Sarah Ballance's Blog, page 73

02.12.12 #SixSunday with Tide of Lies

Can't wait for this one? Check out FAMILIAR LIGHT(only $3) to get the early scoop on the unsolved murders leading to the LIES! Here's today's snippet between Holden and Julia, ex-lovers who haven't seen one another since she disappeared years ago without a word of explanation. Holden has just asked her if she's involved with anyone.

"I'm . . . alone."

The words were still on her breath—the half-truth heavy on her heart and her conscience alike—when his mouth touched hers in a gentle, electrifying sweep. The light kiss, little more than a caress, sent her blood thundering through her veins, exacerbating her need for more.

She clutched his shirt, longing for him to lose control. Her every memory of him began and ended with sweaty, clothes-flinging, breathtaking and utterly wild sex. If the man didn't stop treating her like she'd break, she'd explode.

TIDE OF LIES – romantic suspense coming April 2012 to Noble Romance (excerpt subject to the wrath of my editor)

TIDE OF LIES | blurb

A devastating secret. A shocking betrayal. A deadly obsession.

Haunted by three unsolved murders, Detective Holden Whitlow is stunned when his cold case takes a heated turn. Julia Cohen, his ex-lover, is back in town, and in the face of a brutal attack she's ready to run. No matter how tightly she holds her secrets, for Holden, turning away from the woman he's spent a decade trying to forget isn't any more an option than walking away from his job . . . even when it threatens to cost Julia her life.

Julia is still reeling from a past she can't bear to face. When she becomes the target of a killer, fate throws her back into Holden's arms, but she's yet to recover from a truth that has stripped her of everything—and everyone—she loves. Will she tell him the secret that will destroy him, or will her lie destroy them both?

Enjoy your Sunday six sentences at a time!  To see other participating authors, click here.

With Love Valentine's Day Blog Hop February 11-14

More than 250 giveaways! Click image to rejoin the hop.

If you're a fan of romance, I'm showing you some love! This is your chance to win a PDF or Kindle gift copy of my romantic suspense UNFORGIVEN, and if you win and are already subscribed to my blog, you take home a second book from my backlist (winner's choice). Qualifying is EASY! Here's how:

HOW TO ENTER

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen by random.org at the close of the blog hop, and if you win and are an **EMAIL** subscriber to my blog at the time of the drawing you will also receive a second title of your choice from my backlist! (Any of my ebooks are eligible with winner's choice of PDF or Kindle gift formats). The email subscription box is at the top of the left hand sidebar. You entry email MUST match your subscription email to qualify. All of my blog **email subscribers** are also automatically entered in a weekly gift card giveaway for as long as they remain subscribers. For full details, click here.

Tweets, Facebook, and other shares are all appreciated! Share buttons are located at the bottom of the post.

To read the first chapter for free, click book cover image above.

UNFORGIVEN

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her . . . and this time, he's got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage's former lover, Riley. He and she didn't part ways on good terms, and he's not planning to rekindle anything now–not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way. A twist of fate puts them in the crosshairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer or face a murderer on her own.

BUY @ NOBLE ROMANCE | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

TO ENTER TO WIN AN E-COPY OF UNFORGIVEN (PDF or Kindle Gift):

Comment here with your email address. If you win and are a blog **email** subscriber at the time of the random drawing, you win a second title from my backlist! (Winner's choice in PDF or Kindle gift format). Thank you for your interest, and GOOD LUCK!

TO REJOIN THE HOP PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Clarissa Yip: A Day in the Life of a Writer

Click image to see titles from Clarissa Yip!

 

I have to say I am totally loving this guest blog from Clarissa Yip. I can't tell you how nice it is to see someone else going through some of the same things with which I struggle, and I mean that in all the best ways, LOL! Clarissa, it's an honor to have you here today and I'm thrilled to share your words with the world (or my little corner of it, anyway. *grin*). On that note, I'm just going to get the heck out of her way. Shall we?

Clarissa Yip: A Day in the Life of a Writer

I'm Clarissa. I'm a student, editor, writer, author, video gamer, scrapbooker, and cupcake addict.

I'm sure I can find many amusing things to tell you, but more than anything, I'd like to clue you in on the life of a writer. My other roles could be saved for another day.

What do you think when you hear someone say, "I'm a writer?" Of course, your ears perk and you wonder what genre and if they're published.

I write romance. Contemporary romance, to be specific. I've dabbled in other genres but find that my heart lies with present day romances. (Probably because I'm waiting for my Prince Charming to come sweep me off my feet.)

Being a writer isn't easy. Every day is an adventure. An adventure into the unknown. I am practically ruled by my muse (who is on strike since I've moved back to the mainland. She's not a happy camper.)

Every morning, I wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, and put on my work clothes (sweatpants and T-shirt), then I trudge downstairs and curse at my Keurig machine as it takes it times and spews me a delicious cup of coffee which I finish in fifteen minutes anyway and have to come back downstairs to work the machine again.

By my second cup of coffee, I'm determined to keep a clean inbox, but the emails for my author-me keeps pouring in. I'll take care of business, read blogs, visit websites I always check, do some social networking, then bam! Three hours gone. It's not easy having so many roles.

Next think you know, the dog needs attention, wants a walk, or you have to cook dinner, and the day is almost gone. Your eyes are ready to droop but you're determined to put in a few thousand words down before you even eye your bed.

So I'll sit down and BICHOK. My hands are posed over the keyboard, I reread the last scene I've worked on, and I'll curse my muse into submission and start cranking out crap. Yes, I said crap. Half the time I end up deleting it anyway.

Then OMG, it's 3 in the morning. I stare at my word count and try to go for goal and then allow myself to get into bed. But the next morning, I get up all ready to work on my manuscript, go through the same ritual, only to find out some calamity has happened and my day disappears, my book is still sitting there waiting for me.

It's not easy being a writer. Everyday changes depending on what life brings you.

Ideas are never easy, but sometimes you get the calling and you know you have to get it down on paper. Those are great moments but rarely happen for me.

Writing is a great dream—one I would never let go off. I believe I'll be writing till the day I die…at least until my muse decides to send me to the psych ward.

So tell me, what is your writing process? And what does your day as a write look like?

Check out more of Clarissa's work by visiting her website. Click here.

         

 

Ami Blackwelder Makes a Splash with "The Mers"

Grab The Mers: Book One of the Mer Chronicles for only 99 cents! Click image.

Ready to dive into something a little different? Ami Blackwelder's THE MERS is a YA paranormal making waves as a mermaid dystopian. Don't hear that every day, do you? And it gets better! Ami has been kind enough to bring along an e-copy to give away, so find a nice sunny spot of beach and try not to kick sand on my towel. *grin* Details of the giveaway follow the interview!

NOTE: The Advanced Readers Copy of THE MERs is what is available now on kindle from Oct 31. 2011-Feb 2012. The final and professionally edited THE MERs will be out hopefully by mid-Feb and latest March 1. 2012.

Welcome, Ami, and congratulations on the release of THE MERS. Can you give our readers a brief introduction to the book?

The book is really about personal discovery, finding one's identity, coming-of-age. This is book one and so Mira lives amoung Mers. She knows she is different and others know she is different, but no one is rude enough to say anything. When she turns seventeen though a desire to find out who she really is (as with many orphaned children) draws her to leave her land and family and go across the forbidden lands in search of her real family. What she finds is an adventure of pirates, magi, commoners, aristos and along for ride is also her good friend Nerin and his sister Nerissa.

What an incredible journey! Describe (without spoilers) which scene you feel is most important or has the greatest impact on the story. Why?

I love the scenes where comes to the truth. There is a set of dots she is putting together and slowly she and the reader begin to unravel the mystery of who she really is. Mu favorite thought is when she realizes everything. That is the best.

