Monday, May 30, 2016

TINA GAYLE'S #Romanticidea AND INTERVIEW

Tina Gayle is my special guest today. She conceived the idea of the #Romanticidea blog trade in which several authors are participating. It’s only fitting that Tina should be my first #Romancticidea guest.

Please tell us about growing up. Siblings? Locale?

I grew up in the great state of Texas and have three sisters. We lived in a small town near Houston. I loved being outside and playing games. Strangely, I also love school, which my children tell me is just strange. I think it was because I liked to get away from home and meeting new people, which is still true today. I love going places and discovering new stories about the people I meet.

So do I love to travel and discover new stories. Tina. Were you the shy kid or the tomboy? Married, single? Children?

I wasn’t very outgoing as a child, kinda shy. But as the years went by I decided to work harder at pushing myself forward. I’ve been married almost 30 years and have two wonderful boys. A great job is being a mom. A better job is being a grandmother. Though I haven’t had the pleasure yet, I’m looking forward to someday having grandchildren.

Being a mom was one of my two favorite jobs—the other is being my Hero’s wife. Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

Love romance. I started reading it when I was in my teens and have been hooked ever since. I read and enjoyed so my authors. It’s hard to name just one.

Very tactful answer. When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?

I enjoy planting flowers and watching them bloom, but I’m not always good at keeping them alive. I also enjoy reading but don’t always find the time I’d like to do it.

I may have terminal black thumb but I love have flowers in bloom. How long have you been writing?

I started my first book in 2000. So I guess I’m going on 16 years.

Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

I like it to be quiet with just me and my laptop.

I like classical music or quiet. Are you a plotter or a panzer?
 
Can I be both? I start out as a panzer, then around the 3rd chapter, I work out the plot. So I guess I’m a combination of both.

Yes, you can be both. I suspect most of us are what’s known as a Plotzer, a combination of plotter and panzer. Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?

I tend to do a little of both. I research first for interesting information about the area or the idea then while I’m writing I check for additional information.

Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

I try to look at writing as a job, which I do every day during the week. I usually come up with a schedule for the year. Plan out the time period each will take and adjust as the year goes by.

You’re more organized than I am, but I also write every day and schedule which books I’ll do for the year. Do you write full time or do you have a day job. If you have a day job, what is it?

I’m lucky in that right now I don’t have a job outside of writing.

Isn’t being a writer the greatest job ever? Tell us something about yourself that might surprise readers.

I’m not a girly, girly. I don’t usually wear makeup or dress up. I get up put on a t-shirt and jeans and get to work. No shoes and a cup of coffee, I sit down and work. The joys of working from home.

Right, I love working at home. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

Joy. Each of us struggles with the challenges of life. I hope my books bring a sense of hope that they can be anything they want to be.

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Follow your passion, but if it doesn’t work out don’t let it get you down. It’s about what makes you happy.


TINA GAYLE’S #RomanticIdea:
Young or old, we all enjoy a night out.
Instead of going to the same old place, try some place new. Maybe a place with music for dancing or a winery for a tasting.
There are all sorts of new things to try. Do it with your lover and make a new memory.

Blurb for CFO’s AFFAIR:
Sylvia Donovan is emotionally wounded from the unexpected death of her husband and still haunted by their last conversation: his request for a divorce and his confession of love for another woman.  Her husband gone, her only daughter off to college, Sylvia faces the challenges of learning to live alone and move on with her life.
Vince Wilshire, enchanted with Sylvia, is more than willing to do what it takes to capture the heart of the hurting and untrusting Sylvia.
Can he help her forget the past and make her believe in love again?


Excerpt for CFO’s AFFAIR:
          A knock sounded on the window beside her and she jumped. Her head swiveled around and she stared at the man looking at her through the window.
          Vince Wilshire's handsome face could make any woman melt with desire. With it so close to hers—the glass being the only thing separating them—a rush of adrenaline swept into her system. She leaned sideways in her seat and knocked her hand against the steering wheel. The horn beeped and she muttered, "Damn it, Knox, why did you..."
          The sound of his laughter sent anger flooding through her, the muscles in her arms tightening with the need to strike out. She lowered the phone and clicked the disconnect button in retaliation to his attempt to manipulate her.
          Vince opened the driver's side door and cold air rushed into the car. "Hey, beautiful, are you heading inside?"
          "What is this? Are you guys ganging up on me?" Sylvia ignored the man beside her and glanced in the rear view mirror, checking to make sure her tears hadn't caused any lasting effect.
          A warm hand landed on her shoulder and Vince toyed with her hair. "Not at all, I like the idea of entering the building with a gorgeous woman on my arm."
          "Right," she protested and stuffed her phone into her purse before turning to stare into his bedroom-brown eyes. The spark in their depths had her reevaluating her impression of the man. Yes, he had the face and body to rival every other Casanova in the world, but he also had a sense of humor. That alone sent a shiver of awareness through her.
          She fought the desire gathering in her stomach and waved her hand at him so he'd move out of the way, letting her exit the car. "Did Knox make you wait out here in the parking lot to make sure I would come inside?"
          Vince grinned and held her door open while she stepped onto the asphalt. His gaze fell to her legs.
          She stared at her new, high-heel, red pumps and silently prayed she wouldn't land face first in the dirt when she tried to walk across the pitted parking lot in them.
          A low whistled sounded beside her. "Man, are you ever hot."
          She ignored the comment and didn't turn until she heard the car door slamming closed. "And there's not a woman you've ever met you haven't wanted."

Read 1st chapter at http://www.tinagayle.net/CFO'sAffairChpt.htmlhttp://www.tinagayle.net/CFO'sAffairChpt.html


Tina Gayle, Author

Tina Gayle grew up a dreamer and loved to escape into the world of books.
After years of working in the business world doing a variety of jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing. Her books touch the heart and show the true joy of being a woman.

Read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website.

Find Tina Gayle everywhere:
Home - www.tinagayle.net
Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Tina-Gayle/e/B002BM9GR8
Google + - https://plus.google.com
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759




Friday, May 27, 2016

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH IS ON SALE!



Diamond in the Rough
by Lori L. Robinett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Western)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Blurb:

Ranch hand Aidan Brackston has built a new life at the Diamond J, and he keeps women at arm’s length to protect his secret . . . until he walks into the local scrapbook store on an errand for his boss. When he accidentally knocks Gina on her ass, she respond with a slap . . . and the fireworks begin.

Single mom Gina Montgomery has her hands full running a business and taking care of her little boy. The last thing she needs is a man in her life, but when a tall, dark and sexy cowboy strides into her store, she’s reminded that she’s still a young woman with hopes and desires.

Just as passion ignites between Aidan and Gina, her little boy is kidnapped by rustlers. Will the two of them be able to save her little boy . . . even if that means exposing Aidan’s secret?




DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Excerpt:

She gave herself a shake. Ridiculous. That’s what this whole thing was. How could she even think about being attracted to a man, much less some minimum-wage making cowboy? If she ever did allow herself to fall for a man, he would have to be perfect. A solid, respectable man with a good job, who was kind and caring and thoughtful. Preferably good looking.

Granted, this guy met the height and weight requirements.

But he looked dark and dangerous, which she didn’t need in her life.

She took a deep breath, gathered her thoughts and pointed to the display. “Here are some blank cards, or you could do something on 8 ½ by 11 paper. Do you prefer cards or flyers?”

He shrugged. She let her eyes wander up and down him one more time. Waves of dark hair peeked out from under his black Stetson, probably permanently curled around his hat. Yes, he definitely had the physical attributes her dream man would have, even the blue eyes, but cowboy didn’t fit into her equation anywhere.

She pulled a plastic bag from a hook and held it up. “A card would be my suggestion.”

He took the package of blank cards from her, and his fingertips brushed hers. His hands were rough and calloused, a working man’s hands, yet his touch was gentle. The cowboy turned the package over and looked at it from every direction, doubt clouding his tanned features. His hat dipped slightly on his forehead as his dark eyebrows pinched together in a frown. He glanced at her and asked, “What do I do with them?”


 ON SALE THROUGH MAY 31st!

Author Lori L. Robinett
Lori is the author of four books, and serves as a mentor for aspiring writers. She is a creative soul trapped in a paralegal’s body. Several years ago, she discovered (and won) National Novel Writing Month and rediscovered the joy of escaping into a world of her own creation.

She lives in rural Missouri with her husband. One very spoiled Miniature Schnauzer and Miniature Beagle allow Lori and her husband to live in their house, and the outside is patrolled by BK (short for Barn Kitty) and Patches (a sweet tom cat stray that missed his calling as a lap cat).

Her novels cover everything from romance to thrillers, but mystery is the thread that binds them all together. Her favorite authors are Tawna Fenske, Tierney James, Colleen Donnelly, Allison Merritt, Lisa Medley, Lea Waite, Susan Mallery, Hugh Howey, HP Mallory and, well, the list goes on and on.

Links:






Wednesday, May 25, 2016

HER SECRET COULD CAUSE HER DEATH!


MARGARITA AND THE HIRED GUN Blurb:

Pampered Margarita McIntosh is not used to being forced to do things she doesn’t want to do—but when her father, Jock, sends her away for her own safety, she has no choice. The long journey from Flagstaff to Durango tests her personal strength of will as never before, and the secret she carries in her saddlebag could be the death of her.
A rough Irish gunman, known to her only as “Rafferty”, is entrusted with getting her to her destination “safe and intact”—something he fully intends to do to claim the reward he’s been promised by Jock McIntosh. With a price on his head, the promised money is Rafferty’s ticket to a new life, and he’s not going to jeopardize that for anything—not even love.
But there are steamy nights and dangers all along the arduous trail for MARGARITA AND THE HIRED GUN, with deadly secrets between them that passion cannot erase. With her father’s enemies after her and the secret she conceals, will Rafferty’s protection be enough to save their lives? And will the heat of their passionate love be enough to seal their future together—if they do survive?



MARGARITA AND THE HIRED GUN Excerpt:

Margarita’s attention was drawn to the stairs again. A man in a fancy brocade waistcoat under a black jacket was making his way down the stairs. He had long silver hair and a mustache curled up at each end, defying gravity with the aid of mustache wax. Catching her eye, he tipped his hat to her.

“He’s older than I expected,” she whispered to Homer, who turned to look over his shoulder.

“That ain’t him,” he said, as the gentleman joined the card game in progress.

 After a beat another man appeared at the railing overlooking the saloon.

He was a tall man with black hair. Leaning on the railing, with his arms stretched out at full span he took in the room below with a predatory gaze. He was powerfully built with broad shoulders and long limbs. Like a bird of prey, he held his head still while his eyes shifted around the room. Margarita felt like he was deciding which one of them he would swoop down to pick off first.

 Although nobody moved, there was a change in the air. It felt like the very air grew hot and dry in his presence, charged with a heaviness that wasn’t there a minute ago.

 When he saw Homer the man’s eyes came to rest for a second. Then his eyes shifted and met with hers. He lifted his eyebrows in surprise, fixing her with such an intense stare; Margarita slunk back in her seat.

“Rafferty,” said Homer, nodding his head in the direction of the man, who was now moving toward the stairs, eyes still on her.

He walked slowly, swinging one long leg after another, a slight swagger in his shoulders.

Unable to bear up under his direct gaze any longer, Margarita looked down at her coffee. Her ears were burning and her throat was constricted in anticipation, but still he moved down the stairs and across the room at an unnervingly slow pace. When he arrived on the scene, the women at the table stopped talking and looked expectedly at him. He didn’t register their presence as he walked past them to their apparent disappointment.

The men playing poker watched him with wary eyes. One of them touched the gun in his holster, nervously.

The cowboys stopped talking and drew closer together.

Without a word or invitation the tall man pulled out the chair across from her. The gun sticking out of his waistband put a lump of fear in her stomach.

He jerked his head in her direction, looking at Homer. “Why is she here?” he asked in a deep voice, speaking in the same slow pace as he walked. He had an Irish accent, she noted.

Homer poured out a cup of the thick, dark liquid for him. “Rafferty. This is Margarita McIntosh, Jock’s daughter.”

“And she’s here for what reason?” he asked, again in a brusque tone.

Margarita looked up, her face burning with indignation. She was met with quite a sight.

The man across from her had a few days growth of black whiskers covering the lower part of his face. Jet-black hair stood in loose curls around his head in an uncombed mass. His hair was in need of a wash, strands clumping together with something she didn’t want to dwell on. It was hard to guess his age. Older than she, certainly, but she couldn’t discern much beyond that.

He was without a jacket or shirt, and his long john’s undershirt was pushed up at the elbows, showing long, muscular forearms. Worse, the top buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, exposing the patch of black hair on his chest. The tight, sweat-stained garment showed every bulge and indent in his lean torso, including his nipples. He was as good as naked. Margarita tried to hide her shock at this unseemly display. She’d never seen so much of a man’s body before so close up.

His eyes bored into her. They were steely eyes the color of indigo set in bloodshot orbs. Her discomfort seemed to amuse him. He narrowed his eyes at her, a smirk forming on his lips as he observed her observing him. Other than his lips and eyes, he was as still as if he’d been carved in stone. Very economical in his movements, Margarita observed.

“Well, here’s the thing. She’s the job. Jock wants his daughter delivered to his sister in Durango. He wants you to make sure she gets there. Safe--and intact,” Homer said in a way, which embarrassed her.

The man called Rafferty grinned rakishly, displaying surprisingly even, white teeth.

 
Patti and husband, Bob

Patti Sherry-Crews lives with her husband, two children, a bad dog, and a good cat in Evanston, IL. She studied anthropology and archaeology at Grinnell College and the University of North Wales, UK.

Under the pen name Cherie Grinnell, she’s written four steamy romances that take place in Dublin and Wales.

Whether it is because she watched too many western TV shows with her grandmother or because her bag of cowboys and Indians was her favorite toy, Patti also writes historic western romances. MARGARITA AND THE HIRED GUN is with Prairie Rose Publishing and came out April 2016. Patti has two novellas out now in anthologies by the same publisher.



Monday, May 23, 2016

MY DOUBLE RELEASES THIS MONTH!

Dear Friends, I have two new releases to tempt you (I hope!).

CASSANDRA, is Bride Brigade Book 3, is up for preorder now but goes on sale tomorrow! I’m so excited about this book. Who am I kidding? I’m always excited about a new release. J If you’ve read books 1 and 2, you know that there were no single young women in Tarnation, Texas and men were leaving or threatening to do so. Young widow Lydia Harrison went back East and brought seven young women home to Tarnation. So far, Josephine and Angeline have found their soul mates and married. Each of these women leaves behind unique circumstances. My job is to help each find the perfect husband for her.



Here’s the synopsis for CASSANDRA:

A desperate plan…
A masquerade to achieve a goal…
Lies that create a confusing web…

Cassandra Bradford has the cast off wardrobe to pose as a lady. Her goal is to marry a wealthy man who can provide her young brother with a sound future. Drat the luck! The first man she sees in Tarnation is a dusty cowboy who sends her heart pounding. No, he’s not the one for her. She has a better life in mind.

Samuel Drummond is one of the wealthiest ranchers in that part of the state, but he wants that kept quiet. His first wife married him for his money then left when she became bored with ranch life. He won’t let that happen again. He intends to find a woman who wants him no matter how poor she thinks he is.

When both Cassandra and Sam learn omissions the other has made, there are fireworks between them. They must work through their anger and hurt to achieve happiness.





Another release is WILD WESTERN WOMEN SPRING INTO LOVE. Callie Hutton, Kirsten Osbourne, Merry Farmer, Sylvia McDaniel, and I once again banded together to produce a box set for $ .99. My entry in the set is LONG WAY HOME, so be warned that this has been out as a single novella. However, I hope saying I love this story is not immodest. It was loosely inspired by family history.

Kirsten Osbourne - MAIL ORDER MINX

When Millie's friend, Berta, elopes instead of fulfilling her obligation to be a mail-order bride, she decides to take her friend's place and be the best mail-order bride a man has ever seen. Of course, she can't exactly cook, and she enjoys meddling in other people's lives under the guise of "helping them," but surely her future husband won't mind that.

Connor waits excitedly for his Berta to get off the train in Idaho, knowing that she is the answer to his prayers. She's an excellent cook and a hard worker, just what he needs for his restaurant. He's confused when Millie gets off the train in her place, but he accepts the switch good-naturedly. His bride has married someone else, after all. What could possibly go wrong?

Callie Hutton - PRISONERS OF LOVE: ADELAIDE

Dodge City, Kansas 1877. Adelaide Markham is one of four female prisoners sitting in Dodge City Jail. The sheriff offers them a choice. Either sit in jail until the circuit judge sobers up enough to hear their cases, or get on the wagon train traveling to Santa Fe as mail-order brides.

A recent widow who just lost her child, adelaide prefers marriage to jail, but wants no part of motherhood. The pain is too great.

Miles Ryan has been threatened by the wagon train master that he and his two recalcitrant daughters will be left behind at Fort Dodge if he doesn't find a wife to control the girls.

Miles takes one look at Adelaide and decides she's for him. Unfortunately, it's not until the deed is done that she learns she is a mother once again.

Caroline Clemmons - LONG WAY HOME

Parmelia Bailey has promised to keep her family safe until the men in her family return from War. That includes bringing her brother's fiancée, Sara Hardeman, and Sarahs mother and sisters to stay at her grandmother's home in town. Mmm, maybe she shouldn't have stolen back her horses from the Yankees, but she could think of no other way to rescue the Hardeman women.

Darrick McDonald waited four years to return to Witherspoon and to Parmelia. Who would have dreamed war would bring him back. He has to protect Parmelia from a renegade who's vowed to make her sorry she turned town his proposal. Darrick prayed he wasn't too late.

Sylvia McDaniel - BELLA: SCANDALOUS SUFFRAGETTES OF THE WEST

Love versus ambition!

Bella Francis is an heiress on the run from a father who wants to marry her to a wealthy young man of his choosing. So, she follows her friend and fellow suffragette to a western town in Texas. But she loves to bake and when she wins a baking contest, pursues starting her own bakery. She finds the perfect space, but the man who owns the building not only sparks her interest but refuses to lease to her.

Luca Ruffini has a buyer for the family bakery and is in the process of selling the building to pursue his own dreams. His father, who doesn't want to sell the building, insists Luca put his plans on hold for six weeks to give Bella a chance to fulfill her passion for baking. Yet, Bella is a temptation he finds himself unable to deny.

In the end, whose dream will be fulfilled or will someone have to concede? Who will give up their dream for love?

Merry Farmer - CORVA: THE PERFECT BRIDE

For Corva Collier, life as a mail-order bride in the quirky town of Haskell, Wyoming is her last chance for escapes. She longs for a peaceful life away from the darkness of her past where she can create the paintings that are close to her heart and where she hopes she can grow to love her husband.

Franklin Haskell never planned to marry. What woman would want a man who was crippled due to his own arrogance? But when he is offered the chance to help a woman in crisis, he agrees to wed. Corva is so much more than he expected, and when a baseball game gives her the chance to shine, he loses his heart.

The Amazon buy link is:
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Western-Women-Spring-Into-ebook/dp/B01FLFFIIW? ie=UTF8&keywords=Caroline%20Clemmons&qid=1463270465&ref_=sr_1_46&sr=8-46

I hope you'll give these books a try. Please let me know if you enjoy them. I love hearing from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com.

My June releases will be OPHELIA, Bride Brigade Book 4, and GRANT ME THE MOON, Texas Caprock Series, book 2. GRANT ME THE MOON is also included in the anthology COME LOVE A COWBOY.

Friday, May 20, 2016

LIES I LIVE BY -- A YA PSYCHIC THRILLER BY LAUREN SABEL



Lies I Live By
by Lauren Sabel


GENRE: YA Thriller

Giveaway with Rafflecopter for a $30 giveaway

LIES I LIVE BY Blurb:

These are the facts: My name is Callie Sinclair. I am seventeen years old. I live in San Francisco. I love my boyfriend, Charlie. I work for a secret governmental agency. I am a psychic spy. This romantic, action-packed twist on the classic spy novel is perfect for fans of Ally Carter’s Embassy Row series or for any reader who enjoys cinematic writing and stories of romance and intrigue.

At seventeen, Callie is the government’s youngest psychic spy, trained to track dangerous people and weapons in her visions. When another young—and handsome and witty—psychic joins the agency, Callie’s personal and professional lives get messy all at once. If she can’t find a way to change the events she’s seen in her visions, she could lose the people she loves most . . . and her mind. Literally.

Richly painted against the backdrop of San Francisco and Berkeley, Lauren Sabel’s enthralling novel captures the thrill of exploring a unique power in a dangerous world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIES I LIVE BY Excerpt:

Chapter Three

I’m not surprised that my house is empty when I get home. It’s more like a show home, a modern series of glass boxes placed together, never intended for “family use.” Of course, my mom didn’t ever expect to have a child. Because of something to do with Mom’s uterus, she lived childless until she was forty. And then—surprise! I was born with a full head of jet black hair and eyes gray as steel, and “small as a baby kitten,” she always says. I’m still on the short side, but that’s the only thing small about me, at least according to Mom. She always describes the day of my birth as both “amazing” and “quite painful,” like she accidentally shoved a metal spear into her foot, and had to leave work early to get it out. But Mom’s like that; she doesn’t sugarcoat things. That’s why she refuses to have a television in our house. “It’s the opiate of the masses,” she told me when I was little. “Invented to keep us dumb.”

I take off my shoes by the door and cross the stark white living room into our gleaming black marble kitchen. Like every Tuesday night during the school year, there’s a note on the counter.

I’ll be home after class. Make yourself some dinner, xo Mom, it says.

The XO makes me laugh. Mom is kind and loving, but she’s not a hugger, not by a long shot. I wrench open the fridge, reach past a bottle of white wine and a carton of skim milk, and grab the box of leftover pizza.

“Pineapples and ham,” I mutter. “What a combo. Who would’ve thunk it?” I pick off the juiciest piece of pineapple and pop it into my mouth, and then grab a National Geographic out of the pile of magazines on the kitchen counter. It flops open it to a picture of white shuttered houses climbing a hillside. Now that’s the life. Peaceful. Innocent. Most likely radioactive-metal free.

LIES I LIVE BY Purchase Links:

OUT OF MY MIND:





Author Lauren Sabel


Lauren Sabel lives in the quirky dark spaces of her mind, and she tries to shed light on these spaces in her books. After publishing VIVIAN DIVINE IS DEAD in Summer 2014 with Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of Harper Collins, she confronted her lifelong fear of being psychic by writing LIES I LIVE BY. Since in this YA thriller, teenage psychic spy Callie Sinclair works undercover for the government, forced to hide her real identity from everyone she loves, Lauren is now certain she’s on the CIA watch list.

Social Networks:

Instagram: laurensabel

Book Purchase Links:

LIES I LIVE BY:




S

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION


Lauren will be awarding $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Wednesday, May 18, 2016

A NOVEL OF WINE AND LOVE -- CRUSHED







In the pursuit of perfection, dreams and hearts can be crushed...


Publication Date: March 9, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Heart of Napa, Book One

In Napa Valley, he who has the best grapes wins.
And in the pursuit of perfection, dreams and hearts can be crushed.

Sophia Stone is a widow on the brink of an empty nest, stuck in an unsatisfying job managing the vineyard for a mediocre Napa vintner.  Faced with an uncertain future she wonders how do you choose between making a living and making a life?  Between protecting your heart and sharing it? Five years ago, after her husband was killed in an accident, Sophia put her heart and dreams on ice to care for those around her.  Now her home, her dreams, and her family’s legacy grapes are threatened by the greed of the new money moving into the Valley.   Sophia has a choice—give up and let them take what is hers, or risk everything fighting a battle everyone says she can’t win.

Nico Treviani has one goal in life: make brilliant wine.  A woman would be an unwanted distraction. So, while recognized as one of Napa’s premier vintners, Nico finds himself alone… until his brother’s death drops not one, but two women into his life—his thirteen-year-old twin nieces.  In an instant, Nico gains a family and loses his best friend and partner in the winemaking business. Struggling to care for his nieces, Nico accepts a job as head winemaker for Avery Specter, one of the new-money crowd.  And he learns the hard way that new money doesn’t stick to the old rules.




Deborah Coonts’ mother tells her she was born in Texas a very long time ago.  Deborah isn’t so sure—her mother can’t be trusted.  These things we are fairly certain of though:  Deborah was raised in Texas on BBQ, Mexican food and beer.  She is the author of WANNA GET LUCKY? a humorous romantic mystery set amid the glitz, glamor and gaudy of Las Vegas that was a NY Times Notable Crime Novel and double RITA™ Finalist and received several starred reviews as have the five sequels. CRUSHED the first novel in her Heart of Napa series is out now.  Deborah can usually be found at the bar, but also at her website.








Monday, May 16, 2016

SIMPLY THE BEST -- AWARD WINNING AUTHORS' BOX SET

By L. A. Sartor

Hi Caroline, thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity to meet your readers and hopefully help them find six new authors in this boxed set.

Were you the shy kid or the tomboy? Married, single? Children?

Not shy at all, in fact, mom always said when someone wanted to help me with something I’d say “Lessie do it.”  I’m still that way today. I’m married to the man I met on a blind date, arranged by his father and a coworker. I told the woman that I didn’t want to meet this man because I knew I’d marry him. Yep, going on 30+ years.  (I was a child bride J hehe)

We don’t have children. I have a blood condition that would make carrying a baby full term very difficult. My brother and I were very lucky to be adopted, and Gary and I thought about going that route. But we both had demanding careers, I owned a jewelry business and he is an attorney. It just became a non-starter.  But I love watching babies grow into children (skip the teens) and into adults.

How long have you been writing?

Mom says I’ve been telling stories since I was 3 or 4 years old.  Later I wrote what would now be fan-fiction in Jr. High School until my English teacher called a conference with my parents and me and told us I’d never be a writer because I hated grammar. That all I apparently wanted to do was tell stories. 

Mom recounted this story years later when I told her I was going to write a book.  Apparently I stopped writing that very day. I didn’t recall the incident at all.  It’s amazing what a bad teacher can do, just as it’s amazing what a good teacher can do.
My editor told me recently that anyone can learn grammar, but not everyone can tell a story.  I’m keeping that close to my heart.

Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

I write either in my home office or during the spring, summer and fall, outside.  I need quiet and solitude, which makes writing outside difficult. But being inside on a gorgeous day is criminal J I love music, but can only listen to it when I’m trying to get into a mood. Some of my favorites are Pirates of the Carribean’s I Don’t Think Now is the Best Time from World’s End. It has so many emotions in that one song. Or when I was writing Stone of Heaven, I’d listen endlessly to All That I Am by Rob Thomas.
I write on a laptop and edit on my PC. I have an iMac as well that I use for my photography.  I love computers.

When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

When I left the day job, I turned into a writing machine.  Everything got pushed aside.  This year, I decided it was time to pull back and play. I’m relearning the piano, it’s amazing what happens when you leave it for even a short time.  It’s certainly not like riding a bicycle. I love photography and I am honing my skills.  I enjoy the artistic editing of photos and paper crafts…oh and sewing.  So I could literally spend all day just playing.  And that doesn’t include my need for beach and travel time. 

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

I love this question, it’s never been asked before. We authors love to find the perfect setting, the perfect guy (eventually), but a satisfying romance is more than glamour and all that is attendant with the genre.

So at first, I wanted to answer your question with the word “escape”, and I still like that answer. I want to visit places and learn things when I read (from newspapers to books, I love to read). But as a writer, I also want to bring a sense of believing in the power of yourself.  Of learning to trust yourself and trust others. Trust is a theme I use a lot in my writing.  The biggest compliment I can get from a reader other than “I loved your story,” is “wow, you understand exactly what I’ve been through.” They identify with some part of the story, even the sad parts. If you smile or cry or laugh, then I’m a happy writer.

Thanks for asking such wonderful interview questions.

My links are below and I’d love to meet your readers on any of my social media.

I have two wonderful book related things happening this year.  A new book Prince of Granola, set in Costa Rica (maybe Caroline will ask me back when it’s finished and I can tell you about it.) And my participation in this boxed set: SIMPLY THE BEST -- A COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL AWARD WINNING ROMANCES. Six award-winning authors, six books, one incredible collection, all for 99 cents. Yep, that's right.





Links:



THE BOOKS:

HAUNTED BY DEATH by Dale Mayer
Suspense Winner
Death haunts anthropologist Meg Pearce...  In her last summer before college, an innocent camping trip ended in a friend’s disappearance...and destroyed her life.

ANGEL'S ASSASSIN by Laurel O'Donnell
Historical Winner
Damien is an assassin, a man with a tortured past. Sold into slavery, he is trained to kill. Lady Aurora of Acquitaine is the epitome of purity and goodness. When Damien enters Aurora's life, tempting her with promises of forbidden lust, he threatens to tear her peaceful world apart.

** BE MINE THIS CHRISTMAS NIGHT by L.A. Sartor ** ME J
Short Contemporary Winner
Children’s author Annie Hamilton’s dream of having a family resurfaces when Cole Evans moves next door with his two young boys during the Christmas season. But the lure of happily-ever-after with the brilliant scientist is overshadowed by the risk that revealing her secret will destroy this chance.

 AHUNTER4RESCUE by Cynthia A. Clement
Paranormal Winner
A unit of elite alien warriors, known as Hunters, crash lands on earth and their leader is torn between getting his men to safety or protecting the human woman he has bonded with.

THE FINE ART OF KEEPING QUIET by Charity Tahmaseb
Young Adult (Contemporary) Winner
No one expects the girl who has mastered the art of keeping quiet to join the speech team. But Jolia does. When a crush-worthy rival offers to coach her in secret, she can't say no. But secrets have a price, and this one might cost Jolia everything.

THE MAPMAKER'S WIFE by Kathy L. Wheeler
Short Historical Winner
A flippant proposal and an attack on her person finds one young woman married to the mapmaker who only needs someone to take control of his ungovernable child. Feelings quickly shift into something less platonic and when the enemy gains vital secrets, her suspicions land her in jail.

 THE AUTHORS :

DALE MAYER is a USA Today bestselling author known for her page turning plotlines and heartwarming characters. A prolific writer, she specializes in Romantic Suspense, but also writes thrillers, comedy, and contemporary romances.
And if you’d like to try out one of her books for free – click here - http://dalemayer.com/starterlibrarytc/

LAUREL O'DONNELL is a best-selling author and has won numerous awards for her medieval romances, including the International Digital Award and the Holt Medallion Award. You can visit her website at www.laurel-odonnell.com to stay up to date on future releases.

L. A. Sartor, Author


L.A. SARTOR is a bestselling, award-winning author writing novels with a dash--or a lot--of romance.  She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date. Find her at www.lasartor.com  for book information and sign up for her mailing list.

CYNTHIA A. CLEMENT is an award-winning author who began writing when she was a teenager. Her novels reflect her love of romance, strong honorable heroes, and suspense intertwined with the intriguing and unexplained.


CHARITY TAHMASEB has slung corn on the cob for Green Giant and jumped out of airplanes (but not at the same time). She’s worn both Girl Scout and Army green. These days, she writes fiction (short and long) and works as a technical writer.

KATHY L WHEELER
Award-winning author Kathy L Wheeler loves travel, fantasy football, NBA and musical theatre. As an avid reader of romance and patron of the theatre, her main sources of inspiration come mostly from an over-active imagination. Kathy writes contemporary and historical romance, from sweet to spicy.