Xio Axelrod's Blog, page 5

On the Road Again

Hello, my lovelies! It’s that time of year when I pack my bags, grab some books and some swag, and make my way over to you. I love to interact with you guys, and I’m still fairly new to the book convention circuit. If there’s a particular signing you want me to attend, let me know. Better yet, tell the organizers.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to PLA last month. I had such a good time! Librarians rock.

It’s My Publishing Anniversary!

Hello, my lovelies!

I hope you’re all enjoying this festive season. As I was preparing my calendar for 2018, I realized that this weekend marks three years since I published my first book.

Goodness, how time has flown. And yet, it feels like it was just yesterday when I introduced myself to you and you welcomed me with open arms.

I have an appearance coming up pretty quickly in the new year, and I’d love to see you there. It is a free event at the Stone Harbor Library in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, and I’ll be joined by some fabulous authors.

Attending Authors are: Lydia Michaels, Pam Godwin, Amy Marie,Susan Scott Shelley, DeeDee Lorenzo, E.m. Abel, and me.

When: January 13, 2018, from 12-2 PM

Where: Stone Harbor Library, 9516 2nd Ave, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

RSVP: 609-463-6389 (Though this is a FREE Author Event, you must register to attend.)

There will be an Author Panel, a Q&A Session, a Private Book Signing, and even some Light Refreshments, so come join us!

In these last three years, I have written more than I thought I ever would, and yet not nearly as much as I would have liked. I have so many more stories to share with you, and I hope you’ll stick around for the rest of this crazy ride.

Right now, I’m working on the follow up to Fast Forward. News on that will be coming pretty soon, so stay tuned.

Cheers!

Xio oxo

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a year, eh? Can’t believe the holidays are upon us already. In between all the turkey and candy canes, I’ll be working hard on three new releases for 2018. Just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your support this year. I hope you have a tasty and fabulous holiday! And if you’re outside the U.S., don’t worry. I’ll save you a slice of pumpkin pie.

Join me this weekend in Baltimore!

Hello, my lovelies! It’s that time of year again. Autumn is here, and you know what that means. I’m heading to Baltimore!

The Baltimore Book Festival features hundreds of appearances by local celebrities and nationally known authors, book signings, more than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, nonstop readings on multiple stages, cooking demos by top chefs, poetry readings, workshops, panel discussions, storytellers and hands-on projects for kids, live music, and a thoughtfully curated food, craft beer, and wine program.

I’m excited to join my friends at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage for a fun weekend of panels, games, and giveaways. I’ll be signing copies of Camden, The Warm Up, and Fast Forward. Hope to see you there!

Do you believe in second chances?

Romance Writers of America brings together seventeen of today’s hottest authors in an anthology of never-before-published tales that reveal true love always deserves a happy ending.

Follow New York Times best-selling authors J. Kenner and Christina Lauren back to reader-favorite worlds.

New York Times bestseller Alyssa Day sprinkles djinn magic in her humorous paranormal romance, while Rachel Hauck brings the enchantment of the holidays in her New Year’s Eve contemporary love story.

And Liliana Hart delivers thrills and adventure in her characters’ search for the impossible.

With characters who find love through tough situations, in an elegant 1800s ballroom, with an old friend who shows up when least expected, at a tender age when cliques and homework get in the way relationships, or after a random encounter in an unlikely setting, Second Chances delivers romance to strike every reader’s fancy.

Plus tales from:

Marilyn Brant

Kerri Carpenter

CiCi Coughlin

Cassandra Dean

Tina Ferraro

Renee Luke

Ariella Moon

Brandi Willis Schreiber

Lizzie Shane

Sharon Sobel

Damon Suede

Tara Wyatt

Click here for an exclusive excerpt from Rachel Hauck’s “Love is in the Air” on USA Today’s Happy Ever After 

Click here for an exclusive excerpt from J. Kenner’s “One Night” on RT Book Reviews

Available Now From: 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

Kobo

FoX Friday with Lena Hart

Hello, my lovelies! It’s FoX Friday, and this week’s guest is a first-timer. Help me give a hearty welcome to the delightfully talented Lena Hart! Lena is here with her upcoming release, Something New. It’s book two of her Brides of Cedar Bend series, and you’re going to want to grab it!

Before we get to know Damian and Savvy, let’s learn a little more about Lena.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing on and off since 2009, with a lot of bad/unfinished projects in my arsenal, lol. But I had my first book published in 2012. So I’ve been writing for 8 years and published for 5.

What writing rituals help to get your mojo flowing so you can write?

It depends on where in the writing process I’m in, lol. But I have this thing where I need to have cartoons or Seinfeld playing in the background when I’m editing. Weird, I know.

Really? That’s so cool! How do you balance writing and your personal life?

Ha! Balance, what’s that?

I know, right? LOL

Honestly, that’s still a work in progress for me, but I do my best writing at night so I schedule my writing time around then.

Do you have a one-click or must-buy author whose books you just have to have?

I have so many authors I love, I can’t name just one! But the last book I one-clicked was the Breaking Bad anthology since I adore many of those authors in that set.

Yeah! I really want to check that out. What was the nicest comment or most interesting question you’ve received from a reader?

This is a line from an email I received from a reader and I keep it to remind me why I do what I do: “Thank you for creating such diverse heroines, beautiful, strong, accomplished and confident!”

How wonderful! And they’re absolutely right.

FoX Friday with Susan Scott Shelley and one last chance to grab free books

Hello, my lovelies! I hope the season is treating you well, wherever you may be. Today, I welcome my friend Susan Scott Shelley back to Fox Friday, this time with her newest release ENAMORED. It’s the third book in her Game of Love series. If baseball is your kink, and you love smart, sexy romance, then this series is for you. ENAMORED is a baseball romance double-header. Two stories in one!

​After a Spring Training stunt saddles Liam York with a broken ankle, the League’s Best Mascot is forced to share the spotlight with the team’s solution: a temporary friend for Fin the Shark. But his new co-worker tests the limits of his control.

Claire Devereux spent years caring for her siblings and is more than ready for some fun. She loves every aspect of being Fin’s new friend Fiona and is determined to make the temporary gig permanent.

As romance blooms between their on-field personalities, Liam and Claire give in to their passion off the field too. But curve balls from every direction test whether they’re better as a duo or if it’s every mascot for him/herself.

Meanwhile…

​

First baseman Slade MacInnes has a lot of balls in the air. His contract is expiring, he’s just found his birth parents, and his agreement to do some work with a children’s charity has led him to the very sexy and sweet Savanna Soto.

​

Savanna works hard granting wishes to kids with life-threatening illnesses, something her sister never lived to experience. Slade’s no-fear attitude and adrenaline-junkie adventures make her want to break out of her self-imposed safety bubble and live.

​

Slade figures he’s just the man to help her conquer her fears. Each activity draws them closer together with an attraction that sizzles. But when life pushes their differences to a head, will fear win out or can love save the game?

Susan was nice enough to bring us an excerpt from chapter two, when Claire meets Liam for the first time. Check it out!

Claire caught her breath and rejoined the group, glancing at the men and women around her, sizing up the competition. She sought out Raymond and didn’t know what to make of the Human Resources rep’s raised brows. Was she a lot better than the others… or a lot worse? She hadn’t performed in a while but the jumps and moves were second nature. Maybe she should’ve added a few more. Stretching to her full height, she smiled big enough to show confidence and breathed in the sweet scent of fresh-cut grass.

When she’d dropped off her youngest sister for gymnastics practice that morning, she hadn’t expected to spend her afternoon at the Riptide’s ballpark. The email from her old coach alerting her to the audition couldn’t have come at a better time. And the job promised to be a lot more fun than the thankless sales position at the auto insurance company. Provided she got it.

Raymond typed something into his tablet. “Thank you, Ms. Devereux. If you’ll please come with me. The rest of you, thank you for coming in. Please follow the security guard to the exit.” He turned without waiting for a response.

Claire blinked at his back. She wouldn’t allow herself to believe she was in. This was probably the first hurdle.

She snatched her sunglasses from the grass and followed him toward the two men in front of the dugout. Dressed in jeans and T-shirts, the taller of the two was easily recognizable even out of uniform.

Slade MacInnes had graced the cover of every sports magazine last season. But the man by his side, leaning heavily on crutches and sporting a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, captured her attention.

Dark brown hair tousled by the wind begged for her hands to smooth it. And his eyes, as rich and deep as her favorite triple-chocolate brownies, burned with an intensity that was almost magnetic, daring to draw her in and hold her forever. The nerves zinging her stomach shifted into high alert, buzzing through her blood as she continued to hold his gaze.

