Author Alicia Dean

December 15, 2016 · 12:31 pm

Authors Nicole Fitton & Forbidden Colors

Please help me welcome today’s guest, fellow AHA (Authors Helping Authors), Nicole Fitton:

Forbidden Colours was the evolution of a question that had been rattling around in my brain. You know, those annoying questions that wake you at 4am and won’t let you rest until you’ve written something. Well, that’s how it was for me. I had read a newspaper article about the complexity of the human brain and well, it all started from there. Forbidden Colours is a gripping love story which contains elements of psychological suspense. It contains enough adrenaline fuelled drama to power the national grid! Once I had the protagonist Midori Yates firmly fixed in my mind’s eye she took charge and dictated the direction of travel. I have a passion for science and being able to incorporate that into a book is very exciting. The story centres around a new drug being brought to market that does not quite do what it is supposed to…. I shall leave it at that. As I said earlier I started Forbidden Colours with a question and everything flowed from there. So, I know you want to know, what was the question? It’s a question I often ask myself but seldom has it led me in such an unusual direction…… ‘ What if?’

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Colours-Nicole-Fitton-ebook/dp/B01N0BXSYV

Blurb:

What if your memories were not your memories? What if the drug hailed as a cure became a curse and ultimately your destruction?

Midori Yates works for pharmaceutical giant KLD. The launch of new drug Centoria has revolutionised the treatment of amnesia, with outstanding results. Trials exploring its use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s are on the horizon. But is it really as good as the data suggests?

Neurologist Dr. Nick Campbell has seen amazing results with his patients and is ready to believe in Centoria’s transformational abilities…that is until his patients start displaying strange and worrying symptoms with drastic results. Determined to uncover the truth, Midori and Nick find a conspiracy that is to have devastating consequences for both of them. A dark world threatens to engulf them. Can they survive?

Snippet:

Katzuko Yates eyed her daughter thoughtfully. A sense of apprehension gripped her. Those years in Japan were long ago; she wondered if she could be clear with her explanation. Even though buried, her memories continued to breathe under the mountain of life she’d lived. Dare she even speak of them? Could she speak of them? Their place of residence had become an unmarked grave in her history. Her family had a right to know, after everything that had happened. His world was dark and full of shadows; where would she begin? For over 25 years she had told no one. Now she was being drawn back into his world. It was a time she wanted to forget. The tie that had been bound to her so tightly was about to be broken.

Author Bio:

Nicole Fitton is an author and freelance writer who has lived in such glamorous locations as London, New York and Croydon! She currently reside in Devon, UK with her family. Forbidden Colours is her second novel. Her career has spanned over 3 decades working in PR and marketing within the music industry. She currently works within healthcare in the UK.

Alongside her novels Nicole has a passion for writing short stories.This year has seen her short ‘Soaring’ featured in an anthology by the Black Pear Press. Her stories always have a happy ending, but, the way in which they get there will keep you guessing right up until the last page! She admits she gets bored easily and can often be found enjoying new adventures!

Links:

Website address: https://www.nicolefittonauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MisoMiss

Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/fitton3818/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nicole-Fitton/e/B01A3NSIL6/

4 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

December 13, 2016 · 10:22 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Writing the Emotional Love Scene

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Infusing feeling into romance

Hello and welcome…I am a freelance editor and an editor for The Wild Rose Press, as well as an author. I often struggle with my own writing, and I have found that sometimes, a little reminder of ways to improve the process can be helpful, so, I like to share these moments of brilliance with others :). But, in this busy world of ours, who has time for pages and pages of writing tips? That’s why I’ve condensed mine down to quick flashes you can read in (approximately) two minutes. Enjoy…

Disclaimer: All of my tips are suggestions, and are only my opinion. And, for the most part, there are exceptions when going against my advice will make your story read better. Take what works, leave the rest.

Those who know me might be surprised about today’s topic because, quite frankly, I suck at love scenes. They are not my favorite part of a story to write, or read. However, I can still recognize when they are well-done, when they evoke emotion and make me truly believe the depth of the characters’ feelings. Now, since I can’t write those kinds of scenes myself, I am using examples from someone else’s book. I don’t know exactly how to advise you in creating romantic, compelling, emotional love scenes, but I believe it has something to do with getting inside a character’s heart and ‘showing’ the feelings they have for the other person, the effect the moment has on them, and actually playing out what is in their mind, their soul, their sensations, rather than just listing the actions.

This is a brief love scene, and to me, is dry, with no emotion:

He moved to kiss the corner of her mouth. She opened her beautiful green eyes and stared straight into his. He lost it. Coming apart, he ground his mouth to hers. Her lips seemed to be made for his. Heat soared between them as their tongues mingled in a dance as old as time. He skated his hands down her sides as his mouth continued to devour hers. Fully erect, his hardness pressed against her center. She lifted her hips closer to him. If they didn’t stop soon, they wouldn’t be able to. He almost couldn’t bring himself to break off the kiss. When he did, he immediately missed the contact with her soft body.

This, however, is a love scene that is played out more, showing the action, the emotion, the sensations:

He trailed his lips to the corner of her mouth, his tongue darting out to take the barest of tastes. He heard a resounding gasp of surprise from her, and he kept going, blazing kisses along the line of her jaw as if sipping from her, drawing in the very essence of her desire. Finally, he reached that spot behind her ear, the cool, pale skin beckoning his kiss. But he backed away, and he watched her eyelids flutter in confusion. But before she could fully open them, he pressed his lips to that spot, felt the shudder course through her body, and he reveled in her reaction to him.

Derek moved slightly then, drawing her closer, pivoting so that he leaned into her. Her head slid along the back of the sofa until it fell loose, her neck exposed to him. Pausing again, he just looked at her. The graceful lines of her throat, the careful angles of her face. In the dim light of the lamp, she looked almost ethereal, as if she were not quite of this earth. And in that moment, he almost believed it.

For his good luck had never brought him a woman quite like Jessica. Had never brought him anything that may bring him pleasure the way she did. But it was something more than just fleeting pleasure that he found in her arms. It ran deeper than that, hotter than that, and he feared that it may never go away. Looking at her then in the flickering light, he asked himself if he had ever truly imagined taking a wife. And then on that thought came another. Could he live without her? Could he live without Jessica?

Without answering himself, he leaned forward, licking his way down the long, white column of her throat. She exhaled, and he felt the rush of her arousal as it shimmered into him. Her hands gripped his upper arms, and he knew she hung onto him, clinging as if she might fall if she let go.

Reaching the delicate curve of neck melting into shoulder, he scooped her onto his lap, tilting her all the way back into the crook of his bent elbow. She rested there, safe within his grasp, and he felt her response almost immediately. Her body went loose about him, her hands coming free of his arms to slide inward, trailing along his chest until they pressed into his core. He felt the heat of her skin through his shirt. He thanked whatever deity it was that made him garden in only a lawn shirt for he did not think he could take the disappointment of so many layers of clothes between them.

See, as far as the steps taken, not much more happened in the second example than the first, but I bet you ‘felt’ a lot more with the second one, am I correct?

Now, for me, I am not interested in page after page of detailed, explicit sex scenes. But, if I am reading–or writing–a romance, I definitely want to be ‘shown’ that these two people have a deep, emotional connection, even before they’ve completely recognized, or declared, their love. What about you? Do you agree? Are there any tips or secrets you use for ‘showing’ and evoking feelings of passion and love between your characters?

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

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*** If you would like to send me a few sample pages (around 7500 words or so, even though I will not edit that many on the blog. It just gives me more to choose from) for me to edit and share on an upcoming blog post, please do so in the body of an email to AliciaMDean@aol.com. Please use the subject line: “Blog Submission” This is for published or unpublished authors. In the email, please include whether you would like me to use your name or keep it anonymous, and whether or not you would like me to include any contact info or buy info for your books. Also, you can let me know if you would like for me to run my edits by you before posting on the blog. Please keep in mind, this is for samples to use for blog posts. I will not edit or use samples from all the submissions I receive, but I will use as many as possible.

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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

Wanting to write and actually doing it are two very different things. I am well acquainted with the sometimes grueling process of churning out a story. Over the years, I have tried many methods for creating and completing manuscripts, and have tweaked and honed it down to a workable (for me) process.

Using specific examples from one of my own novels, Without Mercy, I share my method in this mini how to book. The first eight steps actually deal with plotting while the last two are designed to help expand your outline into a well-developed draft. There is no one, perfect way to create a story, but there will be a method, or methods that work for you. I’m not sure if this is the one, but it works for me. Only you can decide if it also works for you. Fingers crossed that it does!

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

7 Comments

Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips

Tagged as Amazon, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Quickand easy writing tip, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

December 7, 2016 · 8:06 am

Author Eleanor Webster & Regency Romance: Trouble Between the French & English

Please help me welcome today’s guest with a fascinating article…

The French and the English: Their Trouble Relationship in Regency Romance

By Eleanor Webster

I have always loved history. I spent much of my childhood imaging myself in gorgeous gowns while stomping about in the clothes my mother ‘made me wear’. I know real life wasn’t very glamorous – but in my imagination… The Regency Period has always been of particular interest, likely due to a youthful over- indulgence in Georgette Heyer.

However, in addition to Heyer, this period fascinates because it is a society in the throes of change. During my first novel, No Conventional Miss, I focused on the emergence of innovation connected with the Industrial Revolution. My protagonist creates several inventions, including a butter churn. By the way, current historians now recognize the scientific contributions of some amazing women! Three cheers for Sarah Guppy inventor of the tea or coffee urn, which also cooked eggs and warmed toast. Oh yes, and she also figured out a way to keep barnacles off ships.

My new book, Married for His Convenience, is set slightly earlier during the French Revolution. This era has also always fascinated me; those wonderful ideals which so soon dissolved into blood thirsty chaos. Married for His Convenience touches on that time period and explores its impact on a family touched by its violence.

The French Revolution greatly impacted English society. More than 40,000 French refugees came, many arriving with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Never reluctant to turn tragedy into a high society event, Victims’ Balls were thrown. When a gentleman entered the party, he would bow his head as if presenting it to the guillotine while women wore red ribbons about their necks to symbolize spilled blood.

Not surprisingly, the French and American Revolutions frightened the British upper classes that were somewhat attached to their heads. This made the British even more hesitant to improve the life of the working poor or change the electoral system.

The society of the time is also a fascinating study in French/English relations, which is another intriguing topic. My mother, staunchly middle-class from Sheffield, England, was never a tremendous fan of the French language or culture. As an adolescent, I found this surprising. Had France and England not been allied during two world wars? Moreover, thanks to Georgette Heyer, I knew that every educated person had to speak French with fluency. Therefore, I was surprised when my own attempts at French conjugations were met by a muffled grunt by my maternal unit.

However, the British and their relationship with French language and culture has historically been influenced by class. During regency times and beyond, the aristocracy adored the French language, art, fashion, food, wine, furniture. Indeed, the fact that the two countries were at war between 1793 and 1815 (except for a brief truce in 1802), did nothing to lessen this fascination.

In contrast, the British populace, the poor and growing middle class, were strongly anti-French. This attitude was fueled less by the enemy and more perhaps by the French fascination of their own aristocracy. Therefore, my personal theory is that this sentiment continues, perhaps even to this day, and certainly influenced my own mother, grounded as she was in Yorkshire commonsense and middle-class practicality.

As for me, the unraveling of societal mores and influences throughout the ages make the study of history even more fascinating.

Married for His Convenience

Tainted by illegitimacy, plain Sarah Martin has no illusions of a grand marriage. So when the Earl of Langford makes her a proposal that will take her one step closer to finding her half sister, she can’t refuse!

Sebastian’s dreams of romance died with his late wife’s affair, so now he needs a convenient wife to act as governess for his silent daughter. Yet Sarah continues to surprise and challenge him, and soon Sebastian can’t deny the joy his new bride could bring to his life—and into his bed!

Available Now

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cEzUzW

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2cm9jJB

Nook: http://bit.ly/2cm8oZN

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2cNcokR

About Eleanor Webster

Eleanor Webster has a passion for many things, the most ardent likely being shoes.

But she’s also passionate about a story well told. With the help of some debutantes and viscounts and a twist of the unknown, Eleanor’s stories weave a tale of enchantment, hope, and most importantly, love.

When not writing, you’ll find Eleanor dreaming of being a world traveler, reading, running, reading, hiking in the wilds of British Columbia, where she makes her home with her husband and two daughters, and – did we mention reading?

Connect with Eleanor

Website: https://eleanorwebsterauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ewebsterauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eleanor-Webster/1457032624594046?fref=ts/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eleanorwebs0086/

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

15 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as English, French, Harlequin Historical, new release, regency romance

December 6, 2016 · 9:49 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – How to Get Characters from Point A to Point B

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Using smooth transitions when moving characters through your story

Do you have problems deciding exactly how many of your characters’ movements you should reveal? I sometimes do. It can be tough to capture the correct balance between noting every tiny step/detail and having them appear and disappear like the witches in Bewitched. Over the years, I’ve gotten a little better at naturally moving my characters around, but it can still be a challenge. And, based on some of the books I have read, I’m not the only one who has difficulties. Here are a few examples…

From Haunting at Spook Light Inn (Formerly Devil’s Promenade):

I slept fitfully in spite of the comfortable bed. The next morning, I awoke groggy and annoyed with myself. Ghosts, pshh. If I weren’t careful, I’d become one of those gullible sheep I targeted in my books. I showered and dressed in worn jeans and a ruby red mock-neck knitted sweater. I pulled my long hair back into a ponytail and decided not to bother with makeup.

It was eight, and I’d missed the communal breakfast at seven. No worries. I’d just as soon grab something and have a bite alone.

The maid from last night—Jean, Declan had called her—was in the kitchen, which was attached to an informal dining room. It was large with a marble center island and copper pots hanging from racks along the walls.

The above is an example of how I transferred the character down the hall to the bathroom and back in her bedroom upstairs and then downstairs to the kitchen with just a few transition sentences, rather than something like this…

I got out of bed and left my bedroom and walked down the hallway to the bathroom. I went inside and stepped into the shower. After my shower, I got out and left the bathroom. I went back down the hall and into my bedroom. I dressed and opened my bedroom door and left the room, closing the door behind me. I walked across the landing to the stairs and went down them. I crossed the living room to the kitchen at the back of the house. I went inside the kitchen.

Yes, this is a bit of an exaggeration and most authors would not do this (hopefully), but you might be surprised at the times I’ve seen every little detail of motion played out.

Then, you also have issues at the opposite end of the spectrum where a character is suddenly in a new spot without a transition. Have you read passages like this?

“It’s over. I’m sorry.” Mary sat back into the sofa cushion and sipped her coffee.

Dexter paced over to the window and stared outside. “It’s because of him, isn’t it? You always were a slut.”

Mary gasped and slapped him across the face. “How dare you!”

Whoa, whiplash! How did she slap him when she was sitting on the sofa and he was over by the window? Unless, she’s Inspector Gadget or Elasticgirl…

In this example from Soul Seducer, my character goes from the nurses’ station, down the hall into a patient’s room in, what I hope, is a smooth transition:

Audra raised her head from the notebook, and something down the hall caught her attention. At first, she wasn’t sure what it was. Nothing unusual that she could see; a few patients meandering along, hospital employees bustling about, performing their tasks by rote.

Then, she spotted something that was definitely out of the ordinary. A figure outside Mr. Neufeld’s room. Entering without opening the door she’d shut behind her. Walking right through solid wood.

Fear seeped into her chest, growing into panic and settling in the pit of her stomach. She skirted the desk, starting down the hallway, her speed increasing to match her heartbeat. She barely heard, didn’t acknowledge Tonya’s shouted, “Hey, Audra! What’s up? Everything okay?”

She reached Mr. Neufeld’s room and entered—using the door like a normal person.

Only moments before, she’d wished the man gone. Now he was. But she hadn’t meant it this way. His vacant stare pointed to the ceiling, his arms outspread, lying limp at his sides.

“Mr. Neufeld?”

No response. Although she didn’t have to check to know, she rushed to the bed and pressed her fingers against his wrist, then to his neck.

Movement from the corner grabbed her attention.

Gaylen leaned against the wall, smiling, his golden eyes feral with excitement. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat froze, and no words came out. Didn’t matter anyway. Gaylen gave her a wink, then faded through the wall.

Just keep in mind that you can convey activity without giving a list of choreographed steps, yet you don’t want to have a character suddenly appear somewhere without some kind of transition.

How about you? Is this something you struggle with or have you mastered it?

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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ONLY 99 cents!!

(Click on the cover to be taken to the Amazon Buy Page)

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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

7 Comments

Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips

Tagged as Amazon, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, moving characters in your story, Quickand easy writing tip, smooth transitions, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

December 5, 2016 · 6:33 am

Meet Meet Racine Weston from No Luck At All by Julie Lence

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Julie Lence…

Hello Alicia. Thank You for having me as your guest today. It’s a pleasure connecting with you and your readers. No Luck At All was probably the easiest story for me to write. Racine spoke to me the entire way. Below, get to know her better and you’ll discover why she tugged at my heartstrings from beginning to end. 2 people will win a Kindle copy of No Luck At All just for leaving a comment. Hugs!

My pleasure, Julie! I’m thrilled to have you and I look forward to meeting Racine. Thank you for the giveaway!

Hello. I’m Racine, the youngest daughter of wealthy and respected Boston doctor, Donald Somerfield, and his socialite wife, Katherine. Mama hated me from the moment I was born. She had it in her mind that Papa wanted a son, and when I came out a fourth daughter, she blamed me for that mishap. She swore she would not jeopardize her figure and looks again to bear papa another child, moved into her own bedroom, and handed me and my care over to the servants.

My toddler years, I found it unbearable to not have Mama’s love and acceptance. My sisters, Valeen, Victoria and Valerie did. Mama would fuss over them, take them shopping and plan parties for them. She did none of that with me, which made me try all sorts of ways to gain her approval, none of which worked. I only earned her ‘rolling’ of the eyes, a stern lecture on how I was disobedient and very unladylike, and words of how no one would ever like me. I was unlovable.

I found that last part hard to believe. Papa loved me and spent as much time with me as his doctor duties allowed. Even the servants seemed to enjoy my company. Then one day, on a whim to make mama happy, I went to her flower garden to pick her some flowers. A stray dog leapt out from under the bushes and attacked me. His paw clawed my cheek and Papa had to stitch three deep cuts. When the bandages were removed, I had three long, red, ugly scars. Papa swore they would fade in time, But I knew that wasn’t true. Every year, they got bigger, more noticeable–this was proven when I overheard my sisters beg Mama to keep me hidden from their friends. They said I was hideous and would scare away the other girls.

After that, I took to spending a lot of time in my room, alone. The maids took pity on me and taught me how to sew. Sophie, our cook, taught me how to prepare delicious meals. My skills flourished under their guidance. Even Papa was impressed with the curtains I sewed for his den.

The years passed and I reached an age where Papa insisted I attend the dinner parties he held for his interns. I wanted nothing to do with socializing and retreated to my room on those occasions. One night, Papa ordered me to attend a dinner. Grudgingly, I did, and kept to the shadows most of the evening until one man asked me to dance. I wanted to decline his offer, but his warm smile drew me to him as his hand drew me out of the corner. I’m thankful I didn’t refuse him, for that night I met and fell in love with the most handsome, heavily muscled, kind-hearted man to ever exist―Creel Weston.

