BIG WIG Tamara Nicola

Tamara Nicola is focused, driven, and goal-oriented, so it's no wonder that Vicki Tracy, chair for this year's Big Wigs Night at the Museum, asked her to jump onboard with organizing the event.

 

If you're friends with us on Facebook, no doubt you've seen the photos from our delicious working dinner.

 

Here's what you missed:

 

Do you have a nickname?

Yes. Blanche. My sister is nicknamed "Jane." The nicknames were dubbed by my late father, Richard Jones, and came from the movie "Whatever happened to Baby Jane" - a movie about two sisters who were trying to kill each other.

 

Why do you feel a children's museum is important to a community?

It brings a much needed facility for children and families to interact, imagine, learn, and play.

 

What do you do in your spare time?

What spare time?

 

What is your work schedule like?

Booked solid.

 

If you could offer just one piece of advice to anyone, what would it be?

Never, ever let anyone tell you that your goals are not attainable.

 

What's your dream day?
Tamara: Being with my family anywhere, any day, with no plans.

 

...and now let's get a little personal!

 

What's on your nightstand right now?

Fifty Shades of Grey. My friend, Caryn, is having her wedding shower with a "Fifty Shades" theme. I figured I'd better read it.

 

What's the craziest thing you've done for love?

Actually went to a football game and wore a jersey. My friends, who know I'm a "non-sports" person, were shocked! And yes, he fooled me, too, by proclaiming that he liked to dance. We're even.

 

~ Bonus Material! ~

 

Favorite Holiday? --- Christmas

Favorite Movie? --- Sixteen Candles

Favorite Place in the World? --- Istanbul, Turkey. It really is that fabulous.

Morning or night? --- Morning

Beaches or pools? --- Pools

Cupcakes or ice cream? --- Ice cream

 

 

We can't wait for you to meet Tamara at the Big Wigs Night at the Museum on February 7th!

 

 

Please call 239-260-1714 or visit cmon.org for tickets or sponsorship information for Big Wigs Night at the Museum.

Cover Reveal: Chlorine & Chaos

Ready for something a little…wrong?

How about something so wrong it’s right?

CHLORINE & CHAOS 

Flawed Heroes, Book One

Jessalyn Jameson

***Coming March 10, 2015***

Cover Artist: Michelle Johnson, Blue Sky Design

Former rebel-punk foster child. Has-been golden boy swim champ. Second chance at the love of a lifetime, or all-consuming mistake?

Drowning in guilt, Sage Shepard and Brandon Tiggs have spent the last seven years blaming themselves for their post-graduation break-up. Brand numbs the pain by sleepwalking through his monotonous existence. Sage seeks solace in random strangers—names optional. 

When Sage returns to the town she left years ago, she unknowingly walks right back into Brand’s life. Mid-divorce, Brand sees Sage’s return as the opportunity of a lifetime. But Sage doesn’t believe in second chances, and still hasn’t forgiven herself for the mistakes she made in the most important relationship of her existence. 

Their all-consuming love reignites, and as passion threatens to undo them, it’s all either can do to stay afloat. 

Some mistakes refuse to stay in the past.

Sometimes ‘wrong’ is the best kind of right.

Links: Amazon (pre-order) | Goodreads 

Pre-order GIVEAWAY!

If 'wrong kind of right' looks like your thing, as a little bonus incentive, Jessalyn is giving away a $25.00 Amazon gift card to anyone who pre-orders CHLORINE & CHAOS through Amazon! 

Simply forward your receipt of purchase email, or a screenshot of the same to this email.

Winner will be revealed on March 10, 2015 on Jessalyn's Twitter, so be sure to follow her there! 

About the Author:

Jessalyn Jameson writes sexy, troubled love stories that break the rules and sit just outside the romance box. Jameson’s couples mess up, break up, make up . . . and fight their way to their HEA.

Nothing worth having comes easily—why should a happy ending be any different?

When she’s not writing, you can usually find her with a drink in hand and a far-off look in her eyes, always dreaming up her next chaotic couple. Married to the hottest guy in the room, a mother to one sassy tween and two spoiled dogs, obsessed with Supernatural (Team Dean), The Vampire Diaries (Team Damon), and Craft beer, Jessalyn is a homebody with a gypsy soul.

CHLORINE & CHAOS is the first in Jameson’s Flawed Heroes series.

Please stay tuned for Jake’s story in WHISKEY BURNED, coming late 2015.

Twitter | Goodreads | Blog

Amanda Usen's IMPULSE CONTROL

Today we're excited to feature Amanda Usen and her new release, IMPULSE CONTROL!

Check out this super awesome YouTube video from Amanda and her husband!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6-UnYZKQJ4

Aries (March 21-April 19): Your passionate nature will work in your favor today. Get down, get dirty, and don't give up. Keeping the focus on your partner will guarantee success.

Welcome to the IMPULSE CONTROL release blitz! I'm thrilled to introduce Book One of the Men Of The Zodiac Series for Entangled Indulgence. Russ Donovan is an Aries, and he embodies all the best—and worst—traits of the sign. He's a survivalist, a former Green Beret, twice-voted the toughest man alive, and he's dynamite in bed. No, really. When I handed IMPULSE CONTROL in to my editor, I told her she'd fall in love with Russ on page ninety-six. I don't know where that particular part ended up page-number-wise once the book was formatted, but here's a snippet that shows Russ is a hot lover:

She crab-crawled away from his mouth. A baby wipe could only do so much, and she’d been hiking for two days. Ethan had hated going down on her. “Uh, I don’t think…can’t we just…um…”

He stopped her progress with a heavy hand on each thigh. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do, but don’t stop me because you think I’m going to do something I don’t want to do.” His breath whispered against her bare skin, making her ache. What would his tongue feel like? She felt herself getting wet, almost able to forget about her self-consciousness, but not quite.

He moved an inch closer. “I never do anything I don’t want to do.”

She braced her hands on his shoulders. “What about this show? You didn’t want to film with me.”

“I didn’t want to film with you before I met you.”

He climbed back up beside her, curling the long length of his body around hers. Disappointment squeezed the air out of her lungs, and she closed her eyes, cursing the stupid baggage that had just lost her what would likely have been a transformative experience. Why did she care what he thought of her?

“It didn’t take long to change my mind. I began picturing you in nothing but those pink heels, and filming was the least of what I wanted to do with you.” He gathered her to his chest, pressing the evidence of his desire firmly against her hip. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll make you come with my fingers, and then I get to do it again any other way I want, provided it can’t get you pregnant, communicate the diseases I swear I don’t have, or get us arrested in any U.S. state. Does that sound fair?” He nuzzled her temple. “I’m sorry I rushed you.”

She opened her mouth to say he hadn’t, but it would have been a lie. Instead, she told the truth. “I want to do this, but I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“That it will take forever, and you’ll get impatient and angry, and I’ll feel like an idiot.”

His mouth settled over hers, softly seducing. His tongue stroked hers, and she felt it between her legs. She swallowed a moan. His hand caressed her arm and waist, coasting over her curves, before sliding between her thighs. “I don’t care if it takes all night. If it takes longer than that, we’ll stay in the tent tomorrow. Trust me, I’ve got you.” He spoke in between kisses. “Give me a chance.”

        Susannah has issues. She's just come out of a horrid marriage that made her feel unattractive on every level, and the way Russ seduces her past her inhibitions melts me every time. He makes her feel safe, beautiful, and desired, and then he goes straight-up sexy beast on her. Gah! Frankly, despite fifteen years of a blissful marriage, I'd kill for one night in a tent with Russ Donovan. Oh, yes, those Aries are ardent, passionate lovers. Enthusiastic. Creative. Energetic. Relentless... I guess it's logical to expect a hot hookup from a fire sign, but nothing stops Russ Donovan. Not a little bit of a post-baby belly. Not stretch marks. Or low self-esteem. Because sexy isn't just parts coming together. Sexy is hearts coming together. Desire mixed with trust. At least for these two, alone in a tent on a snow-covered mountain.

Does she give him a chance? Darn right she does! However, Russ has baggage, too, and if they want to create anything more substantial than great memories, Susannah is going to have to plan her next move carefully...

            

Daily #giveaways and 1 Grand Prize up for grabs during the blitz for IMPULSE CONTROL, an Entangled Indulgence novel by Amanda Usen!

He can't resist a challenge. She can't resist a dare...

To celebrate IMPULSE CONTROL, there will be daily #giveaways on each day of the blitz! Each day THREE winners will receive a signed print copy of one of Amanda’s backlist titles (international winners will receive a digital copy). Daily drawings will be held at 4:00pm EST and winners will be announced on Amanda’s Facebook page and on Twitter.

And wait, there’s MORE! The grand prize winner, chosen at the end of the blitz, will #win a digital copy of each new release in the Men of the Zodiac Series, as they release each month, for a total of 12 books over the year! Winner will be announced on Amanda’s Facebook and Twitter at the end of the blitz.

Winners will need to contact Amanda with their preferred digital book, email address and shipping address, at amanda AT amandausen DOT com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Synopsis:

Survivalist Russ Donovan is the toughest man in America, with a reality TV show to prove it. Now he’s been strong-armed into filming a new show with dainty lifestyle expert Susannah Stone. But while “At Home in the Wild” could mean millions for his family’s charity, Russ plans to put Little Susie Homemaker to the test—in the Adirondack Mountains in the dead of winter. And there's no way she'll be able to hack it...

Susannah is tougher than she looks. She's had to fight her way through life, and there's no way she'll let a bossy mountain man show her up. When she gets him on her turf, he’s in serious trouble. But now she's run into a bit of problem. Because no one—least of all Russ and Susannah—expects sparks to fly both on camera and off. And now everyone will see their risqué rivalry break all of the rules...

Find out more at:  Goodreads |  Amazon | Barnes & Noble  |  More Buying Options

About Amanda:

Amanda Usen knows two things for certain: chocolate cheesecake is good for breakfast, and a hot chef can steal your heart. Her husband stole hers the first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America. They live in Western New York with their three children, one gerbil, four fish, a tortoise, and a beagle. Amanda spends her days teaching pastry arts classes and her nights writing sexy contemporary romance. If she isn’t baking or writing, she can usually be found reading a book and trying to get out of cooking dinner.

Connect with Amanda: Website Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads  Pinterest

Thanks for stopping by!

xox
~Risa

Marissa Collections's Jay Hartington

If “Generosity Is Good For Your Health”*, then Jay Hartington must be in superb shape! He’s today’s featured BIG WIG for The Golisano Children’s Museum’s BIG WIG Night at the Museum, and he can be summed up in three words:

Cool, calm, collective

Here’s why Jay is someone you’ll want to meet at the Big Wigs Night at theMuseum…

Jay and MarissaCollections has been a supporter of The Golisano Children's Museum since the museum's capital campaign. Every year he tries to find a new, interesting way to continue this support.

When asked why, Jay elaborates...

C'mon provides a great launch pad for the children of this community to learn and be creative. Having a daughter of my own makes it all that much more special, and we look forward to visiting for years to come.

So what's this BIG WIG do in his spare time?

Work ;) read, play tennis, and travel... His one bad habit he won't break is checking his phone too much, and unfortunately, it's the one thing he can't live without. But his dream day would be walking aimlessly around NYC with his family and letting the day play its course.

Sounds lovely! But if you can't get to NYC, then you might spot Jay at the last restaurant where he ate dinner, Bleu Provence.

...and his one piece of advice to anyone?

Be curious in life.

Jay's Favorites:

Season: Fall

Holiday: Thanksgiving

Book: Good Earth

Place in the world: Sardinia

Fast Facts:

Beaches or pools? beach

Dark or milk chocolate? dark

Straight up or with a twist? straight up

Flowers or chocolates? flowers

Laptop or desktop? laptop

Motorcycle or bicycle? bike

Health food or junk food? a little of both

Morning or night? night

Coffee or tea? coffee

Thanks for stopping by the blog! We hope to see you at the Big Wigs Night at the Museum on February 7th! Please call 239-260-1714 or visit cmon.org for tickets or sponsorship information.

*”7 Science-Backed Reasons Why Generosity Is Good For Your Health”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/01/generosity-health_n_4323727.html

Fire Commissioner, Cattleman, Chairman

When Chairman Chris Lombardo was recruited to the museum by Simone Lutgert and Shelia Davis, like a gentleman, he didn't say no to the two ladies. He agreed that a children's museum was important to the community because, as he said, "I am a big kid, and I need some place to go."

As far as his involvement with ANight at the Museum, he was the Chair of the Board, so...

That definitely makes him perfectly suited for this year's theme: BIG WIGS!

But even though he's most known as a fire commissioner, he's also a cattleman and loves to go exploring! He has an antique swamp buggy but occasionally races Formula One style cars.

If you're looking for ways to connect with Chairman Lombardo at the Big Wigs Night at the Museum, try these conversation starters!

1. He prefers tea. Earl Grey with one lump of sugar... sugar, not some silly artificial sweetener. He wants the real stuff.

2. He prefers evening. Late evening.

3. When given the choice of chocolate or vanilla, he chooses vanilla... but says Pistachio is the real deal.

4. Between oceans and pools, he sides with oceans. Why? "...because it has sharks... it is not a real adventure unless there is something in the water that could eat you."

 ~ Quotes from Chairman Lombardo ~

On last year's event: "I loved the band! But I also liked the sculpting, and the nitrogen bubbles and digital graffiti and..."

On his favorite part of the museum: "The air launch rockets! But soon it will be the NEW digital Graffiti wall."

On pink or black: "Sunset, that is my favorite color, but if you insist, it would be black over pink."

... and now for the giveaway...

Always be in fashion with a C'mon t-shirt! See Rafflecopter details to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please call 239-260-1714 or visit cmon.org for tickets or sponsorship information for Big Wigs Night at the Museum.