One of my favorite hobbies is taking pictures of the cowboys I know. Since I am a cowgirl, bred and born, it’s not difficult to find models. One of my favorite subjects is my pop. He is extremely photogenic and was a member of the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) at one time. Although he was never an actor, he has been in commercials and print ads for beer and cigarettes—a natural fit for him because he loves both!
Below are a sample of some of my favorite shots!
I have never had a fancy or expensive camera. Just small, inexpensive cameras, but ones that have taken some really nice shots over the years. Someday I’ll have a big, fancy one like Alannah does in Cowboy Bred, Cowboy Born.

Figure 1 Two good cowboys!

Figure 2 Fixing fence

Figure 3 Gathering cattle Cimarron, Colorado

Seven men as tough as the west…

Seven women who know how to…

Cowboy Up

A boxed set of seven romantic novellas by seven award-winning authors experienced with writing about the men of the West.

Always, Cowboy by Allison Merritt

Blurb:
The past is better left behind, unless it offers a brighter future.
Brody Longtree’s first love was bull riding, but he loved beauty queen Libby Dempsey equally as hard. When she turned down his marriage proposal, everything from his rodeo career to his love life went to hell. His love ran too deep for blame, so he made the best of what life threw at him. Things finally get back on track…and then she almost runs over his dog.
When her pageant dreams died in an embarrassing display of nerves, Libby made a new, cowboy-free life for herself. One where she could train other girls who want to be pageant princesses. One that doesn’t give her any reason to dwell on what might have been with Brody until his dog bounds into her heart. And she bounds into Brody’s bed.
Despite the differences in their lives, they mesh together, the way Brody always knew they would. No matter what, he’s waiting until he’s certain Libby is ready to get married before he asks again, but their relationship comes under fire when one of her friends reveals a secret about a little girl Libby is awfully attached to—a girl who’s the right age to be Brody’s daughter.

Excerpt:
Under that snap front western shirt, did he still sport six-pack abs? She couldn’t count the number of times she’d helped him out of a similar shirt and put ice on his bruises after a ride. Or how often they’d parked at the lake and explored one another under the stars.
“Hot?” Brody asked.
“What?”
“You’re flushed. We could go sit in the stands, maybe catch a breeze.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Can I ask you something, Lib?” Brody rose. His dark eyes were serious and a few lines bracketed his mouth. “Why’d you come tonight?”
Libby swallowed hard. “You asked me.”
“Really?”
“I only live an hour away and I didn’t have anything else to do tonight.” Tell him you miss him.
“You used to be more honest.” He slipped his hand around her wrist. “You missed me.”
“I—” Electricity buzzed through her from his touch. “Maybe a little.”
“Maybe a lot.” He pulled her into his arms. “You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

About Allison Merritt:
A love of reading inspired Allison Merritt to pursue her dream of becoming an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she’s not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas.
Allison graduated from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri with a B.A. in mass communications that’s gathering dust after it was determined that she’s better at writing fluff than hard news.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Cowboys Don’t Cry by Vickie Taylor

Blurb:
A broken cowboy with nothing left to lose…except his heart.
Dash Connaway is hell-bent down a highway to nowhere. But he can’t outrun fate. Just a few months ago, he’d had a new album shooting up the country music charts, a luxury tour bus prepped for gigs in 39 cities, and a live-in girl friend he’d been thinking of asking to marry him. Now he’s just another drifter with an old guitar, a beat-up pickup, and a dog named Bill for a bed mate…until he meets Maggie McCain.
Maggie isn’t your ordinary Oregon rancher. She’s more into organic gardening and hand-spinning yarn from the fleece of her prized alpacas than breeding stinky old cattle. She’s a nurturer, a giver, so when Dash steps into her life from nowhere, she’s ready to trade in her solitary existence on the farm in favor of a husband to grow old with and a passel of children to care for.
But when she learns the real reason for Dash’s commitment to life on the road, she’s faced with a difficult choice and a lesson in the fallacy behind the old saying “Cowboys don’t cry.” Only time will tell just how potent the healing power of love can really be.

Excerpt:
“It’s a girl,” he pronounced cradling the newborn alpaca in his arms.
The woman wiped her grimy chin with the back of her grimier hand. Tears tracked through the dirt on her cheeks. “You did it.” She pushed to her feet, but her legs looked none too steady. She picked up the rifle and leaned on it like a crutch.
Dash went to her, ready to catch her if she fell. “We did it,” he corrected.
“Yes, we did.”
He smiled and reached out to her free arm. It was meant to be a celebratory brush, a comfort…but it lingered a moment too long. The air changed.
Without warning, she swung her rifle up and rested the barrel against his chest. “Now who the hell are you, and what are you doing on my land?”

