Cassandra Dean's Blog: Blog of Bloggy Blogness, page 23

Christmas Wishes Blog Hop! [#GIVEAWAY]

 

The Christmas Wishes Blog Hop is hosted by Book & Trailer Showcase (BTS Virtual Book Tours), Coffee Beans & Love scenes (CBLS Promotions), and Full Moon Bites (FMB Blog Tours).
Let the celebrations begin!

 

 

 

Hey peeps!

Welcome to the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop! Big thanks go to Book & Trailer Showcase (BTS Virtual Book Tours), Coffee Beans & Love scenes (CBLS Promotions), and Full Moon Bites (FMB Blog Tours) for hosting.

Ah, I do love Christmas! The smell of roast turkey and roast potatoes, the taste of mince pies and pudding, the glories of white wine in the sun…wait, what?

Well, peeps, I’m Australian, so it’s the middle of summer when Christmas rolls around. Usually, it’s quite hot and lots of people opt for a BBQ and seafood kind of Christmas. My family likes to do a bit of a mix, the traditional with the Australian. Fun times abound.

Last Christmas, I came across the best song by Tim Minchin, a fabulous Australian musician and comedian. Entitled “White Wine in the Sun” it made me cry, it was so heartfelt and beautiful. So, for your viewing pleasure, please find it embedded below.

 

 

And now, for a completely random change of topic, my latest release

 

BOOK 1 OF THE DIAMOND SERIES

Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling her saloon to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath.

Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon—the coal buried deep in land she owns. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul.

Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?

 

And now, the contest#!

Comment below and leave your email address to go in the running to win a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, and a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. International entries are welcome – if Australia Post can reach your country, you can enter!

 

But wait, there’s more!
There’s a grand prize, peeps. You could win a Kindle Paperwhite, a Nook Glow and a USD$90.00 gift card from either Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble! Also, both tablets will come with a book bundle!
Pretty rad, am I right? So make sure you comment below, hop the blogs participating and enter as many times as possible. It’s such a great prize!

 

 

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# The small print: Comment before midnight on 14 December2012 (Australian Central Standard Time) to be entered to one (1) signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard and one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted on this blog within three days of the close of the giveaway. Cassandra will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Cassandra can send the prize to them.

The Grand Prize is offered by the hosts of the blog tour. If you have any queries or concerns, please direct them to http://booktrailershowcase.com/virtua....

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

WINNER! Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop #Hotautumnnights

Peeps, we have a winner! Congratulations…

 

April!

 

April has won a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet and a a ROUGH DIAMOND keyring. Congrats, April!

I’d also like to extend a massive THANK YOU to all who participated. I’m so thrilled you all visited the hop, and I hope you had a fantabulous time. Also, don’t forget the Grand Prize! Make sure you stop by Bella Media Management to check if you’re the lucky winner

xx

GUEST POST: Alexa Bourne #guest #author

Hi peeps,

Welcome again to the blog Alexa Bourne! Alexa is a fellow Decadent author and she’s here to chat about her release, HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION. Take it away, Alexa!

 

The Kierlain House

The Kierlain House, the fictional home of the hero in my book HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION, came alive for me when I first visited Glenfinnan, Scotland. On a quick stop during a tour of the Highlands, I caught a glimpse of the Glenfinnan House Hotel for the first time. Set away from the loch with the greenest mountains surrounding it, the hotel was beautiful and immediately I began planning a story that revolved around that setting.

When I started seriously writing this story, I contacted the manager of the Glenfinnan House Hotel. Why not? Where else could I get perfectly accurate information? In my email, I explained I was a writer, my story was set in a fictional version of their hotel and village, and that I was hoping she’d be willing to answer specific questions about her surroundings to make my story authentic. Imagine my surprise when she responded to this and many other emails! The next time I returned to Scotland, I stayed in her hotel and took notes about what it looked like and how I felt inside. Some thoughts remained in my own travel journal, but many did get added to HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION.

The fictional hotel, the Kierlain House, holds a special place in Malcolm Fraser’s heart too, much like the real one does in mine. Malcolm’s the hero in HER HIGHLAND CHAMPION and this home holds many memories for him, both positive and negative.

As a child, it became his safe haven. He’d been battered and bruised by his biological father and his biological mother died when he was very young. The owners of the Kierlain House found Malcolm and eventually adopted him. They gave him the care and love he needed to grow up to be a good and decent man. They encouraged him to take risks again and to find his own path in the world. He followed that path to the International Protective Network, where he works to keep other victims safe. But when he turned in his badge and returned to the house, it became a symbol of his failure as a bodyguard.

Until he met his heroine, Heather Winchester. She made it a positive place for him again. It was where Malcolm first fell in love with her. Granted, he didn’t want to fall for her, but he had no choice. With her trust in him to keep her safe and her ability to make him laugh, she gave him the courage to have faith in himself again.

Nowadays, Malcolm and Heather are working hard to keep the Kierlain House perfect for everyone who visits Glenhalish, and I’m looking forward to the day I can return to the Glenfinnan House Hotel.

Do you have a place that means a lot to you?

 

Heather Winchester leads a charming life. With good friends, a beautiful flat in one of the most amazing cities in the world, and a promising future once she finishes her Ph.D, she is finally pursuing her own dreams instead of catering to everyone else’s…except she doesn’t remember any of it.

Malcolm Fraser has returned to his Highland village to forget his failings as a professional bodyguard. Believing he could just lose himself in the mundane activities of running his bed & breakfast, he finds a woman’s lifeless body by the loch instead….

Captivated by Heather as she regains her memory, Malcolm is thrown into the line of duty. As danger comes knocking on their door will he be strong enough to love her and keep her safe?

Available now from
Decadent Publishing
Amazon.com ~ All Romance eBooks ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon.co.uk

 

 

Hot Autumn Nights Bl​og Hop #giveaway #Hotautumnnights

 

 
The Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop is hosted by Bella Media Management. Let the celebrations begin!

 

 

 

 

 

Hey peeps!

Welcome to the Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop! Big thanks go to Bella Media Management for hosting.

So, Hot Autumn Nights! It’s not autumn here in Australia at the moment, but it’s definitely hot. Today was forecast at 40 degrees celsius (which is 104 fahrenheit), so twill be a bit of a scorcher *sad face* Definitely makes me long for cool autumn evenings, where the scent of rain lingers and a chill permeates the night air promising the coming of winter.

But this isn’t the ridiculously-hot-for-South-Australia-in-November Blog Hop, so let’s get on with fun things to do on a Hot Autumn Night! I reckon settling in with your loved one before a roaring gas heater (totally don’t have a wood fire), a cheeky glass of red in one hand (perhaps even a Coonawarra Shiraz) and a cheese-filled cracker in the other sounds like a perfect autumn evening. The rain might be lashing the window outside, but inside you’re toasty and warm. Sigh. Sounds like bliss!

And now, the giveaway#!

What’s sounds like the perfect Hot Autumn Night to you? I’d love to hear all about it. Comment below, leave your email address, and you’ll go in the running to win!

One lucky commenter will win a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, a and a ROUGH DIAMOND keyring and a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. International entries are welcome – if Australia Post can reach your country, you can enter!

 

But wait, there’s more!
Bella Media Management are also offering a Grand Prize – a USD$155.00 Gift Card (either Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com, winner’s choice).
How fantastic is that? So make sure you comment and leave your email address, peeps!

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

 

 

And so you peeps know what you could win, here’s the deets on ROUGH DIAMOND:

 

Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling her saloon to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath.

Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon—the coal buried deep in land she owns. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul.

Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?

THE DIAMOND SERIES, BOOK 1
Part of Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape

 

 

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# The small print: Comment before midnight on 3 December 2012 (Australian Central Daylight Time) to be entered to win one (1) signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND keyring and one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted on this blog by 5 December 2012. Cassandra will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Cassandra can send the prize to them.

The Grand Prize is solely at the discretion of Bella Media Management (http://www.bellamediamanagement.com). Please direct any queries to them.

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

 

 

Guest Post: Sabrina Sol turns dreams into reality

Cassandra Dean:Hey peeps!

Hope you all had a smashing weekend. Today, we have special guest Sabrina Sol on the blog, chatting to you all about dreams turned reality. What a great subject! Take it away, Sabrina.

 

 

Turning dreams into reality

Sabrina Sol: Thanks Cassandra for inviting me here today!

I’m so excited to talk about my upcoming release with Decadent Publishing. It’s called REUNITED and it’s my first published book.

REUNITED is basically about taking a chance in order to make a dream come true. So it’s fitting then that it’s my first.

I’ve always wanted to write a book. Well, specifically, I’ve always wanted to write a bestselling book. Ha!

I remember being pretty much the only kid in class to be excited when the teacher made us write a story using our spelling or vocabulary words for the week. My love for writing continued through high school and college and eventually I even made a living doing it. But while being a newspaper reporter allowed me to write every day, I wasn’t writing MY stories. Then circumstances changed and I moved into public relations. Again, I wrote pretty much every day, but there was a limit on how creative I could be with press releases.

It wasn’t until about two years ago that I decided to finally listen to the voices in my head. I announced to my husband that I was going to write a book and proceeded to start my first novel. Thousands of words later, it’s still not finished. But along the way, I managed to also write REUNITED.

It’s hard to explain the feelings overwhelming me as my release day gets closer. Satisfaction? Pride? Pure joy?

Probably all of the above. After all, how many chances do you get in a lifetime to make a dream come true?

For Magdelena Cruz, the main character in REUNITED, the answer is two. The first time didn’t work out, so she engineers a second chance.

 

What would you do if you had the chance to sleep with your unrequited high school crush?

If you’re former geek Magdelena Cruz, you’d do him in a heartbeat. But you’d lie about your true identity first and hope your new sexy persona is enough to create a night neither of you will forget.

Workaholic assistant DA Will Hudson doesn’t have time for a love life. Expecting to scratch an itch with a willing stranger, he signs up for Madame Evangeline’s 1Night Stand experience. He has no idea that his date is no stranger.

A reunion between two classmates will be hotter than the scorching Las Vegas sun. But will the heat be enough to spark something deeper, or will they both end up getting burned by Magdelena’s charade?

~Excerpt~

Standing in front of the door to the suite, she let the magnitude of the moment sink in. All logic and practicality fled. She’d left both back at home with her pocket protector and sensible shoes. The situation called for her to be impulsive, daring and confident.

If you are, then he will finally be yours….

She smoothed her dress, adjusted her bra, and blew into her hand for a breath check. Satisfied, she slid her key card into the slot and pushed the door open.

A blaring TV welcomed her. Not that she expected a violin serenade, but she hadn’t planned on competing with a basketball game for her date’s attention. She frowned.

“Pass the ball, you idiot!” Will shouted.

Tingling from head to toe at the sound of his voice, she released a slow breath.

It’s now or never, Magdelena.

“Hello?” she called.

The TV turned off instantly. A second later, he walked into her view.

Her throat tightened.

The years had been good to him. No, they’d been great to him. Although she’d seen pictures on the alumni website, they didn’t do him justice. Every visible inch of his body appeared chiseled from stone. A dark gray shirt and black slacks perfectly accentuated every muscle. He wore his dark hair shorter than she’d seen in the photos, but his blue eyes were more piercing than ever. He looked her over, settling on her cleavage and her nipples that had come to attention the minute she saw him. Then he raised his eyes to meet hers.

“Hello, Elena.” His deep voice lit her soul on fire.

He doesn’t recognize me. This plan might work after all.

 

 

Want to learn more about REUNITED? Visit my blog at The Romance Chica to view the official book trailer.

And now a giveaway#!

Do you have a dream that recently came true? Or what fantasy are you trying to turn into a reality? Comment below and be entered into a drawing for a free copy of REUNITED. Don’t forget to include your e-mail address.

Well, that’s it for me today. Thank you again Cassandra. Besos!

 

 

CD: No probs at all, Sabrina, it was a pleasure to have you!
What a great giveaway, am I right, peeps? Make sure you comment and enter!

xx

Sabrina Sol is the chica who loves love. She writes spicy romance stories featuring strong Latina heroines in search of love, success and happiness. She lives in Southern California with her husband, three kids and two Beagles. And she’s part of a large, extended Mexican family which may—or may not—be the source of inspiration for some of her characters. Visit her at sabrinasol.com or theromancechica.com. Or follow her on Twitter @theromancechica.

 

 

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# The small print: Comment before midnight on 03 December 2012 (Australian Central Daylight Time) to be entered to win a copy of REUNITED by Sabrina Sol. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted in the comments of this post by 05 December 2012. Sabrina will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Sabrina can send the prize to them.

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Sabrina and Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

WINNER! Decadent Publishing Authors Black Friday Blog Hop! #DecadentBFHop

Hi peeps,

Thank you all so much for participating in the Decadent Authors Black Friday Blog Hop. However, now onto the important bit – the winner! Congratulations…

 

petulawinmill!

 

petulawinmill has won an ebook copy of either ENSLAVED or TEACH ME, a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet and a ROUGH DIAMOND keyring. Congrats, petulawinmill!

I hope you all had a super fantabulous time and checked out all the amazing Decadent Publishing authors.

xx

Black Friday Blog Hop! #giveaway #DecadentBFHop

 

 

The Decadent Publishing Authors Black Friday Blog Hop is hosted by Jessica E Subject.
Let the celebrations begin!

 

 

 

 

 

Hey peeps, welcome to The Decadent Publishing Authors Black Friday Blog Hop! First up, a big massive THANK YOU to Jessica E Subject for organising the hop. Thanks, Jess!

I’m so excited to be a part of this hop which celebrates the fabulous authors of Decadent Publishing! Make sure you stop by all the participants in the hop, there are some fabulous prizes and some great stories waiting to be discovered by you lovely peeps!

As for me, I reckon I might talk a little about THE DIAMOND SERIES!

 

THE DIAMOND SERIES, BOOK 1

Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling her saloon to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath.

Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon—the coal buried deep in land she owns. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul.

Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?

I’ve only just coined the name for this series, having never expected to even have a Western-based book, let alone a series! However, I’m very proud of my Westerns and can’t imagine NOT writing in the genre. Book 1 in the series, ROUGH DIAMOND is now available, and book 2, FOOL’S GOLD will be available real soon. To complete the series (or perhaps not – who knows how the muse will strike), I have a very vague idea about a gunslinger and a chorus girl…EMERALD SEA will hopefully be available next year.

Check out THE DIAMOND SERIES page for more info

 

 

AND NOW A GIVEAWAY#!
What’s a blog hop without a giveaway?? Comment below and tell me all about your favourite westerns, be they book, movie, TV show or whatever. Make sure to leave your email address as well and you’ll go in the running to win an ebook copy of either ENSLAVED or TEACH ME! And, to top it off, you’ll also win a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet and a ROUGH DIAMOND keyring. Pretty cool, hey??

 

 

Thanks for hopping with me, peeps, and make sure you visit all the participating Decadent Publishing authors!

 

 

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# The small print: Comment before midnight on 24/11/2012 (Australian Central Daylight Time) to be entered to win an ebook copy of either ENSLAVED or TEACH ME, one (1) signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND magnet and one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND keyring. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted on this blog by 26/11/2012. Cassandra will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Cassandra can send the prize to them.

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

 

 

Muscles and Mistletoe Blog Hop #musclesandmistletoe

 

The Muscle and Mistletoe Blog Hop is hosted by The Book Maven.
Let the celebrations begin!

 

 

 

Hey peeps,

Blog hops abound! I’m so very excited for Christmas and the glories of the season. I love fairy lights and tinsel and Christmas decorations and good will to all men and…and…Oh, I just love the season!

Funnily enough, I don’t really enjoy reading holiday-themed stories. Weird, right? However, my favourite of the few I’ve read would have to be a short novella Loretta Chase penned. Entitled Falling Stars, it’s a reunion story with a hero and heroine written as only Ms Chase can, and it’s funny and poignant and Christmas-y and wonderful and dramatic and comedic and a hundred other things and…and…

*sigh* I love Loretta Chase so much.

 

 

So, in the spirit of giving, on with the giveaway#!
Comment below on your favourite Christmas tale, leave your email address and you’ll go in the running to win a print copy of TEACH ME, as well as a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard and a ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. How nifty, right?

 

Thanks for hopping with me, peeps, and make sure you visit all the participating authors and bloggers!

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

 

 

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# The small print: Comment before midnight on 09/12/2012 (Australian Central Daylight Time) to be entered to win a print copy of TEACH ME, one (1) signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard, and one (1) ROUGH DIAMOND magnet. Winner will be selected via random.org, with winner’s name posted on this blog by 11/12/2012. Cassandra will also contact the winner by e-mail; the winner will be required to reply with their postal address so Cassandra can send the prize to them.

Only one entry per ISP address. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. By entering, you agree Cassandra can use your name when announcing the winner if you should win. If potential prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. International entries are welcome. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law.

 

 

Stuff

Hey peeps,

I’m over at Heartthrob Haven, interviewing Rupert from ROUGH DIAMOND and Ethan from FOOL’S GOLD. Things get a bit rambunctious!

 

Heartthrob Haven

 

And don’t forget, both the Decadent Publishing Reader for a Reader and The Romance Reviews YES! Party are both running – check them out!

 

Six Sentence Sunday – Fool’s Gold pt 2 #sixsunday

Six Sentence Sunday is here again! As always, a big thank you to the peeps behind this wonderful initiative, and to all the lovely people who comment on my sentences

Just like last week, it’s another six from FOOL’S GOLD, second in the Diamond series. Pearl and Ethan continue their shenanigans from last time, with Ethan revealing something of why he pounded on the Diamond’s doors just as a blizzard’s about to roar into town.

“And I was your first choice, was I?” Pearl said.

A kind of blankness fell over Garrett, sudden-like. “I had nowhere else to go.”

Why should she be feeling a tug at her heart just because he had nowhere to go?

Squaring her shoulders, she lifted a brow and pretended her heart never twinged. “If it will get you to depart this here premises the quicker, why don’t you tell me all your troubles and we’ll see if we can’t fix one or two of them?”

Thanks for stopping by, peeps! Please keep coming back for updates on FOOL’S GOLD’s progress!