Tag Archives: new release

February 8, 2017 · 9:53 am

I Love You More by Josie Riviera

Today’s guest is sharing a special novel…

iloveyoumore
Handsome, self-assured, every inch the successful billionaire, Luciano is out of Anastasia’s reach. But when a hurricane strands them together and they must trust each other to survive … things heat up despite the driving rain and gale winds.

Can Valentine’s Day bring this unlikely pair together … this time for good?

Author’s Note: Thousands of families around the world have opened their homes and hearts through international adoption. Soo-Min is the embodiment of many, many fortunate adoptive children and parents who’ve together created forever families.

Don’t miss this poignant story of love, loss and renewed hope—get your copy of the novella today!

Buy Links for I Love You More

Amazon:
Ebook: http://a.co/bQ7xmZ5

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-More-Contemporary-Romance/dp/0996954112/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=14831

Youtube:

https://youtu.be/BSLnp0KNq_4

Universal buy link for Itunes, Nook, etc.:
https://www.books2read.com/u/meY1rm

 

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Author bio:

Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable Shih Tzu who constantly needs grooming and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

Check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter for a free ebook:
http://josieriviera.com/

Social media:
“Like” her Author Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Josie.Riviera/

Connect with her on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010936808977

Follow her on twitter: @josieriviera
https://twitter.com/Josieriviera

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

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

youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqixF8IuUaTgE9lEUnnRQA

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January 7, 2017 · 9:33 am

New Release: Training Tessa by Debra Doggett

Please help me welcome Debra Doggett, a fellow Authors Helping Authors member who has a brand new release!

 

I used to tell people I got a history degree because I didn’t have to take math classes for it. That was only part of the reason, but back then being a history nerd didn’t give off the best aura. Even my dad said he didn’t understand how I could take those classes because history was boring. It was one of the few things we disagreed on. Growing up, my hero was James Michener. It wasn’t only that he could write like nobody else, but he wrote history. His work inspired me, and one day I plan to write my own historical epic. My first attempt at dipping my toe into that goal was Training Tessa. I set this story in Renaissance Italy, one of my favorite time periods. It gave me an excuse to dig back into that time and place, making the writing fun. One of the biggest reasons for it, however, was the way sensuality permeated art, and life. Yes, there were lots of naysayers, but artists in particular began to look at the human body as sensual. That concept fit well with the story. I hope the story fits well with you.

 

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Blurb:

Meretessa Brexiano believes in love. Her heart yearns for a true bond with the man she weds. She also believes she can change her fate. Refusing the marriage her father has arranged, she strikes a bargain with a man she hopes can teach her the art of seduction. Nicolo da Parma is a businessman with a reputation as a connoisseur of women. Their sensuality is the palette he has painted on since his youth. This time, however, he may have struck a bargain which costs more than he planned. Training Tessa might be the greatest challenge to his own heart Nicolo’s ever had.

Excerpt:

Nicolo reached a hand toward her. “Seduction is a slow process, Tessa, a process which begins with you. It begins in here.” He tapped her forehead. “Do you even know what your own body looks like?”

She moved, grateful for even a small space between them. “That’s ridiculous! Of course I know what I look like. I see myself every day.”

“Ah, but do you really see? How can you tempt a lover with a body you are not even aware of?”

Before she could protest, he swallowed up the small, safe distance. Strange sensations stirred within her, leaving her without the ability to form the words she knew she should be saying. Nicolo’s fingers untied the lace along her bodice. He slipped the thin scarf through his hand with a sensual caress that made her shiver. What would those fingers feel like against her skin? As his hand slid over her shoulder, his fingers nudged her dress down, letting the fabric glide to the top of her breasts. He leaned in close and for a moment she thought he might kiss her. Tessa wondered what his lips would feel like, what they would taste like.

