Karen Docter's Blog, page 253

**Author Peek** Interview with T.J. Kline

**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with T.J. KLINE

INTRODUCING… T.J. Kline.

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.

While I write under the name T.J. Kline for contemporary romance, my name is Tina Klinesmith. I am a full time writer but I started working from home nearly 8 years ago as an online fitness coach. Because my business gave me so much freedom, I was able to pursue my dream of becoming a writer. I have a wonderful husband and three beautiful children, now teens, and have recently just started suffering from the first stages of empty nesting with my daughter in college. But, that has also brought new opportunities to pursue my first love – horses – again. I have raised and trained horses since I was fourteen and, raising kids, it was pushed to the wayside. Now, I’m back at it with my new 2 year old filly.

1. What appeals to you about the genre that you write?

I write what I love to read. If I wouldn’t want to read the story, I don’t see the point in writing it. I love cowboys, the West, horses, rodeo and feisty women, so I chose to incorporate all of them. I’m just lucky enough that other people want to read the same things.

2. Are you a plotter or a pantser (one who writes “by the seat of your pants”)?

I used to be a complete pantser but because of the schedule I have set for myself (approximately one book every two or three months, if not more) I have learned the benefits of plotting. I don’t do detailed outlines but I give myself a general idea of what should happen in each chapter and plot at least half of the book in advance. Nearly 100% of the time, my plot will change, twist or grow but this general outline helps me move the plot quickly without losing track of where the characters need to end up while still letting them flow freely in the story and surprise me.

3. What is your favorite part of writing?

I love the first draft…now. I’m writing my seventh book for Avon Impuse (at the time of this interview) and have found that I do best if I just shut out the world and write. There is no inner critic allowed for the first draft. This is where NaNoWriMo helped me (and where I was “discovered.”) because it taught me to just write fast and freely. I will usually get at least 2000-3000 words per day on the page. To keep that pace daily means there is no time to over-think things. When the inner critic/editor does rear its ugly head, I just remind myself that he/she gets to have a say later, the first draft is just about getting the words, mental pictures and emotions on the page.

4. If you had to give up writing and do something else, what would you do instead?

First and foremost, I am a wife and mother. My family always comes first so I try to work my writing schedule around theirs. I do still run my other business from home but on a part-time basis now. But if I had to choose something other than writing I’d love to do, it would be training animals, especially dogs and horses. I don’t think that would come to a surprise to any of my readers though.

5. What’s your favorite meal of the day?

It depends on my writing schedule. Most days, dinner is the only “meal” I am able to make time for. I wish I could say writing has developed healthy habits in my life, especially since as a fitness coach, I know better, but most days I have several cups of coffee and don’t eat until very late in the day. But dinner, oh! I have some brilliant concoctions for my three boys!

6. Which are your favorite characters to write, the female characters or the male characters ? Why?

This is actually a really tough question for me to answer. I love writing female characters because I can be anyone. I can do, say and feel the way I want to without any judgment as long as I give my heroine a legitimate reason. I get to say the things I wish I could in real life to those people who irritate and anger me. It’s pretty therapeutic, actually. But it’s also fun to see things from the male perspective. I get to write about what women wish their men would say (or do). My male characters are never perfect but they somehow always seem to come close enough to make me love them.

7. If you had a superpower, what would it be , and how would you use it?

I would want the power to control minds. Of course, I would only use it for good. *wink wink*

8. Many writers dream of having the ideal location to write. If you could live anywhere in the world or live a particular lifestyle, where would you be answering these questions right now?

I’d live on my horse ranch in the mountains. I have always wanted to have a log cabin (a big one, of course) in the mountains. I absolutely love the Tahoe area but anything in the mountains would make me happy. As long as I have my horses and WiFi, I’d write and ride all day.

9. Do you have any rejection stories to share ? Reviews that meant something special to you?

I cherish every review I get because it means a reader took the time to write down what they thought about a story. That makes it personal, for them and for me. Luckily, I haven’t had any harsh ones (I feel like I’m tempting fate by saying that!) As far as rejections, I had a version of Rodeo Queen from a very bad first draft (which I tossed and completely rewrote) that was rejected by Avon nearly twenty years before it was accepted. It just goes to prove that there is a right time and place for every manuscript if you love it enough to keep working on it.

10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?

My newest book, Runaway Cowboy, (Avon Impulse) will be released on Feb. 3rd, 2015. This is a prequel novella in the Rodeo Series and the last of the Chandler siblings. We finally get to see Jen and Clay, pre-Rodeo Queen, and how their relationship developed into the strong couple we see in the other books. I had a lot of fun writing this one because Jennifer is such a strong, motherly heroine but she never takes anything off of either of her brothers. Clay, on the other hand, always seemed so soft-spoken, it was nice to see him spar with her. This novella, the first I’ve ever tried, came to me so quickly, my fingers could barely keep up with my brain.

~~~~~~~

Links to T.J.’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website/Blog: www.WriterTJKline.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/T.-J.-Kline/e/B00GXDPAG2

Avon: http://www.avonromance.com/author/t-j-kline

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/t.-j.-kline

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/t.-j.-kline/id642680344?mt=11

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterTJKline

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/writertjkline

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/AuthorTJKline/

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BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about T.J, her new release, and an excerpt from RUNAWAY COWBOY, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!

~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  T.J. is giving away TWO prizes…the eBook set of the Rodeo Series as well as a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Don’t miss the chance to read this story! Enter TODAY:

https://www.facebook.com/WriterTJKline/app_228910107186452

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Shanon Grey

      

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with SHANON GREY!

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, Shanon Grey, and her favorite recipe for DRUNKEN POT ROAST!

THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS
The Gatekeepers ~ Book 1
BY SHANON GREY

Book Blurb

The When is a whole more than the sum of its parts? When it has ties to the quaint little town of Rutherford, GA, as Morgan Briscoe discovers when a cryptic message threatens to change her life forever.

Morgan’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake, who, despite his riveting good looks, can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner.

Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension. Unable to control their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.

THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS ~ available from Amazon and B & N

MEADOW’S KEEP
The Gatekeepers ~ Book 2
BY SHANON GREY

Book Blurb

Jasmine Monroe once felt like damaged goods. Not anymore. Her latent abilities, although appearing too late to save her from a brutal attack, will keep her safe from being hurt by anyone, ever again. Secure in that fact, she’s moved on. Until she meets her first love’s doppelganger.

Eryk Vreeland, a misfit and an embarrassment to his upper-class/upper-crust family, is a magician. His shows are renowned, his contributions to charity astronomical, his illusions precise. Except—not everything is an illusion. Sometimes, there is real magic.

Forced together to rescue and protect a young woman, safeguards must come down and, when that happens, their attraction strengthens—beyond their control—until they can barely tell where one person stops and the other begins.

Will they surrender to a legacy or risk a disaster to stay apart?

MEADOW’S KEEP ~ available from Amazon and B & N

PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS
The Gatekeepers Series
BY SHANON GREY

Book Blurb

Kateri Chance comes back to Ruthorford for a fresh start and runs into the man that caused her to leave in the first place. She must resolve her past before she can move forward. However, someone doesn’t want that to happen. Join Kat as she explores Ruthorford, the small town that protects its own.

PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS ~ available from Amazon and B & N.

MEADOW’S KEEP
The Gatekeepers ~ Book 2
BY SHANON GREY

Excerpt

Prologue

Jasmine Monroe hauled the suitcase out from under the bed and, using both hands, hoisted the reinforced leather case onto the mattress. With swift movements, she flipped the latches on either side of the handle. Sweat beaded and slid down the cleavage between her breasts. She twisted her shoulders and pulled the damp T-shirt away from her body, fanning it.

She threw back the lid. Inside lay a tangled mass of chains and locks, some open, some closed. She grabbed a large lock and cursed when it resisted her tug, captured by the weight of the chaos around it. Holding the closed padlock in her right hand, she narrowed her eyes, focusing on the mechanism. She heard a crackle as the current moved from her body. The shackle slipped out of the lock and twisted to the side. She upended the lock to allow the chains to fall back into the suitcase and tossed the lock on the bed.

Jasmine thrust her hand back into the mass of chains. Using the back of her left forearm, she wiped the sweat away from her upper lip. Ah, gotcha! She twisted through the chains and yanked several times. The $1,400.00 military-grade titanium padlock moved a few inches, then stopped, still attached to two heavy-duty links of metal. As before, she held the padlock and concentrated. Nothing happened. She pressed her lips together. Her obsidian eyes narrowed. As her other hand moved forward, she resisted the urge and pulled it back. No, she had to be able to do it single-handed. She felt the energy build and move into her hand. With a loud pop, the padlock’s shackle gave way. She yanked it free of the chains and, turning around, slid down the side of the bed to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her gaze drifted down. Through the blur of tears, she could still see the scar on her wrist. Never again would some son of a bitch chain her to anything. Never again would another person have control over her body.

About the author…Shanon Grey.

Shanon Grey weaves romance and suspense with threads of the paranormal. MEADOW’S KEEP, Book Two in The GateKeepers Series, about the quaint town of Ruthorford, Georgia and its very special inhabitants, is her newest release. It is currently available for download from Amazon, B & N, and Smashwords. The print version will be released later this month. THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS was the first in her series. PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS ~A Ruthorford Holiday Story~ is out in e-format as well. Under contract with Crossroads Publishing House, her books are available in e-format and print at most booksellers.

Shanon spent her life on coasts, both the beautiful Atlantic and the balmy Gulf. Hurricane Katrina taught her the fragility of life and the strength of friendship, family, and starting over.

She just found out that her son salvaged notes and pages of her original novel, Capricorn’s Child, which she thought has been destroyed with everything else. (Ironically, a neighbor found her marriage certificate in a tree.) She plans to resurrect her original novel one day.

She currently lives in Coweta County, Georgia, trading the familiarity of the coast for the lush beauty and wonder of the mountains, where her husband fulfilled her lifelong dream—to live in a cottage in the woods, where inspiration abounds.

~~

Links to Shanon’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

I hope you enjoy the recipe Shanon is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 176 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.

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DRUNKEN POT ROAST

This is a cross between pot roast and beef bourguignon. It’s fabulous for an awesome dinner the first day and, on the second, fix some biscuits, chop up the leftovers, and enjoy a drunken stew. It’s still up in the air with my family as to which they enjoy more.

Measurements are approximate. Do what you want. You can use a bigger pan and use more. I fix a lot because: 1) they eat a lot, and 2) it makes for more stew.

One large chuck roast (3 to 5 lbs.)

Bag of carrots or 6-8 whole ones chopped into large pieces

4 Vidalia (or any sweet) onions, quartered or so chunks

Yukon gold potatoes, quartered a lot or a little (you can use any type of potatoes you prefer)

Flour for dredging

Vegetable oil for searing

Salt and pepper

32 oz. beef broth (I use the Swanson package but you can use any kind you like) or 2 14 oz. cans

2 cups burgundy (Again, your choice regarding kind and amount.)

(You can use a large – turkey size – roasting bag if you wish. I just use a turkey roasting pan and cover with foil.)

Put the flour in large bag or a pan; add salt and pepper to taste. Add roast to the bag and coat with flour. Sear in hot vegetable oil. I even take large cooking forks and sear the edges, but that’s optional.

Put seared roast into large pan and add vegetables. I drain the oil and use some of the burgundy to get the bits from the searing pan. Pour burgundy and broth over roast. Cover with foil and roast in 350-375 degree oven for several hours. Depending on size, it can take two to three hours. It won’t hurt to cook it longer. It just gets more tender.

The flour from the roast makes thicker gravy. But, if it isn’t thick enough for your crew, use some cornstarch mixed with cold water, add to liquid from pan to make a thicker gravy.

On the second day, you can add mushrooms if you like and some peas. Or not. It’s good as it is.

Enjoy!

~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  Shanon is giving away a paperback copy (U.S. only) of MEADOW’S KEEP to one lucky reader who comments on this Killer Book Bench blog. Don’t miss the chance to read this story!

 

Dear Readers…My Wish for You!

My Dear Readers,

I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday. May the company be happy, the food yummy, and the spirit of the holiday be bright in your hearts. I wish you the promise of a successful new year. May your lives be blessed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Karen

 

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Killing Secrets by K.L. Docter

 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!

KILLING SECRETS
A Thorne’s Thorns Novel
BY K.L. DOCTER

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.

KILLING SECRETS
A Thorne’s Thorns Novel
BY K.L. DOCTER

Excerpt

Denver, Colorado.

At the first crack of gunfire, Rachel dove headfirst into the garden she was weeding. Listening for the second report she expected to follow, she prayed Amanda stayed at Patrick Thorne’s house where she’d gone an hour ago to play with her new friend, Suze.

Gasping for air, she inhaled the rich, spicy scent of freshly turned soil and crushed nasturtiums instead. Dirt and grit bit into her cheek and the bare flesh exposed by her cutoffs and T-shirt. The mid-afternoon sun beat hot against her shoulders and legs, and all she could do was lie there and watch a fat bumblebee dip into a russet blossom three inches from her nose.

Had she run almost nine hundred miles only to die like this, grubbing alone in the dirt like a spineless worm?

A surge of anger gave her impetus to lift her head. She peeked over the flimsy wall of twelve-inch annuals between her and the street. A second gunshot rang out, belched in a cloud of black smoke from an ancient Volkswagen bus that disappeared around the corner.

Backfire?

She groaned, more relieved than embarrassed by her overreaction. Her chin dropped. Taking several deep draughts of the thin Colorado air, she worked to calm the pound of her heart against her ribcage. Her efforts made her head swim. A minute later she was able to push herself out of the three-foot section of garden she’d mown down.

Her nerves had been on edge since she fled Dallas on Friday, five days ago. If she weren’t so overwrought it would have occurred to her Greg would never stand at a distance and take potshots at her. No. Greg liked to look into her eyes when he meted out his punishments.

An icy shiver skimmed her skin. Each day that passed without his appearance should have reassured her she’d made the right decision to accept Katy’s arrangements with the Thornes. As long as Greg didn’t track her and Amanda to Denver, they were safe.

Problem is she hadn’t felt safe since Amanda was born and she discovered what kind of man she’d married. Now she couldn’t pluck enough weeds from Evelyn Thorne’s gardens by day to tear the anxiety from her heart at night. Her growing sense of trepidation kept her awake long after the morning stars dimmed above the mile-high city’s cloudless skies.

How could the justice system simply hand Greg a “get out of jail free” card? She’d always known the man had connections in high places, but how had he arranged for the evidence in his case—evidence she’d risked everything to provide—to disappear before he even went to trial? If he’d accomplished that feat while behind bars, how in the world was she and Amanda going to stay out of his clutches?

She felt like there were giant bull’s-eyes painted on their backs, that it was only a matter of time before Greg tracked them down. During their marriage the man would spend weeks, even months, laying meticulous groundwork for one of his cons. He’d had six months to plan dozens of new punishments for his betrayer.

“‘Til death us do part, darlin’.”

His words echoed over the expanse of time and distance, ringing a fresh peal of dread in Rachel’s breast. With one hand, she brushed clumps of soil off her tangerine T-shirt and whispered a small prayer. Please don’t let him find us!

About the author, Karen Docter…

Bestselling author, Karen Docter, writes two different kinds of romance novels… Contemporary Romance w/a Karen Docter and Romantic Suspense w/a K.L. Docter.

Karen’s contemporaries are cute & spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path…with a tickle and a smile.

Her romantic suspense novels (as K.L. Docter) are also filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love.

Karen/K.L.’s an award winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.

When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!

~~~

Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website: www.karendocter.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.docter

Book Bench for Romance Lovers Group: goo.gl/UizOxd

Catch That Santa by Karen Docter:
#FREE #FREE #FREE DECEMBER 22-26, 2014
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-That-Santa-ebook/dp/B00ACDF0EG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353766171&sr=1-1&keywords=catch+that+santa

Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter:
http://www.amazon.com/Satin-Pleasures-ebook/dp/B0078VSY6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330384089&sr=8-1

Killing Secrets (A Thorne’s Thorns Novel):
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Secrets-Thornes-Thorns-Book-ebook/dp/B00JPQ5ZVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407446048&sr=8-1&keywords=killing+secrets

~~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  K.L Docter is giving away an ecopy (Kindle or PDF) of KILLING SECRETS to two lucky readers who comment on this Killer Book Bench blog. Don’t miss the chance to read this story!

 

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter

 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!

SATIN PLEASURES
A Contemporary Romance
BY KAREN DOCTER

Blurb

Bustiers, Birds, and the Blues…

Dan McDonald walked away from the American dream, a life full of money, glamorous women and power. Now nothing can lure him back into the corporate death trap. Except….

Dan’s scheming aunt snares him into opening a lingerie shop in Tess Emory’s shopping mall. Tess is everything Dan has vowed to avoid…sexy, smart, and obsessed with work.

Tess is determined to make her life a success and right the wrongs of her past, no matter the cost.

They’re both going to discover that true love breaks all their rules.

** RomCon Reader’s Crown finalist ~ Contemporary Category
** Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist ~ Best Short Contemporary Romance

SATIN PLEASURES
A Contemporary Romance
BY KAREN DOCTER

Excerpt

“Colby, if I’d had that brunette in my bass boat instead of you Aunt Mary would never have talked me off the lake.” Dan McDonald tore his gaze away from the view in the truck windshield to grin at his dog, affectionately named Colby, after the cheese the German shepherd loved so much. “Bet she doesn’t kiss like you…the brunette, I mean, not Aunt Mary.”

The dog whined, then attempted to wriggle his massive bulk into his master’s lap. Dan pushed his muzzle away. “Phew! Chances are she doesn’t smell like you, either.”

Colby bared his teeth in a grin.

Dan laughed. “You won’t think it’s so funny when we reach San Francisco and you get a bath.” He considered the stalled traffic. “That’s assuming we get across the bay.”

A fully loaded semi had jackknifed across both lanes of the westbound bridge and wedged in tighter than a cork in a genie’s bottle. The truck was to be dismantled for removal, the freight unloaded, and there appeared to be a debate as to which part of the process should be completed first.

He smiled at the speed with which the shock wave of information ran down the line of commuters. Many spilled from their cars to chat. A few lounged on their hoods, faces raised to the warm March afternoon sun. A pair of students in Stanford jerseys zipped a fluorescent orange Frisbee between the cars with all the ferocity of Kamikaze pilots.

Dan shook his head when he realized he’d pushed his old life behind him far enough to find amusement in the scene. He’d come a long way in the past year. Was it far enough? He’d been happy—well, content enough—with his solitary lifestyle…until his aunt tracked him down in Florida a couple of weeks ago.

She’d convinced him she and his mother needed him in California through June. However, he’d had three thousand miles to wonder if his temporary return to the rat race might prove to be the biggest mistake of his life. His impulse to turn the truck around had grown with each passing mile and he wondered if this traffic snarl was his last chance to save himself.

He certainly couldn’t complain about his first glimpse of San Francisco Bay. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The sun stirred bright color into the murky waves and streaked light across mirrored office buildings on the opposite shoreline. A light, salty breeze gave wing to a variety of raucous sea birds over his head and teased long tendrils of toffee-rich hair out of his brunette’s French twist.

His brunette.

Desire coiled deep in his belly as he watched her wiggle her bottom onto the hood of her car. With one hand resting on the driver’s side mirror on the open door, she talked briskly into her phone, her expression hidden behind sunglasses. The straight lemon skirt and fitted jacket she wore accentuated her rich, dark hair, full breasts, and slender waist. Spiked heels showcased legs long enough to fuel a man’s fantasies for months. Her hand waving in emphasis to whatever point she was making spoke to Dan of urgent caresses and wild passion.

The blend of cool professionalism and hot sensuality fostered the illusion a man only had to peel away one layer to expose the passionate woman beneath. He’d never seen a woman who made him feel so needy, so primitive, with barely one look…which is why he hadn’t bothered to pursue a woman since Charlotte Betham opted for her career over him last year. He might have made an effort to change her mind if she’d turned his crank this way!

Only a caveman would dream of ripping the phone from his lady’s hand. Only a cretin would throw it into the bay before he dragged her away to his cave for a year or two. Only a sex-starved man would allow such idiotic impulses to get out of hand.

“Maybe Aunt Mary dragged us back to civilization in time.” Dan scratched behind his dog’s ears. “Maybe I should go out on a date or two while we’re here. Take the edge off.”

Colby barked, and then rested his muzzle on the dashboard, pointing the way.

“No, it won’t be with my sexy brunette.”

About the author, Karen Docter…

Bestselling author, Karen Docter, writes two different kinds of romance novels… Contemporary Romance w/a Karen Docter and Romantic Suspense w/a K.L. Docter.

Karen’s contemporaries are cute & spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path…with a tickle and a smile.

Her romantic suspense novels (as K.L. Docter) are also filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love.

Karen/K.L.’s an award winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.

