BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Love Will Find You by #MFRWauthor Iris Blobel @_iris_b

MFRW Author Iris Blobel released Love Will Find You, a Contemporary New Adult Romance,

with Limitless Publishing.

Can their new love survive the scrutiny of the public eye?

After his father’s heart attack, Australian Football League player Tyson Gaspaldi takes his parents on holiday to a small place at the New South Wales coast.

One morning, following a surfing session, he comes across a crying woman on the beach. Everything about her intrigues him, and he can’t walk away. She’s not only sexy and humble, but, as he soon finds out, vulnerable as well.

It’s only been a few months since Katie Cassidy lost her sister in a car accident.

Still overwhelmed by the loss, a chance encounter on the beach with an attractive stranger awakens unexpected emotions inside her. She’s instantly drawn to his caring nature, but also his looks.

However, Tyson’s past quickly catches up with them, causing Katie’s childhood demons to return, and the road to romance becomes anything but smooth.

Amazon BUY LINK  |  Kobo BUY LINK

What Reviewers Are Saying...
"After reading the Prologue I was hooked - I had to know what had happened to get the characters to this point. I found the two lead characters engaging and they were well supported by the ancillary characters. The heat has been ""turned up"" in this new series and was done in a way that complimented the story. I will definitely be adding the remaining books in this series to my Wishlist."
- Goodreads

"I really enjoyed this book. The main characters popped off the pages right from the start and the author sprinkled a fun and quirky set of secondary characters throughout. I always like a male lead that knows what he wants and goes for it - and a female lead strong enough to know when she's wrong. Add in Australia and football and I'm hooked."
- Goodreads

Excerpt

Tyson held the Brownlow Medal in his hand, but celebrating was the last thing on his mind. His fake smile was as much a lie as the last message he’d sent to Katie the day before. As a result, it was his mother who sat in the crowd amongst his teammates, his friends, the footy world, reporters, and whoever else was important—and not Katie. His gaze wandered around the ballroom, with all the round tables neatly positioned in nice rows. Each table was beautifully set with dinnerware, menus, and a floral arrangement. The TV screens on either side of him showed a close-up of the stage, and as he tried to protect his eyes against the bright lights, he watched them all, making toasts, their glasses filled with the best champagne, applauding his achievement.
The crowd settled and awaited a speech. His speech. Nervousness crept up in him as he stared into the audience. His throat burned as the acid in his stomach churned.
The Brownlow Medal was awarded to the best and fairest football player of the season, yet he didn’t think there was anything fair about the way he’d treated his girl.
Tyson Gaspaldi took a deep breath, unfolded his little note, and cleared his throat. The first word he focused on was her name, Katie. He blinked to refocus and thanked his mother as well as his family. It came effortlessly once he was past the initial hurdle and in only a few minutes he finished, held up his medal, and walked behind the stage.
Why had he said the things he had? Why didn’t he just answer her question?
A short time later, Tyson joined his friends and his mother at the table again.
“Congratulations, darling.” His mother took his face into her hands and gave Ty a kiss on his cheek. Only a few years ago, he would have been embarrassed by such open emotions in front of a crowd, but since his father’s death earlier in the year, he welcomed every sign of affection by his mother.
“Thanks, Mum.”
“Dad would be so proud of you.” Caroline Gaspaldi took a step back and gazed at him. Pride radiated from her eyes. “Look at you. You should wear a suit more often.”
His friends around the table gave him a quick clap on the shoulder and congratulated him before sitting down to proceed with the evening. Ty noticed his phone buzzing and with a flick of his finger, he scrolled down his messages. He stopped at Katie’s message from earlier in the day.
I don’t believe u!
With a heavy sigh, he switched off the screen, ignoring all the other new messages and the phone into his pocket. He took the beer in front of him and tried to concentrate on what the guy on stage was saying. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a woman at the other table. She looked incredible in her shimmering silver evening gown. The décolleté of her dress revealed tanned skin upon which a delicate necklace hung. Her curly brown hair was pinned up in a ponytail which made her look very sexy. When she smiled at him, he winked at her in return.
“What are you doing, Ty?” his mother whispered into his ear.

About Iris Blobel
Iris was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London, as well as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper only emerged a few years back, but now her laptop is a constant companion. Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as their dog. Next to her job at a private school, she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

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#Thursday13 BOOK QUOTES: One Last Hold @angelaswriter #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Angela Smith shares 13 Quotes from her book, One Last Hold.
Many years ago, during my senior year in high school, I was dubbed most likely to write a novel, and that has been my dream ever since my mother read 'Brer Rabbit' to me and my sister so often that my sister was able to recite it me before she could read. I was jealous because I wanted to be able to do that and eventually, I did! I haven’t stopped reading since. My mother gave me my first romance story at a very young age. I’m not sure it’d even be legal now, ha-ha! And even though I longed to write, alas, I had to get a read job. Luckily for me, I fell into the perfect job in criminal justice and later became a certified paralegal. When not caring for my small farm or spending time with her husband of two decades, I love to craft, read, go off-roading, and dream of all the places I’ll one day visit.

http://www.loveisamystery.com  |  http://www.pinterest.com/asmithauthor

13 Lines or Quotes in One Last Hold 
1.  Right now, vengeance was his only fuel. 
2.  Yet, she might as well have been dead to him. 
3.  Because at one time, he had been Mr. Right. 
4.  Remember him as a friend.
5.  “She didn’t seem like just anyone.”
6.  Now was no time to allow interferences. 
7.  “You trying to break my tools, man?”
8.  He had that effect on her. Especially when he wanted to kiss her.
9.  “Vanity,” he scoffed, but posed anyway. 
10. He could never run from his past. 
11. “Pow-wowing with the paparazzi.”
12. “That type of concentration seems like it would get exhausting.”
13. “Darling, I’m already in trouble.”

One Last Hold is a Mainstream Romantic Suspense... BUY LINK

He has a shaded past…

Wesley Webb is at the pinnacle of his auto racing career when his main rival is murdered hours after their confrontation. That, along with evidence found at the scene, shades him as prime suspect. Now he’s under intense press scrutiny, particularly from Caitlyn Daniels, an ex-girlfriend who knows all about his secret past.

And she’s the one woman who could expose him…

Caitlyn thought to never see Wesley again. Now, his life could be in her hands. Ten years ago, a tragedy tore apart everything she held dear, including their relationship. When she’s assigned to do an exclusive story with the reluctant race car driver she once loved, she believes this could be her purging. But chemistry tears apart her resolve to stay strong. Can they work out their differences and fall in love again, or will tragedy keep them apart?

Is their love worth one more chance, even if it’s their last?

#MFRWauthor Interview: Helen Henderson

An Interview with Helen B. Henderson

A published author, feature-story writer and correspondent, Henderson has also written fiction as long as she could remember. The descendent of a coal-miner's daughter and an aviation flight engineer, her heritage reflects the contrasts of her Gemini sign. This dichotomy shows in her writing which crosses genres from historical adventures and westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the realm of fantasy, she is the author of two fantasy series: the Windmaster novels and the Dragshi Chronicles.

Why did you decide to write romance novels? 
Actually I never planned to write romance. Historical westerns and science fiction or fantasy were the genres I expected to be published in. Working with multi-published author, Carol McPhee, romance learned to take its place alongside action.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? 
I like to think that I would live and act much the same way of my heroines.

What kind of research do you do for a book? 
Research can vary from intensive delving into weapons and the appropriate tactics of their use to attending reenactments.

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? 
When I don’t fly amongst the stars or wander worlds of imagination, I ride the old West. Although not published in that genre in full-length, a short story has been published under the penname of my ancestress, Jesse Treon.

Tell us about your latest book.
Two releases within two months makes for an exciting time. Magic and Steel - Mt’wan Comraich is a novella which recounts a legend from the world of the Dragshi. Hatchlings Curse continues the tale of the trader girl Anastasia and Lord Branin Llewlyn that began in the romance fantasy novel, Dragon Destiny, the first book in the Dragshi Chronicles.

What motivated the story?
When it was originally written Dragon Destiny was short story written to help a family member recover from a coma. It morphed into a novel. The characters refused to leave and the original novel turned into a four book series. When typing “the end” I realized that there were untold stories from the dragshi, humans who could take on dragon form. Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. Sometimes embellished, the ceoltiers use the stories of times and actions past to educate and inspire. Magic and Steel is just one of the legends.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?
I admit to being a plotter. A storyboard form is slowly filled out, scene by scene. Some scenes may be a bullet list or a single line. As the story progresses and the characters become real, the form may be complete with dialog. By the time the storyboard is completed, so is a first draft of the book.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?
While Anne McCaffrey and Louis Lamour have always been my go to authors, the romantic suspense of Carol McPhee and the science fiction of Judy Griffith Gill have found places on my shelves.

Magic and Steel - Mt'wan Comraich

The Lady Mairin Alidryer of the Dragshi searched the world for the one man who would be her mate. Like the true dragons, once their intended mate was found, the dragon shifters mated for life in this world and the one beyond. However, the man she left behind when she gained the freedom of flight refused to accept the truth—that she did not love him. Now the head of a band of raiders, he swore to have Mairin on her knees in front of him.

All that stands between his plans is the true human, Kedar.

Bodyguard to the Lady Mairin, Kedar dared not fail in his duty—or more dangerous—love her.

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EXCERPT

A whistle and another mare, a big gray with a black mane and a speckled rump, was led to the paddock. Only this time, more than a groom escorted the animal. Mairin walked alongside, a hand on the mare’s halter.
“No,” Kedar whispered. He had hoped that Mairin would go with the red mare and not be around the emotion-charged atmosphere of the pairings.
Maybe this will be for the best, optimism reassured.
Or at least thaw the wall, Kedar prayed. He watched Mairin as the gray flicked her tail, flirting with two of the stallions. But what he didn’t expect was the mental link that formed between him and Mairin. From the thoughts coming through the ethereal connection, one thing was certain. Mairin did not consciously control the link.
He felt her gaze linger on his back, but forced himself not to respond.
His breath caught, not at the swirling chaos in Mairin’s mind, but a crystal clear realization she inadvertently broadcast. Kedar’s sense of honor made it impossible for him to give in to my advances.
What stunned him more was the silent addition—But he can now.
To cool the warmth creeping up his neck, Kedar concentrated on the paddock. To his surprise, the space was empty except for Trom. The stallion Mairin rode stood at the rail. Instead of one mare, a matched pair of golden mares whose brown manes and tails marked them as of the same lineage, nickered at the rail, tossing their manes and playing the coquet.
While he had been lost in Mairin’s musings, Kedar realized, the other mares had selected their mates for the night. Hastily, he looked over the record keeper’s shoulder and nodded as if approving the entries.
The two mares whuffed. In response, the seidheirn puffed out his chest, pranced two steps and leaped the fence. He trotted a wagon length down the trail and stopped, looking over his shoulder. His attitude clearly said, “Coming, my dears?”
No, it would not be fair, Mairin’s honesty countered. A dragshi cannot love a true human. Kedar is too good a man to use that way.
While the thought gave Kedar hope, the next sent his pulse racing. Mairin wondered what it would be like.
What had been a mere spark surged into flames when he caught her picturing him unbinding her hair and slipping the straps of her gown from her shoulders.

CONNECT with Helen here
WEBSITE: helenhenderson-author.webs.com;
BLOG: helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/njhistorywriter/
AMAZON: http://amzn.com/e/B001HPM2XK
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson

A DOWN and DIRTY #MFRWauthor Interview @ShaunaRoberts5

Shauna Roberts gets DOWN and DIRTY with MFRWorg.
Shauna Roberts (1956-) writes historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and romance. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, and grew up in nearby Beavercreek. After receiving degrees in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) and Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), she was a science and medical writer and copyeditor until retiring in 2010. She is a 2009 graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Workshop and was the 2011 winner of the Speculative Literature Foundation's Older Writer Grant. She currently lives in southern California.

How can readers connect with you?
Website:  http://www.ShaunaRoberts.com
Blog:  http://www.ShaunaRoberts.com
Amazon:  http://smile.amazon.com/Shauna-Roberts/e/B002R89SDI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shauna-Roberts-author/194876117254102
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/shaunasroberts/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2127144.Shauna_Roberts

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels?
Personally, I skim them to see whether they're relevant to the plot or to character development. If not, I skip them. Some authors do a wonderful job of using a love scene to reveal important new information; I wish all romance authors could learn to do so.

What does your husband think of your writing?
He is proud of me and will be even happier when I'm making enough money that he can retire!

What can we expect from you in the future?
I am about to start writing a romance set in Bordeaux, France, and its wine country. Also, I am researching another novel set in Mesopotamia. It will focus on one of the most influential and important women of the ancient world. Bringing her story to life and to the attention of readers will be very exciting.

Do you have a set schedule for writing?
My official schedule is to write from 9 to 3, with Sundays (and sometimes Saturdays) off. However, the real world routinely interrupts that schedule a couple of times a week with business that can only be conducted M-F, 9 to 5. So I often write in the evening to make up for missed time.

Do you have a favorite author?
My favorite author is Guy Gavriel Kay. He writes fantasies that are rooted in actual history and that have multiple main characters. I love how he weaves those characters and several complex plot threads together.

Tell us about your latest book.
CLAIMED BY THE ENEMY is historical fiction that crosses over into romance. It takes place in

ancient Mesopotamia, the most fascinating time in history, when almost everything we take for granted today was new or being invented. The heroine is a princess, and the hero came from the same city and is now a soldier—of her enemy. Both are still dealing with the destruction of their home city and the loss of their families, a theme suggested by the near-destruction of New Orleans in 2005 by the failure of the federal levees.

BLURB
Crown Princess Nindalla knows the terrifying power of Sargon of Akkad’s army: Ten years ago, it destroyed her home city and killed her parents. Now the nightmare is happening again. The Akkadians conquer her new home, Susa; make her a widow; and strip her of her rank. Nindalla vows to protect her children from her enemies by any means necessary, including marrying whoever can shield them best. With plots swirling around her, can she trust her instincts to tell friends from foes? Farm boy Ur-sag-enki was forced to become a soldier in the Akkadian army ten years ago after it destroyed his home and left him with nothing. When the Akkadians conquer Susa, he is awarded its governorship. He looks forward to settling down to the normal family life he craves. First, though, he must keep control of Susa despite enemies who exploit his inexperience, and he must gain legitimacy by persuading beautiful former princess Nindalla to marry him. But can he win her heart when it was his hand that struck down her husband? These enemies—a princess and a lowborn soldier—can trust nobody . . . but each other.

BUY LINK

#MFRWorg Interviews #MFRWauthor Reet Singh @AuthorReet

MFRWorg asked. Reet Singh answered.

MFRW author Reet Singh is a surgeon with a passion for creative writing. 'Scorched by His Fire' is her first published piece of romantic fiction, and is courtesy of Mills and Boon® India's Passions Contest which she won in 2013. 'The Cure was Love', also from Mills and Boon® India, is releasing on 1st November. Her other offering is a alien adventure book for middle graders - ‘The Zaken Takeover’ - which she co-authored along with her son (who was eleven years old at the time of writing it). It is available on Amazon, for Kindle. Her blogs, reviews and other literary activities can be found at www.reetsingh.in.

1. If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?
In my own beach house, on my own beach, with my sweetheart and a coffee filter. Oh! And chocolates.

2. If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?
Break things into bits.

3. What song would best describe your life?
My Fair Lady – I could have danced all night!

4. What is your secret guilty pleasure?
An Indian sweet – kalakand. Yum! It is also called milk-cake because it involves boiling a large amount of milk to make a small amount of sweet. Thickened milk is mixed with sugar and dry fruits to create this mouthwatering, addictive delicacy.

5. Tell us about the scariest thing that ever happened to you.
The proverbial phone call – from my sons' school – saying I should come right over because the boys, and their father who had gone to drop them, had met with an accident. Cuts that needed stitches, and awful bruises and scrapes – they got off lightly, thank goodness!

6. City life or country life?
Country life, in India, but WITHOUT the power cuts and WITH high speed internet access.

7. Ebook or paperback?
Paperback once upon a time, ebook now. Easier to hold, no need to turn pages, lighter, self-illuminated – the last is a particular boon - I can read even when the sweetheart is abed and the lights are out!

8. Share your latest book.
Scorched by His Fire is a Mainstream Contemporary Romance

BUY LINK

BLURB
Mita Ramphul can't face another family set - up with a 'nice young man'. What she needs is to divert her family's attention… so introducing the devastatingly handsome Tanay Devkumar as her new boyfriend is a stroke of brilliance! Until Tanay's scorching hot kisses threaten to shatter her plans for the perfect pretend date…

He might drive her crazy, yet spending time with Tanay sparks a passion Mita never knew she had. It's only meant to be temporary, but when Tanay looks at her with that smouldering fire in his ebony eyes Mita can't help but surrender to the temptation of her fake boyfriend…!

EXCERPT

Time slowed as Tanay explored in right earnest, giving in to the lure of Mita’s tempting mouth. He had had a hard time, the last half hour, sitting with her sexy body in his arms and not being able to do anything about it.
It was payback time now. His tongue made inroads that demanded response, and Mita felt confused. She should be furious but she felt drugged and helplessly needy. She didn’t want it to end, and apparently neither did Tanay.
He was hypnotised by the fragrance of her skin, the softness of her lips, the velvet of her tongue. His hands itched to explore her satiny skin, to dispense with all clothing and really explore.But he couldn’t. This wasn’t about a woman, or about sex. This was a case; a job. This was Mita, and he had to keep a clear head because she would consume him if he let her.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Knights of Stone by Lisa Carlisle @LisaCBooks #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Lisa Carlisle released Knights of Stone, an Erotic Paranormal Romance.

Gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle twenty-

five years ago. When Kayla, a tree witch, hears about the unconventional rock concerts in the gargoyle’s territory, she sneaks from her coven and into their territory to see for herself. Night after night, she returns to see one in particular shift into human form and play guitar at these unconventional shows.

For several nights, Mason has kept watch for the pixie-like female. He plans to seduce her, thinking she’s a visitor from another island. When he discovers she’s one of the tree witches, he retreats, attempting to keep his distance. The temptation is strong, but forbidden.

Kayla and Mason attempt to meet in secret, but other elements on the isle command their attention. A magical cloak created by the three clans on the island is thinning, leading to repercussions for all the clans. Kayla and Mason are caught in the middle of it, and their actions may change the fate for all. " Gargoyles, tree witches, and shifters have divided their Scottish isle. When a witch breaches into another territory, she's tempted by a forbidden attraction that may affect the future for all.

BUY LINK

A REVIEW from Read Our Thoughts Book Blog... "OMG a hot gargoyle, who would have thought and now I want to read more about them. Kayla is enthralled my the very hot and compelling rock star Mason.....And he is certainly a ROCK star, he is a gargoyle that puts on a very spectacular show with his brothers... Very moving and passionate story for adult readers, I look forward to more from the Knights of Stone."

EXCERPT

The crowd pushed Kayla closer to the stage as the last trails of fiery sunset faded. They knew what happened once darkness fell. She recovered her footing and focused again on the five life-sized stone gargoyles perched on pedestals on the perimeter of the stage. The space between them was set with instruments—guitars, a drum set, mic stands, and massive amplifiers, while a bonfire in a pit behind them cast the statues in a warm glow.
A stagehand with tartan draped over one shoulder climbed onto the stage and walked to the closest statue. He fastened the kilt over its shoulder and around its waist with a thick belt, covering the statue’s massive thighs. Kayla flushed, picturing why the coverings were necessary once the transformation began. The kilt had become a key detail in her fantasies about the guitarist, since it was the only clothing he wore. The stagehand continued dressing
each statue with the same brilliant blue tartan worn by the gargoyle clan.
The last vestige of sunlight disappeared from the sky, and night draped the stage like a closing curtain. The statues loomed, dark silhouettes barely discernible by the crescent moon with the backdrop of the craggy cliffs and the rugged peaks of waves in the Atlantic Ocean behind them. The murmur of voices was replaced by silence. Waiting...
Five torches blazed on the stage all at once, lit by an unseen force. The audience erupted in cheers as the dancing lights from the flickering fire basked the statues. The flames lowered, casting the gargoyles in an eerie, almost reverent glow.
Movement. So slight, Kayla wondered if it was simply a play of light and shadows in her anticipation for the change. She fixed her gaze on the statue in front of her, the one she’d gravitated to each time she had sneaked out to see the show. Its massive gray form stood straight on two legs built for sturdiness. Its chest jutted out proudly. Gray wings with detailed feathers etched in the stone arched from a point below its shoulder blades. Eyes cast straight ahead on a face that appeared to be a mixture of canine and lion. Its right hand twitched, so slightly she would have missed it if she hadn’t stared so intently. Then a clawed foot inched forward. 

ABOUT Lisa Carlisle
Lisa loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent, caring heroines. She feels very honored to be a multi-published author since she's wanted to write since the sixth grade. Her travels have provided her with inspiration for various settings in her novels, including deployments while she served in the Marines. She lived in Parris Island, the California desert, and Okinawa, Japan. She also backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris, France, as an au pair before returning to the U.S. and buying a book store. She now lives in New England with her husband, two children, a cat, and many fish.

Sign up for new releases: http://eepurl.com/3qmnP

http://lisacarlislebooks.com/  |  https://www.facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor

#Thursday13 Sentences from #MFRWauthor @DevBentham DRIVING INTO THE SUN

Dev Bentham shares 13 sentences from Driving into the Sun, an Erotic GLBT Romance, released with Loose Id in 2014.

Bad choices. We all make them, some more than others. Dusty’s choices have left him unemployed,
broke and practically homeless. Despite the major issues he has with his family, his only rational choice is to sell everything and move into his parents’ basement. At thirty. Looking for a ride west, he answers a phone ad. The voice at the other end of the line flows like dark, rich honey. Finally something to look forward to—listening to Joe’s voice all the way from Illinois to Idaho.

Rather than the hip crooner of Dusty’s fantasies, Joe turns out to look more like a panhandler. Is that because Joe dresses down, or are Dusty’s preconceptions about Native Americans clouding his vision? Joe is silent more often than not. He has a complicated past and still has amends to make. But he is ready to move on. Dusty feels trapped. Two damaged men, one small car driving two thousand miles into the sun—sometimes things need to break down before they can get fixed." Two damaged men, one small car driving two thousand miles into the sun—sometimes things need to break down before they can get fixed.

Amazon BUY LINK

"" Driving into the Sun is a book about leaving angst and risk management behind while accepting the possibility that there is something better that you didn't even know was out there. A great book, beautifully written, character driven and highly recommended."" - USA Today

""A richly developed and believable romance that resonates with strong emotion, Driving into the Sun is a superb novel that is quite captivating. Dev Bentham brings together two very complex and damaged characters who find love despite their insecurities and rather messy lives. The close confines of the car and the stops along the way provide an intimate setting for Dusty and Joe to divulge their secrets and explore their attraction. The sex scenes between them are exquisitely detailed and are a perfect blend of sweet and sexy.""
Book Reviews and More by Kathy
http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/category/driving-into-the-sun/

13 Sentences from DRIVING INTO THE SUN...
When Joe finished with the hand, he put his fingers under Dusty’s chin and tipped his face toward the light. His touch was gentle, like a lover right before a first kiss. Dusty’s lips opened as he stared up into Joe’s dark brown eyes. Joe’s gaze flicked to Dusty’s mouth, then away. He wet some gauze and began dabbing at Dusty’s cheek. Dusty had forgotten about scrape on his face. Now it stung. So much for the moment before a kiss. He bit the inside of his lip to keep from pulling away.

“Don’t worry.” Joe’s voice was soft, amused. “This won’t scar your handsome face.”

Dusty rolled his eyes. Handsome was about the last thing he’d call himself tonight. Still, he found himself smiling at the thought.

ABOUT Dev Bentham
Dev writes soulful m/m romance. Her characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know what they are missing, but whose lives are transformed by true love.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5682093.Dev_Bentham
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dev.bentham

A QUICK and QUIRKY #MFRWauthor Interview @KetaDiablo

MFRW Author Keta Diablo, multi-published author of erotic romance and gay fiction, talks about one of her latest books... oh yeah, and she gives us some quirky answers to some quick questions.

If money was no object, where would you travel?
Well, if money is no object, you'd find me anywhere there's year-round sunshine and something we squish between our toes...sand.

If money were no object, where would you shop?
My favorite to place to shop would have to be a room filled with handbags, candles and bath soaps. I admit, I'm an addict to all three.

If you were stranded on an island, who would you bring with you?
If I was stranded on a tropical island, I'd want to be with anyone who lived larger in life during some point of history in the great USA.

Country or City?
Country life over city life in a heartbeat. Moooo. Moooo

What advice do you have for new writers?
The answer is simple and very brief. Write. More. Books.

Do you have a writing schedule?
I don't have a writing schedule per se. I do, however, plant my butt in a chair every day and write something. Anything. Writing is a lonely life and one must also be committed to sectioning off time every day to fulfill writing goals (whatever they are).

What is your favorite book?
The Windflower, Laura London (husband and wife team authors)
Second Favorites: To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone With the Wind, Sweet Savage Love (Rosemary Rogers), Spymaster Series (Joanna Bourne)

Tell us about writing Chasin the Dead.
I loved writing Chasing the Dead, Book 1 in the Bannister Brothers' Series. The Old West and Native
American history are two of my faves - not only do I love to write about them but the research is fascinating. Once in a while a toss in a paranormal element, which I did in Chasing the Dead. The Apache (all Native Americans) were very superstitious about the afterlife and ghosts. I hope I delivered something about the Natives you didn't know before.  And I hope I scared you too! The dead spirit in Chasing the Dead is no ordinary ghost - he's a ghoul bent on revenge!

Chasin the Dead, an Erotic Western Paranormal Romantic Suspense 

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We're running for our lives from Uday, the vaporous ghoul tracking us. He lusts after Sacheen, the beautiful maiden banished from the Apache village who travels with us. The warrior killed her father when Sacheen refused to marry him, and then Sacheen's brother killed Uday. The ghost's powers grow stronger every minute on our journey back to El Vaquero...and so does my love for Deacon.  ~ Madrid Arrende ~

EXCERPT

A shadow hovered near the fires, ducking in between stalks of cacti and other scrub brush. Maddie drew a deep breath and ambled forward with Elan beside her. Amid the dissonant chants and prayers, warriors brandishing spears and shields hollered into the gray mist. Maddie squinted, hoping to catch sight of the ghoul the others couldn't see. Only powerful shamans and spirit chasers had trained themselves to look upon the face of a dead spirit. A ripple of fear spread through her limbs and shivered down her spine when la fantasma appeared before her. A mass of black patterns and swirls marred his enraged face. His eyes were hollow and black until a den of serpents slithered from the sockets–a deception the spirit had learned in his brief time in the underworld.Maddie swallowed hard and sneaked a glance at Elan. Standing tall and looking formidable, she had to admire the man's courage. ""It is you he seeks to destroy, Elan, to forge a path to Sacheen. I will go forth on my own now.""Elan shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. ""Why would you put yourself in such danger? We wait and see what the dead man will do.""""No. It is what he wants, for all in the village to fear him. Only then does his true power unfold. I will meet his challenge; let him know I am here to banish him back to the dead."" ""Although I cannot"", she whispered under her breath.The ghost twisted and turned, retreating back from the fire, only to appear seconds later at another location in camp. He screamed and howled, the otherworldly sounds rumbling through the village like a murderous dust storm. Maddie shrugged aside Elan's grip on her elbow and walked forward. ""Madre, be with me,"" she said to the ground. The moon had not shown its face this night but a smattering of a million stars gave enough light for Maddie to focus on the grim outline of the wretch. ""Lift up your eyes dead spirit and hear my words.""An inhuman screech sent a blast of wind in her direction. It lashed her face and whipped her long hair into a frenzy.""You are small and weak. I do not fear you!"" she screamed, bewildered by the words spewing from her mouth. ""The wolf has sung your passing and the bear has grumbled low. Sing your death song and return to the underworld.""The wailing chants of the shamans echoed behind her. Ignoring her warning, Elan suddenly appeared beside her, only to be struck to the ground when the ghoul unleashed a stream of lightning spikes from the sky. Elan moaned, clutched his broken arm and attempted to rise.""Stay down!"" Maddie ground out between clenched teeth.Her mother's voice rode the crest of her fear. Be strong, Madrid, try again.Her knees shook and her spine curled, but she took another step forward. ""Your breath has moved to another world. You must remain with it. Do you hear me, dead spirit? You are no longer welcome here. Your relatives have said farewell and so must you, never to return.""A refrain from the Apache against her back bolstered her courage—a roar of cheers and the synchronized trampling of moccasins beating the ground.  Torrents of rain fell from the sky, pounding Maddie into the earth beneath her feet. Wet dirt spiraled up her nose and debilitating pain wracked her body. A hand clamped over her arm. When Maddie realized it belonged to Elan, a sigh of relief mingled with the cold blast of air surrounding them. Sacheen's brother pulled her against his wet body and crawled toward camp, dragging her with him.A triumphant scream from the ghost rent the air, pitching the warriors into a cowering retreat. The cold, gray dawn swept over camp. Shivering with despair, Maddie turned to Elan. ""His power is great.""Out of breath and still clutching his arm, he nodded.""Maddie raised a fist to the sky. ""We have failed this night, dead spirit, but we will not the next time we meet.""

#MFRWauthor Interview @REMullins

MFRW Author R.E. Mullins talks about her latest book.

R. E. Mullins was born and raised in Joplin, Missouri. She has also lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Though she has loved each area, the Ozarks hold a special place in her heart. That is why she set her fictional town of Amber Heights there.

She worked as a Phlebotomist for ten years and assisted in a Continuing Education Course in Phlebotomy. Now she is concentrating on writing. Connect with her on her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/REMullinsauthor.

Why do you write romance novels?
I want to write the types of things I like to read. Fantasy, romance—these are the things that interest me.

What kind of research do you do for a book? 
I do tons of research. Mainly because I get caught up in it and continue long past the point needed. Very little of it actually gets incorporated into my manuscripts.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
Quite a bit. The disastrous blind date in my second novel actually happened to me, I was a phlebotomist, and the setting is quite similar to where I live. That said—I must add a disclaimer. I might have borrowed from real life for my books but my characters are imaginary.

Would you like to write a different genre?
After I finish my vampire series (4 books) I believe I might try my hand at contemporary. I’d like to have my characters enjoying a good meal once in a while instead of always drinking bloodwine.

Do you feel humor is important in fiction?
Yes. Absolutely. Life is funny. I continue to try to incorporate more and more humor in my writing.

Tell us about your latest book.
Vampire In The Scrying Glass is the second novel in my vampire series: The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights. Though it continues the family saga, it focuses on a different couple. This is Morgan and Rafe’s story. Don’t worry, though, you’ll hear from the characters in the first book.

Vampire In The Scrying Glass, The Wild Rose Press

Rafe Blautsauger, vampire and enforcer, must put his feelings for the mortal Morgan Maguire aside. The Nosferatu council who employs Rafe strictly forbids their love. But he can't stay away from the beautiful woman who causes his blood to beat with new life.Yet, she hides a secret, one he must expose in order to protect her.
                             
Morgan keeps her unique gift of magic under wraps due to a spell gone horribly wrong when she was young.  She is haunted by a nightmare where two malevolent glowing red eyes stalk her. Can she trust the arrogant but oh-so-handsome Rafe with her secret as well as her heart? Can he help her regain her power in time to save the world of the living and the undead?

There's a vampire in her scrying glass... BUY LINK

EXCERPT

Morgan quickly lunged forward, and pressed the stake firmly over his heart. “You are despicable.”
“Necessary. Especially for someone as puny as you.” With ease Rafe flipped the piece of sharpened wood out of her fingers, twirled it around a couple of times, and then handed it back with a small flourish.
This time reprisal came more quickly as a spell came to her. She hoped that one day it would come automatically. “Let this man feel my slap. Not to harm, just a tap. Let him feel a touch of fear, to know he cannot domineer.”
For a second the words hung in the air and then Rafe’s eyes widened as his head jerked to the side. The faint lines of a palm print reddened his left cheek.
“You little devil,” he rubbed the side of his face before pushing her on the shoulder with the flat of his hand. He shoved hard enough to force her back a step. “If you’re going to slap at me, by god, you better have the balls to come at me personally.”
“Oh, yeah?” Morgan thrust both hands against his chest and shoved with all her might. It shook her when he didn’t budge an inch, but she managed to keep up her air of bravado. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the fact I’m not weak and powerless?” Tossing back her head, she challenged, “I don’t need magic to take you on, but it would be wise for you to remember it’s always there.”
He thwarted any chance of escape or the ability to get in the last word by twisting his hand into her hair. He pulled hard enough she gasped.
“So take me on,” he dared."

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Jake and Ivy by #MFRWauthor Jane Leopold Quinn @jelquinnauthor

MFRW Author Jane Leopold Quinn released Jake and Ivy, an Erotic Historical Western Romance, in the Fall 2014.

Ivy Westlake comes alive at her friend’s hacienda in Mexico when she discovers the Flamenco. Her wild side is unleashed in the sensuality of dancing. She will not be forced into a marriage of convenience, so she flees with the dance troupe.

Jake Agee, cowboy, loner, has built a life with no commitments. That explodes in his face when Ivy dances. He spots her again performing in a small California town. He battles his desire to have this woman against his well-honed sense of independence.

Jake and Ivy perform their own style of pas de deux throughout southern California until their passions ignite in a desert cave in the middle of a thunder storm. Jake fights his growing love as Ivy fights her craving for their erotic pursuits. Jake’s long lost brother suddenly and mysteriously surfaces. Will this appearance tear Jake and Ivy apart? Will it destroy their love?

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EXCERPT

It was more than just wanting to seduce her, he could find a willing woman. But could he find one with Ivy's specific attributes—stubborn, courageous, unconsciously sensuous but innocent at the same time. She rode like a man, danced like a dream, looked like an angel and kissed like the very devil. How could this eastern girl, brought up in the lap of luxury living a life so completely different from his, have any interest in him? He could no longer ignore the spark he knew they'd both felt the first time they'd set eyes on each other and whenever they kissed. As much as he tried to think it through logically, it wasn't something that could be reasoned out. He'd ridden around in circles, literally and figuratively, until he'd made his decision.
While wiping the horse down with rags from his saddlebags, he saw her in his peripheral vision flinch at every lightning flash and boom of thunder. She stood shivering against the wall, watching his every move, watching the rain and wind whip through the brush outside the cave. She hugged her arms, rubbing them distractedly. She must be freezing in her clothing soaked from the driving rain.
""Easy, boy,"" he murmured soothingly to his horse. Easy, boy. Soothing himself. She'd come willingly but did she know what was going to happen? Easy. Don't frighten her.
""I'll make a fire."" He squatted and lit the brush inside a circle of stones he'd set up earlier when he'd found the cave. Fitful flames finally flared, their light steadier and more comforting than the lightning flashes.
Pushing himself upright off his bent knees, he turned and focused on her. His gaze swept from her feet to her intense wide eyes. Loosened hair tumbled over her shoulders and breasts, her hard nipples clearly jutting against the clingy wet cloth of her shirt. His cock throbbed at the sight.
She shivered.
""Take this off."" He fingered the collar of her shirt. A frown flashed in her dark eyes. He didn't want her to be frightened. ""You're cold,"" he explained softly. Although she'd willingly come with him, he wouldn't rush her. He wanted her more than life itself but she was a virgin. Faltering for a moment, knowing he'd be her first, he begged God to keep him from taking her like some sort of wild beast. Even though, with the aching cock in his pants demanding satisfaction, that's exactly what he felt like.
God, she's beautiful. A dark cloud of wavy hair surrounded her head, his fingers tingling to sift though the strands. A sharp crack of thunder interrupted his thoughts. He swiveled his head at the sound of a frightened whinny and assured himself his horse was all right.
Turning back, he saw her blink and lick her lips. On edge himself, he never dropped his gaze but kept his hands at his sides. It was the last time he was aware of anything outside of the cave, outside the two of them.
She began unbuttoning her shirt. He watched avidly, controlling his greedy desire. Flicking a glance to her eyes, he found her staring at him, both uncertainty and a growing arousal in hers.
""Ivy sweetheart, don't be afraid,"" he murmured.
""I'm not,"" she responded, the hitch in her breathing belying her claim.

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

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

QUICK and QUIRKY #MFRWauthor INTERVIEW @BarbBradley

A Quick & Quirky Interview with MFRW Author Barbara Donlon Bradley.
Barbara Donlon Bradley’s writing started innocently enough, she kept diaries, journals, and wrote an occasional letter but her vivid imagination had her writing scenes and short stories, adding characters to her favorite shows and comic books. As time went on the passion for writing became too strong to ignore. Humor dominates her life. Write something deep and dark, will never happen. That humor bleeds into her writing. Since she can’t beat it she’s learned to use it to her advantage. Now she lives in Tidewater Virginia with two cats, one mother in law – whose 87 now, her husband and son.

What song would best describe your life? 
Don’t worry be happy

Picture yourself as a store. What type of products would be sold there?
It would be totally eclectic. I’d have books, crystals, dragon and mythical figurines, teas, unique t-shirts...I’m not sure what else.

Can you describe the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
Holy cow, I’m so goofy I have to pick one? I went to an event with my sister and on our way back to the car I didn’t want to walk in the rock road because I knew I’d find that rock or hole and fall in so I walked on the grass. My sister said she kept an eye on me and I was there one minute and gone the next. I found this giant hoel and fell in to my knee – I looked like Dorfman.

What’s your most embarrassing moment?
Oh boy – I once walked into the men’s room in a bar by accident – no one was in there thank goodness but how goofy could I be?

City life or country life? 
I like the city life. Everything is convenient

Ebook or paperback?
Gosh, both

Zebras or elephants?
Elephants – they never forget.

How can readers connect with you?
Website: http://www.barbaradonlonbradley.com/
Publisher: http://www.phaze.com/author.php?author=21
Blog: http://barbaradonlonbradley.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Donlon-Bradley/118673448173249
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbbradley
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/barbaradbradley/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7773192-barbara-bradley
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0072OTZJE
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Barbara-donlon-bradley
ARe:http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Barbara+Donlon+Bradley
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/Search?Query=Barbara%20Donlon%20Bradley
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/search/books?Keywords=barbara%20donlon%20bradley

Barbara released Stolen Desire, Book 7 of the Vespian Way, an Erotic SF/Futuristic Romance, with Phaze Books.
When Heather is confronted with her time traveling self she fears the worst. The woman came to warn them of a terrible accident but something isn't right. The visitors her future self says are there to help only wants to kidnap her and kill her mate.

Using her mind she tries to protect her friends and family. Yet she wakes up as a prisoner after seeing the ship Storm is in blow up. She is now alone, and trapped.

Somehow she has to figure out a way home and hopefully reverse all the horrible things that have taken her family from her.

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EXCERPT

Heather sighed as she opened her eyes and stretched. Before she could move she felt a warm hand on her breast.
“I see you’re awake.” Storm’s breath brushed against her cheek.
She looked up at her mate, who had a knowing smile on his face. “And I see you are awake too.” She was referring to the erection pressed against her hip.
“True, but I can’t help it when I have such a wonderful partner lying beside me.” Storm nibbled against her throat. “We still have time before we need to be anywhere.”
“Why didn’t you wake me earlier?” She smiled as he settled himself between her thighs. “You could have had all the time you want if you had.”
“Because the twins aren’t allowing you to get enough sleep yet. I don’t mind watching you sleep when I know you need it. It gives me time to appreciate having you in my life.” He dipped his head to her mark. “And waking you up this way is an anticipation I look forward to. I don’t mind stretching that out a little.”
“Because you know what will happen when I wake.”
“That is the best part.”
She felt him smile against her neck as he pulled the soft tissue of her mark into his mouth before he worked his way down her body.
“You are incorrigible.”
“And that is why I’m your heart.” His tongue lathed her nipple before drawing the tip into his mouth. She arched up against him and he slipped his hands under her.
A growl escaped him when they were interrupted by the computer system. “Heather, you have a communiqué from Admiral Barrister.”
She sighed again. This time in frustration. What did he want now?
“The last time he contacted us you ended up being whipped.” Storm blew against the tip before he climbed back up her body. “I’m inclined to not let you answer him.”
“Storm, I’m still part of Earth’s security.” She looked up at him, his face only inches above hers. “I can’t ignore him.”
“Fine, but you’re not getting out of this bed until I say so.” He rolled off her and helped her sit up and settle herself against him. “Put him on, Cim.”
“Sir.” She adjusted the cover to make sure she didn’t expose herself.
“Commander, sorry if I interrupted something, but we need to talk, in person.”
“Sir?” What was so important that he wanted them to make a trip to Earth. “You know it’s not that easy for me to step away from my duties here.”
“I know, but I have something to show you that you need to see.” Bear pressed a key and changed the image they were looking at. The new picture was a holding cell. Inside was a woman who looked a whole lot like Heather. “Before you ask I ran DNA tests against the data you gave me. She is you.”
“That isn’t possible.” She suddenly felt cold.
“Tell that to her.” Bear switched the image back to him. “Needless to say this was something I didn’t want Earth security to investigate too deeply so I pretended she was you. I’m on my way to Vespia and will need clearance in about fifteen minutes.”
“We’ll meet you at the landing port.” Storm closed the communiqué and was the first one up. “I don’t like this at all.”

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Return to Sleepy Hollow @DaxVarley #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Dax Varley released Return to Sleepy Hollow, a Young Adult book.
Katrina has escaped the noose and is hiding in Philadelphia. But she can’t escape the legendary Headless Horseman. As before he comes to her window, beckoning her to him. Why her? The truth unfolds when Katrina is forced to RETURN TO SLEEPY HOLLOW.

The compelling sequel to SLEEPY HOLLOW is here! The Headless Horseman has returned!

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EXCERPT

He was there again…just below. I awoke as always to the power of his presence.
My bare feet hit the cold floor. One peek—just one—out the window.

The steam from Mrs. Allsopp’s kitchen collected in this room—this small room—causing deposits to form on the panes. Seeing out was like looking through damp feathers. That, and the added frost, made spying difficult. But he was there, in the torch-lit alley, his shadow bleeding onto the snow.
It’d been three years since I’d seen this horseman. The Horseman. And, as then, his hand reached out, summoning me to him. Katrina.
A chill deeper than the winter cold embraced me and I wore it like a second skin.
Three times he’s appeared since Ichabod and I fled to Philadelphia.
Why here? Why now? Why me?
But whatever the reason, he wanted me—a want so strong, I was weak to resist.
His gloved fingers summoned me like willows waving in a breeze.
Katrina.
He sat proud in the saddle, his shoulders broad—an obsidian hole where his head should rest. Snapping back his cape, he tilted his hand that I might easily take it. How freeing it would be to throw myself onto the back of his horse and let him whisk me away.
He waited…wanted. Katrina.
“What’s out there?” The voice startled me, causing me to whip around. Violet, the girl I shared the room with above Allsopp’s Pie Shop, sat up, her silhouette resembling a keyhole in the dark.
“Nothing,” I answered. It was true. For when I turned back, he was gone.
She rustled the covers, lying back down. “Sleepwalkin’ agin?”
“Yes.” It was my best excuse.
I stole one last glimpse out the window, knowing tomorrow it would only be a dream—a ghost lingering in my weary mind.
I crawled under the covers, gooseflesh prickling my skin. Though a vast distance divided us, Sleepy Hollow would forever haunt me.

ABOUT Dax Varley
Dax Varley writes the kind of young adult novels she wishes were around when she was a teen. She's a lover of humor, horror and all things paranormal. 

When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures and about a dozen imaginary friends. 

Website: http://www.daxvarley.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaxVarley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/daxvarley
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dax-Varley/e/B00CXJVTME/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/daxvarley/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Redemption's Edge @ShirleenDavies

MFRW Author Shirleen Davies released Redemption's Edge, a Historical Romance,

with Avalanche Ranch Press LLC.

Dax Pelletier is ready for a new life, far away from the one he left behind in Savannah following the South’s devastating defeat in the Civil War. The ex-Confederate general wants nothing more to do with commanding men and confronting the tough truths of leadership.

Rachel Davenport possesses skills unlike those of her Boston socialite peers—skills honed as a nurse in field hospitals during the Civil War. Eschewing her northeastern suitors and changed by the carnage she’s seen, Rachel decides to accept her uncle’s invitation to assist him at his clinic in the dangerous and wild frontier of Montana.

Thinking his battle days are over, Dax now faces dangers of a different kind—one by those from his past who seek vengeance, and another from Rachel, the woman who’s captured his heart.

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EXCERPT

“Tell me about Splendor.” Dax did have an interest in learning more about the town. However, what he needed now was to hear her voice.
Rachel relaxed and leaned back in her chair. “Well, let’s see. It’s a wonderful town. Everyone is friendly and obliging, always offering what they can to help out a neighbor. About anything you need is available. Not extravagances, you understand, but the basics. I sometimes miss the type of merchandise available in Boston, but not often.” She paused a moment and closed her eyes. “Reverend Paige and his wife are perhaps the nicest people I’ve ever met. They have this…I don’t know…welcoming way about them. Everyone is accepted at their church.”
Dax followed her lead and closed his eyes. “So tell me what you don’t like about it.”
“Dust storms, although there’s been just one since I’ve been here. Apparently, they rise up in minutes and, before you know it, you can’t see three feet in front of you. A slight one blew through town the day you and your brother arrived, but they get much worse. When the storm blows through, it leaves grit and dirt everywhere.”
They sat a moment in relaxed silence. Dax could hear her soft breathing and wondered if she’d fallen asleep.
“The sunrises and sunsets.”
“What?” Dax asked, his brows drawing together in a confused frown.
“I love the way the sun peeks up over the eastern mountains and cloaks the town in a soft, yet brilliant light. At sunset, the sky can turn the most amazing shades of pink, orange, yellow, and violet. I’ve never seen anything like it. It truly takes your breath away.”
He glanced over to see her smiling as if she were picturing the scene she’d described.
“You’ll stay then?”
“For a while, at least. I’ve been here since early fall, so not quite a year. According to the people who’ve been here the longest, the winters are the worst and I’ve lived through one already.”
“Was it bad?” Dax had fought through harsh winters during the war and never imagined ever living through them again.
She chuckled. “If you consider snow storms that last a week, leaving mountains of snow behind then, yes, it was a challenge. At the same time, it was exhilarating in a way I can’t describe.”
Dax let her voice wash over him. Something about the tone and intensity worked on his senses, causing his body to respond. He shifted in his chair, attempting to hide his body’s reaction.
“When the snow melts, the grasslands turn an almost translucent green. The countryside is thick and lush. I’d run my hands over it, marveling at the silky feel.” She ran a hand along the arm of her chair in a slow movement, almost stroking it.
Dax watched her hand travel along the wood of the chair, caressing it, and let out a groan.
“Are you all right?” Rachel gazed over at him.
He cleared his throat and stood. “Yes. I guess I’d better see how Luke’s doing in the kitchen.”
“He’s fixing supper?”
“Let’s say he’s heating up some stew from last night and attempting to make biscuits. I’d suggest you do your best to ignore the results.” He held out a hand to help her up, taking a moment before letting it go.

ABOUT Shirleen Davies
Shirleen writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance.  She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Write to her at:  shirleen@shirleendavies.com
Visit her website:   http://www.shirleendavies.com
Comment on her blog:   http://www.shirleendavies.com/blog.html
Facebook Fan Page:   https://www.facebook.com/ShirleenDaviesAuthor
Twitter:   http://twitter.com/shirleendavies
Google+:   http://www.gplusid.com/shirleendavies
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shirleendaviesauthor
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/shirleendavies

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Love Seeks No Boundaries by #MFRWauthor Sourabh Khanna @sourabhk85

MFRW Author Sourabh Khanna released Love Seeks No Boundaries, an Inspirational Romance, with Notion Press.

What is so important in this world? Love or hate?

Of course, it’s “HATE”. We hate others because they are from different religion. If they are from same religion then we hate them because they are from different sub castes. That goes on and on.

There should be only one religion to follow in this world, that is, HUMANITY. But we have totally forgotten about humanity to live with. We just know about which religion we belong to or who are our relatives and with whom we have to gel up.

But this was not what god intended. God didn’t create those religions and castes. These were made by humans like us. These beliefs have been engrained in the natural way of our culture, passed down through generation to generation that we have no choice but to follow and worship.

Well, this is a story of two souls who fell in love with each other and then get into trap of blind society and mythical religions & caste systems and how they managed to remove the shackles and freed from any barriers as Love Seeks No Boundaries….

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ABOUT Sourabh Khanna
Sourabh is a commerce graduate from Punjab University and a business diploma holder from Wintec, Hamilton, New Zealand. He was born and brought up in a small town in Punjab, India and is currently residing in New Zealand. The author loves writing poems and songs, which reflect the sensitive and emotional side of his personality. He was inspired by the famous author Paulo Coelho. Apart from reading and writing, he is fond of movies and cricket.

You can reach him at www.sourabhk.com, www.facebook.com/sourabhk85 or www.twitter.com/sourabhk85.

Come Meet the Author in #MFRWauthor

To celebrate the new year, we would like to invite all Marketing for Romance Writers to introduce themselves to our visitors.


Please leave a twitter size (140 character) comment) so that we can use the information to tweet you tomorrow 1/14 on twitter. This is our big retweet day for #MFRWauthor.


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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: @RolynnAnderson #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Rolynn Anderson talks about her writing process and the release of LIE CATCHERS, a Mainstream Suspense, with WILD ROSE PRESS.

Scandinavian, Army Brat, English Teacher, High School Principal, Golfer, Boater, World Traveler, Author... Rolynn Anderson is all of these things. Now add a competitive nature and a love for ‘makeovers.’  As a principal, Rolynn Anderson and the staff she hired, opened a cutting-edge high school; as co-captain with her husband on INTREPID, she cruises from Washington State to Alaska and back.  As a writer, she delights in creating imperfect characters faced with extraordinary, transforming challenges.  Her hope: You'll devour her ‘makeover’ suspense novels in the wee hours of the morning, because her stories, settings and characters, capture your imagination and your heart.

The books I love to read are action-packed contemporaries spiked with romance...so those are the books I write.  Here’s how LIE CATCHERS emerged.  It’s 2011 and we’re cruising from Washington State to Alaska on our trawler Intrepid.  Never have we covered that distance, much less navigated such difficult stretches of water.  But when we arrived in Petersburg, Alaska, all the strangeness of a scary virgin voyage fell away.  Petersburg is FULL of Norwegians, just like my husband and me.  The little fishing town felt like home to us…relaxing me to the point I began to enjoy our cruise rather than stress over it.

What’s more Petersburg came with an unsolved crime from 1932 and a rich history of Norwegians, Tlingit, Haida, Chinese and other folk trying hard to make a living centered on fishing.

I had a novel churning in my brain by the time I left the dock.  When we returned to Petersburg on our way south, I had a plot in my mind and research to do.  From then on, writing a suspense novel set in Petersburg, AK, became my new passion.  For the fun of it, I used family Norwegian names for most of the characters in the novel.

By the time I returned to Alaska this year, I'd published LIE CATCHERS and enjoyed several book signings in Alaska!  You can see setting, interesting people and a PERSONAL connection drives my stories!

I've been writing a book a year, choosing the hours from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. as my most creative.  I have a supportive husband, family and friends, but none of them understand and appreciate what it takes to write, publish and market a novel.  Truth is, they think I'm a little crazy...and I dream of a less messy process to 'produce' my novels.

For instance: We took our filthy car to the local ‘detailer’ yesterday; I’m deep into a tricky, tedious revision of my novel and have neither the time or the skill for the back-breaking job of cleaning our MDX .  The poor thing needed an inside-and-out scouring badly; even more it was dying for a thorough waxing and buffing.  We gave the cleaning magicians four hours and out came our car looking, feeling and smelling brand new.  From shampooed carpets to gleaming dashboard to shining body, I’m once again proud to own and drive my car.

I was thinking: why not have my novel ‘detailed?’   Tomorrow morning, I drop off FEAR ITSELF, the normal paranormal suspense novel I’m revising.  The rookie ‘detail’ crew grabs my book and within an hour, eliminates spelling, format and usage ‘dirt,’ and purifies the plot of implausibility.   The second team washes my baby of repetition, tired phrases and dangling participles, then shines up the dialogue and freshens the descriptions.   Next comes the GMC crew, sponging goal, motivation and conflict into every chapter, and polishing the hooks at the beginning and end of each scene.

The final ablution?  The whole detail team gathers for an oral reading of FEAR LAND, making sure my voice is consistent, the prose is crisp and fresh and the dialogue feels real.  I listen in awe to how clean and good my novel sounds, collect my shiny book, pay the crew handsomely and get ready to tell my editor she’s got a gem of a story coming her way…as soon as I polish it a little bit more.  A couple of spots…one scene…a description…a hook.  Sigh.  Is a novel ever perfect?

Fourteen years. Fourteen novels. Six published by the beginning of 2015.  That's me.  Statistics give us a ballpark figure of eight books written or eight years of writing before we get published... I am the poster woman for that statistic.

LIE CATCHERS
Two unsolved murders will tear apart an Alaska fishing town unless a writer and a government agent

reveal their secret obsessions.

Treasury agent Parker Browne is working undercover in Petersburg, Alaska to investigate a money scam and a murder. His prime suspect, Liv Hanson, is a freelance writer struggling to save her family's business. Free spirited, full of life, and with a talent for catching liars, she fascinates Parker.

Trying to prove she's a legitimate writer who cares about Petersburg's issues, Liv pens a series of newspaper articles about an old, unsolved murder. When her cold case ties in with Parker's investigation, bullets start to fly.

Parker understands money trails, and Liv knows the town residents. But he gave up on love two years ago, and she trusts no one, especially with her carefully guarded secret. If they mesh their skills to find the killers, will they survive the fallout?

BUY LINKS
http://amzn.com/B00HJDS1LG
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=244_235_236&products_id=5607
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lie-catchers/id858285715?mt=11"

REVIEWS
5.0 out of 5 stars A Rich, Intriguing Story December 27, 2013
By Roben
Format:Kindle Edition
I recieved an ARC of this book, and was thrilled to read it. I adored the setting, and the quirkiness of the characters in the small Alaska town. It made me want to go to Alaska. That kind of authenticity comes from an author who knows her setting, who understands its people, and can then convey that knowledge richly. Anderson does just that. Her mystery/suspense, is carefully woven with the right amount of history to engage the reader, and enough mystery to keep the reader guessing. This was my first novel by Rolynn Anderson, and I would definitely read this author again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, June 14, 2014
By Linda Greer - See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Lie Catchers (Kindle Edition)
Enjoyed this book tremendously. The author is very detailed and the storyline is certainly different from the norm. Highly recommended!

EXCERPT from LIE CATCHERS

Parker touched her shoulder.  “May I have this dance?”  Liv twirled to find him so close to her she could smell a hint of cologne and beer on his breath.  Had he shaved before he came to the bar?  Smiling at the thought he might have done that for her, she gave him her right hand and rested her left hand on his shirt collar, intent on finding a way to touch his chin to answer the shaving question.   But the shave-or-not dilemma was a minor one.  She’d already screwed up with one man tonight, would she make a wrong move with Parker, too? She drew her thumb along his chin and sighed at the silky smoothness.  Forget the man’s mouthful of queries and his intense gaze.  Just dance. While the singer’s lamented over loosing her mind, Liv’s body disappeared into Parker’s.  Soothed, she was and aroused at the same time, stunned that Parker knew not to use words.  A close shave and a close dance spoke volumes.  She was the silent one, afraid to say the one word that might start an avalanche of sentences, lowering her guard, exposing too much to the wrong person at the worst time.  This man who held her or who she was holding—she didn’t know which—was a detective and she was on a list of murder suspects.  Even if Parker was unorthodox as an investigator, he still held the power of his profession.  The reason for his offer to dance wasn’t clear, was it?   The strumming ended, emptying the room of the singer’s piercing ballad.  “Good night, Liv.  And thank you for the dance.”  He kissed her on the forehead, walked out the door and closed it quietly, taking with him all the unasked questions she would never answer. 

CONNECT with Rolynn
http://rolynnanderson.com/
http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolynn-Anderson/188767867821613
https://twitter.com/#!/rolynnanderson

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: A Brand New Address by Kathleen Rowland @RowlandKathleen

MFRW Author Kathleen Rowland released A Brand New Address (Intervenus Series), a Mainstream New Adult, SciFi/Futuristic Suspense.

Yardley is reserved, Marchand has communication issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it

looks like they are never going to work things out.

Taking place during 22nd Century Earth’s second ice age, A BRAND NEW ADDRESS follows childhood friends, Yardley Van Dyke and Marchand LaFond, who trick and tease each other.  Robin-hooding thief Marchand sails his ice-boat across the frozen tundra to deliver fuel and food to the needy.  Subsistence gardener Yardley gives away home-cooked meals.  Just when their attraction sizzles, he enters a space race to Venus.

Yardley promised her dying mother she’d care for the family by growing food in their greenhouse.  Clashing with Dad’s fiancé puts her on the outs at home.  After winning a prize for an intergalactic garden project, she wants to prove her prototype works on Venus.

Groomed for the mission and calling the shots, Marchand can’t let emotions to get in the way.  Maneuvering through sun spikes and space junk is dangerous enough.  Evil competitor Vito Savage plans to annihilate competing shuttles. Will Savage’s darkest sins come to light? If Yardley goes, will she tolerate Marchand’s brazen exterior?  Will Venus be their brand new address where life will find them?

AMAZON Buy Link

A REVIEW
"This is a good choice for teens or young adults suffering from Divergent or Hunger Games withdrawal. Ms. Rowland has created a very detailed futuristic world where the Earth is in the throes of a second Ice Age. Her heroine, Yardley Van Dyke is a capable young girl, much like Katniss. Yardley's talents lie in botany and gardening which makes her valuable in a desolate world where growing your own food means life." goodreads reviewer

EXCERPT

From the living room Dad's voice charged its way to the front porch swing.  He and his fiancé were at it again.  Just terrific.  Hunkered under a fur-lined quilt, Yardley Van Dyke's head pounded, worsened by the frigid air.   As if trapped in a vise, pain squeezed hard from both temples.  On the swing she faced forward with her back against the house.  Against them.  Between them.  With their fight on its fourth day, they battled over her late mother's greenhouse.  Yardley tended it all day, every day.His fiancé, Pinky Hazelton, wanted to sell it and move into the Biosphere with its profits.  Powerless with her at the top of the pecking order, her mouth strained.  Around Pinky, she forced it into a straight line.  Why did Dad ignore her promise to her dying mother?  For three years, she'd grown food for the family.  Mom's hodge-podgy structure protected plants against the freeze of Earth's second ice age.  Yardley met the challenge of gardening in the frigid hinterlands, but without a surplus to sell, she had the low pro of a subsistence gardener.  She reined in ideas to maximize sunlight although her latest effort worked. Discarded Mylar balloons reflected light.  With fifty mounted, she pinched fewer dead leaves.  Under the quilt she balanced a basket of peas on her lap, proof of success from her dirt-candy world. Yardley took a pod, tore down the string, and dumped peas into the basket.  Inside the cabin Pinky screamed, ""Time is running out.""  Timeliness, a variation of her hammering technique, arose with every current event.   ""I'll think on it."" Dad's voice razzed like a trombone.""Better be quick."" As Pinky squawked about the essence of time, the trombone cranked louder and louder.  Their bombardment sent Yardley a wakeup call. Her hands shook, and she stopped shelling for one reason.  She predicted their routine.  Dad blew a gasket before giving in.  After that, Pinky won.  He yelled, ""Stop needling me, Pinky."" Hearing a smash, Yardley jerked upright.  A crashed dish against the wall?  She had no idea what would come next.  A flipping of a table? His fiancé screamed, ""Yeah?  Put this in your data bucket. An ice cap moves south.""  She imagined Dad's face turning beet red as he fumed just short of a gasket-blow.Rubbing one side of her head, she faced the frigid combination of family tension and the twenty-second century ice age. Their now quiet cabin in Newport Beach, California sat in an Arctic spruce forest with northern Siberian climate suffering an annual drop of five degrees.""Cold, colder, and about to be coldest."" Pinky filled the vacuum with truth, but was timing immediate?""You know, Pinky.  While I tested you out, you took over."" Dad's off-topic roar revealed bitterness, but he'd come around to her side.""Good thing I did. Want to sit on a polar ice cap?  It kills everything that's not dead.""Sick of listening to them, Yardley's gaze shifted to the porch steps.  With the inclement weather, they'd turn slick.  She'd slip and spill her peas if she stepped down them to walk the path to the greenhouse.  Not quite done shelling, a syrupy voice came through the rough-hewn triple-plank wall.""I don't want you dead, sweetheart.""  Pinky's wear-down entered its completion stage.An icy gust blew strands of hair across Yardley's face.  She groaned and let it be.  If she moved her hands, she'd spill the pods.   Her thoughts shot from the greenhouse issue to a parallel problem.  Without the greenhouse, she'd be a non-contributing eighteen-year-old still living at home.  Pulling the quilt over her head, she preferred the ice-age temperature to hanging out with them.    Using a chipmunk voice on herself cheered her up.  Yardley, there's no work for you.  Run along, won't you?Inside the cabin Pinky fueled her hissy fit with a nightmare.   ""Oh, Robert,"" she said, ""I had a bad dream.""  Pinky's premonitions often came in this form.  ""If we stay here, we'll die of full-body frostbite.""The chipmunk squeaked in her mind.  Bit of a cold snap.""No one wants that.""  Dad's tone warmed up.Yardley's throat tightened.  She swallowed a lump of raw emotion but refused to cry or give into defeat. She listened to Dad's steady voice as he brought up hidden expenses at the Biosphere. ""Selling the greenhouse might get us in, Hon. But can we afford it long term?""  Right on, Dad.  Don't give up.""Sweetheart, we need a contract.""  Within the cabin, the drama queen spoke matter-of-factly.  ""I know people at BotGen Incorporated.""  Yardley cringed, wishing she had the means to incorporate the pink-yappy hour. Since when had Pinky become a member of Botany General's inner circle?  A few minutes passed, and they stopped talking.  Was smooch-kissy-face going on?  Great.  Somewhere inside, her twin brother wandered about.  At times like this, Skeeter bugged the crap out of her. Nothing about Pinky bothered him including her obsession to watch century-old movies.  A few nights ago he'd shared his crush on a girl who lived at the Biosphere.  Yardley had nowhere to go.

ABOUT Kathleen Rowland
Kathleen Rowland writes under her real name.  She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears shoes and sails a Harbor20 with her husband, Gerry, but wishes there were more lightning bugs in California.
With an M.S. in Computer Science, she plans out her plots before writing.  Romantic Suspense is Kathleen's genre, from sweet to sensuous. What fun!

www.kathleenrowland.com
www.kathleenrowland.wordpress.com
https://twitter.com/RowlandKathleen
www.facebook.com/kathleen.rowland.50
http://www.pinterest.com/kathyrowl/

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Princess of the Light @NNP_W_Light #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author N. N. Light released Princess of the Light, a Mainstream Urban Fantasy/

Inspirational Romance.

Mary Miller never thought much about destiny until God’s Archangel and Messenger, Gabriel, appears. Gabriel reveals she is destined to vanquish Darkness by spreading the Light and she has a revelation: she is the key.

Her first assignment is to restore the soul of a homeless man known only as the Walking Man. She’s thrust face to face with evil all the while losing her heart to her new love, Joe Deacons. Can she win the battle the Lord placed her in without losing all she loves?" Mary Miller never thought much about destiny until God’s Archangel and Messenger, Gabriel, appears. Gabriel reveals she is destined to vanquish Darkness by spreading the Light and she has a revelation: she is the key. Can she win the battle without losing all she loves?

BUY LINKS
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469480
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-of-the-light-nn-light/1120170709?ean=2940046124736
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409056657&sr=1-16&keywords=princess+of+the+light

REVIEW
"This book stretched and blew my mind away. Amazing job on the structure of the book form the cover, background story, and content. Nicely done. The read was easy, smooth and attention-grabbing. Your story packed with action, angels vs demons, light vs darkness. Battles of the unseen realm. I loved the changing point-of-views, which helped to follow the characters through their thoughts, emotions, and actions, bringing me closer to them." -Amazon

EXCERPT
“Who...? Who...? Who are you?” She stammered. In an effort to gain control, she straightened her back and breathed slowly.
“I know a lot about you. My name is Gabriel, and I have a message for you from God.”
“A message for me?” Her voice squeaked, betraying the lack of fear she was beginning to put back into her demeanor.
He continued. “You have been chosen to be The Lord’s bearer of the Light and His Princess.” He wanted to speak more informally, but her reaction required him to be slightly aloof. She must not question the seriousness of the message he was relaying.
The woman crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Gabriel in disbelief. “Oh, come on. This can’t be real. How can any of that be true?” She shook her head, and then continued her rant of disbelief: “I must be dreaming or something. This doesn’t happen to ordinary people. Sure, I believe what they say in the Bible is true. I have always told myself that if God chose me, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
She paused, seeming to consider the magnitude of what she had just said.
“Who are you, anyway? Why are you here telling me this? Could it really be true? Could I be the Lord’s Princess?” As she ran her fingers through her red hair, the woman took a ragged breath. She abruptly stopped and placed her hand over her chest.
“What if I can’t do it? What if I fail? Will I go to Hell? Will the Lord punish me? Oh, Lord, please help me to understand.” Before Gabriel had a chance to respond, the woman closed her eyes and simply fainted.
Gabriel folded his wings behind him and gently sat down beside her on the bed. His strong Light dimmed in compassion, and he carefully adjusted her head so that it was leaning back naturally. Then, he started to situate pillows behind her back for a more comfortable position, so that when she woke up, she might be calmer.
He stole a side-long look at her face again and jumped a bit. He was astonished to see that she was just quietly watching him. Now he could see the courage and strength. He decided to try again.
“You may not believe me, but you’re a very special woman. Mortals call the daughter of a king Princess. You are a daughter of God and he has chosen you to be His carrier of the Light.” This time she didn’t argue, but she still shook her head, nonetheless.
Gabriel silenced her by lightly pressing a finger to her lips. “No. Let me finish, please,” he said on the verge of sounding a little too stern. “The message I have for you is very important.” When she didn’t try to interrupt, he continued. “You have been blessed, and the same Light that the Virgin Mary carried is also inside of you. That Spirit is in all those with faith, but you have a special purpose. Not only do you carry the Light, but you will be the Lord’s Warrior Princess.” A car horn trumpeted a warning outside. The woman didn’t appear to notice, but Gabriel knew he must finish delivering this message, because he would soon be needed elsewhere.

ABOUT N. N. Light
N. N. Light was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband MR N. She is blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking. Most of the time you can find her on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest.

Part of the proceeds of Princess of the Light will go directly to food banks in order to feed the hungry and help those in need. With only 7,500 books sold, N. N. Light will be able to set up a monthly endowment for the local food bank.

Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Blog: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PrincessOTLight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight