K.C. Stewart's Blog, page 10

Scorch Excerpt

“Hope. That is your answer?”

He tilted his head slightly at her tone. “It is.”

“Why should I hope for something that is doomed?” she asked plainly. “What would going back solve? We’d be happy for what? Five minutes before some new drama puts us at odds. I’m tired of fighting all the time. Loving Dak is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s like loving a frickin’ mountain. He’s stubborn and unyielding to the point that I just want to beat my fists against him but that would do nothing but make me bleed. I can’t take being built up again just to have him tell me how I’m supposed to live, feel or love.”

She gave a short humorless laugh and shook her head. “Hope is one of the worst promises I could give myself. Because if I allow myself to hope for him to come around, and it doesn’t happen…I will be broken. Dak is hard headed, inflexible and has arrogance coming out his ass. He is my Mate, and God help me, but I love him for all his faults, even if he can’t love me for mine.” While Silas listened he reached over and brushed his thumbs over each of her cheeks clearing away the tears. She batted his hands away and with a clear voice she continued, “If I walk away now, I can keep what little is left of me together. I can hold on to the cracked pieces that haven’t completely shattered and go on living. It might not be the best life, but it will be under my own terms.”

He should have been happy at her declaration. Silas could have his sister without Dacea’s interference. They could leave tonight and travel, go wherever she wanted for as long as she wanted. They could connect. But he could either have the Hailey that was full of pop culture trivia and was always good for a smile with her infectious laugh. Or he could have the reserved Hailey who watches the clouds pass by from the window of her room, never granting more than a brief comment to the mundane. He could have one or the other, but she couldn’t be both.

Silas may not have spent much time with her yet, but he knew who his sister was.

“Hailey,” he put his hands on her shoulders and tilted his head to the side trying to catch her gaze. “There is always reason to hope.”

Scorch Blurb

Here it is!!!

I just decided five minutes ago to post the blurb and as a bonus you get a little peek at the cover. I just gave Scorch to my editor last night and I’m expecting a release in december or january. Cover release will be happening soon so keep an eye out.

Blurb

Hailey Holloway has a serious knack with running from her problems. At the first sign of trouble she can be found lacing up her Nikes and hitting the road. Dacea has been patient with her, but a man can only handle so much. He told her before that he would not chase after her again and is he nothing, if not a man of his word. Katherine is more than happy to pick at the wound that festers between them. If she picks enough, she just might make one or both of them bleed.

War is on the horizon. Together, they need to convince the leaders of Blue and Silver to join their crusade against the Council, but can they put their differences aside and stop fighting long enough to help those in the line of fire?

Rules Regarding Gray ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Gracelynn is drowning in an existence that fails to fulfill her. A ballerina by trade, she’s devoted her life to the stage, sacrificing adventure for discipline. When her boyfriend gives her permission to want what she’s not supposed to want, can she walk away? Or will she leap?

Jasper isn’t a man with many boundaries, and “sharing” a woman with his best friend is hardly a new endeavor. But the moment he meets Gracelynn he realizes she’s different. She leaves him feeling alive in a way he’s not used to, and for the first time in his life, he understands what it means to be wanted… Cherished… And he needs more…

But there are rules—rules that forbid Jasper from truly having her. As forbidden desire spirals out of control, Jasper has to decide if he’s willing to fight for something that doesn’t truly belong to him. His best friend doesn’t deserve her, but is Jasper strong enough to believe he does?

Gracelynn has always been focused on her career. As a dancer she threw herself into studying and practicing until she met her goal as principal at her dance company. By doing this she never really lived. Ian is the rich businessman who entertains her thoughts of adventure. He introduces her to his best friend Jasper. Seeing their instant connection, Ian suggests they share Gray.

All in all it was a good book. Finn really made the connection between Gray and Jasper come alive and I wanted to bitch slap Ian on more than one occasion. Jasper is the stereotypical bad boy who doesn’t commit. Gray is much stronger than she originally appears. It was an entertain read with a lot more sex than I had anticipating.

4 stars

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

She followed the maître d’ to the back of the restaurant, and when he opened a door into a small private dining room, she took a deep breath and followed him. But that deep breath didn’t help her a bit when her eyes met Jasper’s as he looked up to her. She gasped, and his eyes popped open wide in shock. Ian’s back was to her, but as Ian clearly caught the shocked expression on Jasper’s face, he turned toward her, smiling broadly.

“I was starting to think you were standing me up,” Ian commented casually.

“What…?” She shook her head.

Jas stood at that moment, glaring angrily down at Ian. “You just don’t know when to leave well enough alone do you?” And then he looked to her, his face softening visibly. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“Wait!” Ian cried, but there was a smirk on his lips. He stood then, holding his hands up to both of them. “It isn’t about that. I know you’re both pissed at me for that suggestion. Apparently the topic of sharing my girlfriend with my best friend isn’t one I can just throw out there off the cuff. I just wanted to make amends. You’re my best friend, Jasper, and Gray, you’re my girlfriend. I need things to be okay—”

“You need to get your head examined,” Jasper muttered as he stalked out of the room, breezing by her on the way.

She glared at Ian for a moment as he watched her, and then she shook her head. She followed Jasper’s lead, walking quickly from the room. She had no idea if she was trying to catch up to him or if she was just plain fleeing, and she was leaving it entirely up to whether he was still in the parking lot when she reached it. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she started quickly down the aisle, and then she stopped walking altogether.

He was there. Not even attempting to leave—just leaning up against the hood of his car, watching her as though he’d been waiting for her to find him. She slowed her gait as she closed the space between them, and he studied every step she took.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here either.” She wasn’t really sure what else to say.

“That was quite clear given the expression on your face. I’m sorry.” His ankles were crossed as he leaned casually against the hood of his car, but however casual his posture might be, his intense eyes were boring holes into her skull and sending an invisible shudder through her body.

“Jas … I’m really sorry about what I said to you last week after you left my place.” She swallowed painfully as he watched her.

He shook his head. “Don’t be. I respect your need to put some space between us. You were right to do that—especially after my behavior when I was at your loft. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He was studying her eyes closely. “In fact, I owe you an apology for that little outburst of mine.” He smirked.

She nodded slowly for a moment. “Well regardless, I’ve regretted those words from the moment they came out of my mouth. They felt wrong.”

When she managed to glance back at him, his jaw was tight and rigid, and his nostrils were flaring as he inhaled slowly.

“You know…” He glanced away for a moment. “…beyond the completely inappropriate things I admitted to you the other night, I actually do just like hanging out with you. I think I was more upset that I couldn’t do that anymore than anything else. But I do understand. And I don’t want you to feel guilty about putting barriers in place between us.”

She nodded. “I like hanging out with you too.” She looked down at the ground between them. “And I don’t need barriers.”

He watched her for a moment. “Okay,” he said quietly. “You hungry?”

She smiled. “Yeah, actually.”

He pushed off the car then, offering her his arm. “Shall we go deal with your ridiculous boyfriend?”

She laughed and took his arm. “He’s your best friend.”

“Yes.” He looked down at her as they walked slowly back toward the restaurant. “You look nice. I like this dress, and I like your hair down.”

She thanked him as warmth settled into her cheeks, and she avoided looking at him lest it intensify into a full on blush. When they reached the front door of the restaurant, his hand met her lower back—not low enough to be inappropriate, but not high enough to be completely platonic, and he didn’t remove it until they were walking back into the private dining room.

Ian was sitting at the table patiently with his fingers steepled against his chin. He’d moved to the side of the table, so he was facing the door now, and as they entered, he smirked. “Glad I won’t be eating alone,” he commented.

She took the spot Ian had abandoned, and Jasper scooted her chair in before he rounded the table and took the place across from her.

Jasper’s focus settled on Ian. “You owe us both an apology.”

Ian glanced between the two of them for a moment, and then he rolled his eyes. “Okay.” He studied them some more, and then he cleared his throat. “You are both beyond fortunate to have me in your lives.” He paused smirking at them.

Jas looked at her, shaking his head in amusement. “Is this supposed to be an apology?”

She laughed shaking her own head too.

“Yes. Now shut up. As I was saying, however fortunate you both are, I do realize that, on occasion, I get…” He shrugged his shoulders. “…well, what I would consider a pretty damn good idea.”

Jas rolled his eyes, studying her some more.

“But!” Ian stuck his finger up in the air, standing from his chair. “The world apparently doesn’t revolve around me and my notions. Can’t imagine why not,” he muttered. “What I’m trying to say—”

“Yes. Get on with it already!” Jas cried as she laughed.

“I’m sorry.” Ian looked between the two of them. His expression was sincere without the slightest hint of his normal sarcasm or smirk. “My suggestion… Well it put you both in an awkward position, and that was wrong. And I’m sorry.” He sat down then as the waiter entered with a couple bottles of red wine. Ian glanced at her. “I know it’s red, but I couldn’t remember what—”

“Malbec you dick,” Jasper commented, but his eyes were on her, and she smiled.

“Well, fuck both of you. You’re both going to have to live with a Cab and a Pinot.”

Dinner was great, the conversation was even better. They laughed and joked around, and she listened intently as they rehashed their youth for her. Ian was clearly a latchkey kid with little supervision, and that didn’t surprise her in the least. Jas was the outsider who most kids were more fearful of than genuinely interested in knowing, and even though that came with a number of amusing stories related to school pranks and fights, it was still sad to hear in a way. But she soaked it up.

“You remember that day your dad showed up at school and pulled you out in the middle of football practice?” Ian glanced at Jas, but Jas remained silent, nodding subtly. “He rolls up in this old Ford Mustang. It was rough, but it was so cool.” Ian chuckled. “He was a big man, your dad. Comes strolling up with that cool-cat swagger of his, and you just took off with him.”

Jasper’s eyes met hers, but he looked away quickly. She wasn’t sure what to make of his disposition at the moment.

“We took bets whether we’d ever see you again.” Ian was silent then.

She looked between them, feeling more tension than anything else. Jasper was staring at the table, but it wasn’t irritation. He just seemed to be somewhere else.

“Well, clearly he came back,” she tried for no other reason than to cut through the thick air that hung around them.

Ian glanced at her. “Yeah, he did. A week later, black eye, scuffs all over his face and limping. He looked cool as hell actually.”

Her eyes snapped to Jas as he looked up to her. His brow flinched, and all she could seem to manage was to stare wide eyed back at him.

“We didn’t get along so well that week,” Jasper commented with little inflection.

Ian chimed in quickly though. “You were a big kid. I bet you left him looking just as bad.” In Ian’s own way, he was trying to support his friend.

Jasper shook his head subtly. “No.” He said nothing else, and he stared at the table for a moment before blowing out a deep breath of air. When he looked back up to Ian, he smirked. “Way to suck the life out of the party, Ian.” He clapped his hand on Ian’s shoulder, smiling and laughing, and then his focus shifted to Gray, and he studied her for a moment as she took a drink of wine.

“How about you, Gray?” Jasper lifted his own glass to his lips.

She shrugged. “I danced. Not much more to say.” She knew she sounded lame.

“There’s always more to say,” he responded.

“No, in her case there really isn’t,” Ian tossed out. “If you can believe it, I’m only the second man she’s ever slept with. Still can’t believe all the shit she’s let me do to her,” he commented as an aside.

Jasper’s eyes remained on her, but she glanced down at the table, feeling the hot tendrils of embarrassment coursing through her.

“To take a note from Gray’s book, I’m sure she would have told me that herself if she’d wanted me to know.” Jasper’s voice was warm, and when she glanced up, he was looking directly at her rather than Ian. “That doesn’t mean I don’t think there’s more to say. So spill it, Gray.” He demanded with a gentle smile.

She smiled. “Okay. I came from a great family with loving parents who supported me perfectly. I started dance when I was young, and … I was good at it.” She thought about what she wanted to say then. “It was all I did. I knew early on that I wanted to make a career of it, and you don’t do that without giving yourself over to it completely. It was my life. I didn’t go out, have fun, do all those normal kid things. I was in a studio practicing.” She shrugged. Yeah, it was more than lame.

“Nothing wrong with being disciplined,” Jas offered.

“No…” She thought about that for a moment. “But I missed out on life. While other people were out having adventures—”

“And fucking,” Ian threw out.

She rolled her eyes. “I was keeping a strict rehearsal schedule.” Her lips pursed, and her brow flinched as she stared at the table.

But Jaspers warm voice pulled her back to him. “You’re young. You have plenty of time for adventures.”

She glanced at him. “Do I?”

Ian was looking between the two of them but not interrupting.

“I don’t know,” she mused. “Even at my age I feel like I’ve lost part of my life to my career. It’s funny how life feels like it slips away from you without you even knowing it sometimes.” She watched Jasper’s eyes as she spoke.

“Yeah.” He nodded focusing on her intently.

The waiter suddenly appeared in the doorway with their check in his hand. Ian took it, and as the waiter left, it was silent. No one said a word, and her brain swam with a sea of possibilities that were so much bigger than her small little boring world. It was a heady feeling, and she took a deep breath, soaking in the intoxication of it. And then she said it. It wasn’t her desire nor her intention when she walked in, but… She said it.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

He stared at her, stunned into silence. His groin was throbbing, his skin was flushing, and breathing had become a nonessential afterthought.

“Well, that settles that,” quipped Ian from beside him.

But Gray’s face remained impassive—much as it had been when she made the comment.

“No, it doesn’t,” Jasper cut in quickly. He turned his focus to Ian. “I need to speak with Gray alone for a moment.” He stared at Ian, refusing to look away.

Ian held the check up. “Why don’t I take care of this, and I’ll meet you both in the parking lot. Perhaps a nightcap at my place?”

Jasper didn’t respond to him, and he waited for Ian to leave before he bothered trying to speak again. But the moment the door closed and he was alone with Gray, he opened his mouth. “Why are you doing this?”

She watched him for a moment, and she swallowed harshly over a lump in her throat. “I guess… I want to do something I’m not supposed to do. I want to want something I’m not supposed to want. I want to make the mistake I’m not supposed to make.” She took a deep breath again.

He nodded but said nothing.

“Are you agreeing?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,” he said quietly.

“Why?”

Every muscle in his body tightened into hardened strands of tension. “Because I want to fuck the hell out of the mistake until I can get her out of my system.”

Elizabeth Finn is a multi-published contemporary romance author. Her passion is creating stories packed full of believable conflicts, characters who leave you rooting for them, and romance that might just short-circuit your e-reader. She likes her characters flawed, but they always find the best part of themselves on their journey. And her readers find themselves devoted to her honest and heartfelt voice.

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The Novel Experience Event and why you should come.

The Novel Experience event is looking for more authors!

We are expecting between 1200-2200 readers, with 400 already signed on guaranteed and we are sorely in need of more authors!

The readers attending are all career readers, looking for authors they love yes, but also authors that they have yet to find and fall in love with. It you are looking to grow your reader base, and cheap, TNEE is the place for it.

Information is as follows:

Dates: Event: April 3 and 4

Location: Planet Hollywood

Times: Friday: VIP preview signing from 430-7pm (like a Comic Convention preview for the early comers)

Saturday: 10-5pm

*Yes we are aware that Sunday of the event is Easter. If this is important to you, please note that the event is over by 5pm, you will have time to get home for it.*

Pricing: 200$. Includes your spot at the signing (table and 2 chairs), entry for you and your assistant, Food on Saturday in the greenroom for you and your assistant. And your name on all promo if you register my Jan. 1st.

Bookseller Information: We have a BN from Vegas working with us, so if your books are available via traditional distribution channels (IE: are already on shelves with your publisher) they will be able to order your books.

Hotel Rooms: Cheapest you will find for a lit event in Vegas! 149-189 a night, depending on the room and nights chosen. We also have the prices 3 days pre and post so you can make the most of the trip to Vegas!

Author information: We will be offering Group pricing on a LOT of the shows and events in Vegas, as well as options for party buses and such. As TNEE is in its infancy, We are counting on the authors to help make the AFTER and before events something readers are going to love by offering fieldtrips with them, author adventures and even parties at the hotel.

SPECIAL: Any authors that register will also get a VIP registration to give away to one of their lucky readers! This is a 125$ value and it gets them a special swag bag, early entrance to the signing (and their own VIP line) and a Special VIP welcome party Friday evening!

TNEE WILL NEVER EVER SEGREGATE AUTHORS OR CHARGE AUTHORS A % OF THEIR EARNINGS FOR SIGNING. TNEE IS A READERS FIRST EVENT THAT IS NON PROFIT. AUTHORS ARE OUR ROCK STARS.

We have room for up to 400 authors… And we want YOU to attend and reap the benefits of the readers attending!

Wanna come? It’s EASY! Just register, that’s it! No applying, no lotteries, no  “We don’t have room”. You register, you get to sign. It’s THAT EASY!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-novel-experience-las-vegas-tickets-11210544039

http://novelexperienceevent.org/

This Road~Book Blitz

Book Title: This Road – Part 1

Author: Karolyn James

Genre: Rockstar Romance, Novella

Release Date: September 17, 2014

Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

This Road, Part One (A Road Son Rockstar Romance Novel)

Sometimes falling in love with the wrong girl just feels right…

But Bryce’s problem is that the woman he loves has been with Blake, his cousin, band mate, and best friend, for years.

Then, Bryce gets a call that changes everything…

After years of addiction and self abuse, Blake is gone. Now, Bryce is going back home to bury his cousin and hopefully reconnect with the band and crew he once considered family. Road Son used to be a group of four bikers who loved music. When Bryce picks up a bass, he starts playing as though he never put it down.

The moment he spots Clara, all his old feelings come rushing back. And soon he’s about to learn that Clara had a deep, dark secret of her own for years. She never wanted Blake… she always wanted Bryce.

Can this forbidden love stand a chance… or will a band, a crew, and a town be ripped apart?

KarolynJames.wordpress.com

@KarolynWrites

facebook.com/KarolynJamesAuthor

Stay up to date with Karolyn’s mailing list!

tinyurl.com/KJSignup

_____

Read the Brothers of Rock series:

Chasing Cross books:

- All Access

- Broken Sound

- Bitter Farewell

- Buried Notes

- Last Song

Falling Tuesday books:

- A Voice to Love

- A Song for Us

- A Sound Like Hope

- *MORE TO COME!*

_____

Did you know Karolyn James is the pen name for bestselling western romance author, Claire Charlins?

Don’t miss the books now available in the Mail Order Romance series:

-West for Love

-Finding Love west

-A Marriage West

-Hope Found West

-True Love West

-A Romance West

AND MORE!!!

_____

Did you know Karolyn James is the pen name for bestselling romance author, London Casey?

Check out BACK DOWN DEVIL MC today!

- OUTLAW REVENGE

- CRASH AND BURN

- DARK FALL (coming soon)

Newsletter

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Free stuff and shit

Hey. See that mug. It’s pretty sweet, right? Want one? Awww come on. You know you do. I can hook you up. See that rafflecopter link below? That’s where you can enter to win a Spark mug and swag pack.

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Oops! You just missed the giveaway. SCROLL UP. That orange thing right above this line is where you want to click.

This giveaway is in honor of my birthday, which is tomorrow. So I also expect to be receiving bags of gummy bears and an obscene amount of cake from each and every one of you.

Singe Blog Tour

Hailey has been taken.

She was alive and had a dragon boyfriend with a shiny new body. Life was fantastic. Or it was until she was drugged and pulled right off the street. Hailey finds herself no match for the supernatural world. Will Dak come after her or did their latest battle of arrogance verses stubbornness ruin her chances of rescue?

Dacea has two Mates.

Word of his return was making its way through the dragon world and all the way to his runaway Mate. After hundreds of years of searching and wondering, Katherine was back and making herself at home. Dacea is stretched thin as he looks for Hailey and attempts to keep Katherine from moving in.

Silas has a secret.

His mind is set and he’ll tear through whatever gets in his way. With a little more research he hopes to have his suspicions confirmed. And when they are, his discovery will change everything.

K.C. Stewart lives in central Pennsylvania with her three cats. She is currently attending college online for Library Science while working full time as a photographer. In her spare time, which isn’t easy to find, she reads an obnoxious amount and writes in between everything else. K.C. has a very real addiction to gummy bears and talking to her cats when no one is around.

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Authors Supporting Authors Giveaway!

Alright folks, I have four giveaways with over 100 authors involved. This is a Book Enthusiast Productions shindig so you know it’s going to be amazing.

Giveaway #1

Giveaway #2

Giveaway #3

Giveaway #4

Silly bullies…Trix are for kids. Wait, what?

With the release of my second book I have a few thoughts to share. To some, this whole author thing is a big deal. To me, it’s not. This isn’t my job. I don’t expect this to take off into a movie deal and a contract with one of the big 5 publishers. (Are we at 5 now or is it still 6?) It’s my creative outlet. My escape from reality. I didn’t publish to make money, I did it because why the hell not? So when someone tears apart my book…so what?  (And yes, I know who you are. You’re not fooling anyone. I’ve known since Spark was released….and green is not your color.)  

If you don’t like my books then ok. Sometimes I don’t even like my books. Sometimes I wonder why I even published in the first place, then I laugh when my royalty check comes in. I didn’t do it for money, but believe me, it doesn’t hurt. Who doesn’t like a little extra cash in their pocket?

My books are for entertainment. They are not going to change your life with meaning and metaphor. They are not going to become the next Hollywood blockbuster book to movie series. They are escape from reality for a few hours. That’s it.

Authors (especially self-published authors) have to deal with bullies like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve known authors who have been bullied so badly that they actually unpublished their work. It can come in the form of a review, facebook comments and messages, blog comments. I guess if this was your livelihood then their comments would hurt. But when you are like me, they are merely words.

So nice try but it didn’t work. I’m still writing. In fact, I just outlined another book this week. I have one in progress, one in editing, two outlined and a few dozen ideas. I’m not going to stop anytime soon. 

Get your party pants on….it’s release day!

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Instead of celebrating with a cake I went with ice cream.

Tomorrow all the festivities will be happening over at facebook. I have some awesome stuff to giveaway including candles of each of the characters, metal dragon bookmarks and amazon giftcards. Join the event here to be notified of giveaways—->https://www.facebook.com/events/349391078547682/

And now for the purchase links for Singe!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MJOVLGC
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/singe-kc-stewart/1120085992?ean=2940150646759
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/465718