Taking over the world, one book at a time
Yes, I am late…..Blame it on Tax Season.
But here are the winners for the end of March!!!
The Winner of our 1st Blind Date giveaway is……
#34 Chris Bails~~ christinebails(at)yahoo.com
Our 2nd winner is…..
#24 Michele Beldsoe~~ koonie2888(at)yahoo.com Claimed
Winner’s please fill out the claim form HERE and confirm you SNAIL MAIL address
Don’t forget to re-enter…… another winner will be picked on around March 31st
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Beth Kerry to the blog today. We are talking about her latest releases When I’m With You & Because You Are Mine.
Beth, can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I’m a long time city girl who loves art (which is why artists often show up in my books), travel, food and cooking, shoes and red wine, in no particular order. I love to observe people. My husband says I’m a paradox, because I seem so quiet and reserved and serious, but I’m really not at all, once you get to know me. I’m not rambunctious or anything, but I certainly have a silly streak. When something strikes me as funny, I will laugh until I cry.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
No. I had a completely different career previously, and a doctorate degree in an unrelated field. I was always an avid reader, but didn’t think about attempting a romance novel until I was in my 20’s. I’d read in all genres, but just thought I could write sexy romance, for some reason.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s interesting, but here goes: I live in the middle of the city but I’m strangely sensitive about outdoor noise. So I have the room set up where I write soundproofed with white noise. My sister jokingly calls it the ‘womb’ because it’s very relaxing and insulated in the midst of a bustling city.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Yes, When I’m With You, is a serialized erotic romance being released presently, every Tuesday for 8 weeks. So this is one hefty novel being released in 8 installments. It’s in the ‘world’ of Because You Are Mine, which also released initially in serial format. Ian and Francesca, the hero and heroine of Because You Are Mine, are important characters and their story is furthered. The main hero and heroine, however, are Lucien and Elise. This couple has known each other since childhood/early adulthood and both are trying to make meaningful lives for themselves outside of the gilded cage of privilege, greed and wealth. Lucien has a big secret about his motives for being inChicago, however, and it’s a mystery Elise might unknowingly divulge because of her history with him. This is a smoking hot, sexy romance, but there’s also an edge of suspense as Lucien’s, Elise’s and Ian’s story unfolds. Lucien and Elise are electric together. I think it’s one of the best sexual tension and erotic content I’ve written to date.
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
I was brainstorming with my editor at RWA last year about the story arc begun in Because You Are Mine. The seeds of the plot of When I’m With You, and the next book in the series, Because We Belong, were actually already in place in Because You Are Mine. Mostly, it was just a matter of bringing those seeds to fruition. I love the subtleties of the three books, and how characterization is so tightly woven to the action of the plot. I think it’ll be fun for readers to go back and re-read once all three books are out, and see how hints became fully fleshed out in later books.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I just finished Because We Belong, which moves Ian and Francesca back onto center stage. I had a very satisfied, good feeling about how I left things with one of my favorite couples.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I’ve been fortunate enough to meet so many of my favorite romance authors at conferences. I’m a long time fan of Sandra Brown, however, and I’ve never been able to meet her. She writes sexual tension like no other. I enjoyed her older Loveswept, classic contemporary romances and I love her romantic suspense and suspense as well. I’m always looking to see if she’s at conferences I go to, but I’ve never had the opportunity arise to meet her thus far.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
If you love it, don’t give up. This can be a really tough field, and rejection and criticism are inevitable. Build up a healthy armor against naysayers, learn from feedback, but don’t let it dampen your love of telling a story.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
Actually, I’m checking off something from my bucket list this year. I’m spending New Years in Londonwith my sisters and nieces—girls’ vacation in a beautiful condo right in the middle of things.Londonis one of my favorite cities, and I can’t wait to spend time there with some of my favorite people. J
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
Jaci Burton’s Thrown By a Curve. I’ve been so busy with a deadline, I haven’t had a chance to get to it yet, but can’t wait. Also, I’m looking forward to Julie James’ latest, Love Irresistibly.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just thank you to Books-n-Kisses for having me!
Beth Kery is the New York Times bestselling author of over thirty books and short stories, including Because You Are Mine and Wicked Burn. She lives in Chicago with her family. Visit her online at www.bethkery.com, www.facebook.com/beth.kery, and www.twitter.com/bethkery.
Join the #WhenImWithYou conversation on Twitter with @bethkery, @InterMixBooks and @BerkleyRomance.
Beth is giving away a copy of either the complete version of Because You Are Mine (ebook or print) OR the first four parts of When I’m With You (ebook).
International entries are okay, but entrant’s country must be a registered country at Book Depository. For ebook, the vendor must have a ‘giftable’ option, like Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
Jessica E. Subject
At twenty-two, Leanne Declan has graduated from college and hopes to take over the family farm until a tragic accident changes her life forever. Unable to do the simplest everyday chores, she must depend on her family and friends as she learns to face life’s challenges. But when her fears threaten to destroy her future, can an unexpected love be strong enough to help her dreams come true?
Available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.
More information and Buy Links
Excerpt:
A million needles pierced her wrist. She had to get away from the fire. Leanne flicked open her eyes, screaming, longing for the agony to stop.
White walls surrounded her. Machines beeped. Taking in the new scenery, she closed her mouth, the pain forgotten. Bags filled with clear liquids as well as blood hung from a metal pole. She followed the tubes from the bags into her left hand. Was that where the burn came from? She glanced at the other arm, the end of which was wrapped in thick bandages. The image of spinning blades and her mangled flesh flashed before her eyes. She screamed again, tears falling down her cheeks. This can’t be happening.
Bodies rushed into the room, many in scrubs. With her vision blurred, she didn’t recognize anyone. All strangers. She was in the foreign place by herself. A nightmare. Has to be.
“Shh, calm down, sweetie. You’ll be okay.”
A familiar voice. She glanced to her other side to see her mom standing beside her, her eyes glassy. She held her hand, but Leanne couldn’t feel it, only the throbbing which had returned to her other one, the one that was…gone? She groaned, turning on her side, and pulled her knees up to her chest.
“Mom, is it really…?”
She brushed her fingers over her forehead. “Don’t worry about it right now. You need to rest.”
“It hurts so bad.”
“I know.” Her mother stroked her face again. “But the nurses will help it go away.”
“Leanne,” one of the nurses hovering around her said. “I want you to take deep breaths and count backward from ten.”
“Ten.” She sucked in air and cried out in agony.
Between clenched teeth, she continued. Anything to stop the pain. “Nine.”
Ice traveled through her veins. “Eight.”
The throbbing slowly ebbed away. Seven.
Darkness swept over her and pulled her down with it.
Bio:
Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
When Jessica isn’t reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.
Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.
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Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Sara Walter Ellwood to the blog today
Sara, can you please share with us a little about yourself
Thank you so much for having me today! I was raised on a small farm in West Central Pennsylvania and now live about 25 miles north of Gettysburg. After deciding teaching high school social studies wasn’t for me, I went back to school and became a medical assistant. I’ve worked for a large hospital in Harrisburg and currently work for the US Army as a medical secretary. I’ve been writing forever. For years I wrote Star Wars fan fiction until 2008 when I decided to write my first published novel—A Hunter’s Angel. Heartstrings (then titled “The Long Road Home”) is my second written novel, but my fourth one published.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
If someone would have told the pre-teen me that I’d grow up and become a published author, I probably would’ve told you to stop smoking crack. The first book I read on my own was in eighth grade. Shortly after that, I couldn’t stop thinking about a story that was circling around in my head. I eventually wrote that story in eleventh grade for a journal-keeping assignment in English. That’s when I caught the bug and decided I wanted to become an author.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I’m not really sure I have any. At least nothing interesting.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
Heartstrings is a contemporary western romance. The hero is a superstar country singer and the heroine is half Native American. Here’s the blurb:
He’s determined to set things right, no matter the cost.
The last person Abby Crawford wants to face down is country music superstar Seth Kendall. Last time she did, she flat-out lied so he’d go to Nashville without her. She’s never understood why their mutual best friend proposed, but she went with it so her baby wouldn’t be fatherless. Now she’s a divorced mother of a teenager, and secretly Seth’s biggest fan.
Seth is home in McAllister, Texas for his father’s funeral…and a chance to meet the daughter he’s never known. He’s willing to face the music of his own making and admit he’s known about his little girl all along. For fifteen years he’s kept his distance because Abby told him to follow his dreams without her, insisting she didn’t love him. But now he won’t leave until he knows his daughter and she knows him, even if it means facing the woman who broke his heart for good.
Confessing she’s lied about her daughter’s paternity all these years won’t be easy for Abby, especially with her ex blackmailing her to keep the secret. And Seth doesn’t know the hardest truth of all: Every love song he plays on his guitar still plucks her heartstrings.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
Well, this is a long and complicated answer. Let’s just say it has very convoluted beginnings. I got the original idea from a Star Wars fan fiction that I wrote about five years ago, which in turn got its inspiration from the Rascal Flatts song “God Blessed the Broken Road.”
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
Sure. I only have three of them. The first one is a contemporary western romantic suspense I’m hoping to finish by June 1st called Saving the Lonestar Princess, which is targeting Entangled’s new suspense line. I also am working on another country singer suspense, A Family for Jesse, which I may also pitch to Entangled, especially if they take Princess. The last book I’m hoping to finish this summer is Gambling On A Dream, book three of my Colton Gamblers series, which is with Lyrical Press.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Linda Lael Miller. I’d love to meet her because she’s been called the queen of the western romance genre and because I love her stories. The other author I’ve always wanted to meet and got the chance two years ago at the New Jersey Romance Writers “Put Your Heart in a Book” conference was Rachel Gibson. She and I have a lot in common such as we both hated to read when we were younger and were both in special education for learning disabilities.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Learn all that you can, not only about writing, but also about the business of publishing. Don’t think you can start networking after you get the contract. Start immediately by joining writer’s groups. As hard as it is, try to see a rejection from the editor’s POV, especially when your rejections go from form letters to helpful. If an editor tells you why they rejected the book, take that into consideration—particularly if you start getting more than one similar rejection. And finally the most important thing is to NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’d love to take a road trip through every state. Yeah, I’m one of those people who’d love to give up my house for a RV in my retirement years… But the problem would be convincing my homebody hubby….LOL
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I have so many books on my TBR pile, I don’t even know how to answer this question. I’m really looking forward to JR Ward’s next Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, which comes out at the end of March. And the next book from Rachel Gibson, which I think comes out in May. But I can’t wait to read some of my friends’ books either.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for having me here!
Lyrical Press | Amazon | B&N | iTunes
He’s determined to set things right, no matter the cost.
The last person Abby Crawford wants to face down is country music superstar Seth Kendall. Last time she did, she flat-out lied so he’d go to Nashville without her. She’s never understood why their mutual best friend proposed, but she went with it so her baby wouldn’t be fatherless. Now she’s a divorced mother of a teenager, and secretly Seth’s biggest fan.
Seth is home in McAllister, Texas for his father’s funeral…and a chance to meet the daughter he’s never known. He’s willing to face the music of his own making and admit he’s known about his little girl all along. For fifteen years he’s kept his distance because Abby told him to follow his dreams without her, insisting she didn’t love him. But now he won’t leave until he knows his daughter and she knows him, even if it means facing the woman who broke his heart for good.
Confessing she’s lied about her daughter’s paternity all these years won’t be easy for Abby, especially with her ex blackmailing her to keep the secret. And Seth doesn’t know the hardest truth of all: Every love song he plays on his guitar still plucks her heartstrings.
CONTENT WARNING: Spicy sex.
Excerpt:
Seth leaned in. His lips were close enough to kiss, and his scent of sandalwood and something exotic enveloped her, taking her back to that night on the beach. His eyes flashed with the dangerous fire of his temper. It was similar to the flame of the passion she’d once seen in the green depths. Abby didn’t expect or want the heat curling in her belly, and shivered with a sudden and fierce desire.
“I’m her father, Abigail. I wanted to be her father after she was born. It was you and Mike who insisted I had no business messing things up.”
“I never said any such thing. You never tried. You just left.”
He pounded a fist on the counter top so hard she jumped. “Yes, I left! I wasn’t welcome at home. Dad ran me off with a shotgun. Mike wouldn’t even let me see my daughter. He made it quite clear you and he were happily married, and I had no place in your life. I was under contract to be in Nashville to start recording my first album.”
What did he mean, Mike wouldn’t let him see Emily?
Before she had a chance to voice her question, his eyes darkened as the pupils dilated, obscuring the stormy green. “But I’m no longer nineteen and scared shitless. I could make things very rough for you and this fantasy you’ve got working.”
A cold lump quickly replaced the tangle of heat in her belly. “What-what do you mean?”
He backed off and tapped the countertop. “I’m talking a custody battle. I could have a judge order a paternity test. I think we both know the media hoopla the results would cause.”
Her heart slammed into her chest wall. “You wouldn’t do that.”
“Try me. Now that I’ve met Emily, I want to get to know her.” He walked over to look out the kitchen window. The hard line of his jaw melted, and he swallowed so hard his throat moved up and down. “I was a fool when I let Mike talk me out of being in her life after she was born.”
“What do you mean?”
He glanced at her. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
The strings of guitar music provided a soft counterpoint to the hard tension in the kitchen. Emily was outside on the patio playing around with her guitar, waiting for them to finish with the dishes she and Seth had insisted on doing.
“All I want is to have some time with my daughter. That’s all I’m asking for.” When he looked over his shoulder at her, sadness replaced the anger in his eyes. “I’ll keep your little secret. I’ll just be her favorite singer. The family friend who made it big in Nashville. I don’t want to hurt her. As much as it galls the hell out of me, I see what Mike means to her.”
He moved toward her and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Besides, I don’t want to hurt Carolann or Frank any more than you do.” He glanced outside again, his voice husky as he spoke. “But I’ll sue you if I have to.”
A part of her wanted to give in to him, but a larger part wanted to punish him. Let him take her to court; she’d make sure the world knew what kind of jerk Seth Kendall really was.
She gritted her teeth and fisted her hands by her sides. “I’ll let you have tonight, Seth. But don’t ask for more.”
She turned away and strode through the French doors.
Bio:
Sara Walter Ellwood is an award winning author whose novel Gambling On A Secret was named by bestselling author Carolyn Brown in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today as one of her favorite romances of 2012. Although Sara has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her stories. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for nearly 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia.
She also writes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name of Cera duBois.
Author Links:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
***Please leave your email address to be eligible***
~~Sara is giving away two ebook copies of Heartstrings at the end of each week of the tour, so make sure you leave your email address.
~Tour Grand Prize is a swag pack full of goodies! A signed copy of Carolyn Brown’s Just a Cowboy and His Baby, an ebook copy of my last release Gambling On A Secret, a notebook, a pen, custom jewelry set, $5 Starbuck’s gift card—all tucked into a keepsake box.
