#Thursday13 Most Cherished Items @ChantillyWhite #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Chantilly White shares her
13 Most Cherished Items (in no particular order)...

1. My wedding ring
2. The Hogwarts letter my kids arranged and personalized for me
3. My very own Firebolt (broom from Harry Potter)
4. The faerie and castle drawings my kids made for me
5. My tiara collection
6. The scrapbooks that contain all of our family photos
7. The amethyst ring my hubby gave me as a wedding gift
8. The amethyst ring that was my birthmother's
9. All of my Harry Potter books and movies
10. The model of Hogwarts castle
11. The poem my hubby wrote me when we were dating
12. The crystal wand that looks just like the one I created for a character in one of my not-yet-published books
13. My laptop, without which I would be lost!

ABOUT Chantilly White
Chantilly loves providing sexy, romantic diversions to her readers. Pure Hearts ~ Sinful Pleasures is more than just her tagline. It's her promise. Whether they're looking for a sweetly fluffy romantic tale or a spicy-hot romp, a sweeping historical romance or a contemporary love story, Chantilly White's readers know when they delve into one of her stories, they will be transported to a world where love reigns supreme and everyone gets their happily-ever-after. Guaranteed.

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

Chantilly's Newest Release
Tempest, a Mainstream Contemporary Romance, SnapDragon Press, March 25, 2014

"Sometimes it takes a storm to clear the air. . .

A contemporary romance novella, Tempest is the poignant tale of two damaged souls on the verge of losing the most important thing in either of their lives. . . Each other.

One year ago, Tracey and Adam Wesley's relationship was strong, happy, fulfilling. Now, their ten-year marriage is at a terrible crossroads. They stumble through their days, pretending everything is fine, but inside, they fear their love is dying.

Win or lose, the heartbreaking battle for the survival of their marriage ends tonight. Will a push from Mother Nature help them remember just how rare and precious their love truly is, or put an end to it forever?" Tempest is the story of Tracey and Adam, a long-married couple struggling to find their way back to each other after a difficult year. They no longer know if their love story will have a happily-ever-after ending...

AMAZON

What Reviewers Say...
"Emotionally and romantically satisfying, Tempest had me turning the digital page one after another." -J. Tate

FREE READ! To The Rescue @LSFabre #MFRWauthor

Enjoy a FREE READ!

MFRW Author Liese Sherwood-Fabre released To the Rescue, a Youth Romance with Musa Publishing/ NoiseTrade on June 1, 2014.

Austin had wanted to get to know his neighbor Sally better, but when she knocked on his door in the middle of the night, it wasn't the way he imagined. Who had broken into her apartment? And were they still in there? Austin wanted to get to know his neighbor Sally better, but were they both in danger from a burglar?

BUY LINK

About Liese Sherwood-Fabre
Liese has won awards for her thrillers, romance, and literary short stories, and NYT bestselling author Steve Berry describes her writing as ""gimmick-free, old-fashioned storytelling.""

In the second grade, she knew she was destined to write when she got an A+ for her story about Dick, Jane, and Sally's ruined picnic. After obtaining her PhD from Indiana University, she joined the federal government and had the opportunity to work and live internationally for more than fifteen years. She draws upon these experiences to endow her characters with deep conflicts and emotions.

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The Write & Long Of It: AUTHOR INTERVIEW @VictoriaPinder #MFRWauthor

Meet MFRW Author Victoria Pinder.
Victoria grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She always wrote stories to entertain herself or calm down. But her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, and Victoria spent too many years living other people’s dreams, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious. 

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency and she hopes to continue selling her novels. Connect with her on her website, facebook, twitter, her blog and on goodreads.

Why did you decide to write romance novels?
I read romance. I am not into the death and rape literature stuff where we learn we should be happy because life goes on after all the suffering bull. I don't need to read that lesson and romance is just fun.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
I'm a bit old fashioned, a bit modern, and a general mess most of the time. I do believe mood affects us. Gigi is happy but has a pained past. Penny is avoiding her gold digging mother and that life style choice. I've not experienced Gigi's pain in Chaperoning Paris and I've not had gold diggers in the family either. I can just stop and imagine. But life moments get into all books. When Penelope comments on a billboard in Miami advertising a breast implants for $2800 and brazilian but lift for $3500, her comments are similar to my own.

What kind of research do you do for a book?
Well when I write sci fi, I definitely steal someone's body and life... lol. I wish I could be everyone of my heroines. For contemporaries, setting is key, and  since I live in Miami, the logistics are easy. I read a book of a cowboy on South Beach, and shook my head... doesn't work. Move the setting to Davie and a drive to South Beach, okay, that's realistic. For contemporaries, I do like to have visited or lived in the place I'm writing. It makes grounding the story just easier.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I couldn't find the book that fit what I wanted to read. I ran out of books and just needed to write my own.

What genre is it?
The unsold but has 300 rejection letters manuscript? Contemporary with fantasy elements. It was part one of six. Part two is finished. Part three is half done. Part four to six are outlined.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? 
I am sticking to contemporaries now, but I wrote science fiction romance.

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story?
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush. I wanted a group of friends who can fall in love as a series. Then when I outlined that idea of 3 men and 3 women who all went to high school together, the characters of Penelope and Jay took over.

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?
Yes. We have to feel something when reading the book. Literature tugs at the 'oh no' strings. Romance tugs at the lights in the sky and optimistic dreams strings. Humor just makes it even better.

What is your writing routine once you start a book? 
Before the wedding brain took over and blocked my creativity, I wrote everyday. I had a daily word count limit that I met. And I wrote one at a time. Post wedding brain, I'm counting on getting my butt in gear to get back into the routine.

What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?
The fiance, about to be husband, 2 days after the book release is supportive entirely. It is one of the things that I love about him. Wedding brain is not him. It's me going on sites wondering what else I can do to have a great wedding.

Congratulations to Victoria! On her book and her new marriage!
Victoria released Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush, a Mainstream Contemporary Romance/ New Adult Romance with Jupiter Gardens Press on June 12, 2014.

BLURB
Penny moves back to Miami to start her new job. She must start on Monday, so she has a list of things to accomplish.

A: Find a place to live.
B: Avoid her mother.
C: Reconnect with old high school friends.

There was her best friend, Sandra, the dramatic Eva, the dark Michael, her half-brother Wyatt, and her old high school crush Jay. Jay had never looked twice at her except as a partner in math league, but at least these people respected her.

Jay spots Penny immediately and sets a plan in action. He needs her to pretend to be his date this week. She’s practical minded and stable, which is what he needs his investors to see in him.
Penny’s caught in a whirlwind of plots. Her gold digging mother, Jay’s, Jay’s mother whose out to stop him, and her own plans are being thrown off course. Worst of it is that she’s falling for Jay, all over again.

Penelope never wanted to fall in love with a rich man. Jay is everything she never wanted.

Read An Excerpt

“Home, sweet, err...coffee.”
Getting out of her car, Penelope brushed her worn jeans to get out a small wrinkle. Not that it mattered. She smelled the coffee drawing her to the door. The delicious aroma of freshly brewed java that could wake her up waited inside. Gainesville had coffee shops, but nothing that held her heart like this place. In high school, this place was her Mecca. Her stomach grumbled for the familiar drink.
The coffee shop looked almost the same as it had years ago, except for the aluminum tables and wooden chairs with red cushions. She remembered the plaid chairs and brown tables, but the place still calmed her, like she was coming home.
She stepped up to the counter. “I’ll have a cinnamon dulce non-fat latte, please.”
Leaving Gainesville after college had always been the plan. Just never back to Miami, but she’d changed. She could live here now.
She checked her lip gloss while she waited for the latte at the counter.
When she accepted the promotion from part-time to full-time position, she knew she would have to face her mother and the catch of the month, Lars, her mother’s plastic surgeon. What that woman would do for a free tummy tuck.
The job she’d accepted had offered to triple her salary provided she moved to the Coral Gables office. Somehow, she’d avoid her mother until necessary. What was the man’s name with money this week? Penny ignored that last call, knowing the man with the largest wallet always took precedence over whatever Penelope needed. Getting the non-fat milk, she watched the barista finish her latte. She’d succeed here, now. She had to.
She’d call Sandra, Eva, John, and Michael later. Wyatt, her half-brother, was stationed overseas, so she’d wait for his weekly call. These people were her real family.
The man handed her the latte. The first sip gave her the strength to do this. The tightness of the ride dissipated while she tasted her liquid savior. Sighing, she tasted heaven, the wake-up to her day.
“Penelope.”
Though the unmistakable voice was deeper, she knew who it was without even turning. Her high school crush, who never noticed her beyond her brain, with a deeper tone. Pulling at her pink tank top, she wished she wore better clothes. “John Jay.”
His steely blue eyes and sandy blond hair were the same color, but his build had grown more muscular. The leanness of his youth gave way to broad shoulders and hard, muscular arms. He had a straight, faded scar on his left cheek that was new--probably a bar fight. Rich boy wore his fancy perfectly fitted polo and jeans, and was definitely hotter with age. His million-dollar smile and devastating dimples sparked a warm flush that sped through her all the way to the tips of her toes.
“I’m going by Jay these days. It’s less formal.” He winked at her, turning off his tablet, pointing her to his table.
“It’s a good name, but I still prefer Dimples,” she teased. “It’s what I called you on online whenever I needed you.”
His rich, deep laugh sent that familiar spark through her.
Damn. Rich boy knew his effect on women, including her. He could manipulate her when she went quiet, but she learned a lot of in college. She’d not let him weaken her.
“When did you get back to town?”
“I’ve been in town for, like, five minutes. I stopped in for morning coffee. How have you been?”
“Good. Busy these days. You?”

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Alive At 5 @AuthorLindaBond @EntangledPub

MFRW Author Linda Bond released Alive at 5, a Mainstream Suspense, with Entangled on July 14, 2014.

TV news reporter Samantha Steele is one panic attack away from losing her job. Future on the line, she sets up an easy feature story – following her mentor on an exhilarating adventure vacation.       When her mentor dies while skydiving, Samantha suspects he was murdered, and her investigative instincts lead her to gorgeous thrill-seeker Zack Hunter.

Zack is an undercover police officer investigating his uncle’s death through the same adventure vacation. Zack doesn't want Samantha investigating alongside him. The emotionally wounded loner is afraid of being responsible for a partner again, especially a journalist whose goal is to splash evidence all over the evening news.

But the striking reporter’s persistence is quite a turn-on, and Zack’s overpowering desire makes it harder for him to push her away. When the killer turns his attention to Zack, Samantha could be the only one who can save him, forcing the anxiety-riddled correspondent to finally face her greatest fear.

Book Trailer
Meet Sam Steele and Zack Hunter.

A reporter on edge. 

A reckless, undercover police officer on a very personal mission. 

A high-octane, adrenaline rush of a journey to find a murderer begins.

Will they live to be Alive at 5?

http://bit.ly/Aliveat5Amazonlink | http://bit.ly/Aliveat5BandN  |  http://bit.ly/Aliveat5iTunes

What Reviewers Are Saying...
"Oh my gosh! I just finished proof reading this book for Entangled and I am blown away. I can't remember the last time I held my breath in fear while reading a book! THIS book is great! I read a lot of books and I very rarely leave reviews but this one calls for it. Linda Bond has written a page turner in romantic suspense. Alive at Five has everything: romance, suspense, action, alpha hero and a strong female lead! I think release is set for July 14th. I just had to sing its praises as soon as I finished reading! You have to read this one!"
- Sherry Willingham – copy editor and reviewer - Posted on Goodreads

Excerpt

“Dance with me.”
His hands were around her waist already. “What does dancing have to do with trust?”
A Rascal Flats country ballad was playing in the background. The twangy song had a slow, steady beat. She swayed back on her heels, a bit dizzy.
One of his hands moved around her back, and he gently pulled her against his body.
Her arms instinctively looped around his neck, and her cheek found his. The roughness of his five o’clock shadow scraped her cheek. She licked her lips, pressing into him just a little more. This exercise in trust was getting way out of control, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had held her this way. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted a man to do more. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d let herself go like this.
“Now tell me what you hear.” His voice had a rougher edge to it.
The out of control beating of my heart. “Rascal Flats, and your voice.”
He continued whispering in her ear. “Tell me what you smell.”
The alcohol on your breath, and the musky smell of your skin. “Stale beer on the floor.”
“And what do you feel?”
Ohmigod, I feel your big hands sliding down my back. “You touching me.”
“And how does that make you feel inside?”
Dizzy, wet, hungry for you to stop whispering in my ear and use those lips to kiss me instead.
She couldn’t believe the desire controlling her body. Maybe this was why her mother had made so many bad mistakes with smooth-talking men. But her instincts told her Zack was so much more than his silver tongue.
Though, she’d definitely take it...
His hands found the curve of her lower back. With a subtle pressure, he moved her hips into his. He didn’t need any words to show her how he was feeling at this moment. His erection was undeniable. His lips nuzzled her neck, and he pressed her against it. “What do you taste?” he murmured.
She inhaled and pulled back just a little bit. “I still taste the mangosteen.”
“I want to taste it, too.”
He moved his lips up her neck, taking his time, pressing his mouth against her throbbing artery. She let the raw emotion of desire sweep over her. Her hand moved up through his hair, hungry for the feel of him.
His lips brushed hers, making her knees actually go weak, but abruptly he pulled away. “Damn. I promised I wouldn’t do this.”
“What? Are you kidding me?” No more teasing. No more games. No more exercises. She’d had enough. “You aren’t taking advantage of me.” Oblivious to where she was and who might be watching, she pulled him to her, anxious to crush his lips with hers in a way she’d never tried before.
So, this was what it felt like to let yourself go. Passion. It was turning her core into a roaring fire. She’d always kept this feeling bottled up. Why? It felt so damn good.
After a brief hesitation, his lips pressed down on hers— firm and demanding. She opened her mouth to let his tongue mix with hers, and moaned as his grinding erection pushed against her.
Holy cow, she’d never been kissed like this before. She could taste his need, and feel his desire for her, and the rawness of both made her long for even more. She deepened the kiss, pulling him closer still, amazed at herself for being the aggressor, enjoying every damn moment of it. She wanted this kiss to last forever.

About Linda
Linda Bond is an Emmy award winning journalist by day and an author of romantic adventures by night.  She’s also the mother of five, four athletes and an adopted son from Cuba. She has a passion for world travel, classic movies, and alpha males. Linda currently lives in Florida, where the sun always shines and the day begins with endless possibilities.  You can become a Bond girl and share in her continuing adventures at www.lindabond.com.

NEW RELEASE! Business or Pleasure @AshleyLadd #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Ashley Ladd released Business or Pleasure, an Erotic Contemporary GLBT Romance with Totally Bound today!

Guy Rogers is extremely attracted to his new realtor, Tom Boudreaux. As a passionate vegetarian and animal activist, he’s ecstatic that Tom is a kindred soul. Unfortunately, Tommy isn’t really a vegetarian or an animal activist. In fact, Tommy’s family owns the most popular barbecue restaurant in town.

When Guy finds out that Tommy eats meat and his family owns a restaurant that’s a monument to eating meat, he’s livid and doesn’t know if he wants anything else to do with Tommy.

But then Guy’s life gets crazy—his dad’s paranoia blossoms into violent dementia, he gets arrested for picketing a doggy mill, then he winds up in even more legal trouble. When Tommy sticks by him through all his trouble and does everything he can to help him, Guy wonders if he’s been too militant and narrow-minded. Perhaps he can learn to live with people who have opposite views.

Tommy Boudreaux is extremely attracted to Guy Rogers even though he’s a passionate vegetarian and animal rights activist and Tommy’s family owns the most popular barbecue joint in town.

BUY LINK

Excerpt

“I’ll make you—it—my priority. Just give me a couple days.” Damn! A Freudian slip.
Guy reached over as if to put his hand on Tommy’s, but stopped in midair. His eyes softened and hope flickered. “I’d like it if you made me, not my business, your priority.”
Tommy’s throat went dry and his heart flipped over. “Do you mean what I think you mean?”
Guy lowered his hand and took Tommy’s in his. “I think so. I like you—a lot. You’re handsome and charming and I feel a connection. I know it’s quick, but I’m a forthright, fast kind of guy. Besides, if you find me a house as rapidly as I want, you’ll be out of my life before I can do anything about it. Do I have a chance with you?”
Tommy wanted to jump up from his seat and shout, “Hell yeah!” But his inner angel was quarreling with his inner devil about work ethics. It wasn’t as if real estate agents had long-term contracts or dealings with their clients. They found a home, closed the deal then moved on to the next client. He supposed it wouldn’t be the end of his career if he got together with one client. Feeling as if his heart had leapt into his throat, he turned his hand over and squeezed Guy’s fingers. “Yeah. I like you a lot too.”

About Ashley
Ashley Ladd lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer.

She's been told she has a wicked sense of humor and often incorporates humor and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

AMAZON  |  WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS

A DEFECTIVE #Thursday13 @Susan_Sofayov

MFRW Author Susan Sofayov released her latest book Defective with Black Opal Books on April 26, 2014. Today, she brings us 13 sentences from her book. Careful! They just might entice you to buy it!

Susan Sofayov lives in Pittsburgh, PA with one husband, three children, and the most hated dog in the neighborhood. She and her husband operate a real estate development/management company.  She is a former vice president of child care for a large non-profit organization and holds a BA in English Literature and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and an MA in Teaching from Chatham University.

Susan loves pizza, babies, and gummy bears.  She readily admits to suffering from an acute fear of punctuation marks, especially the ever malicious comma.

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Thirteen Sentences from Defective

1. Sam kissed me and said, “I love you,” but this morning his hug felt cold, not icy, but slushy.

2. I saw his neck muscles straining inside the collar of his white shirt—the one I ironed before going to bed last night.
3. Until you learn to love yourself, I can’t live with you.
4. I dumped shampoo straight on to the top of my head and sobbed as I clawed it into my scalp.
5. You didn’t really think a guy like Sam would waste his life with someone like you.
6. A bag fastened to the side of her walker contained a deck of cards and a bottle of tonic water.
7. “Because, Maggie, I was a damn fool, and by the time I realized it, my biological clock passed midnight.”
8. I’d always considered my depression to be a misdemeanor in the mental health legal system, just like panic attacks and compulsive hand washing.
9. Bipolar Disorder, of any type, was definitely a mental health felony.
10. This asshole should spend a few months inside my brain or let me write the damn definition:
11. “Maggie, sit down. Either drink or blush, but don’t talk.”
12. I did my best to describe him, but boring English words don’t do justice to off-the-charts-gorgeous, Nick, with his black satiny curls, green eyes, and bulging biceps,” she said, bending her elbow and squeezing her skinny upper arm.
13. If Mildred found out she chose a boyfriend over her—well, let’s just say that, under certain circumstances, plucked turkeys could fly great distances

BLURB
University of Pittsburgh law student, Maggie Hovis, battles an enemy she cannot escape—her own brain. Her family calls her a drama queen. Her fiancé, Sam, moves out after she throws a shoe at his head. Maggie knows there is only one way to get him back—control her moods. So she takes the step most of her family is against: therapy.

After a diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder, Maggie begins to investigate her family tree—which is plagued by mental illness and hidden relatives—and develops empathy for her deceased Great Aunt Ella, who lived her life in a mental institution. But Maggie’s journey leads her into fear and insecurity, afraid she’ll end up like Ella and never get Sam back. But what about Nick, her super-sexy old flame, who wants to reignite their passion? Does it even matter, anyway? Won’t mental illness stop any man from loving her?

BUY LINKS
Black Opal Books  |  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Their Temporary Sub @MardiMaxwellRom #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Mardi Maxwell released her hot new book, Their Temporary Sub, an Erotic Contemporary Romance with Siren Publishing in April 2014.

“We will never do anything that will not give you pleasure,” he looked up at her, “eventually.”

Eight years ago, Cassie Edwards was kidnapped by three men and held hostage for three days. When she was released, one of her kidnappers warned her that anyone she told would be killed. She’s protected the people she loves by staying away from them. Just when she believed she was safe she was attacked by two men at her apartment and someone has begun following her. Thanks to her Marine father’s training she’s managed to stay one step ahead of her pursuers.

Twin Doms, Luc and Logan Ramsey, operate Club Mystique, the BDSM club they co-own with their brothers. When they meet Cassie Edwards, Logan decides he wants her and he pursues her. Luc suspects she’s keeping secrets and he refuses to get involved with her. Cassie’s tempted by Logan and intrigued by Luc. Now, she has to decide if she can be their temporary sub without endangering them.

Catching Cassie Edwards was the easy part for twin Doms, Luc and Logan Ramsey. Keeping her will be the hard part because the men hunting her want her dead. When Luc and Logan discover she’s in danger they move her into their home to protect her. Can Cassie be their temporary sub without endangering them? 

BUY LINKS

Bookstrand  |  Amazon  |  Kobo  |  Barnes and Noble

Reviews Say It All...
Diana: Love, love, love Mardi Maxwell!! I had been waiting on this book and definitely was not disappointed. Mardi drew me in with this trio in the the previous book ""Jackson's Sub"" and she took me on a great ride with this book. Not many authors can make me feel the emotions of the characters and Mardi had me laughing and crying throughout the book.

Connie: Loved it! The storyline with Cassie, Logan & Luc was a hot & emotional Doms/Sub theme that included uncovering something tragic from Cassie's past. Found myself wanting to smack Logan & Luc when they didn't trust Cassie. But at the same time found myself wanting to paddle Cassie's behind for forgiving them to quick. (A little groveling never hurt anyone. LOL!) I continue to love this family & their interaction with each other. The subs mischief makes me smile & laugh. Another great book by Mardi Maxwell. Can't wait for Zane's story.

Excerpt

Cassie looked around curiously and realized Luc and Logan’s house looked like a replica of a huge antebellum house. Soft lights glowed on a broad porch that stretched across the front of the home with an ornate balcony above it. She followed Luc and Logan up two steps and across the porch. They each carried part of her luggage, leaving her free to look around.
     Luc turned the knob, dipped his head down, and slid his lips over hers before pushing the door open and nudging her forward. As she passed Logan, he leaned down and kissed her then nuzzled her neck.
     Cassie smiled and stepped into the large foyer. A pair of paneled doors to her left led into a formal dining room while a twin set of doors to her right led into a formal living room. A large curving staircase was directly in front of her with a hall on each side leading to the back of the house. The entry was empty other than a large round table with a floral arrangement on it and two armless upholstered chairs, one on each side of the hallway against the wall.Behind her she heard Luc and Logan chuckle and then the sound of her luggage hitting the floor.
     “Cassandra, strip,” Luc said.
     Cassie spun around then stepped back. The Dominating Duo was back. Hiding her smile, she untied the bow on the side of her aqua wrap dress then undid the single button that held it together on the inside and shrugged it from her shoulders. She let it fall to the floor behind her.
      Luc drew in a deep breath. “Damn, sugar. You look amazing.” He walked around her, sweeping his fingers over her golden skin and seeing goose bumps rise on her skin. “Where did you find this?” he asked as he touched the cup of her bra that was a light pink lacy flower with satiny green vines as straps.
     “I made it, Luc,” she told him. “It’s my hobby.”
     “Some hobby,” Logan said, kneeling down to get a closer look at
her thong. Another lacy flower covered her bare mound and he could
see her satiny skin through it. He ran his finger under one of the
vineshaped straps that circled her hips then leaned around her and traced the vine that disappeared between her ass cheeks. He chuckled when she shivered with arousal. “I’m beginning to see your fascination with lingerie, Luc.”
     “Not lingerie. Girls in lingerie,” Luc said absently as he traced his finger over the pink nipple that stuck through the opening in the cup of the bra. He flicked his finger over it and watched as it hardened.

About Mardi Maxwell
What is my life like? Very busy. When I'm not writing, I'm doing researching or reading. I love to travel, garden and go swimming and hiking with my family and friends. In the summer I go to the local drive-in movie with a carload of friends and home-made cheese popcorn and ice tea. I’m addicted to erotic romance novels and, oddly enough, zombie novels as well as sci fi shows and programs about surviving in the wilderness.

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#MFRWauthor SHORT & SWEET Interview @GWOlmsted

MFRW Author Gail Ward Olmsted stops by for a short & sweet interview about her newest book.

Gail Ward Olmsted is a professor in the School of Business & Information Technology at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, MA.  She was the recipient of the 2011 Deliso Endowed Chair Award and was recently recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Department of Higher Education as one of “29 Who Shine”.

Olmsted’s first visit to Sedona, AZ prompted her to start writing JEEP TOUR, her first novel. A few years later, her second visit provided the incentive to complete it. A return trip is being planned! A hopeless romantic, she is married to the love of her life, is mom to two young adults, and enjoys reading, music and travel.

Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

What Genre is your book?

Contemporary Women's Fiction w/ a romantic twist

Before I started writing, I knew I had a socially awkward, recently divorced woman as my main character and a sexy tour guide as her love interest. The adorable ex-husband, annoying best friend, mysterious new friend and a curmudgeon of a landlord came later. The characters developed into “real” people as I started to explore their relationships and writing dialogue. 

What motivated the story?

I started writing with a very basic premise: what would happen if you gave in to a sudden urge to uproot your life and start over? What would you do and how far would you go when you lost just about everything you ever had? I wanted Jackie to be wary but resilient and ultimately victorious. I wanted Rick to be attractive but flawed. I really had no idea just how their relationship would evolve.

Where do you do your research? 

Research about Sedona was done primarily on location, with some help from a couple of online resources. I also consulted with my nephew and a female pal of his, in order to get a more accurate sense of what it was like to come of age in the late 80’s vs my experiences in the mid-70’s.

What is your writing routine?

I wrote each of the 27 chapters with a very basic idea of what I wanted to see included: i.e. certain conversations, introduction of new characters, plot twists, flashbacks, main character development etc. The title of each chapter is actually a favorite song title or a phrase from pop culture. Most of my writing involved the use of Dragon voice-activated software, a gift from my thoughtful husband. I’m a slow typist with horrible handwriting so the only way this story would get told was if I had some help. The software kept up with the rapid-fire dialogue which raced through my brain and recorded my questions (should she tell him now or wait??) so I could go back and answer them later.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

In the romance genre, favorites are Claire Cook and Elin Hildebrand. I love everything ever written by Dennis Lehane and Harlan Coben.

What do you do to relax and unwind?

I love to read, travel, listen to rock and roll and go to the movies, although not all at the same time.

While you write, does your family leave you to the task?

My family does not understand not to bother me when I'm writing. My son is talking to me as I fill out this form!

Check Out Gail's Book...

JEEP TOUR, Contemporary Romance, released April 10, 2014    

Jackie Sullivan was drawn to the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona after a failed marriage and an out-of-the-blue job loss. But did she move cross country to chase a dream or a dreamy tour guide? 

She had it all – the husband, the house, the job…but that’s in the past. A chance encounter with Rick, a sexy tour guide, gets her dreaming of a new life in Sedona. Jackie’s efforts to re-invent herself in the tight-knit desert community are, well … complicated. Sedona is terrific, but as the locals note, ‘it’s not for everyone.’ 

Does Rick want a relationship or just a friend with benefits? And in the case of her ex-husband..is it her imagination or is Rob even more amazing than ever? What happens when you hit a bump in the road?

Buckle Up- time for JEEP TOUR!

BUY LINKS

AMAZON  |  Barnes & Noble   

REVIEWS

5.0 out of 5 stars "Mid-life fantasy fulfillment!" -Greta (Los Angeles), Amazon Verified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars "Who hasn't been tempted to run away and start all over?" -Betsy Bertuzzi, Amazon Verified Purchase

#MFRWhooks *Get Hooked On Books* #MFRWauthors

It's Wednesday again!
Welcome back for Book Hooks.
This is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It's a chance each week for readers to check out our authors. From their current WIPs, a previously published book or a sneak peak at a book soon to be released, readers get a sampling. The hooks are short so you can jump from one author to another.

Here's your opportunity to get hooked on a new author!

Get Hooked!

QUICK & QUIRKY #MFRWauthor Interview @AbbieStClaire

We're having a Quick & Quirky Chat with MFRW author Abbie St. Claire. Check out how she answers our questions and share your answers too!

If money were not an object, where would you most like to live? I'd live in Italy. 

If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?Hammer. I'm a crack-the-whip kinda girl! 

What's your Secret guilty pleasure?Reece's Peanut Butter Cups kept in the freezer. I love the cold! 

YUMMY! Okay, if you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with?Stranded on a tropical island with Sean Connery. Still a sexy man to me! 

Even YUMMIER! If you were on a reality show, what one would it be? Courtney Loves Dallas. Since she's a fashion Diva, she could teach me to dress. Because...I CANNOT! 

City life or country life?Definitely City Life. 

Ebook or paperback?Definitely ebook. I'm a gadget girl. 

Zebras or elephants? Zebras. I love contrast in color and lack of uniformity.

Connect with Abbie on Twitter or Facebook and be sure to check out her latest release...

Ace's Key, an Erotic Romance, Southern Ink Press, February 14, 2014

A woman who knows men are good for nothing and all they do is cheat… 

A man who knows his heart was given to only one love, his deceased wife, but still craves and promises pleasure…

Until trouble walks in his bar…

Alpha male Ace (Lucas) Giordano left Italy and his family behind when his beloved passed away. Women became toys that brought him pleasure. But a relationship was off the menu.

Mia Kennedy found more satisfaction in her job than in love and more stimulation from her toys than from her deadbeat boyfriend.

The last thing either of them believed was that they could enjoy more than just a good time, until they tried not to.

AMAZON | Barnes & Noble

REVIEWS
"Well what can I say after reading this scorching hot read! I’m speechless it was just wow! I know that when I read Christmas in July by this author I knew she had some amazing talent with her writing skills in the Erotic genre but after reading Ace and Mia’s story I have to say that Ms. St. Claire has gone over the top. I don’t even know where to start off but I do have to say that in a couple of scenes throughout this read my pulse was racing. (Monica Cardoza) Amazon Review

What can I say? Christmas in July roped me in, but Ace's Key held me captive. Two strong willed, set minds come together in the most unique way. (Mariela Bustos)

A Quick & Quirky Peek at #MFRWauthor Carmen Stefanescu @Carmen_Books

Carmen Stefanescu was born in Romania, the native country of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, but where, for about 50 years of communist dictatorship, just speaking about God, faith, reincarnation or paranormal phenomena could have led someone to great trouble - the psychiatric hospital if not to prison.

Teacher of English and German in her native country and mother of two daughters, Carmen Stefanescu survived the grim years of oppression, by escaping in a parallel world, that of the books.

She has dreamed all her life to become a writer, but many of the things she wrote during those years remained just drawer projects. The fall of the Ceausescu’s regime in 1989 and the opening of the country to the world meant a new beginning for her. She started publishing. Poems first, and then prose. Both in English.

We asked Carmen a Few Questions. Here's what She Said...
If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?
Somewhere where the climate is neither hot nor freezing, where there are no earthquakes, storms, tsunami, volcanoes. If there is such a place I want to live there.

If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
People would use me to write their thoughts, dreams and whatever their muse whispers in their ears.

What song would best describe your life?
Show Must Go On

Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?
Books and computer games

What is your secret guilty pleasure?
Playing computer games

If you were stranded on a tropical island, who would it be with?
Stranded on an island would be no trouble if I had as company Zeus. He'd surely make sure I had everything I wanted!

Ebook or paperback?
Paper books are my favorite. Imagine the smell of ink on the paper, the sound of the pages we turn, etc

In December 2012, she released a Paranormal Young Adult (PG) Novel with Wild Child Publishing.

Shadows of the Past
When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discovery of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to the supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love. A touching story of loss, grief and the power of endless love and good magic.

Buy Links: Wild Child Publishing  |  Amazon

Book Trailer

Connect with Carmen
BLOG   |   FACEBOOK   |   GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE +

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Chaperoning Paris by #MFRWauthor @VictoriaPinder

MFRW Author Victoria Pinder released Chaperoning Paris, a Contemporary Romance, with SoulMate Publishing on June 11, 2014.

Gigi Dumont never forgot how she walked away from the only man she ever loved.
She’s a teacher who has led her students to the finals of an international French competition to be help in Paris. The night before the trip, the Principal tries to cancel the trip before he, in turn, loses his job to her high school boyfriend, Sean Collins.

Sean Collins has survived cancer, a divorce , and Gigi having aborted their child back in high school. He assumed he’d hate her, if they ever crossed paths again. But he discovers she’s exactly what he wants.
When Gigi and Sean are stuck together for a week in Paris, Gigi feels she has lost all her control. How can she survive her attraction to Sean? The man’s sexier now than he was back in the day, and once upon a time, he’d had her heart. She finds herself falling for him, even knowing forever is impossible.


EXCERPT

Payback time. Standing in his mother’s kitchen, Sean Collins smiled as he hung up the phone.
He hovered at the phone for a moment, then charged along the carpeted hallway to his bedroom. In a flash, he changed from his T-shirt and jeans into his black pin stripe king-of-the-business-world suit complete with black tie and shiny black shoes.
Finished dressing, Sean jittered at the door and listened to his son talking nonstop to his mother upstairs. His skin tingled and he closed his eyes. At least moving to his parents’ country estate where he had grown up on Cape Cod had been good for everyone.
Breakfast could wait. He grabbed the keys on the counter downstairs, and he called upstairs, “I’m leaving. I won’t be gone long.”
Last year, the school principal had fired him with bogus charges. Sean had sworn on every holy book that he’d been fired because his doctors had discovered cancer in a routine physical exam.
The sickness sucked. But he’d survived. And now he used his vast wealth to get what he wanted. No teacher should be treated so callously. He had taken the job at the time to prove to himself he had more choices than being the chief financial officer of his father’s corporation.
He set his jaw and walked outside to his car, where the smell of freshly cut grass hit his senses.
The moment he stepped outside and headed toward the garage, Sean stared at the vast forested area on the property for a moment and pressed his lips together. Trees made sense. Women never had. His luck with women had been bad from the start. His first girlfriend, Gigi Dumont, had left him for parts unknown, and then later his wife, now his ex, Jennifer, had also left. She’d played with a whole set of loose scruples. But Jennifer hadn’t hurt him, not like Gigi had. Sean rolled his shoulders. Why did everything in his life always seem to go back to Gigi leaving?
He fished out his keys from his pocket. And now Gigi had moved back into the house next door.
Sean opened the garage door. A quick click of a button and the gate lifted.
Last night he hadn’t slept. Today his shoulders were straight. This moment had nothing to do with women and everything to do with justice. His fingers traced the shiny finish of his brother Gerard’s Aston Martin. Without blinking, he opted to borrow the car. He’d be early and outshine everyone else. Gerard had offered to loan it to him specifically for today. Sean licked his lips and turned the key, igniting the engine, and took off.
A daydream flashed in his eyes. Principal Murray’s jaw dropped to the ground in shock the second Sean stepped inside the office with the papers.
Sean clutched the wheel. He intended to twist the knife even further. People like Mr. Murray gave businessmen around the world the reputation of cold, heartless automatons, especially when he claimed the firing had been over “job performance.” Every one of Sean’s students had passed the state assessments.
Now, Sean ran the finances for his parents, his father’s company, and his brothers. The support of his family to get him through cancer treatments had been phenomenal, but what if he hadn’t had that support? What if he’d had no money to pay for treatments? He’d be dead because the principal had fired him due to the insurance increases. Well, now Sean had a better solution.

ABOUT Victoria Pinder
Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She always wrote stories

to entertain herself or calm down. But her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, and Victoria spent too many years living other people’s dreams, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious.

She is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency and she hopes to continue selling her novels.

Website: http://www.victoriapinder.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoriapinder1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/victoriapinder
Blog: http://victoriapinder.com/?cat=6
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8120316.Victoria_Pinder

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Son of Dragon by #MFRWauthor @AndreaRCooper

MFRW Author Andrea Cooper released Son of Dragons (Legends of Oblivion, 2), a mainstream Fantasy/ Paranormal book, with Crimson Romance on April 28, 2014.

Shunned by her own people and weary-hearted from centuries of lost loves, Elvin warrior Mirhana scours
the land to silence the undead. Her heart has turned as cold as the sword she wields, until a prince seeks her aid.

Never has Prince Landon met a woman like Mirhana. Both beautiful and deadly, she haunts his dreams. The battle at hand becomes more enchanting than fighting to remain true to his unseen betrothed.

In a time of false peace, the dead rise as soldiers for the Warloc's scheme. For thousands of years he has stood ready for the final battle. Though the witch and her cursed Elvin have destroyed his physical body, now with his protégé, he has honed a new way to wage war.

When a traitor emerges, new alliances among the heroes are tested and the only remaining hope is to follow the prophecy and find the . . . Son of Dragons.

BUY LINKS
Son of Dragons Amazon: http://goo.gl/jWX0cO
Son of Dragons B&N: http://goo.gl/JfWm6Y
Son of Dragons iTunes: http://goo.gl/dvOJpu

WHAT REVIEWERS SAY...
"What a novel!  I felt like I’d walked into a fantasy right from the first page.  Cooper creates this vivid world in a seamlessly captivating manner.  Her descriptions paint it in your mind’s eye.  As a reader you can feel the shifting of dark and light in the author’s writing.  It heightens the sense of magic and surrealism.." - Pure Jonel

"Son of Dragons is a superbly written, fast-paced fantasy adventure with lots of twists and turns.For fans of Tolkein and romance, Son of Dragons will not disappoint. The world is rich and vibrant,..." - Kary Rader



EXCERPT

Clean from the bath, Landon let the air from the open window dry his hair. Dressed only in trousers, he leaned against the windowsill.
He thought he smelled the hint of roses and heat on the breeze. Movement from the street below caught his eye. He leaned out, squinting into the night.
Torches lined the cobbled street corners. A cloaked figure waited. Then the innkeeper rushed outside. His hands flew in gestures as the figure nodded.
Then he pointed to the window where Landon watched. At the same instant, the cloaked figure followed his finger’s path to Landon. Green eyes that seemed to glow met his.
Landon jumped up and cursed when his head hit the bottom of the window. When he looked back, both figures were gone.
Thinking the innkeeper would send guards, he waited with his sword in hand and his stare riveted on the door. No one came. He must be getting paranoid, thinking there was a ghost or enemy around every corner. His eyelids grew heavy as he waited for a fight that failed to materialize. Finally, he rolled his shoulders back to ease out the tension.
Still, he couldn’t stop thinking about those piercing emerald eyes. They’d belonged to a woman; he could tell. There was intelligence and cunning in them. Her stare felt as though she saw through the façade he often wore as prince and to please others, and into his kajh.
A woman who was not afraid, but used to being feared. It unnerved him, yet excited him. His pulse quickened and his loins tightened at the thought of those eyes filled with passion for him.
Better get some sleep before the night was gone. Tomorrow, he’d tell Gillespie about what he saw. He doubted he could explain those captivating green eyes that continued to haunt him even now.

ABOUT Andrea R. Cooper
Since childhood, Andrea R. Cooper has created characters and stories. She believes in the power of love and magic. Her favorite genres to read and write are fantasy, paranormal and historical romance.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreaRCooper.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaRCooper
Website: www.AndreaRCooper.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6934877.Andrea_R_Cooper
Blog: http://andrearcooperauthorblog.wordpress.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/andrearcooper/

#MFRWauthors Hook Readers on New Books! #MFRWhook

Welcome to Book Hooks!

This is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It's a chance each week for readers to check out our authors. From their current WIPs, a previously published book or a sneak peak at a book soon to be released, readers get a sampling. The hooks are short so you can jump from one author to another.

Here's your opportunity to get hooked on a new author!

Book Hooks to See:

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Jeep Tour @gwolmsted

MFRW Author Gail Ward Olmsted released JEEP TOUR, a Contemporary Romance on April 10, 2014. 
Jackie Sullivan was drawn to the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona after a failed marriage and an out-of-the-blue job loss. But did she move cross country to chase a dream or a dreamy tour guide?

She had it all – the husband, the house, the job…but that’s in the past. A chance encounter with Rick, a sexy tour guide, gets her dreaming of a new life in Sedona. Jackie’s efforts to re-invent herself in the tight-knit desert community are, well … complicated. Sedona is terrific, but as the locals note, ‘it’s not for everyone.’

Does Rick want a relationship or just a friend with benefits? And in the case of her ex-husband..is it her imagination or is Rob even more amazing than ever? What happens when you hit a bump in the road?

Buckle Up- time for JEEP TOUR!

BUY LINKS

AMAZON  |  Barnes & Noble

REVIEWS
5.0 out of 5 stars "Mid-life fantasy fulfillment!" -Greta (Los Angeles), Amazon Verified Purchase

5.0 out of 5 stars "Who hasn't been tempted to run away and start all over?" -Betsy Bertuzzi, Amazon Verified Purchase

EXCERPT

12 Months Earlier “Need a hand?” Our tour guide looked down at me. I was the last one to board the brightly colored Jeep.
“Yes, thanks” I mumbled as he took my hand and helped me into the open back seat.
“You dropped this” he told me as he handed me my water bottle. Glistening with condensation, it slipped from my hand a second time and rolled under the Jeep.
“Sorry” I apologized when he bent down to retrieve it. When he stood upright, I really saw him for the first time. I gave a small gasp. God, he was gorgeous! Tall, built and tan, with a shock of blond streaked hair and dazzling green eyes.
 “It’s OK” he said. “I always end up crawling around under the Jeep for one thing or another”.  X- rated images of him crawling around on me flashed before my eyes, but I quickly dismissed them. I’m a middle-aged tourist, not some sex-starved guide groupie. But could I be both?  “Don’t be ridiculous” I told myself. Obviously, my lustful thoughts were not reciprocated. Mr. Hunk patted my hand rather absentmindedly, then swung himself into the driver’s seat.  He turned the key and the Jeep roared to life.
 “OK then, ladies….. before we set off today, I’d like to introduce myself, find out a little about you and go over a few ground rules. I’m Rick and I’ll be your tour guide.  Have any of you been on a tour of the desert before?” I looked over at the other two inhabitants of the Jeep, my colleagues Kate and Linda. Linda spoke for the three of us, since she was riding shotgun and since she was Linda.
“No, we haven’t. You’re our first, Rick,” she replied. Oh grief, was she flirting with him? We’ve been there before, me and Linda. She gets this southern-fried thing going on and although she’s never lived further south than Rhode Island, it somehow works for her. But it’s wrong on so many levels.
‘Not now, Linda,’ I begged silently.
“So Rick, is this really the best tour in all of Arizona?” she drawled.
 “Why yes, ma’am” Rick replied. “You ladies have come to the right place.” He beamed at Linda, who smiled back at him like they were sharing a secret. Leave it to Linda. She always spoke up first, always got noticed and always took center stage. Bitch.
“I’m Linda”, she said as she extended her hand to Rick.
“Well hello there! And who are your friends, Linda?” he responded, still grasping her hand.
 “That’s Kate and her camera and this is Jax” said Linda pointing to me.
“Hi Jack” said Rick shaking my hand, before turning to Kate.
“It’s Jax”, I said.
 “What?” said Rick turning back towards me.
“It’s Jax” I murmured, not Jack.”          
“Jax?” he questioned. Knowing I should just shut up, I found myself explaining how I had been named after former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. What can I say? My Irish American parents came of age in the 60’s, ok? But as a toddler, I lisped and referred to myself as Jackth and the name stuck.
“But you can call me Jackie”, I finished rather inanely.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gail Ward Olmsted is a professor in the School of Business & Information Technology at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, MA.  She was the recipient of the 2011 Deliso Endowed Chair Award and was recently recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Department of Higher Education as one of “29 Who Shine”.

Olmsted’s first visit to Sedona, AZ prompted her to start writing JEEP TOUR, her first novel. A few years later, her second visit provided the incentive to complete it. A return trip is being planned! A hopeless romantic, she is married to the love of her life, is mom to two young adults, and enjoys reading, music and travel.

Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

#MFRWauthor INTERVIEW: The Write & Long of It with @ActuallyAlethea

Meet MFRW Author Alethea Williams.
Alethea is here today to talk about her writing career and to share her latest release.

Tell us about yourself.
Western history has been the great interest of my adult life. I've lived in Wyoming, Colorado, and Oregon. Although an amateur historian, I am happiest researching different times and places in the historical West. And while staying true to history, I try not to let the facts overwhelm my stories. Story always comes first in my novels, and plot arises from the relationships between my characters. I'm always open to reader response to my writing.

How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?
I have been writing about 22 years now.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’m going to have one a Spur Award from Western Writers of America! Knock wood.

How many books have you written, how many have been published?
I’ve written 13, published 7 under two different pseudonyms.

After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?
I buy it, generally in PDF to send out for reviews. I’ve never read one after it was published.

Which comes first, the story, the characters, or the setting?
Usually the setting comes first. Then the characters walk on and start telling their stories. Sometimes it’s a fast telling and sometimes they reveal parts of it over a span of few months.

Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?
They are always in control. If I try to push them to hurry up already, the results aren’t pretty.

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you work through it?
Writer’s block for me is the characters telling me their story needs to simmer for a while. Then I’ll think about the plot, sometimes dream about it, and let it stew beneath the surface until the problem I’ve having resolves and I can continue with the story.

Alethea Williams released Walls for the Wind, a Western Historical Romance

with Whiskey Creek Press LLC on April 1, 2014.

Can an angel survive Hell on Wheels? When Kit Calhoun leaves New York City with a train car full of foundlings from the Immigrant Children’s Home, she has no clue she might end up as adoptive mother to four of them in rip-roaring Cheyenne, Wyoming. Kit has spent her life in the Children’s Home and now she rides the Orphan Trains, distributing homeless children to the young nation’s farmers as fast as the rails are laid.

The first time handsome Patrick Kelley spies Kit in Julesburg, Colorado Territory, he wants her. But circumstances, and a spectral-looking demented gambler as well as Kit’s certainty no one in his right mind would want her cobbled-together family, conspire to keep them apart. As Patrick and Kit and her brood ride Hell on Wheels into their destiny, they’re all forced to leave behind everything they knew and forge new lives in the raw American West.

Amazon Buy Link

ExcerptPanic bloomed, threatening to choke Kit as she gasped for breath. Where could she be, the small girl brought all the way out to the wilds of Wyoming from New York City? So certain she could make the best decisions for the little golden-haired girl, Kit had gone against her own upbringing as well as the stern advice of those older and wiser in order to make this journey west. Now here was her little family plunked down in the raw boomtown of Cheyenne, and she had lost not only her own direction but also the child entrusted to her care.
Where could Hannah be? Where?
The streets slimy with melting snow and horse manure, Kit struggled to keep her footing as she ran frantically up one and down another, screaming Hannah’s name. Unable to think where to look next, at last she stood helplessly wringing her hands. Tears made slow, cold tracks down her face.
A door opened behind her, and a voice full of concern said, “Kit. As luck would have it, I was just coming to look for you.”
And wouldn’t you know it? The voice of the very man who seemed to turn up at every instance of her bad luck. Indeed, he might be the root cause of her ill luck ever since she left New York City. And to think he had once promised to be her salvation, did Patrick Kelley of the dancing Irish green eyes.
But what were his true intentions as he took hold of her arm? To save her? Or to be her final ruination, as she suspected?
“Let me go.” She tried to wrench her arm away. “Hannah is missing. She’s lost. I must find her!”
“Ah, leannán, don’t take on so,” he said in a soft, cajoling voice. “Hannah is safe and sound. I have her.”
Kit’s bones suddenly felt soft, as if they had turned to mush, and her knees started to sag. Ah, God, and wasn’t her luck running true? Patrick Kelley, the very man! Of all the places in Cheyenne that Hannah might take refuge, of course it would turn out to be with saloon-keeper, and the means of the erosion of many a young woman’s morals, Patrick Kelley.

For more about Alethea, check out her Social Media Links

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Revenge, The Cowboy Way @PennysTales

MFRW Author Penny Estelle released Revenge, The Cowboy Way, a Mainstream Historical

Western, with Rooster & Pig on April 14, 2014.

When Brian Thornton is taken by surprise at gunpoint, while in the bed of a beautiful, wealthy woman, he swears his revenge.  But when he learns his humiliation was at the hands of a young woman and a boy, his vengeance knows no bounds.

Joanna Simmons is snatched out of her home and taken to Thornton's ship.  Against her will, she travels to Texas, and then by wagon train to Bastrop, Brian's home town.  Here she finds acceptance and friendship from the folks in town, right down to Brian’s sister, but the emotional war that wages between Brian and Joanna, keeps any kind of happiness at bay.

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

REVIEWS
5 stars "A Constant Adventure" -Bobbie Brown
5 stars "Exciting and Brilliant Adventure" -Lisa Jean

WATCH the BOOK TRAILER!

EXCERPT

Brian took a long drag off of his cigarette before flicking it in the fire. “You have quite a decision to make, Jo.” He got up and spread out his bedroll, then took hers and put it on top of his as a cover. “Before you start taking pot shots at me, you might think about what you’ll do out here by yourself.” He undid his holster and laid it down, then slowly shucked his pants and climbed between the two bedrolls. He stretched, putting his hands behind him to cradle his head, and shut his eyes.
“You said there were no Indians this far south.” She was fuming at his relaxed demeanor. He wasn’t showing any kind of fear at all.
He didn’t move. “Do you think Indians are the only danger out here? There are all kinds of men out here who would sell their souls to come across a woman like you, all alone and unprotected.”
She could feel her hopes floating away, like the smoke from the fire disappearing up into the night sky. She threw the derringer at him. “I really hate you.” Joanna sniffed. She took off her shoes and then the pants Andy had given her and climbed into their bedroll, turning her back to him.
He took the gun and lobbed it over next to his. “I want you to keep the derringer. Keep it on you at all times.” He gathered her tightly against his chest, and, to her surprise, that was all he did.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
P. A. Estelle
I’m Penny Estelle.  I was a school secretary for 21 years, retiring in 2009.  We moved to our retirement home in Kingman, AZ.  We live on 54 acres in a very rural area.  Actually we live “off the grid”, on solar and wind only.  A real adjustment for a city girl.  I love it.  Nothing like walking out your front door and hear coyotes howling and seeing a sky bursting with stars.  It is breathtaking!

I write for all ages – from the very young, to the “Young at Heart” older folks! From time travel adventures to family drama and romances.

Find out more about my books and myself at:
WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS  |  FACEBOOK  |  PINTEREST

#Thursday13 MARTIAL ARTS with #MFRWauthor @MSKosciuszko

M.S. Kaye shares 13 Reasons she likes Martial Arts.
M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband, Corey, in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest  |  Google+

13 Reasons Martial Arts is Fun
1. You get to hit things.
2. YOU GET TO HIT THINGS.
3. You get to yell really loud and no one looks at you funny.
4. It keeps you in shape.
5. Hot Black Belt guys.
6. Make friends with awesome strong women.
7. Uniforms mean you don't have to worry about looking good in yoga pants.
8. Discipline.
9. People will think you're a badass. (if they didn't already know)
10. Live without fear.
11. It can be a family activity or something just for you.
12. Breaking boards is cool (and not as difficult as you think).
13. Did I mention you get to hit things?

MFRW Author M.S. Kaye released Kindling the Past, a romantic suspense, with Liquid Silver Books on April 28, 2014.

Kindle is fighting to survive on her own, to break free from her possessive and violent ex-boyfriend, not to let her best friend Anna know she’s in love with her husband. Most of all, she fights the visions she sees of the past—she doesn’t believe in that kind of stuff.

Then Anna is shot and killed.

In their grief, Kindle and Ty, Anna’s husband and Kindle’s Taekwondo instructor, grow closer. Although Kindle is careful never to let him too close, he helps her learn to accept her visions are real. Eventually, the truth about Anna’s death breaks through into Kindle’s visions, and she must find a way not to let it destroy her.

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REVIEW
"This book is a good read. It has a good story plot and is well written. The characters are well developed and the dialog was very good. It keeps you interested. I will be interested to see what is next with M.S.KAYE. I will be looking for her books." -Amazon Reviewer

EXCERPT

I fought the visions. My mother used to tell me my expression turned stupid when I had them, but I didn’t care about that so much anymore. I hated when the visions were true somehow, actual bits of the past. I didn’t believe in that kind of stuff.
“She’s such a snob,” one of the young women whispered on the other side of the locker room.
I stayed faced away, trying not to hear their gossip. I tugged my jeans on and pulled my shirt over my head. When I glanced in the mirror to fix my hair, I barely saw the dark brown framing my fair skin—only the way the other girls looked at me. I bent over to pick up my shoes.
“The guys don’t even ask her out because she’s so stuck up.”
I didn’t understand why they thought like this about me, but I didn’t much care anyway. As soon as I had my shoes on, I threw my gear bag over my shoulder and walked out.
Master Trahem was on the workout floor sparring with Mr. Schmidt. Master Trahem’s uniform was starting to come open, and sweat glistened on his well-built chest.
I looked away.
“Bye, Kindle,” Mrs. Trahem said as I passed the front counter. “See you tomorrow.”
I smiled at her, one of the few people I reserved my genuine smile for. She was a big part of the reason I came in early to help every day, her and her atrocious typing skills. She always held her fingers above the keys like a fisherman wielding a spear, as if expecting them to squirm out from under her aim.
But honestly, helping with data entry was just an excuse—Mrs. Trahem was the best person I’d ever known, and I felt calmer when I was around her.
“You’ll be there early, right?” Mrs. Trahem added. She tucked her silky dark hair behind her ear. There was a grace to her movement. No wonder Master Trahem had married her so quickly. At twenty-nine, she was a few years older than me but looked just as young.
“Definitely.” Then I kept walking. Before I gave into the urge to turn and watch Master Trahem.
The girls from the locker room followed me out into the parking lot. I sat in my car and started the engine.
While I drove the forty-five minutes home, I fought to stay awake. At least traffic at nine-thirty at night was thin. I always missed rush hour. I left my apartment before six every morning and didn’t return until after ten. Being tired felt normal.
As I pulled up to my building, I examined each car. I knew to whom each of them belonged, as well as half my neighbors’ friends’ cars. The girl across the hall traded boyfriends every week. She drove me nuts.
I had no way of knowing what Chris was driving. I had to know which cars were supposed to be here in order to know if there was a new one. Most of my neighbors drove beaters like me, and Chris had always liked something flashy. But with him, I couldn’t depend on consistency. He was smart.
I recognized all the cars tonight. I parked under the streetlight and kept the door locked while I pulled my gear bag onto my lap and slipped the strap over my shoulder. Keys ready, I jumped out of the car and jogged up the steps. I hated apartment buildings in Florida. The halls were open, no security doors to block unwanted visitors from knocking on your front door, from lurking in shadowy corners.
Within about ten seconds, I was up the stairs, down the hall, and at my door. Just being able to move quickly without running out of breath was worth the cost of Taekwondo classes. I felt more confident, less scared.
My door unlocked, I glanced down the hall one more time then slipped inside. I closed the door, locked it, and flipped the lights.
I was not alone.
He was right there, tall, thick, and blond as always. I was seeing as clearly as if through acid. I blinked to make sure he was really there. I always did that. It was stupid.
Chris was always there.