If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

If I could live anywhere, it would be where I am now. I’ve lived in California, Hawaii, and Virginia, but Pennsylvania is by far my fave place. I love it here!

Are you a full time writer or do you have a “day job”?

Aside from being a stay-at-home mom/wife, I write full time. I don’t get as much done in the summer, or on breaks, but when TG is in school I write four to five hours a day.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

BROCK’S BUNNY (Chestnut Rock Shifters, Book 3) is my seventh published book. Out of those published so far, CHRISTINA’S BEAR (Chestnut Rock Shifters, Book 2) is my fave.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

BROCK’S BUNNY is book three of my Chestnut Rock Shifters Series, published by Rebel Ink Press. The series consists of seven books (Book 4 releases in September, Book 5 in October.) Chestnut Rock is a fictional town in the Pacific Northwest, near the National forest of the same name. I wanted to create a shifter series different from others I’d read and Chestnut Rock was born. The shifters are seven different species of forest animals. Instead of living together in packs, or groups, these shifters live lonely lives until they find their mates. Through the course of the books, their friendships bring them together to form their own “pack.” (Though they are enjoyable in order, each book stands alone.)

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

I don’t put specific people in my books, but I do add character traits (good and bad) from people I know or have met. Annoying habits and bad behavior are the most common—they are the stuff of villains!

Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like?

My desk faces a wall, so my view is a cork memo board. I have postcards of all my covers on the board, along with my business cards and various long term notes—mostly stuff about my books. When no one is home, I prefer to write on my kitchen table where my view is of our tiny backyard. From that spot I can see the neighbor’s shed, trees, and several small animals running around. It’s beautiful.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Definitely a pantser, though I will usually make about a half sheet of notes on where I want the story to go. I don’t always use them though, and sometimes I cross them all out and make another half sheet half-way through the story!

What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

I’ll read all romance genres, but my fave is paranormal. I always look for shifters and vamps when looking for something new to read. If nothing sounds good, I’ll look for contemporary romance next!

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not? How did you choose it?

I do write under a pen name, but the only reason is because I’ve never been a fan of my real name and I wanted something different. I got Wakely from a book I read years ago. As soon as I read it, I knew that would be my author last name. I had another name from a book for my first, but I’ve always liked the name Jane, so I decided to go with it!

Where can readers find you?

Blog: www.janewakely.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JaneWakelyRomanceAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/JaneWakely
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/JaneWakely
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/JaneWakely

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

All of my books are in Ebook only. They can all be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. All of my books published by Rebel Ink Press can also be found on All Romance Ebooks and BookStrand.

Blurb:
Vegetarian Hollie Dawson owns the only health food store in Chestnut Rock. She’s also a rabbit shifter, but unlike the gray and black jackrabbits that can camouflage themselves easily, Hollie is a pure white bunny. As a shifter, her ultimate dream is to meet the man destined to fill the lonely space in her heart.

Brock Smith owns the most popular steak house in town. When the woman with the platinum hair and violet eyes questions his menu, he’s caught off guard and makes a bad first impression. Unable to explain why their meeting bothers him so much, he’s driven to find her and change all that.

Brock and Hollie acknowledge their intense desire to be together and make future plans, but Hollie hasn’t shared her secret yet. When Brock finds out about her bunny by accident, will his reaction destroy their newfound happiness?

Excerpt

Hollie Dawson looked around the restaurant while her date rambled on the phone to one of his “clients.” The atmosphere was nice if you enjoyed the western thing. Hollie didn’t. Saddles, spurs, horseshoes and cowboy hats decorated the walls. She could appreciate the antler chandeliers if she convinced herself that they were fake, but she couldn’t forgive the skulls. Steer skulls occupied several walls and she couldn’t shake the probability that they were real. Her stomach rolled at the thought.

Hollie eyed her date. Her initial response when he asked her out had been no. He was attractive, but she knew he wasn’t meant for her. She’d only agreed to avoid another Friday night alone. Or working. With nothing else to do, she spent most of her time at her health food store, The Harvest. Her friend, Christina, had expressed her concern and Hollie agreed. She needed to get involved in something else. Have fun again. A thriving business was nice, but life was more than just work. It had to be.

Now that Christina had found her bear, and knew about Hollie, she’d been invited to several weekend get-togethers at Christina’s or Jenn’s. Christina and Jenn were best friends, but they welcomed her into their group, and Hollie was grateful. It was nice to be around shifters again—even if they were predators.

Shifters aren’t natural joiners. They’re used to keeping secrets and spend most of their time alone. With no one to share their lives, many shifters border on depression and some can even die of loneliness if they don’t find a mate. Hollie envied the friendship her four friends shared. Why more shifters didn’t try and stick together, she didn’t know.

Bio
Jane has been creating stories of love and romance for as long as she can remember. She’s a sucker for a happy ending and thinks the best thing about any movie or book is when the characters find someone to love.

Jane’s stories reflect her interest in all romance genres, and all levels of spice, but paranormal romance is her true passion. She loves creating worlds around sexy shifters and vamps—even if the shifter is a smelly skunk!

Jane writes sensual romance that will warm your heart, and a happy ever after is guaranteed!

