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Archive for 'Guest Blogger'
Wednesday, January 10th, 2018
Hi, I’m Gail Hart, author of grown up romances for grown up girls. Thanks so much to my RomVets sister-at-arms, Delilah Devlin, for having me as her guest.
On Saturday my favorite writing group held its first write-in of 2018, and somehow the conversation turned to religion—which at the moment is at least a safer topic than politics!
Turns out, one attendee is a descendant of Jews who immigrated from eastern Europe to east Texas around the turn of the twentieth century and converted to Catholicism. She observes both of the religious traditions she inherited.
Another was raised Catholic but now describes herself as a “heathen.”
I grew up in the Unitarian-Universalist church but hadn’t attended regularly in about two decades. Then a couple of years ago I heard that the nearest UU church was calling a new minister. On a whim I went to hear his candidate sermon. He hooked me by using humor to make serious points; by revealing that he met his wife at Starbuck’s; and by quoting one of my favorite movie lines, “What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?” (For those of you too young to remember, the line is from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the correct answer is, “African or European?”) So I returned to the religion of my youth.
The heroine of my latest book, Her Magic Touch, goes on a religious journey of her own. Over the course of the story, Sarah trades Christianity for an earth-centered religion—despite the strong objections of the men in her life. I hope you’ll enjoy watching Sarah learn to follow her heart.
HER MAGIC TOUCH
Sarah Talbot is trapped in a life at odds with her free spirit. She wishes she had the guts to chuck the business world for something more creative. Until then, she’s eager to explore her newfound gift for casting spells. Too bad the hunky bartender who gets her all hot and bothered has had his fill of hocus-pocus.
Abandoned by his teenage mother, ex-Marine, personal trainer, and part-time bartender Matt Lucas grew up in the loving but chaotic home of his aunt, a quirky local witch. He longs to buy his own gym, meet a sensible businesswoman, and build a secure, conventional life. The last thing he wants is to fall in love with a witch.
Can love conjure the magic these two hearts need to thrive?
Excerpt
Tension snaked through Sarah’s body as she listened to the phone ringing on the other end. After five rings, she was ready to hang up when a woman’s voice came on the line, breathing heavily. “Hello?”
She took a deep breath and plunged in. “Hi. May I speak to Ms. Parker?”
“You are, but it’s Zoe.”
“I’m calling because I saw the article in the Post…”
“I know. I’ve been expecting your call. That’s why I answered, even though I’m in the middle of feeding the goats, instead of letting the call go to voicemail.”
“How can you have been expecting to hear from me? You don’t even know my name.”
Zoe’s tone was soothing. “Then tell me your name, daughter.”
“Umm, it’s Sarah. Sarah Talbot.”
“And you want to learn about developing your gift.”
She gripped the phone more tightly. “You probably get calls from a lot of kooks, but I’m not one of them, I swear… hold it, how did you know why I was calling?”
“As I said, I was expecting you. The universe told me you’d be coming to me for guidance.”
“The universe talks to you?”
“Of course. It speaks to you too. How do you think you found me?”
“Through the Washington Post.”
“Yes, dear, but why do you think the reporter was led to write that article at that time?”
“Are you saying…”
“I’m saying that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
Buy Links
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yanmfrmo
Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/ydfjhchz
iBooks: https://tinyurl.com/ya3qya8l
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/yc8wnyap
About Gail
Before becoming a writer, former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest finalist Gail Hart spent a few years as an Air Force JAG, then settled in as a lawyer and manager for the US government. Despite what opposing counsel sometimes said about her briefs, she didn’t write any fiction until later in her career. She must have been destined to be a romance writer, though, because even the law review article she wrote had “sex” in the title. She spent most of her life on the east coast but now lives in San Antonio, where she doesn’t miss the cold
Find Gail
Website: www.gailhart.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorgailhart/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Gail_Hart/
Tagged: Guest Blogger, paranormal, romantic comedy Posted in General | Comments Off on Gail Hart: Dare We Talk Religion? | Link
Sunday, January 7th, 2018
A few years ago, my granddaughter self-published two novels on Amazon, at the age of fourteen. I was impressed with this and decided to try writing a novel myself, after all they do say everyone has a book in them. I thought that at the very least it would be a good mental exercise for my then sixty-nine-year-old brain. How much exercise I could never have imagined.
I believed the younger generation thought most people over the age of sixty had one foot in the grave, and were just killing time until the grim reaper claimed them. But, I knew that wasn’t the case for many people, so I looked for a way to write something to show them in a positive light.
I got the idea to write a romance, with the hero and heroine being over sixty. And, I came up with the idea of my characters being residents at a retirement village that was pretty much a private 5* hotel. There was a lot of scope for activities and relationships and I was sure the idea would work.
Unfortunately, I had virtually no previous writing experience or training and no idea about planning, outlining, plotting etc. So, the book started off as a series of conversations, and developed slowly from there. Sadly, my inexperience meant that a lot of what I wrote wasn’t very good, and I had to throw away a lot of material as the book developed and the story just didn’t work properly. This meant the book took a lot longer than I had initially expected it to.
I submitted a sample chapter to a publisher to see if it fitted with the sort of work they publish, and it did. After a year of rewriting and polishing the manuscript I submitted it and ten months ago I won a publishing contract. Now, at the age of seventy-three, my debut novel, Grace’s Turmoil has been published today as Book One of a series called Not Too Old for Love.
It seems that over recent years more and more readers of romance have become frustrated that all the heroines they read about were aged about twenty, whilst they were on average at least ten years older. Now it seems that there are a growing number of authors writing for this new market, which seems to be being referred to as Seasoned Romance, Second Chance Romance, and the like. I’m proud to be a part of that growing band of authors trying to respond to this demand.
Grace’s Turmoil
Divorced and emotionally damaged, artist Grace Stollery wants nothing more than to spend her semi-retirement painting and let time heal her emotional scars.
But when dashing widower Alfred Nobel moves into her retirement village he turns her life upside down and her heart inside out by awakening feelings she wants to keep dormant.
Alfred quickly sets out to woo Grace and slowly she warms to him. But the village’s resident femme fatale wants him for herself. Will she succeed in driving a wedge between Alfred and Grace?
Get your copy here!
Excerpt
Grace jabbed at the volume button on the remote control, turning up the sound on the television. She was trying to drown out the chatter which filled the palatial residents’ lounge. It had been like that for days, and she’d grown tired of it. Who would have thought the imminent arrival of one man could affect mature ladies like that?
One of the things which had appealed to her when she moved to The Grange retirement village was the lack of men. Yet a man who aroused feelings in her she didn’t want was going to add to their number.
Grace had caught a glimpse of him across The Lounge a few months ago, taking the standard tour of The Grange. He’d towered over the young woman he’d been with, and she’d guessed he was at least six-foot-five. Built like a tank, with a mass of wavy white hair and a snow-white beard, he’d reminded her of a polar bear. His presence had been overpowering and almost menacing. An image of him defending a seventeenth century mansion in days gone by had jumped into her mind.
Looking at him had sent a spontaneous burst of attraction rippling through her. It had caught her by surprise. Becoming attracted to anybody was the last thing she’d needed right then. Her divorce had been too recent and too painful. All she wanted was to focus on her painting to block out the pain. Although she hadn’t come there to look for a man, there was no denying how she’d reacted to the sight of him. She wondered how she would cope when they met. And she couldn’t help feeling he was going to have quite an impact on her life. Whether it would be a good impact or not was the million-dollar question. He might be the greatest thing since sliced bread! Or he could turn out to be a snake in the grass like her ex-husband.
About the Author
Peter Perrin writes sweet, seasoned romances involving larger-than-life mature characters who will make you rethink your views on older people in a positive way. His characters are mature in age but not necessarily in their behaviour. They may not be in the first flush of youth but that doesn’t stop some of them acting like hormonal teenagers.
Peter was born in Romford, in the county of Essex, near London, England. For nearly twenty years he has lived with his wife of almost forty years in a quiet suburb of Swindon, in the county of Wiltshire, in England. He is a father and grandfather.
He is a former member of The Royal Air Force who has served in the UK, and in Madagascar, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia. He was also stationed for two years in Aden—which nowadays is part of Yemen.
After almost fifteen-years’ service in The Royal Air Force Peter worked in Engineering, Quality Control, and Procurement Management, not to mention myriad smaller jobs in between those careers.
Now retired Peter’s interests are Writing, Carp Fishing, and (despite being in his early seventies) PC and PlayStation games.
His favourite quote is “Youth passes, but with luck, immaturity can last a lifetime.”
Website: https://peterperrin.blog
Blog: https://peterperrin.blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/peterperrin44
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterPerrin44/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/peterperrin/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/PeterPerrin
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B078J3NVHW
Tagged: contemporary romance, excerpt, Guest Blogger, seasoned romance Posted in General | 2 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Charlotte - Peter Perrin -
Friday, January 5th, 2018
It’s the 99 cent January blizzard!
Load up your Kindle, because from January 1, 2018 to January 31 2018, these books will be on sale for just 99 cents!
They served their country in every branch of the military—army Delta Force, SEALs, air force, marines. They are pilots, snipers, medics—whatever the job calls for. And now as civilians they serve in other capacities, as private consultants training security for defense contractors, as black-ops combatants eradicating drug dealers, as trained operatives ferreting out traitors. With the women in their lives, each of whom have a unique psychic ability, they are a force to be reckoned with. Risen from the ashes of war, they continue to fight the battle on all fronts.
They are Phoenix.
Jungle Inferno
For Faith and Mark, the telepathic connection they’d shared for years was nothing compared to the scorching physical connection they realized as adults. From the first moment they came together, erotic was too pale a word to describe their relationship. Together they explored each other’s deepest, darkest desires. But now Mark, survivor of an ambush to his Delta Force team, is a prisoner of a terrorist group in the Peruvian jungle, and his telepathic communication with Faith is his only contact with the world. While she searches for help to save him, they survive on dreams that took them beyond all sexual boundaries. Can she persuade the men of Phoenix to undertake a treacherous rescue and bring Mark back to her arms?
Get your copy here!
Extrasensory
Mia Fleming’s precognitive visions about Carpenter Techtronics are so vivid, she resorts to sending anonymous emails to the company. She’s also having visions of a gorgeous man who arouses her to the point she’s satisfying herself just to get some relief. She’s shocked when the man shows up in her office, demanding to know what she knows about Carpenter.
Dan Romeo is just helping his friend track down the person threatening his company when he meets Mia. One look at her and he has a hard time thinking about anything but indulging in off-the-charts sex with the intriguing woman—until bodies begin falling. As Mia’s visions escalate, so does the explosive sex between her and Dan, as well as an unexpected emotional connection. When Mia is almost killed, Dan and his team must race to find the culprits before they can strike again—or put Mia down for good
Get your copy here!
Scent of Danger
Kelly Monroe was shocked when her dog, Xena, a Caucasian Ovcharka seemed to bond at once with Rick Latrobe, a partner in the high profile Phoenix Agency. Ovcharkas are known for linking with only their owners. But Xena is picking up Rick’s wave length, very much aware when an attempt is made on Rick’s life, and driving Kelly crazy with signals of danger regarding Rick’s current project, ferrying a shipment of arms to a private security cadre in Iraq. Rick is nearly killed when the shipment is stolen by terrorists who are hot in his trail. Only Kelly and Xena, coached by members of The Lotus Circle to expand the psychic link between the three of them—can keep him safe. As Rick scrambles to learn who’s behind the whole mess, the relationship he and Kelly have deepens. But Xena is the real star, not only signaling when danger is at hand but “sniffing” out the killers.
Get your copy here!
Freeze Frame
Katherine “Kat” Culhane was a highly sought after remote viewer, but her gift was beginning to splinter, and just at a time when she needed it the most. Her sister Mari, along with Mari’s employer and his family, have been kidnapped. But Mike D’Antoni, a partner in the shadowy Phoenix Agency, is suddenly back in her life and could be the only person to help find the hostages. The chemistry between them is just as hot as it ever was, but they parted on very bad terms. Can they put the past behind them as they race to find and rescue the hostages? And what will happen when it’s time to say goodbye again?