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Training-Tessa-Debra-Doggett-ebook/dp/B01GAF0EYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483472306&sr=8-1&keywords=debra+doggett

 

Bio:

Debra Doggett has been writing since childhood. Keeping stories in her head while raising three daughters, pursuing her BA in History and working as a museum professional has kept the writer inside her alive. She has also written, performed and directed for the stage, her second love.

 

Author links:

Debra Doggett | Facebook

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dgdoggett

www.amazon.com/author/debradoggett

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2266264.Debra_Doggett

 

 

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January 6, 2017 · 5:07 pm

Author Kayden Claremont – New Release: – Why She Loves Kilts

Please help me welcome fellow Authors Helping Authors member, Kayden Claremont, sharing her ‘hot’ new release!

 

I love a man in a Kilt, I mean—who doesn’t.

When The Wild Rose Press asked for stories for their Real Men Wear Kilts series I was in heaven. I went through the usual list of placed you’d find a kilt-wearing hunk, but decided to have Brodie Murdock wear his kilt every day. After all, it would be such a pity to save all the scrumptiousness just for special occasions. 

Since I write paranormal erotic romance, I had to come up with his paranormal quality. I made Brodie Murdock a kilt-wearing, motorcycle-riding hottie with a secret he can only share with his destined mate.

Brodie took over the story so I had to make sure Cora Siegfried was he match in every way. She became a kick-ass heroine who wouldn’t back down from fighting for the man she loves.

With his throne on the line, Brodie Murdock needs to secure his kingdom by taking a bride. When the only woman he’s ever wanted, Cora Siegfried, steps right into his path, he knows the legends are true. She is his destiny. But will she agree?

 

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Buy link: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2deP5wS

 

Blurb: Financial planner Cora Siegfried has returned to her hometown to settle her late father’s estate. Get in, get out, that’s the plan. When she’s almost run over by a kilt-wearing hottie on a motorcycle, all her well-laid plans go up in smoke, and all she can think about is getting well laid by her childhood crush. But after what she hoped would be a one-night stand, leaving him might not be as easy. Talk about a tartan temptation.

With his throne on the line, Brodie Murdock needs to secure his kingdom by taking a bride. When the only woman he’s ever wanted steps right into his path, he knows the legends are true. She is his destiny. The feisty female isn’t hard to seduce into his bed for the night, but she’s proving difficult to convince they are meant for forever. And then there’s the secret that could destroy any chance of their future–a secret he’s not ready to confess. Not until his stubborn soul mate admits she needs him for more than sex.

Snippet:

She rubbed her brow. That’s what she did when she was gathering her thoughts. “I can’t list the house without a stupid piece of paper from the lawyer, and he had to go away on a family emergency. What about my family emergency? My father died. Nobody cares about that.”

Brodie turned the bike off, set it on its kickstand, and stood. He shouldn’t touch her, but he wrapped his arms around her and drew her against him. “I care.”

Doubt filled her dark blue eyes. “Why? Why do you care about me?”

Destiny. She’d think he was crazy, but it was the truth. He’d always understood it. “How could I not care about you?”

Taking a step back, she shook her head. The startled expression on her face told him he’d gone too far.

She hesitated then glared at him. “What do you want?”

He glanced up at the stormy cloud, then back at her. He hadn’t fooled her at all. He was running out of time. He had to win her trust now. “Ice cream. I need ice cream. You need ice cream. We all need ice cream.” He smiled, hoping his charm worked this time.

Disbelief shone in her eyes. “Now?”

 

Kayden Claremont Bio:

Kayden loves sexy, well-crafted stories of lust and love.  Her sensuous style drives the characters in lustful romps. When she is not crafting erotic romantic stories, she can be found crocheting or making jewelry.

Kayden is a member of Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers, and Writing Community of Durham Region.

She hopes you enjoy her other books, HELL’S BOUNTY, TIMELESS PASSION, and RED HOT all published by The Wild Rose Press.

Kayden loves to hear from her readers.

Website: www.kaydenclaremont.com/

Blog: https://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaydenclaremont

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/kayden.claremont/

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/9136748.Kayden_Claremont

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

 

 

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December 23, 2016 · 2:57 pm

Margo Bond Collins ~ Immortal Winter ~ New Release!!

A princess locked away in an ice tower.
A handsome kidnapper who insists her savior-queen is a liar.
And a chance to break the curse that binds them all.

Immortal Winter Cover.JPG

Jayla Storm woke up today next to a dead body, with no memory of how it got there. Then Kip Stanton blew up her ice tower—the only home she’s ever known—and kidnapped her, insisting it was for her own good.

Now she’s stuck with a group of rebels hell-bent on usurping the queen who saved Jayla’s life. As her memories resurface, she’s afraid to trust anyone, even while her feelings for Kip grow stronger.

But wherever Jayla goes, the monstrous ravagers follow. If she’s going to survive, and perhaps save Kip and the others, she’ll have to learn to trust someone—maybe especially herself.

Immortal Winter, a stand-alone dystopian paranormal romance
by New York Times bestselling authors N.R. Larry and Margo Bond Collins

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Excerpt:

I woke in my ice tower, covered in a coating of sweat, lying next to a dead body.

With a gasp, I scrambled back against the headboard of my own bed. Other than the motionless figure beside me, nothing around me had changed, though it was tinted yellow from the flickering lanterns.

Arina’s dead body?

I’d never seen a corpse. Not a real one. I eyed the spike sticking out of her forehead and the odd snarl twisting her open mouth. My head swam and I swallowed convulsively.

I knew I needed to act, but all I could manage to do was let Arina continue to bleed out—onto the sheets and onto me. I should have been screaming. I should have been throwing myself off the bed and toward the window. But I didn’t, anchored in place by fire and sweat and blood.

I tried to connect the scene in front of me to some memory, something that swam barely out of reach. I stretched after it, catching a fragment: yesterday was Arina’s day. The day I wouldn’t be alone.

A pain day.

I looked forward to those. That much I knew.

Forcing myself to sit up, I scooted away from her still form, my jaw clenched with the memory of pain. I would have laughed at what lingered but there was a body to attend to. Stumbling out of bed, I stepped out of my clothes and limped toward my ivory dresser. On the way, my feet grazed against something rough. Some imperfection in the ice. Something that wasn’t there before.

I backed up and stared down at the message scratched into the ice, blood swiped across it to highlight the letters, like ink rubbed on a seal impression to darken the image.

She found me. She knows. Went to warn them. Don’t take the infusions. Watch out for Kip.

My body began to tremble, even before my mind caught up.

Yesterday.

***

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December 7, 2016 · 8:06 am

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

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

 

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

By Eleanor Webster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

marriedforhisconvenienceewebster

Married for His Convenience

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

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

Available Now

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

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

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

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

eleanorwebster

About Eleanor Webster

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

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

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

Connect with Eleanor

Website: https://eleanorwebsterauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ewebsterauthor

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

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

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

 

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November 28, 2016 · 12:09 pm

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

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

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

by Joe Cosentino

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

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

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

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

http://myBook.to/Rag_Doll

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ragdoll-2126977-367.html

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

Praise for CHINA DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

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

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

Praise for SATIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

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

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

Praise for PORCELAIN DOLL, a Jana Lane mystery:

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

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

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

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

Praises for PAPER DOLL, the first Jana Lane mystery:

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

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

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

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

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

Print ISBN 978-1-5092-

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092- 29

Released: November 16, 2016

Pages: 260

Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen

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

Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino

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

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

Ah, the plight of a middle-aged actress.

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

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

“Cut!”

“Good job, partner.”

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

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

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

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

wept on his shoulder.

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

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September 8, 2016 · 9:56 am

A Bodyguard’s Trip to Peru (book # 4 of the series with Jazmin & Ethan) by Ann Raina

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Ann Raina, with her latest release….

About the author

Ann Raina lives in Germany with cats and a horse. In between real life necessities, writing is her most important task and also a privilege. The latest series, starting with The Secretary’s Bodyguard, turns around a loving couple trying to live their life in spite of dangers and other troubles.

abodyguardstriptoperu_annraina

Blurb

While at a conference with the Secretary of State, Ethan and Jazmin get confronted with terrorists, drug dealers, and a bunch of nasty people.

Excerpt

He put an arm around her shoulder when she huddled against his side. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Yeah.” She put a hand on his belly. “They gave us enough food and drink to be satisfied. I was allowed to brush and braid my hair, and we could wash ourselves. I hadn’t put it beyond them to hand you a razor. You look like a thug by now, with that stubble.”

“Thanks a lot.” He gave a curt bow and ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. “I don’t mind skipping shaving for a few days.”

Her voice sank to a threatening growl. “You won’t show up like some grizzly hunter on Christmas day, right?”

Ethan pursed his lips as if pondering the possibility. “If I’m to play Santa, I need more than stubble. I should start growing a beard right away.”

Jazmin made a disgusted face and he chuckled. “Imagine your mom’s face when I open the door in some checkered flannel shirt, unkempt, and with a beard reaching down to my chest. What would she say?”

“She’d check the name plate and ask if her son-in-law had moved.” Jazmin shook her head. “Don’t do that to her. You know how much she loves to show off with her famous son-in-law, the bodyguard. She’ll bring her closest friends and their families. I bet she’d faint seeing you like a scoundrel.”

“And you?” He kissed the tip of her nose. “What would you say?”

Jazmin replied in her bedroom voice, “I’d rip that ugly shirt off your body, push away the beard, and kiss my way down your navel. If you’d dare to wear anything else, it would have to go, so I could check whether your accessories were still intact on Christmas day.”

Ethan swallowed. He appeared out of breath. “You don’t like checkered flannel shirts?”

“I like unwrapping you to see you in nothing, Ethan, and you damn well know it.” She cocked her head. “The beard would be next on my list, of course.” And when he arched his brows, she added, “I like my man neat, clean-shaven. That reminds me that I’ve always wanted to wet shave you.”

“Wet shave? Why’s that?”

Jazmin ran a hand across his chin and cheek, smiling about his disgust. “The feel of it. Nothing compares to a wet shave. It’s so…smooth.”

“You really want to do that?”

“A girl can have dreams, right?”

Ethan inched away from her to look her in the eyes. “If that’s something you like—why haven’t you told me?”

Jazmin gave him an innocent look. “Because you once told me you didn’t like the time and effort. Especially not with your fast growing beard.”

“You remember that? After such a long time?”

Jazmin nodded. “I do.”

He shook his head, then a smile broke through. “Let’s make a deal, princess. Once back at home, I’ll allow you to shave me to your heart’s content, okay? That’s my Christmas gift for you.”

She bit her lips. “Just the beard?”

 A Bodyguard’s Trip to Peru

Copyright © 2016 Ann Raina

ISBN: 978-1-4874-0769-8

Cover art by Carmen Waters

Get the book here:

http://www.extasybooks.com/a-bodyguard-s-trip-to-peru/

https://www.amazon.com/Bodyguards-Trip-Peru-Jazmin-Ethan-ebook/dp/B01KBCP8R6

 

 

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August 17, 2016 · 8:06 am

Interview with Author Elizabeth Rose ~ New Release: Touch of Gold

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Elizabeth Rose with an interview and her new release, Touch of Gold.

First off, I’d like to thank Alicia for inviting me to be her guest today. My name is Elizabeth Rose, and I have been married to the same wonderful man for the last thirty years, and have two grown sons who are just as wonderful. I grew up and still live in the suburbs of Chicago, although I am more of a country girl at heart. I’ve spent a good part of my younger years visiting my grandparents on a lake in Michigan, and have used instances from my own life as inspiration to write my 12 book Tarnished Saints Series.

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My Tarnished Saints Series is about 12 brothers who are sons of a preacher but far from saints. Matter of fact, they are nothing but trouble. It takes place in a small town and on a lake in Michigan. I invite readers to start reading this series, and right now if you sign up for my mailing list, you can get the Tarnished Saints Christmas Prequel free. Just use this link: http://bit.ly/freetarnishedsaints . While this is a contemporary series, I also write medieval, western, and paranormal, which brings me to my new release, Touch of Gold. This is book 4 in my Tangled Tales Series and also the twisted, tangled, romantic retelling of the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin.

My hero, Kin de Bar (Rumpelstiltskin) is one of the cursed de Bar siblings and everything he touches turns to gold. This happens to come in handy since he is escorting Olivia de Mil to the baron’s castle and because of the girl’s father’s boastful lies, he thinks she can spin wool into gold. Other books in this series so far are: Lady and the Wolf (Red Riding Hood), Just a Kiss (Frog Prince) and Beast Lord (Beauty and the Beast.) Touch of Gold will be followed by the rest of the siblings’ stories which include; Rapunzel, Cinderella and the Snow Queen.

I grew up loving fairy tales, and I’m from the days when Rocky and Bullwinkle had their Fractured Fairy Tales, if any of you are old enough to remember that. I also love watching the TV series, Once Upon a Time. I also love anything paranormal, so rewriting the fairy tales which often had horrific endings, and making them happily ever after as well as romantic was a fun challenge.

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  • Are there any tricks/habits you have when creating a story?

Yes! Since I also have a degree in art, I love making my own covers. I create the cover of the book before I write it, and include things in the cover in the story as well. For example, in my medieval book, Lady of the Mist from my Legacy of the Blade Series, my heroine is a pirate. On the cover you’ll see a woman with a sword wearing an ornate necklace. She’s also in front of a ship and there is a sea hawk in the air. In the story, that is her ship and hawk, and the necklace she is wearing is a big part of the plot. As long as I’m creating my own covers, you’ll always know exactly what the hero and heroine look like.

  • What’s your favorite childhood book?

It was a book called The Wednesday Witch. It had a witch that rode a vacuum cleaner. This sparked my interest of paranormal things and characters.

  • What do you want readers to come away with when they read your book?

If it is a medieval, I like them to feel they are learning something about history that they didn’t know before. For example, my Barons of the Cinque Ports Series tells about a part of history that no one seems to know about. There truly were barons of the Cinque Ports – the five major trade ports of England. If it’s one of my contemporary books – I want my readers to fall in love with the heroes and get involved in their lives. And if it’s a paranormal book, I hope my readers can open their minds and delve into the world of supernatural events. A lot of my books also have underlying morals weaved into them.

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

I couldn’t be just one character. It’s too hard to choose. If I were in one of my Greek Myth Series, I could be a goddess. Or if I were in one of my Elemental Series, I could wield the power of controlling fire, water, air and earth, like my heroines do. Of course, I’ve always wanted to be able to ride a horse and wield a sword and live in a castle, so any of my medieval books would do as well. I’d like to trade off from day to day.

  • Have you written any other books that are not published?

Here is a story I have to tell. It is all related to the question. My first book was published by a traditional publisher back in 2000. Then four more followed. But alas, I had young children and many bills and ended up going back to work after awhile. I had maybe fifteen books written that weren’t sold to publishers – not for lack of trying. (I stopped counting the rejection letters after 100.) So I worked and had no time to write. Then about 3 ½ years ago, I lost my job. Another writer friend of mine suggested I self-publish my books on amazon. (Lord knows I had enough of them stored in the closet.) So I did just that. I published all my backstock and then went on to write new books and am now an amazon all-star and bestselling author of historical romance and in the top 100 in this category on amazon. I have one book – a contemporary western – from the past not published. And that’s only because when I changed over from my old computer, it got lost somewhere and I have yet to find it on disks and places I stored them from so long ago. When I do find it, I’ll publish it as well and add to the 54 books I have published at this time.

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

A little of both. If my family and relatives ever actually read my books, they’ll be surprised to find characteristics of themselves in my Tarnished Saints Series. Actually, the old couple that own the bed and breakfast in Doubting Thomas – book one of the series, are a lot like my parents! Hee hee. And the house is really the house they live on now at the lake. (For the record, I convinced both my parents to read this book and they did. Not that they saw any similarities to themselves, of course.)

  • What do your friends and family think of your writing?

This is interesting. Of course since I have boys in their twenties, they are horrified to think of mom writing love scenes and as far as I know they don’t read my books – nor do I want them to. My parents are very religious, so I was the one horrified when my first book came out because I knew they would read it – descriptive love scenes and all. But I’ve always been the rebel of the family and tease them and tell them that is what they get for making me sit out in the hall in gradeschool while the other kids were having sex education. In reality, my mother started reading and enjoying my books after her best friend (my biggest 80-year-old fan) started telling her how wonderful they were. And the biggest surprise is that my mother’s favorite books of mine are the paranormal ones. Huh? Who would have thought she’d really like shapeshifting, vampires and sirens. You never know!

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

Like I said, I like to weave in morals and lessons subliminally in some of my stories. For example, The Dragon and the DreamWalker has a good vs evil storyline with a huge moral at the end that you’ll just have to read for yourself. Touch of Gold is another one with a moral. This moral being that too much of a good thing can often turn terrible if you’re not careful.

  • My Favorite:

Movie: Lady Hawke

Music: Jazz or Acoustic Guitar

Place You’ve Visited: Machu Picchu, Peru

Place You’d Like to Visit: Castles of Scotland and England

TV Show From Childhood: I hate to admit it but, I liked the sitcoms like Brady Bunch, Monkees, Green Acres, Happy Days (anything you can find on METV now.) And Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. And later on, soap operas like General Hospital.

TV Show From Adulthood:  Ok, I still like sitcoms, but I really love reality TV like Amazing Race, Survivor, Master Chef, Big Brother – you name it. I enjoy Once Upon a Time, Lucifer, and Reign and Vikings, but when they start killing off all the major characters, I’m thinking about not watching them anymore. I like happy endings.

Food: Pizza and Coca Cola. Okay, I like junkfood – hotdogs, burgers, chips. And salads too!

Sports Team: None. I am not into sports, sorry.

Board Games or TV? Both. I grew up playing Life, Monopoly, Clue, Masterpiece, etc. I don’t play them anymore really so I guess TV is the answer, but I still like both.

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CONTEST: I have recently started putting my books into audiobook form. My tenth audiobook, The Baron’s Bounty will be available next month. So as a prize, I will choose three winners to win an audiobook copy of any of my books that are in audiobook form now. Just leave a comment telling me which of my audiobooks you’d like to experience. The books in audiobook form the winners can choose from are: The Baron’s Quest, (Barons of the Cinque Ports Series), Daughters of the Dagger Prequel, Ruby, Sapphire, Amber, Amethyst, (Daughters of the Dagger Series), Onyx, Aidan or Ian (MadMan MacKeefe Series.) If you’d like to know more, please visit my website at http://elizabethrosenovels.com where you can see all my books and read excerpts of any of them.

Thanks again to Alicia for having me as her guest, and I hope you’ll all pick up a copy of my new book, Touch of Gold which comes out on August 17th. It’s only 99 cents, but the price will go up to $2.99 shortly after release, so you’d better hurry. Amazon buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Touch-Gold-Rumpelstiltskin-Tangled-Tales-ebook/dp/B01IPY75K0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471438374&sr=8-1&keywords=touch+of+gold+elizabeth+rose

 

My pleasure, Elizabeth! I enjoyed your interview. and, wow, what a story about your journey into self-publishing. Congratulations on your success. I also love old sitcoms on METV, but I’m not a fan of reality shows, I must say. 🙂 Thank you for the awesome contest!!

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July 14, 2016 · 3:16 pm

NEW RELEASE Alert!!! TARGETED (FBI HEAT #2) by Marissa Garner

So pleased to share my friend Marissa Garner’s latest release. She writes excellent Romantic Suspense…looking forward to reading this one!

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BLURB:

For San Diego’s elite FBI agents, risking their lives is standard procedure when it comes to capturing the city’s most dangerous criminals—but falling in love is the greatest risk of all. 

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES…

FBI Special Agent Marissa Panuska faces the most explosive case of her career when she impersonates a female terrorist to infiltrate an al-Qaeda cell. Her dark hair, olive complexion, and Arabic fluency make her the perfect imposter, but each passing hour raises the risk of discovery. Can she stop the dirty-bomb plot—alone—when the Feds don’t even know the target? And should she trust the mysterious man who bursts into her life when her cover is blown?

SO CLOSE TO REALITY…

Former Navy SEAL Ameen Ali has a very personal reason for hating the terrorists and vowing to stop them. But when a beautiful woman joins the sleeper cell spreading death-to-America propaganda at his mosque, he doesn’t want to believe she shares their evil goals. Can he convince her to join forces before it’s too late?

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EXCERPT: 

Marissa slipped around the corner of the nearest building and held her breath. She inched backwards. When her foot came down on the paw of a dog sleeping against the wall, the mutt yelped and sprang to its feet. It growled and then barked ferociously.

“Hush. No bark. Quiet,” she scolded in Spanish to no avail.

She scooted back to the corner and peered down the road. As she had anticipated, the men were searching for her in the direction of the border crossing. But hearing the barking, they stopped, turned, and raced back in her direction. Marissa spun around, ran several steps, and stopped with a gasp.

The short alley was a dead end. And she couldn’t return to the road because Samir and Omar would see her. 

Trapped.

With the dog biting at her heels, she tried to pry open the door of the building on the right side of the alley. The door refused to budge. Rushing across to the other building, she slammed both hands into the door. It shuddered open a crack. She rammed her shoulder into the wood and the door gave way. Ignoring the pain shooting through her arm, she swung inside the abandoned building, pushed the dog back outside with her foot, and shoved the door shut.

Minimal moonlight filtered in through the dirty, broken windows. She strained to see as she felt along the grimy walls until she found a doorway. Repeating the pattern, she worked her way back through six rooms. Where’s another exit? There can’t be only one.

The dog’s blood-curdling yelp stopped her in her tracks. Oh, God. Samir’s knife.

When the two terrorists shouted and barged into the building, Marissa slipped into another room and flattened herself against the wall beside the door. Her eyes desperately sought a way out. No more doors. Only two windows, four feet above the floor, shattered in the center. Could she dive through one without ripping herself open? Was there time?

Not bothering with stealth, the men cursed as they separated and searched, room by room. Closer and closer. When Omar stepped through the doorway, Marissa slammed the door into his face, her bulky clothes hampering her efforts.

She dashed toward the windows, but Omar recovered before she reached them. Grabbing her abaya from behind, he yelled to Samir. Viciously, he kicked the backs of her legs, buckling her knees.

She collapsed to the floor.

Samir charged through the doorway, brandishing the knife in front of him.

As she scrambled up onto her hands and knees, Omar yanked off the veil. He clutched handfuls of her long hair, exposing the back of her neck and dragging her forward. She cursed and clawed at her attackers, but both stayed just out of reach.

Samir grunted as he raised the massive knife high over her neck.

“Benja! Miláčku,” Marissa screamed. 

BUY LINKS:

 Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1P0zz2Y

B&N:  http://bit.ly/1NY3NVj

iTunes:  http://apple.co/1qZwLim

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1WVzy8P

BIO:

Marissa Garner is a wife, writer, chocoholic, and animal lover, not necessarily in that order. As a little girl, she cut pictures of people out of her mother’s magazines and turned them into characters in her simple stories. Now she writes edgy romantic thrillers, steamy contemporary romance, and sexy paranormal romantic suspense. Her stories will titillate your mind as well as your libido. She lives in sunny Southern California with her husband, but enjoys traveling from Athens to Anchorage to Acapulco and many locations in between. 

WEB CONTACTS: 

Newsletter:  http://bit.ly/1NTfT19

Website:  www.marissagarner.com

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/M_Garner_Author

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

Pinterest:  https://pinterest.com/garner1819/

 

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July 13, 2016 · 10:19 am

Writing Tip: The Middle Third by Author Michele Drier – Plus, her Vampire Novel, SNAP

Please help me welcome Michele Drier with an informative article and her latest release.

Thank you for joining me, Michele! Your series looks awesome…right up my alley. 🙂

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The Middle Third

Most writers know the Dreaded Middle Third. The roughly one-third in the middle of the book where you can get bogged down in telling the story.

You start with a bang, It’s a new story, you’re developing the characters (and you like them!), you have action, maybe a new romance, a dash of fear, all the things that get your adrenaline moving

The last third, well you know the ending and it’s fun tying up all the loose ends, resolving conflicts, settling into a relationship.

But that middle third. This section is where you build the bridges to get from the excitement of a new adventure to the resolution at the end. It’s many times the crux of the book. The characters get depth, sometimes so much they take over. The tension increases. Does Character A know the background of Character B…let alone how s/he’s overcome it? Or is it still there, sabotaging every move?

Will Character C really go in that small, creepy basement?

Will they or won’t they fall in love?

What challenges raise their ugly heads? How many fears are standing in the way of a happy ending?

All good stuff. Harder to write.

What happens when Character B takes off with the narrative and you find that she’s developed an aversion to all those traits that intrigued her about Character A? Wow, this feels like a much stronger story and you like her new, feisty personality. It’ll never get her from the first to the last third, though.

Do you leave her like this, go back and rewrite the first third? How will that change affect the other characters? The plot?

Will the resolution change?

Probably plotters have a little easier time with the middle third, but for pantsers like me, one has to tread carefully. You give the characters space to tell their story, guiding them toward the resolution, but you don’t always know until you’ve written it, what’s going to happen.

Will the protag get pushed off the boat? Will an old lover show up? Is there abuse in the past? What’s he lying about? How will this affect the relationship?

It’s more difficult writing the middle third. A lot of times it’s like juggling four, five, six balls or kintting a sweater without a pattern. Oops, I have three sleeves! This is the time, though, where you can let the plot grow organically, following faint paths of desire, defeat, dishonesty, deceit.

I’m deep in the middle third of my thirteenth book, a stand-alone psychological thriller with a working title of Ashes of Memory.  It’s different from anything else I’ve written and juggling the balls is trickier. I believe one can learn from any experiences, no matter how weird, no matter how old. And this exercise is teaching me not to be complacent, stay open to new ideas. I have one character who will turn out to be the opposite of what he appears and I’ve never written a villain like this before.

I’ll finish it this summer and I’m hoping to emerge at the end a stronger plotter, stronger writer, stronger story-teller.

How are you planning to spend your summer vacation?

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Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home.  During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series.

Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death and Delta for Death.

Her paranormal romance series, The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, has received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild and was the best paranormal vampire series of 2014. The series is SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story, Danube: A Tale of Murder, SNAP: Love for Blood, SNAP: Happily Ever After?, SNAP: White Nights,  SNAP: All That Jazz, SNAP: I, Vampire .

Visit her webpage, www.micheledrier.com

facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier or her Amazon author page, http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/

 

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