Author Links
Email: JaneWakelyBooks@gmail.com
Blog: www.janewakely.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JaneWakelyRomanceAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/JaneWakely
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/JaneWakely
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/JaneWakely

Buy Links
BROCK’S BUNNY is available today!!
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Ebooks and BookStrand!

Please help me welcome Jessica E. Subject to my blog today. Jessica loves to hear from her fans so be sure and leave lots of comments plus the fact that if you leave a comment you might win an ebook copy of Alien Adoration (gifted from All Romance)

How did you get started writing?

Hi Cindy! Thank you so much for inviting me back to your blog!

I’ve been writing for many years now, but didn’t consider having my stories published for a wider audience until five years ago. My daughter—at the time—hated reading and cried every time she had to read for school. I thought if I wrote her a book about something she was interested in, she might enjoy reading more. Well, it worked. She now reads above her grade level. And I just kept writing, changing my intended audience, of course.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in?

In many ways, yes. Even back in grade seven, I was writing romance. But the science fiction came into play with the first story I wrote after the one for my daughter. I had intended the hero to be a superhero. He quickly changed to an alien with no superpowers at all. He just wanted to be accepted and live as normal a life as possible on Earth. No matter where or when my stories are set, acceptance is a very common theme.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I’ve written several and have more to rewrite. As of now, I have fourteen stories published with Decadent Publishing, a print and ebook anthology of my stories with them, and one title that I have self-published. Picking a favorite is so hard, but Another Night, Another Planet holds a special place in my heart. There’s just something special about the hero and heroine.

What inspired your latest book?

With Another Night, Another Planet, I was asked by one of the co-owners of Decadent Publishing to write a story that combines both the Elatia line with the 1Night Stand line. I’d written for both of them, and knew the requirements well. But with this story, I wanted to try something different. I brought in two unlikely characters to be set up on a date. Ava is a housekeeper, struggling to support herself and her parents. And Nate is labeled as a space terrorist, though not by any wrongdoing of his own. Along with flying through space, and chase scenes, Another Night, Another Planet is the story of reunited love, but nothing happens as either character expects.

Do you have critique partners
?
Yes!! And I love them to pieces. As much as my editors. My critique partners are Layna Pimentel, Rebecca Royce, DL Jackson, and Zee Monodee. Not only are they great authors, but they are a huge help at finding the places where my stories need work. Without them, I’d be lost.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Very! LOL I don’t put very many people I know in my stories, but I may include a line I have heard them say, or an interesting story that they’ve told. If I include actual people in my stories, it’s not someone I know well, and always as a secondary character.

Do you prefer to read in the same genres you write in or do you avoid reading that genre? Why?

I read A LOT of romance, and in multiple sub-genres, including contemporary and science fiction romance. Writing in the genre doesn’t stop me from reading it. I’m not going to copy someone else’s ideas. I have my own voice, and plenty of ideas to go around. Too many, actually. I need more time to write them all. Just like I have a to-read list, I also have a long to-write list. And some to re-write. LOL I also read mysteries, thrillers, new adult, and young adult. And with some of my favorite authors now writing horror, I’m going to be reading in that genre as well.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do to combat it?

Yes and no. I don’t suffer from writer’s block in that I stare at a blank screen for hours, trying to think of something to write. When a story stops flowing, I stop writing. The more I get upset about it, the longer it takes the creative juices to start flowing again. Sometimes I’ll go and work on another story. Other times I’ll sit down to read. But the best way to get the ideas flowing again is to do the housework I’ve been avoiding. LOL

What are you reading now?

Right now I’m reading Fallen, an urban fantasy/PNR by Claire Delacroix. And I’m looking forward to reading the free SFR Brigade anthology that just came out, too.

Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring authors?

Keep writing! Don’t ever give up. Find your own voice and write your own story.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on three stories right now, with a fourth at my publisher. The third (and final) book in The Underground series is contracted to Decadent Publishing, though I don’t have a release date yet. I just finished a Christmas story called Hey, Santa. It is with my editor right now, and I will be self-publishing it in the next couple of months. I’m also working on the next Alien Next Door book as well as another 1Night Stand story. After that, I plan to start re-writing my novel-length sci-fi romance series. I’m very excited for the new direction it’s going to take.

Another Night, Another Planet
A 1Night Stand / Elatia story
By Jessica E. Subject
Erotic Sci-Fi Romance
ISBN: 978-1613335413

Limited by status…

Ava is a housekeeper aboard Star Spirit, a luxury cruise ship travelling between the Milky Way and the Belvarian System. Coming from a middle-class family on Earth, she is considered by passengers as nothing more than an object to be tossed away when they’re done with her.

Shunned because of his lineage…

Banned from several planets across the universe, Nate struggles to run his interstellar shipping business. But the DNA of an exterminated race runs through his blood, giving him a diluted form of their powers, and leaving him labeled as a terrorist.

Both searching for the one…

Through her 1Night Stand dating service, Madame Evangeline matches these two together for a celestial escape on the pleasure planet, Elatia.

Will Ava and Nate find what they’re looking for, or will their date be just another night on another planet?

