Christi Snow's Blog, page 32

So Many Things...First Line Friday, Cover Reveal, and Interviews!

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress or a previous release. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing the first few lines of my upcoming release, Found At the Library. 





Hands down, this is my favorite book I've ever written. It features two wonderful men who have a shared passion for books.They just interpret that passion in very different ways. 
When I wrote it, it was supposed to be a light, happy, feel-good holiday story. 
That's not quite how it worked. It turned out to be so much more. 
There's so much emotion to this book. I still cry every time I read it. 
I hope you fall in love with Tommy and Mac as much as I did. 
It's releasing October 23rd and all the pre-order buttons should be up within the next week.
Amazon preorder for ebook
Kobo preorder 
iBooks preorder (Watch this space and I'll update as the links go live.)

Found at the LibraryStory Description:
His entire life, Tommy Garrett has dealt with self-doubts. He thought he’d conquered the majority of them until a chance meeting with an author brought his illiteracy to the forefront...again. Growing up with un-diagnosed dyslexia has left Tommy barely able to read, but books are his Nirvana. Now he spends his life creating art dedicated to the love of those “untouchable” items.
Robert McIntyre, Mac, is a best-selling, highly celebrated author. But his point of view has become a little bit too narrow...until Tommy opens his eyes. That chance meeting has changed everything about his world. He has no idea how to find the beautiful man he met, and offended, at the library book sale. But when he does, Tommy’s life is in crisis-mode. It’s the holidays and Mac can’t just standby when Tommy needs help, whether Tommy wants it or not.
Two artistic men. One shared passion for books.
Life is hard, and sometimes when conflict arises you have to write your own plot twist to pull yourself out of the fray.
*****
After you check mine out, go see what Kelly is up to...


And a few other announcements to share with you. 
I have two author interviews coming up this week.

The first can be found tonight at 7:00 PM PST at  1Rad-Reader Reviews . In this one we chatted the characters in Right By Your Side and a little bit about what's to come in that series.

hint: If you sneak over there early, there's another new cover reveal listed on the blog! 
*cough* Josh and KC *cough*


Then on Thursday at 12:00 CST, I'll be doing a live interview with the SilverHart authors, Scott Silverii and Liliana Hart. 

Here's the link for where the chat will be. You also can subscribe to it so you'll get information about it.https://blab.im/silverhart-writers-lunch-with-silverhart-writers-author-christi-snow
Whew, it's been a busy week. And I have tons of fun stuff to share, so I should be blogging more often. Watch this space!

First Line Friday: The Shadow of Mudflap

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress or a previous release. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing an excerpt from The Shadow of Mudflap

This was a book that's perfect for this time of the year. 
It was all about spies.College football.Terrorist plots. 
and of course...
romance between the female spy and badass firefighter.
(and all the proceeds go to a local Lubbock, TX charity)

To us, first responders are heroes. But for them, risking their lives is a normal, everyday thing.

Mudflap:
Born the baby of the family, Mudflap has always had something to prove to emerge out of the shadows of his older siblings. He spent eight years as a Special Ops elite sniper and is now a firefighter. But at his heart, he’s just a normal West Texas good old boy who loves his beer, women and football, until the Department of Defense calls him up to say they need his skills again.

Shanae:
Shanae is a first responder of a different sort. She’s a trauma nurse who works on a medical evacuation helicopter team. But while she lives a life full of adrenaline every day, it’s just a cover for her real life, where she hides in the shadows and is secret agent, Shadowfox for the Lubbock Foxtrot Team (LiFT). She’s living the kind of life that most people think exists only in movies and books.

Working for two different branches of the government, Mudflap and Shanae are in a race against time and the terrorists who threaten the very heart of West Texas life, football. They’re working toward the same goal, but find themselves in a confrontation against each other and the lies they’ve each had to hide behind. Can love win out in the end or will the cost be each other and their very lives?

First responders are heroes every day, but this story tells the tale of when they become even more and find love along the way. The key is for them to stay alive so that they can complete their mission and just maybe live happily ever after.

On an ordinary day, they save lives. On an extraordinary day, they save the country.

(All the proceeds from this novel will go to a local Lubbock, TX charity.)

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***After you check mine out, go see what Kelly is up to...

It's Release Day for RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE!

For those of you that have been impatiently waiting for the Martins, they are finally here.

The first book in the Martin Ranch series, Right By Your Side, releases today.
This series will follow the same style that my When the Mission Ends series had.
Lots of romance, intrigue, and suspense built around a core family of siblings...the Martins.
The first book features Scott Martin, the second oldest of the four boys. The paramedic. The nurturer. But now, he has someone new to take care of...

Skye Taylor.Country Music Star. 
Loyal Friend. 
All alone in a bad situation.

Best Female Country Artist. Sold out world-wide tour. Record-setting album sales. It’s been a stellar year for Skye Taylor and it’s left her exhausted. All she wants to do is go home to Oklahoma, curl up in her little house, and veg out in pj’s with a pile of junk food. But when her tour bus crashes in the middle of West Texas, her priorities suddenly shift. Now she’s sitting bedside hoping her best friend and bodyguard, KC, survives.
For Scott Martin, he simply wants this horrible year to end. After the murder of his brother, his family is falling apart. With one crisis after another pulling him back to the family ranch, he’s put way too many late night miles on his truck between his family home and Lubbock, where he works as a paramedic. When he comes upon the wrecked tour bus, he has no idea this is one emergency which will change his life forever.
Skye and Scott quickly form a friendship which hints at possibilities of more. But as these two dodge paparazzi, over-zealous label executives, and stalker fans, they soon discover that everything is easier when you have someone you trust RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE. And that becomes even more important when they discover the bus wreck wasn’t an accident…
Goodreads Link
PURCHASE LINKS
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iBooks
Barnes & Noble

Chapter One“I’m sorry,” Skye Taylor yelled at the hulking mountain of angry man glaring down at her. KC Morelli vibrated where he stood, but Skye wasn’t sure how much of that was anger and how much of it was from the rhythm of the road below the tour bus wheels. “How the hell was I supposed to know that would happen? It was a tiny convenience store in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t think anyone would recognize me.” She heaved a sigh at the mulish expression of exasperation on KC’s face. He was her best friend, and she hated when they fought. But KC Morelli was about the most stubborn man she knew. Something she had in common with him, which meant they knocked heads way too often, especially since he was with her twenty-four-seven as her bodyguard. “Skye,” he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, “we’re in Texas, the land of cowboys and country music. Everyone here knows who you are now. You can’t go wandering around without any regard to your safety. I can’t do my job if you don’t respect that fact.”That lack of independence was the root of the problem between them. She’d wanted ten minutes to breathe her own air without someone looking over her shoulder. She loved KC, but after a year on tour and the past month filled with never-ending stress, she just needed some space. Ever since she’d been named as Best New Emerging Artist the month before, her life had become the pure definition of crazy, with stalkers, fans, and paparazzi at every turn. “Just promise me you won’t go into convenience stores by yourself anymore,” he said, his tone softening.One tiny little freedom, she didn’t want to give it up. “We’re in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere, KC.” Her voice had taken a whiny tone, but she was feeling damn whiny.“Just don’t.” His expression hardened again and she knew she’d lost the fight. She’d just freaking needed some chocolate, something he never understood. The guy was the pure definition of health nut, and he didn’t put a single unhealthy thing in his body. As a result, he gave her a hard time when she did. Chocolate fed her hormones and kept her from lashing out at everyone around her...namely KC. She hadn’t meant to start a riot. She rubbed her temples. God, when had this reality become her life?“You’re right.” She relented as guilt plagued her. “Obviously, you’re right. Those poor people. We need to do something for the ones who were taken to the hospital.” It had gotten out of control so quickly, with people swarming and only KC to fight them off. Two teenage girls had gotten hurt in the melee. KC ran his calloused fingertips over the throbbing bruise high on her cheek leftover from someone’s elbow. “You probably should have gone to the hospital yourself to get this looked at, too.”She shook her head, the headache throbbing behind her eyes. “No, it’s fine. It’s just a bruise. We don’t need the bad PR.”He sighed deeply, and she could see the exhaustion pulling at him as he swayed with the rhythm of the tour bus driving down the road. It was only eight o’clock at night, but they’d been running on fumes for too long. “Why don’t you go back and use the bed in the bedroom?” she instructed. “I’m going to try to work on some songs, and I know you could use some sleep. Grab it while you can.”He stared at her in consternation before rubbing a hand over his strong-boned, beautiful, Italian face with a sigh. “Okay, let me grab your guitar for you so you can stay buckled in your seat. Then I’ll check in with Roger and take you up on that offer.”He always worried about her safety and hated tour buses because no one liked to stay belted in while driving. Since it was just the two of them and their driver, Roger, on this drive, she avoided the fight and buckled up.If only there were seatbelts for the roller coaster her life had become.***Two hours later, Skye was pretty sure she had the start of a new song. That was good. Ever since she’d started fighting with her label, agent, and manager, the lyrics hadn’t been coming to her. She’d begun to wonder if the award had jinxed her, because the arguments started right after she won it. She placed her guitar on the chair beside her and stretched her arms above her head, trying to peer through the dark windows. Looking down the aisle toward the bedroom, she could be thankful that at least KC was finally getting some rest. She hadn’t heard a peep out of him since he’d closed the bedroom door.She needed to stretch and reached down to undo her seat belt when the bus suddenly lurched. She grabbed the armrests on her chair in panic. For a suspended whisper in time, they hung there and then the bus shuddered as the world began to spin. The contents of the bus crashed around her with a cacophonous explosion of noise. Her head banged up against the cabinet next to her. Instant pain exploded in her head. Everything spun in time with the rolling of the monstrous vehicle. The seatbelt holding her in place burned against her hips as they rolled over and over. Her fingers clawed into the seat, and she said a silent prayer. Objects flew and banged into her. Midway through the rolls, the lights went out.When the bus groaned to a stop, she hung sideways. Her breath sawed in and out, the only sound she could hear except for the metal of the bus frame shuddering and popping.Her brain realigned with reality. They’d crashed. She tried to get her thinking to clear. “KC!” she screamed. Oh God, he hadn’t been seat-belted in. And what about Roger? She had to get out and help them. Somebody had to help them. She tried to see below her, but her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark yet. She could only see something was down there. Grasping the belt buckle, she took a deep breath, ignoring how much that hurt her ribs and pretty much everything down the right side of her body. Out of the bus. She had to get out of the bus. She punched the seatbelt button and curled into a ball as she dropped. Ow. Pain burst through her torso and black spots danced behind her eyes. She heaved a breath, trying to get her lungs to cooperate past the pain in her ribs and the acrid fumes that burned her nasal passages and throat. Her sight had begun adjusting to the dark and she reached forward. She screamed as pain sizzled down her right arm. Okay, don’t move that arm. Leading with her left arm, she gingerly felt around the sideways bus, her other arm cradled against her. The socks on her feet did little to protect her soles from the broken glass and wreckage. Her legs shook with adrenaline and pain. From the light of the half-moon she could see the wreckage had broken apart in three separate sections. And, oh God, the back section, where the engine sat, was engulfed in flames. KC had been back there.Skye stumbled across the rough terrain, ignoring the pain wracking her body. She had to get to him.***Scott Martin sang along with the song on the radio, trying to stay awake after a double shift—equal to four days on-call—working his paramedic job in Lubbock, Texas. He’d been driving for twenty minutes. Only fifteen minutes to go, and he’d be within reach of his bed.Skye Taylor, the gorgeous brunette with the body that didn’t quit, sang a beautiful ballad about life and loss on the radio. He’d watched her last month as she won her Emerging Artist award. Something about her seemed so real to him. She’d been all smiles that night, but it was the sadness that lingered in her eyes that got to him, that spoke to him. Maybe it had something to do with the broken heart she sang about in this song, but she seemed lonely. While he knew who she was—hell, who didn’t—he had no idea what her background was. Maybe he should Google her.He wasn’t the type to normally become infatuated by stars of any sort, but Skye…yeah, he wouldn’t turn her out of his bed. Not that he’d ever have that chance. Hell, at this point in his life he wouldn’t turn too many women out of his bed. It had been entirely too long since he’d gotten laid. After the craziness last year at the family ranch, he hadn’t had the time or the energy except to put one foot in front of the other. He certainly didn’t have time to romance a woman, even if someone had piqued his interest, which hadn’t happened. And his brain had begun to wander again. He was too close to falling asleep at the wheel, so he turned the air conditioning up to full blast. Late September was actually the time of the year when they usually got a break in the incessant West Texas heat, but tonight the temperature had nothing to do with it. He just needed to stay awake. Shit, he was so tired, but the guilt trip Andrew laid on him during that dinner break phone call worked. So he was on his way to the family ranch rather than the bed where he’d rather be. Andrew hinted that there might be something physically wrong with their father, although the old man refused to go see a doctor. No matter what was going on, it wasn’t within Scott’s character to ignore a medical issue. It went against his very nature as a paramedic. He had the next four days off. Although he usually tried to avoid spending much time at home, he’d help out on the ranch and watch their father for any warning signs. Andrew swore their father wasn’t drinking again, but after the stress of the last year, Scott wasn’t sure his dad could resist the allure. He was a recovering alcoholic and that was never an easy thing. Scott knew the facts. Hell, they’d all found their ways of coping, but if he was honest, none of the Martin men had taken a very healthy approach toward dealing with the stress of Thomas’s sudden death. Death. He gave a bitter chuckle into the emptiness of the car. That word sounded so mild in the face of the reality of the situation. His brother Thomas was murdered in a senseless act of criminal violence on their family ranch. Of course, they’d all taken it hard.He shook his head, shaking off the morbid thoughts and drowsiness. As he rounded the next curve in the road, a ball of flames erupted out of the carcass of a vehicle in the middle of the field. His lethargy scattered as adrenaline hit swift and furious. He slammed on his brakes and dialed 911 on his cell phone, grabbing his emergency medical bag as his truck skidded to a halt along the shoulder of the road. ***Skye found KC buried under a smoldering wall of the bus, the upper half of his torso sticking out from under a pile of debris. She knelt by his head. Please be alive, please be alive.Brushing her hand across the side of his face, she said, “KC, can you hear me?”“Skye?” he asked, falling into wracking coughs.“Yeah, it’s me. Can you tell me what’s hurt?”“My back and legs.” He coughed again weakly. “You okay?” He tried to reach for her, but he was pinned onto his stomach. “I can’t move. You need to get out of here, Skye. Something could explode.”She examined the huge piece of bus lying across the lower portion of his torso and legs. Smoke rose off it and the plastic buckled and rolled where it had melted, but none of it was on fire right now. Another part of the bus burned right behind it. The huge, hulking piece of twisted metal looked like the engine, which meant the fuel tank was probably nearby. In the dark it was difficult to distinguish the details. She wouldn’t leave him, though.How much time did she have to free him before it all blew up?She grasped the edge of the wall of the bus and tugged. It shifted slightly. KC groaned in pain. Throwing her legs into the effort, she pulled and yelled at him, “KC, drag yourself out if you can.”He shifted, and she offered up a prayer, begging that they both find the strength to do this. She couldn’t live in this world without him by her side. She pulled harder, the muscles in her arms, her injured shoulder, and thighs screaming at the effort. The jagged edge of the metal of the wall tore into the palm of her hand, but she couldn’t let go. KC struggled in effort. She had to keep this off him so he could get out.Suddenly—like someone heard her pleading prayer—a man ran up to KC, grabbed him under his arms, and dragged him free of the wall, hauling him a safe distance from the wreckage. Skye collapsed in relief, but the man yelled, “Get away from there! That fuel tank could blow.” Then he went back to checking KC.KC began to struggle against the stranger examining his injuries. KC’s focus was always foremost on her safety before his own. The damn man would hurt himself further if he continued to struggle. She rushed to help calm him down. Oh, shit. She stumbled, and a sob burst out of her as she got close enough see KC’s back in the glow from the fire. Midway down his back and his legs, skin and clothing hung in tatters with blood dripping. Regardless of what had to be incredible pain, he struggled to get up onto his knees and hands to get to her. The Good Samaritan tried to subdue him. “I need you to stop moving. At least let me get a collar on you to help stabilize your spine.” She squatted by KC’s head, rubbing her hand down the side of his face. “Kase, it’s fine. I’m right here. Please, hold still so you don’t hurt yourself anymore.”“Skye?” He coughed and blood peppered his lips. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. She didn’t have any medical training, but she knew that wasn’t good. “Yeah, it’s me. It’s going to be okay.” It had to be okay. A huge rock sat in the middle of her chest over her heart. A heart breaking with the thought that he might not make it out of this. “Please, KC, just hold still,” she soothed. “I’m fine.”“You aren’t…” he coughed again, “hurt?”“No, I’m fine. It’s you who got hurt. So much for that nap, right?” She turned in panic to the man who had fastened a collar around KC, covered him with a thermal blanket and appeared to be taking his pulse rate. Where did he come from? He seemed to know what he was doing. “What are you doing?” she asked, needing reassurance of some sort. “It’s okay. I’m a paramedic. I’m trying to stabilize his spine right now.” He whispered, “Do whatever you can to keep him still and calm.”“Is he going to be okay?”The man didn’t answer. He simply pressed his lips together in a tight line and continued working on KC.“Listen to me, KC. You’re going to be okay. This guy here seems to know what he’s doing and you’re going to be fine.” She swallowed against the nausea that threatened when she thought about the skin that had been peeling off his back. How had this happened?“I forgot Roger,” she gasped. She hadn’t even thought about her coach driver.“Was he the driver?” the paramedic asked. She nodded because she could already see the unspoken answer in his eyes. He shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he told her. “There wasn’t anything I could do. Was there anyone else in the bus?” He scanned over the scattered wreckage. She swallowed against her tears. “No, it was just the three of us.” His hands returned to flying over KC’s body as he worked on him, searching the extent of his injuries.Oh, shit, why hadn’t they flown home like KC wanted? Now he was hurt, and Roger was dead because she’d insisted on keeping the tour bus. All because she’d selfishly wanted to keep the comforts of her home-away-from-home, and maintain a modicum of privacy. By driving she could continue to write her music and not have to deal with fans if she didn’t want to leave the bus. “Do you know…is he allergic to any medications?” the paramedic asked. “No, no allergies. He’s always been incredibly healthy. Not that that has anything to do with allergies, but he never has to go to the doctor. He takes care of himself.” She knew she was rambling, but panic pressed on her chest. She didn’t know what else to do to help.“Skye,” KC gasped, sounding like it was getting harder and harder for him to breathe.“I’m right here, Kase.” She twined her fingers in his hand so he could feel her.“Love you…” He closed his eyes.“No, no, no,” she sobbed and clutched frantically at his hand. “Do something,” she screamed at the paramedic. “It’s okay,” the paramedic said as he checked KC’s pulse rate again. “He just passed out from the combination of stress on his system. He probably has a bit of smoke inhalation, too. I think he’s okay for the moment. The medevac helicopter should be here any minute now.” Even as he said that, Skye could hear the beating of helicopter rotors and the distant wail of sirens. Oh, thank God, more help was almost here. She ran her fingers through KC’s short cropped hair. “Hang on, Kase. The helicopter’s coming. They’ll get you fixed right up.” That had to be true. She couldn’t live without her best friend.***Scott Martin watched as the girl—her boyfriend had called her Skye—became inconsolable after the helicopter took off. She was adamant that she needed to be with him, but she was in pretty bad shape, too. Her injuries didn’t look as life threatening as the guy’s had, but she was definitely getting shocky. He was worried about the injury to her head. Even though she didn’t seem aware of it, blood continued to drip down her face, running trails through the soot and grime covering her.  She appeared so small, vulnerable, and alone as she swayed slowly with her arms tucked against her stomach.“Okay, miss, why don’t you sit down and let me look at you? The ambulance is almost here.” She wouldn’t let him touch her while she’d been focused on her boyfriend. But she was running on pure adrenaline which could camouflage any amount of injuries until her body began to shut down. He didn’t want her collapsing to the ground.“Where are they taking him?” she asked.“Probably Lubbock Mercy. Most the med-flights go in there, and they have a burn unit.” Her eyes widened. He knew she’d seen the guy’s back, but denial was a powerful thing in the midst of a trauma situation. “What’s your name?” he asked her gently, needing to keep her focused and lucid. “Can you tell me what happened?”