Get your copy here!
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Tagged: Guest Blogger, paranormal, romantic suspense, Science Fiction Romance Posted in General | Someone Said | Link
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Thursday, January 4th, 2018
Hello, I’m Sierra Brave, multi-published author of steamy, spine-tingling romance. Thanks so much to Delilah Devlin for having me guest on her blog today. It’s a pleasure.
After I wrote Crystal Coast Christmas, a relative of mine had the nerve to ask, “Who goes to the beach at Christmas time?”
I’m sorry, but, say what?
At the time, I simply explained my main characters, Jessica and Chase, lived at the coast year round; but even if they didn’t, is there anything better than a day at the beach? No matter if the weather is hot or cold, I love the sand and surf. Even if I don’t dip a single toe into the water, I enjoy a trip to the coast. The minute I set eyes on the ocean, my entire body relaxes. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. In fact, medical research indicates, “Staring at the ocean actually changes our brain waves’ frequency and puts us into a mild meditative state.”
The waves aren’t the only relaxing element either. The beach offers a feast for many of the senses. Even the smell of the salt in the sea air refreshes and energizes me. Combine the beach and romance and a recipe for love emerges, and I wrote all the books in the Crystal Coast series with that concept in mind.
CRYSTAL COAST CHRISTMAS
After escaping a bad relationship and moving into her aunt’s guest quarters, marine biologist Jessica Butler has sworn off love and relationships. Still, she can’t resist a night of no-strings passion with hunky soldier, Captain Chase Culpepper. Their evening sizzles, leaving Jessica satisfied but wary. Her ex did a great job of destroying her self-confidence, leaving Jessica reluctant to take the plunge into romance again. While Chase is asleep, Jessica runs.
Chase can’t believe he’s found his sexual equal in Jessica. When he wakes up alone the next morning, he’s determined to make Jessica his, in spite of her reluctance to put her heart on the line.
Jessica’s sworn off men for good, but the faster she runs, the more Chase finds to love about her. What will it take for him to win her trust and her love?
SNIPPET
Jessica closed her eyes, delighting in Chase’s touch. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had taken such time and care to fine-tune her body, testing her flesh to learn where to touch to make her scream. His mouth found her other breast, his tongue tracing the rosy circle.
She squirmed beneath him, bucking her hips, her nails raking across his broad shoulders and down his muscular back. He blazed a trail leading him to her navel, which he nibbled and kissed, making her squeal. “Oh, God!”
BUY LINKS
Amazon: https://a.co/1iv5HPM
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/crystal-coast-christmas/id1323820875
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crystal-coast-christmas-sierra-brave/1127628774
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/crystal-coast-christmas
Google: https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1682524337
CONTACT SIERRA
Email: sierra@sierrabrave.rocks
Twitter: @bravesierra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sierra-Brave-1422713414692067/
Website: https://sierrabrave.rocks/
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Tagged: contemporary romance, excerpt, Guest Blogger Posted in General | Comments Off on Sierra Brave: Christmas at the Beach? Yes, please! | Link
Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018
Read an excerpt from Lindsay McKenna’s heartwarming Boxcar Christmas! And if you’d like to read the story behind this book, head here: The story behind Boxcar Christmas.
CHAPTER 1
November 1
Hamilton, Montana
“It wasn’t much to look at. The wooden slats that made up the ancient red caboose were weathered, the boxcar sitting on the edge of a flat yellow grass meadow, backed by thousands of evergreens in western Montana. Early November wind whistled and cut at Jesse Myer’s exposed face. She felt the icy morning coldness seep through her rain dampened olive green Army jacket as she emerged cautiously out of the woods. She had discovered the boxcar while hunting rosehips scattered along the banks of the Bitterroot River. It was a source of protein for her tightened, gnawing stomach in want of food.
The large, oval-shaped meadow bordered the water and the rose hips were a substantial source of food when in the back country. She chewed slowly on another one, knowing it was packed with nutrition. Shivering, she felt hope spike through her as she walked out of the woods that lay west of Hamilton, a small hunting and fishing tourist town. She had followed the river in search of a place to pitch her tent outside the city limits.
Standing on the edge of the meadow, she fully surveyed it. It rained at dusk last night and then snowflakes had fallen thick and fast throughout the nighttime hours, and toward dawn the ground was covered with about six inches of the white stuff. As a gray dawn sluggishly crawled upon the eastern horizon, the flakes had turned into a soft, constant rain once more. Most of the snow had melted as the temperature rose, but patches of white still existed here and there–it was an Indian summer event. Jesse sincerely hoped that it meant warmer weather would come into the area and warm it up for a couple of weeks while she hunted for a place to live.
She’d discovered the ancient Union Pacific caboose at the edge of the meadow by accident. There was no telling how old it was, the slats of tongue-and-grove wood that composed its sides were worn , the paint chipped off but still solidly in place despite the harsh winter weather that it had obviously endured over the years. There were no railroad tracks around from what she could see. The under carriage of the caboose had been removed and it had been set upon a rectangular concrete slab, reminding her of the tiny house craze sweeping through her Millennial generation.
Her gaze absorbed the forty-foot long boxcar and she could see that at one time, it had been well cared for. But now, it looked utterly abandoned, the paint dull and peeling off the sturdy oak staves beneath it. Someone had brought this caboose out here. Was it someone who lived in Hamilton? Maybe the owner of this plot of land used it as a cabin to hunt and fish on weekends? Jesse had no idea, but there it was. Maybe it could be a possible home for her instead of the tent she had strapped to the huge knapsack she carried on her back. She wanted to make sure no one was living in it presently and thought about trespassing to find out–even though it went against her grain. Jesse couldn’t explain the allure to do just that.
She called out several times, her voice echoing around the meadow. There was no response or movement from inside the boxcar. The four windows along the meadow side were dirty, and she longed to clean them. Deciding either no one was home or living in it, she curved her hand around the rusted metal railing at the rear platform of the boxcar and took the first tentative step upward. The ends of each wooden step curved upward from age and now rested precariously on the metal frame beneath each one, the nails pulled out by rain and snow over the years. The step groaned. Not that she weighed that much. In the Army, she had been a hundred and sixty pounds; but three months ago, when she received an honorable medical discharge at the end of eight years of service, she had slowly lost at least twenty-five pounds due lack of appetite and no money to buy food. Her Army jacket, the only reminder of her life since age eighteen, hung loosely on her frame.
Her gloves were threadbare, her fingertips numb. She hauled herself up the rest of the creaking wooden steps and leaned forward, cupping her hands around her eyes and peering through the dirty glass of the door to see what was inside the caboose. It was a possible place to live but she had no money for a room rental. She’d just gotten a job at Katie’s Koffee Bean in Hamilton as a dish washer. But it was part time and Jesse had no money yet to rent a room in town, much less an apartment. She had lived in her tent since leaving the Army and was prepared to do it now, but maybe her luck was about to change.
Get your copy here!
Tagged: contemporary romance, excerpt, Guest Blogger, military romance, Western Posted in General | Comments Off on Lindsay McKenna: Excerpt from BOXCAR CHRISTMAS | Link
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018
Thank you, Delilah, for having me on your blog today.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and look forward to a prosperous New Year.
Hi everyone, I’m Janice Seagraves, and I am a published author of nine books, three of which are series, and five short stories published in anthologies. I write in various romance genres; contemporary, paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy.
Let me walk you through my process as I wrote a series.
First off, let’s talk about story ideas. I get ideas all the time. Watching the news can spark ideas or a trip to the mall. A walk through my neighborhood helped me develop a scene in Year of the Cat (my paranormal romance).
Do I get ideas from my dreams? Sometimes. If the dream is interesting enough to remember. Sometimes they’re not or they’re disjointed.
When I wrote Matrix Crystal Hunters it came from a dream. A woman was on another planet, there was these funny rocks she was examining, and she discovered they gave of energy. There was also a man who crept into her tent, and she nailed him with a frying pan. I had to figure out how these two things fit together and wrote the story.
And then I decided on the genre and setting, it was going to be a science fiction romance set on another planet. A desert planet.
I also had to figure out the what ifs.
What if… a team from Earth had fought a wormhole and landed on a planet and they were sick from radiation poisoning and their fuel exhausted?
What if… their team’s geologist, (I decided to call her Maya), heard of a crystal that would multiply energy.
What if… harnessing the energy of these crystals was the only way to go back to Earth?
What if… a native of the planet fell madly in love with our heroine (I named him Vach) and decided to creep into her tent late one night…
And she brained him with a frying pan.
Okay, I know that sounds bad, but you’ll have to read the book to see why it works.
When I wrote Matrix Crystal Hunters it was exciting. The story came together fast. I’d go to bed late and get up the next morning to turn the computer and write some more. I love those times. It feels like magic as I ride the wave of creativity and the story seems to flow straight from my fingertips and onto the computer page.
After I finished, I kept revising the story.
That’s what writers do, they can’t leave their stories alone and have to keep fiddling with it.
I read a meme somewhere that stated that “You can teach a someone to write, and then they’ll have a lifetime of paralyzing self-doubt.”
I don’t know about the self-doubt, but I do go over and over my finished manuscript until I feel it is as sanded and polished within an inch of its life.
After the first story was published, the characters kept talking.
I don’t know if you know this, but writers hear voices. If you see a writer or published author staring off into space, they are listening to their character’s voices. We’re not crazy… or maybe that is the definition of schizophrenia? *scratches head*
So, I kept writing. Book two came out, Matrix Crystal Christmas. It’s made up of two short stories. It wasn’t originally supposed to be about Christmas, but the Christmas season was coming up and I thought I’d add some Christmas elements to the last chapter of each story.
In “Crystal Flower Christmas”: Vach and Maya are on a mission to undam the Laonooco River for the drought stricken region. As heartache fractures their marriage, will the gift of a crystal flower mend their relationship or break it beyond repair?
In “Crystal Clear Christmas”: Plague has struck the village of Zama and the citizens blame the only human left on Zenevieva, Maya. Will Vach make the ultimate sacrifice to save his wife?
I actually thought I was done with Maya and Vach, but then their son wanted his own book and I wrote Matrix Crystal River.
It was the first time I wrote a shy character. Most of the women I write about don’t have a shy bone in their bodies. The stories theme is also a bit different.
What if… the humans came back, and their greedy Earth government wanted the matrix crystals to exploit?
What if… their geologist though talented in finding and shaping crystals was painfully shy?
What if… River Namaste wanted her and wouldn’t let anything, or anyone get in his way?
River’s story was published last year.
Aha, I thought I am done.
And then, Vach and Maya’s daughter is poking me in the shoulder and told me it was her turn.
Okay, fine. I wrote the next book, Matrix Crystal Rebels, and it was just published 12-19-2017. So just a few days ago.
Again, the ‘what ifs’ are a bit different.
What if…Earth geologist Steen’s mission is to look and act like a Zeeman, so he can locate matrix crystals.
What if… Steen’s deception fails, and the only one willing to help him is Rain Namaste? (Maya and Vach’s daughter?)
What if… Steen doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love with the lovely redhead until someone tries to claim her on Hymeneal Night?
What will he do then?
I’m proud of Matrix Crystal Rebels, I think it is my best work so far. I felt the same way I did while writing Matrix Crystal Hunters. I went to bed late and got up early to write some more. As I wrote the story, it flowed effortlessly.
This is why I love writing so much. *grin*
Matrix Crystal Rebels
Excerpt:
“Who are these for?” asked the shop owner.
“My brother,” She said without a beat.
“Which one?”
“Ah, now that would be telling.” She touched the side of her nose and added more clothes to the stack. “How much?”
He went through the stack, muttering under his breath. “Fifty ducats.”
“That’s a little steep. These are used. I’ll give you thirty.”
The proprietor rested a hand on top of the stack. “You’ve got a big pile of clothes here. Forty.”
“It’s okay I’ve got it.” Steen dug into his pocket. This was for him after all.
“Steven, you don’t need to,” Rain said. If she was play acting, it was flawless.
“Excellent.” The shop owner bowed and took the coins which he dropped into a carved box. He then bagged the clothing into several totes. “If any of these don’t fit, please feel free to bring them back.”
Rain frowned. “At a significant deduction on the exchange?”
“Of course, how else am I to make a profit?” He smiled, handing over both totes. “It was nice doing business with you.”
“Thank you. Steven, can you get the totes?”
Steen took the bags, surprised at how much they weighed. “Oof, heavy.”
“You’re a big guy, suck it up. We have more shops to visit.” Rain strolled out the door ahead of him.
“A little advice from a fellow male, she won’t be easy to woo,” the store owner told him. “Rain is a lovely young female, but she’s as difficult as her mother. Just ask Vach. Rain is like Maya, but more energetic. It’s like someone put way too much sweetener into her daily tea.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Steen followed Rain out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Matrix Crystal Hunters: https://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-Hunters-Book-Crystals-ebook/dp/B00FJ10W26/
Matrix Crystal Christmas: https://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-Christmas-Crystals-Book-ebook/dp/B00GJCNBAY/
Matrix Crystal River: https://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-River-Crystals-Three-ebook/dp/B01MDOHI70/
Matrix Crystal Rebels: https://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Crystal-Rebels-Book-Four-ebook/dp/B078HL6113/
And since I mentioned it, here’s Year of the Cat: https://www.amazon.com/Year-Cat-Janice-Seagraves-ebook/dp/B0748CP9JH
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Find Janice Seagraves’s on:
Her website: https://janice-seagraves.org/
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Janice-Seagraves-Author-117551164948239/
And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/janiceseagraves
Janice’s Amazon page, where you can see all her books: https://www.amazon.com/Janice-Seagraves/e/B0056D223Y/
Janice’s Smashwords page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Ladyjanice
And here is Janice on Barns and Nobles: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/janice%20seagraves/_/N-0
Tagged: excerpt, Guest Blogger, Science Fiction Romance Posted in General | 4 People Said | Link
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Thursday, December 28th, 2017
I have a pathological fear of writer’s block! The very idea of joining the ranks of pantsers—those that write by the seat of their pants—gives me waking nightmares. I’m an ardent planner. I like to detail every scene, then move on to the research, and end by checking that my character development and arcs are complete. This works because when I start the actual writing of my novels, I can focus on the creative process without panicking about what is going to happen next.
To say that things didn’t go as planned when I finally sat down to write Gray’s Promise, is like Nora Roberts saying she likes to write a bit of Romance—an understatement of note! I hadn’t even reached the end of Chapter One, when I realized Gray and Zoey’s journey to their happily ever after was going to be so painful and intense, and so darn beautiful, that a complicated suspense plot was only going to distract from their explosive relationship. Without hesitation (but after two shots of Tequila), I threw out my intricate suspense plot that had taken me months to plan and research, and replaced it with an evil much closer to home. But this still wasn’t enough. I decided to also rework the physical relationship between Gray and Zoey because their sexual chemistry might have been as combustible as dynamite, but it was also intricately linked to their long and unbreakable bond to each other. Complicated emotional factors (clear in the story when you read it) determined I delay the actual consummation between them. This presented a huge challenge because I had to find a way to make their sexual encounters smoking hot without them actually doing the deed until the final chapter of their story.
Yowza! The love scenes between Gray and Zoey ended up being the hottest scenes I’ve ever written, most likely because the emotion between these two complicated characters is intensely raw, but also because Gray is just that darn hot!
I hope you enjoy the blurb and the short excerpt I’ve selected that gives you just a hint of the heat between Gray and Zoey.
Wishing you all an awesome festive season…and hours of happy reading.
Anni x
Gray’s Promise
A jealousy that destroys everything in its path…a love that refuses to die.
Zoey Morgan seems to have it all as a successful surgeon in Boston. However, perfection lies only on the surface. Plagued by nightmares and amnesia from a tragedy that ripped her family from her fourteen years ago, she finds the courage to reach out to the only man who can make her feel safe. She’s buried the memory of their love, but her heart—and her body—responds to the ex-marine in ways that are all too familiar.
