Blood Stitches
By Erin Fanning
Coming May 12, 2015 from Lyrical Press
Love and danger intertwine…
Blurb:
It’s called El Toque de la Luna—The Touch of the Moon. At least that’s how nineteen-year-old Gabby’s older sister, Esperanza, refers to the magical powers she inherited from their Mayan ancestors. Esperanza says women with El Toque weave magic into their knitting, creating tapestries capable of saving—or devastating—the world. Gabby thinks Esperanza is more like touched in the head—until a man dressed like a candy corn arrives at their Seattle home on Halloween. But “Mr. C” is far from sweet…
Soon, Gabby and her almost-more-than-friend, Frank, find themselves spirited away to a demon ball, complete with shape shifters—and on a mission to destroy Esperanza’s tapestries before they cause an apocalyptic disaster… And before it’s too late to confess their true feelings for each other.
Excerpt:
A gust of wind scattered leaves across the University of Seattle campus. My hair tangled over my face. New contacts tortured my eyes, and books weighed down my backpack. It didn’t matter. A tornado could have snatched me up. As long as it carried me home and put an end to the anniversary of the worst day of my life.
“Watch out, Gabby.” My best friend Frank thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his pinstriped suit. “We’re being followed by a giant candy corn.”
“Giant candy corn? Yeah, right.” If I turned around, Frank would laugh and say, “Gotcha”, or some other dorky thing. The mind-numbing boredom of Calculus I, our last class of the day, always set Frank off, making him zanier than usual.
“I mean it. We’ve got a candy corn on our tail.” Frank whistled a Lester Ruben song as he sauntered ahead.
“Okay, okay. Let me see this Halloween wonder.” If I didn’t give in, Frank would never leave me alone. I whirled, ready to hear Frank’s laugh, and almost ran into a man. His face glowed orange, like someone who’d spent too much time in a tanning booth, and he wore a white cap pulled down to his ears. A yellow scarf hid his neck and chin. For once, Frank wasn’t kidding. The man resembled a giant candy corn.
Shredded paper and a postage stamp poked out of his scarf, and a moon decorated an edge of the knitting, like one of my older sister Esperanza’s creations. It didn’t seem possible, but no one else I knew added garbage and a signature moon to their knitting. A wool coat covered the rest of him, except his face and steel-tipped boots.
“Sorry.” I jumped back.
Frank’s chuckles mixed with squirrels chattering in a nearby tree. Drizzle moistened my forehead, and a cold dampness seeped into my bones. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, like watching Esperanza unravel her knitting one stitch at a time to fix a mistake.
***
About the author:
Erin Fanning spends her summers on a northern Michigan lake, where her imagination explores the water and dense forest for undiscovered creatures. In the winter, she migrates to central Idaho, exchanging mountain bikes and kayaks for skis and snowshoes. She’s the author of Mountain Biking Michigan, as well as numerous articles, essays, and short stories.
Links
Website: www.erinfanning.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Stitches-Erin-Fanning-ebook/dp/B00ONTR8I6
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23450191-blood-stitches
Hey-Ho Cover Oglers! I hope you all had a Happy and Glorious New Year!!! We’re off to a fun start here at the Ranch!
Here’s January’s lovely cover art, with a few Christmas covers to boot, and the awesome authors, artists and publishers who made them possible for you to gaze at today. It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you like (or don’t like) about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi.
UnCover Mondays on The Ranch!!! This feature is only to highlight authors–not to sell books (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this weeks’ 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. I think they deserve fair mention since they helped create the book! As always, click the covers for author websites to find out more. I wish everyone a fabulous new year in 2014!
Title: “A Box of Dreams” (Dream Series, books 1-5)
Author: J. J. DiBenedetto
Website: www.writingdreams.net
Genre: Paranormal Romantic/Suspense
Publisher: J.J. DiBenedetto
Cover Artist: Ami Low
Release date: December 2, 2013
What if you could see everyone else’s dreams?
Sara Barnes has just discovered that she can. And this gift – or curse – will lead her on an extraordinary journey.
Follow Sara as her newfound ability leads her into adventures she never imagined. She will hunt down a serial killer, investigate a plot to murder one of her teachers, unravel a conspiracy between a mobster and a corrupt politician and face off against her nemesis: a woman who shares her talent, but uses it to destroy lives rather than save them. And Sara will have to manage all that while finishing college, becoming a doctor and falling in love, too.
Included in this set is DREAM STUDENT, DREAM DOCTOR, DREAM CHILD, DREAM FAMILY and WAKING DREAM. In addition, you’ll find the short story BETTY & HOWARD’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE starring Sara’s parents.
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.
Title: The French Resolution
Author: Nora Snowdon
Website: www.norasnowdon.com
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Rebel Ink Press
Cover Artist: Carl J. Franklin
Release date: December 17, 2013
As the Fundraising Coordinator at a New York charity for needy children, Helen Dunhill is anxious to convince her business tycoon father to host a benefit gala at his Nassau mansion. The philanthropic event will improve his company’s tarnished image, which in turn should help him accept her chosen career. After years of being invisible to her jet-setting father, she hopes the endeavor will make him finally appreciate her. Planning to discuss her proposal during a Thanksgiving vacation in Nassau, she is devastated when, once again, her father flies off to Europe for business before her arrival. Determined to at least help other children have a decent family life, she sends the gala proposal to his office.
French Corporate Raider, Antoine Christoff has just seized control of the floundering Dunhill Holdings Company. Unfortunately for him, 30% shares are held in blind trust for the former owner’s daughter, Helen. Antoine flies to Nassau to wine and dine the daughter and then purchase her company shares. As his investigations show her to be mousy and unsophisticated, he assumes she will easily succumb to his charm. He plans to flatter and coerce her into selling her shares before she realizes his connections.
But once they meet it’s game on. And all bets are off.
Title: Mugs & Monasteries
Author: Cait O’Sullivan
Website: www. caitosullivan.blogspot.co.uk
Genre: Paranormal Gothic Romance
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Cover Artist: Musa Publishing
Release Date: October 25, 2012
When orchid hunter, Evie Bourke stumbles across a near deserted monastery deep in the Burren, she has no idea she’s the first person alive to have seen it. All she knows is that life went a bit strange and was getting more bizarre by the minute.
Meeting alpaca farmer Aiden Dunne over a pint of Guinness, she is struck by his resemblance, yet to whom, she can’t quite remember. Aiden is searching for Munster Abbey for his family was connected to it for generations, culminating in the disappearance of his relative, the then Prior.
What happened all those years ago? Who or what is ‘the Wanderer’ and, more to the point, what does he want?
Title: Murder Upon a Midnight Clear
Author: Juli D. Revezzo
Website: www.julidrevezzo.com
Genre: paranormal romantic suspense
Publisher: Raven Queen Publications
Cover artist: Boulevard Photografica
Release date: November 15th
‘Tis the season … for death.
Murder reminds Detective Helene Collias of Holly PD that crime doesn’t respect holidays. And the last victim she ever expected to find in her case files is the sister of her old flame, Sean Grant. Ordinarily, Helene’s psychic gifts give her an edge but this time, that gift has short-circuited. Could her lingering attraction to Sean be blurring her abilities, or is something more sinister at work?
Title: My Sunny Vampire
Author: Stacy McKitrick
Website: www.stacymckitrick.com
Genre: Paranormal romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Cover Artist: Renee Rocco
Release date: January 6, 2014
After centuries alone in darkness, how far will a vampire go for Sunshine?
Jack VanAllen has spent his long life following the rules and, as a member of the Vampire Committee, he also enforces them. So, when he awakens in an alley next to an illegally-turned vampire who resembles his late wife, he must prove his innocence or suffer the punishment: death. The problem? He doesn’t remember a thing. Sunshine Petersen’s life as a vampire isn’t getting off to a great start. She’s got no control over her powers, can’t find a job, and sexy Jack is being stand-offish. The only thing she’d like more than catching the creep who turned her is getting Jack into the closest bed. But, could Jack be the one who turned her? When he and Sunny team up to find the culprit, Jack discovers feelings he hasn’t had in years. But once Sunny finds out he’s keeping a major secret, she disappears. Unfortunately, the man who turned her still has plans..
CONTENT WARNING: Some graphic violence, sensual sex scenes, and a vampire who’s finally found his ‘sun’.
Title: Operation Christmas
Author: Barbara Weitz
Website: www.barbaraweitz.com
Genre: Contemporary Romance (sweet)
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist: Kim Mendoza
Release date: November 27, 2013
Jess Grant is home from Afghanistan with a physical injury that has stripped away his dating confidence. Yet he can’t seem to forget a young war widow who had attended his high school. Since her family runs the bakery where he orders holiday cookies for soldiers overseas, he hopes to reconnect.
Madeleine Belmar struggles with Christmas, works for Scrooge, and is nowhere near ready for a new relationship. When she runs into Jess, his persistence and her rejection creates a confusing mix of attraction and fear. But unfortunately, she’s unable to navigate the emotional waters to find new love. Although Jess isn’t in the habit of walking away from what he wants, he understands her dilemma and leaves their fate up to Madeleine…at least for the moment.
Between her meddling family and angelic intervention, it seems Jess will get a helping hand. If only Madeleine can see the good man before her and not cling to the past.
Title: Rain
Author: Nicole Hurley-Moore
Website: www.nicolehurley-moore.com
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Jupiter Gardens Press
Cover Artist: Tibbs Design
Release date: November 21, 2013
1216 AD
On the mountain, high above the village of Farran – Nuri is caught between heaven and hell. Two men fight for her love and her soul. The first is Maras, an elemental being who follows the storms. Nuri knows that he is not human, he’s something more. She believes he is her beautiful fallen angel. Yet he is transient and is bound to the elements and their love may be as fleeting as the storm itself. The second is Brother Erebus, a pious monk whose tortured soul is twisted by his desire for her.
But Nuri may sacrifice more than her heart when the Church brands her angel a demon. As Brother Erebus will do anything to protect her soul from the silver haired devil, even if he has to crush her body to do it.
Title: The Naughty List
Author: L. A. Kelley
Website: www.lakelleythenaughtylist.blogspot.com
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist: Debbi Taylor
Release Date: October 25, 2013
Not your mama’s Christmas story unless she drank too much egg nog or was born with a cheeky sense of humor.
Murder, mystical artifacts, an invisible demon with anger management issues, and an overbearing cupid—not what Rosalie Thatcher wished for on her Christmas list. The holidays had always been a magical time, but not this year. Stephanie, the new manager at Penrose’s Department Store, is determined to make this season the most profitable in the store’s history, even if it sucks the life out of every employee. Introducing arbitrary rules and stealing the affections of Anthony, the cute temp Santa, were bad enough, but forcing Rosalie into the stupid elf hat was the worst. The worst, that is, until she meets a real E.L.F. (Elemental Life Form) named David and gets lassoed into a desperate hunt for the stolen Naughty and Nice List. Now Rosalie and David must dodge a murderous invisible demon and recover the missing artifact before hellhounds track them down. The couple race against time for without the magical guidance of the Naughty and Nice List, the world will tumble toward eternal chaos.
Title: Timeless Keepsakes: A Collection of Christmas Stories
Authors: Ruth A. Casie, Lita Harris, Emma Kaye, Nicole S. Patrick, Julie Rowe
Submitting Author: Emma Kaye
Website: www.timelessscribes.com
Genre: Romance Anthology
Publisher: Timeless Scribes
Cover Artist: Alchemy Book Covers and Design
Release Date: November 11, 2013
The magic of Christmas is in the memories we hold dear and those precious treasures that remind us of the past. Join us as our Timeless Keepsakes take us on five remarkable journeys that heal old wounds, remind us of days gone by, play matchmaker, sweep us back in time and prove that love can conquer all.
Mistletoe and Magick ~ Ruth A. Casie
She would give her last breath for him. He would give up everything to guard her well and love her more.
Christmas Spirits ~ Lita Harris
A widow’s everlasting love is renewed by the memories of the holiday season.
Granting Her Wish ~ Emma Kaye
She doesn’t belong in his time and he doesn’t belong back home. Could they belong to each other?
Letter From St. Nick ~ Nicole S. Patrick
She’s trying to save her home and he’s never had one until now. Can an unexpected gift lead their hearts to the same place?
Secret Santa ~ Julie Rowe
A nurse grieving the death of her twin brother receives an unusual gift at the staff Secret Santa party: the bullet that killed him along with a message of hope and love.
I want to thank all the authors who submit and make this a special place to share their work!
Note:
Due to lack of submissions I no longer promote banners and videos.
Welcome Liza! I can’t wait to hear about your ghosts so let’s get right to it! 😀
I live with a ghost. An Irish fellow once offered to get rid of my ghost for me. I refused without hesitation, because a) this is her house, her brother built it for her, and b) I rather like having a ghost hanging around. She is a very nice lady, named Mrs. Martin.
Not that she told me her name. It’s just my house has only had three owners, and the only person who has died in this house is Mrs. Martin. While she’s never spoken to me, nor materialized before me, she has made her presence known in many ways.
Floorboards constantly creaked as if someone was walking on them. Doors would open, I presumed from a draft. Cabinet doors opened as well. All of these oddities I attributed to the house being 50-years-old.
But then, the throw rugs I placed in various places to protect the carpet began to move. I’ve never seen them move, but I put them in a certain spot and the next time I enter the room they are placed somewhere else. Now the creaky boards sounding like footprints took on another possibility. So I asked my neighbor if anyone had ever died in my house and discovered the original owner of my house had indeed died in her bedroom.
I thought perhaps all the walking about and opening doors was because she searched for the adorable five daughters who lived in the house before me. I told her the little girls had gone to live by the shore and she was stuck with me now. And just like that, the constant door openings and floor board creaking ceased. The rugs still move, even to this day. But otherwise, she’s pretty quiet now.
However, when my dad came to visit and I put him in her room, she got riled up. The first morning he comes in to the kitchen and asks me if I have a ghost. I admitted I did and asked him how he knew. He said he’d heard what sounded like boots slam down on the floor and then stomp over to him. Then he heard a heavy sigh and the sound of boots leaving the room.
While I’ve never seen her, one Halloween I went to the door, where a mother stood with her little monsters. She complimented me on my Halloween scene. I had no idea what she spoke of. She insisted an old woman sat at my piano playing.
I was highly insulted Mrs. Martin would show herself to strangers, but not me. She got scolded. And when the next batch of monsters arrived, I told her she could answer the door. She refused.
How does this equate to my fictional ghost, Lassier?
Well, Lassier not only materializes, but does so in a convincing manner. He can even excite his molecules sufficiently to generate the sensation of warm skin. So most of the million women he has made love to never had a clue he was a ghost.
Also, he’s much older. He was alive in the 15th century. Nor is he the only ghost in the castle. Any Durran buried in the family cemetery will return as a ghost. However, since Gar refuses to invite anyone to the castle, most of the ghosts float about as white orbs. Materializing takes a great deal of effort, and if no one is even going to notice, why bother? Only Lassier materializes daily and can do so in spectacular form.
His ghost ocelot is a bit different. You cannot see the cat, but you can feel him. And when he walks across something soft like a bed, you can see the indentations. He also has a deep resonating purr that can put you at ease.
Having a real ghost opened my eyes to all sorts of potentials, and one night I dreamed of a sexy ghost lover. The next morning I googled the matter and discovered this matter has been talked and written about since early man. So I decided to write a book with a sexy, lascivious ghost, who is treated as a real person instead of something evil or paranormal.
Ghost Lover
By Liza O’Connor
Contemporary Romance with a touch of paranormal
Blurb
Two sexy English brothers. One irresistible ghost. Who would you choose as your lover?
Completely broke and with a criminal record to boot, Senna Smith is one day from eviction from her apartment when Brendon, her promiscuous roommate from London, suggests she go to England, marry him, and manage his fortune. With few other options, she agrees to an open marriage. But she’ll never, ever, have sex with him, knowing if she falls in love with him, he’ll break her heart.
As trustee of Brendon’s family fortune, there is no way Brendon’s older brother, Garrison Durran, is going to let him marry a self-professed American gold-digger. As Senna tries to embrace castle life and English society for Brendon’s sake, Gar discovers Senna is the perfect woman for him–beautiful and intelligent, kind and caring. Now, if she wasn’t already engaged to his brother…
The ancestral ghost of Durran Castle has to intervene if the Durran brothers have any chance of an heir. He can’t leave them to fix matters on their own. They are useless buggers when it comes to love. As counselor to Gar, matchmaker for Brendon, and lover to Senna, a ghost’s work is never done.
CONTENT WARNING: Allergy warning: Ghost cat in book.
Excerpt
Senna woke to her breast beeping. Trying to make sense of the oddity, she pushed herself up to rest on her elbows and discovered the noise came from Brendon’s wristwatch. Somehow, his hand had found its way beneath her bra during the night, and now chirped like a baby chick.
She contemplated tearing his hand off at the wrist, but he looked so angelic with his curly dark hair framing his handsome face. With a heavy sigh, she unlatched her bra and eased his hand out, then gently shook him until his face scrunched into a pained grimace.
He groaned and frowned at his noisy watch. “This is a god-awful hour to be woken up,” he said in his sexy British accent. “Never bothers me when I’m coming home at this hour.”
Senna rolled her eyes. “Speak for yourself.”
Pushing himself up, he shook his head. “Remember the second night I came around? You kept yelling at me, ‘Did I realize it was four in the morning?’ At the time, I couldn’t understand your fuss.” He groaned and scratched his scalp. “Well, I certainly understand it now. It’s bloody hell to be woken at this ungodly hour.”
***
BUY LINKS
AUTHOR INFO
About Liza O’Connor
Liza lives in Denville, NJ with her dog, Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels. She loves to create interesting characters, set them loose, and scribe what happens.
***
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
LIZA O’CONNOR:
Liza’s Blog and Website Facebook Twitter
Click Here for More Information
About Ghost Lover
FREEBIE!!!!
To One Lucky Commenter, I’ll give away one copy of Worst Week Ever
What do you get when you put a hardworking, can-do middle-class young woman together with an egoistical, outrageous, billionaire boss, then throw in the worst week of disasters imaginable?
A humorous disaster romance of epic proportions.
Just leave an email address in your comment and tell me you want the book.
Osiyo~
Thanks for checking in today. I’m on my publisher’s blog today sharing some interesting trivia about my Lyrical Press book, Risk Factors, today and I’d love to see you there!
http://lyricalpress.com/2013/09/25/wacky-wednesday-with-calisa-rhose/
While you’re here you can see where my friends are playing and, if you have a moment, stop in and meet them.
Come join Cd Brennan as she asks some sweet and saucy questions on her Sundae With Nuts!
Sunday, September 22nd Sundae With Nuts – Joanne Wadsworth www.cdbrennan.com
Sunday, September 29th Sundae With Nuts – Christa Maurice
Cd Brennan shares a snippet for her upcoming release A World Apart, a sweet contemporary set in sexy Scotland.
Sunday, September 29th Snippet Sunday – http://lyricalpress.com/blog/
Sunday, September 29th Snippet Sunday – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sizzle-and-Sass/213212842173895
Official Sizzle & Sass Launch and Giveaway – Kindle Paperwhite and 13 Sassy Ebooks! LIKE the Sizzle and Sass Facebook page and be in to win!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sizzle-and-Sass/213212842173895
Jul 12
This gallery contains 2 photos.
with Return of the Fae How did the writer’s journey begin for you? When I was in junior high, I’d mostly read through the library and thought, I could write better than this. A girl on the bus showed me how she developed stories, using pictures from magazines to illustrate the story. I was hooked. […]
Jun 28
This gallery contains 3 photos.
…with Red Shoes for Lab Blues How did the writer’s journey begin for you? It began with a glass of wine and my overactive imagination – more on that later J. I always wanted to try my hand (keyboard) at fiction, but other priorities (career, hubby, kiddos) delayed my attempts until the tender age of […]
Yippee, it’s June! I love this time of year – the beginning of summer – warm evenings with a glass of wine on the front porch after the kids are asleep, my pup at my feet, the smell of lilac and storms. Tired, but a good tired, after fitting as much as possible into one summer day.
Where I am in the north, our twilight will stretch until 10:30pm around the summer solstice. My enjoyment for this time of year is deeply rooted from when I was a wee thing. My mum allowed us to play outside until the street lights came on, so you can imagine my anticipation and thrill of long June nights.
June is the time for love. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, sunset skies and stargazing. Everyone is feeling a little frisky after a long winter in hibernation. Summer romance is on the horizon – the possibilities exciting.
So, I’m looking for some Summer Lovin’ – stories with great sexual tension, action and adventure – from sweet to steamy.
Even if none of the below fit your manuscript, I am still happy to take a look, or you can submit it directly to the Lyrical Editorial team at: https://lyricalpress.submittable.com/submit
Keep in mind, I am always on the lookout for the following genres: Contemporary (from sweet to sexy), Historical, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and anything that falls under the Lyrical Lines: Entice, Embrace, Once Upon and especially Hometown Heroes – I have a soft spot for men in uniform.
I look forward to hearing from you. Go on – sweeten my summer! corinnedemaagd@lyricalpress.com
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, Jennifer Lowery, who is sharing their book, Murphy’s Law with us!
Please show Jennifer some real Ranch love!
Before I get to the nosy 5-3-4 part of this interview, tell us a bit about you.
I’m a wife of twenty years to a fabulous man and mother of two teenagers! We live in a small town in Michigan and love it. My son is in college, my daughter in in middle school. I write full time now after quitting my job as a Respiratory Therapist (after 13 years). Yep, it was time to follow my dream and do what I love the most! And I’m so happy I did!
I’m sure your readers are glad you did too!
Okay, I’ll begin with five questions, then follow with three more, and end with four final ones.
My writing area at the moment is a corner of the couch in my living room. What does your writing space look like?
My office is in our bedroom. It’s sectioned off and I have a cubby with a desk and drawers and my own window and bookshelves. It’s awesome. I’m on the third floor so it’s quiet.
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?
Titles, not so much. I’ve been lucky with mine so far, they’ve been fairly easy. But I don’t like coming up with them and I’m the type of person who can’t start a story without a title. Names, I love. They have to be right or the character is wrong.
What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?
Write what you love and from the heart. Don’t worry about genres and word count and where you’re going to fit. Just write your story.
Good advice.
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 with you! It’s constantly changing. I think you have to be flexible, but don’t sell yourself short. Continue to write your story the way you want to write it. That will never change.
Who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?
Oh, there are so many! I would love to meet Cherry Adair, Cindy Gerard, Stephen King, Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, and so many more. They are my a few of my favorite writers and I have so many questions I’d love to ask them.
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? Fall.
Favorite food? Cherry Pie.
Well done! 🙂
Okay, Flash four. Ready?
What are you working on now?
Book #2 in my mercenary series/Onyx Group (sequel to Hard Core).
What are you sharing today?
Blurb:
Tag: Nowhere to go. No place to hide.
Home is the last place Jon Murphy can go. After being held captive in Tazbekistan, he returns to the States only to find he can’t face his mom and sisters with what he did while he was a prisoner, so he retreats to the mountains.
Widow Sara Sheldon has made a lifetime of mistakes and is now running scared from her husband’s powerful family, who are determined to take her daughter away from her. When her little girl goes missing in the Rockies, Sara enlists the only help she can find: a gruff recluse with tracking skills to admire and a body to covet.
A storm strands Sara and her daughter at Murphy’s cabin, leaving her no choice but to hope her in-laws don’t catch up while she plans where to run next. Murphy resents the invasion of his privacy, but can’t seem to keep his mind–or his hands–off Sara. How can she stand to look at him, with all his scars? He’s not nearly as honorable as she might think…only enough to make sure she’s safe, and then he’ll go back to being alone, the way he should be.
CONTENT WARNING: Sexual content
A Lyrical Press Contemporary Romance
Excerpt:
Murphy sat at the kitchen table, half in the shadows created by the soft light glowing above the stove, hair tousled from sleep. Naked to the waist. A bottle of amber liquid sat in front of him, an empty glass in his hand. Her gaze landed on his muscled shoulders and trailed across his tanned chest. So much for getting him out of her mind. Now she had the real thing to dream about. Looking at the dark hairs that veed down his chest and disappeared behind the table, she decided he’d been right. He was a dangerous man.
She tore her gaze away from temptation and looked at the granite lines of his face. Beneath the hardness of his expression, something haunting lingered. Drawn, she circled the table to the opposite end.
Murphy met her eyes with coldness that should have sent her running for the safety of her room, but she remained standing in place. He wanted to chase her away. This time she wasn’t running.
“Mind if I join you?” She grabbed a glass and from the cupboard and reached over his shoulder for the bottle.
His hand snaked out and wrapped around hers, preventing her from pouring a drink.
“I mind,” he growled.
“Well, get over it. I need a drink.”
Scowling, he let go of her hand and allowed her to pour a glass for herself. She refilled his glass next, set the bottle on the table, moved to the chair beside him and sat, lifting her glass.
“Cheers.” She brought the glass to her lips. His gaze as she drained the glass made her fight the urge to cough as the fiery liquid burned its way down her throat. Seconds later she felt the familiar warming sensation as it numbed her insides. Her eyes filled with tears. She blinked them away and reached for the bottle.
Murphy held it away from her. “What are you doing?”
“Having a drink. I’m not in the mood for warm milk tonight.”
His eyes darkened and narrowed. “You don’t strike me as the drinking type.”
She wasn’t, but tonight it sounded good. Maybe it would soothe away her problems and make her forget how screwed-up her life was. Talking about Kent earlier had brought back painful memories. She didn’t want to feel that misery anymore.
“Maybe you don’t know my type,” she said.
He studied her closely for a moment before rubbing a hand over his face. “Go back to bed, Sara. Sleep it off.”
“I don’t want to sleep it off. I’m tired of thinking about it.”
Maybe it was the whisky, or his naked chest, or the part of her that had been dormant for six years coming back to life. More than anything she wanted to discover it with Murphy, her strong, scarred hero.
She rose to her feet. He watched warily as she stepped in front of him and positioned herself between him and the table. He leaned back in his chair and sent her a thunderous look.
“You and I are alike in many ways, Murphy,” she said softly. “We’ve both lost pieces of ourselves we can’t ever get back and it has forced us into a life of loneliness and solitude. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being alone.”
He pinned her with a hard glare. “I’m not what you want. Go back to your room before I do something we’ll both regret in the morning.”
His harshly spoken words sent little electrical shocks through her body.
“I’m tired of people telling me what I want.”
Copyright 2013, Jennifer Lowery
All rights reserved, Lyrical Press, Inc.
***
Where can we find you and your books?
Buy Murphy’s Law:
Where will you be next?
Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer. Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side.
Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers. She loves everything there is about romance. Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines. She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love.
Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
Find Jennifer:
Author Website Facebook Twitter Romance Recipes
Thank you so much for playing along Jennifer! Wishing you much luck with your book and writing. I hope you’ll come visit again one day.
Dodadagohvi~
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.
But before we get started today I wanted to announce that as of April 20th the Ranch is now a .com site! That’s right, I finally purchased my domain name so if you noticed the ‘wordpress’ part missing in my URL, only http://calisarhose.com, that’s why!! Now back to business.
I’m thrilled to welcome my wonderfully talented guest today. Lyndi Alexander is sharing her book, A Small Degree of Hope, with us!
Lyndi also just happens to be a new Lyrical sister.
Please show Lyndi some real Ranch love!
Before I get to the nosy 5-3-4 part of this interview, tell us a bit about you.
I’m so pleased to be here! In my day job, I’m a family law attorney (not nearly as glamorous as it looks on TV), and at night I’m a wife, and a mother to two children on the autism spectrum and a Japanese exchange student. I’ve lived all around the country, in Montana, in tropical Florida and now in Pennsylvania. I wrote my first novel at age 14, worked as a journalist for several years before law school, and finally, I’ve been fortunate enough to have nine of my novels published.
You sound like a very busy, hands-on mom. It’s great you work in time to write though! Okay, I’ll begin with five questions, then follow with three more, and end with four final ones.
My writing area at the moment is a corner of the couch in my living room. What does your writing space look like?
Because my kids required therapy/services for their younger years, I’ve had my law office in the house for the benefit of the therapists. I write there at the same desk, wishing I could let the phone go to voicemail sometimes, but I just can’t! It’s like an obsession. If the phone rings I’m compelled to answer.
So writing is sometimes a hit-and-miss session. After several of my novels were published, though, I got the idea to have the covers made into posters, like movie promos. They’re all framed up on the wall next to the desk, so they provoke me to keep on writing. Or else.
I. LOVE. These! How awesome! It’s something I do, but on a smaller scale. *thinking I need to go BIGGER!*
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?
Character names are a breeze for me. I love looking through baby name books, discovering names just a little off the beaten path, especially in the foreign derivations.
Titles, though, I have a harder time with. I usually search through quotations to see if I can find something that fits. The title for this book I found there. But I try not to get too attached to titles, because almost always I get the request from an editor for something different anyway.
What advice would you offer aspiring and new writers?
Persist.
No, really, that’s it.
Like I said, I wrote my first novel when I was 14, and I got a contract for my first published novel when I was 53. I wrote all through that time, for a newspaper, for the law school paper, as a blogger, wrote tv reviews for an online company, published short stories and submitted every chance I got. At the same time, I took writing classes every year, at conferences or online, continuing to build my repertoire of writing skills. Since 2009, I’ve received 18 contracts for novels. Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on.
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?
Continuing to produce work, no matter what’s shifting in the industry. The question of who’s going to publish it may constantly be up in the air, and it may be that, like many of the pros now, after a writer builds a following he or she can begin to self-publish and actually make a living at this. I’m thinking of authors like C.J. Lyons, who’s been on the bestseller lists for both her traditionally published and self published books. The other thing I believe is that authors should appreciate the readers, and interact with them in a positive way. Without our audience, we couldn’t share our stories.
That’s very good and true advice, Lyndi. Something I’m sure a lot of writers learned early on, and new writers will too. With that said, who would you like to meet in the publishing industry- dead or alive- and why?
I’d love to have met Anne McCaffrey, who wrote such wonderful science fiction/fantasy with strong women characters. We shared a birthday—April 1– which is a whole category of wacky in itself. But she really had a gift for drawing characters, and I would love to have learned from her about it.
How cool to share a birthday with someone you look up to!
It’s time for 3 in 1! I’ll ask the questions and you answer them in one word. 😆
Favorite animal? Giraffe
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter? Spring!
Favorite food? So hard! Um… veal marsala?
Giraffes and veal…interesting! Well done! 🙂
Okay, Flash four. Ready?
What are you working on now?
I’ve got several books in various stages of production, so I’m going back and forth between making a first draft, editing the final copy, and doing promotion. Some days my head spins a bit. 🙂
My head spins most days! 😆 What are you sharing today?
A SMALL DEGREE OF HOPE is science fiction romance, coming out June 3 from Lyrical Press.
Here’s the story: Against her wealthy father’s demands, and the usual blockades of a male dominated profession, Kylie Sanderson proves worthy of her position as lead investigator of planet Andan’s Scientific and Investigative Research Taskforce. Someone is killing Andan’s women in an attempt to mutate them into reptiles. Kylie makes it her mission to discover who’s behind the murders and prevent more grotesque deaths.
Shapeshifting lizard Griff comes to Andan to stop his brethren from mutating other planets’ women into mindless breeding stock. Overcoming Kylie’s suspicious and defensive nature proves difficult, but he must in order to help the SIRT team thwart his planet’s scientists.
When Kylie is abducted and becomes the first human to survive the transformation, it’s up to Griff to rescue her so SIRT can restore her human form. On the run and desperate to unravel the mysteries of Kylie’s past to solve the crimes of their present, can she and Griff forge a future for themselves?
This excerpt is after the first full day Kylie spends autopsying a mutated woman, and she’s spending it in a cop bar, letting the alcohol and atmosphere erase some of the memories for her:
As Kylie took another drink, she noticed a man at a table near the door stared at her, dissecting her in a way that felt not like he was undressing her, but more like he looked past her skin, into her psyche, or perhaps her soul. Kylie stared back, putting a forbidding expression on her face. Usually, that was enough to scare off a would-be masher. But it didn’t seem to faze this one.
The man’s persistence triggered a defensive response, and she lost interest in the alcohol. She left half a dozen plat coins on the counter, enough to cover her tab and something for Lin, and then headed for the door.
As she approached the man’s table, he stood up. “Please join me,” he said.
“No, thanks, I’m on my way out.”
“Please,” he said firmly. She stopped to look at him. That glance froze her steps. His eyes were the exact yellow tone of the dead woman’s. Exact.
She surveyed the room, but no one seemed to be paying attention. One gesture from her would have garnered assistance, but those eyes compelled her to wait. “Why should I?”
His voice softened. “I have information that could be of use to you.”
“Then perhaps you should come to the Cendiary. That’s where SIRT’s camped while this investigation is going on.” Her mind clicked along frantically trying to reject the half bottle of alcohol she’d consumed. There was something about this man, something about him. His eyes, but more than that. Taller than most men, and broad-shouldered. Hair, perfectly combed, his skin, without a blemish. Not even the hint of an old scar. Clothing, unremarkable. Hands, not quite perfectly proportioned, his fingers a little long, the nails even but lengthy for a man.
“No. I need to talk to you now.” His gaze continued to dance with hers.
She blinked and looked away. “This isn’t a good time, friend.”
He cocked his head, a, thin eyebrow raised. “You consider me your friend?”
His hesitation made her miss a beat, too. “No, I don’t consider you my friend.” She frowned. “Come to the Cendiary in the morning.” She turned to go, but her wrist was suddenly caught in an iron grip.
Tugging on her captured hand, she looked over her shoulder. He held no apology in his eyes, and his expression was grim. He nodded to the empty chair beside his. “I need to talk with you, Investigator Kylie Sanderson. Please hear what I have to say before any more females are damaged or killed.”
* * *
Where can we find you and your books?
http://lyndialexander.wordpress.com/a-small-degree-of-hope-coming-soon/ is the page for this specific book, and we’ll have more detailed information next month, but my other science fiction and fantasy books, many of which have romantic storylines as well, are also listed there.
Where will you be next?
I’m currently teaching a local fiction-writing class, but in July, I’ll be teaching a fiction seminar at the Ligonier Valley Writers Conference in southwestern Pennsylvania (http://www.lvwonline.org/lvwCon2013.html).
Thanks so much for having me, Calisa. The Ranch is certainly beautiful this time of year.
Thanks for the kind words about my ranch. It’s about time for some spring décor. Don’t you agree? I thought the blue diamond theme suited April, but it is awfully busy so I hope you like the new background in honor of the Ranch’s new status. 😀
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
As a bonus for your readers, I’ll give away an ARC of my fantasy novel THE ELF QUEEN to one lucky commenter. We’ll choose from those who answer this question:
Do you believe that true love can overcome any obstacle, even if your potential match is of a different faith, race, or in this case, alien species?
That’s a great question you ask. I think I’ll sit back and see what others say. A free book? Who doesn’t love that?!
Thank you so much for playing along, Lyndi! Wishing you much luck with your book and writing. I hope you’ll come visit again one day.
Dodadagohvi~
Apr 12
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