Karen Docter's Blog, page 181
June 28, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Up All Night (The Walker Brothers Book 3) by Amanda Adams
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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UP ALL NIGHT
The Walker Brothers Book 3
BY AMANDA ADAMS
Blurb
When a strange twin-thing sends Jessica Finley to the hospital after her brother’s freak accident, the last thing she expects is to meet the sexiest doctor alive. And that’s a problem, because her cold, cheating father was a surgeon, and that’s the one class of man Jessica has sworn never to date.
Mitchell Walker is a young, successful surgeon. Women throw themselves at his feet, and he gives them what they want, as long as they don’t ask for his heart. The strategy is working well for him until he meets freelance reporter Jessica Finley.
She’s smart, she makes him laugh, and she sees right through him. Her fire may burn hot enough to keep him up all night, but will his love be strong enough to burn away the ghosts of her past and melt the ice around her heart?
UP ALL NIGHT
The Walker Brothers Book 3
BY AMANDA ADAMS
Excerpt
In this scene, our hero has just finished surgery and is going to tell the patient’s sister the news. But Jessica is a bit more than he’s ready for… Enjoy!
He made his way to the surgical waiting room, eager to get this part of things over with so he could get a couple hours of sleep. The room was smaller than the main waiting areas, and quiet, out of the way of normal hospital foot traffic. He always imagined the designers made it this way because no one was ever excited to be in this room. It wasn’t maternity. People got bad news in this room. Sometimes, they got the worst news, which was probably why the chapel was just down the hall.
“Ms. Finley?” He could have called the volunteer station and just told her about her brother on the phone, but he never did like that trend in medicine, the detachment. He preferred to look people in the eye. He fought to save his patients every time, he fought with every fiber of his being, and no matter what happened, he needed their families to know that.
“Yes.” A bleary-eyed redhead jumped to her feet, knocking over a purse large enough to carry a small child. Her things splattered all over the floor and she knelt awkwardly to pick things up.
Mitchell bent down to help her and picked up a strawberry lip gloss, cell phone, jasmine-scented hand lotion, three blue pens and one red, a box of colored pencils, a chocolate candy bar, a blueberry muffin in a plastic bag, a tampon, which she snapped from his hand faster than he’d ever seen any woman move before, a paperback book about training puppies, a bottle of sparkly purple nail polish and a small spiral notebook with a bulldog puppy dressed as a purple fairy princess on the cover.
Holy Christ. That was only the shit he grabbed. She’d picked up twice as much in half the time.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.” She shoved the items he handed over into the cavernous striped bag and set is aside, safely deposited in the center of the chair closest to her. “I’m Jessica Finley.”
“I’m Doctor Walker.” He held out his hand and she looked up at him for the first time, her light brown eyes were the color of whiskey on ice as her gaze locked on to his and went wide.
“You’re not old.” She pulled her hand from his to cross her arms over her chest and he couldn’t help but admire the soft swell of two small but very nice breasts. He was tired, not dead.
He ignored her statement about his age because it had nothing to do with anything. Maybe she was just out of it. “Are you all right, Ms. Finley? Can we get you something?” He indicated the drink station along the wall, then glanced down to confirm that he wasn’t hallucinating. CU sweatpants, sandals, neon-green toenails, and a straw-weave, rainbow-striped bag, no makeup, freckles on her cheeks and a wild mane of tangled hair that hung just past her shoulders.
Call him a bastard for putting her in a box and stamping a label on it, but she had to be from Boulder. Maybe she was one of those girls who never shaved her pits and danced naked under the full moon. On a normal day, his body might have stirred at the thought of her dancing naked, but he was too tired to care what his body thought at the moment.
“I don’t drink coffee, thank you.”
“Or hot tea?” The hippies in Boulder liked tea. Right? And he felt compelled to make sure she was okay for some reason.
“No, thank you. I’m fine. How are my brothers?”
“Brothers? Plural?” Did he have the wrong woman?
She sighed and lifted her hand to rub her forehead. “Tyler Travis and Gabriel Castillo are both my brothers. And they’re both in surgery. Which one did you operate on? Walker, right? So you’re not ortho, you’re the general?”
Mitchell watched her for a few seconds, trying to determine if she was on medication. Or stoned. He didn’t smell pot, and her eyes appeared to be clear, but he was so tired he might not have noticed.
She lowered her hand and met his gaze again, this time he saw annoyance there, like she’d explained this shit a thousand times and didn’t want to have to do it again. “How’s Tyler?”
Mitchell kept his face blank. He knew all about messed-up family dynamics, hell, before his mom had adopted him and his brothers, he’d been a poster child for screwed up. “Mr. Travis is in recovery. The surgery went well. He was bleeding internally and we had to remove his spleen. His kidneys are bruised, but should heal. He also had a few small lacerations on his liver that I patched up. He’s stable but we have to watch him closely…”
“Okay, good. He’s stable.”
He opened his mouth to finish his usual spiel, but she raised her hand and cut him off. “I know. Antibiotics. Watch the gut. The next twenty-four hours are critical. ICU. Watch for infection and blood clots. Got it. What about his head?”
“What about his head?” Jessica Finley was making his head spin. Maybe he needed sleep more than he thought. She was bouncing around like a rabbit on hot coals and he couldn’t keep up with her mental leaps.
“Does he have head trauma? A concussion? Anything like that? You know, amnesia or blindness or possible personality changes, because my twin is my best friend. If he goes mean, or weird, I’m not going to be able to deal.”
Her twin? Tyler Travis was her twin brother? This just kept getting weirder.
“No head injury that I am aware of. The CT didn’t show a bleed or major trauma in the brain. He may have a mild concussion, but we’ll watch him closely.” Her shoulders slumped and he had the insane urge to reach over and massage them for her, maybe wrap her up in a hug and just let her calm down and breathe. She was obviously a bit wired at the moment. She’d probably crawled out of bed in the middle of the night with that tangle of red hair and rushed to the hospital when they’d called.
When he thought about it that way, the hot-mess look was working for him. Totally working for him. He could imagine her head on his pillow, that dark red hair spread out like a halo around her as he kissed the freckles on her cheeks and…
Meet Author Amanda Adams.
..
