Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 75

Link Of The Week- It’s A Bonanza!

Hello Muse Track peeps! I was hunting around the web for a super web site to share with you all and I found this luscious little gem. You could call it a warehouse of great sites all wrapped up in one easy-to-find place.

http://websitesforwriters.libroville.com/

Hump Day Kick Start – Businessman Edition

Song of day: Don’t Apologize by Otherwise

Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.

Sit back. Relax. Take a load off.

Today’s prompt has a lazy, yet wily look about him. Tell me about our finely dressed businessman. What is his story? Did he just move into his new cushy corner office? How did he earn that promotion? Maybe he’s starting his own business and it’s been a long day. Or perhaps his sexy boss just pushed him down into that chair and she’s about to show him how much she appreciates all his hard work. Could he be “interviewing” his new secretary? Ahh…but what about that ring on his finger?

Tell me your take on this picture. I’d love to hear it. Bonus points if you know who this is. (No one guessed right the last time.)

MuseTracks Guest – L. Anne Carrington – Just Write!

MuseTracks is pleased to welcome journalist, radio host, reviewer, and author L. Anne Carrington. She has brought us some sound advice and an excerpt. Enjoy!

Just Write!

Famed author Anne Rice once gave this advice to new writers: “There are no rules in this profession. Do what is good for you. Read books and watch films that stimulate your writing. In your writing, go where the pain is; go where the pleasure is; go where the excitement is. Believe in your own original approach, voice, characters, story. Ignore critics. Have nerve. Be stubborn.”

In most cases, these words couldn’t ring more true. A few writer colleagues discussed their ideas of developing their respective novels with me, and confused by the conflicted feedback she’d received on her manuscript, one had shelved her own project for some time.

“Just write,” I told her.

She once again dusted respective manuscript, encouraged by telling her story first, and worked on the editing details later.

We all read the books, the blogs, attend the conferences, frequent the message boards and websites, attend the writer’s groups and conferences, yet we’re still left scratching our heads in bemusement as to if we’re creating our work the “right” way.

Maybe that’s the problem; we’re so focused on turning out the perfect manuscript and getting published that we’ve lost focus of the true purpose of potential books: to tell our stories.

Some writers tend to think in order to “sell” their work, they must dash out something that’s the current “trend,” but once the market is saturated with a specific genre, your work will remain on the slush pile for an undetermined amount of time.

Write what you know, not what’s “in style.” There’s a story that’s run through your subconscious for months (or years, if you will), characters yearning to be created and developed. Why not share them with the world? Who cares if they aren’t the “current trend?” It’s your work in progress; make it your creation!

There’s no guarantee that your work will get noticed by a publishing house sooner, but it won’t be competing with thousands of other stories with the same theme. Sometimes, it’s good to write a novel about a subject that isn’t trendy or cool, but at the same time, can grab a reader’s attention and tell an amazing story from the first chapter to the final sentence of the last page.

Pay attention to advice and feedback, but don’t take all of it literally. Otherwise, you’ll drive yourself into a frenzy and just become frustrated. Try incorporating a few of those suggestions into your work. If the ideas improve your manuscript, by all means, use them. If not, it’s fine in some cases to skip suggestions.

Yes, novels are written for readers to enjoy and take them away from the world’s woes, but at the same time, it’s also good to bring something to the market that is original and exciting. Who knows, your book could begin the next big trend, but not if you don’t take risks and bring your own voice and excitement into the mix. I’ll see you on the book shelves and e-readers!

*****

EXCERPT FROM UPCOMING BOOK THE MARILYN DIARIES:

Late June 13/Early June 14, 2011

I’ve had plenty of what I like to call “Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong)”days since starting at CONSOL, but today started out as the worst thus far. When I say “started,” the day ended on a high note, which is why I’m still awake at four-thirty in the morning and plan to take a personal day from work.

Everything went downhill from the moment I arrived at work. Janice was in a foul mood; I must’ve been the only person on whom she didn’t unleash one of her fits. A wrestling show was in town, and I swear they drove poor Rodney and other arena security personnel insane!

A freak thunderstorm came into Pittsburgh shortly before lunch and we lost power. Try doing office work these days with zero electricity…not going to happen. Duquesne Light seemed to take their good old time once the storm passed, which made Janice even more difficult to contend with. I don’t want to know what those poor guys in security went through before power was restored around three o’clock. Since we obviously couldn’t have lunch, the majority of employees were ravenous once the lights came back on. Vending machine raid…haha! Toni and I ended up splitting pizza from a place across Fifth Avenue.

Things were quiet for a while this afternoon (Janice’s grouchiness aside) until I finished at five. I walked to the parking lot alone today since Rodney was busy with security detail for tonight’s event. Of all evenings, Little Putt Putt didn’t start at all. Not on the first, second, or even fifth try! Worse, when I went to call Joe to see if he could pick me up after his shift (since the buses are often crowded and it’s almost impossible to get a cab during evening rush hour) and the auto club to pick up Little Putt Putt, my cell phone was dead! I know God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, but this whole day was ridiculous.

Looking back, I think Little Putt Putt’s latest trouble could’ve been a sign from God things were (are?) about to turn around for me. Before I headed to a nearby pay phone, I lifted Little Putt Putt’s hood to see if I could immediately spot the latest problem (though I’m no expert on cars) and tie a white cloth showing a disabled vehicle, which avoided Little Putt Putt being tagged and towed as “abandoned” by the city, and me stuck with abominable charges.

I never made it to a phone, but almost had the life scared out of me – at first.

When I looked up from under the car hood, a man was standing on its other side. I wasn’t sure what to think since I heard the Rescue Rapist is still at large. He approaches unsuspecting women offering to help with some kind of problem, but instead takes them to isolated areas where they are raped. Janice warned us about the guy, but I never thought much about it since – with the exception of tonight – Rodney always accompanied me to and from the parking lot.

Well, this man wasn’t the Rescue Rapist, but a genuine Good Samaritan. He was a bit heavyset with short dark hair (a few gray strands blended in), a welcoming smile, and perhaps the most intense brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He wasn’t terribly tall, but certainly taller than I am. Judging from the way he was dressed, I presumed he came to Pittsburgh for business.

He introduced himself as Peter and wondered if I had car trouble. I laughed and said Little Putt Putt dying was common. Wow, you can tell I have little experience with men! Haha!

Anyway, next thing I knew, Peter had his suit jacket off and fiddled under the hood. I don’t know what he did, but Little Putt Putt turned over on the first try – something that never happened the entire time I’ve owned that crazy car! 

The most amusing part was when Rodney came outside to the lot on his break and spotted me talking to Peter. He wanted to know if I “failed to tell him something” after Peter left for the Marriott to change clothes. When I asked what he meant, Rodney wondered why I never told him that I “knew Pete Klass.” Of course, I had no clue what he meant.

“I forgot you don’t follow wrestling,” Rodney said before he filled me in on who Peter really was, his career with both Global Wrestling and International, and he now worked backstage as a producer for most of International’s shows. “You don’t have to worry about Pete, Marilyn. He seems like a nice guy, at least the few times I’ve talked to him.”

Even though Little Putt Putt started, I didn’t get home until about an hour ago. Rodney invited me to hang out with him during Live From…, even though he had to work security detail most of the evening.

Rodney told me during one of the commercial breaks he overheard Peter got in some kind of trouble for barely returning on time from the Marriott. Just what I needed to hear; the poor man reprimanded for being kind enough to help me with my car. Surely Peter’s bosses didn’t expect him to show up in a dirty, greasy suit! If I didn’t feel guilty before, I certainly did after Rodney told me what happened. 