When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!

~~~

Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website: www.karendocter.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.docter

Book Bench for Romance Lovers Group: goo.gl/UizOxd

Catch That Santa by Karen Docter:
#FREE #FREE #FREE DECEMBER 22-26, 2014
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-That-Santa-ebook/dp/B00ACDF0EG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353766171&sr=1-1&keywords=catch+that+santa

Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter:
http://www.amazon.com/Satin-Pleasures-ebook/dp/B0078VSY6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330384089&sr=8-1

Killing Secrets (A Thorne’s Thorns Novel):
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Secrets-Thornes-Thorns-Book-ebook/dp/B00JPQ5ZVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407446048&sr=8-1&keywords=killing+secrets

~~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  Karen Docter is giving away an ecopy (Kindle or PDF) of SATIN PLEASURES to two lucky readers who comment on this Killer Book Bench blog. Don’t miss the chance to read this story!

 

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: **FREE** Catch That Santa by Karen Docter

~~

 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!

**FREE** FREE ** FREE ** FREE **
DECEMBER 22-26, 2014!!!

CATCH THAT SANTA
A Holiday Novelette
BY KAREN DOCTER

Blurb

When widow, Sara Marks, hears her Grams has gone on the lam from Happy Acres Residence on Christmas Eve – on Santa’s arm, no less — she teams up with sexy stranger, Francisco de la Vega, to chase the couple down with one thing in mind. Keep her Grams from becoming Mrs. Claus. Of course, Francisco’s grandfather is not really Santa Claus, but Grams did run off to Vegas to marry him and she’s obviously not in her right mind.

Sara leaves her seven-month-old baby, Lanie, with a friend and she and Cisco head west in the worst snowstorm in decades, chasing his grandfather’s ’57 Ford Fairlane over the river and through the woods.

Will they catch Santa and his crazy Mrs. Claus before it’s too late? Or will love stop them in their tracks?

(Novelette, approximately 17,000 words/50 pages)

CATCH THAT SANTA
A Holiday Novelette
BY KAREN DOCTER

Excerpt

“What do you mean, Grams ran off with Santa Claus?” Sara Marks stared at the first floor orderly, Buddy Cantor, who’d met her outside her grandmother’s room at Happy Acres Residence. She could barely catch her breath after dashing through the facility carrying her sleeping seven-month-old. It had taken her a full thirty minutes to drive from the church near her apartment across Denver’s snow packed streets in her crotchety, old Ford, when it should have taken ten. Twenty minutes too long if her grandmother was truly missing.

She should never have gone to the Christmas Eve service. She’d suspected Grams was up to something when she called and told her to come later so she could take a nap before their usual dinner together. There was something in her voice, but Sara hadn’t paid enough attention with little Lanie fussing in her ear. “Next thing you’ll tell me is Santa took her to the North Pole in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.”

“No. A gold ’57 Ford Fairlane convertible.” The man shuffled uneasily in the doorway. “And they’re headed to Vegas. We think.”

“Vegas.” Movement in her arms made her aware Lanie was fully awake and ready to play. She grinned up at Sara with two shiny new bottom teeth, like she’d woken up just to laugh at her great-grandma’s latest flight of fancy.

Oh, Grams, what have you done?

About the author, Karen Docter…

Bestselling author, Karen Docter, writes two different kinds of romance novels… Contemporary Romance w/a Karen Docter and Romantic Suspense w/a K.L. Docter.

Karen’s contemporaries are cute & spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path…with a tickle and a smile.

Her romantic suspense novels (as K.L. Docter) are also filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love.

Karen/K.L.’s an award winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.

When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!

~~~

Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website: www.karendocter.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.docter

Book Bench for Romance Lovers Group: goo.gl/UizOxd

Catch That Santa by Karen Docter:
http://www.amazon.com/Catch-That-Santa-ebook/dp/B00ACDF0EG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353766171&sr=1-1&keywords=catch+that+santa

Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter:
http://www.amazon.com/Satin-Pleasures-ebook/dp/B0078VSY6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330384089&sr=8-1

Killing Secrets (A Thorne’s Thorns Novel):
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Secrets-Thornes-Thorns-Book-ebook/dp/B00JPQ5ZVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407446048&sr=8-1&keywords=killing+secrets

~~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  CATCH THAT SANTA by Karen Docter is #FREE #FREE #FREE #FREE on Kindle December 22-26, 2014. Don’t miss the chance to read this story! Merry Christmas, everyone!!

 

Congratulations Week 12-01-14 & 12-08-14 Giveaway Winners!

 

CONGRATULATIONS WEEK 12-01-14 & 12-08-14
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench with MELISSA McCLONE!!

Giveaway: Melissa is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card, Socks, Santa bandana, 2015 horse datebook, pen, nail file, candy, autographed FIREFIGHTER UNDER THE MISTLETOE, recipe card & gingerbread cookie cutter, post-it notepad, bookmark to one lucky winner who comments on her **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks, Melissa, for sharing your story with us!

WINNER ~ TANYA PHILLIPS!!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with L.A. SARTOR!!

Giveaway: L.A. is giving away a Kindle copy of FOREVER YOURS THIS NEW YEAR’S NIGHT to one lucky winner who comments on her Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** blog. Thanks, L.A., for sharing your story with us!

WINNER ~ TINA PETERSON!!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench with DONNA MICHAELS!!

Giveaway: Donna is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner who comments on her **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks, Donna, for sharing your story with us!

WINNER ~ GLENDA!!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with CRYSTAL MILES GAUTHIER!!

Giveaway: Crystal is giving away an ebook copy of TROIANNE to one lucky winner who comments on her Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** blog. Thanks, Crystal, for sharing your story with us!

WINNER ~ RAMONA!!

[All winners chosen by random.org. Thank you.]

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Michel Prince

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with MICHEL PRINCE!

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, Michel Prince, and her favorite recipe for MAC AND CHEESE!

THE POLITICIAN’S HEART
The Growing Strong Series ~ Book 3
BY MICHEL PRINCE

Book Blurb

Karen Schroeder made the choice to be a politician. Her local success has caught the eyes of her party and she’s suddenly thrust into the national stage. She knows how to play the game and exactly who she needs to be, even if it’s not who she really is.

Sarah Lindstrom has never questioned her feelings, even when they made her believe her girlfriend would say yes to her proposal instead of breaking up with her. When she sees Karen Schroeder campaigning the rush of attraction is undeniable. Sarah knows she’s been wrong before, but her feelings for Karen overwhelm any apprehension for this woman who’s trapped in the closet.

As the relationship grows Sarah learns love can be the painful when the one you love can only be herself with the door is closed. More importantly her love of Karen could cost her everything she’s worked for. Can love bloom when hidden in the dark?

THE POLITICIAN’S HEART
The Growing Strong Series ~ Book 3
BY MICHEL PRINCE

Editor’s Note: Some language has been edited to maintain PG-13 rating.

Excerpt

Karen’s heart pumped hard as she heard the woman explain her business, the plans, the hard work it must have been. Her blue eyes, though tired when Karen first arrived, were now alive and surrounded by blonde lashes and sun kissed skin.

“I’m Karen by the way,” she said as she extended her hand. “I don’t think we were properly introduced.”

“You mean your first name isn’t Representative?” the woman smiled and gently held Karen’s hand. There was no firm I’m-sure-of-myself squeeze or awkward sweaty palm. It was soft, inviting, and had Karen stepping closer. “I’m Sarah, Sarah Lindstrom.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Sarah. I hope you have a lot of success with your school.” Karen didn’t want to break the connection. She couldn’t. Her hand stayed nestled in Sarah’s as her lips began to tingle.

Sarah nervously wet her lips and Karen leaned closer, then remembered her surroundings.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she pulled away and moved to the other side of the table.

“You are…aren’t you?” Sarah asked as her hands rested on the table in front of her.

“Are what?” Karen’s breath quickened and the fear of outing herself came back. The gut ache between her want and need to take Sarah in her arms and explore every inch, and throwing away everything she’d worked hard to construct.

“A closeted Republican.”

Karen looked around to see if anyone was hearing their conversation. Sweat beaded on her forehead and the heat of the day finally hit her as her head swum.

“I’ve never heard it put that way,” she finally replied when she’d convinced herself no one was listening. “Can I please sit in that chair?” she asked.

“Yes,” Sarah said as she dug in a cooler under the table and fished out a cold bottle of water. “You okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Karen assured as she took a drink from the bottle and felt the cold rush through her system. F*(k, f*(k, f*(k.

“I didn’t mean to knock you off balance. It was… Mandy just… Mandy said I wasn’t allowed to daydream about a straight Republican. I guess now I’ll be allowed to have my fantasies.”

The words rolled from Sarah’s lips and sparked Karen into her own fantasies, her own desires. The ones she had to keep hidden from the world. Only a few women had touched her and those had been ones with something to lose too. She dreamed of the day she could hold the woman she loved in public. Everyday going to work during the protests on the capitol steps, she caught herself looking longingly at the couples proud together. Then Ashton would take her hand and guide her to her office. Alone in there she’d cry until she needed to have a brave face again.

“Who’s the man candy you have protecting you?”

“I can’t talk about this…here.” She didn’t know why she hesitated, but she wanted to tell Sarah more. She wanted to have Sarah in her life. It was a rush she’d never felt before, even with the other women.

“I’ve got twenty minutes before they close the doors and I can lock up.” Sarah looked at her watch and let out a light laugh. “I know it sounds bad, but… will you meet me behind the barn at nine?”

Sarah was so sure of herself and who she was. Openly discussing a girlfriend without vetting Karen to make sure her secret wasn’t going to hit the front page. A warmth tingled through Karen’s core at the strength of self Sarah had to have and how that would translate in other areas.

“I… um… it’s just—”

“You can’t come out and play. I gotcha.”

“It’s not that. Anyone I’m with has to understand my belief system on ninety-nine percent of the platform is Republican. I need this to go no further than you and I.”

“You haven’t said anything, I have, and you’ve neither confirmed or denied my accusations. Very good, Representative Schroeder.” Sarah sat back and locked her eyes on Karen’s. “But you caught my eye across a field where there were mini-doughnuts, cheese curds and funnel cake. That’s saying something. And we both know a few minutes ago you were less than an inch from kissing me. That says something too.”

About the author…Michel Prince.

Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science.  Michel writes new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

With characters yelling “It’s my turn damn it!!!” She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn.  She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports.  She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers and is a Pro member of RWA.  She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, cat and new puppy.

~~

Links to Michel’s website, blog, books, etc.

Website
Michel Prince Books

Facebook

Twitter

I hope you enjoy the recipe Michel is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 175 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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAC AND CHEESE

** Do not share unless you want people to demand to join your holiday parties.

1 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb LARGE macaroni
8 tbs butter
1/2 cup muenster cheese shredded
1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1/2 cup monterey jack cheese shredded
2 cups half and half
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Add macaroni and oil. Cook for 7 minutes, or until somewhat tender. Drain well and return to pot.

While macaroni is cooking combine all of the cheeses together in a large bowl. In a small saucepan melt 8 tbs of butter. Pour melted butter over macaroni and put both in cheese bowl. Add beaten eggs, half and half, seasoning salt and pepper. Stir until fully blended.

Transfer into casserole dish and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake covered for 30 minutes then remove cover until the edges are golden brown and bubbly,

~~~

Thanks for sharing your story and your recipe with us, Michel! Happy Holidays!

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Nellie by Cynthia Woolf

 

 
Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco I)
by Cynthia Woolf
 

Quick Facts                                        
Release Date:  November, 2014                
Genre: Historical Romance. Western                                              
Formats to buy: Paperbacks and all ebook formats

  ~~~

Dear Readers,

Before I share Cynthia Woolf’s new release with you, I thought you might enjoy an interview with her main character, Nellie, herself…

Hi Nellie! How are you?

I’m looking forward to our interview! I can’t wait to get to know you a bit more.

1. So Nellie, tell us why did you move to San Francisco? Do you like living there? I moved here to marry. I was a mail order bride and came here to marry Blake Malone. So far I love living here. It’s so much nicer for me and my children than living with my former in-laws in New York City.

2. Can you name one of your favorite moments since you got there? My most favorite moment is when Violet met Blake. She took her thumb out of her mouth and patted him on the cheek and told him he was pretty. It didn’t faze him. He took it in stride and they have a special relationship now.

3. What things make you happy? Being with my family makes me happy. Being with Blake is the most wondrous thing. I never knew that things could be like this between a husband and wife. He’s taught me so much.

4. Favorite food? And drink? I love swordfish. Blake introduced me to it and it’s my favorite fish now. I have it whenever we go out for dinner.

5. What can I find on your nightstand right now? A glass of water and In Search of the Castaways by Jules Verne.

6. What is your most treasured possession? Blake gave me a set of emerald jewelry that he said matches my eyes. It was the first time I’d ever received jewelry from a man.

7. What is the quality you most like in a man? I melt when a man is good with my children.

8. Do you think the author portrayed you accurately? I think she did well. I’m not sure I’m nearly as strong as she portrayed me.

9. What do you think about the author? I love Cynthia Woolf. Without her my story would never have been told. Or that of my friends Annie and Cora. Well their stories will be told, as soon as Cynthia can write them.

10. Do you keep your promises? I never make a promise that I can’t keep. I want my promises to mean something. I want everyone to know when I make a promise, it’s a statement of fact.

11. What in your past would you like to forget? Everything having to do with my husband except for my children. They are the only good things to come from my marriage.

12. Was there a major turning point in your life? When my husband was killed at Appomattox, my life changed forever and though I didn’t know it then, it changed for the better.

13. What is your favorite scent? Why? Roses. They remind me of spring.

14. What is your favorite color? Why? I love purple. Probably because it’s my author’s favorite color.

15. What are the last three books you’ve read? Five Weeks In A Balloon by Jules Verne, Emma by Jane Austen and Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Book Synopsis
 

Nellie Wallace is a young widow with two children. In post civil-war New York, the men are scarce and none want the burden of a wife with children. Her dead husband’s family is wealthy, and cruel. Desperate to escape their influence, and eager for a home, a husband, and a stable life for her children, Nellie decides to make a new life in San Francisco as a mail order bride.

Saloon owner Blake Malone is a bachelor and likes it that way. He worked hard for everything he has, but the San Francisco City Council won’t approve his plans to build a family emporium unless he is a family man himself. The solution? A mail order bride from New York who will bring him a ready-made family, stability, and the council’s approval.

Blake expects his future wife to care for his home and, other than helping him impress the city council, to stay out of his business. He expects life as usual. What he gets is an unexpected desire to win Nellie’s heart, a dangerous threat to his new bride, and a rich benefactor determined to steal his new family out from under him.  Blake believed his battle for success a hard one. But he will discover that the battle to win Nellie’s heart and keep his family safe is going to take everything he’s got.

 

 

KOBO

~~~

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

April 28, 1865

RAP! RAP! RAP!

If only she could fix her problems with a needle and thread she’d be set. Nellie looked up from the socks she was darning toward the knocking on the front door.

Who could that be? She set aside the socks, straightened her dress, checked her reflection in the mirror on the wall in the hall, patted her blond hair back into place and then answered the door.

“Mrs. Robert Wallace?” asked the soldier in dress uniform who stood at attention on her front porch.

Oh, God. No. Please. No. “Yes,” she said, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. “I…I’m Mrs. Wallace.”

The young soldier handed her an envelope. “I regret to have to inform you that Lieutenant Robert Wallace was killed at the Battle of Appomattox on April 8, 1865. I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs. Wallace.”

Nellie didn’t know what to say over the lump in her throat. She always knew this could happen—from the first moment Robert joined, to his last farewell eight months before Violet was born.

“I, uh, thank you, Officer…”

“Black, ma’am. Sergeant Black.”

“Thank you for letting me know, Sergeant.” Her grip tightened on the door knob. “I…I have to sit down now.”

“Of course, ma’am. Do you need help?”

Nellie shook her head. “No. Thank you. I’ll be alright.”

The man saluted her, turned and walked down the sidewalk to the waiting carriage.

How many of these calls did he have to make today? Was I the only one? I doubt it. Not in a city the size of New York.

She closed the door and leaned against the wall next to it, her legs no longer able to support her, she slid to the floor. Tears left salty trails on her face, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember crying. Screaming, cursing God, yes, but crying, no. Even though our marriage wasn’t what I’d dreamed it could have been when I was a child, I shall miss him. He had his good side, he was funny and could make her laugh. He was gentle every where except…no I will not think about that now. I endured and have two beautiful children.

How am I to tell Henry his father is dead? Violet was just a baby and didn’t know her daddy but Henry… Her son missed his father something fierce. Robert had doted on Henry. They spent so much time together that Henry cried for days when his father left the last time. And now I have to tell him his father is never coming home. How do I do that?

She wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands, took the hanky from her apron pocket and blew her nose.  No need to put it off. The task would be difficult enough, without waiting and making it harder. Perhaps she and Henry could grieve together. In any case, she needed to be strong for her son and daughter. She was all they had now.

Taking a deep breath, she mounted the stairs to the play room and her children.

Get to know the author:
 

Cynthia Woolf is the award winning and best-selling author of ten historical western romance books, one short story, and one novella in the anthology Lost in a Kiss, with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.

Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she’s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

 

WEBSITE – www.cynthiawoolf.com

NEWSLETTER - http://bit.ly/1qBWhFQ





~~~
Other Titles by Cynthia Woolf:

REDEEMED BY A REBEL (Book 1, Destiny in Deadwood series)
HEALED BY A HEART (Book 2, Destiny in Deadwood series)
SEDUCED BY A SINNER (Book 3, Destinyin Deadwood series) 


CAPITAL BRIDE (Book 1, Matchmaker & Co. series)
HEIRESS BRIDE (Book 2, Matchmaker & Co. series)
FIERY BRIDE (Book 3, Matchmaker & Co. series)
 
TAME A WILD HEART (Book 1, Tame series)
TAME A WILD WIND (Book 2, Tame series)
TAME A WILD BRIDE (Book 3, Tame series)
TAME A SUMMER HEART (short story, Tame series)
GIVEAWAY:
Win a $50 Visa Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Rebirth by J. Morgan

~~

 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!

REBIRTH
      Scrolls of Eternity ~ Book One
       By J. MORGAN
From
     Desert Breeze Publishing

Blurb

Field trips suck! 

