April 15, 2017 · 9:30 am

Author Interview with Izzy Szyn ~ New Release: Resurrection of Artemis

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Izzy Szyn with an interview and her latest release…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets? 

I’m from Detroit, live in Oklahoma City. My mom and brothers still live in Detroit and I have a sister and niece that lives here. I have dog named Misty that is Chihuahua/terrier mix.

Where did you get the idea for RESURRECTION OF ARTEMIS Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written in before)? 

I was in a chat one night with Candi Fox and Bobbi Romans and we talked about getting together and doing a boxed set together. We decided to do superheroes/villains. I’d never written one before, but I always had this germ of an idea for one.

Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?

I work in a call center for iphone tech support, (not Apple) and one day our phones went crazy because there was a big outage in Texas and people were going crazy? So Artemis was born.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

Finding time to write.

What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

Trying to find a superhero and villain name that hadn’t been used before.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

Yes. I work in a call center helping people who have problems with their phones. It’s okay, but want to write full time.

What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?

Cheese. I like it on pizza and spaghetti, but hate grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese.

Do you collect anything?

I guess you can say flip flops, it’s my fav shoe, I think I have more of them then regular shoes.

What was your first job?

Working in a cafeteria in a Montgomery Wards. It lasted a month.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

If I could afford it, my job

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

I think it has to be Sue Barton, Student Nurse. It’s a really old book, but I read it when I was ten. I had to do a book report for school and it’s the book that turned me into a bookaholic.

What’s your favorite childhood book?

Hmmm, Wizard of Oz? I would definitely redo it one day, but of course it would be hotter.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Resurrection of Artemis?

I hope they want more, I’d write another if there was enough interest.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

I don’t mind a bad review as long as they say why they didn’t like the book. If they just put this book sucks and nothing else then I’d rather them not leave one.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Erotic suspense thriller

If you were stranded on a deserted island and you could have 3 (inanimate) objects, what would they be?

Pepsi, food and a bed

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yeah, I’m currently working on three others. I can’t seem to write just one at a time.

Thank you, Izzy…it was nice getting to know you. I will have to say, I find it VERY odd that you dislike cheese. It’s one of my very favorite foods! 😀 I love that you wrote about a super hero. I started a series years ago that was sort of a mixture of super hero and paranormal romance. I’ll dig it out and finish it one of these days. Thanks again for visiting with me today!

Izzy has a giveaway, and then, we’ll hear more about her latest release…

Izzy will be awarding a $10 Amazon to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here. http://reviewsbycacb.blogspot.com/p/resurrection-of-artemis-izzy-szyn-izzy.html

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb:

Once known as the infamous hacker Artemis, Amy Wilson now works in a coffee shop. With only months until the end of her probation from working in the technological industry that she loves, Amy is determined to keep Artemis dead and buried.

When incidents similar to the ones Amy did start occurring all fingers start pointing in Artemis’ direction, and three people that want Artemis to come out of retirement.

Quail City’s super heroes Dark Master and Calypso aka as multi-billionaire Noah Adams and his assistant Vanessa London know Amy’s secret, and also know that she is being set up. Having spent months in a flirtmance with Amy, they are tired of waiting and want both her and Artemis in their bed.

Hinderer wants to hold technology hostage, but in order to do that he needs Artemis’ assistance, and he will use any methods necessary to gain her cooperation.

 

Amazon Buy link http://amzn.to/2nAFqKe

Also on Amazon Unlimited

Excerpt

“People have been mentioning Artemis,” Calypso said. “You wouldn’t have heard anything?”

They knew, Amy thought. Somehow they knew. “No, Artemis isn’t here anymore. At least from what I heard.”

“Damn shame, too,” complained one of the customers in the shop. “Not the Artemis that is playing with the lights and stuff. But the Artemis who liked to help people with their problems.”

“Yeah, I think if someone is behind it, it’s someone pretending to be Artemis, or trying to shift the blame on her,” said another customer. “She may have done some things, but she’d never deliberately set out to get people hurt.”

Amy smiled at the person that made the comment. “I’ve been here all day. But it’s more than the traffic lights. Didn’t I hear that the other day the Financial District was shut down because the money showed at zero?”

“That is something that Artemis had fun with,” Dark Master commented. “Or had in the past.”

“I’m sure that whatever has been happening in Quail City has nothing to do with Artemis,” Amy replied.

“Hope for Artemis’ sake it’s true,” Calypso said. “Williams is ranting and raving in Commissioner James’ office asking for her to be arrested.”

Just bet he is, thought Amy. “Is there anything else I can get you?” Amy asked them. She saw that it was almost six and the last bus going towards her apartment would be there any minute.

“You in our bed,” Calypso said in her ear. “Your blue hair will look glorious on our pillows.” Then out loud stated, “That’s all for now.”

Author Info:

New York Times Bestselling Author Izzy Szyn was born in May of 2014 when a friend dared her to write. Born and raised in Detroit, Mi. Izzy now lives in Oklahoma City with her furchild Misty, the friendliest Chihuahua/Terrier you will ever meet. Currently works in a call center, where she writes in between phone calls.

Izzy loves to keep in touch with her readers. Email her at izzyszyn@gmail.com.

Find her on Facebook 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/Izzy-Szyn-379714942215154/timeline/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/izzySzyn

Blog: https://izzyszyn.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13836241.Izzy_Szyn

Google Plus link: https://plus.google.com/100905614042668276073

 

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April 14, 2017 · 9:31 am

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – April 14, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

Guess the fragment, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, given away monthly!!!

Below you will find three different books, by three different authors, and beneath each, you will find three different short excerpts. Only one excerpt is from the listed book. Using the form at the bottom of the post, enter your guesses as to which excerpt is correct for each book. Once a month, I will draw a name from all those who attempt a guess on this game, AND on my Facebook SpotaLie game (check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAliciaDean/) The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Each week, the first person to guess all 3 correctly receives an additional entry. (TIP: Click on each link and read the blurbs for a better chance at guessing correctly) – Remember, you get an entry just for guessing!

In addition to filling out the contact form, we’d also love it if you would comment, whether it is about your guesses, the books, the authors, etc. 

Have fun!

NOTE – I am discontinuing the weekly Friday Fragment contest and SpotaLie Facebook Contest after April. Beginning in May, rather than these two regular postings, I will have random games and prizes where I do more frequently and give various prizes, rather than one monthly prize. Sometimes it will be a 5 or 10 dollar gift card, sometimes other items. This way, more participants have a chance of winning. Thank you to all the authors and readers who have played along with these fun games. Check my Alicia Dean Friends and Fan Club group for info and the new games.

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to win. There is no limit on how many times one entrant can win. You do not have to guess correctly to be entered in the monthly drawing.

*** The game runs from the day it’s posted through the following Friday morning when the next post goes up, so feel free to send your guesses in and comment any time during that week. In order to stay up to date on each post, follow my blog by signing up in the column to the right. 

Book 1:

Cupid Scores by Sylvia McDaniel

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Cupid-Scores-Western-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B01N4RZJQJ/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S3FJSGSVCEXR0F0CTWPT

Snippet A:

“Dancing around this statue is going to help us find the man of our dreams?” Kelsey questioned. “Whoever made up this shit is sitting back somewhere laughing at how many fools stripped off their clothes and danced in the moonlight.” “In the middle of freaking winter,” Meghan added. “Come on, girls, we’re doing this. We’re going to prove this is either the biggest farce in town or it’s going to work for my friends. Just not for me.” “I hope this is worth it,” Meghan said as they began to remove clothing. This little escapade must be kept secret from her family.

Snippet B:

“It worked for all those other women. Why not us? The superstition says at midnight anyone chanting and dancing naked around the fountain will soon meet their true love. I’ve never believed in the notion, but hey, I’m game. We’ve got thirty minutes. Let’s go kick some Cupid butt and see if that superstition is real or not.” “You want me to take off my clothes and dance in front of you and everyone else in town, chanting some silly verse?” Meghan said, her voice rising. That was the most ridiculous thing Meghan ever heard. But then again, what if it worked?

Snippet C:

“Valentine’s Day. Today is the cheating snake’s wedding day,” Taylor Braxton said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder before taking a sip of wine. Her third glass of the evening. “I’d like to propose a toast to his new wife. May she never find him in her bed with someone else, like I found her in mine.” The three women clinked glasses. “Maybe it was for the best. After all, lawmen are known for being serial cheaters,” Meghan, one of Taylor’s best friends, said in her quiet librarian voice. She gave a shake of auburn hair, her emerald eyes filled with sympathy.

 

Book 2:

Beloved Enemy by Hywela Lyn

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Enemy-Hywela-Lyn/dp/1509205349/

Find Hywela here: http://www.hywelalyn.co.uk

Snippet A:

She sighed softly and decided she could leave it no longer. He turned and looked at her. “Something on scan that should not be there?” he asked, the brusque tone of his voice breaking into her musings. “No, it’s just…so beautiful out there—and so vast,” she replied. How could he fail to be moved by the stars she loved so much? “It makes me think of something my mother told me when I was a child back on Earth.” He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” “You wouldn’t be interested. It’s just a story.” She rose from her seat. “Try me.”

Snippet B:

He noticed on the shore several gigantic, human-like statues, but had no time to contemplate or admire them. After he had travelled for some time he saw ahead an immense sheet of water spilling from the roof in a fury of white and rainbow coloured froth. The water around the boat raced and boiled and he realised he was heading into a maelstrom. There was no way he could control the frantic motions of the craft as it heaved and bucked like an unbroken colt. Throwing down the paddle and gripping the sides of the boat, he sent a frantic message through the ether.

Snippet C:

“I hope for your sake nothing, or no-one, attacks us in the night.” “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” she said, mimicking his mocking tone. “And I told you, the vessel will be shielded, and any intruders are going to be sorry if they try to break through. As for the gun, you can have it back as soon as I know I can trust you.” (Unless your friends come back for you, in which case you’ll be my ticket off this planet.) His face betrayed no emotion. Curse him. What was going on behind those amazing, if ice-cold, eyes?

 

Book 3:

Wicked Lustful Tales by Maria Cox

Buy link: http://www.melange-books.com/authors/mariacox/WLTcc.html

Find Maria Here: http://www.mariacox.net

Snippet A:

During a group cycling vacation in the Caribbean Shana White learns that her boyfriend is moving to New York to further his career without her. With no intention of sulking Shana opts for a day excursion with former beau and fellow cyclist Nick Marino. After a biking accident leaves them stranded the rekindling of an old friendship and memories of their torrid past emerge leaving Shana to struggle with conflicting emotions. Now on the rebound can she afford to seek solace in Nick’s arms and risk heartache all over again?

Snippet B:

When Nina Bates discloses her pregnancy she’s soon shunned by her boyfriend and her mother. Alone and confused Nina turns to her grandmother who suggests she leave her hometown of Seattle and move to Alaska. In Anchorage, divorcee Dexter McIver hires Nina as live-in nanny to his son. An emotional bond develops between them and after Nina delivers her baby the smoldering attraction that existed for months threatens to boil over. With so much at stake should Nina and Dexter go out on a limb for a brief liaison?

Snippet C:

With a career in photography about to take off Adam Baxter is at the top of his game. Office buddy Jennifer Silva has been a supportive friend from the start and the two have an easygoing platonic relationship. But when Adam’s assistant Nellie singles out Adam’s jealous behavior he’s forced to analyze his true feelings for beautiful, caring Jennifer. Adam knows all too well that a romantic involvement can complicate matters. So, is Adam ready to put it all on the line and take their friendship to the next level?

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - Cupid Scores(required)

Which Snippet is fro Book 2 - Beloved Enemy(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Wicked Lustful Tales(required)

 

The correct answers from last week: (No one guessed correctly, I’m afraid. :()

Book 1 – A

Book 2 – A

Book 3 – A

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April 12, 2017 · 10:12 am

I Write. Therefore, I Review by Oliver F. Chase

Please help me welcome Oliver F. Chase with an excellent article about reviewing…

 

I Write. Therefore, I Review

Why yes, I write books. Did you fail to notice the patches on the elbows of my tweed jacket, and the vacant, yet meaningful gaze?

Nah. That ain’t me. I’m the guy in the trenches, always learning and testing, and re-learning; ever on the look out for a clever turn of phrase; and always marketing my work and myself…albeit, very delicately. Nothing’s worse than a bore who believes he’s the next Lee Child.

Writers also review. Especially those of us who are as yet “undiscovered” and thus, un-contracted by a biggie. Writing is not a competition, but more like an aftermarket team sport. We write alone but need one another in the business end of creation. Like reviewing another’s novel. This is a new truth in the age of the self help publishing world. Therefore, I thought I’d pass along a few must-do’s and must-have’s  that have helped me over the years. This is a quick list that could easily be much, much longer.

When you review for another, have these few things at your fingertips:

  • Know the plot and the theme. Don’t so gauche as to give it away. That means, of course, you need to read the book, and not use someone else’s Cliff Notes.
  • Have a ready-list of main or interesting characters. Grab your reviewing audience, just like you grab someone in your own work. A great character is a way to engage others, just like wonderful scenes. You may the character were yours, but aren’t, so give insightful due to the author. Yours will be better next time, guaranteed.
    • I suggest you only refer to one scene that you liked. Remember, no spoilers.
  • If you’re reviewing for the writer crowd, you can mention pace, grammar, arc.. that sort of thing. Don’t bother if you’re reviewing for the public. No one cares.
  • Was the storyline predictable, or were you so engrossed, you simply became lost and totally blew off your brother’s wedding. Go ahead and admit you were having too much fun to pick the story apart.
  • If you did like the story, tell the reviewing audience why. Open up a bit, let them see into your private wardrobe, floppy collars and all. The reviewing audience  is looking for something real, even if fantasy or Sci-Fi. The story either rings true, or it doesn’t.
    • Oh, and the old shirts? Toss’m. They’re not coming back.
  • Do the boring stuff, too.
    • Tell the reviewer who you think would enjoy the story. If you can, compare the writing to others.
    • Be cautious about setting the prospective reader’s expectations. Let the author rise to the occasion, not the prospective reader. Be careful not to force the issue. Your credibility is on the line, too.
    • Recommend the story to right audiences: YA, thriller adults, cozy mysteries. There’s nothing wrong with a cautionary statement, as well. I appreciate these, especially for writing that makes me squirm a bit.
    • Proofread your review. Reviewers will likely do a search on you, and may even want to see what you’ve written.
    • Be professional, friendly and helpful. Leave your various chips (on your shoulder) and axes (to grind) at home. A review is no place for personal politics…unless, of course you’re reviewing an opinion piece.
  • If you’re going to zing the story, temper the author with praise. Be cautious and be honest. Praise in public. Excoriate, or in this case criticize, person-to-person.

If you can’t figure out how to critique kindly, or gently prod the doggie story that made you cringe, thank the author and pass.  Demurring may be a bigger kindness, even though we need thick skins in this business. Be circumspect, genuine, and honest.  After all, don’t we all end up in the same place, anyway?  Life’s too short for anything else.

 

Thank you SO much, Oliver. I am not good at reviews, but I will bookmark your suggestions and work on my reviewing skills. Love this article!

Check out these books by Oliver. Don’t they look like fantastic reads?

 

 

 

Bio:

Oliver grew up on military bases throughout the country and like all boys, played good guys and bad. Coaxing him into an afternoon of baseball along Lake Erie, hiking the Southern California’s hills or paddling a canoe in the North Carolina backwater didn’t take much unless a book found him first.

His best friend and he joined the Marines and took a deferment to attend college. Herb left school finding stumbling blocks that seemed insurmountable at the time. A year after graduating, Oliver stepped onto a sweaty tarmac with a manual Smith Corona typewriter not far from where Herb died. Fate usually finds a way of putting day-to-day frustrations into a cruel perspective, especially when lost in the haze of an ugly war.

Thirty-one young men flew days and nights in the mountains trying to keep the world safe for … well, says Oliver, that’s not really true, is it? The only reason we ever went into those dark, frightening places was for friends, most of whom we’d never met before that day. That they lived, meant others died and that still haunts to this day.

He spent time wandering. Lots of young veterans did so, some on foot, some just on the rails of life. Many like Oliver made stops along the road. He never slept in the park or a bus station, although many did. Most found a way out of the maze, too many others did not. Oliver promises it was not he truly at risk, but still believes pulling the right ticket is mostly a matter of circumstance and luck.

He did a bit of teaching on the Navajo reservation, spent a few years with the cops and a couple alphabet agencies but never quit writing. The old manual typewriter became a memory when his first computer came along. A notebook travels with him now, the wanderlust never completely leaving him be. Today, he spends days on the family’s tiny farm and following the season, sometimes wondering if the old Smith Corona founds a home, too. He hopes so, wishing his old friend happy days.

 

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April 10, 2017 · 11:41 am

Author Interview with Lori Sizemore ~ New Release: Infamous

Please help me welcome Lori Sizemore with an interview and her new release…

Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

I’m from a very small town in southern West Virginia and, after moving around the state some for college, that’s where I returned. I actually live in the home my husband helped his father build. We’ve raised our daughters here, more than anywhere else. I’ve been married for over twenty years and we have three daughters (22, 20, and 12) and one little tiny baby granddaughter. We also have two dogs (Paul and Izzy) and a cat (Farrah Pawcett).

Where did you get the idea for Infamous?

I got the idea a while back when it seemed everyone was coming out with a sex tape for the sole purpose of getting famous. I wondered what it would be like to have that happen to a person (through no consent or decision of their own) and how that person’s day-to-day life might look. For instance, it’s not as though a woman could hold down a job, say, in retail when the paparazzi are stalking her simply because her parents are famous and someone decided to cash in on that tangential fame. Justine, my heroine—who I like to consider pretty good at handling this difficult situation, grew from those questions.

Why did you choose this genre (is it something you’ve written before)?

I write contemporary romance because I think life today is just as fascinating, challenging, and funny as life in any time period, if not more so. We have the world at our fingertips, but we’re still all just trying to get by the best we can and find some joy in life.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

When I do complain about the writing process, which I do occasionally (read, plenty of the time), the most difficult part is whatever part I’m in at that moment. Writing is the hardest if I’m doing a first draft. Revision is the hardest if I’m editing. Querying is always a nightmare (all that waiting) and then revisions and galleys once a book is contracted. Whatever phase I’m in makes all the others seem like they’re so much more fun.

How did you come up with the title?

I am awful at titles. I usually have to call in other writer friends to help me because I’m just trash at them. But Infamous just popped into my head one day, not long before I began the submission process, and I knew that was the perfect name. It describes the heroine and her life so far exactly.

Do you collect anything?

I collect coffee mugs. I have far too many. I’m blessed to have a fairly large kitchen and I have my most prized mugs hanging under the cabinets and even then, with about nine of those up, I’m struggling to find another way to display even more. It doesn’t hurt that I adore coffee. Actually, that’s probably the reason for my obsession.

What was your first job?

I was a typist and file clerk for a psychologist. It was fascinating work and being a small part of helping people was a big reward. It was no real surprise I found myself drawn to the field when I went to choose my major. I got my B.S. in Social and Behavioral Science and became a social worker.

What’s the main thing that you could get rid of in your life that would give you more writing time?

Real Housewives. I’m kind of a sucker for a few of those reality shows. Even though they’re “real,” they still follow a narrative that I find really interesting. And all that drama is fodder for writing. Everything can be turned into writing ideas, really.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Infamous?

People are resilient and for those who are willing to work hard for it, happiness and love are out there for anyone. It’s just a matter of making our way through whatever life hands us.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

This is a really hard question! No one wants a bad review, but if that’s the honest opinion someone comes away from the book with then they should share that. So, I suppose I’d rather have a bad review than no review. At least from a bad review, especially if it’s constructive, I can grow as a writer.

What is your favorite quote?

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” It’s from Dr. Seuss and it has shaped my life the last fifteen years and I think my writing as well. I believe that when someone loves us, they help us become a better us, not change who we are.

Have you written any other books that are not published?

I just got a contract for a matchmaking novella called Exactly Like You to be published by After Glows Publishing in their Kismet line. I’ve also written a series of three novellas set in 1958 Las Vegas about a sister and her two brothers. I’m hoping to find a home for those next year. Finally, I have completed the next Infamous novel titled Illegitimate. It’s in revision right now and I hope to have it off to my editor this month.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

They have been incredibly supportive. My mom thinks my writing is a little risqué and advised my dad that he would probably do better to not read Infamous. When I told them both I wasn’t embarrassed by anything I’d written, my father shared this with me. “You write from your heart. I’m proud of you for writing what’s in your heart.”

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Family are the people who love you and family is everything.

Nice message! Thank you, Lori…I enjoyed getting to know you! Now, Lori has a question for you…

I’m going to ask the dreaded question of book-lovers everywhere—what’s your favorite book?

 

Blurb:

Justine Montgomery, daughter of a divorced beauty queen and TV magnate, is a tabloid disaster after her infamous sex tape. She’s so desperate to help save her family’s home she turns to her deal-making dad. Can she prove to him she’s cut out for a career in television or will she lose it all?

Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.

They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.

Excerpt:

She tangled her fingers through the hair that covered her face and pushed it away. Next thing he knew, she’d wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Justine? Um… what are you doing?”

“I’m hugging you. Taking emotional comfort.”

“Like a leech.”

“Haven’t you ever hugged before?”

“I’ve never hugged anyone I wasn’t going to have sex with.”

“We’re not having sex.” She squeezed him tighter and rested her head on his shoulder. “Hug me back.”

Sawyer lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, his hands cupping her shoulders, pulling her closer. He dropped his head to rest on hers, and parts of him, so deep he couldn’t name them, pulled free and demanded his attention. Her hair smelled like fruit, the kind kids eat in the summer, juice dripping down their chins. “I’m fine with the hugging, but, just saying, I’m not responsible for any physical reaction hugging may induce.”

“Okay.” The word drifted out of her on a sigh.

He wasn’t equipped for this. There hadn’t been a lot of touching growing up, at least not the kind that didn’t end in a busted lip or a cracked rib. As an adult, there’d been lots of touching. But, not like this. The tighter he held her, the closer he wanted to be.

Buy link(s):

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Infamous-Lori-Sizemore-ebook/dp/B01MDMLPGC/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/infamous-lori-sizemore/1124933782?ean=2940156932610

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/infamous/id1164135877?mt=11

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Lori_Sizemore_Infamous?id=nvKoDQAAQBAJ

BooksAMillion: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Infamous/Lori-Sizemore/Q22117554?id=6903021944409

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/infamous-18

BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/infamous-1

Bio:

Lori Sizemore grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and never quite managed to escape them. Lori lives at home with her husband of twenty-plus years and two of her three daughters. She also lives with two dogs, a cat, and five hermit crabs. Yes, five of them. This menagerie and her family keep her busy.

She worked in mental health as a social worker for ten years before making the choice to write full-time.

Contact links

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lorisizemoreauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lorisizemore

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/lorisizemore

Blog: http://lorisizemore.com/

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

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

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

 

 

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April 9, 2017 · 9:53 am

Working with a Voice Artist by Jessie Clever ~ Historical Romance: To Save a Viscount

I am especially pleased to introduce today’s guest. I have had the pleasure of working with Jessie Clever, proofreading and editing some of her work. Her books are fantastic! Historical is not my preferred genre, but her stories definitely kept me engaged. Her characters and premises are unique and compelling. She has a knack for bringing you into the story, the setting, and makes you want to keep turning pages.

Today, she is sharing an interesting article about working with a voice artist on an audio book. I had the experience myself, and it was quite an adventure. Please help me welcome Jessie with her take on the process….

The Voice in My Head: Working with a Voice Artist to Bring Your Story to Life 

As an author, I jumped on the audio bandwagon with unstoppable glee.  I could not wait to turn my Regency romances into audiobooks in order to reach the voracious audio listeners I knew I was missing.  My main goal in writing has always been to share my stories with those who crave them, and romance readers are an exceptional bunch.  We are always looking for more, and audio has allowed me to reach even more wonderful readers.

So when I first approached this business of audio recording, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  I used an online service called ACX that allowed me to audition voice artists for my manuscript.  Now, I’m sure like many of you, when I read something, a certain voice appears in my head.  Depending on the book.  Depending on the genre.  Or depending on my mood at the time.  The story has already taken on a voice before someone reads it aloud.  So the auditions became something for which I was not prepared.

None of the auditions sounded like what the story sounded like in my head.  They got it all wrong!  That was not how Jane sounded.  She was not a cranky old lady.  She was very much a debonair, refined lady of the ton much like Maggie Smith’s performance on Downton Abbey.  Nora was not whiny and weak.  She was demure and controlled.  Her very voice spoke to her struggles as a character.  My unstoppable glee was quite quickly, well, stopped.  I didn’t like the “sound” of this business at all.

And then I received one more audio file from a voice artist outside of London.  (That is the magic of the Internet, isn’t it?  We creatives get to collaborate with folks from around the world while sipping coffee in our bathrobes.)  I reluctantly clicked the play button on this audition, steeling myself to hold back the disappointment that I knew would be coming in waves.  But then—What was that?  That clear, concise voice.  Those softly rounded consonants.  That contrasting crisp voice of authority and surety that said nothing more than dignified.  That.  That right there was the voice!  That was Nora.  That was Jane.  That was even rascally Alec, the Earl of Stryden.  Yes!  Finally, I heard it.  The thing I didn’t even know I was looking for.

The very voice in my head.

The one that had tripped along silently as the Black family spun their tales of espionage, war, and romance.

How could it be?  How had this amazing, talented person “heard” what I heard?  How could she have interpreted these characters so precisely as I had?  It didn’t seem possible.  But as I finally came to understand, this is the mark of a truly talented voice artist.

I immediately accepted the audition of this brilliant artist, and so began a journey I will treasure as a very special part of my writing endeavor.  Rachael Beresford took on the Black family and their many misadventures, their trials and tribulations, their passions and joys.  She took these characters that until then had only existed in my head and pulled them out, fluffed them up, and made them like real, tangible things.  Now when I heard my stories performed back to me, it is as though I could reach out and give Jane a hug.  (And oh, what a wonderful thing that would be!)

Once Rachael completes the narration, I receive the files for review.  That is one of my favorite times as an author.  I covet that time.  I treasure it.  I curl up in said bathrobe, steaming cup of coffee in hand, and click play.  And Rachael reads me a story.  A story completely unlike the one I wrote.  That, too, is the magic of a talented voice artist.  The story becomes something else.  Something more.  It is no longer the black and white text you’ve carefully created on the page.  It’s suddenly alive and three-dimensional.  The characters shape the sounds that until then had only been black lines on a page.  And that’s just it.  They’re sounds.  The characters are suddenly human.

While I relish reaching the end, I’m saddened to no longer have the anticipation of discovering the story again through Rachael’s performance.  I usually listen to her narration all in one sitting, because I cannot bear to interrupt it.  Once approved by me, the files are whisked off into the ether of the web, and Audible and iTunes suddenly have a packaged audiobook ready for hungry readers.  It looks so mundane, that thumbnail of the final product.  But beneath that quiet exterior, magic awaits.  And more, as a reader, you know it’s there.  Waiting.

That is the power of a talented voice artist.  That is the magic that only a true narrator can weave.   As an author, I would advise other authors not to settle on the first audition if it doesn’t seem quite right.  Somewhere out there is the right narrator for your story.  You need only wait and listen.

To celebrate the release of the final book in the Spy Series on audio, I am giving a copy of the audiobook of the first book in the series, Son of a Duke, to a random commentor on this blog post.  Just answer this question: audiobooks – do you love them or hate them?  And if you love them, what is an audiobook that you fell in love with instantly and forever just from the sound of the artist’s voice?

 

Blurb:

When an assassin threatens England’s spy network, Lady Margaret Folton must find the killer before it’s too late. Hardened from being forced to witness the murder of her British spy parents by French revolutionists, Margaret approaches this mission like any other, with steely determination and a resolute focus on the necessary outcome at the cost of all else.

Commodore John Lynwood, newly returned from the Mediterranean, finds himself granted the title of viscount in honor of his service during the war. Plagued with a string of good luck throughout his life, the title serves as another reminder that Jack has done nothing to earn the glory and prestige that comes with his position, and he’ll be damned if he’ll enjoy such an honor.

But when Jack is accidentally granted a title meant to be used as bait to lure the assassin into the War Office’s trap, Margaret must face the tragedy of her past and decide which is more important: the assignment or love?

The books in the Spy Series:
1/2. Inevitably a Duchess (A prequel novella)
1. Son of a Duke
2. For Love of the Earl
3. A Countess Most Daring
4. To Save a Viscount

Excerpt:

London

August 1815

He had grown so accustomed to the sound of gunfire that he did not hear the shot that was meant to kill him.

This would have worried Richard Black, the Duke of Lofton, if he had had time to think on it.  But as the situation inherently required immediate action, prolonged and abstract thinking on the subject was neither prudent nor wise.  So he refrained.  Instead, he wondered whom it was that smashed into him at incredible speed, sending him tumbling backwards off the walk along the Thames and into the bitter, black water below.

He had been meeting his contact there along the water at an unholy hour, and darkness had lain all about him.  The exchange had gone as planned, and he now held the knowledge that he knew would prove key to his current assignment with the War Office.  But as the inky water of the Thames closed over his head, he wondered if he would ever get that information to the necessary people.

