Friday, July 17, 2015

#PNR #NewRelease #Multicultural #Romance @AuthorWren Vexed by Wren Michaels Interview and Review

Thanks for sharing in the release of my first full-length novel! I hope you enjoy reading about Kena and Luc as much as I enjoyed writing them. There's plenty of action, adventure, romance, and Vodou for everyone!
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I did a little Q&A about the book:

Q) How did you dream up the dynamics of your characters? Originally the story was going to be completely different when I wrote the first 5000 words or so of the book. But after I came back from the 2014 Romantic Times convention in New Orleans, I was inspired to write something with a Vodou/NOLA flair. So the book took a twist and became so much more than I ever imagined. I wanted a strong heroine and an alpha male. But Luc ended up being more of an Alpha/Beta blend. He's not really one or the other. He's quite complex. Kena ended up being a witty heroine who took things into her own hands.

Q) Do you have any habits that get you in the writing frame of mind? Music is my biggest influence. I listened to mainly instrumental gaming soundtracks while writing. But one of my Critique Partners burned me a CD of music she thought would be perfect for this book, and it was filled with great songs by The Black Keys, Rolling Stones, Zepplin, Jack White and Muse. It ended up really making scenes come alive for me.

Q) How much real life do you put into or influences your books? In this book I tried to make the characters reflect their Vodou based deities. I did take some artistic liberties and spun a few things, but I did a lot of research to make sure a lot of the intricacies of their actual descriptions and quirks made it into the story.

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Vodou stole her life. A gay ghost stole her boots. And the man who stole her heart stole her memories. Kena plans to get it all back.
Ex-cop Kena's life is filled with regret, beer, and Cheetos. That is, until her ghostly roomie sends her dumpster diving, leading her to a sexy stranger named Luc and a fate she'd rather not remember. As Kena's memories resurface, so do her feelings for Luc, the man she's secretly been in love with for the last thousand years. And he needs her for more than a stroll down memory lane.
Vodou spirits, known as Loa, have been trapped in human form, and are trying to make their way back to the spirit world. But Luc's brother is possessed by a vengeance demon conjured at the hands of NOLA's crime syndicate kingpin. Saving him means damning herself to a spirit prison in a loveless, arranged union with the very man she's supposed to rescue. But not helping Luc's brother sentences him to death, leaving New Orleans in the hands of black magick, and losing Luc forever.
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excerptCHANGEOFHEART
After stripping out of the wet clothes, I wrapped the towel around myself and wandered out to his room. On the bed lay a white long-sleeve button-down shirt. With a hard swallow, I dropped the towel and picked up the shirt, pulling it to my face. I took a long, hard sniff. Laundry detergent. Of course. Did I think it would smell like him?

Like he'd give you a dirty shirt to wear, Kena.

Thankful he didn't witness me in idiot-mode, I slid myself into the shirt and was caught mid-button when he knocked at the door.

“Are you decent?” He pushed the door open a crack.

“I'm clothed, if that's what you mean. Decent is debatable at the moment.” Purposely leaving the top three buttons undone, I worked my way to the bottom button as he walked in.

He halted mid-stride and looked at me. His chest rose and fell in quick spurts, training his eyes over me from head to toe. Veins traversed the length of his arm as he clenched his fists at his sides. “I don't wear underwear, so I apologize I have no bottoms. It's all I had that was long enough to cover you.” His position relaxed as he leaned against the mahogany armoire.

“Anything's better than cold, sopping-wet clothes.” I ran a finger through my hair, now slowly drying into loose stringy curls.

“So, are you going to tell me what happened tonight?” Folding his arms across his broad chest, bulging muscles stretched the navy-blue fabric barely covering his biceps.

I shook my head. “Not until I get some honesty from you, big guy.”

With a tilt of his head, he donned a sly grin. “You haven't asked the right questions.”

“Is this a game for you? Do you enjoy messing with people's lives? Do you get off on some fucked-up high being in total control?” My fingernails burrowed into the palm of my hand. Everything in me wanted to slap the shit out of him and then ride him like a cowboy.

He pushed off the dresser and walked over to me, lowering his head coming to a stop inches from my face. “You're the one in control and yet you refuse to acknowledge it. 
You refuse to let your mind accept it. Stop playing and start being.”

“What do you want from me?” I yelled, a little louder than intended.

“I want you to be you. I want you to”—he stopped and dropped his gaze to my lips, and then slowly made his way back up to my eyes—“come back.”

“Kiss me.” The words rushed from my lips without another thought. My heart hammered so hard in my chest I thought it would shatter my rib cage.

His breathing quickened. A low growl rumbled in his throat. “Don't do this to me, Kena.”

“Don't do what? You're the one doing things to me.” I slammed my hands against his chest and he sailed across the room, his back hitting the dresser behind him. “Shit! I'm sorry.” I reached out for him with a trembling hand.

Fuck, I’d done it again.

He shook his head and straightened himself up. In a blur of movement, he shot across the room and grabbed onto either side of my shirt, yanking me up to his face. “You want me to kiss you?”

“Yes,” I said in more of whooshing sound than a word.

He pressed his lips against my neck and his fingers curled into the fabric of the shirt, pulling me onto my tiptoes. “You don't even know who I am.”

“I don't care.” Words no longer made sense to me, only his touch spoke a language I could understand.

He laughed as he pushed me against the wall. Gripping the back of my head with the entire palm of his hand, he splayed the other across my cheek, his thumb resting against my jawline. Tilting my head back, he hovered his lips over mine. “You will.”

His lips crushed against my mouth.

With a sweep of his tongue, he devoured me into a kiss the likes of which I've never experienced before in my life. He punished my mouth with his tongue, sliding it over mine in a delicious dance of ecstasy and aggression. His hold on me was not that of violence, but of passion. The way his fingertips eased against my face, yet held me there as if he was scared to let go, revealed a vulnerability. He may be a man of few words who knew how to play the vague card, but his body and actions gave him away.

I arched into him, and he pinned me back against the wall with his hip. Clawing at his shirt, I ripped it out of his jeans and slid my fingers over his heated skin. A surge of energy rushed my fingertips as they glided along his body, electrifying me.

“Fuck, Kena,” he hissed, pulling back from the kiss.

In a movement so fast it blurred everything around me, he shot out the door, slamming it behind him. He left me gasping, clinging to the wall behind me just to remain standing. 
My legs wobbled like Jell-O as I stumbled to the bed and collapsed. He sucked all the air from my body and replaced it with an ache, a driving need for more of him.

What the hell was he?
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My Review:
OMG...  I have been hearing about this book for months and it still took me to unexpected places which is exactly what I want my reading experiences to do for me.  My heart was in my throat throughout most of the book because I was so invested in the well-drawn characters.  The setting was exquisite and made me long for my next visit to New Orleans (which, incidentally is only a couple of weeks away).  There isn't anything I can say about this book besides, WOW. I truly believe Wren is up there in my top ten favs, especially as she's a new author and is quickly sweeping me off my feet. 





abouttheauthor
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Wren Michaels hails from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin where beer and cheese are their own food groups. But a cowboy swept her off her feet and carried her away below the Mason-Dixon line, where she promptly lost all tolerance for snow and cold. They decided they'd make beautiful babies together and they got it right on the first try. Now Wren lives happily ever after in the real world and in the worlds of her making, where she creates book boyfriends for the masses to crave.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

#HFCB #Military #Romance #LimitedTime #NewRelease

Sex, Love & Combat Boots

An Eye Candy Bookstore Anthology Benefiting Heels for Combat Boots- 90 day limited release on Amazon ONLY
Anthology Includes:
Rebecca Brooke — Letters Home
Marissa Dobson — Ace In The Hole
MJ Fields — Irons
Jennifer Foor — Love Survives
Kimberly Knight — Angels & Whiskey
Bayli Lane — What If
Kristen Hope Mazzola — Crashing Back Down
Sarah O’Rourke — Cain’s Salvation
Alexis Noelle — Fractured: Volume One
Sophie Monroe — To Love A Soldier
Available exclusively on Amazon; Purchase Your Copy NOW!
Rebecca Brooke —
Letters Home
Life is all about the jigsaw, right? Finding the different puzzle pieces to complete your very own picture. A career you love, a house to make a home, a lover to complete you, and keep you warm at night.
Danielle Renton has a life, and she loves it. A recent law school graduate, she’d been floored when her boyfriend, Nate Lewis, enlisted during their sophomore year of college. At the time, she’d been concerned with what that meant for them as a couple, but in the years that followed, they’d learned to adapt to the logistics of an army relationship.
But when life throws her a curve ball, how will she cope? Can she pick up the pieces and make her picture beautiful again? Or does she realize that, sometimes, the pieces can be too broken to fit back together…
Find Rebecca on Facebook
Marissa Dobson —
Ace In The Hole
Ace Diamond left behind the woman he loved when he joined the Navy SEALs. For years he focused on his career, risking life and limb on missions for his country. Now home on leave, he must face his past and ask himself if leaving her was a mistake.
At seventeen, Gwyneth London gave her heart away only to have it broken. More than a dozen years later, she decides to embrace her single life and have a child on her own. Ready to start over in her hometown, she doesn’t expect to see the man who still holds her heart, but when he walks back into her life she’s unable to push him away.
Can Gwyneth and Ace claim the life they were supposed to have, or will they let love pass them by?
Find Marissa on Facebook
MJ Fields —
Irons
Jax
I was born and bred to be the man I am today. My father and his father were both graduates from The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Both went on to become helicopter pilots. Both had seen plenty of action. Both had met and caused devastation. Both men, who I respect more above all, had served and protected the United States and her people honorably for decades.
My best friend, William Cruz, who attended the academy with me, had flown beside me, had lived the same life as I had and shared the same ambitions in life, was gone now. This was not part of the plan. Will and I were supposed to have each other’s backs, support each other and never let anything supersede our bond.
Francesca
I sat on Norfolk Beach needing to feel close to him on the anniversary of his death. It was a beautiful day in May and I was cutting class. I had done the same every year since he passed.
Jaxson Irons was only supposed to be in Pensacola for a year. But now three years later I still hadn't heard from him. I saw a man running down the beach and I knew immediately who it was.
Jaxson didn't respond the way I had dreamed he would. He told me we would catch up someday soon. I stood and watched until he was gone.
Thump, thump. I placed my hand on my chest as I felt my heart beat again for what felt like the first time in three years. Thump, thump. I felt the blood moving quickly through my body. It’s heat once again present. Thump, thump. I looked up at the sky and let out a breath. A breath that I had been holding forever. Thump, thump.
I felt tears fall down my face as I raised my hands in the air and laughed out loud.
Find MJ on Facebook
Jennifer Foor —
Love Survives
Imagine being in love with the same girl since you were ten years old, only to have her fall for your twin instead. This story is rocky.
It will rip you apart and possibly put you back together again.
I know this because it's my story.
The pain and anguish experienced in this is what it was like to hold onto hope that some day we'd find each other again. I won't sugar coat the details of what I went through to have her, nor will I apologize for any actions that led me right back into her life.
Sometimes love isn't enough.
For me, it took some bad experiences, a little fate, and a lot of time.
This book follows Love's Suicide. It can be read by itself as a stand alone.
Find Jennifer on Facebook
Kimberly Knight —
Angels & Whiskey
Whiskey, women and sleepless nights…
United States Army Captain Gabriel Hastings knew he would always follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. Serving his country was his destiny.
Until he fell in love…
When Gabe’s love affair is cut short, he turns to whiskey for comfort and swears he will never fall in love again.
Until he bumps into an unexpected angel…
By all appearances, Autumn Jones has the perfect life. Her husband, Richard, is a loving man who wants to be a father to her unborn children. But Autumn knows the truth. Richard has a controlling, dark side that leaves nothing to chance, especially Autumn. He’ll stop at nothing to make her the trophy wife he wants her to be.
When Autumn bumps into Gabe, he consumes her every thought, but she can’t act on her feelings. She’s married to a dark man she can never leave.
When he learns who Autumn’s husband really is, Gabe knows he will stop at nothing to protect her. Or is it too late for him to save his angel?
Angels & Whiskey is part of a series, however, can be read as a standalone book.
Find Kimberly on Facebook
Bayli Lane —
What If
For some people falling in love was a happy, glowing experience. For Briar Kelly and Arrow Donovan it was more like getting hit by a freight train.
Caring for one another was never an easy feat. They constantly fought to hold their feelings inside, not wanting to jeopardize their friendship. Then, Arrow left for the Marines, and everything changed. Briar was shattered. Arrow was hurt.
While Briar told herself she’d never let another man affect her in such a way, Arrow still remained in the forefront of her mind. For Arrow, his memories of Briar kept him alive in both of his near death experiences. When Arrow’s demons threatened to drag him under, Briar was there, pulling him from the darkness.
"What ifs" keep piling up while resentment and redemption battles continue; will Briar and Arrow be able to find their happily ever after, or will this be one war that Arrow can't win?
THIS IS A STAND-ALONE, Contemporary Romance: Due to language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Find Bayli on Facebook
Kristen Hope Mazzola —
Crashing Back Down
Mags McManus has just become a war widow in her mid-twenties. Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy's best friends and parents.
Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.
Find Kristen on Facebook
Sarah O’Rourke —
Cain’s Salvation
When Dr. Cain Turner's life was literally blown apart in a small province of Afghanistan, it was only the hope and memories of one woman that propelled him forward. But there were more demons to face.
In the small country hamlet of Paradise, Tennessee…Faith waits. Surrounded by her loving sisters, Faith McKinnon had faced her own demons, having thought that the love of her life had deserted her.
But fate…and a few meddling McKinnon sisters…conspired to bring the two star-crossed lovers together again.
Book One in the Passion in Paradise - The Men of the McKinnon Sisters Series
Find Sarah on Facebook
Alexis Noelle —
Fractured: Volume One
Nothing in life is ever fair.
There are wars we battle and face every day.
Some too close to home.
I had it all.
The perfect husband.
The perfect house.
The perfect...Everything.
Then one moment changed everything forever
Find Alexis on Facebook
Sophie Monroe —
To Love a Soldier
Life is short. At twenty-one, Liz Kane knows this. Having lost her dad in combat, she is well aware of life's cruel twists. Still, working to pay her way through school and cautiously beginning a new relationship, Liz is content.
When an accident brings her brother, John, Stateside from his current stint in the Marine's, life gives Liz another twist, this time bringing in an old friend, new love, and the possibilty of happiness for John when he meets Mandy.
This is a story of love, loss, and new beginnings.
Find Sophie on Facebook



Heels for Combat Boots
HFCB was founded and created by Kati Sorensen AKA 'Riskay Business' and was officially established on February 28, 2014. HFCB sets out to assist our Servicemen and women with PTSD/TBI (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury). We assist with helping these individuals adjust back into the world of civilian life, connect them with the correct outreach and treatment programs, help with their day to day struggles and issues; such as assisting them with paying their bills, obtain groceries, etc. We help to get them back involved with the things they enjoy, introduce them to new experiences, and connect them with hunting and fishing trips. Also getting involved with Vet events, visiting the VA's, and sending out care packages. Check out our event page to see all we have up our sleeve to raise funds!


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