If you’re looking for the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop then you have found it.
*Read to the end for the prize and grand prize information*
Hi, I’m Janice Seagraves. Author of romance stories in various genres.
I also love to garden too.
Photo taken by Janice Seagraves
This is from our Nectarine tree. It has the prettiest blooms I have ever seen.
Photo Taken by Janice Seagraves
This is blooms from an almond tree and looks just like blooms from a peach tree. That’s because they are actually derived from the same tree. Almonds are developed for their nut and Peaches for their fruit. Nectarines are also related to Peach trees, but their blooms are a darker pink and the fruit’s skin is smooth and has no fuzz.
Gardening tip: I also grow tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Most vegetables grow best in well-drained soil.
However, since I live in the Central Valley of California (South San Joaquin –Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern County), and it dryer here, (we just came out of a six-year drought), some of the things we do here might not be quite right for your region.
Like planting in a hole.
Recently I and my family moved into town. I have a raised bed for my garden and I’m only allowed to water twice a week.
Water is a big issue, so I found planting in a hole will keep the soil around my plant’s roots moist. Everything else is mulch as much as possible to help hold in the moisture.
As you can hopefully see from the photos of my garden, my peppers and tomatoes are all planted into holes and staked. Staking I also recommend, since it will keep your plant up out of the dirt, your fruit clean, and viruses like the Mosaic leaf virus at bay.
Since this is a book blog hop, I’ll also post a blurb and excerpt from my last book, Alien Heart.
And there is a garden in it. 🙂
Blurb: Divorcee and single mom, hardworking Audrey Westberry is the host of a cable TV show called Miz Fixit.
Romance was the last thing on Audrey’s mind when two handsome extraterrestrials join the audience of her show.
Soon Audrey finds out a single word “mated” has different meaning when you are born a galaxy away. After a wonderful night of passion, Audrey finds herself far from home, impregnated and her life turned upside down.
Will she ever be able to leave the alien compound, see her son again, or get home in time to film the fall season of her Miz Fixit show?
But what’s a girl to do with two aliens that smell like candy, and their kisses taste like it, too?
Excerpt:
“Greetings,” said the tall man on her stoop, with a delightfully deep voice and a slight English lilt.
He wore blue jeans and a dark purple long-sleeved shirt. He had one of those legionnaire’s caps with a piece of cloth that covered the back of the head and his ears. A pair of wraparound sunglasses hid his eyes. The only clue to his identity was the hint of lavender in the hollow of his neck and cheeks, which the reflection of the shirt couldn’t account for.
“Keefe?”
He slipped off his glasses as he grinned at her. “Yes, are you ready for our date?”
“Just about.” Letting him in, Audrey took a deep breath, taking his vanilla scent deeply into her lungs. Suddenly, she wanted to see his skin and had two of his buttons undone, before she quite realized what she was doing. “Uh—sorry, your shirt looked too tight. You had all the buttons done up to the top.” She opened the collar a bit. “That’s better isn’t it?” God, she so wanted to kiss his exposed throat.
“Yes, it’s fine. Thank you.” His hands slid along her arms, leaving a tingling trail of warmth.
His touch felt wonderful. Her face heated as she turned away. What’s the matter with me? Trying to hide her confusion, she gestured toward the dining table, the stack of bills and her laptop. “I just have to finish this. Where are we going?”
“It’s still early. We could go to the zoo.”
Oh good, the zoo would be an easy date. “Okay, sounds great. Just give me a few minutes, so I can change and get some comfortable shoes on.”
His eyes lit up at the sight of the produce piled on her table. “Are those vegetables from your garden?”
“Yes, did you know about my garden from my show?”
“You did a spot on how to start a garden, and filmed it right back here.” He walked to her sliding back glass door to peek out. “Your garden is bigger now.”
“Yes, it is.” Audrey smiled, but her gaze lingered on his muscular ass. Her hands itched to caresses—no pinch his butt. “I hate to tell you this, but those segments cost me my neighbors.” Back to work, she told herself, taking a seat. “They hated all the trucks blocking the street, and let me know about it too.”
Determined to distract herself, she started going through her bills.
“What are you doing there?” He walked back then looked over her shoulder.
God, he smells wonderful. I’m not going to be able to concentrate with him so close. “I’m going through my bills, setting them up to be paid through my online bank’s billing system. It saves time, paper, stamps and a tree.”
“Are your checks automatically deposited?”
“Yes, it’s another way to save a tree.” She hit the pay button, waited until it went through then turned off the computer. “Okay, I’m done. I just have to change.”
“Would you mind if I help myself to your produce?” He gestured toward the table.
“Did you take your enzymes?”
“Yes, but I didn’t have enough time to eat breakfast. Paz watched late night movies, and kept us awake all night.” He actually rolled his eyes. “And I slept through the alarm because of it.”
Chuckling, she pictured him in bed with a pillow over his head. Oh shit, naked. She bit her bottom lip at the image. “What kind of TV did they have?”
“There’s cable and satellite TV at our suite, which we don’t have at our domicile.”
“Paz must have been in hog heaven.”
“Uh?” He looked a little blank. “He was happy, but Blade and I weren’t. All I had time for this morning was a shower and a piece of toast before my taxi arrived. The enzymes should still be effective for a little longer.”
The very thought of Keefe naked in a shower had Audrey crossing her legs, tightly. “Well, sure, help yourself. I won’t be long.”
Audrey hurried to her room, shut the door and leaned against it, sighing with relief. I got to control myself, or I’ll be tearing Keefe’s clothes off his body. No-no, now I’m imagining that too.
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Heart-Chronicles-Arcon-Book-ebook/dp/B01N0N73OF/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janice-Seagraves-Author-117551164948239/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/janiceseagraves
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Click here to enter your link for the grand prize and view this Linky Tools list…
*Prize from Janice Seagraves*
This beautiful butterfly necklace will go to one lucky commenter.
It is similar in design to the one that Keefe gives Audrey in Alien Heart.
The value is no more than five dollars. The prize for those living in the USA or Cannada. If you win and reside outside of this area, a gift card will be substituted and sent via email. The value worth no more than five dollars USA currency.
For the prize: Please leave a comment and answer these two questions. What is your favorite thing about spring, and what is your favorite romance genre?
Janice Seagraves, Author 