Coming Soon: A War Like Ours @SaffronAKent #MFRWauthor Seeking #Reviewers

New Book COMING SOON from Saffron A. Kent!
A WAR LIKE OURS

Three weeks ago, James Maxwell’s wife died in a car accident, but he hasn’t been able to tell his five-year old daughter the heartbreaking truth behind her mother's death. Instead, he packs them up and leaves for a summer resort in upstate New York to spend a few peaceful weeks and to gradually break the news. But a spirited and outspoken maid at the resort has figured out his secret.

After witnessing her mother’s violent death at the hands of her stepfather, Madison Smith has turned aimless and bitter toward the world—men, in particular. Her dead-end job at the local resort and her convenient girlfriend are barely keep Madison from falling apart. When she meets James, however, she’s driven to protect his child from the darkness she sees inside him.

But Madison doesn’t expect to find that very darkness irresistible. Drowning in guilt and memories, James doesn't expect to be drawn to the sharp-witted woman who has made his life miserable. When their tempers flare, a brutal kiss triggers a need that blurs the lines of hate and desire. As their lust spins out of control, they must decide if their attraction is worth fighting for or if love is the real enemy.

Love is the fiercest enemy there is... AMAZON Buy Link

THE STORY BEHIND THE BOOK
"I've always been an avid reader. I think it comes from my father. Although he used to read spy novels and my interest was and is romance. I spent years reading before I even thought of writing. I read about 200 books per year, sometimes more. My creativity or ideas come from reading. The more I read, the more I write. However, my debut book, A WAR LIKE OURS, comes from a movie. I was watching, The girl with a dragon tattoo and I was struck by a very tiny detail. The heroine in the movie is a victim of sexual assault and because of that she swear off men, and dates girls. I was horrified and fascinated by it. I wondered about the psychology of such a character and from there, Madison, the heroine of my novel took shape. James, my hero, came from a book I was reading at the time. But the basic premise of my story comes from the movie."

EXCERPT
My arm had begun to feel numb. I forgot to breathe as I looked at him. He could really hurt me. I knew this in my heart. He could really do it. My fear kicked into high gear. Please no. I didn’t think I could go through that again. Turned out people like me could be scared of some things, too. Surprise, my subconscious chanted, weakly.

I tried to free myself. “Let me go.”

He brought me even closer and puffed his stale breath on my face. I fought hard not to gag. His chest wasn’t touching mine, but one deep breath and it would brush. I stopped breathing.

A soft flick, a caress resonated on my skin where he’d grabbed me. It was so soft that it could’ve been air touching my skin, but I knew it was him. He was circling his thumb on my arm. My heart pounded, furious, afraid, and with a tinge of excitement. In the next second, the caress was gone like I’d dreamt it.

I struggled harder. “Let me go!” And then I broke down and uttered a word I hadn’t spoken like I meant it in a long while. “Please.”

ABOUT Saffron A. Kent
Romance Writer and Reader. Coffee Addict. White Russian Drinker. Imaginary Ballet Dancer. Wanna-be Poet. Lana Del Ray & Gillian Flynn Worshiper.

My stories are grey-shaded and NC-17. I write what I love to read. And what I love to read is always twisted and angsty and emotional. My characters desperately need therapy. They tend to kiss a lot too, among other naughty things.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/SaffronAKent/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaffronAKent
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/saffronkent/

SEEKING REVIEWERS
Email the author if interested. She's hoping to have the reviews up around the release date.

#MFRWauthor Book Spotlight: Her Brother's Keeper @JJDiBenedetto

A NEW Book by J.J. DiBenedetto!
Her Brother's Keeper
Jane Barnaby thought she’d planned the perfect Christmas vacation. She’d invited her father and his fiancé to join her in Spain at her archaeological dig. They’d see her work, meet her mentor and enjoy a few days of sunny Mediterranean beaches in the dead of winter. What could go wrong?

Her annoying brother tagging along, and then landing in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, for one thing.

To clear her brother’s name and make her vacation perfect again, all Jane has to do is chase the mystery woman who set her brother up across Europe, find her in a dangerous and unfamiliar city and deal with her accomplices. Oh, and outwit an ex-KGB agent and his personal goon squad, too.

It’s going to be an exciting and action-packed Christmas for Jane, whether she wants it or not!

AMAZON  | AUDIBLE  |  GOODREADS

EXCERPT
God, I wish you were here.  Not just because I miss you, although obviously I do.  And not just because this is yet another Christmas we’re not spending together, which is kind of ridiculous when you think about it.  We’ve been dating for three years now, and we still haven’t spent a major holiday together.  That’s just not right.
The biggest reason I wish you were here is that, if you were, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.  Which is on a plane headed to Vienna.
I’m sure you’re asking yourself right now, “Why, Barnaby?  What are you doing flying to Austria?”
Well, I’m flying there to try and find a Russian woman possibly named Natasha who seduced my brother, drugged his drink and left him behind as a patsy for the police to find while she stole jewelry from a princess.  Aren’t you glad you asked?
If you were here, you would have been with us at the hotel, and you would have warned my brother away from Natasha.  By the way, I refuse to believe that’s her actual name.  Does she have a partner named Boris, too?  Does she fight a moose and a squirrel every week?

ABOUT J.J. DiBenedetto
J.J. DiBenedetto is author of the Dream Series and the Jane Barnaby Adventures and lives in Arlington, Virginia with the love of his life and a white cat who rules the roost. His passions are photography, travel, the opera, the New York Giants, and of course writing. Mr. DiBenedetto is devoted to writing books with a sense of mysticism to entertain and perhaps invite his readers to suspend belief in a way they might never have.
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#PNR Book Spotlight: Dark Velvet @LisaCBooks by #MFRWauthor Lisa Carlisle

MFRW author Lisa Carlisle released Dark Velvet, an Erotic Paranormal New Adult Romance.

When grad student Savannah Evans is accepted to a prestigious art colony, she’s thrilled. When else would she be able to hone her poetry--writing craft in a medieval-style castle? More than that, the remote New England island provides a respite from her hectic city life. But her benefactor, a mysterious French sculptor, throws her expectations of carefree days writing near the ocean out the window. Soon, she becomes consumed by unprofessional fantasies about her mysterious sponsor.
Antoine Chevalier built Les Beaux Arts on DeRoche Island to bring purpose back to an existence that had long ago lost meaning. He’s wandered the earth for decades, and still, his only solace is his art.

When Savannah applies for a residency, something about her words touches him. After her arrival, a physical attraction grows between them, one he must fight against. She deserves more than someone of his kind.

Despite his misgivings, Antoine proposes they become lovers during her stay. But the situation turns complicated when Savannah discovers his secret. She had suspicions about his identity, but the truth is even more overwhelming. Consumed by her desire for Antoine and faced with a tough decision, Savannah is soon at the mercy of the newest danger to arrive at DeRoche Island.

EXCERPT

Several times over the course of the evening, Savannah caught Antoine’s dark eyes watching her. Her emotions roiled in confusion while the performers played Barber’s Adagio for Strings. The way he held her gaze without blinking made her squirm in the burgundy armchair. The rising tension and resolution from the violin and cello underscored her tumultuous emotions.
She smiled at him briefly and focused on the musicians, aware of how her heartbeat had escalated. When she glanced again at Antoine, he still watched her unabashed, as if unconcerned about what the others would think. He took a sip of Porto, nodded her way, and then returned his attention to the musicians. She sat up straighter and crossed her legs at the ankles, then uncrossed them, and crossed them again.
The attraction was becoming more difficult to ignore. In light of how he breached the physical distance by touching her so earlier, she feared she’d be unable to keep her desires hidden much longer. She’d developed an instant crush since she arrived at the castle three months before. How could she not be—he was a renowned sculptor with a devastating, dark appeal. What was she to him than just another young resident who would be gone in three months, replaced by another.
Was she reading more into the brief exchange than was warranted?
It’s just a look. Only a casual glance her way. Even as she attempted to fool herself, she knew she was full of shit.

ABOUT Lisa Carlisle
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. Her romances have been  named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks. When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries, before returning to the U.S. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two kittens, and too many fish.

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The Vicar's Deadly Sin revealed on #Thursday13 by #MFRWauthor Miguelina Perez

 #MFRWauthor  Miguelina Perez is a writer and jewelry artist. She has a B.A. in English from the University of the District of Columbia. She won the University of the District of Columbia's English Department's Critical Writing Award for an essay she wrote discussing the gender roles of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.

It was during high school at the school's library that she first encountered her first romance writers - Ms. Victoria Holt and then Ms. Phyllis J. Whitney. Her love of romance novels stems from those discoveries, especially the Romance mystery genre.

Several of her poems have been published in anthologies, and she was named "Poet of Year in 1995" by the National Library of Poetry. She finished her first book, The Vicar's Deadly Sin, a Regency romance mystery, the first of a seven-part serial based on the Seven Deadly Sins. Currently, she is finishing the edits on VDS and adding to its sequel, "Angel's Lust".

Ms. Perez is a member of the Romance Writers of America and two of its chapters: Washington Romance Writers and Maryland Romance Writers . As newsletter editor for WRW, she contributes articles about writing and author interviews.

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, she now resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland and can be reached at: miguelinaperezauthor@gmail.com



                                        The Vicar's Deadly Sin


 Genre Young Adult, Suspense, New Adult

  Blurb
A Touch of Romance…A Touch of Regency…A Touch of Murder… Lady Jane Bartholomew and Miss Margaret Renard have been friends since the age of twelve. Together they share their dreams, hopes and a love for reading. However, it is their wild imagination and a penchant for solving mysteries that will test their abilities when the Vicar of Dover is found murdered. The young ladies are joined by two gentlemen, also eager to find the murderer in order to prove to the ladies that detecting is a man's job, though the gentlemen find their beauty, wit, and pride more troublesome than solving a murder. The Vicar's Deadly Sin is a delightful and witty Regency romance mystery about two friends and their love for solving crimes, while keeping society and its rules at bay.


 Buy link: Amazon.com
A visual teaser of the story:






13 favorite book characters

1. Eleanor Dashwood
2. Marianne Dashwood
3. Col. Brandon
4. Elizabeth Bennet
5. Mr. Darcy
6. Jane Bennet
7. Mr. Bingley
8. Nanny McPhee
9. Jane Ertswhile - Austenland
10. Mr. Nobley - Austenland
11.Mr. Scrooge
12.Mrs. de Winters - Rebecca
13.Mr. de Winters - Rebecca

 You can find more about the author here:
www.miguelinaperezauthor.wordpress.com
www.theregencyinkwell.wordpress.com
Twitter 

Book Spotlight: Knights of Stone @LisaCBooks #MFRWauthor

MFRW author Lisa Carlisle released Knights of Stone: Mason, an Erotic Paranormal

Romance.
After a bloody and divisive battle twenty-five years ago, the inhabitants of the Isle of Stone—namely, gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters—have lived apart, divided by borders none are permitted to cross. But when Kayla, a tree witch, hears about the unconventional rock concerts that are the talk of gargoyle territory, she sneaks away from her coven to see for herself. Night after night, she returns, not just for the music, but for one particular gargoyle who shifts into human form to play guitar at these avant-garde shows.
Her attention has not gone unnoticed. For several nights, Mason has kept watch for the pixie-like female. He plans to seduce her, unaware that she’s not just a visitor from another island. But when he discovers she’s one of the tree witches, he knows that no matter how strong the temptation, anything between them would be forbidden.
Despite the obstacles that should keep them apart, Kayla and Mason can’t resist their dark attraction and meet in secret, but other elements on the isle command their attention. The magical cloak created by the three clans on the island is thinning, leading to repercussions for all. Kayla and Mason are soon caught in the middle of it, and their actions may change the fate of the isle forever.

BUY LINK

REVIEWS
“Kayla and Mason fall in love despite their differences, despite being different. It is a new way of telling Romeo and Juliet. You cannot be with them because of something their ancestors did, and the kids saying I do not care about that, I want to be with them regardless. A lesson many of us need to learn. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting something a little different from their normal.” ~ 5* from Books and Beyond Fifty Shades

“I love a paranormal book that has multiple beings, in this book there are Gargoyles, witches and  wolf shifters. The plot has twists and turns taking you through such a unique and mysterious world… Great story, great characters… Very unique!”  ~ Up All Night, Read All Day Book Reviews

EXCERPT

Murmurs of astonishment burst from the crowd as the transformation began. Their cries of fervor grew louder as the monstrous statues transformed into taller, slimmer figures with the bronzed skin of warriors who battled under the midday sun. The tartan fabric fell over their thighs as they stood erect, covering their nudity.
Kayla barely blinked, mesmerized as always, as the statue before her stood to full height, taking on the form of a human male, but with beautiful raven wings. Hair just as black snaked rebelliously past his chin. The stony eyes flickered with animation, turning to a mossy green. His deep gaze seared the audience, seeming to burn anything in the path. When he found Kayla, he stopped. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity in his unblinking eyes made her swallow. She froze under the scrutiny as if hypnotized, unable to break eye contact. Her stomach lurched, heart pounded, and every muscle in her body tightened, fueled with blood now scorching through her veins. His penetrating appraisal affected her so. When his eyes took on a smoldering glint, her skin tingled and a red-hot awareness grew between her thighs.
He broke the stare and continued to assess the audience. She gasped, not realizing she had been holding her breath, and panted while she tried to breathe at a normal rate.
He turned on robust legs and strode to a guitar stand. She tore her eyes from him to note the other gargoyles. They, too, had shifted into the form of striking males. One had black hair draped further down his back, one had long blond hair, and two had reddish-brown hair—one wavy and shaggy, the other straight. They took their place at other instruments. She sought the guitarist again and caught the first sound of the pick striking the strings. On hearing the guitar projected through the amp, the crowd roared again, pressing Kayla forward.
The freak show was about to begin.
Spotlights flooded the musicians, powered by solar panels near a massive amplifier. The guitarist continued playing and the others joined in, playing a raucous crossover between hard rock and heavy metal. The one with long blond hair grabbed hold of the microphone and belted out a shattering cry that sounded like a call to battle. The crowd went pin drop silent to listen and then cheered in unison as the band played on. The front man sang piercing growls and low croons about the Knights in Stone, the protectors of the ancient forests, battling against the evil tree witches.
Kayla’s coven.

