Delilah, thanks for having me over today.

So last year at RWA in NYC, my publisher made a statement that they are looking for sexier cozies. If you know cozy mysteries, they’re mostly low on sex, low on gore, and high on fun.

Then they pushed the envelope. They said my new release was going to be the first in this new experiment. Which made me nervous. How hot were they looking for? Would I disappoint them? And could I write a hotter cozy? I’m kind of a slow steam girl. Even the romances I’ve written are considered mild in this world of 50 Shades.

I sat my editor down and asked her straight out. What are you expecting?

Her answer comforted me. Whatever the story needs and whatever you’re comfortable with.

That’s why I love writing for my publisher. They get me.

After that Spotlight, several mystery authors reached out to me. Apparently a lot of people have been writing sexy cozies, but haven’t been able to find a home for the stories at a traditional publisher. The world of publishing is changing and this is just one example. The writers are out there for all kinds of different books, and the readers are waiting for new experiences.

And so A Story to Kill has a strong reunion romance trope. I even added in a Benjamin Braddock moment for the couple. But it’s not all about the relationship. It’s about the writer’s retreat Cat is starting up in her hometown now that she inherited the Victorian from her ex-husband. It’s about the college and the characters who work and study there. And it’s about the library which plays a big part in the town and the book.

If you haven’t tried a cozy mystery before, I hope you take a chance on the story.

Lynn

A Story to Kill

Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers’ retreats in the big blue Victorian she’s inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband! Now it’s an authors’ getaway—but Cat won’t let anyone get away with murder…

The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn’t know why he came all the way from New York, but she’s glad to have him among the quirkier—and far less famous—attendees.

Cat’s high school sweetheart Seth, who’s fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat…some of them a little overpowering. But it’s her uncle, the local police chief, whom she’ll call for help when there’s a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho expat. She grew up living the small town life much like the settings she now writes. Currently, she’s living with her husband and two fur babies in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. Guidebook to Murder, Book 1 of the Tourist Trap series won the 2015 Reader’s Crown Award for Mystery Fiction. Find out more at: www.lynncahoon.com

Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Story-Kill-Cat-Latimer-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0190HGVK6/
Goodreads –https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor
website – https://lynncahoon.com/
Amazon author page – https://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Sharon Hamilton’s bestselling Navy SEAL series continues with NASHVILLE SEAL: JAMESON. On sale now!

Here’s a short excerpt:

But there was no denying he was mad. It was like how he felt if he gave a bad performance. He’d wind up back at the motel room, alone and feeling sorry for himself, in a rotten mood until that knock on the door. Some angel would come and be his temporary lifeline, breathe the life back into him with her body, with her kisses, with all the magic and allure those groupie kittens could provide him. He needed that tonight.

Except tonight he was with his lovely new bride. His blushing bride. On the first night of their marriage. When he should be the prince charming and end her Cinderella day with the bedding of a lifetime. With a night she’d remember her whole life. That’s what Lizzie deserved. Could he pretend enough to give that to her? What did that make him then? Did he deserve her?

Can’t wait to read more? Find JAMESON on the following retailers:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/29mUpCG
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/29zqvIe
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/29mVF8X
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/29rmjv5
Amazon FR: https://amzn.to/29zrPdY
Amazon DE: https://amzn.to/29iOWad
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/29mNqd3
iBooks: https://apple.co/29ivSIQ

On Monday, I drove to Little Rock, AR to witness my youngest daughter’s swearing in ceremony.

She’s joining the Arkansas Army National Guard. She starts basic training Oct 31^st, then will go to Officer Candidate School staring in Jan 2017 and then on to AMEDD training (medical) for her Basic Officer Leadership Course. Then she will submit her request to join the Physician’s Assistant Program.

If she gets in, in three years, she will be a licensed Physician’s Assistant and an officer in the Army National Guard. I am so very happy for her and can’t wait to see her in uniform. Please send her positive thoughts to help her through Basic and Officer Candidate School. They are supposed to be tough!

So what’s new with me this month? I had two releases! That’s right, two!

Warrior’s Conquest

WARRIOR’S CONQUEST, an historical time travel set in the medieval times. This story is one my sister, the fabulous Delilah Devlin, and I co-authored a while back and are re-releasing. It’s exciting and has a hot, sexy hero and a totally kickass heroine. The characters are a lot of fun and you’re likely to fall in love with Rufus! Get your copy now!

A twenty-first century woman transported to medieval times is forced to accept the protection of aa beast of a warlord as they struggle to survive in the middle of a war-torn land.

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon | Amazon UK

And SEAL’s DECEPTION is releasing on its own. This is book number 8 in my TAKE NO PRISONERS series. If you like dangerous missions to a prince’s palace in Saudi Arabia, give this one a shot!

Navy SEAL poses as a bodyguard to a sexy CIA operative undercover as the arranged bride of a Saudi prince in search of the biological weapons sale traced to the Prince’s palace

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook | iBooks | GooglePlay

Sign up for my newsletter to learn more about my upcoming releases and for a chance to win great prizes! Hurry! Elle James’s Newsletter

I recently celebrated a significant birthday. However, people seem to think I should now behave like a grown up and be serious, right?

Some have gone so far as to ask: “Why don’t you write a real book for a change?” “Why don’t you write something that matters?”

Translation: Why do you still write romance?

Well, hello!

I believe romance readers want love stories because they are believers in the power of love to reshape their lives in miraculous ways.

In today’s world with so many ethnic groups taught to hate and with so many public figures encouraging hate along with an us-versus-them mentality, the need to express love for others and to be kind is more important than ever. I try to take every opportunity to celebrate my favorite forms of love: weddings and babies. There is always such hope and love with those events, and they only get better when there’s a cowboy involved!

Since I’m from Texas, it may be only natural that the two series I’m currently publishing are about cowboys! And, of course about the women they love and their babies, and weddings too! These novels celebrate all love from the tender caresses of a baby, to romantic wedding celebrations that include extended family and community, to the steamy, passionate nights under the wild Texas moon.

My latest series is called Lone Star Dynasty, and it focuses on the wealthy and powerful Starks, with their legendary ranch, and their loves and triumphs over challenges in South Texas.

To introduce the series, Book 1, Love With An Imperfect Cowboy is on sale for $1.99 (regular price $3.99) from August 24 until September 1.

LOVE WITH AN IMPERFECT COWBOY

She’s a runaway bride looking for love in all the wrong places

Desperate to escape her cheating bridegroom, Hannah Lewis heads to the one place nobody will ever think to look for her–Texas, where she’d planned to go on her honeymoon.

An Impossible Attraction

Grieving widower, rancher Liam Stark knows better than to get involved with the big-eyed, naïve-looking dazzler who walks into his bar lost and alone casting haunted glances his way, practically begging him to kiss her. When she puts herself in harm’s way, he saves her. He doesn’t do love, but maybe he can give her what she wants… if for one night only.

Get your copy and follow Liam and Hannah’s story as they explore the possibility of finding love where they least expect it:

iBook | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Texas: Children of Destiny

The second series I’m currently publishing is my Texas: Children of Destiny series, which was written a while back, but revised and republished in ebook format. This series is set in Texas and across the globe as members of the powerful Jackson family loved and lost but are given a second chance. Will they take advantage of their opportunity to win love back or will their pride force them to risk it all?

Best of all, as a gift to my fans and an incentive to new readers, Passion’s Child (Book 1) is free.

Passion’s Child is the story of an estranged, married couple, who meet again when their beloved son’s life is threatened. When Nick tries to claim his wife and child, they discover that their passion for each other still burns as hotly as ever, despite Amy’s terrible secret.

Is it too late for them? Will his sins and her secrets destroy their second chance at love? Or can love triumph over all?

Order your copies of Ann Major’s Texas: Children of Destiny series and discover the terrible secrets kept and the risk they must take to rediscover the power of love.

About the Author

ANN MAJOR lives in Texas with her husband of many years.  She has three grown children and several grandchildren. She has a master’s degree from Texas A&M at Kingsville, Texas and is a former English teacher. A founding board member of the Romance Writers of America, she is a frequent speaker at writers’ groups.

Besides her writing, Ann loves to hike in the mountains, sail, kayak, travel, and play the piano. Most of all she enjoys her friends and family, and lastly, but not least, her cat.

Dear Reader,

I have always loved stories with big families where lots of dramatic things happen to them. I am a huge prime time fan, and I can get sucked into an English-translated telenovela fast. I have always wanted to write stories that implemented high drama with larger than life personalities. I’ve been working on the Morgan  family for over a year. I had to figure out this family and wondered what could happen next that would keep me surprised and interfere with the characters’ love lives.

First, I had to come up with the family and their background. The major villain in all the stories is the guy who died in chapter one of the first book, Mitch Morgan. He was the patriarch of this family.  What could a father do that made all the children happy that he finally died?

The possibilities were endless. Then what happened to the mother of the children? How would adult children in this super billionaire family be if the father was as awful as I realized Mitch was? In the first book, John Morgan had joined the FBI simply to find evidence that might put his father in jail. How would he act when he failed at this mission?

I had to know, and I had to learn who all the Morgans were, and I hope all my readers find this family as fascinating as I do.

Inside the House of Morgan, anything might happen…

Secret Crush: The House of Morgan

For some, joining the FBI is a long-term goal. For billionaire John Morgan, joining the Bureau is a stepping stone to proving his father is culpable for his sister’s death. After his estranged father dies, John is forced to return home and face the ghosts of his past. That proves to be more difficult than he could have ever imagined.

Alice Collins lives a peaceful life. As a farmer’s daughter, she knows what it’s like to work hard for what you want. After losing her best friend under inexplicable circumstances, her world viewpoint shifted until her small town sensibilities convinced her to attend Mr. Morgan’s funeral.

Soon, the past and the present collide, and Alice is caught in the crosshairs. John comes to her aid, complicating matters for both of them.

Can a handsome billionaire on a vendetta truly fall for a small town girl, or does he have something else in mind? Can a small town girl, if she gives her heart to him, ever fit into the House of Morgan?

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/HfCdG_xtlfY

Pre-Order Here: 
https://amzn.to/2aIojRn
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1124368213;jsessionid=5E7ACAEC7E89E02B4910DD5D78F6659F.prodny_store01-atgap10?ean=2940153343761
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1144255112
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/secret-crush-6

Excerpt

John leaned against the wall and let the throngs of people pass.

Alice followed suit, standing next to him as she sipped her wine. “I assumed he was taking over. Did you want that job?”

John’s entire body jumped as if she’d slapped him. “Hell, no.”

She gulped her sip fast. She kept saying the wrong thing. Inside his blue eyes was a kaleidoscope of emotion. Alice remembered that he used to be kind. She rubbed her lips together. “Then who cares?”

He drank his wine and scanned the room. After making the rounds with his gaze, he took in her entire figure with an intensity that made her knees weak. “What is it you do, Alice?”

“Collins Organic Farm.” She brushed her brown bob behind her ear. “I work for my family. What is it you do?”

Again, his blue eyes flashed as if lightning was in his stare.

She watched him, hypnotized.

“I work in real estate.”

“Liar.” She tilted her head. He definitely didn’t work in real estate. She crossed her arms around her chest. Without another word, she waited for the fallout of her remark.

His eyebrows quirked in shock. Then his dimples appeared. “What do you think I do?”

She met his smile with her own. “Professional bad boy and poker player. It’s what I always thought.”

He chuckled. “I played football.”

She nodded. A moment of silence clung in the air as she sipped her drink. Then she said, “I went to your games in high school, but I also remember how you set up more than a few poker games. You always read people correctly.” His sexy smile lit the room, and her skin melted, literally fused into itself.

“I remember that. You cheered with my sister, and I played you, too.”

*~*~*

About the Author

Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston before moving to the Miami sun. She’s worked in engineering, after passing many tests proving how easy Math came to her. Then hating her life at the age of twenty four, she decided to go to law school. Four years later, after passing the bar and practicing very little, she realized that she hates the practice of law. She refused to one day turn 50 and realize she had nothing but her career and hours at a desk. After realizing she needed change, she became a high school teacher. Teaching is rewarding, but writing is a passion.

During all this time, she always wrote stories to entertain herself or calm down. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, and Victoria spent too many years living other people’s dreams, but when she sat down to see what skill she had that matched what she enjoyed doing, writing became so obvious. The middle school year book when someone wrote in it that one day she’d be a writer made sense when she turned thirty.

She’s always been determined. She is amazing, adventurous and assured on a regular basis. Her website is  www.victoriapinder.com .

Member of Florida Romance Writers, Contemporary Romance, Celtic Hearts and Savvy Authors.

Get a FREE Novella as a Thank you Gift here:
https://victoriapinder.com/returningforvalentineshorttimeoffer

When some friends in my Nice Girls Writing Naughty group started talking about the idea of an anthology, the idea intrigued me.  We were to write a story that was a standalone, but linked to the others by an object – a piece of jewelry or an artifact.  We decided to use a bracelet, and thus The Charmed Bracelet was born.  Four romance stories where boy meets girl, but with a twist:  in the beginning of the story, our characters find the bracelet and it brings them together.  At the end of the story, they lose the bracelet, so it can be found by the next pair.

Rachel Wilder and I, who write as Noon & Wilder, wrote “Lost and Found,” about a computer programmer named Shannon who works for a large multinational firm in Chicago.  Since she works with the European desk, she’s up and at ’em at three in the morning.  Not much goes on at that time of day, until she witnesses a murder.  The bracelet catches her eye, dropped behind a trash bin, and when she bends down to retrieve it, the bin shields her from the view of the murderer.  There’s only one problem.

He finds out about her.

Enter our hero, Del, who realizes the danger she’s in.  They don’t have any solid evidence of a murderous stalker, so he takes it on himself to provide protection. All that’s well and good, but not if the murderer figures out where Shannon is.

The Charmed Bracelet is available now at your favorite etailer.  I hope you enjoy!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple | ARe

—

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

My links: Blog | Books | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | LinkedIn | Pandora

Knoontime Knitting:  Blog | Twitter | Ravelry
Noon and Wilder links: Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Join my Writers Group, The Writer Zen Garden:  Blog | Website | Forum | FB Group | Twitter | Meetup

Join my Readers Group, Nice Girls Writing Naughty:  Blog | Website | FB Group | Twitter

National Novel Writing Month: NaNoWriMo | ChiWriMo | Blog | FB Group | Twitter

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the Delos Series!  HOLD ME is the  novella sequel to HOLD ON, Book 5, the “big book”  about Callie McKinley and Beau Gardner. It follows them after Book 5 is finished to find out “what else” has happened to them and their relationship.

So often I get emails from readers who want to know, “Well, what happened to them next?”  Or “Where are they now?”  Or, “What happened to them?”  Well, now you have your wish!  You can follow your favorite hero and heroine in additional novellas as they fall in love, continue on toward marriage, getting married and deal with life issues that we all deal with.

I’ve developed at least one novella after each of the major 55,000-100,000 word book.  They will each have at least one novella, usually an epilog. But where the characters and their particular lives are at, I may well write more than one novella for them.  You can kind of understand the visual of a train engine with boxcars behind it.  In this case?  The books are the train engine.  The novella(s) that follow are boxcars.  Together, they weave and add layers to the original story of the hero and heroine.  I will always try to get the novella out within a year of the big book being published.  And I would dearly love to hear what you think of this idea that I’ve cooked up for the Delos series.  And also look for additional ideas and suggestions from you regarding it. This is new territory for me, and I’m at this juncture because you, my readers, have brought me to this point.  So often, you wanted MORE on a particular hero and heroine.  And I could never write it for you.

Now?  I can.  So I need your input, for sure!  Don’t be shy about contacting me via my website, www.lindsaymckenna.com.

HOLD ME is about Army Delta Force operator, Sergeant Beau Gardner and Callie McKinley.  If you read  HOLD ON, then you met Callie because she was the younger sister to Dr. Dara McKinley.

Callie McKinley has had an escape and brush with death, but is now home at the Eagle Feather Ranch in Butte, Montana, with Beau Gardner.  She was nearly raped by the Taliban and saved by the man who loves her.  She comes home with PTSD.

Beau must return to Bagram after thirty days leave with Callie at the beautiful Montana ranch.  Callie has an intuition that Beau could be killed.  She tries to fight her fear.  Four months into his six month deployment, her world turns upside down.  Now?  She must somehow pull herself together to be there for Beau.  It is a hard journey for both of them as they both wrestle with their own demons brought on by war.  Will their new love withstand this assault upon it?  Or not?

Let me hear from you about the Culver Family and the Delos series.  Happy reading!

LINKS:

Apple/iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hold-me/id1122804403?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Amazon
https://amzn.to/1WT2RdK

Kobo.com
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hold-me-13

BN.com – will be available day of publication, 8.11.16

Audio (Tantor Media)
https://tantor.com/hold-me-lindsay-mckenna.html — available 11.22.2016

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