JOSHUA'S FOLLY REVIEWS

I wouldn't publish a book unless I felt good about it, confident in it, LOVED it!

However, I knew going in that Joshua's Folly was not like my other books--and this made me nervous. I love this book, but I kept asking myself, will I disappoint my readers?

(Read the Joshua's Folly Debate here.)

A few of the reviews have confirmed my worst fears:

~This was a quick read and easy read which I liked but the story was just to fluffy for me,and not really my style not one of Taylor's best books but I'm still a fan and eager to read more books by her

~it was ok not her usual style, i like taylor dean books for being different and this wasn't.

I guess I kinda expected that reaction from some readers. It was risky to publish Joshua's Folly. But, then other reviews helped me realize it was the right thing to do. It does appeal to some audiences:

~Aaawwww!!! Taylor, Taylor, Taylor, you have reduced me to tears, yet again! Tears of joy, laughter and pain. I love how your books make me feel like I am one of the main characters and the events of the story are happening to me, right at that moment. This is yet another MUST read people, get reading and rate. You won't be disappointed :)

~This is my 3rd book by Taylor Dean and I have loved them all. She’s an amazing writer. I inhaled this book like it was chocolate once it came out. Dean once again created characters you can’t help but love and cheer for; Joshua and Marisa work their way into your heart and become dear friends you don’t want to ever part from. This romance is so touching, fun, poignant, and heart wrenching at times. The emotional connection between Joshua and Marisa is wonderful to read about; their love story is one in a million and will make you laugh, cry, and sigh endlessly. I loved them together, didn’t want them ever apart, and was sad to let go of this when I was done. I will definitely reread it someday. You won’t regret reading this contemporary romance set on a dusty Texas cattle ranch, and might want to wake up for 2 am hot chocolate after you read it.

I actually liked the way the below reviewer explained the situation! She really hit the nail on the head. 

~Taylor Dean is a wonderful writer who is known by her fans for the suspense in her books. Joshua's Folly was different than her normal books, so even though this is by NO means a bad book, I would not suggest this as your first Taylor Dean book. I would recommend reading I Have People, Sierra, Lancaster House, or For Nick (which releases next month I believe) first and then come back to this one. That way you get a true sense of her writing style signature, which is incredible. Still, Joshua's Folly was a sweet romance.

Marisa is a woman who has been through a lot in life, and as a 10 year old girl fell in love with a picture of strong, handsome and sturdy-looking (if that's a word? it seemed to fit here) Joshua when she needed someone like that in her life more than ever. Joshua hasn't had the easiest road either, and now he is raising his [daughter] as a single father on a cattle ranch in Texas. The book begins with Marisa arriving in Texas to help out the boy from the picture she fell for all those years ago for the summer, and her feelings only get stronger after meeting him in person.

I enjoyed the laid back setting of the Texas ranch and the "folly" area. I could picture clearly in my mind the characters and setting in this book, thanks to Taylor's descriptive writing. She manages to show instead of tell, which is a big problem for me in some books.

One thing you should know about Taylor Dean is that she has very strong morals which is apparent when reading her books, and I applaud her for that, for not selling out and writing something she doesn't believe in just to sell books. Her characters never have pre-marital sex, they don't swear, and they treat people as they wish to be treated. I actually think Joshua's Folly might appeal to fans of religious romance fiction books, and not because religion is mentioned at all, because to my recollection it isn't, but because of the strong morals of the characters.

Overall, if you are looking for a sweet clean romance book, this is a great book to pick up so long as you don't go in expecting Dean's signature suspense! And don't forget to check out For Nick, coming July 2013, where she is back to the suspense! And it's a great read!

Lesson learned: Each book I release had better be even more amazing than the last! I plan on living up to the challenge. The comments my beta readers have given me on my next book, For Nick, have been extremely favorable, with many saying it's their favorite of all of my novels. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm thrilled. I never know which book people will love the most, because I LOVE all of them!

Even Joshua's Folly!

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE # 10

A Gentleman who says “Gosh” 

The hero of I Have People is a true gentleman and in many ways the perfect man. He’s kind, soft-spoken, polite to a fault, and compassionate.

But he’s also somewhat self-effacing, making him very human and relatable. He has other faults, like he’s NEVER on time for anything and he can’t seem to say the word NO. In conversation, he often uses the rather outdated words, ‘gosh’ and ‘by golly.’ But these things only add to his likability factor. 

Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when the heroine, Holly, and her BFF are secretly watching the hero, Gabriel, from afar. They observe everything he does with awe. It’s a short excerpt, but speaks to Gabriel’s character.

“Who’s the bimbo he’s with today?” she asked with interest, her eyes glancing at Mr. Sinclair.

“That,” Holly said as she dug her sandwich out of a paper sack, “is Celia. She surprised Mr. Sinclair just in time for lunch because ‘she couldn’t wait to see him.’ He seemed pleased with her presence so I think he likes her too.”

“Never date a man who is prettier than you. And he is prettier than her, that’s for sure.”

Holly sighed, “I know, huh?” Mr. Sinclair glanced their way and Angela and Holly quickly turned their heads. “Great, he caught us staring at him,” Holly moaned.

“So what? He glances at you all the time. I’ve been watching him.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“I swear he does, honey. The man likes you. Problem is, he’s such a boy scout, he’ll never do anything about it. After all, you’re a married woman.”

“Why do you call him a boy scout?”

“He’s squeaky clean. He helps people, he’s kind, he’s gentlemanly, he’s courteous—I bet the man has never uttered a swear word in his life.”

Holly smiled. “Actually, he says the word, ‘gosh’ quite a bit. When he’s upset he says, ‘nuts.’ And often in conversation he says, ‘by golly.’ It’s refreshing.”

They both dissolved into laughter. “Who talks like that? I mean, really, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No one I know. I kinda like it, though.”

“Look, they’re getting up to leave.”

They stared as Mr. Sinclair pulled out Celia’s chair, took her hand as she stood, helped her to don her sweater, and took his time to arrange her hair so it wasn’t messy. He laughed attentively at some witty quip she uttered. He then cleared their plates, and they left with his hand at the small of her back.

Both Angela and Holly let out their breath in wonder.

“Wow. Shane would’ve made me clear my own plate.”

Cal would’ve pulled the chair out from under me, Holly thought sarcastically. “Cal doesn’t ever help me put on my sweater or coat.”

 “He probably helps old ladies cross the street, like a good boy scout.”

Once again they both dissolved into giddy laughter.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Wordless Wednesday is actually filled with words--the words, thoughts, and feelings that pictures or images evoke within each of us without uttering a single word!

Image courtesy of [Boians Cho Joo Young] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


What WORD/WORDS does this picture evoke within you?

I'll start: Impulsive Love

To join Wordless Wednesday, go here.

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE #9

Sooooo cliché! 

Because I Have People deals with the very sensitive issue of domestic abuse, I knew I needed to add something to the book that would lighten things up a little. The main character, Holly, suffers from memory loss. Because of this, she feels a little confused and mixes up her words sometimes. It’s a constant reminder that Holly is not functioning at optimum level and reminds the reader that maybe, just maybe, her memories are skewed. And if her memory is skewed, then it begs the question, is her life really what she believes it to be? 

Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I had great fun writing the scenes where Holly confuses commonly used clichés. Maybe it’s kinda silly, but a little comic relief was called for to balance out the intensity of certain scenes. Here are a few examples:

Cliché: Walking on eggshells.
Holly says, “Why is everyone walking on eggs around me?” 

Cliché: You wear your heart on your sleeve.
Holly says: “And you, Mr. Sinclair, wear your heart on your shirt, and I love it.” 

Cliché: Head over heels in love.
Holly says: “I’m head over high heels in love with you.”

Cliché: Happy as a clam.
Holly says: “I’m happy as an oyster.”

Cliché: Fit as a fiddle.
Holly says: “I feel perfectly well, as good as new. Same as I’ve always felt, fit as a violin.”

Cliché: I don’t have an inkling.
Holly says: “I don’t have an ink.” 

Cliché: Cloud nine.
Holly says: “I was on cloud ten.” 

Cliché: Toes curl.
Holly says: “He makes my toes bend.” 

Cliché: An axe to grind.
Holly says: “I don’t have a hammer to grind with you.” 

Cliché: Kiss and make up.
Holly says: “Now, kiss and make love.”

How about you? Do you have a favorite cliche? Do you ever mix up the words and get it wrong?

THE WEEKEND

As my Grandfather used to say whenever he arrived home: 

HOME AGAIN, FINNEGAN!

(I don't know why.)

We rolled into our driveway at about 8:30 Sunday evening after being gone for nearly 2 1/2 weeks, greeting our new grandson in Idaho. Hence, our weekend was spent DRIVING! We left on Friday morning and took our time about getting home! Yikes, that's a LONG drive. But worth it, since I got to hold this precious little guy! 

And his older brother too!

I'm missing my grandbabies, but happy to be home.

Other news:

The .99 cents sale of Lancaster House resulted in over 800 downloads and the FREEBIE of Joshua's Folly resulted in approximately 480 downloads!

Wow!

It was really exciting to watch the numbers grow.

Thanks so much to all who took advantage of the fab deals. I hope you enjoy the books.

Also, the For Nick book trailer is now up on youtube! To view it, click here.

Off to bed for me . . . I'm up way too late writing this post!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

FOR NICK

My next novel, FOR NICK, will be released on July 1, 2013!

I can't wait to release this novel--it's one of my favorites! Every time I read it, I cry, yes even after editing it 100 times!

What would you do for love?

Zachary Drake had love in his life—and tragically lost it. He knows it won’t come his way again. Andie Parker would do anything for the love of her life.

Even marry a total stranger.

In spite of the unorthodox manner in which Zach and Andie come together, there is no denying that things are unexpectedly good between them, taking them both by surprise.

However, when secrets come between them—and trust does not—Andie soon finds herself vowing to never make the same mistake again. But, she’d do it again in a heartbeat and she knows it. She’d marry a hundred strangers if it helped Nick. She’d do anything for Nick . . . anything.

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE # 8

Friendship 

The main character in I Have People, Holly, grew up in the foster care program. Hence, she doesn’t have any family to speak of. Instead the ‘people’ in her life are found through blossoming friendships.

Enter Angela, the BFF we all want and need. 

Image courtesy of [Sicha Pongjivanich] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Angela was fun to write. She is funny, blunt, loyal, and loves her ‘girl time.’ (Don’t we all!) ‘Girl time’ is the time when Holly and Angela can giggle and gossip and commiserate with each other about life, love, and men. In general, during ‘girl time,’ they basically revert back to their grade school days—and you know what? It’s fun. Here’s an excerpt where they meet together for the first time:

At lunch, Holly quickly found her new friend, Angela, waiting for her in the cafeteria.

“Hi, Holly.”

“Hi, Angela.”

“How’s the first day going?”

“Actually it’s going really well. I really like my new boss. He’s easy going and just plain pleasant to be around.”

“Really? Which one do you work for?”

“Gabriel Sinclair.”

“Which one is he?”

“He just walked in. The blond one.”

Angela glanced at Mr. Sinclair. “Seriously? You work for Mr. Movie Star himself?”

“Mr. Movie Star?”

“That’s our nickname for him. With his perfect good looks, he could be a leading man.”

“Hmmmm . . .”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”

“Oh no, I noticed. You’d have to be dead not to. And even then, I’d choose to haunt him.”

Angela laughed out loud. “Lucky you. What’s he like?”

“To be honest, he’s one of the nicest men I’ve ever met. Really decent. But I’ve only known him for a couple of days. My opinion might change after a few weeks.” Maybe she had learned something from her time with Cal.

“I hope not. I hope he is what he seems,” Angela commented, her eyes on Mr. Sinclair as he took a seat across the cafeteria. “I can’t look, I’m a married woman.”

“You’re married?”

“Yes. We’ve been married for four years. His name is Shane Nickerson and he’s a sweetheart. You?”

“Yes, I’m married. His name is Cal Bennet. We’re newlyweds actually. Two months. He’s a physical therapist, he owns a charming little house that was left to him by his parents, he’s tall with brown hair and looks like he spends his days working out in a gym.”

“He sounds fantastic. I like bulging muscles.”

They both laughed, but all Holly could think was, I thought I liked bulging muscles, but when their strength is used to hurt you, they’re not so nice.

 “You’re really brand new at this marriage thing. How’s it going?”

“Fine,” she lied. Then realizing she should be more enthusiastic she added, “Really great.”

“Good,” Angela responded. But the way in which she studied her face for several tense moments afterwards made Holly think she knew and perceived everything. She had to stop feeling so paranoid.

“We’re trying to have a baby,” Angela announced.

“You are? That’s great.”

“Actually, we’ve been trying for the entire four years and it hasn’t happened yet. It’s really discouraging.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too. But I’m not giving up hope. At least it’s fun trying,” Angela said with a raise of her eyebrows.

“It is?” Holly blurted before thinking. She couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying lovemaking.

Angela looked at her strangely. “It’s the best part of marriage. Are you kidding?”

“Oh, yeah. You’re right, it’s great. Of course it is.” An awkward silence ensued. Angela cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Tell me about Shane,” Holly coaxed.

“Oh, you know, he’s practically a girl. He talks non-stop, cries at movies, likes to sunbathe and shop with me. Once he even asked me if his butt looked big in his favorite jeans. What can I say? I love him.”

There was a light in Angela’s eyes when she spoke of Shane. Holly noticed it immediately. She really loves her husband, Holly thought with envy in her heart. I wish I felt that way. I thought I did in the beginning.

“I can tell you’re really happy. I envy you.”

“Oh, c’mon, you’re a newlywed, surely you’re still in the, ‘I worship this man’ stage.”

The ‘I worship this man’ stage was over the minute Cal angrily pushed her against the wall. Holly looked down at her hands. Her sleeve had ridden up to reveal the fading bruise on her wrist. She quickly tugged at her sleeve to hide the ugly sight. “Yeah. It’s wonderful.” She looked up to find Angela studying her with furrowed eyebrows.

“So, tell me more about you, Holly Bennet,” she said brightly. “I like you. I can tell we’re going to be great friends.”

Holly felt it too. They spent the rest of their lunch hour talking non-stop about their lives, their hopes, and their dreams, flitting from one subject to another with ease. She felt an immediate connection to Angela. They hit it off famously and Holly knew she’d just made a good friend. Perhaps the first good friend she’d ever had in her life.

“I’ve enjoyed this today. Wanna meet for lunch tomorrow too?” Angela asked.

“I’d love to,” Holly responded.

“What are you doing for Memorial Day?”

Holly shrugged. “I don’t know. Cal said he needed to catch up on paperwork.”

“Oh, so what will you do?”

“I don’t know. Clean the house.” Holly shrugged.

“What do your people do on holidays?”

“My people?”

“Yeah, you know, your family, your friends—your people. We always have a huge barbeque.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Don’t you have any people?”

No, she didn’t. “Of course I have people. I have Cal . . .” she trailed off.

“Why don’t you come to our barbeque?”

“I don’t want to impose.”

“You won’t. We’d love to have you.”

“All right. Thanks, Angela.”

 “Hope your first day continues to be good.”

“I hope so too. You know what Mr. Sinclair did last night?”

“What?”

“He walked me out to the parking garage. Isn’t that sweet?”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. He even held out my coat for me while I put it on, a sleeve at a time.”

Angela was suitably impressed. “Chivalry lives. He must have some awful flaw, like he picks his nose, or farts all the time. He sounds too good to be true.”

They both giggled like children. “Guess I’ll find out soon. Back to work. See you tomorrow, Angela.”

Do you have an Angela in your life? Tell me about her!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Wordless Wednesday is actually filled with words--the words, thoughts, and feelings that pictures or images evoke within each of us without uttering a single word!

Image courtesy of [nixxphotography] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What WORD/WORDS does this picture evoke within you?

I'll start: Teeming Love

To join Wordless Wednesday, go here.

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE #7

Two Kinds of LOVE 

Love can be described and felt in many different ways. In I Have People, my main character, Holly, learns the difference between conditional love and unconditional love.

Image courtesy of [digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When we love someone else unconditionally, we put their needs, wants, and desires above our own. It is an expression of complete unselfishness.

The opposite kind of love is ugly and cruel, based solely upon what one person can get out of the relationship, with no thought to the other. It is not love. It is an illusion of love.

Someone may say they love another person, they may even announce it effusively and often. But if they turn around and yell at that person or strike that person when they say or do something that displeases them, it is not love. The perpetrator may apologize profusely and declare their love rather demonstratively after the fact.

Don’t buy it.

That isn’t love. It’s control.

Remember the old adage, ‘actions speak louder than words.’

This is the lesson Holly learns in I Have People.

Here’s a quick excerpt:

Holly spent the next few days deep in thought. She’d been waiting for things to return to normal, for Cal to be happy again. But realization had dawned that this was Cal’s true nature and nothing was going to change. What should she do? Cal was a loose cannon. Totally unpredictable. He was so wonderful one minute, but he could turn on you the next. And if he turns on you, look out. It won’t be good.

On the other hand, he’d never hit her. So he had a temper, so he threw things once in a while, so he yelled . . . so what? He was all bark. Rationalizing helped to console her. But then she thought about the time he’d pushed her against the wall, his hands gripping the collar of her shirt. And what about the time he’d pulled her through the store by her hair?

But he loved her. He always apologized. He always felt bad afterwards.

So what? Bad behavior is bad behavior. In the end, it didn’t matter how much a perpetrator loved their victim. They still hurt them. Right?

Right!

I Have People delves into these two extreme types of love and explores the sometimes dark differences.

THE WEEKEND

GRAM AND GRAHAM

Yep, that's about it!!!

How was your weekend?

JOSHUA'S FOLLY IS FREE FOR THREE DAYS!

JOSHUA'S FOLLY will be free on Amazon Kindle for the next three days, June 15-17!

Get your copy today!!

Can you fall in love with a picture?

After Marisa survives a traumatic experience in her youth, she finds comfort in the form of a photograph of Joshua, her foster mother’s nephew. She falls in love with him, creating and refining an image of the man of her dreams. When Marisa has the opportunity to visit Joshua’s cattle ranch outside of Amarillo, Texas, she meets Joshua in person for the first time. She quickly realizes he is someone she could really fall in love with, not just a silly childhood crush.

Life is seemingly perfect for Josh and Marisa, with endless possibilities before them. That is, until Josh’s reservations take a toll on their relationship and their summertime romance ends rather unexpectedly.

Will Marisa be able to forgive Josh for his folly? 

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE #6

Two kinds of MEN 

I Have People tells the story of a good man and a not-so-good man.

I wanted to portray a STARK difference between the two men.

The good man is kind, gentle, polite, compassionate, soft-spoken, and loyal. Above all, he is a gentleman.

Here’s where things get complicated. The not-so-good man has many of the same qualities. He is also funny, social, charming, friendly, and out-going. People are drawn to him because of his magnetic personality. This is why I use the term ‘not-so-good’ instead of ‘bad.’ The not-so-good man is not ALL bad. Else, why would a woman marry him in the first place?

Everyone has faults. Everyone. Most of us willingly accept this fact. No one is perfect and we’re willing to accept the good along with the bad because we love that person.

But what if the man you love and adore has a fault that is unacceptable? And I’m not talking about loud snoring or leaving the toilet seat up.

In I Have People, the not-so-good man has a temper, a dark, angry rage deep inside of him that causes him to fly off the handle and quite literally explode. Because of this, he is terrifying. You never know what will set him off. One minute, he’s amazing, the next minute, he’s a maniac, someone you hardly know—or even want to know. 

Image courtesy of [smarnad] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It is this kind of behavior that breaks hearts, kills love, and destroys relationships. It is unacceptable. IT IS NOT OKAY.

When a woman faces an abusive situation, we all ask ourselves the million dollar question, why does she stay with him? Why doesn’t she leave him?

It's complicated and I can't speak for all women. But I believe one reason is because love is involved. When the person who is supposed to love and adore you suddenly turns on you, it's devastating. Especially when this is the person you have laughed with, loved with, and lived with.

Other reasons include: fear, embarrassment, believing the abuser will change, believing it is your fault that the abuser behaves the way he does, having nowhere else to go, or having no one to turn to for help.

In I Have People I tried to capture the emotion and the angst behind this devastating behavior. Whether it’s verbal abuse, physical abuse, or mental abuse, IT IS NOT OKAY.

If the reader takes away anything after reading I Have People, I hope it will be this.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Wordless Wednesday is actually filled with words--the words, thoughts, and feelings that pictures or images evoke within each of us without uttering a single word!

Image courtesy of [africa] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What WORD/WORDS does this picture evoke within you?

I'll start: Daily Requirements

To join Wordless Wednesday, go here.

BEHIND THE STORY OF I HAVE PEOPLE #5

Amnesia 

I Have People deals with amnesia, which I personally find an intriguing subject. Besides the fact that memory loss makes a story interesting, there are a couple of reasons why I chose to write about amnesia: 

Image courtesy of [digitalart] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. WORRY

Yes, worry! Let me explain. I have an active imagination. No surprise there! Seriously, I live in a dream world all the time. Why does that cause me to worry? Imagine this: What if I had an accident wherein the results were amnesia? Would I wake up believing that Alex from Sierra (one of my other books) was really my husband? (I mean, he is my favorite hero and I’m totally in love with him.) My hubby would be horribly hurt. Or maybe he would laugh at me since he’s read all of my books and knows exactly who Alex is! I’m not sure! But, you get the idea. My mind is so filled with imaginary characters; who knows what my subconscious would conjure up as the truth! I am completely intrigued by this thought and this is what sent me on my way towards writing I Have People.

2. A CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE

I, personally, have never experienced memory loss, thank goodness. (If I have, I certainly don’t remember it.) However, I vividly remember my favorite high school English teacher sadly telling us that his wife had been in a bicycle accident. Due to head trauma, the results were amnesia. I've never forgotten the incident. His story left a huge impact on me. After all, amnesia seemed like something that only happened in the movies! He updated us often on his wife's progress and I was fascinated by the story. This experience has always been in the back of my mind--and greatly influenced the writing of I Have People. That's the way writing works for me. All of my past experiences work their way into my writing. I am continually surprised by this and often think, "Wow, who knew I'd someday use that story in my writing!"

THE WEEKEND

Amazing weekend for several reasons!!!

I put Lancaster House up for sale for .99 cents and I sold 528 copies in one day!! Wow! 

Can I say that one more time? WOW!!!

Lancaster House will continue to be available for .99 cents till June 14th!!!

At the time that I'm writing this post, Lancaster House is ranked at the following on Amazon:
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229 Paid in Kindle Store 
• #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Paranormal > Ghosts
• #1 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Ghosts
• #1 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Horror > Ghosts
• 
  
This has never happened with any of my books thus far, so I'm freaking out!!! (in a good way!)

And . . . as if life couldn't get any better than that, I have a new grandson! 

Introducing Graham Ethan Isaacs

I spent the weekend holding this cute little guy in my arms! Life is good!

Hope your weekend was wonderful!

LANCASTER HOUSE IS ON SALE

LANCASTER HOUSE ebook is on sale from June 9-14 for .99 cents on Amazon and Smashwords!

A PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Are you ever really alone?

Zoe Grayson needs a change. So, she moves to another state, purchases an old, dilapidated 1920s Victorian Mansion, and sets out to restore it to its former glory. As she begins the restoration, she finds herself falling in love with the old house . . . not to mention its illustrious builder, Mr. Lancaster. Zoe becomes obsessed with the house as she discovers its secrets; hidden rooms, secret passageways . . . and a mysterious man who seems to think the house is his. Who is he? More importantly, how does he live in her home unseen and unheard?

The unexpected answers leave her reeling—and questioning everything she’s ever known. To her dismay, Zoe’s actions land her in the local psychiatric hospital, scheming for ways to return to Lancaster House . . . and the love of her life.

To read five star reviews, go here!

JOSHUA'S FOLLY RELEASE

JOSHUA'S FOLLY  is now available in paperback and Kindle!! It is signed up for Amazon Prime (Kindle Lending Library) and will be exclusive to Kindle for 90 days. 

Can you fall in love with a picture?

After Marisa survives a traumatic experience in her youth, she finds comfort in the form of a photograph of Joshua, her foster mother’s nephew. She falls in love with him, creating and refining an image of the man of her dreams. When Marisa has the opportunity to visit Joshua’s cattle ranch outside of Amarillo, Texas, she meets Joshua in person for the first time. She quickly realizes he is someone she could really fall in love with, not just a silly childhood crush.

Life is seemingly perfect for Josh and Marisa, with endless possibilities before them. That is, until Josh’s reservations take a toll on their relationship and their summertime romance ends rather unexpectedly.

Will Marisa be able to forgive Josh for his folly? 


Book Reviewers: I'll be happy to send this book out to you for review! However, I'm currently out of commission for the next two weeks due to this cute little guy (my new grandson) entering the world!

Graham Ethan Isaacs

I'll send out review copies when I return home!

THE SUNSHINE AWARD

The Sunshine Award is presented to “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” 

 Thank you so much to Sherry of Fundinmental for nominating me for this award! I am honored! If she wasn't nominating me, I'd nominate her! She constantly spreads sunshine on my blog with all of her wonderful comments!

Here’s how it works (and feel free to adjust as necessary):

1. Announce your win and link back to the person who nominated you.

2. Display the award logo on your blog.

3. Answer the list of questions. (You have two choices here: Kimberly’s questions or Honoré’s. Or feel free to mix and match.)

4. Nominate ten bloggers for the award and link to them.

5. Let the bloggers know you’ve nominated them.

Kimberly’s Questions:

What inspired you to start blogging?

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

What is your favorite blog that you like to read?

What is your dream job?

Is your glass half full or half empty?

If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?

What food can you absolutely not eat?

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?

Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?

Honoré’s Questions:

Favorite color:

Favorite animal:

Favorite number:

Favorite non-alcoholic drink:

Facebook or Twitter

Your passion:

Giving or getting presents

Favorite day:

Favorite flowers: 

I choose . . . Kimberly’s questions!

What inspired you to start blogging?

I started blogging initially as a way to advertise and promote my books. At first I looked upon it as one more thing I had to do. I quickly developed a love for it and feel that I’ve made many new online friends—and frankly, that’s the best part!

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

Taylor Dean Books—not very creative I’m afraid, so it wasn’t hard! However, when we were trying to get the domain name, Taylor Dean Books wasn’t available at first! Go figure! We toyed with many different names: Taylor Dean Novels, Taylor Dean Romance, etc, etc. I had my heart set on Taylor Dean Books. It was easy and forthright. No guessing as to what the website would contain. Somehow my daughter was able to finagle it and I got the domain name I wanted!

What is your favorite blog that you like to read?

My daughter’s blog, of course. She posts pictures of my grandson!

What is your dream job?

Stay at home Mom was always my dream job—and that’s exactly what I did. Make no mistake, it is a job! But now that I have an empty nest, I’m living the ideal dream job as an author.

Is your glass half full or half empty?


Half full! I love my life and my family. They are everything to me. When I get a bad review, I remind myself: my life is happy whether my books are successful or not. My happiness does not hinge upon my success as an author. However, I will say this. Success is relative. I’ve already surpassed the success I thought I would achieve in the publishing world. Everything else is just a bonus. It’s all in your perspective.

If you could go anywhere on a week’s vacation, where would you go?

Lake Tahoe in California. I don’t like to travel because I get very motion sick, so we’d drive. I don't fly--it's a miserable experience--and the only thing that would get me on a plane is an emergency!

What food can you absolutely not eat?

Anything that comes from the ocean. Yuck. Hate it.

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Milk chocolate.

How much time do you spend blogging? In other words, are you one of those lucky people who can dash off a blog post in no time, or do you take forever on one post to get it just right?

I spend far too long on my blog posts when I should be working on my writing. I don’t take forever, but I don’t dash them off either. I consider my blog to be my connection with the outside world. Otherwise, I’m just someone sitting at their computer writing novels that no one will ever know about!

Do you watch TV? If so, what are some of your favorite shows?

My TV nightlife consists of the following shows: The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Dancing with the Stars, Survivor, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Once Upon a Time, and Celebrity Apprentice. And we just finished watching ALL of the episodes of White Collar on Netflix. I love the humor in the show. Love me some Matt Bomer too. He could play the leading man in any and all of my books! (I'm not into 50 Shades, so I'm not thrilled that he's up for playing Christian Gray.)

Now on to the important stuff!

Which blogs do I nominate for the SUNSHINE AWARD?

(sorry, I can't choose ten!)

Ladies: if you'd rather not participate, I totally understand . . . just know that I nominated you because you are wonderful!

Christy at Christy's Cozy Corner

Melanie at Mel's Shelves

Jules at Good Ghost

Laura at Colorimetry

Charissa at Joy in the Moments

Shelly at House of a La Mode

Brandy at Book Worm Brandy

Why? Because, not only do they spread sunshine, but they are all good, kind ladies who make my world a better place!

Thank you!