Jean C. Joachim's Blog: Stories of Love and Passion, page 53

First Chapter Friday - The Marriage List

Welcome and thanks for stopping by. Today I have the first chapter of my bestselling book, The Marriage List. This book has place in the Amazon top 100 for Kindle, contemporary romance and
Books, contemporary romance for the past four months. And it's still only $.99!

This is the first in the New York Nights novel series. So let's take a look at a few pix of New York City included in this book, including Grey Andrews' house before we go to the first chapter. 

 Manhatta skyline.


 Grey's house.



















The American Museum of Natural History













The New Yankee Stadium











Lincoln Center
















                                CLICK HERE FOR FIRST CHAPTER

Buy links
Amazon
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Smashwords

A bit about the book

Can happily ever after start with a list? Grey Andrews thinks so. After ten years of working, saving and investing, Grey finally achieved a level of wealth that allows him to do what he wants with his life. He needs a woman to share it with, but not any woman, the perfect woman. A woman who has the three essential qualities on his marriage list. But after three years of searching he isn’t any closer to finding her than he was when he started out.
 Carrie Tucker, an aspiring mystery writer and divorcée struggling to make it in the world of advertising, turned her focus from men to her career after dating too many creeps and losers. She’s finally earned her big break, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the first female creative director in a hot New York ad agency. So what if it means working nights and weekends? It’s not like she has a social life anyway.
Is the marriage list a failure or will a chance meeting at a fiction-writing conference prove the list to be the key to Grey’s happiness after all?
For more information about my books and to read other first chapters, click here

Tuesday Tales - Picture Prompt - Dating List WIP

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. Here's a scene from an upcoming book, "The Dating List" (a work-in-progress) third in my "List" series, written to this picture prompt: Grey couldn’t stop smiling when the limo driver opened the door. He jumped out and offered his hand to Carrie.             “What’s this?” She asked, swinging her legs out of the long vehicle.            “Our private jet, non-stop to Quebec. First stop on our honeymoon.”            Carrie’s eyes widened and a smile crept across her face.            “You’ve been through so much with the wedding and all, I wanted to make this first leg of our trip as painless as possible.”            Carrie threw her arms around him and kissed him.            “You are the most amazing man in the world.”            “And you are my dream girl, Carrie…and now my wife.”            Her eyes sparkled.             The limo driver transferred the luggage from the limo to a steward who loaded it on the plane. Grey took her hand in his, wrapping his fingers around hers.             “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, on your marriage,” the steward said.            Carrie beamed at him. Mrs. Andrews. Mrs. Grey Andrews. Like the sound of that.            Grey pulled her arm through his, folding her hand over his arm. He placed his hand on top of hers before responding to the steward.            “Thank you. I’m the luckiest man in the world.”            Carrie smiled up into his eyes. Seeing his love shining out at her surrounded her heart with warmth. Happiness bubbled up in her chest. If this is a dream, don’t wake me up.            Carrie stopped him before they ascended the stairs to the plane. She whispered in his ear. A hearty laugh burst out of him. His eyes glistened with desire as he leaned over to reply to her in confidence.            “We’ll find out if the seats recline all the way once we board.”            Then he took her in his arms for a passionate kiss that took her breath away.  Back to Tuesday Tales - Click Here Check out my books on my website, click here

First Chapter Friday - Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. Today I'm highlighting the first chapter of my sweet romance, Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights. The book takes place in the fictional small town of Pine Grove in upstate New York. So I've included some pictures of Pine Grove to help set the mood. I hope you like the chapter. (P.S., sweet romance means no sex or bad language)

A bit about the book

Can a woman run away, back to her past? Do you have someone in you’d like to reconnect with?  Caroline Davis White wasn't looking for Mickey, now Mike Foster, her childhood crush, she was fleeing her philandering husband, seeking peace and quiet, time to reflect on changing her life. But there was Mike, saving her from a mishap...again, bigger than life and even more handsome. 

A well-known artist, Sunny thought she could escape, disappear back to the cabin where she spent her summers as a child. But she was wrong. Her husband refused to let her go. There hadn't been a divorce in Brad White's family...ever! And he wasn't about to break that tradition now.  Could Caroline shake him loose and what about Mike? Where did he fit into her life?

The lake in Pine Grove.















Sunny's cabin, complete with a gate to keep her pug, Trixie, from getting out.












Path to the street in Sunny's community.


















                

CLICK HERE FOR FIRST CHAPTER

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. To find out more about my books go to my WEBSITE.

The Day in Pictures

Hello! Welcome to a relief from serious thoughts, promotions and stress. Share my day in pictures! Here are some of my favorites.


The road to nowhere. Your imagination leads you down this path.
















Moonlight the way it appears in my romance books.




















A gorgeous mask.



















It's cherry season!












   A purple rose, never seen one like this before!














A one lane bridge linking New York and Pennsylvania across the Delaware River.












The meek and the mighty meet.
















A loving kiss. Sigh...

























Antique car.


















The beach in Costa Rica.

















Rock formations on the Colorado Plateau.















A sleeping pug...hey, Homer! How did you sneak in here?















Hunky runner.

























Bouquet of flowers.



















Devilishly delicious chocolate cake!






















Thank you for stopping by. Please tell me which picture was your favorite?


My website

























 

First Chapter Friday - Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny

In honor of the recent celebration of Memorial Day, I thought sharing the first chapter of Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny would be most appropriate, since Danny is a retired Army sharpshooter turned college professor. 








  

Danny goes to Willow Falls for a job at Kensington State University, finds love and fights post-traumatic stress disorder issues plus old demons.
Strong, handsome, smart he is determined to carve out a normal life and chooses the beautiful dean, Eliza Baines to join him. But the road to that new life is anything but smooth for our imperfect, perfect hero. Meet Capt. Danny Maine and read his story. 

                         CLICK HERE FOR 1ST CHAPTER.
A little bit about the book

Can the newest professor at Kensington State escape his previous life as a killer? Leaving the Army didn't mean the war left him so Capt. Danny Maine, now teaching English, must find a way to lead a normal life. Finding love and rekindling an old friendship are not enough to defeat old demons. Danny Maine fights to free himself from war memories and dangerous men, hoping that a new love and a new Glock will bring him peace. Now and Forever 2, the Book of Danny is a heartfelt story of love, loss and ultimate triumph that will touch your heart.
Like what you read? Click on any link to buy the book: Secret Cravings PublishingAmazonBarnes & NobleAll Romance eBooksBookstrandPaperback, too!

FANCY A FREE READ?

Here's the story behind my free read on my publisher, the Secret Cravings website. In Now and Forever 3, Blind Love, my newest release, I introduced Sam Caldwell, a supporting character. Some of you may know his son, Mac, hero of Now and Forever 1, a Love Story and a recurring character in the other books in this series. Sam is 63 in Now and Forever 3, a widower who falls in love. He intrigued me,  I couldn't let him go. He kept tugging on my sleeve to tell his story. And I became curious about his first wife, Mac's mom, Ellen, who had past away so suddenly at a young age. 


That's how Now and Forever: The Beginning, Love Knows No Boundaries came into being. Sam wanted me to tell everyone how he met Ellen and fell in love. So their story has become my free read. If you have a few minutes, here is the first episode.



Part 1

Sam Caldwell folded his lean six foot two inch frame into a window seat on the Metroliner headed for D.C. Rain ran in rivulets down the windowpane, moving faster, streaking across the glass as the train picked up speed. On his way to his fortieth college reunion, Sam thought back to the first time he put his big feet on the campus of Jefferson College, smack dab in the heart of the nation’s capital. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the seat, giving his mind over to the image of that day and how it changed his life.A twenty-two year old Viet Nam vet, Sam acquired the money to attend Jefferson College through his four years of Army service. He stood on the path to the quad off 20thStreet, his arms overloaded with handbooks, forms, the campus map and a small duffle bag. It was August and hotter than hell, typical of summertime in Washington. The humid heat weighed him down like a wet mattress balanced across his broad shoulders. He wore slacks and a short sleeve shirt which he had already sweated through. He chuckled as he heard complaints from other students as they walked by. This is nothing compared to ‘Nam in August…bunch a pussies.
As he approached the quad, he looked ahead and saw her. Standing on the grass, studying a small map was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her blonde hair glistened in the sun like spun gold. Her sundress revealed peachy skin and perfect curves. Sam’s keen blue eyes traveled slowly from the tip of her head down to her bare sandals, not missing an inch. His mouth went dry. As if she felt his stare, she looked right at him and smiled. He felt suddenly awkward and dropped the book and papers he was holding. When he finished gathering them up, he glanced up and she was gone. Damn! He heard someone clear their throat behind him…felt a small tug on his sleeve. He turned around and there she was, all five feet three inches of her, standing not two feet from him. Her large, soulful blue eyes were trained on his.“Excuse me; do you know the way to the administration building?” “Sorry. I’m a freshman. Don’t know my way around yet.”She blushed. Pink had never been one of his favorite colors but he began to understand the attraction of that particular shade.“Oh. I’m so sorry. I thought you were an upper classman…you look…older.”“I am. A vet.”“Viet Nam?” Her lips parted in a dazzling smile as her gaze connected with his.He nodded as the ability to speak temporarily deserted his brain.“Sam…Sam Caldwell.” He fairly sputtered his name.“Ellen Wells.” She offered her hand and he covered her small one with his.After letting go of her hand, he lifted the map from her fingers.“Let’s take a look.”A blond man appeared behind him. Sam whirled around. Shit!“Hi, I’m Bill Ryan and you...”“Ellen—“  “…are beautiful.”
 Come read the rest, it's FREE and Sam wants you to know his story. Click here to get all the parts to this story on pdf.  
Check out all the books in the Now and Forever series here Check out all my books on my website. 

Tuesday Tale - Prompt "Chase"

Thank you for stopping by. Chase is the prompt word today. Here is a snippet from my work-in-progress, "If You Loved Me."
“Now Meg, you know I was only joking…”She whacked him with the pillow then fell into a laughing fit. Chaz snatched the other pillow off the bed and smacked her bottom with it. He laughed as she widened her eyes in indignation.  “Bash me with a pillow will you?”Chaz took off, running naked down the hall with Megan, also nude, chasing him. She threw her pillow at him as he entered the living room and it knocked him off balance. He fell to the floor. She jumped on him, straddling his hips and reached for the pillow. He grabbed her hand with one of his and pummeled her with the pillow in the other. Both of them were laughing so hard they could barely breathe. Megan leaned down and blew on his neck. When he dissolved in laughter, she seized the moment and reached for her pillow. He raised his to hit her again and she blocked it. He hugged her to him with one arm and bounced the pillow off her bottom.   She pushed up a few inches and as he was about to kiss her, they both heard a creak. Their two heads turned to face the front door in time to see an astonished Mark and Penny standing in the doorway, drop their suitcases.Megan screamed. Penny tugged Mark out into the hall and shut the door while Chaz and Meg beat a quick retreat to the bedroom. Meg shut her bedroom door and leaned against it. They heard the front door slam, indicating Penny and Mark were in the apartment.“Oh my God,” Meg breathed.Chaz covered his face with his hand.“Shit! Mark is going to kill me.”Meg nodded slowly, “you first, then me.”
 CLICK HERE to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by! Find out more about my books on my website. Click HERE

MEMORIAL DAY, MEMORIES OF WWII & DONATION DAY

This weekend, it's D-Day here on my blog. Donation Day. For every comment, I will donate $1.00 to Operation Gratitude, an organization that raises money to send care packages to the military.

I borrowed some pictures of the Pacific Theater during WWII to share with you. There are aircraft, battleships and such, but mostly there are people...the men who fought for us all. This is my pictorial salute to the Marines and Navy in WWII who fought so bravely and died so valiantly. We should never forget them. Thank you all for making the ultimate sacrifice so we can live in freedom.
Wow! I've had an offer from Lindsay Downs, a fellow author, to match the donations, dollar for dollar. So now every comment will generate a donation of $2.00 instead of one!!! Yippee!!

Feb. 19, 1945: U.S. Fourth Division Marines move in from the beach on Iwo Jima, the Japanese Volcanic Island. A dead Marine lies at right in the foreground. Mt. Suribachi, in the background, was turned into a beehive of guns by Japanese troops. It was scaled by the U.S. Marines, who took control. (AP Photo/Joe Rosenthal) #







Nov. 4, 1942: Two alert U.S. Marines stand beside their small tank on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands during World War II. The military tank was used against the Japanese in the battle of the Tenaru River during the early stages of fighting. (AP Photo) #









Jan. 21, 1943: Native stretcher bearers rest in the shade of a coconut grove as they and the wounded American soldiers they are carrying from the front lines at Buna, New Guinea take the opportunity to relax. The wounded are on their way to makeshift hospitals in the rear. (AP Photo) #







Dec. 26, 1943: U.S. Marines march ashore as they arrive in six landing crafts at Cape Gloucester on the northwestern coast of New Britain Island, New Guinea. The Allied forces made a second big invasion operation of the Japanese occupied island in an attempt to capture the big air base of Rabual, on the southwestern coast of the island. (AP Photo/U.S. Coast Guard) #






March 22, 1943: Technical Sgt. R.W. Greenwood, a Marine, sits in the cockpit of a Grumman Wildcat fighter plane, based at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, that is credited with shooting down 19 Japanese aircraft, as illustrated by the number of Japanese flags on his plane. Several different pilots have flown the ship during successful missions, but Sgt. Greenwood has remained plane captain. (AP Photo) #


February 1944: A wounded marine receives treatment from a Navy medical corpsman at a jungle first aid station behind the lines on New Britain Island, New Guinea, in the Battle for the Strategic Japanese air field on Cape Gloucester during World War II. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Corps) #









March 1945: U.S. Marines prepare graves in the cemetery of the third and Fourth Marine Divisions for their buddies who died in taking the island of Iwo Jima, Japan, during World War II. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy) #










November 1943: As the invasion at Empress Augusta Bay gets under way on Bougainville, U.S. troops are seen climbing over the side of a Coast Guard-manned combat transport to enter the landing barges. (AP Photo) #

MArch 1944: Hundreds of pictures of pin-up girls adorn the entire wall of this bomber crew shack on Adak Island in the Aleutians in Alaska during World War II. (AP Photo) #












February 23, 1944: Captain Carter, upper center with map, briefs his men for amphibious assault operations at Arawe, New Britain aboard a troop transport ship. (AP Photo) #

















October 20, 1944: U.S. troops head toward the beaches of Leyte island during the amphibious assault to reconquest the Philippines. (AP Photo) #













January 1944: These U.S. Marine Raiders, with the reputation of being skillful jungle fighters, pose in front of a Japanese stronghold they conquered at Cape Totkina, Bougainville. (AP Photo) #










March 10, 1945: U.S. troops in the Pacific islands continued to find enemy holdouts long after the main Japanese forces had either surrendered or disappeared. Guam was considered cleared by August 12, 1944, but parts of the island were still dangerous half a year later. Here, patrolling Marines pass a dead Japanese sniper. These Marines may belong to the Fifty-second Defense Battalion, one of two black units sent to the Pacific. (Charles P. Gorry, AP Staff/AP Archives) #





Nov. 26, 1944: Burial at sea ceremonies are held aboard the USS Intrepid for members of the crew lost after the carrier was hit by a Japanese suicide pilot while operating off the coast of Luzon, the Philippines, during World War II. Sixteen men were killed in the kamikaze attack. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy) #



March 1945: Japanese night raiders are greeted with a lacework of antiaircraft fire by the U.S. Marine defenders of Yontan airfield, on Okinawa during World War II. In the foreground are Marine Corsair fighter planes of the "Hells Belles" squadron standing silhouetted against the sky. (AP Photo) #









Sept. 11, 1943: After three days of fighting on the front lines on Munda, a Marine's tank crew take a rest, during which their machine guns are overhauled. This platoon wiped out 30 Japanese pill boxes. Left to right are: Pfc. Arnold McKenzie, Los Angeles, Calif.; Joseph Lodico, Sharon, Mass.; Pvt. Noel M. Billups, Columbus Ohio; and Staff Sgt. Douglas Ayres, Los Angeles. (AP Photo) #

Feb. 19, 1945: U.S. Fourth Division Marines move in from the beach on Iwo Jima, the Japanese Volcanic Island. A dead Marine lies at right in the foreground. Mt. Suribachi, in the background, was turned into a beehive of guns by Japanese troops. It was scaled by the U.S. Marines, who took control. (AP Photo/Joe Rosenthal) #





January 1944: U.S. Marines come ashore from the mouth of a Coast Guard manned LST, during the invasion of New Britain Island, at Cape Gloucester. (AP Photo) #


April 1945: White markers designate the final resting place for hundreds of Third and Fourth Marine Division fighters, who died during the invasion of Iwo Jima in World War II, in this cemetery located near the beach where the U.S. Marines first established a beachhead. In the background, an American flag flies at half staff in tribute to the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died in Warm Springs, Ga., on April 12. (AP Photo/Murray Befeler) #



PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND LINDSAY &  I'll MAKE A DONATION OF $2.00 PER COMMENT TO OPERATION GRATITUDE, A NONPROFIT THAT RAISES MONEY TO SEND CARE PACKAGES TO THE MILITARY.
THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO ALL THE SONS, HUSBANDS, FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS WHO SERVED IN WWII, THOSE WHO RETURNED AND THOSE WHO DID NOT. WE SALUTE YOUR BRAVERY AND COURAGE.

FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY! APRIL'S KISS IN THE MOONLIGHT

Welcome! Come, take a trip to Pine Grove with April McKenna. Meet her friends and the devastating fireman, Gavin Dailey who is determined to win her. Read the first chapter of April's story and enjoy some pictures of Pine Grove.

                  CLICK HERE FOR THE FIRST CHAPTER

 The lake in Pine Grove
A little bit about the book:

How could anything bad happen to a young woman, fresh from graduate school, who strikes out on a new path rather than return to take a job with her father’s firm? April McKenna sets off for an escapade that ends in tragedy. Injured and alone she is taken in by a friend of her mother’s who lives in a small town in the Catskill Mountains in New York. During her recovery, April resolves to carve out an exotic life of travel and adventure. But she didn’t count on a sexy fireman upsetting her plans. Gavin Dailey has dated practically every woman in the county, but when he meets April, he knows he’s finally found the one he wants.  Only a stubborn man like Gavin wouldn’t let April’s resistance to his charm and his small town change his plans. Determined to win her, he pulls out all the stops until he encounters one stumbling block he didn’t count on. Only a near-tragedy resurrected from the past gives April the tenacity she needs to make the right decision for her life in April’s Kiss in the Moonlight, a sweet romance.
AN HISTORIC HOUSE IN PINE GROVE.

Buy the book here, $2.99 in ebook, $8.09 in paperback:
AMAZONBARNES & NOBLESMASHWORDSPAPERBACK
CLICK HERE FOR MY WEBSITE
More pix of Pine Grove...


PATHWAY DOWN TO THE LAKE FOR SWIMMING OR A SECRET MIDNIGHT SKINNY DIP!














THE COTTAGE APRIL LIVES IN FOR THE SUMMER.












ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LAKE.

MEET DAVEE JONES AND HER BOOKS

Welcome, Davee, tell us something about yourself. I write in several genres, like, Romance, Erotic Romance, Thrillers, coming soon YA. I have three published books, On Ellicott Street, Finless, and Ruby's Dance-Thank You Mae West. See a little bit about the books following my bio. I also recently began reviewing books and will post reviews from time to time.   Rather than talk about myself *blushes*, here's my official bio: Davee Jones began a career in the counseling field with her M.Ed. She then diversified and began work for the federal government. The dryness of the day to day assignments fostered the desire for her to do something more creative. Because writing was always a passion, she used every opportunity to journal and create fictional worlds with her words. She began writing short fiction and books, inspired by the events around her.
Now avidly writing in the little spare time she has, she has several other books in progress. She has books that draw from eroticism, romance, suspense, drama, and sometimes comedy. A few of her books garner only one flame, but, others will secure all five flames in the heat index.
My first published book, On Ellicott Street, describes an older woman finding love in a most unusual place. Although the demands of being a single parent seemingly have taken over every aspect of her life, when Cassie meets Ellicott (Eli for short), this younger man teaches her a thing or two about romance and how to rekindle the fires of intimacy she thought had long been extinguished.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON ELLICOTT STREET


My second published book, Finless, released in early April by my publisher, Secret Cravings Publishing (SCP).  Finless is an erotic romance of 193 pages riddled with BDSM. It is a M/F storyline. Before you groan in angst at yet another "book on the bandwagon", akin to the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomena, please entertain my promise this book is nothing common or trite. I attempt to present graphic imagery to take my readers not only to the scene in the book, but, hope they will develop their own personalization of it in their mind. I also write to appeal to both genders. My novel is a type of Black Swan meets Fifty Shades of Grey. I have a sequel in the works, Finless Too, to further explore the character's lives. The story connects fish, BDSM play, spirituality, sexuality, and the extreme decisions in the lives of the books’ protagonists to meld one story of tremendous revelations. Finless includes descriptive scenes of rhythmic caning, bondage, almost violent expressive dreams, and other explicit content. The message of the book intends to reach out positively to anyone, regardless of their proclivities, who may feel inept, unworthy, untrusting, or lost in their existence. SHORT EXCERPT:   “Sarah’s and Lily’s transformations confused Nathaniel. Largely in part to his negativeinfluence, they each changed in such dramatically negative ways. Sarah, once docile and clandestine, had become raucous and pompous. Lily, once confident and joyful, had become apprehensive and listless. How was it possible that because of his influence in each of their lives, they changed so dramatically? Was he being arrogant in his assumption that he was responsible for this catalyst? He was humbled by the knowledge that his power could be so mortally altering in the lives of two of the most breath-taking women he had ever met.Sarah’s reckless ways were leading her down the path of destruction he himself hadventured. She lost her innocence and compassion and now presented coldhearted toward the world. It was as if she adopted his method of self-preservation to protect her from the nonsensical matters of the heart.Lily wilted beneath his overpowering demands of servitude. Brainwashed to reality, theyboth relied on his influence and he had no idea how to make them take back control of their circumstances. You have to allow it, you power hungry narcissist. Are you so egocentric you cannot allow their independence to flourish. What, are you afraid they will leave your sorry ass?”
CLICK HERE TO BUY FINLESS  My most recently published book, May 23, is entitled Ruby's Dance-Thank You Mae West. This short novella addresses a young woman coming of age in the 1930's and finding the love of her life that spans decades. She becomes her Walter's "Princess", and to celebrate their love, he buys her a special headband each year for their anniversary. Those headbands bring more meaning to her than she could ever express.CLICK HERE TO BUY RUBY'S DANCE
Where to find Davee Jones:  Author PageDavee's BlogFINLESS ON TWITTERFINLESS FACEBOOK PAGEAMAZON AUTHOR PAGEBARNES & NOBLE AUTHOR PAGE