He managed to drag Peter from backstage after the show and they came over to where I was sitting. Peter looked surprised that I was still at the arena. Dummy me; I blurted an apology about his getting in trouble for running late because of my car problems. Peter smiled and said no apology was necessary before he asked me to dinner. Eleven-thirty was rather late for a meal, but I‘d eaten nothing since the late lunch with Toni.

Long story short – I’ve rambled enough at it is – we had dinner at the Marriott and talked for a long time (at least between fans asking Peter for pictures and autographs. Seriously, I wouldn’t want his job.). When the restaurant/lounge closed at two AM, he walked me to where Little Putt Putt was still parked. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses before parting ways. 

I’m now exhausted, but need to set the alarm so I can call Janice and let her know I’m taking a personal day. I probably won’t hear from Peter again (he likely meets girls every night), but tonight had a memorable ending to what started as a horrible day. 

Good night/morning.

Love, Marilyn

Donovan closed the diary and grinned at a group of people surrounding him in the locker room. “For those of you not already familiar with the story, now you know through my mother’s own words the true story of her and Dad’s fateful meeting.”

****

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

L. Anne Carrington is an author, freelance writer/journalist, and radio show host whose previous work covered topics from fiction to news stories, human interest features, and entertainment reviews. She wrote The Wrestling Babeinternet column for seven years, is a former music reviewer for Indie Music Stop, former book reviewer for Free Press (an imprint of Simon and Schuster), and pens several other works which appears in both print and Web media. One of her freelance articles, An Overview of Causes of Hearing Loss and Deafness, was bought by Internet Broadcasting Systems, a company that co-produced NBCOlympics.com for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics in addition to being the leading provider of Web sites, content and advertising revenue solutions to the largest and most successful media companies.

In addition to the December 2010 publication of her bestselling novel The Cruiserweight by Night Publishing, Ms. Carrington hosts The L. Anne Carrington Show on Spreaker Radio Wednesdays at 2:00 PM Eastern.

Ms. Carrington spends time between Pittsburgh, PA and Tampa, FL, continuing to write.

*****

AUTHOR LINKS: 

Web Site:

http://www.lannecarrington.com

L. Anne Carrington Books on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/L.-Anne-Carrington/e/B0055STQL6/

L. Anne Carrington Books on Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/l.-anne-carrington

L. Anne Carrington Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/theloric2

L. Anne Carrington on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/lacarrington1

L. Anne Carrington YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/LAC1962

The L. Anne Carrington Show on Spreaker Radio:

https://www.spreaker.com/show/the_l_anne_carrington_show

The Book Shelf Blog:

http://newandgoodreading.wordpress.com

What’s New

 

 

I have been so busy that I think I need to be dating a Time Lord. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)

I just got back from Authors After Dark in Savannah where I had a glorious time, but I was so hot my face melted off. Since I drank all the rum–yes, all of it–I’m beginning to get that reputation. You know, the one where I’m the girl that your mother warned you about? Yes. I earned it fair and square.  :)

I also just had a signing with some writer friends and we had a round table discussion about indie publishing and traditional publishing, which devolved into me telling the story about when a guy came to pick me up for a date, but it was discovered he knew my Federal Corrections Officer father from work… he’d been on the wrong side of the bars. See? Totally *that* girl. I obviously wasn’t murdered, since I’m here to post, but I’m sure my father considered it.

And finally, I have a new release coming out on October 1 from Harlequin Nocturne Cravings. It’s the first in a series of three novellas about zombie werewolves, a passenger train, and tough gypsy cop. It’s available for preorder here: http://www.amazon.com/Claimed-by-the-Alpha-ebook/dp/B00DSX3O2M

Now that I’ve got a bit of a breather, I’m looking for something new and tasty to sink my book claws in to. Any suggestions on what should be at the top of my reading list?

Metadata Basics

Song of the Day: Click Click Boom by Saliva

Metadata. Ah, the less glamorous part of publishing. What exactly is metadata and why should you care?

Well, a quick Google search shows many sites and articles referring to metadata as data on data. Huh? My eyes have already glazed over. Have yours?

In effort to avoid nodding off or losing anyone, I’ll just go over the rudimentary basics as it applies to authors. Metadata is information about your book.

Author name, title, subtitle, publication date, format, ISBN – the bones. Nothing extraordinary, but crucial. Why? Because these bits of information goes into all sorts of databases. And these databases are what is picked through during web searches.

Oh, you might be thinking, that’s kind of a big deal.

Yes. Yes it is. Without metadata, you and your book would be lost in the infinite world of the Internet Twilight Zone, never to be found.

Like with any good complex character, or chocolate cake, there is more than what you see on the surface. Consider categories and descriptions. And what about those people you want to target? Now here we narrow metadata down. We are taking your book and individualizing it among the gazillion other books out there. In turn, expanding your discoverability while reaching those most interested in your book.

EX:

Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Romance > Historical Romance > Pirates

Maybe you are looking for a romance with an international secret baby by an amnesiac gambling cowboy immersed in a love triangle. Yup…metadata makes it possible for you to connect with those books.

Don’t stop there. Metadata goes in conjunction with keywords and tags. This, my friend, is muy importante. Keywords are the details, another layer of goodness. That special sumthin’ sumthin’ unique to your book. Often times, these keywords are the search terms used when looking for books.

Consider for a moment my shameless plug, er, I mean my pirate books. Aside from my name and the title, I have a subtitle “A Romancing the Pirate novel”. My keywords include pirate romance, historical romance, pirates of the Caribbean, among others. This will allow people looking to cozy up with a pirate romance to easily find my books. Now say a reader wants to read an erotic story involving cat burglars. If they type in those keywords, they should find exactly what they are looking for—a Harlowe Wilde book. (See how I slipped in another shameless plug?)

Amazon lets you pick up to seven keywords, other retailers allow for more. Pick wisely and try not to be too vague. Remember, it’s about what people are searching for and discoverability.

Metadata is also pulled from your book’s description. For most of us, that’s the blurb. Right about now, a light bulb should be going off in your head. The blurb should not only reflect what the story is about in an intriguing succinct way that captures the tone and voice but also include keywords. Hey, no pressure.

Here is an example of a few words that might be used in someone’s search using my blurb for Beneath the Water’s Edge.

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2012

Elyssa Calhoun Montgomery had been willing to do anything to keep her father from debt, including following her new husband to the Caribbean-–dressed as a lad. But she never dreamed she’d become widowed so quickly, or that she’d come face to face with a fearsome pirate who expects her to fight like a man. Captured and her identity exposed, she doesn’t know what’s worse, being locked alone in a pirate captain’s quarters or experiencing an unsettling attraction toward him.

Captain Bran Blackthorn has grown weary of the pirating trade and seeks a King’s Pardon for his crew. Unfortunately, the man who could sign a reprieve, his half-brother Governor Flynn, would rather see him dead. When the gods—or the devil—bestows an angel to his spoils, he sees an opportunity to force a pardon with her ransom. Never mind his beautiful pawn has bewitched him, filling him with a desire to press his body against hers, capture her mouth in a searing kiss, and brand her as his own.

But when Bran’s enemies seek vengeance, Elyssa becomes entangled in their deadly game and Bran faces the gallows. Can they cheat death and save each other? Or will they be dragged…

Beneath The Water’s Edge

Another shameless example with Kitty Kitty, Bang Bang:

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2013

Reilly Shay has built a reputation as a highly successful cat burglar. Her current contract—to steal a one-of-a-kind diamond bracelet—puts her one step closer to freedom from her employer. But she suspects her days are numbered. She’s a target for cops and crooks, and no one has her back since her ex-partner, and ex-lover, Grant Aubrey turned on her.

Grant gladly takes the job to capture Reilly at her latest heist. He loved her and she betrayed him. Case closed. But as he waits in the shadows of a Greek villa and watches her crack the safe, old desires emerge. And, suddenly, taking her in isn’t nearly as enticing as just taking her.

Will one night of dangerous passion be the death of them both?

So, you see, in a basic nutshell metadata is not only data about data, it is a direct link to discoverability. It’s important it’s complete and reflects the information necessary that is effective in driving your target audience to you. I recently discovered mine weren’t as effectual as they could be. That called for some tweaking. Note, I said tweaking, not twerking.

No matter if you are self-published or with a publisher, verify your book’s metadata is correct. You’ve not a minute to lose. Someone may be searching for you right now.

Questions? Thoughts? Anything to add?  Speak up!

Link Of The Week- Creating Characters?!

I’m trying something new!

Instead of surprising myself with the direction of my characters’ development, I’m creating profiles for them! This is a foreign task for me, but I think we learn and grow when we challenge ourselves to do something out of our comfort zone.

In the process, I stumbled upon this site and thought I’d share it with you this week. Enjoy!

PS. They also have great information for poets and other fiction writers- check it out.

http://www.creative-writing-now.com/writing-character-profiles.html

Creative Writing Now was founded by writing teachers to be a supportive and friendly online space for authors and poets at all stages in their writing lives.

Our mission:

Educate - with high-quality courses and free resources for independent study.
Encourage - by maintaining a positive atmosphere and providing guidance for beginning writers.
Inspire - by sharing our passion for literature and writing.

Welcome Jill Marsal to Agent Shop! Congrats to all the pitches that made it in.

UPDATE!

Jill requested six partials from this group of pitches!

Good luck to everyone submitting and keep at it for everyone else.

See you all soon.

 

Good morning everyone!

Good luck to everyone pitching.

Here are the stats as always…

Pitches Received: 45

Pitches accepted: 27

Pitches Rejected: 18

Over 200 word pitch – 12 (Some by only one or two words!!! Follow rules peeps.)
Missing info – 4 (This is just sad)
Pitching for a project ‘In the works’ – 1 (Um, yeah, no.)
No pitch – 1 (This was basically spam. The author merely listed their attributes.)

As always, all I can say is follow the rules, directions, guidelines anytime you submit. It’s a good rule o’ thumb to live by. It’s hard enough to get into the writing world. Don’t do yourself harm by refusing to take the time to ‘do it right’. Rant done.

Now on to the fun stuff.

WINNERS:

TOP PITCH SLOT – Look below!

WHAT SHE WAS MISSING – Tracy James Jones

AUTUMN IN THE VINEYARD – S.M.Nystoriak

Winners please email me your information and I’ll either e-mail you your copy, or send the info on to the author.

Please welcome Jill Marsal!

Thanks so much for coming to visit with us again Jill. The pitches are below, and as always, if you see something you like, email me at dancillaw (at) yahoo (dot) com. Please include the pitch number, title, what you’d like to see from the author, and how you’d like them to send it.

Have fun!

*************************************************************

#1 TOP PITCH SLOT WINNER!

If You Can See Me

Paranormal Romance

132,022 words

Some curses stay with a family for generations…

Nate Bentley is a man on a mission. To rid himself of a house h considers a monstrosity before he falls victim to the curse that strikes all the men in his family before their thirty-fifth birthday. But two things stand in his way: a headstrong sister and a woman who can see spirits of the dead.

…it just takes the right combination to break them…

Phaedra Delaney is the woman with the gift. To communicate with the dead. She is also the key to breaking the curse that has bound her family to the Bentley’s for over a century. All she has to do is get a Bentley man to fall in love with her before he turns thirty-five. If only he didn’t take an instant disliking to her upon their first meeting.

Destiny and determination collide when these two powerful people meet and their lives become inextricably entangled with those of their ancestors. Can they break the curse before Nate reaches his next birthday? Or will he fall victim to the same fate that claimed his father – and every male in the family for the past one hundred plus years?

#2

Words in the Windowsill

Historical Fiction/Time Travel with Romance

60,000 words

200-year-old music, love letters, and the Time Train bring 21st-century Hans face to face with his destiny. But falling in love with a 19th-century Viennese beauty wasn’t part of the plan.  When he realizes that meddling with the past has altered his future, Hans must find a way to set it straight, or risk a non-existent future.  Letters To Juliet meets Back To The Future.

#3

Loving the Enemy

Single title contemporary romance

87,345 words

A midwife returns to her small hometown and is unexpectedly thrown together with her ex-fiancé by an octogenarian matchmaker.

When Ivey Lancaster returns to her home town of Napa Valley to temporarily care for her eccentric Lottery-winning Aunt, and to accept her new position at the local hospital, she doesn’t expect to come face to face with the biggest mistake of her life: Dr. Jeff Gardner, her ex-fiancé.

She’s never forgiven him for the way things ended between them. When the job offer suddenly falls through, Ivey can’t help but wonder if Jeff has something to do with it.

Jeff Garner can’t believe his ex-fiancée has finally come back home. Not that his pride would let him admit it, but the sight of her makes him want to take her in his arms and pick up where they left off. If only he wasn’t keeping an unforgivable secret from her. He should stay away, but between their overwhelming passion and his octogenarian matchmaker grandfather, it’s proving impossible. Each time he pulls Ivey into his arms, he draws a little closer to revealing the secret that could ruin everything.

#4

Just Desserts

Contemporary Romance

55,000 words

Sadie Maxon’s almost done baking desserts and waitressing at her father’s trendy diner in Lake Geneva. She’s anxious to leave the resort town to finish grad school in Chicago. When Quinn Laughton, a contractor renovating the Wrigley mansion, offers to buy the crumbling diner, she can’t resist his deal or sexy, down-to-earth sweetness. But Sadie returns to Chicago and discovers Quinn is really a member of the prestigious Wrigley family. Sadie’s unsure if it was her or her family’s legendary diner that attracted Quinn. To convince Sadie of his intentions, Quinn mixes up a batch of passion and romance for her. But will Sadie’s small town sensibilities be swayed by Quinn’s big city charm?

#5

Arty Smarty

Single Title Contemporary Romance

80,000 words

Museum curator Claire Raffen must retrieve a sculpture for her Steampunk art exhibit from artist Sinjin Reid. When she arrives at the sexy Brit’s estate tucked in the wooded shores of Lake Michigan, there’s no metal masterpiece. She discovers that Sinjin has hidden the keystone piece from his greedy ex-wife and her lover, Claire’s smarmy boss–the director of the Lafferty Museum.

Sinjin will bring the sculpture out of hiding if Claire opens her exhibit in his gallery and nowhere near the Lafferty. Since the success of her show hinges on the star attraction, Claire reluctantly agrees with his crazy plan.

As they relocate an entire gallery of art, Claire and Sinjin uncover allies who help them move the exhibit under the nose of the museum’s crooked director. Working together, Claire gets a glimpse of the real Sinjin beneath his iconic image and resists his genuine charm. She can’t shake the feeling that Sinjin’s only using her to get back at his ex. With her reputation and exhibit on the line, Claire musters up enough trust to rely on Sinjin. But if she falls in love with Sinjin, she might wind up jobless and worse, heartbroken.

#6

The Gamekeeper’s Daughter

Historical Romance with Elements of Suspense

109,000 words

Queen Victoria’s top assassin, Lord Alexander Stokes harbors his fair share of dark secrets. Chief among them is his love of bondage and discipline. When a damsel-in-distress appeals for his help, he ponders the consequences, yet her similarity to his first love intrigues him. He offers to help her with a single condition: that the beauty consents to play his games of dominance and submission for an entire year.

Given no choice, Mrs. Julia Foxworth agrees to his indecent terms. Anything is better than serving time for a murder she did not commit, especially when the killer is stalking her. Despite her misgiving about being the mysterious masked man’s chattel, his raw masculine power lures her in like a hawk to her falconer.

Alexander learns she is his beloved Julia, the former gamekeeper’s daughter, he thought long dead. He’s been betrayed by her and his manipulative father. His heart darkens. Combating their deceptions, the lovers fight for the passion they once shared, amidst the threatening danger of Alexander’s nefarious enemies and her husband’s killer. Can they learn to trust one another and live long enough to know true love again?

#7

Sin on The Strip

Romantic Suspense

97,000 words

As the daughter of televangelist, reaching out to help is in Maggie Anderson’s blood. But a violent confrontation with a human trafficker steals her confidence and paralyzes her with fear. Saving a strip club from seedy owners, she uses it as a means to reach women in need. When a serial killer stalks her dancers, Maggie must finally face her old demons, praying her courage doesn’t fail her a second time.

Search and rescue investigator, Christian Beck has been on too many ‘damsel in distress’ missions. But when his latest assignment leads him to a feisty, but reckless club manager determined to put herself in danger, professional distance is no longer an option. As the serial killer sets his sights on Maggie, Beck fears losing her to the same psycho he believes killed his runaway sister twenty years ago.

Maggie and Christian discover that on the strip, sin is a relative term and to have a future they must conquer their pasts.

#8

Winter Song

Mystery/Suspense

83,000 words

Detective Noah Daugherty is a grieving widower, marking time, trying to stay busy enough to make it through each day while waiting for a date, one year in the future when he’ll  decide if he’s ready to join his wife. Meanwhile, he focuses his energy on winning over his late wife’s resentful Yorkie and taking scumbags off the street.

A hero can be only as strong as the villain he faces. In Winter Song, the villain is a hit man known as The Driver, a brilliant yet deliciously twisted teenager who advertises on Craig’s list and takes jobs to pay for his college tuition. When The Driver feels Noah coming steadily closer to unmasking him, he decides to strike first and remove the detective, and, since she barked a warning, the little dog has to go, too.

Noah might not be sure he wants to go on living, but he doesn’t plan to let some no good punk make that decision for him. And he certainly doesn’t plan to let him take out the dog he’s finally learned to love.  The Driver better watch out, because now it’s personal and Noah’s coming for him.

#9

Spellbound

Paranormal Romance

70,000 words

Sexy Druid meets sassy Selkie with a secret fear of commitment.

When Wolfe agrees to find Nikki and warn her of the danger she’s in, he has no idea that she’s a Selkie, or that she’s so damn sexy he’ll have trouble keeping his hands to himself. He finds her hiding from a band of mercenaries and is shocked to realize he can communicate with her telepathically. He immediately recognizes her as his destined mate, but convincing her of the fact proves to be tougher than he expects. He vows to find a way to neutralize the danger to her while he works on binding her to him

Deserted as a child, Nikki vowed that she would remain single rather than putting her own children through that type of emotional hell. When she meets Wolfe though, all bets are off and the sexual tension sizzles out of control. Mercenaries keep cropping up, so they retreat to Wolfe’s ancestral home in the mountains. Just as their relationship deepens, Nikki is kidnapped and Wolfe is forced to mount a rescue mission.

The story ends with a happily ever after, and subsequent books in the same world are set up during this one

#10

Moving on Nightfall

Urban Fantasy

70,000 words

For Jenny, surviving on the city streets is her reality. Living in the darkness of an abandoned subway station is the transgendered prostitute’s normal. Then she meets a stranger, Robert, who is with her for a night, and her world turns to chaos.

There is another reality that coexists with our own, and Jenny has been tapped into it. On the run, she meets a cop, Tom, who gives her refuge, and teaches her how to teleport between realities. Tom also teaches her about the two major power players in that reality, the law and the mafia, although she finds the line between the two are blurry.

Betrayed by Tom, Jenny reconnects with Robert, and is soon enmeshed in his plan to bring down both of the major power players, The plan is successful and soon Jenny is being hunted: by the law, by the mafia and by Tom who has his own reasons for wanting to find her. Now Jenny must unravel her blood connections to the past to understand her new found abilities, and she is running out of time.

#11

Above The Game

Literary Fiction

70,000 words

Eliot MacKenzie dreams of escaping his small New England town of Granite Harbor. Suddenly, there is no more dreaming, no escaping. Eliot MacKenzie is dead.

His life is over but not his tale. Over a several year period in the mid 1990’s, Eliot narrates his story of grief, anger, conflict, estrangement and resolution as family members struggle to deal with their loss.

Eliot’s abrupt death shatters the deceptive harmony of his family’s life. His twin brothers reaffirm their private bond, but each pursues a separate path out of the rage and confusion rising from the loss of their older brother. Eliot’s mother contends with a second family crisis that not only provides escape, but also helps her deal with the death of her son. His father remains lost in the present and tied to the past as he indulges in one-sided conversations with his dead son. Eliot’s narrative follows his family members as they emerge from tragedy and anticipate futures beyond their small town and their fragmented family.

Eliot alone remains above the game – a spectator, confined to Granite Harbor forever

ABOVE THE GAME was shortlisted for the 2012 Faulkner Society Novel-In-Progress Award.

#12

Souls Entwined

YA Paranormal Romance

60,000 words

Sixteen-year-old Rachel’s world is shaken when Billy links his mind to hers. Through telepathy and astral travel, Billy helps her visit the spirit world, awakening a desire for more spiritual adventure. Feeling so natural, their souls are connected, entwined.

Rachel hears spirits, delivering messages from the dead. Billy taps into the minds of the living. Together with a teenage shaman, a healer, and a witch, they form ‘The Psychic Circle’ to secretly explore the paranormal.

But when Rachel’s best friend Melody becomes jealous over Rachel’s chemistry with Billy, delving into black magic for a remedy creates a lethal situation. Melody attacks during meditation, robbing Billy of his free will. Romance blossoms as Rachel and Billy dabble in psychic experimentation to break Melody’s invisible ties; meanwhile, the circle encounters dangerous entities they don’t know how to handle.

If Melody continues to cast her spells on the Psychic Circle, the team is in danger of being controlled. Torn between salvaging her kinship with Melody and cutting perilous ties threatening both her romantic interest and the circle – is Rachel willing to sacrifice an enduring friendship to discover a karmic bond between soul mates? It’s a tough choice to make when the heart’s involved.

#13

Slice of Betrayal

Romantic Suspense

100,000words

Caleb Hartson, is a successful businessman and philanthropist but with a not so upstanding reputation. Whether deserved or undeserved depends on the person sitting in judgment. Policeman Nathan Flannery only sees an unrepentant criminal. The fact his father, also a policeman, was inadvertently killed while trying to arrest Caleb as a juvenile taints his conclusion. He will stop at nothing to see Caleb’s empire fall in ruin.

When his estranged sister, actress Jayne Colliaire, is set to film inside one of Caleb’s businesses he pretends to reconcile with her to use her to get close to Caleb and find out about his illegal dealings. Jayne finds Caleb desirable, irresistible, and yet wants to believe the horrible things her brother tells her about the handsome man.

Caleb knows there is a traitor close to him, but is it the woman he is falling deeply in love with or someone else dear to him? To find out, he sets a trap that will leave one person he loves in danger but only time will tell who is revealing his secrets to the cop.

#14

Chasing Jasmine and Butterflies

Erotic fantasy

110,000 words

As a young fae princess, Comyn wants some adventure in the human world. She finds it during an ancient pagan celebration with a druid priest. With her face painted in a butterfly pattern and hair braided with Jasmine, the druid is enchanted with her; he can’t resist getting to know her better. If he knew she was a member of the fae, he would’ve thought better. He has been commissioned as protector to the fae realms from the human world. Upon realizing who she has mated with, she runs away, but not without taking a piece of the druid with her.

This story is the first in a series that rewrites the history of the world of the fae and elves. The Great Mother and Father created these beings to one day replace humans on earth.

But the centuries have not fulfilled this plan. They must reunite the many realms to keep the species alive. This plot begins by reuniting Comyn with the druid priest Raghnall. From there, the two will play matchmakers to the rest of the supernatural world..

#15

Loving Emmalyne

Erotic romance

37,000 words

Growing up in a royal castle beside her cousin, the future king, young Emmalyne believed she’d have a perfect life. Well, perfect if she could only catch the eye of the wizard who would serve her cousin when he took the throne.

Several years away from the castle, she returns as a beautiful young woman and does just that. The wizard, Donovan, falls hard and fast now that she’s no longer the child he remembers.

However, their perfect life is snatched from them when the vampire who has slaughtered all of Donovan’s family arrives and takes Emmalyne’s life as well. Only he doesn’t kill her, he changes her and keeps her for himself. Fifty years later, Donovan learns she is not dead-but is one of the monsters he hates and has devoted his life to ending. Is the love they shared strong long ago enough to overcome his hatred and her doubts. He has only one day to find out.

#16

Commitment Issues

Contemporary romance

89,000 words

Alexis has never committed to anything. Ever. Color her a vagabond like her dad, but she likes life with no ties. But when her sister Emma dies, leaving behind two young children, Alexis can’t walk away. They don’t have any family, and If Alexis doesn’t take them in, the state will.

Known child advocate, Assistant District Attorney, Allen Gates doesn’t think the vagrant younger sister of Emma’s shoud have the boys. He’d fallen hard for Emma and her children, and he’d be damned if those boys were going to be dragged all over the country and beyond by their un-grounded aunt.

Anger, attraction, and much more erupt as Alexis and Allen knock heads over the boys well-being.

#17

The Found Girl

Contemporary paranormal romance

100,000 words

Jonas Kavanagh’s life was predetermined.

One day he will be king to a magical elf kingdom and he will also be the first in the royal line to take a human as queen. Only two complications stand in his way. First, the human woman fated to be this queen doesn’t believe in love, magic or even the prediction. Second, and far more difficult to overcome, the person assigned the task of finding this human wants nothing more than see Jonas joined with someone else and he possesses enough power to accomplish this.

Alvina McKellen’s life has been one loss after another. Orphaned and unwanted by relatives forced to care for her, then framed by a man who said he loved her, she seeks a new life far from where she began. She sure never expected that new life to involve a frightening man with strange abilities and an unexpected marriage to a supposed king.

Together, a reluctant elf king and a lost girl find passion, love and their destiny together, something not even the most powerful magic of one who would tear them apart can destroy.

#18

Call Me Casanovette

Erotic romance

99,500 words

Marriage isn’t the fairytale Gemma’s mother made it out to be.

Sixteen years worth of matrimonial agony, an ex-husband that walked out to bang his twenty-nine year old secretary, and having to start over at the ripe-young-age of forty is just the proof Gemma needs to affirm that thought.

So now it’s her turn. She has sixteen years of wasted time to make up for. She just doesn’t know how. But her best friend does. She wants Gemma to kiss 16 men in six months and let the sparks fly as they will.

The catch? Each man has to be a different age. No repeats. She has to start with twenty four years old and working her way up to forty.

Gemma accepts the challenge and quickly learns that what she’d considered taboo might be her thing, and that what she’d always dreamed about is all wrong for her.

#19

Juxtaposition

Romantic Suspense

96,000 words

Tally Martin came from nothing but abuse. When she was ten, she was saved by a kind older woman named May who taught her to love life, smile often, and kick ass when needed.

Now Tally’s twenty two, and her mentor is gone. But May’s sudden death reveals a side of her Tally never knew existed. A darker side. A cool-as-hell-vigilante-side. And taking over where May left off is just the focus Tally needs. The sexy as hell agent that keeps showing up at her door is a tempting inconvenience, one she finds harder and harder to resist, even if he could put her in jail for a long, long time.

Agent Sumner Chapman has worked the ‘Outer’ case for years. It’s his obsession. He doesn’t care of the do-gooder ‘Outer’ leaves enough evidence to put his victims in jail, he’s doing it illegally. Somehow, spirited knockout Tally Martin keeps cropping up in his investigations, and damned if he doesn’t suspect she’s not telling him everything she knows about the ‘Outer’.

Attraction is one thing. But  he’ll put hot as hell Tally in jail for interfering with his case. He’s just that much of a hard ass. Isn’t he?

#20

In the Heart

Contemporary romance/womens fiction

100,000 words

After a tragic shooting claims the life of her fiancé, Celia Bailey returns to her small hometown vowing one day to find love again. A year later, she’s finding it difficult to keep that vow when the man occupying her thoughts and haunting her dreams is a man she knows shouldn’t get involved with.

Toby Colton is about to find his new life turned upside down. He has a steady job as a prison guard and is forming ties in the close-knit community he recently moved to. However, one chance meeting on the side of a road brings a string of complications he never counted on.

For the ex-rodeo rider, Celia is one sad cliché after another: the boss’s daughter…his best friend’s sister…and love at first sight. While the two fight a losing battle to resist their attraction, a scheming and dangerous inmate by the name of Vince Monroe sets his sights on escape—and Celia.

When Toby must risk his own life to save a kidnapped Celia, they learn love doesn’t always play by the rules

#21

Going Once,  Going Twice, Dead

Romantic suspense

50,000 words

Gruesome murder rocks art world.

Denver homicide detective Dane Reynolds has met his match in up-and-coming sculptress, Simone Preston, the prime suspect in his current murder case. After digging into her past and uncovering another dead ex, he’s wondering if he has a Black Widow on his hands. Yet, he finds himself caught up in Simone’s web—a tangled obsession that could either leave him suspended from his job or dead—whichever comes first.

Heroes packing more than just handguns! 

#22

The Long Way Home

Erotic Romance

92,000 words

Alexandra Benson is a soft hearted journalist working for the local paper. She’s tired of reporting all the bad news in Phoenix and is determined to do something positive with her writing. Unlucky in love, Alex is about to give up on dating when she meets Chief Clay Nichols, a Navy SEAL with a dark side.

Despite the warning signs, Clay’s charm gets the best of her and Alex finds herself attracted to a man who vacillates from sweet and supportive to hedonistic. Burned from his divorce, Clay isn’t ready to be anyone’s hero, but he can’t help wanting to protect Alex when life gets tough.

Stuck somewhere between friendship and love, Alex tries to resist Clay’s heated advances. When her past collides with her present and her first love is thrust back in her life, Alex must face the consequences of youthful mistakes. She is determined to heal those old wounds and write a happy ending in her own life story.

#23

Bounce

New Adult Time travel – Series

60,000 words

TK’s grandfather leaves a small box in his care, tells him not to open it – then disappears.

The cops are asking questions. So are his parents. TK gets the feeling he’s being followed every time he moves. Once he confides in Haley, his closest friend, they decide to open the box.

Thrown in a dizzying bounce through time, TK and Haley have to fight, steal, and possibly kill to get back to their own time.

And heck, they only have to do it without disrupting time, history, or screwing up TK’s grandfather’s incredible, deadly secrets.

#24

Dancing in the Athenian Rain

New Adult Historical Romance (Time Travel)

84,000 words

When Donna is sent back in time to Classical Athens, she is furious at Dr. Stephens for sending her against her wishes. Then a Greek soldier purchases her to be his wife.

She is forced to learn a new language and culture, and faces her fears of never returning to her own time. The society hates her, especially because they think she’s an Amazon, which forces her to confront her issues—being compared to her genius brother, borderline abusive friends, and a cheating boyfriend.

But her husband, Peleus, is kind and patient. Although against her best judgment, she allows him into her heart. He counters all the negative voices from her past, but those voices drive a wedge between them. She must let go of her fears and admit her feelings, or she could lose him and the life they’ve built.

#25

Secrets & Lies Book 1

Multicultural Romantic Drama

60,000 words

“Sometimes a need for keeping secrets…

Can be just as intriguing as a reason for telling lies…”

“Secrets & Lies” is a provocative, uncensored, character-driven, emotional journey into the private lives of four central characters and their desperate struggles to survive in the shadows of life-altering secrets and lies. At the heart of the story is a beautiful, different kind of woman with a connection to everyone, who questions her personal worth as she fights to keep the life and love she has always wanted. Even the elements of true confessions get lost in translation as the details of who these people really are brings them together in a surprising, yet necessary finale that will change their lives forever…

#26

Once upon a Masquerade

Historical Romance-Regency

112,211 words

Cordelia Clarke waited two long years, in vain for her brother’s best friend to view her as more than a sisterly acquaintance. The night of his family’s masquerade, she produces a false identity and wears a costume in colors she knows he adores. She proceeds to show him she is a desirably lady and not as he had called her numerous times, a dear girl. Her wildest dreams come true when he kisses her upon the balcony. Alas, she leaves him quivering and wanting more.

Andrew Daventry, Viscount Sutton does not view himself as a usual aristocrat. He is a gentleman in every sense of the word. But, on the night of his masquerade, he meets an enchantress who beguiles him, sets him aflame. After the encounter, he is completely changed. Bitter by her rejection to become acquainted with one another out of costume, he sets out to find her identity.

His search leads him to a woman he never even knew he wanted.

Their lives become complicated when another suitor vies for Cordelia’s affection. Nosy relatives, misunderstandings and secrets tear them apart.

Yet, the most powerful means to live out their happily after ever, resides in their close friendship.

#27

Bugworld

Suspense-thriller.

95,000 words

Frankie Campbell is young woman watching over her dad’s rural Wisconsin farm while he is away. When a strange vehicle pulls crazily into the driveway one morning, she has no idea it really is the end of the world.

After mysteriously declining in population for years, all of the world’s insects are re-emerging—in sizes ranging from eight to twelve feet long. As everything collapses, Frankie becomes part of a group attempting to reach presumed safety in a remote cabin in Michigan’s Upper Pennisula.

With the voracious giant insects growing in numbers, size and cunning with each passing hour, things get even worse when the survivors discover they are on a collision course with a rampaging, unstoppable army of Solenopsis invitca—the Red Imported Fire Ant—led by “The General,” a bloodthirsty soldier ant who strategizes and attacks with an eerie, human-like intelligence. And then, there are the enormous spiders in the caverns….

BUGWORLD is a 95,000-word thriller, which will appeal to people who like fast-paced, suspenseful adventures, as well as the 92% of the population who indicated they either “hate” or “fear” insects.  Plus, it’s a lot of fun. Sort of like JURASSIC PARK by way of E.O. Wilson.

Pitch Day at Musetracks is Sept 21st and we welcome Jill Marsal!

SORRY I’M SO LATE!!!!!!

GO!

Welcome to another pitch session at Musetracks.

We have the awesome Jill Marsal with Marsal Lyon Literary Agency as our guest agent. You can find out more about her HERE.

Remember to wait for the word GO to be updated in big green letters (at 10:00 AM EST) at the top of this post BEFORE you send your pitch in to me @ candi_agent_shop (at) yahoo (dot) com. I’m posting this tonight, because I have to work tomorrow, and will have little time to update the blog in the morning.

For now, please welcome two of Jill’s authors with their new or soon-to-be released novels…

AUTUMN IN THE VINEYARD by Marina Adair

Blurb:
Frankie Baudouin has a hundred reasons not to trust Nate DeLuca. First, he’s a DeLuca. Second, he kissed her—in front of the entire town—and then never called. Oh, and he’s after her land. Sorrento Ranch is Frankie’s last chance to prove to her family—and to herself—that she has what it takes to be an award-winning winemaker. And she will stop at nothing to ensure her success—even if it means playing nice with the starched, sophisticated, and oh-so-sexy Italian.

For Nate, Sorrento Ranch is more than just soil and grape vines; it was his father’s dream—a dream Nate is determined to make a reality. So when he finds himself forced to cohabitate with a hot-headed, irrational, and incredibly gorgeous Baudouin, Nate is surprised to discover that chaos could be so much fun—especially when she sleeps in nothing but lace.

Excerpt

It had taken three years, some tricky negotiating, her entire life savings, and a lot of ball busting—but Francesca Baudouin was finally a vineyard owner. Well, she was the owner of ten acres of prime St. Helena appellation soil, which would take another five years of sweat and, quite possibly, selling off a few of her vital organs before it fully became a quality producing vineyard.

But Sorrento Ranch, the most sought after property in the valley, and all of its belongings, was hers. She bought it right out from under the DeLucas’ noses. In part because the owner, Mrs. Sorrento, had played darts with Frankie and Frankie’s great aunt every Friday night for the past fifteen years, so her loyalties were clear, but mostly because Mrs. Sorrento knew that selling the land to either family involved in the great DeLuca-Baudouin feud would piss off her ex-husband.

“One more inch and I’ll shoot,” Frankie said to the alpaca in front of her, a four-legged garbage disposal whose mouth was currently wrapped around the plastic casing of the water tank. She stomped her ball-busting, steeled-toed combat boot in his direction for added emphasis.

The alpaca’s beady eyes narrowed and dropped to her feet. Extending its lips in her direction, he made a loud raspberry sound, stomped an aggressive hoof and then went back to nibbling. Yeah, ball-buster or not, hooves beat boots.

But Frankie wasn’t about to let some hardheaded alpaca with shaggy hair and buck teeth stick it to her on her first week in business. Being the youngest of four, and the only girl, Frankie was a pro at dealing with stubborn males who excelled at ignoring her completely, while messing with her life wholeheartedly.

She cocked her rifle.

“The only thing separating you from becoming a pair of next season’s mittens is my trigger finger, Camel Boy.” Because the only thing separating them from ten-thousand gallons of well water was the thin plastic seam-binding on the water tank, which “Mittens” had managed to chew loose. She didn’t want to deal with the cleanup and couldn’t afford a new irrigation tank. “I mean it, one more bite and the only identifying male trait you’ll have left is stupidity.”

That got his attention. In fact, the animal straightened and fluffed out the fur around his face, making him look like a cross between a camel, a koala, and Clifford the Big Red Dog. When he wasn’t destroying her property, he was kind of cute. In a big, dumb, oafy kind of way.

Mittens was the sole remaining alpaca from Mrs. Sorrento’s farm. The rest of his hooved brethren were living it up at Alberta’s Paradise Alpaca Farm and Pet Sanctuary. Mittens hadn’t even set one hoof in the back of the moving truck when the rest of the heard gathered their spit and took aim. Poor Mittens had been kicked out of his own family and before Frankie or Alberta had been able to catch him, his fluffy-butt disappeared, and Alberta had left instructions to call when Frankie secured the runaway. That had been four days, two patio chairs, and a motorcycle tire ago.

“See.” Frankie lowered her rifle to the ground, picking up the cushion from Mr. Sorrento’s old recliner in one hand and a rope in the other. “That wasn’t so bad. Now just come over here and I’ll give you a treat.”

Eyes glued to the nubby avocado-green cushion, the alpaca took a tentative step forward.

“Then you can go to your new house.” Another step. “Where they feed you gourmet hay and mud tires, and there are kids around all the time to play with you.” Step. “And you’ll get to see your family.”

The alpaca stopped, squared its body, and let out an ear-piercing bleat, which sounded like a cross between “wark” and Chewbacca screaming, right before he sank his teeth in the plastic casing and pulled. Hard.

“Mittens!”

“Wark!”

“No—”

The tank split at the seam and before either could move, a wall of water came crashing out with enough force to topple Mittens into Frankie and send the two of them skidding back several feet.

When Frankie stopped moving and the water had receded into a pool of mud, she shoved the hair out of her eyes and took stock. She was flat on her back, with a stick poking into her right butt cheek and a drenched Mittens sprawled out over the top of her.

“Move.” She shoved at the animal.

“Wark-wark!”

“I warned you! But did you listen?”

Mittens let out an apologetic nicker and dropped his head to Frankie’s chest, his big brown eyes looking up at her through long lashes.

“You could be half way to Paradise right now,” she said, giving him a little rub behind the ears. “Just think, in a few months it will be grooming season and all the ladies will be prancing around in nothing but sheered skin. Plus, you’ll have your family.”

This time the nicker was almost sad so Frankie, ignoring that he smelled like wet dog, called a temporary truce and dug both hands in his thick fur to scratch his cheeks. “Yeah, I get it. Family sucks, but I can’t let you stay here. Come spring, I’ll start planting my vines and you’d eat them.”

Mittens huffed, a burst of hot air hitting Frankie in the face.

“Liar.” She worked her fingers around his temples and behind his ears. The animal’s eyes slid closed in ecstasy. “You already cost me a water tank, which I can’t afford to replace by the way.”

His only response was to nuzzle Frankie’s chest and hum loudly.

“So, there is no way I have the budget to keep replacing everything you decide to sink your teeth into.”

Hum. Hum. Hum.

“I hope he bought you dinner first,” a voice said.

With a groan, Frankie turned her head and, wishing she were standing so she could glare at him without having to shield her eyes, swore. Upside down or not, there was no mistaking the man who was currently towering over her—or the way her stomach gave a lame little flutter when he lifted his mirrored glasses and delivered a heart-stopping wink.

“Afternoon, Francesca,” he said with enough practiced swagger that it made not rolling her eyes impossible.

Nathaniel DeLuca was six-plus feet of solid muscle, smug-male yumminess and he smelled like sex. He was also extremely Italian, annoying as hell and, for whatever reason, every time he entered Frankie’s space she felt all dainty and feminine. Which pissed her off even more because at one time she’d trusted Nate with her heart and a promise of keeping her deepest secret.

And he’d broken them both.

Thank God she had on her ball-buster boots today. Too bad they were currently covered in mud, alpaca fur, and pointing at the sky.

“Go away, Nathaniel,” she said by way of greeting.

Mittens hummed louder, arching into her hand as Frankie scratched down his spine.

“And leave a lady in need?” Nate asked, coming forward and squatting down to pluck a maple leaf off of Frankie’s forehead. “Nonna ChiChi would have my ass.”

“I know you’re used to your women poised and proper. But I’ve got this handled.”

“I didn’t know you paid that much attention to my women, but now that you mentioned the difference…” He plucked a branch from her hair and flashed his perfectly straight teeth in her face. His smile, like his personality, was lethal and his entitled attitude was one-hundred percent DeLuca. “That’s great,” he continued, “because I won’t have to worry that you’ll cry when I tell you to stop exciting my alpaca and get the hell off my property.”

You can find Autumn in the Vineyard here:

AMAZON
B&N

*** The author will give away a signed paperback to a US or Canada resident when they come in!***

AND!

TARGETED by Katie Reus

Blurb

Hidden in plain sight…

Former Marine sniper and current NSA agent Jack Stone has a new face to go with his new identity. But he still has the same tortured memories—which include the woman he let get away years ago, when they were teenagers. Now his new assignment in Miami will put him so close to the woman he’s never been able to forget, he could reach out and touch her—if only she weren’t under suspicion.

When Sophie Moreno uncovers evidence linking the medical supply company she works for with arms smuggling—and worse—she doesn’t know who to turn to. After a shocking betrayal, she realizes the only person she can trust is a mysterious new person in the company—a man with hauntingly familiar eyes.

As Sophie questions her intense attraction to this man and Jack struggles not to blow his cover, the two of them must race against the clock to stop terrorists from killing scores of people—starting with them.

Excerpt

“Good morning, Sophie.” Ronald gave her a tired smile as he looked up from his desk. Deep lines etched the grooves around his mouth.
There was no one in his office, so whoever they were meeting with must have stepped out. Which gave her the perfect opportunity to talk to her boss in private. “Ronald, we need to talk. Didn’t you get my calls last night?”

He shook his head, but the guilty flush spreading up his cheeks gave him away. Sophie reeled back as if slapped. He had been ignoring her. What the hell? She gritted her teeth, quickly moving past the hurt. “I discovered something . . . important.” She nearly snorted at that understatement.

His face paled. “Can it wait?”

“No, it can’t.” As she stared at the man in front of her, she tried to find the right words to just come out and say what she’d found. Something about his expression was just off. He looked almost haggard, so unlike the man she’d come to love and trust. She’d been twenty-two and right out of college when he’d given her a job. Not to mention that the company had paid for her master’s degree. She didn’t have any family and he’d always been like a father figure to her. Anyone would have been better than the asshole foster fathers she’d endured over the years, but Ronald was truly kind. Even with the panic humming through her, seeing him this way pulled at her heartstrings.

Ronald sighed and his eyes flashed with something she couldn’t define. Pain? “We’ll talk, but not here. Just wait—”

He abruptly stopped talking and his gaze trailed over her shoulder at the sound of the door opening. Sophie shifted in her seat and glanced behind her.

She blinked once as she made eye contact with the stranger entering the room. Staring into those eyes made her feel as if she’d been punched in the stomach. A raw sort of awareness stirred inside her, making her throat tighten and somewhere a lot lower heat up completely against her will. Mandy’s description of “yummy” was so very incorrect. A cupcake was yummy. This man was like a decadent triple-chocolate truffle cake with chocolate shavings sprinkled on top. Considering the crap she needed to deal with, noticing someone in such a sexual way—someone she clearly couldn’t trust—was beyond stupid. And definitely not like her. Only one man had ever had this raw effect on her. Though he hadn’t been quite a man. He’d been growing into a very handsome one and—damn it. She shook herself, trying to squash this strange sexual awareness that had erupted inside her.

Here are some review links & quotes:

“Nonstop action, a solid plot, good pacing and riveting suspense…” —RT Book Reviews (4.5 Stars)

“Fast paced romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat!” —New York Times bestselling author, Cynthia Eden

“Sexy suspense at its finest!” —New York Times bestselling author, Laura Wright

“Fast paced romantic suspense, action packed, brimming with sexual tension.” —Lea, HEA USA Today blog

“…this is what romantic suspense is all about.” —Amy, So Many Reads Book Blog

Publisher’s Weekly Review- http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-451-41921-7

Here’s where you can find Targeted:
Amazon

BN

Kobo

iTunes

Book Depository

Find Katie here!
http://www.katiereus.com
http://www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor
https://twitter.com/katiereus

And here’s some great giveaway info!

* I’m giving away two signed copies at Goodreads, ends 10/1: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707657-targeted

*I’m also doing a 2 week blog tour and NAL is giving away books at each stop. Virtual tour info here: http://events.litconnect.com/romantic-suspense-virtual-tour-targeted-by-katie-reus/

*Twitter party on release day: http://events.litconnect.com/twitter-party-targeted-by-katiereus-romantic-suspense/

*FB Party event all day 10/3 with book giveaways: https://www.facebook.com/events/219549264870772/

Okay, so now I have two more awesome sounding reads to add to my TBR pile!

For fun, let’s do a competition for the top pitch slot, the signed copy of Autumn, and I’ll giveaway a copy of my new release What She was Missing as well.

All you have to do is leave a comment using the words Autumn AND Targeted.

Good luck to everyone pitching!

Candi

Kitty Kitty, Bang Bang – Release Celebration

I’m so terribly excited. My alter ego, Harlowe Wilde is releasing a book this week. Kitty Kitty, Bang Bang, an erotic novella debuts this Friday. Commence with the fanfare and confetti.

To celebrate, I will  give one lucky reader, randomly  chosen, a free copy of the eBook. All you need to do is leave a comment. That’s it!

Blurb: 

Reilly Shay has built a reputation as a highly successful cat burglar. Her current contract—to steal a one-of-a-kind diamond bracelet—puts her one step closer to freedom from her employer. But she suspects her days are numbered. She’s a target for cops and crooks, and no one has her back since her ex-partner, and ex-lover, Grant Aubrey turned on her.

Grant gladly takes the job to capture Reilly at her latest heist. He loved her and she betrayed him. Case closed. But as he waits in the shadows of a Greek villa and watches her crack the safe, old desires emerge. And, suddenly, taking her in isn’t nearly as enticing as just taking her.

Will one night of dangerous passion be the death of them both.

Excerpt:

Damn. Reilly never got tired of the rush of cracking a safe. She swallowed her excitement as the safe’s lock whirred open. Slowly, savoring the moment, she opened the metal door. The diamond and pink-orange sapphire encrusted bracelet shined brilliantly under the tiny display light inside. Even as she removed it from its perch in the safe, the gemstones captured the moonlight filtering in from the balcony windows. Gorgeous.

Reilly couldn’t help the triumphant smile. The piece would look lovely with the matching necklace and earrings she’d already secured.

She wrapped the bracelet in a black felt cloth and tucked it into her utility belt. She closed the safe door and returned the exquisite oil painting of an Italian garden back on the hook, hiding the wall vault. Now all Reilly needed was the ring and the Lotus Collection would be complete. And then she could finally take that vacation to Belize. She closed her eyes imagining the warm tropical breeze tickling her skin and the fruity savor of a mango daiquiri.

“What took you so long?”

Reilly’s heart lodged into her throat. She whirled around, her Glock drawn, aiming into the darkness. Even if he hadn’t spoken, she’d recognize Grant’s wide build lounging in the shift of shadows. His back to the bay of windows and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea behind him created an aura around his form. Though she couldn’t see his face, she heard the smile in his voice. God, she missed that smile.

“Traffic was bad.”

Grant chuckled. “Same ole Reilly Shay.”

She inched forward, keeping her gun trained on him. She was no fool. Reilly couldn’t see it, but she knew damn good and well he had a gun on his lap pointed at her.

“How’d you know I’d be here?”

“It was only a matter of time,” he said. “Word has it someone’s hacking and disarming sophisticated security systems and disappearing without a trace with the Lotus pieces. Only you have that type of skill. Only you would leave more valuable and easily accessible treasures behind.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” She tasted the bitterness in her tone.

“There was a time it got me everywhere,” he said.

And anywhere. But that was before Paris. Before he ruined it all. Grant Aubrey had shattered her trust in him when he gave her up to Interpol to save his own ass. She’d barely escaped the authorities when they moved in on the flat she shared with him. The ugly scar from the bullet she took in the shoulder offered her a daily reminder to trust no one—even the man she once so desperately loved. Wearing a bikini had never been the same since.

And, if you are so inclined, show some love by ‘liking’ Harlowe’s Facebook page.

Don’t forget! Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy. 

Kitty Kitty, Bang Bang – Celebration

I’m so terribly excited. My alter ego, Harlowe Wilde is releasing a book this week. Kitty Kitty, Bang Bang, an erotic novella debuts this Friday. Commence with the fanfare and confetti.

To celebrate, I will be give one lucky reader will randomly be chosen for a free copy of the eBook. All you need to do is leave a comment. That’s it!

Blurb: 

Reilly Shay has built a reputation as a highly successful cat burglar. Her current contract—to steal a one-of-a-kind diamond bracelet—puts her one step closer to freedom from her employer. But she suspects her days are numbered. She’s a target for cops and crooks, and no one has her back since her ex-partner, and ex-lover, Grant Aubrey turned on her.

Grant gladly takes the job to capture Reilly at her latest heist. He loved her and she betrayed him. Case closed. But as he waits in the shadows of a Greek villa and watches her crack the safe, old desires emerge. And, suddenly, taking her in isn’t nearly as enticing as just taking her.

Will one night of dangerous passion be the death of them both.

Excerpt:

Damn. Reilly never got tired of the rush of cracking a safe. She swallowed her excitement as the safe’s lock whirred open. Slowly, savoring the moment, she opened the metal door. The diamond and pink-orange sapphire encrusted bracelet shined brilliantly under the tiny display light inside. Even as she removed it from its perch in the safe, the gemstones captured the moonlight filtering in from the balcony windows. Gorgeous.

Reilly couldn’t help the triumphant smile. The piece would look lovely with the matching necklace and earrings she’d already secured.

She wrapped the bracelet in a black felt cloth and tucked it into her utility belt. She closed the safe door and returned the exquisite oil painting of an Italian garden back on the hook, hiding the wall vault. Now all Reilly needed was the ring and the Lotus Collection would be complete. And then she could finally take that vacation to Belize. She closed her eyes imagining the warm tropical breeze tickling her skin and the fruity savor of a mango daiquiri.

“What took you so long?”

Reilly’s heart lodged into her throat. She whirled around, her Glock drawn, aiming into the darkness. Even if he hadn’t spoken, she’d recognize Grant’s wide build lounging in the shift of shadows. His back to the bay of windows and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea behind him created an aura around his form. Though she couldn’t see his face, she heard the smile in his voice. God, she missed that smile.

“Traffic was bad.”

Grant chuckled. “Same ole Reilly Shay.”

She inched forward, keeping her gun trained on him. She was no fool. Reilly couldn’t see it, but she knew damn good and well he had a gun on his lap pointed at her.

“How’d you know I’d be here?”

“It was only a matter of time,” he said. “Word has it someone’s hacking and disarming sophisticated security systems and disappearing without a trace with the Lotus pieces. Only you have that type of skill. Only you would leave more valuable and easily accessible treasures behind.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” She tasted the bitterness in her tone.

“There was a time it got me everywhere,” he said.

And anywhere. But that was before Paris. Before he ruined it all. Grant Aubrey had shattered her trust in him when he gave her up to Interpol to save his own ass. She’d barely escaped the authorities when they moved in on the flat she shared with him. The ugly scar from the bullet she took in the shoulder offered her a daily reminder to trust no one—even the man she once so desperately loved. Wearing a bikini had never been the same since.

And, if you are so inclined, show some love by ‘liking’ Harlowe’s Facebook page.

Don’t forget! Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy.