Margery Scott's Blog, page 14

The Edge of Texas, with J.D. Faver

Do you know where The Edge of Texas is? Please help me welcome my guest today, J.D. Faver. She’s going tell you just where it is, why it can be a dangerous place to hang out (in fiction, at least) and give away a copy of her latest release, BAD VIBES.

Thanks for visiting, J.D. First, can you tell us a little about yourself?

      I live near Houston, Texas. I write contemporary romance and mystery/suspense. Although I write daily, I still find time to enjoy family and friends. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, and painting.

      I am active in several writer’s organizations in the area. I belong to National RWA and am a member of all three Houston area chapters. I am owned by two cats and a small, yappy rescue dog.

      I would rather be sailing or on a beach somewhere, but if I can’t do either of those things, I would just as soon write.

Thanks for sharing that. Since I live in the frozen north, I’d love to join you on that beach. Now, the blog is yours. Take it away.

Thank you so much for inviting me to guest blog, Margery. I hope you’re staying warm. Living in south Texas, the temperature has been like a roller-coaster ride. It may be in the 80s one day and drop to freezing that night. I wanted to tell you about my series of Romantic Thrillers entitled The Edge of Texas. The setting, just 20 miles north of the Texas/Mexico border on the coast, has a semi-tropical atmosphere. South Padre Island is a lovely strip of white sandy beach separated from the mainland by a two and a half mile bridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway. The first book in the series is BAD MEDICINE followed by BAD KARMA and BAD VIBES, my most recent release.

I’d like to share the blurb for BAD VIBES:

      When government agent Mike “The Iceman” Burke invades her South Padre Island turf, Deputy Darla Calhoun is assigned as liaison officer to his team. Her skills as a sniper come in handy when a gang of human traffickers strikes close to home, kidnapping local women including her best friend.

      Darla is recovering from her husband’s suicide and trying to be a good parent to her twin sons. The ICE assignment takes her out of her misery and plunges her into a dangerous mission and a steamy affair.

      Mike and Darla tear up and down the Intracoastal Waterway in search of the kidnappers and the captive women while Rafael and Javier conduct their own investigation. Will they rescue the captive women or will the kidnappers slaughter them as they have done in the past? Two teams race to find the answers before it’s too late.

In the following scene, Darla has been on the boat with the Feds for a short time, and Mike, with his usual lack of tact, has managed to insult her. His partner insists that he make amends.

      Darla had withdrawn.

      Mike knew he’d been hard on her, but she was the new guy. He had to be sure he could depend on her when the bullets started flying.

      Damn! The whole problem with working with women is that they’re women. He figured that the next thing she’d do was turn on the tears.

      Freddy was giving him a hard look.

      “Okay, okay,” he murmured, getting to his feet.

      She had gone to the front of the boat, settling on a built-in seat with storage below. She didn’t look up when he neared.

      Mike lowered himself onto the cushion beside her. “I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings back there.”

      She looked up at him. One side of her mouth lifted in a smirk. “Don’t flatter yourself.” She edged away from him. “You have the social skills of a water buffalo, but we’re not socializing.”

      “I’m, uh, sorry,” he said.

      The big brown eyes lifted, settled on him briefly and then looked away.

      “I don’t know what your problem is with me, but I’m here to do a job. I have knowledge that you don’t have. You can choose to ignore me or to utilize me.”

      He considered the ways in which he’d like to utilize her. None of them had anything to do with the job.

      Her voice was soft, spoken just above a whisper. “I could be an asset to your mission, but if you continue to discount me because I’m a woman, it’s your loss.”

      Mike shook his head. “I’m not discounting you.”

      “Save it. You’re not the first chauvinistic male I’ve had to work with, and I’m sure you won’t be the last.” She turned back to face him. “I’m not asking you to like me. Just respect me for my abilities and treat me like you would if I were male.”

      Mike sighed. “Well, when you walk off in a snit to go pout, it’s a little hard to think of you as a man.”

      She snorted. “You think I came up here to pout? I left because I was very close to kicking your ass.”

      Mike gazed into Darla’s eyes, grinning. He knew that she couldn’t possibly kick his ass. It was the idea that she thought she could, he found intriguing.

#

I hope you enjoyed the short scene. I would love to give a copy of BAD VIBES to a lucky person who leaves a comment. Thanks so much for allowing me to visit and share a bit of this novel.

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Best of luck with your new release.

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered into the draw for a copy of J.D.’s latest release, Bad Vibes.

Meg Bellamy – Reality TV? Bring it on

My guest today is Meg Bellamy, author of the TV Love series of romances.

Along with her husband, her family and her books, language is Meg’s passion. In fact, by day she’s a mild-mannered language teacher. Currently she teaches ESL (English as a Second Language) to international students, but in her early teaching days, her main subject was French. Though her French is a bit rusty these days, she figures a trip to France would help fix that. She’s also studied Russian, Spanish and Italian. This love of language spills over into her writing craft and appreciation for books — and travel!

Meg gets to satisfy the travel bug with trips to England — as often as possible — to visit family. It’s great when Lee, her DH, also goes because driving on the left side of the road doesn’t intimidate him — talk about your basic hero type! Meg also has to travel to see other family members in New Jersey — a mere continent away from Meg’s home in Northern California.

Being a published member of the community of writers with her contemporary romances and women’s fiction is the fulfillment of one of Meg’s most cherished dreams. Her first release, Homecoming, was released October 19 — a week before her birthday — from The Wild Rose Press.

Thanks for taking the time to visit with me today, Meg. Your series, TV Love, intrigues me since I’m a huge TV watcher. So, in show biz terms, the stage is yours. Take it away.

Reality TV? Bring It On

by Meg Bellamy

Thank you so much, Margery, for inviting me to your blog today.

Is reality TV one of your guilty pleasures? It is one of mine. Since my husband and I don’t have cable, we miss out on the wide selection of fun shows available to those who do. When I visit my beautiful daughter who does have cable, we have some marathon viewing sessions. I love the food shows — the cupcake wars and more — and the shopping networks. I have to restrain myself from buying everything.

I also love to watch brides saying no to a lot of dresses before they finally say yes. How about the show where four brides go to four weddings and rate each one? And the one where people buy houses in the U.S. and abroad. Maybe it’s a good thing for my writing career and my home and hearth that I don’t have cable.

Luckily, there’s some reality TV on the regular networks. When it’s in season, I tend to plan my life around Dancing with the Stars. I love to watch and fantasize that I’m a ballroom champion, doing a romantic tango with a totally hot guy. Once I actually met Gilles Marini, one of my favorite stars, outside the nearby Costco. Talk about the ultimate shopping experience! He autographed the back of my receipt, which is still hanging in a frame on my fridge door.

When I fantasize about a being an entrepreneur with a million-dollar idea, I tune in to Shark Tank. I love seeing the ideas people come up with — and the competition among the sharks is a hoot.

When I watch, I often think of other scenarios for the people who invite us into their lives by being on these show. This idea sparked my TV Love series. Inspired by Shark Tank, I wrote TV Tycoons: TV Love, Book #0.5. This is the prequel to TV Bride: TV Love, Book #1 — my homage to one of the oldest reality TV shows, The Bachelor.

I’m excited that The Bachelor has just begun a new season. Like many other viewers, I love romance, brides and grooms, and weddings. I enjoyed seeing Sean Lowe, the current Bachelor, on The Chew, a foodie show. When I wrote TV Bride, I took my bachelor in a whole different direction. I wondered, What would happen if the Bachelor met the Godfather? TV Bride answers that question. I’ve included a blurb and excerpt, which I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I enjoy reality TV.

Cheers,

Meg

TV Bride: TV Love, Book #1, romantic comedy by Meg Bellamy, available on Amazon

Coming soon at other sites; please check my website for updates: http://www.MegBellamy.com

Blurb:

————————————————————————

Samantha Parker, a photographer with trust issues, and Nick Ryan, a cynical writer, meet when they compete to rent the same cottage. Though Nick wins the cottage, it comes complete with a curse from Samantha.

The next time they meet, he’s the reluctant bachelor on a nationally televised wedding reality show. She’s an even more reluctant potential bride. Who could have predicted that these two would fall in love? Too bad Nick is forced to propose to Melinda, another “bride” — or his brother will have to duke it out with some very tough guys. The gang behind Melinda has laid a very careful secret trap, leaving Nick with an impossible choice-a future with the woman he loves or a future for his brother.

Can Samantha’s love for Nick survive after he dumps her on national TV? Stay tuned to find outŠ

————————————————————————

Excerpt:

Late May in Sausalito. Samantha Parker took a deep breath and smiled at the universe. Life didn’t get much better. Today she was moving into the perfect cottage for a rent she could almost afford. All she had to do was sign on the dotted line, transport the stuff she’d loaded into a U-Haul back home in Stockton and accept delivery of her new bed. Practically bouncing on air, she flew into the property manager’s office one minute early to sign the lease and get the keys from the owner, kindly Mrs. Harrigan.

Samantha’s descent from the clouds didn’t begin until she saw Mrs. Harrigan weeping into a lace-trimmed hanky. Mr. Owens, the property manager, twirled his mustache while a GQ model type, a stranger to Samantha, signed a lot of papers. When Mrs. Harrigan spotted Samantha, she wept harder and honked into her hanky.

“Miss Parker,” she said between sobs, “why are you here? Didn’t my son Edgar call you?”

Samantha frowned. “No one called me. I’m here to sign the lease for the cottage. You know,” she elaborated carefully in case anyone had forgotten, “for the perfect cottage where I can live and set up my photographic studio? The one you’re so happy to rent me because you wanted to be a photographer before you married Mr. Harrigan?”

Mrs. Harrigan appeared far too overcome to respond. Mr. Owens cleared his throat. “Mr. Ryan here is renting the property. We thought you’d been informed not to come.”

Samantha sat down hard in the faux leather chair opposite the desk where Mr. Ryan had evidently just signed his name to the last of the papers. She toyed with the idea of snatching the papers and ripping them to shreds. Instead, she sighed deeply. “I’ve just loaded all my belongings into a U-Haul and driven here. I’m supposed to sign the lease and get the keys so I can move into the cottage. Today. My new bed will be delivered there in less than two hours.” She turned to Mrs. Harrigan, who kept her face averted.

Mr. Owens cleared his throat again. “Mr. Ryan has already signed the lease.” He handed the younger man a set of keys and bared his teeth at Samantha. “The cottage is his.”

She barely resisted stamping her foot. “That can’t be. I’m the one who’s supposed to lease the cottage. Everything is set.”

Mr. Owens shrugged. “You didn’t have anything in writing. These things happen. I do have other rental properties to show you.” He thought for a moment. “Well, one or two in your price range. Not in Sausalito.”

Samantha, ready to throw herself on Mrs. Harrigan’s mercy, bypassed Mr. Owens and directed her words to the older woman. “This can’t be right. We had a deal, Mrs. Harrigan. I agreed to pay the rent you advertised. I don’t smoke and I don’t have pets. I promised to take photos of your grandchildren. I trusted you.” Her voice rose in an unintended squeak.

Mrs. Harrigan wrung her hands. “I wanted you,” she moaned, “but my son Edgar overruled me. Mr. Ryan outbid you on the rent. As I’m going to be living with EdgarŠ”

Samantha glared at Mr. Ryan. He rose and held out his hand, which she refused to shake. “Nick Ryan.” When she continued glaring at him, he shrugged and sat down. “Hey, all’s fair in love, war and the Bay Area housing market.”

“I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Harrigan sobbed.

“You do understand, Miss Parker.” Mr. Owen looked on the verge of calling security. He chuckled dryly. “These things happen all the time.”

Samantha switched her glare to him. Rising to her full height, five-eight in her bare feet, she willed herself to look commanding. “Two things I understand,” she intoned, looking at the weeping woman. “One. It’s not your fault, Mrs. Harrigan. I know you’d never be swayed by demon money.” Then she turned to the usurper, ignoring his eye candy appeal to focus on his evil act. “Two. Nick Ryan, you’ve gotten your new home by unfair and unscrupulous means. By offering to pay more than the asked for rent, you struck a low blow against tenants who follow the rules.”

He rolled his eyes. “Lady, I need a place to live. I found one, not easy in the Bay Area. I did what I had to do. This is nothing personal against you.”

“I’m so tired of people doing crummy things and then excusing themselves by saying ‘It’s the lousy housing market, nothing personal’. Until you came along, the cottage was mine.” She tried in vain to gather her scattered thoughts so she could end on the perfect word. Instead, she said the first thing that popped into her head. “According to ancient tradition, because of your subterfuge, there will be a curse on you as long as you occupy the cottage. Nothing in your life will go right ’til you restore the balance of justice, and the rightful renter lives there.”

On that note, she spun around and majestically swept from the office. Walking tall with great pride, she held her mighty pose –until she got to her U-Haul and collapsed in a heap. With the last dregs of her strength, she pulled out her cell phone, called her best friend Tiffany Swanson and said, “Help!”

Thanks so much for visiting, Meg. I’m sure your books will be a huge success.

The search is on

Now that Cade (the first in my Morgans of Rocky Ridge) is out there, I’ve started work on the second. While I’m procrastinating plotting, I start thinking about the images I want on the cover. A cover is so important, since it’s the first thing a reader sees and hopefully intrigues her enough to check out the inside.

Trey, the hero of the second book in the trilogy, is a gambler. He’s a gentleman, but a man who’s not afraid of trouble when it comes looking for him. So I spent hours on the weekend looking at all the stock photo sites for just the right image. I did find what I’m looking for, but unfortunately, the look is on James Garner, aka Maverick, of the 1950′s TV series of the same name. I can’t post a pic here because of copyright issues, but if you look here, you’ll see what I’m aiming for. For those of you too young to remember this show, Bret is the one on the left.

Nowhere else on the internet can I find the same period costume with a model I like. I can find one, but not the other, and I don’t have the skill to Photoshop a new head on a body.

If any of you out there know where I can find one, I’d be forever grateful. Meanwhile, I’ll go back to writing the book until the urge to go photo-shopping hits again.

Have a great day,

Margery

Anna Markland – medieval romance author

I’m pleased to have author and fellow Canadian Anna Markland, on my blog today. Welcome, Anna. I have a lot of questions for you, but first, please tell us a little about yourself.

I am a Canadian author with a keen interest in genealogy. I write medieval romance about family honour, ancestry and roots. My novels are intimate love stories filled with passion and adventure. Following a fruitful career in teaching, I transformed my love of writing and history into engaging works of fiction. Prior to becoming a fiction author, I published numerous family histories. One of the things I enjoy most about writing historical romance is the in-depth research required to provide the reader with an authentic medieval experience.

I love research, too. So I assume you did a lot of research for your latest release. Can you tell us about it?

Dance of Love is set in 12th century Normandy and Aragon in north eastern Spain. The hero is a warrior who is afflicted with arthritis. It has deformed his hands and he has withdrawn from women, fearing censure for his deformity. The heroine is the illegitimate daughter of a dead Spanish king, born in a harem after her mother was captured in the war between Christians and Moors. She too has suffered a disfigurement. Where there is great love, there are always miracles.

That’s so true. What genres do you write?

Medieval romance, though I have secretly started a contemporary romance that is simmering in the back of my mind!

What do you like best about being a writer?

I like the independence of being able to work anywhere in the world, and on my own schedule. It’s a thrill to see a story emerge from my imagination. (Or maybe these characters are speaking to me from the past!-Just kidding!)

What’s your least favorite part of the writing process? Going though the finished manuscript with my “stupid word list”. Tedious!

How many books have your written? Do you have a favorite?

I have written 12 books. If Love Dares Enough is my favourite, though my latest release is a close second. The hero of Dance of Love is the son of the hero of If Love Dares Enough!

What are you working on now?

For those who have followed my families, I am writing about Rhoni de Montbryce, the babe born in the Welsh mountain fortress during her mother’s captivity. Her hero is Ronan MacLachlainn, a dispossessed Irish baron bent on vengeance. There is a bit of a paranormal touch (unusual for me) in the appearance of the selkie legend. Ronan means ‘son of a seal’. Hope to have the book out in time for St. Patrick’s Day. The title is Dark Irish Knight.

Sounds wonderful. Where do your best ideas come from?

Because I am writing a family saga, that serves as my basic framework. Very often, my research provides me with a plot; history is full of events and characters it would be hard to dream up!

That’s true. One of the reasons I also love research. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I am definitely a pantser. I joked earlier about messages from the past, but sometimes I wonder where the ideas come from as I write.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it? I used to feel guilty about it, but now I have come to realize that playing FREECELL or SPIDER SOLITAIRE, is very freeing! I’ve actually blogged about the importance of these games in my success as a writer!



I’ve gone cold turkey on computer games lol. What inspired you to write Dance of Love?

