Jennifer Probst's Blog, page 24
April 24, 2012
Fresh Fiction Pick!
April 25, 2012
I’m completely honored to announce my short erotic romance, Catch Me, is the Fresh Pick from Fresh Fiction!
If you like your romances full of steam and edge, this series if for you. Stay tuned for the third installment, Dare Me, coming on May 11th!
I’ve been visiting a few places for guest blogs and covering some different topics.
Stop by and visit!
Coming up this week: Writer’s Wednesday and a post on Reviews!
Have a great week everyone!
April 18, 2012
Writer’s Wednesday – #WW
Welcome to my first official Writer’s Wednesday!
Each Wednesday I will spotlight a new author here, which is a great way to broaden your reading pile and maybe find a new author to love!
My series begins with the incredibly talented Cari Quinn! Give her a big welcome – Cari will be giving away one of her backlisted books so leave a comment and I’ll draw a random name! Take it away my lovely….
Thanks so much to Jennifer for having me here for
the very first Writer Wednesday on her blog! I’m a huge fan of Jennifer and her
work so it’s very cool to help start off her new blog feature!
Jennifer and I share three publishers and we both
had some pretty amazing things happen as a result of our books with Entangled
Publishing. My novella, NO DRESS REQUIRED, reached the top of the Barnes and
Noble Romance list in February and in March, reached #131 on the USA Today
bestseller list. Color me shocked! I couldn’t believe – and still can’t
believe, to be honest – that so many readers had found my story. It’s been a
thrill beyond belief that people have enjoyed Noelle and Jake’s story and I’m
really grateful to everyone who has given it a read.
I’m excited to say that I’m currently working on the
next book in the Love Required series, NO FLOWERS REQUIRED, about Jake’s sister,
Alexa. Her floral shop is in a bit of trouble and she’s fighting her way back
from the brink. Luckily her delish hero Dalton has more to offer than just his
plumbing skills!
Just for fun, I thought I’d share a short, unedited
snippet to whet your appetite for NO FLOWERS REQUIRED…and maybe to encourage
you to give NO DRESS REQUIRED a shot if you haven’t so far! While NDR is a 15K
Flirt, NFR will be category length, so there will definitely be hijinks – and playful
sexy times – galore!
NO FLOWERS REQUIRED short excerpt:
Abruptly Alexa stopped in front of an open apartment door and widened her eyes. Who was that?
A man wearing denim overalls and a tie-dyed T-shirt and matching bandanna knelt
in the middle of an apartment with a floorplan just like hers, methodically
ripping up strips of the laminate. His back was to her, which gave her the
perfect opportunity to study the bunch and flex of muscles in his sinewy
forearms. He wore some sort of copper cuff around one wrist and a tattoo crept
up the inside of the other. She couldn’t make out what it was, but one thing
she could discern with no trouble at all.
Beefcake boy had one hell of an ass.
She knocked on the open door, then knocked again when he kept working. “Excuse me?”
“Yes?”
That he didn’t turn to face her moderately grated, but hey, she still had his ass to
observe. She didn’t mind talking to his backsi—err, back. “I’m assuming you’re
the Rison’s building handyman?”
His lengthy hesitation earned him a frown he didn’t bother to shift around to see.
“You need some service, ma’am?”
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt and thanks again to Jen for having me here today. In honor of Writer Wednesday, I’ll pose a question: Do you like your books funny or intense? Or does it depend on your
mood?
NO DRESS REQUIRED’s page at Entangled Publishing: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/no-dress-required/
Visit Cari Quinn at www.cariquinn.com
Thanks, Cari! I can’t wait to get my hands on this book!
April 6, 2012
Giveaway and RT!
Happy Easter and Passover everyone!
I'm really excited to be featured at the Romance Author Hotspot today, and I'm giving away a free ebook of The Marriage Bargain! Stop by and leave a comment:
http://romanceauthorhotspot.com/?p=1585
Another big smooch to my awesome peeps for pushing The Marriage Bargain to #32 on the USA Today Bestseller list!
I'm going to be in Chicago next week at the fabulous RT Convention and signing books on Thursday April 12th and Saturday April 14th. Please stop by, get some cool swag and visit!
Wanna sneak peek at the super cool tanks I'll be giving away?
Pop into my Facebook Author Page at the right!
Stay tuned for a CafePress store for more yummy items for sale!
Have a great weekend everyone!
March 27, 2012
Come and Play…
I'm very excited to celebrate my new release from Decadent's 1Night Stand series, Play Me.
It's the second installment in the Steele Brothers series, detailing Rick's brother Rome.
I'm always thrilled to be able to follow my dream to write a little bit of everything, some naughty, and some nice. Play Me is for the naughty crowd! There's a nice mix of BDSM if fans of 50 Shades of Grey are looking for more to read in this popular theme! Super short, and super hot, grab a cold drink and indulge in an hour or two of fun.
Here's a quick blurb:
Professional gambler Sloane Keller is tired of dating weak willed men and longs to meet a man who challenges her dominant personality and forces her to submit. As the queen of the cards, she's used to making her own rules, and craves the excitement of Vegas. But her inner heart cries out for someone who can be her match, both inside the casino and in the bedroom.
As the new dealer in town, Roman Steele is burnt out on women looking for a quick penny and a man to follow. He craves a woman with fire in her soul and a keen intellect who can challenge him. When his brother recruits Madame Eve to help, Rome is amazed at the complicated woman he gets to spend the night with. But when the evening is over, will she be gutsy enough to offer him forever?
I'll also be on another blogging tour so look for me as I do some guest spots, interviews and giveaways!
I will also be launching a brand new series on my blog on Wednesdays in order of writers on Twitter! Look for the #WW hashtag for Writer's Wednesday and every Wednesday I will spotlight a new author interview so mark your calendars! They will begin on Wednesday, April 4th, so stay tuned for my surprise guest or guests!
I have three stops left on my wonderful blog tour for The Marriage Bargain.
Today, Tuesday, March 27th I will be visiting the lovely Sarah Ballance at her site:
http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
Wednesday, March 28th, I will be hosted at Manga Maniacs at http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com
Thursday, March 29th, I will be doing a fun interview at fellow writer Liz Crowe's beer bar: http://www.brewingpassion.com/
Thursday, March 29th, I will be wrapping it up at Romancing The Book for a fun interview at: http://www.romancing-the-book.com
Come visit and have a lovely week!
March 21, 2012
Seven Sentence Snippet!
Come join me for a little fun as I edit my new manuscript! Diane Alberts began the Seven Sentence Snippet…visit her blog here for a wonderful peek into her new novel!
http://dianealberts.com/writing-news/seven-sentence-snippet/
Now, let's play tag! If I tagged you, please do the following:
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines – sentences or paragraphs – and post them as they're written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 authors
5. Let them know
Here is seven paragraphs from page 77, 7 lines down from my new work I'm editing, The Marriage Trap.
Maggie pushed her forward. "Go. Enjoy the pampering and relax." She watched the girl disappear, confident Marcos would take good care of her and boost her ego. From nowhere, the memory of her mother's cutting words flashed through her mind. She'd woken up with a pimple on her face and tried madly to cover it up with make-up, but when she went downstairs, her mother was recovering from one of her benders and spotted her.
Face twisted with revulsion, her mother's taunt slapped her from across the room. "You look disgusting. If you took care of your skin, you wouldn't have to go through the day with a wart on your nose. Stay home, you'll only embarrass me."
She'd fought tears and pretended indifference. Went to school with her head high and filled with rage toward the only woman she wanted to love her unconditionally. Of course, later she realized her mother was desperately jealous of a young daughter and afraid she'd have to compete.
