Sunday, August 31, 2014

Silent Partner


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Stan will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Silent Partner is a paranormal mystery, a police procedure novel with a female detective that will remind you of Harry Bosch, a ghost story that suggests what lies beyond death, and a comic look at a tabloid where the “truth” is whatever sells.

Enjoy an excerpt:

“Duh. Of course I am, but I’m also the one who tripped you. Give me some credit for that. I think it’s like a hundred years of bad karma if you let the person you’re protecting get killed.”

“You’re protecting me? How come you didn’t keep me from being shot?”

“Give me a break. I told you that I’m new to this. The bullet only nicked your butt; so don’t make a federal case out of it. If I hadn’t tripped you, you’d be paralyzed. You should be grateful to me.”

Josh felt a cold shiver run up his spine.

“Then you’re dead?”

“We don’t refer to it that way. We like to say that we’ve moved to another plane.”

“How come I can see you?”

Andy smiled thinly.

“You Harrells have a gift. Everyone has a guardian angel, but only certain people can see us. It’s easier in a way for us if you can’t see us.”

“You’ll keep anything bad from happening to me?”

“There’s such a thing as free will, my dear. I can only help you so much.

If it’s your time, then it’s lights out. Now that you’re thirty, things are going to get a lot harder.”

“What do you mean?”

Josh had a sinking feeling in his stomach, and it wasn’t the alcohol.

“A lot of things are going to change for you now. As I said, you Harrells are gifted, although some of your relatives thought of it as a curse.”

“I don’t believe this. You mean my father really did see someone? He wasn’t crazy?”

“Of course he saw someone. I hope you don’t throw your full glass of whiskey at me the way he threw his at his guardian.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“You’re asking too many questions. Just take my word that everything’s relative, including time.”

“What do you want?”

About the Author:
Stan Schatt grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and now resides in Carlsbad, California. He has written thirty-five books on a wide variety of subjects ranging from fiction to technology. He is co-author of Journey to a Different Dimension, an Amazon bestseller. He also authored Egypt Rising, a YA novel focusing on a teen’s experience in Egypt at the time of the Egyptian revolution of 2011. This novel contains paranormal elements including a secret buried under the Sphinx. The paranormal mystery Silent Partner is Schatt’s latest novel.

He has led several careers including futurist and executive for many of the world’s leading technology market research firms, police department administrator, autopsy assistant, software trainer, Telecommunications Department Chairman, and English professor. He taught at Tokyo University as a Fulbright exchange professor. His non-fiction includes books on such diverse topics as strategies for changing careers for a green industry job, studies of Michael Connelly and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., network and data communications technology, telecommunications, computer programming.

http://www.pen-l.com/SilentPartner.html
http://www.stanschatt.com
http://www.twitter.com/stanschatt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, your chance to sample the work of some fabulous authors. My snippet today is from my upcoming, September 23 release Rest Thy Head. In this first excerpt from the book, my heroine Peyton pays a surprise visit to her fiance.

The living room was deserted, but she heard voices coming
from the kitchen. She tossed her purse onto the sofa and went in
search of her man. As she rounded the corner into the kitchen, she
froze. Megan Thomas, whom Drew used to date, was with him in
the kitchen, and the two of them were hugging each other so tightly
it was a wonder either of them could breathe.

Peyton gasped, and when Drew saw her he shoved Megan
away, causing her to fall against the stove. “Peyton, I can explain!”

Peyton could hardly speak around the rage that was almost choking her.
“What’s to explain, Drew?"

You can find more snippets at:
http://www.wewriwa.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/

Saturday Sample

Today's excerpt comes from the novel I'm currently editing. I've titled it The Captain and the Cheerleader. In this excerpt, my hero's friend is criticizing my heroine for making a bet that she could make my hero Kurt ask her out. What do you think of it? This part is unedited so let me know if you see anything.

Jason sneered at Susan the way she imagined he’d look at a student he’d caught cheating in his class. “You’re a piece of work, you know that? What kind of woman sleeps with a guy on their first date?”
Susan grabbed for his arm as he strode toward the door. “Wait. You don’t understand…”

“Oh, I understand, all right." He jerked away as if her touch had soiled him. "Did you get more than you bargained for when you made the bet, or did you intend to get your hooks into him from the start?”

photo: By D. Sharon Pruitt (Flickr: Sad Summer Girl Portrait) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Crossing The Ice


Blurb:
Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?



Excerpt:

I turned to Josh with my arms folded and my head cocked to the side. “So, you’re an athlete, a dancer and a musician? If you tell me you’re a skilled artist, I’m gonna have to hate you.”
He laughed. “I can barely draw a stick figure.”
“Whew.” I swiped my hand across my forehead.
“Even if I was the next Picasso, though, I wouldn’t have told you.” He paused and held my gaze. “I don’t like the idea of you hating me.”
My stomach fluttered. Josh didn’t often make extended eye contact, but whenever he locked those sinfully blue eyes on mine, I became a mesmerized puddle of swoon.

Author Info


Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 

From the first page, it was obvious that Ms. Comeaux loves competitive skating. She immerses the reader in a world that many of us never experience. It's full of glitz and glamour, but at the same time there's a lot of cut throat competition behind the scenes. I liked the way her characters struggled to achieve their dreams of going to the Olympics. Young adults should set high goals for themselves. 
At the same time, the author gives the readers a glimpse of the personal lives of her characters. Except for a couple of them, they're all sympathetic, and the bad ones are the ones the author painted that way.  And of course there's the romance between Courtney and Josh.
The romance is well handled, and to me it sounded realistic. It isn't graphic at all which pleases me because it sets a good example for young readers. It isn't preachy, though.
I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves skating or other competitive sports.

Buy Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Ice-Jennifer-Comeaux-ebook/dp/B00MDXMQIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407772511&sr=8-1&keywords=Crossing+the+Ice

Tour Schedule:
TOUR SCHEDULE: http://www.itchingforbooks.com/2014/07/blog-tour-sign-upcrossing-ice-by.html


The author is giving away a $10 gift certificate and three signed Crossing the Ice bookmarks. Use the following link to enter.


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

His Until Sunrise

NRCPHHISUNTILSUNRISEBANNER

 Contest Giveaway: Author is offering a “His Until Sunrise Goodie Package” for One Winner a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author: Joy Avery
Publication Date: 8-2-2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group For Your Book 18+
About The Book his_until_sunrise_cover2


After learning her boss has scheduled a mandatory team-building excursion, financial planner Nona Rogers panics. What does she know about camping? Nada. Zilch. Heck, she doesn’t even like picnics. And the thought of sleeping amid bugs and wild animals knots her stomach. No way can she risk looking like an idiot in front of her colleagues. Taking proactive measures, she acquires the services of a guide to give her a crash-course in camping. Seven days living off the land. How hard could it be? Nona swallows those words when she meets the sexy titan tasked with leading her into the wild. Getting mauled by a bear quickly becomes the least of her worries. Mason Tinsdale’s first love has always been oil rigging. But a horrible accident has him doubting the job—more importantly, himself. Seven days in the Indigo Falls wilderness is just what he needs to sort out his thoughts. Then he meets Nona Rogers. He’s convinced the gorgeous woman is going to be far more trouble than she’s worth. And he’s right. However, there’s something about the feisty vixen that makes her irresistible. Two guarded hearts. Seven days alone. An attraction that can’t be denied.
About the Author

j.avery

Joy Avery is a North Carolina native with a passion for penning contemporary romances. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, cake decorating, pretending to expertly play the piano, driving her husband insane, and playing with her sixteen-pound peek-a-poo and hundred-pound Rottweiler. There’s plenty of emotion in a Joy Avery romance. Sometimes there are obstacles and hurdles in love, and she enjoys showing this in her novels. Her stories guide readers along the rutted roads of love, delivering them to a gratifying happily ever after. Romance is Joy’s genre of choice, because she enjoys the experience of characters overcoming the barriers that have held them back from finding true love. Plus, she loves happily ever afters. HIS UNTIL SUNRISE is Joy’s second novel. Her first novel, SMOKE IN THE CITI, garnered attention for having well-developed and believable characters, as well as refreshing humor. She is currently working on Book 2 of her Indigo Falls series. Joy is a member of Romance Writers of America and Heart of Carolina Romance Writers
connect-with-the-author Website      Facebook       Twitter
Buy Link
amazon
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Taming Miss Tisdale

You'll find a nice word from the author after the excerpt.

TAMING MISS TISDALE
By
Jessica Jefferson

BLURB:  

Miss Tamsin Tisdale believes herself to be completely unsuitable for London life. After a myriad of social mishaps, and the potential ruination of her family name, she’s shipped away to her cousin’s northern estate. Only after she comes to her senses will she be welcomed home.

Marcus Winston, the Duke of Grayson, has a lackluster reputation. The last in a dying line, he’s endured a protected life—rank with privilege, encumbered by isolation. After a brief encounter with rebellion, he learns the devastating consequences of his carelessness and willingly accepts living life from inside his gilded cage.


However, a chance meeting with the brazen Miss Tisdale gives Marc the opportunity to reinvent himself into the man he’s always dreamed of being. When his deception comes to light, and ghosts from both their pasts threaten to unravel the intimacy they’ve come to cherish, will either of them set their fears aside long enough to embrace love? Or will Miss Tisdale’s stubbornness divide them?

EXCERPT:

Marc watched the faint outline come across the dense morning fog, becoming more discernible as it approached. The tall, thin figure was riding along at a perilous speed, given the morning’s lack of visibility. He thought perhaps it was some gangly young man misguided in the fog. It wouldn’t be the first time someone accidentally stumbled upon the vast property that made up his family’s immodest estate.

Then the fog parted in an almost biblical manner, revealing his gross inaccuracy.
Were those ... breasts?

Marc closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Typically, women didn’t ride alone at such an hour and they certainly didn’t wander unexpectedly across his property. It’d been quite a while, his last birthday to be exact, since his last intimate encounter with a woman—a gift, compliments of St. Regis—so there was always the possibility that perhaps his half-drunk, sex-starved mind had conjured up the sensual image.

He shook his head, opened his eyes, and looked back again toward the horizon.

Yes, those were most certainly breasts.

And she was most definitely not a young man. The woman’s riding habit pulled taut against her body as she raced toward him. Her hair was blowing behind her—various hues of auburn and gold, like wild flames curling about in the wind. Then a decidedly feminine voice burst through the morning’s silence, interrupting his self-doubt.

“Oh, thank goodness I found you!”

This was no mirage. She was indeed very real.

And very loud.


How do my characters conform to the time period in which the book is set?
By Jessica Jefferson

I think when writing historical romance, all authors are faced with a similar struggle – to conform or not to conform to the specific era in which you’re writing. This is especially true when writing regency.
The regency period has the dubious distinction of being one of the most recognizable periods as it relates to customs and social decorum.  If you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice, then chances are you’ve at least seen some version of the movie.  Because of the public’s unwavering interest for the period, there are a staggering number of reference sites out there.  Because of this, it’s actually quite easy to learn just about everything having to do with regency.

Now, even though I love the regency period, I prefer my regencies a bit on the saucy side rather than traditional.  This is not to say that I don’t enjoy the occasional Georgette Hyer, but I do have a tendency to lean toward more modern styles of say, Eloisa James.

This is also reflected in the way I write as well.  I often try to remain true to the fashions of the era.  In my latest book, Taming Miss Tisdale, the heroine is a ‘tom-boy’, but you won’t find her running around in breeches.  It’s just one of those lines that I didn’t think someone with her breeding would cross.  So in that sense, she conforms to the times.  However, she does end up in a carriage alone with a man—something that rarely would have happened.  My characters also have a gift for losing their chaperones, which isn’t the most historically accurate way to go about things.  At the same time, I do like to keep a certain amount of sexual tension present throughout the book which may not conform to the strict rules of the time, but does appeal to a certain group of readers.

It’s a delicate balance.  If I maintain strict adherence to the social norms, then I risk losing a lot of those more modern values that I think makes a lot of historical romance really appealing to a lot of readers. If I go too far and lose all semblance of the rules and regulations of the time, then I alienate an entirely different group altogether.  It’s a tough call, but I can only hope that my choices are those that readers on both sides of the regency aisle can accept.

Jessica Jefferson makes her home in northern Indiana, or as she likes to think of it—almost Chicago.  She is heavily inspired by classic sweeping, historical romance novels, but aims to take those key emotional elements and inject a fresh blend of quick dialogue and comedy.  She invites you to visit her at jessicajefferson.com and read more of her random romance musings.


AMAZON:  http://www.amazon.com/Taming-Miss-Tisdale-Jessica-Jefferson-ebook/dp/B00K5Y8W7Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401396150&sr=8-1&keywords=taming+miss+tisdale

Jessica is giving away a $50 gift certificate so follow her tour and use the link below to enter. You can find her schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2014/04/nbtm-tour-taming-miss-tisdale-by.html


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Beyond the Boook

Greetings! My name is Kara Cochrane, and I was Elaine's heroine in her Lachesis Publishing release Her Kind of Man. Before I go any further, I'd like to congratulate Elaine on her 41st wedding anniversary. She was such a beautiful bride. If you'd like to see her dress, scroll down to yesterday's post, and you can see her picture.

Have you ever felt out of place?  If so, you know how uncomfortable it makes you feel.  It’s kind of like wearing clothes that are just a shade too small.  You can’t relax no matter what you do.  I recently had just such an experience.  My sister's boyfriend decided to propose to her, so he invited her family and his own to come and watch him.  We went to some local gardens that have a pretty little waterfall.  With the waterfall in the background, we stood behind Josh-that’s his name- and waited for my sister  to arrive.  She came around the curve in the path and saw everyone.  I took a picture at that exact moment, and it’s so funny I crack up every time I look at it. 

So, why did I feel out of place?  Because of what I was wearing.  I understood that it would be a casual moment, but the groom- to-be was even wearing a tux.  I had on capri pants and a button up, yellow checked blouse.  Needless to say, I hate the pictures.

That isn't the only time I've felt out of place. I'm a city girl who works at the post office, but when I started dating Ross Williams who owns a dairy farm, I was definitely out of my element.  The picture was complicated by the fact that Ross wasn't my first choice.  One of my sisters stole the man I wanted. But rest assured, things turned out for the best. I wouldn't trade Ross Williams for any man on the face of the earth.

In this excerpt, I'm having dinner at Ross’s farm.  Ross and his brother Bobby are babysitting Bobby’s son while I helps with the dishes.  Here’s a blurb and excerpt from Her Kind of Man.  You can buy the book at http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b133189/Her-Kind-of-Man/Elaine-Cantrell/?si=0 or at http://lachesispublishing.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Her%5FKind%5Fof%5FMan 

It's on sale at Amazon and at www.lachesispublishing.com for only .99

Blurb:
Is it possible she’s finally found Her Kind of Man?

Ross Williams has been in love with Kara Cochrane since they were kids so when Kara's fiancé Brandon Miles cheats on her and calls off their wedding—Ross steps in to rescue the damsel in distress.

A heartbroken Kara just wants to get on with her life and hunky Ross provides her with a definite distraction—that is until she starts falling for him. Big time.

But a devastating family secret threatens to destroy everything that Kara holds dear—including her relationship with Ross.


Excerpt:


Ross set Justin down the minute he and Bobby stepped off the porch. The child took off running while Bobby and Ross sat down on the steps to watch him play.
Bobby leaned back on his elbows and crossed his legs. “She’s nicer than she used to be.”
 “Yeah, she is,” Ross replied as he patted his big collie who’d ambled over for some attention.
“In high school she didn’t have much time for anyone outside of her own circle of friends, not even a good-looking kid like you.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” Ross laughed as he gave the dog one final pat.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” Bobby retorted. “Are you serious about her, or is too soon to tell?”
“I want her, Bobby.”
Bobby sucked in his breath. “Is she serious about you?”
“What is this, twenty questions?” Ross threw a scowl Bobby’s way, but it didn’t seem to faze him.
“It’s me worrying about my kid brother.”
Ross relented. “All right, I don’t think she’s serious about me yet, but I think she will be. Right now she’s hurt over Miles and her sister, but I’ve been able to make her enjoy my company anyway, so yeah, I think things are going to work out fine.”
Bobby picked up a pebble and tossed it across the yard. “Did you sleep with her last night?”
Ross flushed and cursed himself for it. “None of your business.”
“Mom thinks you did.”
“What?”
“She talked to me before you and Kara got here.” Bobby closely appraised Ross’s face. “She smelled perfume on your shirt when she picked it up off the floor, and you overslept this morning. So, she decided you’d made love to Kara.”
“And she wanted you to talk to me,” Ross guessed with a wry grin. “Dad isn’t here to keep me on the straight and narrow, so she asked you to do it.”
Bobby laughed. “Exactly.”
“Well, you can tell her I didn’t.”
“Not yet, anyway.” Bobby jabbed Ross with his elbow. “I know you, Ross. If you want something bad enough, you keep trying until you get it. You remind me of Dad, but this time you’d better slow down and think things over.”
“Sure, I will,” Ross agreed. From long experience he knew the best way to shut Bobby up.
Bobby burst into laughter and scared a passing barn cat who hissed and skittered away.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was thinking about Kara wiping chicken poop off her high heels.”
Ross frowned. “Were you spying on us?”
“No, but when you got here, I was chasing Justin through the living room. I looked out in time to see what happened.” He grinned at Ross. “She isn’t dressed for the farm.”
 “Well, no, high heels and suede pants aren’t standard farm issue,” Ross answered with a shrug, “but it’s just a meal and not a tour.”
Justin returned dragging a chicken by the neck.
Ross jumped off the step and ran to meet him.
“Is it dead?” Bobby demanded.
Ross pried the chicken from Justin’s chubby hands. After a shake, it squawked and ran away.

“I’m going to see if they’re finished with the dishes yet,” he said, leaving Bobby to tend to his rambunctious son.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Our 41st Wedding Anniversary

Congratulate me, readers. Today I celebrate my 41st wedding anniversary. In spite of that large number, our wedding doesn’t feel like it happened that long ago. I can still vividly remember walking down the aisle to marry him. We’ve had ups and downs just like most people, but here we are 41 years later still together. In honor of our anniversary, I have some trivia to share with you. About anniversaries of course.

1.In ancient times, a man gave his wife a silver wreath when they’d been married twenty five years, and a gold one when they’d been married for fifty years. The Germans kept the idea of gold and silver and decided that each particular year that passed, a different gift should be given.

2.In the US the practice of gift giving was firmly established by the 1930’s. They reasoned that being married for a long time deserved a reward, and the longer you were married, the greater should be the reward.

3.Denmark has a cute custom when a couple has been married for twelve and a half years. They call this anniversary the copper anniversary. Friends and neighbors construct half of an arch which they cover in flowers and set in front of the couple’s door. You get the other half of the arch on your twenty fifth anniversary.

4.A Taiwanese couple holds the record for the longest married couple in the world. They beat an American couple who were married for eighty two years.

5.Married couples are supposed to save the top layer of their wedding cake to be eaten on their first anniversary.

6.Tradition says that if you are married in August, which I was, you are sure to see many changes, and in my case that’s true. Each month of the year has its own little saying.

I hope that each of you finds a unique and wonderful way to celebrate your own anniversary when it comes around, and Happy Anniversary whether you’ve been married for one year or forty one.

XOXO

Elaine


Saturday, August 23, 2014

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Today's snippet is still from the same unnamed WIP I've used for the past few weeks. To recap, Senator Landers had a one night stand with a woman who looked much like his wife. Some years later the woman died of cancer, and her parents contacted my hero, Rhett, to tell him he had a son. Naturally, my heroine, Alex is a little unhappy about it. Some of you have hoped she wouldn't be mean to the child, and she isn't. I thought I'd finish this last excerpt with something about the boy, Eric. Next week I'm starting something else. 'She' in the excerpt refers to Alex. She woke up feeling as if someone is watching her. She thought it was probably Rhett, but it wasn't.

She shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep, but gradually the sensation of being watched was so strong that she opened her eyes.
“I want to show you my mama’s picture,” Eric said. He was dressed in shorts and a tee shirt and was barefooted. His blond hair stuck up at the crown the way Rhett’s did before he brushed it.
She pushed herself up and smiled. No matter how she felt about Rhett she couldn’t be mean to a child. “Well, let’s see it.”
Eric approached the bed and handed her the picture. 


Picture: By Pedro Simões from Lisboa, Portugal [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Saturday Sample


My sample today is from one of my favorite books, Her Kind of Man. The book is on sale at Amazon and the publisher for only .99. You know you need something to read this weekend, so pick up your copy before the price goes up. Now, here's that excerpt. This takes place on their wedding night.



Ross had drifted off to sleep with a muscled arm thrown across Kara’s waist. She wondered if she could slide away from him without waking him up. She eased forward, but his arm tightened around her and pulled her back against him.
Near panic swept over her. She couldn’t breathe! She had to move away from him. This time she didn’t try to ease away. She pushed his arm away, and Ross turned over to his other side and freed her.
She pulled the covers around her shoulders and wished he hadn’t objected to her  putting her nightgown back on after they’d made love. “I like the way you feel against me,” he'd whispered in her ear, so of course she'd left it off.
  She’d only been married a few hours and had already learned a lot about her character. Unhappily, most of it was bad. She guessed she must have a lot of her father in her. After all, what decent woman would behave the way she had  with a virtual stranger? Hadn’t she only been going out with Ross for a few weeks? 
Her breath came faster now. Maybe Ross thought she was a slut. She didn’t like that word, never had, but it sure did describe her behavior. It made her cringe to think of the things she had begged him to do. He’d whispered words of endearment to her and treated her so gently and tenderly. Didn’t it bother him that his wife had moaned and bucked against him like he was bull in the barnyard?
She’d expected to find physical satisfaction in her marriage, but not the wild, dark, burning waves 

which had swept over her and left her exhausted, sweaty, and shaken. Yes, undoubtedly her behavior

 was a legacy from her unknown, deviant father, for even though she didn’t love Ross she knew one


 thing; the thought of a repeat performance totally took her breath away.



Buy it at Amazon or Lachesis Publishing