter than a firestorm, check out BVS

I’ve been very fortunate to be associated with wonderful publishers (like Liquid Silver Publishing (my first publisher), Siren-Bookstrand, and now, Black Velvet Seductions (aka BVS)). I think you would enjoy books from any of them, but right now I’d like to tell you more about BVS.

Black Velvet Seductions

Yes, this is a shameless plug, but I wouldn’t talk about BVS here if I didn’t The Brute and Ifeel strongly about the brand. I can vouch for the fact that BVS publishes all kinds of romance, from, well from me to my partner in crime, Jan Selbourne, who writes historical romance. Writers like Alice Renaud, Patricia Elliott, Callie Carmen (just finished Nicolas and you should try it!), K.L. Ramsey, SuzanneA Merman's Choice Smith, and many others whose books I’ve been enjoying in the last year will make your heart happy. BVS searches out some of the best writers and pairs them with some of the finest graphic artists around (Jessica Greeley is especially talented!) for covers. Ric Savage, the man who runs BVS, strives for excellence in every aspect of the publishing process. Honestly, I’ve never worked with a publishing house who does more to help authors present their books to the readers.

So how can you find out about BVS? New books and special deals are showcased in the newsletter. I chatted with Ric Savage who runs BVS and asked what his vision is for the publishing house. He told me, “In the 5 years I have managed BVS, it has been my goal to get the books of our talented authors in the hands of romance readers. We like to get to know our readers and what they think. We are constantly looking to get their views and reactions to the stories. I have always seen that as a two-way street, and I think it only right to offer readers a chance to read our books at favorable prices. We offer new books to preorder at 99 cents. We also offer freebies at times. A way of keeping in touch is through our newsletter. It is very simple to be an Insider, you just sign up to our newsletter, and we will keep you up to date with freebies, deals, and our latest news!”

I hope you do subscribe! It’s an honor to be among some of the best romance writers and to work with BVS. I know you will agree.

Dee

Three Useless Talents #MFRWauthor

It’s difficult to think of having an odd or useless talent when some days I wonder if I have any talent at all, useless or otherwise. ;( But after thinking about it, I realize I can do a few useless things with great success, and I share them with you here as I share them with family and friends.

  1. I can sing the first verse of “Edelweiss” in German. Yes indeed. That’s a talent called upon often (NOT!). I learned the song in my high school German class and somehow never forgot it. It comes in handy at any sing-along of The Sound of Music, which I’m happy to say hardly ever happens.
  2. I can repeat conversations word for word. So if someone asks me if Susie said that she likes her birthday present of an argyle sweater andRepeating conversations matching socks, I can relay Susie’s whole impression, what was said to her and what she replied. This often puts the questioner to sleep with TMI, but hey! It’s a talent, right?
  3. I can parallel park. This used to be a valuable skill but not so much anymore. I used to admire my dad (and most guys I know) that he could place his arm on the back of the seat, turn around and one-handed, slide a car into a space that looked far too small. I can’t do Parallel parkingthat, but give me any normal space and stand back for the sight of your life as I park almost like a guy with the back-up gene. Of course, I pull into a space whenever possible. No need to wear a talent out with too much practice.

So that’s it. The sum total of my useless talents. They aren’t much but I share them whenever possible. You never know when someone might require “Edelweiss” to be sung in German—I want them to know I’m available!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

A Virgo’s view of giving a little, taking a little #MFRWauthor

I have a big mouth and I’m (sometimes) not afraid to use it. Often to my own detriment. Like when giving advice. Or taking it. I’m a Virgo (as you might have gleaned from the title) and that makes me a bit stubborn when it comes to always knowing what’s best—for myself and others. Thus, I give advice much more easily than I take it. (See second sentence again.)

So, I would like to explain when I know (in my mind and in my heart) when it’s best to give advice: Only when my advice is in the very best interest of the person to whom I’m imparting my wisdom. And only in a very sensitive, insightful way. So… Rules for giving advice:

  • Do not share your opinion even though you’re sure the person will be so grateful once he/she sees the wisdom behind the words.
  • Do not share your opinion even when you see a situation as a teachable moment.
  • Do not share your opinion when sharing will make you feel better and the other person worse.
  • Do not share your opinion when the other person quite obviously is venting and not looking for advice. (I hate it when hubby does this to me but it hasn’t always stopped me from doing the same…)

Now when it comes to receiving advice, there is only one rule: Don’t give it unless I ask for it or am in such a state that you feel you must say something before I jump off the ledge. I’m kinda bad about saying I don’t like your suggestions but very good at ignoring it. This applies to face-to-face interactions and written advice. It applies to my mom, my friends, and my editors (although I usually bow to editors once I get past the markups). Being a Virgo is hell sometimes.

I hope that my feelings about advice don’t make people hate me. But you know, if it does and you have advice about how to fix that, please don’t bother. I’ll love you better for your discretion. 😉

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

I/She, Me/You #MFRWauthor

Point of view is all a matter of perspective. Are these his feet or my feet?Feet

TummyIs this her tummy, or my tummy. Okay. No contest. I vote for MY tummy.

When I first started writing, I was told never to write for an editor in first person. Why? No one seemed to know for sure. The most I could figure out is that editors seemed to think that two main characters couldn’t be fleshed out emotionally if we only “saw” into one of their heads. I was too nervous to speak up then, but now? I say bulltwackle.

I believe that once a writer moves beyond describing how a character feels happy (sad, greedy, shrewd), she/he can then learn how one character discerns happiness (sadness, greediness, shrewdness) in another.

HappySadGreed

We do it all the time in real life. Rarely does a person walk up and say, “Guess what! I’m happy!!” But looking at someone’s smile, hearing laughter, seeing how they bounce on their toes, noticing the glow in their eyes—it all tells us. First person can portray that same thing.

In an informal writing class that used writing prompts, several of us struggled. After a few minutes, the teacher suggested we write the same scene in first person. It was so much easier! And more emotional, too. I was surprised. The exercise taught me that when a scene gives trouble, try writing it in first person and then switch it back to third. Just be sure to edit well! There’s nothing worse than lots of “she saids,” “he saids,” and then an “I said” thrown in.

I read a lot of books now written in first person so editors must not hate it so much anymore, huh? 😉 That’s a good thing because it means that we can choose which POV style suits us best. Choice is always a good thing.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

Three ways romances influence daily life #MFRWauthor

This post is supposed to be about how books can influence our daily lives. First thing I thought of is a DYI book (yes, building that fabulous mobile coffee station would make my daily life better!) or a religious text, but I’d Romance novelslike to speak for a moment on how romance novels make our lives better.

1. We all know how a romance book will end. Happily, right? So they help release endorphins—they make us feel happier. If they are humorous, all the better. What other activities release endorphins? Drinking wine, eating chocolate, having sex, laughing. I rest my case.
2. Speaking of having sex, I’ve actually been told by readers that they read my books with their significant others in bed. Who knows? I might be partially responsible for a population explosion. But at least those kids are born to parents loaded with endorphins!
3. Our lives are sometimes filled with stress. Romance books, regardless of the sub-genre, take us away from worries for a while as we read about a flower girl and an earl, a couple escaping a war-torn country, a kick-assKey to Happiness heroine and her FBI man, or a staid teacher and his stripper girlfriend. There’s no demand for heavy thinking or bracing for a tragic ending. Love is going to win in the end, the mystery will be solved, the villain will be vanquished. Contrary to being insipid escapism for unhappy housewives, romance novels give our minds a chance to recharge and our souls a necessary boost.

Love knows no ageRomance novels make us believe in love, know that happily ever after does exist, and that a true kiss from our soul mate can change even the most awful world into a place we want to be. Of course, we all know that romances are novels, fiction. But if a little enjoyment for a few hours a day makes us happier and better able to face scraped knees, broken down cars, coffee spilled on the last clean blouse in the closet, I’d say they greatly influence how we go about our daily lives.

To read the next post in this week’s blog hop, go here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do

Naval Maneuvers

What if…? #MFRWauthor

They say life is a series of moments that together tell a story. Well, “they” don’t say that. I just made it up. But it sounds profound, doesn’t it? And profoundly right. An adjustment in any single moment will change the way the story proceeds. I met my husband as a 13-year old freshman at Kellam High in Virginia Beach. We happened to be in the same algebra I class. We happened to sit near each other, and we happened to do our homework together, along with a few others. Two years later, after he’d been away at another school, we happened to attend a Christmas concert and meet up again. And that night he asked me out for a double date, after which neither of us ever looked back.

What if?But what if I’d been assigned to another math class, we hadn’t hit it off as friends, I hadn’t gone to the Christmas concert, or arrived a few minutes later? Small moments in anyone’s life but they combined to form a unique path in my life and afforded me the kind of love I’d dreamed of as a child. Maybe I would have been just as happy without having met my hubby—maybe I’d become a doctor who saved lives, or married to a professional living in a house with a white picket fence with two-point-three children running around the yard with a black Labrador puppy. Or maybe my life wouldn’t have been happy. Maybe, fate having passed me by, settling me into another algebra class, I would have remained alone. That road not Make your world happiertraveled might be fun to think about, but my philosophy rests more along the lines that we live the lives we should, and we should make every effort to be happy.

Playing a different kind of “what if…” like what if I could have anything in the world, cost notwithstanding, is more fun. I always said that if I won the lottery I’d travel, and I still think that is true—especially with enough money to be comfortable, with first class or private flights, nice hotels, and personal guides. That would be fabulous!! But only with the present love of my life along. That’s a what if I’m not prepared to mess with!

To read the next post in this week’s blog hop, go here. http://mfrw52week.blogspot.com/

Dee https://nomadauthors.com/deesknight/index.html
Only a Good Man Will Do https://nomadauthors.com/deesknight/_Books/bookOnlyGoodMan.html

Naval Maneuvers https://nomadauthors.com/deesknight/_Books/bookNavalManeuvers.html

Reading, Writing, or Living? #MFRWauthor

Right now, I’m living. Living with a computer that bit the dust over the weekend, darn it. I would have said something stronger but this is a family site. 😉

Yes, this old machine is close to ten years old. It’s served us well and we’ve gotten our money’s worth, but still, why oh why does technology have to give up the ghost? I mean, ever? Is it too much to ask that a computer never die?? I mean, really?

I loved this machine. Loved the speed, loved the screen resolution, loved the memory capacity. I loved it from its little motherboard to its raid stacks. Desktop computerFrom its DVD writable drive to its mic plug. I’ve lived with this machine for so many years I had to look up the date we bought it. Now its chugging away back in the office trying to recover files at the manufacturer’s settings so we can see how much stuff we’ll be able to recover. (Note to self: Have “Back up more!!” tattooed on forehead.)

In the meantime, while I’m learning to live without my computer, I’m reading! Just finished the very sexy Block Shot, which I loved, and then twoReading on Kindle by Becky Wade that were Christian books (yes, I like my reading eclectic 😉 ), True to You and Falling for You. Both made me laugh and Falling for You made me cry, too.

Speaking of crying, I’m going to go now and shed a few tears for my computer. I’ll be feeling low until the new one arrives next week. 😉 Hooray!

To read the next post in this week’s blog hop, go here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

How many disasters can one wedding have? #MFRWauthor

I don’t mean to imply that my whole wedding was a disaster after disaster, but it was a little weird and strange things seemed to crop up. But what did I expect? We’d been engaged nine days—yes, nine days from when I said yes to a strange proposal to walking down the aisle.

