Rescued by the Buccaneer by Normandie Alleman - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

If you could be any character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

Scarlett O’Hara because she’s strong, stubborn, and utterly fabulous.

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

No, two years ago I was recently married and my husband was in Iraq. I was breeding livestock for a living. Now he’s back home, and I’m a full-time author.

Do you have any phobias?

I am scared of sharks.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou

Because it makes you think about what’s really important in life.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Pralines n Cream from Baskin Robbins

What are four things you can’t live without?

Salt, Diet Coke, Chapstick, and my contacts

What are 5 things within touching distance?

My Diet Coke, my cell phone, one of my dogs, chocolate, and lotion that smells like wild orchid.

Do you have a crush on anyone?

My husband. He’s darling and has an incredible physique.

What is your least favorite word?

“Moist”- Yuck.

When Frederica Beauchamp boards a ship for the Americas, she dreams of a life filled with adventure, but she gets more than she bargained for when her passenger ship is attacked by pirates. The heartless men kidnap her and force her to serve their captain—a fate that might be worse than death, since though he does not have his way with her, the captain delights in baring her, shaming her, and thrashing her bare bottom as punishment for every imagined disobedience.

After the pirates bring aboard an injured man found floating in the sea, Frederica tends to his wounds and learns that he is Gaston Galette, a survivor of a shipwrecked vessel. Gaston seeks her help to overthrow the vile captain, but when their plan goes awry he is forced to use all of his wiles to save them. As the naïve girl and the seasoned sailor navigate one perilous situation after another, he informs Frederica that the only way they can survive is if he is in command, and that if she thinks things can be otherwise, she will be taken over his knee for a bare bottom spanking.

As he watches the proud, willful Frederica bow to his authority, however, Gaston worries that her growing hold on his heart will be his downfall. He knows he cannot take a woman with him when he returns to his ship and crew, but when Frederica accepts his lustful dominance completely, submitting to him with grace and beauty no other woman could match, Gaston realizes that he may never be able to let her go.

Publisher’s Note: Rescued by the Buccaneer is the first book of the Pirates of the Jolie Rouge trilogy. It is an adventure and erotic romance novel that includes spankings, sexual scenes including elements of BDSM and humiliation, and more.

Read an excerpt:

On this particular day, her daydreaming was cut short when, in the distance, a white square appeared, dipping in and out of view. On wobbly legs, she ran to find an officer. It was rare to see other vessels in the open sea, and when it occurred, the crew became nervous because they feared the other ship would be carrying pirates. And since they were sailing for the southern colonies, their route took them awfully close to the Caribbean, which was known to have pirate-infested waters.

The first mate was busy having a conversation with a midshipman, and Frederica did her best to wait patiently for it to end. But the longer the first mate ignored her, the closer the approaching ship came. Finally, she tugged at his sleeve.

He turned, making his annoyance clear with a roll of his eyes. “Yes, Miss Beauchamp. What is it now?”

Frederica knew the first mate lacked an appreciation for passengers, particularly those with a curious nature like her own. Tilting her chin haughtily, she proclaimed, “Pardon me, sir, but there is a ship approaching,” and she pointed to the dot on the horizon.

He squinted his eyes in the direction she indicated, then frowned. “Miss Beauchamp, if this is some sort of joke…”

“Whatever do you mean—a joke? Do you not see the white of the sails yon?”

“I do not.” Patronizingly, he asked the midshipman, “How about you, Davy, do you see it?”

Davy raised a hand over his eyes. “Nah, but then I can’t see a far ways.”

The first mate waved her off. “Run along, girl. Find something to occupy yourself with, and leave the men to their work.”

Inside, Frederica steamed at his dismissal of her, but she took a deep breath and tried again. “Sir, I am not playing. I see a ship on the horizon. Please alert the lookout!”

“I told you to quiet down,” the first mate snarled.

“Hmph! Fine, then I’ll alert the captain.”

“You will do no such thing! Now stop this ruckus, or I will have you detained.”

“Detain me? I am merely trying to save you from a possible ambush!” Her voice sounded high and shrill, even to her.

Just then, Cassandra tottered up on deck, her blonde hair whipping in the wind. “Frederica, I can hear you all the way down below. What is happening?”

“A ship is approaching and this fool will not order a lookout!”

Cassandra looked out to sea. “I don’t see anything…”

“But I do! Right there.” Frederica pointed again.

The first mate grabbed Frederica’s arm. “Enough!”

Adrenaline coursed through Frederica’s veins, and she spun around and slapped the officer across the cheek.

“That’s it, missy. I’ve had enough impertinence out of you.” The first mate snatched Frederica’s arms behind her and turned to Davy. “Clap her in irons.”

“Sir?” Davy asked, taken aback.

“You heard me!”

Davy ran to fetch restraints, and the first mate held Frederica tight.

“Let me go, you fool! There’s a ship and it’s gaining,” Frederica insisted.

About the Author:

A former psychologist, Normandie has always been fascinated by human behavior. She loves writing quirky characters that are all too human. Fiber arts, baking, and Pinterest are a few of her favorite pastimes. She lives on a farm with a passel of kids, an adorable husband, and a pet pig who’s crazy for Red Bull.

Follow her on:

Twitter at @NormandieA https://twitter.com/NormandieA
Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/NormandieA
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Normandie-Alleman
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Normandie-Alleman/e/B00BNUDVFW
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893037.Normandie_Alleman
Her website: www.NormandieAlleman.com

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Demon of Envy by Jennifer Lynne - Spotlight and giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jennifer will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card, plus a signed print copy of GODS OF LOVE (1-3) and a set of the GODS OF LOVE cover postcards to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post, during the tour (International Giveaway).

Phthonos, god of envy and jealousy, has been given a second chance at life and love in the mortal realm. He is desperate to make up for the mistakes of his past. But is Thon more demon than god? And if the demon Envy wins out, how will this lonely god ever find room in his heart for love?

Olivia is an ordinary woman living an ordered life, but at thirty-two true romance appears to have eluded her. Everywhere she looks people are in relationships or falling in love, but her career as an administrator and her charity work are enough to keep the demon of envy at bay.

Or so she thinks…until the moment he turns up on her doorstep with a demand that rips her life and her heart wide open and leaves her at risk of eternal torment.

DEMON OF ENVY is the fifth novella in the GODS OF LOVE series, but each story is designed as a stand-alone with the Greek gods of desire as a common theme. The series can be read in any order.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

"You want me to walk through the fires of Hell to save you? Phthonos, you ask too much."

"Not to save me, Olivia. To save yourself." The dark tone of his correction shivered down her spine in a sensation that was equal parts fear and desire. She knew this was a dream; had relived the sleep-induced fiction every night this week. She needed to wake up before the bit where he started to burn, where she reached toward him and…oh God, the flames were consuming him already. It was too fast, too powerful…his beautiful face twisted in pain, the clear green eyes flashing desperation as he stretched out a clutching hand…she leaned in, connected with his fingers, and the greedy flames engulfed her too…

For the sixth time that week Liv sat bolt upright in bed, the scream still lodged in her throat and the bedcovers in a twisted mess around her legs. Sweat coated her body. Not the heady exotic scent of post-coital perspiration, either. No. This was the sharp acrid scent of sheer terror, of illness. Of something wrong at her core.

