Victoria Adams's Blog, page 23

Tag team seduction - Hunter's wildest dream or biggest turn off? From NA Contmeporary Romance - A Guy and A Girl #fridaysnippets

From my NA contemporary hockey romance- A Guy and A Girl.
Scene set: Chelsea and her twin cousins go for drinks at the bar when Hunter has a part time job.


"Ladies room anyone?" DeeDee stood. "Back in a flash." She strode over to the bar. Hunter finished giving his latest drink order to the bartender.She stepped closer and ran her fingertips up his arm. "Do you ever get a break or is it just work, work, work?" Before he answered, she continued, "Because if you do get a break, I suggest we find some quiet place and maybe I could relieve some of your work-related tension.""Chelsea's the only one who relieves my tension. You know girlfriend-boyfriend thing." He stepped to the left, leaving space between him and Chelsea's cousin."Chelsea's such a wussy little thing. You need someone more..." She ran her tongue across her top lip and inhaled deep enough that her chest almost rose to her chin."Dying to know what word you're going to fill into that empty space you left hanging." She leaned closer and rubbed her breasts against his arm. "Wouldn't you prefer a woman who throws herself at you?""And any other male in the room.""Bastard."Hunter picked up a tray of drinks. "I doubt any male has ever said no to you, but I am. I like Chels, and I don't want to mess that up with some... slam bam. Go sink your fangs into somebody else."An angry sneer crossed her face. "There's nothing else in this godforsaken hole in the ground. You're the most eligible piece of meat here."Hunter raised an eyebrow at the term meat. "The answer's no." He stepped forward to deliver the drinks."Fuck you!" She slammed her hand under the tray and tossed the contents down Hunter's chest then disappeared into the crowd.He dropped the empty tray on the bar."I take it you need two beers, four shots of Tequila and a Sex on the Beach?" The bartender grinned.Hunter sighed, nodded then pushed his way through the crowd to the employees' lounge. He grabbed a handful of paper towels and wiped the sticky drinks off his chest and pants. The click of the door made him look up.  Chelsea's other cousin walked across the room unbuttoning her blouse. "My sister's such a bitch. Me. I'm more upfront. I know what I like and I know how to get it. And I like you." She dropped her blouse and reached behind, released her bra and allowed it to fall.Hunter snorted. "Tag team seduction. If one of you fails the other gets tagged and goes in for the kill?"Standing feet apart, hands fluffing the hair at the base of her neck, Chelsea's cousin smiled. "We could quite exhaust you, you know."


Lies, deceits and secrets - not a good way to begin a relationship.
After an ugly past forced Hunter Connolly to escape to Europe, the talented hockey player is back in North America and determined to land a position with a professional team. But he can’t hide from his past forever, especially when his beautiful classmate, Chelsea, forces him to reexamine his life. Soon, hockey is not his first priority anymore.
Chelsea Henderson is a bright co-ed working towards her dream of being a professional dancer. She forms a unique friendship with one of her father’s newest recruits and would love nothing more than to take it to the next level. However, there’s just one small problem. He doesn’t know she’s his coach’s daughter.
Amid the deceptions, danger lurks closer than they could ever imagine. Will fate contrive to rip the young lovers apart? Or will Hunter and Chelsea have their shot at love?
Amazon US - Ecopy
Amazon - Canada

What people are saying about A Guy and A Girl


Review by Sarah:
I’m not really sure where to start with this book. The story took so many twists and turns. The suspense in the first part of the book was good, and the twist, I didn’t see coming. I expected the story to end when the conflict resolved itself, but I enjoyed that the author chose to continue the development of the relationship between Hunter and Chelsea.
I think a lot of stories are written so that the happily ever after comes right after the conflict, but in this story, the reader is drawn through more than one conflict,
it shows the growth of each character and a progression of a relationship that is more like real life. Think about it, in our real life relationships, most of us don’t go through one crazy experience and then BAM…everything works out. I think that’s what made the story so real to me.
All the challenges faced by Hunter and Chelsea helped to build and strengthen the relationship. The time frame may have been a little short for the amount of things going on, but that didn’t affect my opinion of the story. I was still able to become invested in the story and enjoy it.




What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Changes. Why are they so hard? On My Thoughts Thursday #mythoughts

On Thursdays I open my blog - to myself. My thoughts. My ramblings. My whatever.
Changes. Why are they so hard? My parents are downsizing and moving across the province closer to me - their ownly child. I have no problem with them moving closer. I love my parents. I'm having to adapt to their aging and that terrifies me - but it's the actual move that I dislike. They are moving out of the house I grew up in. It's like that final snip of the umbilical cord.
We were there on the weekend. I walked through every room and said good bye. I've taken video of the place and have several items from their house that have special meaning to me or because Mom couldn't give the item up and doesn't think it'll fit in the new house.
Chnge is supposed to be good. Change is supposed to be better. 
Why does it terrify me?





What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

That's all you bought? From Circles Interlocked on Book Hooks #MFRWAuthor #MFRWhooks,

From adult contemporary - Circles Interlocked - Julie and Robert have been having a bit of a rough patch. She bought him  an apology gift. She's been out shopping all afternoon.



Julie opened her purse and pulled out a small jewellery box. Lifting the lid, she held up a pair of earrings. His gaze darted from the earrings to Julie then back to the earrings. "That's all you bought?""No, I got you something." She handed him a bottle of aspirin. Clenching her fist, she said the lines she'd practiced as she searched for him. "I noticed you were all out. So this is my way of saying sorry. I was a real bitch and I shouldn't have been. I know you were trying to help." She put her hand on his to reassure him.









Circles Interlocked - Having been betrayed by the man she assumed she was destined to be with forever; Julie Anderson slapped Robert Holiday in an angry ending to their brief love affair. Heartbroken that her love affair didn't end with the fairy tale Happily Ever After, Julie leaves town to pursue her dream of being a dancer. As fate has a curious sense of humor, eight years later, they wake up in bed together. Now it is up to love to fix what time cannot mend.Amazon Print 





What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

YA Fantasy - Storm Child by Sharon Sant #YA #fantasy

But first a little guest post




I read somewhere that, on average, you have seven seconds to make a first impression on someone you meet.  It seemed logical to me that scrolling down a list of books on Amazon would give you even less than that. 
So, the first consideration for the cover of Sky Song, my very first novel, was that it needed to stand out. It’s rather a given, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to miss the mark. I also had to consider the conventions of my genre, the fact that it would be seen as a thumbnail and also kindle sized, and my very limited budget. The cover needs to tell the reader immediately what type of book they’re going to get, so font, photos and colours are all important in conveying a mood or genre.
The process of choosing that first one actually took about two months in total.  The initial stop was to ask a good friend of mine, a talented artist with a degree in fine art, to draw one for me.  It took her a few weeks and the resulting illustration was gorgeous.  But much as it pains me to say so, neither of us had the skills to convert this into the necessary format to look good online.  She sent it to me as a plain old jpeg and once I had added the cover text myself and uploaded the image, it looked sketchy and amateur and as an ebook cover it simply didn’t work.  My first learning curve, and possibly my toughest, was to let my friend down gently and beg forgiveness for wasting her time.
I tried to make one myself. I started with stock images available to buy, researched my genre and checked out other covers to see what a fantasy one should look like, right down to the font on the title (even though I had read loads of these books it is surprising how differently I viewed them in this objective way).  I bought quite a few different photos and made them all up.  I settled on one with a dazzling, ethereal night sky, but just before uploading it realised that while it was beautiful, it didn’t have the right level of drama.  So I trawled the catalogues of photos again and finally found one which not only represented a key moment of the book, but also had more drama and mystery.  Looking back now I know I needed a professional designer, but like most indie authors starting out, I didn’t have a lot of money to spare.
Sky Song did ok, thankfully, and it made a little money that I could put aside. I wrote another, The Memory Game, and by chance was approached by a book cover designer who had read my first one and was starting out herself. She wanted to know if she could design the cover for my next book and in return I would recommend her services if I was happy with it.  She did an amazing job, and I’ve used her (paid, of course) ever since. The difference in sales between Sky Song and The Memory Game were obvious and so with the money I made on The Memory Game I asked her to redesign Sky Song.  As soon as she did the sales started to improve for that one too. We work well together (seven books on) and I trust her completely. I give her the flimsiest of briefs and she knows me so well now that she just seems to nail my style. That relationship is so important, and the more books we do together the more we click.    Storm Child by Sharon Sant
Genre: YA FANTASYRelease Date: 21ST April 2016Publisher: Lightfoot PressIn a Victorian era where the industrial revolution has been replaced by superstition and magic, Britain is a place where wolves roam freely and children with magic are snatched from the streets. This is home for thirteen-year-old witch, Annie and her baby sister, Georgina. When their mother dies, Annie and Georgina find themselves saved from the workhouse by the mysterious Ernesto Black. But Black’s motives are far from pure and soon Annie faces new, even more dangerous threats. What does Ernesto want from Georgina? And can Annie trust the other teenagers living with Ernesto: Polly, who has her eye fixed firmly on inheriting Ernesto’s fortune and will do anything to make sure she gets it, and the charming Isaac, who would do anything to win Polly’s affections – legal or not.

Fearing for Georgina’s safety, Annie is faced with a terrible choice: she can try to guard her sister from the ever-present threat of Ernesto, or she can leave the child out in the wilds of the New Forest in the hope she’ll be found and taken in by a new family, ignorant of her powers. Annie chooses to leave Georgina’s future to chance and steals her away from Ernesto’s house in the dead of night.

But Annie’s troubles are far from over as her actions set in motion a chain of events that will take her and Georgina into danger she could never imagine. This danger drags country girl, Charlotte Harding into the fray and threatens every one of the teenagers, and it leads them right into the heart of the powerful organisation responsible for the assassination of Queen Victoria, an organisation that wants only one thing: Hell on Earth – quite literally…

FROM THE BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF THE MEMORY GAME AND THE SKY SONG TRILOGY, STORM CHILD IS BOOK ONE OF THE STORM CHILD TRILOGY.ExcerptThe basket the girl carried was almost as large as her and she gasped as she stumbled, nearly dropping it.  It had been dragged on a stolen handcart along dark, silent roads until she reached the edge of the heath. The cart was useless on the dense undergrowth here and now she walked with her precious cargo, crooning to it as she laboured under its weight.  Biting back tears, she took one last look around.  Her gaze returned to the lights of the tiny house.  Was this close enough?  Would the basket be found?  What would happen if it wasn’t?  But the girl had no choice.  The alternative was a fate far, far worse.  She opened her mouth and clear, high notes rang out across the darkened terrain.  A few moments passed, the girl singing in the darkness, until a shadow appeared on the horizon and crept towards her.  The wolf approached and bowed its head.  ‘Thank you,’ the girl said.  ‘You will protect her until she is claimed.  After that, your will is your own again.’ The wolf stared at the girl, as if in a trance.  Then it sat next to the basket and turned its eyes to the heath.

Buy LinksAMAZON UKAMAZON US



ABOUT SHARON SANT
Sharon Sant was born in Dorset but now lives in Staffordshire. Aged eight she wrote a poem about ET, which received the ultimate praise of being pinned onto the classroom wall, and from that moment on she knew she'd never stop writing. She graduated from Staffordshire University in 2009 with a degree in English and creative writing. She currently works part time as a freelance editor and continues to write her own stories. An avid reader with eclectic tastes across many genres, when not busy trying in vain to be a domestic goddess, she can often be found lurking in local coffee shops with her head in a book. Sometimes she pretends to be clever but really loves nothing more than watching geeky TV and eating Pringles.

Young adult novels Sky Song, The Young Moon and Not of Our Sky (the Sky Song trilogy), The Memory Game and Runners were all released in 2013 to glowing reviews. Dead Girl Walking followed in 2015 and she has a new trilogy planned for 2016, the first book of which, Storm Child, is due for release in April.

Sharon also writes children's fiction under the name of Summer Hopkiss.
To find out more you can follow her on twitter where she's always happy to chat: @sharonsant or find her on facebook. You can also go to her website: www.sharonsant.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharonjsant/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonSant Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6888220.Sharon_Sant Blog: www.sharonsant.com Website: www.sharonsant.com

GIVEAWAYa Rafflecopter giveaway






What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Let me introduce Melanie Robertson-King and her latest book - The Secret of Hillcrest House #paranormal #romance

Melanie Robertson-King and The Secret of Hillcrest House
Please tell us everything about your latest book. The genre. Who are the main characters? How long did it take to write? Was there a period during the writing of the story where you sat and stared at the screen because what your characters just did surprised the heck out of you? How did you pick the title? Who designed your cover? And feel free to add anything else here.
I can’t tell you EVERYTHING about my latest book. Otherwise, no one would buy it. LOL! The Secret of Hillcrest House is a paranormal romantic suspense. Jessica Maitland is the latest in a long line of people who have purchased the Victorian mansion. Alain Fournier is a widowed police officer.I started the book last year during NaNoWriMo. I never did hit the 50,000 words mark but it forced me to write every day. In the end, it came in at 44,000 words (long enough to be considered a novel and actually longer than I expected it to be). I finished it in late February/early March. At that point I ran the book through the Hemingway editor app. It’s great for finding complicated sentences, adverbs and passive voice. After cleaning it up, I sent it out to my beta readers. They came back with suggestions and corrections. We all know there are times when our brains and fingers aren’t in sync. Once completed, I moved on to the audio edits. I have Word Talk and Natural Reader installed on my computer so I listened to the computer read the book back to me. Saves on the voice and works well at making you hear awkward passages, missing words, spot wrong words, etc. Then, it went back to the beta readers one more time for more input.When I started writing The Secret of Hillcrest House, I didn’t plan on Jessica and Alain having a physical relationship. They seemed to want that from early on in the book. The sexual tension between them was electric, so I finally gave in and let them have their way.I didn’t pick the title. For the life of me, I couldn’t come up with one so I held a contest on my blog during the month of March. I posted the cover image and the blurb and watched the ideas come in. Twenty-three people took part and came up with 109 title suggestions. The only thing I knew for sure is I wanted Hillcrest House in the title. Any that didn’t have that were eliminated right away. In the end, it came down to The Secret of Hillcrest House and The Mystery of Hillcrest House.I took the photo of the house on a trip to Quebec. I’d first seen the place when I went as a chaperone on my son’s school trip in 1993. I took the photo that graces the cover in November 2014. I changed it from colour to Black & White and made the sky transparent. I scoured the stock photo sites and finally decided on a full moon and cloudy sky image from Shutterstock. Once I had that done, I sent the image to Julie Jordan who worked her magic on the font and full cover wrap. I mentioned that at the end of the contest, it came down to two titles. I asked Julie if she would do mock up covers with each. I liked the way Secret looked better than Mystery and that’s how the whole thing came to be.
Have you written other books? Their titles and genres.
My debut novel, A Shadow in the Past , is a New Adult time-travel romance set in Scotland.I’ve also published a collection of my short stories – The Consequences Collection . I wrote the title story, Consequences, during the storefront writing contest held in my hometown. Twelve other intrepid writers gathered at the Library with me and were assigned to various stores on our main street. We all wrote a maximum of 2000 words – all to the same prompt. We had from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. to complete our assignment.I took a foray into the realm of children’s writing and released a children’s chapter book geared to ages 7-11 last year entitled Tim’s Magic Christmas .
Plotter or a pantster?  Why does this work best for you?
Pantster mostly. I usually start by writing the end of the book/story then go back to the beginning. Regardless of the process, I have to know where I’m going to end up. The fun is getting there. I find plotting takes the spontaneity out of my writing. I have a book completely outlined and a bit of written but now that I’ve done that, I feel confined and forced to follow said outline.

Short question time.Favourite TV show?Outlander.Most romantic place you've visited?Scotland.If Hollywood called, which actor should play the hero or heroine in your book?Jason Statham would play Alain Fournier. I’m not sure who would play Jessica Maitland. She’s a five-feet tall red-headed fireball. A wig would fix the red hair but I don’t know how many actresses would fit the height requirement. When I wrote Jessica’s character, it was Charlotte Coleman who played Scarlett in Four Weddings and a Funeral, I envisioned. Sadly, she died in 2001 so I need to cast another short female in the lead role.Three things you'd want on a deserted island.Bug spray, books and a camera.Which would you choose – a knight in shining armour or a roman gladiator?Knight in shining armour.Favourite thing to do on a vacation?Visit historical sites.If you could meet one famous person – past or present – who would it be? Why?
Harper Lee. I’d love to sit down and chat with her about the reaction to her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. I would imagine there was a lot of resistance from the publishers given the main thread of the story is a white man defending a black man in the deep south.


THE SECRET OF HILLCREST HOUSE BY MELANIE ROBERTSON-KING
Genre: Paranormal Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: April 16, 2016Publisher: King Park Press Sometimes there’s more to a house than bricks and mortar .Hillcrest House is one such place. Perched on a cliff in the picturesque town of Angel Falls, there is more to this Victorian mansion than meets the eye. When referring to the house, the locals use the word haunted on a regular basis. Strange visions appear in the windows, especially the second-floor ones over the side porch. Even stranger events take place within its four walls.Rumour has it, the original owners, Asher and Maggie Hargrave, never left their beloved home. They claim the couple and their family are responsible for driving people away. Over the years, Hillcrest House has changed hands numerous times. No one stays long. Renovations begin then stop and the house is once more abandoned. The latest in this long line of owners is Jessica Maitland.Will Jessica be the next one to succumb or will she unravel The Secret of Hillcrest House?Melanie Robertson-King's latest novel serves up a delightful blend of the supernatural and spicy romance, Lynn L. Clark, author of The Home Child, and Fire Whisperer & Circle of Souls: Two Novellas of the Supernatural, & The Accusers

Intrigue, dark buried secrets, hot romance and a neat twist in the tale make this riveting reading, Sheryl Browne, MA Creative Writing, Choc Lit AuthorA fun read that keeps you guessing right up to the surprise ending, Dayna Leigh Cheser, Author of Janelle's Time, Moria's Time, Adelle's Time, & Logan's Time.

EXCERPT
The wind picked up making it difficult for Jessica to return the contents to the pouch. As she turned to place them in her purse, a face and hands appeared in the window over the side porch. “There’s someone in there,” she gasped, pointing to the location.“Keys. I’ll need them unless you want me to break in.”Transfixed by the image, Jessica couldn’t look away. She extended her arm and dropped her ring holding her house and car keys into his hand.“You stay here,” he ordered before sprinting to the front of the house.The face appeared to be that of a young child. After a few minutes, the image faded. She blinked thinking it vanished because she’d stared at it for so long, but even that didn’t help.Frightened by the disappearance, she dashed after the officer.When she stepped through the door, the pungent smells of damp and stale assailed her nostrils. Out of habit, Jessica reached for the light switch. She discovered an old-fashioned push button one indicative of knob and tube wiring. That was another expense she wasn’t prepared for.At one time, the dark wainscoting in the foyer shone. Now it was dull, dingy and covered with dust. The paint above it and on the ceiling had peeled and curled. Flakes littered the floor and stairs. She grabbed a loose piece of paint from the wall and gave it a tug. It pulled away with little resistance.Two large rooms stood on either side of the main hall. Jessica entered the one to her left. Pocket doors, off their tracks, cut off part of the large doorway. Yellowed wall and ceiling paper hung from crazy angles. The plaster it once covered now exposed. Sheets covered the furniture. At one time, they had been white but now, layered with dust. Jessica thumped her hand down on the back of a sofa forcing a cloud of the grubby powder into the air. Choking, she scurried out and into the room across the corridor.It, too, was in the same state but in here, boards didn’t cover the windows. Sun shone through grimy panes of glass, and dust particles floated in the air trapped by the beams of light. The sound of footfalls on the stairs echoed through the house. Jessica turned. She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. On the back of a sheet-covered sofa, lay a pristine, long-stemmed red rose. The officer stepped into the room, securing his truncheon to his belt. “I thought I told you to stay outside.”She didn’t reply. Stood shaking and pointing at the flower. Tried to speak but no sound came out. The room started swimming in front of her eyes. Her mouth went dry. She felt cold and clammy.Jessica came to outside on the verandah with no idea how she got there or what happened. “You fainted,” the cop said. “I caught you before you fell and brought you out into the fresh air.”She stared at him and nodded only half understanding what he told her.“By the way, I’m Alain Fournier.” He flashed a smile revealing brilliant white, perfect teeth. “And you are?”“J-Jessica Maitland.”“There was no one anywhere in the house. I’ve checked it from top to bottom.”“But …,” she sagged against his shoulder.How could that be? She saw the face in the window and the hands pressed against the glass. If no one had been inside the house, how did that rose get there? It was fresh. Not wilted. It made no sense. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her. Tired from the long drive and concentrating on the GPS directions, all she wanted was sleep.Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/Secret-Hillcrest-House-Melanie-Robertson-King-ebook/dp/B01EEJOIXW/
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Hillcrest-House-Melanie-Robertson-King-ebook/dp/B01EEJOIXW/
Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Hillcrest-House-Melanie-Robertson-King-ebook/dp/B01EEJOIXW/
ABOUT MELANIE ROBERTSON-KING


Melanie Robertson-King has always been a fan of the written word. Growing up as an only child, her face was almost always buried in a book from the time she could read. Her father was one of the thousands of Home Children sent to Canada through the auspices of The Orphan Homes of Scotland, and she has been fortunate to be able to visit her father’s homeland many times and even met the Princess Royal (Princess Anne) at the orphanage where he was raised.
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Melanie-Robertson-King-221018701298979/ Twitter: @RobertsoKing https://twitter.com/RobertsoKing Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6543072.Melanie_Robertson_King LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-robertson-king-72298065 Blog: Celtic Connexions http://www.melanierobertson-king.com/wp02/ Website: http://www.melanierobertson-king.com

GIVEAWAY 2 ECOPIES OF THE BOOK UP FOR GRABS!




a Rafflecopter giveaway




What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Is Chelsea's secret still safe? A Guy and A Girl on Friday Snippets #fridaysnippets

From my NA contemporary hockey romance- A Guy and A Girl.
Scene set: Hunter chats with his teammates after a hockey tournament.


Bone-tired at the end of the tournament, Hunter checked to make sure his bag was in the pile by the bus. Hmph. Coach was so angry I thought I was gonna get kicked off the team, but I survived with my secret still intact. He chuckled. And scored three of the seven goals. His stomach rumbled.Walking around the bus, he was about to cross the street to the restaurant when he heard Zach call him. "Dude. Wait up." After a moment, Zach appeared. "Just needed to make sure my gear bag is there. What's up with you and Coach? He was testy with you all weekend."After checking left and right, Hunter crossed the four lane road and headed towards the restaurant's main entrance. "If this was a baseball team I'd be down by two strikes.""What'd you do? Sleep with the coach's daughter?""Coach was pissed when I showed up hungover and then between games I wasn't with the team. Someone ratted on me and he asked where I was and I told him I was up in the press box watching the other team."Zach slapped his back as Hunter stepped passed him into the restaurant. "What's her name?""Her who?""The Hunter I know doesn't spend time between games watching other games."Hunter shook his head. "If I'd slept with as many girls as everyone thinks I had, I'd be dead." A grin crossed his face. "Mind you, it's a legend I'm happy to be stuck with. But, I really was watching the game. Wayne and Cavin are over there." He led the way to the table.Zach pulled out a chair, sat and waited. "And?""What?""What happened between you and Coach?" Zach smiled at the other players sitting at the table. "Golden Boy here is in trouble with Coach."Cavin chuckled. "What'd you do? Sleep with the coach's daughter?""No. I didn't even know he had one."


Lies, deceits and secrets - not a good way to begin a relationship.
After an ugly past forced Hunter Connolly to escape to Europe, the talented hockey player is back in North America and determined to land a position with a professional team. But he can’t hide from his past forever, especially when his beautiful classmate, Chelsea, forces him to reexamine his life. Soon, hockey is not his first priority anymore.
Chelsea Henderson is a bright co-ed working towards her dream of being a professional dancer. She forms a unique friendship with one of her father’s newest recruits and would love nothing more than to take it to the next level. However, there’s just one small problem. He doesn’t know she’s his coach’s daughter.
Amid the deceptions, danger lurks closer than they could ever imagine. Will fate contrive to rip the young lovers apart? Or will Hunter and Chelsea have their shot at love?
Amazon US - Ecopy
Amazon - Canada

What people are saying about A Guy and A Girl


Review by Rebecca:
A Guy and A Girl took me by surprise. When I began reading, it took me a little while to adjust to reading through multiple perspectives. After I read a few chapters I easily adapted.
Knowing what is going on in a scene through several characters gave this story a true YA/New Adult feel.
I enjoyed the plot twists and turns, the suspense, and especially the ending. It is a bit longer of a read than most YA/NA books, but again, it worked for me.
Ms Adams wrote as if she was inside these young characters’ heads, and it made the story come alive.





What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance

18 – blog available until September19 – blog available until September20 – author spotlight - Melanie Robertson-King – The Secret of Hillcrest House21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –author spotlight – Sara Walter Ellwood - Heartland27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts

If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

A Personal Essay - Rule Breaking #otherwords

On the 3rd Thursday of the month I've decided to post something different. I belong to a writer's group. Not an online one - one with real humans, meeting in a real room - interacting with each other!  Sometimes I can make the meetings - other times - I'm in belly dance class.

Each month there is a challenge, which can be addressed either as fiction or non-fiction. Word limit - 750. I use the challenges, whether I make it to the meeting or not, as a writing exercise. So on the 3rd Thursday of the month, I'll post the literary results of my tackling the challenge.

The challenge for this essay was - Breaking the Rules.



A Personal Essay on Breaking The Rules of Writing


I'm a published author who's struggled through the quagmire of the writing business. And the biggest pain in the…uh…neckis the erroneously labelled Rules of Writing. Some writers think this means placing a period at the end of a sentence or where to put those annoying commas. Nope, those are punctuation rules and even those aren't cast in stone as e.e.cummings proved.What are the rules of writing? I don't know. I, truly, don't. I only know when I supposedly broke one of them a former editor flipped out. Or, when I read an author's post raging on about how silly a person is that they broke the simplest writing rule and now they must burn in hell.So I DuckDuckGo'd The Rules of Writing.  Clicked on the first one – 11 Rules of Writing, Grammar and Punctuation – translate that to 10 rules of grammar and punctuation and 1 supposed "rule of writing" – omit unnecessary words. Clicked on the 2nd link - Colson Whitehead's Rules for Writing. Rule 1 talked about show vs tell. Not really a rule, more like writing advice. Rule 2 – Don't go searching for a subject, let the subject find you. This isn't a rule of writing – it's writing advice.Rule Number 3 – write what you know – that's a platitude. I got bored – skimmed down then fell in love with this author - quote – Rule No. 11: There are no rules. YES!!!!!!!!!! With lots of exclamation points.On to the next link – 10 Simple Rules for Good Writing Read your story aloud.That's not a rule - it's editing advice.I gave up. Tossed my hands in surrender. Threw in the towel. Picked up my toys and went home. Gave up the ghost. Feel free to add more clichés.After an extensive search - I found - grammar, punctuation, editing, and writing advice, but no Holy Bible of Rules of Writing.Which led me to – Question?Who taught Homer the rules of writing? Who taught Shakespeare? Lucky for them the "rules" didn't exist, and yet they were able to create literary masterpieces. How weird is that?Homer's writing – in today's writing world – he'd be told to change the POV. He wrote in omniscient which is currently a big baddie. Seems today's readers can't understand omni POV. Translate that to – won't take the time to read.Shakespeare – in today's world – he'd be told he couldn't just make up words. Readers wouldn't understand.A classic Shakespeare curse – from Taming of the Shrew - you whoreson malthorse drudge!In today's lexicon – you jerk. It kinda loses something, doesn’t it?Then the light went on in my head. Calling things rules gives some people a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. What gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling? Chocolate.When have I broken the all holy rules of writing? Numerous times. In one of my books I changed POVs. I started in first person and switched to 3rd. This was a deliberate move on my part.  Did I get ripped apart by reviewers? Nope. Nobody's commented on it other than my editor who thought I'd messed up. I've written romance in first person – which some agents say is an all mighty sin.I've written in omni pov.I've used the word "as" in many books. Long story.And yes, I've even used the damned for all timeexclamation point.There are more heinous examples of my blatant rule breaking, but I'll stop there.Do I feel guilty about breaking the rules? Am I devoured by remorse? Not even for a millisecond. If everyone sticks to the rules then we become trapped by the walls they create and books become cookie cutters. Sally meets Bill. They fall in love. The end.orSally kills Bills. Detective Smith solves the murder. The end.Do I expect flak for my opinion about screw the rules of writing? Yes - and I've gotten that numerous times when I've written a blog post or commented on one. People yell - which means they write in capitals – BUT FIRST YOU MUST LEARN THE RULES OF WRITING. My response – what are the rules of writing? Show them to me. Their response is usually silence. I guess they can't believe I'm actually that dim-witted that I don't know the rules. Truth is – the rules are really guidelines to help your story NOT BORE THE READER– because that's the only real rule.
word count - 730 


What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance 17 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets18 – blog available until September19 – blog available until September20 – author spotlight - Melanie Robertson-King – The Secret of Hillcrest House21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –blog available until September 27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts

If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

A relateable moment in the life of 2 teens Circles Divided on Book Hooks #MFRWhooks

From my NA contemporary romance- Circles Divided - a moment in the life of 2 teenagers. How many of us can relate?




Julie wandered over to the library and sat next to Trish. "What are you doing here? You don't have this free period.""Skipping Spanish." Trish slipped her cellphone into her purse. "Didn't do your homework?" Julie placed her books and purse on the table next to her chair.







Is the love of a girl from wealthy Westland and a street punk from the slums of the Shore strong enough to surpass all that life will throw at them and forge a life together? Is Julie willing to sacrifice her childhood dream of becoming a professional dancer for the man she loves? Is Robert willing to lay down his ties to the gang in order to hold onto his new found love?
Sacrifices must be made, but will they be enough?
 Amazon





What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance16 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts17 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets18 – blog available until September19 – blog available until September20 – author spotlight - Melanie Robertson-King – The Secret of Hillcrest House21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –blog available until September 27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts

If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Just released - David Burnett's - Once and Future Wife #romance

Once and Future Wife by David Burnett
Genre: RomanceRelease Date: June 1 (May 1 in paperback)Jennie Bateman has again fallen in love with Thomas, her former husband. However, Tasha, one of his children, is determined to destroy their relationship. Jennie had done that herself a number of years earlier. In the midst of a manic episode, she had deserted Thomas and their two daughters, choosing, instead, a life of shameless debauchery.
Perhaps she was shocked when Thomas filed for a divorce. Perhaps it was the influence of a preacher who took an interest in her. Perhaps she simply cycled back toward normal. Whatever the cause, years later, when she again made contact with her family, she was a different person. Even so, they wanted nothing to do with her.
But time moves on. Circumstances change. Thomas’s second wife has died, leaving him a single parent with four adult daughters and a new-born. In Jennie’s eyes, he is the same good-looking, kind, loving person she had fallen for when they were in college.In Once and Future Wife we follow Jennie as she goes a second round with her demons, hoping to find a way to stop them from destroying the possibility of a second marriage and the love and happiness that finally seem to be within her reach.
AMAZON UKAMAZON US
ABOUT DAVID BURNETT
I live near Charleston, South Carolina, with my wife and Bonnie, our blue-eyed cat. I enjoy traveling, photography, baking bread, and the Carolina beaches.We have traveled widely in the United States and the United Kingdom. During one trip to Scotland, we visited Crathes Castle, the ancestral home of the Burnett family near Aberdeen.My photographic subjects have been as varied as prehistoric ruins on the islands of Scotland, star trails, sea gulls, and a Native American powwow. I went to school for longer than he wants to admit and has graduate degrees in psychology and education. I was formerly director of research for our state’s department of education. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DavidBurnett.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavdBurnettGoodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6579272.David_Burnett Blog:http://davidburnett.yolasite.com
Website:http://davidburnett.yolasite.com
Amazon Author Page:http://amazon.com/author/davidburnett

GIVEAWAY $20 or equivalent Amazon Gift voucher

a Rafflecopter giveaway





What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance14 – author spotlight - David Burnett - Once and Future Wife 15 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks16 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts17 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets18 – blog available until September19 – blog available until September20 – author spotlight - Melanie Robertson-King – The Secret of Hillcrest House21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –blog available until September 27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts

If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Erica Lainé's Historical Fiction – Isabella of Angoulême #historical

Genre: Historical FictionRelease Date: October 2015Publisher:  SilverWood BooksSet in the thirteenth century, the kingdoms of England and France are struggling over territory as the powerful Angevins threaten the French king. In regions far from Paris local fiefdoms disregard all authority.The Tangled Queen is the story of the little known and very young Isabella of Angoulême who was abducted by King John in 1200. She became his second wife and queen consort, aged 12. He was the most reviled king in English history and his lust for her led to the loss of Normandy and the destruction of the Plantagenet Empire, which then brought about the Magna Carta.Isabella came of age in England, but was denied her place in court. Her story is full of thwarted ambition, passion, pride and cruelty. She longed for power of her own and returned to France after the death of John to live a life of treachery and intrigue…

EXCERPT Excerpt from Isabella of Angoulême: The Tangled Queen Part 1.
Isabella smiled and yawned – it was time these chattering girls left. She dismissed them, haughty and impatient. Away they sped, some calling back to Isabella, jokes and remarks full of innuendo for her future. She frowned; this was not the way to treat a future queen.‘Agnes, help prepare me for bed.’Agnes closed the chamber door, unlacing the back of Isabella’s dress, folding the glorious red and gold silk into the large chest. Tomorrow Isabella would wear the blue gown, the splendid blue and silver fabric showing wealth and also loyalty. If red and gold had shown the power and wealth of the Taillefers, then the blue would mark their obedience and fealty.Early the next morning Agnes was busy preparing a scented bath. Precious rose oil, drop by drop, turned the hot water cloudy. And then she was busy mixing the rosemary wash for Isabella’s hair. She would wear her hair loose today, and her small gold guirland. Isabella woke up and saw Agnes looking at her, long and thoughtful, ready to make her stir, but she was already throwing back the covers and standing and stretching. Agnes nodded and together they moved to the bath, and Isabella slipped into the milky, perfumed water and rubbed the rosemary wash into her hair. She felt the water running down her back and shivered. Then she was being briskly dried by Agnes, who was determined to treat Isabella to the most thorough of preparations. Her mother Alice entered the room and the three of them unfolded the wedding gown and dressed Isabella. Her chemise was soft and light, the dress heavy and cumbersome. Arranged within it, held within it as if caged, her face pale but proud, she moved to the window and looked down onto a courtyard full of people, horses, carts and wagons. A procession was moving through the crowd, with a stately canon and an even more stately bishop in the centre. The clergy were intent on their walk to the cathedral. Isabella clutched Agnes in a sudden fear. Then she rested her head on the window and took a deep breath. It was her wedding day.
AMAZON UKAMAZON US


ABOUT ERICA LAINE
I was was born in 1943 in Southampton and originally studied for the theatre.  I moved with my family to Hong Kong in 1977 and worked and lived there for 20 years, writing English language textbooks for Chinese primary schools and managing large educational projects for the British Council.Since living in S W France I have been very involved with a local history society and have researched many topics, the history of gardens and fashion being favourites.Isabella of Angoulême began in 2011 at a writing workshop run by Philippa Pride, the Book Doctor.  The story of this young queen was fascinating and although she appears as a character in some other historical novels I wanted to concentrate on her entire life and her importance to the English and the French and the role she played in the politics of power. Part Two is being written now and my head is more or less permanently in the thirteenth century.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erica.laine.31 https://www.facebook.com/Isabella-of-Angouleme-the-story-716324821830441/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaineEleslaine





GIVEAWAY 2 ECOPIES OF THE BOOK
a Rafflecopter giveaway






What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance14 – author spotlight - David Burnett - Once and Future Wife 15 –Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks16 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts17 – Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets18 – blog available until September19 – blog available until September20 – author spotlight - Melanie Robertson-King – The Secret of Hillcrest House21 – author spotlight -  Sharon Sant - Storm Child 22 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks23 - My Thoughts  - #mythoughts24 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets25 – author spotlight – Jenna Jaxon26 –blog available until September 27 – author spotlight – Melissa Foster – Bad Boys After Dark28 – author spotlight - Jacquie Biggar – Summer Lovin' 29 – Book Hooks - #MFRWhooks30 – My Thoughts  - #mythoughts
If you see a date that is available and would like to post on that day - leave a comment with your email and I'll get back to you ASAP.