Joya Fields's Blog, page 8

Welcome author Kiru Taye and Island Bound #NewRelease

Please welcome talented author Kiru Taye. She has a hot new release from Decadent Publishing and she’s sharing some fun details about herself today as well as an excerpt from her book.    Hello, everyone. My name is Kiru and I write historical, contemporary as well as paranormal romances. My stories are sensual, with strong, passionate characters and the settings are atmospheric and exotic, usually in Africa.   My debut historical romance His Treasure (Men of Valor series, book 1) is a LR Cafe Book of 2011 award-winner and also a runner-up at the Swirl Awards 2012 (novella category).   When I’m not writing, I love reading, hanging out with family/friends or travelling. Born in Nigeria, I currently live in the UKwith husband and children.Wow, you’ve seen a lot of the world…very exciting! What inspires your writing?   Different things inspire me. A movie, TV programme or watching people interacting. Last month I was coming home from the school run and heard an advert on the radio for a theatre show. The title inspired the current story for my work-in-progress paranormal romance.   When I’m actually writing I prefer solitude—no music, no noise—just peace and quiet.Ahhh, solitude! I can agree with that. What would a *perfect* writing day be for you?   It’s the simple things for me:   Wake up smiling. Get the kids ready for school. Drop them off. Come home. Write about 5000 words. Respond to conversations with readers/fans on social media. Read royalty statement and develop an even bigger smile. Pick kids up and they’ve had a great day. Kids sail through homework. Cook dinner. Pick hubby from train station and he’s had a great day. Get kids to bed. Cuddle up with hubby. Go to sleep with a huge smile. ;)LOL about the royalty statement! Can you tell us about the setting of your upcoming release? Why did you choose it?   Island Bound is a sensual, contemporary romance novella, set in Brass Island, Nigeria. It’s the story of Christy and Joshua who are on the verge of a marriage breakdown and how they get their second chance at a life together.   Most of my stories are set in Africa, Nigeriaespecially. For Island Bound, although the couple actually lives in Abuja which is the capital city of Nigeria, I chose Brass Islandas the setting because they needed to get away from their normal everyday lives to be able to work on their relationship.    And where best but the remote island of Brasson the southernmost tip of Nigeriajust by the Atlantic Ocean. The sea is crystal clear, the sands are powdery, the sky azure. And even better there is a lush green forest reserve not far filled with rare and endangered species. The only way to get there at the moment is by boat.Oh wow! That sounds absolutely gorgeous! And speaking of romance…what’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you?Last year for my birthday, my husband surprised me with a long weekend trip to New York. I didn’t know where we were going until I boarded the plane. That was a lovely present as I’d always wanted to visit New York. The hotel was bang in the middle of Manhattan and I got to shop at Fifth Avenue. Heavenly. JWell with a romantic husband like that, it’s no wonder you write romance! Where can readers order your book, Kiru? Island Bound is out now published by Decadent Publishing for their new African romance Ubuntu line. Visit http://www.kirutaye.com/booklist/island-bound for all the buy linksFind Kiru:You reach me via my Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | PinterestFollow my blog for latest news, free reads & giveaways: http://kirutayewrites.blogspot.comFor a comprehensive list of my books and to download free reads, check out my website: http://www.kirutaye.com Giveaway:  Leave a comment on this post and visit my blog to enter the Rafflecopter prize draw to win a $10 eGift card in the Island Bound Book Launch event. Entries close on January 28, 2013.About Island Bound   When Christy Inemi-Spiff discovers that the man she vowed to love and honor has no such feelings for her, she’s determined to cut her losses and move on with her life. A quick, quiet divorce is all she wishes for Christmas.   However, Joshua has other ideas. He’s not ready to walk away yet, especially when he doesn’t understand why Christy wants out of their marriage. So he demands she agree to spend a quiet Christmas on a remote African Island with him, hoping they can salvage their relationship. If she still wants a divorce after these two weeks, he will let her go. But not before he’s had his fill of her.   But with the sparking tension between them, and the secrets behind the disintegration of their marriage threatening to explode, will either of them get their wish? Or will this season of good will show them what really lies at the bottom of their hearts? Here's an excerpt from Island Bound:“Why are you doing this?” she challenged. Her emotions rolled, making her feel unbalanced. It had been a long three months. And it seemed like today was only going to get worse.“Christy, you know the reason. If you stopped long enough and thought about it hard, in your heart, you’ll know.”“You can stop this.” She struggled to contain her anger. “You started this; you can end it.”“I know, but I won’t.”“You, you—” Enraged, she lifted a hand to slap him.Joshua caught her hand midair, held it tight. Before she could react, he pushed her back against the wall, pinning her to it with his rigid body. Christy felt every bit of him, his strength, and his physical nature that he never bothered to hide.“I think I have the perfect answer for all your bottled-up rage,” he said as he parted her thighs with his leg.“Move,” she ordered, her throat dry and croaky, betraying her increasing apprehension.Joshua had it easy. He was a man at home with his masculinity. She had never been able to resist him. He could have any woman he wanted. Sometimes, she wondered if he had, especially during their separation. She shouldn’t care if he’d been with anyone else. After all, her goal was a divorce. Still, she couldn’t suppress the intensity of her feelings. Perhaps her anger and hatred drove the concentration of her emotions.“We have to get a few things sorted out first,” he replied.He moved closer, his body flush against hers; his chest crushed her breasts, his thighs pressed against hers. Though she wore cotton trousers and a tank top, all of him stroked her.“What are you doing?” she asked as she pushed against him. He didn’t budge. “Just trying to relieve some of your frustration. That’s what all your aggression has been about, isn’t it?”“Rubbish!”“Such vehement denial, when the evidence is so obvious.”Her face stung with revealing heat as warm blood rose in her body. Mortified, she tried to move to shake him off, but only managed to get her body even more entangled with his.Her breathing came in short snatches. She became more aware of Joshua, his hardness and heat.“I hate you.” Her voice sounded strangled. Blistering white rage swept through her.“You lie, sweetheart.”He lowered his head, trailing his lips against her cheeks in a tormenting caress.“You love me.”Copyright Kiru Taye 2012

Cassandra Dean's FOOL'S GOLD #NewRelease

Please welcome the lovely and talented author Cassandra Dean today! She’s stopping by to tell us about her writing and her newest release!Welcome, Cassandra!
Hi Joya! Thanks so much for having me on your blog J I’m Cassandra Dean and I write historicals…except when I write contemporaries. I also write Victorian historical romances…except when I write American Wild West Romance or Roman Romance. I’m a bit eclectic, that’s for sure :D I’m Australian, enjoy a cheeky Shiraz from the Coonawarra (South Australian wine region), and possess about fourteen cameras, digital and film alike!
As for my newest releases, they’re the American Wild West Romances. The Diamond Series revolves around The Diamond Saloon & Theatre and her people in Freewill, Wyoming.
ROUGH DIAMOND, book 1, is the tale of a lady saloon owner and a seemingly empty-headed Englishman. He wants to buy her saloon, she’s flabbergasted by his request, they butt heads and then, well golly, they kinda think the other is pretty and such…Hijinks ensue.
FOOL’S GOLD, book 2, is the story of singer Pearl la Monte and the burr in her side, coal surveyor Ethan Garrett. On Christmas Eve, all Pearl wants to do is relax in an temporarily silent Diamond Saloon. A pounding on the door rids her of such a notion, and when she discovers it’s Ethan at the door, sparks fly and…Hijinks ensue ;)
Wow! You’ve got a lot going on, Cassandra! Very fun fact about owning fourteen cameras! Being eclectic sounds like it suits you well.What inspires you to write?
The Mortlock Library in Adelaide, South Australia. Seriously, something about that place makes The Magic happen. It’s probably because the wi-fi doesn’t work on my computer for some reason, and there’s no TV, and I have my critique partner and F4E, Lucy Clark, tapping away next to me and making me feel guilty about my lack of tapping…
Well, I can see how that would be VERY inspiring! LOL. What would a *perfect day* be for you, Cassandra?
My brain turning off for more than five seconds. Gosh, that would be nice. It’s so wonderful that I have so many ideas for stories and the like, but it would be lovely to have a day of relaxation.
However, sitting in a tropical beach setting sipping a Mai-Tai with a shirtless Nathan Fillion wouldn’t suck ;)
Thanks for that awesome visual! I think I’m ready to join you on that beach. Can you tell us about the setting of your latest release and why you chose that location?
FOOL’S GOLD is part of Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape, as well as The Diamond Series, and is set in the fiction town of Freewill, Wyoming. I was lucky enough to have a lot of license with the parameters of the Western Escape series, and so my story is set in the Old West, at The Diamond Saloon & Theatre.
What a fun and cool settting! And speaking of settings…what’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for you?
Organised to eat cheese and drink wine at the park at the bottom of a twinkly Eiffel Tower. It was absolutely magical J
That definitely sounds magical and romantic! What a great excursion. And now that readers have gotten to know you and love you, where can they order your books?
FOOL’S GOLD is available at the following e-stores:
Decadent Publishing
Amazon.com ~ Amazon.co.uk ~ All Romance eBooks ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble
But wait, there’s more: ROUGH DIAMOND, book 1 in The Diamond Series, is $1.99 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble – that’s 50% off! Be quick, though, this price is strictly for a limited time only.
You can find Cassandrea here!
My website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Tumblr ~ Pintrest ~ Amazon.com
 Thanks again for having me, Joya. It’s been lovely! ~Cassandra
My absolute pleasure, Cassanddra! J
Here’s the info for FOOL’S GOLD as well:
===================================
Christmas in Freewill
Christmas Eve, the Diamond Saloon is empty of its people, and Pearl la Monte has a hankering to retire early. A pounding at the Diamond’s door rids her of such a fool notion. Her irritation rises when she sees the prissy, polite-like Garrett standing outside.
Ethan Garrett has a powerful need to gain succor. When the saloon’s voluptuous redheaded singer scowls at him from the threshold of the Diamond, he doesn’t stop to think on how his ire at her has disappeared. Or how he just wants to spend some time in her company.
When a blizzard storms in, trapping them, will they spend their time arguing or find their irritation for each other disguises something more?
===================================
About Cassandra
===================================
Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.
Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true passion was born.
So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell head over heels.
The love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
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Wait...Are You a Ghost, Too? #SixSunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday: Where writers share six sentences from their published or unpublished books.

In this snippet from my just-released novel, HEREAFTER, the hero and heroine are trying to figure out just exactly how ghostly they really are.



   “Why would you think I’m a ghost?” He pinched the skin on his arm as if that were proof of his human existence.
   Angie tilted her head to study him. He certainly looked human. Could he be a ghost and not know it? “I saw you today in my other world.”





 HEREAFTER is available now
Decadent Publishing Amazon Barnes and Noble
 Thanks so much for stopping by today!!
Please check out other  Six Sentence Sunday  posts and follow #sixsunday on Twitter, @6_Sunday.
 

Happy Birthday, Beneath the Surface! Party and P R I Z E S !

We’re having a birthday party and .99 book sale! And you’re invited!!
My debut novel, Beneath the Surface, turns one year old today! To celebrate, we’re offering the Ebook for only .99! And giving away really great prizes.

Mrs. Fields Cookies!Here’s what you can win:-Amazon and Barnes&Noble gift cards
-Beneath the Surface t-shirts
-Beneath the Surface aprons
-Beneath the Surface swag packs
-Birthday cookies! Scrumptious assortment of Mrs. Fields cookies. Beneath the Surface Swag Here’s HOW you can win:1.Join the Twitter party on 1/18/2013 from 9-10:30 pm EST and tweet or retweet the hashtag #BeneathTheSurfaceBirthday. You’re automatically entered to win! 2. Don’t have a Twitter account? No worries! Just leave a comment here on this blog between 9-10:30 pm EST on 1/18/2013 and you are also entered. Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you when you win.

Be sure to grab your Ecopy of Beneath the Surface at its special birthday .99 sale price!!  The Wild Rose Press    Amazon    Barnes and Noble  

Happy Birthday Beneath the Surface! #romance #TwitterParty

Wooooot!! My debut novel BENEATH THE SURFACE turns one year old on January 18th!!! Can you believe it's been an entire year? We're going to be celebrating all day and all night long with a HUGE .99 sale on the book AND a fun-filled party with lots of prizes up for grabs.

Mark your calendar now! The fun begins Friday morning when you can grab your Ecopy of the book for .99 and the excitement escalates at a Twitter party from 9-10:30 p.m. EST. Use the hashtag #BeneathTheSurfaceBirthday during the party hours for a chance to win all sorts of great prizes like:

-Amazon and Barnes&Noble gift cards
-Beneath the Surface t-shirts
-Beneath the Surface aprons
-Beneath the Surface swag packs
-Birthday cookies! Scrumptious assortment of Mrs. Fields cookies!
-Even more prizes to be announced on Beneath The Surface's birthday on January 18th!

We're giving away the prizes every 15 minutes, so come to the party for a little while, or stay the whole time! Remember to use the #BeneathTheSurfaceBirthday hashtag to be sure you're in the running for the prizes.

Thanks for all of your support this past year, and we look forward to seeing YOU at the #BeneathTheSurfaceBirthday party this Friday night.

Even Ghosts Can Be Scared of the Dark #SixSunday

 

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday: Where writers share six sentences from their published or unpublished books.
   Are you afraid of the dark? I think this scene from my latest romance, HEREAFTER, comes from a nightmare I had as a child. Or maybe it’s all the horror movies I’ve watched with my hands over my eyes.   Alone…in the dark…something is after me…   But can ghosts be afraid of the dark? These six sentences will show you how Angie, the corporeal ghost heroine of HERAFTER, feels when she’s thrust into darkness.


  The inky blackness made it impossible to see her own hand. Fear formed a tight knot in her stomach, and Angie wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the cold.
   She turned and lost her bearings. Did she turn all the way around?
   A scratching sound, like a trapped animal, echoed from somewhere in the distance. Keeping her right foot planted, Angie stepped out and lunged into the darkness, reaching with both hands, trying to figure out where she was.

HEREAFTER is available now
Decadent Publishing    Amazon    Barnes and Noble
  Thanks so much for stopping by today!!
Please check out other  Six Sentence Sunday  posts and follow #sixsunday on Twitter, @6_Sunday.

Party Time! P R I Z E S for readers and a special excerpt #AmReading

We're giving away cool prizes all day today at Sam, E and R's Awesomness blog. Sam, Elena and Rhonda are always fun to hang out with and there's even MORE fun today with giveaways like:
-Charm City charm bracelet
-HEREAFTER swag
-Amazon/Barnes&Noble gift card

Hope you'll stop by!

Sam, E and R's Awesomness Blog

HEREAFTER is Nook Lovers featured book of the week! #Nook

 
I’m so excited to share that HEREAFTER, my contemporary romance with a ghostly twist, is the Nook Lovers featured book of the week!
 

Hope you’ll check it out here: Nook Lovers   

Can a Human Make a Ghost Disappear? HEREAFTER Excerpt Tour! P R I Z E S for Readers

If you deny the existence of ghosts, does that make them stay away?
Rob thinks so!
Hope you’ll join us for three (3!!!) stops on the HEREAFTER excerpt tour today for your chance at great prizes! We're giving away a set of HEREAFTER Romance Trading Cards at each blog and there's a grand prize drawing at the end, too!
 Stop by to win Prizes at these blogs today:

1/3 Reviewing in Chaos
1/3 Rose's Book Corner
1/3 Delphina


HEREAFTER…a contemporary romance with a ghostly twist.




HEREAFTER, Available Now:
Decadent Publishing Amazon Barnes and Noble

HEREAFTER Blog Tour Begins Today! Give AWAYS Galore! #Hereafter #DecadentPub

You're invited! Help me celebrate HEREAFTER’S release with a 21-stop excerpt tour! Win prizes at each blog and a grand prize will be drawn from all comments at the end!



Stop by these awesome sites for the chance to win! Hereafter...a contemporary romance with a ghostly twist.

1/1 Harlie's Books
1/3  Reviewing in Chaos
1/3 Rose's Book Corner
1/3 Delphina
1/4 Shelley Munro                                      
1/4  Books & Other Spells
1/4  The Book Tart
1/7 Krystal's Enchanting Reads
1/8 Rude Mom
1/8  The Avid Reader
1/10 Paulette's Papers
1/10  Coffee Beans & Love Scenes
1/10  Freda's Voice
1/11 LilyElement Book Reviews
1/14 Manifesting Dreams
1/14 Moon Magick
1/15 Books, Books, and More Books
1/17 Kindle Fever
1/18   T B R
1/21 Sweet n' Sassi
1/21 Books, Books The Magical Fruit


 


   When by-the-numbers accountant Rob Morrison, a skeptic of all things paranormal, moves into a new apartment and discovers it is haunted by the corporeal ghost of a beautiful woman, he must hastily reconsider his beliefs and revisit his painful past.   With no memory of her time on earth, Angie Barsotti doesn’t understand why she’s compelled to visit the same apartment every night as a ghost caught between two worlds. If she’s to have a chance to move on, she needs to find the missing pieces of her life and death through the man who lives there…if only he’d believe in her.   Together they struggle to find the truth about her death and stumble upon a very pleasurable way to time travel, hopeful they can prevent her death. But someone doesn’t want them to discover the truth. And if she’s human again, will she have any memories of her time as a ghost…and more importantly, will she remember the man who helped her find her way?

HEREAFTER, Available Now:

Decadent Publishing     Amazon   Barnes and Noble