Sandra Harris's Blog, page 7

A Chuckle for Friday

Here’s some good advice:

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark… (Author Unknown)

One: Don’t miss the boat.

Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four: Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six: Build your future on high ground.

Seven: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.

Eight: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

Nine: When you’re stressed, float a while.

Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

 

Sandy

A Chuckle for Friday

A gun is like a parachute. If you need one and don’t have one, you’ll never need one again. – Unknown

Wouldn’t want to be in either situation.

Sandy

Thursday Threads with Larynn Ford

Larynn Ford presents her sensual, light paranormal In My Wildest Dreams.

Blurb:

When she becomes the victim of several life-threatening incidents all in one week, it seems fate is out to put an end to Lynzi Lancaster. Her close calls with death trigger a series of dreams about a magical place and a certain man who broke her heart twenty years ago, Layne Brady. Could her life get any stranger?

When the star of her dreams announces in person that he had faked his death for twenty years in order to protect her, oh, and that he’s not actually human, the fireworks begin. Does she believe his extraordinary story of another world, the magical world of the Fae? Do fairies really exist? Should she trust her heart? Could her dreams come true?

Excerpt:  

The feeling of being watched washed over me. I checked over my shoulder to make sure of the gate’s location in case I needed to make a quick getaway. I ran my gaze over the house and froze when I made eye contact with the person standing on the deck . . . Layne.

I didn’t move. He didn’t move. What do I do now? What if he tells me to get lost? Well, then at least I will have heard it straight from the horses’ mouth, so to speak. I took a deep breath, put one foot in front of the other and headed toward the house.

Layne had made his way across the deck and down the steps. Our gazes still locked on each other, we stopped about three feet apart.

I had no idea what to say. My bottom lip quivered and it was difficult to breathe.

Slowly, Layne opened his arms and I knew of no other place in existence for me to be at the moment. We stepped together. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, his right hand cupped my head, and pressed my face into his chest like he always had, before.

“Layne . . .” I exhaled into his chest.

“I’m here. I just knew you’d find me, my brave girl.” He gently stroked my hair as he rocked us in a comforting rhythm.

“I thought you were gone forever.” Trembling, I leaned into his embrace.

“No, I’m here. Just let me hold you. I need to hold you,” he said. “It’s been so long . . . so long. Lynzi, I have missed you so much.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and clinched both hands into fists full of his shirt, intent to hold on for dear life. Determined I would not let him slip away again. I had to hold on. Hold on tight, even if only in a dream.

We stood clinging to each other as the sun faded behind the horizon and dusk settled around us.

My eyes blinked open. I was alone in my bed, my mind filled memories from my dream. A hint of rose fragrance hung around me. Was I losing my mind?

Visit Larynn at these links:

http://www.larynnford.com/

https://www.facebook.com/larynnfordauthor

https://twitter.com/LarynnFord

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7059178.Larynn_Ford

A Chuckle for Friday

Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking surely you don’t look that old? Well . . . this might tickle your fancy.

A woman sat in the reception room of a new dentist awaiting her first appointment. She noticed the dental diploma bore the dentist’s full name and suddenly she remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name who had been in her high school senior class some 30-odd years ago. She wondered if they could be the same person.

Upon meeting the dentist she discarded the thought. The balding, grey-haired man with the deeply lined face was far too old to have been the boy she’d secretly had a crush on.

After having her teeth examined, curiosity got the better of her and she asked the dentist if he’d ever attended her old school.

When he replied, quite excitedly that he had, she asked what year he’d left. He gave her his answer and asked why she asked.

“You were in my class,” she exclaimed.

The dentist looked closely at her, then . . .

the ugly,

old,

bald,

wrinkled,

fat-arsed,

grey haired,

decrepit

bastard asked . . .

“What did you teach?”

Sandy

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday Threads with J.R.Richardson

We’re threading this week with J.R.Richardson and her sensual, paranormal mystery romance. Coincidentally, today is her release day, so congratulations, J.R.

Blurb:

Cooper Shaw lives his life under a pen name and enjoys the anonymity it provides during his journeys across the globe as a seasoned writer for a travel magazine. When his job lands him in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts to cover the famous Festival of the Dead, he soon realizes that he can’t stay invisible forever as he faces ghosts from a past he’s been trying to forget ever since he left.

