Vivian Arend's Blog, page 67

Birthday party winners PLUS vote for the Sammies

Winners from the birthday bash

Ebook winners: use the contact button up top to tell me your needed ebook format. Print winners, get me your mailing address, please. Thanks, everyone, for helping me celebrate!

Ebook:

Stormy Seduction- Brenda Hyde

Rising, Freestyle- Pam B

Black Gold- Jen B

Rocky Mountain Heat- Joanne B

Rocky Mountain Haven – Lisa B

Print:

Breaking Waves – Cecile

Under the Midnight Sun – Jennifer Mathis

Turn It Up – Diane A

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Next, this makes sense to mention now — my publisher, Samhain, is gathering readers votes for their 'best of 2011′ party. If you like to vote, it's an easy click through in 4 categories. Best ebook, best ebook cover art, best print release, best print release cover.

You get to vote for 1-3rd choices in each category, and I know there have been a ton of great books released in 2011. Make your voice heard!

I'm also soooo lovin' my cover artist at Samhain, Angela Waters, so it would be sweet if some of her work was honoured again. Seriously, I send in the form with a few lines about the characters, a little story blurb, and in the 20+ covers she's done for me? Most of them I've seen the first draft and squealed. No changes needed.

Perfect. And such a help to the story, ie. BLACK GOLD? Shaun just…fits. And wait until you see SILVER MINE. Oh my oh my oh my! Chase? JUST WAIT!

If you'd like to vote, the link is HERE. Have fun! Ends March 19, so you can share the information with other Samhain readers.

My 2011 eligible books are:

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to me!

Lol. I know, we're not supposed to talk about birthdays when they're ours, but phooey on that. I'm happy to be around and kicking, and every year is another adventure waiting to happen.

This past year was HUGELY filled with travel. I was in a house for only…well, let's not figure that out or I'll go into shock. I covered parts of North America and Ecuador, attended conferences and spent time with family and friends. It was a great year.

Viv at 5000 meters in Ecuador. Breath-taking. Literally!

I also had seven ebooks release, and 3 print books. SOOOOOO……

I'm going to give you some presents. Leave a comment to be entered and let me know which of these books you'd like to win for yourself or a friend, if you already have a copy. I'll leave this open for the weekend and announce winners on Monday. Sorry- you have to go to my website to enter this one–I'll have different events happening at Goodreads and Facebook later on.

Ebooks:

Stormy Seduction

Silent Storm

Rising, Freestyle

Paradise Found

Black Gold

Rocky Mountain Heat

Rocky Mountain Haven

Print:

Breaking Waves

Under the Midnight Sun

Turn It Up

I'm hoooome!

After three months and I'm not sure how many miles, I've arrived safely back home in Canada.

I loved exploring Ecuador, and I look forward to popping up some pictures to share with you–Internet got dicey toward the end of the trip, so I abandoned all hope of keeping the blog up to date. But now I'm back, and will be getting into more mischief over the coming days.

Can you believe it? 12 days until ROCKY MOUNTAIN DESIRE releases! I hope you're as excited as I am. I've got new cover art coming soon, and other excitement, but in the meantime, share the news that Matt's HEA is on the way, and I'll have more fun things in the coming weeks, including my third anniversary of being published!

Missed you!

Special booksigning coming in March

This March 17, St. Patty's day!, a group of wonderful authors are gathering in Las Vegas, and I get to join them for a book signing that is looking to be nothing less than spectacular. Check out these details!

Who is signing?

Ann Aguirre (Jax series, Corine Solomon, YA Razorland)

Zoe Archer (Blades of the Rose, Hellraisers)

Vivian Arend (me! Granite Lake Wolves, Six Pack Ranch)

Lauren Dane (Brown Siblings, Federation, Bound by Magick)

Tessa Dare (Spindle Cove, Stud Club)

Megan Hart (Order of Solace, Deeper, Broken)

Courtney Milan (Turner series)

And honestly? Picking only few series to each author's name was difficult, because these are some of the most incredible authors in the romance field.

Where:

Chapel of the Flowers

1717 Las Vegas Blvd. So.

Las Vegas, NV 89104 USA

Party starts at 9 pm.

The manager at the local Barnes and Noble has been incredible, and she, along with festival coordinators, have organized an evening to look forward to. Here's more details from her:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We will start in the La Capella Chapel. It is the largest and is very Tuscan in feeling. Someone from the festival will introduce the event and then we thought that we could have each of you read a little from one of your books. After the readings, the winning couple** will have their vow renewal. Then, everyone will head outside to the Glass Garden for book signings and a reception."

Ann Aguirre was our woman on the go, and she worked to get this happening. Here's what she has to add:

There will be cake and sparkling cider and treats from the Las Vegas book clubs. Along with us, the authors, and our books, of course. There will be brides and newlyweds and wedding parties all over the place!

[** get this part!!] The city of Las Vegas is sponsoring a contest, where you submit an entry about the most romantic thing you've done while married, and you could win a vow renewal at our event!

So… seven awesome authors. Books. Romance. Cake. Readings. Free vow renewal. Has any event ever been so epic? Thank you, Crystal, BN, City of Las Vegas, Chapel of the Flowers, and all the book lovers who made this possible!

Wow. WOW. So anyone who is able to join me and my friends in Vegas, I would love to see you for what sounds to be an incredible evening!!

Travel Update

Hello from Ecuador, although we have changed locations. We've left the sunny coast since it turned into the rainy and buggy coast, and we're now doing a tour through the highlands.

One thing I never expected? That I'd be gasping for air after having gotten used to being at sea level!

We've got until the end of the month to travel our way back north, and then return to Canada hopefully in time for some of the snow and cold to have completed its stay.

I promise once I'm home to start showing a few more pictures, but it's not always easy to work in internet time along with every thing else. The days are busy as I explore with the family and try to keep up with my writing. All worth it, though!

  

SOLD- Rocky Mountain Angel

 
Rocky Mountain Angel

Six Pack Ranch, Book 4

Planting the seeds of white-hot passion

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It's official. Book 4 will be coming either late 2012 or early 2013–I'm hoping for a December release, but will have to confirm that.

And I'm not going to share a lot more than that. Well, I will tell you: this is Gabe's story. And I'm totally in love with him. Mmmmmmm.

Upcoming Release–Wolf Line!

Look what's up for pre-order!

Yes, it's time to return to the Granite Lake world. You ready for some mischief? If you've enjoyed the previous wolfie books, I hope you'll help me get the word out that there's a new adventure on the way!

Oops–and release day is JUNE 12

Wolf Line
Granite Lake Wolves, Book 5

Into the best-laid plans a little chaos must fall…

Jared's not sure how his quiet morning coffee near the harbour ended with him on a cruise ship impersonating one of his pack mates. Well, it might have something to do with a woman, but who can blame him? The female of the species was made to love, and he's more than willing to share his considerable skills in that area. Especially since he figures the chances of meeting his own one-and-only are slim.

Keri Smith is positive the last-minute recruit sneaking aboard the Arctic Wolf Cruise Lines tour is her mate. Ix-nay on confirming that, though, at least for the next ten days. She's promised her best friend to be overall troubleshooter for the shifter-only cruise. Getting tangled up in mating lust would reduce her skills to nil. Avoidance of the sexy wolf for the duration of the cruise, followed by jumping his bones, seems the logical solution.

But when libidos are on the line, "logic" and "wolves" don't go together. Throw in suspicions of wrongdoing, and these two virtual strangers will need a lot more than luck to find their way through to forever.

Warning: Really? You need to be warned about the hot nookie and sarcasm? Yeah, it's in here. Also colourful cat shifters, lupine royalty, and wild adventures in cabins like you've never seen before.

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Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble  

Ode to Matthew: Emma Lang / Vivian Arend version

Sometimes wonderful coincidences happen in this writing gig. One that's happening right now is that my next book release has this sexy fellow by the name of Matt as a hero. And my friend Beth Williamson also has a sexy Matthew ready to share with the world!

They're both cowboys. All together now? Mmmmmm.

Beth writes historical cowboys under her Emma Lang name, which means between Circle Eight: Matthew and Six Pack Ranch: Rocky Mountain Desire we've got lovely, sexy cowboys in the past and the present to enjoy. I figured we all needed a few doses of said cowboys. Soooo… Beth and I have themed snippets for you to enjoy. You can drop in at these places starting today for a sweet taste, or two, of Matthew:

Cowboys Have Great Hands  January 26: Seductive Musings

Cowboys Are Great Kissers    January 30: The Book Pushers

Cowboys Are Hard All Over   January 31: Under the Covers

Cowboys Know How to Ride  February 1: Guilty Pleasures

Cowboys Love Forever              February 2: Novel Thoughts

We hope you'll enjoy taking a ride with our boys!

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Matthew

 Circle Eight, Book 1

By Emma Lang

A man learns to hold what is his…

It is a vast spread in the eastern wilds of the newly independent Republic of Texas, the ranch their parents fought for … and died for. To the eight Graham siblings, no matter how much hard work or hard love it takes, life is unthinkable without family…

In the wake of his parents' murder, Matthew Graham must take the reins at the Circle Eight. He also needs to find a wife in just thirty days, or risk losing it all. Plain but practical, Hannah Foley seems the perfect bride for him . . . until after the wedding night.

Their marriage may make all the sense in the world, but neither one anticipates the jealousies that will result, the treacherous danger they're walking into, or the wildfire of attraction that will sweep over them, changing their lives forever.

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Buy links: Book releases January 31, 2012

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | B-A-M | Chapters | IndieBound | Powell's

Emma Lang/Beth Williamson: Website | Blog | Twitter

 

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Rocky Mountain Desire

Six Pack Ranch, Book 3

By Vivian Arend

Nothing comes easy. You've gotta work for it.

Matt Coleman always figured at this point in his life, he'd be settled down with a family. Since his ex split for the big city, though, no way will he give anyone else the chance to drop-kick his heart. Physical pleasure? Hell, yeah, he'll take—and give—with gusto, but nothing more.

Hope Meridan is working long hours to hold on to her new quilt shop, going it alone since her sister/business partner ran off. Sex? Right, like she's got the time. Not that she doesn't have the occasional dirty fantasy about Matt. Fat chance he'd dream of knocking boots with her—the younger sister of the woman who dumped him. Nope, she'll just have to settle for the F-word.

Friends would be far easier if there wasn't something combustible going on between them. And when casual interest starts to grow into something more, their tenuous bond strengthens in the heat of desire. But it may not survive the hurricane-force arrival of the last person either of them ever wanted to see again…

Warning: Small-town rivals, men in pursuit and family meddling—in good and bad ways. Look for a cowboy who knows how to rope, ride and rein in a hell of a lot more than eight seconds of sheer bliss.

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Buy links: (ebook releases March 13, 2012)

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Snippet from Rocky Mountain Desire

One of the comments I love to hear about the Six Pack Ranch series is how people enjoy the family interaction. The moments of revisiting with characters from the previous books, and teases into the upcoming lives.

Rocky Mountain Desire is no different. Here's a snippet of a scene with Matt getting a bit of hell from Jaxi (Rocky Mountain Heat heroine, and now Matt's sis-in-law)

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"You were too busy being a chickenshit." Jaxi gave him a fuck you look, then went back to raking. Her shoulders moved easily under her coat as he watched her work for a minute.

"You know, you might be married to my brother and all, but I can still turn you over my knee and spank some sense into you."

Just like he'd anticipated, that got a rise out of her. Jaxi carefully leaned her rake against the wall then turned to smile sweetly at him. "You and what army?"

Matt held up his hands pleadingly. "Come on, give me a break. Explain."

Jaxi rolled her eyes. "Fine. Hope scares you to death, doesn't she?"

"Bullshit."

"Not bullshit. I've seen you, Matt. You go five miles out of your way to avoid the girl. Either you're trying to avoid her to stop from jumping her bones, or she's like the devil incarnate and you think associating with her will make her sister pop out of the woodwork to kick you to hell and back."

Fuck. That one hurt. He might have even bent over a little to protect his gut from the impact. "Is there nothing sacred with you, Jaxi?"

"What? That I care enough about you to not let you hide? Helen hurt you badly. If I could have I would have scalped her, but she's gone. You need to stop seeing her everywhere. Including associating Helen with her sister."

"I'm not."

Jaxi raised a brow. Deliberate-like, almost taunting him to protest again.

Was he? Was he really running that hard?

Jaxi went back to work, as if to let him think it through. Yeah, Helen had kicked him brutally. And he didn't know what he'd do if he ever saw her again.

But Hope—between the scorching-hot attraction he'd felt last summer and his current strange stirrings inside every time she was around—was he avoiding her for the right reasons? And what were the right reasons?

He didn't want to be involved with her. Didn't want to be involved with anyone other than for no-strings sex. And that sure wasn't something he wanted with Hope.

Liar.

Staff Picks at Barnes & Noble

This is kind of cool. Barnes & Noble has gotten their staff to name their top picks, and I noticed a bunch of my books were on the "Staff Picks for great Nook Books under $5″

How can you resist? Lol.

Making the grade? These books off my list:

Rocky Mountain Heat

Rocky Mountain Haven

Falling, Freestyle

Turn It Up

Turn It On

Wolf Signs

Wolf Flight

Wolf Games

Wolf Tracks

Fun!