In my books I have created an extensive family tree of characters. One of them starts to play on my mind, as if to say, “Me next!” Izzy de Montbryce kept nagging at me! Unfortunately, this inspiration has not always come in chronological order, so the publication order of my books does not follow date order. For example, Dark Irish Knight goes back to 1097AD, whereas Wild Viking Princess was set in 1124AD. I’ve provided a Recommended Reading Sequence on my website for those who like to read in chronological order!



Now for some personal questions. What are you reading now?

The Golden Leopard by Lynn Kerstan-excellent book.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

This is a pertinent question since my husband and I are in the midst of trying to decide if we want to move permanently to Panama, where we now spend a good portion of our time. However, Canada is a great place to live too, so for the moment we spend winters in Central America and summers in Canada. Fortunately the seasons are reversed, so it works out well! I love the Panamanian people, and of course the climate. The cost of living is more affordable, and I can write anywhere, and publish wherever I have access to Internet. Even though I’m off the beaten track in Panama, Internet is always available.

I do love the South, but I’ve never been to Panama.

Do you have other talents? Or is there a talent you don’t have that you wish you did? I would say I am a good communicator of ideas, which is why I enjoyed my teaching career so much. I’m an effective researcher, an essential skill for a writer of medieval romance! I wish I could play a musical instrument!

Thanks for spending this time with me, Anna.

You can learn more about Anna and her books on:

Her Website Visit Anna’s Blog to Subscribe to her Newsletter

Facebook

Twitter

New Release

I’m so excited to announce my latest release, Cade, the first in a trilogy about The Morgans of Rocky Ridge, three men who, although they are completely different, believe in family, justice and loyalty. Cade’s story originally began as a piece of flash fiction, but kept growing until it finally ended at 15,000 words. There’s a lot of discussion on the net about whether that length is a short story or a novella. I’ll let readers decide. Here’s a short description.



When revenge leads Cade morgan to hold up a stagecoach and kidnap his childhood friend, Isabella Morrow, he discovers her feelings for her are stronger than ever. He suspects Bella feels the same way, so why is she intent on marrying another man? And what kind of future can he offer her now that he’s wanted by the law?

Cade is available now on Amazon. Please let me know if you enjoy it.

Can an outlaw really be trusted?

It’s been a while since I participated in Six Sentence Sunday, but I’m back with six from my latest historical western romance. This is Cade’s story from the first short story/novella (I’m never sure what to call it) of a trilogy about The Morgans of Rocky Ridge, and will be available on Amazon later today or tomorrow.

“Why should I believe you?”

“Because I give you my word.”

“And I should believe the word of an outlaw?”

He stared at her for a long moment. “This outlaw, yes.”

A strange sensation fluttered through her, as if a hummingbird had taken wing deep inside her.

I’d love to hear what you think, so please leave a comment. Thanks for dropping by, and don’t forget to check out the other authors at www.sixsunday.com

Diane Burton and THE PILOT

My guest today is science fiction romance author Diane Burton. Welcome, Diane. First, please tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a wife, mother, grandmother and writer—in that order most of the time. Sometimes the writer takes over. My love of Star Wars, Star Trek and Firefly inspired me to write science fiction romance. My hero and heroine have grand adventures, take down bad guys, fall in love and do it all in space.

Sounds like fun. Can you tell us about your latest release?

The Pilot kicks off a sci-fi romance series about strong women on the frontier of space. There’s no place like home and he just stole hers. Cargo hauler, risk taker Celera d’Enfaden must work with rule-bound Administrator Trevarr Jovano to save her brother from a galactic gangster.

I assume that even though you like to write about outer space, you wouldn’t want to live there. So if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

I used to say Colorado because of the majesty of the mountains or on a lake for the tranquility. Now, I want to live close to my grandchildren, which may become a reality soon.

Do you have other talents? Or is there a talent you don’t have that you wish you did? I’m a pretty good seamstress. I used to make my own clothes and my children’s clothes—even make a leisure suit for Hubs (sort of tells you how long ago that was). I love to quilt but don’t make time for it. I wish I could play the piano.

What do you like best about being a writer?

The ability to take nebulous ideas and turn them into real characters then watch how they struggle through trials and adventures to come out victorious. I love seeing adversaries figure out that if they team up and work together they’re stronger. And, of course, I like watching them fall in love.

When did you start writing? What inspired you?

My first writing was in high school when my girlfriend and I wrote what’s now called Fan Fiction (we just didn’t know it then). We would take our favorite TV shows and write episodes in which we starred along with the original cast. But when an insensitive teacher ridiculed my writing, I quit and didn’t pick it up again until my oldest was about to start college. Since then, I’ve had a great time writing what I like to read.

What are you working on now?

I’m doing revisions for the third book in the Switched series about twins who exchange places—from Earth to a starship and the reverse. I hope to have Switched, the Aftermath ready for release in April.

Complete this sentence: When I want to kick back and relax, I ___________

I watch movies. Hubs and I enjoy going to the show for first-run movies, but we have enough DVDs that we could watch movies from now to the end of the world. Oh, wait. That already passed. LOL

Margery, thank you so much for having me here today.

In this excerpt from The Pilot, it’s the day after Trevarr impounded her ship. Celara finds him at a local cafe.

“Go ahead and eat, Administrator. Your food will get cold.”

With suspicion, he eyed the plate of scrambled spherix eggs and side of fried plantens. “I am debating whether you could have slipped poison into my food as your friend brought it to the table. Or maybe some neelonga leaves in my tea while I was looking at your leg.”

“You mean when you were ogling under my skirt?” Then she appeared to collect herself. She laughed, a quiet, deliberately delicate laugh—so different from the others he had heard. The genuine ones. “Silly boy.” She flopped her wrist in a playful gesture. “I have come to apologize for my unseemly behavior yesterday.” She smiled sweetly.

“Of course. I should have guessed.” Giving her a wry look, he picked up the crockery mug of aromatic tea. Staring into the depths, he made a show of inspecting it for foreign substances. “Are you apologizing for attempting to inflict bruises or for insulting my heritage?” He snapped his fingers. “I have it. You are apologizing for contributing to the hearing loss in my right ear.”

Her knuckles shone white before she dropped her hands into her lap.

“Administrator Jovano.” Her voice contained a good mix of apology and pleading. “Please forgive me. I should not have interrupted your First Meal. When I came in and saw you here, I knew I couldn’t eat until I settled the matter between us. I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, so torn was I with remorse. Why, I wanted to rush to your residence last night and offer amends, but Arjay convinced me to wait until morning.”

“How? Did your AI tie you to the bed?”

“Of course not.” She took a deep breath as if steeling herself for an unpleasant task. Eating one’s words was never pleasant. What had she asked him? Boiled, broiled or fried?

“Yesterday, I was a trifle upset.” She sniffed delicately.

Trifle? In the ensuing pause, while he waited to see how deep a hole she could dig for herself, utensils clattered on crockery and voices murmured.

“I am certain a man as perceptive as you understands how distressing it was.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. When she looked up, her eyes shimmered with tears.

While she heaved a sigh, he took a bite of the spherix eggs. They were delicious, as always. Baro was a chef worthy of the finest eating establishments in the capital city. His talents were wasted out here.

Trevarr looked at d’Enfaden thoughtfully. “Those Terrans—the ones whose entertainment you record—have an aphorism that is appropriate for this occasion.” He paused to sip his tea. “If I believe your performance, you have a . . . bridge to sell?” At her astonished look, he blinked twice as if perplexed. “Did I not get the expression right?”

She jumped up, all trace of tears—and smiles—gone. He thought he heard a small popping sound that increased when she planted her palms on the table and leaned in. What he saw next completely distracted him from the soft noises. The scoop neck of the overlarge dress gaped.

Well now, Trevarr smiled. Her bright green undertunic also gaped. Heat jolted through him. A heat he hadn’t experienced since—

“Oh, you got it right, buddy.” Her voice, as strident as it had been yesterday in the repair bay, attracted attention from the diners. “Here’s another saying from Earth. ‘There’s no place like home.’ You stole mine, and I want it back.” She flipped the contents of his plate into his lap.

On her way past the astonished newcomers, she called through the open window to the kitchen. “Baro, Admin Man needs a new meal.”

During the silence that hung in the wake of Celara d’Enfaden’s exit, he was more aware of the fine way her gauzy skirt displayed the twitch of her hips than he was of the blue spherix eggs and pink plantens in his lap.

Sweet Divinity, he thought with a smile. What a fem.

The Pilot is available at Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

Diane Burton can be found around the Internet at:

Website: www.dianeburton.com

Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72

Thanks for joining me today, Diane. Best of luck with The Pilot.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you a year filled with good health, laughter, love, happiness and prosperity.

BOGO!

Merry Christmas!

The presents are open, the turkey has been gobbled up, the company is gone. It’s time to relax. And what better way to relax than to curl up with a book.

Since all that holiday shopping likely took a big bite out of the budget, I’d like to make you a special offer. Buy an e-copy of either The Next Victim or Out of Time from your favorite e-retailer between December 25th and December 31st, send me the answer to the trivia question posted below the cover image by January 31st and I’ll send you a FREE electronic copy of my romantic suspense novel, Devil’s Harvest.

Send your email to margery@margeryscott.com with “Free book” in the subject header.

Happy reading, and to all of you, a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2013.

A killer is terrorizing a sleepy Florida beach town, and police chief Ben Carver is convinced his next target is Shannon Ames, the sexy reporter who lives in his apartment complex. As Ben works to prevent Shannon from becoming the next victim, he starts to feel emotions he’d long thought dead. But the secret Shannon carries could destroy any hope of a future together – and might even get her killed.

Buy: Kindle Nook Kobo

Trivia question: Who paid an unexpected visit to Ben?

 

 

A sympathy card. A mutilated doll. Cryptic phone calls. Amanda Beckett has no idea why someone is terrorizing her and her daughter, and she has no choice but to ask for help from her police detective ex-husband, Josh. As the threats increase, they find themselves running out of time to save their daughter’s life – and their marriage.

Buy: Kindle Nook Kobo

Trivia question: Who did Josh go to meet in Washington?

Kristina Knight – What a Texas Girl Needs release day!!

I don’t usually have guest bloggers on Mondays, but this is a special occasion. It’s release day for What a Texas Girl Needs by my friend and loop-mate, Kristina Knight.

Author Bio:

Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police–no, she wasn’t a troublemaker, she was a journalist. When the opportunity to focus a bit of energy on the stories in her head, she jumped at it. And she’s never looked back. Now she writes magazine articles by day and romance novels with spice by night. She lives on Lake Erie with her husband and three-year-old daughter. Happily ever after.

Take it away, Kristina.

The leaves are gone and there is a nip in the air each morning here at Casa Knight. We haven’t seen any snow yet, and I’m really looking forward to that. Wading through snow drifts every morning instead of walking on plain old, non-slippery concrete adds a bit of adventure to the school run, I think. lol Every morning at the crack of dawn and every afternoon at precisely 3 PM I get to hear the crunch-cruch of little feet wandering through the snow in our yard around about January. I love it.

It seems the neighborhood kids (maybe all kids?) can’t resist a pile of snow. So far no one has gone swimming in it, but there’s hope…or there will be once January rolls around. If anyone does, I have a camera at the ready.

I still find snow simply irresistible. Just like I did as a kid. There is something magical about the snow. Here are a few more things I find simply irresistible:

Mounds candy bars. Romantic comedies – and if there’s a bit of action a la “Fool’s Gold” or “Romancing the Stone” so much the better. Gerard Butler. The pull of a new story – one I’m writing or one I’m reading. New releases from my favorite authors – and finding unknown-to-me backlists. Lemonade. E! (television and online, something about celebrity gossip pulls me in against my will).

What about you? What are some of your Simply Irresistible indulgences?

Blurb: What a Texas Girl Needs

Vanessa Witte is ready to finally claim her life. The middle of three daughters born into the Witte family – a powerful Texas name – she’s been content to float through life. Being dumped by her shady ex? A blessing in disguise. Having a one-night-stand with Matias Barnes? Not one of her more stellar moments. But she’s back in Lockhardt with a secret and a reason to start fresh: A baby.

Matias Barnes knows all about society women – it’s part of the reason he left his wealthy family behind and took a job on a ranch. He doesn’t like the endless string of parties, the inane conversation, or the gold-digging tricks those women have perfected. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting Vanessa Witte. Mat knows she’s so not right for him, but with her back in Lockhardt, can he resist her charms long enough to really let her go

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/What-Texas-Girl-Needs-ebook/dp/B00AB3TF8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355097492&sr=8-1&keywords=what+a+texas+girl+needs

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/what-a-texas-girl-needs/id580981410?mt=11

Find Kristina online:

Website: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknigh...

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorkristina

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/kristinaknight