Kate Roth's Blog, page 12

Top Ten Tuesday : Excitement

It's been a while since I did a T.T.T. so today I'm giving a quick rundown of all the things I'm excited about and looking forward to right now!



10. SummerI know it’s half-over but I am still excited about nice weather and BBQ’s and all that summer entails.
9. My writing retreat stay-cationMy husband is headed to California for a week here shortly and I’ve planned to take a few extra days off work while he’s away to hole up in my house and do a little typey typey! Here’s hoping I get a lot done!
8. My TBR listI have been devouring books lately and every time I look at my ‘to be read’ list I get all giddy thinking about what I’ll be reading next! So many good books and not enough time. 
7. The BalladYes, that is a title to an upcoming novel. There isn’t much written yet in this story but it is all mapped out in my head and although I won’t be sharing much about it until it is further along in progress I am truly excited about this book!


6. SwagIt might sound silly but I get pretty into creating goodies that go along with my books. Bookmarks, postcards, and bumper stickers are on the way!
5. Reckless Radiance’s launch partyI haven’t started planning this just yet but I’m really pumped to have a big bash this time around for my paperback release!
4. Hubby’s GraduationMy husband will be graduating in September after three years at The Art Institute of Indianapolis and I cannot wait to see what comes next for him!
3. Natural HarmonyThe novel I’m working on now has all but consumed my thoughts lately and as I get closer to finishing it I’m getting more and more excited to share it with people!
2.  New Adult Sleepover Weekend EventDecember will be here in the blink of an eye and I will be on my way to Georgia for my first out of state event! I can’t wait to meet readers and some very cool fellow New Adult authors.
1. Reckless RadianceMy second novel will be out in 70 days!!! I can’t believe I’m going to be an author all over again and I’m really excited to share another side of myself as a writer. Reckless Radiance is so very different from The Low Notes but I’m glad everyone will be meeting Russell and Valerie soon.

Book Spotlight: Love, Carry My Bags by C.R. Everett

Welcome author C.R. Everett! She's here to share a little bit about her novel, Love, Carry My Bags.




Camryn Johnson’s world is turned upside down when long lost love, Reese Dahlgren, re-enters her life at a pivotal point in her already challenging marriage. She faces an excruciating predicament: choose between a broken home for her daughter or a broken life for herself.
After her parents' divorce, Camryn first meets high school basketball star, Reese, at the Harvard Milk Day Festival bed races. Reese hides baggage of his own…until Camryn melts his heart and learns secrets entrusted only to her. Still, the weight is too much to bear. Unable to cope, Reese unwittingly backs Camryn into a corner during his air force enlistment—love him from afar, or leave him.
Enter aerospace engineering student, Glenn Conroy. Persistent and savvy, he woos Camryn during her junior year of college and wins her heart. Or does he? When Reese re-enters her life, further disrupting her tenuous marriage, Camryn turns to best friend, Megan, for advice, but refuses to believe Megan’s suggestion that she’s caught in a “simple” love triangle.
Camryn unveils hidden mysteries and secrets as she embarks on a life-changing journey of revelation and forgiveness, transcending doormat qualities inherited from her mother, and in the process finds what life's struggles are really all about.
C.R. Everett's heart-wrenching debut novel takes the reader on an emotion-packed journey that lingers long after the last page is turned.


Purchase Love, Carry My Bags on Amazon!

Find C.R. Everett on her website, blog, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads. 


And now an excerpt from Love, Carry My Bags.... 



“I don’t mean to be rude, but, when are you going home?” Mr. Dahlgren asked. Reese and I smiled at each other, slightly embarrassed. “Reese goes back on Sunday. I’ll take him to the airport for you,” I said, expressing the favor. “Oh, Reese needs a ride?” He said in a deadpan drawl. “I thought he might walk. That’s what those service boys do, right? Walk a lot? Hut two three four.” Reese wasn’t amused. “You’re drunk again! No wonder mom left you!” Reese shouted. He took a whiff of Mr. Dahlgren’s drink, a cup from Subway, then poured it down the sink. “Wha’d ya go and waste a good rum and Coke for?” “You’re the waste!” Reese left me and his dad in the kitchen and ran upstairs. I looked at the stairway, then looked at Mr. Dahlgren, not sure if I should leave the drunk man alone or run to comfort Reese. Mr. Dahlgren made my decision for me, waving me away. “Git.” Reese was lying face down on his bed, his head buried in the pillow. I crept in. Instinctively, I touched his shoulders as I sat next to him, quiet, not sure what to say. “I wish you wouldn’t have seen that.” He sniffed away some tears. “I didn’t know . . .” “Nobody knows. I didn’t want you to know.” “What are people going to think of me? Son of a drunk.” “But you’re not like that. You’re not like him.” Reese continued. “It’s one of the reasons I wanted to leave this place, get out of this town, so I wouldn’t have to deal with him. I’m sorry you saw me angry. You don’t want to see me angry.” “You had a right to feel that way,” I said, trying my best to be supportive. “It’s okay.” Alcoholism wasn’t something I was intimate with. We held each other, the only answer we knew. Mr. Dahlgren, stumbling up the stairs, broke the sound of silence. He uttered, “Aw, shit.” A tumbling noise and a thud suggested he missed a step and fell back down. We heard him drag himself back up the stairs. His bedroom door clicked shut. Muffled sounds of a flop on his bed followed. The bedsprings squeaked, and then nothing.

Thanks so much for stopping by C.R.! 

Coming Soon : In Control by Crystal Serowka

I'm so excited to share with you Crystal Serowka's official synopsis of her upcoming release In Control! I absolutely love this image and it is such a cool way to present the book teaser. Can't wait to read all about Kingsley, Crystal! Check out the links below to find more about the novel.




Sounds juicy! 



A little about the author...

Originally from Chicago, IL, Crystal now lives in Indianapolis, IN, where she enjoys writing, baking (especially cupcakes), and going to concerts. Crystal is a music blogger for Sounds That Matter and goes to a lot of live shows in the Midwest. Her first book, In the Air, hit the shelves in April.



Find Crystal Serowka and The City series on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads

And be sure to purchase book one in The City series In the Air on Amazon


Book One in The City series, In the Air.

Book Spotlight : Love Vindicated by Lila Munro

Thank you so much for hosting me today and thank you readers for stopping by and spending a few realmantic moments with me and my latest release, Love Vindicated, Book One in the Steele Image series. It’s a pleasure to be here and if you have any questions please do leave them in the comments. I’ll be by a time or two today to check in and visit with you all.
Lila



Steele Image

In 1980, Kyle Montgomery’s life was seemingly perfect. Heavily recruited by Force Recon fresh from the Naval Academy, he’d been working black ops for the Marine Corps for six years and was on the cusp of being promoted to Major. He was on the fast track to bigger and better things, had all the right people vetting him, and he'd married the woman of his dreams and was exploring a lifestyle which could have ended his career. With the Iranian embassy under siege and the Middle East in turmoil, Kyle was sent on a mission which would change the course of his life forever.

Returning home after three months of being invisible, Kyle finds his wife has been murdered by the very people he'd been sent to protect. And instead of the government retaliating, they hand him his walking papers with the agreement they’ll never speak of the events again. It's like Kyle never existed. His wife never existed. And the people who maimed and tortured her never existed. 

Resigned to never again walk that path, Kyle opens the first Steele Image club with the thought of providing a safe haven for others like him, those who were invisible to the public and most of the government. Those who had eclectic sexual tastes. Those who would later become his allies. And his enemies. And both will drive him back to the place he’d thought he’d let go of forever to vindicate his love…


Please enjoy an excerpt:

“Are you sure you want to play with me, little one?” Kyle asked with his brow furrowed. The woman who wasn’t an inch over five feet tall by his estimation and sported one of the new trendy bi-lateral haircuts with a pink streak running through the shaved side was visibly shaking as she stood in front of him naked as the day she was born. “Fear is usually a good thing, but you’re truly scared of me aren’t you?”
“I’m not afraid, Sir,” Missy insisted, her chin jutting out and her spine becoming a bit straighter, although the flutter in her chest was evident as her breasts jiggled with each heave for breath. “I’m…excited.”
“Bullshit.” Circling her, Kyle ran his fingertips along her shoulders, down one arm, up the other, across her breast bone, and landed at the base of her throat where he wrapped his palm around it and squeezed. “You lie. And what’s the club rule about lying?”
“It won’t be tolerated, Sir. And those caught doing it will be punished.” Her voice wavered and her bright green pupils blew up just before her gaze wandered from his. “But I’m notlying. I’m not afraid of you and I am excited.”
“Tell me this.” He reached down with his free hand to twist one of her nipples and watched her jaw lock. “What do you expect from this little liaison between us?”
It wasn’t uncommon for Kyle to be approached by a half-dozen masochistic subs a week for servicing. Men, women, gay, straight, bi, confused, it didn’t matter they all seemed to migrate to him at some point which suited him. Genders, sexuality, and preferences meant nothing to him since sex wasn’t even an option when playing with them. If he needed serviced, he had no less than a dozen call girls literally on call to get him off and be gone before the sun kissed the horizon. They expected nothing but to be paid and Kyle obliged and well.
Over the course of the last year, he’d earned quite a reputation as a service sadist. He’d developed an unwavering ability to deliver and walk away without string one hanging between him and his playmate. No strings meant no intimate connections. No intimate connections meant none of them were in danger from association with him. Endangering anyone else due to his line of work was the last thing he intended to do. He didn’t need intimate connections to play and made it clear from the start of negotiations his partner shouldn’t expect them either. If they wanted more than an endorphin release, they weren’t a good match in his eyes and he either turned them down or negotiated a third be involved. All Kyle sought was an outlet by which to channel the pent up emotions he refused to allow anyone to see. He had no room for exterior feeling and expelling any notion of it by helping someone else achieve their own release made for an acceptable medium. At least that’s what he kept telling himself every time he looked in the mirror and a virtual stranger looked back.
Missy was fairly new to the club and had been introduced to Kyle and courted for membership by Wesley, the front of house security guard who’d been with him since the doors opened at Steele Image. While he’d had a few lengthy conversations with her and believed he knew enough about her to play with her, he wasn’t thoroughly convinced she was a true masochist and even thought she might be the latest in the long line of subs who foolishly believed they could tame him.
“Answer me, little one,” Kyle he said softly. “What do you expect from this?”
“Lots of pain,” she breathed over a groan and a smile as Kyle increased the pressure with which he pinched her nipple.

You can purchase this title at Amazon  and  ARe

 
Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and their two four-legged kids. She’s a military wife with an empty nest and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fifteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual softer read to BDSM and ménage. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Three for Keeps, the Force Recon series, the Slower Lower series, the Identity series, and the Private Collection. Currently she is working on two new series set to release summer of 2013, the At Your Service line and the Steele Image line. She’s a member in good standing of RWA. 
Ms. Munro loves to hear from her readers and can be found at Realmantic Moments,   Facebook ,  Goodreads,  Twitter, You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com and you can find all her works at: Amazon   ARe  Nook    Bookstrand

Cover Reveal: Let Love Stay by Melissa Collins

Check out the beautiful cover for Let Love Stay (sequel to Let Love In) by Melissa Collins! Cover It! Designs did a great job on both covers for the series. Check them out...

Cover design © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs Cover design © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! DesignsHere's a little about the book...



If you’re lucky, you’ll fall in love – truly, madly and deeply in love.  But what happens when that honest and pure love isn’t enough to erase your fears?  What happens when your past rears its ugly head and threatens your future?  
Maddy and Reid had that kind of love – the all-encompassing, Earth shattering, once in a lifetime kind of love.  Then life happened.  Old wounds that were thought to be long healed and scabbed over are ripped opened and they are forced to face the possibility that, maybe, they are not strong enough to fight their demons and embrace the light.  
Together, they found out what love is, but now they will each need to heal on their own before they can ever be together again.  They must face their fears and beat down their pasts in order to find their way through this crazy uphill battle called love.   They’ve let love in, but now, they need to find out how to Let Love Stay. 



And the cover for Let Love In has been updated, too!

Cover design © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs Cover design © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs
A little about Melissa in her own words:



I’ve always been an avid reader.  Majoring in English Literature was a no brainer.  Becoming a teacher and instilling my love for reading into my students was also a no brainer.  I’ve spent the last ten years teaching and I’ve loved (mostly) every minute of it.  When I was home on maternity leave for my third son, I discovered a new genre that sparked my creativity.  My passion for writing sprang from my love of reading and once I knew I had a story to tell, I couldn’t wait to get it out there.  I only hope that my readers enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
Find Melissa on her website, Facebook, Twitter @mcollinsauthor , and Goodreads
Let Love Stay will be released July 31st!  
Enjoy this excerpt from Let Love Stay... 
***

I get out of the truck and walk over towards the two of them.  Maddy’s back is to me as I approach her and her date, so she doesn’t see me right away.  But once the guy sees me, she spins around to look at what has caught his eye.  
Her face is shocked and when our eyes lock, my heart skips a beat.  There’s a pull between us.  As much as I hate to admit it, she owns me.  Her eyes are magical.  They dance with light and passion and when she looks at me, they are filled with love.  
The love and passion that are sparkling in her emerald green eyes evaporate when she realizes the scene that I’ve just stumbled upon.  I can only imagine what’s going through her mind, but I’m sure the images of me kicking Logan’s ass are flashing vividly through her mind.  
I’m no more than a few feet from them when the guy pushes Maddy behind him to protect her from what he perceives as a threat.  He’s not very far from the truth, but she’s not the one who needs protecting. 
Menacingly close now, he pipes up.  “Who the fuck are you?  What do you want?”  Okay, I’ll give the prick a little bit of credit for trying to stand up to me, but he has no clue what he’s competing against here.  
The caveman in me wants to deck this guy and drag Maddy into a bed – any bed – and claim her, repeatedly, until she understands that she’s mine and no one else’s.  I’m going to do that anyway, but hopefully I can refrain from knocking this guy on his ass.  I’d like to have the use of my hands tonight. 
My eyes never leave Maddy’s, but my words are directed at him.  “Me?  I’m the boyfriend, asshole.”  Maddy’s eyes widen slightly as I say “boyfriend.”  Did she really think we ever broke up?  
I avert my gaze from Maddy for a minute to stare this douchebag down.  “And who the fuck do you think you are?”  He falters, not enough that most people would notice, but I’m in predator mode.  I see his throat work hard to swallow past the newly formed fear.  His pupils dilate slightly and the pulse beating in his neck picks up as adrenaline surges through him.  If he thinks he’s going to win this battle, he is wrong – so fucking wrong.  
He puffs out his chest as he says, “I’m Maddy’s date for tonight.”  He snickers lightly as he says, “You know?  She never mentioned a boyfriend when I asked her out.  Must not be much of a boyfriend if she doesn’t even mention you.”  He swells with pride at his snarky little quip.  In the split second he looks away from me to gauge Maddy’s approval, I lay him flat on the ground as I drop my shoulder into his gut and take his legs out from underneath him with one of my own.  I freaking love my takedown skills.  I didn’t even have to bust up my hands.  I’m definitely going to need them in a little bit.  
I straddle over him and pull him up by the collar.  “Whether she mentioned me or not, she’s mine, so lay the fuck off.  Got it?”
Maddy still hasn’t said a word and I haven’t actually spoken directly to her.  I’m pretty sure she understands my actions though.  Wordlessly, I reach my hand out to her.  This is her chance.  If she still wants me, then she’ll come with me.  This is who I am, who I’ve always been.  If she can’t understand that I love her, that I want her more than anything, then it’s not because I haven’t tried as hard as I possibly could to prove it to her.
Hand still outstretched, I look her directly in the eyes, as I try to convey everything that I’m thinking, that I’m feeling.  In what feels like an act of God, she understands me and laces her hand in mine. 

Book Spotlight : Love's Sweet Vengeance by Joanne C. Berroa

Welcome Joanne C. Berroa with her newest Rebel Ink Press release! See what Love's Sweet Vengeance is all about.




The Old West in 1866 spells romance and danger. Pair a smart and independent lady sheriff in New Mexico Territory with a virile bounty hunter and you get sizzling chemistry, even though they’re at odds with each other and their objectives.
Garrett Wade and Amanda Larson form a truce to work together to track down Clem Jones, the outlaw responsible for Garrett’s wife’s murder. But will the justice they’re after consist of Amanda’s way or Garrett’s?   Amanda, a lawman first and foremost, wants to bring Jones in for a fair trial, but Garrett wants only revenge--to put a bullet between the wretched outlaw’s eyes. 
Their quest leads them into mortal danger, while a powerful lust brings them together in ways neither bargained for. Can they survive the peril, exact justice, endure a gut-wrenching separation, and still nurture their lust into an abiding love?

You can buy Love's Sweet Vengeance on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ARe  
And now an excerpt...