ABOUT Lisa Carlisle
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. Her romances have been  named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks. When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries, before returning to the U.S. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two kittens, and too many fish.

https://www.facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor
http://pinterest.com/lcbooks
https://twitter.com/LisaCBooks
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6463824.Lisa_Carlisle

A Quick and Dirty Dozen @LisaCBooks #MFRWauthor

Get QUICK and DIRTY with MFRW Author Lisa Carlisle.
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. Her romances have been  named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks. When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries, before returning to the U.S. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two kittens, and too many fish.

facebook  |  pinterest  |  twitter  |  goodreads

We asked Lisa a DOZEN QUESTIONS. She gave us a DOZEN QUICK ANSWERS.
Day or Night?
Day

Pen and paper or Computer?
Computer

Fruit or Chocolate?
Both

Coffee or Tea?
Both

Roller Coasters or Merry-Go-Rounds?
Roller coasters

Bath or Shower?
Shower

City life or Country life?
City

Soft or Hard?
Soft

Ebook or Paperback?
Both

Cats or Dogs?
Cats

Fast or Slow?
Fast

What is your secret guilty pleasure?
Sometimes I ignore the To Do lists and start the day reading a book chapter in bed while drinking coffee. The lists aren't going anywhere!

Lisa's latest book is Knights of Stone: Lachlan, an Erotic Paranormal Romance.

As the new alpha of his gargoyle clan, Lachlan takes on a leadership role at the historic peace talks between the wolf shifters and tree witches. Cooperation is crucial to their survival. The magical veil over the Isle of Stone is weakening. But unity is hard to achieve when tensions are running high. So is Lachlan’s concentration when a sexy wolf shifter rushes to the talks. Her wild beauty is mesmerizing.

Raina has her hands full with pack problems, from pack mates succumbing to blood lust to animosity toward her species. The source of her problems is clear-the gargoyles. If they hadn’t lured the humans to the island with their unconventional rock concerts, she wouldn’t have to deal with the fallout. She wants nothing to do with them, especially their alpha. His not-so-surreptitious glances are hard to miss. Nope. Not the kind of attention she needs. She’s heard rumors of the rebellious, attention-seeking rockers–and of their endless string of females.

But when humans come to investigate the wolf attacks, Lachlan and Raina must work together to coerce them off the island. And time spent together sparks a forbidden attraction. If unexpected love were their only problem, they’d be able to deal with it. It’s not. Time is running out, for them and their island.

A forbidden romance between the alpha of the gargoyle clan and the beta of the wolf pack on a mystical island. BUY LINK

Do You Know #MFRWauthor N.N. Light? We Asked. @NNP_W_Light Answered.

Meet Author N. N. Light
N. N. Light has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let's just say she was a born storyteller.

In addition to being an author, she's also a book promoter/reviewer and social media marketer. She loves books, has ever since she was young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives her great pleasure.

CONNECT with her here:
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
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
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html

We Asked... She Answered...
Day or Night?
Night. I'm a total night person.
Pen and paper or Computer?
Pen and paper. I'm what what many people call old-fashioned. I don't have a smartphone and use my phone primarily to call people. I love writing using a pen and paper. My favorite color is purple and there is something so beautiful about a hand-written note.
Fruit or Chocolate?
Chocolate all the way.
Coffee or Tea? 
I'm not a big coffee drinker but I do love herbal tea.
Roller Coasters or Merry-Go-Rounds? 
Merry-Go-Rounds. I did the whole roller coaster thing in my youth and it was fun. Now, I like to slow down and look at the beauty of my surroundings.
Bath or Shower? 
Bath, with lots of bubbles.
City life or Country life? 
This is ironic because my latest release deals with this very question. Truthfully, I'm a country gal. So, my answer is country life.
Soft or Hard? 
Soft.
Ebook or Paperback?
Paperback. There's nothing like the smell of a book (new or old). Yes, I'm a closet book-sniffer.
Cats or Dogs?
Cats. I'm allergic to dogs.
Fast or Slow? 
Slow. I like to take my time and relax.
What is your secret guilty pleasure? 
My secret guilty pleasure is watching classic Disney movies/shows like Winnie the Pooh and Fantasia

N. N. Light's NEWEST BOOK:

Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
Mainstream Contemporary New Adult

Torn between two men, Sally must follow her heart and decide if love will lead her to the city or the countryside.

Twenty-Two year old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather's estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.

Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.

Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather's dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him.
When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack's embrace, she must make the biggest choice of her life: true love.

BUY LINK

"I love this type of story-line. It’s a true-to-life conflict that a lot of us face (well a girl can dream, right? :)) Two hot guys, a successful career, or a budding business, what’s a girl to do? The author does a splendid job of building the internal tension as well as some wonderfully lighthearted interactions that play out perfectly and keep the reader engaged. The secondary characters are well thought out, and bring an added dimension to the setting. ~Jacquie Biggar, Amazon

EXCERPT

"Jack looked where she pointed.
""Sally..."" he began.
""Yes?""
""Are you planning on selling it when the farm's made a profit?""
Sally sighed.
He turned her body around, his gaze penetrating hers.
""I don't know,"" she whispered. ""I know Grandpa wanted me to keep it in the family."" She furrowed her brow. ""I'm not a country girl; my heart belongs to the city.""
""Hey, it's okay."" He moved a step closer. ""Farming is hard work and you have to love it to make it successful."" He put a hand on her shoulder. ""Don't beat yourself up for following your heart.""
Sally winced.
""What?""
""Jack, I'm not sure what my heart wants. Part of me loves being here, carrying on the family name.""
""But..."" Jack raised an eyebrow warily.
""But I have a life in the city. I've almost finished my degree --""
""You have Trevor,"" Jack interrupted her. He shook his head.
""What's wrong with that? Yes, I have a life and a boyfriend in the city. I've told you a thousand times my dream is to open my own sidewalk cafe."" She folded her arms over her chest. ""Don't you want me to be happy, Jack?"" Her voice sounded hurt, even to her own ears.
He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.
""This isn't going how I wanted it to."" He glanced up at her. ""I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just --""
""What?"" Sally cocked her head to one side.
The telephone rang inside.
""Shit, I have to go answer it. I'll be right back."" She ran into the house.
""Hello?""
""Hi beautiful."" Trevor.

Do You Know #MFRWauthor @Heather_Curley?

Meet MFRW Author Heather Hambel Curley

Heather Hambel Curley graduated magna cum laude from Robert Morris University in 2004, with a degree in Communications.  She started writing paranormal and historical fiction in the fourth grade.

She began Civil War reenacting in 2001 and is currently a corseted reenactor with the Baltimore Light Artillery, an elite artillery unit that provides demonstrations for battlefields and national parks.  After graduating college, Heather was a volunteer at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in their archaeology and living history departments.

Heather currently resides in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.  She also enjoys white wine, One Direction, and tattoos.

Connect with Heather here:
Blog: http://heatherhambelcurley.com
Website: http://heatherhambelcurley.wix.com/home
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heatherhambelcurley
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1544587-heather-curley

Some Answers to our Questions...
Day or Night?
I usually write at night, after my kids go to bed. It's only a few hours, but it's the quietest part of the day!
Pen/paper or Computer?
I do my core writing on the computer, but I always have a pen and paper with me. I keep a notebook by my bed incase I'm influenced by dreams (which happens a lot).
Fruit or Chocolate?
Chocolate covered fruit.  Sounds healthy to me!
Coffee or Tea?
Both.  In massive, massive quantities.
Roller Coasters or Merry-Go-Rounds?
You know, I'm going to have to go with the Merry-Go-Round. Since I had my kids, just the thought of a Roller Coaster makes me feel like I need a Dramamine.
City life or Country Life?
I'm all about country life. Fresh air! No heavy traffic! (Now I'm thinking about Green Acres...)
Ebook or Paperback?
Although I've fully embraced ebooks and my Kindle, I love the feel of a nice paperback in my hands.
Cats or Dogs?
Cats.  We have similar personalities.
Wha's your Guilty Pleasure?
I don't think any of my pleasures are guilty ;)

Heather Newest Book...
With Me Now
The Lazarus Society #1
Mainstream (PG13) New Adult Paranormal Suspense
Evernight Publishing

Madison Monroe is an anthropology prodigy. She’s poised to graduate with a double major, but she has limited field experience. The crowning jewel for her graduate school application is an upcoming dig in Normandy.

And she just got arrested for underage drinking.

Less than a month before she turns twenty-one.

Now, instead of taking part in her dream dig, she’s kicked off the crew and barely escapes academic probation. The only option for her application is a routine archaeological survey in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Once in Gettysburg, though, the “simple” dig isn’t exactly what it seems. Madison can feel a presence watching her and can hear voices of the dead calling from the battlefield. And, when she discovers a long buried secret at the Spangler Farm, she inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will put everything—including her life—on the line.

AMAZON Buy Link

EXCERPT

She towel dried her hair enough to keep water from trickling down her back, and then wrapped another towel around her body.  It was a good thing she’d done a load of laundry the previous day. Not that she had “date” quality outfits with her, but she was fully aware which pair of jeans accentuated her curves the best.  She pulled on a red vintage style t-shirt emblemized with a grayed out Union Jack. It was casual and cute, though she was reasonably sure her clothes were the last thing on his mind. 

The steam from the small bathroom had filtered out into the sink area, fogging up the mirror and giving everything a generally damp feeling.  She wiped her hand across the condensation covered mirror. In the unobstructed reflection she could see a figure, a man, standing directly behind her. 

She bit back a shriek and jerked around.  There was no one there; the room was empty.
“Shit.”  The words felt as if they bubbled out of her throat, pushed out by her rapid heartbeat.  She gripped the countertop with one hand to steady herself.  The reflection in the mirror was clear and crisp.  It wasn’t a shadow or the light playing on the steam from the shower. It was a man.  It was him, the man who’d been watching her for days.

He’d stood and watched her at the Spangler Farm.  He’d breathed on the back of her neck, whispered in her ear as she worked in the test pit.
Now he was in her room.

Have You Read #MFRWauthor Rebecca Hunter's Stockholm Diaries?

Meet MFRW Author Rebecca Hunter.
Rebecca is a writer, editor and translator who has always loved to read and travel. Rebecca has, over the years, called many places home, including Michigan, where she grew up, New York City, San Francisco, and, of course, Stockholm, Sweden. After their most recent move from Sweden back to the San Francisco Bay Area, she and her husband assured each other they'll never move again.

Well, probably not...

Connect with Rebecca here:
www.rebeccahunterwriter.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-Hunter-Writer/1415176695468525
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25606451-stockholm-diaries-caroline"

How did you become an author?
I've always wanted to write books, but even back in college I was already telling myself, ""you're not good enough."" Fast forward... well, a few years. Still wanted to write books. Still didn't think I was good enough. Finally, I decided that it didn't matter anymore whether I thought it was good enough!

What is your writing life like?
I'm a first-thing-in-the-morning kind of writer, and I have a daily word count that feels very manageable. And I very rarely miss a day. I'm not the introverted stereotype of a writer: I'm pretty social, and I crave a daily dose of conversation, but I also need a good dose of solitude during the day. I generally write a book in 4-5 months... and then there's the revisions. I'm usually working on writing a new book while revising another one. I write both non-fiction and fiction under two different names, so as you might imagine this can get a little chaotic. But it seems to work for me. I guess I'm what Isaac Asimov called a "serial monotasker"!

What other type of books have you written?
I first published poetry in my early twenties, but I decided I wasn't good enough to continue (note a common thread?). Over the years, I've written a bunch of non-fiction pieces and worked as a high school/community college English teacher, so I guess you could say that my foot was in the door, but I was still just peeking in.

How did you come up with your recent series idea?
My husband is Swedish, and we have lived in Sweden twice. Over the years, I have met many, many ex-pats who have wonderful and unique, against-all-odds kinds of love stories with Swedish men... so the series was born.

Finally, about four years ago, I decided to give fiction a try. It was a mystery with multiple perspectives that dissolves into a complicated mess, but out of its ashes rose the Stockholm Diaries series!

Stockholm Diaries, Caroline
Amazon BUY LINK

In this sexy contemporary/New Adult romance, a Swedish pro hockey player with a rough reputation meets the American girl next door in a steamy twist of travel and adventure. Will they be able to overcome his dark past and her uncertain future to turn their sensual nights into something more?

A Swedish pro hockey player with a rough reputation meets the American girl next door in a steamy twist of travel and adventure.

EXCERPT
“Du,” he said under his breath. Then he asked, “Are you American?”
His eyes were even more intense up close. Something about their color drew her in—in fact, they were not unlike the colors she had tried to capture with her camera only minutes before. In another light, she might not have noticed them, further hidden behind a few days of stubble and a bruise on his cheek that she hadn’t seen earlier. But he looked at her again in the same way he had in the park, a way that made her suddenly feel his entire presence. And her own. And just for a moment, she forgot everything else.
He had asked her a question, Caroline reminded herself, searching for what it was. About being American.
“Yes, I am,” she said.
“That’s why you didn’t say anything,” he said softly.
She assumed he was talking about the park, about why she didn’t respond to Baseball Cap’s provocation. But Caroline didn’t want to think about Baseball Cap right now.
Instead she nodded and then added, “And I forgot my keys again.”
While the self-locking door on this flat was supposed to be a helpful safety feature, there were clearly downsides to the set-up. Especially since it was too early to wake up Veronica for the spare key. Luckily, her friend had shown her the trick to breaking in if this ever happened. The door handles were different from the knobs she was used to in her Michigan apartment: These were three-inch rods that opened when pulled down. If the top bolt lock wasn’t fastened, a slim arm could slip through the mail slot and reach for the handle. If that arm was long enough. It was time to find out.
Determined to focus on the dilemma at hand and not the formidable man only a few feet away from her, Caroline knelt down next to the door and shimmied her forearm through the mail slot. It barely fit, and she could feel the metal scraping at her skin. Suddenly, half way into the pro-cess of breaking in, she again became keenly aware that this strange man was watching her with interest. This large man with intense blue eyes. She turned back to him, and he seemed to read her hesitancy.
“Don’t worry. There’s no way I could fit my arm through there,” he said with a chuckle. They both looked down at his long, muscular forearms, easily twice the size of Caroline’s. “I just want to see if you can do this.”
She stretched her arm out as flat as possible, working it slowly through the slot. Finally, her elbow crossed through to the inside, and she bent her arm up, reaching around. Nothing but the wooden door. After a few minutes of groping, Caroline gave up. Her arm wasn’t long enough.
Slowly, she dragged her arm out and sighed. Then she looked up, once again conscious of the man’s presence. He was still watching her from only a few feet away with a look she couldn’t quite read—amusement and something else.
“Wait here,” he said, as if she had any other choice.
This time, his key found the keyhole, and the door to his apartment swung open. She watched as he retreated down an empty hall. Every Swede she had met so far had spoken English with a sophisticated-sounding British accent, the Swedish school standard, apparently, but this guy’s English was clearly American and sounded comfortable. He must have some connection there, she thought, judging from his reaction to her accent. But before she had a chance to think more about it, he reappeared with a long, wooden spoon in his hand.
“Try this. You can hook the handle with it,” he said, handing the spoon to her. “Someone might as well get use out of it.”
The corner of his mouth twitched up into a little smile, and she couldn’t help but smile back. Caroline knelt back down and wedged her arm through the opening again, spoon in hand, until her elbow passed through to the other side of the mail slot. So far, so good. The handle of the spoon should be long enough if she could get the angle right. She waved it around, but it just swished and banged on the wooden door. Closer, she told herself. She swung the spoon a little harder, but she hit the handle sooner than she had expected. With a clang, the spoon fell out of her hand.

#Thursday13 Things #MFRWauthor @YolandaAshton Loves

Yolanda Ashton visits MFRW for Thursday13.

Yolanda is the alter ego of a thirty-something mother of three. Throughout daylight hours she's an educational professional and during the nights (when she's not daydreaming, reading and/or watching vampire drama) she's writing, hanging with family and trying to recover from a day spent with middle school students.

My two favorite things to do in the world (outside of family) are reading and writing-I fell in love with words at an early age. I love creating worlds with them and entering new worlds designed by them. Throughout my life I've always felt the epitome of a great ""me"" day is one spent reading a book or creating one.

Thirteen Things I Love (besides my family)...
1. The Vampire Diaries (Damon Salvatore…need I say more)
2. The Originals (Loving Klaus in all his bad-ass glory)
3. Chopped
4. Iron Chef
5. Butterflies
6. Pop music
7. Marvel Super Hero Movies
8. Reading New Adult Romance
9. My Amazon Fire Phone
10. Reading Young Adult
11. McDonald's french fries
12. HEA's
13. The crow Mikael Lockridge had to eat as he asked Lanya to help him........ (find out the reason why in my novella A Will for Love)

A Will for Love

Erotic Contemporary, Multicultural, New Adult Romance

Soulmate Publishing

Lanya gave her love and trust to a man, only to find out their relationship was a lie. Shattered, she decides she’s never give her heart to anyone again. But when her ex, Mikael LockRidge, offers her a proposition she can’t refuse, Layna finds being with him makes it impossible to resist the sensual pull between them. 

Blackmailed to commit an act that still haunts him, Mikael accepts his current loveless relationship as karma. But when he receives unexpected help from the grave, Mikael realizes he wants back what he lost. He just has to convince the ex he hurt to let him back in her life and her heart.

AMAZON Buy Link

EXCERPT

Layna hurried in, her eyes connecting with Mikael as soon as his apartment door closed behind her.
“I came as soon as I got your message.” Concern etched her face. “What’s wrong? Your message said it was important.”
Layna’s heart rate had skyrocketed when she received the text from Mikael telling her it was an emergency and to come to his apartment as soon as possible.
Expecting to see chaos as soon as she entered, Layna stopped and took a deep breath noticing for the first time that everything looked calm, including the sender of the text.Something was not right here.
“Mikael, what’s wrong?”
His blue eyes were chilly and his usually messy black hair was styled perfectly giving him a debonair look. She asked as she realized he was dressed in business attire. Mikael’s usual style was rocker meets prep. He left her and other girls drooling when he wore his trademark tight black tee and faded blue jeans. Although the black suit fit his lean, muscular six–foot-plus frame nicely it also made him look cold and detached. She had jokingly referred to it as his LockRidge armor. He only wore his ‘armor’ when he had to deal with his father.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Viking Princess @KimKasch #MFRWauthor

The Viking Princess

Kim Kasch
Midnight Frost Books 

THE VIKING PRINCESS is a legendary romance filled with honorable Knights from King Arthur’s Round Table, Salacious Pirates, and Brutal Vikings.

This is the story of the legendary Viking hero and Prince of Denmark, Holger Danske, and his forbidden romance with King Arthur’s half-sister, Morgaine LeFey. This tale has never been told outside of Denmark...until now.

Morgaine and Holger faced an attraction more powerful than any sword, stronger than any warrior and more magical than all the powers of Merlin.

The Lady of the Lake gave Excalibur to King Arthur but she also gave a sword made from the same metal and magic to the Viking Prince, Holger Danske. That sword is “Cortana”.

The Viking Princess is an 80,000 word New Adult retelling of folk-lore legend and Danish leader, Holger Danske, and his magical romance with the sorceress Princess Morgaine Le Fey.

BUY LINK

EXCERPT

He laughed at her, making her senses bristle.
She was not amused. “Am I humorous?”
“I have heard you are many things,” he replied, “but humor has never been cited as one of your virtues.”
“First you laugh at me, and then you belittle me. Is this the way you treat all women?”
He pulled back on the reins. His horse slid to an immediate standstill. Then, burying his face into her hair, he whispered in her ear, “I have shown enormous restraint. Would you like me to show you how I treat all women?”
The burning ember inside her flared to a flame. The muscles low in her belly tightened, as she clenched her legs tighter, wrapping them around his steed. Sucking air into her lungs, she felt the immediate pulse of desire race through the core of her body. She wanted to reach back over her head and wrap her arms around his neck, to pull him even closer.
It was all she could do to hold her tongue and keep from begging him, when all she wanted to say was, “Yes, yes, please show me.”
Her body motionless, she could feel the warmth of him as his hands grew bold, slipping beneath the soft linens covering her, his fingers gently gliding up over her stomach, travelling beneath her breasts and edging up…
A voice whispered inside her head. What are you doing? This man is your enemy. He intends to kill you, your brother, everyone you love…
She grabbed his wrists, holding him still and steady. “You have caught me, kidnapped me, and dragged me here. I may be your prisoner, but do not think that I am interested in your advances.”
His body tensed and he pulled back his hands, gripping her firmly about the waist. “I, Holger, the prince over all the Norse lands, have never had a woman decline the privilege of being my lover.”
“Prince or pauper, it matters not to me what rank you hold, for I, too, am highborn and accustomed to many privileges,” she snapped back, unwilling to let him bask in his own conceit. “And being your lover is not a privilege I would prize.”
“Perhaps,” he said, softening his touch. Slowly he ran his finger down the length of her neck, taunting her. “But are you accustomed to this?” He swung her around to face him; his mouth moved to her neck, gently caressing her throat with his lips and tongue.
The warrior with the devil’s horns was surprisingly gentle and tender with his affections. Morgaine could not contain her pleasure. A small sigh moved up from her throat, over her lips, unexpectedly escaping into the night air. “This is nothing,” he whispered against her flesh, his hand moving down over her navel. Traveling to the valley between her thighs, he pressed his fingers into her apex and she gasped at his touch.
He pulled his hand back. “After your shrill tongue and insults, the next time you will have to beg for my attentions.”
His tone shocked her back into the present. No man had ever spoken to her in this manner. He had no idea of her power. She was not some peasant he could toy with. Morgaine Le Fey was a princess, the sister of King Arthur. It was her turn to laugh…and it came out of her loud and hard. He must not know of her talents.
She was the most powerful sorceress in Camelot and perhaps a dozen other kingdoms.
“Me? Beg? To think you will ever witness such an act from me,” she started to say but then shook her head and continued, “You must be more than foolish.”
“We will see,” he said, sounding more arrogant and insolent than ever.
“Yes, we shall see,” she replied, as he gave his horse a nudge and they continued riding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kim Kasch grew up in a family with nine kids. She graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in psychology and has written dozens of articles for publications like romantic homes, Our Family, bird & blooms and more.

She was inspired by Hamlet's Castle to write The Viking Princess. Connect with her at these sites.
https://www.pinterest.com/kimkasch/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/15278287-kimbra-kasch
http://kimkasch.blogspot.com/

Lucky Seven #Thursday13 Favorite Books of #MFRWauthor @E_L_Esch

MFRW Author E. L. Esch shares her 13 Favorite Books on Thursday13.

I do not believe there is a linear way to write a romance, or any genre for that matter. I like books that make me think, the ones that make me work to understand the characters and what they go through, because "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." :)

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13 Favorite Books

Lovers, Dreamers, and Me

Diary of a Seducer

Skin Hunger

Pride of Baghdad

The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal

Lovers and Souls

Player's Ruse

The Last Wish

Guardians of Ga'Hoole

The Name of the Wind

The Drowned Cities

Silverwing

No. 6

EL Esch published her latest book, Lucky Seven, an Erotic New Adult Contemporary

Romance, with Loose ID.

Dante Mathers, college student, fifth year, has a track record for being dishonest with himself, and is about to undergo the biggest, scariest change of his life.

Dante's forced himself to go out with girls in the past and he does it again when he's approached by the beautiful Serena one day on campus, desperate to prove to himself that he's ""normal."" But when he loses a drinking contest and is dared to go to the next campus GLBT meeting by his best friend, he’s not sure how to handle it. Sure he could blow it off and say he went, but something nagging at the back of his mind compels him to go anyway. After all, he’s had problems with intimacy in the past and his first crush was a boy in high school. But is he really forcing himself to go, or is he finally starting to be honest with himself? No need to over think this, Dante tells himself. It'll be get in, get out. No need to talk to anyone. Easy, right?

But then he meets Sven. Sexy, toned, wearing a leather jacket with spiked up bleach-blond hair, Sven's bad-boy flare sticks out on campus and catches Dante's eye. But there's more to Sven than his punkish looks, and Dante's about to find out all the sultry little details.

Are you up all night to get Lucky?
Newly released Romance Novel from Loose ID publishing--Lucky Seven.

BUY LINK

REVIEW
""Oh yes...I really liked this...I love me some angst but not all the time...This one had a little angst but not too much and a lot of sweetness which was just right....I'm off to read Seeing Red....""

~ Dana at Goodreads.com

EXCERPT

“I’m Mandy, and I’m bi.”
“My name’s Cole, and I identify as gay.”
“Terry, and if you can’t tell I’m gay, you need your brain checked, okay?”
The room chuckled, and then everybody’s gaze fell on me. “Uh…” I coughed. My throat felt like it was filled with sand, and I practically had to spit out my next words, “I’m Dante.” That’s it, just Dante. Now move along…
Fortunately when he realized I wasn’t going to say any more, the man next to me piped up with his introduction.
I whistled a sigh of relief. When I got out of this frigging trust circle, I was going to wring Greg’s scrawny neck!
I felt like a huge asshole sitting in this circle of ten people in a secluded underground room of the student union. They were here because they wanted to share with other people like them, to hang out and not be judged. Well, I wasn’t judging by any means, but the only reason I’d found my way to this LGBTQ meeting was because I’d lost a bet and my friend was still immature enough to find this kind of thing amusing.
The guy next to me nudged me in the shoulder, and I nearly flew ten feet out of my chair. I looked around the room. Introductions seemed to be over, and now everyone was just talking.
“You’re a fourth year, right?” he asked. His voice was smooth and rich. It reminded me of syrup, or tree sap.
“Fifth.” I swallowed. “I’m only finishing up electives this semester. I already have a job in my field.”
“Ah, must be nice.” He threw back his head over the edge of his chair and sighed. “In this little town it’s hard to find an internship close to home. I’ve been going through hell trying.” He grinned. “What’d you study?”
“Physical therapy.”
“Ah, that explains it. There are so many old folks and people who work with their backs around here. You’ll be in business for a long while yet. Or did you have plans to leave town?”
Part of me wondered if this was the kind of small talk I’d thought about making with that girl before. This guy was a hell of a lot better at it than I would’ve been. But whatever his motives, I didn’t mind. Greg was the only close friend I had on campus, and he hated talking about school life and work. The change of topic from girls and clubbing was refreshing.
“Nah, not leaving.” I shook my head. “Born and raised here in the country and no plan on leaving. I stick to my roots.”
He nodded. “I feel the same.” He held out his hand to me. “James.”
“Dante.” I took his hand warmly.
“So…” James leaned back in his chair and gestured at the whole of the room. “I haven’t seen you at one of these before.”
“Um…”
“Hey, it’s cool if you don’t wanna talk about it. Just making an observation. This place is so no pressure.”
It certainly didn’t feel like no pressure to me, but maybe it was the overwhelming guilt that made my stomach feel like it was tangled in knots. I wasn’t going to lie—I’d been curious in the past, but nothing ever came of it. Then again I’d never had a girlfriend either, which was why Greg had thought this would be so hilarious. I found men and women attractive in their own way, but that hardly made me gay or bisexual. Damn, if Greg knew how much stress this was really causing me inside, he’d probably look at me like I’d grown another head.
“Terry over there…” James set a hand on my shoulder and pointed to the guy who’d introduced himself earlier. “Biggest flamer in the whole damn school, and proud of it. You’ll see him at every drag show, and he’ll probably win. Sets the rest of the competition on edge, I tell ya.” He chuckled and pointed to another guy sitting three seats to my left. “The guy with the lumberjack beard is Carl. He’s quiet, not too wild. You two would probably get along.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
James laughed. “Because you’re new, and I can tell you’re the shy type. Just put yourself out there. Nobody here bites…” He winked. “Often. Ah, I just noticed Seven is missing. Bummer. Not surprised, though. He’s a shy guy too. He’d be the perfect one for you to talk to. Better than me.”
“Seven?” What kind of a name was that?

#MFRWauthor Jessica Subject @JSubject goes #SciFi on #Thursday13

MFRW Author Jessica E. Subject shares her favorite science fiction movies.
Jessica is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to sexy. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby. Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and twitter.

13 Favorite Sci-Fi Movies

The Host

Contact

Pacific Rim

Super 8

Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek Into Darkness

Independence Day

I, Robot

Man of Steel

Avatar

Matrix

Men In Black

The Island

Jessica's latest release is The Star Princess, an Erotic New Adult, Sci-Fi/Futuristic Romance, with Decadent Publishing.

In one week, Princess Ro’sa will board a spaceship, leaving her home on Minjet to be with her betrothed on Earth. The only problem is, she detests the prince’s selfish and arrogant ways, preferring to spend time with his personal aide, a man who stirs her desires in ways she never imagined possible with his radiant blue eyes and smouldering lips. And oh, the way he touches her.

Earth’s post-apocalyptic landscape offers little, but the alliance offers much, and a princess must do her duty, no matter the danger to her person and to her heart.

Will Princess Ro'sa honor her duty or follow her heart?

AMAZON Buy Link

EXCERPT

At the whoosh of the space shuttle flying overhead, the feline on Ro’sa’s knee hissed before jumping to the floor. Ro’sa hurried to the front of the house, pressing her palms and nose against the window. Somewhere in that ship was her betrothed, the prince from Earth she would marry.
Ka’lyn, her best friend, squeezed in beside her, claiming the rest of the available window space. “What do you think he looks like? I’ve never seen anyone from Earth before. Maybe he has two heads, or one eye....” She nudged Ro’sa’s side. “Two cocks?”
“Ka, really?” Flaring heat rushed to Ro’sa’s cheeks and temporarily paused the fluttering of firetubes in her stomach. In seven rotations, she would say good-bye to her home, her family, and all of her friends to be with a complete stranger. She’d grown up knowing this time would come, but it had always seemed so far away. Until he’d arrived. Ro’sa swallowed her nerves. “His people just recently joined the Confederacy. I think the only reason they were invited was to prevent an intergalactic war when they learned of the existence of life beyond their own solar system.” They’d already destroyed most of their planet. Who knows what they would have done had the Confederacy not intervened?
Ka’lyn grabbed her shoulders and turned Ro’sa to face her. “I know all this, but what do they look like?”
“Humanoid, like us.” She searched her memory for the few Terran dignitaries she’d met. “But their skin is different shades of brown, from nearly white to almost black.” Though she had no idea where her betrothed fit into the spectrum, never having been allowed to travel to Earth. How she wished she had. If her parents had allowed them to meet earlier, she’d have far fewer worries and much more experience with how to interact with those from Earth, and with her betrothed. She’d retained her virginity for him, the only female her age on the planet who hadn’t experienced sex, though she hoped to know what it was like before she left for Earth.
“Weird. So, when do you get to meet him?”
“Tonight.” Ro’sa returned her gaze out the window, watching the shuttle descend onto the runway. Had the prince saved himself for her? “There’s an official introduction ceremony where we will shake hands and eat our first meal together.”
“That’s crap.” Her friend tugged on her fingers. “Let’s go meet him as he’s coming off the ship.”
Ro’sa shook her head, yanking her hand away. “I can’t. I have to follow protocol.”
“Then we’ll hide in the shrubs. Don’t you want to check him out before you’re introduced to him in front of everyone?”
Biting her bottom lip, Ro’sa watched the spacecraft disappear below the treetops. “I guess.” Then she wouldn’t look like a fool in her first reaction to him. She could hold her emotions in check, having already caught sight of the prince.
“Let’s go then.” Ka’lyn stood at the door before she had the chance to move.
They left her friend’s home behind. Darting through the woods on the packed dirt path, Ro’sa hoped they’d make it to the runway in time. If the castle guards hastened him away, they’d never make it in time. Why hadn’t her parents let her meet him years ago? Was he that horrendous looking? At least they could have shown her a picture.

#MFRWauthor ERIKA KELLY Rocks Romance @ErikaKellyBooks

Meet MFRW Author Erika Kelly.
Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life—she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

http://erikakellybooks.com/  |  https://www.facebook.com/erikakellybooks

Why did you decide to write romance novels?
As far back as I can remember, I put myself to sleep at night telling romantic stories. I was one of those unusual kids who couldn't wait to go to bed--just so I could get back to where I'd left off. I didn't have a mom or grandma who read romance, so I didn't know it was actually a thing. It wasn't until my mid-30s when an editor wrote on my manuscript, Does this author know she writes romance? that I discovered those stories in my head made up an entire section of the book store!

What genre do you write?
I write contemporary romance. Which means in every book I write I get to relive that heart-pounding rush of meeting The One.  Honestly, there's nothing like that build up to the first kiss, the first time they make love after fighting their intense attraction for so long. I love writing about passion.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first manuscript?
After college, a friend and I would take long hikes on the weekends. We'd see weird things along the way and make up stories about them. One day she said, You should write a book. Something deep inside me clicked. It would take me years to connect the stories I told myself at night to the words I put down on the page, but that friend set me on the path. To be honest, I really only submitted that first book because I got sick of people referring to my writing as a hobby. It felt so dismissive for something that required such intense work.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?
I start imagining the next story at the tail end of the book I'm working on at the moment. Scenes start playing in my head, and I write them all down so I don't forget them. Only when I've finished the current book do I start on the next. I don't plot or outline, but I do work out my character arcs and plot points. I won't start a book until I have a clear map and some strong feelings for the chemistry between my characters. Then, I write a very messy, ugly draft--forcing myself to keep going forward. I write every day, and my most productive time is first thing in the morning. Well, after breakfast and a clean kitchen!

What about your family? Do they know not to bother you when you're writing?
I seriously can't work when people are in the house. No matter what, someone will call for me. To me, family is more important than anything, so when my husband asks if I want to get a coffee with him or my daughter wants to know what's for dinner, I'll stop what I'm doing. I know I can't get that time back with them, and I never want to look back and regret not being with them when I had the chance. So, I write when they're at work, at school, or otherwise engaged.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
I read. Sometimes the business side of writing overwhelms me. Or sometimes my brain can't function anymore--writing is hard! But I know I can pick up a book, get lost for a good amount of time, and then come back with renewed energy.

Tell us about your latest book:
I'm having a lot of fun with a New Adult series about the 3 O'Donnell siblings.

Nicole’s story, Mine for Now (formerly called Too Good to Be True) won the 2014 Golden Heart for Contemporary Romance. It’s about moving away from home for the first time and reinventing yourself. Between an alcoholic mom and a troubled boyfriend, Nicole wants a drama-free freshman year. So, out of all the guys on campus to fall for, of course she chooses the one whose mom took a housemate’s car on a joyride. Mine for The Week is about the oldest son, Golden Boy Ryan, a senior in college, and that scary time just before you push off into the unknown. Two months from signing with a major league team, Ryan heads to a resort for a much-needed break but finds the wildly sexy Sophie Valentine instead. Worst timing ever to meet the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Mine Forever is about the hard-partying middle son, Brandon, whose community service project is manning the camera of a student’s documentary. The topic? An expose on the hookup culture of this generation. The student? Just happens to be the woman whose virginity Brandon took while drunk at a frat party.

You Really Got Me

Book One, Rock Star Romance Series

Erotic Contemporary Romance

Berkley

From award-winning author Erika Kelly comes the first in a hot new series about a rock star on his way up—and the woman he wants to take all the way…

Emmie Valencia has what it takes to be the music industry’s hottest band manager. She just needs to prove it. Determined to discover a killer new band, Emmie is ready to make her move. First stop: Austin, Texas.

As a sizzling hot lead singer, Slater Vaughn has no trouble raising heart rates—but his band’s been flat-lining for years. When Emmie, his bandmate’s sister, crashes with them in exchange for some free management, her industry know-how lands them a spot in the biggest music festival in Texas. But it isn’t just her business acumen that catches Slater’s attention. Emmie is sexy and warm, and—for the first time in his life—he wants more.

But as irresistible as Slater is, Emmie is done with musicians. In her experience, a man can’t be a rock star and someone to trust with your heart—but Slater is determined to show her he’s both." Deliciously sexy romance between a band manager who's been burned one too many times by selfish musicians and a groupie-bait rock star who's so much more than he seems.

AMAZON BUY LINK

"Lovable characters and pulse-pounding chemistry make this one of my favorite reads of the year!"
--NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Laura Kaye

EXCERPT

Slater drew her up hard against him, held her to his damp chest. For a long moment he looked into her eyes. Her blood heated from the look she saw there. She couldn’t believe he was looking at her like that.
With her hands pressed to his chest, she could feel the moment the tension left his muscles.
He tipped his forehead to hers. “Enough, all right?”
What did that mean? The moment was so strange and confusing, she didn’t say anything. A tremor shuddered through her. Her heart pounded. She should probably walk way, let him go back to his flock of girls, but she really needed him to hold her. She wasn’t ready for him to let go.
They stood in the middle of the dance floor, holding each other, and she wanted to sink into him. It felt so good. Yes, it felt exciting to be in his arms, to not have him resisting or taunting or teasing, but it also felt so…peaceful. So right.
She didn’t want him to get all weirded out, so she started to pull away. But the moment she relaxed her hold on him, he tightened his. “Dance with me.”
Emmie looked up, overwhelmed by the emotion pouring off him. For her. He wanted to be with her. Without thinking, she let her head fall to his chest and just…surrendered.
He reached for her hands, brought them to his chest and held them there tightly. She could feel his heart pounding, feel the heat pouring off him.  His feet shuffled closer to her, his chin lowered to her shoulder, his nose nuzzling into her neck. She thought he’d possibly inhaled.
Sensation bloomed on her skin.They barely moved, just held each other, as though slow dancing at the prom. The frenetic beat of the music, the flashing strobe lights, the thrashing bodies all around them made no sense against the slow roar of blood in her veins, the thick swirl of desire churning deep inside of her.
She let out a sigh of relief, pulling her hands out of his grip and wrapping them around his neck. Slowly, she moved closer to him, their hips connecting, bound like magnets, moving together in a slow, gentle sway. His arms came around her, pulling tighter, until their dance turned more into an embrace. Was this happening? This sweet, intimate moment with him? He was allowing himself to get close to her? His gentleness stole the breath from her lungs.
When his hands flattened on her back, when his hips surged into her, when she felt the shock of his hardness against her stomach, she pulled away from him. What…what was that?
She fled into the crowd, not even knowing if he followed. Why had he done that? That deliberate gesture, announcing his interest in wanting to have sex with her? After sharing an intimate moment, he’d turned to sex. No, no, it hadn’t been intimacy at all. It had been the precursor to sex.
Because that was all he knew. God, she was so stupid. Thinking he wanted something different from her. That somehow she was special. She pushed her way off the dance floor.
God, she was only human. She couldn’t take much more of this…this teasing from him.
He shouldn’t treat her like all the other girls he could screw and discard, pressing his boner into her like it was hers for the taking.
She hurried into the bathroom, locked herself in a stall and just stood there, unable to catch her breath, calm down her jittery nerves.
Hers for the taking. He had been. He’d made that perfectly clear. She closed her eyes, the feel of his erection igniting a flash flood of desire.
She wanted him between her legs, pushing inside of her. She’d never wanted a man so desperately before. Had never felt it between her legs, the throbbing, the pulsing, the need.
She’d never felt things like this. And she loved it. She did. It didn’t make her feel slutty or depraved or anything. It made her feel sexy.
She loved the way it made her feel.
She loved the way Slater made her feel. But not for one night. God, no. That just wasn’t her at all.

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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