Six Sunday #10 On Lavender Lane sneak preview

So, having stood up for herself and negotiated very favorable divorce terms with her cheating French chef husband, who publicly humiliated her when his sex video went viral, Maddy has bought a bottle of champagne and taken it down the the beach, where she's well on her way to getting drunk because, as an actress stated in one of her fave '40s movies, there comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.

Watching whales from his cliffside house, Lucas spots her and informs Scout, the three-legged dog he brought back from Afghanistan, that they have a new rescue mission.

One commenter, chosen at random, will receive a copy of On Lavender Lane, which will be out January 3rd. The winner will be announced here, on twitter, and Facebook tomorrow. I'll also be posting news of a fun month long contest with the winner receiving a Nook Simple Touch, a Kindle Touch, or $99 gift certificate equivalent, so check that out.

Meanwhile, wishing everyone a fantabulous 2012! Enjoy:

"Old Acquaintance, 1943. Bette Davis said it to Miriam Hopkins when, at the end of the movie, after all those years of feuding, they're left with each other."

Toasting herself for recalling the line, she tossed back the champagne. "It was probably for the best, because if it has tires or a penis, it's just bound to cause you trouble."

"The tide's going to be coming in soon," a familiar male voice warned.

Speaking of penises. . .

My twenty-one year old pelican Christmas cards

The card you see here dates back to 1990, when after many years living in the Arizona desert, Sweetie and I were going to FINALLY move back home to the Pacific Northwest where we grew up. Where, when I was eighteen, he bought me a white bag of salt water taffy at the coast where my Shelter Bay books are set, then proposed to me. We'd even found a place on Admiralty Inlet in Port Townsend, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.

Then life sort of intervened. But I already had my Christmas cards bought, so I decided to keep them for when we did make it back there. Meanwhile, we continued to visit for three weeks every year to go to the beach and hike in the Olympics, Cascades, and North Cascades. And eat much yummy fresh seafood, shellfish, and berries.

THEN, a few years later, we were -- yay! -- ready. We found another house, in the same neighborhood. It was October and I had my pelican Christmas cards ready. Then grandkidlets started being born in D.C. and Sweetie decided we should move back east to be closer to them.

My first question was, "You want us to move across the Mississippi?" My second, unspoken one, was "What about my pelican Christmas cards?????"

And that's how we ended up in Tennessee, which was only an 8-9 hr drive to D.C. Which, as any westerner knows, is nothing. But it was also a lot farther from the west coast. So although I'd escaped Arizona, we were moving in the wrong direction.

But still I kept those cards.

Last September, while searching online, as I did at least once a week since the internet was invented, I found what appeared to be the perfect wooded lot on South Puget Sound using Google Earth. We emailed a scan of a check for a downpayment and flew to Washington three days later to confirm that it truly was our perfect place. Which it was! Even better than the earlier ones! So we began building.

After flying back and forth 3,000+ miles three times during construction, we bought a motorhome and drove our three rescued dogs across ten states in nine days to beat the moving van. We arrived at the end of May and I moved my cards to a desk basket in my office/scrapbook/cardmaking room.

And FINALLY, twenty-one years after I first bought them, here we are, living on the water on Puget Sound back home in the Pacific Northwest and I'm able to send my happy holiday pelicans flying off to friends.

So, along with wishing the peace, love, and joy of the season to all, my Christmas message is, if you have a dream, hold on tight and never let it go.

Merry merry. whatever you're celebrating, and warmest wishes for a wonderful new year!

JoAnn

Sunday Six winner

Thanks to all for taking the time to visit my blog and comment on my Sunday Six sneak preview. And the winner of this week's On Lavender Lane ARC is -- drumroll -- meprince! If you'll email me your address at joann@joannross.com, we'll get Maddy and Lucas on their way. (But right after Christmas; no way am I making sweetie go to the post office the week before Christmas!)

I'll be posting another Sunday Six on January 1st.

Also, I'll be sending out an email newsletter on January 2nd, offering a special contest for subscribers. So, if you haven't subscribed, here's a link and be sure to check your email (or Spam folder) for a link to click for confirmation. I used to be able to do this manually for people who forgot, but the company that sends out the newsletter has disabled that option because too many people cheated and used it to add people who didn't want to receive a letter.

Happy holidays to all, whatever you're celebrating, and I'll see you all in the New Year!

xo,

JoAnn

Six Sentence Sunday #9 sneak preview from On Lavender Lane

Wow, it's almost time for On Lavender Lane's release! (January 3rd, just in time to use all those book store gift certificates!)

Catching up. . .

After Lucas has shown Maddy and her grandmother Sophia the plans he's drawn up for the farmhouse restaurant/cooking school, her grandmother invites him to stay for dinner. Unfortunately, not only has he agreed to have dinner at his stepsister Charity's house, apparently Sedona, the owner of Take the Cake, has also been invited. When Sophia reveals that the former CPA turned baker grew up on a commune, Maddy's first thought is that's where the blond baker undoubtedly picked up the concept of free love. And experiences something that feels a bit too much like jealousy for comfort.

Again, one commenter this week will be chosen to win an ARC of On Lavender Lane. The winner will be announced here on the blog, on my facebook page, and twitter. Because of Christmas, there won't be a Six Sunday next week; please check back on January 1st.

Meanwhile, happy holidays, whatever you're celebrating! And enjoy:

Despite Lucas' claim he was going to marry her, Maddy had been insisting that their relationship was merely business.

Which, suddenly, perhaps because of the sexy cupcake baker, he now appeared willing to accept.

It was what she'd told him. What she wanted.

So why did she feel like a teenage girl stood up on prom night? For the head cheerleader?

We have a Six Sunday ARC Winner!

Thanks to all who commented on my Six Sunday sentences! We have a winner -- ta dah! -- Teri P!

Teri, if you'll send your mailing address to joann@joannross.com, we'll get your book out to you!

I hope you all will come back next Sunday for another six sentences and another ARC giveaway!

Meanwhile, happy holidays to all, whatever you're celebrating!

xo

JoAnn

Six Sentence Sunday #8 sneak preview from On Lavender Lane

So, in On Lavender Lane (Jan. 3rd), Maddy and Lucas have come off the beach into the cliff house he built with his father years ago. With them is Scout, the German shepherd Lucas managed to bring home from Afghanistan. A vital part of his SEAL team, when the dog lost a leg to an IED, Lucas, as team medic, performed the amputation. She's sweet and warm-hearted, but unfortunately suffering from PTSD, which is common in dogs returning home from war. Although love and therapy have helped, she still instinctively reacts to loud sounds.

Lucas is explaining to Maddy how he knows about her cooking shows. And told her the reason why he'd broken her heart ten years ago. Which has, unsurprisingly, led to an argument.

One commenter, chosen at random, will receive an On Lavender Lane ARC, with the winner announced here, on twitter, and Facebook on Monday. Enjoy:

"I Googled you. Because," he said, holding up a hand to forestall whatever she'd been about to say, "although I never realized it until I heard you were coming back to town, I guess I'm a glutton for punishment."

"Then you should absolutely love this."

Although Madeline knew it was a cliché, and although she'd never, ever hit anyone in her life before, she slapped him.

The sound, as sharp and loud as a rifle retort, had Scout, who'd been happily curled up on an overstuffed sofa, diving beneath the table.

"Oh hell," Lucas muttered, "could we just take a time-out for a minute?"

We have a Six Sunday ARC Winner!

Thanks to all who commented on my Sunday Six preview sentences! The winner of the On Lavender Lane ARC is -- ta dah -- Michelle Bledsoe!

Michelle, if you'll email your mailing address to JoAnn@JoAnnRoss.com, we'll get that out to you!

I hope you all will come back next Sunday, for another six sentences of Lucas and Maddy's story and another ARC giveaway!

Have a great week!

Six Sentence Sunday #7 sneak preview from On Lavender Lane

This week Lucas hasn't yet worn her down, but he's definitely starting to get past Maddy's defenses! One commenter, selected at random, will receive an ARC of On Lavender Lane, Shelter Bay #3 (on sale January 3rd.) Winner will be announced here, on twitter, and my Facebook author page Monday.

Having married my husband twice (which is why I love reading and writing reunion stories!), I so identified with Maddy in this scene.

Enjoy:

As she climbed the steps up the cliff, Madeline sternly reminded herself that a strong, sensible, responsible woman who'd already been burned once by this man could not allow herself to be so easily turned into Silly Putty by a look. A touch. A laugh.

She was going to have to work on that.

Really, she was.

Beginning now.

Friday Fun Video -- Dream Drive.

I cannot believe how a two minute, forty-three second video could leave me feeling as if my heart had grown three sizes while watching it. (And even more the second and third times.) A desk toy escapes the confines of a dark office to take a dream drive across America to the Pacific Coast using only a toy car and Google Street View. Now that's storytelling!

Make sure your sound is on, because the music is as evocative and emotional as a big screen movie soundtrack!