Sheila Seabrook's Blog, page 5

With Open Arms

Welcome to book six of the Thurston Hotel romance series. I’m excited about this week’s Thurston Hotel release because I’m a longtime fan of M.K. Stelmack (and I’m thrilled beyond words to be working on this series with her). She writes amazing characters, and her books are filled with lots of emotion and action. As a writer who is always working on improving my craft, M.K. Stelmack’s books inspire me. I know you’ll enjoy this week’s release!

Quickie Q&A with M.K. Stelmack:

Chocolate, kraft caramels, or ice cream? Ice cream.

Coffee, tea, or wine? Tea.

Star Trek, Fifty Shades of Grey, or We’re the Millers? We’re the Millers.

Sweats, blue jeans, or a skirt? Blue jeans.

Sleeping, massage, or a beach vacation? Sleeping.

[image error]About the book:

On vacation in Spain, Bailey Thurston abandons her cautious existence as an accountant at her family-operated hotel for a whirlwind romance with Daniel O’Leary, a bush pilot in the Congo. Two weeks later, they’re engaged. The next day, he vanishes to reappear a year later at Thurston Hotel, expecting her to receive him with open arms.

Not after he ripped her heart apart.

Dan is a natural charmer though, with answers that make her ache to believe in love again. As her family and the people of Bailey’s mountain resort town of Harmony reach out to him, so does she. But Dan has a soul-corroding secret from his war-torn years in the Congo so awful the woman he loves would surely leave him if known. Then he discovers that one man in Harmony is determined to reveal it.

You can find out more about WITH OPEN ARMS at the Thurston Hotel website.

Come back next Thursday to find out about book 7 in the series. Until then, happy reading!

Happy Halloween & A Lasting Harmony

Welcome to book five of the Thurston Hotel romance series!

Since Halloween is just around the corner, I want to wish you all an early Happy Halloween. It’s also the perfect opportunity to tell you about the Thurston Hotel’s own resident spook. The ghost of Mrs. Arbuckle’s dearly departed husband, Walter, appears throughout the series, popping in and out of the individual books, sometimes just a brush of the wind, and sometimes doing his small part to nudge the hero and heroine together.

And now on to this week’s release, A Lasting Harmony by Shelley Kassian.

About the author:

Shelley Kassian can be found traveling around the world and enjoys medieval history. So if you’re a lover of historical fiction, particularly the Tudor age, check out her other books at her website.

[image error]About the book:

Fired from her music contract due to drug and alcohol addiction, Jade Carter relocates to Harmony to heal her wounds and rethink her ailing career. But when she checks in at the Thurston Hotel, hoping for a second chance, not everything is as it appears. Taking pity on the singer’s dire situation, General Manager Ben Thurston hires her, but not in the way she expects. Jade is soon attracted to bartender Jason Knight, but will her turbulent history and tenuous actions challenge a future with him?

Jason left the corporate world behind to settle in the Rocky Mountains for a healthier lifestyle. When Jade Carter walks into his lounge and into his life, a love at first sight type of chemistry ignites between them. But when they’re photographed together in a compromising embrace, local media attention forces them into a show of commitment.

Is it just pretend? Or could it be more? Can Jason prove himself to be a knight in shining armor who provides the lasting harmony Jade needs?

You can find out more about A LASTING HARMONY at the Thurston Hotel website.

 

 

DIY & Love Under Construction

Welcome to book four of the Thurston Hotel romance series.

[image error]There’s always a lot to do before a book is released. There’s blog posts to write (waving at you all while you’re reading this one!), a newsletter to prepare, updates to the website, Goodreads, and Facebook, and of course final edits. The edits are never done until the book goes live.

And I love doing it all. I’m what you might call a multi-passionate entrepreneur. Or maybe I’m just a control freak. Whatever the case, I like to fiddle around until my DIY guy says, “Enough!”

Speaking of the DIY guy…the heroine of my addition to the Thurston Hotel series is building contractor, and let me tell you, I’ve had lots of experience building. Two houses and most recently, major renovations on Youngest Son’s old farmhouse. Look, there’s me in a protective mask during some of the demolition.

Now on to the book…

Quickie Q&A with Sheila Seabrook (as if you don’t already know me!):

Chocolate, kraft caramels, or ice cream? Chocolate covered caramels!

Coffee, tea, or wine? Coffee.

Star Trek, Fifty Shades of Grey, or We’re the Millers? Don’t make me pick just one. I love Star Trek and We’re the Millers!

Sweats, blue jeans, or a skirt? Sweats.

Sleeping, massage, or a beach vacation? Beach vacation with a massage included.

[image error]About the book:

Billionaire land developer, Hunter Davis, returns to Harmony with one agenda in mind. Right the wrongs of the past, because until he does they are like a black smudge on his soul. But Hunter has never been able to forget what he once shared with Mackenzie Berg, the woman he secretly married eleven years ago. And now something in his heart refuses to die, something that makes him want to woo her back into his arms…for the rest of his life.

Local contractor, Mackenzie Berg, may be secretly married to Hunter Davis—she might even have a small mountain of newspaper and magazine clippings about the hunky land developer tucked into the bottom of her dresser drawer—but that doesn’t mean she still has feelings for him, does it? She intends to avoid the man she once loved, but her plans go awry when town officials blackmail her into escorting him to every event planned for his short stay.

With the whole town watching their every move, can these two lonely people rediscover the love of a lifetime?

You can find out more about LOVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION and the other Thurston Hotel books at the Thurston Hotel website.

LOVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION is now available for purchase at:

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon Global

More Birthdays & On a Whim

Welcome to book three of the Thurston Hotel romance series. As you know, last weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving, but what you don’t know is that our family also got to celebrate two birthdays — Youngest Son and Almost-Daughter-In Law. Needless to say, we had cake (cherry cheesecake) and candles and lots of singing (which always embarrasses Youngest Son, but he smiles through it anyway).

It was a wonderfu, family filled day, and you know how much I love family. Which is one reason why I’m looking forward to the Thurston Hotel Series book three.

After writing my own Thurston Hotel book (Love Under Construction, out Oct 20th!), then reading books one and two, the people in the town of Harmony are beginning to feel like MY family. Isn’t that sweet?

Now, let me introduce you to book three of the Thurston Hotel series…ON A WHIM.

Quickie Q&A with author Win Day:

Chocolate, kraft caramels, or ice cream? Chocolate.

Coffee, tea, or wine? Tea mostly. Coffee occasionally. Wine sometimes.

Sweats, blue jeans, or a skirt? Black jeans, please.

Sleeping, massage, or a beach vacation? Beach vacation. (Mexico, here I come!)

[image error]About the book:

Mandy Brighton loves her vintage storefront, her eclectic neighborhood, her small town way of life. Sure, sometimes change is necessary—didn’t she convert Whimsy into a cupcake bakery, and expand the kitchen? But architect Kevin MacNeal wants to tear down her building to revitalize Harmony’s Main Street to match his design for the new Community Center.

Kevin, a self-proclaimed urbanite, thinks nothing beats having his favorite chain coffee shop on every corner. There’s something comforting about the anonymity of the big city and exciting about its expanded opportunities. Small town residents, with their small town thinking, baffle him.

She seduces him with whimsical cupcakes and fabulous food. He seduces her with, well, seduction. But when he targets his campaign at her great-aunt, his betrayal hurts more than possibly losing her business.

Can they find a way to come to a sweet compromise? Harmony cupcake lovers want to know!

You can find out more about ON A WHIM at the Thurston Hotel website.

Happy Thanksgiving & the Opposite of Frozen

Welcome to book two of the Thurston Hotel romance series. Before I give you the deetz about the Opposite of Frozen, I want to wish all of my Canadian family and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

This has been an amazing year and I have so much to be thankful for. First and foremost is my family who support my writing career with the fortitude of people long used to being ignored. When I’m wrapped up in a story, everything falls by the wayside. Housework goes undone. I put off trips to the grocery store until the fridge and freezer and shelves are bare. I hide in my home office with only my computer and characters for company, and type till I run out of words for the day. I am truly blessed.

And to my readers…I’m thankful for your love notes, and cherish each and every one. I promise to continue giving you characters who make you laugh and cry, and happily-ever-after stories that make your heart sing. You keep me going on the days when the people in my books just want to laze around on the couch or take a tropical vacation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And now for the Thurston Hotel series book two…

About the author:

A popular blogger on Tartitude and Writer Unboxed, Jan O’Hara is known for her witty posts and valuable information about writing, health, and everyday living. Book two in the Thurston Hotel series is her first published novel and I can’t wait to read it.

[image error]About the book:

Shepherd fifty-one seniors on a multinational bus tour, including a ninety-five-year-old with a lethal cane?

To preserve his sick brother’s travel business, retired pro athlete, Oliver Pike, would do far more. But then weather intervenes, forcing the tour bus off-route into the small mountain town of Harmony, Alberta.

In the hold of the bus, amid the walkers and luggage, lies a half-frozen stowaway. Page Maddux is commitment-averse and obviously lacking in common sense. Once revived, she’s also the person Oliver must depend upon to help him keep the “oldsters,” as she calls them, out of harm’s way.

When their week together is over, will Harmony recover from the group’s escapades? And what of Oliver’s heart?

You can find out more about OPPOSITE OF FROZEN at the Thurston Hotel website.

Come back next Thursday to find out about book 3 in the series. Until then, happy reading!

Contest Winners & Announcing Thurston Hotel Book One

[image error]The “Name the Book” contest is over, the winners have been notified, and I’m thrilled to announce that Mike’s story finally has a title!

Grand Prize Winner: Meghan Stith! Meghan submitted the title A TIME TO BE TENDER. I fell in love with this title immediately and couldn’t wait to get it on the cover of book 3 in the Rocky Mountain series. Meghan wins the complete set of Thurston Hotel romances. That’s 12 ebooks in all!

Second Prize Winner: Charline Bonham! Charline submitted two titles and I knew that with a little tweaking, her second title would fit in nicely for book 4 in the Rocky Mountain series. Her entry—HEARTBREAKER—will now become ONCE A HEARTBREAKER. Charline wins a signed paperback copy of A TIME TO BE TENDER when it is released.

Third Prize Winner: Barbara Watts submitted two titles—THE DEFENDER and THE CONTENDER. I’ve been playing with another series idea and these two titles would be perfect for it. Barbara gets a character in A TIME TO BE TENDER named after her.

The Thurston Hotel Series Begins!

The first book in the Thurston Hotel Romance series arrives today, and if you love warm-to-sweet romances, this series is for you.

Quickie Q&A with author Brenda Sinclair:

Chocolate, kraft caramels, or ice cream? Chocolate.

Coffee, tea, or wine? Wine.

Star Trek, Fifty Shades of Grey, or We’re the Millers? Fifty Shades of Grey.

Sweats, blue jeans, or a skirt? Blue jeans.

Sleeping, massage, or a beach vacation? Massage. (Sounds like a fun weekend so far!)

About the book:

[image error]Eager for a fresh start, young widow and mother, Melanie Larson, leaves Calgary to relocate for a dream job at a family-owned, historic hotel in a small mountain resort town in the Canadian Rockies. But her new boss is the sweet talker who broke her heart in college—and who holds the power to crush it again. Long dormant feelings surface, and Melanie is torn between needing this job and protecting her still fragile heart.

Ben Thurston wants a second chance with the woman he’s never stopped loving, but there’s no statute of limitations on a secret. Keeping it hidden while pursing Melanie would be dishonest. Revealing it will expose them to pain and heartache.

If Ben’s secret is revealed, will Melanie understand Ben’s past rejection? Could there be a possible future together for them? Or will his deception and their conflicting dreams keep them apart?

You can find out more about A THURSTON PROMISE at the Thurston Hotel website.

Come back next Thursday to find out about book 2 in the series. Until then, happy reading!

Get Ready To Celebrate!

[image error]This Sunday, Sept 4th, is my birthday, and I’m celebrating with an exciting new contest for my newsletter subscribers. So if you’re not already a newsletter subscriber, but you want to enter the contest, make sure you sign up for my newsletter before this Sunday.

Just go to my website and scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the signup form. Or if you’re already on the website reading this blog post, scroll over to the sidebar on the right side of the page. Hurry…go…I’ll wait…

Welcome back!

In other news, I’ve completed the line edits for my SSP (if this is your first time here, SSP refers to the Super Secret Project I’ve been working on for the past few months), and it’s official, the book is complete. And because I love to dive from one book into another, I’ve already started work on book 3 for my Rocky Mountain Romance series.

[Incidentally, the newsletter contest involves both the SSP series and the Rocky Mountain series.]

Now, back to birthday celebrations…please tell me how you love to celebrate your birthday. I’ll share my favorite in the comments!

 

More About My Super Secret Project…

[image error]My SSP manuscript is back from the continuity editors and I’m doing final revisions on it right now. I hope to have it off to the line editor by the end of the week, so please, send me some “no distractions” vibes!

And I finally have permission to share a few details about the project…

There will be 12 books, one released every Thursday starting September 29th. Since mine is book 4, it comes out October 20th.

These books are set in a small town and are centered around a hotel. Each story stands on its own, so there’s a new romance in every book. However, there’s an overarching romance for one couple whose story is wrapped up in book 12. Fun!

The books are all written for the “sweet” market, so you wouldn’t be embarrassed if you gift a copy to your mother or grandmother.

Ta Da! A New Look For The Caught Between Series!

Ever since the release of book three in the Caught Between series (Caught Between a Rock and a Hunka Man), I’ve wanted to change out the series covers to better differentiate the books from my Rocky Mountain series. After all, the Caught Between series is all fun and sass, and as one reader wrote: “This series should come with a warning. Put aside all liquids while inhaling these books!”



On the other hand, while the Rocky Mountain books do have some humor, readers are more inclined to write: “Bring out the tissues!”



[image error]As CEO of SMS Books, I put the matter before my Board of Directors, took a vote, and the decision to change out the covers was unanimous. Of course, I’m the only person on the SMS Books board of directors, so there wasn’t much concern that I’d be outvoted.

Please Don’t Tell Me Your Secrets!

[image error]Special Note: In celebration of the Memorial Day holiday, I’m running a FREE promotion on the first book in the Caught Between series. For two days only, May 29 and May 30, you can pick up your FREE copy of Caught Between a Lie and True Love by clicking here. So click here, now.



And to pick up other great books, check out the Free Kindle Books & Tips blog.



Now, on to the secrets…



Early this spring, my siblings and I planned a surprise birthday party for our mother. We told her there would be nine of us and we would take care of all the food.



Busy out in her yard, she didn’t bother us for a whole lot of details, but as the weeks passed, every once in a while she’d ask questions…and we would have to think fast or pretend ignorance.



You see, we wanted to surprise her (and trust me, she’s not easy to surprise!). Somehow we managed to find a date that worked for the entire family, and everyone including Mom’s five kids, our spouses and signifiant others, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren would be there. Twenty-six people in all!



A week before the party, I told Mom she needed to get a haircut because we were taking family pictures.



“Who’s taking the pictures?” she asked.



[image error]



Ms. Blabbity-Blabbity Seabrook, who apparently isn’t the brightest of the siblings, informed her that her oldest granddaughter, well known for her love of picture taking, would be there with her camera.



Mom, who at 88 is still sharp as a tack, questioned who besides her granddaughter was coming, and if maybe she should invite the rest of the grandkids because she wouldn’t want them to feel left out.



Oops, a bit of the secret slipped…and now the problem…how could I prevent her from phoning her other grandchildren, and risk the possibility of discovering the full extent of the guest list? And if she did call them, would the others be on the ball enough to lie about their plans for the day? Or would one or more get caught in a slip-of-the-tongue like I did?



Fortunately my fibbing skills returned, and I told Mom that this particular granddaughter always came to these family functions, even when she wasn’t invited, so not to worry about the others. And somehow, Mom bought the story and happily returned to her yard work.



Moral of the story…if you tell me your secrets, I just might blab. Not intentionally, but in that moment when my guard is down and my mouth is open, it all comes spilling out.



Needless to say, keeping my mouth shut about my Super Secret Project is killing me. It’s true. I want to talk about it, share details about it, and in a weak moment, posted this.



So please don’t tell me your secrets or I might just—unplanned and uncensored—blab it to the world…



How about you? Are you a blabber or a successful keeper of secrets? Let me know in the comments. I love to hear from you!