D.E. Haggerty's Blog, page 88
February 2, 2016
Release Day Celebration ~ Darkness Fair by Rachel A. Marks #YA
I’m so excited to be participating in the release day celebration of DARKNESS FAIR (The Dark Cycle #2) by Rachel A. Marks. Take a moment to check out this awesome Young Adult series, and while you are here don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
About The Book
DARKNESS FAIR
The Dark Cycle #2
Author: Rachel A. Marks Pages: 333
Amazon | Goodreads
Against the backdrop of an ancient battle between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness, Aidan struggles to control the newly awakened powers that seem to be his only hope for rescuing Ava, his little sister, trapped somewhere beyond the Veil. As he gravitates to Kara, the dangerously unstable girl who helped him realize his abilities, a terrible mistake of fate is revealed that points him back toward Rebecca, whose role is becoming more critical to the battle. And no matter what his heart wants, it might be too late to stop the pieces already in motion.
Without knowing the sacrifices that will be required of them, Aidan and his motley crew of friends—each with their own role to play—must face the demon threat head-on. They’re the only ones keeping the growing army of Darkness at bay, and if they fail, the future of humanity could be lost.
About The Author
Rachel A. Marks is an award-winning author and professional artist, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. She was voted: Most Likely to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she’ll never have to test the theory. Her debut novel DARKNESS BRUTAL is due out from Amazon/Skyscape July 1st. Visit her on her website:http://www.rachelannemarks.com/
Giveaway
February 1, 2016
Why I care about chapter titles #Mondayblogs
I read a lot. Like, seriously, people don’t believe them when I tell them how much I read. One thing I often notice about books, especially eBooks, is a lack of chapter titles. Actually, that’s not exactly true. Every once in a while I notice a novel with spectacular chapter titles and I realize hardly any other books I read have them. Why’s that, I wonder. I find chapter titles extremely important and here’s why:
Pull readers in. Chapter titles can be a great way to pull readers in and maybe even get a reader to buy your book. I download tons of samples on my Kindle everyday. Unfortunately, these samples are often just too short for me to make up my mind about buying the book. If the chapter titles intrigue me, that’s just one more tick in the plus column towards making the purchase. And once a reader has bought the book, the chapter titles can keep the good times rolling. I really got to thinking about chapter titles when I started writing chick lit. The books are fun and quirky. And I tried to keep that idea going with quirky chapter titles. For example, in Murder, Mystery & Dating Mayhem, I used songs as chapter titles. The song functioned as a bit of quirky foreshadowing.
Clarify time, place and/or POV. My first novel, Unforeseen Consequences, is told from the perspective of four female protagonists. It also jumps around from present day to different time periods in the past. I actually started using the chapter titles to help orientate myself while writing. One of my beta readers mentioned that she found it difficult to keep up with the who, what, where of the novel and I decided to leave my chapter titles in the published novel to give readers a helping hand.
Finding Focus. I discovered an interesting article on chapter titles while doing a bit of research for this blog article; 3 Secret Functions of Your Book’s Chapter Titles by Bryan Wiggins. He talks about using chapter titles for finding focus. The titles can, for example, help to build further tension in the story. I haven’t used this method, but I find myself slapping myself upside the head wondering why in the world I haven’t tried it.
So what other types of chapter titles have I done? Here are some examples:
I used short character quotes in Jack Gets His Man . The quotes were taken out of context to throw readers a bit off balance and to get them to keep reading.
In Molly’s Misadventures, I had Molly write Facebook updates as the chapter title. I had a ball writing those updates.
In my current novel, I’m using funny motivational sayings about dieting and exercise. My favorite so far is My Diet Plan: Make all of my friends cupcakes: the fatter they get, the thinner I look…
What fun chapter titles have you read or used in the past?
January 31, 2016
Romance is in the Air ~ $250 Giveaway
Romance is in the Air $250 Giveaway
February 1st to 14th
An Awesome Group of Authors & Bloggers have joined with me to bring you 1 fabulous prize!!
We’re giving away $250 in Paypal Cash! Or alternately you can choose a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card!
Sponsor List – Thanks to these awesome bloggers & authors for sponsoring this giveaway!!
Aubrey Wynne: Romantasy Through the Ages
Jade Kerrion–Life Shocks Romances
Why Not? Because I Said So!(Sheila Staley)
Kelly Hashway // Ashelyn Drake
Laurie Here – Cont Fiction and More
Giveaway Details
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 1/30/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or who can redeem an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
January 30, 2016
Book Blast ~ Falcon Song by Kristin Cross
Falcon Song by Kristin Cross
Kate can handle that Jason Falcon is gorgeous.
And she can handle that he is fantastically talented, and competent, and funny, and sweet, and . . . . well, all of the things he is.
What she isn’t sure she can handle is that he and his country band have suddenly become wildly famous.
Even though she has always known that he near worships her, with millions of girls now throwing themselves at him, Kate is afraid that Jason will find he no longer loves Kate best. Then, when she discovers something completely earth shattering, it only makes her more unsure.
Realizing that she can never settle for less than absolute devotion, as she is struggling to find what her place will be in Jason’s new top of the charts world, Kate wonders how you can ever truly know that things will work out.
Does True Love Always Lead To Happily Ever After?
Praise for Falcon Song
“So much emotion came through the words of this story. I felt it all—regret, forgiveness, redemption, and a powerful love that wrapped it all together. I had a hard time putting it down. This story really touched me!” DL
“I loved this story! Jason is one of my favorite heroes ever. I felt like I was right there with them through it all.” JM
Excerpt
Kate found Jason asleep on the porch swing again. Her drive had left her drained, without answers and somewhat resigned. As she looked down at him sleeping, still, the only thing she really knew was that she loved him. Loved him dearly. In spite of everything.
When it came right down to it, that was what made her happy. She wished there was a way to separate this crushing heartache from the sweet peace she felt when she was with him. Who knows, maybe she could get really good at ignoring the parts of his life she didn’t understand. She sat down on the edge of the swing and touched his beautiful hair.
His eyes opened slowly and this time there wasn’t a smile, but there was a sweet, sincere tenderness as he quietly watched her for a few seconds. She stroked his cheek and then ran a finger over his sensuous bottom lip. Even if he wasn’t perfectly trustworthy, he was definitely beautiful. She kissed the tip of her finger and put it back there on his lip and said softly, “Wake up, sleepy head. You’re gonna get a million ‘squito bites out here.”
He sat up and reached out to touch her cheek. “I’ll live. How was Texas?”
She sat down beside him. “Still big.”
He smiled sadly, “I told Cody you’d driven to Texas to talk to God. He said he didn’t even realize God lived there. He’s decided that’s why Texans are egotistical.”
She laughed. “That’s exactly what I needed just now. Laughing feels good. I thought I didn’t get to see you until tomorrow? What brings you tonight?”
He groaned and made a sound of disgust. “Ah, I Googled myself. It was awful.”
She pushed the porch swing with her foot. “I know.”
“I’m not really as bad as it looks. I swear.”
“I know.”
Author Kristin Cross
Kristin Cross was a mostly obedient child—unless her mom wanted her to put her book down.
She grew up in the Rockies and traveled with her family enough to want to travel more and have adventures in all those exotic looking places on the map that she hasn’t been to—yet. Now, as an adult, she also loves relaxing at home in the mountains and coming up with stories about those places.
Motherhood has been her best time yet, and she wishes she’d had more than just four marvelous children. She loves a good storm, a beautiful sunset, the wind in her face, puppies, and fresh mangos with her shrimp.
And her husband, DJ. She truly adores DJ.
Book Blast Giveaway – $100 Amazon Gift Card or $100 in Paypal Cash
Ends 2/12/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
January 29, 2016
Cover Reveal ~ The Fall of Lord Drayson by Rachael Anderson
Coming soon from USA Today Bestselling Author Rachael Anderson
The Fall of Lord Drayson
Who is he really? A high and mighty Lord, or a lowly servant?
When Colin Cavendish, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother have two months to vacate the house they’ve called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?
Mere hours later, Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. Grudgingly, she takes him into her home to tend to his wounds, but when he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach a much-needed lesson in humility. Pushing her own twinge of conscience aside, she informs the earl of Drayson that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact.
And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?
Coming late-summer 2016
Author Rachael Anderson
A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
Cover Reveal Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Code or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/17/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Things I’ve learned from being a writer and book blogger
I wasn’t feeling very inspired to write today’s blog post. Blame it on the hubby. He’s the one, after all, who insisted on buying the half-liter beers instead of the normal-sized ones because the half-liters are cheaper. Have I mentioned that he’s Dutch? Anyhooo ~ this is where I pat myself on the back for following through with a New Year’s Resolution (Go Me!). I took out one of my trusty journals and flipped through my blog ideas. So, without further ado, I present you my list of things I’ve learned from being a writer and book blogger.
It is possible to write an entire book, maybe even a complete series, in your pajamas. Bras are, and will always be, optional. My husband throws a wrench in my plan to live in my pajamas every once in a while by leaving to fly annoying people to far away destinations in the middle of the night and not coming back for a day or two. Turns out that you get stared at even more than normal by Turkish people if you walk your dog in pajamas.
It’s possible to spend all day, every day, writing, reading, and talking books. It never gets old – at least not yet. Oh, who am I kidding? It will never get old. Never.
There are more books written than I could possibly ever read – even though I read at least one, sometimes two, and on a rare occasion three, books a day. I still find this incredibly difficult to believe. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a good thing. I love, love, love (times a gazillion) the whole idea of self-published books, but like every reader I nearly go ballistic when I read a book full of misspelt/misused words (they’re, their, or there is really not that difficult a concept to comprehend!), grammatical mistakes, and – my personal nemesis – timeline inconsistencies. Ever heard of an editor? The absolute worst part? Some of these books are bestsellers. And yeah, I’ve totally shed a tear or two over that.
There are more book genres than I can comprehend. More seem to pop up every day. I’m not ashamed to admit I have to look the definition of some of these genres up. What the heck is magical realism? You shouldn’t judge a book genre by its cover. I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I actually read some sci-fi romance this week. I had no clue this genre existed a year ago. A month ago I wouldn’t even contemplate reading such a ‘weird’ genre. Then, one of my favorite authors wrote one and I was like ‘well, it won’t kill me to try’. Sold!
What have you learned from being a writer or book blogger? I’m sure I’ve missed a ton of possible learning moments. After all, I do spend an unbelievable amount of time with my nose buried in a book pretending the world doesn’t exist.
January 28, 2016
Review of Pull by Anne Riley
Title: Pull
Author: Anne Riley
Published: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
~ Synopsis ~
Rosie Clayton witnesses a mugging on her first night in London—and then the scene rewinds itself.
She finds herself standing in the same place again, with the mugging happening just like before, except this time a stranger steps in and stops it. There’s no way the same incident can have two outcomes. Rosie thinks she’s losing her mind, until just a few days later, the stranger saves her.
The stranger, Albert, and his band of misfit crime-fighters, have the special ability to Pull, which allows them to rewind just enough time to undo a recent event. Someone is hunting Albert and his crew– and now that Rosie’s been seen with them, she’s a target too. Rosie is left with no choice but to trust Albert to keep her safe.
As Rosie learns more about this unbelievable ability and the people – if you can call them that – who want them dead, she discovers that the group’s desire for her blood might be more than mere coincidence. Each step into this magical side of London introduces Rosie to a family history that she never knew existed, and dangerous forces that could unravel her world in an instant.
Her family may be the reason they’re all being hunted—and she may be the only one who can figure out how to save them. Sure, between the lot of them, they have a few shots to get it right. The thing about Pulling, though, is you have to be alive to do it.
BOOK LINKS
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads
~ Book Review~
I started reading fantasy a year or two ago when I was somehow blackmailed into reading and reviewing a fantasy novel and discovered I loved it. I’ve since been on a hit and miss journey trying to find out why some fantasy novels work for me and some don’t. The concept of Pull definitely attracted me. I love the idea of the world being a normal place, but there being a secret world within our everyday lives where things work differently.
Pull started out too slow for me. There was a lot of background to get through until the reader finally arrives at the first night in the Heath where Rosie experiences her first Pull. Unfortunately, after this event, the reader doesn’t get an explanation of the Pull for a long time. The build-up, although written very well, was too slow for me. I keep urging my Kindle to hurry up. My Kindle didn’t listen. I thought a lot of aspects were too detailed, almost as if the writer was showing off her knowledge of London instead of giving the reader a tour of the city.
That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the story. I most certainly did. It just took me longer than normal to get into it and I have to confess that I probably would not have continued to read had I not promised to review the novel. That’s one of the great things about reviewing books (or being in a book club for that matter) – you force yourself to read books that you normally never would have even considered.
As a middle-aged woman who recently spent the holidays with her shockingly ineloquent teenaged family members, I feel I’m not impartial enough to review the characters in the novel. I’m just going to have to give it the good ‘ol college try. I couldn’t believe how eloquent Rosie, who narrated the novel, was. She was incredibly insightful about her family. In my opinion too insightful for a 17-year-old but that may be the middle-aged woman talking. I also thought it implausible that the entire secret organization consisted of four teenagers living alone in a house in London. Had the group just been a few years older, I may have bought it. Or maybe an explanation for why there are no older members?
Considering the above, I think this novel is best read by teenagers or pre-teens who love the fantasy genre and are maybe a bit enamored with London.
~ About the Author ~
Anne Riley is an author of young adult fiction cleverly disguised as a high school Spanish teacher. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her family.
Anne began writing at the ripe old age of nine, when she penned a literary classic about… well, she doesn’t really remember what it was about, but she’s pretty sure the main characters were ferrets.
These days, she writes stories about teenagers instead of ferrets.
~ Giveaway ~
3 Winners will each receive an ARC of PULL by Anne Riley Must be 13+ To Enter | Ships in US only | See Terms and Conditions for full contest rules and exclusions.
Cover Reveal ~ Murder at Morningside by Sandra Bretting
Inside the Book:
Title: Murder at Morningside
Author: Sandra Bretting
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Genre: Mystery
Format: Ecopy
Hat designer Missy DuBois opened her shop, Crowning Glory, along Louisiana’s Great River Road to cater to the sophisticated Southern bride. But bless her heart, who knew creating stylish wedding veils would lead to murder?
Hired to craft a veil for a socialite getting married at Morningside Plantation means Missy can bask in the height of antebellum atmosphere. But when the bride is found dead in a women’s bathroom, Missy the milliner finds herself entangled in one unfashionable murder. With the list of suspects thicker than the sweltering Louisiana heat, including a gaggle of bridesmaids shedding nary a tear and a family with no shortage of enemies, it seems anyone at the mansion may have done away with the bride-to-be. While Missy has Southern charm to spare, she’s going to need more than manners and a manicure to put a hat pin on this murderous affair . . .
Meet the Author
Sandra Bretting has served as a freelance feature writer for the Houston Chronicle since moving to Texas in 1996. She received a journalism degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and spent her early career in healthcare public relations at medical centers throughout Southern California. Other publications for which she’s written include the Los Angeles Times and Woman’s Day. Readers can visit her website at SandraBretting.com.
Tour Schedule
Book Babble
Readsalot
The Review From Here
C.A. Milson
Literal Exposure
I’m Shelf-ish
A Title Wave
A Taste of My Mind
Voodoo Princess
My Bookish Pleasures
Harmonious Publicity
Write and Take Flight
The Hype and the Hoopla
Confessions of an Eccentric Bookaholic
From Paperback to Leatherbound
The Literary Nook
The Dark Phantom
January 27, 2016
No Getting Over You by Shirleen Davies
Title: No Getting Over You
Series: Book 7, MacLarens of Fire Mountain
Author: Shirleen Davies
Published: January 26, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ Synopsis ~
Cassie MacLaren has come a long way since being dumped by her long-time boyfriend, a man she believed to be her future. Successful in her job at MacLaren Enterprises, dreaming of one day leading one of the divisions, she’s moved on to start a new relationship, having little time to dwell on past mistakes.
Matt Garner loves his job as rodeo representative for Double Ace Bucking Stock. Busy days and constant travel leave no time for anything more than the occasional short-term relationship—which is just the way he likes it. He’s come to accept the regret of leaving the woman he loved for the pro rodeo circuit.
The future is set for both, until a chance meeting ignites long buried emotions neither is willing to face.
Forced to work together, their attraction grows, even as multiple arson fires threaten Cassie’s new home of Cold Creek, Colorado. Although Cassie believes the danger from the fires is remote, she knows the danger Matt poses to her heart is real.
While fighting his renewed feelings for Cassie, Matt focuses on a new and unexpected opportunity offered by MacLaren Enterprises—an opportunity that will put him on a direct collision course with Cassie.
Will pride and self-preservation control their future? Or will one be strong enough to make the first move, risking everything, including their heart?
No Getting Over You, book seven in the MacLarens of Fire Mountain Contemporary series, is a full-length novel with an HEA.
Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ iTunes ~ Google Play
~ Excerpt ~
Staring at the MacLaren family pictures on the wall, Matt waited for Cassie to join him. It had been over thirty minutes, and given her usual insistence on being punctual, he had to attribute the lag to a desire to let him stew. It didn’t faze him one bit. He’d wait her out, no matter how late it got. At some point, she’d have to face him.
“Okay, I’m here now. What do you want to discuss?” Cassie breezed into the room, not making eye contact as she lowered herself into a chair.
Matt held her gaze, uncaring of how stern his next words would sound. “Your thoughts on the changes. Specifically, if you’ll be able to accept I’m your boss and you’ll be reporting to me.”
“And if I don’t?” She lifted her chin, daring him to threaten her.
“You’ll be gone, the same as anyone else.”
Cassie blinked, knowing if she didn’t produce results, her father would agree to a termination. He’d give her no special privileges. Treating family different than regular employees wasn’t tolerated at MacLaren Enterprises. You were professional, showed respect, and did your job. No excuses. If not, you were gone.
“Fine.” She stood, turning toward the door.
“Hold on a minute, Cass.”
“What? There’s more?”
“I want to know what you mean by fine. Are you saying you’ve bought into the program and are on board? I don’t want any misunderstandings between us.” He took a step forward, then stopped when he saw her eyes narrow in frustration…or resentment…or possibly desire. He couldn’t tell which.
All she wanted was to leave. Get out the door and away from Matt. She’d made him wait for her to join him, not because of the changes, but because her traitorous heart wouldn’t stop pounding like a bass drum. Being this close to him did dangerous things to her body. Breathing became difficult, labored, the walls closing in around her. Ever since she’d spotted him coming through the front door, she’d fought the attraction so hazardous to her health. She could deal with him, but only if he kept his distance and didn’t require face time. Taking a couple steps closer, she tilted her face up, fisting her hands at her sides.
“What I’m saying is I’ll report to you and do my best to meet your expectations. But I’m warning you, Matt. If you start feeding bullcrap reports about my work to Dad and the others, there will be hell to pay!” Cassie’s face reddened as her eyes sparked.
Holding up his hands, palms out, he took a step back. “Calm down, Cassie. No one is trying to sabotage you.”
“Oh, right. That’s easy for you to say. You waltz in here after disappearing for years, and all of a sudden, you’re the golden boy, handed a promotion which vaults you above Sean, Skye, or even me. We’ve all been paying our dues. What the hell have you done?” Crossing her arms and planting her feet, she glared at him, daring him to explain.
“I didn’t ask Heath for a job. He came to me. What would you have done?”
Without missing a beat, she took a step toward him, stopping within inches of his face. “I would’ve realized I’d be jumping headfirst into a firestorm. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be in my position with the change? Of course you don’t. You’re still a selfish sonofabitch without a clue of how your actions affect others. It’s always all about Matt and what he wants. No one else matters, and no one gets in your way. Well, I have news for you, hotshot. Your job won’t be some easy ride where you can float to the top on Skye’s and my achievements. You damn well better show everyone how good you are or you’ll be out on your butt just like anyone else.” Her voice had hardened with each sentence until she’d gotten out the ball of frustration knotted inside her.
The clear combination of anger, betrayal, and pain on her face hit Matt like a punch in the gut. He’d had his share of disappointments, knowing how it felt to be shoved aside.
“Cassie…I—”
“Save it, Matt. I’ll do the best I can, but it won’t be for you. My best will never be for your benefit ever again.” Turning, she froze at the sight of Heath, Jace, and Rafe standing in the doorway. Pushing past them, she didn’t explain further. She was certain they hadn’t missed a word.
~ About the Author ~
I have been writing most of my life, but only recently began the transition into fiction. Historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and short stories are what keep me reading, so that is the focus of my writing.
I was born in California, grew up between a growing beach town and a small town at the base of the San Bernardino mountains. My mother originally planned to name me Katherine, but she read an article in the paper about a woman named Shirleen shortly before my birth, so instead of having a cool nickname, like Kate, I am simply Shirleen. My mainstays growing up were all the Nancy Drew mystery books; I loved them. Eventually I moved on to mysteries, suspense stories, crime novels, and romance. Pride and Prejudice will always be one of my favorites.
Besides California, life changes have allowed me to live in Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona. Everywhere I have lived has been inspirational in one way or another, giving me the opportunity to meet remarkable people with their own stories to tell. I’ve sailed, skied, owned horses plus lots of other animals, and ridden various off-road vehicles. I enjoy dancing, fishing, hunting, being the back-seater on my husband’s Harley, traveling and, of course, reading and writing.
Prior to transitioning to writing fiction, I worked for Fortune 500 and many smaller, start-up companies. Fortunately, I regained my sanity long enough to start my own consulting firm, which I still maintain today.
My husband and I spend most of our time at our main home in the mountains of Arizona and our second home in Southern California. Between us we have five boys with growing careers and families of their own. So, from my perspective, my life is a success and always an adventure. I wouldn’t change a thing; well, except finding more time to write.
I love hearing from readers, so please feel email me at shirleen@shirleendavies.com.
Join Shirleen Davies’ Newsletter to Receive Notice of:
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To sign up copy and paste this site address into your browser’s address bar: http://bit.ly/1KqhKwm
~ Giveaway ~
January 26, 2016
Interview with Nika Rhone, author of What the Lady Wants
Today I’m welcoming Nika Rhone, author of What the Lady Wants, to Readsalot. She’s talking about her latest release and writing romance.
What (or should I say who?) inspired you to write romance?
It seems like I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember. I started with science fiction and fantasy, but as I started to read more romance, I found I wanted to write it as well. There’s just something inherently appealing to a good love story.
Are you a believer in happily ever after or are cliffhangers okay in your opinion?
Oh, for romance there definitely has to be a HEA, or at least a HFN (happy for now). I’ll qualify that by saying I’m okay with a trilogy or series that has cliffhangers for the main story arc in each book, as long as they give me the HEA payoff at the end, but it had better be worth the wait.
Describe What the Lady Wants in a tweet (also known as 140 characters).
Thea has wanted Doyle for as many years as he’s considered her off limits. When she decides to change his mind, he doesn’t stand a chance.
Describe Thea in 1 word. Describe Doyle in 1 word.
Thea: determined
Doyle: honorable
Would your characters in What the Lady Wants want to hang with you?
LOL, probably not. They’re a lot more fun than I am.
Who would you pick to play the characters of Thea and Doyle in a Hollywood adaptation of What the Lady Wants?
Since I don’t use pictures of actual people to base my characters on, this was a tough one. But a little time with the internet gave me two almost perfect choices: Victoria Justice for Thea and Eric Winter for Doyle.
What’s the most amusing thing that happened to you while writing What the Lady Wants?
I wish I could think of something witty here, but honestly, I got nothin’.
Thea is an unusual name. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Names are extremely important to me in creating a character. It has to really match the personality, as well as sound right to the ear. I’ve literally spent weeks trying out names for new characters until I hit on one that was the right fit, and other times the name and character come to me fully formed. It’s a crapshoot, but either way, the name is one of the most important elements in crafting the story.
Tell us about your next release. And when can we expect it?
Next up is the second book in the Boulder Bodyguards series, which readers got a sneak peek of at the end of What the Lady Wants. Poor Amelia is all set to marry the wrong man, but the right one is close at hand, even if neither of them realizes it yet. I expect it to be out later this year, maybe even by summer.
Title: What the Lady Wants
Author: Nika Rhone
Published: December 14, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ Synopsis ~
The heiress…
She’d wanted him since she was eighteen. Four years away hasn’t cooled the heat Doyle arouses in her, which means it’s time for Thea to take the former Marine by the horns and open his eyes to everything he’s missing. What will it take to prove that she’s not some untouchable porcelain doll, but a red-blooded woman determined to finally get her man?
The bodyguard…
Honor forced Doyle to consider Thea off-limits. Keeping her that way was proving much more difficult. Every time he turns around she’s there, wreaking havoc on his senses, making him think about long, sweaty nights and how good she would feel wrapped up in his arms. How long could a man be expected to ignore the woman who calls to his every secret desire?
The danger…
But Doyle has a secret that could jeopardize not only the first fragile bonds of love, but Thea’s very life. Will he be able to act before it’s too late for them both?
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~ About the Author ~
Nika Rhone has been fascinated with storytelling from the moment that first book was placed in her eager little hands, starting a lifelong love affair with the written word. Eventually, though, reading other people’s stories just wasn’t enough, so she started to write down her own. The magic of creating brand new worlds and the people who live in them keeps her hard at work thinking up the next set of characters she can torture before giving them their happy ending. She lives in her hometown on Long Island, New York with the two men in her life: her super-indulgent husband and their outrageously spoiled shelter dog.
~ Giveaway ~
