Category Archives: Blog Tours
New Release News: Skydreamer by Sheryl Winters (@WintersSheryl) #fantasy #romance #dragons #twins
Welcome to my stop on the Skydreamer blog tour. Always happy to have visitors, especially when I’ve got good news to share. I’ve managed to snag the first of a series of EXCLUSIVE excerpts from Ms. Winters’ just released New Adult Fantasy Romance, SKYDREAMER.
Before I get to the teaser, let me give you all the details about the novel, which released yesterday.
Title: Skydreamer
Author: Sheryl Winters
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: March 30, 2015
Keywords: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Dragons, Twins
Blurb: For fire talent, Jaden Zarie, life is far from a fairy tale. Blisters from any contact with water, check. Sleeping in a shed behind your greedy Uncle’s house, check. Ex-boyfriend scouting the bar where you work for one-night stands every night, double check.
When Jaden sets off to secure a new life with her two sisters, winning a contest with a huge pile of gold on the line seems like a quick fix. Getting hitched to Draven Winterbourne, King of the Dragon-changers, and finding true love, was beyond anything she could have hoped for.
But a friend turned enemy threatens to take it all away. Jaden is thrust into an alternate universe and separated from her new husband and her sisters, she must summon up the courage to start over, alone, knowing she may never see any of them again.
Now, without further ado, here is your exclusive excerpt from SKYDREAMER…
Excerpt:
“…The Contest is open to all women between the ages of twenty-one and thirty. Contestants are required to bring their own reagents. The use of Alchemy is strictly prohibited. Chance of winning twelve hundred gold per round is one in…”
Voices press in on me from every side. The week of constant traveling has done me in. All I want to do is hide in the vego and sleep. I don’t even care if we have enough for dinner tonight. I feel trapped by the chattering voices of the crowd mashed up with the officials on the Dais.
“I heard the King’s mother set up this contest herself. Talk about the ultimate mama’s boy. He has to be uglier than a troll if his mother has to marry him off this way,” someone suggested.
“… high possibility of death,” came a skeptical voice, “but with twelve hundred gold per round, everyone should enter.”
“Which one is Draven?” a shrill voice demands.
“Are you blind?” Came the reply. “He’s the one good looking one with the light brown hair. The one standing next to King Evrid.”
“You said he was ugly!”
It doesn’t matter who this Draven is. We are only here for Adania. If we win, every silver goes to her schooling. She’ll have a roof over her head and decent clothes. Nothing else matters.
My fingers sink back into the dark blue Legal Sphere I received earlier. The tiny ball settles into my palms with only a light sizzle and its message sounds inside my head.
All contestants will enter into an exclusive competition. The winner will win a one-year marriage with Draven Winterbourn, King of the Dragon-Changers. Iyardar Stone to choose the winner. In the event Draven Winterbourn does not agree with the Iyardar Stone, he has the right to veto said contestant and select one of his choosing from the remaining contestants. As stipulated, marriage duration will be one year, unless both parties—
“Is the Iyardar Stone a diamond, or a ruby?” I whisper to Isla. “And how does it choose a winner if it’s a rock?”
* * * *
Here’s where you can get your copy of SKYDREAMER (available in both Print and eBook formats)
BUY LINKS
About Sheryl Winters:
I never set out to be an author. Only a story teller. Some days I succeed better than others.
Ms. Winters Links:
Website: http://sherylwinters.weebly.com/
Blog: http://sherylwinters.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheryl-Winters/684816784908158
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WintersSheryl
Spooktacular Seductions Blog Tour: An Excerpt from Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa #Romance #Paranormal #Halloween
Hey, everyone! It’s me again. I said I would try to be a good girl and post more often, and LOOK!! Here I am again. Go me!
Enough about me… Today I have a nice little treat for you all — a lovely teaser excerpt from Roane Publishing’s most recent anthology release, SPOOKTACULAR SEDUCTIONS. The anthology features stories from eight authors, and today I get to share Anne Higa’s story, Do you Believe in Ghosts. But, we’ll get to that in just a minute. We must start at the beginning, yes?
Here are all the juicy tidbits on the anthology…
Spooktacular Seductions
A Halloween Anthology
Author: Various Authors
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Keywords: Paranormal, Romance, Ghosts, Witches, Hags, Cemetary, Short Stories
Blurb: Falling in love can be terrifying.
Eight tales of spooky romance brought to you just in time for Halloween.
- Bewitching Gypsy by Linda Carroll-Bradd
- Garden of Souls by Michelle Ziegler
- If This Be Madness by Echo Shea
- Encantado by Havva Murat
- Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa
- Ghost of a Chance by Lily Carlyle
- Where Angels Tread by Christy Thomas
- Spooky Hollow Café by Lisa A. Adams
Now, that you know a bit more about the anthology, let’s take a peek into one of the fantastic sounding stories, Do You Believe in Ghosts by Anne Higa.
Do You Believe in Ghosts? – Anne Higa
Blurb: Jeff Austin-LeGrange has been fleeing from the remnants of his dark and haunted childhood his entire life. The past always catches up to us, and his is no exception.
Alice Hopkins, Jeff’s high school sweetheart, has tried to forget him and tried to move on. You never forget your first love.
When Jeff’s mother dies and Alice’s father falls ill, the two are forced to confront their mutual history and their deepest desires. One thing is sure: neither of their lives will ever be the same again. Perhaps, the past can be overcome. Perhaps, it is not too late to believe in miracles. Perhaps, more than one couple will be reunited this Fall.
Who can say? With a little magic, anything is possible.
Excerpt:
The Whitecourt Diner had a row of tables against the windows overlooking the park across the street. He scanned the string of seats, searching for the perfect evening view, and suddenly there she was, seated alone at one of the tables. She sipped a mug of coffee, maybe tea, her eyes focused out the window.
A glimmer of pleasure tingled across the back of his neck.
Alice looked at him and a warm smile lit her face.
The years had been kind to her. She still had the same dark hair, like the ocean at night, and her firm body sat upright in the chair. He could still remember the sweetness of having her in his arms. They had been one another’s first time, and he had never forgotten her, never really gotten over her.
* * * *
At first, Alice thought she might dreaming. Everyone knew Jeff had left town, and she knew better than most. He still looked good, was still the man she had once loved. There were a few more lines around his mouth, and he wore business casual as opposed to t-shirt and jeans she was used to, but otherwise it was definitely him. The starched white shirt and dark blue slacks gave him a neat and professional appearance.
He had gone to Columbia University, while she went to Penn State. After that, they had slowly drifted apart. She graduated with her Art History degree, and he earned his CPA. That was the last she heard of him.
His eyes met hers with a flicker of recognition, and she smiled uncertainly as he walked over to her. “Jeff? I didn’t know you were back in town.”
“Alice.”
For a brief awkward moment they gaped at each other, and Alice wasn’t sure if they should shake hands, or just nod politely.
The anthology is available NOW, so swing by any of the below retailers to pick up your copy. Paperback and eBook versions are both available.
BUY LINKS:
Print or Digital Edition
Print
Createspace
Amazon
Digital Edition
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
Bookstrand
Author Bio: Anne has been writing fantasy fiction since she was ten years old.
Currently, she lives in Harrisburg, PA where she works from home as a ghostwriter and occasional haunter of neighbor’s houses. She has three cats, and a lot of dreams.
Anne’s Links:
Website/Blog: http://annehiga.wordpress.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8293030.Anne_Higa
Amazon Author Profile: http://www.amazon.com/Anne-Higa/e/B00MD5HEZY
Purr-fect Mating Blog Tour: A Visit from Author, Sheryl Winters (@WintersSheryl) #PNR #Shifters #Romance
As always, welcome back to the blog. I am always so happy to have you stop by. Today, I have a special treat for you all… a short visit by the author of Roane Publishing’s latest release, Sheryl Winters.
She has stopped by to answer a question I had for her about her Lil’ Genie series, the first of which is Purr-fect Mating, a Contemporary Paranormal Romance featuring shifters.
Mmmm…shifters.
Before I get to my question, let’s have a closer look at the first story, Purr-fect Mating.
Title: Purr-fect Mating
(A Lil Genie Series Novella)
Author: Sheryl Winters
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: June 23, 2014
Keywords: Paranormal, Romance, Shifters
Blurb: Fhina and Wulfar have a little problem.
On their wedding night, at the stroke of midnight, Wulfar changes into his shifted wolf form and cannot shift back. Not even to communicate with the woman he loves.
Fhina, upon waking the day after their mating, no longer recognizes her mate. Pregnant and confused, she’s convinced herself her mate has run away and left her to live alone. With his dog.
Can the cursed pair find a counter charm before Fhina gives birth? Will Wulfar be able to curb his inclination to run?
Or will their mutual curses break up their love affair before it’s really even started.
Buy Links:
Roane Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
Bookstrand
Smashwords
Barnes and Noble
Google Play Books
Now that you have all the juicy details, lets get to the question I had for Ms. Winters.
What does the Lil’ Genie series have in store for its readers? What sorts of cats can you let out of the proverbial bag for us?
Sheryl: I am currently writing a short story about Fhina’s cousin, Tessa. While I can’t comment on the plot, I can tell you the earrings Fhina kitty-napped will come back to haunt her. This time it will affect not only Fhina, but Tessa and her bakery as well.
Nice! Looking forward to checking that one out. A huge thanks to you for stopping by for a visit.
If you are interested in learning more about Sheryl Winters or her writing, you can stop by and visit with her at the links listed below her BIO.
About the Author: I never set out to be an author. Only a story teller. Some days I succeed better than others.
Links:
Portals Blog Tour: Top Two Fantasy Movies #Fantasy #NewRelease
Welcome back to the blog.
Today, I have a treat for you all. In getting ready for the Portals tour, the authors and I talked about our favorite fantasy movies and compared notes. Today, I get to share their favorites with you all.
Before I get to their responses, think for a minute about what two fantasy movies you would pick if you have to choose only two favorites.
I’ll share mine once we hear from the amazing Portals authors and I’ve had a chance to share their new release with you all.
Here is what the Portals authors had to say:
Michael Siciliano:
1. The Princess Bride
Vizzini: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders—the most famous of which is, “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”—but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line”!
2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Minstrel: And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, ‘O Lord, bless this thy hand grenade, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.’ And the Lord did grin. And the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths, and carp and anchovies, and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit-bats and large chu…
Maynard: Skip a bit, brother…
Minstrel: And the Lord spake, saying, First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out! Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.
Havva Murat:
Pan’s Labyrinth and Stardust
Echo Shea:
“Green Mile” and “From Dusk till Dawn”
Anna Simpson:
Willow (1988) – The only character I saw was Val Kilmer. I had to watch it a few more times before I noticed all the magic, brownies the size of Barbie dolls, a two headed dragon, and a crazy crew of heroes that had no chance of success. Then and now, they are the only kind of heroes worth watching; all facing enormous odds for sake of a child’s life.
DragonHeart (1996) – Sean Connery’s voice did more than a voice-over in this film. I’ve never seen betrayal played better than when David Thewlis. Oh, how I hated him as he broke free from the goodie goodie prince role and became king. What brought them together and what kept them a part made for an outstanding story that still makes me look to the sky with a quivering chin. I do believe in dragons and always will.
Christy Thomas:
My number one Fantasy movie is definitely John Carpenter’s ‘They Live’. Aliens are frightening, but the idea that they could so easily control the world is creepy.
Another favorite is Matrix. Neo had been given the ultimate choice, to see the truth, or remain in the illusion. I would hope I would be courageous enough to take the red pill, but I think there are many people that would be happy to take the blue one because it’s easy to ignore the truth, especially when it’s hard to swallow. (Pun intended)
Laurie Treacy:
Lord of the Rings series and Labyrinth.
* * * *
There are a few listed above I hadn’t even thought of until this came up — two of which I consider on my tops lists… The Princess Bride and Labyrinth
My top two picks (before checking out the others) are:
THE NEVERENDING STORY and THE DARK CRYSTAL — Yes, I did (and still do) have a slight obsession with Muppets and muppet type creatures 🙂
Would love to hear some of your favorites… do you have some that aren’t on the list?
* * * *
Now that you have a bit of an idea of the authors’ taste in fantasy flicks, as well as my own, let’s take a closer look at their new release, PORTALS.
Genre: Fantasy Anthology (mixed sub genres)
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: June 5, 2014
Keywords: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Short Stories, Picture Prompt
Description: No matter what world you call home, or what your station in life, there are just some paths that weren’t meant to be tread.
Maronda’s Quest by Christy Thomas
Mexmur, the Huntress by Anna Simpson
Entrance of Lost Souls by Echo Shea
Where Once were Hearts by Havva Murat
Ordinary World by Laurie Treacy
The Lunatic Queen by Michael Siciliano
BUY LINKS:
ROANE PUBLISHING (Print or Digital)
PRINT
Createspace
Amazon
Digital
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
Bookstrand
Group Giveaway:
$10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Portals
Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/fe3b508/
Or you can click here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Unholy Matrimony #Blog Tour and #Giveaway – Plus an exclusive #excerpt!
Welcome to my stop on the Unholy Matrimony Blog Tour. 🙂
I’ll be sharing a short excerpt from the story with you, as soon as I give you all the details on Sonny Zae’s latest release.
Unholy Matrimony
The Adventures of Sonny the Scoundrel
by Sonny Zae
Genre: Fantasy Adventure/Romance; Humor
Keywords: Fantasy, Romantic Comedy, Adventure, Fairy Tale
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Description: Sonny is so handsome, he doesn’t need magic to get what he wants, except when he gets into trouble. And, he’ll do anything for love or money, except work. So, the thought of marriage represents the worst of all possible worlds, a danger he avoids at all costs.
His plans for getting rich the easy way—by stealing—go awry when he meets Ariella. She is not only lovely to look at, but just may be as slippery and greedy as he. Better still, she becomes highly stimulated at the prospect of helping him hijack a treasure.
But, in addition to helping him steal “goald”, the cunning Ariella might just steal his scoundrel heart.
Buy Links:
Roane Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Smashwords
Bookstrand
Excerpt (#4)
“Why do you hate me?” I gasped.
“Hate you? Why, Sonny, dear, what makes you think I have anything in my heart for you except love—lust and love?” She leaned over my bare back and traced a fingernail up and over the curve of my rump, with her nail slicing open my skin, stretched tight as it was by the knotting of my leg muscles. “Is this not what you secretly desired? I shall hurt you in the most delicious ways, cause you to ache and throb all over, then give you the release you so fervently desire. Your cries of pleasure shall rip the very leaves off the trees, leaving a vast circle of barren branches around us, as if autumn had arrived very, very early.”
“Oh, yes, go on,” I urged, having difficulty in getting out the words. “Defoliate me!”
But Ariella paused, with one hand squeezing my right butt cheek like a great owl seizing a plump woodchuck, with only the tips of her sleek talons piercing my tender flesh. “What could I have done to give you even the slightest thought that I might dislike you?”
“What do you mean?” I hissed through clenched teeth, a string of drool stretching from my lips to the ground. “You drugged me and had me thrown into the stocks! You slipped enough potion into my ale to kill a wild stallion.”
“You have it wrong,” Ariella declared. “The only thing I added to your ale was a handful of crushed ever-ready leaf. It gives a man extraordinary … potency.” She gave me another squeeze as she talked, admiring the effect of the medicine. “I have long known of its power.”
“Do you have any more?”
“More?” She snorted in amusement. “I have a whole garden of ever-ready leaf.”
* * *
To help celebrate the release and blog tour, Roane Publishing is offering a giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card and and e-Copy of Unholy Matrimony. To enter for your chance to win, click the link below.
Love’s Sorrow Blog Tour and Exclusive Excerpt! Oh, and a #giveaway. #HistoricalRomance #NewRelease #MeansofMercy @TerriRochenski
Welcome to my stop on the Love’s Sorrow blog tour. Always glad to have visitors. *grins* Today, not only do I have an exclusive excerpt for you from the first chapter of Love’s Sorrow, I also have a great giveaway to tell you about when I’m done, so make sure to stay tuned for that.
For the moment, let’s get you acquainted with the first story in Terri Rochenski’s historical romance “Means of Mercy” series.
Title: Love’s Sorrow (Means of Mercy #1)
Author: Terri Rochenski
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: April 21, 2014
Keywords: Sweet, Historical Romance
Blurb: Hired as a nanny for her cousin’s children, Anne Tearle finds security and a loving family. The children are a dream, but London society is a world of its own, one where a displaced farm girl has no business being. But, wealthy rake, Gavin MacKay, helps her to see associating with the upper class might not be as horrid as she first assumed.
Like all things worthwhile, love comes at a price, and the cost soon bestows more anguish than joy. Lost, but not undone, Anne must find the courage to begin life anew, or succumb to sorrow’s unrelenting waves of grief.
BUY LINKS
Print
Roane Publishing | Createspace | Amazon
eBook
Roane Publishing | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Kobo | Bookstrand | Smashwords
Apple (iTunes/iBooks)
Now, I believe I promise you all an excerpt. I think I’ve teased you long enough.
Excerpt #5 – Love’ Sorrow
Joanna poured the steaming liquid into fragile teacups. “So Anne—” she passed me one of the cups “—Uncle Edward told me a little about you, but I would be delighted to hear your story from your own lips, if you don’t mind indulging my curiosity.”
I hesitated before taking a sip of the hot tea. The delicate china felt foreign in my ungainly and hardened grip. “Where shall I begin?”
“Wherever you like.” Joanna sat back in her chair, her smooth, white hands holding the cup and saucer with dainty ease.
“Would you care to know about how I came to live with Uncle?”
She nodded and swallowed a sip of tea. “Yes, please.”
I was thankful the story I began with was not a memory of my own, but one shared with me when I was old enough to understand. Both my parents perished in the fire that destroyed their bakery near Wolverhampton. My mother dropped me from the first floor window to a man below moments before the burning floor fell from beneath her. It was her brother, Uncle Edward, who caught me.
I accounted for sixteen of the eighteen years I lived on Uncle Edward’s farm in the Black Country—of my small pallet in the loft above the pantry, the kitchen I spent most of my time in, and the various chores expected of me. For love of Uncle, I made sure to keep my degrading thoughts of Aunt Martha to myself.
I described my studies and the tuition I had with Mrs. Littleton for eight years. I finished my story with the arrival of Joanna’s letter which brought so much joy to my life.
Uncle Edward had handed the parchment to me saying his wife didn’t know of the correspondence and instructed me to keep the contents a secret as well. I couldn’t imagine the misery I would have experienced if Aunt Martha hadknown I was leaving for London two weeks later.
She always reminded me I was an unwanted, bloody useless orphan—she should have been happy to see me gone, but I could hoe more rows of potatoes and cabbage in a day than either Mary or her two lazy brothers could in a week. I expected poor Uncle Edward heard a fair share of profanity when his wife woke and found me absent from their home.
“It really is a shame that I am just now making your acquaintance.” Joanna poured herself another cup. “I’m not sure if you knew, but my late father and Aunt Martha had a falling out of sorts while they were still children, and stopped speaking to each other not long after.”
I swallowed a sip of tepid tea. “I hadn’t known.”
“Well, their story is lengthy and sad, but if you’d like to hear it?”
“Please.”
“I’ll see if I can shorten it a bit.” She pursed her lips and frowned before launching into the tale explaining how Aunt Martha obtained such an offensive disposition.
Good, right? I honestly loved this novel and can’t wait for November and the release of the next novel in the series, Love’s revenge *wiggle*
As I mentioned at the top of the post, Terri Rochenski and Roane Publishing are offering a sweet giveaway as part of the blog tour – a signed paperback copy of Love’s Sorrow, a swag pack, and a $10 Amazon gift card. Since this is a WordPress blog, I can’t host the rafflecopter code here, so instead, I’ve provided a link to the giveaway below.
Love’s Sorrow Rafflecopter Giveaway
Bio: Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with storytelling.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her three young children allow. When not playing toys, picking them back up, or kissing boo-boos, she can be found sprawled on the couch with a book or pencil in hand, and toothpicks propping her eyelids open.
Ms. Rochenski’s Links:
Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Happy Book Birthday to For the Love of Murphy (and me :P) #Romance #NewRelease #Sweet
Yes!! It’s finally release day for the sweet romance anthology, FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY, and the debut of my tale, A Slippery Slope.
So excited to be sharing space with some fantastic authors for this one. Let me share the details, and you will see why…
FOR THE LOVE OF MURPHY
A Sweet Romance Anthology
Author: Lisa A. Adams, Michelle Ziegler, Annabelle Blume, Rebecca Hart, London Saint James
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: TODAY!!
Description:They say love conquers all, but whoever “they” are, must not have heard of Murphy’s Law — whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.
These five tales of sweet, accidental romance prove Cupid’s arrows are a lot tougher than they seem, and sometimes it pays to be unlucky.
- No Wrong Turns – Lisa A. Adams
- Falling for You – Michelle Ziegler
- Coffee and Cufflinks – Annabelle Blume
- A Slippery Slope – Rebecca Hart
- The Shamrock Incident – London Saint James
No Wrong Turns by Lisa A. Adams
Jessica Brannah is escaping from her last heartbreak with a loaded car and a new address. But, when Murphy’s Law finds her stranded in a back country town, she realizes there’s no outrunning love.
Falling For You by Michelle Ziegler
Darci’s ready to move on. Too bad the dating pool stinks. Until, a ghost from her past resurfaces—the man she missed out on in college.
Andrew was the one man she’d always loved, but neither of them ever made a move. But, old feelings aren’t the only thing resurfacing of late. Darci’s ex comes crawling back at the most inappropriate time, and with all the testosterone flying, she might not end up with either man.
Coffee and Cufflinks by Annabelle Blume
Fresh out of a failed relationship and exhausted by a constant barrage of fiascos at work, Olivia Johnson doesn’t see the man of her dreams standing right in front of her. She tells herself the morning coffee meet-ups with Daren are nothing but coincidence, but even she can’t deny his unequivocal attractiveness. When a night entertaining clients takes a turn for the worst, and Daren shows up where she least expects him, failure starts to look more like fate.
A Slippery Slope by Rebecca Hart
Anne Montgomery is psyched for her girl’s only weekend, despite her friends’ choice of vacation locale—the snowy slopes of Harris Peak Ski Resort—where someone as notoriously accident prone as she has no business being. When Murphy’s Law finally catches up with her, Anne is forced to consider there may be times when it pays to be unlucky.
The Shamrock Incident by London Saint James
Florist, Marissa Carmichael isn’t usually a klutz, but she’s in a hurry and having a bad day. In her haste, she loses her balance and tumbles from the back room of her shop, arms flailing. Her less than graceful entrance halted by a headfirst crash into a display case chock full of silk flowers.
Trey Cleary didn’t think his day could get any worse, until he finds. himself picking the side view mirror of his BMW up from the ground. On a mission to do something about it, he locates the flower shop matching the name on the back of the van that mangled his ‘baby’. But, his car is forgotten when a beautiful woman bursts into the room like an out of control whirling dervish, and takes one mother of a wipeout into the shop’s counter. Coming to her aid brings out the hero in him like no one he’s ever encountered, and leaves him with a need to know more.
For Marissa and Trey, this just might be the one time it pays to be unlucky.
Also Available at These Fine Retailers:
Print
Createspace
Amazon
eBook
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
Smashwords
 |
| Tour Schedule |
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing’s marketing department. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Happy Release Day to “Old Flame” by Annabelle Blume (@annabelleblume) #Romance #NewAdult
For a good friend of mine, the day all writers love– release day–has come.
*cue fanfare and confetti*
A big fat congratulations to Annabelle Blume for her latest release, OLD FLAME–a New Adult Contemporary Romance with Roane Publishing.
As part of the release day festivities, I have wrangled Ms. Blume into stopping by the blog for a visit. (Go me.)
In her novella, the main character, Hannah, has a bit of an unhealthy obsession with her ex, James — so I thought it would be fun to pick the authors brain a bit about that aspect of Hannah’s personality.
Here’s what she had to say:
I was in college before the advent of social media. The internet had just started to take hold in mainstream American life. I was actually annoyed freshman year because professor demanded we sign up and use our free university-hosted email accounts to contact him. I’m pretty sure I muttered something to the effect of, “Like I’m ever going to use that.” Only rich old dudes had cellular phones. They were the size of Rhode Island and could only make and receive calls, usually for the hefty sum of $2 per minute. Chat rooms existed online, but not a lot of people I knew were participating. Oh, and you had to plug your computer modem into a phone jack to access the internet. Yes, really. Imagine how that went when you shared one phone line in a house with 5 other people.
It was a simpler time. (I’m not old, shut up!) There were a few instances where I made a mix tape for a guy I had a crush on, or what have you, but nothing extreme. We cried, we lamented, we mourned when our relationships went bust. Pints of ice cream were devoured and Sarah McLaughlin sold millions of albums. But without modern technology at our fingertips, no way to see where your ex was “checking in” or profiles to follow, it took a very, um, special, kind of person to keep tabs on their ex. I was not one of those kinds of ex-girlfriends. When we were done, we were DONE. I never got back together with a single ex, not that there were many, but you get my point.
That’s why it was so much fun, and slightly scary, to write Hannah. Imagining what it would be like to date today, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and so on… is mind-boggling. Frankly, it’s a miracle more young people don’t get lost in obsessive behavior when it comes to their ex. Or do they?
Sounds like the idea for another story to me 😛
Here are all the details on Old Flame, the first in Annabelle’s Hearts Aflame Files series.
Old Flame
by Annabelle Blume
Genre: New Adult Romance (Contemporary)
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Keywords: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Novella, Series
Blurb: Hannah Sullivan has spent the past three months stalking her ex-boyfriend, lurking in the bushes and hiding behind fake social media personas, convinced she can eventually rekindle the love they once shared. But when she meets Marc, who is everything James never wanted to be and more, she begins to wonder if she’s got it all wrong.
Hannah must come to terms with her own demons before she can decipher between her delusional mission the man of her dreams.
Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
KOBO
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
About the Author: Annabelle is a best-selling Romance and New Adult author, that is, when she’s not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner. Wife, mother, and creator of alternate worlds, Annabelle has a penchant for that which is outside the norm.
Her degree in Sociology has given her the ability to construct worlds that exist only in her head and translate them passionately to the page. The time spent studying individuals, interpersonal relationships, and particularly, women, within the constraints of our society led to Annabelle’s unabashed ability to talk about sex as it fits into our modern lives.
She’s also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com where she helps modern Bombshells and their families live “green”.
Winter’s Sweet Kiss Blog Tour: The WSK Authors Kiss and Tell #Giveaway #Romance @roanepublishing
Hello again readers, and thanks, as always, for stopping in to the blog today.
As part of the ongoing Winter’s Sweet Kiss blog tour, I have managed to score a short interview with each of the participating authors. I asked each of them one question… a good one, of course.
Tell us about your first kiss.
Here’s what they had to say 🙂
Michelle Ziegler:
Hmm – will my husband be reading this? Let’s put it this way. It wasn’t good. It was awkward, he bit me, and I was left trying to figure out if I’d been kissed or mauled.
Shaya Roy:
Well, this is embarrassing 😉 My first kiss was like first kisses usually are. Quick, awkward and bewildering, because neither of us quite knew what we were doing. I still felt so wonderful after, and roamed around in a proud daze the whole day!
Lily Carlyle:
To be perfectly honest, I wish I had a better story to tell—more romance, genuine affection, true love. My first kiss was unfortunately tinged by revenge.
I’d had a crush on a boy for years. My best friend liked him and asked me to convey that information to him, which I gleefully did. He had no interest in her and my friendship with her ended for other reasons, but he and I became friends.
And we were friends for years. He must have realized I had a crush on him, but he never acted on it. Silly boy.
Through him, I got to know his best friend—a cocky, good-looking soccer player who had a way with the girls. I realized he was dumb as a box of rocks, but he was cute. One afternoon, after school, when no parents were around, he kissed me. It never really led to a relationship, though we had an off and on thing that went on for years.
As for Boy #1? He married his high school sweetheart and they divorced a few years later.
Terri Rochenski:
Does kissing my kindergarten boyfriend in the back of the bus count??
I was 15, playing Monopoly with my then-boyfriend and he just leaned across the board and stole my ‘first’ kiss – along with a handful of $100s from the bank. Jerk.
Annabelle Blume:
The details of my first kiss are boring. Instead, I will tell you about my almost-first kiss. In my early teen years, I was pretty lame; A scrawny thirteen year old who happened to hang out with kids that were reasonably well liked. We were an eclectic group of popular and not-so-popular eighth graders who forged some kind of strange connection in the horribly mixed up hormonal world of middle school.
The cutest guy in school, Joe, happened to be part of our group. Blond, tan, surfer guy with a brilliant smile and charm to boot. Not my type, but undeniably good looking. One day we were goofing off in the cafeteria, and as he lounged across a bench I leaned over him to ask a question. His response was not an answer me, but to look directly in my eyes and whisper, “I could have kissed you just then.” I giggled and pulled away, unsure of how the geeky, skinny girl is supposed to respond when a guy of his social standing says such a thing. Four years later, after being separated by different high schools and a variety of young love affairs, we reunited, and you can bet I didn’t make that mistake a second time *wink*!
Love it!
Let’s hope the some of the kissing in Winter’s Sweet Kiss turns out better *chuckles*
Speaking of which, here are the juicy details on their release from Roane Publishing.
Winter’s Sweet Kiss
by Annabelle Blume, Lily Carlyle, Shaya Roy, Michelle Ziegler, and Terri Rochenski
Genre: Romance (Sweet)
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: December 15, 2013
Keywords: Adult, Romance, Sweet, Contemporary, Historical, Anthology
Description: Fight the winter chill with these heartwarming romantic tales.
What better time than winter to find someone to cuddle up with? These sweet tales of winter romance are sure to warm your heart.
Stories:
AN UNEXPECTED WREATH By Annabelle Blume
Blurb: Stella’s got everything she needs in life: a great job, a beautiful house, and her independence. But on last minute trip to the local Christmas tree lot she finds something, or rather someone, she desperately wants – Grayson. An emergency trip to Target, an unexpected wreath, and a little Christmas magic make the season much brighter.
SANTA BEBE By Lily Carlyle
Blurb: Disillusioned by men and her belief that they see her only as an object, Bebe is determined to find a man with money. Her geeky, but unfailingly kind, next-door neighbor James tries to convince her of the possibility of real love, even as she reveals to him the troubled childhood that made her so cynical about relationships. When her mother dashes her hopes for a perfect Christmas, Bebe finds herself turning to James once again, and in the process, learning a lot about herself and the promise their relationship holds.
MELT By Shaya Roy
Blurb: Newlyweds in an arranged marriage, Naina and Dev go to the mountains of Shimla, India in search of snow. Unfortunately, they find fifteen inches more than they expected.
Being snowed in with her husband is not necessarily a bad thing. It gives Naina an excellent excuse to snuggle up to her deep, quiet man, but every time Dev spurns her, a little more of her heart drips away. Melting the ice around her husband’s heart before the snow outside does might take more pride than Naina’s ready to surrender.
ONE IN A MILLION SNOWFLAKES By Michelle Ziegler
Blurb: Angela is in love with someone she can never have–her best friend, Rebecca’s older brother.
Stranded in the bitter cold after a disastrous blind date with yet another company Christmas party looming, a standing offer from the boss’ nephew gets a little more appealing. Desperation. Not a good sign. Surely when Rebecca rescues her from the blinding snow, she can also convince Angela to just go to the party alone. She can always count on her best friend.
That is, as long as she never finds out about Angela’s secret crush.
BEGINNING OF FOREVER By Terri Rochenski
Blurb: When Wayne Edwards moves to town, Lillian Douglas experiences stirrings she thought were long dead. Guilt ridden over betraying her deceased husband and the feelings Wayne inspires, Lillian reluctantly lets him in. Secrets of the past – an old promise emerges, but will it threaten their forever?
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18844487-winter-s-sweet-kiss
BUY LINKS:
Print Copies
Createspace (Print – Best Option)
Amazon (Print)
eBook Copies
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
All Romance eBooks
Group Giveaway: $10 Amazon Gift Card & paperback copy of Winter’s Sweet Kiss
Harper’s Wish Blog Tour: A Christmas Visit from Krista Ames #Giveaway #Romance
Merry Christmas, folks. So glad to have you all here. Sorry this post is a bit late — not sure what happened with my amazing scheduling skills, but better late than never, right?
Today, I have a special treat for you all. I have fenagled a visit from the author of Roane Publishing’s latest release, Harper’s Wish, Krista Ames. She has gracefully agreed to come by and share her favorite Christmas gift with us all.
Take it away, Krista!
Well, there’s one Christmas and one gift that stands out above all others for me and it’s been years ago now.
It was Christmas Morning and my boyfriend and I went to my mom & dad’s house at the lake for Christmas with my family. Everyone was there, step family, my sisters, all the nieces and nephews. We had gone through a whole room full of presents and cleaned up every stitch of wrapping paper when my boyfriend came into the room while I was on the floor playing with the kids. He sat a huge wrapped giftbox on the floor in front of me. Of course that got everyone’s attention. 🙂
I got nervous right away. Confused too because it was a huge box and of course, what girl doesn’t want a ring at Christmas so I guess I was a little disappointed too. He urged me to unwrap so I unwrapped the box and opened it to find another big box inside, wrapped as well. He was quite the joker so it shouldn’t have surprised me lol.
I bet I got through five boxes, all wrapped and varying sizes before I got to a tiny box. The kind of box a ring does come in. I started to get nervous again and fought a little at the tears. I unwrapped the box with shaky hands to find a velvet jewelry box inside. I looked up at my boyfriend and he was just smiling at me. So focusing again, I opened the velvet box and where a ring SHOULD have been tucked, was a note instead.
I seriously had a range of emotions all in about ten minutes so I played along and opened the note. He had written me a long letter talking about the 4 years we had dated and all the ups and downs we’d gone through and how much he loved me and at the very end he’d asked me to marry him. When I looked up at him, he was holding the ring that had been missing from the box. Of course, I said yes. 🙂
Pretty hard to top a Christmas like that !
Nice! Sounds like a great guy — certainly a romantic one!
Since we are all here talking romantic men — let’s have a look at Krista’s story, Harper’s Wish. I hear her leading man, Fin, is quite a cowboy romantic, himself.
Harper’s Wish
by Krista Ames
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: December 20, 2013
Key Words: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Sweet, Novella
Blurb: Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time of year, but for Harper Donaldson it’s just another day. Orphaned at an early age, she doesn’t have a single good memory of Christmas.
But, when a Santa’s Mailbox mysteriously appears in the lobby of the post office where she works as postmistress, Harper wonders what it could hurt to send her own letter to Santa.
Could he bring her the family she’d always wanted?
BUY LINKS:
Amazon | Amazon (UK) | Barnes and Noble
Kobo | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks
Now, in the spirit of Christmas giving, and of, course, to promote the release, Roane Publishing is offering a giveaway to celebrate the release. To get in on that, just hit the link below and enter for your chance at a free copy of Harper’s Wish or a $10 Amazon gift card.
About Krista Ames:
Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Krista now resides in Northern Lower Michigan. She is married to a very supportive man who allows her to follow her true passion of writing and never complains when she is pirated away on her computer for hours. He is excellent at bouncing ideas around with and even helps the occasional writers block. He’s also a terrific “in house” editor. Krista is also a mother of 4 ornery children who keep her plenty busy. With an addition of 2 beautiful chocolate lab sisters and a playful kitty, there is never a dull or spare moment in her household.
Krista has always loved to read and would often sit up for hours into the night not able to put down a book until she was finished. She still reads when she can but her main focus is creating her own stories to share with the world.
She loves to communicate with her readers so please feel free to drop her a line anytime.
Krista Ames’ Links:
The Machenwood Chronicles and Other Tales 