Tina Gayle's Blog, page 9

#RomanticIdea by Marianne Rice Plus an #Excerpt from Wilde for You

#RomanticIdea
I’m a romance author and am married to a man who is as romantic as…a doorknob. He likes to joke about his idea of romance, “You’re so beautiful. Did that turn you on? Want to get naked now?” After twenty-three years together (we met as freshman in college) I’ve learned to be thankful for what I have: a loyal, faithful, honest, hard working, and funny father and husband, who is not the least bit romantic.
My husband isn’t into dinner out; he’d rather cook up a feast at home (we both enjoy cooking). He’d rather do projects around the house or do something active/productive. So, the only way to get him out of the house is to go on little adventures. Sometimes we go four wheeling (there are trails all around our house), or go on hikes, big and small. A backpack full of food and cozy snack and lunch breaks along the way, these are the little adventures we enjoy doing that add fun, memorable moments in our relationship. Romance doesn’t have to be big and fancy. Flowers, chocolate and wine are absolutely lovely, but sometimes getting down and dirty can be pretty spectacular as well. #romanticidea
Sage Wilde’s idea of romance falls into the same category as my husband’s, but Luke Riley has other ideas. Here’s a peek at my latest release: 

WILDE FOR YOU
 
SYNOPSIS:
Event planner Sage Wilde has lots of lists and no time for a relationship… 
 
Precise to a fault, Sage plans everything—meetings, meals, and sex. But when she learns her youngest sister can’t carry a child, she steps up and commits to the role of a surrogate mother. It’s not out of sentiment, because Sage doesn’t do love or touchy-feely, but out of practicality. She doesn’t plan on marrying or having children, so why not rent out her unused space, right? 
 
Luke Riley is a sexy firefighter who’s looking for love in all the wrong places… 
 
Luke’s morning gets a little brighter when he’s called to a clinic and spots a blonde beauty wearing killer red boots. Though she doesn’t seem interested, he manages to introduce himself. It’s unusual for a woman to push away his advances, but Luke is attracted to her confident nature and strong personality. It’s not long before he wears her down, and she finally agrees to a date. 
 
Who says you can’t mix work with pleasure? 
 
Sage blames her growing affections for Luke on pregnancy hormones. But one last hurrah before her belly swells sounds like a well-deserved thrill. After a few passionate nights, the line between love and lust begins to blur—leaving her more confused than ever. 
 
Luke is mesmerized by her keen wit and social charm. She may claim not to want children, but when she befriends his troubled foster sister, it proves there’s a heart inside of Sage waiting to be loved. 
 
Will Sage’s surrogacy unlock her willingness to commit? Or will Luke stand by as the woman he loves plans a future without him? 
 

 
EXCERPT:
“I have a reservation. Sage Wilde. I’m a few minutes early. Should I wait at the bar?”
The hostess looked down at her podium. “Your dinner companion is already here, Miss Wilde. Please follow me.”
Punctual. She already liked Ms. Smith. Only the person sitting at her table wasn’t British. And wasn’t a woman.
“Seriously? You’re crashing my meetings again?”
Luke’s hair looked freshly cut, cropped close to his scalp and neat. His eyes brimming with laughter, not the least bit ashamed. “Hardly.” He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You look beautiful.”
She didn’t think her navy pantsuit was beautiful. Her silver Molono Bahiks with fuschia stilheto heels, however, were stunning. Luke’s eyes hadn’t left hers, so he surely hadn’t noticed them.
“Luke, it’s lovely running into you again, but I’m meeting a client in a few minutes. You’ll have to leave.”
The hostess stood awkwardly between them. Luke didn’t seem to be bothered by her. “Lucy couldn’t make it so I’m here in her place.”
“What? You…you sabotaged my meeting?”
“Thank you, Haley, we’ll let you know when we’re ready to order.” He dismissed the hostess and pulled out a chair for Sage. “Please, sit. I would have ordered you a drink but I wasn’t sure what you preferred.”
“Nothing. I prefer to meet with my client.”
Luke pulled out his chair and sat close to Sage, his knees casually bumping against hers. “I’m meeting in her place.”
“Really? And what will we be meeting about, Mr. Riley?”
“My mother’s sixtieth birthday party. I believe Lucy already told you that.”
So maybe this was for real. Since his brothers and sisters were all adopted, most likely they had different last names as well. “Why didn’t you call me instead?”
“I believe I did. Quite a few times. And you never returned any of my calls. Not a very effective way to run a business.”
“I…You never said you wanted to discuss business. You implied…I thought…”
“You assumed.”
“Yes, well.” Sage picked up her water and scowled. Once again Mr. Sex-on-a-Stick had the upper hand. Very well. She could be professional about it. Pulling out her iPad from her bag, she clicked on to her favorite app and started a new spreadsheet while she talked business.
 
 
PURCHASE LINKS: Available on Kindle Unlimited!
AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1WOpcce
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1XszP2T
 
THE WILDE SISTERS SERIES:
SWEET ON YOU, Book 1
AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1RdPboe
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1WnR6bA
 
THEN CAME YOU, Book 2
AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1VwklKF
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1Uz52kR


 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. Her heroes are big and strong, yet value family and humor, while her heroines are smart, sexy, sometimes a little bit sassy, and are often battling a strong internal conflict. Together, they deal with real life issues and always, always, find everlasting love. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, cuddling with her husband, a drink in one hand, a romance book in the other.
 
Social Media Links:
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/marianne-rice/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarianneRiceaut
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariannericeaut
Website: http://www.mariannerice.com/
Thanks for sharing,
Tina

#Giveaway for 39 Authors

☆☆Enter to Win in the Amazon Author Giveaway☆☆39 Authors offering 44 Book GiveawaysEasy entry! Closes on 6/17/2016http://lovekissedbookbargains.com/amazon-author-giveaways/Check it out and win an ebook today, Tina

#RomanticIdea and #Giveaway from Marketing Exec's Widow by @AuthorTinaGayle #99cents

Romantic Idea - Give a love coupon.


Write up short little notes with gifts on them.


Such as
- a kiss
- night out
- back rub
- flowers


Then let your lover choose when they want to receive these special gifts.










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







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



















Also enter for a chance to win a copy of my book at amazon


https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/e8bd8bd0530cfc64








If you'd like a chance to win even more books go to


http://lovekissedbookbargains.com/amazon-author-giveaways/
Grab your copy today,










Tina

#RomanticIdea by Angela Evans Plus #Excerpt from Hiding in Plain Sight

Top 10 ways to keep the romance alive


Never stop dating your partnerRemember the little thingsLove notes are always appreciatedHold handsAlways kiss goodnightAlways kiss good morningPick your battles-in any argument think "Do I want to be right, or do I want to end the argument". There's only one right choice.Give gifts for "no reason" Give your partner compliments when they least expect themPut your phone down and have a conversation at least once a day, every single day.
 

Blurb 
 Kierra Centerand was once vivacious and outgoing, that all changed the night her stepfather killed her family in an explosion that authorities wrote off as an accident. Now, ten years later Kierra has returned to the small town of Briarview to find answers, confront her demons, and see if she can finally move on with her life. Not much has changed, Briarview is still the quaint, charming, small town Kierra left behind. Only now her high school boyfriend is the sheriff, and her stepfather is somewhere in the town, hiding in plain sight.
 When Bryan Donaldson sees Kierra again for the first time he is surprised, she’s no longer the fun blonde he remembers, but rather she’s shy, prone to panic attacks, and hiding from the world. When Kierra’s stepfather starts making threats, Bryan is determined to keep her safe in his arms, and in his bed, for life.
Excerpt:


Kierra's chest suddenly felt too tight to take a breath. She
desperately wanted to tell him to stop talking, to run away. She
wished she had never come to town, and that she was anywhere but
here listening to Bryan's calm, soothing voice.
 
“I can also tell you the thing that's going to be the hardest to
hear. The explosion was ruled an accident. It appears that they only
did a cursory investigation, but there was no reason to suspect foul
play. It was ruled an accidental gas leak. Most importantly, in that
investigation they didn't find a fourth body in the house. The only
victims of that explosion were your grandparents, and your mother.”
 
Somewhere in the distance a bird chirped and parents cheered
at the Peewee football game. Kierra heard it all as though it were a
million miles away. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think.
 
Her stepfather was alive somewhere.
 
No one believed her ten years ago, no one was going to
believe her now, but she knew for certain that somehow he was
responsible for the explosion that killed her family.
 
And he was still out there somewhere.

Buy Links: Amazon Evernight Publishing All Romance eBooks BookStrand iTunes Kobo Bio:


As a child Angela remembers her mother telling friends that Angela would read anything she could get her hands on, even the back of the cereal box. That changed when she discovered romance novels as a teenager, secretly reading her mother’s entire collection of Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and being amazed at how captivating the stories were. She knew that writing romance novels was what she wanted to do for a living.

She has recently published her first novel, Hiding in Plain Sight, and begun writing the second book in the series. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) as well as her local chapter and she enjoys being active in both.

Angela lives in Southern Illinois where she is living her own happily ever after with her husband of over 20 years, their two children, a very spoiled white german shepherd and two equally spoiled cats. When she’s not writing she loves reading, cooking, and photography.



Thanks for sharing,


Tina



 

 
 




 
 

Summer #RomanticIdea with The Pirate's Duchess by @katherinelbone with #Excerpt

- Romantic Idea to Enjoy this summer .
 
 
A Pirate's Guide to Romantic Summers!
 
Stock the hold with rum.Check for the dreaded black spot.Sail to that weathered horizon, be it sunrise or sunset, while imbibing rum.Load your eye-patch, 'er... I mean I-Pod, with sea chanties that soothe the savage beastie.Kiss the decks.Steer clear of the rocks.Pop open another keg.Straddle a primed carronade.Boast, 'er... I mean share a romantic toast.Repeat.  



 - blurb   THE PIRATE’S DUCHESS by KATHERINE BONE  Duty forces him to take on the pirate code, but honor brings him back.   Prudence, Duchess of Blackmoor, has one desire—to be happy again. After struggling to overcome the horrifying death of her husband, she accepts an earl’s offer of marriage, confident she’s taking a step in the right direction. But demons, refuse to die, and Prudence finds herself caught in an intricate web of deceit that threatens the very foundations of all she holds dear.    Tobias, the Duke of Blackmoor, crosses the line when an assassination attempt on him fails. To restore the reputations of friends under attack by the same villain, and ensure his wife’s safety, he stages his own death, becoming The Black Regent, a notorious pirate bent on brandishing justice, never thinking he’d survive. But to his amazement, he has, and now the darkest-kept secrets are not worth losing the duchess his wife has become.  
   - Purchase links  Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-pirate-s-duchess ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-pirates-duchess/id1093233322?mt=11  Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Duchess-Regents-Revenge-Novella-ebook/dp/B01D7MM44C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-pirates-duchess-katherine-bone/1123529387?ean=2940152827026 

- author short bio  National best-selling historical romance author Katherine Bone has been passionate about history since she had the opportunity to travel to various Army bases, castles, battlegrounds, and cathedrals as an Army brat turned officer’s wife. Who knew that an Army wife’s passion for romance novels would lead to pirates? Certainly not her rogue, whose Alma Mater’s adage is “Go Army. Beat Navy!” Now enjoying the best of both worlds, Katherine lives with her rogue in the south where she writes about rogues, rebels, and rakes—aka pirates, lords, captains, duty, honor, and country—and the happily-ever-afters that every alpha male and damsel deserve. 
 - author links  Website: www.katherinebone.comFacebook- Official Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Katherine-Bones-Official-Fan-Page/134578253291785Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/katherinelboneAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Katherine-Bone/e/B009MO30MU/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535406.Katherine_Bone 
 ~ Excerpt ~Father’s quick reflexes kept Prudence from falling flat on her face before Basil, God, and their guests.He squeezed her arm reassuringly. “Do not listen to foolish hen prattle, my dear. The earl is waiting for you.”Straightening her shoulders, she focused on Basil’s handsome face and light-blue eyes that glinted like Blackmoor silver, twinkling, promising years of fidelity and conveying assurances that all would be well. Tall, lean, and clothed in simple black and white, Basil gave her a pleasant smile that lured her to him, and warmth swept through her. He was her future now. No more sleepless nights lying awake, feeling helpless and alone. No more nightmares or thoughts of what could have been.Her father stopped just before the altar and placed a kiss on her brow. “Your mother would be so proud of you if she were here. You are strong, my girl.”“Thank you, Papa,” she whispered, her heart filled with gratitude.He turned her toward Basil, who sketched a bow, then lowered his hand and helped her step up to the altar. When she finally stood beside him, he raised her hand to his lips, kissing the amethyst ring on her right hand before clicking his heels together with practiced ease.He leaned down to whisper in her ear as he removed her veil. “No regrets?”“None.”“I promise you’ll never have them.”“I accept your challenge,” she replied, returning his smile.Together, they turned to Mr. Leyes, who stood like a rotund badger in front of his den, a book held open in each hand. He nodded to Prudence and Basil, then began reading from the first book, a copy of Fordyce’s Sermons.Throughout Leyes’s literal depiction of a woman’s character, Basil held her hand in his, gently rubbing her knuckles with his thumb as brilliant light filtered through the windows behind the vicar’s back, bathing them in prisms of color.Leyes paused, then said, “Is anyone present who can justifiably object to the joining of this man and woman in holy wedlock?”Someone cleared his throat, and Prudence’s breath hitched. When the vicar craned his head to find the instigator, the room fell silent. Then Leyes nodded, smiling confidently at Basil, who turned to take hold of both her hands and gazed into her eyes.“Basil Halford, Earl of Markwick, do you take Prudence Denzell, Duchess of Blackmoor, to wed?”The doors to the chapel slammed open.“I d—”“He does not,” came a deep, angry voice from the back.That voice! It can’t be . . .Prudence’s body tensed. Surely she’d heard wrong.She turned away from the vicar and Basil to see a cloaked man standing in dark silhouette, holding a silver cane. There was something ill-omened about the way he stood and angled his head. Her heart clenched, then raced.“What is the meaning of this?” Basil asked, anger rolling off him in waves. “How dare you interrupt our wedding?”“No one is going to marry my wife today.”  
 Katherine Bone
Rogues, Rebels & Rakes
Amazon  Website   Facebook  


Thanks for sharing,


Tina
 

A Summer #RomanticIdea with @LindaOConnor98 and #Excerpt from Perfectly Honest

Romantic Idea – Spend time together. A bicycle ride with a stop for a picnic lunch on a warm summer day would be my ideal romantic date.  
Perfectly Honest Blurb:
You never know where your words will take you.
When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor. Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle down.  But when his ‘fiancée’ helps deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly the change he wanted. Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven!
  
Buy links:
Amazon Link   http://www.amazon.com/Perfectly-Honest-Linda-OConnor-ebook/dp/B00S77IW9O
 
Barnes and Noble Link  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfectly-honest-linda-oconnor/1121133809
 
http://www.lindaoconnor.net/perfectly/
 
Bio
Linda O’Connor started writing a few years ago when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at HomeSense. It turns out she loves writing romantic comedies and has a few more stories to tell. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic (well, even when she is writing she’s a physician, and it shows up in her stories :D ). She hangs out at www.lindaoconnor.net.
Laugh every day. Love every minute.
 
Link to my photo: http://i1.wp.com/www.lindaoconnor.net...
 
Social Media:
Website:  http://www.lindaoconnor.net
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/lindaoconnor98
Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA
 


 
Perfectly Honest Excerpt
Mikaela woke with a start to the sound of voices. Disoriented, in unfamiliar surroundings, she looked down at her short shorts and loose shirt covered with spatters of paint. Painting, of course. She must have fallen asleep in the chair, and checking her watch, she saw that it was two o’clock in the morning. Shit. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. Pulling herself out of the chair, she listened to the voices. One voice was female, sounding impatient and unhappy and one male, sounding apologetic and resigned.
“I know it’s not ideal, Sophia, but it’s what I want. I’m tired of the large city, the tertiary care center, and all the politics. I’m tired of all the meetings and all the committees. I want a smaller hospital in a smaller city. I want a life.”
“Nonsense, Sam,” the woman shot back. “You don’t know what you want or what’s good for you. You need to pay your dues now to reap the benefits later.”
“Look, I don’t expect you to understand. I’m grateful you’ve agreed to help me out, but . . . ”
Mikaela wandered into the hallway and stopped when she saw the two of them at the front door. The woman had unbuttoned her coat, and as she put her hands on her hips, there was a flash of the red cocktail dress she wore underneath. The man was a foot taller and wearing a suit. A very nice fitting suit, Mikaela mused, as she came up behind him.
The woman noticed Mikaela first, and her startled gasp had the man looking over his shoulder. Mikaela wasn’t sure who looked more shocked, the man, who moved to shield the woman, or the woman, who raked her gaze over Mikaela from head to toe. As Mikaela fought the urge to straighten her shirt and fix her hair, she decided, definitely, the woman.
The woman’s eyes narrowed, the hands on her hips became clenched at her sides, and her face flushed red. Mikaela held her breath.
The woman pushed at the man’s shoulder and spun him around to face her. “Why you! You! 'I can’t invite you in, the house is being painted,'” she mimicked. “Is that the new code word for 'mistress?' You could have just told me we were through. Well, I’m done. This is the last straw. You pig!” The woman spun on her heel and wrenched the door open.
“Sophia, wait!”
“No, wait,” Mikaela added. She lurched forward, now wide-awake.
The woman stormed out and slammed the door.
The man turned to Mikaela. “Who the hell are you?”
 Thanks Linda, for sharing,


Tina
 

#Excerpt from Cassandra by @CarolinClemmons and a #RomanticIdea

Thanks to Tina Gayle for exchanging blogs with me today.
 
My #Romanticidea is:
Join your love in doing simple things that bring togetherness.
Spend time together taking a walk, watching a movie, reading side by side.
Romance isn’t sparked by lavish expense, but by time we share. (Of course, if you can afford a lavish vacation or evening out, that’s wonderful.)
Time is the best gift you can give anyone.
 
I’m excited to announce the third book in my Bride Brigade Series, CASSANDRA. This series has been a lot of fun to write. Tarnation, Texas is a small town with no young single women and many suitable bachelors who wish to wed. A young widow travels East to recruit seven candidates for marriage who will live in her home until they choose the man for them. So far, Josephine and Angeline have married. Now it’s Cassandra’s turn to find her true love.


Here’s a bit about CASSANDRA:
A desperate plan…
A masquerade to achieve a goal…
Lies that create a web…
 
Cassandra Bradford has the cast off wardrobe to pose as a lady. Her goal is to marry a wealthy man who can provide her young brother with a sound future. Drat the luck! The first man she sees in Tarnation is a dusty cowboy who sends her heart pounding. No, he’s not the one for her. She has a better life in mind.
 
Samuel Drummond is one of the wealthiest ranchers in that part of the state, but he wants that fact kept quiet. His first wife married him for his money then left when she became bored with ranch life. He won’t let that happen again. He intends to find a woman who wants him no matter how poor she thinks he is.
 
When both Cassandra and Sam learn omissions the other has made, there are fireworks between them. They must work through their anger and hurt to achieve happiness.
 
The buy link is at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cassandra-Bride-Brigade-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01FICL10M?ie=UTF8&keywords=Caroline%20Clemmons&qid=1463270143&ref_=sr_1_9&sr=8-9  
 
To tease you, here’s an excerpt of CASSANDRA:
She ran upstairs and grabbed her purse and set out for a walk. When she was even with the mercantile, she stopped in to visit with Josephine, who was working there now.
Michael Buchanan, the owner, smiled when she entered. “Josephine, why don’t you take off long enough to visit with your friend?”
The two women walked up and down the aisles. Cassandra spotted some lovely lace, but set the spool back down.
“Would you like some of that? I just put it out, so you’ll have first choice.”
“I don’t think so today, Josephine, but I’ll keep it in mind.” She didn’t want anyone to know she was nearly destitute. The few coins she had left from her wages would have to last until she married. Who knew how long that might be?
“You’ve had a busy week with suitors. Made up your mind yet?”
“I’m so torn, Josephine. One man makes my knees go weak and the other meets my criteria for a husband.”
“Oh, no, Cassandra. Don’t settle for anything but love. A lifetime is an awfully long time to only be ‘in like’ with the man you marry.”
Cassandra trailed a finger along the shelf as she ambled along the aisle. “Arranged marriages have couples starting off as virtual strangers and many are quite successful.”
“And many aren’t. Would you want to… you know, with someone you don’t love?”
“No, but I’m not sure I’m that enthused about it at all.” Liar, she called herself. The memory of being in Sam’s arms still heated her body.
Josephine giggled. “You may change your mind.”
Cassandra glanced pointedly at the store’s owner then back to her friend. “Have you?” 
The other woman’s face sobered. “We were talking about you, not me. I think you’d be making a mistake to wed for anything but love.”
“I’ll keep what you’ve said in mind, but I’m not making any promises.” She knew her friend had been poor too, so having her say to go for love made an impact.
 
About the Author
 
Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling and award winning author of historical and contemporary western romances. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys family, reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, and getting together with friends. Find her on her blog , website , Facebook , Twitte r, Goodreads , Google+ , WattPad , Shelfari , and Pinterest . Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books.
Subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here to receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?
She loves to hear from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com
 
 Thanks for sharing,Tina
 
 
 

#RomanticIdea by @mari_manning with an #Excerpt from Stranger in My House

#RomanticIdea from Mari Manning:

I had my first #romanticidea when I was four, and it’s still a good one. I was lying in bed on a hot afternoon pretending to nap. A summer shower pattered softly against the roof. I heard children’s voice and tip-toed to the window so my mother wouldn’t hear my footsteps. Dressed in swimsuits and boots, the neighbor kids were running in the rain, screaming like wild things and jumping through puddles. I’d have given anything to be with them.

So … here’s my romantic idea. When a gentle summer shower drifts over your neighborhood, you and your loved one(s) must put on your swimsuits and rain boots and be wild things. If you are too dignified for this, dig out an umbrella big enough for two and go for a romantic walk in the rain with your honey.

Should your summer shower be accompanied by lightning, turn off the lights, turn on Billie Holiday and daydream about the rain scene in The Notebook.

 


About Stranger in My House by Mari Manning

When Officer Kirby Swallow’s half-sister is threatened, Kirby assumes her sister’s identity and journeys to the remote Texas ranch her sister calls home to catch a killer. Kirby confronts a growing list of suspects and a rising body count, not to mention the ranch manager, Seth Maguire, who sees past the charade to the warm, generous girl beneath. But can Kirby trust a man who rejects the one thing she holds dear: family? Her love dares all, but as the killer closes in, will it also be blind?

Self-reliant Seth Maguire is manager of the struggling Shaw Valley Ranch. His future appears empty until the ranch’s wild, unpredictable heiress suddenly morphs into a very hot lady cop. What starts out as just another seduction turns into something deep and, for him, frightening. Then the killer is revealed and Seth is faced with an impossible choice. Will his fragile, uncertain love be enough to save Kirby?

Buy link to preorder Stranger in My House is here: http://amzn.to/1WOnFmx. If you want to prepare yourself for the June 13 debut, pick up the first book in the stand-alone series, Stranger at My Door. All the major electronic sites are here: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/st...

 

An excerpt from Stranger in My House

Seth guided Darcy into the wide path of grass and clover between the lavender fields. Frankie fell into step beside him, and a deeply irrational sense of well-being washed over him. Miss Bea had skinned him alive twice in one morning. A new record. A new low.

So why the hell was he feeling so mellow?

The scent of lavender floated in the warm air. The grayish-purple wands dipped and rolled like waves. Frankie took a deep, noisy sniff. “Hmm. Smells good.”

“Sure.”

“Must have been hard for you when my cousin sold the cattle and took up farming.”

He glanced at her, expecting to see mocking, catlike eyes, but instead he was met with curiosity. Or was it interest? “I guess. Not exactly what I expected when I came here.”

“What did you expect?”

He shrugged. What did she think he’d expected? “A working ranch. A herd of steers from here to the horizon. Beefsteak for dinner. Whiskey for dessert.”

She burst out laughing, and he almost laughed, too. A comfortable silence settled over them, and he slipped back a pace so he could study the new Frankie. Her cat eyes didn’t seem so damned spooky this morning. His gaze lingered on strong cheekbones, golden skin, the gentle puff of pink lips. A breeze lifted. Long, black hair unfurled, gleaming like jet.

This girl couldn’t be Frankie. It wasn’t just the horse business. It was the way she acted, asking questions all the time and looking startled when Miss Bea went off on her. Sure, she knew a lot about the house and him and the workings of the ranch. And sometimes she’d tilt her head just like Frankie and do Frankie’s Beyoncé strut, but not all the time.

So if she looked like Frankie and talked like Frankie and knew about Frankie’s life, but wasn’t Frankie, who the hell was she? Besides Frankie’s doppelgänger. He should be alarmed, wary even. But instead he felt as if he’d finally turned a corner.

 

About Mari Manning

Let’s start with the fun stuff. I love small towns, mysteries, quiet men, laughter, old-fashioned spaghetti dinners. I love boots and shopping and jokes and Hershey’s dark chocolate and white wine. I love lots of things. But my first love is reading.

I love to read. Just about anything, but it has to be well-written. I go through periods where I am into historical novels or romance or mystery or history or biography. I never know when my desires will suddenly change.

Now for the writer-ish, official stuff: Mari Manning is the author of several contemporary romances and three romantic suspense novels set in the Texas Hill Country. Stranger at My Door is the first in her A Murder in Teas series. The second, Stranger in My House will be released by Entangled on June 13. The third book in the series is Stranger in My Bed. Currently Mari is working on a series of cozy mysteries.

She and her husband live in Chicago.

 

Contact Mari at manningillinois@gmail.com

Visit my website at www.marimanning.com

Follow me @mari_manning on Twitter

Thanks for sharing,

Tina

#RomanticIdea with @StacyJuba Plus #Excerpt from Fooling Around with Cinderella

 
Fooling Around With Cinderella
What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella's toes? When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom. First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun. 
 
 
Excerpt:
Dylan scrutinized Jaine, arms folded across his royal blue shirt with the Storybook Valley logo stamped over the left in white block letters. “Do you wear contacts?”
“I have plenty of media contacts. Wait. Did you say wear contacts? You mean instead of these?” Jaine fingered the earpiece of her gold-rimmed glasses.
“Right. Contact lenses.”
She gave a nervous chuckle. “I scheduled a consultation in college, but was too squeamish to insert the lens. I was more comfortable in glasses.”
Was she really justifying her vision enhancement choices to her prospective new boss? Maybe he intended to discuss medical benefits. Or did he think she looked nerdy? What was the saying? Guys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses? Not that she wanted him to make a pass even if he was hot.
“How blind are you without glasses?” Dylan persisted.
“You wouldn’t want to drive with me.”
“How about if you’re walking around a building? Are you in danger of hurting yourself?”
This interview had taken the Mad Hatter Freeway from Fairy Tale Land into Wonderland where nothing made a damn bit of sense. Did this guy have a glasses fetish, like those weirdoes with shoe fetishes?
“I should be okay. I take them off for special occasions.” In fact, Jaine’s older sister Bree, who was getting married in August, remarked just last week, “You are losing the glasses for my wedding pictures, right?”
What the hell. She’d be a good sport and hope Dylan would be so grateful to pick the brain of a real, flesh and blood, bespectacled person that he would appoint her marketing director. Jaine removed her glasses and the fine details of her surroundings fuzzed. She nodded toward the framed print hanging on a side wall, the picture a wash of symbols and colors. “I can tell that’s a park map, but the words and images smear together.”
And that was myopia in a nutshell. Jaine adjusted her glasses back into place so she could see his reaction. Dylan examined her with such intensity that a blush stained her cheeks. She patted her French braid, in case stray strands were straggling out.
“Here’s the situation,” Dylan said. “I took over the general manager position a few months ago. I’m evaluating possible changes and researching how other theme parks run. My grandfather and father have worked with a marketing firm for years to create our brochures, billboards, print, and radio ads.”
Jaine’s shoulders caved, imperceptible to him, but it felt as if her whole body was sinking.
No fairy tale job ending for her.
 
 
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1XpaJ5t
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fooling-around-with-cinderella-stacy-juba/1122680940?ean=2940152324976
 
Kobo: http://ow.ly/SFUsk
 
iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1042194826
 
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BdrNCgAAQBAJ
 
Stacy Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on her Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths. She has had a novel ranked as #5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. When she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides that spin and exotic hamburgers), or writing about them, Stacy helps authors to strengthen their manuscripts through her Crossroads Editing Service. She is currently writing the next book in the Storybook Valley Series, Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty.
 
 
Author Links:

Website and blog: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Juba/100155471301

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjuba

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Juba/e/B002OXLSDE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Newsletter subscription: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/newsletter-subscription/
 
 
Romantic Idea:
Go to a theme park and try these romantic ideas:
Get to a show early and relax in the back of the air-conditioned theater.Kiss for the ride pictures.Enjoy a picnic lunch.Go to the park’s nicest restaurant for dinner.Have your significant other play games to win you a prize.

Carmen Stefanescu - Cover Reveal Till Life Do Us Part #Paranormal #Romance @Carmen_Books

Tina, thank you so much for having me as your guest today.  You know my interest in anything odd -  paranormal, myths,  legends  - all that is out of the normal boundaries.  Reincarnation and chat with ghosts can be included, too. I’m thrilled to be here, and excited to share the cover for my incoming release

                            Till Life Do Us Part   Publisher:Solstice Publishing Genre:  Paranormal Romance Magic, Reincarnation, Mystery, Suspense Release date:9th June 2016   Blurb Barbara Heyer can hear voices of dead people. They whisper of their deaths, seek comfort for those left behind, and occasionally even warn her about future events. But when Barbara’s brother, Colin, is accused of murder, it will take more than her gift to prove his innocence. Becoming smitten with the handsome investigator, Detective Patrick Fischer, is a serious complication given his assignment to her brother’s case. Barbara senses there is something far deeper—and perhaps much older—than the surface attraction between them. Could that be why she’s visited by a mysterious woman named Emma in her dreams? Could past life regression tie all the seemingly unconnected events together? Barbara and Patrick must overcome heartache to find the truth to save Colin, and perhaps themselves.    
  Author Bio Carmen Stefanescu resides in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison. Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world that of the books. She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Several of her poems were successfully published in a collection of Contemporary English Poems, Muse Whispers vol.1 and Muse Whispers vol.2 by Midnight Edition Publication, in 2001 and 2002.  Her first novel, Shadows of the Past, was released in 2012 by Wild Child Publishing, USA.                    Carmen joined the volunteer staff at Marketing For Romance Writers Author blog and is the coordinator of #Thursday13 posts.   You can stalk the author here: http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/ https://twitter.com/Carmen_Books http://www.pinterest.com/carmens007/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmen-Stefanescu-Books/499245716760283 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624397.Carmen_Stefanescu https://plus.google.com/117216040843648957646/posts http://www.amazon.com/Carmen-Stefanescu/e/B00APVDGAA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1   Trailer