Sharon Ledwith's Blog, page 83
February 27, 2013
Wenches of Words Wednesday: Dusty Crabtree
I’m excited to feature fellow Wench of Words, Dusty Crabtree on my blog today. In celebration of Dusty’s one-year publication anniversary of Shadow Eyes, I thought it appropriate to host this YA urban fantasy author again. Dusty is hosting a month long blog tour, featuring paperbacks, ebooks, and a KINDLE FIRE as prizes. Go HEREto find out more about her awesome blog tour. If you’d like to read an earlier interview with Dusty, please click HERE. Take it away, Dusty…
It's Awesome When Inspiration Strikes by Dusty Crabtree
The idea for Shadow Eyes actually first came to me as a screenplay for a Christian horror movie, if there ever was such a genre. The movie would have been about a cast of intertwined characters going about their lives and making mistakes with dark, creepy shadows (demons) hovering around them, whispering to them, and influencing them to do evil things. Only the audience would see the shadows. The characters would be completely oblivious.
A few years after I’d had that idea, my friend suggested I write a novel like the paranormal angel books we’d been reading and loving. I’d always loved the concept of angels and demons in stories and immediately thought back to that screenplay idea. I just continued tweaking it until I had the basic concept of Shadow Eyes – a 17-year-old girl who had this special ability to see the shadows and light figures when nobody else could.
Iris thought she could ignore the shadows...until they went after everyone she loved.
BLURB:
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.
Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.
As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.
To read an excerpt from Shadow Eye's, please click HERE .
Watch Shadow Eyes book trailer on YouTube .
Shadow Eyes is available at all major online bookstores.
Learn more about Dusty Crabtree on her blog .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
It's Awesome When Inspiration Strikes by Dusty Crabtree
The idea for Shadow Eyes actually first came to me as a screenplay for a Christian horror movie, if there ever was such a genre. The movie would have been about a cast of intertwined characters going about their lives and making mistakes with dark, creepy shadows (demons) hovering around them, whispering to them, and influencing them to do evil things. Only the audience would see the shadows. The characters would be completely oblivious.
A few years after I’d had that idea, my friend suggested I write a novel like the paranormal angel books we’d been reading and loving. I’d always loved the concept of angels and demons in stories and immediately thought back to that screenplay idea. I just continued tweaking it until I had the basic concept of Shadow Eyes – a 17-year-old girl who had this special ability to see the shadows and light figures when nobody else could.
Iris thought she could ignore the shadows...until they went after everyone she loved. BLURB:
Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil. But she is the only one who can see them. She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier.
Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters. First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.
As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.
To read an excerpt from Shadow Eye's, please click HERE .
Watch Shadow Eyes book trailer on YouTube .
Shadow Eyes is available at all major online bookstores.
Learn more about Dusty Crabtree on her blog .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
February 25, 2013
Who Let the Dogs Out…
If you’re a dog lover like me you probably can’t get enough of books or movies with dogs as one of the central characters. Scooby Doo was a mainstay on Saturday mornings for me. And when I was a girl, I used to take out armfuls of books from my elementary school’s library about dogs. Books like, Lad a Dog, Big Red, The Incredible Journey, and of course the biggest dog star of all: Lassie. A box of tissue would always be by my side when I watched a movie about dogs. There was a guarantee, an unwritten code that movie producers made sure you would cry. Don’t believe me? Watch Marley and Me, and prove me wrong. I dare you. No. I double dog dare you!In my book, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, a smelly deerhound named Tuck—Friar Tuck’s namesake—makes a few cameo appearances. So I thought I gather together a group of fine young adult authors who have made it a point to have dogs in their books. Let the barking commence:
Linda Benson: Walking the DogJared feels like he's the only one who looks past Sophie's scars to see her for who she is. But can he be a true friend when she desperately needs one?Jared is smitten when his teacher seats the new girl, Sophie, right next to him. Even with the scar running up the side of her face, Jared thinks she’s the most beautiful girl in the entire fifth grade. But why did she transfer here so late in the year? Rumors say something bad happened to her.
Jared and Sophie become friends while walking the guidance counselor’s new puppy, but when his parents object to this arrangement, Jared fabricates a series of elaborate lies to meet Sophie on the sly. But little brothers can be pests. First Petey lets the orange cat loose at the animal shelter where Jared and Sophie have been secretly walking the dogs. Then Petey turns up missing. And Sophie's past finally catches up with her.
Cordelia Dinsmore: Michaela’s Gift
Twelve-year-old Michaela Cochran still believes in enchanted mountains and fairytale castles, but her happily-ever-after will never happen if she can’t convince her mother to accept the magical gift Michaela has inherited.
Michaela Cochran and her family make the trip to her father’s ancestral home every year, but this year is special. Michaela is now twelve, the age when every girl in the family receives a special gift. When Aunt Sharon explains that Michaela’s gift is a magical ability to bring one of her drawings to life, Michaela begins making plans. What she wants most is a castle high on the mountain, where her family can live together. But if she can’t figure out how to resolve the growing hostility between herself and her mother, her gift is meaningless.
Rita Monette: The Legend of Ghost Dog IslandBehind every legend lies the truth.Moving is nothing new for ten-year-old Nikki Landry. Her fisherman father relocates their raggedy old houseboat several times a year in search of better crabbing spots. However, their latest move has brought her to a mysterious bayou where she feels something is watching her from a nearby island.
Nikki learns of a local legend about something sinister inhabiting those swamps, stealing the souls of dogs…which would explain the strange howling sounds. Papa reassures her there’s nothing on the island but gators and snakes. He would know. He’s spent his whole life trapping and fishing those bayous and swamps. But Nikki and her new friends uncover strange happenings from years ago that may have started the old legend, and town folks aren’t talking. Then her beloved beagle goes missing.Join Nikki as she seeks to discover the real truth behind the legend of Ghost Dog Island…before it’s too late.
To finish off this post, I thought I’d pull you back in time (a specialty of mine) to enjoy a musical romp with the Baha Men. Enjoy!
February 20, 2013
Wenches of Words Wednesday: Samantha Combs
Today I am excited to have a remarkable, multi published author and Wench Samantha Combs on my blog to chat about books, genres, and what keeps her surging forward. Take it away, Samantha...
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Southern California author, with 8 published books, 4 paranormals and 4 horrors. I’m a wife, a mom, a Risk Manager, a sister and a daughter. I’m a life-juggler. My blog is a hodge-podge of it all and a great place to get “aspiring writer” tips. I also have a muse; a cocky, arrogant, diva-like entity named Musina. Her greatest delight is making me stay up writing till 3am without giving me a clue where the story is headed. She’s an evil bitch, but I kind of love her.
Tell us about your book.
More than any other book or story I have written, Waterdancer is the most autobiographical. While there are parts of “me” in all my works, this book takes the biggest pieces from my teenhood. And I am more like Bailey that I would care to admit. New to the area, the school, and in a new marriage of her mother’s, Bailey is just trying to find her place in the world. It doesn’t help that as she approaches her 16th birthday, a super secret family trait begins to show itself. The story is about how she deals with that, and rebuilds relationships in her life she felt long past resurrection.
Here's the blurb for your reading pleasure.:)
For Bailey Wasserman, being Bailey has recently become an incredible challenge. It's not enough that she must come to terms with her mother's new husband, their new life, and a new surfer boyfriend. When she meets her real father for the first time, she discovers a secret family trait that will alter the course of her own life and those she loves…maybe forever.
Bailey and her mom have always met life’s challenges as a team of two, more like best friends than mother and daughter. But her mom’s recent marriage has changed all of that, and having her little brother Landry is the only good Bailey can find in that union. The move to wealthy Del Mar from their humble beginnings has turned Bailey sour, until a chance meeting with surf hottie Jack West. Then Bailey's father, with his annoying Zen-surfer lingo and a talking turtle he claims is no less than her spirit guardian, reenters her life and threatens the only relationship Bailey thinks is working in her world. She soon finds out that’s not all his arrival will do. His presence and their shared family trait could ultimately force Bailey to make a decision that will alter the course of her own life and those she loves…forever.
To read an excerpt from WATERDANCER, please click HERE .
If you could only have one vice what would it be?
Gluttony. I would like to be able to eat anything I want and not have any repercussions.
Who is your favorite character from one of your books and why?
I am partial to a cocky, confident chick in my 2nd book. Sixx is the main character’s best friend, but she has a reckless passion for life and not caring what anyone else thinks of her. Her confidence is intoxicating. She reminds me of a friend from my teens.
What are you working on now?
My 9th book, The Deadlies, is with a publisher, hopefully to be accepted. My 10th book, Wingspan, is a departure from what I normally write. Dystopic in a way, of course paranormal, with lots of action, I am writing my first car chase, my first government conspiracy and *gasp* my first sex scene. It is a challenge. It was a NaNoWriMo project but I abandoned it when my father-in-law fell ill. Back at it, I am more than 2/3 through and shocked daily by the plot twists and turns my Musina is taking me on.
What’s your favorite quote?
An old Persian proverb: Now that the barn has burned down, I can see the moon. It’s a take on the “silver lining” thing and has sailed me through more of my own Bermuda Triangles than I can name.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration as soon as I open my eyes in the morning. I am a marinater. This means I roll things around in my head until they gel. Like jello. Liquid at first, but given time and patience, super tasty jello. And diamonds, hiding inside the rock. Get it?
What are the titles of your books and links so we can read excerpts?
Thank you for asking.:) Here they are:
SPELLBOUND
EVERSPELL
GHOSTLY
THE DETENTION DEMON
TEETH AND TALONS
WAY PAST MIDNIGHT
WATERDANCER
HELLOWEEN
Samantha Combs is a Southern California author with eight published books that include a Global Ebook Award-winner. Her genres include YA paranormal, middle grade horror, and adult horror, and YA fantasy.
She loves writing and is in awe of the technological advances of our lives. Ereaders and similar gadgets are bringing the written word to a generation that might never have discovered books otherwise and every time she sees a kid pick one up to read something it fills her with joy to be a small part of that process. If a child can connect with literature because he or she did so electronically, a connection still was made. She is excited to see what our world has in store for literature and thrilled to be along for that ride.
When Samantha isn't writing, she works full time and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Her guilty pleasures include reality television, the Food Network channel and shoes. She truly believes she can accomplish anything if she has the right pair of shoes.
Connect with Samantha Combs on her
Fan Page
,
blog
and
Twitter
. You're always welcome to
email
Samantha.
Tell us about yourself.I’m a Southern California author, with 8 published books, 4 paranormals and 4 horrors. I’m a wife, a mom, a Risk Manager, a sister and a daughter. I’m a life-juggler. My blog is a hodge-podge of it all and a great place to get “aspiring writer” tips. I also have a muse; a cocky, arrogant, diva-like entity named Musina. Her greatest delight is making me stay up writing till 3am without giving me a clue where the story is headed. She’s an evil bitch, but I kind of love her.
Tell us about your book.
More than any other book or story I have written, Waterdancer is the most autobiographical. While there are parts of “me” in all my works, this book takes the biggest pieces from my teenhood. And I am more like Bailey that I would care to admit. New to the area, the school, and in a new marriage of her mother’s, Bailey is just trying to find her place in the world. It doesn’t help that as she approaches her 16th birthday, a super secret family trait begins to show itself. The story is about how she deals with that, and rebuilds relationships in her life she felt long past resurrection.
Here's the blurb for your reading pleasure.:)
For Bailey Wasserman, being Bailey has recently become an incredible challenge. It's not enough that she must come to terms with her mother's new husband, their new life, and a new surfer boyfriend. When she meets her real father for the first time, she discovers a secret family trait that will alter the course of her own life and those she loves…maybe forever. Bailey and her mom have always met life’s challenges as a team of two, more like best friends than mother and daughter. But her mom’s recent marriage has changed all of that, and having her little brother Landry is the only good Bailey can find in that union. The move to wealthy Del Mar from their humble beginnings has turned Bailey sour, until a chance meeting with surf hottie Jack West. Then Bailey's father, with his annoying Zen-surfer lingo and a talking turtle he claims is no less than her spirit guardian, reenters her life and threatens the only relationship Bailey thinks is working in her world. She soon finds out that’s not all his arrival will do. His presence and their shared family trait could ultimately force Bailey to make a decision that will alter the course of her own life and those she loves…forever.
To read an excerpt from WATERDANCER, please click HERE .
If you could only have one vice what would it be?
Gluttony. I would like to be able to eat anything I want and not have any repercussions.
Who is your favorite character from one of your books and why?
I am partial to a cocky, confident chick in my 2nd book. Sixx is the main character’s best friend, but she has a reckless passion for life and not caring what anyone else thinks of her. Her confidence is intoxicating. She reminds me of a friend from my teens.
What are you working on now?
My 9th book, The Deadlies, is with a publisher, hopefully to be accepted. My 10th book, Wingspan, is a departure from what I normally write. Dystopic in a way, of course paranormal, with lots of action, I am writing my first car chase, my first government conspiracy and *gasp* my first sex scene. It is a challenge. It was a NaNoWriMo project but I abandoned it when my father-in-law fell ill. Back at it, I am more than 2/3 through and shocked daily by the plot twists and turns my Musina is taking me on.
What’s your favorite quote?
An old Persian proverb: Now that the barn has burned down, I can see the moon. It’s a take on the “silver lining” thing and has sailed me through more of my own Bermuda Triangles than I can name.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration as soon as I open my eyes in the morning. I am a marinater. This means I roll things around in my head until they gel. Like jello. Liquid at first, but given time and patience, super tasty jello. And diamonds, hiding inside the rock. Get it?
What are the titles of your books and links so we can read excerpts?
Thank you for asking.:) Here they are:
SPELLBOUND
EVERSPELL
GHOSTLY
THE DETENTION DEMON
TEETH AND TALONS
WAY PAST MIDNIGHT
WATERDANCER
HELLOWEEN
Samantha Combs is a Southern California author with eight published books that include a Global Ebook Award-winner. Her genres include YA paranormal, middle grade horror, and adult horror, and YA fantasy.
She loves writing and is in awe of the technological advances of our lives. Ereaders and similar gadgets are bringing the written word to a generation that might never have discovered books otherwise and every time she sees a kid pick one up to read something it fills her with joy to be a small part of that process. If a child can connect with literature because he or she did so electronically, a connection still was made. She is excited to see what our world has in store for literature and thrilled to be along for that ride.
When Samantha isn't writing, she works full time and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Her guilty pleasures include reality television, the Food Network channel and shoes. She truly believes she can accomplish anything if she has the right pair of shoes.
Connect with Samantha Combs on her
Fan Page
,
blog
and
Twitter
. You're always welcome to
email
Samantha.
February 18, 2013
It’s Official…
Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.Well, it’s a done deal. I’ve officially signed on with literary agency Walden House (Books & Stuff) on February 14th. The ‘i’s were dotted, ‘t’s were crossed, and the signatures were witnessed. I had technically signed the contract at the end of December, but held off on this post announcement until our partnership became signed, sealed, and complete.
Walden House will be representing my young adult series, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls. The setting of the small, rural/cottage community of Fairy Falls is the glue that holds this series together. Each book is a stand alone project with a different cast of characters, and with one main character possessing a unique psychic, supernatural, or prophetic ability.Here’s the premise for the series: Imagine a teenager possessing a psychic ability and struggling to cope with this freakish power while trying to have a normal life. Now, imagine being uprooted and forced to live in a small tourist town where nothing much ever happens. It’s bores-ville from the get-go. Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expect the unexpected.
The first book in the series is entitled Lost and Found. Here’s a brief sneak-peek:Meet Meagan Walsh. She can communicate with animals. She reads their thoughts, speaks their language. It is her secret until she meets up with a cantankerous old shelter cat by the name of Whiskey. Sentenced to work off her community hours at the Fairy Falls Animal Shelter, Meagan encounters all kinds of problems—the biggest being that the shelter is having money troubles and may have to shut down forever. There’s also another problem—someone is killing off the animals, one by one. With the help of two friends, Meagan finds the strength and courage to dig deep to get to the truth before it’s too late for the shelter animals, her friends, and herself.
I hope that was enough to pique your interest! I’ll keep you posted on the progress of this wonderful new YA series, as well as my personal journey working along side a literary agency. This is a whole new experience for me, and one that I would love to share with you! Cheers!
February 13, 2013
Wenches of Words Wednesday: Susan Lodge
I’m excited to feature fellow Wench of Words, Susan Lodge, a gutsy regency romance author on my blog today! In my opinion, this Wench is a hero in her own right for never giving up on her publishing dreams. Take it away, Susan…ONLY A HERO WILL DO The latest release by Susan Lodge.
Hetty’s desperate gamble to avoid an odious match lands her all at sea. Can an overbearing ship’s physician really be the hero she needs to escape her treacherous family? BLURB:
Marriage to a cruel dandy is not how Hetty Avebury envisions spending the rest of her life. Determined to raise funds to escape the match she earns money the only way she knows how—gambling. Her plans go astray and she finds herself onboard a man-of-war under the care of its stern physician. But Hetty soon realizes that the disapproving Doctor Withington is not at all the man she had first imagined.
If it wasn’t bad enough declaring one of the pressed men as a woman, Robert has been tasked with the tiresome job of returning her safely back to her dysfunctional family. It was ten years ago when his father gambled away his inheritance, home, and any chance of marrying the woman he loved. So when Robert discovers Hetty gambling he takes drastic action to cure her of the habit.
EXCERPT:
“Annie, will you please walk beside me? Try to remember, I am supposed to be your brother not your employer. You must keep your arm on mine.”
Annie pursed her lips but did as she was told. At five foot four, Hetty was tall enough to masquerade as a male. Her disguise was not of fine quality this time, as she had no desire to stand out in the crowd. It was serviceable and clean, if a little ill-fitting.
She resembled a rather youthful clerk.
They had left in the early hours after Hetty had written her aunt a short note to tell her not to worry. She couldn’t risk anything else, as she knew Stark and her father would ask too many questions. If she knew nothing, Aunt Amelia wouldn’t have to lie—something she didn’t like to do.
After a moment, Hetty and Annie searched for a respectable inn, both having missed breakfast. It was only after they had seated themselves in the Boar's Head and ordered a modest meal that Hetty realized it was a bad choice. The tables were occupied by groups of unsavoury looking males, half of whom were staring at Annie in a very vulgar way. Hetty looked around with a feeling of foreboding while picking at a cold rabbit pie. The room started to empty as a strange murmur of discontent rippled through the establishment.
Annie fidgeted beside her. “I don’t like it, Miss Hetty! It ain’t right.” Hetty groaned.
“Harry—not Miss Hetty! For heaven’s sake, Annie!”
“Beg pardon…Harry,” she said, as though the name was blasphemous, “but I think we should go now.”
Hetty agreed and prepared to rise when the door shot open and the remaining customers scattered in all directions. A small party of hefty men, armed with wooden batons, sauntered in and stopped in the center of the room, assessing the occupants.
Annie grabbed Hetty’s arm. “It’s the press-gang!”
It took a moment for Annie’s words to register then Hetty swallowed violently. If only her skirts were back on. One of them noticed her and narrowed his eyes with a terrifying gleam like a predator. He pointed his finger her way. “Now, lad, I reckon you look ripe for adventure. Eager to serve your king, I wager.”
Hetty shook her head and grasped Annie. “No, sir, I have my sister here to look after.”
The man wandered closer, his fleshy face beamed and his voice cajoled. “What’s your name, lad, and how old are you?”
“Harry Blake. I am fourteen." Surely that is too young.
The man considered her for a moment, and Hetty didn’t dare to breathe.
“Bring him.”
Logic ceased. Hetty ducked under the table and tried to crawl toward the door, but one of them crunched a foul-smelling boot down on the small of her back, and her breath escaped in one whoosh of pain. A large hand hoisted her up by the neckcloth and placed her on her feet.
BUY LINK
Susan Lodge is a life long writer, but has marketed her work just these last few years. When she is not writing, Susan tinkers on her piano, enjoys the company of her children, or takes long walks along the coastline with her real life hero.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
February 11, 2013
One Lovely Blog Award…3 Awesome Authors
Thanks to the lovely and talented middle-grade/young adult author Lisa Orchard, I’ve been tricked, er I mean tagged as a recipient of One Lovely Blog Award. If you’d like to know more about this winsome and talented author and her books for tweens and teens, then head straight over to her website: http://www.lisaorchard.com/ and see what Ms. Orchard has been up to!Now, it is my duty as a recipient of this award to reveal seven random facts about myself, so on with the revelation:#1. I used to work for the local animal shelter four years ago. After a few visits in the emergency room – and getting second looks from the doctors – I decided that writing suited me (and my body) much better. Though, I did manage to get a book out of the experience!#2. My better half and I started a graphic trade business in the early 80s when computers were but a whisper amongst the printers, and the invention of the fax machine was the best thing since sliced bread. We finally sold our company in 2004 to start a new life up in the wilds of Muskoka.#3. Most of you know I love single malt scotch – but do you know my favorite brand? GLENMORANGIE – The Original. Three ice cubes, two fingers (three if I’m feeling brave).#4. I fainted at couple of times while giving presentations in front of class during my high school years. Yup. Not a lover of public speaking, but in this business I know I have to make an effort and just do it. Maybe I can find a big enough pillow to land on?#5. For the last seven years I’ve either been a part of or participated in the Muskoka Novel Marathon. This yearly event is a fundraiser for our local literacy council where about 30 sleep-deprived writers sit in the same room over the course of three days to compete for a chance at publication. Can you say energy drinks?#6. I’ve just recently signed with local literary agency Walden House (Books & Stuff) to represent a new psychic teen series I’ve created entitled, Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls. The first book in the series is about a 15-year-old girl who can communicate with shelter animals. Hmm, wonder where I got that one from?#7. This fact I’m borrowing from my author peep Lisa Orchard because it hit home for me: I really miss my dad. He’s been gone almost thirty years, but there’s still a void in my life that wishes he was still here to fill it. Okay, the following
February 6, 2013
Wenches of Words Wednesday: Sara Daniel
I’m excited to feature fellow Wench of Words, Sara Daniel, a fabulous romance author, on my blog today! This Wench works hard to produce top quality romantic reads, and was featured on my blog back in mid-November. If you get a chance, click HEREto read the post. As for Ms. Daniel’s latest release, take it away, Sara…With another new release, Wyatt’s Guilt, part of Musa’s Finally Ever After second chance at love series has hit the internet. Wyatt’s Guilt occurs over the wedding weekend for Julianne and Zane (who earned their happily ever after in Zane’s Art) and picks up with the story of their siblings. If you have read Zane’s Art, it’s a chance to catch a glimpse of their (spoiler alert!) happily-ever-after. If you haven’t read it, no worries. Wyatt’s Guilt is a stand-alone story.
Nicole trusted Wyatt with her heart once. She won’t make the same mistake twice. BLURB:
Nicole DeMonde’s car breaks down the moment she returns to her hometown for her brother’s wedding. The cop who stops to help her is none other than local hottie Wyatt Truman, who slept with her then dumped her when they were teens. She has no choice but to accept his help. However, she knows better than to trust him with her heart twice.
Wyatt is determined to earn Nicole’s forgiveness and make amends for his callous past. Once he lays eyes on her, he can’t help wanting a lot more than forgiveness, despite his intention never to hurt her again.
Just as Wyatt starts thinking his best intentions are of the forever variety, Nicole decides to work Wyatt out of her system with a one night stand. Can either of them make peace with the past in a single weekend, let alone survive with their hearts intact?
EXCERPT:
Wyatt touched Nicole’s arm, trying not to notice her warmth and the electric tingle that shot up his fingertips. “Can I talk to you privately?”
She aimed her blue eyes straight at him. Her gaze proved she knew exactly what he was thinking. “Everything is fine, Wyatt. I never told anyone, and I’m not going to start now. The only person who might have guessed was my mother.”
“I’m sorry about your mother.” He closed his eyes briefly, relieved she had no intention of ruining Julianne’s wedding, embarrassed that the possibility of her doing so even crossed his mind. Nicole had proven she could move beyond the past. For him to do so, he had to start with an apology, preferably where no one in their party would overhear. “Please, come with me.”
He guided her through the backdoor of the restaurant. Stepping to the side of the building, he turned to face her. He should have let go of her arm, but somehow speaking came easier while touching her. “I should have apologized first thing when I saw you this afternoon, but meeting over your car troubles caught me off-guard.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I’m over it.”
He shook his head. She might be willing to let him off easy, but he wasn’t ready to forgive himself. “You still deserve a formal apology. I am sorry, very sorry. I treated you horribly fifteen years ago. You have every right to cut off my balls in front of our families.”
Her gaze shot down to his crotch and back up. “You’re the first guy I’ve met who’s been willing to put his testicles on the chopping block for any reason. As I recall, you treated me fine and gave me exactly what I asked for. Of course, I was so smitten that I took it pretty hard when you decided you’d had enough of me.”
Great. He’d delivered his big apology, and now he felt worse than ever. It would have been easier if she’d vowed never to forgive him. She’d been “smitten”? No apology was strong enough. And yet knowing she’d felt more for him than pure lust warmed his lonely soul.
“The point is I wanted you,” Nicole argued, her shiny black hair swaying emphatically with her words. “I threw myself at you and gave as good as I got.”
She didn’t deserve any of the blame. He refused to allow her to share what he alone was responsible for. “You’re not getting it. I planned to hurt you, and I did.”
“I got my heart broken by following it and making stupid choices. It happens. I grew up. I got over it.” She leaned so close to him that he could see violet flecks in her round blue eyes. “What I can’t understand, Wyatt, is why you didn’t.”
BUY LINK
Learn more about Sara Daniel on her website and blog .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Be sure to subscribe to Sara’s newsletter for updates on her latest books and contests.
February 5, 2013
A Book Lover’s Library’s February Author Hunt…
Welcome to my humble blog as you continue to make the rounds throughout this month to participate in the February Author Hunt hosted by A Book Lover’s Library. Rules: I have cleverly scattered clues throughout today’s post, giving you the answers you need to enter the Rafflecopter set up at A Book Lover’s Library . Each correct answer is an entry. Once you’ve read through the post below, click the link to the host’s site and enter for a chance win!Ready, set, happy hunting:
I’m offering up a signed paperback copy of my first novel, and the first in a young adult time travel series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis . It’s a short read at 227 pages, so it will make a great escape book for a chilly weekend! I’m also throwing in some signed trading cards to use as bookmarks or share with your friends! BTW – I just love the way the cover artist used various shades of my favorite color when she created the cover. It’s so pretty!Whew, January was such a busy month cleaning up from the holiday madness I could have used a bulldozer to help me clear away the clutter. Come to think of it, I was nick-named that in grade school because I was good at tackling the boys when we played football during recess! Anyway, once everything was settled and put away, it gave me a chance to read the first book in another the time travel series, The Infinity Ring: A Mutiny In Time, by James Dashner, while sipping on a well-deserved Spanish Coffee – good book, great dessert!
Things weren’t all that hectic over the holidays though, as I did manage to finally see the movie Brave on New Year’s Eve – yeah, we really whooped it up! I also had a chance to meet with a girlfriend to go see Les Miserables just days after it released. Loved it! And it’s got my vote for best picture!January seems a bit of a blur now after finishing the first edits of the prequel to my Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers. Two weeks of working on edits and I was totally ready to enjoy a dram (or two) of single malt scotch from a bottle I’d received from Santa this Christmas. I think after a couple of shots of scotch, I could probably get up the nerve to go in front of any size audience and speak. Like the cartoon character Popeye mowing down on spinach to make him stronger, I wish there was a vegetable that would eliminate your fears, but alas, since I love all veggies, none have helped me conquer this particular fear.
As an author you tend to create scenarios in your head. Now I’ve never had an imaginary friend, but I have had alien voices invade my mind. I’m not talking about space creatures, though I’ve seen enough of the X-Files to believe in them! I’m talking about my character’s voices. All of them! It’s like those monsters in Maurice Sendak’s book, Where the Wild Things Are, trying to make me their leader, then turning on me and try to take over my story! Then I realize that these characters are just ghosts floating around in my imagination, waiting to materialize in my books. Not that I’ve ever seen a real ghost.You know, the funny thing is that I never wanted to be an author when I grew up. My love for animals pulled me in the direction of wanting to be a veterinarian someday. That is until I found out that the job sometimes called for euthanizing animals. I quickly changed my tune and went on to be trained as a graphic artist. It was only because of a dare from a friend that I started thinking about writing a book. Crazy, right? I knew nothing about the craft and writing process, yet decided jump in with both feet to learn how to write a book from scratch.
Once I decided to become an author, I fiddled around with different pen names but always came back to the name which means a plain in Israel. Go figure. It’s not really glamorous, but a name by any other rose…wait – there’s a rose named Sharon too! Well, I’d better go feed my furry four-legged children – a slobbery yellow Labrador and moody calico cat – a since they’re stalking me as I finished writing this. Hey, at least I get to take care of my own animals! BTW – if you surf by my website – www.sharonledwith.com – you’ll be able to see a photo of them on the ‘About Me’ page. Wishing you all the best of luck looking for clues from the other participating authors on the February Author Hunt! Cheers!
January 30, 2013
Wenches of Words Wednesday: Marci Boudreaux
I’m excited to feature fellow Wench of Words, Marci Boudreaux, a fabulous romance author, on my blog today! Like the title of her book suggests, this author cranks out words that are unforgettable. Take it away, Marci…
ROMANCE AS IT’S MEANT TO BE Is the buzz about Marci Boudreaux's new release Unforgettable You. Here's a little for your reading pleasure.
When life throws a widowed innkeeper and a world-famous movie star together they share an unexpected romance. But is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?
BLURB:
Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law, Doreen, in the woman’s home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a handful of Hollywood’s most elite actors at the manor. Despite her resentment of the demands being placed upon her, she can’t help but be taken in by actor Will Walker.
Will, in a last-ditch effort to save his career, has agreed to a project he has no interest in. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to Carrie. Long nights spent talking about the paths their lives have taken make him realize he’d rather have a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. aren’t as willing to let him go.
With the temptation of stardom pulling Will in one direction and the need to care for Doreen tugging Carrie in another, the couple struggle to hold onto the happiness they were missing until finding each other.
EXCERPT:
“It must be heart-wrenching to see Doreen fading away like that,” Will said.
Carrie’s face sagged. “It isn’t easy.”
“It’s a lot of work trying to keep up with her.”
“Sometimes,” she said dismissively as she looked at the menu. She glanced at the clock again. “Well, I won’t be slow roasting chicken tonight, will I?”
“I’m worried about you.”
“About me?” she asked lightly. “Why?”
“This is a lot for one person to handle.”
“I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I am.”
“Carrie.” He coaxed gently. Turning from the menu, she seemed to plea with her eyes.
“What do you want me to say, Will?”
“You can start by telling me how you are doing.”
“How the hell do you think I’m doing?” He took in the deep creases on her forehead and the puffiness of her eyes.
“Not nearly as well as you’d like everyone to believe.”
“Falling apart is not an option right now.”
“Well, burying it isn’t either.”
Carrie opened her mouth as if to argue with him but, after a moment, she stepped back, putting space between them. He watched her pull out a Dutch oven and carry it to the sink to fill with water.
Moving to her side, he looked down at her. “Can you just talk to me? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking?” she asked. “I’ve spent the last two years pretending that my dead husband is at the grocery store,” she sat the pot on a burner, “returning insane purchases, picking her up from all over the county after she’s driven off to some place that no longer exists, if it ever did exist, but somehow it didn’t seem real until today.”
“The disease—”
“I know,” she said turning to look at him. “I know what it does. But I never really felt it. Pretending Mike is running errands, taking away her access to money, hiding the car keys, it all seemed so ordinary. Laundry? Check. Dishes? Check. Lie to Mama? Check.”
He saw fresh tears shimmering in her eyes before she turned toward the drawer where she’d hidden the knobs for the stove to prevent Mama from turning on the heat.
She tried several times to get the knob in place but it resisted her push, refused to fit. Cursing under her breath, Carrie slammed it down and turned to face him. “I’ve read the books, I’ve done the research, I’ve talked to support groups and doctors, but nothing they said could have possibly prepared me for that,” she said as the tears that had made her eyes shine fell down her cheeks.
“Nothing could have prepared me for her not knowing who I am.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he reached out to her. When he wrapped her in his arms, she leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. A sob escaped her causing her shoulders to shake and he soothed her by whispering softly and running his hand over her back.
BUY LINK
Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE .
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
ROMANCE AS IT’S MEANT TO BE Is the buzz about Marci Boudreaux's new release Unforgettable You. Here's a little for your reading pleasure.
When life throws a widowed innkeeper and a world-famous movie star together they share an unexpected romance. But is their love strong enough to survive their real lives? BLURB:
Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law, Doreen, in the woman’s home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a handful of Hollywood’s most elite actors at the manor. Despite her resentment of the demands being placed upon her, she can’t help but be taken in by actor Will Walker.
Will, in a last-ditch effort to save his career, has agreed to a project he has no interest in. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to Carrie. Long nights spent talking about the paths their lives have taken make him realize he’d rather have a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. aren’t as willing to let him go.
With the temptation of stardom pulling Will in one direction and the need to care for Doreen tugging Carrie in another, the couple struggle to hold onto the happiness they were missing until finding each other.
EXCERPT:
“It must be heart-wrenching to see Doreen fading away like that,” Will said.
Carrie’s face sagged. “It isn’t easy.”
“It’s a lot of work trying to keep up with her.”
“Sometimes,” she said dismissively as she looked at the menu. She glanced at the clock again. “Well, I won’t be slow roasting chicken tonight, will I?”
“I’m worried about you.”
“About me?” she asked lightly. “Why?”
“This is a lot for one person to handle.”
“I’m fine.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I am.”
“Carrie.” He coaxed gently. Turning from the menu, she seemed to plea with her eyes.
“What do you want me to say, Will?”
“You can start by telling me how you are doing.”
“How the hell do you think I’m doing?” He took in the deep creases on her forehead and the puffiness of her eyes.
“Not nearly as well as you’d like everyone to believe.”
“Falling apart is not an option right now.”
“Well, burying it isn’t either.”
Carrie opened her mouth as if to argue with him but, after a moment, she stepped back, putting space between them. He watched her pull out a Dutch oven and carry it to the sink to fill with water.
Moving to her side, he looked down at her. “Can you just talk to me? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking?” she asked. “I’ve spent the last two years pretending that my dead husband is at the grocery store,” she sat the pot on a burner, “returning insane purchases, picking her up from all over the county after she’s driven off to some place that no longer exists, if it ever did exist, but somehow it didn’t seem real until today.”
“The disease—”
“I know,” she said turning to look at him. “I know what it does. But I never really felt it. Pretending Mike is running errands, taking away her access to money, hiding the car keys, it all seemed so ordinary. Laundry? Check. Dishes? Check. Lie to Mama? Check.”
He saw fresh tears shimmering in her eyes before she turned toward the drawer where she’d hidden the knobs for the stove to prevent Mama from turning on the heat.
She tried several times to get the knob in place but it resisted her push, refused to fit. Cursing under her breath, Carrie slammed it down and turned to face him. “I’ve read the books, I’ve done the research, I’ve talked to support groups and doctors, but nothing they said could have possibly prepared me for that,” she said as the tears that had made her eyes shine fell down her cheeks.
“Nothing could have prepared me for her not knowing who I am.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered as he reached out to her. When he wrapped her in his arms, she leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. A sob escaped her causing her shoulders to shake and he soothed her by whispering softly and running his hand over her back.
BUY LINK
Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE .
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
January 27, 2013
Developing a Positive Mental Attitude: Part Three
I must admit, there’s a lot to keeping up a positive mental attitude (PMA) these days. So much of a writer’s time and attention seems to be pulled in every direction, and I’ve found that negative thoughts can creep in on you when you least expect it. But if you keep up the good fight and learn to tame your mind by subjecting it to positive thoughts, then I believe the sky’s the limit.If you’ve missed Part Two of Developing a Positive Mental Attitude, please click HERE to read over the post. Now, as promised, here are the final PMA building blocks to help you create a solid foundation for a better life…
27. Return every benefit you receive with one of equal or greater value.
28. Avoid the fear of old age by remembering that nothing is ever taken from you without being replaced by something of equal or greater value. Youth, for instance, is replaced by wisdom.
29. Trust that adequate solutions can be found for all your problems, but accept the fact that the solutions may not always be the ones you want.
30. Rely on the examples of others to remind you that any disadvantage can be overcome. Think Thomas Edison or Helen Keller.
31. Embrace any opportunity to learn how others see you, and use it to take inventory of yourself and look for things which need improvement. Do not fear criticism; encourage it.
32. Create a mastermind alliance with others to work actively together toward a common goal and purpose. Discuss your progress and insights and gain the benefit of a much wider range of experience.
33. Grasp the differences between wishing, hoping, desiring, and having a burning desire to achieve your goal. Only a burning desire gives you a driving motivation, and it can be fueled only by a positive mental attitude.
34. Abstain from negative conversations, especially gossip, or tearing apart other people’s reputations.
35. Discipline your mind to shape your destiny toward whatever purpose in life you have chosen.
36. Be yourself at all times.
37. Say nothing that does not reflect your positive mental attitude!
38. Believe in the existence of Infinite Intelligence, which makes it possible for you to draw on all the power you need to take possession of your own mind and direct it toward whatever you choose.
39. Believe in your ability to become free and self-determining, and put that belief to work by acting upon it. Do it now!
If you read over these building blocks at least once a week for six months, you will so thoroughly indoctrinate yourself with these habits and mind conditioners that your mental attitude will become and remain positive at all times. Good luck and best wishes for creating your new improved life!
