BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Hearts In Ruin @JCConwayWriter #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author J. C. Conway released Hearts In Ruin, a Mainstream Contemporary Romantic Suspense, with Liquid Silver Books on May 4, 2014.

Andrea’s career-making “sure thing” archeological dig has just been transferred to her super-hot colleague Daniel, whose questionable ideas could sink both their careers. But what if he’s right? When the site is threatened, Andrea must choose: run, and save her career, or stand with Daniel against crushing odds. Passion, lies and betrayal clash in the wake of a plot to destroy an ancient truth

Buy Links
amazon  |  liquid silver books  |  barnes and noble  |  kobo  |  all romance ebooks

What Reviewers Say...

Hearts in Ruin is a delightful romantic romp through an archaeological dig. The author has successfully melded a serious story with a wry sense of humor that keeps it a light and happy romance. Use of details about how a dig comes about and is managed entertain and move us through the plot to become an integral part of the story. I look forward to J.C. Conway's next book.
Amazon Customer Review, Elsa Bayly

This ""sweet"" level romance has academia politics and a realistic view of the challenges involved with an archaeologic dig. There are many conflicts and entanglements to keep the reader guessing. The hero is a lovable and sexy beta hero and the first kiss scene is the best I've ever read. The heroine is bold, self-confident and competent, and I want to be just like her.
Amazon Customer Review, S. Humphreys

Excerpt

With most of her team set, Andrea approached the sadly underused keg bucket under the pergola at the side of the yard. She slowed her pace only slightly to give Kirby Johnson the chance to reach it first—and therefore the chance to fill her cup for her.
“Hey, Andrea.” Kirby lifted the tap.
“God, who invited you?” She thrust her cup forward.
He took the cup and shrugged. “They didn't warn me you'd be here. I would've gone bowling.”
“Very sophisticated of you,” she said. “Where's Donna?”
Kirby carefully minimized the foam head. “Um…shopping.”
“Her dime or yours?”
Kirby smirked. “I'm as dimeless as you.”
“Technically.” Andrea took the cup. Kirby didn't have his own money. But his parents were loaded.
Andrea liked Kirby—as a friend. Shacking up junior year was a mistake. He was still a boy. And the breakup?—Well, she learned how whiney and annoying boys could be that semester. But that was four years ago. Kirby was with Donna now, who was much better for him. Thank God. The kid was growing up.
Kirby peered over Andrea's left shoulder, “Hello, Dr. Fuchs.”
Dr. Fuchs?
Andrea knew everyone at Horvath Levy College. Who was Dr. Fuchs?
A calm, male voice responded, “Kirby, right? Everything coming together okay?”
“Uh…yeah, sure.”
Andrea turned. Wow. Dr. Fuchs was definitely a newcomer. He was about her age. Tan, outdoorsy skin, a sinewy rock-climbing frame, sandy hair a little looser than the local style. His intense, blue-gray eyes landed on her.
Now she regretted dressing hastily. Safari pants, faded tank top, hair pulled into a quick bunch—no style, no class. She broke her stare, wrestling for composure.
“Doctor…Fuchs?” She extended a hand and squinted inquiringly. “I'm—”
“Andrea Hollister,” he said with an easy half smile. His grip was…just right.
And he knows me?
“I've been looking forward to meeting you.”
“Um—”
This was just too much. Something was up. And Kirby knew this fellow. She sliced her subtlest I'll-kill-you-later dagger at Kirby, whose expression telegraphed feigned confusion and an it's-not-my-fault plea. Then the bastard slinked away, leaving Andrea face-to-face with Dr. Fuchs, alone at the keg.
“I'm afraid I don't—”
“First, call me Daniel.” He reached for a cup.
“Okay,” she said. She detected the scent of Professor Dougherty's greenhouse on him. A small scar on his chin added an extra layer of ruggedness.
He cleared his throat. “Frank Dougherty asked me to oversee this summer's dig. I think we'll be working together.”
She blinked.
The dig?…My dig?

About the Author
J. C. Conway is a romance, science fiction, and fantasy author, writing novels and short stories for adults, young adults, and teens. He is a grand prize winner of the Yosemite Romance Writers Smooch contest. His writing passion began with a grade-school assignment to write anything he liked, which, at the time, included dinosaurs, robots, army heroes, and alien invaders. He's added tense internal conflict and emotional dilemmas since then.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon  |  Google+

A Short & Sweet Interview @VickiBatman #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Vicki Batman talks about her latest book. 
Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm--the list is endless.

Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories to TRUE LOVE, TRUE ROMANCE, TRUE CONFESSIONS, NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING, LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS, MUSEITUP PUBLISHING, and THE WILD ROSE PRESS. She is a member of RWA and several writing groups and chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.

Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"

What if... we ask her a few questions?

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
So much so, my men are afraid anything they say or do will show up.

What kind of research do you do for a book?
It depends. So far, the funniest has been about plumbing.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I wished for a long time I could write mysteries like Dick Francis. It took me many years before I did so.

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
Bug Stuff…and other stories follows my other two shortie collections, Man Theory and Little Birdie Who. I'd submitted them to a popular magazine, but they were turned down. A few had nice notations included. The stories weren't bad, just not what they were interested in acquiring because they'd already had something or wanted something specific. I couldn't let them languish; so I decided to indie pub them.

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?
I do. For me, writing humor in my stories comes naturally. And it is more real life (at least, with the people who surround me).

What is your writing routine once you start a book?
An idea goes Bing! And I take off, usually in dialogue with a smattering of the other stuff as it pops in my head. My first draft is very, very rough. I read over and over and edit and edit to get it perfect for my critique partners. When I get my critique back, I'd hoped all would be good to go, but alas, it never it. So I work and work it again. Then one day, I let go…

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Sounds crazy but I always workout. Every single day. I do needlepoint and chill in front of the TV with Handsome.

How can readers find you?

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Pinterest  |  Author Central
Vicki also writes for Plotting Princesses!

Temporarily Employed, romantic comedy cozy mystery

Release Date: October 17, 2014

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Word Count: 75,000 words

BUY LINK

Blurb: New Job. New Love. And Murder.

Hattie Cook's dream job is down the toilet and her new SUV violated. Desperate for cash to cover the basic necessities of rent and food, she takes a temporary job at Buy Rite insurance company where she uncovers an embezzling scam tied to the death of a former employee--the very one she replaced. The last thing she wants is to clash with By-the-Book Detective Wellborn, no matter how much he makes her heart pound.

Allan Charles Wellborn has secretly adored Hattie all his life.  He evolved from a pocket protector-wearing geek to a handsome police detective.  When the police determine there's more to the death of a former Buy Rite employee, he steps in to lead the investigation. Overly dedicated, always perfect, he puts his job first, even if doing so ultimately hurts the one he loves.

Can the killer be found before Hattie's time is up?

Book Excerpt:

“Yuck.”
Pretty much covered the whole freakin’ day.
A blinding red-white, red-white strobe, reflected in my brand new Wrangler’s rearview mirror, seized my attention. The police. I tossed my hands skyward, ready to surrender. I shouldn’t have been too surprised. Like I'd commented this a.m. to my roommate, Jenny, “Today, anything’s possible.”
My Bad Day checklist included:
- Crappy job interview, one which might have provided desperately needed income.
- Wore gut-busting panty hose on a hot day which had now worked past my waist and strangled my diaphragm.
- A barely blowing air conditioner indicated something had malfunctioned in my new, fun car.
I stole another glance in the mirror, and with great reluctance, flipped the right turn indicator. My vehicle coasted to a stop on the shoulder of Boston Avenue in my hometown of Sommerville, a nice suburb located between two large cities. Four lanes of cars and trucks zipped by as I sat there where every single one of my family, friends, friends’ friends, and their friends—including Rat Fink Suzanne—would see a police vehicle positioned right behind mine. Gleefully, drivers would chant the “Ha-ha, got you, not me” ditty.
How embarrassing.
After killing the engine, I flopped back in the seat. Shooting the morons the finger was an idea. Nah. I'm too exhausted to care.
A litany of:  "No, not hiring." "Just filled the position." "You're over qualified." "You're under qualified…" tornadoed through my head. Coupled with the intense job search through various outlets like the internet and completing numerous online employment applications, no wonder my body had been depleted of all life force.
Not even a breeze blew to take the edge off the unbearable summertime heat. Tangled wild trees and dry scrubby bushes banked the roadside. The grass had taken on a scorched look. Rolling down the driver’s window, I surveyed my surroundings. Nothing great. Nothing new.
I stole a glance in the side mirror at the policeman who strode purposefully along the shoulder. The gravel crunched under his boots. He looked huge, probably because his uniform, which appeared to be bulked with a bullet-proof vest, made him resemble a buffed-up superhero in size. Exceedingly intimidating.
Sigh. When things went wrong, they were really wrong.
As I viewed him drawing closer, my heart pounded harder. Awkward circumstances usually brought out the worst in me like shyness, ineptness, and uh...more shyness, hang-ups I carried from childhood. Back in the dark ages, I’d deliberately steered clear of embarrassing situations by developing the best self-protection— avoidance. Over time, I’d adapted to embarrassment, but every now and then, some unusual situation would spring out, and like a stealthy cat, those old prickly feelings crept back inside me.
The policeman stopped by the driver’s side, his head slanted to better peer inside.
Up close and exceptionally personal, I saw his sunglasses with dark lenses which shielded his eyes.
“Ma’am, I’m Officer Wellborn. I need to see your driver's license and proof of insurance—”
Something unknown possessed me. I bulldozed in and snapped in an overly loud voice, “What do you want? Why did you pull me over?”
His body stiffened like a package of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough.
Oops. My brows shot skyward as my hand quickly smothered my mouth. Had I really done that? Had I really hollered at a policeman, a very big no-no? Now, he'll surely ticket me.
“Shouting at me could result in disorderly conduct charges,” he said.
Golly. His stern tone intimidated me. Maybe babbling and apologizing profusely will make amends. “I’m so sorry. I’m not normally rude. Mom would give me her little talk on Being Polite to Other People if she’d heard me. I’m really, really sorry.”
A quick glance told me he'd tilted his head in an attentive manner which indicated he appeared to be listening to my explanation with professional interest. I said, “I’ve had an appalling, hideous, horribly dreadful day.”
“I know.”
His flat statement struck me momentarily dumb. How the hell would he know?  He didn’t know me. He hadn’t followed me around all freakin' day and seen what I’d gone through. Perhaps, everyone said these things when they were pulled over, and his “I know” reply was the stock answer.
Maybe a so-so explanation would cover my ass.

A Short & Sweet Interview with #MFRWauthor @JamiGrayAuthor

A Short & Sweet Interview with Jami Gray
Jami Gray is the award winning, multi-published author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, and the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams.  Her latest release, SHADOW’S MOON (5/14) was a Golden Claddaugh Finalist, and the first in her newest series, HUNTED BY THE PAST, hits shelves in July 2014. She is surrounded by Star Wars obsessed males and a male lab, who masquerades as a floor rug as she plays with the voices in her head.

Here, she answers some fun questions for readers...
If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?
COLORADO, no doubt about it. I love the mountains. Unfortunately my other half prefers Maui, lots of sun and sand.  We're still flipping coins to figure out where we'll eventually land.

If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
Umm, hammer? At least to those who claim to know me. Something about being relentlessly stubborn--I call it goal oriented.

What song would best describe your life?
Ain't No Rest For The Wicked by Cage the Elephant. It's self explanatory.

What is your secret guilty pleasure?
No laughing out there...when things get stressed, I have comfort reads instead of comfort food. Although food works too. My favorite is Christine Feehan's Dark series or her Ghostwalker series. I'm all about independence and partnerships in a relationship, but something about those uber alpha males just works for me.

City life or country life?
See answer 1--country life, so long as a Starbucks is nearby for necessary caffeine intake.

Ebook or paperback?
Once upon a time I was solidly in paperback. Then I got the gift of a Kindle Fire. Now, I tend to lean towards ebooks because they don't weigh my purse down as much, but I keep all my favs in hard or paperback.

If you were on a reality show, what one would it be?
Worst Cooks in America--yeah, can't cook to save my life and I don't think even a celebrity chef could save my results. (Although my Knight is reading this over my shoulder and said, ""You're not that bad, love. Close, but not that bad."" Ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.)

Jami Gray newest release is Shadow's Moon (Bk 3 of the Kyn Kronicles), a Paranormal Romance, with Black Opal Books.

Even a wild heart can be broken…

A blonde, a brunette and a monster walk into a bar and all hell breaks loose.

Tracker, Xander Cade, confronts an enraged Shifter in a crowded human nightclub, fraying the thin secrecy shielding the supernatural community from public scrutiny. Danger stalks the pack and she must protect her alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis, even if he doesn’t want it.

If they don’t find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond they risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.

Buy Links
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Black Opal Books  |  Smashwords  |   ARe  |  iTunes

Reviewers Say It All...
In Shadow’s Moon by Jami Gray, Xander Cade is the tracker for her werewolf pack in the Pacific Northwest. She is mated to the pack al- pha, but isn’t sure that she wants to be and hasn’t fully accepted the mating bond. As tracker for the pack, she is charged with discovering who is threatening both the pack and the alpha, a job that puts her own life in equal danger. I think Shadow’s Moon is an excellent addi- tion to the Kyn Kronicles series. It is nice to get reacquainted with old friends and meet new ones. Gray is really coming into her own. The book is very well written and the plot strong. I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up. It held my interest from beginning to end. – Taylor Jones, Reviewer (www.BlackOpalBooks.com)

Shadow’s Moon by Jami Gray is a fine addition to her popular Kyn Kronicles series. This book, unlike the first two, focuses on Xander Cade, rather than on Raine and Gavin. It’s nice to get an in depth view into characters like Xander and Warrick, both of whom we have met in the two previous books. Shadow’s Moon is riveting. I was caught up in it from the very first word, and I simply could not put it down. I read right through to the end, finishing at 4 in the morning. I can’t wait for the next one in the series. Gray has turned into a first class author of paranormal thrillers. – Regan Murphy, Reviewer

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Splintered Lies @Karen_Lopp

MFRW Author Karen Lopp released Splintered Lies, a Mainstream Suspense, with SilverTree Publishing on May 18, 2014.

Detective Rissa Marten sacrificed her only chance for a normal life to put a drug lord behind bars. Now, her life in the shadows has to be brought to life to save the man she has secretly loved for years. With a price on her head can she risk letting him know?

Detective Jerah Qassem has built his career as an undercover agent in the dangerous world of drug cartels. But when a ghost from his past is resurrected can he overcome his bitterness in time to save her life?

She has secrets. He wants answers.

Amazon BUY LINK

Excerpt

Jerah Qassem had never been more grateful for his years of undercover training than at this moment. Fingers tight around the tumbler to stop the tremors, he watched the apparition glide up to the bar, and wondered if someone had laced his drink with a hallucinogen. Mary was dead. He had nightmares or wet dreams about her most nights for the last eight years.
It wasn’t only the woman’s face that had his insides swirling like a hurricane. It was the way she moved. Long, smooth strides, shoulders straight and eyes darting around like a caged cat. Mary had always been casting looks over her shoulder as if she expected someone to jump out and chase her. But those legs were just as toned and shapely as Mary’s had been. She had been athletic and grabbed every chance she could to romp around the beach. Even the hair was the exact same color of ripened wheat and bounced just below her shoulders. Just like Mary had worn it.
Chills erupted all over his body and cold fingers caressed the nape of his neck. Unable to blink, Jerah stared at the ghost of Mary. The girl he had sent to her death in a fit of anger. The girl he had fallen in love with, yet had been too proud and ambitious to acknowledge until she was gone. Forever.
Jerah closed his eyes against the jarring memory of two firemen holding him back from the charred remains of the building he had sent Mary into as three body bags were carried out. A shudder rattled down his spine. He had relived that day too often. When he glanced back at the bar, the woman had taken a seat and smiled at the bartender. Jerah knew that smile. The same smile that once had almost melted his resolve to not get involved. He had had a career to build. Mary had stirred up thoughts of forever and love, things he hadn’t been ready for. The temptation had been great. But somehow, he persevered and tossed away the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Air exploded from his chest and Jerah shook his head. He did not believe in ghosts. Prickles sprang up his legs as if his blood had decided to flow again. He tugged his leaden body from the chair and stalked to the bar. “Give me a shot of Wild Turkey.” Needing the fortification, he gulped down the amber liquid. Fire burned down his throat. Nope, he wasn’t dreaming. Hands braced on the edge of the bar, he turned to the woman at his side.

About Karen Lopp
Stories have always been a part of my life, from books to tales passed down from my ancestors that brought history to life. Danger, struggles and the will power to overcome are all found in the rich legacy of my family tree. Inspiration from their lives inspired me to write what I love. Branching out to contemporary suspense has been another dream come true. I hope my stories bring you entertainment and inspiration.
I love history of all times and places. And my second but equal love of suspense fills my books.

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