Laura McNeill's Blog, page 15
February 15, 2015
What’s Your Story Spark?
So, what if you haven’t had a spark in a while? You can brainstorm to get your mind going! Like many of my writer friends, I use the “What if” method. Take a look at these examples:
What if…teenagers have to fight to the death on national television? (Hunger Games)
What if…a young woman meets a brilliant billionaire who draws her into a world of kinky sex? (50 Shades of Grey)
What if…an investigative journalist needs the help of a computer hacker to solve a cold case in Sweden? (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Sound good? It is!
But your story can also be about regular people who have their worlds turned upside down when something unexpected happens. Your spark doesn’t have to include UFOs, vampires, or a new world order. I’ve used the “What if” strategy several times to write Southern women’s fiction novels under my pen name, Lauren Clark.
What if…a travel writer on the verge of being fired gets one last shot at redemption…in Eufaula, Alabama? (Dancing Naked in Dixie)
What if…a spoiled rotten Southern belle’s husband decides to leave her for another man, taking his money and credit cards with him? (Pie Girls)
What if…two news anchors start a fistfight on live TV, and the only person capable of saving the show wants to stay behind the scenes? (Stay Tuned)
Once you have your story spark, write it down. Type it into your iPhone or Android, scribble it on your hand, or jot it on a Post-it. I have a running list in a file on my Mac. That list contains, at any given time, 6-10 story ideas that may, eventually, wind up as a novel.
I say “may” because a story spark has to have staying power to become a full-fledged book. The spark has to have depth, emotion, and enough power to keep a reader engaged for 300 pages. No small task!
So how do you know if your story spark passes the test? I’ll give you my thoughts on that next time!
For now, I’d love to hear about your story spark moments. When do they hit? Do you use the “What if” method? Where do you keep your list of ideas?
- Laura
February 13, 2015
Valentine’s Day Love – 20+ Books on Sale
Want to fall in love with a good book this Valentine’s Day weekend? How about TWENTY?
For a limited time, pick up more than 20 popular Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction novels — a few are FREE, many are 99 cents, with no book priced more than $1.99 on Amazon.com!
A Hallmark card costs more, so why not pick up all of them?
Some delectable literary treats await, and unlike chocolate, these treats are guilt-free!
Here’s the list!
Stardust Summer – Lauren Clark
Single mom Grace Mason doesn’t believe in miracles, magic, or love at first sight. She likes the quiet life, complete with her eight-year-old son, their tiny house, and her teaching job. For Grace, happiness means that nothing much ever changes in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Then, one thousand miles away, tragedy strikes. A massive heart attack leaves Grace’s estranged father comatose in an Upstate New York hospital. While a team of doctors fight to keep Henry Mason alive, Grace and Evan rush to his bedside to say their final goodbyes.
Henry’s passing brings little closure for Grace, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to her new surroundings. What begins as a short trip results in an entire summer spent with Henry’s second wife, Kathleen, and her next-door neighbor, Ryan Gordon, the town doctor. When a series of unlikely events lead to Evan’s disappearance, Grace must face her worst fears to find her son and bring him back home.
Stardust Summer explores the complexities of forgiveness, what it means to be a family, and the fabulous possibility of falling in love—again.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1Cvr1Ap
Twitter: @LaurenClark_Bks
Dirty Laundry – Rachel Naples
Jerry Maguire ruined my life.
Did he have any idea of the impact of those three little words on people’s lives? I got married because of them. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
I’m Lucy Stars and I give advice to the lovelorn on a podcast from my kitchen table. My qualifications? None whatsoever, except for the fact that I’ve had more relationships than I can count or even remember, so by definition, I’m an expert.
And all because I was looking for someone to complete me.
My life reads like a chick-lit bestseller. Swear. Or a good beach read when you want to hit the pause button on life. But for me? My story doesn’t end on the last page.
My incredibly romantic husband, Kraft Conboy, is a successful and oh, so handsome life coach. His specialty? Women. Relationships. Romance. He was nothing short of inspirational. My plan was to live happily ever after…with him. The pages of our lives would unfold like a sexy, romantic comedy or maybe even a contemporary romance novel. And? He was good in bed.
But my life zagged when it should have zigged.
It took a left turn when it should have gone right. I remember the exact moment because I was about to start my show. That’s when it happened. The zagging, I mean.
Kraft walked in and announced he wanted a divorce. I was so stunned that I actually asked him who was getting divorced because I thought he was talking about someone else! But then he said it again. I didn’t know what to do, so I begged him to stay. I know, bad move. And then? He turned on his heel and walked out the door.
I turned back to my computer. In the shock of the moment, I’d gotten distracted; I still had a webcast to give. What in God’s name was staring back at me? Lights. Lots of lights on my screen. My callers were trying to get through. Oh, no, my microphone was live! My entire audience had just heard me get dumped! And heard me plead, no, beg, for him to stay. I give relationship advice and I tell people not to do that!
My romantic comedy had turned into a horror film and there was no pause button to hit.
What happened next I couldn’t have predicted.
Call it genius. Call it serendipity. Call it meant to be.
Look, I can’t tell you everything, you’ll have to read the book!
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $1.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1AsouWW
Twitter: @RachelNaples1
There Are No Men – Carol Maloney Scott
Divorced thirty-something Claire doesn’t know who’s in her dating pool—but she’s doing her best to avoid shark infested waters. Leaving her clueless and insensitive husband behind was a smart move after losing her fertility, but now she’s riding the wave of flying toupees, strange men in leather thongs and drunken nights in painfully impractical shoes. Claire desperately wanted to be a mother, but now she’ll settle for one middle aged man worthy of a second date.
After a long drought, men are flooding her shores and she’s drowning in choices. There’s Justin, the 25-year-old IT boy-genius with the GQ looks and cougar fetish, who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. A woman would have to be a blind, lesbian nun not to fall for him, but he reminds Claire of her wasted youth. And then the charming but mysterious Dr. Nathan appears, but he’s cheating on her with his medical mistress—a demanding cardiology practice.
To further rock her boat, Claire’s ‘stable’ career in publishing has been tossed about by her floundering company’s launch of a new line of trendy, salacious books. Cookbooks aren’t selling these days, but erotica is flying off the shelves—and challenging Claire’s attitude about sex, work . . . and her tempestuous new life.
When her best friend convinces her to buddy up to the aspiring writer who just moved in across the street, Claire rejects the idea—he has already caught her in more than one embarrassing and scantily clad situation. Giving in to her friend’s nudging, she tries to ignore the details she discovers about him, including his hard rock night gig and his mesmerizing blue eyes, in the hopes his literary talents can pull her publishing house up from the bottom of the ocean.
Claire’s dilemma begs the question: Are there NO men or TOO MANY?
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1KcyMMG
Twitter: @CMScottAuthor
http://amzn.to/1KcyMMG
When Girlfriends Collection 1-3- Savannah Page
This digital boxed set includes the first three novels of the When Girlfriends collection: When Girlfriends Break Hearts, When Girlfriends Step Up, and When Girlfriends Make Choices.
WHEN GIRLFRIENDS BREAK HEARTS
Follow Sophie Wharton as she learns what to do about matters of the heart when things don’t quite go according to plan.
A novel about the bonds of friendship, the power of forgiveness, and the lessons you learn when you let go.
WHEN GIRLFRIENDS STEP UP
Join mom-to-be Robin Sinclair as she embarks on a journey she never could have imagined.
A novel about love and support, and learning that with enduring friendships, no woman is ever alone.
WHEN GIRLFRIENDS MAKE CHOICES
Follow Lara Kearns as she struggles with how far she’ll go for true love…however forbidden…
A novel about forbidden love, the choices you make, and discovering what’s important in life.
Original Price: $7.99
Sale Price: $1.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1s92x6C
Twitter: @Savannah_Page
http://amzn.to/1s92x6C
When Girlfriends Chase Dreams – Savannah Page
A novel about chasing dreams, for better or worse, and living your love story.
Claire Linley is finally a bride! After nearly ten years with her college freshman sweetheart, Claire is going to become Mrs. Conner Whitley. She’s got her bridal magazines, is the biggest Martha Stewart fan, and subscribes to all the major wedding blogs. She’s been dreaming of this moment for years! How could planning her dream wedding be anything but perfect?
The easy-going and bubbly type, Claire will obviously have a blast planning, and with her fantastic group of girlfriends-made-bridesmaids she just can’t go wrong. Whether it’s wedding gown shopping, makeup trials, or cake-tasting, Claire’s friends are there in a pinch.
But how big does the pinch get? All Claire wants to do is get married, but at every turn something seems to go awry and she’s starting to lose it. How is a girl supposed to remain cool and collected when the pricey dream wedding planner isn’t turning out to be so dreamy? When DIY projects and the perfect venue are going up in smoke? How is Claire supposed to marry Conner when the special day that’s supposed to join them together, forever, is slowly tearing them apart?
This is the charming story about how sometimes the biggest events in life are defined by the smallest acts of kindness and love. It’s a love story about dreaming large, loving deeply, and, in the end, truly having the happiest day of your life, no matter what happens (or doesn’t). About what happens when girlfriends chase dreams.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: FREE
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1tAt3dC
Twitter: @Savannah_Page
http://amzn.to/1tAt3dC
http://amzn.to/1tAt3dC
Miss Adventure – Geralyn Corcillo
When a freak fast-food accident almost kills dayreaming city girl Lisa Flyte, she decides it’s time to get a backbone and really start living out loud. But how is a shrinking violet like Lisa supposed to get tough all of a sudden after a lifetime of watching from the couch? Jack Hawkins, that’s how. When Lisa finds out that the outdoor extremist needs a clueless urbanite to test his top-secret line of idiot-proof adventure gear, she gets the most outlandish idea of her life: she will be his undercover test dummy if he helps her become brave on their adventures in the wild.
They strike a deal. Lisa survives the treks, jumps, and dives (barely!) But can she use her bumbling…uh, blossoming outdoor moxie to become the alpha hero of her everyday life? Will she find the grit to pursue a career she really wants or the nerve to stand up to her bullying family? And will she get gutsy enough to go after Jack? He’s a man who’s not afraid of anything…except maybe falling for Lisa.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1DxZRWm
Twitter: @GeralynCorcillo
http://amzn.to/1DxZRWm #romcom
French Toast – Glynis Astie
Sydney Bennett is back! And her pursuit of perfection is alive and well. Naïve to the core, Sydney believed that when she finally married the man of her dreams, the hard part was over. Following a civil ceremony as a means to keep Louis from being deported, Sydney continues to plan the fairytale wedding that she had dreamed of since the age of five. Much to her chagrin, she discovers that her mother-in-law is planning what seems to be a rival wedding in France that SHE has been dreaming about for her only child since before he was born. How will poor Sydney be able to ensure two perfect weddings in the midst of Louis’ fruitless job search? Especially when her mother-in-law’s idea of perfection appears to be having Sydney embarrass herself in front of hundreds of French people that she has never met?
As if she didn’t have enough on her mind already, Sydney finds herself faced with the trials and tribulations of being a wife. Sydney had always heard that marriage was hard, but she thought that this was just a ruse that married couples portrayed in a bid to make single girls feel less desperate. But as the bills pile up and emotions run high, she realizes that there may just be some truth to this statement. And as she watches Louis’ perfection fade away before her very eyes, she begins to wonder if she made a rash decision in marrying a man that she had known for a mere six months.
With all of the obstacles that Sydney and Louis will encounter, will they be raising their glasses in celebration or watching their impulsive marriage crash and burn? One thing is for certain, Sydney and Louis Durand are headed for one hell of a toast…
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: FREE
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1yS3vLZ
Twitter: @GlynisAstie
http://amzn.to/1yS3vLZ
Dangled Carat – Hilary Grossman
For every girl who wondered if she should love him or dump him…..
For every girl who listened to her heart instead of her friends advice….
For every girl who l wondered if she was wasting her time dating that guy….
meet Hilary….
She had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship–why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn’t ready–and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point.
For anyone who has ever dated a commitment-phobe, who has found their patience wearing thin with the one they love, or who has sat around wondering if he is ever going to pop the question while trying to remain the very picture of patience and grace, Hilary’s humorous and honest story will hit home.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1LM3Qof
Twitter: @FeelingBeachie
http://amzn.to/1LM3Qof
Zoey & The Moment of Zen – Cat Lavoie
When coffee shop owner Zoey Everwood takes her obsession with ex-boyfriend Braden too far, everyone—except Zoey—is convinced a bit of fun in the sun at the Moment of Zen Wellness Resort will help her get over him once and for all.
But Zoey’s relaxing vacation turns out to be anything but peaceful when she meets Shane Lawson, a resort guest who bears a striking resemblance to Braden. And things get even more complicated when the resort’s owner starts spilling secrets about Zoey’s aunt Nessa, the woman who raised her. Add a snarky Wellness Coordinator and Nate Holmes—Shane’s grumpy friend—to the mix, and you’ve got the recipe for a perfect tropical storm.
When Zoey comes back home with a new husband instead of tacky souvenirs, she must convince everyone she hasn’t completely lost her mind. As Zoey and Shane struggle to keep the magic alive outside the resort, Zoey discovers that she isn’t the only one having trouble letting go of the past. And when Nate drops a bombshell that changes everything, Zoey must decide if the old saying is true—what happens at the Moment of Zen stays at the Moment of Zen.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1EBDcKl
Twitter: @Catenabi
http://amzn.to/1EBDcKl
Give Your Heart a Break – Helen Peterson
Gorgeous? Check.
Wealthy? Check.
Sweet? Double check.
When Rachel Thomas meets Mason Conner, it seems she has found a man who is everything she’s ever wanted. After years of the single girl life in New York City, she’s due for some luck in the romance department. But with her less than stellar track record, Rachel can’t seem to let go of her past failures to fall too hard.
That is until Mason’s ex-fiancé reappears, determined to steal him back. With more than winning Mr. Perfect’s heart on the line, is Rachel finally ready to give her heart a break?
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1z9RLzf
Twitter: @HelenPeterson37
http://amzn.to/1z9RLzf
Rock Star’s Girl – Jennifer Farwell
Emily Watts just wants a weekend break from the workaholic hours she’s taken on to keep her business – a popular fashion-snark web site – up and running. What she gets is overnight celebrity and a career-killing media scandal.
While taking time out to attend a concert in support of friend Jesse Cinder, a struggling musician, Emily meets Cory Sampson, the lead singer of a chart-topping rock band. When she agrees to a date with Cory, making entertainment headlines is the last thing she expects. Even so, it’s a minor surprise by comparison to her discovery that in the music world, media notoriety trumps all. Tabloid allegations erupt when Cory and fame-hungry Jesse use Emily for personal gain, and her tarnished image spells disaster – personally and professionally. To save the web site and writing career she’s made her life and dream, Emily must go from being a pawn in the Hollywood headline game to becoming the media mastermind.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/16huQuJ
Twitter: @JennFarwell
http://amzn.to/16huQuJ
Women’s Fiction
November Surprise – Laurel Osterkamp
Twenty years
• Six presidential elections
• One consuming love affairFor Lucy Jones, the distinction between love and politics is hazy at best. Both can be all-consuming, and either can lead to a heart-breaking loss or an exhilarating win. Whatever the case, if you’re seen as a loser, you probably are one. Lucy first learns this lesson in 1988, when she’s a shy girl, battling a high school bully and rooting for Dukakis. Through the years Lucy will experience stunning victories and agonizing defeats as she makes the choices that define her. Meanwhile, she also struggles to define her relationship with Monty, who comes in and out of her life like the changes in public opinion. Is Monty simply a one-night stand, a kindred spirit, or the love of her life? And by 2008, can he offer her a change to believe in?Over the course of twenty years and six presidential elections, Lucy grows and adjusts with the times. Filled with snarky political and pop-culture references, November Surprise is about the journey we take to believe in a candidate, in love, and in ourselves.
Original Price: $1.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1z9QsQG
Twitter: @LaurelOsterkamp
http://amzn.to/1z9QsQG
American Angst – Laurel Osterkamp
Intimate, snarky, and completely relatable, American Angst is about two women grappling with love and pregnancy, sex and careers —while attempting self-discovery in a crazy world.
Lucy needs to save her family. Robin needs to save herself. These tightly interwoven stories chart their growth as they make their way through Thanksgiving dinners, bad breakups, celebrity scandals and political campaigns. For laughter through tears, don’t miss American Angst, whether you’re new to these characters or you think of them as old friends.
(Included in this collection are Lucy’s posts about the 2012 election, which were originally seen on her liberal blog, NovemberSurprises.blogspot.com. There’s new, additional material! Spoiler: Obama still wins.)
Original Price: $1.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1u95oDc
Twitter: @LaurelOsterkamp
The To-Do List – JC Miller
Between unending housework and thankless efforts to appease a loutish husband and acid-tongue teens, Ginny Cooper’s to-do list never seems to get done. Her guilty pleasure—fantasizing about her husband’s demise—her weakness—the drive-thru at Arby’s. On the job as head librarian at the county’s obsolete library, tedium reigns. One afternoon Ginny innocently stumbles upon a dating website, where the rabbit hole awaits.
Who is Ginny Cooper? She is every woman who knows the exact number of calories in a Snickers bar, every woman who has ever struggled with her weight. She is every woman who has grappled with the gray areas, every woman who has wanted to escape her own life. At times the reader will want to reach between the pages, shake her, and talk some sense into her. But Ginny will have to navigate her own road. And through it all, we root for her.
Ginny’s childhood memories of her fading hometown provide a bittersweet backdrop for The To-Do List.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1zALLmK
Twitter: @JCMillerWriter
http://amzn.to/1zALLmK
A Questionable Friendship – Samantha March
Brynne Ropert and Portland Dolish have been best friends since being paired as roommates in college. Seven years later they are now twenty-five, married, and living in Maine–– but the two women couldn’t be more different. Brynne finds fulfillment in her life as a wife, mother and owner of a small café and bookshop, but is struggling to expand her family. Portland is still coping with her mother’s death during her childhood, and her marriage is unraveling before her eyes. Portland envies her friend’s seemingly stable and easy life while Brynne doesn’t understand the growing distance between them and cannot begin to guess what secret Portland is hiding about her husband and crumbling marriage. While one woman feels shut out, the other enters into a web of lies to protect herself.
A Questionable Friendship explores what really makes someone a true friend, a support system, a sister. How much trust goes into a friendship and when is being a friend not enough? Brynne and Portland’s story will attempt to answer those questions, and show that happily ever after isn’t in the cards for everyone.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/10W3WGk
Twitter: @bySamanthaMarch
http://amzn.to/10W3WGk
Romance/Erotica
Bloodpledge – Tima Maria Lacoba (Paranormal Romance)
Bloodpledge continues Alec and Laura’s story from Bloodgifted. Having undergone the Ritual and induction into the vampire community, Laura— the prophesised Child of Light and Darkness and last of the Ingenii—takes her place as Alec’s consort and First Lady of the Brethren. But resentment and anger grow at Alec’s privileged position as daywalker.
Among a powerful few, alliances are made and conspiracies formed, threatening a war that could destroy them all and endanger every human on Earth—creatures who would do anything to prevent the curse from ending. Now Alec and Laura must invoke the Pledge, an ancient ceremony that enforces Brethren loyalty to the Principate.
When Laura’s ex-boyfriend, Detective Inspector Matt Sommers, turns up with a threat that could expose Alec, the battle for their world and their lives begins.
Original Price: $4.50
Sale Price: $1.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1Degs3K
Twitter: @TimaMariaLacoba
http://amzn.to/1Degs3K
What I Really Learned in College – Addison Winters
Alex Rose is a 32-year-old divorced mother of two, looking for a better life for her and her sons. In search of answers, she returns to college to finally get that degree she’s always dreamed of. What she finds is something she wasn’t even looking for.
Mason Brooks is every girl’s dream: 21 years old, tall, with dirty blond hair that curls when it’s wet, sea-blue eyes, and dimples. Hot, sexy…and deliciously naïve and innocent.
Enter a tantalizing world where an average soccer mom utilizes her newfound knowledge of psychology to make life just a little more interesting. Follow along as Alex educates Mason on the art of seducing and pleasing a woman. Take notes as she introduces him to a whole new level of intensity and sexual pleasure. Study the sensual art of tantric sex as Alex creates her own style of silk and lace female dominance.
This little tryst will never survive past college–but Alex is determined to enjoy it the fullest while it lasts.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1C0Tds6
Twitter: @SexyAddison
http://amzn.to/1C0Tds6
The Position – Dahlia Salvatore
Dylan Farrow puts on his pants every morning one leg at a time, just like everyone else at the Kerrigan Advertising Agency. He handles high-pressure projects with a fast turnaround. He’s prized for his keen intellect and admirable performance. But how did he get where he is today—to the level of Junior Executive of Design Production?
Well, that involves how he takes his pants off…
and for whom…
Hoping to break through the glass ceiling under which she’s been trapped for years, Valerie Caplan picks up her life and moves to Seattle. After hearing about the position of Senior Executive of Design Production from an art director at Kerrigan, she decides to apply. When she lands the big interview, she never thinks for a minute that she’ll have any serious competition. She assumes that she has the job in the bag…until she discovers that the only competition has something she doesn’t have—the willingness to go outside the office to impress Danica Stewart, their uptight female boss.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1Cvt8nX
Twitter: @AuthorDahliaS
http://amzn.to/1Cvt8nX
Ruby’s Letters – Maggie Van Well (Paranormal Romance)
You never know what you’ll find behind the wall of a closed up fireplace.
Emma Hopkins is a recently divorced chimney sweep trying to make it in a man’s world. When she wins a huge job in Brooklyn Heights , she finds more than she bargains for; a sexy general contractor who makes her blood boil and an evil spirit who wants her dead.
Ryan Atkinson struggles to keep his once-successful general contracting business alive, but horrors in his past have made him a shell of the man he once was. Now he has to face those fears to save Emma from a murderous ghost hell-bent on revenge.
Together, Ryan and Emma become ghost hunting partners, hoping to solve the mystery behind Ruby’s letters. What they uncover is a one-hundred year old murder and a budding love that can’t be denied.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1zAN6K9
Twitter: @MaggieVanWell
http://amzn.to/1zAN6K9
Bound to Be Pleasured – Pam McKenna
Photo Play
A BDSM romance novella. When frustrated Darla decides to pose for boudoir pix to spice up her limp love life, she doesn’t count on the photographer being a sexually dominant hunk who’s determined to show her what she’s been missing.
Faking It
An m/f/m romance novella. When Britt tries to sell a fake masterpiece to sexy art collector Garrett, her punishment (or is it a reward?) is seven days of sexual servitude to him and his buddy Jack—an intense ménage a trois that alters their lives forever.
Binding Agreement
A BDSM romance novella. Sensible Kay is ushered into the world of sexual submission at the hands of the ultra-sexy yet tortured John, a Dom who shows her how to become fulfilled in ways she’d never imagined.
Original Price: $5.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1EGoIeJ
Twitter: @McKennaErotica
http://amzn.to/1EGoIeJ
Starting From Lost – SK Wills
Love is a risk. If you lose it all, would you dare to risk it twice?
Hannah Rogers is lost: cynical, insecure, and withdrawn. Skeletons forged through a bad breakup that should have been a marriage proposal. Now four years later, Hannah follows her dead-end job to the big city where her only hope is to survive the next eight months as her flirtatious boss’s personal assistant. The last thing her predictable life needs is to collide with the boy responsible for breaking her heart, or the twist of fate that sends a sexy new neighbor to awaken feelings she’s long since put to bed.
Alex Sorrento doesn’t have any room in his life for another pet project. He’s already put aside his career and his personal dreams to follow his half-sister Mackenzie to the big city. Lost in the guilt over the events that nearly took her life, he feels he owes her that much. When Mackenzie befriends the new girl on the third floor, Alex finds himself defenseless against the sizzling chemistry between them and the sadness in her eyes. Can he protect Hannah from her ex without losing his heart?
In this turbulent journey about self-discovery, forgiveness, and love, some second chances aren’t worth taking, but others have their own rewards.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1u9eJuN
Twitter: @SKWillsAuthor
http://amzn.to/1u9eJuN
Moonlight and Oranges- Elise Stephens
A timeless tale of young romance.
Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin’s long, tarnished history of relationships.
When Lorona’s curiosity leads her to Kestrin’s journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush? Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1I1HDDh
Twitter: @EliseStephens
http://amzn.to/1I1HDDh
If I Say Yes – Brandy Jellum (Romantic Suspense)
Elizabeth Lewis was the child of Hollywood’s darling couple, until her father murdered her mother. Six years later, she has traded her flashy, luxurious lifestyle for one of safe anonymity as a literary agent. With a different name and appearance, Liza Winter is living the life of her dreams—one where she’s known for who she is instead of what her father did. Except her apartment should be condemned, her car only starts when it wants, she hates the romance genre she has been assigned, and the CEO’s deliciously attractive nephew is out to ruin her carefully laid plans. Reid Harder has never met an obstacle he couldn’t overcome. When his new position in the romance department comes with a benefit his uncle didn’t mention, he decides to wage a war against the intelligent, beautiful Liza to destroy every argument she has for turning him down. Still, the closer he gets to winning the prize, the more he realizes that the woman is keeping secrets that may endanger not just her life but his. Will Liza overcome her mistrust of Reid to reveal her secrets before he learns the truth and walks away? Or will a grudge-wielding apparition from her past make her the next deadly Hollywood headline?
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1LMlecF
Twitter: @Brandy_Jellum
http://amzn.to/1LMlecF
If I Say No – Brandy Jellum ( Romantic Suspense)
Reid Harder thought his life was seemingly perfect. He had the woman he loved and nothing could go wrong. The only exception comes in the form of his brother—Rhett.
Set on revenge, his brother will stop at nothing to make Reid pay for his past mistakes. Teaming up with the FBI, Reid is determined to put an end to his brother once and for all. But sometimes, fate has other plans in store. His relationship with Liza is falling apart, enemies become friends, and family becomes his worst nightmare. With the future unknown, Reid must figure out a way to make amends with his past if he wants to move forward with his future.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/16zGYII
Twitter: @Brandy_Jellum
http://amzn.to/16zGYII
Young Adult/New Adult
Enlightened – AL Waddington
Continuing where Essence, Book 1, EVE series ended, the barrier between Jocelyn Timmons consciousness continues to dissolve as she better understands the two lives she lives and enormity of her newly discovered inherited gift of EVE (Essence Voyager Era) which allows her to fall asleep on one plane of existence and awaken on another as her soul travels nightly.
In Enlightened, Book 2, present-day Jocelyn uncovers the vast wonderment of the Victorian era but soon learns that life then was not as grand for women as she has read in the classics. Still, she finds comfort in the support of family and friends; a bolstering contrast to her overly hectic, career-oriented family in the twenty-first century. Her love for Jackson Chandler strengthens across time and becomes the light she so desperately needs as the world she has always known no longer makes sense. Yet, the closer she is drawn to Jackson by their mutual ability, the more strain develops amongst those she loves in 2009.
On the other side of Jocelyn’s consciousness in 1878, she remains ignorant of EVE. Her life is crumbling around her, yet she finds herself anxiously awaiting the images that invade her dreams. Jocelyn longs to be the woman she portrays in that world yet her jealousy is unbearable. Miscommunication, betrayal and hidden agendas make trust near impossible. The clearer the visions become the more she questions motives of her closest confidants and foregoes revealing the images that plague her perception. As her life seems to unravel, Jocelyn’s two worlds collide, and she is enlightened as the pieces start to fall into place. But is she strong enough to survive the truth? Is Jackson really her destiny? And can their love transcend time?
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1zfVgJc
Twitter: @A_L_Waddington
http://amzn.to/1zfVgJc
Perception – AL Waddington
My hopes, my dreams, and most of all me…we will finally be, set free.
Questions, questions, and more questions . . . they consume Jocelyn Timmons’ life—both of them. Questions that never seem to have an answer. They haunt her, eat at her, and dreams of a normal senior year of high school have finally floated away into nothingness.
Inheriting the gift of EVE (Essence Voyager Era) has become both a gift and a curse. One that Jocelyn doesn’t know if she wants or can accept. The world she once knew and thrived in has all but disappeared in the last two months. And now she wonders if she can ever find her way home again.
Her fiancé, Jackson Chandler, and his family seem to be the only ones who understand what she’s going through besides her uncles, both of which she’s grown very close to. But even they do not fully grasp how turbulent the situation at home has become. Will Jocelyn survive the torments from her mother and brother? Or will she find a hidden key to finally unlock her golden cage?
Find out in Perception, the griping third installment in the EVE series.
Original Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1EGw3ee
Twitter: @A_L_Waddington
http://amzn.to/1EGw3ee
Seven Weeks to Forever – Jennifer Farwell
Cassidy Jordan knows she’ll die a few weeks after her eighteenth birthday, and she can’t wait. This is her second time here, and she knows what’s waiting for her in The Life-After — the place most mistakenly call “the afterlife.” Getting back there is supposed to be easy: she just has to find nineteen-year-old Riley Davis and help him get his life on track. By the time she finds him, though, she has only seven weeks to help him. Riley will die too young if she fails, and she’ll never see The Life-After or this life again.
But no one told her helping Riley would mean dating him; she hasn’t dated anyone since the love of her first life caused her death the last time she turned eighteen. When Cassidy realizes she’s falling for Riley, she’s faced with a choice: give him the life he’s meant for and leave when it’s time, or give up eternity for the true love she’s never had, knowing Riley will die the same way she did in her first life and that her entire existence could end at any time.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1z9XKUK
Twitter: @JennFarwell
http://amzn.to/1z9XKUK
Vicious – Andrea Murray
She can’t escape her past . . . or her future.
After Vivian Cartwright’s aunt is killed by the same mysterious man who caused her mother’s death, she flees to protect those she loves. Searching for the father she’s never seen, she spends months on the road, working her way from one rundown motel to another and trying to move on with her lonely life.
Vivian must face her past when the very people she’s trying to protect walk through the door of the diner where she works, but their bittersweet reunion is short-lived when her nemesis, the man with black eyes, kidnaps Abby and Cooper.
Forced to work for the man she’s tried so hard to escape, Vivian learns she is only one of several gifted teenagers belonging to a corrupt group called the Liaisons. She joins with Wyck, a sinfully handsome twin and computer genius. Together, she and her unlikely ally discover the truth about the organization and its strange connection to her family.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1BURIsW
Twitter: @ByAndreaMurray
http://amzn.to/1BURIsW
Six Strings – Jen Sanya Williamson
Riley Witt is running out of time.
Battling Alzheimer’s disease, Riley’s grandmother Mary suffers from memory loss, mood swings, and a tendency to wander off.
As senior year approaches, Riley has to face the reality that the one person she depends on most is slowly fading. Making matters
worse, when Mary does remember the past, she tells tales of time travel and visions. As Mary’s version of the past gets more confused, Riley knows they are running out of time together.
But when Riley discovers a guitar belonging to a famous rock star at Mary’s house, the truth behind the crazy tales finally comes out.
SIX STRINGS tells the story of Riley’s journey back to 1973 where she enters a world of music, long-lost family, and first love. Her adventure is all about discovering her past, understanding her present, and figuring out how to step into her future.
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1CvAyrm
Twitter: @Jen_Sanya
http://amzn.to/1CvAyrm
Hard Hats and Doormats – Laura Chapman
Lexi Burke has always been a stickler for following rules and procedures. As a human resources manager for a leading Gulf Coast chemical company, it’s her job to make sure everyone else falls in line, too.
But after losing out on a big promotion–-because her boss sees her as too much of a yes-woman––Lexi adopts a new policy of following her heart instead of the fine print. And her heart knows what it wants: Jason Beaumont, a workplace crush who is off limits based on her previous protocol.
While navigating a new romance and interoffice politics, Lexi must find the confidence to stand on her own or face a lifetime of following someone else’s orders.
Who says nice girls have to finish last?
Original Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $.99
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1xi3qv4
Twitter: @LMChap
Enjoy!
xx, Lauren
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January 30, 2015
Spring Luncheon March 12th Mobile, Ala.
Love books? Adore Southern fiction? Want to get the inside scoop on my new release, Center of Gravity (release date July 2015)?
Join me for lunch with the Friends of the Mobile Public Library (FOL) Thursday, March 12th. The luncheon will be held at the Mobile Marriott, 3101 Airport Blvd. Everyone welcome!
For more info & details … please contact Bettina Prager at bettinasells@gmail.com.
I’ll be signing Pie Girls and Dancing Naked in Dixie, as well as handing out bookmarks, swag, and door prizes. I’ll share more about the event on my blog as it draws closer.
Hope you are having a magical start to the New Year!
xx, Lauren
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January 10, 2015
Author Spotlight & New Release: Twin Piques
Please welcome my good friend and fellow author Tracie Banister to Lauren Clark Books today! Tracie has released her new book, Twin Piques, this week, and I am so excited to share the details with you!
Twin Piques Summary
Forensic accountant Sloane Tobin and kooky pet psychic Willa may have the same face, but that’s the only thing these identical twins have in common.
How she can read the hearts and minds of animals has always been a mystery to Willa, and her rotten luck with men is equally baffling. Although she’s been looking for “The One” for what feels like forever (A teenage marriage to a French mime and dating a guy named Spider seemed like good ideas at the time!), optimistic Willa refuses to give up on love. When she meets Brody, the handsome rose expert hired to save her grandmother’s garden, she’s instantly smitten, but why does he keep sending her mixed signals? Does he return her feelings, or is their attraction all in her fanciful head?
Unlike her twin, Sloane has zero interest in romance. Her passion is her job, where she uses her gift for numbers to take down slimy embezzlers and asset-hiding spouses. When she’s assigned two high profile cases, Sloane feels confident the promotion she’s been angling for is within her grasp. But will her plan to climb the corporate ladder be thwarted by difficult clients, her co-worker-with-benefits, or – most surprisingly of all – her own sister? And how’s she supposed to stay focused on the drama at work when her childhood friend, Gav, moves in next door and the spark between them becomes impossible to ignore?
To get what they both want, can Willa and Sloane band together and rely on each other’s strengths? Or will their differences drive them apart once and for all?
Author Bio
An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O’Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play that she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.)
Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a “real” job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Twin Piques is her third Chick Lit release. The pet psychic character in this novel was inspired by Tracie’s rascally rescue dogs. She’d love to know what goes on in their heads!
Buy Twin Piques (Amazon US): http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Piques-Tracie-Banister-ebook/dp/B00RSEP056
Amazon Global: myBook.to/TwinPiques
Social Networking Links
Blog: http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister
Twitter: https://twitter.com/traciebanister
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tlbani
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448518.Tracie_Banister
Share your thoughts about Tracie’s new release here!
xx, Lauren
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December 28, 2014
Chicago Actress Narrates Pie Girls AudioBook!
Hello Everyone!! Just a quick note to say how much I’ve appreciated everyone’s love, encouragement, and support during 2014!
I wanted to take just a few moments share a very exciting announcement with you. I was lucky enough to land an amazing actress to narrate the Pie Girls audiobook. Mary Hollis Inboden is best known for Boss (2011), Kam Kardashian (2012) and The Chicago Code (2011). JoBe Cerny and many other talented actors round out the cast.
Mary Hollis Inboden, Actress
The Pie Girls audiobook is just $13.96 for members of Audible, and if you decide to join Audible for the first time, you can get Pie Girls for FREE! (Details here: http://www.audible.com/)
BUY the audiobook here:
Wishing you much love and happiness in 2015!
xx,
Lauren laurenclarkbooks@gmail.com
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December 8, 2014
Merry & Bright Tour Kick Off!
The Merry & Bright Holiday Tour kicks off today!
Merry & Bright brings you six tales of Christmas cheer, featuring stories of budding romances, Southern charm, lost loves, heaps of humor, and lots of pie by authors Isabella Louise Anderson, Cindy Arora, Laura Chapman, Libby Mercer, and Nancy Scrofano. The collection also features my short story, “A Very Dixie Christmas,” which is a spin off of my Dancing Naked in Dixie novel set in Eufaula, Alabama.
So …. Sip your eggnog, linger under the mistletoe, and make a Christmas wish. From sunny Los Angeles to the Rocky Mountains to the Deep South, Merry & Bright will take you on a heartwarming adventure you’ll love to visit again and again. Wrap yourself in holiday mirth and prepare to be swept off your feet.
Here are all of the tour stops:
December 8 – Polishedand Bubbly
December 8 – TheBook Bag
December 9 – Writer in a Wheelchair
December 9 – Ski-Wee’s Book Corner
December 10 – Wanderlust, Books and Tea
December 11 – Chick Lit Plus
December 11 – The Little Reading Cabin
December 12 – Winey Mommy
December 15 – Corazones Literarios
December 15 – Reecas Pieces
Here’s the Amazon Link: Merry and Bright
Do you have a favorite holiday story? I’d love to hear about it!
xx, Lauren
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December 4, 2014
Why Good Writing Matters
I am fascinated by the results of a recent writing and career-focused study conducted by Grammarly.
Researchers at Grammarly surveyed over 400 freelancers to determine what impact writing skills have on a person’s career opportunities — with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of good writing. (Can I get an AMEN?)
Grammarly shared the results in an infographic, which was picked up by The Huffington Post.
Grammarly revealed that there is a strong correlation (although not necessarily causation) between writing skills, the ability to get hired, and the ability to earn better pay.
Note that IT and finance professionals are more likely to commit grammatical faux pas (Sorry, folks…)
But listen up! If you’re an engineer and manufacturer who makes fewer than 10 grammatical errors in freelancing material, you could earn up to twice as much hourly than those employees who make 30 errors in the freelancing material.
The same applies for those working in finance, sales and legal professions.
What are your thoughts? Do writing skills still matter?
xx, Lauren
In the meantime, want to find out more about Grammarly? Head over to www.grammarly.com/grammarcheck. The site is a fabulous “grammar checker” for professionals, students, and writers.
Here’s the scoop on Grammarly services:
Grammarly provides another set of eyes to help perfect your writing. Grammarly’s patent-pending grammar checking technology reviews and improves your text, correcting grammar, spelling, word choice and style mistakes with unmatched accuracy. Give Grammarly 60 seconds, and see what pesky grammar errors you missed in your text!
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November 17, 2014
Tote Winner & Book Reviewer Angie Young
I’m pleased to announce that Angie Young is the winner of this week’s Wine/Water Bottle Tote bag.
When I wrote to tell her that she’s won the giveaway, I joked that she has the luck of the Irish, because it’s the second time she’s won one of my contests! As fate would have it, Angie confirmed that she IS actually half-Irish!
Angie is a book reviewer and the owner of the fabulous Little Reading Cabin blog, which she runs from Big Sandy, Tennessee.
I met Angie during my Goddess Fish Review Tour for Pie Girls. She writes thorough, thoughtful reviews, and I urge you to check out her work.
Here’s her bio:
Hey y’all!! I’m Angie Young. I’m a stay at home/home school mom of two wonderful boys, Joey and Cody, and wife to my wonderful trucker man, Mark.
We live up on a big ole lake in Tennessee with our horse of a dog Goose and our cat who doesn’t always know he’s a cat, Holstein.
I’ve been a lover of books since I was old enough to read. There isn’t any genre that I won’t try at least once. And when I saw that there were bloggers blogging about all of the books they read, the first thought that came to mind was, Hey, I can do that!
So here I am. Blogging about all of the wonderful books I’ve read. I’m not the best writer in the world, so be patient with me while I get the hang of this. I’m still learning.
As Angie won this week’s giveaway, celebrating Pie Girls‘ recent awards from WritersType and RWA, she takes home this cool Wine/Water Bottle Tote. Cute, right?
Stay tuned, though! I’ll have more news and giveaways coming up during the holidays.
xx,
Lauren
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November 11, 2014
2 Awards for Pie Girls & A Prize for You
Monday, I was doubly blessed with good news.
In the morning, I received an email from the Romance Writers of America’s national chapter for Contemporary Romance Writers.
The RWA email announced that Pie Girls had been selected as one of three finalists for the 2014 Stiletto Contest for novels with strong romantic elements. (Winners will be announced in January of 2015).
I’m in the company of two other stellar writers, and feel fortunate that Allison Carroll, the HQN editor at the helm of this contest category, is taking time to read Searcy’s story!
Then, in the afternoon, WritersType contacted me to let me know that Pie Girls had won their 3rd Quarter “First Chapter” contest! Two years earlier, I’d submitted Dancing Naked in Dixie for a WritersType award, so the contest has always had a special place in my heart.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to find this Amazon gift card in my email inbox several minutes later:
Of course, I can’t wait to pick up a few new novels, and I’d love to hear what YOU think I should be reading next! What’s your suggestion?
Leave me the title and the author of your top ‘book pick’ by midnight Sunday, November 16th for a chance to win this fun wine or water bottle tote, perfect for all of your tailgating or party-going this holiday season! The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here on the Lauren Clark Books blog Monday, November 17th. Good luck!
xx,
Lauren
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November 1, 2014
Happy Fall, Y’all with Favorite Author Quotes!
Happy Fall, Y’all with Favorite Author Quotes!
It’s November!
Can you believe it? Happy NANOWRIMO to any of you tackling the month’s challenge to conjure up 50,000 words by November 30th.
I’m going to do my best … and my project will be the sequel to Dancing Naked in Dixie! I’ll talk about that more in another post, but first, I wanted to celebrate the season, by sharing some favorite author quotes about crisp, cooler weather:
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
“But then fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”
― Stephen King
“I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”
― Henry David Thoreau
“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.”
― John Donne
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
― Albert Camus
Do you have any favorite fall quotes? I’d love for you to share them!
Here’s to a terrific first week of November!
xx, Lauren
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