And then as the last of the light disappeared, he thought of Jane, his wife.  His Jane.  He did not think of her in specific instances or certain memories that lay in his mind.  He thought of her in pieces.  Her smell.  Her laugh.  The sound her hair made as she brushed it at night.  The way she always laid her hand on top of his whenever they should find themselves sitting next to one another.  Her amazing talents with chestnut roasters.

He would have laughed if such an action would not speed up the inevitable drowning that suddenly became all too real, flushing thoughts of Jane from his mind.  His arms began to push against the water as his feet began to pulse, driving him toward the surface.  Only he did not move.  Whoever it was that had slammed into him still held him about the waist, dragging him deeper into the water.  He began to struggle, the need for air and life and Jane surging through his veins in a way he had never felt before.

And then a hand brushed against his cheek, and slender fingers came to rest across his mouth.  He wanted to open his eyes, but he knew it would do no good in the black water.  But he let the feeling of his attacker’s hand brush against his skin, the shape of it press into his face, the narrowness of limb and the delicate arch of bone.

It was a woman who held him beneath the water.

And he stopped struggling.

 

Goodreads Link:

http://bit.ly/1mUg1km 

Purchase links:

Now available on audio!

Also available at these etailers –

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1tddN6P

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/YXK6dd

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1zHa0gJ

Nook: http://bit.ly/1otXb34

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1pjfhe7

Google Play: http://bit.ly/10FAmFc

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1qCRsu2

About the Author:

Jessie decided to be a writer because the job of Indiana Jones was already filled.

Taking her history degree dangerously, Jessie tells the stories of courageous heroines, the men who dared to love them, and the world that tried to defeat them.

Jessie makes her home in the great state of New Hampshire where she lives with her husband and two very opinionated Basset Hounds.  For more, visit her website at jessieclever.com.

Connect with Jessie…

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1foelMH

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1IM6UPJ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/1HYaQdM

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/KZQ4TQ

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1fge8x9

Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/2kKoZcH

Get a free book when you sign up for Jessie’s Newssheet http://eepurl.com/cpHMa1

 

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April 8, 2017 · 8:28 am

The American Civil War – The Way the Brits Saw It by Linda Nightingale ~ New Release: Her General in Gray

Please help me welcome fellow AHA author, Linda Nightingale, with an intersting article & a new release!

 

The American Civil War – The Way the Brits Saw It

Brit’s Eye View:  The Northern States denied the right of secession, claiming that the union was a “federal” one, in which case the attempt at separation is rebellion. The Southern States claimed that the Union was a “confederation” from which any member is entitled to separate itself. The British Government under Henry John Temple (3rd Viscount Palmerston) declined to judge between them.

Yet, popular sentiment was passionately divided. The violent feelings against slavery won many to the Union cause, but the political advocacy of the right of self-government won sympathy for the Confederacy from many another. Since the South fought against heavy odds, the sporting British people were drawn to the Confederacy.

Palmerston’s government was determined to maintain a strict neutrality. This, to most intents and purposes, it succeeded in doing though their cotton industry suffered direly. The blockades of the Southern ports cut off supplies of raw cotton upon which the Lancashire cotton industry was dependent. The cotton famine deprived many Lancashire operatives of their means of livelihood.

The Trent Affair increased sympathy with the South in England and very nearly involved Great Britain in the war. The Southerners dispatched two commissioners, one to England and one to France. The commissioners reached a neutral port and embarked on a British vessel, the Trent. A Union warship boarded The Trent and the commissioners were carried off. A declaration of war was only averted when President Lincoln gave way to the demands of the British Government and released the commissioners.

Yet, the Union had cause for complaint. Ships were built and fitted out in British docks and sailed from British ports with apparently harmless intent, to be employed as cruisers by the Confederates, having been cleverly concealed. The most notorious instance was the Alabama. The British Government flatly repudiated the charge that it did not display due diligence in preventing such action. When the war ended with the Union the victor, claims were brought for damages done by the cruisers.

If Britain had entered the war on the side of the South, how might history have been different!

Her General in Gray was inspired by the Ghost & Mrs. Muir, not by the Civil War.  Here is the blurb and a short excerpt.  See what you think of this Confederate General.

BLURB:

Autumn Hartley purchases Allen Hall at a steal, but the northern lass gets far more than a beautiful plantation in the South Carolina Low Country. The house comes complete with its own ghost, a handsome and charming Civil War General—for the Confederacy. The stage is set for another civil conflict.

John Sibley Allen died in battle from a wound in the back, the bullet fired by the turncoat, Beauregard Dudley. The traitor’s reincarnation is Autumn the Interloper’s first dinner guest. Sib bedevils her date and annoys her with fleeting, phantom touches, certain he can frighten her away as he did previous purchasers. As time marches on, her resident ghost becomes more appealing while her suitor, Beau, pales in comparison. Autumn finds her ability to love didn’t perish in the divorce that sent her south seeking a fresh start.

After over a century in the hereafter, Sib discovers he is falling for none other than the feisty Yankee girl, but what future could a modern woman and an old-fashioned ghost possibly hope for?

EXCERPT:

“Did you have slaves, General Allen?”

“I did, Miss Hartley. They were an extended part of my family. None left the plantation when the war began. Unfortunately, I was killed in battle, as were my other two brothers, and they were forced to accept freedom. My estranged brother inherited and basically sent them packing with no more than the clothes on their backs. Perhaps Hell is his new habitat.”

“Why are you still here?” She glanced around the room.  “I mean why didn’t you go wherever dead people go?”

He laughed.  “To torment you, I suppose.”

“You’re doing that grandly.” She flung a shooing gesture.  “Leave.  I’ve no need of a ghostly…whatever.”

“I’m not a whatever, Miss Hartley. This is my house, and you’re the intruder—along with the coward who murdered me.” He removed his coat, hanging it on the back of a chair. “With all due respect, I take offense to your tone and the fact that you served Beauregard on my mother’s fine china.  She loved those pieces.”

“I’m the intruder? You’re dead. You have no claim on this place.” She braced her hands on her hips, glaring at the arrogant spirit.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Her-General-Gray-Linda-Nightingale-ebook/dp/B06W9HFMBM/

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/

 

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April 7, 2017 · 11:34 am

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – April 7, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

Guess the fragment, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, given away monthly!!!

Below you will find three different books, by three different authors, and beneath each, you will find three different short excerpts. Only one excerpt is from the listed book. Using the form at the bottom of the post, enter your guesses as to which excerpt is correct for each book. Once a month, I will draw a name from all those who attempt a guess on this game, AND on my Facebook SpotaLie game (check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAliciaDean/) The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Each week, the first person to guess all 3 correctly receives an additional entry. (TIP: Click on each link and read the blurbs for a better chance at guessing correctly) – Remember, you get an entry just for guessing!

In addition to filling out the contact form, we’d also love it if you would comment, whether it is about your guesses, the books, the authors, etc. 

Have fun!

NOTE – I am discontinuing the weekly Friday Fragment contest and SpotaLie Facebook Contest after April. Beginning in May, rather than these two regular postings, I will have random games and prizes where I do more frequently and give various prizes, rather than one monthly prize. Sometimes it will be a 5 or 10 dollar gift card, sometimes other items. This way, more participants have a chance of winning. Thank you to all the authors and readers who have played along with these fun games. Check my Alicia Dean Friends and Fan Club group for info and the new games.

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to win. There is no limit on how many times one entrant can win. You do not have to guess correctly to be entered in the monthly drawing.

*** The March Winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card is Nisha Tissoo – Congratulations, Nisha!! Thank you for playing. (Nisha was very active on the SpotaLie Facebook game, and it paid off! :)).

*** The game runs from the day it’s posted through the following Friday morning when the next post goes up, so feel free to send your guesses in and comment any time during that week. In order to stay up to date on each post, follow my blog by signing up in the column to the right. 

 

Book 1:

 

MAN DOWN by Tracy Tappan

Amazon buy: https://goo.gl/j42GZv

Website: http://tracytappan.com/

Snippet A:

Her tone was so matter-of-fact that he wanted very badly to clamp a hand down over her mouth. The wild pounding of his pulse was machine-gun fire in his veins, counting down to an inevitable explosion. Shutting her up might save her. “I was able to steal medical supplies,” she said. “But I couldn’t get any food. However I figure…” Whatever she continued to say was blotted out by a crackle of fire in his ears. A single woman…alone at night…in a city full of terrorists. How many different ways could you be dead right now? He lost it.

Snippet B:

“You just did something with your mouth.” I did? “My mouth?” What had she done? “You grimaced.” “I…” He swung up to a sitting position, his boots hitting the floor with a solid wump. “Did I hurt you?” Mayday, mayday. Hard collision with his male ego imminent. “No. It was, uh, a little uncomfortable at first, but then—hey!” He’d just slammed to his feet, his eyes on fire with a mixture of emotions. Pissed off was a prominent one, but she was reasonably sure she also saw mortified in there.

Snippet C:

“Take her in your arms,” the drug lord instructed. “Kiss her, mouth open, with your tongue.” A tic jumped in his jaw. No, thank you. He’d prefer not to do that, now he was naked ’n’ all. His knees felt constructed of broken glass as he stepped back over to her. She straightened off the table. He aimed his vision at her neck. Whatever was going on in her eyes, he didn’t want to see. He tugged her against his body and exhaled. Her hooker dress provided little barrier against the feel of her ripe figure against his bare flesh.

Book 2:

The Captain and the Cheerleader by Elaine Cantrell

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1NDgnrg

Find Elaine Here: https://www.amazon.com/Elaine-Cantrell/e/B001K7V90M/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1488077922&sr=8-1

Snippet A:

Susan finished her soft drink and tossed the can into a nearby recycling bin. “I could make Kurt ask me out if I wanted to.” “Yeah? Prove it. Get him to ask you out. I’ll bet you fifty dollars you can’t do it,” Robin taunted. “All he’s interested in is football.” Melissa Taylor, Susan’s best friend, cleared her throat. “How long would she have to get the date?” “Two weeks ought to be enough for an old pro like Susan.” Robin snickered as her gaze swept around the lounge. “Would the rest of you like to get a piece of the action?”

Snippet B:

“You missed me,” she taunted. She had no sooner finished speaking before a second bean ball flew through the air. This one caught the shoulder of her new blouse. The blonde laughed. Aimee grabbed a bean ball from the table and threw it at the blonde. She hit the woman right in the chest. “Help me!” the blonde shrieked. “She hit me in the heart. Where’s the sheriff?” From the corner of her eye, Aimee saw the priest hurrying their way. She fired one final bean ball, which hit the blonde’s forehead with a beany thud.

Snippet C:

“That’s what I get for falling in love with a pro football player,” Stacey teased, her blonde hair turned to frosted silver by the light of the full moon above them. Matt squeezed her hand that wore his engagement ring. “It’s too late to back out now. You’re mine.” “Mmm, do I like the sound of that!” The car rounded a curve, and without warning a deer bounded across the road. “Look out!” Stacey screamed. Matt braked sharply to avoid the animal. The tires slid on a patch of loose gravel in the road, and he lost control of the convertible.

Book 3:

Dan Alexander, Pitcher by Jean Joachim

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0UT7CS

Find Jean Here: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com

Snippet A:

Then, it happened. She dropped a hot dog loaded with mustard. The man in the stands stood up and started hollering. Holly bent over to clean it up. The guy in the TV booth running the camera zeroed in on her rear, and there it was, big as life on the Jumbotron! People clapped and hooted. The players laughed. Dan held his breath. She craned her neck and looked around. Although Dan couldn’t hear what the man was saying, the pitcher saw him point to the giant screen. Dan cringed as she spied her backside, huge, amusing the crowd.

Snippet B:

Depressed after losing the World Series, Matt needed sunshine, in short supply in February in New York. In the weeks before spring training, he’d agreed to head up a two-week camp for underprivileged kids. Matt wouldn’t be doing it alone, some joker, named Dusty Carmichael, from professional softball would partner with him. This jerk, Carmichael, was a pitcher. How good could he be playing men’s softball? It annoyed him to think he’d be running the show with little help from newbie who was getting paid a bundle. He shook his head. Why did he always get stuck with the losers?

Snippet C:

She rummaged through her purse until she located her wallet. No matter how many times she looked, she couldn’t scrounge up more than three dollars and fifty-six cents. She prayed it would be enough to buy breakfast. As to her next meal, well, she’d have to figure that out. She looked at the menu. One item under four dollars. She sat at the counter. “Coffee?” The waitress asked as she turned the cup. “No!” She didn’t have enough money for coffee. “I mean. Thank you, just water, please.” Kate sensed heat in her cheeks. She’d never been this broke before.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - Man Down(required)

Which Snippet is fro Book 2 - The Captain and the Cheerleader(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Dan Alexander, Pitcher(required)

 

 

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April 5, 2017 · 9:20 am

Author Interview with Kara O’Neal / New Release: The Editor’s Kisses

Please help me welcome Kara O’Neal, an author friend and fellow Authors Helping Authors member…

 

Hi Kara…Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from? Where do you live now? Family? Pets?

Hello there! My name is Kara O’Neal, and I was born and raised in Texas. I’ve put down roots here with my wonderful husband and three children. We’ve got a sweet – and very prissy – sheltie, named Stormy. She’s a doll.

I’m a middle school teacher, working with students who have special needs. I’ve been at the same campus for nineteen years, and I love it. The people I work with are dedicated and true servants to their profession.

Where did you get the idea for The Editor’s Kisses? Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share? What is the most difficult thing about writing a book? What was the most difficult thing about this one in particular?

When I was a girl, I loved – and still love – the Little House series. While I enjoyed the events surrounding the Ingalls the most, any story about the town and its citizens was fun, too. I was an avid reader from four years old. I read everything from Shel Silverstein to Rudyard Kipling. However, I never fancied myself a writer.

My sister, who is the inspiration for the fabulous heroine in my second book, was the one who first turned my thoughts in that direction. I was a senior in high school when she sparked my interest. But, I didn’t write my first scene until I was a senior in college. It took a long time for me to be published, but in that waiting period, I wrote. The Pikes Run Series was born, and I would have to say that any story I write comes from the characters. While I have two main families, I also tell stories about a town and its citizens.

The Editor’s Kisses came to life because Stephen Dawson wanted to start Pikes Run’s first newspaper and Constance Forrester wanted to get women the vote and saw his paper as a way to help the process along. Their love story evolved as they worked through that.

The most difficult thing, for me, when writing a book is making sure the character comes across to the reader. I want each one to be different, to have different faults and quirks. I want them to be their own person. And sometimes that is hard to do.

What book have you read that you wish you had written?

Oh, heavens. Probably Anne of Green Gables.

Do you collect anything?

Castles and crosses! I love them. And my husband’s aunt makes the most gorgeous crosses from stained glass. They’re amazing.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time because Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennett are the most complex characters ever written. I was so caught up in the story that I can honestly say I was shocked beyond everything when Mr. Darcy…well…let me not spoil it in case someone hasn’t read it and wants to!

What’s your favorite childhood book?

Anne of Green Gables.

What actors would you like in the main roles if your book were made into a movie?

Colin O’Donoghue and Jennifer Morrison. They could play any characters they want from any of my books.

Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

A bad one.

What is your favorite quote?

From the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – “There are no perfect men in this world, only those with perfect intentions.”

Your most prized material possession?

I have a Texas flag that flew over the state capitol the day I graduated from high school. It’s a symbol of home for me.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

Four of my heroines, and one of my heroes, are based off people I know. Emma (Welcome Home) is based off my baby sister, Alice (The Sheriff’s Gift) is based off my middle sister, Angelique (The Cowboy’s Charms) is based off one of my best friends, Willa (Love’s Redemption) is based off another best friend, and last, Lonnie (Love’s Redemption) is based off my husband.

What is your favorite…

Movie – Pride and Prejudice

Music – Texas country or Red Dirt music

Place you’ve visited — England

Place you’d like to visit — Ireland

TV show from childhood – Little House and Golden Girls

TV show from adulthood – The Closer and Once Upon A Time

Food – Brisket and chips/salsa

Sports team – Texans and Astros

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? Card games

 

Thank you, Kara. I enjoyed getting to know more about you. Please tell us about your book.

Blurb:

Constance Forrester has no intention of getting married. She is a suffragette and determined to change society. When Stephen Dawson, her school chum, starts a newspaper in their sleepy little town, Constance discovers an opportunity. With confidence and an unflinching will, she asks Stephen to take a risk and employ her as a journalist.

Stephen is stunned by Constance’s impossible proposal and immediately turns her down. But the small moments he’s spent with Constance have peeked someone’s curiosity, and Stephen finds himself sought after by the town princess, Madeline Talbut. Stephen has loved Madeline for years, and when the young lady finally shows an interest in him, he concocts a plan: enter into a fake courtship with Constance in order to make Madeline love him, and in return, Constance can be a journalist for his newspaper. Anonymously, of course.

It’s a chance Constance can’t pass up. So what if she has to attend parties and withstand Stephen’s heart-melting kisses? A suffragette must forge through barriers, break down walls and risk all for the sake of freedom. But Stephen changes the game, and Constance finds herself the object of the editor’s desire…

Excerpt:

“Constance,” he uttered. “I’m gonna kiss you.”

She flinched again.

“I won’t hurt you, I swear it. But if I don’t kiss you…they’ll all question us and our…attachment.” He was an ass. He was using their agreement to coax her into acquiescence, and while he knew it, and was ashamed of it, he continued. “It will only be for a second. I’ll just brush my lips with yours.”

In the darkness, he felt her slight nod against his chin. His heart pounded at her quiet surrender.

When she pulled back as far as the space would allow, and lifted her head to his, heat slashed through him. He’d never needed a kiss as much as he needed hers.

Madeline had kissed him. Once. Behind the schoolhouse when they were sixteen. And that moment hadn’t caused near the anticipation this one was.

He lowered his head and swallowed her gasp. It wasn’t a brush even though he only set his lips on hers. It was a fire. A shot of whiskey that whipped through him and pooled in his gut. He deepened the connection, and she let him, sighing and sinking into him despite already being as close to him as he could get her.

But there was a melting. A need to move to the ground and cover her, press her down and make her his. He used his tongue, tasting her. She capitulated instantly and opened her mouth under his. He took what she allowed without hesitation as his free hand came up to grip her waist.

The damn closet was too small. His left hand was wedged between her side and the slender door. But though he couldn’t get his arms around her, he didn’t stop the kiss. It went on and on, stealing his breath, tightening his chest, and making him doubt everything he’d ever known about his heart.

Bio:

I was born and raised in Texas. It is the fire in my blood that inspires me, and I had to make it the setting of my first series. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Buy link for The Editor’s Kisses: http://amzn.to/2nDLp04

Contact links:

My website: www.karaoneal.com.

My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o’neal?_requestid=845025

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

 

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April 2, 2017 · 9:13 am

Liz Tyner Author Interview & New Release: The Wallflower Duchess

Please help me welcome a dear author friend from my Oklahoma Romance Writers group and a mega talented writer, Liz Tyner…

 

So glad to have you here, Liz. Where did you get the idea for The Wallflower Duchess?

I’d written about the duke in The Notorious Countess and made him irritatingly perfect. I wanted to write a story about a man who felt pressured to be correct. People agreed with him because of who he was, and not necessarily because he was right all the time, so he knew no one would tell him when he was wrong.

What is the most difficult thing with writing this particular book?

I wanted both characters to be introverted and controlled. I based the hero’s personality on Tommy Lee Jones, and I kept looking at the dialog and thinking, “Tommy Lee Jones wouldn’t say that.” That was a learning experience for me in characterization. About halfway through the book I decided to just let the characters talk to each other. Tommy Lee Jones had to get another role.

Are there any tricks or habits you use when creating a story?

I have tried almost every writing inspirational trick I’ve ever heard of. A timer. Listening to motivational tapes. Writing at the library. Mostly, a word count calendar keeps me on track.

What do you dislike that most people wouldn’t understand?

Telling the plot of one of my novels. The only way to experience a book is to read it.

What do you want your readers to come away with after they read The Wallflower Duchess?

Besides the romance, I hope the readers like the sisters’ relationship and the handkerchiefs. The scenes with the windows and the characters using handkerchiefs as signals were my favorites to write.

You mentioned the scenes you enjoyed writing. Is that why you write?

Writing is a part of me. I can give you all sorts of reasons of things that happened in my past that led me to want to write. But what I really believe is that it’s a part of my being much like the color of my eyes or hair. It just is.

What do you want your readers to take away from your books?

A diversion from life. A moment in another world. Perhaps a bit of whimsy or humor added in their day.

And, one final question. If you were to wake up and find yourself in heaven, what is the first thing you’d like read in the newcomers orientation manual?

We don’t have allergies here. Or alarm clocks. But we have maid service and a thermostat dial that lets you control the seasons.

Great interview…I know what you mean about writing being a part of you. So true! Please tell us about your book. 

 

Excerpt:

Edge had botched the first proposal terribly. But he wasn’t going to botch the first kiss.

He moved Lily slightly, turning her so he could savor every second and give her a feeling she would cherish.

‘This is how it starts,’ she said, whispering, shaking her head, turning away. ‘It’s not safe.’

‘One kiss,’ he said, knowing it was likely the biggest lie of his life.

‘No.’

But she didn’t push away. She didn’t move to her feet—she just sat, and leaned closer against him.

‘Half a dozen, then.’ He didn’t smile, again letting her hair brush his face. ‘Twenty. And that’s my final offer.’

 

Buy links:

http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=69871

https://www.amazon.com/Wallflower-Duchess-Harlequin-Historical-ebook/dp/B01LZFO0QB/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490462970&sr=8-2&keywords=liz+tyner

Bio:

Liz Tyner first became published when she sent four lines of her high school assignment to a national magazine to use as a filler. Her articles and photos have appeared in numerous trade and regional publications, but her heart lies in writing romance. The Wallflower Duchess is her sixth book to be published by Harlequin, a division of Harper Collins. Coincidentally Harper Collins began as a small shop in 1817—the same time frame as her novels are set.

 

Find out more about Liz at:

Blog: http://www.liztyner.com/

Facebook:     https://www.facebook.com/liztyner2

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/LizTyner1

Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/liztyner1/

 

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March 31, 2017 · 8:45 am

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – March 31, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

Guess the fragment, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, given away monthly!!!

Below you will find three different books, by three different authors, and beneath each, you will find three different short excerpts. Only one excerpt is from the listed book. Using the form at the bottom of the post, enter your guesses as to which excerpt is correct for each book. Once a month, I will draw a name from all those who attempt a guess on this game, AND on my Facebook SpotaLie game (check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAliciaDean/) The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Each week, the first person to guess all 3 correctly receives an additional entry. (TIP: Click on each link and read the blurbs for a better chance at guessing correctly) – Remember, you get an entry just for guessing!

In addition to filling out the contact form, we’d also love it if you would comment, whether it is about your guesses, the books, the authors, etc. 

Have fun!

Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary to win. There is no limit on how many times one entrant can win. You do not have to guess correctly to be entered in the monthly drawing.

*** Since tomorrow (April 1)  is the day I draw a winner, all guesses made after today (March 31) will go toward the April drawing.

*** The game runs from the day it’s posted through the following Friday morning when the next post goes up, so feel free to send your guesses in and comment any time during that week. In order to stay up to date on each post, follow my blog by signing up in the column to the right. 

Last week’s extra giveaway winners are listed below.  Congrats, ladies!

From Gemma Juliana – Free copy of The Amulet – Winner: Elf

From Cailin Briste – Free copy of Shane: Marshal of Tallav Book #1 in the Sons of Tallav series. – Winner Mary Anne

From Suzanne Stengl  – Free copy of ANGEL WINGS – Winner Melissa O’Leary

Book 1:

Overload Flux by Carol Van Natta

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OHNCCYI

Find Carol here: http://author.carolvannatta.com

Snippet A:

Imara badly wanted to get all the answers she could from him immediately, but she couldn’t justify torturing him any longer. He was only staying with her now out of good manners, and perhaps protectiveness. “You’ve got to get some rest, Agent Sòng. The security team will monitor the assho…uh, valued patron, so Derrit and I will be fine.” He gave her a tired but genuine smile. “I would be honored if you would call me Lièrén.” “Shì de, dāngrán, zūnjìng de xiānshēng.” Yes, of course, honored sir. She gave him an exaggerated bow. “Whatever honored sir desires.”

Snippet B:

“When they assigned you to me, did they tell you not to talk?” “No.” Her voice sounded low and rusty, as if she didn’t use it much. A ground skimmer that was weaving through the lanes came within centimeters of scraping their side panel, but she smoothly adjusted their position to narrowly avoid it. “Good,” he told her. “I’d hate to inhibit your natural garrulousness.” She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and quirked a corner of her mouth in what may have been a smile, but said nothing. He laughed, delighted to discover she had a sense of humor. “I get the feeling you don’t do this very often.” “Drive?” “No, have a casual conversation.”

Snippet C:

For paradise, it sure as hell rained a lot. Jerzi hunched his shoulders forward and tried to keep the warm, torrential rain from drenching every square centimeter of his new corporate suit as he half ran toward the huge, rounded entrance to the lecture space in the Optimal Polytechnic Chemistry building. It was supposedly the tallest building of the four clustered on the anchored ovoid disc that made up this part of the famous floating campus, but he couldn’t see anything but gray shapes. The only available parking for his flitter had been on the east end of the floater, on top of the Materials Science building.

 

Book 2:

Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Pressed-Perfectly-Proper-Paranormal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01FOR0Z7G/

Find Kristen here: http://kirstenweiss.com

Snippet A

Once upon a time, in the foothills of granite mountains, when the sun hadn’t yet risen in the east, there were three sisters. And one, me, had been stuck at the hospital all night. The shadow of our small town’s modern hospital loomed over the parking lot. Behind it swelled Sierra peaks, a jagged frame vanishing into dark clouds. The muggy air promised rain to come, but I shivered in my thin blouse and safari jacket. Maybe if I hadn’t been so tired, I would have paid more attention to the images written in the clouds…

Snippet B

I was going to jail. Worse, my arch nemesis would be the one to drag me from my own paranormal museum. “I do not traffic in stolen goods.” My voice cracked on the final word. You’d think my innocence would go without saying, but Detective Laurel Hammer’s loathing for me was irrational. So I was saying it. I crossed my arms, defiant. The photos of executed murderers watched, impassive, from the museum’s glossy white walls. GD, the museum’s ghost detecting cat, hopped off the haunted rocking chair in the corner. He landed, silent, on the checkerboard floor

Snippet C

It was just meat. Sickly green tiles, slick with something I didn’t want to identify. A wall of cabinets with square, metallic doors. And on the autopsy table…just meat. I adjusted my mask, adapted my breathing. My stomach flipped at the smell of ammonia and petroleum. By this point, I should have been used to the oil stink. Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, reeked of the stuff. It seeped from the ground, staining the sand, hanging heavy in the air. But surely I was imagining the odor here, in the morgue two stories below the city’s streets.

 

Book 3:

The Cafe Birds by Alicia Hope

Buy link: – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYFPJ11

Find Alicia Here: https://www.aliciahopeauthor.blogspot.com.au

Snippet A

‘… even the most utilitarian bra doesn’t address all the issues, like white meat wobble, boobie bounce, old lady sway, tray tableism, and don’t get me started on strap gouge or mono-boobs!’ ‘What the heck is tray tableism?’ Grace giggled. ‘When your bust is jammed up under your collarbone, like a built-in tray table.’ Nita frowned. ‘Designers call it “lift and separate” but it’s more like “lift and suffocate”. I’ve also had bras that were sweet to look at but completely useless, and others that simply relocated the bulk to my back – and aren’t back boobs just the LOVELIEST sight?’

Snippet B

‘Elise?’ The voice was hoarse, breathy, weak. Fanning the flowers so each blossom was clearly visible from the bed, Elise set down the vase and pulled a chair closer to the bedside. ‘Yes, Emilie. How are you feeling?’ She took the shaky hand extended toward her. It felt small and chilled. She rubbed it between both her own. Emilie focused watery eyes on the younger woman’s flawlessly made-up face, and her nose caught a hint of expensive fragrance. She blinked and swallowed. ‘Elise … I must tell you … a story … from ze past.’

Snippet C

With a sheepish smile Grayson hurried to the bathroom as suds dripped into his eyes again. Trying to remove the image of his smooth, round pectorals and the hint of a six pack above his towel, Maggie took a deep breath and lifted her chin. Taking her steaming mug onto the landing she closed the door behind her, lent back against it, and sighed. So much for keeping our distance. I not only have a dinner date with Grayson, I’m also sharing my bathroom with him! First Harry, and now the plumbing. Is the universe conspiring to throw us together?

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - Overload Flux (required)

Which Snippet is fro Book 2 - Pressed to Death(required)

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - The Cafe Birds(required)

 

Correct answers from last week:

The first person to guess correctly was Elf, who wins an extra entry!!

Book 1:  Raven of Blackthorn Manor – C

Book 2: Maon: Marshal of Tallav -B

Book 3: The Thurston Heirloom – A

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