I have a new release coming on July 12^th, and I thought you’d like to know some of the personal motivation that went into creating the story.

1. The title is a tribute to one of my longtime industry partners and friends, Kate Richards. She is the owner of Decadent Publishing, and I’ve worked with her for more than eleven years, both as a publisher and an editor.

2. Kate, the heroine of Protecting Kate, first appeared in Protecting Susan. In that book, Susan came to Kate’s farm for battered women to learn self-defense skills.

3. My favorite hero from Susan Stoker’s Special Forces series, SEAL of Protection, is Tex Keegan, He appears in all of my stories as a secondary character, including this one.

Read an excerpt from the book, and then learn how you can order a signed print copy!

Protecting Kate

For Kate Bartlett running Haven Farm was the realization of a dream. Helping battered and abused women build a new life was very satisfying. Of course, it left her with no personal life of her own but she put that on the back burner.

Dan Wolff left the SEALs with a nightmare that wouldn’t go away. It kept him from having a personal life and sent him to the small town of Dixville, Florida, where he served now as sheriff of the county. His biggest challenges were the rednecks who thought it was fun to get drunk and beat up their women, a situation that brought him into continuous contact with Kate.

But it all changes when a group of convicts escapes from the nearby prison and takes refuge in Dixville. Can Dan protect the women who make perfect shields? And will he and Kate finally give in to the attraction that sizzles between them?

Excerpt from Protecting Kate…

Clad in his battle fatigues, his face darkened with camouflage paint and his M4A1 rifle in his hands, Dan Wolff crouched in the thicket of trees, staring at the cluster of small adobe houses with straw roofing. At three in the morning, it was very quiet in this village, even though it was a hotbed of activity for the local gang in this small city. Was it too quiet? Should people be moving somewhere, or was everyone asleep? Were there only three gang members guarding the inside, or were there really more? As team leader, he hadn’t been happy with the scarcity of information they’d been given, and neither was their commanding officer, but they were running out of time to stage their rescue. Ten women had been taken captive by gang members who announced they were going to stage an execution to make an example of them. Send a message not to mess in gang territory.

The women had come down here on a trip from the States to study the country and have a vacation. Although why the fuck anyone would want to take a pleasure trip to a place overrun with gangs was beyond him. Oh sure, the resorts were beautiful, and the areas immediately surrounding them were gorgeous. But there was always a sliver of fear in the area that one or more of the gangs would decide to have a little fun. It had happened before, and he’d bet his left testicle it would happen again. Of course, he fervently hoped it wouldn’t come to that since he was intensely fond of both of them.

But the women had been appalled at some of the conditions they’d seen on their trips to the smaller villages—another idiotic move—and talked about bringing organizations to the country to help correct it.

What he wasn’t fond of was the sketchy information they’d been given. Their commanding officer had busted his butt to get as much as possible, but the gang holding the women made sure what was known was sketchy and frequently changing. So, they went with a rundown full of holes. Unsure number of gang members involved protecting the women, but not more than four. Which room in the house they were sequestered in, but probably one of the bedrooms. And more like that. But he was the team leader, so it was up to him to make apple juice out of apples, even as he cursed the newly minted CO every minute.

After he used his night- vision goggles to study everything around them, doing his best to make sure gang members wouldn’t come flooding out of the trees, he waved his team forward. As described, there was only one man guarding the front door and two lounging against a junker across the street. Dan figured they were pretty damn overconfident.

He gave the signals they’d prepared, two of the SEALs crept up on the gang members against the car, and two more of them breached the door, with four others as backup. But when Dan had his men kick the door down and roll in with their guns at the ready, all hell broke loose. Unlike the few gang members they had expected, there were several in the house, standing behind the women who were bound and gagged…and terrified, not to mention other terrorists in a second room. They’d laid a trap so successfully that even checking out the scene ahead of time had revealed nothing.

Fucking shit!

“Back off, back off,” he shouted to his men, but, by then, it was insanity.

Bullets were flying, people were shouting, and bodies were falling. It was a totally fucked-up mess.

When it was over, three gang members were dead, four of Dan’s men were wounded, and all the women were either wounded or dead. He called for emergency pickup, and those of his men still functioning were able to hold the rest of the gang off until two choppers arrived, cleared the area, and landed to pick everyone up.

He had no idea how he was going to live with the memories of all the people who had been killed on a mission he led. In the debrief, his commanding officer had tried to assure him it hadn’t been his fault. That their information had been bad. A trap, in fact. That he, the CO, took full responsibility for it.

