Lorraine Nelson's Blog, page 6

Cover Reveal!!!

I finished writing Guarding Flint, my latest romantic suspense, and it’s currently in edit mode, but I couldn’t quite decide on a cover. Could you help me, please? Which of these covers appeals to you? Left, middle, or right? Or none?

Here’s the blurb:

Ella Delaney is a small town girl with a big heart, except when it concerns Flint Harrington. She’s working a case when her twin sons’ long absent father shows up in the middle of her stakeout.

Flint reconnects with Ella during his working vacation in Thayne, Wyoming, hoping for a long overdue reconciliation. But shots fired at him coupled with his daughter’s kidnapping has Ella investigating him instead.

Can they work out their troubled past while surviving present dangers? Or the better question…after the way Flint left years ago without a word, can he count on Ella’s help?

Guarding Flint is the first book in my Wyoming Secrets series and will soon be available on Amazon. Thanks for your help and continued support. :)

Happy New Year…a few days late. :)

I can’t believe we’re almost into the second week of 2016! Time seems to fly right by me lately. In some ways, that’s a good thing. In others…not so much. It is my sincere wish that you all have had a happy holiday. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this is a very precious season filled with love, sharing, and giving…not to mention the food. I haven’t yet dared step on the scale. It’s bad enough knowing that my pants fit tighter, so let’s just not go there. :)

I didn’t make any resolutions this year…never stick to them anyway. lol

This year I’d like to start off by telling you a bit about the writing of each of my books. I currently have 30 titles available and the inspiration for each one is unique. But first, I thought I might interest you in my writing journey. This is a post I wrote quite a while ago, but the truths haven’t changed and I’ve updated it for posting today. Here goes…

Writing – my passion, my dream.

I started writing adult fiction as a hobby in 2009 while on medical leave for hand surgery. I’d developed an infection in my thumb that ate the bone from the inside. Imagine my surprise when I pulled a hangnail on the sore and swollen thumb and out came a stream of pus which included slivers of bone. I still shudder to think of it. The plastic surgeon tried to save it, God bless her, but the bone was too far gone, so she amputated my left thumb.

That was in October, 2008, and by the end of January it was pretty much healed and I looked forward to returning to work. With the aim of gaining more flexibility in that hand, I began doing typing tests and such. Easily bored, an idea came to mind and I just sat at the computer and started writing. When I finished that first manuscript seven weeks later, I was thrilled! Then came the process of editing, tweaking, and polishing until I felt it was ready to send.

Boy, was I wrong!!!

Needless to say, I’ve suffered through my share of rejections, but instead of giving up, they made me more determined to succeed. I’ve joined several writing groups and forums and have made many online friends, people who have been supportive and encouraging throughout this journey. By nature, writing is a lonely hobby, so it helps to have people with whom you can share and do a little brainstorming. Except when the characters start talking to me. LOL That’s when I can immerse myself in the tale and write for hours on end, crafting their story their way.

With feedback received, I discovered where my writing lacked substance, studied those areas, kept writing, revising and submitting. I’ve entered contests and pitches, even won a couple, but publication still evaded me…until July, 2011, when perseverance paid off.

It wasn’t a call that came, per se, but an email. Evernight Publishing wanted my book. So, by receiving an email notification I didn’t have to stutter excitedly through a phone call and embarrass myself, but without speaking directly to someone on the publishing end, it didn’t really feel real – until I opened another email that Sunday night and saw my cover for Zakia and the Cowboy. Squee! It was fantastic!

I’d been waiting on the edits/revisions to come in and wasn’t expecting to see any cover art, especially at 11:30 pm on a Sunday night. My surprise was immediate and vocal. My son came running, alarmed, but smiled when he saw the cover. Everything had happened so fast!

Now Available in Print!!!

On July 17th, 2011, I submitted my manuscript to Evernight. On the 18th I received the contract, signed and returned it on the 20th and on the 25th, received the cover. No matter how you look at it, this team is super efficient. Marketing and promotion commenced with the release of the cover and my debut novel, Zakia and the Cowboy, was released on October 5th. It became a Featured Title at All Romance Ebooks and appeared on two of their bestseller lists…cowboy/western and mystery/suspense. Zakia and the Cowboy also won December’s Book of the Month at The To Be Read Pile review site in 2011. Quite an honor for a newbie.

I am still happy to be an Evernight Author and am currently working on the 8th book in my Thunder Creek Ranch series, Return to Thunder Creek, featuring Jack Grayson.

Last year two of my publishers went belly up and I received the rights back for five books. Did it disappoint me? Set me back? Not in the least! I paid for the covers and self-published all five novels in ebook and in print form. I sold more in the first month than I had in the years they were traditionally pubbed. Go figure.

Needless to say, this has been an exciting journey filled with learning curves at every turn. The feedback I’ve received from readers and reviewers has been awesome and keeps me motivated to just keep writing.

It’s been a pleasure to share my story with you. I hope this serves as inspiration to other writers to just keep learning, writing, and submitting; and, for my readers, this provides a little “behind the scenes” info. Thank you all for becoming a part of my life. Love you!

If you’re interested in blurbs, excerpts, and reviews of my work, please visit my website. You’ll find everything you need at the one stop. (If not, let me know so I can fix it.) http://lorrainenelson.weebly.com

May you find good health, hope, and happiness in the new year. But most of all, I wish you love. Bless you all!

 

2015 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

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Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 22 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

#Christmas Week #Freebie!!!

Christmas is almost here. I love this time of year. Spending time with family and friends and giving to them as well. I’m just glad I’m still here to see another holiday. For a while there, it was kind of iffy.

Cancer is a strange thing, for sure. I beat it, and according to what Mom’s nurse said this morning, she will, too. That makes me very, very happy, as her doctor basically sent her home to die. But she’s coming around. That is my wish this season…my Christmas miracle per se. The doctor had only given her 2-4 months. That was in August. Well, Mom is still here and getting stronger every day, plus the tumor is shrinking. It was the size of a grapefruit when they sent her home, and now the nurse has a difficult time to find it. Praise God!

I think by now you’ve noticed that I started a Christmas giveaway back in October with Blessed Homecoming. Many of you have taken advantage of the free books I’ve been offering, and I’m glad you have. You don’t get much in this life for free, so enjoy the books with my blessing.

This week, today through Dec. 27th, Danger in Brennan Hollow is Free. Just click on the download link below and it’ll take you to the Amazon nearest you. :) But first, the blurb:

Battered and scarred, no longer the beautiful social butterfly she had been, Victoria Brennan returns home to heal. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Unable to bear the pitying glances bestowed on her by the townsfolk, she’s in danger of becoming aloof and withdrawn…until she meets her new neighbor.

Noah Jenson, medically discharged from his duty, wants to be away from prying eyes. When he comes upon Victoria on his property, he is outraged. Yet, when her mugger from the city follows her home, he finds himself drawn to her, taking on the role of her protector. But he is no Prince Charming, certainly not with his new prosthesis.

The physical pain and emotional adjustments are pushing them apart, but where there’s attraction, there’s always a hope for love.

If you have the time, all I ask is that you post a review of my book(s) after reading it/them. I love to get the feedback of your thoughts and feelings, plus it might just prompt someone else to buy and read my work long after the free run.

Download Danger in Brennan Hollow here: myBook.to/DangerBH

And just in case I don’t get back to you before Christmas, I hope you have the merriest Christmas of all filled with good health, happy memories, and the richest of blessings.

 

#FREE!!! Suited to be a Cowboy

Today is the final day of Suited to be a Cowboy being free. I thought I had already posted this, but in the rush of preparing for Christmas, I guess it slipped my mind. But it’s not too late to grab your copy.

I love this cover! It was done by Dawne Dominique and I think she did a fantastic job. :)

Blurb:

City slicker accountant meets ranching diva. Can their combined skills save the ranch or will their mutual attraction prove detrimental to their working relationship?

Excerpt:

Jimmy was pumped. Adrenaline poured through his veins as wild as the Mustangs while he’d chased after the horses. Now the rush had left, he was dog-tired and looking forward to sharing his news with his boss. But not smelling as he did coming off the range.

“Sherry, you are one beautiful horse. You knew what to do better than I did. Or was it that handsome stallion that had you moving so fast?” He frowned as he gave his horse a good rubdown, remembering the incident with Midnight Rain. How could he and Melissa get back to a normal working relationship? Would she even care about his success tonight? Animosity rent the air whenever they were near each other.

He’d bite the bullet and take the first step by sharing his news. After all, he hadn’t asked to bring Sherry with him and it had been rude to assume it would be all right.

After returning to his room, he headed straight for the shower. He’d clean up and change clothes before going to find Melissa. He and Tippy had corralled eighteen Mustangs tonight. He’d hoped for one or two, as on previous occasions, but they’d been lucky.

He showered in record time and went into the bedroom to find clean clothes, a towel wrapped around his waist. That’s when he noticed the lights on in Melissa’s room. She’d gone to bed. Maybe she just wasn’t interested.

Would she mind if I cross the courtyard and knock on her door? He stood close to the glass pane, trying to catch a glimpse of movement that would indicate she was still up. Nothing moved. The lights blinked off as he stood there, undecided. Well, that settles that. Letting the towel drop, he turned toward the bed. He’d tell her tomorrow, if she asked.

Exhausted beyond belief, he fell asleep almost instantly.

* * * *

Oh, wow! Melissa felt like a voyeur. A wanton and extremely needy voyeur.

When he came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, she should’ve turned away, but she couldn’t. Her feet seemed glued to the floor.

From the way he filled out his clothes, she’d known he had a great physique. What she hadn’t known, and couldn’t possibly guess, was how splendid a body he did have.

His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, not a spare ounce of flesh on him to be seen. Perfect abs, muscled biceps, and those legs, long and lean. Her legs shook in reaction, threatening to give way. She was about to start drooling. Never had she seen such a perfect body.

Certainly not Marcus’s. She giggled, remembering his paunch. Too much wining and dining did that to a person. Served him right, the adulterous jerk.

She watched as Jimmy crossed his room, walking up close to the patio doors. Was he coming to see her? Dressed like that? Had she given him reason to think he could? Melissa’s insides tightened in response as she turned off the lamp. She almost parted the blinds and waved when he looked her way…until he dropped the towel.

She’d moved then, peeking through the blinds to try and determine if Jimmy was retiring for the night, or just winding down.

Her eyes threatened to pop out of her head and she knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t look away. She took one step backward, then another, never taking her eyes off his muscular physique. When he turned and headed for bed, she almost cried out for him, such was her need. Instead, she stood there and admired his fine tush until he covered it with the blankets and turned out the lamp.

“Good night, Jimmy,” she whispered into the darkness. “Sweet dreams.” She undressed and crawled in between the sheets, punched her pillow into submission and settled in to get some shut-eye. Sleep did come, eventually, and with it exquisite dreams of the man across the way.

Get it here: myBook.to/SuitedTBAC

My First Author Fair!

What can I say? :) It was a fantastic experience, one I was proud to be a part of. This is me at my first public signing. I know, I look like an old hag, but what you see is only me on the surface. I have several beautiful layers within. :)

As you can see, my table was full. I had a good selection of sweet romance, romantic suspense, Christmas titles, kids’ books, and coloring books. My friend and co-worker, Cyndy Lewis, went with me and it was nice to have a day out. I hadn’t seen her in quite a while and she was excited to share the day with me. Once the table was set up, we could walk around and see other authors and their books or just sit back and relax.

The first book I signed, my hand shook like crazy, but after that all was okay. lol

Attending the event were comic book authors and illustrators, fantasy authors, childrens’ book authors, a few who write thrillers, and another romance author or two. The tables were full and, at times, the place was packed.

Most of the authors there had between 1 and 3 books available. When I posted on the event page that I had 30 titles available, one of the other authors didn’t believe me, so he went to my page (on Amazon I think) and checked it out. He told me about it when I met him yesterday and we had a good chuckle.

I can’t believe how many people stopped by my table to admire the covers and tell me how prolific I am. :) I didn’t bother to tell them that I have 4 more almost ready to release. LOL

And, BTW, I wasn’t always ugly.

This is me at 14. lol

I used to write a lot back then, mostly love poems. lol

I’ve started writing a new series, Crosswinds Ranch. The ranch was inherited by William (Billy) Gentry while he was serving time for a crime he didn’t commit.

On the day he’s released, he is told that his name is being cleared and compensation will be issued, which is fine with him. It falls in with his plan to open his ranch to homeless or troubled teens, teaching them how to survive, even thrive, and better their current situations.

And of course, there’s a woman involved. Jessie Connors comes to him as a cook and den mother for the girls in his care. But Jessie has problems that may well endanger the teenagers they hope to help.

Coming to you in January, 2016.

In the meantime, I’m finishing up Guarding Flint, a story that’s been waiting for its ending for a while now.

Ella Delaney and Flint Harrington were high school sweethearts…until one day when Ella woke up to find him gone…no note, no phone call, nothing.

Eight years later, he’s back in town and it appears he’s right in the middle of her investigation. With people shooting at him and trying to run him off the road, there was no question about it, Flint was in big trouble. And wasn’t it just Ella’s luck that her Captain assigned her and her partner to bodyguard duty.

How was she supposed to keep her private life private while in such close proximity to the only man she’d ever loved? Were they destined for a second chance…if she could keep him alive?

Coming soon!

#FREE eBook…Love on the Rocks!

Love on the Rocks begins and ends at The Rocks, one of my favorite places. The ebook is my gift to you today. Free for one day only, so grab it quick. :)

The Rocks at Hopewell Cape are about a forty-five minute drive from my house. It’s a beautiful spot to catch at low tide. You can walk down the cliff face with the aid of stairs and stroll the beach at your leisure. My kids always loved to explore the caves and run in and out and around the rock formations formed by the high tides. I haven’t been there in the past few years due to health reasons, but it’s a special place. I love it and hope to be able to make the trip next year.

Blurb:

When Sara attempts to save her infant daughter, she may also be escaping a fate worse than an abusive boyfriend…she may be running away from true love. The big question is: Which man will find her first?

Sara Compton, normally strong, independent, and fun-loving, is deeply distressed at having to abandon her baby, but she has neither money nor home and is hiding from an abusive and obsessive ex-boyfriend. The only way to keep her child safe is to give her up.

Anthony Jacobs has sworn off women due to a previous relationship gone sour. He finds the child, takes her home, and arranges care for her. When he places a public call for a nanny and a lovely woman arrives who seems to have a rapport with the abandoned baby, he hires her on the spot.

Sara is fraught with guilt and tension at the possibility of being found out. What will Anthony think of her if—or when—he finds out the truth? To add to her worries, trouble arises in the form of Sara’s ex-boyfriend, who appears on the scene with custody papers in hand. She makes a hasty escape, her daughter in tow, but in the process of avoiding the evil Elliot Saunders, is she leaving behind her one true love?

I hope you enjoy Love on the Rocks. Download it with my blessing. And if you have the time, Please leave your review on Amazon. Thank you.

myBook.to/LoveontheRocks

 

My First Ever #Book Signing!

It feels as if I’ve been waiting for this day forever!

On Saturday, December 12th, (tomorrow!) I will be doing my very first public book signing. To say that I’m a little nervous doesn’t quite cut it. :) Yet, I’m totally excited and looking forward to meeting other local authors and readers.

The Author Fair is being held at The Moncton Public Library in the Blue Cross building on Main Street. It’s from 1 until 4 in the afternoon. A great time to purchase books for the readers on your list. Parking is at the rear of the building.

I attended the first one they had, but found out about it too late to book a table. Not this time. I kept an eye on their page and booked a spot just as soon as the notice appeared. :)

So many new authors. Plenty of books to choose from. Several genres were represented. It was awesome!

If you’re in the area during the event, please stop in and say, Hi. No cover charge or dress code required. :) Look forward to seeing you there.

#FREE, His Christmas Wish

I’ve really been getting into the Christmas spirit. LOL

A Bestseller in the UK!!!

Blurb:

Fatima Leone is out searching for the perfect Christmas Tree when her car skids off the road. When she wakes up, virtually in her ex-boyfriend’s arms, she has to wonder if fate is playing tricks on her.

All Colin Reyes wanted for Christmas was to be left alone, but when Fatima reappears in his life, he finds himself rethinking his Christmas wish.

His Christmas Wish is free today and tomorrow. Download a copy while you can. Available on Amazon.

His Christmas Wish is also available in print…large print. :) Only $6.00 US on Amazon.

 

#FREE!!! Her Christmas Wishes on Amazon

What are you wishing for this Christmas?

Blurb:

Erica London needs some time alone to figure out if she should continue with the in vitro treatments. They haven’t worked so far. She really wants to have a baby and an heir to the ranch…to know he or she was on the way before Christmas. Of course, wishing for a man to love her and produce said baby would be wonderful, but that’s not about to happen. She rides over to the London Lodge, situated on the back end of the London Ranch, to clean and close it down for the winter. A freak blizzard has her snowed in, but she doesn’t mind in the least. She has food, shelter, and wood fires to keep her warm. Besides, she enjoys not having the phone ringing or wranglers stopping in to chat.

Spencer Rafferty is on his way to his brother’s wedding when he takes a wrong turn and ends up on a side road. His car hits a nasty drift and barrels into the ditch. With no signal on his cell phone, he looks around and all he sees is white. He smells wood smoke but can’t determine where it’s coming from. Then, in a moment of clarity when the wind dies down, he sees the smoke and walks down the road toward it.

Erica opens the door with gun in hand, unsure whether or not to allow the stranger in. But the storm is a raging blizzard and she takes pity on him. When not covered in snow, she sees just how handsome the man is…and he’s not wearing a ring. When the power goes out, things heat up. Could this man be the one to make her wishes come true? Did she have it in her to embark on a weekend affair? And could she survive his leaving when the storm was over?

Her Christmas Wishes is Free until December 5th. Just click on the link, download, and enjoy. myBook.to/HCW2

Warning: Sexual content