Tina Gayle's Blog, page 31

Endless as the Rain a #RockingRomance by M.S.Kaye

Endless as the Rain
Book one of the Taken series
by M.S. Kaye
When Adriane Graham discovers a city councilman is part of an embezzlement ring, she doesn't realize her life is in danger until Alec Kadan, the son of a mobster, kidnaps her—not to kill but to protect her. But why? And how does he know so much about her, right down to her favorite books? In order to find out, Adriane must get past Alec's anger and secrecy to unravel his past and find the key to her own.
To be released 2/13/15
Author Bio:
M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.
To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.
Contact M. S. Kaye at:
Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Goodreads  ~  Amazon  ~  TSU  ~  Pinterest  ~  LinkedIn
 
Excerpt:
The thought that was still eating at me was the possibility of rejection. I’d heard women talk about how almost any woman can get a man’s attention once, that men generally have a strong drive and will usually take most opportunities. But Alec was strong-minded. If he truly didn’t want a woman, I was certain he’d reject her.
It was a risk.
One I was willing to take.
I peeked into the hall to be certain no one was around, and then walked silently through the shadows. I turned the corner toward his room.
My mind couldn’t help but to wander. I began to see images—at first his surprise, and then understanding, and hopefully his arousal. I saw kissing and removal of clothes before lying down. I hoped he wouldn’t feel the need to talk or to ask why. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hide my true motivations.
My feet stopped.
I couldn’t do it.
I wouldn’t trick him like that—hide the truth from him just to have what I wanted.
Only a couple feet from his door, I turned, somehow feeling pride, shame, and disappointment all in that one turn.
The click of a door opening—his door.
I managed not to jump.
“Adriane?”
I turned half way to look at him over my shoulder. “I’m sorry I woke you. I was just feeling restless.” It wasn’t a complete lie.
As I looked at him, my resolve wavered for a second. His expression was beyond kind but with a little concern—for my sanity, no doubt. He still wore his slacks and dress shirt but barefoot, and his shirt was untucked and unbuttoned. His hair was a little disheveled, and what absolutely killed me was the slight sheen of his skin, as if I’d woken him from an intense dream. His skin seemed to glow in the faint light, and his eyes took on that deep shadowed effect. Why did he have to look like that? He was perfect in every other way. Why this too?
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
So as not to seem rude, I turned to face him properly. “No. I was just restless. Please go back to sleep.” And please don’t look at me too closely.
He took a step closer. At least it was dark. I ran my fingers through my hair to casually pull it back.
He took a breath.
“Are you sure?” he said.
I crossed my arms, pretending I was cold, but really trying to hide my chest. I worried, though, that I only succeeded in creating more cleavage.
Did his eyes just flicker? No, it was too dark to see his eyes clearly.
“I’m fine,” I said, “just a little cold.” I turned to leave.
He didn’t respond, and I continued my escape. Once my door closed, I pressed my back against it, head leaned and eyes closed. My heart pounded. It shouldn’t be legal to look like that.
Faintly, I heard his door close. Then I jumped at a loud pounding sound, like someone punching a wall, and his voice, though muffled from distance. “Dammit.”
It was only maybe ten minutes later that I heard his footsteps. The sound of his shoes, no longer bare feet, quickly moved down the stairs. It was only three in the morning.
 

#RockingRomance by #MFRWauthor @RowlandKathleen - A Brand New Address

MFRW Author Kathleen Rowland released A Brand New Address (Intervenus Series), a Mainstream New Adult, SciFi/Futuristic Suspense.



Yardley is reserved, Marchand has communication issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it
looks like they are never going to work things out.



Taking place during 22nd Century Earth’s second ice age, A BRAND NEW ADDRESS follows childhood friends, Yardley Van Dyke and Marchand LaFond, who trick and tease each other.  Robin-hooding thief Marchand sails his ice-boat across the frozen tundra to deliver fuel and food to the needy.  Subsistence gardener Yardley gives away home-cooked meals.  Just when their attraction sizzles, he enters a space race to Venus.



Yardley promised her dying mother she’d care for the family by growing food in their greenhouse.  Clashing with Dad’s fiancé puts her on the outs at home.  After winning a prize for an intergalactic garden project, she wants to prove her prototype works on Venus.



