Liz Crowe's Blog, page 10

GUESS THE TRUE STATEMENT & WIN JESSICA BELL’S THRILLER, WHITE LADY! (Statement #76)

To celebrate the release of Jessica Bell’s latest novel, WHITE LADY, she is giving away an e-copy (mobi, ePub, or PDF) to the first person to correctly guess the one true statement in the three statements below. To clarify, two statements are lies, and one is true:
Jessica Bell’s first pets were called Charlie and Socks, they were ...a. goldfishb. birdsc. cats
What do you think? Which one is true? Write your guess in the comments, along with your email address. Comments will close in 48 hours. If no-one guesses correctly within in 48 hours, comments will stay open until someone does.
Want more chances to win? You have until October 31 to visit all the blogs where Jessica will share a different set of true and false statements on each one. Remember, each blog is open to comments for 48 hours only from the time of posting.
If you win, you will be notified by email with instructions on how to download the book.
Click HERE to see the list of blogs.
ABOUT THE BOOK: *This novel contains coarse language, violence, and sexual themes.
​Sonia yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and mathematics teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats.
While being the wife of Melbourne’s leading drug lord and simultaneously dating his best mate is not ideal, she’s determined to make it work.
It does work. Until Mia, her lover’s daughter, starts exchanging saliva with her son, Mick. They plan to commit a crime behind Sonia’s back. It isn’t long before she finds out and gets involved to protect them.
But is protecting the kids really Sonia’s motive?
Click HERE to view the book trailer.Click HERE for purchase links.

Jessica Bell, a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist, is the Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca. She makes a living as a writer/editor for English Language Teaching Publishers worldwide, such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, MacMillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.
Connect with Jessica online:
Website | Retreat & workshop | Blog | Vine Leaves Literary Journal | Facebook | Twitter

A Book Blitz with Brenda Novak

Brenda is giving away $100 (yeah I said that) gift card! Be sure and click the link at the end of the post!
A Matter of Grave Concernby Brenda Novak
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BLURB:
When Maximillian Wilder joins the notorious body snatchers known as the London Supply Company, the last thing on his mind is love. He’s worried about Madeline, his vanished half sister, who was last seen in the company of Jack Hurtsill, the gang’s conscienceless leader. Raiding graveyards, stealing corpses, and selling them to medical colleges as dissection material is dirty work, but he has to gain Jack’s trust. He’s determined to find out what happened to Madeline—and to bring Jack to justice if she was murdered for the coin her body could bring.
Beautiful, spirited Abigail Hale, daughter of the surgeon at Aldersgate School of Medicine, detests the challenging, hard-bargaining Max. But she must procure the necessary specimens if she is to save the college and her father’s career. She believes she is going to be successful—until Jack double-crosses her. Then she’s swept into a plot of danger and intrigue, one where Max must intervene and protect her, no matter the risk to his plan . . . or his heart.



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EXCERPT:
It was a perfect specimen. Almost.
Abigail Hale took a steadying breath and stooped into the cool, dark alley to examine the bloodless gash on the cadaver’s high forehead. The injury was a minor flaw, really. Nothing to worry about, although she intended to use that imperfection to best advantage when haggling over price.
Straightening, she opened the door wide and motioned the five figures surrounding the body inside. “Quickly!”
Three men followed as two, their features distorted by the flickering light of her lamp, hefted the sack containing the corpse into her father’s office and dropped it with a thud as solid as though it contained nothing more than so many rocks.
Abigail squared her shoulders and crossed to the desk adjacent to her father’s. Although she had dealt with resurrection men during the last school year, thrice, she had never done business with this particular gang. The sheer number of them took her off guard. Usually a couple of gravediggers or sextons showed up, regular men who didn’t look nearly so unsavory.
Hoping to keep the “sack ’em up” men from seeing how badly her hands were shaking, she clasped them behind her back.
A behemoth of a man, marked with the smallpox and dressed all in black, stepped forward. “When I saw the name on your letter, I assumed we were dealin’ with the good surgeon himself,” he said with a thick Cockney accent. “So who the bloody hell are you?”
“Who I am doesn’t matter so long as you get paid. Am I correct, Mr.…Hurtsill?” She was guessing at his name. This was the first time she had ever met him, but he seemed in charge and had referenced her letter.
“This is some risky business we’ve got going here, little lady. I have to trust you and you have to trust me. And that means who you are matters more than you might think.”
Since he didn’t correct her, she assumed she had accurately identified him. “Fine. I am steward of the household accounts here, if you must know.”
He picked a piece of food out of his teeth. “The surgeon’s daughter, eh?”
Apparently, he knew more about the school than she had expected.
“Does your father know you’re doin’ this?” he asked.
If they didn’t get on with it, he would find out. And she couldn’t have that. “Time is money, Mr. Hurtsill. How—”
“Big Jack,” he interrupted.
“I’m sorry?
“Call me Big Jack.”
“Fine. Mr…er…Jack, then. How much do you want for…um…” Abigail nodded toward the sack.


AUTHOR Bio and Links:
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of more than fifty books. A four-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised over $2 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com.
Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Brenda_Novak
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author...
Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Matter-Grave-Co...
Click Here and ENTER for a chance to win $100 gift card!
Click here to check out more blogs featuring Brenda's new book!

Book Bundle Chock Full 'O Cowboys

Calling all readers who lust after dudes with horses and saddles!
Check out this new bundle!
Here's a litte teaser from Melissa Kier's contribution to the set:

Seven men as tough as the west…         Seven women who know how to... Cowboy Up
A boxed set of seven romantic novellas by seven award-winning authors experienced with writing about the men of the West.

Always, Cowboy by Allison MerrittBlurb:The past is better left behind, unless it offers a brighter future.Brody Longtree's first love was bull riding, but he loved beauty queen Libby Dempsey equally as hard. When she turned down his marriage proposal, everything from his rodeo career to his love life went to hell. His love ran too deep for blame, so he made the best of what life threw at him. Things finally get back on track...and then she almost runs over his dog.When her pageant dreams died in an embarrassing display of nerves, Libby made a new, cowboy-free life for herself. One where she could train other girls who want to be pageant princesses. One that doesn't give her any reason to dwell on what might have been with Brody until his dog bounds into her heart. And she bounds into Brody's bed.Despite the differences in their lives, they mesh together, the way Brody always knew they would. No matter what, he's waiting until he's certain Libby is ready to get married before he asks again, but their relationship comes under fire when one of her friends reveals a secret about a little girl Libby is awfully attached to—a girl who's the right age to be Brody's daughter.Excerpt:Under that snap front western shirt, did he still sport six-pack abs? She couldn't count the number of times she'd helped him out of a similar shirt and put ice on his bruises after a ride. Or how often they'd parked at the lake and explored one another under the stars.“Hot?” Brody asked.“What?”“You're flushed. We could go sit in the stands, maybe catch a breeze.”“Yeah, I guess.”“Can I ask you something, Lib?” Brody rose. His dark eyes were serious and a few lines bracketed his mouth. “Why'd you come tonight?”Libby swallowed hard. “You asked me.”“Really?”“I only live an hour away and I didn't have anything else to do tonight.” Tell him you miss him.“You used to be more honest.” He slipped his hand around her wrist. “You missed me.”“I—” Electricity buzzed through her from his touch. “Maybe a little.”“Maybe a lot.” He pulled her into his arms. “You wouldn't be here otherwise.”About Allison Merritt:A love of reading inspired Allison Merritt to pursue her dream of becoming an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She lives in a small town  in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in  national parks and conservation areas.Allison graduated from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri with a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news.Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Google+  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest
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Cowboys Don’t Cry by Vickie TaylorBlurb:A broken cowboy with nothing left to lose…except his heart.Dash Connaway is hell-bent down a highway to nowhere. But he can’t outrun fate. Just a few months ago, he’d had a new album shooting up the country music charts, a luxury tour bus prepped for gigs in 39 cities, and a live-in girl friend he’d been thinking of asking to marry him. Now he’s just another drifter with an old guitar, a beat-up pickup, and a dog named Bill for a bed mate…until he meets Maggie McCain.Maggie isn’t your ordinary Oregon rancher. She’s more into organic gardening and hand-spinning yarn from the fleece of her prized alpacas than breeding stinky old cattle. She’s a nurturer, a giver, so when Dash steps into her life from nowhere, she’s ready to trade in her solitary existence on the farm in favor of a husband to grow old with and a passel of children to care for.But when she learns the real reason for Dash’s commitment to life on the road, she’s faced with a difficult choice and a lesson in the fallacy behind the old saying “Cowboys don’t cry.” Only time will tell just how potent the healing power of love can really be.Excerpt:“It’s a girl,” he pronounced cradling the newborn alpaca in his arms.The woman wiped her grimy chin with the back of her grimier hand. Tears tracked through the dirt on her cheeks. “You did it.” She pushed to her feet, but her legs looked none too steady. She picked up the rifle and leaned on it like a crutch.Dash went to her, ready to catch her if she fell. “We did it,” he corrected.“Yes, we did.”He smiled and reached out to her free arm. It was meant to be a celebratory brush, a comfort…but it lingered a moment too long. The air changed.Without warning, she swung her rifle up and rested the barrel against his chest. “Now who the hell are you, and what are you doing on my land?”About Vickie Taylor:Vickie Taylor published her first book in 1999 and quickly rose to the ranks of national best-selling and award-winning author. She enjoys all types of books, but especially paranormal, suspense, and western contemporary with the unifying theme being romance. Vickie always enjoys a good love story. She is the author of sixteen published novels and is a four-time nominee for the Oscar of the romance world, the Romance Writers of America Rita award. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s usually out riding horses, training search and rescue dogs, or volunteering with her local humane society. She is an avid supporter of the campaign to preserve America’s wild horses, and her latest release, Cowboys Don’t Cryis the first book in a new series featuring her beloved mustangs. Sign up for her newsletter to be notified when the next book in the series, The Horseman’s Widow, coming October, 2014, is available. Vickie loves to hear from readers and can be contacted via the methods below:Website  (where you can also sign up for her newsletter announcing new releases.)  |  Facebook  |   Twitter 
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A Cowboy’s Heart by Leslie GarciaBlurb:Teenage lovers torn apart by betrayal. Have seventeen years changed everything—or nothing?Star-crossed lovers in their south Texas hill country high school, torn apart by a best friend’s lie, a mother’s cold hatred, and a father’s lack of trust…High school junior Illy Kingston turns to varsity football star and cowboy in training Gil Salas when her father, a Border Patrol agent, is killed under suspicious circumstances.Their hormone-fueled, all or nothing affair ends when betrayal tears them apart.Years, later, Illy returns home, at loose ends after her disastrous marriage to a reality show rock star ends with an embarrassing photo gone viral and a divorce.When Gil and his mounted Border Patrol make an unannounced civic call at a local elementary school, Gil is shocked to see Illy lurking in the shadows, threatening to upend his existence once again.The old passion still burns—but neither can go back to the innocence of their high school affair. Illy swore never to love a man wearing a uniform that didn’t involve jeans, a western hat, and boots. Gil has a price on his head.And star-crossed love doesn’t usually work for cowboys, either.Excerpt:He stopped abruptly. Illy had told him to stop, and he hadn’t thought she meant it. The memory of her reacting to him, caressing him, wanting him, stormed back. And then, when Emma called, she’d turned off and fled in a fury.Did she think he’d seen the picture? He’d seen it online, like the entire world had, according to all the social media. What if she thought he was just acting out what he’d seen? No matter how much the photo enraged and sickened him, he could only imagine her horror that her marriage was over, but that episode never would be.Did she feel strange at all, being in his arms after that very public display with her ex-husband? His heart thudded dully. She must know he’d seen the picture, but what would it do to her if she knew the truth?He closed his eyes. She was out of his life, and that was best for him. Because truth be told, he didn’t know if he could take her again and not remember the second most painful night of his life. The night he’d happened on Illy making love to her rock-star husband in public.About Leslie Garcia:Leslie P. García grew up lost among a crowd of six siblings and a menagerie that included more than twenty horses and ponies, uncounted dogs and cats, possums, raccoons—even a lion and monkeys. Then she moved to Texas, fell in love, was disowned—and embarked on her real adventures, raising 4 children, teaching hundreds, and loving 9 grandkids through forty years of marriage. The fabric of that colorful life has always been writing. In A Cowboy Heart, Leslie celebrates two of her passions—cowboys and the ever present chance at redemption in spite of past mistakes. Leslie loves hearing from readers and can be found all over cyber space, including these places:Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Pinterest  |  E-mail: lesliegarcia2000-author@yahoo.com
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The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa KeirBlurb:Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl?Angela French blames herself for her daughter’s lack of voice. Determined to do anything to correct the situation, she seeks out Jake Kyncade, the owner of The Heartsong Ranch.Jake Kyncade hides his own sorrows behind his no-nonsense demeanor. Helping children becomes one way to correct his past. Using equine therapy, he sets out to make a difference.Can Jake help Angela’s dreams come true or will Jake’s past bring more heartache? Will love save them all?A Full Chapter:Chapter One
Blood dripped down Taylor’s neck, the deep red contrasting with the pale whiteness of her skin. Trapped, unable to stop the blood flow, she was helpless to prevent each drop from falling to her daughter’s lap. Whimpers escaped Taylor’s lips, and Angela bit down on her own, the taste of sharp copper washing over her tongue. The cries became louder as the evil man sliced the knife across her daughter’s throat. “No!”A scream echoed through her mind, startling her from sleep. Shaking, Angela sat up in bed. It was only a dream.Soft cries came from Taylor’s bed, and she turned toward the sound. Her daughter lay curled in her covers, holding tight to her stuffed horse. These nightmares are getting more frequent. Both hers and mine. She pulled back the covers and crossed the small space to her. Bending over, she brushed the hair off her daughter’s face then placed a kiss on her forehead, but the distressing whimpers continued. Usually a touch wakes her. This must be a bad one. Sitting on the edge, she pulled her daughter into her arms to cradle her tight against her heart. “Shhh. I’m here. Wake up. It’s okay.”Small arms flailed, smacking Angela’s face. She held her daughter tighter and shook her gently.“Honey, it’s Mommy. Wake up.” Her voice was louder, more demanding. Her daughter’s eyes shot open. Her stare latched onto her mom’s as a silent scream formed on her lips, her body stiffening.When will this trauma ever go away? She brushed the hair from her own eyes, her fingers swiping the wetness on her cheek. “Honey, Mommy’s here. I have you. There’s no bad man here.” She choked on her tears. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”Her gaze focusing, Taylor relaxed, but her brow puckered in what Angela called her question face. Her small hand reached up and touched the tear trailing down her mother’s cheek. “It’s okay. I’m fine now that you’re fine. It must have been another bad dream.”
***
Their family counselor, Justine, helped them through the trauma right after it happened. She’d helped Angela with her guilt and brought them closer as a family. Ever since her husband died three years ago, the weight of responsibility had fallen on her shoulders. Taylor was just three when her dad had died, and she didn’t remember him. Naturally shy around men, her attack only made things worse. “I’m proud of how far you’ve come since you started here.” The counselor always began by talking about Angela’s progress. “Have you had any problems with flashbacks? Fear of driving or going to the bank with your deposits after work? I realize it’s not where the original accident happened, but we know fear doesn’t stay in one location.”They’d moved to North Dakota to escape the memories and give them a fresh start. “I’m better. I’ve taken your advice and make sure I don’t do the deposits alone. Still, some people frighten me. But I take a few deep breaths and try to relax. I’ve started some yoga at home, even have Taylor doing it with me. Anything to calm my mind.”“I’m glad to hear that. Exercise is important for children of trauma.”Angela stared at the woman seated behind the desk. Her short, blonde hair showed off her striking face, her clothes neat and unwrinkled, and her fingernails were polished. As she looked at her own broken and chewed nails, doubts about the woman’s effectiveness crept into her mind. She looks like a model or movie star. It’s obvious she’s not been up all night worried about a child. I’ve had enough of this pleasant talk. I need to know my daughter will be fine.“When is my daughter going to speak? She’s said nothing except grunts and whimpers for the last six months.” Angela tried to keep her frustration under control, but exasperation rang in her voice. “And the nightmares are getting worse. Last night I could hardly wake her. Is there more we can do? What else do you recommend?”Justine tapped her pen on her notepad. “We’ve been through this before. Your daughter’s hiding from the pain. While the junkie didn’t physically cut Taylor’s voice out, he did prevent her from screaming for help. The very real pain she felt from the knife at her throat has made her mute.”“But for how long?”“There’s no telling. Let’s get her in here and see if we can get her to talk this week.” A smile crossed her face. “Okay. I’ll grab her.” Angela walked to the outer office. I know she’s trying to reassure me, but I can’t help feeling lost. My baby used to sing and dance. She was such a happy girl, even with the loss of her dad. Sitting in the chair closest to the secretary’s desk, Taylor stared at a magazine in her lap. Her daughter’s light-brown hair and deep-brown, almond-shaped eyes reminded her so much of Mike. Oh, but her personality is all mine. A pang of remorse flowed over her heart. Mike would have known just what to do.She stood watching her for a moment as she flipped through the pages. Photos of animals filled the pages. Animals have always been her favorite. She connected with them. While looking at one picture, Taylor reached her fingers out as if to pet the animal. What did I do to deserve this angel?Pushing her shoulders back, Angela walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. A tentative smile lit up her daughter’s face.
About Melissa Keir:Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn’t hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She’d often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, Mid-Michigan RWA Chapter, and EPIC. She is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars.  Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a movie reviewer, an owner of a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story.Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  | Facebook Page  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cowboy Trouble by Autumn PiperBlurb:She’s decided to make some bad choices this weekend.Susie Howell has always done what her family expects of her, but they don’t know about the divorce papers she’s just signed, or the secret torch she carries for sexy ranch hand Cash. When keeping the secret gets to her, she flees her brother’s wedding reception. Determined to live a little, she swipes the nearest truck from the ranch and heads to Sin City.Cash Acosta has worked hard for everything he has, and nobody is taking off with his truck. When he sees it driving away, he jumps in—and becomes the unwilling passenger of a ready and willing woman he’s forbidden to touch. Hell-bent for trouble, the boss’s sister has already earmarked him as one of her “bad choices”.And Susie intends to get what she wants.Excerpt:“So that’s why you’re runnin’.” Under the parking lot lights, his eyes were pitch black. He thumbed a tear from her cheek.She tried for a more ladylike sniffle, blinked away her tears. Nodded, for lack of a better reply.“When I hear a beautiful woman wants to make some mistakes, my gut instinct is to help her out with that.” His thumb brushed her lower lip. “Hearin’ she’s single…that’s another checkmark in the pros column.” Hypnotized, she barely breathed as he cupped her jaw in his fingers and that gaze riveted on hers. “Seein’ her cry? What choice do I have?” He bent to her, his lips hot and strong, skilled as they teased hers apart, his tongue waking feelings she’d forgotten. And Lord, it may be too soon, it may be wrong, but she wanted. Wanted Cash, his hands, his mouth, his… She grabbed onto his hard shoulders, slipped her hands up his neck, buried her fingers in that thatch of hair. And kissed him like there was no tomorrow. Of course there was. Sexy, brooding, womanizing Cash wanted her, and he’d be hers, at least for this trip.About Autumn Piper:Born and raised in itty-bitty Rifle, Colorado, Autumn Piper studiously avoided trouble…but is now inclined toward it, particularly in her novels. She thinks the best things in life are funny, and the runners-up, romantic.An admitted carb addict, Autumn writes, edits, manages two teenagers, two cats, a box turtle with a huge personality, one husband and many supersize houseplants, and does the cooking and cleaning when forced to.To sign up for Autumn’s occasional newsletter: http://mad.ly/signups/105424/joinWebsite  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon Page 
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Chasing a Cowboy by Sara Walter EllwoodBlurb:He’s running from heartbreak. She’s chasing after love… Their hearts will never be the same.Paige Morgan has lived her entire life in the glare of her fraternal twin sister’s star. Although the sisters are as different as sun is from the moon, Paige fell in love with the same man as her famous swimsuit model sister. When country superstar Chase Jordan is dumped at the altar by her twin, Paige sees an opportunity to go after the one thing of her sister’s she’s always wanted. She finds Chase in Cabo San Lucas nursing his broken heart in the true country song fashion—with a bottle of Jose Cuervo—and reminds him of the desire he once felt for her. Will this singing cowboy change his tune as they set the tropical nights on fire? Or will Paige be the one singing the blues when her sister shows up wanting her man back?Excerpt:All of his hopes and dreams shattered on what should have been the happiest day of his life. Today, instead of settling in for their two-week vacation and only getting out of bed to eat, he was nursing a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Why had he come here? His brother was right; he could have easily eaten the cost of the trip. Chase had insisted that he had to escape for a little while, lick his wounds and come up with a plan before he had to go back on tour in a few weeks. Jack accused him of wanting to punish himself. Why else would he go to the place he and Kayla were to have their honeymoon? Had he come here to remind himself of what should have been? He shook his head, hoping to dislodge the thoughts, and turned to gaze out the other side of the bar.A woman stood on the walkway staring at him through a pair of Aviators. Her long blonde ponytail shimmered in the sun like spun gold. He narrowed his eyes. Was he now hallucinating?She entered the bar and headed toward him. Sitting on the stool beside him, she removed her sunglasses to reveal a pair of expressive hazel eyes. “Surprise.”“Paige? What the hell are you doing here?”About Sara Walter Ellwood:Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published author and publishes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name Cera duBois.Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter Signup
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Cowboy Bred, Cowboy Born by D’Ann LindunBlurb: Freedom or family?  Only love can make the choice.Photographer Alannah Murphy refuses to be tied down. She watched her parents struggle to hold onto their dairy farm until it killed them. The mere thought of the same fate makes her shudder. When she meets rancher Sterling Gentry she has to face her fears, or lose him. Sterling Gentry longs for someone to hand his ranch down to. Like his father before him, he has sacrificed everything to hold onto the land his ancestors settled. But finding Ms. Right proves harder than he imagined. Then he meets Alannah Murphy with her big city ways. How he can ever take a chance with a woman exactly like his mother, who abandoned him when he was a child? Despite their determination to stay the course they’ve each chosen, attraction pulls them together as steadily as a nail to a magnet. Can these two find a way to mesh Alannah’s need for freedom and Gentry’s desire to hold onto his land?Excerpt:Still snapping photos, the woman approached him. When she came within speaking distance, she waved. “Hello.”“Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in the middle of the road? Don’t you know better than to stand in the way when somebody’s herding stock?”Her mouth opened and closed a couple times. “I didn’t think—”“Hell no, you didn’t think,” Gentry shouted. “Damn it anyway.”“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice. “The shot was just so good…”The shot? She’d ruined hours upon hours of exhausting work because she’d wanted a picture? Who the hell would do something so stupid? Only a damn greenhorn. For the first time he noticed her get-up. A straw hat only a city girl would wear, floaty pink top with tiny straps that left her bare shoulders exposed to the unforgiving Arizona sun, cut-off jean shorts and red cowboy boots. Daisy Duke personified. He shook his head in disgust. Reality crashed over him. The New York photographer his mother had enticed out here, hoping an article in The Cowboy magazine would bring attention to the Santa Gertrudis cattle they raised. Damn.About D’Ann Lindun:Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Romance appeals to her because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. D’Ann’s particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, a Queensland heeler, two ducks and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories! D’Ann loves to hear from readers! Please contact her at:Website  |  Facebook Page  |  Twitter  |  Amazon Page  |  Email:  dldauthor@frontier.net
BUY LINKS:All Romance EbooksAMAZONB&NKobo

Can We Talk? The Confessional Post

I'm taking a moment to channel one of my all time favorite comediennes and personalities so as to capture your attention…because Liz haz a confession to make….

But first: Welcome to October!

Yep, 'tis already the month of Halloween (and fall colors and whatnot) and I have something very special to offer you. But not until you take a second and let me make my confession. It's been a long time coming, about 6 years to be exact, from the moment I received my very first email that contained the words "We would like to publish your…." to just about right now.


You see, I'm jealous.

Yep. I am.

I know we've discussed this before and you think "Oh Liz, spare me your tiring lectures about how not to be a jealous whiny baby on Facebook. We GET it already. Pass us a beer."

But I would say to you, hold up a sec and let me finish.


I am really envious of all you serious romance writers out there. You guys are utterly badass and I truly envy your abilities and talents not to mention your fan bases. 

 Let me give you a little history. Before about 2005 or so I had never read a book in the "romance" genre before. But, in an attempt to do a little "marriage revival" Mr. Wench ordered up a bunch, all of them on the Way Sexy side of the book shelf, from the 'Zon that arrived on my doorstep much to my surprise. I'm a voracious reader as most authors are but I simply never considered books with half nekkid people on the front of them as "options" I wanted to spend time on. 

Silly me.

Yes, the books accomplished Mr. Wench's goal but they went a step further. They finally got me off my "I'll write a book someday" high horse and got me writing. I wanted to craft stories that focused a bright light on relationships like some of my early favs did. Several of the books I read were published by a future publisher of my own, but that, as they say, is a whole 'nother story , rant, blog post.

 I read some really great books and some really horrendous ones and along the way came up with a concept for a series that, after being multiply rejected and pondered for self publishing (which I am SO glad I did NOT do at THAT stage of my fledgling career) found a home with a small but determined publisher: Tri Destiny.

I had a few things published before that, including several books I have since made "no longer available" (see: THAT stage of my career--the one where I thought I was the shit only to realize I needed about 6 more weeks of editing work). I collected my fair share of agent rejections, with good reason as the crap I sent them wasn't worth the digital paper I put it on. 

But somehow…something eluded me, no matter how much I got edited by fabulous, patient, yet firm editors. And I think I get it now!

I just can't do it.

I can't write romance.

Now, we'll save the long drawn-outs about "what is romance/what is erotica" for someone else to get all red-faced about. I'm not here to diss ANYTHING about this genre. It is a literary juggernaut that draws millions of readers and fans and allows tons of earnest, eager writers to live the dream: Making Money Doing What You Love.  

The success stories are myriad, but of course there are still thousands toiling away, trying to Do What The Big Girls Do, and managing to eke out a few bucks a month at it. Say what will about the "thriller genre," in my humble, observatory opinion no fans get fired up about their favorite books quite like romance readers--which has been both good and bad for yours truly.

I'm among those who volley between "eking it out" and "jumping up and down and scheduling a facial" when it's royalty payment time (but for That Book with That Publisher, but as we have already established: whole 'nother story). 

But I will be damned if I can write a decent romance novel. I really wish I could. I know I'd have more fans, more squees, more facials, all of the above. But I sit down to write something that might resemble any one of the successful romance novels out there and I just get all…dysfunctional. 

I could blame the beer, but I won't. 

I'm just screwed up enough to admit it: I'm too cynical to be able to conjure much in the way of "happily ever afters." I tried. I really, really tried. A bunch of times. Phrases like "this doesn't fit what our readers want" clanged around in my head for quite some time but I kept on trying only to come to the conclusion that I just don't have the skills. And a tip of the hat to the amazing(ly snarky) advice of Kristen Lamb to help me just embrace this fact. If you, as a writer or future writer follow no other blogs about writing, you should follow hers.

Let's put it this way, when I set out to write my first self published series (The Love Brothers, coming January and March 2015) my goal was to Just Do It. Just write the dang novel that had elements of realism (the "Liz-ness" as one of my fans put it) but that gave readers what THEY want…characters and endings they expect. Because as I read somewhere in some advice blog or another, letting go of making the book what YOU want and making it what READERS want is the key to millionaire-ism…well, at to least garnering more fans.

But…you know, those dang narratives started sliding off the romance rails too and before I knew it, I had (have) 3 books in various stages of editing that will be "categorized" by the Great Categorizer In The Sky (a.k.a. "Amazon") as Romance but also as Family Saga. And I'm preparing myself for another onslaught of new readers who feel cheated and pissed off and have no problem letting me know that because my characters and plots don't do what they expected they would do.

Sigh.

I use the tagline: Romance For Real Life to describe my books a lot which is apt,  but there are still readers who claim that the "R word" should be no where near my books, which leaves me with a real conundrum. I don't have an agent or a big publisher to help me push the books out there as "mainstream" with elements of romance and humor and…well…beer.  So I'm going up on my Welcome to October Confessional and just saying it now: if you want a book you can predict, I'd advise you not to read mine.  


BUT if you enjoy something that will challenge your expectation and PINKY PROMISE not to judge any of my books against the standard set by so many great romance authors, well….I've got 20 or so books for you to choose from.

As an aside, as I was trying to come up with a catchy catch-phrase for my self published books I thoughts of: 
Romance on Training Wheels (nope)
 Romance that Needs a Breathalyzer Test (double nope) 
Not Your Mama's Romance (uh, no)
Beer Goggles Romance (uh-uh although I am riffing on that with a monthly post called "Beer Goggle Book Reviews")

Whew. I feel better. Again, let me be 100% clear: I WISH I could write romance. I wish I could conjure characters and worlds that millions of readers flock to and turn into TV series and movies. These writers are amazing, talented, prolific, and savvy. It's a club I would love to join but I just don't have the creds.

So by way of ending my confessional, I would invite you to try something for me. GOOD FAITH is (ostensibly) the final stand alone novel of the Stewart Realty Series--a book that is a "best seller" in (go figure) Family Saga and (somehow) Urban Fiction. It has a mixed bag of hardcore, stalwart fans, many of whom are also giant fans of The Giants in Romance. But this novel contains so many elements I could easily categorize it as 


New Adult, Multi Generational, Family Saga with Elements of Romance and a Serious Dose of Eroticism (not Erotica---some of the sex in this book is "awkward" and decidedly not "sexy" but it is real and there is NO rape or any of that nastiness). It's about mature marriages, challenging teenagers, addiction and the strength of friendships in the face of all of the above.
Yeah. You see that the 'Zon has no category for this.

But, by way of "give it a try," it's ONLY .99 (for 520+ pages) until my birthday on December 17 of this year. If I reach a pretty modest milestone of 1000 copies sold by that date my hardcore fans get a sequel. You'll see for yourself that you can easily read this and ONLY this as part of your "Stewart Realty experience." But it's the 9th book (including a prequel) of the series and while I wrote to be a stand alone, your experience with these multi-dimensional (read: sometimes annoying and rant-inducing) characters will be richer if you grab it now for a buck then snag the others and read them in order.

*****YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE READ ANY OF THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES TO APPRECIATE THIS NOVEL I PINKY PROMISE****

Forget the rules...
Forget the formula...
Pick up a Liz Book, grab a craft beer, and enjoy the ride!

Now **cracks knuckles** on with the contest.
Please, feel free to read a free chapter by clicking here.

I'm giving away a Kindle Fire loaded with Liz books, gift certificates and ebooks to celebrate this, Liz's Month of Confession!





Play along here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


And remember….park those expectations at the door BUT know this novel is meant for adults, or the adult-minded anyway (I read Valley of the Dolls at 16 myself). 
And my challenge to you: if you have a cool tag line or an idea about how to categorize Liz Books for Successful and Easy Marketing, feel free to email me! And once you do jump into pool of Stewart Realty and start swimming around, feel free to reach out and let me know what you think. I am also real happy to share a list of my favorite books and authors, some of whom may not be "romance genre" categorized but contain some of the most romantic stories ever.


BUY IT NOW!
Blurb:Strong personalities—volatile marriages—stressful careers—conflicting goals—difficult children.
Contemporary challenges facing close-knit families form the crucible that forges a new generation.
Brandis, Gabriel, Blair and Lillian emerge from the entanglement of their parents’ longstanding emotional connections, but one’s star will burn brighter – and hotter – than the others.
With a personality that consumes everyone and everything in its path, Brandis Gordon struggles to maintain control as he ricochets between wild success and miserable failure. His life proves how even the strongest relationships can be strangled by the ties that bind.
Brandis and Gabe Frietag are as close as any brothers, bound by both loyalty and fierce rivalry. The strength of their ultimate alliance is tested time and again by Brandis’ choices.
Companions from birth, Blair Frietag and Lillian Robinson share loner tendencies, but come to rely on each other through adolescence. As they mature, both are forced to confront their feelings for the men they knew as boys.
Somewhere between the tangle of good memories and bad, independence and addiction, optimism and despair, the intertwined destinies of the new generation finally collide, leaving some stronger, others broken, but none unscathed.
As a chronicle of three families navigating the minefields of teen years into the turbulence of young adulthood, Good Faith holds up a literary mirror to contemporary life with joys and temptations unflinchingly reflected. Its fresh, real-life voice portrays the sheer volatility of human nature, complete with the hopes, dreams, and unexpected setbacks of marriage, parenthood and “coming of age.”

Get this full-length compelling novel for only .99 for a limited time!GOOD FAITH BUY LINKS

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Faith-Stewart-Realty-Crowe-ebook/dp/B00GN6WCHO

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/good-faith-liz-crowe/1117272074?ean=2940148974932

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/456353

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/good-faith-3

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/good-faith/id898324928?mt=11

Beer Goggle Book Reviews

Part One

Welcome, dear and gentle reader and devoted reviewer of books.

I'm Liz. I write books. I also read a fair few and also write reviews, unless I hate a book and then I typically just set it aside and let the author keep laughing at those of us who bought it all the way to their giant bank account.

But I also am a Beer Wench. What that means to you, sweetie, is this: I am gonna take off my Nice Reviewer Hat exactly once a month and stop reading all those annoying "helpful" posts about "ignoring the trolls" and "not feeding them" or whatever the hell you do with jerks who wish they'd written a book and take it out on you by being assholes on your goodreads page.

Whew.

Sorry.

Lost the train there for a second.

Ok, so, by way of example, I'm gonna take a few books I have enjoyed and read their 1 and 2-star reviews, and respond with my own either dissection of said review or counter it with my own, much more positive one, with my BEER GOGGLES firmly in place.

Reviews, for an author are such a pain in the ass. I mean, let's be honest. You want them all to rave. But the bottom line is no matter what you write, There Will Be Haters.

So I'm gonna take a look at some of the more ridiculous ones (subjectively speaking), strap on my Beer Goggles and make some poor author's day.

Simple.

I'll start today with a Big Time Author Novel, "What Alice Forgot," by Lianne Moriarty. It's One of THOSE, about to be a movie, with a Big Girl Publisher…the usual. But I loved it. So I went and found this review:
"Everyone was happy and life was perfect at the end of the book. That's It. If that's what you care about, then this is the perfect book for you, no loose ends, no unhappiness, no remembrance of the heartache or pain the book was supposed to be based on. It's cardboard characters with a cardboard life. (P.S. Harlequin Books can give you the same type of story, and they're cheaper.)"

Liz's Beer Goggle Review:

First of all, let me start by saying this person obviously read some OTHER book and mistakenly wrote this review on this page. It is, hands down, one of THE most honestly rendered depictions of vampire-like friendships between women, frustration with a stagnant marriage, and a woman's psychotic break when a friend who is sort of, not really, a friend is killed by a freak accident, leaving her dangling, emotionally speaking. I despise cardboard characters. These were flesh and blood and maybe they used sentences too long or something for this particular reviewer.

Harlequin? Seriously? Go read one, lady and leave the Big Girl Books to the rest of us.


There, see? Wasn't that FUN?

So, if you know I've read and enjoyed your book, or a book you loved, and can toss me a really ridiculously bad review (not a legit one, those exist) shoot me an email and I'll take it under consideration for the October Edition of: BEER GOGGLE BOOK REVIEWS!
Help spread the word, and pass the craft beer with a tweet:

Liz's Beer Goggle Reviews. Strapping on realism in the world of trolls and haters! http://www.brewingpassion.com/2014/09... #BGBR

Editorial note: If you are the person who WROTE the review above, be sure and check your ego at the bloggy door. We are allowed to disagree with each other, literarily speaking.

Cheers y'all
Liz


Heads up! GOOD FAITH is on sale for just .99. 'Tis a stand along 500+ page novel within the best selling Stewart Realty series. Get yours now! I hit a particular sales target and you get a sequel.
Links below are, as we say, Live.
Amazon
B&N
Itunes
Kobo

FORSAKEN~By Sarah Ballance

Forsakenby Sarah Ballance


~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Her past is back to haunt her—and this time, it’s got a gun.
When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot to death on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage’s ex-lover, Riley Beckett. The only gun in town that fires a bullet of that caliber belongs to her.
Certain the shooting is payback for his part in the loss of her parents, he abandons his promise to stay out of her life and confronts her, his rage backed up with a revolver. Yet when she steps through the door, all thoughts of revenge burn to ashes.
A year after Riley unwillingly walked away from Gage, she enters her home to find him sitting in the dark, gun pointed at her head. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes reminds her how wrong she was to let him go. But now there’s more standing between them than their heated past.
A twist of fate—and a hail of sniper bullets—puts them in the cross hairs of a killer, leaving Riley with just two slim options: trust her greatest betrayer, or face a murderer alone.
This book has been previously published.
Warning: Prepare to get caught in a crossfire of profanity, danger, and desire. Intense violence may trigger the desire to wear body armor…and take it off. Very, very slowly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:
“Gage?” Her voice broke on the single syllable. Riley’s grip on the keys tightened, her blood raging hot and cold all at once.
A creak sounded from the corner chair. Her eyes refused to adjust in the darkness, but not even the faint light kept the blond streaks in his russet hair from giving him away. Like rays of sunshine, she used to tease, and her words never failed to draw a scowl across his rugged face.
“Riley.”
God help her, her name on his lips sounded as it always had. Coarse. Dangerous. Forbidden. Even before… The memory surged, hot and vivid, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. White heat assaulted her from every corner of the room.

The keys fell to the floor with a dull clink.


AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sarah and her husband of what he calls “many long, long years” live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they’re asleep. She never dreamed of becoming an author, but as a homeschooling mom she often jokes she writes fiction because if she wants anyone to listen to her, she has to make them up. (As it turns out, her characters aren’t much better than the kids.) When not buried under piles of laundry, she may be found adrift in the Atlantic (preferably on a boat) or in search of that ever-elusive perfect writing spot where not even the kids can find her.  To learn more about her work in contemporary, historical, and supernatural romance and romantic suspense, please stalk accordingly.
Website: http://www.sarahballance.com/
Blog: http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarah.ballance.author.news
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahBallance
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/SarahBallance34/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4103362.Sarah_Ballance
Buy Links:
Samhain Publishing - http://store.samhainpublishing.com/forsaken-p-73612.html
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Forsaken-Sarah-Balance-ebook/dp/B00K7YXB4Q
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forsaken-sarah-ballance/1119867315?ean=9781619222625
Kobo - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/forsaken-25

Sarah will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Liz Has a Guy In The Bar…Again

Today I open up the bar to Ben Hennessy, fantasy author...

Welcome to my bar Ben, what can I pour for you to start?
Hmm… Quite the selection here! I’m usually a pretty straightforward lager drinker, but I’ll defer to your superior knowledge here. What would you recommend?

Lagers are my speciality some would say….let's see, how about this nice "big one" from Founder's Brewing in Grand Rapids Michigan: The Dissenter, it's a double IPL….

You and I "met" on Twitter. Is that a platform you use for promoting your books or do you find it a great way to interact with the world?
A little of both. I’m not a frequent Twitter user, but I understand the massive power it has for getting people to interact on various subjects. I’ve met a whole host of great writers there using various hashtags such as #amwriting or #writetip. Plenty of readers have contacted me through tweets as well, and it’s nice to chat with readers and get feedback about my books.
What are you reading right now and why?

Right now I’m actually reading a graphic novel, The Long Halloween by Jeff Loeb. It’s a Batman story in a very noir style, with artwork by Tim Sale who is one of my favourite artists. I’ve been a huge comic fan for as long as I can remember, and this graphic novel is one of the classics in my mind, up there with work by Frank Miller and Alan Moore. Definitely recommended!
Whoops! empty glass. You're a fast drinker. What can I pour for you next?

That was pretty good. I’d take a pale ale from your selection next, if you have one?
Well, then you must try this one: Luciérnaga, The Firefly from Jolly Pumpkin, an internationally famous brewery right here in Michigan. It's a Belgian style pale ale…

Tell me about your book Queen of the World (something not the blurb). What inspired you to write it? How was your publishing journey.

Queen of the World is a fantasy novel about a mute young girl, Sarene, who finds herself being pulled into an adventure that could potentially change her world. She’s been brought up to believe that a group named the Four, men of absolutely power with the ability to do anything they can think of, have forced the leaders of every nation to look after their people and ensure peace instead of wasting resources and lives on war and conflict. It’s been five centuries since the Four were last seen, however, and some nations are starting to think they are nothing more than legends. The risk of a nation breaking the rules is increasing. Sarene heads out on her own to see more of her country, Tamir, and it’s there that she discovers things aren’t quite as peaceful as she’s been led to understand.

As for inspiration, I’ve always wanted to write a full novel. It was one of life goals everyone has, and I was never convinced I had the patience to sit down and write a manuscript of this length. I started the thing on my travels, the first words being set to the page in Hanoi, Vietnam. Over the course of the next eight months I kept at it, with a few thousand words here and there, eventually completing the first draft in Porsgrunn, Norway. I grew up reading books my father owned, by writers like David Gemmell, Terry Pratchett, Stephen King, David Eddings and Robert E. Howard, and that’s the genre of fiction that I came to love. Fantasy is a great platform for expression, as you can get away with bending the rules of reality and science with a little bit of magic sprinkled through your words.

I was lucky enough to find my publisher, Inspired Quill, very early on after completing the manuscript. I got talking to the owner, Sara-Jayne, after a chance meeting on the literary website Litopia. We exchanged messages and I eventually submitted, and was delighted when they offered me a contract. They’re a small UK press, and they’ve been nothing but beneficial for both me and my work ever since.
What took you to all those exotic countries?
I quit my job in Ireland back in 2010, and left with my partner at the time to go exploring the world. We chose South East Asia, just for an entirely new experience. After spending several months working in Hanoi, we then travelled clockwise through Cambodia and Thailand. I think it’s important to broaden one’s horizons and see other cultures and landscapes. It’s a big world out there with so much to see, and I’ve have hated to feel like I missed out by spending all my time in my home town. I would definitely recommend travelling to anyone, even if it’s just for a week or two with a backpack and a tour guide. It’ll change your perception of the world, believe me.
Any new releases or fun writing projects on your horizon?
My second novel, The Whisper of Dreams, was released August 24th, so I’ve been handling the promotion of that during the past couple of weeks. I’m about to start work on the third novel in the series, which is intended to be four books long. Aside from that I’ve got a couple of shorter stories in the works, maybe a novella or something in a different setting that the Queen of the Worlduniverse. I’ve also been dabbling in a script with a friend of mine who writes screenplays, which is a new and interesting challenge. I guess we’ll see where that goes!

And now for a nightcap..what's your poison?

If it’s the last round of the night, definitely a single malt whiskey with ice. However, since we’re in a nice respectable beer establishment with polite company, I’ll let you suggest something good to send me off home. 
Let's go with this, from New Holland Brewing, it's a "Beer Barrel Aged Bourbon" (you heard me correctly). They are one of the best craft distillers in the Great Beer State! And I am a bourbon connoisseur if I do say so myself, being a native Kentuckian and all….cheers!

Check Ben Out here:
Twitter: @HennessyWrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benhennessyauthorWebsite: http://www.hennessywrites.com
QotW sales link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Queen-World-Ben-Hennessy-ebook/dp/B008G40DV8
WoD sales link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whisper-Dreams-Queen-World-Book-ebook/dp/B00MNWEJ4G/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=00ZJJAE2TCBJ58J3VT31

When All The Balls Drop: by Heidi Siefkas

When All the Balls Drop - The Upside of Losing Everything by Heidi Siefkas





~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
The true story of a survivor
who through losing everything,
redefined having it all

Heidi Siefkas was a happily married, globetrotting professional who seemingly “had it all”—until a tree limb in New York’s Hudson River Valley struck her down, breaking her neck and leaving her unconscious. Suddenly, life as she knew it stopped. She lost her independence. She lost her career. She watched her marriage disintegrate as she confronted a trail of devastating lies about her husband’s double life.
She had lost all that mattered, but she was a survivor. She fought to restore her health, repair her broken heart, and rebuild herself. Along the way, she gained clarity about her core values, ultimately coming to a deeper understanding of what it means to have it all.
Through down-to-earth, short vignettes, When All Balls Drop shows us how it’s possible to “look up” in spite of pain, deceit, and loss. Heidi’s memoir--rich with hope and humor, inspires anyone who’s had to confront tragedy and reassess their life in the wake of life-altering events.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Excerpt:
Putting the Pieces Together
I awoke feeling cold in a stark, square hospital room. I tried to look around as I heard familiar voices. I was lying in a bed covered with a flimsy, white herringbone blanket. Both my mother and my husband were sitting to my right. I heard the beeping of a monitor and several unfamiliar voices. Why was I here? How did I get here?
A nurse with a long, blond ponytail, glasses, and blue scrubs came in and approached my bed to check my vitals and IV bag. Looking up from her clipboard, she asked, “How’s your pain?”
I tried to nod, but I couldn’t. My neck was in a brace. Scared, I said, “I’m okay. I think?” I looked at my mother’s face. She was crying. I passed my hand over my face, which was tender and swollen. I was in a hospital gown with tubes coming out of my arms and plastic cups around my calves. Every few minutes the cups would inflate and deflate. Combined with the dissonant mixture of rhythmic beeps from my monitor, the buzzing of the overhead fluorescent lights, telephones ringing, intercom crackling, and staff talking, my already-high levels of anxiety and fear rose.

Although I do not remember the few days prior to my waking up, my mother and my husband, AJ, had been by my side continually. My mother came closer to my bed, carefully touched my hand, and said, “Heidi, you arrived at the emergency room via ambulance after being struck by a tree limb outside your apartment.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:


Heidi Siefkas is an author and adventurer. Originally from small-town Wisconsin, she lives in Kauai and also calls the Midwest and South Florida home. Heidi is currently crafting a sequel to this memoir, embracing both her wanderlust and love of writing by documenting her many travels. You can connect with Heidi at www.heidisiefkas.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
http://www.amazon.com/When-All-Balls-Drop-Everything/dp/1627871217/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406912946&sr=1-1&keywords=When+all+balls+drop
 http://heidisiefkas.com/
https://twitter.com/HeidiSiefkas
https://www.facebook.com/HeidiNSiefkas
https://www.youtube.com/user/hnsiefkas


Heidi will be awarding an autographed copy of When All Balls Drop to five randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour (US ONLY). 
A Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon/BN GC will be awarded to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Across the Beer Bar with Nina Pierce

Today I welcome the prolific and talented NINA PIERCE to my bar….

Welcome to my bar Nina, what can I pour for you to start?Hmmm, *leans over bar to check out the taps* Oh, that light colored beer looks really good. Could I have some of that?

Sure, but for the record, you chose a "Kolsch," one of my very favorite ale styles ever.


We "met" a while back, as members of a romance authors "yahoo group." You were one of those members who was (and still is) very supportive of we newbies, as annoying as we can be...did you have a mentor when you decided to turn your love for reading romance novels into a career?LOL! This has more to do with my tendency to fall back on my teaching skills than emulating a mentor. I learned a long time ago that I’m an instructor to the very core of my being. It doesn’t matter if I’m standing in front of a group of 5th graders (the job of my heart), teaching a teenager how to do laundry or looking into the glazed eyes of a writer new to the publishing industry … I just start sharing what I know.
Writing and publishing is a tough gig. Everyone needs encouragement along the rocky road and nothing makes me happier than helping others succeed in this crazy business.
Your novel, A Touch of Lilly, is a departure for you in some ways. What made you decide to go the sci-fi route? (I'll include the bundle link here)Another one of my loves. I’m a science fiction geek from waaaaay back. I cut my teeth on television series like Star Trek (should I mention it was the original series?) and Stargate SG1. I found amazing authors like Isaac Asimov and Anne McCaffrey whose world building skills suck a reader into their stories from page 1.
A TOUCH OF LILLY is just my science geek finding a hot story she wanted to tell.
uh oh, empty glass, what can I pour for you next?Wow, that was delicious. Anything light that will go with these corn chips and guar?


Ok, how about this lovely Oberon, from Bell's Brewing in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You can find it in just about every corner of the U.S. now. It's a wheat ale.



I read and have provided a review below for your book called "Blind her with Bliss." Tell me a little about how you came up with the idea for this book.First, thanks so much for reviewing the book, Liz! It’s so wonderful when readers take time to post reviews for books they’ve read … authors appreciate it soooo much more than most people realize!
BLIND HER WITH BLISS is the first book in my “Dangerous Affairs” romantic suspense series. I come from a big family of 4 rowdy and slightly crazy siblings. Our family get-togethers are full of love, arguments … er, I mean discussions and food. I wanted a chance to put all of that into a story and the Dangerous Affairs series was born.
How many books have you published? are you self-published, if so, why did you decide to go that route?The number of published books sort of fluctuates as I get rights back from publishers, re-write, re-edit and re-release. But it’s somewhere around a dozen.
When I first started publishing seven years ago, I had only the option of traditional print publishing houses or the new wave of smaller digital publishers. Fortunately for me I found a wonderful small digital publishing house with great editors who helped me hone my writing chops.
When self-publishing became available I saw it as a great avenue to finally have total control over my stories—from story content to cover design to pricing, As the rights to my books are being reverted back to me, I’m re-releasing under my Seaside Publications imprint. It’s a lot of work, but I’m finding a lot more financial success as a self-published author (but please don’t read that as I’m getting rich by any means). I’m just saying I can actually pay a bill or two with my monthly royalty checks from my self-published books. ;~)
That is really exciting. And I get you 100% with the "total control" thing. While I would never have had the nerve to go "full indie" were it not for my experiences with my 3 small publishers, I am finding the experience of preparing for my first self-pub series to be very satisfying!
If you were reaching for a book to read, who are your "go-to" authors?For me it’s less about the author and more about the genre. I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading a good paranormal suspense. I don’t care if it’s witches, vampires or werewolves (though I have drawn the line at zombies). Nothing thrills me more than finding a new author with a great new series that I can sink my teeth into.
And finally, what is coming up next from Nina Pierce, Author?September is going to be a pretty busy month for me. BLIND HER WITH BLISS is actually going to be re-released in a boxed set of romantic suspense novels coming the middle of the month.
And I’m currently in the editing stage of a re-release of my sexy futuristic suspense romance, GARDEN OF SERENITY, which hopefully will be available by mid-September as well.
As for new writing, well, life has been throwing Mr. Nina and me a few curveballs over the last few years. It’s completely thrown my muse into a tailspin. We just keep plugging along at the keyboard in hopes that one of the stories were playing with will actually turn into a finished novel. J
And a nightcap? what's your poison?I love sipping on a full-bodied red wine before bed … oh, wait did you mean beer? Guess you’ll have to surprise me.


Well, actually, I can highly recommend The Poet, it's a rich Oatmeal stout from New Holland brewing in Holland Michigan (they also have distribution up and down the east coast.) I love red wine myself and have found that those of us with that palate preference are drawn to rich, creamy stouts like this one.



Tell us where to find you:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

website:  http://www.ninapierce.comblog:  http://www.ninapierce.com/blogfacebook:  http://www.facebook.com/nina.pierce

Author Bio: USA Todaybestselling author, Nina Pierce, grew up in a house full of readers. So becoming enamored with books was only natural. She discovered romance stories in her early teens, falling hopelessly in love with knights in shining armor and the damsels who saved them.
Eventually, reading about fated loves and soul mates wasn’t enough. She now spends her days at the keyboard writing her own stories, blissfully creating chaos for her characters by throwing in a villain or two, a little murder and a whole lot of mayhem as they struggle toward their happy-ever-afters.
Nina resides in New England with her high school sweetheart and soul mate of thirty-something years and several very spoiled cats who consider her “staff”. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her three grown children, one love-sick son-in-law and a heart-melting grandson.


Amazon BUY links:A Touch of Lilly:  http://amzn.com/B00CR4I522WTRAFSOG #2: http://amzn.com/B00KUTGATGBlind Her With Bliss: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004W9BX7Y
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and now my review of Blind Her With Bliss:
Blurb: She's trying to find herself. He's attempting to hide. Together they'll discover a truth that threatens them both...

Investigating the death of her best friend, uptight accountant, JULIE TILLING, discovers a world of adult nightclubs and Internet intrigue. When shock jock DAMON COREY rocks her world in a wild night of lust, she wonders if she's found love...or the key to solving a murder.
Liz's Review:The main characters in this novel seem pretty standard romance formula…at first. But I was pleased to find real growth and maturity for them both as they hook up (and fair warning, it's hot stuff) and then connect emotionally over the shared goal of solving the mysterious murder. Julie's sadness over her friend's death is handled in a very realistic way, which is important for me as a reader. And Damon's willingness to succumb to his feelings for her is also presented in a way that doesn't seem contrived in the least--something that could easily have been done in a heavy-handed way.

It's the mark of a great storyteller that even though this not very lengthy book is chock full of plot Ms. Pierce handles the myriad connections and twists with skill. My preference would be for a longer exploration of certain aspects within the Julie/Damon story and even more so with Jason's backstory and motivation. However, that's just me. This book is expertly crafted and comes to a somewhat surprising yet well-executed conclusion.
If you're seeking a quick, steamy yet emotionally satisfying read, you should pull this one to the top of your TBR list.
Four Lagers to BLIND HER WITH BLISS by Nina Pierce!

Auction Night: A Stewart Realty Extra Scene

Auction Night
A Stewart Realty Extra SceneAll rights reservedLiz Crowe  




“Come on,” Sara said, tugging at Jack’s hand.  “You need to do this. You know it’s for a good cause.”
He rolled his eyes and let her pull him into the shop where the tailor waited with his new tuxedo. She sat in one of the leather chairs and watched while her fiancé got a final fitting for the jet black suit. She grinned and crossed her legs, mentally high-fiving herself. The sunlight caught the diamond on her left ring finger and she allowed herself a minute to admire it, before berating herself for being so completely craven.
She looked up then and caught Jack’s eye. He raised an eyebrow at her and gave a nearly imperceptible nod. She smiled and leaned back in the chair, uncrossed her legs and propped her feet in the super high heels that he liked so much. He held up his arms and let the tailor pinch and fuss over the jacket. A tingle shot down her spine at the sight. Her man. Jack Gordon. Of all men on the planet—who would have guessed?
She shifted in her seat and re-crossed her legs while he watched, his deep blue eyes darkening. Unable to stop herself, she put her fingertip to her lips then touched the tops of her breasts. A corner of his lips lifted in a knowing smirk. While part of her resented that knowing asshole-ish look, the other part could see herself leaping at him, tackling him, ripping off that tailor-made tuxedo and straddling him. She swallowed hard. His grinned widened.
The tailor kept fussing around him, messing with the hem on the trousers, the cut of the jacket. At one point he called out for an assistant who appeared holding a couple of bright, white shirts. Sara watched, feeling woozy, drunk, and horny. She stretched her arms out in front of her and admired the obnoxious diamond again. She was positively buzzing with anticipation.
Finally, Jack emerged from the dressing room, finger hooked through a few hangers. “Let’s go get something to eat before I have to parade around like a piece of meat.” He held out an elbow and she slipped her arm through it.
“Oh don’t you dare lie. You love the thought of being a piece of meat.”
He shot her a strange look. She grinned and pecked him on the lips, relishing his discomfort.  “Nah, not anymore,” he insisted as he led her out into the darkening Ann Arbor night. “But I am hungry and can’t strut my stuff without some sustenance.”
They ended up at Café Felix, sitting at a sidewalk table over a bottle of Argentinian red wine and a steak.
“You know, I don’t want to do this,” Jack insisted, cutting a piece and putting it to her lips. “I feel like it makes you unhappy.”
“Don’t be silly, Jack,” she said, taking the morsel, chewing, swallowing and sipping her wine. “It’s a great cause. Lots of married men are participating. You're barely engaged.” She flashed her left hand at him. He winced, and ate a few bites of the steak.
He put the utensils down, grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips. She leaned forward, loving the utter perfection of this moment.
“I love you, Sara Jane,” he said, running his fingers down her wrist and up her arm to her shoulder. “I don’t want to do this. It’s … not fair or something.”
She chuckled. “You’re such a liar Jack Gordon. You can’t wait to get up there and strut your shit. I have it on best authority that you have a bet with Rob that you’ll get more money than he will—and I will tell you right now, that man is something blond and hot. Just ask my brother.”
Jack laughed and let go of her, tucking back in to the meal with gusto. Sara watched, sipping, while her man ate his steak. After a few minutes, he’d paid the check and they were on their way to the Michigan Theater for the man auction fund raiser.
She gave him a non committal kiss and shoved him toward the back rooms so he could change. He stopped her, grabbing her hand in the middle of the increasing crowd. “I won’t do this, if you don’t like it.”
“Don’t be silly. I have no reason to not like it.” She let her gaze travel down his torso and back up again. He blinked, then grinned.
“God damn I knew I loved you for a reason.”
Just then Rob passed them and smacked Sara on the ass, making her yelp.
“Let’s go Gordon,” he said, grabbing Jack’s arm. “Time for you to see how a real man raises money for Foodgatherers.” He had his own tuxedo over his shoulder. 
Jack stood, seemingly frozen with indecision. Rob let him wait, then winked at Sara before tugging him away into the back rooms.
She chatted with a few friends then found a seat in the dark, wanting to experience this little show all by herself. A glass of champagne set her at ease but her nerves were humming still as the lights dimmed and the auctioneer got the crowd fired up with a funny bit about “man flesh” and “good causes.”
She grinned and watched the other men parade around, looking awkward and uncomfortable. Finally, the lights dimmed and single spotlight hit the middle of the stage. The music switched from cheesy burlesque to Frank Sinatra crooning “I Get a Kick Out of You.”
“And now, ladies, I give you the auction lot you’ve been waiting for,” the auctioneer bleated into the microphone. Sara grinned and sunk lower into her seat, twisting the ring around her finger.

“The one, the only….Mister John Patrick Gordon!” 

The crowd squealed, the spotlight flared bright, and Jack’s silhouette appeared, hands tucked into his pockets. Sara’s face flushed hot, noting the flurry of auction paddles that shot up. The auction house flunkies scrambled up and down the aisles, trying to keep up with the bidding.
Old Blue Eyes kept crooning, nearly deafening the crowd. Sara sat still, watching the bids climb. Rob had gone just before Jack and had taken nearly $9000 to the extreme chagrin of Sara’s brother via text. The auctioneer kept calling out numbers.
Two thousand.Three.Five.Six and a half.The music changed then. The bass line thumped through her chest and she watched as a bunch of clamoring women bid on a date with her fiancé. She watched while Jack strutted his stuff around the stage like a pro, smiling and winking, slipping off his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt. The crowd ramped up, and the bid hit eight thousand dollars.  
Sara rose to her feet and raised her paddle, nodding to one of the auction assistants.The lyrics hit her hard and she bit her lip, pondering how very foolish she might be at this moment, trusting the man on the stage right now, whose very presence had worked this room up to such a ridiculous frenzy. She hesitated a second, listening…
I done been around the worldI done kissed a lot of girlsSo I'm guessin' that it's trueMake me holla and I bet a million dollarsDon't nobody kiss it like you….

At that moment, Jack looked right at her, as if he knew exactly where she’d be sitting, apart from the crowd, just taking it all in. He smiled and hooked his finger his jacket over his shoulder and stared. She grinned and whispered to the auction helper.
She hurried out, settled her winning bid and snagged another glass of champagne. After about thirty minutes of socializing she ducked into the back hallway near the bathrooms. Every inch of her skin tingled. She nodded at a few guys she knew who’d been part of the auction, but was on a mission towards the very back room, a small one, at the end of the long hallway. She could hear him, he was laughing, then he was flirting, she could sense his change of cadence and tone.
She sucked back the rest of her booze and set the empty glass on a passing tray. Tugging her skirt down and taking a deep breath, she stepped behind an open door, into a room stacked with speakers and miscellaneous crap. Her ears were ringing from the music and yelling over the final bidding war. She leaned on a stack of something, reminding herself that she won, period. But the bright light of jealousy was slowly but surely blinding her. Could she do this? Be married to a man that so many women wanted, and were willing to pay cold hard cash for…just a damn date?
Sweat dripped down her back. She wished she’d taken the time to change into something sexier than her work skirt and blouse. She wished she’d never said “fine” to the question “Hey, honey can I get my fine ass auctioned off for charity?” She waved her hand in front of her face, trying not to hyperventilate.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, a figure appeared in the doorway. It leaned there, silent. She watched, unable to form words.
“I love you,” she said, finally, at the same time he said, “You seriously spent how much?”
They came together in a tangle of lips, teeth and clothing. She reached down to unzip him just as he yanked her blouse open to cup her breast. The urgency made her want to cry. He tasted so good, felt so perfect, touched her in all the right places.
He made a low, growling sound as he ripped her panties off and plunged his fingers between her legs even as he lifted her up so she was sitting on a speaker.
“Jack,” she gasped as he leaned down to tug her nipple into his mouth. “Wait.” She tugged his face up to meet hers. His blue eyes twinkled in the half light thrown from the hallway.
“Why? You paid ten grand for this. I’d better get to work.” He kissed her then, and teased her with his fingers until she cried out and clutched at him.
“Jesus,” she gasped, staring up at the darkened ceiling and acknowledging that the noises outside the closet were dying down. “Honey, let’s…go…”
She slid down off the speaker, keeping her lips on his neck, unable to stop kissing him. All she knew was him then, his smell, his taste, his sound.
“Turn around,” he whispered. “Put your hands on the wall.”

He threaded his fingers in her hair and leaned over her back as he slid into her. She arched her back, sighing with satisfaction at their connection, shuddering when he reached around to cup her breasts and tug her nipples. He came fast, groaning too loud but she didn’t care at that point.
He slipped out and pulled her up, turning her around and kissing her until she got dizzy. He put a hand alongside her cheek and grinned. Then reached down to zip himself back up and help her get her skirt down and her blouse pulled back together. He held her close for a minute. His heartbeat pounded through her, calming hers, even as she worried that they’d just acted like horny teenagers at a grown up event.
“Well, Mizz Thornton,” he said. She pressed her lips to his neck as he spoke. “Will that do?”
She laughed, and grabbed his hair, going up on her tiptoes in her high heeled shoes to bite his lower lip. “Not even close,” she whispered, cupping his ass. “Mine.” She sighed into his chest. He held her close, making her feel loved and protected, which made her feel suspicious. 
Oh get over yourself Sara. You just spent a solid commission on this man. Enjoy it.
“Good,” Jack said, sliding his hand up her skirt and touching the edge of her bare sex. “I don’t feel like I’ve given you your money’s worth…yet.”
“Feed me first. You ate all the damn steak,” she said, before biting his earlobe. “And find my panties, unless you wanna leave ‘em in this closet.”
“My command,” Jack said as he fished around on the floor and emerged with a black scrap of silk dangling from his finger. She snagged them and they giggled their way to the closed door.
“Holy shit,” he said, shielding his eyes. Sara blinked, then smiled and waved at the crowd of people hanging around the hallway, cheering. 
“And that, ladies and gents,” Jack said, not embarrassed in the slightest by the fact that the entire damn hallway full of people knew what they’d been doing just now. “Is how you raise money in this town.” He yanked her close, bent her back for a public, yet very private kiss.
Later, over a bourbon and decent filet at the Chop House, he leaned across the table and touched her lips as she ate. Sara tried not to be mesmerized by his blue eyes but gave up, figuring she might as well, since they were supposed to get married. The heft of the ring on her left hand suddenly made her feel weighed down and somehow stressed out.

“You’re okay, right,” he asked, as he picked up his half empty glass.
“Sure,” she said, reaching for the knife to cut another piece of steak. He grabbed her hand, uncurled her fingers and took the utensil.
“You paid for a service. Allow me to provide it.” He grinned and his blue gaze darkened. 
She tilted her head and watched as he cut the meat then held it up to her lips. She took it, chewed the rich morsel and swallowed. His foot pressed between hers, forcing them apart. His hand slid up her bare thigh, making her shiver. “You owe me, Gordon,” she said as he leaned over to kiss her.
“Well hell, baby, I’d guess so. I’m not sure I’d ever spend ten grand on pussy…so I’ll take it as the ultimate compliment.”
“You’re such a huge pig,” she sighed into his lips, sensing herself melt into him. “I don’t know that you’re worth it…yet.”
“Yep,” he said, reaching around to cup the back of her neck. “I’m a pig. But I’ll earn every…” he pecked her cheek… “Single…” he slid his lips down her neck, keeping one hand on her neck, the other sliding up her leg. “Penny.”



                        The End.
Want to know more? EACH TITLE IS A LIVE LINK!
Read the Jack & Sara Anthology
And more:
Essence of TimeConditional OfferEscalation ClauseMutual ReleaseGood FaithHouse Rule (prequel)