Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 19
November 12, 2015
The Maddox Brothers by Ella Jade & Lacey Wolfe #Romance
The Maddox Brothers
By Ella Jade and Lacey Wolfe
SPECIAL RELEASE PRICE $1.99
Get lucky with the Maddox Brothers…
Successful brothers Hudson and Liam Maddox are living the lives they’ve always dreamed of. Neither is looking for a relationship, more interested in keeping their single status with the ladies. That all changes when Kennedy and Chelsea enter their lives.
Hudson
Hudson has been focusing on his career and building a solid business in the real estate industry. The charismatic attorney has recently been named the most eligible bachelor in town. He’s never been interested in settling down until he collides with the easygoing Kennedy. She invades his orderly life in a matter of days. Has this carefree younger woman been what’s missing in his meticulous world?
Liam
Content with his life, Liam has built his own construction business and takes pride from it’s excellent reputation. After having his heart broken years ago, he’s decided not to take any relationship too seriously. But then the woman who tore his heart up years ago returns and hires his company for her home renovations. Trying to keep his cool around Chelsea is damn near impossible. All he has to do is complete the renovation and then never see Chelsea again. As if it was that simple.
Contains adult content. Not intended for readers under 18.
~Watch the Trailer~
Have you joined The Maddox Brothers celebration event? Come celebrate with us on November 15, 2015. Guest authors and giveaways!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1506960839616754/
November 10, 2015
Desire to Fall by Shona Husk (Contest) #Romance @Goddessfish
GENRE: Sci-fi Romance
Kya Hawl is an architect on the Precinct One redevelopment, a prestigious and contentious project in the city-state of Velli. While she is happy with her part-time female lover, Judge Elmi Chadee, she wants more. She wants a family and children, for that she needs two men willing to put their life on the line to breed.
Tref Xant and his partner Dru Macon seem like the right guys; however, Tref has secrets and Dru is about to deploy to Precinct One, one of the roughest precincts in Velli. The redevelopment can’t come soon enough. Tref would like to see the placed burned to the ground. But even that wouldn’t be able to erase his memories of growing up there.
With Dru away Tref finds himself falling for Kya. Jealousy sparks between the men. A triad can never form as Dru wants Elmi and she has sworn off unions after her sister ran away to join the Terrin Sect.
As riots erupt and the redevelopment is threatened Dru realizes he has to fight for what he wants–something Tref learned long time ago. A four-way union–while unusual–would work. But will the women agree when they learn of Tref’s past?
Excerpt:
“So where is she?” Dru leaned against the bar. When he’d looked up the place, he’d known the location was a test to see how high they could get on midlevel. He was also expecting Kya to be here already, probably up above watching them. He let his gaze drift.
“Er…not sure yet. There are so many people. Do you think she comes here often?”
“No.” Dru sipped his drink. If he was meeting people for the first time, he wouldn’t be inviting them to his local. But many people weren’t as careful as him. “Maybe.” He shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”
Tref scanned the aerial bar and lowered his gaze just as quickly. “She’s wearing a pink dress, and with a dark-haired woman in a suit.”
“The two who just landed?” Dru couldn’t help the curve of his lips as Tref drew in a sharp breath. He’d never seen Tref get so flustered by a woman. It was a real pity Dru was leaving tomorrow. He’d like to watch this interaction play out a little longer.
Kya folded her wings after landing neatly in the clear drop zone from the aerial bar. Her friend followed. Where Kya was golden, like the Huntress made mortal, her friend was pale-skinned and with dark hair. As she turned, Dru sucked in a breath.
He leaned closer to Tref. “Her friend is Judge Elmi Chadee.”
“What?”
Dru lowered his voice. “Judge Chadee was on that case last year. If Kya moves in those circles, you’re reaching too high.”
“She’s an architect.”
“With connections.” Judge Chadee probably had a rooftop suite in a private precinct. Coming here was no doubt her idea of slumming it. How did Kya know the judge? How well did she know the judge? While he’d been looking forward to meeting Kya, now he was wary.
Tref shrugged. “She agreed to a drink. Besides, if I’d stayed at my level…” He gave Dru a knowing look and then turned away.
Tref had a point, but women didn’t descend for anyone. They picked and chose, and men who wanted to risk life to be with them had to lift themselves to be noticed. But even then, because Dru didn’t have wings, he could only go so high before the fear of falling took over. And he wanted a triad, with children—something he was still trying to convince Tref was a good idea.