(Sorry, only US residents are eligible. Comparable International Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card.)
*Swag pack(gift card) is for the entire two-month tour. Winner will be announced on June 1, 2013
Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Stephanie Rowe back to the blog today to chat about her newest release.
Stephanie, can you please share with us a little about yourself
On the writing side, I’m a lifelong reader who, as a child, won a blue ribbon at my town library for reading the most books over the summer. My love for books never faded, and I started telling stories to kids while I worked at day camp during college. Eventually that turned into writing the stories down, and everything evolved from there. I love to write, I love to read, and I love the magic that can happen when an author lets her passion and imagination run free. When I’m not writing, I’m a mom, I play tennis with my pals, and I am working hard training my new rescue dog, who is just the sweetest boy ever.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
I was always a reader and a storyteller, but it didn’t occur to be to be an author until I was in my thirties. I had been working at Nike for a while, and although I loved my job, it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. I had been investigating assorted career opportunities for a while, and then I received an alumni magazine in the mail from my college. The cover article was about two graduates who had written a thriller that had been optioned into a movie. As I read that article, I suddenly knew that was what I wanted to do. I didn’t have a computer at home, so I would go into work at four in the morning and write until the day began, and then stay late to write, and come in on weekends. Everyone thought I was being a rockstar employee, but little did they know… After I finished my first book, I was hooked and I bought a computer for myself. 18 books later, I sold my first book!
Can you share with us your typical writing day. Is there anything you have to have while writing?
There is no typical writing day, but one of the “more” typical ones involves dropping my daughter off at school, going for a walk/training session (the training never ends when you adopt a young-adult rescue dog) with my dog, and then parking myself at the computer either until pick up, or until workout time, or until the dog demands an outing. I like to get my word count done first, and then do other things like email, FB, taxes etc afterwards. I often work at night, but usually it’s not actual writing, because my brain is just too tired.
Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?
The best feeling is when a book gets published and you feel the triumph of all that agony and hard work come to life. With the advent of self-publishing, when you can track your sales minute-to-minute, I love seeing that very first sale on a new book. It’s really an amazing feeling! It’s also really good when I’m editing or writing a book and I get so caught up in the story that I literally lose track of real life and I become completely immersed in that imaginary world. I always set my alarm for when I have to leave to pick up my daughter, because if a book is going well, I will have no idea what time it is. Other days are arduous torture to get the words written, but I am learning not to get as stressed out and panicked by those days.
Can you please tell us about your latest book?
Darkness Arisen (Order of the Blade, Book Six) is the story of Ian Fitzgerald, a warrior we met in the first book. His story was introduced in more depth in his novella, FOREVER IN DARKNESS, and we finally get his full story in DARKNESS ARISEN. It’s sexy, passionate, dangerous and wickedly intense. Readers will meet new characters and explore an entirely new world from what they’ve seen in previous Order of the Blade books, but will still get plenty of their hot, tormented warriors. Here is the official blurb for the book:
Darkness Hunts Him.
Calydon warrior Ian Fitzgerald refuses to die. Cursed by black magic, he has stayed alive through sheer force of will and unyielding commitment to a mission he is sworn to complete. There is only one thing that can defeat him…and she has just found him.
Desire Torments Her.
Ravaged by her own passions, tarnished angel Alice Shaw is fighting desperately for salvation before all she cares about is lost forever. Her sensual allure, and the forbidden power buried inside her, are outshone only by the burning need she awakens in Ian.
Fierce Passion Ignites.
Raging desire explodes between Ian and Alice, pushing them to the brink of destruction. They cannot afford to succumb, but the cord that binds them will never let them go…not until their most dreaded nightmares come true. Together, they are destined to fail. Together, they will fight to survive the impossible.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
From earlier books, I knew that Ian had really suffered when his soulmate had died, so I decided that the worst possible thing for him to face would be a soulmate who would die repeatedly on him, forcing him to face his worst nightmare until he figured out how to handle it. The angel of life seemed to be the perfect foil for him: a woman who could come back to life after being killed, so she could keep sending them both through that same hell until they found a way to break the cycle. Sometimes, the only way to heal is to face your nightmares until you defeat them.
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
Now that Darkness Arisen is finished, I will be starting on three projects (as soon as I finish my taxes!):
PRINCE CHARMING CAN WAIT, which is the next EVER AFTER book,
GUARDIAN OF THE HIDDEN, which is the launch book for my new dark paranormal series, THE RUINED LORDS, and
DARKNESS UNLEASED, which is Ryland’s book, the seventh in the Order of the Blade series.
I am currently brainstorming all three of them, and whichever one comes together first will be the next one that I start writing. All three of them will be coming out in 2013. Also, in a very strange turn of events, I was just taking a nap (completely exhausted from the push of getting Darkness Arisen to market!) and I had a dream that my daughter and I found a DVD on the grass. We started to watch it (no DVD player, just watching it in our hands) and it was this most intense, incredible movie. It played out scene by scene and I was so into it, and then it ended right in the middle. We were both like, “WHAT?” and then, in my dream, I realized that the movie hadn’t been written yet, and that I was supposed to write that story. It was so incredible vivid that, after I finish this interview, I am going to go write down what happened, and I think I might take a couple days and write up the part of the movie that played out in my dream. Totally bizarre, but I think I’m going to go with it…
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Marie Force, because she is absolutely brilliant with what she has done with her career, and I would love to pick her brain.
J.K. Rowling, because she is the quintessential example of someone who hit rock bottom and emerged into brilliance.
J.R. Martinez, because he is so inspiring.
Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style?
There are a few authors who have really affected my writing style. A long time ago, when I was still unpublished, I was readying a Harlequin Flipside (remember those books?) by Cathy Linz. I was reading the most entertaining bit of dialogue between two parties, and all of a sudden, I realized what she was doing to make that story so compelling. I almost fell off my chair with excitement because that was the moment I finally understood the concept of “voice.” That changed my writing forever, and was the first step to getting published. The other author who affected me was Lisa Kleypas. I was going through a really difficult personal time in my life when I picked up Mine ‘Til Midnight. It was such a beautiful romance that touched me deeply, and it was what helped me realize the importance of emotional depth and truth in a story. Prior to that, I had spent a lot of time on plot and character when writing, but I had not opened myself emotionally to the experiences of the characters. Once I started doing that, my writing finally started to come alive. Now, when I write an emotional scene, I will often be crying so hard that I can barely see the screen, because I am literally living every emotion my characters feel. That has been a real area of growth for me.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
I just opened Darkness Arisen, and the heroine and hero on an algae-covered dingy being towed by dolphins across the open ocean. They are on their way to a battle which could kill them both, and they’re trying to figure out how to increase the odds of their survival.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I have Marie Force’s newest book, Waiting for Love, on my kindle. I’m psyched for J.R. Ward’s new book, Lover at Last, and I saw a new Lisa Kleypas in the grocery store which I MUST get my hands on. But first, I have to finish my taxes and write up the dream I had earlier. Oh, and Wait for Me by Elisabeth Naughton, which caught on fire recently with sales, and I’m dying to read and see what magic she has woven.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you so much for having me! This was a great interview! I do have a question for readers: have you ever had a dream that impacted you in some way? If so, what happened?
My website is www.stephanierowe.com; my Twitter handle is @stephanierowe2, and my Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/StephanieRoweAuthor
Stephanie is giving away winners choice of an eBook from either the ORDER OF THE BLADE, EVER AFTER or ALASKA HEAT series.
Author: Lynn Rush
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Release Date: April 1st, 2013
In the darkest place, the Light shines brightest.
Emma’s love saved Jake from life as a vampire. But their happily ever after is threatened by a savage Vamp seeking retribution for destroying the Avenos Trinity of Evil.
A mysterious stranger enters the mix, coinciding with the first Vamp attack in months. Emma’s new friendship, and the suspicion and deceit surrounding it, further drives a wedge between her and Jake.
To complicate things, Emma is bitten by a Vamp with abilities no one has ever seen before, and that bite has left its mark.
A mark that might tear Jake and Emma apart forever…
(Kindle is the prize) Giveaway ends at Midnight (EST) April 23rd, 2013.
Author Bio.Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush – since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake, and a portion of the proceeds benefits cancer research and awareness.
Author Amazon Page | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
What others are already saying about Violet Dawn:
“Violet Dawn is powerful, enthralling, and refreshingly complex.” ~Carrie Butler, author of Strength
“I’ve fallen head over boots for Emma and Jake as a couple—and as an elite vampire-hunting team…” ~Kristie Cook, author of the best-selling Soul Savers Series
“Fast-paced, action-packed, Violet Dawn is basically everything you’d want from a vampire hunter novel and then some. Emma has kick-ass written all over her.” ~Kate Evangelista, author of Taste
Violet Dawn Book trailer: http://youtu.be/
Thanks so much for having me here today at Books-n-Kisses! This is my first time here, so it’s always exciting to find a new place to visit.
I’m touring blogs all month with Book Monster Promotions talking about my Sons of Navarus series in preparation for the 4th novel in the series, Blood Prophecy, which is coming May 14, 2013. For readers who’ve followed the Sons from the beginning, it will be a real turning point.
I’ve had a number of people ask why I write erotic paranormal romance, especially with the new fads like 50 Shades like books and 1st person POV being so popular now. I always say the same thing: fads come and go, but vampires will always be popular. Years from now, 1st person POV is very likely going to be discouraged once again, as it has for a long time in most genres, and BDSM will lose its wow factor, but the sensuality of vampires will be around. Need proof? Name one other type of character that has been around for over a century and still enchants readers.
Vampires are sexy, partly because they’re always young and gorgeous, but also because they’re animalistic without being animals. They’re fixated on one of the sexiest areas of the body—the neck—and have a style unlike any other paranormal character. I love other types of paranormals (in fact, I introduce weres and dragon shifters into the Sons series in Blood Prophecy), but there’s no denying the classic seducer, the vampire.
They aren’t for everyone, but time has shown that readers love vampires as much today as they did when they first became popular. Who wouldn’t want a sexy male who’s forever young but has the experience of the ages seducing them?
Thanks for having me here today! Readers can grab the first five chapters of Blood Prophecy for FREE as they wait for the May 14th release of the full book. Find links and details at my website at www.gabriellebisset.com For more information on the Sons of Navarus series, readers can visit my website for excerpts, buy links, character profiles, swag (romance trading cards), and free desktop wallpapers to bring those delicious Sons to your computer. And look for Blood Prophecy coming soon!
LINKS: Website|Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Like the Sons of Navarus Facebook Page
Sons of Navarus Series Blurb:
Eight vampire warriors descended from the gods and chosen to defend their world against the Archon takeover, each dedicated to the war they must win. But there’s another side to these Sons of Navarus—one that only the women they love know. Behind the strength they need to defeat their enemies lies a passion different in each one of the Sons. Their war will take them around the world and even involve the gods themselves, but they must unlock the secrets of the Prophecy of Idolas to defeat the Archons or perish in trying for none of their kind can be safe if the Archons win this battle.
Sons of Navarus #1
Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes | Audible
I am everything you desire. I am vampire.
Powerful and manipulative, Vasilije does as he pleases. A vampire beholden to no one, he takes what he desires, drinking deeply the pleasures this life has to offer.
When one of his own is staked, Vasilije must travel to New Orleans to exact his revenge. There he meets Sasa, a beautiful woman who arouses him like no other has for centuries. Vasilije’s need for vengeance is equaled only by his passion for her, but what he finds in his revenge is just the beginning…
Sons of Navarus #2
Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes
I am everything forbidden. I am vampire.
Haunted by betrayal, Saint hides in the human world, giving his heart to no one and finding the only solace from his past in the arms of human women. Now as the Archons begin their takeover of the vampire world, this Son of Navarus has been marked for death.
Summoned to defeat the Archons by the world that shunned him, Saint must face his past and Solenne, the woman he loved and lost a century ago, for only in accepting her will his body and soul finally find salvation.
Sons of Navarus #3
Amazon | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes
I am everything you seek. I am vampire.
Blessed with the gift of telepathy, Terek always knows what a woman wants. His gift has afforded him nightly sensual pleasures and exotic treats for centuries, but beneath the surface he yearns for much more.
Ilona can give him what his soul craves, but only if he trusts his heart. One fateful choice made out of desire puts all he cares for in danger. With a civil war and the threat of Archon hunters at every turn, this Son may lose everything if he can’t find the balance between heart and mind.
Sons of Navarus #4
COMING MAY 14!
I am everything you fear. I am vampire.
As the two Sons chosen to decipher the Prophecy of Idolas, Ramiel and Thane journey to find the key to defeating the Archons. Together with Noele, a born vampire, they confront their fates as they fulfill their duty to their world. Along the way, they’ll find love, but death and betrayal lurk in the shadows, threatening everything dear to them.
Descended from the gods and warriors all, each Son’s loyalty will be tested. Every action has consequences, and the choices they make now seal their fates. Alliances as old as the vampire world itself are reforged, and the Sons’ duty is clear. Stop the Archons. Or die trying.
Download the FREE 5 Chapter Preview below!
Kobo | Amazon or download epub format on Gabrielle’s website (scroll down to bottom of page)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I’m a UF/PNR author and my newest releases are Blood Spirit, the third book in my new series Sons of Navarus, and the Sons short stories Longing and The Deepest Cut.
For me, a book does more than just tell a story. It transports readers away from their daily lives to another place where they can be a part of something different than the common and everyday. I’m always so touched when readers tell me they felt like they were a part of the story when they read my books.
When I’m not writing, I can be found reading romance novels but often mysteries, cookbooks, and anything dealing with ancient and medieval history and European history, in general. I also love the outdoors, so I enjoy the wonderful weather Pennsylvania has to offer. I live there with my son and a herd of pets.
Connect with Gabrielle:
Website | Facebook | S.O.N. FB Page | Twitter | Goodreads
Gabrielle is offering up the following prizes. This is a tour wide giveaway.
Grand Prize:
Autographed copies of the first three books in the series (Blood Avenged, Blood Betrayed, Blood Spirit) and SWAG (bookmarks, trading cards, cover flat, etc.) to ONE lucky winner.
Runners-Up:
THREE runners up will receive a SWAG pack
Teaser:
Alexia ignored the tremor that traveled from the place where their hands touched, along her arm and down her body, landing a quiver of want deep in her core. Any time now, it would be fan-fricking-tastic if her body could stop reacting to him like he’d been double-dipped in her favorite brand of pheromones.
She reached for her blue Jansport backpack, just next to the bedroom door. He made no move to let go or get out of her way, and she was forced to squeeze past his tree-trunk thigh in the process. She failed horribly at ignoring how frigging huge those legs of his were. How the V of her thighs brushed his leg when she passed, and how her body temperature climbed. Stop staring at his ass. “Right. Got everything ready to go, right here.” She cleared her throat.
“Great. I’ll drive,” he grumbled.
Did he realize, as he tugged her down the hall, that his fingers were still wrapped around her hand?
And now for the Cover……
Lee protects his vampire race, and hates humans as much as the wizard enemies he kills. Just as he’s assessing new recruits to join the vampire king’s army, all hell breaks loose. The estate’s security system fails, wizards are heading their way, and human-hating Lee is stuck protecting Alexia, the queen’s human best friend. But as dangerous obstacles force Alexia and Lee closer, an undeniable attraction is revealed, and the two must find a way to compromise.
A little about Elisabeth:
Elisabeth Staab still lives with her nose in a book and at least one foot in an imaginary world. She believes that all kinds of safe and sane love should be celebrated but she adores the fantasy-filled realm of paranormal romance the best. She lives in the Washington DC area
with her family and one big scaredy cat, where she loves to spend time with good friends, go dancing, collect wacky coffee mugs from which to drink her favorite beverage, and sing off-key in her kitchen (when she isn’t making characters fall in love, that is).
Learn more about Elisabeth here:
Website/Blog | Twitter | FB Author Page | Goodreads
A look at the series
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Isabel Anthony has lived a carefree existence masquerading as human, but when this party-girl meets the king of vampires, her world turns deep, dark, and dangerous double-quick. Thad Morgan is looking for the prophesied mate who will unlock his powers. But when he finally finds Isabel in a seedy nightclub, he thinks fate must have gotten it wrong.
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Synopsis: Wizards and vampires have been mortal enemies since the beginning. Now Anton, son of the Wizard Master, has one last chance to steal the unique powers of the vampire king’s beautiful sister, Tyra…and then kill her. But when he meets Tyra face-to-face, everything changes…
Tyra will stop at nothing to defeat the wizards, until Anton saves her life and she suddenly sees an opportunity she never could have imagined…
As the sparks ignite between them, together they could bring an end to the war that’s decimating their people, but only if they can find a way to trust each other…
3.25.13
Cover Reveal: Hard as it Gets by Laura Kaye
Spotlight feature of Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti
Interview & giveaway with Jennifer Apodaca
Guest Blog & Giveaway with Beth Ciotta
Kimberly’s review of With this Kiss part three by Eliosa James
Kelly’s review of Once Tempted by Laura Moore
3.26.13
Spotlight Feature of Buried by Kendra Elliot
Book Blitz: Jessica by Laura DeLuca
Kimberly’s review of Currant Creek Valley by RaeAnne Thayne
Kelly’s review of Buried by Kendra Elliot
3.27.13
Kimberly’s review of The Wanderer by Robyn Carr
Kimberly’s review of Wolf With Benefits by Shelley Laurenston
Kimberly’s review of Grounds to Kill by Wendy Roberts
3.28.13
Guest Blog & Giveaway with Eliza Daily
Jennifer’s review of Along Came Trouble by Ruthie Knox
Kelly’s review of The Baby Bargain by Jennifer Apodaca
Kimberly’s review of Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks
Guest Reviewer: Erica reviews Three Sisters by Susan Mallery
3.29.13
Interview & Giveaway with Kendra Elliott
Kimberly’s review of Send Me No Flowers by Trish Jensen
Kelly’s review of Her Lucky Love by Carrie Ann Ryan
3.30.13
SINsational Saturday Series
Jane Jameson Series by Molly Harper
Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that’s sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She’s forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?
Following Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, the second in a hilarious, smart, sexy romantic series about an out-of-work librarian who is turned into a vampire.
With her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding looming ahead, new vampire Jane Jameson struggles to develop her budding relationship with her enigmatic sire, Gabriel. It seems unfair that she’s expected to master undead dating while dealing with a groom heading for a nuptial nervous breakdown, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and the ugliest bridesmaid dress in the history of marriage.
Meanwhile, the passing of Jane’s future step-grandpa puts Grandma Ruthie back on the market. Her new fiancÉ, Wilbur, has his own history of suspiciously dead spouses, and he may or may not have died ten years ago. Half-Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow has finally met her match.
Should Jane warn her grandmother of Wilbur’s marital habits or let things run their course? Will Jane always be an undead bridesmaid, never the undead bride?
Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire, Gabriel, has always been unpredictable. But the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.
Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly-renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby . . . or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is becoming a matter of life and undeath…
online, 9 pages
Published June 30th 2010
Nice Girls Don’t Sign a Lease Without a Wedding Ring
OK, you asked for more Jane, so I offer you a little bite of the Nice Girls universe. There will be other short stories posted here in the future. And I might possibly participate in an anthology featuring Half-Moon Hollow’s cast of weirdos. Enjoy!
Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.
Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly,
choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.
Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…
Find more of Molly’s books here:
Books-n-Kisses is SUPER excited to have our pal Kendra Elliot on the blog again to help celebrate her 3rd book BURIED!!!!
Kendra, can you please share with us a little about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Kelly! Last spring, I became a full time author, leaving behind the dental industry and late night writing sessions. My debut romantic suspense, HIDDEN, was published last summer along with my second book, CHILLED. I have three daughters, 11, 13, 15, and an insufficient hot water tank. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and the state’s cutest Pomeranian.
Can you please tell us about your newest book?
BURIED is Michael Brody’s story. Michael had a large role in HIDDEN. Now I’ve found a woman who can put up with his level of cockiness and confidence. Michael’s younger brother vanished with a group of children twenty years ago and today a group of children’s remains have been found. But why isn’t Michael’s brother with them?
Open your book to a random page and read us a few lines.
Jamie’s stress level floated somewhere close to the ceiling. A night alone in a room with Michael Brody. Hormones had bounced between them since they met, and now they were going to be trapped in a small space with a bed?
Can you share with us your current work in progress?
I just turned in the fourth book in the Bone Secrets series. It’s Victoria Peres’s story. While editing BURIED, my editor, Charlotte, said this was the character I had to write about next, because she made her curious. I said, “No. She scares me.” And I already had a loose plan for the next book. Turns out I couldn’t get my editor’s words out of my head. Three chapters in, Victoria took over the book.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I’ve never been to the UK. I want to go with a small group of people who already know all the awesomest places to go.
What would you do if I gave you a box that had marshmallow cream, duct tape and binder clips?
Slip the binder clips in my pocket…I love all office supplies and then trade you the duct tape for a spoon.
What do you say we do a little Fact or Crap our home state?
Oh, crap. I’m fourth generation Oregonian. I’ll be embarrassed if I bomb.
#1 Oregon is one of only 3 states without self-serve gas stations
I’ll say crap. I think it’s two states? Or am I thinking of states with no sales tax?
#2 Oregon’s state colors are baby blue and yellow
Crap. I think it’s dark blue and yellow.
#3 The Chinook salmon is the state fish
Fact.
#4 Oregon’s birthday is February 14th
Fact.
#5 Oregon’s Mt Hood is over 13,000 feet tall
Crap. It’s closer to 11K, I believe.
#6 Eugene Oregon was the first city to have a one-way street
Hmmm. Nothing about Eugene surprises me. I’ll guess Fact.
#7 The Oregon State Flag only has a beaver on it
Crap…I think there are gold stars, too?
#8 The Oregon Sea lion caves are the largest in the world
No idea. Fact.
#9 Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state
No idea. Crap.
#10 Crater Lake is not the deepest lake in Oregon
Crap. Isn’t it one of the deepest in the world?
What to know how well Kendra did?
Here are the answers:
#1 Crap-It only Two. Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.
#2 Crap- Navy blue and gold are Oregon’s official state colors.
#3 Fact- The Chinook salmon is Oregon’s official state fish.
#4 Fact- Oregon’s state birthday is on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
#5 Crap- At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.
#6 Fact- Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.
#7 Crap-Oregon’s state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.
#8 Fact- In 1880 a sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.
#9 Fact- Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.
#10 Crap – Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States It was formed more than 6,500 years ago. Its crystal-blue waters are world renowned.
A Bone Secrets Novel #3
Release Date: 3/26/2013
Order here: Amazon | B&N | Powell’s
Twenty years ago, a small private-school bus of children and their driver completely vanished on the way home from touring the state capital building of Oregon. No clues were ever found. Two years later, a boy near death, Chris Jacobs, walked out of the Cascade Forest as the sole survivor. Brain and physical trauma left him unable to help police find the other children and the investigation went cold. Today, multiple gravesites of children have been uncovered at an abandoned dairy farm and investigators determine they are the remains of the vanished children from the bus.
Investigative reporter Michael Brody anxiously awaits news of his missing brother’s body. All the lost children’s remains, except for Michael’s brother’s, are recovered. Desperate for answers, Michael reaches out to Chris Jacobs to see if Chris has recovered any memory to create leads for the investigation. Unable to locate Chris, Michael goes to Chris’s only relative, his younger sister Jamie. Attraction is instantaneous between Michael and Jamie. But so is utter frustration with each other’s attitude and opposing positions on Chris’s whereabouts and his inability to help the police. Michael and Jamie hunt for Chris, racing against a tattooed stranger who wants to find Chris and silence him permanently this time.
Learn more about the Bone Secret Series HERE
A little about Kendra:
I decided to try my hand at novel writing after I read a newspaper article about NaNoWriMo. Heck, I can do that. I sat down and wrote a contemporary romance but kept tripping over dead bodies in each chapter. I got the hint and my stories evolved into romantic suspense.
I joined my local Romance Writers of America chapter, the Rose City Romance Writers, and found a fabulous community dedicated to educating its members about writing and publishing. Book purchases are tax deductable?? I also belong to International Thriller Writers and the Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA.
In 2010, my manuscript, Stronger Than Bone, was a finalist in RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® contest. This same manuscript caught the attention of Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Literary Agency and she became my agent. The book is now published as HIDDEN.
I grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still live there with my husband, three daughters, two cats, and a Pomeranian. In the real world, I’m a dental hygienist who is fascinated with forensics, refuses to eat anything green, and loves a good Mai Tai on the beach on Kauai.
Kendra is offering up a $40.00 Amazon Gift Card.
Did I miss your favorite?
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