Victoria Adams's Blog, page 4

Playful banter from Circles Divided on this week's Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor

Scene set - Julie and Robert return home for Sunday supper and have some playful banter.



When they entered the kitchen, the aroma of roast beef tickled their noses, making their stomachs rumble. Finished preparing the mashed potatoes, Julie's mother called over her shoulder. "Just in time. It's your turn to set the table.""She must mean you." Robert pointed at Julie."No. I think she means you."He grinned. "Fight ya for it."





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?
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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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Psychological Thriller - Paradise Prison by Faith Mortimer #thriller

PARADISE PRISON BY FAITH MORTIMER

Genre: Psychological ThrillerRelease Date: 7th January 2017Series: Dark Minds #4Publisher: Topsails CharterFollowing an almighty row, Gillian stands up to her abusive boyfriend. The consequences are horrendous and far-reaching.Terrified, she flees her home, seeking anonymity abroad while coming to terms with the outcome of her actions.In Portugal, Gillian meets Harry, a yachtsman. Needing crew for his Atlantic Ocean-crossing she applies for the job. Half-way into the journey, after confessing to her crime, Harry offers her refuge on an uninhabited island in the Caribbean which he says he owns.Confused and depressed, Gillian imagines this is the answer to her problems. She needs time to lie low and consider her options; confront the authorities or live in obscurity? Harry is offering the perfect hiding place…or is he? When things start going horribly wrong, she asks herself if she is alone on the island. But maybe the biggest question of all is why she gets the gut feeling Harry wants to keep her there at all costs?What happens when she says … no.
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ABOUT FAITH MORTIMER

Faith is a British author dividing her time between Hampshire, England & Cyprus. Since 2005 she turned her hobby of writing into a career. During childhood, she dreamed of writing novels which readers would love, & spent many hours writing short stories which she read to her sisters. Born in Manchester & educated in Singapore, Malaya & Hampshire, England. Amazon Top #14 author rank for mystery, #27 mystery, thriller & suspense, #55 literature & fiction #5 bestselling author on Nook Books. Faith's books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaithMortimer.Author/Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaithMortimerGoodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2967303.Faith_MortimerGoogle+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/105949740968880690288Website: www.faithmortimerauthor.com


GIVEAWAY!!!1st Prize – Ecopies of all 4 books in the series2nd Prize – an ecopy of the book
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What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance25 - Book Hooks
26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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Historical Romance – The Order of the Crimson Lotus Series by Suzanne Quill #historical #romance

THE ORDER OF THE CRIMSON LOTUSby Suzanne Quill
Genre:Historical Romance
The Ravished Rose
Attractive, capable, intelligent, Elizabeth Mannings returns to London after two years on the Continent, looking forward to experiencing her first Season and finding a man to love and marry. Instead, she is brutally attacked, forcing her to flee London and abandon her hopes for the future.

Allan Ridgefield, Earl of Ridgecrest, no longer has a need for love, having had his heart crushed two days before his wedding when his childhood sweetheart fell from her horse and died. Ten years later, he desperately seeks a marriage of convenience in order to meet the terms of his father’s will and retain his estates and title.







“I know this is very awkward for you. It is for me, too. I, at least, had a momentary glimpse of you back in London. I knew you were attractive and from what I have heard, you have at least a degree of intelligence.”

A degree of intelligence, she thought to herself with disdain, his condescension raising her ire. Indeed! I’ve had the best education. I’ve read the classics, speak French and Italian fluently, and acceptable Spanish and Russian. I’ve even had some Latin. My logic is impeccable when I choose to use it. A degree of intelligence, indeed! She rallied to control her feelings before she erupted in his face.

Allan continued, “To you, however, I am an unknown quantity. You must be very intimidated by me, your new surroundings, and everything that has happened.”

Everything that had happened? Had her father told him the details? Did he know what she had actually been through?

“I hope this marriage of convenience will turn into a friendship, at least, over time. I will not force you to do anything you do not wish to do. Elizabeth, I will never force my attentions upon you. If at some point we both choose to, we may have greater intimacy, but for now I don’t think that is appropriate.”

Elizabeth stood as still as the post she clung to. Had she heard right? He would not bed her tonight? She did not have to tolerate his hands on her body, the intimacies she did not want?

“Elizabeth, did you hear me?”

She let out a quiet gasp of relief. “Yes, my lord.”

He started to go, then stopped and turned back to her. With great care, he laid his hands on the sides of her face, tilting it up.

Elizabeth stiffened once again.

“Look at me,” he said firmly but gently.

Her body trembled, her eyelashes fluttered as she reached for all of the strength she could to gaze up, to face the man she had married, her husband. When their eyes met, she was sure he could see the fear, distrust, the sense of danger that must reflect in her eyes.

She could see . . . What? His eyes were clear and blue. They held strength and coldness, but something more. She could see gentleness, like his voice. He could take her if he wished. He certainly had the size and strength to do it. But that did not show in his eyes, nor his touch. Both were gentle now. Tender to her.

His voice broke into her thoughts. “Elizabeth . . . may I kiss you good night?”

What should she say? What should she do? He was her husband. He had promised not to force his attentions. His hands strong and warm against her face, his eyes delved deeply into hers. “Yes, my lord,” she heard herself say, not knowing from where the answer came.

He bent over her to gently brush his lips on hers. Then he pressed his mouth to hers, firmly, tenderly.Shivers coursed through her body, not missing a spot. His energy poured through her. The heat in her heart rose.



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An Improper Seduction
Geoffrey Chisholm doesn’t want to be the head of a family, no less a marquess. But, his life radically alters when a cousin dies. At five and thirty, he must manage estates, marry, and provide an heir. A difficult chore considering how jaded he has become with affairs in the ton. He refuses to leg-shackle himself to just any woman; she must be one for whom he has some feelings.

Most women live to marry or must do so for family or finances. Angeline Hartley, her father’s estates unentailed, has no requirement to wed. Two years past her thirtieth year, she is on the shelf, her life contentedly complete. After the Marriage Mart and encounters with local gentlemen, she has vowed to remain unattached. After all, men do it when they have no need of a wife.

But Geoffrey meets Angeline and entices her to sample the intimacies of lovemaking. The coupling is explosive and now two strong-willed individuals must decide if they will give up personal stubbornness to make a bond for a lifetime.

“Lady Angeline,” Geoffrey began, “I will be off shortly.” He would for sure if he didn’t get his rampant sex away from her immediately. “I thought it best to come to say goodbye. And, before I take my leave, I thought I should tell you your father has given me leave to court you.”

Angeline turned upon her heel, her eyes blazing, the seafoam depths now a raging sea, wrath plain upon her angelic face. “I think not, my lord. I have no desire for your attentions,” she said with scorn. “You shall only be wasting my time and yours in such a fruitless endeavor. Leave me be. I do not wish to be the center of your marital goals. Surely there is some other woman who would be easier met to satisfy your needs.”

“There is no one else I wish to assuage my needs, my lady,” Geoffrey assured her as his rod twitched within his trousers. “And to attain your interests ours will not be a proper English courting.”

Throwing caution to the wind and taking the bold path, Geoffrey lowered his voiced and asked, “Tell me, my lady, have you ever felt the pleasures of a man? Have you ever swelled under the feelings of desire?”

The heat and color rose to Angeline’s face so quickly Geoffrey could not help but see it.

“That is none of your affair, sir. What I have or have not felt is no one’s business but my own. Your questions are most improper.”

Geoffrey moved a few steps closer, putting him less than a foot from her. He could easily reach out now to stroke her hair, her breasts, to raise her skirts from over her sensual derrière. “I thought not, based upon our little encounter this morning. My dear Angeline. . .”

“I gave you no leave to call me by my Christian name,” she spat out at him. “Please desist from these efforts and leave me be.”

Eyes still glaring, she refused to give him the satisfaction of backing off. She remained rooted in place before him, her cheeks an explosion of red color.

“Lady Angeline,” he went on, ignoring her reprimand, “let me be blunt. Do you truly wish to die a virgin? Do you have no thought to leave this plane having some knowledge of the secrets held between a man and a woman?” he quietly demanded. Only inches from her face, her lips, pink and full, enticed him to take them with his own.

***

Angeline was startled and appalled by his inquiry. “That is no business or concern to you, my lord.” But the heat was pooling in her abdomen.

What was it like to feel such things with a man?

“Ah, but it is, my lady, because I choose to be the one to teach you the pleasures between the sexes. You may never marry, me nor anyone else, but you shall not go to your grave pristine and untutored. You shall know the very meaning of passion and desire.”

His eyes were heavy-lidded and held a glint of knowledge she knew she wished to share. But she would not. Especially not with this. . .this. . .rake.



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Only You
Denied the right to marry his beloved Jessica due to his depleted estate, Jonathan Stratton, the Earl of Sheffield, travels the world in search of his fortune. Not only does he gain wealth, he learns the ancient Tantric sexual teachings of the Order of the Crimson Lotus. Returning after a five-year voyage, which was only supposed to take three, he finds Jessica more beautiful and desirous than when he left and married another.

Heiress Jessica Esterly, Lady Wickham, is beside herself. Not only was she forced to marry a man she did not love, she discovers him to be a debauched, avaricious rake of the first water. To make matters worse, she's having nefarious nightmares and hauntings that are threatening to drive her mad.

Then Jonathan returns, handsome, wealthy, and ready to love her and share the ancient Tantric mysteries of the Order of the Crimson Lotus.

How is she to tell Jonathan of her impending madness? How is she to tell him her husband will kill her rather than give up any of the funds her inheritance provides?

“No, no, that’s not all of it!” She jerked away from him. “There’s more, you see. You’ll not want me after you know but I must tell you. I am . . . I’m losing my mind. I’m going quite mad. I know I am. The sounds, the visions . . .” Jessica collapsed against his shoulder and sobbed once again.

“Mad, Jessica? What are you talking about? There’s no one in your family who has ever gone mad, no such tendency. Whatever would make you think you’re going mad?” Jonathan nudged her gently away so he could scan her tear-stained face. Tears were still coursing down her cheeks.

“Truly, Jonathan, I’m not making this up. I wake in the middle of the night for no reason at all. Then I hear sounds, awful sounds.” Jessica’s voice cracked with anguish.

“Tell me about the sounds, my heart, I’m listening.” He cleared his mind of all other thoughts as he held her gently to his chest, his only concern now her current state of safety and well-being.

“Moans and groans and chains. They start softly at first. I can barely hear them when they start. They sound so far away.” Jessica’s eyes glazed as she seemed to go into a trance. Then she came back to herself abruptly. “They get louder and closer. Soon they’re right inside my room. And then it comes. I know not what it is.”

“You see something, my heart? Something appears to you?” he inquired with care.

“Yes, yes. It’s white, I think, and not quite there. It seems to float. It groans and moans. Sometimes I think it calls my name. Sometimes it reaches out to me.” Her voice was still strained, her face downcast.

“Who have you told about this? Who else has seen or heard the vision?”

“No one else that I know of. I told Martin. He told me I was dreaming, having a nightmare. He says they can recur when a conscience is not clear. That there has never been a ghost in the house before. He suggested I might grasp a little tighter on to reality,” she said forlornly.

“I see,” Jonathan said, his mind reviewing all she had said. “It’s all right, my heart, maybe it was a bad dream. Maybe it’s not. Promise me you’ll let me know the next time it happens.”

“I never know when it will happen, Jonathan. It just does.”

“I know, Jessica, but I’m here now, you don’t have to go through this, or anything else, alone. Promise me. Promise that you’ll come to me or send a message the next time it occurs. Maybe I’ll see it, too, or maybe I’ll be able to figure out what it is.”

“Yes, Jonathan, I’ll let you know. It would be a relief to share my nightmare with someone. It would be even better if I could make it go away. I promise, I’ll let you know.” She dropped her head against his shoulder. She was so tired, tired of being scared, tired of crying, tired of being alone and lonely.



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If Love Were Enough
Priscilla Brunell, Marchioness of Rutherford, is in desperate need of a son and heir. Her seventy-year-old husband of ten years has died leaving her a virgin and the protectress of his estates. If she can’t produce a son in the next nine months, the current heir, Damon, will succeed in ruining the family fortunes in a matter of a few years due to his gaming and womanizing. Dare she ignore her morals and pass another man’s child off as her husband’s? Can she do so without losing her heart?

Soon to be the Viscount Brookfield, Brandon Bradley arrives at a house party at the insistence of his dying father. In all rights, he should be home marrying Estella and begetting his heir. Estella is certainly pleasant and attractive, but in all their years of friendship he has never felt anything but a cold distance from her. Then he meets Lady Rutherford. Not only can she help him through his grief, he is immediately attracted to her. Can he let down his father and Estella merely for his own benefit? Can he break the pattern of society and marry for love?

Priscilla thought of her last moments with Robert, how he held her hand so weakly, his hand frail and dry clasping hers. He had looked into her eyes, but the twinkle had dulled in his. Still, his earnestness, his caring, had been apparent.

He counseled her to find another and to marry once again. But he begged her not to be dictated to by Society. She would have money from his estate. She should look for a man to love her not her fortune. Look for someone who could gratify her in all the ways his old, arthritic and impotent body failed to do. She should find someone who would teach her the full meaning of marriage and the conjugal relations that could be shared within its bounds. She should seek gratification that could be given by another.

Tears ran down her cheeks again, and she dabbed at them as she tried to regain her composure. She turned her face away again using the brim of her bonnet to hide the image of her grief.

She was afraid and intimidated by such thoughts. Of course, she knew what should happen in bed between a man and a woman. But that never happened with Robert because of his maladies. After waiting so long, she feared she would not be able to release herself to someone else’s care and tenderness, no less return the same intimacy with him.

Robert asked too much of her, considering he could never demonstrate what she should expect to give or have returned.

But she had smiled and reassured him amidst her tears. She agreed she would try. If it never occurred, it would not be her fault, nor would it be a promise broken since it was predicated on deep feelings that would never exist.

But she would have a man bed her in hopes of an heir. And, if she could manage it and get over this incessant crying, she would like to make it this handsome stranger who had some of Robert’s younger features and seemed so much kinder than she could have ever hoped.

Her companion shifted next to her. A shiver ascended her spine once again. She was sitting too close if she could sense him so easily.

And she could breathe the scent of him.

This man did not smell of ointments and age. He smelled of sandalwood, leather, and something indefinably male. She knew too little of the world in general and men in particular to be comfortable in his company.

But he did quirk her interest. And he could solve her problem. He could unknowingly gift her with a son.

Knowing what an old man felt like beneath her hands, what would this Corinthian, with his muscles and strength, feel like when her fingertips slid over his skin?

She felt heat pool in her belly as her thoughts meandered to the intimacies she could share with him.And he, being a rake of the first water, would know what to do with a lady, to her, to deliver on the promises whispered between them before the mating.



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Suzanne Quill, the nom-de-plume for Susan Dudics Dean, has been pursuing a fiction career for over fifteen years. With prior experience writing articles for interior design trade magazines and local newspapers she decided to find a more creative outlet for her vivid imagination. Inspired by romances from such icons as Amanda Quick, Diana Gabaldon and Mary Balogh, she chose historicals as her first genre. She is currently writing a sensuous series called The Order of the Crimson Lotus. The series includes: If Love Were Enough, Only You, An Improper Seduction, and The Ravished Rose . All are offered through Soul Mate Publishing and Amazon.com.

Currently a member of Romance Writers of America and the Washington Romance Writers Chapter, Suzanne lives in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. She is happily married, has a beautiful daughter, two inside cats and two outside cats. After years of running a successful interior design business that started in Southern California, relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and finally in the Greater Washington D.C. Area, she has finally retired to pursue her writing dreams full time.

Look for more in the Crimson Lotus series soon and contemporary romances under the name of Susan Dean in the near future.

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Somebody's got to teach you how to eat junk food. Dancing in Circles on Book Hooks #MFRWhooks, #MFRWAuthor #NA #contemporary

From my contemporary NA romance - Dancing in Circles - Book 1 of Circles Trilogy.
Scene Set - Julie and Robert's first lunch date.



"What do ya want on your dog?""Just ketchup.""Somebody's got to teach ya how to eat junk food." He loaded his three hotdogs with every condiment available, poured salt, malt vinegar and ketchup on his fries then sat next to Julie under a tree.She grimaced. "How can you eat that?""Like this." He opened his mouth and bit a large chunk off his first hot dog. When he downed the last of his meal, he leaned back on the tree trunk and yawned.





Dancing in Circles. One born into privilege and a charmed life surrounded by love and family. The other born to a life of violence on the streets as the solemn gang leader of the notorious Shoresmen. A young, idealistic co-ed, Julie, meets a jaded, cold gang member, Robert, and cracks his icy shell, allowing the warmth of her love to awaken his soul.
Buy link - Dancing in Circles -  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PFNPMG

What people are saying  5 Stars - I loved the cover, as well as the story. I liked the school setting, and the description in the beginning of Julie and her friends. Julie is the dreamer, searching for a happy ending. I also liked Robert, who is a "bad boy" gang leader, "from the wrong side of the tracks," etc. One of Julie's relatives says he has a heart of gold, and he does. He's smart and practical and I think he's great.








What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance19 – OtherWords  #ThursThoughts 20 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 21- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday22- Blog Available23- Author Spotlight – Susanne Quill – The Ravished Rose24- Author Spotlight – 25- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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Mystery Angel Romance Series by Petie McCarty #contemporary paranormal #romance

MYSTERY ANGEL ROMANCE SERIES by PETIE McCARTYOfficial Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance


NO GOING BACK (Book 1)

Kellen Brand's inheritance turns out to be a whopper -- one dilapidated farm in West Virginia and one guardian angel! Since Kellen is convinced no sane woman would choose to live in Riverside, she vows to sell her farm and quick.

Her handsome and reclusive neighbor Luke Kenyon must block the farm sale or risk exposure of his family's secrets. While Kellen has located one potential buyer, she faces a town full of objectors. Someone is trying to frighten her off, and Luke is forced to step in and rescue her more than once.

Unfortunately, Kellen can't seem to stay out of trouble. She stumbles onto a clandestine hazardous-waste-dumping operation next to her farm, and she prays Luke has one more rescue up his sleeve. It's her only hope of staying alive.

Unless her mother really did leave her a guardian angel…




A horse whickered behind her, then the telltale creak of a saddle -- too close for comfort. Kellen froze. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as though lightning were about to strike. Ankle deep in the water, she couldn't make a decent sprint for the car, and she regretted her impulse to visit this deserted stretch of riverbank.

She eased around and saw the towering silhouette of a powerfully built man astride a huge black stallion, the rider's face shadowed beneath a wide-brimmed Stetson. The cowboy made an impressive, and at this moment intimidating, sight -- a throwback from the frontier days of the wild wild West.

The horse whickered again and sidestepped away from the edge of the embankment, forcing the cowboy to twist around to keep her in sight. She could feel his dark eyes studying every inch of her. The intensity in his gaze raised goosebumps on her arms and sent a tiny shiver vibrating up her neck. Trapped here along the edge of the river, she felt vulnerable yet strangely unafraid. Would he come any closer?

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ANGEL TO THE RESCUE (Book 2)

Child psychologist Rachel Kelly isn't quite sure how to handle the situation with her newest client -- a six-year-old boy who says he can talk to angels and one is coming to help Rachel. She already has her hands full of trouble this Christmas season, and things quickly take a turn for the worse when a stalker crashes Rachel's Christmas party and takes her young clients hostage.

Police negotiator, Lt. Jake Dillon, walked away from his fiancée Rachel when she suddenly balked at having kids. His kids. Yet when the hostage crisis erupts, Rachel calls Jake first. Now he has a choice to make -- stand back and wait for the cavalry to save Rachel or step in and try to save her himself. Time is running out, and Jake may be their only chance for rescue.

Unless Rachel's little angel-spying client is telling the truth…





"Want to tell me what that was all about?" Wally asked, when they climbed into their Crown Vic.

"No."

"You said ex-fiancée."

Jake ignored him, hoping he'd shut up. Seeing Rachel -- touching her -- had shaken him.

"She's gorgeous."

He shot Wally a fulsome glare.

"Just saying is all. Kind of hard to believe you'd let somebody that gorgeous get away."

"Drop it," he growled.

"But we're partners. Partners talk."

"We've only been partners for three days."

"We can still talk about stuff that bothers you," Wally prodded.

"Nothing's bothering me," Jake snapped. "Come find me in three months. We'll talk then."

"But as real partners, we're supposed to share--"

"No, we're not," Jake bit off. "You don't need to know everything about me."

Wally stuck his palms up. "Okay, okay. Gees! Doesn't matter anyway. Some things I can see for myself."

Jake glowered at him again. "What are you talking about?"

"I thought you said to drop it?"

"Spit it out," Jake snapped.

"I can see you're not over your ex-fiancée. Yet."

Jake swung the Crown Vic hard into traffic. "You're crazy."

Wally shrugged. "I don't think so."

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THE SEAL'S ANGEL (Book 3)

Navy SEAL Sean MacKay's teammate is murdered after stealing a deadly nerve-gas formula from Syrian terrorists. Naval Intelligence believes MacKay's teammate was a traitor and shipped the stolen formula to his sister in the states for safekeeping. MacKay is given orders to find the sister before the terrorists do and to retrieve the stolen formula at all costs.

Foreclosure looms for Cory Rigatero as she fights to keep her rustic resort near Mt. St. Helens afloat after her brother deserted her to join the SEAL Teams. Cory's whole world dives into a tailspin when Sean MacKay shows up at her resort with the news of her brother's death and the wild suspicion her brother may have sent her traitorous classified documents. No way will Cory trust MacKay -- the man who once seduced her and then vanished into the night without a trace.




Mac hauled ass for the main house, Garth huffing hard alongside, already winded and trying to stay on his heels. Something had happened to the dog, but he couldn't worry about that now.

The two broke through the border of the side garden. Mac could see the kitchen door of the main house standing wide open and raced that direction.

A second scream ripped through the air. This one sounded closer to the front of the house, and Mac turned course to race in that direction. Garth stayed straight and bounded through the kitchen door as Mac cleared the corner on the house.

He stumbled when he spied a man wearing a black hood and dark clothes -- a knife held at Cory's throat -- half-carrying, half-dragging her down the front steps. Mac skidded silently into the rhododendron bushes lining the porch. The assailant hissed over his shoulder to someone behind him.

Okay. Two tangos.

A wolf-like howl suddenly echoed in the house, clearly audible through the open front door. A heavy thud, a scream of pain, and vicious snarling sounded in rapid succession. Mac had backup. Garth had made it inside.


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Petie earned a Bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Central Florida, which was no help at all when she decided to write romance novels as a second career. Her particular background did afford her the luxury of many unique assignments during her career as an aquatic biologist, including aquatic plant surveys in Florida lakes and streams by airboat. Many of those off-the-wall assignments provided background for her stories.

Petie spent most of her career working as a biologist at the Walt Disney World Resort, "The Most Magical Place on Earth." What could be more magical than driving by Cinderella's Castle on your way to work every day? Living in the heart of the theme park entertainment industry constantly tweaked her imagination and made her want to write. She had the fun of working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night. She eventually said good-bye to her wonderful "day" job to write her stories full-time.

These days, Petie shares her home on the beautiful Cumberland Plateau with her horticulturist husband, a spoiled-rotten English springer spaniel addicted to green olives stuffed with pimento, and a talkative Nanday conure named Sassy who makes a cameo appearance in Angel to the Rescue. She loves golf, running, and reads voraciously. That's Petie, not the conure.

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Contemporary crime fiction based on a real life event - The Safe Word by Karen Long #contemporary #crime

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!  GUEST POST BY KAREN LONG I’ve visited Toronto five or six times since 2012 and I love it. Its inhabitants are friendly, unusually calm and liberal in their outlook and its streets are stylish and clean. I like the food, the shopping, the museums and the wildlife. I’m a huge fan: but does that qualify me, in any way, to set a series of contemporary crime fiction novels there? Probably not: so why do it? Surely, it would be easier and more authentic to set a novel where you are at least au fait with the landscape, customs, politics and dialogue of the area. Toronto forms the backdrop to my series mainly because I don’t know it very well. I began the first novel ‘The Safe Word’ in a coffee shop on Queen St West. As I tucked into a panini and browsed a local newspaper I read a small article, written in a very matter-of-fact style, elaborating on an event that had taken place a few days earlier. Several concerned local residents had witnessed a woman being bundled into the back of a van and driven off. The plate number had been phoned into the police, who duly tracked the vehicle down and surrounded it on a small back street. Having approached cautiously the police liberated the woman, who was trussed up in the back, and made sure she was uninjured. Contrary to any reasonable expectation, the victim flew into a rage, accusing the police of ruining her sexy kidnapping Red Letter Day, much to their disbelief. This story, which was way too good not to use, formed the premise of my first novel, ‘The Safe Word’. I’d found the stimulus but needed a real sense - not just the tourist experience - of the city. So, I went off the beaten track. I toured the Herne, Tommy Thompson Park, Cherry Beach, several tranny clubs and drove around the city for hours. I listened to people talk, move, gesture and opine. Would any Torontonian recognise themselves, or the city, in any of my novels? I suspect not, but I’m writing crime fiction, not fact. All I really need is a street map, Wikipedia, a bunch of good memories and the commitment to turn these into a narrative. My aim is to capture a flavour of the city and use it as a theatre for my characters to play out their stories. However, having just completed book three in the Eleanor Raven series, I feel I have exhausted my geographical knowledge of the city and need another long break there to refresh this.At least that’s what I told my travel companion.
AUTHOR LINKS https://www.facebook.com/KarenLongWriter?fref=tshttp://www.karenlongwriter.com/https://karenlongwriter.wordpress.com/https://twitter.com/KarenLongWriterhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7829726.Karen_Long?
CHARACTER LINKS FOR ELEANOR RAVEN https://www.facebook.com/TheEleanorRaven/?fref=ts https://twitter.com/RavenEleanor
BUY LINKS
THE SAFE WORDThere are rules that every player of every game must abide by, no matter how dangerous the sport.

Toronto has become the backdrop to a macabre set of artistic installations: women kidnapped, tortured and horrifically displayed by a killer with a vision.

Only someone capable of understanding the killer's creative desire will be able to stop the murders and D I Eleanor Raven is uniquely qualified. Driven by a complex personality she pursues only the facts, only the things she can see, but never casts a judgement.

But she also has a dark and dangerous secret - one that will threaten her very survival.

THE VAULT VAULT: A large room or chamber used for storage of valuables, especially an underground one…

In the unrelenting heat of the Toronto summer, a fire at a land-fill site uncovers the remains of a local prostitute. But the post-mortem reveals disturbing details –the body has been preserved and is not who or what it seems.

DI Eleanor Raven is back on duty six months after barely surviving being kidnapped and tortured by a depraved serial killer. Work is her sanctuary but she’s carrying deep scars – mental as well as physical. Where do you go when the place you feel safest is also the place where you are most at risk?
As Eleanor battles her own demons, it looks as though a killer in the city is making a gruesome human collection. And Eleanor’s fight to save the last victim of the Collector becomes a battle to save herself.

All author or review enquires please contact Karen Long’s Personal Assistant J.B. Johnston – brookbooks@hotmail.co.uk








What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance
11- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 12- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 13- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 14- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday15- Blog Available16- Author Spotlight – Karen Long – The Safe Word17- Author Spotlight – Petie McCarty - Mystery Angel Romance18- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 19 – OtherWords  #ThursThoughts 20 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 21- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday22- Blog Available23- Author Spotlight – Susanne Quill – The Order of the Crimson Lotus24- Author Spotlight – Suz deMello – Rakes in Tartan25- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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

My Sexy Stranger theme for this week's My Sexy Saturday #contemporary #MySexySaturday #MSS172

Welcome to the 172ndweek of My Sexy Saturday. This week’s theme: My Sexy Stranger

The only romance I have where the heroine meets a stranger is one that is currently in rewrites - Sunrise - my time traveller contemporary romance. 

Scene set - Sian was sitting on the edge of her dock, meditating.



A frigid gust of wind brushed her face. The water splashed against the dock supports. Sian jumped as a crack of thunder as loud as if the earth had been split echoed across the water. Then all went still and silent.A sense of dread filled Sian. She opened her eyes. Nothing before her looked different. As she stood, she twisted around. Her gaze met two dull, green, bloodshot eyes then followed the trickle of blood dripping onto the deck.Befuddlement filled Sian. She blinked and looked again. Somehow, a man was lying on her dock. Bleeding. Retreating from danger, she stepped backwards, unfortunately into the space between the dock and the water. She windmilled her arms in a desperate attempt to grab a hold of air to keep from falling. The cool lake water enveloped her.Sputtering, Sian clamoured up the dock's edge, hitched a hip on the boards and wiped the water off her face. "What the…"Her gaze darted left, right and checked the sky. He was gone. But how? Glancing towards the cottage and along the shoreline, she scratched the back of her head. I'm sure I saw blood. He's injured. So he couldn't have run far. "Hello? Are you still here?"



What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance15- Blog Available16- Author Spotlight – Karen Long – The Safe Word17- Author Spotlight – Petie McCarty - Mystery Angel Romance18- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 19 – OtherWords  #ThursThoughts 20 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 21- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday22- Blog Available23- Author Spotlight – Susanne Quill – The Order of the Crimson Lotus24- Author Spotlight – Suz deMello – Rakes in Tartan25- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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

What do you mean was a beautiful morning? WIP - Sunrise on Friday Snippets #amwriting #contemporary, #romance

For the next few weeks, I'll be posting snippets from my - trying to get it rewritten - contemporary time traveller romance - Sunrise.

Scene set - Sian had been meditating on her dock when her twin cousins arrived.



"Was? What do you mean was a beautiful morning?" Apple raised an eyebrow.Sian pasted an innocent smile on her lips. "Simply that morning is over and it is time to face the rest of my day.""And it's today, right?" Opal giggled. "Today's the day you—""Ssh!" Sian stopped her. "Don't say it until it happens."Apple stepped off the dock onto the beach. "Always the cautious one. Don't tempt the fates.""Would you?" Sian stood next to Apple. "Aunt Mixy is always saying, 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch.' Well, today I am following her advice."Opal grasped her hands near her heart. "So the plan is, coffee, into town, to the bank and then we count chickens."Laughing, the three cousins hurried up the path to the deck where three hot coffees and blueberry bagels waited.An hour and fifteen minutes later, Sian and her cousins were seated in Mr. Flannigan's, the bank manager's, office. He greeted Sian at the door and escorted her and her cousins to his office. After offering her a cup of coffee, he scooted around his desk and settled into his chair. He typed something on his keyboard then glanced at the screen. "Yes, Ms. Newell, your lottery winnings have been deposited. You are now a wealthy woman."Opal's screech was like finger nails on a chalkboard to Sian. She squeezed her fists until her nails dug into her palms. Trying to keep her voice level, she smiled. "Oh, I'm glad. They did say they would deposit it today."Flannigan pressed his fingertips together. "Do you have any plans with the money?""Yes." Sian reached out and grabbed both cousins' hands. "I would like to give Apple and Opal a hundred thousand each.""What?" Apple's voice was the louder of the two cousins.Sian released their hands then patted Apple's knee. "I know what I'm doing. You two have always wanted to go on a world cruise. Well go. First class. Go for a month. A year." Please. Just go."But. But."Sian raised a hand to stop her cousin. "No complaints. I insist. Please. Go on the cruise. Mr. Flannigan, transfer the money." She glanced left and right at her cousins. "And next we go to the travel agent and book those cruises."




What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance14- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday15- Blog Available16- Author Spotlight – Karen Long – The Safe Word17- Author Spotlight – Petie McCarty - Mystery Angel Romance18- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 19 – OtherWords  #ThursThoughts 20 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 21- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday22- Blog Available23- Author Spotlight –Susanne Quill – The Order of the Crimson Lotus24- Author Spotlight – Suz deMello – Rakes in Tartan25- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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

Two words to get through to spring - Happy Winter #mythoughts #winter

As I look out the window at the snow and note the frigid number on the thermometer - I sigh.
Eastern Ontario has settled down for another long cold winter.
It could be worse.
I could live in Iqaluit or Whitehorse.
We Canadians are proud of our cold heritage - we feel like fighters - survivors against Mother Nature.
And we are dreamers - dreaming of sunny summer days.
But for the moment, I'll watch the birds flutter in, grab a seed and fly away from the feeder outside my window.
And since I have no idea where this is going - I will just end now with two words - Happy Winter.

Who was he? Red Tulip on weekly hop Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor

Red Tulip is my flash fiction contemporary romance with a hint of mystery. Darcy met a mysterious man and some how a red tulip appeared at her work.
I scolded myself for being so silly. He wasn't stalking me to make wild passionate love to me or to…. I glanced over my shoulder, consumed by insecurity. Wiggling my foot, I inched closer to Calla.The slowing of the subway was the jingle of the warden's keys on my nerves. I pressed forward and like all good commuters, ignored the drone of "stand back."I couldn't scurry myself fast enough into my apartment. I bolted both locks and placed the burglar bar against the door. No matter how much I was aroused by the thought of him being in my residence, hell was going to freeze before he did. He'd already gotten into my shed and slipped onto my subway car.Who was he?






Blurb - Darcy O'Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.Shamus McTavisis a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.Are Darcy's eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?
Amazon - US Amazon - Canada 



What’s up and coming on Victoria’s Pages of Romance12- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts
13- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 14- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday15- Blog Available16- Author Spotlight – Karen Long – The Safe Word17- Author Spotlight – Petie McCarty - Mystery Angel Romance18- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 19 – OtherWords  #ThursThoughts 20 - Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets 21- My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday22- Blog Available23- Author Spotlight – Susanne Quill – The Ravished Rose 24- Author Spotlight – 25- Book Hooks #MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor 26- Thursday  Thoughts  - #ThursThoughts 27- Friday Snippets  #FridaySnippets  28 – My Sexy Saturday #MySexySaturday29 – Blog Available30 – Author Spotlight – M.C.V. Eagan - Death of A Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color31 - Author Spotlight – Linn B Halton - A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate

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