Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Contest! Contest! Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, I am, but I’m also talking about picking a winner for my Valentine’s Day contest. That’s right. Celebrating the release of Murder, Mayhem and Mama at Amazon, I’m giving away a Kindle Touch or a $99 Amazon gift card. I will post the winner at the top of this blog tomorrow. So make sure you come back to see if you won. I’m also giving away this really cool Shadow Fall's t-shirt!

The rules are simple. You tweet or Facebook about the release of Murder, Mayhem and Mama at Amazon; Twitter users must include the hashtag #Christie-Craig@Amazon, and then leave a comment on this blog telling me you Facebooked or tweeted about MM&M’s Kindle release, and then answer one of my five questions about romance. (The questions are below.) By the way, I answered all those questions myself. And I’m still blushing about some of my answer, too.)

1. What draws a woman to a man?


As a woman and as a romance writer I’ve given this a lot of thought. What contributes to that indefinable lure that draws one person to another? I know I like a man with wide shoulders, a sexy grin and eyes . . . eyes that twinkle with humor and heat. I remember the first time I met my hubby; what’s more, I remember the exact instant that his blue eyes met mine. My mom was trying to set us up, but I had just walked away from a bad marriage and I didn’t want to be set up. I didn’t want a man in my life--period. However, there was a little jolt of something when my gaze met his. Something that made me want to look longer, but almost a sense of rawness that demanded I look away. It’s as if I knew he could see too much in my gaze, that with just that one glance, he’d know what I felt and what I thought. And what I felt and thought was . . . Wow. I don’t want this, but if I did . . . Wow. You can guess that wow eventually won over.

2. What’s the most romantic thing a man has done for you?

I guess for my hubby’s sake, I should use him as the example, huh? Honestly, I got lucky in love—the second go round. I could name numerous things my hubby, aka my true life hero, has done over the years. I moved to California to escape an abusive relationship from my-then-soon-to-be-ex. The only thing I brought with me was a five-year-old and a duffle bag of possessions. Less than two months after I met Steve, I found a brand new car parked in my parking spot at my apartment. It was a gift from him, because he deemed the clunker car I was driving unsafe for me and my daughter.

Then there was the honeymoon cabin he rented with a fireplace in the bedroom because I’d once said that making love in front of a fireplace would be so romantic. We had to crank down the air conditioner to light that fireplace on our wedding night, but I was right. It was amazing.
However, I think the most romantic gesture he’s ever done was something he said about seventeen years after we were married. Though I have to admit that at the moment he said it, I didn’t think it was going to be so romantic. I thought . . . well, let me just tell you.

We were out having dinner and he’d been a little quiet, and then he looked at me and said, “You are not the same woman I married.” My heart stopped, I felt blindsided, and didn’t think I was going to like where this conversation was headed. I knew I’d put on a few pounds. And I’d put a lot of time in on my writing career. Had it hurt my marriage? Fear nearly had me choking on my egg roll.

With a serious look in his eyes he continued, “I married a young woman; she was a little vulnerable and a lot scared to trust anyone. She was practically a girl who didn’t really know what she wanted out of life. And look at you now. You’re a writer who has a passion for what you do, one who has faced more rejection, who has shown more courage to chase her dream, than anyone I know. I’m so proud of you.” See why I love this man? You know, I may not have given my fictional heroes my hubby’s abs (Sorry, babe), but I gave each and every one of them his heart, his sense of humor, and his ability to make a woman feel loved.

3. What’s the worse date/romantic disaster you’ve ever had?

Okay…this is about hubby, too. You see, as much of a hero as he is, when we were first dating, he was trying too hard. And you know what happens when you try too hard, don’t you? You mess up. Well, we hadn’t been dating long and he took me to his place. We were going to cook dinner together and have a quiet evening. At that time he was still doing the gentlemanly thing of opening and closing doors for me. I had a bag of groceries in my hand and when I went to get out of the car, he was already opening the passenger door for me. I stepped out and he closed the car door with a solid thud. A solid and painful thud.

I looked at him and calmly asked if he would open the door.

He calmly asked, “Did you forget something?”

I calmly nodded my head even thought I was gritting my teeth.

“What did you forget?” he asked.

Wincing, and no longer able to handle the pain, I said rather loudly. “My hand.”

He’d shut my hand in the car door. Our quiet evening was spent with an ice on my fingers.

And yeah, in spite of that, I still married him. And I would do again in a heartbeat.

4. If you’ve been married for a while, what sweet things does your spouse do that makes you fall in love with him all over again?

Hubby doesn’t drink coffee, never has. But every night he grinds my fresh coffee beans and sets up my coffee to brew at 6:30. He even sets out a cup, a spoon and my creamer. One morning I woke up and there wasn’t any coffee made. He’d forgotten. I started grinding my coffee beans and I hear him running down the stairs. “I’m sorry,” he called out as hit the bottom of the steps. He made me stop making the coffee and he did it for me.

“You know I can make it,” I told him.

“I know,” he said. “But I like spoiling you.”

And he has and does. I personally think it’s because I forgave him for slamming my hand in the car door. LOL.

5. What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for your Valentine?

Yes, I’ve done the sexy nightgowns. The whipped cream. (Hey, it was research for a scene.) I’ve baked pies that he loves, cooked his favorite foods. But as crazy as it seems, I think the most romantic thing was that whenever he would go away on a trip, I would put love notes in his pockets and hidden in his luggage. One time, he called me a few days into a trip. “You didn’t put notes in my luggage,” he said, sounding hurt.

I knew then that those silly notes had meant something to him. The funny thing was that I had put them in his luggage, but just not in both suitcases. He’d come in while I’d been hiding them, and I didn’t get to put as many of the little love notes in there as I normally did. So I told him to look in the other suitcase. He did.

Ahh, love, it’s funny how the little things can mean so much.




Happy Valentine’s Day, guys! I wish all of you love and laughter. Go hug someone today—be it your spouse, a child, a parent, or just a friend. Let the people you love know it. And make sure you enter my contest and help me get the word out about latest baby, Murder, Mayhem and Mama, now out at Amazon.



38 comments:

Anneliese said...

I assume I am supposed to answer the question on here... I already posted my MM&M post on my Facebook page (It didn't say where to post)

I am going to answer the Question : What attracts a woman to a man.

I believe that a woman is attracted to a man with some mystery and of course darl good looks. I am always drawn to the tall dark and handsome variety.. Give me a pair of biceps and a mane of thick dark hair... I like em tall (even though I myself am only 5'2) Oh mama... that's my man. Rough is just fine too, I don't need a designer suit or gucci shoes... a pair of jeans and a t-shirt (preferable White) does it for me.. I will take tennis shoes, but cowboy boots do it best for me. I never considered myself a country girl... but I like me a nice tall cowboy! Basically, give him height, breadth, dark hair and a nice pair of jeans *T-shirt optional*... and I am in heaven!

krisgils33 said...

I posted on my FB page and tagged your name in it, so hopefully you can check and see it.

In college, my friends coerced me to go out with this guy I had zero interest in. We went to this Chinese restaurant, he ordered ridiculous amounts of food, and then told me he didn't have any money. It was simply awful.

Amy said...

I just posted on twitter about MMM. I already own it, have read it and loved it! I have a Nook and love the low cost of your books and have bought each one.

The question I am going to answer is #4.
My husband and I have been married for 13 years. I love the little looks he gives me across the room or the little swats (love pats?) he might give me as he walks by me in the kitchen. I also love that he can always make me laugh by making a fool of himself. I love him more each day!

Anonymous said...

Hello Miss Christie! I posted on my FB page about MM&M and tagged you!

I also put notes in the hubby's bag when he leaves for work. I love when he's up in the morning and offers to make my lunch as I get ready. Sometimes, he sneaks his own notes in there.

It doesn't sound romantic, but he offers to help me stay on the fitness track and sticking to my diet. He says he's happy with me as I am, but wants me to be healthy so we can be together longer. How can a girl argue with that logic?

Can't wait to read the book!

Melanie Macek

Anonymous said...

Alright Miss Christie! Commented on my FB page and tagged you :)

I also put the notes in hubby's bag when he leaves for work. He's done the same for me. I love when he offers to make my lunch if he's up when I'm getting ready for work. He'll usually sneak in a note of his own when he does.

I know it doesn't seem romantic, but he tries to help me stay fit and on my diet. He says he's happy with me as I am, but he wants me healthy so we can be together longer. How can I argue with that logic? He's also my lucky in love-second time around.

Can't wait to read the book Christie.

Melanie Macek

CrystalGB said...

I tweeted about your new book. :)
4. If you’ve been married for a while, what sweet things does your spouse do that makes you fall in love with him all over again?
My husband leaves me love notes in my purse, warms up my car on cold mornings and cooks dinner when I am feeling sick.

Unknown said...

I tweeted about MMM as @SabrinaShields - can't wait to read it!

The question I'm answering is my worst date/romantic disaster...

Mine was actually a Valentine's Day with the hubby. We got all dressed up for a dinner in St. Augustine and went early to walk around all the shops.

St. Augustine has tons of tiny side streets so you're walking really close to the one way streets. It had just rained...you know where this is going.

I'm all dressed up in a new dress, nice shoes and purse, and some teens thought it would be histerical to drive down the road as fast as they coudl hitting all the puddles and splashing everyone.

I got soaked. Head to toe dripping wet. A lady in a shop came out with a towel off one of her for sale shelves and gave it to me to towel off. Purse and shoes were ruined and we never made it to dinner.

But, when the husband kissed me and told me I still looked beautiful even as a drowned rat it made my day.

Quilt Lady said...

I posted your MM&M about 6 this morning, the comments wasn't open on your post here so I couldn't do my comment.

I think what attracts me to a man is his eyes and personality. The eyes are the window to the heart. I don't really like real tall men because I am very short. Every man I ever dated was also short for a man. I did dance one time with someone that was six foot six and it was very hard to do. So a man that is about 5'6 to 5'8 with kind eyes and a good personality is perfect for me.

NoreensBooks said...

I posted on FB. LOVE Ms. Craig's books. Have them all on my Nook.

What attracts me to a man is when he shows confidence in himself. He doesn't have to be classic handsome, just comfortable in his skin without being too full of himself. And, a nice butt doesn't hurt!

My hubby and I have been married for over 26 years. The secret looks and silent communication between us remind me how connected we are.

WickedLilPixie said...

I tweeted (@wickedlpixie) about the release!

Most romantic thing was my fiance's big winter trip. I hate winter, but I hate winter MORE at the cottage he owns. Its at the end of a small "street" and exactly where the snowplow stops working. And when I say snow, I mean HIP DEEP SNOW. I'm 5'4, so it's more like waist deep for me.

So last winter he drags me up there and I hated it. It was cold and snowy, I was dressed in 18 layers with the stove on shivering. Every day he'd ask me if I wanted to come outside and see the lake, no honey I sure as hell do not want to walk down a hill in hip deep snow.

Sunday night I go to bed at 11pm, and he keeps saying "don't go to sleep" but I was tired. Around 1am I was in slumberland when he grabbed my hand, slipped a ring on and kissed my forehead.

Apparently he'd been trying to get me to the lake so he could ask there, but since I refused to go outside he asked while I was half asleep. I wouldn't have had it any other way.....well other then the lack of cell phone service so I couldn't tell everyone!

wickedlilpixie(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I tweeted the Amazon link here:
https://twitter.com/GeishasMom73/statuses/169458506196467712

My worst ever date happened in college. I was a naive freshman and my new roommate set me up on a blind double date. I was the only person who didn't drink. Everyone else got smashed. Guys showed up at the house in a pickup and waving shot guns. They had a beef with my roommate's boyfriend apparently. They eventually left without any violence. I demanded to be taken home ASAP. Worst. Date. Ever.

geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

I discovered MM&M this morning and downloaded it, read the first five chapters and then decided I wanted to know more about the author. I was delighted to find you blogging and offering contest prizes. :)
I'm going to answer number four - having been married for more years than I was single. My husband is my hero, one who works hard and never complains. He writes the most beautiful love notes for special occasions, ones that remind me how deep his emotions run and how much we have survived together. Add those occasional notes to a guy who has learned to cook (thank you Bobby Flay), does the dishes, and even puts down the toilet seat, and you can see why he is the love of my life and the inspiration for my art.

mslaurel1 on twitter

Bodaisy said...

I posted on my FB account all about your fabulous book! I am going to answer the question What attracts a woman to a man.
For me that would be a sexy grin, nice white teeth and that devilish twinkle in his eyes. It's also a plus when they have nice strong arm muscles. He also has to have a sense of humor and an amazing laugh. There has to be a sensitive side as well, such as saying he 'hates' pets but when he doesn't think your looking he will coo and pet your precious furry children. He may say it's because he's on the john and can't go anywhere but you know it's because he loves the animals but has to be 'manly' because men don't pet kitties HAHAAA. He doesn't have to be a huge romantic either just getting up early to start my car in the middle of winter, brushing it off and starting it means more than flowers or candy. I think the biggest attraction of all or maybe the 'true love' test is when a man (your man) can physically see your complete 'self' (yes I mean 'SELF!) and deliver a your baby and still say he loves you... lol
Yes! I am describing my husband and I find myself continuously attracted to him even after 12yrs.

jenni said...

I tweeted: https://twitter.com/jshizzle88/status/169467954365333504

The worst date disaster was one moment out of a really bad date--it was the moment I knew it would never work.

My date looked at me and said' "so, do you just make up words?"

Anonymous said...

Gotcha covered on Twitter and my Facebook page. I'm happy to shout about MM&M to the world!

What’s the worse date/romantic disaster you’ve ever had?
Probably my prom date. It was a mixture of great memories and near disaster.

Let's just say arrogance will likely get a man into trouble. Especially when he leans out your moving vehicle to taunt a Texas State Trooper. As you can imagine, this almost landed him in jail. But I'm a smooth talker and convinced the officer to not take him to jail and not ticket me.

Jenn!

blackroze37 AT yahoo.com said...

THE OLD SAYING, TALL DARK AND HANDSOME, yes that fits for me. plus nice hands. i dont like a man, then look and he have little girl hands . his smile , his eyes


i tag u in facbook but dont know how to tag u in twitter

Corrie said...

I posted on my FB, loved this book.
My worst romantic disaster: One valentines day, my boyfriend of over a year decided to dump me..I spent the night eating chocolate with my girlfriends, so it wasn't all bad.

Michelle Marcos said...

Christie, that was wonderful. What a generous, loving couple you are. I'm so happy you found love eventually. It's a miracle how it makes us better people.

I think I will steal that idea from you about putting love notes in luggage. Even though I don't have a husband to do that for, I think any family member would be delighted to open love notes while they're far from home. Thanks for the inspiration!

Na said...

Christie,
I hope Murder, Mayhem and Mama reaches many readers and brings them lots of laughter.

What draws me to a man is his inner strength. When I meet him there is something about him that makes me want to learn more about him. Usually it's not one thing but a combination of things: a sense of humor, his voice, eyes and other nuances. I like to look for small signs, mainly because I'm not looking. I'm feeling. If being around him is comforting and natural, I then feel free to be myself and safe. A darn good feeling and what draws me (and keeps me interested) in a man.

I tweeted about your release.
(I used the hastag but it keeps only partially-linking). The whole tweet is here:

https://twitter.com/#!/FieryNa/status/169498535128076289

Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

Alison said...

I posted on Twitter about MM&M. I've alredy bought it, just need to read it! Can't wait!

I think a woman is attracted to a man with a great sense of humor. My hubby constantly cracks me up! It doesn't hurt that he has big, broad shoulders to go with that sense of humor either though :)

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

JRoseBooks said...

I posted on my Twitter and my FB page.

1) I think what draws a woman to a man is something individual to the woman. There are two sides to the equation - the physical attraction and the mental attraction. Just because a guy is hot, doesn't mean that you would actually want to have a relationship with him! Personally, I am most often attracted to intelligent, thoughtful guys. I love me my geeky guys! :)

2) A BF in college set the standard...He actually MAILED love letters to me! He'd often give me roses. And instead of lame teddy bears, he got me a plush Kermit (<3 Kermit)

3)I don't have a disaster dating story, so hopefully I can tell my German teacher's story...Long story short - she's new to the USA, and goes out with a guy here. At the end of the date, he asks her, "Can I give you a ring?" She thinks, 'I heard that men move fast in America, but geesh!' She freaks out and says, "No", rants at him, and scares the poor guy away...he ran back to his car. It wasn't till later that she realized her error - he just wanted to call her later -NOT get married!

JRoseBooks said...

I posted both on my Twitter and my FB page.

1) I think what draws a woman to a man is something individual to the woman. There are two sides to the equation - the physical attraction and the mental attraction. Just because a guy is hot, doesn't mean that you would actually want to have a relationship with him! Personally, I am most often attracted to intelligent, thoughtful guys. I love me my geeky guys! :)

2) A BF in college set the standard...He actually MAILED love letters to me! He'd often give me roses. And instead of lame teddy bears, he got me a plush Kermit (<3 Kermit)

3)I don't have a disaster dating story, so hopefully I can tell my German teacher's story...Long story short - she's new to the USA, and goes out with a guy here. At the end of the date, he asks her, "Can I give you a ring?" She thinks, 'I heard that men move fast in America, but geesh!' She freaks out and says, "No", rants at him, and scares the poor guy away...he ran back to his car. It wasn't till later that she realized her error - he just wanted to call her later -NOT get married!

Brandy said...

I posted on Facebook. *g* As for the questions? I choose to answer #2.
My hubby has been pretty bad at gift giving occasions for the last few years and I guess my "I just wish this day were over" comments finally sank in because within the past year he's really trying. (With a little help from me as the man never met a hint that didn't have to be rammed upside his head. *g*)(Until this time.) It was my birthday and as anyone who has lost a mother may know, once that mother is gone you just don't feel as special on that day. (My mom has been gone for over 9 years.) But, this last Birthday surprised me. The hubs bought me the usual, a gift card to the bookstore and then? He gave me a handmade card. Inside was the warranty for a pair of earrings. I was thinking "what the heck", when he gave me another box and inside was a pair of diamond studs. Earlier that year I had been wearing my pair of diamond studs and one somehow became lost. I cried like crazy because they had been a milestone anniversary gift. I put the remaining one in my jewelry box and tried to get over it because it was too expensive to replace. He had known how upset I'd been and found a way to replace my studs. And I couldn't help it. I cried. It wasn't practical. It wasn't easy and was too expensive, but he knew how much those earrings meant to me and the fact that he spent time thinking about it? Well, that's a gift in itself as well.


Happy Valentine's Day!

mlmrw135 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mlmrw135 said...

Posted about MM&M on Facebook. Looks may draw the eye first, but I'm really attracted to a good sense of humor, and confidence balanced with humility.

Diane Pollock said...

The most romantic thing was when my partner surprised me with a trip to a bed and breakfast, and fooled me into thinking I was going with him to the dentist!

Brandie said...

Okay, here's my answers:

1. I think physical attraction is important, but even a pretty face gets tired after some time. So, a sense of humor and security goes a long way with me.

2. I haven't had "romance", but sweet Valentine's. I was pregnant with my son when my husband surprised me with lunch, flowers, and a huge balloon.

3. This is a hard one. Okay, here goes. My husband is horrible with directions. Before we were married and I believe this was our first date, I decided to meet him at his home so I could leave my car (and so he wouldn't know where I lived) and drive his. Well, he gave me directions supposely to his home in the Heights, but his directions was so bad, I almost ended up out of town :-)

4. We have kids so it's hard to find time alone, but if I'm sleeping, my husband make sure they do not disturb me. He also helps with the carpooling if I have a writing meeting.

5. I'm old-fashion. I think the man should buy the gifts, but he'll get his reward later :-)

Loved this post! Christie, I tweeted and shared your release on my author and personal facebook page!

Brandie

Cheryl said...

I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/#!/CherylaStrange/status/168867968728580098

I'll answer #3. What’s the worse date/romantic disaster you’ve ever had? This was quite a while ago when I was in my twenties. A guy at work that I was interested in finally called me. Oh, was I excited! We talked on the phone for a little while then he asked what I was doing that night (it was a Friday night). Being naive and not into playing games, I answered, "oh, nothing, just watching some tv," figuring he was going to ask me out. Next thing I knew he was saying, "oh, good, I was wondering if you would watch my kids while I go out?" Not exactly how I pictured that phone call going. It was for the best in the long run, though.

Kristi said...

I posted on Facebook and tagged you. I'm about 3/4 of the way through it and loving it.

Mine and my husbands most romantic date was also the worst. For our second Valentine's Day he took me to a cabin for a weekend. They brought us dinner, took us on a horsedrawn carriage ride, and horseback riding the next day.

It was freezing, the horse kept trying to whack me off him by banging me into the trees, no heat other than a fireplace and nothing to do but snuggle. It was wonderful and horrible at the same time.

As far as romantic, he will randomly send me Amazon gift cards for books just because. He knows I'd rather have that then flowers.

Pam S said...

Ty for the post and giveaway! Happy V'Day! Worst Date hmmm... probably when I got set up with a friend of a friend. He was a bit geeky but nice .. not bad looking just no chemistry (atleast on my end). He apparently felt differently and kept trying to kiss me the whole time. Finally at the end of the date when he dropped me off he leaned and I gave in to a small peck to be polite - the first thought that popped into my mind when his lips descended was a line from the movie Waiting to Exhale, "What am I the keeper of a d*mn zoo"... it took all I could do not to fall into hysterics before making my exit.


I tweeted - https://twitter.com/#!/pams00/status/169599175942606848

pams00 at aol.com

Angela N. Blount (RedPeril) said...

https://twitter.com/#!/Perilous1/status/169605872283164672

And I'm going to go with #1.
I'm not so much a physical attraction sort of person. But from observation, it seems like most women are, first and foremost, attracted to confidence. Even a guy who doesn't have much going for him in the physical department can earn some serious points by simply projecting confidence--even if it's just an act. (And I'd wager that it is an act, the majority of the time.)

Catherine Lee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Quilt Lady said...

Hi Christie, I posted on facebook early this morning and couldn't leave a post here comments wasn't open yet. Here is the link where I posted

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000643223545

Catherine Lee said...

YES...On Q.4...We've been married for a while (23 years). Your hubby makes you coffee. My hubby makes my pot of tea every morning while I'm showering for work. He also packs my "to go" tea mug and has it in the car for me (so I don't forget it). And he keeps my honey dispenser full. When it's cold, as it occasionally gets in southeastern NC (especially the last couple of days), he starts my car and turns on the seat warmer too. He doesn't need to do the big, grand gestures because he does so many of the little things that show he cares.

Twitter Post:
https://twitter.com/#!/CapeFearLibn/status/168879577039507457

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/christiecraigfans?sk=wall#!/profile.php?id=100000542653136

Thanks for the great V Day Giveaway!

catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

Christie Craig said...

I love, love all these stories!! You made my night reading these. Thank you so much for posting.

I'll be posting the winners first thing in AM.

Thanks so much.

CC

Deb PelletierC said...

1) humor
2)dinner and flowers
3)The guy was a jerk
4)house cleaning
5)We went to a fun movie.
I'm answering your questions.
Will do face book. Deb P
r.d1@myfairpoint.net

Diane_Holmes said...

Awwwwww. Now I'm all weepy. :)

Lark Howard said...

What a sweet post, Christie! Thanks for sharing.