Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 13
May 26, 2014
Eve Devon: “The Waiting Game” Birthday Bash
Eve Devon’s romantic suspense “The Waiting Game” turns one today…let’s celebrate with her!
Eve Devon: Firsts…
So The Waiting Game turns one year old today and as it was my debut book it got me thinking about all the firsts I experienced with its publication.
This year has flown by, but I can still remember the flutter in my heart when I first saw ‘copyright by’ and the copyright symbol next to my name.
And seeing my cover for the first time? I can admit that it took me a while to realize Big Ben was in the background—I was distracted by something in the foreground. Abs can say so much, don’t you think?!
Then there was seeing my book appear on all the bookseller sites that I usually purchased books from. Typing in my name and having my book pop up to buy—yep, total rush!
But as I raise my glass in celebration of The Waiting Game being out a year, the absolute icing on the cake was the first time a reader took the time to contact me and tell me how much they enjoyed my book.
I think that’s why all the firsts surrounding the release of your debut book are so special. The fact that people are prepared to take a chance on a new voice and without any pre-judging dive right in for an adventure, well, it’s the greatest of compliments. It is also why writers write—to share a story.
If you’ve been looking for the next adventure to dive right into, then consider the wait over! Here are all the details you need to immerse yourself in The Waiting Game:
Blurb:
Five years ago a madman stalked her. Kidnapped her. Tattooed her.
When security expert Cameron Dexter—the man Brooke Bennett once loved—appears unexpectedly at her door with terrifying news, the former musician discovers she can no longer hide from her past. After five years, her vicious kidnapper is out of prison and on the hunt—for Brooke.
Now he’s returned to complete his art.
Cam failed to protect Brooke once before. Now he’d rather die than let her be captured. With her life at stake, Cam vows to keep her hidden and safe. Brooke, however, is done with running. Unlike Cam, she wants to stand and fight. Emotions both old and new roil between them, but addressing their heated past must wait. Together they set a trap in London to catch a killer. But they soon discover the enemy wears many faces…
And waiting is no longer an option.
Buy links:
Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes KOBO
EVE DEVON
Bio: Growing up in locations like Botswana and Venezuela gave me quite the taste for adventure and my love for romances began when my mother shoved one into my hands in a desperate attempt to keep me quiet during TV coverage of the Wimbledon tennis finals! When I wasn’t consuming books by the bucketload, I could be found pretending to be a damsel in distress or running around solving mysteries and writing down my adventures. As a teenager, I wrote countless episodes of TV detective dramas so the hero and heroine would end up together every week. As an adult, I worked in a library to conveniently continue consuming books by the bucketload, until realising I was destined to write contemporary romance and romantic suspense myself. I live in leafy Surrey in the UK, a book-devouring, slightly melodramatic, romance-writing sassy heroine with my very own sexy hero husband!
Where you can find me:
May 25, 2014
$25 #Giveaway: “Immersed” by Jennifer Griffith
Immersed by Jennifer Griffith
Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever.
But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest.
Until… Erik.
Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she’d never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.
Excerpt
Aunt Corky interjected with a selling point. “Amanda, I think Lisette might have a good thing going with this plan of hers. Only the wealthiest business people will be able to afford to hire her as a linguist. It’s going to be a good pool to draw from.” She aimed her fork’s tines for emphasis.
Geez. Great. Now her mom would think Lisette was only starting this business to catch a rich husband. And she’d expect Lisette to be actively looking among the clients—a complete no-no on Lisette’s ethical standards. She’d even written it into the boilerplate contract she expected to have every potential client sign. Aunt Corky meant well, of course. Lisette could forgive easily. At least what Corky said worked—there was a visible relenting in her mom’s countenance.
Lisette pounced on that. “Look, Mom. I have a proposal. Give me three years at this. That’s a reasonable amount of time for a startup company to either make it or break. If I haven’t both paid you back and paid off my student loans in that amount of time—in full, to the penny—I’ll come take the Mandarin job at Pannebaker.”
Mom took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and relented. “Fine. But three years. Every penny. It’s a deal.” She put an arm around Lisette’s shoulder. “I know you can do it. Of course, I’d really rather see you fail.”
“Amanda!” Aunt Corky scolded.
“No, not that. I just want to see her settled and having a family by then. It’s not business success that I count as a real measure.”
Lisette had just been forcibly booted from a relationship not an hour ago. Now was not the time to debate the merits of marital bliss.
“Three years. You’ll only be twenty-seven by then. There will still be a chance of happiness.” Mom sighed, but Aunt Corky squeezed Lisette’s hand and gave a happy little jump and a squeal.
Author Jennifer Griffith
Jennifer Griffith studied French, German, Japanese, and a wee bit of Spanish in her school days. Her grandmother was Norwegian, and Jennifer grew up with lots of Scandinavian traditions floating around, including fabulous cardamom laced cookies called Krumkaker, made on a fancy waffle iron. However, she’d never dream of trying to teach someone any of those languages. And she might botch the cookies. Instead, she writes novels in English, drives her five kids a million places, and laughs with her husband, who came up with the plot for Immersed because he’s just a cool muse like that.
Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/9/14 - Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 22, 2014
Take a Ride with Stan Ellsworth of TV’s American Ride ($50 #Giveaway)
Host of AMERICAN RIDE, Stan Ellsworth breaks the mold of the stereotypical High School history teacher.
Former history teacher Stan Ellsworth tours the country on a Harley Davidson for the television show “American Ride.” Ellsworth’s approach to American history in AMERICAN RIDE removes the “bow tie and sweater vest” of history professors, puts on the “skull rag and denim vest” and breaks down stereotypes. His adventurous spirit and love for the United States is contagious and engaging. His approach is more like an invitation to walk (and ride) with him through the footsteps of history. He hopes the stories and “postcards” from the highways and byways of the country will make American history relevant to today’s audiences, and motivate them to take an active part in the preservation of the values this country was built upon.
Now in the sixth season, Stan takes you across the world to see how the clouds of war gathered once again and what led America to enter WWII. New episodes air each Monday 9PM ET/ 7PM MT on BYUtv. If you’ve missed any episodes, you can catch up with all of the previous seasons online anytime at www.byutv.com/americanride
ABOUT STAN ELLSWORTH
The 6’ 2”, 300-lb muscle-clad Harley Davidson-riding host of BYUtv’s acclaimed American history program, American Ride, would like nothing better than to inspire the next generation of George Washingtons, Susan B. Anthonys and Thomas Jeffersons. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in the Carolinas, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Ellsworth was steeped in the landmarks and stories of American history throughout his formative years. His family lineage includes such historic luminaries as Revolutionary War patriot Ethan Allen; both Generals of the Cival War, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant (also the 18th president of the U.S.); and American folk heroes Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.
Ellsworth’s goal—both when he was in the classroom, and now in his weekly television program—has always been to “wake people up” to the stories of our founding fathers and mothers, and to the sacrifices they made in creating this nation. In his gruff baritone voice, he speaks eloquently of our heritage and extols the wisdom and bravery of those who came before.
“LET’S TAKE A RIDE” ~ Stan Ellsworth
Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/17/14 - Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
May 20, 2014
Spotlight and #Giveaway: “Friendly Fire” Lorhainne Eckhart
Title: Friendly Fire (The Wilde Brothers Book Two)
Author: Lorhainne Eckhart
Release Date: May 20, 2014
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Hosted By: Book Promotions by Literary Nook
“I wish I could find a man like the Wilde Brothers.” – Tina
“Read the whole thing in 1 day. A page turner from start to finish. Makes me wish I lived in Idaho.” – Diane
In FRIENDLY FIRE, after a roadside bomb ends his career in the marines, Logan Wilde struggles to put his life back together. When he takes a job as a sheriff in a small Idaho town, he expects a quiet, peaceful life that will bore him to tears. However, Logan hides a painful secret: He suffers from sleepless nights and flashbacks that come out of nowhere, and anything can be a trigger.
From the moment the new sheriff walks through the door of Julia Cooper’s cafe, she fights the attraction between them, especially after Logan shoots a carafe right from her hands when he’s startled by a car backfiring in the street outside. Julia has seen that wild look before: She saw it in her father’s eyes right before he shoved a gun to his head and killed himself.
Julia decides she needs to meet someone average, someone who has never handled a gun. Everyone is convinced that her daughter’s teacher is the perfect match for her, but when she’s with him, she misses the sparks that always sizzle between her and Logan—and when her daughter goes missing, it’s Logan who’s there for her, Logan who searches with her, and Logan she leans on.
Worse, Logan suspects that the teacher knows something about the disappearance, and he may not be the safe, dependable guy Julia believes him to be.
**CONTENT WARNING: Although this series is filled with ideals of family, love and loyalty, the Wilde brothers are strong sexy alpha males. Each book and short story in this series is filled with sexual tension, steamy romance, rough language, and passion. It is for those who enjoy adult contemporary romance, women’s fiction, western romance.
Amazon:
http://mybook.to/FriendlyFireLorhainneEckhart
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friendly-fire-lorhainne-eckhart/1119389754?ean=9781928085065
Apple:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/friendly-fire/id871963932?mt=11
Excerpt
Don’t choke, don’t hesitate, the voice in his head urged over and over as Logan Wilde pounded the ground, kicking up dust and sand as he ran through the field, his finger locked on his rifle. As the squad leader, he was never supposed to go first, but he wanted—needed—to, even though his heart was pounding. Adrenaline surged through his veins like cool liquid from an IV. Sweat made his T-shirt and uniform stick to his chest, a second skin…and the smell, it was something he might never forget. The dirt and grit scraped his lungs, his nose, his mouth. He had been told he would get used to it eventually.
The heat and dirt and grunge didn’t get to him, though, no matter how uncomfortable they were. What got to him was the guilt and worry, needing to be first through the door, because if anyone was going to take a bullet, it had to be him. These were his men. He had trained them, and they were his brothers.
He hunkered down, resting his rifle on the sandy mound and looking through his scope, eyeing the roadblock ahead as his marines took their position. His men all knew what to do. Many of them were still kids, but they trained together and lived together, and they knew each other better than most families. To Logan, these men were family. He didn’t have to look to know that Sergeant Mike Duffy was manning the tank-mounted machine gun or that Corporal Jeff Starly had his back.
He gave the order right before a high-pitched whistle caught his attention—then there was a flash, heat and pain. His muscles seized at the long, rough droning sound, intense pain ripping through his leg. He gasped, fighting past the sense of being strangled. He couldn’t get his breath. His eyes were open, and he was on his back, staring up at the light blue sky. Was it the sky? He blinked. The sound was deafening, everything happening in slow motion. Where was the brightness, the obscured sun, and the colorless desert? It made no sense, this dingy, speckled ceiling.
He blinked again. The buzzing kept going on and on, irritating him. It just wouldn’t stop. His heartbeat was a booming sound in his ears, and something twisted around his legs, pulling him down. This time, he couldn’t get away. He was drowning, he was sure. Something had him, and he thrashed and fought. There was a crash, then silence. No noise, no buzz—nothing. He just stared. Logan blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
He took a breath, beads of sweat rolling off his forehead as he tried to swallow past the dryness in his throat, his heart hammering in his chest. When he went to lift his hand, twisted in the sheets, he yanked it free and heard the cloth tear. He was naked, out of breath as if he’d been running for miles, and he was drenched with sweat. His face, his chest, even his hands were damp. He stared at a spot on the wall and then lower, to a shattered black alarm clock in the corner, then to his gun on the nightstand beside him.
Logan Wilde lowered his face to his hands and scrubbed hard over a day-old beard. “Get a grip,” he muttered, his hands trembling as he tried to shake off the dream that returned every time he closed his eyes. He never knew when the dream would hit him. It always crept up on him, sucking him back into the insanity of war. It took him a minute now, as he stood on shaky legs, staring at the plain, boxlike bedroom, his clothes stacked on a three-drawer dresser, before it started to come back to him: He had taken a job in MacKay, a small town, part of a ranching community nestled in a charming valley with Idaho’s nine highest peaks right at its back door.
This should have given him peace. MacKay had everything he wanted, everything he needed. He had told himself over and over that this would be good for him. He took in the rumpled double bed, nightstand, and dresser that had come with the older two-bedroom house he was renting at the edge of town. It was all he needed, since it was already furnished with everything, including the coffeepot in the kitchen. It was perfect, no stress, easy—so why was he still having these damn dreams?