Amanda writes super-sexy, new adult romance. If you can’t handle what she calls “keeping it real”, you can’t handle falling in love with her dirty-mouthed, a**-kicking Walker brothers.
The funny, sexy, sweet contemporary Magical Matchmaker series she co-writes with her one true love, and the mysterious, meddling matchmaker, Opal, is based on her real-life grandmother, who was an amazing character and inspiration for anyone who knew her.
~~~
Links to Amanda’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon US https://goo.gl/pDgDKA
Amazon US https://goo.gl/pDgDKA
Amazon UK https://goo.gl/3TXnDd
iBooks https://goo.gl/Lfi4Ya
Sign up for Amanda’s VIP Reader List
http://bit.ly/AmandaNews
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaAdamsAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaAdamsAuth
E-mail: amandaadamsauthor ( at ) gmail.com
Web:
www.amandaadamsauthor.com or www.michelecallahan.com
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: FREE BOOK (Expires 7-31-2017)
Amanda is giving away a FREE ebook copy of UP ALL NIGHT. Click here: https://instafreebie.com/free/QRn5I
Thanks, Amanda, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
June 26, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench & Interview: A Most Unlikely Duke (Diamonds In The Rough #1) by Sophie Barnes
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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A MOST UNLIKELY DUKE
Diamonds In The Rough #1
BY SOPHIE BARNES
Blurb
He never thought he’d become a duke, or that the secrets of his past will cost him his greatest love…
Raphe Matthews hasn’t stepped foot in polite circles since a tragedy left his once-noble family impoverished and in debt. The bare-knuckle boxer has spent the last fifteen years eking out an existence for himself and his two sisters. But when a stunning reversal of fortunes lands Raphe the title of Duke of Huntley, he’s determined to make a go of becoming a proper lord, but he’ll need a little help and his captivating neighbor might be just the woman for the job…
After her sister’s scandalous match, Lady Gabriella knows the ton’s eyes are on her. Agreeing to tutor the brutish new duke can only lead to ruin. Although she tries to control her irresistible attraction to Raphe, every day she spends with him only deepens her realization that this may be the one man she cannot do without. And as scandal threatens to envelope them both, she must decide if she can risk everything for love with a most unlikely duke.
A MOST UNLIKELY DUKE
Diamonds In The Rough #1
BY SOPHIE BARNES
Excerpt
It was past eleven o’clock in the evening by the time Raphe returned home, his knuckles tender and his body still sore from the fight. Glad to get out of the cold, he closed the door on the rain that now poured from a thunderous sky, shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a hook behind the door just as his sister Amelia entered from an adjoining room that served as a small parlor.
“Good evenin’.” She yawned, leaning against the door frame. Squinting through the darkness, Raphe echoed her salutation. “I thought ye would be asleep by now.”
Stepping past her, he entered their tiny kitchen and snatched up the tinder box.
“I was,” Amelia said, following him into the chilly room. A threadbare shawl was draped across her shoulders, and as she pulled it tighter with pale and trembling fingers, Raphe felt his heart lurch. This wasn’t right. His sister did not deserve to live like this. None of them did. Pushing aside such fruitless ponderings, he found a candle, struck a flint and held it to the wick until a flame began to bloom, driving the darkness toward the walls where it struggled against the light.
“If it makes any difference, Juliette’s safely tucked into bed.” Amelia said, referring to their younger sister, whose weaker disposition was a constant cause for unease. When Raphe lifted the lid of a nearby pot and peered inside, Amelia added, “I made soup for dinner.”
“Smells delicious,” he dutifully told her.
“We both know ‘ow untrue that is, bu’ I appreciate yer optimism.”
Meeting her gaze, Raphe made a deliberate effort to smile. “Per’aps I can manage some meat for us tomorrow.” It would certainly be a welcome change from the potatoes and turnips they’d been eating for what seemed like forever. Christ, he was so tired of having a sore belly all the time, and his sisters . . . they never complained, but he knew they needed better nourishment than what they were getting.
“That’d be nice,” Amelia said. Her tone, however, suggested that she doubted his ability to manage such a feat. Bothered by her lack of faith in him, he grabbed a chunk of bread and tore off a large piece. “A chicken ought to be possible. If we make it last a few days.”
Amelia simply nodded. Grabbing a cup, she filled it with water and placed it before him. “I miss the smell of a bustlin’ kitchen.”
The comment threw him for a second. “Wha’?”
“Meat roastin’ on the fire, bread bakin’ in the oven.” She shook her head wistfully. “It’s funny. I can’t picture Mama, but I remember Cook—plump cheeks an’ a kind smile. I remember bein’ ‘appy in the kitchen back ‘ome.”
The sentimental thought made Raphe weary. He didn’t bother to point out that she’d only been seven when they’d lost their parents and there’d been nothing left for Raphe to do but turn his back on the house in which they’d spent the early years of their childhoods and walk away, taking his siblings with him. He’d been no more than eight years old and with a mighty burden weighing on his shoulders. “I know this isn’t the sor’ of life that any of us ever imagined.”
Feeling his temper begin to rise at the memory of what their parents had done to them all, he added, “Hopefully, in time, things’ll get better.”
“I’m sure ye’re right.” Could she possibly sound any more unconvinced?
He ate a spoonful of soup, the bland flavor just a touch better than plain hot water. Amelia took a step forward. “The reason I didn’t retire with Juliette earlier is ’cause of this letter.” She waved a piece of paper in his direction. “It arrived for ye today while ye were out.”
Frowning, Raphe stared at her. “Do ye know who sent it?” He couldn’t even recall the last time he’d received a letter. Nobody ever wrote to him or his sisters.
“The sender’s name’s smudged. So’s the address. It’s a miracle it arrived here at all.” Handing the letter to Raphe, she watched as he turned it over and studied the penmanship. Sure enough, the only legible part of the address, which even appeared to have been altered once or twice, was his name: Mister Raphael Matthews.
Meet Author Sophie Barnes.
..
Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.
When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
~~~
Tasty Q&A with Sophie Barnes
What is your favorite place to visit?
Denmark. It’s where I’m from. My parents have a summerhouse by the beach in the southern part and a house near Copenhagen. I love it there plus I get to see the rest of my family.
What are 5 things you must have with you when you write?
My laptop, a notebook, my Jane Austen Map of London, various pens in different colors and a hot cup of coffee.
Do you have any post-publishing regrets?
Yes! In my first book, How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back, Tchaikovsky is mentioned as a current figure. I meant to change him to a different composer since he wasn’t even born at the time when the plot takes place, but I forgot. Really wish I’d seen that during edits. I haven’t used ‘fillers’ since.
Can you tell us a little about your book?
It’s a fresh spin on Pygmalion featuring a bare-knuckler boxer from the slums of St. Giles who suddenly becomes the Duke of Huntley. Navigating high society can be troublesome – especially with two younger sisters in tow – but thanks to his next door neighbor, the alluring Gabriella Radcliffe, he comes up to scratch while losing his heart in the process.
What are some books that you enjoyed recently?
I LOVED Julia Quinn’s The Girl With The Make-believe Husband. Right now I’m reading Sarah MacLean’s The Day Of The Duchess. Both authors are auto reads for me.
What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
Definitely dialogue. When the characters are interesting and there’s a bit of tension, the dialogue pushes the story forward in a fun and interesting way. Describing what people are doing sometimes gets me while Love scenes are the hardest.
Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
The sequel to A Most Unlikely Duke is called The Duke Of Her Desire. It releases December 27th and features Raphe’s sister, Amelia, as she struggles to renovate a house on the edge of St. Giles and turn it into a school. Contending with her brother’s friend, the Duke of Coventry who’s been charged with protecting her, leads to a lot of quarreling, tension and high passion.
~~~
Links to Sophie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/most-unlikely-duke-sophie-barnes
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32497572-a-most-unlikely-duke
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/196898-diamonds-in-the-rough
Buy Links: AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
~~~
Thanks, Sophie, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Hero Undercover Anthology (25 Breathtaking Bad Boys) by Anya Summers ETAL
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
HERO UNDERCOVER
25 Breathtaking Bad Boys
By Annabel Joseph, Addison Cain, Renee Rose, Maggie Ryan, Maddie Taylor, Emily Tilton, Trent Evans, Jennifer Bene, Sophie Kisker, Megan Michaels, Katherine Deane, Maggie Carpenter, Jane Henry, Maisy Archer, Alyssa Bailey, Claire Conrad, Stevie MacFarlane, Piper Stone, Anya Summers, Lucy Wild, BJ Wane, A.C. Rose, April Hill, Amelia Smarts, and Meredith O’Reilly
Blurb
HERO UNDERCOVER Anthology ~ Only $0.99!!!
SUMMER IS COOLER WHEN YOU STAY UNDERCOVER!
25 New York Times, USA Today, and award-winning bestselling romance authors have created a smoking hot collection of torrid tales starring hunky bad-boy heroes and feisty strong-willed heroines. Heat up your nights with dark fantasies, seductive sci-fi, and breathtaking passion. Our alpha males range from swoon-worthy cowboys and take-charge military men to deliciously decadent dominants, and each page-turning story ends with the happily ever after you crave.
Hours upon hours of breathtaking romance for only .99 cents. Turn up the AC, lie back, and escape into these brand new, red hot, riveting reads. Grab this blistering box set now before the price goes up.
Authors include: Annabel Joseph, Addison Cain, Renee Rose, Maggie Ryan, Maddie Taylor, Emily Tilton, Trent Evans, Jennifer Bene, Sophie Kisker, Megan Michaels, Katherine Deane, Maggie Carpenter, Jane Henry, Maisy Archer, Alyssa Bailey, Claire Conrad, Stevie MacFarlane, Piper Stone, Anya Summers, Lucy Wild, BJ Wane, A.C. Rose, April Hill, Amelia Smarts, and Meredith O’Reilly
Don’t miss the next installment in Anya Summers’ bestselling Pleasure Island Series, HER UNDERCOER DOMS, exclusively in the HERO UNDERCOVER Anthology!!
HER UNDERCOVER DOMS
BY ANYA SUMMERS
Excerpt
“You have much to answer for, Sherry.”
The ominous tenor of Jared’s voice chilled her to the bone. She’d been hoping—nay, praying—that he would finally see the light where they were concerned, but the angry set to his jaw and stern gaze directed her way as she knelt before his throne made her heart drop into her toes.
Jared reclined on his throne like a lavish Scottish king of old over the club. He was still one of the most stunningly handsome men of her acquaintance in his leather pants and bare, muscular chest. She remembered how it had felt against her skin, and running her hands through the silken threads of his dirty blond hair, tinged with hints of Scottish red. Although tonight was different. Tonight, Patrick Manning and Nick Santos flanked his throne, which was peculiar in itself. And having them there filled her with a startling amount of unease. Sweat slicked her back and the underside of her hair was damp.
Both Doms up on the raised dais with Jared were also fine specimens of manhood, and well built. Quite a few of the subs thought they were just as handsome as Jared. They were beautiful men, but Sherry always felt a little unsettled around them. She didn’t know why. She’d heard through the grapevine that both men were former military and it showed. Patrick was lean in his black jeans and matching tank top that fit him like a second skin. His slate colored eyes gave nothing away. And Nick towered over every male on the island. He was over six and a half feet tall. He was one of the few men of her acquaintance who made her feel small and feminine which, considering she was five foot ten inches tall herself, was rather impressive. Patrick and Nick worked in the pool area but she didn’t understand why Jared had them with him.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” Sherry said to Jared, her knees aching on the glossy black flooring as she knelt before him. She kept her eyes downcast and head bowed out of respect. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
Jared didn’t hold back or decrease his volume as he questioned her and snarled, “From what I understand, you lied to impugn my honor that our relationship was anything other than what it was, scratching an itch between us.”
His words were akin to arrows piercing her heart. Sherry replied, trying to keep the tremor from her voice, “Sir, I thought that there was more. It’s why I came here. I—”
“Regardless of what you believed, I never indicated that I wanted anything more beyond the handful of times we scened in the club. I apologize if I didn’t make that clearer to you. I assumed you understood the nature of it. That does not excuse your behavior on the island. You have been willfully deceitful to other employees about the nature of our relationship to cause harm to myself and others. For that, you will be punished.”
Sherry wanted him to punish her. If he put his hands on her, he was such a randy Dom, surely she could entice him into her bed. She hid her smile, however, otherwise he would make sure she didn’t sit pretty for a week. Although, it might be worth it. She said, “Yes, Sir. I submit to whatever punishment you deem I have earned.”
Jared smiled then. A harsh, unyielding smile, and in all of two seconds, Sherry understood that she wasn’t going to like the punishment he had planned for her. Not. One. Bit. Then Jared commanded, “You will belong to Patrick and Nick for the next week. Perhaps they can teach you the true meaning of submission.”
Sherry’s jaw dropped and then she sputtered, “But Sir, I can’t. I won’t. You can—”
Jared rolled his eyes and gave her an exasperated expression, as though he didn’t want to waste any more of his time with her. He said sternly, “Sherry, enough. Either you submit to Patrick and Nick this next week, or I will have you on the first boat off the island in the morning and you can go back to Scotland. Take your pick.”
Go back to Scotland. Was he daft or just mean? She didn’t want to go back to Scotland.
Meet Author Anya Summers. ..
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Anya Summers and Blushing Books!
Dungeon Fantasy Club Series
Her Highland Master, Book 1
To Master and Defend, Book 2
Two Doms for Kara, Book 3
His Driven Domme, Book 4
Her Country Master, Book 5
Love Me, Master Me, Book 6
Submit To Me, Book 7
Her Wired Dom, Book 8
Pleasure Island Series
Her Master & Commander, Book 1
Her Music Masters, Book 2
Their Shy Submissive, Book 3
Her Lawful Master, Book 4
Her Undercover Doms, Book 5
Her Rockstar Dom, Book 6
Duets & Dominance, Book 7
Ménage In Paradise, Book 8
~~~
Links to Anya Summer ETALS’ website, blog, books, etc.
Hero Undercover Anthology
AMAZON https://goo.gl/Jp41Wd
NOOK https://goo.gl/9H2WoY
KOBO https://goo.gl/HtHFnN
BLUSHING BOOKS https://goo.gl/uHc0dg
IBOOKS https://goo.gl/5LTgnG
Anya Summers
Website: www.anyasummers.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor
Twitter: @AnyaBSummers
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers
Sign-up for Anya Summers Newsletter
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/
~~~
Thanks, Anya, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read these stories!
July 4th *Fireworks Giveaway*! #WIN a 7″ Kindle Tablet or Ebooks by Bestselling Author Karen/K.L. Docter!! #Rafflecopter
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Cyborg Seduction (Interstellar Brides: The Colony Book 3) by Grace Goodwin
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
CYBORG SEDUCTION
Interstellar Brides: The Colony Book 3
BY GRACE GOODWIN
Blurb
There is nowhere to hide from a Hunter determined to find his mate.
Lindsey Walters is a blogger and the love of her life is her four-year-old son, Wyatt. When a nearly fatal accident costs Wyatt dearly, Lindsey will do anything to save her son, even take the craziest assignment of her life–sneak aboard a freighter bound for the terrifying alien prison planet known as The Colony and find out the truth about what’s happening to Earth’s brave soldiers.
A Hunter from Everis, Kiel was captured and tortured by the Hive before his banishment to the Colony. When it’s discovered the Hive have a presence on his new home world, Kiel’s existence narrows to the Hunt leaving no room for hope, or love. But when his mark awakens and he shares dreams with an unknown woman, everything changes. When he finds her offered as the prize in the Colony’s brutal fighting pits, he must fight for her with every ounce of strength he possesses, or risk losing her to another.
Yet no matter how quickly Kiel claims her, seduces her and makes her his, Lindsey has secrets, and a bond in her heart that’s even stronger than her desire for him. Lindsey knows she must break Kiel’s heart or risk the life of her child. Her decision to leave will challenge everything Kiel knows about love and loss, family and forever.
CYBORG SEDUCTION
Interstellar Brides: The Colony Book 3
BY GRACE GOODWIN
Excerpt
Lindsey Walters, Earth Freighter Jefferson, Cargo Hold
The nightmare always started the same way. Sunshine warmed my face and I couldn’t stop smiling. My son, Wyatt, walked beside me, his sweet little face excited as I took him to his favorite place in the world, the park near our apartment.
I wore a bright yellow and white striped sundress, one my mother and Wyatt had picked out for me on Mother’s Day. Yellow daisies with green stems were embroidered into the hem. Wyatt’s little blond head barely came to my waist, and his hand was warm and soft, so small and sweet in my own.
His father was long gone, a college boyfriend who’d heard the word pregnant and bolted like a coward. Not that it had been a big loss. The sex had been lackluster. No spark. No one had ever managed to light my fire. I hadn’t heard from him, nor seen him since, and I refused to put his name on Wyatt’s birth certificate. To me, he’d just been a sperm donor who couldn’t get me off.
Wyatt was mine, and I would do anything for him. Lie, cheat, steal, kill. He was my baby with pale blue eyes and dimples that made my chest ache.
Birds sang and a light breeze stirred the top of the trees. Wyatt lifted his head and smiled up at me…my heart nearly burst with love, and everything shifted.
We were in the car. Screeching tires. Explosion of glass. My baby screaming, then sobbing…then silence.
Blood. Everywhere.
The hospital, stark white walls and frowning nurses with pity in their eyes.
Wyatt’s small, broken body lying unconscious in the recovery room, the doctor telling me he might lose his leg. Never walk without pain. Never run. Never play on the playground he loved so much.
My heart pounded, as it always did, but I knew this dream well. When I looked around, I expected to see my exhausted mother sleeping in the cramped chair in the corner of Wyatt’s hospital room wearing wrinkled clothing and worry lines around her sharp blue eyes. Wyatt’s eyes. He’d gotten them from her.
Instead of the hospital room and my mother’s worried expression, a man stood behind me, his dark eyes looking as confused as I felt.
My hand burned, the odd birthmark I’d always had itching and red hot as if I’d been stung by a wasp. It hurts, but not badly. More…startling.
“Who are you?” he asked, his voice a dark rumble in my dream.
I blinked slowly and the hospital room faded. Wyatt faded until it was just me…and him. And God help me, he was hot. Sex-on-a-stick, I want to lick him all over, hot.
As dreams went, this was much better than Hospital 101, the dream I had almost every night. I knew that in the real world Wyatt was safe in his bed, that the car accident had been three months ago, that my mother was watching over him until I could return from this dangerous, desperate assignment. Wyatt wasn’t here. This wasn’t real. None of this was real.
But the man stood, motionless, like a predator watching his prey as he waited for my response.
“I’m Lindsay,” I said.
He walked toward me in this nowhere place. There were no walls, no floor. It was like we stood in a thick fog, staring at one another. I held my ground as he drew closer, eager to feel his touch, eager for this fantasy that my stressed-out mind had apparently conjured, to run its course. I could use a break. And if I’d been watching the new Superman movie a few too many times, and my sexed-starved, stressed-out body wanted to conjure up a bigger, darker, sexier version of my favorite superhero…well, I wasn’t going to argue. This larger-than-life man was in my dream and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Meet Author Grace Goodwin.
..
Grace Goodwin is an international bestselling author of Sci-Fi & Paranormal romance. Grace believes all women should be treated like princesses, in the bedroom and out of it, and writes love stories where men know how to make their women feel pampered, protected and very well taken care of. Grace hates the snow, loves the mountains (yes, that’s a problem) and wishes she could simply download the stories out of her head instead of being forced to type them out. Grace lives in the western US and is a full time writer, an avid romance reader and an admitted caffeine addict.
Sign up for my VIP Reader list at http://bit.ly/GraceGoodwinNews
Interested in joining my not-so-secret Sci-Fi Squad? Get excerpts, cover reveals and sneak peeks before anyone else. Be part of a closed Facebook group that shares pictures and fun news.
JOIN Here: http://bit.ly/SciFiSquad
All of Grace’s books can be read as STAND ALONE novels. Her Happily-Ever-Afters are always free from cheating because she writes Alpha males, NOT Alphaholes. (You can figure that one out.) But be careful…she likes her heroes hot and her love scenes hotter. You have been warned…
~~~
Links to Grace’ website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: https://goo.glWill/C6ORIf
iBooks: https://goo.gl/9odnfh
Nook: https://goo.gl/S8w1GE
Kobo: https://goo.gl/Hs0iku
Google: https://goo.gl/aNSeua
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/730549
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: FREE BOOK (Expires 7-31-2017)
Click Here and see how it all started with the FIRST Interstellar Bride in MASTERED BY HER MATES: https://instafreebie.com/free/zrv2T
Thanks, Grace, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Congratulations Week 06-19-17 Blog Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
06-19-17
BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Karen C. Whalen…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Karen will give away an ebook copy of NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN to one reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Thanks, Karen, for sharing your book with us!
WINNER: EILEEN AW !
~~~
You’re always a winner when you pick up a Karen/K.L. Docter novel!! All Happily-Ever-After stories and no cliffhangers!!!
Check out Karen Docter’s contemporary romance, COP ON HER DOORSTEP, True Love In Uniform Book 1, about the life and love of police officer Jake Stefani. “A love story that is sweet and spicy.” (Sheila Kilburn, Amazon reader)
Blurb: In the six years since her husband was killed by S.W.A.T., Carrie Padilla has spent long hours at work, rebuilding a life for herself and her son. The little time she has at home is spent keeping her eight-year-old son out of trouble, but he is all too eager to try to be the man in the house. When a handsome cop shows up on her doorstep, her errant son in tow, Carrie’s heart stutters. The sexy Italian cop sets off all kinds of bells in her system, and she knows there’s only one thing she can do to save what is left of her family, her husband’s memory, and her heart…avoid her new neighbor at all costs.
S.W.A.T. officer Jake Stefani already lost one little boy to gang violence, the dead boy’s older brother is missing, and Jake’s not about to let the same thing happen to a neighbor’s son. He drags the youngster home only to discover much more than a passing interest in the boy’s beautiful, but wary, mother. Forced to take a leave of absence after a bust goes awry, Jake can think of nothing better to occupy his time than to keep Carrie and her son safe, and locate the missing teen who holds the key to taking the gang off the streets, once and for all.
But Jake doesn’t count on his stubborn, intriguing neighbor distracting him from his job, or the passion that flares between them. He doesn’t expect her amazing son to steal a piece of his heart. Jake is ready to risk everything for Carrie, body and soul. But it’s not all up to him. If their new love is to survive, Carrie will need to be strong enough to see the man’s beating heart behind the badge, to look beyond the pain of her past, and decide that loving again is worth the risk.
(Stand Alone Novel)
Amazon: http://goo.gl/bUHNMu
B&N: http://goo.gl/6uoZTd
Kobo: http://goo.gl/fd92aB
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/550634
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26183834-cop-on-her-doorstep
Check out K..L. Docter’s romantic suspense, KILLING SECRETS, Thorne’s Thorns Series Book 1 for almost 400 pages of secrets, twists, and the “kind of killer we see on the TV show CRIMINAL MINDS”! (RT Book Reviews)
Blurb: Some secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
Amazon: http://goo.gl/b241cp
B&N: http://goo.gl/wsqVxB
Kobo: http://goo.gl/KM563U
iTunes: http://goo.gl/pg58wN
HAPPY READING!
~~~
All giveaway winners chosen by random.org from reader comments with the exception of Rafflecopter giveaways which are determined and announced offsite by publisher/authors. Thank you!
June 22, 2017
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special ** with BORN TO BE WILD (The Lake Series Book One) Author Chicki Brown #recipe ~ Buffalo Chicken Dip
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with CHICKI BROWN!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, CHICKI BROWN and her favorite recipe for BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP!
~~~
BORN TO BE WILD
The Lake Series Book One
BY CHICKI BROWN
BLURB
A quiet bookworm, Tangela Holloway has always been content working at her an independent bookstore in the sleepy little town of Eufaula, Alabama. But lately, Tangie discovers that she’s bored and frustrated, especially since the man she’s been dating for two years seems to care more about his business than he does her. When Reese Turner rides into town on his Harley, Tangie’s heart feels like it’s beating for the first time. She not only sees the most exciting man she’s ever met, but also a chance to experience something other than backyard BBQs and fishing at the lake.
After ending a drama-filled relationship with a high-maintenance fashion model, Reese wants nothing more than to make a road trip to Florida with his motorcycle club. Never did he expect a quick stop at a small town bookstore would introduce him to a shy bookworm who makes him re-think his vow to remain single and unattached.
BORN TO BE WILD
The Lake Series Book One
BY CHICKI BROWN
Excerpt
I looked up and Karly, her husband, Sal and Breelyn, their day waitress and my best friend, were staring as if I’d grown a third eye. They had also never seen me out with a man other than Johnnie. They were the perfect café owners. Sal had the culinary expertise, and Karly had the personality. Several years ago they passed through our little town on their way to Florida and fell in love with it. Six months later, they left New York City and bought a house here. Immediately, they started looking for a spot to open their restaurant.
“Hey, Tangela, how’s life treating you?” Karly asked from across the room in her loud New York accented voice.
In the five years I’d known her, she’d never asked me that question. It was obvious she was fishing for details about the man sitting next to me. “I’m just fine, Karly. How’re you doin’?”
“Bree will be over with menus in a minute.” She and Bree put their heads together and whispered before Bree sauntered over wearing a surreptitious smile.
“Welcome to Karly’s Kafe’. My name is Breelyn, and I’ll be serving you today.” I laughed at her formal welcome, obviously given for Mr. Turner’s benefit. “Can I get drinks for you and your…friend?”
I sent her the side-eye. “Bree, this is Mr. Turner. He’s passing through town on his way to Florida. Bree is my best friend.”
He smiled. “Pleased to meet you, Bree. My name is Reese, and I’d like the biggest sweet tea you have with lots of lemon.”
The way she grinned back at him made me want to slap her upside her silly head. “Here’s today’s menu. I’ll be right back.”
His gaze followed her across the dining room. As soon as she moved out of hearing distance, he said, “You’re not drinking anything?”
“She knows what I always get.”
“Oh, okay. I thought she was dissing you.” He glanced at her again. “She has an interesting look.”
“Like she doesn’t belong here, right?”
“Well, yeah. It’s not often you see a black woman with purple hair in a country town.”
“Eufaula isn’t country. It’s the largest town in Barbour County.”
He snickered and checked out the short menu. “I’m from Atlanta. Believe me, this is country.”
Bree brought our drinks and blatantly studied him while he concentrated on the menu. Her gaze did a slow scan from his boots all the way up to the turquoise and silver necklace beneath the red bandana at his throat, and then she raised an eyebrow.
I nixed her reaction and asked if he was ready to order.
“Think I’ll try the meatball parm sandwich and a side salad with Italian dressing.”
“Good choice,” Bree said. “Sal’s meatballs are amazing, but I suggest you get that on the toasted garlic bread.”
“Okay. Recommendation taken.”
“And what are you having today, girl?”
“I’ll make it easy for you. Give me the same, but with the balsamic vinaigrette on the salad.”
She scratched the order on her pad and sent me another questioning look. “This shouldn’t take long.”
“Are you vacationing in Panama City?” I asked once she left the table.
“Not really. I belong to a motorcycle club. It’s Black Bike Week, and the annual rally is being held there.”
Now his outfit made more sense. I’d never known anyone who belonged to a motorcycle club, and I wanted to know more. “What happens during Black Bike Week?”
His wicked laugh tickled my senses. “What doesn’t happen. The rally used to be held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the same time as the Harley Davidson rally, but this year the organizers decided to change it. The last couple of years the local newspapers and TV stations painted the black bikers as underclass criminals who come to the rally to steal and murder. They called the white bikers examples of American Individualism whose behavior was celebrated as defiant acts against authority.”
I loved the way he spoke. Not at all what I expected from a biker. “Typical.” I shook my head at the trite judgment. “So where do you go after you leave the rally?”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t you live on the road and travel from place to place?” My stomach did a little somersault again when he grinned.
“Somebody’s been watching too much television.”
“That’s not true?”
“No. Most motorcycle clubs are basically social groups. Riders get together mostly on weekends to share their love for bikes. There are even a few RUBs in my club, the Ebony Knights, but we all have jobs, businesses and families to take care of the rest of the time.”
The heat of embarrassment crept up the back of my neck into my cheeks. “It’s just that I—
“That’s a common misperception. I’m not offended.”
“What’s a rub?”
“It stands for Rich Urban Biker.”
“Oh, wow.”
The way he spoke intrigued me. “What kind of work do you do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Do you ever watch HGTV?”
I knew he wasn’t going to tell me he was a television star. “Yes, all the time. Why?”
“Have you seen any of the house flipping shows?”
“Uh huh. Flip or Flop used to be one of my favorites, until Tarek and Christina split up. Now it’s hard for me to watch them.”
“That’s what I do-buy houses, restore them and flip them for a profit. I own the business, but I do a lot of the actual work myself.”
Well, that explained his incredible shoulders and arms. Reese Turner became more interesting by the minute.
Meet Author Chicki Brown…
Contemporary women’s fiction/romance author Chicki Brown has been featured in USAToday. She was the 2014 B.R.A.B. (Building Relationships Around Books) Inspirational Fiction Author and also the 2011 SORMAG (Shades of Romance Magazine) Author of the Year. Her novel, Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough, was chosen as a USAToday 2016 HEA Must-Read Romance.
Nia Forrester, Beverly Jenkins, Lisa Kleypas, J.R. Ward are among her favorite authors.
A transplanted New Jersey native who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Here’s what readers are saying about Chicki’s books:
“She digs deep to give her readers more than just a story, she gives you a world.” – Karen Rodgers-Editor
“Chicki Brown truly has a gift.” – Love2Read “Joanna Villalongo” – Amazon reviewer
~~~
Links to Chicki’s website, blog, books, etc.
Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072R147RV
Nook: http://bit.ly/2twWU9M
Paperback:
https://www.createspace.com/7262080
UK Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B072R147RV
Amazon Central Author Page:
http://amzn.to/l2kjXQ
Blog: http://sisterscribbler.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chicki663
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/chicki.brown
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/qcsiMD
Google+:
http://plus.google.com/u/0/+ChickiBrown/
Stafford Brothers Series Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/StaffordBrothersNovels
Lake Series Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/ChickiBrownNovels/
I hope you enjoy the recipe Chicki is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 319 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
[Courtesy of tasteofhome.com]
[[Makes 16 servings]]
Total Time: Prep/Total Tim: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese salad dressing
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
French bread baguette slices, celery ribs or tortilla chips
Nutritional Facts
2 tablespoons (calculated without dippers): 156 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 38mg cholesterol, 484mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 7g protein.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Layer with chicken, wing sauce and salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with baguette slices. Yield: about 2 cups.
Buffalo Chicken Dip recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/buffalo-chicken-dip
~~~
Thanks, Chicki, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
June 21, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Conquering HIs Mate (Mates of Zatari Book Two) by Claire Conrad
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
CONQUERING HIS MATE
Mates of Zatari Book Two
BY CAIRE CONRAD
Blurb
Though he was born a prince, distaste for his father’s warmongering drove Hunter to abandon his birthright. Finding a mate has been the least of his concerns, but when his investigation of his sister’s disappearance brings him into contact with one of the most renowned warriors of the Zatari, a woman as fierce as she is beautiful, Hunter knows instantly that she is destined to belong to him. Taming her will not be easy, but he will enjoy every moment of it…
After her closest friend was taken captive and Mira set out to track her down and bring her home, the last thing she expected was to be claimed as a mate by not just any man, but a Delti prince on a mission of his own. Yet from the moment Mira sets eyes on Hunter, she cannot help longing for him to strip her bare, spank her until she submits, and then teach her to surrender completely to a warrior’s hard, dominant lovemaking. But even if he can master her body, will this enemy of her people truly be able to conquer Mira’s heart?
Publisher’s Note: Conquering His Mate is the second book of the Mates of Zatari series. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.
CONQUERING HIS MATE
Mates of Zatari Book Two
BY CAIRE CONRAD
Excerpt
Our heroine, Mira, is a personal guard and assassin for the High Priestess of Zatari. Mira has been sent to a trader’s moon base, Lunar One, to track down a traitor and bring her home. But Mira didn’t count on finding a man she can’t resist, a man in chains, a man who obviously doesn’t belong in a cage.
Prince turned pirate, Hunter allowed himself to be captured as bait.
When Mira purchases her new “slave” from one of the traders, she has no idea what kind of trouble she has gotten into… Enjoy!
Mira —
I blinked slowly, clearing my mind of the forbidden fantasy.
The slaver named a price three times higher than any I’d seen that day and I raised a brow. “No.”
His next offer was lower by a third. When I turned to walk away, Nine pulled on my cloak. “Ten thousand.”
That was still too much, but I didn’t have time to continue arguing. I wasn’t here to buy a slave, I was here on a hunt, and it was time to get back to it.
“Agreed.” I reached into my cloak and pulled two thousand credits from my pocket as a deposit. “Two thousand now. Eight when I come back. I want him bathed, dressed in new clothing, and fed. I will return for him.”
The little man took my credits and bowed low over my hand. I was tall, taller than most women, and with the holographic mask I wore, I knew I looked like a thin, severe male trader from Delti. “When will you return, Master?”
I pulled my cloak free of his grasping, clawed hands, not bothering to hide my disgust. “When my business is finished here.”
“Of course, of course.”
“Betray me, Nine, and I’ll kill you.”
“Of course, Master.”
I walked away, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to look over my shoulder one last time. The slave I’d just purchased watched me, his ice blue eyes seeing too much. A shiver raced down my spine and I barely contained my smile of anticipation. He neither looked nor acted like a slave. There was fire in his eyes.
He would be rough, angry, impossible to control.
Meet Author Claire Conrad.
..
Claire Conrad is a full time writer and chocolate enthusiast who knows just enough about a handful of topics to dabble in many and master none. She loves a good red wine, traveling just about anywhere, coffee (as long as it’s dark), romance and never met a sci-fi story she didn’t love – including comically horrible “B” movies – much to her husband’s chagrin.
Claire writes sexy alpha male aliens, fantasy lovers and anything else her muse thinks might be fun (or a little naughty). All of her books take a wee little ride on the wild side, so hold on tight. Things are about to get panty-melting hot in here.
June 20, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Not According To Flan (The Dinner Club Murder Mysteries) by Karen C. Whalen
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN
The Dinner Club Murder Mysteries
BY KAREN C. WHALEN
Blurb
Jane Marsh wants to shake off the empty nest syndrome, plus the notoriety of the death of her first and second husbands, by starting over in a new place. She sells her family home to move to a far northern suburb of Denver. At the same time, Jane’s dinner club is undergoing a transformation, and a new man—a gourmet chef—enters her life.
But, things turn sour when, on the day Jane moves into her new home, she discovers a dead body. She cannot feel at home in this town where she’s surrounded by cowboys, horse pastures, and suspects. Not to mention where a murder was committed practically on her doorstep. How can she focus on romance and dinner clubs when one of her new friends—or maybe even her old ones—might be a murderer?
KAREN C. WHALEN
TALKS CHARACTER NAMES
Writers are often asked how we come up with the names for our characters. After the question of how we come up with the ideas for our books, the naming question is asked the most frequently. Plots form and morph and solidify over time, but often the initial name authors give their character sticks and lasts to the final galley—and this can be a mistake. But, changing a character’s name after his or her creation is like changing one’s baby’s name after his or her first birthday.
Writers are taught a descriptive name helps define the character for the reader. J.R. Rowling knew this when she named Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, and the rest. Even the more minor players are important. Luna Lovegood is ditzy, but by her sweet nature provides courage to those suffering around her, and Neville Longbottom starts out as a klutz, but ends up a sword-brandishing hero. Examples of this abound in literature. In David Cooperfield, Uriah Heep is a slimy human being, and his name does leave a distaste. Going back to biblical times, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Jacob’s to Israel in line with their roles in history.
In fantasies, such as the Harry Potter series, liberty can be taken with inventing names, like Draco or Luna. In cozy mysteries, writers use a little more restraint. The protagonist in my dinner club murder mystery series is an average, middle-aged professional woman, and I gave her the common name of Jane, paired with a last name from my family tree, Marsh. Most other names are taken from lists of popular names from certain years. I named an upper-crust character the more formal name of Olivia.
One lesson I learned too late is that attention must be paid to each person’s name, not just the major characters. I introduced a minor character in the first book, Dale Capricorn. One of my editors liked the name, thinking the last name was memorable, so I kept it. Dale found his way back into the third and fourth books. However, another member of the dinner club is named Doug. I was advised by my critique group that Doug and Dale were too similar, but book one and two are already published so neither name could be changed. I considered giving Dale a nickname when reintroduced in book three, but Dale doesn’t lend itself to shortening. I considered “Cap,” but there is already another character named Caleb. I considered the initials, D.J., but D.J. is Jane’s love interest and their names together would be D.J. and Jane, sounding once again similar. I posted these suggestions on my Facebook page to gather the opinions of other authors and readers alike, but no one seemed to embrace the change.
If only I’d considered Dale’s name more carefully from the moment of his creation.
The solution was to organize an alphabetical character chart, listing all the names of any character introduced by name in all the books in the series. The only letters not taken were I, O, Q, X, and Y. If only I’d named him Ian, Oliver, Quentin, Xavier, or Yates! I put out a Facebook post for my readers to help pick the name of the next character from that list. One reader’s comment was: “Remember the show Rawhide? The lead in it was Eastwood, who was named Rowdy Yates. Always associated a macho character with the name,” which goes to show that a name does help describe the character.
After much angst, I left Dale’s name alone. It was just too painful to change his name after the fact. I figured only God could do that.
Meet Author Karen C. Whalen.
..
Karen C. Whalen is the author of the Dinner Club Murder Mystery series. She worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado. Karen has been a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and participates in a local writing group, the Louisville Writers Workshop.
~~~
Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://karencwhalen.com/
Link to Not According to Flan:
https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/5110-not-according-to-flan-paperback.html
Links to Everything Bundt the Truth:
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4653-everything-bundt-the-truth.html
Everything Bundt The Truth:
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Bundt-Dinner-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01M05NQTY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1475761144&sr=1-1&keywords=Everything+bundt+the+truth
Not According to Flan:
https://www.amazon.com/According-Flan-Dinner-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B06ZZLBT2V/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494433693&sr=1-1&keywords=not+according+to+flan
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-according-to-flan-karen-c-whalen/1126256725?ean=2940157538422#
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Karen will give away an ebook copy of NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN to one reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Thanks, Karen, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
June 18, 2017
**Author Peek** Interview with Karen C. Whalen, NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN (The Dinner Club Murder Mysteries)
**Author Peek** Interview with KAREN C. WHALEN
NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN
INTRODUCING…Karen C. Whalen.
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full – time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
I was a paralegal at a law firm in downtown Denver for over thirty years and also wrote a regular column for the National Paralegal Reporter. I left the law firm in 2016 to pursue writing full time.
1. How did you get started writing?
Most writers will say this, and I’m no different: I’ve always loved to read and I’ve always written, from personal journaling to writing for newspapers and magazines.
2. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Cozy murder mystery because it’s my favorite genre to read because the characters are loveable, the setting takes me to a place I’d like to live, and the ending always turns out all right.
3. What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?
I keep a tape recorder in my car because I often think of a scene for my current work in progress.
4. What is your favorite part of writing?
The first draft of a new book.
5. What is your least favorite part of writing?
The last revision before publication (because by this time I have the book memorized and I’m sooo ready to move on to the next project).
6. Pick two celebrities to be your parents. Who would they be and why?
This is a hard question because I’m not enamored with celebrities and barely know who the current movie stars are. I don’t think celebrities necessarily make good parents since the children would always be in the limelight, but okay, I’d go for Michael Landon and Karen Grassle, the parents in the television show, Little House on the Prairie, because I loved the books so much.
7. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Some from my experience as a paralegal and some from personal experience. In the third book in my series, No Grater Evil, Jane drives her car over a pedestrian bridge and down a bike path by mistake. She almost drives into a wedding and has to turn around. I did that.
8. Tell me about your ideal reader.
Someone who wants to laugh a little, who enjoys descriptions of the mountain and urban settings in Colorado, and who wants to have close friends like Jane’s in the dinner club group.
9. What is your “go to” routine that helps you get in the mood to write? Special beverage? Music? Etc.
I put on New Age music because it is relaxing or Celtic epic music because it is inspiring and work at my desk at home with a cup of coffee.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
In the first book in the series, EVERYTHING BUNDT THE TRUTH, released in November 2016, Jane Marsh is a recent widow who wants to recapture a rich, full life. She auditions to join an exclusive dinner club, but is barred when her housekeeper is found murdered and she and her guest list become the suspect list.
The next book will be released June 9, 2017, NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN. In this second in the series, Jane Marsh wants to shake off the empty nest syndrome, plus the notoriety of the death of her first and second husbands, by starting over in a new place. She sells her family home to move to a far northern suburb of Denver. At the same time, Jane’s dinner club is undergoing a transformation, and a new man—a gourmet chef—enters her life. But, things turn sour when, on the day Jane moves into her new home, she discovers a dead body. She cannot feel at home in this town where she’s surrounded by cowboys, horse pastures, and suspects. Not to mention where a murder was committed practically on her doorstep. How can she focus on romance and dinner clubs when one of her new friends—or maybe even her old ones—might be a murderer?
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Be sure to come back to learn more about Karen’s novel, NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
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Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://karencwhalen.com/
Link to Not According to Flan:
https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/5110-not-according-to-flan-paperback.html
Links to Everything Bundt the Truth:
http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4653-everything-bundt-the-truth.html
Everything Bundt The Truth:
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Bundt-Dinner-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01M05NQTY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1475761144&sr=1-1&keywords=Everything+bundt+the+truth
Not According to Flan:
https://www.amazon.com/According-Flan-Dinner-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B06ZZLBT2V/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494433693&sr=1-1&keywords=not+according+to+flan
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-according-to-flan-karen-c-whalen/1126256725?ean=2940157538422#
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Thanks, Karen, for sharing your story with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this upcoming release!
