Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 29
August 27, 2013
$50 #Giveaway: The Silver Strand Book Blast
The Silver Strand
Ever since twelve year old Isabelle Tresdon’s silver strand of hair sprouted, it’s been nothing but trouble: bleeding pink dust and sparking like a firecracker. Refusing to be known as the girl with the freaky, grandma hair, she wishes it never grew and the hair withers and tarnishes.
The only problem is, the strand is Isabelle’s source of magic, and she can transform particles of energy into matter. It’s also her ticket into Mastermind Academy, a secret school inside the earth’s core. Five days remain before the strand drains her magic and life, forcing Isabelle to enter into a deal with two trickster Masterminds to save it. But what she doesn’t count on is there is more at stake than just her life.
The Silver Strand, a MG Fantasy Adventure for 9-12 year olds, is book 1 in the Mastermind Academy Series.
Author L.J. Clarkson
One thing you need to know about LJ Clarkson is that she tells BIG lies. She tells everyone that she gave up her career as an Environmental Engineer and Project Manager to write full time. But that’s not entirely true. Ten percent of the time she sleeps in. Fifteen percent of her day, she spends surfing the internet, researching for new books and her business. Ok, fine. Two percent is for research. But she’s only admitting it so she doesn’t end up like Boldrick. For eighteen point seven five percent of her day, she runs her promotional and support site for authors, called Indicated (www.indicated.com.au). The rest of her time involves writing, reading, watching movies and TV, walking her dogs and falling asleep whenever her boyfriend talks technical computer lingo. Truthfully, she hates early mornings, mondays, grammar (yuck! just ask her poor editor!), broccoli and cleaning. If you would like to drop her and line and let her know what you think of the book, she would love to hear from you. Just not before 8:30am in the morning.
Excerpt
“Did you know Isabelle has a silver, alien antenna?” Bimouth’s voice sang out over the shouts and chatter of the school bus, capturing everyone’s attention. “In science class, a magnet flew out of Mr. Higgins’ hand and stuck to her antenna. How freaky is that?”
Isabelle’s back pressed against her seat.
Bianca leapt up like a jack-in-a-box. Her voice came out as a hiss. “Shut your face horse mite or I’ll shut it for you.”
Looked like the bus ride might end in death.
Bigmouth turned to face Bianca. “What if Isabelle’s antenna, like, turns us into alien zombies?”
A chorus of whispers broke out.
Catching the bus was a very bad idea. Isabelle prayed again for that black hole to open up and suck her in. Better yet, she wished it would gobble up the bigmouth. Isabelle tugged on Bianca’s arm and said in a low voice, “Just cut it off.”
Her friend’s eyes softened. “You sure, Boof?”
“The hair’s caused nothing but trouble since it sprouted.” The little voice inside Isabelle’s mind begged her not to, but she didn’t listen.
“Ok.” Something in Bianca’s school bag rattled as she riffled through it. She yanked a pair of scissors free.
Isabelle’s gut clenched as her friend laid the strand between the blades. “Wait!” She suddenly felt unsure about whether to get rid of it. What if it were special and magical like Bianca had said? A magnetic hair, although cool, was hardly magical. Isabelle decided to test it. Closing her eyes, she willed her strand to turn Bigmouth into a toad.
But Bigmouth’s voice still carried throughout the bus. “And in gym class, like, she bled this weird, pink dust.”
“Definitely an alien,” someone nearby agreed.
So much for Isabelle’s strand being magical. “Cut it,” she said, exchanging a sideways look with Bianca.
Her friend squeezed the handles together. Fuchsia-colored sparks shot out and scalded Isabelle’s right cheek. The strand sizzled and hissed like a firecracker, drawing the attention of Bigmouth.
She shrieked like a real girl. “Look! Isabelle’s antenna’s on fire.”
BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/15/13 - 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
August 26, 2013
Book Blast #Giveaway: Last Chance Reunion by Linda Conrad (Harlequin Romantic Suspense)
Last Chance Reunion
Two Lone Star stories from bestselling author Linda Conrad!
TEXAS COLD CASE
Determined to solve the cold case of his mother’s murder, Colt Chance returns home to Texas. Turns out the new deputy sheriff is the woman who broke his heart. But when someone targets Lacie, Colt’ll have to decide between the vengeance he seeks and protecting the one he still loves….
TEXAS LOST AND FOUND
After witnessing a murder, firefighter Nina Martinez finds an ally in medic Josh White. On the run, they discover that Nina is the long-missing Chance sister, Cami. Will Cami embrace the love from Josh and her real family before it’s too late?
Last Chance Reunion on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin
Last Chance Reunion | ExcerptFire exploded up the forty-foot cedar, snapping and cracking like a whip as it raced to chew off every living thing in its path.
Hotshot fire-fighter Nina Martinez struggled with the urge to hold still and ogle the magnificent flames—a firefighter’s worst nightmare. Dropping your guard during a blaze, for any reason, could get you killed.
A little while ago she’d gotten caught behind the fire-lines while stamping out hot spots on orders from her superintendent. But when they’d first arrived on site in Texas, her super gave his crew the coordinates to safety zones and added tricks to finding natural escape routes. No need for her to be overly concerned yet.
