Margo Bond Collins's Blog, page 130
March 28, 2014
Spotlight: Linked by Judy Serrano
Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University, Commerce with a BA in English. She is a substitute teacher at her children’s school district and teaches developmental writing at a local college. She is also a freelance writer for certain on-line periodicals and does editing for indie authors. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, The Linked Series, and The Ivy Vines, Visions Series.
Although she is originally from New York, she currently resides in Texas with her husband, four children, (all boys) and five dogs. She is also a singer/songwriter in her spare time.
http://www.judyserrano.com/
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Smashwords with Black Rose Writing
Smashwords, Ivy Vines, Visions
About Linked
Daphne Foster is a substitute teacher stuck in an English class, waiting for that dreaded parent-teacher conference. With much preparation and anxiety, she encounters the unforgettable Charlie Cross. His charm and good looks, win her over but rumors of his involvement with organized crime make his continued disappearances disturbing.
In walks Heathcliff Vanderpool, creating a love triangle of unusual sorts. Unknown to Daphne, Heathcliff and Charlie are old friends: Older than she could have imagined. With Charlie away on business, Daphne and Heathcliff discover a passion between them lying beneath the surface. As their souls link, pulling away from Charlie becomes next to impossible. Will his involvement in organized crime consume them both before she’s able to get free? When you become “linked,” the choice may not be your own.
–
Author of The Easter’s Lilly Series and Linked
published by Black Rose Writing
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www.JudySerrano.com
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Dallas Parenting
Dallas Book Reviews
How to write a steamy sex scene
When I first started writing, I wondered how much I could actually get away with as far as sex scenes go. I read all kinds of books where the sex scenes were “dirty” or a little out of my comfort zone. So, I decided to change it up a bit. I think that dirty language is simply a lack of creativity. Sex can be exciting without being dirty. Christian couples must have sex. If they bring up children, their secret is out. So, how do I create sex scenes without crossing the line?
First of all, sexy love scenes are enjoyable as long as people become engaged. So far, I have written all my novels in the first person. I do this so that people will feel what my main character is feeling and identify with him or her. Once they feel engaged, they get aroused. No explicit craziness is necessary, just good old-fashioned lovemaking. Maybe there is kissing, caressing, and even a little delayed release. It is all about pleasure. If the reader feels the intimacy and the anticipation, the reader will be experiencing all the excitement that the protagonist is feeling. There is nothing wrong with that. These kinds of experiences usually bring the reader closer to their significant other, which is my intention.
So, a little sex in the morning, afternoon, or evening is totally acceptable. Sex scenes that are identifiable, moving, and maybe create a little fantasy, can only spark a relationship that needs a little facelift. So dig your fingers into his hair, or wrap your lips around his… fingertips. Live to love, love to live, no matter how you do it, make sure you read about it first. Get yourself a little love in the afternoon.
International Giveaway
For a chance to win One of Ten e-books of Easter’s Lilly
The winner will be announced at the end of the tour.
Cover Reveal: Chasing Desire by Jennifer Domenico
CHASING DESIRE BY JENNIFER DOMENICO!
Release: June 9, 2014
Contemporary Romance {Adult}
High on life and all its luxuries, Brayden James has no intention of slowing down. That is until his womanizing ways catch up with him and he gets a much needed wake-up call. Just as he decides to clean up his act, the ultimate temptation enters his life.
When Mackenzie Reed meets Brayden, the attraction is instant and she knows that together they could achieve the kind of career success she’s always craved. But Mackenzie isn’t like most women. She has very good reasons for keeping her heart locked up tight. For her, this isn’t about love. This is about power.
Sparks fly as Brayden and Mackenzie try to avoid the one thing neither of them wanted. Each must choose between the life they’ve worked hard to achieve and the one they never imagined. Will they come to the same decision before it’s too late? Or will a hidden threat keep them apart?
OPEN INTERNATIONAL
Jennifer Domenico started
writing as a five-year old child in the back of her mother’s bible in
church. It was a way to keep the fidgety child quiet but even then she
took simple stories and twisted them into even more imaginative tales.
As she grew, the stories grew with her and she filled notebook after
notebook with her musings.
As an adult, she knew she wanted to be
a writer but she lacked the attention span and inspiration required to
produce a full length story. Eventually she put away her notebooks and
turned her attention to the business world where she toiled away for
many years.
She stopped reading fiction, stopped entertaining her
outlandish imagination, and stopped dreaming of being a writer. Until
one day, many months ago she went to sleep and a beautiful love story
played out in her dreams.
When she awoke she felt compelled to
write it down. And she wrote and she wrote, for days and days she wrote.
The result is part one of Enzo and Ava’s story. Turn Towards the Sun is
her first, but certainly not her last, novel.
Ms. Domenico lives
in Phoenix, Arizona with her very Italian husband, a dog that adores
her, two cats that tolerate her, and wicked sweet tooth. She is
currently working on part two in the series.
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March 27, 2014
Spotlight On: Firefly Hollow by T.L. Haddix
Firefly Hollow – WEEK BLITZ
By T. L. Haddix
Romance w/ Light Paranormal Elements
Date Published: 9/23/2012
The mysterious recluse…
Owen Campbell holds himself apart from other people. Badly scarred from emotional wounds that have never healed, he doesn’t expect to find true love or happiness. He remains isolated in a prison of his own making, determined to not let anyone close enough to hurt him again. But his willpower is shaken to the core when Sarah Browning enters his world.
The girl next door…
Sarah Jane Browning is three years into her college degree when a call from home changes everything. Back at the family homestead in the heart of Appalachia, she’s forced to reevaluate her hopes and dreams for the future.
Distraction from her heartache comes in the form of her parents’ neighbor. Whispers about “odd Owen Campbell” abound in their small community, and Sarah’s curiosity is aroused. When she breaks the rules and trespasses onto his land, what she finds is beyond her wildest imaginings.
As Sarah struggles to overcome tragedy and loss, her burgeoning relationship with Owen is sorely tested. Will love conquer all, or will the secrets from Owen’s past tear them apart forever?
EXCERPT
Checking back over her shoulder after a few steps, Sarah frowned when the deer continued to mimic her path. Dismissing the incident as the curiosity of a wild young deer that hadn’t yet learned humans were the enemy, she let her mind drift. Before long, she heard the sound of water trickling rapidly over rocks, and as she rounded a curve, she saw a small stream curving through the mountainside. The branch of water cut into a shallow hollow, one side protected by a higher ledge of earth that was full of mountain laurel.
Sarah stopped to take in the sight and drew in a cleansing breath. As she looked around, she realized the deer had followed her and stopped a short distance away. The bench of land it stood on converged with the deer path alongside the stream.
If Sarah hadn’t known better, she would have sworn the deer wore a look of consternation. The animal bent its head to nibble at some greenery on the ground, but kept its eyes on her. It almost seemed to glance between her and the water, as though weighing the danger of coming closer for a drink.
“Maybe if I turn away, you’ll feel bolder.” The deer path crossed the branch at a narrow point, and she decided to go a bit further. The water cascaded down a small waterfall above the narrow point, pooling in a shallow area that would be the perfect spot for a thirsty deer to get a cooling drink. Hopping across the water, Sarah followed the trail. To her surprise, the path didn’t continue to the flat bench on the other side of the small ridge, but climbed up and around the rocky outcropping. Curious, she climbed the incline. The sight took her breath away, and for a moment, she didn’t believe what was in front of her was real.
The rocky outcropping the water cascaded down was a sort of natural dam. On its other side, a large pool of water had collected. Fifteen feet across and nearly that wide again going in the opposite direction, the pool was surrounded by sloping granite on all sides except the front, where the water dropped over the edge. The water was blue-green, going from light aqua to deeper cobalt, and the banks of rock and earth protected it on all sides.
On the opposite side, a craggy granite cliff rose about ten feet out of the water, overhanging slightly to form a shallow cave. The mountain seemed to curve around the pool and, mesmerized, Sarah continued around, crossing the branch once more at a point above the pool. From there, she was able to climb on top of the granite boulder that created the cliff. Easing to the edge, she carefully sat down, her legs dangling over the side.
When the curious deer appeared at the edge of the pool below, Sarah laughed. The deer gave a small jerk at the sound, eyeing her warily.
“I’m sorry.” She felt utterly insane, carrying on a conversation with a deer, but it had followed her like a curious puppy. Sarah realized that keeping quiet would feel even more absurd. “It’s so beautiful here. I had no idea any place like this existed.” She looked around, noticing that the trees didn’t arch out over the pool the way she thought they would have.
“I’ll bet it’s really hot here in the summer, and that water feels so good and cool. Or does the pool dry up, I wonder?”
For a while, she just sat, braced back on her hands, her face lifted to the sky. The peace imbued in the place washed over her. When she felt ready, she let herself remember Kathy’s words to Paul, and their laughter. The memory made Sarah sad and still made her cringe with embarrassment, but she realized that she didn’t feel quite as angry about it as she had.
“Thank you, God, for letting me hear that today. At least I don’t have to face Paul until Monday,” she said to the sky. “And… and maybe, if that’s what he likes, then maybe he’s not as special as I thought he was. Let him have his buxom girls. At least I don’t look like a milk cow, unlike someone I could name.”
A snort came from below, and Sarah jumped. She’d forgotten the deer. Looking down, she saw that it had moved to the edge of the exposed granite and settled down on a soft patch of leaves.
“What are you snorting at?”
When the deer shook its head, Sarah laughed. Even though she knew it was probably batting away flies with its ears, the deer acted almost human.
She glanced down at her watch and was shocked when she saw the time. She was going to have to run in order to make it home in time for supper. With a muted curse that she’d heard her father say when he hit his thumb with the hammer, she scrambled to her feet and looked around. Another bench ran down from the side of the boulder opposite where she’d come up and fell naturally into the one the deer had been on when she’d first seen it.
“That saves me a little time.” With one last look at the deer, which had gotten to its feet when Sarah did, she headed down the bench. “I’ll come back someday,” she promised over her shoulder. “Try to not get shot or anything.”
For a day that had gone so badly, she thought as she ran, things had turned out to be okay.
* * *
For a long time after the girl had gone, Owen stood on the edge of the pool, looking after her. With his enhanced hearing, he could follow her progress down the trail and back onto Browning land.
He didn’t know what to think. He’d never encountered another human in all the time he’d been exploring the woods. His parents had seen to that over the years; no one dared come onto Campbell property without his father’s permission. Now that the property belonged to Owen, he guessed he was the one who’d have to do something about trespassers.
He bent his neck, taking another sip from the water. As the girl had guessed, it was cool and delightful.
Owen sighed, a sound that came out in deer form much as it did when he was human. The pool was one of his favorite places to roam, one of his safe places. If the girl came back as she promised, he didn’t know what it would mean for him. He couldn’t risk being caught, and he wasn’t willing to give up his solitude. If the girl threatened that… he hated the thought of having to go to her parents, but if it came to that, he’d do it.
T.L. Haddix
T.L. Haddix was born in Hazard, Kentucky, a small town in the center of the Appalachian coal fields. Taught to read by her grandmother, T.L. has had a life-long love affair with books, devouring whatever she could get her hands on. From childhood favorites such as the Trixie Belden series and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” books, to her current favorites from authors like Tami Hoag, Alex Kava, J.A. Jance and Lisa Kleypas (among many others), T.L. still finds refuge in the written word.
“Growing up, I wanted to be everything – astronaut, police officer, doctor, teacher, reporter, psychologist – there was no clear choice for me. I wanted to do it all. Becoming a writer has allowed me to do just that, because I can live vicariously through my characters.”
A resident of eastern Kentucky, T.L. is hard at work on her next book, when she isn’t chasing after her three cat-children with her husband.
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March 26, 2014
March Book Frenzy
This Hop is brought to you by
Fabulosity Reads Book Tours
8 AUTHORS OVER 4 DAYS
GENRES: Romance, Historical Fiction
Tour Link: March Book Frenzy
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Please visit the authors blogs by clicking on book covers.
They have each prepared a special feature for you about one of their
characters on each on the 8 blogs.
The tour feature is entitled: “A Day In The Life Of…..(characters name)”
Follow the hop by visiting as many of the blogs on the linky as possible.
We encourage you to follow the blogs and leave a comment mentioning that you are from the Book March Frenzy Hop so that they may follow you back.
Remember to enter the Giveaway at each blog visit to increase your chances of winning.
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A passionate romantic-suspense .
She Belongs To Me is a tightly woven tale of love, possession, and concealed histories, ‘She Belongs to Me’ follows a man who finds his wife unconscious, clinging to life. Was it a suicide attempt, or a sinister force from her former life? To learn the answer, he must go back to the beginning, five years ago when he met his wife and learned of her tragic past.
She Belongs to Me is book one of The Southern Suspense Series. From there, all the stories have a slight connection to each other, so you can continue the journey and meet different protagonists with different issues and tragedies to overcome. Every story has a mystery, there’s always a gentle message, and above all, there’s always romance and suspense.
FREE DOWNLOAD
A secret and unauthorized trip through the chaos of a 1717 London marketplace takes a bizarre twist for 16 year old Tess. Unexpectedly witnessing the murder of a renowned Seer, Tess becomes the keeper of the old woman’s legendary spinner ring and its supposed power of prophecy.
Returning home, Tess bears the brunt of her father’s rage when he is informed of her disobedient excursion. An ensuing altercation with her father leads Tess to the discovery of a family secret that stuns her.
Even so, she never imagines that she will soon find herself forcibly betrothed to the murderer and trapped on a ship bound for the pirate-infested waters of the West Indies. Moreover, she quickly
$2.99 on Kindle
Miriam loves her work at a rural health clinic in Afghanistan but is aware of cracks appearing in her marriage, though she doesn’t know what is going wrong – only that her husband seems to be changing and is no longer the man she married.
When, against Iqbal’s wishes, Miriam agrees to act as translator at a health teaching camp she hopes time apart might help her understand the cause of their problems. An old friend appears at the camp, inviting her to visit his village and Miriam finds herself travelling on a journey into her past where she must face up to the traumatic loss of her first husband.
When she realises it is partly her own behaviour which has damaged her relationship with Iqbal, Miriam resolves to put things right between them – but is she too late? Will Iqbal still want her, or will the return of his first love, a beautiful Afghan girl now a widow, mean he no longer wants Miriam?
From $0.99 on Kindle Count Down
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR!
“…an utterly charming romantic comedy…told with humor and honesty…” ~Karen McQuestion, Author of A Scattered Life, Easily Amused, and The Long Way Home
When Lauren divorces her husband, she has one thought on her mind…stepping off the merry-go-round. However, her life quickly turns into a three-ring circus: her hypochondriac father moves in, her ex is using her shower when she’s not home, and her perky assistant is pushing her out into the fearsome dating world.
She also has to decide if the dilapidated barn and vintage merry-go-round she’s awarded in the divorce settlement is a blessing or a bane. As if Lauren’s personal life isn’t chaotic enough, this slightly jaded attorney is overrun with a cast of quirky characters who can’t stay on the right side of the law. What’s a woman to do? She can allow life to spin her in circles forever. Or she can reach out and grab the brass ring.
$1.99 on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks
The accidental death of his beloved wife sent Alex Morgan into a numbing world of suppressed grief and rage, eased only by a profound bond with his son. Suddenly his life is shattered again when a chance discovery propels him into a world gone horribly, terrifyingly wrong.
Piecing together clues in this new nightmare, Alex suspects a colleague of taking a few, meddling steps back in time, changing the course of history – destroying Alex’s family and all he loves. Desperately clinging to his sanity, he searches for any evidence his young son still exists.
Jessica O’Neil is fighting a nightmare of her own, captured and facing execution for freedom-fighting heroics in her grim, oppressive society. When Alex rescues the feisty young rebel, she resists her dangerous attraction to him – a man who’s clearly crazy, literally in a world of his own.
$3.99 on Kindle
A heart-warming romance of second chances and self discovery, of family and the love that overcomes all. Set in New Zealand.
Jack Fletcher has survived his rough upbringing to become a mega success, but with his personal life down the toilet, discovering he has a son sends his life even further into turmoil.
Robyn Taylor was the brainy girl destined for great things who now waits tables for a living to support her twins. Life is a struggle, but when Jack convinces her he needs her to look after his son, the conditions are too good to turn down.
Robyn has always had a bit of a crush on Jack, but being this close means the crush is rapidly turning into something else altogether, and when Jack gets
shocking news, it draws the two of them even closer together.
But how can Jack ever believe he can be a father to his son, and a husband to a woman who must learn not only how to trust him – but to have faith in herself as well.
$0.99 on Kindle
Parnell Stillman , ace pilot, is man to the bone in a lackadaisical kind of way. He has the ability to fly through anything except solid mountain. He lives alone because people are not to be trusted–especially women. Flying is his high road until one sleet-filled morning–it isn’t. Mischance forces his plane down in a frozen wilderness.
He can survive, but his live cargo is another matter–an annoying social worker and five orphans–the most irksome freight he’s ever hauled in his life. Rebecca Hollis is distraught. The orphans have missed their chance for parents. She determines to force the obnoxious, disagreeable, self-centered pilot to do what is necessary to insure the survival and rescue of the orphans… Even if it means making the noble gesture of keeping her mouth shut–or other womanly things.
But the pilot isn’t having it. No way. No how. No time. He’d rather dance with a grizzly or wrestle a puma
than give his heart over to a sly, conniving, wily do-gooder. But the pilot isn’t having it. No way. No how. No time. He’d rather dance with a grizzly or wrestle a puma than give his heart over to a sly, conniving, wily do-gooder. He is not into heroics. Rebecca Hollis has other ideas–lots of them! All artful and disingenuou one of which is bound to work…she hopes.
- Starting price 99 cents @ 8:00 a.m. PST AZ U.S. /77p AZ U.K. 40+ hours. Next increment : $1.99 for 22 hours.
FROM $0.99 on Kindle Count Down
In 1997, Justin Dickerson, a Biblical Archaeologist, jumps at the opportunity to attend the Fifty Year Jubilee commemorating the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The invitation to Jerusalem could not have come at a better time. Her life is almost unbearable. Travel, conversation with colleagues, and celebrating the find that stunned the Christian and secular world alike in 1949 promises a wonderful diversion from personal angst.
However, in the bustling metropolis of Jerusalem she learns that some of the 2,000 year old manuscripts, once hidden in clay pots in the caves of Qumran, may have been purposely destroyed. Obsessed with the discovery, Justin determines to find the truth. Family and an abiding faith are her anchors as she discovers the answer to Earth’s ancient mysteries and what really happened In the Beginning . . .
$2.99 on Kindle
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An InLinkz Link-up
Spotlight On: Wilde Riders by Savannah Young
Wilde Riders – Week Blitz
by Savannah Young
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 2/23/2014
WILDE RIDERS (An Old Town Country Romance)
FOUR WILDE BROTHERS…ONE WILDE COUNTRY BAND
WILDE RIDERS is the first novel in a spicy new contemporary romance series about four sexy brothers, their small-town bar and their local country band. WILDE RIDERS can be read as a STAND ALONE NOVEL or as part of the SERIES.
Cooper Wilde spent his entire adolescence counting the days until he could escape rural northwest New Jersey. Now at 26, he can’t believe he’s coming back. But his late father’s bar, Haymakers, is in financial trouble and his older brother, Jake, has asked for Cooper’s help.
Riley Smith, 25, is fresh out of her Ivy League MBA program and wants to make an impression on her employer, H & C Bank. Her first solo assignment is a fraud investigation on a business loan they made to Haymakers.
Even though Old Town is less than 90 minutes from New York City, Riley feels like she’s stepped into another world in this remote, one-bar town. Riley can’t wait to do her business and get back to the city as quickly as her sports car will take her…until she meets Cooper Wilde. He’s not like the other guys in this rural town and Riley feels inexplicably attracted to him.
EXCERPT
The drive into New Jersey is exhausting. My only saving grace is that most of the traffic is going into the city instead of out of the city like I am. You’ve got to love those bridge and tunnel guys. I wouldn’t date one but I have a little bit of respect for them. The commute into Manhattan turns a nine hour work day into an eleven hour one, if you’re lucky.
I can feel my stomach start to knot as I get further away from the city and further away from civilization. Pretty soon I’ll be in the sticks surrounded by woods and farmland. I can almost smell the manure that will no doubt take days to completely rid from my nasal passages. I pray that I don’t run into any animals, especially cows, which are huge, smelly and completely freak me out. The only live animals I ever care to see have to fit comfortably in a handbag, like a Chihuahua or Teacup Poodle, for example.
I have an appointment with a man named Jake Wilde. He asked me to come early, before the place opens at noon, so he can give me his full attention. I try to imagine what someone named Jake Wilde would look like and all I can come up with is an old gunslinger like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven.
As I pull into Old Town the place looks exactly like I thought it would. The buildings in the town square are old and I image the place hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years or so.
Haymakers is just past the town square, down the hill from the deli, next to the gas station. Those were the exact directions I was given, in those words. I take that to mean the town only has one gas station and one deli.
When I pull into the parking lot, there’s only one other vehicle sitting there. It’s an old beat-up Dodge Ram. Nothing like fitting the country bumpkin stereotype like a glove. Then I have a brief moment of panic and wonder if it’s safe to park my BMW in the dirt lot. Then I remind myself where I am. Who is going to mess with it in the middle of the day? A stray deer from the woods out back? The only thing I probably have to worry about is it getting dusty.
I take in a deep breath. I have to be thankful there’s no manure smell yet. The quicker you do this, I remind myself, the quicker you can get back to the lovely asphalt jungle you call home.
I’m hit with a gust of wind as soon as I get out of my car. How is it possible that Old Town is even windier than lower Manhattan? I didn’t think I’d ever find a place windier than Wall Street. Even the Windy City didn’t seem this windy when I had business in Chicago.
When I enter the bar, I try to smooth down my thick hair, which I know is probably a complete mess from the gust. I’m surprised by the homey feel of the place. How could someone like me possibly feel at home in a country bar? Even if I was wearing jeans and cowboy boots, if I even owned jeans and cowboy boots, I wouldn’t fit in at a place like this.
I hear someone clear his throat and I turn to see a guy about my age, mid-twenties, standing next to me. I can’t help my surprise when I see he’s wearing khakis and a polo shirt, like he just stepped off of a golf course. He looks as out of place in this country bar as I feel.
“Are you Jake Wilde?” I ask.
The guy gives me the faintest hint of a smile but it’s almost as if it pains him to give that much. His deep brown eyes look even more distressed and I can’t help but wonder what’s behind those sad eyes.
He rakes his fingers through his thick dark hair. “A little windy out, isn’t it?”
My hand automatically goes to my hair and I try to casually flatten it down again. I imagine I must look like I just stepped out of a wind tunnel.
“Your hair looks fine,” the guy tries to assure me. But he’s got that hint of a smile on his face again and it makes me wonder if he’s lying just to make me feel better.
“I’m Cooper Wilde,” the guy says as he offers a hand.
I don’t know why I suddenly feel nervous about shaking it. It’s a business meeting. That’s what people do. But the way this guy is looking at me gives me the feeling that he might be interested in more than just business.
But I’m not, I remind myself. Not only because I’ve all but sworn off men, I’m here to do a job. I’ve been working for H & C Bank for two years and this is my first solo assignment as a lead investigator. If I continue to do well, I’ll be well on my way to becoming a Vice President before I turn thirty. I don’t need a man to throw me off my career trajectory. And definitely not some guy in a country bar in rural New Jersey.
I take his hand and give it a quick shake but I can’t bring myself to look into his smoldering eyes again. “I’m Riley Smith.”
“I figured that,” Cooper says.
“Why is that?”
That hint of a smile has returned to his face again. “We don’t often get women in business suits in the bar.”
I’m not sure why I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to get a real smile out of Cooper Wilde. I don’t know even know the guy but it somehow seems important. I get the feeling he hasn’t really smiled in a while and it’s long overdue.
Not that I’ve had much occasion for real smiles myself lately.
Savannah Young:
Romance novelist Savannah Young grew up in rural northwest New Jersey in a place very similar to the fictional Old Town, which is featured in her books. When she’s not at her computer creating spicy stories, Savannah is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy Link
Amazon
Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card.
Cover Reveal: Echoes of Memories by Samantha LaFantasie
Echoes of Memories by Samantha LaFantasie
Coming July 2014!
About the Author
A Kansas native, Samantha LaFantasie spends her free time with her
husband and three kids. Writing has always been a passion of hers, forgoing all
other desires to devote to this one obsession, Want more from Samantha? Keep up with her at any of her
digital hangouts.
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Cover Reveal: Ultimate Kill by Kristine Mason
Title: Ultimate Kill
Author: Kristine Mason
Series: CORE Series or Book 1 Ultimate CORE Trilogy
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Mid April 2014
Edition/Formats It Will Be Available In: eBook
Blurb/Synopsis:
When the past collides with the present, the only way to ensure the future lies in the ultimate kill…
Naomi McCall is a woman of many secrets. Her family has been murdered and she’s been forced into hiding. No one knows her past or her real name, not even the man she loves.
Jake Tyler, former Marine and the newest recruit to the private criminal investigation agency, CORE, has been in love with a woman who never existed. When he learns about the lies Naomi has weaved, he’s ready to leave her—until an obsessed madman begins sending her explosive messages every hour on the hour.
Innocent people are dying. With their deaths, Naomi’s secrets are revealed and the truth is thrust into the open. All but one. Naomi’s not sure if Jake can handle a truth that will change their lives. But she is certain of one thing—the only way to stop the killer before he takes more lives is to make herself his next victim.
I
didn’t pick up my first romance novel until I was in my late twenties.
Immediately hooked, I read a bazillion books before deciding to write one of my
own. After the birth of my first son I needed something to keep my mind from
turning to mush, and Sesame Street wasn’t cutting it. While that first book
will never see the light of day, something good came from writing it. I
realized my passion and found a career I love.
When I’m not writing contemporary romances and dark,
romantic suspense novels (or reading them!) I’m chasing after my four kids and
two neurotic dogs.
Author Links
Facebook
Twitter
Website
March 25, 2014
Spotlight On: Aubrie Dionne’s ALLIANCE
Title: Alliance
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Series: Paradise Reclaimed #3
Genre: Young Adult fantasy
Release Date: January 31, 2014
“Saving him meant saving her colony…”
Lyra Bryan has been saving people her whole life from a chick in the ventilation pipes to her mentally ill brother when his mind drifts back to Old Earth. She meets her match when she finds a gorgeous alien man aboard the arachnid ship. Captured after a failed attempt to save his people, his spirit is broken, craving only vengeance. To save her colony, Lyra must save his body and soul.
Lyra’s lifemate, Tauren, is jealous of her obsession with the alien man and will do anything in his power to break them apart. While they travel to the arachnid’s home world to defeat the mother brain once and for all, they must set aside their differences and work as a team. But, can Tauren be trusted?
Other books in the series:
Colonization, book #1
Reconnaissance, book #2
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EXCERPT
—
Empty
Bed
“Lyra, you have to
leave him. The ceremony’s in twenty minutes.” Tauren stood with his arms
crossed over his broad chest. A forehead worthy of an Old Earth cave man hung
over his little, beady eyes as he stared with suspicion. “Don’t you want your
medal?”
I brushed back a strand
of cobalt hair from his eyes and tucked in the bed sheets. “I don’t care about
medals.”
My thoughts wandered to
the alien man. I hadn’t even spoken to him or learned his name. When I first
saw him, wrapped in the arachnids’ cocoon aboard their metallic ship, my
emotions ignited. Far from his home, he lay in stasis, trapped until the
arachnids drained his body of life. I’d been in the same position until Nova
saved me.
————————————————————————————————-
About the Author
Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation-favorite character was Data by far-, and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.
Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be “A concert flutist” when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.
————————————————————————————————-
Giveaway
The Useful Review ~ A Guest Post by KC Sprayberry
The Useful Review
by K.C. Sprayberry
I’ve been reading books all my life. A couple of years ago, I started reviewing those books and posting the reviews to Amazon and Goodreads. During blog tours, I’ve also had the reviews on my blog. The system I use is my own; I never looked for a special way to write a review.
The useful review is one that points out what makes the book good or bad. The person writing the review should keep a few things in mind when composing their thoughts on the book.
1. Be honest. Above all, be honest in your review. That’s not to say you should say this book is absolute crap, but don’t sugar coat problems you saw in it, such as the need for editing or that the story just didn’t work for you. If you are going to give a review lower than 4 stars, try and contact the author before posting the review. This contact isn’t to change your opinion but rather to explain why you feel the way you do. One of my policies is never to review a book lower than 3 stars, because the author has gone to a lot of work to produce their work. No matter how awful a book has been, I’ve always found something good to say about it.
2. Don’t rely on the blurb to set the tone for your review. I write my own blurbs of what I think the book was about. Sometimes they are close to what the author did, but mostly they’re different, presenting the book in a way that might attract other readers.
3. Open with what you think of the author’s strong points are for this story. Give the person a chance. They’re a person who has poured a part of their life into this book. I like to mention how the sentences and paragraphs flow from one to another first. Then I concentrate on the characters.
4. If there are major problems with the book, now is the time to concentrate on them. Point out how you believe the author could have done better in transitioning from one situation to another, or how the characters seemed a little too over the top. Character growth throughout a book is important to me. I always ask myself if the characters have learned from their experiences, and then I point out why I found this had failed.
5. End with a positive note, explaining why you can or cannot recommend the book. If this book is outside your comfort zone, this is the time to mention that. Often, a book outside our comfort zone never quite breaks through. For this reason, your review might not reflect what a person who likes that type of book might feel.
6. Finally, if you received a free copy for review, use a statement to that effect. A lot of people believe those who are paid, whether in money or a copy of a book, only give raving reviews of the book. That can’t be further from the truth, if you stick with rule one.
How useful are good reviews? The theory is a good review will garner more sales for the author. That has proven to be wrong sometimes. A bad review can also intrigue people, driving them to pick up the book to find out just why someone was so against it. This tends to have a domino effect, driving up sales when the purpose might have been to kill sales.
One thing to remember: The review process for books is a way for authors to gauge their work. A review designed to rip apart a book, to trash it, for any reason other than the reviewer didn’t like the book for whatever reason, will hurt a person. This is why I keep my reviews honest, but I always look for good points.
___________________________
Check out KC’s new book, Evil Eyes
Blurb:
Lisa is so ready for a break from the grueling first semester of college. Along with five other friends, she returns to Landry, and hopes to have nothing but fun. Within days, one of the group is the victim of a vindictive stalker, and Lisa herself is now in the man’s sights. No matter what she does, she can’t shake this person.
Fred has a little problem, but he figures he can take care of it himself, if he achieves fame with his folk rock band, Olney-Oak Lane Sounds. Then he happens to see this beautiful woman, who turns out to be just like every other woman he’s met. He takes care of her, and is immediately drawn to Lisa. No one will get between Fred and Lisa, absolutely no one.
On Christmas Eve, Lisa has to fight for her life and sanity after Fred kidnaps her. She turns out to be very different from the other women, in a way he never figured.
___________________________
Excerpt:
The wind picks up, intensifying into a howl. Snow swirls in circles everywhere. Lisa hears John calling for her again. She turns around to tell him that they need the police, but stops when a strange voice echoes all around her.
“Lisa,” the man says. “I love you, Lisa. You’re mine forever.”
Lisa opens her mouth. All that comes out is a completely terrorized scream.
___________________________
Book Links:
Amazon: http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00J1QC3V8
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21472973-evil-eyes
___________________________
Author Bio:
KC Sprayberry started writing young, first as a diarist, and later through an interest in English and creative writing. Her first experience with publication came when she placed third in The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge contest while in the Air Force, but her dedication to writing came after she had her youngest child, now in his senior year of high school.
Her family lives in Northwest Georgia where she spends her days creating stories about life in the south, and far beyond. More than a dozen of her short stories have appeared in several magazines. Five anthologies feature other short stories. She has three books that are Amazon best sellers: Softly Say Goodbye, Who Am I?, and Mama’s Advice. Her other novels available are: Take Chances, The Ghost Catcher, Family Curse … Times Two, Secret From The Flames, Where U @, The Wrong One, Pony Dreams, and Grace. Her adult romantic suspense novel, Starlight, will release on May 5, 2014.
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Social Media Links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KC-Sprayberry/331150236901202
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsowriter
Blog: http://outofcontrolcharacters.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.kcsprayberry.com
___________________________
March 24, 2014
Unleashed by Emily Kimelman – Book Blitz & Contest
Choose the Voice of Sydney Rye
Sydney Rye is coming to Audio and we need your help picking the narrator!
Emily Kimelman’s Sydney Rye series of mysteries feature a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!
Haven’t read Sydney Rye yet? Download the first book, UNLEASHED, for free on Amazon, iTunes, B&N, or Kobo and see how she sounds in your head then vote for the best narrator.
Voting enters you to win all sorts of great prizes including Amazon gift cards, signed books, and the finished Audio book! Add to your chances of winning by joining Emily’s email list, liking her Facebook page, or telling your friends about the contest.
Here are your choices:
Emily:
Bio:
Emily Strong is an actor, voiceover talent, and first time filmmaker. As a native of Michigan, she is a nature-lover at heart but has the mind of a city girl and moved to Chicago nearly three years ago because she wasn’t smart enough to go somewhere warmer. She takes full advantage of what the city has to offer by training at legendary places like The Second City and eating lots and lots of ethnic food (will travel all the way across the city to Pilsen for the best tacos!). Her love of reading was the catalyst for her adventurous spirit and the reason why she is always stoked to tell stories in their many different forms.
You can visit her at www.emilystrong.net
Erin:
Bio:
Erin has narrated over 500 audio books including “The Hunger Games” trilogy for The National Library Services/Library Of Congress, “A State Of Wonder,” The Garden Of The Beasts,” “Anna Karenina,” “Ferdinand The Bull, and “Madeline.”
Sonja:
Bio:
Sonja has two loves: acting and reading. Narrating audiobooks is her absolute passion. She has logged over 600 hours recording textbooks with an organization called Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and is currently in the process of recording a kids’ action-fantasy-adventure novel, a steamy and mysterious paranormal romance, and a non-fiction about writing. She loves nothing more than bringing vivid worlds and unique characters to life. When she’s not recording, Sonja can be found onstage, traipsing around Brooklyn, or entertaining children with a variety of dubious accents.
Erica:
Bio:
Erica Newhouse is a film, televesion and theater actor living in New York City. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.
Prize Details
Every vote, like, share, or sign up is an entry for the “grand prizes”
One person will win Signed copies of all 5 books
One person will win a $30 Amazon or B&N gift card
Four other winners will win paperback copies of UNLEASHED
Anyone who votes + signs up for Emily’s email list + likes Emily’s FaceBook page gets a copy of the audio book when it’s completed!
More about UNLEASHED:
UNLEASHED is the first book in Emily Kimelman’s best selling Sydney Rye series of mysteries.
When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller’s dog-walking business on Manhattan’s exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.
But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim–and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.
When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit–cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan’s elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.
The Rest of The Sydney Rye Series:
DEATH IN THE DARK (A Sydney Rye Novella, #2)
INSATIABLE (A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)
STRINGS OF GLASS (A Sydney Rye Novel, #4)
THE DEVIL’S BREATH (A Sydney Rye Novel, #5) Coming April 2014
Emily Kimelman Biography
Emily Kimelman is the author of the best selling “Sydney Rye” series of mystery novels including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS and the forthcoming THE DEVIL’S BREATH. Emily lives with her husband, Sean Gilvey, and their dog, Kinsey Millhone “Pup Detective”, on a trawler docked in the Hudson Valley during the summer. She spends her winters traveling to where ever the next Sydney Rye Novel takes place. Right now she is in Costa Rica working on Sydney Rye #6.
If you’ve read Emily’s work and liked it please contact her. She loves hearing from readers. You can reach Emily via email ejkimelman@gmail.com or on twitter @ejkimelman. Follow her on Instagram to see pictures from Emily’s latest adventures. Visit www.emilykimelman.com to learn more about Emily and the Sydney Rye series.
Links:
UNLEASHED
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Unleashed-Sydney-Rye-Novel-ebook/dp/B004XDWJ18
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11296999-unleashed
Kobo
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/UNLEASHED-A-Sydney-Rye-Novel/book-FLXSjQKQckyjsIbxbqwSkA/page1.html
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60752
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/unleashed-a-sydney-rye-novel-1/id665272929?mt=11
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unleashed-emily-kimelman/1111867294?ean=9781463581978
Social Media
https://twitter.com/ejkimelman
https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKimelman
http://emilykimelman.wordpress.com
Newsletter sign up
http://typepad.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8c975baa018d768aba0ac40d0&id=a5decbfaac
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