Other Books by #MFRWAuthor October's Author Andrea Parnell

AUTHOR: ANDREA PARNELL

The Colonial Period in American history is a time of fascination for me. I love meeting and creating characters who play out their lives and adventures in that era. You’ll meet a few of them in my novella,

DARK PRELUDE 

Handsome sea captain Roman Toller and his irascible brother Morgan make their appearance in London some days before boarding the Eastwind for a journey to their Uncle’s private island off the Georgia colony of 1751.  Their days are spent indulging in food and drink, their nights in debauchery with the maid of the day.

Across London, lovely and resourceful Silvia Bradstreet is scrapping to keep her life together until she can escape on the same ship.  Her days are occupied with work and worry, her nights with fear and dread of her Uncle Hollister who has made her a servant in his home. 

That the three of them should meet is inevitable, but how and when becomes a study in fate, a glimpse of how a single event can change everything. 

Read DARK PRELUDE as a Free download from Amazon

Continue the adventure in DARK SPLENDOR.

DARK SPLENDOR

She crossed an ocean to find a new start in life.
Instead, she was caught in web of danger, seduction, and deceit...

At Serpent Tree Hall, nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted—including the man she loves.

Lovely young Silvia Bradstreet comes from London to an isolated estate off the coast of colonial Georgia to be an indentured servant. But a far different fate awaits her. Clothed in finery and pampered like a queen, she finds herself a pawn in the devious schemes of Wilhelm Schlange, master of Serpent Tree Hall, as he manipulates the family members who hope to inherit his vast fortune.

Haunted by ghostly dreams and threatened by the island's deadly secrets, Silvia cannot trust her own senses, nor anyone around her. Most of all, she dare not trust her growing passion for Schlange's nephew, handsome sea captain Roman Toller. His lips move like a hot flame over her flesh and draw the very breath from her body. She wants to believe Roman cares for her, but how can she be sure? Is he Silvia's only hope of escaping her dark fate—or is Roman leading her to destruction?

PRAISE FOR DARK SPLENDOR

“An entertaining blend of eerie shadows and romantic interludes. An excellent Gothic romance.”
—Publishers Weekly

AVAILABLE

Amazon Kindle      Nook       iTunes       Smashwords

READ AN EXCERPT

A cry of admiration came from Silvia's lips. She had never dreamed of such elegance. Suspended from the wall on each side of the foyer were large gilt-and-crystal candelabra. They were formed of golden snakes, heads carved to hold the candles and tails twisted together against the leafy design of the base which fastened to the walls.

Silvia stared questioningly at the woman who had shown her in. She could not imagine that any place in Europe could be more beautiful.

A slight, brief smile formed on the other woman's thin lips. A look of satisfaction gleamed faintly in her narrowed eyes as if she were pleased with Silvia's reaction. A rustle sounded from her taffeta skirts as she moved to stand in front of Silvia.

“I am Vivien,” she said. Her eyes were little black lights set deeply in her face. “Mr. Schlange instructed me to take you upstairs where you can rest and get settled.” She started to move away but added briskly, “Mr. Schlange apologizes but he is ill and cannot greet you himself.”

Silvia lifted her brows sharply and turned her attention to Vivien at that pronouncement.

“I trust his illness is not serious,” she stated, the concern showing in her eyes as they met Vivien's.

Now that they were near the stairs and in the full flood of light, Silvia noted the pale contrast of Vivien's skin with the darkness of her hair. She wore it tight against her scalp and fashioned into a ball neatly covered with a black mesh at the back of her head. Her simply styled dress was of a green color so dark as to be almost black. With it she wore a crimson rope, a sort of belt, around her waist, and from the jangle when she walked, Silvia thought it must hold a number of keys which were hidden in her pocket.

“Mr. Schlange is old and tires easily,” Vivien responded as they stood at the foot of the stairs. She paused. “And all must wait until he is strong again.”

Silvia waited, expecting Vivien to explain what all must wait for, but was disappointed when instead the woman spun around and began to climb the stairs. Silvia quickly followed, her mind filled with unanswered questions. Who was Vivien and what was her position? Perhaps she should ask, she thought reflectively.

She had climbed only three or four steps when she caught a glimpse of someone in a room that opened off the foyer. His back was to her, but instantly she knew the sweep of his broad shoulders, the aloofness of his carriage. Roman Toller.

Her body stiffened in shock, but not before a sound of surprise escaped her lips.

“You!” she cried out.

 





More about Andrea


Always a romantic, Andrea Parnell enjoys creating characters whose passions for life and for matters of the heart run deep.  When she isn’t at work on a novel or learning the inroads of social media, she is taking a walk in the woods, tending her flowers or enjoying the serenity of a cup of tea on the patio. 

She is the author of twelve novels. Her works include historical and contemporary romance. Additionally, she has published short fiction and articles. Her books have received the Maggie, Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, and other awards, and have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly.

Andrea lives in Georgia with her husband and two cranky but indispensible cats.  She invites everyone to download a free copy of her novella Dark Prelude, available at major eBook stores.

Connect with Andrea

Blog AndreaParnell.com

Facebook Andrea Parnell Author

Twitter @AndreaHParnell

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/andreaparnell9/

#Thursday13 Favorite Movies @AshleyLadd #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Ashley Ladd shares her 13 favorite movies.
Ashley lives in South Florida with her husband, five children, and beloved pets. She loves the water, animals (especially cats), and playing on the computer. She's been told she has a wicked sense of humor and often incorporates humor and adventure into her books. She also adores very spicy romance, which she weaves into her stories.

AMAZON  |  BLOG  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS

I love stories - obviously as I'm a story teller. I can watch these movies over and over. These are my thirteen favorite movies...

The Mummy

While You Were Sleeping

Battleship

Independence Day

Pillow Talk

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pride and Prejudice

Gone With The Wind

Glass Bottom Boat

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Rocketeer

Back To The Future

Ashley recently released Cooking Up A Storm, an Erotic GLBT Contemporary Romance with Totally Bound.
Brooks and Rique desperately want to win the head chef’s position offered by an eccentric millionaire Jonah Verleun on his beautiful, private but peculiar island that includes a zoo full of exotic animals, an amusement park and a monster shark tank beneath Jonah’s bedroom floor. While Brooks wants the job to escape his heartache and the lover who thwarted him, Rique is hiding from the mob, hoping to live long enough to pay them off with the prize winnings. Fierce competitors, they cook up a storm in a series of cooking challenges while trying to turn down the heat on their intense attraction. When a hurricane strikes the island, the storm Rique has been cooking up explodes, and no heart—or body—is safe. Brooks and Rique desperately want to win a coveted chef’s job offered by an eccentric millionaire in paradise. Even more, Rique desperately wants to stay alive.

BUY LINK

EXCERPT

They ran, hunched over, zigging and zagging as bullets flew around them. Rique damned himself for putting Brooks in this mess. He wondered if the mob held the others prisoner and that’s why they didn’t answer the door.
He turned the first corner they came upon and then the next. He stopped dead and the air left his lungs. A moment later Brooks ran into his back almost knocking him over. He swayed dangerously but managed to stay upright and spread his arms wide to keep Brooks from stumbling forward.
He couldn’t believe his eyes. One of Jonah’s tigers lay in their path crouching low, baring his teeth, and eying them as if they were dinner.
He tried to quell the jitters attacking his stomach so the animal wouldn’t smell his fear then whispered to Brooks through clenched teeth, “What do we do now? Freeze or run?”
“Run. But where?” Brooks whispered back, a frown trembling on his lips.
“To the closest protection.” He prayed their hunters had lost them, that they wouldn’t run back into a barrage of bullets. As Rique bunched his muscles to run, already feeling the animal’s fangs ripping into him, he noted how the tiger’s thick muscles corded in his shoulders, and how saliva ran down his snarling lips.
“Dear God, we’re going to die.” Panic laced Brooks’ voice. “If we get out of here alive, let’s both turn down the job and move in together.”
Swallowing hard, Rique couldn’t reply so he nodded. Besides, as much as he wanted to live with Brooks, he couldn’t do it as long as he was indebted to the mob. However, the point was moot. He couldn’t see a scenario in which one of them didn’t die in the next five minutes.
Feeling responsible, Rique couldn’t let anything happen to Brooks as long as he was alive. He would take on the tiger giving Brooks time to reach safety. “On the count of three, run!”
As Rique whispered, “One,” hisses, then a blood-curdling growl wrenched the air. It was a different sound than the tiger was making. Then a crocodile bellowed and jumped out of the bushes and snatched the tiger by its belly. As it dragged the struggling creature back to the bushes, the tiger howled in surprise and pain. It clawed the air in vain as the reptile’s powerful jaws clamped tighter biting through flesh and bone.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Chaperoning Paris @VictoriaPinder #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Victoria Pinder released Chaperoning Paris, a Mainstream Contemporary Romance, with Soul Mate Publishing in June 2014.

Gigi Dumont never forgot how she walked away from the only man she ever loved.

She’s a teacher who has led her students to the finals of an international French competition to be help in Paris. The night before the trip, the principal tries to cancel the trip before he, in turn, loses his job to her high school boyfriend, Sean Collins.

Sean Collins has survived cancer, a divorce, and Gigi having aborted their child back in high school. He assumed he’d hate her, if they ever crossed paths again. But he discovers she’s exactly what he wants.

When Gigi and Sean are stuck together for a week in Paris, Gigi feels she has lost all her control. How can she survive her attraction to Sean? The man’s sexier now than he was back in the day, and once upon a time, he’d had her heart. She finds herself falling for him, even knowing forever is impossible.

AMAZON

Excerpt

Payback time. Standing in his mother’s kitchen, Sean Collins smiled as he hung up the phone.
He hovered at the phone for a moment, then charged along the carpeted hallway to his bedroom. In a flash, he changed from his T-shirt and jeans into his black pin stripe king-of-the-business-world suit complete with black tie and shiny black shoes.
Finished dressing, Sean jittered at the door and listened to his son talking nonstop to his mother upstairs. His skin tingled and he closed his eyes. At least moving to his parents’ country estate where he had grown up on Cape Cod had been good for everyone.
Breakfast could wait. He grabbed the keys on the counter downstairs, and he called upstairs, “I’m leaving. I won’t be gone long.”
Last year, the school principal had fired him with bogus charges. Sean had sworn on every holy book that he’d been fired because his doctors had discovered cancer in a routine physical exam.
The sickness sucked. But he’d survived. And now he used his vast wealth to get what he wanted. No teacher should be treated so callously. He had taken the job at the time to prove to himself he had more choices than being the chief financial officer of his father’s corporation.
He set his jaw and walked outside to his car, where the smell of freshly cut grass hit his senses.
The moment he stepped outside and headed toward the garage, Sean stared at the vast forested area on the property for a moment and pressed his lips together. Trees made sense. Women never had. His luck with women had been bad from the start. His first girlfriend, Gigi Dumont, had left him for parts unknown, and then later his wife, now his ex, Jennifer, had also left. She’d played with a whole set of loose scruples. But Jennifer hadn’t hurt him, not like Gigi had. Sean rolled his shoulders. Why did everything in his life always seem to go back to Gigi leaving?
He fished out his keys from his pocket. And now Gigi had moved back into the house next door.
Sean opened the garage door. A quick click of a button and the gate lifted.
Last night he hadn’t slept. Today his shoulders were straight. This moment had nothing to do with women and everything to do with justice. His fingers traced the shiny finish of his brother Gerard’s Aston Martin. Without blinking, he opted to borrow the car. He’d be early and outshine everyone else. Gerard had offered to loan it to him specifically for today. Sean licked his lips and turned the key, igniting the engine, and took off.
A daydream flashed in his eyes. Principal Murray’s jaw dropped to the ground in shock the second Sean stepped inside the office with the papers.
Sean clutched the wheel. He intended to twist the knife even further. People like Mr. Murray gave businessmen around the world the reputation of cold, heartless automatons, especially when he claimed the firing had been over “job performance.” Every one of Sean’s students had passed the state assessments.
Now, Sean ran the finances for his parents, his father’s company, and his brothers. The support of his family to get him through cancer treatments had been phenomenal, but what if he hadn’t had that support? What if he’d had no money to pay for treatments? He’d be dead because the principal had fired him due to the insurance increases. Well, now Sean had a better solution.
He sped down the country road for the half-hour trip. During his horrible marriage to Jennifer, he’d worked as a teacher, and his students had achieved both academic and social successes. Jennifer had been the nightmare that drove Sean away from Collins Industries, Collins Enterprises, Collins Investments, and Collins Mutual, to list a few of his father’s multiple companies. Post divorce and cancer, Sean had made the decision to offer employees packages in cases of sickness. Anyone who worked for him would now receive a payoff equal to the job performance done over the years as part of a settlement. Money paid hospital bills.
Sean’s stomach clenched as he gazed at the sign for the Barnstable Charter High School parking lot. Sean parked Gerard’s fancy lawyer wheels that screamed “out to impress” right next to the about-to-be-sacked principal’s BMW sedan. The Aston Martin made the perfect goodbye gesture. Murray had been outclassed.
Sean leaned forward in his seat, refusing to feel guilty. He waited for the school bell to ring and watched students bounding outside.
Unlike most people, his family had money, and normally he wouldn’t like flaunting wealth. His Jeep Wrangler suited him just fine, but today he needed to look like the elite businessman he was. He stepped out a minute later, and in a fast walk, he strode down the halls. Sean winked the second he saw the school guard’s shocked face.
“You had cancer?” asked the older African American lady who coached the wrestling team.
“Yes, I did. I’m better now,” Sean said, smiling.
He inclined his head and passed the security desk then Sean turned right toward the principal’s office.
In his briefcase he carried the school board’s ruling and the proof of sale of the school to Collins Enterprises. Barnstable was a private school that followed school board law. The sale to his company had been finalized, but Sean had insisted on telling Murray in person. The minutes of the meeting would be posted at one that day. Victory waited for him, and justice tasted better than homemade chocolate chip cookies.
In the office, the overqualified secretary, Mattie, dropped her pencil on the floor. Sean made eye contact with her and the older woman smiled back. Then he picked up the pencil in stride, and handed it back to her. She opened her mouth to speak, and he shook his head, placing his finger over his lips to silently request her silence.
She smiled her response and swiveled her chair back to her computer.
He had seen Mattie in action and understood the older woman had known how to treat people more than anyone else in the office.
Outside the principal’s door, Sean straightened his tie into perfect alignment. His heart rate sped up and his entire body became alert then he heard her voice.
Gigi, or should he say, Giovanna Dumont. Her quiet, sweet voice unmanned him, making his palms sweat. Why would she be here? And how could she still steal his breath away?

