Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 331

June 23, 2016

Top Ten Favorite Crime TV Shows with K.L. Murphy

Roxanne, thanks for hosting me today and letting me share my Top Ten Favorite Crime TV shows. The list includes everything from gritty to cheesy (by today’s standards anyway) to crime light. All have probably influenced my writing and my crime series featuring Detective Mike Cancini.

Hope you enjoy!

10. Hawaii 5-0

I’m talking the original here (I promised cheesy). I loved this show from the catchy theme music to Steve McGarrett’s sweeping hairstyle. Also, it was impressive the way he solved crimes in those sharp blue suits!

9. Andy Griffith

Cheesy is followed by low in the crime category but high in the lovability category. Andy and Barney and Opie represent the best of small town life and the sheriffs who lived there. It’s still entertaining today!

8. Law & Order and Law & Order SVU

I’ve combined these two in the L&O franchise but left out Criminal Intent (just didn’t love). While my love for these shows goes back to Chris Noth (before he was Mr. Big), I still enjoy watching the reruns from time to time. I loved quite a few favorite characters from this series (Lennie, Jack McCoy, Olivia Benson and more) and I even give this show a shout-out in my first book, A GUILTY MIND.

7. Homicide

Now we’re getting down to some grittier crime. I loved the setting in Baltimore and couldn’t take my eyes off Andre Braugher as Detective Frank Pembleton. He was just sooo good. Besides, how can you not love a show that spins off a character named Munch (Richard Belzer) and sends him to Law & Order SVU. That’s good writing.

6. Hill Street Blues

This might be one of the first TV crime shows that felt close to real. Everything from roll call to flawed characters made this a show to watch.

5. Columbo

How can anyone not love the rumpled detective bumbling through the crime scene who always gets his man (or woman) in the end? Of course, the murderer always underestimates Columbo (although you can’t really blame them). I also loved the format of this show where the viewer saw the crime being committed and had the pleasure of seeing Columbo figure it out.

4. True Detective (Season One)

I’ll be honest. I lost interest in Season Two but Season One was amazing. While the story was interesting, the acting and the depth of character drew me in from the opening credits. I wish they’d team Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson up one more time. Tune me in.

3. NYPD Blue

For me, the first several years were the best. I’m in the camp that liked David Caruso but had no problem with Jimmy Smits taking his place. He did a fine job, too. Dennis Franz finally got the accolades he deserved for playing Detective Sipowicz and I’d watch a spin-off of that today. Maybe he could be a captain now?

2. 24

Jack Bauer is one of my all-time favorite characters. From the first season to the movie on a couple of years ago, I loved the concept (can you hear the ticking clock?) and the stories. This is not to say that they weren’t farfetched at times or that Jack may have been close to superhuman (really?), but it was always entertaining. Can we get this to the big screen?

1. The Sopranos

There is a reason this show won so many awards. I have always been attracted to mob stories and movies and this series checked every box for me. The storylines never failed to humanize these men who committed brutal acts as though they were doing nothing more important than taking out the trash. The relationship between Tony and Carmela, the guys hanging out at the Bada-Bing, Dr. Melfi, Tony’s crazy mother, Christopher and Adriana…it just doesn’t get any better than that.

A Guilty MindA Detective Cancini MysteryBook OneK.L. Murphy
On-Sale 6/14/2016
ISBN: 9780062491626
Genre: Crime Mystery, Mystery and Detective / Police Procedural
Publisher: Witness Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins
About the Book:
Accused of murdering his psychiatrist, a broken man must face his horrific past in order to protect his future.
George Vandenberg is a drunk with a volatile temper, haunted by the memory of the young woman he once loved and tragically lost. Wrestling with his guilt and pushed by his psychiatrist to confess his role in her death, he teeters on the edge of a nervous breakdown, blacking out drunk more often than not.
But when his doctor turns up dead, brutally stabbed to death in his office, George has nowhere left to turn. Stunned and confused, George emerges as the primary suspect in an investigation led by Detective Mike Cancini, a D.C. cop who knows all too well how far a man can go when he’s pushed.
To prove his innocence, George must face the police, his manipulative wife, and the shell of a man he’s become. But as much as George wants to forget his history, the past is not done with him…
Amazon

Stay of ExecutionA Detective Cancini MysteryBook TwoK.L. Murphy
On-Sale 6/28/2016
ISBN: 9780062491619
Genre: Crime Mystery, Mystery and Detective / Police Procedural
Publisher: Witness Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins
Perfect for fans of Making a Murderer, a novel about a man exonerated of heinous crimes returning to a town that can’t let go of his bloody legacy.
Little Springs was just a small college town, the kind of place where everyone knew everyone and crime was virtually nonexistent—until a series of rapes and murders at the college shook the community to its core. Only the arrest and conviction of Leo Spradlin, the “Coed Killer,” could end the terror.
Years later, Spradlin is suddenly cleared based on unshakable DNA evidence, and no one is more surprised than Detective Mike Cancini. As new questions arise about the true identity of the murderer, Cancini struggles to accept his role in the conviction of an innocent man.
But when the attacks begin again, Cancini is not the only one who worries a mistake has been made. Cancini is drawn back to Little Springs, caught in a race against time to uncover the real “Coed Killer” before the next girl dies…

About the Author:
K.L. MURPHY was born in Key West, Florida, the eldest of four children in a military family. She has worked as a freelance writer for several regional publications in Virginia, and is the author of A Guilty Mind and Stay of Execution. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, four children, and two very large, very hairy dogs. She is currently working on her next novel, The Last Sin.
To learn more about the Detective Cancini Mystery series or future projects, visit www.kellielarsenmurphy.com
Subscribe to her newsletter http://goo.gl/QgCZ2h
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KL-Murphy-243218759094785/
Twitter https://twitter.com/klmurphyauthor

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Published on June 23, 2016 03:00

June 22, 2016

Guest Blog- Scattered Seeds by Julie Doherty

WRITER’S GOLD
In the early nineties, refilling our monstrous Pitney Bowes postage meter meant lugging its cumbersome guts to the nearest post office. Back then, you could walk in downtown Harrisburg without getting stabbed or shot, and the fifteen-block trek was often pleasant in spite of my aching arms. It got me out of the office and along the Susquehanna River, where stately mansions face the sluggish water and the dome of Pennsylvania’s capitol building hoists a gilded statue skyward.

Of course, the walk wasn’t so great in winter, and even on the best summer day, I sometimes witnessed the seedier side of the city. Regardless of the season, it was impossible to avoid beggars. Most of them were panhandlers who probably lived in better houses than I did, but some of them were truly homeless . . . and downright pitiful.

I am tenderhearted now in spite of life’s best efforts to turn me cynical, so you can imagine how soft I was back then. I remember thinking about how we pass the homeless, our gazes fixed, avoiding eye contact at all costs, because . . . well, seeing them means we have to acknowledge them, doesn’t it? They must feel invisible at times, like possessors of some strange superpower they never asked for.

One fine morning, with birds chattering in the blossoming trees, I set out for the post office to refill our meter. That day, I decided, I would not ignore the homeless. Oh, sure, some would beg for cash, but I had a surefire plan for weeding out those looking for drug money. “Are you hungry?” I would ask. If the answer was yes, then I would buy the man or woman a meal. At the very least, I would not look straight through them. In fact, I would offer them something I guessed they didn’t see too often – a smile.

I was feeling pretty good about myself and my strategy when somewhere near State Street, a man in filthy rags made a beeline for me. Everything in me screamed, “Keep walking! Avoid eye contact!” but I stuck to my plan. I looked in his eyes, gave him my best smile, and said, “Hello.”

