Closer To You by Reana Malori
Penelope Lucas was much too serious and works too hard. On a whim, she finally decides to go out for a night on the town to let loose. When she sets eyes on the unforgettable man standing across the room, she throws caution to the wind and decides to live a little.
Gabriel Turner was not your typical guy. In fact, he was so far from the average guy, he sometimes wondered himself when where he had gotten lost. Work was too hard and life was too short. He needed something, or someone, to force him out of his stuffy, shark infested world.
What starts as a night of letting go of inhibitions and taking risks, quickly becomes a love that neither is willing to let go.
ABOUT Reana Malori
Reana Malori writes interracial Romance. She firmly believes that love in all its forms should be celebrated. When she is not dreaming of world domination, you can find her setting high goals to obtain her dream of being one of the best IR authors on the market. Reana currently resides in Montclair, Virginia with her husband and two sons. When she is not writing, you can find her enjoying a good book.
Website-http://www.reanamalori.com/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/Reana.Malori.Author?fref=ts
Google+-https://plus.google.com/107265582008000531216/posts
Pinterest-https://www.pinterest.com/reanamalori/
The Business Of Love - Book 1 Forevermore by Anna James
Sophia’s late stepfather splits the family firm three ways, forcing her to share the reins with Dante. The man who broke her heart. Six years ago, when he discovered she was nineteen to his twenty-eight, he shut her out.
Sophia’s resignation isn’t the moral victory over the woman who lied to him Dante intended. He misses her—and the firm plunges deeper into turmoil.
Sophia returns on one condition: equal partnership all the way. But soon it becomes clear someone is bent on destroying not only her stepfather’s legacy, but any chance of a future with Dante.
Behind their united front, they’re butting heads—and fighting their hearts.
ABOUT Anna James
Anna James writes contemporary romance novels with strong, confident heroes and heroines who conquer life’s trials and find their HEA. Her debut story released in 2010. Since then, Anna has penned eleven novels/novellas.
Anna is married to a wonderful husband who spends countless hours picking up the slack around the house so she can pursue her dream of writing, is the proud mother of five fabulous children, and a big, loveable rescue dog the entire family adores.
website: www.authorannajames.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annajames.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorannajames
FIRST IMPRESSIONS by Peggy Jaeger
Family Practice Doctor Clarissa Rogers’ first impression of Padric Cleary is biased and based on gossip. The handsome, charming veterinarian is considered a serial dater and commitment-phobic by his family and most of the town. Relationship shy, Clarissa refuses to lose her heart to a man who can’t pledge himself to her forever.
Pat Cleary, despite his reputation, is actually looking for ""The One."" When he does give his heart away, he wants it to be for life. With his parent’s marriage as his guidebook, he wants a woman who will be his equal and soul mate in every way.
Can Pat convince everyone – including Clarissa – she’s the only woman for him?
ABOUT Peggy Jaeger
Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance author who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can't live without them.
Her current titles, available now, include SKATER'S WALTZ and THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, books 1 and 2 in her 6-book The MacQuire Women Series, published by The Wild Rose Press.
Peggy holds a master's degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer's Disease during her time running an Alzheimer's in-patient care unit during the 1990s.
Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/peggyjaeger/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0
Showing posts with label The Wild Rose Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Wild Rose Press. Show all posts
Sep 1, 2015
#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Dragon Knight's Axe @M_MorganAuthor
Dragon Knight's Axe
Mary Morgan
The Wild Rose Press
Battled scarred, Dragon Knight, Alastair MacKay, has fled to the seas to separate himself from his powers that are connected to the land. Yet, when he rescues a woman from a slave trader in Ireland, he steps back inadvertently into a world filled with magic—taking on the role of protector and leading him on a journey to confront his greatest fears.
Research assistant, Fiona O’Quinlan loves translating ancient artifacts at Trinity College. When she falls asleep on an archeological dig, she awakens in another time. She soon discovers a Dragon Knight’s relic has been entrusted into her care. Determined to return the artifact to the Great Glen, Fiona is unprepared for the danger ahead—losing her heart and soul to Alastair “Beast” MacKay.
Will their love be strong enough to soothe the beast and heal the man? Or will Death swing its axe, leaving them lost for all eternity?
What One Reviewer Says...
Booktalk with Eileen
My Thoughts: I was revved up for this one, because I’ve already fallen in love with the series and the author’s writing.
And true to form I was pulled into a fantastic story within the first paragraph in 1206. I was fighting a vicious sea, spewing water from my mouth, slashing rain and wind so strong I was brought to my knees. Was I headed overboard? Whoa! What an opening.
This series has time travel. Why do I love it so? It’s because traveling to the past is NOT something each heroine in the series wants. Each have their own story on how they arrived to the highlands. In my fantasy of fantasies, I’d really love to be one of these women who get pulled back. But since it is HIGHLY unlikely, I must satisfy myself traveling through the imagination and inspiration of a clever author. Mary Morgan has captured my fantasies with fae, a dragon living in Loch Ness who can speak through mind touch, brawny, brave, honorable men and a wild land of magic.
EXCERPT
I am a constant daydreamer and have been told quite often to remove my head from the clouds. Yet, this is where I find the magic to write my stories. Not only do I love to weave a good tale, but I have a voracious appetite for reading. I worked for Borders Books for almost fourteen years. Imagine my delight to be surrounded by so many books, talking to others about them, and getting paid.
Pure bliss!
I have traveled to England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. There are those who know me well when I say, “My heart is in the Highlands.” I believe I have left it there or maybe in Ireland.
When not writing, I enjoy playing in my garden—another place where magic grows. Of course, there is time spent with my family. They are the ones that keep me grounded
Website: http://www.marymorganauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mary.morgan.564
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/m_morganauthor.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan
Mary Morgan
The Wild Rose Press
Battled scarred, Dragon Knight, Alastair MacKay, has fled to the seas to separate himself from his powers that are connected to the land. Yet, when he rescues a woman from a slave trader in Ireland, he steps back inadvertently into a world filled with magic—taking on the role of protector and leading him on a journey to confront his greatest fears.
Research assistant, Fiona O’Quinlan loves translating ancient artifacts at Trinity College. When she falls asleep on an archeological dig, she awakens in another time. She soon discovers a Dragon Knight’s relic has been entrusted into her care. Determined to return the artifact to the Great Glen, Fiona is unprepared for the danger ahead—losing her heart and soul to Alastair “Beast” MacKay.
Will their love be strong enough to soothe the beast and heal the man? Or will Death swing its axe, leaving them lost for all eternity?
What One Reviewer Says...
Booktalk with Eileen
My Thoughts: I was revved up for this one, because I’ve already fallen in love with the series and the author’s writing.
And true to form I was pulled into a fantastic story within the first paragraph in 1206. I was fighting a vicious sea, spewing water from my mouth, slashing rain and wind so strong I was brought to my knees. Was I headed overboard? Whoa! What an opening.
This series has time travel. Why do I love it so? It’s because traveling to the past is NOT something each heroine in the series wants. Each have their own story on how they arrived to the highlands. In my fantasy of fantasies, I’d really love to be one of these women who get pulled back. But since it is HIGHLY unlikely, I must satisfy myself traveling through the imagination and inspiration of a clever author. Mary Morgan has captured my fantasies with fae, a dragon living in Loch Ness who can speak through mind touch, brawny, brave, honorable men and a wild land of magic.
EXCERPT
He would get the truth out of her. She was now his. Bought and paid for.ABOUT Mary Morgan
His anger simmered just below the surface, and he allowed his eyes to flash with the fire of the dragon. Hearing her gasp, he smiled. Good, little bird. Fear me. Without giving her time to react, he swept her up and dumped her over his left shoulder, and strode to the ship.
He heard her sharp intake of breath, and then she started to pound against his back. “Put...me down,” she demanded.
“Nae.”
She started to kick, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. The little bird had talons. He responded with a smack to her bottom, but instead of removing his hand, he kept it against her soft curves. “I will put ye down when we are on my ship.”
She went completely still, and then she screamed.
Alastair dumped her onto the ground. “For the love of Brigid, did ye have to yell into my ear?”
Fiona rubbed at her bottom and then stood. “You beast,” she spat out at him. Jumping onto a nearby boulder, she looked directly into his eyes. “Don’t you ever touch me like that again.”
Alastair yanked her to his chest by her arms, his face mere inches from hers. “And what are ye going to do?” He watched as her eyes widened in alarm. Blue eyes that reminded him of the sky on warm summer days. Then his gaze traveled down to her lips, red as berries.
Instantly, his beast roared to life. Claim one kiss, Alastair.
“I will slit your throat,” she whispered.
Releasing his hold, his beast laughed, mocking him. He stared at her for a few moments before turning away. Stalking over to the ship, he climbed up the ladder.
I am a constant daydreamer and have been told quite often to remove my head from the clouds. Yet, this is where I find the magic to write my stories. Not only do I love to weave a good tale, but I have a voracious appetite for reading. I worked for Borders Books for almost fourteen years. Imagine my delight to be surrounded by so many books, talking to others about them, and getting paid.
Pure bliss!
I have traveled to England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. There are those who know me well when I say, “My heart is in the Highlands.” I believe I have left it there or maybe in Ireland.
When not writing, I enjoy playing in my garden—another place where magic grows. Of course, there is time spent with my family. They are the ones that keep me grounded
Website: http://www.marymorganauthor.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mary.morgan.564
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/m_morganauthor.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan
Aug 18, 2015
It's a Heavenly Desire from #MFRWauthor @JL_Sheppard
Heavenly Desire, Elemental Sisters #3
J.L. Sheppard
Erotic Paranormal Romance
The Wild Rose Press
Jade Ashley has a past she’d like to forget and a destiny she isn’t aware of. A stranger, Clyde, saves her from an attack and demonstrates extraordinary abilities she believed only she possessed. She soon realizes he’s her guardian angel sent to reunite her with her long lost sisters, who like her are part of a new breed of immortals, Elementals, prophesied to determine the outcome of the upcoming war.
Clyde, an angel, battles the one thing he believes will lead to his fall from heaven—his new found emotions, forbidden among his kind. Nonetheless, the Angel Lords promise to promote him to warrior when he completes his last assignment—to find Jade. When he does, emotions he never knew possible arise. For the first time in two thousand years, he curses his existence, knowing she can never be his. Will he sacrifice his wings for a woman he loves but can’t keep?
What Reviewers Are Saying
"…Love this series… [Heavenly Desire] is full of romance, surprises and secrets… If you love paranormal romance, do not miss this series.” – Paranormal Romance Guild, 5 Stars
“...Scenes that capture the imagination while the suspense and drama draw the reader into the story and the characters are strong, bewitching and ensnare the readers from the very beginning.” – Night Owl Reviews, 5 Stars
EXCERPT
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband and son. As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013. Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
J.L. Sheppard
Erotic Paranormal Romance
The Wild Rose Press
Jade Ashley has a past she’d like to forget and a destiny she isn’t aware of. A stranger, Clyde, saves her from an attack and demonstrates extraordinary abilities she believed only she possessed. She soon realizes he’s her guardian angel sent to reunite her with her long lost sisters, who like her are part of a new breed of immortals, Elementals, prophesied to determine the outcome of the upcoming war.
Clyde, an angel, battles the one thing he believes will lead to his fall from heaven—his new found emotions, forbidden among his kind. Nonetheless, the Angel Lords promise to promote him to warrior when he completes his last assignment—to find Jade. When he does, emotions he never knew possible arise. For the first time in two thousand years, he curses his existence, knowing she can never be his. Will he sacrifice his wings for a woman he loves but can’t keep?
What Reviewers Are Saying
"…Love this series… [Heavenly Desire] is full of romance, surprises and secrets… If you love paranormal romance, do not miss this series.” – Paranormal Romance Guild, 5 Stars
“...Scenes that capture the imagination while the suspense and drama draw the reader into the story and the characters are strong, bewitching and ensnare the readers from the very beginning.” – Night Owl Reviews, 5 Stars
EXCERPT
He bent toward her, wrapped one arm around her waist, the other around her back, then buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled. Relishing the feel of her body melded against his, he forgot the worries consuming him. She soothed his ache with a mere touch, with a mere embrace. Exactly what he’d wanted, exactly what he needed. She then pressed her full lips against his cheek, kissing him lightly. An innocent kiss. There was no passion behind it, but an unconscious consuming need, one he’d never felt, swelled inside him—desire. It was exciting, overwhelming and terrifying, blocking logic and reason. All he wanted now was a single kiss. All he could think about was how her soft lips would feel pressed against his. Marvelous, he concluded. It was absurd to want what he did and feel what he felt, for he was an angel. Carnal desires even as insignificant as kisses were for others, for all others except his breed, and yet he felt it so deeply it seared him. The desire that gripped him didn’t release him even after she unhooked her arms from around his neck, and the warmth of her body melted away. There he stood, immobile, battling the desire she’d sparked. He didn’t want to leave yet knew he had to before he’d acted out his longing. He willed his body to move. Finally, he placed one foot behind the other, stepped back and strode away praying the yearning he had no right to feel for a woman who would never be his would soon subside.ABOUT J.L. Sheppard
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband and son. As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013. Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
www.JLSheppard.com
www.facebook.com/JLSheppardAuthor
https://twitter.com/JL_Sheppard
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6894176.J_L_Sheppard
http://pinterest.com/jlsheppard5/
Aug 4, 2015
#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Forever In My Heart @MKAlexander1
Forever in My Heart
by Maria K. Alexander
The Wild Rose Press
Vicky DiFrancesco is ready to put the past behind her. After a humiliating divorce, she’s determined to make her new café a success. The last thing she needs is her first love around, reminding her of what they’d lost. But when her life is threatened, could he be the very man she needs?
Jamie DiSilva’s homecoming after retiring from the army isn’t the one he’d been hoping for. Now, he’s trying to start a home improvement business in a town settled on holding him accountable for the sins of his late brothers. Redeeming himself to the girl he never stopped loving and her family is difficult when his brothers’ secrets come back to haunt him.
Untangling themselves from the past means righting several wrongs and deciding if their love is meant to last forever.
Redeeming the family name may be his most important mission. BUY LINK
What Reviewers Are Saying...
""Forever in My Heart will stay forever in my heart! Ms. Alexander does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life - they are true people - with imperfections and history.” ~ Cat’s Reviews
""Super-hot alpha male…check. Nosy Italian family…check. Beautiful love story…check. Forever in my heart by Maria K Alexander has it all!"" ~ Book Obsessed Chicks Book Blog
Excerpt
ABOUT Maria K. Alexander
Maria is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. As a young girl, Maria spent hours getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.
You can keep in touch with Maria at http://mariakalexander.com, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319, or
https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander.
by Maria K. Alexander
The Wild Rose Press
Vicky DiFrancesco is ready to put the past behind her. After a humiliating divorce, she’s determined to make her new café a success. The last thing she needs is her first love around, reminding her of what they’d lost. But when her life is threatened, could he be the very man she needs?
Jamie DiSilva’s homecoming after retiring from the army isn’t the one he’d been hoping for. Now, he’s trying to start a home improvement business in a town settled on holding him accountable for the sins of his late brothers. Redeeming himself to the girl he never stopped loving and her family is difficult when his brothers’ secrets come back to haunt him.
Untangling themselves from the past means righting several wrongs and deciding if their love is meant to last forever.
Redeeming the family name may be his most important mission. BUY LINK
What Reviewers Are Saying...
""Forever in My Heart will stay forever in my heart! Ms. Alexander does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life - they are true people - with imperfections and history.” ~ Cat’s Reviews
""Super-hot alpha male…check. Nosy Italian family…check. Beautiful love story…check. Forever in my heart by Maria K Alexander has it all!"" ~ Book Obsessed Chicks Book Blog
Excerpt
“What happened today between us can never happen again.”
“Because of your sister?”
“Because of my entire family. Kate isn’t the only member with a grudge against the DiSilva family.”
Just his bad luck.
“My parents and I have never done anything to warrant being shunned by them. Our parents were best friends.”
“That doesn’t change what your brothers did or how it’s impacted my family. It’s one thing to deal with you living in the same town. It’s another for them to accept what just happened between us.”
“What happens between us has nothing to do with your family,” he snapped. He was tired of being judged. It wasn’t like she didn’t feel something for him. He lowered his voice and cupped her cheek. “Things can be good between us, Vick. You know it.”
She held his gaze, and he felt her tremble. He leaned forward, determined to convince her to give them a chance.
Her hand shot out and stopped him from doing more than graze her lips. “Stop. Nothing good will come of this.” She rolled off the bed and kept her back to him.
“You’re choosing them over your own happiness?”
She wiped at her face before turning to him.
Despite the tears that dampened her eyes, her answer was clear from the stubborn set of her chin. “What choice do I have?”
“There’s always a choice.”
“And a price to pay. They’re my family. I pick them. I’ll always pick them.”
ABOUT Maria K. Alexander
Maria is an award-winning author of contemporary romance. As a young girl, Maria spent hours getting lost in and wishing to be one of the heroines in the stories she read. When not writing, Maria loves to read, bake, downhill ski, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. Maria lives in New Jersey with her husband and children, and writes in her “spare” time between juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy schedules.
You can keep in touch with Maria at http://mariakalexander.com, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maria-K-Alexander-Author/201236689917319, or
https://www.goodreads.com/mariakalexander.
Jul 20, 2015
There's No Place Like Home for #MFRWauthor @Peggy_Jaeger
Meet MFRW Author Peggy Jaeger
I love the happily ever after mind-set, so I felt writing romances was the best way to express that. My newest book, There's No Place Like Home was written after Skater's Waltz, because I wanted to continue on with the same family I wrote about in the first book. This is the story of Moira Cleary and her life long friend Quentin Stapleton. I got the idea for the story because I wanted to explore how a friendship could evolve into something more. These two have known each other since birth -truly. Their parents are best friends. They have an entire lifetime of shared memories, experiences and life events. I wanted to see how they would do as love interests. And I am thrilled with the results!
There's No Place Like Home
The Wild Rose Press
Symphony pianist Moira Cleary comes home after four years of touring, exhausted, sick, and spiritually broken. Emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of someone she trusted has left her gaunt, anxious, and at a crossroads both professionally and personally.
Moira’s best friend, veterinarian Quentin Stapleton, wants nothing more than to help Moira get well. Can his natural healing skills make it possible for her to open her heart again? And can he convince her she’s meant to stay home now with the family that loves her - and with him - forever?
The ones who know you the best love you the most... BUY LINK
EXCERPT
“Remember when your cousin Tiffany got married in the backyard here?”
Confused, Moira nodded.
Quentin rubbed her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “When the Reverend told Cole ‘you can kiss your bride,’ and he swooped her off the ground, spun her around and kissed her silly? Remember what you said?”
“I think I said it was the most romantic thing I’d ever seen.”
He nodded. “The exact quote was, ‘I hope someone kisses me like that some day.’”
Her grin was quick at the memory. “Pat snorted and said I’d better be satisfied with licks from the horses and Rob Roy because no guy was ever gonna kiss me.”
“He wasn’t known for tact back then.” He rubbed a hand down her back as he held her. “Remember what happened later on behind the barn?”
Because she did, she couldn’t stop the heat from spreading up her face like wildfire. When she nodded again, he said, “You wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed like that and since I was your best friend, you thought I should be the one to do it, because you – quote - felt safe with me – unquote.”
“What was I? Eleven?”
“Thirteen. And I was more than willing. Almost broke my heart in two when you said afterward, ‘I don’t see what all the fuss is about.’”
“Q—”
“Hush.” He kissed her forehead. “Ever since that day, all I’ve wanted is a second chance. Now,” he pulled her body closer, wrapped both arms around her small waist, his hands resting just above the dent in her spine. “We’re both a little older, a little more mature. Some of us are much more experienced—”
“And conceited.”
“Experienced,” he said, the laugh in his voice quiet and seductive, “and things can be so much better.”
Peggy Jaeger has been a lifelong lover of words. Her favorite Christmas present when she was 8? A Dictionary. She has won numerous short story, literary, and non-fiction awards, has had 2 children's books published and has been included in the Chicken Soup For Every Mother's Soul Anthology. She writes in her attic loft in her home in New Hampshire when she is not painting or cooking. website | facebook | twitter | pinterest
I love the happily ever after mind-set, so I felt writing romances was the best way to express that. My newest book, There's No Place Like Home was written after Skater's Waltz, because I wanted to continue on with the same family I wrote about in the first book. This is the story of Moira Cleary and her life long friend Quentin Stapleton. I got the idea for the story because I wanted to explore how a friendship could evolve into something more. These two have known each other since birth -truly. Their parents are best friends. They have an entire lifetime of shared memories, experiences and life events. I wanted to see how they would do as love interests. And I am thrilled with the results!
There's No Place Like Home
The Wild Rose Press
Symphony pianist Moira Cleary comes home after four years of touring, exhausted, sick, and spiritually broken. Emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of someone she trusted has left her gaunt, anxious, and at a crossroads both professionally and personally.
Moira’s best friend, veterinarian Quentin Stapleton, wants nothing more than to help Moira get well. Can his natural healing skills make it possible for her to open her heart again? And can he convince her she’s meant to stay home now with the family that loves her - and with him - forever?
The ones who know you the best love you the most... BUY LINK
EXCERPT
“Remember when your cousin Tiffany got married in the backyard here?”
Confused, Moira nodded.
Quentin rubbed her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “When the Reverend told Cole ‘you can kiss your bride,’ and he swooped her off the ground, spun her around and kissed her silly? Remember what you said?”
“I think I said it was the most romantic thing I’d ever seen.”
He nodded. “The exact quote was, ‘I hope someone kisses me like that some day.’”
Her grin was quick at the memory. “Pat snorted and said I’d better be satisfied with licks from the horses and Rob Roy because no guy was ever gonna kiss me.”
“He wasn’t known for tact back then.” He rubbed a hand down her back as he held her. “Remember what happened later on behind the barn?”
Because she did, she couldn’t stop the heat from spreading up her face like wildfire. When she nodded again, he said, “You wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed like that and since I was your best friend, you thought I should be the one to do it, because you – quote - felt safe with me – unquote.”
“What was I? Eleven?”
“Thirteen. And I was more than willing. Almost broke my heart in two when you said afterward, ‘I don’t see what all the fuss is about.’”
“Q—”
“Hush.” He kissed her forehead. “Ever since that day, all I’ve wanted is a second chance. Now,” he pulled her body closer, wrapped both arms around her small waist, his hands resting just above the dent in her spine. “We’re both a little older, a little more mature. Some of us are much more experienced—”
“And conceited.”
“Experienced,” he said, the laugh in his voice quiet and seductive, “and things can be so much better.”
May 1, 2015
#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Dare to Risk All @Joyce_Holmes
Dare to Risk All
Joyce Holmes
The Wild Rose Press
Tessa Caldwell’s carefully structured world is thrown into chaos when the handsome stranger she had an uncharacteristic fling with reappears in her life. Ben not only gets the promotion she thought was hers, but is also intent on resuming their physical relationship. Although Tessa’s rational mind insists on a professional association, both her heart and her traitorous body have other ideas. Can her sensible nature possibly win against such temptation?
Memories of the petite blonde with large, blue eyes have haunted Ben Dunham for months. When he transfers to her branch, he anticipates picking up where they left off. Reality doesn’t match memory when the cool and collected lady wants no part of him. If he intends to pursue Tessa, he has to earn her trust. The problem is, Ben carries a dark and dangerous secret. How does he get Tessa to trust him when he can’t trust himself?
Can a forever kind of girl and a for-the-moment kind of guy take a risk on love? BUY LINK
EXCERPT
Ben halted a few feet from Tessa’s chair and she rose to her feet, sliding nervous hands down the front of her skirt. For an instant, they stood frozen face-to-face, outside of time together, cut off from the others, the air between them tangible and electric.
He took a step toward her. Instinctively she stepped back and stared with disbelief into the face that had haunted her for months. Those same iridescent sea-green eyes with flecks of gold and swirls of gray, surrounded by long, thick, dreamy lashes. The slight jog to his nose, as if it had been broken, a trivial flaw that saved his features from absolute perfection.
Neither of them smiled as they continued to watch each other. She could see memories of their one night together reflected in those extraordinary eyes.
Memories of his hands roaming her body, of his mouth searing her mouth, of the two of them reaching peak after shattering peak together while thunder crashed and white-hot lightning forked its way across the storm-tossed night sky outside.
She tried to push the images from her mind and keep her manner professional, but then he offered her his hand and her heart fluttered. A treacherous excitement began rising in her system as reality sank in—this was Ben, standing right in front of her. And this time they didn’t have to say goodbye after three days.
She had an irresistible urge to reach out and touch his face. Her fingers itched to lose themselves in that crisp sandy hair, to wander across his chest, slide over the wide breadth of his shoulders and...
Stop thinking like that!
She forced herself to shake hands with him, uttering polite noises as though he were a complete stranger. Try as she might, she couldn’t get her lips to form the smile of welcome she knew would be the courteous thing to do.
“We’ve already met,” he said, still holding their handshake. His eyes were playful, with green turbulence just beneath. “Remember me?”
She realized with a start that she hadn’t replied. The intoxicating scent of his cologne robbed her of breath and his huskily seductive voice reverberated inside her, leaving her shaken and vulnerable. He was leaning in too close and she had to shake her hand lightly to free it from his grip.
“Of course, I do. We met on the cruise last fall,” she replied, hiding behind an ultra-professional tone.
“That is correct.” Morris’s loud voice startled Tessa. She’d forgotten anyone else was in the room. “The Vancouver branch awarded Benjamin the cruise as well, last year, so the two of you have already had the opportunity to become acquainted. That should facilitate your working relationship.”
Not bloody likely, Tessa thought with a sinking feeling of despair. How could she possibly maintain a businesslike relationship with Ben after the intimacy they’d shared?
ABOUT Joyce M. Holmes
Joyce Holmes lives with her husband and very small dog in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia. An empty-nest mom, she treasures family time, especially with her two precious little grandsons. Hiking, biking, boating and photography are pursuits she enjoys when she's not dreaming up stories in her head or planning her next great adventure.
Joyce Holmes
The Wild Rose Press
Tessa Caldwell’s carefully structured world is thrown into chaos when the handsome stranger she had an uncharacteristic fling with reappears in her life. Ben not only gets the promotion she thought was hers, but is also intent on resuming their physical relationship. Although Tessa’s rational mind insists on a professional association, both her heart and her traitorous body have other ideas. Can her sensible nature possibly win against such temptation?
Memories of the petite blonde with large, blue eyes have haunted Ben Dunham for months. When he transfers to her branch, he anticipates picking up where they left off. Reality doesn’t match memory when the cool and collected lady wants no part of him. If he intends to pursue Tessa, he has to earn her trust. The problem is, Ben carries a dark and dangerous secret. How does he get Tessa to trust him when he can’t trust himself?
Can a forever kind of girl and a for-the-moment kind of guy take a risk on love? BUY LINK
EXCERPT
Ben halted a few feet from Tessa’s chair and she rose to her feet, sliding nervous hands down the front of her skirt. For an instant, they stood frozen face-to-face, outside of time together, cut off from the others, the air between them tangible and electric.
He took a step toward her. Instinctively she stepped back and stared with disbelief into the face that had haunted her for months. Those same iridescent sea-green eyes with flecks of gold and swirls of gray, surrounded by long, thick, dreamy lashes. The slight jog to his nose, as if it had been broken, a trivial flaw that saved his features from absolute perfection.
Neither of them smiled as they continued to watch each other. She could see memories of their one night together reflected in those extraordinary eyes.
Memories of his hands roaming her body, of his mouth searing her mouth, of the two of them reaching peak after shattering peak together while thunder crashed and white-hot lightning forked its way across the storm-tossed night sky outside.
She tried to push the images from her mind and keep her manner professional, but then he offered her his hand and her heart fluttered. A treacherous excitement began rising in her system as reality sank in—this was Ben, standing right in front of her. And this time they didn’t have to say goodbye after three days.
She had an irresistible urge to reach out and touch his face. Her fingers itched to lose themselves in that crisp sandy hair, to wander across his chest, slide over the wide breadth of his shoulders and...
Stop thinking like that!
She forced herself to shake hands with him, uttering polite noises as though he were a complete stranger. Try as she might, she couldn’t get her lips to form the smile of welcome she knew would be the courteous thing to do.
“We’ve already met,” he said, still holding their handshake. His eyes were playful, with green turbulence just beneath. “Remember me?”
She realized with a start that she hadn’t replied. The intoxicating scent of his cologne robbed her of breath and his huskily seductive voice reverberated inside her, leaving her shaken and vulnerable. He was leaning in too close and she had to shake her hand lightly to free it from his grip.
“Of course, I do. We met on the cruise last fall,” she replied, hiding behind an ultra-professional tone.
“That is correct.” Morris’s loud voice startled Tessa. She’d forgotten anyone else was in the room. “The Vancouver branch awarded Benjamin the cruise as well, last year, so the two of you have already had the opportunity to become acquainted. That should facilitate your working relationship.”
Not bloody likely, Tessa thought with a sinking feeling of despair. How could she possibly maintain a businesslike relationship with Ben after the intimacy they’d shared?
ABOUT Joyce M. Holmes
Joyce Holmes lives with her husband and very small dog in the beautiful Okanagan region of British Columbia. An empty-nest mom, she treasures family time, especially with her two precious little grandsons. Hiking, biking, boating and photography are pursuits she enjoys when she's not dreaming up stories in her head or planning her next great adventure.
Apr 24, 2015
Have You Read It? AWAITING FATE by #MFRWauthor @JL_Sheppard
Awaiting Fate
Erotic Paranormal Romance
J.L. Sheppard
The Wild Rose Press
Cain Thaler’s lived more than four hundred years fighting rogue immortals, avenging the family he’d lost. It’s all he’s needed, all he’s wanted. That changes the fateful day he lays eyes on his fated mate. Olivia Waden, a werewolf princess, is nothing like him. Unwilling to give her up, he sets a plan into motion: ignoring his need to claim her, he befriends her.
Despite Cain’s best efforts at friendship, Olivia has fallen hard for him. It is him she dreams of, him she wants as her fated mate. But she is sure he doesn’t feel the same way. In way over her head, she has no option but to run away from the only man she’s ever loved.
Will Cain find Olivia before it’s too late or will their differences tear them apart?
EXCERPT
“What?” She managed the strength to mumble.
He drew closer, pressing his chest against hers. The heat of his body caressing hers, she grew warm with craving. Helplessly, her gaze drifted to his thick full lips. Her mind wandered. What she’d give for a kiss, a single mind-blowing kiss?
Cheeks flushing, her gaze darted toward his again. “Why are you…” Her body’s desires overwhelming her, she gasped for breath.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”
He wasn’t just angry. He was livid, and he was livid with her because she’d left.
She didn’t know what to say, had no excuse, not one she could tell him anyway.
Shutting his eyes firmly, his anger intensified, coiling rapidly against her until she not only felt it but tasted it. Still, she wasn’t afraid. With each passing moment, all she felt was heat, his and hers, and how badly she wanted him.
“Answer me,” he demanded harshly. “Tell me why you left without telling me!”
His tone startling her, she jolted against him, her body rubbing his. A desire so powerful rippled through her and spiraled inside her, pooling liquid between her legs. It clouded her every thought and every action, so as she stared straight into his eyes, she couldn’t remember what he’d said.
Clenching his jaw, he ground his teeth in anger, so close to losing it. “Olivia, tell me!”
ABOUT J.L. Sheppard
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband and son.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Erotic Paranormal Romance
J.L. Sheppard
The Wild Rose Press
Cain Thaler’s lived more than four hundred years fighting rogue immortals, avenging the family he’d lost. It’s all he’s needed, all he’s wanted. That changes the fateful day he lays eyes on his fated mate. Olivia Waden, a werewolf princess, is nothing like him. Unwilling to give her up, he sets a plan into motion: ignoring his need to claim her, he befriends her.
Despite Cain’s best efforts at friendship, Olivia has fallen hard for him. It is him she dreams of, him she wants as her fated mate. But she is sure he doesn’t feel the same way. In way over her head, she has no option but to run away from the only man she’s ever loved.
Will Cain find Olivia before it’s too late or will their differences tear them apart?
EXCERPT
“What?” She managed the strength to mumble.
He drew closer, pressing his chest against hers. The heat of his body caressing hers, she grew warm with craving. Helplessly, her gaze drifted to his thick full lips. Her mind wandered. What she’d give for a kiss, a single mind-blowing kiss?
Cheeks flushing, her gaze darted toward his again. “Why are you…” Her body’s desires overwhelming her, she gasped for breath.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”
He wasn’t just angry. He was livid, and he was livid with her because she’d left.
She didn’t know what to say, had no excuse, not one she could tell him anyway.
Shutting his eyes firmly, his anger intensified, coiling rapidly against her until she not only felt it but tasted it. Still, she wasn’t afraid. With each passing moment, all she felt was heat, his and hers, and how badly she wanted him.
“Answer me,” he demanded harshly. “Tell me why you left without telling me!”
His tone startling her, she jolted against him, her body rubbing his. A desire so powerful rippled through her and spiraled inside her, pooling liquid between her legs. It clouded her every thought and every action, so as she stared straight into his eyes, she couldn’t remember what he’d said.
Clenching his jaw, he ground his teeth in anger, so close to losing it. “Olivia, tell me!”
ABOUT J.L. Sheppard
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband and son.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Apr 16, 2015
#Thursday13 Sentences from Stormee Waters by #MFRWauthor @LyndaCoker
For today's Thursday13, MFRW Author Lynda Coker shares thirteen sentences from her book, Stormee Waters. The Contemporary Romance is published through The Wild Rose Press.
BLURB
Stormee Waters knows about hard times. To provide for her aging grandmother and teenage brother, she takes a magazine journalist job in Houston. First assignment: a series of articles entitled, Make My Man Texas-Sized. First subject: Dirk Savage an adventurous businessman with the air of a conqueror. Admired by his peers and coveted by beauty queens and debutantes, he's just the type of man Stormee needs to make her first article sizzle. But when she catches his attention, can she handle the heat?
Accomplished CEO Dirk is used to acquiring what he wants, except in the illusive quest for the one woman who can fill his heart. The shock of discovering his dream woman in the naive Stormee sets his jaded emotions on high alert.
Can he convince her his intentions are genuine?" Dirk Savage never fails to acquire what he wants until he encounters Stormee Waters and a backwash of trouble...
Lynda is an author of contemporary romance that lingers in a reader’s mind long after they’ve closed the book. She lives in Northeast Texas with her husband of fifty years. They enjoy traveling, trying new foods, spending time with family and friends, and doing community service work together. When she feels the need to take a break from writing, she enjoys creating fabric art.
Blog: http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyndacoker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyndacoker
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lyndacoker/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lynda-J.-Coker/e/B002NJ3FSA
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+LyndaCoker/posts/p/pub
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1389486.Lynda_Coker
BLURB
Stormee Waters knows about hard times. To provide for her aging grandmother and teenage brother, she takes a magazine journalist job in Houston. First assignment: a series of articles entitled, Make My Man Texas-Sized. First subject: Dirk Savage an adventurous businessman with the air of a conqueror. Admired by his peers and coveted by beauty queens and debutantes, he's just the type of man Stormee needs to make her first article sizzle. But when she catches his attention, can she handle the heat?
Accomplished CEO Dirk is used to acquiring what he wants, except in the illusive quest for the one woman who can fill his heart. The shock of discovering his dream woman in the naive Stormee sets his jaded emotions on high alert.
Can he convince her his intentions are genuine?" Dirk Savage never fails to acquire what he wants until he encounters Stormee Waters and a backwash of trouble...
1. Alpha Males (Desirable or Despicable?)ABOUT Lynda J. Coker
2. If captured, she will find the duality of her world challenging, since the innate nature of such a man can both raise a woman to ecstasy or drown her in despair.
3. The force with which she removed her hand from his deepened the small wrinkles around his eyes as his expression changed from warm to probing.
4. He knows he’s gorgeous, and he’s aware by the nitwitted grin on my face that I’m not immune.
5. How could a modern day warrior have hands that gave a woman all manner of fanciful thoughts?
6. Did Alpha Males assume that women in general deferred to their decisions, or was she just a simple-minded exception?
7. With her back against the rock wall, Stormee muttered, “What are you doing?”
8. Shock kept her immobile, while the sweetest pleasure she’d ever experienced sensitized her mouth
beyond bearing.
9. “If I were your father, Miss Waters, Id march you out to the car and tan your pretty little backside for not knowing what’s good for you.”
10. "Your scent pleases me, and I don’t make a habit of denying myself pleasures which are in my power to obtain."
11. He was certainly full of himself and made no effort to conceal a fundamental premise that men controlled and women submitted.
12. "Get rid of him before he stakes a claim, because when he does, he’ll take the whole territory.”
13. The hunger blazing in his dark eyes sucked every thought from her brain and nearly short-circuited her heart.
Lynda is an author of contemporary romance that lingers in a reader’s mind long after they’ve closed the book. She lives in Northeast Texas with her husband of fifty years. They enjoy traveling, trying new foods, spending time with family and friends, and doing community service work together. When she feels the need to take a break from writing, she enjoys creating fabric art.
Blog: http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lyndacoker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyndacoker
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lyndacoker/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lynda-J.-Coker/e/B002NJ3FSA
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+LyndaCoker/posts/p/pub
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1389486.Lynda_Coker
Feb 13, 2015
BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Ancient Curse by #MFRWauthor Barbara Edwards @Barb_Ed
Ancient Curse
Finding Rhodes End Series, Book Three
Barbara Edwards
Paranormal Romance
Evil never dies. And this time it wants Rainie Gamble. More than her life, it wants her soul.
The artifacts she handles come from every era and she can read their past with a touch. After her Father’s deceit, she’d lost her beloved career until Thomas hired her to inventory his new estate. She is acutely aware these items ooze evil. Her attraction to Thomas grows despite her resolve to never trust again.
Thomas Broquette needed Rainie for more than her psychic ability. She could bring her father into his reach and Thomas needed him to return the stolen paintings in Mason’s estate. He needs Rainie’s help to destroy the evil things Mason left behind. Then he realizes he needs her for much, much more.
She needs to trust him despite his lie. Their love is her only hope of survival.
Changing took a few minutes. She pressed her hand to her throbbing forehead and studied her reflection in the mirror. Pain lined her forehead. She wondered why Thomas’ touch eased it. Her tangled hair had escaped her twist and needed combing. Humming, she took the time to neaten it.About Barbara Edwards
Silence enveloped the second floor. With the power off, the soft music she played in her bedroom had been silenced. She half expected her footsteps to echo when she exited the room and walked down the hall.
Thomas had probably finished mopping up, and she needed to lock her computer and file her notes before the back-up battery failed.
Her pulse beat faster. She looked forward to spending some time with him. Hopefully, he was still in the library. She shook her head. She paused as the hair on her nape stirred like she was being watched.
A cool draft washed over her nape and she glanced back along the hall. All the doors had been closed. They still were. She frowned, and then shook the feeling off. No-one watched although her skin itched.
Pausing to enjoy the light emotions held by the smooth banister, she stroked the wood.
A violent shove between her shoulders tumbled her down the stairs like a thrown doll.
I’m Barbara Edwards and a native New Englander. I’m a graduate of the University of Hartford with a master’s degree in Public Administration. I write poetry for myself and novels when I need to tell a longer tale. My dark paranormal stories evolve from nightmares. The romance comes from my belief in people’s basic goodness and longing for love.
My husband is a retired police sergeant. We share an interest in Civil War re-enacting and travel the Eastern states to participate in events. I love visiting museums, galleries, and battle sites, gathering information for my stories.
I’m fond of gardening and grow antique roses with limited success. Most of my exercise is when my Belgian shepherd, Dixie, demands a walk.
I can be reached at...
Author Website: http://barbaraedwards.net
Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards
Twitter: http://twitter.com/barb_ed
Authors Den: http://authorsden.com/barbaraedwards
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/barbaraedwards
Jan 19, 2015
#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.
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."
Jan 9, 2015
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
http://rolynnanderson.com/
http://blog.rolynnanderson.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolynn-Anderson/188767867821613
https://twitter.com/#!/rolynnanderson
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
Oct 17, 2014
#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Healer's Gift @WillaBlair
MFRW Author Willa Blair released The Healer’s Gift (A Highland Talents Novella), a Mainstream Historical/ Paranormal Romance with The Wild Rose Press.
Coira MacDugall paid with her life for her attack on the Highland Healer. But her victim did more than heal Coira’s fatal wound that awful night.
Now drowning in the unwelcome emotions of others, Coira wonders if her new empathic ability was meant as a gift or a curse.
Logen MacDugall must discover who killed three previous lairds if he hopes to survive for long in the position. He believes Coira’s new sense can help him root out the conspirators, but after her disastrous time in the Highlands, the last thing she wants is to get involved with another laird. Logen must help Coira gain control of her talent in time to save him and their clan from those intent on destroying MacDugall.
Can Coira believe this laird truly loves her? Or will her memories lead her to madness again?" The Healer’s gift changes everything Coira thinks she knows about herself and her future.
Praise for The Healer's Gift
"Willa Blair delivers sizzling romance and adventure." Rebecca York, bestselling author
"Looking for spellbinding Highland romance? Willa Blair delivers." Chassie West, Edgar- and Anthony-nominated author "
Excerpt
"Logen’s mouth on Coira’s palm had set her whole body to tingling. His kiss melted her bones. She held on to him, certain that she could no longer stand on her own. The fire that raged in him burned in her as well, making her weak. Making her forget who he was. What he was. She could feel nothing but the desire sweeping through him. It heated her blood, overwhelmed her senses, and made her bold.
“Dinna release me,” she warned. “I will fall.”
“Have I harmed ye then?” The concern in his voice was mirrored in the sudden cold fear that lapped at her senses.
“Nay, nay. Dinna fash.” The chill receded. Coira lifted a hand and cupped Logen’s face yet again. His gaze burned into her as if he was trying to read her mind. She knew he could not do that, but the idea that he wished to know her so well pleased her. “The opposite. Ye make me feel…things I’ve never felt before.”
Logen stayed silent, his gaze moving over her face. The feelings flooding through him seemed to well up from his soul. His unspoken longing brought tears to her eyes and threatened to consume her. Coira’s throat tightened as her own impossible longings escaped her control to blend with his.
He finally spoke. “Ye bring me peace. Did ye ken that? I desire ye, I canna hide it. But ye bring me peace.”
“Ach, Logen.” She kissed him softly while her heart broke in two. “Ye make me wish to weep.” He was completely open to her, strong and confident, yet all she sensed was his vulnerability. “No one has ever said anything like that to me. Has the Healer’s gift changed me so much, then?”
About Willa Blair
Willa Blair is the award-wining author of Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestselling Scottish historical paranormal romance and a contributor to USA Today’s Happy Ever After romance blog.
Her popular Highland Talents series, set in a pivotal point in Scottish history, is filled with men in kilts, psi talents, and plenty of spice. Available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, the first three titles will soon be joined by more novels of adventure and romance.
http://www.willablair.com
http://www.willablair.com/blog
http://facebook.com/willablair
Coira MacDugall paid with her life for her attack on the Highland Healer. But her victim did more than heal Coira’s fatal wound that awful night.
Now drowning in the unwelcome emotions of others, Coira wonders if her new empathic ability was meant as a gift or a curse.
Logen MacDugall must discover who killed three previous lairds if he hopes to survive for long in the position. He believes Coira’s new sense can help him root out the conspirators, but after her disastrous time in the Highlands, the last thing she wants is to get involved with another laird. Logen must help Coira gain control of her talent in time to save him and their clan from those intent on destroying MacDugall.
Can Coira believe this laird truly loves her? Or will her memories lead her to madness again?" The Healer’s gift changes everything Coira thinks she knows about herself and her future.
BUY LINKS
Praise for The Healer's Gift
"Willa Blair delivers sizzling romance and adventure." Rebecca York, bestselling author
"Looking for spellbinding Highland romance? Willa Blair delivers." Chassie West, Edgar- and Anthony-nominated author "
Excerpt
"Logen’s mouth on Coira’s palm had set her whole body to tingling. His kiss melted her bones. She held on to him, certain that she could no longer stand on her own. The fire that raged in him burned in her as well, making her weak. Making her forget who he was. What he was. She could feel nothing but the desire sweeping through him. It heated her blood, overwhelmed her senses, and made her bold.
“Dinna release me,” she warned. “I will fall.”
“Have I harmed ye then?” The concern in his voice was mirrored in the sudden cold fear that lapped at her senses.
“Nay, nay. Dinna fash.” The chill receded. Coira lifted a hand and cupped Logen’s face yet again. His gaze burned into her as if he was trying to read her mind. She knew he could not do that, but the idea that he wished to know her so well pleased her. “The opposite. Ye make me feel…things I’ve never felt before.”
Logen stayed silent, his gaze moving over her face. The feelings flooding through him seemed to well up from his soul. His unspoken longing brought tears to her eyes and threatened to consume her. Coira’s throat tightened as her own impossible longings escaped her control to blend with his.
He finally spoke. “Ye bring me peace. Did ye ken that? I desire ye, I canna hide it. But ye bring me peace.”
“Ach, Logen.” She kissed him softly while her heart broke in two. “Ye make me wish to weep.” He was completely open to her, strong and confident, yet all she sensed was his vulnerability. “No one has ever said anything like that to me. Has the Healer’s gift changed me so much, then?”
About Willa Blair
Willa Blair is the award-wining author of Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestselling Scottish historical paranormal romance and a contributor to USA Today’s Happy Ever After romance blog.
Her popular Highland Talents series, set in a pivotal point in Scottish history, is filled with men in kilts, psi talents, and plenty of spice. Available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, the first three titles will soon be joined by more novels of adventure and romance.
http://www.willablair.com
http://www.willablair.com/blog
http://facebook.com/willablair
Sep 22, 2014
BOOK SPOTLIGHT: @JL_Sheppard #MFRWauthor
MFRW Author J.L. Sheppard released Heavenly Desire, a Paranormal Romance, with The
Wild Rose Press on September 10, 2014.
Jade Ashley has a past she’d like to forget and a destiny she isn’t aware of. A stranger, Clyde, saves her from an attack and demonstrates extraordinary abilities she believed only she possessed. She soon realizes he’s her guardian angel sent to reunite her with her long lost sisters, who like her are part of a new breed of immortals, Elementals, prophesied to determine the outcome of the upcoming war.
Clyde, an angel, battles the one thing he believes will lead to his fall from heaven—his new found emotions, forbidden among his kind. Nonetheless, the Angel Lords promise to promote him to warrior when he completes his last assignment—to find Jade. When he does, emotions he never knew possible arise. For the first time in two thousand years, he curses his existence, knowing she can never be his. Will he sacrifice his wings for a woman he loves but can't keep?
Jade Ashley has a past she’d like to forget and a destiny she isn’t aware of. A stranger, Clyde, saves her from an attack and demonstrates extraordinary abilities she believed only she possessed. She soon realizes he’s her guardian angel sent to reunite her with her long lost sisters, who like her are part of a new breed of immortals, Elementals, prophesied to determine the outcome of the upcoming war.
Clyde, an angel, battles the one thing he believes will lead to his fall from heaven—his new found emotions, forbidden among his kind. Nonetheless, the Angel Lords promise to promote him to warrior when he completes his last assignment—to find Jade. When he does, emotions he never knew possible arise. For the first time in two thousand years, he curses his existence, knowing she can never be his. Will he sacrifice his wings for a woman he loves but can't keep?
Excerpt
He bent toward her, wrapped one arm around her waist, the other around her back, then buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled.
Relishing the feel of her body melded against his, he forgot the worries consuming him. She soothed his ache with a mere touch, with a mere embrace.
Exactly what he’d wanted, exactly what he needed.
She then pressed her full lips against his cheek, kissing him lightly.
An innocent kiss. There was no passion behind it, but an unconscious consuming need, one he’d never felt, swelled inside him—desire. It was exciting, overwhelming and terrifying, blocking logic and reason.
All he wanted now was a single kiss. All he could think about was how her soft lips would feel pressed against his.
Marvelous, he concluded.
It was absurd to want what he did and feel what he felt, for he was an angel. Carnal desires even as insignificant as kisses were for others, for all others except his breed, and yet he felt it so deeply it seared him.
The desire that gripped him didn’t release him even after she unhooked her arms from around his neck, and the warmth of her body melted away.
There he stood, immobile, battling the desire she’d sparked. He didn’t want to leave yet knew he had to before he’d acted out his longing.
He willed his body to move. Finally, he placed one foot behind the other, stepped back and strode away praying the yearning he had no right to feel for a woman who would never be his would soon subside.
About The Author
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
Aug 21, 2014
A Short & Sweet Interview @VickiBatman #MFRWauthor
MFRW Author Vicki Batman talks about her latest book.
Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm--the list is endless.
Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories to TRUE LOVE, TRUE ROMANCE, TRUE CONFESSIONS, NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING, LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS, MUSEITUP PUBLISHING, and THE WILD ROSE PRESS. She is a member of RWA and several writing groups and chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.
Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"
What if... we ask her a few questions?
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
So much so, my men are afraid anything they say or do will show up.
What kind of research do you do for a book?
It depends. So far, the funniest has been about plumbing.
When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I wished for a long time I could write mysteries like Dick Francis. It took me many years before I did so.
Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
Bug Stuff…and other stories follows my other two shortie collections, Man Theory and Little Birdie Who. I'd submitted them to a popular magazine, but they were turned down. A few had nice notations included. The stories weren't bad, just not what they were interested in acquiring because they'd already had something or wanted something specific. I couldn't let them languish; so I decided to indie pub them.
Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?
I do. For me, writing humor in my stories comes naturally. And it is more real life (at least, with the people who surround me).
What is your writing routine once you start a book?
An idea goes Bing! And I take off, usually in dialogue with a smattering of the other stuff as it pops in my head. My first draft is very, very rough. I read over and over and edit and edit to get it perfect for my critique partners. When I get my critique back, I'd hoped all would be good to go, but alas, it never it. So I work and work it again. Then one day, I let go…
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Sounds crazy but I always workout. Every single day. I do needlepoint and chill in front of the TV with Handsome.
Vicki also writes for Plotting Princesses!
Temporarily Employed, romantic comedy cozy mystery
Like some of her characters, award-winning author, Vicki Batman has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm--the list is endless.
Writing for several years, she has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories to TRUE LOVE, TRUE ROMANCE, TRUE CONFESSIONS, NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING, LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS, MUSEITUP PUBLISHING, and THE WILD ROSE PRESS. She is a member of RWA and several writing groups and chapters. In 2004, she joined DARA and has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.
Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"
What if... we ask her a few questions?
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
So much so, my men are afraid anything they say or do will show up.
What kind of research do you do for a book?
It depends. So far, the funniest has been about plumbing.
When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
I wished for a long time I could write mysteries like Dick Francis. It took me many years before I did so.
Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
Bug Stuff…and other stories follows my other two shortie collections, Man Theory and Little Birdie Who. I'd submitted them to a popular magazine, but they were turned down. A few had nice notations included. The stories weren't bad, just not what they were interested in acquiring because they'd already had something or wanted something specific. I couldn't let them languish; so I decided to indie pub them.
Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?
I do. For me, writing humor in my stories comes naturally. And it is more real life (at least, with the people who surround me).
What is your writing routine once you start a book?
An idea goes Bing! And I take off, usually in dialogue with a smattering of the other stuff as it pops in my head. My first draft is very, very rough. I read over and over and edit and edit to get it perfect for my critique partners. When I get my critique back, I'd hoped all would be good to go, but alas, it never it. So I work and work it again. Then one day, I let go…
What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?
Sounds crazy but I always workout. Every single day. I do needlepoint and chill in front of the TV with Handsome.
How can readers find you?
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Author CentralVicki also writes for Plotting Princesses!
Temporarily Employed, romantic comedy cozy mystery
Release Date: October 17, 2014
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Word Count:
75,000 words
Blurb: New Job. New Love. And
Murder.
Hattie Cook's dream job is down the toilet and her new
SUV violated. Desperate for cash to cover the basic necessities of rent
and food, she takes a temporary job at Buy Rite insurance company where she
uncovers an embezzling scam tied to the death of a former employee--the
very one she replaced. The last thing she wants is to clash with
By-the-Book Detective Wellborn, no matter how much he makes her heart pound.
Allan Charles Wellborn has secretly adored Hattie all his life. He evolved from a pocket protector-wearing geek to a handsome police detective. When the police determine there's more to the death of a former Buy Rite employee, he steps in to lead the investigation. Overly dedicated, always perfect, he puts his job first, even if doing so ultimately hurts the one he loves.
Can the killer be found before Hattie's time is up?
Allan Charles Wellborn has secretly adored Hattie all his life. He evolved from a pocket protector-wearing geek to a handsome police detective. When the police determine there's more to the death of a former Buy Rite employee, he steps in to lead the investigation. Overly dedicated, always perfect, he puts his job first, even if doing so ultimately hurts the one he loves.
Can the killer be found before Hattie's time is up?
Book Excerpt:
“Yuck.”
Pretty much covered the whole freakin’ day.
A blinding red-white, red-white strobe, reflected in my brand new Wrangler’s rearview mirror, seized my attention. The police. I tossed my hands skyward, ready to surrender. I shouldn’t have been too surprised. Like I'd commented this a.m. to my roommate, Jenny, “Today, anything’s possible.”
My Bad Day checklist included:
- Crappy job interview, one which might have provided desperately needed income.
- Wore gut-busting panty hose on a hot day which had now worked past my waist and strangled my diaphragm.
- A barely blowing air conditioner indicated something had malfunctioned in my new, fun car.
I stole another glance in the mirror, and with great reluctance, flipped the right turn indicator. My vehicle coasted to a stop on the shoulder of Boston Avenue in my hometown of Sommerville, a nice suburb located between two large cities. Four lanes of cars and trucks zipped by as I sat there where every single one of my family, friends, friends’ friends, and their friends—including Rat Fink Suzanne—would see a police vehicle positioned right behind mine. Gleefully, drivers would chant the “Ha-ha, got you, not me” ditty.
How embarrassing.
After killing the engine, I flopped back in the seat. Shooting the morons the finger was an idea. Nah. I'm too exhausted to care.
A litany of: "No, not hiring." "Just filled the position." "You're over qualified." "You're under qualified…" tornadoed through my head. Coupled with the intense job search through various outlets like the internet and completing numerous online employment applications, no wonder my body had been depleted of all life force.
Not even a breeze blew to take the edge off the unbearable summertime heat. Tangled wild trees and dry scrubby bushes banked the roadside. The grass had taken on a scorched look. Rolling down the driver’s window, I surveyed my surroundings. Nothing great. Nothing new.
I stole a glance in the side mirror at the policeman who strode purposefully along the shoulder. The gravel crunched under his boots. He looked huge, probably because his uniform, which appeared to be bulked with a bullet-proof vest, made him resemble a buffed-up superhero in size. Exceedingly intimidating.
Sigh. When things went wrong, they were really wrong.
As I viewed him drawing closer, my heart pounded harder. Awkward circumstances usually brought out the worst in me like shyness, ineptness, and uh...more shyness, hang-ups I carried from childhood. Back in the dark ages, I’d deliberately steered clear of embarrassing situations by developing the best self-protection— avoidance. Over time, I’d adapted to embarrassment, but every now and then, some unusual situation would spring out, and like a stealthy cat, those old prickly feelings crept back inside me.
The policeman stopped by the driver’s side, his head slanted to better peer inside.
Up close and exceptionally personal, I saw his sunglasses with dark lenses which shielded his eyes.
“Ma’am, I’m Officer Wellborn. I need to see your driver's license and proof of insurance—”
Something unknown possessed me. I bulldozed in and snapped in an overly loud voice, “What do you want? Why did you pull me over?”
His body stiffened like a package of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough.
Oops. My brows shot skyward as my hand quickly smothered my mouth. Had I really done that? Had I really hollered at a policeman, a very big no-no? Now, he'll surely ticket me.
“Shouting at me could result in disorderly conduct charges,” he said.
Golly. His stern tone intimidated me. Maybe babbling and apologizing profusely will make amends. “I’m so sorry. I’m not normally rude. Mom would give me her little talk on Being Polite to Other People if she’d heard me. I’m really, really sorry.”
A quick glance told me he'd tilted his head in an attentive manner which indicated he appeared to be listening to my explanation with professional interest. I said, “I’ve had an appalling, hideous, horribly dreadful day.”
“I know.”
His flat statement struck me momentarily dumb. How the hell would he know? He didn’t know me. He hadn’t followed me around all freakin' day and seen what I’d gone through. Perhaps, everyone said these things when they were pulled over, and his “I know” reply was the stock answer.
Maybe a so-so explanation would cover my ass.
Jan 31, 2014
#MFRWauthor SPOTLIGHT: J.L. Sheppard @JL_Sheppard
J.L. Sheppard was born and raised in Miami, Florida where she still lives with her husband.
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Connect With J.L. Sheppard
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | PINTEREST
As a child, her greatest aspiration was to become a writer. She read often, kept a journal and wrote countless poems. She attended Florida International University and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Communications. During her senior year, she interned at NBC Miami, WTVJ. Following the internship, she was hired and worked in the News Department for three years.
It wasn’t until 2011 that she set her heart and mind into writing her first completed novel, Demon King’s Desire, which was published in January of 2013.
Besides reading and writing, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Connect With J.L. Sheppard
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | PINTEREST
Burdened by Desire, Elemental Sisters II
Paranormal Romance | The Wild Rose Press | January 31, 2014
Paranormal Romance | The Wild Rose Press | January 31, 2014
Jocelyn, an Elemental, is stuck between the mortal and immortal worlds, yet not quite a part of either. Her power over the elements of the Earth won’t evolve until she meets her mate. Before then she’s an easy prey and a coveted possession for the Malums Inmortalis who wish to conquer the world.
Alpha werewolf, Landon, has been living with the knowledge his fated female, the one woman created for him, is just beyond his reach. For months he’s forsaken her, refusing to accept his mate because she can never grant him a much-needed heir for his nearly extinct pack.
Despite his decision Landon finds himself drawn to Jocelyn and when an attempt is made on her life, he realizes his destiny lies with her. Can they overcome the long-held prejudices of his kind and defeat their enemies in time to find what the future holds?
Amazon Buy Link (ebook) | Amazon Buy Link (paperback)
Amazon Buy Link (ebook) | Amazon Buy Link (paperback)
Book Excerpt
His heart-wrenching confession took Jocelyn by surprise. As his eyes continued to bore into hers, her heart skipped several beats. Was he being truthful? She wanted to believe he was. Maybe it was the way he stared at her, consuming her like nothing else mattered, like she was the center of his universe. She wanted to believe he was sorry and that she excited him. It would comfort her knowing he was as drawn to her as she was to him. But were the words he spoke true?
He pulled her a touch closer, his body rubbing close to her own, she felt every muscle on his chest and his heat, the warmth from his body soothing her. Her eyes settled on his lips and she imagined what would happened if he kissed her again? What would she do? She was supposed to be angry with him but the reason was beyond her grasp.
“Baby?”
The endearment caught her off guard, and her eyes drifted to his again. She fought to catch her breath as his gaze enveloped her. If she waited any longer, his scent would once again devour her. Was he waiting for, a response? What was she supposed to say? Did he ask a question? She couldn’t remember. All she wanted now was a kiss. Just one mind blowing, gut wrenching, searing kiss.
May 7, 2013
Book Spotlight ~ A Midsummer Night's Demon ~ @brenda_sparks #mfrworg
Author: Brenda Sparks
Book: A Midsummer Night’s Demon
Release Date: 2/1/2013
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 978—1-61217-783-0
BUY LINK/S:
Publisher: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/
Genre: Paranormal
Length: 110 Pages
Price: $3.99
Warnings: Explicit Sex
Heat Level: R
Format: E-Book in Multiple
Formats
Author Website: http://www.brenda-sparks.com
Book Trailer URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDDW-rCNL98
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/forBrendaSparks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brenda_sparks
Born a demon,
Daelyn Torres knows little of the world outside her home and work. A chance
blind date promises adventure and perhaps a walk on the wild side. But her
night on the town takes a deadly turn when she is gravely injured. A handsome,
mysterious stranger comes to her rescue, bringing with him a passion she’s
never experienced. Daelyn never believed in things that went bump in the night
but is more than willing to be seduced by the sexy vampire who marks both her
body and soul.
A dark guardian
sent to investigate a series of missing person cases, vampire Ky Robinson is
ready for anything, except the insatiable desire that engulfs him when he meets
Daelyn. He senses their destiny is intertwined and vows to do everything in his
power to keep her safe. The only problem? Demons and vampires go together like
fire and ice.
Apr 25, 2013
Book Spotlight ~ The Green-Eyed Doll ~ @jerriealexander #mfrworg
Author: Jerrie Alexander
Title: The Green-Eyed Doll
Release Date: 12-07-2012
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
ISBN:
Trade Paperback:
978-1-61217-444-0
E-Book: 978-1-61217-445-7
BUY
LINK: http://www.TheWildRosePress.com
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
Warnings:
None
Heat
Level: R
Format:
Trade Paperback and E-Book
Author
Website: http://www.jerriealexander.com
Author
Blog: http://www.jerriealexander.com/category/blog/
Book Trailer URL: TBA
Blurb or Tag (Up to 150 words):
Catherine McCoy is running from
her past. She's been on the move for a year, hiding a secret and guilt in her
heart. When she lands in small-town Texas and meets Sheriff Matt Ballard, he
ignites a flame she thought lost forever.
Matt has scars of his own. He
left the big city after an undercover operation went bad and his partner was
killed. Now, as Matt hunts for a serial killer who paints his victims like
porcelain dolls, Catherine becomes a safe haven for him. Two tortured souls
finding comfort in each other's arms—until he uncovers her secret, and their
bond of trust is broken.
When Catherine disappears, Matt
races to find her, fearing the murderer has found his next green-eyed doll. But
the killer has a surprise coming. Catherine will fight to the death before
she'll be a victim. But will her determination be enough?
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