Saturday, February 28, 2015

GREATER EXPECTATIONS

Greater Expectations - Banner


BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Greater Expectations
AUTHOR – Alexander McCabe
GENRE – Romantic Comedy
PUBLICATION DATE – August 5th 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 257 pages / approx. 90,000 words
PUBLISHER – Self published ebook
COVER ARTIST – Kirsty C. Maclauchlan

BOOK SYNOPSIS
It is said that the course of true love never runs smooth - even for us men. Yet it has never been easier to find love than in this modern digital era where the mighty computer has all but rendered Cupid redundant. Love is now to be found, quite literally, at your fingertips. Although love also seems to have changed with the times. This new love is deceitful and manipulative, cunning and untrustworthy. Love has gotten ugly. Thankfully, not all the answers to life’s mysteries are to be found in the computer and Cupid - battered and bruised as he may be - proves that he still has some game and a few tricks up his sleeve…


Greater Expectations - Book Cover


BUY & TBR LINKS

EXCERPT
When first I met my now estranged wife during our Master’s year at university, I was seeing someone else too. In the main, this defines me as a “bastard”, although I preferred to think of myself as a “player”. Indeed I would argue that it falls under the guise of “sowing wild oats”. That’s the phrase that makes the practice somehow acceptable, and mothers the world over tell their sons that this is what they need to do before they settle down. The rite of passage into manhood as it were. At least, it’s what my mother told me. Women may argue this point - sorry, women will argue this point - but then they become mothers.
Naturally, they just don’t want those “wild oats” sown with their own daughters.
However, it is a fallacy to think that we men are completely heartless. I realised that I actually liked the girl that I eventually married so quickly ended all contact with the third party. In actual fact, she was a girl that I had been seeing first but only by a matter of a few weeks. I got the usual tirade of “bastard” texts, emails, and drunken voicemails. “I thought you were different” being the obligatory phrase that she just had to use during every one of these “opportunities”. In one particular instance, during which she also branded me a “coward”, I foolishly responded. I explained to her that I was merely being cruel to be kind as it was blatantly obvious to me that there we had no future together. Furthermore, after everything that had been said and done – more on her part now than mine - she would surely realise and accept that there was no going back as any trust and respect that had been built was now completely shattered.
I got the following reply:
“See, I knew you were different. That was lovely, you thinking of me and my feelings and us and our future. Why can’t we make this work? We can, you just have to trust yourself to trust me. Call me.”
It took another six weeks of ignoring and blocking her before she finally gave up. We had only been dating, if it could ever have been called that, for three weeks.
It takes true courage and bravery to finish any relationship. As my marital separation was only a week old, I understood that there may be some element of hope that we could fix it and move on. Yet I knew there was no way I could, or would, allow myself to stoop to such a level of indignity. My sense of pride has taken a pounding and is undoubtedly battered and bruised, but it is still there, standing tall and intact, however weakly. It is also getting stronger with every passing day.
All thanks to “Hope”.
“Hope” is a very strange feeling that displaces others such as “confidence”, “faith”, and “trust” and one that I have naturally gravitated towards my entire life. We are old friends, hope and I. Never have I dared to have “confidence” in my academic or sporting abilities, rather I always “hoped” that I would perform at my best as necessitated in any particular circumstance. When things had gone better than I had even dared “hope”, then I defaulted to the notion that is was merely my “good luck”, and vice versa. “Luck” has always provided me an excuse for all of life’s highs and lows and everything in between. Now I wanted to change all that. Now I wanted to control my existence.
Now I wanted to stir the stagnant pool that is my life proactively to feel like I am living again.
So that may well explain why I am now sat in only my boxer shorts in front of my computer, as the rain batters the window behind my curtains, and trying to focus on completing an online dating profile that includes a “personal statement” section. Apparently, its purpose is to allow me to describe myself in as broadly generic terms as possible in order to seem “normal” and “average” - and so maximising my appeal - whilst also trying to ensure that I am unique enough as to stand out. The logic of the concept is irrefutable and yet fantastically ridiculous.
It is also proving so challenging to the point of being quite impossible.
As a truck driver, I work most weekends and so this job commitment removes the more conventional ways of meeting women. Using a dating site makes far more sense in this new age of technology as it allows for an immediate connection without the need to wait for the weekend, or the demand of a decent chat up line. It cuts to the chase, so to speak. The site has posted a statistic that states over 28% of couples now “meet” online, so I am still happily in the minority.
However, it is utterly galling to me that I should ever try to be “normal” or “average” to anyone as I have never considered myself as such.
It seems to me to be morally fraudulent. 
Online dating. It really is quite an absurd concept yet totally in concert with the modern era where people are too busy with work and life to take the time and make the effort for actually dating. Yet where is the romance of it? You will never hear a love song that refers to such sites. Can you imagine Rod Stewart singing “The Algorithm of my Heart”, or some such like?
No? Me neither.

AUTHOR BIO
After graduating with a couple of useless degrees in law, I left my Scottish homeland and wandered nomadically around the globe to experience the rich diversity of culture that the world has to offer.
On my travels, I met my Canadian wife in New Zealand, we were married in Scotland and now live in Canada with our newborn son. Although we currently call Toronto home, this is not yet a permanent arrangement and, rather alarmingly, we are perfectly happy about that…

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER

Author Interview


1. What is your writing process?

My writing process is wonderfully chaotic with no rhyme nor reason to it. I tend to let my ideas stew and then the words just seem to come to me, that is when I sit down at the computer and cannot type quickly enough. The stewing process may take a few hours or a few weeks but it’s a process that I have come to trust, happy in the knowledge that the words will come. When they do, I have been known to write three chapters at a single sitting.
The stewing process seems to organise my thoughts and lets them flow when it comes time to write. These are the fun parts of my writing process.
It's the editing that is painful.

2. Is the story based off of your own expectations?

Yes, and probably more than I would care to admit. Thankfully I am now married with a young son (5 months), so no longer looking for love.
It struck me that it has never been easier to connect with potential partners yet it seems that this only serves to make it more difficult to find the “one”. Of course, I took liberties with some of the stories and the experience of “Z” but they are, in essence, all rather true.
It seems that my book has struck a chord with some people though, and I have been contacted to tell me so. In one particular instance, a lovely lady emailed me to say that she had been having problems with her new partner. It seems that he had “baggage” from his previous relationship but couldn’t explain the problems and issues. She read my book and told me she now had a greater understanding of what he had gone through – and was going through - and so she could help him, and so their relationship.
Her email was the measure of success to me for my book and I am so grateful that she sent it.

3. Are you a fan of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I am a fan of all of Dickens work and I would hope that my title reflects that respect.

4. How do you stay motivated to write?

I didn’t start to write seriously until I turned 40 so I now find I have a lot to say - it’s more of a question of how do I stop writing!

5. What is your current WIP (Work In Progress)?

I am working on the sequel to “Greater Expectations”. This is more of a thriller than a romantic comedy and I hope to write it in such a way as to build upon the existing characters but also have it read as a stand alone book.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that the prelude for my second book can be seen on my website - www.aasmccabe.com/prelude

I’d also like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for having me. It has been really great fun for me and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Have a great day everyone!

Character Interview

Zacchaeus “Z” MacLeod



1. Would you recommend on-line dating?


Yes, definitely. Although it wasn’t really successful for me, I can certainly recognize it has a value and a purpose. People are busy these days and it does allow for looking at prospective partners without having to rely on the traditional methods – through friends and family, going out, etc… On-line dating allows for vetting of prospective partners and trying to find love is a scary prospect in a dangerous world.
Undoubtedly, this provides a safer alternative.



2. What is your pet peeve?


It is finding out that I am ‘normal’ or in any way resembling a ‘stereotype’. I love to be different and thrive on doing things my own way, and think its great when others do so too.

Another pet peeve is this idea of making ‘mistakes’. We all make ‘mistakes’ every single day and they offer the perfect opportunity to learn and grow.


3. What is the last song you listened to?


Odd that you should ask. Just as I got out of the car, the radio was started to play James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”. Ordinarily, I would have changed it as quickly as possible but now it seems to have a new meaning for me. I listened to the full song and found that I actually liked it.

Please don’t tell anyone or any semblance of street cred that I had will be lost forever.



4. What is the last book that you've read?


Inferno by Dan Brown. As usual, he didn’t disappoint and I really enjoyed how he spun the story. Robert Langdon is a great character and really believable. Through him, Dan Brown brings the lost art of symbols to life and demonstrates their importance in the modern era by basing much of his books in fact.



5. What is your astrological sign?


I was a test tube baby so my sign is Pyrex! I guess that is an old joke but it’s still a good one.

This or That

1. Coke or Pepsi


This is a particularly brilliant question for me as I now live in Canada. Here, I have noticed that whenever you order a Coke at a restaurant, there is always an apology when they tell you that they only serve Pepsi. Makes me chuckle every time!

So, for that reason, it’s Coke for me.




2. Chocolate or Vanilla


Oh, what a quandary. If it’s milk shake, it’s chocolate. If it’s ice-cream, it’s vanilla.


3. Paperback or Ereader

I have an affinity for both. However, if I were pushed, I would still prefer the paperback.



4. Texting or Talking


Talking, every time. It baffles me no end that people will spend so long writing texts back and forth when they can have the conversation over and done in seconds.

Also, talking is more immediate and straightforward.



5. Social Media or Social Gathering


Social gathering for me. I love meeting people and hearing their stories, it gives me ideas for writing.



6. Coffee or Tea


Depends on my mood. I will drink both over the course of the day.



7. Thin or Thick


Thick, simply because it implies strength to me.



8. Fantasy or Reality


I like my fantasy mixed with a little of reality – and vice versa!



9. Dogs or Cats


I am allergic to cats so, for that reason alone, it would have to be dogs for me.

However, that said, I lived in Harbin, China for a year and visited their tiger park. The largest of its kind in the world. It was awesome but also rather terrifying but they cats were beautiful, graceful and elegant.


10. Outdoors or Indoors


I love travelling and have been very fortunate to have lived and worked all over the world. I couldn’t have done that indoors so it would be outdoors for me.

Top 10 Books

I should stress that these are not in any semblance of order but I loved every one of these, but for very different reasons.



1. On Writing by Stephen King


A great and easy read from a master of the craft. This book gave me the confidence to just sit down and write.



2. The Millennium Trilogy by Steig Larrson


I finished this trilogy in 5 days and could not put them down. They were fast paced, intricate and wonderfully woven tales that wreaked havoc on my emotions. Brilliant books and so sad that he didn’t survive to enjoy their success. Sad for the reader too, that we will have no more works from him. RIP Steig.



3. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown


This book was great although the film adaptation was disappointing in comparison.


4. The Marian Conspiracy by Graham Phillips

Probably the most controversial book to make my list but well worth it. I loved this book and, although some of the conclusions are a stretch to believe, it was well worth the reading for the historical facts alone.



5. Little Boss by James Mackay


I love biographies and this is one of my heroes – Andrew Carnegie. I also read his autobiography and, as you would expect, there are conflicts between the accounts. However, that said, Carnegie’s story is a genuine “rags to riches” effort and it is fascinating.


6. The Runaway Jury by John Grisham


Grisham at his very best, this had everything I look for in a thriller.


7. The Pelican Brief by John Grisham


Again, Grisham on top form and a genuine page turner.


8. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling


I loved that J.K. Rowling had kids queuing up to buy these books. It encouraged their reading whilst stimulating their imaginations. Just brilliant, and I actually thoroughly enjoyed reading them too.


9. In The Name Of The Father by A.J. Quinell


This is the first suspense thriller that was recommended to me and had me gripped from the very first page. As a teenager, it also fuelled my imagination and I felt like I was with the main character through the whole book. I have enjoyed this genre ever since.


10. Kane And Abel by Jeffrey Archer


I am not a huge fan of Archer as a man but, as an author, he is a master storyteller and this is the perfect example of him at his peak. A very clever story, written in a wonderfully engaging and thoroughly enjoyable style. A book you can read over and

Review

First I would like to state that this was a difficult read for me only because I have gone through horrendous break-ups and even a divorce. Originally I was eager to review the book because I thought it would be interesting to read through a male perspective for once. As an analytic female, we get stuck in our own thoughts and delusional thought patterns, that I thought it would be refreshing to read the opposite sex. While I am not holding this author to all male perspectives, naturally, I could relate with his heartache, but had difficulties in other aspects. I couldn't understand how someone would be "distraught" and yet "just fine" - it goes to show that we as human beings are complex creatures, to say the least.

From the first chapter I was already irritated. I had a hard time connecting to Z because I haven't been in a relationship where a man really cared, so I couldn't connect with this male perspective. However, I realized I needed to put my past behind me and read this work as fiction, or rather a look-see at different aspects of relationships. From what I've experienced in life and what I've read, I'll just take my single life and be happy with it, thank you. 

However, overall this is a great window in the minds of males during his journey through the relationship carousel that so many of us call life. Basically the book opens with the ending of a one week marriage, and what do we all do? We go and talk it out with our friends, or as the Scottish author implicates, we're all really just bastards (in the dating realm) grasping within our own realities. I did really like what the author wrote about "hope", he really hit it on target so many times, such as "people are too busy with work and life to take the time to make the effort for actually dating." As a person who went through a divorce after several years of marriage, I also could agree with the descriptive of "drawing the line" after a relationship is over, and referring to online "dating" to find that rebound, or that "line".

McCabe's ethnicity shines through with his Scottish charms and verbiage. Greater Expectations can be a little hard to follow at times, it skips from personal adages to other experiences often. If you haven't suffered through your own personal heartache, this is a great adage to the ups and downs of relationships written with the wisdom through experiences, and a reminder that our relationships are our own love stories, with all our imperfections that make us unique and distinguishable. "Existing isn't living", even though we go through these agonizing things, we're still living.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

WARD SISTERS





Author: Lucy Gage
Title: Ward Sisters Books 1-4
Series: Ward Sisters Series
Release Date: January 12, 2015




SYNOPSIS
Back to December (Ward Sisters, #1)
Only One (Ward Sisters, #2)
Right Here Waiting (Ward Sisters, #3)
This Year's Love (Ward Sisters, #4)
Bonus Content

Welcome to the world of the Ward Sisters, Emily, Anne and Charlotte. Get to know them, their friends and the new people who have come into their lives.

Start with Emily's story, Back to December, where you'll meet the oldest Ward daughter, and the movie star, Rob Deacon, who sweeps her off her feet.

Then, in Only One, you'll get to know Emily's bodyguard, Liam Neely, who happens to be Rob's best friend. You'll also meet Jenna Ackerman, Rob's assistant and his other best friend, the woman with whom playboy Liam falls in love.

In Right Here Waiting, you'll learn about Emily's lifelong best friend, Meghan Miles, and meet the soldier who steals her heart, Captain Neil Murphy.

And then, in This Year's Love, you'll hear middle sister Annie Ward's story of how she fell for her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh Ricker.

Additional glimpses into the lives of these characters – in the form of deleted scenes which didn't make it into the published narrative – are included at the end of each story. For any fans of the series, these are peeks at the characters you won't want to miss.



BUY LINKS


Amazon    Barnes&Noble    Kobo    iTunes

EXCERPTS/TEASERS

Back to December


Emily
looked at Rob and couldn't read what he was thinking. She could tell
there was something on his mind, but she had no clue what it was.

“Care
to share?” she asked, curious.

“Can I kiss you?” he replied, his voice steady.

Em was stunned. She didn't know what to say. It had been over five
years since she had been asked to be kissed. She nodded slowly, so as
not to appear too eager, though she was, in fact, dying to kiss him.
She had been looking at his mouth quite a bit these last few hours,
and it always seemed so kissable.

Rob
leaned toward her, and she met him halfway. That heady forest scent
invaded her nostrils more thoroughly now and her brain swam. He
looked at her with a sweet smile, just a little grin that said he was
looking forward to this. She met his eyes and his smile with one of
her own, though she suspected that, as soon as he'd asked, he'd known
what her answer would be by the expression on her face.

His
lips brushed against hers, gentle at first, with just a little bit of
pressure. The gesture implied respect without stifling the desire
that raced through Emily's blood. Her skin heated and the dampness
between her thighs, which had been present since dinner, bordered on
embarrassing. How could she want someone so much from just a simple
kiss?



Only One


They walked back to the car,
hand in hand, in an unusual silence. Jenna started to step around the
car to the passenger's side, and Liam tightened his grip on her hand
so she couldn't let go. Her expression said she was curious as he
drew her toward him and leaned against the car hood. She let him
guide her until her body was pressed against his and their faces were
inches apart.

His heart raced again, which
Liam found odd – he hadn't felt nervous before he kissed a girl
since junior high. Swallowing hard, he brushed the hair from her face
like he'd done earlier. Her breath hitched, and he knew she wanted
him to kiss her as much as he wanted to do it. He looked at her
mouth, then into her eyes. They leaned in at the same time, crushing
their lips together in a long-overdue kiss.

Heat rushed through his body and
his dick hardened before she even slid her tongue into his mouth. As
their tongues danced, one hand found her ass and pulled her pelvis to
his, while the other threaded into her hair, bringing her mouth
closer, and deepening the kiss. She whimpered and gripped his neck.

The kiss lasted a few minutes
and then they needed air. They leaned apart, touched foreheads, their
breath labored.

“Wow,” Jenna whispered.

“Yeah. I agree,” Liam said.

Right Here Waiting


Meghan stared back at him as intently. Finally, she said, “What's going on here, Neil?”

“What do you mean?

“This. What's happening between us? Am I reading you wrong? Are you not interested in me?”

Neil couldn't let her think that. No. Never. He'd wanted her for too long to let her ever believe he wasn't interested, even for a moment. He pulled back, stood still and looked at her. He looked at her mouth. He wanted to kiss her, but if he waited until they were alone, she might give up on him. Danny was right, he had to stop sabotaging this.

Neil threaded his hands in her sun-kissed hair. In her eyes, he saw a desire to kiss him as powerful as his own. He leaned in, pressed his lips to hers and a wave of heat washed over him. Meghan leaned into the kiss, opening her lips, and as he slid his tongue into her mouth, Neil had to use every ounce of restraint his military training had afforded him to keep it from getting indecent.

Meghan pulled away and saved Neil from himself.

This Year's Love


“Are you okay?” she asked.

He nodded slowly and swallowed.

“Uh huh,” he muttered.

His dilated pupils said he liked
what he saw. She grinned. In two strides of his long legs, he was
right next to her and it was Annie's turn to gasp – he towered over
her.

He looked at her, shook his
head, then he crushed her to his body, his face a breath away. She
opened her mouth and his tongue plunged inside. Unlike the other
morning, he knew this was her and not Em. Yet, he kissed her with
even more passion, stealing her air.

Before she knew what was
happening, he lifted her off the ground, wrapped her legs around his
waist and carried her to the bed. They collapsed onto the mattress,
and when his pelvis pressed into her core, they moaned in unison.

“God, you're beautiful,” he
breathed around her lips.



PLAYLISTS


Back to December

Only One


Right Here Waiting


This Year's Love

AUTHOR BIO


 As a child, Lucy Gage relished time to use her imagination, whether it was playing with her siblings - dolls, cars and trucks, make believe, LEGOs - or reading a book. That still translates today, as she writes the stories bouncing through her head, or reads the work of others. Her two imaginative children play the same way she did in her youth and love to read. She considers this her greatest accomplishment to date. 



Married for the past dozen years, she and her family live in rural Maine. When not at the keyboard, she most enjoys gardening, hiking, amateur photography, the beach, dancing, crafts, ice skating, snow shoeing, boating and of course, reading.



AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS
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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

WARRIOR AND THE WANDERER

Warrior and the Wanderer - Banner


BOOK INFO
TITLE – Warrior and the Wanderer
AUTHOR – Elizabeth Holcombe
GENRE – Scottish historical romance/time travel
PUBLICATION DATE – December 23, 2014
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) - 249 pages
PUBLISHER – Amazon Kindle
COVER ARTIST – Fiona Jayde Media Designs


BOOK SYNOPSIS
An impossible adventure. A fierce, undeniable desire.
Infamous Scottish bad boy, Ian MacLean, takes a road trip to sort out his mess of a life and lands five hundred years in the past. He is taken hostage into what he is certain is a band of extreme Highland role players. The only bright light in this strange situation is his insanely beautiful warrior-princess captor who wields her claymore as well as her fiery feral charms.

To gain a strong ally for her clan, flame-haired Bess Campbell reluctantly married a powerful Highland chief who had no intentions of uniting the clans. After murdering her clan chief, he chains her to a rock condemning her to die in the rising tide, until a strangely dressed but startlingly handsome man emerges from the waves like a mythical selkie and rescues her. Bess learns her most odd savior has the same name as her murdering husband—MacLean—and makes him her prisoner.

Fearing she may have captured a madman, Bess forces Ian to journey through Scotland chasing down a killer. She finds Ian’s strange ways oddly endearing and uncommonly useful to her quest for revenge. Ian struggles to find a way back to his time, while being pulled deeper into his role in the past and his undeniable attraction for the fiery Highland warrior princess, Bess Campbell.



Warrior & Wanderer - Book Cover


BUY & TBR LINKS


EXCERPT
She knelt at his feet and began smoothing the plaid across the cold stone floor, felt him watching her every move. “Ye’d best pay close attention,” she said, “because I’m no’ gonnae do this for ye again.”
“Too humiliating?”
“Should be humiliating for ye, to have me show ye how to properly dress yourself.” “Actually, I find it charming, in a weird sort of way.”
Bess ignored the last comment and folded the bottom third of the plaid into thick pleats. She slipped the rope under them.
“Lay on the plaid,” she said. “Place yer waist at the rope in case ye’ve forgotten.” “Oh, yer sarcasm tears me apart, Blaze.”
“If it would help to tear down yer arrogance then we’d be better served, and stop calling me Blaze.” He grimaced as he folded his body down to kneel beside her.
“Your wound…,” she began.
“Is nothing,” he said behind clenched teeth as he lowered his body on top of the plaid.
He rested supine before her. Bess drew in a deep breath. She hovered over him, grasped the ends on the rope in her fists, tied it about his waist, and then adjusted the pleats under the belt.
Ian moaned from far back in his throat. Perspiration glistened across his forehead.
“Ye claim your wound is nothing, d’ye?” she chided, loosening the rope belt. Ian gave her a small forced smile.
She continued to dress him. Her fingers smoothed the wool over his hard waist, over his lean hips, and down the ridge of muscle on his thighs. Feigning indifference was the most difficult part of her task.
“Ye may stand now,” she said. “I’ll help ye.”
“No thanks,” he said struggling to sit up, “you’ve done quite enough.”
She ignored his protest.
“Bursting your stitches is no’ a sign of bravery, ’tis a sign of stupidity.” She took up his left arm and placed it over her shoulders. “Stand with me.”
“I can do it on my own,” he said.
“Ye’re just another arrogant bastard, a typical MacLean,” she said helping him anyway.
“Have you ever thought that all MacLean’s aren’t forged from the same iron as your husband?” he asked.
“Ye betrayed my trust, so aye, I do think all MacLean’s are alike,” she said.
“But what sort of man would I be if I didn’t try to escape?” he asked.
She paused. He had her there. Of course she expected he would try to escape. That was why she had chained and tied him up in the first place.
Ian on his feet, Bess took a step backward. She could not help but allow her gaze to fall down the long length of his body and discovered her task was not complete.
She bent down, and scooped up the rest of the plaid dangling from his waist and tossed it over his shoulder. He remained silent, a blessing, as she tucked the end of the plaid under the rope belt. Task done, Bess surveyed Ian, and her knees suddenly weakened.
Dear God, she thought, he’s the Highlander of my dreams, of my heart. He is the one who could make love possible, if he wasnae so arrogant and odd, and I wasnae so bound to my clan. If ‘twas another time…

AUTHOR BIO
Elizabeth Holcombe’s background includes Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Fine Arts and Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University in her hometown of Richmond. She has taught elementary school and adult education courses on architecture in Rochester, Minnesota, and then worked as a fine arts museum registrar at the Flint Institute of Arts in Michigan.

Although she’s been writing since age ten, it wasn’t until after the birth of her son that she began penning book-length fiction. A past president of Washington Romance Writers, Elizabeth has also organized two highly successful seminars on romance for The Smithsonian Associates.

Elizabeth’s first published Scottish romance novel, Heaven and the Heather (originally published by Berkley/Jove of Penguin Putnam), was a finalist for Best Historical Romance in the Holt Medallion, nominated by Romantic Times

Reviewer’s Choice for Best First Historical Romance and the Dorothy Parker Reviewer’s Choice Award.

Elizabeth lives in Falls Church, Virginia with her husband and son. She is also the proud owner of Dime Store Chic, ranked in the top 50 for vintage shops on Etsy.com. When not writing or crafting her mixed media creations, Elizabeth frequents local estate sales and flea markets.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS



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Monday, February 23, 2015

ACCEPTING FATE

Accepting Fate - Blitz Banner

BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Accepting Fate
SERIES – Others of Seattle: Book 3
AUTHOR – Brandy L Rivers
GENRE – Adult Paranormal Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – 2-23-2015
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – around 70ish k
PUBLISHER – Brandy L Rivers
COVER ARTIST – Brandy L Rivers

Accepting Fate - Book Cover

BOOK SYNOPSIS
Accept fate, or it destroys you...
Michael Nights hides his true nature. To protect his first love, his magic broke free, terrifying Amanda so badly she left. That day convinced him he was the monster she claimed. Horrified by the damage he could cause, he’s vowed to keep his power locked away.

Gwen Fate meets Mike at a party. One look and she’s captivated. Inherently curious, she wants to discover all of his secrets. What she learns compels her to help, whether or not he wants to embrace what he is.

Amanda deLuna has changed, but was it for the better? She arrives back in Seattle and offers Mike what he always wanted.

After finally learning to control his power, Mike will have to choose.

The life he wished for? Or his fate?


Accepting Fate - Book Wrap


BUY & TBR LINKS

AUTHOR BIO
Brandy L Rivers is the author of the Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle series. There are more Others of Edenton and Others of Seattle books in the works. As an avid reader, Brandy has always loved writing. She became serious about it as a stay-at-home-mother. She has a file full of manuscripts she plans to edit and put out there eventually. She lives in Western Washington with her husband and three kids, where she is already working on future stories in each of the series and several other projects.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

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Friday, February 20, 2015

KISSED AT MIDNIGHT

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BOOK INFORMATION
TITLE – Kissed at Midnight
AUTHOR – Samantha Holt
GENRE – Historical Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – 18th February
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 60,000



Kissed At Midnight - Cover


BOOK SYNOPSIS
August Avery, a renowned civil engineer, has found himself the sole custodian of his cousin’s six month old daughter and he needs assistance—fast. He understands how to build railways, to construct bridges and to save the railway tycoons thousands of pounds. He doesn’t understand, however, how to care for a child.

When Ivy Davis turns up at his door looking for work, he believes his prayers are answered. If only the exotic, exuberant young woman did not prove to be such a distraction from his busy workload.

Unsure if she is even up to the task of looking after a baby, Ivy finds herself swayed by the handsome and slightly desperate August into working for him. With her singing career failing before it even started and no other talents, she decides looking after a young child cannot be so hard, surely?

But the child may turn out to be the least of her worries. Her handsome, brooding master seems to keep her awake more than the baby. Add to that her desire to achieve her dreams of singing on stage and the machinations of the
indomitable Mrs. Pepperwhite who sees her as competition for August’s hand, Ivy finds this simple job growing harder by the day—as does her desire for her master...



BUY & TBR LINKS



EXCERPT
Ivy darted a look at the door as she eased herself down onto the bed beside her master. The housekeeper could have no reason to come upstairs but if she caught her in the master’s room—on his bed no less—she could be in quite a pickle.

“Mr.—” A snore escaped his mouth and she shook her head. “Oh dear, Mr. Avery. You are the one who is in a pickle I think. Or more likely utterly foxed.”

Leaning over, she went to grasp his hand to study the damage and froze when he grunted and rolled towards her. His arm landed near her backside on the bed and his head was almost on her lap. Ivy attempted to take his hurt hand from behind her but he twined it out of her grasp and released a low mumble. She gasped when his hand curved around her backside. She wore only her chemise and her drawers. Mr. Avery’s warm hand fairly burned through the cotton, feeling as though she would wake up with a handprint on her bottom.

She twisted to yank his hand away, only to end up with his head pressed against the side of her breast. Mr Avery nuzzled his face against her breast and she stilled. She should draw away, press him back, but for some reason her body refused to cooperate. Hands to his head, she found his hair to be soft and thick.

Oh dear. One part of her body seemed to be working—her fingers. They twined into the softness, so at odds with the rest of him, from his stern features to what she suspected was a body that rivalled the statues of London. He released a muffled groan against her and she heard him inhale deeply.

“Smell so good,” he murmured.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. She was going to lose her job not two days into it if she was not careful. Her nipples were tight and hard. Lush heat rolled through her as he burrowed closer and his hand splayed across her back to hold her to him.

A creak from somewhere else in the house startled her into action. She jerked back and clasped his wrist to force his hand back. At least in his foxed state he wasn’t particularly strong. She had no doubt if he really wanted to keep hold of her, he could, but had he been sober, she was positive he’d want nothing to do with the governess.  A man like Mr Avery likely enjoyed the company of women less... interesting-looking than her. Blonde ones with soft features and a delicate manner.

He rolled onto his back, a grin cracking his face. His eyes were at half-mast and she wasn’t sure what amused him. Recalling her original reason for being on the bed, she grasped his hand and inspected the cut. It had already stopped bleeding so couldn’t be deep. Ivy rolled her eyes to herself. All this for a tiny scratch. At least he was so foxed he would never recall any of it.


SamanthaHolt


AUTHOR BIO
Samantha lives in a small village in England with her gorgeous twin girls. She enjoys writing historical romance involving chivalrous knights, hot highlanders and cravatted men, but sometimes gets lured away by bad boy bikers, soldiers and other heroic modern men.


AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS




Kissed At Midnight - Giveaway

GIVEAWAY PRIZES
Signed picture of Colin Firth as Mr Darcy
2 x Kindle copies of Once Upon a Rake
Set of signed swag





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