Available from
Decadent Publishing | Amazon US / UK | All Romance | Barnes & Noble | more

Excerpt:
“What are you lookin’ at?” Wyn leaned over the side of his chair. “You? A dating service?”

He chuckled, his cheeks warming. “No. I just heard a woman mention it when I escaped through her room. She’d apparently used this service and was waiting for her date when I barged in.”

His friend stood behind him, clasping his shoulder. “I’m surprised you didn’t take advantage of the situation.”

“Didn’t have a chance.” Yet, he wouldn’t have. He refused to pretend to be someone else. A woman had to want him for him. He would no longer hide what he was.

“You should give it a try.”

The comment came like a kick to the nuts. Spinning around in his chair, he faced Wyn. “You’ve got to be joking. This woman sets people up on a one-night stand, but according to her clients, more often than not, the relationship lasts well beyond one night.”

“Exactly. You’ve spent all this time zooming around space, searching for someone. I think it’s about time you stop to find her.”

He clenched the arms of the chair. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m fully capable of finding my own dates.”

“C’mon. The women you find are willing to do anyone who asks. It’s all a ruse as you search for the one woman you’re pining over.”

“You think I’m looking for love? Yeah, right.” That ship had sailed a long time ago. Best friend or not, Wyn had pushed the boundaries of their camaraderie. Nate rose to his feet and shoved past him. “Stay out of my business.”

“If I did, you’d be dead by now,” Wyn shouted after him.

Nate slammed the door to his cubby behind him and pounded his fist against the wall. The fucker was right, Nate would have been killed numerous times if Wyn hadn’t come to his rescue. And perhaps he was lonely, always yearning to run into his one true love. But she resided on Earth, a place he could never return. He stripped off his pants and slumped onto his cot. The darkness helped to soothe his anger.

He thought of 1Night Stand. Am I ready to settle down? Is there really another woman out there for me? Madame Eve guaranteed one night. He huffed out a breath. No harm in trying. Yes, as soon as Wyn retired to his bunk, Nate would fill out the questionnaire.

What would happen after that? He’d let fate decide.

Bio:
Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn’t reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.
Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Authorgraph

Please help me welcome Edie Ramer to my blog today. Edie has given me a great interview that I think you’ll find interesting. She is also giving a $10 gift card to Amazon, BN or Kobo to one lucky commentor so be sure and leave her a comment to be entered.

Do you have other talents? Or is there a talent you don’t have that you wish you did?

The wonderful thing about being a writer is that, through my characters, I can be an artist, a chef, home remodeler, saxophone player, ghost whisperer, cat furniture designer, and a martial arts expert without actually being talented in any of that. (Though I can cook, and I have painted in oils and acrylics.) I live vicariously through my characters.

Tell us about your current work in progress.

It’s a Christmas book, the second in my Rescued Hearts series, titled CHRISTMAS AT ANGEL LAKE. It has a small boy, a single mom, a rich man who’s been under the spell of a woman he calls “the Dark Queen,” and an awesome dog. (It has a great cat, too, but the dog has a point of view in this book, not the cat.)

When will it be released?

October or November. I’m hoping for October.

What inspired your latest book?

HEARTS IN MOTION, my first Rescued Hearts book, is inspired by my own interests (this goes back to the first question, lol). I’ve been looking at furniture and cat furniture, and my hero ended up as the President and CEO of a furniture company, and my heroine is co-owner of a struggling cat furniture company. I love animals, so this has animals. My husband and I are thinking of fostering dogs in the future. I’m also giving 25 cents from every book sold to the Washington County Humane Society in Wisconsin.

What’s your favorite part of writing?

Finishing! And then revising. I love making the words shine. I love cutting parts that don’t matter and make it flabby. Then I love reading what I’ve written and thinking, I wrote that? A little stunned and happy.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Plotting. I’m a pantser, and I often go places where I shouldn’t go then end up cutting scenes and backtracking. But when I plot, I end up cutting even more.

What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?

I’m a proponent of self-publishing. I’ve advised other new indie authors to join the IRI and Selfpublish loops. Also to read blogs by Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch and J.A. Konrath.

What was the deciding factor in self-publishing your books?

Before I self-published, I’d already sold short stories to print magazines and anthologies. I’d won and finaled in quite a few RWA contests. I’d had 4 agents. So I was feeling jaded about the business. A friend, Zoe Winters, had been publishing for a couple of years and was getting well-known. About the same time, I was in the RWA Women’s Fiction chapter, and I was writing articles for their newsletter on the business. I started reading all the blogs I mentioned…and I realized that I should self-publish. So I did.

Give us an elevator pitch for your book.

Take two cats, a dog, a sad, six-year-old girl, a vibrant woman who needs help, a stubborn man who needs a favor, and you have a recipe for romance.

Where can readers find you?
www.edieramer.com, Facebook, Twitter

HEARTS IN MOTION excerpt:

“So, you have a thing for me,” he said.

“And you have a thing for me,” she said.

He stared at her. “I’m engaged.”

“I hope you keep remembering that.”

“I don’t forget.”

“You should call Portia and see her tonight. Cara could sleep over with us.” With each word, she was punishing herself, but she needed this punishment. Needed it to stop these emotions that she had no business feeling. “You’re not my type, anyway. I usually go for guys who are more fun.”

“And you’re not mine. I usually date women who are more… Just more.”

“Is that a cut on my height?” Now her voice rose with indignation, when she wanted to be aloof and uncaring.

He was holding back laughter; she could see it in the clenched muscles around his mouth and his eyes. Usually she loved laughter, even when the joke was on her. Maybe even more in that case. But now… Well, sometimes a girl just didn’t feel like laughing. Once again, she had to fight to keep from kicking him in the shins.

Or higher.

“No insult intended,” he said.

“Because I am more.” She held her arms out at her sides. “I am so filled with life, when I was young, I would climb up on the roof and yell that I could fly.”

He laughed, a rumble that came from his belly, joy in his face. “I can picture you doing that. What happened to that little girl?”

She tilted her head. “Are you kidding? I still think I could fly.”

“Aren’t you missing something?”

“A pair of wings. That’s all I need.”

“I was going to say airplane ticket.”

“That’s the difference between us.”

“The difference between us…”—he leaned toward her and lowered his face, until their lips were a hand-width away—“…is that I already picture you with wings.”

As she gasped, a voice called out. “Daddy!”

He jerked back, looking guilty.

So he should feel guilty, Abby thought fiercely. He was flirting with her. Trying to seduce her.

And she was flirting back. Trying to seduce him.

That’s the last time she started a conversation with a man by telling him to stay away. Obviously it was a case of wanting what they shouldn’t take and what she couldn’t give.

Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | All Romance Ebooks | Smashwords

Edie Ramer is funnier on the page than in real life. A multiple award-winning writer, she writes stories with heart. She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her husband, dog and one important cat.

In addition to her Rescued Hearts and Miracle Interrupted series, she’s published in paranormal and sci fi romance, plus a humorous mystery. She’s happy to be able to do what she loves nearly every day.

Please help me welcome Sara Walter Ellwood to my blog today. Sara is giving away a prize to one lucky commenter. Be sure and leave your email address in the message to qualify. See below for complete requirements.

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

Oh, goodness yes! I actually have a teaching degree—secondary social studies. In my area of Pennsylvania 20 years ago, teaching jobs were almost impossible to come by. I substituted for a few years, but decided to change careers. I was lost, had no idea what I waned to do, but thought about either nursing or lab tech. The problem—I really didn’t want to incur another large school loan… So, I went to a tech school for an eight month medical assisting program. After graduating in 1996, I got a job working in an urgent care unit. I was there for five years, until I was hired by a local Army clinic. I’ve been there for almost twelve years. For the last ten of those years, I’ve worked as a medical clerk, which really is a hodgepodge of different duties. My latest training included audiology testing.

Do you have other talents? Or is there a talent you don’t have that you wish you did?

How did you get started writing?

I started writing while in high school, but quit for almost 20 years… Until I started writing Star Wars fan fiction in 2005.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write paranormal and contemporary western romance. Both with suspense twist…Right now my paranormals are under the pen name Cera duBois, but I’ve decided to not write any other books under that name. My westerns (and any new paranormals) will be under my real name. Lord only knows why I chose these genres! I tell people they chose me…LOL I wrote A Hunter’s Angel after reading my first vampire series—the Twilight books. I started writing westerns when I came up with my hero in Heartstrings, a country singer. It just seemed logical he’d be from Texas. I started reading westerns after I stared writing my story. I actually have an idea for a science fiction romance that I’d love to write someday. So who knows how many genres I’ll end up writing.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

Bloodwine by Cera duBois (self-pub short story 2012)
A Hunter’s Angel by Cera duBois (The Wild Rose Press 2012)
A Hunter’s Blade by Cera duBois (The Wild Rose Press 2012)
Gambling On A Secret by Sara Walter Ellwood (Lyrical Press 2013)
Heartstrings by Sara Walter Ellwood (Lyrical Press 2013)
The Birthday Fantasy by Sara Water Ellwood (self-pub novella 2013)
Gambling On A Heart by Sara Walter Ellwood (Lyrical Press 2013)

I also wrote a Civil War romance novel in high school and about seven Star Wars fan fiction novels and about 35 short stories.

Oh wow! Asking which one is my favorite is like asking which child love more…LOL
Well, let’s just say my favorite fan fiction was a very long saga titled The Path of Dreams. It won an award for best romance in 2006 by readers and that convinced me to give actual romance writing a go. As for my published books… They are all my favorites!

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

My current WIP, which I’m REALLY hoping to have finished SOON, is book 3 of the Colton Gamblers—Gambling On A Dream. It’s sexy Texas Ranger Wyatt McPherson and Sheriff Dawn Madison’s story—they both appear in Gambling On A Heart. I’m also working on 2 other westerns, but I have no idea when I’ll get them finished.

What is your favorite part of writing?

The revision/editing process… I love polishing my story until it shines.

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Writing the first draft! Sometimes I really hate this part. Which probably would be resolved some if I could just learn to plot…LOL Yeah, I’m a pantser.

How does your family feel about your writing career?

They are supportive, though sometimes the hubby gets a little perturbed by the amount of time I spend on the computer after coming home from work.

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not? How did you choose it?

I do. Although Sara Walter Ellwood is my real name, Walter isn’t my legal middle name. It’s my maiden name. I think it was a no-brainer for me to write under this name. I’ve always wanted to be a write (well, since about ninth grade anyway) and my dream has been to see my name on a cover of a book. And since most married woman out there still considers herself by her maiden name as much as she does her married name, adding the Walter pays homage to this. I’m still Sara Walter as much as I am Sara Ellwood.

I also have a short story and two paranormal romances published under the pen name Cera duBois, which is a play on my real name. Cera is just a different spelling of Sara, and duBois is French for “the woods”, while Ellwood means “noble woods” in Old English. I originally chose this name to keep my two genres separate. But all it has done is confuse readers and cause twice the amount of promo for me. So, I’ve decided to not use this pen name again. My Hunter’s Dagger series does have a third book, but I’m waiting to write it. After I get all my rights back to the two books published by The Wild Rose Press, I plan to re-edit and self-publish the entire series under my Sara Walter Ellwood name.

What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

I’ve really done a lot of everything. Mostly I do blog tours. Some of them have been scheduled by a PR person, some by me and a few have been a combination of both. I’m not really sure how many sells actually come from tours, but I think they help in other ways, like with my SEO of my website, which I’ll not get into here. I’ve also joined sites like The Romance Reviews and participate in their parties. I’m a featured member of The Romance Studio and have advertised on other book sites. Again I don’t know how much this has helped. But the will say the few times I held release parties on The Romance Studio, I did see an increase of sales of all my books.

Gambling On A Heart
Book 2 of The Colton Gamblers

Blurb:
She once lost his heart on a bluff. Will she risk everything to win it back?
Beautician Tracy Quinn spends her days making the women of Colton, Texas beautiful, while living down the nickname of Olive Oyl, given to her by the only man she has ever loved—Zack Cartwright. She spends her nights alone, despite what her ex husband wants their friends and neighbors to think.

Ex-rodeo cowboy. Ex-bad-boy. Ex-Marine. Widower and single dad Sheriff Zack Cartwright can describe his life in exes. One ex in particular reminds him of what’s missing in his workaholic life: Tracy Quinn. For years since she broke his heart, he’s practically made avoiding her a second job. He still wants her, but can never go after her.

When cattle rustlers target her brother’s ranch, Tracy and Zack are stuck working together. Her son could use a positive male role model, and his daughter is wild for a chance at a “substitute” mom. But Tracy’s ex threatens to sue if she lets Zack near her son, and the Colton grapevine is abuzz with rumors about their past relationship. Is it worth the gamble to see if what they have is more than lust?

CONTENT WARNING: Spicy sex

Excerpt:

“I was hoping you could keep me company this afternoon.” He skimmed his fingers over her cheek.

Her insides, heating up like lava under the surface of the earth, pooled in her low belly. Her lips parted.

Against her lips, he whispered, “Tracy, I want you.”

She had thought of little else since he’d left her standing on her porch Friday night. He was asking her to enter into a sexual relationship without any hope of a future–without love.

But she was already in love with Zack.

Both of their kids would benefit from them being together. Hadn’t that been what she’d decided while she tossed and turned in her big, empty bed?

With her gaze locked on his, she murmured, “I want you, too, but I have a stipulation.”

He leaned back. “What is it?”

“I’m no one’s bed-buddy, Zack. I know what my reputation is in this town, but it’s all wrong.” She swallowed her rapidly thumping heart back into place. “I’ll only go through with this, if you promise to treat me as a serious girlfriend. That means we date, we visit with our families and we share our kids.” When his expression hardened, she quickly added, “Mandy likes me. And I adore her. I’d like to bring her here, to the shop, for a few hours and play. And take her shopping. I know your mom tries, but she’s busy with her foundations and charities she does for the Junior League.”

The breath she sucked in was full of Zack’s scent of sage and leather. “Meanwhile, you can teach Bobby how to ride and maybe take him to the sheriff’s department and show him around. Jake won’t like it, but I’ll deal with him.” Having laid her demands out on the proverbial table, she held her breath, waiting for him to tell her what she could do with herself. After all, a man of Zack’s caliber could have any damned woman he wanted. Tracy was just handy, and according to the gossip of her ex-husband and mother-in-law, she was easy.

He studied her for a few moments. “That’s more than one stipulation.”

“Take it or leave it.”

“Tracy, it won’t change what I told you Friday night. I’m never getting married again.”

His words stung as much now as they had the other night, but she didn’t show him how much. She kept her face determined, as if she were haggling over one of his horses, rather than her body and soul.

“Fine. But I’m not a floozy. Yes, I’ve made mistakes. But I have my son to consider. And I’d hope you’d feel the same about Mandy. They’re bound to see us together. What do you plan on telling your six-year-old daughter when she asks about me? That I’m your friend with benefits? I know that isn’t what I want to be teaching my son.” Moreover, she didn’t want to give credence to Jake’s claim that she had no sexual morals.

“Okay,” he said at last. “We’ll play the game your way.” He pressed her against him. “Luck would have it I’m off this afternoon, too. I’ve already put in sixteen hours.”

When his lips captured hers, she knew she’d made a pact with the devil, but she couldn’t stop the elation surging through her. There was something he wanted from her. Sex was a big portion of it, but something else kept Zack from walking away and hooking up with any one of the many available women in town.

Bio:
Sara Walter Ellwood is an award winning author whose novel Gambling On A Secret was named by bestselling author Carolyn Brown in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today as one of her favorite romances of 2012. Although Sara has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her stories. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for nearly 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia.

She also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of Cera duBois.

Buy Links:
Lyrical Press: http://www.lyricalpress.com/gambling-on-a-heart/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sara+walter+ellwood&sprefix=sara+walter+%2Caps%2C420
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s?store=allproducts&keyword=Sara+Walter+Ellwood
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gambling-on-a-heart/id642804045?mt=11
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Gambling-On-a-Heart/book-6EzOUD6_-UWAPR0RZT34Pw/page1.html?s=Zj9Z9eXVJ0inBNYR-g5mTg&r=2

Author links:
Website: http://www.sarawalterellwood.com
Blog: http://www.sarawalterellwood.com/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarawalterellwood.ceradubois/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sara_w_ellwood
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869635.Sara_Walter_Ellwood
To Sign Up for Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mVxXf

Giveaway:
*Please leave your email address to qualify*
Tour Grand Prize is a swag pack full of goodies! A signed copy of Carolyn Brown’s Just a Cowboy and His Baby, an ebook copy of my last release Gambling On A Secret, a notebook, a pen, and a custom jewelry set—all tucked into a keepsake box. A $20 value.
*Swag pack is for the entire six-week tour. Winner will be announced on September 1, 2013
*Open to Continental US citizens 18 years and older and where not prohibited by law.
*For the complete list of rules click HERE http://sarawalterellwood.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/giveaway-rules.pdf

Please help me welcome Stacy Juba to my blog today. Stacy has given me a great interview and I hope you all like it, too. As part of her visit today she is giving away one Smashwords download of Twenty-Five Years Ago Today to one lucky commentor.

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer? After college, I worked as an obit writer and newspaper editorial assistant, much like my heroine Kris Langley in Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. Like her, one of my tasks was preparing the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column. I later became a reporter, specializing in features and health. In college, my major was exercise science and I worked briefly as a trainer in a health club and as an intern in a hospital cardiac rehabilitation program. However, I didn’t enjoy working in a club or a hospital as much as I thought I would. I decided to apply for a job at the local newspaper and have been writing articles for various publications ever since.

What genre(s) do you write in and why? I specialize in adult mystery and romantic suspense, however I have also published a couple of young adult novels, children’s picture books, an essay anthology, and short stories. I revamped my website to One Stop Reading: Books for Adults, Teens and Children. I wanted to make it easy for my adult readers to also find books for their kids or grandkids. My work-in-progress is a romantic comedy without a mystery element to it, so I basically pursue the story ideas that excite me the most at the time.

What inspired your latest book? Sink or Swim was inspired by the reality TV show craze. I wanted to write a book about what happens to a character once the series is over and she returns to her normal life. In the novel, Cassidy Novak attracts a stalker after returning to her job as a personal trainer in a small town. I set much of the book at a health club since I had experience working at one in my early twenties.

What is your favorite part of writing? My favorite part of writing is getting so engrossed in the process that two hours passes like twenty minutes. It’s almost meditative how focused and “in the zone” that I get when the writing process is going well. Working on my novel puts me in a better mood.

What is your least favorite part of writing? My least favorite part is when I get writer’s block or run into a plot hole that needs fixing. Then I have trouble moving forward. To combat writer’s block, I’ll take a few days away from the story and then go to the library with my word processor and force myself to sit there until I’ve written for a couple hours. When I need to fix a plot hole, I’ll brainstorm with my husband or a writer friend.

How much time do you spend promoting your books? What works best for you? I spend a great deal of time on promotion. It has been trial and error experimenting with different marketing strategies to see what works and what doesn’t. What works best for me is a combination of strategically placed ads, a strong Twitter presence, having my blog syndicated through Triberr, and participating in some author marketing groups where we exchange leads and support one another on social networking sites.

Do you have a view in your writing space? What does your space look like? There is no view as my desk faces the wall, but I have a vision board hanging to my right which has pictures and words focusing on my personal and professional goals. It is a memo board with a blue background and yellow stars, not that you can see much of the background due to all of the cards and photos. I also have a picture of a butterfly over my desk with the words Believe in the Magic You Can Create, and a picture of a flower with the Chinese proverb, Those Who Say It Cannot Be Done Should Not Interrupt the Person Doing It. Basically, I find it inspiring to be surrounded by positive phrases and images.

Tell us about your heroine. Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses. Cassidy Novak, the heroine of Sink or Swim, is a personal trainer who goes on a reality show as she hopes to win enough money to launch a chain of fitness centers. She is ambitious and has worked hard to put herself through school, yet doesn’t have the finances to follow her dream of being an entrepreneur. Her strength is her mental toughness and her weakness is her stubbornness.

