Thursday, April 28, 2016

New Excerpt - Just Written

I did a group blog last Saturday on weather and writing. It got me thinking about how I wasn't using weather much in my stories and how I might strengthen the book if I used weather more effectively. I' thought about it and woke up the other morning and had an idea for my wip. It's the first paragraph for Death Southern Style. I'm excited about it so I'm sharing it with you.
  
     Juliee Ann was coming home for a visit. It had been a long time. Manon had picked a few more things for the visit, At the front door she juggled the parcels, her umbrella and the key. She jabbed it  in the direction of the loc.
     The rain intensified, bouncing off the pavement behind her. A gust of wind turned her umbrella inside out. The key found the opening and turned the lock.
     Thunder rumbled across the sky.
     Manon paused. She wouldn't get to see Juliee Ann after all. And she'd miss their regular telephone call tonight. A single tear escaped.
     She had no choice. If she turned away they would follow her and shoot her down in the s The information wasn't going to protect her any longer. A neighbor could get hurt, or stumble or her body on the sidewalk.
     No. Her time had come. There was so much she w should have shared with Juliee Ann. It hadn't saved Manon, but it might help Juliee Ann. At least she would be aware of the threat.
     Manon pushed the door open.
     Thunder crashed all around her. Lightning slashed across the sky.
     At the same time a light flashed across the room.

What do you think? Comments? suggestions? Does the weather add emphasis?

Monday, April 25, 2016

Help - I'm drowning


Okay, no guest this week. It’s my fault. I came back from our winter in Arizona and we’re looking at selling our house and moving. Everything is a little overwhelming.  At this point I’m sorting. This includes clothes (that don’t fit and do I really think I’m going to lose that weight). And my writing room, which really doesn’t show the total mess I’m living in. I have a small corridor from the door to my desk.  I’m sorting and shredding. Do I really need the information from a workshop in 1999?
We also have a handyman doing some drywall, painting touch up, and a few other items. I’m stressed.  I’m also thinking of having a garage sale to get rid of the stuff I’m sorting. I’ve never had a garage sale – more stress. Once we get the house real estate ready I have to find a real estate agent who represents us – not the buyer.
I have books to read and judge for the Daphne’s and a book I’m trying to get finished. Yikes!

Anybody relate? Any suggestions for keeping my sanity?
I will get my act together and get my blog organized.  I’m also hoping to finish a book and finally do some promotion. Wish me luck. And please be patient and check back to see how I'm doing.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Weather in Writing


I love our group blogs. It’s always fun to see what everyone has to say on the topic. And today’s topic is have you noticed how weather is used in writing? How have you used weather in your writing? Drama? Mood? Revelation?

Yes, I have noticed how weather is used in writing.  B.J. Daniels uses it in many of her books set in the mountains of Montana. Mountain storms heighten suspense and tension. Her description has you there, feeling the wind and cold rain slashing against your cheeks.  Can they survive the storm? Has it provided a barrier to catching the villain?
Others use it to heighten romance with warm breezes, full moon, gentle breezes kissing the heroine’s cheek.  Many romance authors use this in their stories. How can you not relax and slip into the mood with that beautiful moon over the water?

I use weather in some of my stories. I’m thinking I might not use them to take advantage of all they offer.  In a Cruise to Remember I use it for the mood – moon, stars’ sparkling on the ocean, soft breezes.

In Dark Moon every full moon, I had a vicious attack. Rain and wind added to the  tension, and a raincoat hid the true identity of the victim.
I think I’m going to try and use it more in future novels.

Let’s see what out other authors have to say. Follow me as I head over to Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax  http://helenafairfax.com/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Dr. Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-EP
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
Kay Sisk http://kaysisk.blogspot.com
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com


PS: I posted this last night and went to bed. I woke up this morning thinking about my WIP and weather and realized I needed to create a storm with rain and heavy winds at the start of my book. It will emphasize the impeding murder and make the story better. Thanks Rhobin, for picking this topic. I'm busy rewriting the first chapter.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

New Book - Protecting the Billionaire

C heck out Christina Tetreault's latest book and great cover.



Appearances can be deceiving though. All is not perfect in Allison’s world. Since her move to Virginia she’s had a stalker in the shadows.

Marine Corps Captain Rocco “Rock” Raimono has spent his life defending and protecting others. Now he must protect the woman he’s falling in love with from an obsessed stalker who wants Allison for himself. For Rock, failure is not an option.
 
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/opKRdVOPvOs

Buy links
http://amzn.to/1njcweo Amazon
http://bit.ly/23eQTvT Kobo
http://bit.ly/1UebJ8y BN
http://apple.co/1nq2jwO iTunes
http://apple.co/1nq2jwO

Author Bio:

I started writing at the age of 10 on my grandmother's manual typewriter and never stopped. When I am not driving my 3 daughters (ages 8, 6, and 6) around to their various activities or chasing around our three dogs, I am working on a story or reading a romance novel. Currently, I have two series out, The Sherbrookes of Newport and Love on The North Shore. You can visit my website www.christinatetreault.com or follow me on Facebook to learn more about my characters and to track my progress on my current writing projects.

Author Links:
Website:  www.christinatetreault.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinatetreaultauthor
Twitter: @cgricci

Excerpt:

Not counting when she asked Rock to act as her stand in boyfriend for the night, had she ever asked a man on a date. She’d never needed to. Tonight an urgency to know him better gripped her. It had started the moment he picked her up and grew as the night went on. Now with him about to leave, she needed to do something while she still had the opportunity. Once he walked out the door, she might not get another chance.

His face remained expressionless. Had she miss read him tonight?

No. She might have imagined the glances she thought he sent in her direction, but she hadn’t imagined the hard erection she felt when they’d danced. No it had been quite real.

“Not to another event like tonight’s promise. Something more casual. There are some nice restaurants in town. There’s also a comedy club not far from here that Jake and Charlie love.” Allison moved into his personal space. “Or we can do something closer to you. We don’t have to stay in this area. Anywhere is fine.”

His expression changed, and he nodded.

When she opened the door for him earlier, she’d thought him panty melting hot, but now as he smiled at her she realized how wrong she’d been. Wow. Maybe it was a good thing the man didn’t smile too often.

“How’s next Saturday?”

She’d kind of been hoping for something sooner, but she wouldn’t complain. He’d agreed. “Whatever works best for you?”

He smiled again. Oh, yeah. He was protecting the female population by not smiling on a regular basis.

“I’ve got your number. I’ll call ya later in the week, and we can work out the details.”

Well, she’d already done a first tonight and asked him out. She might as well do another first and kiss him because it didn’t look like he planned on doing it. “Great,” she said leaning closer and pressing a kiss against his lips. Since everything else about the man appeared hard, she expected his lips to be too. Instead, they were warm and pliant against hers.

Rough callused hands settled on her bare skin and traveled lower sending a tingle down her spine, and she rubbed her tongue against his lips. On cue his mouth opened, and she didn’t hesitate. Right away she slipped her tongue inside.

He tasted like coffee and cherries. She’d noticed him popping hard candies on the ride into and DC as well as the ride home.  She guessed they were the source of the cherry flavor.

Rock’s hands moved again, settling on her butt and an ache started between her legs. She hadn’t had sex since before Halloween when she’d still been with Charles and until this moment she hadn’t been the least bit aroused once in all that time. Now she was considering another first and asking him up to her bedroom. Never in her life had she had sex on a first date. She left that type of behavior to her brothers. Before she got intimate with a man, she liked to know more than just his name. Right now anything else about Rock seemed irrelevant. She wanted him and it was evident he desired her. There was no missing the erection pressing against her.

Then just like that his hands settled on her waist and he put space between their bodies. Cool reason immediately washed over her and heat warmed her face. She’d just been considering sex with a man she barely knew. If her brother Trent ever found out, he’d never let her live it down. She’d given him a hard time for doing the very same thing too often.

“I gotta go. We’ll talk this week.”

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Where Dragonflies Hover - new release


Thank you so much for having me today. I hope you and your readers enjoy learning a little about my latest release, Where Dragonflies Hover, a contemporary story that also features a WWI story, when Lexi, the main character finds a diary written by a wartime nurse.

Where Dragonflies Hover blurb:
Sometimes a glimpse into the past can help make sense of the future …

Everyone thinks Lexi is crazy when she falls in love with Hollingsworth House – a crumbling old Georgian mansion in Yorkshire – and nobody more so than her husband, Dylan. But there’s something very special about the place, and Lexi can sense it. 

Whilst exploring the grounds she stumbles across an old diary and, within its pages, she meets Allie – an Australian nurse working in France during the First World War.
Lexi finally realises her dream of buying Hollingsworth but her obsession with the house leaves her marriage in tatters. In the lonely nights that follow, Allie’s diary becomes Lexi’s companion, comforting her in moments of darkness and pain. And as Lexi reads, the nurse’s scandalous connection to the house is revealed …

Excerpt:

The late sunshine enveloped the house in a golden glow. Again, it seemed to call to her, begging for attention. A path on the left of the drive looked inviting as it meandered through a small strand of poplars. Lexi grabbed her keys, locked the car and took off to explore again. She had nothing to rush home to now, and if she got caught for trespassing, then so be it.

The overgrown pathway brought her out on the far side of the grounds near the end of a small lake. She gazed over the water towards the back of the house and noticed a paved terrace area. From there the lawn then sloped down to the water. She’d not been around the back before and fell even more in love with the property. She could imagine the serenity of sipping a cool drink on a hot summer’s day and looking out over the lake.

Lexi stepped out along the bank. A lone duck swam by, its movement serene on the glassy, dark surface. This side of the lake was in shadow from large pine trees, and she stumbled on fallen pinecones hidden in the long grass. On the opposite side of the water were some small buildings, a garage, fruit trees in early blossom, and an overgrown vegetable patch, complete with a broken, rejected-looking scarecrow.

She wandered over to a narrow shed on her left and peered through its sole, dirty window. Unable to make out much in the dimness, she walked around to the front and was surprised when she was able to pull the bolt back on the door. Why didn’t people lock things? A covered rowboat took up most of the space inside. She smiled, seeing herself rowing it on the lake. Growing more excited, Lexi edged around it to peer at the workbenches and the odd assortment of tools and useless things one found in abandoned sheds. It was like treasure hunting in an antique shop. She used to love doing that with her grandfather.

She glanced about and spied a dusty painting leaning against the wall. The scene was of a child and a brown dog. Behind the canvas were more paintings, some framed, some not. Lexi flicked through them. The ones that caught her attention she took out and set aside.

She looked for somewhere to sit and study the paintings. A small tin trunk wedged under a workbench seemed the only offering. Thinking it empty, she went to tug it out, but it remained fast.

Using both hands, she heaved it out and was showered in a puff of dust. Squatting down, she inspected the latch that was held tight with a small lock. ‘Why are you locked?’ she murmured. The shed was open to anyone passing by, yet this ugly little chest had a lock on it. The trunk was nothing special, plain and in parts rusted. No ornament or writing hinted at its use.

Intrigued, she grabbed a hammer from the workbench, but then hesitated. She had no right to open someone else’s property. Lexi closed her eyes momentarily. What was she thinking of breaking into the trunk? What am I doing? Never had she broken the law and here she was guilty of trespassing and breaking and entering! She looked around the rowboat as though expecting someone to jump out and arrest her.

Something inside urged her on. She knew she couldn’t stop now. Sucking in a deep breath, she bent and hit the lock hard. The ringing sound was loud in the quiet serenity of the garden. The metal dented and with another few solid whacks the lock gave.

Shivers of excitement tingled along her skin. Gently, she eased up the lid.

Buy links:
Also available in Apple ibooks, etc.

About Annemarie Brear:

Australian born Annemarie Brear writes historical novels and modern romances. Currently living in England, her passions, apart from writing, are reading, researching, genealogy, roaming historical sites, buying books and gardening. She is an author of historical women's fiction, contemporary romance and several short stories. Also lover of chocolate, good movies and her family!

Annemarie Brear on the web:
   http://annemariebrear.blogspot.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/annemariebrear
   Twitter @annemariebrear.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Heaven Must Wait Promo

Heaven Must Wait, Part II
By Brenda B. Taylor


Times are difficult in Missouri after the Civil War. Families struggle to keep their property from creditors and outlaws. The desire of Ralph Wade’s heart is to marry the girl of his dreams, beautiful Leann Clark, but many obstacles stand in their way. Ralph finds love is not enough to persuade Leann’s father to give his permission for their marriage. John Clark wishes more than love for his daughter. He wants her husband to provided a good living with a secure future. Ralph is much too hot-tempered and unreliable in John’s eyes. Leann desires the dashing Ralph and defies her father to be with him. She believes her love is strong enough to see them through the hard times. Through adverse circumstances, the young couple struggle to keep the fires of their love and faith burning.

Excerpt:

They reached the copse of willow, oak, and hickory trees beside the creek. Limbs of the willow hung low over the water, sporting light green and yellow leaves. The majestic oaks stood tall with the hickory nested close by. Brown hickory nuts in their hard shells covered the ground underneath. Leann had a favorite spot in a clearing that gently slopped to the water. The boys and Pa had worn the grass down from their fishing excursions. Sometimes the family brought a picnic lunch and spent the day. During the summer months they waded and swam in the water. Pa let the girls go without petticoats and swim in a blouse and light skirt. The boys swam in short cutoff pants without shirts. Leann thought this arrangement was unfair. She had seen swimsuits for women in Godey's Lady's Book, but Pa would not let them have one. He said they were immodest.

The creek water looked cool and inviting after the swift walk, so Leann sat down on a log and began removing her shoes. Ralph did the same, rolling up his pants legs. They waded the cold, shallow waters and listened to a robin sing in a willow. Leann held Ralph's hand with one of hers and pulled up the bottom of her dress with the other. She bent to watch the minnows nibble at her toes. A fish splashed in the deeper middle pool.

“I need my fishing pole,” Ralph said when the fish splashed the second time.

“Pa and the boys caught four big bass and several small perch the other day. They seem to be biting now. We had a great fish fry.” Leann's mouth watered just thinking about the good fried fish and potatoes.

“You're making me hungry.”

“Did you eat supper before you came?” She stopped and turned to look up at Ralph.

His eyes met hers, lingering for a while, then he looked around. “I wonder if John followed us? Because I'm about to kiss you right now.”

Ralph bent his head over hers and found her lips with his. He released her hand, pulling her close. She closed her eyes, letting her skirt fall to the water, then put her arms around his neck and returned his ardent kiss, matching the fervor. They lingered in the kiss and embrace for longer than usual, until the sound of a throat clearing broke the silence. Both dropped their arms and turned toward the sound. Tom, her oldest brother, stood on the bank with a fishing pole in his hand.
 
Buy Links:

About the Author:

The desire to write historical fiction has long been a passion with Brenda B. Taylor. Since elementary school, she has written stories in her spare time. Brenda earned three degrees: a BSE from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; a MEd from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas; and an EdD from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; then worked as a teacher and administrator in the Texas Public School system. Only after retirement could she fulfill the dream of publication.

Brenda and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. She crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

Author Contact Information:
Historical Heartbeats
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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

When Love Conquers Time Promo

 
When Love Conquers Time

When four authors work together to release a Boxed Set ebook containing four very different stories, the outcome can surprise you. The collection, When Love Conquers Time, contains over 1,000 pages of time travel romances set from the 14th century to the late 20th century.  Kilted Highlanders, shape-shifters, vampires, pirates, dragons, soldiers, and more will give readers hours of adventurous reading.
Intrigued yet? Here are four short excerpts from the full-length novels in this one awesome e-book:

REFLECTIONS OF LOVE by Paul A. Crust
     She watched as he opened his mouth to speak. No words came out. None that she could determine with her ears, but her heart heard loud and clear. The word he spoke was softer than a whisper, but it made her heart beat louder than a drum. Lily, was the word on his lips. It filled her with such joy that her own lips curled upwards, blossoming into the most beautiful smile as she answered, James.

MORAG’S TEARS by Ria Cantrell
     "... Ah, if I breathe in deeply enough, I can smell the wildflowers on the rise that we picked or the grass beneath our backs as we watched the clouds pass overhead. There was nothing that could stop us or our dreams. None of us knew that those days of dreams would one day end and our lives would forever be changed..."
SEA PANTHER by Dawn Marie Hamilton
     Robert found it difficult to step away from the sensuous sight Kimberly presented while sleeping peacefully in the sailboat’s v-berth. A band tightened around his heart. He laid the single red rose on the pillow next to her head with hope that when she woke, the token of affection would bring a smile to her delicious lips. He remembered too well the taste and feel of that seductive mouth.

MY RELUCTANT HIGHLANDER by Nancy Lee Badger
     Jake’s expression turned beastly. He directed his frown toward his friend, Bryce, but Skye wanted nothing more than to embrace him, to make him smile once more, and to taste his kiss. The care and concern Jake, Bryce, and Jenny had shown her made her a little uncomfortable. She did not want to feel beholden to others. Her brief engagement, and shorter marriage, had taught her to not rely on others, and here were friends at each other’s throat on her account.

“Please doona’ argue.” Skye could not help feeling guilty when she recalled her mission. Worse, she would have to use these people if she expected the best outcome.
When Love Conquers Time, a four-author boxed set, is available at AMAZON for only $.99 (Free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers)
Also available for Amazon UK and Amazon CA Readers
Learn more about the authors:
Morag’s Tears by Ria Cantrell:  Facebook Twitter
Sea Panther by Dawn Marie Hamilton:  Facebook Twitter
My Reluctant Highlander by Nancy Lee Badger: Website  Facebook
Reflections of Love  by Paul A. Crust:  Facebook