Groomed for the mission and calling the shots, Marchand can’t let emotions to get in the way.  Maneuvering through sun spikes and space junk is dangerous enough.  Evil competitor Vito Savage plans to annihilate competing shuttles. Will Savage’s darkest sins come to light? If Yardley goes, will she tolerate Marchand’s brazen exterior?  Will Venus be their brand new address where life will find them?
AMAZON Buy Link
A REVIEW
"This is a good choice for teens or young adults suffering from Divergent or Hunger Games withdrawal. Ms. Rowland has created a very detailed futuristic world where the Earth is in the throes of a second Ice Age. Her heroine, Yardley Van Dyke is a capable young girl, much like Katniss. Yardley's talents lie in botany and gardening which makes her valuable in a desolate world where growing your own food means life." goodreads reviewer

EXCERPT

From the living room Dad's voice charged its way to the front porch swing.  He and his fiancé were at it again.  Just terrific.   

Hunkered under a fur-lined quilt, Yardley Van Dyke's head pounded, worsened by the frigid air.   As if trapped in a vise, pain squeezed hard from both temples.  On the swing she faced forward with her back against the house.  Against them.  Between them.  With their fight on its fourth day, they battled over her late mother's greenhouse.   Yardley tended it all day, every day. His fiancé, Pinky Hazelton, wanted to sell it and move into the Biosphere with its profits.  Powerless with her at the top of the pecking order, her mouth strained.  Around Pinky, she forced it into a straight line.   Why did Dad ignore her promise to her dying mother?  

For three years, she'd grown food for the family.  Mom's hodge-podgy structure protected plants against the freeze of Earth's second ice age.  Yardley met the challenge of gardening in the frigid hinterlands, but without a surplus to sell, she had the low pro of a subsistence gardener.  She reined in ideas to maximize sunlight although her latest effort worked. Discarded Mylar balloons reflected light.  


With fifty mounted, she pinched fewer dead leaves.  Under the quilt she balanced a basket of peas on her lap, proof of success from her dirt-candy world. Yardley took a pod, tore down the string, and dumped peas into the basket.  
Inside the cabin Pinky screamed, ""Time is running out.""  
Timeliness, a variation of her hammering technique, arose with every current event.
  ""I'll think on it."" Dad's voice razzed like a trombone.
""Better be quick."" As Pinky squawked about the essence of time, the trombone cranked louder and louder.  
Their bombardment sent Yardley a wakeup call. Her hands shook, and she stopped shelling for one reason.  She predicted their routine.  
Dad blew a gasket before giving in.  After that, Pinky won.  
He yelled, ""Stop needling me, Pinky."


 Hearing a smash, Yardley jerked upright.  A crashed dish against the wall?  She had no idea what would come next.  
A flipping of a table? 
His fiancé screamed, ""Yeah?  Put this in your data bucket. An ice cap moves south.""  
She imagined Dad's face turning beet red as he fumed just short of a gasket-blow.Rubbing one side of her head, she faced the frigid combination of family tension and the twenty-second century ice age.