But Dan couldn’t deal with it. Despite efforts to change his mind, he resigned from the SEALs, determined to bury himself as an ordinary civilian, with no mention of the military at all. Someplace where, hopefully, he could redeem himself enough that the nightmares would stop.

He had no idea where that place would be, but he knew just the person to ask.

Available for preorder on Amazon:  https://geni.us/ProtectingKate_AznALL
Want a signed print copy? Click here for details:  https://bit.ly/ProtectingKatePRINTorder

UPDATE: The winner is…Mary McCoy!
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©Diana Cosby 2022

The shore is an amazing place.  Wildlife is abundant and you never know what you’ll see as you walk through the marsh, or along the beach.

In addition to shorebirds running along the ocean-smoothed stones, early in the summer, birds are still migrating through, with some choosing to stay instead of continuing to fly north.

Early in the summer is also a time to see the newborn birds and wildlife.  In a few months, they’ll be off on their own.

One of my favorite birds at the shore is the tern.  They’re amazing to watch as they soar with the wind currents, hover above, then dive into the water.

An interesting bird to watch at the shore is the Laughing Gull.  It’s appropriately named as when you hear the gull call out, it sounds as if it’s laughing.

You never know where you’ll see wildlife.  At times they’re walking along open fields or along the shore, other times they’re hidden in the trees and brush.  Take care, and I hope you have a wonderful summer!

Contest

***ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Nature at the Shore!’ on Delilah’s blog between 10 July 2022 – 17 July 2022 and will win a tote.

About Diana Cosby

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series and The Oath Trilogy, she released the bestselling The Forbidden Series.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

God bless,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series

Social Media
Website:  https://www.dianacosby.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/978803.Diana_Cosby
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Cosby/e/B003YJ1MR4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1417447922&sr=8-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author-150109024636/?ref=ts

UPDATE: The winner is…Courtney Kinder!
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It’s Saturday, so of course, I have a puzzle for you! The picture you’ll reveal after solving the puzzle is my summertime ideal—where I’d love to be, what I’d love to be doing.

Solve the puzzle and share whether this is something you’d love as well or share what your ideal summer activity would be for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Have fun!

UPDATE: The winners are…Colleen, bn100, Debra Guyette, and ButtonsMom2003!
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Check out the series here!

I’m working on finishing the next Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT, book now, so I thought I’d post a little reminder of the stories that precede Gabriel’s in case you haven’t read them yet!

Readers enjoy the interplay between my ex-military hunters, love the strong heroines, the action, the sexiness, the action-packed scenes. Oh, and the humor! If you haven’t given my bounty hunters a try, now’s the time!

For a chance to win your choice of one of the books in this series, tell me what you love to see in an action-packed story!

And don’t forget, Gabriel is coming July 26th! Preorder your copy here: Gabriel

I had a very busy day—none of it writing-related. I do have a bit of a life outside of writing. I’m a member of a local artists’ organization, and I’m getting more involved with the running of the organization. So, today, I attended a board meeting (I just joined it!). I have a list of To Do items from that meeting. Plus, tonight, I attended another art-related event, a planning meeting for the Arkadelphia Arts Festival which will be happening in September, and for which I will be participating again as an artist selling paintings! Woot!

So, no time for a fun post. Instead, I’ll leave you with a reminder of what contests are still open. Enter while you can!

1. Michal Scott: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley — An Extraordinary Life In Her Own Words (Contest) — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. June into July (“Wish I was this cool” Puzzle-Contest — and More!) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Teabags, a metaphor for…? (Contest–2 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
4. Happy International Kissing Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…bn100!
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Don’t you just love these holidays you’ve never heard of? For me, they’re a chance to make darn near every day special!

So, today’s International Kissing Day! And yes, it’s really a thing! And it should be celebrated. I love all kinds of kisses. A quick buss on the cheek. A French kiss! Kissing a baby’s toes. Butterfly kisses! The 8-year-old’s favorite goodnight kiss was a butterfly kiss that made her giggle because it tickled. She’s outgrown them now, and I miss them.

Kissing can be an intimate sign of love or even an act of submission—think about kissing Don Corleone’s ring in the movie The Godfather. Or a sign of respect and reverence for Catholics kissing the pope’s papal ring—the Fisherman’s ring.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me something about a kiss. Maybe describe the first time your loved one kissed you. Or tell me who you’ll kiss today to celebrate the holiday. Or, tell me your favorite movie kiss! 

Happy 4^th of July beautiful readers!

Yes, I’m an Aussie but I’ve always been one to embrace other National holidays, like Independence Day and Bastille Day. I love the idea of people celebrating and acknowledging the history of their country.

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love an excuse to eat, drink and be merry while surrounded by family and friends. And I’m a sucker for a glorious fireworks display.

I’d love to hear how you’ll be celebrating tomorrow…

While we’re on the topic of celebrating, I’ve had two celebrations of my own recently.

At the end of May, I celebrated fourteen years as a cancer survivor! Woo Hoo!

I had just turned thirty-one when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and at the same time discovered I have BRCA2, a genetic predisposition to Breast and Ovarian cancer. After chemotherapy and reconstructive surgery, I’ve learnt to embrace the positives in life and fourteen years later, I’m still grateful for life’s opportunities.

(I got this tattoo in Vegas in 2013, and I wasn’t drunk!)

Which brings me to my other celebration…

The Athlete

The Athlete – Book 2 in the 5 Shades of Brothers Browne series is available on e-book through Amazon and KU from today. Another Woo Hoo moment!

High school sweethearts √           Second Chance at love √

Sweet and Spicy √                     Browne brothers’ banter √

‘Dane was easy. All he wanted, was to play footy.’

Recently, ‘The Great Dane’ Browne has been questioning whether he can return to the elite level of Australian Rules Football and more importantly, whether he wants to.

Katelyn Jennings has never really made peace with the breakup with her high school sweetheart and for good reason. Working as a nurse in the rural town of Kingston Creek, a chance encounter will put her heart and her life through the ultimate test.

They’re about to discover whether you can move on from your first love. And for Dane, it’s about discovering who he really is AWAY from the game.

**While this book forms part of a series, there is enough backstory about the brothers and the first book so this novel can be read on its own. Perfect for those who love the second chance at love trope**

Excerpt from The Athlete by Deb Robinson:

‘Touch me.’ His deep, whispered invitation read her thoughts. ‘Touch any part of me you wish.’ And when his lips pressed hers, she felt them curve. She loved when their lips smiled against each other’s.

Her confidence circled, imploring her fingers to return to his shoulders. Courtesy of her degree in nursing, she knew them as deltoids. She touched the curve of his neck, discovering warm and smooth skin. Those itchy, eager fingers, caressed tender veins before continuing their exploration. Musculus pectoralis, firm and bulging. The minor, triangular muscle lay beneath its major counterpart, both important. As was the…

‘Are you reciting parts of my anatomy?’ The disbelief in his voice had her eyes widening. Her mouth slid open. ‘I heard you say, serratus anterior. If I didn’t interrupt, you’d be reminding yourself of how the subclavius muscle along with the pecs, form the axilla.’

‘I…’ Faltering, she found she was as surprised as he, but for a different reason.

‘Yeah, I know all about the inner workings of the anatomy,’ he confirmed, with a smirk. ‘I took some classes after we broke up.’

She’d forgotten his youthful eagerness to learn all the fundamentals in order to get the best out of his performance on the field. In turn, it was enhancing this off-field performance. As a nurse, she was impressed. As a woman, she was quickly becoming hot and bothered.

Her gaze had not left his, so when his fingers joined hers, she flinched. Those tender fingers urged hers to trail the glorious crests and valleys, low on his torso.

‘Rectus abdominis,’ he muttered against her earlobe. The flirty, sensual tone sent her inner pleasure erupting into a fireworks display.

Her fingers caressed that final, stomach clenching hill before her hands swerved, one left, one right. They tightened their hold, just a little, feeling the strong bone beneath the layers of epidermis. Silence, heat and lust swirled.

‘The hipbones connected to the…’ His attempt at singing had her smiling. It had her own confidence peaking as her fingers dipped brazenly lower.

‘To your jocks,’ she retorted with a sultry whisper, her fingers trailing the hem of dark fabric, ending at the hard wall of muscle just above his pubic bone. His tremble had her grinning before moving her mouth to his ear. ‘That’ll teach you not to tease me, Dane Browne.’

His light laugh was adorable right up until she saw the thick and scolding layer of lust. ‘I think we’ve had enough exploration for one day.’ And beneath that layer was his steely, match day expression. ‘When the day comes, that I get to explore you, you better be ready. Because I intend on leaving no part of your anatomy untouched.’

___________________

Book 1 – The Cop is also available on e-book through Amazon and with KU

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