Newsletter Signup and Books by Carolyn Rae

If you sign up for my newsletter, I’ll send you a free short story, A Hot Time in Dew Drop, Texas. Send your e-mail address to carolynrwilliamson@charter.net and put “want free story” in the subject line. You’ll get updates on my new books and short excerpts from the next one coming out. The next one has excerpts from Romancing the Doctor.
CLICK HERE to browse my books on Amazon.com.

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Launch Party for Romancing the Doctor – Today May 22, 2018

You are invited to the Launch Party for Romancing the Doctor

CDC Doctor Daniel Whistler travels with Heather McKinley on a cruise ship they boarded to hunt for the spreader of a mysterious virus, who created havoc in Atlanta, Dallas, and New Orleans before going on a Caribbean cruise. She was glad to finally become pregnant but then became sad because the virus caused her to miscarry. She and Daniel each have secrets they fear will ruin their relationship. Visit my facebook page, Carolyn Rae Author on May 22 from 5-9 (CDT) for the Launch Party for Romancing The Doctor. Comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Romancing the Doctor is released today, May 22nd.

My bookmarks with a picture of the cover for Romancing the Doctor just arrived. I really like the cover.

Here’s a sample excerpt from Romancing the Doctor

Chapter One

“Twenty-one people from the same bus were admitted to an Atlanta hospital. It’s like some virus or poison was released in the vehicle.” Heather McKinley’s boss at The Dallas Morning News sounded excited like she thought this would be a really big story.

Like steady drumbeats, rain pounded on Heather’s car, making it hard to hear the woman on the phone. Heather slowed the vehicle down before pulling off to the shoulder on the wooded road. “What?” Poison? On a bus? she couldn’t possibly have heard right.

“That’s right. I want you to interview someone who’s willing to talk.”
Heather dug out a pen and pad. “Who?”

“Mark Hanes. See what you can find out.”

Heather scribbled down the information. “I’m on it.”

She jotted down questions and dialed the number. A hoarse male voice grated on her ears.
“Mark Hanes. Please leave a message.”

“I’m Heather McKinley with The Dallas Morning News, and I’d like to interview you about being on that Atlanta bus where a number of people became ill today.”

She glanced ahead, ready to pull back onto the road. She strained to focus. A golden-brown lump lay in the grass on the shoulder. Wait…did it move? If it’s an injured animal, I can’t just leave the poor thing lying there cold and hurt. After killing the ignition, she grabbed her umbrella from the back seat. Jumping out into the weather, she gripped the umbrella tightly against the wind and rushed to the quivering animal.

The cold wind whipped the leaves in the trees, and goose bumps rose up on her bare arms. A puppy lay beside the ditch. Barely visible, a swollen eye looked at her from dripping, slicked-down fur.

She knelt to examine the dog. “Oh, look at you.” It whimpered, tearing at her heartstrings. “You poor baby. Where’s your owner? Did someone leave you out here all by yourself?”

She ran her hand over its body and found no obvious cuts or blood except around its eye. It struggled to its feet and walked unsteadily toward her in a weakened state. Carefully, she lifted the puppy up and hugged it to her chest. Its wet fur chilled her, and its tiny limbs shook. Snuggling against her, the puppy let out one more whimper then stilled. she could barely feel a tiny heartbeat. Her fingers felt through its straggly fur for a collar but didn’t find one.

“Damn it. Why did someone just leave you here beside the road when they could have taken you to the SPCA?”
Her watch said ten to five. If she hurried, she could get to the vet’s before it closed. “There, there. You’ll be okay soon.”

She laid the puppy on the passenger seat, threw her sweater over it and turned the heater on full blast. After aiming the vents toward the pup, she gunned the motor and headed back onto the road, all the while praying the office was still open. Soon the blowing warm air heated her enough to make her unbutton her sweater. She patted his golden fur. It felt warmer and drier.

She’d met Dr. Thomas Whistler the previous week at church in their small town of Pleasant Prairie, and they had exchanged a few words. He seemed like the kind of man who wouldn’t mind staying late for an emergency. Beside her, the puppy squirmed and stretched his front legs to push against her side. It would be a shame if no one claimed the little fella. The little dog snuggled closer and licked her hand, its tongue raspy and warm.
* * *
Sitting in the vet’s office, Heather stashed her notebook in her purse and took a moment to glance around the room. Across from her sat a man with a cleft chin and high cheekbones. His brown eyes met her gaze. With a quick brush of his long fingers, he smoothed back wavy chestnut hair and smiled at her.

He wore a well-pressed suit and tie and was studying a stapled report. However, he kept glancing her way with his warm brown eyes. When she met his gaze, he smiled back. It felt good to be noticed the way a man notices a woman. A glow suffused her body as if she were basking in the sunshine on a balmy spring day. She felt her face flush and hoped he didn’t notice.

He returned to his paperwork. Sliding a glance his way, she decided he looked to be in his early thirties and from the briefcase near his feet, an executive. His hair lay in even waves, every strand in place. How would he react to someone ruffling it? Why was she even thinking about that?

Holiday with a Prince Launch Party

See my facebook page, Carolyn Rae Author, to read about my Launch Party on April 17, 2018, from 5-9 p.m. central time.

Prince Mario flies Kelly to Mt. Etna and the pyramids

Aspiring travel writer Kelly Chandler’s heart beats faster when handsome Prince Mario gets them seats in first class after the gate has closed on a flight to Paris.

I’ll include information and pictures about places Prince Mario takes Kelly like the pyramids and Mt. Etna, where they barely escape as an eruption begins. I’ll ask questions like – how would you feel being invited to tea with the queen? and – What would you talk about on a date with a prince like Mario? Those who comment will have a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Ragtime and Jazz Festival

Jeff Barnhart and Eddie Erickson playing piano and banjo

At Mississippi State University, My husband and I toured the Charles H. Templeton, Sr. Music Museum, filled with old record players, music boxes, and a huge collection of ragtime sheet music. We also saw a disk twelve-inches wide perforated with holes, which came from the inside of a music box.

During our two evenings at the Ragtime and Jazz Festival, several performers played the piano or the guitar, and a student played a soprano saxophone solo. Jeff Barnhart and Kris Tokarski played separately and together on two pianos.

Jeff Barnhart played the piano for two silent movies while we laughed at the antics of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. One cabinet filled with ragtime and jazz sheet music is shown below.

Jeff Barnhart playing for silent movie showing

Victor Talking Machine Company exhibits in Templeton Music Museum

My husband Jack with harp in Templeton Music Museum at Mississippi State University

Holiday with a Prince

Prince Mario flies Kelly to Mt. Etna and the pyramids

“What do you mean I’m too late?” I gasped. “This can’t happen. I need to get to Paris tonight.”

Holiday with a Prince will soon be published in The Royals of Monterra Kindleworld. To do that, I have to delete all excerpts until it’s published, so watch this site for excerpts after it’s published.

Spring Blossoms, playing with time, and a new book

March is almost over, and I welcome the “snowfall” of white petals from my blossoming pear tree. I think I saw some early Texas blue bonnets blooming on the highway, so I may see more soon, especially as my husband and I will be driving to Mississippi to see the annual Ragtime Festival at Mississippi State University in a few days.

         Playing with Time

     My husband showed me a website where a pianist demonstrated playing certain musical pieces in 16/19 time and 6/8 time. (The first number shows how many beats to a measure, and the second shows what kind of note gets a beat. Waltz time is ¾ with 3 beats to a measure and a quarter note getting a beat.)

New Book Coming Soon

          I am getting ready for the launch party on April 24^th for my latest book, Holiday with a Prince, a Kindle World book featuring The Royals of Monterra. There are many books in the series started by Sariah Wilson with Royal Date.

I’ve enjoyed researching all the interesting places where Prince Mario takes Kelly Chandler.

Next month I’ll tell you about Romancing the Doctor,  being published in May by MuseItUp. While handsome CDC doctor Daniel Whistler and Heather McKinley are hot on the trail of a mysterious virus spreader, tension also heats up between them.

What to Do with Leftover Pumpkin

Halloween is over, but I have this cute little pumpkin left. Do I want to make pumpkin pie from scratch? I did it once and remember it was a lot of work, but I’ll get out the butcher knife and tackle it again.

Wow, it is really hard to cut. Finally, I get it cut into a few pieces. Now for scraping the seeds out. They are firmly attached with tough shreds, and there are a lot of them. Pumpkin is like winter squash. I can put some butter and brown sugar on the pumpkin pieces and run them in the microwave. However, what I get is a hard chewy mess of congealed brown sugar.

Time to go back to the drawing board. I boil the pieces until they seem tender, then sprinkle the brown sugar and butter on top. I only microwave them for a minute. So far, there is no chewy mess on top, so I give them another minute. Now I have some tasty triangles that taste like the winter squash I remember.

However, my husband refuses to eat any, so we compromise. He eats summer squash, while I eat broccoli, and I eat the pumpkin and any winter squash I buy. The picture below shows the pumpkin stem, pieces of squash, some of the stringy pulp that came with the seeds and a little pot in which I planted two pumpkin seeds. I’ll wait and see what comes up.