Meet Grayson Montgomery from There Came You by Marianne Rice

Marianne Rice would like to introduce you to architect and heir to the Buchanan Fashion empire Grayson Montgomery, from her new book Then Came You:

1.    What is your greatest fear?

That I won’t be able to find my true self. I’ve lived so long being the person others wanted me to be. I’m working hard to step out from the pressure of my family and discover myself, my desires, my new goals.

2.    What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I wish I could stand up to my grandmother. She’s the matriarch of our family and for my entire life I’ve watched her employees and my parents bow to her. I’ve watched her mentally and emotionally abuse my mother and have become the emotionless robot she wanted me to be. It never bothered me before, or maybe I never noticed before…Thyme.

3.    What is your greatest extravagance?

*smirks* My private jet. It was only used for business until I met Thyme.

4.    What is your current state of mind?

Ha! My mind was career focused until I met Thyme and Maddie. Now I can’t think straight and find myself smiling and laughing when I should be crunching numbers or designing my next building.

5.    What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I wish I was more comfortable in my skin. Being wealthy never used to be a fault. Until I met Thyme. I never used to smile much but can’t help myself these days. It’s a big improvement. I’m sure Thyme will tell you the same.

6.    When and where were you happiest?

*A smile as big as his jet plane lights up his face* When I’m with Thyme and my newly discovered daughter, Maddie.

Pick up your copy today!

Amazon

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Amazon AU

Marianne Rice writes contemporary romances set in small New England towns. When she’s not writing, Marianne spends her time buying shoes, eating chocolate, chauffeuring her herd of children to their varying sporting events, and when there’s time, relaxing with fancy drinks and romance books. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on her website at www.mariannerice.com

Remember, if you enjoy a book leave the author a review. Even if it's just the words, I enjoyed this book. Other readers want to know and so does the author.

Happy Reading!

Those Who Wander by Shalaena Medford

Shalaena Medford is an American author. She enjoys candlelit writing sessions and long walks on the line between sanity and madness.

She also has a collection of short stories and poetry available: In the Forests of the Night.

You can also follow her on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShalaenaMedfordAuthor/

Wordpress: https://shalaenamedfordauthor.wordpress.com

Tumblr: http://shalaena.tumblr.com

Instagram: @shalaenamedford

Twitter: @shalaena

Tsingsei “Song” Gould has always led a privileged life, never wanting for anything—except the freedom to be whomever she desires. Song has a secret, one that could bring shame to her family. One night when it is discovered she flees with a young street urchin who claims to know the location of a legendary treasure. Armed with a map and a stolen zeppelin they set off on the adventure of a lifetime.

For those unfamiliar with steampunk, this might be the book for you. The author described it to me as loosely steampunk. It could be the perfect way for some to check out a new genre without jumping head first into the more elaborate/hard core steampunk material.

Excerpt for Those Who Wander:

When Altain woke the sun was beginning to set in the east, painting the sky with its rosy pastels. He stumbled from the captain’s cabin and walked to the edge of the deck to relieve himself over the side. 

“Must you do that there?” Song demanded.

“Where else am I supposed to do it?” 

A light blush crept into her cheeks. “I’ve been using a bucket. In fact I think I’ve got a splinter.”

Altain whistled low. “I bet you’re missing that fine porcelain you’re used to. And I bet you had to dump it yourself and everything.”

Song glared at him. “I’m sorry you find my comfortable life so offensive.”

“Your life was more than comfortable, love.”

“Would you stop calling me love!”

“Doll? Darling? Miss? Oh, how about ‘your highness’?” Altain bowed low before taking the wheel and pushing Song with his shoulder. 

“You’re the most unbearable thing in the morning, you know that?”

“At least mine is only in the morning, your highness.” Altain rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to wipe the last of sleep away.

“Stop calling me that. I have a name, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“So use it!” 

Altain thought on that for a moment. “No, I don’t think I will.”

“Why?” She demanded.

“Because your name is ridiculous.” Song gaped at him. “Your name is noise. That’s what it is. It’s like your parents thought you’d have a beautiful voice and so you’d sing things rather than say them. It’s complete rubbish.”

“There is nothing wrong with my name,” Song objected on a whisper. Though when he put it that way she could see how silly it actually was. 

“There is everything wrong with your name. You’ve got a rubbish name.”

Song folded her arms across her body and glared at him. “Fine. Then give me a new name.”

Altain sucked on his teeth as he thought. “Song.”

“Now that’s a rubbish name.”

