Jennifer Wilck's Blog, page 57

Meet KD Ferguson

KD Ferguson

Torn True Love

Published by Rebel Ink Press

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004971341970&ref=tn_tnmn

Follow me at kristend732

What are your goals as a writer? Have you met them/How do you plan to meet them?  My first goal was to write my first story.  When I completed that my next step was to find a publisher.  I’ve done both now, which I consider a huge accomplishment.  Now I have the goal of writing the sequel to my first release.

What inspires you to write?  Life experiences.  I like to write stories that people can relate to.  I want my readers to be so wrapped up in my story they feel as if they are part of my story.

How do you develop your characters?  I feel that my characters have strong points of view from the get-go.  I know who they are before the story is on paper.

How long have you been writing?  I’ve written poetry for many years.  (Only for myself, I used it as an outlet, no one has ever seen that work.)  I put my story to paper five years ago and that was my first attempt at writing.

Do you outline ahead of time or do you write from your head (are you a plotter or a pantser)? I am a plotter.

What is your writing routine?  My life is so hectic I don’t have a routine.  I take the time to write whenever I have the chance.  It usually happens at night when my young kiddos are asleep, but I’ll take what I can get.

What do you do when you’re not writing?  Run after my kids [image error]  And plan weddings.

Tell me a little about yourself.  I grew up in cold upstate NY and I am now a transplant in sunny NC.  I have been married to the most amazing man for almost five years and have two young, wild boys. I have a degree in fashion merchandising, which I put to use in planning weddings.  I am an avid reader, a self proclaimed shopaholic and an addict of iced coffee.

What are you currently working on?  I am writing the sequel to my first release, Torn True Love.  I have so much running through my head, I just need to find time to put it on paper!

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?  Reality TV.  I’m such a sucker for it!

What is your favorite book you’ve written? Read?  I’ve only written one book thus far, however I am extremely confidant that my second book will be more amazing than the first.  As far as my favorite book, I would have to say The Giver by Lois Lowry.  I chose this because it was the first book that introduced me to the dystopian world.  I read it in sixth grade and have loved that genre ever since.

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Excerpt

“Will you ever tell me about your dad?” I asked as I snuggled in closer to him.

He sighed. “Do you believe people who do bad things always go to hell?” He wrapped the

large white blanket tighter around us keeping the November chill out.

His question surprised me for two reasons. One, I wasn’t expecting Braiden to ask such a

serious question because he wasn’t a serious person, even though he was complicated and

difficult to read. And two, because he knew I wasn’t the religious type. We’d been taught

throughout our years of schooling that religion was a huge part of our countries downfall. Our

Headquarters allowed religions to exist in each unit, however if there was any sense of tension,

the groups were shut down. Due to the strict regulations my mom and dad didn’t implement

religion into my everyday life.

I answered carefully. “I think people make choices that can affect them for the rest of their

lives and thereafter. But, I don’t think one bad choice or moment of weakness dictates where

you’ll spend eternity. People make bad choices in life, but it doesn’t mean they’re not sorry, or

that they don’t regret them. So, no I don’t think a good person who made a mistake or several

mistakes will automatically go to Hell.”

“I was only a year old,” Braiden began his story, looking directly up at the sky, “and all my

parents did was argue. I overheard my dad on several occasions talking about how he disagreed

with the automatic pairing and he no longer wanted to live by Headquarters regulations. He

believed the rules confined and suffocated who he was as a person, and he thought something

better was out there for him. My mom worried about what his leaving would do to me. I guess I

didn’t matter. My mom woke up one morning and he was gone. He left and never once looked

back. My mom met Leon a year later. Leon’s wife passed away unexpectedly in an accident, so

Headquarters approved their pairing after considering each of their situations.”

“Aren’t you curious as to where your dad went?”

“No.” Braiden was emotionless.

“Why not? Don’t you want closure?”

“Honestly, it’s like he’s dead to me. My mom and I did just fine without him so I followed

her lead. I want nothing to do with him. He made that choice, he didn’t want us.”

Goose bumps covered my skin. I’d never heard of anyone disobeying Headquarters and it

made me nervous speaking of it.

“But maybe he really did. He must have loved you, he just

didn’t like being forced into this lifestyle. Maybe he’s in the Sweeper unit.”

“Maybe. All I know is I could never leave my family like that, especially my child. I would

never be able to turn my back like he did.”

“So you want kids?” I wrapped my arms about his waist a little tighter. Ever since I was a

little girl I’d dreamed of my perfect pairing and my perfect life, which included kids.

“No. I don’t think I do.”

“Ever?” I asked surprised at his answer.

He stared me dead in the eye. “I don’t see that in my future. Nor do I see myself getting

paired.”

My mind was spinning with a thousand thoughts, but not one escaped my lips. Granted, we

still had time before pairing, but what was the point in us continuing to be together if we both

saw our futures so differently? Was I naïve to think we had a future?

“Are you going to say something?” Braiden asked after a long period of silence.

“So you want to remain Single?” I avoided eye contact. This conversation was making me

very uncomfortable.

“I think so.”

“I guess I’m going to be the one who tries to change that outlook then.” I really thought

maybe I could be the one to change him.

 

 

Virtual Blog Tour

 

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Today marks the first day of my official virtual blog tour. For the next eleven days, I’ll be visiting blogs and sharing a unique excerpt from The Seduction of Esther.

What makes this virtual blog tour different is that it was set up by a promotional company called Goddess Fish. Basically, I pay them and they find bloggers who are willing to host me. I learned of them through a few different writer friends and I decided to give them a try. Because they have far more connections with bloggers than I do, the hope is that I’ll gain greater exposure to readers I otherwise wouldn’t have reached.

I’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, my schedule is as follows:

Excerpt Tour:

June 10:  Tinasbookreviews

June 11:  My Devotional Thoughts

June 12:  Flirting With Romance

June 13:  Just Trying to Let it Be

June 14:  Musings and Ramblings

June 17:  Power of Passion

June 18:  Books to Light Your Fire

June 18:  STOP 2  It’s Raining Books 

June 19:  As the Pages Turn

June 20:  Deal Sharing Aunt

June 21:  Bea’s Book Nook

I’ll let you know how it goes, and I hope you’ll stop by to visit me on my tour!

Welcome Joanne Berroa

Today I’m welcoming a fellow Rebel writer, Joanne Berroa, to my blog.

I’ve been writing all my life and that’s a few years. Back in 1983, Dell published my novel, “The Barbary Coasters.”  It was set during the 1860’s in the Barbary Coast of San Francisco and was part of a series of books written by different authors called, “The Making of America.” My pseudonym was Lee Davis Willoughby.

I’ve written articles for several computer magazines over the last thirty years doing software and hardware reviews and ads.  I was also a photographer for cover art for two magazines back in the 80’s, and currently write profiles for businesses and professionals for Micromedia Publications, a local newspaper publisher.

Rebel Ink Press has released three of my historical romances thus far: My Life, My Heart – a time travel novel with a twist; On Angels’ Wings – a novel set during the turbulent years of World War II; and Love’s Sweet Vengeance – a novel set in the old west in 1866.

When I’m not reading or writing, I teach piano and organ.

What are your goals as a writer? Have you met them/How do you plan to meet them?

I have a file of ideas for future novels and can’t wait to get started on them. I’d like to keep putting out historicals because they’re so much fun to research and write. My goal was to publish three novels I wrote back in the ‘80’s, which I’ve since rewritten completely, and they are all available for purchase so I believe I’ve met my initial goals.

What inspires you to write?

Living in another time and place vicariously through my characters inspires me and sustains me through the writing process.

How do you develop your characters?

I create a lengthy summary of each character, but I constantly update it as my characters change and evolve in my story telling.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since grade school. My first attempt was a compilation of sci-fi short stories. My first novel was written when I was nineteen, but my first published novel came out in paperback in 1983 so I’ve been in the publishing business for a few years.

Do you outline ahead of time or do you write from your head (are you a plotter or a pantser)?

I outline a lot, before and during the actual writing. If my story takes me on an uncharted path, I do a revised outline, but I always have a good idea where the story is going and what has to happen to get it there.

What is your writing routine?

I write every day for several hours with my trusty laptop on my lap while I sit in my blue velvet recliner. Usually I like silence but Yanni works, too.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I teach piano and try to be a good wife, mother, and housewife.

What are you currently working on (feel free to include a synopsis or excerpt, but please keep it PG)?

My WIP is another historical romance, a family saga taking place in Hungary, Manhattan, and Saratoga Springs in the late 1800’s.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Chocolate candy and iced coffee—too much of each!

What is your favorite book you’ve written? Read?

I love all my books for different reasons. I always love my WIP just a wee bit more since it’s new and close to my heart. My favorite books I’ve read are Green Darkness by Anya Seton and Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers.

[image error]BLURB: Love’s Sweet Vengeance

The Old West in 1866 spells romance and danger. Pair a smart and independent lady sheriff in New Mexico Territory with a virile bounty hunter and you get sizzling chemistry, even though they’re at odds with each other and their objectives.

Garrett Wade and Amanda Larson form a truce to work together to track down Clem Jones, the outlaw responsible for Garrett’s wife’s murder. But will the justice they’re after consist of Amanda’s way or Garrett’s?   Amanda, a lawman first and foremost, wants to bring Jones in for a fair trial, but Garrett wants only revenge–to put a bullet between the wretched outlaw’s eyes.

Their quest leads them into mortal danger, while a powerful lust brings them together in ways neither bargained for. Can they survive the peril, exact justice, endure a gut-wrenching separation, and still nurture their lust into an abiding love?

EXCERPT: Love’s Sweet Vengeance

Through the trees a gray wolf appeared, its fangs dripping with saliva. The wolf saw Amanda the same time she saw it. She leveled the gun in her hand and was about to release a warning shot to scare away the wolf.

“Fire that gun and you’ll alert Clem Jones you’re on his tail.”

She turned quickly to her left where a man in black attire sat atop a handsome stallion. On his head was a ten gallon hat with ties beneath his chin. She recognized the face as that of Garrett Wade.

“How’d you get out of jail?” she asked.

He removed his hat and flung it deftly in the wolf’s direction, sending the animal scurrying back into the woods. Garrett dismounted and retrieved his hat. Dusting it off on the side of his leg, he crossed to where Amanda was standing.

“Your deputy’s a good man, Sheriff,” he said. “We had a little chat. I explained to him if he let me go, I’d look out for you and make sure no harm came to you. He said he promised your pa he’d take care of you. He admitted he didn’t like you riding out alone after that sonofabitch Jones.”

“John let you go?” she said, her pretty blue eyes wide as saucers.

“Sometimes it takes a man like him and not a boy like you to know what’s right and what’s wrong. He shares the same code of honor as I do.”

She frowned. Had she heard him correctly? He thought she was a boy? “A boy?” she said incredulously. “Are you calling me a boy?” Her scowl showed her irritation.

“No offense. You look kinda young to be a man.”

“You are a fool, Mister Wade. I’m not a boy. I’m a woman. ”

Even in the waning light she could see his startled expression and it pleased her. The idiot couldn’t tell a woman from a boy.

He looked her over as if seeing her for the first time then a slow smile spread across his face. He laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned. A woman sheriff? What won’t they think of next?”

LSV Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=joanne+c.+berroa

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/joanne-c.-berroa

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Joanne+C.+Berroa

http://www.bookstrand.com/joanne-c-berroa

BLOG:

www.joannecberroa.blogspot.com

WEBSITE:

www.joannecberroa.wordpress.com

 

 

 

 

 

Release Day!

My book is out! Actually, my publisher released it on Saturday, which was a great surprise. I spent all weekend publicizing it on Facebook and Twitter. On Sunday, I participated in a virtual release day party (you can also click here) with a whole bunch of other authors. We talked about our books, and gave blurbs and excerpts throughout the day. I’m now going to be going on a bunch of blog tours—check my Facebook page for details.

[image error]The Seduction of Esther is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance and BookStrand as an e-book. Paper version will follow shortly.

Blurb: Samara Goldberg has a problem even the most beautiful singing voice can’t fix. She’s a walking disaster, especially when she’s around handsome men. To make matters worse, she’s in desperate need of someone to play the character of Mordecai for the Purim spiel she’s producing and the new congregant, Nathaniel Abramson, is a perfect fit. Nathaniel is a divorced dad who’s recovering from the biggest public scandal of his life. The last thing he needs is a relationship with the choir director at his new synagogue, who also happens to be playing the lead female role of Esther in the very play he’s been coerced into joining.

Woven around the Jewish holiday of Purim, The Seduction of Esther is a story of two people whose lives mirror the plot of the Purim story. Like Esther, who had to hide her Jewish identity from the King of Persia, Samara and Nathaniel are hiding key pieces of themselves. Evil Haman wanted to destroy the Jews, and the nasty Josh will do anything to keep Samara and Nathaniel apart. Will their love survive, like the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia, or will their fear keep them apart?

I hope you’ll check it out and if you’d like, leave a review on the site where you purchased it.

 

 

 

Check Out Lila Munro’s Newest Release!

Today’s guest is Lila Munro. Lila is one of my greatest writer friends. She’s a fellow Rebel Ink Press author and she’s always happy to share her wisdom and advice with other authors. So I was thrilled to have her guest on my blog to promote her newest release (warning, it’s a bit, more, um, shocking, than what I write [image error] ).

Thank you very much for hosting me today and allowing me to share my latest release, At Your Service: Tammer, with your readers! It’s book one in a brand new line I’ll be rolling out throughout 2013.

Assassin. The first word which comes to mind when Nina Prescott opens her door not to a Thin Mint toting Girl Scout but a rugged stranger dressed in black sporting a smirk that has her slamming it in the man’s face. With her instincts in a tailspin, her head tells her to run. Has her husband’s occupation finally come home to roost?

But when the stranger who acts more like he’s come to gather her for a date rather than kill her corners her and produces his calling card, the truth of what he really is, is even more shocking than the thought of him being a hit man…

At Your Service…Providing all your kinky needs with none of the strings. For more information or to schedule a consultation…

Nina can’t believe Joel has actually hired a service Dom. With his job keeping him away more than he’s home, Nina’s found it all too easy to weave from their established rules. She knows she does things she convinces herself Joel is none the wiser of, like working fourteen hour days when she knows good and well her Master would bust her ass for working a minute over eight. But a sub-sitter? While she realizes their once rigid lifestyle has been slowly disintegrating, it seems a bit extreme. But Nina still loves Joel and is determined to obey the one rule he never bends…try anything he asks of her at least once before deciding she doesn’t like it.

And really. Would one turn on the ride named Tammer J. Weston be so bad?

[image error]Excerpt:

“Nina Prescott?” the man standing there poised to knock again rumbled out in a honeyed, baritone which plucked at a nerve or two as it skittered down Nina’s spine.

Nina looked up and up over hardened thighs beneath black denim, rugged abs seeping though skin tight cotton, and a chiseled olive chin dusted with just a smattering of dark five o’clock shadow. His piercing indigo eyes bled authority from beneath long, envy worthy lashes.

Almost every instinct in her yelled, “Dom, kneel!”

The other’s urged, “Stranger, caution.”

She was pretty sure her marine husband and Liege would have her strapped to a cross for ignoring the second voice, but he’d gone off on mission again and disrupted her carefully plotted out life. Again. Although she’d never entertain the idea of cheating on Joel because she sure wasn’t that kind of wife or sub, he hadn’t said no flirting as he reminded her of the rules on his way out the door.

“Who are you and what do you sell? Have any cookies in your bag?” she asked, eyeing the black, leather duffle draped over one of his broad shoulders which bested her height by at least six inches and licking her lips. Her heart refused to stay still as she imagined what he just might indeed be carrying with him.

“No cookies. I’m from the service?” he said, raking Nina with those smoldering eyes and sending heat out to her extremities.

“Which branch?” Nina withdrew the fifty, tucked it behind her back, and poked her head out noting the black Ford F-250 parked in front of her quarters. If he’d managed to come into housing he had to have a base sticker from somewhere.

“No, no. I’m from the service, not in it. You are Nina Prescott, right?” the man pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. “Nina Prescott, wife of Master Sergeant Joel Prescott, lives at thirteen twenty-three Minnesota Avenue, play night Thursdays, political speech writer…”

Nina gasped and tried to slam the door in his face, her cookie money floating to the floor as she let go of it. Toy bag on his shoulder her ass, he was an assassin. Who the hell was Joel’s current assignment that they’d sent someone after her for payback? And where the hell was her cell? On the damned catch all in the back? The MPs…9-1-1… “I’m going to call the MPs, asshole,” she shouted, finally managing to get the door shut despite his best effort to keep it open and turning to bolt down the hall with her heart in her throat.

Purchase at:

Amazon  ARe

Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and their two four-legged kids. She’s a military wife with an empty nest and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fifteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual softer read to BDSM and ménage. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Three for Keeps, the Force Recon series, the Slower Lower series, the Identity series, and the Private Collection. Currently she is working on two new series set to release summer of 2013, the At Your Service line and the Steele Image line. She’s a member in good standing of RWA. Ms. Munro loves to hear from her readers and can be found at Realmantic Moments   Facebook    Goodreads   Twitter You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com and you can find all her works at: Amazon   ARe  Nook    Bookstrand

Meet Kate Roth

[image error]I’ve been writing for fun for roughly fifteen years but I’ve been writing as a professional, published/contracted author for only about a year and half. Writing and knowing it’s my job is completely different than writing for fun and only sharing with my closest friends.

The hardest part of being a writer with a career in writing is making time for writing after coming home from my day job. I work full-time as a hair stylist and I own my own business. I stand and work and talk for long hours five days a week and then I take care of buying supplies, paying bills and bookkeeping for the salon. After all of that I go home to usually make dinner, walk the dog, do the laundry and hopefully have a moment to myself to breathe!

But then comes career number 2. I love writing. It’s my greatest passion in life and I wouldn’t give it up for anything but some days it is hard to keep up my mental energy for both jobs. The thing that keeps me going is my love for words, my drive for success and my readers.

Finding work/life balance can be hard enough but finding work/life/work balance has certainly been a challenge this past year. I have two wonderful jobs and I consider myself incredibly lucky that I enjoy them both so much. Some days I don’t have the hours that I would like to have to devote to writing but other days I have all day and I’m full of ideas. I suppose it usually balances itself even when I think I’m going crazy.

This past year has been amazing and I’m so excited to be celebrating the one year anniversary of my debut novel, The Low Notes. Below is a little bit about the book and all of the places you can find me.

[image error]When a chance meeting between high school teacher Kevin Reed and singer Nina Jordan ignites an instant spark, they must decide if it’s more important to follow your heart or follow the rules.

After caring for his dying father, Kevin Reed, returns to his hometown of Wexley Falls, bereaved, unemployed and exhausted at the thought of starting a new life. After a failed blind date, Kevin meets young singer Nina Jordan who takes his breath away with the sound of her voice. The connection is instantaneous and mutual on their first date, but both are crestfallen when they discover days later, to their horror, Nina is Kevin’s student at the local high school.

Deciphering between notions of love and lust, fate and coincidence, Kevin and Nina find themselves unable to turn their backs on what they can’t deny is a once in a lifetime feeling. Told from both perspectives, The Low Notes explores a love that feels right even though it seems wrong.

Purchase The Low Notes on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle (http://www.amazon.com/The-Low-Notes-e...), Barnes & Noble Nook (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-l...) and All Romance E-books (http://www.allromanceebooks.com/produ...)

Follow Kate on Facebook (www.facebook.com/authorkateroth), Twitter (www.twitter.com/katerothwrites)

Keep up with all Kate’s news and continue on her anniversary blog tour on her website www.katerothwrites.com

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

I’m exhausted. Actually, exhausted would be an improvement. My daughter woke me up last night and unfortunately when I’m woken up in the middle of the night, I don’t fall back asleep. It’s like pulling an all-nighter from my college days, minus the studying or the fun awake people around me.

Now, I’m a mom and my job is to get up with them when they wake up at night. Especially when it’s a nightmare and their door swings open, their feet pound down the hall and their breath comes out as a series of pants. I remember having that happen to me as a child. I remember being convinced that not only was a monster hiding under my bed, but a boogie man was lurking in the shadows somewhere between my room and my parents’, and I was convinced it was going to come out and grab me.

What I don’t get, however, is the silent entrance into my room, the light tap on my shoulder, the whispered, “Mom, I had a bad dream,” with the same tone that one would utter their name or the weather. That’s what I don’t understand. If they’re scared, please, wake me up. But if all they’re doing is alerting me to the news, honestly, that can wait until morning. Especially since I’ll probably give them a better reaction after having had a good night’s sleep!

Despite my never-ending quest for more sleep, and my desire for my children to finally, someday, figure out how/when/why to wake me up, on this Mother’s Day, I’d like to be perfectly clear about one key thing: I don’t begrudge my children anything.

For the past few days, I’ve seen a lot of essays and blogs talking about how the best Mother’s Day gift would be a day without our children. They’re funny and I can definitely relate to some of the feelings.

I get the frustration. I get the lack of sleep. I get the desire to be appreciated and the desire to pamper yourself. But what I don’t get is the desire to spend Mother’s Day alone, nor do I get the celebratory status of those who claim that spending the day childless is the epitome of the perfect celebration.

Am I in need of a vacation? Yes. Would I like some time to myself? Of course. Would I like someone to plan my day for me? Definitely. But Mother’s Day is not the day for it, at least in my opinion. Mother’s Day is the time to celebrate mothers. And mothers, in the truest sense, are supposed to be self-sacrificing. No, I’m not suggesting that we completely erase ourselves in order to serve our families. No one benefits from that. But our families are essential to the celebration of the day. Without us, our own mothers would not be able to celebrate; without our children, neither would we.

Mother’s Day is meant to be a day of positivity. Let’s focus on the good parts of motherhood. Let’s use the day to rejuvenate us so that when those frustrating days occur, and you know they will, we are a bit better prepared to handle them. Let’s save the spa days and the days by ourselves for our birthdays, the first day of school, or the first day of summer camp. All too soon, our kids will be gone and we’ll be missing spending the time with them.

However, if my child decides its no longer necessary to play her French horn in the bathroom for me while I take a shower, I probably won’t mind.

Meet Jane Wakely

When did you first start writing?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—it’s always been a favorite hobby to create stories, poems and other fun things. Even when I stopped putting the ideas on paper for a few years, the ideas never stopped. I continued to create stories in my mind as a way to pass the time.

Where do your ideas come from?

Sometimes ideas come from reading and sometimes…who knows? LOL I usually get lucky and they just come to me while I’m doing some mundane task, like cooking dinner!

Do you sit down and write, waiting to see what happens next? or do you outline first? (i.e. pantser or plotter)

Pantser, but with direction! LOL Before I sit down, I have an idea of where I want the story to go, but how to get there isn’t always clear. I’ll make notes (about half a page) of things I want to include and then sit down and see how it all fits together!

What is the best thing about being an author? And the worst?

The best thing about being an author is seeing my book for sale on the retail sites. It’s an awesome feeling to see something I created presented to the world. The worst thing is waiting! Writing a book is only part of the process and that in itself is hard. Combine it with the submission process and it can feel like forever before your book is finally complete and ready for sale!

What is the best compliment you could receive from a reader?

Finding out a reader loves my story/stories as much as I do is the best compliment.

Tell us about your latest book.

[image error]CHRISTINA’S BEAR released May 3! CHRISTINA’S BEAR is book two in my new series, Chestnut Rock Shifters from Rebel Ink Press. I’ve planned Chestnut Rock to be a seven book series.

Here’s the blurb for Christina’s Bear:

Christina Mills’ loud, bubbly personality gains her numerous friends and dating opportunities. Unfortunately, being labeled a “party girl” and dating a lot can give people the wrong impression. When Christina’s dates learn the truth about her, they soon move on.

James “Bull” Johnson is a restless bear shifter ready to settle down. At the urging of his friend, he relocates to the mid-sized town of Chestnut Rock. Bull hopes the nearby forest and being near his best friend will help soothe his bear and cure some of his loneliness.

When Bull and Christina meet, he recognizes her as his mate. However, their first two encounters leave Bull thinking Christina is afraid of him and Christina is confused by her feelings toward the stranger. Both Bull and Christina have secrets and insecurities that keep them guarded, but if they can trust one another, they’ll discover they’re made for each other.

Here’s an excerpt:

Christina Mills looked around the now half empty apartment and couldn’t help the sadness sweeping over her. She and Jenn lived here together for two years and now Jenn had been completely gone for two weeks. Christina knew they couldn’t live together forever, but she’d honestly thought it would be much longer before either one of them found the one.

Once Jenn and Matt had worked out their differences, Jenn’s belongings disappeared little by little until her friend finally admitted she was moving in with Matt. Christina was very happy for the two of them—and if she was honest, a little jealous. Not of Matt, of what Jenn found with Matt. Someone to love her unconditionally. Christina often wondered if she would ever find a perfect match.

Making friends was easy. Her height combined with her trim body and large breasts always gained the attention of men, but she’d kept most of them in the friend category. The ones that became boyfriends quickly tired of her bubbly—sometimes loud—personality. Looking for love resulted in dating often and had gained her the reputation of being a fun party girl. Unfortunately, many people made the mistake of thinking she was easy and slept around. Jenn was the only one who knew the truth and now Jenn was gone. Christina felt very alone.

What are you working on now?

Right now I am working on Chestnut Rock Shifters, Book 6!

CHRISTINA’S BEAR is now available at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

& All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-christina039sbear-1185380-140.html

(Coming soon to Kobo and iBooks!)

 

Find Jane:

Blog: www.janewakely.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JaneWakely

Twitter: www.twitter.com/JaneWakely

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/JaneWakely

 

Changing It Up

The countdown has begun, and for the next several weeks, you’re going to notice some changes on my blog.

Usually, I write about funny things my kids do, things around me that annoy me, and occasionally, the writing process itself. Well, yes, my kids are still doing funny things and people still annoy me on a regular basis. But, I have a book coming out June 3, and between now and then (and even a bit after then), I need to promote it.

No, I’m not going to walk around shouting, “Buy my book!” That’s the sledgehammer approach and not really me. Instead, I’m going on a number of blog tours.

Blog tours are like book tours, but they’re virtual. They consist of visiting other people’s blogs and talking about your book, your writing process, etc. The goal is to get their readers to pay attention to your book. Make sense?

Well, in order for me to visit other people’s blogs, I have to reciprocate—think of a dinner invitation. If you eat at someone’s house, but never invite them to yours, you’re not going to get too many invitations.

Most of my own visits are taking place right around the time my book comes out. So between now and then, I’m hosting a variety of other authors on my blog. Usually, they visit on Wednesdays—I like having visitors that day. But occasionally, they’ll visit on a Monday, giving me a break from blogging, or on any other day they choose.

It’s up to you whether or not you read my guests’ posts, although I hope you will. They provide a number of different perspectives on writing and they write a variety of different books. Who knows, you might find an author you like! Read their blog posts and ask questions, you’ll learn things and you might even win something.

Meet Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

The Ozark region is known as a vacation destination but few of those who flock into these old hills see the real Ozarks.  Although Branson, Missouri offers a variety of fun for all ages, live music in countless theaters, theme parks, water fun, two lakes, and more, the Ozarks have much more depth and history.  Shows like The Beverly Hillbillies served to enhance rather than debunk old stereotypes and I’ve learned it’s often difficult to communicate where I live to those outside the area.  No one’s ever sure if the Ozarks are in the Midwest, the South or the Southwest.  People on both coasts have been known to call it – and a large chunk of the middle United States – “the fly-over zone”.  Although portions of the Ozark are located in southern Missouri, all of the Show-Me State isn’t part of the Ozarks.   Like a relationship, it’s complicated.  And, although I’ve spent my share of time playing in Branson, even set some of my books in or around the town, the Ozarks I prefer is the one outside the tourist areas, what I like to think of as the real Ozarks.

I’m not native to these old hills and hollows but I began coming here at an early age.  Pop, one of my grandfathers, began vacationing in the Ozarks with a lot of other city folks (including Al Capone but that’s another story) in the 1920’s.  Long before I moved to the opposite end of my home state, I’d visited Branson and the Ozarks many times.  I’m more than a little bit hillbilly though, thanks to my complex family tree.  Most of my ancestors either hailed from Europe a few generations ago (I’m third generation American on my dad’s side), the others all managed to put down some deep roots in parts of Appalachia.  One difference, though, between the two regions is that the Appalachian mountains are far taller but the Ozarks are older.

If I can quote from one of my favorite John Denver songs, Country Roads, Take Me Home, “life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing in the breeze.” And I like to believe anything’s possible.  A few years back, a certain species of woodpecker thought extinct for decades was found alive and well in the Arkansas Ozarks.  If it can exist, I believe other possibilities abound and among those, I decided there could be a sin eater still practicing his ancient rites in the modern Ozarks.  That’s how my latest Rebel Ink Press title, The Sin Eater’s Redemption sprang from my imagination and came to life.  Here are all the details, blurb, excerpt, and more!

[image error] The Sin Eater’s Redemption

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

Rebel Ink Press

Ebook $5.99

ISBN#: 9781937265885

Word count: 72, 825

Blurb:

Death brings singer Tessa Owens home from Nashville to her native Ozarks.  But she’s not planning to stay.  Tessa turned her back on the old ways of life for the modern world long ago. She didn’t expect to meet her first love, Lucas Rowlands, at the visitation.   Seven years wasn’t long enough to forget him and sparks ignite when they meet again. Even worse, Tessa learns Lucas isn’t the simple country farmer she left behind but the sin eater, an ancient position handed down to him from his grandfather. As she struggles to understand Lucas’ life and role as a sin eater Tessa admits she loves him and there’s no doubt what he feels for her.  The devil wants Lucas’ sin-heavy soul and if they don’t come up with something, Lucas is hell bound on an express ticket.  If there’s any chance at a future, it’s up to Tessa.

Buy links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sin-eaters-redemption-lee-ann-sontheimer-murphy/1046493676?ean=2940016664606

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sin-Eaters-Redemption-ebook/dp/B00CDA9VDM

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thesineater039sredemption-1162793-140.html

Excerpt:

They ended up out in the antique porch swing, side by side.  As dusk gathered shadows into darkness, Lucas put his arm around her shoulders so she scooted closer.  The sweet, rich smell of honeysuckle floated on the wind.  Far off in the distance Tessa heard the whine of tires as they sped over pavement and down the road somewhere coon hounds barked.  Tiny brilliant lightning bugs flickered across the pasture and she marveled at their quiet beauty.  She hadn’t seen a single firefly since she left home but her nights were spent beneath city lights.  Peace settled around her like a shawl and she sighed with contentment.

“It’s so beautiful here. Quiet and so tranquil.”

“I like it,” Lucas said. “Always have, always will.”

They rocked and the gentle sway soothed something in Tessa’s soul  Silence stretched between them, comfortable as well worn shoes.  He smiled and turned to her, “I don’t remember any place else but here, you know.”

His early life history was still almost as familiar as hers.  Tessa nodded. “I do.”

“I’ve been a few places but I can’t imagine living away like you have. Was it hard to adjust?”

Was it? Tessa struggled to remember her first days in Nashville.  By the time she left Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge to come back to bury Uncle Cal, she’d adapted, learned to thrive and survive.  But it wasn’t always so. After a long pause to collect her thoughts, Tessa answered. “Oh, yeah, it was.  Everything was so different when I got to Nashville.  The traffic, the way the city goes on for miles and miles, the tall buildings, all of it felt so strange,” she told him. “At first I stayed with Karla, my cousin, in her apartment but it wasn’t very far from a large medical center and it wasn’t in the best part of town, either. Sirens ran all the time, ambulances, fire trucks, police cars.  I got homesick and almost came home.” Tessa stopped and then added, “And I missed you.”

“Why didn’t you come back?”

She offered him a small smile but it hurt to remember. “I planned on it and even packed my suitcases.  Then I got my first gig, so I thought I was on my way to the big time. I decided to stay a little longer to see what happened.”

Above the tree line the night sky stretched out, dark as black velvet. More stars than she could count brightened it like tiny diamonds.  The big-bellied moon rose, not quite waxed full and coated everything in soft silver.  Tessa found it magical and said so.

Lucas left the swing to offer her his hand and she took it.  “Come dance with me,” he said, the last thing she expected to hear from his lips. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about a thousand times.”

Enchanted, Tessa took his hand and he led her out into the yard.  They slow danced together in the moonlight.  At first there was no music but the crickets and the other night insects but Lucas began singing an old Jim Croce song from long before their time. She remembered the name of it, Time In A Bottle.  They’d heard it on an oldies radio station in their teens and both liked the poignant tune.  Lucas bought a Croce CD the next day and for a long time, Tessa recalled, it’d been their song.  Maybe it still was, she thought, with hope.

“If I could save time in a bottle,” Lucas crooned, his voice true on the notes, “that I’d like to do is to save every day until eternity passes away just to spend them with you.”

How could he sing the words, she wondered, and yet insist their time together had to be  fleeting.  Short term wouldn’t work and she knew it.  For them, it had to be all or nothing, everything or heartbreak.  Tessa said nothing, unwilling to break the spell Lucas wove. When he finished the song, he looked into her face.

“Now come love me. It’s the rest of the dream.”

Moved beyond words, Tessa nodded. Inside the house, he made love to her, unhurried and slow. He cherished her.  His sweet tenderness spoke more than words ever could and when she fell asleep, afterward in his arms, moonlight shone through the window and over the bed with benediction.

Here are some places where you can find me!

MY LINKS

Twitter: leeannwriter

From Sweet to Heat: The Romance of Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphyhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/From-S...

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/leeann.sontheimermurphy

Website/blog: http://leeannsontheimermurphywriterauthor.blogpspot.com

Blog: Rebel Writer: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

http://leeannsontheimermurphy.blogspot.com

Author In The House blog:

http://authorinthehouse.blogspot.com

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Ann-Sontheimer-Murphy/e/B004JPBM6I

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lee-ann-sontheimer-murphy/22/3a4/a75

BIO:

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy is a freelance writer and romance author.  A native of the old historic city of St. Joseph, Missouri  she lives and writes in the beautiful Missouri Ozark region.  She is a member of RWA, the Missouri Writers Guild, and the Ozark Writers League. Her romance novels include Urban Renewal, Guy’s Angel, Devlin’s Grace, Heart of the Ozarks, Dustbowl Dreams, and many more. Lee Ann’s work also appears in more than twenty anthologies as well as multiple websites and print publications.  She is a member of the 2013 Rebel Elite team at Rebel Ink Press and was also ranked as Best of Rebel in both 2012 and 2011. She lives with her husband, three children, and one spoiled Jack Russell Terrier in what passes for the suburbs in a small town. When not writing, Lee Ann enjoys tracing her family history, cooking, reading, and traveling.  She also pens a weekly column for the local newspaper.