Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 12

Valentine's Book Blitz Day 10

 


At the age of fifteen, Carly Sue McCluskie ran away from the family farm to escape her abusive great uncle Ezra and the torment of her classmates only to end up homeless on the streets of Salt Lake City. Eight years later, she reluctantly returns to oversee Ezra’s estate and is not surprised to learn someone killed the old codger. What she didn’t expect is someone attempting to kill her.
Seth Wakely and his family have been feuding with the McCluskies for a lifetime, but that doesn’t stop him from helping a neighbor in need. Seth is as surprised as a pig laying an egg when he learns someone in their little country town might have killed Ezra and now Carly Sue’s life is in danger.
Seth finds himself torn between protecting her and the bitter memories of the past, including what he did to Carly Sue. Good thing he can send his Border collie, Jewel, over to protect her.
Will their Hatfield and McCoy relationship continue, or will Carly Sue and Seth be able to conquer the anger which corrals them and, instead, learn to love?
           
        




Bestselling author, Cindy A Christiansen, has combined her love of dogs with her joy of writing to create an award winning combination. Her novels always include canine characters both in the pages and on the cover, an extension of the credit she gives to her extraordinary rescue dogs for their part in helping her overcome numerous challenges. In a reciprocal gesture for their love and devotion, a portion of the proceeds from her books are donated to assist abandoned and abused dogs.

She lives in Utah with her loving husband, two creative children with autism, and a pack of rambunctious dogs.

Fly into a good book!

Facts about the Author


1.     Readers would be surprised to know that I am actually allergic to dogs, but that doesn't stop me from having them and loving them!
2.     I have always wanted to make a difference in people's lives.
Connect with the Author:

                          
 


List of My Top 10 Favorite Things:1.     Puppies and their puppy breath2.     A cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream3.     Dragonfly jewelry4.     Homemade buttered popcorn5.     A book that puts you through a lot of emotions6.     Playing with my dogs7.     Quality time with family8.     Sharing time with friends9.     Helping others10.  Classic black and white movies
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Another Great Novel from Juli Caldwell

Avery Elliott is so busy hiding from her past that she doesn't realize she’s been stuck in a rut for the last decade or so. Despite a job she loves, a hilarious great-grandma she adores, a reliable Friday night date, and two of the best friends a girl could ask for, she’s not happy.
So why can’t she move forward with her life? 
After Mr. Friday Night humiliates her and bails, Avery spins it into an opportunity. She joins her friends on a singles cruise, hoping to reset her stagnant life.  Instead, her great escape becomes a floating prison, locking her in with everything she needed to get away from. 
And then someone she never thought she’d see again appears on board, a blast from the past who’s haunted her for far too long. Avery has to decide if she should leave the past where it belongs, or fight for a happiness she never thought she deserved.

Guilt Trip is now available on Amazon. Check it out!  In honor of its release and Valentines/Singles Awareness Day, Juli Caldwell is having a Worst Date Ever contest. Visit her facebook and share your awful story--BOOM. You're entered. Give Guilt Trip a shout out or a retweet on Twitter--another entry. Make sure you hashtag it #guilttrip and let her know @ImJuliCaldwell so she can find your entries! Winner gets signed paperback or ebook, whichever they prefer! Winner announced Sunday Night.

Valentine's Book Blitz Day 9

When I was a kid I read a book a day, scribbled stories, and dreamed about having my very own book on the library shelf. I grew up in San Francisco, but now live in an adobe house on the banks of the Rio Grande with my husband and sons. I've stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria, and anything old and musty and ancient with a secret story to tell.

I'm the author of 10 award-winning middle-grade and Young Adult novels, I make way too many cookies when I'm writing - and I've got the best book trailers in the universe - for reals! www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com.

Awards: Southwest Book Award, Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel, Whitney Award Finalist and Association of Mormon Letters of Art Award, Bank Street College Best Books of 2011, 2013, and 2015, a Crystal Kite Finalist, and New Mexico/Arizona Book Award Winner. Three Top 10 Lists from BOOKLIST: Top 10 Romance, Top 10 Historical, Top 10 Religion/Spirituality for 2015. 


Website: www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/484627.Kimberley_Griffiths_Little
Twitter: @KimberleyGLittl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberleygriffithslittle
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/KimberleyLittle1



BANISHED is the epic sequel to FORBIDDEN, set in the unforgiving deserts of ancient Mesopotamia. Jayden's courage will be put to the test as she fights for her survival and the one she loves.

Jayden thought she had lost everything. After months of traveling in the desert, she discovers her beloved Kadesh is injured but still alive. However, the two must flee immediately, for the vengeful and jealous Horeb is on their trail, desperate to take Jayden back to be his bride.

The trek to the southern lands comes with heartache and danger, and as Jayden and Kadesh draw closer to their destination, she realizes that even he has been keeping secrets from her . . . ones that will change everything.

Kimberley Griffiths Little's riveting sequel to Forbidden will leave readers begging for the final installment.



http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Forbidden-Kimberley-Griffiths-Little/dp/0062195018/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062195012

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/banished-19

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/banished-kimberley-griffiths-little/1121902238?ean=9780062195012 
10 Favorite/Fun Facts About Me: 1. I’m a Valentine’s Day baby and when I was young I always got a heart-shaped box of chocolates from my grandfather.2. I adore cake in every form, especially German chocolate and fudge marble.3. I’m an amateur belly dancer. 4. I’ve traveled to the ancient World Wonder of Petra in Jordan in the Middle East. The crossroads of the Frankincense Trail. 5. I’ve ridden a camel and would love my own baby camel as a pet. 6. I’ve stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland—and didn’t sleep a wink.7.  I grew up near San Francisco and walked across the Golden Gate Bridge many times. I’ve also been inside the solitary prison cell at Alcatraz.8. I’m slightly obsessed with Downton Abbey. 9. I *love* Disneyland and will go anytime, any day of the year—if I could afford the tickets! 10. Sometimes I wish I could run around with purple hair and fairy wings.
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 8

 

A coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous.
Buying the 1920s farmhouse south of Phoenix, where the rumors of John Dillinger’s gang hid out in the 30s, is supposed to be Grace Evanheart’s way of escaping an old romance. When she finds an ancient diary with a map under the bedroom’s floorboard, the rumors solidify into fact. She doesn’t know who to trust with the news; Micah Stevens, the handsome deputy and the great grandson of the original landowners with whom she’s attracted, or Jerry, the young historian who seems too intent on learning about her new home?Micah seems convinced their paths cross exactly at the right time and in the right place for them to fall in love. Now he just has to convince Grace of the same thing before suspicions of his real motive have her running again.          


"Debra lives in Southwest Arizona, and has been married to Mike for 36 years. She's the mother of two awesome sons, who married their forever loves, and she's a grandmother to three beautiful grandchildren with one more on the way.

Debra wrote her first novella thirteen years ago just for grins. That brief taste into the world of an author started an undeniable writing obsession rivaling only her love of chocolate. She's an award-winning fine artist, and loves traveling with her husband."
Facts about the Author:
1.      Readers would be surprised to know ... that I went to 13 different schools growing up. I actually went to 5 different high schools. We moved a lot. This is probably why I’m such an introvert. So if you see me at a conference or a book signing, say hi. You don’t know how much that would mean to me.
2.      I have always wanted to ... learn to tap dance. We just saw Riverdance in Tucson. It was awesome!!!
Connect with the Author:
                  


