Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 22
October 1, 2015
The Trouble with Titles by Joshua K. Johnson (Contest) #Fantasy @Goddessfish
Stories have always been easy for me, ever since I was young. The characters, the plot, the twist, all of it has flowed from the Muses. I run into trouble once in a while, but for the most part the meat of the story works itself out.
But one problem that I always seem to have trouble surmounting is finding a good title for my stories. How much do you give away about the plot or the characters? Does the title fit the theme of the story? If its part of a series, do the titles create their own narrative and flow with the plot?
Eventually, I always seem to strike on what I think is the right title and the others fall in line with it. My current set of titles actually developed from Book 2 – The Hydra Offensive. It was the first title I struck on and it gave me a base. From there, I decided that each of the books in the series would be based on the actions of one of the prominent noble houses. I had the other 5 titles set, but still didn’t have one for Book 1. Finally, I struck The Cerberus Rebellion.
As a reader what do you look for in a title? Do you want the theme to be obvious? Are you disappointed if the title gives up too much of the story?
War changes everything.
On the world of Zaria, Elves, magic and mythical beasts coexist beside rifles and railroads. The futures of two nations hang in the balance as rebels and revolutionaries trade gunfire with loyalists and tyrants.
The King of Ansgar, secure in his belief that his loyal nobles and fearful subjects answer to his every whim, seeks to gain favor with friends across the sea. But his decision to send armies thousands of miles away will test that fear, and loyalty.
In war, little is held back; in revolution, nothing is safe
Books on sale for $0.99 during the Tour.
Excerpt:
Magnus reined up his horse in front of the largest tent pavilion he had ever seen.
“And whose tent is this?” The gaudy purple canvas tent structure stood twenty feet at the center pole, at least twelve at the edge and was more than a hundred feet on each side.
“Your Grace, it is mine!” a short man announced and then bowed. “Sir Byron Alfson, of Harristown.”
“Ah, sir, you have me at a disadvantage.”
Magnus inspected the knight with narrowed eyes.
He had a mop of frail-looking brown hair tied into a short ponytail and a narrow nose that was flanked by light blue eyes. He wore a greatcoat that looked like it had been cut from the same fabric as his tent.
Harristown was one of the small villages that had sprouted up along the rail lines that ran from Agilard to Aetheston. The strange grape beer that had made the town famous gave its color to everything the town did. They had even changed their sigil to a purple field with a golden mug.
“This is quite the pavilion,” Magnus continued after a moment. “I didn’t know that the grape beer business had so much money to be made.”
“We do our best, Your Grace,” the knight said. “I hope my pavilion does not offend you, Your Grace. While it is my tent, I have shared it with many of the knights from Lord Tallet’s levies.”
“It does not offend,” Magnus lied. If he had his way, the knights would be sleeping in camp tents with the rest of his soldiers. But his advisors had warned him that not giving the knights and lesser lords their symbols of pride and authority could drive them away. He had been reluctant to accept the counsel, but in the end the tradition of tent pavilions and knightly feasts had been upheld. “Carry on, Sir Alfson.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” The knight bowed again and disappeared into his purple monstrosity.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Joshua will be awarding an ebook containing short stories set in the same world as the series, The Chesian Wars to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and an ebook containing short stories set in the same world as the series, The Chesian Wars to a randomly drawn host.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Joshua Johnson is the author of “Gunpowder Fantasy” The Cerberus Rebellion and the creator of the Griffins & Gunpowder universe. When he isn’t working or spending time with his family, he writes novels, short stories and novellas.
He currently lives in Northern Illinois with his wife and young children.
You can visit his website at www.gunpowderfantasy.com
https://twitter.com/authorjkjohnson
https://www.facebook.com/authorjkjohn...
Box Set: The Hot Bods Series by Lacey Wolfe #Romance
Box Set: The Hot Bods Series by Lacey Wolfe
Are you looking for a series that will not only make you swoon, but also heat you up? Look no further. The Hot Bods Series is a collection of four novellas, each one containing a feisty heroine and a hero who’ll steal your heart. So come along with Skylar, Amy, Jane, and Francesca as they find their happily ever after, even when they feel like it will never happen. After all, it can’t be as simple as falling in love, can it?
Fool Me Once:
Skylar fell for Drew once and he left her heartbroken, so when he shows up in her life again, wanting another chance, she isn’t easy to convince. After all, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice…
More Than Useful:
Amy has admired Adam for quite some time, and when he finally asks her out, she couldn’t be happier. But all Adam wants is a little fun…can Amy settle for that?
Accidental Love:
Sometimes there is only one thing to do when you get dumped—make the ex jealous with someone new. Which is exactly what Jane plans to do with Ben, an older, handsome man who has agreed to act as her new love interest. She just has to make sure she doesn’t fall for him.
Opposites Attract:
Francesca thought she knew what she wanted in life until one stormy night when she got a blast from the past. When her car breaks down and the sexy tow truck driver who rescues her turns out to be her first love, she realizes she wants another chance with him, but Randy’s still carrying a grudge about the way she dumped him.
Content Warning: contains explicit sex and adult language
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press Amazon B&N ARe
About the Author:
Lacey Wolfe has always had a passion for words, whether it’s getting lost in a book or writing her own. From the time she was a child she would slip away to write short stories about people she knew and fantasies she wished would happen. It has always been her dream to be a published author and with her two children now of school age, she finally has the time to work on making her dream come true.
Lacey lives in Georgia with her husband, son and daughter, their six cats and one black lab who rules the house.
September 30, 2015
STARGAZING by Bernadette Marie (Contest) #Romance @Goddessfish
Bethany Waterbury left Hollywood and the shadow of her mother’s death to give herself a fresh start. Her main intention—to connect with the family she’d never really had the chance to know.
Author Kent Black is enjoying his chart topping success and living freely wherever his travels take him. But when he meets the illustrious Bethany Waterbury his wanderlust subsides and the thought of a steady future begins to take over.
Kent believes in happily ever after, but the burden of Bethany’s past might be too much for him to embrace —unless true love is more powerful than a Hollywood tragedy.
Buy Links (Available on pre sale)
Excerpt:
Bethany gripped the front of Kent’s shirt as he moved in to kiss her. His eyes had closed and his warm hands pressed against her face.
The world around her spun, much as it did when she took those pills with her mother’s name on them.
She closed her eyes and let her body press against him.
His lips were pliant against hers. Warm and soft. Hungry yet gentle.
He didn’t pull back with just a press of the lips. He deepened the kiss.
Kent’s hands slid from her face, down her arms, and to her hips where he pulled her even closer. Lifting her arms around his neck, she opened her mouth to him and he took.
His tongue swept across hers and the moan that escaped between them could have belonged to either of them, but she was sure it was hers. Kent’s hands slid to the small of her back and pressed her even closer than she’d thought was possible.
Was this rhythm? She suddenly began to hope so, because with all the men she’d been intimate with, this topped the list. This one kiss was wildly passionate and gentle all at the same time.
She’d nearly forgotten they were standing on the sidewalk as people drove by.
Kent eased back, but his eyes didn’t open. He looked as though he were holding on to the moment, just as she was. “I seriously didn’t expect that,” he said opening his eyes and gazing into hers.
“It was nice.”
“It was more than that.”
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
The author will award a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever
After always…and says she can write it, because she lives it.
When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.
A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too.
Bernadette Marie is also the CEO of Illumination Author Events.
Where you can find Bernadette Marie
http://www.5princebooks.com/bernadettemarie.html
www.facebook.com/authorbernadettemarie
September 29, 2015
DOS ANGELES by Michael O’Hara (Contest) #Mystery @Goddessfish
Dos Angeles, the first in a franchise of mysteries featuring Paco Moran, puts the multicultural thirty-something ex-LAPD homicide detective turned reluctant private eye on the trail of a beautiful young Latina on the run with ten million dollars in cash. Half Anglo and half Mexican, Moran is a transitional character equally at home working in Beverly 
Hills or blue collar Boyle Heights, the tough East Los Angeles neighborhood where he was raised by a single mom. In his debut case Paco quickly learns he will be the fall guy if he doesn’t track down the young immigrant who allegedly stole a small fortune from a sleazy Hollywood producer secretly laundering money for a notorious drug cartel. Paco’s frantic search takes him on a roller-coaster ride through a shadowy place he calls Dos Angeles a city within the city and a virtual country unto itself.
Excerpt:
Shining her light through the opening she saw what appeared to be a fully equipped home office. It had a desk with a computer, a printer, a multi-line phone system and custom-built shelving holding an array of accordion files and cardboard storage boxes. On entering she found an illuminated light switch she quickly turned on.
With the room now brightly lit by a series of overhead spots, the first thing she noticed was one of the storage boxes had fallen off a shelf and it was lying face down on the carpeted floor. Alongside it was a banded stack of dollar bills. Turning over the box Maria was shocked to see it was filled with more wrapped bundles of cash. But the bills weren’t ones—they were all hundred dollar Benjamins.
Almost tripping in her haste to see what was in the other boxes, she took another down, placed it on the floor and quickly removed its fitted lid. It, too, was filled with packets of hundred dollar bills. Like a pirate sifting through a chest of precious Spanish doubloons, she quickly determined there was close to a hundred thousand dollars in just that one box.
It had to be a sign, she told herself. She had suffered and endured so much over the last two months. There had been days when she didn’t know if she even had the inner strength to carry on. Now—with this amazing stroke of good fortune—she finally had some hope again.
But first she would have to get all of the money out of the house.
And once she did… where in the world would she go?
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Emmy nominee Michael O’Hara– who has written and produced some of the highest-rated television movies and miniseries in recent memory – is adding author to his resume with the August, 2015 the publication of his first novel, Dos Angeles.
The book, featuring a bilingual and bicultural private eye named Paco Moran, centers around Moran’s desperate search for a beautiful young Latina immigrant who stole ten million dollars from the mob. In a pre-publication review American Book Award winner Peter Quinn said: Paco Moran’s debut in Michael O’Hara’s Dos Angeles is fast-paced, finely crafted, and full of surprises. It’s noir fiction for the 21st century, a helluva ride from the first page to last. Here’s hoping O’Hara brings Paco back very soon. I can’t wait!
A former award-winning journalist and NBC Vice President of Media Relations, O’Hara made an auspicious debut as a writer/producer with “Those She Left Behind,” a critically acclaimed family drama that continues to be the highest-rated TV movie (25.1/38 share) on any network in over twenty years. It starred Gary Cole and Colleen Dewhurst (who won an Emmy Award for her performance). That success was followed by the widely praised NBC movie “She Said No” which won an American Women in Radio & Television Award for Best Television Dramatic Special.
O’Hara next wrote and executive produced “Switched at Birth,” the blockbuster NBC miniseries that earned an Emmy nomination as Best Dramatic Special and remains the highest rated (22 rating/33 share) miniseries on network television since its initial telecast over two decades ago. He was also the writer and executive producer of “Murder in the Heartland,” a celebrated ABC miniseries which garnered a Casting Society of America Award and two Emmy nominations. Right after that he created and executive produced the first of 22 “Moment of Truth” movies for NBC, establishing one of the most successful film franchises in TV history.
O’Hara also wrote “She Woke Up Pregnant,” the pilot for ABC’s ‘Crimes of Passion’ franchise. It scored an impressive 13.4 rating and 21 share, making it the highest-rated ABC movie of the year. He went on to write “One Hot Summer Night,” another ‘Crimes of Passion’ thriller that was ABC’s highest-rated Thursday night movie of the season. Other producing credits include two CBS projects: “Twilight Zone – Rod Serling’s Lost Classics” and “A Child’s Wish,” which was filmed in the Oval Office and featured a cameo appearance by then President Bill Clinton. In addition he wrote and executive produced NBC’s “In His Life: The John Lennon Story” and “1st to Die,” a two-part NBC miniseries based on the best-selling novel by James Patterson.
Overall O’Hara has produced four miniseries and 33 Movies of the Week. Besides his Emmy nomination, other honors include: a Christopher Award (“A Child’s Wish”); a Prism Award (“The Accident”); a Humanitas Award nomination (“Heart of a Child”); a National Easter Seal Society Award (“To Walk Again”); an International Health & Medical Film Award (“Heart of a Child”); and the Media Award from The National Council on Problem Gambling (“Playing to Win.”)
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14203330.Michael_O_Hara
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dos-Angeles/1143487899001779
September 28, 2015
FUGLY by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff (Contest) #Contemporary #Romance @Goddessfish
My name is Lily Snow. I am twenty-five years old, and despite being born with an unattractive face, I have never doubted who I am: smart, driven, and beautiful on the inside.
Until I met Maxwell Cole.
He’s handsome, excessively wealthy, and the owner of Cole Cosmetics. It’s been my dream to work for this man for as long as I can remember. The good news is he wants to hire me. The bad news is he wants me for all the wrong reasons. Ugly reasons.
In exchange, he’s offered me my dreams on a silver platter. The job. The title. A beautiful future. But this man is as messed up and ugly as they come on the inside. I’m not sure anyone can help him, and he just might take my heart down with him.
Excerpt:
“You’re not qualified.” He threw the sheet of paper on the table and shot me a harsh look before abruptly standing.
“But I—”
“Thank you for coming,” he said in a tone that told me he wasn’t thankful at all. More like put out, annoyed, maybe pissed off.
My mouth hung open as he walked out of the tiny conference room, not bothering to shake my hand or look at me or hear anything I had to say.
My emotions fell somewhere between epic rage and heartbreak. He’d treated me like a leper or some mangy dog with rabies. And as my mind quickly digested everything that happened in the last sixty seconds, I could only come up with one reason for his behavior: my looks. And, hell no, I wasn’t crazy or making it up. That expression on his face when he’d walked in the door? The way he’d shaken my hand?
I covered my face and let out a shaky breath. This can’t be happening. I expected this sort of behavior from a shallow, pompous asshole that only valued women for their beauty, but from Maxwell Cole?
My mind went into a tailspin of anger, despite my conscience urging me to take the high road—a road I knew like the back of my hand. After all, I was a nice, caring person. I didn’t yell at people—or hadn’t in years. But that had been back in school, and only when some jerk decided to mess with one of my painfully shy friends or my disabled brother.
But you can’t let Maxwell Cole do this, Lily. I’d worked my ass off to have the right experience for a job like this. Okay, yes, I had other options besides C.C.—I wasn’t stupid or naïve enough to put all my eggs in one basket—but those other companies weren’t Cole Cosmetics. They weren’t companies I related to and believed in. Those other companies didn’t tell the world you were beautiful for who you were on the inside and to buy their products simply because you enjoyed pampering yourself. Cole Cosmetics didn’t believe in making women feel ugly to sell makeup. And that’s exactly what inspired me to work in this industry. We all deserved to feel beautiful and have nice things regardless of what others thought about our looks.
Only that prick has been lying to the world.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
The author will award 5 winners via Rafflecopter a signed copy of FUGLY + FUGLY Tote + Key Chain, Magnet, Bookmark, and Bumper Sticker
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Remy Pamfiloff
New York Times and USA Today bestselling Romance author, host of the radio talk show, Man Candy, on Radioslot.com.
When San Francisco native Mimi Jean went on an adventure as an exchange student to Mexico City, she never imagined the journey would lead to writing Romance. But one MBA, one sexy husband, and two rowdy kids later, Mimi would trade in corporate life for vampires, deities, and snarky humor.
She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.
She also enjoys interacting with her fans (especially if they’re batshit crazy). You can always find her chatting away on Facebook, Twitter, or saying many naughty words on her show MAN CANDY on Radioslot.com !
Find out more about Mimi and upcoming books at www.mimijean.net.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MimiJeanPamfiloff
Twitter – https://twitter.com/MimiJeanRomance
Tsu – https://www.tsu.co/mimijeanpamfiloff
Newsletter – http://bit.ly/1ULsBW8
Into the Flames Boxed Set (Contest) #99cents #Romance @Goddessfish
BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Into the Flames
SERIES – Firefighter Multi-Author Boxed Anthology Set
AUTHORS – N.J. Walters, Desiree Holt, Cindy Specer Pape, Liz Crowe, Adele Downs, Sam Cheever, & Nina Pierce
GENRE – Contemporary Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – 9-29-2015
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – Each Book Approx 25k
7 Smoldering Stores. One Great Price. Only $0.99.
BOOK SYNOPSISFirefighters. The word ignites bold images of heroes in dust covered helmets and ash stained turnouts who defy the odds and press on in the presence of danger.
Men and Women of Valor. A dedicated brotherhood of first responders whose honor, strength, and courage overcome obstacles to save lives.
Into The Flames. Seven NYT, USA Today, bestselling and award-winning authors offer romantic suspense, contemporary, historical, and paranormal tales of tough, iconic heroes who risk it all for their communities—but at the end of the day, seek the tender embrace of the one they love.
JOIN US ON THE ADVENTURE…
Rescue Me by N.J. Walters
When firefighter Frank Ellis rescues an old flame from a burning building, sparks ignite. He’ll do anything to protect her, even if it means she discovers he’s a mythical phoenix.
Flashpoint by Desiree Holt
…When everything explodes
Where There’s Smoke by Cindy Spencer Pape
Firefighting in the 1920’s is dangerous business, but so is falling in love.
FireBrew by Liz Crowe
Fate throws them together. But the horrific memory of a fiery disaster could tear them apart.
Hook Me Up by Adele Downs
Firemen don’t free cats from trees anymore—until a pretty schoolteacher gets trapped on a limb with her kitten and the county’s hottest firefighter comes to their rescue.
Slow Burner by Sam Cheever
A love that burns slowly burns longest, creating the greatest heat.
Uncontrolled Burn: A RISEN Team Novel by Nina Pierce
A woman forced to live a life she didn’t choose. A vampire bound by honor to protect humans. A deadly game of revenge that threatens both their lives…
BUY & TBR LINKS
AMAZON KINDLE US
KOBO
ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS
ITUNES
BARNES & NOBLES
AUTHOR BIOS
N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author who’s always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Desiree Holt is an award-winning author known the world over as The Oldest Living Erotic Romance Author. She has won an EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and many other awards. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail and numerous other national and international publications.
Website 1 | Website 2 | Facebook 1 | Facebook 2
Cindy Spencer Pape is an award-winning author of 19 novels and more than 40 shorter works. She lives in southeast Michigan. When not hard at work writing she can be found dressing up for steampunk parties and Renaissance fairs, or with her nose buried in a book.
Liz Crowe is an Amazon best-selling author of 27 books, mom of three, Realtor, beer blogger, brewery marketing expert, and sports fan. She is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville currently living in Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse. Her early forays into the publishing world led to a groundbreaking fiction hybrid, “Unconventional Romance. Worth the Risk,” which has gained thousands of fans and followers interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”).
Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Adele Downs is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than 20 romance titles, including those written under another pen name, and is a former journalist with hundreds of articles to her credit. When not writing in her home office in rural Pennsylvania, she can be found reading a book on the nearest beach or riding in her convertible.
Amazon | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Sam Cheever is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes romantic paranormal/fantasy and mystery/suspense, creating stories that celebrate the joy of love in all its forms. Known for writing great characters, snappy dialogue, and unique and exhilarating stories, Sam is the award-winning author of 50+ books and has been writing for over a decade under several noms de plume.
Amazon | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Nina Pierce is a USA Today Bestselling author who spends her days at the keyboard writing stories of fated loves and soul mates, blissfully creating chaos for her characters by throwing in a villain or two, a little murder and a whole lot of mayhem as they struggle toward their happy-ever-afters. When she’s not writing, Nina enjoys spending time with her soul mate of nearly 40 years, their three adult children, one love-sick son-in-law and two precious grandsons.
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter
GIVEAWAY PRIZES
1 – $10 Amazon Gift Card
1 – Smokin’ Hot Firefighter Ornament
2 – Santa To The Rescue eCopies
ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE!