        Through the trees a gray wolf appeared, its fangs dripping with saliva. The wolf saw Amanda the same time she saw it. She leveled the gun in her hand and was about to release a warning shot to scare away the wolf. “Fire that gun and you’ll alert Clem Jones you’re on his tail.” She turned quickly to her left where a man in black attire sat atop a handsome stallion. On his head was a ten gallon hat with ties beneath his chin. She recognized the face as that of Garrett Wade. “How’d you get out of jail?” she asked. He removed his hat and flung it deftly in the wolf’s direction, sending the animal scurrying back into the woods. Garrett dismounted and retrieved his hat. Dusting it off on the side of his leg, he crossed to where Amanda was standing. “Your deputy’s a good man, Sheriff,” he said. “We had a little chat. I explained to him if he let me go, I’d look out for you and make sure no harm came to you. He said he promised your pa he’d take care of you. He admitted he didn’t like you riding out alone after that sonofabitch Jones.” “John let you go?” she said, her pretty blue eyes wide as saucers. “Sometimes it takes a man like him and not a boy like you to know what’s right and what’s wrong. He shares the same code of honor as I do.” She frowned. Had she heard him correctly? He thought she was a boy? “A boy?” she said incredulously. “Are you calling me a boy?” Her scowl showed her irritation. “No offense. You look kinda young to be a man.” “You are a fool, Mister Wade. I’m not a boy. I’m a woman. ” Even in the waning light she could see his startled expression and it pleased her. The idiot couldn’t tell a woman from a boy. He looked her over as if seeing her for the first time then a slow smile spread across his face. He laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned. A woman sheriff? What won’t they think of next?
***
Here's a little about Joanne in her own words... 
I’ve been writing all my life and that’s a few years. Back in 1983, Dell published my novel, “The Barbary Coasters.”  It was set during the 1860’s in the Barbary Coast of San Francisco and was part of a series of books written by different authors called, “The Making of America.” My pseudonym was Lee Davis Willoughby. I’ve written articles for several computer magazines over the last thirty years doing software and hardware reviews and ads.  I was also a photographer for cover art for two magazines back in the 80’s, and currently write profiles for businesses and professionals for Micromedia Publications, a local newspaper publisher. Rebel Ink Press has released three of my historical romances thus far: My Life, My Heart – a time travel novel with a twist; On Angels’ Wings – a novel set during the turbulent years of World War II; and Love’s Sweet Vengeance – a novel of love and danger set in the old west in 1866 (my newest release). When I’m not reading or writing, I teach piano and organ.


Find Joanne on her website and her blog.
Best of luck with your newest release, Joanne!

What I've Been Reading...

It's that time again! Here's a little peek into what I've been reading...


Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

This book was phenomenal. The love story interwoven with the slow reveal of a young girl's tragic past was a complete roller coaster. I read this book in a matter of days and by the time I was half way through I was staying up until 2 am and reading through dinner. Read this book!


Grounded (Book 3 of the Up In The Air series) by R.K. Lilley

I finally finished this series. I definitely enjoyed Book 1 (In Flight) the best but Grounded was better than Book 2. Over all the series was a quick and sexy read. I was a little let down by the ending but I'm not the typical romance reader who always likes a HEA. If you want a similar storyline to Fifty Shades of Grey with a nice combination of sexy, funny and dark moments, I would recommend this book.


The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I've read this book multiple times and it was chosen by my book club for May so we could all go see the new movie! The book is always different to me each time I read it but I always love it. The movie was a wonderful depiction of the novel. I recommend both!


Bridge Over The Atlantic by Lisa J. Hobman

Lisa is a friend of mine so I was very anxious to read her debut novel. It did not disappoint! At first I thought it was going to be somewhat of a cookie cutter romance. Though it was very well written and incredibly romantic I didn't know where it was going. Cut to a dramatic twist (!!!) and everything changed! This book was an emotional ride full of romance, sexiness, humor and some wonderful drama. I recommend this one for anyone who loves true romance as well as British humor.

Cover Reveal : Reckless Radiance

Here she is! I must say, I am so in love with this cover. It is exactly what I imagined when I started really thinking about what Reckless Radiance's cover should be. Thank you so so much to Carl Franklin, Rebel Ink Press's cover artist, for making this stunner of a cover. I revealed this on my Facebook page last night and got a great response from everyone. Thanks again for all of your love and support. I can't wait to share Russell and Valerie with you this September.


Be sure to click on the Reckless Radiance tab at the top of the page for all the news and info on the book!

Jennifer Wilck : The Author Interview

Today I have fellow Rebel, Jennifer Wilck here answering some questions and sharing a little about her new release!

Tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a New Jersey native, although I went to college in the Midwest (where I learned to flatten my accent, at least temporarily). I’m married with two girls (aged 11 and 14) and there is a LOT of drama in my house! I’ve been writing pretty much my entire life. Prior to writing romance, I was a magazine writer and editor and I did some freelance work for a while as well. I’ve published two contemporary romances and The Seduction of Esther is my third.



What was the querying/agent/publishing search process like for you?
It was a very long process originally. Like everyone else, I did a lot of research into agents and editors who were appropriate for me to query. I am a member of RWA, and I’ve taken many classes and about querying, etc. This time around, I spoke to my writer friends about their experiences with their publishers, and I heard such great things about Rebel Ink Press that I decided to go to them with this book.

What genre do you enjoy writing most? Is there another genre you would like to try at some point?
I love writing contemporary romance, but if I ever get brave enough, I might try historical. The research is what scares me though, because everything has to be exactly right. But I have a story in my head that one day I may try.

Do you have a writing ritual or a certain way you like to get ready to write?
Honestly, my time is so limited that I just sit down and start to write. Not that everything I write is any good, but I don’t have time for rituals. This past February, I participated in a 30K writing challenge, which meant I had to write approximately 1,000 words a day. For that, I made sure to write first thing in the morning so that I’d be sure to get my writing in each day, rather than get distracted by other things. The discipline was terrific!

Tell us about one of your characters you loved writing:
In The Seduction of Esther, the heroine is a klutz whenever she is around attractive men, and I had such a good time writing her! There’s one scene where Samara is getting ready for a date with the hero, Nathaniel, and first she gets the hiccups and then her hair gets caught on a button and, well, it was just a lot of fun getting her into troublesome situations and having to figure out a way to get her out.

Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? If so, what changed?
Oh my gosh, every time I get a rejection letter I am convinced that I’m horrible! But it’s forced me to at least pretend that I have a thick skin and eventually, I’m able to convince myself that I can do this. Writing is subjective; just because one person doesn’t like something, doesn’t mean everyone dislikes it.

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Write because you love it. Write because you can’t imagine not writing. Learn your grammar, but don’t get caught up in the millions of “rules” that everyone talks about. Use common sense and be professional. And don’t stop writing.

What is your current obsession (absolutely anything)?
You mean aside from shoes? Um, I’d have to say I have certain TV shows that I love—like Game of Thrones, Dr. Who and Criminal Minds. I don’t know if I’m obsessed with them, but I really enjoy watching them and look forward to them every week.

Tell us about one of your recent releases:
My newest release, which came out June 3, is The Seduction of Esther. It’s a contemporary romance around the Jewish holiday of Purim. Here’s the blurb:
Samara Goldberg has a problem even the most beautiful singing voice can’t fix. She’s a walking disaster, especially when she’s around handsome men. To make matters worse, she’s in desperate need of someone to play the character of Mordecai for the Purim spiel she’s producing and the new congregant, Nathaniel Abramson, is a perfect fit. Nathaniel is a divorced dad who’s recovering from the biggest public scandal of his life. The last thing he needs is a relationship with the choir director at his new synagogue, who also happens to be playing the lead female role of Esther in the very play he’s been coerced into joining.


Woven around the Jewish holiday of Purim, The Seduction of Esther is a story of two people whose lives mirror the plot of the Purim story. Like Esther, who had to hide her Jewish identity from the King of Persia, Samara and Nathaniel are hiding key pieces of themselves. Evil Haman wanted to destroy the Jews, and the nasty Josh will do anything to keep Samara and Nathaniel apart. Will their love survive, like the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia, or will their fear keep them apart?

Sounds fantastic, Jennifer! 
Find Jennifer on Facebook She in on Twitter @JWilckHer website www.jenniferwilck.com and blog  www.jenniferwilck.wordpress.comAnd on one other blog to which she contributes www.heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com

The Seduction of Esther is available at these retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ARe


Here is an excerpt: 

           Samara stared at her reflection in the mirror, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The breath was supposed to relax her—to calm her nerves, lower her blood pressure and help her handle Nathaniel’s impending arrival. However, her body didn’t get the message, because all she achieved was a case of the hiccups. Terrific. Her stomach flopped and her hands trembled. She took another deep breath, opened her eyes and hiccupped.
            This was not happening. She could not go out on a date with Nathaniel with a case of the hiccups. No way, no how. She turned on the tap, filled a glass and took a sip of water. Hiccup. She brought the glass into the kitchen, put a spoon in it and took another sip. Hiccup. She drank from the opposite side of the glass. Hiccup. Moisture on her chest made her look down. Wonderful, now I’ve spilled on my blouse. She put the glass in the sink and raced back into her bedroom to change into a sweater. She undid enough buttons to fit her head through the opening and yanked.
            “Ow!”
            Her hair caught on a button. As she lowered the blouse, more hair got stuck. Now the blouse hung in front of her face, neither fully on nor fully off.
            “Argh!”
            She reached her arm in front of her, felt for the bed so she could sit and untangle her hair. As she floundered, the doorbell rang.
            “No!”
            Please, please, please don’t be Nathaniel. The three days since his phone call asking her out had made ketchup falling out of a Heinz bottle seem quick. Despite her manner on the phone with him, she’d been so excited for today. Her mind wandered to him at the most inopportune times, like when she sang, worked on the spiel, walked down the street. She examined every note she sang and wondered how he’d receive it; she contemplated, and refused, moving scenes around to give Esther more time with Mordecai; she examined every man she passed and compared him to Nathaniel.
            No matter how she hid it or reason it out, she could no longer deny her feelings for him. He made her laugh, he made her relax and he made her feel like the most important woman in the room. She could stare at his hands all day and watch the way they moved when he spoke. When they touched her, her whole body tingled. The air she breathed with him was fresher, filled with more oxygen. Time froze, yet at the same time, sped by. Her worries faded away; he made her feel invincible. If he were here now, he’d laugh and have her untangled in an instant. But she would be mortified. There was no way she could let him see her like this. There was nothing she could do—she’d have to skip the date and make up some excuse later. She held her breath as her stomach dropped with disappointment. She didn’t dare move, for fear of alerting him to her presence. The doorbell rang again, accompanied by a scratchy, jingly noise.

Cover Reveal : Dead Run by Vanessa Booke

Check out this gorgeous cover! Vanessa Booke's upcoming New Adult Post-Apocalyptic Romance release, Dead Run, is having a cover reveal celebration today and I get to help! 
Here's a little about the book...


CarlyCarly Rios was supposed to go to college, forget about her first love, and live a normal life. That was the plan until the whole world went to hell and the dead started becoming…not so dead. 

Forced to live in the same quarantine as her abusive stepfather, Carly is hanging on to life by a thread, as she dreams of a normal world outside of the community. But when tragedy strikes home, Carly has no choice but to try and escape with her brother Michael. On the night that Carly plans to leave the community, chaos erupts, causing her plans to backfire, unleashing the undead inside.

Now, Carly must reach out to Joshua Tremell, a man from her past, and the one who left her heart in pieces. Trusting Joshua is one of the hardest things she’ll ever have to do, but without his help it’s only a matter of time until Carly loses her brother Michael to the undead.

Joshua

Two months after returning from fighting over seas and coming home to face a world overtaken by the undead, Joshua Tremell is accustomed to death and losing the ones he loves. But when fate brings him back to his childhood sweetheart Carly Rios, Joshua realizes there are some things still worth fighting for.

Carly is the last person Joshua thought he'd ever see again, let alone in the same quarantine. Facing off shufflers isn’t easy, but the thought of losing the only girl he’s ever loved again, is even worse. 

With a second chance at redemption, Joshua would give anything to save Carly and help her get her little brother back, but Joshua has more secrets than he can tell, and his past mistakes are bound to collide with the future he's dying to earn.

For Carly and Joshua, crossing the wasteland is just the beginning… 
*Mature Content Warning: 17+ for language, intense violence against the undead and adult situations. 



  And now a teaser...


Chapter 1 - Teaser:“The only good human being is a dead one.”-George Orwell

CARLY
I knew his gun was in the top drawer. I’ve watched him place it there. Tonight is the last night I’ll ever let him touch me. I watch his breath rise and fall rhythmically as he sleeps. From where I stand he doesn’t look so threatening, anymore at least, not how he looked earlier that night. My cheek still burns when I touch it. A bruise is starting to form underneath my swollen skin. I step into the darkened bedroom cautious, as the wooden floors squeak beneath me. He can wake at any moment. My hands tremble as I make my way toward his nightstand. It has to be here unless…as I pull the top drawer open, I’m relieved to see the gun is still there. It sits shining in the moonlight that cascades down through the cracks of the boarded-up bedroom window.
I pull the gun from the drawer but pause midway. My stepfather’s snoring has stopped. Fear paralyzes me, and I freeze, still. Is he awake? Is he watching me? I hold my breath, my eyes squeezed closed, waiting. Several seconds pass, and then like clockwork, I can hear the sound of his snoring again. I look down at the handgun and then back at my sleeping stepfather. I shiver in disgust at the memory of his hands on me; no amount of soap could ever wash away how dirty he makes me feel. My stomach rolls at the memory of the way he whispered how I would always be his.
Not anymore. I step into the hallway shutting the bedroom door quietly behind me. A small sense of relief washes over me. I did it. Before I know it I’m all the way down the hallway of our one story home. Tonight, is our last night behind the safety of the community fences. It frightens me to think about what’s waiting for us outside, but staying isn’t an option anymore. I stare down at the gun in my hands. I’ve never held one until tonight. The sound of a soft voice catches my attention.
It echoes down the hall. Michael must be awake. I slip the gun behind me. There’s no reason for him to see it; it will only scare and confuse him. He’s been pretty quiet these past few hours. He keeps asking for our mother. I don’t have the heart to tell him that she’s gone. The only thing left is a shell of the woman she used to be. It’s been seven days since she became infected.
I made her a promise when it happened. I promised her that no matter what, I wouldn’t let her become one. I know what I have to do, and despite what my stepfather Tom tells me, I know my mother is sick and she isn’t getting better.
Our home is made up of three rooms. Tom sleeps in the master bedroom. I share a bedroom with Michael, and my mother is in the guest room. We live in a town sectioned off from the outside world. It’s better than what most survivors have, but it’s temporary. Our emergency supplies were never meant to last past six months. We’re going on our seventh month and our food and water is nearly gone.
Tom keeps my mother isolated from everyone here. A cold draft hits me as I enter her bedroom. I can hear her heavy breathing, her lungs crackling as she inhales. Small white clouds of air escape her mouth. It’s freezing in here. I switch on the emergency lantern near her nightstand. The fluorescent light reminds me of a hospital room, as it chases away the darkness. I gasp at the sight of her; she’s gotten worse. Her eyes are blood shot and her pupils are dilated. I touch her skin to check for a fever, but she feels ice cold. I grab her hand and place it in mine. Her skin is pale yellow and she’s starting to bloat like the others. She has a day at most, maybe less. The bloated skin on her finger engulfs her wedding band. It’s the one my father gave her before he died.
It wasn’t the infection that took him away from us. He was in a motorcycle accident when I was fifteen. He suffered an injury to the head and went into a coma. 
I twist the ring off her finger.
My mother sold our old house to pay for his medical bills. She didn’t have the heart to pull the plug. Not too long after his accident, they flew him to a fancy medical hospital in Colorado. I thought he died. She told Michael and me that he did, but a few days ago I found some old hospital bills stashed in a shoebox. She lied. For the past three years she’s been paying to keep him alive. At least, she was until the outbreak happened.
“Mom.”
She stares at me blankly, making it clear she no longer recognizes her own daughter’s face. I’m sure in her eyes I’m only a stranger, someone she’s never seen before. I reach down for the wash pan at the foot of her bed, and I cringe at the sight of the brown, murky water inside it. Tom refuses to clean her with any of our clean water and instead subjects her to the dirty-brown, rusted water from the faucets. As far I know it isn’t hurting her but she deserves more than that. Tom wants to keep her around because of the food rations. Each person in the community is given a certain portion of food, no more, no less. He takes hers for himself. I hate seeing her like this.
A moan escapes her lips. I pull the gun out from behind me fearful that she’s turning. I have to do what she couldn’t for my dad. I have to let her go. I have to.
I raise the gun toward the front of her face. My hands tremble, the gun is heavier than I expected. Through her confused and sickened state, she looks up at me as if she has a moment of clarity. I close my eyes and turn my face. I picture her as she was before the outbreak. In my mind she stands radiant and beautiful as she smiles down at me. I can almost hear her saying everything will be all right. They say goodbye is the hardest thing you’ll ever have to say. So I don’t say it. I breathe in and pull the trigger.
***
Find Vanessa on Facebook , on Twitter @V_bogie and her website www.vanessabooke.com



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And now a little about Vanessa...
My name is Vanessa Booke and I live with my husband Ryan and our three dachshunds Zer0, Zoey, and Zelda just outside of Los Angeles, California. I love poetry and all things Jane Austen. I've been writing since Jr. High, it started with poetry and eventually in high school I began writing fiction. My favorite genre to write in would have to be young adult, or new adult. I currently work as a communications coordinator for a charity, but I've also worked as a journalist. I have my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Cal State University San Bernardino. In my free time, I like blogging about books, thrift shopping and taking grand adventures with my partner in crime
Stay tuned for a release date for this adrenaline pumping novel!