“Skye. That was KC, and my driver was…” A sob erupted from her as she crumpled. Scott caught her and gently lowered her down to a sitting position on the ground. “My driver was Roger. Oh God. I need to call his daughter.”He grabbed his stethoscope to listen to her chest. Her heart beat way too fast. “You need to calm down,” he soothed. “Where were you all traveling?”“We left Austin earlier today and were headed up to Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma. Home. I should have let Roger go on, and KC and I could have flown. It’s what KC wanted to do. Why didn’t I do that? Oh, God, this is all my fault.”“Shh, it’s okay. Calm down. Working yourself up right now won’t do anyone any good. Why were you in Austin?” He needed to distract her.“My label wants a new contract, so we were trying to negotiate that.” She chuckled harshly. “Not that that did us any good. Those bastards are trying to take advantage of me.”He stilled. “Wait a minute.” He cleaned some of the blood from her face, to see how bad the head wound was, but also to see her pale face by the light of his flashlight. Her luminous green eyes shimmered. Then the name she’d said clicked. “You’re Skye Taylor, aren’t you? I was just listening to you on the radio.”She nodded her head and then closed her eyes with a pain-filled grimace. “Yeah,” she whispered, suddenly paling even more. She tilted to the side. “Whoa,” he said as he steadied her. “Tell me what’s happening?”“Dizzy.” She swallowed hard and began breathing a bit heavier. “Feeling a bit sick.” He flashed his flashlight to check the reaction of her pupils as he talked. They appeared normal. “Okay, throw up if you need to. Just try to miss me, okay?” She glared at him, and he chuckled. Even after everything that happened she still had some sass in her. He liked that. He lifted the chestpiece of his stethoscope. “I’m gonna use this to listen to your chest.” Everything sounded clear, but her breathing sounded shallow. “I know your head and your arm hurt. What else hurts?”“Ribs on the right side.”She held her injured arm clamped to that side, so he hadn’t explored the area too much. “Okay, let me check them real quick and make sure you don’t have something else going on.”He started pressing his fingers along her side, brushing the underside of her breast.“Wow, look at you,” she murmured on a gasp of pain. “You made it to second base, and I don’t even know your name.”“Scott. Scott Martin.” He smiled up at her. But when his gaze met hers, he got lost for a moment. She tentatively smiled back. He knew from his examination of her pupils that her eyes were clear green with a slight tilt up in the corner to give her an exotic look even in her current disheveled state.But then he moved his fingers again and she winced in pain. He probed those two ribs more carefully. “I can’t tell for sure, but those could be broken. They’re at least cracked, so let’s not move too much, okay? I don’t want you to puncture a lung.”The wail of the sirens grew louder and the red lights flashed over the crash site to signal the arrival of help. Scott patted her arm. “Hang on. Let me guide the paramedics over here.”Scott took off at a jog to intercept the paramedics, relief flooding him when he saw the distinctive blue and gold seal on the side of the ambulance. It would be headed into Mercy Trauma Center with her, too. The same place her boyfriend was taken.Within fifteen minutes, the paramedics had Skye strapped onto a stretcher and were loading her up. The police arrived and recorded the pertinent names and information from her so they could contact the victim’s families, although from what he heard that meant just the driver’s family. It sounded like Skye and KC relied only on each other. She’d told the cops there wasn’t anyone else to contact. Shouldn’t she have someone who needed to know what happened? She was a huge star in the country music world.In addition to the definite injuries Scott discovered, the paramedics found something he’d been worried about. Her abdomen had been heavily bruised by the seat belt, and they were worried about possible internal hemorrhaging, especially as Skye’s condition had deteriorated. She clutched at his hand, but as they lifted to load her, she panicked. “You’re not going with me?”“No, there’s not enough room for all of us, but I’ll come check on you first thing in the morning.” The first rule of paramedic care was not to let emotions get involved at a trauma scene, but something was different with this one. He couldn’t tell her no.“You promise?” She sounded so scared and vulnerable. He hated not going in with her, but knew he would just be in the way in the ER. Plus he desperately needed some sleep and to check things at the ranch. “I promise.” He threaded his fingers through hers. “And by then you’ll feel a lot better, too.”“I’m gonna hold you to that one,” she whispered, her voice growing weaker. “Thank you, Scott Martin. I don’t know where you came from, but I’m awfully glad you showed up when you did.” She finally relaxed her hold on his hand, closed her eyes, and lay her head back. Her face was so pale. As they left the scene, he examined the accident site. The police had set up spotlights and he looked around the mutilated wreckage of the tour bus. They would be investigating this one since it was just a one-vehicle accident with a death, but the odds were the bus driver had simply fallen asleep at the wheel or swerved to miss a deer. He marveled that Skye was in as good of shape as she was. She probably could be thankful to the seatbelt for that, and he shook his head. So few people in these big coaches ever wore seatbelts. She’d been extremely lucky tonight. He hoped her boyfriend proved to be as lucky, for both their sakes.

First Line Friday: When Love Intrudes

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress or a previous release. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing some of the first lines from When Love Intrudes


This was the fourth book in the When the Mission Ends series and it's also the book that kicked off the Snowcroft series. Several of the future heroes and the town of Snowcroft were featured in this book. 
***

Toni Vincent’s last relationship ended with violence. Since then, she’s decided she’s better off without men. But when she finds her young seventeen year old neighbor, Nathan, unconscious and beaten, this is one man she can’t abandon. But helping Nathan means trusting Detective Brian Barnes, another man who hurt her in the past. It’s something she’s just not sure she can do.

Detective Brian Barnes has seen one too many criminals beat the system. He’s burned out and regretting a lot about his life. At the top of that list is how he dealt with Toni Vincent when he was wounded. At the time, he couldn't stand to look at himself, much less have someone he failed care for him. Now she needs his help and he refuses to fail her again. But keeping her alive requires keeping his heart out of it. Something not easy to do when trapped in a romantic mountain retreat, even if it is the safest place for Toni and her unexpected charge.

With danger around every corner, it’s hard to know who can be trusted, especially for three people who have been burned before. But they may just find the best family is the one not tied together by blood.
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***
After you check mine out, go see what the other girls are up to...

Cover news and bookmarks...

My brilliant and talented cover designer, Amanda Matthews, from AM Design Studios, has been doing brilliant things with my covers. 
As a result, we have some really fun things planned for you as far as cover reveals.
As I think most of you know, Right By Your Side releases next week (Sept 23).  Preorder here...Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks

The Martin Ranch series will have 4 main books in the series...Right By Your Side is the first. 
BUT Amanda has already designed all FOUR covers. 
Nope, nope...I'm not showing them yet. 
BUT there is a way for you to get a sneak peek of all of them. 
I just happen to have bookmarks that show them all. 
If you sign up for my mailing list with your address, I will send you a bookmark (maybe even more than one...the others will be from previous books or just for fun)...

Oh, and if you're already signed up? No worries...a bookmark is on its way to you, already!
Just look over there in my right sidebar and there's a sign-up form >>>
That's all you have to do and I'll send you one of these bookmarks a couple of weeks before anyone else gets to see the other covers. Sound like a fun plan??

And continue to watch this space because we have more fun stuff to come...especially for my October release, Found at the Library, my male/male holiday release.

First Line Friday...Operation Endurance

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress or a previous release. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing some of the first lines from Operation: Endurance
. This book was the third full-length book from the When the Mission Ends series.
They had a single night of passion before he deployed on a risky mission.18 hours on a mission gone very wrong was all it took to shatter all their hopes and dreams.The Hero:He survived 6 months of captivity and torture, kept alive by dreams of her.The Heroine:She thought he was dead and moved on only to have her world fall apart once again.
Two people who have been hurt more than any two people should ever have to suffer. Can they find redemption and healing with each other or will another threat shatter what’s left of them?
A tortured hero.A grieving heroine.A serial rapist who won’t give up.

Warning: This book features graphic sexual violence which some readers could find disturbing. 
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*****
After you check mine out, go see what the other girls are up to...

You can preorder Right By Your Side NOW!

It's coming...Just a couple more weeks before the Sept 23rd release date for Right By Your Side, the first Martin Ranch Series book.
Best Female Country Artist. Sold out world-wide tour. Record-setting album sales. It’s been a stellar year for Skye Taylor and it’s left her exhausted. All she wants to do is go home to Oklahoma, curl up in her little house, and veg out in pj’s with a pile of junk food. But when her tour bus crashes in the middle of West Texas, her priorities suddenly shift. Now she’s sitting bedside hoping her best friend and bodyguard, KC, survives.

For Scott Martin, he simply wants this horrible year to end. After the murder of his brother, his family is falling apart. With one crisis after another pulling him back to the family ranch, he’s put way too many late night miles on his truck between his family home and Lubbock, where he works as a paramedic. When he comes upon the wrecked tour bus, he has no idea this is one emergency which will change his life forever.

Skye and Scott quickly form a friendship which hints at possibilities of more. But as these two dodge paparazzi, over-zealous label executives, and stalker fans, they soon discover that everything is easier when you have someone you trust RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE. And that becomes even more important when they discover the bus wreck wasn’t an accident…
Goodreads Link
PREORDER PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon
Kobo
iBooks
Coming soon...(will add in link when that happens):Barnes & Noble


Note: If you are a book reviewer/blogger, the book is available on NetGalley.

First Line Friday...Before the Mission Begins

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress or a previous release. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing some of the first lines from Before the Mission Begins. 

This was a novella from the When the Mission Ends series. It's short and sweet and only $.99.


Before his mission began, he went home. 24 hours to say goodbye to his twin sister.

Instead he found her. A girl that was nothing like the one he thought he knew.
They have 24 hours. 24 hours before he deploys on an extremely dangerous mission. 24 hours together in a freak West Texas snowstorm. 24 hours that will have to get them both through the awful next year.When the resident good-girl decides to take on the visiting bad-boy, 24 hours is all it takes to change their lives forever.This is the story of the 24 hours that no one knew ever occurred…until now.

The timeline of this novella is set before the When the Mission Ends trilogy occurs, but this book is actually meant to be read between Book #2, Operation: Endeavor, and Book #3, Operation: Endurance. 
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***

After you check mine out, go see what the other girls are up to...

Let me introduce you to the Martin Men...

In December of 2012 I released the second book of When the Mission Ends series... Amazon link
Something unexpected came out of that book...the Martin Men from the Rocking M Martin Ranch.
I was intrigued by these four gorgeous, single, cowboy brothers...and they began talking to me. And they haven't been quiet in the two and a half years since. 
So, on September 23rd, the first Martin Ranch book releases... Goodreads link(pre-order links will be up soon...probably in about another week)
And I thought it might be time for you all to meet all the Martin Men.
Family History which has affected all of them:  When Thomas was 8 (Matthew was 5, Scott was 14, and Andrew was 17) he was in a car wreck with his mother that killed her. She had been crying and her car ran out of her lane to hit a semi head-on. Thomas knew she was upset with his dad, but no one ever knew why. He always blamed his father. That bitterness led to Thomas's death a year ago. 
For two years after his wife's death, Michael  (Martin patriarch) went on a two-year alcoholic bender. As a result, Andrew (oldest brother) and Scott (second oldest) stepped up and basically raised the two younger brothers, Thomas and Matthew (the baby). 
Everyone in the family has been devastated by Thomas's sudden death last year.  Photo Credit: Kruse Images & Photography; Model: Tyler White
Information about Scott:Age: 35Career: Paramedic in Lubbock, TxStats: 6'0", green eyes, lanky muscles
Personality: Like his career says, Scott is a caretaker. But he keeps himself separate to a certain extent. Not an emotional guy at all, but he's thrown for a loop when Skye Taylor needs him. 
He dealt with Thomas's death by taking on more paramedic shifts and avoiding his family.***
Photo Credit: Kruse Images & Photography; Model: Collin Gray
Information about Matthew:Age: 26Career: he works full time at the ranch...known as the horse-whispererStats: 6'0", really lean esp in the last year when he's lost too much weight from partying, green eyes
Personality: Matthew is the party guy. Normally, he's the happy one, the life of the party, but when Thomas died, something changed for him. He's not dealing well...drinking too much and experimenting with drugs...anything to mask the pain of loss.***
Photo Credit: Kruse Images & Photography; Model: Adam Clark
Information about Andrew:Age: 38Career: Texas Ranger and lives/works at the ranchStats: 6'2", extremely muscular, arctic blue eyes
Personality: way too serious and stoic. He's been responsible for everyone else for over 20 years and it's taken its toll. It would do him a lot of good to get laid, and he's in for a hell of a surprise with Emily...in more ways than one.***
Photo Credit: Unknown (pinterest)
Information about Thomas:Died a year ago, at the age of 28
****
There will be four full-length novels to release for the series:1. Right By Your Side (Scott & Skye)2. Finding You in the Crazy (Matthew & Ainslee)3. Trust Me to Hold You (Jasper- Matthew's best friend & McKenna)4. Searching for Indiscretion (Andrew & Emily)
And an m/m stand alone novel that truly isn't tied to the ranch, but you meet the characters in Right By Your Side, so it's loosely tied to the series:1.5 Cruel Serendipity (Josh & KC)

First Line Friday...Operation Endeavor

First Line Friday. 
The idea is we'll all share (unedited) snippets from one of our current Works In Progress. Sometimes it will be the first line. Sometimes it will be a little excerpt. It will depend on what's inspiring me Thursday night. ;)
Today, I'm sharing some of the first lines from Operation: Endeavor. 

This was book #2 in the When the Mission Ends trilogy and this is the book that introduced the Martin Men and the Martin Ranch. The first book in the Martin Ranch Series, Right By Your Side , releases Sept 23rd.
Colton Robertson left his career in the Air Force……to come home and help his family heal. Unfortunately, his reception was not quite what he’d hoped for and he ended up as roommate to hippy dippy yoga instructor, Penelope Pruitt.

Penelope has spent her life under the restrictive thumb of her parents and she doesn’t want to do the same with the straight-laced, serious Colton. But when it becomes apparent that Penelope’s life is in danger, Colton won’t settle for anyone else protecting Penelope besides him.

Opposites attract and that’s definitely the case with Colton and Penelope. On the surface, they don’t have anything in common, but as the sparks fly and the danger ramps up, their passion is inevitable. 

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After you check mine out, go see what the other girls are up to...