Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 43
February 26, 2015
The Write Pet: Traveling and Writing Companions #LynnCrain #amwriting
In May of 2011, I made the biggest move in my life…I moved to Vienna, Austria…and the impact on my writing career was devastating. I couldn’t bring my much beloved pet, Jasper, because we couldn’t crate train him. I was alone for much of the day as my husband worked and our kids in the States were constantly calling because they needed my advice on many thing. In July 2011, I had to go back to the States to finalize some home issues and when I returned it was even worse.
I tried everything, writing sprints, reading, learning the language but I couldn’t get rid of the horrible loneliness I felt being so far away from family, friends and my writing community. I needed something in my life that made me think about living again. So, unbeknownst to my husband, I started dog hunting. And it wasn’t long until I fell in love. Hard.
I had researched long and hard for what I wanted. See, this time I needed a dog who could travel with me on the plane. Finally, I decided upon a Parsons Russell Terrier and there seemed to be a lot of them in Austria. When I started looking, I found the cutest, most adorable dog on line. What’s more, his name was Harry Potter, I kid you not. And from the moment I saw him, I knew he was mine. But first I had to convince the husband.
We’d never had a registered dog because the cost is high. We’d always gotten pound pups because we believed it was the right thing to do. However, since I needed a certain size of dog, I got some traction with that. The price though I felt was going to make my normally penny-pinching man have a heart attack. I had to promise this would be my birthday, Christmas and anniversary gifts for a couple of years. Yes, he was that expensive.
And he’s been worth every penny but I get ahead of myself. Finally, I do convince my husband this is not only something I want but something I need as depression has set in. So, off we go to a small town near Salzburg to fetch him. Though he was a happy pup, he was definitely scared of being in the big city. Here’s a picture of his first night home, hiding behind his new human Dad.
Since the day we’ve brought him home, Harry has been a joy and he actually saved my life. With him, I had to exercise more (lost 50 pounds) and therefore got out more (interacted with people more). He’s kept me grounded and in the real world because without me, he has no food, water or exercise. It’s amazing how one’s attitude can change when suddenly you are needed again.
Has it been all roses? No. Terriers can be terrors and one needs to know how to handle them. He’s a very active dog and has keep me moving. He’s also helped me focus on my writing because I am happy and more stress free than I’ve been in years. He’s also traveled twice with me to the States and back. Though I don’t like living in a flat with a dog, I feel they need some wide open spaces, I know that I can never be without him. And much to our delight, he is the perfect match for our dog waiting at home, Jasper.
Because I love both of my dogs so much, I do have the occasional pup in my stories. There’s a whole series in my future going to happen because of my love for these two. For me, they fill a gap that needed filled and they give me great joy in being their human mom.
Title: A Viennese Christmas
Publisher: Shooting Star Books
Date Published: December 2012
Genre: Sweet Holiday Romance
Word Count: approximately 19K
Sign language interpreter, Amanda Kranz, wants to find her soul mate but fears her chance has past due to the death of her childhood sweetheart. Finding sexy historian Henry Jager during an outing in her new home of Vienna, Austria, may have been a stroke of luck. When his ex-fiancée shows up just as their relationship starts to sizzle, Amanda must decide if standing up for what she really wants will give her lifetime happiness. Or will she be destined to spend her life alone?
This book is always on sale for a price of $1.49. It will eventually go down to a price of $0.99 as book 1 in the series.
Buy links:
iTunes ~ pending
Excerpt:
Her disappointment must have been plain on her face as she found herself suddenly gazing into the greenest eyes in a very handsome male face. A question in German followed as she tried to ascertain just what he said.
“I’m sorry,” she stated, her confusion obvious. “I’ve only picked up a word or two since I’ve been here. Do you speak English?”
“You’re American?” he questioned without the accent most Austrians possessed.
“Don’t make it sound like such a curse. There are a lot of us, you know.” Her indignation evident in her tone.
His rich laughter filled the space, warming her to her bones in ways she hadn’t expected. “Sorry. I guess one does pick up the attitudes of where they live.”
She looked at him puzzled. “That’s that supposed to mean?”
“Henry Jager, American, at your service ma’am.” His sweeping bow brought a smile to her lips.
“Amanda Kranz and I hardly think I qualify as a ma’am.” She stuck her hand toward him. His firm grasp sent an electric sensation as she felt the spark deep within her. She swore he felt it too as his eyes darkened.
“Do you prefer Amanda or Mandi? I know there’s not much of a choice with Henry.” His serious gaze spot of his interest.
Laughter bubbled up in her, the first such emotion in weeks. “Henry is a fine, strong name. And it doesn’t matter much with mine.” His hot look made her want to shiver in anticipation of what she could only speculate.
“Really? I would have thought your business associates would call you Amanda. Now your intimate contacts I expect call you Mandi.”
She gazed at him. Intimate contacts, now there was a misnomer. It had been years since she’d had any intimate contacts of the male persuasion. “Sounds good to me.”
Author Bio: Award winning author Lynn Crain has done it all in her life. From nursing to geology, her life experiences have added to her detail rich stories. She loves writing full time as she weaves contemporary, fantasy, futuristic and paranormal tales, tame to erotic, for various publishers. Her home is in the desert southwest though her latest adventure has taken her to Vienna, Austria with her husband of many years as he works his dream job.
Where Lynn Is:
www.lynncrain.com (Currently being revamped.)
http://throughheartshapedglasses.com/
http://www.theloglineblog.blogspot.com/
http://lynncrain.livejournal.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lynncrain
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/XtraOrdinaryRomance/
http://www.twitter.com/oddlynn3
http://www.facebook.com/oddlynn3
https://www.facebook.com/groups/xtraordinaryromance/
http://www.youtube.com/lynncrain
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/684863.Lynn_Crain
https://www.amazon.com/author/lynncrain
I enjoy hearing from readers and will answer every message sent to me at oddlynn3@gmail.com with a personal response.
YEAR OF LIVING BLONDE by Andrea Simonne #Romance #Giveaway
A funny and sizzling romp about discovering your inner pin-up girl…
Plain-Jane bakery owner Natalie Anderson has always followed the recipe for a safe life. When her husband dumps her for a seductive older woman, it’s time to throw out that recipe and start from scratch. She cooks up a plan to transform herself from mousy brown to sexy blonde. Meanwhile, she’s trying to expand her Seattle bakery, La Dolce Vita, but runs into an obstacle in the form of her irritatingly handsome landlord.
Astronomer Anthony Novello’s good looks and charm usually guarantees him a free pass with women, though that’s not the case with his new tenant, Natalie. Plain, plump, and persnickety—he’s never met a woman more annoying. But when Anthony returns from a telescope observing run, he makes a discovery of the non-celestial kind. Natalie has changed. He’s amazed to find himself attracted to her. Sparks fly as he tries to convince her there’s more to him than meets the eye.
However, when Natalie’s ex-husband decides to win her back, she’s forced to choose. Is her year of living blonde over? Or is this the start of a new and much sweeter life….
You can buy Year of Living Blonde at:
Excerpt:
Natalie glances at the clock. It’s almost ten. Kind of late for visitors. Pausing the television, she goes over and peeks cautiously through the front window.
A bolt of lightning streaks through her.
Anthony is standing on her front porch. He’s wearing his motorcycle jacket and holding his black helmet at his side. The big bad wolf at her door.
What’s he doing here?
She glances at herself in the hall mirror. No makeup and her hair a mess. Great.
He rings the bell again and she marches over, ready to take the offensive. Ready to tell him to go away. But when Natalie yanks open the door and sees the expression on his face, she hesitates.
“What’s wrong?” she asks finally.
He takes his time with his reply. “I needed to see you tonight.”
“Did something happen?”
“It’s a long story.” He smiles, but there isn’t much humor in it.
She’s never seen Anthony like this before. He never looks anything less than perfect, but there’s strain on his face and around his eyes, and she suspects this is the real man
He takes a step toward her, lowering his voice. “Let me in, Natalie.”
Standing broad-shouldered and solemn in her doorway, he’s an imposing figure, but she isn’t afraid. Despite the fiasco with the bakery, she realizes she still trusts him.
Without a word, she steps out of the way to let him come inside.
The door closes and she walks back into the living room. There’s a sound and she sees that Anthony has dropped his motorcycle helmet on a chair.
“This is a bad idea,” Natalie tells him. “I don’t know why you came here. I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“I think you know exactly why I’m here.” His voice is low as it vibrates through the room.
There’s an erotic thrill at his words. “How can I be with you after what happened?”
“Because this isn’t about any of that.” For a moment, his eyes darken with regret, but then turn heated. “Whatever happens next is between you and me.”
Natalie shakes her head, but Anthony moves closer until he’s in right in front of her. She feels his hand on her cheek as the other cradles her head, gently holding her still. “Don’t,” he says, his tone imploring. “Don’t say no. Tell me to stay.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Andrea Simonne grew up as an army brat and discovered she had a talent for creating personas at each new school. The most memorable was a surfer chick named “Ace” who never touched a surf board in her life, but had an impressive collection of puka shell necklaces. Eventually she turned her imagination towards writing. Andrea still enjoys creating personas, though these days they occupy her books. She currently makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons.
You can find Andrea at:
Website: http://www.andreasimonne.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AndreaSimonne
FB: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.simonne.author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8557240.Andrea_Simonne
February 25, 2015
The Write Pet: A pair of constant desk-mates by Mariana Gabrielle #amwriting #giveaway
The author is sponsoring a giveaway for a free e-book of Royal Regard, .epub or .mobi. Winner will be randomly chosen from comments. Please leave a comment for a chance to win.
My writing companions, Burton and India, are feral kittens I adopted about nine months ago when they were about a month old. Within 24 hours, India was minutes from dying in my hands and so, out of sheer emotional overload on all sides, their time as foster kittens came to an end, and they became my constant (and I do mean constant) desk-mates.
As you can imagine, they were not in the best of health after being abandoned in a window well as babies, but their timing was excellent, appearing just as I sent my book off to beta readers. With a goodly amount of time available between novels, and because I am a freelance writer who works from home, I was able to spend many, many hours coddling and caring for them. Now, they are almost nine months old, and finally healthy, happy, and no longer afraid of loud noises. (They are still afraid of anyone who isn’t me, but we are working on that.)
In some ways, the boys are an inspiration. They force me away from the keyboard a few times a day to play with them (if only to burn off a little bit of that insane baby animal energy). Cuddling with warm, fuzzy, purring things is never a bad way to spend an afternoon doing edits. I am planning a pair of cats in an upcoming series, to play foil to a very large dog. And there is something to be said for being reminded how short life really is by having it nearly end before your eyes.
All that said, they are too big, and their claws too sharp, to be climbing up my legs to find my lap. There is no way to have a Skype session with a client without a cat making funny photo-bomb faces in the webcam. I can’t seem to train them away from the computer cords or keep them from pretending the white paper recycle bin is a secondary litter box, and they have no fear of the rolling chair at all, no matter how dangerous it is to kitten paws.
I told myself a few years ago that I wouldn’t have kittens again—older rescues only, since they have so many fewer options, and since I am too old to keep up with babies—but when life gives you kittens… (you really look like a mean-spirited SOB if you try to give them back…)
I won’t say they keep me young, because kitten-wrestling on one’s head in the middle of the night does not facilitate beauty sleep. I won’t say they are so cute I forgive all, because there is a natural limit to the number of window screens I will replace without losing my temper. I won’t say it has been easy, if only because special food and special medicine and far-more-than-regular vet appointments has been hard on the pocketbook.
However, they support my writing life more than they detract, and they make me joyful in the most unexpected ways. Case in point, two months ago, I woke up on book launch day to a house filled with shredded toilet paper and two sets of innocent eyes asking, “It’s like confetti, right?”
Genre: Regency romance
Heat Rating: NC-17
When Isabella, the Countess of Huntleigh, returns to England after fifteen years roaming the globe with her husband, an elderly diplomat, she finds herself in a locale more perilous than any in her travels—the Court of King George IV. As the newly elevated Earl and Countess settle into an unfamiliar life in London, this shy, not-so-young lady faces wicked agendas, society’s censure, and the realities of a woman soon to be alone in England.
Unaccustomed to the ways of the beau monde, she is disarmed and deceived by a dissolute duke and a noble French émigré with a silver tongue. Hindered by the meddling of her dying husband, not to mention the King himself, Bella must decide whether to choose one of her fascinating new suitors or the quiet country life she has searched the world to find.
Buy/Review Links
Author Bio
Mariana Gabrielle is a pseudonym for Mari Christie, a mainstream historical and Regency romance writer. She is also a professional writer, editor, and graphic designer with twenty years’ experience and a Bachelor’s in Writing from the University of Colorado Denver, summa cum laude. She lives in Denver, Colorado with two kittens who have no respect at all for writing time.
Social Media
Website: https://www.MarianaGabrielle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariChristieAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mchristieauthor
WordPress blog: http://marichristie.wordpress.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marichristie/
Amazon Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005B3QQ6S
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5055425.Mari_Christie
February 24, 2015
The Write Pet: In loving memory of Chip by Erin McRae #amwriting
This morning at my day job, I got an email from my dad: Chip is still alive but I don’t think he has many days let. I’m starting to think he’s near the point where it’s selfish to try to keep him going.
Which makes this either the worst day or the best day to write a post about my pets and my writing.
I replied to the email, telling my dad to do what he thought was right, and then I went to the bathroom and cried. No matter how many times you go through it — and I’ve said goodbye to a number of pets by now — cat death sucks.
Chip is my cat; we got him and his brother, Tuck, when I was 14. He and I haven’t lived in the same house since I left for college almost a decade ago, but every time I come home to visit he be waits for me by the door, flop his 18-pound, orange-and-massively-fluffy self on the floor, and demand his ears be scratched. I’ll miss him.
But I’m pissed at the universe that only gave him twelve years on this particular plane of existence. Cats may have nine lives, but I want more of Chip’s to be with me. Or at least for him to get a few years longer in this one. I’m pissed at cancer. I’m pissed at surgery that won’t work and chemo that would just make him miserable. I’m pissed at myself that I’ve only been home once in the last six months, and won’t get to see him again. I’m pissed at death.
Cats have always been part of my life and always part of my work, whether that’s as characters in my stories or adorable distractions from actually writing those stories. I’ve never been able to spend a day on a laptop or proofreading a manuscript without a cat sprawling across it or walking off with my pen.
A lot of the work I do is about death. My cowriter, Racheline Maltese and I, write contemporary LGBTQ romance about fame, private lives, and desire. Our books also have a heavy thread of magical realism running through them. And in one way or another, nearly all of them are about death.
Sometimes, they’re about how fame is like death (they both remove a person from the world!) Sometimes they’re about the logistics of death (Funeral planning is an agonizing time to be good at keeping calendars and schedules!) Sometimes it’s about learning how to exist in the present when there’s death in your past (Therapy is good; being resilient sucks!)
What our work is always about, though, is how death is a part of life. Not just in the circle-of-life, ashes-to-ashes dust-to-dust sort of way, although that’s true too. It’s about how death, like weather, is a thing we have to deal with on a daily basis, whether that’s planning a funeral, getting that email about an old friend, or knowing it’s time to put a beloved four-legged companion down.
And so these last couple of days, while I wait for that last email from my dad to tell me Chip’s gone (It’s a kindness for him to email me, rather than call; that way I don’t have to cry in front of anyone), I’ve kept going. Both because I have to, to keep on top of my deadlines, and because I have to, to keep my own focus and sanity going. Pet death sucks. But I have revisions to do and new chapters to write and marketing emails to send, and my own two kittens that my partner and I adopted this past spring, to cuddle and take care of.
The writing is a place to protect myself from, and work my way through, everything that sucks about losing a pet. I’m grateful for that outlet. I’m grateful for the time I had with Chip. And right now, I am really way more grateful than I usually am, for my cats who always find a way to distract me from my to-do list. Even when it’s them trying really, really hard to catch that weird moving arrow thing on the screen.
Title: Doves (Love in Los Angeles Book 2)
Publisher: Torquere Press
Date Published: January 21, 2015
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Word Count: 90,300
Use discount code sweetheart2015 to get 14% off books from Torquerebooks.com
Buy links:
Ebook:
Paperback:
The ties that bind…
Two years after the events of Starling, Cinderella story and star of The Fourth Estate J. Alex Cook is living happily ever after with his boyfriend, television writer Paul Marion Keane. But when Paul’s pilot, Winsome, AZ, gets picked up, the competing demands of their high-profile careers make them question their future together.
…can tear you apart
As Paul becomes increasingly absent from their relationship, Alex tries to regain control of his private life and establish a career path independent of Fourth’s enigmatic, and at times malevolent, showrunner Victor. But the delicate web of relationships that connects Alex, Paul, and their friends — including Alex’s excitable ex-lover Liam and his no-nonsense fiancée Carly — threatens to unravel.
With the business of Hollywood making it hard to remember who he is when the whole world isn’t watching, Alex is forced to confront major changes in the fairytale life he never wanted as he discovers that love in Los Angeles often looks nothing like the movies.
Excerpt:
Alex is almost asleep when the yowling starts. Todd has never been thrilled about being banned from both bedrooms, particularly since Alex and Paul been avoiding the house’s common areas as well, and has taken out his frustration with midnight howling and scratching at their doors before. He usually gets tired of it after a few minutes, but tonight seems to be an exception. Every time Alex thinks he’s stopped, he hears the cat thunder down the stairs and then up the other flight to Paul’s loft, before the yowling begins again and the whole process repeats in reverse.
It’s absurd, and aggravating, and Alex really would like to sleep without a demon running around his house. By the sixth or seventh iteration of the cat steeplechase from hell, he has had enough. He throws off the covers and storms to the door, for his own satisfaction more than any practical effect. It’s not like the fucking cat cares.
“Paul!” he yells, while Todd utters a joyous mew and shoots past Alex’s feet into the room. When he doesn’t get a response, he just yells louder. “PAUL!”
“What?” Paul shouts as he bangs out of his bedroom.
“Your cat is driving me crazy,” Alex shouts.
“He’s your cat too!”
“It has been a very long, very hard night, and now there is a hellion getting fur on my bed.”
“Shouldn’t’ve opened the door!” Paul yells back. He’s clearly trying not to laugh.
Alex turns and looks back at Todd, who is happily building himself a nest in the blankets. “Paul’s door is open now too,” Alex says conversationally. “You could go bother him.”
Todd purrs and keeps kneading the bedding. Alex sighs.
“Paul. Marion. Keane,” he yells, and clomps halfway down the stairs so he can lean over the railing and see the loft. “Come get your creature out of my bed.”
“Alex,” Paul says, his voice softening but still plenty audible and slightly scolding.
“Yes?”
“Did you want to come over?”
“To your room?” Alex asks. He feels as stunned by the unprecedented invitation as he has by a dozen different things tonight, just in a much better way.
“Yeah.”
When Alex nods, Paul beams. “Well, come on, then. Leave the cat.”
Author Bio:
Erin McRae and Racheline Maltese are authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry (Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015)), all from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella Midsummer (Love’s Labour 1), about a summerstock Shakespeare company, is from Dreamspinner Press (May 2015). They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. Racheline is a NYC-based performer and storyteller; Erin is a writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. They write stories and scripts about the intersection of private lives, fame, and desire. You can find them on the web at http://www.Avian30.com.
Author Links:
Joint Blog: http://Avian30.com
Joint Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Erin.and.Racheline
Erin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/erincmcrae
Racheline’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/racheline_m
Erin’s Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8323893.Erin_McRae
Racheline’s Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1015335.Racheline_Maltese
Erin’s Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Erin-McRae/e/B00M7A0SVC
Racheline’s Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Racheline-Maltese/e/B001JRVS2C
February 23, 2015
A STOLEN SEASON by Tamara Gill #Romance #Giveaway @GoddessFish
Time-traveling archaeologist Sarah Baxter just left a piece of 21st-century equipment in 19th century Regency England. Unfortunately, when she goes back to retrieve it, she makes an even bigger mess of things—resulting in the death of an English earl. Now his brother is not only out for revenge, but he also has Sarah’s device. Now Sarah must find a way to steal back her device, hide the truth about the earl’s brother and—most importantly—to not fall in love…
Purchase Links:
B&N:
KOBO:
Excerpt:
How did you tell a man of this era you would sleep with him, but marriage was certainly not a possibility? She was being cruel, leading him on. Who was she kidding? She felt the connection between them, too. It was like riding an out-of-control freight train that would eventually crash. And Eric would hate her if he ever found out why she was really here and what she’d done. She cleared her throat, unable to form the lie.
“Allow me to try and win your hand?” Eric asked, his eyes full of hope.
Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat. “You may try, Eric.” But you will fail.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Tamara is an Australian author who grew up in an old mining town in country South Australia, where her love of history was founded. So much so, she made her darling husband travel to the UK for their honeymoon, where she dragged him from one historical monument and castle to another.
A mother of three, her two little gentleman’s in the making, a future Lady (she hopes) and a part-time job keep her busy in the real world, but whenever she gets a moment’s peace she loves to write romance novels in an array of genres, including regency, medieval and paranormal.
Tamara loves hearing from readers and writers alike. You can contact her through her website, and sign up to follow her blog or newsletter.
Author Email: tamaragillauthor@gmail.com
Author Website: http://www.tamaragillromanceauthor.com
Author Blog: http://tamaragill.blogspot.com.au/
Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/Tamara_Gill
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamara.gill.author
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/TamaraGill
Newsletter: http://tamaragillromanceauthor.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f6b4c93b8bbae36c44f5eb4f1&id=a3287010c7
February 20, 2015
The Write Pet: Inspired by Dogs by Neil S. Plakcy #amwriting
It wasn’t love at first sight. For at least a year after Sam the golden retriever joined our household, I felt like he was sucking all the air from the house. He was just so needy! He followed me around, even when I just went from one room to another to get something. He was always underfoot, and he needed so much – forty-five minute walks morning and night, additional quick jaunts out to pee, feeding and play time and training.
But eventually he began to get under my skin. All that time we spent together and all that doggie devotion eventually came together, and I wasn’t just in love, I was besotted with my dog. We’d play tug-a-rope or ball toss, or I’d groom him with the special comb that grabbed the loose fur from his undercoat. He’d reward me with puppy kisses and long gazes with his big brown eyes.
After a while, I couldn’t resist. I had to write a book about my dog. But what kind of book? A mystery, of course, since that was the kind I loved to read. Walking Sam along the nature preserve that borders our gated community, IN DOG WE TRUST began to take shape. And thus Rochester was born, along with the start of the golden retriever mystery series.
Sam crossed the rainbow bridge three years ago, and though my heart was broken, I had Rochester to comfort me. He had so many of Sam’s details and mannerisms that it was like my wonderful dog lived on in my imagination and in my books.
After a few months, my partner and I were ready to get a new dog. I insisted on a golden, and compromised that we’d get a cream-colored one, rather than one with 
Sam’s golden coat. So Brody became the golden-in-charge in our household. He wasn’t Sam, but he wormed his way into my heart.
Thus came a problem. Brody is his own dog, and now that he has been with us for three years, I’m so accustomed to him and his habits. I have to keep reminding myself that Rochester wouldn’t do that, that Rochester’s fur was different. I didn’t want to get tripped up by changing Rochester’s personality or habits just because Sam was no longer by my side.
I solved the problem in part by introducing another dog to the series– a white golden retriever puppy named Brody, who belongs to one of the supporting characters. He gets my own Brody’s antics and description, like this one:
The hair on the puppy’s back was wavier than Rochester’s, and I wondered if that was because his coat was so light, almost white, while Rochester’s was a rich gold. Brown streaks came down from Brody’s eyes, making him look doleful. He stood beside Rochester with his tail hanging down. It hadn’t opened up yet, the way Rochester’s had, though I could tell it would soon.
So right now, I have the best of both worlds. I have Sam in my heart and in my books, and I have Brody (and his one-year-old brother Griffin) curled around my chair as I write, both of them always ready for play or walk.
Title: Dog Have Mercy
Publisher: Indie pubbed
Publication Date: February 2, 2015
Genre: Cozy mystery
Word count: 70,000
Available for purchase:
In the sixth golden retriever mystery, Dog Have Mercy, Christmas approaches and reformed hacker Steve Levitan tries to help a fellow ex-con now working at the vet’s office in Stewart’s Crossing. His curiosity, and the crime-solving instincts of his golden retriever, Rochester, kick in when liquid potassium ampoules are stolen from the vet and Steve’s new friend is a suspect.
Is this theft connected to a drug-running operation in North Philly? Or to a recent spate of deaths at the local nursing home? And can Steve continue to resist his computer-hacking impulses or will his desire to help others continue to lead him into trouble?
Excerpt:
Monday morning after breakfast I kissed Lili goodbye and bundled Rochester into the car. The vet’s office was on the other side of Stewart’s Crossing and we drove through downtown to get there, beneath illuminated snowflakes hanging from light stanchions along Main Street. Storefronts were decorated with multi-colored lights, and Santa and his sleigh rested on the lawn in front of the hardware store, each reindeer wearing a tool belt.
I parked in the vet’s lot and took Rochester for a quick pee before going inside. He was still limping, but that didn’t stop his enthusiasm for sniffing every possible smell. The vet had put up a new sign out front, with room for custom messages, and that morning it read “Live Nude Dogs. Free Lap Dances.”
I was surprised to see my friend Rick’s truck in the parking lot, but I didn’t see him or his dog in the waiting room, though it was crowded with people and pets. A yappy Yorkie in one corner kept up a barking and snarling match with a persnickety Pekingese. There were cats in crates and dogs big and small on leashes, mostly sitting beside their owners.
I walked up to the receptionist’s desk with Rochester by my side. She was a young Indian woman I’d never seen before, with red dot in the middle of her forehead. Maybe it was the influence of the spy movie I’d seen a while before, but I couldn’t help seeing that dot as the target from a laser rifle.
“We have a small emergency,” I said to her. “Can Dr. Horz squeeze in a quick look at Rochester’s toenail? I’m afraid it’s infected.”
“Dr. Horz is running behind,” she said. “We’ve had some trouble this morning. But things should start moving again soon and I can squeeze you in.”
The tag on her blouse read “Sahima.” I signed in with my name, Rochester’s, and my phone number, and took Rochester to a chair by her window. He slumped by my feet and watched with interest the parade of pets. He tried to make friends with an elegant Lhasa Apso beside us, but she kept her queenly distance from the hoi polloi.
A twenty-something guy with bristly short hair and arms covered in tattoos stepped out of the door to the examining area. He called the Yorkie and his dad, a huge bald guy in a Harley Davidson T-shirt and as they went in, Rick came out, alone, to another cascade of barking from the Peke.
Rick walked toward me, but stopped at the receptionist’s desk. While he waited for Sahima to get off the phone, I asked, “Nothing wrong with Rascal, is there?”
He shook his head. “Business visit,” he said.
“Really? What happened? Someone got bit?”
Sahima ended her call as Rick pulled on his sheepskin-lined leather jacket. “Tell Dr. Horz I’ll call her later today,” he said.
“Rick–” I began.
He held up his hand. “Lousy day. I’ll talk to you later.”
He didn’t stop to pet Rochester on his way out the door, which was unusual for him. Even when he’d been mad at me in the past, he’d always made time for my dog.
I figured he wasn’t mad, just busy. The Peke went in next and calm fell over the room. I turned to the receptionist. “What happened?” I asked.
She leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “There are drugs missing from Dr. Horz’s cabinet.” I could tell from her eagerness this was the most exciting thing that had happened in her life for a while.
Bio:
Neil Plakcy’s golden retriever mysteries have been inspired by his own goldens, Samwise, Brody and Griffin. A native of Bucks County, PA, where IN DOG WE TRUST, THE KINGDOM OF DOG, DOG HELPS THOSE, DOG BLESS YOU and DOG HAVE MERCY are set, Neil is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Florida International University, where he received his MFA in creative writing. He has written and edited many other books; details can be found at his website, http://www.mahubooks.com. Neil, his partner, Brody and Griffin live in South Florida, where Neil is writing and the dogs are undoubtedly getting into mischief.
BLOG: http://mahubooks.blogspot.com
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP4EL6
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy
Loki’s Wolves: All Romance Ebook 50% off sale
All Romance Ebooks Sale
thru March 6th
Hunger Moon (Book #1) and Battle Cry (Book #2) are on sale for $1.99 each through March 6th on All Romance Ebooks. ARE will provide the option to download your preferred file format during the purchase process, including PDF, Mobi, and Epub versions.
Hunger Moon (Book #1) -$1.99 on ARE
Victoria Storm faces seemingly insurmountable odds to keep her dwindling pack of werewolves alive and together. She fights hunters- including the brother and father of her deceased lover-and the pack takes another devastating loss. When they seek sanctuary in a small town near Lake Tahoe, high in the secluded Sierra Nevada Mountains, Victoria discovers they are infringing on the territory of a vastly more powerful Alpha wolf. To save her pack, she uses her feminine wiles to seduce the Alpha. Nothing comes easily for Victoria. Her plans are complicated by the Alpha’s erratic son, a ghostly wife, and a vengeful witch. Not even her status as a Valkyrie or the favor of the Goddess Freya can change the course of destiny for Victoria or her packmates.
Battle Cry (Book #2) ) -$1.99 on ARE
After losing her lover and then her mate, Victoria Storm builds a new life in Sierra Pines, California. When the Norse Fates predict the she-wolf will destroy the world to save her unborn child, her duties as Freya’s priestess conflict with her responsibilities as Odin’s Valkyrie.
Sawyer Barrett has hunted Victoria so passionately, he doesn’t know whether he loves or hates her. Desperate to end the fighting, he will take chances with everything—except his heart. This hunter harbors a deadly secret he can’t reveal without risking the tentative ceasefire and his father’s continued disapproval.
Men revere him; monsters fear him. Jake Barrett—the notorious Hunter King—values loyalty to family above all else. When he believes his eldest son was murdered by a wolf ally, he releases a chain reaction of violent destruction that claims the lives of both wolves and hunters.
An ancient vampire plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike. If the embittered rivalry doesn’t end quickly, there is no hope for the Hunters, Victoria’s pack, or the mortal world.
Contest: Forever in My Heart by Maria K. Alexander #TWRP #NewRelease
From February 20th through March 8th, Maria is having a release giveaway. Stop by here for a chance to win a digital copy of Untangle My Heart, the first book in her award-winning Tangled Hearts series or a $5 Amazon GC.
Title: Forever in My Heart (Tangled Hearts Book 2) Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Genre: Contemporary Romance Publication Date: February 20, 2015 Vicky DiFrancesco is ready to put the past behind her. After a humiliating divorce, she’s determined to make her new café a success. The last thing she needs is her first love around, reminding her of what they’d lost. But when her life is threatened, could he be the very man she needs? Jamie DiSilva’s homecoming after retiring from the army isn’t the one he’d been hoping for. Now, he’s trying to start a home improvement business in a town settled on holding him accountable for the sins of his late brothers. Redeeming himself to the girl he never stopped loving and her family is difficult when his brothers’ secrets come back to haunt him. Untangling themselves from the past means righting several wrongs and deciding if their love is meant to last forever.
Excerpt from Forever in My Heart
“What happened today between us can never happen again.” “Because of your sister?” “Because of my entire family. Kate isn’t the only member with a grudge against the DiSilva family.” Just his bad luck. “My parents and I have never done anything to warrant being shunned by them. Our parents were best friends.” “That doesn’t change what your brothers did or how it’s impacted my family. It’s one thing to deal with you living in the same town. It’s another for them to accept what just happened between us.” “What happens between us has nothing to do with your family,” he snapped. He was tired of being judged. It wasn’t like she didn’t feel something for him. He lowered his voice and cupped her cheek. “Things can be good between us, Vick. You know it.” She held his gaze, and he felt her tremble. He leaned forward, determined to convince her to give them a chance. Her hand shot out and stopped him from doing more than graze her lips. “Stop. Nothing good will come of this.” She rolled off the bed and kept her back to him. “You’re choosing them over your own happiness?” She wiped at her face before turning to him. Despite the tears that dampened her eyes, her answer was clear from the stubborn set of her chin. “What choice do I have?” “There’s always a choice.” “And a price to pay. They’re my family. I pick them. I’ll always pick them.”
Buy Links Forever in My Heart
Amazon (Kindle Link) Barnes & Noble: The Wild Rose Press (Digital Link) The Wild Rose Press (Print Link) Kobo iBooks All Romance Goodreads
Review by Melissa Snark
Forever in My Heart is a wonderful, absorbing contemporary romance. This is the second book I’ve read from this author, and the story is even better than the first. Maria K. Alexander does a stupendous job of creating a large, authentic Italian family in an old Philly setting. The author does such a good job of setting up the heroine’s initial dislike of the hero as an ass, I had a hard time warming to him. However, he eventually proves himself a true hero who is protective, brave, and willing to sacrifice anything to save his lady. The story is extremely well written. Plot and pacing are good. Dialogue sounds true to the ear. While the heroine’s large, extended family is part of the character of the story, they were a bit too much for me. I’d have preferred more hero-heroine time and fewer intrusive brothers. The chemistry between the heroine and hero was good, and the HEA-ending delivered in spades. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Author Bio
A romantic at heart, Maria K. Alexander spent hours as a young girl getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. Books gave her the ability to go to another world where she loved meeting new characters, learning about their problems, and watching them fall in love.
Maria is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. She blogs about her writing journey with The Violet Femmes at http://thevioletfemmes.com. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.
You can keep in touch with Maria at:
Website: http://mariakalexander.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MKAlexander1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mariakalexander/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Maria-K.-Alexander/e/B00GW50G4M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/112386884177176019915/posts
The Violet Femmes Blog: http://thevioletfemmes.com
February 19, 2015
The Write Pet: Rainy Days by L.A. Remenicky #amwriting
I’ll admit it, my kids have paws. Currently, there are three Remenicky furkids: George – a black cat, Bella – a German Shepard/Black Lab mix, and Rainy – an English Mastiff. For most of my life I’ve had pets. Dogs, cats, hamsters, and goldfish – they’ve all been a part of my life. I am an animal lover but I am most definitely a dog person.
George is a grumpy black cat that tolerates the dogs. His can usually be found sleeping 
on the back of the couch. If he’s not sleeping he is usually crying that his food dish is empty or that he wants a drink out of the faucet – heaven forbid he should drink out of the same dish as the dogs. We rescued him from the local animal shelter. He was the six-month old kitten that had to be placed with the adult cats instead of the rest of the kittens because he terrorized all the kittens that were smaller than him.
Bella is a bundle of energy – most days I call her Stinker Bella or Energizer Bella. After four years she is finally settling down a bit and has realized that attention and petting are a good thing.
Rainy is the complete opposite of Bella. Rainy is a typical Mastiff, mellow and somewhat 
lazy. Of our two dogs Rainy is a momma’s girl. She came into our lives as a puppy the year I was between jobs. My husband and I wanted to get a dog to be a companion to Bella after our Jack made his crossing on the Rainbow Bridge.
We knew we wanted a larger dog and we started researching breeds and scoping out the local animal shelters. After a couple of weeks we were getting discouraged, none of the dogs we had seen were the one. It’s an amazing thing when you look into their eyes and you just know that is the dog for you. Our luck finally changed; a friend we worked with had two litters of English Mastiff puppies. They were so small it was hard to believe that they could grow to be over 200 pounds. It was hard to choose, they were all so adorable. The first puppy that caught our eye had already found his forever home so we sat on the floor and played with the puppies, trying to get a feel for their personalities. My husband chose Rainy and then we waited until they were old enough to leave their mama. The day we picked her up we were so excited.
Rainy and I spent many days together and have developed a special bond. Most nights 
she can be found on the couch with her head in my lap or sleeping next to my chair if I am at my laptop writing. Her snores make me smile and the gas – let’s just say that she can definitely clear a room. When she is awake she likes to nose my arm, trying to get my attention to let her outside or to give her some attention. My life would definitely be lacking without her in it.
Title: Ragan’s Song – Fairfield Corners Book 2
Publisher: Self published
Date Published: October 5, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Word Count: 45,123
Buy links:
It only took one look into his eyes for her to know she was in trouble.
Adam Bricklin has heard the melody in his head for years, the melody that told him if a decision was right or wrong. When he met Ragan Newlin the song told him she was the one. He was devastated when circumstances tore them apart. It has taken three years for Adam to finally move past the heartbreak he suffered when Ragan left town in the middle of the night. No note, no email, no text. She was just gone. Now he has a new girlfriend, a new album in the works, and his daughter is doing well in school. Until the day Ragan returned to Fairfield Corners.
Ragan came home to celebrate her parent’s anniversary hoping they would forgive her for not telling them about her marriage or her son. When she discovered that Adam was still living in Fairfield Corners she hoped her secrets were safe; secrets that drove her away three years ago, secrets that could change their lives forever.
Excerpt:
Blinding pain caused her head to throb as it hit the window. Then only darkness. Memories, visions, and dreams started to play on the screen of her mind.
A white dress.
Kisses in the kitchen.
Deep sorrow at the cemetery.
Images overlapping with no beginning and no end.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she heard Skylar screaming, crying out for his mama as the world spun out of control, physically and mentally. Ragan’s car finally stopped rolling, landing with a bone-jarring thud on the driver’s side… in the river. The passenger side tires spun as icy river water rushed into the car, chilling her to the bone and then…
Gray clouds swept across the sky, dropping a full load of rain onto the group who gathered around a freshly dug grave. They huddled close under umbrellas at the cemetery. His daughter clung to Ragan’s hand as she wept for her love who was being lowered into the cold, soggy ground.
“No one knew the stalker would kill him, Ragan. It’s not your fault,” James said from behind her as her heart shattered into a million pieces.
The scene changed and she was running through the hospital, eventually finding Cassie in the ICU waiting room. Ragan first spotted him when he was sitting next to Cassie with his head in his hands. He looked up and his eyes, those deep blue eyes that held so much pain, stared straight into hers. She was lost in the depths of them that promised love and devotion and a life worth living.
Those were memories. This was real, and the silence returned along with the pain in her head.
Author Bio:
L.A. Remenicky is a 40-something wife and mother to 3 furkids. She writes Love Stories With A Twist. Writing wasn’t even on her radar until a friend introduced her to NaNoWriMo in 2012. She signed up, wrote 50,000 words that November, and she hasn’t looked back.
Author Links:
Email: remenickywrites@yahoo.com
Website/Blog: http://www.laremenicky.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laremenicky
Google+: http://www.google.com/+LARemenickyauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/remenickywrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7191202.L_A_Remenicky
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/indianagizmo/
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/laremenicky
Facebook Street Team/Fan Group ~ Remenicky’s Remenions: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1425708337682216/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/remenicky
February 18, 2015
The Write Pet: Our Ferret FurKids by Kris Bock #amwriting
I’ve always been a fan of animals. I love watching the foxes, roadrunners, and quail that wander past my home office window. I love to go to the zoo and see which of the magnificent creatures are active that day. I loved visiting a falconer, which inspired a subplot in my novel What We Found.
But when it comes to pets, I have different standards. I’m not really a dog person or a cat person – it depends on the individual. In general, I prefer animals (including humans) that don’t bite, jump on me, slobber, or set off my allergies.
One of my favorite cats of all time was Whizzy, a big orange male. He was skittish of strangers, but showered “his people” with affection. He would carry on long conversations with his meowing, and his purr could be heard across the room. He inspired the cat “Tiger” in The Mad Monk’s Treasure. As far as I know, Whizzy never helped defeat a bad guy, but I’ll bet he would have, if given the chance.
Now my husband and I have ferrets. Ferrets sleep most of the time, but when they’re awake they’re active, playful, and mischievous. This makes them a lot of fun to watch and play with, but you need to keep an eye on them. They’ll get onto and into things you wouldn’t expect.
Ours have a multilevel palace of a cage, with hanging fleece hammocks where they can sleep and cuddle together. Every evening they come out to play in my husband’s office. We try not to leave them unattended for long. Rico learned to crawl up the inside of the desk into the top drawer, and then push the drawer open from inside. This gives him access to the desk, where he wanders over the computer keyboard. We assume he’s trying to order more ferret treats, but his typing skills aren’t too good. He has claimed a stuffed green chicken, which is bigger than he is. He’ll go to great lengths to put it away properly.
Zonks, our now deceased albino, claimed the red balls and toys. We could entertain her – and she could entertain us – by putting them in difficult places. Petri has an obsession with shoe insoles. Leave a pair of shoes around, and he’ll pull out the insoles and drag them into hiding. Marceline is so fast that she can cross the room and slip out the door in the few seconds its open. Each of them will knock over any glass of water, can of soda, etc. left within reach. All the cupboards have child-safe latches now. It’s a good thing the furkids can’t reach the door handle, or who knows what they’d do to the rest of the house. (See some videos here.)
There are, unfortunately, many misconceptions about ferrets. This may be one reason Craigslist always has ferrets listed from people who no longer want them. The ones we’ve gotten have not always previously had the best care. Petri had wiry fur from his cat food diet. He’s much softer now that he’s eating specialized ferret food. Our newest addition, Marceline, is fine with people but afraid of the other two ferrets, which causes her to scream and attack. Maybe she was harassed by a dog or cat in her previous home? She’s slowly learning that cuddles are better than fighting.
They each have their individual personalities. Petri is the most cuddly – he loves to be held and scratched. Marceline is a tiny bundle of determined energy. Rico is mellow except when something (treats, the green chicken) sets off his OCD focus. We love them all.
I haven’t yet written about a ferret, but I probably will one day. In the meantime, they inspire me with their attitude. Though they weigh less than three pounds (Marceline was a mere three-quarter pounds when we got her), they never assume they can’t do something. Determination and joy – great qualities in a pet, and in a writer.
Title: The Mad Monk’s Treasure
Publisher: Pig River Press
Date Published: March, 2011
Genre: Romantic adventure
Word Count: 85,000
Currently priced at $.99!
Buy links:
A legendary treasure hunt in the dramatic — and deadly — New Mexico desert….
The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends — a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider.
When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?
“The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship….”
Read the first three chapters at www.krisbock.com.
This is book 1 in the Southwest Treasure Hunters series. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2. Each novel stands alone and is complete, with no cliffhangers. This series mixes action and adventure with “closed door” romance. The stories explore the Southwest, especially New Mexico.
Excerpt:
Erin could hardly believe what she was seeing. Could this be it? After all this time waiting, searching, had she finally, finally, found what she was looking for?
She forced herself to sit back and take a deep breath. Don’t make assumptions. Don’t rush into things. She wanted to leap up and scream her excitement, but years of academic training held. Slow down, double-check everything, and make sure you are right!
She leaned forward and ran her fingers over the grainy photograph. With that one image, everything seemed to fall into place. This was the clue. It had to be.
She fumbled in her desk drawer for a magnifying glass and studied the symbols in the photo more closely. At a glance, they looked like your standard Indian petroglyphs. You could find them throughout the Southwest, tucked away in caves or scattered among boulder fields.
But this was different.
If she was right—and she had to be right—these symbols were a map. A map that could lead her to one of the greatest caches of buried treasure ever.
She reached for the phone. In a few seconds a voice said, “Yeah.” Erin could hear the sound of some tool on metal in the background.
“Camie? I found it!”
Author Bio:
Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page.
Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.
Ms. Bock also writes for young people under the name Chris Eboch. Her novels for ages nine and up include The Genie’s Gift; a middle eastern fantasy, The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; and Bandits Peak, a survival thriller. Her book Advanced Plotting helps writers fine-tune their plots. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page, sign up for her newsletter, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.
Author Links:
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