Tina Gayle's Blog, page 12

Diana Rubino - Bootleg Broadway #EggcerptExchange

BOOTLEG BROADWAY, a story of debauchery and a little romance by Diana Rubino
Booze, music, sex, murder, Prohibition… NewYork…what a time to be alive!The birth of BOOTLEG BROADWAY: With FROM HERE TO 14THSTREET set in 1894, I needed to set this a generation later, which happened to be the 1930s—with Prohibition and the Great Depression as the backdrop. This is the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with nothing to do yet. The plot developed the way it did because of who they are. My goal was to get the protagonist Billy McGlory into one mess after another. This era couldn’t have been more suited to Billy’s adventures, a few of which he barely escaped with his life. About BOOTLEG BROADWAY: In this sequel to FROM HERE TO 14TH STREET, Vita and Tom McGlory and their three children are struggling to make ends meet. It's 1932. Prohibition rages, the Depression ravages, and Billy McGlory comes of age whether he wants to or not. Musical and adventurous, Billy dreams of having his own ritzy supper club and big band. On the eve of Billy’s marriage to the pregnant Prudence, the shifty "businessman" Rosario Ingovito offers him all that and more. Fame, fortune, his own Broadway musical…it's all his for the taking, despite Pru's opposition to Rosie's ventures.
Meanwhile, Pru's artistic career gains momentum and their child is born. Can anything go wrong for Billy? Only when he gets in way over his head does he stop to wonder how his business partner really makes his millions, but by then it's far too late… Nicknames from real life: As in FROM HERE TO 14thSTREET, a lot of characters have nicknames like Piggy Balls and Dirty Neck Bruiso. I sat around the table with my surviving aunts and uncles who were then in their 80s and 90s, and they rattled off these nicknames from ‘the old days’ in Jersey City like they made them up yesterday. That was a standard Italian neighborhood custom, everybody had a nickname. Some were more descriptive than others. But you didn’t just ‘get’ a nickname. You had to earn it.    Some more nicknames from the old neighborhood: Bruno Chicken BodyButta JeansCharlie BurpChick a la zooDirty DickyDirty Neck BruisoFloodyFrankie Butch ButchGravel GertieHoo HooJazzy LouJijji BallsJinjiJohnny in for the potJuu-joSloppyVigi-Leak My fav passage from BOOTLEG BROADWAY (which made my aunt cringe): Pru had kept closemouthed all day about what she was giving him for his birthday. He badgered and hounded her, but she wouldn’t give in. As Ma began divvying up the rum cake, the doorbell rang, and Da came back with a long box. “This thing’s heavy. What’s in here, Pru? Billy’s tombstone?”Billy cut the ribbon with the cake knife and slid the lid off. Wads of tissue paper filled the box. As he removed the last layer of covering and revealed what was inside, they all gasped—a sculpture of a naked man, in all his masculine glory—and fully aroused. He had one hand on his hip and one foot upon a pedestal on which was inscribed in bold letters, “BILLY.”“Oh, crap.” His face turned red hot.     Where Did I Begin? This was the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with no storyline whatsoever. All I knew was that it was during Prohibition, and I wanted to get the main character, Billy McGlory, into one mess after another. Here’s a prime example of that, in this excerpt: Heading south on Madison Avenue, I heard the siren. I glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the unmistakable Greyhound radiator ornament of the Lincoln behind me. Cop car. All the gangsters drove Lincolns, which had a top speed of 80, so the cops had to get Lincolns to keep up with them. I tried to get the hell out of his way—he must've been going to a robbery or a diner or something. I pulled over, and he pulled up next to me. Oh, shit. It was me he was after.I rolled down the window and asked sweetly, "Yes, sir, what can I do for you, sir?""License and registration please.""Uh—what's wrong, officer? Did I commit a traffic violation?" As the son of the ex-Chief of Police, I should have been real comfortable around cops, but to tell the truth, they scared the hell out of me. The cops my father knew weren't the crooked ones. They were the straightassed ones, just like him, who fought Tammany and made a career out of busting crooks. They didn't have a price, like the rest of them. Hardnosed bastards, some were frustrated politicians and not smart enough to get into law school, so they enforced the laws from behind their badges. Hell, I was all for law and order, but these guys sometimes took it too far. "Your back license plate is missing."Relief drained me. "Oh, drat. It must've got stolen. You know this city—just crawlin' with thieves.""License and registration, please," he repeated, in what passed for a more menacing cop voice. Now he assumed his cop stance, pudgy fists on meaty hips, waiting while I dug through the glove compartment, tossing aside all the crumpled up sheet music and junk crammed in there. Oh, that's where my emergency pack of cigarettes was, and that old box of prophylactics! But damned if I couldn't find the registration."Uh—I can't find it, but it's my car, honest. I mean, it was a gift to me, but it's been paid for, it's not stolen or anything. I can probably find it in my penthouse. You wanna follow me there? It's only two blocks aw—""Step out of the car, please."Uh-oh. I felt my bowels burning. I had two briefcases bulging with two shitloads of money in the back seat. He poked his head into the car. "What's in the briefcases?""Uh—I dunno. I'm doing an errand for somebody.""Yeah, I'll bet you dunno. Step aside, please.""Hey, you got a search warrant?" I demanded.But demanding a search warrant from a New York City cop was like demanding a shot of Scotch from Satan in the middle of Hell.I didn't want to look. I turned my head and flattened my palms on the roof of the car, like I was being searched. I heard the clicks as he sprang the latches and his not-so-surprised "mm-hmmm" as he checked out the contents."Who you doing this errand for, sonny boy?"What was with the "sonny boy"? He wasn't much older than me. I knew he just wanted to put me down. Screw that. I've been called a lot worse by much better cops than him. He obviously didn't know who I was. "Uh—I'd better get a lawyer or something.""You'd better come with me.""Look, uh—you wanna just take a few bills outta there and forget it?” I asked, real generously. “I mean, uh—we're all in this mess together, ya know—""Bribing an officer of the law is a very serious offense, sonny boy. You'll have to come with me. Park your car there, please.""Here? But there's a hydrant here. I'll get a ticket."   I CONSIDERED THESE TITLES BEFORE I CHOSE BOOTLEG BROADWAY (feel free to use any of these if you’re writing a book set during Prohibition or the Depression—it was a tough decision) Headin' for Better TimesHow StrangeIf It Ain't LoveIf I Had YouNever Let the Same Bee Sting You TwiceOpus OnePA6-5000Puttin on the RitzSay it Isn't SoSee if I'll CareSmile

Somebody Loves You
Take the A Train
Thanks for the Memory
Under the Moon
When Dreams Come True
Wherever you Are
 
 
OTHER PROHIBITION BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY:
 
The Stork Club - Ralph Blumenthal
Once Upon a Time in NY - Herbert Mitgang
Incredible NY: High Life & Low Life - Lloyd Morris
The Night Club Era - Stanley Walker
 
 
Purchase BOOTLEG BROADWAY:
 
The Wild Rose Press
 
Kindle
 
Amazon Paperback
 
Barnes & Noble Nook
 
iTunes
 
 
Contact Diana:
 
My Website
My Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
GooglePlus
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon Author Page
Thanks for stopping by,
Tina
 
 
 

Diana Rubio - Bootleg Broadway #EggcerptExchange

BOOTLEG BROADWAY, a story of debauchery and a little romance by Diana Rubino
Booze, music, sex, murder, Prohibition… NewYork…what a time to be alive!The birth of BOOTLEG BROADWAY: With FROM HERE TO 14THSTREET set in 1894, I needed to set this a generation later, which happened to be the 1930s—with Prohibition and the Great Depression as the backdrop. This is the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with nothing to do yet. The plot developed the way it did because of who they are. My goal was to get the protagonist Billy McGlory into one mess after another. This era couldn’t have been more suited to Billy’s adventures, a few of which he barely escaped with his life. About BOOTLEG BROADWAY: In this sequel to FROM HERE TO 14TH STREET, Vita and Tom McGlory and their three children are struggling to make ends meet. It's 1932. Prohibition rages, the Depression ravages, and Billy McGlory comes of age whether he wants to or not. Musical and adventurous, Billy dreams of having his own ritzy supper club and big band. On the eve of Billy’s marriage to the pregnant Prudence, the shifty "businessman" Rosario Ingovito offers him all that and more. Fame, fortune, his own Broadway musical…it's all his for the taking, despite Pru's opposition to Rosie's ventures.
Meanwhile, Pru's artistic career gains momentum and their child is born. Can anything go wrong for Billy? Only when he gets in way over his head does he stop to wonder how his business partner really makes his millions, but by then it's far too late… Nicknames from real life: As in FROM HERE TO 14thSTREET, a lot of characters have nicknames like Piggy Balls and Dirty Neck Bruiso. I sat around the table with my surviving aunts and uncles who were then in their 80s and 90s, and they rattled off these nicknames from ‘the old days’ in Jersey City like they made them up yesterday. That was a standard Italian neighborhood custom, everybody had a nickname. Some were more descriptive than others. But you didn’t just ‘get’ a nickname. You had to earn it.    Some more nicknames from the old neighborhood: Bruno Chicken BodyButta JeansCharlie BurpChick a la zooDirty DickyDirty Neck BruisoFloodyFrankie Butch ButchGravel GertieHoo HooJazzy LouJijji BallsJinjiJohnny in for the potJuu-joSloppyVigi-Leak My fav passage from BOOTLEG BROADWAY (which made my aunt cringe): Pru had kept closemouthed all day about what she was giving him for his birthday. He badgered and hounded her, but she wouldn’t give in. As Ma began divvying up the rum cake, the doorbell rang, and Da came back with a long box. “This thing’s heavy. What’s in here, Pru? Billy’s tombstone?”Billy cut the ribbon with the cake knife and slid the lid off. Wads of tissue paper filled the box. As he removed the last layer of covering and revealed what was inside, they all gasped—a sculpture of a naked man, in all his masculine glory—and fully aroused. He had one hand on his hip and one foot upon a pedestal on which was inscribed in bold letters, “BILLY.”“Oh, crap.” His face turned red hot.     Where Did I Begin? This was the first book I ever wrote where I created the characters first, with no storyline whatsoever. All I knew was that it was during Prohibition, and I wanted to get the main character, Billy McGlory, into one mess after another. Here’s a prime example of that, in this excerpt: Heading south on Madison Avenue, I heard the siren. I glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the unmistakable Greyhound radiator ornament of the Lincoln behind me. Cop car. All the gangsters drove Lincolns, which had a top speed of 80, so the cops had to get Lincolns to keep up with them. I tried to get the hell out of his way—he must've been going to a robbery or a diner or something. I pulled over, and he pulled up next to me. Oh, shit. It was me he was after.I rolled down the window and asked sweetly, "Yes, sir, what can I do