Category Archives: Author Blog Post

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – February 24, 2017

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Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

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)

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.

 

*** 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. – ***Since a winner’s name will be drawn on Tuesday, February 28th, any guesses after that will be counted in the March drawing. The correct answers will still be posted Friday, March 3.

 

Extra Giveaway!!!

One lucky commenter will receive a FREE Ebook of Ruth Kaufman’s AT HIS COMMAND

 

Book 1:

In Your Arms by Shannyn Schroeder

Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DRXCGGM/

Find Shannyn here: http://www.shannynschroeder.com

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Snippet A  

He opened the door and strode in. She had the radio on and he knew she couldn’t hear him. He leaned against the wall in the hallway at the epicenter of the apartment and waited. She wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without seeing him. Within a minute she emerged from her bedroom wearing a skimpy robe while reading the label on a jar. Although he hadn’t moved, it was like she felt his presence and looked up. Everything froze. Her eyes widened. Then she screamed, threw the jar at him.

Snippet B

“Something tells me I should be worried about a chick who carries duct tape in her trunk.” She suddenly realized how bad that sounded and laughed too. Nothing about this day was going right. “I have it for emergencies, not to tie up my captives.” He crossed his arms, causing his shirt to tighten on his biceps and drawing her eye to a tattoo peeking out. He smiled and added, “Maybe I should take your picture to let my friends know who I’m with in case I disappear.” Oh, man. He was cute. She didn’t want him to be cute.

Snippet C

His breathing was slightly faster than normal. At least he had the excuse of lifting weights. All she’d done was walk down the stairs and ogle him. He bent and she shivered as his body lowered. He grabbed the basket and held it to the side. She tilted her face up. He stared into her eyes, but then his gaze traveled over her whole face, landing on her mouth. The look was so intense that she could almost feel the phantom pressure on her lips.

Book 2:

My Once & Future Love by Ruth Kaufman

Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B01DC8XXNM

Find Ruth Here: www.ruthkaufman.com

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Snippet A  

Adrian straightened, his desire to leave evaporating despite the awkward situation. The glazenwright was beautiful, with a delicate oval face, high cheekbones and a small, straight nose. He knew he was staring, but didn’t want to stop. There was something compelling about this woman aside from her lovely face, which was all he could see. Her heavy, serviceable black cloak and headdress concealed the rest. Her expression captured him. Not the simpering moue of court women, nor the lustful gleam of barmaids or the respectful, downcast eyes of servants. She radiated a quiet confidence he found enticing.

Snippet B  

He and his eight men sat alert, deep enough in the forest to avoid being seen while maintaining a clear view of the road through leafless branches. Nine armed men could frighten travelers. ‘Twas best to let them pass. Each man watched, each horse sinking deeper into chilling mire as a mud-covered, black palfrey plodded over the rise in the road, its long mane whipping in the frigid winds. “No rider,” Martin, the scout, murmured. “Look again,” Nicholas replied. At first he too had thought the horse was riderless. Now he could see a woman collapsed on the animal’s back.

Snippet C  

“It’s a bit late for such a warning.” Her smooth skin was ashen. A ribbon held thick auburn hair off her oval face, but a few long waves tumbled over her shoulders to tease his hands. She drew herself up as if gathering her composure. Many women would’ve collapsed by now, after receiving and helping a wounded stranger, then hiding him from soldiers who could return at any moment. He admired her strength of will. And her fine features, straight brows framing those golden eyes he couldn’t seem to look away from, her delicate nose and lips. Stunning, but thin.

Book 3:

Soul Seducer by Alicia Dean

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Seducer-Alicia-Dean-ebook/dp/B01M6YGVI3/ 

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Snippet A:

Finally, she forced her eyes open and found herself staring at a water-stained ceiling. When she turned her head to the left, she saw a window covered by thick drapes with a sliver of light showing between the panels. She scowled. Where was she?

“You’re awake.”

She gasped. The voice came from her right. It was coarse, deep and staticy, as if filtered through a speaker. She turned her head toward the voice and knew immediately she was in trouble. If she weren’t in trouble, the man sitting next to the bed probably wouldn’t be wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees hockey mask.

Snippet B:

She lifted her lashes, staring up at him, wanting to lose herself in his glittering blue gaze. Wanting to feel his hands on her body…his full, sensual lips on hers. Wanting to be swept away in whatever madness this was. It felt so strange, yet at the same time, exhilarating, compelling, irresistible…dangerous.

Yes, dangerous. Gulping in a breath, she stepped back. His touch fell away, breaking the strange hold he had on her.

“You! It was you there that night. In the alley…” Her breath came in short gasps as the odd yearning was replaced by fear. “Then again, at the hospital.” She shot her gaze around the room. “Where’s the other one? The blond guy? Who the hell are you?”

Snippet C:

Eyes tightly closed, she pressed her back to the desk, praying the robbers hadn’t heard her scream. I’m going to die…I’ll never see Emma again… Panic built in her chest, and her breathing sped up. I can’t die, please don’t let me die…

No! She would not die. She would survive. She had to.

She tried not to look again, but her gaze was drawn against her will. Sophie’s body lay half-in, half-out of the chair. Her eyes were open. Blood was smeared on her pale yellow blouse. A shudder raced over China’s skin.

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - In Your Arms

Which Snippet is from Book 2 - My Once & Future Love

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Soul Seducer

 

Correct answers & winner of the extra entry from last week:

The first person who guessed correctly was Stacey Dixon, who wins an additional entry in the February contest. Congrats, Stacey!

Last week’s answers:

Book 1 – A Time to Heal: Correct Snippet: A

Book 2 – Remedy Maker: Correct Snippet: B

Book 3 – Saving Casey: Correct Snippet: C

2 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, Friday Fragment, giveaway

A Demon’s Witch by Tena Stetler #TWRP

Fellow AHA Author Tena Stetler is sharing about her Paranormal Romance, A Demon’s Witch

 

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Best selling author, Tena Stetler, uses her over-active imagination to spin tales of paranormal romance/suspense and cozy mysteries. Her spicy romances spin the adventures of magical kick-ass women and mystical alpha males that dare to love them. From demons to faeries and witches to vampires her intriguing characters take roads less traveled to draw you into exciting tales that  engage the imagination and warm the heart.