Top Ten List:
1) I have an intense fear of flying, bad enough I need medication to even walk toward a plane.2) I have an unreasonable fear of heights. I’m pretty sure this has an impact on my fear of flying.3) I’m terribly claustrophobic. That might have something to do with my fear of flying—maybe.4) I’m a multiple-award winning fine artist specializing in portraits. I received a drawing kit for Christmas when I was seven or eight years old, with a drawing pad, pencils, one of those silly gum erasers, and an awesome book that had step-by-step examples. I drew a little boy wearing a sombrero, and my mother used the side of a pencil and shaded it, making it pop off the paper. I used this memory in one of my books.5) This little known fact is one that my husband dislikes; I love bags—handbags, tote bags, and messenger bags with sayings on them. I can’t pass by a display of bags without Mike grabbing my elbow and hurrying me by them. The top shelf in my closet is solely for bag and purse storage. I’m pathetic. It could be worse, I suppose. I might have the same obsession for matching shoes with each bag.6) I’m married to a retired cop, who’s brother was a cop/latent identification expert, and who’s dad was a cop for 34 years, and now we have a son who’s in law enforcement. I’m never at a loss for experts when writing.7) I was a volunteer with our local police department for several years. I rode with willing officers, went on calls with them. On occasion, I even helped in taking report information and traffic control. They didn’t let me carry a gun, although I did design their shirt patch.8) I write a little bit of myself into every story. In Changes of the Heart, poor Grace deals with my clumsiness. Really! Once, I sprained my ankle so badly, the doctor told me that it would’ve healed faster if I would’ve broken it. My foot turned black from my toes up to my knee.  9) Changes of the Heart was a top 3 finalist in the 2014 Marilyn Brown Unpublished Novel Contest. Marilyn and her husband have set up an endowment at Utah Valley University to honor superior works of fiction written by literary artists.10) I dislike coconut. I mean, really, sincerely, honestly dislike coconut.
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 7

Author M.M. Roethig is a 'happily-ever-after' author whose guilty pleasure is a swoon worthy romance. Growing up, she spent her youth on various Air Force bases in many different states, which encouraged her imagination and love of make believe stories with each new city, scenery, and situation.

Finally settling in Idaho, M.M. Roethig finished her schooling years and eventually met and married her very own Prince Charming. A recent move took her to Northern Colorado, a place she has instantly fallen in love with and embraced as her home.

When she's not swooning over romance stories or writing, M.M. Roethig enjoys spending time with her husband and son who also call Colorado home. With two grown daughters and one son-in-law living in Idaho, she finds every excuse to travel back as much as possible.

Other hobbies M.M. Roethig enjoys is running, photography, baking, watching her son swim, trying new board games, and cheering on the Denver Broncos. 


http://mmroethig.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authormmroethig
https://twitter.com/MMRoethig
http://www.amazon.com/M.M.-Roethig/e/B00901QB44
http://instagram.com/mmroethig/
 
A dancer and a Marine—two worlds collide.

Chloe Johnson is no stranger to the spotlight. A prestigious member of the LA Laker Girls, she’s in the public eye regularly. Her world is perfect.

Eric Taylor, on the other hand, is damaged, both body and spirit. Injured overseas, he returns home with fresh physical wounds, invisible emotional scars, and a bad attitude.

When Chloe becomes the object of affection to an unknown stalker, she must leave her life behind and rely on a total stranger, and the only man she’s ever met who’s never happy to see her—Eric. Can she trust this hardened soldier with her life?

Adjusting to civilian life hasn’t been easy for Eric. Swearing off women forever, all he wants is to be left alone. However, his world is thrown into chaos when Chloe appears on his doorstep as an invited guest of Eric’s twin brother. Bewitched by her innocent charms, Eric fights to keep her at arm’s length, putting his No More Women resolve to the test.

Everything soon changes when Chloe’s stalker trackers her down, making her a pawn in a cat and mouse game of Dangerous Obsession.

**Included at the end of this book is the short story, Reflections.** 


http://www.amazon.com/M.M.-Roethig/e/B00901QB44
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/m.m.-roethig
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/raine/id991968184?mt=11
https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=roethig
http://www.inktera.com/store/search
https://www.scribd.com/m.m.8roethig

"I was whisked away into Chloe’s life of glamor, and submerged into the harsh horrors of Eric’s. Suddenly, when a stalker believes Chloe must be his, her life no longer seems so glittery. Thank goodness for safety behind the pages of a book! Thank goodness for excellent writers as Roethig who had me whipping the pages for the next exciting turn!" ~Elizabeth Mueller, author

 Let's look inside with a snippet!
“What makes you think anything happened?” she smiled as she got in the truck. He waited. “Fine, I can’t tell you . . . yet,” she clarified when he narrowed his eyes. “I’ll tell you when the time is right.” She winked as he got in and shut the door, and he decided he couldn’t wait a moment longer to kiss her.He leaned in, placed his free hand on the nape of her neck, and pulled her to him. He would have smiled at the lack of resistance he felt if he wasn’t so focused on her lips. She wore no makeup and had a sheen of sweat on her face, but he didn’t care. He closed the space between them and crushed his lips down on hers. He felt the instant heat flush his skin, electrifying the small space. He groaned and pulled her across the seat until she straddled his lap, their lips moving together in an intimate dance.He felt her fingers in his hair, gently massaging his scalp as his hands pressed her as close as possible. He couldn’t get close enough. When he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing hard. “I’ve been waiting to do that since our last kiss,” he explained when her hooded gaze met his.“Next time, GI,” she said as she swiped the hair out of his eyes. “don’t wait so long.”
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 6

 

In a journey for retribution, lines blur between courage, justice, and revenge.  
A fresh start at college is exactly what Kate needs to ease the burden of her family secrets. When she meets the confident and charming Aaron Jackson, she weaves a new history for herself to fit into his seemingly perfect life. But the past refuses to stay where it belongs, causing a rift between their contrasting worlds.When Ben reappears in Kate's life, she is only pulled deeper into the childhood that she's tried to forget. Driven by the abuse and pain that still lingers within him, Ben seeks Kate's help in making a change. But in this journey for retribution, lines blur between courage, justice, and revenge.Bound by their shared and damaged youth, Kate is forced to choose sides, and fast. The final act is almost here, and time is running out.
                            


Erica Kiefer’s debut novel Lingering Echoes was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November 2013. She continued the series with Rumors (A Lingering Echoes Prequel) and her newest release Vanishing Act. All of her books can be read as stand-alone contemporary YA fiction, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.

Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. One day, she hopes to dust off her collegiate rugby skills and dive back into the game.

Facts about the Author


1.      Readers would be surprised to know that I played college rugby at Brigham Young University. 

2.      I have always wanted to take horse riding lessons and gallop away into the sunset... Ok, maybe not quite that poeticly, but I wish I had the skills to jump on a horse and take off! 
Connect with the Author:

               
Top Ten List:

1. I have lived in five countries including the United States, Taiwan, Fiji, Thailand, and Indonesia. 2. My mother is from Thailand and my dad from the US.3. Sadly, I am not biligual.4. My husband thought I was Hawaiian when we first met, which is one reason he was interested in me. He figured Thailand was a close 2nd! ;)5. I am horribly, embarrassingly ticklish on my neck, a fact my family has abused since childhood.6. Soda and candy do not tempt me, but baked goods like chocolate chip cookies do!7. Waffles and crepes with berries and cream will win me over any day. I chose a fancy, scrumptious waffle over a birthday cake
 this year. Yum!8. 2nd grade was the year I decided to be an author some day.9. Ten years of marriage has given me four beautiful, crazy children ages 4, 3, 10 months, and one son in heaven. 10. My husband says right before I crash at night, I get silly hyper for five minutes and then I'm out! 
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 5

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.
Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.
She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.


Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/Natalie-Nicole
Twitter: @BatesNatalie http://twitter.com/BatesNatalie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natalie-Nicole-Bates/352610728138768
Blog: www.natalienicolebates.com
Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0071MP0DC


After her mother’s sudden death, Rory Lane is home again. It has been fifteen years since she escaped Mount Pleasant and everyone and everything in it. Now she must oversee the closing of her mother’s affairs.
The only bright spot is Rory’s blossoming friendship with boarder CJ Rausch. Rory senses that CJ just might be her soul mate, but the handsome excavator is somewhat of a standoffish loner.
After an unthinkable event, Rory’s life spins out of control, and she must deal not only with her grasping, selfish sister, but also a manipulative, wannabe suitor. CJ offers Rory a way out, but at what price? Beware: Everyone has secrets in Mount Pleasant…And they enjoy them!



http://www.amazon.com/One-Winter-Natalie-Nicole-Bates-ebook/dp/B00VGKJU6S

http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Winter-Natalie-Nicole-Bates-ebook/dp/B00VGKJU6S

http://www.amazon.ca/One-Winter-Natalie-Nicole-Bates/dp/1511572019

http://www.amazon.com/One-Winter-Natalie-Nicole-Bates/dp/1511572019 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-winter-natalie-nicole-bates/1121892505
 
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/555502


Ten Fun Facts1.      I was born in Russia, and lived there until I was four.2.      I’ve actually lived in three countries – Russia, USA, and United Kingdom3.      I graduated with a degree in mortuary science, but cannot practice becomes I am allergic to the chemicals!4.      I am currently studying to become an herbalist.5.      I enjoy working with chocolate and all things chocolate6.      The neighborhood children are scared of me and I have no idea why7.      My latest obsession is Frozen Charlotte dolls8.      I collect antique poison bottles9.      I am an admirer of Victorian era photography10.  I have a variety of tattoos and body piercings
 Ready to learn a little more about Natalie-Nicole!?!
1.           Readers would be surprised to know ...                       I have lived in three countries.
2.           I have always wanted to ...Travel through Romania
3.           I will never forget ...                       The full moon in Majorca when I vacationed there. It was the biggest I’ve ever seen.
4.           The Best thing about writing is ...Getting to do what I love and share my stories with the world.
5.           When I am not writing, I like to ....Read, crafts, veg in front of the television
6.           I am working on ...A Venice set paranormal romance, and my third RISE book.

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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 4

 

     
Is it possible for a traveling hospice nurse to find romance in a small southern town? After all, she is only passing through and needs to focus on her job--a job that requires compassion and dedication. She can't afford to have any distractions.
Since her grandmother's death, Sarah has been alone. No family. No friends. No distractions. Just the way she likes it. Traveling from town to town is an adventure, meeting new people, exploring new places, but could her solitary life be growing lonely?
Much to her surprise, two vastly differing men compete for her attention in the quaint, historic town of Camden, South Carolina. Nate, the adopted son of one of Sarah's patients, is a true Southerner with a sarcastic wit and genuine warmth. On the other hand, Dr. Joseph Thornton is a caring oncologist who is known as the best catch in the state. Who could say no to his Hollywood smile and emerald eyes?
No distractions. This is her goal as a hospice nurse. But distractions is exactly what she gets. Will she be tempted to put down roots in the small town?
It's a good thing Sarah's eccentric Nana left her a mysterious box. Nana's gift provides the guidance and comfort Sarah desperately needs as she faces heart-wrenching trials. Not only does she have the stress of caring for the dying, she has to visit patients in the ghetto. What dangers await a beautiful young nurse making home visits at night?
Enduring sadness and trauma, Sarah's childhood faith is shattered. She tries desperately to hold onto Nana's godly legacy, but it is slipping away. When a bizarre stranger appears at her door with devastating news about Nana's past, can her cherished box continue to provide answers and deepen her faith or will Sarah realize her life has been based on nothing but lies? 

        




Susan grew up in Charlotte, NC and has a psychology degree from Furman University and masters in social work from the University of South Carolina. She jokes that God didn't lead her to a career in hospice; He took her kicking and screaming the whole way. Now passionate about end-of-life care, she loves providing care and counseling for those who are writing the final chapters of their life story. She presently serves as a hospice director in Columbia, SC where she lives with her adorable hubby and three phenomenal children. Her family of five are all fluent in sarcasm and on any given day, you can find them bantering away.

Connect with the Author:

 
 

Snippet 1 -As Nate slowed to survey the damage, he was shocked to see someone walking toward him in the middle of the drive. As he drove closer, he realized it was a young woman, and she was trudging more than walking. What in the world? Nate stopped beside her and rolled down his window. “Do you need some help?Sarah pulled wet locks from her face as she awkwardly adjusted her bag on her hip. “Can you please tell me where the Crabfields live?”Nate, who was seldom at a loss for words, couldn’t find his voice. Sarah raised her pitch as she pointed down the drive, “Do the Crabfields live down there?”Nate slowly nodded, his mouth agape.“Thank you.” Sarah gave a faint smile, squared her shoulders and began walking again.
It took a minute for Nate to come to his senses. Where did she come from? She’s just out here in the middle of the sticks, soaking wet, covered in mud, acting as if she’s out for a stroll in the city... and those eyes.
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 3

Nicholas Fisher is a college professor and a sports enthusiast. He writes adult horror under another name, but thought of the idea for Becky’s Kiss while coaching his son’s baseball team. Since the story involved high school drama he decided to write his first young adult piece. When not writing or teaching, Nicholas Fisher enjoys pizza, reality television, and playing the banjo. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and his son goes to Arizona State University.

http://nicholasfisherbooks.weebly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/nicholasfisherbooks/
https://twitter.com/NicholasFisherA 

Synopsis:
Becky Michigan meets the boy of her dreams on her first day of ninth grade, a gorgeous blonde baseball player named Danny with crystal blue eyes, but no one else in the school ever heard of him. To make matters worse, Becky starts having dreams that she is the greatest pitcher on the planet, and when she throws an orange in the cafeteria at more than 90 miles per hour, she has some questions for the boy who keeps disappearing.

The stronger Becky’s feelings grow for Danny the faster she throws, and the faster she throws the less he shows up! Suddenly she is offered the opportunity to try out for the varsity baseball team, a shot at being popular for once, but does this mean she has to give up the hope of ever finding true love? All answers come to light out behind the high school at midnight, on an old overgrown ball field in the woods behind the real one, fifty feet off the third baseline. It is a magic field. One of dreams. Or possibly nightmares.


http://www.amazon.com/Beckys-Kiss-Nicholas-Fisher-ebook/dp/B016NGFXI8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beckys-kiss-nicholas-fisher/1122797722

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/becky-s-kiss

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nicholas_Fisher_Becky_s_Kiss?id=2Vq4CgAAQBAJ&hl=en

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585214

Ready for a snippet? There was only one place left to sit in the crowded cafeteria, at the empty table by the trash cans next to the concrete support beam that had a poster of Frederick Douglass on it. It was an old science desk at the edge of the walking aisle separating the two halves of the room, and one of its legs was broken at the base. The wobble-table.  For losers.One kid was sitting there, the Asian boy from English class. He had stuck his math book under the short leg, and was politely sipping soup, robotic and rigid, nothing else on his tray but a couple of pieces of fruit. Becky walked over, pulled out the chair across from him, and slipped off her backpack.“What’s your name?” she said.He was startled, but clearly glad he had a visitor.“Joe,” he said.  “Joey Chen.”  He smiled then, and even though he had funny teeth, the expression had an interesting effect, like craft-show glass, like sidewalk art. His eyes glinted.  “You,” he said, “are Becky Michigan.”She shrugged.“Are you new here?”He looked down at his soup.“I am from China. I been here one year, three months, eleven days.”Becky sighed. A whole year and he was eating lunch alone. And counting the days.“You like this great food?” she said.“No.”“Me neither.”“And I don’t like bullies,” he said. “This place is full of them.”
Becky sighed again, and then something hit her in the ear. The projectile rolled and wobbled across the table, settling at the far edge. It was a grape. A purple grape.Another one struck her right on the end of the nose, leaving a hint of moisture, making her blink stupidly, and yet another plinked off her forehead. So immature! Bullies, oh yes, Joey had a point now didn’t he? She pushed back her chair and looked over in the general direction of the assault. There, across the aisle and about eighteen rows down, was Cody Hatcher, the big kid who had been teasing her in English class, sitting at the edge of the table with what seemed to be four of his idiot friends, all of them laughing like hyenas, one stamping his foot he was so overcome with the hilarity of it all. Hatcher stopped and looked right at Becky. He reached in front of him and took a purple grape off the stem. He put it in his mouth and chewed real slow. Swallowed. Licked his top lip and winked. Then his friends were laughing again, slapping him on the back.Becky didn’t think, she just acted. Joe didn’t have time to move. In a flash, she reached across the table, knocked over his milk, grabbed his orange, and pivoted back, side-stepping into the aisle. She had a split second to look at her target, and Hatcher had his mouth open, all teeth, eyes up at the ceiling he was laughing so hard.She kicked up a knee and spread her hands, throwing-arm dangling way low behind her. There was a moment of perfect balance there, and then her body became a machine: all hot fluid and angry levers. She stepped into it deep, cocked up her arm, snapped her hips, and fired.The orange flew out of her hand as if on a clothesline. Even through the noise, she could hear it hiss through the air, and heads turned with it as if in slow motion. Hatcher had just enough time to adjust his eyes from the ceiling and focus on what was coming. It hit him square in the forehead with a hard splat and his hands flew
up. It knocked him straight back out of his chair, and the fruit ruptured in a blast of spray and peel.People roared. Gossip exploded, and Becky could hear a lot of “Did you see that?” and “Who is that girl?” and “What happened?” and “Did you see how freakin’ hard she chucked that?” Everything was echoing, sounding unreal, and the teachers on lunch duty were darting their eyes all around to pinpoint exactly where the disturbance was. Becky got back in her chair, and Joe had his mouth open.Becky was trying not to shake.“He had it coming,” she managed.
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Valentine's Book Blitz Day 2

 

Determined to help her father with his political career, Jocelyn sets aside dreams of love until she meets a mysterious gentleman with dangerous secrets. Working undercover, Grant’s only suspect for a murder conspiracy is the father of a lady who is getting increasingly hard to ignore. They must work together to find the assassins. England’s future hangs in the balance…and so does their love.                                                                                                                                                                                       
 
         


Donna Hatch is the author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series,” and a winner of writing awards such as The Golden Quill and the International Digital Award. A hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart, she discovered her writing passion at the tender age of 8 and has been listening to those voices ever since. She has become a sought-after workshop presenter, and also juggles freelance editing, multiple volunteer positions, and most of all, her six children (seven, counting her husband). A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.Determined to help her father with his political career, Jocelyn sets aside dreams of love until she meets a mysterious gentleman with dangerous secrets. Working undercover, Grant’s only suspect for a murder conspiracy is the father of a lady who is getting increasingly hard to ignore. They must work together to find the assassins. England’s future hangs in the balance…and so does their love.

Facts About the Author

1.      When I am not writing, I like to ....read, eat chocolate, go for long walks.

2.      I am working on ...a prequel to Rogue Hearts series book 3, A Perfect Secret, tentatively entitled A Perfect Match.
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Excerpt:
Inexplicably, her thoughts returned to Grant Amesbury. She’d seen her share of handsome men—including his stunning brothers—but no one had created such sizzling awareness in her. His kindness in returning Jonathan home safely piqued her interest; not many gentlemen would trouble themselves over a misbehaving boy, but that didn’t explain her reaction to him. Perhaps it was the mystery around him, a virtually unknown man with no apparent use for society. But there was something else about him, an air of sophistication mingled with a supremely masculine intensity that proclaimed him a fearless man of action. If an enemy army invaded, Mr. Amesbury would probably fend them off single-handedly. She could almost swoon at the thought, but she wasn’t that kind of girl. 
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