This Event Was Organized & Hosted By:
Special Thank You To Carly’s Book Reviews For The HTML Creation
September 22, 2015
LOST CAUSES by Mia Marshall #Romance @Goddessfish
Aidan Brook has spent months living with the horror of what happened when she lost control of her magic. Now she is searching for a way to manage her immense power, but she only hits one dead end after another.
On the run from a council intent on her death, Aidan, the bear shifter Mac, and the rest of her friends find themselves on a desperate chase across deserts and oceans in search of answers. Along the way, they encounter a living myth and a dual magic with secrets of his own—and they learn that the cure may be more deadly than the disease.
To save her own life, Aidan will need to confront the most dangerous foe she’s ever faced…herself.
LOST CAUSES is the fourth book in the award-winning Elements urban fantasy series.
BUY Links:
NOTE: The first book of the series, BROKEN ELEMENTS, is now FREE!!!
Amazon: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-amazon
Apple: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-apple
Kobo: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-kobo
Excerpt:
“This may not be the best time for a heartfelt apology.” Sera’s tone was dry, but her dark eyes held no hint of humor. They weren’t focused on me, either. All her attention was reserved for the tall man with a gun standing before us.
I knew little about guns. They were one of the few ways to instantly kill any elemental, even an old one, so we tended to be big believers in gun control. It was a handgun, rather than a shotgun, and it didn’t look like one of the modern blocks of metal I saw in most action movies. If anything, it looked more like the six-shooters from old westerns.
The stranger slid his eyes to me, though the gun never wavered. He was outnumbered, and my appearance only tilted the scales further in our favor, but he showed no sign of nerves. “Come on, then. Join your friends.”
A growl rumbled through the night.
The man was smart enough to move his eyes toward Mac. “You’re weighing the odds right now, aren’t you? Figuring out how fast you can move versus how fast I can pull the trigger. I’ll give you a hint.” He swung the gun to his right until the barrel pointed straight at me. “Not fast enough.”
Mia Marshall will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Mia Marshall is the award-winning author of the Elements urban fantasy series. Before she started writing about imaginary worlds, she worked as a high school teacher, script supervisor, story editor, legal secretary, and day care worker. She has lived all along the US west coast and throughout the UK, where she collected an unnecessary number of degrees in literature, education, and film.
These days, she lives in a small house in the Sierra Nevadas, where she is surrounded by a small but deadly feline army.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thismiamarshall
Facebook: http://facebook.com/miamarshallwrites
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Mia_Marshall
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thismiamarshall
Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 warms your heart # Sweet #Romance #99cents
Welcome in the holiday season with 19 heartwarming and wholesome novellas from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors.
Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 takes you from the Smoky Mountains to Florida’s sun-drenched beaches, from the Italian Alps to Paris, France, and even to a quirky little town in Arizona. The Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 collection features all-new, stand-alone stories that are sure to make you laugh, sometimes bring tears to your eyes, but always put you in the Christmas spirit. Foreword by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne.
~*~
Christmas Papa by Mona Risk
Living for three years in her stepmother’s respected house helps Monica forget the horror of her youth and reform her wild streak, and even dream of a normal life, similar to her stepsisters’, with a loving husband and children. Geez, she’s pretty enough to attract any man she wants, but to keep him is a different ballgame. The moment they learn of her past or meet her adorable twins, they feel the urge to move two-thousand miles away. Until Michael kisses her…
Gingerbread Kisses by Beate Boeker
Carol spends Christmas at the luxurious Hotel & Spa “Dolomitissimo” in the snowy Alps of Italy where she’s busy creating gingerbread men as name cards for her younger sister’s wedding. When things start to go wrong, she finds help in the form of Tom, the attractive hotel manager, but then, her sister manages to create havoc and Carol has to fight for her happiness.
Boycotting Christmas by Melinda Curtis
Bachelor Nick Santolli needs someone to help him give his niece a Christmas to remember. Back in the day, no one did Christmas better than Joy Encastle. But times have changed and Joy would prefer to boycott the festivities this year.
A Christmas to Remember by Denise Devine
Katie McGowan is returning home from a business trip when a blizzard forces her to take refuge at Lakewood Resort and miss celebrating Christmas with her family. The resort is overflowing with people, including Ryan Scott, an avid snowmobiler who’d come to Lakewood to escape the holidays. Ryan and Katie join forces to help others in need and learn the true meaning of Christmas.
An Angel for Christmas by Raine English
Alexa Stevens needs a job, or she and her daughter might wind up living out of the car. Blake Collins needs a nanny to help with his spoiled ten-year-old. What seems like the perfect match turns out to be anything but when the two girls and a rambunctious mutt create havoc at Christmas.
The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride by Aileen Fish
When veterinary student Tara seeks shelter in a snowstorm with handsome rancher Dylan, she quickly writes him off as boyfriend material since he’s more temperamental than an unbroken horse. Thanks to a job lined up half a state away, she’s not even tempted by a friend’s request that she move to White Oak, until she learns what has damaged Dylan’s spirit. Will a sickly calf and the magic of Christmas help her heal Dylan’s heart?
Lucky Break Christmas: Second Honeymoon by Patricia Forsythe
Lily is convinced that her new marriage to Marc is cursed because of a string of fiascoes. Marc knows she’s wrong. It takes the intervention of three body-building wedding planners and most of Lucky Break to change her mind.
Beach Walk by Grace Greene
Twelve years earlier, Kelli, a teenage runaway, was taken in by a kind woman named Margie who gave her a home, and safety and security. When Margie dies, her long lost nephew and only blood relative, arrives with plans of his own. Kelli loves her life at Emerald Isle, but how far will she go to keep it, or will Christmas bring a change of heart?
An Irish Christmas Blessing by Roxanne Rustand
When Eve travels to Ireland to run an old friend’s quaint village bookshop over the Christmas holidays, the trip is a dream come true—all the more because of the beautiful Irish countryside and the quirky locals in the village. And then there’s the charming, enigmatic stranger who just might steal her heart…
Christmas Wedding by Magdalena Scott
Jim Standish is ready—right this minute—to marry the love of his life, but Melissa Singer wants the day to be one they’ll look back on forever. Planning and execution time: 25days. Will it be possible to create the perfect Christmas Wedding?
Finding You at Christmas by Kristin Wallace
After years of looking out for everyone else, preacher’s daughter Janie Worthy is ready to get a life of her own. A stalled car and a stranger on a motorcycle puts that plan in a tailspin…and leads to the best Christmas present she could ever find.
Christmas Laurel by Christine Bush.
Female army veteran Laurel Covington and her retired bomb dog have retreated to a cabin in North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains. She’s dealing with PTSD and a mind full of ugly war memories, and wants nothing more than solitude, quiet, and an escape from the clamor of Christmas. But then she meets the tall handsome mountain man who shares the mountain, and who has his own ghosts from the past to put to rest. Sometimes, the true meaning of Christmas can bring both healing and love when you least expect it.
Country Christmas by Lois Greiman
Emily Kane was tossed into the deep end of the foster care system years before, making her cautious of love and commitment. Securing her dream job at the Lazy Windmill, a working farm turned guest ranch, has begun the healing process. But the past can’t be shut out forever. Will familial reunions cause her to bolt back into hiding or will the magic of Christmas heal her heart and allow her to find her happily ever after?
The Christmas Crusade by Shanna Hatfield
Levi Clarke is on a crusade to create a merry Christmas for the patrons of Center for Hope community center. He’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen, even if it means seeking a sponsorship from Kat Kingsley, the woman too stubborn to realize she’s still in love with him.
The Christmas Charm by Susan R. Hughes
Gemma and Chris were childhood best friends until their lives took separate paths, both leading to heartache. Fifteen years later, a surprise reunion at Christmastime offers them a second chance at happiness.
Evergreen Romance by Julie Jarnagin.
After giving up her plans for college to care for her ailing grandmother, Jillian Rogers has a shot at being promoted to project manager at the local nursery, but the owner’s son comes back into town and tries to take the job. Monty Nelson spent the last five years playing triple-A baseball after college but never made it into the major leagues. Now, he has returned to Lakota, Oklahoma, driven to show his parents he can succeed, but they stick him with running the Christmas tree lot with smarty-pants Jillian Rogers. When old sparks reignite, Jillian and Monty must determine whether their romance will wither or if they’ve found everlasting love.
My Christmas Cupcake by Shaleen Kapil.
Clare thinks she is doomed to spend the holiday alone managing her new cupcake bakery until a handsome stranger appears just as she is closing up on Christmas Eve. Despite an instant attraction, Starfish Beach is a tourist town, and Clare has learned to be wary. How can she tempt Garrett, a university professor, to move to her small town when all she can offer are cupcakes?
A Christmas Spark by Ciara Knight
Sara Foster blames herself for her failed marriage. On Christmas Eve, she hides away in the family cabin, the same place her father abandoned her twenty years ago. Dalton Scot is unable to face the family holiday after his divorce and discovering he can never have children of his own, so he chooses Christmas Eve to fix his buddy’s cabin. Both search for a secluded spot to mourn their Christmas pasts, but instead are snowed in at the cabin for the holiday where they discover the power of the Christmas spark.
Sweet Blizzard by Milou Koenings.
He’s an ex-con, she’s a socialite. He saves her life when a blizzard strands them together, but she could make or break his. Will love make it all right in time for Christmas?
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All 19 authors in this boxed set write sweet/wholesome romances and are members of Sweet Romance Reads, a group of authors whose books contain no sex, violence, or strong language. While the emotional stakes are high as the characters’ relationships grow, lovemaking is not described in these stories. Think movies rated G or PG. Therefore, Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 can be enjoyed by romance readers of any age.
Pull up a chair by a cozy fire, pour a cup of hot chocolate and allow these bestselling and award-winning authors to bring the holiday season alive as they warm your heart.
Purchase the book at your favorite online retailer:
Amazon: http://indi.uno/1i9UeJv
Kobo: http://indi.uno/1ErAkUy
iTunes: http://indi.uno/1NFPAA5
Google: http://indi.uno/1Ep9cp2
Connect with the Authors at Sweet Romance Reads:
Website/Blog: http://SweetRomanceReads.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SweetRomanceReads
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SweetRomanceRds
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/donnafaz/sweet-romance-reads/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/123223-sweet-romance-reads
Or connect with each of the Sweet Romance Reads Authors individually:
A tireless traveler, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Mona Risk, writes contemporary romance, medical romance, and romantic suspense novels, all simmering with emotion, sprinkled with a good dose of humor and set in the fascinating places she visited— or in Florida, her paradise on Earth.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Beate Boeker is a USA Today bestselling author with a passion for books that brim over with mischief & humor. She writes sweet sophisticated romantic fiction and mysteries, many of them set in beautiful Italy. While ‘Boeker’ means ‘books’ in a German dialect, her first name Beate can be translated as ‘Happy’ . . . and with a name that reads ‘Happy Books’, what else could she do but write novels with happy endings?
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Melinda Curtis is an award winning, USA Today bestselling author. She writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet, light-hearted romances for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”. Melinda also writes the sweet romantic comedy Bridesmaid series, and fun, traditional romances. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “…Wonderfully entertaining.”
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Denise Devine is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedy and she also writes inspirational fiction. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at thirteen and has been writing ever since. She writes about true love, happy endings and stories that touch your heart.
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USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romances, as well as hotter paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She lives in New England with her family and her French bulldog, Bailey.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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USA Today bestselling author Aileen Fish is an avid quilter and auto racing fan who finds there aren’t enough hours in a day/week/lifetime to stay up with her “to do” list. There is always another quilt or story begging to steal away attention from the others. Her books include The Bridgethorpe Brides series and the Small Town Sweethearts series.
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Patricia Forsythe grew up in a small copper mining town in Arizona where she had the opportunity to observe a great many interesting people who have since turned up in her books. She has written many romances for Harlequin books (as Patricia Knoll), as well as indie-published books and enjoys creating the kinds of stories she hopes people want to read.
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Grace Greene writes novels of romance, mystery and suspense. A Virginia native, Grace has family ties to North Carolina. She writes books set in both locations. The Emerald Isle, NC Stories series is set in North Carolina where “It’s always a good time for a love story and a trip to the beach.” Or travel down Virginia Country Roads and “Take a trip to love, mystery and suspense.”
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USA Today bestselling author Roxanne Rustand is the author of thirty-five traditionally published novels, plus four indie novels. She was a Golden Heart finalist twice, and a Golden Heart winner in 1995. She has won two RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and was nominated for an RT Magazine Career Achievement Award. Her earlier books were secular, but she now writes sweet indie romance, and inspirational romance for Love Inspired.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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USA Today bestselling author Magdalena Scott writes sweet romance and women’s fiction with small town settings. She invites readers into her world to find out what’s hidden just below the surface of those tiny dots you can barely see on the map—mystery, romance, and the occasional unexplained occurrence.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Kristin Wallace is a USA Today bestselling author of inspirational, contemporary and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith.” Her popular series include the Covington Falls Chronicles and Shellwater Key Tales.
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Christine Bush is an award winning author of many sweet romances, mysteries, and novellas. When she’s not writing, she can be found teaching Psychology at a local college, working as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or (mostly) spending time with her twelve grandchildren.
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Lois Greiman is an award winning author who has penned more than 50 heart-warming, laugh out loud novels. She currently lives on a small farm in Minnesota with her best friends, some of whom are human.
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Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen one story at a time. Her bestselling sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Susan R Hughes writes contemporary and historical romance novels set in Canada. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and three children.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Julie Jarnagin is a multi-published author of sweet and inspirational romance. She grew up in a small Oklahoma town where her family farmed and ranched, but these days she lives in a not-so-big city with her husband and two young sons who tolerate all her nerdy quirks.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Shaleen Kapil is new and upcoming author. Her first book, None But You, debuted in 2014. Her latest stories are built around the Emerald Coast of Florida, a favorite vacation spot. She created the Starfish Beach series to allow readers to enjoy a taste of romance in a laid-back beach setting.
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Ciara Knight writes ‘a little bit of edge and a lot of heart’ with her bestselling sweet romance and young adult stories that have topped the Amazon charts. When not writing, Ciara enjoys her own happily ever after with her husband and three sons living in suburbia, GA.
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter
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Milou Koenings writes heartwarming romance novels because she believes sweet stories with happy endings are like chocolate – they bring joy to the world and so make it a better place. She’s lived all over the world, working as an editor and newspaper columnist, but loves staying home with her family most of all.
Edge of Never: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy Boxed Set: Release date Oct. 12th
☆♡☆♡☆AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ONLY 99¢☆♡☆♡☆
New York Times, USA Today, and Other Bestselling Authors
Join us at the Edge of Never
Obliterate the lines between fantasy and reality with nine spine-tingling tales from your favorite bestselling and award winning authors. Dragons, gods–fallen and otherwise–ghosts, vampires. A touch of steampunk. More than a splash of romance. From magical lands to a chilling glance into post World War II Europe, Edge of Never has something to tempt everyone.
Caridad Pineiro: Undead Uprising: A Wolf Alone – Will she lead her pack in a war against the vampires or will she sacrifice everything for the human she loves?
Rosemary Edghill: Lizzie Fair and the Dragon of Heart’s Desire – Visiting the World of Iron is never a good idea. Ask any Morning Lord.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Show Trial -A beautiful woman, a terrible time, and faerie justice…served cold.
Brenda Carre: Finnraziel – She raised a god to life and thwarted the Queen of Demons, can she prevent a war without destroying the man she loves and the last two dragons she’s sworn to guard?
Ann Gimpel: Highland Secrets – Tumble off reality’s edge into myth, magic, Scottish dragon shifters, and forbidden romance.
Pauline Baird Jones: Specters in the Storm – A just-the-facts professor needs to trust a time bending lady detective–and believe the wildly impossible–to defeat a deadly evil threatening everything they hold dear.
Julia Mills: Her Dragon’s Soul – Exorcise the demon possessing your mate. Capture the maniacal wizard. Save dragon kin…again. Even the strength of the Universe may not be enough. Only time will tell. Fate Will Not Be Denied!
Susan Scott: Dragons Will Fall – To defeat a dragon is impossible. To love a dragon–deadly!
Melissa Snark: Hunger Moon – Wolf shifters, hunters, and a Norse winter witch–How will Valkyrie Victoria Storm ever find her true love…before someone kills her?
Amazon US: http://goo.gl/TT92Ef
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/AyvtzK
B&N: http://goo.gl/uIJoIy
Kobo: https://goo.gl/eKnBsJ
iBooks: https://goo.gl/KvkVok
Google Play: https://goo.gl/pp1Zgm
September 21, 2015
PHOENIX CONTRACT by Melissa Thomas #Paranormal @Godessfish
NOTE: The five books in this series are FREE on Kindle from 9/21 – 9/25.
Centuries after the fallen angels left heaven to live among humans, their Nephilim descendants dwell in secret, hidden from the modern world. Once, a charismatic leader known as the Phoenix led their people, but he vanished centuries ago. The few surviving Great Houses are in decline, bickering over petty rivalries while a handful of faithful warriors battle to keep the forces of evil at bay.
Eighteen-year-old Aiden McLachlan devotes her life to her studies and pursues her lifelong goal to become a full-fledged Watcher. But everything she knows of her life is a lie and everyone a liar. Through a strange twist of fate, she finds herself caught up in an ancient prophecy.
The stars predict the rebirth of the Nephilim leader, but the mystery must be unraveled or the Phoenix cannot rise. With a soul-eating demon, a coven of ancient vampires, and a hardheaded Celtic warrior competing to subvert the Phoenix, Aiden doesn’t know where to turn or who she can trust.
FREE on Kindle from 9/21 – 9/25:
Phoenix Contract Part One: http://goo.gl/6XkZ5P
Phoenix Contract Part Two: http://goo.gl/Xc0nQg
Phoenix Contract Part Three: http://goo.gl/0aJaOC
Phoenix Contract Part Four: http://goo.gl/S3CTf7
Phoenix Contract Part Five: http://goo.gl/cJSxsk
Buy the boxed set: $2.99 on Amazon Kindle: http://goo.gl/nEBP8o
Excerpt:
Magnus loomed over her, attempting to inspect her injuries. His fingers were hot and alien against her skin, and she flinched from his touch.
“Stay put while I retrieve the crucifix,” Magnus ordered. He moved away from her. A moment later, he returned carrying the crucifix.
Aiden shook her head but stayed still. She automatically tried to place his accent and failed. There were too many layers. “Where are you from? I can’t quite place your nationality.”
“I’m Averni.” He sank to the ground beside her, and those six-fingered hands touched her again, causing her flesh to crawl.
“The Averni were a Celtic tribe,” Aiden said. Her foggy mind recalled little else other than the Averni had been from the region of Gaul before it became France.
“That’d be correct.” The Celt reached out with his strange, strong fingers and pushed Aiden’s head to the side to expose the wound. He removed her hand and examined the bite. His glittering gold eyes were intelligent and inhuman. Up close he smelled earthy and sensual, a suggestive scent which caused Aiden to flush and look away.
“Why is your name Latin?” she asked.
“My mother was Roman. Stay still,” he replied.
“How bad is it?” Matthew asked.
“Not too bad.” Magnus threaded the crucifix’s chain through his fingers so the holy symbol rested in his palm. He opened the silver flask and poured holy water over the crucifix.
Aiden felt excited and afraid and so tense she wanted to crawl out of her skin. “Are you really immortal?”
“Yes,” Magnus said. “This is going to hurt. I’m going to have to hold you down.”
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Melissa will award a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Melissa Thomas breathes life into her dreams, bringing imaginary characters and fantasy worlds into our reality. She loves her characters so much they become her alter-egos, enacting the exciting adventures she envisions for them. She is a resident of San Francisco, California and adores the picturesque city by the bay. Her hobbies include surfing and scuba diving.
Phoenix Contract is her debut novel.
You can learn more about Melissa at http://thephoenixascending.blogspot.com/
Email: MelissaThomas214@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MThomas_author
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