This was the first time Tref had done the introduction for a potential partner. Maybe the idea was becoming more appealing, and he simply needed a little more time to come around. Dru sipped his drink and watched as Elmi and Kya walked over. They touched and leaned in close to share a whispered comment—probably about Tref and him. They were obviously close, lovers since they weren’t married. Neither of the women had earrings.
Tref greeted Kya with a brief brush of the back of his hand. It was impossible not to notice the gleam of attraction in Kya’s eyes. When Tref turned to introduce him, it was mirrored in his eyes. Dru smiled even though he had the sinking feeling Tref was going to get burned by the sun for trying to fly.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Shona will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back.
With over forty published stories, ranging from sensual to scorching, she writes contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.
You can find out more at www.shonahusk.com
Newsletter: http://mad.ly/signups/119074/join
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shona-Husk/e/B003O781E8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1443698408&sr=8-1
November 9, 2015
Cowboys and Christmas #Romance #amreading
Welcome to the 2nd annualCowboys and Christmas
Blog Tour!
Raising funds and awareness for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund
Ring in the Holidays with a Helping Hand
November 1 through December 24, ten percent of the net proceeds from all Shanna Hatfield book sales will be donated to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. The JCCF is a non-profit organization that assists rodeo athletes who’ve sustained catastrophic injuries and are unable to work for an extended period. Every book purchased during this promotional period adds to the donation total. Don’t forget to add books to your Christmas lists!
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
~*~
New Releases
To kick off the second annual Cowboys and Christmas Blog Tour and the JCCF campaign,
two brand new holiday romances will release Nov. 12!
Capturing Christmas
is the third installment in the sweet holiday western Rodeo Romance series.Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he rescues at a rodeo.
Determined to capture the best images possible, rodeo photographer Celia McGraw is fearless and feisty. Not one to back down from a challenge, her biggest risk isn’t in her work. Danger lurks in the way her heart responds to one incredibly handsome stock contractor. Will Kash and Celia capture the spirit of the season?
Pre-order your copy today! http://amzn.to/1FC8ZQj
Teaser
“Someone like you should be smart
enough to know better than to do something that stupid, Miss McGraw.” The man
frowned at her as he held her across his lap, riding over to the fence, out of
the way of the horses and the men on horseback behind them.
Too stunned to reply, Celia gulped and continued staring at him, gradually comprehending she hadn’t been killed.
At least she assumed she hadn’t died, unless angels wore dusty cowboy hats, dark blue chaps, and were breath-stealing handsome.
Those engaging eyes bore into hers, making her heart skitter in her chest while an entire bushel of butterflies burst into flight in her stomach.
She observed her rescuer. He sat tall in the saddle and had muscles to spare, or so she presumed from the way he easily hoisted her off the ground and onto his horse. A hint of light brown hair peeked out from beneath the brim of his hat. The pale blue shirt he wore
almost matched the fascinating shade of his eyes.
Celia experienced the most unreasonable urge to run her fingers along the stubbly expanse of his cheeks, down his square jaw, and over his strong chin. Mesmerized by his full bottom lip, she inhaled a deep breath and nearly choked.
The very scent of him hinted at a lethal combination of freshly fallen snow, a warm winter fire, and sweet seduction rolled into one incredibly enticing package.
Get all three books in the Rodeo Romance series!
The Christmas Vow
is the fourth book in the Hardman Holidays sweet Victorian romance series.Columbia River Pilot Adam Guthry returns to his hometown of Hardman, Oregon, after the sudden death of his best friend. Emotions he can’t contain bubble to the surface the moment he sees the girl who shattered his heart eleven years ago.
Widow Tia Devereux escapes her restrictive life in Portland, returning to the home she knew and adored as a girl in Hardman. She and her four-year-old son, Toby, settle into the small Eastern Oregon community, eager for the holiday season. Unfortunately, the only man she’s ever loved shows up, stirring the embers of a long-dead romance into a blazing flame. When her former father-in-law, a corrupt judge, decides he wants to raise Toby, Adam may be the only hope she has of keeping her son.
You can pre-order your copy today for only $2.99! http://amzn.to/1KQHhvI
Teaser
No. Her fear was for the big, loveable lunk who’d scared her half witless when she saw him tumble off the roof.
“I believe that’s exactly the point.” Adam’s lopsided grin revealed his dimples and made her mouth water for want of his kiss.
Aggravated with herself, Tia aimed her fury at Adam. “The point is your recklessness might get you or someone else horribly injured.” She turned around and strode toward the kitchen door. “I insist you…”
A snowball caught her square in the back. Mouth hanging open in surprise, she spun around and glared at him.Adam worked to form another snowball, ignoring her scowl.
Incensed, Tia surrendered to the need to stamp her foot. “How dare you!”
“Just like this.” He grinned and lobbed another snowball at her, catching her on the shoulder. Bits of snow sprayed into her face and hair.
“Oh! You are in for it now, Adam Guthry!” Tia bent down and hastily formed a snowball. With unmistakable precision, she threw it at Adam, hitting him on the chin.
He spluttered and returned fire, barely grazing her arm as she twisted away at the last second.Peals of her laughter filled the quiet December afternoon and drew Toby outside as she and Adam continued to throw snow at each other.
“Mama?” The little boy’s lip quivered. “Did you send me inside so you could play without me?”
Don’t miss out on the Hardman Holidays series!
You’re Invited to PARTY!
You’re invited to join in the online Cowboys & Christmas Facebook Party , Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Drop in anytime during those four hours to enter to win great prizes, chat with guest authors, and more (many of the giveaways will stay open until the following morning)!
Here’s the link to the party: http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasparty2
The talented guest authors joining in the celebration include:
10 a.m. – Carmen Peone
10:30 – Kayla Dawn Thomas
11 a.m. – Melanie D. Snitker, Author
11:30 – Julie Cerniglia Lence
Noon – Author CJ Samuels
12:30 – Rachel Rossano
1 p.m. – Author Kristin Holt
1:30 – Dani Harper
Enter to Win Prizes!
To enter the drawing for an Amazon gift card, Wrangler Tote Bag, Rock & Roll Cowgirl T-shirt, autographed books, chocolates, and more fun goodies, fill out this form. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced Nov. 16. http://tinyurl.com/cowboychristmasprizes2
Where to Find The Books
Start the Rodeo Romance Series with The Christmas Cowboy.
Kindle | Amazon
Travel back to a time of grandeur in the old west
with the Hardman Holidays series.
The Christmas Bargain begins the popular series
and is available free for a very limited time!
Kindle | Amazon
About Shanna Hatfield
Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.
This USA Today bestselling author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts.
Find Shanna’s books at:
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple
Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:
ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter
Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!
Newsletter
November 8, 2015
Of Love and Betrayal by Louise Lyndon (Contest) #Historical #Romance @Goddessfish
GENRE: Historical Romance
Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?
Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?
Buy Links:
Excerpt
“What have they done to you?” Troy’s deep, baritone voice rumbled through her. She could not look him in the eye. “You needn’t be scared of me, wee fille. You have my word I will honor and protect you. I am not like those other men. I will do you no harm.”
Before she could say she truly wanted to believe him, Troy pulled her gently toward him and positioned her so she sat between his thighs. She did not lean back against him, her distrust like a solid piece of ice wedged between them. She gripped the edges of her blanket tightly and held it against her like a shield.
“You have only my word I will not hurt you.” The fine hairs on her arms stood on end as his warm breath danced across her neck. She closed her eyes and kept her back ramrod straight. Heat burned her cheeks as he nuzzled her neck. “And I pray in time you will accept my word as being truthful.”
She leaned ever so slightly against him. And when he wrapped his strong arms around her, she released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“It’s late. We should go back to bed.” Yet, she made no move to leave his embrace. Instead, she placed her hands on his thighs. The heat of him seeped into her palms, up her arms, and straight in to her heart. While she believed Troy when he said he would do her no harm, physically, Aveline knew there was more than one way to hurt someone.
Book Review by Melissa Snark
Of Love and Betrayal is a well written historical romance set by a new-to-me author. Historical romance isn’t usually my cup of tea, but I found I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and had no trouble getting into it. The prose is clean and flows smoothly so the reader is swept right along and submersed in the story. The author pays attention to all give senses and crafts detailed descriptions and settings that add to reader’s immersion.
I thought both the hero and heroine’s POVs were handled well, and even rarer, I found Aveline and Troy to be equally empathetic. Their chemistry together is wonderful and there was plenty of mystery and adventure to add to to the excitement of watching them fall in love. They are a couple you’ll enjoy rooting for.
Definite recommend. I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Louise will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host. Additionally, Goddess Fish Productions will be awarding a $5 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.
In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.
When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!
AUTHOR LINKS:
EMAIL: louise_lyndon@yahoo.com
WEB: www.LouiseLyndon.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/Louise-Lyndon/1472910852955051
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LouiseLyndon1
PINTEREST: llyndon3513
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/LouiseLyndon
To her Facebook profile page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005458125421
His Witch to Keep by Zoe Forward #Romance #Paranormal
The author offers one e-copy of His Witch To Keep (Kindle or Nook) to one commenter so please leave a comment!
Protecting her was one thing. Keeping her was another…
Serenity Danssaert was already in way over her head. Not even her MI6 training or her powers as one of the seven Pleiades witches is going to save her sister. Then Alexi Jovec shows up. A secret operative working for unknown forces, he’s impossibly sexy and dangerous…and the guy who bailed on Serenity after a red-hot, racy night.
So bonding to him as her destined—the One—is so very wrong.
While Alexi’s need to own Serenity—body, soul, and beyond—is nearly unbearable, it’s also forbidden. He’s the last man who could ever be her destined. Besides, Hades’s right-hand man cannot bond with a chosen Pleiades witch. He may be the one man who can protect her, but she can never be his to keep.
Exclusive Excerpt:
“What is your game tonight?” he asked in a cool tone. That look on his face—dangerous yet volatile—cried out to every one of her senses. In all the years she’d known him, he’d always been in control. No unnecessary movement. Rarely did he demonstrate outward emotion. Except when naked. And, holy mother, did this man look amazing naked.
“Why are you here?” she asked as an uncomfortable heat spread through her body.
“That’s my question for you.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, where it settled on the small scar on her upper lip.
Her breath caught. Sensation tingled across her upper lip as if he’d touched the memento left from her long ago one-time torture session with witch hunters. Did I even mean anything to you? Memory of their one night together kept alive a tight need deep in her body, one she’d do anything to shake. And one she’d never admit to him.
Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | iTunes | Kobo
Add to GOODREADS
About the Author:
Zoe Forward is a hopeless romantic who can’t decide between paranormal and contemporary romance. So, she writes both. In addition to being a mom to one rambunctious kindergartener and wife to a conservation ecologist who plans to save all the big cats on the planet, she’s a small animal veterinarian caring for all the small furries, although there is the occasional hermit crab.
When she’s not typing at her laptop she’s tying on a karate belt for her son or cleaning up the newest pet mess from the menagerie that occupies her house. She’s madly in love with her globe trotting husband of ten years and happiest when he returns to their home base in North Carolina.
WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
November 7, 2015
Second chance to win! #Giveaway Mystery Tote! @WolfPackReads #Contest #amreading
Prize is one Fashionable blue Wolf Pack tote containing a minimum of three mystery items.
Shipping/handling limited to the U.S., the UK, and Canada.
Winner will be chosen at random on 11/14.
Click here to enter
November 5, 2015
TRAITOR’S CURSE by Beth Trissel #Romance @Goddessfish
Halifax, North Carolina, 1783.
Captain Stuart Monroe returns home from the Revolutionary War to find Thornton Hall threatened by a peacetime foe: debt. He knows the location of a treasure amassed to pay for the capture of Benedict Arnold that would restore his manor to its former glory. The catch, it’s hidden in the graveyard, and coveted by old enemies.
Hettie Fairfax inherited the Sight from her Cherokee ancestors, and her otherworldly visitors warn her, and Stuart, away from the buried treasure. Half-dead from fever, she delivers a message: the treasure is cursed. But will he believe a girl half out of her mind with illness? Even when a very real enemy attempts to poison her? Stuart soon wants to marry Hettie, but she fears her “odd ways” will blemish his reputation. The spirits have their own agenda, however, and the battle against darkness tests everything the couple holds dear, including their love for each other.
Buy links:
Excerpt:
Stuart clasped her shoulders. She was flesh and blood beneath his grip, yet seemed not of this world. “What did he say?”
“To watch for your coming.”
“How could they possibly anticipate my visit?”
“That has not yet been revealed.”
Her answer baffled him, as did she. “Why did you call me master? Are you a servant?”
“No.”
He’d doubted she was in anyone’s employ. Her smooth hands, opulent coverlet, and refined manner, all bespoke gentility. And she smelled of violets, a costly scent.
He gazed deeply into those mesmerizing eyes. “Why are you here?”
“I seek the living among the dead.”
A peculiar reply from the haunting stranger. “Who?”
“You. Stuart Monroe.”
Again, the sensation of ants scattering down the nape of his neck. “How did you know I would come?”
“I was told. In a dream.”
She spoke like one in a dream. The cold mist, the woman—an apparition in the fog—seemed unreal. Yet she was no ghost.
“You can foresee events?” A sense of dread possessed him.
“In glimpses. Your father appeared to me.” Her barely perceptible voice faded entirely, and her eyes fluttered, then closed. She swayed against him, any further explanation muffled by his coat.
Stuart held her fast and kept her from sliding to the cold earth. What did his father have to do with this visitation? Was the woman in his arms some sort of witch?
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Beth is awarding a $30 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Married to her high school sweetheart, Beth Trissel lives on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia surrounded by her children, grandbabies, and assorted animals. An avid gardener, her love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into her work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of her inspiration. She’s especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to historical romance, she also writes time travel, paranormal romance, YA fantasy, and nonfiction.
For more on Beth visit her blog, One Writer’s Way, at: https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com
Connect with Beth on Facebook: Author Beth Trissel (https://www.facebook.com/bctrissel?fref=ts)
At Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethTrissel
Visit Beth’s Amazon Author Page where all her books reside: Amazon Author Page (http://www.amazon.com/Beth-Trissel/e/B002BLLAJ6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1435416800&sr=8-1)
#Giveaway Mystery Tote! @WolfPackReads #Contest #amreading
Prize is one Fashionable blue Wolf Pack tote containing a minimum of three mystery items.
Shipping/handling limited to the U.S., the UK, and Canada.
Winner will be chosen at random on 11/8.
Click here to enter
November 4, 2015
When She Knows: Franconia Notch Trilogy Book One by Jessie Clever #Romance
His latest problem is her newest assignment.
Shannon Wynter has it all figured it. Abandoned by her mother and left to care for her agoraphobic father, Shannon focuses on building her career as a journalist to the detriment of all else including her love life.
Ian Darke has his own problems. Battling past failures, Ian sets his eyes on launching a new factory for his father’s defense firm. But it’s the very father he failed that will do anything to sabotage Ian’s progress.
And when Shannon follows an anonymous tip that leads her to Ian’s factory door, the last thing she expects to discover is what she already knows.
Goodreads Link:
http://bit.ly/1SWpIy3
Purchase links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Google Play
Kobo:
All Romance eBooks
About the Author:
In the second grade, Jessie began a story about a duck and a lost ring. Two harrowing pages of wide ruled notebook paper later, the ring was found. And Jessie has been writing ever since.
Armed with the firm belief that women in the Regency era could be truly awesome heroines, Jessie began telling their stories in her Spy Series, a thrilling ride in historical espionage that showcases human faults and triumphs and most importantly, love.
Jessie makes her home in the great state of New Hampshire where she lives with her husband and two very opinionated Basset Hounds. For more, visit her website at jessieclever.com.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1foelMH
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1IM6UPJ
Google+: http://bit.ly/1rpRvsU
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/KZQ4TQ
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1fge8x9
Excerpt:
“But fraud for a defense contractor is serious. You don’t want to defend your reputation as a provider to our armed forces?”
It took him a minute to realize that clicking noise was her following him over the pavement. He spun around, his arms coming up once more to gesture his acquiescence, only she was standing too close, and instead of gesturing with authority, he ran into her, his arms striking her shoulders and knocking her against him.
He froze, feeling the length of her body collide with his, the scent of her shampoo invade his senses, her breath fall across the exposed skin above his shirt collar. He felt her hesitation, the hitch in her breath, before she shoved against him, pushing herself away.
“I’m very sorry,” he said, his hands moving uselessly in front of him as if to help her regain her balance.
She stood with her pad held against her chest like some sort of shield, and he felt his anger drain into annoyance.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated, much more carefully, “I don’t have a comment, and I need to get back to work. Please excuse me.”
He turned slowly this time, resuming his walk to the loading dock door.
“What is it that you’re using this factory for, Mr. Darke?”
He didn’t answer. No matter how much he wanted to turn around and rail about his stupid brother’s stupid decisions, he did not. He kept walking.
“Fraud, I mean, come on, that’s-”
And then he did turn.
“If you want a comment, you can call our PR department.”
“Great!” she said, and he almost smiled at her enthusiasm as she pulled up a clean page of her notebook. “What’s the phone number?”
He shook his head at her and let his feet carry him back to where she stood on the pavement, notebook poised for the phone number.
“Shannon, was it?” he said when he was close.
He had felt her breath hitch when she had bumped into him, and now he dared to step a little closer than politeness would have dictated. He saw it again, the slight hitch in her chest, and he felt a smile spread over his face. He leaned in, dropping his voice to a soft, rich level.
“Have you heard of the Internet, Shannon?”
“Yes,” she whispered softly, her eyes locked on his.
“Use it,” he said and walked away, leaving her standing in the parking lot, her pen completely still.
November 3, 2015
A Time Traveling Museum by DeeDee Lane #Romance #TWRP
Photo by Angel Sharum
In the Slip in Time series, a museum is the vehicle that takes my heroines back in time to find their true love. Readers have asked me…why a museum? So here’s the scoop and it’s pretty simple–I love museums. It all started when I lived in Chicago, Illinois and discovered Art Institute Chicago had free admission one day a week. I spent many lunch hours roaming and still don’t think I made it through every exhibit. Here’s a few of my favorite museum visits.
Let’s start our tour with the Denver Art Museum – http://denverartmuseum.org. When I visited in September 2012, the main exhibit was “Spun, Adventures in Textiles.” Opportunities abounded in interactive exhibits including a quilt block making corner where people like me, who love quilts, but have never learned to quilt could glue together our own quilt blocks. I used black and white fabric, red triangles, buttons, ribbon, and made my very first quilt block. It sits on my writing desk, a decorative splash of color and design.
A much smaller museum and closer to home in Seattle is the Klondike Gold Rush Museum – National Historical Park Service – http://www.nps.gov/klse/index.htm. I visited with my Mom as she prepared to walk the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska. It was inspiring to read stories of the miners, native people, and settlers. A park ranger taught us how to pan for gold using the actual tools from the gold rush.
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The next one has NOTHING to do with my writing but I loved my visit on recommendation by Minnesota cousins, Nick and Helen. The Spam Museum – dedicated to the canned meat product known as Spam http://www.spam.com/spam-101/the-spam-museum. The museum is currently closed as it moves into downtown Austin, MN but will reopen in spring 2016! Did you know the classic version is made up of only six ingredients?
And last, there’s something precious about a hometown museum, mine is in Tomah, Wisconsin called The Tomah Museum- http://www.tomahmuseum.com. When we were school kids we looked forward to an annual trip to The Little Red Schoolhouse. Built in 1864 and moved to Gillet Park, this is the actual schoolhouse and gave us an idea of what it was like to go to school in the “olden days.” They also have a museum exhibit site in downtown Tomah which I must admit I’ve never been to. And that brings me to the conclusion…
What’s next? Here are some museums I’m looking forward to visiting: National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma http://nationalcowboymuseum.org – If I was a baby museum, this is the museum I would want to grow up to be, it looks amazing and I can hardly wait to visit. Last, The Museum of Idaho, my Idaho Falls museum is fictional but this museum is appealingly real and also on my “Can’t hardly wait to get there” list. http://museumofidaho.org
What about you? What’s your favorite museum? Have fun finding out!
Best to you,
DeeDee Lane, Romance Writer–Saucy Stories with Western Settings
My Mountain Man
A Time Travel Romance Novella
Heat Level – Spicy
Addy Spencer, Assistant Curator at the Cowboy and Western Museum slips through time into the heart of the rugged West and into the arms of a mountain man. Big Jake’s sizzling green eyes and gorgeous physique are a dream come true, just what Addy has always wanted.
When Big Jake saves Addy from a randy group of trappers set to rendezvous at the Snake River their love seems possible. But can Addy open her heart to this mountain man knowing that at any moment she could be whisked back to her own time? One thing’s for sure, Addy can’t resist her mounting desire as she uncovers more cowboy delights than she ever imagined.
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DeeDee Lane is a Seattle author and a member of Romance Writers of America. Her mystery scenarios and characters turn up on boat cruises and many corporate and private events around Puget Sound. She and her husband love to go on road trips, especially if there’s time to check out a tinfoil rooster or the largest truck stop in the world. Originally from central Wisconsin, DeeDee was raised on a farm and surrounded with great stories of the West.
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