Carrie Ann Ryan's Blog, page 150

Quote of the Day 7: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

He wrapped an arm around Bay’s shoulders, and she snuggled deep, making his wolf howl to be let out so he could play.

Quote of the Day 6: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

Josh just smiled, making him look younger. “We’re handling it okay. There are three of us and only two of them.”

Quote of the Day 5: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

Bay stood on her porch, the slight breeze whipping her hair around, and let out a breath. Even with all that was going on around her with the war, she only had thoughts for her family…

Quote of the Day 4: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

Bay woke to roaming hands, touching, caressing, and heat.

Quote of the Day 3: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

Bay walked toward her Alpha female and knelt. “You’re keeping us strong. Never forget that.”

 

Quote of the Day 2: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

“I love you, oh mate of mine,” Bay whispered.

He looked into those green eyes that always ensnared him in the best ways possible. “I love you too.”

 

Quote of the Day 1: FORGIVENESS (Redwood Pack 4.7)

It’s that time again! Adam and Bay will have their after the happy ever after on May 21st! Are you ready for this “touching and heartwarming” novella in the Redwood Pack series?

Soon their child would start talking and expressing his thoughts. After all, their son was amazing.

“You’re doing it again,” Bay accused with a laugh in her voice. “You’re doing that whole rooster thing where you thrust your chest out and show off your son, proving that your p-e-n-i-s can be wielded like the mightiest of swords.”

 

Author Party Day 8: Dana Marie Bell

Today is the last day of my Author Party. Let me tell you, I’ve had a blast. I have been so, so blessed in the authors who have stopped by. Thank you so much for being part of this. And yes, I’m doing this again.

Dana Marie Bell writes quirky, sexy, and funny romance. Before I picked up her work, I didn’t know you were allowed to mix all of that. I’d like to think she’s the inspiration behind my Holiday, Montana series in its quirkiness. I dare any of you to read her works and not laugh. She takes random geeky things and makes them romantic—something I love. She also takes myths and other histories and makes them worth reading. I have all of her series and books and cannot freaking wait for more. I love, love, love this woman.

I met Dana at Lora Leigh’s RAW and fell in love. Well, actually, she’s the reason I went to it in the first place. She said “GO!” so I did. She’s also the reason I brought the sparkly riding crop. Yes people. The spanking that ensued was her fault. Not mine. She also made a joke about Turkey Shifters and that’s how Darkness Meate, the Turkey Shifter of my Holiday Montana series was born. People literally fell out of chairs and choked on food once Dana and I started going and plotting. She’s also the reason I now say “Blame Dana Marie Bell” if something goes wrong and quirky. Just saying. I get to see her at the Fredrick’s Book Festival on May 18th and at Lora Leigh’s RAW again. Sooooo excited! I’m going to try and get her to go to dinner with me. Wish me luck.

Today I’m showing off Hecate’s Own. Now, let me tell you about this book. This is the second in a series in which I’ve been waiting FOREVER for. I read the first book in the series when it was with the previous publisher and have been waiting patiently (okay, not so patiently) while the first book was republished and now Zach got his turn. I heard she’s writing book 3 now. Squee!

Hecate’s Own (Heart’s Desire 2)

When a wolf is hot for a witch, the sparks can be downright dangerous.

Zachary Beckett has finally done something right. He saved his brother’s life, and his

reward is a ticket to Cleveland to train as a witch. Except every spell he casts wreaks

havoc—until he’s banished to the children’s classroom.

At least his teacher is easy on the eyes. It isn’t long before the heat is rising, and it has

nothing to do with a bubbling cauldron.

Jo has never met a walking Karma bomb  like Zachary. His blue eyes haunt her, his

body is made for sin, and his magic? The less said about that the better. But Jo is

determined to help him, even if she has to fight their mutual attraction, tooth and nail.

When Zach discovers he’s been operating under a hex, he and Jo come together in a

blazing hot ritual to break it’s hold and reveal Zach’s destiny to fight evil. But the old

enemy who cast the spell won’t give up until every Beckett male is stripped of his mate.

Which could leave Zach to howl in agony forever—and doom Jo to a  fate worse than

death.

This novel contains explicit sex, graphic language, a sexy, awkward, blue-eyed

wolf-witch and a woman who can make his dreams come true.

Samhain Publishin g |  Apple/iTunes |  Kindle |  Kobo | Nook |  Sony

Excerpt

“Mr. Beckett.”

Zach winced and kept his eyes on the Prince. The man looked vaguely curious as he stared at the great wooden chair where he normally held court. The rich scent of chocolate filled

the air, drowning out the sandalwood incense the Princess had been burning. The Prince stood across from his throne, arms crossed over his chest, his expression calm.

Zach was feeling anything but.

“Can you explain that to me, please?”

Zach blew out his breath and prayed he didn’t look as nervous as he felt. He’d seriously screwed the pooch and he knew it. “I was hungry?”

Prince Roland Malinborn, ruler of the Court of Witches and the most powerful magic men in the world, turned to him. “So you turned the carved white oak on the back of my throne,

the ancient symbol of the Witch Prince, into a green M&M?”

He resisted the urge to cover his eyes. He was pretty sure his cheeks were bright red. “The lesson was to focus on what you wanted right at that moment and bring it into being.” And

hadn’t it been humiliating to fuck that spell up in front of ten-year-olds?

“That’s just wrong, Zach.” The Witch Prince shook his head. “It has a face.”

“The strappy heels are kind of cute.” Princess Arianna Malinborn tilted her head, the grin Zach knew she’d been fighting finally making an appearance.

“Not. Helping, sweetheart.” Prince Roland sighed. “Fix it, Mr. Beckett.”

He stared, horrified, at the Prince. “Are you sure you want me to do that?”

The Prince stared back. “Good point.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Send Jo up, please.”

Aw crap. Jo was going to give him hell. And from the look on Prince Roland’s face he was going to have Zach’s ass stilled, his magic silenced forever.

Just like at home, he seemed to screw up every spell he tried. But instead of fizzling and dying out with a whimper, here his spells tended to blow up in his face.

The local “Elk Lodge” served the witches well, giving the Prince a centralized court without building an obvious palace. It was also a source of occasional revenue. Actual magic

performed during a wedding ceremony would more than likely freak any normal wedding hall proprietor the hell out. So the rulers of the Witch Court allowed magic families to rent

certain rooms for functions and used the space themselves for their own holiday balls and special court functions.

Zach kind of liked the place, even if the location sucked ass. He missed being out in the open air. Maybe he could come and visit occasionally, like once every ten years or so? Prince

Roland might even begin to forget he existed.

“Sire!”

The Prince’s right-hand man came running into the hall and stopped, panting, in front of the Prince. “Yes, Tennison?”

Tennison bowed. “The mosaic, sire, in the hallway out front! It’s—”

“M&M’s?” The Prince was going to grind his teeth to dust if he kept that up.

The Prince’s face was cherry red. He was going to have an aneurysm if Zach didn’t fix this. “Sorry?”

It didn’t help his case when Princess Arianna broke out in giggles.

“Dear Goddess, Zachary. What have you done now?”

It wasn’t right, and it certainly wasn’t fair. There was no way Fate would be so cruel to him, but there it was. He was in more trouble than he ever remembered being. The Prince looked

ready to have him stripped of his powers. The Princess looked ready to adopt him, which would only serve to piss off the Prince and Zach’s mother, a situation he strove to avoid at all

costs.

He was about to topple over from sheer unrequited lust.

He turned to look at the object of his obsession. Her dark hair brushed her shoulders. Jo’s deep brown eyes seemed to bore right to the core of him. Full lips curled in a half-smile, the

disdain he knew, knew she felt for him hidden for the benefit of the Prince and Princess. Johra Yashodhar had faced better men than him and left them weeping and broken in her

high-heeled dust. She was an exotic orchid to his mangy wolf.

God, he wanted her. How could he not?

But she used the fact that she was two years older than him as a barrier to any intimacy, even friendship. She claimed him as her student and treated him like one of the kids. He’d

been watching her the entire time he’d been at court, lusted after her more and more since she started teaching him.

She viewed him as an issue that needed to be dealt with.

Zach was about to lose his goddamn mind. Unless he managed to figure out a way to become a sterling example of witchhood he was going to wind up forever watching her walk

away from him.

“Get out of here before you do any more damage, Zachary.” Jo dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “Why don’t you go get lunch or something?”

“Lunch. Sure.” Zach stalked out of the room, desperately trying to close his ears to the snickering witches that cleared a broad path around him.

“And, Zachary?” Jo wouldn’t even look at him. “Don’t bother coming back.”

Zach froze for all of two seconds, his hand clenching around the twisted amulet, before striding out of the Lodge and right to his car.

Fuck it. If people were going to treat him like shit they were damn well going to be family, not a bunch of asshole strangers who didn’t even know who Zachary Beckett was. He stewed

the entire way to his shitty rented townhouse, slammed into his room and grabbed his suitcase. He was determined to leave the dust of the court behind him.

Lana insisted being a witch was “instinctive”. Well, he’d see how he lived on those instincts of his from now on.

He was so fucking tired of never having anyone who believed in him. The only person who came close was Lana. It still amazed him that it had taken Lana such a short amount of

time to figure out the truth. The flow of magic that called to him was so different from the orderly, precise way his brothers practiced the craft. He wasn’t even certain he could explain

the joy that ran through his veins whenever he cast a spell, the need to use his abilities to help those around him.

He knew he wasn’t completely useless. Hadn’t he saved Lana from that hex Cole Godwin had cast on her? She’d be dead now if he hadn’t known what to do and acted on it. He’d

also saved his brother’s life, using a spell Annabelle had told him privately she’d thought impossible to perform.

So why couldn’t he do a simple spell? Why, when he reached for the magic, was it a raging torrent rather than the steady trickle most other witches talked about?

Why was he considered a failure here, too, when he knew, deep in his bones, he was not?

Zach zipped his case closed and headed down the stairs. He had no idea why things had gone so wrong but he was going to find out. And he knew just the woman to ask: Annabelle

Evans, Lana’s grandmother. Right now she was the only one he trusted to give it to him straight, good or bad. Zach got into his car and headed for the airport. It was time to head

back to Philadelphia.

No time like the present to solve the mystery of one Zachary Beckett.

Each day will have a separate giveaway in which I’ll give you the book the author is showcasing. Then at the end of it I’ll give away a $50 gift card to the online bookstore of your choice. So comment every day to win a book and all comments will be pooled at the end for the large giveaway. Today is Hectate’s Own day so be sure to comment and show your love for Dana.

Author Party Day 7: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker is in a league of her own. I started out reading her paranormals and this woman brought me into the world of Romantic Suspense as well. I’d never read the genre until her Ash series and I fell in love with it. Her characters are so different than anything I’d read. They’re smart, hurt, and going to fall in love—but not the easiest ways. I love the fact that Shiloh is so unique in her series. She’s not afraid to take risks and is an inspiration. Her Grimm series is actually one of my favorite paranormals ever and I take great joy in trying to figure out the fairy tale behind it all.

As a person I met Shiloh on Twitter. (See a theme here?) We started talking because I wanted to figure out one of the backgrounds in her Grimm series. I totally got it right and she was so happy about it. She’s very, very vocal on certain issues, but she isn’t condescending—something that all authors need to learn. She’s caring, excited, and passionate about what she does. She’s also freaking hilarious when she wants to be. I’ve yet to have the pleasure of meeting her, but I will one day. You can count on it.

Today I’m showing off Wrecked! Here is an interview I got to do with the amazing Shiloh!

Hi Shiloh! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I love your work and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us. Why don’t you tell us about your latest release!

WRECKED…two former childstars.  He’s been in love her for pretty much forever, but he’s never had the chance to make his move.  Now, he has it and he’s not going to let it slip by.

Is this part of a series?

I don’t know, I’m afraid.  I’d like to write more about Zach’s brothers, but it’s not entirely up to me.  It depends on whether or not readers are interested…in Zach, and if the publisher wants more.  Word of mouth and all of that.

What did you find the hardest part of writing it to be?

Nothing.  This book was a dream.  The entire thing was just there.

What was your favorite part?

All of it.

Rate your story in terms of steaminess 

Oh, this one is about a seven out of 10.  Sorry…I’m not much on the steamy/fun/wet panty/unicorn scale thing here… lol.  It’s hot and sexy fun, but it’s not erotic romance.

Who is your favorite romance author?

I don’t have just one, but I love Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Lynn Viehl, Helenkay Dimon, Victoria Dahl, Lauren Dane…um… that’s good for now.

What is your favorite romance book or series?

My absolute, complete and utter favorite series? The STARDOC books by SL Viehl

Who is your favorite romance character? If you could go on a date with that person, what would you do? Details please! *wink*

I love Roarke from the IN DEATH books by JD Robb.  But, sorry…I’m not interested in dating him.  I’m happily married to my own hero.  I don’t need anybody else’s.

What is next for you? Can you give us any fun details? *grins*

I’m still working on a romantic suspense series that’s contracted with St. Martin’s and I’m hoping to write another contemporary for Berkley.  And the UF series that I self publish.  Fun?  Fun details?  I’ve forgotten what fun is.  O.O

These questions are for hermain characters

What are your favorite parts about each other?

Zach:  There is no part of Abby I don’t love.  But if I had to pick my absolute favorite part, I’d go with her amazing—ouch!  Eyes.  I was going to say eyes.

Abby: Yeah.  Sure.  I love everything about Zach and I wish it hadn’t taken me so long to see that. My favorite thing?  His tattoos…and the way he watches me.  It’s like I’m the only thing that exists for him.

Zach: You are. 

What’s next for you?

Zach & Abby:  Alaska.

WRECKED

In the nineties, Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes were the most beloved sitcom child stars in the world. Then they grew up and left Hollywood behind…

Whatever happened to Abigale Applegate?

She’s been wondering the same thing.

With her Hollywood dreams long gone, Abigale now has a nice, neat, uncomplicated life—until the day her perfect fiancé needs to talk. Dumped, a little more than shattered, and totally confused, Abigale turns to Zach, her best friend since forever, to help her pick up the pieces. He does it with a gift—a copy of Wreck This Journal. She can vent her frustrations, and sketch out a new plan. Zach just hopes he’s part of it. Because he’s been in love with Abigale his entire life.

When the journal falls into Zach’s hands, he discovers Abigale wants a new man. And fast. Nothing more than a hot distraction. Zach has a strategy, too. He’s going to be that man. It’s his last chance. Abigale might be out to shake up her life, but Zach’s out to reinvent it. Now, all he has to do is convince Abigale that life can go as planned.

Amazon | Book Depository | BN | BAMM | Indiebound

Each day will have a separate giveaway in which I’ll give you the book the author is showcasing. Then at the end of it I’ll give away a $50 gift card to the online bookstore of your choice. So comment every day to win a book and all comments will be pooled at the end for the large giveaway. Today is WRECKED day so be sure to comment and show your love for Shiloh.

Author Party Day 6: Laura Kaye

Laura Kaye writes sexy and yet emotionally touching romance. I started reading her works through her paranormals but then found her contemporaries just as thrilling. Her characters are vivid and exciting. I loved loved loved Owen in her first paranormal book I read of hers. Her world building was unique and screamed at me to read more. She now as an upcoming romance with Avon and I couldn’t be more proud of this woman.

I’m going to meet Laura for the first time on May 18th at the Fredrick Book Festival and I cannot wait. People call me the promo queen but I call Laura the Social Media Queen. We can share the titles if needed, but really? Laura rocks at what she does and she’s totally open about it. The Romance community is all about sharing and Laura takes that to heart. She’s a great person and so helpful. I do hope that we get to do more things together in the future because I love this girl.

Today I’m showing off South of Surrender!!

Always a Reader

Thanks to Carrie for including me in her party! Who doesn’t love a party? *grins*

I’ve just finished reading several books I absolutely loved! So I thought I’d talk about being a reader. For me, my love of writing stems from my love of reading. As early as I can remember, I was a devoted reader, devouring the Little House books and pretty much anything with ghost stories in it as a kid. As a teen, I read every Stephen King and Anne Rice book there was and pretty much any fiction that had a historical mystery in it. In college, I became a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs fanatic and have devoured everything they’ve written individually and together. James Rollins and Dean Koontz, too. And then I discovered romance, particularly paranormal romance, which I read with total voraciousness! Now I read just about any romance, but my favorites are paranormal, contemporary, Highlander, and New Adult. Here are some I’ve read lately and loved:

Tessa Bailey, Protecting What’s His. Why I loved it: Holy hot alpha male and crazy sexual tension, plus funny to boot! And this was Tessa’s debut, no less! Her next book is out soon and I can’t wait!

Monica Murphy, One Week Boyfriend. Why I loved it: Great angsty page turner, secrets galore that you die to find out, and broken characters that I loved and rooted for. Plus incredible sexual tension. Already bought the second one!

J.R. Ward, Lover at Last. Why I loved it: Because it’s the Black Dagger Brotherhood! My absolute favorite series. The parts with the brothers, Blay and Qhuinn were AMAZING and I was so glad to see them get their happily ever after in a full-length book.

Tracy Brogan, Highland Surrender. Why I loved it: I have been on a total Highlander kick for the past few months and this one definitely hit the spot! Tons of sexual tension, great conflict, excellent political drama, and characters I totally rooted for!

J. Lynn, Wait for You. Why I loved it: Funny and sexy and a hero to absolutely swoon for! Read it in all one sitting when I really should’ve been writing! LOL

Em Petrova, Hard Ridin’. Why I loved it: Holy hawtness! I love a good love triangle, especially one that ends in all three lovers landing in the same bed. PLUS, the guys were as attracted to each other as they were to the woman, so there was a great forbidden element to it, too. And the friends-to-lovers trope has always been one of my faves.

 

So, how about you? What have you read and loved lately? One commenter will win an eARC of South of Surrender, which releases on May 28!

 

She’s the only one who can see through his golden boy façade to the broken god within…

Chrysander Notos, Supreme God of the South Wind and Summer, is on a mission: save Eurus from his death sentence, and prove his troubled brother can be redeemed. But Eurus fights back, triggering vicious summer storms that threaten the mortal realm, dangerously drain Chrys, and earn the ire of the Olympic gods who ordered Eurus dead.

Laney Summerlyn refuses to give up her grandfather’s horse farm, despite her deteriorating vision. More than ever, she needs the organized routine of her life at Summerlyn Stables, until a ferocious storm brings an impossible—and beautiful—creature crashing down from the heavens.

Injured while fighting Eurus, Chrys finds himself at the mercy of a mortal woman whose compassion and acceptance he can’t resist. As they surrender to the passion flaring between them, immortal enemies close in, forcing Chrys to choose between his brother and the only woman who’s ever loved the real him.

Pre-Order at Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

 

About Laura Kaye:

 

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

 

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Each day will have a separate giveaway in which I’ll give you the book the author is showcasing. Then at the end of it I’ll give away a $50 gift card to the online bookstore of your choice. So comment every day to win a book and all comments will be pooled at the end for the large giveaway. Today is South of Surrender day so be sure to comment and show your love for Laura.