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As many of you may know, our beloved sister hostess SHARON DONOVAN, tragically passed away on 11th April 2012. We who knew her, loved her, and were inspired by her courage and determination to face head on whatever life threw at her. When she could no longer see to paint she turned to writing and showed her amazing talent in the Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense genres, and her story 'Charade Of Hearts' was awarded the coveted Predators and Editors Award in January 2011.

This Blog was a source of great delight to her, she was one of the founder hostesses and she contributed to the fun and silliness in her own original way, and was kind enough to let her unique creation, the hunky butler 'Oliver' join us for our Friday romp and prepare 'virtual breakfast' for the guests on the following morning. It's beyond hard to have to go on without her, but we know that she would have been the first to insist that 'the show must go on.' She is, and will always be with us in spirit.
Sharon, dear friend, we will never forget you.
The Author Roast and Toast is part of the legacy you left us. Let's raise a Toast to you as well as all our guests.
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Friday, September 13, 2013

The hostesses toast themselves (Or while the cats are away, the other hostesses will play)

Mary and Lyn are away for a couple of weeks. They thought it would be nice for the new hostesses to have a party  to introduce themselves, since they haven't really had chance to do so, including Mac, who's been left in charge. (You can find out more about her next week, when she has her own party to introduce her latest book.)

Oh dear, did someone say that's like leaving Dracula in charge of the blood bank?  What do you mean? Of course Mac is as good as gold, and will be able to keep them in order. What mischief could they possibly get up to while the other two hostesses are away?   


Mac snickers evilly...When the cat’s away…

“What do you think, chickies? Is this not the perfect place to throw a ‘Get to know the new hostesses’ party?”

Mac throws open the curtains in the gorgeous hotel suite overlooking Times Square. AJ, Lilly, Melissa and Vonnie crowd around her to gape down at the busy streets and sparkling lights twenty floors below.

Vonnie snorts. “I think Lyn and Mary are going to be pissed we took on Manhattan without them.”

AJ snaps several pictures with her phone. “Oh, wow. Where do we start? What should we do first?”

Lilly pops the cork on a crisply chilled bottle of champagne and begins pouring. “We’ll start here.” She passes out the glasses. “And then…” She waggles her brows. Glasses clink together.

“Shopping!” Melissa hums her appreciation of the sparkling wine. “And guys.”

“And Broadway shows.” Vonnie styles for AJ who snaps another photo.

“Food.” Mac tosses back her glass and holds it out for more. “Manhattan has the best restaurants. There's seafood, of course. Italian, French, Asian, whatever you're looking for. And the desserts! Oh, my God. I once
had a piece of cheesecake at Grand Central that was positively orgasmic. Oh, and I know this great Irish pub we can hit later. It’s just around the corner. Cocktails, wine and beer. The Irish know how to party.”
         

AJ grins. “I love a hero with a black Irish heritage.”

Melissa sets down her glass and grabs her purse. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

The hostesses scramble to finish their glasses as Melissa sprints for the door. They catch up with
her at the end of the long hallway. The elevator door slides open and they all gawk at the tall, black haired man standing front and center of the crowded car. Six foot two with broad shoulders, a well-cut business suit covers his muscular frame with mouthwatering results.

“Did someone mention a black Irish hero?” Vonnie purrs.

AJ’s phone flashes. Melissa crams inside. Mac squeezes in with AJ and Vonnie in tow. Lilly leaps forward at the last second, wiggling her bottom to avoid the closing door at her back.Standing nose
to nose with tall, dark and handsome, Melissa clears her throat.

“Hi there, handsome.” She tosses her head around at the other hostesses. “We’re romance authors. Have you ever considered becoming a cover model?”

“Uh.” He blinks. Several in the crowd snicker.

Lilly chokes. “Melissa!”
“What?” Melissa shoots a frown over her shoulder. “It’s a compliment and I’m just saying what we’re all thinking.” 

Several of the women in the elevator chuckle and nod their heads in agreement. AJ sticks up her arm and snaps a picture, blind. Mac laughs and Vonnie snorts. The doors slide open behind Lilly. She grabs hold of Melissa’s arm as they all exit in the lobby and drags her toward the doors leading to the street.

“I can’t believe you did that!”

AJ grins and slips an arm around Lilly’s shoulder. “If she hadn’t, I would have.”

“Me too.” Smirking, Vonnie links arms with Melissa and Mac.

“Me three. He got off easy, Lilly, considering what would have happened if Lyn and Mary were  here.” The others laugh and Mac winks at Lilly’s shaking head. “You’re an Author Roast & Toast hostess now. You’ll learn. I think I speak for Lyn and Mary when I say, welcome to weekly lunacy and mayhem, chickies!” She shoves open the door to the clamor of thousands of pedestrian visitors and traffic congestion. Lit by a million lights, Times Square greets them like a glowing rainbow. As one, they all step out onto the sidewalk teaming with people. “Let the games begin!”

Check out our new hostesses' Websites to find out more about their books:
A.J. ~ LILLY  ~  MELISSA ~ VONNIE 

35 comments:

  1. Woo hoo, Welcome chickies! Man! This pool of talent is DEEP! :-)

    Okay, so Lyn and Mary are still off doing who knows what. (Think they have an evil plot to take over the world? Cause, those chickies could pull that off.) So, they left me in charge. BIG mistake. Just posting the post and I've already discovered a screw up. We didn't list a giveaway prize! Yikes! So, I'm offering up my latest book, A Song for Sophie...anyone else?

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  2. OMG, that line I allegedly said in the elevator made me spit coffee! Scarily enough, those words could've popped out of my mouth IRL. Who wrote this?!

    Mac,

    I'll throw in an ebook copy of any of my backlist. Winner's choice.

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  3. Great party, Mac! Thanks for such a fine welcome. And I think someone has been spying on us Melissa. This skit sounds a lot like me. lol! I'll add a winner's choice ebook from my backlist as well. Winner can choose from any book on my website: http://lillygayle.com/books

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  4. Whoo Hoo! How AB-FAB to be in New York...and sharing this great day with some of my most favorite peeps! Since we're in his old stomping ground, Dibs is insisting we offer up an e-copy of She's Got Dibs to sweeten the ante! Let the comments begin!

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  5. I've got prizes, too. A copy of winner's choice of my back list and a scarf from Paris. I'm ready to party and my first question is who emptied my wine glass???

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  6. Vonnie,
    I'll gladly trade my third born for a wine bottle opener that says "Paris". I bought one a few years ago and was so sad when it broke.

    Miss Bear is very sweet. It's a great deal! ;-)

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  7. LOL Mel. Your third born? Uh oh...what'd he/she do?

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  8. AJ,
    The list goes on and on but the most recent offense involved a whole lot of glitter being opened and scattered all over our bonus room... We're talking GLITTER EVERYWHERE...

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  9. Oh, is this the Jell-o culprit as well? LOL Yep. I know the glitter blues. I live them pretty much on a weekly basis. Youngest daughter is an artiste!

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  10. YES! Last week she opened a package of strawberry Jell-O and threw it all over the couch and the family room!

    oh, and she emptied a brand new bottle of sprinkles into a bowl.

    Like I said...on and on.

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  11. Too funny Melissa! My youngest (of the non-human variety) is a new kitten, whom I insist can be housebroken like a dog and trained to use the doggie door to go outside to do her business. She kept pooping and peeing on a scatter rug in my office, so I threw the poop outside and showed her where her toilet was. Then I washed the rug...and she peed on my sofa. So, I shoved her out the doggie door. Then, later, I found her sleeping in a potted plant. What!? She pisses on the furniture but sleeps in the dirt? I'm still refusing to buy a litter box. I WILL win this battle!

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  12. Oh, and Vonnie. I AM so jealous! Berlin and Paris? I want to go to Germany again!!!

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  13. Maybe your kitten needs to come over and live with my cats for a while, Lilly! They both go outside. No idea where, but every time I go to clean the litter box, nothing's in there but dry litter. I can't remember the last time I had to actually clean it. Both cats go right out the door with the dogs and I never see a turd. LOL

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  14. Holy crap, sorry I've been MIA. I'm in Massachusetts. I just got back from lunch with Lisa Olech with whom I went to high school. Fun time!

    Yes, Melissa. I knew you would say something like that in the elevator. :-)

    Okay, with so many fab books being offered, I need to go pimp!

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  15. Ladies, I just had a traumatic event. I'd forgotten that restroom lights in Paris are often on timers. I was on the "throne" in a restaurant's restroom when the timer clicked off and I was left...in the basement...in the dark. Good thing I'd just emptied my bladder or I'd have peed all over myself in shock. Since we're talking about pets not using liter boxes, I thought I'd share my human experience. LOL

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  16. Mel...AJ...Glitter has its advantages. Let's not look down on a little bit of sparkle. After all, we were all meant to shine...

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  17. ROFL, Vonnie! Apparently, culture shock is nothing knew for Americans travelling in Europe. I was so fascinated by the automatic toilet cleaners in the German rest areas, I kept flushing the toilet to watch the toilet seat rotate as an arm came down, sprayed sanitizer on the seat and dried it as the seat turned. but at least the lights stayed on. I did have to pay to pee, but then I got a ticket to use as a coupon when making purchases at the rest area. Great concept! AJ, I'm booking airfare for Grayble now. You can expect her to arrive shortly for proper toilet training. lol! I'm so freaked out about the pee on the sofa that I've been searching for new furniture at reasonable prices on line. I mean, I steam cleaned the sofa, but it still creeps me out. Am I over reacting? lol!

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  18. NEW!! Not knew. Where's an editor or critique partner when I need one. lol!

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  19. GRAYBLE! I love that name! And no, Lilly, you're not over reacting. I would be face down in the couch, sniffing the cushions like a bloodhound to see if any "smell" remained. Cat pee is heinous and hard to remove. I will be waiting at the airport. What flight number?

    Vonnie, that's too funny! That same experience once happened to my son in a fancy restaurant. He went to the bathroom after our meal and when he finally returned he was white as a ghost. I immediately asked him if everything was okay (thinking all sorts of intestinal mom worries) and he said the lights went out and he'd spent ten minutes fumbling around in the dark. LOL

    What's up with the potty discussion today. Am I to blame for this? Who brought up this subject anyway? I'd much rather discussion hot men...like maybe Lisa Olech's cover for her new release Picture Me Naked. Holy cow did you guys see that? Wow! I'm jealous!!! So great!! And with that title, the book is going to skyrocket!!

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  20. Discussion hot men? Yeah, whatever that means. LOL

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  21. Picture me Naked! Love that title and you're right. Hot cakes will envy the sales of that book.

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  22. I'm just jealous no one invited ME to Manhattan. :( But I can't think of a better group to Roast and Toast unsuspecting authors over here. Welcome all!

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  23. My greatest restroom shock came somewhere in the French countryside when we stopped at a rest area and there was a hole in the ground. It was very disconcerting...

    I got to be very good at saying "La toilet?" with the end pitch high so it formed a question.

    I've been writing erotica all day. This is a very unappealing topic. I'll move on now...

    Hot men? *looks about*

    No, nope. Only Mr. Snark...

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  24. I see Lilly has a story to tell again. She has more funny, but true stories about her adventures with tha animals, especially cats! But, hey, the kitten is so cute and will be trained in a little while! I also see that she is partying again. That girl can throw a party! No "hot men" around here except in my imagination when reading romantic books like you ladies can write. I do enjoy the books!
    Enjoy a drink for me Lilly!
    Rebecca

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  25. I also need an editor or critique partner, because I can't type the! lol!
    Rebecca

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  26. Becky, Thanks for always stopping by to say hello! Y'all, just so you know, Becky is my 1st cousin once removed as they say in the south. In other words, she's my mom's first cousin. She loves romance and is a fab supporter of romance authors. Love having you at any party, Becky. Real or in cyber space!

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  27. Lilly,
    I'd be happy to read for you if you need a sounding wall. :)

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  28. Thanks Melissa! I'll keep that in mind if/when I ever finish this &(*&%%* manuscript. lol!

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  29. Lyn and Mary stagger into the room, slightly jetlagged and loaded down with luggage and parcels.

    Well the place looks nice and sparkly clean Mary, even though there are empty glasses and bottles everywhere - oh wait though, that's not the clean surfaces sparkling - it's sparkle dust. And is that Jello on the velvet seats? and Oh look there's a huge pile of dishes and a note from the management. Looks like we have to do all the washing and tidying up - what the...?

    And just listen to what they were talking about! (Mary switches on the cunningly hidden voice recorder) French toilets and kitty poo - yeeuk. Oh well, they obviously had a good time without us, we'd better roll up our sleeves and get washing up - back to normality with a bump!

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  31. I must say, the girls appeared to have missed us. After all they're down to toilet humor and kitty pee. Come on Lyn lets see if they've toilet papered our rooms. Poor things need supervision. Though I do agree they seemed to have had fun flinging all that glitter and jello around and trying to blame their innocent children. Ah well, the mice sure did play didn't they? I'm glad we installed the voice recorder and the cameras. And they were sober through the whole debacle!
    Uh Oh, here they come, girls, girls, girls, whatever made you do it?

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  32. Great to meet the new hostesses. Looks like you missed a great party, Lyn and Mary - even though they left you with all the tidying up and cleaning to do!

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  33. Who's up for another weekend of fun? Come on AJ, Melissa, and Mac. Lyn and Mary are back and it's time to party. Is Vonnie back from her trip yet? What was that Mary? You're too tired from your trip to party? We can call it a cleaning party if it makes you feel better. There is a lot of glitter lying around.

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  34. Glitter glitter everywhere enough to make us flip - ah well, now the delightful new hostesses are well and truly 'broken in' they can do the cleaning up next week! (Wicked grin)

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