About Vickie Taylor:
Vickie Taylor published her first book in 1999 and quickly rose to the ranks of national best-selling and award-winning author. She enjoys all types of books, but especially paranormal, suspense, and western contemporary with the unifying theme being romance. Vickie always enjoys a good love story. She is the author of sixteen published novels and is a four-time nominee for the Oscar of the romance world, the Romance Writers of America Rita award. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s usually out riding horses, training search and rescue dogs, or volunteering with her local humane society. She is an avid supporter of the campaign to preserve America’s wild horses, and her latest release, Cowboys Don’t Cry is the first book in a new series featuring her beloved mustangs. Sign up for her newsletter to be notified when the next book in the series, The Horseman’s Widow, coming October, 2014, is available. Vickie loves to hear from readers and can be contacted via the methods below:

Website (where you can also sign up for her newsletter announcing new releases.) | Facebook | Twitter

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A Cowboy’s Heart by Leslie Garcia

Blurb
:
Teenage lovers torn apart by betrayal. Have seventeen years changed everything—or nothing?
Star-crossed lovers in their south Texas hill country high school, torn apart by a best friend’s lie, a mother’s cold hatred, and a father’s lack of trust…
High school junior Illy Kingston turns to varsity football star and cowboy in training Gil Salas when her father, a Border Patrol agent, is killed under suspicious circumstances.
Their hormone-fueled, all or nothing affair ends when betrayal tears them apart.
Years, later, Illy returns home, at loose ends after her disastrous marriage to a reality show rock star ends with an embarrassing photo gone viral and a divorce.
When Gil and his mounted Border Patrol make an unannounced civic call at a local elementary school, Gil is shocked to see Illy lurking in the shadows, threatening to upend his existence once again.
The old passion still burns—but neither can go back to the innocence of their high school affair. Illy swore never to love a man wearing a uniform that didn’t involve jeans, a western hat, and boots. Gil has a price on his head.
And star-crossed love doesn’t usually work for cowboys, either.

Excerpt:

He stopped abruptly. Illy had told him to stop, and he hadn’t thought she meant it. The memory of her reacting to him, caressing him, wanting him, stormed back. And then, when Emma called, she’d turned off and fled in a fury.
Did she think he’d seen the picture? He’d seen it online, like the entire world had, according to all the social media. What if she thought he was just acting out what he’d seen? No matter how much the photo enraged and sickened him, he could only imagine her horror that her marriage was over, but that episode never would be.
Did she feel strange at all, being in his arms after that very public display with her ex-husband? His heart thudded dully. She must know he’d seen the picture, but what would it do to her if she knew the truth?
He closed his eyes. She was out of his life, and that was best for him. Because truth be told, he didn’t know if he could take her again and not remember the second most painful night of his life. The night he’d happened on Illy making love to her rock-star husband in public.

About Leslie Garcia:

Leslie P. García grew up lost among a crowd of six siblings and a menagerie that included more than twenty horses and ponies, uncounted dogs and cats, possums, raccoons—even a lion and monkeys. Then she moved to Texas, fell in love, was disowned—and embarked on her real adventures, raising 4 children, teaching hundreds, and loving 9 grandkids through forty years of marriage. The fabric of that colorful life has always been writing. In A Cowboy Heart, Leslie celebrates two of her passions—cowboys and the ever present chance at redemption in spite of past mistakes. Leslie loves hearing from readers and can be found all over cyber space, including these places:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | E-mail: lesliegarcia2000-author@yahoo.com

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The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir

Blurb:
Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl?
Angela French blames herself for her daughter’s lack of voice. Determined to do anything to correct the situation, she seeks out Jake Kyncade, the owner of The Heartsong Ranch.
Jake Kyncade hides his own sorrows behind his no-nonsense demeanor. Helping children becomes one way to correct his past. Using equine therapy, he sets out to make a difference.
Can Jake help Angela’s dreams come true or will Jake’s past bring more heartache? Will love save them all?

Excerpt:

With Taylor asleep on the couch, Angela snuck the magazine out of her daughter’s sleeping hands before carrying her to her bed. After making sure her baby was tucked in, she turned out the lights and went to the kitchen. She sat down at the table to study the article about the horse whisperer. The photos gave off a peaceful feeling—so much so, she longed to jump into the images. Along with the horses, there were shots of children laughing and petting the animals. The article mentioned a little boy with Down’s Syndrome whose language increased after a week of animal therapy. The Heartsong Ranch. Even the name sounds encouraging. Dare I get my hopes up?
One photo in particular captured her attention. The owner, Jake Kyncade, wore jeans and a cowboy hat as he stood next to the ranch sign. She took a deep breath as butterflies circled in her abdomen. He’s sexy. Very different from Mike. Mr. Kyncade has this wounded look in his eyes. I wonder what his trauma was. I’ve gotten better at noticing it in others. Still, he’s good looking. Probably married with his own children.

