Meet #MFRWauthor @AideeLadnier and her Klockwerk Kraken

MEET Aidee Ladnier.
Aidee Ladnier began writing fiction at twelve years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, and amass a secret file with the CIA. A lover of genre fiction, it has been a lifelong dream of Aidee's to write both romance and erotica with a little science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, or the paranormal thrown in to add a zing.

Blog/Website: http://www.aideeladnier.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aideelad
Google+: https://www.google.com/+AideeLadnier
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/aideelad/
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/aideeladnier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6570769.Aidee_Ladnier
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AideeLadnier
Tumblr: http://aideemoi.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/aideelad/
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/AideeLadnier

We Asked. Aidee Answered.
Why did you decide to write romance novels?
Because I love to read romance. There's so much hope and promise in characters falling in love, being in love, and living happily ever after.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
I think all authors put something of themselves in their work. Although I write science fiction, my characters are still very recognizable as humans with foibles and flaws.

When did you first think about writing?
I started writing at twelve. Predictably, it was science fiction with a kidnapped space princess, a dashing hero, and lots of space ships.

What prompted you to submit your first ms?
I was listening to Kevin Allison's excellent podcast RISK. At the end of every show he says, ""Today's the day. Take a risk."" And I knew my risky thing to do would be to send in the story sitting on my hard drive.

What genre(s) do you write?
I write science fiction and mystery romance. My characters are often LGBT as well.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?
I'd really like to try writing a YA novel. There is a dearth of LGBT YA novels and a desperate need for them.

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
My novel The Klockwerk Kraken actually had a title before it had a story. My friend Gina Storm Grant came up with the title when I told her I'd like to write a novel about a character with tentacles. Yes, I know that's kind of weird, but I'd just attended a panel about taboos at RainbowCon 2014. They encouraged everyone to write outside their comfort zone and so I was determined to meet the challenge. As a result, my character Teo Houdin, the tentacled bartender was born--and he owned a bar, The Klockwerk Kraken.

The Klockwerk Kraken

Erotic Sci-Fi Romance
MLR Press

BLURB
As the supply shipments stop coming, Teo Houdin needs all his tentacles to keep his waystation bar open. Facing a riot by thirsty miners stranded in the backwater of the galaxy, Teo helps a greenie space pilot buy a ship in return for a regular haul of liquor. But he longs for the courage to invite the enigmatic spacer to fill his lonely bed as well.

Still smarting from his newly implanted navigational ports, Jimenez knows owning his own ship will prevent him from ever being bought and sold again. For a former slave, transporting cargo through the emptiness of space sounds like paradise, but after meeting the compassionate and sexy Teo, his heart feels empty, too.

At the edge of the galaxy's spiral arm, can Teo convince Jimenez that the heart has its own tentacles and theirs should be entwined forever?" When the right space pilot walks into his bar, a desperate bartender uses all his wiles (and tentacles) to talk the man into business and his bed--but the spacer is still enslaved by his past and isn't sure he can deal with a two-armed lover, much less one with six.

Buy Link

EXCERPT

Jimenez slid into an empty spot at the pale stone bar and caught sight of the clearest, happiest eyes he’d ever seen, a shade lighter than the man’s tousled brown mop above. A dimple quirked at the side of his full lips, mesmerizing Jimenez. The loud voices behind him slid away and for a moment, it was quiet in his mind. Jimenez flinched when his shoulder was jostled and the spell broke.
“Hey, you okay, buddy? First time? What can I pour for you?”
Jimenez blinked, realizing the tall bartender was speaking to him. The man’s smiling eyes crinkled at the corners of his bronzed face. Jimenez swallowed, and he ducked his chin, trying not to stare again, trying to hide his hot cheeks. He’d never been so close to such a handsome man.
“Did you want a drink?” The bartender quirked an eyebrow.
“Yeah… I mean yes. Whiskey neat.” His voice came out gruffer than he expected.
“Bourbon, Scotch, Rye…?”
“Surprise me.” It was a game Jimenez played. He’d order whiskey and discover what the bartender served. If he reached for the rail bottle closest to hand, it meant he would pour either the cheapest or the local favorite. If he pulled something from the top shelf, the bartender angled for a bigger tip. But if he grabbed a decanter off to the side or behind another bottle, he’d score the bartender’s personal pick.
“Coming right up.”
The bartender raised a tentacle in greeting, calling out to another patron.
Oh, God. The man was a Pod.
Of course he was.
In a joint named the Klockwerk Kraken, who better to tend the bar than a tentacled man?

#MFRWauthor Roz Lee Pushing the Envelope @IWriteRomance

Pushing the Envelope
Lesbian Office Romance Series #3
Erotic GLBT Contemporary Romance
by Roz Lee

A real life hero, Air Force Captain Dawn Early has seen her share of combat and lived to tell about it. Pressed into service as part of a group to sing the national anthem before a game at Yankee Stadium, the decorated helicopter pilot arrives in New York City short one hotel room and most of her patience. Accepting the offer to share a room with sexy Air Force Intelligence Officer, Captain Skye Hale, takes pushing the envelope to a whole new level.

Love in unexpected places... Buy Link

EXCERPT
There wasn’t water cold enough to douse the flames licking at her insides. Dawn cursed herself for the underhanded trick she’d played, correctly assuming Skye would drop the towel the second she heard the bathroom door close. Timing was everything, and she’d timed it perfectly. Even played it pretty cool, if she did say so herself. Hell, men didn’t think anything of running around naked in front of each other, so why should women?
She’d expected no more than a peek before Skylar hid behind some article of clothing, but she’d been treated to a nice long look at all that creamy skin. And, shit, those tits! The way they sat up, all perky, the nipples tight—whether from the room’s air conditioning or from Dawn’s interest, she didn’t know. Didn’t care. She’d seen what she wanted, confirmed the magnificent body the tailored uniform had promised. She’d have that image to both comfort and torment her for the remainder of the weekend because she didn’t do military women.
The official stance on sexuality remained “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and she sure as hell wasn’t going to ask about her new roommate’s preferences.
But you’d show her yours.
In a heartbeat…if she asked.
She won’t ask.
No, she won’t.
Dawn adjusted the mixer valve to a warmer setting and moved under the spray, tilting her chin up to let the water cascade down her body. Soaping her hands, she cupped her breasts, massaging the ache that began there and ended with an insistent throb between her legs. She pinched her nipples, tugging and rolling them between her fingers until the longing turned to pain—a sharp reminder of her solitary existence.
She’d been too determined to achieve her goal of becoming a pilot to consider the type of life she would be committing herself to when she entered the Academy. At eighteen, she’d thought she could have it all, a glamorous, exciting career, as well as a satisfying personal life. She’d accomplished the former beyond her wildest imagining and failed miserably at the latter.
In a profession dominated by males with testosterone-fueled egos, many viewed femininity as a weakness, so she ruthlessly buried that side of herself at work, smiling inwardly at what they didn’t know. Her love of sexy lingerie was none of their business, and since returning stateside, she indulged that love, wearing lace and satin under her flight gear. Fuck regulations.

ABOUT Roz Lee
USA Today Best-Selling author Roz Lee is the author of twenty erotic romances. The first, The Lust Boat, was born of an idea acquired while on a Caribbean cruise with her family and soon blossomed into a five book series published by Red Sage. Following her love of baseball, she turned her attention to sexy athletes in tight pants, writing the critically acclaimed Mustangs Baseball series.

Roz has been married to her best friend, and high school sweetheart, for over three decades. Roz and her husband have two grown daughters (and a new Son-in-law) they couldn’t be more proud of.
Even though Roz has lived on both coasts, her heart lies in between, in Texas. A Texan by birth, she can trace her family back to the Republic of Texas. With roots that deep, she says, “You can’t ever really leave.”

When Roz isn’t writing, she’s reading, or traipsing around the country on one adventure or another. No trip is too small, no tourist trap too cheesy, and no road unworthy of travel.

Website - http://www.rozlee.net
Blog - http://www.authorrozlee.blogspot.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/authorrozlee
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Iwriteromance

Ella's Gifts revealed on #Thursday13 with #MFRWauthor Melody Jerva

MFRW Author Melody Jerva hosts today's Thursday13 and reveals Ella's Gifts
 
Melody Jerva is the pen name of Melody Dzierwa, yes that's how it's really spelled. Phonetically it's Jerva, so that's what she went with. Ella's Gifts was her first romance novel. Reviews, good or bad, are appreciated.
She's a registered nurse from central Ohio with 5 children, an adoring husband and two dogs. She's currently working on the next installment of "The Badges of Boston" series, "The Impressionist". 

                                Ella's Gifts: Badges of Boston - Book 1
                                                     Romantic Suspense 
Blurb
A murderous psychopath is stalking the city of Boston, leaving ominous clues, and taunting detectives. Little does Ella know, she's the ultimate prize.
At six-years-old, Ella survived a horrific car crash that took her mother's life. Ella has been petrified of water ever since. Now a nurse, living in Boston with her best friend Jess, Ella meets Rett and immediately senses an electrifying connection. She's led to believe he's a landscaper. He has his own reasons for letting her believe her assumption. He's actually a Boston PD detective. He's working to solve his first case. The Butcher of Boston has been leaving gruesome crime scenes across Boston. Rett's world is centered around the bleak, decaying dregs of Boston. He's mesmerized to find a luminous entity through the seemingly never ending display of death When faced with a direct threat against Ella, Rett believes he must push her away for her own safety. The lies and omissions keep piling up for Ella. How can she trust Rett? How can they be together when it seems that their lives are pulling them apart?


Buy link  Amazon

13 sentences the author shares from Ella's Gifts:
 
Tears streamed down her face. The man stopped and looked toward her. Ella tripped a little as she tried as hard as she could to move toward him, and he rushed to her.
She collapsed into his arms. She whimpered as a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. The man lowered her to the ground, cradling her in his lap. Ella heard him say something she couldn't quite understand. Everything was so muddled. He caressed her face. She looked up at him, blinking. His face was blurry, but strangely familiar. Then his face came into focus. "You," she whispered, just before everything went black.

 Readers can find Melody at:
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter 

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: With These Four Rings @AnaERossAuthor

MFRW Author Ana E Ross announces the release of...
With These Four Rings
Book Five: Wedding Bonus - Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls
Ana E Ross Books

The Billionaire Brides saga continues in Granite Falls: the LaCrosses cope with a death in the family, the Fontaines tackle demons from their past, the Andrettis address a surprising revelation, and the Andreases face an unpredicted nemesis. Finally, watch them renew their vows of love in a Spectacular Cinderella-Style Wedding.

Their lives are filled with love, romance, children, lots of sizzling passion, and many challenges to face, but the Billionaire Brides are determined to walk down the aisle in elegant bridal attire and give themselves again to the men of their dreams.

Will they make it? Tune in to see.

BUY LINK

Chapter One EXCERPT

“So we’ve decided on the orchids, right?” Kaya asked, as the four brides-to-be sat around a table at a private dining room at Ristorante Andreas.
“Just because your husband has an orchid delivered to you every single morning, it doesn’t mean they should be the dominant flower in our wedding.” Michelle took a bite of her broiled eggplant package—a flavorful bundle of plum tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil wrapped in thin slices of eggplant.
“You seem to forget that I donate those orchids to your Children of the Future Foundation, so perhaps I’m due a favor,” Kaya stated smugly, as she cut a portion from her medium rare Kobe steak.
“And I appreciate your generosity, Kaya, along with the sick, and the shut-in, and the destitute whose lives your orchids brighten on a daily basis, but it has nothing to do with our wedding. I vote for lilies.”
“No.” Shaina took a sip of ice tea and shook her head emphatically. “Tulips. Red, pink, and purple. Definitely.” Purple tulips were her mother’s favorite flowers, and every Sunday morning on their way from church, her father used to stop at a roadside vendor. Shaina remembered the smile on her mother’s face each time her father presented her with a bouquet of purple tulips. It was always as if she was receiving one for the first time. After her mother died, her father couldn’t bear to look at tulips, but with that sentimental flower as decoration, Shaina could imagine her parents watching her walk down the aisle.
“My husband cuts me fresh peonies from his garden. They were my mother’s favorite, so I think it should be peonies.” Tashi, the newest and youngest member of the Granite Falls Billionaire Brides Club, added her two cents as she dipped a chunk of ciabatta into a bowl of fontina cheese dip.
“Mine delivers babies, so maybe we should have little baby booties and crib mobiles lining the aisle of the church, and oh wait, a giant stethoscope suspended from the ceiling.”
“Well then,” Shaina chimed in, “since we’re ditching flowers, my man loves pussycats—leopards to be exact. We can sit Jabari and some of his friends next to each pew. Anybody they don’t like gets gobbled up. No questions asked.” She dusted off her hands."

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 five 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.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ana-E-Ross/221431434575148
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/anaeross/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/1/103470518249338755637/posts
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/public-profile-settings?trk=prof-edit-edit-public_profile

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: A Dose of Danger @KimMcMahill #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Kim McMahill Announces...
A Dose of Danger
Prism Book Group

When researcher Grace Talbot and her team discover a possible solution for weight loss they become targets of a group dedicated to controlling the multi-billion dollar a year diet-product industry. Her unsanctioned testing methods bring tragedy to the family ranch, and the attention of the local sheriff’s deputy. With her colleagues either dead, missing, or on the run she soon realizes she must trust the deputy with her life, but can she trust him with her heart?

Will love flame from the embers of tragedy…  BUY LINK

Excerpt
“Until what?” Grace screamed into the receiver, which was now dead.
  
Blue bolted from his position curled up in front of the fire, teeth bared, hair standing on the back of his neck, a low growl resonating from deep in his chest. Aussie joined in, and the two dogs’ reactions sent terror through Grace’s mind.

Hanging up the phone, she raced to the window and froze at the sight of headlights approaching the house. She prayed it was Logan, but after Sheriff Harris’s call she knew it was only wishful thinking. Grace grabbed the shotgun, and pulling the curtain back just a fraction, she peeked outside and waited for what felt like an eternity. 

With the headlights shining directly at the house, she couldn’t determine anything about the vehicle, its make, or the number and identity of its occupants.

Grace’s mind raced through the possibilities, trying to determine the smartest course of action. What could she do? No landline and no cell reception…she was on her own. She could try to text someone, but doubted she had the time or that her trembling fingers could navigate the tiny keyboard.
  
She had a double-barreled shotgun, but that gave her only two shots before she’d have to reload. Aussie and Blue were ready to battle, but they weren’t trained guard dogs, just loyal. She had no intention of putting them in danger. She tried to rationalize the situation and not overreact. The vehicle might belong to a neighbor, a scared and lost traveler, or as far as she could see from her location, Logan. 

The engine was silenced, but the headlights remained on, shining in the window, nearly blinding her. Grace focused on the scene, and after several moments a person stumbled out of the vehicle, a parka’s hood covering all identifying features. 

As the lone figure slowly approached, Grace decided the most prudent action would be to keep her visitor at a distance until she determined his or her intent. She ordered the dogs to stay, and cracked the door just enough to wedge half her body and the shotgun into view. 

“Stop right there. Don’t take another step, or I’ll blow you back to where you came from!” She was surprised at how steady, strong, and convincing her voice sounded as her knees threatened to buckle.

ABOUT Kim McMahill
Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming, which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. She started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense. Along with writing adventure novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology and cookbook. When not writing, Kim enjoys gardening, traveling, and spending time with family.

Website: http://KimMcMahill.com
Blog: http://KimMcMahill.blogspot.com
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/849945.Kim_McMahill
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimmcmahill

It's a CRAZY STORM with #MFRWauthor @LiviaQuinn!

Storm Crazy

Storm Lake: Destiny Paramortals, #1
Livia Quinn
Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Campbell Hill Publishing

He’s looking for normal, but has he found Mayberry or Middle Earth?

To say I was having a bad day would be like saying Katrina dropped a little rain on the Gulf Coast. I’m Tempest Pomeroy, a mail carrier and Paramortal like my family. Or I’m supposed to be. If I didn’t have a few little talents, I’d think I was adopted.
I’ve denied my heritage for too long. Now, my mother’s out of pocket, my brother’s genie bottle is missing and the sheriff thinks I’m the cause of all the trouble. Hmm, he could be right.
Oh, and the sheriff? He thought he’d settled in a normal small town to raise his teenage daughter. Like Mayberry. Not…

Things better settle down soon ‘cause I’m about to go Storm Crazy

Destiny, Louisiana is a place much like Mayberry— except for the Tempestaeries, Djnn, vamps and a few other... elements. Okay, to be honest, it’s more like Middle Earth.

BUY LINK

Reviews
“Loved the story and the characters…A really great read.” -Amazon reviewer
“I'd recommend this book for anyone who wants a taste of southern supernatural fantasy. A great read.” -Amazon reviewer

Excerpt

Palm up, I concentrated, willing menori inside me to obey. Nothing. I squeezed my eyes shut, grit my teeth, and whispered hopefully, “Come to me.”
Blast! I sounded like a bad vamp movie. Separating my index finger, the one with the tiny tattoo-like image on the tip, away from my other fingers, I turned it up toward the darkening sky. The cells in my body began to vibrate. Like an energy solar panel, menori tapped the unstable air and focused it like a laser through the tattoo, accumulating until my head felt like it would explode.
The rumble beneath my feet was the only notice I had of the electric strike that rode straight up my legs, curling in my midsection and crawling swiftly along my right arm to produce my own version… of a Fourth of July sparkler, emanating out of that fingertip. Then the sparks changed. Brilliant bolts of crackling white light spit and sizzled in my palm, sending jagged streamers of acrid smelling blue fire ten feet into the air. I just gawked.
A car entering a nearby street freed me from the mesmerizing light display. This was different from any of the charging I’d previously experienced. Bigger. Usually it just sort of replenished on its own. Panicked, I looked over my shoulder, and exhaled. So far so good.
Now what? I needed to command the fire in my hand to... what? Before I could say, “Be gone,” or “Go thither,” the light subsided to a small crackly glow. So, that was it.
Instinct took over. I knelt by Mr. Jackson, placing my glowing index finger against his chest. With a single szzwaattt, I zapped him, right in the heart. His chest arched up only the barest of seconds as it met my magical defibrillator, then his body relaxed.
Momentarily deafened and somewhat addled as my faculties came back online, I groped for the pulse in his neck. For a second I thought I’d failed. But then, his tired, smoke glutted organ started beating. Thank the gods.
Only the slight whiff of burnt flesh remained on the wind. Drained of energy, I swiped my hand across my forehead. Then, I saw the mark.
“Zeus’ rechargeable bolts! That better be temporary.”
On his skin where I’d zapped him, a pale image was forming. It looked like a pale, mini version of… well… me.

ABOUT Livia Quinn
Livia Quinn is a D.C. native living in Louisiana. Livia's Storm Lake series was born after a layoff and a little known event in 2005 called Katrina. With several interruptions in her career involving weather, it’s only natural that storms would be at the center of many of her stories. She's a business owner, professional singer and salesperson; has been a plant manager, computer trainer, and mail lady.

She's written eight books based in the communities surrounding Storm Lake, an infamous, though fictional lake in Southern Louisiana, including Destiny, Larue, Thunderpoint, and Campbell Glen.

http://liviaquinn.com
https://www.facebook.com/liviaquinnwrites
http://www.twitter.com/liviaquinn  
http://pinterest.com/liviaquinn

#Thursday13 #MFRWauthor @AdamMannAuthor in Black High Heels

MFRW Author Adam Mann tells us who are his 13 favorite characters.

Adam Mann has lived and worked in Africa and Asia for many years. He has always been fascinated by personal relationships, and in real life is now enjoying his fourth marriage, after being widowed, divorced, had one marriage annulled as this ‘wife’ had forgotten to get divorced.
As a result he has extensive experience of social and sexual activities, which he brings into all his books in explicit detail. Underlying all these activities is a quest for a loving and ongoing relationship with his partner. Two novels have been based in Africa. Adam now lives in Vietnam, and has written eight romance books, all based in Asia, and his last two based in Europe and Canada.
Adam Mann is a pen name. 

                            Black High Heels
                       Publisher Butterfly Books

Blurb

Love in the boondocks, and thank goodness an Aussie comes to the rescue! READ ON:
An internationally sponsored agricultural project in a remote part of Vietnam consists of an international advisor and a project team. They decide to stop at a restaurant in the district town, and then the team decides to stay at the adjoining hotel before moving to work in a village.
The owner of the restaurant is happy to meet the international adviser, but then suddenly finds her emotions changing as they talk together. Her background in Australia helps, but she also finds that the local authority has different ideas when weeks later she applies to marry the foreigner!
They have to make a decision…

Buy link Smashwords

13 favorite characters from my books:
Ivan from West African Project,
Pujita from West African Heat,
Colin from the Road to Beira,
Denis from Singapore Heat,
Nick from Serendepia,
Nick from Safari Heat,
Roger Browne from Red High Heels,
Princess Le Ngoc Han from Quang Trung,
Tony from Keep Off This Grass,
Harry from Kandy Heat,
Angela from It’s Just Not Cricket!
Amelia from All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor, and
Helga and Her Red Thigh Boots

You may find the author here:

@adammannauthor
@ButterflyBooks9
#ARe
#IAN1
Amazon
Facebook

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Forever In My Heart @MKAlexander1

Forever in My Heart
by Maria K. Alexander
The Wild Rose Press

Vicky DiFrancesco is ready to put the past behind her. After a humiliating divorce, she’s determined to make her new café a success. The last thing she needs is her first love around, reminding her of what they’d lost. But when her life is threatened, could he be the very man she needs?

Jamie DiSilva’s homecoming after retiring from the army isn’t the one he’d been hoping for. Now, he’s trying to start a home improvement business in a town settled on holding him accountable for the sins of his late brothers. Redeeming himself to the girl he never stopped loving and her family is difficult when his brothers’ secrets come back to haunt him.

Untangling themselves from the past means righting several wrongs and deciding if their love is meant to last forever.

Redeeming the family name may be his most important mission. BUY LINK

What Reviewers Are Saying...
""Forever in My Heart will stay forever in my heart!  Ms. Alexander does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life - they are true people - with imperfections and history.” ~ Cat’s Reviews

""Super-hot alpha male…check. Nosy Italian family…check. Beautiful love story…check. Forever in my heart by Maria K Alexander has it all!"" ~ Book Obsessed Chicks Book Blog

Excerpt

“What happened today between us can never happen again.”
“Because of your sister?”
“Because of my entire family. Kate isn’t the only member with a grudge against the DiSilva family.”
Just his bad luck.
“My parents and I have never done anything to warrant being shunned by them. Our parents were best friends.”
“That doesn’t change what your brothers did or how it’s impacted my family. It’s one thing to deal with you living in the same town. It’s another for them to accept what just happened between us.”
“What happens between us has nothing to do with your family,” he snapped. He was tired of being judged. It wasn’t like she didn’t feel something for him. He lowered his voice and cupped her cheek. “Things can be good between us, Vick. You know it.”
She held his gaze, and he felt her tremble. He leaned forward, determined to convince her to give them a chance.
Her hand shot out and stopped him from doing more than graze her lips. “Stop. Nothing good will come of this.” She rolled off the bed and kept her back to him.
“You’re choosing them over your own happiness?”
She wiped at her face before turning to him.
Despite the tears that dampened her eyes, her answer was clear from the stubborn set of her chin. “What choice do I have?”
“There’s always a choice.”
“And a price to pay. They’re my family. I pick them. I’ll always pick them.”

ABOUT Maria K. Alexander
Maria is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. As a young girl, Maria spent hours getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.

You can keep in touch with Maria at http://mariakalexander.com,  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319, or
https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander.

A Place to Call Their Own on #MFRWauthor @DeanPaceFrech

A Place to Call Their Own
by Dean Pace-Frech
Mainstream (PG13) GLBT, Historical
JMS Books LLC

Frank Greerson and Gregory Young have been discharged from the Army and are headed to their childhood homes. They both defied their parents in 1861 when they joined the Army. After battling southern rebels and preserving the Union of the United States of America, the two men set out to battle the Kansas Prairie and build a life together. Once they find their claim, they encounter common obstacles to life on the Kansas Prairie in 1866:  Native Americans, tornadoes, wild animals, and weather.

When a prairie fire destroys their crops and takes their neighbor’s lives, Frank and Gregory are instructed to find their young son’s aunt. Faced with leaving a destroyed claim, the railroad coming through their land, and dwindling funds, Frank and Gregory must decide whether to leave the place they have worked hard to make their own or fulfill their friends' dying wishes.

Is it possible for two Civil War veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?

BUY LINK

Excerpt
“You two together, or…” Mr. McAvoy asked with a puzzled look on his face.
Mrs. McAvoy raised an eyebrow, also curious about the situation.
Gregory gave Frank a nervous and mischievous look and answered, “Ah, yes, sir. We planned to each get a claim and build one house for now, help each other out.”
The answer seemed to satisfy both Mr. and Mrs. McAvoy. “That sounds like a good idea. It’d be nice to have a few neighbors around to help with things once in a while. And what I wouldn’t give to have had just one other man to help me with some of the house building and stable. You stay around here, and you’ll need a stable. Wolves and coyotes will get your livestock if you don’t.”
“How did you protect yourself before? This stuff doesn’t get built in a day.” Gregory asked.
“It takes ’em a while to figure out you’re here. And of course, it’s worse in the winter than this time of year. They haven’t been quite so bad the last few weeks, have they?” he directed to his wife.
“No, they calmed down. Hopefully they’ve been preying on the deer that are eating my potato plants.” answered Mrs. McAvoy. “You two want to stay for supper? I’ve got a big pot of rabbit stew on the stove.”
“It’ll be good, I promise. She’s done great cooking whatever I can find for us,” Mr. McAvoy added.
Gregory ignored the invitation. “How’s the hunting around here? You do good during the winter months?”
“Yeah, in the fall it’s the best—the animals are all fat and sassy from the summer. You can tell the bucks from the does, and you don’t have to worry about orphaning a young deer like you do now. There are plenty of rabbits and prairie chickens right now. You can find squirrels…”
“And the meadowlarks do fine, too, in a pinch,” piped in Mrs. McAvoy. “Now, what about supper?”
“We appreciate the offer, ma’am,” Frank spoke up. “But we’re just trying to find us our claims and be done with traveling. We’ve been traveling nearly six weeks now. It has been that long since we had a decent home-cooked meal, but we need to keep moving on today.”
They both remembered the last time they joined anyone for dinner. The McAvoys seemed harmless, but Frank and Gregory were both a bit shy about joining anyone else at this point.
“Yeah, we’re getting close to where we want to settle,” Gregory added. “We appreciate the offer and all, but we just want to keep moving.”
Mrs. McAvoy smiled, turned, and ran into the house with her load of laundry. Neither Frank nor Gregory knew if she was hurt because they declined the supper invitation or just needed to get back to her household chores.
“We understand that. Took us nearly six months to get here from New York, where we come from. We stayed with some relatives along the way, but the missus did appreciate it when we finally stopped here.”
“Well, we appreciate your hospitality and all your help. We should probably get going,” Frank said, glancing at Gregory.
“If you happen to end up around here, don’t be strangers. Just let us know where you’re at,” Mr. McAvoy replied.
“It’s a deal, sir,” Frank said and extended his hand.
Mr. McAvoy walked over and took it. After they were done, McAvoy stepped away from the wagon.
Gregory slapped the reins and yelled “giddyap,” and the horses sprang forward.
A frantic Mrs. McAvoy yelled from inside the house, “Wait!”
Frank grabbed Gregory’s arm to stop him. Gregory pulled back on the reins.
Mrs. McAvoy came out of the cabin with a small basket covered with flour sack cloth.
“This here isn’t much, but maybe it will allow you to rest once you stop for the night. I put two crocks of my stew in there and part of the bread I baked for our supper tonight. I don’t know why I did it, but something told me to make extra bread today.”
“We’re mighty obliged, ma’am. This will help. Now we don’t have to worry about hunting anything for our dinner. We’ll just warm this by the fire and be ready to go,” Gregory spoke up.
“Yes, ma’am. We are getting a bit worn out by this trip,” Frank said. He grinned at Gregory and said, “Hopefully, we’ll be finding our home soon.”
Both men tipped their hats once more, and Gregory got the horses going again.
Dove and Daisy lumbered along for the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening. Before they realized it, the wagon climbed a gentle, gradual grade. The early evening sun blinded them as they reached the crest of the ridge. At the top, Frank looked over his shoulder where the wagon had just been. There he saw the trail left by the wagon and horses in the prairie grass. To the west, a line of trees indicated a creek, river, or some sort of waterway. The sun drenched the entire landscape in its golden hue. He looked at Gregory, and they both knew this was their new home. They had arrived on the homestead.
“Welcome home, Frankie!” Gregory yelled at the top of his lungs.

ABOUT Dean Pace-Frech
With inspiration from historical tourism sites, the love of reading, and a desire to write a novel, Dean started crafting his debut novel, A Place to Call Their Own, in 2008. After four years of writing and polishing the manuscript, it was accepted and originally published 2013. His second novel, Disappear With Me, set in Edwardian England was published later that same year. Both novels were re-released in May 2015.

Dean lives in Kansas City, Missouri with his husband, Thomas (legally as of February 14, 2015), and our two cats. They are involved in their church and enjoy watching movies, outdoor activities in the warmer weather and spending time together with friends and family. In addition to writing, Dean’s hobbies include reading and patio gardening.

Dean is currently working a standalone title, Need Your Love, set in 1966, and The Higher Law, a continuation of the story of Frank and Gregory’s family set in the 1930s.

#MFRWauthor Beth Rhodes has The Perfect Conidence @Bethanne_writes

The Perfect Confidence
by Beth Rhodes
Contemporary Romance

Easy-going con man, Dominic Foster is ready to get out of the game, buy his old family home, and settle down. He just needs the cash promised to him by an old buddy. Unfortunately, the woman holding his money is leading him on a chase.

The daughter of a con man, it’s the only life Heather Slate has ever known. Now with her father dead, she’s set on revenge against the man she holds responsible, gorgeous Dominic Foster—the object of her old, school-girl crush. After avoiding him for months, she is finally ready to exact her revenge. But after meeting him, she realizes things are not as they seem.

Both live in a world of lies where trust does not come easily. But it’s trust they need most when a winter storm has them stranded in Dominic’s small home town. Can the trust they find lead them to love and a new beginning for them both?

BUY LINK

"This was a very short sweet read! I loved both main characters. Heather and Dominic seemed to click very early on which was great as the book is very short. They were very passionate about their families and doing the right thing. Both of them gave as good as they got. I thoroughly enjoyed the story line; it was different to what I have read before. A wonderful easy read. 5 stars!"

REVIEWED FOR SARAH & KIRSTY'S BOOK REVIEWS

ABOUT Beth Rhodes
It's no wonder Beth writes romance. Married to her best friend for fourteen years, they have five kids and still manage to find things to do together, to laugh at and make fun of... life is good. Love is the center of their life, and Beth is inspired by it everyday.

She is a Member of Romance Writers of America, Pikes Peak Romance Writers, International Thriller Writers, and Passionate Critters Critique Group.

website  |  facebook  |  pinterest