Margery Scott's Blog, page 8

Guest blog – USA Today best-selling author Karen Rose Smith

I’m seriously in awe of my guest today, author of 80+ books, USA Today, Borders and Amazon best-selling author Karen Rose Smith.

Karen, thank you so much for visiting with me today. I’m a fan, but for those who aren’t familiar with you and your books, can you tell us a little about yourself?

An only child, I delved into books at an early age. I learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew, and wished I could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though I escaped often into story worlds, I had many aunts, uncles and cousins around me on weekends. My sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that’s why families are a strong theme in my novels, whether romances or mysteries, along with couples finding true love.

I like to use different settings to give books a unique sparkle. Many of my first releases were set around my home town in Pennsylvania. Over 80 books later, I now enjoy settings like Northern Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming where the landscape can become as integral to the plot as another character. There is something about canyons, mountains and the ocean that give me a sense of awe and I like to bring that to my romances as well as mysteries.

Readers often ask me about my pastimes. I have herb, flower and vegetable gardens that help me relax. In the winter, I cook rather than garden! And year round I spend most of my time with my husband, as well as my three cats who are my constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding me life isn’t all about work, awards and Bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

I love to interact with readers. My website is the portal to my latest news, releases and social media feeds at www.karenrosesmith.com. It’s like a treasure map with new surprises to reveal at each click. For day to day chatting, search Karen Rose Smith Author on Facebook and tweet with me on Twitter @karenrosesmith. My blog discusses whatever is uppermost in my mind at http://karenrosesmith.blogspot.com. I hope each and every one of my books brings you reading pleasure and warm feelings to surround your heart.

I like to use different settings in my books, too. AZ, NM and WY are on my bucket list. Now, the blog is yours, Karen. Take it away.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND WRITING FROM THE HEART

When I wrote HER SISTER, I knew it was a departure from the type of book I usually write. It’s women’s fiction with romance and mystery. But is it really so different? One element that has always characterized my romances is family relationships. Whether I’m writing the ultimate romance or adding a mystery or suspense plot, family trumps all.

There are many reasons for that. Although I was an only child, my extended family was large. My parents and I lived with my grandfather and aunt until I was five and then my parents built a house next door. I ran between the houses as if they were both “home.” On summer mornings I can remember my aunt singing while she made breakfast. When I was home sick from school, I stayed with my aunt and my grandfather until my parents returned home.

My paternal grandfather’s house was located on a corner lot. My neighborhood friends and I had the run of both properties to skate around, to ride bikes around, to pretend and imagine and create scenarios that we brought to life, whether it was a western script or simply a family one. Sundays were usually spent with relatives at my grandfather’s house next door. Decades-old elms cascaded over park benches where my aunts and uncles would sit and talk. My dad had nine brothers and sisters, so someone was always coming and going, bringing food, cooking food, laughing and enjoying a glass of wine. My favorite cousin became a confidante as we grew older into teenage crushes, discussed favorite music and even wrote a script together.

On my mom’s side of the family, I had seven aunts and uncles. They were scattered a bit more so I didn’t see them as often. But every Friday evening my parents and I would drive to my maternal grandparents’ house to pick up fresh food my grandmother had purchased for my mom at the farmers’ market. They lived in a row house across the alley from the market. My grandfather’s barber shop was on the first floor. The living room was on the second floor but we hardly ever used it because around the huge dining room table was where all the conversation swirled. On those Sundays we weren’t visiting with family next door, we drove to my maternal grandparents’ house for supper. This was life. Everyone was connected.

I’ve lost my parents and all of my aunts and uncles. With those losses, memories become even more precious. In HER SISTER, I drew on memories of my uncle’s farm where my dad and another uncle worked, too, raising tobacco. I remember going out into the tobacco field with them on a flatbed trailer being pulled by a tractor. I helped push the tobacco leaves onto lathes before they were hung in the barn. I can still remember the sun on my face, the smells of harvesting, the enjoyment of feeling free on that farm. In HER SISTER, this was Amanda’s background. One summer she shared it with Max when they fell in love.

So to write this book, I analyzed what happened when a family fell apart because their three-year-old was abducted. Then I imagined what could happen as they found their way back to each other in the midst of another crisis.

After writing for twenty years, last year I sold a mystery series. I found the genre fit perfectly and I love the challenge of devising puzzle pieces that fit together to weave a story. So in HER SISTER, I decided to combine everything I like best about writing–an emotional plot with romance and mystery.

I hope you enjoy it, too.

Buy links:

HER SISTER Paperback on Amazon

HER SISTER Kindle Edition on Amazon

HER SISTER Audiobook on Amazon

HER SISTER on Barnes and Noble

To learn more about Karen and her books:

IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

Karen Rose Smith’s romance website

Karen Rose Smith’s mystery website

Karen’s Facebook Author Page

Karen’s Twitter Page

Karen, I’ve been a fan for many years. Thanks again for spending this time with me and my readers. I can’t wait to read Her Sister.

The post Guest blog – USA Today best-selling author Karen Rose Smith appeared first on Margery Scott.

Stephanie Burkhart – guest post and giveaway

Please help me welcome author Stephanie Burkhart to tell us about her books and her love of exploring (travelling).

Thanks for being here, Stephanie. First, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. I was stationed overseas in Germany in the 1980-90′s, and visited the Netherlands, Hungary, France, Belgium, Poland, and was married in Denmark. Currently, I work for LAPD as a 911 dispatcher. I’m published with Desert Breeze Publishing, 4RV Publishing, and Victory Tales Press. My story, “Victorian Scoundrel” won Romance of the Year at Deep in the Heart of Romance in 2012.

There’s a bit of an explorer in every writerWho doesn’t enjoy a good adventure? Adventure could be anything, but I remember growing up as a young girl in New Hampshire, I always yearned to explore, and find some adventurous task to undertake. I could get lost for hours in the woods behind my grandmother’s house. One day I was a pirate searching for treasure, the next, Nancy Drew looking for a long lost puzzle piece. I loved crawling on the rocks at Hampton Beach hunting for lobsters, and picking blueberries while hiking in Bear Brook State park. When I turned 18, I joined the Army and began a journey full of worldwide adventures.

I traveled to Germany, and visited states in the USA I would have never had an opportunity to. I discovered I loved German cuisine, and visited the Eiffel Tower. When I moved to California, one of my favorite adventures involved visiting Napa and Sonoma counties, the heart of California’s wine country.

Just recently, my family and I went to Yosemite. It was my first time, but I immediately fell in love with the rich beauty of the area. We hiked around Bridelveil and Yosemite falls. We explored Mirror Lake. I saw El Capitan, Half Dome and 3 brothers, and the amazing view is on my license plate. We camped in Wawona, in the southern part of Yosemite and visited the giant sequoia trees in the Mariposa Grove.

What is so special about exploring? For me, it’s about learning new things. I’m never too old to learn. Heck, my 11-year-old son and me became Yosemite Jr. Rangers. That’s why when I write, I like to use to settings that are prone to touch the “explorer” in us. My latest novel, “Sunrise Over Brasov,” is set in the 1880′s in Romania – near the city of Brasov. For those who enjoy exotic locations, Brasov is a city that stirs the explorer in all of us.

My latest novel is “Sunrise Over Brasov,” Book 3 in the award winning Moldavian Moon Series.

BLURB:

Prince Michael Sigmaringen joins his sister-in-law, Caroline, and the vampire prince, Darius, in a daring rescue of his beloved at Poiana Brasov. However things aren’t what they appear. Upon freeing Rosa from the werewolf, Clement, another wolf, Rickard follows them.

Michael soon discovers Rickard is a new breed of werewolf – one who can control his lupine nature and his transformations. Michael and his companions arrive at the vampire fortress, Rasnov, but can go no further when Clement attacks wanting Rosa and Rickard back.

Michael’s courage, strength, and convictions are challenged beyond his limits, but his love for Rosa proves his guiding force. Can Michael finally rid his family of their lupine haunting and win Rosa’s heart?

EXCERPT:

He raised his hand and lowered his hood. An inherent strength filled his profile. Confidence. Concern. Relief.

Rosa’s breath jammed in her throat. He looked familiar. He smelled familiar.

“Rosa, it’s Michael. Let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

A frown set against his rugged features. “I don’t have time to argue — now put on a warm dress and cloak.”

“No.” She was not going anywhere with him despite the relief in his voice.

He sighed and shut the door. Moving with fluid grace, he crossed the room, jerked the door to her closet open and threw the items he wanted her to wear on her bed. “Get. Dressed.”

“No.” She was determined not to budge, despite the danger outside.

“Rosa, we’re leaving.”

“I’m staying.”

“Why would you want to stay? Clement kidnapped you.”

Disconcerted, she pointedly glanced away from his hard stare. What did he mean by kidnapped? Clement didn’t keep her behind bars and feed her only bread and water. Rosa could even go into Brasov to shop as long as Lucien or one of the bodyguards went with her.

