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Today we are pleased to have Susanna Ives join us for a round of Marry, Kiss or Kill! For this stop, we asked her to choose between Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Lando Calrissian:

“I can’t kill handsome, smooth-talking Lando Calrissian. In kindergarten when the teacher asked for things that begin with the letter “l”, my daughter stood up and cried, “Lando Calrissian!” I’m marrying Lando.

That leaves me to decide the fates of Princess Leia and Han Solo.

Hmmm. So it goes down like this: I’m kissing Han Solo in a dark, crazy corner of the Mos Eisley Cantina, when Princess Leia enters and gets up in my face about how Han is hers. I tell her how much I admire her and that we could share Han, because he’s an adventuresome kind of guy who would go for that. But no, she has to pull her blaster on me. What I do next is merely in self-defense. But she pulled first.”

Title: Wicked, My Love

Author: Susanna Ives

Series: Wicked Little Secrets

Publication Date: March 3^rd, 2015

ISBN: 9781402283604

A smooth-talking rogue and a dowdy financial genius

Handsome, silver-tongued politician Lord Randall doesn’t get along with his bank partner, the financially brilliant but hopelessly frumpish Isabella St. Vincent. Ever since she was his childhood nemesis, he’s tried—and failed—to get the better of her.

Make a perfectly wicked combination

When both Randall’s political career and their mutual bank interests are threatened by scandal, he has to admit he needs Isabella’s help. They set off on a madcap scheme to set matters right. With her wits and his charm, what could possibly go wrong? Only a volatile mutual attraction that’s catching them completely off guard…

Susanna Ives started writing when she left her job as a multimedia training developer to stay home with her family. Now she keeps busy driving her children to various classes, writing books, and maintaining websites. She often follows her husband on business trips around Europe and blogs about the misadventures of touring with children. She lives in Atlanta.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Apple

BAM

B&N

Chapters

Indiebound

Kobo

An Excerpt:

She stationed herself by the window and scowled as if to say to the people looking in her window for vacant seats, Don’t get in this carriage. It’s occupied by a dangerous, sleep-deprived, hysterical woman who wants to be left alone. Stay away. Stay away. When the conductor’s whistle blew and the train started to rumble underneath her feet, she released her held breath and rested her head against the back of the seat.

Wham! The carriage door flew open and a brown leather bag went flying past her, hitting the opposite wall. Randall leaped in just as the train lurched forward.“Good morning, love.”

“W-what are you doing?” she cried, the great plan that she’d spent the night weaving suddenly torn to shreds. “You’re supposed to be getting your black heart shackled to some beautiful nincompoop.”

“You didn’t really think I was going to let you go alone?”

“No, of course not,” she stammered, feeling stupid. Why was she so terrible at understanding subtle meanings? She took everyone at their literal word. She should have known better from that slippery snake of a man. After all, he was a politician, and a good one, in a profession not renowned for its honesty and forthrightness.

He sat himself down beside her, his woodsy scent clogging her nose and setting her nerves alight. She switched to the opposite seat. “And don’t sit next to me. I don’t want people to think we’re lovers.”

“We’re lovers?” He shot her a sly glance. “Did you get me foxed out of my poor wits, take advantage of me in my defenseless state, and then not have the courtesy to tell me? Did I enjoy it?”

She refused to dignify that bit of lunacy with a direct answer. “Your mother, Judith, everyone thinks that I l-love you. Oh, my throat hurts for uttering such moronic nonsense.”

He extended his legs, cupped his hands behind his head, and let a charming smile laze on his lips. His blue coat molded to his lean, flat belly and the contour of his sex bulged in his brown trousers. “Naturally they think that,” he said. “What’s not to love?”

She averted her eyes, determined not to look at his male part. However, the generous, manly swell in the fabric was now emblazoned on her brain. “I really don’t have the time to discuss all the things that I don’t love about you. The list is quite long, and I’m a bit upset. I didn’t get any sleep, and now you are here to complicate everything. I just…just want to read.” She unfurled her journal and bowed her head, hoping he would take that as a cue to be quiet.

She gently rocked in her seat, as if it were a comforting cradle, trying to keep her curious eyes from roving back to his lap as she read and reread the first paragraph in an article about interest rates in the banks of Holland. She had almost made it to the second paragraph when she felt his shoulder rub against hers.

“Just relax,” he said, settling next to her. “We’re not lovers. I detest you as much as you detest me.”

“I don’t detest you,” she corrected. “I just don’t like you some—well, most of the time.”

“I certainly despise you, no question about that. Now that we have our mutual dislike for each other clarified, I think we should play a little game.”

She looked at him askew. “The our bank fails, we lose all our money, and our names and reputations are ruined game? I hear that it’s great fun until they cart us off to the poorhouse.”

“No, it’s the let’s-invent-false-identities-so-as-not-to-cast-suspicion game.”

“Oh.” It made sense. She hated when Randall made sense.

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I have an excerpt and giveaway for Garrett by Sawyer  Bennett today! 

Garrett
Cold Fury Hockey # 2

By: Sawyer Bennett

Releasing February 17^th, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett hits the ice with the story of a playboy athlete whose winning ways lead him to a beautiful woman with a lot to lose.

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/11/garrett-cold-fury-2-by-sawyer-bennett.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23121837-garrett

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/125350-cold-fury-hockey

 Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

USA Today Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her second book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, February 2015.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

EXCERPT:

The team party is in full swing by the time I arrive, which is always late, and Coach Pretore and his wife, Suzie, have gone all out. I find them in the kitchen of their seven-thousand-square-foot home, holding court near an ice sculpture set inside a huge crystal bowl teeming with peeled shrimp.

Coach gives me a hearty handshake and a thump on the back. “Good to see you, kid.”

I give him a smile and then bend down to kiss Suzie on the cheek. “Great to see you both. You throw a mean party,” I tell them as I snap two shrimp up.

“Use a plate,” Suzie chides me, and thrusts one into my hands. “So how has your summer been, Garrett?”

“It’s been great, but I’m ready to get back at it. Can’t wait for camp to start tomorrow.”

“Enjoy yourself tonight,” Coach Pretore says, “but not too much. I’m going to work you hard tomorrow.”

“Bring it on,” I say with a grin as I pop the shrimp in my mouth. Setting the empty plate down on the russet-colored granite, I give my hands a quick wash in their sink, then head through their house to the backyard, where I know most everyone is hanging.

I’m stopped no less than five times on the way out back to give and receive high fives and back slaps, as well as one hard smack on my ass from Zack Grantham, our second-line left winger.

Rubbing my stinging butt cheek with one hand, I give him a playful punch on his shoulder with the other.

“What’s up, dude?” he asks as he wraps his arm around the waist of his girlfriend, Gina. He pulls her into the side of his body, and I watch with interest as she wraps her arms around his back and stomach, cuddling in tight. They are about as close as two people can get. They’re not married and have no plans to be, as far as I know, but fuck, they are committed to each other. I think they’ve been together going on close to seven years now, and they have a little boy, Benjamin, who I think may be close to three. He’s fucking adorable.

“Not much. Ready to get back on the ice,” I tell him.

“No shit,” Zack agrees. “It’s been a great summer off, but I’m starting to get bored.”

“So bored,” Gina adds in with a laugh. “He’s driving me nuts at home. Trying to fix stuff that doesn’t need fixing. I’m ready for him to get back on the ice too.”

Nodding, I ask, “Where’s the rug rat?”

Zack jerks his head over his shoulder to the double doors that lead out onto the back deck. “Outside, playing with Andre and Mely’s kids. We took him to Disney last week and he won’t quit talking about Mickey. I think he has the other kids riled up now.”

Laughing, I clap him on the shoulder. “I’m foreseeing some of the other players having to take their kids next summer.”

“Exactly,” Gina says impishly.

“Hey, are Alex and Sutton here yet?” I ask genially. I have the dirtiest joke I just heard last night—compliments of Donna or Debbie, not sure which—and I have to tell Alex. And it has to be done in front of Sutton, so I can watch her blush prettily, then snarl at me to clean up my act. I love torturing her.

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Lolita Lopez dropped by the virtual offices to share the top items in her deadline survival kit.  She also brought along a giveaway for you to enter to help her celebrate the release of Wicked Dark Dragon!

What are the Top 5 items in your deadline survival kit?

1. Caffeine (Dr. Pepper especially!)

2. Wireless Headphones

3. Chocolate

4. Whiteboard and dry erase markers

5. The Viking! My husband takes care of everything when I’m on a tight deadline. He makes sure our special needs kiddo gets all of her homeschooling assignments done. He takes her to all of her therapy and autism clinic appointments. He also handles all the cooking, shopping, household chores, our Great Danes, etc. Because he is AMAZING. <3

About Lolita Lopez

While browsing bookstore shelves as a teenager, Lo discovered the erotic writings of Anaïs Nin and A.N. Roquelaure. Certain her mother would not approve, Lo smuggled the books home and squirreled them away in the most likely of places:  under her bed. Late at night, she delved into the sensual worlds both writers created.

As a co-ed studying biochemistry and genetics at Texas A&M University, Lo dabbled in creating naughty tales to entertain her friends. Study for a midterm or pen a deliciously dirty story to delight her small band of fans? Not surprisingly, Lo is now on an extended sabbatical from college.
Luckily, Lo stumbled onto the world of erotic romance publishers. She realized there were other readers and writers who loved and craved breathtaking romance with the spiciest of love scenes. She took a chance and submitted her first novella. The rest is history.
Lo lives in Texas with her husband, daughter and big blubbering Great Dane with mommy issues.
You can learn more at:
http://www.lolitalopez.com/books/
Twitter: @lowriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLolitaLopez?fref=ts

About WICKED DARK DRAGON

Adopted at birth, Ivy Morales always suspected she was more than human. Still, she keeps the outlandish thought to herself-even though she can’t ignore her powerful dreams of an ancient blood feud . . . or the darkly erotic turn of those hallucinations. Kidnapped in Mexico for her visions, Ivy has only one chance to escape: find the wickedly sexy man in her dreams.
Welsh dragon shifter Ian Madoc doesn’t understand the strange dream connection he shares with an unknown, beautiful woman. Yet after the seductive images turn into pleas for help, Ian rushes off in the middle of the night, hell-bent on rescuing her. But will she turn out to be the soul mate he’s always longed for . . . or the downfall of his entire clan?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1AOPRbq
B&N: http://bit.ly/1ETvNFM
iTunes: http://apple.co/1wlpg1K
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1BCc7Jd
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1Eveg8W

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This morning TJ Kline dropped by the virtual offices!

Ten Things In My Bag

1. Wallet complete with credit cards, pictures, money and coupons

2. Notebook (a mid-size spiral bound to take notes or jot down ideas)

3. Pens (several in various colors because I ALWAYS write with colored pens)

4. THREE pair of sunglasses (Why three? I have no clue!)

5. Halloween face paint – green (How did this even get in there?)

6. Pink Himalayan salt (for my various water bottles either carried, refilled or purchased daily – seriously, try it!)

7. Water bottle (right now, it’s a 1 liter bottle, half full)

8. Two Victoria Secret lip gloss (because one never fails to disappear so I keep a spare)

9. Keys (with my book key chains)

10. Orbit sweet mint flavored gum (because this is the only mint gum I like)

Runaway Cowboy

Rodeo #3.5

By: T.J. Kline

Releasing February 3^rd, 2015

Avon Impulse

Blurb

”You had your chance, and you threw it away…“

Five years ago, Jen woke up with a ring on her finger and her fiancé nowhere to be found. She swore she’d gotten over the betrayal, but when Clay unexpectedly hires on with the rodeo for a week, she finds herself torn between passion and regret.

Clay left intending never to see Jen again. He’s been running from his troubled past for far too long, and it’s not a life he wants for her. But it’s hard to run from the past when the past is your own family, and Clay finds himself thrown back into the chaos he thought he’d finally left behind.

Will the truth drive Jen away, or is there a second chance at happily ever after for this runaway cowboy?

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/01/runaway-cowboy-by-tj-kline.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23587127-runaway-cowboy?from_search=true

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info
T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and rodeo queen competitions since the age of 14, She has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has had several articles about rodeo published in the past in small periodicals as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt

Clay grabbed her arm, and she spun on him, wildly swinging her purse at his head and jerking her arm from his grasp. “Don’t touch me.”

He easily caught the purse in his hand and dropped it at his feet as he pulled her into his arms. “What do you have in that thing? Bricks?”

