Casey Dawes's Blog, page 17

Review: Nothing Compares to You by Tiffany Marie

Nothing Compares to You

Pine Lake Series Book Two

Contemporary Romance

By: Tiffany Marie

Blurb

Mitch loves everything about his job as a photojournalist––the excitement, the money, the notoriety––which is why he has no plans for a lengthy stay in his childhood hometown of Pine Lake. But when he meets enigmatic single mother Natalie, he can’t help his attraction, or his overwhelming desire to pursue her.

The last few years have taught Natalie she’s stronger than she ever thought. She was strong enough to leave her abusive ex-husband, strong enough to endure a year in a women’s shelter, and strong enough to begin rebuilding her life with her young son. She’s going to make sure she’s also strong enough to avoid future heartbreak, which means not getting close to anyone––especially not someone like Mitch, who doesn’t plan on staying in town for more than a few months. Yet the more time Natalie spends with Mitch, the more her resolve crumbles.

As their tentative friendship develops into a passionate romance, both Mitch and Natalie realize they’re in deeper than they ever intended. When an exciting new job assignment sends Mitch halfway around the world, Natalie is left with the realization that she let the wrong man in once again. And Mitch realizes giving Natalie up for his career was the biggest mistake of his life—and one he might not be able to fix.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/05/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for_5218.html

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this book overall, although I found Mitch a little too full of himself at times. Natalie is fearful to live her life. Given her experiences, that is understandable. Her son, Sammy, really steals the book. He’s likable and realistic.

I did have a little problem at the end–feeling that things resolved too quickly without enough time for the huge emotional changes that were required of the main characters to take place. Still, it is a heart-warming, feel-good summer read and I recommend it.

 

About the Author

Tiffany Marie grew up in Michigan and currently lives in northern Indiana with her wonderfully supportive husband, rambunctious young son, and two rescued pets. She has worked in an elementary school, a bookstore, and a winery, and now she stays home with her son and writes whenever she has a few minutes to spare. She spends her free time reading too many romance novels, drinking too much Diet Pepsi, and taking too many naps.

Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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Guest Post: Just My Type

Just My Type

Contemporary Romance

Synithia Williams

Publisher: Crimson Romance

Released: June 2, 2014

Blurb

Janiyah Henderson may be an adult, but her dad doesn’t see it that way. Granted, she’s enjoying her post-college life of little-to-no responsibility, but when her dad announces at a family meeting that she can’t handle working a “real job”, there’s only one thing to do: land a desk job and prove him wrong. When her brother’s best friend, Fredrick Jenkins, needs a new assistant, she knows she’s the perfect candidate. So what if she’s had a crush on the conservative accountant since she was nine? She’s the last woman Freddy would fall for.

But Fredrick is far from impervious to Janiyah’s charms. Though he can’t help but be attracted to her, he knows Janiyah is more interested in eating his cereal and teasing him than viewing him as more than the good guy next door. When he offers her the job, he can’t imagine her giving up her late mornings and colorful outfits for 8:00 a.m. meetings and pantyhose for too long. But as Janiyah excels as his employee, he fears he’s in danger of falling hard for a woman he shouldn’t care for.

Pretty soon the attraction they’ve tried to ignore boils to the surface. And after Fredrick shows Janiyah the man behind the numbers, she’s ready to show him that she’s just the type of woman he needs.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Follow the tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/04/now-booking-tasty-virtual-tour-for-just.html

Guest Post

The brother’s best friend is a theme in romance that I absolutely love. Throw in a heroine falling for the friend who is completely opposite of her and I’m ready to dive right in. I love those stories because even though the hero and heroine thing their differences will prevent a relationship from working, as they fall in love they discover how they’re more alike than different.

It happened with me and my hubby. We are so different, but that’s what make us stronger as a couple. I’m easily frustrated, and he’s more willing to take his time. He’s more confrontational, and I’m more likely to take the passive aggressive route to get what I want. He speaks with no filter, I’d rather keep quiet on certain things than rock the boat. He loves giving cards on special occasions, I have to set a reminder that the occasion is coming up. You’d think that we’d be constantly arguing, but instead we’ve leveraged our differences to make the other stronger when necessary.

It’s why I believe that opposites attracting doesn’t have to be a bad thing. When I got the idea for Just My Type, I knew that although Janiyah and Fredrick were completely different, they’d be perfect for each other. She’s not interested in being a nine-to-five corporate worker and is enjoying being young and carefree. While Fredrick is the hard working business owner who updates his life plan every year. But when they come together the sparks between them burns away all the reasons they should ignore how they feel. It takes falling in love for them to realize that what makes them unique is also what makes them perfect for each other.

What’s so appealing of an opposites attract romance?

Author Info

Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her first one at the age of 13. It was only natural that she would begin penning her own romances soon after. When she isn’t writing, this local government gal balances the needs of her husband and two sons.

Author Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Release Blast: Modern Love Box Set

Modern Love

Box Set

10 Books for $0.99

Published by Crimson Romance

Releases July 14, 2014

Blurb

When love calls, it’s rarely easy but always memorable, and definitely worth turning the pages. Recapture the thrill, the delicious anticipation of finding your happily ever after in these 10 unforgettable, hot stories by some of today’s brightest names:

Her Knight in Black Leather – J.M. Stewart

Destination Wedding – Robyn Neeley

Drawn to Jonah – Jennifer DeCuir

On the Fly – Katie Kenyhercz

Wildly – Debra Kayn

Falling for You – Heather Thurmeier

Beginning Again – Peggy Bird

Spiraling – Rachel Cross

Save My Soul – Elley Arden

Sweet Gone South – Alicia Hunter Pace

Buy Links

Crimson Romance | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/06/now-booking-release-day-tasty-book.html

Individual Blurbs

Wildly by Debra Kayn

Shauna Marino left Cottage Grove, California an innocent teenager, gangly, wild and with no fashion sense, always diving headfirst into whatever feelings ruled the moment. Now, she’s back to fix her mistakes. She’s gained a respectable job, set a plan in motion to benefit the town, and all that’s left is to prove to Grayson Schyler she’s changed. Maybe this time, he won’t tell her no when she shows up naked and asks him to make her a woman.

Grayson Schyler, former Wimbledon champion, would’ve recognized Shauna anywhere. She’s made his life sweeter one moment, and hell the next. As someone in the public eye, he’d gone to great strains not to allow the media to misread their relationship, which wasn’t always easy when Shauna was around. Now she’s back, asking for his help, and all he can think about is if she came back to make him pay for what he’d done.

On the Fly by Katie Kenyhercz

Jacey Vaughn has a newly minted MBA when her father dies unexpectedly and leaves her his NHL team. Well-versed in business but not so much in hockey, Jacey navigates this new world with a few stumbles. She definitely doesn’t plan on falling for the team captain. At the first hint of scandal, a local Las Vegas reporter latches on, and Jacey finds herself in the newspaper with headlines that hurt instead of help. Jacey’s determined to keep her father’s legacy alive and make the team successful, but while she has no problem denying her feelings to the media, she can’t lie to herself.

Carter Phlynn has known nothing but hockey his entire life. Drafted into the NHL at age eighteen, winning the Stanley Cup is all he’s ever wanted. Nothing has ever disrupted his focus. Not until he meets his new boss. Jacey gets under his skin like no one else, and while dating the team owner would be a disaster for his career and reputation, he can’t get her out of his head. Carter has never had a relationship last more than a month, but the more he’s around Jacey, the more he can’t picture his future without her.

Her Knight in Black Leather by JM Stewart

Cat Edwards has spent her life playing the wallflower in an effort to escape the repressive weight of her mother’s tarnished name. Dragged to a bar by her best friend in an effort to forget a broken heart, the shy bookworm is determined to be someone else for the night, but quickly gets in over her head. She discovers chivalry isn’t dead after all when a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue. He’s wearing black leather and a mischievous smile that promises to be exactly what she needs.

When his terminally ill father suffers a setback, Michael Brant returns to the town he swore ten years ago he’d never return to. He’s come back this time determined to make peace with the past, but being home brings up memories he doesn’t want to remember anymore. His first night in town, he’s captured by a damsel in distress. Cat’s beauty is made all the more alluring when he realizes she has no idea who he is. He can’t resist spending a single night in her arms. With her, he’s only a man, disconnected from his family’s name and the past that haunts him here.

As the town erupts with the news of his return, Michael’s dark past comes back to haunt him, putting Cat in danger. Someone is threatening her life and the life of her family. Desperate to keep history from repeating itself, Michael offers her his family’s name in order to keep her safe. When the lie spirals beyond their control, can they stop their hearts from becoming entangled as well?

Spiraling by Rachel Cross

Blue-blooded Amelia “Amy” Astor was a champion, America’s sweetheart, and on track to give the US Olympic medal glory before she gave it all up to join skating’s equivalent of the circus. Now she’s a professional princess, the lead in Enchanted Ice. But in an industry that values young, cheap, and healthy, her age, salary, and injuries are a liability.

So when she’s offered a job teaching Hollywood heartthrob Shane Marx to skate for a role in a hockey film, she leaps at the opportunity. Maybe with the right kind of exposure, she can survive one more season and put off decisions about her future a little longer. If she invites the wrong kind of exposure …well, there’s that pesky morals clause waiting in the wings.

Shane Marx traded his boy band dance moves in TruAchord for acting lessons years ago. His blond, blue-eyed gorgeousness makes him the most sought after romantic comedy lead in the movie industry. But lately his clean-cut image has been tarnished by one sex scandal after another.

When America’s ice princess meets Hollywood’s hottest leading man, what could go wrong? Inside that sequined costume is a woman of steely determination who has conquered many of her demons. And beneath his sinfully attractive exterior, Shane Marx is a man still battling his.

Beginning Again by Peggy Bird

When Liz Fairchild’s husband leaves her for a younger man, she decides it’s time to start over. So she sells her house, takes her generous community property settlement and opens an art gallery in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon. A little sweat equity, some interesting art to exhibit, assistance from a surprising source and she’s ready to open.

Enter Collins, an up and coming sculptor who also happens to be young, sexy and determined to bulldoze his way into Liz’s gallery, her life and her bedroom. He succeeds on all levels. His art is a hit in her gallery; his “to do” list for the bedroom eye-opening and his attention to her like nothing she’s ever known.

But something isn’t quite right. He disappears for hours at a time, returning from “business” looking unhappy and acting withdrawn. What’s he keeping from Liz? Is it another woman? Another gallery? A family?

And does she want to get closer to this man or run as fast as she can to keep herself from being hurt?

Falling for You by Heather Thurmeier

Newly single Cassidy Quinn is thrilled to be a contestant on the new reality dating show The One. But her excitement turns to horror when the gorgeous bachelor turns out to be her ex-boyfriend. Seeing Brad again makes Cassidy realize she might not be as “over him” as she thought-and then she meets hunky cameraman Evan Burke. After watching his brother lose his wife in a tragic accident, Evan vows never to fall in love. But following Cassidy around as her personal cameraman makes him question his decision, and resisting her gets harder with every sunbathing, bikini-wearing day.

Cassidy and Evan begin a forbidden affair while her ex-boyfriend tries to win her heart back one groping, awkward moment at a time. If Cassidy can manage to stop falling off horses (literally), stop falling onto her ex-boyfriend, the bachelor (yes, literally), and stop falling in love with backstage playboy Evan, she might still make it through the show without becoming a tabloid sensation. But soon Cassidy must choose between the ex who broke her heart and the cameraman who might never love her back. For Cassidy, this reality show just got real.

Drawn to Jonah by Jennifer DeCuir

Quinn Baker followed her dreams of becoming an artist to New York City. But one failed marriage later and she realizes she has nothing to show for her fancy life in the city but a diploma she’s done absolutely nothing with.

Now with news of her grandmother’s death, Quinn heads back home to reconnect with the only family she has left, her sister, and figure out what she is supposed to be doing with her life. She finds an ally in handyman Jonah Goodwin. The widower asks an intriguing favor—teach him to read. The more time Quinn spends with Jonah and his adorable little daughter, Lily, the more she begins to rediscover herself, her passion for her drawing, and her longing for a child and a family of her own.

Illiteracy has kept Jonah from forging friendships and building a career his daughter could be proud of. Hiding his secret has always been a full time job. Yet something about Quinn inspires trust—she helps Jonah gain the confidence he needs to make a better life for Lily. But can she show him that, he too, is deserving of love?

Add in a dash of fairy magic and matchmaking from beyond the grave, and suddenly this small town has a lot more excitement than anything Quinn could find in the city.

Save My Soul by Elley Arden

Psychotherapist Maggie Collins has always been a little off the proverbial wall, but now she’s also knee deep in a delayed quarter-life crisis. With her meager paychecks devoured by student loan debt, a car payment, and rent for office space, living at home with a flighty, folk-singing mother seemed like a good idea . . . at first. Now Maggie’s not so sure. She wants space to sort things out and launch a life of her own, but she needs a cushion of cash to get there. When an unexpected phone call brings an offer Maggie can’t refuse, she’s one deal with the devil away from moving out of her mother’s house.

The devil of contract negotiations, baseball agent Jordon Kemmons, has a problem the usual experts can’t fix . . . his star pitcher is too depressed to throw strikes. Even worse, Jordon’s post-divorce grudge against women is turning him into a raging mess. If desperate times call for desperate measures, then cynical Jordon has made the most desperate move of all. He’s hoping sexy psychotherapist Maggie Collins is the answer to all his rusty prayers.

Soon Maggie and Jordon are fighting an attraction that threatens everything they’ve ever believed. If it’s not just physical attraction . . . if it’s something more, maybe two wrongs can make a right.

Destination Wedding by Robyn Neeley

Wedding planner Kate Ashby’s fear of flying is eased by a sexy stranger and one slow lip lock that rockets her into another obit.

CEO Luke Cannon has just traded seats with his identical twin. Little did he know that an innocent kiss while pretending he was his brother would soon create havoc.

What happens in the air doesn’t stay up there. Once on tropical land, Kate believes that the handsome stranger who gave her the best kiss of her life is now her new client, Drew Cannon, fiancé to the beautiful and wealthy Lauren Kincaid. While Kate struggles with the intense feelings she thinks she has for Drew, Luke discovers Kate’s been hired to plan his brother’s destination wedding. He also realizes the initial sparks they shared 30,000 feet up are now mistakenly aimed at Drew.

Can Luke get Kate to realize that the feelings she has are for him? He’s got forty-eight hours in paradise to try.

Review: In the Mood for Love by Beth Ciotta, Contemporary Romance

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

Contemporary Romance

By: Beth Ciotta

Published July 1, 2014

Blurb

THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN A SURPRISE FLING…

Sugar Creek, Vermont, is a world away from Los Angeles for high-powered, media-obsessed Harper Day. When she took the job doing publicity for the Cupcake Lovers, she never expected to be won over by the town’s old-fashioned charms. But that was before she moved into the Victorian vacation home of her dreams and fell in with a man whose good looks and irresistible ways are anything but small-town…

IS FINDING TRUE AND LASTING LOVE.

Sam McCloud is a widowed father of two. He and bossy, big-city Harper appear to have nothing in common… though the attraction they feel toward one another cannot be denied. But will their romance last longer than the day’s headlines? There’s more to Harper than meets the eye, and as it turns out, she needs to get married—fast. Little does Harper know that family-man Sam will do whatever it takes to keep her in Sugar Creek—even if that means taking matters into his own hands. And never letting her go…in the fourth novel in the Cupcake Lovers series, In the Mood For Love.

Buy Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/03/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for-in.html

My Thoughts

I love this series. The characters are engaging and the story unpredictable. I was rooting for Harper and Sam all the way. They are opposites, but it works without strain. Sam’s kids are a wonderful counterpoint to the steamy romance. In the Mood for Love brings in several subjects that are important in real life–veterans with PTSD and mental illness–subjects I’ve covered in my own books. I sped through the book, enjoying the ride.

My only qualification to a high recommendation is that I felt let down at the end. For me, Harper’s problem was too easily solved for the hype it received through most of the book. Nonetheless, it’s a fun read and I look forward to reading more in the series!

Author Info

Storytelling comes naturally to award-winning author Beth Ciotta. Dubbed “fun and sexy” by Publisher’s Weekly, Beth specializes in contemporary, historical, steampunk, and paranormal romantic fiction.

Beth lives in NJ with her husband, two zany dogs, and a crazy cat. A retired professional performer, Beth now pours her artistic passion into her writing. To learn more about her colorful life, visit her website at www.bethciotta.com.

Connect with Beth: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Website | Blog | Goodreads for Cupcake Series

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Cover Reveal: Defining Moments

Defining Moments

Moments in Time Book Four

By: Dori Lavelle

Blurb

How much heartbreak can one heart take?

Melisa Dane has made it through the worst. Her heart was broken, but Florian Dane, better known as “Heat”—and the man of her dreams—returned to mend it. Now, with her family almost complete, Melisa is ready to sit back and enjoy life.

