Jennifer Wilck's Blog, page 13
March 1, 2021
Time For A Cover Reveal!
Today I'm excited to show off the cover for my upcoming release, A Reckless Heart.
This one has a funny story connected to it. As an author with a publisher, when I submit my manuscript to my editor, I also fill out a cover art form, telling the art department what my book is about and what I’m looking for in a cover. Ultimately, I don’t get much of a say, but this form is where I pour my vision out—what the hero and heroine look like in my head (if I even want them on the cover), what the setting is (in this case, setting is super important and I’m so glad they featured it here), taglines, etc. And then I wait.
Well, in case you haven't noticed, I’m not the most patient person, but I tried really hard not to bother them. They have a lot of authors to deal with, and I don’t like being annoying. But finally, I couldn’t wait any longer and I asked my editor when I might possibly get to see my cover. For what it's worth, seeing my cover is one of my very favorite things about publishing books. Turns out, they’d sent me the cover almost two months prior, only I never received it, thanks to email glitches on both sides. Needless to say, the comment period had long expired. Luckily, I LOVED what the artist created.
What do you think of it?
To whet your appetite for the story, here’s the blurb:
Meg Thurgood, former society girl, took the blame for her friend and paid a steep price. Now all she wants is solitude and a chance to rebuild her life. She thinks she's found that in an isolated house she rents from a mysterious stranger.
Simon McAlter has hidden in his house on the coast of Maine since a fire left him scarred. A successful landscape architect who conducts his business and teaches his classes remotely, he's lost his inspiration and is trying to pretend he's not lonely.
Simon's new neighbor is more than he bargained for. When he learns Meg's secret, will he retreat into the shadows or will he learn to see past the surface and trust in Meg's love?
As I like to say, it’s a little bit like the Kardashians meet Beauty & The Beast.
The book is up for preorder, and I’d love you to grab it now!
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-reckless-heart-jennifer-wilck/1138858163?ean=2940162335382
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-reckless-heart/id1554790505
PS. Kristan Higgins loved one of the lines in this book, but that's a story for another day. It had to do with zucchini bread.
February 24, 2021
Welcome Back, Julie Howard!
What’s it like writing a series?
The End. Those are bittersweet words to an author. Finishing a novel, of course, is a moment of celebration. The plot has come to a close and subplots tidily concluded. Though the characters’ lives may continue on in memory, their story has ended.
I can think of so many novels I wish had never ended: Pride and Prejudice, Wolf Hall, anything by John Steinbeck, and, yes, even War and Peace. As long as Tolstoy’s book is, I could have read more.
With an author, this sense of loss can be similar. This is the flip side of the bittersweet moment. After the celebration, the realization sinks in: I will no longer spend my days with these characters in mind. Our time together is done. And that is the joy of writing a series. While a particular story arc may be completed, the main characters can go on to have more adventures or be entrenched in further mysteries.
I’m midway through my second series. The first, the Wild Crime mysteries, consists of three books. Each has their own mystery and complete story, but together, the three books tell a broader story of the heroine, Meredith Lowe. Each book can read as a stand-alone story.
Spirit in Time, which released this month, is the third novel in my Spirited Quest mysteries. I have five books in mind for this series, but who knows at this point; there could always be more. The main character in this series is Jillian Winchester, who writes a ghost-themed blog. There are lots of possibilities for her around the world. So far, she has been in Vermont, Australia and California. Each story is a stand-alone novel, but there is a broader story being told too, as Jillian yearns for connection to family members killed in an accident long ago.
The fourth book is taking shape in my mind and I’m definitely not ready to let my characters go. I plan to start the next book later this year and I’m already looking forward to spending time with them again, sort of like having a reunion with good friends.
Here is more about this new release, Spirit in Time:
Tagline: Time is not on her side.
Blurb:
Time travel isn't real. It can't be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding.
Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting. The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?
Excerpt:
“Are you a ghost?” A young girl stood where the guard had been only minutes before. She spoke matter- of-factly, her dark eyes alive with curiosity.
The house was still whole, she was alive, and the world hadn’t ended. Jillian scanned the room for damage, then blinked. This must be a dream. The long dining table—bare just moments ago—was now laid for a meal. Glasses sat upright, forks and spoons lined up in perfect order, and a tall flower arrangement appeared unscathed. A crystal chandelier above the table remained perfectly still.
The guard and Asian man were nowhere in sight.
The girl, dressed neatly in a calf-length white pinafore embellished with pink ribbons, didn’t appear rattled by the cataclysmic jolt.
“What happened?” Jillian asked, still crouched on her knees. “Are you okay?”
“You don’t belong here. Mother will be angry.”
Even though the floor had ceased to shake, the roiling continued in her head. Might this very real looking girl be a spirit? Most apparitions wavered in some manner, their appearances paler and less there than the tangible world around them. This child appeared solid in every way, from the tips of her shiny chestnut hair to the toes of her lace-up black shoes.
About the author:
Julie Howard is the author of the Wild Crime series, and Spirited Quest. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. She is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild, editor of the Potato Soup Journal, and founder of the Boise chapter of Shut Up & Write. Learn more at juliemhoward.com.
Website: http://juliemhoward.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowardauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Howard/e/B07D6CS4NQ/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-howard?list=author_books
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JulieMHoward
Follow her on Instagram: @authorjuliehoward
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LslC9S
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9...
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3qaFAF5
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-in-time-julie-howard/1138556279?ean=2940162911340
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/spirit-in-time-spirited-quest-mysteries-by-julie-howard
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56642852-spirit-in-time
February 17, 2021
Welcome, Judith Sterling!
Please welcome my fellow Wild Rose Press author, Judith Sterling!
Inspiration for My Hero and Heroine
There’s a lot of me in my hero and heroine, Griffin Nightshade and Margaret, Lady Ravenwood. He’s loyal and teaches history. She’s intuitive and has “spirit journeys” while sleeping. Both have perfect pitch. The same is true of me, on all counts. But I didn’t realize how closely my characters resembled my parents until I finished the manuscript.
Maybe I didn’t want to see the parallel. After all, the book has sex scenes, and most of us cringe when we think of our parents doing the horizontal mambo. Of course, if they hadn’t done it, we wouldn’t be here, but you know what I mean!
Like Griffin, my dad was a concert pianist. (Yes, he has perfect pitch too. That’s where I get it from!) He met my mom in college, when she sang professionally on the side of her studies. The two of them performed in USO tours overseas and for TV on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Mike Douglas Show. So naturally, my character Margaret can sing. Margaret also has strong intuition and loves gardening, just like my mom.
Perhaps the strongest similarity between my protagonists and my parents is the soulful, abiding love they share. The latter have been married for 55 years, and they’re still in love. Neither knows how they’d survive without the other, although they’re so strong, I know they would. I feel privileged to have had them as role models. Because of them, I married late (at age thirty-two), for I’d accept nothing less than a true soulmate. Is it any wonder they served as inspiration for my story?
Return of the Raven (The Novels of Ravenwood, Book Five)
By Judith Sterling
Book Blurb
Margaret, Lady Ravenwood, is trapped in a loveless marriage and firmly entrenched in the medieval world. Along comes Griffin Nightshade, a historian from the future whose soul resonates with hers. He persuades her to return with him to the 1950s, but heeding her heart means courting danger from a curse that could spell her doom.
Haunted by his parents' sudden deaths, Griffin knows all too well the pain born of love lost. He guards his emotions, but Margaret delves deep and goes straight to the soul. She's hard to resist…and harder to set free.
The heart's desire and history's demands don't always agree. Yet true love is eternal.
Excerpt
Dressed in blue-striped pajamas, Griffin stood in front of his bed. His gaze shifted back and forth between two books. Usually, he was a decisive reader, but tonight was different. He’d had Margaret on the mind the entire time he perused the library shelves, and even now, the sound of her bathwater filling the tub next door plagued his focus.
Nevertheless, he’d narrowed the choice to two books: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles or Dennis Wheatley’s The Devil Rides Out. He’d read both before and enjoyed them immensely, so he couldn’t go wrong with either one.
So what’s it going to be? Murder on the moors or black magic on Salisbury Plain?
Margaret’s clear-toned voice penetrated the wall between their bedrooms. She was humming the first part of the sonata he’d played tonight. Not only did she have an ear for language; she also had one for music. She had perfect pitch, too, as did he, which allowed him to discern that she hummed the exact same notes he’d played on the Steinway. Her singing voice was just as lovely as he’d imagined it might be.
His brow furrowed. He had no business imagining anything about her, least of all her naked body slipping into a warm bath and—
Stop! He huffed and rubbed his mouth with his hand. Then he refocused his attention on the books for the umpteenth time. Come on now. Murder or magic? Magic or murder?
“Griff!” A note of panic tinged her voice.
Meg! In trouble!
He dashed into the hall and into her bedroom, then flung open the bathroom door. She stood in the bathtub, clad in bubbles whose brethren spilled over the side of the tub onto the floor. Luckily, the white foam covered all but her neck, head, and one shoulder.
“There’s too much of it.” She gestured to the mess and sent a cluster of bubbles flying through the air.
“I can see that. Are you hurt?”
“No, just unnerved. They kept building and building until I feared they might cover the entire chamber.”
“First, let’s turn off the water.” He reached into the sea of foam, found the faucets, and twisted each one in turn. “How much of the soapy liquid did you use?”
“The whole bottle.”
His eyes widened. “Well, that explains it. Only a small amount is necessary.”
“When Hannah showed me how to use it, she simply turned the bottle upside down to demonstrate pouring. I assumed all of the liquid was needed.” With a rueful expression, she looked around her. “Obviously not.”
She was adorable. And underneath those bubbles, she was nude. Time to go!
“Well, I’m glad ʼtwas nothing serious. I’ll just be going now.” With an about face, he headed for the door.
“Wait.”
Uh oh. What does she want now? He turned back around.
“I must know something, and you’re the only one who can help me know it.”
A warning bell pealed in his mind and urged his heart to quicken its pace. “What do you want to know?”
“Earlier, you called me attractive, but you haven’t seen all of me.”
Only by the grace of those bubbles! Did she intend to bare all? No…modesty would prevent that. But the look in her eye—that steady gleam of determination—made him nervous. “Surely you don’t mean—”
“I do. All of my married life, Evoric has mocked me and deemed me unappealing.”
“To him mayhap.” Or eunuchs. Otherwise…
Adamantly, she shook her head. “To all men. Or so he says.”
He is such a sleaze. “He’s just trying to make excuses for his own failure.”
“That may be, but I’ll never know for certain unless you look upon me yourself and give me your honest opinion.”
Dear God. How did I get myself into this mess? “I really think ʼtis better if—”
“Griff.” Her violet eyes pleaded with him. “I know I’ve asked a lot from you, but I need this. Otherwise, I’ll wonder about it the rest of my life.”
How could he deny her the chance to rebuild her self-confidence? He took a deep breath, pushed it out, and braced for what would come. “Very well. Show yourself to me.”
Buy Links
Amazon https://amzn.com/B08RYD2GW8
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/Return-Raven-Novels-Ravenwood-Book-ebook/dp/B08RYD2GW8
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-raven-judith-sterling/1138556276
Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/return-of-the-raven/id1547199256
Author Bio
Judith Sterling is an award-winning author whose love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Whether penning medieval romance (The Novels of Ravenwood) or young adult paranormal fantasy (the Guardians of Erin series), her favorite themes include true love, destiny, time travel, healing, redemption, and finding the hidden magic which exists all around us. She loves to share that magic with readers and whisk them far away from their troubles, particularly to locations in the British Isles.
Her nonfiction books, written under Judith Marshall, have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.
Social Media Links
https://judithmarshallauthor.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/judithsterlingfiction/
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16291161.Judith_Sterling
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judith-sterling
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MT3KB7L
The Wild Rose Press – https://www.thewildrosepress.com/authors/judith-sterling
February 15, 2021
Orange Is My New Favorite Color
I don’t like the color orange. If you’ve seen my skin tone, you’ll probably understand why. When people push me miles beyond my limits, the knowledge that I don’t look good in orange is sometimes the only thing that prevents me from committing murder.
But today...today I’m chasing orange.
My book, Learning to Love, is on sale for 99 cents. I paid for a few advertisements and announcements, and suddenly, this little book that has sat in the thousands for most of it’s time, rose in the Amazon ranks. It was like the Little Engine That Could, steadily climbing. And when I looked at the rankings last night, it was #19 in Jewish Literature. And less than 1,000 in contemporary romance.
Me, who literally about 10 people know, had a book that was climbing the Amazon ranks. So of course, I went nuts. And asked everyone I knew to help it keep going. Because if it hits #1 it gets a “Best Seller” orange banner—see, now you know why I suddenly like orange.
Well, it hasn’t hit #1, but it did hit #9 for a brief time, which is also amazing! So if you’re one of the people who helped it shoot toward the top, THANK YOU! And if you were thinking about buying it, now is the perfect time—seriously, what else can you buy for 99 cents that will give you a couple of hours of laughs and happiness? I dare you to tell me. J
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Love-Serendipity-Book-3-ebook/dp/B07J49V5SP
February 10, 2021
Welcome, Margot Johnson!
For many years, I worked in a busy corporate environment, and I left a leadership role in human resources and communications to focus on writing. Now instead of guiding employees, I create characters who have minds of their own!
After my first book LOVE TAKES FLIGHT was published, I received a card that says Dream Big & Work Hard. Displayed near my work space, it always inspires me. I believe in that motto, and I like my characters to share the same outlook as they work through challenges mixed with fun.
LOVE LEADS THE WAY draws on my experiences at work and at home. The story is fiction, but my heroine, Tessa, and I share much in common. I’d love to have lunch with her and compare notes on office gossip, single parenting, family quirks, and cute golden retrievers. One key difference is I didn’t meet my handsome husband at work!
In the story, Tessa coaches Mark in leadership, but they both need lessons in love! I hope you have fun with these clashing coworkers as they discover where love leads.
Blurb:
Single mom Tessa runs a successful leadership program at work and supports a mother with dementia. She can handle any challenge in her jam-packed schedule as long as nothing spins out of control…especially her feelings.
Engineer Mark is an expert on pipelines at the same company, but his interpersonal skills need a makeover. Advancing to an executive job requires enrollment in a leadership course he doesn't think he needs.
When their professional and personal issues entangle, life at the office gets a lot more complicated. Romance is impossible…or is it?
Excerpt:
“Tell me what you know about Leadership Camp.” Tessa worked down the list of standard questions she always used to screen candidates for the program. Just because Mark earned executive endorsement didn’t mean he could skip the usual selection process. She remained alert for signs of his infamous, clipped attitude.
“I’d rather you describe it.” He gripped the chair arms.
“I’ll get to the details.” Tessa sipped water. His abrupt tone was just short of snappish. With a full hour booked, she wouldn’t rush through the process. “I always like to hear what people know about the program. If your learning expectations are way off my expectations, we have a challenge on our hands.” She plunked a palm on the table and flipped it for emphasis.
“I really have no expectations. Liz and Don recommended it.”
“You must have picked up things from the class alumni?” She took time to breathe and examine his expression. Staring out the window, Mark’s eyes were icy pellets.
“People say the course is a big time commitment and starts with a retreat for a few days at an actual camp. The group meets four days a week for three weeks.”
Tessa nodded. “Yes, what else?” She fixed on his blue eyes.
“I gather you play games. Sometimes, people cry.” He raised his eyebrows. “I heard the class produces results. The people who participate are often the next ones to get promotions.” Mark swept a hand through the front of his hair.
“Oh, I see.” Tessa sized up his commitment. He appeared more human with a few hairs out of place. She had yet to see him smile. Under the surface, he either held a natural reserve or a trace of arrogance. Whatever the cause, no doubt, he was anything but excited.
Blurb:
After the devastating loss of her husband, Erin Humphrey is rebuilding her life. She runs the Canine Corner dog kennel in Moose, Saskatchewan. Then a prairie blizzard strikes just as Erin’s family arrives for the weekend, followed by a handsome but a difficult client, Drew Dixon.
A daring jet pilot, Drew is a magnet for Erin’s young son Noah, upsetting Erin who is terrified of flying. Drew is at a crossroads because of a career-threatening mistake. Despite an icy start, the couple warm to each other, sparking an undeniable attraction. But will their secret fears keep Erin and Drew’s love from soaring?
Bio:
Margot Johnson grew up in a family of writers and is the author of two novels.
Her newest book is Love Leads the Way, a sweet office romance that brings together clashing coworkers who are leaders at work and at home. They unlock new feelings as they deal with challenging work, single parenthood, and mothers with dementia.
Love Takes Flight is her first novel, a fun, sweet romance between a daring jet pilot and a woman who owns a dog kennel business. This feel-good story explores themes of trust, resilience and pursuing your dreams.
Before turning her focus to writing, Margot held leadership roles in human resources and communications. When not writing, she connects with family and friends, volunteers with the SK Writers Guild, and walks at least 10,000 steps a day (unless it's minus 40!). Her beloved golden retriever Sophie is the real-life inspiration for her loyal canine characters.
Margot lives with her husband in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Margot Johnson, Author
Love Takes Flight Love Leads the Way Facebook: MargotJohnsonAuthor Twitter: @AuthorMargot In the Media: CTV News CTV Morning Show CHAB Radio CBC Radio Regina Leader Post
February 8, 2021
Braving Civilization
I braved the outside world today for my physical. My doctor told me I’m “great.” Last year, she told me I was “perfect,” but that’s because she also had my blood test results in front of her. This year she didn’t, so I’m going to assume my perfection is coming…as soon as I brave the lab to get it done. There’s something about going to a lab during Covid that freaks me out a little. But I suppose, if I managed a doctor’s office, in a medical building, with an elevator, I can handle a lab appointment.
That was my big outing today. It’s weird what I now consider an “outing.” It was on my calendar, and what with the phone confirmation and filling out forms electronically, I managed to remember that I had the appointment, which is a huge improvement over my schedule-keeping lately. But I planned for this. I actively worked out in my head what time I needed to wake up, how much time I needed to get ready, and generally put way more focus on what I was going to do than I ever have in the past. I guess nonchalance is another casualty of life in a pandemic.
Their parking is usually a nightmare, but this time it was easy to find a spot. I guess extreme pandemic scheduling has its perks. The nurse was kind enough to let me remove my snow boots before stepping on the scale. Even he recognized that they would add at least five pounds to the number. I kept waiting for the doctor to make a comment, but I’m assuming that she has decided that pandemic weight is its own separate entity, and as long as I haven’t gained an entire person, I’m good. Or should I say, great.
I rewarded myself with coffee afterwards. And I now feel way less guilty about my planned Dunkin Donut run on Valentine’s Day. But until then, no more outings, at least for a while.
***
Hey, Learning to Love is on sale for 99 cents until Feb. 19. If you've been waiting, now is the perfect chance to grab your discount while staying safe indoors! https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Love-Serendipity-Book-3-ebook/dp/B07J49V5SP
February 5, 2021
Welcome, Jayne York
Jennifer, thanks so much for hosting me. The support of dedicated authors and bloggers like you is valued and appreciated. You're a godsend.
You asked me to write a short bit about what inspired me to write Midnight Acquisition. I've got to tell you it's a story that's been brewing in my imagination for quite some time. In my 45 year career as a jeweler, tales of misidentified gems are rampant. There's Grandma's topaz that turned out to be a yellow beryl, Aunt Hattie's black coral beads that were actually Bakelite, and a million more. Perhaps the most poignant are those stories of inherited jewels that encompass the heart of their family.
"Midnight Acquisition" tells the story of just such a stone. But more than that, it tells the story of those people surrounding a fabulous, mysterious piece of history and the extraordinary lengths they'll go to possess it. The story's crux involves the emotional entanglement of two people separated by class and moral code—the thief and the good girl. Their longtime attraction explodes back to reality when he is forced to use her as the easiest route to the jewel or face death at the hands of a sadistic madman.
There's sizzling chemistry, fast-paced action, and intrigue—something for everyone.
Take a chance, take an adventure. You won't be disappointed!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I can't resist the call of a great story. As the child of a world-class machinist and a frustrated artist, I learned early on the joy of creating handcrafted jewelry. Each piece, like every customer, has its own tale to tell. You'll find them, collected like pearls in a strand, inside my steamy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense novels. Like my one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, the heroines in my books are rare, desirable and priceless. Their hearts can only be won by sexy, formidable heroes. ~*~ Find me online at: http://JayneYork.com
Website: JayneYork.com
Blog: JayneYork.com/What’s On My Mind
Email: Jayne@JayneYork.com
Twitter: @JayneYorkAuthor
Facebook: JayneYorkAuthor
Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P9SJ3YR
iTunes : https://books.apple.com/us/book/midnight-acquisition/id1543562855
Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=8gUVEAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/midnight-acquisition
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/midnight-acquisition-jayne-york/1138392609
BLURB:
Juliette Rochambeau was heartbroken when the boy she loved ran from South Carolina. Fifteen years later, she returns to her hometown to appraise her family's historic gem-encrusted necklace. Becket Ford is a thief whose regret over leaving Juliette behind tears at his heart. His remorse, however, must take a back seat when a sadistic puppet master forces him to use their connection to steal the necklace or die trying. As they both vie for possession of the priceless jewels, lingering desire and emotion from years ago explode back to life. But escaping a madman and finding a future free of their past may just be a fantasy…
EXCERPT:
"Hello, Jules." His lips quirked up, and she took a hesitant step toward him as if he'd pulled on an invisible thread. A swarm of bees erupted in her chest. He stood, and she couldn't help herself; she took him in from hair to soft leather loafers. Their gazes locked. His startling gray eyes should have been cool given the color, but the emotion swimming in their depths held her fixed in place. Riveted. The silvery center rimmed in a blue so dark it was nearly black, and thick lashes, a lush sable brown like the roots of his hair. This Beck was as familiar as home and at the same time different as night from day. Gone was the boyish promise of good looks, and in its place, a devastatingly handsome man. The shoulders she used to love were broader, his waist honed. The flat stomach she'd caressed with curious, questing fingers was now an impressive six-pack of muscle revealed by the cling of his T-shirt. His chest, when he drew in a deep breath, strained the white fabric. Her body seemed to disconnect from her mind, and the power of speech deserted her. When she finally mustered the wherewithal to reply, her voice resembled the grate of a rusty screen door. "What are you doing here?" She cleared her throat. "I mean, hello yourself. I didn't know you were back in Charleston." She fought the urge to sling herself across the distance and jump into his arms. Her fists clenched to drag back control. Pull yourself together, Juliette. He trashed your stupid heart and didn't think twice.
January 21, 2021
Spotlight on Rawhide: Ace in the Hole, by Desiree Holt
At the very exclusive dungeon, where only those with connections gather to indulge their sexual fantasies, a new twist has been added—a deck of cards. For each Master and sub, the choice of cards from their deck determines their play for the night. Who knows what twists a game of chance can bring.
Cut the Cards
Kelly LeBlanc was hot and aroused at being selected to be part of a demonstration for Rawhide’s members and guests. A card game for sex? What fun. But then she met the Dom, Tanner Sloat, and she found all her wildest fantasies about to come true.
Blackjack
He was everything Nia March had ever dreamed about in a Master, and more. And as he took her to levels higher than she’d even been, touching something deep inside her, she wondered if she could protect her heart.
Texas Hold ‘em
Sage Drummond thought she’d never recover from the effects of a relationship filled with cruelty, but she craved the role of sub. When she tentatively dipped her toe in the waters at Rawhide, that last thing she expected to find was a Master who would satisfy her needs as well as heal her heart. Could it last?
Dealer’s Choice
Cade Sullivan was one the most in demand Dom, until a tragedy sent him hiding from the world and out of the D/s life. Working at Rawhide gave Fiona Wilder the urge to try the D/s life. Could she be the key to make Cade forget the past and build a life with a sub that was all his?
Two of a Kind
They each brought their baggage to a night at Rawhide that was supposed to be nothing but fun. A night of intense D/s play. Neither expected the intense connections they made or how it would change their lives.
From Cut the Cards:
If Tanner hadn’t come vetted by Reulas, Kelly might have had second thoughts about this. She was very selective with her Doms, but the club owner wouldn’t put her with a man unless he trusted him. Besides, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt such a strong sexual pull, such a desire to do anything and everything with anyone, no restrictions.
She smiled at him and waited for him to precede her, following him with her head down and hands clasped behind her back, already in her submissive role.
The alcove was barely more than a niche in the wall as it curved back toward the hallway. It contained a café table and two chairs and provided a modicum of privacy for two people to conduct their negotiations away from the crowd. Tanner nodded for her to sit, then opened the deck of cards.
“This is a new game to you,” he told her, “so I would like you to make the first choices.”
She took a deep breath, fanned out the cards, and started turning them over.
All Buy links found here:
Rawhide: Ace in the Hole | Desiree Holt » Books
But first he had business to take care of. Their manager was leaving due to a family emergency and Clint Chavez, his partner, had searched for a replacement. After whittling down the possibilities to one, tonight Reece would put his stamp of approval on the applicant. Or not.
He knew nothing about the person except it was a female, not all that strange for a fetish club. He knew women often made the best managers.
“She’s waiting in my office,” Clint told him when Reece came in through the back door. “She apparently got a job working in a club not too long after she graduated college and has worked her way up through the system.”
Reece cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah? Wonder what she majored in to start working the fetish circuit.”
Clint laughed. “She’s got a college degree in business management and I literally stole her from a top private club in Atlanta. You can ask her yourself why she’s doing this instead of working in the corporate world.”
“What would make her leave? Didn’t they pay her well?”
“More than well.” He shook his head. “She was very honest with me. Although she’s a very strong manager, her nature is that of a sexual submissive. She’s just coming out of a long relationship that ended badly and needed a change.”
Reece grunted. “I hope she doesn’t intend to poach on the clients. That could be very bad for our reputation.”
“Don’t worry. She knows the score. She comes highly—and grudgingly—recommended.”
“All right. Let me talk to her, but if you’re sold on her I’m sure she’s fine. India knows she’s supposed to be waiting for me?”
Clint grinned. “Yeah. What a good little subbie she is, waiting on her knees for you for thirty minutes.”
Reece chuckled. “At least I told her she could use a kneeling pad.”
“Yeah. You’re a damn prince. Okay, let’s go talk to the other lady who’s waiting for you.”
Clint opened the door to his office and gestured to the woman sitting in a chair in front of his desk. Reece was halfway inside before she registered with his brain. When she did, he stopped feeling as if he’d just taken a punch to the gut.
Thick masses of auburn curls tumbling past her shoulders framed a heart-shaped face. Hazel eyes that seemed to change color even as he looked at her stared back from beneath thick lashed. A very sedate tailored navy sheath was little camouflage for lush curves. Slim legs were crossed at the knees. Feet encased in navy pumps.
His eyes were drawn again to her face and the full, sensuous lips painted with a soft peach lip gloss. He knew those lips, knew them nearly as well as his own. He’d tasted them often enough in years gone by. As well as the rest of that body. Only then it had belonged to a girl. Now she was a woman and he couldn’t seem to stop staring at her.
And the sudden explosion of emotion shook him to his core.
USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.
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January 18, 2021
It's A New Monday
The house is empty and I have a ton of work to get done, which is good, because it keeps me from missing the girls—even now, I look at my bare counters and reminisce about all their junk spread where it doesn’t belong. Sigh.
My husband is supposed to be off today, but he has work obligations, so I told him to pretend it’s any other day and not to talk to be before six thirty. Every time he walks into the kitchen and I say hello, he says to pretend he’s not here.
So, there is nothing keeping me from doing my work.
The group of authors I collaborate with for the Ticket to True Love series is rebranding and relaunching our series. There’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff that went on in order to achieve this relaunch, and now I get to announce everything to my newsletter subscribers, which is exciting. Except it requires me to understand the newsletter interface, which somehow always changes slightly each time I use it.
I had to reupload files and a cover and some selling options for my book in the series, Whispers in Washington. That requires a whole lot of technical knowledge that I eventually figure out but isn’t easy to find (at least for me). So I think I did it, but there’s a chance I didn’t.
We’re having a Facebook party this weekend to celebrate, and I’m helping to coordinate it, which requires a lot of planning and nagging. Those skills I’m good at, but these people don’t know me quite as well as my usual people whom I nag, so it requires some finesse on my part.
There’s marketing I have to do, a blog I have to write—HI!—and editing I have to get to (especially the edits I remembered last night before I fell asleep). And of course stuff around the house, since a lot that fell by the wayside while getting the girls off to school. Once again, I have to adjust to a schedule that I determine, and isn’t controlled by others. You’d think that would be easy, but without a set time that I know I have to finish by, it’s easy to procrastinate.
So here’s to a productive Monday. And no matter what you’re doing, you’re probably doing it more successfully (or at least, getting made fun of less) than I am! J
January 13, 2021
Get to Know Kristal Harris
Favorite color: Red
Favorite Movie: Under the Tuscan Sun
Favorite Paranormal Author: Christine Feehan
Favorite ice cream: Butter Pecan or Mint Choc Chip
Favorite Chocolate: Dark chocolate
Favorite Candy: Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate
Favorite Vacation: Badlands, South Dakota
Favorite Genre Romance: Historical romance
Favorite female actor: Kate Winslet
Favorite male actor: Alexander Skarsgard
Favorite TV shows: Ancient Aliens, What on Earth, UFO files, The Abandoned, The Unexplained. (I’m a true nerd, and embrace it fully…lol)
AUTHOR BIO
Kristal Dawn Harris is an award-winning, Rone nominated, American romance author. She has been married for 27 years and has two children. Kristal finished a degree from Miami University in Accounting Technology, but quickly realized she preferred words over numbers. She is an avid reader and, in particular, loves darker paranormal romance. Her hobbies include coin collecting, physical fitness, stained-glass art (beginner), poetry, and song writing.
Kristal primarily writes for her publisher, The Wild Rose Press, although it should be noted she has self-released several books. She writes paranormal, fantasy, erotic, as well as contemporary romance in different lengths.
You can find out more about Kristal and her books at www.kristalharris.com.SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
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Blurb
Vampire and warlock, Roman Lee, spent centuries alone as ringmaster of the carnival. After befriending and healing a scarred, young woman, Roman realizes Mariah is his mate. He waits for her, but when she departs from his life, his torture knows no bounds. Now he's risen, unforgiving and angry, forced from his grave by the one woman who captured his heart, but will another secret and the call of his mate change everything?
The steady call of Roman's blood and the promise of peace brings Mariah Stone home to the carnival and the vampire she left behind. He ignores her until she forces him from the grave with her blood. His anger crushes her already broken spirit, but she is determined to win Roman's forgiveness and free him from their bond. Denied passion leads them down a path of magic and desire, while a devastating secret threatens eternal love.
UNIVERSAL BUY LINK
Rise for Me | Universal Book Links Help You Find Books at Your Favorite Store! (books2read.com) Excerpt
Mariah stopped directly over where she knew Roman rested. Her own blood surged in her veins every time she stepped on the worn plank. She tilted her head, listening to the call of his blood and the beat of his heart. Lizzie said he wasn’t feeding as much as he should, so there was one sure way to bring Roman out of his grave. She searched the room for something sharp until her gaze landed on a small, jeweled pocketknife. She grabbed it off the table and pulled the blade out of its slot. It was dull, but it would work.
Mariah placed the small blade against her left palm, then held it over the spot where she knew Roman rested. With one downward swipe, the blade pierced her flesh, opening a one-inch gash. Blood poured from the wound and dripped onto the rough, wooden floor planks. She crouched and held her palm over the crack between the boards, making sure the blood reached Roman. With a deep breath, she gathered her courage as her blood continued to splatter in droplets between the planks. The room seemed to groan, and every trinket vibrated when she finally called to the other half of her soul in a loud, demanding voice. “Rise for me, Roman Lee.”
