Getting to know Lisa Carlisle

darkvelvetHi, I’m Lisa Carlisle and I write a variety of romance and suspense, from paranormal, new adult, and military, and probably some more! I’m in a great mood today as I just pulled my head out of the rewriting hole and send off my latest paranormal romance, called Dark Stranger, to my editor.

Yes, I made my self-imposed deadline! Big exhale. I may actually be able to cook dinner tonight instead of leaving it all up to my husband as I worked through revisions. He’s a better cook than I am so nobody is complaining. 😉

Dark Stranger is the third part of the Chateau Seductions series, which is set at an art colony housed in a castle on a remote New England island. It takes place in the present, but has a gothic edge. I’m thrilled with how story turned out. When I finished the previous story, Dark Muse, I had the opening scene for Dark Stranger, but nothing else. I don’t plot, but let my imagination wander when I write, and the storyline surprised me. I think it ties up the series quite well. I may write more from the Chateau in the future, but for now it’s a trilogy with each part of the series focusing on a different couple. It’s scheduled for release next month and available for preorder now.

If you’re interested in reading more about the forbidden romances at the Chateau, visit http://www.lisacarlislebooks.com/books/chateau-seductions-series/

Here’s some info about part 1:

Dark Velvet

Chateau Seductions

Grad student Savannah Evans is thrilled to be accepted as a resident to a prestigious art colony. Where else would she be able to focus on her craft of writing poetry in a setting like that of the medieval-styled castle? The remote New England island is a respite from her hectic city life.

When she meets her benefactor, a mysterious French sculptor, her expectations for carefree days writing near the ocean are distracted by unprofessional fantasies about her sponsor.

Antoine Chevalier built Les Beaux Arts on DeRoche Island to bring purpose back to an existence that has lost meaning. He’s wandered the earth for decades and finds solace in returning to art. When Savannah applies for a residency, something about her words touches him. After her arrival, a physical attraction grows between them, which he struggles against.  She deserves more than someone of his kind.

Antoine proposes they become lovers during her stay. But the situation turns complicated when Savannah discovers his secret. She had suspicions about his identity, but finds the truth overwhelming. Consumed by her desire for Antoine and faced with a tough decision, she is blind to the danger that has arrived at DeRoche Island.

 A New Adult Erotic Romance

Paranormal / gargoyle / vampire / shapeshifter

Reviews

“The setting on DeRoche Island was beautiful, and felt like it was from another time. The chemistry between Savannah and Antoine is sure to draw the reader in as well. 
Dark Velvet is the first novella in the Chateau Seduction series. I am very excited to read Carlisle’s next installment!”

 “Dark Velvet has a dark eroticism that makes you want to be Savannah. It is a book that is a good, quick and darkly thrilling read.” 

 “…insanely hot chemistry between the female protagonist Savannah & vampire Antoine.  Their intensity starts off right away and you’re not a chapter in before it takes off like a rocket!”

 “Sexy, dark, full of intrigue, art, and paranormal sexiness, Dark Velvet has it all in one hot package!”

 “An Enchanting Story, as rich and sexy as Dark Velvet  – This is a seductive Gothic tale that will draw you in from the first page.”

Buy Now:

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About Lisa Carlisle

 

USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. She’s honored to be a multi-published author writing in different genres since she’s wanted to be a writer since the sixth grade.  For much of her professional career, she’s written non-fiction — but she’s discovered writing romance is the most fun. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks.

 

When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, a cat, and many fish.

 

Visit her site at http://www.lisacarlislebooks.com/

 

Sign up for her newsletter to hear about new releases, free reads, and specials:

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Writing an Amish series! by Diane Craver

Thank you so much for having me here today, Cindy.

ADecisionofFaithFinal600x900I’m happy to share with you today  why I decided to write an Amish series, and reasons I enjoy writing in this particular genre. If you are unaware of the popularity of Amish fiction, you are not alone. When I published my first bonnet romance (term given sometimes to Amish romances), my daughter didn’t expect me to do well in sales. Then one day she happened to see  Amish paperbooks in the book section in a grocery store. She was amazed at the large number of them, and realized I had made a smart decision in my writing career.

Everyone knows how the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy continues to dominate the sales charts, but books on the other end of the spectrum are still selling well. Amish romances draw readers hungry for wholesome stories and simple values. I’ve had several Christian readers tell me that they always feel safe buying an Amish book because they know it will be sweet. Before I  attempted to write an Amish story, I did a lot of research in 2011 to learn as much as I could about their beliefs and their lifestyles. We happen to live about forty minutes away from an Amish district so that’s been helpful. By the way, my great-grandfather was a Mennonite minister plus I had already written Christian fiction so I realized my personal faith would also help me to write my first Amish romance.

I submitted my first Amish book to a well-known agent representing several best-selling Amish authors. She asked me to send her by snail mail the full manuscript which I did in 2011. After I waited for a few months, I emailed her and asked her the status of my submission. She said it was never received. I knew it had been delivered because I had the tracking slip showing it had arrived. She asked me to send it again. When the second one became lost, I lost confidence in her and her office staff, but agreed to email the manuscript. She liked it but wanted me to make a change in the story line. I didn’t want to take the major conflict out of the story, so I decided to self-publish A Joyful Break, book one in my Amish series in 2012.

Writing my first Amish series has been a lot of work but also enjoyable. I can’t say goodbye to the characters in this series because they have become real to me, so they will be included in my next series…like a spin-off. The title of the new series is The Bishop’s Daughters.

I recently released the final book A Decision of Faith in my Dreams of Plain Daughters Series. Here is the blurb for it:

Two worlds…

Violet Robinson grew up straddling the world of her father, a U.S. Senator, and her mother, who was raised Amish. Then Violet gets the chance to live in an Amish house without modern amenities. Violet’s father hopes this will make her realize how hard an Amish life is, but the opposite happens. Especially when Violet finds herself falling for Luke.

A world apart…

Although buggy shop owner Luke King was raised Amish, he hasn’t yet been baptized into the church. He’s always felt something waited out there for him. When he meets Violet, he knows why God set him on this path. Had he already been baptized, he’d be shunned for courting the  non-Amish Violet.

