Joya Fields's Blog, page 7

Author Rachel Brimble: Helicopter rescues and a new book release. #harlequin #NewRelease

Welcome author Rachel Brimble today. She’s got an awesome new release and she’s sharing some personal tidbits about herself so you can get to know this wonderful author better. Rachel Brimble and her handsome and romantic hubby.Welcome, Rachel! Can you tell us a little about yourself?   I live in South West England, near the beautiful and historical city of Bath. Married for almost 15 years to my wonderful husband, we have two young daughters who are on the precipice of both being teenagers. My home life is becoming decidedly scary! My constant writing and walking companion is my black Lab, Max who might as well be a third child!    In the past, I’ve written almost every romance sub-genre excluding paranormal, but right now I’m concentrating on my commitments to Harlequin (romantic suspense/mainstream romance) and eKensington (Victorian romance). When I’m not writing I like to read, knit, go for long walks in the English countryside or socialize with friends and family.I know what you mean about dogs being like another child! Sounds like you have a loyal sidekick. What inspires you to write, Rachel?   I need coffee first thing to get me going and I always spend the first hour or so answering emails or concentrating on promo. After that, I tackle my daily word count target of 2,000 words – sometimes I’m on a roll and do that easily, other days it’s like pulling teeth. Once I hit my target, I usually spend the rest of the time editing another book that more often than not has a deadline.   I need silence and solitude to create, but can deal with promo and editing with interruption…which happens a LOT once the kids are home from school!Oh yeah…coffee! Must be a writer thing. 2,000 words a day is a great chunk of writing. What would be a *perfect day* for you?   Most of my days are as perfect as I can ask for as I’m lucky enough to be a stay at home mom and write all day while the kids are at school. Obviously, if I was sitting at my laptop by a gorgeous lake surrounded by mountains, or on a beach in the Caribbeanwith a fancy cocktail to hand, that would be all the nicer ;)   My ‘office’ tends to be my living room couch with Max snoring beside me, or in the summer, I work at my patio table on the decking in the back garden.    Once I’m done writing, the perfect day would be for someone else to make the dinner while I lie back with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio… Haha! Love the part about someone else making dinner. Can you tell us about the setting of your upcoming release?   The setting was the inspiration behind Finding Justice––and now where the series will continue to be set (yay!). Templeton Cove is a fictional UK seaside town, which is actually a real place where I used to go on holiday as a child. I can see it very clearly in my mind and desperately wanted to set a series of books there.   I completed Finding Justice and when Harlequin Superromance contracted it, I quickly told me editor I have ideas for further books in Templeton. She was more than happy to see what else I had in mind. A Man Like Him is book two in the series and released in August and right now my editor is considering the proposals for books three and four. I’ll keep you posted! Oh wow! That’s very exciting about books three and four…and very cool that you were able to tap into a childhood memory for your setting.What’s the most romantic thing anyone has done for you?   My family and I were rescued by helicopter during the 2010 French floods and during the manic hysteria of the holiday park evacuation; I lost my engagement ring, which my husband gave me in 1993. I was devastated. We lost our clothes, passports, belongings and everything else but I could not stop thinking about my ring being somewhere in the filthy, mud-red water. It was horrible.   Then during at the following Christmas dinner (2010), my husband stood up for the toast in front of my parents, brother and our kids and said what a hard and traumatic year it had been for us…and then produced a brand new diamond solitaire engagement ring. Suffice to say, I burst into tears and hardly touched the beautiful dinner he’d prepared, LOL! It was a moment I’ll never forget.That’s scary! I’m so sorry you and your family had to go through such a scary experience. What a romantic husband you have!Where can readers order your book?Finding Justice is available to buy right now – here is the blurb and links: 
Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Enterprises LimitedOld friends, new secrets  Sergeant Cat Forrester lives by her own set of rules. When her childhood friend is murdered, Cat's world is thrown into chaos. Especially because Jay Garrett-a man from her past-is a suspect, and he needs her help to prove he's innocent. After all they once shared, how can she say no? The attraction flares between them, and getting involved with a suspect is a huge risk. But the more time Cat spends with Jay, the stronger the tug on her heart. He is the same caring, irresistible man she remembers. Yet she can't let her emotions interfere with the case—solving it is top priority. But as she digs deeper, she discovers Jay has secrets that may jeopardize any possible future together.Amazon USBarnes & NobleBook Depository UK Rachel LOVES chatting with her readers and visitors, so please feel free to contact her anytime. She's a Twitter maniac, so be sure to follow her for a taste of her daily madness!WebsiteBlogTwitterFacebook Also available now from Rachel:   

Sexy is...a shirtless, hot drummer. #8Sunday #SnippetSunday

   Welcome to 8Sunday: Where writers share an excerpt from their published or unpublished books.

Don't you just love a man who can bang...a drum. Especially a shirtless, sexy man? Hope you enjoy this scene from my newest release, Forever's Promise. Shelby hears drums and follows the sound to find her husband-in-name-only playing the drums.



  Leaning against the doorframe, Shelby took in Russ’s closed eyes and bare chest as he hit the drums and shook his head along with the beat.    Damn. Her head stopped pounding, probably because her blood drained to her feet. Her heart raced. His muscular arms rippled as they sped from drum to drum. His neck corded. Sweat glistened on his muscular chest. Is this what he looks like during sex?    Oh holy shit.


Forever's Promise, a marriage of convenience novella.
Available now at:
Amazon    All Romance Ebooks
(And coming very soon for the Nook from Barnes and Noble)

Thanks for stopping by. Please be sure to visit other WeekendWritingWarriors authors HERE

Is Marriage Ever Convenient? Release Day! Forever's Promise #newrelease #romance

Today's the Day! Forever's Promise is available now!

  Caught in the crossfire, and forced to face their possible impending deaths when a disgruntled employee opens fire at their office, co-workers Shelby and Russ make a deal while hiding under a desk: if Russ dies, she’ll take care of his six year-old daughter Annabelle, if Shelby dies, he’ll look after her terminally ill father.
Annabelle needs a mom; Shelby’s dad will die happy if she marries. Once they escape their situation, a marriage of convenience seems like the perfect answer, and they hold a quick wedding, intending a life of separate bedrooms and shared responsibilities, with friendship and companionship, but not love.
As they spend more time together, their bond becomes more than either bargained for. But when misfortune strikes, their newfound love is put to the test.
Available now on Amazon and All Romance Ebooks (coming soon to Barnes & Noble)
  Amazon      All Romance Ebooks  

Kissing in the Rain is Sexy #8Sunday #SnippetSunday

   Welcome to 8Sunday: Where writers share an excerpt from their published or unpublished books.
 
   I’m thrilled to announce that my novella Forever’s Promise , a marriage of convenience contemporary romance, will release this Wednesday, February 27th from Twenty or Less Press.    In this snippet, Russ and Shelby finally give in to their building passion. And what better way to do it than outside…in the middle of a thunderstorm?
Russ pressed Shelby against the exterior of the house with the rain—the cold rain that couldn’t put out this fire they’d ignited—sheeting down on them. He sucked on the lobe of her ear, shooting bullets of pleasure through her body.“Oh God, Russ, don’t stop.” Common sense told her to end this before it was too late. To hell with common sense. She slid her hands down his back and inside the waistband of his jeans, needing to touch him.His breath hitched, and then he trailed a line of kisses down her neck.          When he shifted away, she immediately missed his heat.   Forever’s Promise…releasing in just three days! Thanks for stopping by. Please be sure to visit other WeekendWritingWarriors authors HERE  Joya's Amazon Page    Joya's Barnes and Noble Page     


 

Valentine's Day Cover Reveal: Forever's Promise

What better day to reveal a new cover than the one devoted to love? I'm thrilled to announce that Forever's Promise, a marriage of convenience novella, will release on February 27th!

Until you can read about all about them, I hope you'll enjoy meeting Shelby and Russ....

   Caught in the crossfire, and forced to face their possible impending deaths when a disgruntled employee opens fire at their office, co-workers Shelby and Russ make a deal while hiding under a desk: if Russ dies, she’ll take care of his six year-old daughter Annabelle, if Shelby dies, he’ll look after her terminally ill father.    Annabelle needs a mom; Shelby’s dad will die happy if she marries. Once they escape their situation, a marriage of convenience seems like the perfect answer, and they hold a quick wedding, intending a life of separate bedrooms and shared responsibilities, with friendship and companionship, but not love.    As they spend more time together, their bond becomes more than either bargained for. But when misfortune strikes, their newfound love is put to the test.     Thanks for stopping by today!Forever's Promise...available February 27th.Joya's other books:Joya's Amazon page     Joya's Barnes and Noble Page   iTunes

To Hell With Science...I'm In Love With A Ghost #sixsunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday: Where writers share six sentences from their published or unpublished books.   >>>>Click Here for the Heartbreaker Blog Hop<<<<<
  In this snippet from my recently-released novel, HEREAFTER, a contemporary romance with a ghostly twist, Rob finally realizes he doesn't care if Angie's a ghost or not...he needs to help her. 


Her body shook, and Rob hugged her close, stroked her hair. "Okay, you’re okay now." She wasn’t human, and he didn’t care. To hell with science, and reason.
For a moment, they held each other. He cherished the feel of her skin, the scent of her hair, and her womanly curves.

Hereafter is available now:
Decadent Publishing Amazon Barnes & Noble
 
Please check out other authors and their snippets on Twitter: #sixsunday. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Heartbreaker Blog H O P

Heartbreakers…. We’ve all met one.Will they be forever a bad boy, or can they be changed?

Almost 300 bloggers have giveaways and posts about those men we love! But that's not all....
We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times! Be sure to scroll down to check out those prizes!    Are Heartbreakers bad to the bone, or scarred? Are they incapable of love, or hurting too deep to give love a try again? Heartbreakers might get a bad rep, but sometimes they’re coming from an honest place. Maybe he’s been scorned one too many times by a lover who leaves him for another. Or told he’s not good enough…and believes it.   In my recent release, HEREAFTER, heroine Angie views Rob as a heartbreaker at first because he refuses to believe in her. Without him, she has no chance to find out who she is, why she is a ghost, and how to escape the shadowy afterworld where she lives.   What do you think? Can a heartbreaker ever change, or will he always remain a heartbreaker? Leave me a comment with your opinion on the matter and you’ll be entered for a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card.   Here’s a quick excerpt from HEREAFTER to shine a little light on Rob’s struggle to believe in Angie.






Angel’s body tingled. Her skin rippled with electricity, and she recognized the signs that she’d be transported soon.Yes. Finally. She closed her eyes, wishing she could rush the transition from her world to his. Cool air prickled her skin and she stood in the man’s dark apartment. With moonlight shining through the sheers, she could make out his form on the sofa.He jumped up and faced her.She wanted to speak, but she couldn’t.“The electricity went off again,” he said.She frowned.He stepped closer. “Ghosts don’t exist.”No. He couldn’t banish her again. She needed something in this world. The lights flickered, sizzled, and then went off again.Please don’t tell me to go away; it makes me go away. She might not have a voice in this world, but she could at least think it. She would not go, not when potential answers waited in this place.The man stepped closer. “What are you doing? Angie, why do you keep coming here?”Don’t tell me to leave…don’t tell me to leave. Pictures flew into her mind. People smiling and laughing. A tree in the corner with white lights and boxes under it….He’d called her Angie.“You know me?” Her words came out a whisper, but at least they finally came out. Tears tracked down her cheeks. The electricity flickered on, and then, stayed off. The air stopped sizzling. She blinked to adjust her eyes to the darkness again.“Christ, this can’t be happening.” He moved his fingers over something in his hand and then pocketed it.She closed the distance between them and grasped his upper arms, pleading him with her eyes because her voice had left her again.“Yes, I know you.” He glanced away and looked out the window, let out a huff of breath, and then gazed at her. “Your name is Angie Barsotti and you used to live here.”No wonder the place felt so familiar. Her spirits lifted. He could help her find out who she was, help her find out what was going on.“And,” he dragged a hand through his hair. “You died and I don’t believe in ghosts.”Cold air, cold as ice tore through her, ripping her from the apartment.

HEREAFTER available now!
Decadent Publishing    Amazon   Barnes & Noble


Now what are those prizes?
Prize for random commenter on this blog: $10 Amazon/BN gift card
Comment also enters you to win:1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack (shipping within US only) that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!Leave a comment to win! Good luck (and remember to leave your email address).Thanks so much for stopping by!  Be sure to check out these awesome sites for MORE prizes and to increase your chance of winning the Grand Prize!
 

Alicia Dean: Celebrity Names, Cupid, and a Vampire on an Tropical Island

I am thrilled and honored to host author extraordinaire, Alicia Dean to the blog today. She’s one heck of a storyteller and she has two new releases to talk about.She’s generously offered to give away a copy of BOTH her new stories to a random commenter, so be sure to scroll down and leave a comment! That's all you have to do to enter to win.
Welcome, Alicia! Please tell us a little about yourselfI have been writing off and on ever since I can remember. I wrote my first romance when I was eleven, LOL. I began writing seriously in September of 2001. I have a light paranormal romance short story out called Cupid’s Beau, and a YA Vampire novella called Liberty Awakened, Isle of Fangs Book 1. Weird, because it is my first attempt at either of these genres and I released both in January. I live in Edmond, Oklahoma, and I love to read, watch MLB and NFL and other television shows. I have two daughters, Lana and Lacey, and a son, Presley (yes…I named him after Elvis). They are all grown but they live nearby and have no families of their own yet, so I get to hang out with them a lot.Fantastic! Congrats on your two stories, and on your wonderful family. I think it would be pretty cool to be named after a celebrity! What types of things inspire your writing, Alicia?Coffee and solitude.LOL! I can relate to both of those. What would a *perfect* day be for you?Win the lotto, travel around the world, finding quiet time to write during my journey, and spending time with family and friends. Oh…you said ‘day.’ Never mind the traveling, just the writing, the family and friends thing, and the lotto.Wow! I think you covered everyone writer’s *perfect* day with that one. Can you tell us about the setting of your upcoming release?My latest release and my upcoming release are books 1 and 2 from a series. They are set on a tropical island in the French Polynesia. I thought it would be cool to have a different location for vampires to do what they do, and a tropical island sounded like a good idea. I did some research and was drawn to the French Polynesian islands because of the beauty, the culture, the easy access from the US, and the mix of nationalities that reside there. Umm…I think I’d like to visit this beautiful place. Can you tell us about your books and where to find them?Cupid’s Beau Ivy Pierce is a Cupid who prides herself on doing her job well. Except when it comes to a certain human male, Grant Crawford. Although she doesn’t understand why, each time she’s supposed to shoot her arrow into his heart, her stomach hurts, her chest hurts, and she feels….sad. Cupids are never sad.

Humans who are not looking for love only get three chances to find it. And after Ivy sabotages Grant’s last chance, her boss, Aphrodite, sends her to earth to right her wrong. She has until Valentine’s Day to help him find his soul mate.

But the more she’s around him, the more she wants him for herself, even though she knows that can never be. A Cupid and a human? Unheard of.

As V-Day draws closer, can she sacrifice her own happiness to help the man she loves find his? Ivy leaned back into the fluffy cloud. Taking a list from her robe, she perused the names. “I have ten more to go. Today. It’s a good thing I like what I do. I’ll be worn out by nightfall.”Meg unrolled her scroll. “Uh oh.”“What?” Ivy rose to a sitting position. “Guess who’s next on my list?”“Who?”“Grant Crawford.”A sharp sting pierced Ivy’s chest. But not the kind experienced when a Cupid’s gold-tipped arrow found its target. This one hurt in a bad way. “Grant Crawford?” she said, trying to be nonchalant.“Yeah. And this is his last chance. That first time, the woman left him.” Meg shook her head. “So sad. Then, you were supposed to shoot him and missed. Weird. You hadn’t missed in years.”“Huh, yeah.” Ivy shifted uncomfortably. “Total accident. That’s what it was. Did not mean to miss.”“Well, luckily, I never miss. Mr. Grant Crawford is about to find his Mrs. Right. And live happily ever after. Come on, wanna watch?”No, I don’t want to watch…no way. “Sure.” Ivy forced a smile. This would serve her right. Having to watch. She’d blown the man’s second chance for love. Humans who weren’t seeking love—and Grant Crawford definitely wasn’t, he was about as anti-love as a person could get—only had three chances. Ivy didn’t know what was wrong with her, but the thought of Grant finding love made her feel…yucky. Sad. Bummed. Cupids did not feel bummed. They were the happiest creatures in the universe. She should be pleased that such a handsome man would find love. After all, with his dark hair that curled in little ringlets on the back of his neck, his strong jaw, his beautiful white-toothed smile that showed a dimple in his right cheek, his eyes the color of a gooey chocolate brownie, he should definitely be mated to a woman who appreciated his attributes. B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cupids-beau-alicia-dean/1045605046?ean=2940015956085Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00B0JLKP4 Liberty Awakened (Isle of Fangs Book 1) Evil lurks beneath the surface in the beauty of the tropics…After graduation from her small, Oklahoma high school, Liberty Delacort is looking forward to a fun-filled summer before college. But when the people she trusts the most betray her, and a letter arrives claiming the father she thought was dead is still alive, she jumps at the chance to travel to an exotic island to meet him. But her excitement is short-lived. Her father is dying, and he doesn’t want her around. In spite of its outward tranquility, the island is filled with danger and ominous secrets. Before long, the secrets begin to unravel. She learns she is a descendant of Van Helsing, the vampire hunter, and she must fulfill her destiny in order to save humans from a faction of vicious vampires. The only man who can help her learn the skills she needs is a volatile, hostile, vampire who wants her off the island.Will her inexperience lead to her death—and the death of others—or will she rise to the challenge and realize her full potential as a Hunter?



  Liberty braced her hands on the door, intending to step back. Before she could, Eli lifted his head and whipped it toward her. He couldn’t have heard her, could he? She’d barely made a sound. Maybe he just sensed— Her thoughts ceased when she took a closer look at Eli’s face. He stood in place, breathing heavily. She narrowed her eyes. God. No.  His features were somehow distorted, his skin had a gray cast and looked…crumpled. His eyes glowed red. Something dark and liquid—blood?—was smeared around his mouth, dripped off his…fangs?   “No!” She let out the cry before she could stop herself, then clamped a hand over her mouth. Backing from the door, she shook her head violently from side to side. It couldn’t be. No way. She had to have imagined it.     A sound at the door told her Eli was coming out. She turned and fled. Her tennis shoes slapped the ground, the noise reverberating in her ears along with the word—vampire…vampire…vampire. Oh my God. Vampire… Bats… Drained…
Buy links:Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00B3N6PMAB&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liberty-awakened-alicia-dean/1045658352?ean=2940016048529 Find Alicia Dean on the web:
www.AliciaDean.com
Twitter: @Alicia_Dean_
*GIVEAWAY* Alicia is generously giving a copy of Cupid's Beau and Liberty Awakened, Isle of Fangs Book 1 to one lucky commenter. Just leave a comment below to enter (be sure to remember your email) and Alicia will pick a lucky winner on Febraury 8th.

Beneath the Surface .99 Bday S A L E--last few days! #AmazonKindle

   It’s been a fun week of parties and giveaways to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Beneath the Surface’s release.   Thanks for your support! You can still get the special .99 birthday price now through this Friday before the eBook returns to its regular price of $4.99.   Get it now…read it later! I hope you enjoy it and truly appreciate your help in celebrating my debut novel’s birthday with me!  BENEATH THE SURFACE, AVAILABLE NOW:Amazon    Barnes&Noble  

Sex With a Ghost? Possible? #SixSunday #ghosts

Well, folks. This is it. The last Six Sentence Sunday. It's been a place where writers share six sentences from their published or unpublished books. Thank you so much, Sara Brookes and your team of volunteers for heading up this fun Sunday event for the past years. What a great idea...I'll miss it and I know lots of readers and authors will miss it, too. Thank you!
In this snippet from my just-released novel, HEREAFTER, Rob and Angie decide it's time to give in to their physical need for each other. But still...she's a ghost...he's a human. How do such things work?


   Whatever she was, whatever form this woman used to present herself to him, she was more real right now than any woman he’d ever been with. She didn’t hide her desire, she responded to his touch as if it were the only thing that mattered. He wanted to be her world, wanted to make her world better.
   Slowly, he lifted the billowy gown over her head, exposing her perf ect breasts. He glanced into her eyes for confirmation that what he was doing was okay. She smiled and her eyes fluttered closed. 

HEREAFTER is available now
 Decadent Publishing      Amazon   Barnes & Noble


Please check out other  Six Sentence Sunday  posts and follow #sixsunday on Twitter, @6_Sunday.