That said, I was not one of those girls who had imagined her wedding from when she was tiny. Except I did want a Cinderella dress that reached from I was not tall enough to be Cinderellapew to pew. Since I’m five feet two inches, such a dress was not in the cards. But I did find a dress I liked okay and I got it for $75, so I was happy. I made my headpiece and bouquet from silk flowers and a yard or two of tulle, and told my bridesmaid to wear whatever she wanted. I was not Bridezilla. In fact, I didn’t care all that much about the wedding—I cared only for the groom. Is that weird? Yeah, maybe, but I watch all those brides on Say Yes to the Dress and wonder sometimes if they care more for the wedding than they do the marriage. I didn’t have Simple and demurethat bridal moment when I first tried on the dress—I didn’t really care what I wore so much. It was white, it was long and demure, and it was cheap. ‘Nuff said.

The proposal was unconventional, though not really a disaster.
Me: I’m ready to get married.
Him: What are you doing next Saturday?
Me: Why?
Him: We can get married.
Me: Okay.
Was there a bended knee? No, we were driving at the time. Was there a diamond? No. I said I didn’t need one and he said, “I’m so glad you feel that way.” Is it any wonder I rushed to say yes to this man? 😉

So maybe not caring about the dress wasn’t a disaster. Having my mother say that she and Dad couldn’t travel from Wisconsin to Virginia for a wedding nine days away was. I cried. Mom cried. Dad called and said they would be there. Whew!

There was no wedding rehearsal the night before the nuptials—the only people available were hubby, his parents and me. My parents and maid of honor arrived late that night.

It rained. And when I say rain, I mean downpours. Everyone was wet coming into the chapel and I was petrified about walking down a wet aisle. (I made it.)

I cried a lot moments before the service. I begged my dad not to make me get married. His words of advice? “We drove all the way here from Wisconsin and you’re going to get married.” Truthfully, I think he believed I was pregnant. After all, why else would I rush to name a wedding date? I was not, but I always wondered if that was why he took such a strong stance.

I had told the minister and hubby that I did not want to kiss him (hubby) in Simple ceremonyfront of everyone. But when all was said and done, I kissed everyone except hubby—my maid of honor, the minister, the best man. Hubby said I was about to head for the organist when he turned me and took my up the aisle.Wedding rings

There were only about 70 people attending, and the reception was at my new in-laws’ house. I neglected to mention in my hurried invites that there would be no dinner, only cake and some kind of punch. A few of my friends came from Richmond and Fredericksburg and they were hungry by the time the event ended. We were married out in the sticks, and there was nowhere to eat for fifty miles once they left. I felt bad about that, but by the time I found out, there was no solution except a few cheese sandwiches.

This is probably the biggest mishap: I didn’t remember anything about the wedding. Nothing. Hubby had a good laugh telling me all about it the next day.

All that said, for a hurried wedding, the marriage has been good for over forty years. We had dated for years, but dating and married are two very different things! Fortunately, I chose well—and I’d like to say he did too. (Well, hell, I will say he did to.) We still laugh, still love, still enjoy being with each other despite the rushed beginning. And that isn’t a disaster!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

It’s the Highlands for me, lass! #MFRWauthor

I’ve been fortunate to have been all over the U.S. and I love my beautiful country. So don’t take this the wrong way when I say that I long to go back to Scotland. The first time I went I had not read Outlander or seen Braveheart, so when I say I love Scotland, it’s for the country and people, not a fantasy from books or a movie. (Although, I wouldn’t say no to meeting Jamie!)

I’ve been in Scotland a few times—the last time on a 9-day trip with my college roommate over a good bit of the highlands and Skye. I always thought that if I could afford it, I’d rent a cottage in the moors around Inverness and spend a summer writing. That’s my fantasy vacation! It hasn’t come about but I fill my fantasies by reading books in Scottish settings.

I’ll admit that I kinda believe in reincarnation, and the first time I exited the Isle of Skyetrain in Waverley Station in Edinburgh I felt as though I’d come home. Maybe I’d lived there before. The city called to me. I wandered at will and had a great time and met some fantastic people. I also loved the area around Loch Ness (so beautiful!), and Stirling and Balquhidder are gorgeous. Skye had light like I’d never seen, and I could spend a week there just looking out over the sea.

You can see right now that I’m lusting for the place. Maybe someday I’ll get Piperback there again. I haven’t given up hope!

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!