“Well it was either that or Freedom, but I thought I’d stick with the noise theme your parents had going.” Altain smirked at his own cleverness.

“You’re naming me after the Song of Freedom?” She didn’t know what to think about his choice.

“Well, yeah. You’re free from everything now, including your under-things.” Altain nodded at the little bundle on the deck. “Song just rolls off the tongue, too.”

“Song Gould?” She made a face.

“No. You’re not a Gould anymore, not out here and not with me. You’re just Song now.”

Available at the following retailers today:

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords:  If purchased from Smashwords there is a coupon for $1 off the ebook. The code is QY75A

Kobo
iBooks
Inktera

*Amazon - Available for preorder now. Available for purchase on March 4, 2016


Shalaena is working on book two of this series now and hoping to have it ready in approximately six months. If you follow her on social media, she'll be keeping everyone updated on the release.

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to read this post. Have a great day.

Remember: If you read a good book, please be kind to the author and leave a review.

P.S. It's okay just to say, I liked/loved the book. You don't have to go into detail.

Happy Reading!

Mai Tais and Mayhem by M.S. Spencer

Thanks for having me, Ariana! I’d like to talk about my new romantic suspense/murder mystery Mai Tais and Mayhem.

In it, our heroine Tessa Diamond volunteers at Mote Marine, which is where she meets Cameron Mason and the adventure begins. Cameron has just been hired to help lobby for the Sturgeon Commercial Demonstration Program. He and Tessa visit the aquaculture facility run by Mote for breeding sturgeon, financed by the sale of caviar.

 

She learns that sturgeon in North America date back sixty million years, and in Asia two hundred million years. During that time they have remained relatively unchanged, which is why they’re often called living fossils.  Sturgeon live in lakes and rivers, and can reach 1200 pounds and 12 feet long—the Asian species grow even larger.

She also learns what tiger eyes can do to her.

Mai Tais and Mayhem

I Heart Publishing, 12/7/2015

Contemporary romantic suspense, M/F, 2 flames, Mystery

eBook 68,840 words; print 208 pp.

Blurb:

When Tessa Diamond rescued a baby pufferfish from a hungry gull, her good deed led her into a shady world of smuggling, Russian gangsters, and coded messages, confronting murder, attempted ravishment, parrots, sea turtles and sturgeon, only to encounter blossoming romances at every turn, including one of her own.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Smashwords

AllRomanceEbooks

Barnes and Noble

Excerpt (G): We Meet Cameron

“Excuse me, do you work here?”

Tessa jumped. “What the—”

A man stood next to her. His trim body and broad shoulders encased in a finely-made dark suit hinted at strength. He wore a nametag, but the writing was too small for her to decipher without getting up close and personal with his chest. Once her eyes traveled up to his face, though, she wanted to. Very badly. Talk about hot.

He reminded her of a dream she’d had a few weeks earlier, in which a stranger held her in his arms and crooned a love song. Here in the flesh was her stranger. Dark blond hair feathered with gold, the mysterious tawny eyes of a stalking tiger, gently tanned skin drawn taut over the arched cheekbones, a nose…well, the nose could use some work. It tilted at an odd angle, presumably due to a collision with a blunt instrument sometime in the past. Tessa found it endearing.

“I repeat, do you work here?”

“I…uh…no. I don’t.” She indicated the nametag. “Do you?”

“Technically yes, only not in this building. I’m hoping you can tell me which door I use to get out. I mean, now that the aquarium’s closed.”

“It is? Oh damn.” She checked her watch. Ten minutes after five. “I guess we’d both better leave.”

Together they made a circuit of the doors, finding them all locked. Finally, the door to the gift shop gave to the combined pressure of four hands. Feeling like mischievous children, they crept past the ancient man counting money from the cash register. At the main entrance, her companion grinned at her. “Shall we make a break for it?”

Tessa smiled back and legged it out to the parking lot. She was rooting around in her bag for her keys when he caught up with her. “Hey, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Well, catch your breath first.” She waited, thinking he didn’t seem in very good shape despite his physique. Good. Otherwise he might have been too perfect. She didn’t want any complications in her life right now.

“Sorry,” he puffed. “I guess I haven’t entirely recovered from that bout with pneumonia.”

Damn.

“So, are you going to tell me your name? After all, we’re partners in crime now.”

“Tessa Diamond. And you are?”

“Cameron Mason. At your service.”

“Nice meeting you.” Tessa turned to her car. He cupped her elbow with a big, warm hand.

“Say, Ms. Diamond, can I interest you in a drink?”

“I don’t think...”

“You see, I was supposed to meet with the Lab director at five and he called in sick. Since I live up in Bradenton I really don’t want to schlep all the way back during rush hour. It would be nice to while away some time.” His lips curled in a tentative smile and she knew she’d have to give in. “You’d be doing me a favor. How does Tommy Bahama sound?”

Tessa gazed deep into eyes in which greens and browns intermingled in a steamy rainforest of color. She woke up with a start when he touched her elbow again. “Miss Diamond?”

“Uh, sure. That would be fine.” Can you act any lamer, Tessa? But those eyes…

“My car or yours?”

“Er, why don’t I follow you?” She should at least make an attempt at keeping her distance. Anything to get away from that scent of his, a combination of dark rum and cinnamon. Very…tasty.

“Okay. I’m the tropical blue hybrid over there. The one sporting the I Love Caviar bumper sticker.”

“And I’m…” she stopped.

“The red Porsche. I know.”

Shut up, Tessa.

Contact Links for M.S. Spencer:

Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance

Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/

About.me: http://about.me/msspencerauthor

Tsu.co : http://www.tsu.co/msspencerauthor

Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor

If you read a good book, please be kind to the author and leave a review.

P.S. It's okay just to say, I loved the book. You don't have to go into detail.

Happy Reading!

Blog shared from Writing, Editing, and Books...Oh My!

A SPECIAL DEDICATION

by Cindy McDonald

If you read my bio it says that my life whirled around a song and a dance for twenty-six years. That’s right, I was a professional dancer/choreographer. I loved my dance school, and when I made the decision to retire from dance to write, it was a heart-wrenching decision indeed.

Over those twenty-six years I’d like to think that I touched a lot of young girls lives in a positive nurturing way. I’d like to think that I helped form them into the lovely young women that many of them became: mothers, lawyers, physical therapists, teachers, and the like. When I bump into my former students they throw their arms around me, kiss me on the cheek, and say things like: “Oh, Miss Cindy, I’m so happy to see you! I miss you so much and I miss dance so much. It was the best time of my life.”

The feeling is most mutual. But the very best part of choreographing was the ballets that we performed. I produced many: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird which was my second favorite. But it was Coppelia that was my absolute favorite ballet that my dance school performed.

The year was 2005. I struggled that year to produce my show. We had lost my father very unexpectedly on Valentines Day that year—he simply dropped dead in his chair after breakfast. Needless to say my focus was a little off. I had girls counting on me to put on a great show and I’m not one to let anyone down regardless of the circumstances.

I had chosen Coppelia to be our ballet production that year and I dug in with everything I had to choreograph the ballet. When the costumes arrived in March, they were fantastic! A good friend of mine, John, who directed many of the musicals that I choreographed locally, had agreed to play the role of Dr. Coppelius. John is an older man and he is fabulous with a fun sense of humor—the girls all loved him.

Coppelia was a great success and the ballet holds a special place in my heart as does the entire cast. To the Breaking Pointe is dedicated to that cast—the ballet is featured in the book. As I wrote the story—especially the parts where the ballet is mentioned—I could hear the music. I could see the costumes, and I could see the girls in my mind’s eye dancing about the stage. I could see John with a pair of faux bifocals parked at the edge of his nose, chasing Swan Hilda around the shop as Dr. Coppelius.

I have so many warm memories of my dance school, but this ballet was so very special to me and so is To the Breaking Pointe.

* For more information on To the Breaking Pointe and the other books from the First Force Series, Into the Crossfire, and coming soon, Into the Dark, please visit Cindy’s website, www.cindymcwriter.com  Hey! Join Cindy’s newsletter and get the first chapter of Into the Dark delivered directly to your inbox as a thank you!

Book Two of the First Force Series:

First Force operative, Grant Ketchum, let the ballerina of his dreams dance right out of his life. Silja Ramsay returned to Russia, to become the principal dancer for the Novikov Ballet Company.

Natalia Novikov has a dark secret: her ballet company is broke. Natalia forces her dancers to prostitute themselves to financial contributors at exclusive after-show parties. Silja has been kept in the dark about the parties—until an American financier offers to bail the failing ballet company out. His prerequisite: Silja must become his personal companion and fulfill his every desire. Against her will, Silja is taken to the American's mansion, but before she goes she manages to send a text to the only man who can save her, Grant: HELP!

Now Grant is on a mission to rescue his ballerina from this powerful man's subjugation. If they survive, will he let her chasse out of his life again?  

1-Click your copy today: Amazon 

Excerpt:

Yekaterinburg, Russia:

A crowd had gathered in the reception room in the basement of the Mockba Theatre. The room wasn’t particularly large, yet it was quite elegant with red velvet swags hung in the archways, gilded crown moldings, and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. A bar was set up in one corner while a violinist played softly in another. 

“It is ridiculous! An outrage! Dominik Potrovic should be included in the auction!” Ivan Belsky bit out in Russian. “A choice, that is what the contributors’ should have! We spend a lot of money at these parties!”

Natalia waved at the bartender for a glass of wine. “I have already explained this to you, Ivan. Dominik is in a relationship with our choreographer, Edvar. He is not available for the auctions.”

“Several of the dancers are married! Yet here they are—to be auctioned as the rest. I understand why Silja Ramsay is not present—she is an American, but there is not excuse for Dominik!”

“I do not understand. You always choose from the box filled with the ballerina’s shoes, not the male dancers. So why do you fuss?”

“I enjoy the girls very much. But Dominik—”

“If you are not happy with our selection of dancers, pull your bid and be on your way.”

Red-faced with frustration, Belsky let out a loud harrumph, and then stalked into the party just as Ballard Crafton rounded the corner.

“Where is Silja?” he asked Natalia as he searched through the party guests. The room was filled with men, a few older women, and most of the dancers from the Novikov Ballet Company. Only one dancer in particular was missing...Silja Ramsay.

“As always, there are plenty of lovely ballerinas here to choose from this evening, Ballard. Forget Silja for now. I will keep working to make her come around.

“No. I am tired of spending time with ballerinas that I don’t want. I only fantasize that she is Silja. I want Silja!” Ballard said. 

Remember: If you read a great book, be kind to the author and leave a review. 

Happy reading, everyone!

Originally posted on Writing, Editing & Books...Oh My! 

WHOA! THAT GUY ON MY COVER IS H-H-HOT!

by Cindy McDonald

   The response to the cover of Into the Crossfire has been nothing less than entertaining. Every time I show the book to any woman I get the exact same reaction. First their eyes widen—sometimes I think I’m going to have to pick their eyeballs off the floor for them, then their jaw drops open, they suck in a little air—let it out slowly, and then they all say the same thing: “Oh my God! He is sooo hot!”

   Yep, and that’s when the questions start. “Who is he?”

   They are always amazed when I say that I know who he is and that I have talked with him through Facebook, and made arrangements for the photograph through the same social network. That’s right, I found Stuart Reardon on Facebook. I also found Stuart Tomlinson—who will be featured on the cover of the next First Force book, To the Breaking Pointe, on FB as well.

   See? Social networking can be more than who’s cheating on who!

   Mr. Reardon is a professional rugby player in the UK. Over the past several years he has taken on another career (quite successfully) as a model. He has been featured on many magazine covers. Sorry ladies he’s engaged.

  Anyway, Stuart is always posting his latest modeling photos on his FB page, and when this particular picture came through my feeds I immediately thought it would be perfect for the cover of Into the Crossfire. FB has many photographers who feature male models on their page and I’ve found that they are a great place to shop for original photos to purchase that can’t be replicated on another book cover. Most of the photographers are negotiable on their prices.

   So, is the story within the pages of Into the Crossfire as hot as the cover? I think so. My first book series, Unbridled, has suggestive scenes within its story-lines, but for the First Force Series I have tossed my inhibitions into the wind to write those bedroom scenes that I’ve longed to pen but was too shy while working with my first series. The Unbridled Series will continue to have suggestive material for those who prefer the love scenes to be a little less descriptive, but in the First Force Series I won’t be slamming the bedroom door in the reader’s face. That said the story-lines will carry all the suspense, twists, and turns that I love to write, and characters that you will miss after you’ve finished reading the book, and have you clamoring for the next books: To the Breaking Pointe and Into the Dark—coming very soon!

   For more information on Into the Crossfire, To the Breaking Pointe or Into the Dark/First Force Series and all of Cindy McDonald’s books please visit her website at: www.cindymcwriter.com Hey! Join her newsletter and get the first chapter of Into the Dark delivered directly to your inbox as a thank you!

It had been four years since ex-Navy SEAL, Jack Haliday, had an explosive run-in with a biker gang wounding their leader, Gunner. During those years Jack had acquired everything he ever wanted: a beautiful wife, an adorable daughter, and a lovely home in the suburbs—everything was as perfect as it could get, until Gunner returned to twist Jack’s world inside-out with a vengeance that he could never have prepared for. Critically injured, he found himself surrounded in the security of First Force International and in the care of their head medic, Dr. Rayne Lee, a beautiful and compassionate woman who knows firsthand the sharp slice of loss and grief.

Now Jack has a score to settle and he’s got some new friends to help him, but in the end, can Rayne help to ease his grief and encourage him to start a new life with team First Force? 

1-Click your copy today: Amazon

Excerpt:

   Closing her eyes, Rayne took in a braced breath. “My name is Rayne. And I know all about the nightmares where the ones that you love are murdered in front of your eyes and you are powerless to stop it.” Her voice fell away.

   Jack’s head snapped toward her.

   She busied herself cleaning up the implements that she had used to suture him while she spoke. “My husband and I were on a medical mission in Peru three years ago. The Peruvian government had taken down a guerrilla group known as the Glory Road near the Amazonian Valley. They had killed or arrested approximately one-hundred members of the group. Matt and I were part of a small medical unit that went in to care for the women that had been held as sex slaves. They were in terrible condition, dehydrated, starved, and beaten. Anyway, Matt, me, and my four-year-old daughter, Sierra, were housed in one of the tiny shacks in a camp. One night, the camp was attacked by the guerrillas they hadn’t captured. It was a slaughter.” Rayne’s voice hiccuped. She needed to catch her breath. She sank onto the edge of the bed.

   Jack watched her intently while she fought to muster composure.

   Finally, she continued, “They killed my husband and my daughter, but for some reason they spared me and several of the women who had been rescued. I wished that they hadn’t. I was their prisoner for seven horrible months. I prayed for death every night. Uncle Walt and his team rescued me. It’s been a long road back to becoming a functioning human being.” Hesitating, she wrung her hands together. She found the courage to look him in the eye. “So you see, Jack, I have a complete understanding of what you’re going through.”

Tomorrow Cindy shares book two,To The Breaking Pointe, with us.

  

Remember: If you read a great book, be kind to the author and leave a review. 

Happy reading, everyone!

Originally posted on the blog: Writing, Editing & Books...Oh My!

Let Me Introduce You to the Wonderful Cindy McDonald...

Cindy McDonald

For twenty-six years Cindy’s life whirled around a song and a dance. She was a professional dancer/choreographer for most of her adult life and never gave much thought to a writing career until 2005. She often notes: Don’t ask me what happened, but suddenly I felt drawn to my computer to write about things that I have experienced with my husband’s Thoroughbreds and happenings at the racetrack—she muses: they are greatly exaggerated upon of course—I’ve never been murdered. Viola! Cindy’s first book series, Unbridled, was born. Currently there are five books in the series.

Cindy is a huge fan of romantic suspense series’, especially with a military ops theme. Although she isn’t one to make New Year’s resolutions, on New Year’s Day 2013 she made a commitment to write one. There are two books in her black ops series, First Force, at this time: Into the Crossfire and To the Breaking Pointe.

People are always asking Cindy: Do you miss dance? With a bittersweet smile on her lips she tells them: Sometimes I do. I miss my students. I miss choreographing musicals, but I love writing my books, and I love sharing them with my readers.

Connect with Cindy:

www.cindymcwriter.com

Twitter

Facebook

Stay tuned for more from Cindy and excerpts from her great First Force books Into the Crossfire and To the Breaking Pointe.

Originally posted on the blog: Writing, Editing & Books...Oh My!

Slow Burn by Sascha Illyvich

Tempting secrets of an angel Seductive mysteries of the beast Derrick, a former spy, has been asked to protect the sultry Sonja, a death metal singer whose magical voice grabs him by the balls and won’t let go. He’ll protect her, all right…with every part of his body tight against hers.

Sonja uses her voice to purge her fans of their darkness, their hate and hopelessness. But evil forces want to use her magic for their own ends. All she wants, at this point, is safety for herself and her band.

When Derrick and Sonja team up, Sonja does her best to resist the lure of safety he represents, until a radical league that wants her dead propels her into his arms. Will his help be enough? Or will she lose her heart to him, only to be killed in the process of saving the world?

Pick up your copy at Amazon today!

You can read more about the author and his other books here.

If you love Sascha Illyvich’s work and would like to see what else the author has to offer, check out his Patreon page.

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading!