Category: Giveaway/Contest

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Interview & Giveaway with Matt Taylor

I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Matt Taylor form Liz Borino’s Taylor Twin Series.  
Here is a look at what Matt & I talked about. 


Kelly : HI Matt!!!
Matt   Hi Kelly! How are you on this glorious day?         

Kelly :  I am good now that I am talking to you.. How are you doing?
Matt: I’m mostly well, thank you. It’s a beautiful Saturday in July and my baby is down for her nap after spending the afternoon at my brother’s
What more can I ask for?

Kelly: How is being a daddy?
Matt: Oh, I love it. She’s incredible. I’m even to the point that I don’t miss the sleep.
Alright, that’s a lie, but it is worth it.

Kelly:  hehehe… Yes, lack of sleep goes hand and hand with a baby.
Matt: I’ve heard that. Not everyone is as lucky as my twin, Chris. Do you know his daughter sleeps until 9AM most days?
I haven’t slept that late since college.

Kelly :  That is amazing!!  Truly.
Did you ever think that you and Chris would be having kids at the same time?
Matt: Actually, I never really thought I’d have them.

Kelly : Are you worried about being a good daddy?
Matt:  Every day of my life, but I can’t seem to find the manual and Dorothea is still alive.
And she’s generally very happy.

Kelly :    I am sure she is a great kid-o I would love to meet her when she wakes up.
Matt: Sure.
Carley is gone…somewhere

Kelly :  Speaking of Carley.  How are things going with you two?
Matt: Oh well there’s my headache. I thought I’d get through an entire conversation without it.
I’m sorry.

Kelly :  *raises eyebrow*  I thought you had told everyone your headaches where better.  Can I get you anything?
Matt: I really am trying and I guess life is hard on her.
No, thank you. I’ll take some more Immitrex. Maybe the fourth dose will have an effect.
I tell people they’re better because life tends to be easier that way.

Kelly:  4 doses… Matt is that safe?
Matt: Hey, weren’t we talking about Carley?

Kelly:  Way to avoid the topic Matt.. Okay back to Carley. How has she been since having Dorothea?
Matt: You know how she was before Dorothea was born?

Kelly:  Yeah
Matt:  Worse,  And now, get this, she’s friends with Sarah.

Kelly:  OH, well… ummm I am sorry… *leans in to give Matt a hug*
Matt: *hugs back*  I’m fine. I have to keep it together for Dorothea.

Kelly:  looks around So is she not happy cause you are in here talking to me?
Matt:  Carley? She thinks I have a client meeting

Kelly :  Oh.  Why didn’t you tell her I was interviewing you?
Matt: Because you appear to be a woman. And I don’t want to hear it from her

Kelly :  Last time I looked I was.  *smartass grin* and I totally understand.
Matt: Thank you for understanding.
So, business is good and so is parenthood. Can’t expect a perfect partner as well

Kelly: You should expect a perfect partner, Matt.  Have you thought about having her talk to someone?
Matt:  I would love that, if only so she wasn’t talking to me for an hour. I’m sorry that’s terrible. She refuses to talk to anyone professional.
Oh, aside from Sarah, who was trained by the Catholic Church. Isn’t that helpful?

Kelly:  I don’t like this Sarah chick.. If Carley won’t talk to someone else I am not sure what to say.
Matt: Welcome to my world.

Kelly :    I am so sorry Matt.
Matt:  Thanks, I’ll be fine. Like I said, it was a great day anyway.

Kelly :  It looks like our time is drawing to an end.  But I have a few more questions for you.
Matt: Go ahead. You tell me how much time you need. I’ll make it work

Kelly:  So I really want to know how you feel about Liz telling your story?
Matt: I like it. When she doesn’t do it properly we stop talking to her until she figures out what she did wrong.
She calls it writers block. I call it not listening properly

Kelly:  hehehe… That is a great way of putting it.
Matt: Thank you for taking my side. Most women band together and pull the estrogen card.

Kelly:  Oh I love to torture authors…
So, I have to ask… Who was the other lady talking to Chris when I got here?
Matt:   That would be his, or more accurately, our ex girlfriend, Ally.
If any readers want to know more about that, I’ll have Liz send them the short story.

Kelly: Our? Oh wait I think I heard a little something about that story..  HEHEHE… the readers will love that..
Matt:  But warn your readers it’s pretty racy.
I hope so. I missed her, but I don’t know if I can let on….I don’t think Carley will be happy.

Kelly:  I am sure Carley would not.. But I do have to say Ally is very beautiful.
Matt:  That she is. She always has been.
I’m looking forward to finding out what’s been going on with her the last few years.

Kelly:  Well it looks like she fits in really well.
What do you say we go meet her and then you can introduce me to your daughter.
Matt:  That will get me in trouble, but I’d love for you to meet Dorothea.
Thanks for the interview. You’re very talented at it.

Kelly:   hehehe… Okay, let’s go meet Dot.  Oh and Matt, Thank you so much for talking with me. And I promise things will get better for you.  Soon
Matt: Thank you. I’ll try to believe you. Have a great day.
*
Walks out of the room to go meet Matt’s beautiful little girl and hope to get to chat with this Ally girl*

If you would like to see what Matt meant by ‘OUR ex-girlfriend’ please leave Liz a quick comment or question along with your email address (use the (AT) not @ and (DOT) not |.| we don’t want spammers) and Liz will send you a short story of how this ‘OUR ex’ happened.


EXPECTATIONS
Book 1  
depicts the struggle between what we desire for
ourselves and our familial obligations. The struggle is personified by Chris and Matt Taylor, identical twins, who are trying to win their overbearing father’s approval and acquire their trust funds. Love, money, and desire collide as Matt and Chris decide what’s really important to them.


Order Here 




What Money Can’t Buy
Book 2
The sequel to Expectations, finds the two couples, Chris and Aiden and Matt and Carley, eagerly anticipating parenthood. However, their personal struggles continue. Though Matt overcame his dependency on alcohol, new temptations present themselves. And with Carley on bed rest, these temptations put a greater strain on their relationship. Chris continues to deal with issues regarding his father. These issues increase with greater proximity. When tragedy strikes, the best and worst in everyone is revealed. Can they stick together, or will their reactions tear them apart?

Order HERE

Gift’s from the Past
Book 3
coming soon 1/25/12
Following Expectations and What Money Can’t Buy, the third novel in the Taylor Twins series, Gifts from the Past, finds the twins, Chris and Matt Taylor, immersed in the greatest challenges of their lives—parenthood. Chris and Aiden are raising their adopted daughter and their special needs son, who struggles with physical and emotional challenges daily. Matt, on the other hand, has a beautiful and happy baby girl. However, his fiancée, Carley, has gone from overemotional to abusive and Matt needs to decide his best course of action. When Ally, Chris’s college girlfriend, comes back into the twins’ lives, everything becomes complicated. Especially for Matt.
Gifts from the Past is a novel redefining love, family, loyalty, and ultimately survival

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Interview & Giveaway with Sarah Ballance


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Sarah Ballance to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Sarah and her book Familiar Light
Sarah: Hi, and thanks for having me!

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
Sarah: I’m a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of six kids ages 19 months to 13 years. That aside (ha!), I’m a full time author and have been happily married for what my husbands refers to as a “long, long time.” We live near the coast and absolutely love boating, although I live in constant fear one of the kids will fall overboard. (They wear life jackets, but I’m still scared!)

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Sarah: I work on “admin” stuff until about ten most mornings. This includes preparing and loading material for my blog and completing interviews for tour spots. Although I check my computer several times throughout the day for messages and blog comments, I don’t usually get back to writing until after dinner. My husband takes over the house and the kids at that point, so I tend to give my WIP the most attention between 8:00 p.m. and midnight.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Sarah: I never, ever wanted to be an author. One day a friend suggested I write a book and I said I couldn’t. Later, it bugged me I’d said that so I decided to write one. That very first book was accepted by the first publisher I queried, and I’ll tell you, it’s a heck of an experience to have your first piece of fiction out there for all the world to see! LOL.

Q4) Tell us a little about your new book Familiar Light:
Sarah: When Laney returns to her hometown after seven years and a broken promise, Bridger’s reaction isn’t a good one. He initially rejects her, but their rocky reunion takes a frightening turn when she becomes the victim of a violent threat. No longer able to deny his feelings, Bridger vows to protect Laney from her attacker, but neither one of them are prepared for the lengths one man is willing to take his deadly obsession.

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Sarah: The length and “Timeless Desire” theme were requirements of the Noble Romance Authors blog tour for which it was written. I wanted to add the element of suspense because I absolutely love the genre, and I actually had help from my husband when it came to hammering out a plot that would “work” in novella form. I wanted a mystery with some depth, but I didn’t want to rush it. Readers of FAMILIAR LIGHT will discover we found a rather unique solution to this particular problem. :c)

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Sarah: TIDE OF LIES is a novel-length romantic thriller that directly follows FAMILIAR LIGHT. It was turned in a while back and should be out soon. In the meantime, I’m working on LAST CALL, a romantic suspense coming this spring from For the Muse Publishing. Here’s the blurb:
An accidental witness to a murder-for-hire, ex-cop Rhys Clark becomes the target of ruthless killer—one determined to silence her at any cost. Playing dead seems to be the most likely way to stay alive, but when her protection comes in the form of mega-sexy former adversary Nick Massey, Rhys can think of  a few fates worse than death.

Nick Massey may have walked away from his troubles, but he never got past wanting Rhys. Once paired undercover, they’d been nothing but fireworks until a botched assignment ended her career, sending his into a tailspin. Now a mysterious client is willing to pay Nick anything to keep Rhys safe, but it isn’t until fate takes a critical turn that he realizes the devastating truth: he’s been her greatest threat all along.


Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Sarah: I am not ashamed to admit I have stalking tendencies toward the Harlequin Intrigue authors. I would dearly love to join their ranks one day.     

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Sarah: Oh my gosh. My TBR list is 100 books strong—I actually  have a spreadsheet, LOL. It’s so hard to pick one, but I do have an ARC from JoAnn Ross I’d LOVE to get into. I also have Renee Vincent’s newest book on my shelf, and it’s calling my name.

Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
Sarah: Yes! I offer a weekly giveaway on my blog to email subscribers. Every weekend one is chosen by random.org as the recipient of a $10 gift certificate to Noble Romance or $5 to Amazon, winner’s choice. I hope you’ll all join me over there as I attempt to bribe you (LOL) into putting up with me, but the upside is I have fantastic guests and new giveaways every week. You really can’t lose!

Books-n-Kisses: Sarah, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books
Sarah: Thanks for having me! It’s been an honor. :c)

Want learn more about Sarah?  Check her out here: 
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Giveaway Time!!!
To Enter for a chance to win an e-gift card please fill out the following form. 
Winners will be announce on Sizzling PR’s FB Page HERE 
Click Here to take you to form 
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Interview & Giveaway with Sharon K Owen


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome the wonderful Sharon K Owen to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Sharon and her book Thicker Than Water. 

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
Sharon: I published my first novel, Thicker Than Water (Brands Crossing Series) the first in a series of contemporary romantic suspense novels set in Brands Crossing, a mythical community in North Texas. This series chronicles the lives of the Kincaids, a prominent family in this small town, and focuses on a mystery that extends back to the mid-eighteenth century and the young Texas Republic in July of 2011.

I am also a university professor, an on-line creative writing instructor and a consultant on copy-editing, social media and self-publishing projects.
I share a cottage with my two cats, Matt and Cinders, in a small lake-side community near Fort Worth Texas and am finishing my second novel in the Brands Crossing series, Whatever Goes Around, which will be available in March of 2012.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Sharon: Oh boy, now I’ll be exposed in all my eccentricities. Okay here goes.
I’m a night owl, so I’m usually at my computer writing from around 2 am until 4:30 or 5 am. This is a really creative time for me usually.
Then, I’ll head back to bed for one of my frequent “naps” (I’ve learned the technique of taking 2 or 3 periodic naps during the day from my cats).
By 7:30 or 8:00 I’m back at my computer handling email, class work (I teach composition and communications at an online university), checking out favorite blogs.
After completing various errands and chores and another nap. I’m back at the computer from around 2:00 pm – 6:30. Again, handling email and class work and reviewing writing from early morning session. I usually make some notes on the work I’ve done on my novel.
Finally, after an hour or so of reading or watching favorite TV shows (recorded so that I can watch without commercials when I choose) I’m back at the computer for one more session before heading for bed at around 10:30.
Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Sharon: I’ve always known I was a story teller and a creator of imaginary universes. From my first memories as a child, I created stories in which I was, of course, the star, the heroine, the rescuer. Later, I started writing the stories down but seldom shared them with anyone else. Eventually, I had the courage to put them out there in the universe for others to make a decision on their worthiness
I love to create characters and put them in situations that intrigue, inspire and entertain me. Then, I write them down and hope they will have the same effect on my readers.
I write the kind of books I like to read. I always want to entertain my readers and make their reading experience a positive one. I always hope my readers enjoy the book and feel better after they read it.
Q4) Tell us a little about your book Thicker Than Water (will add book cover at posting)
Sharon: Thicker Than Water (Brands Crossing Series) is the first in a series of contemporary romantic suspense novels set in Brands Crossing, a mythical community in North Texas. This series chronicles the lives of the Kincaids, a prominent family in this small town, and focuses on a mystery that extends back to the mid-eighteenth century and the young Texas Republic.

Thicker Than Water: As a child, KATE O’DONNELL spends summers at her grandparents’ estate in Brands Crossing where she and her girl cousins battle make-believe monsters, rescue endangered victims and a save a mythical kingdom. At twenty-five Kate is a singer/songwriter living in Nashville and pursuing a promising relationship with computer game designer PHILLIP NORWOOD. There, her only battles are fought in Aidenne’s Revenge, Phillip’s online fantasy game based on her childhood adventures. With her grandfather’s sudden death from injuries he sustained in a suspicious car crash, Kate is forced to make a choice. Will she remain in Nashville to focus on Phillip and her music career? Or will she move back to Brands Crossing and honor the promise she made to her grandfather that she would investigate the mystery surrounding his death? Family trumps career and romance and Kate heads back to Texas where the monsters, victims and endangered kingdoms are all too real. In an attempt to protect Kate from danger, Phillip joins her quest and helps her search for incriminating documents, investigate a centuries-old family feud and confront an anonymous rose-bearing admirer who stalks Kate in both real and virtual universes. Thicker Than Water is the first in a series of novels set in Brands Crossing, Texas. It chronicles the lives of the Kincaids, a prominent family in this mythical town, and focuses on a mystery that extends back to the mid-eighteenth century and the young Texas Republic.
Q5) How did you come up with the idea for Thicker Than Water?
Sharon: As I did when I was a child, I create a lot of stories in my head to entertain myself. The idea for Thicker Than Water originated when I started thinking about the close ties among members of a family and how those connections remain even after the individuals are leading separate lives. Kate O’Donnell, the protagonist, especially intrigued me because she is such a complex character. A talented singer/songwriter/musician, she moves from Nashville at 18, hoping to establish a successful musical career without depending on financial or social assistance from her influential family back in Texas. When a family crisis arises, however, she doesn’t hesitate to leave a promising career and romance in Nashville and return home to support her family.
Although I love music and am a star performer in the shower or my car, I lack the talent to make a career of that. Kate has that talent out the wazoo. So I can vicariously enjoy the rush of performing through her.
Q6)  Will we see more of these characters in any future books?
Sharon: There will be several other books in this series and all the characters will make return appearances. Each book will have a different viewpoint character (from the original cast) and his/her story will tell more of the history and current situations in the Kincaid family of Brands Crossing.

Q7) What is your current work in progress?
Sharon: The second novel, Whatever Goes Around, will be published in March of 2012.

Whatever Goes Around (Brands Crossing Series): CLAIRE KINCAID is the self-appointed fixer of all problems in her family. Despite her siblings’ and cousins’ beliefs that they are capable of managing their own lives, Claire knows they really need her guidance and offers it at every opportunity. When she discovers that sinister forces are disrupting her sister Madelaine’s and her cousin Ann Marie’s personal and professional lives, she doesn’t hesitate to take steps to set things straight. Unfortuanately, she underestimates the enemies she confronts and unknowingly puts herself and her family in danger. Forced to rely on the help of family and friends, she has to reexamine her long-held belief that she always knows best

Q8) Best piece of advice you would give to a buddy author?
Sharon: Read. Read. Read. The most important things for a writer is a love of books and the ability to tell a story. Everything else can be learned. I believe the most successful authors write about what they know and in a genre they enjoy reading. They should also take creative writing classes and join a good writing workshop.

Q9) Have to ask because I am nosey.  What is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Sharon: I love the Holly Winter Dog Lover Mysteries  by Susan Conant and I have several I haven’t read yet on my list of “next to reads”.
I’m also looking forward to the new Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb Novels which will be published soon: The Last Boyfriend (May 2012) The Witness (April 2012) and Celebrity in Death (February 2012).

Q10) Is there anything else you would to add?
Sharon: Thank you, Kelly, so much for the opportunity to answer these questions.
I hope all your readers will check out my blog, website and other social network pages.
http://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com
http://sharonkowen.com
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/sharonkowen
https://twitter.com/#!/sharon_k_owen
My books (paperback and E book) may be purchased at:
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Thicker-Than-Water-Brands-Crossing/dp/1453772936/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325034364&sr=8-1
Until February 29th my Ebook can be downloaded for $2.99 at Amazon.com
Kelly:  Sharon, again huge thank you for stopping by the blog to day to chat about you and your books.  I hope the readers enjoyed.  

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!! 
For a chance to win a copy of Thicker Than Water by Sharon. Please use the rafflecopter from below to enter. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Interview & Giveaway with Jenna Bayley Burke

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Jenna Bayley-Burke to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about Jenna and her book For Kicks (release 1/24/12). Jenna, I have to say it was an extreme pleasure to meet you up at the Emerald City Writers Conference in October.  I am so excited to share you with my followers.    
Jenna: Thanks so much for letting me stop by. And for coming to chat at the ECWC book signing. It’s so great to be able to put a face on a cyber-friend.

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself

Jenna: I could live on chocolate and champagne, but my days are actually fueled by copious amounts of tea and the kids’ schedules. I think that’s why I write romance novels, I want to be whisked away somewhere to have schmexy adventures.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
Jenna: I wake up too early so I can chat with the husband before he heads to work and get a shower in before the kids stir. While they breakfast, I check email, Facebook, Twitter…Three mornings a week I’m able to have all of them in school, so I’ll come home and put on my lounge pants (zebra for serious writing days, leopard for research and revisions) and either play #1k1hr on Twitter (writers challenge one another to write a thousand words in an hour, it’s actually what we do for fun) or turn off the internet and work on a story. If I am disciplined, I can get two solid hours. At lunchtime I get my girl back, so we eat and chat about her morning. On mornings she doesn’t have school, I volunteer at the elementary school or head to Zumba. While she naps I manage another hour of writing before the boys come home. Between homework, scouts, and whatever sport they’re playing, there isn’t time to work until after dinner when the husband comes home. He handles baths most nights, while I catch up on email, Facebook, Twitter… Once the kids are in bed and quiet, I try to work for another hour or three.  

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
Jenna: I love to people watch, and have always made up grand stories about their lives. I wanted to be an author, but really, who does that? I played with the idea after I had my eldest and had his naptimes free. After our second son, my husband got laid off and though he managed not to have an employment gap, I was scared enough to start writing a book so I’d have some way of making money for the family. (That book became Compromising Positions). The following year I had a health scare. It’s odd what comes to mind when you think your time is short. I hated the thought that my boys might someday find my collection of started stories, and wonder why I never finished anything. With bravery from pain meds, I signed on for NaNoWriMo, a program to draft a book in a month. With the support there, I finished a novel for the first time. And sold it six months later. (Just One Spark, Mills & Boon, 2006)

Q4) Tell us a little about your new book For Kicks:
Jenna: For Kicks is my therapy for years in retail management. I was able to ‘what what you know’ and also change things so they had a better outcome. My mom likes this story best, probably because after writing the book I stopped talking about retail!

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Jenna: David Beckham. He could inspire mud to write a novel. I wanted to bring him more down to earth, so gave him a damaged past. I knew he’d want to try to save the damsel in distress, so was sure to pair him with a woman more than capable of saving herself, thank you very much.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
Jenna: Right now I have two projects going – a series of stories about bridesmaids at a wedding, and a different take on a marriage of convenience. I’m expecting edits on my next release, Drive Me Crazy, any day.

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Jenna: Vicki Lewis Thompson. Managed to sneak into her limo for a ride back from the Harlequin party at RWA Nationals in NYC. Made my night! Everything she writes is fresh and witty and…wonderful. She’s told me so many great stories, I consider her a friend though we’ve barely met.

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  That is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
Jenna: Right now I have two projects going – a series of stories about bridesmaids at a wedding, and a different take on a marriage of convenience. I’m expecting edits on my next release, Drive Me Crazy, any day.


Books-n-Kisses: Jenna, thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books
Jenna: Thanks so much for letting me come hang out!
Find Jenna here:
Website http://www.jennabayleyburke.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jenna.bayleyburke?ref=ts&sk=wall
Twitter https://twitter.com/jennabb
Jenna is offering a $5 e-gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble, winner’s choice.  To enter fill out Rafflecopter form below.  


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Guest blog & Giveaway with Virna DePaul


Welcome to stop #7 in my blog tour For Chosen By Sin (Para-Ops #3).
Thank you to Books–n–Kisses for having me here today!  This tour focuses on my writing and my paranormal series, but also my Twelve Resolutions for 2012, as well as the resolutions of my hero in Chosen By Sin, werebeast Dex Hunt. Those of you who know Dex know he’s a bit…difficult, so I’m curious to see what he comes up with. (Psst: Dex doesn’t actually know it, but his “resolutions” are more like a Twelve-Step Program designed by me to get him to his HEA).
I’ll be giving away a prize to one commenter from this blog stop, but I’m also giving away one grand prize to one blog tour follower.  See the giveaway details below! 🙂
The Para-Ops Series: Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn—humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.  (Chosen By Blood (Book 1), Chosen By Fate (Book 2))
So what’s Resolution #7 for me?  Teach My Boys To Lift The Lid
I have three boys under the age of twelve.  Enough said? 🙂
And what’s Resolution #7 for Dex Hunt?
Here’s a hint from Chosen By Sin, during a scene in which Jes has just told Dex she needs to drink the pure blood of a human.
“I’ve used him a few times only. But he’s young. His blood is very potent.”
I’ll bet it is. “Why am I here, Jes? And how did you know I was in France?”
She hesitated and bit her lip. “Listen, Dex, I—”
A young Adonis, blond and tall and muscular, walked into the room. Dex growled at the interruption, but mostly it was with renewed jealousy. Of course this was the immaculate she was going to feed from. Only the best for Jes. The guy was so good looking he even put Caleb O’Flare to shame.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, Jessie.” He held out a hand to Dex. “I’m Raul Merced.”
Dex glared at the guy until his hand fell.
Jes stood. “We’ll talk when I get back, Dex. I’ll return in a moment.”
“No.”
Equally startled, Jes and Raul stared at him.
“Excuse me?” she asked faintly.
“You don’t need to drink from him. You can drink from me.”
Her eyes rounded with shock, her pupils expanding so they shone like the moon, wiping out nearly every trace of her dark irises. She blinked, but she couldn’t disguise the glitter of her desire. Desire for him. It took her several tries before she could speak. “For nourishment, vampires need pure blood. Blood from humans or animals. Can’t be anyone with Otherborn heritage, not when I’m weak and hungry, or else it’ll make me sicker than I am now. You’ve dated many vampires. You’ve got to know that.”
…“Then tell me you’re going to drink from his wrist. Because that’s the only way I’m going to let it happen.”
Okay, so for his seventh resolution, Dex is going to try and work on his possessiveness and jealousy.  (Although I have to admit, I kinda like that about him.  But we don’t want him going overboard…)
Want to see a trailer I made depicting the Para-Ops characters as I see them?  Dex is particularly yummy!  Here’s the link: http://on.fb.me/z6Z8nI
Bio: Virna DePaul is a former prosecutor and now national bestselling author of the Para-Ops Novels. She also writes contemporary romantic suspense for Harlequin Romantic Suspense (It Started That Night, May 2012) and HQN (Shades Of Desire, June 2012).
Blurb for Chosen By Sin:
The longest life isn’t always the happiest one…
For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in L.A.
As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.
Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.
Purchase:
E-version ($4.99)
Amazon: http://t.co/SE2EAgR
Barnes and Noble: http://t.co/UW5P73o
Paperback ($7.99)
Amazon: http://fb.me/19XPRKYX3
Giveaway Details:
Daily Blog Tour Giveaway: Today, Virna is gifting one book from her backlist (prize winner’s choice, see backlist here) to one randomly selected commenter who either leaves a comment on the blog, or a question for Virna to answer. Please also include your email addy.
GRAND PRIZE TOUR GIVEAWAY: What was Dex’s “resolution” that Virna talked about today? Do you know the answer? Fantastic!!  Because…
Virna is also gifting a $100 Amazon gift card to one randomly selected reader who leaves the answer to this question during the blog tour.  Go to: http://chosenbysin.com/virtual-tour-grand-prize  You can be entered to win the grand prize once each day by simply following the tour from January 9 – 20, and leaving your answer with each day’s different resolution!!
Virna is also offering autographed copies of CHOSEN BY SIN for purchase during this blog tour.  To purchase an autographed copy, please visit http://chosenbysin.com.


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Guest Blog & Giveaway with Casey Sheridan

Number 69
by Casey Sheidan 
File Size: 113 KB
Publisher: Breathless Press (December 22, 2011)

Available at BreathlesPress, All Romance EBooks, Amazon
A matchmaking party was not Melodie’s idea of fun, and wearing vibrating panties was just plain weird. Or was it?
Should she go to the party? After all, she just might meet Mr. Right. and if he doesn’t show, she has the vibrating panties ot keep things interesting.
Melodie’s arms fell to her sides, her jaw dropping open. “What do you mean I’m dressed like your grandmother? I am not!”
“Oh really?” Trudy hopped off her stool, strode around the table, and grabbed Melodie gruffly by the hand; she pulled her through the house like a mother with a naughty child.
They entered the brightly lit master bath. Trudy placed her before the full-length mirror and stood behind her. “Meet Grandma.”
Melodie’s green eyes stared agog at her reflection. Slouching white socks and purple fuzzy slippers covered her feet. She wore dark green flannel pants that fell to mid-calf, no makeup, her dark auburn hair in rollers, and a floral housecoat.
She brought her fingers to her lips. “Oh dear god. You’re right. I’m my own grandmother.” From NUMBER 69 by Casey Sheridan available from Breathless Press
***
Melodie’s look does change through the course of the story. She transforms into a sexy, beautiful woman and dresses in a way that shows off her femininty.
Now, aside from the rollers, Melodie’s outfit above sounds damn comfy. Actually, I’m dressed pretty close to that when I’m writing – HA!
I have to dress decently for my day job, but once home, I’m at my best in a comfy T-shirt and a pair of jeans. My favorite T-shirt is a man’s shirt that’s three sizes too big and covered in paint stains. I’ve worn it so much the material is thinned out and starting to get holes.
I love being comfy.
Do you have a favorite comfy outfit or piece of clothing?
Help me thank Kelly for having me on her blog today by leaving a comment about your favorite comfy outfit or piece of clothing. I know Kelly loves comments as much as I do! (Thanks so much, Kelly, for having me. Xoxo)
Since I’m out having surgery, my friend, and talented author, Eden Baylee (http://www.edenbaylee.com) will be showing up to answer your questions and respond to your comments. She’s an absolute sweetie, like Kelly, and a lot of fun too!
Bio:
Casey Sheridan wrote her first erotic story on a dare, and loved it so much she never stopped. Casey’s work has been published by Breathless Press and Cobblestone Press, and has appeared on The Erotic Woman, Every Night Erotica and RSVP-Erotica.
She loves reading, writing, chocolate, bookstores, and art museums.
You can find her on the Web at:
Website: http://www.casey-sheridan.com
Blog: http://casey-sheridan.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CaseySheridanAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/casesheridan
GIVEAWAY
So to enter for a chance to win Casey’s new book Number 69.  Please answer Casey’s questions. 
Do you have a favorite comfy outfit or piece of clothing?
Please use Rafflecopter to enter contest. 



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Interview & Giveaway with Jessica Subject


Hi Jessica, Welcome to Books-n-Kisses.  I am very excited to have you here today to talk about your new book Beneath the Starry Sky.
Jessica: Thank you so much! It’s a pleasure to be here.
Q1) Tell us a little about yourself.
Jessica: I’m an author, and also a mother and wife. Most of my stories I write are science fiction romance, but Beneath the Starry Sky is a contemporary romance. I enjoy reading as well, most subgenres of romance, thrillers, and more.
Q2) Describe Beneath the Starry Sky in 140 characters or less.
Jessica: For both Tamara and Josh, letting go is the first step to love…with a little help from Madame Eve.
Q3) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Jessica: The heroine, Tamara is the best friend of Carrie from Celestial Seduction. After CS was published, I had to write Tamara’s story. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I did. J
Q4) What did you find most challenging about writing this story?
Jessica: I always find it hard to evoke the same emotions to the readers that I feel with my characters, but with my editor, I think I managed to do so.
Q5) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Jessica: No, not always, but looking back, I should have seen this career path all along. I’ve been writing lesson plans when playing school, newsletters for my youth group and the pet supply store I used to work at for years. I even wrote my first romance story in grade seven. Just over three years ago, I sat down to pen a story for my daughter, and I haven’t stopped.
Q6) What do you do when you are not writing?
Jessica: Spending time with my family and reading, mostly.
Q7) Favorite book and why?
Jessica: Oh, I hate choosing just one, and my answer changes every month. LOL The most recent novel I added to my “favorite reads of 2011” was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I’ve owned the trilogy for some time, but with the urging of a friend, finally read it. Plus, I like to read books before their movies come out. I loved this book as it is non-stop action from the very beginning, filled with intense emotions (which I love), and unforgettable characters.
Q8) Favorite inspirational quote and why?
Jessica:  Remain orderly in your life so you can remain free and chaotic in your work – Thom Yorke This is what I strive for everyday.
Q9) What is your current work in progress?
Jessica: I’m working on book two in my Mark of the Stars series. Plus, I have a couple other shorter things on the go.
Q10) Anything else you would like to share with us?
Jessica: I love to hear from my readers! You can find me on twitter @jsubject, facebook, Google +, and Goodreads.
Thanks again for having me today!
Books-n-Kisses: Jessica, Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me and share your story.  I look forward to reading more of your books in the future.
GIVEAWAY TIME:
Jessica E. Subject will be giving away $20 in All Romance Ebook Bucks (which can be used at All Romance Ebooks and OmniLit) as well as three ebook copies of Beneath the Starry Sky. Simply leave a comment (with your email address) on any of the posts during the tour for your chance to WIN! The more posts you visit, the more chances to WIN!  Winner will be announce on her blog on Jan 21st




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Eternal Blood by Laura Wright (& giveaway)

What better way to start off the New Year then with a new Mark of the Vampire novella?  Will your dreams have come true!!!!  Laura Wright has a new MOTV coming out tomorrow (Jan 3rd).  So to celebrate we are giving you a sneak peek of chapter one.  Oh and a giveaway too!!!! 

Eternal Blood: A Penguin eSpecial from Signet
(Mark of the Vampire #2.5)
File Size: 124 KB
Publisher: Signet (January 3, 2012)
Sold by: Penguin Publishing
Language: English
Gray Donahue is crippled by the guilt he feels for his father’s death. An Impure vampire cursed with the ability to hear the thoughts of others, he indulges in blood and sex to stave off the pain of his existence. He is then abducted by the Eternal Order of Vampires, who subject him to a nightmarish ritual. But when he is rescued by the icy pureblood vampire Dillon, he finds something that is worth living for, dying for, killing for…

Excerpt: Chapter One
It was like being back in the hospital again, this feeling of deep and overwhelming intensity—an intensity he had no control over. And the images that flickered through his mind; he couldn’t hold on to them in any real way, get a fix on them. Then there were voices. Three voices at once, and all coming fast.
Fast and furious as fuck.
With instructions he couldn’t comprehend, demands he wasn’t certain he wanted to give in to, and a pressure inside his skull to open wide and receive, Gray Donohue slammed open his eyes and hissed a fierce, “Stop! Christ. It’s too much.”
The quick images and harsh demands ringing inside his skull suddenly evaporated and he could breathe once again, focus again—even with the irritated and disappointed glares of the three Impures who encircled him.
“What’s the problem?” came the gruff voice at his shoulder.
Eyes narrowed, Gray turned to regard Riordon James, the massive Impure male with night-black eyes who had served most of his life in the human armed forces until he’d been caught bunking with a couple of his superior male officers.
“I thought you liked threesomes,” the male added with a growl of insincerity.
“I do,” Gray returned darkly. “Unfortunately this one lacked the dirty talk I need to get it up. All that angel white noise you tossed my way really turned me off.”
Gray watched the male’s mouth thin even further than normal. One bullshit joke deserved another, didn’t it? Besides, his idea of a threesome was naked, sweaty and mutually pleasurable. It sure as hell wasn’t obliging three fully clothed Impure warriors who were attempting to drill his brain for answers—find out if he was the missing piece to their puzzle.
Per usual, Riordon wasn’t giving up or moving on. His nostrils flared as he said, “You want dirty talk, do you, Impure?”
“Come on, Rio,” Piper Leigh, the blond female Impure across from Gray, said quickly and calmly. “Not necessary.”
But her words were lost on the tank-like male, and in seconds his eyes narrowed and a wave of intensity shot through Gray’s mind like an emotional bullet along with the words:
YOU KEEP THIS UP, I’LL CUT OFF YOUR COCK AND EAT IT FOR BREAKFAST.
It was like audio feedback times a thousand and Gray grit his teeth against the assault. The feeling of the words themselves inside his head weren’t clear and present like Alexander’s were, like anyone he could hear in his mind. No. These words slammed into his very being and ricocheted off his bones and muscle—it was like freaking God’s voice booming around in there, and he tried not to jerk in response as he stared back at Riordon.
“Dirty enough for you?” the male asked, dark amusement glittering in his black eyes.
Gray choked out a bitter reply, “Not exactly what I had in mind, but I respect the effort.”
Realizing he hadn’t killed Gray’s pluck as he’d hoped, Riordon snorted with disgust and turned away. “This is bullshit. He’s bullshit.”
“How about a break?” Piper asked, her pale lavender eyes bright with concern.
“We don’t have time for breaks,” said the male to her right—and to Gray’s left. “This needs to get done, get settled so we can continue our fight.”
The third member of the small but powerful vampiric coven was nearly as intense as the first, but where Riordon was powerful and solid, milk-white skin over icy hard muscle, Vincent Seal sported long, lean athleticism wrapped up in dark caramel skin, eyes and hair.
“I think we all need to chill out,” Piper said, her eyes still connecting with Gray as though she were trying to read his mind, though her gifts were more akin to changing the thoughts of others. “He’s just getting his feet wet here.”
His feet, Gray thought bitterly, glancing down. Where his feet had once been planted in the posh living quarters of the Roman brothers’ household, they were now uncertainly tap dancing around a circle of red color and interwoven lines; the symbol of what he had come to realize was the Impure resistance, inside a sparsely furnished, unromantic warehouse space in the Bronx. It was the real deal here. No Ethan Dare plotting and sex parties—no Impures laid out on cushy mats and pillows as they attempted to bump and grind their way to respect and equality with the Pureblood communities they served. This was real . . . and raw, and blatantly stated that there was work to be done.
After leaving the Romans, Gray hadn’t gone looking for these three gifted Impure warriors. He had been on the hunt for a purpose to his life, true—but he had been hoping to find a group of similar minded Impures, ready to band together and plan for the future. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on the outcome, Piper, Riordon and Vincent had found him first, convinced him that he belonged with them, to them—and to the cause he truly sought.
Granted, the three of them had mental gifts that Gray could understand and relate to, but he wasn’t altogether certain he wanted a part of whatever they were planning.
He stared at the symbol carved into the floor at their feet. Four coiled snakes with fangs extended. They had used their own blood to paint the symbol. It was their talisman, they said. It helped them both invoke power and calm their minds.
These three vipers.
And he was supposed to be their fourth.
A force that may be able to withstand the powers of the Order.
You want to know about the giveaway do you?  Well here it is.  Laura has offered up a swag bag to one lucky follower.  How do you enter? 
Leave a comment for Laura, tell her how excited you are about Gray’s novella. 

Did you buy Eternal Blood yet?  
If not swing over to Amazon | B&N and preorder then email me with a copy of your receipt and earn an extra entry. 

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Final day of Winter’s Favorites

Today is the final day of Winter’s Favorites Monthly Giveaway.


I want to thank each and every one of my followers and authors for all your love and support this year.  I would be nowhere without you.    So since I have asked everyone to share their favorites here are mine
Snowboarding




Hot chocolate


Fireplaces


Holiday lights


Sweatshirts



Warm socks


And of course any excuses I can have to sit down 
with a good book and read.
Again thank you so very much for everything, 
so to sweeten the pot:

I have 2 prize packages that I am going to be giving to of my followers filled with a bunch of stuff (open to everyone).  
No I am not going to tell you what is all in them.  
But I can say there will be a book or two or three..

And to make it even sweeter!!!!! I had a few authors that donated books who were not able be part of the Winter’s Favorites due to writing deadlines.

Lila Di Pasqua has donated a signed set of her Feiry Tales series (books 1-3)

Adrian Phoenix has donated one signed book from her back list

Emma Holly has donated two signed books 
(Angel at Dawn & Devil at Midnight)

Rebecca Zanetti has donated two signed books (Fated & Claimed)
To enter for a chance to win one of my two Thank you Packages. And the 4 extra author prize packs, please leave me a comment, tell me if you enjoyed this monthly giveaway, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Interview & Giveaway with Rebecca Zanetti

Books-n-Kisses is so excited to have the 
wonderful Rebecca Zanetti on the blog today.

BIO:  Rebecca Zanetti is a college professor by day and romance author by night.  Currently she’s busy writing the sexy Dark Protector Series from Kensington Brava, which has received excellent reviews.  Publisher’s Weekly declared FATED a ‘recommended spring read,’ and CLAIMED to be a thriller with “true strengths: sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.”   To find Rebecca on the web, drop by her website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/

Books-N-Kisses:  HI Rebecca, How are you today?  Can I get you anything before we get started?  Coffee, Tea, Soda, food?  

Rebecca: Well, it’s morning here, so how about coffee?  I try to limit myself to one coffee and one soda (diet coke) a day and drink plenty of water.  One day my New Year’s resolution will be to give up diet coke…but not today!

Books-N-Kisses:  I have to say it was so great to meet you up at the Emerald City Writers Conference in October.  I am so excited to share you with my followers.  Shall we get started?
Rebecca: It was so wonderful to meet you, too.  That was my first Emerald City Writers Conference, and I loved it.  Hope to see you there next year!  So, yeah, let’s get started.

Q1) Let’s start by learning a little more about you.  Please tell my followers who is the famous person you interned for in college!!  I think this is pretty awesome!!
Rebecca: I interned with President Reagan in California.  It was after he was President, but he still gave 3-5 speeches a week.  Our offices were in the penthouse of the Fox Plaza Building (the building that pretty much gets blown up in Die Hard.)  I saw him every day, and he was hilarious.  Told great jokes.  Nancy Regan’s offices were just down the hall, so we saw her a lot, too.  They really seemed happy together.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author? 
Rebecca:  Sure.  I’ve always wanted to tell stories.  But there have been many things I wanted to do, like practice law, study art, travel a bit.  So far…so good.  Now that the writing bug has caught me, I plan to keep at it. 

Q3) Who do you feel has influenced your writing style?
Rebecca:  Well, the first romance I ever read was a MacGregor story by Nora Roberts, and I was hooked on romance forever.  So, as cliché as it sounds, Nora Roberts.  But, I also think that practicing law as a trial attorney has really influenced my style.  A good book is like a good trial – fast paced, full of interesting characters, and the goal is a good result.  (A happy ending, if you will).  J

Q4) Are you a plotter or panster?
Rebecca:  Panster.  I discover as I go, just like a reader does.  I’ve tried to plot, usually get to the second paragraph, and then have to go write just to see what happens. 

Q5) Tell us what a typical writing day for you is like.  
Rebecca: I don’t think I have a typical writing day, though I do write every day.  Sometimes it’s at night, after work, basketball practice for the kids, homework, dinner, etc.   On Fridays I try to write all day because I don’t teach at the college on Fridays.  I’ve been known to sketch out a scene during half-time of my son’s football game.

Let’s talk about your Dark Protector Series

Q6) Fated is book one in your Dark Protector Series. Tell us a little more about this book.
Rebecca:  Fated features Talen Kayrs, the strategic leader of the vampire people, and his mate, Cara Paulsen, a single mother and plant physiologist.  The bad vampires (Kurjans) want Cara’s daughter, Janie, who’s the key to the entire series.  Talen is an Alpha, without question, and Cara’s scientific mind isn’t quite sure what to do with him.  Especially after he marks her for all time.

Q7) How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Rebecca:  When I start something new, I write a scene for a story and then everything unfolds from there.  So for Fated, I wrote a scene just after Talen had kidnapped Cara and they were looking at each other in a private jet.  He turned out to be a vampire, and the entire series unfolded from there.  Plus, I wrote the vampires the way I’d want them to be.  Hot blooded, dangerous, and not afraid of the sun.  The bad guys are afraid of the sun.  So, in order to do this, I had to delve into science and make vampires just another different species on earth – genetically.

Q8) Claimed is book two, please tell us more. And I just have to I love the covers of your books.
Rebecca:   Thanks!  I love the covers, too.  The graphic arts department at Kensington has very talented people.  It’s always a huge, pleasant surprise when I get a new cover.  Claimed is about Dage Kayrs, who’s the king of the vampires, and his mate, Emma Paulsen, a brilliant geneticist who has NO time to deal with an Alpha-male of a vampire.

Q9) Up next I see you have a Novella coming out April 1, 2012 called Tempted (book 2.5).  Can you share a little about Max & Sarah?
Rebecca:  I had a lot of fun writing about Max and Sarah.  Max is a huge, quiet, dangerous type of a guy—a great bodyguard for little Janie.  Sarah was a teacher who ended up in an insane asylum after seeing a Kurjan kill somebody.  There’s a fun courtroom scene to prove her sanity toward the end…with a lot of romance, sensuality, and action as well.

Q10) Hunted (book 3) is scheduled for release on April 24, 2012. What can expect from Connlan & Moira’s book?
Rebecca:  Moira is the first heroine in the series who isn’t human.  Not only is she a witch, she’s THE witch.  The seventh sister of a seventh sister—they use quantum physics for witchcraft.  Connlan Kayrs is the ultimate soldier for the Realm.  There’s a lot of action, some wild sex, and some surprisingly tender moments.   The two accidentally mated a century ago, and Conn gave Moira time and space to grow as a witch.  Time is up.

Q11) I am super excited to see on your blog that you have book 4 & 5 listed as coming soon. Do you see the series going beyond book 6?
Rebecca: Yep.  There will be between 7 and 9 books.  Two of those may be novellas, so there would be 7 books and 2 novellas – or just 9 complete novels, depending on what Kensington wants.  The last book is Janie and Zane’s book—and it wraps up the entire series, also answering why Janie is so darn important to everyone.  I won’t go past that for this series – at some point, it has to wrap up.  Of course…there are several spinoffs possible…

Q12) Do you ever see yourself writing in a different genre?
Rebecca: Sure.  I have a romantic suspense series my agent will be sending out early next year.  I also have an upbeat women’s fiction series (formerly called ‘chick lit’), but I haven’t had time to work on it.  Maybe toward the end of next year? 

Q13) Who are some of your favorite authors?
Rebecca: Ohhhh.  This is such a tough question!  I love so many authors.  Nora Roberts, Stephen King, Dean Kootnz, Cynthia Eden, J.R. Ward, Janet Evonovich, Sayde Grace, Erin Kellison…and I could just keep going!

Q14) I love to know what is in your to read pile that you are dying to get to?
Rebecca: Well, I have a book due at Kensington February 1st, and then the next book due May 1st, so I’m struggling to find time to read.  (I do love to read, though.)  There’s actually a pile on the table behind me:  Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evonovich, Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden, New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  There are more around here somewhere.  J

Q15) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Rebecca:  You know, as my first year as a published author comes to an end, I’d like to thank everyone for their support.  From the readers to other authors to wonderful people like you who take time to learn about our worlds, I really appreciate it.  This is the frosting.  J

Books-n-Kisses:  Rebecca, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so very very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to sit down with me and chat.  I am looking forward to the next time we meet up.  Also so looking forward to Hunted.
Rebecca:  You bet!  Let’s plan to meet up for coffee in Seattle next year.  Or diet coke, because there’s no way I will have given it up yet.  Thanks again and everyone have a truly awesome 2012!

Want to learn more about Rebecca? Check her out here:
Website | Facebook  | Twitter | Goodreads 

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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~30

Welcome to Day 30 of Winter’s Favorites
And the second to last day of our month long giveaway.  Today we have the WONDERFUL Kallypso Masters sharing her favorite thing about winter.
I’ve had a wonderful holiday season already and hope you and yours have as well. We celebrate Christmas in my family and this year’s was especially poignant because one of my older sisters, who has been battling cancer for two years, was given the news on Dec. 20 that there is hope and her surgeons expect the radical surgery she’ll undergo Jan. 12 will eradicate the cancer from her body. What a Christmas blessing!
Now, I know this blog is more about winter, but since the holidays fall during the winter and a big part of my latest book, Nobody’s Hero, they sort of all get wrapped together in my head. One of my favorite things to do in winter is get together with family and friends and play games. You know, the silly “party” games. I even wrote two of my favorite games into Thanksgiving Day scenes in Masters at Arms and Nobody’s Hero—Quiddler and Apples to Apples, respectively.
On Christmas Eve, we also played Eye to Eye, which is great fun when you have multiple generations playing, because, boy, can’t predict or imagine how different people think based on age! One card said to name three convenience stores. We older members were writing “Seven-Eleven, Convenient, and Speedway.” The under-25 set wrote “Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target.” But at least they matched with each other, so they got their points!
This year, Santa brought us a new game called Say Anything. Yes, this one’s destined to become a favorite. I discovered some interesting trivia about two of my sisters—that Paul Revere and the Raiders was their favorite band of all time. Never know when that information might come in handy (and it’s a little embarrassing—I thought my music tastes were off the wall).
At Thanksgiving this year, we also were playing Apples to Apples (just like Karla’s family and Adam do in Hero!) and discovered that it is even more fun when a couple of the people playing are having a bit too much to drink. As you will see in this example, though, it doesn’t take much alcohol for some bizarre responses. One of the adjective cards played was “Violent.” So, the four of us playing that round chose the noun card that best conveyed violent. One of my heavily-drinking sisters played “Midwest.” When the cards were revealed, I asked, “What’s violent about the Midwest?” My inebriated sister who had played the card said, “They’re always fighting over there.” I said, “No, that’s not the Midwest—that’s the MIDDLE EAST!” Then the sister judging that round, who wasn’t really drinking much at all, chose Midwest as the best match for violent. Huh? She said, “Because of tornadoes.”
I laughed so hard my sides hurt. And that’s the point of these silly games, really. To just act like kids and laugh until you can barely breathe. (Works the abs better than a personal trainer can, too!)
I hope the rest of your winter months are filled with side-splitting laughter, whether it’s with games like these or whatever it is you and your family and friends enjoy laughing about.
Have a happy and healthy New Year!
Kally

Nobody’s Hero is the third in my debut Rescue Me series. The books are not stand-alone novels, though, so if you haven’t started the series yet, please accept a free copy of Masters at Arms, the introduction to the series (with prequels for the romances of the three Doms who own the club). Use coupon code AL47T (not case-sensitive) at Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80282); coupon good through Jan. 6. The Rescue Me series also is sold at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006PA7UJS/) and Barnes & Noble (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobodys-hero-kallypso-masters/1108057218?ean=2940013874121), and Nobody’s Angel (Rescue Me #2) also is available at All Romance eBooks. (Nobody’s Hero will be published there in January.)
Please follow the instructions below and leave a comment with your e-mail address for a chance to win a copy of Nobody’s Hero. (About 1,000 copies already have been sold, though, so if you already have a copy, I’ll add you to the list for a free copy of Nobody’s Perfect when it’s published this coming spring.)
I love having readers help me with the writing of my stories and development of my characters, so I often ask questions on my Facebook Kallypso Masters Author Page (https://www.facebook.com/KallypsoMastersAuthorPage) seeking advice. The answers often become part of the current or future books and sometimes my readers know the characters better than I do! I invite you to “like” my author page and send a friend request to my personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kallypsomasters), if you’d like. (I get a little more “personal” there.) I’m also on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/kallypsomasters/) and Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5130089.Kallypso_Masters).
To enter for a chance to win an ebook. Please leave Kally a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~29

Welcome to Day 29 of Winter’s Favorites
I have the most Awesome Laura Kaye sharing her favorite things about winter…
10 Favorite Things about Winter
By Laura Kaye
Thanks so much to Kelly for hosting me as part of this great winter celebration! She asked me to share my favorite things about winter, and I’m delighted to, especially as I’m currently celebrating a winter/holiday-themed book based on Greek mythology! My contemporary fantasy romance, North of Need, features a long-exiled snow god who falls in love with a grieving widow, so winter’s been on my mind! Here are ten of my favorite things:
Scarves – I am the hugest fan of scarves. I easily have 15 in all different colors and fabrics. I love how cozy and warm they keep you, and how comfortable they are on a cold day. Plus they come in so many colors and patterns, you just can’t have enough!
Christmas lights – Christmas lights still have the ability to make me feel like a kid. I love seeing houses that go all out, and I love driving through big displays of Christmas lights, which is a Christmas Even tradition in my house each year.
Snowmen – And not just because of my book! LOL Seriously! I’ve always loved seeing snowmen after a snow fall. They’re everything playful about winter. I even have a huge collection of snowman figurines, some of which my mom gave me as Christmas gifts when I was a teenager.
Hot chocolate – which lots and lots of whipped cream, natch. In fact, I’m totally okay having a skewed whipped-cream-to-hot-chocolate ratio: in favor of the whipped cream. Winter’s the only time of the year I drink hot chocolate, and it’s just part of the season for me.
Christmas carols – Somehow, they get old fast right after Christmas, but I really enjoy them in the weeks leading up to the holiday. They just make me feel festive and nostalgic.
Snow on the Bay – I live right on the Chesapeake Bay, and I love when it snows or gets cold enough to freeze the little inlet on which we live, and the Bay just sparkles with the wintry mix. It’s completely gorgeous and one of the things I love about winter on the Bay.
Tree light ceremonies – Standing in a crowd of people, everyone anticipating the big moment, counting down from ten: I love the atmosphere of a tree light ceremony!
The Abominable Snowman – I actually love all the characters in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and have eyed the figurines from it on many an occasion! LOL But the Abominable Snowman is just the awesomest. Poor guy just needed his tooth pulled. Come on!
Sleigh rides – I have always been a total horse nut. I don’t ride—though I always wanted to learn, but I still think horses are beautiful and majestic. So, put that together with a totally fun sleigh and a crisp winter night and jingle bells and a blanket to cuddle under, and I’m there!
Christmas morning – I don’t care how old I get, Christmas morning will always feel full of magic to me! And, now that I have small children, that feeling is multiplied tenfold at least. I love the anticipation of it, the just sheer and utter joy, and the kids’ total belief that Santa brought them presents.
So, those are some of my favorite things about winter. What’s yours?
Thanks for reading!
Laura Kaye



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Paperback Dolls called North of Need THE romance read for holiday gift-giving!:
Her tears called a powerful snow god to life, but only her love can grant the humanity he craves…

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she’s recreated the very thing she’ll never have.

Called to life by Megan’s tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen’s mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration–before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow’s grief and learn to trust love again, or she’ll lose Owen forever.

About Laura Kaye:
A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance and award-nominated HEARTS IN DARKNESS and the bestselling and award-winning paranormal romance FOREVER FREED (NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011), as well as an erotic romance novella, JUST GOTTA SAY. Her fourth book, contemporary fantasy romance NORTH OF NEED, is the first in the 4-book Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
To enter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon e-gift card. Please leave Laura a comment, tell her what some of your favorite things about winter, then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.


Because it is the season of giving.  I am giving you another chance to win Laura’s book…North of Need is up for Sizzling Read of the Year and Eight GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards–Please consider voting by 12/31. Sizzling Hot Book Review also is giving you a chance to win Laura’s book too, click HERE