FRW Halloween Contest Winners!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Congratulations to Sabrina Shields and Rebecca Lord! They're my winners in the FRW Halloween Contest!  Thank you to all who participated. I hope you had as much fun as the authors did!
Here's a photo of the prizes:















I also had a blast at the Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore on Halloween Night. Here's a few photos.  :) Carol


Halloween Spooktaculuar

Sunday, October 28, 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FRW Cyber Spooktacular
Join me and other authors of Florida Romance Writers for a Boo-tastic Online
Halloween Celebration. You don't even need to dress up. From Oct. 28 - 31
visit author Websites & Facebook pages to collect your Witches Brew
Ingredients and win great prizes!

Participating authors: Demi Alex, Heidi Lynn Anderson, Nancy Cohen, Linda
Conrad, Shelley Freydont, Heather Graham, Traci Hall, Joan Johnston, Karen
Kendall, Marcia King-Gamble, Sandra Madden, Kathleen Pickering, Mona Risk,
Carol Stephenson, Cynthia Thomason & Bonnie Vanak.

For complete details and to enter, visit
http://www.booktalk.com/Halloween

In honor of this contest, I have spooked up the cover of my book HER DARK PROTECTOR, a 2013 EPIC finalist in Romantic Suspense! [woot, woot!] 
 




Also here's a picture of my prize contributions, Halloween jewelry!



 
Coming up in terms of the blog, I will be talking about my vacation of a lifetime: my road trip across the heartland of United States and posting photos of both the gorgeous and the eclectic. Here and there I'll throw in bits and bobs of my new passion scrapbooking.
 
Enjoy the Halloween Spooktacular by FRW authors and good luck!
 
 
:) Carol Stephenson 










Escape to Healdsburg, CA

Sunday, June 17, 2012

I'm really excited about an upcoming road trip to Grand Tetons National Park, WY. I've been really fortunate to travel to amazing places during my lifetime along with fabulous photos, most on film/print. However, I got a photo scanner for my birthday so I plan on sharing my adventures and stories.

One of my fav places is Healdsburg, CA. I discovered it on my first trip to Napa Valley. My friend and I traveled over to Sonoma Valley. At one vineyard someone mentioned the beauty and wines of northern Sonoma so on impulse we drove up and explored Healdsburg. Not only did I love the beauty of the town but also I fell in love with Sephesio zinfandels.  When we returned to the wine country last year we had to make the journey up there. 

The town's population runs a little over 11,000.  Three wine-producing regions (Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley AVA's) converge in Healdsburg. Towering redwoods ring the 19th century plaza. I love the shops and boutiques, especially the Powell's candy store with every treat imaginable from nostalgic to current favs. The wine tasting rooms are straight-forward and reasonable, but the one I have to visit is the one for the 100 year-old Seghesio winery. The first time I visited I tasted a peppery zinfandel that received a high ranking by Wine Spectator. 

I hope you enjoy these photos of Healdsburg.  :) Carol









The Adventure of Learning

Sunday, June 3, 2012

“I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” ~Eartha Kitt

My first memories are of the joy of learning. My parents read to me every night, taking me on trips of the imagination. By age four I devoured books.  Kindergarten was okay, but come first grade, I found enlightenment.

I loved school, couldn't wait to go to class and generally was the person who sat in the front row [yeah, throw spit balls at me]. Every day presented an opportunity to learn something new and exciting.

That love of learning permeates my writing.  No matter how many books on writing I've read, workshops I've taken or books I write, I don't think I'll ever learn all that there is to know about writing.  That's why I'm excited this week to start a new online workshop with Laurie Schnebly Campbell: The Alpha Female.

As I work on my next Justice Hunter book about a woman on a journey to discover herself, I look forward on interweaving points of illumination from the class.

:) Carol

The Power of Friendship

Sunday, May 6, 2012


When I was a girl scout we would gather around in a circle and sing:

Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold.

Little did I truly comprehend at that young age the true scoop of friendship.  After all, family is blood and those connections are complex, but ultimately a family's duty, loyalty, tolerance and love flows from being related.

A friend, however, can choose to walk away at any time and not look back.  The connection is based on that mysterious karma of simply liking another person. A tenuous thread that could snap at any time or strengthen over the years.

With the loss of my parents and no immediate family living close by, I've been blessed with circles of friends who are my family.  Some people I've been friends with for over a quarter of a century; others within the past year.  They're all precious; they all enrich my life beyond comprehension.

This fabric of my life is reflected in many of my books. The three law school friends in the Legal Weapons series who form a criminal defense law firm [Courting Danger, Courting Disaster, Courting Death]; Emma-Lee Dalton's relationship with her ailing college girlfriend in Chasing The Truth; and Gail Malloy's bond with Angela Rivera in Her Dark Protector.  Although the women may differ on many things, they have each other's back. They listen, give comfort or a kick when needed. For them friendship is thicker than blood or water.

Make new friends but keep the old.  What is your favorite story of friendship?

Carol

Brenda Novak's Online Auction for the Cure for Diabetes

Sunday, April 29, 2012

On May 1, author Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for the Cure of Diabetes.  Since this fight began, the auction has raised over 1/3 million dollars to find a cure for diabetes.  One has to register in order to bid, but it's an easy process:

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Home.taf

Once more the literary community has joined in the effort and you'll find many wonderful items up for auction. Carina Press authors have loaded a Kindle, Kindle Fire and Nook with their books [including yours truly with Her Dark Protector]. The link to our page is:

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/AuctionHelp.taf?S=N&_start=1

Nora Roberts is offering a one night's stay at her Inn Boonsboro; you can lunch with Steve Berry. Grab an autographed copy from your fav author or name a character in an upcoming book.  Find birthday and Xmas presents that are unique.  There are even daily 'blue plate' specials so you don't need to wait until May 31 to get a special item.

Diabetes can be a cruel, debilitating illness.  For my mother, it all began with her stepping on a needle and the wound becoming affected.  That's when we first learned she had diabetes and began a nightmare of endless doctor visits.   Eventually the never-ending complications took her.  I wouldn't wish what she went through on anyone.  That's why a cure is so important.  With your support of Brenda's auction, the research can continue.

Join the fight during the month of May by bidding.  And I thank you.  Carol 

Remembering Dick Clark: Dancing to the Music

Sunday, April 22, 2012

It would amuse my friends who know I listen primarily to country music that Dick Clark's American Bandstand was my first musical love.

I would race home from school to watch the show from Philadelphia.  And dance.  How I loved to dance.  I yearned to be one of the dancers on the show.  That dream later moved on to wanting to dance on Shindig! and Hullabaloo.

Alas, the desire to be a dancer faded as I grew older, but Dick Clark introduced me to singers from Pat Boone to Chuck Berry, from the Four Seasons to Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

To me the early days of American Bandstand was a rich, idealistic period when rock & roll exploded on the scene with experimentation and excitement.  And Dick Clark was right there in the middle, as he often sat among the members of the audience.   

When Dick began rocking in the New Year, I was right there with him, including this year dancing in 2012 with my Shih Tzu Maddie. 

May heaven hum with music, Dick.  

Carol