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

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

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

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

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

AMAZON  | AUDIBLE  |  GOODREADS

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

ABOUT J.J. DiBenedetto
J.J. DiBenedetto is author of the Dream Series and the Jane Barnaby Adventures and lives in Arlington, Virginia with the love of his life and a white cat who rules the roost. His passions are photography, travel, the opera, the New York Giants, and of course writing. Mr. DiBenedetto is devoted to writing books with a sense of mysticism to entertain and perhaps invite his readers to suspend belief in a way they might never have.
website  |  facebook  |  twitter

#MFRWauthor Heating It Up: Where @romanzwrter_grl Elizabeth Harmon Gets Her Story Ideas

Contemporary romance author Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in advertising, community journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels incredibly blessed to have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining “what if?” and a loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world.  Her debut novel, Pairing Off, the first book in her Red Hot Russians sports romance series, is a 2016 RITA Award Finalist.

Here she talks about where her story idea for her newest book came from...

Heating It Up: A Red Hot Russians Novella, was inspired by a line in Getting It Back, book three in my Red Hot Russians sports romance series.  When heroine Amy asks hero Misha about his family, he tells her that his brother Alexei lives in Antarctica. It was meant to underscore Misha’s loneliness, but the line stuck with me. A few months later, when I needed an idea for a novella, I thought of Alexei, and Heating It Up was born!
The adventure of writing an Antarctic romance meant creating a lovable, relatable couple whose rocky road to HEA could happen anywhere.  Alexei’s been hurt by a previous girlfriend’s secrets, and immerses himself in his work as head of the aging Amity Bay research station.  Architect Nora wants to spend the winter alone in the state of the art guesthouse she designed.  When Alexei discovers the beautiful stowaway, attraction sparks.  But will Nora’s secret that she created the building meant to replace his beloved outpost doom their romance?
It also meant bringing warmth and romance to an isolated setting known for the world’s most extreme climate.  For inspiration, I turned to some of my favorite small-town romances, and to a favorite 1990s TV series, “Northern Exposure.”  Amity Bay has a town watering hole, a fire station, a possibly haunted cabin, and a beautiful bay that’s home to a mysterious sea creature. There’s also a cast of quirky residents, many with fascinating stories of their own.
Writing about a place that few have visited, and portraying it as accurately was a challenge and I’m grateful to the two Ice veterans who fact-checked my manuscript. I hope readers enjoy Nora and Alexei’s story, and their visit to Amity Bay. Cold nights, but warm hearts. What could be better than that?

Heating It Up: A Red Hot Russians Novella
Red Hot Russian Alexei is king of the Ice…Antarctic style

Alexei  Zaikov loves his life in remote Amity Bay, Antarctica, until a new luxury guesthouse threatens the community’s future.  As head of Amity Bay, he’s driven to save it, but first must discover who is hiding out in the supposedly deserted lodge…and why.

Nora Bradford has lost everything; a promising career and the man she loved.  Glacier Ridge Lodge, the architectural masterpiece she designed but was denied credit for, seems like the perfect place to grieve her loss, until a ruggedly handsome Russian arrives on her doorstep, determined to bring her in from the cold.

Desire sparks, leaving them hungry for more. But will the truth about Nora’s role in Amity Bay’s demise, doom their romance?

Praise for Previous Series Titles
RT Book Reviews  |  Library Journal Reviews

EXCERPT
The first thing she noticed was that yesterday's sad vulnerability was gone. Now his ice-blue eyes were flinty and determined as he strode inside. Sending him away wasn't going to be so easy this time.
""You're too late,"" he said. ""Fifteen years ago some New Zealander became first woman to winter-over solo. Maybe you already know that. Or maybe you don't care, because we both know that's not the real reason you're holed up in here.""
He knew she wasn't being honest, but not to what extent. Guilty, and too deflated for battle, she leaned against the door. ""You’re right it isn't.""
""Nora..,” the gentleness in his voice felt like a caress. ""Staying here alone only hurts you. And it hurts me too.""
""How's that?""
""Because to keep you secret, I have to lie, not just to IFAR, but to the people who work for me.  People whose trust I don't take lightly.  Staying up here not only puts you in danger, but also them. Down here, people survive because they depend on each other. If one of the systems failed in bad weather, or you had an accident, someone would have to put themselves at risk, and come to help.""
Most likely, that someone would be him. Even with blizz lines strung, making such a trip could be life-threatening. Fear tightened her throat as she considered how it would feel to mourn another man she cared about.
""I know you’ve lost much,"" he said. ""And while I know losing a fiancé is different, I understand the hurt of missing a person I loved dearly.""
“That woman who lied to you?” she demanded, shocked and angry.
“No,” he said. “Not Natalia. I’m talking about my mother.  For a long time, I felt like she was the only person who understood me. But when I came here to Antarctica, I found a place to belong. In time, the pain was not so bad. Up here all alone, you don't have that.""
""No,"" she whispered.
""Ask yourself if this is what he’d want for you. I don't think it is. I know that if I was gone... and the woman I loved was left behind, this isn’t what I’d want for her.""
Her fingers twitched on the doorknob, and she thought of ordering him out, but in her heart, she knew he was right. Even if she weren't drifting through darkened rooms in a ruined wedding gown, she was teetering dangerously close to Miss Havisham territory. In the process, she was putting others in danger.  The weather was turning, and soon the months of darkness would come.  It was time to decide where she would spend them.

Buy Link!

CONNECT with the Author
Website: http://www.romancewriter-girl.com
Blog: https://elizabethharmonauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethharmonauthor?ref=hl
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/110498452269248625447/110498452269248625447/posts
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23440537-elizabeth-harmon
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-harmon
BookLikes: http://elizabethharmon.booklikes.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00RY9SY0S

Interested in Reviewing?
Will be posted to NetGalley after February 1st. Otherwise, reach author directly here.

New Release! #MFRWauthor @JuneShaw BOOK SPOTLIGHT: A Fatal Romance

June Shaw's NEW RELEASE!
A FATAL ROMANCE
Romance hangs in the air for one divorced sister but not the other as Sunny Taylor and Eve Vaughn struggle to get their Twin Sisters Remodeling and Repair business going in their south Louisiana town when their newest customer is found down in his pond near a seating area they created. His wife knew he couldn’t swim and pushed him, Sunny concludes after the man’s ashes fly at his funeral and some land in her pocket. She’s determined to give them to the wife, but complications prevent that and sends evidence pointing at them. Becoming murder suspects hurts their business, and a killer’s warning lets the twins know they need to locate the killer before their similar looks drop down to one, while Eve urges Sunny to find romance, but wouldn’t be thrilled to learn the man attracting Sunny is the person she believes is her own soulmate.

GOODREADS Link  |  AMAZON Link

REVIEWS
Nov 27, 2016, Lisa Morin rated it 5 stars: "It was amazing! This is the first book I've read by this author. June Shaw writes an interesting cozy mystery involving identical twin sisters, Sunny and Eve.
Eve is the more outgoing sister, she has an outgoing personality and loves to flirt with the men. Sunny is a truly unique character. When she's scared, she hums and sings Christmas Carols. Though it may not be appropriate, it does give the reader something to chuckle about. In this story, Eve and Sunny are attending a funeral and when things go bad, Sunny is singing and Eve is embarrassed. Sunny believes that there is something fishy about this death and she refuses to sit back and wait for the police to solve the crime. I really enjoyed this story, it was well written and this book is full of colorful characters. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley."

Nov 30, 2016, Lenore rated it 5 Stars: "I loved this story, the mix of mystery, humor and romance was balanced just right. Adult twins Sunny and Eve are almost identical in appearance, but their life experiences have shaped them into totally different personalities. Sunny added a lot of humor to the story as she investigated the murders of two of their clients. The mystery kept me guessing, and I was satisfied with the final reveal. Sunny’s tentative romance with Dave was sweet, and I hope to read more about them in the next story of the Twin Sisters Mystery Series. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion."

EXCERPT
“Do this one favor for me, please. Stay here. Be nice to him—unless he tries to hurt you.” She smiled wider. “I’m kidding. And I really like him.”
The shadow of a truck crossed the sheers in front of her den.
She returned the pistol to the drawer. “I’ve gotten close to Dave, so he expects that of me—you. Just be nice. You’ll be safe. Promise.”
She waited, letting me make up my mind. She looked so much like me, except for her better clothes and more confident attitude. This idea of performing was intriguing and pulled my mind away from death scenes. She had no reason to think the man would hurt anyone, and my current purpose in life was keeping this sister safe.
“You won’t regret it. I’ll owe you.”
I forced a laugh. “Go on.”
She dashed toward the door to the garage. My mind screamed Are you crazy? to myself while my stomach squeezed into a knot.
Chimes rang out.
Anxiety swelled through my chest. Eve needed the man checked out. If he wasn’t okay, he wouldn’t have stayed in business long. With an unsteady step, I opened the door. “Hello.”
He took my hand with a firm grip. “Hello, Eve. You asked me to come back.”
His greeting brought me to fully recall I was playing a role. My sister would have told this fine-looking businessman to call her by her first name.
“Yes, Dave, please come in.”
Tall and wearing nice dress clothes, he stepped into the foyer. Eve would stand close to him, so I did. Eyes the color of hot chocolate held on my face.
In the den he sat not far from the right end of the sofa. I started to protest but couldn’t tell him not to sit there because I needed to be near my sister’s weapon.
“I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you to sit first. Sometimes I’m not much of a gentleman.”
Remembering to be Eve, I said, “I don’t always want a man to be a gentleman.” I winced, and his lips turned up at one edge. “I’ll just … sit, too.” I squeezed into the tiny space to the right of him, where I could grab that pistol if needed. He carried a light scent of spearmint, maybe toothpaste. And an enticing smell of male.
Enticing? Where did that come from?

ABOUT June Shaw
June lives in south Louisiana surrounded by slow-moving bayous and the large family and group of friends she adores. She has represented the Southern Louisiana chapter of Romance Writers of America and serves on the board to represent her state for Mystery Writers of America's Southwest Chapter. She loves to hear from readers!

www.juneshaw.com, murderousmusings.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/june.shaw.338

While I was teaching junior high students and widowed, raising my five children alone, I wrote on Saturday and Sunday mornings and occasionally a little while after school. Now that I'm retired, I get up at about 7:30, read a little prayer in my Daily Word, get a cup of coffee, and bring it into my office that has stacks of papers lying everywhere. I'd love to be an organized person, but when God passed out qualities, I was skipped on that one. I've tried--sometimes. At least my books are more organized. I used to listen to soft music while I wrote but find I'm too easily distracted now, so I keep things quiet. I get coffee all morning, but seldom can write in the afternoon.

SEEKING REVIEWERS
This book is available from NetGalley.

#MFRWauthor @KryssieFortune on #Thursday13 with Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff

#MFRWauthor Kryssie Fortune's bio 
Move over Lindsey Wagner, there's a new bionic woman in town. I6 years ago, an amazing surgeon fitted me with a carbon fiber heart valve and I haven't looked back since. I visited places I'd only dreamed of, and I’ve written the romance novels I always said I would. Last year, I moved to the sea side, and when I’m not writing, I’m walking on the beach with my husband of over 40 years.

                                                      Sex, Scandal, and the Sheriff

Genre contemporary erotic romance 
Publisher Loose id 

Blurb
Jasmine Stewart (Jazz to her friends) falls for the blond stranger when he spanks and seduces her at a Washington soiree. Later, when she discovers her flatmate is trying to draw her into a spy ring, she goes to the authorities. The ensuing publicity costs her her job, her security, and her future. Starting over in Westhorpe Ridge is her only option.

Sean Mathews, former SEAL and Westhorpe Ridge’s sheriff, can’t forget the woman he spanked when he visited Washington, but he thinks she’s a spy. When she turns up in Westhorpe Ridge, he tries everything to make her leave town. Despite their misunderstandings, though, they can’t keep their hands off each other.

As Year’s Eve looms, the spy ring resurfaces. Jazz will need all of Sean’s SEAL prowess to survive. But because his wounded leg cost him his speed in the water, will it be enough? 

Buy link Amazon 


Since Jazz, my heroine is mistaken for a spy, here’s 13 Famous Real Life Spies
1 Mata Hari -was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was executed by firing squad in France for being a German spy during WW1.
2 Giacomo Casanova – more famous for his love life, he also spied for the Venetians
3 Melita Norwood – She spent 37 years as assistant to the director of Britain’s atomic research center. A communist sympathizer, she constantly passed Britain’s atomic secrets to the Russians.
4 Virginia Hall - aka the Limping Lady. She worked in France during WW2 and often carried secret documents in her wooden leg.
5 Francis Walshingham - Elizabeth the First’s spymaster who ordered the death of Mary Queen of Scots
6 Harold “Kim” Philby – A communist since university, he rose to be head of Soviet Counter Intelligence while mixing in Britain’s highest echelons. He defected to Russia in 1963
7 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg - Both executed in 1953 for passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union.
8 Klaus Fuchs – A German physicist involved in the Manhattan Project, he was convicted of passing secrets to the Soviets.
9 Major John Andre - hanged for conspiring with Benedict Arnold to surrender West Point to the British during the American revolution
10 Belle Boyd – Spied for the Confederates in the American Civil war. She passed on information gleaned from opposing Generals who stayed in her family hotel.
11 Oleg Gordievsky – passed information to British Secret Service while the resident KGB contact in London. Later sentenced to death in absentia by the Russians
12 Harriet Tubman – a spy who created escape routes for slaves during the American Civil War.
13 James Armistead Lafayette – He spied on Brigadier Benedict Arnold and his reports were vital in the defeat of the British at Yorktown.

Find more about the author here:
  Website
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Goodreads

#MFRWauthor Book Spotlight: A Bend In The Willow @SusanCGoldner

Susan Clayton-Goldner recently released A Bend In The Willow, a Contemporary Romance with Tirgearr Publishing.

Willowood, Kentucky 1965—Robin Lee Carter sets a fire that kills her rapist, then disappears. She reinvents herself and is living a respectable life as Catherine Henry, married to a medical school dean in Tucson, Arizona. In 1985, when their 5-year-old son, Michael, is diagnosed with a chemotherapy-resistant leukemia, Catherine must return to Willowood, face her family and the 19-year-old son, a product of her rape, she gave up for adoption. She knows her return will lead to a murder charge, but Michael needs a bone marrow transplant. Will she find forgiveness, and is she willing to lose everything, including her life, to save her dying son?

REVIEW
Beautifully bittersweet – this is the story of Robin Lee’s childhood, the events that formed and tested her, and what she did to finally move on and become the woman known as Catherine Henry. As Catherine her life is everything she dreamed it would be but it is based on lies and she fears that one day she will be exposed. When her five year old son is diagnosed with leukemia and a bone marrow transplant is all that can save him Catherine has to face people and places she has not seen in twenty years. What she finds is an astounding story of giving, living and love.

It has been a long time since a story has moved me to tears! But reading the last chapter of this book about soaked my pillow! This is a beautiful story written with Southern charm. You live through each character. It has also been a long time since I have found a story so beautifully written that you could be reading a movie script. You can just hear the words coming off the page into your mind.

Prologue
Willowood, Kentucky (1954)
I was seven years old the first time I wished him dead. I remember everything about that cloudless February day. The sky had a dazzling light to it, the kind that bounced off snowdrifts and caught the sparkle in the spider web frost on the school bus windows. It was the kind of light that made dreams seem possible. Even for me. The bus smelled like tangerines, wet wool and half-eaten peanut butter sandwiches left in lunchboxes.
I scooted closer to the window so Nancy couldn’t see me slip my hand inside my book bag to finger the pink envelope where Wayne Stafford had printed my full name with a heart drawn around it. Robin Lee Carter. As soon as I finished my chores I planned to paint a snowman card with a heart, instead of a carrot, for a nose.
Nancy poked me in the shoulder. “You got a secret in there?”
I shook my head. Nancy Preston and I swore we’d never keep secrets from each other. But this was a new feeling and I didn’t have the words to explain it yet, even to my best friend.
When the doors swung open on Bear Hollow Road, a string of yelping kids hopped from the bottom step and raced toward the sleds they’d left at the crest of the hill. I caught up with Wayne and touched his sleeve. “May I ride your sled?” I was careful to use the proper verb.
Wayne grinned, but before he could say yes, Peggy Thompson, in her red coat with black fur cuffs, stuck her prissy face close to my ear and whispered, loud enough for him to hear, “Robin Lee is nothing but dirty junkyard trash.”
Wayne’s gaze settled on his galoshes before he turned and ran toward the hill.
I stood up real straight, lifted my chin like Momma always said, and pretended it didn’t matter. Although my clothes weren’t as new and fancy as Peggy’s, they were always clean and well mended.
I wanted to brag about the card Wayne had given me, but instead I held my nose and glared at Peggy. “You have cooties and your breath smells like dog poop.”
She gasped, stuffed her hands into a fur muff that hung from a braided cord around her neck and marched away, her finger curls bobbing with each step.
Nancy slapped her palm over her mouth to hold in the giggles, but she couldn’t hide the sparkle in her blue eyes. Her mom worked on Tuesdays and Thursdays and paid my momma to babysit after school. I loved those two days better than any other. Even my daddy seemed happier. But today was Wednesday. I waved to Nancy, then ran toward my house, anxious to get the laundry hung so I could paint the snowman card.
Halfway up the drive, I spotted Daddy’s pickup truck parked at a funny slant, its front tires in the flowerbed Momma had covered with pine needles for the winter. Right away, I figured he’d been drinking. My heart thumped, but not in the good way it had when I found Wayne’s valentine. Daddy’s drinking moods were dangerous, like someone sprayed poison into the air. I knew my life was different and sometimes knowing that was like skin pinched inside the teeth of a zipper.

GOODREADS LINK  |  AMAZON BUY LINK

ABOUT Susan Clayton-Goldner
Susan Clayton-Goldner was born in New Castle, Delaware and grew up with four brothers along the banks of the Delaware River. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona's Creative Writing Program and has been writing most of her life. Her novels have been finalists for The Hemingway Award, the Heeken Foundation Fellowship, the Writers Foundation and the Publishing On-line Contest. Susan won the National Writers' Association Novel Award twice for unpublished novels and her poetry was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies including Animals as Teachers and Healers, published by Ballantine Books, Our Mothers/Ourselves, by the Greenwood Publishing Group, The Hawaii Pacific Review-Best of a Decade, and New Millennium Writings. A collection of her poems, A Question of Mortality was released in 2014 by Wellstone Press. Prior to writing full time, Susan worked as the Director of Corporate Relations for University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.

Susan shares a life in Grants Pass, Oregon with her husband, Andreas, her fictional characters, and more books than one person could count.

Website: http://susanclaytongoldner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.clayton-goldner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanCGoldner

Book Spotlight: True Surrender @TraceyCramerKel #MFRWauthor

True Surrender: a Military Romance by Tracey Cramer-Kelly
BLURB
When Major Aaron Bricewick is rescued from Afghanistan terrorists, he thinks the worst is over. But his biggest struggle is just beginning…

The first surprise is the amputation of his leg.

The second is the woman he left behind, now a widow with a 4-year-old son – and his new prosthetist (artificial limb maker).

He vows that losing his leg won’t derail his career. But maintaining his outward appearance as a got-it-together officer becomes increasingly difficult as he faces one personal demon after another – and sees his career aspirations slipping away. And though he has no intention of expanding his life to include a woman, his heart has other ideas – and he finds himself questioning the very foundation of his personal beliefs.

When violence – and unexpected redemption – touch his life again, Aaron must make a stand. Which will he choose: duty or love?

Book Link!

REVIEWS
I fell for the hero from the first page. I promise you will keep turning the pages in this book. The characters’ intimate and personal and spiritual journeys converge and it is one heck of a ride!! ~ Jennifer

Mere words cannot express how impressed I am with this novel.  Tracey Cramer-Kelly has out done herself on this military romance. This author has fully convinced me that she is a voice that will quickly earn her high marks in the book world. ~ Suzie

EXCERPT

Impossible, she thought.
And then she saw him: motionless on the floor, a dark stain spreading underneath his body. A stain that she recognized instantly.
Blood.
Oh my God, the terrorists found him!
This first irrational thought was immediately followed by a more trained response. She assessed the situation in the few moments it took her to cross the room. She hit the button on the intercom system, identified herself and requested help.
She dropped to her knees next to Aaron. She spoke as she ran her hands across the back of his neck. “Aaron! Can you hear me?” As soon as she was certain he had no neck or spinal injury, she shook him gently. “Aaron, it’s Holly. Talk to me, Aaron.”
His arms snapped up, flailing for a moment before his good hand clamped onto her wrist—hard. His eyes were wide open, and in them she saw terror…confusion… pain…
They engaged in a macabre tug-of war as Holly stated repeatedly, “Aaron, it’s me—Holly. You’re okay. Take it easy.”
After what seemed like a long time, she saw recognition seep into his eyes. But then he shut them tight, and his body went limp. He released her wrists and dropped his hands over his face. “Go away,” he whispered, his chest heaving.
“I can’t do that, Aaron.”
“You shouldn’t see me,” he said. “Not like this.”
Unexpected tears stung her eyes.
“This isn’t who I am,” he rasped.
“You asked me to leave once already,” she said. “And I honored that request. Maybe I shouldn’t have. So please…”
She locked her eyes onto his, which were open again. Surely he could see that she was close to tears, but she didn’t care. “Don’t ask me to walk away again.”

ABOUT Tracey Cramer-Kelly
Tracey's writing draws from her experience as an Army-trained combat medic as well as over 20 years of being a ""biker chick."" She's also done other crazy things, like producing music videos as well as a stage play.

When she's not writing or running the family motorcycle accessories business, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and kids, especially in the great (but sometimes cold) Minnesota outdoors.

www.TraceyCramerKelly.com
https://www.facebook.com/TraceyCramerKelly/
https://twitter.com/TraceyCramerKel
https://www.instagram.com/traceycramerkelly/
https://www.pinterest.com/cramerkelly/
https://www.youtube.com/user/TwiggleTProductions
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1242964.Tracey_Cramer_Kelly
https://www.amazon.com/Tracey-Cramer-Kelly/e/B002BLYE1C/ref=sr_tc_2_0

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Applicant @AideeLadnier #MFRWauthor @Dreamspinners

Aidee Ladnier released The Applicant, a GLBT Science Fiction Romance with Dreamspinner Press.
How can something so cuddly and adorable be so destructive? The teddy bear robot decimating his lab is only the first disaster of the day for roboticist Forbes Pohle. If he can figure out how to end its rampage, he still has to interview applicants for the position of research assistant and convince the time traveler on his doorstop that they should be making their future right now.

Oliver Lennox didn’t travel back in time to have a quickie in the blast chamber—but it certainly is fun. This younger Forbes is a sweeter, more innocent version of his lover. And it will be hard to leave him behind in the past.

REVIEW
"I love the time travel trope and how this brief story really captured the relationship between Forbes and Oliver and leaves us with perfect set-up into the second book in the Busted Labs series – “The Break In” – where Oliver and Forbes actually meet for the (real) first time. This is an impressive short story and I highly recommend it!" - Gay Book Reviews

EXCERPT
The teddy bear robot hadn't powered down when Forbes sent the command code.
     The tiny whirlwind of metal and fur was still running full tilt into one wall, extracting itself from the plaster and then turning to run the other way, taking out chairs, filing cabinets, and tables in its way. A sharp smell of mechanical smoke and damaged wiring permeated the air. Forbes swallowed, trying to cleanse his mouth of the metallic taste.
     They watched the bear plow into a workstation cabinet leaving a large hole at the bottom. The sound of wood splintering and glassware breaking ensued as it ran down the inside of the cabinet to burst out the other end.
     Forbes winced as he spied the mainframe monitor black and dead, toppled onto the floor. It was unfortunately in the path of the bear, who didn't hesitate to tread into the sparking electronics. A retry of the shutdown code was not going to be possible.
     ""Hey, your little doll is running into your stuff.""
     The applicant stepped around Forbes to stand in the route of the robot, reaching down to pick it up.
     ""NO!"" Forbes yanked the other man out of the way as the robot ran past. It still managed to clip his visitor’s leg with one of its fast pumping furry arms.
     ""Ow!"" The man hopped back, and Forbes grabbed his arm to keep him from falling on the splinters of a chair. The little bear pulled itself out of a skid on some broken glassware and headed back their way.
     ""In here."" Forbes pulled the limping man into the blast chamber where he'd tested the indestructibility of the bear the previous evening.
     He closed the door as the little robot clanged against it, a teddy bear-sized indention popping through on their side.

BUY LINK

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

Website: http://www.aideeladnier.com/p/home.html
Blog: http://www.aideeladnier.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aideelad
Google+: https://www.google.com/+AideeLadnier
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/aideelad/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/aideeladnier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AideeLad
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/AideeLadnier

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT! Brothers in Blue: Max @JeanneStJames

Another book by MFRW Author Jeanne St. James!
Brothers in Blue: Max
Loose Id

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BLURB
Big city party-girl Amanda Barber has been spoiled most of her life. But life for Amanda suddenly becomes a major challenge: adapting to small town life, dealing with her handicapped brother and constantly butting heads with a frustrating local cop.

As a police officer and former Marine, “responsibility” is Max Bryson’s middle name. Never having been in a serious relationship, he has no plans for being in one in the near future. He likes being his own man. And even if he were interested in a serious relationship, he certainly wouldn’t choose it to be with someone so immature and irresponsible as Amanda. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t get sexy Amanda out of his head or his heart. Watching her mature in front of his eyes, his protectiveness towards her only strengthens.

Bossy and possessive aren’t the only words Amanda uses to describe this frustrating cop. She can’t deny just looking at the man makes her tremble. But she’s done with having anyone control her and this man isn’t going to be any different. Or is he? " Big city party-girl Amanda Barber has been spoiled most of her life. But life for Amanda suddenly becomes a major challenge: adapting to small town life, dealing with her handicapped brother and constantly butting heads with a frustrating local cop.

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EXCERPT
She laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled her nose into his neck. She could feel his strong pulse against her cheek.
It felt so good to be in his arms. She circled his tattoo with her finger. Semper Fi. Mary Ann had made sure to tell Amanda that it meant “always faithful.”
“Did you always want to be a cop?”
He had one hand on her hip and the other on her thigh, rubbing it slowly back and forth. “Yes.”
She waited a moment, and when he said nothing further, she prodded. “Why?”
His deep voice resonated through his chest. “I was always in awe of my grandfather and my father. That’s why I followed in their footsteps. That’s why all three of us did. The Marines first, to serve our country, and then the police department, to serve our community.”
“To protect and serve, huh?”
The pride exuded from his words. “It’s the Bryson family motto.”
She moved her nose up to nuzzle him behind the ear. “Well, you can protect and serve me anytime.”
“I’d planned to since the minute you bitched me out in that parking lot when you first came to town.”
She raised her head, pushing herself up with a palm against his chest. “You were only trying to get into my pants.”
“True…” he said slowly.
Amanda grabbed a nearby decorative pillow and whacked him.
“Hey! You didn’t let me finish. True, but when you saw me in my uniform, you just wanted a big ol’ piece of this bad boy.”

ABOUT Jeanne St. James
JEANNE ST. JAMES is an erotic romance author who loves an Alpha male (or two). She was only 13 started writing when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.

She has a few new releases coming up in 2016 and 2017. So keep an eye on her website at www.jeannestjames.com or sign up for her newsletter.

Blog: http://jeannestjames.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannestjames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeannestjames/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jeannestjames
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/3082300.Jeanne_St_James

#MFRWauthor #Historical Book Spotlight: Darcy's Hope @GingerMonette

A NEW RELEASE by Ginger Monette!
Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey, A WW1 Pride and Prejudice Companion Book 2

1917. With WW1 raging across the Western Front, Captain Fitzwilliam Darcy has won the heart of Elizabeth Bennet. Finally.

Then she disappears.

Still reeling from the loss, tragedy strikes, plunging him into a dark and silent world.

His heart tells him to hold on to Elizabeth, but his head tells him to take a chance with his extraordinary nurse who reminds him of his beloved Elizabeth.

But Donwell Abbey holds a secret that just might change everything....

*Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey is a sequel to Darcy's Hope ~ Beauty from Ashes, but can be read as a stand-alone novel.

BUY LINK!

REVIEWS
""spellbinding story!"" ~Derbyshire Writer's Guild reader

""...story is amazing!"" ~Derbyshire Writer's Guild reader

""Fabulous story!"" ~Derbyshire Writer's Guild reader

EXCERPT
Like a tentative knock on the door of his heart, her fingertips brushed his uniform sleeve, then grazed his hand as her fingers fell away. Something answered deep inside him.

ABOUT Ginger Monette
Ginger lives with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys dancing on the treadmill, watching period dramas, public speaking, and reading—a full-length novel every Sunday afternoon.

Her WW1 flash fiction piece, Flanders Field of Grey, won Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's 2015 Picture This grand prize.

website  |  facebook  |  amazon  |  goodreads

SEEING REVIEWERS
Do you love Jane Austen fan fiction? Author is looking for reviewers even if you haven't read book 1 of series. Contact SperoBooks@gmail.com with "Review Donwell Abbey" on subject line.

#MFRWauthor Book Spotlight: Bess by Charles Cranston Jett

Bess
by Charles Cranston Jett
Bess Parker is only 21 years old when she sets out by herself in 1908, leaving the safety of her childhood home for southwestern North Dakota to establish a homestead. And it takes all the strength she can muster to succeed—facing the perils of the vast prairie, making her homestead productive, conquering the dangers of the frontier, flirting with romance, struggling with the emotional needs of her heart and body, and meeting the challenges of life on the prairie. But this unique young woman has a steely determination, and her story is the epitome of courage and grit in a difficult and sometimes cruel time in the history of the west.

Bess is the story of a young twenty-one year old woman's journey of courage, grit and love.

AMAZON Buy Link

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

A REVIEW
Rochelle Weber, Roses & Thorns Reviews, Dec 8, 2016
Growing up on a farm in Cando, North Dakota, “Bess” Parker is a tomboy. She’d rather be outside helping her dad with farm chores than inside learning to cook or sew with her mother. Obedient child that she is, Bess manages to do both—get up early enough to feed the chickens, gather the eggs, help Mama with breakfast, and then go outside to help saddle up her horse and help her dad tend the sheep. In the spring she even helps with lambing and shearing, while getting good grades in school and mastering the piano, eventually being able to play complex pieces such as Chaupin’s etudes. The only thing is, when a local boy expresses an interest in courting her, Bess just isn’t interested. She wants to move farther west and homestead—on her own. Much to her mother’s dismay, Bess never seems to show any interest in romance at all.

She’s very good at hiding the feelings she has for her best friend. Nor does she tell her parents about Linda, the girl she meets on the train enroute to Haley, North Dakota, the town where she plans to homestead, or the three wonderful days they spend together before Linda leaves for Montana to visit her aunt and uncle.

“Bess” grabbed me at the beginning and held my attention straight through. I had difficulty putting it down. Mr. Jett did a pretty good job of staying in the period with only one anomaly that I found, which wasn’t bad for a first-time historical novel. Mr. Jett’s dialog could also be a bit less stilted, but making the transition from non-fiction business writing to fiction is not easy, and since Mr. Jett had the same publisher, I suspect he had the same editor who may not know as much about working with fiction. Bess is a plucky character—a strong woman who makes her own way in a man’s world. A true pioneer in more than one sense of the word. I highly recommend “Bess.”

ABOUT Charles Cranston Jett
Charles Cranston Jett is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and the Harvard Graduate School of Business. He served in the US Naval Nuclear Submarine Force and has thirty years’ experience in the management consulting and executive recruiting world. A native of the Western Dakotas, Mr. Jett is also the author of WANTED: Eight Critical Skills You Need To Succeed; The Doom Loop; Field Studies; and Super Nuke! A Memoir About Life as a Nuclear Submariner and the Contributions of a “Super Nuke” the USS RAY (SSN653) Toward Winning the Cold War.

Connect with Charles on his blog or on goodreads.

SEEKING REVIEWERS
Email Charles for a review copy. Will provide e-book.

Meet #MFRWauthor @RaineEnglish in Shadows and Lies

MFRW author Raine English recently released Shadows and Lies, a Contemporary Paranormal Romantic Suspense, by Elusive Dreams Press.

When Olivia Lockwood leaves the comfort of her quaint Massachusetts home for an eerie mansion in Louisiana to fulfill her grandfather’s dying wish, she has no idea of the long-buried secrets that await her there. Or whether Jaxon Carter, her grandfather’s right-hand man, might steal her heart or put her life in jeopardy.

A love so strong it transcends time, but can it survive an evil that’s out to destroy?

Buy Link!

REVIEW
A haunting romantic suspense on an 1830’s sugar plantation. The story alternates from present day back to 1800’s. Woven seamlessly into the storyline are time travel, ghost story, curses, and romance. A nice, intriguing, quick read. Finding your soulmate from long ago
Source: Comfy Chair Books

EXCERPT
As I stood looking at the house, clouds covered the sun, darkening the bright, beautiful day and casting shadows over Turnberry, giving it a much more sinister appearance. My gaze traveled up to the second floor, and I could have sworn I saw someone staring out from one of the large paned windows, but upon second glance, no one was there. Could it have been my imagination, or had someone been watching me arrive?
My fingers curled around the spinel pendant that hung from my neck, and I stroked the cool, smooth stone, hoping it would help to ease my anxiety.
“That’s a lovely necklace, Miss Olivia,” Gerard said, his gaze fixed on the pendant.
“Thank you. My mother gave it to me.”
“Many people confuse spinel with rubies, but I don’t quite know how that’s possible. No other stone gives off that fire. Did you know it has mystic qualities?”
I nodded, thinking back to how my mother had said it would protect me...

ABOUT Raine English
USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes in a variety of genres, including Gothic romantic suspense, paranormal, and sweet small-town contemporary romance. Her books have won many awards, such as the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award. She was also a finalist for the Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart®. She lives in New England with her family and two French bulldogs, Bailey and Dolly.

Website: www.RaineEnglish.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RaineEnglish
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaineEnglish
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/l/B00ADCU816?

SEEKING REVIEWERS
This book is available in exchange for reviews. Contact author directly through her website.

#MFRWauthor @GingerMonette speaks about Darcy's Hope on #Thursday13

 #MFRWauthor Ginger Monette, Grand prize winner of Charlotte/Mecklenburg libray's 2015 "Picture This" contest, lives in Charlotte, NC where she enjoys dancing on the treadmill, watching period dramas, public speaking, and reading--a full-length novel every Sunday afternoon.

Darcy's Hope 
Beauty from Ashes, A WW1 Pride & Prejudice Variation (Great War Romance Book 1)

Genre Historical

Escape to the era of Downton Abbey and experience all the drama of World War 1 alongside literature's iconic Elizabeth Bennet & Fitzwilliam Darcy. You'll watch their tender love unfold as they learn to work together and reconcile their differences at a field hospital only miles from the Front.

Buy Link: https://www.books2read.com/u/47kXOj

Enjoy a video teaser:

13 Favourite Period Romance Dramas
1. Pride & Prejudice. I love Matthew Macfadyen (With Colin Firth a close second!)
2. Downton Abbey. I loved it so much, it was THE inspiration for my Darcy's Hope saga!
3. Outlander. 'Nuf said : )
4. Young Victoria. It's hard to believe the hero in this one plays the rake in Pride & Prejudice!
5. Poldark. Aidan Turner could have been a killer Darcy with his smouldering good looks!
6. North & South. Doesn't everyone love Richard Armitage?
7. Emma. Jonny Lee Miller holds a special place in my heart.
8. Mansfield Park. Ditto above
9. Little Dorrit. See, I told you I like Matthew Macfadyen : )
10. When Calls the Heart. I'm a sucker for Daniel Lissing.
11. Jane Eyre. I used Toby Stephens as inspiration for one of my characters.
12. Anne of Green Gables. I grew up with this one.
13. Gone With the Wind. Doesn't get more perfect than this!

What's your favourite period drama?

Find more about the author here:
Facebook
Amazon 

READ The Assignment @JadeAWaters #MFRWauthor. Get Lessons In Control.

What would you do if someone offered to fulfill your wildest fantasies? 

Seductive. Charming. Dominant.

Dean Sova is everything Maya Clery craves. From the first touch, their connection is intense. After leaving her troubled past behind, Maya thought she was happy—she is happy—but meeting Dean forces her to acknowledge dark needs she longs to explore yet has never had the courage to face.

Her perfect match, Dean encourages Maya to set loose the submissive urges inside her in a series of assignments intended to open her mind and test the limits of pleasure…but Maya isn't sure she can fully let go of her inhibitions.

What would you do if someone offered to fulfill your wildest fantasies?

The answer seems obvious. You take the offer and hope the price isn't too high.

Jade A. Waters recently released The Assignment, book one of Lessons in Control, an erotic romance, with Carina Press. This book is approximately 81,000 words. 

Buy Link!

REVIEW
"While there have been many books written about dominance and submission, this tale takes a completely different and refreshing approach."" -B. Nakia Garner, RT Book Reviews

"I really enjoyed reading about these two and how they connected. The secondary characters were great as well... I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you Jade A. Waters for a great hot and sexy read."" -M. Austin, Alpha Book Club Reviews

EXCERPT

I lost track of time once we left the table. There was an abrupt wave at the hostess, a quiet walk across the wooden slats of the pier and an awkward wait for the elevator. Dean didn’t take his eyes off mine as three other people boarded with us. His chest kept lifting, widening like a promise of what would happen the moment he had me alone. When the elevator doors parted on our floor, he looped his arm in mine and tugged me close.
The earlier tease had me ready and curious. The alcohol in my body didn’t hurt either, and as Dean led me down the hall, I pinched his side playfully.
“You’re so serious. Are you always like this?”
He backed me against our suite door, twisting his mouth while he fumbled in his pocket for the key. “Honestly?” he said.
“Yes.”
“I’m incredibly turned on and trying not to fuck you right here in this hallway.”
“Oh.”
He had the key out in the next second and swiped it over the sensor. The lock process lagged, but Dean moved ahead anyway, blocking me between him and the door. His cock was firm on my belly, his hips urging me.
“I want you,” he said.
The door fell open as he lowered his lips to mine, and he had to catch me when I tumbled backward. Then it was a race—Dean slamming the door and yanking me against him, his hands cupping my ass, his mouth taking mine in a more masterful kiss than he’d bestowed me with before dinner.
I sucked in a breath, lost in the movements, the force of his lips. His body overpowered me, a mass of muscle that smothered and caressed. I rocked up my hips and he groaned, one hand sliding between my cheeks and the other gripping my waist, my back and my shoulder. When he twined his fingers in my hair, he jerked back my head.
“Wait,” he said. I froze, my lips parted.
What the fuck? “I—”
“Shh.” Dean tightened his hold on my hair, and my heart pounded loudly. He pulled my head farther back, exposing more of my neck. “Fuck, you’re irresistible. I just want to slow down and take you all in.”
I’d never had a man look at me as entranced as Dean did now, and it made my knees wobble.

ABOUT Jade A. Waters
Jade is an erotica author and poetess in sunny California. A lover of candy, coffee, dancing, and endless karaoke, she is happiest when surrounded by words—be they on the page or shared in good conversation. Her short fiction and poetry is featured in over a dozen anthologies from Cleis Press and Stupid Fish Productions, and currently, Jade is hard at work finalizing the last book in the Lessons in Control series from Carina Press. Visit her at http://jadeawaters.com, or follow her at http://twitter.com/jadeawaters.

Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/JadeA.WatersAuthorPage
Tumblr: http://jadeawaters.tumblr.com/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JadeAWaters
Pinterest: pinterest.com/jadeawaters/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7222124.Jade_A_Waters

SEEKING REVIEWERS
Email me HERE; will need to be Netgalley members and preferred timeframe is within a month

A Few QUICK Questions and A Few QUIRKY Answers with #MFRWauthor @KryssieFortune

Meet MFRW Author Kryssie Fortune.
Alpha males and their sassy mates rule in Kryssie Fortune's books. If the hero's a shapeshifter, then so much the better. Werewolves prowl through her Scattered Siblings series, along with the occasional Fae and vampire.

Kryssie grew up climbing trees and playing with imaginary dragons. She still loves dragons, and if she can sneak one into her books she will. Her pet hates are unhappy endings and books that end on a cliffhanger.

Kryssie's books are hot and explicit but the plot always comes before the sex. Since she writes erotic romance, she guarantees a happy ending. Visit her author website, author blog or facebook.

A Few QUICK Questions and A Few QUIRKY Answers
Day or Night? - Day
Pen and Paper or Computer - A mixture of both
Fruit or Chocolate - Can I have both? If not, fruit.
Coffee or Tea - Peppermint tea.
Roller Coasters or merry-go-rounds - Merry-go-rounds.
Bath or Shower - Shower
City life or Country Life -Country live, preferably near a beach
Soft or hard? Soft
E-book or paperback - e-book
Cats or Dogs - I've had both.
Fast or slow - Fast
What is your secret guilty pleasure - Laying in bed and reading until the small hours.

Kryssie's newest book is Marriage, Mobsters, and the Marine, a Contemporary BDSM

Romance, with Loose id.
Abigail Montgomery, a small town schoolteacher with zero self-confidence, dreams of the Dickensian Christmas her family never enjoyed. Each month she attends a masked BDSM club, but her next visit will be her last. If she doesn’t marry within the next year, her brother won’t inherit Montgomery Hall. Desperate, she advertises for a husband.

Jared Armstrong, a former Marine sharpshooter and occasional Dom needs to $125,000 to get his family out of a hole. His solution—to marry Abigail Montgomery for her money. His only regret is his wife won’t accept his spanking lifestyle.

Gradually, Abigail comes to dream of making their marriage real, but she promised Jared a divorce two years after their wedding. Can they share some Christmas magic as their relationship faces extortion threats, a kidnapping, and an attempted murder? Or will Jared break her heart when he walks away?

Abigail and Jared marry for mutual convenience, each unaware of the other’s BDSM lifestyle. Can love blossom despite extortion threats, kidnapping, and attempted murder?

Buy Link!

EXCERPT
God, he wished she’d get on with it, but she studied the unopened menu as though her life depended on it. Finally, she lifted her head. “Are you married?”

His eyes narrowed. “Your advert said no ties. I’m single, HIV free, and I don’t screw anyone for cash.”

She choked on her drink, coughing and splattering water over the table. Jared watched and waited, unwilling to make it easier for her when she was the one who placed the advert.

Across the table from him, Abigail curled her hands into fists and laid them on her lap. Her smile faded and her voice trembled. “Will you marry me?”

“Are you pregnant?” he shot back.

Her cheeks turned scarlet. “No. In fact, I came on my period two days ago. But I do need a husband. I know I’m not what you imagined in a wife, but I’m willing to pay a $75,000 advance as well as house, feed, and clothe you for two years. After that, I’ll pay you another $150,000 when we divorce.”

He stared at her intently, trying to decide if she needed therapy—or perhaps a few weeks in the local insane asylum. “You’re serious?”

She took a sip of mineral water. “I am.”

His eyes narrowed, and his forehead furrowed in anger. “I’ll feed and clothe myself. Can I still put time in with my business, or should I get a job local to where you live?”

When she finally smiled, it felt as though the sun had come out on a cloudy day.

Putting her glass on the table, she took looked anywhere but at him. “I’m glad you want to do so. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I chose you. You have values and goals. All I have is an insane great-aunt, or I did until recently.”

“Tell me about it,” he demanded.

#MFRWauthor Book Spotlight: Stone and Shell @LloydAMeeker

Lloyd A. Meeker released Stone and Shell - A Solstice Tale!
Eight-year-old Howie Evinger is convinced that his dad would be happier if he found a new husband. Howie would be happier, too. And somewhere out there in the city of Vancouver, there's the right man for his dad to love. But how to find him? That’s a problem, especially if you’re just a kid and your dad says he doesn’t want another husband.

With the help of his quirky aunt who calls herself a Buddhist Wiccan, Howie builds his very own solstice altar with cool symbols to support his search. It has a candle, a feather and a twisty stick, plus an agate for his dad, and a scallop shell for his new husband. Share Howie’s solstice adventure as he learns how real magic requires courage and patience as well as symbols.

Buy Link!

EXCERPT
Maybe the stone and the shell were too close to the candle. Howie wasn’t sure how this stuff worked. He studied his Solstice altar, made out of a wooden TV tray covered in a piece of dark green cloth. He felt nervous, like sitting in a surprise math test he hadn’t prepared for. He had dreams like that sometimes. He hated math.
If he left his objects too close together, would his wish cover enough territory? Vancouver was a big city. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and frowned. Shanna, who was really his aunt Shannon, even though she didn’t let him call her that, would know how it worked.
She’d taught him about symbols last week, which was a totally cool idea. Then she helped him build his Solstice altar and told him to place his symbols wherever he felt was right for them. The problem was he didn’t know how to place them so his wish, which sat like a giant lump inside him, would come true. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask her about placement rules for wishes.
Dad was working late tonight, and the house was a lot nicer when someone was home already. Back when his dad and Joel were together, they’d had a big Buddha statue, which was the first thing anybody saw when they came in the front door. It was like having a friend waiting for you to come home. Joel had taken it to Toronto with him, and the house felt different without it. He’d told Dad he didn’t mind that it wasn’t there anymore, but he actually did. He didn’t want to be a wuss and complain, though. His best friend, Ricky, was lucky. The Liu family had a gold Buddha set up in their house with all kinds of beautiful stuff around it, even incense. Howie liked the smell, but it made him sneeze sometimes.
Shanna would come soon, and he’d help her get dinner ready. Usually on Dad’s late days, all three of them would eat together, which was nice. It was lasagna tonight, Howie knew, because Dad had made it on the weekend and had frozen most of it for nights like this.
So when Shanna got there in a bit, he’d ask her how Solstice altars worked. She’d know what to do. She’d told him all about Druids and the Solstice and the Celts who were Howie’s ancestors. When he said he thought his grandparents were English, Shanna got a little mad and said just because someone is born in a barn, doesn’t mean he’s a horse. Howie didn’t get it entirely, but he’d stuck with being from the Celts after that.

ABOUT Lloyd A. Meeker
I’m a mystic, writer, healer, lover, cancer survivor, father, friend. I write (mostly) gay fiction featuring all those paths and more. Having led what can only be described as a checkered life, I can honestly say I’m grateful for all of it. I’ve been a minister, an office worker, a janitor, a drinker, and a software developer on my way to finishing my first novel in 2004. But basically I’m just a weather-worn psychic empath still learning how to live in the world just the way it is. The thing is, I experience the world as so much more than is generally accepted. That’s the challenge. Writing stories is the best way I’ve found to examine and share the questions, the wonders I engage daily.

My husband and I have been together since 2002, married since 2007. Between us we have four children and five grandchildren. We're based in south Florida, and work hard to keep up with the astonishing life we've created for ourselves.

www.lloydmeeker.com  |  https://twitter.com/LloydAMeeker
Amazon Author Page  |  https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.a.meeker/
REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE!
Email Lloyd HERE to receive a review copy. Review expected within a week of delivery.

All About SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY @FrancesOThomas #MFRWauthor

Welcome MFRW Author Fran Thomas.
Fran Thomas was born in Pittsburgh. She never intended to live in Florida, but Fate had other plans for her. She resides with her husband on an island in the Gulf of Mexico and spends her time observing its quirky denizens and their antics. Visit her website or find her on pinterest.

She's recently released Southern Hospitality: Book Two of Calusa Town Tales. Here's what she says about her creative process...
Just like Kate in Southern Hospitality, I moved to a barrier island in Florida from Pittsburgh. And like her, I was a fish out of water. After living here a few years, I began writing a column for the local newspaper, highlighting the quirky personalities and colorful social events of the residents. As I grew to know more and more people, I finally felt like I belonged. Eventually I became the editor of that newspaper and gained even more experiences with the opinionated and vocal people who call this home.

When I decided to write fiction, I had plenty of material to draw from. I've changed the name of the town and modified the geography to suit my own purposes. But I hope I have retained the caring qualities of the people who live in what I now call home. Southern Hospitality is Book Two of the Calusa Town Tales series. I will be beginning Book Three very soon.

ABOUT Southern Hospitality

BUY LINK (FREE with Kindle Unlimited!)
Kate Schubert is a woman on a mission. After working her way to a degree and toiling behind a series of check-in counters, she's on her way from Pittsburgh to a town in Florida. The bad news is nobody she knows has ever heard of Calusa. The good news is she has been hired for her very first management position, one she plans to make a stepping stone to the career she's always dreamed of.

Dave Morissey is still friends with every woman he's ever dated--and there have been quite a few. He doesn't believe in permanent relationships, but he's more than willing to add a leggy redhead to his list of temps. Kate Schubert is a woman on a mission. After working her way to a degree and toiling behind a series of check-in counters, she's on her way from Pittsburgh to a town in Florida. The bad news is nobody she knows has ever heard of Calusa. The good news is she has been hired for her very first management position, one she plans to make a stepping stone to the career she's always dreamed of. Dave Morissey is still friends with every woman he's ever dated--and there have been quite a few. He doesn't believe in permanent relationships, but he's more than willing to add a leggy redhead to his list of temps.

EXCERPT
Kate Schubert sighed. Loudly. She attempted to stride through the South Florida Airport pulling her animal-print carry on behind her. Her progress, however, was blocked on every side by her fellow passengers arriving from Pittsburgh. Giggling school children on summer vacation bounced alongside slow-moving, silver-haired senior citizens. Two or three middle-aged men shucked lightweight suit jackets and loosened ties as they ambled down the concourse. Would it be too much to ask that they speed it up?
The concourse dead-ended at an escalator rumbling downwards. At the foot of the escalator, Kate made a sharp right towards baggage claim. Near the stilled carousel, a man holding a cardboard sign with her name printed on it slouched in a plastic chair.
Kate approached him. “I’m Kate Schubert.”
The man took a quick inventory from her red hair pulled back in a severe pony tail down through her head-to-toe black outfit and back up again.
He grinned. “Welcome to Florida. I’m Dave.”
He began to unfurl himself from the chair. When he was fully upright, Kate had to look up into his eyes. That was a rarity. She stood nearly six feet tall in bare feet. In the three inch heels she favored, she towered over most men. She had learned to use what had been a drawback in high school to her advantage. Unintimidated, she returned the man’s stare. His grin faded.
“Let’s see about getting your other luggage,” Dave said.
A bell sounded, and the carousel lurched to life. A mishmash of luggage tumbled down a chute and slowly revolved until hauled off by a hand shooting out from the gathered crowd. Kate pointed out her matching bag, and Dave hefted it easily.
 “You travel pretty light,” he said. “I was expecting more suitcases, so I borrowed Seth’s SUV.”
“I shipped the rest,” she said. Her brow puckered.  “So you work for Mr. Connor, er, Seth?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
Kate fell into step beside the tall man. What job could he possibly have at the new hotel she’d been hired to manage? The baggy cargo shorts, flowered shirt, and flip flops he wore weren’t much to recommend him. The only thing he had going for him was his impressive physique. Well, that and eyes a startling turquoise against his tanned face.
“What exactly do you do?” she asked.
“This and that.”
“Not too ambitious, are we?”
Dave shrugged. “Ambition’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Nice use of the royal ‘we’ by the way.”
When the electric doors slid open, a blast of warm, moist air hit Kate in stark contrast to the highly air conditioned building. So this is what Florida felt like. After they left the terminal, Dave led her across the street and into the parking garage. He stowed both her bags in the trunk of the car and then attempted to open the passenger door.
Kate beat him to it. “I can open my own door.”
“Just because you can doesn’t always mean you should.” Dave circled the vehicle and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“I’d rather depend on myself,” Kate said.
“Yes, ma’am. I can see that.”