C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 155
October 12, 2015
Tell Again Tuesday Casablanca: Unconditional Surrender and a Strategic Error
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Casablanca: Unconditional Surrender and a Strategic Error
Like so many people, the movie Casablanca is at the top of my favorites list. 
It is set in 1941 when Morocco was still under the control of the Nazi collaborating Vichy government in Unoccupied France. In the final scene, Rick and Captain Renault walk off arm and arm into the fog, leaving the viewer to wonder what kind of trouble they will get into as they join the resistance. What the movie makers could not have known was . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
https://historyimagined.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/casablanca-unconditional-surrender/
October 8, 2015
Friday Features Blue Violet Abigail Owen
Welcomes
Abigail Owen
Author of
Blue Violet
We have Abigail Owen with us today sharing about picking the setting of her new book Blue Violet.
Picking a Setting – Blue Violet
All of Blue Violet, the first book of the Svatura series, and a good portion of, the second book in the series, Hyacinth, are set in a town called Estes Park, Colorado. I thought it might be interesting if I shared a little bit about the actual town and my history there.
A view from Trail Ridge Road
The setting wasn’t an accident or a random selection. The year I was born, my grandparents bought a house in Estes Park that the family all used for years. I grew up spending summers and sometimes Christmases in Estes Park. It is literally my favorite place on the planet. If I couldn’t live there I could at least have my characters live there.
Let me share with you a little of what I love about this place. Now, I will be the first to admit that all my memories are based around wonderful times on vacation there with family. But let’s be honest, the place is gorgeous.
Hummingbirds outside Baldpate Inn
The town, named after Missouri native Joel Estes, who founded the community in 1859, is located at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. We always spend a lot of time in the park hiking, driving Trail Ridge Road, picnicking, and driving around in the evenings watching the elk and other wildlife. There’s tons of hiking all around, not just in the park itself. We spend a LOT of time hiking. And I love it!
Lake Estes is situated on the outskirts of the downtown area and has a paved trail all the way around it. Many evenings we walk around Lake Estes. Or sometimes I’ll jog down and around it. There are trails everywhere. We also have traditional places that we go eat like the Baldpate Inn, Mary’s Lake Lodge, and the Stanley Hotel. And there’s a candy shop in town that makes the best honeycomb I’ve ever had.
Me finally seeing big horn sheep in Big Thompson Canyon
The town itself is also gorgeous. Big Thompson River runs right through the downtown with shops and lovely little parks all along the water. The shopping is just as fun as the hiking in my opinion. Most of my Christmas decorations are from Estes Park. The champagne flutes my husband and I toasted with at our wedding – that have humming birds and columbine flowers etched into them – are from Estes Park. Even my tattoo, which is the same hummingbird/columbine flower theme (yes I have a tattoo – it took me 10 years to decide what to get), I got because it reminds of of Estes Park.
All in all just a ton of good memories and traditions! If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend a visit to Estes Park, Colorado. I hope that, as you read Blue Violet, you’ll get a sense both the loveliness of the location and how much I love it.
“…Estes Park nestled into a valley in Colorado, just outside the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. In the distance you could see the beaver-shaped notches of Long’s Peak. At this time of year, Estes Park appeared to be a typical sleepy little mountain town, blanketed in white snow. Although Ellie had the impression that, come summer, it would fill with tourists, out to enjoy the many entertainments the beautiful surroundings could offer.” – Blue Violet
A lake along one of our many hikes.
Now some information about Abigail’s book that you should enjoy.
Blue Violet
(Svatura #1)
By Abigail Owen
When fairy tales turn into nightmares…
Ellie Aubrey has spent most of her unnaturally long life hiding her extraordinary abilities from the world. On the run from the shapeshifting wolves who murdered her family, she risks discovery in order to secretly watch over another group of similarly gifted people, determined they won’t suffer the same fate.
Alex Jenner has come home to protect his family from an unknown danger lurking in the woods. Suspicious of the new girl in town, he challenges Ellie in ways that will spark one of two possible outcomes: they’ll spontaneously combust, or she’ll lose control of the one power she’s fought so hard to contain.
In this fairy tale, the dragon the prince must slay is also the princess who holds his heart.
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo | The Wild Rose Press
Book Info:
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Author: Abigail Owen
Cover Art: Debbie Taylor
Page Count: 266
Word Count: 62050
ISBN (digital): 978-1-62830-946-1
ISBN (print): 978-1-5092-0358-1
Release Date: 10/5/2015 (Originally self-published 8/19/2012)
Rating: Sweet (PG)
Praise for the Blue Violet:
2013 IPPY Awards Bronze Medal winner for Best SciFi/Fantasy/Horror eBook
2014 eLit Book Awards Bronze Medal winner for Best Fantasy/SciFi
‘Blue Violet’ is the type of book that makes me want to press pause on the world (wink wink!!), snuggle in a blanket and read it from start to finish. – Kirsty Vizard, All In One Place
Abigail Owen has done a remarkable job creating a world that blends myth, magic and fantasy while creating characters that are truly “nice” in spite of their potential to be deadly if needed. – Dianne, Tome Tender
This urban fantasy has everything that good urban fantasy needs to have–whether for adults or teens: a sacrificial, powerful Warrior protagonist who gets into trouble because of personal integrity (rather than immaturity, narcissism or downright stupidity), a loyal cadre of friends (AKA a family of affiliation) who look out for each other, strong villains who provide plenty of conflict for the protagonist, and excellent fantasy world-building. – Kate McMurry
Additional Media:
Svatura Series Additional Info
The Svatura Series Pinterest Board
Excerpt
A separate part of her mind remained grudgingly impressed with Alex’s powers of observation. Very few people paid close enough attention to catch little nuances as he had with her. Usually they were too self-centered. But he’d called her out on her vagueness from day one. It had the effect of strengthening the connection she was resisting so desperately.
“What is it that you think I’m hiding, exactly?” Ellie asked, hands on her hips.
“You can’t be who you say you are.”
“I don’t say I’m anyone. I’m just me!” she exclaimed. “Who else would I be?”
He flashed her a dark look. “I saw you.”
“Saw me doing what?” Ellie’s confusion was feigned, but her exasperation was authentic.
“Standing in the woods outside my house.”
Ellie gave him a dumfounded look. “And when exactly was I supposed to be standing outside your house?”
“Late last night,” he snapped.
“Yeah,” she scoffed, “that makes total sense. You really are full of yourself. You know that? You think that some little high school girl likes you so much that she’s just going to stand around your house in the cold, hoping for a glimpse?”
“I think you’re a damn good liar is what I think.” Alex clenched his fists. He looked like he wanted to shake her.
Ellie fumed. Forget that he was right. He didn’t know that for sure, and here he was calling her a liar to her face.
She narrowed her eyes, and her voice grew cold. “And what exactly am I supposed to be lying about?”
Alex’s mouth set in a grim line. “I can’t tell you that.”
Ellie arched an eyebrow. “So let me get this straight…After becoming, well, friends I guess, you suddenly start ignoring me. We barely say two words to each other in six weeks, then out of nowhere you kiss me. But based on…” She flung her arms out all akimbo. “I don’t know what exactly…you come over here to tell me that I’m not who I say I am. That I’m apparently stalking you. Then you call me a liar. But you can’t tell me what you think I’m lying about. Could you be more insulting or more weirdly vague?”
“I guess that’s usually your role, isn’t it? Is anything you’ve ever said to me true?”
“Ah!” Frustration engulfed Ellie until she couldn’t speak. She just stood there, her hands on her hips, shaking her head and blinking.
She couldn’t do this, she suddenly realized. She didn’t want to lie to him. She didn’t want to fight with him. But she couldn’t tell him anything. And he was in the same predicament.
And, just like that, her anger with him turned in on herself and the situation. She started shaking. A violent trembling that signaled a loss of control…and the horrifying possibility of what she might become if she didn’t immediately rein it in. Anger, and now fear for Alex’s safety, warred within her as she struggled to keep her human form.
Without another word she turned and rushed for the back door, grabbing her keys off the kitchen counter. She had to get away from him and force herself to calm down before something terrible happened.
Alex grabbed her arm and whipped her around. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Away from you.”
Bio
Award-winning author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado, and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe.
Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.
Where to find Abigail:
Website & Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
For additional information, contact Abigail Owen at abigail.owen.books@gmail.com
Thursday Threads MY SEXY VALENTINE HOLIDAY ANTHOLOGY
Welcomes
MY SEXY VALENTINE HOLIDAY ANTHOLOGY
Featuring Tina Susedik’s Short Story, The Valentine’s Proposal
Other Contributing Anthology Authors: Cheryl Yeko, Sage Spelling, Lynn Cahoon, S.C. Mitchell, Char Chaffin
ANTHOLOGY HEAT LEVEL: STEAMY
Blurb for The Valentine’s Proposal:
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t go the way she expected, librarian Janetta Simonson’s life changes in ways she’s never dreamed.
BUY LINK: My Sexy Valentine: http://amzn.com/B00SSFM1OChttp:/amzn.com/B00SSFM1OC
EXCERPT FROM The Valentine’s Proposal:
Devlin Baran followed the statuesque brunette as she stomped from the woman’s room and headed to the bar. His cock twitched as her hips swayed in tight jeans. Was the guy who dumped her crazy? To trade in this hot piece for the washed-out blonde?
He’d noticed her the moment she’d walked into the building. Full breasts. Tapered waist. Not too thin. Tall. His body had reacted immediately. He liked his women tall. He’d been ready to join her when the jerk arrived. During their argument he’d called her Janetta. The name seemed to suit her.
Pseudo cowboys irritated the hell out of him. New boots, shiny belt buckle, cheesy western shirt were all signs. But even real cowhands dressed up for a Saturday night on the town, so he could be mistaken. When the man tossed his hat brim side down on the table, Devlin knew him to be a fake. Any real westerner knew you put your hat top side down so not to ruin the folds.
Since he was out of luck with the brunette, he’d headed to the men’s room, where he observed the encounter. He nearly applauded when the woman smacked the pretend cowboy across the cheek and threw the ring into the crowd. Hell. Not only did he like them tall, he loved them spirited, like his fillies on his ranch.
As she headed to the bar, he shook his head. He couldn’t let a hot woman interfere with the job he had to do, needing all his focus to find out who was slipping drugs into women’s drinks. As a rancher working undercover as an FBI agent, he always seemed to be one-step behind the assholes who thought it fine to have sex with unconscious women.
The man, or men, moved from bar to bar in the small rural area. This was the only one that hadn’t been hit. He hoped to hit pay dirt tonight.
He tried to ignore Janetta’s shapely ass as she sat on a stool next to another pseudo cowboy. She must have a thing for their type. After taking her time with one drink, the man tipped his overly white Stetson, leaned in and said something, making her laugh. The back of Devlin’s neck prickled. He seemed familiar.
What was she thinking, Devlin wondered as she let the guy put his hand on her thigh. Even though she oozed sex appeal, after her encounter with Fred, he had the feeling she wasn’t a sexually aggressive person. She seemed more like a kindergarten teacher.
Janetta took a sip of her orange-colored drink and spoke to the man—who threw his head back and laughed. The hand went a bit further up her leg. She took another drink and swayed into him. Maybe he was wrong and she was just another floozy looking to pick up an unsuspecting cowboy.
The man swung an arm around her shoulders and lifted the glass to her lips. Her head dropped into his neck. He glanced over his shoulder and snuggled her into his side. After a few minutes he pulled her from the stool, and like a man helping a drunk companion, headed toward the door.
Shit. She’s been drugged.
ALSO BY TINA SUSEDIK:
Riding for Love: http://www.amazon.com/Riding-for-Love-ebook/dp/B00CLJD31Q
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riding-for-love-tina-susedik/1119333999?ean=9781619354289
All I Want for Christmas is a Soul Mate: http://www.amzn.com/B00GH2I458/
Where to find Tina:
http://www.soulmatepublishing.com/riding-for-love/
Website: TinaSusedik.com
Blog: http://tinasusedik.wordpress.com./
Twitter: @tinasusedik
Facebook: Tina Susedik, Author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17908316-riding-for-love
October 6, 2015
Wednesday Special Spotlight Shocking Finds Tracey Clark
Focuses on
Shocking Finds
By
Tracey Clark
Blurb:
An act of rebellion, Marin doesn’t think that running into the new store in town will hurt anything. Her aunt will never know… right? One car wreck later, her aunt is hospitalized, Marin is forced to spend her twenty-first birthday fighting for her life, and magic – the very thing her aunt has always sworn to be for fools – is real. And so is the irresistible Fae dedicated to Marin’s protection.
Kyland has searched Earth-side and all the other realms, looking for a missing Fae child. A child his Queen prophesied would be able to one day save the Fae people from the Danshue, as the evil Fae threat tries to overwhelm the entire Supernatural Community. A child that would know nothing of her blocked gifts, or her Fae heritage waiting to be claimed. A child that has grown into a curvy, delicious morsel he would love to taste.
Together Marin and Kyland will fight Fae assassins, overcome betrayals, and if they’re lucky … they will find the Danshue responsible for their plight. That’s if Marin doesn’t shock him to death with her erratic new gift, and her out of control emotions.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Marin Yarthine had trouble containing a childish giggle or two. She had managed to locate an Orion Starbrary Indigo Violet Aura Lemurian Seed Quartz Crystal for her boss. The longest, oddest name for a rock, but Anton had been very specific. Besides, she was the best Finder at Finder’s Keepers, who better to go on this mission.
Okay… so her job wasn’t actually to go out in the field and complete Finder’s missions. Finds were completed by a different department. Marin knew that she was nothing more than a high paid researcher. She could take a piece of cloth and tell you where it had been, what had been near it, who had touched it, and more importantly, she could visualize where any related objects might be located.
Yesterday, Anton handed Marin an old textbook written in something that looked like Latin, and asked her to Find a rare crystal for his collection. The words on the book cover had been meaningless to her, but once Marin had held the fragile text in her hands, she had known exactly where to go.
Marin had wanted to complete just one mission on her own. She had been prepared to search the dank and cold Kentucky cave systems, not stopping until she had her Find. It was a simple case, with no danger involved. She would never attempt the kidnapping cases, or one of the Finds involving a murder weapon.
Marin had been surprised to feel the newest store in the area, Crystal Sights, pulling at her Finder’s gift. Anton had sworn up and down that the crystal would be hard to locate. Aisle six – rare gems and crystals—was not her idea of difficult. In and out and no one had gotten hurt.
Her aunt, Lindal, refused to even allow her to look at the building as they drove past, and now Marin had been inside and explored.
Marin had completed her first solo Finder’s mission. She had located exactly what Anton needed and managed to purchase a crystal of her very own. Not that she believed in crystals and magic. Her aunt had explained how her own ability, to locate the lost or stolen, was the closest thing to real magic left in the world. If Lindal knew that Marin had purchased one of the crystals for herself, her aunt would lose her ever lovin’ mind.
For once in her life, Marin didn’t care. She had felt the heat coming off her crystal as she held it in her hands. Maybe her aunt was wrong. Maybe the shopkeeper had told the truth, and the fragile but beautiful rock would help Marin come through her Transition with more protection and control.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Eep.” Marin barely managed to turn her full throttled scream into a small startled cry. She crashed into the small angry redhead, the one suddenly blocking her path, as she cleared the store exit.
Book Buy Links:
Amazon Barns & Noble Kobo Indigo Smashwords
Author Links:
Author Blog: https://traceylclark.com/
Book Webpage: http://finderskeepersseries.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/traceyclark.finderskeepers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/traceylclark11
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/traceclar/
LinkedIn.com: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyclarkauthor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/traceylclark
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/traceylclark
October 5, 2015
Sizzle In The Snow newsletter post
#1
Sizzle In The Snow:
A Soul Mate Christmas Collection
SIZZLE IN THE SNOW: A SOUL MATE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Eight steamy romances by eight Soul Mate Publishing authors . . .
This Christmas season, Soul Mate Publishing and editor, Char Chaffin, presents Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Collection, an anthology available November 25th on Amazon and Soul Mate Publishing. The featured authors and their stories include:
Beth Carter http://bethcarter.com/, Santa Baby
Amy Deason https://amydeason.wordpress.com/, Second Chances: A Christmas Story
Crystal Firsdon http://crystalfirsdon.com/, ‘Twas the Crazy Night Before Christmas
CD Hersh https://cdhersh.wordpress.com/, Kissing Santa
Kim Hotzon http://kimhotzon.com/, The Snow Bird
Ryan Jo Summers http://www.ryanjosummers.com/, Tamed by Christmas
Tina Susedik http://www.tinasusedik.com/, Operation Santa
Cheryl Yeko http://www.cherylyeko.com/, Christmas Eve Surprise
Welcome to our first newsletter/post in celebration of the release of Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Collection. Get ready as we unveil new surprises with each newsletter post, coming every ten days!
Follow this blog, any of the other authors blogs or subscribe to a newletter. Inside you’ll find great decorating tips, recipes and cocktails, excerpts, craft ideas, song links, holiday memories, and personalized cards and poems by the authors!
So, let’s get started!
Busy shopping, wrapping, and socializing? Kick back with a festive mocktail! Recipe shared by Ryan Jo Summers!
Pear Tree Mocktail
1 C ice
1/3 c pear juice
2 Tablespoons simple syrup *
2 Tablespoons lemon & lime juice **
4 fresh mint leaves and 1 mint sprig for garnish
*Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves. Yield will be the same amount of water used.
** lemon and lime juice is equal parts freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice to add acidity.
Preparation: Put pear juice, simple syrup, lemon and lime juice, and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker and shake until well blended, about ten seconds. Pour with ice into sniffer or tumbler. Garnish with sprig of mint.
Superfine sugar is a nice garnish for the rim of the glass and dissolves easily.
Company coming over? Author Cheryl Yeko dishes up her favorite holiday recipe:
Rum or Bourbon Balls – Great For Christmas!
1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup White Sugar
3 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
1/2 Cup Rum OR Bourbon
2 ½ Cups Crushed Vanilla Wafers
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (optional)
1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
Place chocolate chips into a microwave-safe medium bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, stir and then continue to heat at 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Stir in sugar and corn syrup. Blend in rum. Add crushed vanilla wafers and chopped nuts. Mix until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
Roll the chilled chocolate mixture into bite-size balls. Roll balls in a mixture of ground nuts and confectioner’s sugar, or just plain confectioner’s sugar. Store in a covered container for a week before serving to blend the flavors.
Kim Hotzon has a wonderful holiday memory to share . . .
There is one special Christmas memory that I’ll never forget. As a teenager, I woke on Christmas morning to an announcement from my younger brother, who was only 3 at the time. “Santa built a house!” His wide-eyed exuberance brought me running to the front window. I wiped my bleary eyes as he pointed at the driveway. “See? Santa built you a house!” He jumped up and down in his excitement. Gazing at the driveway, I was too stunned to speak.
What I learned later that morning, as my dad handed me a set of keys duct-taped twenty layers deep, was that he had re-commissioned an old car donated by the church, turning it into a shiny, fabulous set of wheels for his teen-aged daughter. He’d spent months, along with a family friend, detailing and overhauling the car, getting it ready in time for Christmas. I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams receiving a car on Christmas morning. Naturally, I squealed, standing in my housecoat on the driveway, as I ripped off the cardboard from a hundred boxes covering the car. The entire ‘box’ was wrapped up in a giant, red bow. To my brother’s eyes, it certainly looked like a house, though I had to explain to him that it was in fact a car. I was humbled, surprised, and delighted by the realization that others would go to such lengths to make that car into something special for me. My dad provided a lesson in giving from the heart that resonated deeply. The only condition given to me? I had to save up for car insurance!
Music Corner
Listen up! Beth Carter shares her favorite holiday song:
Craft Corner
Feeling crafty? CD Hersh shares a festive DIY craft:
Santa Mobile
Catherine loves to change the Christmas décor in our house—she has five different Christmas trees, enough ornaments to decorate the trees differently for five years and not repeat, and a gazillion village pieces and Nativities. But the one thing that always finds a spot every Christmas is our Santa mobile, originally made by Donald’s father. We don’t know where he got the craft idea, but over the years he, or Donald, has made a Santa for everyone in the family. We thought since our novella is entitled Kissing Santa, this would be a perfect DIY craft to share with you. The mobile takes some time to construct, but will give you years of fun as you watch Santa spin.
Materials:
Three ping pong balls- Two white and one red. If you don’t have a red ping pong ball you can paint one of the three balls.
Heavy thread (button thread works well)
Red and white heavyweight construction board/lightweight poster board
Black marker
Red marker or red nail polish to paint one of the ping pong balls.
Rubber cement
Heavy duty sewing needle
Directions:
Using the black marker, draw black circle for Santa’s pupil on two of the balls. Set aside to dry. Color the third ball red, if needed
2, Cut Santa’s hat from the red poster board following the dimension on figure 2.
Figure 2
3. From the white poster board, cut 2 bands the same width and height for hat. (see figure 2) Cut one beard. See figure 3 for beard dimensions and shape.
Figure 3
4. Using a straight edge, fold the hat on dimensions shown in figure 2.
5. Following the measurements on the figure 4, string the eyes through the bottom and the top of the ping pong balls, leaving enough string on the nose to affix it to the beard. Knot the string at the bottom of the eyes and glue the strings under the white band of Santa’s hat. Glue the string to beard, applying a small square of white poster board over the end of the string to secure it.
Figure 4
6. Cut another piece of string to hang the mobile with. Knot and stitch the thread through the fold on Santa’s hat, apply glue if necessary to keep the string in place.
7. Hang and enjoy!
Book Corner
We promised a sneak peek, so here goes . . .
Author Crystal Firsdon gives an excerpt of her short story, ‘Twas The Crazy Night Before Christmas!
Clara lay flat on her back, dead silent. A rock dug into her shoulder and she fought the urge to wiggle out of the way. The dirt beneath her was dry and chilly while a small pool of sweat puddled between her breasts. The stranger she’d met only a half hour earlier lay directly on top of her, propped up on his elbows on either side of her head, covering her body head to toe in a protective shield. Her hands were pinned between their chests and, no matter how hard she tried to still them, trembled.
He kept as much of his weight off her as he could, but their bodies still clung to one another. He lowered his head an inch and whispered, “Relax.”
Clara nodded. “What did you say your name was?” she whispered back. He’d never told her his name, just grabbed her from the store and ran like hell.
“Shhh.” His breath in her ear sent shivers down the side of her neck, and if they weren’t being chased by a couple of thugs with guns, she’d take time to enjoy the feeling.
She took a slow, deep breath but it forced their bodies tighter together, and dear God, she enjoyed it.
Which made her an idiot.
Maybe she should slide out from under him if the adrenaline rush affected her thoughts like that.
Decorating Corner
Time to bring out the mistletoe! Amy Deason has some great decorating tips!
My family loves Christmas. Especially my husband, Shaun. He’s more like a kid than our kids. 1. Anyway, we always set our Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving. My hubby and I do the lights and the kids pick out the decorations to use. One year it’s blue and silver. The next it’s blue and silver. At last, the angel at the top. That is Shaun’s job. 2. We hang lights outside on our porch. But it doesn’t stop there. We decorate the inside of our home with multi-color lights and blue and silver ornaments. And of course the kids want their rooms to look Christmasy too. (Christmas lights make great night lights by the way.) 3. A handmade wreath (made by yours truly) hangs on the front door. I made it for our first Christmas together in 2011 and it has been used ever since. 4. Each year, the whole family-5 of us-buy and decorate stockings to hang up. It is a lot of fun. We use glue and glitter. Sometimes we write our names and other times we just draw Christmasy things on them. We never know what we are gonna do. And of course our 2 dogs have to have their own stockings too. Also every year we all choose and buy one ornament as the family ornament for that year. We write the year on the bottom. It’s nice to look back at our ornaments and remember the years past. 5. And on Christmas Eve, the kids and I bake cookies for Santa and write him a note to go with them (while trying to keep Shaun out of them!). Then right before bed, all of us gather around with a mug of hot cocoa and a Christmas cookie or two and listen to Shaun read us the story of The Night Before Christmas.
What’s a holiday without a personalized card by one of your favorite authors? Author Tina Susedik sends her holiday greetings:
©Photos by Tina
Of course, as authors we love our readers, and we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to offer swag, free books, and a grand prize which will be awarded to one lucky blog/newsletter follower! Don’t miss out! Follow and join the author’s blogs!
Don’t miss our upcoming Facebook launch party with tons of goodies to giveaway! Follow the authors’ blogs for a sneak peek of this wonderful collection! (FB launch date TBA).
October 1, 2015
Friday Features Souls Estranged Anne B. Cole
Welcomes
Souls Estranged
By
Anne B. Cole
“She fled to save him from the curse. Now she must flee to save herself.”
Today we have with us our good friend Anne B. Cole sharing about her new book in THE SOULS TRILOGY Souls Estranged.
Back from their adventures in Souls Entwined, Sam Daggett begins a new relationship with Gretta Dobbs, whose memories of their time traveling experience have been erased. Determined to never leave her again, Sam vows to help Gretta, despite the bad luck curse on her heirloom ring. Within hours of their return, tragedy strikes. As Sam becomes the third victim of the bad luck curse, Gretta’s memories of her time spent in the past begin to return. Unable to remember more than snippets, she realizes that anyone close to her is in grave danger. In order to keep Sam and her family safe, she flees in the middle of the night. Finding the perfect summer job in the back hills of Virginia, Gretta unknowingly crosses paths with a serial killer. With guidance from their ancestral spirits, Roxana and Katarina, Sam desperately attempts to find Gretta before the curse strikes again.
The target audience for the book is mature teens through adults who enjoy; suspense, supernatural, time travel, and a touch of sweet romance.
Here is an excerpt from Souls Estranged prologue:
Sunday – Sam
In the dim morning light of the hospital room, Sam Daggett watched the little cat stretch its front paws before zeroing intense green eyes on him.
“Roxana?” He scrutinized the feline for the slightest twitch of recognition.
Nothing.
Doubting Roxana’s spirit remained entwined within the gray and white cat, he moved his focus to Gretta Dobbs. She slept peacefully with her hand nestled in his. Neither of their families had returned to the hospital. Her garnet ring caught his attention and immediately a sense of foreboding crept up his spine.
His heart sped as images of his time traveling, out-of-body adventure with Gretta flashed through his mind. Roxana, Gretta’s long-dead ancestor, enabled their souls to entwine within nineteenth-century lovers in order to gather information on the cursed ring. Pride, determination, and fear filled him.
“I’m so sorry we didn’t find all of the answers we needed,” Sam whispered as he lifted her hand to his lips. He watched her eyes and listened for the beep of the heart monitor to quicken, satisfied she remained in dreamland. “I know you don’t remember our time together or what we’ve been through.”
He shuddered at the memories. His gaze fell back to the ring. Frustration filled him. The urge to rip it off her hand pounded through him, but he remembered she remained cursed with or without the ring.
Control. I must control my emotions.
He refocused his thoughts on the present and relished in the gratitude of simply being in the same room with her.
A soft sigh escaped her lips and she squeezed his hand before slipping into a deeper slumber.
“With you, nothing is impossible.” Careful not to bump his broken collarbone, Sam leaned closer and murmured, inches from her ear, “Brave and beautiful. Ready and willing to face pirates, spirits, and the horrors of the purgatories to end the family curse.” His heart hammered in his chest as memories of seeking treasure, falling in love, and losing it all flashed within his mind.
“I love you, Gretta. I’ll do everything in my power to earn your love.”
Tracing his fingers over the back of her hand, he touched the face of the ring’s oval red stone. He remembered every moment of their time together, while Gretta’s memories had been erased. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t prevent his thoughts from wandering. Concern prickled his skin as he recalled their quest to understand the ring’s curses.
The most dangerous one, a curse of bad luck, remained a mystery.
He inhaled and pushed his failures away. “Katarina told me to keep my distance from you because of potential tragedy. Nothing will keep me away. I vow to protect and love you forever.”
Gretta’s grip on his fingers tightened. With her hand remaining in his, he brushed a stray lock of hair off her cheek. She released his fingers and nuzzled into his palm with a tiny sigh. He closed his eyes, content to be back in his own body and time with her.
Yet uneasiness crept deep within and the dreadful feeling of impending tragedy grew stronger with every passing minute.
Now some information about Souls Entwined via video:
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Souls Entwined
Souls Estranged
The author Anne B. Cole is a genre bending author who enjoys combining supernatural suspense, time travel, and sweet romance with a touch of magical realism in her books.
Anne lives in Indiana with her husband and three teenage children. She teaches preschool and makes time to run so she can eat ice cream and doughnuts. Anne is currently working on Souls Endure, The Final Book of The Souls Trilogy.
How to get in contact with Anne:
Email: annebrocole@gmail.com
Thursday Threads JESSE’S GIRL CHAR CHAFFIN
Today Welcomes
JESSE’S GIRL
By
CHAR CHAFFIN
GENRE: NOSTALIA ROMANCE
HEAT LEVEL: SWEET/SENSUAL
BLURB: Tim O’Malley returns to his home town of Skitter Lake, Ohio, to clear his name and get the girl: Dorothy Whitaker, the love of his life since eighth grade. Blamed for a destructive fire he didn’t set, only Tim and Dorothy know the truth; that Jesse Prescott, Tim’s best friend and Dorothy’s boyfriend, did the deed that changed an entire town. But Jesse died in that tragedy and seven years later, Skitter Lake still honors him as a hero, rather than Tim, the boy from the seedy side of town whose father was a drunk . . . and whose quick actions saved six people from perishing in that horrendous fire.
In trying to set the record straight and finally claim Dorothy as his own, Tim—and Dorothy, too—will discover that in some small towns the legend often outweighs the truth . . . and their family and friends will forever see Dorothy as “Jesse’s girl.”
AMAZON BUY LINK: http://www.amzn.com/B00JK0DUD0/
Excerpt:
Now the need to lock Dorothy in a tight embrace, and never let go, overwhelmed him. He would have picked her up and carried her to his car, then driven her all the way back to Los Angeles just to get her away from a life he instinctively knew made her miserable. Tim remembered her folks. Wilma Whitaker had been a difficult woman when she was healthy and relatively happy. He couldn’t imagine how losing Dorothy’s dad would have twisted Wilma up inside.
He must have squeezed too tightly, because Dorothy let out a breathy gasp and wriggled until he loosened his arms. She stepped backward with a blush and downcast eyes. “I really do have to go, Tim.” She raised her head and all the longing he’d already been experiencing, all the need, was plain to see on her lovely face, for about half a second.
Then, her expression shuttered, she picked up her purse from the battered nightstand next to the bed where she’d laid it, and moved toward the door. Tim followed, unsure what to say even though a hundred different lines crowded his head. Stay with me. Get to know me, again. Love me, the way I never stopped loving you.
They remained locked behind his compressed lips as he escorted her to the door and wished the last seven years had never happened.
In the open doorway she formed a smile that fell short of her eyes. “I’m glad we got to spend a little time together, Tim.” She slipped her arms around his waist for a quicksilver hug, then stepped back before he could reciprocate. “Please give your folks my best when you get back home.”
Tim flicked his eyes up to hers, then over her face, prettier than ever and without a speck of makeup. Her silky, red-blonde hair, combed back in its usual ponytail, was so unlike the current style he’d seen not only in California but here in Skitter Lake. Her dress wouldn’t have been out of place at the sock hops he remembered from twelfth grade. It was almost as if Dorothy Whitaker had frozen herself in time.
And he suddenly knew he wouldn’t be leaving at the end of the week. He’d stick around and see what was what. For Dorothy, and maybe even for Jesse.
Slowly, Tim reached out and clasped her fingers, then her wrist. Before he could talk himself out of it, he yanked her into his arms, up against his body, catching the back of her head, right below her ponytail. As her lips parted to speak, protest, whatever, he covered them with a kiss that spun out of control the instant it began. He wound an arm around her waist to anchor her tightly, but she’d already thrust her hands into his hair as she kissed him back. Tim groaned into her mouth and felt it echo back to him in the whimper she uttered that throbbed in the scant space between them.
For what seemed like an eternity, he kissed her, deep, then slow, then fast, greedy, pouring years of want and desire into a single, perfect moment. If he’d ever kissed another woman like this, he couldn’t remember. He deepened the kiss even more, and felt her fingers fist reflexively in his hair. He didn’t care if she ripped it out by the handfuls, as long as she never let go.
And as if she’d somehow heard his thoughts, she stiffened, opened her fists, slapped her hands on his chest, and pushed until he released her lips. Rosy red and swollen, they quivered as she stared up at him with shock in her eyes. She pushed again, a silent demand for him to let her go. It about killed him, but he loosened his arms and stepped back.
Silently, Tim bent to pick up the purse she’d dropped, and gave it to her. As her fingers closed over the pale yellow leather, she whispered, “Why?”
He managed—barely—to keep his hands to himself as he replied, “Because I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying. And when I do leave, Dorothy, you’ll be coming with me.”
AMAZON BUY LINK: http://www.amzn.com/B00JK0DUD0/
September 28, 2015
Sizzle in the Snow Newsletter
Newsletter Post
SIZZLE IN THE SNOW:
A SOUL MATE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Eight steamy romance stories featuring eight
Soul Mate Publishing authors . . .
This Christmas season, Soul Mate Publishing and editor, Char Chaffin presents
Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas Collection, an anthology
available in November on Amazon from Soul Mate Publishing. The featured
authors and their stories include:
Beth Carter, Santa Baby
Amy Deason, Second Chances: A Christmas Story
Crystal Firsdon, ‘Twas the Crazy Night Before Christmas
CD Hersh, Kissing Santa
Kim Hotzon, The Snow Bird
Ryan Jo Summers, Tamed by Christmas
Tina Susedik, Operation Santa
Cheryl Yeko, Christmas Eve Surprise
Get ready as we unveil new surprises with each newsletter post,
coming every few weeks!
Pick one of the authors or why not follow all so
you will get the posts in your inbox or get their
newsletter. Either way you will be notified of
upcoming information. The featured authors’ web
sites are:
Beth Carter http://bethcarter.com/
Amy Deason https://amydeason.wordpress.com/
Crystal Firsdon http://crystalfirsdon.com/
CD Hersh https://cdhersh.wordpress.com/
Kim Hotzon http://kimhotzon.com/
Ryan Jo Summers http://www.ryanjosummers.com/
Tina Susedik http://www.tinasusedik.com/
Cheryl Yeko http://www.cherylyeko.com/
Check your inbox for each newsletter; inside you’ll find:
great new recipes, tested and approved by the authors
a sneak peek inside the favorite Christmas memories of each author
decorating tips for the holidays
homemade, DIY craft ideas. As the weather gets colder, why not spend an afternoon inside, getting into the spirit of the season with your own homemade crafts? We’ll be featuring plenty of ideas to keep you entertained.
an excerpt from each of our featured anthology stories
a personalized Christmas card from each author
links to favorite holiday songs
Of course, as authors we love our readers, and we couldn’t pass up an
opportunity to offer swag, gift cards, and a personalized Christmas
card from each author!
While you wait for the book here is a little video to watch.
September 24, 2015
Friday Features Arabella of the Mediterranean Kingdom
Welcomes
Arabella
Of the
Mediterranean Kingdom
Today we have the good fortune to be able to interview Arabella the antagonist in the book The Coming of Arabella by Joanne Guidoccio. Arabella’s arrival disrupts the lives of the other characters in the novel. She has consented to answer a few questions about her life.
Tell us about your origins.
I was born in the waters off the shores of Malta. As a Bella, I was entitled to all the privileges of that class. But I did not meet my grandmother’s exacting standards, so within hours of my birth I was sent to the island of Crete. There, I lived for twenty-four years until Stewart Tobin rescued me.
What were those exacting standards?
In the Mediterranean Kingdom, there is a definite hierarchy, based primarily on looks. Auburn-haired with green eyes and porcelain skin, the Bellas are treated like royalty. Next in line are the Annas with varying shades of light brown hair and green eyes. The Ettas are the party girls, blond and pretty with blue eyes. Close behind are the Inas, not as pretty as the Ettas but still attractive with their trademark blond hair and blue eyes. At the base of the pyramid are the Onas, Number Mermaids, and mermen. While their appearance varies, there is a greater probability of dark hair and dark eyes. Grandmother couldn’t wrap her mind around my dark eyes, so I was banished, while my perfect twin sister, Isabella (Barbara Davies) remained to enjoy all that Bella bounty.
How do you feel toward Isabella/Barbara?
For years, I didn’t even know she existed. While my life wasn’t pleasant, I hadn’t experienced anything else. All that changed when Aunt Sarabella (another imperfect Bella) hacked into the Kingdom’s mainframe computers and shared all the files. I spent weeks watching all the visuals depicting Isabella’s life. How could my sister lead such a privileged life while I had to suffer many indignities living among mermaids and mermen who disrespected me? I knew then that my only hope was to lure a human male and leave Crete.
How did you lure Stewart?
Each evening, I would rise from the depths and wait near the large rocks. Many men stopped to visit, but they weren’t interested in long-term commitments. To pass the time, I allowed them to play with my breasts and tail. Stewart’s arrival was serendipitous, and I took advantage of the situation. When he learned I was Barbara’s sister, he proposed.
Are you and Stewart plotting revenge?
As the scorned man, Stewart has his issues with Barbara. As for me, I’ve kept my youth and looks and secured five years of online mermaid support. Barbara can’t compete—she’s out of my league.
Yet, you struggle with being gracious. Will that ever change?
I honestly don’t know. It’s hard to undo twenty-four years of undeserved hardship. Part of me wants to watch her struggle and experience how it feels to be alone and discarded. Another part wants a relationship…
Blurb
On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. Barbara has yet to reveal her mermaid origins to her fiancé. So, when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.
Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes.
Excerpt
Arabella’s eyes blazed like burning embers of coal. “You don’t know or what to know what I capable of.” She snapped her fingers. “I can discredit you just like that.”
Barbara laughed. “Discredit me without discrediting yourself? I’d like to see you try that.”
As Arabella got closer, Barbara could smell that flowery scent she had always associated with Belinda. It did not suit Arabella in the least. The younger woman needed a muskier scent, one that would blend in better with her predatory nature.
“You’ve already lost Graham and Gwen. Mama and Paul are on my side. Do you want to lose Sharon as well?”
“There’s nothing you can do or say that will turn Sharon or anyone else in this office against me,” Barbara said. “So, don’t waste your breath.” While she maintained a tight smile and spoke in an even tone, Barbara could hear her pulse pounding as tremors of anger shot through her limbs. She wanted desperately to sit down but would not give Arabella any more physical advantages.
Arabella smiled smugly. “Sharon doesn’t like secrets or people who keep them. I wonder how she would react if I told her about your . . . our origins.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
Arabella shrugged. “I don’t care one way or another. Stewart is encouraging me to write about our lives. He thinks it has the makings of a bestseller.” She laughed. “In addition to the erotica, of course.”
She’s bluffing. Barbara ignored the intrusive thought as memories of Stewart rushed back. He was the consummate businessman and enjoyed being on the cusp of the latest trend. His artist clients produced edgy and controversial art that had been rejected by more conservative agents. Vast stores of family money allowed Stewart to be more daring and sometimes even provocative. What could be more daring and provocative than a mermaid wife?
Buy Links
Amazon (US): http://is.gd/DQhWmI
Amazon (Canada): http://is.gd/JrwC1l
Amazon (UK): http://is.gd/fJ2x4E
Amazon (Australia): http://is.gd/6KovIe
Now a little bit about the author Joanne Guidoccio:
In 2008, Joanne took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Where to find Joanne
Website: http://joanneguidoccio.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
If you’ve read this far and leave a comment you could become the lucky commenter who will receive a Kindle eBook of The Coming of Arabella. You must leave your comment before Monday 10:00 a.m. EST. September 28th.
Thursday Threads Phantom Traces
Welcomes
Phantom Traces
Heat Level: Simmering? There are two love scenes, open door.
Genre: Contemporary w/paranormal elements
Blurb:
A hunky history professor in a tweed jacket, a cheeky Goth chick, and a pipe-smoking, book-hurling ghost. Put them all together in an antiquated library and, well…
Professor Jack Wood’s silver-streaked hair definitely ages him, and he can thank Killer Dawn for that. He won’t be falling into the love trap again anytime real soon. But this new librarian has him curious, with her head-to-toe black Goth garb, piercings, and a defiant attitude to match. Definitely not his type of girl, but still…
Abigail Stryker’s got her work cut out for her. The last two librarians didn’t last a month before airborne books chased them off. But Abby’s determined to make her new life a go – and to stay as far away from older men as possible. Once was enough. Might be tough to do when the library’s best patron is none other than dreamy-eyed Jack Wood. And it seems the eccentric ghost may have taken a shine to her as well.
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/19XGJsy
Excerpt:
At that moment, the lights in the building flickered, dropping dim and pale. They pulsed for a beat, then went completely out. It was still light outside, though the fading twilight cast the interior into near blackness.
“What the . . .” She looked around, wrapping her arms around herself and instinctively moving a step closer to Jack.
“Oh, that’s not unusual around here.” His voice was calm and reassuring. “Blue Ridge Power is infamous for testing transformers at the darnedest times of day.”
By the time he finished speaking, the lights began to glow, then steadily increased until they were fully illuminated. He grinned over at her. “At least it doesn’t last long.”
His killer smile shot a jitter through her middle again. She smiled back but found she couldn’t hold his gaze long without feeling as if she had a fever coming on. She turned away.
“I’d better let you get to work,” she mumbled, then scooted around the reception desk and into the back room.
Tea. I just need a cup of peppermint tea to get my mind back where it belongs.
As she stood in the small anteroom, she could feel Jack watching her from his seat across the way. She dunked the tea bag in the steaming water for way longer than necessary. As the pale green essence oozed into the water, all she could think of was how the hue almost matched the color of his eyes.
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/19XGJsy
Where to find author Claire Gem:
Website: http://www.clairegem.com/,
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gemwriter
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1BhmfCj
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/17zCJwY
