Category Archives: Entertainment

January 26, 2015 · 5:06 am

Grave Vengeance – A Hot New Reaper Novel by Lori Sjoberg

I’m excited to share the latest release from Lori Sjoberg. It’s a Reaper book…and I LOVE Reapers!

Thank you for joining me, Lori.

Where did you get the idea for Grave Vengeance?

It came from my love of spy movies. Bond, Borne – you name it, I’ll watch it. And as I learned when I wrote Grave Vengeance, they’re even more fun to write! Dmitri’s character has been around since Grave Intentions, book one of the series, and even then I knew I wanted his book to highlight his former life as a KGB spy. So when the time came to write his story, I decided to send him on a mission with his worst enemy, the woman responsible for his downfall.

(Funny, the hero/reaper in my book, Soul Seducer is Dimitri :))

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

I hate to say it, but social media. One minute I’m catching up on my messages, and the next thing I know it’s two hours later and I’m watching cat videos.

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

It’s so hard to narrow it down to one! But since you insist, I’ll go with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve read it at this point. It’s such a wonderful mix of romance, action, intrigue, humor, and history. When my husband and I traveled to Scotland a few years back, we made sure to visit a few of the sites mentioned in the book, such as Inverness and Culloden Moor. As for my favorite childhood book, that’s easy: the Black Stallion by Walter Farley.

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

I want them to think, “Wow, that was a lot of fun!” and, “Where can I get my own Dmitri?”

What is your favorite quote?

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

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

A Swiss Army survival knife, an economy pack of lighters, and a large pot for cooking/boiling water.

(Okay, so I see you have a practical nature :))

What is your favorite…

Movie – Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Music – Hard rock/Metal

Place you’ve visited – Scotland

Place you’d like to visit – Australia

TV show from childhood – The Muppets!

TV show from adulthood – The X-Files

Food – Chocolate

Sports team – Minnesota Vikings

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? – What, no book option? Gak! In that case, I’ll go with television.

(Of course not, all my guests would choose books…I can’t make it EASY on you :))

Thank you for such fun info and best of luck with Grave Vengeance! (It looks like a sizzling hot read!)

Now Lori has a question for readers…

Who is your favorite fictional spy? 

GraveVengeance

The past doesn’t like to play dead… 

Handsome and haunted, he’s a reaper who prefers to work alone. But Fate has other plans for him and the sassy secret agent who shot him in another life—if their pasts don’t catch up with them first. 

Dmitri Stavitsky has never played well with others—a Soviet KGB spy in life turned reaper after death, his work of bringing souls to the other side is best done alone. But orders from the top soon place him alongside fellow reaper Gwen Peterson, the American counterintelligence agent who took his life so many years ago. Now, as a ghost from Gwen’s past resurfaces with the power to steal reapers’ souls, the two have no choice but to set aside their differences and apprehend the rogue together. But their cross-country mission soon ignites feelings Dmitri thought he was no longer capable of—for the woman who helped destroy him. 

With an ancient force and a small army against them, he’ll have to let go of old grudges or risk his future with Gwen…as Fate hangs dangerously in the balance. 

Available at Amazon   BN   iTunes   Kobo   Google Books

Excerpt:

Some men were nice to look at. Others, you couldn’t look away from. And then there was Dmitri Stavitsky.

He was taller than her, around six foot four, and had the powerful build of a gymnast. The shirt he wore did nothing to conceal his thick, corded arms or the broad expanse of his chest. His thighs strained against the confines of his jeans. He carried himself with an air of confidence that most men found intimidating and most women found irresistible. And even though Gwen despised him as much as he despised her, she had to admit he wore it well.

Gwen could feel his eyes moving over her while she drove, and she resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. “What?”

The passing streetlights played over the planes of his face. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and his jaw was shadowed with stubble. It made him look almost as dangerous as he was.

Almost.

Back in the day, he’d been one of the KGB’s top agents. For nearly a decade, he worked within the borders of the United States, stealing some of the country’s most valuable secrets. What he couldn’t steal he usually destroyed with calculated and ruthless efficiency. He killed defectors before they could spill their secrets as well as killing anyone else deemed an enemy of the Soviet Union. The full extent of his treachery was never determined; he’d taken those secrets to the grave.

“You cut your hair.” During the Cold War, he spoke with a flawless American accent to mask his true identity. The habit died when the Iron Curtain fell, and now his rich, deep voice contained a blend of both Russian and American, with the former growing more pronounced whenever he got pissed off.

Like now.

“So nice of you to notice.”

One corner of his mouth twitched. “It makes you look like a boy.”

Bastard. Her grip tightened around the steering wheel. “Like I give a damn what you think.”

He laughed under his breath. “I think you do.” The smirk on his face vanished when she ground the gears. Careful! It took me two days to rebuild the transmission.

“Sorry.” Not really. She totally meant to do that. “Third’s a little sticky.” She held back a smile as she hooked a right onto Alafaya Boulevard.

Dmitri raked his hands through his short, dark hair. He was a few weeks past the time for a cut, and the ends curled around the nape of his neck. “Why are you here, Gwen?” Her name sounded like poison on his tongue.

Good question. Her current base of operations was on the opposite side of the country, along the American side of the border with Mexico. Samuel had been vague on the details when he contacted her late last night with orders to fly to Orlando for a special assignment. She hated the idea of working with Dmitri, but knew better than to refuse an order. After all, the Big Kahuna wasn’t known for his gentle demeanor. The quicker they got the job finished, the quicker they could return to their normal routines and forget the other existed.

“Samuel sent me,” she replied with a shrug, knowing he’d understand the way the boss operated.

He nodded, his expression grim. “And why did you steal my car?”

“Because I could.” And because she knew it would piss him off. It was the way things had always worked between them. They’d lost their humanity and become reapers together, and had been at each other’s throats ever since. Two Cold War relics, passing through the modern age. “You really need to install a better anti-theft system. Anybody with a screwdriver can hot-wire this thing in less than five minutes.” She’d done it in three.

She could have sworn he growled.

An uneasy silence fell between them. She darted a quick glance in his direction and saw the unwashed hostility darkening the blues of his eyes. The muscles along his jaw clenched and unclenched, his full lips pressed into a thin white line.

The light ahead switched from green to yellow. After checking for cops, she punched the gas to make it through the intersection before the yellow turned to red. “You know, I’m not happy about this either. The sooner we do whatever Samuel wants, the sooner we can go our separate ways.”

With a huff of annoyance, Dmitri rolled down the passenger side window and propped his arm on the sill. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

For once, they were in perfect agreement.

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About the Author:

Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.

After completing her first novel, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at her day job, and the creative half writing sensual paranormal romance. Grim reapers are her specialty, but she loves to write about all creatures of the night.

Web: www.lorisjoberg.com

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6574214.Lori_Sjoberg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lori_Sjoberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

Growing up the youngest of three girls, Lori never had control of the remote. (Not that she’s bitter about that. Really. Okay, maybe a little, but it’s not like she’s scarred for life or anything.) That meant a steady diet of science fiction and fantasy. Star Trek, Star Wars, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits – you name it, she watched it. It fed her imagination, and that came in handy when the hormones kicked in and she needed a creative excuse for being out past curfew.

 

After completing her first novel, she joined the Romance Writers of America and Central Florida Romance Writers. Now she exercises the analytical half of her brain at her day job, and the creative half writing sensual paranormal romance. Grim reapers are her specialty, but she loves to write about all creatures of the night.

 

Web: www.lorisjoberg.com

 

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

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6574214.Lori_Sjoberg

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lori_Sjoberg

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January 25, 2015 · 2:25 pm

Happy Robbie Burns Day! – An Interview and New Wild Rose Press Release from Gail MacMillan

Please welcome my guest, Gail McMillan…

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January 25, Robbie Burns Day!  I was thrilled when Alicia invited me to answer interview questions about my latest book “Highland Harry” on that day.  This Scottish-Canadian historical romance fits in well with the celebrations of Scotland’s arguably most beloved poet. 

What perfect timing! I had never heard of Robbie Burns, but I’m so happy to share his special day with you. 🙂

Tell us about Highland Harry, where did you get the idea?

The idea for a book was inspired by tales of my grandfather, several times removed, George Fowlie, who immigrated to Northumberland County, New Brunswick, Canada in the late 1700’s. Although I’ve never been able to determine that he was, I assumed, for the sake of the book, that he’d been driven out of Scotland by the infamous Highland Clearances. In the backwoods George and his wife Jane established a farm and two mills, one grist, the other lumber.   George died at age fifty, leaving Jane with all this to manage as well to raise nine children, the oldest fourteen, the youngest a mere two months old. 

His wife proved a remarkable woman.  She never remarried.  She raised the children and managed the family interests on her own until she passed in her late 80’s. The Fowlie mills flourished until after World War II, a lasting tribute to this remarkable woman.  Her eldest son, James, became a clergyman and, later, the first Professor of Natural History at prestigious Queen’s University. 

“Highland Harry” is what I call a “what if” book.  I wondered what would have happened if both George and Jane had died, if the care of their children had been left to a pair of unusual step parents, one a former Highland highwayman fleeing the noose, the other a tavern girl. Throw in a vicious enemy out to gain control of their prosperous holdings, and the plot was set to boil.  Could these unusual and unexpected parents fight off all challenges and forge an enduring family, even a dynasty, out of all this adversity?   You’ll have to read “Highland Harry” to find out. 

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

Not very original but I always try to walk in my characters’ shoes (boots, barefeet).  I try to see the world as they would see and experience it.  Sadly, sometimes I’ve inhabited their bodies too long and my real-life supper has burned to a black sludge.  

What is one word you would use to describe yourself? What is one word you think others might use to describe you?

Shy.  Others probably see me as distant or reserved. 

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

I would like readers to come away with a sense of the power and strength to be found in loving, caring family relationships, that by uniting for the common good, a family can conquer or, at the very least, manage any adversity. 

If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be? 

I can’t single out one particular book.  What I’d most like to do is expand on some scenes, give the characters more of a chance to reveal themselves and, in some cases, to draw a more detailed account of setting.  

What is your favorite quote?

“God forgive me if I whine, I have two feet, The world is mine.”  My father’s to me when I expressed discontentment. 

What is your most prized material possession and why?

My mother’s copy of L. M. Mongomery’s  “The Blue Castle.”  She passed when I was sixteen.  She left this book to me, a favorite of both of us.  To me, it symbolizes our shared love of the printed word and keeps her memory always close to me.

 

Thank you for being with me today, Gail. I love that quote from your father. Very touching about “The Blue Castle,” I’m sure that is a prized possession.

Now, for Gail’s latest release…

Cover Highland Harry

Blurb: 

After losing his family in the Scottish Clearances, Harry Wallace becomes infamous for his clever revenge on the ruling English upper class, but his success can last only so long. With the shadow of a noose hanging over him, he barely escapes with his life and sails for British North America and a town he’s heard of but never seen.

In New Brunswick, Maggie Fowler needs a champion, someone willing to fight for the home and holdings she and her seven stepchildren are trying to defend against a murderous, power-hungry enemy who has already killed the children’s father. Will footloose, devil-may-care Highland Harry meet her needs? 

 

Excerpt:  

He sat savoring another wee dram. God knew he needed it. He’d just been proposed to by the stepmother of seven children with mills, a farm, and an apparently dangerous enemy threatening her and her family. The widow of a fellow Highlander, a woman—together with her children—he was duty bound to help and protect. 

In the flickering firelight he walked to the door of her bedroom and peered in through the space she’d left open to allow heat from the hearth to enter. In the wide bed, her shining chestnut hair adorning the pillow, Maggie slept, long eyelashes spread out over creamy cheeks. In her arms she cradled the golden-haired cherub named Eppie. On a rug on the floor beside them, Pig woke, looked up at him with strangely knowing eyes, grunted, then lowered her head and went back to sleep. What was a man to do with such a rare and unexpected family? 

He wandered back to the hearth, put a hand on the shelf above it, and stood staring down into the flames. Wind shrieked around the corners and snow buffeted the windows, but inside the log house, protected from the storm, he let a warm, secure feeling settle over him, a warm and secure feeling he hadn’t experienced at night since he’d been a lad in his father’s croft cottage during a blizzard much like this one. The ambience was seductive but perhaps false. After all, the family had a dangerous enemy. 

He banked the fire for the night, then glanced back toward the bedroom where Maggie slept. Beautiful, unassuming Maggie. What would the future hold for her and the children if he decided not to stay?

 

Click here to purchase:  http://amzn.com/B00QQO3OFW

 

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January 23, 2015 · 9:12 am

Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan – Part 30 – Elvis’ ‘68 Comeback Special…OMG

After Elvis came home from the army, he once more began making movies and stopped touring. I can’t imagine how that must have felt to fans, waiting so anxiously for his return, then being unable to see him live in concert. Although, seeing him on the big screen was definitely a treat as well. 🙂

When the concept of a special featuring Elvis first came about, Colonel Parker originally had the idea of Elvis singing Christmas carols. But director Steve Binder wanted something more. After noticing how relaxed and natural Elvis was in rehearsals, and how he and the other musicians played off one another, joked around and impulsively performed old blues and rock and roll songs, he decided to run with that theme and he and his crew did everything they could to recreate that situation and help Elvis relax. Elvis was reluctant to perform live, he was sure people would laugh at him, but Binder brought in Scotty Moore and Bill Black, the musicians Elvis started with, to put him at ease. (Unfortunately, the other member of the group, DJ Fontana, had passed away in 1965.) Although Elvis was terrified, not long after taking the stage, he managed to set it aside, or at least to appear to. According to Binder: “If you look closely at the opening seconds of the show, there’s a close-up of Elvis singing. You can see his hand on the mike – and it’s visibly shaking. Then he sang 8 or 9 strains, and he was back.”

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What developed was a phenomenal, ground breaking show, a mixture of big number performances with extravagant settings, such as the sequence with gospel songs and the musical ‘skit’ featuring Guitar Man and Big Boss Man. The ending number was a spectacular performance of Elvis, looking incredibly handsome in a white suit, singing ‘If I Can Dream’ a song written especially for the show, based on Elvis’ feelings about some of the issues going on in the world, including the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy. Watch here:

 

The most memorable and impactful segment of the show had to be the ‘in the round’ jam session. Elvis in black leather, sitting around, joking and belting out some of his finer songs with his buddies surrounding him. Although I know Elvis was nervous, it certainly doesn’t show. He looks relaxed, sexy, confident as he smiles, jokes, and projects the famous Elvis swagger and charisma. Here is a little taste:

 

 

The show aired December 3, 1968, but I’ll be honest. I don’t recall seeing it at that time. I don’t know if my parents just didn’t allow us to watch it, or didn’t think about it (I was seven years old). My first memory of seeing the special was the following year in August, 1969 when my family traveled from Oklahoma to California, making stops in various states, including to visit my half-brother in Colorado. (They piled 5 kids in a station wagon Mom earned from selling Tupperware, and we embarked on the well over a thousand miles journey…what were they thinking???)  I’m guessing the special was re-broadcast, or my memory is totally skewed, but I have this recollection of being at my half-brother’s house, and the 68 Special playing on his television. I was enthralled, captivated, couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. I’d already loved Elvis for as long as I could remember (and at 8 years old, that wasn’t all that long :)), but it was my first time to actually see him perform, other than in his movies, to see his amazing stage presence and the way he interacted with an audience and held them under his spell. Fortunately for all of us lucky enough to have seen Elvis in concert (for me, 3 times), this was the beginning of Elvis’ return to live performances.

The 68 Special was a smashing success. It was viewed by 42% of the audience and was the number one show that year, receiving critical acclaim and rave reviews. Elvis was indeed back.

What about you? Have you seen the special? What did you think?

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January 22, 2015 · 6:40 am

A Brand New Valentines Day Story from The Wild Rose Press: Time Out, Valentine by Melinda Dozier

I’m always pleased to host Wild Rose Press authors, especially considering I am one myself. I love their covers, and they publish some fabulous stories. Today, I have Melinda Dozier answering some questions and sharing her latest release…

 

Where did you get the idea for Time Out, Valentine?

Two years ago I visited Portland, Oregon on a business trip. The city inspired me along with one particular couple I stalked ̶ um, I mean, saw ̶ at the International Rose Garden.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

Novellas are always difficult to build the characters enough for readers to understand them. I think I did a good job, though. 🙂

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

My agent has taught me to keep a character chart and it’s such a useful tool. If I forget an eye color, I can just check the chart instead of searching through the manuscript.

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

All of Jill Shalvis’s books. I am a die-hard fan of Shalvis.

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

Yes, I’m a middle school teacher. I was kind of thrown into the position at first, but after 19 years, I’ve realized it was a calling. However, after this year, I’ll retire from teaching to focus on writing.

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

I have a celebrity crush on Ryan Gosling, so I should say him, but I think I’d like to have deep conversations with Neil Gaiman.

What is your favorite…

Movie Crazy, Stupid Love

Place you’ve visited Disneyworld

Place you’d like to visit New York City

TV show from childhood Little House on the Prairie

TV show from adulthood The Office

Food  Tex Mex

Sports team New Orleans Saints

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

Now, Melinda has a question for readers…

What has been your most favorite romantic date of all time?

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BLURB:

Lexi’s life is one big dump. Or so she thinks. To keep her mind off her latest breakup, she stays busy with work. It’s no big deal, since writing for Time Out Portland Magazine is a blast…except for the one small snag – Grant Reeds. Grant, a shy but sexy computer geek, is new to Time Out, working as the Networking Director for the online magazine. Even though Lexi thinks he doesn’t notice her, he sure as hell does. The owners have a plan for their upcoming Valentine’s Special, pairing up the two to explore romantic date ideas around the city. Soon, Lexi and Grant learn that the old adage, “Opposites Attract,” can ring true.

EXCERPT:

Grant sipped his beer and surveyed the room around them—anywhere but at the siren next to him, with her fancy drink, an umbrella hanging off the side. Overhead lights strobed the room, gleaming in all directions. The DJ announced a new song and a new crowd rushed to the dance floor, leaving them more alone in the back of the room. Thank God. 

It was stifling hot. He tugged his collar from his neck and rolled the sleeves of his white button-up. His glasses slid down his nose, forcing him to take them off and put them in his shirt pocket. 

Luckily in that part of the room, the music wasn’t so loud that they had to scream to converse. He only raised his voice a fraction to ask her the question he’d been wondering since they set foot in the place. “So, you think this is romantic enough for a Valentine’s date?” 

She batted her long lashes in his direction and smirked. “There’s low lights.” 

“Yeah and loud music, people all around.” To help prove his point, someone bumped him in the back, pushing him closer to Lexi. His hand circled her waist and rested on her hip. 

She sipped the drink, moving the umbrella with her other hand, then licked her lips. “It’sthe place to be. All trendy couples find their way here.” She cocked her head. “What would make it more romantic? Kissing?” 

A slow smile formed and he faced her. Not a bad idea. “Actually, yeah.” He placed his bottle on the table behind them, cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck. 

She laughed nervously, putting her weight on another sexy as hell foot. “What? You’re gonna kiss me? For real?” 

“We need romance.” He grabbed her cup and put it next to his bottle. His gaze dropped to her mouth. 

“You kissing me won’t—” 

He placed his thumb on her lips. “Shhh. Stop talking so we can be romantic.”

LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RASDUTS

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Time-Out-Valentine/book-yYA2K7SnFUSuL1kAU8LAhQ/page1.html?s=mfws6h0hQ0aRNbe-wLUbRQ&r=4

B&N: To come

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6037

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23784438-time-out-valentine

 

TRAILER LINK: http://youtu.be/DK4hVHiVAmo

 

 

MelindaDozierAuthor

AUTHOR BIO:

Melinda is a multi-published contemporary romance author with books from Crimson Romance, Swoon Romance and The Wild Rose Press represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. She lives in Guatemala, Central America with her husband/college sweetheart who brings “mucho amor” to her life. Melinda enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being pampered fully by her three boys once they are grown. Melinda’s guilty pleasures include reality t.v., traveling, blogging and playing Zynga games.

 

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: www.melindadozier.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/melindadozier

Facebook: http://www.twitter.com/melinda.doz

The Wild Rose Press: http://goo.gl/F3IG1W

Sign up for Melinda’s newsletter HERE.

 

 

 

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January 18, 2015 · 9:37 am

A Bloody Good Cruise – Diana Rubino

I’m pleased to introduce Diana Rubino and her latest release, A Bloody Good Cruise. It’s about vampires on a cruise…are you kidding me??? LOVE the premise, the title, and the cover! Plus, she’s sharing a fun interview.

 

*** Diana is giving away a free PDF copy of the book to the first person who can answers this question: Who are the 3 historical figures you most would have wanted to meet?  (Please be sure to provide your email address in your comment)

 

BloodyGoodCoverSmaller

 

BLURB:

A BLOODY GOOD CRUISE is a fun-filled blend of the vampire world and luxury cruises.Romance writer Mona Rossi’s book sales are slipping. She needs new ideas and fast! Her vampire love, Fausto Silvius is a doctor aboard the Romanza, a luxury cruise ship. Holding a “Motion on the Ocean” writer’s cruise sounds like a great idea. What better way to combine a career boost with romance? But they soon discover hunters on board who give chase to Fausto and his fellow vampires. While he longs to bring Mona into his world, how can he convince her to join him with fringe lunatics on the hunt? In the prime of her life she’s not sticking her neck out for a shot at eternity.

 

Excerpt:

Mona forced a dose of cheer through her jangly nerves. Vampire hunters wouldn’t have the balls to attack Fausto and his friends on this ship. Security was tight. “Well, you’re here, so does that mean you’ve been going out, and aren’t confined to your house any more?”

Fausto shrugged. “Almost. I couldn’t wallow in self-pity forever. And I knew seeing you would make it worthwhile.”

She smiled and gave him a genuine Italian cheek pinch. “I’ll cheer you up, faccia bella, you can count on that. You must feel safe.” She gestured at the tacky duds. “I mean, relatively speaking.”    

“Don’t let this scare you, but –” He glanced around over the rims of his shades. Uh-oh. Whenever he said “don’t let this scare you,” it scared her. “I got an ominous message at the doctor=s office earlier.”

“What?” She swallowed a lump. “What kind of ominous message?”

He looked away, shaking his head. “Nothing to get alarmed about. The hunters just want me to know they’re here. After the initial jolt wore off, I said, ‘okay, I’m being stalked again.’ But I’m used to it. It doesn’t make me constantly look over my shoulder like in the old days. My family’s murder gave me a reality check. If they want me, they’ll get me. I can’t let it interfere with my work, or what little leisure time I have here. And you shouldn’t either.” He gazed at her adoringly and cupped her cheek. His hand was surprisingly warm. “But you’re still scared. All the blood’s drained out of your face, and not in a good way.”

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Author Bio:

As a romance author, I’ve cultivated a loyal following. I am active in my RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter and attend author/reader events at local bookstores. Local and regional columnists have given me a good deal of publicity with interviews and articles. I advertise in Romantic Times and the RWR to keep my name before readers, and have held several contests on my website, which RWA and RT have promoted. In my other life, I own an engineering business, CostPro, Inc., and am Director of Marketing.

Kindle link: www.amzn.com/B00ILXYAI6

Amazon Paperback Link: http://amzn.to/1loSASo

The Wild Rose Press Link: bit.ly/1k8Vlrs
 

 

Where did you get the idea for A Bloody Good Cruise?  Was there anything unusual, any anecdote about this book, the characters, title, process, etc, you’d like to share?  

I wanted to combine Italian vampires, comedy and cruising in one package, so I hopped on my imaginary ship The Romanza to get my characters in all kinds of trouble. I envisioned the hero, Fausto, as actor Vincent Irizarry (Dr. Hayward on All My Children). That made my job so much easier. He is THE perfect vampire. Italian vampires and hunters (the Vampire Ball Busters) leave the field wide open for comic relief, and I had plenty of chances in this story. Since I’m hooked on cruising and I’m Italian, I didn’t need to do that much research. The name Fausto came from an Italian woman I met in the 1980s, Fausta. I knew I had to use some version of that name in one of my books.

My husband and I are hooked on cruising, and my very first cruise was on the Eastern Mediterranean, beginning in Rome and ending in Istanbul. The ports of call included Rhodes, Cyprus, Santorini, and Egypt. Because I love Italy and cruising, I wanted to combine those passions with a humorous story about vampires and how they face prejudice in the human world.

I met an Italian woman named Fausta in 1983 and always loved that name–I always planned to use that name in one of my books someday. I finally got the chance with the hero Fausto, close enough!

The actor I envision for the hero Fausto is Vincent Irizarry, who played Dr. David Hayward on All My Children. He is every bit the perfect vampire.

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

I own an engineering business with my husband Chris. I’m Director of Marketing, which I enjoy. I like to meet people and ‘work a room’.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

I don’t know if most people don’t like this, but when I visit a historical site, I must touch everything I possibly can, for that link to the past. I got yelled at in Warsaw for touching one of the keys on Chopin’s piano, but I wasn’t leaving there until I touched it!

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

Ever since I’m a little kid, I never liked to eat meat. Nobody understood it in those days, and since vegetarianism is much more common now, more people understand it, but I still get weird looks sometimes.

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

If only I could get by on two hours’ sleep!

What is one word you would use to describe yourself? What is one word you think others might use to describe you?

I describe myself as curious. Others would probably say earthy.

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

My favorite book of all time is THE AUTIOBIOGRAPHY OF HENRY VIII by Margaret George. It transports you to Henry’s time as if you’ve time traveled. My favorite childhood books are from a series about a girl, Trixie Belden, who solved mysteries, very much like Nancy Drew.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read A Bloody Good Cruise?

That prejudice can be overcome, and that there’s nothing like being on a cruise ship.

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

The hero, Fausto is definitely Vincent Irizarry! She’s not really an actress, but the Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo, would be a great Mona.

What is your favorite quote?

“I am still learning.” –Michelangelo

Thank you for the interview, Diana. Now, she has a question for readers… 

What is it about a book that makes you buy and read it rather than putting it back?

 

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January 16, 2015 · 8:57 am

Lisa Medley with Haunt my Heart: Ghosts, Civil War, and an Awesome Interview!

In lieu of my weekly Elvis post, I am welcoming Lisa Medley, a new author friend, to share her latest release. Check back next Friday when my weekly Elvis posts will resume. In the meantime, here’s Lisa…. 

 

Where did you get the idea for Haunt my Heart? 

This story idea germinated from the first real-life ghost hunt I participated in a couple of years ago. My husband was reluctant about the idea of me going ghost hunting. He worried, “What if something follows you home?” Of course, that only made me start asking, “What if it did?!” I went on the ghost hunt and came home with a story.

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

R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Those guys! Erm…vampires! I love them so much. Ward really gets into the deep end with her characters and I enjoy the multiple POVs in her work. It’s rubbed off because I use multiple POVs as well, just not as many. Her world is BIG. 

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

I work full-time as a Donor Recruiter for a local blood center. Yep, I’m a vampire, but I’m a talker, not a sticker. I’ve been there fifteen years. I guess I like it just fine. I have a lot of freedom and windshield time covering my five counties, which I use daydreaming about my characters and plotting my next story. My car dash is filled with sticky notes for my next book.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

Zombies. I’m a little obsessed.

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

My day job, ha! Of course that’s the only reason I can really afford to write at all.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read Haunt my Heart?

I want readers to be entertained and come away thinking, “Wow! That was a great book! When’s the next one?”

What is your favorite quote?

From the movie Ghost Rider: “Lady, before you got here, we were riding the gravy train on biscuit wheels.”

What celebrity would you most like to be stranded on an island with?

Gah! My heart says Jensen Ackles (for obvious reasons). My brain says Stephen King. That man will never run out of stories and I’d love to pick his brain. In a non-creepy sort of way, of course.

Tell us your favorite…

Movie – Anything Marvel

Music –The Black Keys, Coldplay, Kings of Leon

Place you’ve visited—NYC and Seattle

Place you’d like to visit—Italy

TV show from childhood—MASH

TV show from adulthood—Supernatural

Food –Chocolate

Sports team Nebraska Huskers

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television? – Television. I watch waaaaay too much television 😀

 Thank you, Lisa, for the fun interview answers. I am SO with you. I also watch way too much television, but I love it!

Lisa would like to ask readers…

Have you ever had a ghostly or paranormal encounter?

Check out her brand new release:

Haunt My Heart by Lisa Medley

Paranormal Romance: Ghost, Witchcraft, Hex and Sex.

Words 68K (272 pages)

eISBN-13:  978-0-9908856-0-3

Kindle: http://amzn.to/1Bx3fzQ

Print: http://amzn.to/1Bwurio

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Blurb:

A Civil War soldier dies to save his men. Can he find true love to live again?

Sarah Knight has a job she’s good at, a quirky BFF, and a boyfriend who’s bad for her. When Sarah unearths a Civil War artifact on a ghost hunt at Chatham Manor, she brings home more than a souvenir

Lieutenant James “Tanner” Dawson fought for the Union, working as a supernatural liaison for his Major General in a secret Masonic offset called the Brothers of Peril. When he’s hexed by a witch, he learns the only way to save his men is to die himself. But death is not the end. Awakening 150 years later, he knows if he wants to be corporeal again, he has to find true love to break the hex—a task no easier in 21st century than it was in the 19th.

Excerpt from Chapter One:

“Hurry up, Sarah. We’re going to miss the ghost!”

Sarah Knight rolled her eyes in the cold December darkness, but trotted after Ellie’s bouncing flashlight beam. Sarah’s heels crunched through the frozen topsoil as she crossed the lawn, and she worried about the damage being done to her only pair of sensible work shoes. Ellie had failed to mention this would be on an outdoor excursion.

Ellie had been dragging her out on girls’ nights against her better judgment since they graduated from college. Last month, they’d gone to a mixed martial arts fight, complete with blood, screaming and more than one missing tooth. And that had been the spectators.

Ellie had a strange idea of fun. It was only in the car on the way over that Sarah had learned tonight’s adventure would be a ghost hunt.

Sarah and Ellie caught up to the tour group as the leader, a tall dark-haired man in his mid-forties, wrapped up his ghost-hunting protocol explanation. She’d missed the rules. Ellie wouldn’t care about missing that part. She hated following the rules, but Sarah was a little miffed. If she was going ghost hunting, she wanted to know exactly what the boundaries were.

“Great,” Sarah whispered. “We missed the rules.”

“At least we didn’t miss the ghost,” Ellie pointed out. “And they haven’t doled out the equipment yet.” Ellie’s mouth split into a mischievous smile, and she angled up closer to the group leader.

“Again, my name is Allen if you have any questions during the tour. Since we have such a large group tonight, we’ll split into two teams. Carla will take this half.” Allen sliced an imaginary line through the group of twenty or so ghost-hunters. “And the rest of you will go with me.”

Relieved she and Ellie were on the same side of the line, Sarah snuggled up closer to her friend and surveyed the rest of their team. A middle-aged couple, a grandmotherly woman, and a group of ten sorority girls—exactly the type of girls she’d avoided in college—made up Team Allen. The girls sported matching Greek-lettered sweatshirts, scarves and mittens and tittered incessantly. Sarah was fairly sure their chance of seeing a ghost with this group was nil. Fine with her. Ellie was the one who went for the paranormal stuff.

“We’ll walk the path where the Lady in White has typically been spotted. Carla’s team will cover the grounds around the house,” Allen said. He nodded to Carla, and she gave him a little salute, then led her team around to the side of the building. Allen’s group stayed put in the doorway.

“First, I’ll need a couple of volunteers,” Allen announced.

Ellie’s hand shot up before Sarah could register what was happening. “We’ll do it.”

Classic Ellie, leaping before she looked. She didn’t even know what she was volunteering for. It could be anything. If Allen wanted virgins to sacrifice, however, he was out of luck.

Allen pulled two little handheld meter devices out of his messenger bag. His brows lowered a bit as he studied Ellie, cast his eyes around the group, then settled back to her. Ellie’s enthusiasm won out and Allen handed one device to her and the other to Sarah.

“This is the Anomaly Detector,” Allen said with all the reverence of presenting the sword Excalibur. “It measures EMP and temperature. If these lights change, it’s your job to let us know. I’ll be taking photos and interacting with the ghost, trying to draw her out. I can’t keep my eyes on all of the devices at once. Can you manage this?”

“Absolutely,” Ellie squealed.

Sarah resisted rolling her eyes again. She accepted the detector and did her best to reduce her scowl.

“It’s okay to be skeptical,” Allen said. “It makes it all the more exciting when we convert you to a believer.” His smile warmed and Sarah realized he was actually handsome. Old, but handsome. What an otherwise normal and attractive man—who was way old enough to know better—was doing leading a bunch of ghost hunters, she had no idea. People were strange. She supposed she’d have to include herself in that judgment, considering she now held a ghost detector.

 

LisaMedleyBW2FacebookCrop

Lisa Medley writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance about monsters in love, because monsters need love too. Look for Reap & Repent (Bk 1) and Reap & Redeem (Bk 2) of The Reaping Series, available now. A lover of beasties of all sorts, she has a farm full of them in her SW MO home including:  one child, one husband, two dogs, two cats, a dozen hens, thousands of Italian bees and a guinea pig. Not so in love with the guinea pig. She can do ten pushups IN A ROW and may or may not have a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag in her trunk at all times. Just. In. Case. 

 

Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Google+ | Amazon Author Page

 

 

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January 15, 2015 · 7:25 am

A Brand New Release from The Wild Rose Press – Stormee Waters by Linda J. Coker….

Stormee Waters by Lynda J. Coker, Contemporary Sweet Romance from The Wild Rose Press

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Blurb:

Dirk Savage never fails to acquire what he wants until he encounters Stormee Waters and a backwash of trouble…

Stormee Waters knows about hard times. Needing to care for her aging grandmother and teenage brother, she moves to Houston, Texas and takes a writing job for a popular magazine. Her first assignment is to interview a successful business man for a series of articles entitled, Make My Man Texas-Sized. Her target, Dirk Savage, appears to have the right criteria. He’s adventurous with the air of a conqueror. Admired by his peers and coveted by beauty queens and debutantes, he’s just the type of man that Stormee needs to make her first article sizzle and sell. But can she handle the heat when she catches his attention?

Dirk Savage is used to acquiring what he wants, except in the illusive quest for the one woman who can fill his heart. The shock of discovering her in the naive young woman assigned to interview him sets his jaded emotions on high alert. Can he convince her that his pursuit is genuine?

Excerpt 

He studied her in silence before making a blunt reply. “I’ll pick you up at 7:30 this evening.” 

Had he extended an invitation or a command?  “Well—ah.” She shrugged to hide her confusion. 

“Surely, you eat dinner?” he quizzed through lips curved with humor. 

“I suppose it’s okay.” She fiddled with the edge of her collar and contemplated the hint of challenge underlying his playful smile.

“Dress casually but bring a wrap. We’ll be dining by the river.” He dismissed her with a short command to leave her phone number and address with the receptionist. 

Why do I feel as though I’ve been ordered to show up for duty call? Did alpha males assume that women in general deferred to their decisions, or was she just a simple-minded exception?

 

LyndaCokerAuthorPhoto

 Author Bio:

Lynda is an author of contemporary romance that lingers in a reader’s mind long after they’ve closed the book. She lives in Northeast Texas with her husband of fifty years. They enjoy traveling, trying new foods, spending time with family and friends, and doing community service work together. When she feels the need to take a break from writing, she enjoys creating fabric art.  She offers an open invitation to view both her writing and fabric art on her blog.

Blog:  http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/lyndacoker

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

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/lyndacoker/

 Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6034

Amazon:  http://amzn.com/B00R9YQZTK

Stormee Waters Launch Giveaway Link:  http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/p/stormee-waters-launch-giveaway.html

 

 

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January 14, 2015 · 9:55 am

Author Fun Facts: Elvis, Hauntings, Gingerbread, Surrogate Babies, Hawaii

Sharing some fun facts about myself and a few author friends. And, we all have questions for readers…

 

End of Lonely Street – A Vintage Romance Short Story from The Wild Rose Press – $1.99

Alicia Dean Fun Fact:

I wrote my first romance at eleven years old. My hero’s name was Lonnie Beal (after Elvis Presley’s character in the movie, Tickle Me) and I describe him in the story as looking just like Elvis. 🙂 I still have my pencil-written copy of the story, although it’s faded and difficult to read. When I began publishing, I continued the tradition of mentioning Elvis in most of my stories, although I learned to be a little more subtle. 🙂

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Blurb:

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Amazon Link: http://amzn.com/B00QQO3BK0

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/end-of-lonely-street-alicia-dean/1121006997?ean=2940150002807

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_176_145&products_id=6029

 

Question for readers: What is your favorite era to read about? Contemporary? Vintage? Civil War? Regency? World War II? Other?

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A Red, Red Rose Cozy Mystery, Southern Gothic, The Wild Rose Press 

Susan Coryell Fun Fact

I got the inspiration for a Red, Red Rose when I explored an actual Colonial estate that was rumored to be haunted. Though I never experienced anything unusual there, every family with children that toured the place reported that the kids felt “something weird.” One asked, “Did someone die in here?” Another said, “Oh no! I see a man in the fireplace!” My writer’s antennae went up and I started writing my cozy mystery/Southern Gothic on the spot.

Coming Spring of 2015 Beneath the Stones – The Wild Rose Press – sequel to A Red, Red Rose, 5 years later.

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Blurb:

When twenty-year-old Ashby Overton travels to Overhome Estate for the summer, she hopes to unearth her ancestral roots and the cause of a mysterious family rift surrounding the horseback riding death of her Grandmother Lenore many years ago.

From the moment she enters her room in the oldest wing, Ashby feels an invisible, enfolding presence.  She learns the room belonged to a woman named Rosabelle, but no one is willing to talk about Rosabelle—no one except Luke, the stable boy who captures her heart. As Ashby and Luke become closer, she realizes he can be the confidant she needs to share the terrifying, unfolding secrets.

Ever present is a force Ashby never sees, only feels.  Candles light themselves, notes from an old lullaby fall from the ceiling, the radio tunes itself each day.  And roses, always meant for Ashby, appear in the unlikeliest places.  Are the roses a symbol of love, or do they represent something dark, something deep and evil?

Amazon Link:http://amzn.com/B00GVKMG0K

Author Website: www.susancoryellauthor.com

 

Question for readers: Have you personally had a supernatural or paranormal experience?

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Now available for $.99— Gingerbread Wishes – Book 1, Sugar & Spice Bakery series. Holiday, Indie release 

Linda Carroll-Bradd Fun Fact:

This story has made a progression from a holiday story aimed for a confession magazine to a short story included in a holiday anthology (but the company went out of business) to an indie release. Each time, I made changes (from first person to third, added the hero’s POV, lengthened the word count). But the essence of the story has remained the same and I’ve loved it in all its versions.

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Blurb:

Tora can’t wait to sell the family bakery run by generations of Hammond women and seek excitement outside of Dorado, Texas. Widower Jordan Dawson, the town’s star quarterback from a decade ago, returns to his hometown with plans to develop a sporting goods store. He also hopes experiencing a small town Christmas will cheer up his five-year-old daughter, Jenna, still recovering from the loss of her mother. Will the spark of interest Tora sees in Jordan’s eyes be the excitement she’s looking for?

Amazon link:  http://amzn.com/B00HGUZSMC

Author website: www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Question for readers:  What do you like best about romances set in small towns?

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Nobody’s Baby, Contemporary romance, holiday ending, Indie release for only $3.99 

Carol Burnside Fun Fact:

NOBODY’S BABY came about during a brainstorming session as I attempted to put a twist on a secret baby trope or plot. Well, the baby was a surprise to Rio but not in any way I’d ever read in a book. Authors are supposed to torment their characters and and—whoo-ee—do Kate and Rio have a lot to deal with in this heartwarming story with a Christmas ending! I hope my readers enjoy my twisted take on an inherited baby/secret baby plot.

About Carol: Award winning author of “Sizzling romance with heart and humor.” A native Texan, Carol is a southern gal through and through, a gardener, amateur chef, avid reader, dog and cat lover, crochet enthusiast, seamstress, and creative diva who dreams up ways to torment her characters from an imagination fueled by too much sweet tea. Also a traveler and at one time a nomad, Carol loves to draw upon her memories for story settings, whether close to home or far-flung.

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Blurb:

She was the incubator,
 nothing more
until the parents died tragically.
Now she’s having Nobody’s Baby.

For Kate Morissey, becoming a surrogate seems like a great way to refill her tuition account and get the education she’s always wanted. After putting her life on hold to raise and educate her two brothers, she’s desperate for freedom and a college degree that will secure her future. Weeks away from realizing her dreams, a freak accident threatens everything.

Adopted as a boy into the safety of the Hawthorne family, Rio swore he’d never become a father. He won’t pass along his cruel legacy of abuse. When he inherits the last Hawthorne heir, obligation and duty dictates he abandon the challenges of guiding safari’s and become a parent. Convincing Kate to teach him infant care was the easy part. Proving his love isn’t her prison may be the hardest thing he’s ever done.

Buy e-book on: Amazon / AzonUK / AzonCA / AzonAU / B-N / Kobo / GooglePlay / iBooks / AllRomance / Smashwords and other retailers

CarolBurnside.com

 Question for readers: As a reader, what are your favorite tropes / plots / storylines? 

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The Marriage Trap – Hawaii, Sexy romance, The Wild Rose Press 

Marissa Garner Fun Fact:

I set THE MARRIAGE TRAP in Hawaii because every time I’ve visited the islands, it’s been a romantic adventure. The book draws on some of my experiences. I’ve actually stayed in the Volcano House overlooking the Kilauea Caldera, which is where my hero and heroine plan a getaway. I’ve hiked on Maui’s dormant volcano, Haleakala, which my characters also visit. I’ve snorkeled in the coral reefs and bodysurfed on the crashing waves. But I let Drew and Ginny do something that I never had the pleasure of experiencing. You’ll have to read the book to learn what they got to do that I didn’t.

THE MARRIAGE TRAP (First in the Hawaiian Heat series) is available now and only $4.61 from Amazon.

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Blurb:

Ginny Fitzgerald has always dreamed of marriage and motherhood. But when she escapes her domineering former fiancé to attend a two-month writing seminar, she discovers more about herself than about fiction. Sparks fly and then ignite when she meets enigmatic Drew Morgan. He melts her reserved façade and unleashes her repressed passions. Sadly, Ginny believes she can never achieve her goals with Drew and fears the only happily-ever-after in her future is the one she’s writing for her romance novel.

Drew thinks marriage is a trap, and he’s made a pact with his brother to remain bachelors forever. Even when the Hawaiian Heat welds love and lust into his dream soul mate, he can’t marry Ginny. After she declines his invitation to live with him, he must choose between his opposition to the chains of marriage and the possibility of a lifetime of happiness.

Buy now at:  Amazon | iBook | Nook | Kobo

Visit Marissa at https://www.facebook.com/MarissaGarnerAuthor

 

Question for readers: Would you like to visit Hawaii? Which island?

 

 

 

 

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January 13, 2015 · 8:19 am

Would you survive? Jill James with her new release, Love in the Time of Zombies…

I am pleased to welcome Jill James with a fun interview, and an intriguing new release….

Where did you get the idea for Love in the Time of Zombies?

I love reading in the zombie apocalypse genre and of course, romance. So I thought, why not combine the two?

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

No, this is my first time. My other books are contemporary and paranormal romance.

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

The title is, of course, a play on Love in the Time of Cholera. I wanted to write a very strong female lead and LITTOZ is definitely Emily’s story.

What is the most difficult thing about writing a book?

Butt in chair, Hands on keyboard. Once I’m writing, I’m fine. But that showing up every day is hard for me.

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

This book had my largest cast to date. I had to use index cards on a white board to keep track of people and attributes.

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

World War Z by Max Brooks. That book started my zombie apocalypse binge reading. He took such a chance writing it as a series of articles and interviews.

What do you love that most people don’t like and wouldn’t understand why you do?

Well, probably the whole zombie apocalypse thing. I love The Walking Dead, Zombieland, and even Shaun of the Dead. I’ve probably read 500 ZA books in the past two years.

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

Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small That book is timeless. Skye O’Malley is such a kickbutt heroine. I love her!! My favorite childhood book was the Little House on the Prairie books. It opened my eyes that someone could write a book about their life and people would want to read it.

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

I’ve always envisioned Alex O’Loughlin as Seth Ripley in my book. With longer hair and those soulful eyes. Yum! For Emily Gray it has always been Alyssa Milano in my mind. That deceptive fragility she has and the under layer of steel.

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

Historical romance. The research necessary scares me.

What is your favorite quote?

Do. Or do not. There is no try. –Yoda 

Now Jill has a question for our readers…

Would you survive the zombie apocalypse? 

**** Pre-order for Kindle – ONLY 99¢ –

Releases January 15, 2015  – CLICK HERE  ****

 

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Influenza swept the planet. In months, two billion were dead. In the decimated United States, President Andrew Thomas signed an Executive Order to spray the national food and water supply with a flu vaccine. It spread and mutated up the food chain. The infected craved the flesh of the living and the undead walked the earth. 

Overnight, Emily Gray’s privileged world was ripped away. From pampered trophy wife to sharpshooter zombie hunter. From an elite address in San Francisco to the outskirts of an East Bay farm town. You never know what event will define you. The apocalypse showed Emily what she was truly capable of doing to survive.

Seth Ripley was a truck driver with simple dreams. Pay off his mortgage, not live paycheck to paycheck, and take care of his mom. The end of the world as he knew it stole all that away. His home and livelihood are gone and the only dream he has left is for his mother to awake from her diabetic coma brought on from the trials and tribulations of getting out of Oakland ahead of the horde of undead. 

When surviving day to day is all you ask of life, love seems an unrealistic dream. Who would ever think that something as terrible as the zombie apocalypse could bring Seth and Emily something as wonderful as their other half, their soul mate, their true love? 

Now all they have to do is survive death, destruction, and a madman who wants to control what is left of the world they knew.

Excerpt:

 

Chapter One

Guess you never know. Who would have thought something as terrible as the zombie apocalypse would bring me something as wonderful as Seth Ripley?

Of course, the zombies got my mother and my father, and my husband, Carl. Pretty much, they got my whole family. Okay, my husband Carl had been an asshole so he was no great loss. Never could keep it in his pants, if I may be so crude. If he could’ve kept it in his pants, he may have kept that appendage altogether. But, it was the early days of the Z virus mutation and how could he know the hooker he took to the cheap by-the-hour motel had the sickness? I’m sure he didn’t realize anything until the woman chewed it off, to be honestly blunt. He never was a great one for paying attention during sex as it was. Oh, maybe in the early days of our marriage, but he’d changed in the last few years, just before the end of the world.

Five years of him spreading it far and wide to prove his virility and all I was left with was a one-sheet police report and a blurred photo of Carl with one between the opaque, dead eyes. The police had stopped trying to take sickies to the hospital a couple of weeks before. By the time Carl was attacked it was kill ‘em, identify ‘em, and burn ‘em in a pile. KIB was the order of the day. A few weeks after that and they skipped the identify part of the acronym too. A few weeks more and there weren’t enough police or bullets for the killing part either.

Six months had passed and the police were all gone, along with the military. Now it was survival of the fittest. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself; neglected society, trophy-wife, Emily Gray, in that category. Guess you never know.

Your day could start so shitty and end so… well, not great, because there weren’t too many great days anymore. The only definition to divide the monotony of the days were get bitten by a zombie day and not get bitten by a zombie day. But that day would turn out better than most. At least it would with a great deal of hindsight and distance from the event. Adding a whole hell of a lot of seeing a silver-lining after the fact helped too.

 As with most days, I had zombie patrol for the morning, which was so not my best time of the day. But zombies don’t have an off switch so we had to hunt first thing in the morning to clear the perimeter around the giant mall.

Did you know shopping centers are the best defense against zombies? Me neither, until I got shipped out of what was left of San Francisco to the middle of nowhere—Brentwood. I’d never even heard of the town before I got sent there. Shopping centers are like medieval castles. Brick up the front doors and small back doors and the roof is like the battlements of a castle. Zombies can’t climb. Thank God for any small favor we could get. It’s about the only advantage we have. Because we have to sleep and the zombies don’t.

We were the last escapees of the city by the bay. Pre-Z the city had a population of more than 850, 000. In the end, San Francisco had 5,000 living beings to round up and ship to other communities to the east. The lieutenant governor (the governor had turned on live television and been put down) declared San Francisco the land of the undead, and blew up the bridges connecting it to the rest of the state and collapsed the Caldecott Tunnel for good measure. A bunch of massive explosions of entire city blocks to the south and San Francisco was pretty much an island of zombies.

My skin had burned lobster-red my first week of roof living here. San Francisco is more known for fog and chilly days than for getting a suntan. Once I tanned, it was the burnished copper of my ancestors—Native Americans of some unknown tribe, according to my mother. Way back in our ancestry, she had always been sure to add. The long hair my husband had insisted on was gone—happily. Long hair and zombies did not mix. My first day there I’d seen a young, blonde girl pulled back by her long braid and devoured in a dirt field. Long hair gone. Also happily gone, the extra thirty pounds I had carried through my unhappy marriage years. Running from zombies was the best aerobic exercise around. The penalty for missing a day of exercise was death—or nondeath in our case.

No one knew for sure back then if the animals were susceptible to the mutation, and what eating them would do to us, so breakfast was lots of fruits, vegetables, and soy patties. After six months of eating the food and drinking the water, either we were going to turn undead or not as far as I was concerned. I looked at it like this, if we were going to turn, we would have already done so. Scientific types were still testing cows and pigs to see if they just had the flu vaccine in them or if it would mutate in them too. Hadn’t seen any pigs or cows running amok yet.

 

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Author Bio:

Jill James is a published author with The Wild Rose Press and now self-published. Her books are contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy romance. She lives in Northern California with her husband who is the inspiration behind all her romance novel heroes.

Jill has been a member of Romance Writers of America since 2004. She started her work career as an accountant but soon realized that books and writing were her passion. Her first published book, Tempting Adam with The Wild Rose Press was a combination of her love of romance novels and the golden era of Hollywood movies.

Her hobbies are writing and reading, not necessarily in that order.

 

Facebook www.facebook.com/Jill.James.author

Twitter www.twitter.com/jill_james

Website www.jilljameswrites.com

 

Buy Links:

Amazon

http://amzn.com/B00RHGTYUC 

 

BN.com

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-the-time-of-zombies-jill-james/1120981220

iBooks   https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-in-the-time-of-zombies/id954689040?mt=11

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January 12, 2015 · 11:07 am

My Kind of Crazy with Katie O’Sullivan – New Release from The Wild Rose Press

I’m happy to introduce Katie O’Sullivan and her new release…

Hi, Alicia! Thanks for hosting me on your blog today to talk about my latest contemporary romance, MY KIND OF CRAZY. It’s definitely a “beach book,” which might sound crazy in the middle of this cold, cold winter but books are an escape, right?

My pleasure…yes, if you want to escape from the cold, a beach read is a great way to do it!

  1. Where did you get the idea for MY KIND OF CRAZY? 

My novel is set on Cape Cod, which is a popular tourist destination in the summertime but also my year round home. There are tons of cute little B&Bs and inns, although my innkeeping experiences were all in Vermont, where my parents owned a ski lodge/inn in Killington. Many of the secondary characters and businesses in the book are based on real people and places, although I had no specific B&B in mind while writing.

During the time I was working on this book, we were going through the process of home renovations, and talking with contractors and builders. The stories they told about some of their jobs were eye-opening!

  1. Do you have another occupation in addition to writing?

I earned my degree in English literature, so all my “day jobs” have had something to do with writing. Since graduation from college, I’ve worked in advertising, public relations, journalism and bank reporting. I’ve covered high school football games and edited technical manuals. My current full-time job title has been “Mom”, but with one off in college and the other two in high school, I now have more time to write and edit. I love working with other authors to edit their work and help make their ideas sparkle on the page.

  1. Would you rather have a bad review or no review?

I used to think “no review,” but I’ve realized that even bad reviews give you feedback and insight into what resonates with readers and what falls flat. And at least I can see that people are reading and responding to my writing. I mean, a reader gave me a one-star review for MY KIND OF CRAZY because there are – gasp – sex scenes in the novel!

  1. If you could change something about one of your books that’s already released, what would it be?

I would love to rework my second novel, PERFECT STRANGERS, and re-release it. The editing wasn’t the best, and I feel like my writing has gotten so much stronger. I got the rights back from that publisher, and it’s definitely a project on my to-do list for 2015.

  1. Tell us your favorite…

Movie: Groundhog Day (Bill Murray at his best)

Music: Rock/Punk Pop

Place you’ve visited: Stonehenge (have you been?? You have to see it in person!)

Place you’d like to visit: Australia

TV show from adulthood: True Blood

Food: Chocolate. No wait, is coffee a food?

Sports team: Red Sox, of course!

Thanks for having me here today!

It’s my pleasure. Thank you for being here. I also love the Red Sox! They’re my second favorite American League team! 🙂 I also LOVED True Blood, but I’m afraid the final season was a huge letdown. 😦   I have not been to Stonehenge, but it sounds like I need to go. Ha! How dare you put a sex scene in a romance novel! 

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About MY KIND OF CRAZY:

Kendall Roarke is betting everything on making her Harwichport Bed & Breakfast into the premier wedding destination on Cape Cod, despite her recent messy divorce.

Jonathan Reynolds moved back to the Cape to take over his uncle’s business and start fresh after his own marriage ended. He’s not looking for anything complicated – until he meets Kendall, with her big plans and wild mop of curls.

Throw an unruly foster puppy and an uptight new neighbor into the mix and things get a little crazy. Now Kendall has to decide if it’s the kind of crazy that she can live with… for the rest of her life.

Excerpt from MY KIND OF CRAZY:

He reached out and gently wrapped his fingers around her arm, not letting her leave the front hall. “Kendall?”

Again with the major electrical sparks zinging through her! She was afraid to look him in the eye, afraid he’d be able to see it in her face, the devastating effect he had on her. They stood so close she felt the heat from his body radiating, warming the small space between them. His touch was fire on her bare skin. She finally raised her gaze to meet his eyes, luminous and deep. She felt like she might fall into those green pools and drown.

Breathe in, breathe out. She searched for words to answer the unasked questions in his eyes but none came to her.

“Kendall.” He whispered her name again as if it were the answer to some puzzle he was trying to solve.

Thoughts whirled through her head at lightning speed. Nothing about this made any kind of sense— especially not her attraction to a complete stranger. But there was no denying the electricity that ran through her body from his simplest touch.

“I’m not looking for a relationship right now.” Her low whisper matched his.

“What are you looking for?” He moved closer, his lips brushing her mouth, tasting of beer and salted peanuts. His warmth pulsed through her in shock waves, her traitorous body responding all too eagerly. He tasted so good, the salt sizzling on her tongue. The kiss shifted from soft and gentle to solid and deep. Arms slid around her, pulling her close, but she was too wrapped up in the kiss to protest. Why complain? He felt so good, the hard muscles of his arms and planed chest underneath that thin dress shirt, and another hardness evident, despite his proper dress pants.

Suddenly Kendall remembered that this was the same man who was fooling around with the married cougar of a librarian. She wanted to be outraged for the unwitting spouse, but all she could think was, Lucky librarian.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders. Vaguely she registered the wall behind her, pressing hard against her back. His clever tongue tangled with her own, sending fresh waves of desire rippling through her.

Even as her body screamed Yes! she slid her hand between them, firmly pushing him backward and breaking the connection. “I can’t do this. I don’t want to get hurt again.” Her eyes searched his before she turned her head to look away. If she looked into those eyes for one more second she would forget all about saying no and let her body do whatever it wanted.

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About the Author:

Katie O’Sullivan lives with her family and big dogs near the ocean on Cape Cod, drinking way too much coffee and inventing new excuses not to dust. Living next to the Atlantic influences everything she writes, and her YA paranormal series features the mermaids who live in Nantucket Sound, outside her windows. A recovering English major, she earned her degree at Colgate University and now writes romance and adventure for young adults and the young at heart. Her editing column, “The Write Way,” appears in CapeWomenOnline magazine.

Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/My-Kind-Crazy-Katie-OSullivan-ebook/dp/B00J9OV8P4/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399718896&sr=1-2&keywords=my+kind+of+crazy

Website: www.katie-osullivan.com

Blog: http://katieosullivan.blogspot.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OkatieO

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3326303.Katie_O_Sullivan

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/katieosullivan

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