“Let go of me, Clay,” she said through gritted teeth, twisting, trying to release herself from his grasp.

“Only if you let me explain.”

Every inch of her that was in contact with him burned with icy flames. The heat of his hands on her arms sent warmth running down her spine to melt her limbs and ignite the desire pooling in her belly. She wanted to push him away, to run to her trailer and stay there until he went back to wherever he’d been hiding, but when her eyes met his, pleading with her to listen to him, she couldn’t deny herself just one more moment with him. How was she supposed to keep hating him when her body wouldn’t follow her commands?

“You have five minutes.” One for each year she hadn’t heard from him. He released her cautiously. She walked back to the truck, knowing he would follow, and flipped the tailgate down. She hopped up on it, letting her legs dangle. When he sighed and scrubbed a hand over his jaw, she quirked a brow. “Time’s ticking Clay. Start talking.”

“You know, for someone who seems to think she has everything figured out better than the rest of us, you sure can be irresponsible. What were you thinking going into that bar?”

Jen almost let her mouth fall open at the audacity of his accusation. She bit the inside of her cheek until the metallic taste of blood forced her to stop.

She jumped from the back of the truck. “That was some explanation. I can’t believe I waited this long for it.”

Clay’s fingers circled her wrist as she started to walk away. “I have at least three minutes left.”

He pulled her back toward him, drawing her against his chest as one arm circled around her waist. His other hand buried into her long hair, and she gasped in surprise as his mouth found hers. Her body betrayed her again, melting against him as her bones seemed to turn to molten lava. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his shoulders, but she wasn’t sure if it was to keep her balance or because she couldn’t resist touching him. His mouth was gentle, in spite of their argument, as if he wanted to savor this kiss, to taste her, to force the memories of the tenderness they’d once shared to the surface. Clay nipped at her lower lip, testing her resolve, and when she didn’t protest, he plunged ahead. His tongue swept against hers as she slid her hands over his shoulders before curling her fingers around the nape of his neck, twining into his hair.

Clay’s lips trailed over her cheek and jaw. “I’ve missed you, Jen. You have no idea how much.”

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Please give a warm welcome to Mira Lyn Kelly!  She dropped by the virtual offices to share a top 5, and there’s also an awesome giveaway for you to enter!

Hey everyone, thanks so much for having me over and helping me to celebrate the release of TOUCH AND GO (Dare to Love #2)– Yay!!

Okay, so let’s get going… 5 Things You Would Never Find In Sam’s Bathroom:

1 – Axe Body Spray. The last thing Sam needs is more women attacking him in elevators and dark alleys. With his worn denim blue eyes, construction built body, and easy going smile, Sam’s never faced a shortage of female attention. Which has been pretty handy up until now, since he’s not much of a relationship guy. Why bother when the only woman he wants to go home to is his best friend Ava, and the last thing he’d ever do is screw that kind of perfection up by bringing sex into the mix. (Good luck with that, Sam!)

2 – A scale. Sam’s been working construction since Ava’s dad got him his first job in high school and while he owns his own company now, he’s still a heavily hands-on kind of guy which keeps him in top shape. Not that he’s the type to pay much attention to his looks, but Ava? Well she’s been keeping a close eye on Sam’s physique for as far back as she can remember. After all she’s been secretly in love with the guy since she was seven. Can you blame her?

3 – Clutter. Sam grew up in less than ideal conditions with an abusive, alcoholic father who couldn’t take care of his own son, let alone deal with the trash piling up around his derelict home. Flash forward twenty years and Sam’s got an immaculate apartment sure to wow his occasional guest, only he’s never really felt at home in it. Not the way he does in Ava’s cozy apartment anyway—which is why he pretty much spends all his waking free time upstairs in her place instead of his own.

4 – Sam singing in the shower. Sure he’s been known to partake in other recreational pastimes within those tiled walls, but singing? Not so much.

5 – Hustler Magazine. And not because he’s got some objection to spank bank material either…it’s just that his tastes tend to be a little more specific and a lot more taboo. Like the picture of Anne Hathaway in her Cat Woman getup…looking way, way too much like another fair skinned, dark eyed, sexy mouthed, brunette he has absolutely no business thinking those kinds of thoughts about.

So there you go… five things you would never find in Sam’s bathroom. But here’s a little taste of what you will find in Sam’s head…From TOUCH AND GO:

Jesus, his switch had flipped but good. Because this was Ava. And nothing in his admittedly vast and varied past had ever come close to burning him up the way she was.

How the hell was it even possible they could be like this together and still have managed to make it twenty years without giving in once or twice before?

A dark corner of his barely functioning rational brain knew.

Because it was Ava.

Because he’d never been willing to risk the most important person in his life for some casual screw.

But that wasn’t what was happening here.

They weren’t risking anything. This was just the culmination of a series of events that would never occur again. Stalker Steven needing a blunt intervention. A chemical reaction neither of them had expected when they came into contact. An unanswered question between two friends—two adults—who knew exactly what they were getting into, and who were solid enough in their relationship for a single night between them to be just that. A single night, granting a depth of intimacy that hadn’t been there before. One that would make them stronger.

Another breathless cry and Ava bit at his bottom lip, sucked it into her mouth as she rode his hand.

In the hallway. Of the apartment building her brother owned. Because he couldn’t stop.

Seriously, I loved writing Sam & Ava’s story, and hope you’ll give these two a read

((Hugs))

Mira

BUY LINKS for TOUCH & GO (Available Now):

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

And for more about me, my books and whatever else we’ve got going on, lol—don’t be a stranger…

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Touch & Go
Dare to Love # 2

By: Mira Lyn Kelly

Releasing February 17^th, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb

USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly cranks up the heat for two lifelong friends whose most secret longings come true in every delectable way.
Vivacious and successful, Ava Meyers is living her dream life, except for one thing: Ever since childhood, she’s been in love with her best friend . . . and she’s never admitted it. Back then, Sam Farrow was a damaged young man with a tough past. Now he’s supremely confident, super-sexy, and totally untouchable—until the night when Sam pretends to be Ava’s boyfriend to save her from some unwanted attention. In a moment of weakness, Ava finds out that a long friendship is no match for blistering sexual chemistry.
After years of denying his own feelings, Sam finds that one amazing night with Ava isn’t enough to chase away all the pent-up fantasies. So he proposes they spend a few weeks driving each other wild, exhausting their every desire, and then return to their perfect platonic relationship like nothing ever happened. But Sam’s plan has one fatal flaw: the part where they give each other up. Because the more they let go of their inhibitions, the more they’re tempted to never go back.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/touch-go-dare-to-love-2-by-mira-lyn.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22471033-touch-go

Series on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/series/130579-dare-to-love

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children and naughty dog provide an excess of action and entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the family, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25.00 eGift Card to Choice Book Seller and Loveswept Mug)

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This morning I have a fun guest post from the husband and wife writing team VK Sykes.  Check out the excerpt and enter the giveaway below, too!

5 things you would never find in Aiden’s locker by VK Sykes

Junk food: okay, Aiden will make an exception for Dorito’s Ranch-flavored chips. Hey, a guy has to have a few bad habits, right?

Pin-up pictures of models: because that is just crass and disrespectful. His mother taught him better than that.

Family pictures that include his father: Aiden does have a picture of his mother and brother in his locker. But his dad? No way.

A little black book with women’s phone numbers: see number #2. Yes, Aiden likes women but there’s no need to act like an arrogant ass about it, even if he is a pro ballplayer and a celebrity.

Letters from Lily Doyle: which, from Aiden’s point of view, is a damn shame.

About MEET ME AT THE BEACH

When Lily Doyle spots her high school crush Aiden Flynn on the inbound ferry, she knows trouble is about to dock in Seashell Bay. And not just because he’s more handsome than ever. If Aiden’s in town, the rumors must be true about his family’s plan to sell their coastal land to the highest bidder. But Lily will do whatever it takes to convince the hottest guy on the beach to protect their idyllic island home.
Gorgeous Lily Doyle was the only thing Aiden missed after he escaped from his hometown to play pro baseball. Now all Aiden wants is to wrap up the business deal and get back to his life, not relive a past that still haunts him. But as memories rush in about the night of passion he and Lily shared long ago, everything else washes right out to sea-everything except the desire that still burns between them.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ASkezs
B&N: http://bit.ly/1qgmcpy
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1Eoqttz
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LaWisc
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1A5VYJh

About VK Sykes

V. K. Sykes is a wife/husband writing team-Vanessa Kelly and Randall Sykes-who write romantic suspense and single title contemporary romance.  One of the great things they appreciate about being writers is that they can work anywhere so Vanessa and Randy split their time between Ontario, Canada, in the summer and Florida in the winter. Both locations have shores just as beautiful as the imaginary Seashell Bay.

Website: http://www.vksykes.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VKSykes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VKSykesBooks

Excerpt:

“You know this isn’t your fault, Aiden. Don’t you? None of this is your fault.”

He gave an absent nod, almost as if he wasn’t really listening. “A big part of me just wants to sell my land and head back home. That way Bram will get the money he needs, and I’ll never have to lay eyes on the old man again.”

She tugged on his hand, exerting just enough pressure to let him know she wanted him to turn and face her. Some instinct whispered that he wasn’t yet ready to give up on Seashell Bay and that he needed her to help him work it through.

“But what about the other part of you?” she asked softly.

Though Aiden didn’t say anything, he did turn to look at her.

Lily rested her other hand on his chest, just for a moment, before dropping it to her side. “I hope you don’t go. I really, really hope you don’t.”

There, I’ve said it.

Aiden’s gaze roamed over her face. Even though it was so dark, her vision had adjusted, and she thought she saw yearning in his expression and a hunger that hadn’t diminished over the years.

Then he gently released her hand. “But you know I have to,” he said in a low voice.

That short, brutal exchange summed up everything. Impulsively, she’d taken the risk and put her feelings out there, but his answer hadn’t changed.

Clearly she was an idiot because instead of stepping away from him, instead of taking her cue from the gentle rejection, she moved closer and slipped her arms around his waist. It was the dumbest thing she could imagine doing, but she did it anyway.

Because it was Aiden, and it was a beautiful, summer night in Seashell Bay. It was their past and their present all coming together in a tangled web of starlight, pushing her to claim the moment they’d been too afraid to grasp that long-ago night.

“Stay for a little while anyway,” she whispered.

For several agonizing seconds, it seemed that fate held them in the balance. Then Aiden let out a huge breath and folded his arms around her, holding her tight. “For a while,” he murmured, brushing his lips across her temple. His masculine stubble softly chafed her skin, making her shiver.

Torn between heartache and relief, Lily turned her face up. Aiden captured her lips in a kiss that went from tentative and sweet to hot and passionate in the space of a few heartbeats, as she’d known it would. The feel of his mouth on hers, his tongue sliding inside to claim her with a fierce, almost desperate possession, transported her back to that night when they’d finally said yes to each other. It felt wild and new and yet so familiar in the best possible way. The years between them dropped away, almost as if he’d never left.

Just like riding a bike.

The post Guest Post and Giveaway: Meet Me at the Beach by V K Sykes appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

This morning Vicky Dreiling stopped by with a Top 5 list.  There’s also an excerpt from What A Devilish Duke Desires for you to enjoy, and a giveaway for you to enter. 

Top 5 complaints from Harry’s household staff about their employer by Vicky Dreiling

1.     The dog fur on the furniture

2.     The lumpy sofa

3.     The erotic literature in his bedsheets

4.     The stench of cheroots when his friends visit

5.     The piles of papers scattered all over his desk.

WHAT A DEVILISH DUKE DESIRES by Vicky Dreiling (February 24, 2015; Forever Mass Market; $8.00)

WILL A FEW FLIRTATIOUS STEPS
Harry Norcliffe never wanted to inherit his beloved uncle’s title. The rigidity of the ton, the incessant reminders from his marriage-minded mama that he must settle down with a highborn lady and produce an heir and a spare: it’s all such a dreadful bore. So when his mother asks him to take part in a dancing competition, he patently refuses. The last thing he needs is another chore . . . until a beautiful, brilliant, delightfully tempting maid makes him rethink his position.

LEAD TO A SCANDALOUS SEDUCTION?
Most women would be over the moon to be pursued by a wickedly handsome-not to mention wealthy-duke like Norcliffe. But Lucy will not be any man’s trophy. She could use a friend, though, and what begins innocently soon ignites into desire. As Lucy tries to resist Harry’s scorching kisses, he makes an utterly irresistible offer. Enter the dance contest with him, and win a prize that could change her life forever . . . if falling in love doesn’t change it first.

Buy Links:

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BAM

About the author:

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the United Kingdom allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her Trouble. When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and, most of all, long lunches with friends. A native Texan, she holds degrees in English literature and marketing. 

Social Media Links:

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Goodreads

Excerpt:

Lucy stood behind the table dressed in an apron. A cap covered all but one wisp of her red hair. She handed a glass of lemonade to a matron. When the lady walked away, Lucy lifted up on her toes. Evidently, she was watching the dancers.

He strolled over to her table. “Lucy?”

Her green eyes widened. “What are you doing here?” she said under her breath. A blush stole over her cheeks. “Sorry, that was foolish.”

“No, it wasn’t. I escorted my mother and cousins . . . I didn’t expect to see you here.”

She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t need the coin, but she couldn’t be earning more than a pittance.

“You are working?” he said. Brilliant, you just sounded like a complete idiot.

“Yes, isn’t it obvious?”

He smiled. “Well, yes. You are well?”

“I am,” she said. “And you?”

“A few minutes ago, I would have said tolerably well, but then I saw you and brightened considerably.”

“Flirting again, Your Grace?”

“Who me?” he said, putting his hand to his heart.

She looked over her shoulder and returned her gaze to him. “You had better go.”

He looked behind her.

“What are you about?” she said.

He grinned. “One of your curls escaped the cap.” She attempted to tuck it in.

“Don’t,” he said. “It’s rather fetching.”

“Please go. I cannot afford trouble.”

“No one is paying attention to us. May I have a glass of lemonade?”

“Of course.” She poured and handed the glass to him. He took a sip and puckered his mouth. “It’s terrible, but I should have expected it. Almack’s is well known for its lackluster refreshments.”

“One would think the ton would serve decent food and drink.”

“Believe me, no one comes here for the refreshments,” he said.

“Except you?” she said in a teasing tone.

He laughed. “I saw you watching the dancers. I wish you could dance with me.”

“I’m working.” She glanced over her shoulder again. “You had better leave before someone notices you’re talking to me.”

He glanced out at the crowd. “No one is paying the least bit of attention. Everyone is focused on the dancers.”

“Why aren’t you dancing?” she said.

“I would if you were free.”

“If you wish to flirt, I advise you to choose a lady of leisure. I must work.”

“I wish I could dance the rest of the night with you. I can’t, so I won’t dance at all.”

She shook her head. “I’m not the reason you’re avoiding dancing,” she said. “I know the patronesses changed the rules.”

“Yes, and I narrowly escaped dancing all night with a young lady out in her first season. I felt sorry for her. She couldn’t be a day over seventeen, making her much too young for the likes of me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you expected to dance?”

“I don’t care about expectations.”

She met his gaze straight on. “I wager your family does. I know courtships take place primarily on the dance floor.”

“When I decide to court a lady, I will choose the time and place. I make my own decisions, and I answer to no one,” he said.

She arched her brows. “Perhaps a higher power?”

He smiled. “Or a lower one.”

Her mouth twitched in a slight smile. “Does that make you a devilish duke?”

His shoulders shook with mirth. “Clever.”

A rotund maid walked out. “Lucy, give the gentleman a glass of lemonade and be done with it.”

Lucy winced and poured a glass. “Yes, Mrs. Thompson. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not me you owe an apology.” Mrs. Thompson regarded him. “She’s new, but that’s no excuse.”

He’d made trouble for Lucy, and he’d better undo the damage. “Mrs. Thompson, I beg your pardon.” Harry gave her his best flirtatious smile. “The lady did try to discourage me. I take all the blame. Do forgive me.”

Mrs. Thompson’s eyes grew as round as carriage wheels and her face turned pink. “Imagine me forgivin’ you. Carry on, Miss Longmore,” she said, and walked off.

Afterward, Lucy leaned toward him. “Please go now. I can’t risk losing my job.”

The devil. He shouldn’t have teased Lucy. Her words worried him, because she couldn’t be earning much. That only made him wonder how she was managing.

He wandered past the other tables, stopping occasionally to watch her. She and her grandmother lived in a rough neighborhood. That fact only increased his curiosity and his concern. Most likely, she held more than one job, because she couldn’t possibly survive on whatever pittance she earned serving lemonade.

When she caught him eyeing her, she averted her gaze. A lady approached, and Lucy served her a glass of lemonade. Afterward, Lucy looked out at the crowd as if determined to avoid him.

Once again, he was struck by the contradiction of her. He told himself to walk away and forget her, but he couldn’t. She was a riddle, one that he itched to solve, but that was not all. In truth, that one kiss had only made him want more. He wanted to pull her up to her toes and kiss her senseless. He wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted her to surrender everything to him, but he mustn’t rush her. That one kiss had assured him she was an innocent.

The orchestra ended the tune with a flourish. The master of ceremonies called for silence. The guests moved closer en mass toward the dais where the patronesses sat.

Three ladies inside the refreshment room hurried out to join the throng. Harry consulted his watch. It was half past eleven. He turned around. Lucy was alone.

When he strode toward her, she eyed him warily. He set the half-finished glass of lemonade on the table and leaned closer to her.

“I want to see you again. Meet me at Green Park tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know more about you.”

She shook her head. “I do not think it is a good idea.”

“Who will know but us?” he said.

She narrowed her eyes. “What if one of your friends saw me with you? I can well imagine what they would think of me.”

“They’ll be at Rotten Row during the fashionable hour. No need to worry.”

A roar went up within the ballroom, followed by thunderous clapping. Harry turned around and saw his eldest cousin Mina and Lord Everleigh standing on the dais. “I had better go.”

“Yes, go, and please do not jeopardize my job again.”

He grinned. “I will see you tomorrow.”

“You’re awfully confident, but you are bound for disappointment.”

He looked at her over his shoulder, winked, and walked into the ballroom.

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The post Guest Post and Giveaway: Vicky Dreiling, Author of What A Devilish Duke Desires appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

This morning Megan Frampton stopped by the virtual offices to chat about her latest release When Good Earls Go Bad.  Be sure to enter the giveaway, too!

Thanks for the chance to stop by here today! I’m excited about the release of When Good Earls Go Bad, my Victorian Valentine’s Day novella.

The novella’s hero, Matthew, has never done that before (you know what I mean), and so I was thinking about things I had never done before that likely most people have.

1. I have never seen Titanic, ET, or The Sound of Music.

2. I have never worn yoga pants outside.

3. I have never understood the Pythagorean Theorem.

4. I have never driven a stick-shift.

5. I have never played Spin the Bottle

6. I have never successfully made pancakes.

7. I have never seen American Idol.

8. I have never had a job where I had to wear typical office garb.

9. I have never read To Kill a Mockingbird

10. I have never done calculus.

Thanks again for having me today!

When Good Earls Go Bad:

A Victorian Valentine’s Day Novella
Dukes Behaving Badly # 1.5

By: Meghan Frampton

Releasing February 3^rd, 2015

Avon Impulse

Blurb

Megan Frampton’s Dukes Behaving Badly series is back, though this time it’s an earl who’s meeting his match in this delightfully fun and sexy novella!

What’s a lovely young woman doing asleep in his bed? Matthew, Earl of Selkirk, is shocked to discover it’s his new housekeeper! She’s a far cry from the gray-haired woman he expected. Matthew is no fan of surprises, and Annabelle Tyne is pure temptation. Perhaps he shouldn’t have had her hired sight unseen.

Annabelle, co-owner of the Quality Employment Agency, is no housekeeper, but she wasn’t about to lose a potential client simply because there was no one to fit the bill. Imagine her shock when the Earl arrives at his London townhome and she’s awoken in the night by the most attractive man she’s ever seen.

Matthew is a man who lives life by the rules, but sometimes rules are made to be broken…and being bad can be very, very good.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/when-good-earls-go-bad-victorian.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22495005-when-good-earls-go-bad?from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/127805-dukes-behaving-badly

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

Megan Frampton writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and son.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Three Digital Copies of WHEN GOOD EARLS GO BAD)

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Sidney Halston dropped by the virtual offices to share a Top Five.  Check it out, and be sure to enter the giveaway below!

Top Five “Walk Out” Songs for Tony by Sidney Halston

There’s certain songs that you hear and they just pump you full of adrenaline and make you want to kick some serious butt—The Rocky Song, for example.

Tony, the hero in BELOW THE BELT, is loud, arrogant, and boisterous. He’s been winning MMA bouts for the last decade. He’s the typical fighter you see on Pay Per View fights who comes out to loud music while wearing flashy shorts. When we first meet Tony in BELOW THE BELT, I envisioned him jogging into the cage in his first fight in vibrant blue shorts with logos of all his sponsors emblazoned everywhere while the crowd cheered to some misogynistic vulgar rap song or maybe an old rock song such as AC/DC Thunderstruck. Then we see him take a huge blow to his ego. The song and his clothes are examples of who he is and how he lives his life: A little crude and a lot arrogant. So when the final fight happens at the end of the book, he’s really made some big life-changing decisions regarding his career and personal life and, even though he is still the loud and boisterous Cuban fighter that everyone loves to hate, the music and the shorts had to go.

What Tony “walks out” to is really telling of the new Tony. I won’t say which song I actually chose and I know it is really cheesy but it makes sense when you read the book. Or, at least, I hope it does. My husband rolled his eyes big time when he read the scene (but he ‘got it’).

Any who…here are the runner ups for the “walk out” songs for the final fight (in no particular order).

1. Eye of the Tiger or The Rocky Song: Inspirational and classic. Shows that he’s concentrating and matured.

2. Imagine Dragons, Radioactive

3. The Final Countdown by Europe

4. Seven Nation Army by White Stripe. Just because I really love it and because it makes me want to work out. Hee hee

5. Rusty Cage by Johnny Cash.

What are some songs you think about when you think boxing or MMA?

Below the Belt
Worth the Fight # 3

By: Sidney Halston

Releasing February 10^th, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb

In Sidney Halston’s latest sizzling MMA romance, a former title contender turns the tables on his knockout trainer with a lesson in seduction.

Once one of the most sought-after names on the mixed martial arts circuit, Antonio “Scarface” Marino watched his career go down for the count as he chased skirts and made tabloid headlines. Now he’s finally making a comeback, and it’s all thanks to Francesca Silva, a Brazilian bombshell as tough as any of her fighters. But who’s the real Francesca: the trash-talking trainer who rides him hard, or the vulnerable woman who blushes at his touch?

Francesca went to the mat to sign Tony because she believes he still has the potential to bring big success to her gym—if she can keep his head in the cage and out of her personal life. After a short-lived marriage soured her on love, a one-night stand is all she can handle. Now Tony’s kisses are stirring up complicated feelings—especially when he agrees to face her ex in the ring. Francesca’s used to freezing guys out. But Tony’s tempting her to give in to the heat.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/below-belt-worth-fight-3-by-sidney.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22926842-below-the-belt?from_search=true

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Below-Belt-Worth-Fight-Novel-ebook/dp/B00MSRYORI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416696819&sr=8-1&keywords=below+the+belt

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/below-the-belt-sidney-halston/1120679175?ean=9780553390988

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/below-the-belt/id923816322?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/below-the-belt-11

Author Info

Sidney Halston lives her life with one simple rule: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain, or even simpler, “Just Do It” Nike.

And that’s exactly what she did. After working hard as an attorney, Sidney picked up a pen for the first time at thirty years old to begin her dream of writing. Having never written anything other than very exciting legal briefs, she found an outlet for her imaginative romantic side and wrote Seeing Red, among four other novels currently in the works, including the sequel to Seeing Red. That first pen stroke sealed the deal and she fell in love with writing.

Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and reading and reading… She’s a reader first and a writer second.
When she’s not writing or reading her life is complete and utter chaos trying to balance family life with work, and writing (and reading). But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website: http://www.sidneyhalston.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/https:/www.facebook.com/Sidneyhalston

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sidneyhalston

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6916557.Sidney_Halston

Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25.00 Book Seller Gift Card of Winners Choosing & Loveswept Mug)

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I am thrilled to welcome Lindsay McKenna to the virtual offices this morning!  She has a special post to share, as well as an awesome giveaway for you to enter!

Post 6: A Heroine with a Cause

Title: TAKING FIRE by Lindsay McKenna:  A heroine with a cause

One of the hallmarks of my writing, as my loyal readers will agree with, is that I write ‘fresh.’  Well, what does that mean?  It means I’m not writing what everyone else is writing.  I want to write from different slants and perspectives than are normally thought of to write from.  

I wanted to create a heroine who was not a SEAL, but worked in deep black ops.  This is an area that few can write about except those who have been in the military, or who have great military consultants who can give them useful information in defining and creating a character who is in this super secretive area of undercover work.  

My heroine, US Marine Corps Sergeant Khatereh Shinwari, is someone you’ve never read about before.  She’s deep black ops.  Blacker than black, as they say in the trade.  And when the hero, SEAL Michael Tarik meets her, he runs into a black-out on who she is.  And he wants to know her—or else.  So how to find out about a person that your heart is invested in and she’s not talking?  In fact, a deep black ops individual will never tell you anything.  They don’t give you leads and they don’t give you clues, either.

I had a great time creating scenes between these two Type A, competitive military combat people.  Mike is black ops and he’s got a top secret clearance just like every other SEAL does.  Most people think that’s as far as clearances go, but it doesn’t.  Khat Shinwari is so above him on the black ops food chain, that it defies discovery by Mike.  

Part of the fun of creating this book is the ultra-secret status of Khat.  Who IS she?  Why is she operating out in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan alone with no back-up?  No help if she gets in a bad situation?  Mike just can’t understand her or her status.  One thing SEALs are really good at?  Finding out the unknowable.  And you, as the reader, will be with him as he gets serious about finding out who this brave, black ops woman really is.  Why?  Because he is drawn to her and isn’t about to just blow her off.  At the same time?   Khat isn’t telling him a thing about herself.  

So come along and watch how a SEAL operates in some pretty murky, deep black ops water and watch what happens!

Lindsay McKenna Links

Website: http://www.lindsaymckenna.com

Blog:  http://lindsaymckenna.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindsay-McKenna/504139729714132?ref_type=bookmark

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/lindsaymckenna

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LindsayMcKenna

Book trailer:  http://vimeo.com/lindsaymckenna/breakingpoint/

Amazon: amazon.com/author/lindsaymckenna

Instagram:  www.instagram.com  (Lindsay McKenna)

Lindsay McKenna Newsletter:  https://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/subscription?username=lindsay.mckenna

Audible.com:  The complete Wyoming Series (http://www.audible.com/search/ref=a_mn_at_ano_tseft__galileo/183-3253016-9714910?advsearchKeywords=Lindsay+Mckenna&x=0&y=0)

Taking Fire
Shadow Warriors #7

By: Lindsay McKenna

Releasing February 24^th, 2015

HQN Books

Blurb

She dances on the edge of life…and death

Not all are meant to walk in the light. Marine Corps Sergeant Khat Shinwari lives among the shadows of the rocky Afghani hills, a Shadow Warrior by name and by nature. She works alone, undercover and undetected—until a small team of US Navy SEALs are set upon by the Taliban…and Khat is forced to disobey orders to save their lives.

To go rogue.

Now, hidden deep in the hills with injured SEAL Michael Tarik in her care, Khat learns that he’s more than just a soldier. In him, she sees something of herself and of what she could be. Now duty faces off against the raw, overwhelming attraction she has for Mike. And she must decide between the safety of the shadows…and risking everything by stepping into the light.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/11/taking-fire-by-lindsay-mckenna.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22892023-taking-fire?from_search=true

Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

Lindsay McKenna is proud to have served her country in the U.S. Navy as an aerographer’s mate third class—also known as a weather forecaster. She is one of the original founders of the military romance subgenre and loves to combine heart-pounding action with soulful and poignant romance. Her latest book is the romantic suspense Taking Fire.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 Rafflecopter Giveaway ($100.00 VISA Gift Card or Six Book Set of SHADOW WARRIOR Series by Lindsay McKenna)

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Cynthia Sax dropped by the virtual offices to share her Top Five writing distractions.  Be sure to enter the giveaway, too!

Cynthia Sax’s Top Five Writing Distractions by Cynthia Sax

Back when I was juggling a (more than) full time business gig and writing, I once complained to a writing mentor that I didn’t have the time to write.

“Did you watch TV last night?” she asked.

“Only for an hour.” I had to be honest.

“That’s a thousand words you could have written.” She had no sympathy in her voice. “Did you read?”

“A 40 page short,” I admitted.

“That’s another thousand words you could have written.”

“What did you do at lunch?”

“I chatted with co-workers.” I hung my head. “Yeah, I know. That’s another thousand words.”

She drilled me with question after question, revealing enough time for me to have written at least ten thousand words that day. That’s 40 pages, an entire short story I tossed away, claiming I didn’t have time to write.

The lesson was clear. We have time for anything we wish to make a priority. We can write one hundred words in a grocery check out line, five hundred words while waiting for a dentist appointment, three hundred words while sitting on the toilet IF we want this dream enough (and if we don’t, we should think about finding a dream we DO want this much – life is too short to waste on dreams we’re not passionate about). From that day onward, I ALWAYS had a pen and notebook with me.

That doesn’t mean I don’t face distractions. I do, definitely. And here are my top five.

1. Reading

Reading was the reason I first sent my stories to publishers. I speed read, averaging one erotic romance a day, and my book budget is huge. My dear wonderful hubby and I have a policy to make every hobby or love pay for itself.

Now, especially as I can justify reading as ‘research’, there’s the temptation to read all day and not write down any of the stories floating around in my own head. I use reading as a reward. If I get my five thousand fresh words done, I can read a novella.

2. Internet

Facebook, email, blogging, and other internet activities are more distractions I can justify as being business related. It is easy to go on Facebook, chatting with reading and writing buddies and not get any writing done. I receive over 1,000 emails a day from reading buddies, other writers, bloggers, editors, my agent, marketing partners. I could simply reply to emails all day.

My solution is, again, using the internet as a reward. Writing comes first, then emails or Facebook. Luckily, I have some buddies (like Bad Barb – waves at Barb) who will slap my hands if I’m on Facebook and my words aren’t written.

Over the holidays, I took a social media free holiday, two and a half weeks of only the most basic communication, merely checking every three days for must-take-action-now emails from my editors, agent, or marketing partners. Wow. Did it restore my creativity! I was able to throw myself completely into my most recent story with no distractions. I definitely recommend this to any writer!

3. The Dear Wonderful Hubby

My dear wonderful hubby is a salesman. That means he loves to talk and I love listening to him. He makes me laugh. He’s also the basis for many of my heroes.

The issue is… every time he talks to me, he draws me out of the story. It then takes me about a half an hour to get back into the world I’m building.

When he’s working from home, I decrease my target word count and we honor working hours. From nine to noon, he’ll work in another room, behind closed doors. We’ll have an hour lunch together. Then, from one to six, he’ll go back to his makeshift home office.

One additional benefit of this is he sees I treat the writing seriously. It is a (more than) full time job, a job that I love and I’m lucky to do, but this job requires concentration and hard work. My family members already know this as I don’t answer calls during the traditional work day (I write until six o’clock. After six, I switch my focus to marketing and promotion.). I’ll allow the calls to go to voicemail and play them at lunch or after my work day is done.

4. Research

I call research the black hole because it is so easy to dive into a subject, a subject needed for a story I’m writing, and not resurface for weeks. Again, I complete my fresh words first. If I don’t know something, I’ll leave a gap or write XXX. Once my words are completed, I’ll research the subject. I find writing needs a fresh brain but research can be done when my brain is fried.

5. Other Story Ideas

Story ideas are one of the most tricksy of all distractions because we, writers, know how fleeting they are. We have a flash of inspiration and, if we don’t take action, the inspiration is gone.

What I do is quickly sketch out everything I ‘see’. This is usually the premise or the first scene. I then add this idea to my top 100 list. Yes, I maintain a list of my top 100 story ideas. Ideas fall off this list every week. I’ll never be able to write every story I want to write. That’s stressful and thrilling and one of the many reasons I’ll never stop writing.

What are your top writing distractions? How do you deal with them?

Sinful Rewards 7
A Billionaires and Bikers Novella

By: Cynthia Sax

Releasing January 20^th, 2015

Avon Romance

Blurb

Bee Carter has been offered everything she has ever dreamed of—a caring, lasting relationship with a handsome, often charming billionaire; the permanent home she’s never had but has always craved; and wealth to buy the designer fashions she loves, support her hard-working mother, and ensure her acceptance by Chicago’s elite.

To obtain what she’s desired for so long, she has to do only two things: Walk away from her best friend, a woman who is destined to betray her … and end her passionate nightly encounters with a certain tattooed biker, a former Marine who can never give her what she needs.

Her answer should be clear, but the heart has a way of complicating even the most straightforward decisions.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/12/sinful-rewards-7-billionaires-and.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22138427-sinful-rewards-7?from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/136907-sinful-rewards

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

Cynthia Sax lives in a world filled with magic and romance. Although her heroes may not always say, “I love you,” they will do anything for the women they adore. They live passionately. They play hard. They love the same women forever. Cynthia has loved the same wonderful man forever. Her supportive hubby offers himself up to the joys and pains of research while they travel the world together, meeting fascinating people and finding inspiration in exotic places such as Istanbul, Bali, and Chicago.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter| Goodreads

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Sinful Rewards Series Buy Links

Sinful Rewards 1

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11

Sinful Rewards 2

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89HA

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards2-1581413-149.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-2-cynthia-sax/1119919836

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354129

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-2/id814153762

Sinful Rewards 3

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89JS

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards3-1613793-149.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-3-cynthia-sax/1119919837

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354143

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-3/id814148707

Sinful Rewards 4

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards4-1645053-149.html

Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698

Sinful Rewards 5

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-5-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00IMHU7FG

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-5-cynthia-sax/1119919838?ean=9780062354167&isbn=9780062354167

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards5-1663924-237.html

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-5/id828414457?mt=11

Sinful Rewards 6

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00J7Q61WO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416173517&sr=8-1&keywords=sinful+rewards+6

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-6-cynthia-sax/1119919840?ean=9780062354204

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-6/id847609485?mt=11

The post Guest Post and Giveaway: Cynthia Sax, Author of Sinful Rewards 7 appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

Lily Dalton is celebrating the release of Never Surrender to a Scoundrel!  She stopped by the virtual offices to share a guest post, as well as an excerpt from her latest book.  There is also a giveaway you can enter!

Five Things Dominick, the Spy, Doesn’t Leave Home Without by Lily Dalton

1. A silver cheroot case, which contains not only his favorite Burmese cheroots but a small set of specialized tools useful for all manner of circumstances, such as prying open locked boxes filled with secrets, and enabling one to make a fast escape when imprisoned against one’s will.

2. A fashionable cane sword walking stick–which with a flick of his wrist, converts into a deadly dagger.

3. An onyx ring that conceals within its hinged lid, the Secret Service intaglio he uses to certify his clandestine reports before they are delivered to the Home Office.

4. His scars. Concealed by his clothing, they accompany him everywhere, reminders of past missions, and proof of his loyalty to his monarch and country. However, as a spy, he will never discuss the circumstances by which those painful badges of honor were earned.

5. A Rundell, Bridge and Rundell pocket watch, recently given to him by the Prince Regent, in recognition of his heroism and bravery.

About NEVER SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL:

A Reckless Desire . . .

Lady Clarissa Bevington is in trouble. A reckless indiscretion has left her with two choices: ruin her family with the scandal of the Season, or marry Mr. Kincraig, the notorious scoundrel mistaken as her lover. Desperate and disgraced, Clarissa vows to love and cherish a veritable stranger, a man whose eyes smolder with danger-and undeniable desire . . . 

An Unexpected Arrangement

As an agent for the Crown, Lord Donovan Blackmer has spent the last two years guarding Clarissa’s grandfather from an unknown assassin while disguised as the rakehell Kincraig. His mission may now be over, but his duty has just begun. Salvaging his beautiful, impetuous wife’s virtue will cost him his fortune and his position as an officer-but it might save him from the ghosts that haunt his own past. When their marriage “in name only” leads to exquisite seduction, Donovan must risk the only thing he has left to lose . . . his heart.

About Lily Dalton:

Lily Dalton grew up as an Army brat, moving from place to place. Her first stop after relocating was always the local library, where she could hang out with familiar friends: Books! Lily has an English degree from Texas A & M University and after graduation worked as a legal assistant in the fields of accident reconstruction and litigation. She now lives in Houston, Texas, with her family. When she isn’t at work on her next manuscript, she spends her time trying out new recipes, cheering on her favorite Texas football teams and collecting old dishes, vintage linens and other fine “junque” from thrift stores and flea markets.

Lily’s SM:

@LilyDalton

http://www.lilydalton.com

http://facebook.com/LilyDaltonAuthor

Buy Links:

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1u0GMan

BAM – http://bit.ly/1ycV8Za

B&N – http://bit.ly/1ImG8wa

IndieBound – http://bit.ly/1DQU4fi

GooglePlay – http://bit.ly/1xVJiDW

iTunes – http://bit.ly/1y69D2o

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1C0fftP

Excerpt:

He set the nightshirt back on the bed, and spoke over his shoulder.

“I think it’s time you returned to your room.”

He spoke the words without passion. She could only assume he’d had enough talking and wanted her to leave. The night air chilled her skin, and she wrapped her arms around her waist for warmth. She felt rebuffed by him. Stung. Her husband, the man with whom she would spend the rest of her days, did not have the slightest interest in spending a moment more in her company.

She knew she ought to calmly say ‘Very well then, I bid you good night,’ and quit the room, but she feared with a certainty that if she opened her mouth and attempted to utter a single syllable, her voice would falter and reveal the confused tumult of her emotions.

Not because she cared for him. Of course she didn’t. Clearly he did not care for her.

They’d been thrown together, and no amount of wishful thinking or good intentions would create a spark between them, when such a spark was never intended to be. She blinked away tears. Foolish tears! As if he had hurt her, but he hadn’t.

It had just been a long day, and a long night before that, and she’d made a terrible mess of everything, and she hated Quinn. And perhaps still loved him. And she was lonely. So very lonely and frightened of what the future held.

So instead she nodded jerkily, her chin outthrust, and turned on her slippered foot to escape into the dark dressing closet, taking care to close the first and the second door firmly behind her. Miss Randolph reclined in her sleeping gown and robe on the chaise with her book open and steepled across her forehead, snoring, which was just as well because Clarissa could not face the woman’s questions or her pity.

She doused the lamps and, in darkness, with only the scant light from behind the fire grate to see, crawled into bed and lay on unfamiliar sheets, her mind tangled with thoughts of… Mr. Blackmer.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a shadow moved toward her, stealthily and swift, with only the faint white swath across his hips visible in the night. She recognized Blackmer instantly and desire ignited inside her. He crouched above her, breathing hard, his skin still damp and the tight flex of muscles in his shoulders darkly illuminated. The scent of the soap from his bath filled her nostrils. Her pulse raced, her heart near exploding.

“You,” he growled deep in his throat. “Are my preference.”

A second later, he kissed her hard, pressing his thumb against the side of her jaw, commanding her lips to part while his tongue boldly entered and teased. She gasped for breath, stunned into half-senselessness…and surrendered, her mouth opening fully to accept each deep, possessing stroke.

He gave a husky groan. His large hands caught hers by the wrists, pinning her to the mattress. She squirmed beneath him—but with no intent to escape.

Moments before he had dismissed her coldly, and made her feel invisible and unwanted and yet in this moment, he revealed his true feelings, ones he’d tried to conceal. She knew without a doubt that her husband desired her. Something about that made her weak, and—

His mouth moved to her cheek…her neck, leaving her skin hot and awakened wherever his lips touched. Sensations she’d never experienced spiraled up from inside her, delicious and achingly sweet, awakening a need in her body and rendering her unexpectedly wild.

God help her, she didn’t understand, but she wanted him as well. The moment he released her hands she moaned and seized his shoulders, sliding her hands upward over his neck, finding unexpected appreciation in the powerful contraction and flux of his muscles beneath her palms. He exhaled, filling her mouth with his breath, and sucked her bottom lip—

Only to groan and twist away.

No. She reached, her hands trailing over his shoulders and his arms, desperately wanting more. More of his kiss, and his warm, firm skin. And yes, for him to ravish her so she would forget—

Then nothing.

The bed creaked, relieved of his weight. She heard his sharp exhalation of breath–a laugh, perhaps?

“Good night then, Mrs. Blackmer,” he murmured.

Silence filled the room.

“Good night,” she answered breathlessly.

He crossed the room, disappearing into the dressing closet, gone the way he had come. She heard the door close.

After a long moment of silence, Miss Randolph’s voice came from the direction of the chaise. “Well that was rather thrilling.”

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The post Guest Post and Giveaway: Lily Dalton, Author of Never Surrender to a Scoundrel appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

This morning I have an Top 5 from Jessica Lemmon, who is celebrating the release of her latest, Bringing Home the Bad Boy.

Top 5 things you’ll never find in Evan’s bedroom by Jessica Lemmon -

Thank you for having me! I had to think hard about this one, but I believe I came up with five fun answers for you. Here we go…

5: A gun. He’s a lover not a fighter. Okay, unless someone is giving Charlotte a hard time. Then he’s a fighter, but he’s all about the fists.

4: A television. Evan prefers a different kind of entertainment when he’s in bed.

3: Clothes on the floor. Evan is neat…unless Charlotte is there. Then, the clothes go wherever they fall.

2: Painted walls. Evan prefers a blank canvas.

1: A woman other than Charlotte. Evan is fiercely loyal, and he only has eyes for her.

What about you? What is the one thing you won’t ever find in your bedroom? My answer is Henry Cavill. More’s the pity…

About BRINGING HOME THE BAD BOY:

Creativity is his drug, painting is his escape, but she’ll be the addiction that brings him to his knees.

Evan Downey buried a part of his soul when put the love of his life in the ground. He knows he needs to get his shit together for the sake of their son, but escaping into his art is the only way he can begin to cope with Rae’s death. When the chance to move back to Evergreen Cove, one of the few places that has ever felt right to him, he knows it’s a chance he has to take. For his sake, and his sons. Charlotte Harris would give anything to have her best friend back. But if she can’t have Rae, then she vows she’ll at least be there to support the family Rae left behind. So when she learns that Evan is looking to move home, she does everything she can to help him and Lyon re-build their lives at the Cove. But when sparks start to fly between Charlotte and Evan it’s the first glimpse of something bright and beautiful either of them has seen in far too long. And they start to wonder if fate has offered them a second chance at happiness– if only their brave enough to take the risk and let love back into their lives. 

About Jessica Lemmon:

Jessica Lemmon has always been a dreamer. At some point, she decided head-in-the-clouds thinking was childish, went out, and got herself a job . . . and then she got another one because that one was lousy. And when that one stopped being fulfilling, she went out and got another . . . and another. Soon it became apparent she’d only be truly happy doing what she loved. And since “eating potato chips” isn’t a viable career, she opted to become a writer. With fire in her heart, she dusted off a book she’d started years prior, finished it, and submitted it. It may have been the worst book ever, but it didn’t stop her from writing another one. Now she has several books finished, several more started, and even more marinating in her brain (which currently resides in the clouds, thankyouverymuch), and she couldn’t be happier. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. (While eating potato chips.)

Jessica’s SM:

@lemmony

http://jessicalemmon.com

https://www.goodreads.com/jlemmony

http://facebook.com/jessicalemmon

Buy Links:

Amazon – http://amzn.to/14RWHC3

BAM – http://bit.ly/1svdJQG

B&N – http://bit.ly/1AMECzW

IndieBound – http://bit.ly/14X3zO5

GooglePlay – http://bit.ly/1svdVzo

iTunes – http://bit.ly/1u2q3cp

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1CfMGZL

Excerpt:

“Know why I moved here?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

She wrenched her eyes from his and focused on a spot over his shoulder.

“Because you didn’t want to live in Columbus anymore.” That’s what he’d told her. That he wanted a change. That he and Lyon had outgrown the house. And, she imagined it’d be hard to live in the house where Rae had passed.

“But why here?”

“Um…”

His fingers grazed her jaw and turned her head, his palm moving to her neck where he cupped her nape and forced her eyes to his.

Reluctantly, she met them.

“Rae’s more alive when you’re around, Ace.”

Her heart, oh her heart. Kicking against her chest in a confusing, hectic rhythm.

“You bring her to life for Lyon—more than anyone else. I need him to remember her because he can’t remember her alive.” His hold stayed, his palm warming her neck, his gaze unwavering.

She tried to separate the two feelings she was having—one that she was now talking about Rae with Evan and two, that he was touching her while talking about Rae.

Before she could, his lips closed over hers.

Her thoughts short-circuited.

This wasn’t anything like a soft peck hello. This was his lips moving over hers, slanting over hers, warm and firm and then his mouth opened and—

Oh my gosh!

His wet, warm tongue slid along the seam of her lips and she stopped being passive and started kissing him back. When she would have touched her tongue to his, he relocated it, running along her bottom lip instead and tugging with his teeth.

If she’d been standing, her knees would have given out and dropped her right on her butt.

And then there was the palm on her neck, now spearing up through her hair and clutching onto a handful of it. He held her captive, his hand fisting her hair as he angled his mouth again. In response to the soft whimper escaping her throat, he swept his tongue into her mouth. He tangled his tongue with hers once, twice, and released her.

When he pulled his mouth away, a long, satisfied sigh escaped her lips. Because that was a kiss. A kiss to rival all other kisses.

She opened her eyes to realize A) she’d closed her eyes and B) she’d at some point wrapped both hands around his forearms where she was holding tight and C) Evan looked as please as she felt.

“God damn, Ace. Your mouth.” His eyes flicked to her lips. Lips still tingling from the rough scrape from the stubble surrounding his.

She concurred with that sentiment. Not that she said anything. She’d gone dumb; completely mute.

He backed away, but held onto her chin and tweaked it lightly with the rough pad of one thumb. “That’s the way this is gonna go from now on.”

Her breathing went shallow, her thoughts went muzzy and her head blurred as her heart palpated to the point of panic attack.

“Sorry, Rae.”

She didn’t mean to say it, and it had only been a whisper, but by the look twisting Evan’s face—the angry look twisting his face—he’d heard. And he hadn’t liked what he’d heard.

“Sorry,” she said to him this time. “I should go.”

Unbelievably, he leaned closer. She pulled her chin back until she realized she likely had a double chin, then settled her head on her neck in a more reasonable position.

Gosh. He was making her crazy.

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The post Guest Post and Giveaway: Bringing Home the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

This morning, Elle Kennedy stopped by to share her deadline survival list.  Be sure to enter the giveaway below!

Top 5 items in my deadline survival list by Elle Kennedy

I’m pretty sure I’m in deadline hell about 70% of time, which is what happens when you 1) write books in multiple genres and 2) are an over achiever. Because, you know, why not write a book a month? ? Still, since I’m deep in the writing cave more often than not, I’ve come to rely on a few key things to get me through the stress and chaos of deadlines. So here goes, the top 5 items on my deadline survival list, in no particular order…

1. Chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. Seriously, when I’m on a deadline, all I do is stuff chocolate in my mouth. I went through a Kit-Kat phase last year, but now I’m on Oh Henrys and Toblerones (the latter because everyone seems to get me Toblerones for the holidays).

2. The “turn off wi-fi” button on my laptop. Staying off the Internet is a must-do for me when I’m on a deadline. Believe it or not, this is easier than it sounds. Everyone knows I’m already a crappy social media-er, so staying off Twitter and FB is no problem for me. But not checking my email every five seconds? Brutal. Still, when I’m writing, I find that cutting out distractions is the best way to meet my daily word quotas.

3. My calendar. Every time I find myself slowing down or procrastinating, I open up my calendar, which shows all the other deadlines I have coming up. Then I freak out for a moment, because, oh crap, I have a lot of deadlines coming up! After that, I take a breath and remind myself that if I don’t get through this deadline, it’s going to mess up my schedule for the rest of the year, at which point I get my butt into gear and chug forward. I try to focus on one deadline at a time, but sometimes I need to look at the big picture and remember, hey, you don’t have time to slack off, so just keep moving.

4. Lifelines. When I’m stuck on a scene or reach that OMG-this-book-sucks-so-hard phase in my writing process, I need my writing friends, stat. This is when I turn on the Internet and IM a friend, who will usually talk me off the ledge and remind me that I’m doing what I love to do, and that the book does not suck. I honestly don’t think I could survive without the support and encouragement of a few awesome people, who often drop whatever they’re doing to help me out.

5. Doggie daycare. Yup, I’m one of those people. But dudes, I have a very crazy, very energetic Black lab who likes to jump on me when I’m writing. He’s a total attention-whore, and if I’m not paying attention to him every second of every day, he freaks out and makes me pay attention to him. Which means trying to knock my laptop out of my lap, standing there barking at me until I play with him, or causing trouble around the house just to let me know he’s there. So yup, I love my dog to death, but those couple of days of peace and quiet while he’s at daycare equal a lot of productive writing days.

One Night of Sin

Sometimes it’s good to be bad…

When it comes to sex, good girl Skyler Thompson always plays it safe, choosing stable and sedate over wild and thrilling. She doesn’t do one-night-stands, but one look at sinfully sexy Gage Holt and she’s willing to reconsider. He makes her want to be bad for once in her life, and she’s prepared to take what she wants.

Danger follows former MMA fighter Gage Holt like a shadow. Despite his successes as part owner of Sin, an exclusive nightclub in Boston, Gage can’t risk getting involved with a woman, especially one as sweet as Skyler. Still, he can’t resist a taste—and it’s so damn good he has to see her again.

As addicted as he is to her, Gage knows there’s no future for him and Skyler—not with his past lurking in the dark corners of an MMA cage. But Skyler’s tougher than she looks, and she’s ready to fight for her man.

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinEP

One Night of Scandal

The wrong man never felt so right…

Ex-fighter Reed Miller has been secretly lusting over his best friend’s girl for months, but he refuses to jeopardize a friendship over a woman—especially one who doesn’t like him all that much. Now that Darcy’s on the market again, it’s even more imperative to stick to his strict hands-off policy. But the sizzling attraction between them is too powerful to ignore, and once he’s had a taste of her…all bets are off.

Darcy Grant is tired of walking the straight and narrow path. She’s on the hunt for passion, and there’s no denying Reed is just the man to give it to her. Although she has no interest in dating a bad boy, and certainly not her ex’s best friend, it’s impossible not to melt beneath Reed’s skillful touch. Now it’s just a matter of setting a few ground rules—and hoping her rule-breaking, sweet-talking bad boy agrees to follow them. But if she lets Reed into her bed, does she stand a chance of keeping him out of her heart?

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalEP

One Night of Trouble

No More Mr. Nice Guy…

The moment AJ Walsh sees the sexy, tattooed pixie walk up to his bar, it’s lust at first sight. He’s always been labeled the “nice” guy?opening doors, buying flowers, and never, ever having one-night stands. But with this wicked little angel with red lips and unfathomably dark eyes? Oh, yeah. Tonight, “nice” has nothing to do with it…

Brett Conlon is trying to convince her family that she’s put away her reckless wild girl side for good. Nothing?and no one?could be better for her reputation than golden boy AJ Walsh. So they make a deal: if he plays The Good Boyfriend for her family, he can be a very, very bad boy with her. Now their one naughty night is about to turn into a whole lot of trouble…

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleEP

Author:
Elle Kennedy

Author Website:

www.ellekennedy.com

Author Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ElleKennedy

Author Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElleKennedy

Author Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1935000.Elle_Kennedy

Newsletter:

http://eepurl.com/OR9cr

Bio:

A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@ElleKennedy).

Excerpt: One Night of  Scandal

“Darcy, wait. Seriously. Come on, wait up.”

She kept up the brisk pace, ignoring Reed’s increasingly annoyed shouts from behind her. Her heels snapped on the pavement in an angry click-clack as she barreled down the sidewalk. She’d taken five more steps when a heavy hand clapped on her shoulder.

“Must you always be so damn difficult?” His aggravated rumble heated the back of her neck.

Darcy twirled around to face him. “Dude, just go away.”

His lips twitched. “Can I at least apologize first, dude?”

“No.”

He grasped her arm before she could walk away. “What do you mean, no?”

“Should I say it in a different language so you can understand? Fine. Non. Nein. Niet. Nej. Nai. Um—”

“Nai?”

“That’s Japanese,” she said haughtily. “Duh.”

“Do I even want to ask why you can say the word no in so many languages?”

She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “I’m a teacher, Reed. I know things.”

His deep chuckle sent an unexpected—and extremely unwelcome—shiver scurrying through her. Before tonight, she’d never felt anything even close to warmth or awareness toward this man, but somehow her system had shortcircuited, and now she couldn’t stop staring at his mouth. His firm and surprisingly sensual mouth. And all that dark stubble sweeping across his strong jaw… She wanted to run her fingertips over it and feel those bristles scratching her skin.

No, you don’t.

Right. Of course she didn’t.

God, what on earth did the Krib’s bartenders put in their drinks? Those shooters were obviously messing with her head.

Excerpt: One Night of Sin

He rummaged in his pocket for his e-cigarette, lifted his head—and froze.

His blue-eyed angel sat eight feet away. Slender body up on the wooden crate next to the staff door, chestnut-brown hair falling over one shoulder, dress riding up her thighs to reveal long, silky legs.

He sucked in a breath. Lord, she was even more appealing up close. Not beautiful in the Hollywood sense, but intriguingly attractive in a very real way. The enormous blue eyes were her best feature, and her mouth was just pouty enough to conjure up the image of plump lips wrapped around his dick.

Gage cleared his throat. “You shouldn’t be out here.”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, head swiveling and gaze flying to his. She instantly hopped off the crate, smoothing out the front of her dress as a frown creased her lips. “Why not?”

“A pretty girl all alone in an alley at midnight—I don’t think it needs much more explanation than that.” He inhaled a quick drag of the e-cigarette. The mint-flavored vapor was no substitute for a real smoke, and he wasn’t sure why he even bothered with it.

“I just needed some air.” Her voice was huskier than he’d imagined it would be. Sexier. “I’ll go back inside soon.”

Wait—she’d only come outside for air? And her date had been asking about prostitutes in her absence? Wow. Real stand-up guy.

“It’s so crowded in there,” she added.

“Nightclubs usually are,” he said dryly.

“Yeah, I guess they are. I’m not much of a clubber, but Mick wouldn’t take no for an answer. He said I haven’t lived until I’ve gone to Sin.” A sigh slipped out. “It’s our first date…”

Gage waited for her to continue. When she didn’t, he filled in the rest. “And you’re not at all into him.”

“Why do you say that?”

His gaze slid back to hers, slow and purposeful. “Because if you were, you wouldn’t have been eye-fucking me all night.”

Her breath hitched, cheeks growing the most appealing shade of pink.

He had to laugh. “Am I wrong?”

The denial he’d expected didn’t come. “No, you’re not wrong.”

Excerpt: One Night of Trouble

AJ pulled a cell phone from his back pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s eleven fifty-eight. Looks like you’re about to turn into a pumpkin. Did you drive here?”

She shook her head. “I’m calling a taxi.”

“Or…” His eyes gleamed recklessly.

Brett’s throat went dry. “Or?”

“Or I could drive you home.”

Uh-oh.

Big uh-oh.

The awareness that had sizzled between them earlier returned in full force, leaving pinpricks of heat along her bare arms. The air was cool and she’d left her coat inside, but she wasn’t cold. Not by a long shot.

She knew exactly what would happen if she let AJ drive her home. She might have willpower when it came to alcohol, but around this man? With his sandy-blond hair and chiseled features and sparkling green eyes? And that incredible body? And throw in the fact that she hadn’t had sex in six months?

Willpower? Fat chance.

“What do you say, Brett? Do you want a ride?” No missing the way his voice went husky at the word ride.

Oh boy. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

This was not the AJ Walsh she remembered. Back then he’d come off as a gentleman.

Right now there was nothing gentlemanly about him. His expression was downright smoldering, broad body radiating pure sex appeal. If he took her home, she knew it wouldn’t end with her walking up to her apartment alone.

But she still had to make sure she wasn’t misinterpreting that look on his face.

“What are you really asking me?” she said bluntly.

“I’m asking if I can take you home and screw your brains out.”

Her thighs clenched so hard she almost keeled over.

Okay, well, that certainly left nothing to interpretation.

“Judging by your response, I think you like the sound of that.” There was something smugly male in his voice.

Hers was embarrassingly squeaky and as weak as her attempted ignorance. “What response?”

He flashed a knowing smile. “What, you think I can’t tell when a woman is attracted to me?”

Nope, this was not the AJ she remembered. The golden boy was gone, replaced by a primal creature teeming with raw sexual energy. The electricity in the air was liable to burn her alive.

“Y-you…” She swallowed hard. “You don’t seem like the kind of man who does stuff like this. Sleeping with someone you’ve just met…”

“Why do women always take it upon themselves to decide what kind of man I am?”

“Am I wrong?” she challenged.

After a beat, he gave a sheepish grin. “Fine. I haven’t had a lot of one-night stands. But…” His eyes burned. “I have a feeling not going home with you tonight would be the biggest mistake of my life.”

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Katie Rose dropped by the virtual offices to share a guest post. Don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway below!

TOP FIVE THINGS YOU WON’T FIND IN JAKE’S LOCKER by Katie Rose

So Jake Baldwin, the talented shortstop for the New Jersey Sonics, is a bit of a ladies man as well as a local heartthrob. He has a group of fans that follow him everywhere, bikini clad women known as Baldwin’s Beauties. He also has a gorgeous girlfriend, Nikki Case, who owns her own PR firm and knows how to deal with Jake.

And Jake is a guy’s guy. He loves beer, practical jokes, and winning. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, but in spite of his lighthearted approach to life, he is the real deal. He takes care of his girlfriend, his mother, and is mentoring a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks.

So Jake does not have the following things in his locker:

1. Girly Magazines. He used to have a primo collection of Playboy, Hustler, etc. But now that he has Nikki, he has more than enough sex, and his own poster girl.

2. PEDS. Jake has no need for performance enhancing substances of any kind. Enough said.

3. Rosary beads, rabbit’s foot, or a four leaf clover. Some of the players in the National League are superstitious and have religious artifacts, charms, a special glove, or a trophy from a girlfriend to bring them good fortune. Jake has none of this stuff. He doesn’t believe in luck; he believes in work. He does, however, have his own odd collection in his locker: shaving cream, champagne, peanuts, and condoms. These things are for pranks. And if there is one thing Jake is really good at, besides sex, it’s practical jokes.

4. His old jersey. Jake lost number 11 in a bet over Nikki. He has never looked back, and considers himself the winner, not the loser.

5. Flowery cologne. The Sonics used this to prank a player in book 3, IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT. But it wasn’t in his locker. It was in Chases’.

As the leadoff hitter, Jake really is the heart of the team. He gets the momentum going, inspires the players around him, and knows how to take a joke as well as deliver one. He knows that laughter is a way of dealing with stress, making disappointment seem lighter, and helping the players put a loss in perspective. But he is also a man they can count on. He exemplifies everything good about the Sonics: the team spirit, the sense of joy, dedication and hard work.

And as far as his locker goes, he loses it completely in book 3. And since it is Jake we are talking about, he doesn’t look back. After all, he now has Nikki.

Too Hot to Handle
The Boys of Summer # 2

By: Katie Rose

Releasing January 27^th, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb

Katie Rose’s Boys of Summer series returns for a delicious double-header—with the story of total opposites who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame.

Nikki Case is no fan of baseball. Her ex gambled away a fortune on the sport, and now her PR firm has tasked her with cleaning up the league’s most notorious bad boys. The New Jersey Sonics are known for wild womanizing and booze-fueled brawls, so Nikki expects the worst. Her first stop in the battle to win hearts and minds is star hitter Jake Baldwin—a legendary ladies man so smokin’ he threatens to melt her tough-girl armor.

Although his teammates prank her without mercy, Jake admires the way Nikki gives as good as she gets. She may be the queen of frost, but there’s kindling beneath those sultry curves—and he’s just the man to ignite it. But when a PR nightmare lands the Sonics in headlines across the country, Nikki is ready to walk. Only then does Jake realize how important she is to the Sonics’ success—and that winning the love of a good woman is no game.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/11/too-hot-to-handlethe-boys-of-summer-2.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22551564-too-hot-to-handle

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/126154-the-boys-of-summer

NOTE**If you use the Pre-Set up links, you don’t have to also use the link URL’s as well, they are Pre-Linked**

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Too-Hot-Handle-Summer-Novel-ebook/dp/B00KUQGRBU/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418316743&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=too+hot+to+handle+y+katie+rose

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/too-hot-to-handle-katie-rose/1120641382?ean=9780553390483

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/too-hot-to-handle/id887129411?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/too-hot-to-handle-the-boys-of-summer-series

Author Info

Award-winning historical author Katie Rose makes her contemporary debut with the Boys of Summer novels, Bring on the Heat and Too Hot to Handle, which combine Katie’s true loves: baseball and romance! When not watching baseball, Katie is at her lake house in New Jersey, hard at work on her next book.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter |Goodreads

Website: http://www.colleenquinn.net/katierose.php

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historicalromanceauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCQuinn

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/399542.Katie_Rose

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Rebecca York dropped by this morning to share a guest post.  There’s also a giveaway for you to enter, so be sure to fill out the widget below!

5 Reasons That Private Investigators Make Great Heroes by Rebecca York

As unlikely as it sounds, the heroes of my Rockfort Security romantic suspense series—Jack Brandt, Shane Gallagher and Max Lyon—met in a Miami holding cell, after they were swept up in a drug raid at a nightclub. There they banded together to keep order among a bunch of drunks and druggies. And after they made bail, they went out for beers. During the night, they’d recognized each other’s strengths and decided to form the Rockfort Security Agency. Jack is a former Navy Seal. Shane was an Army MP. And Max Lyon is a former Baltimore City Police Detective. They each brought their special skills to the detective agency located in Rockville, Maryland, outside Washington, DC. (Hence the Rockfort name.)

When they first formed the agency, these tough alpha males were all at loose ends and looking for an anchor. They found it in Rockfort, where they could pool their resources and talents.

Looking at the Rockfort men, it’s easy to see why these private investigators make great romance heroes.

1. These are the guys you want to have at your back when you get into a tough situation. They have the skills and the courage to take on any threat.

2. They’re all complicated men, wounded by life, which initially makes them wary of relationships. It takes a strong woman to connect with them, but once she gets past that protective wall, she finds out the effort was majorly worth it.

3. Each of these men is an excellent lover, sensitive to his partner’s needs.

4. Each of them has a strong streak of personal loyalty. If you’re their friend—or their woman—you know you can count on them.

5. And they each have a good sense of humor—which they use liberally when they’re in a tight spot.

You can read about the last of the Rockfort man’s romance in PRIVATE AFFAIR, available now.

Book Information

Title: Private Affair

Author: Rebecca York

Release Date: January 6, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Summary

Model Olivia Winters comes home to escape her job in New York City, and finds herself compelled to investigate the suspicious suicide of a former high school classmate. She enlists the help of private investigator Max Lyon, an ex-detective from a troubled family. Posing as husband and wife, the pair uncovers a grisly trail of murder, and the danger propels them into each other’s arms.
With a murderer on the loose, Max and Olivia realize they’re in too deep, too late. They’re getting close to the truth—and to each other’s secrets.

Buy Links

Amazon – http://amzn.to/125XJbM

Barnes and Noble – http://bit.ly/1wEZf1I

iBooks – http://bit.ly/1tZxiuA

Author Biography

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rebecca York’s writing has been compared to that of Dick Francis, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Maggie Shayne. Her award-winning books have been translated into twenty-two languages and optioned for film. A recipient of the RWA Centennial Award, she lives in Maryland near Washington, DC, which is often the setting of her romantic suspense novels.

Social Networking Links:

Website: http://rebeccayork.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8110.Rebecca_York

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebecca-York/122426234846

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaYork43

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Miranda Neville dropped by the virtual offices to share a special guest post.  Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a copy of her book, too!

Top 5 complaints from Julian’s household staff)

Before Julian Fortescue unexpectedly inherited the title of Duke of Denford, he had a single manservant who doesn’t appear in any of my books but whose name is Cumberbatch. (And if you wonder why I just picked that name you are right.) Once he came into both title and money he had to hire a lot more staff for Fortescue House in London and they aren’t all happy.

Monsieur Albert, the French chef

Oo la la dites donc, Monsieur le duc does not appreciate the genius of Albert. The keetchen she is filthy like a peeg sty and the other servants are idiots.

Note: Monsieur Albert quickly departs after a brief appearance in The Duke of Dark Desires. The kitchen becomes more hygienic.

Fortescue Blackett, secretary

As the younger son of a younger son of a duke’s daughter, I needed a job and the new duke needed a secretary. His Grace makes me a little nervous. For a start he’s about a foot taller than me and I never know if means what he says. He shows no interest in making speeches in the House of Lords but that’s probably just as well: he might expect me to write them. He also shows an inappropriate level of interest in the governess but it wouldn’t be proper for me to comment.

Jemmy, stable lad

‘is Grace give me sixpence for holding ‘is ‘orse one time. You’ll get no complaints out o’ me.

Francis Hillthorpe, keeper of the Denford muniments

The new duke says the family portraits are all the work of third rate artists. It’s true that the second duke overspent on gold leaf for the state rooms and couldn’t afford Van Dyck’s fees. Nevertheless he looks perfectly distinguished and I barely notice that one arm is longer than the other. As for Her Grace, anyone could miscount the number of chins possessed by a noble lady. I’m sure the new duke will eventually come to appreciate the illustrious history of his line and restore the 2^nd Duke and Duchess to positions of prominence.

Nurse Bride

Master Julian was always the sweetest …. snore.

The Duke of Dark Desires
The Wild Quartet # 4

By: Miranda Neville

Releasing December 30^th, 2014

Avon

Blurb

Wanted: Governess able to keep all hours…

Rebellious Julian Fortescue never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor to find himself guardian to three young half-sisters. Now in the market for a governess, he lays eyes on Jane Grey and knows immediately she is qualified-to become his mistress. Yet the alluring woman appears impervious to him. Somehow Julian must find a way to make her succumb to temptation … without losing his heart and revealing the haunting mistakes of his past.

Desired: Duke skilled in the seductive art of conversation…

Lady Jeanne de Falleron didn’t seek a position as a governess simply to fall into bed with the Duke of Denford. Under the alias of Jane Grey, she must learn which of the duke’s relatives is responsible for the death of her family-and take her revenge. She certainly can’t afford the distraction of her darkly irresistible employer, or the smoldering desire he ignites within her.

But as Jane discovers more clues about the villain she seeks, she’s faced with a possibility more disturbing than her growing feelings for Julian: What will she do if the man she loves is also the man she’s sworn to kill?

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/10/the-duke-of-dark-desires-wild-quartet-4.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21857130-the-duke-of-dark-desires?from_search=true

Buy Links Amazon | Barnes | iBooks | Kobo

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Duke-Dark-Desires-Miranda-Neville/dp/0062243349/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412955277&sr=8-1&keywords=9780062243348

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-duke-of-dark-desires-miranda-neville/1119128258?ean=9780062243348&itm=1&usri=9780062243348

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/the-duke-of-dark-desires/id857945298?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-duke-of-dark-desires

Author Info

MIRANDA NEVILLE grew up in England before moving to New York City to work in Sotheby’s rare books department. After many years as a journalist and editor, she decided writing fiction was more fun. She lives in Vermont. She loves hearing from readers and may be reached through her website.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website: http://www.mirandaneville.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MirandaNevilleAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/miranda_neville
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2740425.Miranda_Neville

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[Manga Maniac Cafe] Good morning, Brody! Describe yourself in five words or less.

[Brody Quaid] Big, smartass, college student.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share a typical day in your life?

[Brody Quaid] Classes, lacrosse practice, Lety time. She doesn’t know it, but she’s going to fall for me.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words come to mind when you think of Lety?

[Brody Quaid] Beautiful, stubborn?she calls it “strong willed”?did I mention stubborn?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s her most appealing quality?

[Brody Quaid] Her heart. *laughs* But she’ll tell you the first thing I noticed was her ass.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What just drives you nuts about her?

[Brody Quaid] Besides her “strong will”? She doesn’t let me take care of her, even though she sometimes needs to be taken care of.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could change one thing you’ve done in your life, what would it be?

[Brody Quaid] To step up as a man when it really mattered.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s one thing you won’t leave home without?

[Brody Quaid] My phone.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share your dreams for the future in five words or less.

[Brody Quaid] Advanced robotics. Lety beside me.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

[Brody Quaid] Thanks, kid. Great being here!

Once Loved

Shattered Past # 2

By: Cecy Robson

Releasing Jan 20^th, 2015

Loveswept: Flirt

Blurb

He’s the campus golden boy. She’s picking up the pieces of her broken past. But in Cecy Robson’s scorching novel of second chances—perfect for readers of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—their differences only make their connection more explosive.

Every memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/11/once-loved-shattered-past-2-by-cecy.html

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22890017-once-loved

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Once-Loved-Shattered-Past-Book-ebook/dp/B00M60RM0S/ref=asap_B00ATRD6B4_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415027415&sr=1-8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-loved-cecy-robson/1120019673?ean=9780553393712

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/once-loved/id903732052?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/once-loved

Author Info

CECY ROBSON is the New Adult and Contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, and the award winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song, despite her family’s vehement protests. A full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Author Links: Facebook | Twitter | Website | TSU | Google+

Website: http://www.cecyrobson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cecy.Robson.Author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cecyrobson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6177334.Cecy_Robson

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+CecyRobsonAuthor

TSU: https://www.tsu.co/CecyRobsonAuthor

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Please welcome Julia London to the virtual offices!  She has  a guest post to share, and be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below!

Top 5 things Chelsea never leaves home without by Julia London

Thanks for having me today! Chelsea is an organized girl. She never leaves home without:

1. Her cell phone. It has her kindle app on it, as well as the New York Post, transit system alerts, and all her social media.

2. Her battered sneakers she uses to walk from the subway to her office

3. Lipstick. She may not manage any other make up that day, but she always has lipstick

4. Money tucked into a pocket in her purse and a rolled-up pair of Hanky Panky thongs. You never know when you’ll be hit by a bus.

5. Work. She takes it home with her each night and brings it back the next morning.

One Mad Night Anthology

By Julia London

January 6, 2015

Sourcebooks Casablanca

$5.99/£4.99

Two Romantic Adventures…One Mad Night

Two delightful contemporary romance novellas in one book from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia London.

One winter’s night a blizzard sweeps across the country, demonstrating that fate can change the course of lives in an instant…and fate has got a sense of humor.

One Mad Night

Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are high profile ad execs in cutthroat competition for a client. When a major winter storm puts New York City on lockdown, the two rivals have to make it through the night together—oh, the many ways in which opposites attract…

The Bridesmaid – Bonus Novella

RITA Award Nominee for Best Romance Novella of 2013

Kate Preston has just moved to New York. Joe Firretti is contemplating a move to Seattle. When the weather wreaks havoc with transportation systems, Kate and Joe meet as they are both trying to rent the last car available… As Kate races to make her best friend’s wedding, and Joe races to a life-altering job interview, it looks like together is the only way they’ll make it at all.

Praise for Julia London:

“London knows how to keep pages turning…winningly fresh and funny.” —Publishers Weekly, on RITA Award nominee The Bridesmaid

Amazon | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound

About the Author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Homecoming Ranch contemporary series, the Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series, and numerous other works. She is a four-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Connect with Julia London:

www.julialondon.com | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt from One Mad Night by Julia London

It took a moment for Chelsea to notice him, which gave Ian a moment to admire her. He was going to crush her tomorrow, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating a figure that guys like him dreamed about. Chelsea was wearing a skirt today. It hit about mid-thigh and was tight enough to show off all her curves. She looked a bit taller today too. He glanced at her feet and noticed the shoes. Chelsea was walking on stilts, and her legs, good God, her legs. She was smoking hot in that dress and those shoes.

“Hey!” she said sharply, her voice full of accusation.

Ian’s head snapped up. “Hey,” he said con-genially. “Practicing your pitch?” He settled one hip onto the conference table.

“Do you mind?” She gestured to the door in a be-­off-­with-­you way.

“If you want, I could listen and give you some feedback.”

Chelsea’s mouth dropped open. And then her green eyes narrowed into little slits. “You have got to be the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”

Ian smiled and shrugged.

“You can go, Ian,” she said, marching around the conference table to usher him out. “I think I’ve got it.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I will.”

“So hostile,” he said with a wink as he stood up. “I’m just trying to help. It never hurts for someone to hear the pitch, right? You’ve had someone listen to you go through it, right?”

“Yes, I’ve had—­Hey, hey,” she said, poking him in the chest. “Are you trying to play me?” she demanded. “Because it won’t work. I’m not some junior account person, you know. You can’t intimidate me.”

“Well, obviously,” Ian said and poked her back. “You wouldn’t be pitching at all if you were a junior account person. I know I can’t intimidate you. It wasn’t a declaration of war, you know; it was an offer to help.”

“It wasn’t a let-­me-­help, best-­friends-­forever offer, either. I’m not playing games with you. This account means a lot to me—­”

“Me too.”

“Oh yeah?” she said, shifting closer. “Well, don’t get too attached to the idea. I’ve got seniority, you know.”

“So why are you so afraid to show me what you’ve got?”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

“On the eve of the championship, it’s okay to go out and shoot some hoops with your competitor. It’s not going to affect tomorrow’s big game. It’s not like I can go out and change weeks of work overnight if I see you’ve got something better.”

She laughed. “Good try, Rafferty, but I think maybe the reason you want to see my pitch is because you’re worried about the strength of your pitch. Is it a little rough? Maybe I should listen to you.” She winked, and her green eyes shone with pleasure at her comeback.

“I’m definitely not worried about my pitch.”

“No? Seems to me if you’re presenting three,” she said, holding up three fingers and wiggling them at him, “then you must be uncertain which one is the winner.” Her smile broadened into sheer triumph, as if she thought she’d really zinged him.

She hadn’t zinged him, but Ian did wonder how she knew what he had…Zach. Of course. That rat bastard. “Have you been talking to Zimmerman?” he asked accusingly.

She shrugged and studied her manicure. “Maybe. Does it matter? I thought we were doing the let’s-­help-­each-­other thing. But if we’re not, would you mind toddling off? I have a lot of work I need to do before tomorrow. I plan to hit the ground running with this account on Monday.”

She was amazingly and annoyingly confident. Ian was generally a confident guy, but she was making him a teensy bit nervous. “You really think you’re going to get this, don’t you?”

“I don’t think, I know,” she said, looking up.

He tilted his head to one side to study her. “Isn’t it obvious to you why they brought me in?”

“I don’t know—­I haven’t given it the slightest bit of thought.” She lifted her chin, and Ian realized she lied about as well as she engaged in verbal volleyball. “I’ve been promised that this account is as good as mine. Didn’t they tell you that when they brought you in?”

A bit more of Ian’s confidence leaked out of him. He’d been in New York advertising long enough to know that the industry was full of snakes. He wouldn’t put it past anyone to feed him a bunch of half-­baked promises to get him to commit. “Who told you?”

She grinned. “None of your beeswax.”

“Come on, tell me—­” His phone rang, distracting him momentarily. He fished it out of his pocket and noticed the number was the Grabber-­Paulson main number. That was weird. “Listen, I’ll just say this,” he said, clicking off the phone. “Don’t be so sure of things. People say things they don’t mean, especially in this industry.” He started for the door.

“Uh-­huh, I know. And I would offer you the same advice, Mr. Rafferty,” she said in a singsong voice, and she flashed a dazzling smile, full of straight white teeth.

“Cocky too. I like that about you,” he said. “I’ll keep it in mind when I make partner.” He winked at her, smiled as if he was completely unbothered, and went out of the conference room.

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Happy 2015!

Doing “best of” lists seems to be all the rage these days so I thought, “Why should JIAB be any different?” We created some amazing bookjumps and book reviews on this site in 2014, had some awesome guest posts and shared a plethora of exciting news as well. Here are some of the highlight.

Top Blog Post and Booklists:

I’ve always thought the best way to teach my kids to be kind is to be kind myself. While that’s a really good start, I can’t be with them all day long and life is filled with opportunities to be both kind and unkind. This got me thinking, what books are out there that teach kindness?

Here’s a look at what I found.

The Kindness Booklist for Kids

To honor and celebrating the first ever cross country mail delivery and a bit of American itself, I created a booklist that takes a look at the Pony Express.

Stargazing & Astronomy Booklist for the whole family.

Love and respect the rainforest? We do too. Here is our Rainforest Booklist roundup in honor of World Rainforest Week (Oct 12th – Oct 18th)

We had a ton of fun with some “snow fun” as well in December. Here’s a recap of JIAB’s Snow Festival:

Snow Festival Day 2:

Snow by Uri Shulevitz

This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.
Plus: Homemade Snow Cream

Snow Festival Day 3:
Story of the Snow Children

Who couldn’t love Poppy in her little red hat going to a winter’s feast?
Plus: Make a Message Crown

 

Snow Festival Day 4:
The Story of Snow (and some Affirmation Snowflakes!)

The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino celebrates the magic of snow through science, math, language arts, music, and visual art activities.
Plus: Paper Snowflakes and Snow Storm in a Jar.

Snow Festival Day-5 Snowflake Bentley and Creating your own Snowflake Exhibit!

Snow Festival Day 6--A Snow Booklist.

Amazing Guests

During the summer months we had some A-List blogger stop by during our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza. Here are a few of our favorites:

A Chair for My Mother Book Review & Activity {Guest Post from Vicki Arnold}

A Peek into Thailand {Guest Post from Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books}

Discovering The Cree Culture in America-Wild Berries by Julia Flett Review & Activity! (Guest Post from Felicia at Stanley and Katrina)

Cooking with Books: Lucky Birthday Noodles {Guest Post by Jodie from Growing Book by Book}

Read A Book, Travel The World & Make A Wish {Guest Post from Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri}

Kid Writing and Biographies: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson {Guest Post from The Unconventional Librarian}

Events and News

As everyone may know, I am one of the co-founders of Multicultural Children’s Book Day and our second (upcoming event) has gotten larger and more vibrant than we could have every dreamed! Even though our second event hasn’t occurred yet (1/27/15), our victories in regard to this important initiative still remain some of the top highlights of 2014 for me:

NEWS! Multicultural Children’s Book has is getting BIGGER and gaining momentum more and and more every day! With 9 CoHosts, 17 super Sponsors, over 125 bloggers, and countless authors and publishers donating multicultural children’s books, this wonderful event promises to be bigger and better than ever. Our ultimate goal is to shine the spotlight on multicultural children’s books and offer up resources for parents, caregivers, teachers and librarians to continue to help kids “see themselves” in the pages of a book.You can view our Author Blogroll Sponsor Page HERE, our Virtual Book Drive (through First Book) page HERE and please watch for (and re-tweet!) our event hashtag #ReadYourWorld.)

And…I had a baby! OK. not really. But it kind of felt like it when I “birthed” my newest book with the super creative (and always funny) Marilyn Scott-Waters. Audrey’s Press’ (my publishing house) newest book is A Year in the Secret Garden and I couldn’t be more proud of not only how beautiful it turned out, but how wonderfully book buyers have responded to this book that is inspired by the classic children’s take The Secret Garden.

MCCBD Co-Founder Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom and myself are super excited to announce that, on February 14th 2015, we will be a co-host for International Book Giving Day! As we get closer to the event I’ll fill in the details.

I know I’ve missed of bunch of things and this list could go on FOREVER. 2014 was an amazing year for me and my team at Jump Into a Book and as always, I want to say “THANK YOU” from the bottom of my heart for your support and readership.

Here’s to an even more exciting 2015!

The post The “Best of ” Jump Into a Book’s Booklists (& More) for 2014! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Kristi Charish dropped by the virtual offices to share Owl’s character sheet.  She’s also excited to let everyone know that she has another series of  (UF, Kincaid Strange, 3 books) that was just picked up by Anne Collins at Random House Canada (Kelley Armstrong’s editor), so be on the look out for that!

Owl Character Sheet

It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of video games, particularly the RPG genre (I’ve now clocked almost 150 hours on Dragon Age Inquisition). So is the lead protagonist, Alix Hiboux, in my debut series, Owl and the Japanese Circus. As an ode to video games I’ve included Owl’s Character Sheet below. Enjoy!

Name: Alix Hiboux (Aka: Owl)

Class: Rogue. (Whatever you do, don’t call her a thief…at least not to her face.)

Profession: Antiquities ‘procurer’ for hire (see above for use of the word thief in characters vicinity)

Animal Companion: Captain, one (slightly) overweight Mau. Known for chewing his way out of cat carriers, helping himself to supposedly sealed bags of kibble, attacking vampires on sight, blatantly ignoring commands such as ‘Stop’, ‘Get back here’, and ‘Hey! Drop my lunch!’

Skills: ‘Removing’ and ‘re-appropriating’ items from high security facilities, disarming ancient booby traps, (not to mention finding said ancient booby traps), outwitting vampires, flying under the digital radar, and navigating ancient tombs and ruins. Expert at the MMORPG World Quest.

Knowledge: Ancient history and cultures, archaeology/anthropology, supernatural creatures, antiquities.

Game Statistics

Strength: 10 (average). Hours spent playing video games are tempered with rock climbing, crawling through tombs, and running from the International Archaeology Association (IAA) and a pack of vampires.

Dexterity: Natural 20 (epic). Ah, dexterity, the statistical advantage most sought after by the rogue class in RPGs everywhere. Dexterity allows the rogue to effortlessly avoid attacks and maneuver their way through shadows unseen. Why does Owl score a natural 20 you might ask? The fact that Owl manages to stay alive with her often clumsy and utterly ungraceful disposition makes her dexterity an epic accomplishment. Whether it be ancient booby traps, supernatural predators, or the International Archaeology Association (IAA) Alix is a master at evading them all.

Constitution: 15 (above average). Owl has a penchant for junk food (the usual suspects: chips, cheesy twists, and pop), beer (preferably Corona), and MMORPG video game marathon’s. Regardless, whether it’s the occasional drinking binge with Nadya or a weekend long online gaming session in World Quest, Owl’s above average constitution pulls her through. “Dogged Determination’ adds bonuses to this stat.

Intelligence: 18 (exceptional). Second only to her dexterity, Owl’s intelligence is responsible for keeping her out of trouble. An expert in archaeology and (reluctantly) in the supernatural, Owl can maneuver her way around a dig site with the best of them. Works best under pressure and on her feet. Also possesses an uncanny litany of World Quest trivia.

Wisdom: 8 (below average). I’m not going to lie, intelligence doesn’t always go hand in hand with wisdom. Owl might be smart and resourceful but she’s sorely challenged in the decision making department. More likely to rush brashly into a situation than critically analyze potential outcomes, often with disastrous results. Owl’s choices are fueled by her emotions and her impatient nature.

Charisma: 9 (somewhat below average). Some people are so beautiful no one will ever notice they’re personalities leave them irritating to the core…like a pearl to the oyster. Not Owl. Alix’s hit to charisma comes from an unabashed vocabulary choice and completely unfiltered brain to mouth dump. Play nice? Catch more flies with honey? Ha! Alix played nice and by the rules and look where it got her. Kicked out of archaeology with every bridge burned spectacularly in it’s wake. In Owl’s mind, playing nice is a one-way trip to ruin. She speaks her mind, whether or not you approve.

Special bonus: Like the mythological dwarves in D&D, Owl gets a combat bonus from beer. Unfortunately, this is also accompanied by a significant wisdom penalty, and let’s face it, Owl’s wisdom can’t take much of a penalty.

Kristi Charish

Kristi is the author of a forthcoming urban fantasy series OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS (Jan 13^th, 2015, Simon and Schuster Canada/Pocket Books), about a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world. She writes what she loves; adventure heavy stories featuring strong, savvy female protagonists, pop culture, and the occasional RPG fantasy game thrown in the mix. The second installment, OWL AND THE CITY OF ANGELS, is scheduled for release Jan 2016.

Kristi is also a scientist with a BSc and MSc from Simon Fraser University in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Her specialties are genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology, all of which she draws upon in her writing. She is represented by Carolyn Forde at Westwood Creative Artists.

Click on the cover to purchase Owl and the Japanese Circus from Amazon.  A digital copy is only $1.99!  Release date is January 13, 2015

Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.

Ex-archaeology grad student turned international antiquities thief, Alix—better known now as Owl—has one rule. No supernatural jobs. Ever. Until she crosses paths with Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon who owns and runs the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas. He insists Owl retrieve an artifact stolen three thousand years ago, and makes her an offer she can’t refuse: he’ll get rid of a pack of vampires that want her dead. A dragon is about the only entity on the planet that can deliver on Owl’s vampire problem – and let’s face it, dragons are known to eat the odd thief.

Owl retraces the steps of Mr. Kurosawa’s ancient thief from Japan to Bali with the help of her best friend, Nadya, and an attractive mercenary. As it turns out though, finding the scroll is the least of her worries. When she figures out one of Mr. Kurosawa’s trusted advisors is orchestrating a plan to use a weapon powerful enough to wipe out a city, things go to hell in a hand basket fast…and Owl has to pick sides.

The post Guest Post: Kristi Charish, Author of Owl and the Japanese Circus appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.