Barbara Freethy's Blog, page 6

IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER Release & Launch Party!

Are you ready for the Callaway cousins? IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER is now available for all Barbara's wonderful readers! Pick up your copy today, and please consider sharing the news with all the romance readers in your life.

Kindle: http://barbarafreethy.com/IIDKB_Kindle
iBooks: http://barbarafreethy.com/IIDKB_iBooks
Nook: http://barbarafreethy.com/IIDKB_Nook
Kobo: http://barbarafreethy.com/IIDKB_Kobo
GooglePlay: http://barbarafreethy.com/IIDKB_Googl...

To celebrate this new release, we're hosting a party in Barbara's Street Team, and would love for you to stop by to interact with other readers and to enter for some great swag giveaways. Here's the link to join: http://facebook.com/groups/BarbaraFre...

See you there!

Read Bachelors & Bridesmaids on Your Next Southwest Flight

 It’s no secret—I love my Kobo readers! So when Kobo approached me for the opportunity to take part in their new promotion with Southwest Airlines, I jumped on the opportunity. As a result, weary travelers can now snuggled up with Kiss Me Forever (the first in my Bachelors & Bridesmaids series) as part of making sure their journey goes just a little quicker.

You can read more about this exciting, new partnership via Publisher’s Weekly. Make sure to spread the word with your family, friends, and colleagues. Happy travels.

Pictured Bella Andre, Mark Leslie Lefebvre of Kobo, and Barbara.

From #1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy comes KISS ME FOREVER, the first book in Bachelors & Bridesmaids, a fun, romantic series about a group of female friends who start out as bridesmaids and end up as brides!

Magazine reporter Andrea Blaine is supposed to cover the news, not make it. But whenever she is on the trail of a big story, things just . . . happen. After causing a diplomatic incident, Andrea is given one last chance to prove herself with the cover story on sexy billionaire heartbreaker, Alexander Donovan. 

The wealthy philanthropist appears to be living the American dream, but Andrea is determined to uncover the real story. But when Alex’s secrets are revealed, Andrea will have to choose between climbing the ladder of success or falling in love…

Click here for purchase links.

 

Print Books Now in Stores – Update!

I wanted to give everyone an update on my groundbreaking partnership with Ingram Publisher Services to sell and distribute my print books under my publishing print imprint HYDE STREET PRESS into physical bookstores across the country. The first book in my NYT Bestselling Callaway Series ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS hits shelves this week. And I’ll be releasing at least one book a month, sometimes two, for the next twelve months. SO THIS IS LOVE will come out on May 5th.

I’m happy to report that thanks to the stellar Ingram sales team, I’m getting great distribution of both trade paperback and hardcovers into retailers and libraries across the country. Target has made ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS one of their featured titles this month. B&N is also promoting the book on their front table and I’m getting support from Amazon, Hudson Booksellers, airport bookstores and supermarket chains around the country.

I will admit that it’s been tough to get much distribution into the Indie bookstores and some of the small book chains.  There still seems to be a stigma towards romance/women’s fiction, and I hope with time that that will change. Romance is a huge market, and I know there are lots of readers who would love to get my books at their local stores but unfortunately they don’t carry them–yet!  Shelf space is hard to come by, but I do think that mainstream romantic fiction is a big seller both in digital and print.

But I’m really pleased with the print run for the first book, which is the same as the print run some of my trade paperback published friends who write for NY publishing houses are getting. And the hardcovers are also selling surprisingly well, especially in the library market.

I have been wanting to get my best-selling digital titles back into print for the last three years but was unable to land a print-only deal with a NY house and I was unwilling to give up my digital rights, since I’ve sold 5 million ebooks in the last three years. It took me a while to find a partner who was willing to think outside of the box. And I’m thrilled to be working with Ingram!

New Excerpt for SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

The 8th book in my Callaway Series hits shelves on Thursday 02/12/15! Don't miss Burke's story in Somewhere Only We Know! Shocking secrets, heartwarming romance, and a tantalizing mystery ...

The book is available for preorder at: Apple iBooks, Amazon, B&N, Google and Kobo!

Chapter One

The cold wintry night was eerily similar to the one three years ago when thick clouds of fog had swept into San Francisco just after dusk, shutting out the last bit of daylight, holding the city in the icy fingers of late January. And just like that night, Burke felt a chill run down his spine, an uneasy feeling that was heightened by the sirens that suddenly lit up the air.

As a firefighter, he was used to sirens, to emergencies, to the unthinkable happening in a second, but nothing had prepared him for that night.

He tried to force the horrific images out of his mind.
It wasn't the same, he told himself, but three years had done little to erase the memories, which was why the last thing he wanted to do was attend yet another memorial dinner in honor of his late fiancée Leanne Parker. But Chuck and Marjorie Parker insisted on remembering their only daughter's death every year since the tragic car accident had taken her life. As Leanne's former fiancé, he could do nothing but support them. It was his duty to attend, and he'd never been a man to shirk his duty.

As a cold blast of wind rocketed through the tall buildings that surrounded him, he zipped up his jacket and proceeded up the steep hill to the Hanover Club. Originally a private gentlemen's establishment started by one of San Francisco's first families, the Hanover Club now catered to high-powered executives and politicians of both genders interested in holding parties or meetings. Tonight was something in between…

"Burke, wait up."

He stopped, surprised at the sound of his sister's voice. He turned around to see Emma and his younger brother Sean walking quickly up the hill behind him. Emma was a slender blonde with snapping blue eyes that reflected her sparkling, often stubborn personality. A fire investigator for the San Francisco Fire Department, she'd obviously come straight from work, wearing her navy blue slacks and matching jacket.

Sean wore dark jeans under a black wool coat, and like all the Callaway men, he had brown hair and blue eyes. But while Sean looked like everyone else in the family, he was in many ways the odd man out: the musician, the soulful, emotional singer/songwriter in a family of overachievers, many of whom were firefighters.

"What are you guys doing here?" Burke asked.

"Supporting you," Emma said with a purposeful smile, as if she was expecting to get an argument from him.

"You should have told us about the dinner, Burke."

"I didn't tell you, because I didn't want you to come."
Bluntness was the only thing that worked when it came to his stubborn younger sister. "How did you find out?"

"Mrs. Parker called Mom to see who from the family would be attending. You can imagine how thrilled Mom was that you hadn't told her."

Now he knew why he had four voice messages from his mother that he had yet to listen to. He'd also been avoiding his text messages, which had been pinging away all day. He glanced at Sean and frowned. "And you—this is what you decide to show up for? The guy who misses almost every family event? This one you have to make?"

Sean gave him an understanding look. "Emma insisted. Drew and Ria are on their way as well as Aiden, Sara and Mom. Jessica and Nicole send their regards, but they had a school function with Brandon and Kyle tonight. I'm not sure what's up with Shayla or Colton."

"They're both stuck at work," Emma put in. "And Dad had a dinner meeting he couldn't miss."

"Thank God for that," Burke muttered. While he was close to his father, Jack Callaway had a huge personality, and Jack had never gotten along that well with Leanne's dad. Chuck was a white-collar investment banker and staunch conservative. Jack was blue collar all the way, although he now served as Deputy Chief of Operations for the San Francisco Fire Department.

"How are you doing, Burke?" Emma asked, her blue eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine, and you really didn't have to come."

"We all loved Leanne. She was going to be part of the family."

"It seems like a long time ago now."

"There's Mom." Sean tipped his head toward the top of the hill where his mother, his brother Aiden and Aiden's wife Sara were getting out of a car. "Don't fight it," Sean advised. "We're going to be here for you whether you like it or not. It's the Callaway way."

He knew it was the Callaway way. Usually, he was the first one to support a sibling or parent or cousin in need, but he wasn't used to being on the receiving end of the attention, and he didn't like it. As the oldest of eight siblings, he'd always been the one to take care of everyone else, to be the strong, independent leader of the family. It was a role he both loved and hated. It was tiring to always have to set the bar high. On the other hand, as his brother Aiden liked to remind him, he did have the chance to set the bar while the rest of his siblings had to follow.

They walked up the hill together, meeting up with his other family members outside the entrance to the club.
His mom Lynda gave him a hug. Aiden nodded, concern in his eyes, and Sara sent him a warm smile and told him that Drew and Ria were on the way.

"Great," he muttered. "I guess we should go in."

As they walked through the lobby and into the private dining room, he saw Leanne's family and friends chatting around tall cocktail tables while waiters served champagne and appetizers. Despite the party set-up, there was a somber air in the room, and Burke felt better having some members of his family walking behind him.

Chuck saw him and immediately came over to shake his hand. Dressed in a dark suit, Chuck had aged in the last few years, his gray hair now completely white, and the shadows under his brown eyes had become permanent fixtures.

"Burke, I was beginning to think you might not make it," Chuck said.

There was a hint of censure in his voice, but that was Chuck. He was always demanding and often disappointed in the people around him. Leanne had told him many times that she just couldn't seem to make her father happy.

"Don't give him a hard time," Marjorie interrupted with a smile that was very much like her daughter's, and that smile made his heart squeeze a little tighter. "It's nice to see you, Burke. It's been a long time."

"Yes," he admitted. "I like your hair." Her normally brown hair was now a deep rich auburn.

She gave him a dimpled smile. "I decided to go red. Leanne always used to tell me I should change things up every once in a while, so today I decided to finally do that." Her gaze swept across the rest of his family. "I'm so glad you could all come. It means so much to us."

Burke stepped back as his mother and Marjorie exchanged a hug and Chuck shook hands with the rest of his siblings.

As he looked around the dining room, he saw four of his coworkers at one of the tall tables. Apparently, they'd also heard about the event. Since his cousin and fellow firefighter Dylan Callaway was at the table, Burke wasn't surprised they'd found out about the event. Next to Dylan was Frank Harding, who'd been friends with him since the fire academy, Rachel Briggs, a paramedic at their firehouse, and Shelby Cooper, one of their long-time dispatchers who also worked out of the firehouse.

He was touched by their attendance and not that surprised by their presence. His firehouse family was as close as his Callaway family.

Rachel and Shelby both gave him hugs while Frank slapped him on the shoulder and Dylan gave him a nod.

"Thanks for coming," he said.

"No problem," Dylan replied. "I remember last year the Parkers put on a good spread."

"You're always looking for your next meal," he said, appreciating Dylan's attempt to lighten the mood.

"Are you all right, Burke?" Shelby asked.

Shelby was a dark-eyed brunette in her mid-thirties who worked dispatch with a calm coolness that always kept them on track. Since Leanne's death, Shelby had offered him a friendly ear on more than one occasion. She'd also been friends with Leanne, so it was easy to share memories with her, not that they spent much time talking about Leanne anymore. It had been three years, but tonight it felt like yesterday.

"I'm fine." He wondered how many more times he would say those words tonight.

"Are you?" Rachel challenged. A tall, slender blonde, Rachel could have been a model if she'd had any interest in posing in front of a camera. But she was a tomboy at heart, a girl who loved action sports and pushing herself to the limit.

"I'd just like to get this over with," he told her.

She nodded in understanding. "I'm sure."

"We're going to Brady's after this," Shelby added. "You should come with us after you pay your respects to the Parkers."

"I'll think about it."

"Looks like the buffet table is open," Dylan said.

"Anyone want to get some food?"

"You guys go ahead." He wasn't the least bit hungry.

As his friends moved over to the buffet, Aiden crossed the room and put a bottle of beer into his hand.

"Thanks," he said, taking a long swig of cold beer.

"What do you figure? Give this a half hour, then say goodbye?" Aiden asked.

"Definitely not longer than that." He looked towards the front of the room and saw Leanne's smiling face gazing back at him from a large poster. Her parents had set up the same photos that they'd had at the funeral—a display of Leanne's life in photographs. He shook his head in bewilderment. "What are they thinking? When does this end? When do we stop celebrating the worst day in all of our lives?"

"They're thinking that they don't want anyone to forget their daughter," Aiden said quietly.

"I don't need a poster to remind me of Leanne."

"Maybe they do," Sara suggested, joining them.

"Sometimes memories start to fade and people worry that they'll forget. I remember feeling that way after my mom died. As the years went by, I couldn't see her face as clearly. I couldn't hear her voice in my head. I couldn't remember her laugh. To tell you the truth, it scared me. I felt like she was slipping away. Perhaps the Parkers feel like that, too."

Sara's words rang true in his head. Leanne had been fading in his mind. While he hadn't been in a serious romantic relationship since then, he had dated other women. He had gone on with his life. Maybe that was why he hadn't wanted to come tonight. He felt like the Parkers were trying to pull him back into the darkness, and he didn't want to be there anymore. He'd gone through the anger, the guilt, the sadness and the multitude of what ifs that could have changed the outcome if only he'd done something different. He was over all that.

He looked away from the pictures, his gaze coming to rest on the newest arrival to the gathering—Mitch Warren. His heart sank. This was not going to go well.
Mitch was in his mid-thirties and was a fellow firefighter. Mitch had also been a good friend of Leanne's long before Burke had met her. In fact, Burke had always thought that Mitch had felt a lot more than friendship for Leanne, but Leanne had always dismissed that idea with a laugh, saying they were just good friends.

As much as Mitch liked Leanne, he did not care for Burke. And that dislike had only grown after Leanne's death. Mitch was convinced that Leanne's death was not an accident, that somehow Burke was to blame. He could understand that Mitch needed someone to blame, because he'd looked for a scapegoat himself, but some accidents were just that—unexpected, unexplainable and tragic.

Next to Mitch was Burke's youngest brother Colton.
Burke could see the worry in Colton's eyes. His brother worked under Mitch at a firehouse on the other side of the city, but he was caught in the war between Burke and Mitch, and there was nothing Burke could do about it. Colton would have to find his own way to a relationship with Mitch Warren.

He stiffened as Mitch saw him and headed in his direction. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation here, but there was nowhere to run, and it seemed obvious from the aggressive look in Mitch's eyes that he wanted to make a scene. He was itching for a fight.

"I can't believe you had the nerve to show up," Mitch ground out, anger burning in his eyes.

He told himself not to react. Mitch's anger came from a place of grief, and that was something they had in common. It wasn't something to fight over.

"Let's get something to eat, Captain," Colton suggested.

"Not yet. I'm done letting your brother act like he had nothing to do with Leanne's death, when we all know he did."

As Mitch spat out the words, Burke could smell the liquor on Mitch's breath. There was no question that alcohol was fueling his fire.

"Why don't we go outside?" Burke suggested calmly, seeing Chuck and Marjorie approaching, tense looks on their faces.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Mitch replied. "You and I are going to have it out. I'm tired of playing your games. You don't want to answer my questions, but tonight you're going to have to do just that."

"Captain," Colton began again.

"Get out of my face, Callaway," Mitch said forcefully, shoving Colton away.

"What's going on?" Chuck Parker asked.