Did he smile back?

No.

Did he turn into a disabled veteran needing cash to get home to Albuquerque where his baby sister was—at that moment—undergoing emergency surgery to remove a third nipple from the middle of her forehead?

No.

What did he say, Jules, you ask.

Well, he ground his teeth together and shouted, “Why the hell do you have to wear your hair the same damn way all the time?”

Wait, what?

I ran the rest of the way to the post office, broken-hearted and more than a little frightened.

Since then, I’ve learned to see these crazy moments for what they are: writer’s gold. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up, right? So, roll with it. The next time someone reacts in an unexpected manner, ask yourself WHY they may have reacted as they did. You won’t know the real reason, of course, so you’ll have to guess. Go crazy with the “what ifs.” Some will be downright stupid, but a few will be worth fleshing out into possible plots.

Here are some examples using my homeless guy’s odd reaction:

• What if I never saw the homeless guy before, but he had been watching me for months?

• What if the homeless guy just killed everyone at a mental health facility, then escaped and met me on the street?

• What if the homeless guy was really a prince looking for a woman willing to love a filthy man in rags?

• What if a smile could trigger a killing spree?

Over twenty-five years have passed since that guy yelled at me.

I’ve turned the event over many times in my head and answered every conceivable question but one: why do I wear my hair the same damn way all the time?

Scattered SeedsJulie Doherty
Genre: Historical fiction, elements of romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication: April 27, 2016
ISBN: 1-68291-050-4ASIN: B01E056H1Q
Number of pages: 339Word Count: 100,000
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde
Book Description:
In 18th century Ireland, drought forces Edward and Henry McConnell to assume false names and escape to America with the one valuable thing they still own–their ancestor’s gold torc.
Edward must leave love behind. Henry finds it in the foul belly of The Charming Hannah, only to lose it when an elusive trader purchases his sweetheart’s indenture.
With nothing but their broken hearts, a lame ox, and a torc they cannot sell without invoking a centuries-old curse, they head for the backcountry, where all hope rests upon getting their seed in the ground. Under constant threat of Indian attack, they endure crushing toil and hardship. By summer, they have wheat for their reward, and unexpected news of Henry’s lost love. They emerge from the wilderness and follow her trail to Philadelphia, unaware her cruel new master awaits them there, his heart set on obtaining the priceless torc they protect.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/bNzrVFnl9Ts
Amazon

CHAPTER 1
County Donegal, Ireland1755
Henry stood next to his father surveying their largest field. He longed to say that the seeds might yet sprout, that there was still time to yield a return, but the undeniable truth lay right before them: drought had come to Ireland. Their investment in imported flaxseed was lost.
“A hundred days, Henry.” Father’s face bore the pained expression of a man whose hope was as withered as his crops. “A hundred days was all we needed, all that stood between us and prosperity.” He kicked a clod of dirt, and it turned to dust. “It’s all gone, gone along wi’ the horse that harrowed the ground.”
A lump rose in Henry’s throat. He ached for his father, and he missed their horse. Paddy was a fine animal purchased ten years ago after a bumper crop of rye, when Edward McConnell’s luck was good and Henry’s only chore was to stay out of his mother’s hair. Elizabeth McConnell moldered in the ground now, and Paddy plowed another man’s fields.
“We will pray, Father. God will help us.”
“God?” Father kneaded his forehead with calloused fingers. “God’s groping in our pockets right along wi’ your Uncle Sorley. Praying did nae pay our tithes or the hearth tax, did it?”
Surely he didn’t mean that. Everyone knew Edward McConnell to be a godly man.
“We’ll get more seed, Father. It’ll grow next year.” He squared his shoulders and tried to look confident.
“Will nae do us any good. Your Uncle Sorley plans to decrease our tillage in favor of pasture.”
“Wi’ no cut in rent, I’ll wager, and early payment again this year.”
Father spat on the parched ground. “He stopped by yesterday looking for it. Said he’ll call in after services on the Sabbath.” He ground his teeth together. “I’d gi’ anything to see the look on his face when he finds our empty hoose.”
Henry’s chest tightened. Were they moving again? He rubbed the back of his neck and looked across the rolling patchwork of fields to the northeast, where their last home rose above a copse of ash, and where his mother’s daffodils still swayed in the Ulster wind. Four years ago, the cattle plague put them out of that house and into the windowless shack they now shared with Phoebe, their only remaining sow. The hut contained a hearth, a curse necessitating the payment of tax despite the fact that it never contained a fire.
With no peat left and no horse to haul more from the bog, the McConnells relied on a moth-eaten blanket and Phoebe’s body heat for warmth.
They had room to fall; many Catholics lived in the open, bleeding cattle and boiling the gore with sorrel for sustenance. Perhaps his father intended to join them.
“Are we moving again?” he asked.
Father slipped two fingers under his brown tie wig and rubbed his temple, something he often did when puzzled.
Henry followed his gaze to the ruins of Burt Castle, which sat atop a knoll, just above Uncle Sorley’s grand plantation house.
“Nine years we’ve suffered bad luck, Henry. E’er since I buried . . .”
Buried what? Maw? She died five years ago, not nine.
Father sunk his head into his hands, muffling his speech. “I . . . I guess it’s time to . . .”
Henry stepped into the hard, hot field, directly in front of his father. “Father, what in the name of heaven is it?”
Father tilted back his head and whispered to the sky, “Forgive me, Elizabeth.” He looked at Henry. “I buried something. Your maw insisted on it, said it was pagan and she did nae want it in her hoose. I did as she asked. A woman can talk ye into cutting off your own hand, Henry, remember that if ye can.”
Henry nodded, not comprehending, wondering what pagan thing lay buried. He’d never heard it mentioned before, and he was a skilled eavesdropper. “What was it? What did ye bury?”
Father inhaled deeply, removed the worn tricorn from his head, and tucked it under his arm. “I’ll tell ye the whole tale, but first, we have to dig it up. We canny do that until after dark.” He turned without warning and headed for home.
Henry followed him, volleying questions against his back.
Father said nothing until they reached their hut. There, he stormed past Phoebe, flung open the door, and nodded toward a worm-ravaged chest sitting next to a heap of rushes that served as their bed.
“Gather up our claithes and shoes. Use my good cloak for a sack. Bring the dried nettles.” He grabbed the peat spade, the only tool left from his once abundant array of implements, and used it to prop open the door.
“Why bring the nettles?” Henry hated the bitter leaves. “There are more nettles than rocks in Ulster.”
When his father offered no reply, he lobbed another question, desperate for clues as to their destination. “Will ye not wear your good cloak, if we are traveling far?”
“My auld cloak will draw less attention.”
So, they were going to some populous place where good cloaks were bad.
Henry spread the cloak across the dirt floor, careful to avoid Phoebe’s manure. The cloak was long out of fashion, but still a quality garment that Edward McConnell could not afford to replace. He threw their scant belongings into the middle of it, brought the cloak’s corners together, then tied them together to form a sack. Excepting Phoebe and the clothes they wore, the sack contained everything worth saving.
He sat on the rickety chest to watch his father pace.
When Burt Castle became a silhouette against an amber horizon, Father donned his hat and cloak and ducked outside.
Henry followed him to the stone wall separating their field from Uncle Archibald’s.
Father began to tumble a section of wall.
With his perplexity and fear mounting, Henry assisted until there was enough of a breach to push Phoebe through the wall.
She trotted away, grunting and wagging her curly tail, while he helped restack the stones to prevent her from returning.
He could no longer hold his tongue.
“What are we doing? Why are we putting Phoebe in Uncle Archibald and Aunt Martha’s field? Are we going somewhere? Where are we going? Why are we taking nettles?”
In his frustration, he grabbed his father’s arm.
Father whirled around and gave Henry’s shoulders a fierce shake. “Get hold of yoursel’, lad, or I’ll cloot ye upside the noggin. No more questions. Just do as ye’re told.”
Henry stared at his father, who had never once laid a hand on him, nor threatened to.
“I’m sorry, lad. Go on in the hoose and get the bundle.”
When Henry returned with their belongings, his father was holding the peat spade.
“Get a good look around ye, son. It’s the last time ye’ll clap eyes on your hame.”

About the Author:
Julie Doherty expected to follow in her artist-father’s footsteps, but words, not oils, became her medium. Her novels have been called “romance with teeth” and “a sublime mix of history and suspense.”
Her marriage to a Glasgow-born Irishman means frequent visits to the Celtic countries, where she studies the culture that liberally flavors her stories. When not writing, she enjoys cooking over an open fire at her cabin, gardening, and hiking the ridges and valleys of rural Pennsylvania, where she lives just a short distance from the farm carved out of the wilderness by her 18th century “Scotch-Irish” ancestors.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, Perry County Council of the Arts, and Clan Donald USA.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliedohertywrites/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SquareSails
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/532434.Julie_Doherty
Web: http://juliedoherty.com/
Blog: http://juliedoherty.com/blog

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Published on June 22, 2016 00:30

June 21, 2016

Spotlight and Giveaway At the Brink By Anna del Mar

At the BrinkBook OneAnna del Mar
Genre: Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense,Contemporary romance, SEAL romance,Military Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: May 2, 2016
eISBN: 9781459293564ASIN: B01BKJNA5Q
Number of pages: 350 pages approx.Word Count: 128,000 words approx.
Cover Artist: Carina Press
Book Description:
Josh Lane, decorated war hero and former SEAL turned successful entrepreneur, is blunt, ruthless, intense and exacting; a workaholic driven by internal demons, a man who doesn't play games, except in bed, of course, where he is always in command.
When he meets Lily Boswell, a talented but stifled artist trapped in a dangerous situation, he devises a sexual agreement that explores their most primal erotic cravings, the only chance he might have to protect her and vanish the demons that haunt his dreams.
Amazon Carina Press BN Kobo Books Google Play
Long Book Description
Lily
I should never have agreed to it.
A woman will do a lot to keep her husband happy. But when my husband sells me to the highest bidder—billionaire, former navy SEAL, pride of Boston’s business scene—I agree, not to keep him happy, but because it gives me the chance to finally escape. Escape my marriage, escape my debts, escape my life…
Josh Lane demands a steep price: my pride and my morals. But the truth is, I’ve never felt anything like what I feel for him. He brings color into my gray world. And his insistence that I submit to his commands—his depraved, filthy, amazing commands—only feeds my craving to be taken by him. Again. And again.
I should never have agreed to it, but I’m so glad I did.
Josh
I don’t need to pay to keep women in my bed. Though my preferences may be unorthodox, I never leave a woman unsatisfied—far from it. Lily Boswell, though… Her innocence draws me, her secrets intrigue me. Having her is worth dealing with her cowardly scum of a husband.
I want to release her passions and heal her wounds.
On my terms.
Because the blindfolds and restraints hide more than she could imagine. I must keep her safe from the people who would destroy me—and the demons that haunt my dreams.
Similar Books
If you love Kristen Ashley…
Anna del Mar’s contemporary romance may be just up your alley. One of the things I love about Kristen is that she tends to write long, giving us a chance to dive into the characters and relationships, and Anna offers the same great escape. In At the Brink, Josh Lane is blunt, ruthless, intense and exacting; a workaholic driven by internal demons; a man who doesn’t play games, except in bed, of course, where he is always in command. Lily Boswell is trapped in a dangerous situation and Josh has no problem taking advantage of that—to protect her and to get her into his bed.
Short Excerpt 1: First kiss

His lips landed on my mouth, soft and yet commanding. His tongue parted my lips, sharing his mouth’s vital moisture. He exhaled into me, heating my cold airways with his warm breath, imbuing my world with his scent, crisp rainfall wafting with fresh ozone, fragrant earth with a hint of leather, a punch of wholesome maleness.

His breath startled my lungs into action. The contact transformed into something deeper and more intense. My starved body wanted more of him, air, scent, tongue, lips. Along the way, my lungs relaxed and my throat loosened beneath his fingers’ caress.

Oh. My. God. He was kissing me now, and his kiss was everything that a kiss ought to be—question, answer, light-infused canvas, an entire painting dedicated to blues and yellows, a portrait of my body in heat.

His entire body was committed to kissing me. I responded to him as if my next breath depended on his touch. My nipples sharpened and my sex ached, clutching at the emptiness inside of me. My heart pounded a million beats per second. When he finally broke off the kiss, he seemed breathless too, and I wondered if together we’d burned up all the oxygen in the room.

About the Author:
Anna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
Website: http://www.annadelmar.com/pages/home.html
Blog: http://www.annadelmar.com/blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnnadelMar/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.delmar.376
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anna_del_mar
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/anna_del_mar

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Published on June 21, 2016 03:00

June 20, 2016

Her Highland Rogue by Violetta Rand

Her Highland RogueVioletta Rand
Genre: Historical romance, Highlander
Publisher: Random House/Loveswept
Date of Publication: June 21, 2016
ASIN: B00XG9BWZE
Number of pages: 170Word Count: 52,000
Cover Artist: Random House
Book Description:
Errol MacRae’s days of gallivanting across the Highlands are nearing an end. His father’s health has taken a turn for the worse, and rumors are swirling that the crown intends to transfer ancient lands into the hands of the MacKenzies, the clan the MacRaes are sworn to defend. Errol expects to lead his men into battle soon. So he isn’t pleased when his father instead sends him to retrieve a beautiful flame-haired lass who has fled into the mountains.
Orphaned as a young girl, Aileana vividly remembers how the MacRaes rescued her and welcomed her into their clan. For ten years, she has served them loyally—until the night she’s nearly despoiled by one of the laird’s captains. Aileana risks her life and her reputation to seek refuge in the snowcapped peaks of the Five Sisters, the one place that has always felt like home. But after the strong-armed, strong-willed Errol tracks her down in a blizzard, she finds herself tempted to risk something even more dangerous: her heart.
Amazon BN Kobo

Excerpt: Aileana opened her eyes, confused by her surroundings. She’d fled the MacRae stronghold after Broc cornered her in the kitchen, long after the other women had gone abovestairs to sleep. She’d stupidly volunteered to keep watch over the remaining men in the hall in case they required more bread and meat—or in Broc’s case, more ale. Once she’d refilled his cup, even leaving a full pitcher behind for the great beast to finish off, he stumbled after her, smelling of sweat and spirits, and drooling on her neck.She’d known him nearly all her life—at least for the time she remembered being alive. Before her tenth year, she held no clear memories. The occasional flash of a face or spoken word, but nothing that could connect her to a family or place. So she wandered through life nameless, though the MacRae laird had offered to recognize her as part of his clan. But whenever she considered it, something inside her warned not to do it. For once ye denied your name, whether you knew it or not, your fate might change. And she didn’t want to lose her only chance at true happiness. Deep down, Aileana knew there was more to her existence than being a bastard.That’s what half the women within the MacRae keep called her. Behind her back mostly, but sometimes directly if she was blamed for burning the bread or spilling wine.She kicked off the fur covering her from neck-to-foot, cold air sending a chill down her body. A fire burned at the opening of the rock enclosure, and she padded over to it, desperate for warmth. She stared beyond the flames, the world outside covered in white. Winter had come early to Kintail. And only by God’s grace had she met a woman last night in the hills. How could she turn down an offer of hot stew and a pallet to sleep on? So she’d walked quietly with the stranger to her cave.As soon as she finished eating and drained her cup of wine, sleep overwhelmed her. That’s all she remembered. And now she woke up alone. But there was a loaf of bread and a cup of milk on the table by her pallet, hopefully meant for her to eat. Her stomach growled with hunger.“Good morning,” Aileana heard as she reached for the cup.She turned and met the woman’s smile. “Thank ye for allowing me to stay here last night. I’m afraid I have nothing to offer you, no money or goods to trade.”The woman joined her, picked up the loaf of bread, then tore it in half. “I don’t remember asking for payment, child.”“But your generosity must be rewarded in some way.”“Aye,” she agreed. “Your company will do nicely.”Aileana took a bite and it melted in her mouth, as tasty as what she cooked every morning in the MacRae kitchens. “Whatever you wish,” she said. “I prefer staying here. I wasn’t prepared for the snow. If ye hadn’t found me, I’m afraid I would have perished in the cold.” Though she had a fur cloak and thick-soled boots, she hadn’t had time to gather anything else before she ran away.The woman sat down. “My name is Sgùrr.”“Aileana.”The woman studied her in silence, her dark gaze wandering more than once to her hair. “Who is your father?”Aileana took another sip of milk, then put the cup down on the table. The idea of admitting to a stranger that she had no family was as humiliating as what Broc had done to her. “I don’t know.”“And why were you roaming the hills alone? Surely someone will miss ye?”“Laird MacRae is my guardian.”“Your mother has passed?”“I’m afraid I know nothing about my birth.” She walked the couple feet to her pallet and picked up her cloak. “Eight years ago a MacRae guard found me in the forest, cold and hungry, close to death I’ve been told. He bundled me in a blanket and took me home with him. I’ve lived there ever since.”“Has the laird been kind and generous?”“Laird MacRae is not only kind, but treats me as his own daughter. A day never passes without him greeting me. Sometimes I wonder what would have become of me if the MacDonalds or MacLeods found me instead.”
The older woman nodded. “Don’t put much stock in the affairs of men. Clan feuds are the last thing a lass needs to worry about. ’Tis your heart and charitable acts that define your character.”

About the Author:
Raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Violetta Rand spent her childhood reading, writing, and playing soccer. After meeting her husband in New England, they moved to Alaska where she studied environmental science and policy before attending graduate school. Violetta then spent nearly a decade working as a scientist, specializing in soil and water contamination and environmental assessments.
Violetta still lives in Alaska and spends her days writing romance. When she's not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys time with her husband, pets, and friends. In her free time, she loves to hike, fish, and ride motorcycles and 4-wheelers.
Website: http://www.violettarandromance.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violettarandromance
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViolettaRand
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Published on June 20, 2016 21:30

June 19, 2016

Nancy’s Curse: The Complete Trilogy by C.A. Bell

Nancy’s CurseThe Complete TrilogyC.A.Bell
Genre: Paranormal, erotic romance.
Publisher: C.A.Bell
Date of Publication: May 9th 2016
ISBN: 10: 153317945XISBN: 13: 978-1533179456ASIN: B01FG70NF8
Number of pages: 138Word Count: 29,960
Cover Artist: C.A.Bell
Book Description:
Sometimes white magic can turn dark. Even with the best intentions.When Angelica, a white witch, placed a protective curse over her granddaughter, Nancy, in a bid to keep her safe from society and her own powers until she was old enough to understand, she had no idea of the consequences.
On the 31st of October, a grown up Nancy holds her annual Halloween party. Only this year she strays away from her traditional festivities that include her famous Halloween punch, and dancing to the Monster Mash, and opts for a spookier night. With the help of her friends, Nancy will be holding a séance with her new Ouija board. But little does she know that the protective curse her grandmother secretly cast over twenty-seven years ago is lifted that very night.
A spirit is summoned and Nancy begins a journey of sexual desire and love that she will never forget.
Was this summoning pure coincidence, magic, or something else? Only time will tell.
Lies, secrets, covens, dark forces, and nightmares lie just around the corner for Nancy. But at the end of it all, will she be able to help the man she has fallen for and fulfil his wish of putting his wandering soul to rest? And will there be a price?Will true love conquer or be taken?
Nancy is about to find out.
Available in eBookAmazon UK     Amazon US     Smashwords
Available in PaperbackAmazon UK     Amazon US     CreateSpace

Excerpt: Once her guests have settled, Nancy begins.“First things first, I would like to thank you all for coming to my party! Next, before we get started with this, I would like to allocate some special roles.”She puts a nervous-looking Sophie out of her misery first. “Sophie – you, Declan and James are all the energisers.” It doesn’t seem to reassure Sophie, so Nancy goes on, “Don’t worry, all you have to do is sit here and let the rest of us look like fools.” Nancy smiles in her direction to reassure her, prompting a tiny smile back. Reassured, she continues, “Okay, Eve, you are interpreter. Hence the pen and paper. Your job is to write down any answers, numbers or letters we get from the board.”Eve grins. “Gotcha.”Then, staring her straight in the eye, Nancy declares Lucy the designated ‘screamer’. “What the hell’s a screamer, Nance?” She chuckles. “Basically, a screamer is the person who you think will wet themselves before anyone else and run home crying.” Lucy gives her a knowing look, “Well I think that title should belong to you, Nance. Don’t you?” “Maybe, but I am the leader since it’s my party and my Ouija.”Lucy looks away and takes a sip of her drink. No-one else seems to have a problem with their position, so leader Nancy decides that it’s time to play. She turns the music down to a whisper.Pressing her fingers down on both bottom corners of the board, she drags it along the table towards her. “Now. To start we all must concentrate and have no negative thoughts, or this won’t work. Alright?” Everybody nods, and Nancy places one finger from each hand on the planchette. Trying not to giggle, she asks the first question of the night. “Is anyone there?”The room is deadly silent; only the drone of the bass-driven music can be heard. She tries to make eye contact with her guests, but they’re all staring down at the board, waiting for her fingers to move. Jeez, they really are taking this seriously.Nothing happens, so she asks again. “Is there anyone there who wishes to make contact with us?”They all stare; mesmerized by the piece of wood and the hope that something might just happen. The kitchen door creaks and then pushes open. Lucy screams. Everybody, including the men, jump up off their chairs and head sharpish for the other end of the room.With every hair on her body stood to panicked attention, Nancy tries to open the lounge door with her trembling hands... until she realises what’s happened when she notices her cat strolling in like he owns the place. It prompts the gang to burst out into laughter, breaking the onset of tension. Eventually, they manage to compose themselves, all admitting out loud that this Ouija lark is actually quite fun and, hey, they should try to really contact someone. This time with the doors closed, so no cats can further impede. Making their way back to the table, Nancy scoops up Salem. Bending over and shooing her little friend off out the door, Nancy feels inappropriate eyes burning holes through her dress.Twisting her head to see who is looking, she’s surprised that not a single one of them is peeking her way. And yet... the feeling of being watched still lingers. Straightening her chair back up from the panic before, she notices that the scent of the air has changed; it smells unfamiliar, musky, and manly. The flames of the candles are flickering more aggressively, as if there were a window open. Putting it down to James’s aftershave and the fact that they all just ran across the room, she takes her seat back at the head of the table and they start again.“Is there anyone there?” Nancy asks, her fingers back on the wooden heart. They’re left hanging again, so she dashes to the kitchen to get the instruction booklet. Opening the cutlery drawer, that being watched feeling appears again and a cold breeze strokes the back of her bare neck. It sends shivers through her entire body. Snatching up the booklet, she darts back to the safety of her friends. With the right passage at the ready and a number of sentences to choose from, she returns her fingers to the planchette and says, “Spirit, please come forward and give us guidance.”Still, nothing. Not so much as a blown-out flame. She chooses another calling. “Spirit, do you have a message for one of us?”Again they’re left hanging. So Nancy decides to make up her own chant, if only to get a reaction out of her friends. “Spirit, are there any hot, tall, dark, handsome men out there who are good in bed?” Everyone giggles. In the midst of the laughter, Nancy’s ear suddenly turns icy. And then she hears a whisper. Yes... Her body freezes in fear.

About the Author:
C.A.Bell was born and raised on the outskirts of London, England, but for the past three years has resided in a much more rural town of Shropshire, where she married and made a home.
She is author to numerous erotic fiction stories, including, The Architect, Sex, Lies, and Sinful Wives, The Shame Train, and many more.
As well as putting together her own collections of erotic shorts and naughty poetry, she is also a contributor to many anthologies and online magazines.
Currently she is working on a number of projects which include a novel she started some time ago, book two of The Architect, and running her new website dedicated to erotica readers and writers, Bell, Book and Erotica.
Website: http://authorcabell.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010696021804
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbellAtrix09
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1951042.C_A_Bell

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Published on June 19, 2016 21:30

June 14, 2016

Book Trailer and Cover Reveal Love in the Fast Lane by Melissa Kate

Love in the Fast LaneMelissa Kate
Contemporary Romance
Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
November 8, 2016
Book Description:
Racecar driver, Nathan Wolf, is primed to win his first championship. A thriving career and sexy holiday fling have Nathan riding the high life. But the past haunts him and could ruin it all.
After six long years, Brielle Woods has finally put the past behind her. Or so she thought, until she bumps into the hotshot who that turned her world upside down and left her...to raise their son...alone.
Can they overcome baggage from their past and give into the passion that still burns between them? Or will they lose the chance at true happiness and the family they both long for?

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/U_c6W44QtZE

About the Author:
Melissa Kate is a new author who lives in a small town along the coast in sunny South Africa. She writes for the pleasure of living in a new story and all the quirks and crazies that go with each character. A true romantic at heart, she loves the moment of falling in love. Her pet Beagle and maniacal lovebird keep her company while writing and often inspire senseless moments in her stories.
When she’s not furiously typing away on her laptop, Melissa can be found cooking or baking up a storm. Even she has to admit, she’s a pretty awesome chef. She has a small addiction with shoes which she attributes to her petite stature or as she likes to call it “Short girl problems”.
She balances her day job and conjuring up new romantic tales with a local personal blog with arb ramblings about her life in Durban. She’s been writing for years now, any bits that she can and she can't wait to share that with you!
http://www.melissakatebooks.com/
https://twitter.com/MelissaKate_1
https://www.facebook.com/melissakatebooks

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Published on June 14, 2016 23:30

June 13, 2016

June 11, 2016

Why We Love to Love the Undead- Guest Blog with Stacey E Bryan

My sincere thanks to Roxanne for hosting me on my first virtual blog tour ever!
Part of the reason I was drawn to this site is because I love the description of Roxanne given on the “about” page: Story strumpet, tome loving tart, eccentric night owl...
Who in their right mind would not want to be a story strumpet or tome loving tart? And forget eccentric night owl! I think the last time I was up early in the morning, I was ten years old, going on a fishing trip with my cousin and my uncle in Palo Alto, California. I still remember trying to push the hook through the worm and the way it jerked and squirmed. My uncle assured me that the worm couldn’t feel it. Which made no sense at all. Because then why was it jerking and squirming like that?
It’s funny to think about my reaction to the worm’s either real or phantom pain, because one then has to wonder: what is so attractive to us about vampires? If most people are like me, and I assume they are, nobody wants to hurt another living creature. No one wants to see fear or pain in someone’s eyes. And yet so many of us are drawn to those super-powerful, immortal, often cruel creatures of the night, vampires, like they’re the rock stars of the paranormal world and we’re the groupies that can’t stop following them, no matter how badly we’re treated.
In the end, it must be the paranormal factor that takes the edge off. The fact that they could exist, but they most likely, in all probability, do not exist. When I’m reading, I find that I enjoy improbability more than in-your-face reality. I had to work up the nerve for many months to read “The Lovely Bones,” which, although it contains some “second reality” elements like a girl in heaven, its main thrust concerns a very earth-bound, everyday monster: a serial killer. When I think back to all the things I did as a girl that age, getting into the cars of neighbors I knew but didn’t know all that well, walking around alone in the San Fernando Valley, which seemed so safe, but was obviously no safer than anywhere else…I shudder in retrospect. So reading about a girl whose neighbor—neighbor!—a man who lives in her neighborhood, whom she knows, and what he does to her….it made my skin crawl in a way that even vampires can’t do. In fact, my skin’s crawling right now as I write this.
When I wrote my novel Day for Night, I wanted to get into the vampire thing like nobody’s business. But I wanted to have fun with it. I wanted to be as far away from The Lovely Bones as was humanly possible. I loved Anne Rice’s “Interview”, but I also found it more interesting to see the story of how Louis became a vampire. Origin stories are fascinating to me. So I wanted to take an ordinary person, tip-toe behind her as she went about her daily business, then suddenly grab her and heave her into the air…and watch her reactions from there. Not to be mean or anything. But it’s a way to poke the worm without actually harming the worm, isn’t it? ‘Cause it’s fiction, and it’s a story. And thus it begins…
In Day for Night, the main character Rae’s troubles actually start not with vampires but with witnessing an alien abduction in broad daylight. Rae is modeled after myself in many ways except that I’ve never been an actress or, in her case, a wannabe actress. But I have been BFFs with denial, and I’ve been known to have a raunchy vocabulary now and again. As a mixed race chick who’s getting older under the shadow of the Hollywood sign, Rae’s got a lot of problems to deal with, but nothing prepares her for how paranormal the world actually is. I mean, who would be prepared? Just when Rae is almost ready to begin accepting the idea of aliens abducting people, vampires invade her life without so much as a “Howdy do.” And the worst part about it? The vampires know all about the aliens already!
So, yeah, I don’t want to see worms squirming on hooks, even if it’s some kind of automatic response. With the undead, one doesn’t have to be worried about such things, which is what makes them so attractive. And who knows? Maybe some vampiric bad boy ne’er-do-wells will even have some advice on how to deal with little gray alien interlopers.
What more could us story strumpets and tome loving tarts ask for, after all?

About the Book:
When reality TV star Rae Miller is kicked unceremoniously to the curb by her back-stabbing cast mates, she quickly realizes that revenge fantasies and unemployment are the least of her problems after she witnesses an alien abduction in broad daylight. Worse, after escaping a terrifying almost-abduction herself, Rae succumbs to a sexy Nosferatu’s silky assurances, becoming undead in order to up her alien Ultimate Fighting skills.
Life is hard as a 38-to-40-something aspiring actress in L.A.
Thank God for Jack Daniel’s and denial.
www.vagabondagepress.com Barnes and Noble
Goodreads Amazon

About the Author:
Stacey was raised in the San Fernando Valley but born in San Francisco, where she left part of her heart. She has worked on a dude ranch, coached gymnastics, and captions for the hearing impaired. Her work has appeared in several literary magazines in New York and L.A., including Ginosko and The Rag. She is currently working on the sequel to her novel Day for Night. She lives in “beautiful downtown Burbank,” as Johnny Carson used to say, with her husband who is also a writer.
Visit her at https://staceyebryan.wordpress.com

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Published on June 11, 2016 03:00

June 10, 2016

Release Day Blitz The Cowboy and the Vampire: The Last Sunset by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

What inspired your story?
The origins story for The Cowboy and the Vampire Collectiongoes something like this: We (Clark and Kathleen) fell in love, and it was overwhelming and passionate and fiery and amazing and self-combusted within six months (no surprise there). After two years of living apart and thinking and drinking and not-talking and trying to be with other people, the jagged edges of our hearts began to heal. Independently and more or less simultaneously, we both lurched toward the conclusion that life would be better together, if — and it was a big if — we could find a way to contain and redirect the energy in positive ways.
Once we agreed on that point, we met on neutral territory — an isolated truck stop in Madras, Oregon — where we cautiously decided to give it another go, only this time with ground rules: a shared focus on creative writing. It was the only strategy we could come up with that gave us a fighting chance to harness and refocus some of the destructive energy that burned us down.
And so, The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection was born — sketched out on the back of a placemat in crayon over cigarettes (we’ve since quit, mostly) and black coffee, and featuring the travails of romantic protagonists who mirrored our own opposites-attract and gloriously dysfunctional relationship. What is more opposite than a cowboy and a vampire?
Read more about the “origins story”on our webpage, along with a cool poemcalled “The Ballad of the Cowboy and the Vampire” written for our wedding day.
Is the setting to your story important?
Yes, the setting is hugely important. Our first goal was to dig into the opposites-attract narrative arc in our books but we wanted to hyper-charge that dynamic, and that meant setting the books in a place that was unfamiliar to most of the characters (a technique that provides lots of opportunities for meaningful revelations along with humor). We love the west, so the books are set largely in the extreme rural west where whiskey is more plentiful than jobs, sagebrush is the perfume of choice and news of a stranger in town spreads like a grass wildfire in August.
LonePine, the setting for the books, is based on a real town in Wyoming where Clark’s dad was the engineer on an oil drilling rig (shhh, we’ve never revealed the name of the real town, here it comes, Big Piney). The setting is further enriched with details drawn from parts of Clark’s actual Montana upbringing on a 3,000-acre cattle ranch (yes, he is a real cowboy which makes Kathleen, well, you know). What results is a loving and accurate portrayal of the people and small towns and landscape of desolate Wyoming.
And the fun starts when we plop Lizzie — a street-smart urban reporter — down into LonePine and experience her take on the modern rural west, not to mention the horror-hilarity that ensues when vampires come to town in search of her special blood.
When did you first consider yourself a “writer”?
Clark says it was fourth grade when he illustrated his own wacky monster stories with crayon; or perhaps it was when his first poem was accepted by a (now long-defunct) journal. Kathleen says she has always felt like a writer since she first figured out how to write. But she only felt confident announcing that fact after the first time she got money for writing from a (now long-defunct) magazine.
How long did it take to get your first book published?
This series has an unusual publishing history. The first book in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection – An Unusual Romance – was picked up after an exhausting and soul-crushing year of querying publishers and agents. Llewellyn, the publisher, flew us to St. Paul, and wined and dined us. It was fun. Another year and a half passed and the book was released in 1999. The book did very well and we felt satisfied that we had helped put in place a brand new way of thinking about vampires, in the exceptionally good company of Anne Rice and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and sat back waiting to see what would happen with the unleashing. Nine years passed. Midnight Ink (an imprint of Llewellyn) announced it would release a second edition of the book, after vampires reached new heights with the success of the Twilight books, which were also set in rural America.
The gears of Midnight Ink ground slowly, as most do in the traditional publishing world, and the second edition came out about two years later in 2010. Since then, we wrestled back the rights to the first book, established our own imprint (Pumpjack Press) and now publish the full collection under our own banner. We are excited about the Pumpjack Presspublishing collaborative, and are currently open to submissions as we move into an expansion phase. Send us your queries! We promise we won’t take two years to respond.
What were your goals as an author and have any of them come true?
To write and connect with readers. And yes, these have both come true. We are both thrilled by that. We’d also like to see the collection made into a film or television series. That would be awesome. We’re working now on a new mystery series that involves a road trip, the shooting of a sheriff (but not the deputy), geology, pent-up about-to-explode lust, and national parks. More to come on that soon! Send us an email pumpjackpress@yahoo.com for updates.
What genres do you normally write in?
We write, thus far, in Western Gothic (but see above, that’s about to change). So, what is Western Gothic? It is a style of fiction that transplants the moody, death-obsessed themes of classic gothic fiction (think Castle of Otranto or, of course, Dracula) to the wide open, inspiring vistas of the modern west (Riders of the Purple Sage, or All the Pretty Horses). We’re pretty sure we invented the genre with The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection, with it’s modern west setting that features sexy, brooding vampires bent on world domination.
The Last Sunset, like the first three books in the collection, explores the tension and connection between opposites: life and death; mortality and immortality; love and lust; urban and rural; thought and action; strength and decay; good and evil; and country music and whiskey.
Western Gothic is a fairly narrow field, given that we might be the only authors working in it (ever), but it’s certainly entertaining. Not only do we get to explore huge, archetypal themes about human consciousness, love and death, and more, we get to move our characters across stunning natural landscapes with deconstructed shootouts and heart-pounding action. Add in the quirky humor natural to small towns and a long-suffering cowdog (Rex!) with the soul of a poet — and some pretty steamy undead erotica — and we think it makes for an unforgettable reading experience whatever the label (hint: it’s Western Gothic).

About the books: First published in 1999, The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection is a genre mash-up. Critics and readers praise the four books as witty, outstandingly entertaining, authentically western, existential, provocatively sensual, thrilling, and more. The series navigates the darkest sides of human nature while celebrating the power of love, blazing a trail to its own new genre: Western Gothic. Let ‘er buck.
Connect with the authors:
· www.cowboyandvampire.com· @cowboyvamp (twitter)· @cowboyvampire (instragram) www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

The Cowboy and the Vampire: The Last Sunset The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection
Book FourClark Hays and Kathleen McFall
Genre: Horror, Western, PNR
Publisher: Pumpjack Press
Date of Publication: June 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9974113-0-0ASIN: B01F0MFBE2
Number of pages: 357Word Count: 83,000
Cover Artist: Aaron Perkins
Book Description:
The Cowboy and the Vampire: The Last Sunset is the fourth book in award-winning The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection, a series called everything from cult classic to trailblazer in a new genre: Western Gothic.
Take one long, last look at LonePine, Wyoming, population 438. It’s been two years since the vampires quit the quirky little town and things are mostly back to normal — broken dreams and never enough whiskey. But that’s about to go to hell.
Hold on tight for a midnight showdown when a psychotic religious order takes the entire town hostage — including Tucker's long-lost brother — to lure Lizzie from her frozen exile in Russia. The mad monks know Lizzie’s murder will strand the ruling vampire elite in a disembodied afterlife so the cult can impose their twisted beliefs on the living and undead alike. It’s a rip-roarin’ stampede as a cowboy and a vampire try to round up the shattered pieces of their unusual romance.
With the fate of the world on the line yet again, can Tucker and Lizzie put aside their broken hearts to face one last sunset together?
Slap leather or reach for the sky.
This is the fourth book in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection.
Amazon
Excerpt:
The first few months were anguish. But then she threw herself into bringing order to her inherited chaos. If she was to run this vampire shit show, she would run it right. And she had, intensely, ruthlessly, for the first year.Now, everyone knew the rules, knew the consequences for breaking the coda, and—if grudgingly—understood the wisdom behind the annual allocation. She kept her word, showing no favoritism. Nine turns picked by the Council, followed by one pick for Lizzie, with nine nights of rest. By the end of the first year, a fragile trust in her leadership was established.By the beginning of the second year of her self-imposed exile, as the intensity of the work began to wane, she realized something had shifted. The full weight of her future lodged permanently, sadly, in her soul.Rurik, forever circling like a handsome vulture, sensed the change.“Finally, you admit to yourself he is not coming for you,” Rurik said.“I knew he wouldn’t come,” Lizzie said, more sharply than intended.“I’m not the one who requires persuading on this point,” Rurik said. “But no matter the reason, I am pleased. Stop working so hard. Amuse yourself with the privileges and pleasures your position affords. You can have anything you want, with no punishment.”“Punishment?”“From the society you once valued, or from yourself,” Rurik said. “You are free from guilt, free of all constraints, free to act upon your desires and to assume the glorious existence that awaits only your assent.”Rurik felt something akin to compassion as he watched Lizzie struggle to control her emotions, mistaking liberation for captivity. He was right in one sense, though; she was coming to the same realization all vampires faced at some point in their long, undead existence, even those whose turning was consensual: there was no going back. Yes, Lizzie thought, defiantly, as the first year passed into the second. If she was no longer ever to be a human, she might as well have fun. Why the hell not? She submerged herself into her passions and found that although not exactly fulfilling, it was diverting, covering her nightly routines with a shroud of hedonistic numbness that prevented any feelings at all—other than immediate pleasure—from surfacing.She would never admit it, ever, but Rurik was right on another point. She had waited. She had hoped he would come for her, but why would he? She made it clear by breaking his heart that they would never be together. That he believed her ruse broke her heart.Such a sad and dusty little tragedy, she thought, clutching the railing. A shadow by the lake’s edge caught her eye—Rurik, out with his dogs.He felt her gaze and looked up, taking in her nude body and letting his senses wash over it, the closest—it seemed—he would come to possessing her, at least for the time being.She could feel his heart stuttering, but held her own body in perfect check until he averted his eyes and continued his walk.Lizzie once again considered whether it was time to move. Rurik’s home was spacious and lonely and safe and remote, and while he had been a good host to her, he enjoyed the power of proximity over the other tribes, and she understood he was motivated by a hope of his own.“It is inevitable that you and I come together,” he once told her. “You have known this since we first met in that godforsaken American outpost.”“Nothing is inevitable,” she said. Thwarting his passions had become a habit.She wondered if Rurik ever missed the man he had once been, the brilliant military strategist who helped turn back the crusaders all those many years ago in a battle for Russia’s soul. “Ironic that you lost your soul in the process,” she said aloud and in his direction.Her private cell phone buzzed on the bedside table. Lizzie padded back into the room, the wolfhound in tow.Elita. She picked up the phone.“Yes?”“My queen,” Elita said, managing to sound both sarcastic and reverential. Was there a difference, Lizzie wondered?“My loyal subject, my lovely maid-in-waiting,” Lizzie replied. In all this madness, Elita was her only certainty.“Whatever that means,” Elita said. “How’s the frozen tundra treating you?”“Still frozen. Have you wrestled the American Royals and the Reptiles into peaceful coexistence?”“We’re making progress, one corpse at a time.”“When will you visit?” Lizzie asked.“I’m on my way now,” Elita said.Lizzie paused. That was not a good sign. “That’s a welcome, but unexpected surprise.”“What I must tell you may not be so welcome.”“Tell me now,” Lizzie said.“I’ll save the details until I can tell you face to face, but in brief, I’ve heard rumblings, screaming really, that you have a new enemy.”“Why would that concern me?”“Keep your guard up until I arrive.”
“My guard is never down,” Lizzie said, breaking the connection.”

About the Authors:
Between the two of them, Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall have worked in writing jobs ranging from cowboy-poet to energy journalist to restaurant reviewer to university press officer. After they met, their writing career took center stage when they wrote the first book in The Cowboy and the Vampire Collection as a test for marriage. They passed. Clark and Kathleen now live in Portland, Oregon.
Website: www.cowboyandvampire.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cowboyvamp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cowboyvampire/

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Published on June 10, 2016 03:05

Fierce Hearts Box Set by Lynn Crandall

Character Interview For Heartfelt

Were-lynxes Asia Blue and Conrad Pike have been BFFs for years. BFFs without benefits. But things are changing. Asia’s telepathy with animals is now expanding to enable her to read the minds of humans. It’s all very confusing for Asia to learn to manage her new ability, especially since she’s trying to develop a romantic relationship with a human, Gavin Strong.
Conrad Pike is right there to help her learn to adapt with thoughts of humans invading her mind. He believes the change that is driving Asia crazy is something she brought on by opening herself to a human. But he’s changing, too. He’s never wanted a romantic relationship with his best friend because they’ve agreed it could jeopardize their friendship.
Plus their differing beliefs about humans stand between them: Asia respects them; Conrad believes they are irrational and dangerous as a species. But stirrings inside him, whenever Asia was around, are prompting questions about their relationship. Let’s listen in on a brief sit down interview.
Me: Asia, how long have you and Conrad been good friends?
Asia: (smiles and looks at Conrad) About eight years. We met back when Mr. Bad Boy here was not yet 21 and I was 18. He was sweeping floors at a soup kitchen, serving community service instead of going to jail.
Me: Conrad, jail? What was that about?
Conrad: (Glares at Asia) Underage drinking. Thanks, Asia, for mentioning that.
Asia: Well, it’s the truth. My mom and I were barely scraping by, and we frequented that same soup kitchen. Conrad and I both knew by scents that the other one was a were-lynx. It was a lucky encounter for me. Conrad helped me. I’ll always be grateful. (Asia leans her head to rest on Conrad’s shoulder.)
Me: So what brought you together were your similar secret identities? The fact that you were both were-lynxes?
Conrad: That. Plus, we both had issues and found solace in each other. It just happened, and we’ve been friends ever since.
Asia: Just friends. (Exchanges a glance with Conrad)
Conrad: (Runs his fingers through his blond hair) Right. Besides, Asia is interested in a quote, normal relationship with a human male, not with a were-cat.
Me: Is that so, Asia?
Asia: (Narrows her eyes) Yes. I’m weary of all the drama and danger our were-lynx colony seems to run into all the time. I want normal. I’ve never had normal, not with my mom’s alcohol abuse. I mean, I’ve always had to take care of things: make sure food was in the house, the bills were paid, stuff like that.
Conrad: And now she has to learn how to manage her expanding ability to read minds. It’s not easy for her to have a relationship with a man. Humans’ thoughts are more invasive and complex than animals.
Me: Interesting. Tell me about that, Asia.
Asia: Animals are very straightforward. If they’re hungry, they find food. Humans get hungry and they think about what food sounds good to them, can they afford to eat out or should they make dinner at home? Can they eat something high in calories or should they stick to carbs? I’m learning to filter out all the many, many thoughts floating around me. Since it’s a new thing for me, my brain is frequently overwhelmed, painful. But why are we talking so much about me? Conrad’s life hasn’t been a cakewalk, even though he comes from a very wealthy family. People don’t understand the pressures of wealth and status on children of wealthy parents. (She drops her gaze.) He almost committed suicide years ago.
Me: How awful.
Conrad: Things are better now. Thanks in large part to my best friend.
Me: You mean Asia.
Conrad: Very mush so. She’s beautiful in body and spirit, and she saved my life. I’ll always be grateful.
Asia: You nut.
Me: You two appear to share something deep and meaningful. Are you sure there’s no romance in your future with each other?

(Silence as they stare at each other)

Fierce Hearts Box SetLynn Crandall
Genre: Paranormal RomancePublisher: Crimson Romance
Date of Publication: May 30, 2016
Cover Artist: Crimson Romance
Book Description:
This bundle includes 5 individual books: Secrets, Book 1, Cravings, Book 2, Heartfelt, Book 3, Probabilities, Book 4, and Unstoppable, Book 5
Five suspenseful paranormal romances, five stories of supernatural tragedy, triumph, and love in one beautiful bundle.

Amazon
SecretsPage Count 256
With her penchant for premonitions, Michelle Slade has always had trouble connecting with other people, and a horrific attack five years ago only made her isolation worse. But working to help defenseless animals with her rescue organization, Cats Alive, has given her new purpose and joy in life. When several homeless cats start vanishing into thin air, she's determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Casey Mitchell has always kept his private identity as a were-lynx secret. But he's drawn to Michelle, and when he begins to help investigate the odd circumstances surrounding the cats' disappearance, he uncovers a powerful businessman's diabolic designs on the unassuming woman.
Now both he and Michelle are in grave danger, and their survival depends on trusting each other with secrets better left unspoken. Will these two lonely souls triumph and find true love…or lose everything?
Book Trailer for Secrets https://youtu.be/vRwHQX4bNx0
Secrets Excerpt:Casey sat up in bed, the dream he’d been having still alive in his head. He rubbed his hand through his hair. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Oh, my God.” His heart thudded hard and fast in his chest. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand, sucking in deep breaths of air. Four in the morning. Loneliness heavied his heart.

The dream had been so real, so terrifying. So unusual.

He set his feet on the cold wood floor and sat still on the side of the bed. He took in the room, his room in his house, and sorted through the images in his dream as his body reactions calmed.

He was accustomed to dreaming as his lynx form. Dreams of running through fields with the speed and exhilaration of freedom made frequent nighttime appearances. But this, this dream made him shiver. He dropped his head in his hands and lived through it again.

He saw himself standing in his human form with Michelle in her backyard. Darkness enveloped them comfortably and above a starry, moonless sky contained their moments of shared solitude. He’d brought her warm hand to his lips, the scent of her skin heady and alluring. She’d laughed, delighted when he pretended to take a delicate nibble of her skin.

Casey balled his hands. The moment of togetherness in the dream thundered through him as he revisited what happened next.

He’d lost control. He’d done the unthinkable. He’d shimmered, right in front of Michelle, into his lynx form. Horrified, he’d stood there as his purest self and her screams echoed fiercely against his heart.
CravingsPage Count 226
Were-lynx Kennedy's world implodes when she's sent to a facility for illegal and torturous experimentation. Only after she's rescued does she learn she's been living a lie for 22 years. She can count on nothing from her past - not her parents, her surname, or her safety. Only the brother she didn't know and his colony of were-lynxes offer any semblance of stability. Suspicious of everyone and unsure of her path forward, Kennedy reluctantly starts to realize that charming were-bobcat Asher Monroe might be her only hope.
Sportswriter Asher has been trying desperately to ferret out the truth behind why the sinister Nexus Group has been kidnapping and experimenting on were-cats. But he's also willing to use his special mind-controlling ability to discover whether the gorgeous Kennedy is a threat to the colony or simply a lost soul.
As their need for the truth takes them into escalating danger, they discover explosive secrets that could bring Kennedy and Asher together - or rip them apart forever.
Book Trailer for Cravings https://youtu.be/1llwRMiMvX4

HeartfeltPage Count 222
The daughter of an alcoholic single mother, Asia Blue learned young that if she wanted to survive, she'd have to take care of herself. Tough and independent, she never encountered a challenge she couldn't conquer . . . until Asia discovered she was a were-lynx. Befriending sexy fellow were-lynx Conrad Pike and finding a colony helped her adjust to the startling revelation and get through college.

Now an investigative reporter, Asia faces an entirely different sort of problem when her mother goes missing and she suspects the mysterious Nexus Group . . . who seem determined to wipe out her colony. She reaches out to Conrad, now an investment banker and serial heartbreaker, for assistance, and they must once again join forces to save their colony - and her mother.
Will this strong-minded duo risk opening up their hearts and owning up to their long-simmering attraction?
Book Trailer for Heartfelt https://youtu.be/q8ubCUWY4IY

ProbabilitiesPage Count 222
Bubbly were-lynx Tizzy Sands mapped out her life years ago: she'd teach kindergartners, eventually marry, and start a family. But when cancer stole her dream of having children, her focus changed. As a member of a were-lynx colony that faces constant danger from the nefarious Nexus Group, her goal now is helping the colony defeat them--and steering clear of any romantic involvements.

With his genius IQ, Quinn Arons isn't the most socially skilled were-lynx in the colony and can't imagine party girl Tizzy would give him a second look. But although his past mistakes and childhood experiences haunt him, he can't accept Tizzy's fear that cancer will return and claim her life soon. Instead, he decides to show her that life is what you make it.
Now they're working as partners to prevent Nexus from launching its Project Powering, but can Quinn convince Tizzy there's more to save here than just their world?
Book Trailer for Probabilities https://youtu.be/1yf5cS_RbWY

UnstoppablePage Count 234
Reeling from the recent Project Powering battle with the evil Nexus Group, were-lynx and veterinarian Lara Monroe struggles with thwarting the group's plans to eliminate her colony while dealing with her own traumatic past. Still, when her fellow colony cat - and secret crush - Booker Chase needs help, she's willing to use her special healing touch to help him survive his emotional hell.
A formidable were-lynx and a physician, Booker has his hands full helping patients who were seriously injured in the battle. But nothing can repair his soul, broken from the loss of his wife and the PTSD from his service in Afghanistan . . . or can it? Now that his good friend Lara is standing by him in his emotional struggles, he's finding there is more to their connection than he realized. But dare he open his heart?
In the epic conclusion of the Fierce Hearts series, the colony takes its biggest risk of all to shut down the Nexus Group forever - will Lara and Booker survive to take their second chance at love?
Book Trailer for Unstoppable https://youtu.be/5MYdBXkPMx0

About the Author:
Lynn Crandall lives in the Midwest and writes in the company of her cat. She has been a reader and a writer all her life. Her background is in journalism, but whether writing a magazine or newspaper story or creating a romance, she loves the power stories hold to transport, inspire, and uplift. In her romances, she focuses on vulnerable, embraceable characters who don't back down.
http://lynn-crandall.com/
http://lynn-crandall.com/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/LynnCrandallAuthor/
https://twitter.com/lcrandall246 @lcrandall246
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6198966.Lynn_Crandall

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Published on June 10, 2016 03:00

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