SWEET AND SASSY ANTHOLOGY OFFERS CASTLE COLLECTION OF FIVE ROMANCE NOVELLAS

Sweet and Sassy Anthology: Castle Collection


Readers will be delighted with five sweet, romance novellas in Sweet & Sassy: Castle Collection. In this charming anthology, you will fall in love again and again.


Dangerous Truth by Cindy M. Hogan
All By My Selfie by Jo Noelle
A Savage Ghost by Donna K. Weaver
The Ghost of Dunlow Manor by Paige Timothy
Rose of Sherwood by Kaye P. Clark

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DANGEROUS TRUTH

Olivia loves everything about Belgium. So far, her humanitarian trip has gone perfectly--that is, until she sees a picture of a man she thinks is her father in the newspaper. The father who abandoned her family nine years ago without a word.

She tries to forget she ever saw his photo. He's forgotten about her, after all. But soon it's apparent that she can't leave without knowing what happened.

Armed with years of hurt and the help of a gorgeous French photographer, she decides to confront him and his secrets once and for all.

Unfortunately, her father seems determined to keep those secrets hidden. . . and Olivia is one of them.

An excerpt of DANGEROUS TRUTH:

We were the last ones in line and would have to take whatever seats were left in the boat. I hoped I’d still be able to get a good enough seat to take the pictures I hoped for. Ten other passengers were already on board, and the motorboat rocked slightly while everyone got situated. I stepped into the small tour boat, sliding my way across the last available bench, stopping just short of sitting on a guy who had claimed the furthest seat. Unfortunately, Sloan didn’t stop and my whole body shoved into the stranger.

“Sloan! Stop! You pushed me right into someone.” I turned to the guy to apologize and stopped with my jaw hanging open as I stared at what had to be a living representation of the front page of GQ. His face was tan, with high cheekbones that seemed the natural resting spot for the sleek, wire-framed glasses that rested on them. He was wearing a silk tie over a polished, collared shirt that stretched slightly over his broad shoulders, showing off just enough of the form beneath that it was obvious he was toned. His trousers hugged his hips and draped over his legs perfectly, ending over a pair of gleaming wing-tipped shoes. In his lap, a folded newspaper rested casually. Of course.

ALL BY MY SELFIE

While on vacation at McLeod Castle in Scotland, Gwen Mackenzie has nightly dreams of an ancient warrior bound by a curse. During the day, she sees Niall, nicknamed #ScottishBoyfriend. Oh, and can that man rock a kilt! As she gets to know him, she realizes that Niall is the warrior from her dreams, cursed to live as a ghost for the past five hundred years, to see life around him but never sense any of it—except Gwen.

And an excerpt of ALL BY MY SELFIE:

Toward the warped edge of my suite’s window, I see a man in an archaic blue and green kilt, that’s wrapped, belted, and thrown over one shoulder. He’s sitting on a large boulder near the parking lot. Okay, Josie was so right on this one. Hot men in kilts do just hang around in Scotland. Might be fun to meet a guy to kick up the happy factor in this vacation.

I hope I’m being stealthy when I raise my phone in front of me and take his picture. He’s not close enough to really see, so I take another, zooming as close as I can. His shirt looks like plain linen stretched across his broad shoulders, and he has one knee bent with his leather-booted foot on the rock. I catch myself staring—I’ll bet he gets that a lot. I text the close-up to Josie with a note about the “beautiful sights” I’m enjoying.

Maybe Scottish Boyfriend is an actor in period costume. I hope that’s on the program for the hotel guests; I’d love to see what the culture was like here centuries ago. His eyes flick to my window as if he is looking right at me. Though he’s probably just looking at the castle, butterflies tumble through my middle. Wondering if I have time to talk with him—strictly about history, and take a quick selfie with him before the castle tour begins—I check the clock on the table then turn back around, but he’s gone.

A SAVAGE GHOST

Lia Savage reluctantly puts her dream of opening a dessert boutique on hold to help her dad remodel a castle he’s inherited in Washington State. Soon, a specter targets her younger sister.

Lia enlists the help of Coop Montgomery, the head gardener and her former crush. As they search together for a way to rid the castle of its ghost, the romance she used to dream about with him kindles. But Lia’s gentle giant means to stay in Washington while she’s determined to return to California. She must find the courage to face both the ghost and her future.

With Coop. Or without him.

An excerpt from A SAVAGE GHOST:

Hugh concentrated on the haze that should be the main hearth and willed it to come into focus. Nothing changed at first, but then the fireplace sharpened. His shoulders relaxed. At last, after struggling for so long, enough of his sense of self had returned. And some of his power.

How long had it been? All he could recall were a few times, every once in a while, when he was able to interact with the people in this new place.

He tried to run his diaphanous hand along the mantel, frustrated when it passed through. Staring hard, Hugh grasped the single wooden-framed picture resting on it. The small portrait lifted into the air. He crowed, for once not caring that such a sound was beneath his dignity.

A gasp from behind startled him, and his hand turned translucent again. Without substance, his fingers lost their grip. The picture crashed to the hearth and shattered. Livid, he spun, refocusing his energy. He fueled his will with anger, and his hands took form. The gray-haired woman gave a satisfying shriek before covering her mouth with her hands.

“Remove yourself from my home at once,” he commanded, his voice low and menacing. He kicked a piece of broken frame, and it flew toward her. With a cry, the servant ducked and ran from the room.

THE GHOST OF DUNLOW MANOR

Bestselling author Alexis St. John needs an escape, and Nate, her personal assistant, thinks that a trip to a real castle in England will be just the thing. What neither of them planned on, though, was to encounter an actual ghost.

Lady Catherine Dunlow hates the idea of sharing her castle with tourists and does everything she can to chase them out, much to the amusement of her roguish suitor. But when her two newest guests stumble upon a mystery surrounding her death, she decides to let them stay.

With an eternal fate in the balance, Nate and Alexis must move quickly to bring the killer to light before Catherine is trapped forever.

An excerpt from THE GHOST OF DUNLOW MANOR:

Lady Catherine Dunlow paced the balcony of her third-floor bedroom, her skirts swirling behind her as she moved. She was absolutely furious, and she pounded that fury into the stones beneath her feet. 

She hated strangers. She hated strangers coming into her house. She hated strangers coming into her house and acting like they owned the place. And yet, they kept coming, no matter what she did.

Dunlow Manor had been in her family for generations. It had belonged to her twelfth great-grandfather, and now she was its rightful owner. She had never given permission for unfamiliar people to come and stay within its walls, and yet they did, taking no thought for her feelings on the matter whatsoever.

She didn’t rest at all that night. Instead, she paced and fumed, fumed and paced. She went outside a few times and glared down at their car, but no ideas came to her. This had to stop somehow—it just had to.

ROSE OF SHERWOOD

Lady Rosamund, Baroness of Ravenswood Manor, is a destitute widow, imprisoned in Nottingham Castle. When the prince declares she must marry the ruthless man who had seized Ravenswood, she escapes with the help of a band of outlaws to Sherwood Forest. Her first love, a battle-worn knight, promises to help her find safety at a convent. Confused and afraid, her heart yearns for love. But are the risks too high?

An excerpt of ROSE OF SHERWOOD:

The long, high-ceilinged room was almost ready for the prince’s arrival. Fresh-smelling rushes had been laid on the stone floor; new candles had replaced the old. Soot-darkened wall hangings had been taken down. Men on ladders hung brightly-colored tapestries in their place.

Lady Blanche, the sheriff’s wife, sat at the high table overseeing the work. Her pale, blonde hair hung in long braids, entwined with black ribbons. She rested her hands atop her bulging belly. Blanche was the queen bee, and I knew from experience, her sting could hurt.

Blanche stepped down from the dais to confront me. “You vex me, girl. Your flowers may please the prince, but they do not please me. I needed your help earlier.”

I drew in a long breath. “I am not a servant.”

“You certainly look like one. You’ve been out in the sun without a hat; your face is freckled already. And look at your hands! They’re filthy!”

“I am the wife of Sir Godfrey of Anjou, Baroness of Ravenswood Manor,” I said, hiding my hands behind my back.

“Little good that does you.” Lady Blanche snatched the lavender bloom from my bodice and tucked it in her own. “You’re confined to Nottingham Castle until your husband returns. If he returns.”

Amazon

About the Authors


Cindy M. Hogan is inspired by the unpredictable teenagers she teaches. More than anything she loves the time she has with her own teenage daughters and wishes she could freeze them at this fun age. If she's not reading or writing, you'll find her snuggled up with the love of her life watching a great movie or planning their next party. Most of all, she loves to laugh.

Jo Noelle grew up in Colorado and Utah but also lived in Idaho and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking, builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and goes hiking in the nearby mountains.

Oh, and she’s two people, Canda Mortensen and Deanna Henderson, a mother/daughter writing team.

Donna K. Weaver: A wife, mother, grandmother, Harry Potter geek, Navy brat, Army veteran, and karate black belt. Donna is an avid cruiser, having sailed the Pacific five times. She’s lived in South Korea, the Philippines, Germany, and many US states. She and her husband raised six children and currently have nine grandchildren.

Paige Timothy has been writing for as long as she can remember… and probably before that, too, because her memory gets spotty at a certain point. She loves watching romantic comedies, blushes when the characters do something embarrassing, and sighs in all the right places.

Kaye P. Clark was born in New York City, grew up in southern California and raised her family living on remote cattle ranches in Arizona. She now makes her home in Idaho where she works part-time at the county library and teaches art to young children. She’s a mother and grandmother with a very patient husband who puts up with her passion for writing.

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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MOONLIGHT TRILOGY OFFERS EXCITING PARANORMAL RIDE

Moonlight Trilogy Synopsis:

Moonlit is the story of eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can't be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods.

When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn't. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Tanzy's journey continues in Windswept, the second installment of the Moonlit Trilogy when Tanzy is the key in an ancient prophecy pivotal to the existence of all beings, both Seen and Unseen. Unseen who have waited a millennium for her birth are relentless in their efforts to see the prophecy fulfilled--whether for good or evil, depending on which side of the conflict one stands. Others have sworn an oath to end Tanzy's existence, permanently.

Already, Tanzy's body has been compromised by her enemies, her veins now home to the blood of a wild horse whose instincts are becoming impossible to control. While Tanzy's Unseen enemies work to draw her out of a remote safe house, her friends beg her to stay in hiding. Tanzy is torn, wanting to reunite with Lucas, who has loved her since her first incarnation, yet unsure whether fulfilling the ancient prophecy will protect those she loves or destroy them.

In Wildwood, the third book of the Moonlit Trilogy, Tanzy's journey races toward a final battle within the Unseen.

Tanzy Hightower has crossed the veil and entered the Unseen world to fulfill the destiny she has at last embraced, to either seal or destroy the veil between the Seen and Unseen worlds. She is the only mortal in a land teeming with creatures who want her dead. To stay alive long enough to stop Asher, the most powerful of the Unseen, Tanzy accepts his marriage proposal and seeks refuge inside his palace.

On the Seen side of the veil, Tanzy's allies are fragmented and lost, without leadership. They must gather forces and train an army of candidates to defend their world against unfathomable predators poised to strike should the veil holding them at bay dissolve.

While Tanzy has accepted her own inevitable death in fulfilling her destiny, her closest friends refuse to stop searching for the impossible: a way to save Tanzy's life.

Jadie Jones, Author

Jadie Jones wrote her first book in seventh grade, filling one hundred and four pages of a black and white Mead notebook. Back then she lived for two things: horses and R.L. Stine books. Fast forward nearly twenty years, and she still work with horses. Its amazing how much changes... and how much stays the same.

​The dream of publishing a novel has hitch-hiked with Jadie down every other path she‘s taken (and there have been many). Waitress, farm manager, road manager, bank teller, speech writer, retail, and more. But that need to bring pen to paper refused to quiet. Finally, in 2009, she sat down, pulled out a brand new notebook, and once again let the pictures in my head become words on paper.

​Confession time: Jadie Jones is a pen name created to honor two fantastic women who didn't get the chance to live out their professional dreams. First, Jadie’s grandmother - a mother of four during post World War II America, who wanted to be a journalist so bad that even now when she talks about it, her blue eyes mist and she lifts her chin in silent speculation. And second, a dear friend's mother who left this world entirely too soon. To Judy Dawn and Shirley Jones, Jadie Jones is for you. It's been a pleasure getting to know her.

​Author's Websites:                
Jadie Jones’s website: www.jadiejones.com

Jadie Jones blog: www.jadiejones.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jadiejones1

Twitter: jadiejones1

LORD FENTON'S FOLLY FROM AWARD WINNING JOSI S. KILPACK

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Synopsis of LORD FENTON'S FOLLY

Lord Fenton is a gambler, a dandy, and a flirt--and he must marry or else he will be disinherited, stripped of his wealth and his position. He chooses Alice Stanbridge for two simple reasons: he once knew her as a young girl, and she is the least objectionable option available to him. However, Alice has harbored feelings for Fenton since their first meeting ten years ago, and she believes his proposal is real. When she discovers it is not, she is embarrassed and hurt. However, a match with the most-eligible bachelor in London would secure not only her future but that of her family as well. Determined to protect herself from making a fool of herself a second time, Alice matches Lord Fenton wit for wit and insult for insult as they move toward a marriage of convenience that is anything but a happy union. Only when faced with family secrets that have shaped Fenton's life does he let down his guard enough to find room in his heart for Alice.

Lord Fenton's Folly by Josi Kilpack

Amazon * Deseret Book

LORD FENTON'S FOLLY Excerpt

Fenton groaned and put his saucer back on the tray, making an instantaneous decision that eased his mind quite a lot. To look at every woman he met as a potential wife was irritating, and after only two weeks he was quite tired of it. Perhaps the solution was to orchestrate a match that would not lay all aspects of matrimony at his feet all at once. Perhaps treating it as a business arrangement would help it to be exactly that, thereby freeing him from all the discomfiting realities he was not yet prepared to face.

"I leave for Fentonview on Tuesday and shan't be back for a week. Courting is such a boring prospect, and you yourself said that to become infatuated with anyone might become a complication."

He paused, considered one last time what he was going to say next, and decided he felt as good about it as could be expected. "You like Alice Stanbridge and feel she would make a good wife for me?"

Lady Chariton looked confused and perhaps a bit concerned. "I do, but-"

"Then that is good enough for me," Fenton said, rising to his feet and smiling broadly at his mother, who stared back at him in surprise. "I do find her appealing and what's more she is not a silly little thing without a practical thought in her head."

His mother's eyes widened and her eyebrows rose upon her forehead. Fenton struck a pose of consternation, with his thumb and forefinger on his chin as he looked toward the window a moment, then nodded crisply and turned back to his mother who still looked shocked by his pronouncement.

"Yes, I think that Alice Stanbridge is exactly what I should like in a wife, and so I shall see to it before I leave for Hampshire-I see no reason to wait until Michaelmas and might as well get it over with." He leaned in and kissed his mother's hand. "Thank you for your help, Mama. I shall let you know how she responds to my proposal."

Author Josi Kilpack

Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. SHEEP'S CLOTHING won the Whitney award for Mystery/Suspense in 207 and WEDDING CAKE, book twelve in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series won in 2014. Josi was also the Best of State winner in Fiction for 2012. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband, children and super-cute - but not very friendly - cat.

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$25 Blog Tour Giveaway

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Ends 10/29/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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FALL, GLORIOUS FALL!

As I’ve mentioned before, Fall is my favorite time of year. This past weekend was absolutely glorious. The air was cooler but grass and shrubs are still nice and green though a few trees are beginning to turn colors. In our yard, a few oaks are tinged red at the edge of their leaves. The heat stressed elms are losing yellow leaves and have been for several weeks.

Bigtooth Maple at Lost Maples

Let me share with you a lovely place at this or any time of year in Texas. Lost Maples State Wilderness Area near Bandera, Medina, and Uvalde is a place of wonderment. Maples of various types are popular landscape plants. Bigtooth Maples don’t grow naturally in our state anywhere except in this lovely park. They’re truly lost from another time.

Entrance to the park

My daughter and I were here several years ago when I researched THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE (now FREE in ebook). We loved our excursion as we do all the things we find “on the way”. To people from mountainous areas with diverse temperatures, you are probably wondering why I think this place is such a great thing. I grew up in West Texas where trees were not plentiful. Even now that I live in an area where trees are taken for granted, I still hold them in awe. 

The area used to be an escape trail for rustlers and comancheros heading away from their skulduggery. Now families enjoy visiting the cathedral-like atmosphere of the walled route. The tall rock sides carry sound so I don't know how well it worked as an escape. I suppose that when camped, the criminals could hear a posse's approach.

Lost Maples is an outstanding example of Edwards Plateau flora and fauna. The park is a combination of steep, rugged limestone canyons, springs, grasslands, wooded slopes, and clear streams. The feature that amazes me is a large, isolated stand of uncommon Uvalde bigtooth maple whose fall foliage can be spectacular. Generally, the foliage changes the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. The park is extremely popular during the fall and is often crowded. There are camping spots for those into outdoor living but parking is limited to 250 cars.

Green Kingfisher

Rare species of birds, such as the green kingfisher above, can be seen year-round. The endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler nest and feed in the park in spring and early summer. Wild animals include gray fox, white-tailed deer, armadillo, raccoon, bobcat, rock squirrel, and javelina. I imagine the occasional cougar is also a visitor--and I mean the four-legged variety.

Armadillo

If you’re in Central Texas and would like a unique experience, head to Lost Maples even if it’s not truly “on the way”.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

Why do authors price a book free or at 99 cents? Each time an author releases a book, he or she is sharing a sizable investment of hundreds of hours of backbreaking and heart-wrenching work and hundreds of dollars spent for a cover, editing, formatting, and promotional ads. Why would we give the fruit of our toils away?

We can’t do so often. Sometimes we make the first of a series free or reduced in the hope people will like that work and buy the remaining volumes of the series. We actually go into debt to do so. And then—because writing is usually incurable—we start writing another book.

Another way we offer a reduced price is with an anthology or box set with other authors. We each hope readers who are fans of the other authors in the group will like our work enough to become a reader of all of our books. You probably know this is called cross-promotion. Once again, we’re losing money unless the gamble works.

Yes, writers are gamblers. Not in casinos or bingo parlors, or not in my case, but we gamble on ways to attract readers to our works. We are as much gamblers as the farmer who plants crops with the belief that he can harvest in spite of the elements he battles—rain, hail, drought, and insects. Or the rancher who fattens his cattle in a race against disease, rustlers (yes, we still have those), and the elements.

Why I started this is to tell you of a great value coming your way. COURTING THE WEST is a box set of ten western historical romance books by NY Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling authors. This box set is now up for pre-order and will be available on October 15.

COURTING THE WEST includes: PAINTED MONTANA SKY by Debra Holland; DAISY by Kirsten Osbourne; HIS BROTHER’S WIFE by Lily Graison; TAME A WILD WIND by Cynthia Woolf; SLEIGHT OF HEART by Jacquie Rogers; A HERO’S HEART by Sylvia McDaniel, LAYING CLAIM by Paty Jager; SARAH SUNSHINE by Merry Farmer, CHASING THE DEAD by Keta Diablo, and THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP by Caroline Clemmons.

I re-read each of these and truly enjoyed them a second time. I even re-read my own book and brazenly admit I enjoyed it too. These are ten novels about handsome, rugged westerners and the women strong enough to tame them. Individually, they'd cost over sixty dollars but readers who purchase this box set can have all ten for only 99 cents. Amazing, right? 

That's only 9 cents a book! Even if you’ve read one or two of these previously, you can’t go wrong at 99 cents for the box set. We’re gambling that fans of the other nine authors will discover our books and become a fan of those, too.

COURTING THE WEST is available now for pre-order on Amazon and will be available on October 15 at Amazon, Nook, iTunes, and Kobo.  

Here’s the preorder url: http://amzn.com/B015JVRIZY

DOS ANGELES -- BY EMMY AWARD NOMINEE MICHAEL O'HARA

DOS ANGELES

by Michael O'Hara

GENRE:

Mystery

DOS ANGELES Blurb:

Dos Angeles, the first in a franchise of mysteries featuring Paco Moran, puts the multicultural thirty-something ex-LAPD homicide detective turned reluctant private eye on the trail of a beautiful young Latina on the run with ten million dollars in cash. Half Anglo and half Mexican, Moran is a transitional character equally at home working in Beverly Hills or blue collar Boyle Heights, the tough East Los Angeles neighborhood where he was raised by a single mom. In his debut case Paco quickly learns he will be the fall guy if he doesn't track down the young immigrant who allegedly stole a small fortune from a sleazy Hollywood producer secretly laundering money for a notorious drug cartel. Paco's frantic search takes him on a roller-coaster ride through a shadowy place he calls Dos Angeles a city within the city and a virtual country unto itself.

DOS ANGELES Excerpt:

Then, the day before the Pirellis were due home, something unexpected came up that needed her immediate attention. On hearing what she thought was the sound of a toilet running she first checked downstairs before heading up to the master suite. Inside the gaudy all gold and marble bathroom she discovered a puddle of water seeping out from inside the extra-long double vanity. Opening the main cabinet doors she saw one of the stainless steel hoses was leaking badly. She tried to tighten the connection but it had no effect. Afraid she might make matters worse, she turned off the valve and hurried downstairs to call a plumber on the approved contact list.

A half hour later Sid Kantor showed up and Maria was immediately intimidated by his off-putting physical presence. Short and obesely overweight with a large shaved head, a Quaker-like beard, and dull, hooded eyes, Kantor reminded her of El Malvado, a cartoon villain that used to terrify her as a little girl in Oaxaca. Because of that and his gruff, unfriendly manner, she quickly sensed he was one of those aggressive white foreigners who only saw Mexicans as workers, never as equals.

Not about to give him the satisfaction of staring at her shapely bottom on the way up the steep winding staircase, she politely stepped aside and gestured for him to lead the way. By the time they reached the second floor landing he was grunting and panting so much she feared he might have a heart attack.

“Are you okay, sir?” she asked with genuine concern.

“Ya, ya,” he muttered, wiping his brow with his shirt sleeve. “It’s dis damn heat.”

Minutes later Maria stood by patiently as Kantor awkwardly maneuvered his way under the sink to remove and replace the faulty hose. When he finally finished he turned the water back on to test it.

“Dat should do it,” he said in a heavily accented, non-American voice. “Let run five minutes to make sure.”

After struggling to get back up on his feet Kantor gestured with the flashlight he’d been using, illuminating the inside of the cabinet.

“You know what behind dere?” he asked, focusing the light on a small pocket door under the sink.

“Behind where?” Maria was confused.

“Dere, dere!” he growled, swirling the light around to emphasize what he was talking about

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.

“Strange. Hah?” He pointed the flashlight at the door again. “Must be something back dere.”

Since Kantor was obviously way too big to crawl through himself, Maria volunteered to take a look while he was still there.

“No time,” he said, tapping on his watch. “Late for next appointment.”

He handed her a business card. “You call if any more problems.”

She promised she would and saw him out.

After he left, she decided to return upstairs to check behind the cabinet to make sure there were no hidden pipes that could be leaking. When she slid open the mystery door, she was startled to discover a secret room. “Dios mío!” she whispered.

Michael O'Hara, Author,
Producer, and Journalist

Emmy nominee Michael O’Hara-- who has written and produced some of the highest-rated television movies and miniseries in recent memory – is adding author to his resume with the August, 2015 the publication of his first novel,  Dos Angeles.

The book, featuring a bilingual and bicultural private eye named Paco Moran, centers around Moran’s desperate search for a beautiful young Latina immigrant who stole ten million dollars from the mob. In a pre-publication review American Book Award winner Peter Quinn said: Paco Moran’s debut in Michael O'Hara's DOS ANGELES is fast-paced, finely crafted, and full of surprises. It's noir fiction for the 21st century, a helluva ride from the first page to last. Here's hoping O'Hara brings Paco back very soon. I can't wait!

A former award-winning journalist and NBC Vice President of Media Relations, O’Hara made an auspicious debut as a writer/producer with “Those She Left Behind,” a critically acclaimed family drama that continues to be the highest-rated TV movie (25.1/38 share) on any network in over twenty years. It starred Gary Cole and Colleen Dewhurst (who won an Emmy Award for her performance). That success was followed by the widely praised NBC movie “She Said No” which won an American Women in Radio & Television Award for Best Television Dramatic Special.

O’Hara next wrote and executive produced “Switched at Birth,” the blockbuster NBC miniseries that earned an Emmy nomination as Best Dramatic Special and remains the highest rated (22 rating/33 share) miniseries on network television since its initial telecast over two decades ago. He was also the writer and executive producer of “Murder in the Heartland,” a celebrated ABC miniseries which garnered a Casting Society of America Award and two Emmy nominations. Right after that he created and executive produced the first of 22 “Moment of Truth” movies for NBC, establishing one of the most successful film franchises in TV history.

O’Hara also wrote “She Woke Up Pregnant,” the pilot for ABC’s ‘Crimes of Passion’ franchise. It scored an impressive 13.4 rating and 21 share, making it the highest-rated ABC movie of the year. He went on to write “One Hot Summer Night,” another ‘Crimes of Passion’ thriller that was ABC’s highest-rated Thursday night movie of the season. Other producing credits include two CBS projects: “Twilight Zone – Rod Serling’s Lost Classics” and “A Child’s Wish,” which was filmed in the Oval Office and featured a cameo appearance by then President Bill Clinton. In addition he wrote and executive produced NBC’s “In His Life: The John Lennon Story” and “1st to Die,” a two-part NBC miniseries based on the best-selling novel by James Patterson.

Overall O’Hara has produced four miniseries and 33 Movies of the Week. Besides his Emmy nomination, other honors include: a Christopher Award (“A Child’s Wish”); a Prism Award (“The Accident”); a Humanitas Award nomination (“Heart of a Child”); a National Easter Seal Society Award (“To Walk Again”); an International Health & Medical Film Award (“Heart of a Child”); and the Media Award from The National Council on Problem Gambling (“Playing to Win.”)

www.Michael-ohara.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14203330.Michael_O_Hara

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dos-Angeles/1143487899001779




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COLORADO IN SUMMER AND WINTER

First, Mary Preston won the giveaway posted on Friday's blog. Congratulations, Mary. 

Don’t miss the giveaway at the end of this post.

One of my favorite trips is one through the Southwest several years ago. Hero had a new car, a Mitsubishi sedan, on which we put a gazillion miles traveling here and there. Maybe that’s an exaggeration but we went a LOT of places in that car before it eventually spluttered its last gasp.

Anyway, on this trip, we went over Wolfe Pass, Colorado in a rainstorm. Hero had his hands full driving but I was able to enjoy the incredible beauty of the landscape. The entire state is gorgeous—something even a dyed-in-the-wool Texan like me can admit.

Silverton, Colorado

We also visited Silverton, Colorado on July 4^th and were surprised the temperature was 32 degrees F with patches of snow still on the ground. Fortunately, we had brought very light jackets, but we were cold. Bright sunshine saved us and we enjoyed touring the town.

I had no idea then that I would write a book set in Colorado. At the time, all of my books were set in Texas except for one fluke novella set in Georgia. That changed when gracious and excellent author Cynthia Woolf invited me to participate in a project she had conjured called THE SURPRISE BRIDES. I loved the idea and so did Callie Hutton and Sylvia McDaniel.

Instead of seven brothers as in the old movie musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, we would write four brides for four brothers. We wanted nothing to do with kidnapping, so the mother of these four brothers writes away for mail-order brides. Scheming Mama Fraser poses as each of her sons when she writes these letters and arranges for all four brides to arrive on the same train.

We decided a snowstorm rather than an avalanche should isolate them on Fraser's Circle F Ranch five miles from Angel Springs. A different avalanche plays a part in my story. Certainly we didn’t want to wait all winter to have the brides married. So, one of the brothers is a minister and can marry them—including himself and his bride.

This was the most difficult project with which I have ever been involved. For weeks emails flew back and forth among us to insure each of us included key elements without compromising the others’ books or offering four versions of the same story. The result is, I believe, four great western historical romances that will engage fans of that genre.

The books are JAMIE, CALEB, GIDEON, and ETHAN. The series is THE SURPRISE BRIDES. They are stand alone books and you don’t need to read any one of them to follow the others.  Due to the progression of events in the books’ content, if you plan to read all four I would suggest reading JAMIE first then ETHAN followed by GIDEON and ending with CALEB.

If you haven’t already done so, I hope you’ll give THE SURPRISE BRIDES: JAMIE a chance to entertain you and that you’ll also purchase the other three brothers’ stories. The books are priced low at only $2.99 each.  Here are the buy links at Amazon, but the books are available at Apple, Nook, and Kobo.

THE SURPRISE BRIDES buy links:

Caroline Clemmons, JAMIE http://amzn.com/B015272I3W

Cynthia Woolf, GIDEON  http://amzn.com/B015JLMQBU

Callie Hutton, CALEB  http://amzn.to/1KvP4id.

Sylvia McDaniel, ETHAN http://amzn.com/B015PG1FOI

**I’m giving away a free e-copy of THE SURPRISE BRIDES: JAMIE to one person who leaves a comment today. If you already have a copy of that book, you can choose another from my books on Amazon.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

What inspires you? Tell me in a comment to be in a drawing for a free e-book. 

Research is a large part of a writer’s world, especially when he or she writes historical novels, and often provides ideas for other novels. I love research and have trouble keeping on task. One of the fun parts of research is the day trip.

Years ago, my husband and I took a trip to Palo Pinto County, Texas for a driving tour and that’s when I fell in love with the area. To be truthful, I already loved driving through the hills and valleys. This tour, however, convinced me this was an area in which I would set many books. So far, I have two series set here—The Men of Stone Mountain and Bride Brigade—and a time travel, OUT OF THE BLUE.

Palo Pinto Mountains in distance from the valley

To most people, these would be considered hills, but geologically, they are mountains. Don’t ask me why, I’m just a writer. There are many picturesque areas and I enjoy driving through at any time of year. Now, however, is a prime time for the leaves are changing and it’s easy to see why the Native Americans dubbed them “painted posts”.

Although many live oaks dot the forests, most are smaller scrub oaks which turn colors and lose their leaves. Live oaks lose leaves, but they’re replaced and always have dark green leaves year around, hence the name. Also in the area are cedars and they provided fence posts material as well as small logs for cabins. Add in the cottonwoods, pin oak, red oak, hackberry, bois d'arc, elm, and don't forget the late-comer mesquite that plagues ranchers. 

In Palo Pinto County are many hot water springs, the most famous of which is the crazy water well in Mineral Wells. According to accounts, a family with a mentally disturbed wife moved to the area and the husband dug a well. While drinking that water, the woman was cured. It should be called sane water, but that doesn’t have the ring to it that crazy water does.

To this day, Crazy Water Crystals are available for sale. Frankly, I believe these are useful as little more than laxatives now due to the water's mineral content. The county's largest town was named Mineral Wells for a reason. The original well went through a lithium deposit and that provided relief to the woman’s condition. I doubt the FDA would allow over the counter lithium sales.

One of my favorite ranches is the Belding-Gibson Ranch, which has a spring that never dries up and was a favorite Native American campground. This is a beautiful ranch that has been continuously run by the Belding family and descendants since 1859. The original cedar log cabin dating to 1854 has been incorporated into the ranch home, as has the smokehouse and the dog trot and second cabin. This place is so dear to my heart.

Belding-Gibson Ranch Home includes preserved parts of
original cabins and smokehouse.

I enjoy this entire county, although I’m glad I live in a Fort Worth suburb with all the shopping and medical conveniences I prefer. While visiting Palo Pinto, I can visualize life as it was in the last half of the nineteenth century. A drive there sets my imagination’s cog wheels turning and generating new ideas faster than I can write them. The drive also makes me smile and dwell in my happy place.

Do you have special areas that inspire you? I’ll give away a copy of my first Bride Brigade romance, JOSEPHINE, to one person who comments today.

LOST CAUSES -- POWER GONE WRONG AND ON THE RUN

LOST CAUSES

by Mia Marshall

Mia Marshall will award a $50 Amazon/BN Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Rafflecopter is at the end of the post.

LOST CAUSES Blurb:

Aidan Brook has spent months living with the horror of what happened when she lost control of her magic. Now she is searching for a way to manage her immense power, but she only hits one dead end after another.

On the run from a council intent on her death, Aidan, the bear shifter Mac, and the rest of her friends find themselves on a desperate chase across deserts and oceans in search of answers. Along the way, they encounter a living myth and a dual magic with secrets of his own—and they learn that the cure may be more deadly than the disease.

To save her own life, Aidan will need to confront the most dangerous foe she’s ever faced…herself.

LOST CAUSES is the fourth book in the award-winning Elements urban fantasy series.

LOST CAUSES Excerpt:

The magic hissed in fear and anger. For a moment it considered attacking, but there wasn’t enough water left to drown her.

Also, it was Sera. I didn’t hurt Sera.

I stumbled backwards as reason slammed into me. I wrenched the threads of magic toward me. They twisted in my core, displeased, but at least I controlled them. It had so nearly been the other way around.

Sera’s movements were hesitant, as if she approached a wild beast, but her eyes were as determined as ever.

“I’m back,” I said. My face was red and my heart pounded like I’d just sprinted a mile, but I’d come back. This time, at least, I’d come back.

Sera studied my face for a long, silent moment. She returned the syringe to the black case and tucked that into one of the kitchenette’s drawers.

Carmichael and Vivian watched me as they would a stranger. A stranger who might try to eat their liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

“Really, it’s me. So long as I’m not using the magic, I’m still Aidan. I didn’t slide any further down the sanity slope.”

They looked unconvinced.

“We can’t just use the drug every time.” I attempted logic. “It knocks me out for days, and we can’t afford that.”

“I’m all for knocking you out, but we don’t have enough left to do it whenever you’re an idiot.” That might have been Sera agreeing with me.

I gave her a shaky smile. She slapped my face.

“Hey!” It only stung a little, but allowing her to slap me whenever she thought I was stupid wasn’t a precedent I wanted to set.

BUY Links:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Marshall/e/B00DJWDGXE/

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Mia%20Marshall%22

Apple:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mia-marshall/id541399965

Kobo:

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/search?query=Mia%20Marshall

NOTE:  The first book of the series, BROKEN ELEMENTS,  is now FREE!!!

Amazon: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-amazon

Apple: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-apple

Kobo: http://miamarshall.com/broken-elements-kobo

Mia Marshall, Author

Mia Marshall is the award-winning author of the Elements urban fantasy series. Before she started writing about imaginary worlds, she worked as a high school teacher, script supervisor, story editor, legal secretary, and day care worker. She has lived all along the US west coast and throughout the UK, where she collected an unnecessary number of degrees in literature, education, and film.

These days, she lives in a small house in the Sierra Nevadas, where she is surrounded by a small but deadly feline army.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thismiamarshall

Facebook: http://facebook.com/miamarshallwrites

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Mia_Marshall

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thismiamarshall

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER:

Mia Marshall will award a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NEW RELEASES -- JOSEPHINE AND JAMIE

As promised on Friday, here is more information on BRIDE BRIGADE: JOSEPHINE, which is now available at Amazon and—if not already—will soon be available as an e-book on iBooks, Nook, and Kobo.

Here’s the blurb for JOSEPHINE:

Josephine Nailor is desperate to escape a terrible situation. When the opportunity arises via a newspaper ad, she and her best friend slip away from their oppressive fathers and head for Richmond.  Neither can relax until they’re far away from their tiny hometown. With wealthy young widow Lydia Harrison’s help, Josephine and six other young women have a new life waiting in Tarnation, Texas.

Michael Buchanan is fairly content running his mercantile and being mayor of Tarnation. The town is dusty and tiny, but it’s growing. He believes it holds all he needs to be happy—except a wife. There are no available women in town, but he hopes Lydia Harrison’s Bride Brigade will offer a woman he can wed. He is immediately attracted to Josephine.

But Josephine has every reason to mistrust men in general and politicians in particular. Will her misgivings ruin her chance at happiness?

And here’s an excerpt of JOSEPHINE:

Josephine brushed and pulled back her hair. “At least we’re clean and neat even if we don’t have fancy clothes.”

Her friend chewed on her lip then met her gaze in the mirror. “I don’t really want to meet anyone right away.”

She smiled. “Afraid you might end up with someone like your pa or mine?”

Ophelia shook her head and pulled on her shawl to cover the stains on her dress. “Oh, no, Lydia won’t invite anyone who isn’t nice. She promised. I feel as shy as usual and need a little more time to adjust.”

Josephine tied a ribbon around her neck with her mother’s locket in the center. “Well, I don’t intend to marry. I want to find a job and be independent.”

Ophelia stared at her. “You mean you never want to wed?”

“Can you blame me?”

Her friend’s face filled with concern. “Jo, you can’t mean it. You’d never have a home and children. Think of your future. Who will keep you company in the evenings?”

“I’ll get a cat.”

The buy link for JOSEPHINE,  Bride Brigade book one, is http://amzn.com/B015M4FJUY

Please don’t forget THE SURPRISE BRIDES: JAMIE is also a new release. The buy link for JAMIE is http://amzn.com/B015272I3W. These books are $2.99 each in e-book, but are also available in print. The companion books about JAMIE’s brothers are GIDEON by Cynthia Woolf, CALEB by Callie Hutton, and ETHAN by Sylvia McDaniel.  GIDEON is available from Amazon at  http://amzn.com/B015JLMQBU. CALEB and ETHAN will be available as e-books by Wednesday. 

Happy reading!

NEW SERIES, THE BRIDE BRIGADE

To writers, starting a new book or story is exciting. Ooh. the possibilities. While I plot my stories, that plot is like a roadmap on a leisurely trip. There’s still plenty of opportunity for side excursions.

My new series is called Bride Brigade. The first, JOSEPHINE, is almost ready to release. While I’m editing that one, my next story in the series, ANGELINE is underway. Thanks to Kathy Shaw for thinking of the name Bride Brigade. Skhye Moncrief designed the covers.

Book one of the Bride Brigade series

I love the name of this town, Tarnation, Texas. If it really existed outside my head, it would be in the Palo Pinto Mountains just north of where Interstate 20 passes by today. Of course, in the last quarter of the 1800s, there were no paved highways in that area. This series actually is set in 1873 to avoid Indian conflict yet predate the railroad.

In this series, a lovely young widow named Lydia Jane Harrison (the name of an ancestor) regrets there are no women her age in town. In fact, there are mostly men in the area. Other than Lydia, there are only a few married women and several elderly widows. Many young men are moving away due to the shortage of marriageable women.

Book two

Lydia’s good friend Sophie Gaston prevails on her to do something to solve the problem before Sophie’s doctor son carries out his threat to move his medical office to Fort Worth. After all, most red-blooded young men want a wife and family. Lydia agrees and goes to her former hometown of Richmond, Virginia to recruit nice young women to accompany her to Texas.

Intending to round up four suitable young women, her compassionate nature means she ends up with seven. That’s good for the town. At 28, Lydia enjoys having the companionship of women near her age. Folks in town label the seven women as the Bride Brigade. Soon the girls are referring to themselves in that way.

There are a variety of stories but all promise a happily-ever-after. That’s what we all want, isn’t it?

More about the JOSEPHINE on Monday.