About Victoria Pinder
Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.

The Zoastra Affair, Chaperoning Paris, Borrowing the Doctor, and Electing Love, Mything the Throne and Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush will be published in 2014.

Now she is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Also she’s the Vice President for the Florida Romance Writers. Her website is www.victoriapinder.com.

#MFRWauthor Interview with @AngelaDrakeA

Who is Angela Drake?
Angela Drake believes in happy endings, the magic of 'what if' and in second chances. When not living vicariously through her characters, Angela writes about and promotes Texas and classic country music. She is an active member of two local writer's organizations. Angela enjoys time with her granddaughters, gardening, journaling, and a myriad of artistic pursuits. She shares a home in the Ozarks with her husband, three dogs and two cats. She loves networking with readers and writers through her Facebook, twitter and blog.

Want to know More? We do... so we asked!
How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing? 
Quite a bit. Since I live and breathe the music business, I have the opportunity to let my readers behind the scenes.

What kind of research do you do for a book? 
Mostly for settings. If I can’t travel to where I want the story to take place, then I look through travel brochures, websites and network with people who live in the area. I also listen to music that my characters like – even the secondary characters help add to the fabric of the story.

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms? 
I’ve been writing short stories and poetry since about the age of twelve. I wrote my first full-length novel in the late ‘90s.

What genre is it?
A Christmas to Remember(o riginally titled Ozarks Angel) is a contemporary romance set in Eureka Springs Arkansas. This was my first ‘second chance at love’ story.

Where did the idea come from? 
Somewhere Down the Line came from an experience I had a couple of years ago. I was about to see someone for the first time in 25 years. I sat in his driveway, gripping the steering wheel thinking, what am I suppose to day? How am I suppose to act? How will he react? This was not a relationship reunion but on the drive home later that ‘what if’ question popped into my head. What if my heroine were reuniting with someone for the first time after a long period apart? What if they had feelings for one another they never acted on before? When a fan crushes on an artist, don’t they often think what it would be like to be with them – even married to them?

What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions? 
My husband of over thirty years has always been my most supportive person. He understands how important this is to me and will often ask if I’ve written anything that day.

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries? 
I watch TV or create art. I love classic black and white movies as well as family movies like The Waltons. Quality shows with a moral compass. I am also a paper crafter and mixed media artist. I love getting my fingers in paint and playing with rubber stamps

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?
I read every Vicki Lewis Thompson story that comes out. She’s a neat lady and great with creating characters you care about. I love Jodi Thomas’ contemporary ‘homespun’ stories and J.D. Faver. J.D.’s Bad series is one of my favorite collections. I also enjoy W.C. Jameson’s treasure hunting books and his books on historical figures such as Billy the Kid. He has one coming out about Amelia Earhart I’m anxious to read.

Angela Drake released Somewhere Down the Line, an Erotic Contemporary Romance,

with Boroughs Publishing Group in June 2014.

It all began twenty-five years ago on the road: a charming crooner with a boyish grin fronting an up-and-coming Country/Western band, an entertainment journalist with everything to prove, and a love that could never be. A love that was wrong.

Things have changed. Trey Morison and Alana Cozins are finally free to act on their desires, but is it really possible after all this time? From the Abilene Fairgrounds to a storm-swept beach on Galveston Island, from a reunion of friends to a fast-and-furious realization of their passion, Trey and Alana will test the boundaries of what they think they know—and what they know they want. They’ll find a renewed career, a deeper understanding of themselves, the past and each other. And it all begins with a hit song that’s a heartfelt prayer that unwavering love might finally be rewarded…

BUY LINKS
http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Drake/e/B00L701Z9C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/somewhere-down-line
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-somewheredowntheline-1547421-149.html
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/447433

What Reviewers Are Saying...
"Every perfect country song put into a perfect happy ever after story!
I couldn't put it down! Looking forward to more books by one of my new favorite authors!" ~ Joyce (Amazon)

"This book is a great addition to your Kindle library. I was so determined to finish the book I fell asleep only to be woken by my Kindle hitting me in the face - twice!" ~ Susan (Amazon)

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: To Snarl or To Snuggle @KatyaArmock

MFRW Author Katya Armock released To Snarl or to Snuggle, Hidden Lines #3, an Erotic Paranormal Romance, with Etopia Press in June 2014.

Chloe thinks her life is just about perfect. She’s finally got her psychic abilities under control, her relationship with her father has never been better, and she’s finally marrying her shape-shifter boyfriend Jorge. But when a teenage shape-shifter in need of help leads Jorge’s rival to their door, Chloe’s perfect life deserts her. Chloe’s mother and grandmother find themselves in a psychic feud that leaves Chloe caught in the wake, and a woman with suspect motives insinuates herself into Chloe’s life. Throw in a shocking revelation about the origins of her family’s extrasensory abilities, and she’s not sure she’ll make it down the aisle in one piece, let alone live long enough for a happily ever after…

And she thought meeting her in-laws was tough. She just wants to make it through her whirlwind wedding. Too bad life isn’t cooperating.

BUY LINKS

Etopia: http://bit.ly/etopiaKA  |  Amazon: http://bit.ly/tsots

BN: http://bit.ly/tsotsbn  |  AllRomance: http://bit.ly/tsotsar

Excerpt
“So what was up with your lack of cake enthusiasm?” My best friend Naomi peers at me over her latte.

We’re taking a wedding planning respite at our favorite coffee place.

She clearly knows something is wrong. Usually I love cake, food, all things with sugar and fat. And, of all the tedious parts of planning my wedding, tasting the cake was supposed to be the highlight.

Naomi starts tapping her fingers and her blue-eyed stare means business. I’m not getting out of spilling the beans. Time to woman up.

“I found an old letter I wrote to my mom.” I stare down into my Earl Grey latte and try not to let my emotions run away with me.

“From when?”

“I was sixteen. Wrote it the day I tore up every picture of her I had.” I didn’t need to say more.

Before Naomi can say anything, there’s a commotion at the entrance. A boy, maybe twelve or thirteen, careens into an empty table just inside the door, almost knocking it over. I know puberty can have its awkward gangly growth spurt phases, but this is no ordinary stumbling. At first, I assume he’s drunk or stoned or something—sad, I know, for a young teen— but then I notice some awfully shaggy hair sprouting from his neck and spreading under his shirt.

Shit. He’s a shape-shifter, and by the looks of it, one who isn’t prepared to be going through a transition. Given his age, this is probably his first shift or close to it. Odds say he’s an orphan shifter—born into a family who doesn’t know shape-shifters exist but have some rogue genes in their DNA. Puberty takes hold, and boom, you find out you’re a shape-shifter.

About Katya Armock
I like books that are funny and fun to read (and hot!) but also make me think or look at the world in a new way. These days you’ll find me writing, pet sitting, juggling a number of freelance gigs, and reigning as my home’s domestic goddess. I live in the Midwestern U.S. with my husband, dog and cats. Alas, I have, as of yet, been unable to teach my husband how to purr. I love to hear from readers.

• Website: http://katyaarmock.com/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katyaarmock
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyaArmock
• Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/katyaarmock
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/katyaarmock
• Tumblr: http://katyaarmock.tumblr.com/

#Thursday13 Items To Save In Disaster @VictoriaPinder #MFRWauthor

For Thursday 13, MFRW Victoria Pinder shares 13 Items She'd Save When Disaster Strikes.
Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious. The Zoastra Affair, Chaperoning Paris, Borrowing the Doctor, and Electing Love, Mything the Throne and Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush will be published in 2014.

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

13 Items I'd save
in my house if the house were to catch fire, or some terrible disaster was about to unfold.

1: New Husband.
2. My computer. (How else am I to write?)
3. Drivers license
4. Credit Cards
5. Do I have time to hit up the ATM? In disaster scenerio the ATMS would stop working... however for a fire this might seem excessive, but who knows zombies might be coming next.
6. Keys to the car
7. Wedding DVD/Picture
8. My pillow. (I do like to sleep and my head like soft things)
9. Top shelf of my food pantry that I used for hurricane supplies
10. Flashlight
11. A change of underwear
12. Extra pair of shoes besides the ones on my feet.
13. Printer... if the internet doesn't work how else do I communicate with my agent to keep writing more novels?

HER LATEST BOOK
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush

Erotic Contemporary Romance
Jupiter Gardens Press

Penny moves back to Miami to start her a job with a list of things to accomplish.

1. Find a place to live.
2. Avoid her gold-digging mother.
3. Reconnect with old high school friends: her best friend Sandra, the dramatic Eva, the dark Michael, her half-brother Wyatt, and her former crush Jay.

Jay may have kept her firmly in the “friend zone”, but that didn’t stop her from wanting more. Her five friends have stood by her through some difficult times and she’ll need their help now to accomplish her first two goals.

As soon as Jay sees Penny, he puts his plan into motion. His investors need to see him with a stable woman, one who isn’t all flash and no brains; Penny fits the bill perfectly. There’s just one hitch—he wants more.

Their pretend date sets off a whirlwind of plots. From mothers who want to control their children’s lives to the loss of her exciting new job, Penny’s world turns upside down. She knows she can overcome all obstacles except one—she’s falling for Jay all over again."

AMAZON Buy Link

A Short & Sweet Interview with #MFRWauthor Margaret Fieland @MadCapMaggie

We asked MFRW Author Margaret Fieland a few short questions. She gave us a few sweet answers. Read more about Margaret and enjoy an excerpt from her 2013 release.

Born and raised in New York City, Margaret Fieland has been around art and music all her life.  Her poems and stories have appeared in journals such as  Turbulence Magazine, Front Range Review, and All Rights Reserved. She is one of the Poetic Muselings. Their poetry anthology, Lifelines, was published by Inkspotter Publishing in November, 2011.  She is the author of  Relocated, Geek Games, and Broken Bonds, published by MuseItUp Publishing , and of Sand in the Desert, a collection of science fiction persona poems. A chapter book is due out later this year.

Why did I decide to write romance novels?
I didn't *decide* to write one. I wrote a sci fi novel with no intention of writing any sequels, and lo and behold, my characters kept poking at me to answer questions and write more. One of the characters in my first sci fi novel is living alone at the time of the first novel in my Novels of Aleyne series, and I wondered why. I ended up writing a sci fi romance with him as one of the characters in a four-way M/M/M/F relationship.

How much of your life experience ends up in your writing?
An awful lot. For one thing, the things I'm passionate about -- art, music, poetry, politics, computers, relationships -- are things that inform my novels, and then, too, various bits and pieces make their way in.  A couple of my father's old World War Two army stories made their way, suitable modified, as incidents in my sci fi romance, ""Broken Bonds.""

What kind of research do you do for a book?
Whatever I need to. I need to know enough about whatever it is to picture my character moving through the scene. For the novel I'm just finishing up, the fourth Aleyne novel, I picked the brains of my middle son, who was in the army for seven or eight years, as the main character is a colonel in theTerran Federation Guard, and I needed a fair amount of detail about army procedures and the like.

Tell us about your latest book?
My latest book is the fourth in the Novels of Aleyne series, and it does not yet have a real title. I've been calling it ""Rob's Book,"" after the main character, who is a colonel in the Terran Federation Guard. He is posted to Aleyne to arrest Major Brad Reynolds, the main character from ""Broken Bonds,"" for treason. The opening scene occurs in ""Broken Bonds,"" but here it's told from Rob's point of view, and goes on to chronicle his trials in attempting to help negotiate a new treaty between the Federation and Aleyne.

What motivated it?
The characters kept poking at me. I rewrote ""Broken Bonds"" a couple of times, and in one of the versions, I have a meeting between Brad and Rob. That got cut out, but I by then I had  Rob and his two wives and their dicey family situation in my head, so I ended up putting them into their own novel. The politics is the main thrust of this book, but there is a strong romantic sub-plot as well.

Where did the idea come from?
Good question. From the characters and their situation and my desire to know what happens next.

What is my writing routine once I start a book?
I'm fairly linear, so I start writing at the beginning of the book and write through to the end. At that point I have the first draft, and I know the arc of the book, the characters, really what the story is about. Then I go back and revise.  I do have a plot outline and a good idea of where I'm going and the major plot points, but not how I'm going to get there.

Does my family know not to bother me?
Not really, but I have tunnel vision when I'm writing. I tend not to notice interruptions, and when I do, I jump and bark, ""What?"" It tends to lead to relatively few interruptions.

What do I do to relax and recharge?
Walk my dogs, listen to music, pull weeds, do dishes, play music -- I play the flute and the piccolo. And read. I'm a book junky. If I don't have a large stack of reading material, I get very anxious.

Connect with Margaret...
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/margaretfieland/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/margaret.fielandAuthor
twitter: http://www.twitter.com/madcapmaggie
goodreads:   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4417476.Margaret_Fieland

Margaret Fieland released Broken Bonds, Novels of Aleyne Book 2, a GLBT Sci Fi Romance, with MuseItUp Publishing in July 2013.

When Major Brad Reynolds is assigned to head the Terran Federation base on planet Aleyne, the last thing he expects to find is love, and certainly not with one of the alien Aleyni. How can he keep his lover, in the face of political maneuvering and of Ardaval's feelings for his former partners— and theirs for him? When you bend the rules, they may snap back and hit you in the face.

BUY LINKS
MuseItUp  |  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

REVIEW

I loved this book. Marvellous. I devoured it in a day.It was so nice to be able to go back and visit with this cast of characters. Aleyni is such a unique place. The scenery there, never ceases to amaze. Ardaval was still my favourite character, there is just something about him that continues to fascinate me. But it was nice to get a window into more of the other characters past and present. Broken Bonds, surprised me. It's a science fiction romance, but it gave me so many things to think about. Poetry, love. relationships. spirituality, family, right and wrong.I think that's what I love most about this series, it's not a heavy book/series but it's not fluff either. I can not think of any other book I could relate to this series, it's so unique and refreshing.
5 stars, can not wait for more from the series!

          Posted by Amazon Reviewer

EXCERPT
Brad took a deep breath of cool night air, inhaling the nutmeg scent of the flowers planted around Ardaval's front door. Before Brad could knock, the door opened and Ardaval stood in the doorway. Brad hesitated before putting out his hands palm up.

Ardaval placed his hands over Brad's. ""My heart, my home, my hearth.""

""My hearth, my home, my heart,"" Brad murmured in response.

Smiling, Ardaval directed his gaze at Brad's eyes; it evoked the same curious flutter in the pit of his stomach as the last time they'd met. Ardaval held open the door and gestured for Brad to enter. ""You've come to discuss Gavin.""

""I have."" Brad followed Ardaval into the front hall where tiles of local stone sparkled on the floor and a padded bench stood under a window. Through a doorway on one side, a glance revealed a kitchen furnished with dark wood cabinets, clean and a bit bare.

""Come."" Ardaval gestured toward the back of the hallway where a doorway led into a center courtyard, open to the cool night air, and motioned to a small table. A red-leafed tree in the center spread its leaves overhead. Brad sat, and Ardaval sat beside him.

Brad needed to talk about Gavin Frey's political views. Views that, as far as he could tell from the records, were the opposite of his own. A breath brought him the scent of Ardaval's skin, musky, with a hint of clove. Was it duty or cowardice keeping him from reaching for Ardaval's hand and kissing the palm?

Ardaval clasped Brad's hand in his. ""Tell me more about why you were posted to Aleyne.""

Should he remove his hand? No. He enjoyed Ardaval's touch and what was the harm, really? When he glanced up, he found Ardaval regarding him with evident amusement.

""I recommended that a man who used psi to save his squad be given a dishonorable discharge."" Brad hesitated. ""Although the soldier deserved a medal rather than a court martial, he was a fool to admit he caught a thought.”

Ardaval nodded.

""About Gavin Frey. Is he your shan?"" The thoughts slipped out.

Ardaval stared into Brad's eyes for a a second or two before he replied. ""As you surmise, he is my son; my shan, because I didn't raise him.""

Might as well ask this, too. ""His mother never told you about him?""

Ardaval shook his head. ""No, she didn't. He spent six months here after she died. Then we disagreed over a matter of ethical principal and he left.""

Given what he understood about Frey, Brad would have been surprised if they hadn't.

""He married, but his wife died. He has a son who is now fourteen by Terran Standard years.""

""His mother possessed a strong psi talent.""

""She contacted you?"" Brad's eyebrows rose to his hairline.

""She did. I suggest you keep an eye on the boy.""

""Do you believe he has gazal?"" If the boy developed Aleyni mind speech abilities, he'd need careful watching. Brad's own family had been fairly accepting but how would Frey react if he discovered his son possessed gazal? And what about the terrorists, who might try to exploit Keth's talent?

Ardaval nodded. ""I do, though of course we've never met. Gavin doesn't, or at least if he does, he keeps his mind so locked down it's the same thing.""

Brad sighed and rose. He'd completed what he'd said he'd come to do.

""It happens this way with us, at times."" Ardaval paused for a moment. ""We'll meet again.""

Brad turned to leave. He couldn't ignore this connection, wish it away, any longer. Only Ardaval's assurance kept him moving out the door.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Seizing Heaven by #MFRWauthor @NHurleyMoore

MFRW Author Nicole Hurley-Moore released Seizing Heaven, a Mainstream Historical Romance, with Jupiter Gardens Press in July 2014.

Can the Reynard family betrothal ring really choose his true bride? Lord Savaric Reynard is about to

find out.

Lord Savaric Reynard is intent on marrying the widow of Blackstone Manor, that is, until fate and the Reynard betrothal ring get in the way. On his way to meet the widow, Savaric is waylaid by Rosamund, a travelling artist.

He doesn’t believe in magic or the old family legend that the Reynard betrothal ring has the power to choose the right and true bride. Savaric soon discovers he can try and run from Fate, but one way or another it just might catch up with him.

The Reynard legend says that the betrothal ring will choose the true bride... always.

BUY LINKS
Amazon - http://goo.gl/brQEB6
Barnes & Noble Nook - http://goo.gl/L0giHC
All Romance - http://goo.gl/OiMb8a
Smashwords - http://goo.gl/IaGHkO
Coffee Time Romance & More - http://goo.gl/6UjvOl

ABOUT Nicole Hurley-Moore
Nicole has always been a lover of fairy tales, history and romance. She grew up in Melbourne and has traveled extensively, whilst living her life through the romance of books.

Her first passion in life has always been her family, but after studying and achieving her BA Honours in Medieval Literature, she devoted her time to writing historic romance.

She is a full time writer who lives in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia with her family, where they live in the peaceful surrounds of a semi-rural town.

#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.

BUY LINKS

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

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

Mermaids Anyone? #Thursday13 @TiffanyDaune #MFRWauthor

Author Tiffany Daune talks Mermaids.
I write stories about magick, love and dark creatures lurking in the shadows. When I'm not lost in Edit Land you can find me reading a book from my towering TBR pile or at the movie theater nibbling licorice. I don't have a lucky number, but my favorite time is 11:11. I completely believe that the fortunes found inside cookies will come true and that you must be careful when wishing on stars. I live on an island, so if you want to visit you'll need a boat, and if you want to survive the passage, be sure to bring candy for the mermaids.  

13 Movies with Mermaids / Water Beings

1. The Little Mermaid
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
3. Hook
4. Splash
5. Lady in the Water
6. Aquamarine
7. Splash
8. The Secret of Roan Inish
9. Fishtales
10. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
11. Ondine
12. Empires of the Deep
13. Night Tide

Tiffany Daune recently released Coral & Bone, a Young Adult Fantasy, with Jester Ink Press.

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame.

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.

Amazon BUY LINK

Excerpt
""See who you are,"" the mermaid whispered.
Halen's eyes clouded over and when the smoke cleared she found herself standing in an open field. She was dressed in a cotton dress which fell around her ankles. Soft grass tickled her toes. She took a step forward and a flower sprung from the ground beside her. She leaned down to pick the red poppy. As she took another step a flower sprang up from between the blades of grass. Halen smiled. She walked a little farther and with each step a new poppy sprouted and bloomed. She ran faster and the field blossomed under her feet, and when she waved her hand, the entire valley filled with red poppies. She inhaled their sweet scent and when she exhaled, the birds glided in the breeze of her breath through an endless blue sky.
Halen laughed when the wind caught her skirt and swept the fabric up over her head, but when she pushed it down, dark clouds rolled overhead. She took one step forward and the grass beneath her feet sizzled to a crisp. Taking another step, the poppies burst into flames. The fire licked the hem of her skirt and she gathered it up over her knees. Scanning the field, she spotted a boulder; if she could make it there, remove her feet from the ground, she could save the rest of the field.
She ran in long strides, and with each step, she scorched the ground with her fiery feet. Suddenly, she tripped. Her hands touched down and the ground combusted with a brilliant light. The fire raced through the field, spreading to the trees. The flames reached up, lassoing the birds from the sky, dragging them to the ground. Halen crawled to the rock and hoisted herself up. She stared out to the barren land. ""No, no. What have I done?"" She clawed the air and the clouds rumbled with thunder. The fire burned hotter and hotter under her flesh. The only way to extinguish the flames was to release them. Tilting her head back, she opened her mouth wide and screamed. What birds had not been burned turned now to black beasts swirling in the torrid sky.

Connect with Tiffany
Website http://www.tiffanydaune.com
Facebook Page  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tiffany-Daune/395436080503637
Twitter     https://twitter.com/TiffanyDaune
Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/6904400.Tiffany_Daune
Tumblr http://tiffanydaune.tumblr.com
Google+  https://plus.google.com/+TiffanyDaune/
Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tiffany-daune/59/b70/530
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/tiffanydaune/
Instagram http://instagram.com/tiffanydaune

Wild Glory by #MFRWAuthor October's Feature Author Andrea Parnell

Wild Glory

Condemned By Desire

Amid the sober grays of her Puritan New England village, Glory Warren shone with a dazzling beauty that enchanted the men who saw her…and started whispers that she trafficked with the powers of darkness. The most lustful glances of all came from Reverend Josiah Bellingham, whose smiling face hid his devious heart. Accepting his marriage proposal would break Glory’s free spirit and demand her blind obedience to him—even if it saved her from being hung as a witch. Terrified, Glory had no one to turn to—until young, virile trapper Quade Wylde strode masterfully into town and into her life. Should she trust this mysterious man whose kisses fired her senses with shameful desire? Or was she under passion’s spell, dreaming of ecstasy that could only be hers if she risked everything for love?

Excerpt:

“You do not learn a lesson easily, Glory Warren.”

With a shriek and a gasp, Glory bolted upright and would have thrown herself into the water and fled had not a hand gripped her wrist and held her back. She saw a bare chest and a twist of black braid and concluded in her confusion that fate had repeated itself.

“Unhand me!” she shouted and sent a kick flying at the broad and muscled chest. The blow missed and the following swing of her fist at the ominous dripping face resulted in both her arms being held fast. Shortly she was snatched from the rock and found herself waist deep in the water, face-to-face with her captor.

“Easy, girl!” Quade laughed and jerked her close against him and with such an impact that the ribbon fastenings of her chemise gave way, exposing the soft mounds of her breasts. Quade groaned, regretting the need to handle her roughly, but it was the only way to protect himself from a furious flurry of kicks, one of which he feared might do lasting damage if properly aimed. “You need not cripple a friend,” he shouted, pinning her arms behind her so that she was held tightly pressed against his chest.

Glory writhed against him like a caught eel, not giving up the fight until at last she heard the sound of his voice through the fog of her fear.

“Quade!” she cried. “Quade Wylde! ’Tis you!”

“Aye,” he said, letting her hands loose. “’Tis me or what’s left now that you’ve pelted me with bruises from head to toe.”

“Quade!” Glory flung her freed arms around his neck, tormenting him much more with her sudden embrace than she had with her ferocious kicks. “You nearly scared me to an early grave.” She sobbed and clung so tightly he felt every curve and hollow of her woman’s body mold against him. “I thought you a savage,” she whispered perilously close to his ear. “It was as before. You springing from the water the way the Narraganset did.”

Quade gave a ragged sigh as he felt a jolt in his loins. “Was a foolish plan,” he said hoarsely as she tormented him further by laying her weight fully upon him. A tremor he could not contain shook through the muscle and sinew of his large frame. “I should have called from the bank and made myself known.”

“Aye,” she said, twisting her bare legs on his as she struggled for sound footing on the river bottom. “Would have saved us both a bit of wear.”

For all the time she burrowed against him he held his arms stiffly at his sides, his hands clenched tightly against his tense thighs. When he should have pushed her away, he could not bring himself to end the sweet torment of having her arms twined about him. His plight was great. Should he join the embrace he feared he would not stop with a brotherly hug and kiss, and he dared not go beyond that mild show of affection.

Wild Glory

Release Date: Oct. 15

Author: Andrea Parnell

Publisher: Trove Books

Historical Romance

Sensual

Buy Links

Amazon | iTunes | Nook | Smashwords | Kobo |

Let's find out more about Andrea

Always a romantic, Andrea Parnell enjoys creating characters whose passions for life and for matters of the heart run deep.  When she isn’t at work on a novel or learning the inroads of social media, she is taking a walk in the woods, tending her flowers or enjoying the serenity of a cup of tea on the patio. 

She is the author of twelve novels. Her works include historical and contemporary romance. Additionally, she has published short fiction and articles. Her books have received the Maggie, Romantic Times Reviewers Choice, and other awards, and have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly.

Andrea lives in Georgia with her husband and two cranky but indispensible cats.  She invites everyone to download a free copy of her novella Dark Prelude, available at major eBook stores.

Connect with Andrea

Blog AndreaParnell.com

Facebook Andrea Parnell Author

Twitter @AndreaHParnell

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/andreaparnell9/

A Short 'N Sweet Interview @Jill_Blake_ #MFRWauthor

A Short 'N Sweet Interview with Jill Blake
Jill Blake loves chocolate, leisurely walks where she doesn’t break a sweat, and books with a guaranteed happy ending. A native of Philadelphia, Jill now lives in southern California with her husband and three children. By day, she works as a physician in a busy medical practice. By night, she pens steamy romances.

Why did you decide to write romance novels? 
The guaranteed HEA.
My daily life consists of what physicists call entropy – that state of ever-expanding chaos:  busy medical practice, three little kids…
Writing gives me at least the semblance of control over characters and their fates.  On paper, I can create a world where, no matter what else happens, my characters will get their happily ever after.

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?
My characters—especially the female ones—have many of my personality quirks.  They’re driven, a little prickly, and often out of their element.  My medical background informs some of the situations in my books.  For example, the heroine in my second novel, Taking a Chance, is a burnt out physician looking for a break.  My third novel, This Time for Keeps, deals with a physician whose career is blown to bits after she falls victim to an act of workplace violence.

What kind of research do you do for a book? 
Google, I love you!
I also tap into the expertise and advice of friends and friends-of-friends when needed.  For example, my heroine in Without a Net is a graphic designer.  I know zilch about the field, so I am indebted to several acquaintances who work in graphic design and marketing who were kind enough to answer my questions and do a beta-read of the book.  

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?
As a kid, I used to watch old reruns of “Bonanza.”   Even at age seven, I got annoyed over the fact that all the women seemed to move away or get killed off within one episode.   None of them ever came back for a recurring guest role, so no “happily ever after” for the Cartwright boys.  I rewrote the scripts, with yours truly in the starring role, and for several seasons I lived a double life:  by day, elementary school kid, by night, daring and heroic foreman (forewoman?) running the Ponderosa ranch in 1870s Nevada.

Fast-forward a few decades, and I had accumulated several boxes of miscellaneous writing—most of it unfinished manuscripts.   With each move due to job change and/or growing family, those boxes came along.  At my husband’s repeated prompting, I finally pulled out those moldering pages, and started reading.  I remembered how much I loved the whole writing process.  I enjoy it even more now that research can be done online, and storage requires no more than an itty-bitty flash drive.  So here I am, back to scribbling (typing) away…

What genre is it? Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre? 
Contemporary Romance.
In future, I’d like to try my hand at medical thrillers.  Max, my hero in Without a Net, writes a thriller that delves into the psychology of high-stakes competitive sports and the seamy side of corporate politics.  Sounds like an intriguing start…

Tell us about your latest book. What motivated the story? Where did the idea come from?
I often think about what would happen if the things I take for granted were suddenly taken away…
Without a Net is about a woman who thinks she has it all:  loving husband, fulfilling life as a stay-at-home mother to her son, financial security.  Then her husband gets ill, and she finds out that the perfect life was not-so-perfect behind the scenes.  Everything comes crashing down.  She finds herself widowed, a single mom, and saddled with massive debt.
Then her best friend’s brother, the ultimate playboy and adrenaline junkie, offers her a job.  And she embarks —however reluctantly—on what may be the biggest adventure of her life.

Jill Blake most recently released Without a Net, an Erotic Contemporary Romance.

Eva has always played it safe…and where has it gotten her?  Betrayed by her husband, left alone to raise her young son, and fighting to hang on to what’s left, the last thing she needs is another philandering male.

Max has always pursued adventure…until he gets sidelined by an accident.  While recovering from his injuries, he discovers that the biggest adventure of his life may be closer than he ever imagined—in the form of Eva, his baby sister’s best friend.

The problem?  Convincing Eva to risk it all…without a net.

Amazon Buy Link  |  Smashwords Buy Link

Review from Jennifer Hines:

Eva thought she had a good life. She had a husband who worked hard, a wonderful son, and the enjoyment of being a good mom and wife. It wasn’t until a deathbed confession did her world turn upside down. It changed the way she looked at her husband, her life, and her entire look on life and relationships.
“It wasn’t every day that a man offered his heart to the woman of his dreams.”
Trying to get on her feet without anyone knowing she had fallen off them was a small challenge for Eva, but she had the help of her sister and best friend.
Max had been intrigued by Eva ever since the first time he laid eyes on her. It didn’t matter to him that she had been married at the time and for some crazy reason it didn’t matter that now she had a seven year old son. For the playboy he’d always been his desire to be more with Eva was a first, but he was up for the challenge.
“He wanted to be part of her charmed inner circle. Wanted to wake up with her every morning. Wanted to kiss her whenever he felt like it, regardless of who might be looking.”
I loved the humorous banter between Eva and Max. It weaved throughout the pages…right down to the very last page. Mix in some steamy sex and a kid who speaks his mind and you’ve got a really good story. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Jill Blake.
My Favorite Moment: The ending. Everything from the moment she goes home until the last sentence. I loved the humor, the trickery, and the ‘need you now’ vertical sex. 

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why? 
Absolutely!  Even when dealing with weighty issues, fiction ought to provide some comic relief.  Without it, reading would be more a chore than a pleasure.

What is your writing routine once you start a book?
I’m a planner. With a full-time job and three small kids, I wouldn’t survive if I didn’t plan ahead. This approach carries over to my writing, from carving out dedicated time for writing, to doing the “foundational work” of research and outlining. I prepare character sketches, chapter-by-chapter outlines, timelines (on an actual calendar!), and individual files for background information (aka research)–all before I even begin chapter 1.

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?
Contemporary Romance: Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis, Sarah Mayberry, Kate Hardy, Maya Banks.  Historical Romance: Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, Johanna Lindsay.  Other: Leon Uris (Exodus: Ari is still one of my all-time favorite alpha heroes!). Howard Fast, Irwin Shaw, John Updike, Joe Konrath, Jasper Fforde.

 

Enjoy an Excerpt from Without A Net...
"Eva had forty minutes to handle the most urgent messages, finish shopping, unload the groceries, and race to school to pick up her son. 

That was why she nearly ran the man down.

Of course, it didn’t help that the shopping cart had a wobbly wheel and a mind of its own, veering left when she steered right. It wouldn’t have mattered had the aisle remained empty. Or if she’d been better at multi-tasking. The last six months had taught her a lot, but not how to manage a renegade shopping cart while catching up with emails on her iPhone. 

“Whoa, there.” 

She glanced up in time to see the man stagger back, straight into a display of organic, gluten-free quinoa flakes. Boxes went flying. 
Eva froze. “Are you okay?”

He glanced around at the mess and then turned a pair of startling green eyes her way. “There’s a law against that, you know.”

“What?” 

“No texting while driving.”

“I wasn’t—” she broke off as he grinned. She experienced a sense of déjà vu. She’d seen him before, she was sure of it, but couldn’t remember where. “I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”

“Nah,” he said, setting his basket on the floor. “Been through worse.”

That was when she noticed the cane, and the stiff way he held his leg as he bent to pick up a box. She dropped the phone in her bag and skirted around the cart to help with the clean-up. “I really am sorry.”

“No worries.”

“Is your leg okay?” She glanced at the twin furrows between his brows, the light sheen of sweat on his forehead. It was a balmy sixty-eight outside, a little warmer than average for Santa Monica in mid-May. But inside, the air-conditioning kept the temperature much cooler, enough to raise goose-flesh along her bare arms. If he was sweating, he was probably in a lot more pain than he was letting on.

“It’s fine,” he said, leaning awkwardly on the cane as he reached for another box. “Another month or two of rehab, I’ll be good as new.”

“Wait,” she said. “I’ll hand them up, you stack them.”

Their fingers brushed as he accepted the boxes, and she felt a frisson of awareness. It was so unexpected that she fumbled and one of the boxes fell again. 

“Sorry,” she murmured. And then to cover up her confusion, she said, “What happened to your leg, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Tibial plateau fracture. I was skiing, and that tree—I swear, it came out of nowhere.”

She winced. “Trees can be tricky that way.” 

He laughed, a warm, mellow sound that set off a fluttery sensation in her belly. “Next time, I’ll try to give the trees a miss.”

Connect with Jill Blake
blog ~ http://jillblake.blogspot.com/
FB ~ https://www.facebook.com/jill.blake.3386
twitter ~ https://twitter.com/Jill_Blake_
Amazon ~ http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00B1ZIHKS
Goodreads ~ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6899971.Jill_Blake