for you, sir?""License and registration please.""Uh—what's wrong, officer? Did I commit a traffic violation?" As the son of the ex-Chief of Police, I should have been real comfortable around cops, but to tell the truth, they scared the hell out of me. The cops my father knew weren't the crooked ones. They were the straightassed ones, just like him, who fought Tammany and made a career out of busting crooks. They didn't have a price, like the rest of them. Hardnosed bastards, some were frustrated politicians and not smart enough to get into law school, so they enforced the laws from behind their badges. Hell, I was all for law and order, but these guys sometimes took it too far. "Your back license plate is missing."Relief drained me. "Oh, drat. It must've got stolen. You know this city—just crawlin' with thieves.""License and registration, please," he repeated, in what passed for a more menacing cop voice. Now he assumed his cop stance, pudgy fists on meaty hips, waiting while I dug through the glove compartment, tossing aside all the crumpled up sheet music and junk crammed in there. Oh, that's where my emergency pack of cigarettes was, and that old box of prophylactics! But damned if I couldn't find the registration."Uh—I can't find it, but it's my car, honest. I mean, it was a gift to me, but it's been paid for, it's not stolen or anything. I can probably find it in my penthouse. You wanna follow me there? It's only two blocks aw—""Step out of the car, please."Uh-oh. I felt my bowels burning. I had two briefcases bulging with two shitloads of money in the back seat. He poked his head into the car. "What's in the briefcases?""Uh—I dunno. I'm doing an errand for somebody.""Yeah, I'll bet you dunno. Step aside, please.""Hey, you got a search warrant?" I demanded.But demanding a search warrant from a New York City cop was like demanding a shot of Scotch from Satan in the middle of Hell.I didn't want to look. I turned my head and flattened my palms on the roof of the car, like I was being searched. I heard the clicks as he sprang the latches and his not-so-surprised "mm-hmmm" as he checked out the contents."Who you doing this errand for, sonny boy?"What was with the "sonny boy"? He wasn't much older than me. I knew he just wanted to put me down. Screw that. I've been called a lot worse by much better cops than him. He obviously didn't know who I was. "Uh—I'd better get a lawyer or something.""You'd better come with me.""Look, uh—you wanna just take a few bills outta there and forget it?” I asked, real generously. “I mean, uh—we're all in this mess together, ya know—""Bribing an officer of the law is a very serious offense, sonny boy. You'll have to come with me. Park your car there, please.""Here? But there's a hydrant here. I'll get a ticket."   I CONSIDERED THESE TITLES BEFORE I CHOSE BOOTLEG BROADWAY (feel free to use any of these if you’re writing a book set during Prohibition or the Depression—it was a tough decision) Headin' for Better TimesHow StrangeIf It Ain't LoveIf I Had YouNever Let the Same Bee Sting You TwiceOpus OnePA6-5000Puttin on the RitzSay it Isn't SoSee if I'll CareSmile

Somebody Loves You
Take the A Train
Thanks for the Memory
Under the Moon
When Dreams Come True
Wherever you Are
 
 
OTHER PROHIBITION BOOKS YOU’LL ENJOY:
 
The Stork Club - Ralph Blumenthal
Once Upon a Time in NY - Herbert Mitgang
Incredible NY: High Life & Low Life - Lloyd Morris
The Night Club Era - Stanley Walker
 
 
Purchase BOOTLEG BROADWAY:
 
The Wild Rose Press
 
Kindle
 
Amazon Paperback
 
Barnes & Noble Nook
 
iTunes
 
 
Contact Diana:
 
My Website
My Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
GooglePlus
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon Author Page
Thanks for stopping by,
Tina
 
 
 

Youthful Temptations - Can You Fall In Love at Any Age #EggcerptExchange #Romance

As you can see if my story -- I believe you can.

Blurb -
Single again, Linda Clayton is ready to let loose and have some fun. Jilted at a party, she met a younger man, Vaughn Reagan. He has an active imagination and allures her into his life by tempting her with seductive games. Vaughn is thrilled to find a woman who doesn’t want children. He offers Linda a job so he can spend his days with her. Now, if he could only convince her to forget their age difference and enjoy the nights in his arms. Excerpt:

“But did you meet anyone?” His father drilled the question at him like a staff sergeant. Ex-military, his voice struck the right chord to demand answers.

“Yes, but I’m . . .” he started, but his father interrupted.

“Then tell us all about her.”