The city holds nothing but bad memories for Coop until he meets a quirky young woman with an old soul and curious insights by the name of Finnley Pierce. While she acts as his tour guide through a town he thought he knew, Finn helps him unearth the truth of his childhood and might even begin to open up his heart.

By unraveling the mystery of his father’s murder, Coop may finally accept who he is, where he came from, and perhaps even realize what he wants for his future.

Excerpt :

“I came by Geneva’s to see you this morning,” I tell her. She slides her hands inside my jacket, around my waist. She holds us together tighter.

“You did?” There’s a smile in her voice. I grin but she can’t see it.

“I’ve gotten used to starting my days out with you in them.”

“You have?” She leans back to look at me. She’s stunned although I have no idea why. I’ve been so transparent even a bat could see through me the past few days.

“Yeah,” I tell her, “I have.” I brush the hair out of her face. Even through the rainfall I can see the blush in her cheeks. This is the most vulnerable I’ve seen Finn since Geneva’s, when she thanked

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me for handling Dan.

“Most people don’t like the way I’m so pushy sometimes,” she says. “They find it offensive. Some might even say I’ve got a smart mouth. Too smart for my own good, blah blah blah.”

She trails off at the end there and I laugh at the way she thinks I’m buying that none of it bothers her.

“Come to think of it, you did say something I found offensive yesterday,” I tell her half serious. She looks hurt but I can’t stop the smirk from spreading across my face as I back her up against the nearest tree.

She’s caught off guard by the move, I can hear it in the way her breath hitches. “What was that?”

She tries to recover but she fails.

“I believe the term you used was friends,” I tell her, narrowing my eyes. Her lips part, just barely. She swallows something down then clears her throat.

“Isn’t that what we are?”

I move my head from side to side. “I don’t think so, Finn.”

Trailer

Buy the book

About the author :

A writer of stories and lover of life.

Jo grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity. Today she lives in Florida with her two girls and a husband that shares her same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

She’s always loved writing, and always enjoys a good mystery, so in 2012, Jo wrote a novel that was picked up by the good people at Soul Mate Publishing.

 

Where you can find Jo :

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads 

Thursday Threads with Dawn Ireland

Due to a blog hop, Thursday Threads this week has had to time slip to Saturday.

Today Dawn Ireland presents her sensual, historical romance (Late Georgian Era), The Perfect Duke.

The Blurb

Known as The Marble Duke amongst the Ton, Garret Weston, the Duke of Kendal sets himself apart from his peers. Nothingwill hinder his guilt-driven attempt to become a perfect duke.  Nothing that is, save the alluring and imaginative betrothed he’d thought dead. His intended believes-of all things-that she is a Vicar’s daughter. The “perfect” duke needs a “perfect” duchess, but how was he to discern her suitability? Employing her as a governess to his niece seemed like an ideal solution. But whose “suitability” is being tested? His betrothed refuses to see he is beyond redemption. And most grievous of all, she stirs his blood, making him forget what’s important.

 Cara believes fairy tales really can come true, until she meets the unrelenting and arrogant Duke of Kendal. He looks like a Prince, but acts like a Beast. Why must he challenge her at every turn? Her greatest peril is her attraction to the vulnerable, seductive man behind the title. A match between them would be impossible. But can she show him, without losing her heart that “perfect” is in the eye of the beholder?

 

Excerpt

“The horse seems to know you.”

“He should. There was a time when I practically lived in the stable. Storm was my favorite.”

“What happened?”

“I became a duke.”

“Oh.”

He straightened and forced his features into a mask of indifference. “So, Rachel loves horses.” He turned to face Cara. “I can appreciate my niece’s fondness, but I can not allow her to frequent the stable.”

“Why not?”

“It is not proper for young ladies of her station.”

“Garret, she’s a child.”

It was the first time she’d used his name, and somehow, Rachel visiting the horses didn’t seem like such a large request. “I will only allow it if she uses the passageway. At least I can keep the knowledge of her visits to a minimum. If you come with her, you will need to use the tunnel as well.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

She blushed and turned away. “I’m afraid.” She said it so quietly, he wasn’t sure he heard her.

“Afraid? Of what?”

“Dark, enclosed places. Even as a child, I fell asleep with a candle burning.” She faced him and gave a small smile. “Perhaps I’m afraid that a beast will gobble me up in the dark.”

“There are no beasts at Belcraven, Miss McClure. I would not allow anyone to hurt you.”

“Anyone?”

“Never.” He started toward her and stopped. Damn, it would be better if he didn’t get close to her. As he left the stable, her whisper followed him.

“Not even you?”

Links:

 

www.dawn-ireland.com

www.authordawnIreland.wordpress.com

www.smpauthors.wordpress.com

Twitter.com/AuthorDIreland

Facebook.com/DawnIrelandAuthor

The Perfect Duke

ASIN: B00BT0NGOC

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BT0NGOC

Want a Sexy Paranormal Treat?

Then head on over to Amazon and download for free, C.T. Green‘s the S.E.R.A. Files.

C.T. is celebrating the release of her second volume of S.E.R.A. stories by offering the temptation of the first volume for nix. I’m a big fan of C.T.’s writing and I hope you love her stories as much as I do. And here are some snippets to whet your appetite.

Recovering Gabriel

Callie

…Time to do her job and get this guy home where he belonged. In fact, that’s what Callie’s work entailed. Helping Gabriel get back to Heaven. Literally. The last thing anyone needed were fallen angels tromping about on Earth, causing havoc in women’s underwear…

Gabriel

He’d been wracking his brains for six months while waiting for her to approach him. Every time he thought she was about to pin him down, she’d shy away. It’d gotten to the point he’d nearly blown his cool, stormed right up to her, and announced his plans.

Today she’d caught him by surprise, cornering him in the alley, all sass and starch, taking the big, bad angel down. So damn sexy.

Handling Mercury

Elizabeth

 “Enough is enough, vampire.” Elizabeth glared up at him, but he just stared back with those deep silver eyes of his glimmering from between thick black lashes.

“I’m sick of your overweening desire to be a hero all the time.” She gave him the hairy eyeball for a moment longer, but Mercury remained silent. And apparently unrepentant.

Mercury

…Mercury backed away, snatching up his clothes. He didn’t even bother to throw them on before he bolted into the darkness and away from his partner.

Because he knew that one taste of Elizabeth hadn’t been enough to satisfy him. It was never going to be enough.

Finding Navarre

Tor

Tor Whitfield stood in the shadowed alley, upwind of the Thai restaurant and the wolf having dinner al fresco. Alone.

He rubbed his shoulder where Navarre’s bite still tingled. Oh yeah, he’d gotten his wish all right. Just like Absinthe had promised…

Navarre

“There’s nothing wrong with you. I simply don’t feel the need to stare at you constantly.” Navarre chose to meet the dark eyes instead of gawking at the snug T-shirt and jeans outlining far too much tempting acreage.

Dieu, may I not get struck down for that blatant lie.

Tasting Absinthe

Absinthe

Absinthe sucked on an ice cube and ignored the squiggly feeling in her stomach. It reminded her an awful lot of jealousy and she simply didn’t care what Bryce did. Not one bit. There was no room in her life for a big, gorgeous, muscular, pain in the ass.

Bryce

“So beautiful.” Unable to resist the soft pink fullness of her lips, he leant over intending to sample them. Just once.

The gun muzzle against his head came as a bit of a surprise. “Okay, I’m going to sit up now. Would really appreciate it if you didn’t blow my brains out.”

“Believe me, I doubt anyone would notice.”

Grey

“Nothing to forgive. I understand.” Grey rubbed a thumb down her cheek, mildly surprised she let him. A lot more surprised when she turned her face into his palm and planted a kiss there.

“Thank you for saving my life.” Her words tickled his sensitive skin and caused his body to react the way it always did around her…

 

Chasing Sin

Sin

Those sky-high heels are not sexy. Especially when one’s tapping like a bloody drum.

Sin ground his teeth and ignored Miss Jane Pilkins, his SERA evaluator. He focussed on the grinning demon in front of him instead…

Who was he kidding? The heels were damn hot. So were those cute glasses Miss Pilkins kept peering at him so disapprovingly over.

Jane

It was just her imagination that she was the focus of all eyes because she was doing an illicit printout of a naked SERA agent. Well, Sin had been mostly naked.

SMP Blog Hop

Thank you for visiting and I hope you’re enjoying the Hop!

Several of the Soul Mate Publishing authors (myself included) have offered Kindle editions of their books as general prizes. Hopefully you’re already in the running for the grand prize of a Kindle, but if not pop on over to Cheryl’s Place and enter into the draw. Remember, the more you enter, the higher your chances of winning the Grand Prize, which will be drawn from the Rafflecopter on March 1st, 2014.

The contest runs from Tuesday, February 25th Through Friday, February 28th. (US date/time)

I recently entered the cover of Alien, Mine in a competition run by the Romance Writers of Australia for Favourite Book Cover of 2013. One of the questions was “Which sub-genre does your romance book come under”?

That question and a comment left by a reviewer that although they enjoyed the book, the action almost over-shadowed the romance, got me thinking. I wrote Alien, Mine to be equal parts romance and action, to not actually have a sub-genre, but to be an amalgam of two primary genres, for that’s what I crave in Science Fiction Romance.

For me both qualities are necessary for a great read. Just like a good marriage, the whole has to be made up of equal halves (although in my current book that will be equal thirds, but you get the picture!). Thankfully, most reviewers seem to enjoy the ratio of romance and adventure.

The Blurb for Alien, Mine

T HE  B LUTHEN HAVE ONE CONSUMING  P ASSION:  T HEMSELVES.

IN THEIR EXPANSION ACROSS THE GALAXY, THEY WILL GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO DOMINATE SPECIES THEY ENCOUNTER.

Torn from modern day Earth and stranded on the far side of the Galaxy, Sandrea Fairbairn must use every particle of courage she possesses to adjust to her new life and live for tomorrow.

Eugen Mhartak, a general in the Tri-Race Alliance Army, refuses to bow to the merciless Bluthen. Haunted by the loss of far too many innocent lives he has vowed to drive the ruthless invaders from Alliance space.

The strength and valor of Eugen Mhartak attracts Sandrea as no man ever has, but she struggles to read the enigmatic general’s heart. Determined to help him triumph over the Bluthen she uncovers a diabolical plot against the Alliance.

Drawn by the courage and exotic beauty of Sandrea, Mhartak battles to overcome the barriers of cross-cultural differences that separate them and claim her ardent interest. He must conquer his deepest fears to be the man she needs. When his principles are betrayed by his own government and he is faced with the impossible prospect of taking Sandrea’s life in order to save his home planet, Mhartak desperately searches for a way to keep safe both his world and the magnificent woman who has stolen his heart.

Buy it at Amazon.

Next up on the blog hop is Larynn Ford :)

Thanks for dropping and by and good luck with the draws!

Sandy

A Chuckle for Friday

Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead. – Benjamin Franklin

Well that would make you somewhat disinclined to share a secret with Mr Franklin.

Sandy

Thursday Threads with Neva Brown

This week we have Neva Brown’s sensual contemporary romance, Casey’s Courage.

Excerpt:

When they finally stopped swimming and stood up in the shallow end of the pool, the icy wind of early fall shocked them both into quick action…he grabbed a huge beach towel and wrapped it round her and hugged her tightly, pressing her body against his own.

Shivering from the cold, Casey snuggled close to Tres. As her shaking eased, she became more aware of his body. He had one arm round her shoulders and the other lower. His hand was on her bottom, pressing her against him from head to toe. He wasn’t cold. His hot, full arousal pulsating against her abdomen fueled a new kind of shiver in her. She leaned into his maleness with primal need. His eyes, bright and feral, devoured her. As she wiggled to step away, he moved his hand from her shoulder to the back of her head. His lips brushed her temple and cheek, trailed down to her neck, then settled gently on her lips that had parted in awe at the sensations she felt. The motion of his mouth against hers sent sparks through her blood. His tongue traced her lips, slipping inside to touch her tongue as he moved his hand to palm her breast and smooth his thumb across the engorged nipple.

The towel slipped to the floor. He gently brushed aside a strap of her swimsuit. As his lips left hers and closed over her exposed breast, her eyes flew open in panic. Jerking her arms from around his waist, not remembering having put them there, she whispered, “Tres, please. I can’t handle this.” She breathed in shallow gasps.

Slowly, he released her breast and raised his head. Pulling the strap up and encasing her throbbing breast, he frowned. “You look like you’ve never been kissed before.”

In awe, she said, “Not like that.”

Tres studied her through a haze of thwarted desire and let her step away from him. His thoughts raced. Has she forgotten that part of her life, or is she telling the truth?  

 

Links: