New look, same great Anne. Possibly even more!

You'll notice my blog has a new look about it today.  I've been re-thinking my whole blog, and wondering exactly where I want to go with it.  I still want to help promote other Indie Authors, I still want to give my thoughts on other peoples' books, and I still want to submit my regular readers (both of you) to my random thoughts every once in a while.

My goal is to continue to have a daily post (although the month of July has gotten past me and that has been rather irregular).

I have misplaced my blog calendar with my scheduled author spotlights, so if you have signed up for a spot on my blog, I no longer have that information.  I'm terribly sorry.  Feel free to contact me and let me know.  In the meanwhile, if I receive an email full of information, I'll know I've committed myself (in more ways than one) and get the information up here.

Before everybody floods my comments with, "Why don't you use an online calendar gadget?" Just know that is all beyond me at this point in time.  If I have to figure out how to use another computer thingie, I will pull out the rest of my ratty hair.

Later this week, I'll be hiding at my brother's Lake House to do some writing.  Nothing else.  The voices inside my head have gotten to be a little too much, and they're warring with my children for attention.  I'm succombing to the voices (because they're so much more fun) and running away for a couple of days.  I'll be sans internet, TV, children, husband, mother, and any other duties (aside from watering my brother's plants and checking his mail, both of which I promised I would do).  I may even go online and post a picture of his beautiful view.  Although, I may not.  It might be something just for me.

I knew this summer would not be about my writing.  I knew that it would belong to my children and my mother.  Every summer, at the beginning of June, I take my planner to Mom's house (the same one my blog posts are in) and let her fill it up with activities I should do with her and the kids:  church camps, dance conventions, t-ball games, trips to six flags, etc.  I believe I'm finished with my obligations to everybody else, and I need some me time in the worst way.

So I'm taking it.

I also have some books to review, and am looking forward to those, as they will be sort of pleasurable (I hope).  I would love to get back to reviewing on this site.  I think that would be a wonderful service to the Indie Author community.  Possibly one that can be repaid in kind.

So, this will probably be my only post this week (unless something lands in my inbox), and I'll post again on Friday or Monday.  Until then...

Breaking the Rules by Melinda Dozier 7/24

A forbidden love affair in the past has led Hope Robinson, a middle school principal, to Harbor Bay, Florida, where she commits herself to play by the rules.  This can be difficult for a perpetual klutz, who—even strapped in a cast—has to uphold a competent attitude at all times.  Luckily, she has Dr. Colin Calaway on her side, a widower and father of a student, who is ready to give love another try. When Colin convinces Hope they should explore the connection between them, a steamy romance develops, though it could destroy them both. They must decide if their jobs—and their hearts—are worth the risk.


My husband and kids were out of town, and I used the opportunity to read in a silent house.  What did I read?  What I've been looking forward to since I received the ARC a month ago, Melinda Dozier's Breaking the Rules.

This was a sweet contemporary romance with a lot of heart.  The characters were well-developed and multi-dimensional.  The plot was predictable, but I loved it.  Most CR plots are, and that's why I read them.  I don't like to be heart-broken at the end of a book, and Ms. Dozier didn't disappoint.  This was a lovely read that I didn't want to put down until the characters got their HEA.

Colin was funny, flirty, and all-around great sexy guy.  Hope was an independent, put-together woman with a soft side.  When they get together, sparks fly, and neither can deny the chemistry.  They deal with conflicts, and in the bedroom, Hope's inner Tiger is released.  It was good.

My only problem with the story was one I probably only noticed because it's something that I'm guilty of in my own writing.  Hope is fickle.  She would tell Colin one thing, then change her mind the next paragraph or chapter.  It added to the conflict, but it frustrated me, and made me not like her as much, yelling at the page, "Why couldn't I have met you first, Colin?  I wouldn't do you that way!"

Ah well, at least I'm connecting to the characters.

About Melinda:

Melinda Dozier lives in Guatemala, Central America, with her husband, three boys and German Shepherd.  She enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being pampered fully by her boys once they’re grown. Learn more about her at www.melindadozier.com. You can also find Melinda on twitter at www.twitter.com/melindadozier or Facebook at www.facebook.com/melindadoz

Melinda is giving away an ecopy of Breaking the Rules and winners choice of a Yankees or Red Sox baseball cap through her tour wide giveaway. Winners must enter via Rafflecopter and will be chosen on July 27.  You can enter the giveaway HERE

Author Spotlight on K. Pinson

I got the chance to interview K, so without further ado...Here you go!

Describe your writing process.

I put pencil to paper.....lol..no, just kidding. Well kind of.

I generally like to do some character pieces . Just short stories on each of my main characters to help me get into their heads. Then I try and write a chapter by chapter outline. Most of the time the story doesn't even flow like I originally planned. I just write and let the story goes where it intends to. 

What motivates you to sit down and write? 

My readers. The reaction they have to my teasers and my story. I love that feeling. I love getting my words down on paper and hearing positive reactions.

Where does your inspiration come from?

My friends, my family, my past experiences. Inspiration comes at me from numerous directions. I am so blessed in life.

Do you have any writers that you consider mentors?

K.A. Robinson has helped me immensely through out the entire process. I would truly be NOWHERE without her encouragement and answering my stupid, crazy, dumb questions. She never ceases to amaze me. She is brilliant.

I really love Sophie Monroe, Heidi McLaughlin, Melissa Andrea, Madeline Sheehan and Tabatha Vargo as well. They are all AMAZING Authors.

What do you think your greatest strength is in your writing? 

I think I am really good with descriptive paragraphs and thought processes. I have been told I am really good with taking people into the story and helping them to actually be able to visualize exactly what is going on.

What is your biggest challenge?

I think my biggest challenge is Male POV as well as some of the conversations.

Do you ever experience writer's block?  How do you get through it? 

I have experiences writers block of sorts. Generally I take a break. Revisit the story. I don't want anything to be forced. Music is also a great outlet.

Name some authors who have influenced or inspired you? 

Abbi Glines, Teresa Mummert, J.K Rowling, Anne Rice

Tell a little about your most recent work.  

I am currently in process of editing my sequel to In Spades which is titled House of Cards----Will Avalynn and Daxton make it through this or is their relationship built only as strong as a House of Cards, ready to crumble at any moment?

And am writing a stand a lone novel titled Between the Raindrops---Are the lifestyles of the rich and famous all they are really cracked up to be or will Nevaeh succumb to her old life of solitude and forget-it-all attitude?

Both titles fall under the New Adult Genre...and are available to read the full synopsis' on Goodreads or my author page on Facebook :)

Tell us about your favorite character from the book

My favorite character is probably Daxton.

He is my love. Haha. He is always so fun to write and to visualize. He's basically my dream man ;)

Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for other writers who are looking to publish? 

Get your butt out there and dream BIG. Don't let other's keep you down. Get some trusted betas, create a Facebook fan page, stir up some excitement.  Release teasers! Write! Do it for you and those that love what you do.

Thank you so much for the interview. I hope that you all enjoy In Spades and future works! :)

Amazon Buy Link

Blurb:

Charlotte grew up in the Boston socialite spotlight.
Bentley grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.
One chance baseball game will change both of their lives forever.
But will their relationship stand the test of ex-lovers, arson, and Charlotte's parents?

Author Links

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Website

Bio:

Danielle A. Elwood is a blogger by trade who started writing her first romance novel Take Me Out as a hobby in 2012. She is a avid romance novel lover herself,  which inspired her to take the leap into writing her own. She resides in Daytona Beach, Florida with her family. Some of her inspirations in writing include Abbi Glines, Colleen Hoover, Laura Kaye, Melony Anne, and Jamie McGuire.

As is usually the case, I cannot get the rafflecopter links to work, I can't even get them to copy and paste...ARGH!  But there's a cool giveaway with this one, so go to Danielle's website and email her for more information.  Sorry!  :(

It's about that time...

Today's blog tour stops are Jill Sanders, and Shhh...Mommy's in the Bathroom Reading (I love that blog name).  Both have great reviews of Hot Mess, check them out when you get a chance.

I'm not sure if it's the quiet of the house while the kids are gone for the week at their grandparents, or what, but I'm feeling this insatiable need to write something new.  There's a story in my head that's been needing to get out for a while now, and I think that I'll actually start the outline in the next day or so.  It may actually become the new Christmas novella...Not sure.

Anyways, these characters have been in my head, telling me their story for months, especially Renae.  Renae, as in Dalton's sister, from Dream On.  I sort of gave a run-down to my husband last night, at dinner, and I think he liked what's rattling around up there.  Well, he really should, he's married to it.  But at times, I think I surprise him.  And that's good.  After 15 years, it's nice to know I can still surprise him.

I still have to finish up promoting Hot Mess.  I've got a big push tomorrow with the Facebook Release party, and trying to come up with games to play all day for that one.  After that, I think I'll be spending a day with my Mother-in-law, which is NOT my favorite thing ever.  Then, maybe next week, when I have the kids back, I can do a little writing on it.

Today, I'm going to finish uploading Hot Mess, and do a little clean-up on a few of the uploaded books I've got and re-up-load them (yes, I'm aware that's not a word, as I've written it.  It's still sort of early...).  I'm leaning on my friend Jill a lot with the itunes aspect of this process, as I don't have a mac, and can't figure out how to get around their uploading software that requires one.  She's so awesome.  I'm going to buy her something nice, as soon as I have the sales.

On that note, Hot Mess's sales did pretty good last night, it's first night live, without me posting buy links everywhere.  So, I'm optimistic.  Keep your fingers crossed that it continues to go well.

If you want to check it out for yourself, it's up on AMAZON right now.  You guys know I'll let you all know what the links are everywhere else, as soon as I get them.

Hot Mess Blog Tour starts today!

Today is the day!!!  The blog tour starts.  I must say, I'm super-stoked.  I've never done a blog tour before, and I had decided to do one with this tour.  All of the prep-work involved was crazy, but I dug in and created all kinds of stuff for it: playlist, character interviews, I even recorded myself reading excerpts on soundcloud.  I also created a trailer for the series, Stories of Serendipity. 

All that was okay.  I didn't mind most of it, it's all part of marketing my work.  When it came time to fill spots for the tour however, I was at a loss.  I sent the list to a couple of facebook groups that I was on, and it got filled half-way.  I didn't know what to do next.


Then Book Pimps came into the equation, offering to finish what I had started and alleviate some stress.  Hell yes!  I jumped on that.  She had all kinds of blogging contacts that I didn't have access to, and offered some suggestions for date changes and stuff.  Since I knew nothing about what I was doing, I eagerly handed over the reigns.

So, stop one on my my blog tour is Cuddly Buddy Book Blog, where Hot Mess received a five-flame review!  YAY!  Later today, it will be at Chronicles of a Writing Mom.

I'm really excited about this tour, and hopeful that it will do a fraction of what I want it to do for my sales.  In the meantime, I've got a fence to fix, and a book to upload.  So, we'll see what today brings.

Double Threat Blog Blitz

The first book is free on amazon:

So I'm a Double Threat (Double Threat Series)?~ 

Megan Miller, a freshman at Carver High and a Double Threat, the perfect combination of smart and popular. She's got the grades, she's got the friends, and she's got the connections. Freshman year should be a breeze, but it's not. How can it be when you have boys, boys and boys on the brain. And really only one in particular. Alex Aguilar...the boy of Meg's dreams. They met at a party and Meg's whole world shifted. The spark was there, there was no denying it. But could that spark lead to more? Can a Senior and Freshman really make a go of it no matter what kind of connection they share? Or will outside circumstances ruin not only Meg's Freshman year, but her chance at hooking the guy of her dreams. Being a Double Threat is supposed to make you special, but is it worth it if you don't get your crush?

Double Threat My Bleep (Double Threat Series)?~ 

Megan Miller's someday came and she and Alex Aguilar are a couple. She nabbed her dream guyand couldn't be happier. The only problem is, he is miles away in college and Meg is stuck at Carver High dealing with girl drama, boy problems and the fact that Alex is constantly surrounded by half naked girls. What should be the best year for Meg and company is shaping up to be a year filled with drama and tears and the possibility of a broken heart. Not to mention the confusing feelings she has about Travis, the newest member to the group. Can Meg and Alex make the distance work or will circumstances lead to Meg's happily-ever after being a thing of the past? And will Travis be there willing to pick up the pieces if it happens? 

Double Time (Double Threat series)~ 

Megan Miller has done the crush thing, had her heart broken and flirted with a close friend to the point of an almost relationship. She is over the drama of her Freshman and Sophomore years and is ready to be single and to mingle. With Keesha and Steph by her side the girls are ready to rock the single hood in their Junior year. Playing the field, meeting new people, doing different things sounds like the life. But is it? What happens when you are out their working the dating scene but your heart is somewhere else, or better yet with someone else? Can you be tied down and still manage to enjoy not being attached? Meg is about to find out. Sometimes being single takes double time.

Double Threats Forever (Double Threat Series)?~ 

After three years of broken hearts, back stabbing, lying, cheating, and fighting, Megan Miller and crew have finally made it to their senior year. They are ready to rule the school and show Carver High what the true meaning of being adouble threat is, that is if they can manage to keep the drama out of their life. With Ben gone and Amy creating some waves, Meg feels like she is in over her head. What should be the year of prom, parties and memories, is quickly becoming the year of pressure and figuring what path you want your life to go on, and what it means when you may not have your friends by your side. With Alex and her parents' encouragement, watch as Meg learns sometimes just because you stand on your own two feet doesn't mean you won't be a Double Threat Forever.After three years of broken hearts, back stabbing, lying, cheating, and fighting, Megan Miller and crew have finally made it to their senior year. They are ready to rule the school and show Carver High what the true meaning of being a double threat is, that is if they can manage to keep the drama out of their life. With Ben gone and Amy creating some waves, Meg feels like she is in over her head. What should be the year of prom, parties and memories, is quickly becoming the year of pressure and figuring what path you want your life to go on, and what it means when you may not have your friends by your side. With Alex and her parents' encouragement, watch as Meg learns sometimes just because you stand on your own two feet doesn't mean you won't be a Double Threat Forever.

Follow Julie on Twitter and instagram is @juliepbooks
Her website is juliepbooks.com
There is an fan instagram at @double_threat_crew

Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Prestsater/e/B003J2WXZG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1


If people follow the FB Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Prestsater/111953422240073?fref=ts, they will find out about some contests She will be running for free signed books and Double Threat swag.

About Julie~ 

Julie is a high school teacher by day, and a writer by night. She writes both young adult and adult romances. When she's not writing, she can be found out and about with her family, reading, and watching football. As a reading intervention teacher, she prides herself on matching her students with great books to encourage them to become life-long readers.

Julie has written five young adult books which are all available now:
The Double Threat Series
-So I'm A Double Threat
-Double Threat My Bleep
-Double Time
-Double Threats Forever
You Act So White

Julie has also written three adult romance novels:
More Than A Friend Request
Against The Wall
-Between The Sheets (Against The Wall #2)
-Straddling The Edge (Against The Wall #3 coming April 29, 2013)
-Playing Chase (Against The Wall #4 coming summer 2013)

Visit Julie on Twitter (@juliepbooks), Facebook.com/juliepbooks (search for Double Threat Novels or Julie Prestsater --send her a friend request), and check out her website (juliepbooks.com)

 So I'm a Double Threat (Double Threat Series)?~ http://www.amazon.com/So-Im-Double-Threat-ebook/dp/B004KABAEQ/ref=sr_1_3_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1373344175&sr=8-3&keywords=prestsater

Double Threat My Bleep (Double Threat Series)?~ http://www.amazon.com/Double-Threat-Bleep-Series-ebook/dp/B004KABAG4/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

Double Time (Double Threat series)~ http://www.amazon.com/Double-Time-Threat-ebook/dp/B008B1UTXS/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1

Double Threats Forever (Double Threat Series)?~ http://www.amazon.com/Double-Threats-Forever-Threat-ebook/dp/B009YDAP5Y/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2

Motivation - Organizing my thoughts

As I begin this week sans kids, I realize that I have time to mark those pesky little items off my to-do list: figuring out what the hell I'm doing wrong with getting my books up on iTunes and KOBO, as well as Createspace.  These are all platforms that have eaten my lunch on numerous occasions, making me lose my religion and swear off any contact with them at all.  Except a lack of sales recently has encouraged me to not burn those bridges so to speak (let's see if I can fit another cliche in here...).

I also HAVE to finish formatting Hot Mess for publication Friday (This Friday!  It's almost here!).  And I've gotten sucked into the whole social media/Facebook thing of having a release party for it, so I have to come up with games for the event (I have two, need eight more).  I'd also like to start revising Falling For Grace again, as well.

And Mom has decided that I'm painting two days this week, and I have a friend coming into town this weekend (possibly), and of course, since the kids are gone, I'd like a little quality time with my husband this week.

So my  relaxing week without kids has turned a bit overwhelming.  I'm going to have to make a list.  The only problem with making a list, is that when I have a list, I keep adding to it, and the next thing I know, the list has gotten too long to even contemplate, much less tackle.

I'm getting overwhelmed, and consequently I'm losing a little motivation.  I've got to remember why I'm doing all of this...Because I love writing, and there is money to be made doing something I love.  I'm not trying to become a millionaire, just make a contributable income to the household.  My kids need school clothes, I have dentist bills, I'd like to take the kids to the Chinese buffet occasionally...

It's hard to believe that when they come back, there will only be a month left before school starts.  Then in the two months after school starts, I'll have that time to finish Falling for Grace and/or the Christmas novella.  I'm panicking a little because my "schedule" is getting tight again.  I haven't done as much this summer as I wanted to, but I have to keep reminding myself that I was ahead of the game when summer started, to give myself wiggle room.

So, I'm writing this post to focus my thoughts.  Please forgive me if it seems like I'm ranting.  I'm not.  I do truly love what I do, I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment, and need a little focus.  This is how I do it.

Falling for Grace, Book two in Four Winds series, is worse than my children...

I've been working on the sequel to Falling for Grace for months...and it just won't behave.  I pounded out the rough draft, following my outline, like always.  It didn't read right, but I told myself to put it aside and finish Hot Mess.  I could fix stuff in the revisions.

Well, I've been revising for two months, and it still doesn't read right.  Usually, at this point in the process, I'm excited about what I'm fixing to set loose on the public.  With Falling for Grace, I don't have that awesome feeling.  It's just...meh...

One of my betas have gotten back to me with a few suggestions that I'm mulling over (I do a lot of mulling at this stage of the writing process), and hopefully it will all come together in a way that I will enjoy.  I found a text to speech program so my husband can listen to it at work, as he always has great ideas.

Meanwhile, with the kids at home for summer, I don't have a lot of creative time anyway.  When I write, I need more than fifteen minute increments of quiet time.  Yes, I said quiet.  I don't always write with music.  Living in the boonies and not having reliable internet will make a person be that way, I guess, but that's something for another post.

This post is about Grace and the troubles it's giving me.  As an author, I thought I would love everything I ever wrote.  And I just don't love this one, yet.  I'm hoping that something will come to me, and I'll be all, like, "yeah!  That will make it great!"  If not, I'm going to publish it anyway and hope for the best.  It's part of a series.  A series about specific archangels.  I can't NOT publish it, I don't think...Raphael is a pretty major player, as one of the four major archangels.  This IS is his story.  And it has all the components of a story, conflict, character development, resolution, yadda yadda...

But it's making me crazy.  Crazy worse than my kids make me crazy.  It's always in the back of my mind, teasing me, craving attention, saying, "Think about me!"

I want to bitch-slap it.

Tending my Garden

Voltaire's Candide has been one of my favorite works of literature for a long time.  I read it in high school, and giggled at what I didn't understand as satire at the time.  I read it again in college, and was exposed to some of the deeper thematic elements.  I taught it to an advanced class in high school, and learned what Sparknotes had to say about it.

Now, I occasionally think about different aspects of the novel and how they apply to my own life.  Today, I'm going to talk about tending my garden.

At the end of the novel, after the MC and all his cohorts go through all kinds of trials and quests, Pangloss, the voice of reason, convinces everyone to just tend their garden.  So they do.  If I recall correctly, they find a nice little commune to reside in and make a lovely little garden to tend.

Metaphorically, I suppose it means that everyone should just take care of their own shit, and not try to fix the world.

People get a lot of peace from gardening.  It could harken back to the Garden of Eden, a sublime place of peace before the tree of Knowledge was molested, unleashing horrible knowledge on the world as we know it.  Or it could be that we just enjoy fresh produce and pretty flowers.

I like to think of my writing as a lot like gardening.  A seed of an idea is planted, whether from a conversation, song lyrics, a pretty face, or something.  Then it germinates in my head for days, weeks, or months before I finally put it on the laptop.  The revision process could be equated to weeding, and coddling the plants themselves, with an endless amount of patience,as I watch them grow into something recognizable.  Harvesting (publishing) is the reward.

Life gets in the way sometimes, and I get bogged down with the day to day drudgery of cooking, kids, social media, my husband's stuff...and I have to forget about my garden for a little while.  When that happens, I go back to it, and find that I have to do some pruning, and fiddling with it to get back in the mood to work again.

Despite the junk that makes up life, I will have my writing.  I will have a place to go to tend my garden.

Resistance ~ RA Mizer

England, 1816

Dr. Peter Fairbanks travels to Derbyshire in hopes of founding his own practice and setting up a life for himself. Before he can settle in, he is invited to a house-party at the sprawling estate of Ravenwood Fields by its master Baron Ravenwood, Lord William Pierce. Never suspecting the secret which haunts its grounds, he consents to stay indefinitely as the family doctor. But between the strange behavior of his patients and the sensational scandal which simmers just under the surface of the posh family's carefully crafted exterior, he begins to question his choice.

Arabella Pierce has not felt right since the carriage accident. She is plagued by strange dreams and visions. Her head never seems to stop hurting. When she is introduced to Dr. Fairbanks, she feels no attraction yet something inside urges her to become better acquainted with the handsome physician. Tormented by inner passions, resistance brings her increasingly closer to a state of desperation and danger...

I personally can't wait to read this one.  I LOVE historical anythings, and have been looking forward to the release of Resistance for a few weeks, at least.  Unfortunately, I just got the book yesterday, and haven't read it yet, but I will...Oh I will.

About the author:

R.A. Mizer was born R.A. Hackney in Pune, India in 1986. She was the first child of a Caucasian father and an Indian mother whom her father met during his college years.  Her parents brought her to the United States when she was six-weeks-old. They raised her in North Carolina along with two sisters: Sarah and Rebekah.  She has been married to her high-school sweetheart, James Mizer since 2007 and hopes to start a family soon.

From the moment she could pick up a pen, she has had a love affair with writing and creating. She was incredibly blessed to come from a family full of creative people and interesting characters. She writes stories of all lengths but the novel format is her favorite, delighting most in development of characters and their respective relationships. She enjoys reading classic, Gothic and some contemporary works.

When the torrent of guests had subsided to a trickle of late-comers, the receiving line disbursed.  Cocktails and sweets were served in the card room and supper room.  Fresh, cold lemonade, hot tea and coffee were available as well.  Peter checked his watch again.  He’d been waiting for Arabella for an hour.  Even when the Baron and his Baroness had been ushered into the ballroom and the music picked up, still the young Doctor watched the empty staircase with watch in hand.

Someone did appear, but it was not Arabella.  In a crimson gown with white trim and gold thread embellishment, an astoundingly exquisite girl appeared on the top landing from seemingly nowhere.  Her sumptuous dark brown hair was worn in ringlets that fell about her shoulders.  Elbow-length white gloves adorned her slender arms, leaving a little of her lightly tanned skin visible.  Little jewels dripped from her ears but her neck remained bare.  Her full red lips were spread in a smile when she saw him, though he was sure they had never met.  He was exceedingly sorry they had never met.

With complete disregard for propriety, he watched her, mesmerized by the curves that could not help but be seen, even from under the flowing chiffon gown.  She met him at the lower landing.  He hadn’t stopped looking at her the entire time and, he realized, she had not stopped smiling at him.  He dropped his watch and it swung on its silver chain.

“Bonsoir.  Have I missed the receiving line?” she said, revealing her deep, thickly accented voice.  He foolishly said nothing, standing like a mute with his mouth caught open.  “Are you alright?”  Her smile teased him.

“They went away,” he said stupidly, childishly pointing at the ballroom’s glowing entrance.

“Did they?”  She giggled.

“I am afraid I have missed them then and I have no escort,” she said, feigning concern.  For a moment they were both quiet.  What little sense he had left inclined him towards offering to escort her in but he was rendered nervous.  “Shall we strike a bargain?” she said, taking control of the awkward situation, her enchanting smile not departing her angelic heart-shaped face.  “If you tell me your name and if you are a gentleman, I will let you escort me in to the fete.  What do you think?”

“Peter,” he said, sure he hadn’t taken a breath in the past two minutes.

“Just Peter?” she asked, chuckling.

“No I’m... Peter Fairbanks... Doctor,” he said, witlessly fragmenting his unimpressive title.  He extended his stiff arm and hand, as if greeting another gentleman.  She surveyed his hand coyly and then placed her gloved hand in his.  His hand tingled as the slim, warm fingers lay there.  Inwardly, he cursed himself for acting like such a fool in front of such a gorgeous woman.  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed them.  He caught a hint of her perfume, definitely Parisian and devastatingly feminine.

She hooked her arm into his.  “You are very funny, Doctor.  I already like you more than I can say.” 

To purchase Resistance on Amazon, click HERE

Taken by You - Blog Blast

This is the sexy cover of the newest novel by Carlie Sexton, Taken by You.  I love the colors in it!  To go along with the release of her book, there is a massive giveaway, if you click HERE.

To purchase Taken by You on Amazon, click HERE

How tragic it is when a caged spirit finally finds its freedom and — entranced in its ecstasy — is invited by that freedom into a cloaked dance with danger.

In Book One of this three-part epic, Kate Simmons — young and alluring, and finally out of her cage of grief — attracts more than attention. Intoxicated by her newfound independence, a blithe Kate is on her way to finding out that around the corners of life, some life-changing eye-openers await. As the story continues in Book Two and she begins to churn a dangerously turbulent trail, it is Kate who now has to snap to, to react, to outrun, or become yet another tortured victim who vanishes down the path of wrong choice.

Having already roiled the risky waters of jealousy, Kate moves in with Neil while Roger — an enamored oddity — visits his son in Germany. Upon his return and finding Kate gone, Roger’s predator mind becomes unhitched, and then unleashed, on the hunt of a lifetime. But whose life?

Step by creeping step, even as Kate’s future closes in on her, she attends — obliviously — to her new life, working through the challenges of fresh relationships, losing family members both to death and to deceit, questioning the depth of love. 
Every path offers a choice. Every choice offers a consequence. And every consequence summons its due. As emotions swirl across fateful days and nights, some in Kate’s life will reach out to touch happiness in warm embraces, others to sever ties in bloody traces.

The stains of passion are frequently mistaken. The question here is who will be taken?

About Carlie Sexton:  Carlie Sexton has had a passion for reading her entire life. She loves it so that she dedicated her life to educating children. As a teacher, she has had the profound pleasure of teaching children to read and explore their imaginations through a good book. Just recently she decided to write a story that had been on her mind. Now she has several that she wants to turn into additional books. Writing has become a passion that she dearly loves.

Carlie lives with her handsome husband in Southern California. They enjoy the relaxed lifestyle that California provides. They have two beautiful dogs, but on children. 
You can connect with Carlie on Facebook via her author page at facebook.com/carliesextonauthor email her at CarlieSexton@ymail.com, or visit her blog at CarlieSextonRomance.com to see what is next on her horizon. If you enjoyed part 1, then you will be happy to know that part 2, Taken by You is on its way for you to read it. It will be released no later than July 2013. It is the continuation of the story between Neil and Kate with many twists and turns. 

Add it to your TBR shelf on GOODREADS

Fallen For You, Book 1 Links~

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7NQSIU/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_ask_uo-gF.0KT8KHS
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/fallen-foryou?keyword=fallen+for+you&store=nookstore
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Fallen-For-You-The-Killer/book-lJDcmHofdkCZjxtJrK5R1A/page1.html
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id658561463

Indie Author Spotlight: Christine Meunier

Today, I'm doing an interview with Indie Author Christine Meunier, who has just released a book called Horse Country, A World of Horses.

Where does your inspiration come from?
From real life events and people that I meet and find have a lot to offer in the way of friendship, humour and learning.

Do you have any writers that you consider mentors?
My mother Kathie Thomas.

What do you think your greatest strength is in your writing?
Turning information and learning into something that is easy and enjoyable to read.

What is your biggest challenge?
Marketing!  I love it but feel there are so many avenues that I haven’t yet reached to notify them about my novel.

Name some authors who have influenced or inspired you?
Elyne Mitchell, Lauraine Snelling and Bonnie Bryant.

Tell a little about your most recent work.  Title, genre, and tag line.
Horse Country – A World of Horses is a new adult fiction that follows the lives of four young women working in the horse industry.

Tell us about your favorite character from the book.
Hmmm… there are a few in Horse Country!  I think Declan would have to be; I love that he brings fun and humour to the novel through his way of life.

Are there specific themes that you would like your reader to grasp while they’re reading your novel?
The main point of the novel Horse Country is that working with horses can be fun, set you up around the world and it is definitely a viable career option!

Do you have a current work in progress?  Can you tell a little bit about it?
Yes!  I am working on another stand alone novel that is about a woman who moves with her husband to his native tropical island where horses don’t exist.  It explores her endeavours to import them and start a trail riding business.

Tell us about yourself, outside of writing.
I love to learn about horses and teach others about them.  I teach horse studies at a TAFE in Victoria, Australia and am currently studying an Equine Science Degree.  It is my dream to one day own my own horse property and teach people about care of horses and how to ride them from home.

Horse Country – A World of Horses is available via http://www.horsecountrybook.com/ in eBook and hard copy formats.  It’s also the site for the book with excerpts, giveaways and author interviews.
The Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/HorseCountryBook

Horse Country is available on AMAZON, ebook on LULU, or paperback on LULU

Dark Dawn Blog Tour - excerpt time!!

Today, I'm sharing an excerpt from Dark Dawn by Melissa Brodsky and Nicole Andrews Moore.

In the beginning, God created heaven and earth.  He created light and dark. Sparkling aquamarine waters, lush green lands and expansive blue skies.  Majestic mountains rose from the grounds, meandering valleys with bubbling rivers forged through the earth.  The sun warmed the soil and trees and grass burst forth, greens contrasting with blues and browns creating an explosion of colors.  Birds playfully dotted the skies and harmoniously chirped in trees.  Fish blasted through currents and leaped through waves of the oceans.  Creatures of every shape rose and inhabited this pristine infant land.  A man formed in God’s image sprang up from under a tree and then a woman from his rib. God chose to call the man Adam and his woman, Eve. Pure, clean air was inhaled, and life began.  And God was satisfied, his creation was perfect and he decided to rest.

While God reclined peacefully, contemplating the beauty, wonder, and goodness of all his creation, darkness prepared to take hold.  Though all was made with the best of intentions, he never considered what evil might be lurking.  It never occurred to him that for every positive action, there could be an equally negative reaction.  He never pondered that while he was upsetting the balance of creating something from nothing that the dark nothings might become something horrible, something savage, something bent on destroying the light.

Chaotic times ensued and God foresaw the darkness running rampant, completely out of control.  He saw the danger that threatened his creation.  He realized his work was yet unfinished.  He had to design something more.  It was time for an angel.  Just as he had done with man and woman not so long before, the angel was created in God’s image.  Unlike man, who had only the basest of abilities, he gave the angel the gift of strength to fight the dark and immortality to ensure his longevity.  There was no telling how long the war between the light and dark would last.  When he was done, he called upon his angel, his helper, Salathiel.

And saving the best for last, here's a link to their trailer for the book.  It really is a beautiful thing, and I wish I could make something like this for my own stuff...

Dark Dawn Book Trailer

Love Exactly, by Cassandra Giovanni

Can be purchased at AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE, and KOBO

Ms Giovanni can be contacted on facebook, her blog, or her website

Have a seat Cassie, grab a cup of coffee, and relax.  Let's chat.... 

Describe your writing process.
I wake up one day and I want to write, or I’m driving and an idea pops into my head. It’s usually just one scene where the connection between the characters is very intense—then I can’t let go of it, and I have to search for the meaning in their relationship. With Emma and Evan it was the coffee shop scene. From that point on I write in what I call “sporadic” scenes; they are all over the place, in no particular order. Once I have all the main scenes down I read through again and add connecting material. From there it’s a another read through, then off to the editors and beta readers, back to me for another edit and then back out again.

What motivates you to sit down and write?
Writing is just a part of who I am. I can’t let my characters go, and I can’t let my writing go. I have to tell those stories; otherwise, I’d go insane.

Do you have any writers that you consider mentors?
Yes, I actually do have a mentor. I started reading some of her work, and it just so happened she started reading some of mine. Then one day she emailed me, and a few emails later she had asked to be my mentor. I was thrilled, her name is Ellen Ekstrom. She’s an amazing writer, but I don’t write anything like her—that’s the great part, she doesn’t try to make me like her. She just wants me to be me and grow strength to strength.

 What do you think your greatest strength is in your writing?
I think that my realistic dialogue is my biggest strength. I believe this may be because I see my books play out like a movie.

 Name some authors who have influenced or inspired you?
My number one author inspiration is Jane Austen. She was such an amazing writer, who created such great stories of love, but they also have humor and insight into the human soul that are just undeniable.

Tell a little about your most recent work.  Title, genre, and tag line.
Love Exactly is a New Adult Contemporary Romance—Emma Walker was a writer who'd lost herself to someone else's anger--who had given up on ever feeling like herself again. Evan Levesque was a rock-god--the one all the woman wanted, but he'd never gotten used to the loneliness between the stage and real life. Together can they make things work?

Tell us about your favorite character from the book.
I really love Evan from Love Exactly—he’s the perfect man in every way. He’s manly, tattooed, and he has a heart of gold, not to mention he can sing and play multiple instruments. I really enjoy Evan’s passion both for his music and for helping Emma see that she is the only one holding herself back. For Evan it’s not about fixing Emma; it’s just about being there for her. I don’t think he’s a knight in shining armor—he’s simply himself.

Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for other writers who are looking to publish?
My biggest advice is to get on Goodreads and interact with other readers. You should also establish a blog to brand yourself. One of the most important ways that you can market yourself is by selling yourself as a brand. This makes it so you aren’t cornered into a specific genre or book. If you brand your books, your readers know you and will want to support you.


Do you have a current work in progress?  Can you tell a little bit about it?
I have a few current works in progress. I’m having trouble choosing which one I am going to work on next. I woke up one morning with the great idea for another Contemporary Romance called Take This Sorrow (maybe not the official name, but that’s what it’s called currently). I’m having a bit of trouble figuring out how it is going to work because I want it to be about the MC past and then run into the present. I’m not  fan of flashbacks, though, so I am not sure how it’s going to work. I started it off with her in a restaurant being proposed to, and when she looks up she sees her ex. It reminds her of a memory of them, and it sends her spiraling back to what could have, and should have been if things had been different. “River loved Adam, Bobby loved River, Adam only loved himself, until…”

Tell us about yourself, outside of writing.
I’m a super sale shopper. I usually get a whole outfit, shoes to jewelry to undergarments for under $40 bucks. I basically refuse to buy shirts that are over $5, pants that are over $8, and shoes over $10!

My Review...

I must say, I had just about stopped doing reviews on this blog because the last few books I'd gotten were awful, simpering two-faced characters who made stupid choices.  Plots that were so completely unrelatable. And the worst part of it was that other people were loving the books, so I'd figured that if they could get good reviews elsewhere, I wouldn't give them a bad one.

So I was leary when I started Love Exactly.  I was prepared for more Young Adult blah, but what I got actually made me cry in a couple of places.  And I don't cry.

Love Exactly tells the story of Emma, a normal girl trying to get over an abusive ex who managed to ruin her self esteem for years.  Sounds like a typical plot beginning.  She bumps into Evan, a Pop-Rock God, and spills her coffee everywhere.  The rest is history.  While the plot is not original, the author's treatment of the scenario was.  This was a good book.  Period.  I enjoyed it, immensely.  Evan, with his bad boy persona is surprisingly sweet and sensitive, while Emma is perfectly flawed and makes mistakes that I couldn't kick her ass for, because I could totally see where she was coming from.  The only unrealistic aspect I found was that they dated for eight months before having sex.  Come on...I've been twenty-three.  I totally would have dropped my panties for him.  But oh well, you can't have it all.

I would recommend this book.  It was a nice, sweet, quick read with a happy ending, and I actually shed a tear or two.  Kudos, Ms. Giovanni


You can find the book on Goodreads HERE OR ON AMAZON

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