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Tena’s Inspiration for A Demon’s Witch:

A Demon’s Witch was my debut novel and has remained close to my heart. A Demon’s Witch hit the market and garnered best seller status. It earned The Romantic Reviews Readers Choice 2016 Nominee in the paranormal romance category.   I love talking about this story.

The ideas begin to percolate as I sat in a beauty salon listening to the chatter from other customers. One woman swore she’d been approached by a vampire want-to-be.

This got me to thinking, which is scary in and of itself. What if the hairdresser was an alpha male, Demon Overlord of the Western Hemisphere that owned a multi-species salon in Washington DC? Enter a powerful witch, whose beauty caught the eye of the demon on a rainy day when she rushed into his salon. Now, unbeknownst to him, she is not any ordinary witch, but the little sister of the demon’s enforcer. Now you have a romance with unbelievable complications.

The story became a series, but the other planned books in the series took a strange turn when the majority of readers and reviewers clamored for the enforcer, Tristian’s story to be next in line. I’d never considered writing a book on the witch’s brother, the demon’s enforcer. But after mulling it over for several months and publishing three unrelated books,

I am excited to announce A Warlock’s Secrets (Tristian’s story) is awaiting cover art and will be published spring 2017. So please watch for it!

Tena’s contact links:

Website: http://www.tenastetler.com

Blog: http://www.tenastetler.com/my-blog

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author

Twitter Page: www.twitter.com/TenaStetler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14187532.Tena_Stetler

The Wild Rose Press: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/1264_tena-stetler

Amazon:  www.amazon.com/author/tenastetler

Newsletter: Sign up on web page www.tenastetler.com

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

 

For a chance to win an amazon $5.00 GC or a e-book of A Witch’s Journey please sign up for my newsletter at  http://www.tenastetler.com and Like my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/tenastetler.author.

 

I hope you enjoy my blurb and peek into A Demon’s Witch:

Keeping a lid on all the paranormal beings inhabiting Washington D.C., is a daunting job. Bruce, a six hundred year old demon and the Territory Overlord of the Western Hemisphere, keeps his finger on the pulse of DC’s power players through the activities at his highly successful Wycked Hair Salon. His movie star good looks and body builder physique keeps his dance card full and the rumor mills running.  Within these walls, his anonymity is safe, mostly.

Bruce’s world spins out of control when Angelique, a pint size, gorgeous witch, with an attitude breezes through the doors of his salon. She is the younger sister of Tristian, Bruce’s long time trusted enforcer, whose professional skills are second to none. Tristian is furious at the relationship between Bruce and Angelique, a dangerous situation, but something darker threatens them all. Will undeniable attraction between demon and witch tear their worlds apart?

Excerpt:

At two in the morning he awoke feeling her restlessness, listening he heard her soft sobs. He pulled on his black silk lounge pants and grabbed the robe from the foot of his bed. Padding silently in his bare feet down the hall, he paused at her bedroom door just as her anguished scream filled the room. He was at the side of her bed a second later. Gathering her onto his lap, he held her unyielding body to his until her flailing limbs quieted and her troubled violet eyes opened. Cognizant of where she was now and with whom, she flung her arms around his neck and clung tight as shivers racked her slight frame.

Megan came running from the other wing of the house where the staff lived during the week. “Is everything all right?” She peeked inside Angie’s bedroom door.

“Just a nightmare, nothing to worry about. She’s awake now.

“Oh no my Lord,” Megan said in a low frantic whisper.

“Don’t call me that,” he growled, his amber eyes tinged with orange glowed in the dark room.

“Sorry. There’s something dark and dangerous chasing that one.” She nodded in Angie’s direction. “It’s not of this world.”

He lowered his voice and spoke kindly. “Go back to bed, I’ve got this handled.” He paused for a beat exhaling slowly. “For now.”

 

Buy Link: AMAZON  http://amzn.com/1509203087

23 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – February 17, 2017

fri-fragments-and-spotalie

Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

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)

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.

 

*** 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 giveaways!!

The winner for both the following prizes is…ELF! We had several entries, but she is the only one, other than the participating author, who commented. So…congrats, ELF! Please email me at Alicia@AliciaDean.com to claim your prizes

Ann Raina’s For the Love of Jazmin (#2 series Jazmin & Ethan)

From Linda Nightingale, a $5 Amazon gift card

 

Book 1:

A Time to Heal by Bettye Griffin

Buy Link: http://ganxy.com/i/112371

Find the author here: http://www.bettyegriffin.com

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Snippet A:

When he walked through the waiting room he saw the woman in the cat costume jump out of her seat and begin walking toward him, almost as if she’d been waiting for him. Ignoring her, he kept walking. “Excuse me,” she called. He stopped and turned, part of him annoyed as he wondered what she wanted with him now, and another part—a very specific part—trying not to notice how sexy she looked in her black cat costume. She’s bad luck, he told himself, just like any other black cat.

Snippet B:

“Wait a minute,” Faye said. “This guy you’re so looking forward to seeing at your reunion. He’s an UNDERTAKER?” “Yes…what’s wrong with that?” “What’s wrong with that? Come on, Robin. If you don’t care where your man’s hands have been, you might as well start dating a gynecologist. They make a lot more money.” “It’s a decent, honest living. Besides, before you call someone else’s profession disgusting, Faye, maybe you should look at your own. You spend all day treating skin ulcers and wounds. Is Godfrey ever reluctant to touch you because of where YOUR hands have been?”

Snippet C:

“Part of me can’t believe you’re that little girl I used to help teach English to,” he murmured. She raised her chin in defiance. “I haven’t been a child for a long time, Devin. I’m a woman now.” He raised her hand to his lips. “Yes,” he said. “And I’m a man. We’re obviously attracted to each other. What do you suppose we should do about that?” She didn’t waver. Instead, her eyes firmly locked with his, she replied, “The same thing men and women who are attracted to each other have been doing since the beginning of time.”

Book 2:

Remedy Maker by Sheri Fredricks

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Remedy-Maker-Sizzling-Paranormal-Centaurs-ebook/dp/B008S29WT2/

Find author here: https://www.amazon.com/Sheri-Fredricks/e/B008L3T50Y/

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Snippet A:

For a moment, he mulled if anything over one hundred years was old for a Centaur, and if that were the reason for his bedtime boredom. Doubtful. As long as my heart keeps beating, I’ll never be too old for this. Maybe bored, but never too old. So, why did life lose its luster for him? Moreover, when? As he pounded into Adelpha, Aleksander reminded himself he’d been raised to be a warrior. He prided himself at having worked into his position of Head Palace Guard. If not a soldier for Queen Savella, then what? Gigolo?