Maggie shook her head. A real mommy dearest moment. At least she'd passed the awkward phase and reveled in her own choices. She'd learned a healthy body was good enough for her, and though she loved to dress in the latest styles, she had no need to be the most attractive female in the room. She wrinkled her nose. Nope, she'd leave that to others.
Maggie studied the line-up of the three models. All bodily perfect. Oiled up. Ready to go. What was she missing?
The underwear was edgy and screamed designer. But if she didn't do her job, it would look like Calvin Klein and the rest of the pack. Damned if she'd have her work rated second class. Maggie kept at it, pushing limits, working through lunch, and knowing she didn't have much more time left on the set to wrap without going into overtime. She'd learned early it was a guaranteed way to get blacklisted. Frustrated, she nibbled at her lower lip, pushed her hair back and turned with a foul curse.
And came face to face with her husband.
March 18, 2012
Winners of the St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop!
A big congratulations to Elizabeth/BookAttict for winning the $5.00 Gift Card from Amazon!
The winners of the big prizes are:
Winner of the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet:
#136 from Carrie Ann Ryan's
Melissa L
I'll be attempting Irish Car Bomb cupcakes this St. Patrick's Day!
Hope you have a great holiday!
Winner of the $90 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
#4186 from Wendy Smith's Blog
Shadow
True love? To me is being there, knowing you will always have there love and can count on each other for anything. Youd give up and do anything to make the other happy.
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Congratulations to both of them! Hope everyone won some prizes and had fun…
And don't forget to stop by and visit me as I continue my blog tour!
Monday – March 19th – Interview with E-book Giveaway – Books-N-Kisses – http://www.books-n-kisses.com
Monday- March 19th – Spotlight on Catch Me – For The Love of Reading – http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 20th – For the Love of Reading – Nick's interview from The Marriage Bargain – http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 20th – Smitten with Reading – http://smittenwithreading.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 21st – Mike Woody – Interview – http://woodyswritings.blogspot.com/
Thanks – looking forward to chatting with everyone this week!
March 15, 2012
The St. Patrick's Blog Hop is Here!
What does St. Patrick's Day mean to me? Ummm, I'm going to get hate mail from this post, I just know it.
It's meant…nothing. Yes, I'm a quarter Irish. Yes, I like to party. But I grew up with a family that ignored the holiday for some strange reason, and I never got into the spirit in the way so many others have. Oh, it always looked like a great time, but St. Patty's Day usually flew by me without a second glance. That's my terrible, secret, awful confession.
Then I married my husband. Who's all Irish. And he treated St. Patty's Day like no one I've ever seen. He took the day off. Dressed in full uniform. And went to Manhattan for a drink fest to end all drink fests. This was a serious condition to our relationship – I was never, ever, ever to ask him to give up St. Patty's day.
So, I didn't. And I got a kick out of my husband enjoying something like a kid, full force energy, even though he did drink green beer.
And for me? Well, my fave St. Patty's day took place in Port St. Lucie, Florida, with my best friend. I'm a crazy Mets fan (again, don't judge me) and we took a trip down for Spring Training that year. We spoke with the players, watched a game, got autographs, and ended up in a bar drinking green beer and talking baseball. Pretty perfect day all around.
So…it's time for you to confess. What is your craziest St. Patty's day memory? Leave me a comment and I'll give someone a $5.00 Amazon gift card to buy the book of your choice! And while you're here, sign up for my blog or newsletter so you don't miss a thing!
AND, keep clicking on the link to visit the other blogs for awesome prizes, along with your chance to win two GRAND PRIZES! The more links you follow, the more you comment, the better your chances are to win!
Grand Prize 1: Winner's Choice of a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
Grand Prize 2: Winner's Choice of a $90 Amazon or Barnes&Noble Gift Card
March 14, 2012
Blog Hops, Book Trailers, and a Bestseller
First off, I'm participating in a St. Patrick's Day blog hop beginning Friday, March 16th with a bunch of fantastic, talented authors so don't miss it. My post will go live on Friday morning, and it's up to you to do the hop! I'm going to give away a $5.00 Amazon gift card so one lucky winner can go buy a book to celebrate.
Second, I'm thrilled to report I completed my book trailer for The Marriage Bargain! I hope you enjoy it – I really loved making it – and I'm featuring it below. It will also be a permanent fixture on my book page so feel free to share and comment!
Third, I received amazing news this morning.
The Marriage Bargain just hit the USA Today BestSeller List!!! My new lucky number is #57!
There is no way to describe such excitement! Thank you to all my wonderful readers who loved the book, left reviews, and sent me personal notes. You mean the world to me.
Finally, hop on over today, Thursday March 15th – for a character interview on Jack from Sex, Lies and Contracts at Simplistik: http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning/
See you Friday!
March 7, 2012
The Art of Happiness…
When I started my blog over two years ago, I termed it Writing Mama and used it as a place to share my experiences and tell the truth. I wrote about writing, and my dreams, and my kids and my experiences. Along the way, I built a platform of great friends and supportive bloggers who were sharing in finding their own dreams and discoveries on this journey.
Things have changed – they always do – and I found my blog changing and geared more toward writing as I moved into a full time job. I decided to write mostly about my kids at my other site I share with my other two friends and amazing writers at http://4badmommies.com
But sometimes my kids leaked into my post, and I still feel free to write about whatever hits me at the moment. That's what life is about – the moment. And trying to be fully living and engaged, even when our minds want to run off and chatter in a million other directions.
So, first off, my housekeeping details! I'm so thrilled to report The Marriage Bargain is still at the top of the Barnes and Noble bestseller list in romance and all books. Holding at #3 in romance this week, and #6 in all books.
A Life Worth Living still holds at the #1 spot on Amazon for Animals/Pets in Essays and books. Many of you have written to me sharing your experiences about your dogs and I'm always humbled by the wonderful animal lovers out there. I'm also proud to announce a nice big check will be going to the animal shelter because of your generosity through sales.
You may have noticed some new photos around the net as I finally updated my author shots so my readers will know me a bit better. March is a busy month with lots of fun blog posts so here is the overview:
Wednesday, March 7th : Lisa's World of Books – I'm talking about love spells and giving a free book away! Join me at: http://bit.ly/xAnaFU
Wednesday, March 7th: Maggie Marr Blog – Spring Into Romance – I'm talking about love and your first – don't miss it! http://maggiemarr.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 8th: Guest blog and review at Close Encounters with the Night Kind for Catch Me – visit here: http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 9th: Book Spotlight on Sex, Lies and Contracts-
http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/
I will also be participating in a St. Patrick's Day blog hop with LOADS of prizes so stay tuned!
OK, so let's talk. Let me detail a real conversation between my husband and I. He comes home from his day job, bright and cheery to find me in my ragged pink bathrobe, slippers, messed up hair, and a beer hanging from my fingertips. He lays down his bag and stares at me. "Uh, hi honey. How ya doing?"
"Fine."
HIs face reflects confusion. "Ok. What's for dinner?"
I glare at him. "I'm exhausted. Let's order a pizza."
His brow lifts. "Why?"
"I had a hard day."
My husband of eight years takes a moment and then bursts into hysterical laughter. Absolute hysterics. Wiping tears from his eyes he hoots. "Oh, that's a good one. You're in your pajamas. Drinking a beer. Who has it better than you?"
Then I burst into tears, but not ones of laughter. "You don't understand anything!" I begin blubbering. "I worked on edits for over six hours straight today. I guest blogged in two places, dealt with my email, had to change twice because our son threw up on me, did the dishes, cleaned the bathroom, read books to our sick son, had two phone conversations, paid bills, and now I'm stuck on a scene and I think this sequel sucks and I'll never make any sales and my career will be over! And I haven't left the house for two days and I can't remember when I showered or put on make-up so I needed the frikkin beer, ok! Now we're ordering pizza tonight!"
Silence ensued. Then he nodded. "Nah, I'll just stick some chicken in the oven, let's save the money. Boy, oh boy, that was a good one. Wait till the boys at work hear this."
And that, is a scene straight out of marriage.
Nope, not like in the romance novels. But still, on a day to day basis, when my husband can laugh at me, cook for me, and just be in the mess with me, it's a pretty good day.
Happiness is what you make of it, every day. Sometimes we reach the pinnacle of joy, other times the depths of despair, and most of the time we're stuck straight in the middle.
What defines your happiness?
February 27, 2012
A Time To Read…
First, a few housekeeping items!
I'm thrilled and honored to report The Marriage Bargain is still holding on to
the number one spot on Barnes and Noble Romance bestsellers, and the number 4 spot in All books.
The Hunger Games is one, two and three. To even stand in such company is simply ridiculous to me, so another thank you to everyone who has been emailing, twittering and facebooking me telling me they loved the book.
Next, I will be hopping around at some fabulous sites at the next few days. Here's the schedule:
TUESDAY, FEBRURARY 28TH: Lush Book Reviews – http://lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read – giveaway is planned! http://www.sithereandread.com
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Lisa Fox http://http://www.lisafoxromance.com
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Everyday Is An Adventure Http://everydayadventure11.blogspot.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK! Maldivia Book Reviews!
http://www.maldiviabookreviewer.com
THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: Reader Girls http://www.readergirls.blogspot.com/
FRIDAY, MARCH 2ND: Interview at Sharon Own http://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com/
Whew! There's a nice mix of blogs, interviews, reviews and giveaways so please stop by!
Now, onward and upward to my topic this week. Reading. Specifically, on March 2nd, the event Read Across America is going on, and the schools are celebrating with inviting parents in to read to their children, and spotlighting different books that have made life long friends for our children. After all, it's Dr. Seuss's birthday!
We all know them. The classics. Books that changed us, guided us, made us cry and laugh and sometimes, made us a different person. Pretty powerful stuff. Some kids are not big into reading, but it only takes one story to transfix and transform, so always be on the lookout for something.
And if they won't sit still? I love to tell my children stories about when they were little and growing up. I spin funny tales of temper tantrums, and silly words and events, and first milestones. I tell them their birth stories. I tell them mine and my husband's, and it's the first connection in their world that story is bigger than we all are. It is everywhere, in our footsteps, and when we are old and look back, those stories are our memories.
This week is a good time to look back. What have you read that transformed you as a child? As an adult? Something that has never left you – even if it is a piece of a sentence or clip of dialogue that stuck with you?
Read a book to your children this week. Read a book for yourself, or a short story, or try some new author on the horizon and take a chance on expanding boundaries. The words are all there for us, ready to pick up, splashed over a clean white page and ready to come alive.
Some of my all time favorites?
The Judy Blume books where I learned stuff my mom never told me
Shel Silvertstein Where The Sidewalk Ends – I carried it around for weeks, not wanting it to leave my side for even a minute of the day
Romance Novels – lots of them – too many authors to name. They made me dream, helped me believe in love, kept me a strong assertive woman, and gave me hope during my awkward, shy years.
Ann Lamott and Julie Cameron – Their inspiring writing books pushed me to be better and seize the moment. Bird by Bird and The Artists Way are some of my favorites. I can't forget Natalie Goldberg Writing Down the Bones either.
Stephen King and Dean Koontz – The masters of suspense and horror, yet bigger than their genre. For the entertainment value and some fantastic writing, they are classics.
Garth Stein – The Art of Racing in the Rain – I will never forget this book. Ever. Ever.
Laura Hildebrand – SeaBiscuit – another one that haunts me to this day.
Now, there are too many more to name, I just grabbed a few to tempt you.
Come drop by and share with me. What book changed you? Haunted you? What books do you love – as children or adults?
I wish you a wonderful week full of good things and good books.