Tearing past dry cactus and mesquite not yet aflame but heating fast, she had to shift direction to miss a huge rattler in her path. After that scare, she hesitated at the top of a mesa, checking coordinates for the best course for rejoining her crew. But as she gazed to the east, she spotted a ranch house directly below her that lay in the current route of the now reigniting blaze.
Giving the house a thorough once-over with her binoculars, she tried to determine if the place had been evacuated. Thankfully it looked deserted. But as she slowly swiveled her head to find a different heading, two people standing close to a barn came into view. The male and female appeared to be having an argument and not paying any attention to the spreading smoke and flames.
Keeping them in her sights, she started downhill, prepared to give them a lecture about evacuating when told to do so. When she reached their position, there wouldn’t be a lot of time left to move them out of harm’s way.
She used her radio to raise her team, asking for ground evacuation support for the civilians. Her super was not happy about her situation and said to keep moving, in and out of those coordinates as fast as possible. The fire was spreading from the west toward her position. But he agreed to spare someone to help with the evacuation if it came soon. The fire was moving fast.
Crackling fire echoed at her back, while swirling winds showered her with stinging embers. It was difficult not pausing to dig at hot spots. Her training wanted to overrule her conscious mind. But the two civilians had to be first priority.
She closed in while continuing to keep watch on the couple, but all of a sudden a shovel appeared in the man’s hand. Before Nina could yell, he used it to bash at the woman’s head. The female dropped to her knees.
“Hey!” Nina screamed at the top of her lungs. “Stop.”
Ignoring the steep decline, she picked up her speed and raced toward the couple. “Put it down!”
The man hit the woman once again and the force of his blow laid her out on the ground. Only then did he look up toward the noises Nina was making. By that time she’d closed the distance to where he stood to a few yards. His gaze locked with hers and the deep anger in the man’s eyes nearly caused her steps to falter.
But concern for the woman kept her going. Without pausing, Nina reached into her pack for a fusee, preparing to use it if necessary in her own defense against the man. But after she fisted her hand and took a few more steps in his direction, he finally turned and disappeared around the side of the barn.
Closing in on where the woman lay, still and unmoving, it was apparent to Nina that the female was already beyond help. The pool of blood surrounding her head seemed like more than any human could lose and still survive.
Nina’s stomach rolled as she swiveled and made an effort to chase the man down. After turning the corner of the barn, she expected to see a car or truck pulling away. Instead, she found an open field full of boulders and mesquite.
She spent a moment wondering what direction the murderer had gone when a bellowing roar, sounding just like a freight train, captured her attention. The winds howled, switching direction, and at that moment a sight she’d only heard about greeted her disbelieving eyes.
A fire tornado developed within half a mile of her current position and headed straight at her.
Too late to get out of its way. Within seconds the whirl was fifty feet tall and moving fast.
After dragging her face shroud across her nose and mouth, she grabbed her portable fire shelter by its handles and shook it out. Protecting her lungs and airways was the most important lesson to remember. Another lesson that could keep her alive was to strip off her pack. She pitched her gear as far away as possible, relying on years of training to do things by rote.
She tried to put as much distance between herself and the fire devil as possible in the few seconds remaining. How she prayed to find a good spot to hunker down as she leapt a few more yards away from the barn and into the boulder field. But the intensive heat soon became unbearable. No time left.
Diving for an indentation next to a huge boulder, Nina pulled the shelter over her body and curled up in a fetal position inside it. Face down, she buried her nose and mouth in the air pocket at the base of the rock.
The ferocious shriek from above roared in her ears as the whole world narrowed down to her tiny space between the shelter’s walls. The tiny space that might just save her life.
She should have known something like this would happen in Texas. For years she’d stayed away, only thinking about the God-forsaken place in her nightmares. If her team hadn’t been called in to give the Texas firefighters added backup during the worst firestorms in the state’s history, she never would have set foot inside the Texas state lines.
But wherever the team was sent, she went too.
Mind pictures of the little bit she remembered of Texas from her early childhood came unbidden as she closed her ears to the wailing firestorm outside her shelter. Horses and saddles. The smell of hay. Kind eyes and soft hands. A woman calling her “Cami, love.” A male voice cooing: “Easy, little girl.”
That was always as far into the dream as she ever got before the memories disintegrated and turned to ash. Warm eyes turned cold as ice. Soft hands turned hard as steel.
Pulling herself out of that particular pit of depression, she tried turning her thoughts to something far more pleasant. Her Hotshot unit team. The only reason she’d agreed to this temporary deployment in Texas in the first place.
Her crew: Superintendent Ralston, the strongest man she’d ever met; her fellow firefighters Mad Mike; Geek; and Alabama. And Doc, real name Josh White, the crew’s medic with the sensual bedroom eyes.
As the walls of her shelter overheated, she allowed herself the luxury of concentrating on mind pictures of Doc and his sexy eyes—something she usually wanted to stop. Lustful thoughts of him had already invaded far too many of her daydreams during fire season. But she would never have let him get an inkling of how often she thought of him.
Simply picturing those eyes, green as spring grass and so full of expression, could make her melt with unfulfilled longing. Even in the middle of heavy training. Luckily, thoughts of his rip-cord lean body, all muscle and strength, usually came into her mind during slow times and instead of the nightmares, despite the fact that their relationship was nothing more than a nodding acquaintance.
Her imaginative thoughts now brought a frisson of awareness shooting through her. Being in the middle of a fire tornado was anything but normal, but those feelings for Josh were as familiar as breathing. She gave up trying to get him out of her mind now and focused on the memory of his eyes, ignoring as best she could the extreme heat and gas-filled haze filtering in through her fire shelter’s walls.
Tightening her grip on the shelter’s handles, she refused to consider her situation dire. Don’t think about it. Thoughts of the sexy doctor Josh White were as good a way as any to spend her last seconds on earth.
Last Chance Reunion on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin
About Linda ConradBest selling author Linda Conrad writes for Harlequin-Silhouette Books. Her novels have been translated into sixteen languages and are sold in over twenty-two countries!
Linda’s sensual characters and passionate stories have brought her numerous awards and raves! Over the years her workshops for RWA chapters and conferences have helped many writers learn new skills and techniques.
Growing up in south Florida, Linda made up stories and read everything she could get her hands on. After college, she taught first grade in Miami and tried to give the children as much love for the written word as she’d always felt. When her own true-life hero came along and whisked her away to five cities in seven years, Linda became a sales assistant, a quality control supervisor, a ninety-unit apartment manager and finally a stockbroker and Certified Financial Planner in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
When her mother suffered a disabling stroke, Linda moved to southern California to be close. “Mom couldn’t focus well enough to read anymore. So I began reading to her,” Linda recalls. “Eventually, my sister and I started making up stories to keep her entertained. Mom remembered my high school writing attempts. Before her death, she asked me to stick with story telling.”
Today Linda is back in south Florida, living with her husband by the sea and telling the stories in her heart.
Linda’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway
For a chance to win one of three autographed copies of LAST CHANCE REUNION or a $10 Amazon gift card, please click here to go to the Rafflecopter to enter.
August 24, 2013
Aug.25.2013 WeWriWa: Her Wicked Sin (Entangled Scandalous)
I’m thrilled today to return with excerpts from my first historical romance! HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1) releases September 9 from Entangled Publishing’s Scandalous line, or you can pre-order it now using the links below.
In this snippet from the beginning of the book, the heroine, Lydia, has just found the hero fallen from his horse. He’s yet to notice her. It’s the middle of the night and she fears being alone with him, but something about him has intrigued her…
She would feel no remorse for moving past, yet her feet did not budge.
If she remained silent, would he not know her there? No, eventually he would wonder what held the reins aloft. She watched, waiting for that moment. Through the profound darkness, she noticed his hair was a nutty brown and longer than that of a Puritan man, though its richness showed no trace of the powder worn by many wealthy travelers. He was a study of contrasts, this man. For all of his finery, he seemed to shun the ways of society, and his roguish nature appealed to those innermost desires she had thought long lost. Her husband, as he were, had ruined her womanhood.
This stranger, in the most insignificant ways, had roused it.
Click here for more awesome snippets from Weekend Writing Warriors!
Her Wicked Sin | blurb
SALEM, MA 1692
On a moonless night, he rides into the winter forest on his beast as black as midnight….
Dashing stranger, Henry Dunham, comes to Salem on a mysterious errand, but is thrown from his horse in the dead of night and rescued by the local Puritan midwife, Lydia Colson.
Haunted by her past, Lydia is running from her own dark secrets, avoiding intrusive questions by pretending her dead husband is simply…away. But when she and Henry are caught in a compromising situation, one punishable by Puritan law, he saves her from scandal by claiming to be her errant spouse…and claiming her bed.
Forced to fake a marriage, Lydia and Henry find their passion overwhelming and their vows a little too real. As their lies become truths, a witch hunt closes in on Lydia, threatening not only their burgeoning love, but her life.
Title: HER WICKED SIN (Sins of Salem #1)
Author: Sarah Ballance
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release: September 9, 2013
ISBN 13: 9781622662494
HER WICKED SIN is available from: Entangled Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. Click here to add to Goodreads or here for reviews.
August 22, 2013
Melissa Stevens: Favorite “Robin’s Nest” Moments
Please welcome Melissa Stevens, author of Robin’s Nest.
Melissa Stevens: Favorite Moments of “Robin’s Nest”What are my favorite moments? I’m not sure I can answer that without spoilers. I will say that one of my favorite moments in the entire book is the epilogue. To me, it’s one of the sweetest moments in the entire book. One I had planned from somewhere near the middle of the story, I knew it would be the perfect ending. As for the rest of the book, there were moments here and there that I really liked, that wrote, or read, especially well for me, but off hand, I can’t think of them. Any time I thought Sammie was being particularly cleaver, whether by words or deeds, it was fun for me. No, not all parts of writing are fun, some are immensely difficult, but when your characters start whispering or shouting in your ear and you know what happens before it does, it’s wonderful.
Robin’s Nest | blurb
After a car accident puts her in a coma, Samantha awakens to find her best friend, Robin, never left her side. While she recovers, Sam realizes there’s more between them than just friendship, but she’s afraid. What if it doesn’t work out between them, and it ruins their friendship.
