The Hawaiian word of the day is
Le'ale'a
Le'a is amusement.
Le'ale'a is having an amusing time.
I had a le'ale'a dinner with romance author Lindsay McKenna during her visit to Oahu. Lindsay is a Navy veteran from a family of Navy veterans. I asked her why she became a romance writer. Lindsay replied that her experience during the Vietnam War inspired her to write about military personnel. From her bio (at this link),
McKenna originated the military adventure/romance genre in 1983 with Captive of Fate (Silhouette Special Edition/Simon and Schuster/Silhouette).
Luke Collier knows his duty. A marine corps combat medic, his job is to save lives—not satisfy his own desires. Megan Trayhern is his corpsman, but the beautiful redhead can't be anything more. Luke has already given his heart once, and he understands the toll the corps can take on a woman, on a romance…on a marriage.
Megan has her own mission. While she doles out medical care in the nearby village, she's also gathering intel. It's a dangerous assignment that the onetime military brat undertakes without fear. She needs to focus—and be careful—and the growing passion she feels for Luke can only put them both at risk. Honor binds them both, but the heart gives its own orders….
Lindsay reminded me that we are our own happy ending. If we embrace life, including the challenges, we can achieve our dreams. I am blessed to have spent this time with a romance legend!
Thanks to Nat at Reading Romances for hosting the Happy Endings Giveaway Hop - check out her blog at this link. I am giving away a copy of Lindsay's upcoming book, BEYOND VALOR, available January 23:
"You make me forget everything else."
Luke Collier knows his duty. A marine corps combat medic, his job is to save lives—not satisfy his own desires. Megan Trayhern is his corpsman, but the beautiful redhead can't be anything more. Luke has already given his heart once, and he understands the toll the corps can take on a woman, on a romance…on a marriage.
Megan has her own mission. While she doles out medical care in the nearby village, she's also gathering intel. It's a dangerous assignment that the onetime military brat undertakes without fear. She needs to focus—and be careful—and the growing passion she feels for Luke can only put them both at risk. Honor binds them both, but the heart gives its own orders….
Winner can choose print or electronic copy. To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about a happy ending you experienced.
2. Comments are open through Saturday, January 26, 10 pm in Hawaii.
3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 27.
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
To learn more about Lindsay and her books, check out her website at lindsaymckenna.com.
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| I shared with Lindsay that I often find peace at Ka'ena Point. |
my Daughter was struggling and so she went to live with her sister. She is now in college and engaged.
ReplyDeleteI have had many happy endings in life. I think one that stands out is meeting my husband after thinking I would never get married and having a HEA.
ReplyDeleteOne of my happy endings is when my daughter went into remission from Bone Cancer after being an in-patient for one year.My happiest ending ever. That was 17 years ago and today she's a healthy 25 year old. :)
ReplyDeleteCarol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
I had two difficult pregnancies. Luckily, both of my daughter turned out healthy. That's the best happy ending that first come to my mind when I count my blessings. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my biggest happy endings was when my daughter was born but had two seizures right after she got here. Everything turned out ok and no ill after effects and is now a healthy 21 year old. My biggest happy ending.
ReplyDeleteMy happy endings were when my children, and grandchildren were born.
ReplyDeleteI don't read this genre of book, so please don't enter me into the contest.
Rescuing my puppy from the kill shelter-- she is one year old now and beautiful!
ReplyDeletebooksconsidered[at]gmail[dot]com
We recently lost are 2nd dog in 9 months to kidney failure and were heartbroken. My husband found this amazing Rottweiler dog at the shelter by our house and he has been an amazing fit for our family. Rowan is the best dog ever!
ReplyDeleteMel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com
I would say most of life is a happy ending. Is it not? We have great joys in our lives like high school graduations, marriage, engagements, kids, weddings, family reunions. So many good things!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
Mary
Not an ending but a continued journey - my mom celebrated her 90th birthday in September and my nephew had his first child a day later!
ReplyDeleteMeeting in a cancer support group an amazing group of men and women, each of whom is devoted to making each day a joy.
ReplyDeleteHappy endings were my children growing up to become good, honest, responsible adults.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Happy endings are each day I spend with my family. They always make me laugh or feel better when I'm down. Their support and love makes my life so much happier.
ReplyDeleteHappy endings are the times when family and friends get together.
ReplyDeletegraduating from college
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I used to pick my best friend up from work everyday. She didn’t drive & I worked just down the street from her work. I would sit in my truck and wait in the parking lot for her to get out. As I sat there everyday I would watch this really cute guy walk out of her office and go across the street to the mailbox. Everyday I made sure I was there early enough to watch him. After a few months of watching this guy, my friend & I were bored and decided to call people to get together. She was talking to this guy on the phone & I grabbed the phone from her & flirted with the guy. Everyone was busy. A few weeks later I decided to make my big move on the mailbox guy. I whistled at him as he walked across the parking lot. He asked my friend for my number, turns out he was the guy on the phone I flirted with. 23 years, 4 kids, & a big house later we are still together!
ReplyDeleteKim, thank you for a lovely dinner last night. Like you, I wish we had more time together, but what we had, we made the most of :-). I just want to say thank you to you. As a blogger and lover of romantic fiction, you stand out. And all of us authors in the romance field truly appreciate your passion and gung ho attitude toward this particular industry. We couldn't have a better voice. Mahalo, Lindsay McKenna
ReplyDeleteI would say that my daughter is one of my happy endings. I had difficulty getting pregnant and it took 8 years and fertility drugs in order to have her.
ReplyDeleteMy happy Ending happened the day I married my bestfriend, Hero, and Husband in Beaufort, SC in front of a JP, Her Husband and their cat...I was 19 he was 20 we had been together 4 years, he was due to deploy and we had already changed our wedding date 3 different times... and I was 4 months along with our eldest son. After going on 14 years together, almost 10 years marriage and two boys ages 9 & 3 I can say he pisses me off everyday but makes me laugh so much at the same time... I wouldn't trade my life with My Mikey for all the wealth and power in this world... My grandma told me I was going to marry him when I was 16 years old and I laughed at her and say no grandma Mike is my best friend... Well in Heaven she is laughing at me saying I told you that Baker boy was going to be your husband.
ReplyDeleteforgot to leave my email
ReplyDeletethompsonem3 at aol dot com
Getting the news that my tumors were benign.
ReplyDeleteOne of my happy endings was meeting and marrying my husband. We met on an online game and he moved down from Ohio to Oklahoma to be with me. He is an amazing man and I am very lucky to have him.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway.
Melissa
abinormyl AT gmail DOT com
Finally getting my degree.
ReplyDeletechey127 at hotmail dot com
Definitely completing all my studies. It's quite a relief.
ReplyDeleteGathering with my book friends where we are from different city
ReplyDeleteHappy with all my family. have a new house, a son, and we are planning to travelling next month..
ReplyDeleteMy happy ending is always being blessed with meeting my husband and our two beautiful daughters.
ReplyDeleteforgot my email. kat.harris35@gmail.com
DeleteMy HEA is still a work in progress -- but it's definitely all about the journey!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com
Thanks for the fun giveaway! Ummm... going on a blind date even though I really didn't want to. Almost four years later... it's safe to say that it worked out :)
ReplyDeleteGraduating from college, after I had taken a long break, and then eventually went back and finished my degree. I also met one of my best friends when I went back to college so it was a double happy ending.
ReplyDeleteMy happy ending was the award I received at my convocation. Not only did I get a degree so I got a commendation that made all the 4 years seem worth it
ReplyDeletexo_veronica16[at]hotmail[dot]com
had to think about this for a few minutes - most of my endings have been sad. Then I thought of when I lost my last job (it was outsourced & offshored). But because of that I was able to spend a lot of time with my father in his last years - so perhaps that was meant to be.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for a military story because I'm a military wife. lol My HEA is my hubby. I gave up on men and then he came along and changed it all. 7 years later and I'm still as happy as the day I said my vows. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletekaylyndavis1986@yahoo.com
HHMM, I almost died in Nov from bleeding to death the woman's way. I just had surgery which should take care of that problem, my iron levels had begun to go up so that's a good sign.
ReplyDeleteZ
Hm.. I guess one of the happy endings in my life was that my brother and sister in law were able to get pregnant and now I have a beautiful niece and nephew. Thanks so much!
ReplyDelete-Amber
goodblinknpark@yahoo.com
my most recent happy ending has been getting my dream job in 2012. after 7 years of school and a million interviews, i landed the job. and i work with the best people in the world. thanks for the giveaway. HEA books are my FAV!!
ReplyDeletepepperpenn42 at gmail dot com
I'm so grateful for all the payy endings in my last, the last one being that my father's headache isn't because of cancer.
ReplyDeletetessa (dot) bamberg (at) kolumbus (dot) fi
I had to move back home because of the economy, but that led me to realize that I didn't like the Bachelor's degree I had. So, I went back to school and am getting a second Bachelor's. I would say that's a happy ending!
ReplyDeletemestith@gmail.com
I met my best friend when I was 24 and then I married him...10 years later and every day is still my happily ever after
ReplyDeleteuilani25(at)hotmail(dot)com
When my husband and I had our daughter, it was the happiest ending (to a morning sickness filled pregnancy) and the happiest beginning, all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteoddball2003 at hotmail dot com
Sadly still single so no romantic happy ending but graduating from college was very happy... only one in my family to have gone!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest!!
forettarose@yahoo.com
It's been fun reading all of these stories. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletedragonkeep62(at)gmail(dot)com
No romantic happy endings for me.. but I have my family, my health, and I'm finishing up with school.. so I'm a work in progress! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
readsalot81(@)hotmail(dot)com
there doesn't seem to be any happy endings left anymore - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteI was in Hawaii a long, long, long time ago. I was a great vacation. Here is my HEA. My HEA is my husband. He lets me drag him to all kinds of things. We did hula dancing, crystal mining, ride trip going to Roswell New Mexico. And we are planning a ghost tour. He does the landuary and will cook. Don’t I have a super sweet guy, uh huh, yes I do. And we’ve been married for 22 years. I am really enjoying this Happy Ending Blog.
ReplyDeleteroya-clan@sbcglobal.net
kaholgate at ymail dot com
ReplyDeleteMy happy ending is that in spite of a nasty divorce, I have a very talented daughter. I would call this a very happy ending.
ReplyDeleteruthaw_1974@yahoo.com
Hello Kim!
ReplyDeleteSaw you webby on the list & I just couldn't miss! ;)
Adila (from Azerbaijan)
P.S. Hope to see you at RT this year.