About Melissa Keir:
Melissa Keir has always wanted to be an author when she wasn’t hoping for a career as a race car driver. Her love of books was instilled by her mother and grandparents who were avid readers. She’d often sneak books away from them so that she could fantasize about those strong alpha males and plucky heroines. In middle school and high school, Melissa used to write sappy love poems and shared them with her friends and still has those poems today! In college her writing changed to sarcastic musings on life as well as poems with a modern twist on fairy tales and won awards for her writing. You can find many of these musings along with her latest releases on her website and blog.
As a writer, Melissa likes to keep current on topics of interest in the world of writing. She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, Mid-Michigan RWA Chapter, and EPIC. She is always interested in improving her writing through classes and seminars.
Melissa doesn’t believe in down time. She’s always keeping busy. Melissa is a wife and mother, an elementary school teacher, a movie reviewer, an owner of a publishing company as well as an author. Her home blends two families and is a lot like the Brady Bunch, without Alice- a large grocery bill, tons of dirty dishes and a mound of laundry. She loves to write stories that feature happy endings and is often seen plotting her next story.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Facebook Page | Twitter | Goodreads

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Cowboy Trouble by Autumn Piper

Blurb:
She’s decided to make some bad choices this weekend.
Susie Howell has always done what her family expects of her, but they don’t know about the divorce papers she’s just signed, or the secret torch she carries for sexy ranch hand Cash. When keeping the secret gets to her, she flees her brother’s wedding reception. Determined to live a little, she swipes the nearest truck from the ranch and heads to Sin City.
Cash Acosta has worked hard for everything he has, and nobody is taking off with his truck. When he sees it driving away, he jumps in—and becomes the unwilling passenger of a ready and willing woman he’s forbidden to touch. Hell-bent for trouble, the boss’s sister has already earmarked him as one of her “bad choices”.
And Susie intends to get what she wants.

Excerpt:
“So that’s why you’re runnin’.” Under the parking lot lights, his eyes were pitch black. He thumbed a tear from her cheek.
She tried for a more ladylike sniffle, blinked away her tears. Nodded, for lack of a better reply.
“When I hear a beautiful woman wants to make some mistakes, my gut instinct is to help her out with that.” His thumb brushed her lower lip. “Hearin’ she’s single…that’s another checkmark in the pros column.” Hypnotized, she barely breathed as he cupped her jaw in his fingers and that gaze riveted on hers. “Seein’ her cry? What choice do I have?” He bent to her, his lips hot and strong, skilled as they teased hers apart, his tongue waking feelings she’d forgotten. And Lord, it may be too soon, it may be wrong, but she wanted. Wanted Cash, his hands, his mouth, his… She grabbed onto his hard shoulders, slipped her hands up his neck, buried her fingers in that thatch of hair. And kissed him like there was no tomorrow. Of course there was. Sexy, brooding, womanizing Cash wanted her, and he’d be hers, at least for this trip.

About Autumn Piper:
Born and raised in itty-bitty Rifle, Colorado, Autumn Piper studiously avoided trouble…but is now inclined toward it, particularly in her novels. She thinks the best things in life are funny, and the runners-up, romantic.
An admitted carb addict, Autumn writes, edits, manages two teenagers, two cats, a box turtle with a huge personality, one husband and many supersize houseplants, and does the cooking and cleaning when forced to.
To sign up for Autumn’s occasional newsletter: http://mad.ly/signups/105424/join
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Page

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Chasing a Cowboy by Sara Walter Ellwood

Blurb:
He’s running from heartbreak. She’s chasing after love… Their hearts will never be the same.
Paige Morgan has lived her entire life in the glare of her fraternal twin sister’s star. Although the sisters are as different as sun is from the moon, Paige fell in love with the same man as her famous swimsuit model sister. When country superstar Chase Jordan is dumped at the altar by her twin, Paige sees an opportunity to go after the one thing of her sister’s she’s always wanted. She finds Chase in Cabo San Lucas nursing his broken heart in the true country song fashion—with a bottle of Jose Cuervo—and reminds him of the desire he once felt for her. Will this singing cowboy change his tune as they set the tropical nights on fire? Or will Paige be the one singing the blues when her sister shows up wanting her man back?

Excerpt:
All of his hopes and dreams shattered on what should have been the happiest day of his life. Today, instead of settling in for their two-week vacation and only getting out of bed to eat, he was nursing a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Why had he come here? His brother was right; he could have easily eaten the cost of the trip. Chase had insisted that he had to escape for a little while, lick his wounds and come up with a plan before he had to go back on tour in a few weeks. Jack accused him of wanting to punish himself. Why else would he go to the place he and Kayla were to have their honeymoon? Had he come here to remind himself of what should have been? He shook his head, hoping to dislodge the thoughts, and turned to gaze out the other side of the bar.
A woman stood on the walkway staring at him through a pair of Aviators. Her long blonde ponytail shimmered in the sun like spun gold. He narrowed his eyes. Was he now hallucinating?
She entered the bar and headed toward him. Sitting on the stool beside him, she removed her sunglasses to reveal a pair of expressive hazel eyes. “Surprise.”
“Paige? What the hell are you doing here?”

About Sara Walter Ellwood:
Although Sara Walter Ellwood 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 contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 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. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published author and publishes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name Cera duBois.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter Signup

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Cowboy Bred, Cowboy Born by D’Ann Lindun

Blurb:
Freedom or family? Only love can make the choice.
Photographer Alannah Murphy refuses to be tied down. She watched her parents struggle to hold onto their dairy farm until it killed them. The mere thought of the same fate makes her shudder. When she meets rancher Sterling Gentry she has to face her fears, or lose him.
Sterling Gentry longs for someone to hand his ranch down to. Like his father before him, he has sacrificed everything to hold onto the land his ancestors settled. But finding Ms. Right proves harder than he imagined. Then he meets Alannah Murphy with her big city ways. How he can ever take a chance with a woman exactly like his mother, who abandoned him when he was a child?
Despite their determination to stay the course they’ve each chosen, attraction pulls them together as steadily as a nail to a magnet. Can these two find a way to mesh Alannah’s need for freedom and Gentry’s desire to hold onto his land?

Excerpt:
Still snapping photos, the woman approached him. When she came within speaking distance, she waved. “Hello.”
“Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in the middle of the road? Don’t you know better than to stand in the way when somebody’s herding stock?”
Her mouth opened and closed a couple times. “I didn’t think—”
“Hell no, you didn’t think,” Gentry shouted. “Damn it anyway.”
“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice. “The shot was just so good…”
The shot? She’d ruined hours upon hours of exhausting work because she’d wanted a picture? Who the hell would do something so stupid?
Only a damn greenhorn.
For the first time he noticed her get-up. A straw hat only a city girl would wear, floaty pink top with tiny straps that left her bare shoulders exposed to the unforgiving Arizona sun, cut-off jean shorts and red cowboy boots. Daisy Duke personified. He shook his head in disgust.
Reality crashed over him.
The New York photographer his mother had enticed out here, hoping an article in The Cowboy magazine would bring attention to the Santa Gertrudis cattle they raised.
Damn.

About D’Ann Lindun:
Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Romance appeals to her because there’s just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. D’Ann’s particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them. This is probably because she draws inspiration from the area where she lives, Western Colorado, her husband of twenty-nine years and their daughter. Composites of their small farm, herd of horses, five Australian shepherds, a Queensland heeler, two ducks and cats of every shape and color often show up in her stories!
D’Ann loves to hear from readers! Please contact her at:
Website | Facebook Page | Twitter | Amazon Page | Email: dldauthor@frontier.net
Buy:
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Buy Links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cowboy-up-melissa-keir-allison-merritt/1120319088?ean=2940150568457

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cowboyup-1616837-153.html

If you’re a lover of regency romance be sure to check out Keepsake, Book 5 of the Distinguished Rogues which releases this month. The Marquess of Taverham married young and fast with his eye firmly on his bride’s dowry as the means to repair the family fortunes for the next generation. Too late he discovered his new wife wasn’t going to make achieving all of his dreams that easy. It’s wicked regency fun when the runaway bride comes back. Let the war begin…

An Excerpt from Keepsake:

Crisis averted. Husband prevented from an act of utter foolishness. Miranda Reed, reluctant Marchioness of Taverham, hurried to the back entrance of the Theater Royal and collected her cloak from the waiting theater maid. Her heart beat a wild rhythm, which she knew would take a quiet room and considerable time to calm, perhaps even requiring a dose of the potion her physician had insisted was necessary to calm her heart and maintain her proper health. She grimaced and snapped open her fan to beat a cooling breeze across her hot cheeks and neck.

The distasteful business of proving she was very much alive was behind her, and now all she had to do was collect her son from the tutor she’d chosen for his instruction during her long illness. Then they would take up a suitable residence in Town and be together once more. She had no intention of living with her husband even a single day, though it was high time he became acquainted with Christopher.

To her regret, the theater’s production of The Beggar’s Opera resumed with no thought to her heart, a cacophony of sound that stirred Miranda’s happiest memories to the front of her mind and turned those remembrances to ashes.

And yet Miranda was pleased with her return to society tonight. She’d succeeded in seeing her husband on her terms without losing control of the situation. How nice to have had the upper hand. It was a rare day when one could control a situation that involved the Marquess of Taverham and his simpering lover, Lady Brighthurst.

She wasn’t unduly surprised they were as close now as the day Miranda had married Taverham. Society might speculate on the true state of that friendship, but Miranda had seen the truth with her own eyes. Being betrayed on her wedding day was not something Miranda was ever likely to forget.

Her only servant, a burly man with a face scarred enough to frighten the masses, stepped from the shadows to reveal himself. “The carriage will be but a moment, my lady,” Peter Landry informed her in his deep, rumbling voice that had once sent a chill through her soul.

As a child visiting her grandfather’s warehouse on the docks of the London shipping yards, Landry’s large body and voice had terrified her. As an adult no longer prone to hysterics, she’d learned to place her faith in him when she wanted something done. He’d dogged her shadow ever since their paths had crossed by chance during the first year she’d left Taverham’s home, and a more faithful and protective servant a lady in hiding could never find.

She smiled. “Excellent.”

There was not much that distressed Miranda now. She’d seen the best of life and the worst. She’d even recovered from an illness that might have claimed her life, although that convalescence had taken over two years. Time wasted and time stolen from her son. She would make it up to Christopher somehow.

Author Bio:
Bestselling historical author Heather Boyd believes every character she creates deserves their own happily-ever-after, no matter how much trouble she puts them through. With that goal in mind, she writes sizzling regency romance stories that skirt the boundaries of propriety to keep readers enthralled until the wee hours of the morning. Heather has published over twenty novels and shorter works. Catch her latest news www.heather-boyd.com. She lives north of Sydney, Australia, and does her best to wrangle her testosterone-fuelled family (including cat Morpheus) into submission.

Three fun facts about Heather:

1. I have 8 rules I live by – ‘Choose a dentist that isn’t stingy with painkillers’ is right at the top.

2. I have a cuddly large cat but I need Teflon grade lap rugs to avoid being clawed to death. He’s adorable but very restless.

3. I consider dessert an essential part of every great meal. Pavlova, Tim Tam Cheesecake, Trifle (nicely embellished by port on the cake). I blame/thank my parents for my sweet tooth. 

Connect with Heather about this book: http://goo.gl/FDy7N6

“Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between” is a poetry collection that provides a glimpse into the heart, mind and soul, of its author JoAnne Myers. It is a heartwarming read, written with love and respect for others. Some poems were written in times of sorrow, other poems were written in times of joyous celebration. Life if like that.

SELFISH WANT

Looking out the window,
the cool air rushes by.
No time for me it has,
the leaves of summer on its mind.
Hard is my life,
like the callous hands of a tenacious man.
Longing for much, dreaming of more.
The passing of time is now my friend.
My carefree days of youth has soared.
Nothing left but dreams and memories to contend.
Living with the indulgence of my selfish want.
* * * *
THAT SHALLOW STREAM
That shallow stream we once knew.
Is now the victim of late unused.
Its once glimmering waters held,
childhood joys and life abound.
The bottom full of sand and mud,
became victim to the sun-dried dust.
Once gleaming sprouting green,
surrounded its banks as high as knees.
Then Mother Nature swallowed her whole,
leaving nothing behind to serve or please.
Now one’s feet shall wade no more.
Where once sweet water ran swift and clean.
No longer quenches thirsty deer and boar.
So when one comes back to see,
the place where fish swam and jumped,
finds only sorrow instead of glee.
In joyous thoughts of yesteryear,
memories hold tight to what was dear.
Like gazing in an ageless mirror,
a withered stream can be no more.
* * * *

This collection of personal poems is available at http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore/1478734760.html.

These poems were inspired by JoAnne’s love for nature, God, veterans, family and friendships, it is a heartwarming read written with love and respect for others.

JoAnne will be awarding two winners a print copy of this unique and page turning read for commenting.

Soon available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble and other book distributors

Author Bio:

I have been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of my life. Besides having several novels under my belt, I canvas paint.
When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, I spend time with relatives, my dog Jasmine, and volunteer my time within the community. I am a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, Savvy Authors, Coffee Time Romance, Paranormal Romance Guild, True Romance Studios, National Writers Association, the Hocking Hill’s Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. I believe in family values and following your dreams. My original canvas paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Other books by Jo Anne:

“TWISTED LOVE,” a true-crime anthology
“MURDER MOST FOUL” a detective/mystery anthology
“LOVES’, MYTHS’ AND MONSTERS’,” a fantasy anthology
“THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY,” a biography true-crime
“WICKED INTENTIONS” a paranormal anthology

Other books soon available:

“FLAGITIOUS,” a detective/mystery anthology available in September

Email: joannemyers@frontier.com

http://amazon.com/author/joannemyers

Website: Books and Paintings by JoAnne

The opening salvo in my novel, Caught in Cross Seas, is a current hit by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood, “Somethin’ Bad.” If there isn’t something bad about to happen in a romance novel, there is no story.

Ask most authors and they will tell you music has an important place in their writing process. Stephen King famously mentions in On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft how AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica play a part in the creation of his novels. Music is also an important element in my writing but in a different way. There isn’t a stereo on while I work, but a book soundtrack runs through my head while I’m crafting scenes and it’s almost always country.

My love of country music blossomed in the 80s with the rise of George Strait. When I decided to write a romance novel, the idea of using country music as a backdrop grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The way women respond to male stars added credence to my choice to fashion a country music superstar for my hero, and Clay Masterson—Montana cowboy, singer, songwriter, and guitar genius—was created to star in my contemporary romance/mystery Caught in Cross Seas.

In the process of writing the novel, I watched and listened to interviews with the stars on GAC and Kix Brooks’s American Country Countdown and discovered I could do just about anything to Clay and someone in the music industry could say, “Something like that happened to me.” It’s been said that writers must be mean to their characters—put them through horrible situations, threaten their lives, and play with their hearts—so we can offer our readers a satisfying read with a happily-ever-after ending. Country music offered me an abundance of ideas and validated my own.
I listened to song lyrics too. Country music is all about stories and nearly every facet of the human condition has been expressed in a country song. The lyrics make you laugh, cry, want to take a drink, throw a punch, or stand and salute the flag. They made me want to write.

The book soundtrack mostly runs through my head, but I do mention artists in the story on occasion, and I’ll admit to blatant use of Trace Adkins’s “Ladies Love Country Boys” in the background of the bakery fan-attack scene. I couldn’t resist.

What songs make up the Caught in Cross Seas soundtrack? Here are a few of the most influential. Some are hits; some are album cuts. I’ve avoided spoilers.
Alan Jackson’s “Country Boy” hits the mark with his offer to help a damsel in distress mixed with some fun double entendre. In my story, Harlie Cates needs help and Clay is just the guy to offer it, as well as his heart.

After some missteps, altercations, and insecurities exposed, love begins, and Lady Antebellum’s “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” is a perfect mood setter for romance.

And where love begins, a black moment must try to end it. Lady Antebellum again offers the ideal vehicle for heartbreak with “As you Turn Away.” If this heart-wrenching breakup song doesn’t inspire an author to quickly write a make-up scene to stop the suffering, nothing will.

When it’s over and the bodies are buried, the bad guys are caught, and the wounded hearts are healing, our tortured heroes are ready to start life together. How about a little Louie Armstrong to send them on their way? He isn’t country but a legend transcending time and genre. I think his “What a Wonderful World” is a perfect way to say, The End.

But let’s not stop there. I have a bonus track. The second book in the Caught series will be released in October. Caught in the Spin stars Clay’s best friend, former bull rider Tom Black, and single mom Tallie Peters. And what song opens this book’s soundtrack? Trace Adkins’s powerful performance of “I Can’t Outrun You,” because Tom doesn’t know if he’s being haunted by the memory of a former love or by her ghost. Stay tuned!

Thank you for allowing me to hang out here today. I’d love to know if/how music plays a part in your writing or reading. I’ll be watching for your comments.

Sharleen Scott
Out West Press

Short blurb:
When country music superstar Clay Masterson finds his supposedly dead father, he wants to do two things: Buy dear ol’ dad a beer to thank him for being a great father for the ten minutes he spent at it, and kick his dad’s sorry butt to Montana to face an eighteen-year-old murder charge. Harlie Cates will try to stop him.
Happily ever after could be a problem for them.

Excerpt from Caught in Cross Seas
The bakery was located in the heart of Angel Beach, nestled between The Talbot Gallery and Beach Bum T-Shirts. Its façade was typical beach-town wood siding, grayed by saltwater mist. A sign in the window read: “Old-fashioned coffee—NO ESPRESSO—don’t even ask.” Espresso? He wouldn’t bother. A jingling bell announced his arrival. Inside, a hodgepodge of secondhand tables and chairs, painted soft blues and greens. Large display cases presented cookies, cakes, and desserts. Shelves of baked goods lined the walls and the unmanned deli counter was loaded with meats and cheeses. On the radio, moderate volume: Trace Adkins’ “Ladies Love Country Boys.” Clay bent to get a better look at the muffins on the bottom shelf and heard a female voice.

“It’s him, isn’t it? Grandma said we’d catch up if we hurried.”

Another voice giggled. “Oh yeah. I’d know him anywhere.”

Considering she recognized his backside, he didn’t take it as a positive thing. “Oh crap,” he muttered when he saw the cluster of excited young women reflected in the glass case. Unfortunately, some women loved country guys too much. He aimed for nonchalance, hoping they’d go away and leave him alone. No such luck. A finger tapped his shoulder; he turned and a woman screamed, “It’s him, it’s him!” Chaos exploded and Clay was forced against the bakery case by a wild pack of autograph-seeking fans. Before he could react, quick hands stole his glasses and baseball cap; both would probably sell on eBay by evening.

“Ladies! I can’t breathe! I’ll sign some autographs if you’ll back up some!” He felt a tug and heard a rip. Shocked, he realized they had hold of his blue chambray shirt and were tearing it into souvenir-sized pieces.

“Hey! This is a new shirt!” He sidestepped left and right as eager hands assaulted him from all directions like Thanksgiving diners pulling apart the turkey. “Let go, ouch! Come on, don’t do that!” He hissed when he heard the tear of fabric again and was worried he’d be standing there naked if he didn’t get away soon.

Bio:
Sharleen Scott writes contemporary romance/mystery/suspense and women’s fiction. Her debut novel, Caught in Cross Seas, was published in May 2014. Caught in the Spin, the second book in the series, is scheduled for release in the fall. Sharleen is a member of Romance Writers of America. Her former career as a travel agent introduced her to fascinating and romantic locales she could draw on for her books. Her present position as a rural mail carrier keeps her firmly planted in reality, a situation her imagination does its best to thwart. Sharleen lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Brett, and their two college kids.

links:
www.sharleenscott.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Sharleen-Scott-author/670018299725749

Tyler’s maniacal driving, got them to Sadist in record time. He pulled up to the entrance and got out, quickly jogging around to her side to open the door. He held out a hand and she clasped it, stepping out onto the pavement in stiletto heels she threatened in the car to hammer into his head for being late.
As usual, he ignored her audacity.

And the violent threats.

She stood, noticing he hadn’t yet released her hand.

“Such a gentleman, Ty.”

He glanced at her full, high breasts, straining against the clingy, tight red tank top she wore.

“I don’t have to be.”

Lena laughed aloud, discreetly patting his crotch.

“Down, boy. Save it for when Sara takes your ass back. Again.”

“If you mention her one more time-” Tyler warned, instantly getting hard and full under her hands.

“Fine. I’ll quit. As long as I don’t hear shit about Blake.” Lena glared at him.