"It's Burke's fault, Chuck," Mitch said, looking at Leanne's father. "I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true."

"I don't understand." Chuck sent Burke a sharp look. "What's he talking about?"

"I'll tell you what I'm talking about," Mitch answered, not giving Burke a chance to explain. "Ask Burke why Leanne was on the road that night. Ask him why she was so close to the firehouse. Ask him why there didn't happen to be any security cameras in that particular neighborhood. Go on, ask him."

"Leanne was going to her yoga class," Marjorie cut in. "We already know that, Mitch. She went there every Thursday night."

"And it's not far from the firehouse," Chuck said.

"She wasn't going to yoga. That wasn't the way to the studio."

"She took a shortcut," Marjorie interrupted. "Leanne was always cutting through back alleys."

"I don't believe that. Leanne was upset with him." Mitch pointed an accusatory finger at Burke. "Leanne left me a message that day. She was crying. She said she had to talk to me about him."

Marjorie put a hand on Mitch's arm. "Mitch, we understand that you're upset. You and Leanne were so close. But this isn't going to solve anything. We'll never know what Leanne wanted to talk to you about."

"We'd know if he'd talk," Mitch said, glaring at him again. "But he just stands there and says nothing."
Burke had more than a couple of reasons for why he'd never responded to Mitch's questions, but there was no point in trying to explain that now…or ever. Nothing would bring Leanne back or change the past.

"Let it go," Chuck said firmly.

Mitch shook his head. "So he gets a free pass? No, he needs to pay. He needs to feel some of the pain that the rest of us are in."

Burke saw Mitch pull his hand back a split second too late. He tried to duck, but he was pinned in. Mitch's fist connected with his jawbone, the force of the man's anger making it a solid, purposeful punch.

He stumbled backwards, his head spinning, and knocked into one of the waitresses handing out glasses of champagne. He tried to stop himself from falling, but he got tangled up with the woman, and the next thing he knew he was on his ass on the floor with champagne splashing into his eyes and across his stinging face.

"Oh, my God," the waitress said, on her knees next to him. "I'm so sorry. Are you all right?"

He looked into a pair of emerald green eyes framed by thick dark lashes and felt like he'd been punched again.

"Maddie Heller?"

"Burke Callaway?" she asked, the same amazement in her voice.

As he stared into Maddie's face, he didn’t know whether his night had just gotten better or a whole lot worse.

Ground-breaking Print Venture With Ingram!

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve entered into a history-making and innovative partnership with Ingram Publishing Services (IPS). Through my new publishing imprint Hyde Street Press, I will be working with Ingram’s full-service sales team to sell and distribute my NYT bestselling novels in print format around the world. Soon, you’ll be able to find my best-selling Callaway series and other top-selling books in your local retail outlet. 

I’ve been working with Ingram for several months on this venture. Since I began independently publishing my books, I’ve wanted to reach the large contingent of readers who still like to browse their local bookstores or retail outlets for books, but it was a difficult goal to reach–until now. With Ingram’s help, I’ll be able to reach those readers, wherever they like to shop.

I think this venture is going to be a win-win-win for booksellers, readers and Indie authors like myself who have not been able to reach the print market outside of print-on-demand in the last few years. There’s been a void in the market, and the larger publishers have been unwilling to put bestselling digital titles by Indie authors into print without taking a piece of the digital pie. But with my partnership with Ingram, I’ll still maintain all of my digital rights. I’m very excited to have Ingram as a partner in this exciting new venture. And I’m so happy that readers will be able to get my books in any format they like from print to digital to audio! 

Here’s the official release from Ingram! 

 

October 15, 2014

Contact: Keel Hunt 615-321-3110

 Best-Selling Author Barbara Freethy Selects Ingram to Launch Digital Best Sellers in Physical Format

 

NASHVILLE, TN – Ingram Content Group Inc. today announced that #1 New York Times bestselling author Barbara Freethy has selected Ingram Publisher Services to deliver her e-books in print form to readers worldwide through Hyde Street Press, Ms. Freethy’s new independent publishing company.    

 “I believe in the value of both digital and physical books, and I’m very excited to be able to please my print fans around the world using the comprehensive distribution services and worldwide reach of Ingram,” said Barbara Freethy, Author and Owner, Hyde Street Press. “Through our collaborative efforts, digital books from my collection will be available in print, many for the very first time. Together, we are going to make history, bringing my indie best-selling digital books to the print world in a big way.”

The first four print titles from Hyde Street Press that will be available from Ingram Publisher Services in spring 2015 include books from Freethy’s Callaway Series: On A Night Like This, So This Is Love, Falling For A Stranger and Between Now and Forever. Titles that will follow later in 2015 include two of her best-selling books, Summer Secrets, which hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List, and Don’t Say a Word, which has spent 12 weeks on the list. Hyde Street Press plans to introduce six to eight books per year.

With more than 4.8 million e-books sold worldwide, Hyde Street Press will take advantage of Ingram’s full-service publishing, distribution and inventory management services, including Ingram’s print-on-demand worldwide network, to quickly fulfill demand for print copies.  

 “We’re delighted that we can help Barbara Freethy find new readers and give her existing fans new choices by offering her e-books in print form,” said Mark Ouimet, Vice President and General Manager, Ingram Publisher Services. “By taking advantage of Ingram’s services, Barbara will be able to easily provide readers with the flexibility to experience her beloved books in the formats they like best. We look forward to our work with the Hyde Street Press team.”

Barbara Freethy is the author of 40 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women’s fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara turned to independent publishing in 2011 and has since sold millions of e-books. Ms. Freethy was recently named Amazon KDP’s bestselling author of all time by Amazon.Nineteen of Barbara’s titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Follow Ingram:

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  About Ingram

Ingram Content Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Nashville-based Ingram Industries Inc. The company got its start in 1964 as a textbook depository and has since grown and transformed into a comprehensive publishing industry services company that offers numerous solutions, including physical book distribution, print-on-demand and digital services. Committed to the success of its partners, Ingram works closely with publishers, retailers, libraries and schools around the world to provide them with the right products and services to help them succeed in the dynamic and increasingly complex world of content publishing. Ingram’s operating units are Ingram Book Company, Lightning Source Inc., Vital Source Technologies, Inc., Ingram Periodicals Inc., Ingram International Inc., Ingram Library Services Inc., Spring Arbor Distributors Inc., Ingram Publisher Services Inc., Tennessee Book Company LLC, Coutts Information Services, and ICG Ventures Inc. Learn more about Ingram Content Group at www.ingramcontent.com.

 

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Digital Book Sales Hit 5 Million Units!

I’m thrilled to report that my digital book sales have surpassed 5 million units this month, which is an amazing number of copies sold. (The figure does NOT include free copies only paid units). In July of 2014, I was also informed that I was the Amazon KDP BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ALL TIME! Yay!

I’m so excited that readers from all around the world have been discovering my books. I’m currently selling worldwide on Amazon, Apple iBooks, Google Play, Kobo, and Nook. These amazing retailers have provided wonderful opportunities for writers to put their work out into the world, and I’m so grateful for all of their support.

This past year, I’ve turned my focus toward the global market and have begun translating some of my titles. I’ve translated three books into German, two books into Spanish and five books into French. Check out my Foreign Editions page for more information.

I’ve also been producing audiobooks through ACX, and the first five books in my Callaway
Series are now available in audio as well as the three books in the Wish Series. You can hear samples from the audio editions here!

And for those of you who love books in print, I’m now releasing my Callaway series in print in bookstores around the country under my new publishing imprint Hyde Street Press.

New Excerpt For THAT SUMMER NIGHT (Callaways #6)

Enjoy an excerpt from my upcoming release THAT SUMMER NIGHT. It is the sixth book in my Callaway family series!

Chapter One

Shayla Callaway woke up in a sweat, her heart racing, her mind spinning with horrible and disturbing images. It took her a moment to remember that she wasn't in a remote village in northern Colombia, but in the San Francisco apartment she shared with another medical resident. She'd been home for five days, but she had yet to fully process what had happened.

A persistent ring broke through the haze of her nightmare. She hoped it wasn't the hospital, asking her to come in and cover a shift. She wasn't ready to go back to work yet. Her hands needed to stop shaking first. She had two weeks before her next rotation started, and she hoped by then she'd be ready to return to the career she'd been pursuing for the past ten years.

But there was no familiar hospital number flashing across her phone, just the word blocked. Adrenaline ran through her already hyperaware body. She drew in a breath and told herself there was nothing to be afraid of. Grabbing the phone, she uttered a breathless, "Hello?"

"Shayla?"

The male voice crackling on the other end of the line belonged to Dr. Robert Becker, her friend, her mentor, and the brilliant doctor who had been missing since a trio of armed gunmen had broken into the Colombian clinic where they'd been working and killed three people, leaving a trail of injuries and trauma behind.

Robert had not been one of the dead or the injured; he'd been unaccounted for—until now.

Her hand tightened around the phone. "Robert? Are you all right? Where are you?"

"I'm in trouble, Shayla. I need your help."

"Of course. What can I do?"

"I need you to go to my office and get the gift you gave me for my last birthday. You remember what that was, don't you?"

Her brows knit together at the unexpected request. "You mean—"

"Don't say it out loud," Robert said quickly. "I don't know who's listening."

"What are you talking about? Who would be listening?"

"I can't explain right now. I need you to get the present and give it to my brother, Reid. Ask him to bring it to me on Sunday."

"Your brother?" she asked, even more confused. "Isn't he in the Army somewhere?"

"He's out now. He's living in San Francisco, and he might just be my only hope of getting out of this alive."

A shiver ran down her spine at his ominous words. "Why don't I talk to the police, to my brother-in-law, Max? He can help you with whatever trouble you're in."

"This is bigger than the local cops. You need to find Reid and tell him to meet me. Please, Shayla, you're the only one I can trust."

"All right," she said, hearing the agitation in his voice.

"Where do you want him to go?"

Robert hesitated. "I want you to tell him something, Shayla, and you have to say it exactly this way. Are you ready?"

"Go ahead."

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. Say it."

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. What does that mean?"

"My brother will know. Tell him Sunday afternoon, three o'clock."

"Sunday is three days from now."

"I'm not sure how long it will take me to get there or for you to convince my brother to help me." He paused. "Has anyone spoken to you since you got back, anyone from the State Department, the FBI or any other agency?"

"Yes, I've been interviewed by both agencies, and there have been a lot of questions about you. I was afraid you were dead, Robert. Why has it taken you so long to get in touch?"

"I had to be careful. I'll explain everything when this is over."

"I thought it was over."

"I wish it was. I have to go, Shayla."

"Wait, where am I going to find your brother? Do you have his number?"

"No, but his best friend, Jared Stone, owns the Cadillac Lounge. He'll know where to find Reid. Don't tell anyone about this call but Reid. And don't remove the present from my office if anyone else is around. It needs to be done secretly. This is very important Shayla. You're the only one I can trust."

"All right—"

The connection broke just as she got the last word out. She set her phone down on the bed and glanced at the clock. It was almost eight a.m., and early morning light filtered into the room. At least, the sun was coming up.
She didn't have to think about trying to force herself to go back to sleep for another few hours.

She walked across the room to the window and pulled the curtains open. She glanced out at the quiet street of apartment buildings in the shadow of Twin Peaks, the calm scene taking the edge off the anxiety driven by her nightmares and Robert's cryptic call. Everything was fine in this part of the world. She didn't need to feel afraid.

As sweat dripped down the back of her neck, she turned her face toward the fan in the corner, lifting her blond ponytail up to let the air cool down her heated skin.

Normally, San Francisco in the summer was cool and foggy, but an unusual July heat wave had hit the day before, and the city would see temps into the hundreds by the afternoon, lasting into the upcoming weekend.

It was the same kind of weather she'd experienced in Colombia where she'd spent three months working in the region of El Catatumbo. In the language of the native people, the Bari, Catatumbo meant God of Thunder, and she'd quickly learned how appropriate that name was. Heat waves followed by massive electrical storms sent streaking bolts of lightning down from the sky that could devastate and destroy with spectacular and deadly beauty.

But then that was Colombia, a beautiful country but one of the most dangerous places in the world.

She'd gone there for two reasons, to provide medicine to the poor, to the people who were a three-day boat ride away from any kind of care, and to help collect data for the Alzheimer's clinical drug trial Robert was running for Abbott Pharmaceuticals, a company on the edge of a breakthrough drug that would change the lives of millions of people, including her grandmother.

It had started out as an adventure and an opportunity to take her medical skills into the field and to be a part of something amazing and wonderful, but it had ended in death and destruction, and she'd barely escaped with her life.

Another shiver ran through her that had nothing to do with the cooling fan. She'd never been so close to death, and she was having trouble dealing with not only the close call but also the guilt she felt for being one of the few to survive. But she had survived, she reminded herself. And she needed to keep moving forward, something that would be easier to do once Robert was also safe.

She'd never heard his voice filled with so much fear. Robert was usually calm, purposeful, analytical, and methodical—all the things a good scientist should be. But today he'd sounded desperate and out of control. What on earth was he involved in? It had to have something to do with what happened in Colombia, but she couldn't imagine what trouble could have followed him back to the U.S.—unless he wasn't back yet? Maybe he wanted his brother to meet him somewhere in South America.

The whole thing was crazy. She felt like she was in the middle of a spy movie. Robert's cryptic words about conquering mountains, his unwillingness to tell her anything over the phone for fear someone was listening in, and his questions about the FBI and the State Department were all very disturbing. She felt anxious, rattled and way out of her comfort zone. But what Robert had asked her to do was not that difficult, retrieve the present from his office and contact his brother. She could do that, and she would do that, because she owed Robert.

She'd met Robert during her first week of college. Having skipped two grades, she'd been an awkward sixteen-year-old her freshman year, able to compete academically but completely out of her depth when it came to social relationships. Eight years older than her, Robert had been a third year medical resident who'd come to speak to her class about a career in medicine.

After that lecture, he'd taken her under his wing, telling her he'd hit college when he was fifteen and knew exactly what it felt like to be isolated by a brilliant mind and social immaturity. Over the years they'd kept in touch as she made her way through medical school and Robert gained a reputation as a brilliant medical researcher. When she'd had a chance to take a twelve-week residency in Colombia that would include both clinical practice and medical research under Robert's lead, she had jumped at the chance, never imagining how it would all end.

Turning away from the fan, she walked into the bathroom and stripped off her damp tank top and pajama bottoms and then stepped into the shower. She let the steady cool spray beat down on the tight muscles in her neck and shoulders. Then she dressed and went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

While the coffee was brewing, she popped a piece of bread into the toaster, finding comfort and reassurance in the familiar surroundings. She stiffened, hearing a key in the lock, letting out a breath of relief when her roommate, Kari, a petite brunette, entered the apartment. Kari was usually cheerful and energized, but today she looked decidedly weary, which was no surprise since she'd been on duty the last twelve hours.

"You're up early," Kari said in surprise. "Too hot to sleep?"

She nodded, happy to have the heat as an excuse. She hadn't told anyone what had happened in Colombia, not Kari, or her family. While the Callaways were wonderfully supportive, she couldn't bring herself to talk to them about that night of terror.

"The E.R. was hopping all night," Kari continued. "People sure get trigger happy when the temperature rises."

Kari had no idea that her casual words set off another rolling wave of panic within Shayla. She was supposed to work in the E.R. on her next rotation. How was she going to handle gunshot wounds and stabbings and more violence? She'd always thought of herself as a strong person, until now…

Shayla tried to drive the anxiety away by changing the subject. "Do you want some coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

"No thanks. The last thing I need is more caffeine. I'm going to try to get at least five hours of sleep before I go back to the hospital."

"You're working another double shift?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes, but it's fine. I'm leaving tomorrow for five days, so I'll have time to relax then."

She'd forgotten Kari was going away, and she dreaded the idea of five days alone in the apartment. Not that she needed to be alone. She could always go home to her parents' house or stay with one of her siblings, but that would require more explanations than she wanted to make.

Kari yawned. "I'm going to hit the sack. See you later."

As Kari left the room, the building buzzer rang. Shayla almost jumped out of her skin. It was way too early for visitors. She walked over to the intercom and warily said, "Yes?"

"It's Emma. Can I come up for a quick second?"

Shayla inwardly groaned. She'd been avoiding Emma's calls for the last five days. She should have guessed her big sister wouldn't give up that easily. "Kari is sleeping. I'll come down." Maybe if she didn't let Emma into the apartment, she could get rid of her more quickly.

Shayla jogged down three flights of stairs and pushed open the front door.

Emma Callaway Harrison stood on the steps. Her big sister by six years, Emma was a slender blonde with short angled, straight blond hair and bright blue eyes that were often inquisitive. She was dressed for her job as a fire investigator for the San Francisco Fire Department, wearing black slacks and a white button-down blouse with the sleeves pushed up to the elbows in deference to the summer heat.

"What are you doing here so early?" Shayla asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Not with me. But we're all a little worried about you," Emma said pointedly. "You haven't returned anyone's calls since you got back from Colombia. Mom says she saw you for five minutes three days ago, and you looked exhausted and too thin." Emma's gaze swept her body. "I thought she was exaggerating, but she wasn't. When did you eat last?"

"I had a stomach bug, and I haven't felt like talking to anyone."

"But you're better now?"

"Getting there." She hoped her sister's sharp gaze wouldn't see the lie in her words. As an investigator, Emma was really good at spotting liars. "I'll call Mom later and reassure her."

"Maybe you should go see her." Emma's gaze filled with compassion. "We don't know the details of what happened to you in Colombia, since you haven't wanted to fill us in, but from what I've read online, it sounds like it was terrifying."

"It was, but I'm okay."

"Are you? You don't seem like yourself, Shay. And while you've looked exhausted for most of medical school, now you're almost a shadow of yourself."

She shrugged and pushed a strand of hair off of her face. "I'll admit I'm tired, but a few more days of rest, and I'll bounce back."

"Sometimes it helps to talk to someone, if not me, then someone else."

She wished she could talk to Emma, but even without the promise she'd made to Robert, she couldn't speak about what had happened. "I'll think about it. So, how is everything with you and Max? Is your husband still amazingly awesome?"

Emma smiled. "Absolutely. Married life is better than I ever imagined." Her eyes sparkled. "We've started talking about kids."

"Really?" While Emma was all about family, her sister had spent the past decade focused on her career in the fire department, first as a firefighter and then as a fire investigator.

"We're not rushing into anything," Emma added quickly. "Just talking about it. Since I've been spending time with Sara and Aiden, I've gotten a touch of baby fever."

She smiled. Her brother Aiden's little girl, Chloe, was adorable. "I can totally understand that."

"But first I have to figure out how to juggle my career with being a mother."

"Probably a good idea, although not your usual approach to life." While Shayla had always been a planner, Emma liked to leap first and think about how to land later.

"I'm trying to be smart. Anyway, I also came here to talk to you about Drew and Ria's wedding. We're meeting tomorrow at noon at the bridal boutique to try on our dresses and then we're going to lunch on Fisherman's Wharf."

"I'll be there."

"Good. I better get to work. See you tomorrow."

As Emma walked out to her car, Shayla glanced around the quiet street. There was a woman putting out the trash a few buildings down, a man walking his dog by the corner, and another man trying to park his SUV in an incredibly tight spot.

It was a typical morning in San Francisco. She was a long way from Colombia, from the men with guns, but she still couldn't stop the goose bumps that lit up her arms. She walked quickly back into her building, making sure the front door locked behind her. As she walked up the stairs to her apartment, she wondered if she'd ever feel safe again.

THAT SUMMER NIGHT is available for pre-order. Visit www.barbarafreethy.com for more information

Make sure to add the book to your Goodreads shelf!

That Summer Night

Bestselling Amazon KDP Author of All Time!

Amazon just told me that as of today I am the bestselling KDP author of all time, which means I've sold more books than anyone who has published through the self publishing platform at Amazon called Kindle Direct Publishing Platform (KDP).

This was amazingly exciting when I think of all the fabulous authors on the platform, and it also showed how strong the romance market is, since I have my fans to thank for buying all the books! I really, really appreciate all the support, and I can't wait to bring you more good books to read.

I'm currently working on the 6th book in my Callaway Series, THAT SUMMER NIGHT, which will be out on June 19, 2014.

If you haven't yet started the Callaway series, I hope you'll give it a look. It's about a San Francisco family, many of whom are firefighters. The family is a blend of yours, mine and ours, and each of the eight siblings has a story, plus some of their cousins and friends.

Titles currently available include:
On A Night Like This (#1)
So This Is Love (#2)
Falling For A Stranger (#3)
Between Now And Forever (#4)
Nobody But You (A Callaway Wedding Novella)
All A Heart Needs (#5)

Coming soon:
That Summer Night - June 19, 2014
When Shadows Fall - September 2014
Somewhere Only We Know - January 2015

If you have any questions, you can ask here
https://www.goodreads.com/author/1360...

Amazon KDP Bestselling Author of ALL TIME!

Whoo-Hoo – I just got some really exciting news! Amazon just told me that I am currently the bestselling author of all time on the KDP Platform, which is the self-publishing platform that Amazon set up about 5 years ago.

As many of you know, I was traditionally published for many years but began self publishing my books in 2011. Since then I’ve sold over 4.2 million units and according to Amazon, their bestselling author of all time! I know I had to repeat it again, because it’s so amazing! 

I have all my wonderful readers to thank for supporting my books. I appreciate each and every one of you, especially those of you who have written to tell me you have read every single one of my books. I can’t tell you how honored I am by that commitment to my stories. 

So it’s back to writing. I’m excited to bring you the next book in the Callaway Series – THAT SUMMER NIGHT, on June 19th. 

In the meantime, hope you’ll check out the earlier books in the series and/or any other titles that you may have missed along the way.

Thanks!!! 

 

Check out my new family series - The Callaways!

In the past year I've started writing a new connected family series about the Callaways, an Irish-American family born to "serve and protect" many as San Francisco firefighters.

As many of you know, I love to write about families, especially non-traditional ones or those that are blended by death and divorce. The Callaways are kind of a his, hers and ours group.

The patriarch, Jack Callaway, was a widower with four boys, who married Lynda Kane, a divorcee with two daughters. Together they had twins, totalling the group of siblings out at eight.

Each of the eight siblings is now between 24 and 35 and is going to be featured in their own book.

I hope you're going to love the series. It's fun for me to write about a family and have the characters come back and also have some of their storylines continue beyond the first meet. Along with the romances, I've also included some mystery and suspense since I love to complicate my stories! There's an ongoing family question that also plays throughout the books.

Each book stands on its own and has a complete story line, but to really have fun with the series, you might want to start at the beginning.

Book one, On A Night Like This, introduces the family and the first hero, Aiden Callaway. Aiden is the second oldest son and the rebel of the older group of siblings. He's veered from the traditional path of urban firefighting to become a smokejumper, but when his best friend is killed on his watch, Aiden is rattled and not sure whether he was responsible or not. He joins up with an unlikely ally, the former girl next door, Sara Davidson, who is all grown up and sexy as hell. He always thought she was cute and a little shy, but Sara is more than a match for him now. And Sara also has her own family mystery to unravel, so their story line is sexy, emotional and complicated! My favorite kind of story!

The second book, So This Is Love, features Emma Callaway, the fourth oldest sibling. Emma is a fire investigator, a petite blonde, working in a world of men and deadly fires. But her passion for the job and for life makes her more than equal to tacking a series of arson fires around the city. Unfortunately, she is distracted and sidetracked by Max Harrison, a cool homicide detective, who drives her absolutely crazy. Max isn't sure he wants to get involved with a hot-headed arson investigator, especially since he has his own problems to deal with. His brother just got out of prison.

The first two books are currently available for purchase at any online retailer and can also be bought in print paperback version from Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com

Falling For A Stranger, book #3 in the series, will be released on July 16, 2013. This book is a little bit different from the first two. It starts out on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean where Drew Callaway, a former search and rescue Naval pilot is looking for a little rest and relaxation before starting a new career with the Coast Guard. He meets a mysterious and beautiful woman and the shell he has built around his heart suddenly cracks. But then that woman dies in a tragic accident the very next day. A year and a half later, Drew sees someone in San Francisco, who reminds him of the woman. Drew can handle a little danger, but can he risk losing his heart to a beautiful stranger?

This was such a fun story to write. I'm hoping you'll really enjoy it.

If you like series, romance and a splash of mystery and adventure, I hope you'll check out the Callaways. I'm planning to release a new book every 3-4 months so there won't be too much time to wait in between!

Happy Reading!

Barbara