Snippet B

Tilting her head with care, he sucked in a breath and froze. “What is it? Snake bite?” Samuel raised the brass lantern higher and leaned over for a better view. Rhycious tapped his thumb against her neck. Designs a few shades darker than her natural color marred the creamy complexion. The millennia old skin formation carved its way into his painful memories. It started behind her ear, an inch wide at the hairline, and extended to the other side. The words choked out of him. There was no use trying to hide his revulsion. “Wood Nymph.”

Snippet C

Hunters. She was sure of it. Without their long, scoped rifles and camouflage clothing, they were hard to pick out. Nevertheless, those men monitored her closely and it gnawed at her sense of security. Abelia needed to make a getaway—the sooner, the better. In broad daylight, there was nowhere to shimmer without running the risk of someone seeing her. People filled the park, the sidewalks. Humans were everywhere. “You’re okay.” She gasped in surprise, and her gaze flew to his. As much as she’d like to believe this handsome male, she was definitely not all right.

Book 3:

Saving Casey by Liza O’Connor

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01722VH7I

Find author here: http://www.lizaoconnor.com/p/liza-oconnors-books.html

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Snippet A:

Brendon came to a halt and his whole body tensed as he stared further down the crowded corridor. “You were right about Gar showing up.” The entire time she’d known him, absolutely nothing seemed to faze her apartment-invading locust. She’d screamed and threatened him a thousand times, and at best, he would make her a cup of tea. At worst, he’d laugh at her. Yet today, the mere sight of his brother in the distance stressed him.

Snippet B:

Carrie turned and faced him. “Trent, I don’t want you to buy my clothes!” He smiled as if he thought her protest silly. “I don’t mind. I buy women things all the time, far more expensive than a dress.” “But I mind. My boss shouldn’t buy me clothes.” With a heavy sigh, he shrugged. “Okay, you can pay for it.” God! Why couldn’t she get through to him? “That’s my point. I probably can’t afford a hair comb in this shop.” He grimaced. “Yeah, avoid those. One of them costs almost as much as my car.”

Snippet C:

Upon settling down on the toilet, she noticed the floor to ceiling mirror facing her and screamed at the sight of the creature within in it. Short black hair spouted about its head, black circles surrounded both eyes and swirls of black flowed down the cheeks. Black lips stretched in horror as if in a nightmare. Pulling up her pants, she moved closer to the mirror. She was a ghoul, an honest to God ghoul!

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - A Time to Heal

Which Snippet is from Book 2 - Remedy Maker

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Saving Casey

 

Correct answers & winner of the extra entry from last week:

The first person who guessed correctly was ELF, who wins an additional entry in the February contest. Congrats, ELF!

Last week’s answers:

Book 1 – The Secretary’s Bodyguard: Correct Snippet: C

Book 2 – Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody: Correct Snippet: C

Book 3 – Raw Silk: Correct Snippet: B

5 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, Friday Fragment, giveaway

Beneath the Lake by Casi McLean #ParanormalRomance

Please help me welcome Amazon Best-Selling Author Casi McLean, one of my fellow AHA Author Friends, who is sharing about her fabulous book!

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USA Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/2jB4JXp

Worldwide Amazon Link: http://smarturl.it/BeneathTheLake

Bio:

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense. Beneath The Lake won the 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Her stories entwine strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.

Casi’s Inspiration For Beneath The Lake:

I love to talk about my, Beneath The Lake, and the eerie lake lore that inspired my muse. A town that time forgot––the history and creepy stories attached to a rural area that sleeps beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made lake, Sidney Lanier, fascinated me. Homes, churches and businesses still linger beneath the surface. The moonshiners of the 1940’s added built-in suspense, and the birth of NASCAR. Looper Speedway, a half-mile dirt track where bootleggers competed with their souped-up cars, exposed its cement stands in a recent draught.

There’s a Lady of the Lake who haunts the ghost town too––the spine-chilling lore is the basis for book three in my Beneath The Lake series, Between The Shadows. Some say she lures victims to her watery grave. The truth is, swimmers get trapped among the deadfall of sheered-off trees and town remains. Even expert divers get tangled beneath the murky surface, hence the lake’s unnerving label: Lanier never gives up its dead. The inspiration swirled in my mind, begging for a story to be told. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.

Why time-slip? Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L’Engles, A Wrinkle In Time, the idea of time travel intrigued me. And Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with mesmerizing history, presented a plausible theory. What if the excavation explosions triggered a seismic shift? Given enough energy, could the blasts rip a portal into a different dimension or a crack in time? The possibilities were endless.

The birth of Lacey Montgomery evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux’s A Knight In Shining Armor. The time-slip novel introduced her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my books honor her inspiration. My high school friend, Hilary Johnson, inspired the persona of my heroine, Lacey Montgomery. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble. Some of Hillary’s finer qualities became part of Lacey––the dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. LOL. Once these elements entwined, Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.

The sequel, Beyond The Mist, picks up where the first story ends incorporating two minor characters as the new hero and heroine. Beyond The Mist is complete, in editing, and will be published in a few months.

For a Free Gift, and a chance to win my entire short story collection, Destiny: Five Novelettes With a Twist, click here: https://spark.adobe.com/page/pxekfzj8Rx4el/

I hope you enjoy my trailer, blurb, and the opening excerpt below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwOqm8DUUfA

Blurb –

A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she’s never heard of–34 years before she was born.

When the 2012 lawyer tangles with a 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes and, despite adamant protest, Lacey falls in love with a town destined for extinction, and the man who vows to save his legacy.

Threatened by a nefarious stalker, the wrath of bootleggers, and twists of fate, Lacey must find the key to a mysterious portal before time rips the lovers apart, leaving their star-crossed spirits to wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake.

Excerpt:

Lake Lanier, Georgia—June 2011

A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Blood oozed and trickled into his palms, and one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.

A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free-fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling that waited on the jagged rocks below.

When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He spun, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the waterlogged jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic gripped his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air, the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender, and a shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.

Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.

No one knew he had survived. The rules had shifted. Now he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.