Considering her truth, I can imagine that must be a powerful moment, indeed! I'm going to switch gears just a moment because there's something I just have to ask. On your blog you have a photo of your secret writing process. Is that real? ;c)

NO:) It is a joke…LOL. But it is a hyperbole. I do in fact have many words I like or phrases I like that I keep on papers throughout the day. But these papers are organized on my shelf, not piled upon my walls.LOL

I am so relieved to know that's not real, LOL! (That blew.my.mind.) Let's have some fun with THE MERS.  How about an excerpt … three or four sentences long! Yep, that's it. *grin*

"Very well, Mira." Poseidon responded. The sound of his scratchy voice grated on Mira's nerves, but she couldn't, didn't let her irritation show.

With a wave of his hand, the King commanded the guards to release Mira. Within seconds after her ties unwound, she rushed into Nerin, her hand lingering for far too long on his.

Oooh, I love that hint of romance! Which scene of THE MERS was most difficult for you to write? Why?

The ending scene. I wasn't sure how just to end it just yet…but knew there was so much more to write.

The right ending can be so tough, but isn't it sweet to nail it? *happy sigh* LOL. If a reader is unfamiliar with your work, which of your books would you suggest he or she read first?  Why?

If you like historical read The Day the Flowers Died (readers love the characters, plot, history) If you like scifi, read Shifters of 2040. (It also has an unpredictable plot with twists and characters you fall in love with as well as passion). If you like paranormal, I'd read She Speaks to Angels (coming soon) or The Mers.

Wow! You've got quite a list there. Your backlist is incredible! Looking back over all of the intimate moments you've created between characters, which scene would you most like to experience for yourself?  What makes it so alluring?

I would love to experience the scene where Mira is swimming under the water with Nerin and she feels she is about to loose her breath and he kisses her. Romantic. But from all my books? I'd choose a scene between Rebecca and Eli from The Day the Flowers Died. The one where he first tells her he loves her.

Both sound sooo amazing. Then there's the flipside, LOL. Have you ever battled with any of your characters over their personality traits?  If so, who won – you or the character?

YES! In Hybrids I battled with Bam and she was supposed to die, but she was too stubborn and won and so she fell in love instead. Yes, that happens a lot. Characters have minds of their own.

The stronger the character, the more stubborn they tend to be, so that's a definite compliment for you as the author. ;c) How do you keep track of plot elements or twists?

I write them on my lab top along with notes between each chapter title. For instance, I'll write what I want to happen in the next chapters underneath their titles.

I adore that idea. It fits in well with my jotted notes, LOL. Which of your novels most reflects who you are as a writer?  Why?

So difficult to say. I write in a variety of styles. I write one way for historical, another for scifi, and yet another for YA paranormal. Still I also write another way for children's book and then spiritual books. They all reflect me in different ways.

I love how versatile you are! What are you currently working on?

She Speaks to Angels. Finished. Needs editing. Will be out April 2012.

That's right around the corner. Yay! But there's no need to wait to check out Ami's work. Here's the scoop on the featured book today, and following Ami's bio you will find the giveaway info. It's easy to enter, so don't go away!

THE MERS | blurb

What lies beneath the surface?

One hundred years from now the world has

changed and brought with it new forms of life.

Who are the Mers? Who is Mira?

Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Nerin across the border that divides Ellis Island, AKA Liberty shore and New Jersey, a border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really was would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them, finding her true identity will be a challenge, especiallywhen her best friend Nerin is a Mer willing to fight to the death.

MORE INFO & BUY @ AMAZON

AMI BLACKWELDER | bio & links

Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal, scifi, and historical genres. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand. She also wrote three nonfiction spiritual books at this time.

Acheivements:

In university, having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand's Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand's People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea's AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.

AMI'S LINKAGE @ BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | AMAZON

**GIVEAWAY**

Ami has quite generously offered up an e-copy of THE MERS for your reading pleasure. If you'd like a chance to win, simply comment with your email address and you'll be entered into the random giveaway. Any tweets or other shares of this post would be awesome, and there are buttons at the end for your convenience if you are so inclined to do so. Thank you all so much for being here. Y'all show Ami some love! And Ami, it's been a pleasure. I'm so glad you were able to join us today!

 

Book Spotlight: "Embraced" by Rebecca Royce

EMBRACE this exciting new paranormal romance from Rebecca Royce! Click image.

Get "Embraced"!

Paranormal Romance from Rebecca Royce

EMBRACED | blurb

Benedicte Lavelle is a single father raising two small daughters. When his neighbors put him in charge of handling the haunting that plagues their neighborhood, he has no choice but to use disreputable means in order to bring in a Conditioned ghost hunter to help with their problem. He doesn't expect to be drawn to the young woman who arrives at his house in chains. He doesn't expect to have his entire life thrown into upheaval when she is snatched away.

Conditioned prisoner Seven-Two-Four has never had a name. She cannot read, and is scheduled to die as soon as she is returned to the Institution. The Conditioned are not considered human, but Seven can see ghost energy and she can love Ben like no one ever has before.

When fate takes Seven from Ben's arms, can he move on and find a new purpose in life or will he be forever trapped by the need to rescue those like his lost love?

EMBRACED | excerpt

"Does it take this much out of you every time you do it?"

"No." She raised a dainty hand to rub at her eyes. "I was already tired. I shouldn't have attempted it. I wanted to give you the services you're entitled to. I don't want to fail at this job. Not right before my death."

His stomach turned at the thought. She didn't know how old she was, but in his mind she couldn't be more than thirty, and maybe she was even younger.

"I don't want you doing anything that might cause you pain. I'm responsible for your welfare."

She nodded, her blue eyes sad as they looked at him. "Okay, sir."

"Ben. Please call me Ben."

"I can't do that."

He rubbed her hair out of her eyes. "You can. What can I get you? Water? Food?"

"I know it's very early but I really need some sleep. I'd rather save my meal for tomorrow, if that's okay?"

His heart broke every time she spoke about her expectations. "Seven, listen to me. While you're here I'm going to feed you three meals a day. Maybe a snack too, if you want one. I'm in charge, right? You have to do what I tell you, and I'm informing you that despite what Madame says, you will eat a lot here."

The smallest smile formed on her lips. "Really? I don't want you to get into trouble."

He helped her sit up, feeling sorry he had to let her go at all. She was a young woman—and he didn't care who disagreed, she was, in fact a woman and not an it—and she was in his home. Ben was responsible for her well-being. God help anyone who told him how he was going to care for someone who lived within his walls. No one would abuse her here.

"I won't get into trouble. I'm a lawyer. You can trust me to know what I can do within the law." He stood up. "You're welcome to go to bed. I'd also be glad to feed you."

"Where should I sleep?" She looked down on the floor and he followed her gaze. Suddenly, he understood what she thought.

"Not on the floor. No way." He extended his hand and was relieved when she took it. "We have beds in this house. You'll use one."

"Thank you."

The simplicity of her gratefulness made him stop in his tracks. Who might this woman have been if she'd not been Conditioned?

REBECCA ROYCE | bio & links

As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework.  I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.

I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend.  We live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing.  I've been told I'm a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

I'd love to hear from you!

Website | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page

Buy Link

Follower Love Giveaway Blog Hop February 7-14

To see the more than **300** other entries, click the image above!

It's the season of LOVE, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the Follower Love Giveaway Hop! Thanks to the hard work of I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and co-host Rachael Renee Anderson, I am pleased to offer readers a chance to win a PDF or Kindle gift copy of my sensual romantic suspense, UNFORGIVEN (and possibly a second title)! For full details and the scoop on UNFORGIVEN, keep reading!

HOW TO ENTER

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be chosen by random.org at the close of the blog hop, and if you win and are an **EMAIL** subscriber to my blog at the time of the drawing you will also receive a second title of your choice from my backlist! (Any of my ebooks are eligible with winner's choice of PDF or Kindle gift formats). The email subscription box is at the top of the left hand sidebar. You entry email MUST match your subscription email to qualify. All of my blog **email subscribers** are also automatically entered in a weekly gift card giveaway for as long as they remain subscribers. For full details, click here.

Tweets, Facebook, and other shares are all appreciated! Share buttons are located at the bottom of the post.

To read the first chapter for free, click book cover image above.

UNFORGIVEN

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her . . . and this time, he's got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage's former lover, Riley. He and she didn't part ways on good terms, and he's not planning to rekindle anything now–not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way. A twist of fate puts them in the crosshairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer or face a murderer on her own.

BUY @ NOBLE ROMANCE | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

TO ENTER TO WIN AN E-COPY OF UNFORGIVEN (PDF or Kindle Gift):

Comment here with your email address. If you win and are a blog **email** subscriber at the time of the random drawing, you win a second title from my backlist! (Winner's choice in PDF or Kindle gift format). Thank you for your interest, and GOOD LUCK!

TO REJOIN THE HOP PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Jill Noble Talks Noble Romance … for Readers!

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AUTHORS! Check out Jill's step-by-step guide for success as an e-published author and read a free excerpt by clicking the image above.

Now, if you're an author don't go running off just yet. I'm letting you writerly types past the bouncer based alone on the fact you all wouldn't rock your genres if you didn't also read. Furthermore (*clears throat*) this is a great chance for you to see how your next manuscript might be the perfect fit for Noble. So without further ado (because haven't I already adone enough? *grin*) let's welcome Jill Noble, Senior Editor of Noble Romance Publishing.

Welcome, Jill! You're here to talk about Noble Romance, so let's start off by giving readers an idea of what they'll find there. 

Hi, Sarah. Thank you for having me here. I'm honored to be your guest. J

What will readers find at Noble Romance? Well, for starters, a ton of really terrific books by some wonderfully creative and talented authors! J Noble publishes all romance sub-genres, from sweet to erotica. We also have an erotic line, and we recently started a young adult line of books. At Noble Young Adult – Not Just Romance!, readers will find everything from horror to sci-fi to romance, and everything in between.

I absolutely love the diversity! Definitely something for everyone. (Hear that guys? No excuses—check 'em out!) With so many publishing houses out there, readers sometimes have a hard time knowing where to look and why. What sets Noble apart?

I think there are a couple things that sets Noble apart from other publishing houses. One, our quality. I'm very particular about our editing process, and I admit to being tough on my editors and our authors. I will delay a book's release – or even pull it off the cyber-shelf – if I find errors our editors missed. If a customer emails and points out an error that made it through the editing process, I'll pull that book, fix the error, and re-do all the files. I believe readers who purchase e-books from Noble deserve as high quality a product as one they'd purchase from any New York publisher.

Two, we do everything we can to allow our authors to remain true to themselves and their stories. We don't force an author to add X number of sex scenes. We don't force them to tone something down if the content fits their story or their characters. We will make certain the author understands any possible ramifications, but we don't force them to edit out content they feel needs to stay.

I will personally vouch for the editing, having pulled a half-the-nighter with you myself, Jill. *grin* Noble offers a Most Valuable Reader Club. What is it, what are the benefits, and how do readers join?

The MVR Club actually isn't live yet. We were close…and then the company we'd contracted with to create the free gift we wanted to give to the first 100 subscribers dropped the ball. That was about three months or so ago, and since then, the program has been sitting on the back burner. It's high on my list of priorities now, though, because I'm finishing a new promotions package, and the MVR Program is a part of that. Look for this to go live by mid-March (possibly sooner). Once it does, readers who join will receive 10% off all purchase, free author swag, free print copies of their favorite books, and a few other cool things I'm still in the process of finalizing the details on. For someone who buys a lot of e-books anyway, this program will be a nice plus.

Me, me! I'm really looking forward to the launch. ;c) What other benefits are there to being a Noble Romance reader?

One thing Noble offers that I have not seen anywhere else is what we call our Hot New Talent Program. This program assists brand new authors in promoting their very first book, but it also benefit readers, in that we offer these books at a substantially lower price than our "regular" releases. ALL Hot New Talent novels are priced at $1.99. All novellas are priced at $1.49. And all short stories (our "Nibbles") are priced at $.99. Readers have the opportunity to discover some great stories by some talented authors at a reduced cost. And these aren't second-rate stories we slap a cover on and put out there. HNT books go through our normal editing process, and readers will find them just as enjoyable as any other book we sell.

I love the introductory prices. Speaking as a reader, it really is a phenomenal way to prod me into trying a new-to-me author. What kind of feedback do you most often get from readers? Do you take their comments and/or suggestions under advisement when you consider Noble's direction?

We get your standard comments/questions/complaints. Usually, they have trouble with the checkout process, and we can usually walk them through fixing the issue in just a few minutes. We answer every communication and resolve all reader issues…usually within 24 hours.

It's good to know you can be reached on the off chance there is a problem! What's next for Noble Romance?

Oh, boy. A lot. J We're starting several new newsletters, wherein we'll feature our authors and those authors will provide all sorts of interesting and helpful advice and information on a wide variety of subjects. We'll be doing more reader chats (in conjunction with a couple of the bigger review sites) and parties, and I expect our authors (especially our HNT authors) will be out there, online, actively engaging our readers.

Thanks again for having me here, Sarah. I hope your readers enjoyed learning a little more about Noble Romance. If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer; I'll pop in off and on throughout the day. J If you miss me here, feel free to email me at jill@nobleromance.com .

I'm looking forward to the Q&A! There's a lot coming for Noble, and I'm excited to help spread the word. And on that note, don't y'all reader folks forget you have a chance to win a $10 Noble Romance gift certificate every single week if you subscribe **by email** to this blog. (The box is on the top of the sidebar to your left). You will be automatically entered in the weekly random drawing as long as you remain a subscriber—how easy is that? For full giveaway details, click here. Now, if you've got your questions ready, let's have them! And please do visit Noble Romance or Noble Young Adult to see what they've got in store (

NOBLE ROMANCE | NOBLE YOUNG ADULT | NOBLE ON FACEBOOK

NOBLE EXPRESSIONS BLOG | NOBLE AUTHORS BLOG | NOBLE YOUNG ADULT BLOG

                                   

02.05.12 #SixSunday with Tide of Lies

Can't wait for this one? Check out FAMILIAR LIGHT(only $3) to get the early scoop on the unsolved murders leading to the LIES! Here's today's snippet between Holden and Julia, ex-lovers who haven't seen one another since she disappeared years ago without a word of explanation. Things are heating up, but he hasn't forgotten she was just brutally attacked.

 He didn't know the extent of her injuries so he relied on body language, the grip of her thighs around his hips and the blessed sting of her fingernails under his shirt coming through loud and clear.

His world existed in brutal slow motion—passion on the verge of explosion, the desire to dive into her almost too much to bear. Ten years of pent up emotion made a hell of a mess once set free, and he was drowning in it.

He lowered his head and found her mouth. She met his kiss with a soft breath against his lips, her hands clutching him everywhere they touched. The familiarity of her beneath him didn't make sense on any level, and the ease at which they fit together only deepened his ache.

TIDE OF LIES – romantic suspense coming April 2012 to Noble Romance (excerpt subject to the wrath of my editor)

Enjoy your Sunday six sentences at a time!  To see other participating authors, click here.

02.04.12 #SweetSat Samples: Unforgiven

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her ... and this time he's got a gun. UNFORGIVEN ... click image.

Congratulations to reginamayross(at)etc, this week's gift card winner! If you'd like to be eligible for my weekly giveaways of a $10 gift card to Noble romance or $5 to Amazon, simply subscribe by email using the box to your left. You'll will be automatically entered every week for as long as you remain a subscriber.

Gage and Riley were once lovers, but a deadly twist of fate tore them apart. Now, one year later, they're thrown together by a murder in which Gage was the intended victim and Riley is wanted for the crime. Last week they tracked down someone who might offer answers, but found his house doesn't look lived in. Here, they return for a closer look.

Gage stood on tiptoe to peer through a high window.

"Bathroom?" Riley guessed, her curiosity piqued by his dogged interest in what lay beyond the dirty glass.

"No."

Silence.

"You want me to keep guessing?"

"No need to. We're going inside."

"Inside the house?" Clearly she wasn't up for a life as a career criminal.

"As opposed to . . . ?"

Lacking other options, she ignored the question. "What do you see?"

"A reason to go in the house."

Riley tamped down the urge to smack him across the back of the head. "You realize this is actual breaking and entering this time, right? Or do you have a key here, too?"

Gage made his way through the tall grass to the back door, pausing only a moment to squint through another window. "Is it my fault if he forgot to lock the back door? And it just happens to open when I knock?"

"And the odds of that are what? Besides, it's still not legal."

Gage tossed a disarming smile in her direction. "Says the woman wanted by the law."

"Which is whose fault?"

The grin disappeared. "Tom Rigby better hope like hell it's not his." Gage tried the knob but it didn't turn. "Hmm." With an innocent shrug, he kicked the door.

It flew inward, the broken lock hitting the linoleum beneath.

Great.

BUY @ NOBLE ROMANCE | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

For more Sweet Saturday clean excerpts, click here.

UNFORGIVEN

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her . . . and this time, he's got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage's former lover, Riley. He and she didn't part ways on good terms, and he's not planning to rekindle anything now–not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way. A twist of fate puts them in the crosshairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer or face a murderer on her own.

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Hildie McQueen's "Desperate Betrayal"

Wanna get BETRAYED? Click image!

Hey, y'all! We're kicking off the weekend in a very good way with today's guest, Hildie McQueen, and her book DESPERATE BETRAYAL, which was just awarded Readers Favorite Story of January 2012 by Grave Ells. Now if that doesn't get your attention, how's this one? You now have a chance to win a copy of your very own in your choice of Kindle or PDF formats. Awesome, right? Entry details follow Hildie's interview, which starts right now.

Hi, Hildie, and welcome! I loved getting to know you through your bio, and I'd like to bring out some of that for our readers today. I read you've traveled extensively. While you were out there "on the road," how did you decide your next destination? What were some of your favorite spots? Do they appear in your writing?

My friends and I have a 'bucket list' of destinations.  We hope to go to as may places on the lists as possible.  Scotland was first, we're looking at Peru next, Macchu Picchu.  My favorite place without a doubt is Plockton, a small village in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland.  So far only Scotland appears in my writing since the hero is from there, I'm sure other locations I've been to will appear in future writings.

Scotland seems to be a beloved place for writers, and everything I've seen in pictures is just beautiful. (I need to make a list of my own, methinks!) In your book, DESPERATE BETRAYAL, your hero Cynden is both intrigued and put off by Emma. This makes for a fascinating push and pull as the attraction grows. What about her got under his skin?

He was instantly drawn to her and that made him cautious, he wondered if perhaps she was a witch and used some type of magic on him.  I would like to say Emma's strength of character is what finally got Cyn, but honestly, he found her hot as hell. *snicker*

LOL! Well, there's always that. ;c) I love how he was suspicious because of his attraction. Bewitching, indeed! DESPERATE BETRAYAL sounds like an intense read with an intriguing plot. How did the pieces come together for this story? Were all the plot elements your idea, or did the characters themselves have a say in things?

This story was surprisingly easy to write, the characters spoke often and led me through the story every time I sat and wrote. The plot turns caught me by surprise at times.

I love it when stories make their own way. Every time an author says that I gain a whole new level of interest in their story. ;c) Without giving too much away, can you share how DESPERATE BETRAYAL leads into the next book in the series?

It's obvious in Desperate Betrayal that Kieran, Cyn's brother and Wendy, Emma's best friend are attracted, so I knew before the story ended that they'd be the main characters in the sequel.

That's a great draw for readers to pick up the next title! How about if we put you on the other side of the book? Which genre are you drawn to as a reader?  Do you prefer to read in the same genre as your WIP or do you mix it up?

I read a mixture of genres, contemporary, historical and of course paranormal.  I've heard that some writers don't read what they are writing which worked during my latest WIP (a western romance) since I don't usually read that genre.  I'm not even sure why I even wrote that story, but it's a good one.

LOL! They really just take over sometimes, don't they? Looking back over all of the intimate moments you've created between characters, which scene would you most like to experience for yourself?  What makes it so alluring?

Wow, great question.  I wrote a love scene with a hero who was emotionally scarred, the heroine had to move slowly and ensure he was comfortable the entire time.  It turned out to be one of the tenderest scenes I've ever written.  I'd love to experience what they had.

That does sound so incredibly … well, I want to use another word but "tender" just seems perfect. And it does sound completely amazing. * happy sigh *While you're lost in the pages of your WIP, how do you keep track of plot elements or twists?

I'm pretty much a quick outline and then start writing kind of girl.  I don't keep track of much to be honest.  It just comes together.  Thankfully.

It's wonderful when it just falls into place! (Maybe your characters can have a little sit-down with mine …?) Which of your novels most reflects who you are as a writer?  Why?

Probably the sequel to this book, Desperate Surrender, because in this story I was able to run the gamut in writing emotions, the heroine, Wendy, who is a lot like me, happy-go-lucky and her opposite, the sullen-tortured hero, which is what Kieran Fraser is.

They sound like a pretty intense pair! What are you currently working on?

Like I said above, I am in the editing process of my western romance, Where the Four Winds Collide.  As soon as I'm done with that, I go back to the Protector Series and the rounding out of the draft for Desperate Possession, the third in the series.

That sounds fabulous, and there's a lot for readers to look forward to, but fortunately we don't have to wait for it all. Here's a look at DESPERATE BETRAYAL.

DESPERATE BETRAYAL | blurb & links

Cynden Frasier (Cyn) is a member of a group of immortal warriors, the Protectors, assigned to protect humans in Atlanta, Georgia, the epicenter of a major uprising in demon activity. When a beautiful woman in a dirty alley approaches Cyn, he is intrigued by the fact that she can see him for what he is, a terrifying demon slayer, and still dares to approach him.

Emma Blake, a half-demon, has to convince Cyn to help rescue her sister from powerful demons. Terrified that the Protector will kill her if he realizes what she is, she still goes against every instinct and approaches Cyn for help. Despite knowing that she is leading them both into territory so wrought with treachery, neither of them may survive.

Can Cyn and Emma overcome betrayal, the ancient rules that prevent Protectors from taking a wife, unless she is his one true mate? And if they do, will it even matter?

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HILDE MCQUEEN | bio  & links

Hildie McQueen is a whirlwind who refuses to wear anything but jeans and heels.

She grew up on the San Diego/Mexico border, joined the military at seventeen and never returned. After living in Germany, Texas and Hawaii, she finally settled in the beautiful southern town of Augusta, Georgia.

Biracial, half Mexican and half African-American, Hildie's native language is Spanish, but English is her favorite way of communicating now.

Her mission in life is to make as many people as possible to feel normal. It's an easy thing to do, for others to feel normal around her, because she's anything but.

AUTHOR LINKAGE @ BLOG | TWITTER | GOODREADS

**GIVEAWAY**

As promised, Hildie brought with her a copy of DESPERATE BETRAYAL and one of you will get to take it home! To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment with your email address. Any tweets or other shares of this post would be appreciated but are not required. (Share buttons are just below for your convenience). The winner gets their choice of a PDF or Kindle prc file, so if you want this one in your hot little hands get down there to the comment section and say hello! I'd like to thank you all for being here today. Hildie, it's been a real pleasure. Congratulations on your debut release, and may it be the first of many successes for you! ;c)