Cara Faith Donvovan's Blog, page 38

Defiled - Maria Luis

Title: DefiedSeries: Blood Duet #2
Author: Maria LuisGenre: Sexy Romantic SuspenseRelease Date: May 31, 2018


Blurb
I am both a sinner and a saint, but I bleed vengeance.
For years, I’ve lived in the grey… until her.
Avery Washington didn’t belong in the shadows, but I dragged her into the darkness anyway.
One kiss, and I would stop at nothing to possess her.
One caress, and my need to destroy wavered.
Our attraction was poison and pleasure.
They say the devil recognizes his own, but I never saw Avery coming.
She's determined to light the matchsticks, and I can't resist going down in flames...

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Author Bio

Maria Luis is the author of sexy contemporary romances, though she may or may not have a few historical romances hiding in the cobwebs of her computer.

When she's not writing about strong men and the sassy women who sweep them off their feet, Maria is a historian who specializes in medieval England and 19th century New Orleans. What do the two eras have in common, you ask? Not much, except for disease, scandalous activities and crime--Maria's favorite topics.

Maria lives in New Orleans with her better half, where she can generally be found hiking with her two dogs, Zeus and Athena, kayaking in Louisiana's inter-coastal waterways, or curled up on the couch with a good book.

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a Rafflecopter giveawayThanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Chapter Reveal - A Wish For Us by Tillie Cole

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From the author who brought you A Thousand Boy Kisses comes the new emotional novel, A Wish For Us.
A story of music. A story of healing. A story of love conquering all.



Nineteen-year-old Cromwell Dean is the rising star of electronic dance music. Thousands of people adore him. But no one knows him. No one sees the color of his heart.

Until the girl in the purple dress. She sees through the walls he has built to the empty darkness within.

When Cromwell leaves behind the gray skies of England to study music in the South Carolina heat, the last thing he expects is to see her again. And he certainly doesn’t expect that she’ll stay in his head like a song on repeat.

Bonnie Farraday lives for music. She lets every note into her heart, and she doesn’t understand how someone as talented as Cromwell can avoid doing the same. He’s hiding from his past, and she knows it. She tries to stay away from him, but something keeps calling her back.

Bonnie is the burst of color in Cromwell’s darkness. He’s the beat that makes her heart skip.

But when a shadow falls over Bonnie, it’s up to Cromwell to be her light, in the only way he knows how. He must help her find the lost song in her fragile heart. He must keep her strong with a symphony only he can compose.

A symphony of hope.
A symphony of love.
A symphony of them.



Cromwell
Brighton, England
The club pulsed as the beat I was pouring into the crowd took over their bodies. Arms in the air, hips swaying, eyes wide and glazed as my music slammed into their ears, the rhythmic beats controlling their every move. The air was thick and sticky, clothes slick to people’s skins as they crammed into the full club to hear me.
I watched them light up with color. Watched them get lost to the sound. Watched them shed whoever they’d been that day—an office worker, a student, a copper, a call-center worker—what the hell ever. Right now, in this club, most probably high off their faces, they were slaves to my tunes. Right here, in this moment, my music was their life. It was all that mattered as their heads flew back and they chased the high, the near nirvana I gave them from my place on the podium.
I, however, felt nothing. Nothing but the numbness the booze beside me was gifting me.
Two arms slipped around my waist. Hot breath blew past my ear as full lips kissed my neck. Spinning my final beat, I grabbed the Jack Daniels beside me and took a shot straight from the bottle. I slammed the bottle down and moved back to my laptop to mix in the next tune. Hands with sharp fingernails ran through my hair, pulling on the black strands. I tapped on the keys, bringing the music down low, slowing the beat.
My breaths lengthened as the crowd waited, lungs frozen as I brought them to a slow sway, readying for the crescendo. The epic surge of beats and drums, the insanity of the mix that I would deliver. I looked up from my laptop and scanned the crowd, smirking at seeing them on the precipice, waiting . . . waiting . . . just waiting . . .
Now.
I slammed my hand down, holding my headphones to my left ear. A surge, a thundercloud of electronic dance music plowed into the crowd. Bursts of neon colors filled the air. Greens and blues and reds filled my eyes as they clung to each person like neon shields.
The hands around my waist tightened, but I ignored them, instead listening to the bottle of Jack as it called my name. I took another shot, my muscles starting to loosen. My hands danced over the laptop’s keys, over my mix boards.
I looked up, the crowd still in the palm of my hand.
They always were.
A girl in the center of the club drew my attention. Long brown hair pulled back off her face. Purple dress, high necked—she was dressed nothing like everyone else. The color surrounding her was different to the other clubbers—pale pink and lavender. Calmer. More serene. My eyebrows pulled down as I watched her. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn’t moving. She was still, and she looked to be completely alone as people crashed and pushed around her. Her head was tipped up, a look of concentration on her face.
I built up the pace, pushing the rhythm and the crowd as far as they could go. But the girl didn’t move. That wasn’t normal for me. I always had these clubbers wrapped around my finger. I controlled them, in every place I spun. In this arena, I was the puppet master. They were the dolls.
Another shot of Jack burned down my throat. And through another five songs, she stayed there, on the spot, just drinking in the beats like water. But her face never changed. No smile. No euphoric high. Just . . . eyes closed, that damn pinched look on her face.
And that pink and lavender still surrounding her like a shield.
“Cromwell,” the blonde who was all over me like a rash said into my ear. Her fingers lifted up my shirt and tucked into the waistband of my jeans. Her long nails dipped low. But I refused to tear my eyes away from the girl in the purple dress.
Her brown hair was starting to curl, sweat from being sandwiched by clubbers taking its effect. The blonde who was one step from wanking me off in full view of the club snapped my fly. I keyed in my next mix, then grabbed her hand and threw it away from me, snapping my fly closed. I groaned when her hands slid back into my hair. I looked at my mate who had spun before me. “Nick!” I pointed to my decks. “Watch this. And don’t mess it up.”
Nick frowned in confusion, then saw the girl behind me and smiled. He took my headphones from me and moved to make sure the playlist I’d set up played on cue. Steve, the club’s owner, always let a few girls backstage. I never asked for it, but I never turned them down either. Why would I refuse a hot bird who was up for anything?
I swiped my Jack off my podium as the blonde smashed her lips to mine, pulling me back by my sleeveless Creamfields shirt. I wrenched my mouth from hers, replacing it with the Jack bottle. The blonde dragged me into a dark spot backstage. She dropped to her knees and started again on my fly. I closed my eyes as she went to work.
I sucked on the Jack as my head hit the wall behind me. I forced myself to feel something. I glanced down, watching blond hair bounce below me. But the numbness I lived with every damn day made me feel virtually nothing inside. Pressure built at the base of my spine. My thighs tightened, and then it was over.
The blonde got up. I could see the stars in her eyes as she looked at me. “Your eyes.” She reached out a finger to trace around my eye. “The strangest color. Such dark blue.”
They were. Coupled with my black hair, they always drew attention. That and the fact that I was one of the hottest new DJs in Europe, of course. Okay, maybe it was less to do with my eyes and more to do with my name, Cromwell Dean, gracing the headline spot on most of the biggest music festivals and clubs this summer.
I zipped up my fly and turned to see Nick spinning my next mix. I cringed when he failed to transition the beats like I would have. Navy blue was the backdrop to the smoke on the dancefloor.
I never hit navy blue.
I brushed past the girl with a “Thanks, love,” ignoring her hiss of “Prick” in response. I took my headphones off Nick’s head and put them on my own. A few taps of the keyboard later, the crowd was back in the palm of my hand.
Without conscious thought, my eyes found their way to the spot where the girl in the purple dress had stood.
But she’d gone. So had the pale pink and lavender.
I threw back another shot of Jack. Mixed another tune. Then zoned the fuck out.
*****
The sand was cold under my feet. It may well have been the start of summer here in the UK, but that didn’t mean the night wind didn’t freeze your balls off the minute you stepped outside. Clutching my bottle of booze and my cigarettes, I dropped down to the sand. I lit up and stared at the dark sky. My phone buzzed in my pocket . . . again. It’d been going off all night.
Pissed off that I actually had to move my arm, I pulled out my mobile. I had three missed calls from Professor Lewis. Two from my mum, and finally, a couple of texts.
Mum: Professor Lewis has been trying to get hold of you again. What are you going to do? Please just call me. I know you’re upset, but this is your future. You have a gift, son. Maybe it’s time for a fresh start this year. Don’t waste it because you’re angry at me.
Red-hot fury shot through me. I wanted to throw my phone in the damn sea and watch it sink to the bottom along with all this messed-up shit in my head, but I saw Professor Lewis had texted too.
Lewis: The offer still stands but I need an answer by next week. I have all I need for the transfer except your answer. You have an exceptional talent, Cromwell. Don’t waste it. I can help.
This time I did drop my phone beside me and sank back into the sand. I let the rush of nicotine fill my lungs and closed my eyes. As my eyelids shut, I heard quiet music playing somewhere nearby. Classical. Mozart.
My drunken mind immediately drifted off to when I was a little kid . . .
“What do you hear, Cromwell?” my father asked.
I closed my eyes and listened to the piece of music. Colors danced before my eyes. “Piano. Violins. Cellos . . .” I took a deep breath. “I can hear reds and greens and pinks.”
I opened my eyes and looked up at my father as he sat on my bed. He was staring down at me. There was a funny expression on his face. “You hear colors?” he said. But he didn’t sound surprised. My face set on fire. I ducked my head under my duvet. My father pulled it down from my eyes. He stroked my hair. “That’s good,” he said, his voice kind of deep. “That’s very good . . .”
My eyes snapped open. My hand started to ache. I looked at the bottle in my hand; my fingers were white as they gripped the neck. I sat up, my head spinning from the mass of whiskey in my body. My temples throbbed. I realized it wasn’t from the Jack, but from the music coming from further down the beach. I pushed my hair back from my face then looked to my right.
Someone was only a few feet away. I squinted into the lightening night, summer’s early rising sun making it possible to make out the features of whoever the hell it was. It was a girl. A girl wrapped in a blanket. Her phone sat beside her, a Mozart piano concerto drifting quietly from the speaker.
She must have felt me looking at her, because she turned her head. I frowned, wondering why I knew her face, but then—
“You’re the DJ,” she said.
Recognition dawned. It was the girl in the purple dress.
She clutched her blanket closer around her as I replayed her accent in my head. American. Bible Belt was my guess, by her thick twang.
She sounded like my mum.
A smile tugged at her lips as I stayed mute. I wasn’t much of a talker. Especially when my gut was full of Jack and I had zero interest in making small talk with some girl I didn’t know at four in the morning on a cold beach in Brighton.
“I’d heard of you,” she said. I stared back out over the sea. Ships sailed in the distance, their lights like tiny fireflies, bobbing up and down. I huffed a humorless laugh. Great. Another girl who wanted to screw the DJ.
“Good for you,” I muttered and took a drink of my Jack, feeling the addictive burn slide down my throat. I hoped she’d piss off, or at least stop trying to talk to me. My head couldn’t take any more noise.
“Not really,” she shot back. I looked over at her, eyebrows pulled down in confusion. She was looking out over the sea, her chin resting on her folded arms that lay over her bent knees. The blanket had fallen off her shoulders, revealing the purple dress I’d noticed from the podium. She turned to face me, cheek now on her arms. Heat zipped through me. She was pretty. “I’ve heard of you, Cromwell Dean.” She shrugged. “Decided to get a ticket to see you before I left for home tomorrow.”
I lit up another cigarette. Her nose wrinkled. She clearly didn’t like the smell.
Tough luck. She could move. Last time I checked, England was a free country. She went quiet.
I caught her looking at me. Her brown eyes were narrowed, like she was scrutinizing me. Reading something in me that I didn’t want anyone to see.
No one ever looked at me closely. I never gave them the chance. I thrived on the podium at clubs because it kept everyone far away, down on the dancefloor where no one ever saw the real me. The way she was looking at me now made nervous shivers break out over my skin.
I didn’t need this kind of crap.
“Already had my dick sucked tonight, love. Not looking for a second round.”
She blinked, and even in the rising sun, I could see her cheeks redden.
“Your music has no soul,” she blurted. My cigarette paused halfway to my mouth. Something managed to stab through my stomach at her words. I shoved it back down until I felt my usual sensation of numbness.
I sucked on my cigarette. “Yeah? Well, them’s the breaks.”
“I’d heard you were some messiah or something on that podium. But all your music comprised was synthetic beats and forced repetitive bursts of unoriginal tempo.”
I laughed and shook my head. The girl met my eyes head-on. “It’s called electronic dance music. Not a fifty-piece orchestra.” I held out my arms. “You’ve heard of me. Said so yourself. You know what tunes I spin. What were you expecting? Mozart?” I glared at her phone, which was still playing that damn concerto.
I sat back, surprised at myself. I hadn’t talked that much to anyone in . . . I didn’t know how long. I took in a drag, breathing out the smoke that was trapped in my chest. “And turn that thing off, will you? Who the hell goes to hear a dance DJ spin, then comes to a beach to listen to classical music?”
The girl frowned but turned off the music. I lay back on the cold sand, closing my eyes. I heard the soft waves lapping the shore. My head filled with pale green. I heard the girl moving. I prayed she was leaving. But I felt her drop beside me. My world darkened as the whiskey and the usual lack of sleep started to pull me under.
“What do you feel when you mix your music?” she asked. How the hell she thought her little interview was a good idea right now was beyond me.
Yet, surprisingly, I found myself answering her question. “I don’t feel.” I cracked one eye open when she didn’t say anything. She was looking down at me. She had the biggest brown eyes I’d ever seen. Dark hair pulled off her face in a ponytail. Full lips and smooth skin.
“Then that’s the problem.” She smiled, but the smile looked nothing but sad. Pitying. “The best music must be felt. By the creator. By the listener. Every part of it from creation to ear must be wrapped in nothing but feelings.” Some weird expression crossed over her face, but hell if I knew what it meant.
Her words were a blade to my chest. I hadn’t expected her harsh comment. And I hadn’t expected the blunt trauma that she seemed to deliver right to my heart. Like she’d taken a butcher’s knife and sliced her way through my soul.
My body itched to get up and run. To pluck out her assessment of my music from my memory. But instead I forced a laugh, and spat, “Go back home, little Dorothy. Back to where music means something. Where it’s felt.”
“Dorothy was from Kansas.” She glanced away. “I’m not.”
“Then go back to wherever the hell you’re from,” I snapped. Crossing my arms over my chest, I hunkered down into the sand and shut my eyes, trying to block out the cold wind that was picking up and slapping my skin, and her words that were still stabbing at my heart.
I never let anything get to me like this. Not anymore. I just needed some sleep. I didn’t want to go back to my mum’s house here in Brighton, and my flat in London was too far away. So hopefully the cops wouldn’t find me here and kick me off the beach.
With my eyes closed, I said, “Thanks for the midnight critique, but as the fastest-rising DJ in Europe, with the best clubs in the world begging for me to spin at their decks—all at nineteen—I think I’ll ignore your extensive notes and just keep on living my sweet as fuck life.”
The girl sighed, but she didn’t say anything else.
The next thing I knew, the sun was burning its light into my eyes. I flinched when I opened them. The screech of swarming seagulls slammed into my head. I sat up, seeing an empty beach and the sun high in the sky. I ran my hands down my face and groaned at the hangover that was kicking in. My stomach growled, desperate for a full English breakfast with copious cups of black tea.
As I stood, something fell from my lap. A blanket lay on the sand at my feet. The blanket I’d seen beside the American girl in the purple dress.
The one she’d been wrapped in last night.
I picked it up, a light fragrance drifted into my nose. Sweet. Addictive. I glanced around me. The girl was gone.
She’d left her blanket. No. She’d covered me with it. “Your music has no soul.” A hard clenching feeling pulled in my stomach at the memory of her words. So I chased it away like I did anything that made me feel. Caging it deep inside.
Then I took my arse home.



Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.

Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.

Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.

When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.

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Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Pr*ck Charming - Madison Faye

Title: Pr*ck CharmingSeries: Royally Screwed #4Author: Madison FayeGenre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 21, 2018


Blurb
He’s the most notorious bad boy in royalty.The kind of man your mother warns you about.He’s not the man you get drunk with, or get tattoos with.He’s not the man you wake up naked in a hotel bed next to.Oh, and he’s definitely not the one you accidentally marry.Oops...

Rough, wild, uncivilized and filthy. The tabloids like to write all sorts of shit about me, but some of it’s pretty spot on. Like the tattoo I’ve got you-know-where?
Yeah, that one’s true.
I wasn’t looking for trouble that night, but I sure found it in her – Princess Faith LaFleur. If I’m the notorious bad boy, she’s just as infamous for being good, sweet, innocent, and untouched.
I saved her from a tight spot, but it all gets fuzzy from there. Fuzzy, close, kissing, tattooed, a couple of “I-do’s”, and a whole bunch of naked from there. And the next thing I know, I’m waking up next to the last girl on earth I should have anything to do with.
Because that sweetness comes with a whole big helping of sass, and there’s more fire in her than I ever saw coming. Oh, and throw in the fact that her father’s behind a plot to take my crown and steal my kingdom, and we’ve got ourselves what you might call a situation.
The world will tell me that this is wrong, and that I should walk away.
…Not a chance.
First, I made her my wife. But now, I’m going to make her mine.

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Author Bio
#1 bestselling contemporary romance author Madison Faye is the dirty alter ego of the very wholesome, very normal suburban housewife behind the stories. While she might be a wife, mom, and PTA organizer on the outside, there’s nothing but hot, steamy, and raunchy fantasies brewing right beneath the surface!

Tired of keeping them hidden inside or only having them come out in the bedroom, they’re all here in the form of some wickedly hot stories. Single-minded alpha hero, sinfully taboo relationships, and wildly over-the-top scenarios. If you love it extra dirty, extra hot, and extra naughty, this is the place for you! (Just don’t tell the other PTA members you saw her here…)

Join the mailing list for author updates, special prices, and TWO free starter-library books! http://eepurl.com/b-b5Pz

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Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Still Us - Lindsay Detwiler

Title: Still UsAuthor: Lindsay DetwilerPublisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Genre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: May 19, 2018


Blurb
From the first time they locked eyes, Lila Morrow and Luke Bowman had a special spark. Their first kiss sealed their fairy-tale romance… until everything fell apart.
Luke’s life began when he met Lila—and in many ways, it ended when she left him. Drowning in regrets, Luke is determined to give Lila the space to be happy. The sexy, singing roofer quickly realizes, however, he really shouldn’t have let her go.
After their breakup, Lila moves back in with her family. The twenty-nine-year-old veterinarian’s transition to a life without Luke isn’t as easy as she expected. With the help of her wild Grandma Claire and her high-heel-loving sister, Maren, she starts to play the field… but she isn’t sure she’ll ever stop loving the curly-haired man from her early twenties.
Luke and Lila’s love story ended, and their individual boxes have been packed. But as they explore the single life and the dating world, both discover sometimes the love you leave behind is exactly what you need to be happy.

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Author Bio

An English teacher, an author, and a fan of anything pink and/or glittery, Lindsay's the English teacher cliché; she loves cats, reading, Shakespeare, and Poe.

She currently lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad (her junior high sweetheart); their cats, Arya, Amelia, Alice, Marjorie, and Bob; and their mastiff, Henry.

Lindsay's goal with her writing is to show the power of love and the beauty of life while also instilling a true sense of realism in her work. Some reviewers have noted that her books are not the “typical romance.” With her novels coming from a place of honesty, Lindsay examines the difficult questions, looks at the tough emotions, and paints the pictures that are sometimes difficult to look at. She wants her fiction to resonate with readers as realistic, poetic, and powerful. Lindsay wants women readers to be able to say, “I see myself in that novel.” She wants to speak to the modern woman’s experience while also bringing a twist of something new and exciting. Her aim is for readers to say, “That could happen,” or “I feel like the characters are real.” That’s how she knows she's done her job.

Lindsay's hope is that by becoming a published author, she can inspire some of her students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. She wants them to see that any dream can be attained and publishing a novel isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

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Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

#CockyGate and #NotMyClickFarm (From My Newsletter)

Normally I don't add information from my newsletter to the blog, but I felt this was an important message that all my readers needed to be aware of.  If you haven't already signed up, please do so.  This is copied verbatim from my letter. 
#CockyGate and #NotMyClickFarm (From My Newsletter) It's with my deepest regret that I tell you today I'm pulling my books from Kindle Unlimited.  This decision was well thought out, but I wanted to explain my reasoning and hopefully your understanding if you were using Kindle Unlimited to read my work.  If you read my blog, you'll remember the article I wrote concerning #Cockygate. To put it all in a nutshell, an author attempted to trademark the word cocky and was demanding authors removed any titles containing that word.  Recently, the author pulled her trademark (or it's marked for cancellation).

After that happened, obviously I was upset for all the authors who had their books altered, but something else came on it's heels.  Kindle Unlimited started deleting accounts without a valid claim to innocent authors, hinting that they were part of a click farm.  I've talked with several of these authors, and they were given no opportunity to plead their case.  Their books were removed and eventually their ability to publish on the Amazon platform.  You can read about one of those authors on my blog in my interview with Sophie Stern.  Hence the hashtag #NotMyClickFarm
After reading the email Amazon sent, and seeing that this wasn't an issue under her control, I made the decision to write Amazon and ask that my books be removed from the Kindle Unlimited program.  Sophie is no longer allowed to publish her books on Amazon, so she wasn't just booted from the Kindle Unlimited Program.  To me, that is a risk I wasn't willing to take.  I'll admit, I didn't even know "Click Farms" existed until a few weeks ago.  The last thing I want to do is have my books pulled from Amazon, so I took the safer route (I hope) and removed my books from that program.

What really bothers me is that it looks like Sophie's books "might" have been removed because a marketing company she used was either hacked or part of the problem.  I say might because I can only base that information on the email Amazon sent her warning that Kindle Unlimited authors were responsible for who they marketed with and if this type of problem arose from that. To be honest, I'm afraid to market my books at all now.  So, until I feel safe again, the only marketing I do will be in the form of this newsletter or via my social media links. 

I'm sorry for the long-winded letter, but I felt it was important that you understand why I felt the need to pull my books from the Kindle Unlimited program.  I understand that it's easier for some people (and more cost efficient) to get their reading material through the program, so I do apologize to anyone that is disappointed in my decision.  I try to keep my books reasonably priced because I understand that times are tough.  As always, I look forward to hearing your comments, and if you can't afford my work, let me know.  Most people that know me will tell you I do this for the love of sharing my books, not for the paycheck.  Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Christine Moyer - Our Song Rocks Series

Five friends, one up and coming country music band.  This series is full of laughter, tears, friendships, and enough seduction fill and arenal.  You're sure to have a fangasm or two.
 Addy wasn't looking for love, and she definitely wasn't looking for love with Liam Walker.

Liam is the lead singer in an up and coming country band. He's also Addy's evil step sisters ex.

Liam knows that Addy's PERFECT for him, and when he finds out Addy's pregnant, He's determined to prove he can make her and her crazy friends happy, juggle his career, and be a daddy.

Five friends, one up and coming country band, and seven love stories. This series is full of laughter, tears, friendships and enough seduction to fill an arena. Your sure to have a fangasm or two!



Now that Liam Walker is off the market, one of his best friends and lead guitarist for their up and coming country music band, Luke Daniels is stepping into the spotlight. 
Luke knew right away, that Josie Wheeler, was special. She's sweet, protective, and loyal to a fault. All the things his Ma, told him to look for in a woman.
So when he finds all those qualities in Josie, and more, he's determined to make her his.
The more Josie tries to push Luke into the friend zone, the more determined Luke is to show her how AMAZING, they can be together,
Five friends, one up and coming country band, and seven love stories. This series is full of laughter, tears, friendships and enough seduction to fill an arena. Your sure to have a fangasm or two!


With band members Liam and Luke finding love, it's time for their Hot Irish keyboardist, Gavin Phillips to step into the spotlight.
Gavin fell for Kara the moment he saw her. He knew immediately he wanted her. Now that he's had a taste of her, he knows no other woman will satisfy him like the loving, caring and spirited woman. 
Gavin is all the things Kara loves. Hot, Tattooed, Irish and a Musician. Kara has spent her whole life caring for her parents, siblings and friends. 
Can Gavin convince Kara that its okay for her to let someone take care of her for a change?
Five friends, one up and coming country music band, and seven love stories. This series is full of laughter, tears, friendships, and enough seduction to fill an arena. Your sure to have a fangasm or two!

With band members Liam, Luke and Gavin finding love, the bands sexy as sin drummer Travis, is stepping into the spotlight.
Travis felt a connection to Kerrigan from the moment he met her. The problem was, they were both in relationships. 
And she was one of his closest friends little sister.
She was also still a virgin.
There’s no way Travis is going to risk ruining a friendship and cause possible problems within the band; or will he?
Five friends, one up and coming country music band, and seven love stories. This series is full of laughter, tears, friendships, and enough seduction to fill an arena. 
Your sure to have a fangasm or two!

Christine, is the mother of three young adult sons, three dogs, and a macaw. She's an author of imperfect love stories.
She loves a good romance story. If she's not reading or writing one, she's probably curled up watching Grey's Anatomy, the Walking Dead or The Voice, with her husband.

Christine Moyer-Author

Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Sophie Stern Exclusive Interview (#NotMyClickFarm)

Today we’re talking with Sophie Stern about a subject that is causing a firestorm in the self-publishing industry. Sophie had all her book royalties from the Kindle Unlimited program revoked and her account on Amazon as an author was deleted. Tears of Crimson supports authors and we wanted to delve deeper into this travesty as well as share her work that was put on new publishing platforms after this debacle.
TOC:  Thank you for joining us today, Sophie. Can you tell us how long you’ve had your account with Amazon, and what made you decide to publish there?
SS:  Thank you so much for having me, Michelle. I really appreciate the chance to talk with you about this important issue. I have been publishing books with Amazon since 2011. During that time, I have sold books ranging from non-fiction educational guides to paranormal romance books. I began publishing with Amazon because I found the platform easy and simple to use. It seemed like a great place to reach a wide audience. Pretty much everyone I knew had an Amazon account and it was easy to do "free" days when I wanted to give away books.
TOC:  What response did Amazon give when they told you they were suspending your account?
SS:  They sent me a form letter letting me know my account had been flagged as being associated with people trying to manipulate the system. I received a warning in April and then a second email that notified me of a suspension in May. They suspended my account for two days before reinstating it. Then, a few days later, they deleted it completely. When my account suspension ended, I had completely unpublished all of my books from Amazon, so I have no idea what the violation was, nor did Amazon provide this information. I had also requested they remove my books from Kindle Unlimited. They did not reply to that email.
They simply sent me a letter letting me know that they were withholding all of my royalties and deleting my account entirely. Although I had explained several times that I was not marketing my books, nor was I paying anyone to read them, my account was still terminated. Throughout this ordeal, I only received form responses. Amazon did not reply to direct questions or concerns, nor would they speak with me via telephone about this issue. I was told the department that handles these issues does not have a phone line.
TOC:  I’ve never heard of “click farm” until last week, can you let our readers know what that is and why they believed you were involved with one?
SS:  A click farm, to my understanding, is when an author pays a company to read their Kindle Unlimited books. Because KU royalties are paid per-page read, this results in higher earnings for the author and artificially raises their page rank, resulting in more visibility on Amazon and other sites.
Unfortunately, Amazon did not tell me why they believed my books were associated with click farms. I have many books on the site ranging in topic and until this time, had not had trouble with Amazon.
TOC:  If Amazon had given you a chance to plead your case, what would you say to them?
SS:  When I emailed Amazon, I explained that over the last seven years of publishing with them, I have been careful to follow all regulations in regards to marketing and publishing. I've never tried to scam the system, so it's unfortunate that they find it necessary to punish an author who has played by the rules. If they gave me another chance to speak with them, I would ask to see the documentation that "proves" my account has been associated with click farms or illegal activities that violate the standards of the KDP contract. As it is, they have not provided any of this information.
TOC:  Do you feel that this was a personal attack by another author, or just a random act of book pirates?
SS:  I think that Amazon's hasty decision to delete my account entirely means there is more happening behind the scenes than I know about. To my knowledge, most other authors had their second warning and then their accounts were reinstated. Mine was not. It's hard to feel like this isn't personal, but I have no information on why my books were targeted. There is a lot of speculation in the author world right now as to whether these attacks were personal or random.
TOC:  Are you planning to take this matter to court?
SS:  Unfortunately, I cannot afford an attorney at this time. Amazon is withholding enough money from me that hiring a lawyer is not possible for me.
TOC:  Could you tell us, in your own words, what your thoughts are about what happened to you?
SS:  It's unfortunate and saddening and it breaks my heart a little bit. It's hard to feel like the world is crushing down on you. I've fought for success and I've written my heart out over these last seven years. Losing everything overnight has been incredibly painful emotionally and financially.
That said, it has been incredible to receive the emails and Facebook messages from readers who have offered their support and sympathy during this time. That truly means a lot to me. I appreciate each and every message.
TOC:  What are your plans now for your books?
SS:  My books will be available on other retailers. I still have a lot of stories to tell and I love my readers so much. The Fablestone Clan stories will continue, as will the Office Gentlemen series. These stories, along with my other books, will be available at iTunes, B&N, and KOBO.
TOC:  Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

SS:  The best place to stay updated on my stories is on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sexysophiestern. Readers can also reach me through my website at www.sexysophiestern.com.
TOC:  Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today, Sophie. We wish you success and you have our support.
SS:  Thank you so much, Michelle. It's been a pleasure. I wish you and your readers all the best.



Description
A woman in danger…

A lost baby…

A long journey home…

Peggy is nothing special. As the night janitor at Westbridge High, she just wants to finish cleaning so she can hurry home and work on her art. For Peggy, nothing makes her feel more alive than when she's standing in front of a canvas. Then one night, everything changes…

A woman in trouble runs up to Peggy and gives her a child. She begs Peggy to take the child to Fablestone where the baby will be safe. From what? Peggy doesn't know. All she knows is that the two agents who show up on her doorstep the next day aren't with the FBI, and she'd bet anything they're scientists who want to get their hands on dragon's blood.

That's not going to happen.

Not on Peggy's watch.

Peggy doesn't have a choice. She has to get the baby to the Fablestone clan before the full moon ends. She has to reach Fablestone before it's too late.

The fate of the clan is resting on Peggy, and she swore a dragon's oath to return the child to its rightful home.

She'll do whatever it takes, even if it costs her everything.
Dragon's Oath (The Fablestone Clan Book 1):https://www.books2read.com/u/m2vLx1

DescriptionMy coronation day was supposed to be the most magical day of my life. After all, I've been waiting my entire life to become queen. There's no one better suited to rule over Draco Patriam - Dragon Country - than me.

If you talk to my twin sister, you'll hear a different story.

This time, Ruby has taken things too far. She's used magic to keep me out of the magical borders that surround our home.

And she's separated me from my mates: all four of them.

Hot, sexy, and completely enamored with me: my dragon-shifter mates are everything a girl could ever want, and I can't get to them because of my evil twin.

Now the clock is ticking.

I've got one year to find a way inside the magical borders that surround the castle and save my mates. Otherwise, we'll be separated for all eternity, Ruby will rule the dragon world, and me?

I'll be stuck in the human realm.

I can't let that happen.The Royal Her (A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance):https://www.books2read.com/u/3yDZXl

Description For Lindsey, things can't get much worse. She's unemployed, living in a crappy apartment, and in debt up to her ears. She can't see a way out of the mess she's living in until her former roommate, Victoria, offers up a strange idea.

A dragon man on the island is looking for a slave and he'll pay anything to get what he wants. The commitment is for one year. The payment: half a million dollars.

The only question is whether she's willing to give up a little bit of herself to get what she wants.
My Lord and Dragon (Dragon Isle Book 1):https://www.books2read.com/u/me2WoY





Description Hope moves to Honeypot to escape a bad breakup. She gets a job as a ranch hand doing menial labor. It's hard work, but she doesn't mind. It gives her something to focus on besides her pain.

It takes her mind off her loser ex and focuses it on something useful, like gardening and feeding chickens.

But there's something strange about the Blair brothers. They're always whispering among themselves, sneaking off at night, and talking about things that don't make sense to her.

Before Hope can figure out what they're hiding, she finds herself falling for the oldest brother, Wyatt. He's tall, dark, handsome, and incredibly charming, but there's something more to the quirky cowboy.

Can Hope handle his secret?

Can he handle hers?
The Bear's Virgin Darling (Honeypot Darlings Book 1):https://www.books2read.com/u/m2voJr


Author website:www.sexysophiestern.com
Author Facebook:www.facebook.com/sexysophiestern
Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Welcome to the Cameo Hotel - K.I. Lynn

Blurb
My life was on track.The plan?- Finish my MBA- Get out of the hotel- Finally date James, my manager With only three months left, everything was set.Then he walked in.What I thought was just a difficult guest toppled my life in ways I didn’t plan for. He was an asshole, demanding, and more alluring than should be legal.I had a path. He destroyed it.What now?

ADD TO GOODREADS




Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS






Author Bio
K.I. Lynn is the USA Today Bestselling Author from The Bend Anthology and the Amazon Bestselling Series, Breach. She spent her life in the arts, everything from music to painting and ceramics, then to writing. Characters have always run around in her head, acting out their stories, but it wasn't until later in life she would put them to pen. It would turn out to be the one thing she was really passionate about.

Since she began posting stories online, she's garnered acclaim for her diverse stories and hard hitting writing style. Two stories and characters are never the same, her brain moving through different ideas faster than she can write them down as it also plots its quest for world domination...or cheese. Whichever is easier to obtain... Usually it's cheese.


Author Links
NEWSLETTER
FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
GOODREADS
GOODREADS GROUP
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
AMAZON
BOOKBUB




Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveawayThanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Blog Your Book With Tears of Crimson

For many years, Tears of Crimson has shared incredible books and that isn't changing.  What is changing is the way we share them.  This is an open invitation to romance authors to share your books personally with Tears.  Many new authors can't afford to buy a book blog tour, and we don't want to leave these authors out.  So while we will continue to accept premade posts from blog tour companies, our main focus will be giving authors a way to promote their books without paying to blog about it.  Simply fill out this form  http://bit.ly/BookWithTears and we'll take care of the rest.

We'll share your book with our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest readers.  We believe that every book deserves the chance to seen and that's our goal.  Tears of Crimson will create a blog post and share it so your book gets the recognition it deserves.




Did you know that Derek Murphy made a great 3D mockup page for books that you can use free of charge to post your books?  Check it out here:  http://www.diybookcovers.com/3Dmockups/  He also has a great Ad creator free of charge for books that can be found here:  DIY Package Templates

Formatting your book driving you crazy?  Did you know you can purchase a book template that formats your book as you write it?  Check it out here:  https://www.bookdesigntemplates.com/

To get great stock photo for free check out https://www.pexels.com/ and for free stock photos and video visit here https://pixabay.com/

Need ARC readers and want an easy way to find them?  Try Instafreebie   you can even upload the first chapter of your book and give it away for free this way.  Remember to include a link at the end of your first chapter to the complete book so they can buy it.  You can choose who gets to read your book by making it only available by link if you're looking for Advanced Copy Readers.

Don't forget to put your book on Goodreads.  If you haven't created a profile there yet, read this article for more help:  How To Set Up Your Goodreads Profile


If you have questions, feel free to write us at Tears and we'll do our best to help.  We're looking forward to helping your book get it's spotlight!


Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!

Authors and Romance Readers Take a Stand Against #Cockygate

I've debated about continuing with this protest, because the last thing I want to do is give this author publicity for her act.  In the end, I decided this has to be spoken about, because we need to make sure nothing like this happens again.  Hopkins decision to try to trademark a commonly used word in the Romance/Erotic book world could set a very dangerous precedent.  What happens next?  Someone tries to trademark the words romance, new adult, billionaire, alpha male, virgin?  Do you see where I'm going with this?  If you haven't read my original post about this subject (or heard anything about it) read this first:  My Thoughts on #Cockygate

To be "Fair" to the author, I'm including her video thoughts


Most romance authors have used the word cocky in their books, and even in titles.  I can only assume this was a publicity stunt gone wrong, because there was no way this was going to stand up in a court of law.  When the RWA got involved, I think all romance authors stood up and cheered.  You can read more about their involvement here: RWA Trademark Update They got involved because this author contacted Amazon attempting to have books removed with the word Cocky in their title.  Amazon followed through and removed titles, then after contact with RWA reversed their decision.



Snide reports from a newspaper journalist who obviously has no respect for romance authors, fueled the fire (you can read that here NY Daily News ). What Leonard Greene (the reporter) considered "wrathful writers" was authors protecting their rights, but the left leaning publication has rarely gotten things right in my opinion (yes, I'm a conservative that doesn't approve). What he fails to understand is that this is a business, and we're not just sitting around eating bon bons pumping out smut for fun.  Authors spend thousands of dollars to get a book to market.  Editing, cover art, model,  rights, advertising and the like to reach readers is not uncommon.  So no, we aren't "wrathful writers" we are savvy business people that understand where a situation like this could lead.

We'll watch this play out in a court of law, and I'm confident (hopeful too) that this ends in the favor of the majority of romance authors and this scenario won't happen again.  You can join in the protest by visiting the Twibbon Campaign here:  https://twibbon.com/manage/Manage/Index/free-the-cocky and join the Facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/authorsgonebad/  Follow along with the debate by using the hashtags #CockyGate #FreeTheCocky and #ByeFaleena on social media.


Thanks for joining us at Tears of Crimson. Home to Bestselling Author Michelle Hughes,and all the Friends of Crimson!