Wednesday, July 30, 2014

#NewRelease ~ Romantic Suspense by Denise Moncrief






Available from 5 Prince Publishing 
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Suspense
Release Date: July 17, 2014
Digital ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-047-3   ISBN 10: 1-631120-47-6
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-63112-048-0      ISBN 10: 1-631120-48-4





Crisis of Serenity
Tess Copeland lives a quiet life in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Thanks to the government’s witness protection program, she enjoys the freedom of never having to glance over her shoulder to see if someone is following her. Life has become safe, serene...and boring. Her heart longs for something more than just existing...until a ghost from her past shatters her serenity.

Once upon a time, Tess was caught between the FBI and the men the feds were trying to take down. Jake Coleman is the U.S. Marshal who extracted her from the jam she was in with the FBI, a man she could have fallen for...hard...if she had let herself. It’s been a year since she last saw Jake, and in all the months that have passed, he’s never tried to find her. The longer he keeps his distance, the more she wonders why his absence hurts so much.

When a stranger comes to town searching for her, all of Tess’ old fears are resurrected. Asking Jake for help with her current crisis might lure him into a dangerous trap involving murder, kidnapping, and revenge. When Jake and Tess come face-to-face with the past, they will have to use all their wits to survive.


About the Author:
Denise is a Southern girl. She has lived in Louisiana all her life, and yes, she has a drawl. She has a wonderful husband and two incredible children, who not only endure her writing moods, but also encourage her to indulge her writing passion. Besides writing romantic suspense, she enjoys traveling, reading, and scrapbooking.

Accounting is a skill she learned to earn a little money to support her writing habit. She wrote he first story when she was a teen, seventeen handwritten pages on school-ruled paper and an obvious rip-off of the last romance novel she had read. She’s been writing off and on ever since, and with more than a few full-length manuscripts already completed, she has no desire to slow down.

Public contact information



Excerpt of Crisis of Serenity
CRISIS OF SERENITY
serenity-n.-the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled

Chapter One


It was seven a.m. and Sadie’s Pancake Kitchen had just hit its peak occupancy. Morning rush was prime time, but the pace never slowed from the time the restaurant opened to the time the last customer waddled out the door at night. Sadie’s served breakfast all day, every day.
As soon as I walked in the door around six, Wendy, the hostess, didn’t waste any time assigning me a section on the top floor. She did it on purpose because I had once complained about the trip up and down the stairs. When I worked the top, I had to climb those stinking stairs fifteen jillion times a shift. The owner, whose name was Helen, not Sadie, kept telling us she was going to install an upstairs kitchen or a food service elevator. Yeah, right. Wendy told me to suck it up and do my job, as if she were my boss. I called her Princess behind her back one day and the rest of the wait staff picked up the nickname. The nasty wench obviously held a grudge.
After I cleaned the coffee maker and set a fresh pot to brew, I wrapped my apron around my waist and stuck a pencil behind my ear. Once I entered the dining room, routine set in. What do you want to drink? What will you have today? Can I refresh your coffee? Is there anything else I can get you? Slap the check on the table.
I’d never been a waitress before, but I found I wasn’t half bad at waiting tables. Sadie’s wasn’t the best job I’d ever had, at least not since the feds decided my life would be so much better if I was placed in their questionable witness protection program, but the steady paycheck served my purpose. The waitressing gig kept my wallet fed. No extras. Just subsistence. That’s all I asked. All I needed. Anything more might bring unwanted attention to my existence. After all, the FBI wanted certain individuals to think I had disappeared from the face of the planet so the bad guys would stop searching for me. Because I had dared to testify against Bennie the Goon in federal court, something that didn’t ensure a long life, I had to cooperate with the feds. I liked living and I liked living on the outside. I don’t do well in prison.
Life in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, had settled into a comfortable pattern. Get up at five. Take my niece to daycare. Bum a ride to work. Roll silverware. Brew coffee. Clean teapots. Wait tables until my shift was over at three. Catch the trolley. Pick up my niece from daycare. Go home. Feed the kid. Stuff a few bites of food into my mouth. Soak my feet. Put Joyce to bed. Watch TV. Pass out. Rinse and repeat.
Some of the patrons at Sadie’s were tourists, but quite a few locals breakfasted there several times a week, some every morning. After a few months, faces, and then names had blended into my daily grind. The monotony of the ordinary promised me safety and few surprises. For the first time in years, I wasn’t looking over my shoulder every second and wondering who was stalking me. The sameness of my days appealed to me, better than the life I’d led after I escaped from the Illinois corrections system and the Fugitive Task Force began looking for me. There was never a dull moment as a fugitive. By the time I came out of hiding, the FBI had taken an interest in my case and coerced me into rolling on Bennie. That’s when the feds immersed me in the witness protection system.
I sighed, set Jim Owens’ cup in front of him, and poured coffee from the fresh pot I’d just made. He smiled at me, revealing a perfectly straight set of ultra-white teeth. He had one of those symmetrical faces that cameras love. Why was the guy a cop instead of a movie star? For the first time since I met him, I smiled back. Just because I felt like it.
After a year of living—no, more like hiding out—in Gatlinburg, my stomach had stopped churning every time a member of law enforcement spoke to me. Sadie’s was a popular cop hangout early in the morning. If I had known, I would have taken the job at the souvenir store down the street, despite the fact the owner of that fine establishment couldn’t keep his eyes off my assets. Where his eyes roamed, his hands were likely to soon follow. I didn’t need that grief.
The ticket booth position my handler had obtained for me at Zombiemania when I first arrived in Gatlinburg went away when the attraction went out of business. After that, I found employment on my own. I figured I could do a better job hunt than the federal agent that couldn’t care less if I survived or not.
So I was settled in Tennessee, at least for a while. I gulped down my distrust every single day and served Gatlinburg’s finest their breakfast, even though I had certainly had my fill of cops. This particular patrol officer seemed nice, but I swore I’d never trust a cop again. Ever.
“Thanks.” Jim flashed his gorgeous smile. “How are you today, Tess?” His eyes gleamed with expectation.
“Good. You want the usual?” I asked him the same question every Friday at seven a.m. He always sat at his favorite table. The one that offered the best view of Parkway. Jim was predictable. I liked that in a man. My ex-boyfriend Trevor was anything but.
“Hmmm. Let’s see… Yeah.” His order never varied. Four buttermilk pancakes. Four crispy pieces of bacon. Two eggs—over easy.
A shiver of dread snaked along my backbone. My head snapped up and I peered through the window. A thin ribbon of sidewalk separated the two-story-high plate glass from the roadway. The clink of silverware and restaurant grade china clattered against the background noise of cars stopping and starting. I wiped my bangs from my eyes and studied the flow of traffic on the street below. Two lines crept bumper-to-bumper in view of the restaurant, a small percentage of cars making it through the green light in one cycle. Stoplight #6 was always busy. A patrol unit had stopped at the signal. The officer turned his head my way. Our eyes met and held, and then my heart skipped a few beats. What was he doing here in Gatlinburg? I thought I had left him behind in Colorado.
Nothing on earth could have dragged me away from his stare. Life as I knew it had changed, and my monotonous existence didn’t feel so safe anymore. The uncontrollable urge to escape overtook me…again. I had always been good at running.
“I was thinking…” Jim’s voice drifted in and out of my consciousness.
“Huh?”
“Tess, are you all right? You went pale all of a sudden.”
“I’m okay.” I turned my attention back to him. “I’ll put your order in.”
I left before he could hint that he wanted to take me out. He was predictable about that as well. Today wasn’t a good day. There might never be a good time—not with a ghost from my past invading my newly acquired contentment.

Monday, July 28, 2014

#NewRelease - Lost Avalon - Contemporary Romance

lostavalonEBOOK

LOST AVALON

A New Contemporary Romance by K.S. Thomas

Fame, fortune and a future paved with rock and roll gold. Blaise Nolan has it all. With his brooding good looks, haunting voice and troubled lyrics of a soul gone lost, it's no wonder Finding Nolan has been climbing the music charts with back to back hits. Only Blaise didn't wind up brooding, haunted and lost by accident...

Avalon Jennison has been the girl next door since she was five. The best friend since she was eight. The band manager since she was sixteen and the keeper of his secrets always. Ava's been there every step of the way, helping him live his dreams and keeping his nightmares at bay. But the years of putting Blaise's needs above her own are about to be over.

However, Blaise has one secret even Ava doesn't know..and it could be the thing that breaks her heart completely, or finally puts it back together.

**CONTENT WARNING ~ ADULT LANGUAGE**


Buy on Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Avalon-Finding-Nolan-Novel-ebook/dp/B00M1U9OYK/


LISTEN TO 'COME BACK TO ME' HERE 

**AN ORIGINAL SONG BY BRANDON MARRS AS PERFORMED BY BLAISE IN LOST AVALON** 


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Royce and I just stood there staring at the closed door. Then we heard the water go on in the shower and realized she wasn’t coming back out anytime soon. “What are you going to do when you’re sober?” Royce was looking way too satisfied with himself. 
 “What do you mean?” 
 “I mean, what are you going to do when there’s no more reason to play pretend? Are you hoping she just gets so used to acting like your girlfriend that she’ll forget that she’s not?” 
 He wasn’t blocking the fucking door anymore, so I was free to make my exit. Which I did. 
 “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 
 “Sure you don’t.” Royce was following me out of the room and back into the kitchen. 
 “Look. I don’t expect you to understand my relationship with Ava.” 
 Royce shrugged. “What’s to understand? You’re in love with her.” 
 “This is what I’m talking about. Why do people always assume that when a guy and a girl are close friends, it means that one of them has to be in love with the other?” 
 Royce went to get the cup of coffee he had abandoned before shit got heated. “I don’t assume that.” He took a sip, made a face and stuck the coffee in the microwave. “I would have no problem believing that the two of you were best friends who had a completely platonic relationship…if I didn’t know for a fact that it was complete and utter bullshit.” His coffee was done and he took another drink, this time with better results. “If it makes you feel any better, she’s clearly in love with you, too. Although, unlike you, I don’t think she’s aware of it.” Then he took his cup and left to go out onto the terrace. 
 Unlike me? Where was he coming up with this…this ridiculous…truth. It was true. I was in love with Ava. And she felt the same way about me. Thing Royce in all his smugness had failed to see was that I’d made damn sure she stayed unaware of it.



Be sure to add it to your list on Goodreads and to get the behind the scenes pics be sure to check it out on Pinterest too!!

Friday, July 25, 2014

#BookReview - Played by Love - Rachelle Ayala

Title: Played by Love: A #Played Novella
Author: Rachelle Ayala
Genre: Romance (Novella)
Length: 77 pages
Rating: 5 stars!!

Soccer goalkeeper, Jaden Sloup, has his eye on Ella Kennedy, a woman who won’t date jocks or frat boys. He dons a pair of nerd glasses and hugs a laptop to convince her he’s a techno geek, and she agrees to go to Las Vegas with him for a cosplay convention where his team’s playoff game happens to be.

Jaden must juggle sizzling in the sheets with Ella against a soccer match and hanging with his frat brother teammates. When a bully harasses Ella and challenges Jaden to a fight, he proves that even a goalie can score.

WARNING: must be over 18 to read, so fasten your seatbelts, because sporty men and enthusiastic women make the very best lovers.

Played by Love is available from Amazon only and available through Amazon's #KindleUnlimited plan! Pick up your copy before Comic-con and see what fabulous costumes Ella comes up with.

http://amzn.to/1nSbmhF
REVIEW:
What would you do for lust, or love? Rachelle Ayala has done it again. Her writing talent just continues to grow with every new project. I've not read a lot of novellas, so the fast pace was a bit different for me, but it was a fun romp with all the delicious romance and steam you could ask for. I liked Jaden - a sweet man trying to be a macho frat jock, never suspecting that his plans to woo Ella would turn into anything more than a fun time, especially if she ever discovered the truth about his deception. Ella is great - maybe a bit odd, but in a good way. Funny and someone I could see myself being friends with. I really liked her and wanted her to get a happy ending and be able to put her past troubles behind her.

And when Jaden swoops in to rescue her and they really open up to each other... sigh. I rooted for these two all the way through. Steamy, sexy, and a lot of fun! Can't wait for Rachelle's next book!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

#NewRelease - Played by Love - Romance

The World Cup is over, but Comic-Con is coming up!!! If you've ever wondered what happens when a soccer goalie meets a cosplay girl, check out Jaden Sloup and Ella Kennedy in Rachelle Ayala's newest book, Played by Love.

Description:
Soccer goalkeeper, Jaden Sloup, has his eye on Ella Kennedy, a woman who won’t date jocks or frat boys. He dons a pair of nerd glasses and hugs a laptop to convince her he’s a techno geek, and she agrees to go to Las Vegas with him for a cosplay convention where his team’s playoff game happens to be.

Jaden must juggle sizzling in the sheets with Ella against a soccer match and hanging with his frat brother teammates. When a bully harasses Ella and challenges Jaden to a fight, he proves that even a goalie can score.

From the Author:
Played by Love is the first in a series of exciting sports novellas in my new #Played Series. They are fast, flirty, and sexy, a quick read at the beach or poolside, or in between running errands. I hope you enjoy Jaden and Ella's story because there's more to come. Look for Playing the Rookie heating up Spring Training in Arizona, and more.

WARNING: must be over 18 to read, so fasten your seatbelts, because sporty men and enthusiastic women make the very best lovers.

Played by Love is available from Amazon only and available through Amazon's #KindleUnlimited plan! Pick up your copy before Comic-con and see what fabulous costumes Ella comes up with.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Writing a Romance in a Month

Hello Friends!  It's been a while since I posted about what I'm doing instead of giving you new release books from my fellow writers, but I've been having a fun time and wanted to tell you about it!

Back in May I started on a journey with several other writers. Our goal? To write a romance novel in one month. We took an on-line Facebook class hosted and taught by the wonderfully talented Rachelle Ayala who, as many of you know, is my writing bestie and someone who's work I admire tremendously. 

Since Murderous Lies popped up on me out of nowhere, I had to race to finish writing that before the class started, so I didn't do many of the exercises Rachelle had for us until the very last minute. I like writing by the seat of my pants anyway, so this wasn't a problem. 

I loved this class! There is no competition or minimum word count or anything. We were just a group of writers supporting each other. Everyone has their own thread and the goal is to write something every day, then post a little snippet about what your characters did that day. Rachelle also posted daily questions to get us to interview our characters in depth and learn more about them. These questions really helped when I became stuck because they sparked my creativity. I also had a fun time reading what all the other writers were doing with their books and following along with them. This is my first shot at a contemporary romance with no thriller portion, and I'd say I'm pretty dang proud of the job I did. I finished my first draft in the month deadline (with only a few hours to spare) and sent the MS off to some early beta readers (by exchanging books with other classmates). 

Here's what I came up with in that month: 

Cover by the fabulous EDH Graphics
Happy Endings (McCallister's Paradise - 1)
Coming Early 2015
Contemporary Romance

Handsome, wealthy Quinn McCallister is the most eligible bachelor on McCallister’s Paradise. Making his family's island resort a success is all that matters to this workaholic. Everything changes when he meets the beautiful new massage therapist...

Larissa Benner may have survived cancer, but its aftermath left plenty of problems besides the ever-looming fear of relapse. Her family nearly went bankrupt paying for her previous treatment. She desperately needs the full-time therapist position on the island and the benefits that come with it. The last thing she wants is problems with her boss, or a complicated office romance.

It’s hard for her to resist Quinn’s charms—or his passionate side. However, Quinn is married to his job. The choice between love and work is tough for him to juggle and has Larissa scared. If the cancer recurs, would he leave her to face it alone?


I can't wait to finish the editing and such, but I have other projects to get to first (namely Love & Compromise - Agents in Love Book 3), so I'm planning to release this in early 2015, hopefully with the next two books in the series at the same time. 

We are gearing up for another class that will start September 15th. The class is free and open for anyone to join, but the postings are kept private and we like members to actively participate. The goal of writing something every day, no matter how small, really kept me on track. I liked it so much that a few of us have stuck around the class for the stories we are currently working on so we can encourage each other to keep the momentum running! 

I can't thank Rachelle enough for putting on this fabulous class. If you are interested in joining our next session, contact Rachelle on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RachelleAyalaWriter Here's the class announcement:

Free writing class. Sept 1 - Oct 15, 2014. Join romance author Rachelle Ayala on a guided journey to write a romantic story in one month. Start with 2 weeks of lessons and exercises before zooming into the writing. The class is no pressure, fun only, and motivational. We will, as a group, inspire and support each other. There are no wordcount goals, nada. You may write a flash romance to an epic romance, or finish with an outline or synopsis. The important thing is to go through the experience together and know that you CAN do it!

Textbook available: http://www.rachelleayala.com/p/romance-in-month.html

Happy reading and writing my friends! Always follow your dreams and anything is possible! 
~~ Chantel ~~ 


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Cover Reveal and Giveaway!



Title: Ten Year Crush
Author: Toshia Slade
Cover Design: Pixel Mischief Design
Expected Release Date:  August 2014


SYNOPSIS

Sometimes a crush can break you.

When Gabby Murphy landed in her brother's best friend's lap her whole world shifted.

But after years of watching Cam go through women her heart can't take anymore. Now in college, she's finally ready to get on with her life. Her new boyfriend is the perfect man to squash her craving for Cam. But her boyfriend has an addiction, an obsession that Gabby soon finds out he can't let go.

Some cravings last forever.

When Camron Taylor received a thump to the head, he couldn't help but adore Gabby. When she grows from cute kid to desirable woman his imagination goes to places it shouldn't. Afraid of ruining friendships he pushes her away. Until something seems off with her new boyfriend.

The past isn't always left there.

Cam is the savior she's always needed. Gabby is the woman he's always coveted. When past mistakes come back with a vengeance will their love be strong enough to fight it? Or will the past keep them apart?







AUTHOR BIO


Toshia resides in Nicholasville, Kentucky with her husband, son, a dog, and a cat. Growing up in the small area known as Poosey she was a tom-boy and country girl at heart. At nineteen she married her husband, and then at twenty-one was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. She's been a stay-at-home mom since he was born, enjoying watching her son grow up.

Now, five years later, she is an avid reader and known in the book world as a reviewer. She is currently running a group for another author on Facebook. It was there, in that group, that she found the strength and courage to write her own book. Always having a love for writing, she finally said. "I can do this, I can write my own book and share the stories that are in my head." She's gearing up to release her first book Ten Year Crush.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Bootie and the Beast ~ Author versus Character


Today, I'm really excited to be sitting down with  Falguni Kothari (aka The Creator) and Diya Mathur (aka Beauty from Bootie and the Beast) in an author versus character interview--my favorite! First, though, lets read about the book! 

Fairytales don't end with True Love's Kiss, they begin with one...

Diya Mathur (aka Beauty), celebrated supermodel and Party Princess of India, is adored by everyone. She works hard, plays hard, and has the biggest shoe fetish on the planet. But after she purchases one baby bootie, Diya's reputation is in ruins. There's only one place to escape the rumours - Texas, under the protection of her lifelong friend, and secret love, Krish Menon (aka the Beast).

Financial whizz-kid, CFO and entrepreneur, Krish is a brooding workaholic with a charisma that still brings Beauty Mathur to her knees. He has no idea, of course! They've shared a bond since childhood - a special friendship that thrives on sparring, teasing and goading - but with Diya back in his life and under his roof, Krish's latent desire for her explodes. And when he finally admits to the secret that has never allowed him to commit to any woman - especially Diya - everything changes. Krish might finally realise how much he wants his Beauty. But he won't get her until Diya has tamed her Beast.

Book links for Bootie and the Beast:
Amazon UK:
Amazon India:
Mills and Boon:
Harlequin India:
Flipkart

Book links for It’s Your Move, Wordfreak:
http://falgunikothari.com/wordfreak-its-your-move.php

Sounds great! Let's get right down to the interview itself and find out more about this story.

First off, how did you two meet and how long ago was it? 


The Creator and Beauty stare at each other for a bit. The Creator shrugs and answers first: We became acquainted with each other on the pages of the second chapter of It’s Your Move, Wordfreak! Which is my debut romance. By the end of the scene, Ms. Beauty just leapt off the pages and took root in my brain until I promised her that she’d have the leading role in one of my future projects.


Beauty: True. I do so love being the center of attention, darlings. Gosh! It’s been five years since we met, can you believe it?

What was your first impression of each other?


Beauty
The Creator snorts, rolling her eyes: I expected Diya to be some ditzy bimbo who’d fade off by the end of Wordfreak. I wrote her in primarily for some comic relief.


Beauty glares at The Creator: Hey! You adore my ditzy ass. And, you needed me to keep no nonsense, unromantic Lee-sha’s ass in check. Admit it. I fascinate you.

The Creator sighs: True. She does, as does her ass. She’s the total the opposite of me and was quite fun to write. 


The Creator, what does Beauty do that annoys you the most?

I won’t say she annoys me, per se. It’s more like she exhausts me with her constant need to be in motion. I mean, this woman exercises for at least 3 hours every day. Cooks wholesome, organic meals—again on a daily basis. And after all that, she still finds time to concoct homemade face packs, go to a spa to get massages, go shopping, read books, design clothes for Sheherazade and play Nancy Drew with the Beast. Her energy levels are supernatural, I think.


Beauty laughs: It’s just healthy living, darling, nothing unnatural about it. If you just keep to the daily routine I personalized for you, you’ll be that energized too.

Beauty, if you could say just one thing to The Creator, what would it be?


Beauty frowns in serious contemplation, then says after a bit: You’ve given me such a great story that I don’t want to seem ungrateful but…I didn’t like what you did to Daddy in the end. I wish you could change that. And I hate that Lee-sha and Aryan are suffering so. I want you to take care of them. You should write another story about them…with happier than happy end. Oh, and I wish you’d not made the Beast so out of shape. But then again, lucky he was or who would I have tortured during our Boot Camp sessions? LOL 

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened between you two?

The Creator: I am constantly embarrassed by what comes out of Diya’s mouth. She’s a menace on words.

Beauty: I don’t get embarrassed, darlings. My skin might be silky smooth, but it’s as tough as nails.

The Creator, what do you feel the worst about doing to Beauty?


Beast
The Creator: I broke her heart not once but over and over when I made the Beast reject her over and over. I am sorry for that, Beauty. But you got your fairytale in the end, didn’t you? :-)

Beauty: Wow. Really? That’s your excuse for making me cry an ocean’s worth of tears?


Do you think you two will meet again in the future?


The Creator: Oh, definitely. I have two more stories in my head in which Beauty and her Beast shall make cameo appearances. So, watch out for them.

Beauty bounced in her seat: Really? OMJeez! Thank you, thank you, thank you, darling! I can’t wait to reappear on your pages. What fun! What will I be wearing? How old will I be? What will the Beast be…


The Creator groans and hides her face in her hands: OMG! Why did I say that? I’ve created a monster! She won’t let me be until I’ve written those stories.



Beauty: So get to it, darling. Chop chop.


About the Author:

Falguni Kothari is a non-traditional homemaker who accidently tripped on a misplaced soccer ball and fell down the writer’s rabbit hole. Having no more experience with the whole writing/publishing shebang than being a voracious reader and movie buff, it more than surprised her that she could, in fact, write a full-length novel. 

Now, several manuscripts down, when she is not trying to find a way out of her many domestic duties or cajoling her Latin dance coach to compose a rumba on Bollywood music, she is found embroiled in some or other scandal—sorry, creating stories—on her ever-faithful laptop.

She’s authored Bootie and the Beast, It’s Your Move, Wordfreak! and Scrabbulous Impressions, a short story. She rumbas across a whole smorgasbord of Social Media daily and loves to connect with most living things.

Website: www.falgunikothari.com
Twitter: @F2tweet https://twitter.com/F2tweet
FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/falgunikothari.author
Blog: http://falgunikothari.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/falgunikothari
Google+ : https://plus.google.com/+FalguniKothari
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/falgunikothari/