But fate isn’t done with her yet. The perpetual smile on her face freezes when the second man to steal her heart shows up in her life once again. Scott Bergfeld, the husband she buried and grieved for years ago, is not dead, and he comes back bearing secrets.

Heartbroken and confused, Melisa tries to find answers to questions she never thought she’d ask, but what she learns throws her life into turmoil. Soon, cracks start to form in her marriage with Heat. As her heart is torn into two halves—between the man she loved first and the man she married first—she comes dangerously close to having her whole life destroyed again. How many people will end up getting hurt? This time, does she have the strength to make it through?

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/20...

About the Author

Dori Lavelle, is a mother, wife, and lover of happy endings and mint chocolate. She thinks love and chocolate make such a perfect pair. Give her a great romance novel with a hint of suspense and a mug of hot chocolate and she’d be one happy woman.

Growing up, Dori read a lot, and when she wasn’t happy with a particular ending, she wrote a different one, just for herself. Before long, she was writing stories when she should have been doing homework. The time has come for her to share the stories she cooks up in her head.

Email her at: Dori_lavelle@yahoo.com

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter

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Cover Reveal: Just One Christmas Night

Just One Christmas Night

Contemporary RomanceBy Lisa Marie Perry

Blurb

A red-hot holiday

Pro football publicist Martha Blue has something to prove. To protect the image of the Las Vegas Slayers—and stay employed— she has to shed her party-girl reputation. Fast! So no more mistakes. No further scandals. And absolutely no falling for the one man who can give her everything she wants…and nothing of what she needs.

Danger and desire never mixed well for undefeated prizefighter Joaquin Ryder. A friend of the Blue family, he’s a man who knows his boundaries…boundaries he has secretly crossed only once before. Now that he’s back in Sin City to train for the biggest fight of his career, he can’t afford to let a sexy distraction like Martha put him against the ropes. Revisiting their sizzling past is something he isn’t willing to risk—until a steamy Yuletide encounter, where for just one night, they’ll surrender completely….

Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/20...

About the Author

Lisa Marie Perry encounters difficult fictional men and women on a daily basis. She writes contemporary romance fiction with plenty of sizzle, energy and depth. Flawed, problematic, damaged characters are welcome. Her tales feature exciting multicultural mash-ups, sexy guy-next-door heroes and powerful larger-than-life alphas who are brought to their knees by the love of complicated women.

According to Lisa Marie, an imagination’s a terrible thing to ignore. So is a good cappuccino. After years of college, customer service gigs and a career in caregiving, she at last gave in to buying an espresso machine and writing to her imagination’s desire. She lives in America’s heartland and she has every intention of making the Colorado mountains her new stomping grounds. She drives a truck, enjoys indie rock, collects Medieval literature, watches too many comedies, has a not-so-secret love for lace and adores rugged men with a little bit of nerd.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

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Summer in Montana

Camping in Montana

Summers in Montana are short and hectic. At the first sign of warm weather (anything above freezing), Montanans hustle outside to plant gardens, raft down rivers, hike, ride horses, or do anything that involves being outdoors. My husband and I have already been camping twice this year, and while you’re reading this, we’ll be camping again!

In the small fictional town of Willow Creek, ranchers are mending fences, training horses, and moving cattle up to the new grass available as the snow melts. Hearts are sparked by the long daylight of summer and second chances. The first two books in The Ranch Collection, Love on Willow Creek and Lightning Over Bennett Ranch are now available and make for a quick summer read.

I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to someone randomly selected who answers this question:

What is the name of Bridget’s horse in Love on Willow Creek?  (Hint found here.)

Don’t forget to stop by other folks on the blog tour for more chances to win!  www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com

And, of course, don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below to enter in the grand prize:

One $75 Amazon Gift Card
One $25 Starbucks Gift Card (Donated by Sue Lyndon!)
One $25 Amazon (or Barnes and Noble) Gift Card (Donated by Denisea Kampe!)

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Release Blast: Lightning Over Bennett Ranch, Montana Romance

LIGHTING OVER BENNETT RANCH

Contemporary Western Romance

By: Amber Daulton

Published June 9, 2014

Books To Go Now

Blurb

Melody Bennett’s parents trampled on her teenage romance with a drifter ten years ago. He disappeared without a word of goodbyes on the night they had planned to run away together. Since then, she cast aside her foolish notions of happily ever after and worked hard alongside the hired help to care for the majestic horses on her family’s beloved ranch. She refused to give love another chance and resigned to live her life alone.


Max Fortaine returned with a heart guarded by secrets and a sizable bank account that took blood, prayers and tears to fund. The cowboy disrupted Melody’s peaceful existence with stolen kisses and a promise for more. After a lifetime of running, mistakes and regrets, he vowed to reclaim the only woman he ever loved… if only her overprotective father didn’t stand in his way.

This Montana romance is the second in the Ranch Collection that began with Love on Willow Creek.

Buy Links

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Amazon Australia | Smashwords

Excerpt

“Did you ever love me? At least tell me the truth on that.”

Surprise overshadowed the anger that burned in his eyes. “Yes, I did. I’m sorry I made you doubt that.”

Her tight control slipped and a tear slid down her face. Melody dug her nails into her palms to regain control. “You owe me the truth.”

Max tunneled his fingers through his spiky, dark blond hair. “I do, but I don’t want you to hate me more than you already do.”

“I don’t hate you. I did a long time ago but I forgave you.” She stepped back to give both of them breathing room. As it was, all she could breathe in was his scent. She felt suffocated and strangely at peace by it. “I’m happy, Max. My life is good. I missed you for a while but I moved on. To answer your earlier question, no, I don’t have a boyfriend. I’ve dated men after you, of course, but I’m single now. That’s my choice.” She refused to tell him about her list of must-haves, her criterion for potential love interests. Melody didn’t want him to know how much his betrayal had affected her view on men and love. “Besides, I’m sure you moved on to other women. I doubt a handsome man like you would have trouble finding a new bedmate.”

He glanced away and shifted his feet which confirmed her suspicion.

She wrapped her arms around her queasy stomach and walked toward a window. She peered through the slats of the blinds but she didn’t see much of anything. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to feel not good enough? Tell me why you left Willow Creek without me. I don’t care what the answer is. I just want to know. I won’t hate you for it.”

Author Info

Writing is the fruit to happiness.


Amber Daulton lives her life by that one belief even though she normally isn’t so Zen.


Author of Forever Winter, A Hero’s Heart and Lightning over Bennett Ranch, she published her first book in 2012 and plans to publish countless more in the future. She lives in the beautiful foothills of North Carolina with her punk-rocker husband and their five crazy kitties. Writing takes up most of her time, aside from her day job in the retail industry. As a fan of contemporary, paranormal and historical novels alike, she can’t get enough of feisty heroines and alpha heroes. Her mind is a wonderland of romance and adventure, laughter and awesome ways of kicking a guy when he’s down. She probably wouldn’t be too sane without her computer and notebooks. After all, what’s a girl to do when there are people jabbering away in her head and it’s hard to shut them up? Write! Nothing else works.

Connect with Amber: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Blog | Pinterest | Google Plus | LinkedIn

Summer Writer’s Roundup in Billings, Montana

Please join me Saturday, June 21, 2014 at the Billings Public Library for the Summer Writer’s Roundup.  I’ll be signing books, participating in a marketing panel, promoting the Montana Romance Writers, and talking about my new venture, Self-Publishing Services LLC. I’d love to see you there!  Here’s the schedule:

Summer Writer’s Roundup

Saturday, June 21, 2014 ~ Billings Public Library

Free Admission ~ Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

SCHEDULE:

10:00 a.m. Doors Open – Book sales and autographs will be available all conference hours.

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Introduction of Panel Members

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 noon HOW TO BEGIN WRITING. Why did you begin writing? How do you balance work, family life and writing? Dealing with writer’s block, etc… Q&A.

12:00 noon – 12:45 p.m. Break for lunch (bring your own food and beverage). Book sales continue.

12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. SELF-PUBLISHING vs. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING. What are your experiences of being published? Pros and cons of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, etc… Q&A.

2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. MARKETING YOUR BOOK. Do you really need an agent? How do I research agents and publishers? Are “writer’s contests worth the time and money? Can I get a distributor for my self-published book? Odds of becoming a best-selling writer, etc… Q&A.

4:30 p.m. Closing remarks

5:00 p.m. Library doors close

Participating Authors: Alphabetical order by last name

Cynthia Berst

Cullene Bryant

Casey Dawes

Barbara Graham

Janet Muirhead Hill

Danell Jones

Craig Lancaster

Brian Logsdon

Wallace Madding

Patrick McDonald

Marcia Melton

Jim Moore

Russell Rowland

Andrew Seddon M.D.

Souther

Karen Stevens

Tom Thayer

Allen Tucker

Dick Waltner

Surf City USA

Montana isn’t the first cold place I’ve lived in my life–it’s only the current one.  I’ve spent time in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Michigan (where they closed the state one winter). Somewhere around February, the gray skies of winter, the sometimes bitter cold (think well below zero), and the really short daylight hours make me long for the warmth of anywhere-but-here.

When I was growing up, California was the golden place. We heard about GTOs, goin’ surfin’, California Dreamin’, and, most of all, Surf City USA. It took a while, but eventually I moved to the left coast. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten about the song that warned it always rained in Southern (and Northern) California. And no song ever mentioned the fog that could sock in the towns along the Monterey Bay.

A few years back, there was a lot of controversy about the town that truly owned the title of “Surf City USA.” The vying cities were Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz. I’d already been living in and around Santa Cruz for 14 years by then, so there was no doubt where my loyalty lay. Santa Cruz fought hard, but the legal victory went to Huntington Beach. Still, the number of surfers in Santa Cruz is strong, something I used in my novel, California Homecoming, where a returning soldier and amputee, wanted to learn to surf more than anything. (Well, almost anything. It is a romance, after all.)

Whether it won the title of Surf City USA or not, Santa Cruz County seeped into my psyche. It was also where I came back to writing, thanks to a weekend long writing class at the University of Santa Cruz in 1998. Three of those people were invited to my wedding in 2003, and we still keep in touch. We started a critique group, and I began to slowly flex the fictional writing muscle that had atrophied in the years I was in the technical industry.

A second critique group helped me germinate the beginnings of California Sunset, the first book in my California Romance series. I drew on the culture I knew and the life I’d lived. One of my reviewers said it best:

This book is a wonderful snapshot of the central coast of California and the people who inhabit this area. Ms. Dawes recreates the atmosphere, sensibilities and personalities with poetic realism. Not only is this a sweet love story about a struggling single mother, but a love story about California.

Once I began, I kept writing. After I moved to Montana, I returned to California several times as the series moved on. I also had a wine book I needed to keep updated. But summer means Montana now–when the temperatures sore, the rivers rise and fall, and the eagles, bears, and moose keep it the Last Best Place.  But that’s a story for the future.

For now…bask in the California Dream…

Excerpt from California Sunset

The heroine, Annie, is taking her son David to a soccer tournament. She needs to tell him they’re moving to New Jersey, but doesn’t know how…

The following Saturday, Annie roused David early for the soccer tournament. He sprang out of bed, but the energy disappeared the moment he flopped into the car. He clicked the seat back and closed his eyes.

She took the southern route over the coastal mountains, climbing the switchbacks to Hecker Pass on Highway 152. The road always soothed her, even though its twists and 26 turns required concentration. Glimpses of Watsonville‘s morning-lit strawberry fields framed by the curve of Monterey Bay lifted her heart as she ascended. The early spring

air was clear, washed clean by the rain of the previous two days.

The landscape abruptly changed from sunlit ocean edge to secretive forest when she crested the summit. She always felt as if she was entering a fairy forest. Maybe this was where the mountain knights lived. Maybe that wasn‘t a patch of dogwood in the trees, but a white steed, ready for battle. Song of India played on the car radio and she could almost

believe in dreams coming true.

Almost, but not quite.

But it didn‘t matter. She peeked at David. No matter what the difficulties, she was glad she‘d had him. He was growing up so quickly. Every moment with him was precious.

He was stirring by the time they got to Morgan Hill. She was starving and figured hewas, too; he always seemed to be hungry these days. She dropped him off at the soccer field to register and then went to the nearby Safeway to stock up on Starbucks, lunch items, a cardboard flat of water, and bag of oranges for the boys.

By the time she got back to the acres of soccer greens, David‘s team was warming up on one of the fields near the tree line. She left the food in the bags and the cooler in the back of the car, grabbed her folding chair and ―boredom bag,‖ and strolled toward the cluster of parents on the sideline. A few of the other parents smiled at her as she set up her chair. They‘d been together with the team for years. She chatted briefly with them, settled down in her chair and pulled her “to do” list from her bag.

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