He sat back on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping, and lowered his head in his hands. He ran his fingers roughly through his short, rumpled hair and over the back of his head. His damn hands still wouldn’t quit shaking. He held them up in front of his face, worried for a minute that he’d see blood, and let out a sigh of relief when he didn’t. He blinked, sweat rolling off his brow and down the bridge of his nose. His large, calloused, tanned hands should have been steady and sure and solid, but instead he felt like some wet-behind-the-ears kid.
“Get a grip. Come on, it’s not real,” he said, his gruff voice sounding strange to his own ears. He was a man on the edge, losing control. He had dangled between life and death, seeing all the horrors of battle. He had teetered with one foot over that edge during the seventeen days he had been in a coma, tubes sticking out of him, a ventilator breathing for him. He had been left without a spleen, his skull fractured, his leg having to be pieced back together, all because of the roadside bomb he had never spotted. The explosion had ended his career as a first sergeant in the marines, but that wasn’t the worst of it. No, the worst thing was his memories of the people he had lost because of that mistake.
Author Bio
Lorhainne Eckhart is a 2013 Readers Favorite Award winner, frequently a top 100 bestselling author on Amazon in Romance, Westerns and Police Procedural. Author of 25 titles which includes novels, collections, and short stories. She writes three genres, western romance, romantic suspense and military romance and has sold more than 250,000 eBooks since her bestseller The Forgotten Child landed on the Amazon #1 Bestseller list for Westerns and Western Romance.
The German Foreign rights for The Forgotten Child have since been acquired by a major publisher, retitled The Forgotten Boy and released March 18, 2014, now a top 100 overall bestseller on Amazon. Lorhainne lives on sunny Salt Spring Island with her family where she is working on her next book.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST
THE WILDE BROTHERS
The One (Joe & Margaret)
The Honeymoon, A Wilde Brothers Short
Friendly Fire (Logan & Julia)
A Matter of Trust (Ben & Carrie) Coming Summer 2014
THE OUTSIDER Series
The Forgotten Child (Brad & Emily)
A Baby And A Wedding (An Outsider Series Short)
Fallen Hero (Andy, Jed & Diana)
The Search (An Outsider Series Short)
The Awakening (Andy & Laura)
Secrets (Jed & Diana)
Runaway(Andy & Laura)
Overdue (An Outsider Series Short)
The Unexpected Storm (Neil & Candy)
The Wedding (Neil & Candy)
THE FRIESSENS: A NEW BEGINNING
The Deadline (Andy & Laura)
WALK THE RIGHT ROAD SERIES
The Choice
Lost And Found
Merkaba
Bounty
Blown Away, The Final Chapter
Giveaway
Author is giving away one copy ofWalk the Right Road: The Complete Collection & One copy of The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection
Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
May 19, 2014
Charmaine Gordon: She Didn’t Say No (#Giveaway)
Please welcome author and dear friend Charmaine Gordon, who seriously has one amazing backstory. If you don’t follow her blog I highly recommend you do so, for she shares heartwarming slices of her own life and some truly interesting anecdotes about the celebrities with whom she has worked. She also writes a unique, oft-overlooked genre…and for more on that – as well as for the details of her giveaway – you’ll have to read on. Welcome, Charmaine!
Charmaine GordonOnce upon a time, long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was a little girl who planned to tap dance my way to fame. Fate stepped in because girls were supposed to be good daughters, good wives and good mothers. I did all the expected things except what I secretly wanted to do. Years passed. I married my high school sweetie, became an Air Force wife, raised a batch of kids and acted in community theater. Ultimately, we left service life and moved to NY. A professional actor suggested I go to the city, learn the crafts of television, movie and commercial acting so I did. Before long I was a small fish in a large pond with all three unions to my credit. Finally in my mid years I had a career.
What does this have to do with writing? Hmm. A lot. While reading a zillion scripts and learning dialogue and setting, I absorbed the written words of fine playwrights. When my voice failed I quit show business and decided to write a book. Got super lucky to hook up with Vanilla Heart Publishing four years ago and now eleven published stories later, I’m an author with a platform and a following.
Great things happen when you least expect it. To Be Continued, my first novel published by Vanilla Heart Publishing attracted the attention of a production company. They offered an option for a television movie. My first Happy Dance and I didn’t need tap shoes for this one.
Last year I wrote a long/short story titled Instant Grandpa. Instead of writing The End, I typed The Beginning. . .Not The End. The story with sexy seniors called for more as if they said to me, “It’s not over ‘til it’s over, we’re just beginning.” Since then I’ve written five more long/short stories, each one a stand-alone available in eformat or paperback in two volumes.
One of my favorite’s is She Didn’t Say No.
Blurb:
Grace didn’t say no to the Big Man On Campus, Scott Dwyer. And then her life changed… Years later, a too-close encounter of an unpleasant kind with a skunk and Scott’s German Shepherd reunites the former lovers. What happens in between are their stories of beginnings and endings and love lost, then found.
The story begins in 1960 and takes the reader right up to today. Grace is a nineteen year old virgin in college. A short excerpt from an innocent time:
We went to Nyack about a half hour north of school and parked at the hiking section. “There’s a small beach a little way up over some boulders. The Hudson River is darn cold right now but beautiful.” He gave me another half grin, grabbed a blanket from the trunk and we climbed a short way.
Goose bumps rose on my arms from the breeze blowing across the water. No jacket and I’m shaking. What an impression to make on this guy. And suddenly Scott wrapped his arms and the blanket around us and we were all alone. Body heat warmed and overwhelmed me with a yearning I’d never experienced before.
“Better?” His voice had deepened. He rubbed my arms.
“Yes. Much better. I should’ve worn a jacket.”
The kiss, tentative at first, made me tingle all over. I’d never had a boyfriend before. This feeling was new to me. Too busy being the obedient daughter appeasing my parents demands on time to experiment at being a kid, a teenager. So here I am at nineteen not knowing what to do with a first kiss, for God sake.
“Well, uh hi Scott. You’re a um, good kisser.”
Laughing, he hugged me tight. “Only good? I can do better than that.” This time the kiss curled my socks and knocked me for a loop.
***
Thanks for inviting me to be your guest, Sarah. We’ve been friends for a few years and watched each other grow as writers.
An ecopy to a commenter who spills the beans about her ambition before writing or reading. Let me hear from you, my friends.
http://www.amazon.com/She-Didnt-Say-Beginning-Not/dp/0615959865
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I1MRP9S
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shedidn039tsayno-1404960-149.html
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/400933
May 18, 2014
#RoadTrip 7: Devil’s Tower and More from Wyoming
I need to pick up the pace…it’s almost time for me to get back out there! (Yes, we’re doing this again. Six kids and over a week on the road…yee haw!) Anyway, LOL, this visit we find ourselves in Wyoming, which we had the pleasure of entering on a winding, scenic byway. Beautiful country…I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Cattle grazing in wide open Wyoming
The population of hay bales in WY was second only to that of the cattle. (Totally unscientific observation – don’t quote me on that.)
WY is just full of unique landforms
This teepee was in a field near the road, but otherwise in the middle of nowhere.
Pictures don’t do this justice. If you follow the road ahead (near the center of the picture between the sign and the tree), you can see just how large this landscape is.
Devil’s Tower is a volcanic cone exposed by erosion. You can see it from miles and miles away, but unfortunately we didn’t get any closer than this, as it was closed due to the federal government shutdown.
My kids standing next to the gate, which was locked up tight courtesy of the federal government shutdown.
We actually have these at home, LOL, but this is just SO Wyoming!
Coal mining – not exactly pretty, but a memorable sight!
It’s not every day you see an airplane fuselage on a train!
By this point, our plans had gone awry. Next stop should have been Yellowstone, but it was closed due to the federal government shutdown. I was SO disappointed the kids wouldn’t at least see the Rocky Mountains, but even without Yellowstone, seeing the mountains was no longer an option because a blizzard was closing in. We were still headed west on I-90 at this point looking for the junction of I-25 south and my husband’s cell phone was going crazy with severe weather alerts. Cue the ERMAGERD…
…And then THIS happened. Just a few miles from the I-25 junction, there were the Rocky Mountains. It’s just breathtaking the way they appear out of nowhere. Just a few hours after we left, this ground was covered in more than three feet of snow and the highway closed. Yikes!
This is another of my favorite pictures from the trip. On I-25 near Casper, WY.
This is southeastern WY. It’s endless.
Southeastern Wyoming
Wyoming sunset
Next up, pictures from the road back east. In the meantime, if you’ve missed a stop, here are links to previous posts:
Roadtrip 1: highlights and favorites from the road
Roadtrip 2: on the road
Roadtrip 3: on the road (still)
Roadtrip 4: Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills of SD
Roadtrip 5: Badlands National Park, SD
Roadtrip 6: Deadwood, SD and Mt. Moriah Cemetery
May 15, 2014
Historical Romance Bundle from Michelle McLean – Over 700 pages for Just 99 cents!
The Wild West just got a little wilder…
In a time when justice is hard to come by, three unconventional sisters become one notorious bandit—The Blood Blade—robbing from the corrupt lawmen to give back to the innocent.
A Bandit’s Stolen Heart
Under the persona of the bandit, Blood Blade, Cilla Richardson robs from the corrupt and gives to the poor. But an accidental kidnapping leaves her with a very handsome captive named Leo Forrester…and an idea to save her town.
A Bandit’s Broken Heart
Determined to make a fresh start with her daughter, widow Brynne Richardson gives up her bandit activities and leaves California for Boston. Working for a handsome doctor fulfills her need to be useful and independent, but he creates another yearning she can’t deny. But will he understand when she has to resurrect the Blood Blade?
A Bandit’s Betrayed Heart
Lucy Richardson’s bandit sisters may have taught her to sling a gun and pick a stubborn lock, but nothing prepared her for the agony of her first heartbreak. Her sisters taught her to fight like hell for what she wants… and she wants Finn.
All three books in the Blood Blade Series on sale for the price of two. Now that’s a steal…
Title: Blood Blade Sisters Series
Author: Michelle McLean
Genre: Historical
Length: 746 pages
Release Date: May 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62266-597-6
Imprint: Scandalous
* Digital on sale for a limited time
$50 #Giveaway and Spotlight: “Missing Lily” by Annette K. Larsen
Missing Lily
“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house.
He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night.
Lylin was not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants, and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.
Purchase on
Author Annette K. Larsen
I was born in Utah, part of a crazy, fun family of nine. I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ and St. Louis, MO before striking out on my own college adventure in Virginia. I decided to try my hand at writing novels after I was married and living in Idaho. I write clean romance because it’s my favorite genre, but often difficult to find.
I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it.
I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.
Website * Twitter * Facebook * Blog
Not yet read Just Ella?
It is on sale for $3.99 for the duration of the blog tour.
Grab your copy on Amazon.
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/10/14 - Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
May 13, 2014
3 Fabulous Reads and a $10 #Giveaway from Christine Warner
Bachelor’s Special (Entangled Indulgence)Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 179 Pages
Release Date: June 10, 2013
Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, a family, and the love of an exceptional man. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life.
Chet Castle is a businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiancée, he refuses to get involved in any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce.
Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: work as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking is a recipe for disaster…
Two-Timing the BossAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 238 Pages
Release Date: August 22, 2012
Farah Smith is on a mission: secure the funds for her twin sister’s surgery. She’ll do whatever it takes to succeed. Even if that means putting her values aside to work for a man she finds morally bankrupt. But when the real Farah meets her new boss, she wonders if she’ll be able to resist his sexy advances long enough to help her sister.
From the blonde wig, to the stilettos strapped around her ankles, Farah’s a clone of Keller Donovan’s harem of past assistants. She can’t believe she’s let herself be talked into the disguise, let alone working for the man planning to demolish the hospital her sister so desperately needs, but the salary he offers is the only way she’ll be able to afford her sister’s surgery. The moment Farah meets Keller she realizes her most daunting task isn’t typing, spreadsheets or organizing travel arrangements, but fighting the growing attraction toward a man whose ruthlessness is legendary in the boardroom as well as the bedroom.
Determined not to end up in a disastrous marriage like his divorced parents, Keller believes all relationships should have a shelf life of sixth months or less. But when he meets Farah, all bets are off. He not only wants her to continue as his personal assistant, but his own private bed warmer. Unfortunately, his offer of an affair doesn’t sit well with her fairytale dreams or the strangled hold gripping his heart.
Some Like it in HandcuffsAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books | The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 260 Pages
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Sunny Kennedy, the only female in a family of blue blood male detectives, is determined to prove testosterone isn’t the only qualification required to solve a cold case. Handcuffed while undercover then taken to the precinct by an attractive detective, her domineering family demands she work with Detective Judson Blackwolf, or she’s off the case.Judson Blackwolf thinks women in law enforcement should work behind the scenes. The prospect of working with his Captain’s sexy daughter doesn’t thrill him. He only agrees in hopes of solving the murder of his one time mentor’s daughter. Once the case is over, he’s moving to Montana to heal his wounds from the loss of his last partner.But when their investigation takes a dangerous turn, Sunny and Judd soon realize their feelings for each other cannot be denied.
About the AuthorChristine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.
Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.
A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website at christine-warner.com.
Christine’s Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Giveaway
Christine is offering a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Please click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
May 12, 2014
$50 #Giveaway and Book Blast: “Prom Impossible” by Laura Pauling
Prom Impossible
1 girl +
1 prom +
3 guys = Prom Impossible
Cassidy decides her senior year, including prom, will be about Michael, the boy destined to be her soul mate. One problem. He hasn’t figured that out yet.
But certain events meant as innocent pranks—that weren’t completely her fault—introduce her to Zeke, the reformed bad boy. And cutting deals in the boys’ bathroom with Jasper, the hottest guy in school, lands her in a complicated web of half-truths.
At the end of the year, she’s dateless the day before the big night but risks a lot more than her pride if she can’t fix her mistakes.
Prom Impossible is a modern-day Shakespearean romantic comedy in the world of teens, true love, and life.
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo
Prom Impossible Excerpt
Jules crouched next to me in the scratchy bushes outside of Michael’s house. Lately, she’d been extra nice. Total guilt complex. I wasn’t complaining.
Only two people knew about my love for Michael: Jules and my brother, Carter. He guessed it from my swoony expressions over certain heart doodles in my room. Talk about nosy. And Jules knew from the very start because for years we’d been more than just cousins. We were best friends even though she was slightly more popular. Okay, a lot more.
She nudged me. “Spying on the biggest dork in school? That’s the big emergency?”
“Hey, he’s got potential. And I’m not spying. I’m observing the behavioral patterns of my future boyfriend.”
She giggled. “Well, he might be kinda cute behind all the dorkiness. I’ll give you that. And I’ve never had a chance to get to know him. Maybe he’s cool.”
I’d known Michael since he peed his pants the first day of kindergarten from pure nerves and the fear of asking how to find the bathroom. We’d been on and off friends and engaged in frequent conversations about Smaug, Aragorn as an alpha male, and Gollum’s greatest moments.
We were destined to fall for each other with a passionate forever-kind-of-love. Someday, he’d take me in his arms and sweep me off my feet with the most romantic, passionate kiss in history.
“This is crazy,” Jules whispered. Then in an act of complete betrayal, she grabbed some pebbles and pelted the downstairs window.
“What are you doing?” I jerked her arm away but it was too late.
“Helping you. I assumed that’s why you called me. You said it was an emergency. You said you couldn’t do it alone.” She stood and brushed the dirt off her shorts. Before I could complain she hugged me. “You can do it, Cass. Good luck!”
A window slammed open.
“Who’s there? I’ve got my death ray gun that can sizzle your brain in three seconds and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“Oh. My. God.” She stifled a laugh. “He’s all yours.” And with that Jules shoved me into open view.
Author Laura PaulingLaura Pauling is the author of the exciting young adult Circle of Spies Series and the time travel mystery, Heist. She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and be able to work in her pajamas and slippers. Prom Impossible is her newest YA romantic comedy, published as of May of 2014. To keep up on her new releases sign up for her newsletter so you don’t miss out!
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Google+ ~ Goodreads
Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/6/14 - Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
