L.D. Rose's Blog, page 13

Author interview with sports romance author, Jennifer Doyle!

I’m so thrilled to have fellow NEC-RWA member, Jennifer Doyle, on my site today! Her debut sports romance, CALLING IT, is out for preorder and I can’t wait to read it.

Book Spotlight: As the Liquor Flows by Angela Christina Archer!

I love, love, LOVE stories related to the depression-era, especially when they involve gangsters.

Character Interview: Caroline Maplethorpe from SUMMER FLING!

I ran into Caroline Maplethorpe from MJ Compton’s novel, SUMMER FLING, the other day at a fundraising event and she agreed to do an interview with me on my blog today! SUMMER FLING is MJ Compton’s latest contemporary romance (check out that sexy cover!) and Caroline has quite the story. Read on to find out more about this fascinating lady and her dedication to breast cancer awareness.

Hey Caroline, welcome! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am the second of three sisters, and as such, I’m always caught in the middle, acting as a buffer between their very different personalities. I was close to both of my parents; their divorce and my mother’s subsequent death devastated me. I needed a long time to forgive my father for what he did. I think I’ve done a good job of re-entry into my family. I even tolerate my father’s current wife and am fond of my younger half-brother. I live a careful life. I went a little crazy after my mother died and have spent the years since returning to the fold being dutiful. My family expects me to fulfill their definitions of who they think I should be, and for the most part, I go along. Except when it comes to the man my father wants me to marry. There’s a difference between being dutiful and being a push-over.

Wow, sounds like your family is quite the handful! If my father was trying to force me to marry someone, I wouldn’t be too thrilled either. What do you do for work?

I work for the Kathryn Maplethorpe Foundation, a not-for-profit focused on educating about breast cancer as well as raising funds for breast cancer research. My father started the foundation to assuage his guilt over divorcing my mother right before she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, but that doesn’t change the good work we do. We don’t need to lose any more mothers, sisters, daughters, wives to this insidious disease.

As someone who frequently diagnoses breast cancer (and sees the havoc it wreaks upon women), I am totally with you on that! If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?

I would watch the man I love pitch the winning game of the World Series.

And that sounds awesome! Favorite alcoholic beverage?

Moonsinger Beer in a bottle.

Hmm, I’ll have to try that one! Favorite music?

Chin music. Ha-ha. (That’s a high, inside fastball aimed at a batter’s head.) Seriously, it depends on my mood. Show tunes are nice. Bob Dylan when things aren’t going well. I have a custom mix of Dylan songs I call “Dylan Says It Best.”

Chin music, HA! I’ve never heard that term, but it’s clever. ;) Bob Dylan definitely has some great songs! Now let’s move on to the man you love…what do you adore most about Win?

Win fell in love with me as a person before he ever knew my real name, and he never gave up looking for the woman he believed me to be…who turned out to be the woman I truly am. He gave me permission to be me.

He sounds like a great guy. :D Before the story began, what were your hopes for the future?

I was content to live my life pretty much on my father’s terms. It was easier to be a balloon drifting in my father’s wake than resist. I was aimless, working for the foundation and going to baseball games.

So what changed?

Win Winston walked back into my life and reminded me of the woman I could be. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.

I need to meet this Win fella! But I’m glad you’ve found happiness and someone who loves you for YOU. Thanks so much for stopping by, Caroline, and to you dear reader, for joining us! Read on to find out more about Caroline and Win’s story, SUMMER FLING.

BLURB:

Caroline Maplethorpe spent a summer as plaything for a minor league baseball team…and oh , how Win Winston played. Seven years later, she’s respectable, and he’s in the big leagues . Now that he’s found her again, he still wants her in a major way. But their second-chance relationship attracts too much publicity, and the third member of their long-ago fling threatens to destroy the respectable life Caroline so carefully reconstructed after that crazy summer .

BUY LINKS:

LOOSE ID http://www.loose-id.com/summer-fling.html

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-summerfling-1797313-149.html

AMAZON http://tinyurl.com/z7exmh7

BARNES & NOBLE http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-fling-m-j-compton/1121879015?ean=9781623009151

GOOGLE PLAY HtTps://play.google.com/store/books/details/MJ_Compton_Summer_Fling?id=MaH1CAAAQBAJ/

Ibooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/summer-fling/id992251460?mt=114

KOBO https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/summer-fling-8

SNIPPET:

I never thought the indiscretions of my youth would return to bite me in the butt by walking through the door of the Susie Buddha Café in Syracuse’s trendy Armory Square district, but they did. Or rather, one did. Winslow Winthrop Winston the Whatever, commonly known as Win.

I don’t know if I lost my ability to breathe because I was terrified he’d recognize and expose me or because he was just so darned good-looking. Probably the result of both. Win had always had a paralyzing effect on me.

Chuck somebody or other, one of the Syracuse Saltboilers baseball team board members, accompanied Win. They headed straight for our table.

There was no escape. Life as I knew it was about to end.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MJ Compton grew up near Cardiff, New York, a place best known for its giant, which inspired her to create her own fiction.

Although her 30-year career in local television included such highlights as being bitten by a lion, preempting a US President for a college basketball game, giving a three-time world champion boxer a few black eyes, a mention in the Drudge Report, and meeting her husband, MJ never lost her dream of writing her own stories.

MJ still lives in upstate New York with her husband. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Central New York Romance Writers. Music and cooking are two of her passions, and she enjoys baseball and college basketball, but she’s primarily focused on wine . . . and writing.

Where to find MJ:

Website & Blog www.comptonplations.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/Comptonplations

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMJCompton

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/compton4555/

Tsu http://www.tsu.co/mj_compton

Tumblr http://comptonplations.tumblr.com/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8075221.M_J_Compton

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/MJ-Compton/e/B00J9DFFIG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

RACE THE DARKNESS: Cover Reveal and Excerpt!

 

I’m SO stoked to reveal the cover for RACE THE DARKNESS, Abbie Roads’ debut dark, gritty, emotional and sexy romantic suspense. I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK, it can’t be published soon enough! Check out the GORGEOUS cover and read the awesome excerpt below…is it fabulous or what?!

First in a gripping paranormal romantic suspense duo by a Golden Heart finalist debut author whose clinical work gives her chilling insights…

Cursed with a terrible gift

Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn’t have to question you—he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night—the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

That threatens to engulf them…

Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except…there is the man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes, if he comes, it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.

About Abbie Roads:

Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor known for her blunt, honest style of therapy. By night she writes dark, emotional novels, always giving her characters the happy ending she wishes for all her clients. Her novels have finaled in RWA contests including the Golden Heart. Race the Darkness is the first book in the Fatal Dreams series of dark, gritty romantic suspense with a psychological twist.

 

Race the Darkness  will be available on October 4th but is currently available for preorder:

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/22nGnVk

B&N:  http://bit.ly/1pwghOK

BAM: http://bit.ly/1RmOgoN

 

A special note from Abbie Roads: 

Dear Readers,

I wrote Race the Darkness from start to finish three different times, with three different story lines, and with three different titles! The only thing that ever remained the same between the versions was Xander and Isleen. I believed in them and the story they wanted to tell. I hope you love reading about their tragedies and triumphs as much as I enjoyed writing them… All three times! And isn’t the cover amazing, beautiful, gorgeous? I cried the first time I saw it! It made all the hard work to get this book to you worth it!

Abbie Roads

An excerpt from  Race the Darkness : 

No fucking way was he going to die running. He stopped, turned and faced the truck barreling toward them. The tires ate up the ground at an indecent rate. He clutched Isleen tighter to his chest. For her sake, he wanted it to be a quick death. No more lingering. No more pain.

That thought infuriated him. None of this was right. They shouldn’t be on the verge of death. Again.  

The truck kept coming—twenty-five feet.

Everything slowed, happened as if through the quicksand of time. A white dandelion floaty meandered on the breeze directly between them and the truck. His heart no longer ran a staccato rhythm. Duh…duhm. Pause. Duh…duhm. Pause.

His life didn’t flash before his eyes. The future did. Isleen’s future. In an ethereal dream beyond time, her skin was gilded by firelight, her eyes void of sadness and fear, her body whole and healthy. She smiled, an expression so full of warmth and tenderness and undiluted joy that it plunked itself down inside his heart and wouldn’t leave.  

He ached to create that kind of smile on her face, but their lives were over and it all could’ve gone so differently if he’d only listened to her, believed in her, found her years before now.

**Sign up for Abbie Roads NEWSLETTER for exclusive content and giveaways!**

You can find Abbie Roads here:

WEBSITE

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TWITTER

Author Interview with YA fantasy author, Melissa Crispin!

I’m so thrilled to have my fellow CoLoNY member, Melissa Crispin, for an author interview on my blog today! Melissa just released her debut YA fantasy novel, COLLIDE, and it looks sooo good! Read on to find out more about Melissa and her writing–you won’t be disappointed. :D

Welcome, Melissa! Let’s get right to it and tell us about your latest release.

My debut novel, COLLIDE, is a young adult fantasy with strong romantic elements. There are larger than life stakes, with a good old-fashioned love triangle in the middle of the chaos.

Kayla Reynolds is a high school senior that plans to ditch town at the end of the year and pursue becoming a ballerina. Her boyfriend, Luke, is planning to come with her and they have this happily ever after already formed in their minds. But, bumping into this other guy named Alec awakens knowledge Kayla had tucked away in her subconscious mind. Alec has the ability to meet her in her dreams and take her to Afterlife, where she’s reunited with her deceased father. This changes everything.

Her newfound knowledge isn’t all kittens and rainbows though. She finds herself in a situation where the balance between Earth, Afterlife, and Heaven are at stake, and if the evil forces succeed, Earth and Afterlife will cease to exist.

That’s sounds fantastic! Love the idea of the dream rendezvous. What was the hardest thing about writing this book? The easiest?

Prior to writing this book, everything I had tackled was geared toward adults. When I started the first draft, I held back a little with the voices in my head. I feared that too much cursing or perceived inappropriate behavior would not be well-received in YA. I still do fear this a little, to be honest. I think the trepidation was evident in the earlier drafts, and at some point I decided to let go, and let the words fly. I came to the realization that kids in high school do all kinds of things adults deem inappropriate. I told myself to stop being such a crochety old lady and to just go for it.

The easiest part about writing this book was writing from Kayla’s point of view. I was working on a different project when her character started whispering in my ear, and she just wouldn’t shut up. Her story demanded my attention, and I eventually shelved the project I was working on in favor of this one.

I can totally understand your trepidation, but I know I was a punk ass kid in high school and had my fair share of trouble, LOL. It seems a lot of concepts that work in adult fiction can certainly fit into YA (even more so, sometimes). If you could bring one of your characters (villain or hero) to life, who would you chose? Why?

I would choose Kayla’s boyfriend, Luke. He’s a good mix of boy next door and badass which makes him well-rounded in my opinion. :)

Now that’s a mix I like! ;) Paramount Pictures wants to make a movie about your latest novel. Who plays the main characters?

Wouldn’t that be nice! :P

For Kayla, I would choose Elle Fanning. I loved her as Princess Aurora in Maleficent and I could picture her in a role as an aspiring ballerina.

For Alec, I think a younger version of Scott Eastwood would be perfect. Okay, so he’s not in high school, but neither am I, so you’ll have to work with me on that one. ;) He strikes me as a swoon worthy guy who would be good at protecting his lady. Check out this article where he sneaks in a shirtless workout. Go ahead. I’ll wait. You won’t be sorry! http://www.people.com/article/scott-eastwood-shirtless-workout-pictures

(DAMN!)

I’d love to see Theo James, Four, from the Divergent movies, play Luke. Again, not of high school age so it would have to be a younger version of him, but I love how he shows both a tough side and a gentle side in those movies, which is a lot like Luke.

Great choices! I’d definitely watch that movie. ;) So tell us a little about yourself.

I work full-time, and I’m married with two kids. I squeeze in time to write whenever I can, which can be challenging, but definitely worth the effort. Oh, and two years ago, our family rescued a Siberian Husky who hated me at first and now is constantly by my side.

Siberian Huskies are gorgeous dogs! And I definitely get the difficulty in balancing writing time with everything else. But we all manage, don’t we? ;) Tell us one thing about yourself your readers may not know about you.

I have a soft spot for old-school 80’s hair metal music. If you name a band from that era, I probably had their album on tape (yes, I said tape) and there’s a good chance they’re on my phone too. :) Motley Crue, Poison, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, the list goes on and on…What ever happened to the power ballad, people?

Oh my God, I’m totally with you! I’ve been listening to Poison lately and my hubby thinks I’m nuts, LOL. Anywho, what are you working on now?

I’m working on a new adult, sci-fi romance. The President’s daughter falls in love with a galactic garbage man, only to find out that he’s the son of a powerful mob leader. They end up in the middle of some shady dealings between their fathers, but find time for some heated scenes in between.

And since I’ve read a little bit of this already, I’m excited to read the rest! Thanks so much for stopping by, Melissa, and sharing a bit of yourself and your stories with us. Where else can we find you?

Website: http://melissajcrispin.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaJCrispin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissajcrispinauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissajcrispin/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MelissaJCrispin

More about COLLIDE:

BLURB:

When the balance between Earth, Afterlife, and Heaven are threatened, the fate of the universe falls on a selfish girl who must sacrifice everything to save it.

Kayla has a plan. She’s moving to the city after graduation and Luke’s coming with her. He’ll eventually become a doctor, she’ll be a ballerina—and they’ll live happily ever after. That’s what she thinks, until dark forces, led by a sister she never knew existed, start hunting her down for a power she never knew she had.

When Kayla starts working with a boy named Alec to learn how to defend herself and to stop the evil from eliminating the worlds, she finds herself falling for him. Hard. Torn between two loves and struggling to do what’s right for Earth and Afterlife, Kayla must decide if she’s fighting to keep her life together, or letting it go to save everyone else’s.

BUY LINK AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZ2WPHQ

EVERNIGHT TEEN: http://www.evernightteen.com/collide-by-melissa-j-crispin

Add to your shelf on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29413396-collide

EXCERPT:

Luke nodded. “Let me get this straight. So, this guy, he can heal your leg, protect you from something that isn’t yet clear to me, and bring you to some otherworldly place, where you’re reunited with your father?”

“Yeah.” There was that word again.

He pulled his hand out of mine and ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, that’s pretty damn hard to compete with.”

“Luke, this isn’t a competition. This is my life. He’s already saved me once.”

“And I’ll do it again,” Alec said.

Luke pointed a finger at Alec. “I don’t care what you can do. I don’t like you. You stole my girl, who’s pregnant with my baby.” Luke stepped around me and got in Alec’s face. “She will always have a part of me in her life.”

Alec slowly shook his head. “Not new news, and for the record, you stole her from me. So, you don’t get to play that card.”

The tension thickened in the air until the hairs stood on the back of my neck.

“She never said a word to you before all this weird shit started to go down.” Luke poked Alec in the chest. “You’re a liar.”

“It’s true,” I whispered.

Luke whirled around. “What?”

“Before us. It was him.”

Luke opened his mouth, as if to say something, but snapped it shut. He finally spoke after a long moment. “You said I was your first boyfriend. Your first kiss. Your first everything with a guy. You lied to me?”

“At the time, I thought that was true. He finds me in my dreams and takes me to Afterlife. That’s how we met. I never even knew he was real. I thought he was a boy in some recurring dream. I never even remembered until I barreled him over in the hallway one day by accident. His touch jarred my memory.”

Luke’s eyes were wild. “Do me a favor. Do not talk about touching him, ever, in my presence.”

“I’m sorry, Luke. That’s why this is so difficult. I’m only now remembering things that happened before us. It’s … confusing.”

“You were with him? Actually with him, before me?”

I swallowed. “We were sort of dating.”

“That’s not what I meant.” A muscle ticked in Luke’s jaw, and realization dawned on me.

“Oh, no. We didn’t.” I cleared my throat. “Not that…”

“I don’t know what you’re so pissed about. You’re the one who got to have a real relationship with her,” Alec said.

“Shut up. Just shut the hell up.” Luke gently brushed me to the side, leaving him and Alec staring each other down. “You’re an asshole.”

“Hate me, if you want. Call me whatever you want. But that girl right there?” He pointed to me. “She needs me. I swore to protect her, and I don’t give a shit about what you think. I’m her best shot at survival. Your baby’s, too. So, next time you get in my face, remember their lives are at stake and that your guns can’t fight off the shit that’s coming.”

“Asshole,” Luke muttered.

“Douche,” Alec said under his breath.

“Stop fighting,” I said from behind Luke’s back.

“You’re a loser. A loser, with no friends and no life, who came in and stole my girlfriend. Even if she chooses you, you’ll have to help her with my baby. Every time you look at our kid, you’ll be reminded of who was there first.”

I took a step outward to try to get between them, but Alec swung before I could, and as his fist connected with Luke’s face, Luke charged him, sending them both tumbling toward the ground.

Fists flew and grunts sounded in the scuffle as they rolled, each trying to get the upper hand.

“Stop!” I yelled.

More about Melissa:

Melissa J. Crispin lives in Connecticut with her husband, two kids, and an adorable Siberian Husky. She spends her days in the corporate world, and pursues her passion for writing in the late nights and early mornings.

From micro-fiction to novels, Melissa loves to write stories in varying lengths. But, no matter the story, it’s almost always about the romance.

Little Things Blog Hop! Welcome!

Character Interview: Grace Donnelley from Mia Kay’s SOUVENIRS!

Guess who’s back with another character interview! THIS GIRL. Today I have Grace Donnelley in my internet space from Mia Kay’s contemporary romance, SOUVENIRS. Check out this run-in I had with her and the dazzling “Ben Brady.” *swoon* 

Well, hello there! You’re E.G. Donnelley, aren’t you?

*She stares up, her eyes widening as the color drains from her face.*

You don’t remember me. We met at the World Fantasy Awards a few years ago … in Vegas?

Oh yes, I’m sorry. *she looks around, past me and at the buffet line* I just never expected to run into another author in Rome. Please sit. How have you been?

Great, thanks. Are you here for a signing?

No, I’m on vacation with my mother. And…could you not mention the author thing? With the movie press–

Right! The movie! How is that going?

I turned in the script before we left the States, and I’m trying to catch up with deadlines. I’m behind on the next book in the series. *she looks past me again* But, seriously, could we talk about something else?

*Looks at what, or rather who, she’s staring at.*  Ohhh, him. *waggles eyes brows* He looks quite familiar!

*snorts a laugh* You’ve seen guys like him before? Because I haven’t. Trust me, where I’m from, guys like him don’t grow on trees.

No, they don’t! He is fiiiiine!

It’s more than that. You know, he spent the whole day helping my mother deal with something very painful, and he remembers how I like my coffee. He’s funny, and smart, and he doesn’t mind when I can’t sleep.

He sounds, well, perfect. Weren’t you on vacation with your mother?

I was–I am. But Ben’s on his vacation with his mom, too. And they … well, Ben and I couldn’t leave each other alone, and our mothers set us up. They volunteered to share a room so Ben and I could stay together.

Now those are some clever ladies! Is it working?

Yeah, but … see, I haven’t told him who I am. He thinks I’m Grace Ward, a vacationing teacher. I keep trying to find a way to tell him I’m famous, but…Linda, the man kisses better than any man I’ve ever met. It’s like he short circuits my brain.

I know what that’s like! *dreamy sigh* Damn!

Two weeks ago, all I wanted was to go on vacation with my mom and not be recognized. Now, I’ve got two days to figure out how to tell him goodbye.

Do you have to?

He has his own commitments, not to mention he’s incredibly reserved and shy. How am I supposed to ask him to follow me home, and deal with the traveling circus my life has become. And how do you fall in love in two weeks? How am I supposed to … Crap, here he comes. Please. Just Grace, okay?

*A stunning hunk of a man with dark hair and blue-gray eyes strides over to the table and delivers a to-go cup of coffee for both of us*

Ben, this is Linda Rose. She’s on vacation as well. Linda, this is Ben Brady.

*He smiles, but it’s a shadow of the smile he’s just given Grace, his gaze wary.* It’s a pleasure to meet you.

*lifts brow* Pleasure to meet you, Ben.

*Grace picks up her coffee and her bag.* It was nice to talk to you, Linda, but if you’ll excuse me, I need to do a little souvenir shopping. *places her hand over Ben’s.* I won’t be long.

Oh, please, take your time! 

*Ben kisses her on the cheek and watches her go. His profile, British accent and his deep, dark voice clues me in to where I’ve seen him before.*

You’re Bennett Oliver, aren’t you? *he starts to shake his head* You are. I recognize you from that series that aired a few years ago on the BBC. I thought you were filming a movie in Turkey?

*his expression falls* “It wrapped before vacation started. Please don’t tell Grace. She has no idea. You see …”

*grins and glances at the audience* This is going to be interesting!

More about SOUVENIRS:

BLURB:

A reclusive writer … Grace Donnelley’s successful sci-fi novel is about to become a movie. She wants a vacation with her mother before filming starts, but fears her name will cause a geek riot. So she creates Grace Ward, sometimes schoolteacher and doting daughter of Sunny.

A hounded actor … Bennett Oliver escapes London for a vacation with his mother. He wants to hide from the paparazzi and his brooding reputation. He takes the role of Ben Brady, successful businessman and overprotective son of Camille.

But they never counted on each other … An immediate attraction, aided by their matchmaking mothers, gives Ben and Grace a vacation they never expected — and one they don’t want to lose. Upon returning to their everyday lives, they work to maintain a relationship while trying to find a way to say “by the way, I’m famous.”

When the secrets and lies catch up with them, Ben and Grace struggle to open their lives and re-open their hearts to see if love can be their most treasured souvenir.

BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Souvenirs-Mia-Kay-ebook/dp/B01C94M1B0

EXCERPT:

Their fellow passengers pushed past Grace in a rush to board. One businessman practically knocked her into her mother’s lap in his hurry to get to a window seat.

Hoisting the bulky bag overhead, Grace gasped as her elbows buckled. It listed backward, skewing her balance and threatening to topple onto the passenger across the aisle.

“May I help?” A deep, warm voice rumbled over her shoulder. Before she could answer, the weight of the bag disappeared and she fell against a solid chest. She gazed from large hands, up strong arms, to broad shoulders. Tilting further back, she saw a wide smile. When his hand covered hers, she jerked upright and surrendered the bag.

“Thank you,” she squeaked.

“My pleasure,” he said as he boosted the second bag overhead.

Grace sidestepped to her seat and her volunteer valet walked to the back of the plane, for all intent disappearing since Grace refused to turn and stare. Closing her eyes, she willed her blush to subside and waited for the announcements signaling takeoff for the last leg of their flight to Vienna.

***

The jolt of landing jerked Grace alert. As they taxied to the gate, her mother unfastened her seat belt and perched on the edge of her chair. Her purse jiggled in time to her tapping feet.

“Relax, Mom. Vienna won’t disappear.”

The aisle filled, resembling a blocked conveyor belt as passengers pushed and pressed, children fussed, and bags shifted and fell. Finally everyone moved. The last person in the line was her gentleman valet—tall, well-dressed, dark hair, narrow waist, and long legs. His back was as nice as his front.

Grace’s feet were leaden and her arms felt like rubber, but she managed to reach the carryon bags, walk off the plane, and trudge to baggage claim.

The buzzer rang as the carousel jerked into motion, and Grace recited her ritual, silent “find my luggage” prayer. When both large bags arrived side by side, her relief gave her the extra adrenaline necessary to lift them clear. With that hurdle cleared, she hurried to catch up as her mother reached the revolving door.

After twelve hours of artificial darkness and recycled air in planes and airports, the sunshine and light breeze was a welcome reward. However, in minutes exhaust fumes were overwhelming, perspiration trickled down her back, and weariness set in. Grace groaned in relief as a shuttle van came into view.

“Mother, why don’t you sit while I get a taxi?”

She recognized the voice from the plane. As the heat doubled under her skin, she turned toward the only other recognizable face in Vienna.

“We meet again.” She smiled as she shrugged the heavy bag onto her aching shoulder. She’d probably walk like Quasimodo for the rest of the trip.

“We do. Hello.” His response was wary. He’s probably worried I’ll end up in his lap—again.

“Which hotel, ladies?” The driver asked as he reached for their luggage.

“Hotel Ananas, please.”

“Sir?”

“Same, please.”

“Are you traveling together?” the driver asked.

“No.” The answer was issued in harmonic tandem, the man’s British bass and her Southern alto.

“So, two taxis?”

There wasn’t another vehicle waiting, and the heat was just the other side of warm.

“Why don’t we share?” Grace offered.

“How kind. Thank you.” His mother accepted the invitation.

Her stylish clothes were unwrinkled, and her sleek salt and pepper bob stopped at her jaw. She had a lovely smile, and the crinkles around her eyes suggested she used it a lot. “I’m Camille Brady and this is my son, Ben.”

At his name, he offered his hand with a silent nod. His clothing was as fresh as his mother’s. Grace felt more and more like an unmade bed, and she was sure her ponytail was crooked.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her mother stepped into the conversation gap. “I’m Charlotte Ward, but please call me Sunny. This is my daughter, Grace.”

She held her breath, worried her mother would slip. It was silly. The chance anyone would recognize her, even using her proper last name, was almost nonexistent. But after the incident last week, she wasn’t taking any chances.

“Ms. Ward?” Ben’s voice rumbled into her thoughts. He was standing by the open taxi, with his hand outstretched and a silent question in his lopsided grin and arched eyebrow. She put her fingers in his.

“Grace, please . . . Ben.”

He sat across from her, and she tucked her feet under the seat to leave room for his long legs. The door slid closed with a muted thunk.

“You wouldn’t happen to be going on a two-week train tour, would you?” her mother asked.

“Austria, Italy, and France?” Camille countered. “What a wonderful coincidence.”

“Isn’t it? It will be nice to know a few people when we get started.”

As the women overran each other in giddy conversation, Grace almost felt guilty for not looking out the window to enjoy the sights zipping by. Almost. They’d have two days in Vienna. It wouldn’t hurt to close her eyes for a minute. Behind sunglasses, no one would notice.

“You’ve come over from the States, then?” Ben asked in a measured, quiet tone.

Lifting lids that were now almost as heavy as her luggage, Grace saw him waiting on an answer. At least he was facing her while his sunglasses shielded his eyes, so she assumed he’d directed the question at her. “Yes. We left Chicago yesterday.”

Ben’s grin stretched his face. “But you’re not from there. I’ve traveled in the U.S. so I recognize the accent.”

Grace relaxed and returned the smile. She’d worked for years to rid herself of her telltale drawl, but it returned when she was with her mother. Sunny embraced her Southernness as if it were a near relation.

“You’ve found us out.” She forced her spine straight. “Where have you been in the States?”

His grin faded. “Mostly New York and Los Angeles.”

“Were you there for pleasure or for business?”

“Business.”

The simple question was on the tip of her tongue. What do you do? It always led to the parenthetical what about you? And it went downhill from there. People couldn’t help their curiosity, but she could help hers. “And you were in Chicago?”

“Umm . . . yes. I spent an extra night there during an unscheduled layover.”

“I hope you made it to the Field Museum.”

“I did, and to the lake shore. It’s odd to stand on a beach and have the skyline that close.”

“For me it’s standing on the beach and being cold,” she agreed. “After years of flying through Chicago, I finally planned a long layover so I could sightsee.”

“The museum is your favorite?”

“The T-Rex is incredible. Can you imagine being on a hunting trip and running into that?” Her imagination hijacked her tongue. “What would you do?”

His lips twitched. “Am I hungry?”

“You live on roots and berries and the monster is between you and a prehistoric bunny,” she used her hands to gauge the size of the creature, “this big. Fight or flight?”

“Fight.” He smiled. “Definitely.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mia Kay spent years writing legal documents and keeping people out of trouble. Now she spends her days looking for ways to get her characters into trouble. She lives in Arkansas with her husband, who doesn’t mind discussing (and sometimes causing) mayhem over breakfast.

Find me at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

Cover Reveal: Breakwater Beach by Carole Ann Moleti

Breakwater Beach

By Carole Ann Moleti

Genre: Cape Cod Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Soulmate

Projected release date: April 13, 2016

Blurb:

Liz Levine is convinced her recently deceased husband is engineering the sequence of events that propels her into a new life. But it’s sea captain Edward Barrett, the husband that died over a century ago, who has returned to complete their unfinished business. Edward’s lingering presence complicates all her plans and jeopardizes a new relationship that reawakens her passion for life and love. What are Captain Barrett’s plans for his wife, and for the man who is the new object of her affections?

Excerpt:

Liz opened the lid of a large trunk affixed with shipping labels dated from 1865 to 1875. Inside, neatly folded, were women’s clothes, hats, and shoes. She examined a night chemise that resembled a long slip with lace trim. “This is English linen, Irish lace though.”

Mae didn’t answer. Liz peeled away layers of yellowed paper. Silk and velvet dresses with coordinating hats and high button shoes were stored in their original boxes. Undergarments, corsets, garters, and hosiery were wrapped in linen bags. The aroma of lavender lingered in a sachet tucked in the corner.

“You won’t be findin’ this clothin’ in the Sea Captain’s Thrift Shop,” Mae hung the dresses in the closet.

They arranged the intimate garments in the antique dresser. Liz left the shoes and hats in the trunk and pushed it against the wall.

“How could no one have noticed these for so many years?” said Liz. “It’s too damp up here to leave them out. I’ll donate them to the Brewster Historical Society and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.”

“Keep this nightgown, Miss Lizzy.” Mae hung it on a hanger over the closet door. “The sachet kept it fresh and the wrinkles will come out in time. A real lady lived here. The best of everything.”

Liz watched the girls fluffing pillows and turning down covers on the four-poster bed. Another moment of déjà vu diffused through the room

Find out more on Carole Ann Moleti’s Website http://www.caroleannmoleti.com/the-unfinished-business-series/

Currently Available: Check out Book 2: The Widow’s Walk

By Carole Ann Moleti

Genre: Cape Cod Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Soulmate

Available in ebook and print:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Widows-Walk-Carole-Moleti-ebook/dp/B00PHYCLHY

Blurb:

Mike and Liz Keeny are newlyweds, new parents, and the proprietors of the Barrett Inn, an 1875 Victorian on Cape Cod, which just happens to be haunted. By their own ghosts. The Inn had become an annex of Purgatory, putting Mike, Liz, and their infant son in danger. Selling the historic seaside bed and breakfast was the only answer, one that Liz and her own tortured specter refused to consider. Were they doomed to follow the same path that led to disaster in their previous lives? Was getting out, getting away, enough?

Excerpt:

Silk rustled as she ran her hands over the dress. The lavender scent deepened as Elisabeth swirled around inside, Her mind went numb as the ghost took control. She slipped out of her clothes and stood naked in front of the mirror. She put up her hair, preening for her husband, before she stepped into the middle of the deep green skirts and pulled them up over her waist, slipped her arms into the sleeves, and twisted them behind her back to fasten the buttons. She used the buttonhook to do up the shoes, then peered out into the hallway.

Liz bundled the sweat suit into her arms, along with the soap and paper goods, and hurried to the attic door. It wasn’t until she placed her hand on the banister and started up the steep staircase to the roof that Elisabeth’s needling eased. Like an addict in the throes of withdrawal, just the promise of being up there, her spirit communing with the long lost sea captain, offered relief.

Number of books in the series: 3

The Widow’s Walk is currently available in e book and print

Breakwater Beach: Projected e-book release date April 13, 2016 Print: Fall 2016

Storm Watch: Planned release in 2017

Author Bio:

Carole Ann Moleti lives and works as a nurse-midwife in New York City, thus explaining her fascination with all things paranormal, urban fantasy, and space opera. Her nonfiction focuses on health care, politics, and women’s issues. But her first love is writing science fiction and fantasy because walking through walls is less painful than running into them.

The first book in Carole’s Cape Cod paranormal romance novel series, The Widow’s Walk, was published by Soulmate and is now out as an e book and in print. The prequel, Breakwater Beach, will be released in April 2016.

Urban fantasies set in the world of Carole’s novels have been featured in Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts, Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance, Beltane: Ten Tales of Witchcraft, and Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires.

Carole also writes non fiction that ranges from sweet and sentimental in This Path and Thanksgiving to Christmas to edgy and irreverent in the Not Your Mother’s Books: On Being a Mother and On Being a Parent.

Why did Book 2 come out before Book 1? Check out her website or subscribe to her newsletter for a special gift (a PDF of Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts) and bonus content. http://www.caroleannmoleti.com/the-unfinished-business-series/

Newsletter subscription: http://eepurl.com/bfNver

Where to follow:

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/carolemoleti

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/Cmoleti

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroleannmoleti

Google+: plus.google.com/103609323247390103301

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCmoleti

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/caroleannmoleti/

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RELEASING THE DEMONS, on sale and nominated for an award!

It’s that time again!

RELEASING THE DEMONS is on sale for ninety-nine pennies on Amazon and free on Kindle Unlimited!

Think you or a friend might be interested in a dark paranormal romance with revenge, love, redemption, vampires, and superheroes? Did I also mention GUTS and GLORY?!

*pumps fist* GUTS AND GLORY!

*clears throat* Ahem. Maybe you’d like to try this one? Why the heck not?

Unless you hate superheroes. Then I must withdraw all previous statements. :P

AMAZON: http://amzn.com/B013GVCC7I

And for my freaking AWESOME readers, RtD has been nominated for The Romance Reviews Readers Choice Award! \o/ If you loved RtD, please consider voting and check out the other amazing authors in the running. You’ll have to register with the site to vote, but hey, TRR is a great site and you might find your next amazing read there. :D

VOTE HERE: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=18793

And lastly, have you signed up for my newsletter yet? You’ll receive a free horror short story AND a sneak peek at the next novel in the Senary series, BLACK BULLET (which I’ll be sending out this week!) Also, you’ll have VIP access to all the latest about the Senary series and any other exciting news in the pipeline.

SIGN UP HERE: http://eepurl.com/bKvuXD

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone for your support! I’m off to ship my final copy of BLACK BULLET to my editor, write-up the blurb, and submit for a cover. I cannot wait to share it with you!

Have a wonderful week!

Paid Book Promotions: Yay or Nay?

Hello, lovelies!

I wanted to do an elaborate post about Writer’s Block (which will likely be my next topic here at the SMP blog), but it’s been a crazy few months and I’m a little short on time (deadlines abound in all aspects of my life). I figured I’d discuss paid promotions today instead as I’ve been researching them this morning. Have you ever tried them? Which companies have worked best for you?

Promotions I’ve tried:

Book Bub: The ultimate and very pricy. Hoping to get a spot when my next book releases! *fingers crossed*

Book Sends: Trying it out when RELEASING THE DEMONS goes on sale this month.

Bargain Booksy: Also trying this one out. We shall see.

EReader News Today: Been attempting this one, have yet to get a spot in time. Hopefully this month. Heard great things about it.

I Love Vampire Novels

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