Can't Beat a Great Mom with Guest Blogger: W. Lynn Chantale

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and welcome W. Lynn Chantale to a
Special Weekend Edition @ the Book Boost!

She's here to chat about the hand who rocked her cradle and her world and here's what she had to say...


The Hand That Rocks the Cradle


No, Rebecca DeMornay, isn’t going to sneak in and take over raising the kids, but it does bring to mind my mom. My mom wasn’t bent on revenge, but she did and has influenced many of the decisions in my life.


For our birthdays mom used to make our cakes, I don’t mean the two layer or quarter sheet cakes everyone is so fond of, but cakes in the shape of Raggedy Ann or Spider-Man and Darth Vader. She made us costumes for Halloween or school projects, she made us clothes and teddy bears, homemade cookies and let us play in mud puddles. Or let us take bubble baths in the pool outside during the summer.


I wanted to be just like my mom when I grew up. By the time I was nine I was making doll clothes for my Barbie with leftover scraps from Mom’s projects. I think I was 12 or 13 when I made my first outfit. Mostly skirts, shorts and shirts. The seam ripper was and is my best friend. Some of my fondest sewing memories are me getting frustrated when I would sew the inseam of the shorts the wrong way. I would do this several times before I’d take the garment and smack the sewing machine...repeatedly. After I’d rip out the seam for the umpteenth time, only then would Mom step in and say, “bring it here.” She’d pin the first seam for me and have me bring it back. Why couldn’t she have done that the first time?


Well I never would’ve learned and I think she liked laughing at me. I mean how many kids do you know will beat up a sewing machine with a pair of shorts? LOL.


I taught myself how to decorate cakes and then studied culinary arts, I wanted to be a pastry chef. That dream didn’t come true, but I did work as a cake decorator for a number of years. I had the pleasure of decorating several friends’ and family members wedding cakes as well as birthday cakes.


Even my love of music is inspired by mom. Love those groups she grew up with, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Temptations, The Four Tops and the Isley Brothers to name a few. I draw the line at those sappy John Wayne movies she loves. McClintock is her favorite. There’s also a plethora of black and white movies she hipped me to, not to mention musicals, I love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Singin’ in the Rain. I can’t get enough of Rear Window or The Greatest Show on Earth.


And finally Mom cultivated a love of reading and encouraged me to use my imagination. She bought me books everything from Encyclopedia Brown to Nancy Drew, Beverly Cleary, Lois Duncan, Judy Blume and R.L. Stine. When I got older, I read all of her Stephen King, Victoria Holt, Sidney Sheldon and Harlequin novels and after I finished those I discovered my own fave authors. Such as...Robin Cook, Mary Higgins Clark, Dean Koontz, Margaret Truman and Elliot Roosevelt.


My mom and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I think she did pretty good. I learned the basics, be nice, treat everyone with respect, stay out of trouble...well some lessons take longer to learn than others. She told me not to put her in a book, so I hope she won’t mind that she’s the subject of a blog. Thanks Mom for being the hand that ruled my world.


A Note from the Book Boost: I love this post! Thanks so much for sharing your Mom with us Lynn. My mother is one of my biggest fans as well. She routinely brags about my books to others (even though some of them have that sex stuff in them). LOL What a great childhood you had--one to be envied for sure. Please tell us more about your book.


Blurb:

As a caterer, Darling gets to witness some of life’s happiest moments, but yearns for a marriage proposal of her own. After years of waiting on her beloved to pop the question, she gives up on ever having a happy ending of her own and severs the relationship. When she learns she’s pregnant, she has no choice but to face her child’s father on a daily basis as well as the love and attraction she has for him.

Darryl Manning always believed Darling would be his forever. After all he didn’t need a piece of paper to show her how much he loved her, but when she leaves him to pursue her dream of owning a catering company and raising his son, he may have to rethink his views on marriage. That is if he wants a second chance at family.



Excerpt:

She brushed a stray curl from her face and planted her hand on her hip when Darryl didn’t move. “I know you may not have anything to do, but I really need to get back downstairs,” she reminded him.

He stepped closer, reaching a hand to tug on the lock of hair she had just swept away. She sucked in a breath, his clean masculine scent beguiling her. Her gaze dropped to the open collar of his shirt. If she pressed her mouth to his warm skin, would he moan? Darling lifted her head, and he met her lips with a kiss. Too stunned to protest, she sank into his kiss, savoring the spicy taste of him and the firmness of his lips. He skimmed the curve of her spine with his hands before resting them at her hips.

Drawing her closer, he brought her against the hard line of his arousal. Desire exploded, and she wiggled her hips in hopes of easing the sudden tension at the apex of her thighs. As if sensing her need, he cupped her butt, shifting her slightly until he was wedged between her legs.

Want More Lynn?

Visit her website here: http://wlynnchantale.com

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http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/

Pick up a copy of her book today! Click here.

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