Their now quiet cabin in Newport Beach, California sat in an Arctic spruce forest with northern Siberian climate suffering an annual drop of five degrees.
""Cold, colder, and about to be coldest."" Pinky filled the vacuum with truth, but was timing immediate?""You know, Pinky.  While I tested you out, you took over.""
Dad's off-topic roar revealed bitterness, but he'd come around to her side.""Good thing I did. Want to sit on a polar ice cap?  It kills everything that's not dead.""
Sick of listening to them, Yardley's gaze shifted to the porch steps.  
With the inclement weather, they'd turn slick.  She'd slip and spill her peas if she stepped down them to walk the path to the greenhouse.  Not quite done shelling, a syrupy voice came through the rough-hewn triple-plank wall.
""I don't want you dead, sweetheart.""  Pinky's wear-down entered its completion stage.An icy gust blew strands of hair across Yardley's face.  
She groaned and let it be.  If she moved her hands, she'd spill the pods.   Her thoughts shot from the greenhouse issue to a parallel problem.  Without the greenhouse, she'd be a non-contributing eighteen-year-old still living at home.  
Pulling the quilt over her head, she preferred the ice-age temperature to hanging out with them.    Using a chipmunk voice on herself cheered her up.  
Yardley, there's no work for you.  Run along, won't you?Inside the cabin Pinky fueled her hissy fit with a nightmare.   ""Oh, Robert,"" she said, ""I had a bad dream.""  
Pinky's premonitions often came in this form.  ""If we stay here, we'll die of full-body frostbite.""
The chipmunk squeaked in her mind.  
Bit of a cold snap.""No one wants that.""  Dad's tone warmed up.Yardley's throat tightened.  
She swallowed a lump of raw emotion but refused to cry or give into defeat. She listened to Dad's steady voice as he brought up hidden expenses at the Biosphere.
""Selling the greenhouse might get us in, Hon. But can we afford it long term?""
 Right on, Dad.  Don't give up.""Sweetheart, we need a contract."" 
 Within the cabin, the drama queen spoke matter-of-factly.  ""I know people at BotGen Incorporated.""  
Yardley cringed, wishing she had the means to incorporate the pink-yappy hour. Since when had Pinky become a member of Botany General's inner circle?  
A few minutes passed, and they stopped talking.  
Was smooch-kissy-face going on?  
Great.
 Somewhere inside, her twin brother wandered about.  
At times like this, Skeeter bugged the crap out of her. Nothing about Pinky bothered him including her obsession to watch century-old movies. 
 A few nights ago he'd shared his crush on a girl who lived at the Biosphere.  
Yardley had nowhere to go.


ABOUT Kathleen Rowland
Kathleen Rowland writes under her real name.  She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears shoes and sails a Harbor20 with her husband, Gerry, but wishes there were more lightning bugs in California.
With an M.S. in Computer Science, she plans out her plots before writing.  Romantic Suspense is Kathleen's genre, from sweet to sensuous. What fun!

www.kathleenrowland.com
www.kathleenrowland.wordpress.com


https://twitter.com/RowlandKathleen


www.facebook.com/kathleen.rowland.50


http://www.pinterest.com/kathyrowl/


Thanks Kathleen for stopping by,


Tina

Creating a First Page Header for a Newsletter by Rochelle Weber, Newsletter Editor #MFRWorg #MFRWauthor

In September, we talked about adding guest interviews, character interviews, and book blurbs and/or excerpts to newsletters. Today, we’re going to talk about creating a header for your front page.

I suppose it’s not very professional of me, but for some reason I’ve never quite been able to wrap my head around Adobe Photoshop. I can’t quite get the layers to work. I use Microsoft Publisher and Irfanview (which is free) to create the MFRW Newsletter. I start with blank pages in letter size, 8-1/2 X 11, Portrait. The first thing you need to do is create headings for your pages. Well, okay, I suppose you need to figure out how many pages you’re going to use and what kind. Then you can determine what sort of headings you’ll need. On the first page, I suggest using your banner if you have one. Open it in Irfanview or whatever program you use that allows you to resize photos. Resize it so the width is 8.5 inches with the aspect ratio kept intact. I find 150 dots-per-inch (dpi) is about perfect. It creates a nice, sharp image without taking up too much bandwidth. Save as in your newsletter artwork folder. I have a subfolder for permanent artwork and one for each issue.
If you do not have a banner, now is a good time to create one, and you can do so in Publisher. Besides, you’ll want to add a few things to your banner to create your header.

The MFRW first-page header consists of our banner—roses and pearls with our name across the top. Directly beneath and abutting our banner is a solid pink bar that states our purpose: NEW RELEASES IN GENRES OF ROMANCE. I used Gill Sans MT 14 Point Bold for the font in that bar. Then we have another inch or so of white space with our newsletter logo. The M is in Vivaldi 72 Point Bold in its own text box, and the FRW is Gill Sans MT 22 Bold. The word Newsletter is Gill Sans MT 14 Bold. Since we won the Preditors & Editors award, I’ve added that to our header, as well. I saved it both as a pub file and a jpg file. Then, I opened the jpg file and cropped it just below the bottom of the lowest bit of text in the newsletter logo. Even though the sizing says it’s 8.5 inches wide, I usually have to stretch it across the page to make it fit.

Next, I open another blank page. I click on Insert Photo and insert my new header. In the white space of the header, I draw a small text box, about two inches wide. I decide what color and type fonts I plan to use. In there, I put the month and year of the current issue, as well as the Volume and Issue numbers (if you care to keep track of those). Actually, for the template, I put in three asterisks where the month should be, then a comma, and then the year. I add the Volume number and put another asterisk where the Issue number should go. Next, I delete the jpg of the header so all I have on the page is the date-box template and I save that.
Each month I insert the header jpg, open my pub file, copy and paste the date box, and it should go right in where it belongs. All I have to do replace the asterisks with the month and Issue number, and my first page header is complete.
Rochelle Weber is a Navy veteran and holds a BA in Communications from Columbia College in Chicago with an emphasis on Creative Writing. “Would you like fries with that?” Her novels Rock Bound and Rock Crazy are available in both e-book and print. She edits for Jupiter Gardens Press, and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Marketing for Romance Writers Newsletter, winner of the 2013 Preditors& Editors Readers’ Poll for Best Writers’ Resource.
Rochelle battles bi-polar disorder, quipping, “You haven’t lived until you’ve been the only woman on the locked ward at the VA.” Her song, “It’s Not My Fault,” won a gold medal in the National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. She lives in Round Lake Beach, Illinois. She has two married daughters, four grandchildren, three step-grandkids, and one step-great-grandkid. Two cats allow her to live with them and cater to their every whim.

You can access the MFRW Newsletters at:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MarketingForRomanceWriters/files/MFRW-Newsletter/
Or:
http://issuu.com/mfrw/docs

This is a repost from http://mfrw.blogspot.com/
As a proud member of Marketing for Romance Writers, I believe we can all learn from each other and become better.


Thanks for sharing Rochelle,
Tina

A Free #RockingRomance Marketing Exec's Widow by @AuthorTinaGayle

Now free at Kobo - Jan.29 to Feb. 1


http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/marketing-exec-s-widow




Blurb:


Needing to revive her life and jump start her heart, Jennifer Larson is facing the biggest challenge of her life, moving into an unplanned future. While the rest of the Executives Wives' Club continue to mourn their husbands, Jen is tempted into the future by a sexy chiropractor, Hagan Chaney.

But does he love her or her money?


Excerpt:


Reaching the landing, she sailed across and stopped by the first bedroom door. A brief glimpse revealed the same disappointing result as the space downstairs. “No, but there are a number of small towns nearby that might have what you’re looking for.”
An enticing male scent floated through the air, a second before a hand gripped the doorframe by her shoulder.


Every female gene sprang to attention at his close proximity.


Desire poured through her, drenching her with emotions she hadn’t felt in months, hell, maybe even years. Her knees wobbled and she staggered into the doorframe, but remained standing.


Hagan peered over her shoulder and blocked her retreat. “Not bad, if I want to have another office suite up here. I can tear out this wall and make a larger lobby, or close off the doorway and create another entrance into the room.”


He wandered to the next bedroom.


She gulped in a quick breath and air screamed back into her lungs. The residual scent of his citrusy cologne flowed in too and prompted her out-of-control hormones to form images of him: lying in bed, on top of her, his chest nestled against hers, his lips a breath away from…


Oh, my, a year without sex and I’m losing it.


Craig, why didn’t you divorce me before you died?


Jen gathered her strength and followed Hagan through the house. The easy flow of his long limbs showed incredible grace for a big man. So tempting, yet, she couldn’t pursue him. Not now, not with everyone watching her, they expected her to act like a grieving widow. If she didn’t, they’d forever brand her as an unloving wife. 

Read First Chapter of "Marketing Exec's Widow" and Reviews

Remember it's only free at Kobo until Feb.1






Purchase ebook at
Smashwords | B&N | Kobo | APPLE | At Amazon (worldwide link)







Grab your copy today,


Tina

Writing Process - Look to the Future

Need a break from rewriting that first chapter?



Type in "The End?"



No matter where you are in the process it might be a good time to expand your horizons and look to the future.



Remember no one will buy your book if they don't know it exists. So now might be the time to


• Set up a blog

• Get your website domain name and set up your website.

• Join writing groups.

• Join social networking sites. All of these things can get your name out in front of people who might some day want to buy your book. Take a moment and chose one that might interest you, then give it a go. You may find you enjoy sharing the journey of writing with your new friends. Tinawww.tinagayle.net

A #RockingRomance Knights Vampire and a Chat with Harriet Mortlake

  Hello. Have you come for the guided tour of the castle? The guide’s not here yet, but I’m Harriet Mortlake, hitborough Castle’s archivist. I’ll answer any questions you might have while we wait. NO? Then I'll tell you about my role. I couldn’t believe it when I landed this job, but we have that saying, “Be careful what you wish for…” Sorry. It’s just that sometimes I get this someone’s-watching me feeling. When Castles Management Trust told me the last two archivists had vanished, I thought it was family problems or something. I didn’t know it was a police matter. Now I feel nervous whenever I access the archives. What was that? No we don’t have a ghost that I know of, and certainly not one who runs off with archivists. Anyway back to Whitborough. It’s my favorite seaside town. One of my best childhood memories is me walking along the North Bay foreshore, hand in hand with my granddad. He was eating a waffle topped with banana and whipped cream and I had the biggest chocolate ice cream ever. I think that’s when I became addicted to ice cream. I guess you can tell by my hips. Honestly, there isn’t a diet I haven’t tried—or failed to stick to. Low carb                                NO chips. No way. Low calorie                            I can’t give up ice cream and cake. Paleo                                      Nothing processed. That definitely doesn’t fit my lifestyle. Cabbage Soup                     Just thinking about it makes me feel sick. Why is everything I like bad for me? At least cocoa beans grow on trees, and as far as I’m concerned that makes them one of my five a day. Hi Mandy, I’ve just been chatting with your tour group. I’ll leave them in your capable hands now. Bye everyone. [image error]   Betrayed by the Knight Defenders and murdered by his cousin, crusader knight Blaxton de Ferrers rose as a vampire. For nine centuries, he’s preyed on the people he once swore to protect. Gradually, as his emotions leach out of him, he forgets how to feel. Then he meets Harriet.


Harriet Mortlake’s a strong sassy woman who battles her weight and her temper. Her job is to seek out the ancient secrets of the castle that was Blaxton’s childhood home. Instead, she finds the love of her life.

When danger threatens Harriet, Blaxton steps in. Harriet and Blaxton, are a match made in heaven. Except… he’s a vampire and to fully claim her, he’ll have to kill her.   Buy links Loose ID                    http://www.loose-id.com/knights-vampire.html Amazon US author page    http://www.amazon.com/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1                       Amazon UK              http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kryssie-Fortune/e/B00J5AQOBU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1421613895&sr=8-1Social Media   Author Links I’d love to hear from you, or answer any questions you might have. Facebook                  https://www.facebook.com/kryssie.fortune Twitter                                    https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune Blog / Web site                     http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=ccc4a46fd9391f4c   Excerpt “How dare you embarrass me like that?” Harriet Mortlake planted her hands on her hips and glowered at the man she’d cornered outside the cafe. Spitting mad, she wanted to slap the condescending smile off his face. Normally, she was iceberg cool, but as hard as she tried to keep her expression neutral, she could feel lightning bolts flashing from her eyes. 

“It’s a temple, not a chapel,” he insisted. 

Stubborn. Damn. Male. She’d been showing the big guns from the Castles’ Management Trust round the building, but they clearly thought her too young for her role as Whitborough Castle’s archivist. She’d almost been too angry to think when this know-it-all first sounded off. Now he infuriated her all over again. 

Harriet snorted. “As if! No way would medieval Christians build a pagan temple on their grounds. Superstitious locals would probably have accused them of devil worship and burned them at the stake. Any fool knows that.” 

Her degree in library science made her suitable for the post. The castle manager had told her afterward that she’d been the only applicant. She’d almost stuck her tongue out at the head office guys and yelled Beggars can’t be choosers. 

Despite Mr. Condescending’s interference, she’d managed to impress the big bosses—she thought. He flashed her a smile so electrifying it would have lit up the dingy, underground chapel where he’d embarrassed her earlier. The way he sat there dripping sex appeal, her anger might have evaporated. If only he hadn’t needed to have the last word. 

He took another sip of coffee. “You really should get your facts right.” 

Stupid, arrogant male. She couldn’t decide whether to show him her diplomas and degrees or kick his shins. Professional to the core, she’d reined in her temper while the higher-ups carried out their inspection, but now that they’d left, she felt free to vent her rage. 

Hands still on her hips, she tapped her foot at him. “Lost for words without an audience? Or maybe you can’t back up your cock-and-bull story? Put up or shut up, Mister. Tell me why you think it’s a temple.” 

Mr. Condescending sat outside the tearoom as if he hadn’t a care in the world and enjoyed the early afternoon sunshine. He didn’t know it, but his interference when she’d shown the bigwigs into the chapel could have cost her a job she loved. Whitborough Castle’s extensive records needed cataloging, and she considered herself fortunate to work here. Only sometimes, she got a someone’s watching me feeling that unsettled her. 

The last two archivists had vanished, and the police were “looking into it”—whatever that meant. Now people viewed the post as a poisoned chalice. Harriet knew an opportunity when she saw it, and she’d grabbed it with both hands. Everything should have been perfect, but it wasn’t. From day one—just four weeks ago—she’d felt as if the castle’s ghosts studied her as eagerly as she studied the records. Paranoid or what? 

After an early start, she met the bigwigs from Castles’ Management Trust for the first time. Things had been going well. Okay, they’d been surprised by her youth, and clearly considered her too inexperienced for the post of archivist. By the time they reached the chapel, she’d almost won them over. Then Mr. Condescending here stuck his oar in, and if she hadn’t handled him right, she’d probably have lost her job. 

Teeth gritted, Harriet had thanked him for his interest and told him politely that he was mistaken. Intimidating and so tall she had to look up to see his face, he made her think of the Norman conquerors who’d built the castle. He was all muscle, sex, and sin—but his stubborn assertion that the chapel had been a temple sparked her temper. 

Her mouth had watered when she’d first seen him, but his cavalier attitude infuriated her. If her employers hadn’t been watching, she’d have told him exactly what she thought. She’d have regretted it later—maybe—but her temper had helped her survive ever since as a young girl she’d dragged her mother to the women’s shelter. 

There he went with that dazzling smile again. He had to be the most handsome man she’d seen in… Well, forever. His masculine essence—sandalwood and exotic spices—wrapped warm tendrils around her heart. Her breasts perked up beneath her blouse, and they ached for his touch. 

Her favorite bra suddenly felt so tight it abraded her nipples like sandpaper, and an unfamiliar tingling started in her cunt. Why did her anger evaporate, just because he smiled? What sort of fool woman caved just because a man had the most kissable lips ever? Lips she wanted to taste…repeatedly. Not that having such a tempting mouth made him less condescending. She paused, seeking the right riposte to tear him to shreds. 

He stood up and held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Blaxton de Ferrers.” 

His voice—a deep, masculine rumble that made her want to beg him to say her name—thrilled her more than his smile. This man just kept getting better, but she’d come here to confront him, not drag him over the table and kiss him until they ran out of breath. 

Something wild, almost primal, stirred inside her, but she wasn’t the sort of predatory female who encouraged strange men into her bed. Apart from one disastrous night with Martin, she was practically a virgin. Afterward, he’d told his friends she was frigid, and they’d christened her “the ice queen.” She’d squared her shoulders and stood tall—half an inch short of six feet—and ignored them. But her dating confidence had sunk to zero. After that she’d channeled her anger into her studies rather than sex. 

Today her body went into sensual overdrive and demanded— Hell, she wasn’t sure what she wanted, but it was all bound up in Blaxton de Ferrers, aka Mr. Condescending. 

He told her quietly, “It’s polite to shake someone’s hand when they offer it.” 

She kept her hands firmly on her hips. Where did this jerk get off, reprimanding her about her manners? He took condescending to a whole new level, but he’d picked on the wrong girl when he’d heckled her. “Not when they damn near cost me my job. I needed to make a good impression, and you took over like you knew everything there is to know about this place. And heads-up, Mister. It’s rude to stare at my breasts.” 

He grinned again. His smile melted her heart and warmed her soul. “Actually, I was staring at your name tag. Harriet’s a pretty name. It suits you.” 

Talk about open mouth and insert foot. Harriet blushed and wished she’d said nothing. And hang on… De Ferrers? The family who once owned this castle? Someone once told Harriet she was part cat—always curious, always asking questions—and she supposed they’d been right. 

She silently ran through the property’s history. Henry II had gifted the lands to Peter de Ferrers, and he’d turned the wooden stronghold into a magnificent castle. Maybe Mr. Condescending was a distant descendant of the original family.

Blaxton flashed that smile again, the one that made her heart beat double-time. He had to be the tallest man she’d ever seen. Not a beanpole, just a wide-shouldered, broad-chested piece of perfection. 

He rested on hand on her arm. “Harriet, I’m sorry if I was out of line this morning. Let me make amends with coffee and cake; then I’ll explain why it’s a temple.” 


Copyright © Kryssie Fortune  

Pregnancy Plan a #RockingRomance by #MFRWauthor @AuthorTinaGayle & Romantic Ideas

1. What romantic event would you like to see this year? Love to be invited to a wedding. Has been a few years and enjoy the celebration of love.

2. Name your favorite romantic tip – remember to say I love often with meaning.

3. What Rocking romance do you find intriguing. Miss Piggy and Kermit- can’t help but love them

4. What is your Rocking Romance flower? Indian Paintbrushes – you can only get them during the spring and you have to pick them.

5. Plan one romantic evening what would you do? Stay in and order in a pizza, watch a movie and snuggle on the couch. I like to keep things simple.


Pregnancy Plan

Jillian Wilson wants a baby and is willing to do just about anything to have one. Until her almost ex-boyfriend shows up at her hotel room door. Then she has to convince him she's not fooling around with his brother.
Now, Derrick is only to happy to help with her problem.
Can Jillian love him and leave him even when he is hurt in a car crash and now believes they are married?

 Excerpt:
Derek entered the condo, exhausted from a day at the lake. He wanted a cold beer and a hot shower, in that order.Good thing he’d strong-armed his brother into taking Kelly away for the weekend. He had the place to himself, and Jason and his fiancée could use the relief from the stress of planning their wedding.Removing his sweaty shirt, he threw it over his shoulder, opened the refrigerator, and grabbed a Bud. With a quick twist of his wrist, he uncapped the bottle, and poured the cold liquid down his throat.Now the shower.He stepped around the bar separating the kitchen from the dining area. The light on the answering machine blinked. He hit the button.“Uh, Jason, it’s Jillian.”A picture of a shapely woman flashed through Derek’s mind.“I don’t want you to worry. I’m not pregnant...”“Holy shit!” Every big-brother, over-protective gene in his body kicked into gear.The shattering sound of his beer bottle hitting the floor and his fist connecting with the wall doused the end of the message.Could this be the reason Kelly was having second thoughts about marrying Jason?****


 Read First Chapter of "Pregnancy Plan" and Reviews
Purchase ebook at Smashwords | Kobo | Apple | Amazon [image error]B&N |

Tina Gayle's Tidings - What's Happening In My World @authortinagayle

Hi everyone,


One of the benefits of living in Southern California is that even though middle of winter, we can still get outside.






If you follow my travel blog, you know that Mike and I have been playing golf. I'm trying to work on my swing this year and hopefully break hundred.






On the writing side of my life, I have been working hard on a story for the more erotic side of my nature that is published under a different pseudonym. It's a long murder mystery so it's has eaten up a great deal of time.


I'm also booking authors on this blog for my annual #Eggcerpt exchange. So if you'd like to participate be sure to email me at tina9561@yahoo.com




On a more personal note, I'm excited about seeing my sons in the coming months. Matthew has been working hard at Skylight Theatre in Milwaukee, WI. He is an assistant stage manager and looks the theatre.






Pictures of theatre are on my travel blog https://tinagayle.wordpress.com/2014/12/05/skylight-music-theatre-in-milwaukee/


Hope everyone is having a great new year and life is treating you good,


All the best,


Tina

A #RockingRomance Rogue's Hostage by Linda McLaughlin and #Romantic Ideas

 


 
Rogue's Hostage
By Linda McLaughlin
Historical Romance
 
4 ½ stars and a Top Pick from Romantic Times!
Romantic Times Nominee—Best Small Press Romance of 2003!
2nd Place - Lorie Awards - Best Historical Romance!
 
His hostage... 
 
In 1758 the Pennsylvania frontier is wild, primitive and dangerous, where safety often lies at the end of a gun. Mara Dupré's life crumbles when a French and Indian war party attacks her cabin, kills her husband, and takes her captive. Marching through the wilderness strengthens her resolve to flee, but she doesn't count on her captor teaching her the meaning of courage and the tempting call of desire.
 
Her destiny...
 
French lieutenant Jacques Corbeau's desire for his captive threatens what little honor he has left.  But when Mara desperately offers herself to him in exchange for her freedom, he finds the strength to refuse and reclaims his lost self-respect. As the shadows of his past catch up to him, Jacques realizes that Mara, despite the odds, is the one true key to reclaiming his soul and banishing his past misdeeds forever.
 
Note: Rogue’s Hostageis part of the Romance Super Bundle, a boxed set of ten full-length novels.
 
Buy links:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00BJO26OY
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/author...
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books...
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rogu...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
 
Buy links in HTML:
 
Amazon,
All Romance eBooks,Barnes & Noble, iBooks,
Kobo and Smashwords.
 
Excerpt:
 
(Note: This excerpt starts with Jacques lacing Mara’s bodice because she injured her wrist after she threatened him with a knife. It’s not the most romantic first kiss you’ll ever read.)
 
When he’d finished lacing her bodice, Corbeau took her chin in his strong brown hand and tipped her face up to meet his gaze. “Do not be too proud to ask for help when you need it.”
 
She glared up at him, her eyes narrowed with anger. “I don’t want you touching me. Not after yesterday.”
 
Gently he stroked her face. “I never meant to hurt you.”
 
She pulled away from him and held up her bandaged wrist. “What do you call this?”
 
A spark of anger flashed in his eyes. “I call it self-defense. Have you forgotten that you tried to kill me?”
 
“You forced me to do it,” she said defiantly. “You should have let me go.”
 
“Never. Not if I have to sleep with my back to a tree from now on.”
 
He advanced on her and she retreated, her alarm growing.
 
“Will you try to stab me in the back next time?”
 
“No,” she insisted, shaking her head wildly. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to be free.”
 
He stalked her until she was backed up against a tree with no room to maneuver. He moved closer, looming over her, heat emanating from his body. “I have no wish to hurt you either, madame,” he said in a husky voice.
 
“Then what do you want?” The moment the words were out, Mara wished she could snatch them back. She saw his intent in his eyes as his gaze focused on her lips.
 
She pushed against the hard muscles of his chest but to no avail. Easily he encircled her in his arms, one hand at her waist, the other tangling in the hair at her nape, pulling her head back. She couldn’t miss his musky smell as he pressed closer to her. Her knees were weakened by the quivering of her limbs, and she fisted her hands in the rough linen of his shirt.
 
“What do I want,” he whispered as he lowered his head, his breath hot against her face. “This. This is what I want.”
 
* * *
 
Jacques stared at her through half-closed eyes. The anger, frustration, and desire that fired his blood merged into an overwhelming need to kiss her. He claimed her mouth with his own, smothering her lips, knowing the kiss was rough and aggressive, but unable to stop. He wanted to silence her, subdue her, and make love to her all at once.
 
Her hands beat against his chest in time with the wild drumming of his heart. Then she went still, enduring his embrace, lips clamped tightly together.
 
Desire won out over anger. He eased the pressure of the kiss, letting his tongue trace the fullness of her lower lip, coaxing her mouth to open. His hand loosened, let go of her hair, and stroked the back of her neck.
 
 
Author bio:
 
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.
 
You can find her online at http://lindalyndi.com
Blog: http://lindalyndi.com/reading-room-blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaMcLaughlinAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lindamclaughlin
Twitter: @Lyndi Lamont https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont
 
Rocking Romance questions
 
1. What romantic event would you like to see this year? I’m looking forward to the California Dreamin’ Conference coming up in March. I always enjoy getting together with my romance writer friends.
 
2. Name your favorite romantic tip – Listen to your partner; so many couples talk past each other
 
3. What Rocking romance do you find intriguing (Miss Piggy and Kermit is mine)? I’m loving the romance between bad boy Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook, and good girl Emma Swan on Once Upon a Time. It has been fun to see the rascally pirate fall for the town sheriff.
 
4. What is your Rocking Romance flower? Roses are always classic, but orchids are beautiful and special.
 
5. Plan one romantic evening; what would you do? Since I live in Orange County… a walk on the beach at sunset. We have beautiful sunsets over the Pacific.

Thanks Linda for sharing,


Tina
 

#RockingRomance Ideas from #MFRWauthor 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
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Paperback edition coming soon!

Social Media Links
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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