Raymond gestured to the man. “Claire, I’d like you to meet Liam York. He’s the resident mascot and will be your go-to person. You’ll be working with him closely. And Liam, Claire here was clearly the best of the try-outs, as I’m sure you agree. She graduated from Anaheim State a few years ago and was their original Anaheim Annie.”

Liam’s brows rose, then he smiled and his eyes danced with laughter. “No way. I didn’t recognize you without the fifty-gallon cowboy hat and pair of six-shooters. Annie was a genius idea. One of the best college mascots I’ve seen.”

She grinned. “I loved that costume. And the job, playing Annie for three semesters was so much fun. I was pretty bummed when I had to turn in the cowboy boots.” She hadn’t had a choice, she’d been needed at home.

Liam adjusted his crutch and extended his right hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too. I get a kick out of Fin’s antics. You’re really good.” She slid her palm against his and then his fingers wrapped around hers, warm and strong and firm. Her pulse ticked faster and awareness skittered through her like a gentle brush of a butterfly’s wings. His grip tightened a fraction before releasing his hold. Her first impression had been right—he radiated heat and intensity. She tilted her head back to hold his gaze. He towered over her five-foot frame by at least a foot. A black T-shirt stretched tight across defined shoulders and strong muscles attained only through hard and frequent work. Work that wouldn’t be quite so frequent now—thanks to the broken ankle. “I’m sorry about your injury.”

“Thanks. I’m going to miss playing Fin. But I hope he’ll be in good hands. Or maybe I should say fins.”

He cracked a smile and she laughed.

Smiling and shaking his head, Slade nudged Liam’s shoulder. “So, Claire. I’m Slade. Where did you learn those moves? You looked like an Olympic gymnast out there.”

Claire dragged her focus to Slade. What was the first baseman doing at a mascot audition? She shook his hand. “I was in gymnastics from the time I was six until I graduated from high school. Then I worked part-time as a coach at my gym through college.”

Raymond nodded and added more notes to his tablet. “I know you have experience performing in front of a crowd, but our games frequently sell out. It’ll be more than you experienced at your college football games.”

“Our team was terrible and we weren’t in a good division, so I didn’t feel a lot of pressure out there. But I have competed in large gymnastics competitions where I had a lot of pressure to keep myself together and execute a detailed routine. I won’t choke in front of the Riptide fans.”

“Still. You’ve been away from performing for, what, six years?” Raymond waited while she nodded. “Being our mascot is a big responsibility. Liam will teach you everything you need to know. During games, you’ll have a head set. He’ll be there to talk you through it if you need help. I know it’s a lot to ask you to jump right into the job, but I feel with your resume, you’ll be the best fit.”

“I won’t let you down.” She didn’t fail at things. Ever. Except romance. “Does that mean I officially have the job?”

“Yes. Welcome to the team.”

She wanted to cheer and turn cartwheels across the field. Instead, she clasped her hands together and stayed in place. “Thank you. I’m excited to get started.”

Raymond typed in another note and then pulled his phone from his pocket. “We only have a day and a half until the home opener. If you can stick around today to fill out paperwork and work with Liam, I’d appreciate it. We don’t have much time to create the shark costume. I’ll call our costume designer and ask her to come in now to do your fitting. She’ll need to make everything. No part of Liam’s costume will fit you.”

Claire glanced from Raymond to Liam. Her new co-worker’s smile was gone, replaced by stoic features.

Slade rested a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “If you’re making a new costume anyway, Liam could still wear his and help out.”

Liam’s brows shot high and the spark returned to his eyes. “I can’t do the stunts, but I can still walk around and greet people here. Or drive around in the golf car or ATV so people don’t bang into me.” He gestured to his cast and crutches. “And I can keep my commitments to the hospital and charity.”

Raymond shook his head. “We can’t have two Fins running around at the same time.”

“Not two Fins. Create a new character.” Slade’s voice was like steel but he winked at Claire. “Can’t Fin have a friend?”

She didn’t think that was such a bad idea, especially knowing how much pressure she’d be under to do as good a job as Liam did. “As Fin’s friend, I could shadow Liam until I have a better idea of what to do and gain more experience. It might be easier than him watching and directing me from someplace in the ballpark.” Although, the idea of him watching her sent a tingle through her blood.

Liam’s gaze met hers. “I promise I can play well with others.”

“A new character would be a new marketing and merchandising opportunity.” Raymond stuffed his phone away and began typing like mad into his tablet. “The public knows you’re hurt, Liam, so we should play that up.”

“No offense, Ray, but I’m not injuring myself further.”

“Of course not. In the first game, Fin can come out like usual, but with his crutches. Still try to do his stunts, but falls.” Pausing, Raymond lifted a brow. “Falls carefully, where your leg won’t be compromised. And that’s when the new character comes in.”

“I’ve got it,” Claire blurted then patted Liam on the shoulder. “If you want to keep with the shark theme, my character could be a nurse shark. And we can make her like a real nurse, wearing scrubs and a stethoscope. She can come over and reprimand Fin and point him off the field. Then the announcer can say something about how I’ll be taking over while Fin recovers.”

Liam nodded and a crooked smile lit his face. “Only, Fin isn’t following directions. He keeps trying to sneak onto the field during games.”

Laughing, she bounced a few times on the balls of her feet, unable to check her enthusiasm. She shifted closer to Liam, caught up in the full power of his smile, and how it deepened when it landed on her. “I love it. And my character can chase him off and play up her frustration to the crowd. It’ll be great.”

Raymond nodded, typing faster. “We can do recorded scenes with you two in costume, too. Videos one or two minutes long, showing the nurse shark taking care of Fin, with him doing antics and being a bad patient. And they’ll go up on the website the following day. If this pans out the way I think it could, we’ll sell more tickets.”

Liam frowned. “How? I mean, I like the idea. I’m all for any way I can still be Fin. But I don’t see how this will sell more seats than usual.”

Raymond stroked his beard, eyes focused on the stands before his gaze settled on Liam and Claire.

“Because it’s going to become a romance.”

Pick up a copy of ENAMORED on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, B&N, and Smashwords.

Also, today is the last day to grab 29 books for FREE! That’s right, free. No sign-ups, no strings attached. Titles include my Hollywood saga, FALLING STARS, as well as REKINDLED, book one of Susan’s Game of Love Series. Go get ’em!

Susan Scott Shelley is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Philadelphia with her very own Superhero and spends her days writing stories filled with heat and heart, where love always wins.

In addition to writing romances, she is also a professional voiceover artist. Her favorite things include running, sports, hard rock, and old Hollywood movies. She believes life should be lived with laughter, enthusiasm, and a sense of wonder.

Visit Susan at http://susanscottshelley.com

What’s better than one free book? How about 30 of them!

SIZZLING SUMMER FREEBIES!


Hey, my lovelies! I have a treat for you as you head off on your summer holidays. You can fill your e-reader for free! That’s right. Free.

FALLING STARS is one of thirty books you can grab for free this week.

Sam is an honorable man. He has been faithful to a toxic, Hollywood marriage for nearly half his life. He’s never strayed and isn’t about to start now, despite the fact that he is falling head over heels for his co-star.

Val’s worked hard to get her career on the path to the A-list and the last thing she wants, or needs, is a scandal. If only her heart and her brain were working with the same script. Romance is an ideal. This is a love story. Falling Stars explores the possibility of second chances and asks hard questions about duty, fidelity, life in the public eye, and the cost of being happy. This is the beginning of a sexy, sensual, and emotional roller-coaster ride that reminds us that love, while not often easy, is always worth it.

Get it FREE on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Nook!

All of these AMAZING books are free from July 10th to 14th! Follow these awesome authors to learn about their new releases!

Participating Authors:

Kimberly Kincaid – Love On the Line (The Line Series Book 1)

Robin Covington – Shadow Ranch

Avery Flynn – The Love Dangerously Collection

Elle Boon Author – Miami Inferno

Christi Barth – Carolina Heat

Kate Meader – In Skates Trouble

Skye Jordan – Rendezvous

Stephanie St. Klaire – Author – Hidden

Erin Nicholas – No Matter What

Samantha Chase – The Wedding Season

Jennifer Bernard – Set The Night On Fire

Author Violet Duke– Resisting The Bad Boy

Melanie Shawn– My First

Selena Laurence Romance Author – The Kingmaker

Jamie Farrell – Blissed

Shauna Allen Books – Burnout

Sharla Lovelace, Author – Hero in Disguise

Jules Barnard – Cocky Prince

Xio Axelrod – Falling Stars

Books That Rock: Author Virna DePaul – Hard Time: Street

Tawny Weber – A SEAL’s Proposal

Shelly Alexander– Get Wilde

Emma Nichols – Terms Of Service

Cynthia Eden Bite The Dust

Erin McCarthy – Burn

Molly O’Keefe – The Debt

Julie Kriss– Bad Billionaire

Cate Beaumont – Lucky Strike

Susan Scott Shelley Rekindled

C.C. Cartwright – USA Today Bestselling Author – Just Love Me

FoX Friday with Nia Forrester plus a giveaway!

Happy Friday, my lovelies! Can you believe we’re already one week into July? The year is flying by.

This week, I welcome the lovely Nia Forrester to Fox Friday. I’ve been wanting to interview Nia forever, and she graciously agreed. She’s brought her latest masterpiece, The Lover, with her and there’s an excerpt!

I’m a big fan of Nia’s writing, and I wish more people knew about her. I’ll be giving away a digital copy of The Lover at the end of the interview, so read on.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not, what else did you want to do?

I always wanted to be a revolutionary. A social activist. And I found a way to do that through my career as a lawyer, so that’s been very rewarding. But I really believe my core identity is being a writer. I could probably walk away from being a lawyer tomorrow (though not from the activism) but I can never walk away from being a writer.  And I know this sounds like a stock answer, but I honestly can’t remember not being a writer. I started with poems and was terrible at that and didn’t find it particularly interesting. And then later, I adapted and mimicked stories I read, by writers like Enid Blyton, to my context, which was a small Caribbean nation. So instead of little mischievous children playing in a meadow in Britain, I wrote about kids who looked like me, in a country like mine. Later, I was doing the same with stories from the Sweet Valley High series, and the Nancy Drew series. And as I grew older, I stopped looking to other writers and honed my own voice.

And we’re so glad you did! Your voice is unique and amazing. How do you celebrate each book release?

Y’know, I actually don’t celebrate my releases. Not really. I spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about what I did wrong with each book, and how I could do it better. And how I’ll improve with the next one. But, I do try to have a large glass of wine, do a lot of reading, and waste time on social media after a release. It always feels like I’ve been released from exile once a book is out there, because until it’s done, my body may be present in other places, but a significant part of my mind is always on the work in progress.

I know exactly what you mean. I may order takeaway from my favourite restaurant or something, but that’s about it, lol. I’m already thinking about what I did wrong, and how I can improve the next one. Is there a scene in this book you particularly loved writing?

Wow. That’s a great question! There is one scene in the book where the main characters reconcile after a fight. He comes to her, and she is sitting, trying not to react to his reappearance. They barely look at each other. He sits next to her and opens his palm, and wordlessly, she puts her hand atop his, and laces her fingers through his. Neither of them speak. Because they are not particularly sentimental people, they couldn’t speak their reconciliation—at least not in too many words. So I had to think of a way to do it that was organic to them.

The temptation when writing something like that is to make it very emotional and sappy. But the challenge was that the characters themselves are not emotional, sappy people. So I had to communicate tenderness, connectedness, and love without having them say the words. Those are always fun scenes to write. Everyone knows what the average person does when they reconcile with a lover, what they might say. But only you as the writer know what these people would do. And so the challenge is to make it true not only to life, but to the people you’ve created. Whenever I do that in a way that makes sense for the characters I feel satisfaction. The goal is to make the reader say, ‘Yeah, he would do that, wouldn’t he?’ or ‘That’s what I knew she would do.’ Not because you want your characters to be predictable, but because you want them to be ’knowable’.

Absolutely. And it is a beautiful scene. Do you have a one-click or must-buy author whose books you just have to have?

I most enjoy discovering new authors, and I read for enjoyment, but also to learn about writing, so I try not to cleave too closely to a single person, group or genre. But I do buy the books of just about all the indie authors I’m friendly with, or know, either IRL or in the virtual world. Some I read the very first day they’re out, others at my leisure or when I’m in the mood for their flavor of writing. Some have a mood that never gets old for me, like Jacinta Howard, and Kim Golden, who both have a very definite style and soul to their writing that I relate to.  Both are writers I feel like I knew, even before we met, because their writing clearly isn’t a cloak they wear, or people playing dress-up, but clearly indicative of the people they are. Other writers I’m into right now are Martha Southgate, Yvvette Edwards, Sharon M. Draper, Angela Johnson, Kevin Kwan and Jason Reynolds. And then there are eternal favorites like Zadie Smith, Danzy Senna, Wally Lamb, Jonathan Franzen.

Wow, that’s a fantastic list. I love Kim Golden’s work. I haven’t read much of Jacinta Howard’s, but I’ve enjoyed what I have. Some new-to-me names there that I’ll have to check out. Okay, if you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

I don’t care that much. I like the idea of moving fairly frequently because there’s so much to see out there. I can live almost anywhere As long as it’s got a balance of room to be quiet, reflect and write; and places to observe humans just going about their lives so I have something to write about.

Which TV show(s) can you absolutely not miss every week?

I don’t watch television with any regularity, so the answer to that would be ‘none’. I do, however, like to binge on Netflix occasionally, and when I do, tend to watch British crime and police procedurals. I also love a good drama, and dramedies about dysfunctional families and relationships. If someone recommends a good series, I wait until the season is over and then watch them all in a couple of sittings. I prefer not to lose hours regularly to television, but I’ll make plans and schedule time to to lose a weekend to television-watching if I have stuff stored up to watch.

Same. I prefer to binge-watch rather than watch a show weekly. Let’s learn more about The Lover!

Ryann Walker knows she’s a difficult woman; difficult enough that it would take a rare, and special breed of man to take her on permanently. Thankfully, she isn’t looking for that. What she does want is a baby. And after a rash decision made during a one-night stand, she just may be having one, with the very successful, good-looking, but completely wrong for her, Spencer Hall.

But once Spencer learns that he may become a father, Ryann just can’t shake him. He isn’t interested in being an absentee parent; and she isn’t interested in having a man hang around who is hell-bent on crawling into her heart, breaking down her defenses and unearthing all her secrets, including the ugliest one of all.

Sounds SO good, doesn’t it? Well, we promised you an excerpt. Here you go!

Ryann sat down heavily, grateful to be off her feet. Glancing toward the door for what felt like the hundredth time, she reached for the phone. She was sure she told Ivy twelve-thirty, and it wasn’t like her friend to be late. This appointment, she didn’t want to do on her own.

Lately, it seemed like all her backbone had dissolved. She was a mass of nerves and tears, weakness, and swollen feet. And to make matters worse, the babies weren’t as active as they used to be. Though she knew it wasn’t wise, she’d read a few things online; ominous things with phrases like “cord accident” and “fetal distress.” Phrases that kept her up at night, and made what little sleep she got, more fitful than it had already been. Between the bad dreams and the internet, she was beginning to look a mess.

Gone were all her illusions of being a radiant and glowing pregnant woman. Instead she had visible dark circles under her eyes, and most days was way too exhausted to bother with all the contouring necessary to make her look like something other than a zombie. At the office, she was useless. She forgot meetings, napped at her desk, and left early more days than not.

She fell heavily asleep every day when she got home, sometimes before she could muster up the energy to eat dinner, and then woke up panting and in a panic, her heart racing like someone being chased. And yet she couldn’t remember a single thing of substance that would explain her terror.

“Good afternoon, sir. May I …?”

Ryann looked up just as the receptionist greeted Spencer.

“I have an …” He looked around the waiting room until he spotted her, and stopped speaking mid-sentence.

They both froze, each with eyes locked on the other. One corner of his mouth lifted for a nanosecond. Ryann mentally took stock of how she looked—black pants, white button-down with black ballet flats. Very little makeup, and her hair held back with a headband because she had been too exhausted to fuss with it that morning.

“Sir?” the receptionist prompted.

“No. Thank you. I’m … I see her,” Spencer said, his eyes still on Ryann. He walked toward her, and the closer he got, the harder her heart hurt.

He looked so good. Darker from the sun, and wearing boots and work clothes. He was probably on a site today. Ryann had no way of knowing anymore what his daily schedule was like.

Sinking into the seat next to hers, he exhaled. Ryann stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eyes. Spencer was looking down at his lap. Wiping both hands on his thighs, he turned the one closest to her palm up. Ryann put her hand on top of it, and laced her fingers through his. Spencer’s curled his fingers around hers, and held them tightly.

***

“I don’t know how to say this gently,” Dr. Billingsley’s speech was slow, stern and deliberate. “You’re putting your health, and your pregnancy at risk. I don’t know of a single scenario that makes weight-loss at this stage of a pregnancy anything other than a full-blown crisis. Especially given your age. I’m going to have to insist that …”

Ryann tuned out the rest of what the doctor said, feeling herself grow smaller, like a child being chastised by a parent. Next to the examining table, where she sat, Spencer was paying rapt attention, nodding intermittently, his jaw set, and expression grim. His hands compulsively moved back and forth along his thighs for a few moments, then he seemed to will himself to stop. Instead, he rested a hand on her leg, lightly squeezing.

The rest of the appointment, after Ryann was dressed, was spent in Dr. Billingsley’s office while she shoved various prescriptions across the desk, giving explanations for each one that Ryann neither heard nor absorbed. Spencer took them, and Ryann followed his cue, standing when he did, and walking out of the office with him.

Outside the building, he paused and looked up and down the block, as though searching for something. Sighing deeply, he turned and looked down at her.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“I drove,” Ryann said. “My car is …”

“We’ll get it later. C’mon.” He put an arm around her shoulder then once he had, exhaled again and pulled her into his arms, holding her as closely as he could with the barrier of her distended stomach between them. “I’m sorry,” he said into her hair. “I’m sorry. I said I wouldn’t leave you to do this on your own …”

Ryann looked up, surprised. “You didn’t. I never felt that you’d left me.”

His expression was quizzical, confused.

“I knew you were there. I didn’t see you, but I felt you. I know you never left me.”

Just like when he’d first spotted her in the waiting room, one corner of his mouth quirked upward. But again, he seemed unsure of whether it okay to smile.

Getting on her toes, Ryann shut her eyes. She only made it halfway, but knew without a doubt that Spencer would close the remaining distance between them.

The Lover is available exclusively on Amazon. Comment below for a chance to win a Kindle copy of the book.

Nia Forrester lives and writes in Philadelphia, PA where, by day, she is an attorney working on public policy and by night, she crafts woman-centered fiction that examines the complexities of life, love and the human condition.

She welcomes feedback and email from her readers at authorniaforrester@gmail.com or tweets @NiaForrester. And visit her blog at: www.niaforrester.com.

 

FoX Friday with Heather Long!

Happy Friday, my lovelies! It’s officially Summer, and it’s a holiday weekend for most of my fellow Americans as we gear up for Independence Day. This week, I’m excited to welcome the delightful Heather Long with her brand new release, Semper Fi Cowboy.

A Leatherneck by any other name can still kick ass, which is just what retired United States Marine Corps Captain Tanner Wilks plans to do when he returns to his Texas family ranch to care for his ailing father. And nothing will stop him from achieving his mission—not even a lithe, brown-eyed town veterinarian who seems hell-bent on driving him wild.

Captain Tanner Wilks, honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, returns home to find his father struggling after his latest heart attack. Worse yet, Julia Heller—the sexy new girl in town that he once spent a hot night with—is the resident veterinarian who’s made a home for herself at Round Top ranch, and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to repeat their time together.

It falls on Tanner’s shoulders to take on the ranch and keep an eye on his father before he falls victim to another heart attack. But Julia doesn’t appreciate Tanner coming in or pursuing her. Even if he’s hot as hell and can make her quiver with just a look. Ousting her may give Tanner the leverage he needs to corral his father, but first he has to wrestle with his own heart.

Grab the book! https://books2read.com/Semper-Fi-Cowboy

Heather was kind enough to give us an excerpt from Semper Fi Cowboy. Check it out!

Whoever the group was they had talent, and as Tanner studied the newcomers, he focused on a woman who slid over to the bar and drained a glass of water while the musicians found their rhythm. A minute later, she glided back onto the dance floor.

For the next three songs, she traded partners. The woman could move. Tall, long-legged, and beautifully curved, she also had a gorgeous face, from her generous mouth—which pulled into an easy smile—to her sweet, dark eyes. Dark hair clung to her cheeks, and her sleeveless white top gave Tanner a good look at her toned arms.

He didn’t know her. She didn’t even ring a familiar bell, but she sure as hell looked fun. When she waved off a fourth man swooping in for a dance and headed to the bar, Tanner enjoyed the light, strutting cadence to her walk. Someone had taken her spot, so she sidled up to the bar next to him.

Fanning her face with one hand, she gave him a cool, quick grin, then waved at Sully. The bartender slid a glass of water over to her. “You ready for a glass of wine yet, darlin’?”

“In a bit.” She took a long drink of the water. The slender column of her throat convulsed with each swallow, and a fresh wave of lust crashed through Tanner. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to trade places with the glass.

“Put her wine on my tab, Sully,” Tanner called. The number of dance partners and lack of a ring gave him hope she was free. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“No, thank you,” the country goddess declined in a smooth, polite tone. “I’ll take care of my own drinks.”

Sully hid a smirk, but he had other customers.

“No need to be testy, ma’am.” He lifted his beer. “Just offering to buy you a drink.”

“Not being testy at all.” She turned sideways and gave him a once-over. “And you didn’t offer—you just decided to do it, sir.” The cool dismissal didn’t possess an ounce of malice or disrespect. “I simply like to pay my own way, and I never accept offers from strangers.”

“Hard to make an acquaintance if you don’t.” Though he couldn’t fault her. Even the women in his unit or those he’d met on assignment at various bases around the world maintained a sense of control over their environment, both in what they would tolerate from others and what they would accept. “My apologies for overstepping. I’m Tanner, by the way.”

Offering his hand, he waited as she took a beat before wiping her palm against her jeans and then accepting the handshake. “My friends call me Jules.”

“Jules.” Was it short for Julianna? Or Julie? Something else entirely? He liked the sound of it. Maybe it was the beer mellowing him out. Maybe it was being home. Or maybe it was simply watching her, but he wanted to spend some time with Miss Jules.

“Is it all right if I call you Jules?”

“I said my friends call me Jules, you can call me ma’am.” She chuckled, then drained her glass of water and started watching the band. They’d switched to a slow song. Shaking her head, she lifted the hair from the back of her neck. From her ushed cheeks to the gleam in her dark eyes, she was stunning.

“I’d be happy to call you ma’am.” The sentence worked, and Jules returned her attention to him and her eyebrows raised.

“Tell me, ma’am, may I have the next dance?”

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family.

She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Heather is best known for her 18-book paranormal romance series Wolves of Willow Bend, which begins:

Prequel: Wolf at Law

1: Wolf Bite

2: Caged Wolf

3: Wolf Claim

3.5: Wolf Next Door

4: Rogue Wolf

5: Bayou Wolf

6: Untamed Wolf

Heather’s other fantasy romance series include the paranormal westerns Fevered Hearts starting with Marshal of Hel Dorado, Black Hill Wolves which start with What a Wolf Wants, Witches of Mane Street, Mongrels, and the forthcoming Bravo Team WOLF series.

Her contemporary romance series include: Always a Marine, Going Royal, Elite Warriors, The Love Thieves, beginning with Catch Me and Lone Star Leathernecks, beginning with Semper Fi Cowboy.

Heather is well-represented in fantasy wither her superhero series Boomers, a sci-fi western called Space Cowboy Survival Guide, an urban fantasy series called the Chance Monroe Adventures, and a stand-alone ghost novel titled Haunt Me.

Contact Heather:

Website: http://www.heatherlong.net

Email: heather@heatherlong.net

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heather-long

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Long/e/B002BMBCUC/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HeatherLongAuthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HVLong

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iKxQ5

Want a chance to win a $400 gift card? Check out the Lucky 21 giveaway, featuring some fantastic authors!

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Ian and Jessen are here! (And you can enter to win a $400 Gift Card.)

Hello, my lovelies! I am ridiculously excited to release my very first MM Contemporary romance, Fast Forward.

This novella is the first in my Alt Er Love series, which can be read as stand-alones (though they’re best enjoyed together.) Alt Er Love is a phrase I picked up from the phenomenal web/TV series SKAM. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know about my compete obsession with the series, lol. It’s gone now – crying in Norwegian – but SKAM’s message will stay with me forever.

“Alt er love” in Norwegianglish means “everything is love” or “love is everything,” however you want to interpret it. This fits very much into my philosophy and outlook on life, so I have adopted it for my own. I’m even getting a tattoo, so you know it’s serious.