“No.” Vaughn sprang from the couch and marched to the fireplace. Anger rumbled in his stomach, and a sour taste hit the back of his throat. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the blue flame rising from the blackened wood.

Every time he met someone new, his father pushed and prodded until he wormed every detail about his relationship out into the open. To shake his dad off his back, he usually complied. But not this time. His attraction to Linda was special.

Why? The question raced through his head.

He shook his head and refused the temptation to use their encounter as a temporary diversion to soothe his father’s doubts about his sexuality.

“And why not? Is she married or something?” his dad inquired.

Vaughn clenched his hands into fists. His dad hated being in the dark about any subject related to his children.

“Wait, Big John, Vaughn will tell us when he’s ready.” His mother’s voice offered a token of peace in a discussion that could quickly erupt.

“Well, I’m ready now. So spill the beans, boy. I want to know who this girl is.”

Vaughn whipped around to glare at his father. The concern marking his father’s brow eased, and a grin spread across his face. A strong emotion punched Vaughn in the chest. His dad might be a pain in the ass, but he’d been there in every major event in Vaughn’s life. At the hospital, while he’d been fighting his bout with cancer, his dad pestered all the doctors with his demands for a cure. Now, the same determination called for Vaughn to find a wife and settle.

A prior conversation sparked in Vaughn’s memory. “Are you sure it’s a woman?”

“What?” his mom squealed.

His father shook his head. “Good try, but we’ve already had that talk.”

“When did you . . .” His mother stood and tugged her hand free of her husband’s. “I can’t believe you’d ask him such a thing.”

Vaughn recognized the trouble he’d laid at his father’s door. His mom could impale a man with her wrath. “It was a while ago, Mom.”

“And I had to ask.” His dad hammered a few more nails in his coffin.

“Why?” Her hands flew in the air and finally landed on her hips. The high-pitched tone of her voice echoed off the high ceiling. “I can’t believe you, Big John. The boy has a right to a private life. But no, you have to meddle where you don’t belong.”

“Come on, April. He might be a tough guy, but he’s also my son. I want to know what’s happening in his life.”

“No, you don’t. You’re trying to run his life.”

“But he should settle down and find a good woman like I have.” He leaned forward and grabbed his wife’s wrist. “It’ll give him a passion for living.”

“You don’t know that. Not everyone is guaranteed happiness simply because they’re married.” She tugged on her hand and took a few steps backwards.

His dad grinned, rose quickly, and caught her in a bear hug. “They would be if they married a woman as lovely as you.”

“John,” his mom yelped, her feet dangling in the air, before his dad dove for a kiss.

Vaughn laughed. His father could always soothe his mom’s ruffled feathers. He wondered if he’d ever find the special bond they shared with someone. A strand of auburn hair on his sleeve caught his attention, and a picture of Linda flashed through his head.

Could she be the one?

His father glanced at him and released his tight hold on his mom. “So, son, why don’t you tell your busybody mother about your new girlfriend?”



Purchase ebook at: www.smashwords.com www.barnesandnoble.com www.kobobooks.com itunes.apple.com At Amazon  

#EggcerptExchange with Kim Iverson Headlee - #Excerpt from Liberty

1. What romantic event would you like to see this year?I would love to go on an Arctic Circle cruise with my husband in the summer, and watch the auroras envelop the sky above us. It won't happen this summer, though, LOL!
2. Name your favorite romantic tipCalculate the number of DAYS since your wedding, first date, first kiss, first... whatever, and then surprise your partner with a night out on the town. It will utterly stump him or her as to what the special occasion is! I can't take credit for this idea, however. My husband got it from a coworker, years ago, and surprised me on the 5000th day since our wedding anniversary.
3. What Rocking romance do you find intriguing?Arthur and Guinevere, of course. Most romances don't carry the power to shape the destiny of two nations, but theirs did--as portrayed in my series The Dragon's Dove Chronicles (Dawnflight, Morning's Journey, etc.).
4. What is your Rocking Romance flower?I am quite partial to the Peace rose.
5. Plan one romantic evening what would you do?Dinner at a great restaurant that doesn't have any TVs! I'm not sure that would be my husband's idea of a romantic evening, however... :D###
Love this book? Please join Kim's All-Stars Street Team!
TITLE – Liberty, second editionSERIES – N/AAUTHOR – Kim Iverson HeadleeGENRE – Historical RomancePUBLICATION DATE – December 2014LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 462 pages/118K wordsPUBLISHER – Pendragon Cove PressCOVER DESIGNER – Natasha Brown
“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”


Next blog tour is January 30 - February 28, 2015. 
Please sign up here, thanks!


SYNOPSIS They hailed her “Liberty,” but she was free only to obey—or die.
Betrayed by her father and sold as payment of a Roman tax debt to fight in Londinium’s arena, gladiatrix-slave Rhyddes feels like a wild beast in a gilded cage. Celtic warrior blood flows in her veins, but Roman masters own her body. She clings to her vow that no man shall claim her soul, though Marcus Calpurnius Aquila, son of the Roman governor, makes her yearn for a love she believes impossible.

Groomed to follow in his father’s footsteps and trapped in a politically advantageous betrothal, Aquila prefers the purity of combat on the amphitheater sands to the sinister intrigues of imperial politics, and the raw power and athletic grace of the flame-haired Libertas to the adoring deference of Rome’s noblewomen.

When a plot to overthrow Caesar ensnares them as pawns in the dark design, Aquila must choose between the Celtic slave who has won his heart and the empire to which they both owe allegiance. Trusting no man and knowing the opposite of obedience is death, the only liberty offered to any slave, Rhyddes must embrace her arena name—and the love of a man willing to sacrifice everything to forge a future with her. BUY LINKS Amazon Kindle
US – UK  – CA – AU – BR – DE – ES – FR – IN – IT – JP – MX – NL –
Other E-readers
NOOK – INKTERA – ITUNES – KOBO – SCRIBD – SMASHWORDS
Paperback edition coming soon!

Social Media Links
BeeZee Books | Goodreads | Latest Book Trailer | EXCERPT
AS WITH surviving her treatment among the soldiers, Rhyddes found anger to be an excellent ally for masking her fear and embarrassment. To be forced to strip and parade naked in front of this leering crowd—if the gods cared at all about their people’s plight, they would inflict a plague on all Romans and their whelps unto the third generation.Fixing her gaze on a point at the top of the far wall while she dwelled upon happier days helped her weather the humiliation.A pair of hands cupped her breasts, sending tingles scurrying through her body. She shifted her gaze to stare into the most alluring hazel eyes she’d ever seen, set into a tanned, handsome face crowned with close-cropped, curly black hair: the face of a god.A Roman god, to judge by the scarlet-bordered bed linens flapping about his tall, muscular frame.But, Roman or no, he was making her feel like a pampered goddess with his warm caresses. She closed her eyes and parted her lips in a soft sigh. When his touch became more firm, she regarded him again, puzzled by the change.His face seemed lost in concentration. He was kneading her flesh as dispassionately as a woman evaluating the ripeness of peaches!She worked up a mouthful of spittle, imagining how it would look adorning that arrogant face. Deciding it would buy her more trouble than she could afford, she swallowed and steeled herself to the Roman’s touch. His haughty grin rekindled her anger, dousing other emotions he’d awakened.What surprised her, though she strove to hide it, was how hard those other emotions fought for dominance.
My bio and social media links, if you would like to include them, are:
AUTHOR BIOKim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.
Kim is a Seattle native (when she used to live in the Metro DC area, she loved telling people she was from "the other Washington") and a direct descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim's novels. Another novel in the queue will involve her husband's ancestor, the seventh-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.
For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon's Dove Chronicles, and other novels under her new imprint, Pendragon Cove Press.
YouTube video interview: http://youtu.be/DV5iKrEIROk
FOLLOW KIM: BLOG – http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com/NEWSLETTER: mailto:info@dawnflight.com?subject=Subscription_RequestTWITTER – https://twitter.com/KimHeadleeGOOGLE+ - https://plus.google.com/+KimHeadleeFACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/KimIversonHeadleePINTEREST – http://www.pinterest.com/kimheadlee/AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Kim-Headlee/e/B001KE2LK2GOODREADS – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/845537.Kim_HeadleeLINKEDIN – http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/YOUTUBE CHANNEL – http://www.youtube.com/user/gyanhumara

Pamela S. Thibodeaux - Choices @psthib #EggceptExchange

Blurb: Best-selling novelist and songwriter, Camie Rogers has penned numerous accounts of the secret love she holds in her heart. Country-Music Superstar Kip Allen has changed from the shy, humble boy, to the epitome of “star.” Can the two rediscover each other after one night of his Home is where the Heart is Tour?
Excerpt: Too soon, the concert was over, and security officers rushed her backstage. Waiting in the shadows apart from the throng of frenzied fans vying for autographs and pictures, she watched with concern as Kip raked his fingers through his hair. He heaved a tired sigh, insisted on no more autographs, and then headed for his dressing room.Camie stepped forward, "Just one more autograph?" Kip turned at her soft request. His eyes lit with recognition, and he gave her an unreserved smile."Camie!" He enfolded her in a big hug. "What are you doing back here?"A flush warmed her skin at the velvety-roughness of his voice. "I won the prize package from the radio station. You know: Front row seat, backstage pass, autographed C.D., etcetera, etcetera, etcetera." Her heart raced at his nearness, her body trembled in his strong embrace. Feeling way too comfortable in his arms, she disentangled herself and took a step back.   He grinned. "Great. You look good."Her heart skipped a beat. "So do you." Electricity sizzled between them. Always had. Even in high school. Theirs had been a subtle romance, underscored by sensual currents that hummed whenever their eyes met or they ventured into a conversation, both too shy to take the relationship further."What ever happened to us?"  She wondered aloud, finding it difficult to speak past her heart hammering in her throat. "I still get all tongue-tied when you're near." He smiled, that lazy, heart-stopping grin that drove females from age five to fifty into a frenzy.  "You do?" he queried, pulling her closer once more.The husky softness of his voice sent delicious shivers down her spine, and she choked on a yes."Me too." He stroked her cheek. Her senses swirled at the tender touch. She placed her hand over his and gazed into his sea-green eyes. Whether a moment, an eternity, or the simple span of a heartbeat passed, she wasn’t sure, but she relished the encounter. He dropped his hand from her face and broke eye contact. "I don't know what happened. I wanted to roam, you wanted a home." He chuckled at the corny rhyme.  "Sounds like the makings of a hit."


Purchase Links:Pelican Book Group http://pelink.us/13N5j5g
Kindle http://amzn.to/15Iyny0



Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”



Links:Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com   Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.comTwitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib


Thanks Pam for sharing,
Tina

A Cowboy's Pleasure by @AnitaPhilmar #AmazonGiveaway #erotica

A Cowboy’s Pleasure
Naked Bluff, Texas seriesBook 5
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/f4d281bb3549975d#ln-enBlurb–
Having traveled across the country to escape the war between the states, John Bristol Smith needs a job, any job.Told of a potential job, he arrives at the interview with high expectation. Nothing, however, in his life prepared him for the nature of this assignment. Tess Van Pelt wants excitement and she means to have it.Her husband is more than willing to pay for whatever she wants and she wants John.Is this a job or a fantasy?
Excerpt:
“Then tell him straight out what you’re after.” Gab carried the tray over to the table in front of the couch where his wife sat. He handed her a glass then walked the other drink to John.
“Shouldn’t we, at least, give him a little background on us first?” She queried.
After taking the glass, John stepped to a wingback chair and perched on the edge. “I’m sure whatever type of job you’re offering, I’ll be more than willing to work for you.”
Gab chuckled, “You’re right. Most men would, but this requires you not discuss anything that happens within these walls with anyone.”
“Can you do that, John?” Mrs. Van Pelt sipped her drink and her eyes undress him.Uncomfortable with her probing inspection, he glanced at her husband. “I have no one to tell. Remember, I’m new in town.”
“Yes, you are a God sent. Tess, here, is getting a little restless. She’s used to getting what she wants right away. And well, I’m afraid I’ve kept her waiting too long.” Gab turned to his wife and smiled.
“I must admit, now that you are here, I believe the plan has more merit than I previously gave it.”“See, I told you. It’ll be just like old times.” Tess patted the spot next to her on the couch and her husband sat beside her.
Sorting through every possible job he could envision, John struggled to come up with the task they wanted to achieve. Mrs. Van Pelt seemed excited by the possibility of him working with them. So perhaps, they liked him and would want him to hire on for a few months, maybe even longer.
“Then I guess we better see if John is open to the idea of making love to you,” Gab said and lifted his glass. “So what do you say?”
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CKLJK3E?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Smashword
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/615992

Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-cowboy-s-pleasure
Barnes & Noblehttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cowboys-pleasure-anita-philmar/1123456091?ean=2940152866711


Hope you enjoy,
Anita 

#Romance and Babies are a #GreatRead #ASMSG

One of the most popular sub-genres of romance happens to be stories written about women with children or women who are pregnant.

Why?
The struggles of bring a child into the world is one of things that connect women. The nine months of carrying the baby, child birth, trying to deal with nightly feedings, diapers, change in hormones, etc. Every woman who has gone through it has a story and those that haven’t want to know what to expect.
Yes, but why put it in a romance?
The natural progression of a loving relationship is to create a new life. That is not to say that people who don’t want kids aren’t in a loving relationship.  
In my first book, “Pregnancy Plan,” my heroine wants children. Yet, she isn’t married and not involved with anyone. She is will to go to any extremes to conceive a child.
I believe other women know this pain. When I was single, I wanted a child too. I gave myself a deadline of thirty. If I hadn’t met someone and gotten married, I planned to look into other options for bringing my child into the world.
In my case, I was married and had two children by the time I was thirty.  However, women who want a child have a choice. They can have a child on their own and raise it themselves.









In IT Exec's Baby, Bree is struggling with how to raise her children alone after losing her husband. She is also suffering from baby blues, which is not helping with her depression. The other women in this story do there best to help which is another way women help women cope with problems.
If you are interested in reading more about either of these books I invite you to visit my website where you can read the 1st chapter of all my books.
http://www.tinagayle.net/mybookpg.html
Have a great day,
Tina


#EggcerptExchange with Liliana’s Letter by @AlinaKField

 
 
THE MATCHMAKER MEETS
THE MATCHBREAKER
 
Liliana’s Letter
The Matchmaker
 
Lord Grigsby wants nothing more than to retreat to his study, but a promise to his long-dead sister has forced him back into society to broker the marriage of his nephew to the heiress whose money can save the young man’s estate. If only the young lady’s starchy hired companion would move out of the way. 
 
The Matchbreaker
 
Hired to launch an heiress’s society debut, seemingly straitlaced spinster Liliana Ashford’s future as a professional chaperone depends on the girl’s successful marriage. But Liliana had her own close encounter with a scoundrel years ago, and she won’t let her charge be forced into marriage to the same kind of rogue, no matter how hard the man’s widowed uncle tries to woo Liliana around to the match.
 
Secrets and a Scandalous Murder
 
A shadow from Liliana’s past appears bearing an unfortunate letter she wrote long ago, and then the earl is murdered, evoking the scandal of the season. While she scrambles to make a respectable match for her charge before her own past can be exposed, Grigsby sets about finding his nephew’s killer—and Liliana’s secrets.
 


EXCERPT
 
 
"You clearly don't approve of the match. Do you intend to openly oppose it?"
Her head whipped around, and she glared. "It's not for me to approve or disapprove. Katie—Miss Mercer—will decide."
Passion flashed in her eyes, sending an answering spark through him. She was magnificent, though so very mistaken. "Really? Then her father is more liberal than I expected."
She looked him over more closely. "What do you know of this matter?"
I might ask you the same question. Her tone had been stiff, like the crystallized dome covering bubbling lava. He fixed her with his sternest glare, not entirely surprised at her cheek.
His glower didn't impress her. She lifted her shoulders higher. Stood a little taller, proud, lovely, and filled with indignation.
Quite righteous indignation. He gave into an unmanly sigh, truly weary of his responsibility for Thomas. "I know a good deal, Miss Ashford. I have been negotiating for these nuptials. The arrangement is my doing as much as Mr. Mercer's. Much more than it is my nephew's. He is probably the least culpable, except for his abominable behavior."
She clenched her hands tightly. "I see."
"Thomas's mother was my older sister. I made a promise to her that I would look after him." Her gaze softened, and she bit her lip in a way that made him want to taste the part that she was nipping.
And where had that thought come from?
"And your nephew needs money and an heir."
He nodded. As a woman of the ton, of course she would understand how marriage worked. Marriage wasn’t about love, or the bride’s approval, or a plump lower lip that begged to be kissed.
"He needs money most of all. He has a younger brother in the army who would make a far more dutiful earl."
He covered his mouth with his hand. The words had rolled out, shocking him. He rarely spoke this frankly with any woman.
Very well, he never spoke this frankly with any woman.
She released a soft breath. "And there is the matter of the ore."
His mouth gaped and he quickly closed it. Mr. Mercer had shared that information? Well. "That part of the county is rich with newly discovered veins of iron."
That information brought her up straighter. She looked away, gazing intently at a thick, dark spot of foliage, making him want to pry into that sharp mind.
"I see,” she said. “I believe we should go back in now."
Not yet. He tucked her hand over his arm but did not move.  
 
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1VBXAld
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/liliana-s-letter
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lilianas-letter/id1046400564?mt=11
Nook: http://bit.ly/1k81CX3


 
Alina K. Field Bio and links:
 
Award winning author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but she found her true passion in reading and writing romance. Though her roots are in the Midwest, after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with her husband and a blue-eyed cat who conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to leave.
 
Her debut novella, Rosalyn’s Ring, was the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner in the novella category.
 
Visit her at:
http://alinakfield.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield
https://twitter.com/AlinaKField
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field
 
 
Pick your choice of 5 Q & A’s:
Interview with Liliana Ashford, heroine of Liliana’s Letter
 
NicknameMy brother and his friends always called me “Lil” as a nickname.JobSadly, I was forced by circumstances to take employment as a companion to a wealthy young woman coming out into society. My job was to help her make a very good marriage.
Favorite foodI love a freshly made scone with good Devon cream, don’t you?Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between?I was poor as a church mouse until I married Grigsby. Secret desire or fantasyI should love to see the pyramids and ride on a camel.What would you do if you won the lottery?Yes, we do have lotteries, but ladies do not generally participate. Still, if I could dream and find myself with a pot of money, I would establish a charity to help the young girls from the London rookeries into a better life.
 Thanks for sharing and all the best with your book,
Tina
 

Nathan D. Maki #EggcerptExchange A War Within - The Healer

Blurb:
How far would you go to free your mother from slavery?
Suzanna ben Ya’ir is a slave to the king of Hatra, the indomitable fortress city. She dreams of escaping the harem and finding her way back to Rome to find her son, but she is held prisoner by the king’s soldiers, towering walls, and untold miles of murderous desert. To escape she must earn coins as a healer among the common folk of the city and join forces with a Hatran guard who secretly loves her. But when the Roman legions arrive to besiege the city her hope of escape seems more unattainable than ever.
Theudas ben Ya’ir is a fierce warrior and a member of the Roman Emperor’s guard, but he also harbors a deadly secret – he is a Christian. Theudas longs to find his mother and rescue her from slavery, but the Emperor, his legions, and Plautianus – the ruthless leader of the Praetorians – are besieging the city where she is held captive. Now Theudas must break the Roman siege and infiltrate the hostile city, find his mother and help her escape. But doing so will mean committing treason against the Emperor. Will his quest cost Theudas his new-found faith and the life of the woman he loves?
With Suzanna’s life hanging in the balance, can she and Theudas defy the odds and reunite? And if so, can they hope to survive?
Excerpt:
Suzanna wept with shame. She wept for the hope of escape that she knew to be false even as she clung to it. The paltry few coins she managed to save would never be enough to convince a merchant to risk the wrath of the king by smuggling her out of this city and across the wasteland surrounding it. The course of her life stretched out before her, as clear and brutal as the sandy, sun-baked road that led west toward the life she would never see again. She would go from the harem to the scullery as her beauty continued to fade, and finally, long after all color had been bleached from her life, to the grave.
She tried to reach for her faith, fumbled for it with groping fingers. She could brush it, could feel the residual warmth of the fire that once burned in her, but she couldn’t grasp it, couldn’t stir it to life again. Jehovah had forsaken her and so she knelt in a pile of rotting garbage against a filthy stone wall and wept.
Her pain seemed inexhaustible but her tears were not and finally her shuddering shoulders slowed and her sobs subsided. She was leaning against the wall now, her cheek against cold stone. In that moment, Suzanna felt a strange sense of clarity. She had two choices. She could lay here and die, or get up and go on. It was the hardest decision she had ever faced.
In the end, a dying man made the decision for her.
Tonight is the night Binyamin will pass from this world and I must be there to ease that passing. I must be there. I must get up. I must make at least this one last effort.
The heat of the day was fully gone now and she was stiff with cold. She struggled to her feet and stared up at the crooked slice of starry sky above. What time was it? Time had had no meaning while she wept. It could have been minutes or hours. But it was still darkest night. She still had time. She brushed at her the skirt of her tunic in a futile effort to wipe away the muck, then swept a sleeve across her eyes and beneath her nose. Stepping free of the alley she looked around, took her bearings, and started off at a pained shuffle.
Movement worked the cold stiffness from her limbs and she began walking faster as if trying to shake off and leave behind the depression and hopelessness that had threatened to crush her. She had a purpose this night, reason enough to live.
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. The proverb came, unbidden, to her mind. And along with it came a thought, a feeling, a whisper on the wind. Theudas yet lives. She couldn’t tell where the assurance came from, had no way to prove it as true, and yet she suddenly knewit. Knew it like her own name. She quickened her steps still more.
Where there is life, there is hope.
Purchase Links:
 
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/War-Within-Nathan-D-Maki-ebook/dp/B013RY410K/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
 
Website: http://nathandmaki.com/shop/
 
Author Bio:
 
As a kid, Nathan D. Maki delighted in leaping through the door of historical fiction and into the adventure of the ancient world. In his teens, his love for reading birthed a desire to write and bring history alive for others. Nathan has always been fascinated with the monumental power and enduring achievements of the Roman Empire and its asymmetrical clash with Early Christianity. As a Christian, he is inspired by stories of triumphant faith in the face of persecution, and he hopes these stories will inspire others as well.
 
Character Interview of Suzanna ben Ya’ir
 
4. Birthdate and 5. Birthplace


Suzanna was born a slave in Rome in AD 161. She was descended from Jewish slaves captured in the Judeo-Roman war a hundred years before.


 
2. Job and 10. Most important goal


There, with the help of a sympathetic guard, she slips away at night to nurse the poor, hording the few coins she receives in payment in hopes of one day buying passage back to Rome with a caravan.
 
14. Secret desire or fantasy  and 11. Worst fear or nightmare


Her secret dream is to be reunited with her son, while her greatest fear is that she will die alone and forgotten.
 

#AmazonGiveaway by @AnitaPhilmar Naked Bluff, Texas #ASMSG

Naked Bluff, Texas Volume 1#AmazonGiveaway

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/56f1283aa6666ddc



Includes the first three stories of the Naked Bluff, Texas series.


In Deep Water  
Wading into the water, Carolyn Evans takes one step too far and finds herself neck¬-deep in the river and fighting for her life. After saving Carolyn from drowning, Zack Goodman is trapped in an awkward situation when they’re both rescued by a steamboat and hauled on deck.Naked and embarrassed, Carolyn is quick to save them from humiliation and claims they are married.  Will Zack release her from her claim of matrimony? Or will he teach her once words are spoken...they are not so easily retracted?

In Too Deep –
  On the banks of the Trinity River, Sadie Pepperman is looking for a chance to escape the demands of her in-laws. With her husband’s dead, they want her to marry her brother-in-law so they can take control of her farm. Suddenly, the peace of the day is shattered when her best friend steps too far into the river. Rushing to save her, Sadie meets a handsome stranger that ignites her dormant lust. She sees her friend rescued by a steamship and backs away from Logan Jansen, only to turn her ankle. The agonizing pain leaves Sadie with the inability to walk. Needing help, she offers Logan a place to stay if he’ll help with the chores on her farm. With his agreement, Sadie adds another problem to her list. Now, not only does she have to worry about how to bring her crops in from the field and run her farm alone but she also has to fight her attraction to Logan. Can Sadie end her in-laws’ interference in her life, run her farm alone, and give love another chance?


More Than Ready


After losing his brother, Kirk Pepperman planned a future with Richard’s wife, Sadie. Kirk wanted to honor his brother and take care of Sadie. She had other ideas and married another man. Now, Kirk is uncertain what he should do with his life.
Mary Beth Owens knows her parents are arranging for her to marry Kirk. The problem is he’s been stuck on the wrong woman for years. Mary Beth is determined to find out if he can please her. If not, then she has no desire to marry him either.
Can these two let go of the past and move into the future? 

Don't want the book?
You can find the ebook at
Amazon

All Romance

Smashword


Thanks Anita for sharing,
Tina