Ranae Rose's Blog, page 16

Recent Contests & Battered Not Broken Goodie Packs Winners

This post contains the names of winners of three recent contents I participated in or ran, each of which ended on either 1/5 or  1/6.


Be sure to stop by here again tomorrow (1/08) for a special new giveaway - Rockstar Crush Day! It's going to be lots of fun.
* * * *
Weekend Battered Not Broken Goodie Pack Giveaway as Announced on FB & Twitter
I drew the three winners for this weekend's Battered Not Broken goodie pack giveaway using random.org. The winners are:


Sue P.
Patti
Delphina M.

TRS New Year's Party Giveaway
I selected the winner of the Battered Not Broken goodie pack prize today via random.org
Candy B.
New Year's Blog Hop & Giveaway Winners
-Battered Not Broken goodie pack winner: Sheri V.
-E-reader Grand Prize #1:
-$300 Gift Card Grand Prize #2:
-Giant Swag Pack Grand Prize #3: 



I've e-mailed all the winners, so if you're one of them you should have a message from me waiting in your inbox.
Thank you very much to all who took part in these giveaways! I really appreciate your participation and messages. :) If you didn't win this time, don't worry - I will hold more little giveaways for Battered Not Broken goodie packs in the furture (and will be sure to mention them on FB and Twitter like I did this time).

Also, I do a different giveaway every month for my newsletter subscribers, and next month's (February) issue will include an international Battered Not Broken goodie pack giveaway. If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter but would like to, you can do so right here.



The Battered Not Broken goodie pack, for anyone who hasn't seen already...

Contains: key chain, button and signed post card.

Battered Not Broken Goodie Packs Weekend Giveaway Winners

**Please note: This is for the e-mail giveaway that I announced on FB and Twitter, not the TRS New Year's party giveaway or New Year's blog hop giveaway. I will draw those winners separately tomorrow.** 

I just drew the three winners for this weekend's Battered Not Broken goodie pack giveaway using random.org. The winners are:


Sue P.
Patti
Delphina M.
I've e-mailed all the winners, so if you're one of them you should have a message from me waiting in your inbox.
Thank you very much to all who took part! I really appreciate your participation and messages. :) If you didn't win this time, don't worry - I will hold more little giveaways like this one in the future (and will be sure to mention them on FB and Twitter like I did this time).

Also, I do a different giveaway every month for my newsletter subscribers, and next month's (February) issue will include an international Battered Not Broken goodie pack giveaway. If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter but would like to, you can do so right here.
The Battered Not Broken goodie pack, for anyone who hasn't seen already...

Contains: key chain, button and signed post card.

New Year's Blog Hop & Giveaway

Happy New Year!
My favorite way to ring in the new year is to leave town and head somewhere where I can see the stars and hear the coyotes howl. When this post goes live at midnight 1/1/13, that's where I'll be. :) While I'm there, I'll be thinking about my personal highlights of the past year and looking forward to the next.
A few days ago I put together a post full of photos showing the highlights of my 2012. You can check out the full post right here if you'd like, plus find out a little about my writing plans in 2013. Or, here are just a couple snapshots of a few of last year's highlights.
Having fun meeting readers & other authors at the RT Convention in Chicago...
 
Left: Me and authors Marie Sexton, Nichelle Gregory and Seranna DeWylde at the TEB publisher's dinner
Right: Me and author Angela Stone
Having fun meeting even more readers & writers at Lora Leigh's RAW in Pittsburgh...

From left to right: Sylvia Day, Carrie Ann Ryan, a lovely reader, Shayla Black, Lexi Blake & me.
My new puppy Nessie...

These photos are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what I loved about 2012, so probably needless to say, I really enjoyed the year. 
What about you? What were some of your personal highlights in 2012? And what are you looking forward to in 2013? Tell me in a comment including your e-mail address  & you'll be included in a drawing for some big prizes, as listed below...
Grand Prize #1: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (winner's choice) *International
Grand Prize #2: A $300 gift certificate to Amazon or B&N (winner's choice) *International
Grand prize #3: A giant swag pack full of various goodies from the authors participating in this hop. *US Only
My Personal Prize: A Battered Not Broken goodie pack, which includes a keychain, button/pin and signed post card. *US & Canada only
In 2013, I'm looking forward to meeting more readers & fellow authors at events as well as bringing new stories to readers (of course!), and especially to putting more emphasis on my contemporary romances (though I will still be working on my paranormal series too). Here's my brand new release which just came out in December, and is my latest contemporary...

Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family’s expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that’s cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting – the one thing he’s still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can’t afford to take.

His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn’t felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She’s struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence – a feat that isn’t easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn’t defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?


Full-Length Novel. (Approximately 110,000 words.)
Read a free excerpt here .

Battered Not Broken can be found at major ebook retailers, including...
Amazon      B&N      iBooks
If you'd like to earn easy extra entries toward the Battered Not Broken goodie pack, feel free to check out the Rafflecopter options below.a Rafflecopter giveaway

DisclaimerComment by 11:59:59 PM Eastern time on 01/06/13 for your chance to win. Winners will be selected randomly using a Random.org. Winners will be contacted by the blog owner by 01/09/13. Only one entry per ISP address. The contest is open to international readers for grand prizes 1 and 2 but closed for grand prize 3 and the Battered Not Broken goodie pack. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited.
Don't forget to visit the other participating blogs for more chances toward the grand prizes! You can find the list of links here.

www.ranaerose.com

2012: Highlights of My Year in Photos + Looking Forward to 2013

Well, it's December 26th and this East Coast winter storm has me stuck indoors instead of traveling as I'd planned. Seems like a good time to write my year end blog post. I did this last year and enjoyed reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the new one, so here goes - here are the highlights of my 2012. :)

The writing...
I had 10 new releases in 2012. 10! Weirdly, this is the first time I've counted... 2012 saw the release of everything from my Half Moon Shifters Series to my Sleepy Hollow Series (both of which are ongoing) and several stand-alone titles, including my Clandestine Classics contribution (Wuthering Heights).
My first release of 2012 was Lonely Alpha (released in Jan.) and the last was Battered Not Broken (released in Dec.).

     
Plus, I got to cross two things off my writing 'bucket list'. I have a mental list of themes I really want to write at least once someday. MMA (mixed martial arts) romance and a US Marine hero have been on that list for a long time, and I wrote both of those in Battered Not Broken. :)
The travel...
Meeting readers and other writers at events and conventions was definitely a highlight of my year.
The RT Convention was great...

At the publisher dinner with some of my fellow TEB authors.

Me & author Angela S. Stone.

At the RT book signing.
Lora Leigh's RAW was fantastic...

Left to right: Sylvia Day, Carrie Ann Ryan, a lovely reader, Shayla Black, Lexi Blake and me.

Left to right: Emily Kale, Lisa Fox, me and Carrie Ann Ryan.
And in non-event related travel, I spent some time in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains (aka Half Moon Pack and Roaring Water Tribe Territory) this spring and winter...




The puppy...
 
I got a new puppy! Her name is Nessie. Isn't she a cutie?

The reading...
I read some great books in 2012. There are two that really stand out as my favorite reads of the year...
The Glass Guardian by Linda Gillard and Hot Head by Damon Suede
    
I loved these books! Definitely recommended. 
Celebrated My 1 Year Anniversary of Becoming a Full-Time Novelist
In November 2011, I cut ties with my old job and became a full-time romance writer - one of the best decisions I ever made! Every day I think of how lucky I am to be able to do what I love full-time.

I work here every day. No office yet... Maybe that will be one of my yearly highlights for 2013! (*fingers crossed* LOL)

As for Christmas yesterday, for the first time I received a gift from fictional characters (LOL). When I woke up there was a little box under the tree that said 'From The Half Moon Pack'...

I bet you can tell which charm on my bracelet was inside that box. ;)
* * * *
Well, those were the highlights of my year. In 2013, I'm looking forward to the new stories I'm going to bring readers (of course!). I'm especially excited about placing more emphasis on my contemporary romances in 2013. In 2012 I focused mostly on my paranormals, and while I do plan to spend more time on those in 2013, my contemporaries won't be put on the back burner this year.
I'm also really looking forward to meeting readers and writer friends at various events throughout 2013. If you'd like to see where I'll be, feel free to check out the schedule of events & appearances on my site. I'm scheduled for a variety of events across the country and hope to see you there!
What about you - what were the highlights of your 2012, and what are you looking forward to in 2013? How will 2013 be different than 2012 for you?

Six Sentence Sunday - Battered Not Broken

“I can’t stop fighting, even if it would be safer for me not to. I just can’t, Ally.” He surprised her by reaching across the table and taking one of her hands. “Don’t look so sad.”

The condensation on his fingers dampened hers, too. She looked at his face and tried not to let her gaze linger on his split and swollen lips, or the reddened area beneath his nose. He didn’t seem to mind the injuries, but to her, they were a flagrant reminder of what he risked each time he stepped into the cage – everything. 

Today is Battered Not Broken Release Day!

I'm extremely excited to share Ally & Ryan's story with you. :)

"As as Marine Wife whose husband suffers from headaches due to a TBI and PTSD I was very impressed with the book... Great read and I will be reading more from this wonderful author." - Jeannie, Proud Wife of a US Marine
"One of the most unpredictable romance progressions I have read to date." -Kame at the Book Queen's Book Palace
"The love scenes between [Ally and Ryan] smolder." -Donna at INMHO Book Blog


Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family’s expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that’s cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting – the one thing he’s still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can’t afford to take.

His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn’t felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She’s struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence – a feat that isn’t easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn’t defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?
Full-Length Novel. (Approximately 110,000 words.)
You can read a free excerpt from Battered Not Broken here at my site.
You can read a different free, exclusive excerpt of Battered Not Broken here at Tammy's Two Cents Review blog.
Battered Not Broken is available at major ebook retailers everywhere, including...
Amazon
Amazon UK
B&N
All Romance
And if you want to know why I wrote an MMA (mixed martial arts) romance, I blogged about that here .
Thank you everyone who's supported the release of Battered Not Broken - readers, reviewers, bloggers, friends - everyone. I really appreciate everyone who has encouraged me, reviewed and / or blogged about the book, shared the news and - of course - read / downloaded the book already! You guys are the best. ♥

Six Sentence Sunday - Battered Not Broken

Looking for my Gifts of Love holiday hop post? Just keep scrolling down.

Dampness crept from her core as she remembered the feel of him tunneling deep inside her and the sound of him telling her that he didn’t know what pain was while he was there. Like she was someone who healed instead of hindered. It was a new feeling, and a good one. Until him, she’d caused most people she cared about more problems than she’d solved. 
People like her family – her father, mother and maybe even Manny, when she was really honest with herself. Not on purpose, or because of anything she could have really controlled, but the fact still remained that if it hadn’t been for her, her father wouldn’t be in prison and her family would probably still be whole.
* * * *
Thanks very much for stopping by to check out the first Six Sentence Sunday selection I've shared from Battered Not Broken. If you'd like to read an excerpt, you can do so here  at my site.

Gifts of Love Holiday Blog Hop & Giveaway

Here in the Rose household, we celebrate Christmas. I, personally, have always enjoyed Christmas. However, that's not good enough for my husband, who is a full-blown Christmas fanatic. I don't quite meet his enthusiasm levels for extreme holiday decorating, so he thinks I'm a Scrooge!
Okay, so maybe I did declare my hatred of Christmas decorations a week or so ago when I stepped on a piece of glass from a broken ornament. But that's understandable, right? And I don't hate them anymore. Well, maybe just the glass ones...
Anyway, I'm more cheerful about the holidays now. Maybe because my foot has healed, my shopping is done, and - oh yes - I received this in the mail this week...

Yep, that's a holiday card sent to me all the way from my publisher Total-E-Bound in England. They send out cards to all their authors every December.
I thought the racy holiday card was hilarious. However, my husband the Christmas traditionalist was not quite so amused. He wouldn't take a picture of me with it when I asked, and he also refuses to pose like the model on the card so I can make my own Christmas cards.
And he's supposed to be the holiday fanatic in this house! I don't think I'm the Scrooge-y one anymore... ;) LOL
* * * * *
When I'm not busy receiving racy mail, I'm spending this last stretch of time leading up to Christmas preparing for the release of my latest novel, Battered Not Broken, which is releasing in just a few days.

Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family’s expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that’s cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting – the one thing he’s still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can’t afford to take.
His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn’t felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She’s struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence – a feat that isn’t easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn’t defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?
Releasing December 19, 2012
Paperback edition to follow in January
* * * * *Want to win an ARC of Battered Not Broken?
That's the special prize I'm offering for this hop! Just leave a comment on this post including your e-mail address telling me whether you're sending out holiday cards this year and you'll be included in a random drawing for an e-ARC of Battered Not Broken, which you will receive a day before release day. You'll also be included in a drawing for these awesome grand prizes:


1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (winner's choice) - International Giveaway


2nd Grand Prize: A $200 Amazon or B&N Gift Card - International Giveaway


3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+
bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more! - US Only Giveaway



The e-ARC of Battered Not Broken is an International Prize.






And if you'd like to gain extra entries toward the ARC of Battered Not Broken, feel free to 

complete some or all of the easy Rafflecopter entry options below.




(NOTE: If you have already done any of the Rafflecopter options - for example, if you're

already my Facebook friend, or newsletter subscriber - you do not have to do the option

again. Simply mark it as done. Easy!)



Oh, and as for me... I haven't sent out any holiday cards yet. DH is still being stubborn about posing for one. LOL

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don't forget to check out the other participating blogs for more chances to enter the grand prize drawings. You can find the complete list of links here.

DisclaimerComment by 11:59:59 PM Eastern time on 12/17 for your chance to win. Winners will be selected randomly using a Random.org. Winners will be contacted by the blog owner by 12/18. Only one entry per ISP address. The contest is open to international readers for grand prizes 1 and 2 and the e-ARC of Battered Not Broken but closed for grand prize 3. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited.

Interview with Cover Model Jason Aaron Baca (And Photos!)

Exclusive Interview with Cover Model Jason Aaron Baca
Meet Jason, the star of well over 100 romance novel covers (and counting)!

Photo of Jason by Norman Sinanian
The Basics…

Hometown: Los Gatos, California
Star sign: Libra
About Modeling…

Photo of Jason by Craig Williams
R: How long have you been modeling?
J:  I’ve been modeling since 1997. Modeling for romance novels since 2009.
R: Wow, four years of cover modeling and you’ve got a lot to show for it. Over 100 covers and counting. Congratulations!
What’s your favorite thing about being a cover model?
J: Well it is really gratifying to be on these novels. When readers dive into these books they build that character in their mind’s eye.  Then they look at the person on the cover. It’s almost as if I become part of their dream. It is the most warming experience to think about.
R: Yes, I think readers definitely associate the models on the covers of books with the heroes within.
Do you have a least-favorite thing about modeling?

Photo of Jason and female model by Erwin Layaoen
J:  When they crop my head off the cover. That’s like staring in Star Wars and then people ask “well who’s your character?” and you say “Chewy” L  A nice body opens doors, but a good looking face to go with it, tears off the hinges! I want that exposed too!
R: I can imagine that that would be frustrating!
Speaking of how you’re shown on covers, do you have a favorite type of romance novel hero you enjoy portraying?
J: No I don’t. I have never really been the same character twice. I guess you can say I’d love to be a bad guy in one.  But I would say that I love being the good guy too. It’s not too often where they’ll put the bad guy on the cover. Unless he’s doing something badly impressive.
R: Being the bad guy – now that’s interesting. Readers might like the bad guy more if they used a handsome model to portray him on the book cover like they do the heroes. LOL
Do you have a favorite book cover that you’ve appeared on? If so, what is it?
J: I have several out that are my favorites. One that always seems to stick out in my mind is by N.J. Walters titled Legacy Found. It’s really eye catching.  Almost looks like it should be in an art gallery for sale.
R: I looked up the cover for Legacy Found and can see why you like that one so much. I love covers that combine a scenic nature background with a model in the foreground.

Now for the funny stuff… Do you have any amusing stories about modeling / being a model? If so, we’d love to hear!
J: Yes there are a bunch of great stories. One time at band camp…  haha… no it’s not that one.. J  The main funny story was the time they had me model out on a field where there was an old rusty tractor. Little did I know it at the time but I was about to jump onto an active bee hive. So I climbed up on the tractor and suddenly the buzzing came from under the hood… Out came a billion bad bumble bee’s! Man we all ran so fast we could have been Bolt in the Olympics!
R: I can sympathize – I hate being near bees. They always seem to be attracted to me over everyone else for some reason! It’s a curse… LOL
And speaking of photo shoots, it must take a lot of working out to stay in perfect shape for cover modeling – what’s your workout routine like?
J: Well thanks. We can always look better, be fitter. I strive to maintain a very healthy young looking body. Through a rigorous early morning and evening workout I have achieved this. I make sure to workout every single day that I’m alive for 1 hour. If its at my local health club I avoid conversation. People will often come up to me and ask what I do for certain exercises. Usually I just tell them to just watch me and mirror what I do that way I don’t have to have this big drawn out talk.
R: Sounds like a plan that’s been working out well for you. I’m so glad I don’t have to work out early in the morning to be a romance writer. I don’t think I’d be very productive. LOL

Photo of Jason by Mark Jenkins
On a more personal note…
R: What’s your favorite book (to read)?
J: Tony Robbins’ Unlimited Power & Arnold’s Fitness Encyclopedia.
R: Have you ever read a romance novel?
J: Absolutely. Quite a few actually!
R: That’s awesome. I’ve always wondered if cover models ever get curious and read any of the books they’re on.
What about movies – do you have a favorite?
J: For crying movies – “Terms Of Endearment” For Laughing movies “Dumb & Dumber” (1994) for adventure movies – Gladiator, Rocky IV, & Clash of the Titans original.
R: The original Dumb & Dumber is one of my favorite funny movies too. LOL I’ve been watching it since I was a kid. Love Jim Carrey!
Do you have any hobbies?
J: Working Out, Working Out & Working Out… And did I say Working Out?
R: I guess that’s not surprising!
Do you play / participate in any sports? If so, what are they?
J: Used to. I played in high school and college baseball. Those days be gone forever… I should just let em go…
R: Well, you certainly look as if you’re in good enough shape to give any baseball player a run for his money!
Besides modeling, what else are you passionate about?
J: I’m passionate about traveling and the great outdoors. I love animals and have a soft spot for fluffy soft animals.
R: Animals – a great thing to be passionate about! I know I and many of my readers feel the same way.
What’s your idea of the perfect, romantic date?
J: I’m the kind of person that likes the simple things in life. I don’t like doing 7 things in the day. I like to do 1. Decide… and then do it. If I had to choose one place, it would be Maui!
R: Sounds like a great location.
Tell us a fact about you that we’d never guess!
J: That I saw a UFO with my own two eyes back in 2008. Before that I never believed in that sort of thing, but after seeing what I saw…. My perception about it all changed significantly.
R: That’s my favorite answer of the whole interview. I feel like I saved the best question for last … well, second to last! LOL I’ve got one more…
The new year is almost here! What are your plans and hopes for 2013?
J: I can’t share ALL my goals but I can say that it will be a big year for me in 2013 with the book covers. I can feel it and I can’t wait. I’m hungry for covers!
R: Sounds great! I hope you find yourself on lots of stunning new covers in 2013. Thank you very much for participating in this interview!
To see dozen more photos of Jason, be sure to visit his website at…
http://jasonaaronbaca.deviantart.com/

* * * * *
On another note, today marks one week 'till the release of Battered Not Broken. Just one week! To celebrate, today I revealed the very first mini-excerpt I've shared anywhere...

Why I Wrote an MMA Romance

On Monday I announced my upcoming release Battered Not Broken and revealed all the official details. If you read that post or have so much as glimpsed at my Facebook or Twitter page (seriously, have you seen my new Twitter layout? ;), you're probably aware that Battered Not Broken is a contemporary romance about two MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters, Ryan Moore and Ally Rivera.
There's a lot more to the story than that, like the issues caused by Ryan's war veteran status and injuries, and Ally's problems with her family and a local gang. But in this post, I'd like to talk about the MMA elements and why I chose to write an MMA romance.
As you also may already know, martial arts (multiple forms, including jujitsu, karate and muay thai kickboxing) have been a hobby of mine since I was a teen. It's something I've enjoyed learning and practicing, along with my brothers, father and husband. (It's nice to have something to participate in and enjoy along with my family.) 

I've had some of the most kick-ass instructors you can imagine and I've been super-fortunate to have fun and meet a lot of awesome martial artists. I'm certainly no Bruce Li, but martial arts have provided years of enjoyment (and some great workouts!) for me, so it was a delight to write about my favorite sport. (There are not many sports I enjoy, so I need to focus on the ones I do. LOL)
Unlike Ally and Ryan, I've mostly participated in these sports for fun and recreation rather than competitively. Although I did do a little bit of competitive fighting for extra cash (okay, and fun too) during my college years.
So not only was it a pleasure to write about a sport I care about, but it was nice to write 'what I know', knowing that my involvement in the sport as a student, participant and frequent observer would help me to write realistically about it.
There are already some MMA romances out there, and that's a sub-genre that definitely appeals to me as a reader. So far, I've read a (very) small percentage of those books, and while those have been well-written by skilled authors, as someone who is familiar with the sport, I couldn't help but think how much more I personally would've enjoyed them if they'd included something more. Namely, realistic details about the sport. (The last book I read had no fight scenes. *weeps*)
In Battered Not Broken, MMA is not just sexy window-dressing. I told the story of two amateur MMA fighters, which is probably (as far as I can tell) an anomaly when it comes to this sub-genre. You won't find any high-rolling millionaire UFC world champions in Battered Not Broken. Instead, you'll find two real people participating in the sport they love. And I sincerely hope that you'll enjoy reading their story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
All of my books contain certain elements of real-life experience and certain elements of imagination and fantasy. The balance varies from book to book. For example, in my Half Moon Shifters Series, the only part of that that's real is the fact that I've enjoyed spending some time in the gorgeous Great Smoky Mountains.
Battered Not Broken contains a higher percentage of real-life experience (and I wasn't thinking of the sex scenes when I said that - ha!). Every lesson I've learned, every sparring or competitive match I've participated in, and every ugly bruise I've received in real life played a part in helping me write this story. There are other subjects I'm passionate about in real life that I want to write about in the future. MMA is one I've been looking forward to turning into a story for a long time. And it feels good to have done so.



Ryan Moore forged his own path when he defied his wealthy family’s expectations by joining the United States Marine Corps as an enlisted man. After a period of service that’s cut short by an IED explosion, the lingering physical and mental effects of war result in an isolated struggle to exist in the civilian world. He throws himself into competitive MMA fighting – the one thing he’s still able to excel at, even if every match is a risk he can’t afford to take.
His first encounter with amateur female fighter Ally Rivera ignites a spark of desire he hasn’t felt since before a bomb left its marks on his life and his body, but his flirtation with her turns out to be anything but harmless. She’s struggling to hold together a family ravaged by violence – a feat that isn’t easy when her father has been imprisoned, leaving her vulnerable to relatives who run a local gang. Can two unrelenting fighters overcome challenges they couldn’t defeat alone, or do the wounds of war and crime run too deep for even love to heal?
Releasing December 19th
Paperback edition to follow in January


Full-Length Novel