Creel courted me relentlessly. He took me to the park, to dinner, and for strolls around Mama’s flower gardens. He told me he loved me and wanted me to marry him. Part of me believed him. The other part was unsure, until he stood beside me at the altar, said his vows, and gave me a ring. I’ve never been so happy, and then that happiness disappeared as before my eyes Creel went from warm and caring to a cad on the eve of our wedding.

I don’t know what brought about the change in him, but I have a good idea. Somehow, he came to the conclusion he can’t bear looking at me and my hideous scars for the rest of his life. Though he’d never once commented on them, I gathered the preacher joining us together for all eternity sparked feelings in him he never knew existed. I can’t blame him―I am ugly. But I can hope for some semblance of comfort and accord between us. I thought I had found that after Creel and I hashed out some misunderstandings. But now, an old friend from Creel’s childhood claims he loves her. After replaying some events over and over in my mind, and pitting Amy’s beauty and refinement against my scars and lack of elegance, I fear she is right in that Creel loves her and not me.

No Luck At All is the 3^rd book in the Weston Family series and available for purchase at Amazon:

www.amazon.com/dp/B0064R6NVI

Excerpt from No Luck At All:

“A sassy mouth isn’t becoming of you.” He sat across from her.

“Ungratefulness doesn’t become you, either,” she rallied back.

“Butchering me like a side of beef does?” He raised a brow.

“I butcher you?” Disbelief shone in her eyes. “You butcher me. Most of the time you don’t talk to me and when you do, you’re mean.”

“Have a heart, Racine. I’m doing the best I can.”

“If this is your best, I’d hate to see your worst.” She fidgeted with the sash on her robe. “What’s bothering you, Creel? Why do you think the worst of me?”

“Because,” he barked and instantly regretted it. Fear sprang into her eyes and she sank back in her chair, her shoulders trembling. “I apologize,” he said quietly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his thighs before folding his hands together to conquer the churning in his gut. If he wanted any kind of normalcy with her, it was now or never.

BIO:

Julie was born and raised in upstate New York. She married her high school sweetheart and accompanied him on his twenty-year career with the United States Air Force. Presently, she resides in the Pikes Peak region, where she’s a stay-at-home mom enjoying a career writing western historical romance.

Throughout her school years, Julie enjoyed reading and writing. A friend introduced her to the romance genre in the late 80’s and she was instantly hooked, crediting Judith McNaught and Johanna Lindsey as her inspirations to pen her own novels. As she puts it, Ms. McNaught’s voice is flawless and Ms. Lindsey’s Malory family is endearing and addictive. Combining her fondness for horses, John Wayne and the television series, Dallas, Julie settled into writing about cowboys, outlaws and the ‘old west’ early in her career.

Julie self-publishes her work at Amazon.com. She also designs her covers. When she’s away from her computer, she enjoys taking care of her family and home, exploring the Rocky Mountains and meeting fans of the romance genre. To connect with her, visit her here:

Website: www.julielence.com

Facebook page: https://facebook.com/#!/JulieLence

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julielence

19 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as Colorado, Cowboys, Doctor, Family, Western Romance

December 1, 2016 · 10:47 am

“Are You A Review Snob?”

This is an excellent article on reviewing for authors, so I thought I’d share.

“Help an author … leave a review.” I see it daily … that little quote we readers, reviewers, blogs, authors, personal assistants, et al, post all the time in our groups, our…

Source: “Are You A Review Snob?”

“Why I Wrote RAG DOLL” by Joe Cosentino ~ #TWRP New Release

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Joe Cosentino…

Why I Wrote RAG DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery, published by The Wild Rose Press

by Joe Cosentino

I have always been a storyteller. I remember starring in a Nativity play in my cousin’s garage with my sister and older cousin wrapping sheets around us and charging neighbors a nickel. Sitting in my cardboard box full of straw, I was the star, and I loved it! That morphed into full scale musicals starring my sister and me including lavish costumes in a neighbor’s garage. Thankfully my parents and teachers indulged me (rather than committed me-hah). Eventually I became an actor in film, television, and theatre, working opposite stars like Bruce Willis, Nathan Lane, Rosie O’Donnell, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. It occurred to me that acting is storytelling in the same way that writing is storytelling, so I decided to give writing a try. After writing some plays, I knew my novels would include show business in some way, since show business has always been such a huge part of my life. As an avid mystery reader, it was clear to me that my novels would also be page-turning mysteries with clever plot twists, engaging characters, romance, and lots of clues leading to a surprising conclusion. Since coming from a funny Italian-American family, I also knew humor would play a role in my novels.

As a child I loved child stars like Shirley Temple, Hayley Mills, and Patty Duke, seeing their movies over and over. So I created a heroine who was the biggest child star ever until she was attacked on the studio lot at eighteen years old.

In PAPER DOLL Jana at thirty-eight lives with her family in a mansion in picturesque Hudson Valley, New York. Her flashbacks from the past become murder attempts in her future. Jana ventures back to Hollywood, which helps her uncover a web of secrets about everyone she loves. She also embarks on a flirtation with the devilishly handsome son of her old producer, Rocco Cavoto. In PORCELAIN DOLL, Jana makes a comeback film and uncovers who is being murdered on the set and why. Her heart is set aflutter by her incredibly gorgeous co-star, America’s heartthrob Jason Apollo. In SATIN DOLL, Jana and family head to Washington, DC, where Jana plays a US senator in a new film, and becomes embroiled in a murder and corruption at the senate chamber. She also is tempted by Chris Bruno, the muscular detective. In CHINA DOLL, Jana heads to New York City to star in a Broadway play, enchanted by her gorgeous co-star Peter Stevens, and faced with murder on stage and off.

Now in RAG DOLL with Miami Vice and Murder She Wrote being all the rage of television, Jana stars in a new television mystery series, The Detective’s Wife, opposite Chris Bove, the hunky detective who got away in SATIN DOLL. Guest starring on the show is young ingénue Christa Bianca, a rags to riches story who has flooded the press. Life imitates television as Christa’s loved ones are murdered, and Christa and Jana could be next. Once again it’s up to Jana to use her knowledge from her days as America’s most famous child star and save the day before the lights fade to black.

Jana’s amazingly resilient, old world Hollywood, incredibly funny, and loyal agent, Simon Huckby, is back. The other suspects include Jason, the young prop man with a secret; bit players Karen and makeup girl Cindi who have their eyes on Christa’s guest starring role; two couples in supporting roles who have a conflict with Christa and Christa’s husband/manager, the domineering Andrew Bianca; Christa’s calculating agent Stu, and her Uncle Nick, trying to stay in show business on Christa’s coattails.

