Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Author, author...

...read all about it !!



Kiss of Temptation

By: Sandra Hill
 
 
Blurb:
 
Ivak Sigurdsson had led a lustful life, leaving a trail of broken hearts--and lives--in his wake.  Of course, a man can only live that way for so long, and when a vengeful husband finally breaks through Ivak's defenses, he is given a choice:  die, or serve the archangel Michael and become a vangel.
 
A thousand years later, determined to prove his worth to Michael and finally gain reprieve, Ivak is successfully avoiding temptation...until he meets Gabrielle Sonnier.  The sexy lawyer is just his type, and Ivak wastes no time in telling her so.  But Gabrielle has bigger problems on her plate than a horning Viking.  So Ivak has no choice but to help Gabrielle, and in doing so, they might both discover there are more tempting things in life than work or play...like love.
 
Author info:
Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than 10 years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories.  She is the wife of a stockbroker and the mother of four sons.
 
Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Excerpt
 
Partial Prologue
 
The  Norselands, 850 a.d., where men ... and life ... were always hard ...
 
 
Ivak Sigurdsson was an excessively lustsome man.
 
            Ne'er would he deny that fact, nor bow his head in embarrassment.  In truth, he'd well earned his far-renowned wordfame for virility.  On his back.  On his front.  Standing.  Sitting.  On the bow and in the bowels of a longship.  Behind the Saxon king's throne.  Deep in a cave.  High in a tree.  Under a bush.  On a bed.  In a cow byre.  Once even with...well, never mind, that had been when he was very young and on a dare and another story entirely.
 
             He liked women.  Everything about them.  Not just the sex bits.  He liked their scent, the feel of their silky skin, the allure of their secrets, the sound of their sighs and moans, the taste of them.  And Women liked him, too.  He wanted them all.
 
              You could say lust was a sixth sense for Ivak.  He was a Viking, after all.
 
 
               He'd been twelve years old when, swaggering with over-confidence, he'd tried his dubious charms on his father's eighth concubine who'd laughed herself into a weeping fit afore showing him exactly which hole he should aim for.  Now, twenty years and at least two hundred bedmates later--he'd stopped counting after that incident in Hedeby--there was naught he did not know about sex.  Men came to him for advice all the time.  Women, too. 
 
             The cold Norse winds blew outside his keep now, but he and his comrades-in-arms were warm inside as they sat before one of the five hearth fires that ran through the center of his great hall at Thorstead.  Their body heat was aided by the mead they were imbibing and the satiety that comes from having tupped more than the ale barrel, and it not yet eventide.
 
               When bored and having no wars to fight, or any other time for that matter, taking an enthusiastic maid to the bed furs was always a worthwhile pasttime.  Leastways, it was for Ivak.  You'd think his jaded appetites would have waned by now.  Instead, he found himself wanting more and more.  And the things he tried these days pushed even his sensibilities for decency... but not enough to stop him.
 
            And, of course, when bored and having no wars to fight, men did what men did throughout time.  Drank.
 
            In fact, Esbe, the widow of one of his swordsmen, walked amongst them now, refilling their horns from a pottery pitcher. When she got to him, she smile, a  small, secretive smile that Ivak understood perfectly.  Women told him that he had an aura about him...apresence, so to speak.  By leaning against a wall just so, or merely staring at them through half-slitted eyes, or gods forbid, winking at them, he sent a silent message.  Here was a man who knew things.
 
          He smiled back at Esbe, who shared his bed furs on occasion, and watched
 appreciatively, along with every one of his men, as she walked away from them, hips swaying from side to side.
 
           Another thing men did when bored and having no wars to fights, and especially when drinking, was talk about women.
 
           "Tell me true, Ivak," demanded Haakon the Horse, a name he'd been given because of a face so long he could lick the bottom of a bucket and still see over the rim, not because of other bodily attributes.  Haakon was a master at swordsplay if ever there was one, a soldier you'd want at your back in battle, but an irksome oaf when drukkinn, and he was halfway there already.  "There must have been times when your lance failed to rise to the occasion.  It happens to the best of men betimes."
 
           Ivak exchanged a quick glance with his best friend, Serk the Silent, who sat beside him on the bench.  Serk, a man of few words, did not need to speak for Ivak to know that he was thinking:  Here it comes!
 
            Ivak tapped his chin with a forefinger, as if actually giving the query consideration.  He could feel Serk shaking with silent laughter.  "Nay, it never has, though there have been times I've had to take a vow of celibacy to give it a rest."  He cupped himself for emphasis.
 
             "For how long?" scoffed Ingolf, his chief archer.   A grin twitched at Ingolf's hugely mustached upper lip, knowing when Ivak was about to pull a jest.
 
              "Oh, a good long time.  Two days at most," Ivak admitted.
 
               Everyone, except Haakon, found amusement in his jest, including Kugge , the young squire he'd been training of late.  Gazing at Ivak in wonder, Kugge blurted out, "Did it hurt?"
 
               "The celibacy or the excess?"  Ivak asked, trying to keep a straight face.
 
                A blush crept over Kugge's still unwhiskered face as he sensed having made a fool of himself.
 
 
 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Author, author...

...read all about it !!
 
Catching Stardust
Falling Stars Book One
By: Heather Thurmeier
 
Blurb
 
Maia's been banished to Earth from her place amonth the stars as the eldest sister of Pleiades...and all because Orion won't stop chasing her around the universe.  Now Maia has to find her way back to the stars with only the help of hunky astronautics scientist Zander while staying hidden from Orion.
 
Zander never expected the discovery of his lifetime to fall into his lap, but when Maia also falls into his bed, he knows there's no way he can turn the goddess who has stolen his heart into a science project.  With his best friend ready to sell him out for fame, her wannabe lover Orion chasing after her on Earth, and time running out fast, Zander must fight to keep Maia safe long enough to get her home.
 
If going home means losing Zander, is Maia ready to go back to the stars?
 
 
 
Buy Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Author Info:
 
Heather Thurmeier is a lover of strawberry margaritas, a hater of spiders, and a reality TV junkie.  She was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, but now lives in upstate New York with her own personal romance hero (aka her husband) and their two little princesses.  When she's not busy taking care of the kids and an adventurous puppy named Indy, Heather's hard at work on her next romance novel.
 
"Heather Thurmeier's hunky heroes and feisty heroins will have you laughing out loud, falling in love...and doming back for more!"  ~ Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author
 
"Heather Thurmeier writes sweet, funny romances that capture your heart!"  -- NYT and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst
 
 
Links:
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Book Blitz: Jessica by Laura DeLuca #free

Free March 25 - 29
 
 


Jessica by Laura DeLuca
 
Wilbur was used to going to his college formals alone. He thought the Halloween Ball would be no different. He’s amazed when a beautiful girl in a Victorian costume displays an interest in him and even more amazed to find himself alone with her on one of the campus nature trails. What Wilbur doesn’t realize is that another woman has her eye on him too. The White Lady returns every Halloween to take revenge on the men of the campus for her brutal murder. She has chosen Wilbur as her next victim.
 
 
Excerpt:
Wilbur thought he was going to collapse when Jessica wrapped one arm around his waist. He could feel her fingers, soft as silk, touching the nape of his neck with her other hand, and it made his flesh tingle. She even went so far as to lay her head on his shoulder. Her hair brushed against his cheek and the fresh, flowery scent made his vision blur. At first he thought it was just his allergies, but then the whole room and all the people in it seemed to change. The woman all wore full lacy gowns with their hair piled up in fancy up dos, while the men waltzed beside them in tailored suits with long tails and top hats. Even the music had changed from the typical sappy love song to a classical ballad played by a string quartet. He swore he saw the musicians in the corner; their bows sliding effortlessly over the strings of their instruments while their fingers pulsated in perfect vibrato. Even the floor under their feet had changed from the faded gymnasium floor, marked with the lines and circles of the basketball court, to hand laid tile in intricate patterns reminiscent of a Victorian ballroom.
As they circled the dance floor in an oddly quickened pace, the faces of the dancers started to transform even more. The beautiful nineteenth century ballroom aged and decayed, as did the men and women that surrounded him. Grotesque monsters with bloated skin and empty eyes dragged their decaying limbs in slow motion. Wilbur watched them with growing horror, almost forgetting about the girl in his arms. The monsters noticed the stranger among them. They reached for him with fingers green from rot. Catching his breath in fear, Wilbur pulled away from Jessica and very nearly stumbled to the ground.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Rites of Spring Blog Hop & Giveaway



So excited to be a part of the
 
Rites of Spring blog hop
and
Falling for the First Time
 
Do you remember falling for the first time?  Your first kiss and your first love?  I've had a few firsts in my life and I will never forget the first time I kissed my husband.  Lots of things change over the years as we get older but some things still stay the same.    I remember feeling like I was on top of the world and I never wanted it to end and never wanted to let go of him and trust me, I never have :)

Well, I believe my heroine Ally had much the same feeling the first time she and our hero Matt connected.  Read this excerpt from my most recent release, Take Me Home, Cowboy and let me know what you think.


Oh God, what this man was doing to her senses. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She could only feel. Oh boy, and feel she did. The hardness of his thighs against hers, the heat pouring out of him, warming her throughout. This man was wreaking havoc on her sensibilities.

Sensibilities? What sensibilities? He had clearly knocked every sense from her with the first touch, and then his lips had found hers. Good Lord, no man had ever, ever kissed her this way—like he wouldn’t survive if he didn’t possess her mouth. And she let him.


Blurb:

Ally Kincaid returns to Freewill, Wyoming, to see her father after a two year absence. Anticipating a quiet family reunion, she finds herself butting heads with her father’s foreman instead. The man’s arrogance and sexy drawl push all her buttons, making her wonder what he’s hiding beneath his cowboy swagger.

Matt Gentry walked away from the past and shies from the future. No ties means no one gets hurt…until the boss’s daughter, a hot, green-eyed blonde, tempts him to break his own rules.

When tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy their growing attraction or show them the way home?
 
Buy Links:   Decadent  Amazon  B&N   ARe

BookStrand     Smashwords


 
Whew !  Ok then :)   Now giveaway time...

I will be giving away an ebook copy of Take Me Home, Cowboy to 1 lucky winner plus a little extra spring-time giftbag so all you have to do is leave a comment below (with your email so I can contact you) telling me about a special first you had!

Thanks to our gracious sponsors for the Rites of Spring blog hop, there are also two Grand Prizes.

1st Grand Prize
Kindle Fire (international)

2nd Grand Prize
$50 Amazon.com gift certificate

So...make sure you also enter via the rafflecopter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to visit this list of the other participating blogs and hop your way around for more great individual blog prizes and more chances at the Grand Prizes.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Author, author...

...read all about it !!


Today we have author Lindy S. Hudis here to share a little about who she is !



Welcome Lindy, so great to have you here with us.  Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Well, I am a wife and mother of two from California. My husband is a stuntman and crashes cars and jumps off buildings for a living. Right now we have a film production company and we are in the process of producing our first feature film called “SkateGod” , it’s about a skateboarder is a futuristic, dystopian world who discovers that he is a Greek God. So, we have our hands full with our movie. 

 
 
Do real life events find their way into your stories?

Oh, yes…that was the inspiration for “Crashers” – I was a victim of fraud, so I was inspired to write about it. Sometimes real life is so strange that you simply have to write about it. Also my fantasies come to life in my stories. “Weekends” and “The S & M Club” were about fantasy. However, I did work in a bondage club for a short while in Los Angeles, and that was the inspiration behind “The S & M Club”.




Do you ever mimic family members or people you know when you choose characters?

Not anybody I like, haha…Just kidding, yes, I have been inspired by several people in my life, some close friends and family, some strangers I see on the street.
 
 

Do you find yourself going back to the same inspiration for each story or is it always something different?

Always different. I just let my life journey inspire me.




When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?

In the morning when the kids are at school, when it is quiet. I don’t write on Fridays though, because that is when the gardeners come and it drives my dog crazy. Too much noise and distraction.
 

How do you feel about marketing your book?

I try to keep a positive attitude about it. It is hard, there are so many authors out there all trying to do the same thing. Competition is so tough, but you simply have to keep plugging away. I believe online marketing is the best way to go.




What social sites do you feel work best for marketing?

I like Facbook and Twitter myself, because they seem to be the place to be, kind of like an online nightclub. You want to hang out and been “seen” in all the right places.
 
 

Do you like to pitch stories to your publisher or do you wait until you have written the story and have a final manuscript to turn in?

I like to wait until I have a finished product, then we both have something to work with.




Is there any other genre that you would love to try writing?  If so, what is it?

I am a fan of just about every genre. If you have a story to tell, why put a label on it?



Do you always/ever see yourself as the heroine/hero when you write a story?

Perhaps an aspect of me, a part of my complex personality, so to answer your question, yes, I guess I do.

 

Just for fun, I have a few personal questions, 

Favorite 5

1)      Favorite Male Actor  - Leonardo DiCaprio

2)      Favorite vehicle – My SUV

3)      Favorite way to relax – Drinking red wine

4)      Favorite ice cream – Don’t eat sugar

5)      Favorite outfit – Levis and a sweater.

And for a bonus:  If you could pick any place in the world to live, besides where you are now, where would it be?  (Of course, without the hindrance of jobs or money needed) I live in LA – where I have always wanted to live!

 

Where can our readers find you?? 

Website/blog: www.CrashersBook.com


 

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it?
 
Weekends
 
An innocent-sounding family reunion at an exclusive California beach resort turns into a weekend of murder, deceit, exposed secrets and unexpected intimate encounters. John Peterson has it all: He's a respected, successful Beverly Hills entertainment lawyer with a loving wife and grown son, the strikingly handsome young film director Joe Peterson. John also has a secret and he decides to gather his disparate family members at the elegant Hotel Del Moor in picturesque Linda Bella, California for some luxurious fun, togetherness and re-connecting before revealing his secret. Unbeknownst to the family, a brutal serial killer is lurking in the midst of all the wondrous festivities.

Right now my husband and I are currently producing our first feature film titled “SkateGod”. Here is the link that was in the Daily Variety:

 


We are very excited about this project, and writing is going to take a back seat to our movie for a while. The movie is about a skateboarder in a futuristic, Dystopian world who discovers he is the scion of a Greek god and is plunged into a battle with a clandestine society hellbent on overtaking humankind.

 


 
One last thing before we let you leave us :)      Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share?  I like to cook and am always looking for new recipes to try and share.


Lindy’s Blackened Chicken Legs (or wings)

You will need:

Package chicken legs (or wings)

2 tbs Olive Oil

½ cup soy sauce

2 tbs ketchup

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl, and lay chicken legs out on cookie sheet. Cover chicken legs with mixture and bake at 375 for one hour.
 
~     ~     ~     ~     ~    

Lindy thanks so much for sharing a bit of yourself with us today and good luck on your newest release Weekends !  We also thank you for sharing a recipe !  It sounds delicious !!!
 
Until next time, happy reading!!
 
Krista

Monday, March 18, 2013

Author, author.... extended excerpt !!

...read all about them !!


 
Today we have a fantastic writing duo sharing an extended excerpt for their story...
 
 
In My Sights
A 1Night Stand Story
Pararescuemen Series – Book 2
 
BLURB:
Six months ago, Siobhan Cantrell’s world was changed forever by a sniper’s bullet. The incident transformed her from a secure confident woman to a recluse, afraid to leave her own home. When her friends urge her to re-enter the world of the living, they suggest Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service. Nervous, she signs up and learns the company is renown for in-depth background checks and safe encounters. So, how dangerous could it be?
Sergeant Bobby Martin has witnessed Madame Eve’s magic firsthand. His teammate found true love through her service. Still a skeptic but giving in to peer pressure, the Air Force Pararescueman signs himself up. When he meets Siobhan, his doubts fly out the window—unfortunately bullets start flying in them. Determined to protect her from a sniper that won’t give up, Bobby vows to keep her safe. As their chemistry ramps up, so does the sniper’s attempts.
Can Bobby keep Siobhan alive, or will the killer catch them in his sights?
 
Genre: Contemporary, military romance, erotic romance, suspense/thriller
Heat level: 4
Word count – 16k
Cover art by Fantasia Frog Designs
 
BUY:


 
EXCERPT:
Siobhan entered the large suite and glanced around. She’d used every ounce of strength she possessed to walk through the front doors of the hotel and into the dining room. But with Bobby standing behind her, the fine hairs on the back of her neck that had irritated her all evening, eased.
She strode through the room, flipping on lights, checking the bathroom. When she slid the shower curtain back, she stopped herself. What the hell am I doing?

Turning, she caught her reflection in the mirror, the scar on her temple a permanent reminder of everything she’d lost. The sniper had taken so much from her. But did that mean she had to lose her future, too?

By talking her into contacting Madame Eve, her friends had given her a second chance at getting some semblance of control again. And what am I doing? Looking over my shoulder, watching the balcony for shooters, and checking the bathtub for the damn bogeyman while a hot-blooded, gorgeous man is waiting in the bedroom.

And damn it, she wanted to quit hiding in the shadows. If she could survive that day six months ago, then she was damn well done cowering in fear. Hadn’t the bastard taken enough from her? In the past, she’d never shied away from her sexual side. She’d embraced it.

The past six months had been damn lonely. Time to take control again. Starting with the sexy Bobby Martin.

She turned to leave the bathroom and came smack up against a hard male body. He reached out to steady her as she stumbled.

“You okay?”

She pressed her palms on his chest in an attempt to recover her equilibrium—and what a chest. All hard, sculpted muscle. “Uh, yeah, I was just––”

“Looking for the bad guy?” He chuckled.

Heat rushed up her neck and claimed her face. “That obvious, huh?”

Taking her hands in his, he led her into the bedroom. “It’s what I do. If I can’t recognize someone clearing a room, I have no business in Special Ops.”

He tugged her against him, and she had to stop herself from swooning. The men she used to date were nothing close to Bobby. Sure, they’d been fit, but not like this man. He radiated strength and unadulterated male. Something that couldn’t be bottled if you tried. Pure down-and-dirty sex—she tilted her head and eyed him—yet something more.

He gave the impression he actually cared. After listening to her story downstairs, he’d understood immediately how uncomfortable she’d been, sitting in the open dining room, and had gotten her the heck out of there.

She could get used to a man like him. Except tonight would be a one-night stand—something she intended to take full advantage of. Slipping her hands under his shirt, she let her fingers glide up the rock hard abs and sculpted chest until her fingers brushed over his nipples.

His grip tightened on her arms, and his gaze darkened with lust. “Damn.”

A thrill shot through her at the reaction she’d produced, and as she stared up at him, desire coiled low in her body.

“Look, I’m not gonna lie to you.” He loosened his hold on her while he perused her face, settling on her mouth. “I wasn’t sure about this one-night thing to start with, but after seeing you…well, I can definitely follow through. No problem.” He shifted his attention to her eyes, the naked heat swirling in his baby blues causing her breath to catch. “But after what all you told me, I want you to know I get it. We can play this thing any way you want. Fast. Slow. Or I can just hold you.” He trailed his fingers up and down her arms, sending delicious tingles along her skin. “Though I’ll admit, that’s not my first choice.”
She stared at him. God, he was such a gentleman. Without hesitating, she lifted onto her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, crushed her mouth against his, and…holy crap, what a kiss! Her pulse jumped, her head spun. A fire sparked deep inside her, and her breath caught at the passion winding through her. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting exactly, but not anything like this.

Before she melted into a puddle at his feet, she broke the kiss and gazed up at him. “Does that answer your question?”

A sexy grin curved his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
 
 

Garland & Gould

Romance with a Twist…or two

 

L. J. Garland
Though born and raised in the south, L.J. Garland has lived on both the east and west coasts. She adores traveling, the latest adventures added to her Bucket List: Machu Pichu and Australia’s Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.
 
Married to her best friend for over twenty years, she spends her time home schooling three rambunctious boys, editing in the epub industry, and writing stories that she hopes catches her readers’ imaginations as much as the characters and plotlines captivate her. In her spare time (what there is of it LOL), she has a multitude of hobbies, including building archery equipment from scratch and creating stained glass. She has a passion for anything that goes Boom! …from fireworks to high-powered combat rifles…it’s all good. She and her husband are both rated helicopter pilots and spent their 10thanniversary flying cross-country from east to west coast…an adventure she highly recommends.
 
A member of RWA, she has several published books, including Cadence Interrupted, On the Fringes, Dreamspell Revenge Anthology, and MechMan, she’s now teamed up with Debbie Gould. Having complete one manuscript, Sins of the Mind, they are hard at work, brainstorming and writing the creative new Sentinel Series.   
Debbie Gould
Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of two Debbie and her mother moved to New Jersey, spending many happy years on her grandparents' horse farm. You'll sometimes find this setting as a backdrop in her work. 

 

As a teenager, she and her mother found a new home in Vermont, where she currently resides. With a daughter in the Air Force (along with Debbie's six-year-old grandson), and two sons working for the family Well Drilling business, Debbie now shuffles her time between a full time job as a nurse and her writing career. 
 
 About seven years ago, while looking at over three hundred treasured books lining her shelves, she realized there was a multitude of stories of her own clamoring for release. Since then, she's seriously persevered in keeping the keyboard in constant motion.

 
 With three published books complete, Mountain's Echo and Infidelity, andNovember Rain, Debbie is now working with a partner, L.J. Garland. Together, they have finished one manuscript, Sins Of the Mind, and are now working on their Sentinel Series.

 

Debbie has been a member of KOD, FTHRW, ELEMENTS and RWA Online.

 

 
Author Links

We can be tracked down at http://www.garland-and-gould.blogspot.com/ where we blog, chat about stuff, and interview other authors.
- L.J. can be caught at 
www.lj-garland.com and emailed at mail@lj-garland.com You can also tweet her at @LJ_Garland1
- Debbie can be found at 
http://www.authordebbiegould.com/ and emailed at mountecho2006@yahoo.com.
- We love hearing from people who have enjoyed our stories!