Grayson “Gray” Walker’s heart shattered when Zoey chose another man over him. Since then, he’s built an impenetrable wall around his emotions. But from the moment she implodes back into his life, her vulnerability breaches his defenses. His skills as an elite member of the King Security team cannot shield him from the devastation of learning he might have left Zoey high and dry when she needed him most. Now, Gray must navigate the tripwire of helping her heal while protecting himself from being hurt again.
As the embers of their potent love reignite, an old threat awakens, leading to greater danger than ever before.
EXCERPT
The porch door was open, letting a soft breeze move through the cottage. I breathed in the dewy dampness, and a faint pain echoed near my heart. If I closed my eyes, I could almost hear Mama chattering to my dad in the kitchen. She always got up early to make breakfast. The memories were buried but when they surfaced, they were mine to treasure. I drank my coffee and washed down the last of my cinnamon roll. And with it, gently nudged the memory away.
The breeze gusted and I brushed away a curl of hair fluttering in my face. Gray was cracking eggs now and a wave of lust crept over me. His easy—and mostly naked—confidence in the kitchen was weirdly heady. An image of his face when he came last night slipped into my mind. The dampness in the air transferred to my skin and I shivered, goose bumps prickling up my arms. Jeez. He was so sexy. Even more than I could have ever imagined. Rubbing at my goosies, I peeked at him through my lashes. A vague heaviness fluttered in my tummy. He was confident and seductive as hell, but he was also holding back. He might have had reason last night, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with it for long. Gray’s running days were coming to an end. Soon.
“Butterfly.” His sexy growl demanded my attention. He was sipping coffee, his electric gaze focused on me. “You wearing panties?”
BUY LINKS
Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077KRRX15
Amazon.uk – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077KRRX15/
Nook – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grays-promise-anni-fife/1127486541?ean=2940158745911
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/gray-s-promise
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/grays-promise/id1315176273?ls=1&mt=11
Bookstrand – https://www.bookstrand.com/grays-promise
The Wild Rose Press – https://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/5486-gray-s-promise.html
OTHER BOOKS IN THE KING SECURITY SERIES
Luke’s Redemption (King Security Book 1)
A RONE Award Finalist for Steamy Contemporary
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Lukes-Redemption-King-Security-Novel-ebook/dp/B01M4ITMS7
RAFFLECOPTER – GRAY’S PROMISE RELEASE GIVEAWAY
Start Date – 8 December 2017
End Date – 8 February 2018
Prizes:
3 x eBook copies of Gray’s Promise
ENTER Gray’s Promise Release Giveaway!
You can be a lucky winner of one of three free copies
of this #Must Read new release. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ABOUT ANNI FIFE
Anni Fife is an exciting contemporary romance author who has already made her mark in the popular genre of Steamy Romantic Suspense. Her debut novel, Luke’s Redemption, has been acclaimed by critics and readers and was a Finalist in the 2017 RONE Awards. Anni says she credits Kristen Ashley as her guiding inspiration, and strives to make her characters equally as heart-wrenching and unforgettable. She is currently working on Eva’s Peace (King Security Book 3).
Last year, Anni closed the door on a successful career in television production to fulfill her lifelong passion, writing. In the space of a month, she shut her business, packed up her city life, and moved to a small seaside village. When she’s not writing, she can be found on the beach searching for pansy shells, or drinking red wine and gabbing with her gal posse.
If you want to know when Anni’s next book is releasing and be first to get regular updates and BONUS TREATS, visit her website and sign up to join her POSSE.
Anni is published by The Wild Rose Press, and is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA).
ANNI’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
You can read all about Anni on her website, and join Anni’s Posse to get regular updates and Bonus Treats—www.annifife.com
Or LIKE Anni on Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/AnniFifeAuthor/
Or follow Anni on Twitter—https://twitter.com/AnniFifeAuthor
Amazon— https://www.amazon.com/author/annifife
Goodreads— https://www.goodreads.com/AnniFife
BookBub— https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anni-fife
Tagged: excerpt, Guest Blogger, romantic suspense Posted in Contests!, General | 3 People Said | Link
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