I’ve been told the television shooting sequences in RAG DOLL are realistic, exciting, and fun to read. I’m sure that’s because I know my way around a real television set, and I tried hard to incorporate that knowledge into those scenes.

Though Jana and Brian are happily married, you can’t blame Jana for being attracted to handsome, muscular, smart, food-addict Bove, starring opposite her in The Detective’s Wife. After what they’ve gone through together in SATIN DOLL, they can be totally honest with one another. Their banter is very funny but also warm and precious. Since Jana is not available, their attraction for each other needs to stay at bay, which is quite difficult for both of them at times. I think they put that frustrated energy into solving the case.

So settle back on the sofa, get the remote and popcorn, and turn on the television for the next Jana Lane mystery! BTW, I want to play Simon Huckby in the TV series!

I love to hear from readers. Please contact me via my web site at:

http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Murder, romance, and scandal on and off the set of Jana Lane’s new murder mystery television show. America’s most famous ex-child star Jana Lane is starring in The Detective’s Wife, a murder mystery television show in 1985. Guest starring on the show is Christa Bianca, a rags-to-riches ingénue who has flooded the entertainment press. Life imitates television as cast members are murdered, and once again it’s up to Jana, along with sexy ex-detective Chris Bove, to save the day before the lights fade to black.

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4671-rag-doll.html

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/4753-rag-doll-paperback.html

http://myBook.to/Rag_Doll

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http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rag-doll-joe-cosentino/1124742578?ean=2940156928002

Praise for CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

“Set on Broadway in 1984, “China Doll”…combines plenty of drama with a mystery complex enough to keep the reader guessing. Every member of the cast has not only some depth but intertwining romance and quirk to spare. The romance surrounding Jana as she struggles between remaining faithful to her husband and the feelings that stir around Peter will leave the reader torn until the end. With a smooth pace, intriguing mystery, and plenty of danger…An excellent read for lovers of mystery and drama!” Ind’Tale Magazine

“Joe Cosentino never disappoints…his novels are superb. I find myself addicted to each story that he writes, and once he writes a new book the characters end up being added to my all-time favorite lists. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, and murder to go around. A talented writer whose words constantly draw me in every time. I look forward to the next masterfully woven story in this series. Jana Lane is definitely a new female sleuth that should be on everyone’s reading list. I highly recommend China Doll to readers worldwide.” Urban Book Reviews

Praise for SATIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

“A book that will captivate any reader! A page turner that won’t let you go! This is one author you can always depend on to publish a good read!!” Stormy Nights Reviewing

“Joe Cosentino is a brilliant mastermind when creating the perfect mystery series. In each novel in this intriguing series of his, Jana Lane Mysteries, readers are blown away by his writing. The instant readers jump into Joe Cosentino’s fictional world, the danger feels real, the suspense is killing, and the plot moves so fast. Action, lights, camera!” “A fast-paced murder mystery that readers will easily fall in love with…and one they can’t live without. Overall, I highly recommend this new title in the Jana Lane Mysteries and look forward to the next best adventure from Joe Cosentino.” Urban Book Reviews

Praise for PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

“Porcelain Doll is Joe Cosentino at his finest. We are drawn back to the fashions and attitudes of the 1980’s in a character-driven story full of intrigue and passion.” Kirsty Vizard, Divine Magazine

“Beautifully written and intensely detailed, Porcelain Doll is one not to be missed. Flirtatiously decadent with a strong moral undertone, set in a decade of extraordinary social change this is a story of its period that is as poignant today as it was then. Joe Cosentino controlled the emotions that the book encouraged with a deft but delicate touch. Suspenseful and mysterious, Porcelain Doll is a masterful creation, one that was impossible not to be affected by.” Carol Fenton, BooksLaidBare Reviews

“Murder, mystery, and suspense are high inside of this brilliant masterpiece by Joe Cosentino.” “Every page fills the readers with intrigue.” “Edge of your seat mystery that lures readers instantly.” “Once you read it, you can’t put it down.” Urban Book Reviews

“Porcelain Doll hooks from the start with characters behaving badly, all of whom have life-changing secrets.” “The story includes a nice arc, well-developed characters, and a few unexpected surprises.” InD’tale Magazine

Praises for PAPER DOLL, the first Jana Lane mystery:

“Paper Doll is a superbly crafted mystery with an eclectic cast of characters that will engage you and elicit some very emotional responses as you are completely caught up in the events that unfold in these pages. Everyone has secrets and the people in Paper Doll have them in spades!” Fresh Fiction

“If you like novels that are filled with new and old Hollywood, and a range of sub-plots, you are going to love this!” Saguaro Moon Reviews

“I liked that there was enough evidence for each of the suspects to keep me guessing until the very end.” Molly Lolly Reviews

“Joe Cosentino knows how to keep his readers’ interest with every page.” Urban Book Reviews

“Mr. Cosentino has produced a masterpiece of mystery” “The story gripped me from the start and there were enough twists and turns, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, to keep hold of me until the end of the book.” “Great book, can’t wait for book 2.” Readers’ Favorite

Print ISBN 978-1-5092-

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092- 29

Released: November 16, 2016

Pages: 260

Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor

Bestselling author Joe Cosentino won Divine Magazine’s awards for best mystery novel, best humorous novel, and best contemporary novel of 2015. He is the author of the Jana Lane mysteries: Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, Rag Doll (The Wild Rose Press); the Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, and the upcoming Drama Cruise and Drama Luau (Lethe Press); the Cozzi Cove beach series: Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, and the upcoming Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out (NineStar Press); and the romance novellas: In My Heart anthology (An Infatuation & A Shooting Star), A Home for the Holidays, and The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). As an actor, he has appeared in principal roles in film, television, and theatre opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently head of the department/professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino

Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino

An excerpt of RAG DOLL by Joe Cosentino, published by The Wild Rose Press:

Jana and Bove did the scene again with a thin piece of gauze over the camera lens aimed at Jana.

Ah, the plight of a middle-aged actress.

Jana felt even better about that take. Their relationship worked, and the energy bounced back and forth between them almost effortlessly. Again Jana wondered what it would be like sharing her days with Bove and kissing Bove in bed before sleep each night.

Herm’s call for action brought Jana back to the scene. Bove’s close-up was even better than the first two takes. It was as if they had been married for years with an easygoing yet emotional rapport.

“Cut!”

“Good job, partner.”

Bove smiled at Jana. “Right back at you.”

As she started to rise from the bed, Jana spotted Christa in the distance with a look of horror on her face.

The young woman screamed as a lighting screen headed straight for her. Stu Silverman, standing next to Christa, noticed and pushed Christa out of the way in

the nick of time. The screen crashed to the floor inches away from Christa’s feet. Standing on the other side of her, Andrew Bianca took his wife in his arms, and she

wept on his shoulder.

Bove whispered to Jana, “Here we go again.”

#DNA, #Neanderthals and #HumanGenome, oh, my! by Author Anita Philmar

Please help me welcome Anita Philmar with her new release, The Warrior in Me, and a fascinating article!

#DNA, #Neanderthals and #HumanGenome, oh, my!

Do you remember those scientist classes where they talked about the Neanderthals and other Homo Sapiens?

No?

Funny, but I do. I watch a number of special programs where scientists argued as to whether or not humans and Neanderthals existed at the same time. Each side argued for and against the possibility. Then I found research proving Neanderthals and humans did have fun together because Neanderthal genome is in human DNA.

The book “Neanderthal Man – In Search of Lost Genomes” by Svante Paabo is about what the scientists had to go through in their search to find answers as to whether or not Neanderthal genome was in human DNA. The book is not an easy read, but I couldn’t let that stop me. So I skipped over those long technical words and tried to get to the meat of what the author/scientist was trying to tell me.

It was a fascinating adventure, which spanned the globe. Dr. Paabo is from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. It is truly an amazing story and if you are interested in how scientist discovered Neanderthal DNA in the human genome, I recommend spending time with this book.

Now, after reading about Neanderthals, I had to work them into a book. I loved the idea that we as humans may have inherited some special skill from our Neanderthal ancestors. This is how I created my new series, the Ancient Warrior Prophecy.

The series is built on the idea that people with Neanderthal DNA have special skills such as psychic abilities, and they are using those abilities to save the world. Add in a murder and a hot romance, the first book is all about the story behind the story of the announcement that Neanderthal DNA is in the human genomes.

The Warrior in Me – Erotic Murder Mystery/ Romantic suspense

Blurb:

Special Security Agent Sebastian Berlin is eager to track down his partner’s killer. Instead, he’s assigned the job of baby-sitting a scientist. His boss thinks she’s the key to an Ancient Warrior Prophecy. Science never interested Sebastian, but the know-it-all female standing at the end of his Alaskan dock could persuade him to do a little experimenting. That is, if he can keep his Neanderthal Warrior genes from taking control.

DNA specialist Lily Sinclair is in need of a vacation, or so her over-protective ex-husband tells her. Arriving in chilly Alaska instead of sunny Cancun, she’s tired and cranky and so not in the mood for her bodyguard’s he-man tactics. Still, there’s something about the sexy eye-candy that makes her want to lick him all over even as she’s demanding to go home.

Then Lily’s ex is poisoned, and Sebastian is certain the two murders are connected and she could be next. She knows he’s hiding something, but with the worldwide release of Neanderthal DNA project only days away, she has no choice but to trust him to protect her. But can she trust him with her heart?

Excerpt :

“Have you met Cain Platero?” He folded his hands together and placed them on the desk. His broad shoulders and thick biceps encased in a red flannel shirt, he appeared in line with a farmer. Yet, his stern attitude reminded Lily more of a powerful businessman.

Trying her best to ignore his intense scrutiny, she narrowed her focus to the few people she’d met recently. Working and conversing with the same group of people day in and day out, she had a tendency to dismiss strangers as not worth her time. After all, if they weren’t involved in her research what importance could they have to her.

The name sounded familiar.

Oh, yes, the handsome man Mark had introduced her to when he told her he’d assigned Bruce the task of driving her back and forth to work each day.

“He works with Bruce. The two of them installed the lab’s new security system.” Lily straightened her arms, leaned against the back of her chair, and folded her hands in her lap. Happy this man couldn’t accuse her of being totally oblivious to the people around her, she smiled.

“That’s right. He was shot last night in the parking lot of your lab.” His words with their precise even tone took a moment for her to process.

She blinked.

He had to be joking.

Lifting her hand to her chest, she sputtered, “Excuse me, what did you say?”

“Cain was murdered outside your lab.” He rephrased the sentence, but her brain registered only one word—murdered.

She jumped to her feet and planted her hands on his desk. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this before now?” She glanced around for her purse. “I need to call Mark. We have to call the police and find out what the hell happened. Did they break into the lab?”

Without waiting for his reply, she turned and headed back down the hallway to where he’d left her suitcase. She didn’t see her handbag anywhere near it. Did she leave it in the small, tin-bucket-sized plane? Or had Bruce left it on the dock?

Desperate for answers to a whole host of questions, she rushed outside. “Damn it, Bruce, how do you expect me to stay in touch with home if you fly off with my purse?”

She dashed across the front porch, making it almost to the steps before a large hand on her shoulder stopped her progress. She spun around and slapped the man’s chest. “Did you pick up my purse?”

Available at

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9C5QLQ

http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4749-the-warrior-in-me.html

Pick up my free read at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/3JMW4

Bio

Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.

Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read.

Naughty or Nice?

Read her books and decide.

Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/

Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com

Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/

FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar

GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C

Keywords:

10 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as #DNA, #Neanderthals, Erotic romance, Murder/Mystery, Romance, romantic suspense, the wild rose press, TWRP

November 22, 2016 · 9:36 am

Tuesday Two-Minute Writing Tip – Stop Showing, Start Telling?

Got two minutes? Then check out this week’s quick tip ~ Lee Child’s advice: Tell, don’t Show

Lee Child is one of my favorite authors. I LOVE the Jack Reacher books. He, like a lot of my favorite suspense/thriller authors, does not write with a lot of emotion. It’s a style that is part of that genre, and it works well for me. I don’t need a ton of emotion, especially when I’m engrossed in an intense thriller. I hadn’t really thought about his voice/style, but after reading his advice on ‘showing,’ I wondered if he did a lot of telling, which is supposedly a no-no, and I just hadn’t noticed. Here is what he had to say about it:

Picture this: In a novel, a character wakes up and looks at himself in the mirror, noting his scars and other physical traits for the reader.

“It is completely and utterly divorced from real life,” Child said.

So why do writers do this? Child said it’s because they’ve been beaten down by the rule of Show, Don’t Tell. “They manufacture this entirely artificial thing.”

“We’re not story showers,” Child said. “We’re story tellers.”

Child said there’s nothing wrong with simply saying the character was 6 feet tall, with scars.

After all, he added—do your kids ever ask you to show them a story? They ask you to tell them a story. Do you show a joke? No, you tell it.

“There is nothing wrong with just telling the story,” Child said. “So liberate yourself from that rule.”

Child believes the average reader doesn’t care at all about telling, showing, etc. He or she just wants something to latch onto, something to carry them through the book. By following too many “rules,” you can lose your readers.

I think he has some good points. We don’t want to get so bogged down in rules that we lose our story. Also, you can overdo it with the showing. However, I think Mr. Child does more ‘showing’ than he would lead us to believe.

Excerpt from “Worth Dying For” by Lee Child:

Reacher checked the window. There were four tires in total, big knobbly off-road things, all of them on a Ford pick-up truck. The truck had a jacked suspension and lights on a roof bar and a snorkel air intake and a winch on the front. There were two large shapes in the gloom inside. The shapes had thick necks and huge shoulders. The truck nosed slowly down the row of cabins and stopped twenty feet behind the parked Subaru. The headlights stayed on. The engine idled. The doors opened. Two guys climbed out.

They both looked like Brett, only bigger. Late twenties, easily six-six or six-seven, probably close to three hundred pounds each, big waists made tiny by huge chests and arms and shoulders. They had cropped hair and small eyes and fleshy faces. They were the kind of guys who ate two dinners and were still hungry afterward. They were wearing red Cornhuskers football jackets made gray by the blue light from the cabin’s eaves.

The doctor’s wife joined Reacher at the window.

“Sweet Jesus,” she said.

Reacher said nothing.

The two guys closed the truck’s doors and stepped back in unison to the load bed and unlatched a tool locker bolted across its width behind the cab. They lifted the lid and one took out an engineer’s ball-peen hammer and the other took out a two-headed wrench at least a foot and a half long. They left the lid open and walked forward into the truck’s headlight wash and their shadows jumped ahead of them. They were light on their feet and nimble for their size, like football players usually were. They paused for a moment and looked at the cabin’s door, and then they turned away.

Toward the Subaru.

They attacked it in a violent frenzy, an absolute blitzkrieg, two or three minutes of uncontrolled smashing and pounding. The noise was deafening. They smashed every shard of glass out of the windshield, they smashed the side windows, the back window, the headlights, the tail lights. They hammered jagged dents into the hood, into the doors, into the roof, into the fenders, into the tailgate. They put their arms through the absent glass and smashed up the dials and the switches and the radio.

Shit, Reacher thought. There goes my ride.

“My husband’s punishment,” the doctor’s wife whispered. “Worse this time.”

The two guys stopped as suddenly as they had started. They stood there, one each side of the wrecked wagon, and they breathed hard and rolled their shoulders and let their weapons hang down by their sides. Pebbles of broken automotive glass glittered in the neon and the boom and clang of battered sheet metal echoed away to absolute silence.

Reacher took off his coat and dumped it on the bed.

The two guys formed up shoulder to shoulder and headed for the cabin’s door. Reacher opened it up and stepped out to meet them head on. Win or lose, fighting inside would bust up the room, and Vincent the motel owner had enough problems already.

The two guys stopped ten feet away and stood there, side by side, symmetrical, their weapons in their outside hands, four cubic yards of bone and muscle, six hundred pounds of beef, all flushed and sweating in the chill.

Reacher said, “Pop quiz, guys. You spent four years in college learning how to play a game. I spent thirteen years in the army learning how to kill people. So how scared am I?”

Sigh….when you’re Lee Child, and your character is Jack Reacher, who needs showing? However, lines like this: ‘Pebbles of broken automotive glass glittered in the neon and the boom and clang of battered sheet metal echoed away to absolute silence.’ In my opinion, are showing. As far as emotion, you don’t need melodrama. I felt the emotion in that scene, easily. Even though Reacher is not given to hysterics, and even though it was brief, the doctor’s wife’s emotions were clear. And, Reacher’s intent to do bodily harm was clear. I was completely in the scene. I could see it, feel it, hear it. I will say that, writing in first person helps. You naturally ‘show’ more when in first person.

Bottom line, I think it’s about a few things…

Don’t worry about showing in the first draft. Write it as quickly as you can, just get the story out. Perhaps even write in first person (you can switch to third in the second round) so you’ll be inclined to ‘show.’
When you are revising, look for places where you can make the scene a little more vivid by using senses and unique descriptions and avoiding ‘filter’ words such as ‘saw’ ‘heard’ ‘realized’ ‘noticed’ ‘felt’ etc.
Find a balance between showing and telling. Like in the excerpt above, a few well-chosen words can put us immediately in the scene, right with the action.

Until next time…Happy Writing!

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How to write a novel? That is the question. There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it.

*** Warning – Please do not purchase without reading a sample. (This is solid advice for any book, fiction or non. If you are not intrigued in the sample, you will likely not enjoy the book)

Amazon: Click Here

9 Comments

Filed under For Writers, Promo Tips, Tips from an Editor, Tuesday Two-Minute Tips

Tagged as Amazon, Dexter, Editing advice, Fiction Writing, Find the Magic, Free, Freelance editor, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Quickand easy writing tip, Two minute Tip, Writing fiction, Writing tips

November 20, 2016 · 10:29 am

A Plethora of 99 Cent Ebooks!!!

Check out our monthly list of 99 cent reads. All different genres, all great bargains!

***Just click on the cover to be taken to the purchase page.

PLEASE CONFIRM BEFORE ORDERING!!! – We are not responsible if prices are no longer 99 cents

Hope you discover some enticing reads!

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For a limited time, the authors of Chick Swagger are offering their Hard Men of the Rockies as a complete collection. Five stories, five men who will spice up your library and leave you looking for Mistletoe and Lace.

Find the authors of Chick Swagger at ChickSwagger.com.

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Knight Geoffrey de Montfort vanishes for seven years after his wedding night—then returns without revealing to his wife where he has been. Will Geoffrey’s silence create a rift too large to heal—or can he and Merryn recapture the love they once shared?

Find Alexa Aston here: https://alexaaston.wordpress.com/

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Sophie Davenport returns home from London without a marriage proposal, determined to remain single and do charitable work–until Jeremy Wyatt shows up at her doorstep.

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Lt. Col. Dale Mitchlen doesn’t believe year-old Katie Ann is his—until he sees her picture. With the child’s mother KIA, he informs Alyson Sander, Katie’s aunt, that he’s seeking custody, pending a DNA test. Despite instant attraction, Katie’s future hangs in the balance and neither wants to make a mistake by following their heart.

Find Sandra McGregor at www.SandraMcGregor.com

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A naughty novella. Erotic strangers-to-lovers costume party adventure.

Find Kris Pearson here – http://www.krispearson.com

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Sharon Parker’s daughter convinced the family to go to Blythe Cove Manor for Mother’s Day. Little did she know that the simple act of love would unveil a long held secret that could bring the family together or tear them apart.

Find Shirley Hailstock here: http://www.shirleyhailstock.net

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How can he stay with the woman he married once he learns she may have hired someone to kill him? And what if she isn’t really his wife?

Find Debby Conrad here: www.DebbyConrad.com

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Miss Laura Stokes is a man with a mission. The Duke of Rothmore must convince the girl-in-disguise to give up her vendetta–but can he also win her heart?

Find Deb Marlowe here: www.DebMarlowe.com

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Traveling during the holiday season doesn’t sound romantic, but a star in the East, an abandoned child and a quest for holiday cheer might just convince these two that love is the best gift of the Season.

Find Deb Marlowe here: www.DebMarlowe.com

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Kathleen James looked forward to an intimate dinner and an engagement ring. Dominic Lawrence planned this marriage proposal for six months. Nothing can go wrong—until his Nonna calls.

Can Antonia’s romantic WWII tale of her American GI and a very special collie bring these two hearts together?

Find Aubrey Wynne here:

https://www.amazon.com/Aubrey-Wynne/e/B00II8QD6G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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Uncovering a lie drives a new marquess back from a self-imposed exile at Christmas to find the only woman he’s ever loved. Finding her turns out to be easy, uncovering her stunning secrets, a bit harder. But winning her back will be the greatest challenge of all.

Find Alina K. Field at http://alinakfield.com

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Are you on the Naughty List? A boxed set guaranteed to warm up your winter! Thirteen Naughty Holiday stories by bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati. Last chance at 99¢!

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Naughty Flames: Eleven Fiery Romances includes Contemporary, Fantasy, Historical, Menage, New Adult, Paranormal, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, Rubenesque, Shapeshifter, and Stepbrother romance from bestselling authors writing as The Naughty Literati!

Preorder at 99¢! Release date December 1st!

Check out The Naughty Literati Bookshelf for more sexy boxed sets!
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She’s a Time Lord, he’s a Trekker. When fandoms collide, the fun begins.

Come see what else is going on in Kathryn Lively’s strange mind: http://www.facebook.com/authorkathrynlively

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Former navy SEAL John Huntington is the Midnight Man. He’s willing to put his heart and his life on the line for interior designer, Suzanne Barron. When unknown enemies come after Suzanne, The Midnight Man will do anything to protect her…and failure is definitely is not an option.

Find Lisa Marie Rice here: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon Author Page.

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A vampire won’t rest until they’re all dead… Until she meets him, and everything changes.

Find Nicole Zoltack here: https://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Zoltack/e/B00304YARW/

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The second daughter of a baron has somehow caught the eye of a duke… only he’s an imposter! Can the real duke save the day? Or will Christmas be ruined for both of them?

Find Nicole Zoltack here: http://www.subscribepage.com/m0k3l8

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She spent her entire life fighting death. Now she’s falling in love with him…

When her loved ones are threatened, nurse Audra Grayson will risk her life…even her soul to save them. But can she risk her heart to a Grim Reaper?

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Charged with teaching the spoiled lad a lesson, Michelle has strict instructions not fall for his charm. Romance in the countryside. Riches or ruin?

Find Wendy Lou Jones here: bit.ly/2fhhmrq

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When a rough-cut Texan learns he has a daughter and her mother, the woman he still loves, is ready to marry another man, he’s not about to walk away. Not without a fight.

Find ANN MAJOR here: www.annmajor.com

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Can Leigh and Cy find love or will their attempt to find lasting happiness meet with disaster? Join the Chance City adventure as its citizens battle opposing forces in their searches for love.

Find Robin Deeter here: http://robindeeter.com/

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Will Brock come down from the fence he sits on to find a life time of happiness with Daphne or will he let indecision cost him the love of his life?

Find Robin Deeter here: http://robindeeter.com/

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Caroline Duval wants to see the world, but as an innkeeper’s daughter, her opportunities are few. When a bloody traveler enters the inn, she recognizes him immediately. Could this man from her past be the key to her future?

Find Patricia Kiyono here: http://patriciakiyono.com/

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After eighteen years away, she’s home to learn the truth…If she murdered her own father.

Find Kathy L Wheeler at http://kathylwheeler.com

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When Tessa agreed to do a favor for her boss, she never thought she’d end up being a mistaken target for a hired killer or falling for the sexy cop who is determined to keep her safe.

Find Edie Hart at https://www.facebook.com/RomanceAuthorEdieHart/.

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Bonding to a female shifter is not part of King Noeh’s plan, not until his goddess insists he take a queen by the next full moon or lose his crown. When he rescues a beautiful female from the enemy’s grasp a forbidden attraction blooms, and he must decide between his kingdom and his heart.

Find Rosalie Redd here: http://www.rosalieredd.com

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Hearts Across Time ~ medieval knights and time travel… What’s not to love? Sometimes all you need is to just believe…

Find Sherry Ewing on her website at www.SherryEwing.com

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How much longer would she be hunted? Two years had passed since Amber broke up with her obsessed boyfriend, but he continued to stalk her. The worst part was imagining him wearing every hoodie, hiding in every shadow, or following in every vehicle.

Find Marissa Garner here: www.marissagarner.com

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Hot shot Boston lawyer Ian Pierce has everything but peace of mind. Then
he meets a raggedy girl who may well be a Christmas angel in disguise.

Find Lisabet Sarai here: http://www.lisabetsarai.com

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When her dominant husband Greg proposes that they attend a company
Halloween gala, Isabella is too excited to be suspicious.

Find Lisabet Sarai here: http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com

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“There is a way from heart to heart” is an old Afghan proverb . Can Paul find the way to Kate’s heart, or is it closed forever?

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From the heat of the Mediterranean to the heart of Scotland…A year of mystery and romance

Find Helena here: www.helenafairfax.com

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When Carter Phillips goes home after multiple deployments, all he wants is time alone to get his head screwed on straight. What he gets is Amy Williams, a woman who sets his blood on fire and has secrets even darker than his own.

Find Lori here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLoriSjoberg/

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A werewolf under cover on a slave ship of dark secrets.

Find Rebecca York here: www.rebeccayork.com

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She has a target on her back…only he can save her. With killers on their heels, can they resist simmering desire and uncover truth? Secrets, murder, treason, and fiery passion—who can you trust?

Find Virginia Kelly here: https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Kelly/e/B001KDD8FK

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