Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 176

Interview with Katie Harper, Author of Never Say Just

It is a pleasure to welcome fellow Decadent author, Katie Harper to my blog today. Her statuses on Facebook often make me laugh, or spit out my juice, so after you’re done reading the interview, be sure to go over and follow her there. And occassionally Horndog takes over when she’s not looking.

So, Katie, tell us about your new release.

KH: Never  Say Just is about a former assassin who falls for a Marine Force Recon sniper. He’s there to save her life. She’s there to make his life miserable.

Sounds fun already. What was your inspiration for this story?

KH: The first book I ever wrote was a truly horrible 120,000+ word novel about two spies. Some of my readers were a bit upset that the hero and heroine didn’t fall in love. I couldn’t see them falling in love. They would never be that vulnerable. I pulled them out of that story and put them in a situation where they could fall in love.

How long have you been writing with the hopes of publication?

KH: I started about three years ago when I was locked up in a hospital for a month. You can only watch so many episodes of Maury testing fifty guys to determine the paternity of one child before you’re begging the nurse to commit a mercy defenestration. I started writing so I wouldn’t jump out of a building.

Writing is great therapy for me. Can you describe your daily writing routine?

KH: Wake up, take the kid to school, write. Well, I try to write. I just got married to a smokin’ hot Brazilian who makes concentrating a bit difficult.

LOL Sounds like tons of inspiration. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

KH: I know the beginning, the end, and the major plot points but I have no idea how we get there.

I’m much the same way. Even if I think I know how to get there, the characters change it on me. What is the best piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

KH: Write what makes you happy. I go to church every Sunday. If I wrote only what was appropriate, I’d be covering the Bible. I don’t worry about what is appropriate or what my family or friends will think. I write what I want to write and tell everyone else to go to hell.

Great advice! Where can my readers find you?

KH: I spend an unnatural amount of time on Facebook. And I have a blog.

And if you send me an email, I’ll write back. KatieHarperWrites@gmail.com

Where can my readers find your books?

KH: Wherever romance novels can be downloaded!

Decadent Publishing / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Never Say Just:

Haunted by her past of murder for hire and skinning people alive to gather vital intelligence, Kat Boudreaux wants nothing more than to hide away in her sprawling mansion with the love of her life–her daughter. But then Private Gump and his band of Bubbas land on her doorstep. Her brother and his unit of misfit Marines insert themselves with the misguided need to protect her from someone hell-bent on vengeance.

For Shooter, it’s love at first sight, though he wouldn’t be caught dead admitting it. When Kat is nearly fatally injured while saving his life, he knows he’s found the woman for him.  Together, they fight side by side to get to the bottom of the threats. Kat’s daughter is kidnapped and this ex-assassin mom reverts back to old habits to save her. Saving Kat and her daughter is easy, taming the shrew that is Hell Kat Boudreaux might meaning losing his favorite appendage.

Excerpt:

Shooter leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Bar?” Oh God yes. Yeah, this evening will be brought to you by Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. I ordered a shot of whatever was closest and downed it. Shooter handed me a mint julep while he sipped his scotch. Bless that man. I scanned the room for the enemy. I had honed this skill over several missions for GSA. It’s amazing how quickly things come back to you when you were threatened.

My gaze fell on the first threat, Louise LaLourie.  Why her parents had named her Louise with a last name like LaLourie was completely beyond me. Of course she had sported several other last names over the years but she always returned to LaLourie. At one time she desperately wanted to be known as Louise Boudreaux. But, I was married to my husband at the time and he had shown her the no trespassing sign right away. Louise held a flute of champagne in her hand, her cunning eyes searched for the next Mr. LaLourie. Her sights fell on me and she stalked forward. I’m not kidding, she stalked, like a lioness, toward me. I looked over at Shooter. I needed to warn him that the most bedded woman in New Orleans was on the prowl. He was busy at the bar fighting for his constitutional right to get good and shit faced completely missing my look of caution. Since I knew Louise  watched me I smiled and prayed the words “die, bitch, die” were not tattooed on my forehead.

“Oh my gawd Are you finally out of mourning?” Her accent was so thick you could cut it with a K-Bar. “I understand grieving, but honey you can’t put yourself in cold storage for the rest of your life. But you are looking great. Look at you. I was afraid you’d locked yourself up in that big ole house and either ate or drank yourself to death. I am so relieved to see you looking as good as ever. Who are you wearing, darlin’? You look positively wonderful.”

Of course her compliments were about as real as her boobs, but I smiled back and said, “Versace.”

“Donatella?” Louise asked with pity in her voice.

“No, Gianni. It went up for auction at Sotheby’s a few years ago and I just had to have it. Though this is the first time I’ve worn it.”

Edna could look forward to a big, fat Christmas bonus this year. The envy on Louise’s face was priceless. It was worth coming to this damn ho down, and I mean ho down, just to see her face turn a lovely shade of green. She would have given a lot to own an original Gianni but she didn’t and I did. Take that you nasty bitch.

Shooter took that moment to turn around and hand me another cocktail. His eyes went big and he tried to take a step back but the bar was in the way. I hadn’t taken in what Louise wore until that moment. She wore a black, too tight to breathe, strapless Dolce and Gabbana that made her boobs spill over the tops. Truth be told I had that same dress in my closet at home. But I would never choose to accessorize it with a purple leopard bra that poked strategically above the neckline. Her lecherous eyes zeroed in on Shooter. She had the sniper in her sites and he was about to feel the full force of Louise’s slut-o-matic up close and personal.

“Well, hello. You must be Kat’s brother?”

“No, Louise,” I interrupted, “This is my date.” I choked on the last word.

Louise didn’t care. She wouldn’t care if a man was in bed with his wife on their wedding night, she believed all men were available. “And what is your name, gorgeous?”

“Shooter,” he smiled and leaned into her gaze a slight come and get me smile smeared across his face. I seriously wanted to pop his eyes out with a shrimp fork but I reigned in my rage.

“And what is it that you do, Mr. Shooter?” Translation: Can you afford me? She said as she pressed herself up against his body shamelessly exposing all her voluptuous assets.

He raised his hand and extended a finger. Shooter pushed the tip of his long thick finger into the center of Louise’s forehead forcing her to take several steps backward. His gaze had gone from playful to deadly. “I kill people,” his whisper was sinister.

Author Bio:

Katie Harper started writing when two people showed up in her head and wouldn’t leave until she told their story. They had a party, invited a few friends over. Now she spends her days doing the bidding of imaginary people. She lives in a city made for sin on the edge of a desert with her daughter, no pets and enough lemon bundt cake to feed a refugee camp.

Interview with Courtesan Boot Camp author, DL Jackson

Welcome back to my blog, DL! It is truly an honor and a pleasure to have you here again. You know how much I love your science fiction romance, your military romance, heck, every story I’ve read of yours. 

Now, June was a very busy month for your with three releases all together, and more. How are you handling it all? 

DLJ: It’s been crazy. Personally and professionally, I’ve had a lot going on this month.

So, we’re here today to talk about Courtesan Boot Camp, which released June 27 from Decadent Publishing as part of their new science fiction romance line, Elatia. Can you tell us a bit about the story? 

DLJ: Shay is my heroine. Her parents were hand-picked to conceive her, she’s been raised and trained to become a one and only courtesan for a royal couple, the only one for that generation, but first she must beat out four others left in the running.

With only one last bit of training to go through, the most important, the part of her training that will set her apart and define her as the Ruellan Courtesan, she travels to Elatia to train with a Dominus named Dayne. But success comes at a cost, a price she soon begins to question if she is willing to pay. To become the Ruellan Courtesan, she must give up the man she’s fallen deeply in love with—her trainer. Where failure is not an option, Shay must make a choice that will forever change her future.

For this new line, all the launch authors were given the same world-building “Bible” from which to develop their story. Can you tell us how the idea formed for Courtesan Boot Camp after reading those guidelines? 

DLJ: I knew I wanted to tell the story of a woman who knew no other life other than that she was raised to be. Placing her in a situation between who she’s told she is suppossed to be and what her heart knows. That was the premise. When they said pleasure planet, I could think of no one as learned or captivating than a courtesan. By pairing her with a man who makes this living teaching others the art of pleasure, I knew would make for an interesting story. I wanted fun, and I wanted heat.

Did you find it easier, or more difficult to develop this story with much of the world-building already done?

DLJ: It pretty much wrote itself. I orginially had another story half way written I started writing for this world, but at the point of nearly finishing it, I realized it would not work with some of the situations I needed to place my hero and heroine in. Since Courtesan Boot Camp has a lighter tone, than the other, it worked beautifully into the world that Azura built for this series.

Shay, the heroine of the story, comes to Elatia to be trained by an Adamo in the sensual arts in order to become a Courtesan to royalty. Can you tell us about her first experience on the planet, what she went through when she arrived?

DLJ: Well, her escort certainly wasn’t what she expected and from there, her plan for making the perfect impression swiftly goes downhill.

Dayne is Shay’s Adamo trainer. Can you tell us a little about his background?

DLJ: Former military, Dayne has agreed to train Shay as a favor to a close friend, the prince and the man who has already chosen Shay. Dayne knows he needs to keep his emotions out of the training, but the more he gets to know Shay, the harder being subjective becomes.

He has a pretty wicked tattoo. Can you tell us about it?

DLJ: Ah, the nanite tat. The ink is made up of microscopic nanites that activate and can change color or go clear. They all are secronized and work together as one. Through this technology, they can literaly make his tattoo move from head to…er, wherever he’s been tattooed, as though it were animated. Think of how tiny pixels make a picture in a television and that’s what his tattoo does. It’s one of the fun bits of science in this story.

How does he feel about Shay when he first meets her?

DLJ: I think his first thought is this, “What a pampered priss.”

And what tactics does Dayne use to train Shay? 

DLJ: She finds herself dropping clothing to drop inhibitions. He teaches her to use what she has “without props” first. Something she’s a little reluctant to embrace in the beginning.

What does Shay think of his training methods?

DLJ: She’s most definitely not impressed and it takes a little bit to coax her down from her pedestal.

There is another man involved in this story, the Ruellan Prince. Can you tell us about him?

DLJ: He is Dayne’s childhood friend. He trusts Dayne with her training, knowing he won’t let him down, or is that the reason?

Can you give us a little taste of what we’re in for in Courtesan Boot Camp?

She stopped in front of the tall door and stared at it for several seconds before she found her courage. Shay cleared her throat. “Open,” she spoke in her most commanding tone. Stepping forward on instinct, she smacked face first into the hard surface, which had failed to vaporize as expected.

Shay reached up and rubbed the tip of her nose. What kind of freaking planet is this?

She poked it and cleared her throat. “Open.” The door didn’t move. Shay glanced around for a button, or something, anything to activate the mechanism that opened it. Lever? Fuck. Nothing but a round thingy. She bit her lip again. Certainly nothing as primitive as….

You have to turn the round thingy, honey. This timeMilos’s voice came through by brainwave, telepathy, or whatever he was using to annoy the shit out of her.

“Stay out of my head.”

Turn the knob. Open the door. It’s not rocket science.“I know rocket science. I don’t need your instructions.”

“Of course you don’t.”

“You’re an asshole!”

“Nice language.”

Shay lifted her chin to look in the face of…dear gods. Dark hair, green eyes, strong jaw and chin. The man standing in the doorway had looks that would melt a woman where she stood. And she’d just called him an asshole, or he thought she did. Her mouth dropped open.

Where can we find Courtesan Boot Camp? (I’ll add in the hyperlinks later, if you just want to add the ones you’d like readers directed to.)

Thanks so much for visiting today, DL! I wish you all the best with this release, and all of your others!

DLJ: Thanks for having me, Jessica.

Courtesan Boot Camp:

And courtesan boot camp starts now.

When Shay lands on Elatia, she knows she has one shot to be chosen as courtesan for a king and queen. Mess up, and everything she was born to be, all she’s trained her entire life to become, will be lost. The alternative is unthinkable.

What a pampered priss.

Dayne’s first impression isn’t a good one, but he’s determined to turn the spoiled beauty into the next royal courtesan at any cost. As a Dominus, a master of all things sexual, he agrees to help a friend, his sovereign, and promises to do nothing to compromise her future.

That promise will soon cause him to question his loyalty, friendship and honor. All he knows is on the line, when he falls in love with a woman who can never be his.

Available from:

Decadent Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance Ebooks & more

Author Bio:

D. L. Jackson is an award-winning writer of urban fantasy, science fiction, military romance and erotic romance. She loves to incorporate crazy plot twists, comedy and the unexpected into her worlds. As a U.S. Army veteran, she naturally adores men in uniform and feels the world could always use more. She does her part by incorporating as many sexy soldiers in her novels as she can. When she isn’t writing or running the roads, you can often find her online chatting with her peers and readers. Grab a cup of iced coffee, pull up your virtual chair and say hi. She loves emails and blog visits from her readers.

http://www.authordljackson.com

Six Sentence Sunday – Celestial Seduction is a year old today! #sixsunday

Angels vs Demons Blog Hop post here

Happy Canada Day!!

Thank you for coming to read my Six Sentence Sunday post today!

[image error]

As of today, I have officially been published for one year.

And Celestial Seduction, my debut story, takes place in Canada, which I found very fitting.

So here’s six sentences from Celestial Seduction (blurb & buy links):

[Frey] decided to ignore everything he had learned about mating on Ginnun. Carrie was from Earth. She expected different things. She guided his hands to her breasts then grabbed his cock. Her lips crashed down on his mouth.

He pulled away, gasping for air.

And be sure to visit http://www.sixsunday.com/ to find out who’s participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter.

Sexy Aliens & Blog Hops!

My post for the Angels vs. Demon’s blog hop is here.

By entering, you can WIN a Kindle Touch, a $60 Amazon gift certificate

or many other prizes from participating authors.

Today, I’m visiting Clare Dargin’s blog posing the question as to whether aliens can be sexy. Stop by and let me know what you think.

I’m also at Decadent’s 1Night Stand blog talking about the one-year book birthday of Celestial Seduction and the upcoming 1NS blog hop. Stop by to see some of the prizes that will be offered.

Angels VS. Demons Blog Hop: #WIN a Kindle Touch & more! #AvDHop

Thank you to Carrie Ann Ryan and Leia Shaw for organizing another wonderful blog hop!

We want to know: Angels or Demons…who do you want?

From June 28th – July 1st, you can HOP around the blogs, comment on each and follow their rules, and be entered to win over 100 giveaways.

Each blog will have it’s own giveaway, PLUS we have TWO grand prizes.

First Grand Prize: a KINDLE TOUCH

Second Grand Prize: a $60 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!

You can comment on 1 or all 103 and be entered up to 103 times for the grand prizes.

Good luck everyone!

***

When I was thinking about whether I prefer angels or demons, only one person came to mind. In my opinion, he’s a little bit of both. LOL Here’s some eye candy for you:

[image error] [image error] [image error]

So, what do you think? Angel or Demon?

 David Boreanaz was the inspiration for Frey Berger, my hero in Celestial Seduction.

And July 1st is the one year book birthday for Celestial Seduction,

so I thought I’d share an excerpt from the story:

“What do you mean, you want to stay?”

Frey balled his fists and watched the Mission Commander’s face turn from blue to purple to red. But he refused to step onto the ship. “Exactly that. I don’t want to return to Ginnun. I’ve spent one rotation around the sun here, established myself in their culture, and lived like one of them. And I’ll continue to do so. This is my home now.”

“One rotation is hardly long enough to call this place home. Besides, you’ve sworn your life to the Space Service.” As his MC’s eyes hardened further, Frey noticed all the wrinkles in the man’s once again blue face. His white hair stood up straight on an oversized head. If he remained with the Space Service, the stress of the job would age him exactly the same way.

“This is my last mission. I’ll be discharged when I return.” Frey wouldn’t receive any compensation for this mission, but Space Service credits were of no use on Earth.

“The only way to get out of the Service is to apply for mating. Won’t Tandee be waiting for your return?”

His stomach clenched upon hearing her name. “On the day we left, she confessed to already mating with Brand, my supposed best friend.”

The Commander only raised his eyebrow. Frey didn’t expect any compassion from him. “Ouch! So that’s why you failed to keep your emotions in check on the trip to Earth.”

He looked away. Even after his time on this planet, the memory of that day still stung. She’d flaunted her admission without a hint of regret.

“There are many other females on Ginnun who would take you as a mate.”

Frey looked back to the Mission Commander and shook his head. “I don’t want an emotionless relationship. When I choose a mate, I need to want to be with her. I want a mate for more than just procreation. I want to love.”

“Emotions just get in the way of your life.” His MC slammed his fist against the ship. “You’re our best field informant! If you’re leaving the Service, you could easily find yourself on the High Council. You don’t want to throw away your future for the overly sensitive women here on Earth.”

“It’s not just the women. I have friends here, not just acquaintances, as everyone is to me on Ginnun.” Many people he’d trusted on Ginnun wound up stabbing him in the back, as in his best friend who slept with his intended without any guilt. Returning to a planet of long-dead emotions held no appeal after living on Earth. He refused to hide his feelings again, and there were so many more he wanted to experience.

The Mission Commander signaled to the pilot to start the engines. “Stop this nonsense and get on the ship.”

“No.” He grabbed his sack and without remorse, turned his back on his Ginnunian heritage.

BUY LINKS:

Decadent Publishing / Amazon / B&N / AllRomanceEbooks / more

GIVEAWAY!!

For your chance to WIN a $5 Amazon.com e-gift certificate, leave a comment below telling me who your favorite angel and/or demon is.

To be entered into the contest for the Grand Prizes, you MUST leave your email address in the body of the comment, not just in the comment form.

Be sure to visit all of the other participants for more chances to WIN!

Erotic Romance Author to Non-Erotic: Guest Post by Lacey Wolfe, author of Finding Home

Erotic Romance Author to Non-Erotic by Lacey Wolfe

I feel like I officially became a romance author. I’m no longer just an erotic romance author. I wrote a sweeter story, one that my family can read and not blush. As an author, I was nervous about this. And I still am. Is it okay to write sweet romance and spicy romance under the same name? I sure hope so!

Finding Home is my first sweet story. And the story line is just that, a sweet and heartwarming story. My heroine, Julie, has returned home after her boyfriend dumps her. You see, she has become pregnant and he has no interest in being a daddy. So her options were, have an abortion or leave. Julie leaves and returns home to her hometown of Clearwater, Wyoming to seek the guidance of her mom. But here is where it gets good. She doesn’t find her mom, she find a hot and hunky half-naked man instead. And then to make matters even more sizzling, a blizzard hits and they are locked in together.

There is a lot to both these characters. They each have a secret they want to hide from one another, but once they share, they are secrets that will help them bond. I’m hoping readers will still find plenty of chemistry between Mark and Julie and eventually they hit the sheets in a sweet way, but the details are vague. Which let me tell you, was rather difficult as an erotic romance writer. I’m used to writing each and every dirty detail from smell, to taste, to just how that person is feeling. I had to take a step back, re-read the scenes, and make sure they were detailed enough to leave the reader satisfied, but still considered non-erotic. I’m hoping I did just that.

I am already working on my next clean story with a story line that would leave you wondering just how clean it can get. In case you curious, this story will also take place in Clearwater and the heroine is opening an adult store. The town sheriff isn’t thrilled and wants to make her leave, however, he is drawn to her like a magnet. To stay up to date, be sure to visit me at my website www.laceywolfe.com

I’m also on Facebook / Facebook Fan Page / Twitter

Finding Home

Julie Miller has returned to her home in Clearwater, Wyoming after discovering she is pregnant. All she wants is her mother to comfort her after her boyfriend told her to either have an abortion or leave. The only problem is, when she gets to her mother’s house, she doesn’t find her mom—she finds a half-naked man cooking breakfast.

Mark Thomas has moved to Clearwater to escape his past. He needs a fresh start to try and forget the things that haunt him, and Clearwater seems like the perfect place.

As if it isn’t bad enough that Julie doesn’t find her mother, a blizzard buries the town, and she is snowed in with Mark. Leaving them no choice, they begin a friendship while trying to resist the attraction they feel for one another.

Once the snow melts, Julie is free to leave. Will she choose to start a life in Clearwater or run back to New York? Meanwhile, Mark struggles to let go of his past and, if he does, is Julie his future?

Buy Links: Amazon / Nook / Smashwords / Ruby Lioness Press / All Romance

Finding Home excerpt:

The sun shined brightly through the windows. Julie wished now she had noticed the blinds were open last night. Pulling the sheets over her face, she closed her eyes for a few more minutes as she tried to wake up.

Finally, after battling with herself, she climbed out of the bed. She put her jeans back on and then pulled her hair up in a ponytail. A sudden urge to use the restroom took over, and she rushed toward the bathroom. This was something new—no bladder control. She didn’t expect to already have to pee so much.

She quickly brushed her teeth then made sure everything was tidy as though she hadn’t been there. Grabbing her suitcase, she left the room. She expected to find Chloe up front, but she was nowhere to be seen. So she stopped by the front desk and scribbled a note, thanking Chloe for the stay and saying they would talk soon. After all, she was going to need someone during this process. As young girls, she and Chloe had always gotten along.

Outside, the sun was bright. There was a chill to the air, however. The few clouds in the sky were thick and fluffy. She bet there would be a light snow shower before the day was over. In fact, she was surprised to not see any snow on the ground yet. It would be anytime now.

The drive to her mother’s house was short. She lived on the older side of town, and it was unchanged except that the trees had gotten taller.

Julie was excited to see her mom. It had been almost a year since she’d seen her. Julie had flown her out last Christmas to visit her in New York City. She’d taken her mother everywhere, showing her every tourist spot there was to see. Her mother had loved it and said it had always been a dream of hers to travel. Julie hoped one day her mother would get to. Her father had died about ten years ago, and her mother had never remarried. She had a few close friends, though, and maybe one day they would all get together and travel.

But for now, Julie needed her mom. She couldn’t wait to have her mother embrace her and hold her tight, telling her it would all work out.

She pulled up to the house. It looked the same. A small ranch-style home painted a light blue color. It was time for a fresh coat of paint, that was sure. Perhaps she could get someone out here in the spring to spruce the place up. Her mother’s car wasn’t in its usual spot but instead pulled over near the picket fence. A pick-up truck sat where the car was usually parked. Maybe something was wrong with the vehicle, and she was borrowing the truck.

Climbing out of the car, Julie could smell bacon. A smiled crossed her face. Her mom was cooking breakfast. Shutting the car door quickly, she went up the front steps two at a time. As she turned the doorknob, she found it locked. Groaning, she dug through her purse until she found the key to the house and let herself in.

Loud music blared through the house. It was set to a local country station. This was so unlike her mother. In fact, as Julie looked around the living room and saw how untidy it was, she wondered if she was in the right house.

Following the smell of food, she stepped into the kitchen. Julie froze. A half-naked man stood at the stove, flipping pancakes. It was as if he sensed he was no longer alone. He turned, and Julie thought she was going to faint.

“Hi,” the man said.

“Who the hell are you, and where is my mother?” Julie demanded.

Josh from ‘Beneath the Starry Sky’ visits Heartthrob Haven #giveaway

Today, Josh, the hero from Beneath the Starry Sky is being interviewed on Heartthrob Haven. Does he prefer chocolate or vanilla? Boxers or briefs?

Find out in this interview, and enter to WIN:

http://heartthrobhaven.blogspot.ca/2012/06/interview-with-josh-summers-former.html

Tide of Lies blog tour: Interview with author Sarah Ballance

It is a pleasure to welcome Sarah Ballance to my blog today. I first read her work as part of Six Sentence Sunday, and am excited to have her here to celebrate her new release, TIDE OF LIES.

So, Sarah, how long have you been writing with the hopes of publication?

SB: Ironically, not as long as I’ve held a publishing contract! LOL. I wrote my first book, DOWN IN FLAMES, just to prove to myself I could do it. I never thought it would actually be published—and frankly never really *wanted* to be published—but I spent six months writing it then sent it to a publisher so my crit partner would stop asking me to submit it. Imagine my shock when the only publisher I queried contracted the story! Around that time I discovered romantic suspense, and it was at that point I realized I really, *really* wanted to write. Talk about backing into a career, LOL!

What genres do you write in, and what appeals to you about those genres?

SB: I write some romance and some with paranormal elements, but my favorite by far is romantic suspense. There’s something about the marriage of romantic, sexual, and dangerous elements that just makes for unbelievable tension. I love it!

Do you have any recent or upcoming releases?

SB: My most recent release is the featured title, TIDE OF LIES. Coming soon is LAST CALL, and here’s the blurb:

An accidental witness to a murder-for-hire, ex-cop Rhys Clark becomes the target of ruthless killer—one determined to silence her at any cost. Playing dead seems to be the most likely way to stay alive, but when her protection comes in the form of mega-sexy former adversary Nick Massey, Rhys can think of  a few fates worse than death.

Nick Massey may have walked away from his troubles, but he never got past wanting Rhys. Once paired undercover, they’d been nothing but fireworks until a botched assignment ended her career, sending his into a tailspin. Now a mysterious client is willing to pay Nick anything to keep Rhys safe, but it isn’t until fate takes a critical turn that he realizes the devastating truth: he’s been her greatest threat all along.

Can you describe your daily writing routine?

SB: I wish I had one, LOL! In theory, I woke on interviews and blog stuff in the morning until about 10:00, at which time I put my work down to get started on the kids’ schooling. (My husband and I have six kids, ages 2-13, and we homeschool them). I check in to my blog and email throughout the day, and sometimes sneak in more writing time between school and dinner prep. After dinner, however, is when I get the majority of my writing time. My husband takes over the house and kids so I can write, which is so amazing of him. Naturally my “schedule” doesn’t always go as planned, but at least it’s something to which I can aspire, LOL.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

SB: I’m a hybrid. ;c) I have a basic plot in mind when I start writing, but I let my characters take over and boy do they ever! I guess the easiest way to say it is I know where they’re going, and it’s up to them to decide how they get there.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

SB: Find a reader or critter who won’t praise your work endlessly.  We all love to hear what we’re doing right, but if you never hear how you can improve, you *won’t.* Authors who refuse to take or learn from criticism are limiting themselves, and if there was one message I could get out, that’s it.

Excellent! That was the first piece of advice I received. Where can readers find you?

SB: To get to know me and my work—as well as a bunch of fantastic guest authors—my blog is the place to be. In addition to many great giveaways by my guests, I participate in many blog hops (most often with print copy giveaways open to international addresses) and offer a weekly gift card give away to my e-mail subscribers. You can find me and all of the details at http://www.sarahballance.wordpress.com, and if you’d like to learn more about my work you can also check out my website, http://sarahballance.com.

Where can readers find your books?

SB: I have a complete listing of my books and buy links on my website, specifically on this page:  http://www.sarahballance.com/about.html.

Thanks so much for having me here today! It’s truly an honor. ;c)

Tide of Lies:

A devastating secret. A shocking betrayal. A deadly obsession.

Haunted by three unsolved murders, Detective Holden Whitlow is stunned when his cold case takes a heated turn. Julia Cohen, his ex-lover, is back in town, and in the face of a brutal attack she’s ready to run. No matter how tightly she holds her secrets, for Holden, turning away from the woman he’s spent a decade trying to forget isn’t any more an option than walking away from his job . . .even when it threatens to cost Julia her life.

Julia is still reeling from a past she can’t bear to face. When she becomes the target of a killer, fate throws her back into Holden’s arms, but she’s yet to recover from a truth that has stripped her of everything—and everyone—she loves. Will she tell him the secret that will destroy him, or will her lie destroy them both?

Buy Links: Noble Romance / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Tide of Lies excerpt:

Another one.

Holden Whitlow could have done without that grim utterance from his sergeant re-entering his life. He exhaled, wishing the hot, summer sun would dissolve some of the unease weighing him down. But the scorching rays cutting through the windshield only left him hot and sticky, prompting his sunglasses to slide down his nose and his shirt to plaster against his back. The discomfort, however, didn’t best the miserable prospect of walking onto a crime scene and confronting the fourth murder victim of his short career.

Two years ago, a stalker turned murderer and took three local women as victims. The cases remained unsolved. Holden had been sopping wet behind the ears at the time, but his inexperience landed him a top-notch partner in Greg Martin, the lead detective who since retired. Although the whole Barrier Shoals PD had, at some point, worked the stalker case—Martin even checking in from his living room—guilt led Holden to carry the weight of the unsolved murders solo. It dug deep under his skin, and whether or not his cold case had just been set ablaze, the heat was on.

He wasn’t a math guy, but oh-for-four rang in his ears like nails on a chalkboard.

This murderer wouldn’t get away.

Spying the convenience store marking the crime scene, Holden steered his Crown Vic into the lot and parked on the far edge, intending to close the last sixty feet on foot. There was no reason to hurry or risk driving over evidence. The girl was dead.

Holden’s partner had beat him there, a faux pas the older detective would never let Holden live down. Detective John “Bear” Barrett surveyed the surroundings, fingers splayed on his hips, one hand in the vicinity of his badge and the other in close quarters with a Glock.

“You’re late,” he said, not bothering to look up as Holden neared.

Holden snorted. “I thought you were on vacation.”

“Was. I came back for the show.”

“I’m sure our vic appreciates your dedication to the cause,” Holden said, not feeling the edge of his own humor. He cast a cursory glance around the defunct Quik-Stop. Dented gas pumps stretched in a forlorn line, islands in a sea of broken glass. Thin lines of grass snaked over the lot, marking cracks in the pavement. Holden smelled the stench of abandonment, felt the pulse of death. “Where’s the body?”

“Hospital.”

Holden consulted his phone for the time. A quarter hour had passed since the call. A couple of techs had their noses to the pavement, plucking at the scattered, nearly microscopic debris of the abandoned lot with tweezers, but the coroner, David Frankel, was nowhere in sight. Short of disavowing protocol and shoving the body in his trunk, there was no way he could clear a scene in fifteen minutes. “The morgue? Already?”

Bear knelt, balancing on the balls of his feet, and cocked his head, studying the ground. Shifting his sunglasses away from his eyes, he raised an arm and motioned over a young woman from forensics.

“Make sure you catch this trail,” he said, pointing first to his feet, then in a line toward the building. Without waiting for her response, he righted himself and returned the shades to his nose. “I said hospital, Whitlow. Not morgue. Considering the victim is still breathing—but barely—I don’t think she’d take kindly to a tour of the basement.”

“She’s alive?”

Bear paced the twenty feet to the painted brick corner of the store. A metal door on the side hung slightly ajar, the word “JON” displayed with crooked, stuck-on letters. He nudged open the door wider with his foot. Seconds later, his head jerked to the side as if the stench had reached out and slapped him.

Laughing, Holden edged closer. “I could have told you not to breathe, Detective.”

He pulled a penlight from his pocket and directed it inside the stall, pressing his mouth in a thin line to suppress his gag reflex. Questionable patches in various shades of brown smeared the floors, and the toilet held what appeared to be a solid mass of waste he didn’t care to investigate. His quick sweep of the room came to an abrupt end at the sink, where dark crimson marred the already stained porcelain.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Holden asked, glancing to Bear, who had joined him in the doorway.

“Looks like blood to me.” Bear shook his head. “I’d sure hate to be the guy sopping up DNA out of that shit hole.”

Holden scratched the back of his neck, surveying the handful of officers and forensic techs scattered over the scene. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to go in there, criminal or otherwise.”

That particular restroom had never been golden. When he was at the tender, scheming age of fourteen, he and his buddy, Bridger Jansen, used to buy cigarettes from an elderly—and half blind—cashier and hide in the bathroom to smoke. Fully functioning, it hadn’t smelled much better than it did now.

Bear covered his nose and mouth with his forearm.

“Well, someone wanted in, and recently,” he said, his voice muffled. “See a rookie due for a hazing?”

With a rueful glance through the open doorway, Holden shook his head. “That’s why I don’t work forensics.”

“Yeah,” Bear said, walking away from the building. “Someone else does the grunt work, and we get the glory. Cushy job, huh?”

Glory. Not much of that in three unsolved murders. Holden joined Bear by the curb where he stood—his foot propped on the concrete—and shook off a squirrely sense of déjà vu. No. This one was different. “She’s alive, you say?”

“Catch up, Whitlow. Unconscious when they found her, but breathing. Who told you she was dead?”

Holden mentally wheeled back through the phone call from his sergeant. He hadn’t specifically said the woman was dead, but the implication had been there. Another one.

“The victim, where was she?” Only a few rushed footprints disturbed the grime and . . . stuff on the bathroom floor. The victim couldn’t have been there in a state of failing consciousness, which begged three questions: Where had the blood come from? Whose blood was in the bathroom . . . and how did it get there?

Pointing to a cluster of uniforms, Bear said, “Victim was balled up over there on the pavement. Kid in the jeans called it in. Said he thought he saw her breathing but was afraid to get too close. Didn’t want the breeze blowing his DNA on her or something.”

Holden followed Bear’s gesture, pegging the kid at the other end of it for about fifteen. He was tall and scrawny, with the height of a man but none of the bulk. Head down and sans his shoes, he toed the end of a skateboard, causing it to clack against the pavement. Long, blond bangs obscured his face. “Did he see anything?”

“A lump out of the corner of his eye. He was cruising down the sidewalk when he noticed her. He came over to investigate. When he realized the object was human, he freaked and dialed 9-1-1 from his cell phone. Or that’s his story, anyway.”

Holden’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like getting his information secondhand. Bear had a good eight years of police experience over him, though, and his work was meticulous. Whatever information he had would be good. “You don’t believe him?”

“It’s the scene of the crime, Whitlow. I don’t believe anyone yet.”

Holden set his jaw. “Do you have a reason—?”

Bear grinned, and then leaned closer. “Between you and me, he’s about to piss himself. Did I mention the kid was bleeding? Nice little gash on his hand. I bet my badge that blood in the bathroom is his.”

“Yeah,” Holden grumbled. “Empty wager. You just like toying with me.”

“I’m a high stakes man.” Bear grinned and cocked his head toward the restroom. “What do you want to believe he stepped in something?”

That would certainly explain why the boy was standing there in his socks. Nothing to ruin an afternoon like having your shoes hijacked as evidence. Holden tried to imagine how that excuse would have flown with his own mother, fast deciding it wouldn’t. He hoped the kid was as innocent as he looked. Holden turned to Bear. “Hey, how did you get here so fast? You’re making me look bad.”

“Eh. My wife dragged me to the gallery around the corner for some watercolor exhibit. I drew the line at an hour-long session on interpretation, so she cut me loose to grab some coffee. I was right across the street when the call came.” He held up a paper cup in mock salute.

Holden hadn’t even noticed Bear’s car was absent. Some detective. “I don’t guess you saw anything?”

“Nope, not a thing. Everything was quiet until the sirens started blaring. I got here about the time the ambulance did. Cramer was the first uniform on the scene, but not by much. I watched him pull in. It’s pretty quiet around here—especially for a Saturday afternoon.”

That it was, especially for tourist season. A quaint resort town alongside the Atlantic Ocean, Barrier Shoals usually hosted tourists from May through September, and this morning shouldn’t have been an exception. But other than a small crowd drawn by the police presence, the lonely corner now felt . . . dead.

Holden winced at the thought.

Bear crossed his arms and fixed his sunglass-covered stare on Holden. “You’ve still got your head in your ass over those murders a few years back.”

“No . . . yeah.” Holden blew a sharp breath and planted his hands on his head. “Hell, Barrett, I don’t know. It’s hard sitting on a case you never solved. The guilt doesn’t go away just because you close the file.”

“Wouldn’t know about that. My closure rate is pristine.”

Holden rolled his eyes, dropping his hands to his hips. “If you’re so smart, work the cold case. You find the guy.”

“In due time, partner. We’ve got a hot one, so how about we stick to the living victims for now?” Bear’s cell phone chirped. He consulted the screen, and then held up a finger signaling he needed a minute. Lifting the device to his ear, he said, “Barrett.”

Turning to allow Bear a modicum of privacy, Holden rolled his shoulders and cocked his head, popping his neck. He was off his game, unable to shake the discord that arrived on the heels of the initial call. Another one. Clearly, Holden wasn’t the only one haunted by the past. His sergeant’s tone had carried the same wariness now lumped in Holden’s chest. The question was, why?

What was it about this call that had set off eerie alarm bells in both their minds? The vic wasn’t dead. Nothing about this scene seemed remotely connected to the others—and yet . . . Barrier Shoals was a small town. Most of the crime he handled was the minor break-ins and purse snatchings that seemed to plague the tourist season. A murder. An assault. These were rare. Rare enough to raise the sergeant’s hackles. And after all the dead ends he’d been finding lately, Holden was on edge, as well.

Behind him, Bear cleared his throat. “You want to go talk to the vic? I can handle things here.”

Holden turned, looking at Bear in surprise. “Me? It’s not like you to give up a bedside encounter with a woman.”

Bear dropped his cell phone in his pocket and shrugged, his self-proclaimed lady-killing grin in a lazy sprawl across his face. “You have a point there, but I’m not into sloppy seconds.”

The dig worked. Holden froze. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You got me, Whitlow, but our vic is awake. Seems the lovely Julia Cohen is asking for you by name.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah and her husband of almost fifteen what he calls “long, long” years live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they’re asleep.  She often jokes that she writes to be around people who will listen to her, but her characters aren’t much better than her kids.  Fortunately, her husband is quite supportive, having generously offered to help her research “the good parts” . . .  and she’s never had to ask twice.

Website / Blog / Amazon / Twitter / Facebook

 

Six Sentences Sunday: Six from Beneath the Starry Sky now FREE on Amazon! #sixsunday

Thank you for coming to read my Six Sentence Sunday post today!

Here’s six from BENEATH THE STARRY SKY, a contemporary erotic romance

which is FREE until Tuesday, June 26, 2012 over on Amazon.

She pressed her body against him, her sweet lips reaching up to his. He could lose his mind in her passionate, desperate kisses. He reached down to play with her wet core before lifting her legs around his waist. The tip of his cock met her slippery softness.

“Fuck me, Josh. I want you now.”

 So be sure to head on over to Amazon.com (or the links below) and grab yourself a copy!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.de / Amazon.es / Amazon.it / Amazon.fr

If you don’t have an e-reader, you can download FREE Kindle reading apps

for your PC, Smartphone, Tablet and more.

And be sure to visit http://www.sixsunday.com/ to find out who’s participating in Six Sentence Sunday this week or follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter.

SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop – Get a FREE ebook & enter to WIN a gift certificate!

To begin, I want to give a huge thank you to Pippa Jay, who organized this blog hop. She put a lot of work into this event, and I truly appreciate it.

Grand Prize Details:

1st Prize – a Kindle Touch or Nook Touch

2nd Prize -a library of science fiction romance titles from over 20 authors (these will be mostly ebooks with one print anthology), and an Anabanana Gift Card.

All you need to do to enter is pop along to the blogs listed below and comment on as many as you want (only ONE comment per site will count as an entry). Each time you comment at a stop, you’ll earn one entry into the grand prize – so the more sites you visit, the greater your chances of winning. The winners will be drawn at random on the 24th June and announced on this site. The list of participating authors can be found below this post.

***

The summer solstice (or midsummer) results in the longest day and shortest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, that just occurred on June 20. It is a major celestial event celebrated around the world as the sun appears to stand still in the sky.

But what happens when there are no celestial events? When one lives underground? Here’s a taste of AN UNEXPECTED RETURN, where the hero lives below the surface of a moon, and he can’t wait to leave. (WARNING! This is an ADULT excerpt.)

“No one talks like that to me or anyone while on my land.”

Everyone cringed. His father hadn’t been born into a kingdom, but had given himself the title after settling on Tyto. He’d been the president of Otaria, and when he and his followers left for the moon, he’d changed his title to king, and declared the state a monarchy. Though Aris had never understood why his father left in the first place. Every picture he’d seen of his birth planet, the luscious forests and open sky, had left him with an ache to flee from Tyto.

But oh gods, his childhood had been hell, growing up in the cold-climate underworld. He’d been a toddler when his father moved him there. He grew up speaking in the “proper manner,” yet his schoolmates spoke in the old world way. He’d learned the rough dialect and every curse word, yet he took care to revert back to the royal tongue when at home in the castle. He couldn’t wait to leave.

“Aristides.” His father pulled him forward. “Since she is your betrothed, you must decide her fate.”

Just as he’d hoped.

He stuck out his chest, attempting to appear noble while his insides jumped for joy. “Since Madelia deflowered herself with my gentleman of the bedchamber, she shall be bound to him for the rest of her life.”

“Then let it be so,” the king proclaimed.

Benignus grinned. He finally had the woman he’d always wanted. Aris yearned to find an ounce of his friend’s happiness.

“Gentleman of the bedchamber, my ass. More like jack-off partner,” Madelia muttered. “At least he knows how to fuck,” she said, tossing her comment in Aristides’ direction.

Thornton and the doctor appeared at the door, panting like Terran dogs. “Is everything all right, Your Majesty?”

Time to go. He refused to stick around for Ben’s betrothal ceremony, for surely they would have another woman for him by then, too.

“Prince Aristides, where are you going?”

Shit! He refused to turn around and acknowledge his father’s question, for the man would never chase after him. And the two men who would still had to catch their breath.

Aristides rushed to the south wing and down a flight of stairs, toward his waiting Personal Space Transport Vehicle. He’d already packed clothing appropriate for Elatia’s warmer climate and enough nourishment to last his entire journey inside the PSTV.

He climbed in. After starting the engines, Aristides steered the ship up the narrow rock tunnel and out into space. The fold that would take him to the Belverian system lay straight ahead.

So long, Tyto. I’m off to the Emerald planet.

AN UNEXPECTED RETURN is available from Decadent Publishing, Amazon, B&N and other ebook retailers. (All Buy Links, blurb, and another excerpt can be found here.)

Giveaway!! 

For your chance to WIN a $5 Amazon.com e-gift certificate, simply leave a comment below with your email address. That will also allow you to enter to win one of two grand prizes of a Kindle Touch or Nook Touch, or a collection of science fiction romance titles from over 20 authors.

FREE EBOOK!!

Also, starting today, you can get BENEATH THE STARRY SKY for FREE on Amazon. It’s not a science fiction romance, but the hero is a former sci-fi television star, and the characters in this story are mentioned in some of my other sci-fi romance titles. Here are the links where you can get your copy:

Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.de / Amazon.es / Amazon.it / Amazon.fr

And if you don’t have an e-reader, don’t fret, you can still download FREE Kindle apps for your PC, Smartphone, and/or Tablet.

Be sure to visit all of the participating authors!