#Thursday13 Favorite Foods @Akaria_Gale #MFRWauthor

Akaria Gale is a native New Yorker, slow cooker enthusiast, hard cider advocate who occasionally finds time to write about the secret world right underneath our noses.

Today, she shares her favorite foods and her newest book.

Thirteen Favorite Foods

Wasabi

Garlic

Homemade marinara sauce

Medium rare steak

Whiskey

Jerk Chicken

Mangoes

Salmon sashimi w/jalapeno peppers

Dumplings

Saag Paneer

Basil

Massaman curry

BBQ ribs

Angel's Awakening (Awakening #1)

Paranormal Romance
After a disgraceful two thousand year demotion, Charouth is a heartbeat away from regaining her status as one of Heaven's Elite angels. Her final mission: to retrieve five rare artifacts and prevent Satan's escape from Hell. A formidable task that becomes nearly impossible when Azazel, Satan’s top relic hunter and her ex-lover, joins the quest.

Bloody confrontations with the worst the Netherworld has to offer land her further away from redemption than ever, forced to choose between duty or desire. Two thousand years ago, their passion defied Heaven and Hell. Will love blossom again, or will ancient allegiances tear them apart forever?

BUY LINK

EXCERPT

In a blink, the bald Fallen rushed to strike. She brought her arm up to block. Damn that poisoned bite. Too slow again. With the flick of a wrist, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. She winced as her wings made contact. Chunks of concrete fell to the ground. His nails lengthened into deadly claws. Blood oozed from her flesh. He reeked of the Netherworld. Her eyes watered, vision dimmed, face flooding red in shame. Oh, the embarrassment of it all. Outmaneuvered by a Fallen. Incapable of protecting humans. Mauled by a friggin’ hellhound. Talk about demotion. She’d be lucky if they allowed her a Watcher position after this.
“I'm gonna love ripping your head off, sheanar.”
The air thrummed with tension and power. Less potent than what the Fallen, radiated but more recognizable, this was the energy she’d felt earlier.
“Release her."" A new voice entered this little get together. It was dark and ominous, yet strangely familiar.
The Fallen loosened his grip a bit and turned his head toward the tunnel. It was so quiet. No rats scurrying in dark corners. No dripping water. Not even the distant rumble of a train. Just eerie, disconcerting quiet.
“No worries, man. I just found us a little bitch to play with.”
“Let her go.” The newcomer cocked his weapon. It echoed loudly in the underground silence. “Now.”
“Oh, come on, man. She's a spunky one. We could have fun with her. Before we kill her.”
“Amazarek, let her go. This woman is mine.”
Charouth twisted her head toward the newcomer. Her jaw dropped. She saw a ghost.

CONNECT with Akaria
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9805223.Akaria_Gale
http://www.pinterest.com/04zfvvgygotwfib/
https://twitter.com/akaria_gale
https://www.facebook.com/akariagale?ref=hl
http://www.akariagale.com/

A QUICK AND QUIRKY #MFRWauthor Interview To Save a Lady @Pat_Preston

A Quick and Quirky Interview with MFRW Author Patricia Preston
Patricia writes stories that have strong characters, some humor, some romance, some adventure, and lots of emotion. She has won several awards for her fiction, and she is currently working on a series, the French Quarter Brides and a series of contemporary romances set in  Lafayette Falls, a fictional city near Nashville. She had a Western romance available from Carina Press entitled Almost an Outlaw, and two humorous short stories, “The Yard Sale” and “Laid to Rest” available on Amazon.

If money were not an object, where would you like to live?
I’d love to live in a townhouse in the French Quarters where I’d have access to Pat O’Briens and Café Du Monde on a daily basis. Gotta love them beignets and Hurricane cocktails.

If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
I bet somebody already said ‘screwdriver’, huh?

What song best describes your life?  
“Another Day in Paradise”

Picture yourself as a store, what would be sold there?
Definitely books and music. There would be free e-readers and internet access. And there’s a music room where you can sample an entire song instead of a 30-second clip. And you can sit in massage chairs and chill with music and books. Also, there’ll be a wet bar. Yes and maybe pole-dancing classes. We’ll call the store Books, Ballads and Bottoms Up! We’ll open soon.

What is your secret guilty pleasure?
I don’t think you should attach the word guilty to pleasure. You should never feel guilty about enjoying yourself, regardless of what that involves. Just make sure you don’t electrocute yourself and remember you can take guilt-free pole dancing classes at my store.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, who would it be with?
Rick and Daryl from The Walking Dead!!! They know how to survive and plus they are sexy and Southern. That’s a plus, y’all.

What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
Besides being born?

If you were on a reality show, which one would it be? 
Well, I don’t watch reality shows. Maybe America’s Got Talent for Writers. Everyone gets up there and reads a chapter…Naw…What about a bunch of redneck pole dancers taking classes at Bottoms Up. They are vying to a win a spotlight performance at Big Earl’s Place. You gotta let your imagination go there, people.

Tell us about your latest book.

To Save a Lady, Book One, French Quarter Brides

Mainstream (PG13) Historical  Romance

Romance & Adventure in old New Orleans. . .
A move from Paris to New Orleans brings disaster to Elise Plaisance’s predictable life as a lady’s maid. The son of her grief-stricken mistress disappears, and Elise is drawn into a web of espionage and lies as war threatens the city. Captain Jesse Cross doesn’t fancy himself as a lovelorn soldier desperate for a woman until a mysterious French spy captivates his imagination. 

Elise’s romance with the captain is a frail illusion, born in the darkness of a French Quarter courtyard and never meant to last forever. Amid war and betrayal, Elise must risk everything to rescue her mistress’s son before all is lost, and Jesse knows he has to save her even if it means sacrificing his honor and his life. 

During the War of 1812, a dauntless American captain and a desperate lady’s maid from Paris finds romance and danger in the sultry French Quarter of New Orleans.

BUY LINK

EXCERPT
December 1814
Captain Jesse Cross strode through the blanket of thick fog that rose from the banks of the Mississippi river and filled the dark streets of the French Quarter. A discarded playbill from an opera house lay in a mud puddle, and the muffled sound of piano music came from a closed theater where a musician practiced after the show.
New Orleans was on the brink of war. Nevertheless, on any given night, a man could attend an opera, a play, or a concert in this muggy city filled with wealthy residents who loved to be entertained.
Also, on any given night, a man could be robbed, shot, or stabbed to death. Crime thrived in the cultural city, which had its share of cutthroats and thieves who prowled the streets at night, looking for unwitting victims.
Jesse had no plans to become one of those victims.
The navy greatcoat he wore over his uniform brushed the tops of his riding boots and concealed the flintlock pistol he cradled against his thigh. As the moon ducked behind a cluster of heavy clouds, he listened carefully to the quiet footsteps that echoed his own. He had been followed since leaving a tavern on Rue Dauphine.
He continued at a steady pace, walking south on Rue Toulouse. Townhouses and shops jammed against sidewalks called banquettes in this city where French was the primary language.
The midnight hour approached. The houses were shuttered, and the streets deserted. There was no good reason to think the man trailing behind him was just out for a jaunt, not in the middle of a winter night.
Jesse picked up his pace as the damp, cold air breezed about him.
He longed to be elsewhere. Lying in front of a warm fireside, with a glass of good wine and a woman eager to ride him. That would be such a joy right now. When had he last known such pleasure? He would have to dig deep in his memory to answer that question.
He tightened his grip on his pistol. The sound of footsteps grew closer. Faster now in the darkness. Coming up behind him while he walked along the banquette as if he suspected nothing. He drew in a steadying breath.
There was nothing like the element of surprise.

CONNECT with Patricia Preston

Website: www.patricia-preston.com

Blog: www.patricia-preston.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/16kagF5

Twitter: http://ow.ly/E8xdW

Pinterest:   http://ow.ly/E8xD5

Goodreads: http://ow.ly/E8xY2

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Welcoming His Man @BerengariaBrown

Welcoming His Man

The Bath House Boys book 2
Berengaria Brown
Erotic GLBT Romance
Siren Publishing

In the small town where he grew up, Jethro Wraight was persecuted, harassed, and traumatized because of his sexual orientation. Now living far away from where he grew up, Jethro’s only just starting to learn that it’s okay to be gay. Jethro goes to the gay bath house and meets Bart Moreton there. Bart still lives at home with his parents, even though his dad keeps telling him to get a real job, because he’s determined to become an artist. His work is good, and sells well at craft markets, but he doesn’t make enough money to survive on alone as yet.

Jethro’s never had a boyfriend before, but the two men instantly form a bond. Jethro is taking his very first steps in displaying affection openly. Bart’s focused on becoming an artist. The immediate friendship between them surprises them both.

Jethro was persecuted, harassed, and traumatized because of his sexual orientation. He meets Bart, an artist. Will he find happiness at last?

BUY LINK

EXCERPT
A black-haired man walked over to the pool and stuck a toe in the water. Apparently satisfied with the temperature, he laid a towel on one of the chairs and left his sandals neatly beside it. He was wearing plain black board shorts, the first person in this section of the bathhouse that Bart had seen wearing anything other than his bare skin or a towel.
Well, perhaps he was shy or just new.
Bart watched as the man carefully climbed down the ladder into the swimming pool instead of diving in, and then swam a length in a neat style, scarcely making a splash. Everything about him seemed designed to prevent anyone paying attention to him, except for the fact that he wasn’t naked. It was an interesting conundrum. Was he just a neat, quiet person, or did he really wish not to be noticed? If so, why wasn’t he naked? He seemed to have a perfectly nice body. He was average height and build, not flabby or unfit looking. Unless maybe he had some scars hidden under those board shorts. Perhaps that was the reason he kept them on.
After the black-haired man climbed out of the pool and collected his towel and sandals, he walked across to the hot tubs and read the sign on the wall carefully. Once again he laid the towel and sandals neatly on a chair, reread the sign, pressed the button to activate one of the hot tubs, and climbed in.
Bart was fascinated by the man and decided it was time he experienced the hot tub as well. He dropped his towel on the chair next to the black-haired man’s towel and stepped down into the hot tub.
“Hi, I’m Bart. Do you mind if I join you?”
The man seemed a little nervous and hesitant but smiled and said softly, “I’m Jethro.”
Bart smiled back, wanting Jethro to relax. “That’s an old name. What do they call you? Jet?”
“Jet? I like that, but people usually just call me Jethro.”
“My full name’s Bartholomew, but my folks only ever used it to yell at me when I was in trouble. As soon as my mom called out, ‘Bar-thol-om-eeeew’ I knew it was time to start running.”
“Was Bartholomew a family name? I was named for an uncle.”
“Nope. Not that anyone ever said. Was your Uncle Jethro your godfather or something?”
The black haired man shook his head. “I hardly knew him. But he left me his store and his apartment when he died, so I really appreciate that.”
Bart grinned. “I would, too. What kind of a store is it? Are you managing it now?”
Jethro shook his head. “He’d had to close it when he got ill, and I haven’t decided what to do with it yet. I’m living in his old apartment though. I just recently finished cleaning it out and sorting all his furniture and possessions properly.”
Bart leaned back against the edge of the hot tub. “What do you think you might do with the store?”
Jethro looked thoughtful. “It’s in a small row of other stores. So far I’ve been talking to each of the owners about what they think would work best in the area. The consensus seems to be something that will make casual passersby stop and look in. All the stores are opposite a park and sports ground, and there’s quite a lot of foot traffic in the warmer weather. Not so much in winter, I’m told. There’s a café in the block, and people do go there all year around. It’s all very new to me, you understand. I need to think carefully about everything.”
“I do understand, but I also envy you. You have the most amazing opportunity to make it into whatever you chose. Well, within reason. I guess whatever you decide to sell can’t really compete with one of the other stores already there. But it sounds as though you’ve gone about choosing what to do very thoroughly.”

ABOUT Berengaria Brown
Berengaria is an award-winning, best-selling, multi-published author of erotic romance with over one hundred published digital, print and audio books.  She writes contemporary, paranormal (magic, ghosts, vampires, fairies, dragons, and werewolves), futuristic, medieval, and Regency-set historical. She loves to read all different kinds of romance so that is what she writes: MMF, MFM, FMMM, FFM, MM, FF, and MF. Whatever the characters need for their very hot happily-ever-after, Berengaria makes sure they get it.

http://berengariasblog.blogspot.com/  |  http://berengariabrown.com/

https://www.facebook.com/berengaria.brown/about  |  https://twitter.com/BerengariaBrown

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Home to Stay @JeLQuinnAuthor

Home to Stay
Erotic Contemporary Romance
by Jane Leopold Quinn

When Nickie begins restoring an old house in Parkersburg, Iowa, the last thing she expects is a stalker. But when Deputy Sheriff Hank responds to her call for help, all thoughts of danger flee her mind. The more she's forced to be with him, the stronger her attraction grows. He's never been the staying kind, but he can't fight his own growing feelings for her.

5 Stars - ""Masterful storytelling with terrific character interaction and lots of heat."" by Rose Anderson

BUY LINK

EXCERPT
     Hands shaking and in a rush, she hooked the snap between her breasts, jiggling a little to settle herself in the cups. She rubbed at the burning prickles on the back of her neck. Crossman. It was Crossman. She knew it was him before she turned around.

He stared at her from the darkened hallway, his rapt gaze heating her skin. She crossed her arms over her breasts. To give the devil his due, he drew his gaze up to her face. She wondered if he was married, because the way he looked at her made her hope he wasn’t.

Nickie Grace’s ex was the quintessential cheating bastard. Rehabbing her great-aunt’s house in Parkersburg, Iowa would be her refuge from her feeling of failure.  Until someone started playing “pranks” on her, and Hank, the cop, started wanting to protect her.

ABOUT Jane Leopold Quinn
Sensual fantasies were locked in my mind for years until a friend said, "Why don't you write them down?" Why not, indeed? One spiral notebook, a pen and the unleashing of my imagination later, and here I am with more than a dozen books published. The craft of writing erotic romance has become my passion and my niche in life. I love every part of the creative process — developing characters, designing the plot, even drawing the layout of physical spaces from my stories. I'm lucky enough to write romance full time — the best job in the universe!

http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com  |  https://twitter.com/jelquinnauthor

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Tycoon's Temporary Bride @AnaERoss #MFRWauthor

The Tycoon's Temporary Bride (Book Four)
Mainstream Contemporary Suspense / Multicultural Romance
by Ana E Ross
BUY LINK

Since he was left standing at the altar, Adam Andreas has been bride-shy, until the day he meets Tashi Holland. One look into Tashi’s eyes and Adam begins to dream of Happily Ever After again.

Following the instructions of the FBI Special agent who rescued her from a New York City human-trafficking kingpin, Tashi Holland arrives in Granite Falls, New Hampshire. Without the identity of the man who’s to protect her, Tashi feels scared and vulnerable, so when she bumps into a man in a café, and finds herself locked in his arms, she panics and runs.

When a near-death experience brings them together again, Tashi begins to trust Adam, and eventually tells him about New York City. Will Tashi’s fears that Adam might suffer the same fate as the FBI agent who died rescuing her keep her from accepting his offer of protection by becoming his temporary bride?" Rescuing damsels-in-distress is something Adam Andreas swore never to do again after one left him standing at the altar. But when he bumps into Tashi Holland, a woman who’s running from some really bad guys, Adam can't resist offering her protection as his temporary bride. Will she accept or refuse, to protect him?

ABOUT Ana E Ross
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Ana E Ross, a native of the island of Nevis in the West Indies, resigned from the classroom in 2013 after thirteen years of teaching high school Writing and Literature.

Ana now self-publishes steamy contemporary romance novels, featuring sexy alpha heroes and feisty heroines who challenge them within a hairsbreadth of insanity. So far, her works include three short stories and four novels in her Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls series.

Ana lives in New Hampshire, and enjoys traveling, yoga, meditation, everything Italian, and spending time with her daughter.

Connect with Ana

Website: http://www.anaeross.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ana-E-Ross/221431434575148

Twitter: Ana E Ross: https://twitter.com/anaeross

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

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

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006UNSSD2

She Loves Me-He Loves Me Not #Thursday13 with #MFRWauthor @ZeeMahal

Thirteen Things about Zeenat Mahal
Zeenat Mahal has published two ebooks with Indireads in 2013 and SLMHLMN is her third novel. The Contract was an Indireads bestseller.  Her book Haveli was up to number 17 on amazon kindle and The Contract went up to number 9 on amazonIn.

Zeenat loves reading and writing romance and her favourite writers in the genre are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julia Quinn, Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.

1. I've read and enjoyed romance novels for more years than I care to remember. I've read gothic, classic, historical, Regency, popular, YA and all sorts. Can't get enough of it.

2. I've been writing since I was ten.

3. My first 'aha' moment regarding romance writing, which for some reason I thought I'd never do, because let's face it, being South Asian, one is only 'supposed' to do literary writing. But then one day, I thought, you know what, enough of that. It's time to embrace popular literature, despite post-colonialism.

4. One day I hope to get my mainstream novel about Pakistan published. It's titled This House of Clay and Water and half of it made my MFA creative writing thesis. I got a distinction, and I'm very proud of it.

5. Elif Shafak was my supervisor.

6 .My latest book is called She Loves Me-He Loves Me Not and it is a South Asian take on Beauty and the Beast. It's slightly darker than my other novels but it's a HEA which is what I love about this genre. I mean chocolate and a HEA is all it takes to make many of us happy, right?

7. I'm never sure what motivates my stories. Some small thing that captures my subconscious perhaps. 

8. I don't know how it happens but some characters suddenly come together and start living in my head. Some of them are quite annoying. They make me want to write them.

9. Humour is wonderful. I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Julia Quinn for their humour even more than for their hunky heroes. Why is it important? I guess, look to Shakespeare? A Fool in most of his plays tells us why. The principles of writing remain the same,no matter what the genre and which category the writer may fall into...master to novice. 

10. I write the first draft in spurts of creativity that might last from a month to a year. Then I go back to the re-writing at least a dozen times.

11. Only when I read the MS a-z and feel that it cannot be made better do i send it to my publisher, who then makes me go back to it if she has reservations. She often does.

12. With children, it is very difficult to write in one go. So I have stopped trying to do that. If I need to write something very badly, like a new plot twist, or a re-write, I do it when they're asleep. Otherwise I do sentence here, a paragraph there. It's not easy but I love them all so much. I can't give any of them up. Neither the kids nor the reading, nor the writing.

13. I'm very lucky :)

She Loves Me-He Loves Me Not

Mainstream South Asian Contemporary

Indireads

Fardeen is Zoella's best friend's oldest brother. He's gorgeous of course and Zee is convinced that one day angels will trumpet their silver bugles and Fardeen's eyes will meet hers.Then the deserts of Cholistan and Thar will burst into bloom (lillies and roses...pink ones). 

She's dreamed this dream since she was ten. Sigh

!Zoella hated that she was so wholesome. People like her were the Harriets of Jane Austen worlds. Forgettable. Disposable sub-plots.  So was it a surprise that she should be in the wrong fairytale with the right man?

Zoella believed in fairytales. She just happened to find herself in the wrong one.

www.amazon.com  |  www.flipkart.com  |  www.indireads.com

A Short & Sweet #MFRWauthor Interview @TheAnnaDurand

Meet Anna Durand.

I'm a writer, reader, librarian, and audiobook addict. I specialize in sexy, suspenseful paranormal romance, including the award-winning Psychic Crossroads series. In my spare time, I photograph flowers, whether they like it or not.

Why did you decide to write romance novels? I realized that what I love most in a book is the romance. If there isn't one, the story feels empty to me, because romance is about more than attraction—it's about emotion and connection. I've written other types of books, but my true love is romance.

What kind of research do you do for a book? I'm always doing research, because I love to read about science, ancient history, and mythology. All of these subjects inspire my romances. So I don't do a lot of research for a specific book, but rather keep my eyes peeled for intriguing ideas that may germinate into stories.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? I'm always itching to try something new. I'd love to dive into fantasy and historical romance but haven't found the time yet. I also have ideas for a mystery, but paranormal romance is still my first love and what I focus on.

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why? Absolutely! Humor is a great way to deal with stress, and the characters in my books endure a lot of that. My heroines tend toward the sarcastic, but they're never mean, and my heroes have senses of humor too. They may be fighting for their lives, but they can find the humor in even the most mortal of danger.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries? I create jewelry, photograph flowers, read, and listen to audiobooks.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read? I'm a huge fan of Rachel Caine, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Kessler, Jayne Castle, Maria V. Snyder, and Christine Amsden. But I read (or listen to) tons of books by many different authors, from bestsellers to indies.

CONNECT with Anna...
http://www.annadurand.com/
http://amzn.com/author/annadurand
https://www.goodreads.com/annadurand
https://twitter.com/TheAnnaDurand
http://www.pinterest.com/Anna_Durand/
https://www.facebook.com/AnnaDurandFiction
http://www.theromancereviews.com/AnnaDurand
https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/TheAnnaDurand

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Reborn to Burn is the second story in a four-part series about a young woman who was resurrected from death by some shady scientists. I got the idea from reading about microscopic creatures called tardigrades, which can survive the vacuum of space, but they also can survive dehydration and spring back to life decades later, when enough water hits them. This led to the concept of a mummy being regenerated to a near life-like state. She wasn't supposed to wake up—but she did, and nobody knows why. In the second installment, things get steamy between Dawn (the ex-mummy) and her savior Jake, as they unearth a shocking secret about how she awakened and what she can do.

Reborn to Burn

Paranormal Romance
Jacobsville Books
After three thousand years as a mummy, Dawn awakened to a dangerous new reality where science and the supernatural collide. Her only ally is Jake Maxwell, a mysterious grad student with an unusual talent for evading bad guys. Dawn's resurrection spells trouble and power for the scientists responsible, and they have no intention of letting her go without a fight. But as she flees with Jake, a shocking revelation about her newfound life rocks them both. While their enemies close in, they discover a fiery passion—and a bond deeper and stronger than time itself. But can they outrun the past before their future is shattered? After 3,000 years as a mummy, Dawn was resurrected by Redeo Biotech, and now they'll stop at nothing to control her. As she flees with her only ally, Jake Maxwell, they unearth a shocking secret about her new life and discover a fiery passion. But can they outrun the past before their future is shattered?

AMAZON Buy Link

EXCERPT

Headlights popped on close behind. She threw up a hand to shield her eyes. What was this idiot doing? He must've driven with his lights off until he got within yards of their SUV.
Her pulse raced. No one would do that unless—
Shit.
Jake lurched forward, grimacing as he twisted his body to squint at the back window. ""It's them.""
""Why don't they kill us and get it over with?""
""They need your brain undamaged. An auto accident would be…messy.""
""Charming. But a few hours ago, you said they'd kill me simply for being alive.""
""That's when Saxon was in control. He's gone.""
A chill shimmied through her. Saxon was gone because she'd killed him, to save Jake. Her finger had pulled the trigger, and a part of her wondered whether she'd swapped his life for her own.
""Trust me,"" Jake said, ""the other scientists at Redeo understand the importance of examining an intact, resurrected brain.""
""Great, I feel much better."" She pushed the SUV harder. The other car, its shape invisible behind the glare of the headlights, receded in the mirror.
""It won't be that easy.""
""I know,"" she snapped. Redeo Biotech had created her, in a way, and they despised giving up anything they owned. ""What would you like me to do?""
""Drive faster.""
""You said that wouldn't help.""
""No, I said it wouldn't be that easy."" When she opened her mouth to protest, he laid a hand on her shoulder. ""Use your knowledge. Most of us born into this world don't know it as well as you do. Tap into what you learned during your soul journeys."" He gave her shoulder a light squeeze. ""And drive faster. It'll buy us a little time.""
She rammed her foot down on the accelerator. The car shot forward, pinning her to the seat. The steering wheel shimmied, and she gripped it tighter. The headlights of the other vehicle shrank in the mirror. She released the breath trapped in her lungs.
Headlights surged closer. A powerful engine snarled behind them.
Electric ice zapped through her, clenching her hands and quickening her breaths. So much for buying time.
She stomped her foot on the accelerator.
The other vehicle snarled, revving its engine.
Blood thundered in her ears. Every muscle in her body went rigid.
The other car slammed into them with an explosive crunch. The concussion flung her forward. She clung to the wheel as it jerked in her hands. Christ, no. The seatbelt gouged into her, radiating pains through her chest. She gasped, gritted her teeth, and held on.
An object thunked in the center console. Her gaze flicked to the cup holder, and Jake's gun stashed there.
The attacker barreled his car into them a second time. Their SUV fishtailed. She fought to control the wheel, but the SUV fishtailed again. Skidded sideways. Thwacked over a bump.
And spun out into the night.

Discovering the Amazing Authors of #MFRWauthor

Would you like to find some amazing authors to have as your followers on Twitter?

This month on #MFRWauthor Retweet Day on Twitter, we'd like to invite all Marketing for Romance Writers to give us your twitter name. Example - @MFRW_ORG

Leave your name in the comment section.

We would love then for you to send out a tweet with each others Twitter names.

Example:

Come join the Amazing #MFRWauthor (then list Twitter names of the people in the comment section).

We will also be adding your name to the Amazing Authors of MFRW list on Twitter.

Throughout the month of March, we are going to be tweeting. Come follow the Amazing Author of #MFRW https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG/lists/amazing-authors-of-mfrw

We will also be asking them to give us their twitter name and encouraging everyone to follow these people.

So if you are looking for new followers. Please Follow us on Twitter and find new authors to enjoy... https://twitter.com/MFRW_ORG

Let's make this a huge event so use the example above and retweet each others Twitter names.

Also support the thunderclap campaign for this event.
http://thndr.it/1FdHg2U

Thanks and here's to everyone having a great year,
Tina

BOOK SPOTLIGT: Celia and the Wolf @DonnaMaloy #MFRWauthor

Celia and the Wolf 
Book One, Shapeshifter Journals
Donna Maloy
Young Adult Fantasy
FrontrunnerPubs

Which one is the real monster? 

Celia Ashleigh, otherwise known as The Fox, is a shapeshifter and spy-in-training, like other firstborn Ashleighs.
Remy Broussard and his sister are werewolves. But The Guardian of La Cluse is on a crusade to wipe out monsters like them. He’s kidnapped Remy’s little sister and plans to kill her when she changes for the first time.
When Remy begs for help, Celia doesn’t hesitate to take on a real mission. But the closer Celia comes to finding the madman and his captive, the more dangerous her task becomes… and the more hopeless.
What will happen if Celia makes a mistake and the hate-filled crusader discovers she is something more than human, too?

AMAZON Buy Link

REVIEW
“A thrilling adventure with a fiery, engaging heroine you will not want to take your eyes off for a second!”--Ammi-Joan Paquette, author of Rules for Ghosting

EXCERPT

March, 1806.
     Although I could see several cats in the courtyard, some quite large, not one was my father, the shapeshifter known by the codename Panther. He wasn’t one of the horses or ravens, either.
     In truth, I knew finding him wouldn’t make any difference. Our training sessions at Redgate weren’t scheduled to begin until the first of August, after Parliament adjourned. But I was bored, bored, bored. And lonely.
     The King was fighting with his ministers again, and Papa had been in meetings with government people all week. I missed him desperately. He was the only person in London with whom I could talk about shifting. The only person like me. Even after six years, Noreen still got hysterical when I changed shape in front of her. And Mama had made me promise I wouldn’t tease Graham with things he couldn’t do.
     But practicing secretly in my room wasn’t the same as closing my eyes and becoming a rabbit, running lickety-split through the brambles and briars—away from houses and rules. Or watching a falcon swoop over rooftops, and then shifting my bones to join her in the sky above the trees.
     London society decreed that as the daughter of a baronet, I should be demure and obedient, feminine and charming. And that’s all. It’s why I longed so much for Redgate. There in the deep woods I could be anything!
     Well, as a strict matter of fact I couldn’t be a fish. I still hadn’t learned how to become one. It wasn’t that I was afraid to swim. Not exactly. I simply hadn’t figured out how they did the breathing-under-water. But today, I felt perhaps it was time to try.
     In fact, I’d agree to become a skunk or a slimy slug if only Papa would take me to Redgate today. Leaving London would be worth anything. I needed to be something right now.
     Well. Breakfast wouldn’t be served for an hour and if I were careful, Papa need never know…
     I rapidly shifted to the shape of a lark and took off out the window. In the tree outside our library, I joined a chorus of birds singing to the dawn. It was the most perfectly lovely way to start the day. But when I made to return, I found the window shut. Drat.
     Changing course, I flew to the kitchen door and entered fast, above the head of the milk boy. I almost escaped to my room without notice. Almost.
     When I came down the Great Stair to breakfast, I heard Papa’s voice.
     “What is this?” He paused, then sighed. “Oh, Celia.”
     He must have found the chandelier bits I left behind when I flew too high in the hall. I’d broken Rule Number Six again, but this time there was evidence. Quietly, I backed up the stairs and waited until I heard Mama’s voice bid Papa goodbye. Then I pasted a sunny, cheery smile on my face and entered the breakfast room.
     “Good morning, everyone. Where is Papa off to today?”
     “He has business in the country,” Mama said brightly.
     Double blast! That was our secret code to keep nosy servants from gossiping. What she meant was the Prime Minister had sent Papa off on another mission. He might be gone for ages.
     Papa, Sir Robert Ashleigh, was a secret Deputy of the Crown. In fact, for seven generations, all the Ashleigh families had trained their firstborns to become Crown Deputies. Using our special abilities, we worked all over the world.
     I’ll be one, too. Eventually.
     I was so tired of that horrid word.

ABOUT Donna Maloy
Donna Maloy lives on the Texas Gulf Coast. CELIA AND THE WOLF is her first book for teens. She’s also written more than twenty-five plays for elementary and middle schools. She loves ethnic foods, shopping, Jeopardy, and geeky things like Google Glass. Donna’s always interested in reading terrific books from new authors, particularly teen writers. Her website (donnamaloy.com) and her blog (tangledwords.com) contain resources for new writers, with a focus on contests, workshops, publications and advice for teens authors. You can also follow Donna on Facebook , twitter , Goodreads , and Pinterest .

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#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Scent of Humanity @Margay Leah Justice

The Scent of Humanity 
Margay Leah Justice
Romantic Suspense
Amazon Buy Link

Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice. In theory. But in one small town, in one family, that
theory is put to the test.

Growing up in a rural town in Massachusetts was supposed to be safe, but for SILVIE CHILDS, that safety was shattered by a kidnapping attempt that forever changed her life. Now, nearly twenty years later, that sense of safety is challenged again by the kidnapping attempt on her young niece, and Silvie is left struggling with one question: How can something like this happen twice in one family?

It is a dilemma shared by NICK FAHEY, the detective assigned to the case. Arriving on the scene of the abduction attempt, Nick expects to run a routine investigation. Until he meets the victim, the niece of a woman he once considered a dear friend. Unfortunately, these days Silvie Childs can barely stand the sight of him.

Once there was a time when Silvie Childs worshipped Nick Fahey, believing he could do no wrong. Until the accident that nearly killed her brother; the accident that Nick reportedly caused. Coming on the heels of her own near abduction, the accident skewed Silvie’s ability to trust men – especially Nick. But now, with the attempt on her niece’s safety, Silvie finds herself in the untenable position of having to trust Nick to bring the kidnapper to justice.

That trust is severely tested when, after only two months, the case is closed for lack of new evidence. Feeling betrayed by the system in which she works as a paralegal and by Nick, Silvie takes matters into her own hands. Contacting local news stations to generate interest in the case, allowing herself to be filmed hanging sketches of the suspect on telephone poles, she will risk her own safety to protect that of her niece. When her efforts re-open the wounds of her past, she is once again forced to put her trust in the one man who still has the power to hurt her – Nick.

BUY LINK

EXCERPT

“What’s this?” he asked, cupping her face in his hand and running the thumb along the lower edge of her too-full lips. “A little hint of maturity? Silvie Childs apologizing?”
She nipped his thumb at the jibe, not hard, just enough that he hissed out a breath in reaction. All hint of humor fled from him. He was intent, serious now, every nerve in his body on high alert. “Is that how you want to play it?” he whispered, his voice guttural. “Huh?” He moved a little closer to her, maneuvering her up against the open door. Slipped his thumb between her lips, parting them. “You think we’ve danced around this enough for one day, hmm?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Her lips brushed against his thumb as she spoke, igniting a spark within him. Interesting.
“Liar,” he said as he dipped his head close enough to replace his thumb with his lips. But he didn’t. Instead, he skimmed his lips along her cheekbone to her right ear, flicked his tongue along the rim of the opening. Into her ear, he whispered, “When you stop lying to yourself, I’ll give you what you want.”
She grabbed the hand he still cupped her face with, the gesture almost – convulsive. Hmm, what was that about? Her breath in his ear sent a shiver throughout his body. “And what,” she whispered against his cheek, “do you think I want?”
He nipped her earlobe, smiled at her shocked gasp. Soothing the nip with a flick of his tongue, he murmured, “Oh, I don’t know.” Into her ear, “Think about it.” Sliding his lips along her cheek as he withdrew, he couldn’t resist allowing the tip of his tongue to flit across her lips in parting. When she opened her mouth as if in protest, he warned, “Uh-ah, you’ve got to stop lying to yourself first.”
She slipped her fingers into his hair, grabbing hanks of it to anchor his head and prevent his retreat. He resisted the urge to smile – and to kiss her when she made the overture to him. He merely slipped his thumb back over her lips, using it as a barrier between them. When she cast him a pleading look, he asked, “Do you still hate me?”
“Yes,” she admitted when he slid his thumb away, releasing her lips from captivity. “More than ever.”
He smiled and angled his head, as if preparing to kiss her. “Why?” he asked instead.
“You know why!”
“Mm,” he murmured, accepting that as her answer. “And who do you hate more right now?” He dipped his head a little closer. “Me, because I won’t do what you want – or you, because you want it?”
“Me, all me,” she whispered as she swooped in close and took what she wanted from him. What he allowed her to take from him. Voraciously.
Good Lord, he thought moments before she pulled away, shock at her own actions clearly written on her face. Where had she learned to kiss like that?
“Ah, Silvie,” he said, dragging his thumb over her full lower lip before he favored her with a lingering, open-mouthed kiss, “I don’t think you hate me as much as you think you do.” He pulled back before she could respond – to his words or his kiss – and jogged down the three short steps from her front porch to the walkway. “Goodnight, Silvie,” he called over a shoulder. “Lock the door behind me.”

ABOUT Margay Leah Justice
An avid reader and mad knitter, author of the books Nora's Soul, Sloane Wolf and The Scent of Humanity.

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