Category Archives: Welcome
Calisa Rhose with Heather Kinnane and her Faery Dreamy novel #fantasy #MFRWauthor #interview
Osiyo~
Welcome one and all! Grab a beverage of choice, something sweet and sinful. No-no, not the men. What’s the matter with you? You know the hands-on rules… The guest gets first pick! 😉 Take a comfy seat for another, or a first, spin in the Round Pen.
I’m thrilled to welcome my wonderfully talented guest today, Heather Kinnane, who is sharing her book, A Faery Dream: Nerida’s Story with us!
Please show Heather some real Ranch love!
Before I get to the nosy part of this interview, tell us a bit about you.
Hi everyone!
I’m an Australian writer of sweet and steamy romantic escapes. My books always have a happy ending, because there’s no guarantee of getting that in real life, and sometimes it’s just nice to know things are going to end well. I have three children, and a very supportive husband who is the only reason I’m able to find enough time to write books! He also provides the inspiration for my heroes. 😉
Author Bio: Heather Kinnane is the author of the romantic fantasy series, ‘A Faery Dream’, and the steamy menage series ‘Seeking Satisfaction’. She lives in Australia with her husband, children and pets, in a house in the bush. When she’s not writing she’s usually avoiding the housework by reading, gardening, or soaking up the natural world. Sometimes she’s lucky enough to be visited by echidnas, sugar gliders, or wedge-tailed eagles.
Okay, let’s begin.
My writing area at the moment is a corner of the couch in my living room. What does your writing space look like?
Ha – my writing space is often a corner of the couch, too! I am trying to be a little more organized this year though, so I’ve reclaimed the small upstairs office from my children (who discovered all the arty and crafty bits in the cupboards and took over), and am enjoying having a bit of space where I can spread out and know I (mostly) won’t be disturbed.
For a lot of writer’s it’s a life-altering event coming up with titles and character names. Others it comes as naturally as breathing. Which is it for you?
Titles and names are so difficult for me! It’s very rare that they just fall into place, mostly I spend ages agonizing over them, and changing them a billion times before I settle on something. I’m envious of those who can find names and titles easily. Wish it were contagious!
What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?
Keep writing. It’s a bit cliché but honestly – the only way to be published is to keep going. Perseverance is the key.
The constant shift of the industry makes me often scratch my head and ask ‘what next?’ So, what do you think it takes to be a successful author at the moment?
I’m not sure I know how to answer that one! So tricky! Like you say – there’s a constant shift – always new things to try. And then you have to be careful that the trying new things doesn’t steal away precious writing time (with three kids any moment I can get to myself is precious – I’ve got to be careful how I spend it!). I guess this answer is a bit the same as above – just keep writing. If you’re writing good stories, the readers will find you (eventually).
Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?
It would be great to meet Stephen King! I love his work – The Dark Tower in particular is one of my all-time favourite series.
It’s time for 3 in 1! I’ll ask the questions and you answer them in one word. 😆
Favorite animal? Cat
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Autumn
Favorite food? Chocolate
Well done! And for those who question her answer, CHOCOLATE IS A FOOD GROUP! 😉
Okay, Flash four. Ready? What are you working on now?
I wrote a novella during Nanowrimo last year, and I’m working my way through that at the moment… it’s a re-telling of the old Scottish Ballad of Tam Lin – awesome heroine saves her lover from the Fairy Realm. I’m pretty pleased with how it’s going, so far.
What are you sharing today?
My newest release is the third in my ‘A Faery Dream’ series – ‘Nerida’s Story’ – though this one is focusing on a different character, so it works as a stand-alone too.
Nerida’s whole life has been focused on preparing for one thing – to be Consort to the King of Faery. She’s kept herself distant, awaiting the day when the King would be found and she would take her place beside him.
But there is no King. Instead, Nyssa is now Queen, with Kellen, Nerida’s brother, as her Consort.
Nerida has never felt so lost in her life.
When Imradon appears, he brings out feelings Nerida thought she’d never experience. But fighting against a lifetime of conditioning is hard, and then there’s the big question: does she want a partner, or is she just looking for something—anything—to fill this terrible emptiness?
A Faery Dream 3: Nerida’s Story, can be read as stand-alone or part of the series.
Where can we find you and your books?
Nerida’s Story can be found here:
kindle: www.amazon.com/Neridas-Story-Faery-Dream-Book-ebook/dp/B079CBMJWN/
ePub: www.books2read.com/u/3nOA08
My website: www.heatherkinnane.com
My amazon page: www.amazon.com/Heather-Kinnane/e/B00ELDPLZ6/
Where will you be next?
I’m hanging out on Twitter at the moment www.twitter.com/HeatherKinnane
But you can also find me on Patreon (www.patreon.com/HeatherKinnane) – with lots of deleted scenes, and early glimpses of what I’m working on, and plenty of other things too. 😊
Thank you so much for playing along Heather! Wishing you much luck with your book and writing. I hope you’ll come visit again one day.
Thank you so much for having me Calisa! I had so much fun – already looking forward to catching up again next time. 😊
Dodadagohvi~
Calisa Rhose welcomes Science Fiction author Kayelle Allen #MFRWauthor #interview #scifiauthor
Osiyo~
Welcome one and all! Grab a beverage of choice, something sweet and sinful. No-no, not the men. What’s the matter with you? You know the hands-on rules… The guest gets first pick! 😉 Take a comfy seat for the first Tuesday Round-Up interview of 2018 in the Round Pen.
I couldn’t imagine a better guest to kick off the New Year and I’m thrilled to welcome a multi-talented guest today, and my friend. Kayelle Allen is sharing her book, Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire with us!
Please show Kayelle some real Ranch love!
Before I get to the nosy part of this interview, tell us a bit about you.
I’ve been published since 2004. In 2006, as a response to questions from friends for marketing help, I founded Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer-mentoring group open to the entire literary community. MFRW is now a large online author peer-mentoring group, and provides no-cost training in book marketing skills as well as free promotional services for its members. In 2009, I opened the Romance Lives Forever blog for authors. The site now has a reach of over three million. I teach workshops online, and I’m an invited speaker at numerous online conferences. I’ve been a featured speaker at Outlantacon since its founding and hold an honorary lifetime membership there. I was a board member for Gaylaxicon, and have been a panelist at DragonCon and a featured guest at NerdaCon. My books have won multiple awards, including the EPIC eBook Award for Science Fiction Romance, and one was a finalist in Fantasy. My motto is “romance lives forever” and my books include unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion. I’m married to my personal hero and we live in the metro Atlanta area, near our three grown children and five grandchildren. My husband and I are both US Navy Veterans. We met while on active duty in Memphis, TN.
I still don’t know how you do all that you do! You are a true inspiration, Kayelle.
Okay, let’s begin. My writing area at the moment is my lovely (if more than a lot cluttered at times) office/craft room in the solitude of the second floor of our house, where I rely on my laptop to take me to new places. Sometimes I take the laptop for a walk downstairs when the solitary life of a writer gets to me. What does your writing space look like?
I have a basement office that permits me to step away from everything. I use a desktop computer but sometimes go out for coffee and take a tablet with me. My room’s pretty cozy. I hole up there for long periods when I’m writing.
For a lot of writers it’s a life-altering event coming up with titles and character names. For others it comes as naturally as breathing. Which is it for you?
I rarely struggle with character names. They pop into my head with complete backstories. I can’t explain that. It just happens. For example, I needed a name for a character who was a staff member for my empress. I couldn’t keep writing “her assistant.” So I looked around the room and happened to spy a notepad that had the brand name “Elite.” I thought he’d be elite indeed, so I named him Alitus. The moment I had the name I knew a backstory and description. He actually ended up getting his own book.
I only know of one other author who can do that. Amazing.
What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?
Two things. 1. Don’t quit. Anyone can start writing. It’s those who keep going who finish the book. 2. Study the craft and learn the skills needed. Don’t expect an editor to polish your work. You polish it. Let the editor buff to a shine.
Great words of wisdom!
The constant shift of the industry makes me often scratch my head and ask ‘what next?’ So, what do you think it takes to be a successful author at the moment?
Relationships with readers. You have to get out and meet people, not only in person but online. If you’re not willing to use social media, you are crippling yourself. Likewise, go to other authors’ readings at bookshops. Network. Support other authors. That’s how you get your name out there.
Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?
JD Robb. I’m such a fan of her work.
You and me both! Or rather, Nora Roberts in my case. 🙂
It’s time for 3 in 1! I’ll ask the questions and you answer them in one word. 😆
Favorite animal? Panther (ooh! An answer as unique as you.)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Yes
Favorite food? Chocolate
Well done! An all-seasons gal. 🙂
Okay, Flash four. Ready?
What are you working on now?
I’ve started on book 3 of the Bringer of Chaos series, Watch Your Six. Readers know Six is a character in the stories. The only human on the planet at this point. Everyone else is immortal. But I’m also making notes on at least three other books at the same time. I focus on writing only one, however. Notes is all I make on other projects.
I should probably take notes from you!
What are you sharing today?
When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that’s the problem. He’s not.
Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped inside their pods and it’s up to Pietas to save them. He can’t release one at a time. It’s all or nothing. He’s facing over five hundred thousand hungry, thirsty, homeless, immortals all looking to him for answers.
It’s not all bad. The beautiful telepathic warrior he’s loved for lifetimes is at his side. He’s bonded with a sentient panther. He hates humans but the one dumped on this planet with him has become a trusted friend.
But before Pietas can build shelter, figure out how to grow food, or set up a government, he must take back command from a ruthless enemy he’s fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.
Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever…
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Amazon and in print. Free on Kindle Unlimited
http://amzn.to/2ABIcCI
Review this book on #NetGalley https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/127569
Where can we find you and your books?
Website https://kayelleallen.com
Romance Lives Forever Reader Group https://kayelleallen.com/bro/
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Pinterest http://pinterest.com/kayelleallen/
Instafreebie https://www.instafreebie.com/discover/author/5186/kayelle_allen
Amazon Author page http://amazon.com/author/kayelleallen
Where will you be next?
For any who want to meet me, I’ll be appearing in person at OutlantaCon mid-May. www.outlantacon.org I hope to have some local events in the Atlanta area as well. Join my reader group and you’ll be first to know where I’m going.
How fun! Wish I could be there!
GIVEAWAY
Here is a free adult coloring book to download and print, based on my characters. It contains original art. I hope you enjoy it! http://bit.ly/color-pietas
Thank you, Kayelle!
I’d like to ask a question of your readers if I may. When you visit an author’s website, what two things do you look for? (Example, book covers, bio) I’m updating my website and I’d love to have some feedback on that. Thank you! https://kayelleallen.com
Thank you so much for playing along Kayelle! It’s always a joy catching up with you. Wishing you much luck with your books and writing. I hope you’ll come visit again soon.
Dodadagohvi~
Are you a freakin’ psychic?~NANO Day 12~ #nanowrimo2017 #plotorpantz #mfrwauthor #amwriting
Osiyo~
Day 12! Almost to the half way point.
How do you avoid the dreaded “sagging middle?”
Do you know what your story is about? Are you one of “those?” You have a 75 page synopsis to guide you. A pre-story that you will follow to an astounding T, or damn near, if not exact. You know when your characters will pee, though you won’t show that to readers (or will you? O^o). Do you know when they will take their next breath. Do you know what that breath will sound like before you even write that scene?
You…are a true plotter.
I congratulate you! Foresight like that is a real gift! I mean, freakin’ psychic!
I, on the other hand, am like this cat. I eat plot bunnies for dessert! Thank you very much. What a dreadful thought. I take that back. 🙂
However, I do not begin with a synopsis, and if I do, it might be a whole page, or not, of random thoughts. Will my heroine go pee? Well, who knows? I sure don’t! 😆 Will they breathe? Um, they’d die if they didn’t, so… Yeah? I assume at least one will take a breath. When? What will it sound like?
HellifIknow!
I am a pantser.
We-e-e-ell, maybe not 100%. I’m told I’m not a true pantser anymore. Nope. I’m not a true plotter, either.
I used to be a solid pantser. Really. But, I spent most of October trying to figure my story line out before NaNo began. I took notes. I MADE A PLOT BOOKLET! Yes, I did that. I even used a page or two in it.
Okay, I admit, I wrote in it mostly because it’s such a stinkin’ cute thing, and also because I wasted a day making it, so I had to at least write something in it.
Guess what? I haven’t looked at it since! Nope. I just looked and it wasn’t where I thought I’d seen it last.
I semi-plot-pantz, or since I’m a pantser first, do I semi-pantz-plot. Either way, I’m a hybrid.
I am a plotser.
You might be completely out in left field, maybe you’re an outliner. Another method many use, and I do not. I tried it; didn’t work for me.
What I want to know is, will that bunny still have me with his tea since I’m part plotter?? LOL
Just remember, whatever method you use, as long as it works for you to get words written, that’s all that matters.
Don’t let anyone tell you how (they think) you HAVE to write to be successful. Whatever it is that keeps you writing one word after another, one page or chapter after the last—you just keep doing what YOU do and you are already a success! You are a writer.
Happy Nanoing!
Thanks to Silver James for this fun meme that kinda reminds me of my Trouble Kitty.. 😉
Dodadagohvi~
Calisa Rhose presents~Uncover Monthly #Nov2017 #mfrwauthor #coverlove
Osiyo~
Welcome one and all!
I welcome guest authors with their beautiful covers to the new and improved UnCover Monthly!
Go HERE to get the application, read carefully, then hurry and submit your covers! Remember, the early bird gets the earliest slots. 😀
For now, enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who make them possible for you to gaze upon each month.
It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!
This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.
There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact page https://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.
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Title: Counterfeits
Author: Kris Bock
Website: www.krisbock.com
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pig River Press
Cover Artist: Alan Erickson
Release date: November 17, 2013
Painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in galleries and museums?
Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman, would be happy to run the camp with Jenny. Dare he even dream of that, when his past holds dark secrets that he can never share? When Jenny’s father reappears after a decade-long absence, only Rob knows where he’s been and what danger he’s brought with him.
Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t want to stay buried. In the end, they must decide whether their dreams will bring them together or force them apart.
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Title: Journey to Honor,
Knights of Honor, ok 4
Author: Alexa Aston
Weblink: www.alexaaston.wordpress.com/
Genre: Medieval Historical Romance
Length: Novel (232 pages)
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Cover artist: Dar Albert
Release date: June 27, 2017
When twin boys are born, a servant with a grudge switches their birth order . . .
1366 A.D. – Kenric Fairfax is raised as the second son of the Earl of Shadowfaire. The day of his Knighting Ceremony, a tragedy takes place—and Kenric flees the north of England, putting his past behind him as he swears he will never marry. He becomes a trusted knight in service to Lord Michael Devereux, who asks Kenric to lead an escort party from London in order to bring his wife’s sister home to Sandbourne.
Avelyn Le Cler has spent a year as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa and finds the treachery at the royal court not to her liking. She looks forward to a summer visit with her sister Elysande, who will soon give birth to her first child. While journeying from London, Avelyn discovers a secret about Sir Kenric Fairfax that could change his life—if he believes her.
But Avelyn is plagued with doubts since she has no proof to present Kenric. As the couple fall in love, Avelyn knows she must reveal to Kenric the truth she has learned about his birth—even if it costs her everything.
Join Kenric and Avelyn as the truth rips them apart—but their enduring love brings them together again.
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Title: So About the Money,
Holly Price series, Book 1
Author: Cathy Perkins
Weblink: www.cperkinswrites.com
Genre: Romantic mystery
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 3
Publisher: Red Mountain Publishing
Cover artist: Gwen Campbell Cook
Release date: November 2016
When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. With an infinitely sexy cop—Holly’s pissed-off, jilted ex-fiancé—threatening to arrest her for the murder, the intrepid accountant must protect her future, her business…and her heart…by using her investigative skills to follow the money, before the killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass…and the next dead body is Holly’s.
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Title: Song of the Nightpiper
Author: Hannah Meredith
Weblink: www.hannahmeredith.com
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Length: Novel – 370 pgs
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: Singing Spring Press
Cover artist: Hannah Meredith
Release date: August 22, 2017
Magic is disappearing from Fallucia and Rennic. Each country blames the other and hoards what power remains. Magical Talent is prized above all else.
In Fallucia, magic is concentrated in the families of the Lords of High Places, but Lady Anlin hasn’t the least glimmer of ability. What she does have is a will of steel, forged in despair and tempered by years of slavery in Rennic. She also has a plan to rescue the son taken from her while she was enslaved. She needs but one thing—a champion.
Sir Faulk is a landless knight whose life has stripped him of all illusions. But he still harbors two impossible dreams—to have a fief of his own and to find someone to love who will love him in return. His fighting skills have now placed the first of these dreams within reach.
Chance, however, intervenes, and the personal choices Anlin and Faulk make could suddenly reshape nations and overturn centuries-old beliefs.
Author’s note – This book is intended for an adult audience.
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Title: Stormy Hawkins,
Bk 1, Prairie Hearts Series
Author: Ana Morgan
Weblink: www.anamorgan.net
Genre: western historical
Length: Novel, 68,000 words
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: SoulMate Publishing
Cover artist: Anna Spies
Release date: September 27, 2017
Blade Masters has finally spotted his ideal Dakota Territory ranch, where he can live alone, forget his cheating ex-fiancée, and bury the shards of his shattered heart. All he needs to do is sweet-talk the ailing owner, and his spitfire daughter, into retiring.
If she weren’t desperate, Stormy would never hire a cowhand. She’s learned the hard way that she’s happier working her family’s ranch alone. But, the greedy banker who holds their mortgage just demanded payment in full—or her hand in marriage.
Will this handsome drifter protect her? Or does he have designs of his own?
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Title: The Cowboy’s Make Believe Bride,
Bk 2- Wyoming Matchmaker Series
Author: Kristi Rose
Weblink: www.kristirose.net/
Genre: Western romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 3
Publisher: Kristi Rose/Vintage Housewife Books
Cover artist: The Killion Group
Release date: October 24, 2017
Searching for a new future…
Fortune “Fort” Besingame left ranch life years ago, joining the Navy to escape the shame of his father’s gambling addiction and the enormity of his losing the ranch on a bet. Now Fort has returned to Wyoming, to his mother’s ranch in hopes to start a new life. A former Military Police, he wants to run for Sheriff… but convincing the townsfolk Fort intends to put down roots in the small community is going to take more than words. He needs a bride.
Running from the past…
Cori Walters realizes she will never become the photographer she dreams of being in the town where her father’s – former mayor turned cattle rustler – legacy taints everything she attempts to accomplish. When her friend offers her a temporary job posing as a fiancé, Cori decides going to Wyoming might be just the new start she needs. Until she realizes her pretend groom-to-be is someone she knows from high school… And hates her.
Somehow Fort and Cori have to put aside their family differences long enough to get Fort elected.
If they don’t kill each other – or fall in love.
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Title: The Duchess Lydia
Book 2
Author: Liza O’Connor
Weblink: www.lizaoconnor.com/
Genre: Historical Romance
(Pride & Prejudice Spin off)
Length: Novel,
Heat Level: 3/4
Publisher: New Authors Online
Cover artist: Liza O’Connor
Release date: November 7, 2017
Thanks to the Duke of Rochester’s generosity and the death of Wickham, Lydia Bennet is now a wealthy, independent woman. When Lydia takes residence in the finest house in the West End, her brother-in-law, Darcy, is concerned that she is ‘over her head’.
Despite his concerns, Darcy retrieves his sister, Georgiana, from Pemberley and places her in Lydia’s home. The two young ladies, both recently widowed, form a strong sisterly bond and soon set out to find love again.
Unfortunately, the man Lydia wishes to marry, David, the Duke of Rochester, is already contracted to marry another woman. When Lydia discovers the fiancée plans to murder David and his sons, she rallies her servants and friends, determined to stop the woman at all costs. Will Lydia’s love of David and his boys triumph, or will the “Lady of Death” continue her path of destruction?
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Title: The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal,
The Hitching Post Hotel, #3
Author: Barbara White Daille
Weblink: www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Genre: Contemporary romance.
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 2
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Cover Artist: N/A
Release date: December, 2015
A HUSBAND FOR CHRISTMAS?
Mitch Weston’s back in Cowboy Creek, and self-proclaimed matchmaker Jed Garland has his single granddaughter Andi on his mind. Mitch is a lawman, good with the little ones and easy on the eyes. He and Andi were high school sweethearts, for heaven’s sake! Why can’t they see they’re perfect for each other?
Because Andi already lost one husband to a dangerous job, and now she’s all about playing it safe, for her sake and her children’s. Being a cop is everything to Mitch. After discovering Jed’s plan, Mitch and Andi come up with their own: they’ll pretend to get engaged and then break up due to irreconcilable differences. Jed’s got his work cut out for him—because this match needs a Christmas miracle!
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I want to thank all the authors who submit their covers
and make this a special place to share!
To see YOUR cover here visit the
UnCover Monthly
page for detailed instructions.
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Calisa Rhose~Tuesday Roundup Features Leanna Sain #mfrwauthors #magicalsuspense
Friday Fanfare Welcomes:
Leanna Sain – Half-Moon Lake
How did the writer’s journey begin for you?
My novel writing journey began at a Halloween party where I saw the “Gate to Nowhere” (the title of my first novel) and the stories just keep coming. My “Gate” books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. My fourth novel, WISH, is a stand-alone, YA crossover.
My Southern romantic suspense or “GRIT-lit,” showcases my plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid style that is all my own. Regional fiction lovers and readers who enjoy suspense with a magical twist will want my books.
Tell us three things about you-the writer-readers wouldn’t typically know.
- I’m one of the fastest goat-milkers I know.
- I’m terrified of heights
- Wasp/Hornet spray stuns a rattlesnake so you can kill it (voice of experience talking here), but you have to unload the whole can on it.
Well, I know what I’m reaching for next time I see a rattler! LOL
It all began when…
It all began when my husband and I were doing a furniture delivery down in the Nantahalla Valley. The kudzu inspired it.
Where did you get the premise for this book?
I was on a ‘twins’ kick. I wondered about something bad happening to one twin that resulted in their death and the psychological trauma causing amnesia in the remaining twin.
Interesting. What stands out about this story that made writing it different for you?
It was my first book written in 1st person. I actually wrote this one before Red Curtains (the first book in my GRITS series). Everything is in Kate’s POV. It was so much fun I decided to do all the GRITS books in 1st person too.
Were there any difficult challenges or special subject matter you came across while writing this book?
No difficult challenges, but since kudzu plays an important part in the story, I had to do a lot of research about the plant. I wove what I learned into the story. There’s more to it than just an invasive vine.
I thought that said invasive wine. I was about to grab my glass! 😆
What about this book would make us want to read it more than others of similar taste?
I think my characters are just more believable and although it’s a suspense/mystery, it’s a FUN read. I made myself laugh…out loud. Plus Levi is just plain HOT!
LOL!
What do you want readers to take away from this book?
I want them to love the book so much that they can’t wait to go out and get all my other books.
Tell us about the finished book. Is there anything special we might not know after reading it?
When Kathryn Dorne is summoned to Half-Moon Lake for the reading of her father’s will, she discovers a shocking truth: everything in her life—including her name—is a lie.
Learning that her name is Katelyn Eubanks is only the first surprise. Second, she had an identical twin sister who drowned at the age of nine. Since Katelyn can’t remember anything prior to that age, it seems more than mere coincidence. The biggest surprise is that her father, a man she never knew existed, left his entire estate to her, enraging other would-be heirs.
With her unremembered, but closest childhood friend, Levi, as well as help from the estate’s deaf-mute gardener, and the outspoken cook, Katelyn searches for answers to questions that have plagued her all her life, but doing so, opens the proverbial Pandora’s box. As her memories return, so does the terrible danger she escaped fifteen years earlier.
I hope readers get their curiosity piqued when the story mentions Half Moon, the Cherokee Indian medicine woman, and the MacKinlay family (see the Gate to Nowhere Trilogy).
Where can readers find you and your books?
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/half-moon-lake/id1241572035?mt=11
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/half-moon-lake-leanna-sain/1126450434?ean=2940157456566
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/half-moon-lake-1
Is there anything else you want to share or add?
I love talking to book clubs or women’s groups. If your group is within an hour or two of western NC, I’d love to come see you. Contact me at http://www.LeannaSain.com
I wish I lived closer! Thanks for visiting Leanna!
K folks, it’s a nasty, rainy day here in Oklahoma, and I don’t have a fireplace. So, I’ll gift one commenter with a copy of my ebook Risk Factors if you share this post on FB and Twitter then post both direct links in comments. I’ll draw the winner Sunday night.
Dodadaghovi~
Calisa Rhose invites Eve Rabi to Friday Fanfare #mfrwauthor #scandalous #suspense
THE OTHER WOMAN – a betrayed wife takes on the other woman with scandalous results. By Eve Rabi
How did the writer’s journey begin for you?
My writing career began with a nightmare. Okay, I know this sounds cliched, and you’ve heard this before, but it’s true. I had a nightmare, and I was so terrified, I couldn’t fall asleep again. I didn’t want to fall asleep again. I started writing Beast of Mexico – Gringa, then went on to write 27 other books, including The Other Woman. Bad dreams, I realize, can be handy to creative people. These days, I’m no longer afraid of bad dreams. I say bring it on.
Tell us three things about you-the writer-readers wouldn’t typically know.
- I like to dance like no one is watching. I dance often, almost every week.
- I like to eat like no one is watching – I’m a foodie, what can I say! My idea of good food is a chocolate burger for breakfast.
- I hate housework. Despise it. I am a widow, but I reckon I could do with a wife in the future, not a husband. Then, I’ll have so much more time to write!
Chocolate Burger *snort* Love it!
Where did you get the premise for this book?
With The Other Woman, I was inspired by life. We all know of a woman who has stolen someone else’s husband, destroyed a family, shattered dreams and went on to live happily ever after. It’s hurtful, and often the poor wife is left behind with little, while the new wife replaces her with ease and lives happily ever after. The wronged wife is supposed to quietly move on, despite being gutted and robbed by another woman. It’s downright unfair, isn’t it? Well, I wondered what would happen if the wronged wife fought back, took revenge? As I started writing, the story flowed and it became a hit with my readers. If you enjoy a good revenge romance, then this is the book for you. It’s a fast-paced, gripping, sexy, romantic suspense read.
What stands out about this story that made writing it different for you?
It was fun to unleash a wronged wife with nothing to lose, on a woman who has everything to lose. Unleash her on a sultry seductress who can turn any man’s head and who is not used to losing. In The Other Woman, the wronged wife does not pull back. She goes there, and does things we wouldn’t dream of doing. She is reckless and the destruction she wreaks on the other woman is mammoth and stressful. Stress can seriously affect a marriage, but can it also affect a lover’s illicit romance? See for yourself when you read The Other Woman.
What about this book would make us want to read it more than others of similar taste?
Well, if you’re bored of the everyday same ol’, same ol’ boring romance, or if you aren’t into just erotica, if you enjoy reading on the edge of your seat, you should read The Other Woman. If you enjoy laughing and crying while falling in love, then you should read The Other Woman.
Here’s what an Amazon reader had to say, “I could not put this book down, I finished it at 2:30 in the morning and I had to get up for work @ 6:30. However, it was worth every yawn I had during the day @ work. Read it and you will see why.”
What do you want readers to take away from this book?
Revenge is a cool fantasy. However, sometimes, on the road to revenge, you can pass a field of daisies. Stop, take a moment and run through the field. It may change your life. Change your path for the better.
Tell us about the finished book. Is there anything special we might not know after reading it?
The story was so popular with my readers, I went on to write a few sequels to it. I promise, you will enjoy them. In fact, The Other Woman, as well as the sequels have an overall five-star rating on Amazon U.K. and Amazon AUS. I’ve had several book clubs read it and tell me how enjoyable it was. It’s a topic for debate as well – was the wronged wife justified in what she did?
Shouldn’t she just have walked away with her head held high? A debate best carried out after a few glasses of wine.
***
Question: A seductress steals your husband, rips apart your family and shatters your dreams.
You:
a) Wish them luck, and walk away with your head held high (because that’s what society expects you to do)?
b) Quietly seethe, but accept that there is just nothing you can do about it (because it easier for everyone if you do nothing)?
c) Dig up dirt on the bitch (because someone like this would undoubtedly have dirt), use it to sabotage their relationship, then sit back with a glass of Pinot Grigio and watch them burn?
Answer: C. Oh, totally C.
Meet Scarlett Smyth. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, has a rocking body and has an above average IQ. She brags that she can ensnare any husband or taken male, and …she often does. She also is ambitious and has a penchant for anything expensive.
When the shrewd and ambitious temptress lays eyes on Bradley Murdoch, she believes she has found her dream man and a ticket to the high life she’s entitled to. There are just two problems:
1) Bradley is married to Rival. Happily at that.
2) They have children. Adorable little girls.
Do those facts deter Scarlett in any way? No, not at all. She is determined to steal Bradley, smoothly replace Rival in his life and show him how to really live life.
In a calculating move, the seductress (she is so good at seduction, she is even penning a book on it) befriends the quiet and unassuming Rival and worms her way into Bradley’s life.
There’s more: To expedite things, Scarlett the mistress, engineers a way to wipe Rival out of the picture – sends the clueless wife on a “vacation”.
But Scarlett may have underestimated her opponent. When Rival realizes the extent of the betrayal, she decides, even though she lacks Scarlett’s genius IQ, not to turn the other cheek. In fact, she is determined to win back her husband, believing that he is a good man who is simply mistaking lust for love. She believes that someone like Scarlett has to have skeletons in her cupboards and she begins to snoop around, anything she can use against the other woman, anything that can help her exact revenge.
What Rival doesn’t realize is: no one crosses Scarlett and gets away with it.
Now, the betrayed wife and the other woman collide.
***
The result is another gripping suspense thriller from bestselling author Eve Rabi. This suspense mystery & psychological thriller is #FreeOnKindleUnlimited.
Sounds scandalous and delicious!
Where can readers find you and your books?
Here are the links to The Other Woman:
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1E3KGa7
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BeLcB5
Amazon Aus: http://bit.ly/1IXc5up
Amazon CA: http://a.co/8PjNEuy
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24490383-the-other-woman
Is there anything else you want to share or add?
Yes, I would like to thank the lovely Calisa for allowing me to grace her delightful blog. It has been an absolute pleasure being here.
Also, I would love for you guys to drop by my website and check out my books.
For a limited time, I currently have four free books available. Grab them now!
Website/blog: http://everabi.wordpress.com/
Author Bio:
Eve Rabi is the author of 28 crime and suspense novels, three screenplays and more than half a dozen short stories. Inspired by the likes of Sidney Sheldon and Gillian Flynn, her tales are bold, scandalous, controversial. They’re also peppered with romance and humor. To quote an Amazon reviewer: “When you pick up an Eve Rabi book, forget sleep. She writes gripping page turners that will keep you reading till the very end.”
In her spare time, Eve likes to dance like no one is watching. In fact, she also likes to eat like no one is watching.
For more of Eve Rabi’s works, click on any of the links below:
Website/blog: http://everabi.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eve.rabi
Twitter – https://twitter.com/EveRabi1
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/everabiauthor/
Google + – https://plus.google.com/111560859015561071911
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/everabiauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/everabiauthor/
Amazon U.K.: http://amzn.to/14vFE8r
Email:everabi2012@hotmail.com
I absoLove your answers, Eve! I can’t wait to read this one! Thank you for visiting my Ranch and sharing, and I hope you’ll return one day.
Dadodaghovi~
Read~ UnCover Monthly~ Apologies #needcovers #freepromo #mfrwauthor
Osiyo~
I hope everyone is having a great summer, or winter if that’s your region. Mine is busy with five new puppies almost ready for new forever homes.
In May my baby brother married a wonderful young woman we all adore. I was so honored my brother asked my daughter (far left blonde) to stand with him as a Groom’s Maid. More thrilling, new hubby and better-half are expecting a baby boy in October. I’ll be traveling to the baby shower (from Oklahoma) next month and I’m pretty stoked. This baby will be the first Lewis (my daddy’s line) born in almost half a century! In fact, this brother holds the title of “last Lewis” until his son arrives. Yes, very excited!
So, why am I telling you about this, instead of sharing book covers?
Well, I know you probably clicked the link expecting the usual monthly plethora of cover yum, and I apologize for not having any for you this month. Unfortunately, just because I have UCM up and running again, I haven’t gotten enough covers to post yet.
Consider this is my official welcome notice.
If you have pure romance covers to share, or know someone who does– I NEED them! 🙂
No erotic please.
If you have friends with new books out (or not so new), please let them know, share this link and help UCM rejuvenate to runneth over with yum once more.
You can find everything you’ll need to submit your covers on my site: https://calisarhose.com/uncover-monthly/
Thank you for all of your support over the past few years with UnCover Monthly. I look forward to serving you with FREE promo.
In the meantime, please stop by on Friday, 7/21 and meet my guest, Eve Rabi. I know she’d love to have all the company she can get.
Dodadagohvi~
Calisa Rhose visits with Eve Rabi- You gotta read! #mfrwauthor #tuesdayroundup #interview
Osiyo~
Welcome one and all! Grab a beverage of choice, something sweet and sinful. No-no, not the men. What’s the matter with you? You know the hands-on rules… The guest gets first pick! 😉 Take a comfy seat for another, or a first, spin in the Round Pen.
I’m thrilled to welcome my wonderfully, inspirationally talented! guest, Eve Rabi, who is sharing her book, The Other Woman with us!
Please show Eve some real Ranch love on her first rodeo at the Ranch!
Before I get to the nosy bits, tell us a bit about you.
First of all, thank you for allowing me the privilege of appearing on your delightful blog, Calisa (awesome name, by the way!).
Aw, thanks Eve! I love your name too.
I am a full-time author – 28 books, 5 screenplays, and a handful of short stories waiting to be published.
I am a hopeless romantic, but I also dig romance with bite. I can’t handle the same ol’, same ol’ vanilla romance and I’m not that keen on erotic.
So, I write romantic crime and suspense stories with humor.
I am inspired by the likes of Gillian Flynn, Sidney Sheldon, John Grisham and basically stories with themes of revenge in them.
I have two know-it-all daughters, a Pomeranian named Li’l Bow Wow, who failed obedience school (but I love him anyway) and two cats who know how to open the fridge and steal food. (They’re obsessed with food, I tell ya.)
Love the Pom’s name and it sounds like your cats take after you! LOL Now if you can train them to open your wine… 😉
In my spare time, I like to dance like no one is watching, much to the chagrin of my daughters. (I used to teach Latin American dancing when I was younger. And thinner.)
I also love music, all kinds, even rap, heavy metal, head-banging crap – I just love and appreciate music, so I go to lots of concerts. Just saw Adele recently.
I’m into fashion and make-up in a huge way, and if I wasn’t writing books, I’d probably be a stylist or a make-up artist.
I hate housework, so alas, I do not have a spotless house. My car isn’t spotless either. If you want to see me in a bad mood, stick around while I clean up – I turn into a rabid banshee.
However, if it scores points with you, my wardrobe is color coded – shoes, jewelry, bags – all neatly arranged and color coded. See where my priorities lie? I’m screwed up, you can say it.
I live to write and I’m happiest when I am crafting a story. If I don’t write, I get cranky and go in search of chocolate and junk food.
Okay, I’ll begin the inquisition now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. My writing area at the moment is a corner of the couch in my living room. What does your writing space look like?
Well, Calisa, I do have a nice office, all rigged up with charts etc, but when I write, I tend to move around my house – the dining table, the patio, over my treadmill and my bed! I love slipping under the covers with my two cats and my Pomeranian lurking around while I hammer away at my keyboard. Right now, it’s winter and it’s cold and rainy, so under the covers in my bedroom is the ideal place to be.
Wherever I write, you can be assured, it’s messy, with coffee cups, used crockery, discarded socks, tissues and … chocolate wrappers! Yep, I’m totally undisciplined and messy, which annoys my daughters, who, by the way, are OCD when it comes to cleanliness. Can you believe it? Some people say it’s a good kind of OCD to have, but I dunno; it’s like living with your mother-in-law.
You know, I actually do have an office now. A lovely craft room-slash-office-slash-sewing room my husband fixed up in the spare bedroom. I didn’t have it for so long before now. I just keep forgetting to update this question to reflect that! LOL But I still end up in my cozy recliner most of the time.
For a lot of writers it’s a life-altering event coming up with titles and character names. Others it comes as naturally as breathing. Which is it for you?
Oh, I find coming up with titles hard. I struggle with it.
However, I love naming my characters – unusual and meaningful names. I usually change characters names by the end of the book, as I find that as I write, the character often takes a different shape.
I come from a family of unusual names, Skye, Raine, Storm, Flame, Ruby, Iris … to name but a few, so my characters have names like Rival, Arena, Drover, Burn, Bridie …
Ooh! I may have to steal some of those names! My daughters are Calais, Keri and Stephanie Merie. We also have granddaughters; Andee, Mackenzie, Nikkia, Kaia and Safira Lyric. If we get another grandgirl someday her name will probably be Daisy Rain (after my mom, Daisy). My niece named her children Kallen (the only boy in the family!) and Kaisly. I LOVE unique names!
Ok. What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?
Don’t stop writing. Listen to your critics, sure, but don’t take their advice all the time. Believe in your story. If you like it, chances are your readers will like it too.
Also, be nice to other writers. They aren’t your competition and they can help you. Support them and they will return the favor.
This is SO true! Much more than I expected when I first began writing and reaching out.
I have some awesome author friends across the globe, who I have never met in person, but they are always there for me, and vice versa. Especially when the Internet trolls attack (which is usually another unsuccessful author hiding behind her computer screen).
Unfortunately, also true. 😦
I’m lucky to have these great authors in my life. One of those kind and caring authors is the lovely Lisa. M. Owen. She rocks. Even her fiancé, a former marine named John rocks.
Lisa is very lovely. She’s been here a time or two I believe. 🙂 The constant shift of the industry makes me often scratch my head and ask ‘what next?’ So, what do you think it takes to be a successful author at the moment?
This is just my opinion:
The competition is greater than ever and a number of authors are forced to get full-time jobs to pay the bills. To avoid this, I believe that you should take your book to the readers. Cross promote with other authors and share their work.
Facebook groups are good too. However, promoting takes time. If you can get some help with promoting, you will score. Writing and publishing books is a business, and if you’re not spending eight hours a day on your business, chances are you will not be as successful as you’d like to be.
Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?
Well, I’d love to have dinner with Chelsea Handler and Ellen. Why? Because they are funny, smart women. I would serve lots of vodka and tequila shots, of course. Then I’d encourage them to drunk-dial all the people who pissed them off in life.
Don’t you think that will be a fun night?
Oh, hell yeah! 😆
I’d record the evening, of course.
Now, I’ll ask questions and you answer them in one word. 😆
Favorite animal? Cats – I am one step away from being a crazy cat woman. (Calisa cuts in-You and my sister!) But I’m an animal lover, so I love all animals, really.
Our mixed breed Boxer had 5 pupies five weeks ago and I want to keep them all! My daughter’s Chihuahua just had 6 babies today…and I want them too!
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter?
Summer – love the long, warm days where you can end it with a tall glass of sparkling white wine.
Favorite food?
A chocolate burger – I’m a junk food lover, what can I say?
Definitely need that recipe, Eve! Well done! 🙂
Moving on. What are you working on now?
I’m working on a sequel to The Other Woman – a betrayed wife takes on the other woman.
It’s a story about love, lust, betrayal and revenge. Big revenge. Huge!
For those readers who enjoy romance with bite, this will be the series for you.
As one Amazon reader put it, “If you’re tired of the same old boring romance, same old plots, try this author’s books. They’re romance with twists and turns that will keep you glued to your kindle.”
What are you sharing today?
The Other Woman – A betrayed wife takes on the other woman with scandalous results. (Romantic crime and suspense)
Question: A seductress steals your husband, rips apart your family and shatters your dreams. You:
a) Wish them luck and walk away with your head held high (because that’s what society expects you to do)?
b) Quietly seethe but accept that there is just nothing you can do about it (because it easier for everyone if you do)?
c) Dig up dirt on the bitch (because someone like this would undoubtedly have dirt), use it to sabotage their relationship, then sit back with a glass of Pinot Grigio and watch them burn?
Answer: C. Oh, totally C.
Meet Scarlett Smyth. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, has a rocking body and has an above average IQ. She brags that she can ensnare any husband or taken male, and …she often does. She also is ambitious and has a penchant for anything expensive.
When the shrewd and ambitious temptress lays eyes on Bradley Murdoch, she believes she has found her dream man and a ticket to the high life she’s entitled to. There are just two problems:
1) Bradley is married to Rival. Happily at that.
2) They have children. Adorable little girls.
Do those facts deter Scarlett in any way? No, not at all. She is determined to steal Bradley, smoothly replace Rival in his life and show him how to really live life.
In a calculating move, the seductress (she is so good at seduction, she is even penning a book on it) befriends the quiet and unassuming Rival and worms her way into Bradley’s life.
There’s more: To expedite things, Scarlett the mistress, engineers a way to wipe Rival out of the picture – sends the clueless wife on a “vacation”.
But Scarlett may have underestimated her opponent. When Rival realizes the extent of the betrayal, she decides, even though she lacks Scarlett’s genius IQ, not to turn the other cheek. In fact, she is determined to win back her husband, believing that he is a good man who is simply mistaking lust for love. She believes that someone like Scarlett has to have skeletons in her cupboards and she begins to snoop around, anything she can use against the other woman, anything that can help her exact revenge.
What Rival doesn’t realize is: no one crosses Scarlett and gets away with it.
Now, the betrayed wife and the other woman collide.
***
The result is another gripping suspense thriller from bestselling author Eve Rabi. This suspense mystery & psychological thriller is free on Kindle Unlimited
“I could not put this book down, I finished it at 2:30 in the morning and I had to get up for work @ 6:30. However, it was worth every yawn. Read it and you will see why.” Amazon reviewer
Where can we find you and your books?
Eve Rabi is the author of 28 crime and suspense novels, three screenplays and more than half a dozen short stories. Inspired by the likes of Sidney Sheldon and Gillian Flynn, her tales are bold, scandalous, controversial. They’re also peppered with romance and humor. To quote an Amazon reviewer: “When you pick up an Eve Rabi book, forget sleep. She writes gripping page turners that will keep you reading till the very end.”
In her spare time, Eve likes to dance like no one is watching. In fact, she also likes to eat like no one is watching.
For more of Eve Rabi’s works, click on any of the links below:
Website/blog: http://everabi.wordpress.com/
Amazon U.K.: http://amzn.to/14vFE8r
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eve.rabi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EveRabi1
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/everabiauthor/
Google +: https://plus.google.com/111560859015561071911
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/everabiauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/everabiauthor/
Email: everabi2012@hotmail.com
If you would like to sample my work for free, try before you buy (I currently am offering four free books), then click on the link below:
Amazon U.K.: http://amzn.to/14vFE8r
Where will you be next?
I have a number of books in the pipeline with not enough hours in the day to write these stories. The one thing you can be sure of, is that, as a writer, I am here to stay.
Calisa, I would rather gift you another one of my books as a thank you for allowing me to grace your lovely blog. 🙂
I’m honored to receive one of your books! Wishing you much luck with your book(s) and writing. I hope you’ll come visit again soon. Maybe on UnCover Monthly?
Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of gracing your lovely blog, Calisa. It was a pleasure and the questions were fun. 🙂
Thank you so much for playing along Eve! I loved your responses, great fun!
Dodadagohvi~
M.S. Kaye takes Once & Forever into the round pen #mfrwauthor #inspirationalromance #Tuesdayroundup
Osiyo
I’ve got M.S. Kaye on the ranch today to share her latest book Once & Forever with us. Lets sit back and enjoy.
Writing Inspirational Fiction without Preaching
I’m a bit of a stubborn person (my husband would say that’s an understatement), so when I read a fiction title and I get a lecture about how I’m supposed to live, it annoys me. And, of course, I feel bad for being annoyed, like I’m not being a good Christian. Ugh! I read fiction for fun, not to feel inadequate and guilty.
Here are some things to consider when writing fiction with an inspirational vibe (Christian or not).
- Focus on the story. When I set out to write Once, I didn’t intend to make it inspirational. I think that’s why I’m happy with the result. I set out to write a story about characters who happened to have strong ties to their religion.
- No author intrusion. Don’t stuff your opinions into the mouths and thoughts of your characters. Show who your characters are through their actions. Every scene must support the story. Also, be sure you do not include scenes for the sole purpose of getting your opinions across. If it doesn’t move the plot forward, CUT IT.
- Do not preach. Unless you work in a church or you’re the second coming of Jesus, no one wants to hear your opinion of how they should live. If you feel you need to share your vast knowledge of religious texts or lifestyle, you should not be writing fiction. Consider nonfiction.
- Respect your audience. If you generally think people do not live their lives the “right way,” you probably shouldn’t be writing.
- Inspire through the plot. People may not want to be preached to, but they do want to be inspired. This life can be tough; it’s nice to escape into a story that shows how things can work out, or how things going wrong can sometimes lead you down a better path.
Actually, all the above applies to all fiction. Funny how the rules of craft know no religion.
***
Once & Forever
(Once series, Bk 3)
Genre: contemporary romance
Length: Novella
Heat Level: 1- sweet
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Cover artist: Najla Qamber
Release date: December 5, 2016
book 3:
by M.S. Kaye
Who is the mysterious Santa who leaves toys on the convent steps?
After a twelve-year separation, Eden is finally reunited with her brother, Thomas, but why hadn’t she reached out to him in all those years? Eden, a nun, is constantly struggling against her dark past of living on the streets, and her attraction to Trace, an ex-convict farm worker. As Eden and Trace confess their pasts to each other and grow closer, will they be able to resist getting too close?
Excerpt:
“You know what he did to git sent to prison?” one of the convenience store clerks murmured to the other.
Trace could just hear them over the horrible rendition of “Jingle Bells” playin’ through the speakers. He ignored them, like he always did. He tried to come into town late in the evening to avoid people as much as possible, but that also meant it was quiet enough that he could often hear what people murmured about him. Once he’d grabbed some protein bars and a can of beer, he headed up to the counter to pay.
The clerk with a buzz-cut told him the total, and Trace handed him some cash.
Neither of the clerks made eye contact with him, but they both hovered over the cash register as if he might snatch it and run.
Buzz-cut closed the cash drawer right quick and handed Trace’s change back.
“Thank you.” Trace stuffed the change in his pocket, took the bag of protein bars in one hand and his beer in the other, and walked out of the store.
He headed for the back lot toward the alley. He could get through most of downtown by way of the alley. This late at night it was almost too dark to see where he was goin’, but that was part of what he liked about it.
“Bitch,” someone growled. And then the sound of something—or someone—smacking into the brick wall of the back of the convenience store.
Trace moved more quickly and turned the corner, and he caught sight of a skinny, young woman punching a man in the face. His head snapped back. But then another man slammed his fist across her jaw. She looked so frail that the punch seemed like shooting a cannon ball at a piece of notebook paper.
“Hey!” Trace roared and ran at them. “Git away from her.”
Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads
Author Bio:
M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.
To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.
Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Goodreads | Amazon | TSU | Pinterest | LinkedIn
Once, book 1
Her first and also her once.
Jonathan and Rebecca’s paths cross at exactly the right moment, when each most needs to hear what the other has to say.
But Jonathan is three days from entering the priesthood, and Rebecca leaves him to his peace. But he is unable to find peace.
Without each other’s comfort and strength, they must each struggle to forge a new path, with only memories of the one day that changed everything.
But are they able to forget and let go?
Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | B&N | ARe | Goodreads
Once & Again, book 2
She was once his secret desire… Will she be again?
Father Aiden, an ex-marine and new priest, falls in love with Maylynn, but he struggles to stay away from her. He’s successful for many years, though he can’t keep her out of his dreams.
Then one day she shows up for a pre-marital counselling session with her fiancé, Davis. Aiden soon realizes Davis isn’t who he says he is, but what does that mean for Maylynn, and for himself?
Do You Think About the Homeless? Leanna Sain opens her eyes and heart #thehomeless #mfrwauthor #
Osiyo~
I have Leanna Sain in the Round Pen today. I’ll let her tell you a bit about her book, Red Curtains.
I saw ‘Lily’ while my husband and I were visiting Savannah for our 26th anniversary. We were waiting for a tour bus when she strolled past us, wearing a court jester hat and talking to herself. She walked up to a mailbox by the bus stop proceeded to sprinkle some invisible substance around its base. I cocked an eyebrow at my husband and quipped, “Fairy-dust?” He shrugged, waiting to see what she did next.
She was obviously homeless, and the moment I saw her, my mind started creating her story. As soon as we got on the bus, I began scribbling ideas as fast as my pen could write. Red Curtains is the result.
I know the homeless issue isn’t a comfortable subject, but unfortunately, it’s reality and I hope my book raises awareness. Homeless statistics are staggering, so to help in a small way, I’ll be donating a part of book sales to the “Stand Down” program mentioned in the story.”
***
“Cleo!” she greeted me joyously, as if we were long, lost friends instead of mortal enemies. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Ellie.” Her eyes narrowed at my mispronunciation, but she didn’t correct me. I gave her a cold stare. The only thing that kept me from yanking her out of my seat by her dark rooted, bottle-blond hair was sheer, iron will.
“I saw you come in earlier,” she trilled in her fake- friendly voice. “I wanted to be sure to come tell you ‘hi.’ Imagine my disappointment when I finally made it to your table and found you were gone. But luckily…” she gave Jonas an impudent smile. “…this nice man was good enough to let me sit here and wait for you.”
Finally made it to my table? Yeah, right. I was sure she’d waited—on purpose—for me to leave before she swooped in. I’d seen this act before, and I thought I was ready for it, but I guess I wasn’t. When she finished her little performance with a wink, I think I may have growled.
“Well, that worked out well for you, didn’t it?” My smile was brittle. One false move and my face might shatter into a thousand little pieces. I waited stiffly for her to vacate my seat. Could a person’s blood actually boil?
Jonas was casting an uncertain look between the two of us. I’m sure he was astute enough to feel the undercurrents. He might not understand them, but he had to be aware of them.
Then he sort of jumped, shoulders stiffening, eyes widening in shock as he stared across the table. What was that about? I glanced at Ellie, looking for an answer. Uh-oh. I knew that look. I’d seen her use it often enough. It was her “come and get me” expression—gazing up through her mascara thickened lashes, a seductive smile curving her lips, promising things I didn’t even want to know about—the look that reduced men to puppy-like creatures, eager to please. A movement under the table caught my eye and my jaw dropped. Ellie’s stiletto-clad foot was rubbing suggestively up and down Jonas’ leg. Obviously, Ellie had no intention of relinquishing her spot at the table.
Oh, no you don’t, girlfriend! Not this time! I made a totally out-of-character and utterly rash decision, praying that Jonas would just go with it and that it wouldn’t backfire. I slipped into the seat beside him, snuggling up close. “I like it better on this side, anyway.”
I’ll have to hand it to him. It only took him a split second of startled uncertainty before he dropped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me even closer. He put his lips to my ear, whispering, “I guess you’ll explain what’s going on later?”
His warm breath against my ear caused goose bumps to shiver along my arms and down my legs, but I dimpled up at him and answered, “You know I will.”
Turning to Ellie, I almost shouted over an explosion of laughter from the bar. “Isn’t he a sweetheart? I just love him to death!”
Ellie’s expression had become a bit frosty and I almost giggled with delight. It felt wonderful to be vindicated. Not to mention, it was very, very cozy to be snuggled up against Jonas like this.
She slid toward the outside edge of the seat. “It was good to see you, Cleo. Happy holidays. Nice to meet you, Jonas. Maybe we could meet for a drink sometime?”
“Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll let you set it up with Cleo.”
Ellie’s jaw tightened. “Of course. See you later.” She spun around and stalked away, swaying a little on her four-inch heels.
***
North Carolina native, Leanna Sain, earned her BA from the University of South Carolina, then moved back to her beloved mountains of western NC with her husband. Her “Gate” books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. Sain’s fourth novel, WISH, is a stand-alone, YA crossover.
Her Southern romantic suspense or “GRIT-lit,” showcases her plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid style that is all her own. Regional fiction lovers and readers who enjoy suspense with a magical twist will want her books.
She loves leading discussion groups and book clubs. For more information or to contact her, visit: www.LeannaSain.com
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Twitter: Leanna Sain@Leannasbooks
Website and blog: http://leannasain.com
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Buy link:
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https://www.amazon.com/Red-Curtains-Leanna-Sain-ebook/dp/B01L5R53U8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/red-curtains/id1149202885?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/red-curtains-leanna-sain/1124412152?ean=2940156862825
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/red-curtains
Thank you for sharing Red Curtains with my readers, Leanna! I think it’s a wonderful thing for you to donate a portion of sales to a good cause most of us don’t even think about in our own daily lives.
Dodadagohvi~
I write contemporary and paranormal romance, with sensuality as the key ingredient and spice for kick.
Pen of The Dreamer 