Laura Kaye's Blog, page 56

The Twelve Days of Deadline Hell: An Ode for Authors

On the first day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the second day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 2 candy bars and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the third day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the fourth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the fifth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER!, 4 Angry Birds (all right! high score!), 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the sixth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (#1k1hr's, that was it, I swear), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the seventh day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (oh, look, a new review!), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the eighth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 8 blogs a hopping, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (did you read that post on...), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars (and some M&Ms), and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the ninth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 9,000 words a writing, 8 blogs a hopping, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (Good morning! Congrats! Thank you! #FF! #SixSunday!), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the tenth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 10 Oh my Gods, what do I do? What do I do? Holy crap I'm in so much trouble!, 9,000 words a writing, 8 blogs a hopping, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (come on, they were talking about the Black Dagger Brotherhood, what did you expect me to do???), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the eleventh day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 11K words fast drafted, 10 Oh my Gods, what do I do? What do I do? Holy crap I'm in so much trouble!, 9,000 words a writing, 8 blogs a hopping, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (actually, it was 5 hours on Facebook...Man Wars!!! Woot!), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny

On the twelfth day of deadline hell, my stress level gave to me, 12 editor emails, 11K words fast drafted, 10 Oh my Gods, what do I do? What do I do? Holy crap I'm in so much trouble!, 9,000 words a writing, 8 blogs a hopping, 7 nights no sleeping, 6 naps a taking, 5 HOURS ON TWITTER! (Hey! They were rewards for writing!), 4 Angry Birds, 3 headaches, 2 candy bars, and an awesome, evil plot bunny 

Can I get an amen??? Who else is singing this right now???

Well, if you are, I wish you all the best! Happy holidays everyone! Thanks for reading (singing???),

Laura

Stephanie Draven is In Bed with the Opposition - and there's room for you!

Welcome Guest AuthorStephanie Dravento the blog today!

See below for her giveaway!

I'm thrilled to welcome Stephanie Draven, my good friend, writing partner, and fellow Maryland Romance Writer, to my place today. She's got a fun excerpt and a giveaway for you, and I want to say this: I've read this book and it is so good. I hope you'll check it out!

What happens when a good girl decides to play dirty?

Armed with a sassy haircut, a sharp wit, and a personal list of rules for all life’s exigencies, Grace Santiago is a fiercely loyal Senate staffer who has everything under control. At least until famous political pundit Ethan Castle walks back into her life. Grace hasn’t forgotten their disastrous affair in law school, but she can’t resist his bad boy charm.

When Grace learns that Ethan has been hired as a political gunslinger for the other side, her loyalties—and her heart—are torn in two. Though their sexual chemistry can’t be denied, they find themselves locked in political combat. Ethan believes that all is fair in love and war, but he won’t throw the election—not even to win Grace’s heart. So what can a good girl like Grace do, but learn to play dirty?

Two candidates. One election. May the best man—or woman—win!

Excerpt:
In spite of Grace's zealotry for holidays, she just couldn't get into the Christmas spirit this year. After the Thanksgiving debacle with Blain, she’d dutifully decorated her apartment in twinkling lights and put up a miniature tree, but then she’d promptly caught a cold and now all she wanted to do was sleep.
Mama brought over chicken tortilla soup. Molly stopped by and made her choke down Theraflu. Even Thurgood made himself useful by curling up in the blankets with her like a mini space heater.
The first time she and Blain had broken up back in high school, she'd cried her eyes out for a month. The second time was even worse. By the third or fourth time, she'd learned to cope. This time she wasn't crying at all. While sucking on a cough drop, she wondered why that was.
Shouldn’t she be more upset? Maybe she couldn’tcry because the virus had sapped all her fluids. Or maybe she was simply too annoyed. Blain had implied she’d always been too inhibited for him. Well, if that was true, Blain should’ve known exactly why. When she let herself get out of control, bad things happened. Bad things, like blackmail…
Blowing her nose for about the thousandth time, Grace wished she could be back at work, because that was the only thing that made sense in her life anymore. That’s what she should be concentrating on anyway. She didn’t have a law degree because she’d lost her head over a man; she’d be damned if she let her disaster of a love life derail her career again.
With a pile of books on one side of the bed and a wastebasket of tissues on the other, Grace tried to make sense of the new changes to the environmental bill. Even though the words swam before her eyes, she managed to make a few notes in the margins before the phone rang.
The minute she heard the voice on the other end, a swarm of butterflies fluttered madly in her belly. She hadn’t thought that she’d hear from him again; now she realized how glad she was to have been wrong.
“You sound groggy,” Ethan said.
Stay calm, she told herself. Stay cool. “I have the death flu,” Grace sniffled into the phone. “So…what’s up?”
“I miss you.”
Grace’s heart squeezed and, quite suddenly, with a delirium she could only blame on the cough medicine, she asked, “What are your thoughts on Pocahontas?”
He paused as if trying to decide if she were sane. “Unfortunate victim of Stockholm Syndrome? According to her tribe, she was kidnapped by colonists and forced to shill for Big Tobacco.”
Grace was dubious. “That's not the Disney version.”
She could almost hear him smirk. “Are you gonna believe a mouse or me?”
Grace laughed, sneezed, then pushed the mute button on the phone so she could blow her nose. When she returned, Ethan was all serious. “Grace, listen. I held out as long as I could, and if you don’t feel the same way, I won’t call you again, but I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”
She'd been thinking about him, too. So much so that everything with Blain had felt wrong. Ethan was in her mind even when she was kissing someone else, but how could she find room in her life for a political grifter? “I just don’t want to get involved with something that can’t go anywhere.”
“People get involved in long-distance relationships all the time.”
“I know, but…my dad was never around. The separation was hard on everyone. When you can't be there in person—”
“But I am here in person. I’m here to take you out for waffles.” He laughed and if she didn’t know better, she’d swear he sounded nervous. “This isn't going to help my stalker reputation, but I just got finished taping a show in Atlanta and instead of flying back to my apartment in Los Angeles, I thought I’d catch a flight to Baltimore to see you. Are you healthy enough to meet me at the diner?”
Flattered and mildly horrified, she wondered if she were having some kind of strange dream. “You can't just get on a plane and fly in to see me...”
“Why not?”
Grace flailed. “Because it’s—it's kind of nuts!”
“If you were advising a losing candidate and all conventional methods weren't working, what would you suggest?”
“I'm not a campaign manager—”
“Pretend,” Ethan insisted.
“I'd tell him to try something unconventional.”
“Exactly. Flying in to take you to breakfast is my bold new campaign strategy. How's it polling?”
Grace counted up the voters in her room. “Well, in a representative sample, one out of two voters approve.”
Ethan took umbrage. “Only one out of two? Who is the holdout?”
“Thurgood. You're losing the orange tabby cat demographic.”
“I’m marking him down as undecided,” Ethan said optimistically.  

Add to your Goodreads
Buy at Amazon | B&N

Coming in January!Stephanie Draven is a multi-published award-nominated author of myth-inspired paranormal romance, sexy contemporaries, and historical erotic romance. Currently a denizen of Baltimore, that city of ravens and purple night skies, Stephanie lives there with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books. Stephanie also writes historical fiction as Stephanie Dray.
Website | Twitter | Facebook| Goodreads

Giveaway!
One commenter who leaves their email address will win an ebook of In Bed with the Opposition. What to comment? Did you have a favorite line from the excerpt? Open to international. Giveaway ends midnight EST on 12/26. Good luck!

Now, leave Steph some comment love! And thanks so much for reading!

Laura

My Readers Rock. That is All. Here's one reason why...

As if I needed any further proof that my readers are the absolute best...

As if I needed any more reasons to celebrate everything that they've made possible for me...

Look what some of them have sent me over the past months:


T-shirts from my good friend Carolyn Locke

Key chain from Crystal at Reading Between the Wines -- check out all her book creations!
Knitted Plot Bunny from Carin Walker (Joya Fields got one, too!) Great meeting Carin at the Baltimore Book Festival!
Incredible hand-painted plate w/Anemoi & BDB designs by Amy Rios; Amy also sent me the "cross in your pocket," below - how sweet is that???
Embroidered ornaments from Kim Sowards! Great meeting her at Ukazoo Bookstore in Towson, MD!
Scarf made by Linda E. of A Novel Idea Bookstore, Vineland, NJ, who discovered I am a scarf addict! Had a great time visiting her store! Can't wait to go back!
Tracy Matthews made this & another shirt for me to sign! How cool! Great meeting her at the Baltimore Book Festival!
Sharon Saracino is such a sweetheart! And this rosary is just gorgeous! She also brought me some delicious liquid libations, ahem, to a booksigning in Carlisle, PA! *grins*
 These incredible, hand-painted candles arrived today and I'm still trying to determine who sent them to me!
   
So, you can see why I'm loving pretty hard on my readers today! Thanks to all of you for your incredible generosity and thoughtfulness. Each and everyone of you makes me love and cherish what I get to do so very much!

Thanks for visiting,
Laura

Brady has Joss up against a wall... #SixSunday #OneNightwithaHero

Happy Sunday! I'm giving away three signed paperbacks on the Holiday Gifts of Love Blog Hop, so check my post out! Today I've got six from my contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero. Here we go...

Brady pushed her back one step, another, until her spine encountered the wall beside the front door.

Joss was instantly wet, even as the certainty coursed through her that this was a bad idea, a bad way to resolve whatever was troubling Brady so deeply. But another part of her yearned to comfort him, to help him forget, to give him a hand over whatever yawning emotional gorge he was staring down, even if for only a short while. Stupid, given what he’d done the last time she’d entertained such feelings. But she hadn’t yet been able to resist him.

And now that she carried his baby, it was harder than ever.

Buy at Amazon | B&N
Be sure to check out the Other Sixers' Posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter. Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Laura

Hold a hero in your hand! How's that for #HolidayLove?

Welcome to my stop on the Holiday Gifts of Love Blog Hop!
The theme of this hop so perfectly fits my newest contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero, that I just had to share exactly how!
Holidays - One Night with a Hero's story is defined by holidays, actually. Brady Scott and Joss Daniels meet at a park waiting for Labor Day fireworks to start. Important moments and revelations in their relationship happen on Halloween and Thanksgiving, and they find their happily ever after at a Christmas party in a moment filled with romance, love, and laughter. If you like holidays, One Night with a Hero delivers!

Gifts - After Brady messes up - big time - he needs a way to make it up to Joss and prove to her he's in this for the long haul. And so he starts leaving her gifts, one a week, on her doorstep, to let her know he's thinking of her and wanting to be involved. Gah! Totally romantic!

Love - Of course, Brady and Joss find their happily ever after. But what I most enjoyed about writing this love story is that they're two people who hadn't received enough love in their lives, who never expected to find it, and who had nearly given into the idea that they weren't worth loving. For me, that makes their journey so much sweeter, because the love they find is such a revelation to both of them.

About One Night with a Hero:

He wants just one night…

After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to marry or have kids. Sent stateside to get his head on straight—and his anger in check—Brady’s looking for a distraction. He finds it in his beautiful new neighbor’s one-night-only offer for hot sex, but her ability to make him forget is addictive. Suddenly, Brady’s not so sure he can stay away.

…what they need is each other.

Orphaned as a child, community center director Joss Daniels swore she’d never put herself in a position to be left behind again, but she can’t deny herself one sizzling night with the sexy soldier who makes her laugh and kisses her senseless. When Joss discovers she’s pregnant, Brady’s rejection leaves her feeling abandoned. Now, they must overcome their fears before they lose the love and security they’ve found in each other, but can they let go of the past to create a future together?

Now, how about those giveaways?! I have three books with Christmas scenes and romance in them, so I'm giving away a signed paperback of each! Just complete the Rafflecopter form below! Open to international! Good luck!
    

NORTH OF NEED is award-winning fantasy romance based on Greek mythology!FOREVER FREED is award-winning vampire romance!ONE NIGHT WITH A HERO is a New York Times & USA Today bestseller!

Or buy them here...
But wait, there's more! There are THREE grand prizes for the hop! At each blog you visit, leave a comment with your email address and be entered to win! That means you can enter over 200 times!

1st Grand Prize: Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: $200 Amazon or B&N Gift Card3rd Grand Prize: Swag pack with fun prizes from dozens of authors, including me!

Click here for a full list of participating sites!

Thanks so much for hopping by! And happy holidays!
~Laura
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amber Belldene's Debut PNR Cover Reveal, Q&A & Giveaway ! #BloodVine

Welcome Guest Author Amber Belldene on her Debut Novel!

See below for her giveaway!

Welcome, Amber! Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release. My debut novel Blood Vine will be released on January 8.  It's about Croatian vampire Andre Maras who was forced from his homeland by his ancient enemies, the Hunters.  He has grown weak in exile, as all vampires do when separated from their native soil.  But for the first time in centuries, Andre has a reason to hope, and he is honor bound to share that reason with his fellow refugees.  The problem is, he doesn’t know how to find them.  So he hires a public relations firm to help.  And when P.R. expert Zoey Porter arrives, she disrupts all his plans. 
Ooh, intriguing! Which character is your favorite and why?
My favorite character is Andre, who is the head of a big vampire household, including his two sons and lots of staff who provide blood.  Because of his wasting sickness, he lives in a perpetual state of painful longing for his home—an island off the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.  He’s ancient, gruff, wounded, and fiercely protective of his people.  He’s an awesome dad to his sons, which is something that I adore about him.  And he is stubborn in his refusal never to love again, but not nearly as stubborn as Zoey. 
I love the sound of this! As the author, what surprised you about this story?
Two things:  First, it surprised me how much I fell in love with the star-crossed m/m romance between vampire-ally Pedro and vampire-hunter Lucas, which will continue throughout the series. 
Also, it was a delight the way the world unfolded once I discovered the exile-related wasting disease.  The premise was rich and unexpected, and in many ways the series wrote itself because of that.  I’m preparing to submit the second book, and once I do, I’ll get started on the third story, both of which feature Andre’s sons, Kos and Bel.    
Wow! Go, you! What was the hardest thing for you about writing this story?
One challenge was to learn as much as I possibly could about Croatia without the luxury of going there.  I scoured photos and lists of the flora and fauna, I read text books, I listened to Croatian folk music, and I asked tons of advice from a fellow writer and Croatian, Zrinka Jelic.  But it was worth it, because even though the story is set in my home state of California, these touches of another culture add a dimension that I love.  The cherry on top was when the fabulous San Francisco Bay Area women’s ensemble Kitka gave me permission to use one of their Croatian songs in the trailer.  
That’s awesome! What do you find easiest and hardest to write?
I love to write sex scenes, and I find it hard to write bad guys.  Probably because I tend to see people as good and don’t believe we are easily motivated to do evil.  That means my antagonists end up interesting and complicated, but it usually takes a while for me to learn what makes them tick.
That’s an interesting problem to have! What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
I like to joke around about being a naughty priest who writes racy romance.  But the truth is, I don’t think there is anything naughty about sex—it’s a very holy expression of love and our most basic instinct for intimacy.  And it’s really fun.  I do the happy dance everyday that the genres of romance and erotica have made women more comfortable and open about their own sexuality. 
That rocks, Amber, seriously! Which romance book or series do you wish you had written?
Well, I know you love the Black Dagger Brotherhood as much as I do, Laura.  I don’t wish I’d written the whole series, but I do wish I’d written Vishous, because I’d like it if he totally belonged to me. Wait, reverse that—with him the owning goes in the other direction. 
LOL! Yes, yes it does. And as long as you leave your hands off Zsadist, we’re okay. True? Okay, now, just for fun:
Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?   Dark, please.  Yum!
Salty or sweet?   Salty.
Bed or kitchen table?   Kitchen table, except mine is a little rickety.    
Beach or mountains? Beach.
Give or receive? Both at the same time.

Bites are an inconvenient bliss, exiled vampires are wasting away, and the fate of their kind depends on the perfect PR campaign. 

When public relations pro Zoey Porter arrives at an enchanting California winery, she discovers her sexy new client is the almost one-night stand she can’t forget. After her husband’s suicide, Zoey has vowed never to risk her heart again. But can she walk away from the intriguing winemaker a second time?

Driven from Croatia by his ancient foes, vampire Andre Maras has finally made a blood-like wine to cure his fellow refugees. Now he needs Zoey’s PR expertise to reach them. After his wife’s death, Andre has a vow of his own—never to risk another painful blood bond. And one taste of the tempting Zoey would bind him to her eternally. 

Excerpt:
The view from the parlor at sunset stunned Zoey. A wall of French doors opened onto a narrow balcony and displayed a pink sky, flush against the verdant grapevines that trailed over gentle hills. The landscape was more than enough ornament for the room and Zoey was glad Andre had left the ivory colored walls bare.
He sat chatting with Pedro, and they both stood as she walked in. She had to look a long way up to meet his eyes.  Pedro poured wine into three glasses.
“I should admit I don’t have much of a palate,” she said.
“Don’t worry, we’ll guide you.”  Pedro handed her a glass.
As she lifted it to her nose, Andre watched her. “Hhhmm. It smells so earthy. It’s very unusual.”
“Yes, the grapes are from our family vines on Šolta, before they were burned,” Andre said.
“A fire?”  How tragic, to lose so much heritage. 
Andre sipped his wine before he said, “Yes, that’s why I—why my family came to the U.S.”
“When was the fire?” she asked.
“Eighteen forty-seven,” Andre replied. Her next question had formed on her lips when he added, “It is a very long story. Another time?”
“Sure.”
“This wine was produced from the Šoltan vines planted when this estate was founded, and recently spliced onto the vines on my new land.”
“But,” Zoey checked to be certain she understood, “it’s the Zinfandel grape whose name I have no hope of saying in Croatian?”
“Yes, that one.” Andre nodded. “The vineyards we acquired several years ago bear a startling similarity to our vineyards in Šolta and the resulting wine tastes just like the ones we used to make.”
“Were you actually able to taste wines made by your family so long ago?” 
He tilted his head. “Able to taste them?  Oh, I see. Yes, I was fortunate enough to taste wine made from that vineyard.”
Why did she feel like he was evading her question?
She brought her glass to her mouth and glanced up to find him watching. She lowered her lids and concentrated. When the wine hit her tongue, she opened them wide again.
She ran her tongue along the back of her teeth, searching out words for the astonishing mixture of flavors in her mouth. “It’s as thick as blood…and it tastes like sunshine, raisins and peppery licorice.”
The flecks in his green eyes glittered. “Yes, Zoey, it does.” For the first time, he didn’t call her Ms. Porter. “Your palate is perfect.”

He looked delighted with her. She glanced away, her head suddenly light, as if she hadn’t eaten all day. Darting her eyes back to him, his face had gone neutral. She wanted the delight back.
Where can we find you on the web?
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway!
One commenter who leaves their email address will win an ebook of Blood Vine after the book releases in early January! What to comment? Did you have a favorite line from the excerpt? Or leave a question for Amber! Open to international! Contest ends Monday, January 7, at midnight EST! Good luck!

Thanks for coming on the blog, Amber! Now, everyone, leave Amber some debut novel love! And thanks for reading!

Laura

Welcome Guest Author Joya Fields on her Release Day! #Hereafter

Looking for my blog hop giveaways? Click on these links for the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop or the Entangled in Mistletoe Holiday Hop! Four great prizes up for grabs!

Welcome Guest AuthorJoya Fieldson her Release Day!

See below for her giveaway!

My good friend and critique partner is celebrating the release of her first paranormal romance, a ghost story called Hereafter. So please join me in welcoming Joya Fields as she celebrates her release day by talking to us about the book's setting, Baltimore, Maryland! Take it away, Joya...
Thanks, Laura, for inviting me to visit your wonderful blog again! I always have so much fun chatting with you and your guests. I’m excited to share my newest release—a contemporary romance with a ghostly twist from Decadent Publishing. Hereafterreleased today and is the book first in a trilogy about a haunted apartment building and some interesting characters who live there. It’s set in Baltimore, MDand I’m so excited!!

Since I’ve spent my entire life within a short drive of downtown Baltimore, it’s a city that holds a special spot in my heart. As a child, going downtown with my mom, aunt, and sisters meant a fun day trip to Hutzler’s and its tea room, elaborate Christmas window displays in the department store fronts, and lunch at the famous Lexington Market. Most of the department stores are gone now, and many attractions have been shifted to the waterfront.
Baltimore’s Inner Harborexperienced a major facelift in the late 1970s. By 1980, Harborplace opened.  Its two-story pavilions, paved brick walkways and spectacular view of the waterfront brought tourists and locals alike to watch local street performers, enjoy an ice cream by the water, or sit on a bench and enjoy the maritime history. Visitors can even rent a paddle boat and glide past historic attractions like the USS Constellation. It’s a great place for a cheap date or a family excursion.
Baltimoreis a city rich in history, tradition and quirkiness.  Edgar Allan Poe’s grave, FortMcHenry and Fells Point bring flocks of people to the Inner Harbor every day. Perfect for visits…and perfect for encountering ghosts. I hope you’ll think it’s the perfect setting for ghosts, too, as you get to know Rob and Angie, the hero and heroine from Hereafter, the first book in Hauntings at Inner Harbor series.
Excerpt:
Angel’s body tingled. Her skin rippled with electricity, and she recognized the signs that she’d be transported soon.Yes. Finally. She closed her eyes, wishing she could rush the transition from her world to his. Cool air prickled her skin and she stood in the man’s dark apartment. With moonlight shining through the sheers, she could make out his form on the sofa.He jumped up and faced her.She wanted to speak, but she couldn’t.“The electricity went off again,” he said.She frowned.He stepped closer. “Ghosts don’t exist.”No. He couldn’t banish her again. She needed something in this world. The lights flickered, sizzled, and then went off again.Please don’t tell me to go away; it makes me go away. She might not have a voice in this world, but she could at least think it. She would not go, not when potential answers waited in this place.The man stepped closer. “What are you doing? Angie, why do you keep coming here?”Don’t tell me to leave…don’t tell me to leave. Pictures flew into her mind. People smiling and laughing. A tree in the corner with white lights and boxes under it….He’d called her Angie.“You know me?” Her words came out a whisper, but at least they finally came out. Tears tracked down her cheeks. The electricity flickered on, and then, stayed off. The air stopped sizzling. She blinked to adjust her eyes to the darkness again.“Christ, this can’t be happening.” He moved his fingers over something in his hand and then pocketed it.She closed the distance between them and grasped his upper arms, pleading him with her eyes because her voice had left her again.“Yes, I know you.” He glanced away and looked out the window, let out a huff of breath, and then gazed at her. “Your name is Angie Barsotti and you used to live here.”No wonder the place felt so familiar. Her spirits lifted. He could help her find out who she was, help her find out what was going on.“And,” he dragged a hand through his hair. “You died and I don’t believe in ghosts.”Cold air, cold as ice tore through her, ripping her from the apartment.Buy at Amazon | Decadent Publishing
Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, BENEATH THE SURFACE, is a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and is nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award.
Over the years, Joya has taught arts and crafts, worked in public relations, owned a daycare center, helped her children raise prize-winning 4-H livestock, competed in three marathons, and even spent a year as a Baltimore Colts cheerleader. Joya loves spending time with her high school sweetheart/husband of over twenty years, two very supportive children, and a pug who follows her everywhere.
Connect with Joya Around the WebWebsite | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Giveaway!
 Baltimore is fondly nicknamed Charm City and what better way to celebrate that distinction than to give away a Charm City charm bracelet to a random commenter from this blog today? Must leave your email address! Open to international. Contest ends midnight EST on Friday 12/14! Good luck!

Okay, everyone, leave Joya some new release love and enter her awesome giveaway! And thanks for reading!

Laura

Welcome to the Irish Kisses Blog Crawl & Pub Quiz Post 4!

Welcome Guest AuthorJoAnne Kenrickto the blog today!

See down below for her giveaway!

If you're here for Laura's blog hop giveaways, go to the Christmas Wishes and Entangled Under the Mistletoe posts.

 I'm thrilled to welcome JoAnne Kenrick to the blog today with a fun blog tour post and giveaway! Tell us more about your new release, JoAnne...
Book four in the bestselling Irish Kisses series!Tasty treats await you.Hot winter kisses to warm broken hearts….
Sick of tending to everyone else’s needs around the holidays, divorced barmaid and granny Sandra ferries it from London to Belfast. All she wants for Christmas is some peace with a romance story in front of a roaring fire in a remote Irish castle. What she gets is a most unexpected Christmas present from her friends at Bell’s—A 1Night Stand with a young Irishman.
Can she hack it in the real world of romance, or are life’s complications and treacherous snowstorms best left to the pages of a book?
Newly widowed Ardan Draighean owns Ballygalley castle. Once run as a hotel with his late wife, the stone building now serves as a home for him and his son. After hearing about Madame Eve’s matchmaking skills, he contacts her in search of the perfect match. Although much older than him—by fifteen years—Sandra is his ideal woman. He be damned if he’ll let a good story get in the way of his happy ever after with her.
Hot winter kisses are all this couple needs to stay warm this Christmas, but will the heat stay long after the magical season of mistletoe has finished?


BUY HOT WINTER KISS AT AMAZON US | OTHER BUY LINKS
ALSO AVAILABLE:Sweet Irish Kiss, book 1Shamrocked, book 2Threesome Sweetness, book 3
Excerpt: Chapter one, part three
As she reached for the door, a pile of young girls in their twenties spilled out of the pub wearing nothing but tight mini-dresses and heels; full of liquor and jolly chatter. Sandra took a step inside and was slammed with a wall of noise. 
She did a double take and wondered if she should find somewhere quiet to wait, where punters weren’t younger than her daughter. The cold won, though, and she ventured into a twenty-something land decorated to the hilt with classy green and silver tinsel and delicate fairy lights.
She scanned the room full of partygoers; the dimly lit bar and low ceilings reminding her of Bell’s, where she worked most evenings. She fought her way through the crowd nestled around the bar and ordered an Irish coffee, taking the cup before heading for a quiet corner tucked way in the back. She took a sip and thanked God for Irishmen who knew how to make a bloody good drink. It must be in the blood. Shaun’s saying ran through her mind as she drank. Make the drinks with love and have a passion for making folk smile.
Digging out the treat the staff had bought her for her trip, all wrapped in hot hunks printed gift paper, she grinned. She’d promised to wait until she’d arrived at the castle before opening her surprise, but if not for the ferry delay and the bus strikes, she’d be snug by the fireplace already. By her calculations, present time had come and gone. She ripped that baby open and found a gift only good friends would think to buy her.
“An e-reader!”
They’d included a card, on the front of which a very sexy Santa hung up a fishnet stocking over a cartoon fireplace.
Now you’ll be able to carry those sexy stories around with you wherever you go, without your grandkids ever discovering those smutty covers! And to ensure your holiday is romantic, we’ve stocked your reader with books from your favorite series. One is about an Irish castle owner. Wink, wink. Oh, and talking of romance, tucked into the cover is another present to ensure your Christmas is one filled with joy.
Happy holidays! Your wee family from Bell’s.
Sandra thumbed around the cover and found what looked like an invitation. She opened the envelope and cringed. A 1Night Stand date. Hell’s bells. Had to be Devlin’s idea, the cheeky sod.
To be continued in Irish Pub Quiz post 3, Lissa Matthews' blog (link in rafflecopter)
Born n bred Brit, JoAnne Kenrick grew up in a wee sea-side town in North Wales and has enjoyed a variety of vocations such as holistic healer, window dresser, and ghost tour guide. Having lived in Wales, England, and Scotland with her dear family, she finally escaped the dull British summers to reside in sunny Australia. After two years, they moved to the States where she endured three harsh winters in Minnesota. She now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two kids and two puddy cats. When they aren't demanding her attention, or jumping on her head, she strums away on the keys of her little laptop, creating worlds and adventures she could only ever dream of. Come across the pond and faraway....with JoAnne Kenrick! www.joannekenrick.com
Get exclusive sneak peeks at her new and upcoming releases by signing up to her quarterly newsletter HERE!

Now for your Pub Quiz Question!
What did Tom Smith, a baker and wedding cake specialist, invent that is now apart of British & Irish Christmas table spreads?

Visit all the tour stops to complete the Rafflecopter and collect your recipes, but also consider leaving JoAnne some comment love, too! Did you have a favorite line from the excerpt?

Thanks for reading!

Laura

[Rules: Must answer all Rafflecopter questions. Open to international. More details here. Good luck!]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brady Scott, Tortured Hero ~ #SixSunday #OneNightwithaHero

Happy Sunday everyone! First, I've got four prizes available at two blog hop posts (Christmas Wishes and Entangled Under the Mistletoe) right now, so check them out! Second, here are six sentences from my contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero. Hero Brady Scott is with his best friend Marco Vieri (the hero of Her Forbidden Hero) as he reacts to some devastating news.

Breathing hard, Brady fell back against the wall and braced his hands on his knees. He wrestled the frenzied emotion back into a box and locked it tight. The extrication felt like a surgery that hadn’t healed. That never would. He used the raw ache to center himself.

 Finally, he raised his gaze to Marco, whose eyes held no reproach, no censure, only an understanding born of a lifetime of being on the front lines of Brady’s life.

Buy at Amazon | B&N
Be sure to visit the Other Sixers' Posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on Twitter! Thanks for reading and hopefully commenting, too!

Laura

Welcome Debut Author Stacy Green! #IntotheDark

Looking for my blog hop giveaways? Click on these links for the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop or the Entangled in Mistletoe Holiday Hop! Four great prizes up for grabs!

Welcome Debut AuthorStacy Greento the blog today!

See below for her giveaway!

Welcome Stacy!!  Please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.
Thanks so much for having me, Laura. I’m excited to meet your readers. For those who don’t know me, my name is Stacy Green. I’m a romantic suspense author, although I like to call it suspense with a dash of romance. My books have also been coined as mysteries and romantic thrillers, and I’m fine with that.
As for the personal stuff, I’ve been married 13 years and am the proud mom of an almost 7 year-old. My Christmas baby is growing up way too fast! I’ve been writing off and on for years, and worked in advertising before becoming a stay-at-home mom.
Awesome! So, tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.
INTO THE DARK is set in Las Vegas. Emilie Davis has a stalker who will stop at nothing to possess her, including robbing the bank she works at. His goal is to stash her in the infamous Las Vegas storm drains–a maze of tunnels beneath the city that house hundreds of homeless. Nathan Madigan is the SWAT officer/hostage negotiator tasked with bringing a peaceful end to the bank robbery. He and Emilie form a connection, and he is drawn into the mystery of her life and her stalker.
Hey, this sounds really cool! Which character is your favorite and why?
I’d have to say Emilie, because she was so hard to get a handle on. For a long time, she was this cranky, withdrawn person who refused to let anyone in. I was confusing strength with a bad attitude, and once I realized this, I was able to go back to the beginning and create a much stronger, three-dimensional character.
That’s interesting, Stacy! So, as the author, what surprised you about this story?
How much it changed from beginning to end. The story actually began as a Twilight piece about a hot SWAT guy saving a woman. I knew I wanted it to have some mystery, but that’s about as far as I’d gotten on the plotting. As I got farther in, I realized I wanted to write an original piece based on that premise, so I scrapped everything and started fresh with new character outlines, backgrounds, new plot – the whole works. It wasn’t until I discovered the reality of the storm drains–and the homeless living in them–that I was able to sit down and form a tight, coherent plot, and I spent more than a year getting it right.
Thanks for sharing that look into your process with the story. Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?
Never say never, but as of now, no. Emilie and Nathan’s story is told.
What was the hardest thing for you about writing this story?
Trusting my instincts on what would work. I’d like to say they’re pretty good, but I have a lovely nagging voice of doubt that likes to derail my creative process. Slaying him is a work in progress.
I think we all struggle with that at least sometimes! What are you working on right now?
My second novel, Tin God, will release in the spring. It’s set in Mississippi, and it’s about a working class woman who is thrown into the middle of a murder investigation. She eventually realizes the secret she’s been harboring for years is the key to solving the murder. It’s got small town Southern politics, family issues, and all sorts of dark secrets.
Ooh, intriguing! What happened to the first book you ever wrote?
Ha! My mom still has it, stashed away with all my other stuff. I wrote it in a notebook, with pencil, when I was about 12. Not my best work, but it might be my favorite. J
Hey, I have one of those! *grins* What do you find easiest and hardest to write?
I love writing description, and I’ve been told I have a knack for it. I think it’s because I love to focus on the details, and I love to make readers (and myself) feel as though they are truly IN the moment.
As for the hardest thing, dialogue can be tricky because you want it to be snappy, and you don’t want it to be repetitive. It’s easy to fall into the trap of reminding your reader what you want them to remember through your character’s dialogue, and that’s a no-no. It’s an insult to the reader.
Have you incorporated actual events or people from your own life into your books?
Yes. The homeless living in the drains beneath Las Vegas are very real. Many of the locations in INTO THE DARK are real places in Las Vegas – the rare bookstore at the Bellagio, Emilie’s condo in Henderson. For me, using real places brings the book to life.
Oh, for me, too. Is there a theme or message that runs through your work?
INTO THE DARK has a very clear theme, that living in the past is one of the biggest mistakes we can make. All three characters–Emilie, Nathan, and the Taker (my bad guy)–are stunted by their pasts. They’re all driven by old mistakes, and learning to let go and move on is the only way any of them will survive. It’s a theme I can certainly related to, and one I think most readers will understand as well.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?
Oh geez. I could say so many things but none of them make me look good, lol. I have a quick temper – I suppose it’s the Irish in me. And nearly two years ago, I lost 65 pounds and changed my lifestyle. Hardest thing I ever did, but also the best thing I could have done for myself.
Congratulations! Which romance book or series do you wish you had written?
Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Those books made me want to be a writer. The worlds she created, the amazing characters. If I could accomplish half of what she has as a writer, I’ll be thrilled.
Yup! She’d be at the top of my list, too! Of all the characters you’ve ever written, who is your favorite and why?
The Taker, because he’s the first three-dimensional bad guy I’ve created. I loved writing his past, figuring out what makes him tick, and making him someone readers just might empathize with.
Okay, now, just for fun: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?   Milk chocolate.
Salty or sweet? Sweet!
Bed or kitchen table? Kitchen table.
Beach or mountains? Beach.
Give or receive? Give. Love it!

A two-hundred-mile labyrinth of dark storm drains serves as refuge for the delusional stalker who will go to any lengths to possess fragile, emotionally isolated Emilie Davis. To survive, Emilie will have to confront the secrets of her past she has kept locked away from everyone, including herself.

Emilie is a master escape artist—she’s fled a manipulative mother and a controlling ex-husband. But it’s impossible to evade a stalker who uses a bank robbery as a ruse to kidnap her. He’s still out there, hiding in the Las Vegas tunnels and dodging police. Emilie’s life careens out of control as her assailant continues his pursuit. She has nowhere to turn but to Nathan Madigan, the hostage negotiator who worked the robbery.

Nathan is haunted by his failure to protect a loved one fourteen years ago and has dedicated his life to saving others. Determined to catch the lunatic hunting Emilie, he finds himself losing his professional detachment. He fears history is about to repeat itself if he cannot protect Emilie from the Taker’s obsession.

The police close in on the Taker’s identity as Nathan and Emilie grow closer to each other and to resolving the misery of their own pasts. At the height of The Taker’s madness, his attempt to replace someone he’s lost will either kill them all or set them free.

Excerpt
“Emilie.”
“I’m not a mistake.” Wetness ran down her cheeks. “I’m a good person. People care about me. Mémé cared. Jeremy and Sarah care. They would miss me when I’m gone. Do you think that coldhearted woman could say the same? People will dance on her grave.” Her voice was loud in her ears.
She could barely see Nathan as he moved into the booth beside her. She felt the warmth of his strong arm around her waist and inhaled his now familiar scent as he pulled her close.
“You’re not a mistake,” he whispered. “Not by a mile. People do care about you. I care.”
Emilie pressed her face into his chest as the sobs erupted. “I hate her. Why didn’t she just give me to Mémé and stay out of my life? Why did she have to punish me for her actions?”
“Because blaming you made her feel better about herself. She’s a narcissist. None of this is your fault.”
“Doesn’t really matter, does it? I’m the one suffering and humiliated yet again.”
“No. You were the one who stood up to her.” Nathan seized her shoulders and pulled her back to look into her eyes. “You didn’t let her manipulate you this time. She’s the loser, Emilie. She always has been.”
She stared into his eyes, gratitude and desire spreading over her like fire. Her hands snaked up his chest. She rested them on his scruff-covered cheeks. “Nathan.” Her voice was filled with a longing she hadn’t realized existed until this very moment. “Take me home.” Buy at Amazon | Bookstrand | Coffeetime| MuseItUp Publishing | Paperback

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Where can we find you on the web?

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

A Message and a Gift From Stacy:
To celebrate the release of INTO THE DARK, I’m giving you TWO ways to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! Both options will get your name into the drawing, which runs from November 5th until the end of my blog tour on January 30th.
Entry Option 1: Earns FIVE entries in the contest. Email Stacy your receipt of purchase (simply copy and paste proof of the order into the email, excluding personal information) of INTO THE DARK or the answer to this question: in what state was the Taker born and raised?
Entry Option 2: Earns TWO entries in the Contest. Donate to HELP of Southern Nevada and help the homeless. Readers can go to HELP of Southern Nevada, the organization that aids the homeless featured in INTO THE DARK, and donate. Email Stacy the receipt (personal information excluded). No donation is too small!
Enter the INTO THE DARK Charity Raffle!
The homeless living in the storm drains of Las Vegas played a vital part in INTO THE DARK, and I want to give back. From November 1stuntil February 28th, participants will have several options to enter the raffle, including donating to HELP of Southern Nevada. The grand prize will be a $100 donation from me in the winner’s name to the homeless shelter of their choice.

Okay everyone, leave Stacy some new release love! Did you have a favorite line from the excerpt?

Thanks for reading!

Laura