My Books!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Cover Reveal Shannon's Law by Emma Calin

COVER REVEAL

SHANNON'S LAW by Emma Calin


Thanks so much for hosting the Cover Reveal for my forthcoming contemporary romance SHANNON’S LAW. This is the second in my ‘Passion Patrol Series’ - steamy action-romances that feature sassy female cops who solve crimes, catch crooks and always get their man.

Blurb

Wild child inner city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of people and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals. As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need. Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet. Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her. All the same, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission, their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.
(Pre-order paperback only at this stage)
 
I will be revealing snippets from the story, photos of places and people that inspired the venues and characters on Pinterest during my pre-launch book tour. There are already some scrap-book cuttings posted, take a look and follow my board to get updates: http://www.pinterest.com/emmacalin/shannons-law-launch-reveal-on-pinterest/
 
There is also news about the book on Facebook:
 
(‘Likes’ are always appreciated.....)
 
I’m having two launch parties “Afternoon Tea At Bloxington Manor”. The first is online on the 28th February on Facebook and the second is LIVE at the English stately home that inspired the home of my hero on Sunday 2nd March. A local favourite venue for me, Avington Park in Hampshire is steeped in history and tradition. (Think genuine Palladian style rather than Downton Abbey neo-Jacobean). The private owners have kindly agreed to open up for us with a tour of the house and then tea and cake – oh and launch the book of course!
 
ooooOOOO Shannon's Law Cover Reveal Draw OOOOoooo
$30/£20 Amazon voucher
A pair of tickets to my Avington Park Launch Party 2nd March (UK only)
3 Advanced Review Copies of Shannon’s Law
EVERY entrant will receive a FREE gift of an audiobook of my short story Escape to Love.
Just click here: a Rafflecopter giveaway to register to win - either 'like' the Facebook page or comment on this blog to qualify for an extra 2 chances.
Good Luck!
 
About Emma Calin

Emma Calin was born in London in 1962. She currently lives in France and the UK. She has been writing since childhood and has won numerous local, national and international prizes for poetry and short stories.
 
"Knockout!" is the first of the “Passion Patrol Series” a stand-alone love story set against a backdrop of international gambling corruption and deception. Interpol cop Anna Leyton finds herself torn between love and duty when her professional and private life intersects. This book is now available in both paperback and Kindle formats.
“The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection” is a bargain anthology of 5 short stories and novelettes, available in paperback and digital formats.
"Sub-Prime" is a prize-winning hard hitting short story about courage, exploitation and love. It is a raw and brutal exposé of life at the bottom in the aftermath of recession.
"The Chosen" is also a short story, set in modern times where working people struggle to keep their dreams alive. A world where the promise of love motivates desperate measures.
“Escape To Love” is a 'novelette' (longer than a short story but shorter than a novella), a gritty urban romance with suspense and mystery but a love story at it's core.
“Angela” a short story about a late-night taxi journey.
“Love in a Hopeless Place” a novelette about a middle-aged woman striving to find her true identity.

Amazon links to books by Emma Calin

Shannon’s Law USA Shannon's Law UK (Pre-order paperback only at this stage)
Emma Calin Website: http://www.emmacalin.com
 
 
For this cover release every commenter will receive an audiobook of Emma's short story "Escape to Love." Emma will be awarding a $30 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, another commenter will receive two tickets to the live launch (UK only), and three randomly chosen commenter will receive an ARC of SHANNON'S LAW.  You can find her schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/12/cover-reveal-tour-shannons-law.html?zx=204aed8b2b641d7b
 
 
Rafflecopter link:
 
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Saturday, January 4, 2014

Snippet Sunday

Welcome to Snippet Sunday. You'll find some great authors participating, so when you finish here go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/SnippetSunday/ and find more snippets to enjoy.

My snippet is from Blue 52. There's a nice blizzard scene in it, so how about some sentences from that. This is a key scene, by the way.

In this excerpt, the FBI agents have to deal with a force of nature that they are powerless to stop in spite of their weapons and advanced gear.


Before he could raise Hank, he heard a roar underneath the keening of the wind. The ground vibrated slightly as the tent’s door burst open. "Run," Agent Winchester gasped. "Avalanche."

They ran. Scott saw a tall pine to his right and slogged his way toward it. This damn snow would kill him before

Stanton ever had a chance to send his car plunging into a lake! He shimmied up the tree as nimbly as a ten-year-old boy climbing trees in his father’s backyard. He didn’t feel the frozen branches tearing his face and hands, but he did feel the snow swipe his foot as he climbed.
blurb:

"First Lady Kills President Lovinggood"

December 29, 2018


Thirty years later Hank Lovinggood embarks on a quest to prove his mother's innocence and punish the killers who took his family from him.  Together Hank and lovely physicist Kathryn Sinclair confront an implacable, twisted, merciless enemy who'll do whatever it takes to hide the truth forever. 

Buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-52-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B00H1MHC24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388897066&sr=8-1&keywords=blue+52+by+elaine+cantrell
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Blizzard

 
Welcome to Saturday Sample. Since the weather is so bad, I'd thought I'd share an excerpt about a blizzard from one of my WIPs. The name of the story is still up in the air, and I haven't edited it, but maybe you'll enjoy it anyway. Stay warm.


The snow fell more furiously with each passing moment.  In spite of Wes’s brisk pace he was freezing.  His nose, fingers, and ears felt numb, and he couldn’t feel his feet.  He figured Caroline couldn’t either, and moments later she proved him right as she stumbled over a hidden tree root and fell down with a little cry.

“Caroline!  Are you hurt?”

“No, but let’s rest just a minute.”

“We can’t,” he replied.  Actually, he had shouted at her.  He had to in order to be heard over the wind which had picked up speed and seemed to be blowing from all directions at once.

“How much further?” Caroline screamed back.

“Not far.  Let’s go.”  He had just lied to her.  They had only been moving for around twenty minutes; they weren’t even halfway to his truck yet, but they had a worst problem. 

The snow had covered the trail, and the blowing, screeching wind had him turned around so that he had no idea which way to go.  Their only option was to keep moving.  If they didn’t, they would freeze. 
 
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Friday, January 3, 2014

Fashionista Friday

B&W with a hint of purple

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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Flick and The Art of Patience




 
The Art of Patience

 

For a newbie writing is as an adventure, and it’s ludicrous to assume the first attempt at anything is going to be perfect.  Yes, there are those lucky ducks that work hard and have the King Midas touch; the stars and the moon align in synchronicity and everything they touch turn to gold.  This is great!  Who doesn’t love a success story?  Unfortunately, these guys are in the minority. 

 

Many new writers learn through trial and error, and continually work at honing their craft.  In the beginning, I wrongfully believed the hardest part of writing would be writing the book (you can chuckle now), but I’ve long since learned that is actually the easy part.  For me, the hardest part of the entire process was learning the art of patience.

 

Okay, the manuscript is finished and you are ecstatic!  So you move on to step two and begin editing again and again and again and again...and again.  Then you put it aside only to pick it up to edit again, and again.  If you’re fortunate enough to have a beta reader, they will look it over for you so you can edit again.  Sigh.  Yes, it’s extremely tedious and the characters you love so much start getting on your nerves.  But writing is an evolution, and although laborious, editing is part of the process.  Determination and patience are key. 

 

Once the editing’s done, you’re anxious to contact anyone and everyone with your baby.  This is when patience kicks in again.  We need to slow down.  Now is the time to closely examine who you want to submit your work to; review their guidelines, research whether they accept your genre etc.  Writing is a business and writers wear many hats in order to protect their interests.  Before acting in haste just to see your work in print, take the time to learn the industry; ensure what you worked so hard on doesn’t fall into the wrong scammy hands.  A simple, little Google search can save a writer years of heartache.

 

Writing and publishing from start to finish takes an extreme amount of time, research and patience.  As a new writer, I truly didn’t appreciate just how much.  So as you embark on your own journey, remember to stay positive, focused, and last but not least, patient.  At times, patience surely feels like an enemy; but in the end, if we use our time wisely, it’s always on our side.
 
 
Flick
by Keira Des Anges
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
BLURB:
 
Leanna Matthews enjoys flying below the radar. She does well in school, has a few close friends and hides the fact she’s an astral-traveling telekinetic. But there’s no escaping her creepy dreams or Simora, the bizarre little spirit lady, that suddenly pops out of nowhere to warn her against keeping secrets and predicts an encounter with a sinister evil. For the first time in forever someone…or something…is on to her.
 
But life turns around when Leanna meets Piper one sunny afternoon. She’s inexplicably drawn to him, almost as if she’s been waiting for him to come. Forbidden to have a boyfriend Leanna throws caution to the wind, lying to her family and friends to be with him, while ignoring Simora’s ominous message.
 
Yet Piper has a secret of his own. He is on a mission and Leanna, unwittingly, is the key.
 
EXCERPT:
He stood idly by Ms. Fenson’s hedges, shifting around uncomfortably and looking at nothing in-particular.  After gazing at the sky, he stared at his feet and pulled at the shrubs behind him – which unless he had a death-wish, was an absolute no-no.  Ms. Fenson was a legend in her neighborhood and Leanna knew if this guy stood anywhere near the hedges too long she’d most certainly come after him – and it wouldn’t be pretty!  Although notorious for her loony behavior, no one denied Ms. Fenson took excellent care of her yard and was fiercely protective of it - in a scary, mad-womanish sort of way.
 
I’ll just walk by him, Leanna thought, trying to ignore the sudden tightness in her chest.  Anyway, who cares?  He doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground.
 
With each step, her legs turned to mush.  But an invisible force pulled her forward.  The pressure grew stronger, involuntarily pushing her along until she finally passed him; her heart racing, her body stiffening…
 
“Hey!” he called.
 
She stopped abruptly.  Was he talking to her?  It was hard to focus; the thumping in her ears grew nauseatingly louder.  But since there wasn’t anyone else around, he must be speaking to her.  Leanna turned around uncertainly.
 
He casually strolled over with his hands in his jean pockets.  When they finally stood face-to-face, Leanna’s breath caught.
 
He was even more strikingly handsome up close.  At around 5'10, he wore his wavy hair cropped close to his head, and in spite of his loose, red Ecko T-shirt, he sported a visibly muscular build.  His chestnut eyes were splashed with the tiniest specks of green and framed by long, dark eyelashes, in stark contrast to his honey brown skin.  They were the most beautiful eyes Leanna had ever seen.  But it wasn’t the color that intrigued her.  His eyes were clear and telling; their depths ran deep.  And for a fraction of a moment, she could’ve swore she saw herself.
 


AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
By day, Keira des Anges has the distinct pleasure of assisting teenagers with disabilities find employment, empowering one life at a time. By night, she is a chew toy for her dog and cat and avid reader of anything spooky, magical and totally out of this world.  She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and two kids.
 
Twitter:  @KeiradesAnges
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/KeiraDesAnges
Website:  www.keiradesanges.com
 
Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Flick-ebook/dp/B00D8MW7EE/ref=la_B00DCFJYB6_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379722174&sr=1-1
 
Book Video:   http://youtu.be/J0iUsTkB--w
 
 
Readers, Kiera is giving away one $50 Amazon or b&N gift certificate to a randomly chosen commenter. Three other random commenters will win $25 gift certificates so follow her tour and comment often. You can find her schedule at  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/09/virtual-book-tour-flick-by-keira-des.html
.

 
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Cowboy Ropes a Billionaire



The Cowboys of Chance Creek

by Cora Seton

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

The Cowboys of Chance Creek Box Set, Books 1 – 3

 

Ethan Cruz, Jamie Lassiter and Rob Matheson have been friends since they were kids, and they’re about to get each other in a whole lot of trouble—women trouble, that is. When a practical joke kicks off a series of romances, the Cowboys of Chance Creek will never be the same.

 

Includes:

 

The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride (Book 1)

 

When Ethan Cruz finds himself with an e-mail order bride he never asked for, he’s ready to send her right back where she came from—just as soon as he gets to know her a little better. When Autumn Leeds answers a plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century, but when she reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length while she writes a scathing article on the subject disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.

 

Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her exposé – she might be carrying his child. Can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?

 

Can a love based on lies last?

 

The Cowboy Wins a Bride (Book 2)

 

All Jamie Lassiter wants is to marry his best friend’s sister and settle down for the rest of his life in Chance Creek. He’s saved his money, bought into the Cruz Guest Ranch and he’s ready for that wedding, but Claire Cruz is nowhere to be found. Claire’s too busy leaving Montana behind to care about cowboys or their wedding plans. She’s got plans of her own – a trip around the world. She’ll go as soon as she buys her tickets and she doesn’t care if she ever sees Chance Creek again.

 

Desperate to change Claire’s mind, Jamie proposes a bet: give him six weeks to convince her to marry him. If he can’t, he’ll pay for her round-the-world tickets himself. Claire can wait six weeks if it means free tickets and a chance to get a little revenge on a man who once broke her heart. She’s got only one stipulation: Jamie can’t touch or flirt with her – or any other woman – while the bet is on.

 

Now Jamie’s on the run from a bevy of cowboy-groupie ranch guests, and Claire’s learning she cares about the ranch – and Jamie – more than she dreamed possible.

 

Maybe it’s time to lose that bet. As long as Jamie loses it first.

 

The Cowboy Imports a Bride (Book 3)

 

Rob Matheson doesn’t know how much longer he can keep up the tough-guy act. As his buddies get married one by one, he’s left with the sinking feeling he lost more than his dreams when he traded them for a thick skin. Now Rob’s father has issued a challenge – he’ll give 200 acres to the first of his four sons to wed. Could this be a chance to become the man he really wants to be?

 

Morgan Tate’s worked for years to climb the ladder to a top job at Cassidy Wineries, but Duncan Cassidy, the boss’ son, always stands in her way. Now he’s issued an ultimatum; marry him or he’ll make sure she never works in the wine industry again..

 

Rob offers Morgan a proposition – marry him and split the land. Now they’ve got sixty days to fall in love, and a passel of family and friends determined to keep them apart. Will it take the biggest practical joke of all to convince the world – and themselves – that they’re truly meant to be man and wife?

 

Now Available – The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire (Book 4)

 


Bella Chatham will lose everything – her veterinary practice, her animal shelter, and even her home – if she can’t find another source of income, fast. So when her best friend signs her up for the hot new reality television show, Can You Beat a Billionaire, Bella accepts the challenge and hopes against hope she can win the ten million dollar prize. If she doesn’t, it’s bye-bye pet clinic and shelter, bye-bye Chance Creek, Montana, and hello to marriage to the billionaire for a year!

 

Evan Mortimer, billionaire, can’t believe he’s reduced to competing in a television contest to win a wife. Unfortunately, it’s the only foolproof way to secure his position as head of Mortimer Innovations. At least he’ll be able to dump his “spouse” at the end of the year; he’s much too busy to be tied down to a country bumpkin cowgirl.

 

As the contests heat up, so do the sparks between the contestants. Will either of them remember in time that it’s not who wins or who loses – it’s how they play the game that really counts?

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
Excerpt From: The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire
 
What did he want?
 
The question brought a rush of heat to her body that she tried unsuccessfully to squash. More than once today she’d been convinced that he wanted her. Ridiculous. He must be surrounded by beautiful women all the time. She wasn’t anything special. Cute. That’s the word people used to sum her up.
 
She’d always been cute, from when she was a child trying to keep up with her older brother to when she’d spent her high school years competing with girls like Lacey Taylor, who wrapped all the cowboys from the nearby ranches around her little finger.
 
Cute and broke.
 
The thought depressed her and she turned to her back. Now her shoulder was pressed against Evan’s.
 
“I thought you’d be asleep by now,” he said, his deep voice rumbling through her and setting her senses alight.
 
“I thought you’d be asleep. What’s keeping you up?”
 
There was a long pause and just when she thought he wasn’t going to answer at all, she felt his arm move and his fingers touched hers, under the covers. They slid between her own and he squeezed her hand.
 
Her breath caught in her throat and she didn’t move. His thumb traced across her palm softly once, twice—a caress so small, yet so intimate it made her tingle all over. He squeezed her hand again, then let go, and she felt the loss. His admission—for that’s what it had to be—unnerved her and set her on fire all at the same time.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.
 
Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a neglected one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. Visit http://www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, contests and other cool events!
 
Website: http://www.coraseton.com
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoraSeton
 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoraSeton
 
 
Readers, Cora is awarding a $100 gift certificate to one random commenter so follow her tour and comment often.  You can find her schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/11/virtual-blurb-blitz-tour-cowboys-of.html
 
 

 
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Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!! Did you make a lot of resolutions? I didn't bother to. I know I'd just break them so why set myself up for failure? I have a few goals, but I don't think that's the same as a resolution. Here are a couple of my goals.

First, I want to spend some time getting the word out about Blue 52.

Second, I want to finish remodeling my bathroom and start work on my office.

Third, I want to have a cabinet maker make me a wonderful cabinet with sliding doors. I need storage bad in my bedroom.

Fourth, next year I plan to have more company on New Year's Eve than just a dog. Yeah, my New Year's Eve wasn't super exciting. My sweet husband is out of town on business of all things!

Last, I hope to be kinder to myself. I'm a perfectionist who's never satisfied, but all that's got me is a headache.

So what are your goals for 2014? Leave me a comment. You never know what might happen.
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