Mimi Barbour's Blog: Believe!, page 3

Are you kidding me? Rejected again? #bookbub #mgtab

I just published my newest Special Agent book and I was so sure this one would get me a placement with Bookbub.  I was sooooo sure. Got my hopes built up… DUMB!!! Before I sent it in, I covered all the bases. I mean the cover is fabulous. At least, I loved it. And there’re four more in the series. Thought that would matter too… guess not!

I set up the Amazon book page and filled in every place where I possibly could, including the note from the Author. BookBub mentioned on their site, this would be a good thing to do. I had three of us working on the back page blurb and thought we’d done a good job. Another thing they mentioned that might help them chose the book. I priced it for $3.99, the same price I believe is reasonable for all my Undercover FBI  novels and when I asked them to reduce it to $0.99, I truly believed that was a good savings for anyone who likes to read suspense full of action and romance. Maybe I should have offered to put it to zero but… I truly thought lowering it 75% was a great deal. Besides, I’ve seen a lot of their choices reduced from $3.99 to $0.99 and so I felt mine was good competition. Also, I was told they were more likely to accept books listed everywhere. So, I made this book available on Kobo, B&N, and Appleas well as Amazon. What that means is - it’s difficult to try and price a book listed everywhere to zero. First, you have to lower the price on all the other venues, and then hope Amazon will price match – and that they will do so in time for the promo. Not easy. And not always possible.   I hoped that being able to say that I’m a NY Times & USA Today best-selling, award-winning author might win me more latitude when they made their decision, but it never has. I’ve always felt so proud of my achievements, and I’ve thought they should pay off somehow. Other promoters are happy to know they are promoting a listed author to their followers. Guess BookBub doesn’t care. I’ve seen books they’ve promoted ranking way lower than many books I’ve submitted. Guess those particular attribute’s aren’t a deciding factor. Still don’t know what is…?? Sheesh!!
It’s so frustrating…
Guess I just have to keep trying……
ARGHRRRR!!!
P.S. These are a couple of the reviews listed - the book was published on Dec 14th.
“I loved this one. There was so much action and suspense, and I connected instant with all of the characters. I also liked the surprise at the end. The story line flowed beautifully with numerous issues. I WANT BOOK #6!” ~ Reviewed by Amazon Customer
“I love this series by Mimi Barbour. Always a great storyline, plenty of page turning action and a sweet love included. So if any of these things interest you, try this book and be hooked.”~ Reviewed by Jane Austin


Excerpt:  I wanted you to read the first portion of what BB could read if they looked that closely. I really did try and make this first section pop. To get the reader invested in the characters and start to care what kind of hellish torture I was going to put them through before they found their HEA (happy ever after :-))))

Holiday Love Bundlfe from USA Today Best-selling author! #mgtab

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Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street    Holiday Inn A Christmas Carol                                  It’s a Wonderful Life  
All holiday classics that I have to watch every year. I know every scene and outcome, and my poor husband, who gets coaxed into watching them with me year after year, can literally recite enough lines from each flick to earn himself a role in any remake.   But watching these stories play out never gets tiring—just the opposite.  Why? Because the holiday season is about remembering that warmth and love always come through somehow, even in difficult times.   Heartwarming stories filled with romance and Christmas cheer are part of my holiday season rituals, just like the must-have pumpkin pie and hot chocolate and balsam fir trimmed with shiny ornaments and sparkling lights.  That’s why I write a sweet Christmas romance every year and make them the kind of stories that stir the heart and get you in the spirit of the season.  This year I’ve boxed together four of my Christmas romances in a Holiday Luv Bundle that includes:  [image error][image error][image error][image error]  The Christmas Honeymoon 
Quiet librarian Serena always loved Christmas, until she was jilted before her December wedding. A year later, while trying to rekindle her tarnished holiday spirit, she meets Damien, handsome daredevil—and a total Scrooge. Their unlikely mutual attraction brings on a challenge that leads to one very romantic Christmas.   Be Mine for Christmas 
Single mom Ellie is lonely and struggling to find a job. She takes her little boy to a Christmas tree farm to see Santa and runs head on into a blue-eyed Viking with a winsome smile. Reece opened his Christmas tree farm after the accident that nearly took his life. But it left him with the vision of a woman who would heal his heart.  The Christmas Wedding Cake 
Natalie and Shane were inseparable sweethearts until a pair of mysterious emails tore them apart. Years later they meet again on a reality TV cooking show—and it’s more than the oven that gets heated up.  His Christmas Promise 
A stray dog finds refuge with an ex-Army helicopter pilot and helps restore his grandmother’s will to live. It seems like a Christmas miracle until the bachelor war vet discovers the mutt belongs to a little girl who wants him back—and a single mom who makes him rethink his freewheeling ways and maybe even believe in love.  Available at ~ 
KindleUS     KindleUK     Nook     iBooks   Kobo    What some readers have said about the Holiday Luv series ~ “Made my heart smile.” “One of the best Christmas books I have read in a long time if not forever.” “I laughed and cried and just loved this book.” “Just the right recipe to get me in the Christmas spirit.”  [image error]Alicia Street is a USA Today bestselling author and a Daphne du Maurier award-winner. She writes both sweet and steamy romances. Her Dance ‘n’ Luv contemporary romance series springs from her years as a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher. Alicia sometimes writes in collaboration with her husband, Roy, and is grateful to have the kind of marriage that proves romance novel love really exists.  Website     Amazon Author Page     Newsletter    Facebook    Twitter    Goodreads              

Peace on Earth starts in each of our hearts! #mgtab

As this Christmas season rolls around, most years I’ve posted the same blog about how people rush through their lives and don’t take time or make the effort to stop and see the beauty around them.
And it’s still true today. We’re in such a hurry to go nowherethat’s really so important that we are putting ourselves in grave danger. Between the stresses of such an existence to the pure exhausting routine, we create unhealthy bodies, minds that don’t get enough downtime or nourishment and our spirits suffer greatly – as do our relationships.
And when I say we – I mean it. As a very busy author, this kind of routine has been steadily increasing for me and many of my frenzied friends.
So… here’s my challenge – not only to you but to myself – take time this holiday to really look around at the people in your lives. Appreciate them and their roles. Give them tenderness and an extra compliment and watch their whole attitudes lighten as they relax into your warmth and feel so much better about themselves.
Then reorganize your routine in your daily life and make sure to leave those hours where you can sit and watch some of your favorite programs on television. Or work on hobbies that you love. Be with your kids to just be… play with them, take them on walks so you can enjoy sharing and even more important – listening. Make a special treat for your husband or boyfriend so he knows you spent the time doing something just to please him. 
Thank whoever you believe in – be it God or Buddha or Mohammed or just the universe that you are living lives where you are blessed in having a roof over your head, fortunate to have food in your belly and lucky that you have people to love and who love you.
Give thanks that you’re not one of those poor souls in OUR world who are suffering untold horrors because of a man’s evilness. I often ask myself – how can one person (in every situation of immoral actions it comes down to one powerful person’s screwed-up priorities) endanger the lives of so many of our precious brothers and sisters around the world.
My wish for you is that this Christmas will bless you with joy and peace… and so much love that it will overflow to those nearest you.
Merry, merry Christmas my friends…
Happy holidays…
Hugs,
Mimi

Easy Last Minute Christmas Gifts!! @joanreeves #mgtab

Christmas is the day after tomorrow!



 If you haven't finished your shopping--or you're stumped about what to give someone--check out these Easy Last Minute Gifts.

Books make great gifts, and the recipient doesn't need a dedicated ereader to enjoy these books.

Ebooks can be read on just about any device: cell phones, laptops, tablets, computers, and, of course, Kindles and other ereaders. Just download the free app--you'll see that link on every Amazon book page--and get started reading.

You can give an ebook as a gift, even if you don't know the email address they use with Amazon. Let me tell you how easy it is. So get a cup of hot chocolate or a lovely glass of wine and let me help you with your shopping for gifts or stocking stuffers.

Click to enlarge ImageEasy To Give Ebooks As Gift from Amazon

To give a free ebook, copy the link and send it to your friend or just click to get it for yourself.

To purchase any of these 99cent ebooks as gifts, all you need to do is click the embedded link for the book that takes you to the book page. Click to GIVE AS A GIFT and fill in the form as shown to the left.

If you do not know your recipient's address, just follow the directions on the diagram at the left. Basically, you just click to buy (arrows on diagram show where) and a gift email will be sent to you. Then you can forward it to the recipient at any email or give it in person. They can then go to Amazon and claim their gift.

Or click to buy it for yourself--you know you want these books!! Besides, shouldn't you get a reward for all the Christmas shopping you've done on behalf of your family?

Enjoy browsing these books put on sale just for you. Call, text, or email your friends and family so they can take advantage of these bargains too. These books will be on sale for several days, but always check the book's page to make sure the price is what you expect it to be.

Happy Holidays and Let the Shopping Begin



#1 Keri's Christmas Wish by Pamela S Thibodeaux
Inspirational with an Edge! ™

Can Keri get past her angst over Christ’s birth and enjoy the Christmas season?

Keri's Christmas Wish is 99cents until Jan. 3, 2017.

Visit Pamela S Thibodeaux at her Amazon Author Page .

#2 Before She Became a Lady by Wareeze Woodson.

Laurel finds she must protect her child, her wounded husband, plus her household against her sister-in-law, shadowy intruders, and terrifying events.

Before She Became a Lady is $2.99.

Visit Wareeze Woodson at her Website .




#3 Winter Bride by Caroline Clemmons.
Writing love that lasts.

Kendra must protect her niece and nephew from their evil father.

Winter Bride is $3.99.

Visit Caroline Clemmons at her Amazon Author Page .




#4 Captured by Christmas, A Christmas Anthology, by Lynn Crandall and Lainee Cole.

However it finds you—under a Christmas tree or drifted in snow in a backwoods cabin—the spirit of the season will wrap you in love.

Captured by Christmas is $2.99.

Visit Lynn Crandall at her Amazon Author Page .

Visit Lainee Cole at her Author Facebook Page .


#5 Hijacked by Leslie Lynch.
Out of Darkness, Into Hope: Novels of Suspense and Healing

An undercover DEA agent on the run and a young woman pilot with too many secrets…

Hijacked is $3.99 through 12/31/2016.

Visit Leslie Lynch at her Website .



#6 Let It Snow by Stephanie Queen.

A stranger and a snow storm on Christmas Eve create the ultimate test for Dane & Shana.

Let It Snow is 99cents until January 15th.

Visit Stephanie Queen at her Website.




#7 Not-So-Blue Christmas (Christmas Collection, Book 1)by Bonnie Edwards.
Earthy, Irreverent...Lovestruck

Can one small mutt bring love’s Christmas miracle?

Not-So-Blue Christmas is 99cents.

Visit Bonnie Edwards at her Website.



#8 In the Garden of Disgrace, The Garden Series, Book 3 by Cynthia Wicklund
Regency, Historical, Gothic, and Urban Fantasy...All Framed by Romance

When a duel takes a deadly turn, Lady Jillian Fitzgerald becomes an unwilling passenger in the fleeing carriage of the infamous "Lord Wicked." One night of bad judgment, and her life is changed forever.

In the Garden of Disgrace, The Garden Series, Book 3 is $2.99.

Visit Cynthia Wicklund at her Amazon Author Page.


#9 Lone Wolf by Sara Driscoll

FBI Special Agent Meg Jennings and Hawk, her loyal search-and-rescue Labrador, must race against time as they zero in on one of the deadliest killers in the country.

Lone Wolf is $2.99 until January 1, 2017.

Visit Sara Driscoll at her Website.




#10 Yuletide Slaying by Paty Jager

When Shandra Higheagle’s dog brings her a dead body in a sleigh full of presents, her world is turned upside down.

Yuletide Slaying is $3.99.

Visit Paty Jager at her Website.




#11 Storm’s Interlude, A Rosefire, Texas Romance by Vonnie Davis.
Adventurous…Humorous…Amorous

Sometimes a man’s dreams do come true.

Storm’s Interlude is $2.99.

Visit Vonnie Davis at her Amazon Author Page .



#12 Murder At Morland Manor by Marilyn Clay
Solving English Regency crime one murder at a time!

Can this lady’s maid avoid the hangman’s noose?

Murder At Morland Manor is $4.99.

Visit Marilyn Clay at her Amazon Author Page.




#13 A Soldier’s Italian Christmas by Jina Bacarr (I Heart Indie Winner Novella)
Once Upon a Story...

Christmas Eve, Italy 1943: An American soldier and a nun dare to fall in love.
(Click to Watch Video of A Soldier’s Italian Christmas.)

A Soldier’s Italian Christmas is 99cents.

Visit Jina Bacarr at her Once Upon a Story Blog.



#14 Friday Is Cake Day by Joan Reeves
Joan Writes Nonfiction to Share Life Lessons and Knowledge

Just in time for the holidays: a Collection of 52 Cake Recipes and more than a dozen basic and specialty Frosting Recipes from 3 generations of home bakers.

Friday Is Cake Day is $2.99.

Visit Joan at her blog SlingWords .



#15 Find Me a Home by Mimi Barbour
An author who truly gets her characters.

Can a crabby puppy save a runaway boy and perform cupid's magic this Christmas season?

Find Me a Home (Book #3 in the Holiday Heartwarmers Series) is 99cents.

Visit Mimi Barbour at her Amazon Author Page.



#16 Stone Cold Blooded, A Rock Shop Mystery by Catherine Dilts

When rock shop owner Morgan Iverson’s reclusive neighbor is blown to bits, a mystery surrounding a valuable triceratops brow horn may hold the key to his violent demise.

Stone Cold Blooded is $2.99.

Visit Catherine Dilts at her Website.



#17 Her Christmas Secret by Alicia Street
Sweet or Spicy it's all about Love

Desperate to help her sister’s family, Lila courts a cold-hearted investor for her handmade toys, but learns Christmas has a way of bringing surprises where they’re least expected.

Her Christmas Secret is 99cents. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBG88C1/

Visit Alicia Street at her Amazon Author Page.


#18 His Christmas Promise by Alicia Street

Sweet or Spicy it's all about Love

A stray dog brings two people together at Christmas.

His Christmas Promise is 99cents.

Visit Alicia Street at her Amazon Author Page.



#19 Nobody's Cinderella by Joan Reeves
Bringing Sexy Back...One Book at a Time

This Cinderella makes a wish on a Christmas star. Uh oh! She should have been careful what she wished for.

Nobody's Cinderella is $3.99.

Visit Joan Reeves at her Amazon Author Page.



#20 My Scarlet Woman by Shelley Munro
Adventure into Romance

The idea is to introduce the single Middlemarch felines to young marriageable women, but when have plans ever gone smoothly...

My Scarlet Woman is 99cents until January 31, 2017.


Visit Shelley Munro at her Website.



#21 Season, Unforgettable by Keta Diablo
Breathless Romance. Endless Love.

Everyone wrote her off as dead. Not hardly. (New Adult suspense).

Season, Unforgettable is $1.99 until the end of January 2017.

Visit Keta Diablo at her Website.



#22 Mischief & Mayhem by Loretta Wheeler
Stories told in a Southern Accent

There are all types of love: dark, sweet, short-lived, and some take you to the edge of your seat and let you dangle there awhile. Those are memorable, capable of haunting you forever... or at least through nine lives.

Mischief & Mayhem is 99cents.

Visit Loretta Wheeler at her Amazon Author Page.



#23 Sense of Touch, Music Box Series, Book 1 by Susan R. Hughes

In the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion of 1917, Amy, who has lost her parents and her home, and Sean, who has lost his sight, struggle against great odds to trust the love they've found in each other's arms.

Sense of Touch, Music Box Series, Book 1 is $2.99.

Visit Susan R. Hughes at her Amazon Author Page.


#24 Last Christmas by Joan Reeves
Bringing Sexy Back...One Book at a Time

Last Christmas, Annabelle gave Rick her heart. He stomped on it. This Christmas, Rick's going to pay!

Last Christmas is 99cents, the new release price, until January 9, 2017.

Visit Joan Reeves at her Amazon Author Page .



#25 The Christmas List by Shirley Hailstock
Read Shirley Hailstock...She'll take you on an adventure!

A freak accident changed the course of tennis player Allie Underwood’s life, can architect Peter Barrett put it back together?

The Christmas List is $2.99 until December 31, 2016.

Visit Shirley Hailstock at her Newsletter Sign Up Page. -




#26 A Christmas Bowser by Kayce Lassiter
Cowgirl Fiction With a Magical Twist.

A fairy godmother on a Harley, a fairy godfather in a pink Santa suit, and the most destructive puppy on the planet bury Harper and Kolton under a tsunami of Christmas chaos!

A Christmas Bowser is 99cents until January 1, 2017.

Visit Kayce Lassiter at her Amazon Author Page.




#27 Watchmaker's Heart by Juli D. Revezzo
The Enchanted Word

Can Phoebe's shocking invention stir up love?

Watchmaker's Heart is $1.99.

Visit Juli D. Revezzo at her Website .




#28 The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle by Sharon Buchbinder
Who let the Jinni out of the bottle?

The past meets the present when a cursed turn-of-the-century man meets a feisty modern day woman.

The Haunting of Hotel LaBelle is $3.99.

Visit Sharon Buchbinder at her Website .



#29 Smart Cookie by Libby Malin
Author of Fire Me, a romantic comedy optioned for film...

Laughs, chaos, and romance are baked in the cake when Sonja Garrett's bakery is featured on a food channel restaurant renovation show!

Smart Cookie is $2.99.

Visit Libby Malin at her Website.




#30 Casablanca: Appointment at Dawnby Linda Bennett Pennell

Will seven days be enough to save the First Allied Conference and the woman he loves?

Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn is $4.99.

Visit Bennett Pennell at her Website.




#31 An Elfy on the Loose by Barb Caffrey

When young Bruno the Elfy meets Sarah the human girl, they find romance and must save Bruno's mentor from the clutches of a Dark Elf.

An Elfy on the Loose is 99cents.


Visit Barb Caffrey at Barb Caffrey's Elfyverse .




#32 A Little Elfy in Big Trouble by Barb Caffrey

Bruno and Sarah fall further in love and gather allies to save Northern California from a Dark Elf.

A Little Elfy in Big Trouble is $2.99.

Visit Barb Caffrey at Barb Caffrey's Elfyverse .



#33 One Perfect Love: Sequel to One Small Victory by Maryann Miller
Writing books that celebrate strong women.

After waiting two agonizing years, can Jenny and Steve finally find “happy ever after?”

One Perfect Love is 99cents until 1-5-2017.

Visit Maryann Miller at her Website.




#34 Seeking Love (Emerging From Darkness, Book 1) by J.M. Maurer
Laughter & Love for Always

Can the man seated at Jessica's new patient's bedside get her to see that the light at the end of the tunnel is love?

Seeking Love is free.

Visit J.M. Maurer at her Website.




#35 Love in the Morning Calm (Prelude to The Pendant’s Promise) by Judythe Morgan
Love Stories that Touch Your Heart

In an uncertain time, in a temporary safe zone, yielding to temptation changes two lives forever.

Love in the Morning Calm, Prelude to The Pendant’s Promise is 99cents.

Visit Judythe Morgan at her Website .




#36 Fooling Around With Cinderella by Stacy Juba
Stacy Juba Books - Crisp...Fresh...Satisfying

Playing Cinderella at a fairy tale theme park transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother

Fooling Around With Cinderella is $2.99.

Visit Stacy Juba at her Website .



#37 Christmas at Apple Lake by Carol DeVaney
Contemporary Romance-Sassy, Humorous, Adventurous, In Love and Life-It’s the little things that matter.

She’s leery, he’s discouraged, but love can collapse barriers for a second chance at new beginnings.

Christmas at Apple Lake is 99cents.

Visit Carol DeVaney at her Website .



#38 Picture Imperfect by Cindy Procter-King
Fun, Fresh, Flirty Fiction

Photographer Ursula Scott discovers her sexy apprentice is an ex-cop investigating threats at his uncle's studio...but is she a target or a suspect?

Picture Imperfect is $4.99.

Visit Cindy Procter-King at her Website . 

Takeaway Truth

I hope you found lots of last minute gifts in this selection. (I hope you got some for you too!) Come back on the day after Christmas, December 26, and help us CELEBRATE BOXING DAY, a tradition in many countries. I promise to have a lovely selection of Box Sets for your shopping pleasure. Lots of books. Low prices. What more could you ask for on the big shopping day after Christmas?

Love in Times of War: boxed set romance bundle. #mgtab

 

by Uvi Poznansky  (Author), Tamara Ferguson  (Author), Jacquie Biggar  (Author), D.G. Torrens  (Author), Angelica Kate (Author), Traci Hall  (Author), Jennifer St. Giles  (Author), Regina Puckett  (Author), Suzanne Jenkins  (Author), S.R. Mallery (Author), Susan Jean Ricci  (Author), PJ Fiala  (Author)   

At no other point is passion put to the test as in dire times of war. From the American Civil War to WWII, from Vietnam to the War in Afghanistan to the Persian Gulf, the stories in this boxed set summon the strength of true lovers. Written by bestselling, award-winning, and USA Today authors, the novels and novellas in this collection tell of overcoming loss, injuries, and separation, to celebrate the victory of love. 
If you like Military Romance, Wounded Warrior Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, or Romantic Suspense, this anthology invites you to triumph over the worst of conditions and find the courage to bring forth the best in us. 
Buy Link:  Amazon  
Love In Times of War is up for pre-order at any of these fine venues: 
 #Kindle http://BookShow.me/B01M0SOXQW 
 #Nook http://tinyurl.com/luvitoWar 
 #Apple http://tinyurl.com/luvitoWar-a 
 #Kobo http://tinyurl.com/luvitoWar-k  
 #Smashwords http://tinyurl.com/luvitoWar-s
Get your copy now! 
BOOK BITES - 12 award winning, best-selling authors give you some tidbits from their LOVE IN TIMES OF WAR boxed set! 

Try a sample, take the whole assortment: 
Book Bites: Love in Times of War 
Kindle ★  Nook ★ Kobo ★ Smashwords
 
     Excerpts from The Rebel’s Redemption by Jacquie Biggar:  “Miss Campbell, guess what? Jake’s here. He was outside when we went to get Susan. How cool is that?” “That’s pretty cool all right. How’d he get here? And where’s Chris?” She’d grabbed up a napkin to wipe the ice cream from her lips, when a voice out of the past lifted the hairs on the nape of her neck and sent a shiver down her spine. “He’s here. With me.” The smooth tones rolled over her, and sucked all the air out of the room. Annie stiffened, then crumpled the napkin and slowly turned in her seat—yep, it was Jared all right. And Chris. Oh. My. God. He looked good. The random thought floated through her mind even as she tried to digest the fact he was finally back. Eight years too late, but he was here. She wanted to grab Chris and run. Run before what was obvious to her became obvious to everyone else. Shit. “Hello, Annie, it’s been a long time.” Why was he looking at her as if she’d betrayed him? She wasn’t the one to cut and run without a single word in all this time. Goddamn him. “Jared. Yes, it has been. A very long time. There were no phones where you were? Your mother probably would’ve appreciated knowing whether you were dead or alive.” Not to mention herself. She’d promised herself she wasn’t going down this road, the blame road. It was time to leave. She turned her back on him, looked into Jack’s concerned eyes, and forced herself to smile as if her heart wasn’t shattering into a million tiny pieces. “I better get back. Tina needs to take her break. Call me later?” He gave her waist a warm squeeze, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before sliding free. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but for what it’s worth, I’ve got your back.” Near tears, she stood from the table, and without looking at either man again, grabbed both children’s hands and hustled them out the door.  Annie’s heart tried to leap out of her chest, one hand muffling her scream, while the other clutched the now half-empty box. Why hadn’t she made sure she locked the door behind the delivery guy this morning? Of all the asinine, irresponsible things to do. “I…I’m sorry, we’re closed right now. Can you ma…maybe come back later?” Like never. The stranger—she was pretty sure she’d never seen him before—stayed to the shadows, denying her a clear view of his features. He wore an old-fashioned bowler hat tipped forward over his eyes, and a black greatcoat, one hand tucked into the pocket. She was probably about to star in her own horror flick. Killed with her own merchandise. She could see the headlines already. Annie kept a nervous gaze on that pocket, her imagination going into overdrive. When the silence threatened to explode in her head, he bent and picked up one of the carving knives she’d graciously sent his way. His thumb skimmed up and down the blade. She didn’t think she’d ever been so scared in her life. “Please, I have no money. What do you want?” That got a reaction. His hand stilled on the blade and piercing eyes looked up and pinned her in place. “Tell Martin I here. There is nowhere he can hide.” He threw the knife. Annie gasped and recoiled as the blade flew through the air and embedded itself obscenely in the heart of her sewing mannequin. “Tell him he must pay.” Without another word, he disappeared out the door, a dark wraith. Annie sank to the floor in a boneless heap. Now that it was over her teeth chattered, and shivers racked her frame. Who was he? What did he want? She wanted to believe it was all a misunderstanding and he’d come to the wrong door, but in her heart she knew better. This was about Jared.  *** Jared's world narrowed down to the little black barrel of the gun pointed at his chest. Funny, in all the years of being in the SEAL teams he'd never been in this situation. Not to say he hadn't dodged his share of bullets. It's just they'd always erupted like a hailstorm, out of nowhere. This was somewhere. The back alley of his mother's freaking café in freaking America to be exact. What the hell? If he wasn't so pissed off at himself for getting into this situation, he might have laughed. Eight years overseas off and on, and he was going to get shot in his own backyard. How's that for ironic? "Look man, why don't we talk about this?" Jared forced his gaze to focus on Sergei's steely gaze instead of the muzzle of the semi-automatic. "The time for talk is past," the Russian said. "You ignored my advice and instead made a fool out of me with that stupid trick you performed." "Advice? You call beating the livin' shit out of me, advice?" Jared ground his teeth together, and fought to keep a level tone. "You can't blame a guy for wanting to retaliate." A crash by the garbage caused both men to crouch into a fight stance. A tabby cat raced away. Jared straightened, his heart knocking against his ribcage, as desperate to escape this mess as the animal. He needed to defuse the situation before someone came upon them; please God not his mom. "Okay, you're right. I shouldn't have set off alarms or caused those slots to pay out. But seriously dude, you can't go around acting all KGB, we're in the good old USA now." Jared kept a careful eye on the guy's trigger finger and cursed his loose tongue. What part of defuse couldn't he figure out? Sergei tipped his felt hat back on his bald head like an old time gunslinger. His hand holding the gun never wavered. "You have big mouth." Yeah, I've heard that a time or ten. "Why don't we handle this like two adults? I'll call your boss, tell him I screwed up and it'll never happen again…" There was no doubt on that, if he ever went near a casino again he'd kick his own ass. "And then you can go back to ruling your little kingdom far, far, away." Click. The sound of the hammer cocking reverberated with frightening clarity in the small alley. There wasn't even anywhere for him to take cover. The garbage can was at least ten feet away. Jared's jaw cramped from the tension. His skin crawled as if overrun with fire ants. Where was his team when he needed them? He'd just decided the only alternative was to rush the son-of-a-bitch when the alley erupted with the screams and laughter of children. Two kids rounded the corner at full speed on pedal bikes, racing each other to an imaginary finish line. Sergei seized the opportunity, stepped between the bicycles and scooped the kids off their seats. The bikes, wheels still turning, fell to the ground in front of him creating a barrier. The kids—God, it was Chris and little Jessica—shrieked until Sergei shook them, then they froze, eyes wide and frightened, hanging under his arms like rag dolls. "Let them go, you motherfu…" Jared's voice came out low and lethal. Every muscle in his body prepared itself for the moment of attack. His breathing slowed until he could count each heartbeat as the blood coursed through his veins. Waiting. Watching. Barnikov laughed. Laughed. The prick. "Now it my turn to play game." Jared made a slight move and Sergei's smile flat-lined. He dropped Jessica to the ground in front of him but kept his forearm wrapped around her neck. The gun nestled the side of her head pointed straight at Chris dangling from his other arm. "Move and I shoot." He shuffled the trio back towards the mouth of the alley. "We'll talk again, my friend." And then he disappeared around the corner, leaving nothing but the slowly turning tire on a bike, and Jared's heart as it shattered.   
Bio: JACQUIE BIGGAR  is a USA Today bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males who know what they want, that is until they're gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them what they really need is love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has just started a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls. She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters. Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can't function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. :) Free reads, excerpts, author news, and contests can be found on her web site:  http://jacqbiggar.com You can follow her on at http://Facebook.com/jacqbiggar , http://Twitter.com/jacqbiggar  Or email her via her web site. Jacquie lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world! You can also join her street team on Facebook: Biggar's Book Buddies And sign up for her newsletter-  http://eepurl.com/2MFvX  

Holiday #Giveaway wth gift basket of #prizes!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Win up to 18 Holiday eBooks!
(2) Grand Prize "Gift Baskets" of ALL eBooks!





(18) Winners of Individual eBooks (randomly selected titles)



































For an added gift from me to you...








★•**•.★

Holly Jolly Christmas by Mona Risk #mgtab

The holiday season has officially started. For Christians, it’s the Advent and the joyous preparations to celebrate Jesus’ Birth. For Jewish, it’s the Hanukkah and lighting of the Menorah. Both traditionally happy celebrations.I am not trying to depress you, but being a realistic person, let me ask you, what if the coming days are not particularly happy? One of our dear friends lost her husband this week. I wonder how her holiday will turn. Another friend just had open-heart surgery and four by-passes. We hope he will recover soon. Oops, sorry if I’ve depressed you. Not my intention. Life is not always rosy.In my story, Holly Jolly Christmas, the heroine’s father is very sick. He knows his days are numbered, and he fight hard to build as many happy memories for his family as he can. His Christmas must be a Holly Jolly Christmas. And it does. Even after he passes, he leaves a last letter to his wife Barbara, and his five daughters–a legacy of hope and clear encouragements.Dear Family:
Life MUST continue. Claire and Tiffany, I count on you to ace your studies and go to college. Roxanne and Madelyn, do your best at work, but remember that a career is not enough to fill a heart. You need a loving partner. Heather and Jeff, take good care of your baby. Barbara, you need to learn to live again. Loneliness is not good.HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS is my contribution to the USA Today bestseller anthology, LOVE, CHRISTMAS. You’ll love this heartwarming collection of 20 all-new Christmas stories from NY Times, USA Today, and national best-selling authors. Every title in the set is from a well-known Christmas carol and we hope while reading these delightful stories, they will put a song in your heart.



http://bit.ly/LoveChristmasUS
http://bit.ly/LoveChristmasKobo
http://bit.ly/LoveChristmasBN
http://bit.ly/LoveChristmasAppleHOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS is the prequel to the Holiday Babies Series
With high moral values and a strong sense of unity, the Ramsay family counts five daughters—Madelyn, Roxanne, Heather, Claire, and Tiffany, and their mother Barbara. Later, stepdaughter Monica Roland joins the clan.
Christmas Babies : Can a career fill her life? (Madelyn and Dr. Nick Preston)
Valentine Babies : Can he love a woman expecting another man’s baby? (Roxanne and Dr. Greg Hayes)
Mother’s Day Babies : Never too late to find love and happiness. (Barbara and Lou Roland)
Wedding Surprise : Is it the worst or best wedding surprise? (Claire and David Wheeler)
Christmas Papa : Who’ s my papa, Mommy? (Monica and Michael Wheeler)
On Christmas Eve : We want a mommy for Christmas. (Tiffany and Dr. Matthew Alonso)
Mona Risk: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Mona Risk, received an Outstanding Achiever Award from Affaire de Coeur Magazine. She’s a two time winner of Best Contemporary Romance of the Year from Readers Favorite; a winner of Best Romance Novel of the Year from Preditors& Editors Readers Poll; and an EPIC Award finalist.
Mona Risk’s name has often been posted on the Amazon.com 100 Most Popular Authors in Romance list, and her books have garnered: Top Pick, Outstanding Read, Sweetheart of the Week, and Best Book of the Week from various reviewers, and received two mentions in Publisher’s Weekly.
Mona lives in South Florida and has traveled to more than eighty countries on business or vacation. She writes contemporary romances, medical romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal fantasy. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, her stories are set in the fascinating places she visited or more simply at home.
If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy her international romances. Meet the spirited heroines and special heroes who share irresistible chemistry in stories that simmer with emotion. View website

Christmas Romance Extravaganza! A fabulous #Giveaway chockerblock full of #prizes! #mgtab

~*~*~*~

Welcome to Our
Inaugural Christmas
Romance Extravaganza!
  Celebrate the Holidays with Over
150 Free Romances
from Bestselling & Award-Winning Authors,
PLUS $1,000+ in Prizes!
  



Enter to Win a Kindle Paperwhite,
1 of 10 Kindle Fires,
and...
1 of 10 $50 Bookstore Gift Cards!

Good luck, folks!!
This is the really an
 
EXTRAVAGANZA!!

~*~*~*~

Oh Right...
 So you don't go away empty handed,
I have a little gift for you also.
This is a very short Christmas story that
I wrote years ago and
on the cover is the beautiful,
stain-glass village that my wonderfully
talented dad made for me. I set it up
every year on Dec 1st xoxo 

Mimi's homemade perogies - easy to make and totally scrumptious! #mgtab

Does your family have that traditional dish that you just have to serve for every special occasion? Mine does. It’s the best comfort food in the world. So many people have fallen in love with these dumplings that the stores sell a huge variety nowadays. But we make them from scratch. And trust me – if you’ve ever tasted the homemade ones done the way my Polish grandma and my Dad taught me, you’d see the difference immediately. They’re not doughy and heavy... just the opposite.If you want to see for yourself, I’m sharing my instructions. Since there’s never been a recipe for these in our family, I hope you’ll forgive the way I’ve written it. Just pretend I’m with you in the room and telling these directions to you in person :-)
Try them and see if you can have this special dish on your table over the holidays. I’d love to know how they turn out… so please come back and share the results.Mimi’s Homemade Perogies Filling: Boil 4 med potatoes with salt. When they’re ready, drain the water and let them sit for a minute to release the steam. (Important or you’ll have a mushy mess.)Shred (old style) gold cheddar cheese and have it ready to add to the potatoes - while the potatoes are still hot, mash in the cheese with a bit of butter and salt and pepper. Use lots of cheese and do the old taste test. If it’s flavourful - it’s ready.Let the cheese mixture cool! (I put mine in the fridge) If you don’t, you’ll be sorry when you go to fill the perogies. (Trust me they’ll stick) Dough: In a medium size bowl and put a couple of heaping cups of flour. Add salt.Run the hot water and have a quart of milk nearby.Run some water over the flour and then add again as much milk. Stir - just a little - to see how the consistency is. Preferably, the dough should be sticky. Keep adding more liquids (as much milk as water) so that when you stir the mixture, it’s quite wet.  (this is the secret to a good dough…you should have it sticky when you put it on a floured counter and little by little you’ll add more flour until it feels like you know the dough should feel.Secret to good dough!! YOU CAN NEVER USE TOO MUCH FLOUR!!!Cut the dough into quarters and roll each part out separately. Use lots of flour. I will emphasize…USE LOTS OF FLOUR and your dough will roll out really thin, (you want nice thin dough so don’t be afraid to roll it as much as necessary. I use an empty tin can (small size) to cut out rounds and I fill them quite full. Fold one side to the other and pinch, making sure they’re sealed. Then place the perogies on a floured cookie sheet and sprinkling lots of flour, make layers using wax paper.Freeze now, or boil.When they’re fresh, they only take a minute to get to the top of a pot of boiling, salted water. Only cook them another minute.  2 minutes total. Do not overcook! (When they’re frozen, they do take a bit longer.)Strain and put them in a buttered bowl. Topping: In a small dish, microwave butter until it melts. Roll out salted soda crackers and add the crumbs to the butter and stir. Use this to coat the boiled perogies. (If there happens to be any leftovers, they fry up beautifully the next day.)Then… with a glass of  DIET  coke, enjoy the treat!~*~*~ Fillings I’ve made:   Sauerkraut drained well with a few spoonfuls of mashed potato to give it the consistency you need. I always serve these perogies with bacon (cut into smaller pieces) & onions fried with the butter.Cottage cheese and again some mashed potatoes for consistency. Make sure it’s a dried cheese or drain really well. Add lots of salt and pepper and if you like, you can add some fried onions cut small. My trick is to make the salted soda cracker and butter crumbs and add in some to this mixture as well as on the top of the boiled perogies.Blueberries – wash and dry well and sprinkle with flour and sugar. Fill the perogies and fold over like as usual but then take two corners and pinch together to make them stronger. Top with melted butter once they’re boiled. Then sprinkled with sugar when they’re ready to eat.Blue plums. I cut these into halves or if they’re larger ones, into quarters. I sprinkle with flour and sugar, form them as usual and then squeeze the two corners together for strength. Boil and then top with melted butter. When served, keep the sugar bowl handy. Some people make a type of sweetened cream sauce for the fruit perogies… we never have.~*~*~Another treat I have for you is a  FREE  copy of my wonderful Christmas novella called Snow Pup. This story is Book #2 in the Holiday Heartwarmer Series and a delightful read to put you in the mood for the season.

 ( Holiday Heartwarmers (4 Book Series)In this delightful Christmas love story, Deputy Shawna Mallory finds Billy McCrae - a runaway boy sleeping in a mound of snow with an anxious puppy guarding him. He’s a sad child surviving a terrible existence until she puts a stop to it and becomes his foster parent. She’s drawn to the snarky kid and just wants his life to be happier, his and the stray mutt who won’t leave his side. Not that the boy cares about the dog… or her. Then she meets his father, the one who abandoned the boy when he was five. How is it possible for her to be attracted?  

Romantic Picks of the season! Too good to miss! Today only! #mgtab

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