Lynelle Clark's Blog, page 68

Release Day Blitz: Flirting on Ice by Veronica Forand & Susan Scott Shelley. An Atlantic City Hustlers story.

Flirting on Iceby Veronica Forand & Susan Scott ShelleyGenre: Romance
Publisher: Entangled PublishingRelease Date: November 17, 2014


Mr. Perfect has found his kind of trouble…

Professional hockey player Zac Elliott is in top form. He’s having the best season of his career, the local fans can’t get enough of him, and he’s in the middle of the most successful contract negotiations of his career. When the sexy little spark between Zac and the team owner’s daughter blazes to life, no matter how forbidden, he can’t resist.

Philanthropist Heather Ryan can’t keep her hands off of Zac. If her father finds out, it could end Zac’s career and ruin her reputation. What they share is deeply passionate and intensely private...until the press exposes their illicit relationship.

Now the fans have viciously turned against Heather, Zac’s game is faltering, and even his team has deserted him. The only way out of the penalty box is for Zac to play hockey like life— and love—depends on it...



Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Amazon AUBarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ ARe ~ iTunes ~ Google Play



Veronica Forand is an attorney and an award-winning writer of romantic suspense.

She’s lived in Boston, London, Paris, Geneva, and Washington, DC and currently resides near Philadelphia. An avid traveler, she loves to roam across continents with her husband and kids in pursuit of skiing, scuba diving, and finding the perfect piece of chocolate.

Veronica is represented by Michelle Grajkowski of 3 Seas Literary Agency.

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Susan Scott Shelley is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense.

She currently resides outside Philadelphia with her very own Superhero and spends her days writing about tough heroes, smart heroines, and love being the strongest magic there is.

In addition to writing romances, she is also a professional voiceover artist. Her favorite things include running, sports, hard rock and old Hollywood movies.

Susan is represented by Michelle Grajkowski of 3 Seas Literary Agency.

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12 Days of Thanks Libby Austin~ Do you want a chance to win a $500 Amazon Gift Card, $250 Amazon Gift Card, a Kindle E-Reader or one of (12) $10 Amazon Gift Card?

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Ways to enter and build points:
1.           Email proof of purchase dated prior to the entry to libby@libbyaustin.com with Proof of Purchase in the subject line. If Proof of Purchase is not in the subject line it will not be filtered to the correct folder. Example; if you enter the contest with proof of purchase on November 18th but do not purchase the book until November 19th, the points you earned with the Proof of Purchase will be disqualified. You may enter once each day after you purchase the book using this option.2.       Proof of purchase is not required to enter or win any of the prizes.3.       Follow Libby on Twitter @Author_Libby.4.       Tweet about the giveaway: @Author_Libby's 12 Days of Thanks giveaway & blog tour. www.libbyaustin.com for details.5.       Subscribe to Libby Austin’s mailing list on her website www.libbyaustin.com.6.       Share the giveaway. Maximum of 10 points. (Sorry that’s Rafflecopter’s rule, not mine.)7.      Find the puzzle pieces on the various blogs each day. Each time you find a puzzle piece you may earn points on the Rafflecopter giveaway for that day by selecting the blog page, webpage, or Facebook you found the puzzle piece on. To verify you found the puzzle piece prior to entering the giveaway via that option, you must take a screen shot of the puzzle piece, with the date and time visible, & paste it in a word document. After you have found all of the puzzle pieces you wish to find, you will email the document to libby@libbyaustin.comwith Puzzle Scavenger Hunt in the subject line. Only send one email with all of the puzzle pieces included. Each day has one puzzle piece displayed on all of the sites listed for that day, but you get points for every site you visit and take a screen shot off.8.      There will be puzzle pieces on multiple blogs each day to increase your chances of winning.9.      Answer the trivia question provided with each puzzle piece. Find the daily trivia puzzle piece on the one of the webpages. Each time you find a trivia puzzle piece you may earn points on the Rafflecopter giveaway for that day by selecting that day’s trivia option. To verify you found the puzzle piece prior to entering the giveaway via that option, you must take a screen shot of the puzzle piece, with the date and time visible, & paste it in a word document. After you have found all of the Trivia puzzle pieces you wish to find, you will email the document to libby@libbyaustin.com with Trivia Scavenger Hunt in the subject line. Only send one email with all of the Trivia puzzle pieces included.
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Day Date Bloggers Day 1 11/16/2014 BFD Book blog Day 2 11/17/2014 Inspire to Read Day 2 11/17/2014 Claire Fully Reads Day 3 11/18/2014 SBM Book Obsession Day 4 11/19/2014    101 Ways to Make Love to a Spoon Day 5 11/20/2014 PR Mktg Sales: Lisa S blog Day 5 11/20/2014  A Pair of Okies Day 6 11/21/2014 Toot's Book Reviews Day 6 11/21/2014 Somertime Book Blog Day 7 11/22/2014 BJ Reviews Day 7 11/22/2014 we stole your book boyfriend Day 8 11/23/2014 Naughty Book Eden Day 8 11/23/2014 Amy Marie Day 9 11/24/2014 Fangirls Loves Books Day 10 11/25/2014 Crónicas de uma leitora Day 11 11/26/2014 Love Drug Book Blog Day 11 11/26/2014 Must read books ordie Day 11 11/26/2014 The Ultimate Fan Blog Day 11 11/26/2014 Kelly's Nerdy Obsession Day 11 11/26/2014 Deal sharing aunt Day 11 11/26/2014 Words Turn Me On























































































 

Author Hightlight: Her Christmas Cowboy by Adele Downs. Stand a chance to win Kissing her Cowboy.

BOOK INFORMATIONTITLE – HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY AUTHOR – Adele Downs GENRE – Contemporary Western Romance PUBLICATION DATE – November 7, 2014 LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 11,500 word Lunchbox Romance PUBLISHER – Boroughs Publishing Group
    BOOK SYNOPSISTragedy brought them together, but joy met them on the other side.Daisy Phillips has a choice to make: return to Pennsylvania and the Christmases she once knew, or stay in Texas and find a new way to celebrate the holiday--with the handsome cowboy who brought joy back to her life.The heartwarming sequel to the Amazon-bestselling Lunchbox Romance, Kissing Her Cowboy! 
BUY & TBR LINKSAMAZON KINDLE – SMASHWORDS – ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS EXCERPTClearly, the man had no concept of his effect on her.When Daisy pulled up to Trey’s house and saw him standing at the base of the steps to greet her in nothing but low slung denims and work boots, she’d found it hard to breathe. Suddenly, Jack Frost and his Pennsylvania winter lost their appeal. Who needed snow when a smokin’ hot cowboy waited for her? Welcomed her? Wanted her?If she hadn't come to Houston, she wouldn't have met the handsome ranch hand who filled her dreams night after night. Trey had become her single compelling reason to work through her personal pain. That and the fact that she’d never give up police work. She’d find a way to succeed, one way or another. It was hard for a cop to be flexible, since theirs was a structured world, but she was trying her best to adapt to her new environment.Daisy took a bite of her chicken salad while Trey munched his roast beef. They ate in companionable silence while Big Blue grazed beyond. Trey took a swallow of bottled ice tea and then spoke. “Would you like to spend Christmas Eve together, here? Maybe help me trim the tree?”Daisy’s spirit lifted again with the invitation, though she tried to stay cool. She and her sister Rose had already been invited to Christmas dinner with Trey’s family, and she’d promised to bring homemade pumpkin pie and oven fresh bread. Rose was making apple pie and a side dish.Daisy hadn't expected to spend Christmas Eve with Trey too, but she was glad he asked. “Sure. I’d like that.” The heaviness around her heart broke free and her mood lifted. She imagined the two of them in an embrace, making love beneath the twinkling lights of Trey’s Christmas tree, and realized she was…happy.It had been so long since she’d known the feeling it took seconds to realize what had come over her. She smiled and savored the moment. Trey made her happy. Spending Christmas with him was the best gift the season could bring.There would be no snowfall in Texas. Or winter’s chill. No downhill sledding, hot cocoa, or ice covered boots. There might not be snippets of holly gracing the table, but there would undoubtedly be mistletoe. With that final thought, Daisy leaned over and gave Trey a deep, gotta’ get-back-to-work kiss.He smiled at her, and just like that… Daisy found her Christmas spirit.  AUTHOR BIOAdele Downs writes best-selling contemporary romance inside the office of her rural Pennsylvania home. She is a former journalist, published in newspapers and magazines inside the USA, UK, and Caribbean.Adele is an active member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter where she serves as a past-president. She has written several articles for RWR magazine (Romance Writers Report) and has presented workshops for writers.When Adele isn’t working on her current project, she can be found riding in her convertible or reading a book on the nearest beach.



                        This or that questions:

HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Adele Downs • Coffee or Tea – COFFEE! COFFEEEEEEEE!
• Sweet or savory – Sweet!
• Home make meal or takeouts – Home made, definitely.
• Winter or summer – Summer! Love the beach.
• Night-owl or Early-Bird – Night Owl.
• Telephone or visits – Visits. I hate talking on the phone.
• Which social network do you prefer? Facebook.
• Blogger or website? Blogger! Adele Downs, Down To Earth Romance
• What does your family say about your career? Supportive or Clueless~ Super Supportive! 
AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKSAMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – PINTEREST – STREET TEAM  
GIVEAWAY PRIZESFive (5) Amazon Kindle gift copies of KISSING HER COWBOY. Winners announced at the end of the book tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway  
Tour Organized & Hosted By
 

Cover Reveal Announcement: True North by M.E.Montgomery. Plotting a course is easy; finding your True North and staying the course presents a greater challenge.

TITLE: True NorthAUTHOR: M.E. MontgomeryGENRE: Contemporary RomancePUBLICATION DATE: December 5, 2014COVER DESIGN: Cover to Cover Design


Alex and Kayla have found in each other what they need to move moved beyond the tragedies of their pasts and are ready to embrace their future together. But the problem with the past is it doesn’t always agree to be left behind, and sometimes it follows, unwilling to let go.

Now everything they thought they knew to be true is suddenly turned up on end. Collisions between the past and the present challenge their happiness, and hiding in the shadows lurk more obstacles that threaten their future.

Alex and Kayla are determined not to let these twists and turns destroy their happiness. But is love enough? What happens when lies, uncertainty, and deception entangle with their plans? Will determination be enough when faced with disaster?

Plotting a course is easy; finding your True North and staying the course presents a greater challenge.


I found myself suddenly flipped onto my back. He climbed on top of me and leaned over so his face was just a couple inches from mine. His arms muscles bulged as he braced himself above me. “How do you want me, sweetness?” His eyes blazed back at me, filled with the same need I was feeling.

I couldn’t stop the flush that colored my cheeks, but I still answered, “I want you inside me.”

His eyes gleamed. I knew he enjoyed my growing boldness when it came to our sex life. “Just like that?” he murmured. His hand slid up between us, still holding the rose that now had several petals askew. “That would be sort of caveman of me, wouldn’t it? Now, a gentleman would take his time kissing and caressing you, making sure you were ready.”

I could feel dampness gathering between my legs and I opened my mouth to tell him I was ready for him, caveman or gentleman, whichever he chose.

But he shook his head and laid the rose against my mouth effectively silencing me. “I’d like to think I behave better than a caveman, but I can’t claim to always be a gentleman, either.” He removed the rose and whispered against my lips, “What to do?”




M.E. Montgomery has been an avid reader her entire life, and her Amazon account will attest to that fact! Recently, several voices began telling their own stories in her head. After being assured she wasn’t crazy and this was the sign of an emerging novel, she decided to put her fingers to work and started typing, and with lots of encouragement, decided to share Alex, Kayla, and Aiden’s dramatic and heartwarming tale.

Her family considers her adept in most subjects, to include science, history, reading, spelling, and all mathematical studies, which loosely means she is the homework queen to her four school aged children. Fortunately, her biology and elementary school teaching background help her to keep up the expert façade, at least for now.

Although born and raised in the Washington DC metro area, she has considered many places to be called home since she left to attend college in North Carolina. She is a proud Navy wife, setting up hearth and home wherever in the world the Navy sends her husband. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves to go camping with her family, drinking wine on the deck, and romantic getaways when her husband’s work permits.


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In celebration of the reveal of True North, Miss Montgomery is offering book one in the Polaris series, North Star, at a discounted sale of .99. This event is for today, November 15, only.




Special .99 sale



This Reveal was organized by

MoB Promos

Release launch: Assumptions by Melanie Codina. That moment you discover, just how wrong you were...

SYNOPSIS:
What happens when a girl set on playing by the rules …
Leeann Bradley is a college graduate who has achieved many of her personal goals, all because she follows the rules she’s set for herself. It’s simple. You work hard, enjoy life, surround yourself with friends and family, avoid jumping to conclusions … and oh yeah, don’t date jocks. These rules have worked well and have taken her down the path she wants in life. So what’s a girl to do when temptation, in the form of a sexy college soccer player, is placed right in the middle of that path? Deciding when to break the rules has never been easier for Leeann. But when assumptions are made, and more than just the rules are broken … will she be able to find her way down that path again? And what happens when it’s no longer the path she’s meant to take?
Finds a guy worth breaking them for …
Until now, Jonathan Baxter had one primary focus in his life, soccer. All decisions made, have been based on how it could affect his ability to play soccer. His grades, his choice of college, any type of extracurricular activities, were all carefully assessed. All of it has made playing college soccer possible. But when an injury sidelines him for the foreseeable future, and jeopardizes his dreams, he has to work even harder than before. Rehabilitating his injury becomes his primary objective. Until he meets Leeann, a physical therapy assistant whose touch has the ability to make him lose focus. She has him thinking there could be more in his life—in his future—than just soccer. So what’s Jonathan to do when Leeann assumes he’s just like every other jock out there? He has to prove her assumptions wrong.


PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon US * Amazon UK *iBooks






EXCERPT:
“So, Leeann. I was thinking of asking you out on a date, but figured I should make sure there wasn’t a Mr. Leeann in the picture,” I stated matter-of-factly, taking another bite of my salad. Rather than respond right away, she gave me an amused look. I really liked that I amused her. It did great things for my ego.
“A Mr. Leeann?” she inquired.
I nodded, liking my choice of words. “Yeah. You know, a member of the opposite sex who you’ve attached yourself to. Maybe even have Cobb salads with. Although I’m sure there would be other things you do with a Mr. Leeann, but we don’t need to bring those up. I prefer to just think of you eating Cobb salads with him.”
She tried to conceal a snort by covering her mouth with a napkin, but I caught it. It was cute as hell. That unruly dick of mine began to make himself known again. I was actually surprised it had taken that long for him to realize she was within a five-foot radius. Maybe the temporary jolt of pain I got almost falling allowed for the delayed response. Fortunately, I’d taken Leeann’s advice from the other day and worn shorts that were a little more concealing.
When she removed the napkin, she smiled broadly. “Well, there really isn’t anyone else I eat Cobb salads with. Except you, of course. But—”
I interrupted her, “Perfect! That makes me your Mr. Leeann. I can totally be that for you. Except I could definitely see us doing more than eating Cobb salads together.”
Now she was giggling, and I couldn’t help but watch her as that simple sound exploded in my ears. It swirled around me, making me want more. When she slowed down the giggling, she asked, “So you can see me doing more with you, huh?”
My hands were clasped together, and I rested my elbows on the table, leaning forward a little. I lowered my voice and said, “Oh yeah.” The husky tone caught her attention, and she leaned forward in response. So I continued, “I could definitely see us doing more than eating Cobb salads. We could always try the Caesar, or even a Greek salad together. How do you feel about pizza?”
Leeann burst out laughing, and I couldn’t control every part of my body that responded without delay. There I was, joking with this sexy woman, dick at full attention, and all I could do was stare … and plan.
I needed to make a plan that involved making her laugh like that for me … every damn day.




AUTHOR BIO:
Melanie is an amazing mother of four, an awesome and tolerant wife to one, and nurse to many. If you don't believe her, just ask anyone in her family, they know what to say. She is also a devoted chauffeur, the keeper of missing socks, a genius according to a seven year old, the coolest soccer uniform coordinator according to a thirteen year old, and the best damn mac-n-cheese-with-cut-up-hot-dog maker in the whole world. Well that last title isn't really official, but it's still pretty cool to be called it.
When not being ordered around by any of the kids, you can find her with her nose in a book or on the sideline of a soccer game cheering on one team or another. But that's mostly because she has a thing for the coach. When not doing all of the above, you can find her obsessed with a group of fictional characters all vying for a spot on the page of whatever she's working on. It's a fun and crazy life to lead, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

AUTHOR MEDIA SITES:

@MelanieCodinawww.MelanieCodina.com  (under construction at the moment)https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7043981.Melanie_Codinahttp://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Codina/e/B00CMSZH7O/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1400603303&sr=1-2-enthttps://www.facebook.com/MelanieCodinaAuthorhttp://instagram.com/melaniecodina


RELEASE LAUNCH HOSTED:
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Book Blitz: For the love of Candy by Patricia Wilton. Book 4 in the Candy Bar series. The Candy Bar is in trouble, to know why you can buy the book at 99 cents for a limited time. So, don't wait to learn more in the final chapter of the series.

For the Love of Candy by Patrice Wilton Series: Candy Bar, #4
Genre: Romantic ComedyRelease Date: August 5, 2014


FOR THE LOVE OF CANDY is the fourth and final book in the Candy Bar series. For everyone who has read and loved this romantic comedy series, I want to thank you for buying my book, loving my women, laughing late into the night, and sharing this joy with me. The happiness you have given me by reading your wonderful reviews were the greatest gift I could ever receive, and made me believe in myself as a writer. It is because you cared and asked me for Candy’s story that I gave this story life, and I hope that I will have fulfilled your every wish. The magic is here. Please read on and enjoy the final conclusion to Candy’s story.

The Candy Bar is in trouble. Crime and corruption has changed the landscape of the street. Candy can stay and fight it, or sell and run. She has called an emergency meeting with her dear friends, the sisters of her heart, to tell them her decision. Enter Harrison Wolfe—Boston lawyer, probably a Mayflower descendant by his arrogance and arresting good looks. He has come to the Candy Bar to tell her that his daughter is engaged to her son Billy. He’s only 21 and graduating from college, and is certainly not ready to take on the responsibilities of marriage. Harrison is also strongly opposed to this engagement and wants to put an end to it before it even begins. Thunder cracks open the sky, lightning strikes, and Harrison and Candy are caught up in the magic and madness. Now they have to fight their attraction—and keep their pants on--to stay focused on keeping their children apart. This hilarious, touching, upbeat story will engage your emotions and hopefully have you laughing one minute, and wiping tears the next. 



CHAPTER ONE

Sunshine filtered through the stained-glass windows as I opened the door to the Candy Bar, but the cavernous interior remained dark and gloomy. It was always this way until the room filled with people, then the sound of laughter and bubbly good times turned this old Mission Inn into something magical.

I maneuvered through the clusters of tables and chairs, then dumped my keys and handbag on the mahogany bar, turning the lights on dim.

For the past ten years the Candy Bar has been my home, bringing pride, joy and a comfort of living that I never expected. Still, nothing remains static. The rivers of life keep flowing and a girl has to adapt to the sudden change of current, or drown.

One thing for sure—I’m great at adapting. I took the lemons life tossed at me and created a profitable lemonade stand. Kicked out of my house with a baby on the way, I’d had to scrape out a living. It hadn't always been easy and it hadn't been pretty, but I’d done what I needed to do. Successfully, on my terms.

And so I would again.

I’d tell my friends, sisters of the heart, that it was a business decision and we all needed to keep our emotions out of it. Right? As if that would happen.

I stepped behind the bar and wiped my damp palms with a dry cloth. Perspiration dotted my upper lip and my brow, but I knew it wasn't the Miami humidity. A nervous stomach was the culprit.

I lifted my chin and glanced in the mirror. “Buck up, Candy Thompson,” I told myself. “This isn't your first rodeo and it isn't your last. The girls will understand.”

My eyes told me differently. I sucked in a breath. Okay, telling them I was going to sell would break their hearts. I knew that. It was also breaking mine. There was nothing to do about it; the decision was made and it was final.

I expected them to arrive any minute, but I couldn't sit down to wait. Instead I grabbed the cloth and began to polish the already perfectly polished bar. Once that was done, I played with the liquor bottles in front of the brick wall, rearranging them attractively so they lined up in a row.

I was still puttering when the door opened. Momentarily blinded by sunlight, I blinked and made out a tall, svelte body topped with fiery red hair.

I gripped the edge of the slick wood. “Hey, Lydia,” I greeted her as though I didn’t have a care in the world. “You’re the first to arrive.” A lawyer, a mother, a wonderful friend—who still made time in her busy schedule to see me in the middle of the day.

I closed my eyes against the onslaught of memories and walked around the bar, into her hug. My smile was as big as it was false.

“Candy,” she cried, searching my face for clues. “What’s up? You’re scaring the heck out of us, calling this emergency meeting.”

“I’ll tell you as soon as the others get here.” I laughed weakly. “Middle-aged drama. Nothing life threatening.”

Lydia sniffed. “Middle-aged? Hardly. You’re younger than Fran and me, although outside of this room, I’d deny it.” She stepped back and crossed her arms to study me, knowing there was more to it. “The rest of us have drama, but you always handle things in stride.”

“Guess I’m due for a meltdown, then.” I hoped the others arrived soon so I could explain my decision just once.

As if on cue, Fran and Susie entered together and I breathed a sigh of relief. After warm hugs, I gestured them to their barstools. For years they’d each parked their butts in the same order along the bar. Lydia, Fran, Susie.

I looked at their beautiful faces and choked up, my airway clogged with emotion but no way would I cry. How could I tell my dear friends that it was time for me to move on? I knew they’d do anything, say anything to rope me down and keep me here.

I returned to my spot behind the bar, my source of comfort. I sucked in a couple of deep breaths and then straightened my shoulders, determined to say what had to be said. My stomach rolled with nerves.

“As you all know, the Candy Bar hasn't been doing so well lately. Business has slowed to a trickle during the week, and is about half of what we used to bring in on the weekends.”

“It’s the end of the season. Things always get slow,” Lydia said, her tone defensive.

I shook my head, and fought back my emotions. The head had to overrule the heart.

“This neighborhood has changed in the last couple of years. It used to be quiet, set back from South Beach, but the action has crept here. I’ve seen drug deals go down on the streets and I’m pretty sure there’s some prostitution three blocks over by the gas station.” Before they could speak, I rushed on. “The cops are everywhere, but they don’t, or can’t, stop the progression of crime. It’s killing my bottom line. I need to sell before it’s too late to see even a small profit.” Although it wasn't about the money. Not really.

Fran’s brow creased with concern. Her honey-toned pixie spikes bobbed as her chin rose. “There’s a new sports bar down the street, and that dance club, Dominique’s, which opened last year.” She rubbed her fingers together. “They are packing in the crowds, and don’t seem worried about the crime element.”

Probably paying off the right people, I thought.

Fran was like a determined terrier-once she sunk her teeth into something, she’d hang on to the bitter end. “So, if it’s just slow business, we’ll think of something to bring the crowd back here. Won’t we, girls?”

I rested my elbow on the bar. “My regulars are disappearing and it’s not likely they’ll be coming back. Not unless I sink a lot of money into the place.” My friends opened their lips to argue, so I raised my hand and continued, “And the club crowd, well, they are so young and flaky, that I’m just as happy not serving them. Jake and I had to crack down on fake ID. It hasn't made us popular. We don’t condone drug use on the property, which has become a real problem.”

“Drugs are a problem everywhere,” Lydia said. “And it seems the criminals are getting younger every year.”

I expelled a breath. “I don’t want the Candy Bar taking a nose-dive. I worked too hard to make it a place to be proud of, not some cheap pick-up spot for hustlers.”

“It won’t. Not this magical place,” Susie said with some heat. Her delicate features belied a strong will. “This is the best bar in South Beach, isn't it girls?” She didn't wait for an answer. “You don’t have to worry about the riff-raff. You've created a sophisticated ambiance, and you’re the savviest person around. Plus you've got Jake, the best looking hunk of a bartender in the state of Florida, and magic, to boot. The other bars can stick their head down a toilet, because the Candy Bar is here to stay.”

I slowly shook my head.

“You can’t sell.” Fran twisted her hands in her lap, her face blotchy. “You can’t. This is as much our place as it is yours.” Her cheeks turned a solid crimson.

“Fran,” I said, my heart aching. “This was a hard decision to make, but I have to get out from under the bar before it buries me.” I also needed a change. It was time to be something more.

Fran cleared her throat and lifted her chin, a pint-sized country rock maven ready to do battle. “That sounded selfish of me, but I don’t care.” Her lovely voice rose with passion. “Hell, Candy. You can’t do this.” She glanced around the room, her gaze lingering on the empty stage, and then back at her friends. “This is the place where we found our true loves. Where dreams come true. Susie’s right. It’s a magical place, and you can’t let it go. Not for love or money,” she paused and added, “or someone like Jay.”

I backed up a step, struck. “Jay has nothing to do with it.” Other than being an impetus toward getting my life together. What had I been thinking, hoping to change a man who liked all women? I’d never accept being one of his groupies, so I had to end it, or continue down a path of heartache and self-loathing. It had been fun for awhile, but that short affair was over.

“Well, then,” Lydia said, searching my face. “If it’s really just a financial decision, we can work something out. I agree with Fran, and I don’t want you to sell.” She reached for her expensive leather purse and pulled out her checkbook. “I’m going to give you a little something until things get back in full swing again.”

I raised my chin and straightened my shoulders. Even at the lowest point in my life I hadn’t taken handouts. “Put that back. I’m selling. That’s my final decision.”

Susie slid from her barstool and walked behind the bar, grabbing a chilled bottle of Sonoma Cutrer. “Candy, you better open this. It might only be three-thirty, but we’re going to need it for this conversation.” She thumped it on the counter then took her seat on the other side of the bar. “Yes, you may be the sole proprietor, but we have a stake in this place too.”

I opened the bottle and filled four glasses, then we all just looked at each other, knowing that somehow we’d reached a crossroad. Four friends that had found each other, supported one another—even though we each embarked on separate journeys, they all led back to here.

Susie broke the silence, and lifted her glass. “If it hadn’t been for that art show I might not have reconnected with Brett. I’d still be sitting here meeting men from on-line dating services who looked nothing like their pictures.”

“I remember watching you, thinking what is that beautiful girl doing, wasting her time on loser after loser?” I clinked my glass with Susie’s.

“We were married at this bar,” she whispered with tears in her bright blue eyes.

It was difficult to stay strong in the gale of her memories, but I stiffened my spine.

“I met Jed here,” Lydia spoke quietly. “The storm, the magic—we conceived Braden that night.”

I nodded. “We hadn’t met yet, but I clearly remember the magnum of champagne you’d ordered, and that you were celebrating something. Your friend got a little wasted.”

“Client.” Lydia said with a shrug. “A very good, affluent client who used my services through three of her divorces.”

Like it had been yesterday, I could still remember how Lydia had looked professional and composed, taking care to feed her client and order a cab, as the lady waved the bottle around, and flirted with every guy around.

“After you called her a cab,” Lydia spoke quietly, “I left during the tropical storm and found my car with a dead battery. Jed jumpstarted me in more ways than one,” she added with a grin.

Fran took a quick sip of her wine, then pushed the glass aside. She jerked her chin toward the small dance floor. “I saw John when I was up on that stage singing. The way our eyes connected, well, it was like a shot of electricity had gone right through us. We were two lonely people who hadn’t been out on a date in years. But in that moment everything changed—and I became quite the vamp.” She laughed. “Took him to bed that very night, I did.”

“Candy Bar magic worked for all three of you. You found true love. We came together, and I couldn’t ask for better friends.” I gave a weary sigh. It would break my heart to sell this place, but I couldn’t afford to hang on to it for sentimental reasons. “It’s gotta go.”

“Jed and I could help out,” Lydia offered, without touching her purse again, thank heaven. She didn’t understand that there was more than just the money behind my decision. Probably because I hadn’t told them that I wanted more—something new to sink my teeth into. “An interest free loan,” Lydia said softly, “if you won’t accept the gift. I insist.”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Susie said, brushing her long blonde hair to the side with slender artist’s fingers. “My paintings have been selling well, and Brett and I have a little extra to spare. We want to invest. Right here.” She indicated the first four seats. “This is our corner of the bar. We own it. I’m going to buy these seats right now.”

Fran smacked the counter with typical determination. “Whoa. Wait a dang minute. My career started on that stage, and if anyone is going to put money down, it’s me. So back off, everybody. This is personal.”

I’d known they’d be upset, but to fight over giving me money? It was enough to bring me to tears. I glanced away and sucked them back. “I figured you’d be upset, but I never thought you’d try and rescue me. I should have though. It’s what we do.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. No crying, damn it. “I love you crazy girls to death, but I don’t want any one of you to float me a loan. This is a business decision, and one that I alone will make.” I met their confused, questioning gazes, imploring them to understand.

“You see…I want a clean break. To go someplace fresh. Live life for a change and stop working all the time.”

“You want to leave South Beach? Leave us?” Fran asked, her voice full of hurt.

My heart ached so badly I had to look away. My glance rested on the mural that Susie had painted, the stage where Fran had sang—so many happy memories, and ones I would always treasure. Still, as much as I loved the place, I couldn’t weaken now, or I’d be stuck here behind the bar—forever.

“You all have your own lives now, and nothing stays the same. It’s my turn to move on. I’m getting too old to be a barmaid.” I removed my straw hat and ran a loving finger across the brim. “Too old to be dressed like some sexy cowgirl.”

“You’re not old,” Susie said. “And if you take off your hat and start dressing all prim and proper,” she sniffed, “then I guess I’ll have to do the same. All of us will. No more party girls. No more Candy Ops. No more fun. Let the boring times begin.”

I grimaced at Susie’s dramatic prediction for our future.

“Put your hat back on,” Fran demanded. She grabbed it from the bar and shoved it back on my head, then continued yelling as though I were stone deaf. “What do you think you’re doing? You don’t quit. None of us do. We’re survivors, dammit, and we’ll figure a way out of this mess without selling our magical place.”

“You keep saying this is a business decision. So why won’t you take a loan?” Lydia narrowed her eyes. “You sure this isn’t about Jay Carpenter? Didn’t you go see him last week?”

I turned away from the girls, hiding the truth. “He’s not a part of my life anymore, and not a part of this decision, that’s for damn sure.” The only way Jay had influenced me was to show me what I didn’t have in my life, and what I still may want.

“Why?” Fran asked, zeroing in like a hawk on prey. “What happened in Tampa?” She reached out and touched my shoulder, turning me around.

I tugged at the brim of my hat. “Same old,” I said, like it didn’t bother me. “Found him in bed with another girl.” I grabbed my neglected glass of wine, and took a large swallow. “She was younger and prettier than the last.”

With great pretense, I gave a carefree shrug. “I finally realized that there’d always be another one, a continuous parade of women competing for Jay’s attention. Who was I to think I might change him? That man doesn't want to be corralled, and I for one have lost interest in trying.”

I tossed my head, sending my straw hat flying toward the row of booze on the bar. “I’m ready to move on. He’s not invited.”

“Oh, Candy,” Susie said softly. “I’m so sorry. You really liked him. He seemed so into you.”

“Into me, and anybody else he could nail.” That had been the hardest part for me to accept. I’d understood Jay’s celebrity status gave him carte blanche to party like a rock star. What had hurt was realizing I wasn't special enough to tame the man. For a while, it had been fun trying.

“Did you love him?” Susie asked, compassion in her tone.”No,” I answered honestly. “I don’t even like him so much anymore.”

“Ah,” Susie said. Lydia’s eyes welled and Fran’s cheeks turned red as if they all felt my misery. Unbidden, hot tears of disappointment coursed down my cheeks, my shoulders shook and I couldn’t catch a breath. Gasping, I sobbed gut-wrenching tears. Crying like I hadn’t cried since leaving home at sixteen—pregnant, rejected by my family who disowned me, sending me off to find my own place in the world.

The Candy Bar had become my place. Could I really leave it behind? My friends abandoned their barstools and came around the bar, locking me in a protective group hug. Lydia smelled like expensive perfume, Susie sandalwood and Fran like hair gel.

“We’ll always be friends,” I said, clearing my throat and pushing out of their circle. “This is so embarrassing.” I whispered. “Carrying on like this. I’m fine. Really.” Secretly, during my weak moments I’d always build myself up by thinking of myself as Candy the Conqueror. Well, that Candy had just lost total control and was blubbering like a baby.

Lydia looked like I’d smacked her in the face. “Embarrassing? We’re not only your friends, we’re your family.” She used an embossed cocktail napkin to dab at my tears. “And don’t you forget it.”

Fran stepped back, her lower lip jutted out. “I’m going to kill that Jay Carpenter. Worse, I’m going to call every person I know and have him permanently black listed.”

The idea perked me up a little and I forced a smile. “You can’t do that. His name is bigger than yours.”

She tilted her pug nose in the air. “Not for long. And once I do a proper smear campaign, no one will want to touch him. Not even his faithful groupies.”

“Need help?” Susie asked, her angelic face a mask of beautiful fury. “You twitter, and I’ll tackle facebook.”

“No one is going to do anything,” I told them, pushing them back toward their barstools. “Even if he is a two-timing whore. Darn, I can’t even call him that. He makes no bones that he screws anyone he pleases, so he doesn’t really cheat. He was honest about it from the start. That makes me stupid, not him.” My bottom lip trembled so I bit it viciously and tasted blood.

“Don’t you dare stand up for him,” Lydia said savagely. “I don’t care who he screws, as long as it isn’t you.”

“When I saw him like that—in bed with another woman, I was so filled with disgust—for him and for myself. He’d made it perfectly clear where I stood on his priority list, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like who I was. On the drive home, I came to terms with the fact I’m almost forty. My son is a legal adult graduating from college.”

I took a deep breath, smoothing my fingers across the bar. “Billy is starting new, too. It’s time I thought about finding someone to spend the rest of my life with. Someone who doesn’t sleep around and who’ll cherish me. I deserve that, don’t I?”

“You do, Candy,” they said in unison, as if they’d been practicing all week. Who needed a sexy cowboy you could ride all night and leave you cross-legged in the morning, when you had women like these at your back?

“So selling the Candy Bar isn’t just about the money.” Lydia reached for the almost empty bottle of wine.

Passing it over, I shook my head. “The neighborhood is going downhill. Just like me.”

“Will you stop saying that?” Susie frowned. “You are beautiful.”

“I saw a gray hair this morning,” I answered.

“So? You just pull them out,” Lydia responded. “Doesn’t mean you’re not hot stuff.”

“Well, I think you’re one of the most beautiful women, I know,” Fran said. “And maybe tonight some cute guy will walk in, and you’ll find your magic just like we all did.” She beamed. “Why not? Your bar, your turn.”

The Candy Bar was an old mission inn, built on an ancient Indian burial ground. We didn’t have any factual proof of any mysterious forces at work, but we liked to think that the Indians were up to old tricks. During tropical storms when the skies opened up and lightning crackled in the air, the brick wall behind the bar would begin to sweat. Inside the bar, candles flickered, lights dimmed, and whoever was the lucky or unlucky recipient of this electrical current would get zapped by magic.

By now, most of the customers knew the routine. I’d shout out “make a wish,” and the lucky recipient would wish for something and it would be granted. Since it’s never happened to me, I’m not sure what I’d wish for. I’d like a husband, but it wasn’t the top priority in my life. I wanted to give back to the people who had once supported me.

I’d eventually ended up at a women’s shelter, and they had let me stay until the baby was born. Without their nurturing care, I’m not sure if either Billy or I would have survived. So I like to think that if the magic struck me, I’d be a bigger, better person and not ask for love, but a means to help other unwed mothers.

“It’s not going to happen. I think I’m immune.”

“Next time,” Lydia suggested, “throw yourself in front of it. Don’t let anyone else steal your wish. It’s your turn for love, girlfriend.”

“I need a lot of other things first, like a demolition crew to clean this neighborhood up. That’s the only thing that will keep this business alive long enough for me to sell to a solid buyer. If I only have one wish, I sure can’t make it a man.” I was independent and quite capable, and well used to doing things for myself. A man would keep me warm at night, but then so would a blanket. And if I wanted affection, I could always get a puppy.

“Make it a rich man,” Susie said with a devilish grin. “And a drop dead gorgeous one. Go for the whole enchilada!”

“Clear skies today, girls,” I said, reaching for another bottle of wine. One of the perks of owning the place was drinking the finest wine with the best friends any girl could have.

My heart twisted as I thought of somebody else behind the bar. My bar. Had I made my decision to sell too quickly? No…it was time.

The door swung open, allowing the late afternoon sun to illuminate the dim bar. I tossed my hair back, narrowing my eyes to bring the shape of broad shoulders wearing a suit into focus.

He paused at the door, surveying the room before finding the four of us in the near gloom. I flicked a switch, softly lighting the area around the bar tables—he could see us, and we could see him.

He moved forward with a confident stride. Tall—really tall. Perhaps 6 foot 6, with dark hair. His suit was tailored, the fabric expensive even from a distance. Something about him screamed trouble and I wiped my palms on the front of my jeans.

“I’m looking for the owner,” he said, with a deep rich timber to his voice.

Trouble, yes, but from where? He was too smooth to be one of the jackasses who’d been after me for protection money for the bar. Maybe he was interested in buying the place, though I’d just listed the property last night with a realtor.

I came around the bar, with a reserved smile. I was wearing a hot pink tee that read Candy Bar in silver sequins across my considerable bosom. And hot pink cowboy boots. My attire suited the Candy Bar. Suited me. But for some reason, it made me feel ever-so-tacky next to Wall Street Ken.

I held out my hand. “I’m Candy.”

For better or worse, that’s me.



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Buy the rest of the Candy Bar SeriesBook 1: Replacing BarnieAmazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes
Book 2: Where Wishes Come TrueAmazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iTunes
Book 3: Night MusicAmazon ~ Kobo - iTunes

Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. As a voracious reader, she gobbled up books, and her imagination soared. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about.
Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book—in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages.

She is the proud mother of two, has four lovely grand-daughters, and a wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience.

Her best selling books are the Candy Bar series, the Serendipity Falls series, and her returning war hero series. She joined a group of talented, NY Times and USA Today best selling authors and released a ten book box set--TEN BRIDES FOR TEN HEROES, followed by TEN CHRISTMAS BRIDES.


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Release day Blitz: Special Agent Finnegan by Mimi Barbour. #2 in the Undercover FBI Series.

Special Agent Finneganby Mimi BarbourSeries: Undercover FBI, #2Genre: Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: November 3, 2014


When Special Agent Finnegan O'Reilly gets shot, and the news brings on his father’s heart attack, he decides to cut out the undercover assignments for a while. The O'Reilly has suffered enough and Finn can’t be the cause of more. Then his boss forces him to take on one more case. Playing a role right in their own pub to expose the serial, suicide killers rampaging New York City, he’s to be their next target. His part – to be a married man who cheats on his wife – seems more like real life than playacting.

Renée Knight has no scruples when on the job as a New York City cop. Her disguises have become a permanent fixture in her life, and no one really knows her except for the father she loves fiercely. The man whose suicide she doesn't accept nor will she leave alone. If it means going undercover in a pub where the killers hang out, she’s their girl. If it means playing the wife of the pub owner, no problem. But they never intended for her to fall for this guy, she does this all on her own. Now she has to hire the killers to arrange his suicide. And catch them before they carry it out.

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Buy Book 1: Special Agent FrancescaAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Author, Mimi Barbour, has five romance series at this time. The Vicarage Bench, a Spirit-travel, Time-travel Series / Angels with Attitude Series – Angels Love Romance / The Vegas Series—fast-paced, thrilling and loved by readers / Elvis Series—make an Elvis Song a book, and her latest suspense series with gritty characters, constant conflicts and emotional highs and lows sharing humor on every page,  The Undercover FBI series.

“Mimi says - I've taken early retirement on Vancouver Island to spend my days and many nights, hovering over my computer and spinning the stories that have been vying for my attention over the years.

My husband is supportive, drags me out to feed me and plans occasional forays into the outside world. I have a son who makes me happy I was born a woman so I could be his mom, and a niece whose family adds to my full cup of happiness."


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Blog Tour: Little Boxes by Celia J Anderson. Plus a character Interview with Molly: the main character within the book.

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Interview with a main character: Molly
So, Molly, I’ve finally tracked you down for a chat. You’re a very difficult lady to get hold of, you know.Molly:True - it’s the kids, and the bistro ... and the garden’s a mess since Jake went ... and then there are the letters ... oh, forget I said that, please. I was just thinking aloud. What did you want to talk to me about?Well, I was going to start with the bistro and how you’re coping here on your own without Jake, but the letters sound much more intriguing?Molly:Vicious, dreadful lies. There’s no truth at all in what they say. Tom’s just a friend. No, no - let’s go with your first idea. The bistro is ticking over very nicely. I’ve got a manager in and she’s very good so I don’t need to be there - the children keep me busy and there’s my job, so I can’t be everywhere. The cooking was Jake’s big passion but I think his staff knew him well enough to be able to carry on in the same way. It’s not the same though, obviously.No, it must be very sad. Of course the children must be missing him badly?Molly:Yes, I guess so. They’ve been a bit tearful but he wasn’t around an awful lot, what with running the business and everything that involved.Have you plans of your own for the future?Molly:Oh no ... well ... I’ve been thinking I might try something else instead of working in schools. Some of the children I see really hate having music lessons. I got kicked again last week.Really? Is there no control in those places?Molly:It’s not that. The pupils are all ones with problems. They get angry I guess. But I’ve pretty much had enough of being sworn at. It’s time for a change.And along the same lines (I hope you don’t mind me asking this) do you ever see yourself meeting someone else? I know it’s early days. Molly:I don’t think Hattie and Theo and Max would like that, do you? Sam certainly wouldn’t. And the neighbours would talk. But when I talk to Tom, I do sometimes wish ... anyway, it’s much too soon. I’m going now - it was good to meet you, but I haven’t got anything else to say right now. Maybe we’ll meet again when my life is back on track. Whenever that might be ...

Extract:
What kind of man would brave the bitter cold to paint such fresh, clean pictures day after day? Molly had stood in the shelter of the Ferrymead-on-Sea lighthouse on that first morning, muffled to the eyeballs in scarves and a woolly hat, but Tom’s short blond curls were unprotected by any sort of headgear and he had nothing thicker than a battered leather jacket to protect him from the icy east coast wind. Molly had wondered whether to offer him some coffee from her flask, but had chickened out. He’d looked as if interruptions would definitely not be welcome.            ‘Mum, look at that man you were just talking to – he’s very brave, isn’t he?’ said Hattie as Tom, reaching the concrete of the promenade, picked up speed and reclaimed the wheelchair that he’d left chained to a lamp post.            ‘Hattie, you’re so wet. And you’d better not let him hear you say stuff like that, either,’ her sister replied, giving her a shove.            Hattie righted herself and glared at Theo. ‘Why not?’            ‘Duh, it’s obvious. He’ll think you pity him ‘cos he can’t walk without sticks. Even I know you should never do that.’            Hattie stuck out her bottom lip and watched Tom bowl away out of sight. ‘He’s fast though, isn’t he, Mum? He could do Paralympics or something,’ she said after a moment.            ‘He really gets a move on,’ agreed Molly, trying to banish the unfamiliar ripples of lust that were making her slightly breathless. ‘Come on, we said we’d go and have an ice cream with your dad at the bistro. He’ll think we’ve abandoned him.’            They clambered over the last heap of stones and began to wander along the promenade towards the small restaurant that Jake had opened when the family had migrated to the coast last summer. Molly had been dubious about the move for lots of reasons, but a clean break had been necessary after what had happened between Molly and Jake. And by and large, it had been successful. Hattie and Theo had soon made new friends, and Molly had landed a job teaching music around the local schools, thanks to her aptitude both for playing a range of instruments and for ignoring the fact that most of her pupils would rather be doing something – anything – else.            ‘Is Daddy having dinner with us tonight? Only he promised he’d help me make a kite for my homework. He said he’d do it yesterday, too,’ grumbled Max, kicking a discarded drink can and making a nearby elderly lady jump.            Molly apologised automatically to the lady and said that, no, Daddy would probably be working again tonight. She fought a sudden urge to go after Tom and ask him if he ever felt as if life was passing him by. He obviously wasn’t a man built for self-pity. It was probably only people like herself, blessed with a lovely family and a house by the sea, who indulged in such thoughts.Sighing, Molly put thoughts of Tom firmly out of her mind and headed for her husband. If she was going to have lustful thoughts, they ought to be about Jake. But what was she supposed to do when the thought of sex with her husband was about as enticing as a bag of cold chips?
Blurb:Suddenly bereaved, Molly White realises that she has never really known her feisty husband Jake when random boxes begin to appear through the post, each one containing a tantalising clue to the secrets of Jake and Molly’s past. Someone who knows them both well, for reasons of their own, has planned a trail of discovery. The clues seem to be designed to change Molly’s life completely, leading her around Britain and then onwards to rural France and deepest Bavaria.Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is Tom, a charismatic artist who runs a gallery in the same town. Strong, independent and wheelchair-bound from the age of fifteen, he leads a solitary life and has no idea how devastatingly attractive he is to women. When Tom meets curvy, beautiful and funny Molly, he knows that she is his dream woman, but she seems way out of his orbit until the boxes start to weave their spell and the two of them are thrown right out of their comfort zones. Little Boxes is a story of love in a variety of guises - mother-love, unrequited passion, infatuation and the shadow-love held in memories that refuse to go away. Buy links: http://celiajanderson.co.uk/books/little-boxes/

Author Bio:Celia J Anderson spends most of her spare time writing in as many different genres as possible, including children’s fiction. In her other life, she’s Assistant Headteacher at a small Catholic primary school in the Midlands and loves teaching literature (now comfortingly called English again but still the best subject in the world.)She tried a variety of random jobs before discovering that the careers advisor at secondary school was right, including running crèches, childminding, teaching children to ride bikes (having omitted to mention she couldn’t do it herself) and a stint in mental health care. All these were ideal preparation for the classroom and provided huge amounts of copy for the books that were to come.Celia enjoys cooking and eating in equal measures, and thinks life without wine would be a sad thing indeed. She is married, with two grown up daughters who have defected to the seaside. One day she plans to scoop up husband and cats and join them there.
Links:http://celiajanderson.co.ukhttp://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.comhttps://www.facebook.com/CeliaJAndersonAuthor  http://www.twitter.com/CeliaAnderson1
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Women of Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Multi-Author Spotlight Tour: Lorrie Farrelly is featured on my blog today. A WINNING MEDALIST in the 2014 READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS, .

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Lorrie Farrelly
A Navy brat and graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, LORRIE FARRELLY is proud to be a Fightin' Banana Slug. Following graduate school at Northwestern University, she began a career in education that included teaching art to 4th graders, drama to 8th graders, and finally, math to high school students.
She's a three-time winner on "Jeopardy!" She has shepherded wide-eyed foreign exchange students along Hollywood Blvd, and has happily curried and shoveled as a ranch hand at Disneyland's Circle D Ranch. And always, she writes.
Lorrie has won a Presidential Commendation for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics. She's been a Renaissance nominee for Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the Orange Rose Award in romantic fiction. Her novels have been awarded Readers' Favorite 5-Stars. TIMELAPSE and TERMS OF SURRENDER are winning MEDALISTS in the 2014 READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS. Lorrie and her family live in Southern California.

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There’s nothing like a little murder, mystery, and mayhem to start a book off right! Today I’d like to share the Top Five of my favorite fictitious women to whom MM&M is all in a day’s work:
NYPSD LT. Eve Dallas
Created by the remarkably gifted Nora Roberts (writing as J. D. Robb), Dallas is the finest of New York’s finest – or anywhere else’s finest for that matter, on-planet or off. Smart, honest, wry, tenacious, ferocious, but at times, achingly vulnerable, she is a natural leader and a bulldog of a cop. Eve’s world is gripping and fascinating; set in the near future, the In Death series combines nail-biting suspense, gritty police drama, a crack crime-fighting team’s loyalty and camaraderie, and sizzling romance. Even up to her sealed leather boots in gore, Eve keeps readers coming back for more!
NYPSD Detective Delia Peabody
Originally Eve Dallas’ aide and protégé, over the course of the In Death series Peabody becomes Eve’s partner and devoted friend. Smart, compassionate but tough, insightful, and much better at connecting with people than is Eve, Peabody is often “good cop” to Eve’s “bad cop.” A better team could hardly be imagined. Peabody also provides a welcome bit of whimsy and relatability, but the minute a cocky murder suspect thinks she’s a gullible pushover, she slams the cell door. Hard.
FBI Agent Lacey Sherlock
Author Catherine Coulter’s smart, sexy, savvy Sherlock is the law-enforcement partner and passionate wife of fellow FBI Agent Dillon Savitch, a tough, country-music-loving computer genius. In the FBI Series, they take on some seemingly impossible cases – cases that might have come straight from the X Files. No matter how bizarre and deadly the circumstances, Sherlock keeps her head, her focus, her toughness, and her compassion.
P.I. Mary Jo “Mojo” Sheepshanks
In Deadly Gamble and Deadly Deceptions, author Linda Lael Miller gives lucky readers the wise-cracking, inventive, my-life-is-a-mess P.I. Mojo Sheepshanks. Living over Bad-Ass Bert’s Biker Saloon, Mojo discovers the dearly departed have as many secrets as the living, and they either need her help, or they want her dead. Equipped with her Damn Fool’s Guide to Lucid Dreaming, Mojo’s ready to take on whatever comes at her – from either side of the grave.
Blair Mallory
The delightful creation of author Linda Howard in Drop Dead Gorgeous and To Die For, Blair, who owns and runs the Great Bods fitness gym, is a Southern belle through and through. She’s also tough-minded, hilariously sarcastic, entitled, persistent, courageous, and completely logical in the most illogical way possible. Her significant other, police Detective Wyatt Bloodsworth, finds she is as tough to tame as an entire mob of crooks. When Blair sets out to investigate an attempted murder case – her own attempted murder – neither the cops nor the villains will be safe for long.
To my mind, with these five compelling women characters, mystery, murder, and mayhem were never better!

Dangerousby Lorrie Farrelly
Dangerously burned-out, ex-LA cop Cam Starrett imagines his new job in a small, central California town will be a haven from the tragedy, grief, and anger that have shattered his heart. His battered soul cries out for peace and quiet and merciful boredom.

Instead - during his very first day in the new town - he fires a gun, delivers an unusual baby, and hauls a passionate young woman into his embrace for a kiss of pure, scorching hunger. Shaken, he's left stunned, perplexed, extremely hot and bothered - but not one bit bored.

Despite her training as a school guidance counselor, Meredith Hayden secretly admits that people - especially men - baffle her. Confused and embarrassed by her reckless abandon in the arms of dangerous-looking Cam Starrett, she resolves to keep him at a distance, tempting and torturing them both all the more.

But when they uncover an escalating pattern of bigotry and violence that threatens the lives of everyone in the community, Cam and Merry face an ordeal that will test not only the limits of their courage and trust, but also the true depth of their passion.
DANGEROUS has been awarded READERS' FAVORITE 5 STARS.

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The Guardian's Angelby Lorrie Farrelly
When nobody knows what to do with a troubled, damaged kid, it's time to call Elizabeth Driscoll. A wary, vulnerable, unusually intuitive young woman, Libby has a knack for helping children that others have given up on.

Certainly nobody knows what to do with Tommy Madden, least of all his fiercely devoted guardian, Seattle Police Detective J.D. McCammon. McCammon believes the autistic little boy witnessed a double murder: his mother and his father, the city's District Attorney. J.D. is determined to help and protect Tommy at all costs, and somehow, find a way to communicate with him.

When Tommy's life is threatened by the corrupt organization that killed his parents, J.D. and Libby take him on a desperate and dangerous flight to safety. They must place their trust in one another to escape a relentless evil that threatens not only their lives, but that of the child they've both come to love.

On the run, Libby and J.D. are tested to the limits of their courage and resolve. They discover an intimate and mystifying bond that will either drive them apart, or become their greatest source of strength and passion.

THE GUARDIAN'S ANGEL has been awarded READERS' FAVORITE 5 STARS.

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Meet the rest of the #eNovAaW
Women of Murder, Mystery & Mayhem
L.A. Lewandowski
What happens when a Jersey girl falls in love with the Florida sunshine? Lois's life changed when she made sultry Tampa her home. It might have been the subtropical heat that forced the stories out of her head and into the books she writes. The southern migration has allowed her to pursue her passions; cooking for family and friends, growing orchids, and learning tennis. Her food blog, the Culture and Cuisine Club, continues to push the envelope of dinner club creativity. She's obsessed with art in all forms, and her interests are the entrées that fill her books with a fillip of sexy seasoning to spice things up. On most weekends she can be found enjoying the perfect cocktail with close friends.

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Born To Die ~ The Montauk Murdersby L.A. LewandoswkiAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CA
A Gourmet Demise ~ Murder in South Tampaby L.A. LewandoswkiAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CA

Julie Frayn
Julie Frayn pens award-winning novels and short stories that pack a punch. And a few stabs. She has published three novels and two short, short story collections. Her work has won two gold medals in the 2013 Authorsdb cover contest, and the Books and Pals 2014 Readers’ Choice award for women’s fiction.
A bean counter by day, Julie revels in the written word. When she is not working or writing, she spends as much time as possible with her two children (grown adults, really), while they still think she’s cool.

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Mazie Babyby Julie FraynAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords
It Isn't Cheating If He's Deadby Julie FraynAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Jerri Hines
Colleen Connally is a pen name of Jerri Hines. Under Colleen Connally, she has written a historical romance series, Secret Lives, which is riddled with romantic suspense. The Secret Lives consists of Seductive Secrets, Broken Legacy and Seductive Lies. Fragmented, Book One of Boston’s Crime of Passion, marks Ms Connally’s first contemporary suspense thriller.   One can find other historical series under Jerri Hines, including Winds of Betrayal and Tides of Charleston. Coming soon, she will release a Civil War saga, Southern Legacy, beginning with Belle of Charleston. She is also a supporter of The One Fund, a charity supporting the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing, and Alzheimer’s Association.

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Fragmentedby Collen ConnallyAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords
The Heavens Shall Fallby Jerri HinesAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Mimi Barbour
Author, Mimi Barbour, has five romance series at this time. The Vicarage Bench, a Spirit-travel, Time-travel Series / Angels with Attitude Series – Angels Love Romance / The Vegas Series—fast-paced, thrilling and loved by readers / Elvis Series—make an Elvis Song a book, and her latest suspense series with gritty characters, constant conflicts and emotional highs and lows sharing humor on every page, The Undercover FBI series.“Mimi says - I’ve taken early retirement on Vancouver Island to spend my days and many nights, hovering over my computer and spinning the stories that have been vying for my attention over the years.My husband is supportive, drags me out to feed me and plans occasional forays into the outside world. I have a son who makes me happy I was born a woman so I could be his mom, and a niece whose family adds to my full cup of happiness.

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Special Agent Francescaby Mimi BarbourAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords
Special Agent Finneganby Mimi BarbourAmazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU ~ Amazon CABarnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ iTunes


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Book Tour: The demon who peddled Longing by Khanh Ha.

  The Demon Who Peddled Longing:
Khanh had many successful tours with his launch of his award winning 'Flesh'.  Now he is back with his new literary fiction novel, coming out in November. 
This book would be rated PG and is for adults.  
Publisher: Underground Voices (November 21, 2014)
ISBN: 978-0-9904331-1-8
Category: Literary Fiction, Multicultural
Tour Date: November, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 296 Pages
From the award winning author of 'Flesh', "Demons advocate love-not the compassionate love devoid of possession and sexual desire. It's the lustful love. They tempt humans with such lust, and the moment living beings fall for it, the demons will peddle longing to take them away."
Thus, begins the terrible journey of a twenty-year-old boy in search of  the two brothers who are drifters and who raped and killed his cousin also his girl.
Set in post-war Vietnam, The Demon Who Peddled Longing brings together the damned, the unfit, the brave, who succumb by their own doing to the call of fate. Yet their desire to survive and to face life again never dies, so that when someone like the boy, who is psychologically damaged by his family tragedy, who no sooner gets his life together after being rescued by a fisherwoman than falls in love with an untouchable girl and finds his life in peril, takes his leave in the end, there is nothing left but a longing in the heart that goes with him.
Excerpts:

"Late at night she'd go bathing in the river. He'd lie awake, listening to the gentle sound of water she poured on her body, away from the lantern light, where water was chest high, cool and cloaked in blackness. When she came up, lowering her head to enter the domed cabin, she was a dark figure save the whiteness of her towel-wrapped head. He'd keep still and find sleep hard to come by in the scent of her body soap."
 "She was a teenager. Then her parents died, one after the other. She stayed with another family and every day she followed the dikes and the canals where hummingbird trees were in blossom and, with a hook-fitted bamboo rod, she'd cut their white flowers and gather them in a basket. From early morning until noon. And she sold them in the market. Then one day by a canal she met a fisherman who was a war veteran, then later a prisoner of war. He bought those white flowers from her on the day of his mother's anniversary of death. He asked her to bring him fresh flowers every day, and she asked who else he needed to pay respects to. He said no one. One day he asked her to come on his boat and he cooked her a meal and it was on his boat that she saw all the flowers he'd bought lying wilted in a heap at the foot of his plank bed. She could smell their bad odors during the meal. Later she left the family who had taken her in and lived on the boat with the man."

Excerpt from Demon
“Through binoculars the master watched her from the second-floor veranda. She slowed the horse to a walk along the canal, languidly flowing through the thick china fir grove that, from such a distance, was a mass of smoky green. In the grove’s dark shade, the air reeked of the pine cones’ scent and red squirrels and fox squirrels leaped from tree to tree. He remembered all that. Even the tiny chirps of crickets in the grass, the red wild strawberries like drops of blood in their patches, the late January wind damp to the bones coming from the sea. Those were all gone now. Now he could only live vicariously through her youthful body by watching her lose herself in the nature, to smell day heat on her perspiring skin when she came back in, the warmth of sun still held in the dense mass of her hair.”

Praise for 'Flesh':
"The story is a sensual one, and the love affair in Flesh, too, is carried on in private, but these images have another, darker side.
The prose of Khanh Ha's debut is laden with sensory details that pull readers into multi-dimensional scenes.
Readers need not worry if they have little familiarity with the political and geographical setting; Khanh Ha brings the world alive for readers with details that speak to the human experience in Flesh.
The themes of this work are sweeping and although only a couple of years pass, there are life-changing events which unfold, for both major and minor characters, in a historical context which will be unfamiliar to many Western readers, and which naturally envelops the characters in the novel.
The outstanding element of this novel is the solid invitation extended to readers, to enter this world which Khanh Ha has created in Flesh."-Buried In Print
"Ha's prose is poetic as it paints the scene in which you can smell the opium, see and hear the brown of Tai's village and the busy streets of Hanoi, and feel the delirium of smallpox or his pulse quicken as he begins to fall in love.
From the atmosphere to the myths and legends, Ha generates a novel that will capture readers from the beginning.
Flesh by Khanh Ha is a stunning debut novel that showcases the writer's ability to become a young male narrator whose view of the world has been tainted by his life circumstances and tragedy, but who has the wherewithal to overcome and become a better man."-Serena, Savvy Verse & Wit
"Flesh is a dark, atmospheric historical fiction novel that captures life in Tonkin (northern Vietnam) at the turn of the 20th century. Ha skillfully uses descriptive prose, in some instances it is almost poetic,and many of his descriptions evoke a sensory-filled reaction - sometimes ominous. The settings he describes can be filled with a sensual richness or evoke a sense of foreboding.
All in all, Flesh is highly recommended and I'll be looking forward to what author Khanh Ha publishes next.  I think he is definitely a writer to watch."-Lori, She Treads Softly
"Khanh Ha was born in Vietnam. This is his debut novel. Although the events are violent and disturbing, the writing itself is lyrical and haunting. The events seem to unfold in a dream, slowly revealing the stories that make up the intertwined lives of the characters. This book is recommended for readers interested in other cultures, and what family honor will drive men to do."-Sandie, Booksie's Blog 
"As I read Flesh, Khanh Ha's debut novel, it seemed to me that the story is almost dream­ like. A dream in that early hours of a hot morn­ing where you are still in between sleep­ing and wak­ing up. Your con­scious mind taps into your unfor­got­ten but repressed mem­o­ries which lash out in vicious force with unfor­giv­ing sto­ry­lines. While not always bad, these dreams have a ten­dency to shape the day or the week with their bru­tal hon­esty and, quite hon­estly, make excel­lent stories.
Mr. Ha is a tal­ented writer; he does a won­der­ful job set­ting the dark, yet poetic, mood and a fine job describ­ing set­tings in vivid, smells, col­or­ful imagery. Each chap­ter reads like a long lost mem­ory, as if Tai was recall­ing his life in an older age and telling the story to a grand­child or an engaged reader."-Zohar, Man Of La Book 
 About Khanh Ha:
Khanh Ha is the author of Flesh (2012, Black Heron Press). He is a three-time Pushcart nominee and the recipient of Greensboro Review's 2014 Robert Watson Literary Prize in Fiction. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Waccamaw Journal, storySouth, Greensboro Review, The Long Story, Permafrost Magazine, Saint Ann's Review, Moon City Review, Red Savina Review, DUCTS, ARDOR, Lunch Ticket,Cha: An Asian Literary Journal, Tayo Literary Magazine, Sugar Mule, Yellow Medicine Review,Printer's Devil Review, Mount Hope, Thrice Fiction, Lalitamba Journal, and other fine magazines.
Website: http://www.authorkhanhha.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkhanhha
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorkhanhha
Pinterest: https://twitter.com/authorkhanhha
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3059216.Khanh_Ha