Contact Links:

Website  Twitter  Facebook  GoodReads  Amazon Author Page  Blog

 

17 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post

Author Interview with Kryssie Fortune – New Release: Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff

Please help me welcome Kryssie Fortune, with a fun interview and a HOT new release…

Firstly, I’d like to thank Alicia for letting me drop by.

I’m Kryssie Fortune, writer of erotic romance. I retired last year, leaving much loved friends behind on Emmerdale, Britain’s best TV soap. I’ve moved from Leeds to Bridlington on the Yorkshire coast. When I’m not writing, I’m walking on the beach with my husband or attending the local literary group. It’s good to study classic books occasionally, but I’m sticking to writing about shifters or sexy Doms.

Last summer Loose id put out a special call for three linked stories. My mind went instantly blank. Six weeks before the deadline, I had an idea for my Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series. I’ve never written so fast in my life. Thankfully Loose id liked my stories. The first book, Marriage, Mobster’s and the Marine came out at the beginning of December. The second, Sex, Scandal and the Sheriff was released on my birthday December 19th. It’s a stand-alone romance featuring the Sheriff from book one. Book three came out on Valentine’s Day.

I knew from the start that my heroes would all be ex-military. Since they all handle guns, the books needed to be set in the USA. That made things hard for me as I’m a Brit who has never left Europe. Fortunately, most of my Facebook friends live in America, and they put up with my constant questions. The only way I could imagine Westhorpe Ridge was to mentally move the Yorkshire town of Whitby to North Carolina. Although I often write paranormal, this time I left Bram Stoker and Dracula behind.

 

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff?

I’d love a reader to finish my books and be half in love with the hero. There’s no deep message, just hot and steamy romance tied to a story that hopefully my readers can’t put down.

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

If Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff were made into a film, I’d love Owen Wilson to play my sheriff hero, Sean Mathews. Owen’s mix of blond good looks and cheeky charm make him perfect for the role. My heroine, Jazz, actually says she wants Jennifer Lawrence to play her in a movie so that’s an easy pick. Besides, Jennifer Lawrence is a natural beauty with a smile sweet enough to hook Sean at the soiree that descends into an orgy.

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

I’d love to write a complex, Dan Brown style mystery. I’ve got a few ideas, but I’m letting them grow at their own speed.

What is your favorite quote?

“I would rather be happy than dignified.” Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre

If you could be a character in any of your books, who would you be?

Mandy Devlin. She pops up in all three Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge novellas, but her story is told in Desire, Deceit and the Doctor. Mandy’s had a hard few years, but she’s kind hearted, hardworking, willing to give any one a helping hand and a great mom. When killers target her and her son, she gets a second chance of love.

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

A bit of both. I start off thinking what makes them unique then think of someone who fits them. For example, one of my reviews compared the hero of one of my books to Indiana Jones.  I wasn’t surprised since that’s who I thought of when I wrote him. Of course, my characters usually take on a life of their own and refuse to fit in any boxes I’ve assigned them.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

My son’s a stick-in-the-mud banker. He has no imagination and he’s horrified that I write erotic romances. My daughter is proud of me, but won’t be my Facebook friend in case my posts embarrass her. Since she’s a deputy head teacher, I quite understand. My husband is amazingly supportive and very proud of the things I’ve achieved. I couldn’t have a better cheerleader.

 

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Starting over in Westhorpe Ridge wouldn’t be easy, especially since she’d already enjoyed a spanking and a one-night stand with the sheriff.

Blurb

Jasmine Stewart (Jazz to her friends) falls for the blond stranger when he spanks and seduces her at a Washington soiree. Later, when she discovers her flatmate is trying to draw her into a spy ring, she goes to the authorities. The ensuing publicity costs her her job, her security, and her future. Starting over in Westhorpe Ridge is her only option.

Sean Mathews, former SEAL and Westhorpe Ridge’s sheriff, can’t forget the woman he spanked when he visited Washington, but he thinks she’s a spy. When she turns up in Westhorpe Ridge, he tries everything to make her leave town. Despite their misunderstandings, though, they can’t keep their hands off each other.

As Year’s Eve looms, the spy ring resurfaces. Jazz will need all of Sean’s SEAL prowess to survive. But because his wounded leg cost him his speed in the water, will it be enough?

  • Note: A stand-alone romance this is the second story in The Heroes of Westhorpe Ridge series, featuring Sean Matthews from Marriage, Mobsters and the Marinesand Jasmine Stewart (Jazz to her friends).

 

Buy links

Loose id            http://www.loose-id.com/sex-scandal-and-the-sheriff.html

Amazon.com    http://amzn.to/2iOBqn1

Amazon.co.      http://amzn.to/2inBoBE

Kobo                http://bit.ly/2igip8T

Nook               http://bit.ly/2iGigfP

 

Excerpt 

“New start. New life. New ambitions,” she told herself as she drove away from her dream of being a teacher.

By the time the winter sun crept over the horizon, she’d passed the halfway point between Washington and Westhorpe Ridge. She made good time, but fifteen minutes from her destination, the car handling changed. Praying nothing expensive had happened to her trusty vehicle, she pulled over to take a look. She got out the car, walked around to the rear passenger side, and sighed when she realized the tire had blown out. Damn, my spare’s in the trunk, beneath my suitcases and bedding. Shaking her head, she heaved her first suitcase onto the grass verge. It hadn’t felt so heavy when she’d packed it.

A police car pulled up. “Sheriff Mathews, ma’am. Can I be of assistance?”

His voice flowed over her like molasses, rich, thick, and so sweet she wanted to taste its owner. Instead, she panted slightly but kept moving. “I’ve had a blowout, but my spare tire’s under all my stuff. Don’t worry. I can manage, thank you.”

When she turned back to the car, Jazz’s eyes widened. The man in the uniform looked enormous, blond, and way too familiar. Handsome didn’t come close. In his long-sleeved fawn shirt and standard-issue brown trousers, he looked like a sex god come to earth. And are those handcuffs dangling from his belt? I can find a way to put them to good use.

Given their history, drooling over him felt wrong. Despite what the doctors had told her, traces of the spies’ lust drug must still linger in her system. Her heart beat faster. Even breathing seemed hard around him. “Ethan Mathews? I thought you were a scientist involved in some hush-hush stuff, not a sheriff. Why are you in Westhorpe Ridge? I thought you were some high-flying scientist. And isn’t impersonating a police officer a criminal offense? Shit, you’re driving a real police car. Are you really a sheriff?”

He did a double take, glowered right back at her. “Jazz Stewart? What the hell are you doing here? Have you jumped bail? Keep your hands where I can see them while I radio in and run a check on you.”

Jazz shivered despite the winter sunshine. Everyone except the CIA had made her out to be the bad guy, her former employer included. The damn sheriff was treating her like a criminal, but he’d been at that damn party too. Judging by the way he’d climbing on his high horse, he probably believed everything he’d read about her in the papers. Out of everyone she knew, she’d wanted the man she’d been dreaming about since the soiree to be on her side. He’s even sexier than I remembered, but what’s with this running a check on me? Surely he knows the truth by now. She hated the way he smirked at her, but she couldn’t resist taunting him. “So, Sheriff, spanked any other females lately?”

Kryssie is active on Social media and would love to hear from you

Facebook      –  https://www.facebook.com/KryssiesFortune

Twitter         –  https://twitter.com/KryssieFortune,

Blog             –  http://kryssiefortune.blogspot.co.uk/

Website       –  http://kryssiefortune.wixsite.com/kryssie

 

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Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Double Trouble by Darcy Flynn – #RomanticComedy #Novel

Please help me welcome fellow AHA author, and friend, Darcy Flynn. Her romantic comedy novel, Double Trouble is an AWESOME read! Check it out…

 

Double Trouble by Author Darcy Flynn

I’ve always loved romantic comedies, especially mistaken identity stories. And what better way to confuse my heroine, then identical twin brothers. Some of my dearest friends have been identical twins, from my early childhood, until now. Six sets, to be exact. I’ve always loved being the one who could tell them apart, the best friend who shared their secrets and their pranks. I thought it was time to write a story for them.

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Blurb:

From the first moment coffee mogul, Will Carrington, gazes into the fiery, green eyes of Clare Sullivan, he’s hit with the feeling she does not like him. Not. One. Little. Bit. Used to being the proverbial prize by some gorgeous gold-digging fortune hunter, he’s learned to be careful. But with his hunter instincts now on high alert, he’s determined to find out the why behind her stormy-eyed glances.

Top home designer, Clare Sullivan, wants absolutely nothing to do with arrogant, self-assured Will Carrington, especially after he called her half-sister a gold digger. When she gets the opportunity to design his multi-million dollar Miami penthouse, she arrives at his office ready to decline his offer, and to tell him exactly what she thinks of his cruel and un-warranted comments.

While there, she overhears his one-sided phone conversation, which seems to further insult her sister. Assuming the worse, Clare makes the rash decision to accept the job and charge him a fortune in the process. Someone needs to teach him a lesson and what better way than with a swift kick in his wallet.

Since she and her sister have different surnames, Clare conveniently hides the connection to her sister. But while she works with Will, she discovers another side to this self-assured, woman-hater. A Jekyll to his Hyde. Charming and professional, he’s nothing like the man she’s heard about. What she doesn’t know is Will Carrington has a few secrets of his own.

Snippet:

Will loved it when a plan came together, and this one was flowing along beautifully. So well in fact, if he wasn’t careful, Clare might be inclined to get up and run. And that wouldn’t fit in with his plans at all.

And if she gnaws any more on her bottom lip, there won’t be much left to kiss.

He held out his arms. “Come here.”

Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped two inches.

“In your dreams.”

“There is some truth to that.” He made a deliberate show of getting out of his chair, and an equally deliberate one of removing his jacket and tie.

After tossing both on the back of his chair, he took a step in her direction.

“What are you doing?” Alarm filled her eyes.

“Getting comfortable and finishing what you started this afternoon.” He undid the top button on his dress shirt, then the next. “Do you mind?”

“Yes, I mind.” She shot to her feet, snatched up the shawl and held it to her chest. “This has gone far enough.”

He shook his head. “Not nearly.” He stopped in front of her, gave her the slightest of smiles, then scooped her up in his arms as if she were a child.

She sucked in a breath and push hard against his chest. “Put me down.”

“That’s the plan, sweetheart. The question is, where?”

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Double-Trouble-Darcy-Flynn-ebook/dp/B01CIPKWJI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1485824407&sr=1-1&keywords=double+trouble+by+darcy+flynn

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-trouble-darcy-flynn/1123581128?ean=9781941925065

 

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Author Bio:

Darcy Flynn is known for her heartwarming, sweet contemporary romances. Her refreshing storylines, irritatingly handsome heroes and feisty heroines will delight and entertain you from the first page to the last. Miss Flynn’s heroes and heroines have a tangible chemistry that is entertaining, humorous and competitive.

Darcy lives with her husband, son, two English Setters and a menagerie of other living creatures on her horse farm in Franklin, Tennessee. She raises rare breed chickens, stargazes on warm summer nights and indulges daily in afternoon tea.

 

Links:

Website/Blog: http://www.darcyflynnromances.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/darcyflynn

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DarcyFlynnAuthor

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0077AG3ZM

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dflynnauthor/boards/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/116563609469381811624/posts?tab=XX

 

3 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post

Sweetheart of a Giveaway – Win a Kindle!!! Plus – My Wackiest Valentine’s Day Gift Ever

Valentine’s Day is approaching, and while I don’t have a sweetheart, I do have a sweetheart of a deal! I’m giving away a Kindle EReader and offering several ways to enter. Click on the link below and be sure to get your entries in soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And, guess what? I’m offering a quickie (NOT what you’re thinking…) prize to one lucky commenter. Tell me your best, worst, or weirdest Valentine’s Day gift in the comments below, and I’ll draw a name the morning after Valentine’s Day, and the winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.

Wanna hear mine? I’ll admit, I haven’t received many Valentine’s Day gifts in my day (I’ve been married once, and he was not romantic, and I’ve had very few relationships otherwise), but one of the weirdest was when I was about 21. I received a dozen yellow roses. I know that doesn’t sound like a weird gift, but the circumstances were a little weird. I was waitressing at a restaurant in Oklahoma City. When I was in training, the day I had my first section  on my own, my first customer was a lone man. He ate and we chatted. I presented his $15 ticket to him, and he gave me a hundred dollar bill. He said I could keep the change if I told him my name. Uh…I admit, I freaked out a little. I went to my manager and told him what happened, and I said, “What should I do?” He grinned and said, “Thank him.” 🙂 I reluctantly, nervously, went back to the table to see if he needed anything else, and he ordered a whisky, gave me another hundred, told me to keep the change. Then, he had a third drink and did the same. Crazy, right? Over the next few months, he came in regularly and always tipped nearly $100. Over the course of time, he told me that I reminded him of his first and only love. She broke up with him because he was poor. Now, he’d become wealthy, but he lost her, and he’d never stopped loving her. Awwwww…. On Valentine’s Day, he sent me a dozen yellow roses. I swear, on a stack of bibles, nothing ever happened between us. We had one ‘date’ of sorts, and I had drinks with him at the restaurant where I worked. He invited me to go with him to dinner. To New Orleans, on his jet. I told him I couldn’t because I promised my mom I wouldn’t go anywhere with him. When I told her about it, she said, “Well, good grief, I didn’t know he was going to fly you to New Orleans for dinner. You should have gone.” LOL.

So…that’s my story. Tell me yours.

And, in the meantime, I’ll share a little about my Valentine’s Day Sweet Romance Short Story, Cupid’s Beau:

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Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/Cupids-Beau-Sweet-Valentine-Romance-ebook/dp/B00B0JLKP4/ 

Ivy Pierce is a Cupid who prides herself on doing her job well. Except when it comes to a certain human male–Grant Crawford. Although she doesn’t understand why, each time she’s supposed to shoot her arrow into his heart, her stomach hurts, her chest hurts, and she feels….sad. Cupids are never sad.

Humans who are not looking for love only get three chances to find it. And after Ivy sabotages Grant’s last chance, her boss, Aphrodite, sends her to earth to right her wrong. She has until Valentine’s Day to help him find his soul mate.

But the more she’s around him, the more she wants him for herself, even though she knows that can never be. A Cupid and a human? Unheard of.

As V-Day draws closer, can she sacrifice her own happiness to help the man she loves find his?

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Filed under Author Blog Post, Ebook Deal, giveaway, Uncategorized

Friday Fragment Contest – #Giveaway #FunGame #BookLovers – February 10, 2017

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Happy Friday and welcome to my weekly contest –

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)

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.

 

*** 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.

 

Extra giveaways!!

(Comment to enter – names will be drawn and winners announced next Friday, Feb 17)

Ann Raina is offering a free ebook of: For the Love of Jazmin (#2 series Jazmin & Ethan)

Linda Nightingale is offering a $5 Amazon gift card!

 

Book 1:

The Secretary’s Bodyguard (#1 series Jazmin & Ethan) by Ann Raina

Buy link — http://www.extasybooks.com/The-Secretary-‘-s-Bodyguard/

Find Ann here: https://www.facebook.com/ann.raina.7

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Snippet A:

Sidarra breathed her well-known scent and relished her warm hands on his chest and her tongue in his mouth. Deep down something stirred, a hidden emotion, a wish to be fulfilled, a memory he cherished. He closed his eyes and saw Yisnia in the woods of Ethisan, lifting her dress to find her naked beneath. The desire she had woken in him those days and nights in his small hut lived in him, was part of the memory they shared.

Snippet B:

Kyra took a deep breath. Oliver was such a bad influence! She could imagine Julian too well without clothes. She wanted to perish the thought, but it returned in a loop. “Do you think that Mrs. Bickerham is at her binoculars right now?”

Oliver laughed. “You mean after the demonstration of my domination over Gregory she’ll wait for me to take down Julian?” He wiggled his brows. “Nah, that would be your show, not mine.”

“Not mine, either. Locking up Julian in the kennel, yeah, right. Forget it,” she warned when he turned to continue the daydream.

“But just think of it.”

Unable to stop him, she sighed. Only with a gag. Oh, hell, he might like that.

Snippet C:

She helped him out of his jacket and shirt. The sleeves were bloody.

Jazmin winced. “You were shot! Oh, my god!” She took his face in both hands. “Captain, this isn’t nothing. Come, sit down on the bed. Let me have a look at it.”

“Jaz, it’s all right. The medic already stitched me up. Nothing—”

“If you say nothing to worry about one more time, I’ll give you something to worry about.”

Ethan smiled. “Okay, do what you have to do.” She directed him to the bed and he lay down slowly. He was exhausted suddenly, and Jazmin’s warm hands were consoling. He melted on the warm covers and his eyes closed all by themselves.

 

Book 2:

Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody by Linda Nightingale

Buy link;   https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-DArcy-Rhapsody-Linda-Nightingale/dp/1509209093/

Find Linda Here:  http://www.lindanightingale.com

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Snippet A: 

The most beautiful man in the world froze with his hand on the door. “Please don’t. This is a misunderstanding.” He blew out a long breath. “However, if that is what you want, I must advise you that Mayfair Electronics, 21 Dover Street, London, W1S 4LT will accept return of a flawed unit for a full refund.”

“Stop! You sound like a robot.” Her fisted hands struck the air.

He didn’t flinch. “I am a robot. That’s why this is an inane conversation.”

“Inane? I find you with another woman in the bedroom, and this conversation is silly? Oh, no, Christian. Did you invite her here?”

Snippet B:

From The Night Before Doomsday:    I groaned in the exquisite pain of desire. My mouth opened, taking her tongue inside, dominating the kiss. Desire was death, a living rigor mortis. As my feverish hands explored her body, she moaned and whispered. Thought sizzled to fog. Spellbound, I kissed her lips, her eyes, her cheeks. When I pressed my mouth to her velvet throat, she shivered in my embrace, and I was lost.

The walls of my house closed in on me. Folding Magdalene in a wing, I lifted her and took her into the garden. Here darkness and my wings would hide our sin.

Snippet C:

“Morgan, I really must go.” She hesitated. “John will be here in a few minutes.”

“John,” I spat. Indeed, the man was top of my hit list. “How is the pregnancy progressing?”

“I’m fine.” She sighed, but her hard tone softened somewhat. “Goodbye.”

Her voice trembled. Was she crying? My heart ached to think of her in tears.

“I love you,” I said. “And it isn’t goodbye.”

Book 3:

Raw Silk by Lisabet Sarai

Buy link: https://goo.gl/ZrwNNO

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

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Snippet A:

The elegance of my hotel room compensated to some extent for its modest size. Gold-fringed tiebacks held the brocade drapes on either side, revealing lace sheers. Outside the tall windows, a wrought iron balcony protruded over the narrow street. The bed was barely double width, but piled high with fluffy feather pillows. Art Deco curlicues of gleaming brass twined at the head and foot.

Before I’d met my Master, I would have admired the furnishings for the quality of the materials and the exceptional taste that had influenced their selection. Now all I saw were bondage possibilities—the headboard, the steel rings securing the tiebacks, even the balcony rails.

Snippet B:

“Having second thoughts, little one?” He flicked her earlobe with his tongue and sent electric currents streaking down to her sex. Although the gesture seemed playful, his tone was serious, without his characteristic mockery.

She turned her back to the dawn, seeking his eyes. “To be honest, yes.” The ache under her sternum made it hard to speak. “Last night, everything seemed so clear. This morning…”

“This morning you have doubts.” He combed his fingers through her curls, massaging her scalp. “Ah, pet! When I woke to find myself alone in our bed, I knew you’d been thinking too much.”

Snippet C:

The Domme’s face was gorgeously exotic, high cheekbones and a wide, crimson-painted mouth. One forgot all that beauty, though, when captured by the woman’s eyes. They were an icy emerald green. Like jade knives they penetrated her soul. She felt hopelessly weak and exposed, frightened and guilty. At the same time, they made her secret parts ache. She had a sudden urge to run to the woman, begging forgiveness, offering herself for punishment. Still, she remained transfixed, frozen in the Mistress’ gaze like a rabbit before a snake.

Finally, Mistress Clara nodded, as if satisfied. She gestured toward an empty table near the platform.

 

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Which Snippet is from Book 1 - The Secretary's Bodyguard?

Which Snippet is from Book 2 - Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody

Which Snippet is from Book 3 - Raw Silk

 

Correct answers & winner of the extra entry from last week:

The first person who guessed correctly was Mary Anne Landers, who wins an additional entry in the February contest. Congrats, Mary Anne!

Last week’s answers:

Book 1 – Training Tessa: Correct Snippet: B

Book 2 – Lily and the Gambler: Correct Snippet: A

Book 3 – Prey for Me: Correct Snippet: B

 

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Filed under Author Blog Post, Friday Fragment, giveaway

“10 Moments That Changed My Life” by Author Laura Strickland and 99¢ Sale: Steampunk Novel

I am pleased to introduce today’s guest, Laura Strickland, who is sharing the moments that changed her life, and a fabulous bargain…

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10 Moments That Changed My Life by Laura Strickland

  1. The first time my sister took me to the library. My older sister, Dot, was an avid reader and fortunately she infected me with the bug. She also shared her more advanced books with me, which stretched both my reading ability and my imagination. Thanks, Sis!
  2. The moment I realized I could write my own stories, just like those in the library. I loved reading so much I often grieved when a story ended. Once it occurred to me that writing the story meant I could continue it for as long as I wanted, a writer was born.
  3. The day I got my own first dog. For years I’d longed for a canine companion but I was the youngest of three girls and my mom had reached her limit on furry mess by the time I came along. Not till I graduated from High School did she (finally!) give in.
  4. The day I met my best friend, who’s still my best friend today. We’ve spent uncounted hours sharing dreams and flying our fancies together, and she helped me hone my storytelling skills when I created serial tales and told them to her by the hour.
  5. The first time I heard the song “Mother Goose” by Jethro Tull. This song opened my ears and my mind, and quite literally stopped my world for a moment. I still listen to Tull when I write Steampunk.
  6. The night I met the man who would become my husband. We were pen pals first. Yes, my entire life has pretty much revolved around writing.
  7. The (very early) morning my daughter was born. Little did I know that wee elf would soon become my friend, playmate and traveling companion.
  8. The day I realized my beloved dog, Mac, had returned to me in the far larger body of yet another dog. Spirit is spirit, and bonding is bonding. ‘Nough said.
  9. The day I stood in a glen in Scotland, the exact spot where I’d set several books of my Celtic Series but had never before visited. It was just as I’d pictured—pure magic.
  10. The day I clicked on an email and learned I’d received my first contract from The Wild Rose Press. A fortunate moment for me indeed!

Oh wow, wonderful list! I can totally relate to the feeling of bringing a child into this world, both the human kind and the book kind. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing, Laura, now tell us about your book… (LOVE the cover…and the premise!)

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Book Blurb

Clara Allen needs a husband in order to keep a roof over the heads of her assorted dependents, a roof her nasty grandfather will re-appropriate unless she is married by her 21st birthday, only a few days away.  Strong-minded, unwilling to take orders from any man, she decides to solve her problem by raising a murdered prisoner from the dead and marrying him.  She expects an empty-headed puppet; she certainly never dreams he’ll be so devastatingly handsome.

Liam McMahon doesn’t recall much about his life before his hanging in the prison yard, other than being Irish.  He does remember the kiss Clara bestowed as she brought him back to life.  Every time he looks at her, his desire gets out of hand.  But his former life is chasing him down like a steam engine, and when a couple of mad geniuses decide he’d make a fine experiment, he wonders if he’ll live long enough to claim Clara’s heart or if he’ll die all over again.

Excerpt:

The room needed to be warm–she had learned that during past experiments. It helped if the subject awakened in an environment that was moist and heated, akin to the womb. And the breath of life was more easily received by warmed flesh.

Still obviously uneasy, Georgina rejoined Clara at the table. “You know you’re going to have to touch him.”

“I’ve already touched him. Ruella and I stripped and washed him down.”

“You’re going to have to kiss him.”

“It isn’t a kiss. It’s a resurrection.”

The room had warmed quickly. Now clouds of steam billowed and surrounded the table, lending an unreality to this thing she undertook. It blurred the edges of her vision and her reason.

She rested her fingertips lightly against the corpse’s chest and closed her eyes. He no longer felt cold but he did feel quite dead. She’d learned the difference over these many months. Against all the distractions she quieted her mind and reached for the power within.

It slept much the way the man’s flesh did, resting in oblivion. Like a separate entity within her, it mellowed and simmered until she called upon it, when it flared to life, bringing life.

She let the power grow and flare and burgeon inside of her because she would need a great quantity of it, more than ever before. When it threatened to overspill her like hot water in a steaming kettle she opened her eyes.

She felt full; she felt ready. She drew a deep breath–deep, deep, deeper than ever before–leaned down and placed her mouth upon that of the corpse.

 

Author Web site: www.laurastricklandbooks.com

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000002632317

Author Amazon page:  http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Strickland/e/B001KHSACW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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

Buy link Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-handsome-laura-strickland/1121179536?ean=2940150186538

Buy link KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-handsome-a-buffalo-steampunk-adventure

Buy link The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_177_139&products_id=6082

Good Reads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24951557-dead-handsome?ac=1

 

Author bio:

Born in Buffalo and raised on the Niagara Frontier, award-winning author Laura Strickland has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. To her the spunky, tenacious, undefeatable ethnic mix that is Buffalo spells the perfect setting for a little Steampunk, so she created her own Victorian world there.  She knows the people of Buffalo are stronger, tougher and smarter than those who haven’t survived the muggy summers and blizzard blasts found on the shores of the mighty Niagara.  Tough enough to survive a squad of automatons? Well, just maybe.

 

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Filed under 10 Moments that Changed My Life, Author Blog Post, New Release

Author Interview with Kate Hill – PLUS – Fangs and Fists 1: Bolt

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Today’s guest is Kate Hill, with her new release and a fun interview…

 

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

My name is Kate Hill, but I also write as Saloni Quinby. I’m a vegetarian New Englander. My hobbies include reading (of course!), watching horror and action movies, working out and spending time with my family and pets. I have two dogs and two cats.

Where did you get the idea for FANGS AND FISTS 1: BOLT?

I wanted to write a series about werewolves and demons that is different than the Witches and Wolves/Witches and Demons series that I write under my Saloni Quinby pen name. I knew that I wanted the werewolves to be gladiators as well. Keeping these things in mind, I outlined the Fangs and Fists series.  

Are there any tricks, habits or superstitions you have when creating a story?

When I’m writing a first draft, I like to listen to music. It helps me block out this world and step into the fictional world. When I’m working on edits, though, I prefer quiet.

Do you collect anything?

Books, comic books and movies (mostly horror and action).

What was your first job?

From the age of twelve to sixteen, I worked for my father. He was a painting contractor, so I swept a lot of floors and sanded a lot of walls!

Have you written any other books that are not published?

Yes! Many.

If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day? (PG-13 please 🙂 ) 

Blaze from my out of print Knights of the Ruby Order series. He’s hard to communicate with, but I’d like to talk to him.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

My family and friends are incredibly supportive. I’ve been very lucky in that way.

What character in your book are you least likely to get along with?

Master Zigor from the Blood and Soul series. I’ve always called him my problem child. LOL!

How did your interest in writing originate? 

For as long as can remember I’ve loved to read and tell stories. When I was a kid, reading was my favorite thing to do and I wanted to write stories of my own to entertain people.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

Alexandre Dumas. His stories had everything–action, romance, great heroes and villains.

What is your favorite…

Movie – This one is too difficult to narrow down.

Music – I like mostly metal.

Place you’ve visited – The White Mountains

Place you’d like to visit – Hawaii

TV show from childhood – Scooby Doo

TV show from adulthood – This one is hard to narrow down, too.

Food – Peas

Sports team – I don’t like to watch team sports.

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

Thank you so much, Kate. I enjoyed getting to know you. Now, Kate has a question for our readers…

What is your favorite supernatural creature?

 

 

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Blurb

Kiara remembers what life was like living free–before she was taken by demons and bred to gladiators so that the new generations of wolves would retain their ferocity but forget their freedom. Mated to top gladiator Grit, she has a son with this surprisingly gentle lover who is also planning their escape. When Grit is killed in the arena, his close friend Bolt upholds his promise to protect Kiara and the cub.

Bolt and Kiara have loved each other from the moment they met, but they buried their feelings because she was mated to his best friend. When Grit dies, despite their guilt, Bolt and Kiara surrender to their desire for each other. Will their love be strong enough to help them win freedom from their evil masters?

Excerpt

“You haven’t even had time to grieve,” he said.

“Grit was a good man. I couldn’t have found a better friend here in this disgusting place, but we were thrown together. We didn’t choose each other. We decided to make something out of what we had.”

“And if you had a choice?” he whispered in a voice rough with emotion and so close to her that his breath tickled her ear.

“After what just happened, you have to ask? Haven’t you always known?”

“I want to hear it.” He grasped her upper arms and turned her to face him. His gaze burned into her. “I need to hear it, Kiara.”

“I would have chosen you, Bolt. For the times Grit and I actually mated, I would do so with you every night in my dreams.”

“Kiara.” He pulled her into a possessive embrace. Then he pulled back enough to hold her gaze again. “I’ve loved you for so long. Grit was my closest friend, but seeing you together gnawed at my heart. I didn’t want him to die, but I love you. I can’t help feeling it’s somehow wrong.”

“It’s not. I feel the same way.”

From the adjoining room came Jett’s voice.

“I have to check on him,” she said, wrapping the towel around her middle.

She left the room and Bolt followed, putting a towel around his waist.

They found the cub sitting in his crib, smiling.

“I know he’s not yours,” Kiara began, picking up Jett, but Bolt took him from her.

“Now he is,” Bolt said with as much feeling as when he’d confessed his love for her. Jett snug in his arms, he leaned closer to Kiara and whispered in her ear, “Grit told you of our escape plans.”

Buy link

http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2562

katehill2017

Bio

Always a fan of romance and the paranormal, Kate Hill started writing over twenty years ago for pleasure. Her first story, a short erotic vampire tale, was accepted for publication in 1996. Since then she has sold over one hundred short stories, novellas and novels.

When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, spending time with her family and pets and running the Compelling Beasts Blog, dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes and paranormal creatures. She also writes under the name Saloni Quinby.

Contact links

http://www.kate-hill.com

http://www.kate-hill.com/blog

http://www.kate-hill.com/compellingbeastsblog

https://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hill/e/B002BLS7OW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1485103167&sr=1-2-ent

http://www.facebook.com/katehillsaloniquinby

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16157.Kate_Hill

https://plus.google.com/110359814167605096582

http://www.twitter.com/katehillromance

http://www.twitter.com/compbeastsblog

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/katehill/info

 

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