Countdown Day #1 to Leap into Love FB Party

https://www.facebook.com/events/174225509602700/

WOOT! IT'S ALMOST HERE!

TOMORROW the Authors at Sweet Americana Sweethearts are holding their first ever Facebook Party and YOU are invited! We are calling it LEAP INTO LOVE 

because...well...love is a BIG LEAP for most of us and we are holding it on LEAP DAY! 

                             Some things to look forward to ~ 

     1. A chance to chat with your favorite authors and meet some new ones.

     2. Drawings for PRIZES throughout the 3-hour party.

     3. A GRAND PRIZE for those who enter our RAFFLECOPTER CONTEST

                    (See below! You can enter now!)

The books we promote are sweet, clean historical romance set in America between 1820 & 1920. They are full of romance, adventure & mystery with a G to PG rating. 

We like to call them Family Friendly.

Our GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY will be for one lucky subscriber to our newsletter. To enter, simply sign up through the link below. You can increase your odds of winning if you "Like" &"Share" this event with your friends on social media. The more the merrier! 

Day #1  of Countdown to Leap into Love featuring:

Kathryn Albright

Learn more about this author by visiting her author page. Click HERE

To chat with all of our authors and have a chance to win more prizes, join us at our  
Leap into Love Facebook Party
on Monday, February 29th ~  Leap Day! ~ from 5:30 to 8:30p.m. Eastern Time
Join the party by clicking HERE. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Countdown Day #3—DARE TO LEAP Into Vaudeville

In the United States and Canada, this type of theatrical entertainment hit its heyday from the 1880s through the 1930s. The term “vaudeville” describes a show involving separate acts of various types under a common bill. Distinguished from “minstrel shows” (1840s-1860s) or “variety” shows” (1860s-1881, vaudeville provided entertainment aimed more to a family audience and was performed mostly in places where alcohol was not served. Rosters of acts included popular and classical musicians and singers, acrobats, trained animals, magicians, comedians, jugglers, illustrated songs, and one-act plays.

 

Like circuses, traveling shows often had a regular circuit and the performing season was regulated on favorable weather. Because vaudeville shows involved only small animals and the dray animals, more freedom was enjoyed in finding audiences not served by larger outfits. Since traveling was seasonal, most troupes had a home base where they performed in a theater setting.

This research was an important component of my plot for Laced By Love, a Montana Sky Kindle Worlds novel. Choosing a vaudeville troupe as the normal world for some of characters was such fun. I became mistress of ceremonies to select what type of acts to include, the costuming, and what music would be performed. I hope those who read it have as much fun as I did creating the story.

 

Day #3 of Countdown to Leap into Love featuring:

Linda Carroll-Bradd

Learn more about this author by visiting her author page. Click HERE

To chat with all of our authors and have a chance to win more prizes, join us at our  
Leap into Love Facebook Party
on Monday, February 29th ~  Leap Day! ~ from 5:30 to 8:30p.m. Eastern Time
Join the party by clicking HERE. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Countdown Day #9: Leap Into Love (the Victorian Way)

by Kristin Holt

American Victorians recognized Leap Year and its various Old World traditions and many took them seriously.

 

Newspaper: Weekly Kansas Chief, Troy KS, 21 January 1892. Courtesy: Newspapers.com

 

Leap Year Greeting Cards

While the once-in-every-four-years occasion was often marked by greeting cards mailed to family, friends, and acquaintances (and some cards were often ribald and off-color), many such pieces of correspondence poked a bit of fun at the long-held traditions of Leap Year (not just the 29th of February). Other event cards were most genuine, some offering young ladies a way to express her interest in a swain (era-appropriate term for a male admirer or suitor) and retain her dignity.

LEAP YEAR IN THE WEST: The western method, while rough and uncouth, still brings practical results in 1908. Postcard. Courtesy: www.gooseflats.com. Used with permission.

 

  

All Jokes Aside...

Newspaper articles verify that marriageable young women took their opportunities to exercise what society and proper decorum had labeled manly responsibilities. Ladies called for young men at their homes to accompany them to Leap Year dances and parties. Newspaper articles not only address the proper way for a young woman to go about offering a serious proposal of marriage (see article, above), but also how a young man could respectfully go about saying no without causing undo damage to that young lady's feelings. Curiously, newspapers reported many happy occurrences where young couples admitted a Leap Year proposal, but down the road a few years few happy couples seemed willing to admit their course to "conjugal felicity" (one of my favored Victorian American phrases) began with the wife proposing marriage to her now husband.

A legitimate offer of  marriage, through the mail, or another lighthearted joke? You decide! Source: Pinterest

MORE Victorian American Leap Year coming soon...

I'm tickled to present Victorian Leap Year Traditions, Part 1 (link live on 2-28-16) and Victorian Leap Year Traditions, Part 2 (link live on 2-29-16). Each will address historic documentation of American Victorian Leap Year dances, parties, newspaper accounts of young ladies popping the questions, best advice from gurus for young men navigating the challenge of Leap Year, and so much more. Please mark your calendars and plan to stop by on Leap Day!

 

Do YOU know anyone whose attachment became 'official' from a woman exercising her Leap Year prerogative? Please respond! (after all, doing so enters you in the drawing associated with our Countdown to Leap Into Love!)

And don't forget the COUNTDOWN Rafflecopter!

I'm pleased to contribute an eBook of my newest release, MAIL ORDER BRIDE: A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY in the grand-prize.

 

I gave away one kindle edition of this popular new release to one winner in each of two drawings held here at Sweet Americana Sweethearts in early February (here AND here). (Thank you, everyone, for your interest!).

 

Day #9  of Countdown to Leap into Love featuring:

Kristin Holt

Learn more about this author by visiting her author page. Click HERE


To chat with all of our authors and have a chance to win more prizes, join us at our  

Leap into Love Facebook Party

on Monday, February 29th ~  Leap Day! ~ from 5:30 to 8:30p.m. Eastern Time

Join the party by clicking HERE. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hi! I'm Kristin Holt.

I write frequent articles (or view recent posts easily on my Home Page, scroll down to mid to lower) about the nineteenth century American west–every subject of possible interest to readers, amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching for my books. I also blog monthly at Sweet Americana Sweethearts (first Friday of each month) and Romancing the Genres (third Tuesday of each Month).

I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note. Or find me on Facebook.

Website | Email | Newsletter | Blog Articles | Twitter | Pinterest | g+ | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon

Copyright © 2016, Kristin Holt, LC

Countdown Day #10 to Leap into Love

When you're dealing with a Hopeless Romantic such as yours truly, the first thing that popped into my mind for this post was what it means to leap into love.

My characters often leap into love. Some of them take a while to fall. Others cautiously dip their toe into the waters of love. And then there are those who turn tail and run until the inevitable catches up to them.

I thought it might be fun to share some "leap" quotes with you...

 And one of my favorites ...

 

I hope you'll leap into a great event full of fun and giveaways February 29!

Leap into Love Facebook Party

 Monday, February 29th ~  Leap Day! ~ from 5:30 to 8:30p.m. Eastern Time
Join the party by clicking HERE. 

Day  10 of Countdown to Leap into Love featuring:

Shanna Hatfield

Learn more about Shanna  by visiting her author page. Click HERE

And don't miss out on the rafflecopter giveaway. You could win a $50 gift card and a bevy of digital books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic  is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

 Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

 Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter