N.J. Walters's Blog, page 252
May 27, 2011
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 27
Welcome to Friday and Day 27! The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke is a story of redemption, of second chances, of family and of love. Welcome to Jamesville and the story of Shamus O'Rourke...
BLURB:
After her father's death, Cyndi Marks returns to Jamesville, determined to settle here and lay the ghosts of years ago to rest once and for all. But the past has a way of catching up—and hanging on.
When her car breaks down outside of town, a handsome stranger stops to help. He intrigues and attracts her, but then she discovers who he is.
Shamus O'Rourke enjoys his job, his family and small town living. What he's missing is someone with whom to share it. Immediately drawn to Cyndi, he is determined to get closer to her, even as he senses her pulling away.
But not everyone in Jamesville is happy to see Cyndi. People are hiding secrets. Secrets they would kill to protect. When violence erupts in her home, Cyndi turns to the only person in town she can trust—Shamus.
In a situation where family loyalties are strained, Cyndi's life is threatened and everyone is a suspect, will their emerging love survive?
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BLURB:
After her father's death, Cyndi Marks returns to Jamesville, determined to settle here and lay the ghosts of years ago to rest once and for all. But the past has a way of catching up—and hanging on.
When her car breaks down outside of town, a handsome stranger stops to help. He intrigues and attracts her, but then she discovers who he is.
Shamus O'Rourke enjoys his job, his family and small town living. What he's missing is someone with whom to share it. Immediately drawn to Cyndi, he is determined to get closer to her, even as he senses her pulling away.
But not everyone in Jamesville is happy to see Cyndi. People are hiding secrets. Secrets they would kill to protect. When violence erupts in her home, Cyndi turns to the only person in town she can trust—Shamus.
In a situation where family loyalties are strained, Cyndi's life is threatened and everyone is a suspect, will their emerging love survive?
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May 26, 2011
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 26
Welcome to Day 26! Today's book is The Return of Patrick O'Rourke. It's darker and gritter and sexier than the first two books in the Jamesville series. I always knew when I wrote Discovering Dani I'd have to go back and write books for both O'Rourke brothers. I just had to give them a few years to grow up and become the amazing men they are. This is Patrick's story.
BLURB:
Gunned down in the line of duty, New York City cop Patrick O'Rourke returns to his hometown of Jamesville to recuperate from his physical and emotional wounds. His partner is dead and his career depends on his ability to recover from his serious injuries. He doesn't plan on staying for long, so the last thing he wants is a relationship.
Shannon Brooker's life certainly didn't turn out the way she'd planned, and she's returned to Jamesville to help her aunt run the local diner. She's not looking for a man. All she wants is some peace of mind.
When her abusive ex-husband starts a campaign to terrorize her, Shannon turns to Patrick O'Rourke, the man she had a teenage crush on many years ago. She wants to hire him as a bodyguard, but their relationship quickly becomes more personal than professional.
With Shannon wanting a small-town life and Patrick wanting to return to the life he loves as a New York cop, there seems to be no way for them to build a permanent life together. As the threat against Shannon escalates, they are pushed closer together, igniting a passion that will alter their lives forever.
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BLURB:
Gunned down in the line of duty, New York City cop Patrick O'Rourke returns to his hometown of Jamesville to recuperate from his physical and emotional wounds. His partner is dead and his career depends on his ability to recover from his serious injuries. He doesn't plan on staying for long, so the last thing he wants is a relationship.
Shannon Brooker's life certainly didn't turn out the way she'd planned, and she's returned to Jamesville to help her aunt run the local diner. She's not looking for a man. All she wants is some peace of mind.
When her abusive ex-husband starts a campaign to terrorize her, Shannon turns to Patrick O'Rourke, the man she had a teenage crush on many years ago. She wants to hire him as a bodyguard, but their relationship quickly becomes more personal than professional.
With Shannon wanting a small-town life and Patrick wanting to return to the life he loves as a New York cop, there seems to be no way for them to build a permanent life together. As the threat against Shannon escalates, they are pushed closer together, igniting a passion that will alter their lives forever.
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May 25, 2011
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 25
Today is Day 25--we're halfway there! Today's book is The Way Home. This book was written right after Discovering Dani back in 1996/97, but it didn't see the light of day for another decade.
BLURB:
"So, will you marry me?" Although not a particularly romantic proposal, Rebecca Gentry seriously considers accepting because it comes from Jake Tanner, the man who she's secretly loved for years.
Rebecca has been alone for most of her life, but she's made a life she's content with. She has her own sewing business, a lovely apartment, and a few good friends. But it's her special friendship with Jake that has always been most important to her. Now, he is proposing a marriage of convenience as he finds himself in need of a wife to help him raise his orphaned niece.
Convinced that she can teach him to share a real marriage rather than one of convenience, she agrees to his offer. But, becoming a family is not an easy journey for any of them. Both she and Jake have their own insecurities and challenges to overcome if their marriage is to have a chance to survive. But unforeseen problems test their new relationship and threaten to destroy what they've just begun to build.
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BLURB:
"So, will you marry me?" Although not a particularly romantic proposal, Rebecca Gentry seriously considers accepting because it comes from Jake Tanner, the man who she's secretly loved for years.
Rebecca has been alone for most of her life, but she's made a life she's content with. She has her own sewing business, a lovely apartment, and a few good friends. But it's her special friendship with Jake that has always been most important to her. Now, he is proposing a marriage of convenience as he finds himself in need of a wife to help him raise his orphaned niece.
Convinced that she can teach him to share a real marriage rather than one of convenience, she agrees to his offer. But, becoming a family is not an easy journey for any of them. Both she and Jake have their own insecurities and challenges to overcome if their marriage is to have a chance to survive. But unforeseen problems test their new relationship and threaten to destroy what they've just begun to build.
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May 24, 2011
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 24
Today's book is a very special one. Discovering Dani was the first book I ever wrote--not my first published--but the first book I ever completed. I wrote it back in 1995 and it was published a decade later after many, many, many rewrites. It's not as spicy as my other books, but it's a wonderful love story and I love it.
Welcome to Jamesville!
BLURB:
Dani O'Rourke has had the responsibility of raising her two brothers, Patrick and Shamus, since the death of their parents. As sole owner and operator of O'Rourke Cleaning Services, she is no stranger too hard work, but she is a beginner when it comes to men.
Burke is a very rich and successful businessman whose brush with death has made him question his priorities. He's traveled to Jamesville for peace and quiet while he plans the rest of his life.
Their lives collide when Burke accuses her of breaking into his cabin to steal from him. Their attraction to each other is immediate, and after a series of misunderstandings he finds himself caught up in the lives of Dani and her brothers.
But can this gentle, giving woman get a man as hard and cynical as Burke to believe in the power of love? Or will Burke leave town without ever discovering the wonders of life with Dani?
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Welcome to Jamesville!
BLURB:
Dani O'Rourke has had the responsibility of raising her two brothers, Patrick and Shamus, since the death of their parents. As sole owner and operator of O'Rourke Cleaning Services, she is no stranger too hard work, but she is a beginner when it comes to men.
Burke is a very rich and successful businessman whose brush with death has made him question his priorities. He's traveled to Jamesville for peace and quiet while he plans the rest of his life.
Their lives collide when Burke accuses her of breaking into his cabin to steal from him. Their attraction to each other is immediate, and after a series of misunderstandings he finds himself caught up in the lives of Dani and her brothers.
But can this gentle, giving woman get a man as hard and cynical as Burke to believe in the power of love? Or will Burke leave town without ever discovering the wonders of life with Dani?
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Read an Excerpt
May 23, 2011
Monday, Monday
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Monday. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Those of you still enjoying the Victoria Day weekend, I hope you're having fun!
I've been pondering lately about work, specifically being an author and what that entails, which makes sense considering what I do for a living. It's a profession where much of what you do is out of your control but yet it is a profession that attracts so many people.
Why?
When you send off a submission to a publishing company you have no idea if it will be accepted and sometimes it takes months, if not a year to find out. Rejection is part of the job.
If you're lucky enough to have a manuscript acceped for publication, then you wait for edits. They arrived in your inbox, usually with little warning, and you have a set amount of time to get them done and back to your editor. There are deadlines for everything.
If you're lucky, you have some say in the cover art for your book, but that isn't always the case. (I've been very lucky in this respect and love all my covers!)
The book comes out and you have little control over if it does well or not. Sure you can advertise and promote, but you never really know if a book will go over well with readers or not. It's a crapshoot.
So, what is under an author's control?
The author decides what they are going to write. That's one of the best things about being a writer--streching yourself creatively. You get to dive into a world, into a set of characters and let your mind take flight. It's a beautiful thing.
You can write anywhere--at home, in the park, at the coffee shop, in your back garden--the list is endless.
You can write in your pajamas or your sweatpants. No one cares what you look like because you are your own boss.
You meet the most amazing people--online and in person.
If you get a book published you get to see something you created totally from your own mind released out into the world. You get to share your stories with others. And, if you are very lucky, you can make a living doing it.
It's a beautiful thing.
Have a fabulous day!
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 23
It's a beautiful sunny morning and it's Day 23. Sweet Charity is the final book in the Project Alpha trilogy.
BLURB:
Adrian is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—thought dead by the people who created him. Living outside the Gate, a high tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside, he is the leader of the Resistance, living only to bring down the Gate and the people who sought to kill him.
Charity Caruthers is the daughter of one of the most powerful and brutal men in the inner city—the General. She risks everything sneaking outside the Gate to get a message to Adrian.
Passion explodes, ripping apart the foundations of both their lives. Charity begins to understand true sexual desire as Adrian teaches her the passion to be found in dark fantasies. Loyalties are tested and trust pushed to the limits as the final confrontation is at hand. Some will die. Some will live. And Adrian and Charity's fragile relationship could be the final casualty in this war of retribution and freedom.
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BLURB:
Adrian is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—thought dead by the people who created him. Living outside the Gate, a high tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside, he is the leader of the Resistance, living only to bring down the Gate and the people who sought to kill him.
Charity Caruthers is the daughter of one of the most powerful and brutal men in the inner city—the General. She risks everything sneaking outside the Gate to get a message to Adrian.
Passion explodes, ripping apart the foundations of both their lives. Charity begins to understand true sexual desire as Adrian teaches her the passion to be found in dark fantasies. Loyalties are tested and trust pushed to the limits as the final confrontation is at hand. Some will die. Some will live. And Adrian and Charity's fragile relationship could be the final casualty in this war of retribution and freedom.
Buy The Book
Read an Excerpt
May 22, 2011
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 22
It's Day 22 and I'm celebrating book 2 of the Project Alpha series--Have Mercy. Logan is injured and when he wakes he finds himself tied to the bed of his beautiful healer. You'll have to read it to find out what happens next. :-)
BLURB:
Earth 2133
Logan is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—who has escaped from the lab that created him. He is now outside the Gate, a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Shot while evading security forces sent to eliminate him, Logan's only goal is survival.
Mercy Dockins is a healer. Her world is shaken to its foundations when a stranger is brought to her near death. As she heals him, her body and soul respond to him, overwhelming her with sexual desire. With little more than a look and a touch, passion flares out of control, consuming them both.
But this stranger is dangerous to not only her well-being, but also to the safety of everyone she loves. And he has brought the security forces right to her door.
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BLURB:
Earth 2133
Logan is an Alpha—a genetically enhanced assassin—who has escaped from the lab that created him. He is now outside the Gate, a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Shot while evading security forces sent to eliminate him, Logan's only goal is survival.
Mercy Dockins is a healer. Her world is shaken to its foundations when a stranger is brought to her near death. As she heals him, her body and soul respond to him, overwhelming her with sexual desire. With little more than a look and a touch, passion flares out of control, consuming them both.
But this stranger is dangerous to not only her well-being, but also to the safety of everyone she loves. And he has brought the security forces right to her door.
Buy The Book
Read an Excerpt
May 21, 2011
Holiday Weekend!
It's the Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada, which means it's the unofficial kick-off to summer. Lots of folks will be camping, in spite of the rain and cold temperatures. *g* Hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 21
It's Day 21 of the celebration and I'd like to feature the first book in the futuristic Project Alpha trilogy. Embracing Silence was actually nominated for a RT Reviewer's Choice Award. If you love futuristic, dark tales, than this is the book for you. :)
BLURB:
Earth 2133
Tienan is an Alpha—an assassin who has been genetically and computer enhanced. He has escaped from the lab that created him and the Ruling Council that controlled him. He is now outside the Gate—a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Tienan must constantly evade security forces sent to eliminate him, his only goal to destroy his former masters.
Silence is a tracker with the Resistance on the trail of a dangerous stranger. The hunter becomes the hunted and when Tienan kidnaps her, she thinks her life is over. But both captor and captive are enthralled with one another. Desire and need ignite each time they touch. Enemies become lovers.
Treachery and mistrust drive them apart. But nothing can diminish the sexual heat smoldering between them. With enemies all around, they must confront each other one final time. With time running out, sexual longing and trust battle with betrayal for supremacy.
Buy The Book
Read an Excerpt
BLURB:
Earth 2133
Tienan is an Alpha—an assassin who has been genetically and computer enhanced. He has escaped from the lab that created him and the Ruling Council that controlled him. He is now outside the Gate—a high-tech shield that protects the enclosed city from the contaminated and lawless land outside. Tienan must constantly evade security forces sent to eliminate him, his only goal to destroy his former masters.
Silence is a tracker with the Resistance on the trail of a dangerous stranger. The hunter becomes the hunted and when Tienan kidnaps her, she thinks her life is over. But both captor and captive are enthralled with one another. Desire and need ignite each time they touch. Enemies become lovers.
Treachery and mistrust drive them apart. But nothing can diminish the sexual heat smoldering between them. With enemies all around, they must confront each other one final time. With time running out, sexual longing and trust battle with betrayal for supremacy.
Buy The Book
Read an Excerpt
Celebrating 50 Books--Day 20
It's Day 20 and I'm featuring the last Ellora's Cave anthology that I'm featured in. "Moon Magic" is my story in the Ellora's Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile IV anthology.
BLURB: Moon Magic
Under the light of the full moon, Meghan Flynn stands before an ancient stone well and wishes for a lover. The magic of the hot summer night surrounds her and she gives in to her sensual needs, pleasuring herself beneath the moonlight.
Watching from the shadows, Rory Shaunnessey is entranced. When she returns the following night, he steps forward, offering himself as her lover. But a hot summer fling can only last so long and when Rory pushes for more, Meghan must face the demons of her past if they are to have a future.
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BLURB: Moon Magic
Under the light of the full moon, Meghan Flynn stands before an ancient stone well and wishes for a lover. The magic of the hot summer night surrounds her and she gives in to her sensual needs, pleasuring herself beneath the moonlight.
Watching from the shadows, Rory Shaunnessey is entranced. When she returns the following night, he steps forward, offering himself as her lover. But a hot summer fling can only last so long and when Rory pushes for more, Meghan must face the demons of her past if they are to have a future.
Buy The Book
Read an Excerpt
