Australia Burns

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions for AUSTRALIA BURNS, three collections published by The Wild Rose Press for a very special purpose. Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support. The books will be available on February 14, but are currently available for pre-order. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC.

Volume 1

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Short Stories in Mainstream Fiction, Women's Fiction, Thrillers, and Mystery

A Solicitous Wife by Madeleine McDonald
No One Knew by Larry Farmer
Pinochle by Brenda Whiteside
The Tuesday Night Meeting by Peggy Jaeger
911, What's Your Emergency? by D. V. Stone
Tall Tales by Laura Strickland
Fare Gain by Alexandra Christle
The Note by Stephen B. King
Three Ghosts by Julie Howard
Detective Paws and Lip Gloss by Maureen L. Bonatch
The Ring by Margaret Ann Spence
Portrait of a Gunfighter by Hywela Lyn
Six Hours or So by Lisa Wilkes
Prussic Acid by Melody DeBlois

Volume 2

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Romance, Young Adult, and Women's Fiction Short Stories

Che Gelida Manina by M. S. Spencer
Recipes for Love by Carol Henry
Waiting for Caleb by Gini Rifkin
Wings of Fire by Jana Richards
A Lark by Gabbi Grey
Apple Crisp by Terry Graham
Goody Twoshoes by Mark Love
The Number by Barbara Bettis
Deadly Homecoming by Peggy Chambers
An Egg-Cellent Witness by Marilyn Barr
Season of Withered Corn by Judy Ann Davis
Beneath the Pines by Debby Grahl
Christopher Reisner by Linda Griffin
Unexpected Love: Chase Allen by Anna Lores
The Cowboy and the Lady by Jean Adams
The Heart Necklace by Amanda Uhl

The Relaxation Response by Darcy Lundeen Dancing Through Tears by Jeny Heckman

Volume Three

Stories in this collection are contributed by authors who care about Australia and the relief efforts from the devastating bushfires. All profits from the book will be donated to charities involved with the recovery efforts. The publisher and authors are not affiliated with the charities. They simply want to show Australia their love and support.

A collection of Paranormal, Horror, and Sci-Fi Fiction Short Stories.

The Pilot's Son by CJ Zahner
The Vengeance by Rhonda Gilmour
A Climb to Kill by ML Erdahl
Born of Fangs by Sydney Winward
Johnny Appleseed by Robert Herold
Rebellion in Slot III by Roni Denholtz
Home, Sweet Mobile Home by Alana Lorens
The Filthy Human by Tori V. Rainn
Baby Daddy by Kerry Blaisdell
The Witch of Calico Island by Cat Dubie
Stained-Glass Vision by Mary Morgan
A Witch's Protocol by Tena Stetler
I Choose Life by Kristal Dawn Harris
Together Forever by N. Christine Samuelson
Where Is Your High School Sweetheart? by Donna Kunkel
Lost and Found by Joanne Guidoccio
Nursery Chimes by D.S. Lucas

Volume One Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0848W2HQT
Volume Two Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0849MSLBT
Volume Three Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084H4J37S

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors: Turnaround Farm

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, your chance to sample the work of a talented group of authors. When you finish here you can find more excerpts at:

http://www.wewriwa.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/

Turnaround Farm is a kindle unlimited title available at https://wingsepress.com/turnaround-farm/

Blurb:

If up and coming realtor Holly Grant can buy Turnaround Farm for her client, her business will boom. Who says you have to have a man in your life to complete you? She’s fine as she is thank you very much. Her first problem is that Jeb Wakefield doesn’t want to sell his farm, and her second problem is Jeb’s grandson Dan, the finest looking man Holly’s ever seen. 

Excerpt: Chapter One

Last week

If he did say so, he had made quite a name for himself in the horse world.

His stomach knotted. If only Kyle...Well, Kyle was another matter altogether. As far as Jeb knew, his only son had done just one good thing during his entire life; he had married Millie Lane and produced Dan. His fingers tightened around his fork. Kyle had ruined the family financially and blackened their name in horse circles by using illegal drugs on the animals in his care.

To make matters worse, he had become addicted to drugs himself. At the time of his death in a high-speed auto chase with the police, he was high on cocaine and waiting to go to trial for illegal gambling and fixing the outcome of a sporting event. His wife had died with him.

This Week: We begin where we left off last week. 

Beyond the Book: The Captain and the Cheerleader

We're now reading excerpts from The Captain and the Cheerleader. This week we'll start where we left off last week. If you'd care to read the last excerpt go to last Tuesday's Beyond the Book.

Blurb:
Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

In last weeks' excerpt, Roby told Susan that she bet $50 that Susan can't get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the football coach. We're in Susan's POV.

Excerpt:

Around the faculty lounge a murmur of delighted, horrified voices broke out.

Susan finished her soft drink and tossed the can into a nearby recycling bin. “I could make Kurt ask me out if I wanted to.”

“Yeah? Prove it. Get him to ask you out. I’ll bet you fifty dollars you can’t do it,” Robin taunted. “All he’s interested in is football.”

Melissa Taylor, Susan’s best friend, cleared her throat. “How long would she have to get the date?”

“Two weeks ought to be enough for an old pro like Susan.” Robin snickered as her gaze swept around the lounge. “Would the rest of you like to get a piece of the action?”

All at once a carnival atmosphere permeated the room. They chose Don Brooks who taught art to keep track of the bets, and everyone hurried to put money on his or her favorite. 

If you'd like a copy of the book, you can get it at:  http://amzn.to/1NDgnrg 
 

Another Man's Treasure

Book Title: Another Man's Treasure Publication Date: June 18, 2016 ASIN: B01HAKBZ0Q Genre: Contemporary Romance

  Graphic artist Trinity Hargrove never knew real passion until she sleeps with her boss’s son. Mistake number one. Mistake number two…liking it too much. But they agreed to only one night. Simple enough, right? Wrong. He may be out of her bed, but their intense night together still burns in her memories. As long as she keeps her distance from the oh-so-desirable Xander Duval, everything will be okay. Unfortunately, fate won’t go along with her plan. Restaurateur Xander Duval agrees to Trinity’s “one night” stipulation, but only in theory. He has no intentions of not being with her again. Especially when his mind—nor body—will allow him to forget the fire that blazed between them until the wee hours of the morning. When Trinity is injured in an automobile accident, he jumps at the opportunity to be her arms and legs. He plans to show her just how determined he is to make her his…for far longer than just one night. Read A Preview: http://a.co/14ZfHvW Amazon: http://bit.ly/anothermanstreasure

  Website: http://www.joyavery.com

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjoyavery

 Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorjoyavery

 Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, your chance to sample the work of a talented group of authors. When you finish here, you can find more snippets at :

http://www.wewria.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/

We know that Susan won her bet when Kurt asked her to go with him to a party. Today they have just arrived at the party where Kurt is joking around with their host and leads him to believe that he and Susan are involved. Susan took Kurt to task, and he got out of trouble by asking her to dance. We pick up as the first dance is ending.

EXCERPT:

By the time the dance ended, both of them were hot, flushed, and laughing.

Susan fanned her face with her hand. “Let’s get something to drink.”

They made their way to the end of the barn where Mendoza had set up the refreshment table. She handed Kurt a glass of punch and poured one for herself. “This is good,” she said as she drained her glass. “I can’t identify all of the ingredients, but it tastes good.”

Kurt sipped his own drink. “I think it has tequila in it, so be careful.”


BLURB:

Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

Buy Link:

http://amzn.to/2NDgnrg

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, you chance to sample the work of a talented group of authors. When you are finished here, you can find more snippets at:
http://www.wewriwa.comhttp://www.wewriwa.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/

We know that Susan won her bet with Robin when Kurt asked her to go to a party with him. Susan has called and told her best friend that she has the date. We're picking up now after the phone call. Here's a little more info about Susan. She's talking to her cat.

“I hope we have fun tonight, kitty. Things have been a little stale since Tommy and I broke up.”
Samson stared holes through Susan, but the mean look on his face didn’t surprise her. “You liked Tommy, didn’t you, boy? He always had a treat for you, but that’s no excuse for looking daggers at me.

“I feel bad about Tommy too. He’s a great guy, but I don’t love him the way he loved me. I broke up with him because it wasn’t fair to let him hope for something that can never be. Still, I miss him too.”
She needed to move on with her life, and going out with Kurt Deveraux seemed like a good way to begin. 

Blurb:
Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1NDgnrg 
 

Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors

Welcome to Snippet Sunday and Weekend Writing Warriors, your chance to sample the work of a talented group of authors. After you finish here, you can find me snippets at:


http://www.wewriwa.com

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=snippet%20sunday

Here's a blurb and excerpt, and this week we'll be starting with Kurt's POV.

Blurb:
 Susan English can’t stand Robin Lanford! She’s so full of herself she irritates everyone on the faculty of Fairfield High. When Robin bets Susan fifty dollars that she can’t get a date with Kurt Deveraux, the head football coach, Susan jumps at the chance to put the little heifer in her place. She had no idea that teaching Robin a lesson would irrevocably change her life, strain treasured friendships, and throw two families into chaos.

EXCERPT:

Kurt left the faculty lounge and joined the football team for its traditional pre-game meal. He

filled his plate from the buffet and sat down beside his longtime friend and fellow coach, Jason Cooper. Jason had been his best friend ever since they were in Mrs. Turner’s first grade class at Fairfield Elementary.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” demanded Jason. He dug his elbow into Kurt’s side when Kurt failed to reply to his question about the night’s strategy. “You’re a million miles away.”

“Sorry. I was thinking about what happened in the lounge a minute ago.”

“What happened?”

“Susan English gave me a compliment.”


New Review for The Captain and the Cheerleader:

The pretty head cheerleader and the handsome jock are all grown up and living respectable lives within the community until a series of unusual events and unlikely behavior lands them in a BIG moral dilemma. Can they mend their fractured relationships with friends and family? More importantly, can they learn to forgive themselves and each other?

I gave this story FIVE stars because there are several very well written passages about love, forgiveness, and moving forward in faith and life that really need to be shared. A lot could be learned from the counseling words of Father Duncan.

Buy Link;
amzn.to/1mUcOHM

Beyond the Book

Presumably, you're visiting this blog because you like books. so I thought I'd share some of the books that have influenced me most.

This isn’t the easiest thing to do because I think most of what we read influences us in one way or another. As readers we adopt some things as our own while rejecting the rest. I’ll start with young adult books and move to adult stuff.

1.Black Beauty. I believe my love of animals and dislike of cruelty started developing after reading this book. It's really a heartbreaker.

2.Little Woman. Even in the modern world, there are lots of truths about family, a life worth living,  and being true to yourself.

3.The Trixie Belden Series. Trixie was a perfect heroine. The first books were written in the late 1940’s, but Trixie held her own against the boys and always saved the day. I really wanted to be Trixie.

4.The Sherwood Ring. This was perfect for me because it combined so many things that I liked. What were they? Ghosts, romance, and history. In fact I have a Jan. 28 release called Fortuna, and it has all of those elements.

5.A Wrinkle in Time. I like science fiction which might have started with this book.

6.The Bronze Horseman. A novel set in Russia during World War II. I found it absolutely compelling.  At the end of the first book I swore I'd never read anything else by this author because I hated the ending. Then I found there was a sequel and had to eat my words.

7.Leaving Cheyenne. This is by Larry McMurtry who is one of my favorite authors. It covers the lives of three special people. 

8.Salem’s Lot. My first introduction to horror. It scared me so bad. I don’t read scary stuff now.

9.The Flame and the Flower. My first introduction to romance novels, except for Harlequins.

10.Aimee, Come Home. Again, this novel merged history with romance and ghosts. I do love that combination.

What about you? What are some books that have influenced you?