Lashell Collins's Blog, page 9

Weekend Jams – Money!

So, this happened this week. If you can’t tell exactly what that is let me explain – the ceiling in the downstairs bathroom is falling. This is because there’s apparently a pretty serious leak in the upstairs bathroom directly above. Interesting, but what the heck does it have to do with weekend jams, you ask? Well, since it’s probably going to cost a pretty penny to fix the plumbing in the upstairs bathroom, not to mention the ceiling in the downstairs bathroom, the whole incident has me thinking (worrying would be the more accurate term) about money! And that, in turn, made me think about songs about money. What? You should know by know how my twisted mind works! Absolutely everything relates to a song somehow!

Anyway, there are a lot of songs about money – the love of money, having too much money, not enough money. But when my ceiling started to fall there was only one song that popped into my head. Probably because of the repeated refrain at the beginning of the tune of “Money, money, money, money … money!” It’s an old gem from 1973 by one of my favorite soul/funk acts, The O’Jays (Yes, I realize I’m showing my age here, but good music has no expiration date. Boom!).

Here’s a clip of The O’Jays performing “For the Love of Money” live on Soul Train back in the day. (Oh, my God, Soul Train! But that’s another, much longer, blog post. Awesome show!) Enjoy! And have a good weekend!

http://lashellcollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/For-the-love-of-money-The-OJays.mp4

Cover Reveal – Returning Home

Today I’m participating in the cover reveal for one of my favorite writer friends, author AL Parks and book 4 of her wonderful Return to Me Series – Returning Home. Here are all the details of the book, and look at that cover. Isn’t it gorgeous!

Returning Home by AL Parks (Return to Me #4)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Book Blurb:

Clarissa wants nothing to do with her father – even in his death. But she can’t escape returning to Newport to settle her father’s estate. The safe world she has established starts to crumble and secrets she has locked away threaten to be exposed. Meeting Griff, her father’s partner, provides the only peace and happiness in the darkness that suddenly surrounds her.

Griff has built his custom bike shop from nothing into a thriving success. After the sudden death of his silent partner, Griff finds himself in a fight to save his business from the grieving widow. But falling for his partner’s headstrong daughter may cost Griff everything.

Brandi has become accustomed to certain amenities in her life – money and men. She refuses to allow the death of her philandering husband to inconvenience her comfortable lifestyle. Setting her sights set on her husband’s very young, very sexy partner, nothing will get in the way of what she wants – even if it means destroying Clarissa to get it.

Add Returning Home to your Goodreads shelves:

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Meet AL Parks

Born and raised in the Rocky Mountains, A.L. Parks has spent the last 25 years moving all over the United States. Married to the Navy – well a man in the Navy – Parks has lived in various places throughout the United States. She currently resides in the Washington D.C area, with her husband, four children, and one spoiled German Shepard.

2013 marked her debut in publishing. Her first novel, Strangers, released on her 45th birthday. She was amazed at how many people fell in love with a story about two people dealing with grief, and finding love again. Abby and Bryce were the perfect couple to introduce Parks as an up-and-coming author.

She released the first of the Return To Me series (an anticipated 4.5 book series) in December 2013. A wonderful Christmas romance, The Return introduced readers into the whirlwind romance of Eve and Jake, and proved that second chance romance can be even better than first love. Book two, Return To Newport, followed the struggles that come while on a journey to happily ever after.

Parks unique style of writing, along with her depth of characters and emotions, is carving out a niche in romance for those who crave love and romance a second time around. While many current novels focus on first love, Parks’ novels seek to find happily ever after when first love has failed. They are a testament to second chances at true love that lasts forever.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ALParksAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/almparks2012

Website: http://www.alparksauthor.com/

Book review blog: http://www.shereadsnewadult.com

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5105090.A_L_Parks

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/anneparks5070/

Amazon author’s page:  http://www.amazon.com/A.L.-Parks/e/B00FUI0KWU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

 

#8Sunday – Lunar Falls, Stalkers & Erotic Dreams

What’s up people! Welcome to my installment of Weekend Writing Warriors, the super fun blog hop where writers of every genre post just 8 sentences from something they’ve written. It’s a great way to sample new writers and find some new favorites, so be sure to click through and check out the others.

Today, I’m continuing on from chapter 2 of my upcoming paranormal romance, Secrets of Lunar Falls. In this scene, Carly has just woken up from a very erotic dream starring the town sheriff, Gabe Masters. This, after feeling she was being watched earlier in the evening.

Throwing back the covers, she got out of the bed and pulled her nightshirt over her head, stripping naked, save for the tiger’s eye necklace she rarely took off. She walked over to the armoire and opened the door of the wardrobe and took out a fresh nightgown, slipping it over her head. Then she tossed the damp one into the hamper on her way out of the room.

She walked through the dark house to the kitchen and opened the freezer, reaching in to grab a single cube of ice. Then she ran the frozen sliver of relief across her chest in an effort to cool off as she tried to push the enticing image of Gabe Masters licking her neck from her mind.

Outside, not twenty feet away, he sat at her back door, feeling her nearness. Smelling her arousal as it mingled with her mouth-watering scent and wafted through the open kitchen window. And as he sat there reveling in the essence of her, he wondered what it would feel like to really run his tongue along her beautiful neck.

Secrets of Lunar Falls is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iTunes and Kobo. Here’s the official blurb:

When veterinarian, Dr. Carly Tipton, takes a new job in the tiny farming community of Lunar Falls, she expects to build a new life for herself. She expects to meet new people and have new experiences. Maybe she’s even expecting a little adventure. But what she’s not expecting is to fall head over heels in love – not with the town, and certainly not with its ruggedly sexy sheriff, Gabriel Masters. She’s also not expecting all the secrets Lunar Falls is hiding. Secrets that could destroy everything she ever believed was true about her own heritage and the family she left back home.

Gabe isn’t ready for Carly when she blows into town. That woman has the power to bring him – a man born and raised to be a GrandAlpha – to his knees, and she’s human! That simple fact alone makes her dangerous to Gabe’s position within the pack. But the fact that he can’t seem to stay away from her tells him that this woman is the one. Human or not … she’s his mate. And now Gabe has to find a way to make their bonding complete without sparking a civil war among his people.

Secrets of Lunar Falls is book one of an adult, sexy shifter romance trilogy.

Don’t forget to check out the other amazing writers of the Weekend Writing Warriors!

 

Weekend Jams – I’m a Werewolf, Baby!

It’s Friday, time for Weekend Jams!

I don’t know if it’s because spooky October is finally here, or if it’s because my first paranormal romance – Secrets of Lunar Falls – which is about to release at the end of the month is all about the werewolves living in Ohio, but lately I’ve been hearing the same song playing over and over again in my head. It’s an oldie from 1987 by The Tragically Hip, and it’s called “I’m a Werewolf, Baby!”

This video below doesn’t actually feature the band, it’s a fan-made something or other for the TV show Stargate Atlantis, but the song is the important thing here. It’s a whole lot of fun, both to sing along with and to dance to. Enjoy. And happy October!

http://lashellcollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/McShep_-_Im-a-Werewolf-Baby_.mp4

#8Sunday – Lunar Falls and Secret Stalkers

Happy Sunday Everyone! Welcome to my installment of Weekend Writing Warriors, the blog hop where writers of every genre post just 8 sentences from something they’ve written. It’s a great way to sample new writers and find some new favorites, so be sure to click through and check out the others.

Today, I’m continuing on from chapter 2 of my upcoming paranormal romance, Secrets of Lunar Falls. In this scene, Carly has just stuffed some empty cardboard boxes into the trash bin and gotten the creepy feeling she’s being watched in her own yard. She and her dog have just quickly headed back inside.

Hidden in the dense brush, he watched as the hybrid ran toward her and followed her back into the house. Then he stayed close by until he felt her fear dissipating. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. He hadn’t meant for her to sense him at all, he only wanted to check on her, make sure she was okay, just as he had done each night from the moment they’d met. And being completely honest with himself, he knew that he’d just wanted to see her. If only for a moment.

He rose from his crouching position and stood on two legs, sniffing the air and catching her delicious scent. Then he drew in a deep breath and let it out in a frustrated huff that sounded more like a growl than a sigh.

Secrets of Lunar Falls is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and iTunes. Here’s the official blurb:

When veterinarian, Dr. Carly Tipton, takes a new job in the tiny farming community of Lunar Falls, she expects to build a new life for herself. She expects to meet new people and have new experiences. Maybe she’s even expecting a little adventure. But what she’s not expecting is to fall head over heels in love – not with the town, and certainly not with its ruggedly sexy sheriff, Gabriel Masters. She’s also not expecting all the secrets Lunar Falls is hiding. Secrets that could destroy everything she ever believed was true about her own heritage and the family she left back home.

Gabe isn’t ready for Carly when she blows into town. That woman has the power to bring him – a man born and raised to be a GrandAlpha – to his knees, and she’s human! That simple fact alone makes her dangerous to Gabe’s position within the pack. But the fact that he can’t seem to stay away from her tells him that this woman is the one. Human or not … she’s his mate. And now Gabe has to find a way to make their bonding complete without sparking a civil war among his people.

Secrets of Lunar Falls is book one of an adult, sexy shifter romance trilogy.

Don’t forget to check out the other truly amazing writers of Weekend Writing Warriors, right here!

Weekend Jams – September

It’s Friday, and that means Weekend Jams!

Can you believe that it’s nearly the end of September already? I can’t. The month went by so fast! But it’s the start of my favorite time of year, the beginning of fall, and the holiday season. Time for cozy sweaters and yummy comfort food, and the smell of pumpkin pie spice everywhere. You know what else I love about September? The weather is always just about perfect – crisp mornings, not too hot or too cold. And never a cloud in the brightest blue skies! It makes me think of the lyrics to one of my favorite Earth, Wind and Fire songs:

Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day!
 

http://lashellcollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Earth-Wind-Fire-September.mp4

#8Sunday – Lunar Falls and Ghost Stories

Another Sunday, another 8 sentences! Welcome to my Weekend Writing Warriors post – the blog hop where writers from all genres share just eight sentences from something they’ve written. You know, when I first stumbled across WeWriWa, my only goal was to share a few snippets and get some feedback. But what I found is that this blog hop is a wonderful way to sample authors who are new to me. My TBR list has begun to swell because of the amazing authors who participate in this blog hop each week, so if you haven’t already, you should really take a cruise around the hop and find some new favorites!

So this week, I’m continuing on from last week’s snippet where Carly was reliving her experience in the woods and trying to make sense of it all. In this scene, she’s been unpacking all day (and obsessing over the strange wolf), and has just carried some empty cardboard boxes out to the trash.

She stood awkwardly trying to fold the darn things so that she could stuff them into the bin with the others when she heard a soft snap and the rustle and crunch of brush, and she stopped and looked around.

The warm day had given way to night and the sky was now full of stars. There was a slight chill to the air, an undeniable hint that summer was quickly drawing to a close and soon the nights would bring frost. But the temperature was the last thing on Carly’s mind as she stood looking around the side yard, letting her eyes scan the area.

“Hello?” she called out, staring into the dense row of shrubbery and trees not twenty yards away. “Is someone there?”

There was, of course, no response to her query, and she couldn’t help but think about the ghost story the waitress at the diner had told her about the previous owner of the house. Was she hearing Lily Faraday walking around her beloved garden from beyond the grave?

Secrets of Lunar Falls is now available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and iTunes. Here’s the official blurb:

When veterinarian, Dr. Carly Tipton, takes a new job in the tiny farming community of Lunar Falls, she expects to build a new life for herself. She expects to meet new people and have new experiences. Maybe she’s even expecting a little adventure. But what she’s not expecting is to fall head over heels in love – not with the town, and certainly not with its ruggedly sexy sheriff, Gabriel Masters. She’s also not expecting all the secrets Lunar Falls is hiding. Secrets that could destroy everything she ever believed was true about her own heritage and the family she left back home.

Gabe isn’t ready for Carly when she blows into town. That woman has the power to bring him – a man born and raised to be a GrandAlpha – to his knees, and she’s human! That simple fact alone makes her dangerous to Gabe’s position within the pack. But the fact that he can’t seem to stay away from her tells him that this woman is the one. Human or not … she’s his mate. And now Gabe has to find a way to make their bonding complete without sparking a civil war among his people.

Secrets of Lunar Falls is book one of an adult, sexy shifter romance trilogy.

Don’t forget to check out the many amazing authors participating in Weekend Writing Warriors, right here!

Weekend Jams – World on Fire!

It’s Friday, and that means Weekend Jams!

Ok, so by now you should know that I have an unhealthy obsession with Slash and his band, Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. So the big musical news for me this week was the release of their new album, World on Fire, which dropped on Tuesday. And to say that I was excited would be a MAJOR understatement! But I was also a tiny bit apprehensive. I mean, I was (and still am) so in love with this band’s last album, and I was skeptical that they would be able to surpass – or at least match – the brilliance that is Apocalyptic Love. But after an entire day of listening to this album on repeat (not even kidding, it played on repeat in my house all day long) I see that I needn’t have worried.

Slash is, in my humble opinion, the single greatest rock guitarist on the planet, and I may have in fact, very loosely based the character of Noah Ivory from my Jagged Ivory series on the guitar god. Maybe. But that’s another discussion!

Anyway, World on Fire is amazing. Much too amazing for me to give you a complete rundown of each song, which I would love to do, but this (my romance blog) isn’t exactly the forum for that. But I will leave you with a clip of an acoustic performance from Slash and Myles of my current favorite song (ok, one of my favs) from the album. It’s called Bent to Fly. Enjoy!

http://lashellcollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Slash-ft.-Myles-Kennedy-_Bent-to-Fly_.mp4

#8Sunday – Lunar Falls and Rescue Wolves

Happy Sunday, and welcome to another installment of Weekend Writing Warriors – the blog hop where writers from all genres share just 8 sentence snippets from something they’ve written. Today, I’m continuing from chapter two of my upcoming paranormal romance release, Secrets of Lunar Falls. In this 8, our heroine, Carly is still trying to wrap her mind around the strange incident in the woods…

 

Twenty-four hours later, she still obsessed over her strange encounter in the woods. She’d spent most of the day unpacking box after box of her things and putting them away in her new place, but she still hadn’t been able to get over it, and she often caught herself staring off into space and thinking about the large wolf that had come to her rescue. The incident puzzled her for many reasons, not the least of which was simply the why. Why had that wolf come to her aid? It wasn’t like he was hunting the bobcat. He didn’t drag it off into the woods for a meal. He killed that cat for her, because she was in danger. She knew how crazy the idea seemed, but it was the only thing that made sense in her head.

Secrets of Lunar Falls releases on October 31, 2014, but it’s available for pre-order on Amazon now. Other pre-order platforms will follow within the week!

Don’t forget to visit the other fabulous writers of the Weekend Writing Warriors, right here. It’s a great way to discover some new favorites. I know I have!

Weekend Jams!

It’s Friday, and that means it’s time for Weekend Jams!

So, I’m getting ready to publish my next book, which is called Secrets of Lunar Falls, and it’s book one in a paranormal romance trilogy. The hero of my trilogy is a true Alpha male who is large and in charge, so to speak, and he may have a few stalker-like tendencies when it comes to the beautiful female object of his obsession. Is it the most romantic gesture in the world, this stalking, or is it just plain creepy? I’m still not sure, but there have been plenty of awesome songs written about the subject through the years – like “One Way or Another” by Blondie, “Every Breath You Take” by The Police, and “Alone” by Heart. Or what about “Lily (My One and Only)” by The Smashing Pumpkins or “Shiver” by Coldplay. And that’s just scratching the surface, ‘cause there a whole lot more out there!

One of my favorite stalking songs though is “Follow You Home” by Nickleback. This song does not sugar coat a darn thing, this man is determined to follow his obsession home, no matter what. The song reaches out and makes it’s presence felt with a gut punch. The opening drum sequence alone is enough to make you breathless, and that’s just the beginning of the ride! The song is a sonic sculpture of deliciousness, every bit as sexy as it is creepy. Listen and enjoy!

http://lashellcollins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Follow-You-Home-Nickelback.mp4