“Agreed.” Tyler reluctantly lifted his gaze from her chest, finally looking at her face.

“Why are you bitching about him anyway? You know you want him. So why act like you don’t?”

“Because it’s not necessary for us to rehash it,” She said, thru gritted teeth. “Now is there anything else you need to know, Matlock? And by the way, don’t think for a minute I’ve forgotten that you never actually explained anything about Danny or his divorce. Just an fyi.”

Tyler raised his eyebrow and didn’t say another word. He handed his keys to the valet and guided Lena to the back entrance.

Unfortunately, a few fans saw them, and as expected, started screaming. “Tyler, Tyler, Tyler, Tyler,” became their mantra, chanting and moving closer and closer to where they stood.

“Why am I friends with you again?” Lena sighed in annoyance.

Tyler gave her a disgusted look.

“Maybe if I gave you a reason to shut up, you’ll actually do it.”

She snorted. “Maybe you could try.”

He moved so he was directly facing her.

“Maybe I would succeed.”

She involuntarily took a step back and he filled in the space.

She suddenly felt incredibly small.

“Get out of my face, Ty.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need a reason why. Just…move.”

“Am I making you nervous?” He looked down at her, zeroing in on her lower lip caught between her teeth. It was fleshy and pink, with strawberry scented lip gloss. He resisted the urge to take a bite.

She was driving him nuts.

He licked his own full lips, as Lena watched in fascination. Then she reminded herself who she was with, her brow furrowing in annoyance.

He was driving her nuts.

Ty grinned at her. Damn him.

“No…but…your breath stinks. Yes. Your breath…has offended me.” She took another step back, using any excuse to move away from the natural heat of his body, which, she was horrified to discover, was causing her own body to do strange things.

Cheeks flushed? Check.

Nipples tightened? Without a doubt.

Wetness between legs? Absolutely.

Sheer panic at the revelation of Ty leaning in? Commenced.

Every warning bell in her body sounded off.

He was much too close.

In front of all of these people, he was actually going to kiss her.

Which was ironic. Because in the grand scheme of things, the minute Ty moved into her vicinity, everything and everyone around them faded, until all they saw…was each other.

They stood at the back entrance of the club, unaware of anyone else, when a baritone voice penetrated her senses.

“Am I interrupting?”

Slowly, Lena turned around to stare at what were always the strangest, most haunted, silvery grey eyes she had ever seen.

Her heart, perfectly balanced and safe within her chest, fell to the pit of her stomach with a resounding thud.

Of course, he was there.

That was how it went.

“Danny.” she sighed. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Give and Receive Series

Blurb: Young, talented, ambitious. Wild.
Three friends, who struggled for fortune and fame, have finally found themselves thrust into mega-stardom.
What is right if there is no wrong…
For Ty, Lena and Danny, they’re about to find out as they cross the boundaries from all things safe to an arena testing love, friendship and loyalty. An arena that’s forbidden, taboo…and oh so tempting.
They’re riding hard and fast in a world where sex, money, love and rock & roll are all a game of give & receive, where any wish can be granted if you just ask…
Open, honest and raw, this is a rare glimpse of what happens behind the fortune and the fame, beyond the limelight, past the adulation and acclaim.
Welcome…to the real.

Authors’ Bio:

Alisa Anderson
well…alisa did stuff and is still doing stuff. only now she has two boys crazy enuff to want her as their mommy. hey, at least she tried to warn them, so her job is done. she doesn’t like to capitalize, partially because she likes how lower case letters look visually, but mostly out of laziness. please don’t judge. it could be you. and she would say, hey. you’re alright, buddy. you’re ok in my book. now c’mere for a hug. the hug might be pushing it. air kiss? you are strangers, after all, with only a mutual love of poor grammar.

she lives for a world full of controllable anatomically correct, android men programmed to meet her specific feminine needs (wink, wink, nudge, nudge with a big waggle of the eyebrows). who look like the rock. and ian somerhalder. and idris elba. and that’s it she promises. variety. gotta have variety, right?

but alas…apparently that exists only in johanna lindsey’s genius mind. so until then, she enjoys her incredibly warped sense of humor. she reads tons of erotica and romantic, drippy goo that makes her heart go pitter patter. then she thought, hey. what, she said to herself. (softly, of course, so no one finds out she is indeed, 2 nuts short of a fruitcake) maybe you should write this stuff too. maybe someone will like it and maybe buy it. so she said, huh, you think? then she said, well…yeah, i wouldn’t have suggested it…(inserts sarcastic tone) and then she was like lose the attitude, ok? then she was all, would you just shut up and write, already? sheesh! and she did. 🙂

Does your mother know what you’re reading?

Alisa’s Website: www.houseofalisa.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlisaAndersonBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bitchesbewritin
Blog: http://alisaanderson.wordpress.com/

Buy Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Give-Receive-Adult-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B009I3RB3O

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Blurbs for “Twisted Love” 12 cases of love gone bad

It’s a chilling reality that homicide investigators know all too well: the last face most murder victims see is not that of a stranger, but of someone familiar.

The End of Autumn-To keep from paying child support for his three children, Rodney Williams, plots with his parents to kidnap his estranged wife, 25-year old Autumn, in broad daylight. This 2011 crime shocked the small community of Logan, Ohio.

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing-In 2011, 53 year old Russell Strothers, and his teenage accomplice find their victims through Craigslist and strike with calculating and deadly force.

A Senseless Killing-This 2010 case uncovers how a 40 year old likable barmaid was lured to her death after she rejects her young admirers sexual advances.

The Death of Innocence-This 2011 murder case involved 4 year old Marcie Willis, and her evil stepmother 25 year old Cheryl, from the small bedroom community of The Plains, Ohio.

The Girl Not Forgotten-This cold case took 26 years to solve, but brought justice for 13-year-old Holly Buford, and put serial rapist, 40-year-old Stanley Snead, behind bars.

The Possession-When 29-year-old Valerie Harris severs the penis of her sexually abusive father, it makes national news in 2007.

Home Town Hero-When deaf students are murdered in the prestigious Rose Brick College of the Deaf in 2008, everyone is shocked when discovering the killer is one of their own.

The Spell Caster Murders-When 42 year old Fortune Teller Sally Vu and her 21-year-old daughter Veronica are discovered murdered and physically desecrated, in 2001, evidence points to revenge and a spell gone wrong.

All For the Family-In 2003, as a way to erase her 22-year-old husbands criminal past, 19 year old Molly Abbott devises a ghoulish and desperate strategy.

Thicker Than Water?-When 52 year old Kim Michaels is found dismembered inside her burned out home in 1996, officers find the crime more confusing than a jig saw puzzle.

Mail Order Murder-The last thing the beautiful Russian mail order bride Anna dreamed of in 2001, was being murdered by her controlling and older American husband.

Where’s Christopher?-When four year old Christopher Ellis goes missing, numerous excuses and an odd odor emanating from the backyard in 1991, raises eyebrows.

Excerpt from MAIL-ORDER MURDER

Few women find themselves in such a bizarre relationship, as did eighteen-year-old Anna Tonkov, a Russian native. Speaking minimal and badly broken English, the family expressed high expectations for their tall, voluptuous raven-haired daughter. Anna was the only child of senior and ailing parents, and her mother said she and her husband only wanted the best for her.

In a country where the average yearly income was three hundred dollars per person, Mr. and Mrs. Tonkov, believed that Anna’s future happiness lay with the United States.

Mrs. Tonkov recalled how Anna did not want to leave. It was the parents’ idea for her to be a mail-order bride. According to Mrs. Tonkov, Anna said, “‘what if I don’t find a husband? What if you and papa waste your money?’”

Mr. Tonkov recalled telling her daughter, that she was never a waste of their money. She was everything to them, and they wanted her to have everything America offered.

Mr. and Mrs. Tonkov then took Anna‘s photograph in a dress she had made, not like many of the other women posing for the magazine-loose women, half naked. “No good man wants them,” they said.

Anna was a lady, explained Mr. Tonkov-a good Christian girl. Hardworking and responsible. She was raised the right way, they both said.

In the spring of 2007, Anna became number M245 in a Russian mail-order catalog with a circulation of over twenty million viewers. The magazine was bursting with dozens of glossy, full-color photographs of young hopeful women, all looking for husbands to rescue them from their poverty, stricken and unhappy lives.

It was not long before Anna had her first letter from a perspective admirer. She returned to her small four-room home from her part-time job at a nearby bakery, and her glowing parents greeted her just inside the front door.

Mrs. Tonkov recalled how surprised Anna was when she saw her and her husband smiling. She then handed her daughter the pink envelope with trembling hands.

At first, Anna was afraid to open the letter, said Mr. Tonkov, but he told her it was from an American man. He said he and his wife watched as Anna read each word silently; her large dark eyes wide with anticipation. They said she was hesitant to respond to the sender. Maybe friendship would bloom. “If not you brush up on language skills,” said Mrs. Tonkov.

That made Anna laugh, recalled Mr. Tonkov. He still remembers her pretty laugh, “as if (she were) a small child without cares.”

Author Bio:

I have been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of my life. Besides having several novels under my belt, I canvas paint.
When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, I spend time with relatives, my dogs Jasmine and Scooter, and volunteer my time within the community. I am a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, Savvy Authors, Coffee Time Romance, Paranormal Romance Guild, True Romance Studios, National Writers Association, the Hocking Hill’s Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. I believe in family values and following your dreams. My original canvas paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Three fun facts about Jo Anne:

1. What book influenced your writing? Black Beauty and Charlotte’s Web

2. What would your muse say about you? That I am quiet and shy

3. Do you have any other hobbies besides writing? I canvas paint

Other Available Books:

Murder Most Foul-a detective/mystery
Wicked Intentions– a paranormal anthology
Loves, Myths, and Monsters– a fantasy anthology
The Crime of the Century– a biography true crime
Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between

Upcoming Books:

Flagitious-a detective/mystery anthology

Other places to find Jo Anne and her books:

Email: joannemyers@frontier.com
http://amazon.com/author/joannemyers

Buy Link: http://www.blackrosewriting.com/other/twisted-love