She reached for the brown hair tie on her wrist and snapped it. Once. Twice. A third time. Count to three, then snap again, over and over, the rhythm so familiar by now she didn't need to think. Gradually her heart stopped its uncomfortable thumping and her breathing began to even out. The anxiety attack was receding.

One last snap of the wrist band, the one for luck that she always had to finish with, and she was back in control once again. A swift kick with her left foot removed the sheet and she climbed wearily out of bed before turning back to straighten the tangled covers. Phthonos. Whoever the heck you are, whichever little piece of my imagination that you sprang from, you need to let me get some sleep, hon.

Copyright 2014 Jennifer Lynne

Jennifer Lynne lives in Melbourne, Australia, and writes short contemporary erotic romance, mostly with paranormal/fantasy elements. When she’s not writing what her family and friends call “porn for chicks” and what she prefers to call “super-hot romance for intelligent readers”, she is working in the admin day job, running around after two teenage daughters and trying to find time for her lovely new husband.

Jennifer is published with Red Sage and Breathless Press. Over the past two years she has also embarked on an indie journey with the publication of her GODS OF LOVE romance series featuring erotic Greek gods and modern-day mortals in need of sexual healing.

Find her on the web at:

Website and blog: http://www.jenniferlynne.com.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Lynne-Romance-Author/297504180262670

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JenniLynnAuthor

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Lynne/e/B004VUPGDG

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Guarding Poppy by Christine Wenrick - Cover Reveal and Giveaway

This cover reveal of Guarding Poppy, Boo Two of the Men of Brahm Hill series is organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The book will be released on August 1. One randomly drawn commenter will receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Click on the banner to see the other stops on the tour.

ONE NIGHT . . . ONE VIOLENT, SUPERNATURAL BATTLE . . .

AND FIVE STORIES OF THE MEN WHOSE LIVES WILL BE CHANGED BY IT.

Alec Lambert was born to lead. He’s a ruling Elder of The Brethren, possessing steely confidence, natural smarts, and decisive problem solving abilities . . . and he’s not too bad on the eyes, either. Everything in his life has gone exactly according to plan—until the night of Brahm Hill. Alec loses his best friend at the hands of the uncle he trusted like a father, along with his previously unshakable faith to lead those with whom he’s charged. Despite this, he continues to press ahead, and for his next assignment he’s asked to protect a very beautiful but very clumsy Dhampir who’s being hunted by a powerful warlock. Suddenly, he finds his whole Brethren world is turned upside down . . . and he finds himself harboring a desire for her he can’t explain.

Poppy Honeywell knows she’s far from perfect. Bad things tend to happen when she’s around. She’s more than a little clumsy, with a phobia or two mixed in. Not to mention that her name is certainly unusual. But she doesn’t have time to worry about all that because she’s on the run and not about to back down from the arrogant Elder who’s just been assigned as her protector, claiming he has all the answers to her problems. The real problem, though, is . . . she’s irresistibly drawn to this man who faces constant danger and takes charge so naturally. But Poppy also sees that taking charge of others helps Alec mask his own very deep pain.

WILL ALEC FIND HIS WAY OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND SURRENDER TO HIS FEELINGS FOR POPPY BEFORE THE WARLOCK CHASING HER CATCHES UP TO THEM BOTH?

Book One in the series Someone Else's Skye, is available now.

One night. . . One violent supernatural battle

And five stories of the men whose lives

will be changed by it.

Someone Else’s Skye – Kane, Brethren Guardian and one of the few Natural Shape-Shifters left in existence, survived the bloody battle of Brahm Hill but lost two of his closest friends. For all of his good-natured sarcasm and eye-popping good looks, Kane finds himself unable to completely forget about that night, so he seeks comfort in the one thing he is truly good at . . . sex!

This shape-shifting bad boy believes in having a good time—a very good time, usually involving some mingled heavy breathing with a sexy Dhampir in a tiny closet somewhere. But when he’s sent into the freezing tundra of the Northwest Territories to investigate a troublesome supernatural being on the loose, he ends up crossing paths with a woman who almost instantly drives him insane with want . . . because she doesn’t seem to be falling for the shifter’s charms.

It’s completely inexplicable.

Skye Matthews has a job to do, and she needs to be focused on that, not spending all her time rebuffing the advances of this way-too-cocky and handsome stranger. Yet, there is something irresistible about this self-involved playboy that Skye can’t seem to stay away from. And when the unidentified Kane is sent to investigate takes an unnatural interest in her, protecting her becomes the Guardian’s top priority.

But… can Kane save Skye from a supernatural being no one has ever encountered before?

About the Author:

Christine is a graduate of Washington State University where she received a BA in Interior Design. And true to form of using mostly her ‘right brain’, she splits her time between her commercial design career and her imaginary world of writing. She lives in the scenic Pacific Northwest where she enjoys hiking, camping and photographing many of the wonderful places that served as inspiration for her writing. Her biggest reward in life is any given day when one of her books connects with a reader because she herself is such a lover of reading. Some of her favorite authors include Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, and Kimberly Derting.

Facebook ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ @CWenrick ~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

The Perfect Score by Beth Albright - spotlight and giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Beth will be awarding a $15 Target gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

Ginny Bloom Hunnicutt is crawling back home to Cottonwood Cove Alabama-- her promising CNN news-reporting career in shambles when an on-air flub cost her the job and cost CNN a lawsuit. Putting ego aside, she takes a position at the Chatterbox – the local weekly newspaper run by her mother, the town gossip. What’s a southern belle to do in a crisis but run home to her mama?

But when a mysterious hot high school football coach rolls into town, Ginny’s luck begins to change. Seems he has more secrets than a shady politician and Ginny’s determined to dig up the truth, and write the story that will get her career back on track. Everyone knows in a small, southern town, nothing stays private.

But the more she delves into his past, the more she begins to fall for the former college football star.

The coach’s star player has some secrets of his own and when Ginny uncovers it all, she must decide if she should reveal everything or follow her heart and protect the people she has grown to care for.

Author Beth Albright weaves a saucy southern tale filled with intrigue, romance and laugh out-loud comedy. From the bright lights of Friday night football to the darkened bedroom of unexpected lovers, it’s a richly layered story with more twists and turns—and mud, than an Alabama back road.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

“I’ll have another,” I said as I ordered my second dirty martini. The Sand Box was a dingy little bar near the pier in Cottonwood Cove, Alabama.

Covered in fishing ropes and other remnants of the life on the lake, the place was a dive for the small-towns folk who lived here, and for the kids who were lake rats during the summer. But summer had ended weeks ago, the kids back at school, and we were well into September now. Late that night, the place was nearly empty.

I sat there nursing my drink, drowning myself in what I had come to believe was the most embarrassing moment of my career. The dim lights swung in old metal fixtures from the ceiling of the Sand Box. A jukebox playing Hank Williams Jr. stood missing some of its colored lights in the corner. A few old wooden tables were scattered around with a couple of red vinyl booths shoved in the corner near the pool table and dartboard.

I had come home, tail tucked neatly between my legs, to lick my wounds. My name is Virginia Bruce Hunnicutt. I go by Ginny. My sisters and I all have my mom’s maiden name as our middle name. I kept it as my last name for my TV job. Ginny Bruce, reporting. I was a reporter for CNN in Atlanta. Was being the key word here. I had been fired two weeks prior because one of my sources was a fake. I swear I checked the credentials but the story turned out to be full of inaccuracies and CNN is now in a lawsuit. I may never work in the media again. And CNN was my dream job.

My name is now as muddy as the Alabama red dirt, which is exactly where I ran home to: Cottonwood Cove, Alabama. It’s the safest place to be. And even though I had become quite the big city girl, the one I had always dreamed of being, somehow, the safety of being home in Cottonwood Cove had its perks. Like being in this dive bar in the middle of the week late at night, with only one other soul in here besides me. Oh, God—and he was making his way over to me just as I was finishing my second round.

“What’s your poison?” he asked in his deep sexy baritone. He was beautiful. Rugged and sculpted with dark wavy hair and gorgeous lips; he was about six foot three and deliciously well built. His dark blue eyes undressed me as he moved closer to me—or maybe that was just me thinking I’d be more comfortable with my clothes off with this gorgeous man. He was dressed in a navy Polo button-down and perfect fitting blue jeans. His large muscular thighs and broad defined shoulders were evident even under his clothes. One dimple accentuated the right side his cute, boyish face. He smiled at me like he was fixin’ to eat me up, and oh, I was feeling like dessert as he slid in next to me at the bar. He looked like an athlete. Or a god. Come to think of it, in Alabama, those are one in the same. Regardless, he was heaven to look at, or maybe I was seeing him through double martini glasses. Probably the latter since I only weighed about 125 pounds and I knew better than to have more than two drinks. Ever.

“I’m having dirty martinis,” I answered. “You?”

“I’ll have the same,” he said to the bartender.

Beth Albright is the author of the award-winning, best-selling series The Sassy Belles. After knowing Beth for just a few short seconds you are sure to learn she is from Alabama. No, its not the lilt of magnolia you can still catch in her voice, or even the way she lovingly describes her undying love for her famous alma mater's football champions. She will tell you she loves Tuscaloosa, even after living quite literally all over the country. Though Beth has had a remarkable career, from New York City to Hollywood, and all points in between, she has never forgotten where she came from...and what she loves. That's why when it came time to write, Beth had no choice but to write about Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama, and all the quirky people she still calls family, though some do not actually share her bloodline!

Beth Albright has always been a storyteller. After spending nearly 15 years in talk radio, as a talk show host, playing the part of a principal character on the soap opera, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, owning her own acting school and children’s theater, and raising a son who was a nationally ranked figure skater, Beth has decided to return to her roots; storytelling. When she was in the sixth grade, her teacher gave her the floor every Friday to tell her stories. See, Beth was a talker, a future talk show host in the making, and she was telling stories so much that her teacher couldn’t teach. The teacher told 12 year old Beth if she would begin writing her stories down, she would be allowed time to share those stories with the class.

And she’s been writing, AND talking ever since. Beth has interviewed Bob Hope, Oprah Winfrey, Betty White, Wolfgang Puck and George Burns live from the Chinese Theatre, as well as numerous other celebrities, and authors. Then Beth became a principal character on Days of Our Lives. But through all of the excitement of talk shows and soap operas, Beth loved telling stories to her audience the most. With a degree in Journalism from her beloved University of Alabama, She always remains true to her roots, born and raised in Tuscaloosa, “My grandfather was the play by play announcer for the Crimson Tide in the 50s!” Beth will proudly tell you. She is a down homespun girl, although she currently lives in San Francisco with her TV producer husband and her brilliant son. But her heart is always in Alabama.

http://www.thesassybelles.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBethAlbright

https://www.facebook.com/TheSassyBelles

https://twitter.com/BeththeBelle

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6583748.Beth_Albright

http://tulepublishing.com/product/the-perfect-score/

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Score-Southern-Born-ebook/dp/B00KIBLG7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400963516&sr=1-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/beth-albright

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Five Things You'd Probably Never Guess About Me by Lawrence Kelter - Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lawrence will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to one randomly drawn commenter and 5 autographed copies of the book as runner up prizes (US & Canada only). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Things You’d Probably Never Guess About Me

Fun Fact # 1: First and foremost I have to give mad props to New York Times best-selling novelist, Nelson DeMille, who of his own volition, actually picked up a pencil and edited portions of my first manuscript. I still have his hand-edited pages safely tucked away. Way before he ever said, “Lawrence Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum,” he said, “Kid your work needs editing, but that’s a hell of a lot better than not having writing talent. Keep it up.” I’ll always be indebted to that man. To this day I still can’t believe how selfless he was, and generous he was with his time. What a guy! And one of my all-time favorite writers.

Fun Fact #2: I was part of a small writer’s workshop led by the late soap opera legend, Ann Loring. Some of you may remember Ann for her role as Tammy Forrest in the soap opera Love of Life. She was a star of that sitcom for fourteen years and won three Emmy Awards. Ann really helped me to develop my sense of drama. The knowledge she imparted to me was priceless. We’d meet every Friday night and review our week’s work. I had an insane amount of fun. Under her tutelage I penned an original screenplay that finished prominently in the Nicholls Fellowship Awards program. The Nicholls Fellowship is sponsored by AMPAS, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. You know, the people who give out the Oscars.

Absurd Fact #3: I was voted The Individual Least Likely to Visit a Library while in high school. If you don’t believe it I’ll scan my high my yearbook and post it on Facebook for the entire world to see. Just a painful heads-up—my yearbook picture is absolutely dreadful. Talk about an awkward age?

Not So Fun Fact #4: I was The Replacement Baby—at least that’s what I used to call myself. Sadly, my parents lost a child. My sister was only eleven years old when she passed. I was born almost one year to the day that she died. My father was about fifty-years-old at the time. I really don’t think my parents would have had me were it not for the tragedy of losing my sister. Now here’s the part that few know. The opening scene in Don’t Close Your Eyes, the very first book in the Stephanie Chalice Series is based on my older brother’s account of the night my sister passed away.

Believe it or Not Fact #5: Like the fictitious Dr. Hannibal Lecter I have six fingers on my left hand. No not really. The extra finger is on my right hand. No not really. Would you believe that I have a Siamese twin? Not buying that one either? Tough crowd. How about a Chinese teapot? A Swedish Car? A love of Italian food? If you said yes to any or all of the last three you're right on the money—good detectives. Stephanie Chalice is also a pretty savvy detective. There are a total of five books in her series, which include Don’t Close Your Eyes, Ransom Beach, The Brain Vault, Our Honored Dead, and now Baby Girl Doe. The series has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide and topped bestseller list in the US and UK. Here’s a short teaser for Baby Girl Doe, the most recent release.

Everyone deserves a well-earned vacation, don’t they?

Guess again!

Plans have been made and the bags are packed but Detective Stephanie Chalice is having about as much fun as Michael Vick at an ASPCA fundraiser.

In his latest thriller, “Baby Girl Doe,” the fifth book in the international best-selling Stephanie Chalice Thriller Series, author Lawrence Kelter tackles murder, arson, abduction, and government secrets held as closely to the vest as those related to the existence of UFOs at Area 51 in Roswell, New Mexico.

The new story finds Chalice and her eye candy husband, Lido on the East End of Long Island, vacationing with Max, their new arrival. Things go wrong from the very start. Their vacation rental burns to the ground, bodies pile up, and just to make things interesting, Lido . . . All I’ll say is that you’ll never believe it.

Chalice may be out of her jurisdiction but she's never out of questions or determination and soon connects two unsolved homicides. As always, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and her initial findings plunge her deeper and deeper into the most extraordinary investigation of her career.

About the Author:

A resident New Yorker, Kelter often uses Manhattan and Long Island as backdrops for his stories. He is the author of the Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series and other works of fiction.

Early in his writing career, he received support from best-selling novelist, Nelson DeMille, who reviewed his work and actually put pencil to paper to assist in the editing of the first novel. When completed, DeMille said, “Lawrence Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum.”

His novels are quickly paced and feature a twist ending.

Website:www.lawrencekelter.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/larrykelter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarryKelter
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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The Nostalgia Effect by E.J. Valson - Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Things We Might Not Know About E.J. Valson

This might be tough, but I will give it a try:

1) I am not afraid of death. I have seen someone die (peacefully of course) and that experience eased my fear of death. I am however terrified to leave my loved ones way too young and of how I will die.

2) I LOVE to laugh. It is one of my favorite things in the whole world. I went almost a year without really laughing or smiling due unhappiness in my previous career. Now that I have been out of that environment for almost a year and released my book in meantime, I find that I smile and laugh a WHOLE lot more and that my cheeks don’t hurt and my face no longer feels tight when I do!

3) I am half Hispanic. I really don’t touch on that in my book, but has made me who I am. I have a large family on my father’s side, lots of uncles, aunts and cousins and family gatherings were one of my favorite things. This is why family is so important to me.

4) To touch on item 3. I DON’T speak Spanish – not a lick. People find this odd, but it is due to the fact that my elders only spoke Spanish when they didn’t want the kids to know what they were talking about. Oddly enough, I know a heck of a lot more Swedish than Spanish!

5) I am a klutz and I embrace it. However, I was always able to dance and keep rhythm, but sports was NOT my thing. When I was 13 I actually went rolling down a hill while jogging to the track field in front of my entire co-ed gym class. I have learned to live with my innate ability to spill, drop things, break things, or trip on my own feet in front of people and laugh about it. If you look at my Twitter page, you will find a framed picture of a painting of a piece of toast. Long story short, I broke it, I bought it.

Jennifer Nielsen awakens one morning to a life that doesn't belong to her. Thrown back eight years into a past she doesn't remember and again married to her ex-husband, she struggles to make sense of the situation. Longing to return to her current life with who she believes is her real husband and children, she seeks out answers -- and a way "back" -- wherever she can find them. Is she losing her mind? Did her other life ever exist? Or did she actually time travel? And if so, how will she get back and what will be sacrificed?

Enjoy this excerpt:

“I’ll get her,” I mumble sleepily, as I am abruptly awakened by the faint sound of a toddler’s cry. The dark gray of dawn is coaxing my eyes to open, but they stay stubbornly shut. Her cry fades into the quiet morning and I assume that she was just dreaming and has fallen back to sleep. I am so tired, but I have so much to do today. I wrestle with the bed sheets, my eyes still closed, attempting to get a few more minutes of sleep.

Surrendering to the morning and with eyelids still shut, I slowly sit up and kick away the blankets to prepare for my feet to meet the cool hardwood floor. To my surprise, I instead feel something soft under my feet when they hit the floor. I quickly pull them back up because I think I am stepping on the cat. I open my puffy eyes the tiniest bit while trying to focus….no cat, no hardwood floor, but carpet.

My eyes fly open and dart around the unfamiliar room. Where the hell am I? My wide-open gaze drifts to the other side of the bed. And who the hell is that?

About the Author:With a passion for writing and a love of books and movies, E.J. Valson channeled her personal experiences and emotions into her first book, The Nostalgia Effect. The tale of a mid-thirties woman, who finds herself thrown back into her past still married to her ex-husband and yearning to get back to the life and love she knew before.

E.J. Valson currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and children. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, traveling, watching movies, but mostly spending time with her loved ones.

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

No Hard Feelings by Marta Tandori - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marta will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Some secrets can’t stay hidden, especially when they involve murder…

Liz Farrell is still reeling over the murder of her mother almost a year earlier at the hands of her father, Leo Bauer, when she receives the startling news that she’s inherited her estranged father’s sizable estate. Unable to come to terms with her father’s unspeakable legacy, Liz and her grandmother, Kate Stanton, visit Leo’s property in Benedict Canyon, desperately hoping to find closure. Instead, they find a bunker hidden under an old hunting lodge that had been used by Leo at one time to hold Liz’s mother captive. Horrified by the discovery, Liz immediately orders the bunker filled and the lodge destroyed but the ensuing demolition quickly comes to a grinding halt after a man’s remains are discovered in a shallow grave at the base of the old lodge. Once the press get wind of the gruesome discovery, rumors quickly surface, linking the remains to a murder spree that took place at the same address almost half a century earlier; a murder spree conveniently covered up by the governor at the time who also happened to be Leo Bauer’s stepbrother. Liz and Kate’s efforts to uncover the truth behind the murders are soon hampered by family secrets and a killer who’s intent on finishing the job started almost fifty years ago.

Enjoy this excerpt:

Karen Devane pulled into the parking lot of her cousin’s apartment building with a squeal of tires. She drove around, trying to find a parking spot. Finally, she gave up and pulled into a tow away zone. Picking up the pizza box on the seat beside her, she hurried into the building before waiting impatiently for the elevator to take her to the second floor. Rushing down the corridor, she stopped in front of the door marked 10B and rapped on it. A second later, she rapped again, this time more impatiently.

“Who is it?” came the muffled question from the other side of the door.

“It’s me,” Karen replied. She heard a few locks turning and the door was thrown open a minute later by Liz, wearing a bathrobe and a forlorn expression on her face.

“Hi.” Her eyes were puffy and red, and it was clear that she’d been crying.

“Hi yourself.” Karen charged into her apartment, not waiting for an invitation.

Liz followed behind, watching wordlessly as Karen marched into her kitchen and began opening cupboard doors, looking for plates. Everything about her small apartment, from her dining room table to the small balcony that was a myriad of colors and scents, was neat, orderly, and inviting. “Cupboard on the right of the sink, second shelf,” Liz told her automatically, pulling up a chair to the other side of the counter. “What are you doing here … or is that kind of a stupid question?”

Karen gave her cousin a pointed look. “What do you think? Grams told Mom what happened at the attorney’s office and Mom told me.” She flipped open the lid of the pizza box and extracted two cheesy slices before plopping them on a plate and handing it to Liz.

“Figures.” Liz listlessly picked at the crust of her pizza.

“You might as well get used to how things work in our family.” Karen helped herself to several slices of pizza and went over to sit beside her cousin. “Want to talk about it?”

Two lone tears slid down Liz’s cheeks. “What’s there to talk about? How totally screwed up my whole life has been, or how screwed up it is now?”

About the Author:

By the time Marta Tandori reached fifth grade, she was an avid reader and writer with a stack of short stories collecting dust in a box under her bed but it wasn’t until she began studying acting in her early twenties at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York that Marta realized acting wasn’t really her passion – writing fiction was. What followed was years of writing workshops as well as correspondence courses in writing for children through the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut. She credits the award winning author, Troon Harrison, as the instructor who helped her find her literary voice. Marta’s first work of middle-grade fiction, BEING SAM, NO MATTER WHAT was published in 2005, followed by EVERY WHICH WAY BUT KUKU! in 2006. With her more recent endeavors, Marta has shifted her writing focus to mysteries and suspense having “strong female protagonists with closets full of nasty skeletons and the odd murder or two to complicate their already complicated lives”. To learn more about Marta, please visit her website at http://martatandori.com, her Facebook Author Page at www.facebook.com/MartaTandoriAuthor, or her Twitter page @MartaTandori .

Son of a Itch by S.D. Skye - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a Kindle Fire HD and a $25 Kindle Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY) Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

Actually, the J.J. McCall series crosses multiple genres. It’s built around the spy and organized crime worlds (Russian and Italian) and there is some fast-paced action which is characteristic of thrillers. But I began my career writing romantic comedy so there are strong elements of both in the book, even though they play second-fiddle to the spy/organized crime stories. There’s a mystery in every book—the whodunnit factor. And there’s also some suspense. What draws me to this world is that I used to work in it. Spending 20+ years in the intelligence field and dabbling in organized crime aspects in the early part of my career, I’ve seen and done a lot…and worked with a lot of awesome people who you probably never get to meet if I don’t tell this story. I’m uniquely positioned to share this part of the spy world, organized crime, and the FBI—so, why not?

What research is required?

Most of these stories are drawn on my career experiences. I use a seed of reality and then let my imagination run completely wild…well, within the realm of D.C.’s spy world anyway. However, there are two areas that required a little bit of research. First, I needed to find a source for J.J. McCall’s “Itch.” For those who don’t know, the “Itch” in the title refers to J.J. McCall’s “superpower.” She’s a human lie detector. When people speak lies to her, she feels a sensation akin to an itch. I felt it was important to give that a backstory so I rooted her issue in the New Orleans’ “black magic culture.” That required me to actually do research and there are actually people, Jadoo workers, who put generational hexes on people. It’s kind of spooky but it’s based on reality. So the “Itch” is actually a generational curse placed on the family during the great grandmother’s altercation with a Jadoo worker. I explain it ONCE in Book 1 and leave it at that.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

J.J. McCall is very loosely based on an FBI Agent I worked with during my tenure at the FBI. I really admired her ability to excel to the highest heights in a field that few women, let alone African American women, would dare to enter. And one thing I’ve learned from her, both in life and in the books, is excellence and professionalism trump EVERYTHING in the workplace. Whatever perceptions people have because you’re black, or physically challenged, or whatever—they usually all go out the window when you get the job done and get it done well. That is something I’ve strived to do in my own career and I’ve had some pretty amazing experiences doing things people wouldn’t imagine because of it.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Well, I’m pretty much a straight shooter when it comes to writing. It’s pretty much laptop/desktop and a BIC (butt-in-chair) for me. However, there are times when I feel a little blocked. And one thing I do to shake the muse is to write in longhand. When I do this, I MUST use a special notebook (bought from Target) and a special fine point pen. If I don’t use those notebooks and those pens, the words don’t come. It’s the strangest. thing. ever. And my only quirk. So everything I go to Target I buy the notebooks and stock them in my office. It’s a little scary…like a writing bunker.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’ve written romantic comedy and spy novels. In my romantic comedies I was decidedly a pantser. Absolutely did not stray from that all. My process was very organic in that I just wrote it how it came to me. If I was on Chapter 3 and an idea for the last chapter came to me, I’d write the last chapter and just see how it all worked out. I learned early to let my characters have their way because they tell way better stories than I do. And most of the twists in my stories come from them, not me. I mean, I’ve never written a book in which I wasn’t surprised or even shocked by what the characters did. That’s such an energizing process. It really does make you anxious to get to the page every day to see what’s going to happen next.

But when I started writing this spy thriller series I literally HAD to start outlining. The main reason was that my plots were way more intricate. I was telling the stories from multiple points of view (as opposed to first person) and there were multiple subplots to keep track of. The first time I tried “pantsing” a spy novel, I ended up with more holes in my story than the dark side of the moon. I mean, it was Swiss cheese holy. I had to go back and fill in a lot of gaps and tie up loose ends that I’d lost track of. So now I do what I call “an organic outline.” Basically, I don’t force the outline. I let the story come to me as I normally would. The only difference is I’m just jotting down notes. Sometimes it may day me a couple of weeks to come up with the outline because I don’t want to force myself on the story. I let it come to me and then I write it. And even with this loose outline, if my characters stray, I still let them go their own way. I allow them to surprise me. The “outline” is just a way to help me ensure that I’m addressing all of my subplots. It really helped me write the second book more quickly than the first. We’ll see how it works with Book 3.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Two empty bottles of Deer Park water, one Bible, and a mouse (the electronic kind).

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Oh yes! I’m working on finishing up the J.J. McCall series and hope to wrap up the entire series by early 2015. Book 3 in the J.J. McCall series—A No Good Itch—will definitely be released in 2014. I can’t wait for this book because I get to write about one of my favorite topics—organized crime. I got to do a little work in that arena in the early days of my FBI career and I love movies like The Godfather and shows like The Sopranos. Understand my fascination does not come from admiration rather I’m intrigued with, aside from money, what makes people choose this life…especially knowing there’s usually only a few ways out and none of them lead to old age and an active living community.

So, with Book 3, the story is set in New York City and I get to pit Russian Organized Crime against the Italian Mafia and the FBI and see who comes out on top. In real life, it doesn’t always work in favor of law enforcement. Sometimes the Bureau wins, sometimes they lose. I can’t wait for readers to see how it plays out. There are a lot of twists and turns and the ending will surely win me my share of hate mail—in a “When’s the next book coming out!?!” kind of way.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes! You know I’m really curious to know how readers perceive the spy thriller genre. So, I wonder….have you read spy novels? If so, what draws you to them? If not, what deters you from giving them a try?

I know typically these books have been action and jargon heavy testosterone fests, which is really what drove me to write the J.J. McCall series. I wanted to write cool books like that…but that were more accessible and shine the light on a different aspect that we don’t often hear about—real spies operating under diplomatic cover right here in the United State—and show some diversity in law enforcement field.

On the lam from the FBI, the ICE PHANTOM continues with plans to defect to Moscow but not before seeking revenge on J.J. McCall. Meanwhile, the FBI commences Task Force PHANTOM HUNTER, a team ordered by Director Russell Freeman to track down suspected Russian illegals within the U.S. Intelligence Community—and not a moment too soon. An agent of the Russian Intelligence Services is targeting the nerve center of U.S. national security, taking the lie-detecting FBI Agent and her cohorts’ next mole hunt to the highest echelons of the U.S. government.

J.J. and her co-case agent lead the motley crew of spy catchers while she struggles to deal with sobriety, conflicting feelings for Tony and Six, and an egotistical Secret Service agent whose jurisdictional stonewalling complicates her every effort to identify the culprit before he gets away—with murder.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Exactly three moments defined the entire course of J.J.’s being —the day she got “the itch,” the generational curse that sparked random irritating tingles through her body anytime she heard a lie; the day her mother died; and this one, the day in which she grasped the fragility of life and how it could slip away in an instant.

The ambulance siren blared down Pennsylvania Avenue through the remnants of rush hour traffic as she stared down at his tearful eyes, his face shredded with pain, his body curled with anguish. Slowly, his lids opened to expose a bloodshot blank stare. She saw her mother’s eyes in his, and his last breath whispered in the distance, drawing ever near.

“I’m here. You’re going to be okay. We’re almost there,” she said as her voice shook.

George Washington University Hospital was just a few minutes away and had one of the best trauma centers in the D.C. area.

He placed his trembling hand on hers and struggled to speak. “There…something…you should…kn—”

“Shhhh. Save your strength,” J.J. shook her head to dissuade him from speaking. She stroked his fingers and tried to maintain a steady front. “You’re gonna be okay. You can tell me everything when you’re better.”

Her mind whirred as the ambulance zipped into the circular driveway beneath the overhang and masked emergency personnel in blue and green scrubs swarmed the doors. They pulled the gurney out and wheeling him inside, beyond her view. She’d never felt so alone in her life. She had calls to make, people to notify, but her mind was still foggy from the shock.

She searched her purse for the flask, the reminder of just how far she’d come and how much further she had to go.

About the Author:S.D. Skye is a former FBI Russian Counterintelligence Program Intelligence Analyst and supported two major programs during her 12-year tenure at the Bureau. She has personally witnessed the blowback the Intelligence Community suffered due to the most significant compromises in U.S. history, including the arrests of former CIA Case Officer Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. She spent 20+ years supporting military and intelligence missions in the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Skye, an award winning author, is a member of the Maryland Writer’s Association, Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She’s addicted to writing and chocolate—not necessarily in that order—and currently lives in the Washington D.C. area with her son. Skye is hard at work on several projects, including the next installment of this exciting series.

Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

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In This Life by Terri Herman-Ponce - Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Terri will be awarding a digital copy of IN THIS LIFE (Book 1 of the Past Life Series) to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop during the tour, and a Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five Things We Might Not Know About Terri Herman Ponce

Oh dear. Something tells me this might come back and bite me. Okay. Deep breath. Here it goes.

One. When I had just gotten my driver’s license, I loved being independent but I was always in a rush. Not because I was late, but because I just felt like I had to go. So one morning, I hurried out to my car to take off. Now, I wasn’t paying attention to the things around me. All I wanted was driving freedom. So I started the car and about halfway down the block I heard a really strange, loud, scraping noise. But I kept going, thinking (hoping!) the noise would stop. It didn’t. About a dozen blocks away, I finally couldn’t take it anymore and pulled over. Turned out I’d run over one of the garbage cans that were in front of my car (didn’t see it!) and dragged it the entire ride. I tried tugging it out but it wouldn’t budge, so I backed up and, voila! The thing came loose. But it was all busted up and I didn’t want to bring it back home because, you know, I had places to go! So I left it in front of someone else’s house.

Two. Growing up, I loved the Partridge Family. So much that I often pretended to be on their show and part of their family. Because I pretended I lived with them, I wrote my own songs and sang them, but I didn’t know how to write or read music. So I wrote the lyrics in certain positions on a notebook line to indicate whether it was a low note (directly on the line), a middle note (in between two lines), or a high note (closer to the line directly above). As you can probably guess, the songs were awful.

Three. Some people adore shoes or handbags or jewelry. I have a fetish for colorful pens and notebooks with pretty covers. I keep a stash under my bed that I tap into whenever I need a new fix.

Four. I LOVE to cook. LOVELOVELOVE it. I also cook with wine and, as the old saying goes, sometimes I even add it to the food.

Five. To me, there’s nothing like a sunrise. I love watching the sun break the horizon, all glowing and gold and grand amid pale pinks and billowy blues. It makes me feel small, it puts things into perspective, and it reminds me that there’s so much more out there of which I’m a part and that I’ll never know or see. It humbles me. It relaxes me. But mostly it centers me.

Hidden memories. Buried secrets. Resurrected revenge.

Psychologist Lottie Morgan knows something is wrong when she relives memories of a lover she's never had. At first she attributes them to fever-induced dreams. But when the fever disappears and the visions don’t, Lottie realizes something else is going on

Then she meets Galen. Their first encounter is as intense as it is eye-opening, and his revelation that they shared a passionate relationship thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt entices Lottie into wanting to learn more about her past. Her decision, however, comes at a price. Galen may hold the answers but he could destroy the devoted, lifelong relationship Lottie has with her current lover, David.

It also could mean her death—again.

Someone is protecting millennia-old secrets, determined to keep them buried while exacting a revenge on Lottie for a mistake made a very long time ago. A mistake she could be destined to repeat.

Take a trip to mysterious ancient Egypt, where Lottie becomes caught between two lifetimes, two men, and long-buried deceptions. Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and Macavity-winning author, calls this paranormal suspense "Inventive, original and thought-provoking; this mystically romantic mystery will instantly intrigue."

About the Author:

Terri looks for any opportunity to make stuff up. She thinks anything that can’t so easily be explained is worth an extra look and often makes a great story. She loves red wine, scotch, sunrises, Ancient Egypt, the beach—and a host of other stuff that would take too much real estate to talk about. The youngest of five children, Terri lives with her husband and son on Long Island. And, in her next life, if she hasn’t moved on to somewhere else, she wants to be an astronomer. Terri’s fascinated with the night skies almost as much as she’s fascinated with ancient Egypt.

Terri is a member of member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and you can read about her at http://terriponce.com.

If you love social media, you can also find Terri on Facebook and on Twitter. Come visit. She’d love to hear from you!

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An Absent Mind by Eric Rill - Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A riveting new novel from Eric Rill, author of Pinnacle of Deceit and The Innocent Traitor, is about a race against time. The ticking time bomb is Saul Reimer’s sanity. His Alzheimer's is going to be the catalyst that will either bring his family together or tear it apart.

Enjoy an excerpt:

It’s been almost two years since they told me how sick and useless I was. I am able to keep it more or less together most days. And I stress days, because by dinnertime my mind is exhausted. I never knew you could have an exhausted mind, but I do now. The sheer weight of having to pretend I am normal all day for my friends, or the store clerks, feels like a boulder around my neck. What happens toward sundown is like when you hear the snap, crackle, and pop when the transistors in your old television go bad. Everything numbs and becomes foggy. Sights, sounds, and smells meld into a ball and explode toward the sky. It’s as if I’m not the same person I was when I got up.

As of now anyway, I can see everything I want to say as clear as ice. It’s right there on a blackboard in front of me, spelled out perfectly. But then to actually say what’s written on the blackboard isn’t always a piece of cake. Sometimes it’s easy, like it is right now. I know what I’m saying to you is coherent and that my vocabulary is correct—but that could suddenly change and become difficult, sometimes impossible.

In the morning, I can be happy—well, maybe not happy, but not feeling sorry for myself. It’s different by lunch—if I remember to eat, and I generally do because it’s on my list, although I have been known to leave my pad somewhere and not be able to find it; if that happens, Monique usually reminds me. At least I think she does. Regardless, by lunchtime things generally start to go downhill.

Today, while I was sitting in my easy chair, she bent down to kiss me and brought her hand quickly to her mouth.

“Whew,” she said, or something like that. “You didn’t brush your teeth. Why did you check it off?”

I didn’t bother answering, not because she was interrupting my soap opera—I really wasn’t focusing anyway—but because I didn’t know the answer. Maybe I didn’t check the toothbrush to see if it was wet or dry, like I’ve been doing. Then she scolded me, like it was my fault. First they tell you you’re sick because you can’t remember anything and then they give you hell for not remembering.

The doorbell rang, and Monique disappeared for a minute, reappearing with Arthur Winslow in tow. I was standing there with the telephone receiver in my hand. Monique took it from me and put it back in the cradle.

Arthur was in high school with me and was actually the one who squealed to the principal that I was the one who decked Ian Coulter. Coulter, even though one of the great anti-Semites of all time, lived by a code of honor and wouldn’t have turned me in, but Arthur did, and I understand why. You see, Arthur was the goody-goody of the class. He would have turned in his own mother if she had done something wrong. But other than squealing on me, he was a true and trusted friend.

Arthur lives down the street—at least I think he still does—and faithfully drops in to see me. Sometimes I think he has nothing else to do. I can’t tell if he has missed any days visiting, or, if so, how many, but that doesn’t matter now. What I do know is he cares, and I hope he keeps coming, even if I don’t recognize him one day.

I already know that there will come a time when I won’t know him, or people like Bernie. Frankly, I don’t give a damn if I don’t recognize Bernie—in fact, that could be the Lord’s gift to me, something to make up for what lies ahead. What does bother me—in fact, scares the hell out of me—is not recognizing the kids. As inconceivable as that seems, they say it will happen as sure as night follows day. Who, you may ask, are they? I remember when I was a kid, my grandmother would always quote the almighty they. I would ask her, “Who are they, Granny?” She would always answer, “You know, they.” I think maybe she had Alzheimer’s!

About the Author:

Eric Rill was born in Montreal and graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts, and from UCLA with an MBA. He held several executive positions in the hospitality industry, including president of a global hotel group. His hobbies include trekking, scuba diving, and collecting antique carpets. Eric has two sons and divides his time between his residence in Panama and international travel. You can reach him at his website at: www.EricRill.com

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Dating Cary Grant by Emelle Gamble - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emelle will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter and digital copies of Dating Cary Grant will be awarded to 5 randomly drawn commenters. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What do you do when writer's block hits?

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I believe in stressing over not knowing what to do next or how to do something hard and consequently being all over the place, disorganized and panicking. So when THAT happens I make a list of what I need to do, sit my butt down in the chair, and start checking off the list.

I can always work. Sometimes it is not ever going to be seen by another person, but writer’s write. So I write. One word at a time…it always works!

What reality show would you love to be on? Why?

None. I hate reality shows. Okay, I take that back. HGTV can said to be a reality show network, right, because there are real people? So I want to be on Property Brothers. I don’t want to sell or buy, I just want them to come and redo my deck and bathroom and repaint my kitchen cabinets. For FREE. I guess this would be a FANTASY SHOW. HA! But this is what I want.

Which of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why?

I want to meet Cary Grant. I know, I know, he’s not with us anymore. But he is a character in DATING CARY GRANT, so he’s my choice. I want to go out to dinner with him, and bring him afterwards for dessert and coffee, and listen to him talk about Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. And Katharine Hepburn. I’ll even bring hubby, Phil-the-fist. I think Cary Grant is that kind of man, women love him, men admire him, and anyone would love to spend time with him!

What four literary characters would you most like to have over for dinner?

Fun! Okay, I’m inviting Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. And Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon, Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind and Penelope Keeling from The Shell Seekers. I loved all these books to madness…and I’d love to slap some sense into Heathcliff. If I couldn’t do it, I’m sure Penelope could. Or Sam Spade could. And then things would end better for Heathcliff and Cathy. Writers always want to change the endings of books, even other writers’ books.

A modern Manhattan fairy tale starring…

Tracy Connor, a New York City career woman who loves her job and classic movies.

Mike Connor, her estranged husband, a small town Mayor who loves his wife but doesn’t seem to have enough time to see her.

The handsome stranger, Philip Adams, who lives downstairs from the small sublet Tracy has temporarily moved into. He’s charming, funny and looks a lot like her very favorite screen icon, Cary Grant.

Dating Cary Grant is a romance all about New York City career woman Tracy Connor struggling with real issues with her real guy, her husband of six years, Mayor Mike Connor of Cukor, Connecticut. Tracy is a smart woman, but some of her problems with relationships are partially caused by her unrealistic expectations that real guys should – and can - behave like matinee idols. Mike’s problems are also caused by the fact that he’s such a great guy and overextends his heart, and his appointment calendar, to every constituent, friend or stray animal who crosses his path.

Tracy is also being stressed by a TV reality show intent on showcasing Tracy and Mike’s personal life, as well as the imminent takeover of her employer, a small, private television station, by a billionaire with unlimited funds and no taste.

Dating Cary Grant considers just how selfless a man needs to be to meet his wife’s expectations, and just how honest a woman must be with herself about what she’s willing to give, and give-up. And Cary Grant is along to help prove that any woman’s search for ‘Mr. Perfect ‘ might take her to a surprising place to find him.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Her husband rested his big hands on the door. “Look, can I just come in for a few minutes?”

Tracy stared at him and realized Mike was nervous.

Nervous.

She had never, ever, seen her husband nervous, in any situation, in all the time she’d known him. He was an experienced attorney as well as a public official, a man naturally at ease with people, all people, even people pissed off because their property tax bill went up or angry because the jury ruled against them. People didn’t make Mike Conner nervous.

He listened, shook hands, and proceeded to logically explain how he was going to fix everything, no problem.

He had never even seemed stressed when they met with the marriage counselor, she thought. But at this minute, Mike Connor was nervous.

She lowered her voice. “It’s the middle of the night, Mike. Please.”

“I know what time it is.” His eyes studied her face, and then swept down her body with the force of a physical touch. “And I know you’ve got a headache, but let me say you look great. Really great. And you smell wonderful. Is that new perfume?”

“No. It’s the same perfume I always wear.” She watched as Mike’s eyes dropped to her cleavage and her face burned over the fact she had chosen this sweater with another man in mind.

Suddenly she visualized that other man, showing up with a bottle of aspirin. Though she hadn’t done anything wrong, nothing positive would come from Mayor Connor meeting Philip Adams outside her apartment door, of that she was sure.

“Mike, you really need to go.” She stepped across the doorway as if to encourage him to head for the stairs.

“Am I interrupting something?” He pointedly looked over her shoulder.

“No. Of course not. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“How’s that? We’re still married, aren’t we?”

“Yes, we are. But after everything we’ve been through the last couple of years, I’m a little surprised you’d insinuate something like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’d cheat on you.”

Mike’s face paled. “I wasn’t insinuating that. Look, just a few minutes, okay? I smell coffee. And I could sure use a cup.”

Tracy sent another glance down the stairs. “There’s a 24-hour deli a block over. You can stop and get some on the way back to your car. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I just need some sleep. I’ve got to go into work all day tomorrow, and Sunday I promised to meet Posey early in SoHo, so whatever you’ve got to say --”

“--I’ll buy you pancakes. You love pancakes. Even in the middle of the night, right?” He reached out and gave her arm a squeeze.

Her heart softened but her tone remained unchanged. “I’m not hungry, Mike. I’ll call tomorrow and we’ll set up a time where we can talk more. Please, just don’t push me.”

About the Author:

Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection. These evolved into bad teen poetry and worse short stories. She took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed twenty years ago. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. Soul Mate Publishing brought out Secret Sister, a paranormal women’s romantic fiction novel in the summer of 2013. This was followed by the novella, Duets, in November, 2013, and the follow on novel starring the characters from Duets, Molly Harper, in January, 2014.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Website ~ Facebook ~ @EmelleGamble

Secret Sister is now available on Amazon!
Once and Forever is now available on Amazon!
Duets, a novella, the prequel to Molly Harper: Amazon
Molly Harper now available on Amazon
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Unseasonal War by David Englund - Spotlight and Giveaway

David Englund, author of Unseasonal War, is giving one randomly chosen commenter at every stop a digital copy of the book. Leave a comment or ask the author a question to be entered. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Clark Jackson’s travels, for the first time, put him in touch with an intriguing species remarkably human-like. He becomes instantly fascinated with the Fronents and envious of their advanced technology. Striving to befriend them and learn more, his uncontrolled enthusiasm forsakes the use of appropriate caution and suspicion. Could their cold reception be a byproduct of their war with a vile species in this corner of the universe, or something else?

The magnificent splendor of an unexplored galaxy, new species to encounter and the adrenalin rush of space battle feed Clark’s awestruck hunger for exploration and adventure. Unfortunately, the more he learns the more he questions; including the wisdom of his entangled involvement in their war.

Meanwhile, back home in Des Moines, Iowa, Clark attempts to maintain an inconspicuous lifestyle to avoid attracting the attention of a certain relentless federal agency. His girlfriend’s own secret, however, could unravel it all.

**Even though the book is the second book in the series, it IS standalone.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Clark studied the face before him. The old creature carried a soft, wise and caring tone during the discussion. This alien was easy to admire, however, it was difficult to get beyond the ruthless features. The enormous bulk, massive display of teeth, scaly skin and intense eyes gave Clark shivers. It would ease the conversation to talk with eyes closed but probably create the opposite affect desired for diplomacy.

Clark forced himself back to the discussion. “Is this why you live in the caves?”

The pair of alligator eyes saddened. “We did not always live in the caves. Many vrems ago we lived out on the plains. We farmed many fields and grew many crops. We had villages to congregate in but most of our people lived in the vast openness of the farms. There were many more of our people back then too. Then came the aliens. They destroyed our farms and stole a great many of our people. We have since discovered that they use our people to work as slaves on their world.”

“Did you already know these aliens when they attacked?”

“At that time we had never had any contact with anyone from the stars. We know them well now, however.”

“Have you met other aliens since then?”

“Let us stay on the topic of our three races, shall we? Do your people fight any wars with other races? How do these conflicts begin for you?”

“Our world has not gotten to the point yet in which we can travel to other worlds, so we have not met any alien races that I am aware of.”

“And yet you are here.”

About the Author:

David Englund is a storyteller (science fiction author) and teaches economics at North Dakota State University. His first two titles, Upsetting the Tides and UNSEASONAL WAR are available on Amazon. Camouflaged Encounters is due out in late 2014 and the fourth and fifth books are in progress.

Blog ~ Facebook
Buy the book at Amazon.

The King Series by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff - Feature and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will give away one of four autographed paperbacks to four winners randomly chosen through Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

“I am the man who can find anything or anyone. For a price. And my price is you.”

When Mia Turner’s brother goes missing while on an archaeological dig, she believes that life couldn’t get much worse. But when she’s blocked at every turn by both local and U.S. authorities from finding answers, she must turn to a man she swears is the devil.

Others might be fooled by his private jet, fine tailored suits, and disarming smile, but Mia knows something dark, something sinister lurks behind those penetrating, pale gray eyes. And the more she learns, the more she realizes she may never be free again.

 

Better the devil you don’t know?

When Mia Turner’s life becomes tethered to a mysterious billionaire who she swears is the devil himself, she knows she must find a way to break free. It doesn’t matter if everything about him—those sinful lips, those steel-gray eyes, that perfect male body—keeps her awake at night, restless for him. She has to get away.

But when this man, known simply as King, disappears without a trace, Mia will discover she’s not home free. Because the only thing keeping her safe from King’s ruthless, depraved, power-hungry social circle had been him.

If Mia wants to survive, not only must she find King, but she will have to conceal his absence and walk a mile in the evil man’s twisted, cruel shoes. What she discovers in the process, however, will leave her more terrified and her heart more conflicted than she ever imagined.

King is not who she thought. She wasn’t even close.

About the Author:

When San Francisco native, Mimi Jean, went on an adventure as an exchange student to Mexico City, she never imagined the journey would lead to writing Romance. But one Mexican MBA, one sexy Mexican husband, and two rowdy kids later, Mimi would trade in corporate life for vampires, deities, and snarky humor. She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most. She also enjoys interacting with her fans (especially if they’re batshit crazy). You can always find her chatting away on Facebook, Twitter, or saying many naughty words on her show MAN CANDY on Radioslot.com

New York Times and USA Today Best Selling Author, Host of The Man Candy Show

www.mimijean.net

http://radioslot.com/

https://twitter.com/MimiJeanRomance

https://www.facebook.com/MimiJeanPamfiloff

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