Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 30

Sherrill Bodine: How Films Help Me Write (#Giveaway and Book Tour for “Written in the Stars” by Sherrill Bodine and Patricia Rosemoor)

Please welcome author Sherrill Bodine. After you enjoy her guest blog, check out the goodies that follow!

Sherrill Bodine: How Films Help Me Write

I’m addicted to film and I have been since I was five years old.

As many know, my mother was born developmentally disabled.  At age 5 it became my job to help take care of her.  It was a gentler time when a little girl could safely take her obviously challenged mother by the hand to go on the bus to movie theatres in my Midwest city.

As I grew older – learned to read, write; to reason – and my mother did not, movies became the vehicle through which we could connect.

From the time I was five until I left for college, most weekends I took my mother to four movies for the sheer joy of being able to laugh with her at funny films, cry at sad ones and scream during horror flicks.

Every time I walk into a darkened theatre I think of my mother and the joy film gave her.

Film still gives me joy and inspiration.  I actually have “seen” all my novels as movies running through my head – and I “hear” the dialogue.

My new novel, WRITTEN IN THE STARS, the reincarnation epic love story I wrote with co-author and friend, Patricia Rosemoor ( I wrote the historical portion/Patricia the contemporary)  was researched by repeatedly watching the following films:

ELIZABETH – Cate Blanchett became the queen for me – determined and strong.

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Late in her reign things were not so golden for Elizabeth I but Blanchett was still shining.

THE TUDORS – such a delicious guilty pleasure!

DANGEROUS BEAUTY – Ok, I know this is not set in Elizabethan England but the film is so divine I called it research!

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW -  with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.  My heroine, Lady Elizabeth York, bears a striking resemblance to “Liz” except she has spring green eyes.

EVER AFTER: A CINERELLA STORY   – I LOVE this movie!  A new take on the fairy tale and a delightful Drew Barrymore.

MADE IN HEAVEN – a powerful reincarnation story

HEAVEN CAN WAIT – a charming Warren Beatty coming back!

DEAD AGAIN – a very well done reincarnation mystery

CLOUD ATLAS – reincarnation used throughout this long film.  Many hated it.  I loved it so much I saw it 3 times in the theatre!

All these films influenced WRITTEN IN THE STARS.  Please let me know when you recognize the film in the book.

Happy watching!  Oops!  Sorry!  I meant Happy Reading!!

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 {Sherrill’s – Historical}

There was little Will had not seen in court, the battlefield, or the bedroom, yet watching Elizabeth walk to the warm, spring-fed pool at the edge of the woods behind his grandfather’s cottage filled him with wonder.

He slipped his arm around her waist and her head rested on his shoulder. Freed of her ribbons, her ebony hair blown by the evening winds flowed across his throat and chest, filling the air he breathed with the scent of lavender.

At the far side of the pool they came to the limestone rim, festooned with vines and heavy purple blossoms.

Laughing, she slipped off her kid boots, slowly uncoiled her celestial girdle and placed it carefully on the ground. Wearing only her loose gown with hanging sleeves, she walked into the shallows.

Turning back to him, her thick, wavy hair cascading over her breasts, her huge eyes lit by the setting sun, she beckoned to him.

“Come, Will. Join me in paradise.”

Leaving most of his clothes in a pile next to hers, Will waded toward her. He felt the warm spring water rush over his feet and calves.

To him, Elizabeth was a creature of magic, of desire, of love he would follow through eternity.

Written in the Stars  on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books

Sherrill Bodine

I’m sure growing up in my grandmother’s house, taking care of my developmentally disabled mother, forged who I am, but I don’t believe any one thing defines me. My philosophy of life is that we are all in this together—and we need to embrace one another with as much grace, humor and compassion as we can muster. I see life as big, bigger, biggest, and I want to take everyone along with me on the journey. I not only attend black-tie affairs and work on charity board projects, but I am also just as likely to be taking a grandchild to lunch and a movie. I’m happily married to John, with whom I eloped when I was an 18-year-old freshman in college. It was quite the scandal. We have four beautiful children and 11 grandchildren.

I won my first writing award in the seventh grade in a statewide essay contest about a television broadcast of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates. Instead of Silver Skates, they sent real skates, which I enjoyed immensely. I’m only sorry I don’t still have them so they could hang in my office.

While moving 22 times across the country and rearing our children, I sold stories to Fate Magazine, Home Life Magazine and True Confessions. In 1988, I sold my first novel and a week later received a two-book contract from Fawcett. Sixteen novels later, I’ve seen The Other Amanda win the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America Write Touch Readers’ Award and Talk of the Town chosen by Cosmopolitan magazine as its “Red Hot Read” for February 2009.

Sherrill is also known as Lynn Leslie and Leslie Lynn

Sherrill’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Click here to enter to win the beautiful Vintage Napier Bracelet and Earrings pictured below.

NY Times and USA Today Best Selling Author Caridad Pineiro Takes You Behind the Scenes of “To Catch a Princess” (#Giveaway)

Please welcome author Caridad Pineiro as she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her new romantic suspense TO CATCH A PRINCESS.

When I first got the idea for a series set in a casino, I had no doubt that the first book would be set in my home state of New Jersey and highlight Atlantic City.  I’ve been there a number of times for concerts and yes, a little gambling, and I thought it would be fun to give readers a view into that city as well as the nearby Jersey Shore.

But after THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE, I really wanted to go somewhere glamorous and very romantic.  After all, TO CATCH A PRINCESS was going to have an arrange marriage, a prince and a princess and a jewelry heist.  It needed to be set in an ultra-rich and over-the-top location:  Monaco.

Many of us have watched at least one movie with a scene set in Monte Carlo with its elegant casinos.  Who doesn’t know about Grace Kelly falling in love with Prince Ranier and her tragic death along one of the dangerous hillside roads?

There was just one problem with choosing Monaco as a location:  I’d never been there!  LOL!  How I wish I had been able to visit like I have with some of the other locations in my books.

Luckily, I have a dear friend, Irene Peterson, whose sister-in-law was born in Monaco and was kind enough to answer some of my questions about the sights and smells of this amazing principality.  Plus, there are a number of webcams as well as a fabulous site at www.visitmonaco.com where I was able to explore this location.

I hope that when you read TO CATCH A PRINCESS you’ll get a feel for the elegant casinos, lethal roads, and the azure majesty of the Mediterranean.  Yes, all that as well as a sexy tale about two people who have been attracted to each other forever and now face having to marry thanks to an outrageous bargain made by their parents!

And don’t forget the jewel thief!  I sure couldn’t.  For some reason Shea worked his way into my heart, so look for him to pay Princess Tatiana and Detective Peter Roman a visit in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to drop by to find out more about TO CATCH A PRINCESS.

To Catch a Princess

Untold wealth, a loving family, a solid career in America: the only thing Princess Tatiana lacks is the one thing she really doesn’t want—a husband. Unfortunately, her parents have just arranged her marriage to a royal from the old country. Are they kidding? It’s the twenty-first century!

Police Detective Peter Roman is a royal living incognito … and escaping a secret that has haunted his family for years. He’s been quietly in love with his best friend Prince Alexander’s sister for as long as he can remember. Little does she know that he is secretly the Grand Duke to whom she is unwillingly betrothed…

When a series of high-end jewelry heists threatens Tatiana’s exclusive charity exhibition in glamorous Monaco, the two must trap the clever jewel thief before he strikes again. In a fight for their lives, Peter’s secret identity is revealed. With danger and passion increasing to the breaking point, she must decide: catch a thief…or trust the heart of her true love.

To Catch a Princess  on Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To Catch a Princess | Excerpt

Tatiana gave him a puzzled look when he approached and sat beside her.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

“I know about the marriage bargain that your parents made with Grand Duke Roman Alexandrovich,” he began. She dog-eared her page in the novel and closed it, her demeanor deceptively calm, though he could see her eyes had grown turbulent.

“How do you know about that stupid plan?”

“Because I’m Velikiy Knjaz Pyotr Romanovich, the only son of the Grand Duke.”

She waved her hands and shook her head, making a face. “You’re the prince? No way.”

“I never kid about things like this,” he replied, and met her gaze dead-on so she would realize that he wasn’t kidding.

Hot color flooded her face, but she retained control, staring silently at him for a long time.

At length, she leaned toward him, and said in low tones, “All this time we’ve known you, that I’veknown you, and you’ve been lying to me about who you are?”

“It’s a complicated situation, Tatochka.”

“Do not call me that. Only friends or family call me that, and you are neither right now.” She surged from the chair and stalked a few steps away, contained by the size of the plane, just as he had hoped.

She raked her fingers through her ebony hair and held them there for a moment before allowing the thick strands to fall back into place.

She whirled to face him. “Why? And why tell me now?”

He drew in a breath. “The first why is complicated. I hated having my life plastered all over the papers.”

“You mean like when my college roommate and supposed friend stole my diary and sold it off to one of the tabloids?”

He finally remembered the details of the incident and understood now how that had made her distrustful of others.  How as royals too many people wanted to be there “friends” for ulterior motives.

“I would never—”

“You already did, Detective.  A lie of omission is still a lie isn’t it?  So why are you coming clean now?”

“It’s only fair you know exactly whose involved in this crazy ass marriage arrangement. And I also wanted to let you know that I have no intention of going ahead with it, even though our parents are suddenly deciding to push on it.”

She stared at him and her shoulders notched down a fraction. “Good, because I’m not doing it either. Especially with a man who lies like the proverbial rug. A man I obviously can’t trust.”

To Catch a Princess  on Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Caridad Pineiro

New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense author Caridad Pineiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade when her teacher assigned a project – to write a book for a class lending library. Bitten by the writing bug, Caridad continued with her passion for the written word and in 1999, Caridad’s first novel was released. Over a decade later, Caridad is the author of more than thirty published novels and novellas. When not writing, Caridad is an attorney, wife and mother to an aspiring writer and fashionista.

Caridad’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Signed copy of Now and Always by Caridad Pineiro

Reborn/Calling Vampire Novel T-Shirt

To enter this fabulous giveaway, please click here to go to the rafflecopter.

Press Release: RUIN by USA Today, NY Times, and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author Rachel Van Dyken (Proceeds Donated to Cancer Victim)

Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken has taken the book world by storm with back to back chart toppers The Bet and Elite.

Recently Ms. Van Dyken announced that her beloved uncle Jobob was in his final stage of cancer, which has left his family in debt from medical expenses.

It’s hard to sit back and do nothing–the waiting game is never easy, so Rachel decided to do something and is looking to her fans for support in more ways than one for her next book.

Due to be released on August 12, 2013, Ruin is dedicated to her uncle, mother in law, and all cancer survivors and families who have lost loved ones to the disease.

Ruin | blurb

I’m not your typical girl. I’ve been running away from the memories that haunt me for so long that depression has become my only comfort. I was content in the darkness…until Wes Michels offered to be my light.

I didn’t know that time wasn’t my ally — that every second that ticked past was one step closer to the end of something that was beginning to mean the end of myself. He tried to warn me. He promised me all he was able to offer–each moment as it came–but it would never be enough.

Sometimes when you think it’s the end, it’s only the beginning. Wes thought he could save me, but in giving me everything, he ruined me. Because after one kiss, one touch, I couldn’t–I wouldn’t ever be the same.

And from that moment on, his heartbeat became my own.

For the first two weeks Ruin will be priced at $2.99. Proceeds from the sale of Ruin will be donated to her uncle and his family to help with the insurmountable medical bills.

How can you help besides buy a copy? Share with friends and family of course!

Mark it as WANT TO READ on Goodreads. Read it? Leave a review! Loved it? Tell everyone you know!

Click here to go to Rachel’s website for buy links and more.

Persephone the Daring $100 #Giveaway Book Blast

Persephone the Daring (Goddess Girls #11)

Mortal rock star Orpheus steals the spotlight in this Goddess Girls tale of love and lyres!Orpheus is a mortal rock god, and the girls at Mount Olympus Academy are wild about him! With his lyre and singing voice, Orpheus can charm pretty much anything—even things like stones and trees. But Hades and the other MOA boys aren’t charmed. In fact, they are less than thrilled that the girls are so gaga over this guy.

His fans are especially excited about his latest song about the girl he loved and lost, Eurydice. Orpheus was devastated when he lost Eurydice to the Underworld, so he asks Persephone to help get her back. Though it means breaking some very serious Underworld rules, Persephone pushes Hades to return Eurydice to the living world. But restoring Orpheus’s one true love might jeopardize Persephone’s own chances with her biggest crush…

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for The Goddess Girls

“…a clever take on Greek deities…”

~ Booklist

“Readers familiar with Greek myths should get a kick out of this plucky restaging.”

~Publisher’s Weekly

“…an enchanting mythological world with middle-school woes compounded by life as a deity…”

~ School Library Journal

The Goddess Girls Series

The Goddess Girls series, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams puts a modern spin on classic Greek myths. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.

Athena the Brain Finding out she’s a goddess and being sent to Mount Olympus brings Athena new friends, a weird dad, and the meanest girl in mythology—Medusa!
Persephone the Phony Hiding her feelings works fine for Persephone until she meets a guy she can be herself with—Hades, the bad-boy of the Underworld.
Aphrodite the Beauty Sure Aphrodite is beautiful, but it’s not always easy being the goddessgirl of love.
Artemis the Brave She may be the goddess of the hunt, but that doesn’t mean Artemis always feels brave.
Athena the Wise Zeus says Heracles has to do twelve tasks or he’ll get kicked out of MOA! Although she’s not sure it’s wise, Athena agrees to help out.
Aphrodite the Diva Isis claims she’s the goddess of love? Ha! But to keep the title all to herself, Aphrodite has to find the perfect match for Pygmalion, the most annoying boy ever.
Artemis the Loyal It’s time for the annual Olympic Games, and Artemis and her friends are not happy. It’s boys only. Not fair!
Medusa the Mean Medusa wants to be more like her two sisters and the other kids at Mount Olympus Academy — immortal. Is that too much to ask?
The Girl Games (Goddess Girls Super Special) Listen in on what all four goddess girls are thinking as Mount Olympus Academy hosts visitors from many lands–including an adorable kitten!The first-ever standalone superspecial in the Goddess Girls series!
Pandora the Curious Pandora is one of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy—and probably the most curious of all the students in school.
Pheme the Gossip As the goddess girl of rumor and gossip, Pheme prides herself on being “in the know” and having the most up-to-date info on anyone and everyone at Mount Olympus Academy.

Author Suzanne Williams

Suzanne Williams is the award-winning author of nearly 40 books for children, from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and middle grade fiction series. A former elementary school librarian, she lives near Seattle. Her picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) won the New Mexico children’s choice award in 2000 and was on several other state award lists. She is co-author (with Joan Holub) of the popular Goddess Girls series(for ages 8 – 12) and Heroes in Training (ages 6 – 11). Other series include Fairy Blossoms and Princess Power.

Website * Blog

Author Joan Holub

I graduated from college in Texas with a fine arts degree, and then freelanced as an art director at a graphic design firm for eight years. I dreamed of working in children’s books, so I moved to New York City and became associate art director in Scholastic trade books, where I designed books for children and worked with editors and illustrators. It was a great job.

I illustrated my first published children’s book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990s. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts — Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap). Yippee!

Now I write full time and have written and/or illustrated over 130 children’s books. Creating books that entertain, inform, and interest children (and me) is a fabulous job that I truly love.

Twitter * Website * Blog

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 8/22/13 - 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 10 Places to Visit by Patrick Carr, author of The Hero’s Lot ($50 #Giveaway)

Top Ten Places to Visit: A Guest Blog by Patrick Carr 

1.       Hawaii – Mary and I went there on our honeymoon a little over 20 years ago and I’ve always wanted to go back. We went to Kauai and it was like stepping into another world. I would love to hike the Napali trail again, but this time I want to go all the way (11 miles) and get to the waterfalls.

2.       French Micronesia – I saw an ad in a travel magazine once for this hotel that’s a hut built into the lagoon and the only way to get there is by canoe. The hotel staff paddles out each morning to bring you breakfast and if you want to go snorkeling (which is a LOT of fun) you just dive in off your front porch. How cool is that!

3.       Glacier National Park – I’ve seen pictures, but I’ve never been. It looks so pristine and perfect, like God made it just yesterday.

4.       The Smokies – I’ve been there quite often either with Mary and/or the kids and I love hiking the trails. I can’t think of a better way to spend a fall day than hiking through the mountains and just soaking in the brilliant colors of autumn. Plus I think there are an infinite number of story ideas nestled within the trees and rocks of those old hills.

5.       Bitburg, Germany – I was born there on the air force base during the cold war. That was back when it was West Germany, but we moved when I was a little over two and I have no idea what my birth place looks like. I wonder if there’s much of anything left from 1961.

6.       Ireland – Both Mary and I have a portion of our family tree rooted here and I’d like to see where they’re from. My mother’s maiden name was McPeak. There aren’t that many of them around and I’ve been told they’re all related and from the same little county in Ireland. I’d have to brush up on my brogue.

7.       Scotland – This is where my dad’s side of the family is from. Evidently Carr, Karr, and Kerr are all the same clan and left-handedness occurs so often in the bloodline that I’ve been told it’s sometimes called “Carr-handed.” Of course, I ‘ve also heard that we have some pretty rough characters in the family tree.

8.       Paris – Usually, I don’t care for cities, but I hear the coffee shops in Paris are THE social gathering place. That’s my kind of city. I don’t speak French, but I would love to just hang out for a couple of weeks and soak up the ambience. I’m sure my fiction would be greatly improved if anyone wants to sponsor my visit. J

9.       Antarctica – This would be a very short visit and realistically the only one on the list that I would change out, but in middle of winter you can join the 200 club. It works like this: You put on swim trunks and run outside to the flagpole when it’s -100 degrees. When you get back inside you jump in a hot tub that’s +100 degrees. So in a matter of seconds your environment has undergone a 200 degree change in temperature. Cool huh? Oh yeah, they have penguins too.

10.   Israel – This is the big one. I’ve never been, but someday I want to walk where He walked. And see all the rest of it as well.

The Hero’s Lot

Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy’s Most Talented New Voice.

When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.

In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol’s home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Hero’s Lot is the Sequel to A Cast of Stones

A Cast of Stones

An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love.

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone’s search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.

Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Patrick W. Carr

Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

Website * Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 8/11/13

Click here to enter Rafflecopter giveaway

Getting to Know Christine Warner’s “Bachelor’s Special” (Entangled Indulgence)

A guest blog from author Christine Warner

Hi Sarah! Thank you so much for inviting me back to your wonderful blog.

I’m in celebration mode over my latest release from the Indulgence line with Entangled Publishing! BACHELOR’S SPECIAL is a fun, sexy, contemporary romance between a sizzling, hotalicious billionaire and a down-on-her-luck chef who adores a wardrobe from the 1950s.

I’d like to use the letters from the title of my latest release and give you a little sampling of Bachelor’s Special using each letter from the title.

Let’s go…

B – Bachelor. Chet is a devoted bachelor who doesn’t believe in commitment or a relationship with a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce.

A – Attraction. The attraction between Chet and Jill heats up the kitchen…and several other rooms

C – Chef! My heroine Jill is a chef with dreams of opening her own catering business.

H – Hotalicous! One of the words Jill uses to describe Chet

E – Employee. Chet gives Jill sixty seconds to make the decision of a lifetime. If she accepts not only does she become his employee, but they each risk putting their attraction to the test.

L – Love! Oh yes J This is a romance after all

O – Offer. Chet makes an offer that Jill can’t refuse–one that will cement her dreams for the future and hopefully guarantee him a date between the sheets. Will she get her wish? For that matter, will he?

R – Romance! There is plenty to go around as Chet’s lust and desire develop into something more for the irresistible Jill.

S – Sexy! ‘Nuff said.

S – Sizzling sexual tension!

P – Popcorn! Yep, you read it right. There is a cute little scene in the beginning of the book that involves popcorn. It’s one of my favorite scenes because it’s fun and shows the developing friendship between Jill and Chet as they learn more about each other.

E – Evil! Yes, there is an evil ex-girlfriend who tries to stir up trouble between Chet and Jill.

C – Chet! The hero of Bachelor’s Special who is working through commitment issues.

I – Intimacy.  Let me just say…swimming pool. teehee

A – Aromas. Jill cooks up some delectable dishes with a savory flavor and has some fun showing Chet around the kitchen with a few private cooking lessons.

L – Living arrangements. Things heat up when Jill moves into Chet’s home as part of their agreement.

I’d love to share the blurb and excerpt from Bachelor’s Special with you. ENJOY!!

A bit about Bachelor’s Special

Saute, simmer, and flambé…

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.

ChetCastle 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…

BACHELOR’S SPECIAL (Entangled Indulgence) Buy Links

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Kobo

Excerpt from Bachelor’s Special

He tossed the towel on the counter. “I’m attracted to you, and after that zipper-popping kiss, I’m going to assume the feeling’s mutual.”

“That’s neither here nor there. I don’t mess around with someone I work with and definitely not someone I work for.” Jill jumped off the counter and pushed past him. She feared she’d combust from the friction of her heartbeat working against the rush of heated blood in her veins.

“I really don’t fall into either category. We don’t work together, and I’m far from your boss.” His voice held a tinge of humor laced with steel. “This is strictly a business arrangement.”

“That might be worse.”

He moved toward her. “Jill—”

“I’m tired of men assuming because I’m a woman, because of the way I look, that I’m open to a sexual relationship with them to get ahead.”

“What are you talking about? Who said anything about getting ahead?” He brushed his hand through his hair, confusion littering his face.

“Is this the payback you’re expecting? You offer to help me with my catering business, even so far as co-signing for a loan, and all I have to do is lay back, close my eyes, and grit my teeth while

you have your way with me?”

A vein hammered along the side of his neck. “I seriously doubt you’ll be gritting your teeth, unless it’s to stop yourself from screaming my name.”

Ready for another taste?

BACHELOR’S SPECIAL (Entangled Indulgence) Buy Links

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Kobo

A bit about Christine

Christine 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.

Facebook…stop by and LIKE my page and stay up to the minute on what I have going on and play along with some of the games we play – click here!

Find her @ Website | @ChristinesWords | Facebook | Goodreads

BACHELOR’S SPECIAL (Entangled Indulgence) Buy Links

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A Day in the Life . . . at the Beach

I’m hanging out with Melissa MacKinnon this week. We have ten kids between us and I actually think the house is calmer with the four extra kids than without, but maybe that’s my insanity talking. At any rate, it’s not a party without the beach, so guess where we went? Yep, you got it in one … and here are some pics! The first one is my favorite. My little munchkin was absolutely fearless — she rode that wave all the way in!

My kidlet

My kidlet.

Melissa’s offspring on the left and mine on the right.

Mine.

Mine.

Melissa’s kidlet on the left and mine on the right.

Melissa’s child left and mine right.

Mine.

Melissa’s boy and my girl.

 

Melissa’s princess.

Mine.

 

 

 

$50 Book Blast: The Hero’s Lot by Patrick Carr (#Giveaway)

The Hero’s Lot

Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy’s Most Talented New Voice.

When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.

In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol’s home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Hero’s Lot is the Sequel to A Cast of Stones

A Cast of Stones

An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love.

In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone’s search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
 

Author Patrick W. Carr

Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.

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Book Blast Giveaway
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Summer Kindle Fire #Giveaway

This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7″.

Kindle Fire HD 7″ Giveaway

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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 participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Of All the Crazy, Unfathomable Things…

Last year I signed with Entangled Publishing and promptly stalked my editor to a nearby RWA meeting, after which we had lunch and she subsequently did not run far, far away. I became less afraid of her then (not that she was ever actually scary, mind you…I’m just a wimp), which is probably why the rest of this happened.

One of my favorite people in the world writes historical romance, and as part of my effort to get her to submit to Entangled (BECAUSE I LOVE IT THERE SO VERY MUCH) I was over on Entangled’s historical romance submissions page jotting down details to send her. And it was there I saw “Salem” on the list of cool things to submit. And I thought, that would ROCK. So I emailed the aforementioned editor with a very simple, very ridiculous statement.

“I should write a Salem historical romance!”

Well, she believed me. Or had no reason to believe it wasn’t a good idea, so she checked with the historical people to see if there was still a interest in Salem. And there was. Long story short, I ended up writing three chapters and submitting them along with a synopsis. Then I panicked or laughed maniacally or something. Guys, I don’t write historical. I barely even READ historical. (To be fair, I’ve loved the small handful I have read. I just don’t have time to read ANYTHING.) The very idea they would even CONSIDER my story blew me away. And not only did they consider it … they contracted it.

Oh. My. Gawd.

So there I was, writing this historical romance for which I had no experience but already held a contract. No pressure, right? (Phahahahahaa!) Most of what I knew about Salem I knew from TV. (Because yes, I watch ALL THE SALEM THINGS every October.) And I know enough about what’s on TV to know it’s not always accurate (though the History channel isn’t too far off most of the time), so I had to do some research and I found out some amazing things about Salem and the Puritans. (Did you know unsatisfactory sex was grounds for divorce? O.o) I also learned the origins of about a hundred words I had to check to make sure existed at the time of my story and discovered some pretty interesting stuff we’ll save for future blog posts. Anyway …

I beat my May 1 deadline by two days, and then the panic began. Did I actually pull this off? Would it be salvageable? Would all-the-bad-things happen?

Erm, no. Everyone who has read it has loved it. I’m still in shock. But that said, I will admit the story turned out to be pretty freaking fantastic. Those of you who have been a part of my blog family a while know I seldom say such things, so that’s saying something. Something … crazy.

Unfathomable.

AMAZING.

“Her Wicked Sin” is due to release in September from Entangled Romance’s Scandalous line of historical romance. Details to follow (including, yes, those crazy Puritan sex stories!) so be sure to subscribe or stalk me in the manner of your choosing so you won’t miss a thing!