Tag Archives: new release

November 9, 2015 · 3:00 am

A Criminal Christmas – Tidbits, Favorite Lines & More… 8 Stories, 8 Authors, 99 Cents!

I am thrilled to share my latest release, a Christmas anthology with 7 other authors. Settle back and take a peek into the stories and get to know my fellow authors. And, guess what? The ENTIRE anthology is only 99 cents!

CriminalChristmas_BoxSet_CVR_LRG(2)

Click HERE for the Amazon/Kindle Buy Page

Click HERE for the Barnes and Noble/Nook Buy Page

Alexa Grace – Deadly Holiday

Alexa deadlyholiday_ebookcover200x300

Tantalizing Tidbit:

In Deadly Holiday, all of the characters from the previous three Deadly Series books play a role. The characters return to search for a lost boy, fight breast cancer, deal with the personal financial impact of a bad economy, and seek a Christmas miracle.

Favorite lines:

“He then tiptoed to the big rocking chair where he sat and gazed with wonder at the tiny baby kicking her legs beneath the pink blankets in the bassinet next to him. With his index finger outstretched, Shawn ever so slowly stroked the velvety soft skin of her arm, and then smiled with delight when her tiny hand clutched his finger and she cooed. She was named Mylee. Her middle name was Faith, because Mom said that faith was the only thing that got her through the days he was missing. She told him that faith would get them through all the days ahead.”

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

I’m from Indiana and one year we were snowed in for the holiday and it was great. My brother, sister, and I went sledding and then had hot cocoa in front of the best electric fireplace. One of my best holiday memories.

Contact info:

You can visit my website at – http://authoralexagrace.com

Subscribe to my newsletter at – http://eepurl.com/sJ-Df

Friend me on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexaGrace

Tweet me – @AlexaGrace2

Join my street team at https://www.facebook.com/AlexaGraceStreetTeam

Ann Charles ~ The Old Man’s Back in Town

THeOldMansBackinTownCover

A sizzling, suspenseful SHORT STORY wrapped in a puzzling mystery that will leave you hungry for more.

Tantalizing Tidbit:

The story is set in the town of Goldwash, Nevada, which is a fictional town I created based on the real ghost town of Goldfield, Nevada.

Favorite lines:

“That woman was nuttier than a squirrel turd. Her leaving was my good fortune.”

“Well, well, well. Look what Santa brought you, Monty, a hunka-hunka burnin’ heartache. You must have been naughty this year.”

“Montana, think about what you’re up against. He’s twice your size, built up with years of prison bulk and revenge, and probably pissed as hell at the woman who helped put him behind bars.”

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

My favorite memory is making Buckeye candies (little peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate). I make them now with my kids, who eat one for every ten we dip, I swear. Ha!

Contact info:

(website) www.anncharles.com (Facebook) Ann Charles Author; (Twitter) AnnWCharles; (Pinterest) AnnWCharles

Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano ~ Holiday Justice

 christmasholidayjustice

When the wrong Santa comes down your chimney…

Tantalizing Tidbit:

Misty’s:

The story contains viewpoints from 4 of our characters. It was fun to revisit Grey, Sydney, Caroline and Mitch all over again!

Adrienne’s:

I can hit a bullseye from 220 yards with a .308 sniper rifle.

Favorite lines: 

Misty’s:

A clang behind them made Mitch whirl, ready to jump on whoever was coming up the fire escape. A second later, Sydney’s head popped up over the roof edge.“What the hell are you two doing?”

And that’s when an idea—a terrible, awful idea—formed in Mitch’s head.

Adrienne’s: 

His eyes narrowed, and even through the cold, she spotted the simmering heat that always charged her body, made her tingle with anticipation because their love of cupcakes didn’t necessarily include eating them. The things they did with cupcakes should, in fact, be illegal.

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

Misty’s:

Watching Christmas movies. I love all of them from White Christmas to The Grinch!

Adrienne’s:

Spending Christmas Eve with my extended family. We do a variation of the Feast of the Seven Fishes and I look forward to it every year.

Contact info:

Misty:

website: http://www.readmistyevans.com

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

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

Adrienne:

To sign up for Adrienne’s newsletter or for more information on Adrienne’s books please visit: http://adriennegiordano.com. Adrienne can also be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AdrienneGiordanoAuthor, Twitter at http://twitter.com/AdriennGiordano and Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/AdrienneGiordano.  For information on Adrienne’s street team, Dangerous Darlings, go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/dangerousdarlings.

Kim Hornsby ~ Christmas Interrupted (Dream Jumper Christmas)

Christmas Interruped FINAL

How well do you know your neighbors?

Tantalizing Tidbit:

Christmas Interrupted is a Stand Alone Novella but continues from the last Dream Jumper book (if you’ve read the series.) I did not give away much of anything so readers can go back to the first book, read the series and still enjoy all the twists and surprises in all three books. And I included a recipe for Christmas cookies!

Favorite lines:

“I heard the woman jumped off the widow’s walk to her death and soon after the husband and kids moved away.”

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

Christmas Caroling! I love to get a group of kids together to go door to door singing.

Contact info:

www.twitter.com/kimhornsby www.facebook.com/kimhornsbyauthor

www.kimhornsbyauthor.net

Jacki Delecki ~ Marriage Under Fire

JackiDelecki_MarriageUnderFire1400

A Christmas Wedding with the Grayce Walters Mystery Gang!

Tantalizing Tidbit:

The house where Maddy and Hunter are on a stake out is a friend’s house.

Favorite lines:

“No way would Maddy Jeffers admit, even under the threat of torture, that her killer shoes were killing her.”

He was a professional soldier, a top-notch intelligence officer, and the idea of a wife—not any wife, but Maddy—terrified him. This assignment made Belarus and Yemen seem like child’s play.

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

Singing Christmas Carols, baking Christmas cookies with my mom.

Contact info:

www.jackidelecki.com

FB: Jacki Delecki Twitter-@jackidelecki

Lori Leger ~ Christmas 911

Lori Christmas 911 cover

Last minute Christmas shopping can be downright deadly!

Tantalizing Tidbit:

I, personally, have never had to call 911, or known anyone who’s been a 911 dispatcher, but I found plenty of information on different sites. The story takes place in Beaumont, TX, so I was able to pull up info from their area. My son-in-law is a cop, so he helped me out with the info for the weapons and ammo, and even whether or not a gunshot would shatter or fracture the door glass. I also had inside info from a dear friend who works at the courthouse in Beaumont to know at what point the bad guys could help a prisoner escape. She told me they had one prisoner appear at the courthouse and he nearly escaped by putting a ham sandwich between his skin and the ‘shock belt’ they place around their waist (like a taser) so that it didn’t shock him when he went to escape. He jumped down some stairs and hurt his leg, so they caught him.

Favorite lines:

(Scene set-up) 8 1/2 month pregnant Cori, is telling Luke, the 911 dispatcher, how her husband had left her for another woman because Cori couldn’t have children. Her husband wrapped his car around a tree while his girlfriend was giving him oral sex. “Yeah. Here’s a tad more irony for you. There he was, wanting to procreate, but his last DNA ends up . . . well, one can only assume where it ended up, I guess.”

