Isabel Roman's Blog, page 4

#NewRelease Just the Way You Aren't by @LyndaMSimmons

Lynda Simmons is a writer by day, college instructor by night and a late sleeper on weekends. She grew up in Toronto reading Greek mythology, bringing home stray cats and making up stories about bodies in the basement. From an early age, her family knew she would either end up as a writer or the old lady with a hundred cats. As luck would have it, she married a man with allergies so writing it was.

With two daughters to raise, Lynda and her husband moved into a lovely two storey mortgage in Burlington, a small city on the water just outside Toronto. While the girls are grown and gone, Lynda and her husband are still there. And yes, there is a cat - a beautiful, if spoiled, Birman.
When she's not writing or teaching, Lynda gives serious thought to using the treadmill in her basement. Fortunately, she's found that if she waits long enough, something urgent will pop up and save her - like a phone call or an e-mail or a whistling kettle. Or even that cat just looking for a little more attention!
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Blurb: 
What happens when an everyday Cinderella makes a play for the prince? A moment of madness. That’s all muralist Sunny Anderson expected when she donned a glittering mask and a fabulous gown to crash the gala at Manhattan’s newest boutique hotel. Project manager Michael Wolfe has no idea that the beauty staring up at the mural on the ballroom ceiling is also the artist who painted it. He’s captivated and she’s willing, but when their moment of madness on the sofa in his suite comes to an abrupt end, his princess is off and running, leaving nothing behind but a pair of earrings. He’s determined to find her again, but all he has to do is look closer at the woman painting the mural in his office to see that the one he needs is standing right in front of him.  Excerpt: Sunny’s feet moved of their own accord and she stared straight ahead, horrified and thrilled at the same time. Wondering what she was playing at and not at all surprised when he fell into step beside her. This was why she wasn’t ready to leave, she realized. She was enjoying herself too much. Enjoying the fact that as Sonja she could do anything or say anything. Be shocking and sexy, and make Michael Wolfe sit up and take notice. She glanced over at him as they walked, feeling beauti­ful, powerful, but most of all desirable. Because if that wasn’t hunger she saw in those dark eyes, then she’d been out of circulation for far too long. Which was a distinct possibility given that her last sexual encounter had been almost a year ago in the back of Vince Cerqua’s convertible when the top wasn’t the only thing that wouldn’t go up. She’d spent the drive home assuring him that it happened to men all the time; at least that was what she heard in the tearoom. She felt her face warm, knowing instinctively that Michael’s top would never let him down. Not that she wanted to find out. Not really. Not now, at any rate. “Where will you be going in the morning?” he asked. “New Jersey.” He drew his head back and she laughed. “There’s a theater group I’m rather fond of. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. I’m just a wanderer. Never in one place long enough to plant a garden as they say.” “Is that what you’d like to do? Plant a garden?” “Yes,” she said, slipping in a touch of Sunny, but staying true to Sonja. “Of course, with so many emerging artists, I’m not thinking about that right now.” He stopped and took her hand. “What are you thinking about?” Trouble. And sex. Mostly sex. For all the good it did her.  Truth to tell, Sunny wasn’t the kind to have a one-night stand. She was conservative in her thinking and cautious when it came to matters of the heart. She was the kind who delivered hampers at Christmas, painted faces at the community center on Halloween, and made sure her organ-donor card was signed. No question about it, she was Sunny the good: Balanced. Friendly. And utterly predictable. But Sonja? Now there was a real vixen. A woman who traveled the world, took risks every day, and was never, ever predictable. It seemed a shame to make her leave the ball so early when she was only in town for one night. And Sunny had the rest of her life to spend being good.  Michael ran his thumb across hers and the pull was stron­ger than ever, bringing her back a step. After all, it wasn’t as though he was a total stranger, some masked man she picked up at the sushi bar. This was Michael Wolfe, Beast of Brighton, Terror of the Tradesmen. And she already knew he looked good without a shirt.  Maybe Hugh was right. Maybe a moment of madness was good for the soul. The music changed again, the singer launching into a slow, sultry torch song that begged an answer to the question women had been asking for centuries: what is it with men and commitment?  Sunny had wrestled with that issue herself for years, convinced that the boy she’d loved too much would come back for her one day. Pale and contrite, wanting nothing more than to love her the way he should have all along. But commitment wasn’t on her mind at all when she twined her fingers with Michael’s and gave him Sonja’s best come-hither smile. “I’m thinking we should go to your place,” she said, and was sure she was floating as they headed for the door.  One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card during the tour.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease Legacy of Fear by Ryshia Kennie

The Canadian prairies are where Ryshia Kennie makes her home with her husband and one opinionated and slightly geriatric, Irish Terrier.  The winner of her city’s Writing Award in 2011 and a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards, her novels have taken her characters from the depression era prairies in her first book “From the Dust” to the ancient stones of Angkor Wat and to lost languages in her latest book, “Legacy of Fear”.  There’s never a lack of places to set a story as the too long prairie winters occasionally find her with travel journal in hand dreaming of adventure on foreign shores. 

While facing off a monitor lizard before breakfast or running through the Kasbah chased by an enraged Water Carrier aren’t normal travel experiences and might never find a place in one of her stories, they do make great travel stories.  Sometimes it’s just the memories of other worlds close or far away: the words of a stranger, the furtive look one man gives another, that often become the catalyst for a suspenseful story with a deadly villain and an intrepid hero and heroine who must battle for their right to love or even their right to live, in a place that neither - or both, may call home. 

When not dreaming of other stories, Ryshia can be found baking a new batch of dog cookies, reading pretty much anything - although romance is a favourite, and, depending on the season; biking, scouting garage sales, golfing and the occasional beach run before the algae rolls in, and winter is for long walks, and taking those long-thought-about trips.  For more, visit her website at www.ryshiakennie.com.  Blurb:
Andra Vandersan is an expert code breaker, as fiercely independent and beautiful as she is brilliant. Working at the highest levels of deciphering, she’s always remained at a safe distance from the seamy underworld of Hong Kong’s criminal elite—but that’s about to change. When her next-door neighbor is brutally murdered in a way that suggests the work of the Chinese triads, two things become clear: Andra was the intended target of the hit, and the assassin is going to return.
Max True is a world-class linguist, a colleague of Andra’s who once helped her break a code that would destroy a terrorist cell. When he shows up at Andra’s door with a mysterious message, they realize they may have stumbled on a long-lost women’s language that holds the secret to incredible power—and one that the most vicious men in Hong Kong will stop at nothing to get their hands on.
As Andra and Max work to solve the puzzle of the language, they find themselves in a desperate race against time to escape the mysterious forces who all want the secret of the message—even as they surrender to the forces of an undeniable passion that brings them inexorably and irrevocably together.
Where to Buy:
Amazon
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Excerpt:“I heard the rumor of a village of women in my early college days. That was a good fifteen years ago.” Jeff strode away from the window. His dark hair gleamed as the early afternoon sun spun bright shards through the copper-gilded blinds. “Until I began my research I thought it was only rumor. Turns out it exists in a remote area in south central China, impossible to get to by commercial means. It isn’t an old village. Throwbacks, I like to call them, the occupants, that is. It consists of women who have no family or who escaped abuse of all sorts. More like a women- run shelter turned village.” His smile was lopsided. “I visited once. I wanted it to be the subject of my thesis.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, it was not to be.”


“Why not?” Max leaned forward.

“In a way they are almost like a triad. Self-contained, in charge of their own future, and willing to go after anyone who stands in their way. The only difference is that unlike a triad they have a leader, Fu.” 
“Fu?” Max and Andra exchanged a look.

“No last name. Just that. Rather like Bono or Madonna, and I suppose that maybe she’s a rock star in her own right. But yes, it would have been an incredible thesis, but she was adamant that it not be written.” He turned to the window. He stood silently for a minute with his legs spread and his hands behind his back before turning to face them. “She told me that if I persisted, things would happen in my life that would make me regret ever putting the words to paper.” Ryhia will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease: Christmas Collection anthology

Blurb:
Seven complete sweet to sensual romances from seven multi-talented authors in settings that are sure to be magical this holiday season. There's a story for everyone.

A SEASON OF MIRACLES by Linda SwiftCaroline Ross, a Confederate widow, desperately seeks medical help for her little son in the Union Army camp.

John Oldham, a soldier disowned by his family for choosing the wrong side, comes to her aid. As they keep a vigil for days at Danny's bedside, a close relationship develops between them. John longs for a family and wants to make Caroline and Danny his own.
Will his wish come true in this season of miracles?
 
AT FIRST SNOWFALL by Cecilia Corona  May all your dreams come true, takes on a whole new meaning when Xiomara finds out she's an Oracle with Fae witch powers, and her boyfriend is a werewolf from another realm.

When her half- brother shows up on her doorstep with his prophecy, the true nightmare begins. She must stand beside him in the battle of Galant or the evil Queen will destroy the kingdom.
Some faerytales are all too real, but if she can unleash her powers and learn to control them before the first snowfall, she just might find her happily ever after.
 
MR. CHRISTMAS ELF by Stephanie Burkhart  Jules' Christmas list is looking pretty pathetic. She needs a new muffler for her car and a hundred dollars to pay off her root canal. Her niece is asking for an iPad, but all Jules can afford is a Barbie doll. The peppermint on the top? Her boyfriend dumps her in a text message.

Jules could use a little Christmas magic, so when Elvis pops up claiming that he was sent by Santa to fill her Christmas list, all she has to do is believe – in the magic the season has to offer.
 
ALL THAT WE HAVE IS OUR SOUL by Katrina GillianThe wait is finally over. Today is Theodore Lewis' 18th birthday and his essence has switched places with his soulmate for the day. His people have practiced this tradition for centuries. They are granted the chance to see the world through each other's eyes before actually meeting.

Only the Fates may have missed their mark. Theo's life is in 1940 and his soulmate is in 2014. This couldn't be happening. Is he doomed to never be with his soulmate, or will the Fates find a way to make this right?
 
CHRISTMAS TEARS by Rebecca J. VickeryWhat's a widowed mother to do with two children to provide for and Christmas coming soon? Noelle Welborn is in dire straits when she loses her job, is cheated out of her pay, and has no relatives to which she can turn. Then they lose the roof over their heads. Sleeping in the car seems the only option left.

Officer Nick Stewart stops when he spies a familiar looking car parked in a church parking lot late one night. Sure enough, she's the same pixie-faced woman he warned before. When he discovers she has kids asleep in the car, he insists she park in his yard or go to the police station with him.  
But what about the next night, and the next?
 ROOM AT THE INN by Nan O'BerryWelcome to Magic Hallow, Pennsylvania. On the day before Christmas Eve, Helena McCray finds herself driving from New York to Washington, D.C. with a car load of Felicity Adams designs. She wasn't expecting the storm of the century to send her car careening off the road. Rescued by James Buchannan, she is taken to a grand old Victorian he has been fixing up as a bed and breakfast.
Gift of the Magi has been handed down in James Buchannan's family since his great, great, grandfather brought his Russian bride home from Europe. But the Magi is a secret place where James can hide from the world. Helena McCray slowly melts his heart and together they find out the magic of the inn could be in opening their hearts to a new beginning.
 
BLAME THE MISTLETOE by Markee AndersonDo you believe in love at first sight? Or love after a kiss under the mistletoe? Neither did Tasha or Cal...
Tasha Adams owns a bakery and catering shop after losing her nursing career. Lack of confidence and low self-esteem make her an almost hermit, especially during the holidays.
Calvin Miller, busy doctor and bachelor, receives a sudden and unexpected visit from his young niece and nephew for the holidays. There go his work plans.
Then a fateful collision on a staircase changes all their lives.  
Where to Buy:
Amazon
Smashwords
 Excerpt:
MR. CHRISTMAS ELF The bus slid up to the stop near the coffee shop. I hustled out the door and rushed toward the store, noticing a guy reading the letters to Santa in the window. There were five minutes 'til opening. I didn't want to disappoint Joe again by being late, so I broke into a trot – and slipped on a hunk of ice. The sidewalk was coming up fast, but I fell into the arms of the letter reader. He smiled one of the most adorable smiles I've ever seen and a cute little dimple popped out in his cheek. "You smell like peppermint," he said. I opened my mouth, stammered like an idiot, and shut up. Mr. Dimple held me close. I didn't want to move. He owned a very solid body, with unkempt, curly, sandy blond hair that covered his ears and ice blue eyes that pierced my soul. I melted like a snowman in June.  "I'm Elvis.""Hi, Elvis." I managed to squeak.He chuckled and helped me to firm footing on the ground. "And you are?" "Julie Erwin, but everyone calls me Jules.""So, you're the one with the depressing Christmas list."Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease A Gift Freely Given by J. Ellen Ross

J. Ellen Ross lives in Texas with her husband and their four rescue dogs. She works in high tech, which has nothing to do with fantasy, romance or writing.
When she’s not busy chasing dogs around or rushing someone to the vet, she loves to read and play video games.  She has a hobby of having hobbies, so she’s also been known to do sculpting, beadwork, and painting.
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Blurb: Leisha’s father, the king of Tahaerin, bartered away her childhood with his failed invasion of a neighboring kingdom. She grew up a hostage, a guarantee of the king’s good behavior. At sixteen, she returns to a land and a throne she knows almost nothing about.

Her powerful and ruthless uncle plans to force her into a marriage or take her crown by violence. The nobles of her kingdom all expect her to fail spectacularly and are eager to fight over the scraps. But, Leisha has no intention of going along quietly with any of their plans.
As a boy, Zaraki watched as slavers butchered his family. Orphaned and starving, he was taken from the streets, trained to spy and kill. He finds a position with the new queen when he is forced to flee the only home he remembers. But the job is far larger than he anticipated and Leisha’s life is threatened from all sides.
Leisha will fight to hold her crown and her throne with the help of an unknown and unproven spy. Zaraki will try keep her alive and to keep the oaths he took - to be loyal to her, to keep her secrets and never, ever fall in love with her.

Where to Buy:


Barnes andNoble Amazon Smashwords 



Excerpt: Aniol did not disappoint. Leisha stiffened as his hand dropped to the knife at his belt. Even as an unconscious action, it told her all she needed to know. Zaraki was right. Staval had a plan for her and this was one of the men charged with seeing it through. With her uncle giving orders here, Aniol felt invincible.
Before his hand could stray further, he landed face down on the floor. Zaraki put a knee in the man’s back and yanked Aniol’s head to one side. When he pressed a light blade against Aniol’s throat, the smaller man stopped struggling and whimpered softly.
“Her Majesty was very clear, I thought. I hope this is equally as clear,” Zaraki said in a low voice, into the other man’s ear.
“He’s planning on going straight to Cyril,” Leisha hissed, seeing the intention flash through Aniol’s mind. At the first hint that she was trying to seize control of the castle, Cyril would spring the trap and turn the guards against her. She would die and likely, Symon and Zaraki along with her. Suddenly, the threat was all too real.
Zaraki made a face, still holding Aniol’s head back. Fool. He could have walked out alive. “If you’ll excuse me a moment, Your Highness?” While he did not enjoy killing he would do it. However, murdering the man in front of a sixteen year old girl was out of the question.
J. Ellen Ross will be awarding $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease Yesterday People by Teri Herman-Ponce @TerriPonce

Terri looks for any opportunity to make stuff up. She thinks anything that can’t so easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer. Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with ancient Egypt. 

Terri is a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and you can read about her at http://terriponce.com/.
If you love social media, you can also find Terri on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Terri.Ponce.Author and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TerriPonce.

Come visit. She’d love to hear from you!
Blurb:
David Bellotti’s only focus is to find his abducted twelve-year old daughter. When he sees her on a news segment with her captor, a renowned archaeologist who’s made a major discovery, David sets out to bring her back home. But the search leads him to a secret message that could alter man’s history forever.
A message David and his daughter inscribed twelve-thousand years ago.
A message that will prove dangerous in the wrong hands.
Protecting this powerful information seems simple until David realizes some people will use his daughter against him to get it, at whatever the cost. Now David must make a choice. Protect mankind from a secret past that must remain hidden, or save his little girl.
  Excerpt:I wasn’t backing down. “What are the police going to do? Hmm? Tell me what they’ll do for me. They’ll put her name into a system filled with thousands of other names, and Ada will become a number. She’ll get attention because someone maybe recognizes her from a posted picture and calls it in. I have resources the so-called professionals don’t. And the time.” 
“For now,” Lottie said. “What happens when MD calls you for another op? One that takes you away for months—again. What do you do then? With the authorities involved, they can keep the trail warm. They can keep the search moving when you won’t be able to.”
 I turned and faced the television again, the Herradura nestled in both hands.

“You can be so single-minded, it’s…it’s…” Lottie made a disgusted sound. “I have no words for you right now.”
 That was fine by me.

The infomercial showed a happy fifty-something couple dancing on the beach somewhere in the Caribbean. It reminded me of the last time Lottie and I visited the Caribbean, only we didn’t dance on the beach. We did other things. Behind the dunes.
 The ache in my heart twisted harder.

“I don’t want to argue about this,” I mumbled, because Ada’s life was more important than sniping.

“It would work better if you opened your mind to other options,” Lottie reminded me.
 Yeah. I got it. Still hated it. Still wouldn’t do it.

Lottie came back and pressed her warm body into mine. Trying to entice me. Bribe me. I drew in a long breath, scenting her, thinking the bribe was working. A little.
 She started caressing my hair. “This woman who was shooting at you. Have you ever seen her before?”
 I let out a long breath that smelled of warm vanilla from the tequila. “Yeah. I knew her. From a one night stand three years ago.” 
A pause. Then, “Oh.”

I didn’t offer more, but Lottie pressed for it.

“And then what happened?”
 There was no getting around this so I told her, sticking only to the facts. “I was hurting over breaking up with you and I met Kyra at a fundraiser and…” I shrugged. “Like I said, one night. I found her dead the next morning, after I got out of the shower.”
 The couple on the infomercial was now dancing in a bedroom beside a rumpled bed. 
“I don’t understand,” Lottie said. “Why is a woman you slept with three years ago shooting at you now? A woman who is supposed to be dead?”

I raised my glass in mock salute. “Isn’t that the question of the day. But, there was a full investigation and the cops questioned me until they decided I wasn’t a suspect in her murder. After that, it was case closed, at least where I was concerned. 
Lottie pursed her lips together, thinking. My first thought? I hadn’t kissed those lips hello yet, so I leaned in and gave her one.

She smiled, and kissed me back. “Is it possible that Kyra had a twin?” Terri will be awarding $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease Tessa by Ali Baran

Ali Baran is a vacation addict and a collector of bathing suits. She’s an end-user software programmer by day and on the prowl for Mr. Wonderful after hours. Since she hasn’t found him, she decided to create him.
Author Link

Blurb:
Years of wisdom have taught Randal that it’s not the destination but the journey that makes everything  worthwhile. When the tentative friendship between silver fox Randal and young Tessa bursts into lust, it ignites a passionate affair that leaves them both trembling. There’s nothing more fulfilling than a  beautiful woman in the arms of a man who can appreciate everything she has to offer.
As Randal embarks on a second career and Tessa is preparing for her chosen field, Randal’s daughter flounders in a sea of depression. When Randal’s love for his daughter is pitted against his love for Tessa, can there be a winner?

AmazonBarnes and Noble
Excerpt:In the water, Randal didn’t act like an invalid. Those piercing blue eyes sparkled and his body was ripped, better any guy Tessa had dated. The man was damn sexy, and in the week she’d known him, she’d grown to like him—maybe too much. Way too much. Aside from a few thin, pink scar lines over his knees, no one would have believed he was living in a wheel chair.

He trapped her against the side of the pool and held her prisoner between his arms.

She turned and faced him. Now she stared into those beautiful blue orbs and caught the grin that crinkled the skin at the outer edges of his eyes. “You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.”

“And you have a beautiful body.”

She inhaled as he drew himself nearer. His breath flowed over her face. She closed her eyes and she prayed he’d kiss her.

A finger touched her jaw, and she opened her eyes. He was inches from her with a warm smile on his face. Heaving in a deep breath, she hoped to cool the sensation building in her, but she couldn’t stop it. She tried to imagine his lips on hers. His finger traced her entire face, including her lips. She parted her mouth and touched her tongue to his roaming finger.

“Damn woman. You’re giving me an erection.”

She cast her gaze toward his trunks but she couldn’t stop the grin that was pulling on the edges of her lips.

His finger went down her neck and followed the edge of her bikini top. Her chest rose with his touch. Heat flowed through her, settling between her legs. She had never been one to have casual sex, but she was not a virgin. Right now, she wanted fulfillment. She tried to tell herself that older men weren’t usually capable of sexual intercourse, but somehow she figured this man was quite capable. His fingers splayed over her breast. And a moan escaped from someplace deep in her throat. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and pull him closer to her.

She pushed past him and headed for the stairs. She had to get a grip on her feelings because inside she felt as though she was about to shatter into a million pieces.

He followed her. “Tessa, I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. I meant no harm.”

She turned and touched her fingers to his lips. “We’re adults.”

“Don’t leave. I won’t do it again. But seeing you has awakened something inside of me.”

“Yeah. I know that feeling.” She walked up the stairs and found a towel before turning back to him. “Do you need help getting out?”

“No, not yet. I need to swim some more. I try to swim every morning that I don’t have therapy. You just aren’t here. So to answer your question, yes, I can get in and out by myself.”

She settled onto a chase lounge and watched him in the water. He was as graceful as a dolphin as he swam lap after lap. She couldn’t help but admire his body. Even his legs had beautiful muscle definition. Inside, she still quaked. There was something about him—something dangerously sexy, and she felt it to her toes.

After another twenty minutes or so, he pulled himself out of the water and onto his wheelchair. Silver hair was plastered to his chest, legs, and arms. The navy blue trunks left little to the imagination.

“You can stand?”

“Of course. But I’m not supposed to be on my feet. Actually, it hurts like hell, which is why my daughter hired you. I tried to do too much too soon, then wound up falling and doing more damage. That set me back a few months, as I had to have another round of surgery. His hands gripped the outer wheels of his chair, and he headed toward the house.

“Need help?”

He shot her a wicked grin. “Not unless you want to help me get naked.”

She cocked her head as what he said sank in. “Oh. I’m a broke student, but I’m not a whore.”

He rolled to where she was sitting and grabbed her foot. “I didn’t think you were.”

His fingers caressed the bottom of her feet, and she attempted to stifle another moan. “I’m not a toy.”

“As I said, I didn’t think you were.”

His hands made their way further up her legs, massaging each little inch of flesh. Slow and gentle, it felt wonderful. He inched higher, and she put her hand down to stop him. He captured her hand in his and began to tenderly knead each finger, then her palm.

“You’re tense. You need to relax.”

She swallowed and closed her eyes. Her very fiber was being torn apart. Part of her told her to stop him, and the other part greedily wallowed in his sexual attention. The self-indulgent part was winning. Heat swirled through her system and caused her nipples to bead. Then she felt his lips on her palm. She squirmed when her labia twitched. His lips made their way up her arm to her neck. Tiny kisses, little nips, and an occasional swirl of his tongue graced her skin.

Never before had she had a man touch her in such a way. She moaned as he nibbled on her earlobe. She knew she was horny, and he was pushing all the right buttons to ramp her desire.Enter to win a $10 Amazon GC during the tour!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease Hearts on Fire by Alison Packard @Alleyfics

This post is part of a virtual book tour revealing the cover of Alison Packard's newest book Hearts on Fire which will be released on February 3. One randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter will receive a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Country music star Jessie Grant has it all. An amazing voice, a string of multi-platinum albums, and a sold-out concert tour. But just before her Hearts on Fire tour rolls into Las Vegas, her lead guitarist is badly injured and is unable to play. Desperate to find a replacement before the night of a televised live show, Jessie is forced to accept help from the last person on earth she wants to see again.

Drew Carmichael has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best up-and-coming musicians in Nashville, without cashing in on his renowned father’s name. When Jessie’s manager calls and asks him to fill in for her band’s injured guitar player, he agrees to help Jessie out even though she cut him out of her life four months ago.

In Sin City, sparks fly between Jessie and Drew, and it isn’t long before they give in to their mutual attraction. But when the dark past Jessie has successfully hidden for ten years explodes in the media, their tenuous bond is put to the test, and both Jessie and Drew must learn to trust each other if they don’t want their newfound romantic relationship to go up in flames.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Jessie Grant stared at the cheery yellow wall in her dressing room, and fought the overwhelming urge to throw something. Anything. Her agitated gaze fell on the lovely vase of flowers that had been delivered just before the show, and she had to remind herself that violence, especially towards a perfectly innocent bouquet of pink roses and white calla lilies, wouldn’t solve anything.

But then again, it might relieve the tension that was coiled inside of her like a tightly wound spring.

“Calm down.”

“Calm down?” Jessie whirled around and met the exasperated eyes of her manager. “You expect me to calm down when my guitar player, who, unbeknownst to me, was half-wasted during our set, and decided to stage dive into the audience.” She pointed a finger at him. “That broken arm of his isn’t gonna to heal in four days. I need another guitar player, and I need one now.”

“Relax,” Wally Lindell said in a soothing voice. “I’m working on it.”

“How are you working on it?”

She propped her hands on her hips and gave him her best glacial stare. It didn’t faze him. It never did. He’d been her manager since she was fifteen years old, and he knew her better than anyone. So he should have known that she would be totally freaked out about losing her lead guitar player four days before her exclusive gig in Las Vegas, after all, he was the one who had dubbed her a perfectionist.

“I put in a call to Drew.”

Jessie’s already churning stomach lurched wildly. “Drew Carmichael?”

“How many other guitar players named Drew do you know?” Wally shot her a wise-ass grin.

Only one.

“So you talked to him?” she asked, as she moved to the make-up table. She picked up the bottle of water her stylist had left out for her and took a sip. Maybe the simple task would soothe her frayed nerves.

It didn’t even come close.

“What did he say?”

“I left him a message. He hasn’t called me back yet.” Wally shoved his hands into the front pockets of his black jeans and looked her straight in the eyes with an unflinching directness.

She’d seen that look before; the one telling her that while she might be the star, he was the one who’d gotten her there, and before she went off half-cocked, she’d better let him have his say. And of course, she would. She respected Wally far too much not to listen to him.

“He’s the only guitar player we can get on such short notice that knows your set list,” he continued. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but whatever it is, you need to put it aside for the sake of this gig, and maybe the rest of the tour.”

“What makes you think something happened?” she asked with feigned nonchalance.

It was best not to let anyone, especially Wally, know how much she cared about Drew.

“Because you two were as thick as thieves last spring, and now it’s like he’s dropped off the face of the earth. Did you have a falling out?”

“No.” Jessie scowled, as she returned the bottle to the table. “We didn’t have a falling out. I’ve been on the road for months now and he…he’s got a life.”

A life that didn’t include her.

About the Author:
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada where she’s still getting used to the blistering summers and the slot machines in every grocery store.

When not working at the day job that pays the bills, keeps a roof over her head, and supports her book and chocolate habits, Alison spends most of her free time writing. But when she takes a break, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

Website: http://alisonpackard.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alison-Packard-Author/368976796492227?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alleyfics
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Alison-Packard/e/B009JG39XQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4?qid=1419875275&sr=8-4
Barnes and Noble Author Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/alison-packard

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Interview withTanille Edwards for Cameo @Cameothenovel1

Tanille is the co-author and creator of the children's green book series "Jordan & Justine's Weekend Adventures." She is also the author of the new media young adult novels with music "Cameo by Tanille," and "Broken by Tanille."

The Undercover Starlet Journal is a title Tanille created to inspire young women and has extended Undercover Starlet into brand extensions that appear throughout her novels.
Tanille has been writing music and books since age 16. She earned an MBA at 21 and graduated magna cum laude.
Readers of her latest young adult romance novel "Broken by Tanille" get free music downloads of her new Pop R&B hits "All of Me," "Feel It," "Baby Comeback to Me," "It's Not Okay," and "What's a Girl to Do" all written, performed and co-produced by Tanille.
The Undercover Starlet Reading Project is a new project we've launched, tasked with inspiring young teens in urban communities to reads and express themselves. We are committed to going above and beyond to reach youth with inspiring messages.
www.Tanille.com
www.Cameothenovel.com
www.facebook.com/CameoNia
@Cameothenovel1
www.soundcloud.com/TanilleMusic
 1. At any given time do you work on only one story at a time and maybe plot out the next one or are there many ideas racing around your head? I try to work on one story at a time. I do have radical ideas at times that don't quite fit the story I am working on. i look at those as one of two things. opportunities to challenge the ideals of my current characters and deepen their story or future ideas.

2. Is there a genre you haven't written in but would like to? Or wish you could write in? I would love to do a magical fantasy book. I am in awe of these types of stories. You are so completely transported to another world where all the rules are different, the lands are different. The breadth of development is so fascinating. I would love to write a magical fantasy about a place where wizards and enchanted animals are our protectors.

3. Do you add an element of romantic suspense in your stories? I try to add romantic tension wherever possible. I notice when we girls get together and chat ear perk up and eyes widen when the talk of guys starts ups. It is human nature to be most interested in tales of trysts with romantic partners. I think it brings so much excitement to the page. And the resistance we all go through to make the depth of our emotions is just marvelous to play out.

4. Say you have unlimited funds: What kind of writing office/cottage would you create for yourself? Would I have to have just one?:) I would create a space with a dance studio, a space for yoga, a space for play with an air hockey table, skeeball, and a packman video game. My writing space would be full of pastels. I love spring. It is full of hope and the warmth to come. I would paint it yellow and white. My desk would be full of writing pads and a sleek tablet style laptop.

5. If you could turn your novel into a TV show, which novel or series would you do? Where would it be set? Network TV (ABC, NBC, CBS), Cable (AMC, BBC, Lifetime) or Premium Cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz)? I would turn Cameo into a movie. It would be on Showtime or Starz. It would be set in the suburbs of New York.

6. Finally, tell us about your latest release! Cameo is my first teen novel. It has a special place in my heart. Nia was the first character I lived with and learned to mold. We meet Nia when she is fresh off a break up from the star of the football team, Craig. She is dying to finish school and head off to college. Just when Nia thinks she has life figured out the stalking begins. She has to figure who is behind her attacks and why. Then like that Nia goes from totally sworn off boys to back into this kind of liking someone phase. Which she tries to resist to no avail. The fun comes in when you meet her friends who are straight out of a high school flick. Cameo is full of quirks. It is a fast paced read that reminds us of how tough it is to come of age. 

 Blurb:
New Pop R & B Song "Baby Comeback to Me" by Tanille free with purchase of Cameo. Email us Music@Tanille.com.

Cameo by Tanille is your next sinful beach read. Be 17 again! This page turning who done it is packed with mystery, drama, and steam. Nia is a high school beauty who discovers she's being stalked by someone in a secret underground society. Everyone is suspect. The pressure is mounting and problems are stacking up. Who is behind all of this? Which one of her friends is connected with this secret society? And why?

Where to Buy:
Buy Cameo by Tanille on Amazon Buy Broken on Amazon

Excerpt:“Hey,” Jason said. I tilted my head all until I caught myself gawking at him like he was a science project. “Going to invite me in?” he asked.
“The door is open … isn’t it?” I said. He stared at me blankly. “Come in,” I said.
Duh! This guy definitely has some screws loose. “I’ve been thinking about the project,” I continued. He turned and looked at me in shock. “No, really, I’ve been thinking about the school project,” I said. He nodded his head like he understood me. Girls usually spoke in code to boys like Jason. When they said “doing” a project they usually meant “doing” him. Kind of gross in a feminist kind of way. I guess he thought I was lying. Women are smart, not sex objects. We’re not like guys, who think about sex every five minutes. Of course, at times it seemed that no one had clued in the girls at my school about such characteristics.

“Right. I just wonder how dumb you think I am. I know I’m here for the school project. I got it, loud and clear,” he said flatly. A tiny part of me was disappointed. So there was nothing between us? I didn’t want him, but I wanted him to want me, at least in light of our history. It was hard to admit there were some things I couldn’t control. Being around him brought back this good feeling I used to get when I had a boyfriend. Part of me liked to stand next to a boy in all of my five-nine stature and look up at him, knowing that he dug me.
Oh, and there was the fact that at the end of sophomore year we kind of talked in between a very, very sloppy, back-of-the-staircase kiss. He never called me that summer. The next semester, I walked passed him like I never knew him. Even Cindy didn’t know about that. We became best friends junior year. We had a rule about secrets: If it was a secret before we met, we kept it that way, but if it was a secret after we met we were obliged to dish.
He waited for me to walk through the entrance of our Art Deco dining room. I cut my eyes. That courteous crap wasn’t going to fly with me. He caught a glimpse of the elaborate marble chess set in the living room. I could see he wanted to ask me something. He almost put his hand on top of mine when I reached for the chair.
“I’ve got it,” I said. I pulled out my chair and sat down. He watched. I made sure I caught his eye when he sat down right next to me. What the hell did he think he was doing?  Tanille will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease Crashers by Lindy S. Hudis @LindyScribe

Lindy S. Hudis is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her "Hollywood" story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. She is also the author of an erotic short story series, "The S&M Club" and "The Mile High Club". Her short film "The Lesson" was screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival and Cine-Nights in 2000. She is also an actress, having appeared in the television daytime drama "Sunset Beach".

She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
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Blurb: Fraudulent car accidents is a multi-million dollar racket, involving unscrupulous medical providers, personal injury attorneys, and the cooperating passengers involved in the accidents and who also receive a portion of the illegal proceeds. Such is the fate of newly engaged, Nathan and Shari, whose joy is tempered by the dark cloud of mounting debt. A chance encounter with a stranger in whom Shari confides her troubles, proves fortuitous: he tells her of a get-rich-quick scheme that will put her and her fiance on easy street. Seduced by the chance to move from hard times to good times in no time, she finds herself acting as a stuffed passenger the victim in a staged auto accident. Shari gets her payday, but getting out and breaking free of the insurance fraud underworld will take nothing short of a miracle. A modern day cautionary tale that uncovers how the innocent get lured into the scheme of cappers and hammers. Where to Buy:Amazon Excerpt:As the blare of the clock radio on the night table jolted her awake, Shari  Barnes rubbed her eyes, blew her long brown hair out of her face, and snuggled into Nathan Townsend’s chest. She curled her body around his middle and took a deep whiff of his salty, masculine neck. But she couldn’t ignore the voice on the radio. “Monday morning traffic,” she sighed. Nathan matched the sigh and put his arms around her. “At least you don’t have to drive over the hill.” “Yeah, I would just die if I had to drive into Beverly Hills every day to work in a beautiful office.” Shari giggled and disappeared under their thick blue comforter for a few more moments of sleepy-headed bliss. She felt Nathan stretch up, and a moment later the radio shut off. Then he slid down next to her in the single bed they shared in their Studio City apartment, a few blocks north of Ventura Boulevard. The constant drone and rumble of another L.A. morning came clearly through the open window: cars honking, rock music blaring, the frantic scurrying sounds of the film shoot a few blocks away. Shari ran her bare feet up the inside of Nathan’s thigh. He jumped. “Shit, your feet are cold.” He pushed her legs off of him. “What time is it?” she murmured between kisses. “Um, seven.” He nuzzled her neck and she felt him becoming erect against her. “No time for that!” She threw off the covers. “Gotta be at work on time for once; gotta get my asp out of bed.” “There’s a snake in the bed?” Nathan grabbed her with both hands and gave her belly gentle nips. “Yeah, of the one-eyed variety.” Shari leaped to the floor and padded naked into the bathroom. She turned the hot water in the shower to high and stepped in, filling the small bathroom with steam. She had just poured a green drop of shampoo into her palm and was running her hands together when the flimsy yellow and white shower curtain flew back and Nathan grinned in at her. She smiled back, surprised by neither his arrival nor the partial hard-on that preceded him.  “Mind if we join you?” he asked. “There’s enough shampoo for everybody,” Shari said as she rubbed her hands across her scalp. He stepped into the stall, pulled the curtain closed and began to lather her hair for her. She put her hands on his back, feeling the taut muscles and the water streaming there, but did not reach down between them. It took him about five seconds to realize it and hold her away.“You okay?” “Fine….”  “Don’t lie; I can always tell when you have something on your mind.” “You know me better than I know me,” she said. “You know it.” He pushed her wet hair over her shoulders. “Come on, give.” “I was thinking maybe I should get a second job.” “You’re worrying about money again?” “Well, I have to shoot my student thesis film this year or I won’t graduate. But where am I going to get the money I need?” “How much do you need?” “At least five figures.” Lindy will be awarding an autographed paperback copy of Crashers (US Only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway

#NewRelease My Turn-Achieving the American Dream by Jonathan Williams

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jonathan Williams will be awarding $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Silicon Valley is home to several large Technology and Pharmaceutical \ Biotech corporations. Chris moved to this area in early 2000. He has been handling data for prestigious companies for well over ten years. His work ethic and morals have kept him employed. During his tenure at a Fortune 100 company, he is offered a position at a small Biotech. It is not too long after taking this new position that he is promoted to Management. The IT Directory who Chris reports to gives him the choice of playing the corporate game or getting fired. Chris must either choose being ethical and getting fired or keeping his job by being unethical. After much thought, he realizes that honesty and integrity have kept him from achieving the American dream. Tired of living paycheck to paycheck he decides to play the corporate game. This decision will not only affect his professional life but his personal life as well.

Enjoy an excerpt:

From an early age, Chris understood that data was the key to everything. He didn’t need a 9/11 incident to tell him that certain systems needed to talk to each other. He also didn’t need a Wikileaks incident or an NSA leak to tell him that access to any kind of data must be reviewed with scrutiny.

About the Author: Jonathan Williams has worked in Information Technology for over twenty years. He has spent most of his career working in the Financial and Pharmaceutical \ Biotech sectors. He specializes in Database Management Systems.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9794311.Jonathan_Williams

Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble Currenly FREE on BN.com

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