Roxanne D. Howard's Blog, page 16
April 11, 2017
Book Tour and Release Day Party (and GIVEAWAYS)!
Whew-ey! Lots of stuff coming down the pipeline. I just received the book tour schedule for Sonnet Coupled’s Blog Tour with Bewitching Book Tours, so scroll down after the What’s Happening bits to follow along on the tour when it begins.
I’ll be sending out a newsletter soon to everyone with an exclusive, steamy excerpt and fun details about the book, so make sure you’re signed up and subscribed. I am still behind on mailing the pens, but I hope to get them out to everyone after the book comes out.
On Release Day, I’m having a Release Day blitz with Silver Dagger Scriptorium, so if you see Sonnet Coupled advertised on one of your favorite blogs, do me a solid and leave a cute comment or two! I’m really trying to get the word out about this novel as it’s one I am really proud of and excited about, so any help spreading the love would be very much appreciated.
In the evening of release day, April 25th, I’ll also be hosting a Facebook Release Day party! It’s only for a few hours in the evening, and it will be a blast. We have author takeovers, giveaways, and I will also be giving out a few gift cards, so be sure you mark it on your Facebook calendars and don’t miss out. The event is public, and can be shared and accepted at the link below. Hope to see you all there!
Sonnet Coupled Release Day Party on Facebook
Without further adieu, here is the Blog Tour Schedule for Sonnet Coupled. Come by to say hi on the blogs!
April 5, 2017
New Release and Interview with Author Ember Leigh
Book Description:
Rose Delaney is a baby bounty hunter, rescuing children from fugitive ex-spouses. All she wants is to return a recovered child to its mother and get back to her regimented solitary life. But when a snow storm leaves her and baby Emmy stranded, Rose has no choice but to lean on the ruggedly handsome rescuer, who thinks the baby is hers. Holed up in their mountain resort-under-construction and unable to contact Emmy’s mother, Rose’s priority is hitting the road—even if Garrett’s erotic touch entices her to ride out the storm.
Construction boss Garrett Galo loves his job, but he never imagined a perk like being snowbound during a whiteout with the sassy brunette he just rear-ended. He’s learned to stay away from women who want a family, especially when they come with a kid in tow. When passionate nighttime encounters flare between them, Garrett begins to question what he’d risk to keep Rose.
This isn’t the time or the place for romance—but will five days on a mountain make these loners reconsider giving in to love?
Buy links for the THE LAST RESORT:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRD30DX/?tag=thewildrosepr-20
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-resort-ember-leigh/1125619766
The Wild Rose Press: http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4944-the-last-resort.html
Interview:
I’m thrilled to have fellow author Ember Leigh as a guest today! Ember and I have known each other for a little under a year, and have swapped manuscript critiques and beta reading. She is a very colorful character and amazing writer, and it’s my pleasure to interview her. While I was writing Sonnet Coupled, during the revision process, she gave me some really helpful pointers on a few Argentinean dishes, as her husband is an Argentinean cook! Many of Abuela Graciela’s traits and the delicious dishes Sonnet whips up in the novel got their panache from Ember’s helpful comments.
Ember, it’s wonderful to have you! Let’s get right to it.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself (what you’ve published and are working on right now)? What draws you to the world of erotic romance? Thanks for having me, Roxanne! I’d love to share a little more…so I’ve published three novels since 2014, and three short stories. I have a LOT coming down the pipeline though: one other confirmed release for late summer 2017 and two other novels that are still swirling around in Query Land. I’ll be participating in a winter boxed set this year too, and plan on squeezing out at least one more installment to my travel-themed erotic short story series, Erotic Destinations. For whatever reason, I’ve ALWAYS been drawn to writing romance, ever since I was a teenager! It’s just what circulates inside me; all the way down to my bone marrow. I love writing about falling in love, the moment when two people choose each other. I’ll be writing these stories for the rest of my life.
You’re a dreadlock and yoga rock star. What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have any specific passions or hobbies other than writing? You basically named my two main hobbies: tending my massive pile of dreads, and yoga! Ha! Just kidding, the dreads don’t eat up any time. I practice yoga daily—it’s the only way I can manage to sit in a chair long enough to get any productive writing done—and now that we’re getting into spring again, gardening is amping up. I just started my seeds for this year’s crop. My other main passion is travel, but I haven’t left the country in a while, it’s been just over a year since my last international trip. It’s okay though, we’ll be leaving again early next year. It helps having an Argentinian husband—gotta go visit the family down south!
Yoga is so healthy and such a great way to de-stress. Do you have a day job as well? Which job in the past has inspired you the most for the characters or plot of one of your books? I do, but it has changed over time. Since I made the decision to take writing seriously, I’ve worked as both an analyst for an educational advocacy group based in Washington D.C. and more recently as a bilingual coach for a client services company here in Ohio. I think these jobs, and the ones I had prior to making the switch to remote work, influence my writing in subtle ways. I drew a lot from what I learned about non-profits (working for the D.C. organization and a migrant clinic in Ohio) when I wrote about a heroine’s work with a domestic abuse organization, even though I’ve never particularly worked in the area of domestic abuse.
Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point? I totally make my bed! I never used to, either—I didn’t see the point. When I met my husband, he very seriously shared with me once that he believed making a bed was a good start to the day. I’ve done it ever since. And I’ve also noticed that now he NEVER makes the bed. My, how the tables have turned…
It’s interesting in marriage how husbands and wives tend to swap roles as the years progress. I love that he was already conscientious before you married him! Sounds like a keeper. So, what inspired you to first start writing, and when did you finish your first book? I don’t know what the initial inspiration was, other than it’s just been this constant burbling thing inside of me. Kind of like the sulfur springs at Yellow Stone. Ancient, smelly, gorgeous burbles. I knew when I was 9 that my goal in life was to be an author. That goal hasn’t wavered even a smidge since. I completed my first “novel” at age 9, but it was only about 20 pages. My next actual full-length novel was done at age 16. I haven’t stopped since.
Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, what do you do to get out of it? I don’t know if I’d call it writer’s block as much as writer’s procrastination. Scenes that present difficulty, or aren’t as clear in my head—you know, the ones that require serious effort—are the ones I try to put off doing as long as possible. So I’ll just compulsively do anything other than write while I’m supposed to be writing. I sometimes keep a running list of all the things I’ve done while I was supposed to be writing. Some of the recent entries: make tater tots from scratch…clean the bathroom…find laundry to do that didn’t even really need to be done…the list goes on. Eventually, the pressure of a deadline OR the inspiration I was looking for will naturally lead me back to the scene for completion. I think I need a better method, though.
Any awesome dreadlock hair tips? Be patient; let your hair FULLY dry after a shower; and for god’s sake, don’t use conditioner!
Very cool. I’m taking notes here. Do you work with an outline, or just write? I also work as a ghostwriter and those projects usually involve fully fleshed out plots. I LOVE it. I just wish I could make outlines with the same level of detail for my own stories. I think instead of outlines, what I tend to produce are “meandering gists”. Good enough, I guess!
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? What advice would you give to a fellow writer starting out? Honestly, my biggest challenge was that my novel wasn’t READY. It wasn’t solid enough. I was in love with it, because it was my first book, but truly, it needed a lot of work. And that only comes with lots of dedication and time. It was hard for me to see past my own enchantment with my “baby” and see it for what it truly was—a somewhat-decent first novel that could have been a LOT better. The best advice I can give is to get as many writer-eyes on your work as you can. This means: beta readers who are active writers and/or actively publishing, preferably in your genre. Handing your novel over to friends and family is fun and exciting, but the feedback is often colored by their love for you (unless they are ruthless reviewers which, in that case, give them all your work!), which means you might not get the feedback you need to get better.
It’s absolutely pivotal to get beta readers and get your novel critiqued. Having a fresh pair of eyes on your manuscript is a dealbreaker in helping it get to publication. Now, If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change? No, I think my journey has been just right. I’ve been appreciative of all the struggles, missteps, lessons and successes. I’m learning more every day, and I don’t expect that to stop anytime soon. Every author’s journey is totally unique, too. There’s no RIGHT way to do it—you just gotta DO IT.
Amen to that. I recently read one of your slow burn novels, and loved it! Is anything in your books based on real life experiences/characters, or is it, in the words of Willie Wonka, a world of pure imagination? This is hard to answer as an author, right? Because no, nothing comes directly from my real life, but also everything peripherally comes from my life in some way, too. I think the emotional content in my novels exists in my heart. There’s definitely a longing and an ache that I try to channel, because it’s inside me too. I think maybe most romance writers might identify with that—or maybe not? Jeez, I’ve never asked. Do you identify with that? Each character, each storyline, and each setting has something pulled from real life, but it’s never an entire person, place, or thing, if that makes sense. Rather it’s a woven tapestry of disparate elements; yarns I’ve acquired through the entire journey of life.
I definitely identify with that. I think as an author you sort of have to sprinkle who you are into your characters, and while they may not be replicas of your individual history or experiences, it’s certainly cathartic to interweave bits and bobs of what’s inside you into the people you write about. Great answer. Can you tell us about your latest release? My first romantic suspense The Last Resort just came out with The Wild Rose Press last month. It features a baby bounty hunter named Rose who spends her life rescuing kidnapped babies and returning them to custodial parents. Pretty bad ass, right? Her latest gig crosses through PA in the winter, and a gnarly snowstorm totals her car. Luckily, she’s rescued by a guy named Garrett…he takes her back to his resort-under-construction up in the mountains, so she and her baby bounty Emmy can ride out the storm. And, well…five days trapped on a mountain with a sexy entrepreneur…we know what happens. Except Garrett doesn’t know Emmy isn’t hers—and Rose needs to get out of dodge fast, because there’s no way to let Emmy’s mom know that she’s alive. The clock is TICKING in this book!
What project are you working on now? I’m working on edits for a recently-contracted novel called Breaking The Rules, which will release with Loose Id later this year. It’s the first book in a series, so I’m also trying to finish book #2 ASAP!
I hope you can finish it without too much hassle. Series books are great, I wish you all the best of luck on it! Are there certain characters you would like to go back to? I think I want to revisit most of my characters…have a little follow-up novella just to see where they are and what they’re doing a time down the road. I think that would be kind of fun. Maybe that could be a project someday!
What music are you into? Who’s your favorite band, and why? My musical tastes are varied! From classical piano to 20’s jazz to house music…my recent obsessions have been Nicholas Jaar, The Knife and Miike Snow, though. One of my all-time favorite bands is Muse. Oh God—and Radiohead. All hail Muse and Radiohead. I can’t even say why—it escapes words. You just either know or you don’t.
Muse is fantastic! Alright, down to the nitty-gritty. So you survive a plane crash and are stranded on a deserted island. You can only have three items (one of them can be a person). Go. MY HUSBAND…a billion sheets of paper (pencil included…counts as one item?)…and like, I don’t know, food? Will there be fresh fruit on this island? If this deserted island doesn’t have its own native fruits and vegetables, then I’ll use food as my third. But if it has a nice variety of mangoes and root vegetables, then I’ll pick something else, like a photo album of all my loved ones. Or maybe something practical, like a wormhole to get back to civilization. (Pfff–practical wormhole.)
A wormhole is essential for any desert island strandee. Most excellent. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? Please keep reading. It means so much to me.
Pick One:
Mustache or Hipster Beard? Hipster beard, any day!
Jareth the Goblin King or Kylo Ren? *looks around* Who are these…? Jareth? Seriously? Girl, no. Labyrinth! If you haven’t seen it, watch it!
Kylo Ren (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Print Book or Kindle? PRINT!
Restaurant or Food Truck? FOOD TRUCK! You’re baiting me, now…*wink*
Alpha male (Gale) or Baker Boy (Peeta)? Gale & Peeta? These are flying over my head…have I mentioned I’m disconnected from modern society in a lot of strange, key ways? Anyway, screw it—I’ll take alpha male. Give me Gale. Whoever he is.
:O… The Hunger Games. Read it! And oh, I’ll give you Gale.
[image error] EXCLUSIVE TO INF. ALL-ROUNDER.
July 23, 2012: Liam Hemsworth in Philadelphia filming ‘Paranoid’. While on location for the shoot, his fiancee is, Miley Cyrus (not pictured), is joining him.
Mandatory Credit: Chris Watts/INFphoto.com Ref.: infuspa-10|sp|EXCLUSIVE TO INF. ALL-ROUNDER.
That’s all she wrote, baby! Thank you so much for joining us today, Ember! Be sure to connect with Ember on social media (links below), and check out her new release, The Last Resort, today!
Author Bio:
Ember Leigh has been writing erotic romance novels since she was far too young. A native of northern Ohio, she currently resides near Lake Erie with her Argentinean husband, where they run an Argentinian-American food truck. In addition to romance novels, Ember also writes travel memoirs and occasionally updates a couple of blogs. In her free time, she practices Ashtanga yoga, hops around the world, and eats lots of vegetables.
Website: www.emberleighromance.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmberLeighAuthor
Twitter: @EmberLeighAuth
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8045833.Ember_Leigh
The post New Release and Interview with Author Ember Leigh appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
March 23, 2017
Sonnet Coupled Giveaway!
Hi Everyone,
I’m pleased to announce a multi-pack giveaway for the upcoming release of Sonnet Coupled, my new interracial/multicultural new adult erotic novel.
ER nurse Sonnet Mendoza’s new housemate Griffith Parker proves there is more to a man than meets the eye, and shows her there’s more to life than just her career.
I poured a lot of heart and soul into this one, and I’m so excited about its release! The three prizes offered in this giveaway are:
One $10 Amazon e-gift card
One autographed print book of Sonnet Coupled
One e-book of Wicked Game by Erica Lynn
Please sign up and watch for the blog tour information. I’ll be posting it soon. If you’re not already on my mailing list, get on it, I’ll be sending out beautiful swag pens and some exclusive excerpts of the novel to those on my email list! You can sign up under the About Roxanne section under Free Swag. All emails and addresses are kept strictly confidential.
All the best!
R.
The post Sonnet Coupled Giveaway! appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
January 27, 2017
Evolution of a Story: Belayed Heat
You know in Lord of the Rings, how Gandalf goes to Saruman’s castle to research the origin of the One Ring before he realizes what an evil dude Saruman is, and when he goes in that room full of ancient scrolls and yellowed parchment to study and drink mead out of a wooden cup? Well, last May, I pulled down an old shoe box I’ve kept with me for over 25 years, in which I kept a hand-written manuscript I wrote when I was thirteen. The manuscript I pulled out would have looked right at home in that ancient library. It was the first book I’ve ever written. This is what it looked like:
I remember originally buying the small writing pads from the dollar store in 1994, and writing the story whenever I had a chance, until it was completed. I had no idea what to do with it, so I put it in a shoe box and let it sit there until eight months ago. As I typed it up between edits for my recently released books, I both laughed and shed some nostalgic tears as I remembered writing it and dipping into the belief that I could possibly one day be a published author.
For the last month, I’ve been rewriting it and fixing characterization, plot holes, and dialogue, and I’m pleased to announce that it now has a working title: Belayed Heat, and I’m gunning to finish it and submit it for publication. It’s an action-adventure romance, about a group of people who crash land in a plane in the middle of the Moroccan jungle and have to survive. The heroine, Marissa, is a rock climbing photographer who has custody of her little brother. I am a huge fan of the dynamic between Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley from The 100, so if it were ever turned into a movie that is who I’d want to play them.
The hero, Topher, is ex-Special Forces, so there’s a lot of action involved amid the sizzling heat.
Here are the first few paragraphs of the book in an excerpt:
Some days were destined for chaos, but this one topped them all. Marissa herded her little brother through the crowded Morocco airport as she located their flight. She stowed their things in the overhead compartment after they boarded, and told Max to shut down the game on his cell. She dozed as the plane gained altitude, and awoke to the screams of other passengers. The lights flickered, and her seat jolted violently with the turbulence. Oxygen masks released, dangling in front of her face. Trembling, she clutched Max’s hand. A hard object fell, and smacked her forehead. She blacked out.
In the void, a voice spoke. A man. Australian.
“Lady. Hey, lady… come on, love. Wake up. Please. We’ve got to get the hell out of here.”
Her cheek smashed against soft netting attached to the seat back pocket in front of her. Her neck hurt, and her body ached. She tried to move, but couldn’t. Her seat angled forward, unhinged and disproportionate, and her limbs dangled in front of her. She blinked blearily. Her eyes stung, and the stench of smoke and gas fumes filled her nostrils, thick and heavy. She struggled to gain clarity. “W-what’s going on?”
“We crashed. What’s your name?” She turned her head, and a straight nose, worried dark brown eyes, olive skin, and dark, shoulder-length hair came into focus. He had a red handkerchief fastened below his nose to protect his mouth from the smoke.
“M-Marissa.” She looked to Max’s empty seat, and whimpered in panic. “Oh God. Please, no. My brother. My little brother, he’s a twelve-year-old kid. Max. Where is he?”
The man put a large palm to her shoulder. “Outside with the others. He was one of the first ones I got out. He’s all right. I told him I’d come straight back and get you.” He titled his head, and the corner of his eyes crinkled. “Not going to make a liar out of me, are you?”
****
This was the first book I’d ever written from beginning to end that had an actual plot, and I wrote it not knowing I’d actually be an author one day. It was one of those things that you do and are so into, then you just put away and categorize it as a pipe dream. But one thing this whole experience has taught me is that nothing is a pipe dream, and nothing you write is ever wasted. Harry Potter started out as random scribbles on a napkin while J.K. Rowling was having tea one day in a diner.
With the edits for Finding a Pulse starting in March, I am going to attempt to get the rewrites on Belayed Heat finished before then so I can start submitting it. Moral of the story? Never give up and never stop writing. It will all come to fruition if you believe in yourself and your dreams!
There may be a bit of radio silence from me while I’m holed up in the writing cave, but those on my emailing and mailing list can expect a newsletter in February and some fun rose pens sent out in late February. Thank you to all who signed up. Please check out the Costa Mesa Series!
All the best,
Roxanne
The post Evolution of a Story: Belayed Heat appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
December 30, 2016
Goals for 2017
Most of us internally cringe at the thought of New Year’s Resolutions, especially after the Black Void that was 2016.
Though it’s been a good year for me productively with publishing, it admittedly has taken its toll, and I wouldn’t have even fathomed outlining some goals a month ago. However, I attended a seminar Loose Id Publishing did, led by the enigmatic and talented Lynn Lorenz about SMART Goal setting, and it inspired me to be proactive and get some goals down.
Now, a quick word about SMART goals. I worked in Corporate for over 10 years after I got honorably discharged from the Army, and I pretty much had SMART goals shoved down my throat the majority of the time during one-on-ones and business retreats.
So I admittedly moaned at the thought of going through yet another class on them; what they are is measurable and attainable goals (think baby steps) that are reasonable for you on a month to month basis which add up to one big overall goal.
Yes, that photo is of me. *shrugs. Anyhoo, something clicked when I attended Lynn’s class, and a few days later in my daughter’s ballet class, I mapped out my writing goals for 2017. I had my doubts, but it really gave me a fresh outlook for the New Year, and I’m more resolved to go into January with a fresh pair of eyes. It’s long and boring, but I’ll share a tiny but of the overall goals and January-March’s goals with you:
2017 Goals
Overall Goals for 2017:
Publish 3-5 books (Including Finding a Pulse), namely Tropical Dread, Stinkerbells (three-part children’s series for the girls), and The Constituent Heart. Publish the cleaner books in my regular name and get actual headshots this time (check! I actually had fun with that and met some awesome individuals!).
Increase readership through promotions, building relationships, and more physical presence once Finding a Pulse comes out in print.
Schedule precise times of day to do social media posting on FB and Twitter, so it doesn’t become a distraction.
Join RWA PAN (check!).
January – March:
Get involved with my RWA Chapter and plan to attend at least one conference.
Completely write and prepare No Knead… erotic or clean romance?
Each day write up to 500 words on the ballet stories for the girls (3 x novellas in the series).
Each day fix 1 page on Tropical Dread (it’s done and just needs rewrites… Loose Id submission?).
Each day fix/write up to 500 words on The Constituent Heart. Focus on quality and continuity.
The idea of writing down New Year’s resolutions and mapping things out can be tedious, irksome, and dreadful… Buuuut here’s the thing; it’s no different than outlining a novel, and once you have that fundamental idea concretely blue printed, the sky’s the limit in what you can achieve when you know where you want to go with everything. I encourage everyone to write down anything they want to do in 2017; whether it’s a word, a sentence, a few paragraphs, or a whole laundry list. Get crazy and put it down on paper!
I sincerely wish you all a happy and successful 2017. If you’re holding out on outlining your book or goals, what are you waiting for?
December 29, 2016
Wake Me Up before 2016 Go-Go’s…
Dear Readers,
I woke up this morning with one thought… what’s the one thing you would do if you became President? With all the tension in Syria and upheaval around the globe and clowns terrorizing the streets, this has been admittedly been one roller coaster of a year… Whether you were a Snape fan, a Jareth the Goblin King Fan, a Princess Leia or Tammy and the Bachelor fan, a Democrat, or pretty much a pop/icon fan of any eighties icon ever, many of whom passed away this year. We lost an enormous amount of talent in the world, and gained a new President that half the population is terrified of.
So, back to my thoughts for this morning. Tolerance. No matter what turmoil people have been through this year, the one thing I’d campaign for as a president is tolerance. America was founded on the ideal of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life,_Liberty_and_the_pursuit_of_Happiness). We all have different beliefs, moral compasses, and political and sexual persuasions, but beneath it all it is pivotal that we try to coexist and be kind and tolerant of the differences and diversities that make our nation beautiful.
We’re a nation of immigrants, of different peoples who came together for a common purpose. It’s my one wish for 2017, that regardless of what may come, that everyone would cast aside preconceived judgments and be tolerant of one another.
At the start of last year, I never set out to write six books within twelve months – it seems and sounds insane now that I look back on it; I am a busy mom and wholly devoted to my children’s academics and activities…. But once the final edits for At the Heart of the Stone were all in, something clicked inside me, and all of the stories and characters I’d been tossing around my brain for years kick started and demanded to be put on page and let loose. I simply listened, and gave myself into it.
The one thing I’ve learned from it all is that nothing is impossible if you have a dream; don’t let anyone in your past, present, or inside your head tell you differently. If you know what you’re worth, go out and get it!
Writing is cathartic for me in a way that nothing else ever could be. I find therapy and peace in creating new worlds, and bringing people to life through paper. They’re as real to me as anything ever could be, and there’s strength in letting yourself create and explore. For the coming year ahead, I wish you all the very best. Dream what you want to dream, be who you know you are, and don’t let anything stand in your way of what you know you’re capable of.
As we’ve learned in the last year with the talented actors and performers who were taken from us too young, life is too short to not live it to the fullest. I hope to write something that touches people in 2017, to somehow contribute to someone’s future, and be an inspiration to someone in whichever way I can. Thank you for buying my books. Thank you for the continued support, love, and reviews. It helps me in more ways than you know, and I dearly appreciate all of you.
All the best,
Roxanne
The post Wake Me Up before 2016 Go-Go’s… appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
December 15, 2016
Costa Mesa 3: Overboard Blog Tour Schedule
Hiya!
Here is the Blog Tour Schedule for Overboard (below) for those who would like to follow along. If you’re a blogger and you’re not on the tour, but would like to spotlight any of my books, please email me at author@roxannedhoward.com, and I’d be happy to participate or write up a guest blog.
Overboard
Costa Mesa Series
Book Three
Roxanne D. Howard
Genre: Contemporary erotic romance, action/adventure, suspense
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC.
Date of Publication: December 27, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-68252-255-4
Book Description:
At the end of their romantic holiday getaway, Piper is one loved-up woman, and she can’t get enough of the sizzling passion she’s found with Jack after all they’ve been through. The two lovers board Jack’s yacht and leave the idyllic hamlet of Catalina Island, California to head home for New Year’s Eve, and it seems nothing could be more perfect… until the day turns on a dime, and the waters rise. When Jack receives a radio distress call from an old friend out on the open ocean, their initial efforts to free a trapped, massive blue whale soon becomes a dangerous struggle for life or death when Jack risks everything to save it.
It’s a New Year’s Eve fraught with harrowing danger, narrow escapes, daring rescue missions, and heart-pounding passion. During their countless obstacles, Piper secretly discovers something shocking slipped into Jack’s coat pocket one time after they make love, and it threatens to change everything and rock the foundation of all they’ve built together. With the weight of the knowledge pressing down upon her, can their love survive? This New Year’s Eve, get ready for some fireworks, because it’s all going Overboard.
Excerpt:
Piper released the docking line from its cleat on the back of the cruiser yacht. “Last line’s cast off, Jack,” she called over her shoulder. He hollered back in response, and she took one last look at the pretty shoreline of Catalina Island. In stressful times, there were certain places one could visit in one’s imagination, special memories that brought peace or a wistful smile to one’s face when the sights, smells, and tastes were recalled. Catalina would forever be such a place for her, wherever her road in life with Jack took her.
She turned around and walked through the semishade of the deck lounge to the helm where Jack stood and checked their bearings. A pleasant warmth spread inside her at the sight of his impressive muscular frame beneath the outline of his loose white shirt. She rubbed a little hand sanitizer into her palms as he reversed out of the dock. He glanced at her, and she kissed his cheek. “Greatest holiday ever. Thank you for kidnapping me. Now, back to reality.”
Jack’s thick brown hair lifted with the light breeze as he turned the boat. “Bah. Reality’s overrated. I did a sweep of the entire yacht, every nook and cranny. I’m pleased to report no runaway convicts or stowaways aboard.”
“Thank God. Though I have to admit, Diego did give the trip a lot more excitement than it would have had without him.”
“Oh, come on. Is sex with me really that bad?”
She shook her head and grinned. “Yes. Anyway, we’ll have to send him a cupcake in prison when we get back.”
“As long as it doesn’t have a nail file in it.” He winked. “I love it when you wear your curls loose, by the way. It looks nice.”
She rewarded him with a radiant smile. He’d made it his mission to please her in every possible way since they’d come to Catalina, and it left her feeling pampered and relaxed. “Thank you. I like the open-throated pirate look on you.”
“I wonder why.”
“No idea.” She slid her palm over the warm flesh of his broad chest.
He kept his gaze on the ocean but rubbed the tops of her fingers with his free hand.
“The waves are calm today. I didn’t expect that. Ready for your New Year’s broadcast tonight?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. I’ve watched the ball drop on TV, but I’ve never taken part in a countdown before. We’ll broadcast intermittently, but it’s still pretty exciting. You’ll come to the company get-together before my segment, right?”
“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it. You’ll do great, Piper.”
She made a face. “We’ll see. I’ll do better with you there, even if it’s off to the side. After how blissful it’s been the last couple days, I don’t want to separate and go back to the real world just yet.”
He met her eyes. “Who says we have to?”
She kissed him and cupped his jaw with her palm. It was remarkable how a love you didn’t know was absent from your life could enter and take it over so completely and in the best of ways. She drew back. “You gonna let me steer again? I promise not to crash.”
The corner of his mouth tilted up, and he reached over to a peg near the helm and took down his white captain’s hat. He fitted it onto her head and gave her a little salute.
“Ship’s all yours, Cap’n.”
He stepped aside, and she took the wheel.
“Very good, Mr. Spencer. How does the hat look?”
“It looks yare.”
She laughed. “Now there’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time. Isn’t it from that old Katherine Hepburn movie? I didn’t think people still said it.”
His finger stroked down the length of her arm as she steered, and a sweet tingle spread through her body at the featherlight touch.
“My dad was old-school, and he liked to turn a good phrase or two. I’m serious. I like the cap on you. I’d love to see what you look like in it and nothing else.”
Her pussy tightened at the raw need in his gaze, and she grew wet. “Be careful what you wish for, Captain Spencer. You just might get it. Take over the wheel for a second. I need some water. Are you thirsty? Can I get you a glass?”
He took the wheel from her, and his eyes gleamed with lust. “Yeah.”
She skimmed her fingers along his and rounded the corner to the kitchenette area. She poured a glass of water from a gallon container and toyed with a wicked idea. Over the past few days, she’d learned she could be as playful as she wanted with Jack, and he responded precisely how she needed him to. She looked down and tugged at her nipples, the mental image he’d painted just a moment ago fresh in her mind.
She bit her lip and set the water down as her pussy throbbed. She ran her hand between her legs to soothe the ache. She shed her shirt and the rest of her clothes and left them in a pile on the wooden floor. Her body had grown attuned to his, and she needed his touch.
They’d made love once this morning when they awoke, but they were alone out here on the open sea. Her time in Catalina with Jack had taught her that if she asserted herself and showed him what she wanted, he gave it back to her tenfold. And right now, she was ready for it.
She fixed the brim of Jack’s captain’s hat over her brow, picked up the glass of water, and sashayed toward the helm. She cleared her throat. “Would you like your water now?”
Blog Tour Schedule with Bewitching Book Tours
January 2 Spotlight
Share My Destiny
http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com
January 3 Spotlight
The Silver Dagger Scriptorium
http://silverdaggertours.wixsite.com/sdsxx
January 4 Spotlight
Books,Dreams,Life
http://staceyschneller06.wordpress.com
January 5 Guest Blog and Review
The Book Junkie Reads
https://mileythebookjunkie.blogspot.com/
January 6 Spotlight
Zenny’s Awesome Book Reviews
https://zennysawesomebookreviews.wordpress.com/
January 9 Spotlight
Mello June
http://mellojune.com/
January 10 Spotlight
T’s Stuff
http://teresanoel.blogspot.com/
January 11 Spotlight
Don’t Judge, Read
http://dontjudgeread.blogspot.ca
January 12 Spotlight
Illuminite Caliginosus
http://darkwriter67.wordpress.com
January 13 Spotlight
The Cubicle Escapee
Http://TheCubicleEscapee.com
January 16 Spotlight
Ogitchida Kwe’s Book Blog
http://ogitchidabookblog.blogspot.com
January 17 Guest Blog
Ramblings of a Book Nerd
http://www.booknerdramblings.com/
January 18 Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books
http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/
January 19 Guest Blog
Roxanne’s Realm
http://www.roxannerhoads.com/
January 20 Guest Blog
ARe Cafe
http://www.arecafe.com
January 23 Spotlight
Sapphyria’s Steamy Books
http://saphssteamybooks.blogspot.com/
January 24 Spotlight
Book Boyfriends and Booze
http://bookboyfriendsandbooze.blogspot.com/
January 25 Spotlight
Ali – The Dragon Slayer
http://cancersuckscouk.ipage.com/
January 26 Guest Blog
Books and Tales
http://booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/
January 27 Spotlight
Red Hot Ink
https://redhotink.wordpress.com/
January 27 Spotlight
Loves Great Reads
https://lovesgreatreadsblog.wordpress.com/
January 30 Review Book 3
Romantic Fanatic
http://romanticfanaticblog.com/
January 30 Guest Blog
Creatively Green
http://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/
Cover Art by Bianca Duarte, Design by April Martinez
The post Costa Mesa 3: Overboard Blog Tour Schedule appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
Finding a Pulse is Getting Published!
I have some terrific news! Finding a Pulse, my New Adult Interracial Contemporary Erotic Romance, is now under contract with Boroughs Publishing Group!
For those who follow along, you might remember me starting Finding a Pulse last January and putting out a blog about casting the characters. This novel is a bit deeper and darker and along the same vein as At the Heart of the Stone, and I feel like I’ve got a wonderful, proper home for it. It should be coming out sometime in Summer of 2017, both in digital and in print (and yes, I will start doing book signings at bookstores, conferences, and libraries).
I am elated and feeling very happy to be signed on with Boroughs, and I can’t wait for you all to read it! Here are some teaser posts in the meantime. Thank you for all the support, whether you actively email me and encourage me, or simply lurk and read my blog posts/books. Every little bit makes the biggest difference.
All the best,
Roxanne
The post Finding a Pulse is Getting Published! appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
December 5, 2016
Cover Reveal – Costa Mesa 3: Overboard
I am pleased to reveal the cover for the third installment book in the Costa Mesa Series: Overboard!
Cover Art by Bianca Duarte, Design by April Martinez
At the end of their romantic holiday getaway, Piper is one loved-up woman, and she can’t get enough of the sizzling passion she’s found with Jack after all they’ve been through. The two lovers board Jack’s yacht and leave the idyllic hamlet of Catalina Island, California to head home for New Year’s Eve, and it seems nothing could be more perfect… until the day turns on a dime, and the waters rise. When Jack receives a radio distress call from an old friend out on the open ocean, their initial efforts to free a trapped, massive blue whale soon becomes a dangerous struggle for life or death when Jack risks everything to save it.
It’s a New Year’s Eve fraught with harrowing danger, narrow escapes, daring rescue missions, and heart-pounding passion. During their countless obstacles, Piper secretly discovers something shocking slipped into Jack’s coat pocket one time after they make love, and it threatens to change everything and rock the foundation of all they’ve built together. With the weight of the knowledge pressing down upon her, can their love survive? This New Year’s Eve, get ready for some fireworks, because it’s all going Overboard.
The book comes out on December 27th, and it’s an action-packed, passionate ride! I hope you all enjoy it! Please feel free to share the love and retweet the cover on Twitter or Facebook.
All the best,
Roxanne
Cover Art by Bianca Duarte, Design by April Martinez
The post Cover Reveal – Costa Mesa 3: Overboard appeared first on Roxanne D. Howard, Author.
December 2, 2016
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
During this time of year, I love to revisit some of my favorite old movie clips and music that remind me of the mainstays of the holiday season. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites here. In no organized order, here they are:
Jimmy Stewart and Carey Grant in A Philadelphia Story. This scene has always stayed with me and arguably has also influenced my writing of heroes. I love the line, “she’s like a queen. A radiant, glorious queen… you can’t treat her like other women.”
David Bowie and Bing Crosby: Little Drummer Boy. This is kind of a bizarrely crafted video, because you can feel awkward animosity coming off them both in waves (well, more on Bing’s part); however, their voices are simply glorious. With the passing of Legend David Bowie this year (Labyrinth forever!), it’s especially poignant. He had such a beautiful voice. This always gets me in a holiday mood.
![[image error]](http://roxannedhoward.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Kylo-Ren-Approves.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://roxannedhoward.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Griffith-Parker.jpg){kind=link}