“I’m going to take you back to your mother.”

Her head snapped toward his direction. Mother? Of course she had a mother — a family, even — only she had no recollection of them. So why did her body fill with warmth at the mention of her mother by a man she hadn’t seen before, but was hauntingly familiar? She pursed her lips, torn by conflicting emotions.

“Caroline and Darius can’t keep this up. Now get dressed or I’ll dress you myself.”

“You’ll find me an unwilling subject.”

He drew in a deep breath and raked a hand through his thick ebony hair. “You are exasperating.”

“So I’ve been told.”

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment about your favorite adventure along with your email and I’ll pick one winner to receive a PDF copy of Book 1 in the Moldavian Moon series, “The Wolf Torment,” which one GOLD in the 2013 Reader’s Favorite Contest in the Fiction: Supernatural category.

Thanks so much for visiting with me today.

To learn more about Stephanie and her books, check out the links below.

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON:http://amzn.com/B00DVLRJOU

BARNES & NOBLE:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/molda...

DESERT BREEZE PUBLISHING:http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com...

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE:

http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER:

http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST:

http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/

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The post Stephanie Burkhart – guest post and giveaway appeared first on Margery Scott.

Written in the Stars – Sherill Bodine/Patricia Rosemoor (and a giveaway)

I’m excited to welcome Sherill Bodine to my blog today to tell us a little about herself and her book, Written in the Stars, a reincarnation romance co-authored with Patricia Rosemoor. Here’s Sherill’s bio:

Sherrill Bodine is an author, fashionista, and world traveler. She has published over a dozen romance novels, co-wrote a comic book, and was a contributing columnist to the Chicago Sun-Times. She currently resides in Chicago where she frequents fashion shows and charity galas with her longtime Prince Charming. For more, visit www.SherrillBodine.com or follow @SherrillBodine on twitter.

The blog is yours, Sherill. Take it away.

WHERE DO YOU GET ALL YOUR IDEAS FOR BOOKS? ……….When asked this question (usually by non-writers) I always smile and reply, “You’d be surprised at the idea running through my mind right now about this place and everyone here. But please don’t worry, I always change the names in my books to protect the guilty. The innocent don’t need protecting.”

This is all true of course – life inspires me – but I confess my travels around the world are a wonderful stimulant to my creativity! A trip to Egypt and a cruise on the Nile River brought to life, NIGHT OF THE NILE – the South China Sea beckoned and I started writing SINGAPORE FLING while visiting there.

Certainly my many visits to London and the English countryside inspired my six Regency novels for Fawcett and it very definitely colored every page of my newest book for Entangled Publishing, WRITTEN IN THE STARS. Although set in Elizabethan England, not the Regency period, Elizabeth and Will’s epic love story brings the reader the sights, sounds and smells of my years of traveling through enchanting England – exploring ruins and castles alike – spending countless days at museums from Land’s End to the Isle of Skye – and generally soaking up the sense of history which permeates the air for me.

In WRITTEN IN THE STARS, I bring to life the historical portion of the story – a love so powerful one lifetime was not enough – and my co-author, Patricia Rosemoor, wrote the contemporary portion with my Elizabethan journal entries connecting this tale of reincarnation, danger and destiny.

To keep the ideas coming, I continue to travel whenever I can make it happen. Next: a quick two day visit to London and then on to Romania for a wedding. I can’t wait to discover what story the dark and mysterious Carpathian Mountains will whisper to me. Please stay tuned!

Thanks so much for spending this time with me today.

Sherill is also generously offering a piece of vintage jewelry to one lucky commenter. Be sure to leave your email address in the comment to be included in the drawing.

Written in the Stars is available for pre-order now on Amazon

 

 

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Margay Leah Justice – Guest post

Please help me welcome Margay Leah Justice, author of Sloane Wolf, to my blog today. She’s going to share with us a letter the hero writes to the heroine.

Shiloh,

I’m not sure how I should start this. I’m not one for spilling my feelings, even on paper, so I don’t even know if I started it right. Should I have said ‘Dear Shiloh’ instead of just ‘Shiloh’ or is that okay? Does it make it sound like just a note? Is it too informal? I don’t know, I don’t usually do this – any of this. I’m not the heart and posies kind of guy, I don’t make the outlandish gestures to tell my woman how I feel, so this is really awkward for me. So I guess you’re kind of wondering why I’m even doing this, then, huh? Well, Raven told me to. Now before you get all huffy about why I’d let my sister talk me into something like this, just listen – or read, in this case. Raven knows me – sometimes too well – and she knows how I have a hard time expressing things (I know you’re laughing right now, so don’t), so she thought this might help. If I could just write it down, I could figure out the best way to tell you how I feel. So this is it, this is how I feel. About you.

Before I met you, I was just going through the motions of life, but never really living. But I didn’t know that until I met you. When you first came riding into my life in that flashy Hummer, it’s like it kick-started something inside me – something I didn’t even know was lying dormant – and I really began to live. I became aware of you in a way I was never aware of any other person and I didn’t know how to deal with that, especially when all that stuff went down with Haines and Ava. But then, when I thought I lost you, none of it mattered. That night in the woods, trying to find you – it was the worst time of my life and I never want to go through anything like that again.

You are the first breath I take every morning, the lifeblood I need to survive. You are every beat of my heart. Without you, my life would cease to have meaning and I’d be back to just going through the motions like I did before I met you. It was a lonely existence then – it’d be a hellish one now. I know we haven’t known each other very long and it seems impossible that I could feel this strong about you so soon, but there it is. Without you, there is no me so, please, say you’ll stay with me. Say you’ll take a chance and stick around and see where this might take us. I won’t force you but know this, if you decide this is all too much for you – if you decide to go – you’ll be taking the better parts of me with you. No matter where you are or what you do, I will always love you.

Micah

Sloane Wolf is available now on Amazon.

 

 

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Annie Seaton and her “Italian Affair”

Please help me welcome Entangled Publishing best-selling author Annie Seaton to my blog today. Thanks for visiting with me, Annie. Please tell us a little about yourself.

 I live with my very patient husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. I sit in her writing chair, gaze at the ocean and write my stories.  Our two children are grown and married and I love spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling my two grandchildren. I’ve always been fascinated by all things romantic and have found my niche in life writing romance novels, ranging from contemporary to paranormal with a foray into steampunk!

My debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly by Outback Affair. I have more books being released in 2013 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Suspense and Covet imprints.

I have also ventured into independent publishing with my de Vargas family steampunk series: Winter of the Passion Flower and Summer of the Moon Flower. Blind Lust (Musa Publishing) a paranormal novella is a sweet romance and one of my favourites.

In appreciation of the supportive author community, I have written a book on promotion to share the secrets of my success: Promotional Tips and Tricks for Aspiring Authors in the Digital Landscape.

Visiting Australia is on my bucket list. Sounds like you’ve been busy. Now, the blog is yours.

I love writing stories about strong females. Women who know what they want from life and where they are heading. However these heroines, although strong and focused often have personality traits that my readers can relate to, and I believe that is the key to engaging a reader.

Take Lissy in Holiday Affair. Although she was a successful university professor, she had trust issues arising from her background. Brianna in Italian Affair is a much more completed character and I have been delighted with the reviews as they have all picked up the vulnerabilities of her character.

Comments like:

Brianna is one of those people that no matter how she can frustrate you, her charm and zest for life is infectious and contagious…and

Brianna, adopted at birth by a Scottish family is the very opposite, disorganised, a free spirit and totally opposed to tying herself down because families are messy. So the inheritance of a villa from her birth mother, which comes with the addition of a whole lot of family is bound to make her lose her balance.

It is Brianna’s charm and zest for life which Tom at first is attracted by and eventually he discovers what has made her so flighty and vulnerable. Through the growth of each of their characters a wonderful romance develops and he must convince her it is for life.

Blurb:

Free-spirited sex therapist Brianna Ballantine has four days to find a fiancé so she can inherit her birth mother’s Italian villa. Commitment is not on the agenda. Writing her sex therapy book and signing legal papers are. And once all is said and done, she’ll return home to Scotland.

For finance guru Tomas Richards, relationships have been a bad investment—give him stocks and shares any day. When Tomas offers a marriage of convenience to help Brianna secure her inheritance, the sizzle between the sheets promises an affair to remember, despite family complications at every turn.

But Tom must convince Brianna to stay, and make this Italian affair a lifelong commitment.

Excerpt:

The soughing of the waves washing back over the pebbly beach below the villa woke Tom before sunrise. His chest was heavy as he remembered the argument with Brianna.

God, he was so damn attracted to her, and he knew he’d hurt her feelings. It had taken him ages to get to sleep. Logic told him it was way too soon to get involved with her. He was still not ready to go down that path, no matter how much she tempted him.

He tended to avoided situations like this—he hated conflict and messy emotions. Give him a financial problem to sort out any day. When you didn’t depend on anyone else, you didn’t have to deal with all the emotional crap that came with it. He much preferred his life to be organized and predictable. 

So what the hell was he doing? He’d been happy with the agreement as it stood, and then Brianna had to go and ruin it all last night. He hated not being in control.

Friends with benefits was not the way he operated.

He dozed back off and woke a while later when the bed creaked and moved. He rolled over to his side. Or rather, he attempted to roll over. A weight on his chest and legs prevented him from moving, and he opened his eyes slowly. Tom groaned and immediately closed them. He kept them squeezed shut, hoping he was still asleep and this was a dream, but a little giggle and a tickle of hair on his bare chest convinced him he was awake and his wife of less than twenty-four hours was straddling his bare legs.

Brianna was perched on his thighs with her knees resting on each side of him on the crisp white sheets. “Open your eyes. I know you’re awake.”

Tom obeyed reluctantly. Her black curls tumbled in wild disarray over her bare shoulders and skimmed the edge of the sheet she clutched in front of her breasts.

Can you tell us about your next release?

Next on the list is Jess in Outback Affair which winds up the Affair series. Another strong female lead for readers to look forward to. Jess is confident and sassy but taken right out of comfort zone and put n the outback with the third ultra sexy and rich Richard’s brother.

Look out for it later in the year!

The Italian Affair is available now on Amazon , Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

Annie loves to hear from readers at: annieseaton26@gmail.com

Her website is http://www.annieseatonromance.com/

and blog is at http://annieseaton.blogspot.com.au/

You can find her on Facebook at

https://www.facebook.com/AnnieSeatonAuthor and

https://www.facebook.com/annieseaton26

and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/annieseaton26

Thanks for spending this time with me today. Wishing you much success, and looking forward to reading this series.

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Gambling on a Heart – Sara Walter Ellwood

Today, I’m going to give you a taste of Sara Walter Ellwood’s latest release, Gambling on a Heart.

Gambling On A Heart

Book 2 of The Colton Gamblers

Blurb:

She once lost his heart on a bluff. Will she risk everything to win it back?

Beautician Tracy Quinn spends her days making the women of Colton, Texas beautiful, while living down the nickname of Olive Oyl, given to her by the only man she has ever loved—Zack Cartwright. She spends her nights alone, despite what her ex husband wants their friends and neighbors to think.

Ex-rodeo cowboy. Ex-bad-boy. Ex-Marine. Widower and single dad Sheriff Zack Cartwright can describe his life in exes. One ex in particular reminds him of what’s missing in his workaholic life: Tracy Quinn. For years since she broke his heart, he’s practically made avoiding her a second job. He still wants her, but can never go after her.

When cattle rustlers target her brother’s ranch, Tracy and Zack are stuck working together. Her son could use a positive male role model, and his daughter is wild for a chance at a “substitute” mom. But Tracy’s ex threatens to sue if she lets Zack near her son, and the Colton grapevine is abuzz with rumors about their past relationship. Is it worth the gamble to see if what they have is more than lust?

CONTENT WARNING: Spicy sex

Excerpt:

“I was hoping you could keep me company this afternoon.” He skimmed his fingers over her cheek.

Her insides, heating up like lava under the surface of the earth, pooled in her low belly. Her lips parted.

Against her lips, he whispered, “Tracy, I want you.”

She had thought of little else since he’d left her standing on her porch Friday night. He was asking her to enter into a sexual relationship without any hope of a future–without love.

But she was already in love with Zack.

Both of their kids would benefit from them being together. Hadn’t that been what she’d decided while she tossed and turned in her big, empty bed?

With her gaze locked on his, she murmured, “I want you, too, but I have a stipulation.”

He leaned back. “What is it?”

“I’m no one’s bed-buddy, Zack. I know what my reputation is in this town, but it’s all wrong.” She swallowed her rapidly thumping heart back into place. “I’ll only go through with this, if you promise to treat me as a serious girlfriend. That means we date, we visit with our families and we share our kids.” When his expression hardened, she quickly added, “Mandy likes me. And I adore her. I’d like to bring her here, to the shop, for a few hours and play. And take her shopping. I know your mom tries, but she’s busy with her foundations and charities she does for the Junior League.”

The breath she sucked in was full of Zack’s scent of sage and leather. “Meanwhile, you can teach Bobby how to ride and maybe take him to the sheriff’s department and show him around. Jake won’t like it, but I’ll deal with him.” Having laid her demands out on the proverbial table, she held her breath, waiting for him to tell her what she could do with herself. After all, a man of Zack’s caliber could have any damned woman he wanted. Tracy was just handy, and according to the gossip of her ex-husband and mother-in-law, she was easy.

He studied her for a few moments. “That’s more than one stipulation.”

“Take it or leave it.”

“Tracy, it won’t change what I told you Friday night. I’m never getting married again.”

His words stung as much now as they had the other night, but she didn’t show him how much. She kept her face determined, as

if she were haggling over one of his horses, rather than her body and soul.

“Fine. But I’m not a floozy. Yes, I’ve made mistakes. But I have my son to consider. And I’d hope you’d feel the same about Mandy. They’re bound to see us together. What do you plan on telling your six-year-old daughter when she asks about me? That I’m your friend with benefits? I know that isn’t what I want to be teaching my son.” Moreover, she didn’t want to give credence to Jake’s claim that she had no sexual morals.

“Okay,” he said at last. “We’ll play the game your way.” He pressed her against him. “Luck would have it I’m off this afternoon, too. I’ve already put in sixteen hours.”

When his lips captured hers, she knew she’d made a pact with the devil, but she couldn’t stop the elation surging through her. There was something he wanted from her. Sex was a big portion of it, but something else kept Zack from walking away and hooking up with any one of the many available women in town.

Bio:

Sara Walter Ellwood is an award winning author whose novel Gambling On A Secret was named by bestselling author Carolyn Brown in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today as one of her favorite romances of 2012. Although Sara has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her stories. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for nearly 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia.

She also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of Cera duBois.

Buy Links:

Lyrical Press: http://www.lyricalpress.com/gambling-on-a-heart/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJYX9LG/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s?store=allproducts&keyword=Sara+Walter+Ellwood

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gambling-on-a-heart/id642804045?mt=11

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Gambling-On-a-Heart/book-6EzOUD6_-UWAPR0RZT34Pw/page1.html?s=Zj9Z9eXVJ0inBNYR-g5mTg&r=2

Author links:

Website: http://www.sarawalterellwood.com

Blog: http://www.sarawalterellwood.com/blog/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarawalterellwood.ceradubois/

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869635.Sara_Walter_Ellwood

To Sign Up for Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mVxXf

Giveaway:

*Please leave your email address to qualify*

Tour Grand Prize is a swag pack full of goodies! A signed copy of Carolyn Brown’s Just a Cowboy and His Baby, an ebook copy of my last release Gambling On A Secret, a notebook, a pen, and a custom jewelry set—all tucked into a keepsake box. A $20 value.

*Swag pack is for the entire six-week tour. Winner will be announced on September 1, 2013

*Open to Continental US citizens 18 years and older and where not prohibited by law.

*For the complete list of rules click HERE.

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Keep your cool

We’re in the middle of a heatwave here in Canada, with temperatures climbing into triple digits (if you take humidity into account). It reminds me of the opening lyrics to the 1965 Drifters hit, Under the Boardwalk. I won’t quote it here, but if you want to listen, you can hear the song here. Unfortunately, I don’t have a beach or a boardwalk to hide under to keep cool.

Those of you in the south who deal with this heat and humidity every year are probably laughing at me right about now. That’s okay. You folks are acclimatized to it. But my body is not meant for this kind of heat, especially since I have no central air conditioning in my house. Until the last couple of years, I’ve been comfortable with open windows and fans. Not anymore. Global warming? I’m no climatologist, but something’s going on, and I’m not happy about it.

So, for those of you like me who’ve never needed a/c until now, here are a few ways to keep cool until the temps get back to normal.

1. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, juice and electrolyte replacement drinks, such as Gatorade.

2. Soak your feet in cool water. For some reason, cooling your feet seems to help, as well as applying cold damp clothes to your wrists, underarms and neck/shoulders.

3. Eat fresh fruit (or frozen) and vegetables, and avoid high protein foods.

4. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

5. Go out – not into the blistering sunshine, but to a mall, a movie, anywhere that has a/c. If you can’t go out, head to the basement. Since heat rises, the basement is the coolest area of the house.

Right now, I’m heading downstairs to sit by a fan with an ice-cold drink and a good book.

Do you have tips for staying cool?

PS: Just think, a few months from now, we’ll be wishing it was half as warm as it is today.

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Robin Hood – with a twist

Please help me welcome author Michelle McLean to my blog today. She’s going to talk to us about her Blood Blade Sisters series, a twist on the classic Robin Hood tale. The blog is yours, Michelle.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Margery!

I just had a new book release, A Bandit’s Broken Heart, and one thing people often ask me is how I decide where to set my stories.

I’ve always been a huge history nut. I even got my bachelor’s degree in History and loved every second of studying different time periods. One of the great things about writing historical romances is getting to immerse myself in long ago times and places.

For my Blood Blade Sisters series, I wanted a setting that I hadn’t seen very often. The series is about three sisters who become Robin Hood-type figures in order to save their ranch and their town from their corrupt half-brother, the sheriff. I was already throwing a twist into the Robin Hood tale by making the main characters women. I wanted even more of a twist and thought about how fun it would be to make them Wild West Robin Hoods. I grew up in California near the old Gold Rush towns, so it was a location I was both familiar with and really loved. And so the setting for book one, A Bandit’s Stolen Heart, was born

Book Two, A Bandit’s Broken Heart, (and the newest release), centers on the eldest sister, Brynne. Brynne has a hard time of it in book one and book two finds her starting a new life in a town as far away from her Californian home as she could get. I knew I needed something far away, but I also wanted a place that would have a lot of culture, an elite society that would be hard to be a part of if you’d been raised on a ranch in the wilds of California. So I chose Boston, which gave me the opportunity to do a ton of research, something I weirdly love to do Brynne is very much a fish out of water in this story and it was fun to pit her feisty country girl-ness with the refined Bostonian elites.

For book three, I needed another vastly different location…but I wanted to keep the story set in the United States. So Lucy, the youngest sister, will have her story played out in the South, a location where I lived for several years and so am very familiar with. It will be fun to see her in such a different setting.

But for now, readers can follow Brynne to Boston and see how she fares as she tries to rebuild her life.

Here is the blurb for A Bandit’s Broken Heart, along with the book trailer if you’d like to get a little peek of what’s in store for Brynne.

A woman with a past

Widowed mother, Brynne Forrester, gave up her bandit activities when she left California to make a fresh start with her young daughter in Boston. Working for a handsome doctor fulfills her need to be useful and independent, but he creates another yearning she can’t deny.

A man with a purpose

Dr. Richard Oliver assumes Brynne is just another debutante hunting for a rich husband, until she intrigues him with her steady hand for stitches…and guns. He can’t put her out of his mind, but the young widow has mysteries he’s determined to unravel.

A love in danger

When smugglers raid much-needed supplies from the clinic, Brynne must resurrect her bandit persona for the good of the sick and the poor. Her secret life threatens to destroy everything she’s worked so hard to protect…her life, her family and her heart.

About the Author:

I spent 98% of my formative years with my nose in a book indulging in my love of reading and research. Expanding that love into writing was inevitable. I have a B.S. in History, a M.A. in English, and tend to be a bit of an organized mess with an insatiable love of books and more weird quirks than you can shake a stick at.

I am the author of the historical romances To Trust a Thief, and the Blood Blade Sisters trilogy, and the non-fiction Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers. If I’m not editing, reading or chasing my kids around, I can usually be found in a quiet corner working on my next book. I currently reside in PA with my husband and two kids, an insanely hyper dog, and two very spoiled cats.

Where to find Michelle:

Website  |  Blog  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Tumblr  |  Pinterest  |

To read Chapter One of A Bandit’s Broken Heart, Click HERE

Buy Links:

Amazon  |  B&N  |  iBooks  |  Kobo |  All Romance eBooks

Thanks so much for visiting, Michelle. I’m a huge history buff, too, and I love the idea behind this series!

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Where do ideas come from? Ask Karen Duvall

 Please help me give a warm welcome to my special guest today, Karen Duvall, author of Desert Guardian. She’s going to talk to us about ideas and where they come from.

First, here’s a little about Karen.

Karen Duvall lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four incredibly spoiled pets. She’s an award winning author published with Harlequin Luna and is currently working on a new contemporary fantasy romance series.

Where do ideas come from?I’m often asked where I get my ideas for the stories I write. They come from a variety of places, even from my dreams. An idea for a romantic suspense novel can pop out of the most unlikely sources.

For example, the other day I was watching a comedy bit on TV about a group therapy session. The therapist was a woman and her patients were three men sharing some very private secrets. It was meant to be funny, but with a twist I figured out a way I could spin it into a dark and creepy storyline. I’d tell you what I came up with, but then I’d have to kill you. *grin*

Another unlikely place for inspiration is the DMV. I had to get my driver’s license renewed last week, so I spent an hour and half waiting for my number to come up. Idle minds are capable of spinning all kinds of scenarios when inspiration strikes. There were so many people at the DMV from all walks of life, old and young, some taking tests, some there for the same reason I was. My head overflowed with ideas by the time I walked out of there. My husband was with me and he contributed his own thoughts to my story stew, which included a swarmy guy and two hookers of the cougar persuasion. I swear I have enough for a whole novel. I think one of the key characters will be the elderly hunched back lady with the walker. Imagine pulling your car up next to hers at an intersection.

Ripping ideas from newspaper headlines is a tried and true method for new plots. You can find anything from local community news to national hot beds of scandal to political intrigue. I tend to gravitate toward darker themes, like human trafficking and sex tourism. These are concepts of denigration that scream high drama, and writing stories about them is my way of solving horrific crimes with my weapon of choice: a happy ending. Combine this type of story with romance and I can save the world one love story at a time.

My romantic suspense novel DESERT GUARDIAN takes the real issue of lethal cult behavior that uses slavery and mind control, and turns it into a story about trust and healing. A lot of truth is uncovered in this tale about family tragedy and the discovery of love in an unlikely situation.

What types of suspense stories do you enjoy reading?

I love any kind of suspense as long as I’m only reading it from the comfort of my own chair. Care to tell us a little more about Desert Guardian?

Book Description:

When Kelly Bancroft receives a suicide letter from her brother, she knows the star-worshipping cult he belongs to is to blame. Cult intervention specialist—and ex-cultist—Sam Reed, aka The Arrow, has his work cut out for him when he teams up with Kelly to rescue her brother. Sam has good reason to avoid the cult that killed his mother, but he’s made it his mission to save those who have fallen under Star Mother’s spell.

Will Sam’s and Kelly’s romantic relationship help or hinder them in their struggle to stop a mass suicide? Or will they themselves fall victim to the cult’s fatal madness?

Excerpt:

Sam pulled into the dirt driveway and parked the Jeep in front of the cabin. He checked on Kelly one more time. She hadn’t moved. Her honey-colored skin seemed to glow in the soft light that shone from the deck’s pole lamp. If he leaned down and brushed his lips across her cheek, would she taste as sweet as the honey color that coated her skin? He sensed something special about this woman with a fiery spirit that rivaled his own. Right now he felt content just to look at her, relieved that she was here with him and no longer a hostage of the cult. Aching to get closer, he ran the backs of his fingers lightly over her gleaming mane of chestnut hair.

Her eyes popped open, and he yanked his hand back. She shot him a startled look before sitting up.

“We’re home,” he said, nodding at the small cabin that appeared slightly sinister in the dim light from the lamp. “My home, anyway. Are you awake enough to stand?”

She craned her neck from side to side, as if working out the kinks. Eyes narrowed, she gave him a quick once-over. “I’m fine. I thought you were dropping me off at my father’s hotel.”

“Tomorrow. Consider tonight a free stay at a cozy cabin in the woods on behalf of your new bodyguard.”

“Bodyguard? And who are you guarding me from?”

“Star Mother cult assassins, just in case they come looking for you.”

She seemed to think this over before nodding. “Fine. I’m too tired to argue with you. Did I snore?”

“Like a drunken lumberjack.”

She curled her lip at him and climbed from the Jeep. Placing both hands on her hips, she arched her back and stretched from side to side. Raising her arms as she stood on her toes, her shorts hiked up to reveal shapely thighs and a hint of booty that peeked a half-inch below the hem. He enjoyed the view.

Desert Guardian is available now from http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DG8KCKG“>Amazonhttp://www.karenduvallauthor.com/

Thanks so much for visiting with me today.

Learn more about Karen and her books:

http://www.karenduvall.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/KarenDuvall

http://www.facebook.com/Karen.Duvall.Author

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Hydrangea … finally

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about my green thumb, or rather, my lack of it when it comes to growing hydrangeas. I posted two photos, one of my pitiful hydrangeas, and one of my neighbor’s. You can see them here. Turns out (thanks to my sister’s flower-recognizing skills) my neighbor’s hydrangeas weren’t hydrangeas at all, but peonies. Color me embarrassed, but in my own defense, how could I see they were different when none of mine were blooming? I was sure my neighbor had said they were hydrangeas. But it’s no wonder mine were still tiny buds. Hydrangeas and peonies don’t even bloom at the same time of year.



So, I’m happy to report my hydrangeas are finally blooming. Not as many as I’d hoped, and they aren’t white, which they’re supposed to be. Instead, they’re pale pink, but that’s okay. I have flowers, and even though my thumb might not be bright green, it’s a relief to find out it isn’t completely black after all.

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