Sara Daniel's Blog, page 44
May 15, 2014
Print book giveaway of Love Him or Leave Him #smalltownromance @RomanceIsBliss
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Love Him or Leave Him
by Sara Daniel
Giveaway ends May 29, 2014.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
Love Him or Leave Him
Sometimes dreams are where you least expect them
Connor O’Malley and Becca Sanders were once high school sweethearts, ripped apart by rumors in the small town of Kortville, Illinois. Connor left to join the military, and Becca stayed, waiting for her younger brother to graduate so she could live her dreams of traveling the world. But now that Connor's back as the town sheriff, Becca finds herself struggling to resist the too-handsome man who once broke her heart.
Connor loves Kortville—its quaintness keeps at bay the painful memories of Afghanistan he’s sure make him unworthy of any woman, particularly the beautiful brunette he’s always secretly dreamed of a future with. But when a scandal rocks the town, suddenly Connor and Becca must trust in each other if they want to weather this storm…and come out on the other side of it together.
Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Kobo
iTunes
Sample the first chapter of Love Him or Leave Him here
May 14, 2014
Book Spotlight - A Different Class by @LeighEllwood @DecadentPub M/M #1NS
A Different Class by Leigh Ellwooda 1NS Story from Decadent Publishing
M/M Erotic Romance, 11000 words
From Leigh: I am thrilled to be part of the Decadent family! The idea for A Different Class came about after an invitation arrived for an upcoming high school reunion. I asked myself what might happen if somebody felt reluctant to attend because of bad experiences and memories, and how one night arranged by Madame Eve changes everything.
Right now I am halfway into the follow-up to this story, another hot M/M. I hope you’ll pick up A Different Class, and if you enjoy it drop me a line on Twitter at @LeighEllwood. J
BlurbFDR High Class of 2004 graduate, Glenn Carson contacts fellow alumni to get a list of who will be attending the upcoming festivities. One call to a disgruntled former student leaves him shaken—apparently, not everyone is looking forward to the reunion. Hoping to ease his frustration, he contacts the 1Night Stand service for a relaxing and passionate encounter.
Known as “Mumbles” to former classmates, Rod Maloney would prefer to focus on the present and his successful business. However, past tragedies continue to haunt him, so he requests Madame Eve find him a man to show him a hot time and help him forget his troubles.
Will their one night together lead to a reunion after all?
BuyAmazon - http://www.amazon.com/Different-Class-1Night-Stand-Series-ebook/dp/B00K6OF6UO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399495214&sr=8-1&keywords=a+different+class+leigh+ellwood B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-different-class-leigh-ellwood/1119449289?ean=2940149293131 Decadent Publishing - http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=266&products_id=942&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414 Add to Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22035340-a-different-class
Excerpt“Mr. Maloney? I hope I’m not disturbing you.”“Who is calling?”The voice—deep and rich, anything but a mumble—intimidated him. Maybe the guy had been a jock, a several-foot-wide football player who helped the school win the championship senior year. He hadn’t attended many games and had skipped homecoming. “Um….” Right, we’re planning a reunion here. “I’m representing the reunion committee of the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School Class of 2004. You can probably guess our big tenth is coming up—”“You know what? I’m going to save you the sales pitch,” Mumbles Maloney said. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t give a shit. It’s taken me a long time to get past all the crap I put up with in high school, and if you think I’m going to show up at some rented ballroom all smiles as though the hell you assholes you put me through never happened, forget it.”What? The man’s anger surged through him and sped up his heartbeat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”“F*** you, f*** FDR High, and f*** every last piece-of-shit homophobe in that backwater town. I hope you all get cancer.”Click.Beth burst back into the room, waving a thick tome with a scaly blue cover. “Found it,” she chirped.“Never mind.” Glenn pushed away from his workspace. Mumbles Maloney’s palpable rage lingered in the quiet of the small office, invoking a sense of doom in an otherwise dull place. He doubted he’d forget the voice for a long while. The man had pent-up issues with his former schoolmates, no doubt, yet for all the vitriol burning through the airwaves and sizzling in the veins, Mumbles had sounded…well….Sexy.
About LeighI am Leigh Ellwood. I write smutty stories about people who like getting naked and having sex. Some have more sex than others, some have sex with people of the same gender, some have sex with more than one person, and still others have sex with toys and things that require the use of batteries. My stories range from a few thousand words to well past 70k. My books are available at Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, and ARe.
Home – http://www.leighellwood.com
Blog – http://leighwantsfood.blogspot.com
Twitter - @LeighEllwood
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/leighellwoodauthor
Authorgraph - http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/LeighEllwood
May 11, 2014
Passion in its Many Forms @samcheever @MusaPublishing #realityTV #thebiggestloser
Guest post by Sam Cheever
My newest release, The Biggest Poser, is based on a reality television show that makes losing weight into a contest between overweight people and their trainers. Like the real-life show it spoofs, The Biggest Poser is unpredictable, exciting, at times frustrating, and generally inspirational to those of us who constantly struggle with our weight. Unlike The Biggest Loser, however, the book is also about passion.
Passion isn’t just about romance and sex, though that’s certainly the focus of most romantic fiction. Many of us are also passionate about food. Some might call it an addiction. In a way it is. But since we can’t give it up, we need it to live, and it’s a rampantly social activity, I think it’s too simplistic to put food into the addiction category.
In The Biggest Poser, contestants must learn to balance their passion for gastronomic delights with their wish to be healthier, stronger, and slimmer. It’s a common battle in a society where food is everywhere. We see it all over the Internet and on television, hear about it on the radio, and view it on billboards and in the pages of magazines. We can’t escape it. More importantly, those of us with a passion for great food don’t want to escape it. We want to embrace that passion, without letting it overcome us.
That’s really the struggle with any passion isn’t it? To find the balance between enough and too much? The characters in The Biggest Poser, including the trainers, all struggle with it in their own way. But in the end it’s their passion that allows them to find that balance, to conquer their tendency toward overdoing. In The Biggest Poser the road to health is hard, fraught with potholes big enough to eat an overweight man, but it’s traveled with spirit, humor, and, yes, even a bit of ruthlessness. And in the end, each person makes his or her own choices and achieves his or her own level of success.
You can’t ask for more than that!
May the biggest liar win. Or die trying!
Personal trainer for the ever popular, Lose it! reality show, Jillie Maxwell is up for the most important award of her career. And she’s competing against the biggest b-eye-itch she’s ever met. Fortunately for her, she has the sexiest man alive in her corner. Problem is, each and every one of them has a dirty little secret that could tank a career.
For the contestants, the race is on to lose the most weight and win everything. For the staff of the popular weight loss show, the clock is ticking to the culmination of their lies and the possibility of losing it all.
Will the Biggest Poser win? Or will the lies just grow and grow until they sink the whole show? Only one thing is certain. Whatever happens, it’s gonna be an entertaining ride!Book page with BUY links
AUTHOR BIOSam's published work includes 50+ books of romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy and The Swirl (interracial romance) Award. They've been nominated for and/or won several CAPAs, have been nominated multiple years for “Best of” with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and have won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. Sam is published with Musa Publishing, Changeling Press; and Ellora’s Cave. She also publishes as Declan Sands, writing m/m fiction, and under her own imprint, Electric Prose Publications.
In real life, Sam lives in a cabin in the woods with 13 dogs and one husband. A self-proclaimed dog-aholic, Sam insists she's holding at 13...maybe... Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog | About.Me | Amazon Author Page
My newest release, The Biggest Poser, is based on a reality television show that makes losing weight into a contest between overweight people and their trainers. Like the real-life show it spoofs, The Biggest Poser is unpredictable, exciting, at times frustrating, and generally inspirational to those of us who constantly struggle with our weight. Unlike The Biggest Loser, however, the book is also about passion.
Passion isn’t just about romance and sex, though that’s certainly the focus of most romantic fiction. Many of us are also passionate about food. Some might call it an addiction. In a way it is. But since we can’t give it up, we need it to live, and it’s a rampantly social activity, I think it’s too simplistic to put food into the addiction category.
In The Biggest Poser, contestants must learn to balance their passion for gastronomic delights with their wish to be healthier, stronger, and slimmer. It’s a common battle in a society where food is everywhere. We see it all over the Internet and on television, hear about it on the radio, and view it on billboards and in the pages of magazines. We can’t escape it. More importantly, those of us with a passion for great food don’t want to escape it. We want to embrace that passion, without letting it overcome us.
That’s really the struggle with any passion isn’t it? To find the balance between enough and too much? The characters in The Biggest Poser, including the trainers, all struggle with it in their own way. But in the end it’s their passion that allows them to find that balance, to conquer their tendency toward overdoing. In The Biggest Poser the road to health is hard, fraught with potholes big enough to eat an overweight man, but it’s traveled with spirit, humor, and, yes, even a bit of ruthlessness. And in the end, each person makes his or her own choices and achieves his or her own level of success.
You can’t ask for more than that!
May the biggest liar win. Or die trying!
Personal trainer for the ever popular, Lose it! reality show, Jillie Maxwell is up for the most important award of her career. And she’s competing against the biggest b-eye-itch she’s ever met. Fortunately for her, she has the sexiest man alive in her corner. Problem is, each and every one of them has a dirty little secret that could tank a career.
For the contestants, the race is on to lose the most weight and win everything. For the staff of the popular weight loss show, the clock is ticking to the culmination of their lies and the possibility of losing it all.
Will the Biggest Poser win? Or will the lies just grow and grow until they sink the whole show? Only one thing is certain. Whatever happens, it’s gonna be an entertaining ride!Book page with BUY links
AUTHOR BIOSam's published work includes 50+ books of romantic suspense and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy and The Swirl (interracial romance) Award. They've been nominated for and/or won several CAPAs, have been nominated multiple years for “Best of” with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and have won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. Sam is published with Musa Publishing, Changeling Press; and Ellora’s Cave. She also publishes as Declan Sands, writing m/m fiction, and under her own imprint, Electric Prose Publications.
In real life, Sam lives in a cabin in the woods with 13 dogs and one husband. A self-proclaimed dog-aholic, Sam insists she's holding at 13...maybe... Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog | About.Me | Amazon Author Page
May 7, 2014
The Duke and the Virgin - #1NightStand #regencyromance from @DominiEastwick @DecadentPub
The Duke and the VirginBy Dominique EastwickBook 1 in the House of Lords seriesA 1 Night Stand short storyLengthHeat 4Genre Erotic Regency RomanceAt what began as an uneventful poker game four Lords discover that the dull routine of the ton only needs a little help from Madame Eve to mix things up. We begin with the Duke of Foxhaven in The Duke and the Virgin.
In a time when women have few options for their futures, bluestocking wallflower Llysa Hamilton has aged out of the marriage mart. With offers for her hand unlikely, she enlists Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand service to find the perfect man for one passionate night.
Wolfe Thane, Duke of Foxhaven, has never lacked for anything, but he’s bored with his entitled life. Winning a 1Night Stand voucher in a poker game appears to offer a perfect, commitment-free opportunity to add spice to his sex life.
Hiding behind a mask during her date with the duke offers Llysa anonymity and courage. Wolfe has never met a woman as intriguing and disingenuous.
Can true love be unmasked in just one night or will it be destined to stay on the shelf? Excerpt
“Don’t get scared now.” His voice, oh, that voice, did strange and wonderful things to her insides.
“I’m not scared.”
“Good, because I want to see what is hiding under all these layers.” Warm lips touched the hollow spot under her jaw, distracting her and, until he eased her gown over her shoulder and it fell to the floor, she’d been unaware he’d undone her lacings.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she waited. She stood in front of a man in her undergarments for the first time, and the nerves had begun. Not enough to have her running for the door, but enough to worry he would be less than pleased with what he saw.
“Have you ever seen Russian nesting dolls?”
Thrown by the questions, she opened her eyes. Why would he suddenly speak about a child’s toy? “I own a few of them.”
“Then you must understand that undressing you is like playing with one of those dolls. I open one to find another beneath it. I took away your gown to find you are still as clothed as you were a moment ago and I wonder how many more layers I will have to work through to get down to you—the doll I’m searching for.”
“Two.”
He smiled and her stomach did somersaults. “Just two?”
“Well, three, if you count the corset.”
“Oh, then we must count the corset as a layer.” He spun her and shivers ran the length of her spine as the ties holding her stays relaxed. “What is going on deep within you now?”
“Anxiety.”
“Fair enough,” he whispered near her ear.
Buy Links
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Virgin-1Night-Stand-Regency-Romance-ebook/dp/B00JFGHEOU/ref=la_B005CV526Y_1_9?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396587598&sr=1-9Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-duke-and-the-virgin-dominique-eastwick/1119068341?ean=2940149254972BookStrand http://www.bookstrand.com/the-duke-and-the-virginARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thedukeandthevirgin-1468197-340.html
Where to find DominiqueWebsite http://dominique-eastwick.wix.com/dominique-eastwickBlog www.dominiqueEastwick.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/dominique.eastwickTwitter @dominieastwick #DukeVirgin #StudlyLords #1NSPinerest http://www.pinterest.com/dominieastwick/Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188870.Dominique_Eastwick http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/DominiEastwick
Pinterest Duke and the Virgin Board http://www.pinterest.com/dominieastwick/the-duke-and-the-virgin/
May 4, 2014
Celebrate Mom with @MusaPublishing #mothersday book #giveaway
Celebrate Mom with Musa Publishing
Grand Prize$10.00 Musa Gift Certificate6 Paperback BooksBeyond the Third Garden by I.J. SarfehOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. WolfUnforgettable You by Marci Boudreaux
1st Place Winner$5.00 Musa Gift Certificate
6 Paperback BooksThe Andersen Ancestry by Addie J. KingFor His Love by Nya RayneOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. Wolf
2nd Place Winner5 Paperback BooksOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. WolfWilder Mage by CD Coffelt
Plus2 new winners are drawn daily. Each one will receive 3 books.
AndAll participants receive a download of Cooking with Musa.All entrants are eligible for Grand Prize Drawing May 10, 2014
Winners announced May 11, 2014
Enter daily to win!
No particular order to the daily drawings for the books below
Baiting the Hook by Mary S. Palmer and David Wilton
3.99 by Richard Satterlie
Amanda's Return by June Kramin
Buried Biker by KM Rockwood
Enter to Win by Kirsten Janey
ICE blue by Susan Rae
Lies in Wait by Donna Del Oro
Love Lies Bleeding by Lainie Giles
More Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Random Survival by Ray Wenck
Runt Wade by Robert G. Rogers
Steeled for Murder by KM Rockwood
Tales of Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem by Vera Jane Cook
2012: The Rising by Joanne Hirase
Crazy Greta by David Hardy
The Dominus Runes by Peter Lukes
The Grimm Legacy by Addie J. King
Reunion by Joanna Fay
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Winners who reside outside the Continental United States will receive their prize in e-book format.
All must be claimed by May 15, 2014 or they are forfeited. Prizes will be shipped May 17, 2014.
Giveaway begins May 1, 2014 and ends midnight CST May 10, 2014
Grand Prize$10.00 Musa Gift Certificate6 Paperback BooksBeyond the Third Garden by I.J. SarfehOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. WolfUnforgettable You by Marci Boudreaux
1st Place Winner$5.00 Musa Gift Certificate
6 Paperback BooksThe Andersen Ancestry by Addie J. KingFor His Love by Nya RayneOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. Wolf
2nd Place Winner5 Paperback BooksOutlaws by William WendySeducing Kate by Emilia ManciniSend Off For A Snitch by KM RockwoodTypical Day by Gary K. WolfWilder Mage by CD Coffelt
Plus2 new winners are drawn daily. Each one will receive 3 books.
AndAll participants receive a download of Cooking with Musa.All entrants are eligible for Grand Prize Drawing May 10, 2014
Winners announced May 11, 2014
Enter daily to win!
No particular order to the daily drawings for the books below
Baiting the Hook by Mary S. Palmer and David Wilton
3.99 by Richard Satterlie
Amanda's Return by June Kramin
Buried Biker by KM Rockwood
Enter to Win by Kirsten Janey
ICE blue by Susan Rae
Lies in Wait by Donna Del Oro
Love Lies Bleeding by Lainie Giles
More Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Random Survival by Ray Wenck
Runt Wade by Robert G. Rogers
Steeled for Murder by KM Rockwood
Tales of Tomasewski by Del Staecker
Annabel Horton, Lost Witch of Salem by Vera Jane Cook
2012: The Rising by Joanne Hirase
Crazy Greta by David Hardy
The Dominus Runes by Peter Lukes
The Grimm Legacy by Addie J. King
Reunion by Joanna Fay
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Winners who reside outside the Continental United States will receive their prize in e-book format.
All must be claimed by May 15, 2014 or they are forfeited. Prizes will be shipped May 17, 2014.
Giveaway begins May 1, 2014 and ends midnight CST May 10, 2014
May 1, 2014
One Night with the Groom #CEO #ragstoriches new release from @DecadentPub
I am super-excited to announce the newest book in the One Night with the Bridal Party series: One Night with the Groom.
As if Luciana Cortez doesn’t have enough problems trying to save the family farm and pay her mother’s medical bills, her brother uses the last of the mortgage money to buy her a one-night stand. Even if she wasn’t boiling with rage, her farm chores leave her with no time to date. The only bright spot…she’s too busy and exhausted to think about the man who’d once pledged to marry her then abandoned her.Working on an important presentation, CEO Blake Wellington doesn’t think twice when he steps out of the limousine…until the car leaves and he realizes instead of the business he needs to attend to, he’s on the doorstep of the farm where his past love Luciana lives. Without cell phone service or transportation to get back to civilization, he must rely on her for help. Powerful attraction and deep hurt immediately swirl between them, compelling him to use the evening to gain closure over the ache of what might have been.
The emotions and memories of the past are stronger than either can imagine, but Blake’s business is across the country and Luciana can’t leave the farm. When the night is over, they have no choice but to heed their responsibilities and go their separate ways…or turn their lives upside down and risk a lifetime of heartbreak.
Buy Links
Decadent PublishingAmazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Other books in the One Night with the Bridal Party series (on sale for 99 cents through 5/12/14):
One Night with the BrideWhen her society matron mother presents Caroline with a one-night stand date a week before her wedding, she’s appalled. But the fantasy resort run by her first love reminds her of everything she threw away. Can Madame Eve reunite them or will one night with the bride destroy forbidden dreams?
One Night with the BridesmaidSabrina Lopez decides to use an unexpected one-night stand gift to hook up with a man she'd otherwise never have the nerve to approach. Rob Wellington is determined to stop her from scamming her way into his brother's bed. He never expected her to steal his heart in the process…a Rafflecopter giveawayApril 27, 2014
Cue the haunting cry of the loon for middle grade author @sharonledwith
For a special treat, multi-published author SS Hampton Sr. has dropped by to interview middle grade author Sharon Ledwith.
Sharon Ledwith, hello! So, who are you, and where do you come from?
Hey, Stan, glad to be here! Oh, such a complicated question. How long do we have? Seriously though (and I rarely am!) I’m a middle-aged broad who writes for the middle-grade/YA genre. Guess you could say I’m going through my second childhood! I come from my parents—mom still has nightmares to this day—via Streator, Illinois USA while my father was under contract by the government to teach meteorology. That makes me a dual citizen. Currently I reside in the wilds of Muskoka, a tourist area deep in the heart of central Ontario, Canada. Cue the haunting cry of the loon…
Lol, the loon! So, why did you become a graphic artist? Was it difficult to give up that career field for writing (I assume you write full-time)?
Well someone has done his homework! I’ve always loved art throughout school, and wanted to parlay that into a solid business career. Plus I didn’t want anything to do with math again! I took the graphic technician course in college which allowed me to work in the printing trade. This was before computers took over, so everything was done by hand. Um, yeah, slow process, but worth it if you applied yourself and worked hard. My hubby and I started Box Office Graphics in the early 80s and we saw so many changes in the industry which included fax machines, computers, and the internet. The graphic businesses that didn’t change fell by the wayside. We sold our business in 2004, and have never looked back. BTW—our former business is still going strong after 30 years! And NO, it wasn’t difficult to give up that career at all. Somehow I knew deep inside I would be pursuing a full-time career as a writer. After all, something had to be done to stop the voices from talking in my head!
Where and how did you meet your husband? Was he aware that he was courting a soon-to-be writer with all of her quirks? I generally assume all writers have their quirks – I know I do.
Poor hubby. I met him at the first job I was hired at straight out of college—a graphic trade shop that specialized in plastic container packaging. Call him my soul mate or a misguided fool, I knew from the moment I met him that we were destined to be together. I believe he was aware of some quirky karma, ’cause he never gave up the chase, even when the odds were against us. I also believe writers should use all their quirks to their advantage!
Any friendly words of advice for writers, particularly when a future spouse “comes a’calling”? Or perhaps for the future spouse who discovers their love interest is a writer?
Run, spouse, run! Kidding. My advice would be to never stop investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, in your readers, and in your partner. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer them. Surround yourself with the best possible team (this includes spouses). Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any author’s credo.
How did your family and friends react to you becoming a writer?
Say what? You want to be a writer? Good for you! Ten years later…you’re still writing? Anything published yet? No? Humph. Maybe you should get a REAL job. Um, yeah, tried it, didn’t like it, went back to writing, and got published. Yay me! Once I signed the contract, I was cast in a different light, and everyone was supportive and happy for me. You should have seen the release party I threw – hot damn it was fun and VERY satisfying!
I find it interesting that the inspiration for The Last Timekeepers of Atlantis came to you in a dream, that you believe in Atlantis, and you burn incense when writing. You didn’t mention what types of music you like, or favorite artists. So, not to resort to labels, but are you perhaps, something of a “New Ager”?
Yes, very much so. I’m quite a spiritual person and believe we’re all here for a reason and purpose. This comes out in my stories. I don’t want to come off as preachy (in fact I can’t stand it when other people try to shove their beliefs on me) so I try to inject humor whenever I can in my stories. I think we all learn best when there’s laughter present. And if you want a real laugh, when I first started out writing I listened to the soundtrack of Braveheart (sigh) a lot, as well as some native drum instrumentals, Enya, and Enigma. Now I hardly listen to music while writing.
Braveheart, eh? And Enya and Enigma—some of my favorite music too. Just a comment here: I like the first sentence of the opening of your blurb – “Children are the keys to our future.” Truthfully, I have always believed that. Might that have something do with the intended audience of Middle Grade/Young Adult readers regarding Last Timekeepers?
Oh definitely! But it is true – children are the keys to our future. It’s up to us adults to supply kids with good role models, people to look up to, and to aspire to. We need to be the best we can be, and offer children a new hope for a better tomorrow. I mean, how else can we pass along our knowledge and understanding to a new generation if we don’t show up in this life?
Would you please share an excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis with us? Or, if you feel comfortable, perhaps an excerpt from your prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers?
Would be honored, Stan. Here’s the blurb and excerpt from my newest release, and the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers:
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday last year, I had my life reading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns for others to appreciate, the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair? My uncle has red hair and it suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already, there aren’t many redheads around here. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair is considered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an echo down the marble hallway. “Is that the reason why those artists were rude to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red represents the essence of life—if we are drained of blood, we are drained of energy. The people of the Black Land understand this, and therefore red is reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s a goddess.”
Here's the LINK for more information on the book.
Thank you for visiting with us today! Are there any parting words you would like to share with us?
Absolutely! I was once asked by another interviewer to share what inspires me to write, and why am I doing what I do? The truth is that I want to be the change I would like to see in this world. Yes, I stole that from Gandhi, but those words have been my mantra, and have guided me to write stories I would have loved to read as an adolescent. My hope is to give my target audience (upper middle-grade and lower young adult) the kinds of stories the world needs now—force readers to ask why they are here on earth at this time, and what is their major purpose. I guess I’m looking for ways to make the world a better place. I also want to make people laugh out-loud while they’re reading my books, and leave them wanting more when they turn to the last page. Thanks so much for putting up with, er interviewing me today, Stan, and loved your well-researched questions! Cheers!
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing - Amazon Link - Barnes & Noble - Kobo
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Much of SS Hampton, Sr.'s writing is drawn from his extensive military career, including his historical short story The Sentinels.
December 1941 – the German offensive has ground to a frozen halt before an ominous forest encircling Moscow, and a German patrol seeks to discover what secrets the forest hides…
December 1941, and fresh Siberian troops from the Soviet Far East have launched savage counter-attacks against the German invaders. The Eastern Front is torn open with German units driven back, overwhelmed, or isolated. An exhausted Waffen SS infantry platoon outside of Moscow needs to know what the Siberians, hidden in a dark forest before them, are up to. A small patrol is sent into the snowy, otherworldly forest...
To read an excerpt from The Sentinels please click HERE .
SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13, a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America. His military career began in 1974. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Ready Reserve, and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America.
After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
To learn more about SS Hampton, Sr. or read excerpts from his books please click a vendor's name.
Musa Publishing - Melange Books - MuseItUp Publishing
Amazon Author Page - Amazon UK Author Page - Goodreads Author Page
Sharon Ledwith, hello! So, who are you, and where do you come from?
Hey, Stan, glad to be here! Oh, such a complicated question. How long do we have? Seriously though (and I rarely am!) I’m a middle-aged broad who writes for the middle-grade/YA genre. Guess you could say I’m going through my second childhood! I come from my parents—mom still has nightmares to this day—via Streator, Illinois USA while my father was under contract by the government to teach meteorology. That makes me a dual citizen. Currently I reside in the wilds of Muskoka, a tourist area deep in the heart of central Ontario, Canada. Cue the haunting cry of the loon…
Lol, the loon! So, why did you become a graphic artist? Was it difficult to give up that career field for writing (I assume you write full-time)?
Well someone has done his homework! I’ve always loved art throughout school, and wanted to parlay that into a solid business career. Plus I didn’t want anything to do with math again! I took the graphic technician course in college which allowed me to work in the printing trade. This was before computers took over, so everything was done by hand. Um, yeah, slow process, but worth it if you applied yourself and worked hard. My hubby and I started Box Office Graphics in the early 80s and we saw so many changes in the industry which included fax machines, computers, and the internet. The graphic businesses that didn’t change fell by the wayside. We sold our business in 2004, and have never looked back. BTW—our former business is still going strong after 30 years! And NO, it wasn’t difficult to give up that career at all. Somehow I knew deep inside I would be pursuing a full-time career as a writer. After all, something had to be done to stop the voices from talking in my head!
Where and how did you meet your husband? Was he aware that he was courting a soon-to-be writer with all of her quirks? I generally assume all writers have their quirks – I know I do.
Poor hubby. I met him at the first job I was hired at straight out of college—a graphic trade shop that specialized in plastic container packaging. Call him my soul mate or a misguided fool, I knew from the moment I met him that we were destined to be together. I believe he was aware of some quirky karma, ’cause he never gave up the chase, even when the odds were against us. I also believe writers should use all their quirks to their advantage!
Any friendly words of advice for writers, particularly when a future spouse “comes a’calling”? Or perhaps for the future spouse who discovers their love interest is a writer?
Run, spouse, run! Kidding. My advice would be to never stop investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, in your readers, and in your partner. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer them. Surround yourself with the best possible team (this includes spouses). Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any author’s credo.
How did your family and friends react to you becoming a writer?
Say what? You want to be a writer? Good for you! Ten years later…you’re still writing? Anything published yet? No? Humph. Maybe you should get a REAL job. Um, yeah, tried it, didn’t like it, went back to writing, and got published. Yay me! Once I signed the contract, I was cast in a different light, and everyone was supportive and happy for me. You should have seen the release party I threw – hot damn it was fun and VERY satisfying!
I find it interesting that the inspiration for The Last Timekeepers of Atlantis came to you in a dream, that you believe in Atlantis, and you burn incense when writing. You didn’t mention what types of music you like, or favorite artists. So, not to resort to labels, but are you perhaps, something of a “New Ager”?
Yes, very much so. I’m quite a spiritual person and believe we’re all here for a reason and purpose. This comes out in my stories. I don’t want to come off as preachy (in fact I can’t stand it when other people try to shove their beliefs on me) so I try to inject humor whenever I can in my stories. I think we all learn best when there’s laughter present. And if you want a real laugh, when I first started out writing I listened to the soundtrack of Braveheart (sigh) a lot, as well as some native drum instrumentals, Enya, and Enigma. Now I hardly listen to music while writing.
Braveheart, eh? And Enya and Enigma—some of my favorite music too. Just a comment here: I like the first sentence of the opening of your blurb – “Children are the keys to our future.” Truthfully, I have always believed that. Might that have something do with the intended audience of Middle Grade/Young Adult readers regarding Last Timekeepers?
Oh definitely! But it is true – children are the keys to our future. It’s up to us adults to supply kids with good role models, people to look up to, and to aspire to. We need to be the best we can be, and offer children a new hope for a better tomorrow. I mean, how else can we pass along our knowledge and understanding to a new generation if we don’t show up in this life?
Would you please share an excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis with us? Or, if you feel comfortable, perhaps an excerpt from your prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers?
Would be honored, Stan. Here’s the blurb and excerpt from my newest release, and the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers:
There is no moving forward without first going back.Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday last year, I had my life reading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns for others to appreciate, the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair? My uncle has red hair and it suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already, there aren’t many redheads around here. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair is considered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an echo down the marble hallway. “Is that the reason why those artists were rude to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red represents the essence of life—if we are drained of blood, we are drained of energy. The people of the Black Land understand this, and therefore red is reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s a goddess.”
Here's the LINK for more information on the book.
Thank you for visiting with us today! Are there any parting words you would like to share with us?
Absolutely! I was once asked by another interviewer to share what inspires me to write, and why am I doing what I do? The truth is that I want to be the change I would like to see in this world. Yes, I stole that from Gandhi, but those words have been my mantra, and have guided me to write stories I would have loved to read as an adolescent. My hope is to give my target audience (upper middle-grade and lower young adult) the kinds of stories the world needs now—force readers to ask why they are here on earth at this time, and what is their major purpose. I guess I’m looking for ways to make the world a better place. I also want to make people laugh out-loud while they’re reading my books, and leave them wanting more when they turn to the last page. Thanks so much for putting up with, er interviewing me today, Stan, and loved your well-researched questions! Cheers!
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing - Amazon Link - Barnes & Noble - Kobo
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Much of SS Hampton, Sr.'s writing is drawn from his extensive military career, including his historical short story The Sentinels.
December 1941 – the German offensive has ground to a frozen halt before an ominous forest encircling Moscow, and a German patrol seeks to discover what secrets the forest hides…
December 1941, and fresh Siberian troops from the Soviet Far East have launched savage counter-attacks against the German invaders. The Eastern Front is torn open with German units driven back, overwhelmed, or isolated. An exhausted Waffen SS infantry platoon outside of Moscow needs to know what the Siberians, hidden in a dark forest before them, are up to. A small patrol is sent into the snowy, otherworldly forest...
To read an excerpt from The Sentinels please click HERE .
SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13, a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America. His military career began in 1974. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Ready Reserve, and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America.
After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
To learn more about SS Hampton, Sr. or read excerpts from his books please click a vendor's name.
Musa Publishing - Melange Books - MuseItUp Publishing
Amazon Author Page - Amazon UK Author Page - Goodreads Author Page
April 22, 2014
#scifi #erotica Sexy Suitors from Space @PaisleyBErotica
Sexy Suitors from SpaceBy Paisley BrownISBN: 978-0-9919320-6-1A vacation to the far North...Heather is gifted a week away at a resort in the Arctic Circle by her grandmother, a chance to finally move on after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman.
With two Nordic hunks to keep her company...
The two sexy studs make is easy to get over her failed relationship. That is, until they tell her their secret.
Are the two men really extraterrestrials or just a fantasy created by her lonely soul?
Caution: Includes alien probing, anal sex, and a hot MFM ménage.Available From:Amazon US / UK / Canada / AustraliaAll Romance | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Smashwords
ExcerptSome vacation. Nothing but snow for miles. I might as well have been visiting the North Pole with all the layers of clothing I had on. And, somehow, the cold wind still managed to find the small amount of face I didn’t have covered, stinging the skin around my eyes.
“Are we almost there?” I could barely see five feet in front of me, only the mountain of a man directly ahead. If he slowed down for one second, I’d grab his coat with one hand and cover the rest of my face with my free arm. But if I didn’t keep up, I’d get lost in the blizzard. “Seriously, is the place I’m staying anywhere nearby?” Every other hotel I’d stayed at had the check-in desk within the building. Apparently not this one.
The man didn’t respond, kept walking, guiding me, hopefully, to the glass igloo where my grandmother held a timeshare.
“Get away for a few days, Heather,” she’d said, handing me the plane ticket to Finland and shoving me out the door. “You’ll have a lot of fun and forget about your scum of a cheating fiancé. It’s been a year since you kicked him out. Time to move on. Show off your new curves.”
Sure, curves that I’d gained from spending a week eating nothing but ice cream. Not only had I gained ten pounds, but I’d started crying Ben & Jerry’s. It still hadn’t helped my pain. I’d loved Todd and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Unfortunately, my love hadn’t been returned. But, a trip wouldn’t make me forget what I’d walked in on two days before Christmas.
I’d tried to return the tickets. “Snow and cold really aren’t my thing, Grandma.” Give me a tropical beach somewhere with tanned, muscled men, and I’d at least try to get over Todd.
Refusing to take them back, she’d only patted my hands. “You’ll be surprised how much fun it is in Lapland. I would go, but I’m getting too old to enjoy the...amenities. It’s your turn now.” She winked and shut the door behind her.
And there I was, trekking through the knee-deep snow north of the Arctic Circle, dreading the blanket of white and cold I expected to last my entire vacation.
Bio: I’m happily married with a naughty imagination. Sometimes all it takes is a whispered word or a sexy picture to inspire my next tale. My erotica stories may be contemporary, sci-fi, or paranormal, but all of them will leave you wet and panting for more. I also write science fiction romance as Jessica E. Subject.Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazona Rafflecopter giveawayApril 20, 2014
Easter Blog Hop #giveaway Mr. Forever #romance #newdad
Easter, like spring, is a time of rebirth and new life, and no one needs this wake up call quite like Dr. Caleb Paden, creator of The Forever Marriage, surprise father, emotionless alpha. Good thing he's about to meet his match with feisty single mom Olivia Wells in Mr. Forever.
Marriage therapist Caleb Paden has just found out he has a son from a one-night stand, making a mockery of his core belief of stable relationships--"friendship above all physical encounters." On his way to take the child for a paternity test, a snowstorm leaves him stranded with single mom Olivia Wells, who blames his advice for breaking up her marriage. Caleb finds himself fighting the urge for the most basic of physical encounters. Olivia would like nothing more than to destroy the career he spent a lifetime building, but her maternal instincts draw her to help Caleb bond with his child. Soon, she finds herself falling for both of them. Nowhere in any of his advice does Caleb have an answer for how to make a relationship work if he loses his heart to love.
I'm giving away one copy of Mr. Forever to one random person who leaves a comment about what you consider a top quality in a man to fill the role of "Mr. Forever" in your life. Please leave an email address and your format choice.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Return to blog hop
April 16, 2014
Mark Your Calendars for #CNSF14 Epic #romance Book Signing
The Spring Fling 2014 book signing will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 9:30 – 10:30am at the Chicago Marriott Northwest in Hoffman Estates, IL. This event is open to the public, so all readers and book lovers are welcome to spend the morning with their favorite authors. The line-up is nothing short of amazing! You can check it out here.
At the book signing, I will be signing promotional print copies of both Construction Beauty Queen and Love Him or Leave Him from the Small Town, Big Dreams series.For those who are also registered for the conference, I will be giving a workshop immediately before the book signing on Making a Career in Digital Publishing.
Mark your calendars! I look forward to seeing you there!