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition: 

I rent two cabins on a lake about an hour from our home and our family spends the weekend there, usually two weeks or so before Christmas. This will be the first time in seven years we don’t do that…and I’m kind of bummed about it. 😦

Contact info:

Twitter: @LoriLegerAuthor FB: llegerauthor , lorilegerauthor, cajunflairpublishing Blogspot Blog: lorilegerauthor.blogspot.com WordPress Blog: cajunflair.wordpress.com Website: www.LoriLegerAuthor.com

Alicia Dean ~ The Twelfth Day

TheTwelfthDayFINAL2015Final_resized (2)

Tantalizing Tidbit(s):

-I wrote this entire story in a weekend and revised it in a few days, along with working my day job and other projects.

-My ex-husband and son helped me with a research question.

-My model for the hero was James Marsden and for the heroine Kate Beckinsale.

-My heroine loves science and dislikes football, which is the exact opposite of me.

Favorite lines:

A ping sent icy chills over her skin. The familiar, terrifying music played and the words, On the eighth day of Christmas appeared. Along with an image of a figure—a young man, blank eyes staring at the ceiling—lying in a dim room.

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

I have lots of great memories from my childhood, but my favorite memory/tradition is with my own three children. Even though they are grown and don’t live with me, every year on Christmas Eve, the three of them spend the night with me and we wake up the next morning and open gifts and the stockings ‘Santa’ filled during the night. Even the three years I lived away in Kansas City, we managed to keep the tradition. I know that will end when they have families of their own, but in the meantime, I’ll just enjoy and appreciate it.

Amara Draska ~ The Way Evil Does

The Way Evil Does

A story about right, wrong, and what you can’t stop yourself from doing.

Tantalizing Tidbit:

My POV character, Rebecca, is a departure from the norm. She has inner demons to contend with and makes different choices than many of us would. Before this was published I considered modifying her character to conform to the expectations most readers have for a female lead, but it bothered me to see her changing into someone else. In the end, I stuck to my original vision of Rebecca with her kind heart, quirks, awkwardness and bad behavior.

Favorite lines:

And even though he was gagged, the part of his mouth that was still visible showed a smile. He was grinning the way evil does when it knows it has you.

It felt so damned good to be with him, but at the same time it also felt sick and wrong, and much like the contrary mixture of sweet and sour in Chinese food, it was delicious as hell. God help me.

He had gotten under my skin, turning frigid on me after my remark about his desperate, delusional horseshit. In retrospect, that had been the wrong approach to take with him.

Favorite Christmas memory or tradition:

We always make snowball cookies (proper name: Russian Teacakes). It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them.

Contact info:

Website: Amaradraska.com

Twitter: @amaradraska

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Author-Amara-Draska-548417351945912/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

8 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

October 5, 2015 · 10:01 am

10 Moments that Changed Maureen Bonatch’s Life – And her new release, Grandma Must Die

I love the title and premise of this story. Can’t wait to read it. I also love the answers to Maureen’s ’10 Moments that Changed My Life.’ Check it out… (and isn’t it an adorable cover?) 

Grandma Must Die

A Touch of Magic Series Volume 1

Maureen L. Bonatch

gma

She’s a witch hunting a spell. He’s hunting witches and falling for her.

Blurb:

Carman has worn out more towns and last names than impractical shoes protecting the secret of her magic blood. But when a friend goes missing, and another is infected with a deadly spell, Carman must choose. Expose her magic blood by curing the spell—or stop the infection from spreading by killing the source…the grandmother.

Magic bounty hunter Dylan has scoured libraries of banned magic paraphernalia seeking a method to distinguish genuine witches from impersonators. He suspects unorthodox librarian Carman might hold this information tighter than the hair he’s dying to unleash from her bun. With a past as hidden as his sleeve of tattoos, Dylan discovers he’s been used to gain Carman’s trust and their passion risks more than mixing mortals and magic.

Excerpt

…once she’d started Carman couldn’t stop,

the book beckoned. Pressing its spine against her palm, begging her to search within the pages to find the answers she’d unconsciously sought her entire life. As she lifted the book, her scalp tingled and her hair elevated like a halo.

“Whoa.” Dylan shielded himself with his hands. “Put it back, slowly, because this is reminding me too much of the incident with the chest. Having my apartment blown up from magic isn’t covered in my rent.”

The plastic evaporated in a puff of smoke in Carman’s hands and the book unsealed with a sigh. She smiled, the welcoming warmth emanating from within its pages against her palms. Why had Mother kept her from this? This is what she’d been waiting for.

As curiosity overtook his common sense, she detected Dylan’s cautious approach. He stood close enough to peer over her shoulder into her book, but far enough away to avoid touching her.

After the shockwave the last time their skin met, he probably worried he’d ruin another pair of pants. Carman closed her eyes, absorbing the power from the book. The delicious feeling evoked a sensation like melting chocolate, sweet and satisfying.

“I remember hearing about her, Esmeralda Wrath. I wonder if this was her book?” Dylan’s warm breath caressed her shoulder.

Carman opened her eyes and examined the page. To stare right at a photo of the most powerful witch of all time…her grandmother.

Ten Moments that Changed My Life

This was a challenging task. I could easily rattle off events occurring in my lifetime that rocked the world. I could dissect the many moments in my writing career that devastated or inspired me. Instead I chose to reflect upon little things that changed me and/or my outlook on the world.

  1. The first time I wore my contacts in junior high. Until then I’d assumed everyone saw the world the way I did. I had no idea how much I’d been missing. I discovered many things I’d assumed looked one way, actually looked very different. I walked around, mouth agape; staring at the world I’d only seen in a blur since I’d refused to wear the thick, black-framed dorky glasses.
  2. When I submitted my first essay in junior high. I was certain the teacher would love it and encourage me to devote my life to writing. She didn’t, and she wasn’t good at providing the encouragement I needed at that age.
  3. Using my first word processor. If anyone else remembers correction tape and a manual typewriter then you can certainly understand my glee.
  4. The introduction of mixed CD’s and ITunes: I love music and my IPod is set to shuffle all the time. To have the ability to choose songs without buying the whole CD or holding a tape player to the speaker (which the DJ always interrupted the song!) was exhilarating.
  5. The day I got married. A few weeks after it set in that I wasn’t playing house. This was now my home, and along with all the fun, came the responsibilities.
  6. Receiving my Masters degree. I hadn’t planned on college. I took business courses in high school. Earning a postgraduate degree made me realize I could achieve most anything I set my mind to.
  7. My first back injury. Made me realize I am not invincible and that health isn’t something to be taken for granted. Nor is the ability to roll over on your own. 😉
  8. The sonogram for my twins. Five months into the pregnancy of what we’d thought was a single child we discovered I was carrying twins. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
  9. 9/11. Not only because of the changes and fear it brought to the world, but also because my twins weren’t quite 2 weeks old. I feared what kind of world I’d brought them into. Also, it is my birthday and until this happened, no one apologized for my being born that day before.
  10. Being a parent. My life changed from the day I became pregnant and continues to change in a million different ways each year. The joys and frustrations make me question my competency for this role some days and reveal in the unexpected rewards on others.

So tell me, what little thing changed your life in a big way?

Prize: One free ecopy of Grandma Must Die from a random comment drawn by Alicia Dean on October 7, 2015 (release day)

gma2

Bio:

Penning stories boasting laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world.

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Maureen-L.-Bonatch/e/B00KHY1KK8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

16 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

August 10, 2015 · 11:49 am

Girl Code – New Release – Profits go to Wounded Warriors

From Cait Jarrod…

Hi Everyone!

Writers In Crime gals and me had a great time writing stories of friendship and romance. Below is a snippet from FAITH.

Giveaway below!

Happy Reading!

~Cait

GIRL CODE: An anthology:

girlcode-customdesign-jayAheer2015-complete (17MB)

All proceeds from sales are going to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Introduction by Julie Ann Walker.

Where to buy:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/ebook/dp/B00X602S8I/
Amazon/uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1514773457
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/5591052
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/564340
All Romance eBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-girlcodeanantholog…
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/girl-code-2
Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1024223247
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/…/2ccbd018-d9b4-4f3f-beba-12d54d3abe…

Other links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25181055-girl-code
Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/caitjarrod/girl-code/

Girl Code blurb:
Four best friends struggle with decisions that affect their lives, their hearts, and their futures. As sisters, they embrace the Girl Code.
HOPE
Josephine “Joey” Lockhart escapes her past, herself and her home town of Pearl, Ohio to Florida after high school. Years later, she meets a man that refuses to let her hide behind her camera lens and encourages her out of her shell. Will he be the one to push her to feel for the first time?
LIVE
After seven years in drug hell, detoxing Juliette “Juls” Carrington returns to her hometown Pearl to attend her grandmother’s burial. Once more rejected by her family, she has a swim in a pond nearby when a mysterious camper, an ex-drunk, coaxes her to come to his hut in the woods. Together they must fight their inner demons for a chance to love…and live.
FAITH
Selena Bodine escaped into the United States Air Force to leave behind a painful past and the one man who she refused to let herself love. Years later, an urgent call from her father brings her back to Pearl, Ohio and face to face with the man she still loves. But will the secret that Cullen is investigating her threaten their second chance?
PERSISTENCE
Laydi Michaels has been running away from her past and bad memories for years. Finding herself wasn’t an easy task, but she’s managed to finally get to a point to where she wants to be. Only to wake up married to her boss….who fired her the night before. Wrapped in a case that puts her life in danger, and dealing with a grave situation back home in Pearl, Laydi figures out she wasn’t close to finding herself, and now, she’s risked everything.

cullen

FAITH EXCERPT:

She closed her eyes and sucked in the indescribable ache hitting her ribs with a force of a jagged knife. Not only did she walk away from him, she crossed a line with her sisters. What must they think of her? “Thank you for the beer.” She set her bottle on the table and rose.
He moved, blocking her path. “No,” he snapped. “You’re not walking away again.”
She recoiled, gazed into the blue eyes she loved, and couldn’t stop the quiver in her chin. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
He brought her wrist up between them, and set her hand on his chest. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” His words filled with such affection, such determination, tingles raced over her skin.
“This is messed up,” she whispered, yet didn’t remove her hand. She couldn’t leave his comfort. Curling and uncurling her fingers, she spread her hand further to touch more of him. “I feel things that scare me. Remember things I didn’t know I did.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “We’ll take it slow,” he said and tucked his chin until her gaze settled on his. “Okay?”
She nodded, and he pressed his mouth to hers in a feather-soft caress filled with gentleness and longing. His hand stayed against her lower back and the curve of her butt.
Through her yoga pants, heat radiated from his fingers. She prayed he’d move them lower.
As if he’d read her thoughts, he cupped a butt cheek and squeezed. His lips and tongue moved over hers like a fine-oiled machine, as if they’d kissed a hundred times.
She snuggled into him further, melted into the contour of his body, his hard plains aligning with her perfectly.
But she had to go. She needed time, distance, air. “I can’t.”
A low growl vibrated from him. She placed a kiss on his neck and laid her head against him, absorbing his comfort and warmth.
“The paper I gave you,” she said slowly, unsure exactly how she would proceed in bringing up what she’d done and the reason for it.
“The sketch?” He lifted a brow, confusion and something else she couldn’t name stretching across his features, and placed a hand on his pocket.
Her heart leapt so hard, she feared it would jump out of her chest, which made the raw emotions she faced harder.
“It may look like lines, a drawing, but it’s more. It reveals what I want most from life.” The pain of sharing something so deep, so personal with someone was difficult, yet with him, it felt right. “Research it. At the time, I couldn’t give any more,” she whispered next to his ear and kissed his cheek. Forcing a smile, she moved past him, down the steps, and headed home.

Author bios and contacts:

Cait Jarrod

“I write what I love to read – Romantic Suspense/Mystery- I love writing and creating the meet-cue (the point where the hero and heroine meet) to the blossoming of the romance. Add a suspenseful plot or a good mystery to the equation and the perfect book is born to curl up to and lose yourself in, taking you away from reality, troubles.”

As a child, I entertained myself for hours playing pretend, but not with dolls and such. I created stories and pictured them in my mind, sometimes even acted them out, my well preserved secret until now. I spent years after leaving school trying to figure out my niche. Not being a literary enthusiast, I never thought my childhood pastime would lead in this direction.

In life, one door closes and another opens, so I’m told. This was true for me. I lost my mother, my best friend, to cancer. After a year without her, I picked up her favorite hobby…reading. After one book, a romantic suspense, I was hooked. In the past, I’d fall asleep after a few minutes of reading. Now, books rank up there with a good red wine. It didn’t take long for my childhood muse to come back in adult version urging me to put the scenes in my head on paper.

I hope I have provided you with the escape similar to the ones I conjured in childhood and rediscovered as an adult, and I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I have loved creating them.

Cait’s debut novel, Kidnapped Hearts won awards in the categories of Best Happily Ever After and Best Suspense. Cait lives in Virginia with her husband and three daughters.

Cait’s Classy Chicks Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/629181983825796/
Cait’s Newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/i/76093C2B11569E7C
Find Cait at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest  Goodreads  Google+ email: cait.jarrod@aol.com

D.C. Stone
“I write romantic suspense because I can connect with it, and love the thrill of kicking ass and being sexy while you’re at it.”

D.C. Stone is an e-book author and full-time fraud investigator when she isn’t diving into the world of Fiction. After serving eight years of service with the United States Air Force, she went on to transition into the world of Financial Crimes and became a lead investigator for many years. When she isn’t trying to solve a new puzzle in the world of fraud, she is engulfed with coffee, her laptop, and all those crazy characters in her head. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, Kiss of Death, and the Liberty State Fiction Writers. Come stop by on Facebook, Twitter or her website and say hello!

Find DC at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

Jessica Jayne
“My writing interests vary much like my reading interests. Though I mainly write romance type novels with a spicy twist, I have lived what some might call a suspenseful life. As a survivor of stalking and sexual assault, I learned the ins and outs of the legal system pretty quickly. It helped to precipitate my interest in getting my law degree… that and the fact that I grew up around attorneys. So adding suspense to my writing is no big surprise to me or anyone that knows me.”

I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!

In the journey of life, I got my law degree (and license) and also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure.

I love to read and write… obviously! I’m a huge sports fan, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! Go Steelers! Go Rays! Go Lightning! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. Did I say I love to travel? I love to drink coffee in the morning and tea at night! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a founding member of that crazy group! 🙂 I love hanging out with my family and my friends! Music makes me happy. I’m a mix between country girl and city chic. But I love nothing more than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw or Eric Church belt it out! I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat! 🙂

Favorite quote: “If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies.”

Find Jessica at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Pinterest

Lea Bronsen
“I love how well-chosen words can make your heart beat a little faster.”

Lea Bronsen likes her reads fast, hot, and edgy, and strives to give her own stories the same intensity. After venturing into dirty inner-city crime drama with her debut novel Wild Hearted, she divides her writing time between psychological thriller, romantic suspense, and erotic contemporary romance.

She is signed with Evernight Publishing, Decadent Publishing, and Insatiable Press.

Find Lea at: Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Amazon  Email

Check out this awesome trailer!

Girl Code Print Copy Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Tagged as , , , ,

July 18, 2015 · 9:53 am

Jennifer Lowery’s Birthday – A FREE Gift for YOU!

From today’s guest, Jennifer Lowery:

Hello and welcome! I’m so glad you’re all here! It’s my birthday weekend-oh, no, not sharing the number, lol—but, I will share my birthday gifts with you! For 3 days only, July 17-19, you can download Murphy’s Law for FREE from Amazon!!! Woot!

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

(Click on the cover to be taken to Amazon, where you can download the book for free!)

JenniferLowery_MurphysLaw200

Murphy’s Law

Romantic Suspense 

He lost his family. She gave them back to him.

Blurb:

Home is the last place Jon Murphy can go. After being held captive in Azbakastan, he returns to the States only to find he can’t face his mom and sisters with what he did while he was a prisoner, so he retreats to the mountains.

Widow Sara Sheldon has made a lifetime of mistakes and is now running scared from her husband’s powerful family, who are determined to take her daughter away from her. When her little girl goes missing in the Rockies, Sara enlists the only help she can find: a gruff recluse with tracking skills to admire and a body to covet.

A storm strands Sara and her daughter at Murphy’s cabin, leaving her no choice but to hope her in-laws don’t catch up while she plans where to run next. Murphy resents the invasion of his privacy, but can’t seem to keep his mind–or his hands–off Sara. How can she stand to look at him, with all his scars? He’s not nearly as honorable as she might think…only enough to make sure she’s safe, and then he’ll go back to being alone, the way he should be.

Content Warning: Sexual content    

**Murphy’s Law: Previously published by Lyrical Press in 2013**

***Murphy’s Law was a 2006 Golden Heart Finalist***

Murphy'sLawMemefromD'Ann

Excerpt:

Copyright © 2014, Jennifer Lowery 

Murphy sat at the kitchen table, half in the shadows created by the soft light glowing above the stove. A bottle of amber liquid sat on the table in front of him, an empty glass in his hand. His hair was tousled from sleep and to Sara’s dismay, he was naked to the waist. Her gaze landed on his muscled shoulders and trailed across his tanned chest. So much for getting him out of her mind. Now she had the real thing to dream about. Looking at the dark hairs that veed down his chest and disappeared behind the table, she decided he had been right. He was a dangerous man.

She tore her eyes away from temptation and looked at the granite lines of his face. Beneath the hardness of his expression, something haunting lingered. Drawn, she circled the table until she stood at the opposite end.

Murphy met her eyes with coldness that should have sent her running for the safety of her room, but she remained standing in place. He wanted to chase her away. This time she wasn’t running.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked on her way to the cupboard to grab a glass and return to stand over Murphy’s shoulder. She reached for the bottle. The muscles in his shoulders flexed when she leaned over him.

Murphy’s hand snaked out and wrapped around hers, preventing her from pouring a drink.

“I mind,” he growled.

“Well, get over it. I need a drink.”

Scowling, he let go of her hand and allowed her to pour a glass for herself. She refilled his glass next and set the bottle on the table. Then she moved to the chair beside him and sat before lifting her glass in a silent toast.

“Cheers.” She brought the glass to her lips. His eyes on her as she drained the glass made her fight the urge to cough as the fiery liquid burned its way down her throat. Seconds later she felt the familiar warming sensation as it numbed her insides. Her eyes filled with tears. She blinked them away as she reached for the bottle.

Murphy held it away from her. “What are you doing?”

“Having a drink. I’m not in the mood for warm milk tonight.”

His eyes darkened and narrowed. “You don’t strike me as the drinking type.”

She wasn’t, but tonight it sounded good. Maybe it would soothe away her problems and make her forget how screwed-up her life was. Talking about Kent earlier had brought back painful memories. She didn’t want to feel that misery anymore tonight.

“Maybe you don’t know my type,” she said.

Murphy studied her closely for a moment before rubbing a weary hand over his face. “Go back to bed, Sara. Sleep it off.”

“I don’t want to sleep it off. I’m tired of thinking about it.”

Maybe it was the whisky, or the sight of Murphy’s naked chest, or the part of her that had been dormant for six years coming back to life. More than anything she wanted to discover it with Murphy, her strong, scarred hero.

She rose to her feet. Murphy watched warily as she stepped in front of him and positioned herself between him and the table. He leaned back in his chair and sent her a thunderous look.

“You and I are alike in many ways, Murphy,” she said softly. “We both have lost pieces of ourselves we can’t ever get back and it has forced us into a life of loneliness and solitude. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being alone.”

Murphy pinned her with a hard glare. “I’m not what you want. Go back to your room before I do something we’ll both regret in the morning.”

His harshly spoken words sent little electrical shocks through her body.

“I’m tired of people telling me what I want,” she said.

JenniferLoweryAuthorpic

Author Bio:

NY Times & USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer.  Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side.

Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers.  She loves everything there is about romance.  Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines.  She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.

Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children.  When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

This is what people are saying about Murphy’s Law:

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Cindy Gerard, Tara Janzen, or Cherry Adair series. Each of these writers have the same flavor with a secret ingredient in their stories as does Jennifer Lowery. Great story!
– hmhibbit, Open Book Society on Murphy’s Law

Connect with Jennifer:

Author Website   Facebook   Twitter   Romance Recipes

Jennifer’s Newsletter   Jennifer’s Street Team

Buy Murphy’s Law:

Amazon 

Other Books by Jennifer Lowery:

SEAL Team Alpha Series:

A SEAL’s Song

A SEAL for Christmas

A SEAL’s Duty

Wolff Securities Series:

Maximum Risk 

ATCOM Series:

The Maze 

Sawyer Sisters Trilogy

Hard To Handle

Onyx Group Series:

Hard Core

Other:

Murphy’s Law

Taking Chances (short story)

9 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, For Writers, New Release

Tagged as , , , , ,

April 15, 2015 · 4:00 am

A New Release from P.J. Layne – Her Ladyship’s Ring

Please help welcome my guest, P.J. MacLayne:

It’s finally here!  The second book in the Oak Grove Mysteries series, Her Ladyship’s Ring, is available now at major ebook retailers.

Ladysring_4-15

Blurb 

Harmony Duprie is back, and so is trouble in Oak Grove. 

When a man is murdered in the back yard of the old Victorian house she is remodeling, Harmony is determined to locate his next-of-kin so he can be put to rest properly. But with her ex-boyfriend Jake out of prison, back in town and one of the suspects in the murder, she takes on the challenge of solving the crime. 

With Eli, her current love interest, in Florida and Jake close by, old emotions come back to haunt her. Can Harmony clear Jake’s name and solve the mystery of her own heart?

Although each book in the series is a complete mystery, (no cliffhangers) it is recommended that the books be read in order. The first book, the Marquesa’s Necklace, is currently on sale for 99¢

Excerpt: 

Almost cheerful after talking to Eli, I headed home. My stomach growled as I unlocked the door to my apartment and pushed it open, reminding me the only thing I’d eaten at the Flamingo were peanuts. The package of frozen lasagna thawing in the fridge awaited me. Although leftover lasagna always tasted better when I rewarmed it in the oven, the microwave would have to do for once.

After flipping on the light, tossing my purse on the easy chair and hanging my coat on the coat tree, I headed towards the kitchen. As I filled a glass with water from the pitcher I kept in the refrigerator, I hesitated. Where did the package of lasagna go? I was sure I’d put it on the second shelf, right under the water.

“I must be losing my ‘friggin mind,” I muttered and set the glass on the cupboard to free my hands. Either that, or I was still asleep and dreamed the whole thing. Not like I believed either one. Still, I moved aside everything from the front of the shelves and opened every drawer, and didn’t find what I was looking for. I did find an out-of-date yogurt container, which I promptly tossed in the garbage, but no lasagna.

Puzzled, I opened up the freezer. Maybe it had been just my imagination. But no, there was an empty spot right where the package had been. 

I considered the mystery as I warmed up a can of tomato soup, even checking the garbage to make sure I hadn’t accidentally put the lasagna there. Sitting on top of the cereal box I’d emptied at breakfast, I spotted the balled up foil, all that remained of my lasagna.

While my soup cooled off, I rushed through the apartment, looking for something, anything, out of place or missing. I should have called 911 but experience told me they would find nothing. I certainly did. Even the ring was untouched and it was in plain view on my dresser.

Although I wasn’t hungry anymore, I couldn’t waste the soup. After reheating it, I sat at my kitchen table and ate the soup straight from the pot. No sense in dirtying another dish. Whoever had been inconsiderate enough to eat my supper had been considerate enough to wash their own dishes. The contradiction puzzled and annoyed me.

Buy links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121692446?ean=2940151639064

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id982884469

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/her-ladyship-s-ring

PJ+MacLayne_4-15

About the Author

Born and raised among the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, P.J. MacLayne still finds inspiration for her books in that landscapes. She is a computer geek by day and a writer by night who currently lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. When she’s not in front of a computer screen, she might be found exploring the back roads of the nearby national forests and parks.

P.J. MacLayne can be reached on:  Facebook https://facebook.com/pjmaclayne

Twitter https://twitter.com/pjmaclayne

Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PJMacLayne/posts

Blog  http://pjmaclayne.blogspot.com/

TSU http://www.tsu.co/PJMacLayne

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/P.J.-MacLayne/e/B00HVE8WZI

2 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, New Release

Tagged as , ,

April 6, 2015 · 7:43 am

Quirky Facts about Jannine Gallant and Her New Release – Every Move She Makes

I’m thrilled to welcome a talented author and a wonderful friend, Jannine Gallant 

Quirky facts about Jannine…

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

I’m painfully organized. Not having all my ducks in a row makes me crazy. Others call me stubborn. (My husband has been known to say dumb-stubborn!) I don’t like to give up—or give in.

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

My laptop with endless battery life. (Not writing isn’t an option!) A pantry full of non-perishables. (Eating creepy-crawlies also isn’t an option!) Sunscreen. (Because I’m practical that way.)

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

While we’re still stranded, I’ll add Josh Holloway to my list. After all, he was Lost on an island, so he’d have some basic survival skills, right? Not to mention he’s hot (fanning myself with a palm frond), and this is a fantasy…

Quirky facts about her book…

1…What do you want readers to come away with after they read Every Move She Makes?

I want them to close the book (or click off their reader) and say, “Wow, that was great! I can’t believe I stayed up until two in the morning to find out who the stalker was. When’s the next book in the series coming out?” Basically, I just want readers to be entertained.

2…What is the most difficult thing about writing a romantic suspense book?

Keeping it real! With each book, I swear I’ll never put another cop in a story. They have procedures I know nothing about. Thankfully, my CP asks her husband or son to straighten out the details I’ve massacred. Because let’s face it, you can’t write suspense without bringing in the authorities at some point. Keeps me on my toes. As for the crazy bad guys, apparently I have no problem thinking like a psycho. Hmm, something new to worry about! LOL

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

This one’s easy. Ben Affleck is Kane. No question about it. Rugged action hero who is totally hot! Perfect.

For Rachel, I’ll have to go with Natalie Portman. She has the auburn hair and the right “look.” Now where are those producers…

NataliePortmanasRachel

 

Thank you, Jannine…I enjoyed your interview. (By the way, I’m totally with you on Josh Holloway. Not so much with Ben Affleck. He’s talented, and nice-looking. Oddly, I’ve just never found him sexy. Him and Ryan Gosling. Those are two guys I just don’t ‘get’ as far as their appeal.)

Now, readers, take a look at her fabulous new release…

EveryMoveSheMakes

Blurb:

No matter where she goes, he knows her every move…

Long ago, Rachel Carpenter was a glamorous soap star. She gave it all up to move to Napa Valley with her daughters to open a bookstore near her family vineyard. Her life is safe and dependable, until she encounters Kane Lafferty at a wilderness camp in the rugged High Sierra. A burned-out police detective struggling with his own demons, Kane is instantly attracted to Rachel. And like Rachel, he isn’t sure if he’s ready to open his heart. But everything is about to change…

Someone is watching from the darkness. A fanatic obsessed with Rachel for years has decided to claim what he believes is his. It will be up to Kane to not only protect his new love and her family, but to uncover the identity of the stalker before it’s too late for all of them…

Excerpt:

Rachel curled up against him. “Kane?”

“Yes.” Turning on his side, he stroked the hair away from her face.

“Will that man come after me again?”

His hand stilled. He wouldn’t sugarcoat the truth. “More than likely he will. Psychos who are fixated the way this one seems to be usually don’t give up until they’re caught.”

“I’m scared.”

He pulled her tight against him. “It’s okay to be worried. It’ll make you cautious.” He pressed a hand to the soft curve of her breast. “Know in your heart I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll keep you safe. You can count on it.”

She hugged his hand against her. “Thank you.”

His chest tightened with emotion. “Go back to sleep.”

With Rachel in his arms, he finally let his guard down to relax into oblivion.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

About the Author:

Write what you know. Jannine Gallant has taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. She grew up in a tiny Northern California town and currently lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband and two daughters. When she isn’t busy writing or being a full time mom, Jannine hikes or snowshoes in the woods around her home. Whether she’s writing contemporary, historical or romantic suspense, Jannine brings the beauty of nature to her stories. To find out more about this author and her books, visit her website atjanninegallant.com.

Author Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

 

13 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

March 22, 2015 · 6:00 am

Jarillo Sunset by Constance Bretes – $1.99 for a Limited Time!

JarilloSunset_Small+(1)

When two strangers meet on a lonely road is it mere coincidence or fate?

Real estate agent Char Johnson is on her way to meet a client when she gets a flat tire. It’s a meeting she can’t afford to miss since she’s just been told she may be out of a job if she doesn’t beat out a co-worker in sales over the next few months. When Vincent Carter stops and helps her, she’s grateful beyond words and is determined to pay him back for his kindness, which is how she ends up agreeing to be his date to a wedding.

Ever since his divorce Vincent has been on a hiatus from relationships, and he’s perfectly happy with that. He’s not looking to get involved with anyone, but he does need a date for a wedding.

Although the two discover they enjoy each other’s company, and there is definitely an attraction, with their schedules it would be difficult to find time to pursue anything. Vincent works two jobs, and Char is working extra hours to save her own job. Then there’s the conniving ex who seems determined to win Vincent back, a whole slew of family drama for both of them, and the list goes on. The obstacles in their way seem to grow by the minute.

And even if they could overcome those, Char may not be able to overcome her own insecurities, not to mention her intense dislike for Vincent’s profession. Her father’s gambling addiction destroyed their family, so for her to now get involved with someone who works at a casino…

Will Char be destined to be alone forever? Or can the handsome Native American she met by chance break through her walls and ease the loneliness in her life?

Content Warning: contains some sexual content

EXCERPT

Char Johnson slammed her fist into the steering wheel. “Well, that’s just great. I don’t know why the hell I get stuck with this company car.” Char looked around her surroundings. She was in the middle of nowhere, with a flat tire and a dead cellphone.

Her week had already started out badly. She had been told earlier by her boss that she had three months to beat Mike Ventura in sales. She and Mike were the last two real estate agents hired at Stillwater Realty and they were low on the seniority list. Since the housing market bottomed out, sales had plummeted and one of them would be losing their job. The competition was stiff enough without increasing the competition among employees. She had been on her way to meet a potential seller, but now it looked like she wouldn’t make it.

She stepped out of the car then kicked the flat tire. “Ouch!”

She surveyed the area around her. Based on the information she had, she figured she was about two miles from her destination. The sun was beating down, and the temperature was already a sweltering ninety-five degrees and it was supposed to get hotter. The surrounding area was flat, and almost barren, reminding her of the Sahara desert.

She looked down at what she had on—a blue pinstripe business suit with a white blouse that had lace around the neckline and down the front where the buttons were. She had on a pair of expensive Jimmy Choo high heels. At six hundred dollars a pair they would not be good for walking on a dirt road. I’m not dressed for a hiking expedition!

She was short—five foot three—and she wore heels because it put her at eye level with most of her clients and with the staff at Stillwater Realty. She was glad that she’d had the sense to pull her long hair pulled back into a French braid so it was off her neck and not making a hot day hotter. She had thought about getting her hair cut a million times, and a million times, she’d chickened out.

She had worked up the gumption to start walking toward the subdivision when she turned around one last time and thought she saw a car coming way off in the distance. The car looked like a ghostly silhouette with the hot sun beating down from the sky. She decided she would wait a few minutes to see if the car would stop to help her.

* * * *

On his way home from work at the Apache White Eagle Casino, Vincent Carter turned onto Pueblo Lane, heading down the lone dirt road to his house at the Sunnyside subdivision, south of Jarillo. The county road commission had just leveled the dirt road, making it easier to drive the posted speed. His eyes burned from exhaustion, and he wanted to catch a catnap before going to Jake’s tonight. Jake was having a steak dinner cookout with the band. After the band, White Sands, finished their gig at the casino last night, they were taking a break for the next two weeks. Next Saturday Jake was getting married and would be gone for one week on his honeymoon. The band rarely took any time off to relax or take a vacation.

It had been a particularly busy morning at the Apache White Eagle Casino in Hobbs, New Mexico. It seemed the retirees that came in the night before never left the casino to go to bed and he was serving cheap beer and drinks constantly from the time he got there at 4:00 AM until 10:00 AM.

Vincent was feeling agitated and particularly moody this morning. He was happy for his friends Jake and Jennifer. It took them five years to decide they couldn’t live without each other. He found that his own self-imposed avoidance of getting involved with someone else meant he would be only one of two guys at the wedding without a date. Hell, the whole damn town of Jarillo was going to be there, so he knew he couldn’t miss it.

Vincent saw a movement up the road and lifted his shades up from his nose as he squinted. What the hell was that? As he drew closer, he could see there was a car parked on the side of the road, and a woman stood next to it, waving her hand.That’s all I need now, to have to stop to help someone with car problems. He slowed down, pulled up behind the car, and rolled his window down.

The woman walked quickly toward his SUV, her heels stinking into the dirt road as she approached. “Oh, you don’t know how happy I am to see you.”

“What seems to be the problem?” he asked.

“I have a flat tire, and I don’t know how to change it. I’m on my way to meet someone at the Sunnyside subdivision and my cellphone is dead.”

Vincent slipped his SUV into park and opened the door and got out. As he walked over to take a look at the tire he saw artwork on the car that indicated it belonged to Stillwater Realty.

After he’d checked out the tire Vincent turned back toward her and he was immediately taken in by her beauty. She had clear green eyes, a lovely face that had little makeup, and auburn-colored hair pulled back in a braid. His eyes dropped to her neck, and then to her chest. She had on a blue pinstripe suit with a white blouse. He couldn’t tell for sure, but it looked like she had a pretty spectacular pair of breasts. His eyes went lower, to her waist and then her nicely-shaped hips. The skirt was short, about two inches above her knees, and she had a good looking pair of legs. His gaze drifted a little further, to her feet, and he cringed inwardly when he saw the thick high heels that brought her height up to about five feet five. He couldn’t imagine someone walking in those high heels and not tripping or falling. Vincent brought his gaze immediately back up to hers.

“Do you have a spare tire in the car?” he asked.

“Um, I don’t know. Let me look.” She walked to the back of the car and clicked the little button on the key pad and popped the trunk open. “Oh, I guess I do,” she said with a smile that was genuine and lit up her face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buy Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Jarillo-Sunset-Constance-Bretes-ebook/dp/B00UOAN13Y/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1121417880?ean=2940151372701

 

constance

Bio: 

Constance Bretes is an author of contemporary romance and suspense. Her romance books are often set in different parts of the country, but her favorite site is Montana. She’s married to her best friend and resides in Michigan with him and a houseful of cats. When she’s not at her regular 8-to-5 job, she can be found writing, researching, and spending time with her husband.

You can learn more about Connie and her books at her website atwww.conniebretes.weebly.com. You can also follow her on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/constancebretes or Twitter atwww.twitter.com/conniebretes.

2 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 22, 2014 · 6:41 am

A Chilling New Release from The Wild Rose Press – Destiny Calling by Maureen L. Bonatch

Destiny Calling – The Enchantlings, Volume 1 by Maureen L. Bonatch

Hope doesn’t know if the man she can touch is a dream come true, or a nightmare just beginning

destiny

Paranormal Romance from The Wild Rose Press

Cover Art by Debbie Taylor (DCA Graphics) 

About Destiny Calling:

Hope only wants to find out if her ability to infuse euphoria or despair with her touch makes her the devil’s spawn, or his exterminator. But when the woman who raised her is murdered by something not human, she loses the only family she knew and discovers one she might wish she hadn’t. 

Drawn back to the home town she vowed never to return to, her ability is seen as an asset to everyone but Hope, and she doesn’t know who to trust. Her family wants her to help them overcome an enemy oppressing the human population, while the man of her dreams is courting her for the Underworld. 

Time is running out, and Hope’s choice may be made for her, as she discovers she’s a pawn in a bigger game played by a merciless ruler who doesn’t lose.

 

Amazon Kindle   Amazon Paperback  The Wild Rose Press

 

Excerpt:

I strained to release my arm from Griffith’s vise-like grip while scanning the surrounding trees, trying to determine which was less of a threat, the beast of a man holding me or those who might be waiting for me in the woods.

“You will come inside, now.” Griffith spoke slowly and deliberately as if I were a small child.

I batted at the hand Griffith placed on my head. “I’m not a puppy, quit petting me.”

“I will protect you.” Griffith’s warm breath caressed my ear. “If for no other reason, to find out what I’m giving up and why she wants you so badly.”

I inhaled his masculine scent, like musky earth. It washed over my face, and the tension in my jaw released. I stopped struggling. “Are you the devil?” My tongue was thick and heavy so the words came out slurred.

“Not even close.” His words soothed and comforted, like having a weighted blanket cocoon me. Each movement was an effort. It wasn’t the same as the thing in the woods. This was more like the feeling after a long massage or bubble bath.

“It’s not safe.” Griffith wrapped his arms around me, and I rested against his broad chest.

“It’s not safe.” I nodded. My muscles relaxed and my eyelids grew heavy.

“It’s cold. We’re going inside.” Griffith kept his arm supporting me as he steered me toward the house.

“We’re going inside.” I parroted and walked up the steps, leaning heavily on him.

Out of the corner of my eye, something was cautiously moving at the edge of the woods. Branches snapped as whatever was observing us crept closer.

 

maureen

About the Author: 

Growing up with four siblings had Maureen familiar with escaping into a good book, or the recesses of her mind. She realized later in life everyone didn’t have characters telling stories in their heads, or weren’t envisioning magic and mayhem within the everyday. This, and long walks in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania spawned a love of writing. 

Since her desire to become a Solid Gold Dancer was thwarted when the show was discontinued, Maureen opted to pursue other paths. Attempting to conquer new endeavors proved fruitful with her first novella, while other attempts, such as challenging a fear of heights with parasailing, were unsuccessful. 

Therefore she’s chased other interests, though none-the-less-daring, but closer to the ground, such as belly-dancing, becoming a self-proclaimed tequila connoisseur, fulfilling her role as biker babe to her alpha hubby and surviving motherhood to twins (so far). 

Penning stories boasting laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. 

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

 

3 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Tagged as , , , , , ,

December 16, 2014 · 8:09 am

Constance Bretes with A Book of Love

New release from an author friend, check out A Book of Love…

BookOfLove_Small

A librarian, a mechanic, and a psychotic ex. What could go wrong?

When her marriage came to a devastating end, Janice Meyers moved to Montana to try to escape her past and get a fresh start. She’s sworn off men, but she didn’t anticipate meeting Chris.

After the death of his wife, Chris Jamisen focused all his time and energy on running his auto repair shop and raising his children. He’s not looking for love, and when he first meets Janice, the town’s new librarian, he never imagines they might embark on a relationship. Sure, he’ll admit he finds the smart, sexy blonde attractive, but the frustrating woman expects miracles from him. Her vehicle is practically beyond repair, but she insists he has to keep it running.

As Chris gets to know Janice, he begins to develop feelings for her, but he’s reluctant to pursue a relationship. He’s Native American, and he worries about the complications of a biracial relationship. He’s experienced prejudice first hand, so he knows how difficult it can be.

When Janice’s ex-husband shows up seeking revenge, things could reach a horrible end. Will Chris save Janice in time? And will he and Janice be able to set aside their painful pasts and give their relationship a chance?

Content Warning: contains some sexual content

EXCERPT:

Janice had butterflies in her stomach as five o’clock came and Chris arrived at the library.

“Hi, Chris,” Janice said.

“Hello. What’s this all about?” he asked pensively.

“I wanted to take you downstairs to the basement and show you something,” she said.

They walked down the stairs, Chris following Janice. When she turned on the light a rat slithered across the floor, and she let out a shriek. Chris looked around the room.

“We have all these books here,” Janice said. She lifted one of the old books and opened it to the pages and within where some were eaten away. “The vermin and bugs have been attacking these, and in some cases, the books have disintegrated. See here? This is a book about Colstrip back in the 1800s and we can’t even open the book to read it because it has totally disintegrated inside. Some of these books are real gems. This is one of a first edition, Samuel Clemens, do you know of him?”

“No.”

“His pen name is Mark Twain. He wrote Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer.”

“Oh,” Chris replied.

“Look at his book. It’s totally destroyed, and it would have been worth a lot of money now, if it had survived.”

Janice went over to the ladder and stepped up on it to show Chris the books on the top shelf. The ladder gave way, and she came crashing down. Chris caught her before she fell to the floor.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern in his tone.

“Um, yeah, I think so.” She put her feet on the floor and turned, facing Chris, her breasts against his chest. His arms were around her waist, holding her tightly. His breath mingled with hers, and he was looking down at her lips.

Oh, she wanted him to kiss her. Please, please kiss me. The sweet, intoxicating musk of his body overwhelmed her. He bent slightly toward her, and his lips touched hers softly. She kissed him back, lingering, savoring every moment. She felt the kiss all the way through her body as she put her arms around him. A loud rustling noise broke their kiss with a start.

Chris looked around and saw that there were rats in the corner rattling paper. He turned back to her. “Are we finished here?”

“Yes, I think we are.” Janice hoped she had convinced him that there was work to be done in the basement.

When they went upstairs, he turned around and asked her huskily, “What was the purpose of our little meeting, Janice?”

Janice thought about how she should answer the question then said, “I submitted the request to the mayor’s office for several things, and I heard that you would probably be the one person that would oppose spending any money for the project I’m suggesting, so I wanted to show you the benefit of my proposal and the problems we are faced with currently.”

Chris had a gentle smile on his face as he looked at her. “Good persuasion, Janice. Does that include the kiss too?”

Janice looked down at her feet, embarrassed. “No, the kiss was not part of the persuasion. At least, not on my part.”

Buy links:

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Love-Constance-Bretes-ebook/dp/B00QYB16QQ/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book-of-love-constance-bretes/1120901348?ean=2940150079243

http://beachwalkpress.com/book-of-love/

constance

Constance Bretes, Author
http://conniebretes.weebly.com
https://facebook.constancebretes
http://twitter.conniebretes
email: cbretes@sbcglobal.net

Delayed Justice:
Can two former lovers set aside their differences and work together to bring a criminal to justice?

The Last Dig
Bones, Bodies and Love Rekindled                                                                                          

Love Songs                                                                                  

Separated by fame, reunited through music

Book of Love

A librarian, a mechanic, and a psychotic ex. What could go wrong?

 

 

 

17 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Tagged as , , , , , ,

October 7, 2014 · 8:00 am

Leap into the Knight with M.J. Schiller

A brand new release from the wonderful M.J. Schiller:

 

elevator_LEAP_INTO_THE_KNIGHT_teaser

 

Blurb ~

Sir Darius Lee is a Knight of the High Order.

But when Darius discovers a stranger in his room in the middle of the night, and the intruder turns out to be a beautiful woman, he begins to question how he is meant to live his life.

Princess Megan of Bethyea is being held captive.

But when two knights help her to escape and bring her back to her home planet, she finds the home she knew no longer exists.

When The Council of Twelve questions Darius about his relationship with Maggie, she tries to flee from The Academy of the High Order to prevent him from losing his knighthood.

Will Darius and Orion find Maggie before she leaves Albion? And if they do, how can they face the decision of The Council? And what about the feelings Orion has developed for the princess?

 

LeapIntoKnight_CVR_MED

Excerpt ~

CHAPTER ONE 

                Darius Lee sat up in bed and listened to the darkness. What interrupted his sleep and caused him to become so fully awake? Several seconds elapsed while he held his breath and waited, but he heard no noise. Still, he was aware someone else was in the suite he shared with his young novice, Orion Quinn. He closed his eyes and tuned into his Spirit Within in order to get a feel for his current level of danger. He sensed at once the outside presence he felt in the room was not threatening. Despite that, he knew something must be amiss for a stranger to enter their rooms unannounced in the middle of the night. 

                He had been uneasy since he and Orion landed here on Faador on their latest mission. It all started when The Academy of The High Order, where Darius gained his knighthood, received a transmission from an older man dressed in uniform. The man stated Faador’s leader, Justin Filithy, held captive a woman, a princess, from another planet. Little was known about Filithy other than he had some questionable dealings with slave traders. Details of the princess’s abduction were sketchy too, as the communication was cut short. The Order sent Orion and him to quietly investigate any wrong doing under the guise of a routine security check. Yet, ever since they arrived, the leader was occupied elsewhere. In fact, the whole place was crawling with guards and he surmised they were under a high alert of some kind, but no one provided any information. A trio of soldiers stuck them in this suite and promised a meeting with Filithy the next day. He was annoyed by the delay, but since they arrived on the planet late in the afternoon it seemed reasonable to wait until morning.

                He slid out from underneath his lightweight bedcover without making a sound and grabbed his clothes, which were lying on a chair beside the bed. He slipped his head through the opening in the loose-fitting shirt, but left it untied at the neck, glancing at his laser-sword leaning against the nightstand. He decided to leave it. No need to scare anyone off if they meant no harm. He would simply have to use caution. 

                Darius reached the door and thankfully it slid open across its tracks without the usual high-pitched hydraulic hiss. He made out a figure standing in the open doorway to the room where his novice slept. The interloper was dressed in the same slightly puffy white uniform of the guards who they’d seen in abundance ever since they arrived. He was amused at first by the fleeting thought that they resembled marshmallows. Now as he watched the shadowy form, he was curious. What reason would anyone have to steal into their rooms like this? The guard wore a white helmet as the others had, with a tinted visor which could conceal the entire face. This visor, however, was open. Darius could see it flipped on top of the helmet, no doubt so the guard could see in the dim lighting. He wondered why the sight of this stranger gazing at Orion, who was lying completely unaware and vulnerable, didn’t alarm him more. But again, something told him the intruder was frightened, even desperate, but not a threat. 

                His training taught him how to enter the room without a sound, but the stranger seemed to detect his presence, darting to the left toward the door leading to the outer hallway. Darius took several steps before launching his six-foot-four-inch frame, timing his tackle perfectly. He wrapped his arms around the fleeing legs, bringing both parties down heavily. On contact the stranger’s helmet flew off and skittered across the dura-tile by the entryway. The guard twisted around to try to fight him off, while Darius sought to pin his shoulders to the ground. To his immense surprise he found himself staring into the face of a beautiful, terrified young woman. Long, wavy blonde hair fanned out on the floor as she struggled to free herself from his grasp. Their gazes locked and he drew his breath in a rush. Hers were the eyes of the hunted, wide and intensely blue-green. The oddest sensation came over him, as if, in that one look, an invisible hand reached into him and somehow tied him to this unknown woman. At the same time it was like the connection had been there all his life, an answer to a question he never knew to ask.

                “I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered to calm her. Surprisingly she stilled, searching his face as if to determine something there about him. “If I let you up, do you promise to stay here and answer a few questions for me?” 

                She hesitated.

                “I will not harm you.” He dipped his head to better catch those eyes. “Trust me.”

                Something in the way he said it seemed to convince her, and she nodded slowly. He released her arms and moved to the side. He sensed she was still tensed to flee if necessary, but for the moment, she decided to place her trust in him.

***

                Her heart was racing madly. What was she doing? She should run. She should run as fast as she could, or at least search about the room for a way out.

She sensed him there behind her, though she heard no sound. Her immediate instinct was to flee, as well it should be. After all, she was on the run from a half dozen guards. It was only by ducking into this room a few moments ago that she avoided capture. In spite of all that, she now sat on a couch with the man. It was totally incomprehensible to her, trusting him. She learned the costly lesson of trusting in the goodness of men long ago. But when she scrutinized his face as he peered at her on the floor, she had been filled with an unfathomable sense of calm. It was the most bizarre feeling. All logic, all of her past experiences said to get out as swiftly as possible. But here she was, sitting next to this man as if it was teatime and not the middle of the night in a room where he discovered her hiding. She guessed him to be five or six years older than she. His face was strong, but kind, almost noble, and his deep, dark eyes were compassionate, with a hint of wisdom. It was the kind of face one could trust.

                “Now,” he began slowly, ”why don’t you tell me exactly what you’re doing here?”

                She was saved from figuring out an answer for his question by a young man who came barreling out of the door behind him. He brandished a laser-sword, yelling as he entered, “Master! I’m here!” The suddenness of the action startled them both.

                The man turned slightly to say, “Orion, deactivate your weapon,” and that was all she needed. Her fear returned and catapulted her off the couch and toward the door. She hit the keypad with a force that sent a shock wave rippling up her arm, and was on the other side as soon as it opened wide enough to allow her small frame through. Once on the opposite side, she started pounding on the keypad there, and was able to effectively disable the door for a moment, enough time to search the hallway for a path of escape.

Buy at Amazon  Only 2.99

Find MJ here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365?ref=hl

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mjschiller

Google + : https://plus.google.com/u/0/110797684036386240402/posts

 

Profile_Pic_4_not_quite_so_big

Bio ~

MJ is a lunch lady in the heart of Central Illinois. My gosh! Can you get more folksy than that? She met her husband at the University of Missouri-Columbia and now she has a nineteen-year-old (how did that happen?) and seventeen year old triplets! She loves to read, karaoke (where she can pretend she is a rock star) and spends WAY too much time on Facebook. She grew up in St. Louis and still has family there.

20 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Tagged as , , , ,