D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 62
November 29, 2016
Release Blitz! Must Love Lions by Alma Black #paranormal romance #giveaway
Book Title: Must Love Lions
Author: Alma Black
Genre: Paranormal Shifter
Release Date: November 30, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Alexis Parrish is very single. Sassy and smart, she’s great at her job as a journalist, but it’s never given her the time to find the right man–specifically, a human. So when she gets assigned to interview Max, a lion shifter, about the new dating app he’s created, she can’t believe her intense attraction to him. After all, humans and shifters don’t date.
Max is used to causing trouble. He broke tradition by creating the dating app, Shifter, which humans and shifters alike can use to answer the call of the wild.
When Max challenges Alexis to give him a chance, she can’t say no. A human like her has no business with this handsome alpha lion, but she can’t resist his magnetism. Their chemistry is primal, their connection positively animalistic. After all, once you go shifter, you never go back.
But when a rogue shifter group against interspecies dating targets Alexis, Max will stop at nothing to protect her. It’s more than his pride on the line; it’s his mate.
Warning: If sassy, sexy, and carnal reads aren’t your thing, this book isn’t for you. It contains lots of dirty sex, violence, and witty banter.
Alma Black loves to write, and write and write. She is especially fond of sexy, paranormal stories where the hero has a penchant for growling and the sassy heroine doesn’t put up with any bark. These stories are fast reads and are funny, sexy, and very naughty.
Alma lives in Los Angeles, and wishes with all her heart that there was paranormal dating app that had eligible mates in Southern California. Until then she uses regular dating sites to bring you these stories, inspired by her actual dating life.
November 28, 2016
Read an excerpt of A Promise Made by @AnissaGAuthor #romance #giveaway
A PROMISE MADE
by Anissa Garcia
A feisty redhead and an alpha male makes for a steamy pairing you can’t resist. Fans of The Matchmaker’s Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken and Violet Duke’s Resisting the Bad Boy, will love this super sweet and sexy romance from Anissa Garcia.
Title: A Promise Made
Author: Anissa Garcia
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 3, 2016
Publisher: AG Romance Reads LLC
Synopsis:
Josh McKenzie may come off as intimidating with his solid build and cold stare, but when trouble calls, Marla quickly learns there is more to the sexy tatted man with the British accent. And if she’s not careful, she can easily lose herself in his gentle touch and soft voice.
A feisty redhead with a mouth that won’t quit, Marla Sullivan knows how to push all of Josh’s buttons, making him want her in the worst way. His biggest hurdle is breaking through her stubborn walls and proving he’s here to stay.
When Marla’s faced with an unknown danger, Josh is forced to reveal his buried past. Promises made and surfaced truths may be the catalyst that brings them together…or pushes them further apart.
Get More information at: Goodreads | Amazon
Learn more about her debut novel, A Promise Kept : Goodreads | Amazon
Excerpt
Marla’s form strutted out the door, her long hair flowing down her creamy white shoulders and hourglass frame. That black dress hugged her petite body, and I observed the way her ass moved as she hooked her coat and purse over her arm. Her femininity was alluring. The way she held herself and her delicate skin smelling like cinnamon made me hard. It matched her sizzling mouth that I wanted to suck on and kiss raw.
I lifted myself out of the seat and crossed the room to her as she fumbled to put on her coat. One side hung down and I grabbed it with ease. She jerked away, attempted to escape me as I held it up. Mahogany eyes glared at me. She was on defense, no doubt from Ryan and whatever other idiots had disillusioned her about chivalry and romance. I would prove to her it wasn’t dead.
“Is the date set with Dumbledore?”
Her ruby red colored lips pressed down a smile as she shook her head. “His name’s Gandalf, and he asked me to an early bird dinner at Denny’s.”
Cute. At least she was open to joking with me, if only a bit. But she was also nervous. I could see it reflected in the way she moved, even the way she breathed. “Let me walk you to your car.”
“No, I’m fine.”
She moved at a faster pace and I kept up easily. I wasn’t letting her walk alone at night, especially with the type of men I saw in there. “I’m walking you out.”
“My car’s in the parking garage, they have security cameras.”
She was one tough cookie. Independent, used to doing things on her own, she probably attracted the men who were complete opposite of her. She liked to be in control and so did I. You’d think this would pose some type of problem, but I was attracted to it. I moved closer to her, my mouth near her ear. “You like pushing me away, don’t you?”
She turned her head toward me and rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, you’re one of those alphas who likes to see his woman submit. You want the type of woman who will adore you every night, follow you around all day, and tell others how amazing you are at everything you do.”
“You certainly like pretending you know who I am. Since we met you’ve been nothing but judgmental toward me and only me. Why is that?”
We were riding in the lift, but she didn’t dare give me a glance. Instead she pressed the button to the ground floor, even though it had already been lit up. She pressed at it again, as if it would make it go faster.
“I don’t like guys like you.”
“Guys like me?”
“Yeah. I’ve dated guys like you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I rested in the corner against the wall. What to say to a woman who thought she already knew everything about you? I’d give it a go. “So, some idiot who lived in the gym dated and hurt you, and now you think all men who work out are the same?”
“Whether they live in the gym or not, they all end up being the same. They all want a certain type of woman.”
“Which is what?”
The doors finally opened and she scurried out, searching for her keys in her bag. “The easy woman to comply with whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want.”
“That type of woman is boring.”
She turned to her red Toyota Prius and opened the door, throwing her purse in the passenger side and starting her car. “Exactly. Yet they all want it.”
Before she could shut the door, I stepped in front of it and leaned down as she strapped on her seatbelt. “Darling, I’m not afraid of hard work. I know you’re an independent woman, and though most men find that threatening, I find it extremely sexy.”
“You know what I find extremely not sexy? The fact that you find a woman like me to be hardwork. Strike one, pal.”
She threw her hand up holding two fingers, and either she was warning me that I had two chances left, or she shot me the peace sign. I believe it was the latter. Either way, she was not happy. If I wanted to make headway with Red, I was going to have to get some inside help to thaw the icy heart within that fiery woman.
About the Author
Anissa Garcia resides in Austin, Texas and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications and English. She held an array of jobs including Public Relations Manager for Barnes and Noble. Wanting a change of pace, she moved to Los Angeles where she attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and trained full-time in theatre. After working in Hollywood, she returned to Texas where she has written articles for Cosmopolitan and Lady Couture. When not writing stories, watching movies, or drinking a latte, she loves to daydream about romantic fictional men.
Connect with Anissa at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram
Giveaway
The Infertile Heart by @Cigardoc #contemporaryromance
BK Harrell – The Infertile Heart
Contemporary Romance – medical and sports
Date Published: May 6, 2016
Publisher: Xlibris
Dr. Lincoln Montgomery is a man who has lost everything but longs to find a connection to someone who he can share his life with, but he fears he will never find the love again that he lost.
The hero of my recently completed novel, The Infertile Heart, has finally found the woman who can complete him, but will their past prevent them from having a future. Set in Atlanta, GA, this character driven story is a 112,257-word contemporary romance. Adventuresome and sensual, the book weaves a story of love and loss, lies and truth, and the story of two people learning to love again even though the trials and tribulations they face will stack the cards against them.
An overachiever, Dr. Lincoln Montgomery is a Noble Prize winning billionaire who has spent his life giving others what he could not give to others. Losing his brother to cystic fibrosis he was driven to find a cure for the gene mutation that took his life. Even given his success, he could not prevent the death of his wife and unborn child to a drunk driver and spent the last three years mourning their passing and trying to find a way back. A chance meeting plunges Lincoln back into the dating pool with the one woman he thinks could fertilize his infertile heart.
Dr. Nicole Harris is a physical therapist who has struggled with the decisions she made as a teenager. Drugged and raped by her date at 14, Nicole ended up pregnant and gave her child up for adoption in order to ensure that she would have a good life. Finding the perfect family that would keep Nicole abreast of Aubrey’s developments was fear number one priority. Having given up on love and finding someone who would appreciate her for the woman that she was, Nicole had grown to be. Feeding her love of golf and football, Nicole meets Dr. Lincoln Montgomery. Could Lincoln be the one to fertilize her long dormant infertile heart.
Grab a copy now!
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About the Author
BK Harrell is former Navy physician who has had a long love of writing. He specializes in medical, military and sports romance writing. He began seriously writing while deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and has never looked back. Whether he is teaching, serving his country, educating people about the fine art of cigars, practicing medicine or spending time with friends and family he uses his diverse background to shape the world around him through words.
He uses his unique experiences and love of all things Atlanta, University of Georgia and sports to weave intricately detailed stories focused on Atlanta and the surrounding areas. His goal is to bring the same joy and excitement he sees in his own city to the readers and to allow them to experience the city through his eyes.
Dr. Harrell is married to his beautiful wife Erin, a proud graduate of Auburn University, which makes multiple appearances in his books, and their wonderful one son. Dr. Harrell is a native of Augusta, GA and a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, Emory University, and proud to have been a member of the first ever graduating class of Georgia Campus Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He currently resides in the Atlanta area where he practices medicine and raises his family.
Contact Information
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog ~ Goodreads
November 27, 2016
My #1 timesaving technique for writers #amwriting #marketing #MondayBlogs
Writers are busy people. In addition to the writing, there’s editing, formatting, marketing, and social media to think about. And that doesn’t even take into account a day job! I’m lucky enough to not need a day job (thanks hubby!), but that doesn’t mean I enjoy the marketing part of being a writer. I’m always looking for ways to streamline the whole process. One idea that has saved me tons of time is the making of an information sheet for each novel I’ve written.
The information sheet should contain – at a minimum – the following information: book title, book series, genre, publish date, word count, synopsis, buy links, author bio, author links, teaser (if applicable) and at least one excerpt.
It may sound like a lot of work to get this sheet set up, but it’s going to save you tons and tons of time. All the pertinent information for marketing your book is at your fingertips. Each time you manage to convince a blogger to promote your book, you’ll use the sheet to give the blogger the information she requested. Often bloggers will just indicate that I should provide whatever information I want. There’s no longer a need to scratch my head at that. I just open up the ‘information for spotlight posts’-file and I’m good to go.
I do a lot of newsletter marketing campaigns. This involves filling out copious amounts of google forms. Instead of opening various documents and websites to find the data for the form, everything I need is ready and waiting for me. Copy and paste is a good friend of mine.
Like all other indie writers, I’m always begging bloggers for reviews. Whenever my begging for a review is successful, in addition to doing a fist pump and dancing in my chair, I send my information sheet along with the book. Although I never ‘require’ bloggers to make a blog post for my review, having the information necessary for a blog post (including review!) at their fingertips makes it easy for them to go ahead and make a post. I don’t need to tell you that blog posts are the bread and butter of the indie writer’s marketing campaign.
I’d love to hear other timesaving ideas. If you have any, just comment below.
November 26, 2016
Read an excerpt of Chasing Nathan by @jrhubbardwriter #humor #mystery
Jeanette Hubbard
Chasing Nathan
Humorous Crime Novel, Women’s Suspense/Mystery
Date Published: June 2016
Publisher: Promontory Press
Jeanette Hubbard’s humorous style of suspense writing has been compared to Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich. In this quirky follow-up novel, a chance encounter in a remote forest campground plunges plucky retiree Claudie O’Brien into a vortex of crime, kidnapping, and a marijuana hijacking. A pleasant dinner with Nathan, the gentleman at the next campsite, is disrupted by the arrival of a very loud and a very angry young man. The next morning both Nathan and the man are gone, but Claudie suspects something is not right. No one believes her when she tells them that Nathan might be in danger. It’s up to Claudie to connect the dots and find out why Nathan disappeared in the middle of the night.
Grab a copy now!
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On Sale for $0.99!
Excerpt
Nathan regained consciousness somewhere just before Hammer turned off I5 in Yreka. They had used duct tape on his mouth, hands, and feet, and then wrapped it around his chest and the chair for good measure. He wasn’t going anywhere soon. The blood had crusted on the side of his head where Hammer had clocked him. The pain was deep and centered behind his left eye. He had gotten lax. After all those years in Lebanon, and other more dicey places, he had left his RV unsecured. A child could have found the Glock 39. He wiggled his jaw a bit, the three days growth of beard had prevented the duct tape from adhering securely to his skin, and he worked to loosen it. He didn’t want it to drop noticeably so he did just enough so he could talk or shout if needed. The majority of the space inside the RV was taken up with stacks of plastic-wrapped marijuana bricks. There wasn’t any way he could get to his second, emergency revolver that was hidden under the sink. Pity. Hammer parked the RV in a small park and reached over to the passenger seat where he had a small cooler and pulled out a cold beer. He drank it down in three long pulls and then sat fidgeting for about fifteen minutes before he started calling. First his brother Sprocket, and then someone else called Dwight. Hammer was nervous and agitated. The trick was how to use that to his advantage.
Nathan watched the single headlight of a truck go by on the road. He knew they were in northern California, an area referred to as the Emerald Triangle. Full of nasty boys. He could only wonder why thieves from Oregon would set up a drug deal in the middle of California’s prime marijuana growing fields. Well, it wasn’t hard to figure out. These weren’t the brightest guys he’d come across. Yet, he was the one tied up. Not time to feel too superior. The truck with one headlight drove by again. A little slower this time.
“You do know that you’re trying to do your deal in enemy territory?” Hammer jumped a foot off his seat, giving Nathan a small amount of satisfaction.
“What the fuck? How did you …?” “It’s the beard. Duct tape can’t adhere strongly to it. A good thing too. I have a slight cold. I would have had trouble breathing. I assume you’re not planning to kill me?”
“Don’t be too sure, old man.”
“The way I look at it, Hammer—you don’t mind if I call you Hammer?—if your buyer doesn’t get here in the next, say, thirty minutes or so, you’re going to have an up front and probably hazardous to your health kind of confrontation with some local guys. They find out you’re selling dope in their territory, they’re going to be real perturbed. They’re going to have a short and to the point discussion about the lack of respect that demonstrates to them.”
“What the fuck? I didn’t understand half of what you said, old man. Can’t you speak plain American?”
“My name’s Nathan. Sorry about the verbiage. I was a university professor. Big words were my stock and trade, so to speak. To be simple, you may have already attracted the attention of some other bad guys. They may be coming back. If they do, they will probably shoot at you. I don’t like the idea of being in the middle of your shit. Is that plain enough?”
“Don’t you worry about me, Professor, I ain’t exactly unequipped for run-ins with other dudes. This here is one nice pistol. Where’d you get this? You sure don’t look like someone who’d be packing a Glock. Even if it’s a little bitty one like this.” Hammer pulled the gun out from under his seat and waved it in Nathan’s direction. Nathan pretended to flinch; unless the idiot had been playing with it there was no bullet in the chamber, so the deadly weapon was currently just a piece of metal.
“Don’t worry yourself, Professor, I ain’t hit anything I didn’t want to since I was ten.”
“I have a question for you, Hammer. Why am I here? Why didn’t you just leave me at the campground? I’m just unnecessary baggage. You could kick me out now and there wouldn’t be any way I could muck up your plans.”
Hammer snorted. “My dumb brother thought you’d freeze or something. Don’t worry, Professor, I’m dumping you as soon as I can.”
Nathan watched him closely. Hammer’s eyes and forehead were scrunched in thought. Nathan assumed he was trying to figure out a way to get rid of the problem that was Nathan. A witness who could identify him. The thought that this idiot might decide on a lethal solution to his problem made Nathan highly uncomfortable. He’d have to help Hammer come up with a resolution that didn’t end up with Nathan rotting in a shallow grave in the forest. There had only been one other time that he’d gotten in a jam, it was when he was “consulting” for a certain unnamed government agency. He kept his captor talking, trying to make himself human to a man who viewed non-believers as sub-human. That time of course, Dani swooped down and saved the day. He needed to let her know that somehow he’d tangled with some nasty boys. And in the meantime, as the great Chinese general Sun Tzu would have advised, “Pretend inferiority and encourage arrogance.” The great thing about dumb people like Hammer, they never knew they were dumb. They always thought they were the smartest people around. Sort of like the Enron guys.
Other Books By Jeanette Hubbard:
Humorous, Women’s Fiction, Women’s Suspense/Mystery
Published: June 2015
On a crisp winter mid-afternoon, Claudie O’Brien finds herself parked in her BMW with some old pills, a bottle of champagne, and no reason to keep on living. When an accident occurs in Claudie’s attempt to take her own life, she finds herself rescued by Peter, a local vice-principal turned tow truck driver. In Secrets, Lies and Champagne Highs, written by first-time novelist Jeanette Hubbard, readers follow Claudie’s journey to Sisters, Oregon,having moved into the remodeled garage of Peter, his two sweet kids, and his not-so-sweet second wife, Chrystal. Claudie quickly realizes that she’s entangled herself in more than she anticipated. On top a botched suicide,there’s the meth lab across the street, a non-existent murder plot turned reality, a phony spiritual guru, and more affairs between local citizens than she can keep straight.
After reading this humorous take on small town life in Central Oregon, those sleepy little towns will never look the same.
About the Author
Jeanette Hubbard was brought up in Iowa to be a very good girl. Then she moved to Portland, Oregon the city that prides itself on weird. She has utilized her degree in English from the University of Iowa in a variety of jobs, including driving a school bus, selling car insurance, and growing, (and sometimes killing), plants at her wholesale nursery west of Portland. She now lives with her Border collie Buddy, Mitten the monster cat, her roommate’s two demented small dogs, a miniature horse and two chickens in a small house in SE Portland. Actually, the horse and chickens live in the backyard.
Contact Information
Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Promo
November 23, 2016
New #mustread #thriller from @Moniquedomovitc @chicklitplus
About the Book
Ciara Kelly returns in M.C. Domovitch’s latest must-read thriller. When teenage girls start disappearing in one of Manhattan’s most affluent neighborhood, Ciara cannot help but feel drawn to the case, especially that the details are so similar to those of her own kidnapping of a few years earlier. When Detective Nanos asks her to see the body of the latest victim and give her impressions, word gets out that Ciara is cooperating with the police. Suddenly, the killer’s focus is on her.
Participating Blogs
Author Bio
Monique Domovitch lives with her physician husband and their two dogs. They divide their time between their farm on the west coast, their home in Toronto and the Florida Keys. She started writing later in life, after retiring from her television career, “proving that one is never too late to follow one’s dreams,” as she points out. When she is not writing or traveling, she is an avid redecorator. “Which might explain why we move so much,” she says, laughing. “Once a house has been re and re-done, it’s time to move on.” Monique is working on her ninth book, a sequel to Scar Tissue, tentatively titled Seeing Evil.
Visit my website at http://www.MoniqueDomovitch.com
Get Your Copy: http://amzn.to/2e5PG7h
The not-so-romantic start to my vacation #WednesdayBlog #Travel #ExPatLife
The Saturday before vacation I headed off to the local beauty salon to get a pedicure. It may be nearly winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, but I was headed south. Totally time to get some pretty nails on my soon-to-be sandaled feet. Naturally, it’s a bit ‘odd’ to get a pedicure in November in the Netherlands and everyone wanted to know what’s up. People kept popping in and out checking out my toenails and asking what in the world I’m doing getting my nails done when it’s boot season.
Being American, I didn’t have any problem telling everyone my business. I’m off to Argentina with the hubby, I told them. We’re meeting in Frankfurt – he’s coming from Istanbul, me from Amsterdam. Every woman in the salon (even the teenager who should have been rolling her eyes) sighed. Oh, how romantic. I have to agree it sounds romantic to meet your lover/husband/partner in a foreign locale and then head off to an exotic location. Spoiler alert: it’s not. And I’m going to tell you exactly why not.
Meeting up in Frankfurt. Not so much fun. In Amsterdam, they told me that the flight from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires was overbooked. Uh oh. But the hubby had a seat so it couldn’t be that bad? Of course, the hubby was already flying from Istanbul and I couldn’t reach him. When he arrived in Frankfurt, he was confused about my arrival time (because the Turks have decided to stay on Summer Time forever) and the first thing he did was read my message can’t get a seat. He thought I was stuck in Amsterdam!
I wasn’t stuck in Amsterdam, although the plane was late. And then we had to park in a remote position meaning we had to be bussed into the terminal. I’m dating myself (but I think most of you realize I’m no longer a spring chicken anyway) but I remember when Frankfurt airport was two tiny terminals and you had to go outside and walk across the street to change terminals. Not so little anymore. The transfer from the Schengen terminal to the International terminal takes a good 15 minutes – if you’re pushing it. Good thing I was wearing a pair of running shoes because I took off like a bat in hell as soon as the bus doors opened. (I’m not a total freak as I literally led a group of at least 10 people who were in the same situation.)
I finally got through the last security check to find the hubby waiting for me with the message that the plane was indeed overbooked and we would be lucky to get seats – let alone business seats. We debated heading to a local hotel and trying again the next day, but in the end, we waited and ended up with economy seats. The seats weren’t together but some nice man switched with us (luckily, I had a bulk seat and therefore he was willing to give up his aisle seat for the incredibly long flight).
If you can find the romance in this story, please let me know.
Returning home. Despite the sheer length of this journey, it actually went off without a hitch. We flew from Salta to the domestic airport in Buenos Aires. While waiting for the bags, I found a bus company to transfer us to the international airport. Although there was some confusion about direct (as we ended up traveling through the city before finally heading to the airport), we made it in plenty of time to check-in and – yippee! – no problem with getting bumped from business this time.
Now everyone gets a little down about the end of vacation. I’m no different. But – in addition to the normal depression of going back to everyday life – I had the sadness of knowing my husband was returning to Istanbul while I was headed back to The Hague. Not. Romantic. At. All.
Just to be clear, I had an awesome vacation. I totally recommend Argentina to everyone. Art and culture compete with good food, beer and wine to make for a great visit.
November 22, 2016
A Killer Location #cozymystery from Sarah T. Hobart
A KILLER LOCATION
By Sarah T. Hobart
A Killer Location: A Home Sweet Home Mystery
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Alibi (November 22, 2016)
ASIN: B01AQNZQB8
Synopsis
As this captivating cozy mystery series featuring real estate agent Sam Turner continues, a dream home turns into a crime scene when murder intrudes on an open house.
Thanks to a few sales and a self-help book on becoming a super-agent, Sam Turner is well on her way to becoming real estate royalty in Arlinda, her eccentric hometown on the Northern California coast. And after settling into her new house with her teenage son, she’s finally a homeowner, too. Sure, things aren’t perfect—for example, her sister still doesn’t know that Sam is dating her ex, police chief Bernie Aguilar—but perfect is boring. And Sam’s life is never boring.
When Sam’s boss, Everett Sweet, assigns her an open house in Arlinda’s most exclusive neighborhood, she brushes up on her super-agent tips, hoping to wow potential buyers. But there’s nothing in the manual about stumbling upon the owner’s dead body halfway through the tour. When suspicion falls on her boss, Sam and her co-workers are suddenly out of work, their real estate licenses suspended. Now, with her job on the line and a mortgage to pay, Sam will need every trick in the book to clear Everett’s name.
About The Author
Sarah Hobart is a real estate agent and former newspaper reporter in Northern California, where she lives with her husband and two children in a majestic fixer-upper overlooking State Highway 101.
Grab a copy!
Tour Participants
November 21 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
November 22 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
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November 23 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
November 23 – Books,Dreams,Life – REVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
November 24 – THANKSGIVING U.S.
November 25 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
November 25 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
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November 21, 2016
Read an excerpt of The Mists of Time #ParanormalRomance from @susansquires
Paranormal Romance
Date Published: Originally August 31, 2010, New release Nov. 21st
Divided by Centuries
Diana Dearborn knows all about romance, at least in the books she writes. But passion eludes her in real life—until she’s offered the chance to travel back in time to Camelot. The world of King Arthur and Guinevere is nothing like she pictured, and neither is the knight she encounters upon her return to San Francisco: Gawain, the hero of her current project. He’s complicated, mysterious, and sexier than anything her imagination could conjure. And he’s been waiting for her…
Entwined by Desire
Now, joined together in a desperate race, Diana and Gawain must prevent an ancient, evil force from wreaking mayhem in the all-too-real present. Diana must learn to trust Gawain, even while she encounters secrets about her own past. But even if their mission succeeds, does Diana’s destiny lie with this man from another time—and will their love alter history forever?
EXCERPT
Making love to her had been a miracle. Gawain couldn’t regret it. The way she opened to him, the way she trusted him. He’d worried when she was so hesitant. He’d wondered if she was too damaged by her previous experience.
Had he been gentle enough with her? It had cost him every ounce of his control to go as slowly has he had, when he wanted to claim her as his own, fast and fierce, with the right to protect and defend her, the right to make love to her, for them to bear children together and stand together against all comers.
Gawain felt her stir in his arms. She still had her sleep shirt on, though it was entirely unbuttoned, leaving her soft breasts pressed against his chest. He had captured her thigh between his own as she dozed after sex. This was how they should sleep together, always.
She wiggled the leg between his. He opened his thigh immediately. “Did your leg go to sleep?”
“No. I just liked the feel of it against your, uh, you know.’
He raised his brows. “Against my ‘you know’? Those are my bollocks and my cock you’re speaking of.”
Her eyes went dark. “Yes.”
“I know you know those words. You use them in your books.”
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s a little different saying them to someone in real life.” She cleared her throat again. “I, uh, I hope it was okay for you.”
“Yelling is a clue. You don’t often get yelling.”
She tried to suppress a smile and looked down.
He felt his cock springing to new life. Would he ever get enough of her? “I’m not sure your research is yet complete if you have to resort to ‘you know’ to describe things.” He rolled over on his back and scooted her over next to him. “Don’t you think you should explore a little yourself? Just in the name of research.”
She grinned but looked away.
“You can’t possibly be shy after opening to my mouth the way you did.”
“Was…was I too brazen?” She looked stricken.
“A man likes his woman to be lady in public and brazen in bed. You were perfect.”
“So, uh, I should be brazen now.” She slid a glance down to his groin.
“Yes.”
She took her lip between her teeth as though she were girding her own loins. “I suppose you know that all those things I wrote in my books—they were pretty much just words to me. I know the words well enough but…”
“But you should explore the reality,” he said.
She smiled shyly. “If you’re sure you wouldn’t mind.”
“I’ll bear up.” At least this time he could wait. He’d had one hell of an orgasm less than an hour ago.
“Well, I think I’ll start with your nipples. I was very curious earlier, but I didn’t like to, uh, just…. Well, you know.”
“You think you’re conveying something with this phrase ‘you know.’ But you’re not. Could you mean ‘lick them’?”
She sighed as if relieved. “Yes. Lick them.”
She bent over him and touched her tongue to his right nipple. Sensation shot to his groin. He hadn’t expected that. Not from just a nipple. Not after having spent himself so forcefully less than an hour before. She ran her tongue over it and then sucked gently. He cleared his throat. Now she raked her teeth across it, not biting, but the mere possibility of biting made him feel open and vulnerable to her. She continued working at it, alternating techniques while her other small hand gravitated toward his other nipple and began to tweak it.
She pulled up. “Now, describe how that feels please.”
“Good.”
She frowned at him. “I can’t just say it feels ‘good’ in my books.”
“Well, I’m a man. Men don’t wax flowery over…over things like that.” He took a breath. “That doesn’t mean you have to stop.”
She slipped down and slid her tongue into his navel. “I have other fish to fry right now. I’ll try to get back to them later.” She pulled his thighs apart and he obliged her. “I’ve read,” she said meditatively, “that the area just behind the testicles is very sensitive.” She took two fingers and rubbed the spot in question slowly, deeply. Lord, he was hard as a rock already. Could things get any more intense? “Is that true?” she asked.
“Uh, yes.” Where did she read these kinds of things? In books like hers?
“Pleasurable?”
“That would be yes.”
“And balls, do you like them caressed if I promise to be very gentle?”
“I, uh, I don’t know. No one’s ever done, uh, that exactly to me.”
“You surprise me.” She gave a knowing smile. “A man with your experience?”
The last woman he’d had was the Green Knight’s wife, and that was many years ago. At the thought of the Green Knight and his failure of honor, his heart contracted. He had to put that failure away. This was for Diana. He would perform the act of loving with her, for her, as a healing rite. That was the height of honor. And if it wasn’t, then honor be damned.
About the Author
Susan Squires grew up among the giant redwoods of California. She thought she was being practical by changing her major in college from theater to English literature. Immersed in a PhD. Program, she slowly realized that none of her graduating friends had work. So she dropped out after receiving a Master’s degree to take an paying job in the business world.
As an executive in a Fortune 500 company, she returned to her love of writing while continuing to hold her day-job, much to the amusement of her fellow executives. Her novel Danegeld, had already been purchased by Dorchester by the time she accepted a Golden Heart for Best Unpublished Paranormal Manuscript from Romance Writers of America. It was the first of an eclectic group of historical and contemporary paranormal stories known for their intensity. Body Electric was named by Publishers Weekly one of the ten most influential paperbacks of 2002, for blending romance and science-fiction. Book List compared No More Lies to the works of Robin Cook and Michael Crichton, but it was also a Rita finalist for Best Published Paranormal Romance by Romance Writers of America.
Susan’s Companion Series for St. Martin’s Press continued to garner attention with admiring reviews and several visits to the New York Times Bestseller List. Publishers Weekly named One with the Shadows a Best Book of the Year, and several of the series received starred reviews. Her books have won the many regional contests for published works of paranormal romantic fiction.
Susan no longer has to use tales of romance and adventure to escape budgets and projects. She finally left her day job, and researches and writes her books at the beach in Southern California, supported by three Belgian Sheepdogs and a wonderful husband named Harry who writes occult mysteries as H.R. Knight
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November 20, 2016
Promo Blitz! Hello, Agnieszka from Evy Journey @eholychair #womensfiction
Between Two Worlds, Book Two
Women’s Fiction, Coming of Age
Date Published: June 2014
Elise thought she knew her mother. But when her oldest brother attempts suicide, painful secrets are about to be revealed. Agnieszka Halverson must now tell her children a past she has kept from them.
As a child in the seventies, Agnieszka discovers a passion for music when she hears her grandaunt Jola, a concert pianist in Poland, give a piano recital. Jola hones her talent and feeds her dreams. But too poor to continue professional training and with a mother who fails to support her ambitions, her dreams of being a pianist are shattered.
Agnieszka meets Lenny Weisz and they fall in love, renewing her hopes for happiness. But her hopes are thwarted once again by forces beyond their control.
Weighed down by its roots, her family casts her aside. Can music and memories of her first love help Agnieszka make a life for herself all alone? Can she rise from the loss she has suffered and get a second chance at happiness?
Book 2 in the family saga Between Two Worlds (BTW), Hello Agnieszka explores mother-daughter relationships in a tale of a mother’s youthful dreams, thwarted and renewed amidst the exciting promise of the 70s, In three standalone novels of loss, love, second chances, and finding one’s way, BTW tells the stories of three strong women who cope with issues contemporary women face.
Praise for Hello, Agnieszka!
“…a beautiful narrative …an intricate, heart-wrenching coming-of-age story about family and love.”―GoodbooksToday Reviews
“…character descriptions written to perfection with a unique POV that places you deep in her thoughts and feelings.”–★★★★★Michael Alexander Beas for Readers’ Favorite
“…interesting, enlightening and, in some respects, heartbreaking. … All families struggle with issues, this one more than most.”–★★★★ Kathryn Bennett for Readers’ Favorite
Other Books in the Between Two Worlds Series
Between Two Worlds Book 1
Published: December 2013
What would Elizabeth Bennet be like if she had been born today? What things would she have to cope with? In this modern-day tale inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, bright, beautiful law student Elise Halverson looks forward to a promising career. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with well-known playboy Greg Thorpe. Besides, he’s engaged to be married.
Greg finds Elise so unlike the women he used to date and he’s deeply intrigued. But distrusting the image she has of him, Elise tries to keep away.
Elise’s parents invite Greg to their frequent dinner parties. There, Greg and Elise butt heads. She’s surprised to find that, behind his rich playboy persona, he’s intelligent and engaging. They can’t help feeling drawn to each other.
The night before his wedding, they give in to their mutual attraction. Although Elise expects nothing more from that night, Greg is in for trouble. His jilted fiancée strikes back, intent on revenge.
Two years later Greg and Elise get a second chance but they find that the way to their happy-ever-after is not so easy. For one, Greg is in for a surprise. Then, his former fiancée comes back and trouble returns to haunt Greg and Elise again.
At the core of this women’s fiction is a literary and realistic romance spiced with a twist of mystery. Hello My Love is Book 1 in the series Between Two Worlds, a family saga about three strong women. In three tales of loss, love, second chances, and finding one’s way, they cope with issues contemporary women face.
Between Two Worlds Book 3
Published: May 2015
Leilani’s mother has never set foot in her school until the day she whisks her children out of their Pacific Island country, without their father and without explanation. Eighteen years later, Leilani just wants to leave the past behind, move forward.
She has settled peacefully in California and like her long-lost father, she heals people. But her tranquil existence is disturbed one evening.
A computer nerd and culinary whiz with a biting sense of humor, Justin is brokenhearted from the loss of his girlfriend who has left him after seven years. All he wants is to drown his sorrows. But he finds more trouble than he’s looking for when thugs assault him.
On her way home from work, Leilani sees the assault. An ace with a gun, she rescues him.
Weeks later, they meet again and find themselves attracted to each other. Fearing Justin is on the rebound, or has a rescuer complex, Leilani doesn’t want to get involved.
But Leilani cannot deny her feelings. As they begin to fall in love, her past comes back to haunt her.
A friend of her father arrives with news which forces her mother to reveal a shocking, shameful secret—the truth about the role Leilani’s father played in a deadly political web.
Can Leilani deal with the truth? But hero or villain, he is her father and only she and Justin can rescue him from the island she’d left long ago.
At the core of this women’s fiction is an Asian woman-white man interracial romance spun with international political intrigue and a young woman’s acceptance of her past. Welcome Reluctant Stranger is Book 3 in a family saga. In three tales of loss, love, second chances, and finding one’s way, three strong women cope with issues contemporary women face.
About the Author
Evy Journey is a flâneuse (a female observer-wanderer) who writes about, and illustrates (oils, pastels, digital) what she sees that intrigues her. In a past life, with a now-dormant Ph.D., (University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana), and the primacy of her left brain, she researched, evaluated and developed mental health programs. But writing was her first love.
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