Well, normally they do. When a visit to the local museum includes, gunmen, Egyptian gods, and, oh yeah, superpowers, Patrick Hughes thinks his life could use a little more boring. 

After accidently assuming the mantle of Horus, the Egyptian God of War, he is about to take Superhero 101 for extra credit. With the help of his substitute history teacher, who just so happens to be Anubis God of the Dead, Patrick takes a crash course in what it takes to be a hero. 

Too bad time is running out. Sutekh the God of Chaos has his eye on taking over the world. Unless he gets the hang of being a superhero and quick, getting an F will be the least of Patrick’s worries. Will Patrick’s first test at being a superhero be his last, or will he become the hero he was born to be?

REBIRTH
      Scrolls of Eternity ~ Book One
       By J. MORGAN
From
     Desert Breeze Publishing

Excerpt

His first real look at the Orb erased the snarl from his lips. The thing was glowing. Blue fire swirled inside the heart of the stone. His eyes burned from the sight of it growing to a near blinding radiance. As badly as he wanted to close them, something held them open. As it reached a pale blue tinged whiteness, something crawled through the light. His focus tightened, and it looked like a man. The weirdness only strengthened its hold on him.

Then, a voice filled his head. “Patrick Hughes, let me in.”

“Don’t think so,” Patrick whispered. Disembodied voices weren’t on his buddy list, and especially one that froze him in place and made him watch freaky CGI.

“You are the only chance your friends have. If Sutekh gets his hand on the Orb, not only them, but your entire world will be forfeit.”

Patrick couldn’t believe his ears. He was just a kid. Even if this wasn’t some static electricity induced delusion, how could he save anyone? Those guys had guns for one thing. If that wasn’t enough, he was pretty sure accepting invitations from disembodied voices fell under the heading of not talking to strangers that his mom kept harping on and on about. Still, if he didn’t do something, he felt relatively certain that the voice would turn out to be right. People were gonna die. Squinting his eyes, he knew what he had to do. In the immortal words of Uncle Ben, “with great power comes great responsibility.” Or, in his case, with geeky conscience, comes stupid decisions.

“What do I have to do?” Resigned, he let his forehead bump against the glass.

“Open your heart, young warrior.”

Lightning shot through him! Literally! A dazzling blue beam of light sprang from the heart of the Orb. The second it touched him, every nerve ending went supersonic. The brush of air against his skin felt like grains of sand flowing over him. He tried to cry out, but his mouth refused to wrap around the scream he tasted on the tip of his tongue. Finally it came, a small strangled sob, as he was flung back. Twisting his body, he tried to catch himself on the edge of the display. All it earned him was a bone cracking thud, as his body smacked into the floor.

Fighting the blackness that crept along the edge of his vision, Patrick tried to lift his arms, but nothing happened. It was like that time his older sister Kasey had sat on him for accidentally blowing up her Barbies during an experiment to see if a giant bottle rocket could break the stratosphere with a pilot on board. She couldn’t understand it took three tries to make sure his hypothesis was wrong. Sisters, go figure, but this felt much worse. Like his body was blowing up only not going anywhere. Then, magically, it all went away. Since this definitely fell under that heading, he felt perfectly justified in using that apt description.

Lying there, he wondered where this all powerful voice had gotten to. He couldn’t very well save anyone flat on his back. Not that he thought he would in the first place. For all he knew, this had all been a dream. He probably passed out after the first shot had been fired. It wouldn’t be the first delusion brought on by too many hours in front of a video game, followed by a marathon comic book session. Only this time, it had felt so real. So had the last hundred times. It didn’t leave him much wiggle room in the plausible deniability department. Well, pretending to be the carpet wouldn’t solve anything. Pushing himself up, he brushed the hair out of his face.

Wait! That hand wasn’t his. Someone had stolen his hand and put somebody else’s hand on his arm. A big freaking hand! Shaking his head, he tried to clear his wonky head. That was hard with all the hair cascading across his face. Blowing it back, he took a closer look. Hold it! Now, his arm wasn’t his arm. Somebody stole John Cena’s arm and stuck it on him. And, where was all this hair coming from. Using Johnny boy’s hand, he tossed back enough hair to make an entire 80’s metal band out of his face. Then, the weirdest thing of all hit him. That wasn’t his body holding his head up. He scrambled back, nearly upending the partition behind him. What if his head wasn’t on his not body?

What the geez was going on? That voice had done something to him. Turned him into a professional wrestler. Or worse! Turned him into Jason Statham in a really bad wig. He’d never live that down.

About the author, J. Morgan…

After refusing to grow up, J. Morgan saw no other option for his future than to become a writer. It was the only way he could get to live inside his vivid imagination and not get medicated for his troubles. With numerous Comedy Romance novels under his belt, he decided to unleash his inner child upon the world.

Not content to spend the rest of his life playing with action figures and reading comic books, J. Morgan let his imagination take a turn at writing what he has always loved. The Scrolls of Infinity is his first foray into the Young Adult genre, but it won’t be his last. As long as his brain is stuck in the sixth grade, the stories will keep coming, because young at heart is his specialty.

Links to J.’s website, blog, books, etc.

My Yahoo Newsletter
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmorganslair/

My Website
http://www.freewebs.com/jmorganslair/

Facebook
jmorganauthor@facebook.com

My Blog away from home
http://jennmorgan69.wordpress.com/

To sample some of my books, you can find me at either of these fine places on the internet.

Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/brands/J.-Morgan.html

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/J.-Morgan/e/B0032R8BFE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1366412334&sr=8-1

~~~~

**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:  J. is giving away an ecopy of REBIRTH, Scrolls of Eternity ~ Book One, to one lucky reader who comments on his **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Don’t miss the chance to read this story!