United by love…

While Violet’s learning the realities of living in the Amish world, Luke indulges in the opportunity to live in the English world, risking his family’s wrath. Violet fears Luke won’t be able to leave his faith. But can she live in the stricter and simpler Amish world? As the feelings between Violet and Luke grow deeper, can they overcome their dissimilar lifestyles or will their  differences pull them apart? But when violence from Violet’s past threatens, they discover that faith succeeds where all else fails, and two worlds may be joined by two loving hearts.

Short excerpt from A DECISION OF FAITH:

Violet had seen sadness flash in her mother’s eyes at different times whenever she talked about Fields Corner. Now her mother seemed happier and laughed a lot while they were living close to their Amish relatives.  If she left her Kentucky home and didn’t return to college, would she have regrets like her mother must have at times? Would leaving her life completely to become Amish cause her heartache later in life? Violet wondered.

“There’s something I need to tell you. My dat wants me to start instructions to join the church.”

“But how can you? Your father already started the baptism classes.” Violet knew that Luke had planned on being in the class this spring with her cousin Judith. All that changed when they met each other after a church service. She had attended church with the Hershberger family. Visiting her uncle and cousins that particular weekend had caused the major change in her life and Luke’s. Falling in love with someone from a completely different lifestyle is definitely a challenge.

Luke exhaled a deep breath. “Daed said it’s not too late and I can get caught up with the rest of the class. I’m not going to do it. It’s been a sore spot between us for the last few years. As the eldest in the family, my dat reminded me that I should’ve been the first to join our church. He told me that my rumspringa has lasted too long. I wished he understood that it wasn’t because I wanted to run around longer and do non-Amish things, but because it seemed like I needed to wait.”

“I’m glad you waited.” What if Luke had been baptized when she first had met him? They both were drawn to each other immediately. Would he been able to risk shunning to date her?

Luke continued,  “I never felt it was the right time. A strong feeling made me think there was an important reason I needed to give it more time before joining our faith. You already know the reason God wanted me to wait. If I had listened to Daed instead of following my gut, I’d be kicked out of the house and shunned now.  Obviously, I’m glad I didn’t join because it’d be hard to be shunned by my family while dating you.”

Feeling Luke’s arm around her shoulder gave her a lot of pleasure, but hearing him again say  that she must be the reason for waiting to become Amish meant even more to her. But another thought occurred to her. “Did your dad mention you should stop seeing me?”

Luke’s blue eyes widened as he cleared his throat. “Ya, but you know he’s mentioned that right from the beginning. I’m sorry. I reminded him again that we aren’t going to stop dating.”

“Oh, Luke, what are we going to do?” Violet wanted Luke in her future, but could she give up her whole way of life to be with him? Or could Luke decide to become English? She’d never asked Luke if he’d consider going to her Protestant church because ever since she’d moved to Fields Corner, she’d attended the Amish services every other Sunday.

Thank you for reading my excerpt. I’m giving away a print copy of my new release, A DECISION OF FAITH, to one random commenter. Or if the winner prefers the ebook format, that will be substituted.

Diane's_pictureAuthor Bio and Links

Diane enjoys her life with her husband, six children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law and three grandchildren in southwestern Ohio. Her husband of thirty-nine years is very supportive, as well as her awesome children. Diane writes Amish fiction, contemporary romance, historical fiction,  inspirational mainstream and chick-lit mystery.

LINKS:

Contact links:

http://www.dianecraver.com

http://www.dianecraver.com/blog

Buy links:

http://amzn.com/B00T5BDABQ

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-decision-of-faith-diane-craver/1121153646?ean=2940149924356

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id964346865

 

Interview with Catherine Mede

image2What is your typical day like?

A day in the life of me consists of getting up early in the morning (5:45am) to make my beloved a cup of coffee and either go back to bed to snuggle for a few minutes, or go out for a run.  After that, I shower, get my son up, if he isn’t already awake and arrange breakfast.

If I’m lucky, I’ll get some jobs done, like wash dishes, hang out washing, or clean the bathroom toilet and then walk with my son to his school.  When I get home, I will either dust or vacuum and other major tidy jobs.

Morning tea occurs around 10:30 to 11am and I make a chai latte and sit down at the computer to catch up on social media, and if I’m having a bad day, I spend most of my day on it.

If I’m in the right frame of mind, I will write or edit, depending on where I am at with any of my projects and have a quick lunch about 1pm.

I try and be off the computer by the time my son arrives home and working on proofreading that I do for other people.

My husband, if he isn’t away, will arrive home about 5pm, we have tea about 6pm and we sit in front of the goggle box (television) for a couple of hours.

Recently I have discovered that I only need 6 hours of sleep, so trying to find things to fill in my evening, so I don’t go to sleep too early and wake up at 3am.

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

Easy – New Zealand – where I live!

Why?  New Zealand is beautiful, and there is still so much I haven’t explored here.  I have extensively travelled the South Island, but I haven’t been to Te Anau or Milford Sound, or any of the Fiords, and I would love to spend time there.  The North Island I haven’t explored as much, and there are lots of amazing attractions and places up there.  Our country is so new compared to the rest of the world – NZ was only civilised about 200 years ago (the Maori have lived here for about 400 – 1000 years, depending on their legends).

I love how so much of New Zealand is inhabited by animals, birds and plants that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, because we are so isolated.

The next place I would like to visit, would be the Pacific Islands.  I’ve been to Fiji, and while it was lovely to visit, I couldn’t live there, the humidity would kill me!

Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?

Before I started writing and publishing, I worked for 14 years in the insurance industry.  I started as a receptionist for a large international Insurance Adjuster company (independent Insurance Assessors) and worked my way through the ranks to become a Loss Adjuster, before leaving to become a contract Loss adjuster for another firm.  Lots of experience was garnered from this, and was put into my Cursed Love story.

What genre’s do you write in and why?

I write romance.  I love romance, as for subcategories, it is fairly broad.  I love paranormal romance, science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, and I have stories planned in most of these categories to be released over the next couple of years.

I write romance because I love the idea of love that survives reality, a couple that live happily ever after, because we are in a world now days where happily for now seems to be the norm.

How did you get started writing?

I loved to write when I was at High School and wrote my first novella as part of an English Assessment -which I got an A for.  Over the years, I have written stories in various exercise books, but it wasn’t until I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to become a published writer that he told me unless I started writing, I would never realise that dream.  So about 5 years ago, I started rewriting my High School Novella into a 3 part story, but it was still rather simple and basic.  About 5 novels later I have finally reached a point where I like my stories and think that they are worthy enough to be put out into the world.  I have gone back and reworked one of my previous novels, and I am hoping to publish that in March.  It is a Science Fiction piece.

What is your favorite part of writing?

I always wrote stories to escape the reality I lived in.  It wasn’t pleasant, but at least I could escape for a few short minutes into a land that I controlled, a place where people were kind, loved each other, supported one another.  Now that I am older, I still write for the satisfaction of escaping reality, but with the thought of how other people might like to join me in the land of my characters, to lose themselves in a story for a couple of hours, and just feel like they are part of the storyline, they know and recognise the places around them, and have the satisfaction of knowing that the romance has a happily ever after.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

I’ve always had a vivid imagination, and I have never let anyone try and remove that.  I guess escaping reality was a part of that.  Now days story ideas pop up out of the blue, either when I am asleep, or while I have been doing something, and I have seen something and thought “Oh, I like that, that would fit in nicely…”  For example, Cursed Love is about a family curse, the legend of our family is that one of my great uncles had a curse put on him, and while lots of horrible things happened to him and his family, was it really a curse?  Or was it just bad fortune? ‘ Shards of Ice’ was based on a dream of a group of females escaping from a planet being invaded.  The story changed from that, but that is where it started from.  My current WiP I plotted in a single day, on a 3 – 4 hour tramp on the Abel Tasman National Park after spying an isolated property in Awaroa Inlet.  It got me thinking, why would people want to live there?

Do you write under a pen name?  Why?  How did you choose it?

Yes, I do write under a pen name.  Silly as it sounds, I am a very private introverted person (unless I am on social media, and then I am rather extroverted), and I want to protect my privacy, along with that of my husband, who doesn’t like any limelight or social media, and my son, who isn’t old enough to understand social media. How did I come up with the name?  My nanna’s first name and a variation on my married surname.

Blurb for Cursed Love

A family curse.

A lifetime of grieving.

Jinny Richards past and future are about to collide.  Will she survive?

At 18, Virginia ‘Jinny’ Richards was a drug addict who fell in love with Dean Bradford.  By 20, Dean was dead.  Jinny believes the family curse is to blame, and never wants to fall in love again.  She has worked hard to hide her past and now has a job as a successful Insurance Assessor.

Ethan Montgomery lost his wife to breast cancer.  He’s mourned her for three years and now he’s ready to move on.  He understands Jinny’s pain, but he wants the feisty Jinny and nothing, not even a curse, will stand in his way.

When work throws them together, loving Ethan is the farthest thing from Jinny’s mind.  He’s tardy and egotistical, even if he is good looking and makes her weak at the knees.

Things get further complicated when Steven Bradford turns out to be the client, bringing up the heartache and pain Jinny has carefully buried for eighteen years.

Will she find love a second time around?  Or will the family curse claim another victim?

Karen_Author_PicBIO

Catherine Mede lives in a rural village in the South Island of New Zealand with her husband, son and two cats.  She works when she can, doing whatever is available – within reason!  When not writing, Catherine likes to read, draw and work in her garden.

Having developed a love for writing when she was at High School, it wasn’t until she was in her thirties she decided to really get down and dirty with the words in her head.

Romance and Speculative Fiction are what Catherine likes to write about because she understands the need to get lost in a love that sometimes seems mythical.  And adding Fantasy elements just fulfils her needs to be creative in fanciful worlds.

When she was younger, she wrote to escape reality, now she writes to allow others to enter a world where love has a happily ever after.

          Catherine has a short story published in a Masters of Horror Anthology, and recently published Cursed Love and attends writing seminars and groups in her area.

When she is rich and famous, Catherine intends to have a large library which will double as her writing space and own an Aston Martin Vanquish or Porsche GT3, whichever one comes first.

 

You can contact Catherine Mede

Web  www.catherinemede.com and

Fb  www.facebook.com/catherinemede

Tweet on @catherinemedeNZ

Pin – www.pinterest.com/catherinemede

email her catherine@catherinemede.com

Keeping love alive under the pressures of life… by Pamela Aares

The_Heart_of_the_Game_LARGE_EBOOKHi everyone. Please welcome Pamela Aares to my blog today. Pamela is giving away a signed print copy of her soon to be released The Heart of the Game (US only), so be sure and leave her a comment to be eligible to win.

The recent and very sad stories about athletes in clearly unhealthy and dysfunctional relationships spotlight a very real aspect of living and loving in a high-pressure life career.  And yet there are many couples in the sports world that have healthy and loving relationships.

As some of you may know, I am married to a Major League All-Star. And the heroes in the first six books of my contemporary series, The Tavonesi Series, are professional baseball players. Both in life and in fiction the trials of playing professional sports can challenge relationships. How couples meet these challenges can take them to a deeper level of love of drive them apart. I’m always pulling for the deeper level of love!

Baseball presents a particularly tough road for couples in the game to navigate. With a husband playing 160 games every year (or more if the team makes it to the playoffs or the World Series), and with half of those games on the road, practices that keep the loving relationship thriving and alive are critical.

I came across this list, Ten Habits of Happy Couples, and wanted to share them. Even if your hubby isn’t a professional athlete, these practices offer some guidelines for keeping love alive. (I don’t have the reference, wish I did– all I have is a crumpled paper that’s on our fridge).

Love_Bats_Last_Cover_EBOOK_LARGE I’d love to hear from you if you have practices that work for you that might not be on this list!

Ten Habits of Happy Couples

Cultivate common interests.

  1. Make trust and forgiveness your default mode.
  2. Focus more on what your partner does right than what s/he does wrong.
  3. Walk hand in hand or side by side.
  4. Hug each other when you say hello.
  5. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” every morning.
  6. Do a “weather check” during the day.
  7. Be proud to be seen with your partner.
  8. Say “Good night” every night regardless of how you feel.
  9. Go to bed at the same time.

(That last one is nearly impossible for us… I write late into the nights and my husband keeps farm hours these days!)

pwb_twitter_photo I look forward to hearing your tips for keeping love alive! I love hearing from readers! You can be in touch via my website:

www.PamelaAares.com

Since it’s nearly baseball season, I am keeping Love Bats Last, Book #1 in my Tavonesi Series FREE.

Sneak Peak of Her Master Match by Sandra S. Kerns

MATCH9B600x900Thanks for having me today, Cynthia. I’m really excited about my upcoming release, Her Master Match.

This is the story of Jonathan Smitt, the ‘adopted’ brother to the Masters Men trio. Their fathers were partners and Smitty, from Last Chance for Love, helped their mom after the brothers’ father was killed.

Readers will remember that Jonathan Smitt was married when he came back to Braedon in Last Chance for Love, and had three kids. Unfortunately, a lot has happened in two years. Now he has five kids, his wife has run off, he’s unemployed, and at his wits end when Ace Masters calls. Could it be the answer to Jonathan’s prayers?

The Her in Her Master Match is Nikki Bradford. Nikki is a friend of Gina Masters. They met when Gina’s aunt put her in boarding school back east after the death of Gina’s parents. Nikki’s parents put her in boarding school rather than be bothered with raising her themselves. When she was old enough, her father tried to marry her off to a business associate. Nikki had other plans, which got her kicked out of the family. If that had meant her father would leave her alone, it would have been okay. Unfortunately, he keeps causing trouble for her clients. Nikki is visiting Gina in Colorado when Jonathan Smitt and his family arrive.

Ace, helpful as always, suggests Nikki extend her vacation and help Jonathan with the kids. He’s taken the matchmaking gene seriously since marrying Gina. Now Ace wants everyone to be as happy as they are.

Her Master Match will be out the end of February. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek at the next Masters man.

Thank you for stopping by.

Sandra

 

 

Her Master Match

Jonathan closed the door to the nursery and walked downstairs to the kitchen. After starting another pot of coffee, he’d already had two; he dropped into a chair at the table. The caffeine wasn’t helping anymore. He leaned forward, rubbing his face in his hands. Today depression had dogged his every step, but there wasn’t time to worry about the emotional mess of his life. He had five kids to take care of and a house to pack. Looking over the room it was amazing one of the kids hadn’t been hurt in the maze of boxes and furniture. Their house resembled an obstacle course.

“Dad?”

He turned his head at the concerned tone of his oldest son’s voice. Looking at the carbon copy of himself trying to look strong broke Jonathan’s heart, but he smiled and pushed himself up from the chair.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Andy leaned against the kitchen counter, his gaze following Jonathan as he walked over to the coffee maker.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

Jonathan turned to face him after pouring his coffee and stalled by taking a sip. I wish to hell I knew, was on the tip of his tongue. That wasn’t what a twelve-year-old needed to hear. Lying to his son didn’t feel right either. They’d been through hell together. Andy deserved better. Motioning for his son to join him at the table, Jonathan sat back down, too.

“I’m not sure yet. Most of this stuff will have to go in storage until I can find a place to rent.” That would be a trick. Finding a place big enough for five kids, but he couldn’t let Andy see his worry. His son was already tense enough if his stiff posture was an indication. Damn you, Mary!

“Don’t worry, buddy. I’ll work something out,” he said with a smile despite his internal anger with his ex-wife. “It’s late. I don’t want you falling into one of the boxes tomorrow because you’re too tired. Go get some rest and we’ll talk again in the morning.”

Andy stood, nodding. “Okay.”

Hearing the sadness in Andy’s voice, Jonathan stood and pulled him into a hug before he left the room.

“I appreciate how you’ve stepped up since,” he swallowed the lump in his throat thinking about how Mary had abandoned them. “Since your mom left. I know it hasn’t been easy. I haven’t been much help.”

Jonathan almost lost it when Andy hugged him tighter.

“You’ve been great, dad.”

With a final squeeze, Jonathan released him. “Thanks. That means a lot. I’ll be up shortly. I just want to finish a few more things down here.”

When he heard the door to Andy’s room close, Jonathan blew out a long loud breath. In the past eight months, his life had gone from uncomfortable to insane. He’d found out his pregnant wife was having an affair with one of the owners of his company. A month later, she delivered twins and left them at the hospital to run off with her lover. Jonathan had filed for divorce the next day. Unfortunately, in California he had to wait six months for it to be final. The only bright spot in the entire debacle was that she had waived her parental rights so he hadn’t had to deal with a custody battle.

The day after the divorce was final Mary and Ainsley disappeared. Two weeks later, it was obvious why.

Grabbing one of the empty boxes from the floor, he set it on a chair to pack as his mind continued its rehash of events.

Jonathan had been going back and forth with a customer regarding payments for a week. When he and one of the bookkeepers started researching the issue, they found the problem. Someone had embezzled company funds. It wasn’t from just the one account, either. Granted, Jonathan believed it was Mary’s lover, but they hadn’t been able to come up with definitive proof to verify his suspicion. The managing partner had been shocked, and devastated, but unable to cover the loss. The company soon went under leaving hundreds of people unemployed. Jonathan became a single parent with five kids and no income.

Jonathan was out of options. Having a family, no spouse, no income, and about to close on the sale of the house, they had to move.

Now.

He was startled when his cell phone rang as he reached for his coffee. Only bad news came this late at night, he thought staring at it. Can I handle more bad news? Followed by, does it matter?

In the middle of the third ring, he picked it up, turning it over to see who was calling. Ace Masters? Shit!

“What’s wrong with dad?”

“Oh, crap. Sorry, Jon” Ace said. “Nothing’s wrong with your father. Smitty’s fine, Camille’s fine. Everyone is fine. I didn’t think about the time. I’m working on a closing argument for tomorrow then Dos called.”

“Jeez, Ace, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m so used to my brothers’ crazy schedules that I forgot you have a regular job. I didn’t think before calling at this hour. However, now that I have, it begs the question, why are you up at this hour?”

Not ready to share his failures with his friend, he didn’t correct him about his job status and brushed the other off. “Too long a story for over the phone. What are you calling about if not dad?”

“Work.”

Jonathan grinned as he fell into the chair. “I think you misdialed then because I’m definitely not a lawyer.”

Ace’s laughter through the phone eased a little more of the stress from Jonathan’s shoulders. Ace and his brothers were like family. He wished he could lean on them right now, but this wasn’t their problem.

“Not legal work, the security company I started a while ago and my brothers and I have been working part-time. You know Dos moved to Florida and opened a branch for us down there, right?”

“Yeah, dad mentioned something about it. Blaze is down there, too.”

“Yes she is, so it’s just as well Dos is there to keep an eye on that one,” Ace said.

Jonathan laughed. He knew how seriously the Masters brothers took their big brother duties. They had considered him their little brother since their father’s were partners on the police force. When he was in high school, they had kept a close eye on him, but had stopped when he went away to college. However, they still hadn’t stopped trying to orchestrate their sisters’ lives.

“Yeah, I know, I’m overprotective. Sue me,” Ace said laughing. “Anyway, with two offices, we could use some help on the marketing and management of the company.”

“You could leave the DA’s office,” Jonathan suggested. He knew Ace had considered it after his wife Gina’s abduction a few years ago.

“Yeah, but can you see me in management? Really? The only reason I’ve been able to handle the management side of the business is that it’s my brothers I’m dealing with and they take my less than tactful attitude with a grain of salt. If we start hiring outsiders, I doubt they’d like my bossy management style. As to marketing, I’m sure you remember my amazing lack of artistic ability.”

Jonathan’s mind called up some reminders of Ace’s artwork. They weren’t pretty. There was also the fact Ace didn’t always think before he opened his mouth unless he was in court. Family understood and called him on it. Employees might not deal with it as well.

“Okay, but what does this have to do with me?”

“I know you’re busy with work and the family, but is there anyway you could maybe take a few days of vacation in Colorado to give me some pointers on interviewing and who to hire? Soon would be good. I’m definitely out of my comfort zone here and Tres is no better.

“Our original customers were people we knew, so a sales pitch wasn’t necessary. Hell, I started the business because several people asked Tres and me for help. The rest just kind of happened. Now, we have more business than we can handle. I know it’s a lot to ask, but you know how anal I am about doing things right. If I can’t have you, I at least want someone you consider qualified.”

Interview with Jamie Lee Scott

  1. LetUsPreyMock2What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I started with just straight mystery, and having written six books in my first series, I realized I had more to offer. I’d been writing screenplays for several years, and I write much darker, more thriller or romantic suspense for that medium, and I wondered why I hadn’t gone that route for  novels. As of 2015, I’m branching out, I’m adapting three screenplays into novels, and I’m starting a New Adult cowboy series. The NA romance was a given, and what I’d always planned to write if I ever finished a novel, because I grew up with cowboys and rodeo, and I was astonished at how many bestselling authors were getting it wrong.

I guess I’ll really be branching out in 2015, as I have the NA Cowboy Up series, and my new Uncertain Mysteries series both launching, and if I have enough time, I’ll be writing stand alone thrillers from my screenplay adaptations. A little overwhelming, but we’ll see just how much I get done.

  1. What genres are you drawn to as a reader?

As a reader, I love mysteries, romantic suspense, thrillers, and I’ve gotten hooked on the new adult genre in the last couple of years. I branch out once in awhile and read historical romance, and a few other genres, but those are my go to type of books.

  1. image2How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I have completed six novels, and three novellas. The Gotcha Detective Agency has a place in my heart, because those books put me on the USA Today bestseller list, and my favorite is always the last one I wrote. But in this case, it’s the one I haven’t written yet. Who Gives a Split will release in mid to late 2015 (depending on how fast I write), and I’m super excited about this one.

  1. Tell us about your current series/WIP.

I’m super excited about my first romantic suspense novella, a prelude to my D.E.A.ling series coming in late 2015 or early 2016. It’s in the collection called Call Me Valentino. I’ve included an excerpt from that story here.

The Gotcha Detective Agency mysteries are my first series, but I’m starting a new one called Uncertain. The first story, a novella, has already been release. The Uncertain series is set in Uncertain, CA, situated at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, and just a short drive to Lake Tahoe. The series revolves around the uniformed police officers of Uncertain Police Department.

 

This series was inspired by my trip to New Orleans last May. I had dinner with the Thibodaux chief of police, and several of his officers, while I was there. The chief set me up on a ride-along with one of his officers. This eight hour ride-along sparked my idea to write a series about the unsung hero of our streets, the boys and girls in blue.

  1. Uncertain-Beg-smallWhat inspired your latest book?

The first novel in the Uncertain series is called Uncertain Calm, and it was inspired by a story I read (on Facebook) from my hometown newspaper. The story resonated with me enough to make me want to fictionalize it, and make it my debut for the Uncertain series. But in the mean time, I was part of a collection of novellas, and so I wrote Uncertain Beginnings as the prelude to the series.

  1. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I started off as a pantser. I wrote as the words came to me. Now I’m a plotter, of sorts. I lay out the story, outline, and then I plot the perfect murder. Then I poke holes in it. Then I pick my suspects and write the story. Now I become a pantser, because when I start writing, I haven’t decided who the killer is. As a matter of fact, I write the story as if any of my suspects could be the killer, and then I decide in the last few chapters “who done it.” So when people say they knew who the killer was, I’m glad for them, because I don’t even know until the end. So in this way, I’m a hybrid.

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

Yes, I write under a pen name. I’m not sure why I chose it, except my married name is difficult for people to spell and pronounce. I wanted to be easy to spell and look up. The name is a combination of mine and my husband’s.

 

  1. JamieBWWhat do you have planned for the future?

My future includes writing the two series I have currently, and delving a bit into new adult. The trilogy I’m writing will decide if I stay with writing in that genre.

I’m also planning to start my Indie Girl’s Guide to Self-Publishing podcast. It was supposed to launch last summer, but I had surgery, and that threw my entire year out of whack. With the books I had set for 2014, I didn’t have time to rev up the podcast. I’m hoping it will launch in April 2015, or sooner. www.indiegirlselfpub.com for details.

 

image1Thank so much for having me! I enjoyed answering these questions, and I’d be happy to answer any others.

I’m giving away a little “swag trio” to one of the commenters. It’s been fun!

Cover Reveal from Lana Williams

LanaWilliams_ShatteredSecrets_200pxShattered Secrets by Lana Williams

Thank you so much for having me here today, Cindy! It’s such a pleasure to hang out with one of the Love Historicals Authors (www.lovehistoricals.com)! I’m so excited to share the cover for my upcoming release, Shattered Secrets, Book 3 of The Secret Trilogy. This is a historical romance set in Victorian London, 1882 to be precise.

I’m thrilled with the cover, which was done by Kim Killion. What do you think??

This has been a fun book to write, but definitely a challenge as it’s the third book in a trilogy that shares the same villain. Needless to say, the stakes continue to increase. The trilogy follows the stories of three lords who attended university together and were mentored by the same professor. The professor was fascinated by electromagnetism and with the aid of the three lords, conducted an experiment that went terribly wrong, injuring all involved.

The book will be released on March 15. Here’s a little bit about it:

Some secrets are never meant to be shared…

Scarred from a terrible accident, Lucas Stanby swore never to return to England. But his brother’s murder forces him home ten years later as the new Earl of Berkmond and guardian of his two young nieces.

As the local vicar’s daughter and a childhood friend, Moira Dorsey naturally set aside her hopes of a family of her own to care for the earl’s daughters. Lucas’s return makes it impossible to remain since he broke Moira’s heart years ago, but the girls have other ideas.

Lucas realizes he needs Moira to keep his personal demons at bay as well as deal with two rambunctious girls. He offers Moira a marriage of convenience, hoping to keep his dark secret, aware he’s too broken to be the husband she deserves.

Moira discovers Lucas’s cold demeanor hides deep scars but glimpses of the boy she loved give her hope. She counters his proposal, asking for a babe of her own, wanting Lucas to see he’s not the beast he believes.

Unable to deny his growing feelings, Lucas agrees, but his past disrupts their second chance at love, dragging Moira and the girls into danger. He soon realizes he must share his terrible secret with Moira and risk losing her forever in order to stop the villain who threatens them all.

 Here’s a brief excerpt:

Moira Dorsey held onto her sanity with the finest of threads, unable to believe the disaster spread before her. A mess of this magnitude could only be the work of the two she knew all too well. She blinked again, in terrible awe at the chaos they had created in the governess’s room.

Dresses, hats, and linens were strewn about the bedroom along with a skipping rope, and a miniature tea set. Fine white dust covered everything. A dark brown substance—perhaps mud from the pond?—smeared the pillows. A frog—make that three—jumped over the mess, croaking as they went.

If there was one thing their new governess detested, it was chaos. Not to mention frogs.

“Oh, dear.” Moira’s breath caught as the ramifications of the mess struck her in full. “Mrs. Sutfin!” She spun and rushed from the room, praying the woman hadn’t already fled. Not now. Not today. “Mrs. Sutfin?”

The sound of the front door creaking open quickened Moira’s pace. As she flew down the stairs, she caught sight of the back of the governess storming out the door, her suitcase in hand. “Wait, please,” Moira called as she hurried into the foyer.

The older woman turned to glare at her. “Nothing you can say will convince me to remain, Miss Dorsey. Did you see my room?”

“Yes, I did. I’m terribly sorry. It will be cleaned immediately.” Moira paused, trying to think of some way to convince the woman to stay. “We will double your pay for the next three months of your employment. The twins only need more time to adjust.”

“No.” Her lips firmed into a thin, unwavering line. “Those girls might look precious, but their behavior is appalling.”

“I’ll speak to them. I promise this won’t happen again.”

“I believe you’ve already spoken with them several times since my arrival five days past and it did no good. The little heathens.”

Moira stiffened at the heated anger in the last statement. She loved Amelia and Addie with her entire heart and soul. She would protect them with her very life. Granted, their recent actions were unacceptable, but heathens? That seemed too much. “The grief over their father’s death two months ago—”

“I’m sorry but their behavior removes any sympathy I might have had for them.” The older woman shuddered. “The things they’ve done in the brief time I’ve been here are insufferable. In all honesty, I fear for my safety. Good luck in finding someone who will tolerate their deplorable conduct.”

Moira scowled. “I’ll wish you good day then.” No one spoke about the twins in that manner. Except her. But she couldn’t hold back the pang of regret as the woman marched down the steps along with all of Moira’s well laid plans to leave Traverston Manor this very day.

“That’s the fourth one.” Mrs. Toller, the housekeeper, moved to stand beside her. “Mayhap she’s right to call them heathens.”

“What on earth has gotten into those girls?”

“They don’t want you to leave, Miss Dorsey.” The housekeeper smiled up at her. With a round face, a warmth in her blue eyes, and a wide girth, she, along with her husband who served as the butler, had held the Berkmond family home together for as long as Moira could remember. Mrs. Toller loved the little girls as much as Moira.

“I’m only moving back home across the meadow for goodness sake. My stay here was always supposed to be temporary.” Exasperated, Moira shook her head. “Lucas—er—Lord Berkmond might arrive this very day. I wanted the girls settled with their new governess before then. Now I’ll have to begin all over again.”

“I’m not certain you’ll have time.”

Moira frowned, hoping that wasn’t true. “One of the other governesses we interviewed might still be available. Traveling by ship from Brazil is not the most reliable method. We might have another day or two before—”

Mrs. Toller pointed to the drive where a big black coach rumbled down the lane, past the carriage, headed directly for the house. “I’d say his lordship has arrived.”

“Oh, no.” Moira’s stomach dropped at the sight. She’d planned his arrival to coincide with her departure with such care. Certainly, she’d allowed for some trials and tribulations, but it seemed she’d underestimated the twins. Now she was about to face the one person she’d prefer never to lay eyes on again.

Lucas Stanby, the new Earl of Berkmond.

If you’d like to be notified when the book is released, please sign up for my newsletter at www.lanawilliams.net.

 Since it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, I’d love to hear what plans you have for the weekend. One lucky commenter will receive an ebook of Unraveling Secrets, Book 1 of the trilogy!

Other places to connect with Lana:

www.lovehistoricals.com

Facebook

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Doing What Feels Right by Cynthia Harris

downloadOftentimes as authors, we are challenged on our choice of genre or content. I found myself, at times, tempted to yield to the demand of the others.

When I felt the urging from God to write fiction. Moreover, Christian Romance Fiction, I instantly resisted. Not so much because I disagreed with the command from the almighty. I cringed at the thought of the backlash I was destined receive from my fellow ministers. And receive, I did! …“Why are wasting your God-given talent on fiction?” …”With all your knowledge of the Bible, you chose fiction. And romance at that!” …”And just how do you suppose writing fiction will advance the kingdom of God.” …”You’re wasting valuable time writing romance fiction.” …‘’You’ve grossly missed what God would have you to do.” …”I can’t believe you are going to write that garbage.” …”You’ll lose credibility as a minister of the gospel.”

At the end of the day, I alone had to be comfortable with the words that manifested on the pages of my journal. And, after thorough consideration, found themselves in manuscript form.

I knew my imagination was a gift from God, early in my childhood. I spent the majority of pre-teen years living inside of an imaginary world. No matter where I was, or what I found myself doing, words were forever in my head. Soon, after many trials, tribulations, failures and successes. Christianity and my imagination collided, and I emerged as a Christian Romance author. Christian or not, most everyone loves a good romance or drama novel.

T.O.S.O.T. Ministries, LLC has a mission to teach romance from the biblical aspect. Love according to God’s holy word. In short, the series, although fiction, would minster as though it were non-fiction. In the midst of the romance, secret to success in relationships is unlocked. Dramatic accounts of situations, tragedies and circumstances in everyday life is brought to life in the vivid imagination of the reader. The principles of God are broken down and easily digestible. Have you ever sat in church on Sunday morning, only to leave disappointed because you had absolutely no idea how to apply to your life what you just heard? Most often the message is delivered alongside a prime cut of filet mignon, when instead, all you were capable of digesting at the time, was a hamburger. Inside you scream, will somebody please give me a simple answer to this Christian walk of life!

The Other Side of Through series delivers practical, yet exciting answers to the often asked question, why God? The message and parables of the scriptures are delivered without book, chapter and verse. Most often, as though you and your Aunt Mable were having a talk on the front porch. You will find yourself caught up the lives of the characters, only to realize that your fascination is arrested, because the story is indeed your own.

I dared to dance to the beat of the drum that resonates deep within my heart. I could have chosen to fall in line with the instruction to use my gift to write nonfiction. If so, I would have missed the opportunity to introduce God to a vast majority of the people who would never have chosen to pick up or open a bible. Some Christian authors fail in the task of writing a book that non-Christians desire to read. I could have chosen, and written along the lines of the vast “Christian way of living” novels currently in print. The ones that list seven ways to spirit living; five principles of the spirit lead man; battling the demons within. (These are not real titles. At least not to my knowledge. They are merely suggested title subjects for imagery, to drive home the point) the point being; if books have the words Christian, or spirit living. Some people will never open the page. The reason of course, they feel defeated, out-cast and substandard in the title alone.

Please, take some time and visit our web page http://www.tosotministries.org. Find and like T.O.S.O.T. Ministries, LLC on Facebook. Find this new and up-and-coming author, @writtercynt on Twitter and Instagram. Follow my YouTube page, Cynthia Middlebrooks Harris, for a weekly “T.O.S.O.T. Tuesday Moments” message, and blog http://ww.writingfortoday.wordpress.com.

The Small Town Contemporary Romance by Shelley Munro

EnemyLovers72webContemporary romances have always been popular. Readers like to read about characters who come up against the same obstacles they face on a daily basis. They like to relate to the heroine and a contemporary romance allows them to easily step into her shoes.

Recently, small town contemporary romances have become even more popular, especially if they’re part of a series. Readers—and I’m putting on my reader hat and counting myself among this number—enjoy getting to know the town and its inhabitants. Each new story is a return to a familiar setting and a visit with old friends.
I decided I’d like to write my own, but so many authors have popular series in the small town sub-genre it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. It was obvious I needed a point of difference.
I’d already started a contemporary series called Love and Friendship about a group of friends who live in the city of Auckland, New Zealand. There it was, I decided.
My point of difference.
Most of the small town series I read were set in America. I’d set mine in New Zealand and make it similar to the town where I lived during my teens. I love my home country, and I’ve explored much of our gorgeous scenery in the North and South Islands. This town would be a fictional town, so I could design it myself and add the parts of New Zealand I really enjoy. After much thought, the country town of Clare was born.
I didn’t plunge into life in Clare straightaway. I visited it with a standalone romance called One Night of Misbehavior. My characters spent the weekend there, mixing business with pleasure. I guess I was trying my idea for size.
My next visit to Clare came in my story Farmer Wants a Wife. This story is about a reality show where a city girl looking for a husband is matched with a country man who lives…yes, you guessed it…in Clare.
From that point, I decided my fictional town was perfect and worthy of a series. Clare is a country town that services the farmers who live on the surrounding land. The town is not far from the real city of Napier, which is known for its Art Deco buildings. There are two café/restaurants, a school, a pub with another one about to reopen after fire damage. There is a farm-supply store and vineyards. I’ve added a stately home and Clare has produced some famous people who will appear in coming stories. Currently the town is in the spotlight because of the reality show I mentioned earlier.
Part-Time Lovers is the first book in my new series Clare Chronicles. (This book is a spin-off from Farmer Wants a Wife)
Enemy Lovers, which is due out from Samhain Publishing on 10 February is the second book, and as the title suggests, the hero and heroine come from two local Clare families who have an ongoing feud. Life is never boring in Clare!
Here is the blurb:
Love might be waiting in enemy territory…
Clare Chronicles, Book 2
When Dallas O’Grady’s attention is hooked by a sexy rear end bent over a flat tire, he naturally pulls over to help. Then he gets a look at her face and realizes she’s one of those Drummonds.
The Drummonds and the O’Gradys might both live in the town of Clare, but they’ve never played nice, not since a generations-old feud started over a cache of stolen gold nuggets.
Laura Drummond has fought long and hard to grip independence by the throat and avoid her mother’s bulldozing attempts to control her life. She’s always admired Dallas from afar, and she’s pleased to discover that up close, he’s gorgeous, sexy, and nothing like the monster her family has painted.
When the road home is blocked, she’s forced to accept his offer of a bed for the night. One thing leads to another, and soon burning hot-desire melts into thoughts of forging a permanent relationship—damn their families’ disapproval.
But the feud isn’t the only thing conspiring to keep the lovers apart. And the clock is ticking…
Warning: Contains lovers determined to challenge the status quo, lots of sexy times, and a feud that just might destroy all their hopes for a happy future.
CONTEST: Win the e-book version of Farmer Wants a Wife. Just leave a comment or ask a question about New Zealand and you’ll go into the draw to win.

Pre-order links (Print and e-book)
Samhain Publishing https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5325/enemy-lovers
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O5YTANA
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enemy-lovers-shelley-munro/1120511000?ean=9781619228085
All Romance ebooks https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-enemylovers-1717057-149.html?referrer=509f18e61b0cf

BIO
ShelleyMunroShelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.
Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres for publishers Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. You can learn more about Shelley and her books at her website and you might even find her lurking at Facebook or Twitter.
WEBSITE: http://www.shelleymunro.com
BLOG: http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/ShelleyMunroAuthor
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/ShelleyMunro
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/ShelleyMunro
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/ShelleyMunro
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Shelley-Munro/e/B001JOWGNK
NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/A2xfH

Reunion Stories by Donnell Ann Bell

Buried_Agendas_-_600x900x300Reunion stories. I love ‘em; I write ‘em.

Thank you to Cynthia Woolf for the opportunity to drop by and visit again.  You’re so generous and I love this blog. It also gives me a chance to tell new and different readers about my work – work that you might otherwise not know about, so Cindy, once again, thank you!

In writing, reading and judging romantic suspense novels over the years, I’ve noticed that many, many of them revolve around reunion stories.  I thought it was just me, but, no, apparently readers love them, too.  Which made me ask – why?

I’ve been married for 32 years. I consider my marriage a success story.  My husband came around after I’d kissed a few proverbial toads.  So what’s the deal?  Why don’t I want to read and write about a successful marriage story?  Because—ahem–I crave the happily ever after, and in between kissing those toads (okay some were pretty cute), there was some heartache.  I might have caused it, or the guy I was with was a contributor.  But the fact remained either I, or he, wouldn’t change.  That’s called conflict.  (In real life, most sensible people walk away from conflict… but in romance . . . .)

Readers love conflict.  I could write about my real life love story, rave on and on about my kids.  But no doubt that would have the reader closing the book—or worse never picking it up in the first place!

Because I write what I love, and readers are no different than me, I wager.  When I read I want angst, the possibility that two people destined to be together might never get there.  I want to turn the pages wondering, rooting and eventually cheering them on when a pre-destined couple gets together.  Like working a puzzle, I want to worry about them along the way, and think, how is this author going to resolve this story?

That’s a major reason I wrote BURIED AGENDAS.  I wanted to create a story where the conflict was so great between two people that the chances of them ending up together seemed impossible.  I also write suspense, and I wanted to set their love story in an environment that would entertain the reader, keep them on the edge of their seats, and make them turn pages.  (Much better than reading about a 32-year old marriage, right?).  At least I hope so.

So without further ado, here’s the blurb.

A devastating secret drove her from the man she loved.  Will a secret equally as deadly lead her back to him?

Diana Reid is an investigative reporter skilled at uncovering other people’s secrets. It’s her own she works to keep buried. Eight years earlier, she promised to leave her fiancé and hometown of Diamond, Texas forever. That pledge vanishes when she receives a letter stating people are going to die, implicating her hometown’s largest employer, and making a veiled threat against her mother. With no other choice, Diana will return to Diamond, albeit in disguise, to discover the anonymous author.

Brad Jordan moved on with his life after Diana walked out on him. Just as he rebuilt his life, as the newly elected mayor of Diamond, and newly engaged to be married, he plans to rebuild his struggling hometown.  Those plans are threatened when an El Paso physician notifies Brad that she believes his family’s company, Jordan Industries, is conducting illegal practices and sacrificing the public’s health.

When the doctor suggests bringing in Diana to uncover the wrongdoing, Brad opposes the idea. Still, when Diana appears despite his wishes, he’s forced to accept that a woman he vowed to forget may be his only option to get to the truth. Together Diana Reid and Brad Jordan face a dangerous adversary—one whose only intent is keeping a deadly agenda buried.

So what about you?  Do you like reunion stories or should I start working on my marriage memoirs J  For those who comment, let’s have a drawing (U.S. residents for paper copy. Digital all others.)  To reunions… and of course, happily ever afters.

Donnell_Author_Photo_reisizeDonnell Ann Bell grew up in New Mexico and today lives in Colorado.  A homebody at heart, she concentrates on suspense that might happen in her neck of the woods – writing SUSPENSE TOO CLOSE TO HOME.  She is the author of The Past Came Hunting, Deadly Recall and Betrayed, all of which have been e-book best sellers. Buried Agendas is her newest release. Along with veteran police officer Wally Lind, Donnell co-owns Crimescenewriters, a Yahoo group putting law enforcement experts together with writers. Donnell loves to hear from readers. Like her on Facebook or contact her via her website www.donnellannbell.com