Author Kelly Moran

Dessert Porn Friday

2012-02-24T09:16:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday! Best day of the week.

Today I have a cream fruit torte. Take a puff pastry shell and bake according to directions. While baking, beat a package of softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon. When done cooking, fill shell with cream cheese mixture about half full. Slice strawberries and kiwi for the top. Easy and yummy.

Add your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2012-02-22T07:55:00.003-06:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Jennifer Ann Coffeen, who's giving away a free copy of her book, Priceless Deception!

BLURB:
The French Blue diamond must be destroyed.” Haunted by the words of her dying father, Lady Madeline Sinclair arrives for the London Season with more than parties and the latest fashion on her mind. She has sworn a vow, and the beautifully headstrong and fearless Madeline will allow nothing to distract her…until she meets the infamous Lord Colin, Duke of Douglas, a man known for his scandalous past engagement. With a dark grin and stormy eyes, he threatens to make her forget her duty, along with her manners.
Bound together by the mysterious diamond, Madeline and Colin soon succumb to the passion raging between them, even as the diamond eludes their grasp. But the true threat lies in the hands of an enemy whose dangerous obsession with the past has the power to destroy them both.
Excerpt:
“I promise not to hit you again,” she replied, forcing a light tone. “If you promise not to throw me to the ground and—”
“And?” One eyebrow shot up.
“Provoke me.”
He laughed then, a full, rich sound that seemed to drop the tension from his face. He was more recognizable now, and Madeline felt her shoulders relax.
“I am sorry,” she added. “My behavior that day was unforgivable. I do hope we can start over as friends, Lord Douglas.”
She held out her hand, the small warning bell in her head quickly silenced.
“It would be my pleasure.” He took the offered fingers, bending slightly to press them against his lips. Not a trace of impropriety, but a sigh caught in her throat all the same, and she held it there, no longer breathing.
In the back of her mind she knew this was not a good idea. She knew perfectly well she should invent some excuse, run straight back into the ballroom and discuss Lady Farris’s flowers. She didn’t move.
“And since we are already intimately acquainted, I must insist you call me Colin.”
“Colin,” she said, finally exhaling so the name rushed out in a breathless tone. She wildly searched her mind for something else to say but never managed a word.
Colin pulled her to him, the kiss as much a surprise as her own response to it. Madeline’s body instantly betrayed her, melting against the strong arms that held her until she had lost all sense of her earlier outrage. The world fell away, leaving nothing but Colin’s searing lips blistering her own—and the faint smell of lilacs.

Man Candy Monday

2012-02-20T08:47:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Man Candy Monday. Making Mondays fun again.

As always, leave your photo caption in comments. I just love this week's pic. Artistic and hot. My caption: "I'm the king of... this bridge!" XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2012-02-17T08:50:00.002-06:00

Yay, best day of the week. Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday! Today I have some great cupcake ideas for you!

Depending on what kind you make, let's start with chocolate. Try crunching up Oreos to bake inside the cake or sprinkle on top of the frosting. Mini M&Ms make a great decoration. Try spreading a thin layer of peanut butter between the cake and frosting, then placing a Reeses cup on top. My personal favorite, an Andies mint chocolate candy on the frosting. All best for chocolate frosting.
Now, for yellow or white... Once baked, scoop out a small hole in the top of the cupcake. Fill with any fruit preserve, then frost. You could also just add fresh fruit to the top once frosted, like a raspberry, strawberry, or kiwi for decoration, and all taste great with the cake. All best for white frosting.
For confetti or kids cake, try gummy worms or bears on top of the frosting. Beats plain sprinkles. Those little candy hearts at valentines look very cute as well.

Feel free to share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2012-02-15T08:02:00.003-06:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Stacey Coverstone, who's giving away a FREE copy of her book, Big Sky.

Blurb:
Taylor never expected her reluctant homecoming to include a murder, a ghost…and a hunk of a ranch foreman.
Photographer Taylor Young fled to L.A. following her sister's betrayal six years ago. Now Jamie's dead, Mama has broken a hip in a drunken fall, and Taylor's stepfather begs her to return to her family's Montana ranch to make amends.
After a bitter divorce, Brett Austin, foreman of the Slash Y Ranch, believes horses are more of a sure thing than women. But the boss's daughter changes all that when she sets his heart bucking like a wild bronc.
When Taylor's mother insists Jamie's death was not suicide—a theory confirmed by Jamie's ghost—Taylor wonders who could have wanted her sister dead. With a list of suspects as long as her camera strap, Taylor needs an ally. Could that person be a tall drink of water in a cowboy hat?

Excerpt:
"Don't you have some cattle to rustle up? Or fences to mend?" Taylor slammed her foot on the gas pedal and rubbed her throbbing temples.

"You're not going to get that vehicle started," Brett stated. "It needs to sit. Hop on back." He patted the horse's rump. There was a mischievous twinkle in the horse's eye.

"Thanks. But I'm not going to ride on the back of that animal with you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know you or that paint."

Brett shrugged. "Will's not going to like it if I leave you stranded."

"I'm hardly stranded. The car will start soon. Or I'll walk."

He flicked the reins. "Giddy-up, Bill." With a cluck of Brett's tongue, the horse took up a slow trot.

Taylor peered through the windshield and watched the man's body sway in rhythm with his gelding's gait. He knew how to sit a horse. But what did he know about cars? He might understand as much about vehicles as her—which was next to nothing. She could be waiting here for an hour.

She glanced down at her heels wishing she had on more sensible shoes. Walking a mile down a hard-packed dirt road would destroy them—and her feet.

Darn. Perhaps she should reconsider the cowboy's offer.

Taylor flung the car door open and jumped out. Planting her feet apart, she placed two fingers between her lips and whistled.

Brett told Bill to whoa and tossed his hand over the saddle horn. His and Taylor's gazes locked. His intense stare burned a hole into her. Her head angled in question. Suddenly, she felt as if her slacks were made of see-through paper.
When he lifted his hand and waved her forward, she narrowed her eyes at his cocksure grin.
To Purchase: http://www.staceycoverstone.com/books.html

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2012-02-08T07:58:00.003-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Cara Marsi, who's giving away a FREE copy of her book, Cursed Mates!

Blurb:
Nick Radford is a reluctant werewolf who’s been fighting the Beast within for nearly 500 years. He’s never killed a human, but the Beast is gaining strength and Nick may not be able to ward off his inner demon much longer. Kyla Yaeger is an elite were-hunter with a scarred past. Her life’s mission is to slay the werewolves who slaughtered her parents. Her quest has brought her to Maine where she's been summoned to destroy the werewolf terrorizing the quaint little village of Heavensent. The last thing she needs is to get distracted by her mysterious--not to mention hunky--new neighbor Nick Radford. By the time Kyla learns Nick is her target, she's already fallen for him, making her task of killing him that much harder. She is torn between her love for him and her duty to kill her sworn enemy. Nick fights his forbidden love for Kyla, knowing she is duty-bound to kill him. Kyla and Nick must join together to fight an even bigger threat--one that will destroy all humanity. Only by their combined powers can they destroy the evil and bring an end to a centuries old curse.

Excerpt:

There was nothing angelic about Heavensent, Maine. Kyla Yaeger felt evil all around her, watching, waiting. A hell of a lot more was going on here than one werewolf. Her stiletto heels clicked on the sidewalk as she hurried up the street, but she couldn't outpace the feeling of malice. She had to block it out. Nothing could distract her from her mission. As an elite were-hunter, she had one job—slaughter the werewolf haunting this strange little town.
Anticipation of the next hunt pulsed through her. She hungered for it as an addict craved the next hit. Maybe someday she'd find the peace she longed for . . . but not until she had vengeance.
The fresh smell of pine from the surrounding woods wafted by on the slight breeze. The aroma brought the memory of that hunt in the Adirondacks. Foreboding chilled her. Her breath caught. Would she meet the black wolf again? This time, she wouldn't miss.
Quickening her steps, Kyla reached the homey-looking restaurant, a welcome touch of normalcy in this place tainted by wickedness. As she grabbed for the door handle, someone on the other side pulled the door open. Losing her balance, she wobbled in the entrance as a hand cupped her elbow, steadying her. An electric charge coursed up her arm.
"Sorry." The deep voice was definitely male, with a trace of a British accent, and so close to her ear she could feel his warm breath. She inhaled his scent of spice, familiar, yet exotic.
The timbre of his voice ignited a spark of recognition in her. She was eye level with a very masculine chest covered by a black T-shirt that stretched over hard muscles and defined biceps. Slowly raising her gaze, she met deep topaz eyes—eyes touched with sadness that spoke of pain and unbearable loss. Thick, black hair framed the rugged beauty of his face. The large, jagged scar on his neck saved him from being too perfect. She didn't know him, yet she felt as if she did.
How odd.
He stood holding the door, not moving. The awareness in his eyes gradually changed to shock, then fear. Rooted to the spot, Kyla couldn't look away.
A roaring noise filled her head, and pain stabbed her temples, signaling a vision. The man, the restaurant, the street wavered. Disjointed scenes flickered before her. A tall man, his face shadowed, his long, black hair blowing in a rush of wind, stood before an empty grave. She felt his crushing grief as if it were her own.
She blinked, and the vision left her. And so had the mysterious stranger. The restaurant door closed slowly behind her, leaving her alone on the sidewalk. She looked both ways down the street, but the man seemed to have disappeared.

Dessert Porn Friday

2012-02-03T10:29:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday! Best day of the week!

Today we've got no bake lemon cream cups. Mix lemon pudding mix with 1/2 the recommended milk and 1/2 cup of Cool Whip. Let chill for a few minutes. In dessert cups, press graham cracker crumbs into the bottom. Spoon pudding into cups. Add remaining cool whip to top. Serve cold. Yummy and easy.

Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2012-02-01T08:02:00.002-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Beth Trissel, who's giving away a copy of her latest book, Into the Lion's Heart.

"A brilliant historical romance by Beth Trissel. You can feel her passion in the story, very well written and characters that you can feel. Into the Lion's Heart will take you through a journey of love, and enough surprises to keep you hanging on. If you love a beautiful historical romance you will enjoy this story!"
5 out of 5 stars, Romance Writers Reviews

Blurb:
As the French Revolution rages, the English nobility offer sanctuary to many a refugee. Captain Dalton Evans arrives in Dover to meet a distant cousin, expecting to see a spoiled aristocrat. Instead, he’s conquered by the simplicity of his new charge. And his best friend Thomas Archer isn’t immune to her artless charm, either.
Cecile Beaumont didn’t choose to travel across the Channel. And she certainly didn’t expect that impersonating her own mistress would introduce her to a most mesmerizing man. Now she must play out the masquerade, or risk life, freedom – and her heart.~

Excerpt:
Choking on the brine, she thrashed to right herself. Dalton spat saltwater from his mouth and fought to regain his seat while pulling her up with him. Not his most dignified effort. She was the devil to get hold of—kept slipping away. He grabbed her again, only to be knocked back down and rolled with her in the swill on the bottom of the boat.
Damn and blast! Tom and another man hoisted them upright in the prow.
“Thanks,” Dalton grunted, biting his tongue in the presence of a lady. “All right?” he shouted at her, and shifted her securely onto the seat beside him.
“Oui!” she sputtered when she’d recovered her breath.
She shook all over—must be chilled to the bone. They’d be fortunate if she didn’t catch her death, probably bruised too from tossing about in the skiff. The sooner she was safely housed indoors by a toasty hearth, the better.
Keeping an arm around the sodden woman, he peered into a striking pair of charcoal-gray eyes set above a pert nose and framed by fine dark brows.
She parted trembling, bluish lips. “Merci Monsieur—Que Dieu vous bénis—Les saints bénis nous en préservent,” she stammered, thanking, blessing him, and calling on the saints.
Dalton was tempted to call on them himself, but her outpouring took him by surprise.
Not content with acknowledging his aid, she turned to Tom, crouched on her other side, and blurted similar gratitude—nearly incoherent in the tumult raging around them. Tom gave a nod through gritted teeth then bent his head over the boat and heaved the contents of his volatile stomach.
She tilted her head at Dalton, eyes crinkled in sympathy. “Mal de mer,” she said, using the French for seasick.

Man Candy Monday

2012-01-30T08:02:00.001-06:00

Ah yes, making Mondays better. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. As always, leave your photo captions in comments. Mine: "So, what's with the...jeans?" XO

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2012-01-25T08:37:00.003-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me the fabulous Roxanne St. Claire, NY TIMES bestselling author of more than twenty-five romance and suspense books. Oh, and she's giving away a FREE copy of her latest, SPACE IN HIS HEART!

BLURB:
When PR superstar Jessica Marlowe is tasked with making America fall in love with space exploration, she knows exactly what to do: find some smokin’ hot astronaut eye-candy and make him NASA's poster boy. When she meets Navy fighter pilot turned astronaut Commander Deke Stockard, the shiver down her spine tells her she's found her man. Consumed with the safety of the upcoming shuttle launch, Deke has zero interest in being part of a lame media blitz--but orders can't be ignored. He also can’t ignore the way Jessica's sexy smile and single-minded determination throw his well-ordered life into a tailspin....and ignite an undeniable attraction. But when the next launch becomes a ticking time bomb that could spell the end for NASA, passion and courage won't be enough to reach the stars. Deke and Jessica will have to work together, and hope they both have space in their hearts...for love.

EXCERPT:
Who the hell did she think she was, plastering his picture on that screen and making pronouncements about sex appeal?
He started down the steps toward her. “We don’t go to NBA playoff games or movie premieres. We don’t seek celebrity status.” He let the disdain drop like bombs with every word and every step. “We are aviators and engineers and explorers. We develop experiments to advance medicine.” He paused as he reached the halfway mark, his gaze locked on his pretty target. “We send satellites into orbit to monitor terrorism.” He moved closer, purposely letting his voice intensify with each step. “We fix billion-dollar telescopes so scientists can see into the past and the future.”
At last, he stood on the same level, a few feet away from her, glad for the advantage of his height since she wore those stilts on her feet. “That’s what we do.” He leaned in closer so she’d inch away. She didn’t. “It doesn’t involve Jay Leno.”
A spark lit her eyes, but he was blind now to her fiery appeal, furious with himself for admiring her physical assets while she was busy announcing that he’d become some sort of NASA poster boy.
They stood face-to-face, the audience no doubt spellbound at the unexpected showdown. He waited for her to back down.
But, son of a bitch, she just crossed her arms and took a step toward him.

Man Candy Monday

2012-01-23T09:08:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Man Candy Monday, where we make Mondays fun again! As always, post your photo caption in comments. Mine: "Insert snake joke here..." XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2012-01-20T08:52:00.003-06:00

Yay. Dessert Porn Friday.I'm told I make one of the best apple pies on the planet. Here's my recipe...

~1 bag of McIntosh apples
~1 cup of baking mix
~1 tbsp cinnamon
~1/2 cup brown sugar
~1 cup sugar
~1/2 cup dry oatmeal
~1 pie crust
~1 stick of butter

Peel and thinly slice the apples. Mix in the cinnamon and ½ the white sugar until apples are coated. Set aside. Melt the stick of butter and mix with the baking mix, brown sugar, remaining white sugar, and oatmeal. This will be very crumbly.
Roll out the pie crust into a pie pan. Place apples inside. With your fingers, add sprinkles of the dry mix on top until the apples are completely covered. Gently press down to keep in place.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.
+ (Crushed pecans and dried cranberries may be added with the apples for a great fall recipe.)
+ (You may substitute the apples for a can of cherry pie filler or 10 peeled sliced peaches for different fruit pie. Same ingredients and recipe.)

Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway!

2012-01-18T08:38:00.004-06:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Darcy Lundeen, who's giving away a FREE copy of her book, Finding You Again.

BLURB:
Maggie Demarco thought she’d have the perfect wedding…until the groom backed out without even saying goodbye. So she packs a bag and flees to the town where she grew up to heal and prepare for the rest of her life.
Eric Holt is surprised when he learns that Maggie’s back in town. He’s never forgotten the hours he spent in high school introducing her to the joys of sex. Of course, he’s also never forgotten the pain of her rejection. But he’s still willing to help her recapture the sexual mojo she lost waiting for her AWOL groom, and he proposes a no-strings-attached affair to prove how desirable she still is.
Neither expect the unintended consequences, when old hurts resurface, new problems arise, and simple sex threatens to turn into the craziest complication of all: love.

EXCERPT:
“Goodbye,” she told him, reaching for the door handle on her side.
“Not on your life,” he countered, pulling her hand away and trapping her against the backrest while he yanked at her shoulder harness. “God,” he muttered, shaking his head as he buckled her into it. “You have turned into a major pain in the ass, you know that? Stop squirming while I’m working on this.”
“I’m a pain in the ass?” she said, slapping at his hands. “Mister, have you got that backward. You’re the ass pain. Not that that’s surprising. You were a pain in the ass in high school, too.”
He stopped fiddling with her shoulder harness and looked at her, his voice deepening. “Except for that one night.”
Maggie felt her body heat. He didn’t have to specify which night that was. The night she’d lost her mind, her inhibitions and her virginity to the guy with the dark, dark eyes and the hands that seemed to be everywhere at once: him.
“Right,” she said peevishly. “That night you were a pain all over me.”
He grinned. “And yet I didn’t hear you complaining.”

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2012-01-11T07:02:00.002-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Rachel Brimble, who's giving away a FREE copy of her book, Paying the Piper.

BLURB:
Nightclub manager, Grace Butler is on a mission to buy the pub where her mother’s ashes are scattered – except the vendor wants to sell to anyone but her. And the vendor happens to be her father…with a secret Grace will do anything to uncover.
Social worker and all-round good guy, Jimmy Betts needs cash to buy a house for three special kids before their care home closes. In a desperate bid for cash, he agrees to a one-time ‘job’ for bad-man Karl Butler. But in a sudden turn of events, Jimmy finds himself employed by Karl’s beautiful, funny and incredibly sexy daughter, Grace.
Their lives are so different except for one unifying thread – they are both trying to escape the binds of their tyrannical fathers. But is the key to their liberty each other?

EXCERPT:
Grace’s mouth dropped open and stayed open.
He was huge. Huge and muscular, tall and strong. The saliva drained from her mouth, forcing her to snap her jaw shut so she could swallow. She felt her eyes expand in awed fascination as he stepped out from under the cover of chairs, crates and crap to stand in front of her. She met his gaze.
He held out a hand and nodded in the direction of the teenager who now stood behind him smiling like a demented clown. “Sorry about Billy. He can be a cheeky son of a gun sometimes. I’m Jimmy. Jimmy Betts.”
His voice was deep and rich. Warm and smooth. Grace blinked, licked dry lips and tentatively slid her palm against his. It was hot--in a nice way. Not in a clammy “I’ve-just-had-that-down-my-pants-hot,” more...open fire in a log cabin kind of hot.
She snatched her hand away, snapping her brain back into gear despite the fact her nipples now tingled. These two were trespassing. They had no right. “What are you--”
“Doing rummaging around in your rubbish?” The Adonis smiled.
She smiled back. She couldn’t help it--much to her irritation. His boyish grin kicked her in the stomach and sent her heart ricocheting to the back of her throat. His thick, black hair shone beneath the overhead lights, and even in the semi-darkness, his eyes glinted blue like cut Bristol glass.
“Exactly.” She nodded, not trusting herself to use full sentences. Her physical reaction to him was terrifying. Since when had Grace Butler wanted to grab a man’s face and mash it between her breasts?
He turned away and gripped his companion’s collar. “Billy and I come here from time to time to see if we can pick up a bargain or two. Say hello to Miss Butler, Billy.”
Her gaze shot from Billy back to Jimmy. “How do you know my name?”
He grinned. “What can I say? I read the occasional gossip magazine. You’re Grace Butler, daughter of the Great Karl Butler, and future heir to the infamous Butler Empire.”

Man Candy Monday

2012-01-09T08:12:00.001-06:00

Making Mondays fun again. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. Don't forget to leave your photo caption in comments. Mine: "Some beach..." XO

Review: Space in His Heart, by Roxanne St. Claire

2012-01-05T10:12:00.002-06:00

Review For:
SPACE IN HIS HEART, by Roxanne St. Claire

Roxanne St. Claire is a NY Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels of suspense and romance. In addition to being a four-time RITA nominee, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, several Awards of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and multiple Gayle Wilson Awards of Excellence. Other titles include: Hunt Her Down, Make Her Pay, First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die, and Hit Reply.

BLURB:
When PR superstar Jessica Marlowe is tasked with making America fall in love with space exploration, she knows exactly what to do: find some smokin’ hot astronaut eye-candy and make him NASA's poster boy. When she meets Navy fighter pilot turned astronaut Commander Deke Stockard, the shiver down her spine tells her she's found her man. Consumed with the safety of the upcoming shuttle launch, Deke has zero interest in being part of a lame media blitz--but orders can't be ignored. He also can’t ignore the way Jessica's sexy smile and single-minded determination throw his well-ordered life into a tailspin....and ignite an undeniable attraction. But when the next launch becomes a ticking time bomb that could spell the end for NASA, passion and courage won't be enough to reach the stars. Deke and Jessica will have to work together, and hope they both have space in their hearts...for love.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Roxanne St. Claire never disappoints. Never. The chemistry she creates between her hero and heroine is one for the record books. That alone is enough to keep readers locked on. Add in the space program, and you've got yourself a winner. I can't imagine how much research this took, but the amount of info the reader learns about NASA is amazing. There's an issue with the shuttle launch, and Deke is responsible for bringing the astronauts home safe. Jessica is in charge of a new publicity campaign for NASA and needs a face for her project. These two go at it, then form a friendship, then something more. Though this ventures away from the style of her latest releases, Roxanne's humor and fast plot hold steady. Highly recommended!

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-12-28T09:17:00.003-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Susan Frances, giving away a FREE copy of her book, The King Maker!

BLURB:
Cullen Danes never believed in love at sight, but when the investigator for the British Aviation Ministry meets the girl in his dreams, he surrenders to the emotional currents that consume him. Nina Holt is far too concerned about finding a job in her chosen field of public relations to abandon her quest and put her faith in the stranger with the piercing blue eyes; yet, when Cullen’s life is in danger, she has no other choice but to save him from suffering the same fate as his friend, American pilot Steve McKenna, whose involvement with an international crime ring concludes with his murder.
Together, Nina and Cullen uncover a web of illicit activities that includes government officials, financial institutions and global industrialists. Though the perilous circumstances they encounter tests their mettle, Nina and Cullen's true test comes when he asks her to take a major leap of faith. Torn between jumping into the unknown or remaining in a static position, Nina has to decide whether to take the biggest risk of her life, that is, if the King Maker does not have them killed.

EXCERPT:
They headed to Ninth Avenue and ducked into a small doorway that was an entranceway to an apartment building. Cullen shot a quick glance down the street towards the convention center, checking to see if they were being followed. The narrow wedge of illumination coming from the street light above them revealed a block that appeared desolate. They listened for footsteps in case they missed somebody lurking in the dark crannies of the commercial and residential buildings that littered the street. Only a few taxi cabs flashed past them.
“Who were those guys?” Nina broke through the silence.
“I don’t know. Come on.” He led her across Ninth Avenue and cut across to 32nd Street .
“Where are we going?” She asked. “I think we lost them. You can let go of my hand now.”
“No, I can’t. Those guys have something to do with my friend’s murder and I don’t know if they saw you. They’re part of a crime ring that has been smuggling credit cards into the UK . Those guys will kill anyone who gets in their way, so no, I can’t let you go.”
“But both of those guys were at the conference. They had clearance to be there.”
She couldn’t have stopped him faster if she hit him with a sledgehammer. “What do you mean they were at the conference?”
“I didn’t let them in. I saw them follow you and Dorian Bercovici into the Beecher Exchange for the Q&A session.”
Before she could say another word, he clutched her upper arm with his hand and moved her even faster. She was stunned to see Cullen’s character make a complete one eighty degree turn before her eyes. He was totally in command of his actions and hers. Her only choice was to keep silent as she let him lead her through the city streets. They stopped at another corner so Cullen could check to see if they were being followed.
He put his hands on her shoulder and turned her to face him. “I don’t want to take any risks with your life in case they decide to go after you too. They know that I spoke to a man from Scotland Yard, and if they can find that information, they can find you, unless you’re experienced at evading mercenaries.”
She shook her head. She had no idea what was going on, but she understood that if she wanted to live, she was going to have to trust Cullen with her life.
“All I know about those two guys is they have no reservations about killing anyone they believe is a threat to their organization.”
“What do they want with you?”
“Information.”
“About what?”
“About what my friend Steve McKenna knew. He learned about their illicit operation and he revealed everything he knew in his last correspondence to me. He knows the guy who is behind it, and I want to bring that bastard to justice.”
She tried to wrap her head around what Cullen was saying. Her loss of speech caused him to slow down a notch and stare at her. The arresting glint in his eyes sent chills down her spine as if he was memorizing every square inch of her face. She liked the intensity she saw. If she never saw him again, she wanted to remember him just the way he looked now. “What are we going to do?”

Happy Holidays

2011-12-22T15:04:00.005-06:00

A little holiday humor for ya. Sigh, Christmas time again. Let the yelling begin. From mine to yours, have a happy holiday everyone. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-12-21T08:19:00.003-06:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Christina James, who's giving away a FREE copy of her new book, For the Love of a Woman.

BLURB:
When Marly Hampton offers a handsome stranger a meal and a place to sleep, it’s only for the weekend after he breaks down in her small town on the outskirts of the Smoky Mountains. But the mysterious Mitch Allen stirs emotions in her long thought buried. A widowed, single mom raising her son, Marly has no time for romance. Or is that about to change?
Mitch won’t be staying in town any longer than it takes to repair his truck. The former Boston detective has hit the open road to run from painful memories. Falling in love is the last thing on his mind. When he’s accused of murder, Mitch comes out of retirement not only to fight for his reputation but also for the woman who has opened his heart. Can they both face a past that stands in the way of their future before they lose what could be? Or will the evil lurking nearby succeed on destroying them?

EXCERPT:
“Do you want a shower before dinner?”

Oh, God, the woman was killing him. He strategically placed the cane in front of him to hide the ever increasing bulge in his jeans. He could easily picture her in the shower with him.

“That sounds like heaven. Let me grab my bag. I left it by the door. At least I was smart enough to grab a change of clothes before leaving the truck behind.”

“You would’ve been smarter if you had listened to my dad.”

He sent her a quelling look. Her hands flew up, palms out. “Okay, that was a low blow, but I can’t help it. Your stubbornness has obviously wiped you out, walking around on that bad leg. And don’t try to deny it. Come on. I have an empty apartment over my garage where you can shower.”

He only offered a grunt and turned to follow her into the living room. They passed the seven-foot long flowery couch with two armchairs of the same pattern. There was a decent size television, although it was an older model, and a small stereo system in the room. A few end tables had lamps and pictures on them. Mitch studied the picture of a man in military uniform. Must be her husband.

The woman wasn’t free. Besides, if she were, what the hell would he do with her? He had a bum leg, a fucked up life, and was on the road to nowhere.

So he channeled his thoughts to dinner and sleep. He grabbed the duffel bag and followed her out the front door and down the steps to a large garage. Forcing himself to keep up with her pace even as his knee screamed only added to his misery. She had only given his cane and leg a cursory glance. Either good manners or a lack of curiosity kept her from inquiring about his injury because Marly struck him as the type of woman who wouldn’t think twice about asking what’s wrong.

Hadn’t he hated that from people? Was he disappointed that Marly didn’t bother to ask about his injury? No, that wasn’t it. He was just surprised since every person he had run into after the accident had always asked the inevitable question, “Why do you need a cane at your age?”

A nightmare. That’s why.

Man Candy Monday

2011-12-19T09:07:00.004-06:00

Welcome to the special Christmas edition of Man Candy Monday. As always, leave your caption in comments.

My caption:"I've been naughty. Do I get you for Christmas?"

XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-12-16T10:34:00.003-06:00

Yay. Dessert Porn Friday. This one is great and easy for the holiday.

Snickerdoodles
~2 sticks of softened butter
~1 tsp cream of tartar
~1 cup of sugar
~1 ½ cups flour
~1 egg
~3 tbsp cinnamon
Beat butter with sugar, egg, and tartar. Add flour until smooth and refrigerate ½ hour. Mix the cinnamon with 3 tsp of sugar. Roll tsp sized shaped dough in your hand and then roll into cinnamon/sugar mix. Place rounded/coated dough balls ¾ inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven. Cool completely.

XO

Review- HEAD OVER HEELS- by Jill Shalvis

2011-12-15T08:52:00.003-06:00

Review for:
Head Over Heels, by Jill Shalvis

USA Today and NY Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis has penned more than three dozen romance novels. She is a three-time RITA nominee and three-time Readers Choice winner. Other titles include Animal Attraction and Animal Magnetism. She resides in Lake Tahoe.

This is the third book in the Lucky Harbor series with Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing preceding it. Though it is part of a series, these are stand alone reads. I highly recommend reading in order though.

BLURB: Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways. Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts... and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

I've come to the conclusion that there's not a book Jill will write that I wouldn't insist on reading. Seriously. It's so rare to find an author who can write quirky humor and deep-seeded emotions like she can. I reviewed the first two books in this series, but couldn't wait for Chloe's tale. I wasn't disappointed. The wild child with asthma and the former bad boy turned cop. These two were quite a sight. And hot. As in the previous books, Lucky Harbor and its residents were not only the perfect setting, but the perfect secondary cast. If you don't fall in love with this series there's something wrong with you. Bravo.

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-12-14T08:02:00.003-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me the wonderful Brenda Whiteside who has 3 books out this month. One commenter will recieve a FREE copy of her book, Honey on White Bread.

ABOUT THE BOOKS:
HONEY ON WHITE BREAD
When seventeen-year-old Claire Flanagan is wrenched from her father and deposited at the Good Shepherd’s Home for Wayward Girls, all dreams for Hollywood stardom are lost. But when twenty-year-old Benjamin Russell helps secure her release, she starts to believe in a happy future with him…until she discovers his ex-girlfriend is pregnant. In this post WWII coming of age novel, Claire discovers the silver screen can’t compare with the fight she takes on for the leading role in her own life.

TATTOOS, LEATHER AND STUDS
Rachael suspects her date, Jason, is a drug dealer, and she’s torn between her attraction for this hot bad boy and running for safety. But a famous rock star vying for her attention and spiked champagne pose far more trouble. On a blind date she’ll never forget, Rachael learns first impressions can lead her down a dangerous path and straight into the arms of love.

CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY: WARM CHRISTMAS WISHES (2 stories featured)
AN ELFIN SECRET
When five-year-old Candace Cane questions why her father, Henry is an absent parent, her mother is speechless. But when Candace learns Daddy is an Elf named Santa Clause, life becomes magical…until Mommy dies and Henry and Santa cease to exist. In this Christmas fantasy, Candace discovers magic lies within her heart and she’s never far from her mother or her father.
ON THE WAY TO THE SNOW BALL
Lovely, rich Marie Louise Le Mare apparently has everything in life. So what can the handsome man in the red suit possibly give her? When they’re trapped in an elevator with only each other for company, a surprise gift exchange makes this Christmas special.

Man Candy Monday

2011-12-12T10:06:00.001-06:00

Making Mondays managable! Or...at least more fun. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. Insert your photo caption in comments. I just love the artistic quality to this picture. My caption: "Out of your shadow, mister, and into mine!"

XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-12-08T09:56:00.002-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me the absolutely fabulous, NY TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Jill Shalvis. She's also giving away a copy of her new release, HEAD OVER HEELS. I've read the first two books in this series, and currently reviewing this one. You're gonna love it!

BLURB:
Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways.
Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

EXCERPT:
“What happened out there?” Chloe asked Sawyer.

“I ticketed Todd for the illegal bonfire.”

“Just Todd?”

“He was the one who started it.”

She paused. Todd was one of those guys who could talk his way into a bank vault with nothing but a smile, and then walk out with all the money, leaving the bank manager happy to have been ripped off. He was also a native Lucky Harbor guy, and the residents were very fond of their own, troubled son or no.

Sawyer was native too, and just as well liked, if not more so. “You ticketed him even though everyone lights illegal bonfires out there?”

“Not in a high fire hazard season they don’t,” he said.

“It’s almost October.”

“Fire season,” Sawyer repeated.

“So … if I lit a campfire, you’d arrest me?”

“Ticket,” he corrected. “Not arrest. Not for a first offense.”

What was wrong with her that the stern cop thing he had going on was doing it for her? Huh. Maybe she didn’t want to fight this attraction so much as test its boundaries. “What if it was my second offense? Would you frisk and cuff me then?”

His eyes darkened. “What is it with you and my cuffs?”

“Well, if you don’t know,” Chloe said as demurely as she could, “I don’t want to corrupt you.” She made to go inside but Sawyer snagged the back of her sweater and tugged her back.

“Not so fast,” he said and studied her, giving nothing of his thoughts away. “You’re playing with me,” he finally decided.

“Trying.”

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-12-07T08:23:00.004-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author SG Rogers giving away a FREE copy of her book, The Last Great Wizard of Yden. It sounds awesome. Check it out.

BLURB:
After his father is kidnapped, sixteen-year-old Jon stumbles across a closely guarded family secret--one that will challenge everything he has ever believed about his father and himself. A magical ring his father leaves behind unlocks a portal to another dimension, but in using it, Jon unwittingly unchains the forces of evil. A crisis develops when a malevolent wizard transports to Earth to kidnap one of Jon’s friends. With the help of some unlikely schoolmates, and a warrior princess from Yden, Jon embarks on a dangerous quest to free his friend and his father from the most vicious wizard the magical world has ever known. In the end, Jon will be forced to fight for his life as he attempts to rescue the last great wizard of Yden.

EXCERPT:

“Where did you get that Dragon Clan ring, boy?” Warlord Mandral demanded.
“None of your business.”
The congregants gasped, and Jon’s reply earned him a smack on the head from the nearest cygard. Mandral, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard him. He beckoned to the man with the scroll. “Minister Tyrg, what is the charge against this prisoner?”
“Theft,” Tyrg said. His voice sounded almost like the hiss of a snake. “Merchant Moala has filed a claim for the cuff.”
Stig pulled up Jon’s sleeve to reveal the transporter cuff.
“Moala is an accomplished liar. His claim is denied,” Mandral said.
Jon sighed with relief, but his deliverance was short-lived.
“Take the ring and the cuff,” the warlord said. “Then whip the boy for his insolence.”
Ophelia’s eyes remained dull, and Jon was beginning to panic.
Stig caressed his ax. “The ring and cuff cannot be removed.”
Mandral exchanged a sharp glance with Tyrg. “Is this the ancient magic of inseparability?”
Tyrg shook his head in confusion. “A wizard becomes one with his clan ring and transporter cuff, yes. But there are few wizards left, and none of them have apprentices.”
The warlord studied Jon’s features. He tugged Ophelia to confirm the ring would not leave Jon’s finger. “Who are you?”
“No one in particular. I'm not from around here,” Jon replied.
With practiced speed and agility, Mandral unsheathed a thin dagger strapped to his thigh and pointed it at the hollow of Jon’s throat. “That's not what I asked.”
Jon felt the razor-sharp tip pierce his skin. He had no doubt the blade had meted out its share of death. He gulped. “Jon. Jon Hansen.”

Man Candy Monday

2011-12-05T08:22:00.003-06:00

Making Mondays fun again. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. I love this pic from an artistic standpoint. But let's just say that if a storm were brewing, like it looks in this picture, I'd sure want him there, LOL.

Leave your captions in comments. XO

Tattooos, Leather & Studs, by Brenda Whiteside, Book Review

2011-12-03T10:14:00.002-06:00

Review for: TATTOOS, LEATHER & STUDS
by: Brenda Whiteside

BLURB:
Rachael suspects her date, Jason, is a drug dealer, and she’s torn between her attraction for this hot bad boy and running for safety. But a famous rock star vying for her attention and spiked champagne pose far more trouble. On a blind date she’ll never forget, Rachael learns first impressions can lead her down a dangerous path and straight into the arms of love.

This is a short novella, something like 30 pages. Normally these stories aren't my favorite. Just as you are getting into them, they're done. It's also hard to get good characterization in. But Brenda writes an inspiring, humorous tale here riddled with misunderstanding, heat, and the promise for more. Impressive. She's got a knack for laying out all the senses and setting her scene. The details sell it. As we know, it's all about the details. Recommended.

Kelly Moran,
author of SUMMER'S ROAD.

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-11-30T08:32:00.003-06:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Alison Henderson, who's giving away a FREE copy of her book, A MAN LIKE THAT.

BLURB:
Jessamine Randall, fearless crusader and champion of the downtrodden, is not a woman to be left waiting at the altar. When her fiancé disappears hours before the wedding, she hatches a plan to track him down and bring him back where he belongs.
Morgan Bingham knows he’s no good. Never has been. Never will be. A former outlaw is no fit husband for the daughter of the town judge, despite her misguided notions. Besides, after ten long years away from home, it’s time to return to the hills and face his demons.
Ill-prepared, but armed with unshakeable certainty, Jessy follows Morgan to his family’s cabin deep in the Ozark Mountains where she’s sucked into a whirlpool of deep secrets and old hatreds. While she fights to bring light and hope into their dark lives, her greatest challenge is Morgan himself. Can she ever convince him he’s worthy of love?

EXCERPT:
Jessy took a step forward and slid her arms beneath his jacket and around his waist. “Now aren’t you going to kiss me?”
He grabbed her wrists and threw her hands off him as if she harbored a dread disease.
“Are you sure you don’t want to kiss me?” she persisted. “Aren’t you glad to see me?” Her seductive tone was pure torture.
Morgan scowled and didn’t answer. He had no intention of answering the first question and wasn’t sure about the second. At the moment, it required every ounce of strength and resolve he had to keep from jerking her into his arms and taking everything she offered and more.
He stared down at Jessy’s face in the flickering firelight. Her sparkling eyes beckoned him. Her moist lips parted in invitation. But the same fresh innocence that had always stopped him held him back again.
He could take what he wanted; he knew it. There was no one around to stop him, and Jessy wouldn’t resist. She was crazy enough to think she loved him.
It would be so easy to give in, so easy to forget the past and the future for a few sweet hours in her arms, to forget their differences and lose himself in the generosity of her love. But he couldn’t do it. To take her and leave her would be to steal something more precious than her virginity. He would be stealing the bright fire that formed the essence of her, the fire that had drawn him from the beginning. As much as he wanted her, he prayed for the strength to resist her.

Happy Thanksgiving Humor

2011-11-23T19:18:00.002-06:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone! Long live the forgotten holiday! It's been a tough year for many of us, so let's be thankful for what we do have.

In saying that, here's some holiday humor for ya...

Naughty Things You Can Only Say on Thanksgiving:
1.Talk about a huge breast!
2.Tying the legs together keeps the inside moist.
3.It's Cool Whip time!
4.If I don't undo my pants, I'll burst!
5.That's one terrific spread!
6.I'm in the mood for a little dark meat.
7.Are you ready for seconds yet?
8.Its a little dry, do you still want to eat it?
9.Just wait your turn, you'll get some!
10.Don't play with your meat.
11.Just spread the legs open & stuff it in.
12.Do you think you'll be able to handle all these people at once?
13.I didn't expect everyone to come at once!
14.You still have a little bit on your chin.
15.How long will it take after you stick it in?
16.You'll know it's ready when it pops up.

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-11-23T07:32:00.002-06:00

Hello and welcome. Today I have with me author Christina James and giving away a FREE copy of her book, OPERATION: SPANK ME.

BLURB:
What begins as a sexy cyber affair quickly turns into the real thing when Lt. Finn Coleman shows up on Emma Shield's doorstep to fulfill all her fantasies. When Emma doesn't match the persona she presented online, he decides to seduce and discover the sensual woman who claimed she enjoyed spankings and bondage. But Finn is a career military man with a dangerous mission ahead. All Emma wanted was to live out her hottest fantasies with her luscious new pen pal. She felt safe pretending to be a wicked seductress with Finn a world away. Then he shows up, bigger than life and making even her wildest dreams seem tame. All too soon, Emma realizes that more is at stake than her heart and losing Finn is not part of the plan.

EXCERPT:
With quick movements, Finn cornered Emma, his large arms resting on the granite on both sides of her, locking her in place. “One kiss. Let me have one kiss, Emma, and if I don’t give you the best damn one of your life then you can throw me out of here faster than you can flip a flapjack. I’ll leave with no complaints.”
Her heart slammed against her chest, her breath came in short gasps. His woodsy, clean scent teased her nose until she closed her eyes and breathed him in deeply.
Her eyes flickered open to find his searching her face with hopefulness. “Like hell,” she scolded. “No complaints my ass. You’d rant and rave.” She stared at him. “One kiss,” she whispered.
Smiling, he bent his head slowly, his lips finding hers in a deliberate possession. Large hands moved to her ribs, his fingers digging gently into her skin, holding her against him. His tongue pressed against the crease of her lips, urging them to open. Giving in to his ministrations, Emma relaxed in Finn’s embrace, her hands combing through his short, spiky hair keeping his mouth joined to hers.
When his tongue dove into the warmth of her mouth, Emma lost her breath at the sheer magnitude of his power, his strong body dwarfing hers, his strength a protective shield around her. With devastating slowness, Finn’s tongue explored her mouth, trailing over her teeth, the roof of her mouth, pushing deeper to dance with her tongue in a fight for control of the kiss.

Man Candy Monday

2011-11-21T12:42:00.003-06:00

Oh heck yeah. Mondays are officially more fun. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. And yes, sometimes it's all about the eyes. Damn.

Leave your photo caption in comments. Mine: "I hope that smile means you're up to no good."

XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-11-16T09:54:00.006-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Kathryn Meyer Griffith, giving away a FREE copy of her book, WINTER'S JOURNEY, to one commenter.

EXCERPT:
The truck’s interior light spread across the darkness and for the first time she got a clear look at her Good Samaritan. Under the cowboy hat he was clean-shaven, except for a mustache, and had intelligent eyes that reminded her in the weak light of a wolf’s eyes. She’d met men with those same eyes before and they’d been dangerous in one way or another. His hair was shaggy and unkempt and curled at the collar of his shirt.
But he was smiling now, his smile as wolfish as his eyes, and he’d done her a favor and had been nothing but a gentleman with her.
“Anything I can do to help?” he asked.
“What I need,” she said, waving a hand at the raised hood and the engine after she’d picked up the flashlight she’d dropped from the ground, “is a doctor for my truck. It’s sick.”
The man took the flashlight from her, walked over and peered into the engine. His fingers traced along the metal parts, jiggling something here, something there. He seemed to know what he was doing. “Yep, looks like you need a fuel filter.”
“You’re pretty knowledgeable for a hitchhiker.” She forced herself to stop looking at him and his long legs and shifted her gaze to the buildings at the end of the lot. She’d been having strange thoughts about the man. When he’d come back from dragging off her drunken admirer she’d had the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him. Which was crazy.
Even now she kept sneaking peeks at him because she wanted to see his smile again. The feelings were so unexpected they took her off guard. She never reacted to a man this way.

Want more? Here's another EXCERPT:
“Yeah, yeah. I wish you were on this case instead of me, Hayden. It’s getting too weird. That trucker at the I¬-55 and now this. No apparent motives. Nothing stolen. No evidence left behind whatsoever. This is the work of a serial sicko if you ask me. I’ll talk to you later.”
Loretta gripped the edge of the table, trying to catch her breath.
Two more murders! A serial killer. Oh, no.
The rest stop on eighty-six was the same one Sam and she had been at earlier. Loretta remembered the red Volvo Semi with the open door. She frantically tried to make excuses, but she knew the odds of being at the scene of two related crimes in two days had to be infinitesimally small. What did it mean?
That Sam could he a killer.
You should run away now, Loretta. Get up, go out the door and drive off before Sam gets back. Leave him behind along with your fears that he’s the murderer.
Yet doubts filled her. They’d only been apart as long as she’d been in the bathroom and that hadn’t been more than fifteen minutes. Was that enough time to kill two people? She didn’t know. She didn’t want to know.
But why would Sam kill anyone? It made no sense. Only a deranged maniac would kill complete strangers like that. Only a deranged maniac.
The state trooper left and, stealing a peek, Loretta saw him push through the crowd toward the front of the diner.
She looked at the door. Sam would return any second. What was she going to do? She desperately wanted to talk to the trooper about the murders and try to get some information that would help her to decide. The officer would know more about the crimes than she did.
She was frozen like a bug in an ice cube. Her head warred with her heart. Was it worth it to be so wrong about Sam when being wrong could risk her life? What if Sam were a killer? Then why hadn’t he killed her, too? Unless he needed her and her truck to get away. What would happen when he no longer needed her? She didn’t dwell on that possibility.
Her eyes followed the state trooper as he halted at the cash register and spoke to a man in a stained apron who probably ran or owned the diner. The man’s face clouded up and his friendly grin faded as the trooper grabbed a wet rain slicker off a wall of other coats and fled. The diner’s owner knew about the new murders now, too.
The man in the apron hurried over to a waitress serving coffee to a bearded guy in a plaid shirt. The three of them huddled together, whispering.
At a nearby table, a thin woman with dull brown hair and too much make-up asked for more coffee and the waitress with the coffeepot bustled over. The two gossiped as the coffee poured, and after the waitress had gone on to another customer, the thin woman leaned over and yakked excitedly to another woman. There was murder in her eyes.
The bad news was spreading.
Loretta was poised to jump up and run to the other cop’s table when she caught sight of Sam working his way to her through the crowd. It was too late. There was no way she could get to the officer and ask for help before Sam got to her. She could run for it, but Sam was only a few feet away. She could see the fake empathy on his face, see his lying eyes above a killer’s smile that she’d been so foolish to mistake as being sexy. She knew that if she tried to run he’d come after her. Maybe he’d even kill her to keep his secrets.

Man Candy Monday

2011-11-14T07:33:00.002-06:00

Oh, making Mondays more fun. I just love this pic. Probably one of my favorites. Most likely it's the implication in his eyes. Leaves enough to the imagination. My caption this week: "I'm coming back to bed. Don't you worry." LOL. Leave your caption in comments.

XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-11-11T10:16:00.002-06:00

I love fall, almost as much as this week's Dessert Porn Friday recipe. Perfect for the holidays.

Pumpkin Cheesecake:
Beat one 8 oz package of softened cream cheese with 3 eggs, half a 15 oz can of pumkin pie filler, 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of ginger, 1/2 tsp of cloves, 1/2 tsp of all spice, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, and 1 cup of sugar. Blend well. Pour into a prepared pie crust and bake in a 325 degree preheated oven. About one hour, but watch after 40 mintues for cracking. It should jiggle just a tad when it's done, but not crack. Cool completely. Top with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting. Enjoy... or as I do, hoard for yourself. Refrigerate leftovers, if there are any. (Depending on your pie pan size, this may make 2 pies).

Share your recipes in posts. XO

We Have a Release Date!

2011-11-10T08:37:00.002-06:00

Hello! We have a release date and cover for the memoir I co-wrote. It's the story of how Milwaukee native, Nick Gugliatto, fell in love with and helped convicted murderer, Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek, escape prison.

Stop by the Facebook page and *like* for details.
You Never Have to Remember the Truth: The Nick Gugliatto Story

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TRAILER:

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-11-09T10:53:00.003-06:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Jenna McClure. Don't forget to comment because one lucky person will win a FREE copy of her book.

BLURB:
Environmental consultant Emmalyn Ashmore is outraged when she discovers the last minute replacement for the guest speaker at her annual conference is none other than Adam McLean, a cattle rancher, whose lifestyle represents everything she stands against.
Adam McLean has never met a more contrary woman. From the moment Emmalyn opens her mouth, he knows she's exactly the type of woman he doesn't need in his life - ever.
But Fate has other plans, and as the sparks fly, Emma realizes there's more at stake than conserving just the environment. She has to figure out how to conserver her heart, before she loses it forever.

EXCERPT:
It’s never good to make assumptions about people you don’t know,” Adam replied, throwing her words back at her.
She jerked her eyes to him, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Right. Sorry.”
Idly, he wondered if she was always this nervous, or if it was just him. Selfishly he hoped he had the same effect on her as she did on him.
“I know you’re a cattle rancher and all,” she started, “but I couldn’t let you leave without talking to you about your speech.”
He didn’t care for her opening words, but he liked her voice, so he concentrated on that. Besides, if he missed anything important, he’d ask her to repeat it. Over dinner, he mused as he continued to stare at her mouth. It was still moving, which meant she was still talking and he was still not listening, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Or so he thought.
Her lips stopped moving, snapped shut, then opened slightly. A brief, shrill whistle pierced the air. He jerked his eyes back to hers, and found her staring at him in angry disbelief.
If she didn’t look so mad, he might have laughed.
“Mr. McLean, were you listening to a word I said?”
Adam scratched his chin. “Sure. You said something about me being a cattle rancher, which I already knew, and then something about your impressions. But you kind of lost me after that.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “I was trying to talk to you about how misleading your speech was.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah? I must have missed that part.”
“I think you missed all my parts.”
“Trust me, I didn’t,” he drawled.

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-11-04T08:19:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday. This week's recipe is a great one for the Christmas and Thanksgiving season.

Bake a white cake mix in cupcake pans. Use cooking spray and not papers. When cool, cut off the rounded tops, seperating them from the bottoms. The tops will have a rounded look, the bottoms a flat one. Place them on a parchment papered dessert platter or individually on a plate. On the stovetop heat 1/2 cup of light corn syrup, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 cup of water until simmering and dissolved. Add a few drops of red food coloring and fresh/frozen cranberries. Stir well and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Place the saucepan in a bowl of icewater, but do not get the water in the candy-coating mixture you heated. With a ladel, pour the mixture over the cakes until coated. Cool in fridge for at least an hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Voila.

Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight & Giveaway

2011-11-02T07:42:00.003-05:00

Hello and welcome. Today I have with me author Debra St. John, who is giving away a copy of her book to one commenter. And just in time for the holidays.

BLURB:
Newly single, Heather Morgan gathers her courage and decides to take a Christmas ski vacation on her own. However, the festive holiday atmosphere reminds her how dispirited and alone she feels. When she meets a mysterious stranger, her lonely vacation take an unexpected turn.
Sam is at the resort at the urging of his brother, who thinks he needs to get out and have a little fun. Having no desire to get involved with anyone, Sam needs a way to get his brother off his back. The intriguing Heather seems like the perfect solution to his dilemma, so he makes her an offer she can't refuse.
Sam restores the joy of the season to Heather. Their time together is magical, something she'll never forget. Soon her feelings for him deepen beyond their romantic holiday fling. But Sam has a secret, one that could prevent the fantasy from ever becoming real.

EXCERPT:
Sam's gaze drifted up, and his lips quirked. “Well, this may help my cause.”
Heather's glance rose to the mistletoe dangling over their heads. Her gaze darted to his, briefly down to his lips, then back up to meet his again. When his gaze lingered on her mouth, a tiny hitch tightened her stomach.
“So, why do people kiss under the mistletoe?” he asked softly, his voice as mesmerizing as his eyes.
“I…I don’t know.” Her words were as breathy as they had been up on the mountain earlier. This time she couldn’t blame the altitude.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Something to do with Celtic tradition, isn’t it?”
A shiver slithered down her spine. “Maybe.” She’d be hard pressed to come up with her own name right now, let alone the ancient history of some plant.
“It’s a nice tradition, don’t you think?” His thumb brushed her cheek.
Her lips parted.
“Did I ever mention I’m a very traditional guy?”
She shook her head. A wave of dizziness washed over her as he leaned closer. Her surroundings blurred, until her vision narrowed to only his rugged features drawing nearer to her in excruciatingly slow degrees.
His mouth finally closed over hers as his hand splayed across her back to draw her to him.
OTHER BOOKS:

Man Candy Monday & Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T09:33:00.002-05:00

Man Candy Monday! And on Halloween too! Double yay!

My caption this week: "Oh, look who dressed up for Halloween. I need rescuing!"

Leave your captions in comments. XO

Dessert Porn Friday!

2011-10-28T09:04:00.002-05:00

Best Day of the Week. Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday.

Today I have alternates of chocolate cake for ya. In between a layered cake, or to top a sheet cake, try these variables to change it up:
Cheery pie filler, sliced strawberries with white frosting, crumbled oreos, whipped mousse vs frosting, fresh raspberries with white frosting, or cool fudge. Also, instead of using chocolate chips or such IN the cake, try mixing them in the FROSTING. Mint chocolate chips, butterscotch, PB. It's awesome!

Happy baking. XO

Win a Copy of My Book!!!

2011-10-27T08:08:00.002-05:00

Hey, pop on over to fellow author, Kellie Kamryn's blog to win a FREE copy of my book!
http://kelliekamryn.blogspot.com

See you there!

XO

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-10-26T07:58:00.003-05:00

Welcome again. Today I also have with me author Kellie Kamryn. Check out her book below and comment to win! Don't forget to follow!

PLEASURE ISLAND
BLURB:

Chelsea Hunter didn't come to the resort looking for sex. Jake Davis intends to change her mind. Will they be able to turn up the heat, or will their visit to Pleasure Island leave them cold?
After finalizing her divorce, Chelsea Hunter came to the resort island of Paradise for some peace and quiet so she could figure out what her next step would be. She hadn't expected to find herself at an exotic hotel dedicated to pleasures of the flesh. Too bad she doesn't want sex.
Jake Davis is back in Paradise after visiting a year ago when his own marriage fell apart. This time his fantasy is to guide a woman through her sexual journey. He hadn't counted on being paired with the only woman in Paradise who prefers privacy over pleasure!
Will Jake be able to discover what Chelsea truly needs, or will their journey to Paradise remain unfulfilled?

EXCERPT:

"This is a what?"
Chelsea Hunter couldn't believe her ears. An island resort dedicated to entertaining people's sexual pleasures? This isn't what she'd signed up for when reserving her room at the beautiful Caribbean locale. What the hell would people think if they found out she'd come here?
"I assure you that you're in the right place, Ms. Hunter," the blonde behind the reception desk told her.
Chelsea struggled to look anywhere but at the receptionist's chest, whose gigantic breasts spilled out of her red string bikini. "There must be a mistake. I reserved a room at Paradise Resort."
"This is Paradise, baby," drawled a smooth voice from Chelsea's left.
Chelsea turned, only to struggle again with where to look. There stood one of the most gorgeous men she'd ever laid eyes on. She'd guess him a few inches shy of six-feet, but his perfectly sculpted body totally made up for it. He may not have been tall, but the handsome factor was off the charts. Close cropped dark hair, midnight eyes, broad shoulders and chest without an ounce of body hair, tapered waist, and— Whoa. A zap of lust zinged straight to her core, and she dropped her gaze to his muscled thighs. That couldn't be real. Maybe his Speedo made it appear larger. She flicked another quick look. Damn… Wet heat rushed between her thighs.
Bringing her gaze back up to his face, she flushed at the amused sparkle in his eyes. She braced her hands on the reception desk, her wedding ring twinkling a bittersweet reminder as she leaned forward.
"There has to be some mistake," Chelsea pleaded. "I'm at the wrong place."

OTHER BOOKS:

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-10-26T07:44:00.002-05:00

Welcome. Today I'm hosting this book spotlight for a great gal, CK Webb, co-author of the riveting 911 Abduction series. Below you'll find info on the book and the blog tour. Be sure to follow the blog and comment to win!

BLURB:
COLLECTING INNOCENTS
THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE 911 ABDUCTION SERIES
Highway travel can be lonely and treacherous. Broken down vehicles litter the Emergency Lane like corpses on a battlefield. What if you were alone with no one to call when you found yourself stranded? Your only companion; your small child sleeping in the back seat. What would you do?
On I-10 in Louisiana the answer is simple… you use the Emergency Call Box. But, while you sigh a breath of relief in the knowledge that help is on its way, a much more sinister listener has heard your 911 call.
Calls for help are coming in from Emergency Call Boxes along I-10 in Louisiana. But when the State Trooper or wrecker service arrives to assist, there is no sign of the vehicle. Days later, the driver is found savagely murdered with no trace of their tiny passenger in sight.
When a police officer, formerly of the Aberdeen Police Department, sees a twisted pattern of murder and child abduction arising from 911 calls, he contacts Sloanne Kelly, now known for her work with child abduction cases. Together, Sloanne, Shawn Tyler and Mac Mackenzie, with the help of reporter Birney Sullivan, go on the hunt for a killer and the innocent children he is collecting.

“A harrowing, edge of your seat thriller, the frightening premise sucks you in, while the twists and turns will keep you guessing to the last breathtaking word.”
Richard Doetsch bestselling author of "Half-Past Dawn"

HOW TO WIN:
"Win an e-copy of both books in The 911 Abduction Series!!
Join us on The Collecting Innocents Blog Tour and enter for your chance to win CRUELTY TO INNOCENTS & COLLECTING INNOCENTS. Simply follow the tour & leave a comment on each participating blog or follow all the blogs on the tour to win. We will choose five winners on November 14th and each will recieve e-copies of BOTH books in the series!"

October 25th – Book review with S.S. Michaels at Slush Pile Hero blog at http://slushpilehero.wordpress.com

October 26th - Book blurb, cover & excerpt with Kelly Moran at Author Kelly Moran’s blog at http://kellymoranauthor.blogspot.com

October 27th - Book review from Melissa at Eulana at http://eulana.com

October 28th – Book review with Dolores Ayotte at A Woman’s Voice blog at http://doloresayotte.wordpress.com

October 31st- Internet radio interview with Tom & Lou Riddell at The Writer’s Lounge at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-writers-lounge

November 1st - Book review with Michelle Vasquez at Life In Review blog at http://lifeinreviewblog.wordpress.com

November 2nd - Book review with Jennifer at Can't Put It Down blog at http://readitreviewit.wordpress.com

November 3rd – Book review & interview with Kristi at Books and Needlepoint blog at http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com

November 4th - Book review with LuAnn at Reading Frenzy blog at http://lumorgan.blogspot.com

November 5th – Review of CRUELTY & COLLECTING with Mark P. Sadler at damnedinsatiablethirsteternallanguor blog at http://damnedinsatiablethirsteternallanguor.blogspot.com

November 7th – Book review with Paula at The Phantom Paragrapher blog at http://thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com

November 9th - Book review with Cheryl at Black Diamonds Book Reviews at http://blackdiamondsbookrev.fatcow.com

November 10th – Book review with Rebecca Georgson at Kindle Fever blog at http://rebgeo.net

November 11th – Book review with Mareena & Mary McGirr at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark blog at http://emeraldfiresbookmark.blogspot.com

November 12th – Book review with Melanie Vautour at Melanie’s Book Addition blog at http://melaniesrandomthoughts-melanie.blogspot.com

November 13th – Book review with Kendall Gutierrez at Telly Says blog at http://readingreadingandlife.blogspot.com

November 14th – Book review with Sandie at Booksie’s blog at http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com

Random book review with Caroline at Okbo Lover blog at http://okbolover.wordpress.com

Man Candy Monday

2011-10-24T07:54:00.003-05:00

Woo Hoo for Mondays. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. Don't forget to leave your creative photo caption. Mine this week? "Off! Yes, off!"

XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-10-21T08:02:00.002-05:00

Welcome to Dessert Porn Friday. Best day of the week.

Today, as you drool over the pic, we have Chocolate Mousse Pastries. And oh so easy to make.

Take one package of puff pastries (freezer section) and cook according to directions on box. While that is baking, make a box of chocolate pudding using only 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of whipping cream. When pastries are cool, remove that small circular piece on top to hollow it out. Fill with chocolate mousse. Beat another 1/2 cup of whipping cream until fluffy, or use Reddi Whip to top. You may sprinkle with cocoa or powdered sugar. Viola. Yumminess.

Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-10-19T07:45:00.002-05:00

Welcome. Today I have with me author Alana Lorens. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a FREE copy of her book, SECRETS IN THE SAND.

BLURB:
After a run of bad relationships, Lily Pearl Evans has finally become an independent woman. In the New Mexico desert town of Chaparral, she works for herself, sets her own rules, and is determined no man will hold her back again.
Gene Nicholas worked for more than a decade to achieve his dream to be a doctor. Wanting to share his gifts with those less fortunate, he leaves south Florida to volunteer for Doctors Without Borders in Mexico.
When Gene provokes a showdown with the local Mexican drug cartel, he becomes a man with a price on his head. On the run, he ends up on Lily’s doorstep--a mystery man forced to conceal his past to protect them both. With the cartel’s dangerous web drawing tight around them, can Lily and Gene survive a drug lord’s revenge?

EXCERPT:
Relieved to the point of weak knees to see the cartel hadn’t found the aging BMW yet, Gene walked around the car, imagining each of the bumps and scratches was new, caused by a malicious hand. But a forced objective examination showed him all was as he had left it. He’d even locked the doors.

Funny, he couldn’t remember doing that.

But then much of that trek in the dark, he simply didn’t remember. Since he’d ended up somewhere safe, it was probably just as well. He opened the door, at first, just far enough to wedge his shoulder in. To shove it the rest of the way open required a grunting effort to knock aside a pile of sand that threatened to swallow the car whole.

The phone was easily retrieved from the place he’d dropped it between the seats. He’d left it on, plugged into the car charger. He turned it off and pocketed it.

A survey of the car showed he’d left several bags and his laptop there as well. Good thing the cartel hadn’t come this far. The personal information on that hard drive alone could have nailed him for sure.

He slid into the driver’s seat and tried the ignition. A quick turn of the key brought up the dash lights and a fuel tank reading well below the E.

“Well, damn.” He got out of the car and looked back in the direction of the Club, thinking he must have been hepped up on full tilt adrenaline to stumble that far. Amazing.

He opened the fuel can, screwed on the funnel end, then started to pour. Lily came up behind him. While the gas glubbed slowly out of the can into the BMW, she peered inside at the detritus of his international life.

“It’s not pretty,” he said, with a sheepish grin. “Single man, batching it up, you know.”

“I think some of that’s taken on a life of its own. What is that green stuff on the floor of the back seat?”

He leaned closer to see what she was pointing at. “Not sure. Nothing a dose of penicillin won’t cure.”

Satisfied everything was copacetic, he stepped back from the car, studying the sand around the wheels. He kicked at the sand, making headway against the baby dunes that had piled up. He hadn’t seen a chain, or towbar in the bed of the pickup. How were they going to get the car out?

“You’ve got to let the air out of your tires,” she said behind him.

“What?” His expression must have revealed his shock, because she laughed softly.

“Not all of it. You want to broaden the surface of the tire on the sand. Here, like this.” She bent down and loosened the valve stem on the left rear tire, holding down the catch.

He took the left front, crouching near the tire to mimic her actions. “How long does it take?”

“A long time.” She grinned, her fingers still holding the valve open. “You’ve probably got to lose twenty pounds of pressure.” She glanced off in the direction they’d come. “We’ll have to stop and fill you up again back at the state line.”

“How do you know these things?” he asked, bemused. The Sassafras Social Club’s madam was certainly more than just a pretty face. Although he had to admit, even here, in the middle of a sand pit, without her makeup and fancy clothes, he found her a real knockout.

She shrugged. “You live in the desert awhile, you pick it up.” Her voice acquired an edge as she turned back to her task. “Unless you’d rather assume that the local tow-truck drivers whisper survival mantras for pillow talk.”

“I—No, I never assumed that.” And who would? What a strange thing to say…

He leaned back, stretching his legs in the unfamiliar position. Stiff from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, he missed his old bed and pillows in Florida. Even in Puerto de Anapra, the villagers had seen to it that he had the best they could scrounge up among those who could spare anything.

Grumbling that he was turning into a cranky middle-aged man, he narrowly diverted a cramp in his leg by standing up a moment. When he cleared the edge of the fender, he sensed a difference in the air. The wind had picked up, but the sky to the east had cleared.

He turned to look behind him, to the west, and a jolt of adrenaline tingled down to his feet. A giant cloud spread across the horizon, reaching a quarter-mile into the sky. The ocher color of the desert sand, the cloud billowed forth in all directions, heading right for the pair of them. He’d never seen a sight so terrifying.

Her face paled when she saw what he was looking at. She started off at a run for the truck.

Unsure what to do, he hesitated. The oncoming cloud swelled and swirled, billowing outward toward them like parachute material filling with forced air, constantly moving, growing. Mesmerized at the monster’s progress, he stood, slack-jawed, until the first pecks of sand stung his bare cheeks, the pain bringing him back to very present danger. The air darkened around him as a hissing filled his ears. His hands came up automatically to cover his face, and he backed into his car door, inadvertently slamming it shut.

“Come on!” Lily stood on the truck’s running board, yelling over the door. “Hurry!” The wind swallowed her voice, stole the words away, but her expression needed no explanation. He moved. He stumbled in the sand, three or four steps in before he got traction enough to run. The cloud came closer, enveloped him. Blinded, he held his arm across his face, fighting his way toward the place he believed the truck to be, where it used to be before the world shifted into chaos.

He’d been working in Miami when Hurricane Andrew devastated the southern suburbs, and that was his only experience that even approached this in terms of terror. The wind roared around him, the sand continuing to assault his skin, even worse than the onslaught of wind and rain Andrew had been.

His heart raced. What if this had happened the night of his border crossing? He imagined being lost in such an event, the sand scraping away exposed skin, filling airways with dust, slowly choking a person to death…

Book Review, MAKE MINE A BAD BOY

2011-10-18T08:22:00.001-05:00

Make Mine a Bad Boy,
By: Katie Lane

Author Katie Lane's interest in romance began in the backseat of a '65 Mustang. She's now married to the owner of said Mustang and has two grown daughters. She resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She enjoys golf, motorcycles, and traveling in her spare time. Her other title, Going Cowboy Crazy, preceded this book.

The bright lights of California did not shine so brightly on Hope Scroggs, so after sowing her wild oats, she returns to Bramble, Texas, to settle down. Finally ready to get hitched, she seeks out her high school flame, only to find out he married the twin sister she never knew she had. So what is a girl to do? Certainly not hook up with bad boy, Colt Lomax... again! But the attraction that once drew the former cheerleader and the freedom-loving biker together is brewing again, or rather, it never cooled.

Though I enjoyed the first book with the sister, Faith, it was more the town that drew me into that book. In this case, I found myself rooting for the characters and loving the hero. I also found the plot much more plausible and interesting this time around. Though a part of a series, this is a stand alone read. This is an author who knows the south, Texas especially, and puts you right there in the thick of the setting. The town, and slew of secondary characters, returns in this second book for a hilarious and sometimes heartwarming story of love, regret, and coming home again. Recommended.

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road

Man Candy Monday

2011-10-17T08:20:00.001-05:00

Yay for Man Candy Monday.

Don't forget to post your photo caption in posts. Mine? "Insert sword joke here."

XO

Dessert Porn Friday!

2011-10-14T07:58:00.004-05:00

Hooray for Dessert Porn Friday!

This week is Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Beat one 12 oz pkg of softened cream cheese with 2 eggs, 1 small can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 cup of sour cream. Pour into graham crust. Sprinkle top with small bakers chocolate chips, gently fold with a butter knife. Bake in 345 deg oven, on middle rack, for about 40-50 minutes. Do NOT overbake. May be a touch jiggly in the middle, but not liquid-like. Overbaking causes cracks. Cool completely. Serve cold with chocolate or raspberry sauce.

I have tons more cheesecake options. Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-10-12T08:48:00.003-05:00

Hello and welcome! Today I have with me author Michelle Hart. Don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE e-copy of her book, VIGILANT.

BLURB:
One surviving hijacker is charged with the murders of a hundred citizens.
One cop sees her innocence.
Alliance I-Marshal Weber hauls Yadira to her home planet and infiltrates the human-trafficking ring controlling her. But he finds himself unbearably attracted to his witness. A gift for detecting deception reveals she’s the next victim of a criminal industry.
Descending into shadowy worlds of slavery, Yadira endures a dark angel stalking her dreams and watches the quiet I-Marshal become dangerous in her defense. Everything about him moves her…except the memory of seeing him execute the most important man in her life. Shouldn’t she take vengeance? Delusions of a heavenly guardian affect her mind.
Slavers and demons plan to snatch her from Weber’s custody while he is uncovering connections, and Weber won’t hesitate to execute the guilty surrounding Yadira. Who but a son of fire can save her from fiends harboring hardcore fantasies of harming her?

EXCERPT:[This excerpt is rated PG-13 for action. The story is rated R.]
“What if I kissed you before a room of crooks and criminals?”
Goose bumps raced over Yadira’s flesh at contemplation of Weber’s passionate kiss anywhere, in front of anyone, at any time.
She just didn’t know why he would want to kiss her behind closed doors, as blackened with grievous offense as she was. She wished his sister hadn’t told her he could see guilt. She would’ve wept over the state of her soul, if he hadn’t been in the room.
But Weber was in the room, giving her flights of delight with his enticements and innuendo. She was supernaturally aware of his presence, closeness, and possible actions. His hands kneading hers slowed and stroked each finger, stealing a part of her mind.
“I’m available to fill your needs for the case, Marshal.” Her heart pounded in her chest.. “If it keeps me from prison.”
He smiled, pleased with her answer, his olive-green eyes alight in the sexiest way. Could his vision carry the power to blank her thoughts and still her actions? Perhaps it was a gift of the unusual gene the I-Marshals carried that made them special. It was a preposterous thought, but she began to think he was something extra-human. Wasn’t a law enforcement officer who saw guilt more than just a cop?
Were delusions of an angel prowling her subconscious messing with her mind?
She wondered how long Weber’s testimony of their being lovers would stay a lie. A firestorm of attraction raged through them. They sat together on a bed now, his hands intimately massaging hers and relaunching all the heat he commanded. He’d kissed her moments ago, programming her to respond to him. Her thighs were on fire. He stared at her lips now as though they were edible, sending her subliminal hints that he would kiss her a second time. The thought of his mouth on hers again… With this much warning, she had time to lose her breath, anticipate the softness of his lips, want him more with every passing second.
“Weber…”
“Yes, Yadira?”
“Have you sent an angel to watch over me?”
A loud bang rocked the room, startling them and breaking the electricity burning the air between them. Her question forgotten, they spun toward the hotel room door to see it had taken a strike to its metal so hard, it dented. She froze in fear.
“Oh, yeah, the Alliance,” the I-Marshal muttered under a sunken brow as though having forgotten some vital information to add to the night. He scrambled from the bed.
A second strike slammed into the security door with great force, denting its surface again. The lock was not yet compromised.
“Move, Yadira! They’ll be through the door in seven more strikes!”
Snapping herself from a terror-induced stasis, she burst from the bed, ran to and fro, looping the bag of clothes around her neck.
“Weber! Did you kill my guard?”
“No. I only kill the guilty. Your guard probably awakened in the room next door about five minutes ago.”
He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the shower room. There, he unlatched the small, highly placed window. It was the room’s only outlet for fire escape. Hotel guests were not prisoners.
Except for Yadira. She actually was a prisoner.
“Who’s coming through that door, Weber? And why?”
The window did not open all the way, so he ripped it from the metal frame, and he pulled in a knotted rope already hung outside for their escape.
“Probably, an Alliance SWAT team…or two, maybe some fed guys, a few overexcited locals. They’ll blow the door in a few seconds. The I-Marshals have taken me off the investigation, Yadira, and I’ve decided if they won’t release you from the case, I’m going to hide you from the Alliance. They aren’t happy with my plan.”
Yadira’s head snapped back to the sight and sound of new dents driven loudly into the room’s door. The noise of hovercraft blades warping the air blasted through the window.
He propped the room’s chair against the wall, assisting her climb to the high window.
“We’re on the fifth floor!”
“All you have to do is get out of this room. Take hold of the rope hanging out the window.”
Displeased with her catatonic speed, he snatched her up and put her atop the windowsill, feet first through the open window. She was about to scream bloody murder when she felt a knotted rope between her legs. She grasped it for dear life and leaned out of the building to assess their position.
The chaos was much louder outside the metal-plated room. Sirens shrieked, flashing lights blinded her. She saw the hovercrafts that belonged to the warp of blades she’d heard pivoting all around the hotel, their spotlights aimed on her and watching. How did they all get there so fast?
She turned to Weber behind her in the shower room, and snapped, “Aren’t I already under arrest?”
“Just climb onto the rope, Yadira, trust me.”
It was difficult to trust him when police on PA systems blasted, “Imperial Marshal Weber and Yadira Maxwell! Hold your position! You are surrounded! Do not attempt to escape!”
Trust him? The alternative was surrender.
Looking up the rope secured to the tube railing of the building, and seeing a variety of police uniforms aiming weapons at her, Yadira grasped the rope, put her feet on a knot, and wiggled off the window ledge, clinging to the rope and shaking. The red-and-blue flashing lights blinded her. The hard breeze set off by the hovercrafts whipped her hair across her face, stinging her. The sights and sounds of every law enforcement machine focused on her exit shocked her. She hadn’t known she was this important to the Alliance.
Or maybe capturing a rogue cop was this important. She guessed it was.
Weber climbed out of the window and onto the rope above her, and then he shimmied down to and around her, protecting her from crazy hails of rubber bullets or stunner rays. Cops with Tasers waited below the rope to take custody of them. Cops with stunners awaited atop the building. Cops in hovercrafts surrounding them, weapons sighting them, awaited any dangerous move. She’d never seen so many uniforms in all her life put together.
They’d never let her out of prison for this!
His big boots planted on a big knot in the rope below hers. “Turn on the rope and wrap your arms around me, Yadira!”
She looked around the hurricane they withstood, terrified. Emergency crews assembled below. Spectators were shooed away from witnessing their deaths or horrible mutilations when they hit the ground. Did the cops plan to plant a laser beam in the rope, melting the braid and causing their fall?
“What’s happening, Marshal? Why is all of Reigna’s force sighting us?”
“Ignore them.”
Her mouth dropped. “Ignore them?”
“I should have punched your guard harder. Put your arms around me!”
Surely, they’d fall!
“Trust me!”
She wrapped one arm around his neck, and let go of the rope with her other hand, hooking her arm beneath his to reach her other hand and locking them together. He trapped her against him with the rope, one hand gripping the lifeline above her. Sure she’d next tumble to her death or find herself behind bars, she watched Weber retrieve his palm comp with his free hand and type some numbers with his thumb.
Then Weber let go his grip of the rope, and she experienced the terrifying sensation of falling. It felt like they fell for minutes instead of the second it would have required for them to hit the pavement like melons.

Man Candy Monday

2011-10-10T06:29:00.004-05:00

Making Mondays fun again! Welcome to Man Candy Monday. As always, leave your creative photo caption in comments. My caption: "Oh, you look tense. Come on over here. I'll fix that!"

XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-10-07T07:46:00.004-05:00

Ah, yay! Dessert Porn Friday! This quick and easy recipe can be varied any way you desire, is low in fat, and the kids love it!

Mousse cups. Make one box of vannila pudding mix with 1/2 the milk they suggest, (1 cup I believe for small box)and 1/4 cup whipping cream. Suggest using an electric mixer. Will be a bit thicker than regular pudding. Slice strawberries and bananas. Spoon small amount of pudding into bottom of dessert cups. Add sliced strawberries and bananas. Layer with more pudding. Repeat. Viola. You may add whipped cream to the top.

Alternates: Use sugar-free pudding and skim milk for less calories. Use chocolate pudding with strawberries, or banana pudding with prailines and bananas, or try placing vanilla wafer cookies between layers...etc, etc.

Enjoy. Share your recipes in posts. XO

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-10-05T07:32:00.003-05:00

Hello and welcome! Today I have with me author Cara Marsi. Don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE e-copy of her book!

BLURB:
Lexie Cortese is in Rome to forget. The last thing she expects is to meet a sexy Interpol agent who suspects her of being part of a terrorist plot involving a stolen diamond. Suddenly thrust into a world of murders, muggings, and kidnappings, Lexie doesn’t know what to think—or who to believe.
Dominic Brioni’s assignment is simple. Befriend the American and bring her to justice. Only Lexie seems the most unlikely terrorist Dominic has ever met. Sweet, determined, and direct, she faces life with courage and fire, a fire that sparks his protective instincts and a longing for something more—something he allowed himself to hope for only once before.
But that woman betrayed him, and his boss isn’t about to let him forget it. With his career on the line and Lexie in danger, will Dominic learn to trust his heart before they both get killed.

EXCERPT:

Lexie had started to run to him when someone grabbed her arm, pulling her around. A man, his face hidden by a ski mask, held tightly to her. Her shock ratcheted to fear. “Let go,” she yelled, trying to jerk her arm away from him, but his grip tightened. The dim light from the balcony above illuminated his flat black eyes. She had seen those eyes before. Holy shit. She was in trouble. The masked man grabbed for her purse. She screamed, and with strength she didn’t know she possessed, whammed him on the head with her purse. He staggered back, swearing, and slipped and fell. Lights and freedom beckoned from the nearby Via Corsi, but all Lexie could think about was Dominic. Turning on her heels, she ran to him, slipping on the ancient stones herself as Dominic struggled to stand. But before she could reach him, the mugger caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder, twisting her around. Dominic sprang up and flew at the mugger, knocking him to the ground. The two men grappled, rolling together on the cobbled street. Lexie, her heart thumping wildly, looked for an opening to bean the mugger again, to give Dominic a better chance at overcoming him.
“Stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!” The mugger ended up on top, and she whaled away with her bag, getting in any shot she could.
Shouts and the slap of running feet vibrated through the alley. The mugger swore, jumped up, and raced away, a few men giving chase. Several others helped Dominic to stand, yelling in excited voices, and gesturing toward where their attacker had disappeared.
Dominic winced in pain. Lexie looked down at his ripped, blood-soaked pant leg. “Dominic, you’ve got to get to the hospital. You’re bleeding.”
“I’m okay,” he said. “It is nothing.” Brushing dirt off his jacket, he turned to the men and said something in rapid Italian. With nods, they strode away.
Breathing heavily, Lexie disagreed. “You’re not okay. We’ll get a cab and take you to the hospital.”
He cupped her shoulders. “I’ve been through worse. I’m fine. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m…” The full impact of what had happened hit her. The adrenaline that had given her strength suddenly dissipated and she began to tremble. “I’m not okay.”
“Lexie.” Dominic moved forward to take her into his arms. She held on for dear life, needing his strength. He rubbed his hand along her back. “It’s okay, Lexie. We’re both okay. You’re safe with me.”
She clung to him. It wasn’t her imagination. Strange things were happening. She had nothing anyone could want. She didn’t know who to trust. Dominic said she was safe with him. But was she really?

Man Candy Monday

2011-10-03T12:16:00.003-05:00

Ah, making Mondays more fun. Welcome to Man Candy Monday. Insert your photo captions in your comments. My caption: "Who needs food? Come back over here."

XO

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-09-30T11:03:00.003-05:00

Ah yes, my favorite day. Dessert Porn Friday.

This week's recipe is simple. Chocolate Marshmallow Sandwiches...

Beat 2 sticks of butter with 1 cup of sugar. Add 2 eggs and a tsp of vanilla extract. Add 2 cups cocoa and 1 tsp of baking soda. Mix well. Form tbsp size dough on a baking sheet an inch apart. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely. Take marshmallow fluff and spread onto the bottom of one cookie, add another cookie, bottom side down, to that to make a sandwich cookie. Enjoy!

Share your recipes in posts!

XO

"Arm Farm" Book Review

2011-09-29T07:37:00.002-05:00

Arm Farm
by Sarah Butland

BIO:
Sarah Butland is the author of three books for children, young adult, and adult. She is 28 years old and currently residing in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, with her husband, son, a dog named Corona, and cat named Russ. On any given day you can catch her reading books by Luanne Rice, Lesley Choyce, Stephen King and Dan Brown. She's also open to reading new authors.

BLURB:
"The text books discourage wild flights of imagination, but those in the field embrace them." From the title until we discover the identity of the unknown subject. Is an arm farm a place to grow arms, and is this about medical science and amputees and replacement surgery? Within five paragraphs we learn that it is not about growing arms and surgery, but a journey of both factual and person knowledge. Natalie walks through the field of forensics with the intent of discovering who did her parents wrong. Natalie is on her way to becoming s success but finds herself dwelling on her past. Will what happened to her so long ago ruin her chance at having her own life? Or will she overcome what has been happening to be able to let go of it? It's a long road for this young girl but she chose the path through the Arm Farm, just not with all the repercussions.

Sarah has a very unique writing style. The book is written very narratively, which normally gives the reader a detached feeling, but somehow doesn't in her case. The book is also very dialog driven, whether internally or verbally. Most interesting about the dialog is instead of verbalizing the important aspects of conversation to propel the plot, she internalizes that, and leaves the mundane for quotations. Very interesting. The only real faults I had for the book were that everyone seemed a little too supportive of the heroine, and things seemed to fall into place a tad too easily. This reads like a cozy mystery, and the author definitely did her homework on forensics. Recommended.

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road

Book Spotlight and Giveaway

2011-09-28T06:46:00.003-05:00

Welcome! Today I have with me author Melissa Studdard. Read below to check out her book, and don't forget to comment for a chance to win a FREE copy!!!

BLURB:
Meet Annalise of the Verdant Hills, one of the most delightful protagonists to skip through the pages of literature since Dorothy landed in Oz. Join Annalise and her two walking, talking wondersheep as they encounter more and more outrageous characters and travel to ever more outlandish places on their journey to discover interconnectedness in a seemingly disconnected world. Discover with them how just one person can be the start of the change we all need. Six Weeks to Yehidah is a book for all ages, for all time: wonderful, wacky, and full of truth!

BIO:
Melissa Studdard is a professor, a book reviewer at-large, a contributing editor, as well as the host of a radio interview program. Her writings have appeared in dozens of magazines and journals. She currently lives in Texas with her daughter and their four cats. For more information, please visit www.melissastuddard.com, or www.sixweekstoyehidah.com.

Man Candy Monday

2011-09-26T07:50:00.003-05:00

Oh yes. Making Mondays more fun. Here is this week's Man Candy Monday. Let's hear your creative caption comments. My caption: "He better be taking it off, not putting on!"

Dessert Porn Friday

2011-09-23T06:43:00.002-05:00

Hi All. Welcome back to another Dessert Porn Friday. Doesn't that look damn good?

My recipe for strawberry shortcake is simple. You may either use an angel food cake or yellow cake mix. Bake in two round layers or in a sheet pan. Slice fresh strawberries and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Let sit while the cake bakes and cools. Drain strawberries and pour over sheet cake, or insert between layers of round cake. For a frosting, soften one package of lard and beat with 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of cream. Spread over the top of cake or between layers. Viola. And Yum!

Add your recipe in comments!
XO

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL- Book Review

2011-09-22T07:59:00.002-05:00

Deal With the Devil
by Diana Duncan

Bio: When her dreams of becoming a ballerina were quashed by early-onset klutziness, bestselling author Diana Duncan took up the safer vocation of writing. Her first thrilling masterpiece—written in orange crayon—was titled “Perky the Kitten,” and became an instant bestseller with her grandparents. Her childhood growing up as a military brat gave her ability to leap into a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime…and she always discovers a new friend in the process. This gift of gab perfectly equipped her for a career that involves making stuff up. Di is famous for using seven words when one will do. She wields smart-assery like a samurai sword, and will be the first to volunteer in a catastrophe. Of course, she was probably the one who caused the catastrophe. She’s fiercely loyal to her friends and family…but in the event of the upcoming zombie apocalypse, she won’t hesitate to use them as human shields. She loves her job as an author, and claims writing is the most fun she’s ever had while wearing her sock monkey pajamas. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, and adopting abandoned curbside furniture to refurbish into treasures.

Blurb: Book One in the Devilish Devlins series: Paradise for software designer Cynthia Wagner means uninterrupted solitude to invent a brilliant video game, and save her job. But renovations on her city apartment force her to seek refuge in a temporary rental in the ‘burbs. The promised Paradise morphs into Purgatory when she meets her new neighbor, a deliciously tempting Irish rogue sporting a wicked grin and to-die-for body. Worse, the handsome bachelor has noisy, drooly, havoc-creating baggage on his hands for the summer… rambunctious five-year-old twin nephews, a baby niece, and the kids’ yappy dog. Rory Devlin is a dangerous distraction—and he’s hiding a naughty secret. Jackhammers and contractors would have provided more peace and quiet. Stuck in the Suburbs of the Damned with Mr. Uncle-Turned-Mom and his wild menagerie, Cynthia struggles to meet her deadline. But she struggles more with her undeniable attraction to her devlish-ous neighbor. Could it be that what Cyn has mistaken for hell is actually the heaven she’s been searching for?

Without issuing a spoiler alert, I feel that the conflict between Rory and Cynthia's parents should have been introduced, or at least hinted at, sooner. When it arose or was announced, I felt like there was no warning, making it feel like an addition instead of a storyline. Same goes for the antagonist, Joy. Though she was easier to see coming. I also felt that some of Cynthia's dialog and actions were unusual, giving the impression she was much younger than she was. In defense, she did grow up in a sheltered, privileged household.

In saying that, I don't think I've laughed so hard at an opening scene. And I've read a lot of books. A. Lot. Being a mother of twins boys, I smiled and shook my head several times at the nephews. Hilarious. Sass and wit just don't give Diana Duncan's writing style justice, but there it is. And what's not to love about a sexy Irishman next door? Honestly! I want one. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. 4 of 5 stars.

Kelly Moran,
Author of Summer's Road.

Giveaway and Book Spotlight!

2011-09-21T09:17:00.002-05:00

Hello and welcome back to the first FREE book giveaway and book spotlight since my maternity leave. Today I have with me Michelle Rodruguez, author of Opera Macabre. At the end of the day, a winner will be chosen to receive a FREE eBook copy of this book, so be sure to leave a comment.

BLURB:
Count Aiden de Lazarus has grown apathetic to the world around him and the monotony of immortal life. Determined to regain his zest for vampiric pursuits, he chooses a mortal girl and bites her with the intent to drain her. Instead, her intoxicating taste and enchanting beauty stirs feelings he has long buried. Scared by such mortal feelings, he gives her to another vampire as payment for a debt.
After eight long years, Bianca is still living a cursed life—singing on stage in Alexi's profitable opera and enduring the bites of the undead as part of his undercover auction when the stage lights dim. Doomed to become Alexi’s vampire bride, her future is bleak.
Aiden is horrified to find Bianca still alive and Alexi’s prized possession. Her image has continued to haunt him. Now he must find a way to free her from the life he unwittingly condemned her to and prove that he, unlike the vampires she has known, can be a man worth loving.

EXCERPT:
“Bianca,” he whispered provocatively near her ear, and felt her entire frame quiver in his grasp. With a wolf-like grin curling his lips, he bent nearer to that tempting pulse of her throat, but instead of biting her as he so ached to do, he grazed his lips against it, a feather light kiss, eliciting a soft, strangled gasp from her. Unable to help himself, he grew bolder in his endeavors and let the very tip of his tongue trail the same path.

Unwelcome and yet uncontrollable heat filtered through her body as it arched against him, desperate to get closer to that devil’s mouth. The voice in her head that should have been screaming at her to stop was only muttering fragments of musings, lost as well to the sensation, as she found herself unable to do anything but surrender.

Aiden burrowed his mouth against her throat, covering the sensitive flesh with seductive kisses. His tongue darted between his lips, teasing, tasting as she writhed fervently against him.

“Bianca,” he breathed again between kisses, “what is it that you want?”

“You!” she heard herself gasp out as though someone else had spoken.

“Oh? And what do you want me to do to you?” He gently nipped at her pulse, hinting at his desire, his hunger tearing at him to be satiated.

“Bite me… Oh, please devour me, Aiden!”

Man Candy Monday and Giveaway!

2011-09-19T07:38:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the first ever Man Candy Monday here on my blog. Last week I started Dessert Porn Friday. What goes better with books than sexy men and sinful desserts?

In celebration of these new yummies, I will give away a FREE hardcover version of my book, WHEN THE LEAVES STOP FALLING, to the person with the best caption to this picture. Winner announced later today. My caption? "Hey, I'm dirty too! Let me in!"

XO

Dessert Porn Friday!

2011-09-16T11:17:00.004-05:00

Hi All, and welcome back!

In addition to my author interviews/book spotlights and book reviews, which shall resume soon, (I promise!), I'm starting something new here on the blog. Dessert Porn Fridays and Man Candy Mondays. What two better things to go with books? Sexy men and naughty desserts. On Dessert Porn Fridays I'll feature a dessert and recipe, or ideas to add to your own similar recipes. On Man Candy Mondays I'll feature, well... you'll see.

So, here's the Dessert Porn Friday recipe and idea:

Caramel Apples:

On the stovetop, over a low heat, melt a bag of caramels. Kraft are the best. Stir constantly. You should add a few tablesppons of evaporated milk to the pan for creaminess. But, an alternative is adding amaretto and a pinch of cinnamon. So yummy.

Anyway, once heated and smooth, spear a mcintosh or green granny smith apple with a craft stick and dip/drizzle with the caramel. Place on wax paper to cool for 20 minutes.

Feel free to add your caramel apple ideas in the posts! Happy Friday.

Introducing...

2011-07-06T17:36:00.007-05:00

My third son, Ethan Clay Moran
July 4th, 6:26 a.m.
6 lbs, 11 oz, 20.5 in

I will be on maternity leave all of July and August. Reviews and interviews will resume in September sometime. THANKS! xo

Kelly Writes Nonfiction???

2011-06-28T07:16:00.006-05:00

Ah yes, that's right. You've all heard me talking about a nonfiction memoir I was contracted to write back in August. The publishing contract is signed and I can discuss it now. Title: YOU NEVER HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TRUTH. About: Nick Gugliatto's experience falling in love, planning the prison escape, and life on the run with convicted murderer, Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek. No release date yet, or book cover, but there is a Page on Facebook about it. Would love for you to pop over and "Like" it. Please "Share" too. More details as it comes about.
You Never Have to Remember the Truth: The Nick Gugliatto Story

Promote Your Page Too

Book Spotlight! Must Read!

2011-06-23T07:19:00.002-05:00

Hello All! My very good friend, NY TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Caridad Pineiro, has a new book in a brand new series coming out next week. For those of you who don't know Caridad, or if you haven't read one of her books, start now!

BIO: Caridad Pineiro is the author of over twenty-six paranormal romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. Her popular THE CALLING vampire series returns in 2012. Look for THE FIFTH KINGDOM, a romantic suspense from Carina Press in July 2011 and THE LOST, the first book in the new SIN HUNTERS paranormal romance series in July 2011. Caridad has also done the foreword for OBSESSED: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel which will be available in August 2011. For more information on Caridad, please visit www.caridad.com.

BOOK BLURB: Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .
Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She's drawn to his strength of mind and body; he's attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam's powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

PREVIEW HERE:
The LOST Paranormal Romance by Caridad Pineiro

BUY HERE:

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With author Sandra Crowley

2011-06-16T06:26:00.002-05:00

Welcome! I had the pleasure in interviewing author Sandra Crowley!

After reading the below interview with Sandra, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of CAUGHT BY A CLOWN.

This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning. You do NOT need an ereader to win. The book will be emailed to you and you can read it right on your PC, OR you can upload it to your reader.

BIO: A great deal of author Sandra Crowley's life she feels is similar to others. What might set her apart, though, is the number of times her family moved while she was young. That mobility bred a desire to see and experience more new places. Once she married, her husband's career often carried them across the country. They've lived in Colorado for a few years now, but when he finally retires, they'll be off again, visiting all their friends they left scattered across the United States, some as far north as Alaska or east into Puerto Rico. When their two children reached their teen years, Sandra seized the time to pursue interests of her own. She joined RWA and two local chapters. Those organizations' workshops, online classes, conferences, and contests (initially as an entrant, currently as a judge) help me improve my craft and create characters driven to danger.

Thanks for being here, Sandra. It’s a pleasure.
#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

You already know I love to travel. I also love animals and have had some sort of pet my whole life until we moved to our latest home. This house is too small for indoor pets and leaving them alone out of doors, especially at night, is dangerous. Colorado’s high country hosts coyotes, cougars, bear, etc. Although our far flung neighbors have dogs and cats I’ve befriended, my heart would break if an animal I was supposed to be caring for became predator food.
Talking about food...I dislike cooking, probably because I’ve cooked nearly every morsel that has passed my family’s lips for more years than I care to count. I’m an eat-to-live person not a live-to-eat. Food is meant to be fuel for our bodies, nothing more. Don’t get me wrong. I love chocolate although I’m allergic to it, or rather the caffeine in it. I appreciate a well prepared meal and the forethought, preparation and execution that go into them. I certainly admire women like Rachel Ray who can create in the kitchen; it’s a gift I do not possess.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway, CAUGHT BY A CLOWN?

My creativity comes out as words on pages. My romantic suspense novel, CAUGHT BY A CLOWN, is the first published validation of that talent. This fast paced, spicy book is about a spontaneous freelance journalist on a mission of mercy who finds herself entangled with a methodical undercover FBI agent out to settle a score.
Blurb: Stacie Monroe's spontaneity lands her in hot water again when her best friend's little brother disappears and Stacie trails him to a nudist resort. To get inside the exclusive oasis and convince him to return home, she must blend in, a move tailor made to shock her oh-so-proper family and renew efforts to bring her in line.
That's exactly what Special Agent David Graham intends to do when she interferes in his case. Yet, the soft-hearted temptress challenges his resolve, revealing the path to a love he thought impossible. Will that love survive when he betrays her in order to unravel the final twist in his case and convict a vicious killer?

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

Contest critiques of the book’s early versions were sometimes harsh, sometimes glowing. I took solace in the fact that judges were always passionate in their opinions. That meant I had reached them on an emotional level, which is a good thing! If someone were to read Stacie and David’s story and not care one way or the other how their journey played out, that would be the worse critique I could receive because I hadn’t touched that reader’s emotions.
However, I’ve been lucky since The Wild Rose Press released CAUGHT BY A CLOWN. It’s been reviewed 3 times and all were positive: 4 hearts each time from Sizzling Hot Book Reviews (http://bit.ly/h5E6OI ), The Romance Reviews (http://bit.ly/edxjWd ), and The Romance Studio (http://bit.ly/eETgHj ).

#4- We are both members of RWA and our local chapters. Would you recommend it to other aspiring romance writers and why?

I definitely recommend membership in RWA and a local chapter for aspiring romance writers, especially if they’re seeking publication! Wait. Let me revise that. I definitely recommend membership in RWA and a local chapter for aspiring romance writers! If they’re seeking publication, a goal which can develop unexpectedly, I believe it vital to be a member of RWA. Writing is a solitary endeavor--I am the one who must put down the words I choose in ways only I combine that form my unique style. Yet, writers need support. We need access to skills we can learn; we need opportunities to network with like-minded authors; we need exposure to changes in our industry. RWA and its local chapters provide these assets.
I do want to clarify that I don’t belong to a Colorado RWA chapter. The closest is a 5 to 6 hour drive for me. Utah is the same. However, with the aid of the internet, I still enjoy and benefit from the support of Yellow Rose, which is based in Texas. I’ve been a member for over 12 years--the last time we lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

I love reading all of Caroline Clemmons’ books, Jodi Thomas, Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood, Janet Evanovich, Stephen Hunter, and John Grisham.
As for a childhood favorite, that would be GONE WITH THE WIND. I read it straight through one summer weekend despite being caught each night with the flashlight under my sheet. Scarlett captured my imagination. I was not the belle of the ball; I was too shy. I didn’t have hundreds of friends; we moved almost as quickly as I met other kids. I didn’t have the courage Scarlett possessed in her convictions, although I discovered through her journey that much of that stemmed from her self-centeredness, a valuable lesson for a girl on the verge of womanhood.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I’m currently working on revisions my editor wanted before I send her the full manuscript of RACE AGAINST TIME. This story is linked to CAUGHT BY A CLOWN through Brad Burkholt, David’s fellow agent who helps him protect Stacie and her best friend’s little brother.
Your readers can find me and CAUGHT BY A CLOWN at my website www.sandracrowley.com and my blog, Driven 2 Danger www.driven2danger.blogspot.com

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thank you for inviting me here. I appreciate the opportunity to join you and your readers. Time is precious; spending a few minutes with y’all is an honor. I wish each and every one of you the best of luck in all your endeavors.

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With Author Brenda Whiteside

2011-06-09T06:24:00.002-05:00

Welcome. I had the pleasure in interviewing author Brenda Whitside.

After reading the below interview with Brenda, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON.

This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning. You do NOT need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed to you and you can read it on your PC, or upload it to your reading device.

BIO: Brenda has been writing all of her life in one way or another from the captions on her childish artwork to teenage psychedelic scrolls to her current novel. After publishing several short stories, she turned to writing novels. Regardless of the length of her story, the characters drive her forward, taking her on their journey of discovery and love. Her life is blessed with three creative soul mates. Her son, a singer/song writer, lives in a far off western town in the pines. She lives in Minnesota, a nature wonderland that captured her heart seventeen years ago, with her husband, an excellent photographer, and their dog Rusty, who creates joy (and is the smartest dog in the world).

Thanks for being here, Brenda. It’s a pleasure.

It’s a pleasure for me to be here, Kelly. You have a classy blog.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Is there anything outside my writing? Joking of course, but writing eats up most of my time. I am glad to see the snow disappearing here in Minnesota. My bike has cobwebs, and I’m looking forward to hitting the trails. We’ll probably do more hiking than riding so Rusty can go with us. The other kind of riding I enjoy is on the motorcycle. We have some friends that we like to take long rides with during the warmer months. Summer also brings gatherings on the deck in the backyard or at restaurants on lakes. I belong to the St.MinneSomePlace in Paradise club that raises money for charity, but we do plenty of socializing. And I like to “dig in the dirt” as my husband calls my gardening.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about your book in this giveaway, SLEEPING WITH THE LIGHTS ON?

My heroine is outside the norm for romance novels. Sandra is fifty, been divorced twice and still not settled in a career. She’s involved with a quirky millionaire when ex-husband number two comes back into her life for suspicious reasons. He’s a gorgeous county western singer from Las Vegas who she never got over. When it rains it pours for Sandra – she has a secret admirer and a voluptuous redheaded stalker hot on her trail, a promotion at work but an exciting job offer and her sister’s marriage appears to be on the skids. We know it’s romance so we have the happy ending, but there’s an unexpected surprise at the end.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I’ve not had to deal with any negative reviews. I had one review that gave me an average rating, but I pulled the good points out and ran with those. I do have to say, before I published, more than one person told me I shouldn’t write in first person. I admit I let that bother me and tried changing to third person, but it just didn’t work. You have to go with your gut, and I’m glad I did.

#4- Does your dog--the smartest in the world-- and your husband--the excellent photographer-- inspire any plot ideas?

Not directly. There is usually an animal in most of my stories, but Rusty hasn’t made an appearance yet. Maybe he should! My husband has been helping me plot my current WIP. He is a voracious reader of suspense and mystery, and I’m beginning a mystery series.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

Ha – you are making a big assumption there! I get about fifteen minutes before I turn out the lights at night. And I love to read. There has only been one author that I’ve read all of his novels and that was Dick Francis. My mother-in-law was a horse woman and she bought me my first Dick Francis novel. His books were so easy to get into for me, nothing too deep, and pure entertainment. From my childhood, I loved Charlotte’s Web. And from my youth, Wuthering Heights, My Little Women, Jane Eyre and the Lord of the Rings books.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I don’t have the contracts in hand yet, so can’t say. I can tell you, I have a short about a blind date gone crazy, a contemporary western novella and a full length historical YA (with a crossover appeal for older audiences) that I am hoping are published in the next six to eight months. Here’s hoping! My web site is www.brendawhiteside.com. In the next few weeks, I’ll put up some blurbs from them. And be sure to sign up for my ‘announce only’ newsletter while on my site.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thank you, Kelly. I’ve enjoyed it. Referring back to one of the questions you asked me, I’d like to hear from our readers what authors are they hooked on. I know there have been a couple of authors whose books I thought I would never tire of but did. So what authors do you never get tired of reading?

FREE eBook Giveaway- Interview With Author Rhiannon Ellis

2011-06-02T06:12:00.002-05:00

Welcome. I had the great pleasure in interviewing friend and author, Rhiannon Ellis.

After reading the below interview with Rhiannon, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook of BONDED IN BRAZIL.

This event runs Thursday through Saturday. You do NOT need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed directly to you and you can read it on your PC.

BIO: Rhiannon Ellis lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their two children. She is also the proud stepmom of a preteen. When Rhiannon isn't writing, cleaning house or chasing her kids around, she can most often be found curled up with her e-reader or social networking. She and her husband enjoy visiting casinos, are avid followers of politics, and are devoted fans of Wisconsin's basketball team--the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thanks for being here, Rhiannon. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Outside of writing, my days are like those of most moms who have young children at home. I clean, cook, avoid doing laundry and clean some more. I love spending time with my kids and look forward to quiet evenings with that sexy bald guy I’m married to.
In addition to writing books, I also blog, tweet, waste tons of time on Facebook and contribute to a fabulous website—MomsEveryday.com.
I work out off and on, but after turning 30 in February, I decided to go on a Super Sexy in 2011 mission to prove to myself (and my husband, haha) that 30-something is definitely the new 20-something. Aside from several instances of pulled muscles, it’s going well.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about your book in this giveaway, BONDED IN BRAZIL?

I’d love to! Bonded In Brazil was an absolute delight to create. I combined a sensual, feisty Brazilian heroine, an exotic vineyard setting and a little intrigue to come up with a story that’s fun and sexy. Here’s a brief description:
Family is everything …
A few missed loan payments, and a family of Brazilian vintners stands to lose the fruits of four generations of labor. To save the business, devoted daughter Eliana Menino strikes a deal of her own to work off the family debt in service to the man she calls demonio—devilishly handsome private investor Hale Forester.
More than she bargained for …
Uprooted from her childhood home in exotic Brazil to work for Hale at his sprawling Napa Valley estate, Eliana soon realizes that the ruthless man who can make or break her family has a secret past … and the power to break her heart.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

So far the reviews have been great—keeping my fingers crossed—but critiques have been plentiful. I’ve used beta readers, writer’s groups and editors to comb over my work, and nothing is ever perfect. I’ve come to a point, however, where I welcome suggestions because I truly want to improve. My goal is to entertain readers, not bog them down with my writing weaknesses.
I expect to receive negative reviews at some point, or lukewarm thoughts at the very least. I can’t say this will make me happy, but I’m a reader, too. I get it. Not every book is meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

#4- Love the cover. What was it like working with your publisher, Camel Press?

Thank you! I really like the cover, too.
Everyone at Camel Press has been fantastic. Catherine Treadgold is a diligent and detailed editor. I believe working with her has made me a better writer. Bonded In Brazil was the second novel I wrote and my first attempt at romance. I was grateful to have an editor really dig in, eliminate the rough spots and enhance the better ones.

#5- The Bucks, huh? Pfft. And what about those Packers and Brewers? What else do you enjoy in your spare time?

Well, we love our Packers, that’s for sure. Hubby is a fan of the Brewers, but I just haven’t been able to catch baseball fever yet. It took me a while to get into football, too, so maybe there’s still hope.
Spare time…what spare time? Gosh, I live way out here in rural Wisconsin, far from family and friends, which means it’s just us and the kids most of the time. On the rare occasion hubby and I get out, we enjoy casinos, basketball and football games, shopping (yes, I married a shopper!) and quiet dinners.
The kids and I visit our local library often and go for walks. The winters are long so we do tons of crafts and play indoor games. I’ve gotten pretty good at hide-n-seek, if I say so myself.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I have two books out now, including a sexy paranormal romance novella, and both are displayed on my website.
www.RhiannonEllis.com
My agent has a new manuscript in her possession, and even though Bonded In Brazil stands alone as a single title, the new book features some of its minor characters as major players. I’m very excited about it, and anyone who enjoys Bonded In Brazil should definitely check it out when it’s available to see how Eliana and Hale are doing after they get their HEA.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thanks so much for having me, Kelly! I hope I get to meet some new friends today and give away a free digital copy of Bonded In Brazil. Keep reading and writing, everyone, and don’t be a stranger.

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With Author Loreen Augeri

2011-05-26T07:19:00.002-05:00

Welcome! I had the pleasure in interviewing author Loreen Augeri.

After reading the below interview with Loreen, don't forget to leave a comment because one person will win a FREE eBook copy of TORMENTED HEARTS.

This runs Thursday through Saturday. You do NOT need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed directly to you and you can read it right on your PC.

BIO: Author Loreen Augeri lives in Massachusetts with her husband of twenty-nine years and two daughters. She is a member of RWA and the New England Chapter. When she is not writing or working in the town library, she enjoys reading, walking, and spending time at the beach.

Thanks for being here, Loreen. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…
Thanks for having me on your blog today. I would say my life is pretty ordinary. I’ve been married for twenty-nine years and have two children. I like to read and go the beach in the summer. I walk year-round for exercise even though I live in the northeast where the winters are frigid. Most people babysit, but I dogsit for my daughter’s dachshund puppy during the day. I also have a parakeet that knows how to fly but hasn’t learned how to land.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about your book in this giveaway, TORMENTED HEARTS?
Tormented Hearts is a historical romance published by The Wild Rose Press and the blurb and excerpt are below.
Blurb: The world of Brett Armstrong, the Earl of Tremont, collapses when his wife and unborn child die. Determined to punish himself for the part he played in their demise, he turns his back on society and retreats to the country. Hard, physical labor during the day and mind-numbing gin at night help to keep at bay the demons that threaten to devour him. Until Catherine Hammond creeps into his world. Not wishing to resurrect his dormant emotions and the resulting pain, Brett struggles against the sensuality she exudes and battles to defeat his rising desire.
Abused by her aristocratic husband, commoner Catherine Hammond flees from his cruelty. Her hope is to hide and create a new life. She vows to never again associate with the upper classes that have heaped unbearable pain upon her family. Escaping without funds, Catherine is forced to work as a servant in the Earl of Tremont's household. His tantalizing, amorous advances ignite a fire within the cold regions of her heart, but she refuses to fall in love with a man who may destroy her.
Excerpt: As she stalked past him, his fingers grazed her shoulder to halt her. A sizzling warmth pierced her skin and swirled throughout her body. Catherine restrained the gasp that fought to break from her lips. She’d prayed the sensations she experienced last night resulted from the lingering effects of the dream and lack of sleep, but they seared her again.
Brett jerked his hand back as if she scalded him, and it hovered in the air above her shoulder. Unsure, she turned to him. The pulse in his temple beat at a frantic rate, and the muscles in his jaw clenched. It affected him, too. She delved deep into his eyes, and the turmoil that appeared to tear him in different directions caught and captured her.
She yearned for the heat of his fingers to engulf her again, to feel his body pressed against hers like last night, the whisper of his breath on her cheek, the exquisite thrill of not being alone. Her gaze fell to his appealing, moist lips. Not thin and dry like Lord Wallingford’s.
Brett leaned toward her and then withdrew. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed before he cleared his throat. “You can stay here with him.”
She blinked as the strange immediacy to be embraced faded away. What had she been thinking? She never wanted another man to touch her. Ever. Especially not one of his station.
From Long and Short Reviews:
Tormented Hearts is a wonderful story with memorable characters, an engaging plot, and enough heart to ensure you won’t want to stop reading.
To read the full review http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/tormented-hearts-by-loreen-augeri.html

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?
This is my first book, and I haven’t received any negative reviews yet. I will feel hurt if I receive one, but I know reading is subjective and not everyone likes the same thing.

#4- I love your cover. How was your experience with your publisher, The Wild Rose Press?
The Wild Rose Press is a great publisher to work with. They are quick to answer my questions and my editor was terrific. When I queried them and then sent the full manuscript, they told me when they would get back to me and they were true to their word. The other TWRP authors are very friendly and supportive.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?
I like Johanna Lindsey’s and Catherine Coulter’s earlier historicals, Brenda Joyce, Sabrina Jeffries, Candace Camp, Lynsay Sands, Shannon Drake, Teresa Medeiros, Julianne MacLean, Monica McCarty, and Joanna Bourne to name a few.
My childhood favorites were Nancy Drew, Call of the Wild, Black Beauty, and any other stories that had horses in them.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?
I don’t have any releases coming out in the near future, but I have two manuscripts I am working on and an idea for a third. My website is www.loreenaugeri.com. You can find buy links and more about me and Tormented Hearts on my website. I am also on Facebook and Goodreads.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?
If you are working toward something never give up because if you do, it will never happen. I tried to get published for eight years before I was offered a contract for one of my stories.

Book Spotlight!

2011-05-26T07:02:00.003-05:00

Cruelty to Innocents:
The 911 Abductions
by
CK Webb & DJ Weaver

Who’s abducting children from 911 emergency scenes?

What if you were in your car alone with your small child and you came upon an emergency scene? Would you stop to help? What if, while you are trying to assist a victim of an accident or mugging, you left your young child alone in the car, thinking he or she would be safe. What if, instead of help, the call to 911 brought a terrifying, sinister result?

Someone’s abducting children from 911 emergency scenes in Aberdeen Maryland, while their parents call for help and lend aid to accident victims. Someone who’s also listening in, is a monster and vicious child abductor. In the midst of the chaos and confusion of the scene, that monster slips in and steals the innocent children leaving behind no trace for authorities.

Sloanne Kelly is unprepared for what awaits in her hometown as she travels back to Maryland. Her goddaughter is one of the victims and the clock is ticking. Together with her best friend and a local fireman, Shawn Tyler, Sloanne will face the most insidious of criminals and fight to recover the children before there is anymore, Cruelty to Innocents.

BUY HERE:

SMASHWORDS: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62133

BARNES & NOBLE: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cruelty-to-Innocents/CK-Webb/e/2940012588043/?itm=1&USRI=cruelty+to+innocents

INSIDE, by Brenda Novak, Book Review

2011-05-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

Review For:
Inside, by Brenda Novak
ISBN: 9780778329930
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)

It was a horrible experience that jump-started New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Novak's career-- she caught her daycare teacher drugging her children to get them to sleep. Deciding she needed to work from home, she penned her first novel, and has been a household sensation ever since. Other titles include: Trust Me, Watch Me, Stop Me, Dead Silence, Dead Giveaway, Dead Right, The Perfect Couple, The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Liar, and Mother, Please. She also heads an annual fundraiser for diabetes research every May. Brenda resides in Sacramento, California with her husband and five children.

This is book one in the Bulletproof trilogy, with In Seconds and In Close coming later this year. Though part of a trilogy, these are stand alone reads.

Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn't commit, but now, he's going back in. The California Department of Corrections needs someone to infiltrate a gang that's taking control of its most notorious supermax. He has no choice but to help. The gang he joined in order to survive prison the first time is threatening his only family-- his sister and her two kids. Authorities offer to protect them, so if he doesn't do it, they'll be dead. Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams is not happy about her superiors plans to bring Virgil in her prison. Though something has to be done about the gang, this reeks of failure. Failure that could kill the man she's suddenly having feelings for. A man who has already suffered enough.

Just when I thought Brenda Novak couldn't get any better, she does. This book breaks ground on a premise that is beyond unique. I wondered how she was going to pull this off in a romantic suspense, but she did, and made it plausible. The amount of detail and research it took to write a book about being "inside" must have been staggering. I'm left haunted and pained by prison life after reading this. The conflict was impenetrable, the romance hot, and the characters' stories heart-breaking. This isn't highly recommended, it's a must read!

Kelly Moran,
author of Summer's Road.

GOING COWBOY CRAZY, by Katie Lane, Book Review

2011-05-24T10:48:00.001-05:00

Review for:
Going Cowboy Crazy, by Katie Lane
ISBN: 9780446582780
Publisher: Grand Central (Hachette Book Group)

Author Katie Lane's interest in romance began in the backseat of a '65 Mustang. She's now married to the owner of said Mustang and has two grown daughters. She resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She enjoys golf, motorcycles, and traveling in her spare time. Her other title, Make Mine a Bad Boy, comes out in June 2011.

After her parents pass away, Faith Aldridge heads to Bramble, Texas, the only place where she can find answers. In search of Hope, the twin sister she never knew she had, Faith finds more than she bargained for. The small town thinks she is Hope, finally home at long last from her escapades in California. Worse, the town is determined to get her "reacquainted" with Hope's high school sweetheart, Slate Calhoun. But Slate's no fool. He knows that Faith might look like Hope, but Hope never had his blood heating the way her twin does. Now he's determined to keep this twin in his bed and out of his heart. What no one knows is that the real Hope is heading home with her own designs on Slate. To avoid heartache, both Faith and Slate must give in to what the heart wants, before the lies become truth.

I wasn't sure about the premise for this book when I began reading. This was either going to be roll-your-eyes over-the-top, or laugh-your-ass-off hilarious. I'm leaning toward the latter, with the only exception being the town's reaction to Faith. Though the town and its occupants were the driving force behind the book, and it's most endearing quality, I had a hard time believing their reaction to Faith, and their response once Hope did return home. I also had a hard time believing Slate and Faith's motives regarding the truth, even though Faith would gain the answers she was so desperately hoping for.

In saying that, this was quite a delightful and entertaining read. There were some moments of pure heartbreak too as we learned more and more about Faith's past. It begs the question, can you come home again if you never knew home? The author has a great knack for setting, plunging you into cowboy country deep in the south and making you feel like you're there, right down to the slang and y'alls. Recommended. 3.75 stars.

FACE OF DANGER, by Roxanne St. Claire, Book Review

2011-05-24T09:18:00.002-05:00

Review for:
Face of Danger, by Roxanne St. Claire
ISBN: 9780446566575
Publisher: Grand Central (Hachette Book Group)

Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling author of twenty-four novels of suspense and romance. In addition to being a four-time RITA nominee, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, several Awards of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and multiple Gayle Wilson Awards of Excellence. Roxanne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Market Communications from UCLA and completed several post-graduate courses in Marketing Management at Harvard University. Prior to launching a full-time career as a novelist, Roxanne worked as a television actress and news reporter, appearing in Bosom Buddies and Laverne & Shirley, and hosting a regional news program in southern California. She then launched a career in public relations and marketing, including seven years as a Senior Vice President for Hill & Knowlton, one of the world’s largest communications firms. Roxanne joined the Romance Writers of America in 2000, held a board position in her local chapter and is currently active in three chapters in her home state of Florida. Other titles include: Hunt Her Down, Make Her Pay, First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die, and Hit Reply.

Private investigator Vivi Angelino started the Guardian Angelinos security firm, and her new assignment could financially stabilize the company, or bring it down. Vivi loves living life on the edge, but stepping into a starlets shoes to bait a serial killer is a bit much, even for her. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colton Lang follows all the rules, and isn't above trying to stop Vivi in her latest mission. Yet when they learn the client may be involved up to her eyeballs in something far worse than bad acting, they must work together to bring down a calculating killer with nothing left to lose.

This is book three in the Guardian Angelinos series, with Edge of Sight and Shiver of Fear coming before. Though part of a series, these are all stand alone reads. Though I read and loved the other books in the series, this one is my favorite. The sexual tension between Vivi and Colton in previous books made me eager to jump in this one, and it didn't disappoint.

With a touch of "Miss Congeniality" thrown in, this was both humorous and intriguing. It was hilarious to watch skateboard-wielding Vivi get decked out to double as a movie star. And to watch Colton finally give in. The bantering between these two was phenomenal, and the mystery behind the killer and the family was captivating. Highly recommended.

Kelly Moran
Bookpleasures

I Need Your Vote!!!

2011-05-21T06:26:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

If you are online this weekend, please pop over to this website for a sec and
vote. My new book, SUMMER'S ROAD is up for Book of the Week at LASR, (Long and
Short of It Reviews). They did a really nice review too. If I win, I get a week
of promo free. I don't know if you can vote multiple times or just once.
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/index.htm

THANKS!
Kelly Moran
XO

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With Author Jennifer Jakes

2011-05-19T08:11:00.004-05:00

Welcome! I had the pleasure in interviewing author Jennifer Jakes.

After reading the below interview with Jennifer, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE copy of her eBook, RAFE'S REDEMPTION.

This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning. You do not need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed to you and you can read it right on your PC.

BIO: After trying several careers - everything from a beautician to a dump truck driver- author Jennifer Jakes finally returned to her first love, writing. Maybe it was all those Clint Eastwood movies she watched growing up, but in her opinion, there is no better read than a steamy western historical. Married to her very own hero, she lives on 15 acres along with 2 beautiful daughters, 2 elderly horses, 2 hyper dogs, and 2 spoiled cats. During the summer she does Civil War re-enacting and has found it a great research tool, not to mention continued appreciation for her microwave and hot water heater.

Thanks for being here, Jennifer. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…
Hmmm. Well, my made-up worlds are much more interesting than me. LOL But let’s see. I live in Missouri. I love Mexican food. I think the most fun vacation I ever had was taking the Amtrak to Arizona, then a car tour from the Grand Canyon down through Sedona to Phoenix. Oh, and I love frozen coffee drinks.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about your new book in this giveaway, RAFE'S REDEMPTION?
It’s an erotic western historical about an ex-army captain who rescues a woman from her a bad situation. My blurb says it a lot better than I can.
He rode into town to buy supplies, not a woman.
For hunted recluse Rafe McBride, the raven-haired beauty on the auction block is exactly what he doesn't need. A dependent woman will be another clue his vengeful stepbrother can use to find and kill him. But Rafe's conscience won't let him leave another innocent's virginity to the riff-raff bidding. He buys her, promising to return her to St. Louis untouched. He only prays the impending blizzard holds off before her sultry beauty breaks his willpower.
She wanted freedom, not a lover.
Whisked to the auction block by her devious, gambling cousin, and then sold into the arms of a gorgeous stranger, outspoken artist Maggie Monroe isn't about to go meekly. Especially when the rugged mountain man looks like sin and danger rolled into one. But a blizzard and temptation thrust them together, and Maggie yearns to explore her smoldering passion for Rafe.
But when the snow clears, will the danger and secrets that surround Rafe and Maggie tear them apart?

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?
I think everyone has a right to their opinion and if my style of writing isn’t for them, that’s OK. Everyone enjoys different types of stories.

#4- Clint Eastwood, eh? LOL. Any plans to write in another genre?
Nope. I am totally enthralled by the Old West and the American Frontier.

#5- Civil War re-enactments. I'm intrigued. Do tell...
It’s a lot of fun. My husband portrays an artillery man for the Union Army and I portray an Army Laundress. I had no idea until I started my research that some wives followed their husbands as such, but I found a great photo of a laundry woman with her Army husband (and their 3 children) from the Civil War and I’ve tried to base my portrayal on that photo. The woman could make around $12+ per month for the laundry services – her meals, tent and medical care were “perks”. A Private in the Army was paid about $13 per month. So the couple from the picture was probably making $25+ a month for their family. If they managed to live through the war and save most of that, they had a nice savings to take home.
Of course I found some interesting articles about single women laundresses who made extra money on the side – or “nature’s way” as some of the soldiers called it. That’s why a letter of good moral conduct was required from the commanding officer. But that didn’t stop the world’s oldest profession from continuing behind closed tent flaps.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?
I have a couple of works in progress but those are listed on my website along with more historical info and some Man Candy.
Here’s the address: www.jenniferjakes.com

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?
I just want to thank you for having me here today and wish the readers good luck in the drawing.

REPOST: Free Book Giveaway-Interview With Author Paty Jager

2011-05-13T13:37:00.002-05:00

OKAY, welcome back. Unfortunately, due to Blogger making upgrades, the post from yesterday with Paty Jager is gone. Please recomment, and we'll rerun this interview with a one book giveaway until Saturday morning.

BIO: As a wife, mother, grandmother, and the one who cleans pens and delivers the hay, award-winning author Paty Jager has brought her husband of thirty-one years to maturity, along with four children on 350 acres. She not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it. Paty has been a member of RWA for twelve years, belonging to several online chapters as well as EPIC, and Central Oregon Writers Guild. She has nine published romance novels. Five historical westerns, two contemporary westerns and two paranormal historical westerns.

Thanks for being here again, Paty. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…
I help my husband raise calves from thirty head of cattle, and hay sixty acres. We built the house we currently live in and didn't get divorced. Which many people said would happen. After spending ten years as a 4-H program assistant and twenty years as a 4-H leader, I now travel around the state judging 4-H home ec exhibits and contests.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about your new book in this giveaway, Spirit of the Lake?
Spirit of the Lake is the second book in my spirit trilogy. Wewukiye (Way-woo-key-ya) the hero is a Nimiipuu(Nez Perce) spirit. When not in his man form he is a bull elk who lives in Wallowa Lake. He is the antlered creature of the lake that is in the Nez Perce legends. The heroine, Dove, is a Nimiipuu maiden who tries to end her life because the leaders and her family refuse to listen when she tells them a Whiteman they believe is a friend raped her and she is carrying that child. Wewukiye believes her and offers his support to not only help her get through the pregnancy but to prove the Whiteman's deceit. While they are on this journey they fall in love but know it is hopeless for them to be together given their two different worlds.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?
When I receive a negative review I vent to one writer friend who uses me in the same way then I forget about it. It's one reviewer's opinion. I've read books others raved about and didn’t see the same thing they did so I don’t let it tweak me for long. If one of my critique partners mentions something that quivers my hackles, I set the information aside and think on it. Then I go back with a clear head and see if they had a valid point.

#4- How was your experience working with The Wild Rose Press (publisher)?
The Wild Rose Press has been a wonderful place for me to get my books out to the public. I've had years of agent and editor letters saying loved it but. Wild Rose Press was willing to take a gamble on me from the first book I submitted to this paranormal trilogy set among Native Americans.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?
Lately I've been making up for not reading as much as I would have liked the last few years. I enjoy reading romance but I also enjoy mysteries. And that's why I add a little mystery into my books. So lately I've been reading a lot of mysteries. Elizabeth Dearl, Jessie Crockett, and Terry O'Dell have been my latest mystery/suspense reads. Romance, Lauri Robinson, Amanda McCabe, and Liz Talley. My favorite books from childhood were Nancy Drew Mysteries, anything by Marguerite Henry, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Walter Farley Black Stallion books.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?
Spirit of the Lake is my current release.
Two generations after his brother became mortal, Wewukiye, the lake spirit, prevents a Nimiipuu maiden from drowning and becomes caught up in her sorrow and her heart. Her tribe ignores Dove's shameful accusations—a White man took her body, leaving her pregnant, and he plans to take their land.Wewukiye vows to care for her until she gives birth, to help her prove the White man is deceitful and restore her place in her tribe.
As they travel on their quest for justice, Dove reveals spiritual abilities yet unknown in her people, ensnaring Wewukiye’s respect and awe. But can love between a mortal and a spirit grow without consequences?
You can find my historical western series and the first book int eh spirit trilogy at my website: www.patyjager.net

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?
I'm starting a blog tour on May 18th running through May 29th. The person who visits the most blogs during the tour will win a sweatshirt, autographed copy of Spirit of the Lake, and cowboy chocolate. To follow the tour go to my blog: www.patyjager.blogspot.com

Thank you for having me Kelly!

SEALed FOREVER, by Mary Margret Daughtridge, Book Review

2011-05-07T08:51:00.000-05:00

Review for:
SEALed Forever, by Mary Margret Daughtridge
ISBN: 9781402246197
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Author Mary Margret Daughtridge is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, with a BA in speech communication and an M.Ed. in speech pathology and audiology. Her alter ego, MM Holloman, is a landscape artist with her paintings displayed in corporate and private collections. Other titles in this series include: SEALed With a Kiss, SEALed With a Promise, and SEALed With a Ring. Mary resides in North Carolina where she was born and raised.

Fourth installment in the SEALed series: While in the middle of an undercover CIA mission at an air strip, Navy SEAL Lt. Garth Vale finds a sick abandoned baby on a plane. His superiors don't want to know about it, and Garth fears for the baby's safety. The only person who can help is the new small town doctor in town, Bronwyn Whitescarver. Bronwyn left the fast-paced ER setting for a quiet medical practice, but when gorgeous Garth shows up she knows quiet is anything but what she'll get. Garth's story doesn't add up, and it would appear he's willing to put her medical license on the line to keep his secret.

There were a few things about the book that bothered me. First, after a brief re-encounter, Garth falls in love (at second sight) with Bronwyn. For a hard-core SEAL whose team called him Darth Vader, he was really soft. The logic and pacing were fast from his point of view, in my opinion. Second, after having this realization, Garth sets in motion a plan to get Bronwyn to fall madly in love with him in return. Nothing crazy or major, but little things added up to big things: purposely not wanting to fix her AC, setting up cameras to catch her "ghost" so she'd want to move all over the country when he returned to full SEAL status. It made him somewhat unlikable. Third, the way the story "wrapped up" seemed too easy for a case that should have had way more repercussions.

None of these things detracted me from reading, and for the most part, I enjoyed the book. The small town setting was perfect, and I love Southern stories. The array of secondary characters (other SEAL members and Bronwyn's friend) really made this book pop, along with the mild humorous tones. I really like the mild paranormal angle as well. 3.5 of 5 stars.

Kelly Moran
Bookpleasures

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With Author Elaine Cantrell

2011-05-05T08:14:00.002-05:00

Welcome! I had the pleasure in interviewing author Elaine Cantrell.

After reading the below interview with Elaine, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of RETURN ENGAGEMENT. You do NOT need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed to you where you can read it on your PC. This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning.

BIO: Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina. She holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from Clemson University and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America and EPIC authors. Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest and was published in 2004 by Oak Tree Books. At present she teaches high school social studies. In her spare time she enjoys reading, collecting vintage Christmas ornaments, and playing with her grandchildren.

Thanks for being here, Elaine. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Outside of my writing career I’m a social studies teacher. Right now I’m teaching world history and geography, but I have done sociology and American History. I have some really nice students this year. Two of them are taking a creative writing course, and I’ve promised them I’ll feature their short stories on my blog. I have a new dog, Rascal, who’s a rescue dog. They told us Rascal was retarded, he couldn’t be housebroken, and he was aggressive. We disagree with all three of those statements. He’s thriving with us, but he does like to chew on things. We have to be sure he has a steady supply of rawhide bones. I’m also anticipating the summer. My sister who lives in Alaska will be spending the summer with me. Since I live in South Carolina we don’t see each other very often.

#2- Can you tell us about your book in this giveaway, RETURN ENGAGEMENT?

I’d love to. Out of all the books I’ve written, I love Return Engagement the best. I’ll give you the long blurb of the book instead of the short one.

Elizabeth Lane has heard the call of the four most seductive words in the entire English language: what might have been. Would you risk everything you hold dear to find out what might have been? That’s the choice which Elizabeth has to make.
Elizabeth is lucky, for she has it all, money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he’ll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago he broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won’t be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she’ll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I think about the critiques long and hard. Sometimes an author is just too close to the book to see weaknesses. If I think the criticism is valid, I’m happy to change my work. As far as negative reviews are concerned, I let them slide off my back. You can’t please everyone. I would like to brag, if I may. Romantic Times gave Return Engagement 4 ½ stars and said, This touching story is beautifully written and explores the emotions involved when two people who love each other are influenced by outside forces and their own doubts. Each character is fully developed and the plot is filled with interesting twists.

#4- You are also a teacher. Any plans to write for that market, like Young Adult?

No, probably not. I love my students, but it is nice to focus on adults once in awhile.

#5- Please tell us about your hobby collecting vintage Christmas ornaments. It sounds fascinating...

It is fascinating. The vintage ornaments don’t look like modern ornaments. I think they’re more exuberant, more joyful than modern ornaments. My own collection dates from the late thirties to 1970. I think the ones from the 1950’s are my favorites. The shapes please me, and so do the colors. I have two plastic Rudolphs that just scream 1950 when you see them. I also have some elves from Japan whose little faces will steal your heart. When I was a child, my mother had one pink ornament on our tree. I just loved it, but I had no idea pink was used so extensively for Christmas ornaments until I started collecting. Pink was huge! I now have several pink ornaments in my collection. If you’d like to see the collection on the tree, check out my Facebook page in the photos section. Look under the album Vintage Christmas Tree. That page is http://www.facebook.com/elainecantrell

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I have one book just out from Astraea Press. It’s called A New Dream, and it’s available at http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=2676585
I also have another release coming from Lachesis Press. By the time this interview airs it may be out. I think the name is Kara’s Second Choice. I say think because we’ve re-named that book a dozen times.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes, I blog several times a week at http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com, and I’d love for you to check it out. It would also be great if you’d subscribe to my newsletter. You can do that by going to my website at http://www.elainecantrell.com and clicking the Yahoo button. It’s near the bottom of the first page.

I’d also like to thank you, Kelly, for letting me come and talk to you and your readers.

Book Review-THE DARKEST LIE, by Gena Showalter

2011-05-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

Review for:
The Darkest Lie, by Gena Showalter
ISBN: 9780373774616
Publisher: HQN (Harlequin)

Author Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of more than twenty-four novels. Other titles in this series include: The Darkest Night, The Darkest Kiss, and The Darkest Pleasure. She also writes in contemporary romance and young adult.

In this sixth installment in the Lords of the Underworld series, we follow Gideon, Keeper of Lies, and Scarlett, Keeper of Nightmares. Gideon, who falls to his knees in agony whenever he speaks truth, can recognize any lie when spoken, except from Scarlett. When his team captures Scarlett, she claims she is Gideon's long lost wife. Except Gideon has no memory of her. Even more interesting, they share an identical tattoo which seems to point to Scarlett being right. He may not remember Scarlett, but his demon wants her, and so does he. On a race to find the truth, their enemies draw closer, and so does the truth, no matter how hurtful it may be.

I've followed this series from book one and Gena cannot write these fast enough for me. They are addictive in a very naughty way. I've been dying to get to Gideon's story, wondering how she was going to write out an entire book on a guy who has to speak in riddles to avoid truth. Oh, bravo. Well done. The reading was smooth, the dry humor present, the heat scorching, the understory deep, and the conflict spot-on. As I kept reading, wondering which was truth and which was lie, every chapter made me question everyone and everything. The only thing that felt off to me was this seemed a touch more sentimental than the other books.

Kelly Moran
Author and Reviewer

FREE eBook Giveaway-Interview With Author Liz Arnold

2011-04-28T08:21:00.003-05:00

Welcome! Hope everyone had a happy Easter. I had the pleasure in interviewing author Liz Arnold!

After reading the below interview with Liz, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of MESSAGE TO LOVE. You do NOT need an ereader like Kindle or Nook to win. The book will be emailed to you and you can read it right on your PC. This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning.

BIO: Liz Arnold has been publishing non-fiction, poetry, and fiction for 25 years. She is a mother, wife, teacher, and writer. She resides in West Virginia with her family.

Thanks for being here, Liz. It’s a pleasure.

Like wise. Your blog is beautiful!

#1--Can you tell us a bit about your book in this giveaway, MESSAGE TO LOVE?

Happy to!
MESSAGE TO LOVE
LIZ ARNOLD
THE WILD ROSE PRESS
www.thewildrosepress.com
Blurb:
Audra Wakely’s father has been seized by Spanish authorities and imprisoned for sympathizing with Cuban rebels. Raising the money to bribe officials if necessary, she sets off for Cuba to rescue her father. She doesn’t bargain on the interference of any U.S. officials—that is until she meets Rollins McBride.
Lt. Rollins McBride of the newly designated U.S. Naval Intelligence service is assigned to track Audra on her journey. He’s to arrest Greg Wakely, a U.S. citizen, for treason and gun smuggling. His mission and his heart are taken by surprise by the feisty beauty who sets a stubborn path toward finding her father and proving he isn’t a traitor—no matter what or who gets in her way.
Sizzle, spice, and intrigue heats up the Spanish American War in MESSAGE TO LOVE.
Excerpt:
“It was a dream, just a very bad dream.”
She stepped back out of his hold. Clammy spots of moist heat lingered on her arms where his hands had been.
“I’m all right now.” Audra reached for the door and noticed the sickly sweet odor of liquor on his breath. “You can leave now. I want to go back to bed.” She pulled open the door and gestured into the hall.
“Sorry, but this time you’re going, too.” Rollins strode over to the dresser and pulled out a drawer. “Better pack. We have just under two hours.”
“I’m not in the mood for comedy, Rollins,” she sighed. “I’m really very, very tired. I’ve got to get some rest. Now—”
“Let me make myself clear.” He sounded gruff. “I said we’re leaving, and unless you want to get on a ship bound for Santiago with your shirttails hanging out, better change and get ready.” He made to leave the room. “I hope you have a shawl or something. It’s gotten cooler out, and we have half an hour in a wagon to get to port.” Then he vanished into his own room next door, leaving Audra gape-mouthed in the hallway.
“Who does he think he is?” She growled as she stamped her foot against the cold hard floor. “Infuriating! He is absolutely infuriating!” Audra heaved the door shut with gusto. “These are not my shirttails, either!”

The Wild Rose Press buy link (print and digital)
http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=495&zenid=5211e46f5b21103c2a01fe5c9b8df3ee

#2- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

Honestly, I haven’t received anything terribly negative for MESSAGE TO LOVE. It received seven out of ten stars from The Stephanie Loves reviews.
http://thestephanieloves.blogspot.com/search?q=message+to+love
And it received a favorable review at Just Reviews as well!
Reviews are good exposure and a good way to see your work through other people’s eyes, but the comments are theirs. They’re entitled to their opinions. The opinions of others don’t impact whether I write or not, it helps me see things more clearly.

#3-- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

My blog is the happening place! I love visitors and comments and I’m always open to guests.
http://www.lizarnoldbooks.wordpress.com

#4- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

I would love to mail readers a free ribbon book mark for MESSAGE TO LOVE! Send me a postage paid #10 envelope with your address on it and I will mail it out right away!
P.O. Box 1322, Parkersburg, WV 26102.1322

Hoppy Easter Hiatus

2011-04-21T07:05:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone!

There will be no author interview/giveaway this week due to Easter. So I just wanted to say Hoppy Easter and see you next week!

XO

FREE Book Giveaway-Interview With Author AJ Nuest

2011-04-14T07:49:00.002-05:00

Welcome! I had the pleasure in interviewing author AJ Nuest.

After reading the below interview with AJ, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE copy of her book, JEZEBEL'S WISH. This event runs Thursday through Saturday morning, and winners are restricted to the U.S. or CAN.

BIO: Author AJ Nuest lives in a small farming community in Northwest Indiana with her loving husband and two beautiful children. She is the author of two contemporary romance novels.

Thanks for being here, AJ. It’s a pleasure.

Thank you so much for having me, Kelly. The honor is truly mine.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

As the Mom of two young kids, as well as assisting my husband with our work-from-home business, my time is pretty limited. We own about three acres of land, so during the summer gardening and landscaping is a high priority. Other than that, I’m cook, seamstress, laundress, school volunteer, chauffeur, tutor, cheerleader, nurse, fix-it man, and professional cuddler.

#2- Can you tell us about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration came from?

Jezebel’s Wish originally stemmed from an idea to base a story at my Mom and Dad’s 40acre horse ranch in Northern Wisconsin. That part of the country is so beautiful, filled with unspoiled wilderness, and I knew it would provide an amazing canvas for my story. Jezzy is in the midst of a horrible tragedy, and returns home seeking an escape. What she finds there is help and healing, despite her efforts to keep everyone at a distance. She’s holding onto a dark secret, and this causes a lot of tension throughout the story. When her past is finally revealed, the emotional impact is really nice. I recommend reading the story within arm’s reach of the tissues.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I could say I handle them like a mature adult. That negative feedback doesn’t bother me and everyone has their own opinion. But that would be a big, fat lie. I usually stomp around for a few hours, cry, call my Mom -- who listens with the patience of a saint -- and tell her all about what so-and-so said about my writing. Then, I clean. This purging generally takes about four hours, but afterward I’m calm enough to return to the computer, re-read whatever criticism I’ve received, and digest the information. If a review is bad, I try to glean some pertinent tips for my next WIP. If the criticism comes from a critique partner, I weight my options, consider character development, and then generally make changes accordingly.

#4- Any plans to write in a different subgenre of romance?

I’ve got one manuscript under consideration at The Wild Rose Press in the Champagne line, and another WIP at an inspirational house in Minneapolis, so yes, I write all subgenres. Actually, my next three planned novels are a fantasy, a romantic suspense, and then a bit of a period piece. I bore easily, so each time I craft a story I need to “up the ante”. My first two novels were written in third person, but my current WIP, Flicker, is written from first person POV, and the chapters flip through time. My next challenge will writing from two perspectives, and then several, and then maybe I’ll go back to third person again, just to mix things up a bit.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

I MAKE time to read. There’s no GETTING about it. If I don’t read, I won’t grow as a writer, so it’s a priority for me. As a kid, I read whatever I could get my hands on. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Nancy Drew Mysteries, Laura Ingalls Wilder are the ones that stand out, but I wasn’t fussy. Anything worked really. I would go to the library and pick out whatever book struck my fancy. My tastes now generally lean toward fantasy - Tolkien, King, Asimov, Goodkind. I adore Jacqueline Carey and Lois McMaster Bujold. Last summer I read The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman, which I loved, and right now I’m reading The Name of The Wind by Patrick Ruthfoss, which is outstanding. Seriously, I have to pace myself because I can’t put the book down. I’m still that kid that goes to the library and picks out whatever book strikes my fancy. However, since becoming an author, I find I’m a little pickier. If the story doesn’t grab me within the first few pages, I don’t continue.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I’m so, so, SO excited that Jezebel’s Wish is releasing this month from The Wild Rose Press. I love to hear from readers. Please contact me anytime at:
www.ajbooks.blogspot.com
ajnuest@yahoo.com
www.twitter.com/ajnuest
Facebook Page: Tattered Pages

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Just a big thanks to Kelly! It’s been a pleasure being here!

Book Review--ETERNAL RIDER, by Larissa Ione

2011-04-10T11:09:00.002-05:00

Review for:
Eternal Rider, by Larissa Ione
ISBN: 9780446574495
Publisher: Grand Central (Hachette Book Group)

New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione grew up reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz. She began her writing career with horror and fantasy, but soon learned to love romance. She is able to combine her two loves into one genre- paranormal romance. She also writes under the pen name Sydney Croft. Titles include: Seduced by the Storm, Sin Undone, Ecstasy Unveiled, Passion Unleashed, Desire Unchained, Hot Nights Dark Desires, Unleashing the Storm, Wet Dreams, Snow Bound, Riding the Storm, Flesh to Fantasy, and Shadow Play. Her title, Pleasure Unbound was named Best Paranormal Romance of 2008 in the First Annual Reviewers Choice Awards at Romance Novel TV. She was born in Oregon, but resides now in Virginia.

This is the first installment in the Lords of Deliverance series, following the five books in her Demonica series. The second book, Immortal Rider, is due out in December 2011. Though these books are part of a series, they are stand alone reads, and the author does a great job of explaining previous events so readers can catch up or jump right in. However, I recommend reading the rest of the books.

Four siblings, the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, were born in a match between good and evil. Known as the Lords of Deliverance, they have the power to ward off Doomsday, or let it ride. Ares' brother, Reseph-- guardian horseman for the seal of Disease-- has just fallen. Ares knows as the protector of the seal for War, should he fall, Armageddon will happen. He also knows he can't fight his destiny forever, especially now that his brother has turned evil and plots against him. There is one hope. Gifted like other mortals aren't, Cara Thornhart is the key to Ares safety and his destruction. Ares doesn't want to involve Cara, especially not with the heat and passion now consuming them, but he has no choice. Staving off eternal darkness for all mankind may also have a staggering cost-- Cara's life.

I've enjoyed Larissa Ione's books for some time now. Jumping into paranormal romance can be jarring, but she creates worlds unlike anything you've seen. This book, as her others, has a glossary of terms to refer to if you should get stuck. I was wondering where she was going after I heard of this new series following Demonica, but I'm glad for the ride. The back story for both main characters was surprising and interesting. That, and the great secondary characters, added dimension and depth. Larissa also has an exceptional talent for setting, putting the reader right there without thinking about it or trying to figure it out. Sexy characters, a demon realm, end of days-- what's not to love?

Kelly Moran,
Bookpleasures

Book Review--SHIVER OF FEAR, by Roxanne St. Claire

2011-04-10T09:47:00.002-05:00

Review for:
Shiver of Fear, by Roxanne St. Claire
ISBN: 9780446566599
Publisher: Grand Central (Hachette Book Group)

Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling author of twenty-four novels of suspense and romance. In addition to being a four-time RITA nominee, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, several Awards of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and multiple Gayle Wilson Awards of Excellence. Roxanne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Market Communications from UCLA and completed several post-graduate courses in Marketing Management at Harvard University. Prior to launching a full-time career as a novelist, Roxanne worked as a television actress and news reporter, appearing in Bosom Buddies and Laverne & Shirley, and hosting a regional news program in southern California. She then launched a career in public relations and marketing, including seven years as a Senior Vice President for Hill & Knowlton, one of the world’s largest communications firms. Roxanne joined the Romance Writers of America in 2000, held a board position in her local chapter and is currently active in three chapters in her home state of Florida. Other titles include: Hunt Her Down, Make Her Pay, First You Run, Then You Hide, Now you Dies, and Hit Reply.

This is the second book in the Guardian Angelinos series, with Edge of Sight coming before, and Face of Danger to be released soon. Though this is part of a series, these are stand alone reads.

Former FBI agent Marc Rossi wants back in the investigation game, and joining his cousin's fledgling security and investigation firm, The Guardian Angelinos, seems like the right place. His first assignment could make or break the new firm, so he agrees to do his job as swiftly and without complications as possible. Heading to Northern Ireland, his mission is to extract information from a missing socialite and get her out of there. But the ice queen turns out to be a warm and beautiful woman--a woman with a mission of her own. As the daughter of an infamous fugitive, Devyn Sterling wants to find her biological mother and hopefully find the connection she never had with her adoptive parents. But her mother may just be one of the bad guys. When their investigation uncovers lies, secrets, and international terrorism, Devyn and Marc must trust in each other to survive.

I had the pleasure in reading the first book of this series, having loved the almost Beauty and the Beast quality to it. This second book did not disappoint. Full of twists, danger, and heat, this book was powerful. Set in Ireland, I loved the language, landscape, and culture the author created. It puts you right there. As before, the secondary characters and the family unit were a great addition. Having two characters with such diverse versions of family and diverse pasts made for a dimensional and satisfying read. Highly recommended.

Kelly Moran,
Bookpleasures

Book Review--THE SWEETEST THING, by Jill Shalvis

2011-04-10T08:29:00.001-05:00

Review for:
The Sweetest Thing, by Jill Shalvis
ISBN: 9780446571623
Publisher: Grand Central (Hachette Book Group)

USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis has penned more than three dozen romance novels. She is a three-time RITA nominee and three-time Readers Choice winner. Other titles include: The Trouble With Paradise, Smart and Sexy, Kissing Santa Claus, Instant Temptation, Slow Heat, Storm Watch, Jinxed, Out of This World, Just Try Me, and Get a Clue. She resides in Lake Tahoe.

This is book two in the Lucky Harbor series, with Simply Irresistible coming before it, and the third book, Head over Heels, coming in December 2011. Though these books are part of a series, they can be stand alone reads. Anything needed to know about the plot in previous books is explained for new readers to catch up.

Two men are one too many... After her life majorly crashes and burns, Tara Daniels has no choice but to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington, where she once spent a wild, hot, and heartbreaking summer visiting her mother. Now running a restored Bed and Breakfast with her two half-sisters in the house her mother once owned, she finally feels like she has a plan for her new life and is regaining some of her control back. Except a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor from her past has other plans. Plans that involve the two of them rekindling the passion they once shared so long ago. But Ford isn't her only problem. Oh no. Her very sexy ex-husband has shown up in the small town to win her back. These men are two things she can't control, and three is a crowd. And when her deepest secret reappears, Tara is forced to confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she looks close enough, she just might find it right where she is.

I had the pleasure in reviewing the first book in this series, and though I loved it, it would appear these books only get stronger and more intense as the series goes on. I cannot wait for Sawyer and Chloe's story in the last book.

This is an author who knows her conflict, knows how to produce heat, and knows how to invoke powerful emotions-- all while having you gasping with laughter. Not an easy task. The setting in a small resort town was perfect, filled with an array of secondary characters you can't help but love. I love the bantering between the three sisters, very unique and very diverse in their personalities, clashing at every turn. Most of all, this book in particular displays just how haunting the past can be, and just how difficult it can be to overcome it. Highly recommended!

Kelly Moran,
Bookpleasures

FREE eBook Giveaway- Interview With Author Sharon Noble

2011-04-07T08:52:00.002-05:00

Welcome! I had the great pleasure in interviewing author Sharon Noble.

After reading the below interview with Sharon, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of VELVET AND TOPAZ.

You DO NOT need an e-reader like kIndle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed and you can read it right on your PC. This event runs through Saturday morning.

BIO: Sharon received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Colorado, and placed her first novel, AUTUMN DESIRE, in that locale. After graduation, she took a teaching position at the University of Winnipeg, in Manitoba, Canada where she taught in the Theatre Department for several years before moving to Toronto, Ontario where she met her husband, a Canadian actor. After working in theatre, film, and television for a number of years, they moved to California. They now live in Los Angeles where they're enjoying a break from the cold Canadian winters. She teaches English to new immigrants, and they maintain a household of dogs rescued from various shelters. Her second novel, PASSION'S DESIGN, is set in South America, and her third, VELVET AND TOPAZ, takes place in England.

Thanks for being here, Sharon. It’s a pleasure.

Thank you for inviting me. I'm absolutely delighted to be here.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Hmmmm, where to start. . . I'm really quite ordinary. I grew up in the American South, with limited exposure to other cultures. But when I moved to Canada, my horizons widened exponentially after we bought a house in a culturally-diverse neighborhood. I think that was the trigger for my teaching English as a Foreign Language. I very much enjoy meeting people from other countries and learning about how their cultures differ from my own. My husband and I love Argentine tango, and we go dancing as often as we can. I practice yoga randomly – when I can get to a class. I can't do it at home because the dogs think I want to play, and they sit on my belly. Oh, yes, I'm a chocolate addict and can go through a box of Godivas in about three days. I play the piano badly and not very often. I don't like gardening, but I love a beautiful flower garden. Luckily my husband enjoys all horticultural activities, so I reap the benefits of his labor. I read voraciously, and my favorite genres are thrillers, spy novels, romances, and anything to do with English/Scottish/Irish history. I just finished The White Queen by Phillipa Carr. It's about Elizabeth Woodward, queen to Edward IV, the first Yorkish king.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration came from?

Ah, yes. I love this book. The genesis of VELVET AND TOPAZ was my first trip to England. My older daughter and I are Tudor history buffs, so we took the trip that I've written about in the book, and we found the 16th Century brought to vivid life by the costumed players in many of the castles. Hampton Court was especially impressive, and I wanted Caroline and Marjory to enjoy the experience as well – although Caroline delved more deeply into the ambience than I did. We attended a Renaissance Faire where we enjoyed jousting matches and costumed enactments. We're also a family of dog lovers. My younger daughter has three, and I have two – all from rescue organizations, so I gave that quality to Caroline, and, as it turned out, that very quality provided a key element in the story development. Caroline and Adam are at fundamental philosophical odds in a fight over strong social issues that define who they are as people. They loathe each other's social stance, but they are powerfully drawn to each other sexually. So, how to break the stalemate . . .?

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

Well, it's not easy. But I was an actor for many years before being struck by the writing muse, and one of my first directors handed out good advice not to read reviews. He said they could cause an actor to alter a performance. But, having natural human curiosity, I admit I read reviews, and, so far I've had only one negative review – and it really hurt my feelings. It was for the hardcover edition of my first book. The reader didn't like the heroine, and she thought the price of the book was too high. But luckily the positive reviews far outweigh this one, so I write from my heart and hope I reach the readers on that level. I know everyone receives negative reviews from time to time, and I like to think I'm prepared to take them in stride and continue to write what I love.

#4- You've worked with a couple of different publishers now. How did they compare and were there any complications?

That's a good question. As a relatively new writer (three published novels), I hadn't realized that there would be differences. The most interesting differences are in the house rules for word count, grammar usage, point of view, etc. Some editors don't like certain words while others have no problem with those words but don't like other certain words. What I find gratifying is that, although one publishing house may reject a manuscript at first glance, another will find it “the best thing I've seen all year.” There are certain consistencies, POV issues for example, that I still wrestle with, but I've grown enormously as a writer by having worked with the various publishing houses, and I value the input from the different editors. I can cut the editing process much shorter by anticipating their needs and wishes and writing appropriately in the first draft.

#5- I admire how you acquired your dogs. Can you share that story and any challenges with us?

Now you've struck an emotional chord. I come from a family of animal lovers. We had a horse, three cats, a series of dogs, a rabbit, a raccoon, and I had a pet rooster (Pete) that slept with me in my bed – against my mother's rules. The first of our rescue dogs arrived after we moved to Los Angeles. We had just lost our Shamus, a 14 year-old Golden Retriever, so we were ready for a new animal. The Brittany Foundation was holding adoptions, and we fell in love with a gorgeous Boxer/Pit Bull mix named Bernard. He became the angel of my heart. We then adopted another Pit mix, our beautiful girl BJ. When we lost Bernard to cancer, we needed a companion for BJ, so we adopted another Pit mix, Julius, who, at 80 pounds, sleeps next to me under the covers. Then, last year BJ reached the end of her 15 years, and we adopted a Pit/Sharpei mix, our girl Foxy, whom we call Crazy Dog because she has bursts of energy that propel her up the stairs, onto the bed, off the bed, down the stairs, outside to the garage, then back inside to repeat the process a dozen times. Generally speaking, we adopt dogs that no one would want; e.g dogs with fear issues, dogs who don't like other dogs, or white dogs (for some reason people don't usually want white dogs). At the moment we have two white dogs, and my carpet is dark green, so you can imagine what it looks like. My younger daughter also takes dogs that no one wants. She lives in a tiny guest house that she shares with her three rescues. She lost her fourth, 16 year-old Zoey last spring, so Christmas was difficult for all of us.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

All three of my books are in release, and I'm working, albeit slowly, on a new story about a woman who inherits a castle somewhere in Europe and goes there to sell it. She meets what she thinks is the groundskeeper, but of course the readers know he's much more. My embarrassingly incomplete website is www.Sharon-Noble.com. I paint in my scarce spare time, and some of my paintings are on the website. I'm hardly a professional artist, but I enjoy dabbling.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes, I really value feedback from readers, and I hope to have a spot on my website where readers can leave comments, suggestions, etc.

NOW, don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!
XO

FREE eBook Giveaway- Interview With Author Linda Morris

2011-03-31T08:07:00.003-05:00

100th INTERVIEW CELEBRATION!!!

Welcome. This interview with author Linda Morris marks my 100th interview on my blog! After reading the below interview, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook of Linda's new release, FORGET-ME-NOT.

You do not need an e-reader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed and you can read it right on your PC. This event runs until Saturday morning.

BIO: Linda has taken a somewhat winding road to becoming a professional writer. She's worked in the airline industry, publishing industry, and as a freelance writer/editor in the technology field. Her first full-length novel, a romantic suspense called Forget-Me-Not, was released on Feb. 18, 2011, by the Wild Rose Press, following Montana Belle, a western novella, published by The Wild Rose Press in December 2010. She resides in central Indiana with her husband and young son.

Thanks for being here, Linda. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

I'm a pretty typical working mom. My day job is as a freelance writer/editor of technical books. I'm lucky enough to work from home, which allows me to be there to meet the school bus when it comes and to work in (usually) daily time for writing. I wrote most of Forget-Me-Not before my son started school, however--I did a lot of writing after he'd gone to bed for the night!

#2- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration camr from?

I spent time in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area on the Minnesota/Canadian border several years ago. I was struck by its beauty and remoteness and really wanted to set a story there. I also was interested the potential in an amnesia story line. What if a hero started off the story with a head injury suffered in a car accident in this remote area, near the heroine's cabin? He wouldn't know why he was there or who he was. From there, Jacob and Lara's story just unfolded naturally.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I've been fortunate to not receive too many nasty reviews yet. Being part of a critique group before I was published was helpful though. I got feedback on my writing, which is good, but I also had the experience of giving a story to four people to read and having one love it, one hate it, and the other two think it was so-so. You realize that a review or critique is just one person's opinion.

#4- When did you first know you wanted to be a writer and when did you start taking it seriously?

I always knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I was a child. I started writing in high school and made my first attempt at a (very bad) novel in college. In my late twenties, life got in the way when I married, started a new career, bought a house, had a baby, and all that good stuff. I was away from it for a few years. I got really serious and submitted my first novel, Forget-Me-Not, about 3-4 years ago. It sold to the third publisher I sent it to.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

Oh, yes. As I child, I love Nancy Drew, the Little House on the Prairie books, Little Women, and then Gone with the Wind when I was a teenager. I started reading romance in my teens too. I discovered Jane Austen after college and she's my favorite writer. Now I read romance and non-fiction. Laura Kinsale, Erin McCarthy, Shannon McKenna, and Lisa Hendrix are the romance writers whose releases I get most excited about now.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I can be found online at http://lindamorriswriter.blogspot.com/. Besides Forget-Me-Not, I have a western romance novella called Montana Belle that's available as an ebook. You can read excerpts of both and find out where to buy them at my web site.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Thanks for the chance to talk to you. Happy reading, everybody!

NOW, don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win, and remember to follow the blog for future giveaways and book news. XO

RELEASE DAY!!!

2011-03-27T09:31:00.005-05:00

My new contemporary romance, SUMMER'S ROAD, was released on March 25th through The Wild Rose Press!!! Click on the pictures to go to either the KINDLE EDITION or PRINT EDITION to purchase. WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING: "Summer's Road is a heart-warming story, a story of love and loss and also a story of forgiveness and moving forward. This novel is full of emotion. It is one I will not soon forget." ~Night Owl Reviews--Top Review Pick _________________________________________ "Summer's Road is a compelling story about the long road to finding true love." ~New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Caridad Pineiro (Quote from cover.) _________________________________________ "A warm and, at times, very emotional romance, Moran has created a moving love story where a choice must be made between a steady, comforting relationship and a friendship that's suddenly caught fire." ~ Marilyn Brant, Golden Heart award-winning author of According to Jane ___________________________ "(Summer's Road) kept me reading all day and all night. Full of emotion, this novel is one I will treasure, like a dear friend I can revisit every now and again. Kelly Moran is one of the most talented authors to come along. I look forward to her next novel." ~I Heard It On The Grapevine Reviews, ( c/o Lisa K. Mason) 5 stars ______________________________________________________ BLURB: After her father’s death, Summer Quinn realizes just how alone she feels in the world. With no family to fill her life now, she finds comfort among friends, but yearns for true love, contentment, and family. When her boyfriend, Matt, suggests they raise their relationship to a higher level, Summer jumps at the chance to get everything she’s always wanted. Only, she doesn’t expect the heat arising between her and her best friend, Ian – a man who never seems to settle down. A man the complete opposite of what she’s looking for. But when her estranged mother reappears after twenty-eight years, Summer’s world completely flips upside down. As secrets from her family’s past and Ian’s true feelings for her emerge, Summer’s now faced with choices she’s not sure she can make. The rest of her life’s happiness hinges on Summer confronting a past she’d rather deny and legitimately opening her heart to love, even if it’s not where she expected to find it.

FREE eBook Giveaway- Interview With Author Maeve Greyson

2011-03-24T08:54:00.002-05:00

Hello, and welcome to the first author interview on the new blog. I had the pleasure in interviewing author Maeve Greyson.

After reading the below interview with Maeve, don't forget to leave a comment because one lucky person will win a FREE eBook copy of her book, BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER.

You do NOT need an e-reader like Kindle or Nook to enter. The book will be emailed directly to you and you can read it right on your PC. This event runs until Saturday morning.

BIO: Hidden away in her wooded sanctuary in Western Kentucky, Maeve pounds on the keyboard, converting her dreams into paranormal romances. Her amazingly patient husband of over thirty years caters to her needs while her writing partner, Jasper the dog, supervises her progress. An assortment of wildlife stirs up the mix and keeps life interesting while she records the whispers of her dreams.

Thanks for being here, Maeve. It’s a pleasure.

Thank you for inviting me into your cyber home, Kelly!

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

There’s really very little to tell. I’ve been married to the same man for over thirty-one years. We traipsed around the world during the first ten years of our marriage while he served in the U. S. Air Force. Then we decided it was time to come home, so we returned to our Kentucky roots. Two daughters and one granddaughter keep life interesting while we count down the days until we both retire from our day jobs.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration came from?

BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER is the tale of a beguiling Scot from the 1400’s. Latharn Mackay is cursed into a crystal orb when a seductive witch rages against his withheld love. But hope is not lost. The woman destined for him can break the curse by whispering her love aloud while in the presence of the globe. But a few minor problems cloud the way. Nessa is six hundred years in the future and Latharn can only visit her dreams with a silent presence. If he speaks, the curse will shatter his soul into bits. And then there’s still the matter of the sorceress. You know an enraged woman is going to have the final say…unless love proves more powerful.

Latharn and Nessa’s story came to me in a recurring dream. I realize it might sound silly but it’s true. Until I “listened” and started plotting out the story, I’d wake each morning remembering bits and pieces of dialogue, sounds, and sometimes even particular scents. Once I started writing the book, the dreams stopped as the story unfolded on the page. I’ve never had that happen with any of my other works in progress. Latharn and Nessa were VERY persistent to have their story told. ;-)

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I won’t lie to you. I don’t have a good enough memory to be a liar. Negative reviews and harsh critiques sting and burn like hell. When I receive one, I need to be alone a while so; I always seek the peace and quiet of the woods surrounding our home. Jasper, my writing partner who also happens to be dog, and I go for a stroll and take a lot of deep breaths. Then I come back. Sit down and re-read the painful missive and try to learn as much from it as I can. I’m not perfect and I don’t know it all. I won’t stop learning until my ashes are scattered to the winds. If I can learn something from someone’s comments, I will. If it’s just a hurtful comment filled with spite, I chalk it up to an unhappy person needing to make such comments in order to feel better about themselves.

#4- What do you like to do when not writing books?

I have this awesome camera that I’m trying to learn how to use. I love photography. I used to paint and draw quite a bit but not so much anymore. My hands stiffen up too much to be able to manage a brush or pencil for as long as I need to use them.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?

Janet Chapman, Diana Gabaldon, Karen Marie Moning to name a few. I’m also slowly but surely working my way through The Wild Rose Press authors. I’ve fallen in love with every story I’ve read so far from the lovely “Roses” as I like to call them.

My childhood favorite would have to be Barbara Cartland. I started reading her romances when I was about twelve years old. Her wonderful worlds provided me a much needed escape from a very painful childhood.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER just released February 18th. I’ve also contracted THE HIGHLANDER’S FURY with The Wild Rose Press but don’t have a release date as yet. Here’s the link to my website. I love to hear from my readers:
http://www.maevegreyson.com/

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes. Don’t ever think it’s too late to pursue your dreams. I turned fifty years old in February and doors keep opening. Life just keeps getting better. The only person with the power to stop you…is you.

A NOTE FROM KELLY

2011-03-20T14:49:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone.

It is with great sadness that I announce my previous blog is gone. I woke up this a.m. to find the blog, my 500 plus followers, my 100 plus author interviews, and my 200 plus reviews gone. Blogger gave no explanation.

I have reloaded the interviews and reviews, plus redesigned the blog. But if you could, please hit the "follow" button so I can reclaim the fellow bloggers I miss.Please also pass the link around and spread word for me.

Thank you!
Kelly Moran
XO

Blog Tour and Giveaways

2011-03-20T14:43:00.000-05:00

My new book comes out on March 25th and I'm guest blogging on a number of fabulous sites giving away a FREE copy. Please stop by!!!

March 2nd... Fantasy Pages
http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com

March 10th... Smexy Books
http://www.smexybooks.com/

March 11th... Author Skhye Moncrief
http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com/

March 13th... Author Sarah Butland
http://sarahbutland.com/blog/category/blogs/authorinterviews/

March 14th CK WEBB (NO BOOK GIVEAWAY)
www.twistedwebb.blogspot.com

March 15th... Golden Heart award-winning author Marilyn Brant
http://marilynbrant.blogspot.com

March 16th... Book Addict
http://www.bookaddictpatti.com/

March 18th... Author Lori Brighton
http://loribrighton.blogspot.com/

March 18th and 25th... Author Hawk Knight
http://houstonawknight.blogspot.com/

March 21st... Author Caroline Clemmons (NO BOOK GIVEAWAY)
http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com

March 22nd... Author Sarah Bradley
http://sarahjbradleydreamincolor.blogspot.com/

March 23rd... Author Lisa Dale
http://lisadalebooks.com/blog/

March 23rd... NY TIMES bestseller Caridad Pineiro
www.caridad.com/blog

March 25th... Cerebral Girl
http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!

Interview--WAVE WALTON

2011-03-20T14:37:00.001-05:00

BIOGRAPHY:
Born the son of a Baptist minister, Wave Walton, as a young man going through school, delved into black and white photography and photographic lab work as a means to express himself. Later, this need led to art school and a painting concentration in college where realism was certainly not his forte. Life's struggle and tragedy pulled him away from school and art. He enlisted in the Air Force and traveled the world. Now, the light that he has found in his daughter presses him to become something greater through his children’s books. Titles include: The Wuffle, The Dress-Up Attic, Tootsie: The Nibble Hunter, and The Finding of Blue Bunny. He resides in Athens, Georgia.

After reading the below interview with Wave, please leave a comment because 3 lucky people will receive a FREE hard-cover version of his children’s title THE WUFFLE.

Thanks for being here Wave. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Oh Boy, I guess I'm quite the oddball. Ask anyone I grew up with and I'm sure that's what you'll get. I like doing things a bit differently from the herd and I'm quite unapologetic in that. I'm the kind of guy that would hardly bat an eye if aliens landed and introduced themselves. I'd just think, hey that's cool.
I'm all about being a good daddy and I take a lot of pride in having a close relationship with my daughter. I like to say we're best buds. My daughter gives me a lot of inspiration and purpose. If I have screwed up other aspects of my life, I can honestly say I've done one good thing and that is raise one heck of a little lady.
I really want to be a successful publisher and be able to turn to helping others realize their dreams of publishing. I see so much talent out there that is ignored and I would like to make a difference in that respect.
I'm dirt poor right now but I dream of traveling the world and seeing a lot of things that I've only read about in books. I especially want to go to Italy. I daydream about that place with all of it's architecture and art. Heck, I may not come back if I go.

#2- The children’s book market is a tough one to break into. You self-published your children’s books. What made you decide to go that route and what challenges have you faced?

Well I self-published my first three titles because I couldn't get a publisher to give me the time of day. The same result came about when trying to find a literary agent to help me out. I really wondered on a process that required submitting of a text manuscript for a children's book. How can just text give the full vision a man has with a story with just the text of a children's book? I was inspired to write children's books because frankly I saw so much garbage on the shelves when I tried to find something for my own little girl. As I made up stories for her when she was tiny, she made me promise to share them with others so I decided I would. I'm not the sort to be turned away from a goal. I guess that's the military side of me there.
The latest titles, starting with The Finding of Blue Bunny, are actually being put out under my own label. I am a publisher now. I have demoted the publishing services to being printers. Thus, I now design and put together my books and hand them over to a printer. I get my own ISBN's, barcodes, layout the works, and create a product ready to print. It's been a really fun journey learning and progressing from hoping for the magical and mythical publisher to show up to becoming a publisher and making it happen on my own.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

What negative reviews and critiques? Just kidding, I am my own worst critic. I also partner with artists that care deeply about their work and especially since departing along the road of being an independent publisher with my own brand, I worked very closely with the artist on my first independent title, The Finding of Blue Bunny, in a process that was like a mother hen doting over her baby. I take such pride in putting a quality product out that I really haven't heard any complaints. Honestly, if a customer were to complain, I'd care, but if someone out there had something negative to say about my efforts on a professional level, I'd not give it a second thought.

#4- You’ve worked with several talented illustrators such as: Ian Crittenden, TeMika Grooms Jarrett, Alexander T. Lee, and Zack Mclaughlin. What was that experience like for you and what, if any, complications were there?

As previously stated, I am different than most and my dealings with artists and my early publishing efforts follows that trend. I sought and created partnerships with the artists on these first four titles with these four artists. I could not afford to pay commissions and was up front about that. I communicated my vision for the sort of experience and product I wanted to create, and found that I was not alone in a desire to create something beautiful. I was very blessed to come across artists that shared my desire and I am proud to say that the results were something I can be proud of and I gladly share equally my royalties with these artists on each project. As I conducted my search for artists, I received a lot of criticism and even got hate mail from people because of the nature of my partnership approach. They would write and say I'm horrible for not paying commissions and suggested that I was doing something shady. Well I feel I have worked with artists thus far that are proud of their contributions to the products created, and I really do think they are proud to feel invested and owning a part of the process.
I now currently proceed with both partnerships and commission relationships with artists on projects. The partnership aspect has become a more limited part of my planning although I really like the dedication that being a partner on a project brings about in a person.

#5- Are there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites and where do you feel you get your inspiration from?

Hmmm. That's a tough question. If you could peek through a time machine, you might see me gazing over Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches, rummaging for hours through World Book encyclopedias, or later reading over Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. Let's see what else? Oh yea, I adored the Berensteins' Berenstein Bears And The Spooky Old Tree. If it was weird or strange, that's what lured me in.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

Yes indeed. The Finding of Blue Bunny just came out and I have several projects in progress.
The first upcoming project is the second story about my unique character, The Wuffle. In the second story about him, The Wuffle-A Walk In The Woods, he takes off to discover what sorts of wonderful things he can see in the forest now that he's had to face his fears and no longer wishes to hide from the world. He'll run into some funny characters and will take it all in with the eyes of a child as is his way. I have a great artist by the name of John Blackford working on this work for me.
The next is the second Tootsie story. The first Tootsie story dealt with her seeking out something better than her master's boring old dog food but this one deals with her trek with a time traveling chihuahua back to 10,000 B.C. It's really cute. The neatest thing about this story is that it's written by my daughter, Charlotte. I've been editing it somewhat and have the same artist, Alexander T. Lee, partnered on it that worked on the first Tootsie story. Just imagine how cute it will be seeing saber-toothed chihuahuas in this story. I was beaming from ear to ear when my daughter showed me this one. I think I may just have to turn over the Tootsie character to her from now on. She has such good ideas on what to do with her.
Next, there is a story titled To Jump A Fence. This is a lesson-oriented tale about a little horse. He wants to be able to go over to an adjacent field and run about with the young horses he sees there but is too small to jump the fence. His mother tells him that with enough effort and patience, he can reach his dreams and encourages him to work hard towards that objective. The little guy takes to running about his pasture jumping things as he grows and gets stronger and well the rest is the point of the story. This one is being illustrated by a man named Jeff Ward.
The last project currently moving forward for now is perhaps my most ambitious work to date. It's called The Butterfly Girl-Into The Land of Heart Butterflies. A magical land must turn to a very special little girl to save them and the main character, Lily, is the sort of little girl you wish you could just hug to bits. The work will be twice as long as most illustrated children's books, 60+ pages, but I really feel it will set me apart as one writing serious works aimed at early readers. I haven't got anyone contracted on this work yet for illustrations but the same approach to heavy illustration with tons of detail will be included. I have a wonderful lady verbally committed that is extremely talented and has a flair for fairy art which I think will contribute a very soft and appealing feel for the story.
For past, present, and future projects, anyone interested can visit http://www.dawufflepage.i8.com and they'll find not only links to those that are available but they can browse around and read descriptions and assorted info about them all. I'll also be updating the site soon to include information on the artists involved.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes. The magic that we felt as children and that children around us all feel now is a very real thing. Some of us tend to let that magical feeling slide away from us but it can be recaptured. We should cherish the experiences we witness, as children revel joyfully in life and living and relearn to do so ourselves. It's quite ok to be a kid, regardless of the age of one's body. Smiles.

Interview--SUSAN KEARNEY 2

2011-03-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

BIO: Author Susan Kearney is a native of New Jersey, writes full time and has sold books to the industries' top publishing houses. As an award-winning author, Kearney earned a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Her knowledge and experience spans throughout the romance genre, and her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction and paranormal novels-- with Lucan available now as part of this series, and Jordan coming in March 2010. She resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and children.

Thanks for being here again, Susan. It’s a pleasure. Thanks for asking me to do this interview, Kelly.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career… I like sports. Currently I’m into figure skating and belly dancing. I also dabble in real estate and travel when I have time. I’m currently planning my daughter’s wedding.

#2- You write in various sub genres of romance besides futuristics. Is it difficult to genre-jump and do you work on more than one book at a time? Genre jumping is always a challenge. Different genres require different pacing, different amounts of description and emotion. For example in a futuristic, I world build—but not as much as I would in straight science fiction. For the futuristic reader the romance is primary. The hero and heroine’s falling in love is important. Or course their falling in love depends upon their backgrounds and that includes the world they grew up in—and that’s where the world building comes in. Proper world building shows what is important. For example Rion’s world has been enslaved. Saving his people is more important to him . . . than almost anyone or anything. He’s willing to break laws, kidnap a woman, do things he normally wouldn’t do . . . to free his people from slavery.

#3- Authors now have to take a leap into marketing as well as writing. Do you find that connecting with future readers on social media sites and blogs help? I don’t know. Of course as an author I like to talk to readers. I like to tell them about my books. I hope they’ll give a futuristic a try. I always attempt to convey that while my books are set on other worlds and that while my characters can morph into dragon, that the characters are still human—with the same hopes and dreams and goals as all the rest of us. For who doesn’t want to love and be loved? And the more opportunities I have to talk to readers about my books, the more I can share a genre that I love.

#4- Where you feel you get most of your inspiration and story concepts from? I get story ideas from the strangest places. The idea of humanity becoming sterile came from a recent newspaper headline stating that male sterility was down 30% worldwide. And I thought what would happen if it went to 100%? The idea of Merlin came in a hobby shop. I saw this owl that could turn his head and I wanted him but couldn’t justify the cost. So I thought, I’ll put him in my book, he’ll be tax deductible . . . Ideas are everywhere.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites? I read anything and everything. As a kid, I loved the NODDY books. They were a series from England about kids traveling to other planets. I grew up reading science fiction. As a teen, I found romance. I always wanted more romance in my science fiction and now I get to write about dragons, starships and men and woman who save planets as they fall in love. What could be better?

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out? JORDAN is the third book in the Pendragon Legacy and I have to admit, it’s not only my favorite cover, it’s one of my all time favorite stories. An excerpt and cover is up on my website. www.susankearney.com And I’d like to add that if you’ve already read LUCAN and RION, you’ll be familiar with the hero. If you haven’t read the first two book, the third book stands on its own.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share? I would like to thank you Kelly for allowing me to do this interview and for being a fan. And I’d like to thank the readers out there who read my books and write to tell me how much they enjoy them.

Interview--SUSAN KEARNEY 1

2011-03-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

Biography:
Author Susan Kearney is a native of New Jersey, writes full time and has sold books to the industries' top publishing houses. As an award-winning author, Kearney earned a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Her knowledge and experience spans throughout the romance genre, and her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction and paranormal novels- With Rion as part of this series coming in December 2009, and Jordan coming in March 2010. She resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and children.

Thanks for being here, Susan. It’s a pleasure. Thanks for asking me!

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career… I like to figure skate and belly dance. I hate trying to sell my books. I want readers to find them by magic and love them enough to tell their friends. 

#2- I have to ask…Your new title, LUCAN, is a futuristic romance with plot lines revolving around the Holy Grail and King Arthur. How on Earth did you conjure this idea and carry it to a believable book? Ahh. The secret is the characters. If they believe, the readers believe . . . I try to put in just enough details to make the world and legend believable, the rest is action, romance and conflict. I like to keep the pace fast. I want readers to want to know what is going to happen next—and I try to do that from page one. I hate getting bogged down in back story—so I feed it in slowly.

#3- As you know, I reviewed your title LUCAN for Bookpleasures and loved it. But how do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive? We all have different tastes. I don’t like every book. Why would I expect everyone to like mine? And to tell you the truth, I’ve had book that got terrible reviews that sold like crazy and books that had wonderful reviews sell on the mediocre side. Plus I know my books are very sexy. My books are full of conflict. And I like really smart females. I like books where the hero and heroine are equal. I just hope enough readers like me so that I can keep writing.

#4- You write in several different sub-genres of romance. What made you want to do so and what challenges have you faced? Ah. Futuristics are my first love. But they were difficult to sell even a few years ago. But the market is opening up and there is more opportunity now than ever before. In the past, I’ve written other genres because that’s what I could sell. Luckily readers are finding futuristics and the market is growing. And I hope it’s the start of a new trend. Ten years ago who would have thought that Vampire books would be so hot? I’m hoping that in another five years we’ll be saying the same of futuristics.

#5- You are quite an accomplished author and an award-winner. What advice would you bestow on other aspiring authors? Learn your craft. Learn the business. And if you can’t be lucky, be persistent.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out? My upcoming releases are the Pendragon Legacy trilogy, starting in September with LUCAN, then Dec is RION and JORDAN is in March. You can find out more about my books at www.susankearney.com

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share? Just one thing. To all you readers out there—if you like a book, tell your friends. Word of mouth is mostly how we gain new readers. And without you, the publishers wouldn’t buy our books. And then they wouldn’t pay us to write them. And for those of you who love to talk about books, your favorite authors love you. Keep up the good work!

Interview--SUSAN KEARNEY 3

2011-03-20T14:34:00.002-05:00

BIO: Author Susan Kearney is a native of New Jersey, writes full time and has sold books to the industries' top publishing houses. As an award-winning author, Kearney earned a Business Degree from the University of Michigan. Her knowledge and experience spans throughout the romance genre, and her fifty plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction and paranormal novels-- with Lucan and Rion available now as part of this series, and Jordan coming in March 2010. She resides in Tampa, Florida with her husband and children.

Thanks for being here yet again, Susan. It’s a pleasure having you back a third time. This could get to be a habit I enjoy. 

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career… I love sports. I competed as a diver for the University of Michigan. Over the years I’ve taken up tennis, karate, belly dancing and figure skating. I also love to travel and took a fantastic trip last year to the Orient. I have two Boston Terriers and live by the water—apt for an Aquarius.

#2- You’ve worked with several different publishing houses in your career. What were your experiences like and was it challenging working with so many editors? Oh my. Answering this question could be a book in itself. Last count, I was up to 19 editors. The great part about this business is that almost all of my editors loved books. They want to make the books better. Sometimes we agree . . . it gets sticky when we disagree. I’ve found the best way to handle any differences of opinion is to ask, “What is bothering you?” Then if I like the editor’s suggestion on how to fix it, I use their idea. Sometimes I think of another solution and have found most editors are open to my ideas. The important thing is to listen. Really listen. Often what is in my head is NOT on the page. And if something stops an editor, it will stop readers, too. Once when I was writing for Harlequin the copy editor had never heard of ROTC—she was Canadian. But I do have Canadian readers so they probably wouldn’t know the acronym either. So I clarified.

A few of my editors have been fabulous, Amy Pierpont, Brenda Chin, Patricia Smith, to name a few They think of new angles, new subplots, new ways to employ characters that are already there. And that collaboration is thrilling. It’s also difficult to tear apart a book and put it back together. I love the challenge. And when the editor is spot on—it frees the writer to just do your thing because you know the editor will pull you back if you go too far out there. That kind of team work makes for brilliant books. And I’ve been lucky to work with several editors who really have raised my work to the next level.

As for different publishers, this is always tricky. At some houses I personally knew the marketing, production, and art department staffs. In other houses we email. And at some publishing houses, your editor is always the go-to person. So when I switch houses I try really hard to ask the “rules” to avoid stepping on toes.

#3- You’ve written in almost every sub-genre of romance. What do you feel was the most well-received with your audience and why? This is a very difficult question. Because what I do best is a relatively small genre. While my romantic suspense books have been very well received—because it’s a larger audience, I think my futuristic romances are more unique. My pacing and voice match the genre. Plus the science fiction elements are unusual. Especially since I mix paranormal elements with my science fiction. But first and foremost to me is the romance and I think many readers will switch subgenres for a good romance.

#4- Have you ever suffered writer’s block or worry you might let your fans down, and if so, how do you work through it? I’ve never had writer’s block, but I do worry about my readers. And yet, everyone has different tastes. Readers are with my books for a few hours or at most a few days. I’m into my stories for months. So in the end, I have to please myself.

#5- Assuming you get any time to read, what authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites? As a child, I loved the Noddy books. And English series about other worlds. As a teen I read Asimov, Heinlein, Clark and EE Doc Smith. Now, I try to read new authors to keep up with the markets and a few of my favorites, Linnea Sinclair, Sandra Hill and Julie Leto. Occasionally I reread my all-time favorite, Atlas Shrugged.

#6- You are an avid sports fan, dabbling in figure skating and belly dancing. What draws you to those in particular? I’ve always loved flying through the air. That started with tumbling and proceeded with diving. Figure skating, floating across the ice and spinning in the jumps is a similar feeling. And you have to concentrate . . . or you fall. After a practice session I realize I haven’t thought about a book for an entire hour. So it’s mentally relaxing. Sitting in a chair typing all day is not good for the back. Belly dancing strengthens the abs. And it makes me listen to music—a new mental skill.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share? I would like to tell readers that if one of my books appeals to them, they can read them out of order. Each book, LUCAN, RION, JORDAN has its own love story. Of course I hope you’ll love one story enough to read the entire trilogy—but you can enjoy JORDAN even if you’ve never read a Susan Kearney book. And all of the books are still in print. You can read excerpts at www.susankearney.com

Interview--SUSAN CRANDALL 1

2011-03-20T14:34:00.001-05:00

BIO: Author Susan Crandall lived in Chicago and worked as a dental hygienist before pursuing her writing career. This title, SLEEP NO MORE, follows other titles: Pitch Black, A Kiss in Winter, On Blue Falls Pond, Promises to Keep, Magnolia Sky, Seeing Red, The Road Home, and Back Roads. She resides in Indiana with her husband and two children.

Thanks for being here again, Susan. It’s a pleasure.

The pleasure is mine, Kelly!

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

I live in the same Indiana town where I was born. I did have a seven year stint in Chicago right after I was married (which, brace yourselves, was when I was eighteen). I attended college there and our first child was born shortly before we returned to Indiana. In my first career I was a dental hygienist (does it make you wonder if the transition from hygienist to suspense writer says I really enjoy making people uncomfortable?). Food for thought. I’m still married to that same guy and have two grown children (a son and a daughter) and a humane society rescued dog, aptly named Bear for he looks like a black bear and sleeps a lot. I love reading, movies and music (listening only, as I have absolutely no musical talent whatsoever). I prefer being in small towns and open spaces over cities. I like to cook … and eat. I dislike clowns and looking at wind farms (don’t ask me why, I’m all for the energy thing, but those giant arms silently turning just creep me out).

#2- You write mainly romantic suspense. Any plans to venture out into a different sub-genre of romance such as paranormal or historical?

Funny you should mention those two particular sub-genres. I wrote in both of them before I was published and really enjoyed both. For now I’ve settled into suspense, I love the pacing and creating the lacy tension that holds the reader to the page. I’m not an ultra speedy writer, so one genre is all I can concentrate on at a time. Maybe someday I’ll venture back into paranormal and historical. I really think your voice needs to be different for historical. It might take a while to get back into that rhythm when I take the step.

#3- In this new book, SLEEP NO MORE, the heroine has been plagued by sleep-walking most of her life. Where did you come up with this idea, as most people know someone who has this condition, and what interesting things did you learn about it in your research?

When I begin working on an idea for a book, I like to search for ways to make the suspense personal as well as psychological. I tend to shy away from the hunt for serial killers. The idea of using sleepwalking as a way to put my character in peril came from one of my late-night-lying-in-bed-awake-thinking sessions. I can’t really say how it popped into my mind. But once it did, it stuck … and grew. I mean, how scary is wandering around with no conscious control of yourself? It would be nearly as disconcerting as having other people being able to see your dreams. My original plan had been to have my heroine witness something while sleepwalking (and to have the bad guys discover that she’d been present and likely seen what was going on) and then to have her slowly begin to remember scraps of vague memory that lead her to discovering the truth. Alas, as I researched sleepwalking I discovered sleepwalkers never have any memory of what they’ve done while sleepwalking. So the storyline had to be adjusted. I also found that more females than males suffer from sleepwalking. It normally begins in childhood (lots of times in pre-pubescent years) and most sleepwalkers cease the disorder before adulthood.

#4- What advice would you give to other aspiring romance writers?

I was writing for nearly ten years (five novels) before I had a book published, so clearly the one of the most important things is persistence and tenacity. There are tons of really good writers out there who have not yet been published. There’s a great deal of luck (right place at right time kind) involved too. And while you’re being persistent and tenacious, learn as much as you can about your craft and the industry. No matter how good you are, there’s always something you can improve upon. Network with other writers, it’s not only a great place to learn, it really nourishes the writing soul. Most of all keep writing. Don’t stop while you wait for your first book to be picked up by a publisher. When the time comes, you’ll have more material to offer, which is very valuable too.

#5- You are self-proclaimed to hate structure and schedules. What is the perfect setting for you to sit down and write a book and what does work for you?

I’ve discovered I’m much more productive creatively in the afternoon and at night, so I’ve learned to stop fighting it and write during those hours. I love sitting outdoors on my screened porch to write – which of course is impossible now when it’s 17 degrees out there. I have a bright and sunny office for winter months and night time (in the summer the bugs banging against the screen after dark drives me crazy). The key for me is silence. I have to be totally alone and have quiet. No music. No people milling around.
Oh yeah, and either a cup of coffee or a diet coke at hand.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

I don’t have a release date scheduled for my next book as yet. I’m working on a mainstream psychological suspense that I’m really excited about. I also have a women’s fiction idea brewing. To keep up with the latest news about my books visit: www.susancrandall.net

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

For anyone who is interested in hearing more about my books and my writing process, I have a couple of video interviews on my website. I invite you to check them out.
Thanks so much for this opportunity, Kelly. It’s always enjoyable “chatting” with you!

Interview--STEPHANIE CAGE

2011-03-20T14:33:00.000-05:00

BIO: Stephanie Cage is a romance author and trained life coach based in Yorkshire, England. She loves books in all their forms, and is a regular guest and book reviewer on local radio. When not reading and writing, she's also interested in music and business, and it is these two interests which inspired the story of 'Desperate Bid'.

Thanks for being here, Stephanie. It’s a pleasure.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…
I live in a former mining village in Yorkshire, and I love long walks in the countryside, curling up with a good book (that happens more than the walks at the moment, as it’s pretty cold here), and going dancing. I don’t usually watch much television but I’m addicted to Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice, especially the super-sparkly costumes.

#2- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration came from?
Desperate Bid is the story of a would-be musician who, in a moment of drunken madness, puts his life up for sale on an online auction site. The winning bidder is Sarah, a very focused businesswoman who’s totally unprepared for the attraction she feels to her ‘purchase’. The initial inspiration for the story was reading about some of the mad things people get up to on the Internet, but I also drew on my own interests in music and business. One of the most fun things about writing Desperate Bid was coming up with song lyrics for the band.

#3- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?
It’s always hard when people don’t like something you’ve poured your heart and soul into, but all feedback is useful. I’ve had a lot of practice at dealing with feedback from various writing groups, my tutors on the MA course, readers on the RNA (Romantic Novelists’ Association) scheme for new writers, and of course my wonderful editor at The Wild Rose Press. One important thing to remember is that while everyone’s opinion is valuable, it’s still only one person’s opinion. You don’t have to take every single piece of advice you’re offered! I always ask myself, ‘Will this improve the book?’ and if it will, I take it on board, even if it’s not what I initially had in mind.

#4- You reside in England but have a U.S. publisher. What, if any, complications were there and do your books take place in the U.S. or the U.K.?
In general, it’s pretty easy because with an e-publisher most things are done electronically. The only annoyance is the forms you have to fill in to avoid paying US taxes! I mostly write books set in the UK, and Desperate Bid is set here, in a London suburb, but I am working on a sequel based around Greg, who moves to New York. So that one will have a transatlantic setting.

#5- You are also a book reviewer. What authors do you like to read, and were there any books that stand out from your childhood as favorites?
I love reading all kinds of fiction, from romance to thrillers, and I especially enjoy books that combine both, like Nora Roberts and Louise Bagshawe. My favourite of her books is the writerly wish-fulfilment fantasy, The Movie. I also enjoy fantasy and science fiction, and one of the books that stands out from my childhood is Alanna by Tamora Pierce, which is the story of a girl who has magic powers and decides to take her male twin’s place and become a knight. I still enjoy reading young adult fantasy, and a more recent favourite is Fire and Shadow by my friend and RNA chapter mate Imogen Howson.

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?
I don’t have any release dates lined up at the moment, but I’ve got a couple of stories under consideration, so do feel free to check back later and see what’s changed. My website is www.stephaniecage.co.uk.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?
Just my thanks for inviting me to be on your blog, and for the thought-provoking questions. I’ve had fun answering… and don’t forget everyone, feel free to comment or add your own questions for a chance to win a copy of Desperate Bid.

Interview--STACEY JOY NETZEL

2011-03-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

BIO: Wisconsin native Stacey Joy Netzel fell in love with books at a young age, so for her the graduation to writing them was natural. A member of Romance Writer's of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers (WisRWA), she credits her parents for encouraging her dreams of becoming a published author, as well as the very talented friends she’s made in WisRWA since joining in 2004. Her books have received numerous 5 Star reviews from reviewers and readers alike, and her Christmas anthology, MISTLETOE RULES, took 1st place in WisRWA's 2010 Write Touch Readers' Award. An avid reader and big fan of movies with happy endings, Stacey lives in Wisconsin with her husband and three children, a couple horses and some barn cats. She works part-time as a travel agent, and in her limited free time she enjoys gardening, canning, and visiting her parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North) at their cabin on the lake.
Thanks for being here, Stacey. It’s a pleasure.

I’m happy to be here, Kelly, and just hope I don’t bore anyone.

#1- Tell us a little about yourself outside of your writing career…

Oh, geez, didn’t I just say I didn’t want to bore anyone? lol I’ll keep it short. My day job is as a corporate travel agent…busy and not very exciting since I don’t get to travel much. I love the idea of gardening, enjoy the planting and harvesting, but hate everything in between. I do what I must, though, and my good friend and cp Donna Marie Rogers got me into canning this past summer. Other than that, I enjoy a good movie, book, or evening with the family.

#2- We are both natives of Wisconsin. For you, what is your favorite part of living here, and what would you like to share with others not from here about our state?

I was born and raised in WI. Except for 2 summers in Colorado and 3 years in KY, I’ve lived here all my life. I love that just about anywhere I go, there’s a small town feel to the state, yet I live only ten minutes from a large city with pretty much everything I could want. All my family and my husband’s lives within 2hrs of us, and that’s it in the nutshell—family keeps our roots planted in WI. It’s a bonus that a drive through WI gives you beautiful rolling hills, gorgeous fall foliage colors, and lots of fun in the great outdoors! And, oh yeah—there’s this little pro football team called the Green Bay Packers. You might have heard of them? *grin*

#3- We are also both members of RWA and WisRWA. What do you feel you have gained from your membership, and would you recommend it to other aspiring writers?

I would highly recommend RWA and WisRWA to aspiring writers. I found ‘home’ at my first WisRWA meeting in 2004. Shortly after, I knew I had family there, too. As if the incredible wealth of shared knowledge about the craft and business of writing in RWA weren’t enough, I’ve made friends I will have for the rest of my life. Their friendships and support is the best part of being a member.

#4- How do you handle the negative reviews and critiques you receive?

I try to remind myself not to take it personally. After I’ve let it sink in a bit, I try to view the comments objectively and figure out what I can do differently in the next book to keep readers happy. That is the main goal.

#5- Can you tell us a bit about the book in this giveaway and where the inspiration came from?

TRUST IN THE LAWE is Kendra and Colton’s book, but Kendra’s brother Joel was the hero of my very first book (as yet unpublished). Joel’s mother left him when he was eight years old, never to be seen or heard from again. I thought it’d be interesting to introduce an unknown sibling and see where it went. Joel welcomed Kendra with open arms, but his ranch manager Colton wasn’t quite so trusting since she’d stolen his wallet before showing up at the ranch.

Here’s the official blurb: Kendra Zelner has three brothers: Eight-year old Noah she's determined to protect, Joel who has no clue she exists, and Robert who wants her dead.

With reason to be distrustful of cops, she takes Noah and flees their Manhattan home for Joel’s ranch in Colorado. Under the pretense of needing a job, she plans to hide out until her twenty-fifth birthday, when she’ll inherit her trust fund and legally gain custody of Noah away from Robert’s greedy hands. Unfortunately, her brother’s sexy, infuriating ranch manager insists on demolishing her defenses and digging into her past.

Colton Lawe has good reason to suspect Joel’s beautiful, long-lost sister isn’t what she seems—the little liar stole from him! He silently vows to expose her secrets, but long hours together on the ranch foster a closeness and fiery attraction neither of them expects. Can Kendra trust Colton with the full truth before Robert finds them?

#6- Are there any upcoming releases we would like to know about, and could you give us your web site so readers can check it out?

Trust in the Lawe is the first book of three in The Colorado Trust Series. The next book in the series, SHADOWED TRUST was just released in print with The Wild Rose Press, and will be available in e-book on March 30th.

Blurb: Sweet twenty-seven and never been kissed. Well…no one’s ever accused Marley Wade of being sweet. Raised in the world of construction by her rough-and-tumble father, Marley knows what it takes to succeed as a general contractor in a man’s world. The last thing she needs is an employee who makes her feel soft and feminine.

New co-owner of Hunter Construction Justin Blake goes undercover on Marley’s crew to discover the truth behind his grandfather’s death. But he didn't count on an instant attraction to his boss—or for it to develop into deeper emotions. When a blackmailer threatens to expose the twenty-five-year-old secrets that link his family and Marley’s, Justin realizes the truth could not only destroy a future with Marley, but his entire family as well.

In a world where nothing is as it seems, can Justin and Marley trust a love that appears as elusive as a mirage?

Excerpts for all my books can be found at my website: www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com.

#7- This about concludes it. Thank you again for joining us. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Kelly, thank you for having me and for all you do for other authors!

Readers, don’t forget to comment for a chance to win TRUST IN THE LAWE. (Winner’s choice of ebook or print.) Also, anyone who visits my website and joins my mailing list will be entered into the March contest for a copy of SHATTERED TRUST.

Have a wonderful day!

Stacey Joy Netzel
www.StaceyJoyNetzel.com

TRUST IN THE LAWE buy link: http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_141&products_id=4404&zenid=52183e1acbb81542c7580e9a9e77874f

SHATTERED TRUST buy link: http://thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4455&zenid=38ae0c733e790ed9172cbdb5a2d33f63