Sam’s brush with death gives her a renewed understanding of how short life really is. Deciding the possible benefits are worth the risk, she faces the challenges from her over-protective family head on and leaps into life with both feet. When more challenges come their way, can Sam and Robin handle them together?
Learn more @ Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter
Robin’s Nest | Excerpt
As I drew closer, I saw Robin push himself off the side of the truck and stand to his full height of 6’1″. He opened his pickup door and reached for something inside. I pulled the Jeep off the highway, and watched as he locked and closed the door then crossed the highway and rounded the Jeep to the passenger side. Robin isn’t a particularly large guy. Yeah, he’s tall, but he’s lean, like the basketball player he’d been in high school. I leaned across the seat and lifted the lock on the door to let him in.
“So, what’s the problem this time?” I asked as he climbed inside and closed the door.
“Damned rotor again,” he replied, tossing his baseball cap with his keys inside onto the dash. He ran his hand through his shaggy blond hair. It stayed back for maybe three seconds before falling on either side of his face again, framing his deep green eyes.
I waited while he buckled his seatbelt, then checked for cars before pulling back onto the highway. Only going far enough to make a U-turn without hitting his truck, before heading back into town.
“I thought you kept an extra one in the glove box for when this happens?” I asked.
“I do, but I used my last one a couple of months ago and I forgot to get more on my next trip to Safford, then I just spaced it.” He ran his hand through his hair again, only to have it fall right back where it started. “Of course, it was about time for Murphy’s Law to smack me upside the head again, so here we are.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you about ready to give up on that antique or are you gonna buy another case of rotors for it?” Ribbing Robin about his stubbornly keeping the old pickup, despite its oddities, was an old habit between the two of us. Though we dig at each other and bicker once in a while, I don’t think we’ve had more than two or three real fights in our entire friendship.
“So it eats rotors. So what? They’re cheap. The frame, body, and motor are all in good condition. Why junk a good machine for one small, and relatively inexpensive, inconvenience?” He easily fell right back into the old game.
“It’s broken down, and left you stranded along the side of the road, how many times now?”
“A few,” he admitted, “but I can usually repair the problem in less than fifteen minutes and be back on my way. It’s my own fault I ended up stranded tonight. Besides, if you’d been busy I would have found someone else, or eventually, someone would have come along and given me a ride into town.”
He’s right, someone would have come along. It was barely eight o’clock, and not quite dark yet. However, this wasn’t the most used road out of town and he might have had to wait a couple of hours before someone came along.
“What were you doing out here?” I glanced at him before looking back at the road.
“I was on my way back from a meeting in Lordsburg.”
“That sounds fun.” My tone was dry. I didn’t know what the meeting was for, but if had been something he had enjoyed, he would have shared more about it.
“Any leads on a new job?”
“Not yet.” I shrugged. “I’ll find something, I’m sure. The question is, how long until I do?”
“If you need something to make ends meet, I can put you to work. It’s long hours and muddy as hell, but it’s work.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks. I’ve got a while before I have to worry, though. I have a good chunk in savings and since I don’t have a house payment or rent, it will go a lot farther.”
“That’s true.”
I reminded him that I’d pick him up at eight the next morning as I dropped him off in his driveway. I waited until he made it to the door before turning around and heading home.
Pulling out onto the highway my mind raced ahead. My thoughts were already back at the house. It was only eight thirty, I still had plenty of the evening left. I could settle back onto the sofa, but the thought of a hot bath was even more enticing.
Suddenly, I was drawn back to what I was doing by bright lights directed at my face. I shook my head and barely had time to register the vehicle that was supposed to be in the left lane, it was in mine instead. I had nowhere to go. I couldn’t avoid it. The last thought that went through my mind was “How badly is this gonna hurt?” then everything went black.
About Melissa StevensMelissa was born and raised in Arizona, she’s spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She’s found that, along with her husband and three children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city.
She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years she’s found that there’s little she won’t read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and Horror.
Learn more @ Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Twitter
August 21, 2013
Patricia Rosemoor: Romance on the High Seas (#Giveaway and Book Tour for “Written in the Stars” by Sherrill Bodine and Patricia Rosemoor)
Please welcome author Patricia Rosemoor. After you enjoy her guest blog, check out the goodies that follow!
Patricia Rosemoor: Romance on the High Seas
The two halves of WRITTEN IN THE STARS, a reincarnation romantic suspense, are connected by the sea – a galleon in Sherrill Bodine’s historical half is the object of the sunken treasure hunt in my contemporary half.
A breeze picked up— a soft wail that sent flesh crawling along his neck and down his spine. A warning. But of what? He glanced around. Alone.
And the water that sluiced his bare feet remained barren.
About to give up, he spotted a large craft bobbing out on the horizon. For a moment, he imagined it to be a ghost ship. But blink as he would, the apparition didn’t disappear. A single-masted yacht. Tourists? Or other treasure hunters? he wondered, noting a flicker from a cabin window, as if the moon had struck a shiny surface. As quickly as it caught him, the flash of bright was gone. Still, he felt watched as he started to turn away.
The yacht is Cordelia’s Evening Star. She and Innis and Morgan all have their own boats, but of course a sailing ship would always be my preference. Edward and I became fascinated with them when we vacationed in the Bahamas on a Windjammer Barefoot cruise. We were on the Fantome, a four masted sailing ship that years later sank in hurricane Mitch. The captain had let off the passengers safely, and he and his crew were trying to outrun the storm to a safe port. No one survived.
Edward and I took two more cruises on Windjammer tall ships Mandalay and Flying Cloud. The Mandalay was my favorite, especially the initial night, a run on the Atlantic from Grenada to St. Barts for supplies. The Atlantic is quite different from the calm (at least when I’ve been there) Caribbean. Standing on the lower deck that first night, we watched in awe as we became part of the ocean’s rhythm, going up on a wave, then down as the water next to us rose… and rose… and rose way above the top deck—twenty or more feet high. It became clear to us how fragile our relationship with the sea truly was.
We should have been afraid.
We were thrilled instead.
So what is it about the sea that is so compelling? That makes us chance its strength and possible danger?
Romance.
I can’t explain it any other way.
So, do you find the sea romantic?
Written in the Stars | Sherrill Bodine & Patricia Rosemoor“A passionate tale of destiny, danger and dark magic—and a love so powerful that it conquers time.” Mary Jo Putney, New York Times Bestselling Author.
‘A love so deep that it can last through centuries?
In 1601, Lady Elizabeth York’s star-shaped birthmark proclaims her a child of magic. When she arrives at Dunham Castle to marry Carlyle, heir to the Duke of Lennox, but finds enchantment in the eyes and touch of Will Grey, the Duke’s bastard son. Bewitched by Elizabeth, Will defies all for their love, and his jilted half-brother places a curse on them both.
Searching for a treasure ship sunk long ago, present-day marine archeologist Cordelia Ward is pursued romantically by both salvager Innis Foley and treasure hunter Morgan Murphy. She is haunted by a murderous nightmare where one man is the killer and the other the victim, but which man is her enemy, which her soul’s mate? Can a journal that belonged to her ancestress, Lady Elizabeth York show her the answers…in time to save her true love?
Chased by evil, two women discover their own magic to fight the villain’s curse on the Posey rings that draw them to the men they are destined to love.
Written in the Stars on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
The Excerpt {Patricia’s – Contemporary}
He leaned into her so close his breath laved her face. “How about I make you an honest offer—a partnership.”
She stuck her right hand against his chest and backed off. “I don’t think so. You and I have very different goals.”
“I thought we both wanted to find the motherlode of The Celestine.”
“I’m a marine archeologist and—”
He captured her hand before she could remove it. “And I’m a pirate?”
“I didn’t say that, but you are looking for treasure, while I am looking for artifacts.”
“Not that I see the difference, but how about I offer you this.” From his pocket, he pulled a diamond-studded gold chain from which hung a crescent moon set with sapphires.
Cordelia’s eyes widened.
“Exactly.” He took her right hand from where he’d trapped it and placed the artifact in her palm.
The touch of metal and jewels to her ring electrified Cordelia. Startled, she gasped at the power but wrapped her fingers around the jeweled moon so she wouldn’t drop it. Her heart beating too fast, she took a closer look and recognized its age. This was no modern copy of something old.
Fearing he’d found this on his earlier dive, would somehow beat her to the motherlode, she panicked. “All right, partners, then, but we need to work out details—”
Before she could finish, he curled his fingers over her hand with the crescent and kissed her.
Her wrist burned.
Her ring tightened.
Her head went light.
The chain trapped between their hands connected them like a live wire, kept them from pulling apart. The current spread to every pore of her body, to her head, to her toes, to her feminine center.
She had never felt so alive, so sure of herself.
Until the kiss ended.
Written in the Stars on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
About Patricia RosemoorWith 90 novels and more than seven million books in print, Patricia Rosemoor is fascinated with “dangerous love” – combining romance with danger. She has written various forms of romantic and paranormal romantic thrillers, even romantic horror, bringing a different mix of thrills and chills to her stories.
Patricia has won a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America and two Reviewers Choice and two Career Achievement Awards from RT BOOKreviews, and in her other life, she teaches Popular Fiction and Suspense-Thriller Writing, credit courses at Columbia College Chicago. Three of her Columbia grad students and two students from other venues are now published in novel-length fiction.
SKIN is her first original indie thriller. With 53 Harlequin Intrigues since 1985, she is now writing romantic suspense for Entangled Publishing.
Patricia’s Website | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway
Click here to enter to win the beautiful Vintage Napier Bracelet and Earrings pictured below.
Say Goodbye to My Backlist … Grab ‘Em While You Can!
ETA: And they’re gone! You might find a straggler at one of the retail links, but I’m removing links from book titles since they’re no longer widely available. Thanks for looking, y’all!
Over the next few days most of my books will disappear from retail sites, so if you’ve considering grabbing any of my older titles, NOW is the time. Noble Romance is closing its doors and will pull all of its books, including the following of my backlist titles:
TIDE OF LIES
FAMILIAR LIGHT
UNFORGIVEN
RUN TO YOU
DOWN IN FLAMES
Once they’re gone they’re GONE. I will eventually re-release UNFORGIVEN, but thanks to a busy writing schedule it’ll be a few weeks at best. I have no idea when I’ll get to the rest of them. So if you’re interested, here are the links to my pages at the big e-tailers.
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple iTunes
All Romance eBooks
Kobo
Books on Board
For more information on any of the books, click the title in the list up top or hit the navigation bar up top.
Have a fantastic day, everyone!
August 19, 2013
Relationship Fingerprints: Zack & Sloane from COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE By Misty Dietz (#Giveaway)
Relationship Fingerprints: Zack & Sloane from COME HELL OR HIGH DESIRE
By Misty Dietz
Big flying tackle hug to my fellow Entangled sister, Sarah Ballance, for having me on today!
Sarah here: *does cartwheels until tackled by Misty, at which point we’re now on the ground in a somewhat awkward and totally celebratory heap* … Misty, take it back! 
Misty: Every couple has a fingerprint—something unique that distinguishes their relationship from any other. I never really thought about this until I began plotting Zack and Sloane’s story. First I started with the individuals—what makes them tick, what their strengths and weaknesses are. Then I brought them together to try to create an original, nuanced relationship. For inspiration, I thought about several couples I know and tried to pin-point what I loved about their relationship fingerprint.
This was actually a super fun activity because you start to appreciate the diversity of the people you surround yourself with. For example, my parents inspire me with their spontaneity. Ever since I can remember, my mom and dad have been completely comfortable doing the unexpected and the unplanned. This could be as basic as dashing out to a new restaurant after the soup is already boiling on the stove (it’ll keep!), or as adventurous as waking up on a Saturday morning and deciding to go on a cross country trip and booking airline tickets for a flight that would be leaving a couple of hours later.
Other inspiring couple fingerprints: Holly and Scotty are committed to health and fitness; Corey and Dana are hilarious and fun; Brandon and Hollynd are warmly affectionate; Steve and Tiff are adventurous and playful; and Joel and Sher are cultured and wonderful conversationalists. I enjoy all of these couples for different reasons, and isn’t that fantastic?
So, Zack and Sloane…what’s their relationship fingerprint? There are definitely a few, but I’d say the primary one is actionable, fearless connection and loyalty—their mutual compulsion to listen to and fight for each other. A them-against-the-world mentality that puts each other first. In the book, Zack is willing to lay his life down for Sloane, and really, isn’t that one of the truest definitions of love?
I could go on, but I suppose I should stop before I give away the whole book! So now I’d like to know: tell us about one of your favorite couples. What’s their relationship fingerprint?
At the end of my blog tour we’ll be drawing the name of two commenters from all of the blogs to gift not one, but two fantastic prize winners. See below for details, and thanks for being here! xo, misty 
Come Hell or High DesireTorn between dangerous desires…
Framed for a series of brutal murders, rebel-turned-CEO Zack Goldman must go to ground. When he discovers that sexy boutique owner Sloane Swift has a shocking gift—terrifying visions that connect her to his mentor’s missing daughter—he can’t believe her refusal to help him. Nor can he believe he’s actually falling for the frustrating woman.
Their chemistry will either find its perfect equation…
Helping an accused killer ranks low on Sloane’s to-do list, no matter how hot the attraction burns between them. But putting to rest her overwhelming guilt over the missing girl’s fate proves more difficult than she ever imagined…that is, until her heart and conscience begin to align.
…or detonate everything in its path.
As the real killer locks in on Sloane, Zack will stop at nothing to keep her safe. And as they earn each other’s trust—with danger in hot pursuit—they may just lose their hearts in the process…
Come Hell or High Desire on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Come Hell or High Desire | Excerpt
Her fingernails suddenly raked at her skull. “Lord! I almost forgot. We have to go back to Ann’s. She has a diary!”
He swerved into an empty parking lot and swiveled to face her, blood pounding in his ears. “What are you talking about?”
“Ann keeps a diary. We have to find it.”
“You’re just telling me this now? You should have goddamn said something right away!”
“Don’t you dare curse at me like that, you seismic jackass!”
He had to get out. He flung the truck door open and strode onto the cracked asphalt. Her door slammed shut moments later, and within seconds she was wagging a finger in his face. “And don’t you walk away from me, either!”
“Then don’t be such a damn shrew.”
Color flooded over her cheekbones seconds before she punched him in the gut. Hard. An ancient fire lit up his nerve circuits and adrenaline had him widening his stance. His heart gunned.
His groin tightened.
And she was still shrill.
“I’m not a shrew! How am I supposed to act in a situation like this? You think I’m enjoying this? I hate it! But unfortunately I have a conscience which would haunt me for the rest of my life if I don’t follow this through until we have some answers. You came to me and wanted to rule out the church first. Then with everything that happened, I forgot about the diary until right now. That clear enough for you, you—”
Clear enough, honey.
He vised her head between his palms and kissed her. He hadn’t meant to, but the moment her mouth opened to his, he was lost. Not breaking contact with her mouth, he wrapped one arm around her, his hand splaying across her ass, locking her hips against him. Her hands were in his hair, her hips grinding, driving him crazy. They feasted on each other’s mouth, tongues dueling, daring, seeking. He felt her fingers between their bodies, slipping underneath the waistband of his jeans, pulling at the hem of his shirt. Her fingernail scraped his abs and he groaned. She leaned away from his mouth, her eyes dead sexy. Liquid brown. He was gonna—
A car horn blew, jerking him back to life. Back to the parking lot. He looked over to see a man in a black minivan at a stoplight giving them the thumbs up. He honked twice more, waved, and drove on.
Sloane burst into a fit of laughter that quickly dissolved into tears.
And that clinched it. He’d woken up this morning in some creepy-assed Twilight Zone.
Come Hell or High Desire on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
About Misty DietzMisty’s love affair with words started in middle school when she penned dark stories set in exotic locales she knew nothing about. In college, her boy-angst spilled over into disturbing reams of poetry. After grad school, real life hit, and the writing went into hibernation until she found her own happily-ever-after with an ultra linear man who is the long-suffering counter-balance to her zig-zagging tendencies. Now, she spends her days writing emotionally complex, adrenaline-fueled stories, teaching Zumba, and praying her children don’t come home with math homework.
Misty’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest
GiveawayAwesome prizes, y’all! To enter, click here and you’ll be whisked away to the Rafflecopter for ways to enter. But before you go, be sure to comment in response to Misty’s question for MORE chances to win. Plus, you know, you’ll want to grab the book, so don’t lose this page until you’ve finished All the Things!
August 15, 2013
$50 #Giveaway Book Blast: Midnight Masquerade by Marcia Lynn McClure
Midnight Masquerade
Stavos Voronin was not as blind-eyed as many nobles and royals. Evony’s physical gestures—even the simplest movement of her hands—revealed that she had not always been destitute. The same was true of the children—of their polished manners and the boy’s knowledge of horses and tendency to be bold and fearless of strangers.
Ah yes, Stavos enjoyed a good mystery. After all, interest in the inexplicable circumstances surrounding the royals of Abawyth was the very thing that had lured him to the kingdom—the enigma of Abawyth’s twelve sleepy princesses. And yet now—now his mind was all the more intrigued. Not only was the obscurity of what had caused the profound and baffling torpidity of Abawyth’s princesses laid out before him, but also he found his curiosity intensely piqued over the riddle surrounding the very lovely Evony and her siblings.
As Stavos strode through the village resting on the outskirts of Abawyth Castle, his mind reeled with possibilities. His musings were drawn back to why he had come to Abawyth at all—to solve the conundrum surrounding the twelve beautiful princesses of Abawyth kingdom—to solve the seemingly impenetrable crux and thereby win the hand of one of Abawyth’s princesses, as his father, King Letholdus of Ethiarien, had commanded.
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kindle
Author Marcia Lynn McClure
Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”
Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.
Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/13/13
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August 14, 2013
Working It Out by Rachael Anderson ($25 #Giveaway)
Working It Out
A chance encounter . . .
Grace Warren’s life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . .
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace’s rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he’s every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there’s something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he’s everything she’s sure she doesn’t want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she’s willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
Author Rachael Renee Anderson
Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She’s the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
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Book Blast Special Price Drop!
Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!
BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/6/13
Click here to enter 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
August 13, 2013
Melissa Bourbon Ramirez’s 10 Favorite Things (Curse of Passion Tour and #Giveaway)
Please welcome author Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, her ten favorite things, and a look at her new romantic suspense from Entangled Publishing!
Melissa Bourbon Ramirez: 10 Things I Love Doing
In honor of summer, today I thought I’d write about 10 things I love doing. I’d love to hear some of the things you enjoy, too! Maybe I’ll be able to add to my bucket list, as a result.
Yoga. I sometimes have to drag myself to the studio, but once I’m there, oh my gosh, I love it. I come away feeling lighter and more at ease.
Cooking healthy. With 2 kids with celiac disease, 1 with type one diabetes, me with a dairy sensitivity, and two vegetarians in the family (5 kids!), making something everyone can eat is challenging. So I am passionate about cooking and eating as healthy as possible.
Sewing. I don’t do nearly enough of it, but I am on an apron kick. Aprons play a big role in my next cozy mystery book, so right now, I’m collecting patterns, stories, and enjoying every minute of it.
Watching ‘comfort’ movies like Harry Potter, The Hobbit, et al. They just make me feel good no matter how many times I’ve seen them.
Baking Christmas cookies. Just because.
Decorating. We have an old house that was built in 1900 and I am loving finding cool things with history to decorate with, yet still stay true to my style. If I were to have another career, it might be interior design. Maybe.
Writing. Of course! I love it, which is why I do it. Challenging. Exciting. Fulfilling. And I get to share my stories with readers, which is the best part.
Crafty things… there are too many to list separately, so I’m lumping them together. This is how I feed my creative soul.
Hanging out with my kids and husband. I enjoy them so much and am loving seeing them grow up and become such awesome adults.
Reading on my iPad. I’m a total convert to the eReader. As much as I love print books, I adore my eReader for the convenience and ease.
What are some of your favorite things to do?
Curse of PassionThe ghost of la Llorona is said to haunt the riverbanks, always searching for her drowned child. She also haunts high school teacher Johanna Rios, whose own mother believed so deeply in the legend she tried to drown her daughters. And now the ghost has become real, a young woman murdered, and the safe world Jo created is falling apart.
Since returning home from his last tour of duty to become a school principal, Ray Vargas has fought his attraction for his employee, the sensual woman who’d once been the girl next door. But the Llorona Killer will not stop until he claims his final victim—Johanna—and Ray will do anything to protect the woman he’s come to love.
With a serial killer out to prove the curse is real, will Ray and Johanna’s future be drowned in the ghostly waters of the past? Or will the power of their love give them the strength to stop a killer…and heal their wounded hearts.
Curse of Passion on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
Curse of Passion | Excerpt
Johanna paced and turned toward him, but still hadn’t noticed Ray in the doorway. He catalogued her features. She was thirty-two, with honey-colored skin, cheekbones that gave her an exotic look, long, dark hair…
As it often did, his gaze hitched at her full, red lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d kissed lips like that. Maybe never.
The sliver of skin showing between her sweater and her pants drew his eyes. She looked far hotter than any teacher had a right to—certainly hotter than any teacher he’d ever had. Thank God, or he’d never have graduated.
He felt his eyes pinch and blinked hard to break the drugged feeling that suddenly slid over him. He’d done his best to steer clear of her for years, and after this conversation, he’d go back to staying away.
“Who is this? What do you want?” Johanna’s voice held fear, tinged with anger.
That was not a tone Ray associated with Johanna. He froze in place. He’d been trained well by the Army. Freeze first. Assess. Decide. Then move.
She spoke again, her voice rising in pitch. “Would you just stop calling?” she demanded, her voice shaking.
Distressed. Johanna was distressed. Time to act. Ray moved then, coming into the classroom, bumping a desk as he came toward her, startling her.
She whipped around, gasping as she saw him. Her face paled, and a second later she dropped her cell phone on her desk. She speared her hand through her hair, her fingers bending until they looked like claws digging into her scalp.
His heart pumped hard. What the hell? “Johanna,” he said, aware his voice was gruffer than he’d intended. “What was that about?”
She stared at him, her eyes wide, like a damn deer caught in the headlights. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
“Prank caller,” she finally said, snapping out of her trance.
Ray ran the pads of his fingers over his goatee. Prank caller, my ass. She’d been engaged in that conversation, had been responding to the person on the other end of the line. But her eyes stayed wary and he decided to let it go. He was here for a purpose. Marianne’s murder needed his attention, and he wanted to know Johanna’s secret.
“Sorry for barging in,” he said, “but I’d like to continue the conversation we started back in my office.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “You mean about Marianne? Are the deputies coming back?”
He shook his head. “They’re gone.” She looked puzzled as he continued. “You brought up la Llorona.”
“Yes,” she said flatly.
Her voice had lost the shaky edge it had held a moment ago on the phone. Hell, now it almost sounded like it could freeze water. Her own form of self-preservation, he supposed. “You wrote your master’s thesis on her?”
Johanna slumped against her desk and ran one hand over her face, down her neck, let it settle on her chest. “Yes.”
“Why?”
She hesitated, and for a moment looked like she wasn’t going to respond. Then she spoke, her voice softer, more thoughtful. “My mother believed in her.”
Odd. Johanna had placed a strange emphasis on the word believed. Hadn’t her mother simply known about the story? Why would she believe in a ghost tale? “La Llorona is a legend,” he said.
“A legend based on a real woman who lived five hundred years ago.”
“It’s a kid’s story. Like the boogieman and the chupacabra.”
Johanna shook her head. “My mother believed la Llorona was real. Because of that, I’ve always been…curious…about the legend.”
She started when her cell phone rang. Her sudden jerk sent the tips of her fingers slipping under the vee of her sweater. His eyes followed the path as her hand settled on the swell of her breast. He swallowed, narrowing his eyes as he forced his gaze back to her face. Her phone, playing a traditional cumbia rather than a regular ring tone, continued for a full ten seconds while she stood frozen. She didn’t even look at where it sat on the desk.
He tried not to think about whatever might be going on in her personal life that warranted heated phone calls. A bad break-up, maybe? He hadn’t heard she was dating anyone, but she might be. Much as he hated to admit it to himself, he didn’t want her to have a personal life. It messed with his fantasy.
Enough. He had to get his head back in the game. Had to focus on why he was here —and that reason was not to stare at her breasts or get jealous over imaginary lovers or remind himself of the fantasies he’d had of her—fantasies featuring her naked. Her hot mouth on his. Her skin sliding sinuously under his.
Curse of Passion on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books
About Melissa Bourbon RamirezMelissa Bourbon, who sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name Misa Ramirez, gave up teaching middle and high school kids in Northern California to write full-time amidst horses and Longhorns in North Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.
She is the Marketing Director with Entangled Publishing, is the founder of Books on the House, the co-founder of The Naked Hero, and is the author of the Lola Cruz Mystery series with St. Martin’s Minotaur and Entangled Publishing, and A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series with NAL. She also has two romantic suspense novels, and is the co-author of The Tricked-out Toolbox, all to be released in 2012/2013.
Melissa’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
GiveawayClick here to enter to win one of several ebook copies of Sacrifice of Passion by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez!
And before you go, don’t forget to answer Melissa’s question from above:
What are some of your favorite things to do?