Has your muse always known what genre you would write and be published in? I started writing mystery stories in elementary school so my muse always knew that genre would be important to me, and when I was a young adult myself, I got interested in writing YA. My muse really surprised me with the sweet romantic comedy that I’m currently finishing up – I never would have dreamed that I’d write a romantic comedy, with no mystery elements to it, even though I enjoy reading that genre. But who am I to question the muse!

Do you or have you belonged to a writing organization? Which one? Have they helped you with your writing? How? The most beneficial writing organization that I’ve ever belonged to is Sisters in Crime. I’ve learned a lot through their newsletters and workshops, have found critique partners through the organization, and have appeared as a panelist at local conferences and libraries as a direct result of my membership. It has also been a wonderful networking opportunity for me to meet authors, booksellers, and others in the publishing industry.

Where can readers find you? They can find me on my website http://stacyjuba.com/blog/ , on Twitter https://twitter.com/stacyjuba, and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Juba/100155471301.

Do you have any upcoming FREE promotions you would like to tell us about? Readers can download my free 23 minute murder mystery audiobook Laundry Day, performed by award-winning narrator Nicole Poole, who also did Jodi Picoult’s House Rules and Change of Heart. It’s a mystery set in a suburban neighborhood reminiscent of Desperate Housewives. It’s also available as an e-book. I recommend the audio version because of Nicole’s great performance, but the e-book has some excerpts of my novels if readers would like to have those also. In addition, I have an anthology that is free for the time being at many retailers: 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back. It is a companion book to my bestseller Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and features 52 authors looking back at their own pasts or the pasts of their characters. It’s an interesting book that will inspire readers to reflect on their own lives, as well as introduce them to new authors. Download links are on my Free Reads page: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/short-stories/

Excerpt from Sink or Swim:

Cassidy sat poised in her chair as former contestants filed onto the soundstage at WBC in New York. Together, the studio audience and television viewers had watched the recorded footage of her walking the plank. Gabriel would now interview the competitors from the inaugural season one final time.

More importantly, he would announce her prize. If it erased most of her debts, then it would at least make this whole embarrassing experience worthwhile. Cassidy’s heart kicked in her chest and sweat moistened her brow.

As one of her old teammates entered, her heart rate skyrocketed for a different reason. Josh Sanchioni slid into a bucket seat, carrying himself stiffer than normal in his sharp gray suit. Studio lights caught his sunbleached strawberry blonde waves, brightening the reddish gold tints.

Cassidy slipped her gaze to his leather shoes. If Josh hadn’t been engaged, they could have been an item. Instead, they’d been good friends until that one evening when the cameras were off and they almost kissed. They’d both realized their mistake and backed away. Things were strained until Josh walked the plank a week later.
Tonight, not only did Cassidy have to face Josh, she would probably meet his fiancée.
Her cheeks heating, Cassidy focused on the competitor beside Josh as a distraction. Adam Horton sat erect, hands folded in the lap of his olive green khakis. He wasn’t military, but he dressed like an Army wannabe. His reptilian eyes drilled into Cassidy, his angular face revealing the shape of bones underneath. A blond goatee darkened his pointy chin.

Cassidy shuddered involuntarily. Adam never said much, but he made her uncomfortable just the same. She’d sense someone watching her on the ship and Adam would be lurking in the hatches. Luckily, he only lasted on the show two weeks.

Bio:

Stacy Juba has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers, and multiple Amazon Top 100 lists, and she has also been ranked as one of the Most Popular Authors in Mysteries on Amazon. She has had a book ranked as #5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears learning to raise the U.S. flag: she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. Her titles include the adult mystery novels Sink or Swim and Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, the children’s picture books The Flag Keeper and the Teddy Bear Town Children’s Bundle (Three Complete Picture Books), and the young adult novels Face-Off and Dark Before Dawn.

Please help me welcome Linda to my blog today. She will be giving a $5 giftcard of the winners choice as a prize to one lucky commentor, so be sure and leave her a comment.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a native Pennsylvanian who lived most of my life in Southern California. As a child, I was fascinated by the ocean, and I like living near it, even though I don’t swim well. I’m also a book junkie who spent much of my childhood either lost in the pages of a book or in my own daydreams of the books I would write when I grew up. That dream was put aside for a number of years. About 25 years ago, I decided it was time to try to make that childhood dream come true and I’ve been writing ever since.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

The Monterey Peninsula in Central California. There’s something special about that area for me. It’s not just the cooler weather or the natural beauty of the beaches, though they are lovely, but there’s something in the air that seems magical to me. I just feel good there. It’s not as urban as Southern California, and wild deer can be seen roaming the streets of Pacific Grove. We even saw a red fox once out by Asilomar Beach. But alas, it’s very expensive real estate. Of course if I want to dream really big, I’ll say London, which is even more expensive, but oh, to be so close to all that history and research material! That would be wonderful.

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

Yes, I’m a librarian by training, with a Master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Texas at Austin. When I first got out of school, I worked for several years as a technical librarian. For a history buff like me, it was surreal to be surrounded by technical books and journals, most of which I didn’t understand. It’s pretty bad when the only books you can read in your own library are the dictionary and encyclopedia! I left the library field to work as a travel agent for a time, and then went back to library work, but in public libraries this time. I enjoy being on the information/reference desk and helping people to find the information and books they needed.

How likely are people you meet to end up in your next book?

Generally, not very likely, at least not in recognizable form, though I have used old boyfriends as models for a couple of villains. However, in Lady Elinor’s Escape, I cast some of my closest women friends as secondary characters, with names only slightly changed to accommodate the Regency period, for instance Belinda rather than Linda.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I have written and published 3 full-length novels plus about two dozen short stories and novellas under my Lyndi Lamont pseudonym. I call Rogue’s Hostage the book of my heart, but really, I love them all.

What inspired your latest book?

My recent release is a reissue of my Regency romance, Lady Elinor’s Escape. Like a lot of readers, I fell in love with this time period when I read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I wanted to write a Regency Cinderella story, but needed a twist on it, and came up with the idea of a poor little rich girl with an abusive aunt who finds her Prince Charming in the form of a London barrister who rescues damsels in distress. Stephen helps Elinor escape to her fairy godmother, a French modiste in London, where Elinor hides out disguised as a seamstress. It’s not the typical Regency, since readers get to see how the working class lived for a change.

What is your favorite part of writing?

The most exciting part is when the original idea starts to take shape in my mind, as the characters come to life and start talking to me, though not literally, of course. (The difference between writers and schizophrenics is writers know the voices in their heads aren’t real.) The most satisfying part is when you get to The End.

What are you reading now?

Dan Brown’s Inferno.

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

Most of my books are available only in ebook format at this time. I’m hoping to get them into print soon using Amazon’s CreateSpace. The ebook are available at Amaon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers. Links are available at my website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/bookshelf

What’s next for you?

Presently I have two projects in the works, both Westerns. One is a full length novel set in post-Civil War Texas entitled Touched By Fire. I’m also working on a holiday short story for a Western historical Christmas anthology set in Debra Holland’s fictional town of Sweetwater Springs. I’m honored to be working with Debra and Cynthia on this fun project.

Cynthia, thanks so much for hosting me here at your blog.

Linda

Lady Elinor’s Escape
by Linda McLaughlin
Sweet Regency Romance
Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears her aunt who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while fighting her attraction to him.
There are too many women in barrister Stephen Chaplin’s life, but he has never been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled guilt over his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with his secretive seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as the ineligible party.
Lady Elinor’s Escape is now available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and Smashwords.

Excerpt:

“Excuse me, madam, but I could not help overhearing you say that you must leave for London immediately. Allow me to introduce myself. Stephen Chaplin, Esquire, at your service.”

Elinor turned to face the gentleman who had suddenly appeared. She stared at him through a haze of black, taking advantage of her veil to get a closer look at this tall, dark-haired, seemingly well bred gentleman. He was above average height, with finely chiseled features, and while he could not, strictly speaking, be deemed handsome, there was something in the intense scrutiny of his light brown eyes that drew her to him. By the cut of his bottle green Superfine coat, which emphasized his broad shoulders, but was not so tight as to hamper movement, and his casually tied neckcloth, she surmised he was no society dandy.

“How do you do?” she said politely, extending one black-gloved hand.

“Fine, thank you.”

As he took her hand and bowed over it, Elinor savored the warmth of his touch for a moment. It had been a long time since someone had touched her out of kindness. Suddenly realizing she was clutching his hand, she withdrew hers. He studied her, his gaze seeming to penetrate the veil, and she could only stand like the veriest lump under his scrutiny.

“I beg your pardon, madam, but what did you say your name was?”

“Eli—” Elinor broke off and feigned a cough, panic bubbling up inside. Her name. Dear heavens, she needed a new name. If she told him who she was, he would never agree to take her to Mimi. She stared down at the gentleman’s yellow nankeen trousers and shiny brown boots. “Brown,” she stammered. “Ellie Brown.”

“Mrs. Brown, may I offer my assistance? I’m heading for London myself and would be pleased to convey you as far as Chippenham, where you may pick up another stage coach.”

Relief flooded through her at his offer, but could she trust him? No proper young lady rides in a closed carriage with a gentleman who is not related to her. The words of her governess rang in her ears. “I do not think—”

“Of course, you are cautious,” he interrupted smoothly. “Any genteel lady would hesitate to trust a strange gentleman.”

“But I am not a lady,” she blurted. If Aunt Sarah learned that a ‘lady’ had been here, she would know where to look for her. “I am merely a seamstress.”

“Really,” he drawled, doubt evident in his tone.

Linda’s Bio:

Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of history fostered by her paternal grandmother and an incurable case of wanderlust inherited from her father. She has traveled extensively within the United States and has visited Mexico, Canada, & Australia. A lifelong dream came true with a trip to England where she was able to combine sightseeing and theater with research for her novels. A native of Pittsburgh, she now lives in Southern California with her husband.

Her first book was Worth The Risk by Lyn O’Farrell, written with Anne Farrell. Now Linda writes historical and Regency romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward.

She also writes sexy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont.

Website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/
Blog: http://flightsafancy.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.mclaughlin.1806
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lindamclaughlin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont