For a special treat, multi-published author SS Hampton Sr. has dropped by to interview middle grade author Sharon Ledwith.
Sharon Ledwith, hello! So, who are you, and where do you come from?
Hey, Stan, glad to be here! Oh, such a complicated question. How long do we have? Seriously though (and I rarely am!) I’m a middle-aged broad who writes for the middle-grade/YA genre. Guess you could say I’m going through my second childhood! I come from my parents—mom still has nightmares to this day—via Streator, Illinois USA while my father was under contract by the government to teach meteorology. That makes me a dual citizen. Currently I reside in the wilds of Muskoka, a tourist area deep in the heart of central Ontario, Canada. Cue the haunting cry of the loon…
Lol, the loon! So, why did you become a graphic artist? Was it difficult to give up that career field for writing (I assume you write full-time)?
Well someone has done his homework! I’ve always loved art throughout school, and wanted to parlay that into a solid business career. Plus I didn’t want anything to do with math again! I took the graphic technician course in college which allowed me to work in the printing trade. This was before computers took over, so everything was done by hand. Um, yeah, slow process, but worth it if you applied yourself and worked hard. My hubby and I started Box Office Graphics in the early 80s and we saw so many changes in the industry which included fax machines, computers, and the internet. The graphic businesses that didn’t change fell by the wayside. We sold our business in 2004, and have never looked back. BTW—our former business is still going strong after 30 years! And NO, it wasn’t difficult to give up that career at all. Somehow I knew deep inside I would be pursuing a full-time career as a writer. After all, something had to be done to stop the voices from talking in my head!
Where and how did you meet your husband? Was he aware that he was courting a soon-to-be writer with all of her quirks? I generally assume all writers have their quirks – I know I do.
Poor hubby. I met him at the first job I was hired at straight out of college—a graphic trade shop that specialized in plastic container packaging. Call him my soul mate or a misguided fool, I knew from the moment I met him that we were destined to be together. I believe he was aware of some quirky karma, ’cause he never gave up the chase, even when the odds were against us. I also believe writers should use all their quirks to their advantage!
Any friendly words of advice for writers, particularly when a future spouse “comes a’calling”? Or perhaps for the future spouse who discovers their love interest is a writer?
Run, spouse, run! Kidding. My advice would be to never stop investing in yourself. Invest in the best. That’s in yourself, in your readers, and in your partner. Your readers deserve the best of what you have to offer them. Surround yourself with the best possible team (this includes spouses). Never stop learning. As you grow, so will your readers, so be prepared for this. Oh yeah, and never give up. That’s a given and should be part of any author’s credo.
How did your family and friends react to you becoming a writer?
Say what? You want to be a writer? Good for you! Ten years later…you’re still writing? Anything published yet? No? Humph. Maybe you should get a REAL job. Um, yeah, tried it, didn’t like it, went back to writing, and got published. Yay me! Once I signed the contract, I was cast in a different light, and everyone was supportive and happy for me. You should have seen the release party I threw – hot damn it was fun and VERY satisfying!
I find it interesting that the inspiration for The Last Timekeepers of Atlantis came to you in a dream, that you believe in Atlantis, and you burn incense when writing. You didn’t mention what types of music you like, or favorite artists. So, not to resort to labels, but are you perhaps, something of a “New Ager”?
Yes, very much so. I’m quite a spiritual person and believe we’re all here for a reason and purpose. This comes out in my stories. I don’t want to come off as preachy (in fact I can’t stand it when other people try to shove their beliefs on me) so I try to inject humor whenever I can in my stories. I think we all learn best when there’s laughter present. And if you want a real laugh, when I first started out writing I listened to the soundtrack of Braveheart (sigh) a lot, as well as some native drum instrumentals, Enya, and Enigma. Now I hardly listen to music while writing.
Braveheart, eh? And Enya and Enigma—some of my favorite music too. Just a comment here: I like the first sentence of the opening of your blurb – “Children are the keys to our future.” Truthfully, I have always believed that. Might that have something do with the intended audience of Middle Grade/Young Adult readers regarding Last Timekeepers?
Oh definitely! But it is true – children are the keys to our future. It’s up to us adults to supply kids with good role models, people to look up to, and to aspire to. We need to be the best we can be, and offer children a new hope for a better tomorrow. I mean, how else can we pass along our knowledge and understanding to a new generation if we don’t show up in this life?
Would you please share an excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis with us? Or, if you feel comfortable, perhaps an excerpt from your prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers?
Would be honored, Stan. Here’s the blurb and excerpt from my newest release, and the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers:
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday last year, I had my life reading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns for others to appreciate, the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair? My uncle has red hair and it suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already, there aren’t many redheads around here. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair is considered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an echo down the marble hallway. “Is that the reason why those artists were rude to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red represents the essence of life—if we are drained of blood, we are drained of energy. The people of the Black Land understand this, and therefore red is reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s a goddess.”
Here's the LINK for more information on the book.
Thank you for visiting with us today! Are there any parting words you would like to share with us?
Absolutely! I was once asked by another interviewer to share what inspires me to write, and why am I doing what I do? The truth is that I want to be the change I would like to see in this world. Yes, I stole that from Gandhi, but those words have been my mantra, and have guided me to write stories I would have loved to read as an adolescent. My hope is to give my target audience (upper middle-grade and lower young adult) the kinds of stories the world needs now—force readers to ask why they are here on earth at this time, and what is their major purpose. I guess I’m looking for ways to make the world a better place. I also want to make people laugh out-loud while they’re reading my books, and leave them wanting more when they turn to the last page. Thanks so much for putting up with, er interviewing me today, Stan, and loved your well-researched questions! Cheers!
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.
BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing - Amazon Link - Barnes & Noble - Kobo
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Much of SS Hampton, Sr.'s writing is drawn from his extensive military career, including his historical short story The Sentinels.
December 1941 – the German offensive has ground to a frozen halt before an ominous forest encircling Moscow, and a German patrol seeks to discover what secrets the forest hides…
December 1941, and fresh Siberian troops from the Soviet Far East have launched savage counter-attacks against the German invaders. The Eastern Front is torn open with German units driven back, overwhelmed, or isolated. An exhausted Waffen SS infantry platoon outside of Moscow needs to know what the Siberians, hidden in a dark forest before them, are up to. A small patrol is sent into the snowy, otherworldly forest...
To read an excerpt from The Sentinels please click HERE.
SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13, a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America. His military career began in 1974. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Ready Reserve, and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others. He is also a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America.
After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
To learn more about SS Hampton, Sr. or read excerpts from his books please click a vendor's name.
Musa Publishing - Melange Books - MuseItUp Publishing
Amazon Author Page - Amazon UK Author Page - Goodreads Author Page
Monday, April 28, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
#scifi #erotica Sexy Suitors from Space @PaisleyBErotica
By Paisley Brown
ISBN: 978-0-9919320-6-1
A vacation to the far North...
Heather is gifted a week away at a resort in the Arctic Circle by her grandmother, a chance to finally move on after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman.
With two Nordic hunks to keep her company...
The two sexy studs make is easy to get over her failed relationship. That is, until they tell her their secret.
Are the two men really extraterrestrials or just a fantasy created by her lonely soul?
Caution: Includes alien probing, anal sex, and a hot MFM ménage.
Heather is gifted a week away at a resort in the Arctic Circle by her grandmother, a chance to finally move on after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman.
With two Nordic hunks to keep her company...
The two sexy studs make is easy to get over her failed relationship. That is, until they tell her their secret.
Are the two men really extraterrestrials or just a fantasy created by her lonely soul?
Caution: Includes alien probing, anal sex, and a hot MFM ménage.
Available From:
Excerpt
Some vacation. Nothing but snow for miles. I might as well have been visiting the North Pole with all the layers of clothing I had on. And, somehow, the cold wind still managed to find the small amount of face I didn’t have covered, stinging the skin around my eyes.
“Are we almost there?” I could barely see five feet in front of me, only the mountain of a man directly ahead. If he slowed down for one second, I’d grab his coat with one hand and cover the rest of my face with my free arm. But if I didn’t keep up, I’d get lost in the blizzard. “Seriously, is the place I’m staying anywhere nearby?” Every other hotel I’d stayed at had the check-in desk within the building. Apparently not this one.
The man didn’t respond, kept walking, guiding me, hopefully, to the glass igloo where my grandmother held a timeshare.
“Get away for a few days, Heather,” she’d said, handing me the plane ticket to Finland and shoving me out the door. “You’ll have a lot of fun and forget about your scum of a cheating fiancé. It’s been a year since you kicked him out. Time to move on. Show off your new curves.”
Sure, curves that I’d gained from spending a week eating nothing but ice cream. Not only had I gained ten pounds, but I’d started crying Ben & Jerry’s. It still hadn’t helped my pain. I’d loved Todd and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Unfortunately, my love hadn’t been returned. But, a trip wouldn’t make me forget what I’d walked in on two days before Christmas.
I’d tried to return the tickets. “Snow and cold really aren’t my thing, Grandma.” Give me a tropical beach somewhere with tanned, muscled men, and I’d at least try to get over Todd.
Refusing to take them back, she’d only patted my hands. “You’ll be surprised how much fun it is in Lapland. I would go, but I’m getting too old to enjoy the...amenities. It’s your turn now.” She winked and shut the door behind her.
And there I was, trekking through the knee-deep snow north of the Arctic Circle, dreading the blanket of white and cold I expected to last my entire vacation.
Bio: I’m happily married with a naughty imagination. Sometimes all it takes is a whispered word or a sexy picture to inspire my next tale. My erotica stories may be contemporary, sci-fi, or paranormal, but all of them will leave you wet and panting for more. I also write science fiction romance as Jessica E. Subject.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Easter Blog Hop #giveaway Mr. Forever #romance #newdad
Easter, like spring, is a time of rebirth and new life, and no one needs this wake up call quite like Dr. Caleb Paden, creator of The Forever Marriage, surprise father, emotionless alpha. Good thing he's about to meet his match with feisty single mom Olivia Wells in Mr. Forever.
Marriage therapist Caleb Paden has just found out he has a son from a one-night stand, making a mockery of his core belief of stable relationships--"friendship above all physical encounters." On his way to take the child for a paternity test, a snowstorm leaves him stranded with single mom Olivia Wells, who blames his advice for breaking up her marriage. Caleb finds himself fighting the urge for the most basic of physical encounters. Olivia would like nothing more than to destroy the career he spent a lifetime building, but her maternal instincts draw her to help Caleb bond with his child. Soon, she finds herself falling for both of them. Nowhere in any of his advice does Caleb have an answer for how to make a relationship work if he loses his heart to love.
I'm giving away one copy of Mr. Forever to one random person who leaves a comment about what you consider a top quality in a man to fill the role of "Mr. Forever" in your life. Please leave an email address and your format choice.
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Thursday, April 17, 2014
Mark Your Calendars for #CNSF14 Epic #romance Book Signing
The Spring Fling 2014 book signing will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 9:30 – 10:30am at the Chicago Marriott Northwest in Hoffman Estates, IL. This event is open to the public, so all readers and book lovers are welcome to spend the morning with their favorite authors. The line-up is nothing short of amazing! You can check it out here.
At the book signing, I will be signing promotional print copies of both Construction Beauty Queen and Love Him or Leave Him from the Small Town, Big Dreams series.
For those who are also registered for the conference, I will be giving a workshop immediately before the book signing on Making a Career in Digital Publishing.
Mark your calendars! I look forward to seeing you there!
Monday, April 14, 2014
No Fuss Fruit Cake #Easter #recipe from @pagehalffull
from Susan Lodge
Christmas is a long time away, but Easter is right around the corner. Many people prepare this holiday treat months in advance, but in our hurried world not too many of us have that luxury. Here is a quick and easy recipe I hope you enjoy. Top the finished cake with a little brandy a day or so before you sprinkle on the icing sugar. Your guests will love it.
No Fuss Fruit Cake
120g/4oz plain flour
120g/4oz self-raising flour
225ml/8 oz Water
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 beaten eggs
120g/4oz margarine
170g/6oz sugar
400g/14oz mixed dried fruit or any combination of sultanas, currants, raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel. Whatever you have handy!
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ Gas Mark 4.
Line a 7 inch (18cm) square or 8 inch (20cm) round cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper.
Combine margarine, water, sugar, dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute.
Pour into mixing bowl and cool thoroughly. It is important to let the mixture cool before adding the eggs.
Add sifted flour and eggs and mix well.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for one to one and a quarter hours. You may need to put a sheet of greaseproof or brown paper over the tin to prevent top browning too much. Cake is ready when an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
Leave to cool.
Dust with sifted icing sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar) and ENJOY.
While the cake is baking, how about a romantic contemporary by Susan Lodge to fill in the time?
What is it about men in breeches? Shona finds out her dream man turns out to be not at all what she expected.
When a man in tight buff breeches examines her with his quizzing glass and calls her Miss Bennet, Shona fears the Regency themed ball is going to be as awful as she predicted. But then she is introduced to the gorgeous Nick who ticks every box for her perfect man.
As Shona looks forward to her first date with Nick, her happiness is marred by some disturbing observations around her flat. She doesn’t usually leave her blind rolled down that far, and she never keeps her bunny slippers tidily by the bed. And what is the man in the buff breeches doing lurking on the street outside?
As both men pursue her, Shona finds one makes her body quiver with desire, the other itch with annoyance. Then the men finally confront each other, and her life turns into a nightmare. Can her judgment regarding the male species really be so seriously flawed?
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Buff Breeches, please click HERE.
To read excerpts from the other books by Susan Lodge, please click HERE.
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered -
The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Christmas is a long time away, but Easter is right around the corner. Many people prepare this holiday treat months in advance, but in our hurried world not too many of us have that luxury. Here is a quick and easy recipe I hope you enjoy. Top the finished cake with a little brandy a day or so before you sprinkle on the icing sugar. Your guests will love it.
No Fuss Fruit Cake
120g/4oz plain flour
120g/4oz self-raising flour
225ml/8 oz Water
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 beaten eggs
120g/4oz margarine
170g/6oz sugar
400g/14oz mixed dried fruit or any combination of sultanas, currants, raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel. Whatever you have handy!
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ Gas Mark 4.
Line a 7 inch (18cm) square or 8 inch (20cm) round cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper.
Combine margarine, water, sugar, dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute.
Pour into mixing bowl and cool thoroughly. It is important to let the mixture cool before adding the eggs.
Add sifted flour and eggs and mix well.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for one to one and a quarter hours. You may need to put a sheet of greaseproof or brown paper over the tin to prevent top browning too much. Cake is ready when an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
Leave to cool.
Dust with sifted icing sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar) and ENJOY.
While the cake is baking, how about a romantic contemporary by Susan Lodge to fill in the time?
What is it about men in breeches? Shona finds out her dream man turns out to be not at all what she expected.
When a man in tight buff breeches examines her with his quizzing glass and calls her Miss Bennet, Shona fears the Regency themed ball is going to be as awful as she predicted. But then she is introduced to the gorgeous Nick who ticks every box for her perfect man.
As Shona looks forward to her first date with Nick, her happiness is marred by some disturbing observations around her flat. She doesn’t usually leave her blind rolled down that far, and she never keeps her bunny slippers tidily by the bed. And what is the man in the buff breeches doing lurking on the street outside?
As both men pursue her, Shona finds one makes her body quiver with desire, the other itch with annoyance. Then the men finally confront each other, and her life turns into a nightmare. Can her judgment regarding the male species really be so seriously flawed?
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Buff Breeches, please click HERE.
To read excerpts from the other books by Susan Lodge, please click HERE.
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered -
The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Share the love with a shared world #pnr #WiccanHaus @MusaPublishing
I am so
excited to write for the Wiccan Haus series. A Man Worth Fight For was my first foray into a paranormal world, and I loved it. All the world building has been figured out
for me. The cast of continuing
characters are quirky and well-loved that readers feel like they are visiting
an old friend, and I get to visit them when I read Wiccan Haus books by other
authors.
For me writing a multi-author
series is the best of both worlds. I
have a great author community that's as invested in this world as much as I am,
and I get to focus on what I do best--writing romance, emotion and bringing my
characters to the happily ever after they so desperately need.
He has nothing left to offer. She's determined to show
him just how much he's worth.
Shot
by a member of his military team, Justin Lawson retreats to the Wiccan Haus. Holly
Walters refuses to accept her boyfriend's out-of-the-blue rejection without an
explanation, even if getting the answers forces her to be trapped on a bizarre
island for an entire week. She's going to use every minute to work Justin out
of her system once and for all.
Justin's body and spirit begin to heal under
Holly's loving ministrations. As she talks about never seeing each other again,
he realizes he never wants to let her go. But the rogue assassin who had gone
after Justin before is after him again. Before he can fight to make Holly
believe in their love, he'll have to fight for both their lives.
Excerpt:
“How
did you hurt your knee?” Holly asked.
“Occupational hazard,” Justin muttered.
That
wasn’t very comforting, considering he was in the military and always going off
on missions that he couldn’t give her any details about. “Did you fall and
break it?”
“Bullet
shattered it.” His words were clipped.
She
flinched, wanting desperately to reach for him, hating to think of the pain
he’d been in, the pain she’d known nothing about. “And how long before or after
this happened did you send me an eight word break-up text?”
“About
seventy-two hours after.”
She
immediately knew she’d been right not to take his text at face value. The
self-destruction of a client and the week of lost work were worth it. She’d
needed this explanation. More than that, it proved there was still hope for
them. “So you conceivably could have still been under the effects of
anesthesia.”
“I
wasn’t.”
“But
you were on pain medication for sure.”
“Don’t
make excuses for me. I was an ass. I broke up with you, and you deserve
better.”
Musa Publishing
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Sunday, April 6, 2014
Get to Know the heroine of Broken Road by @AlexaBourne @DecadentPub
Guest Post by Alexa Bourne
Can this Highland lassie steer her lad back onto the right path to a love that will last a lifetime?
The heroine in Broken Road, Catriona, has a lot of me in
her. As a writer, how can I not put some of myself into the main female
character? Of course, there are a lot of differences between us, too, but I’m
pretty sure those are minor.
Catriona works in a school as a teacher's assistant and she
spends her days with young children. I'm a middle school English teacher.
Because I'm comfortable talking and writing about educational settings, it was
easy for me to decide Cat would work in a school.
She loves her quiet, quaint Highland community. I've always
wanted to live in the type of community I've created with my Highland books.
Cat's friendships and relationships are what I wish for my own life.
Yes, she enjoys living far from the city with a slower pace,
but she does long for adventure, too. She's a bit timid and she's not sure if
the city life or traveling is for her, but when she gets the chance to move in
Broken Road she takes it. I love to travel and have adventures inside my
country as well as out in the rest of the world. I can say that I am a lot more
adventurous than Cat. She lets fear dictate her life in some ways. I do not. I
may still have worries, but I refuse to be held down by them.
Cat, in the beginning of the story, is a lost soul. By the
end of the book, after taking chances she never expected, she knows exactly
what she wants and needs and she's not interested in settling for less. I was a
lost soul for many years, but after many challenges and chances, I am the woman
I want to be. I know what I want for my life and I am not willing to settle
either. Now, Cat does get the hot and sexy Ian MacKenzie in her life and her
bed, and I'm still searching for my own soulmate, but I'm holding out hope that
will eventually be another similarity between us!
Catriona MacGregor
leads a quiet life, working in the local school of Glenhalish, Scotland and
spending time with close friends. She’s content to sit back and be an observer
of the life around her. But all that changes when a recently deceased family
friend leaves her a flat in Edinburgh and challenges her to spread her wings.
With his work as an international bodyguard, Ian MacKenzie has no time for a serious, committed relationship. Yet when he comes home to Glenhalish for a visit and to clear his mind, he is drawn to down-to-earth Cat. The more time they spend together, the more he wants her.
With his work as an international bodyguard, Ian MacKenzie has no time for a serious, committed relationship. Yet when he comes home to Glenhalish for a visit and to clear his mind, he is drawn to down-to-earth Cat. The more time they spend together, the more he wants her.
Though they agreed to
a friends-with-benefits arrangement, Cat soon discovers exactly what she wants
for herself and it involves all of Ian—body, mind and soul. Their connection
ambushes Ian. He’s not ready for the intensity they share.
Can this Highland lassie steer her lad back onto the right path to a love that will last a lifetime?
Excerpt:
Cat sat at one of the foldaway tables and sipped her
wine. A pleasant breeze rolled off the loch and made the candlelight shimmer.
So much laughter and chatter whooshed round her, and again her heart hung
heavy. Could she give up all she had here for a new life in Edinburgh? Did she
have the courage to try? What if Fiona had been wrong in her will and given Cat
more credit than she truly deserved?
Ian marched
toward her, pulled her glass from her hand, and set it on the table. “Come.”
With a firm but gentle grip, he tugged her out of the chair.
“Where?”
“I need you to save me.” He whirled her round and pulled
her close to his hard-muscled body. She pressed her palms to his chest. The
heat under her fingers shot straight into her center. He wrapped his arms round
her waist and eased them onto the dance floor in time to the slow rhythm of the
music.
Cat laughed. “You, a big, braw lad, need me, a wee lass,
to rescue you? I find that hard to believe.” But, she was ever so grateful for
whatever sent him to her. They’d always been friendly with each other, sort of
like her relationship with Ewan, except…not.
He spun her round so she could see the other side of the
dance floor. “See those lasses flirting with the MacDougall brothers?”
Women with tight clothes and high-pitched laughs dangled
over the makeshift bar. “What about them?”
“Two of them
are trying to lay claim to me.”
“And?”
“I don’t do romantic relationships.”
“What?” Handsome, smart, strong. He had it all.
Bio: Alexa
Bourne is a teacher by day and a romance writer by nights, weekends, and all
school holidays. She also teaches online classes for writers throughout the
year. She writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance and is thrilled to
have the chance to share her stories with readers everywhere.
When
she’s not concocting sinister plots and steamy love scenes or traveling and
exploring new cultures, Alexa spends her time reading, watching brainless TV,
and thinking about exercising. Okay, she also spends way too much time
interacting with readers and writers on social media sites. But don’t tell her
editors! Find out more about her and her books on her website, www.alexabourne.com.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexaBourne
Website: www.alexabourne.com
Email: alexa@alexabourne.com
Buy Links:
Barnes &
Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-road-alexa-bourne/1118284110?ean=2940148282945
Decadent
Publishing: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=898&osCsid=d32bk1l557bg13b6u8r51jeas2
All Romance
Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-brokenroad-1405683-149.html
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Decoding the Emotional Disaster of the One-Night Stand #Backlist @DecadentPub
I find one-night stands fascinating.
They’re supposed to happen once and then the parties go blithely on their way with
no emotional implications. Yet, sex is often held up as the ultimate in
intimate, vulnerable experiences. In a one night stand, the line between
matters of the heart and pure physical expression all too easily begins to
blur.
As a romance reader and author, I’m
drawn to this roadmap for emotional disaster. The 1Night Stand series has upped
the stakes even more by offering a service for those people who have specific
requirements or otherwise need/want a service to set them.
Her problem isn’t jealousy. Oh no,
it’s lust. She can’t keep her mind on a single work-related thing when Gabriel
is in sight. She just wants to lick him all over…hardly appropriate to mention
in a meeting with the client.
Well, if unzipping his pants under
the conference room table is taboo, she needs another strategy where she can
act out all these fantasies with someone who welcomes them and harbors no
expectations for the future. She absolutely cannot let this come back to hurt
her reputation with her clients, so she signs up with Madame Eve’s
high-caliber, discreet 1Night Stand company and sets off to meet her match.
However, Regina is not the only one who thinks hiring
Madame Eve will solve her problems. Gabriel wants something too, and he’s
willing to walk away from his dream job with Regina to make it come true.
Regina’s
fantasies about her hot marketing assistant, Gabriel, are interfering with her
focus at work. In desperation, she turns to Madame Eve to give her a one-night stand
with a man who looks just like him. When the Gabriel arrives in her hotel room,
she must choose between walking away and playing out her daydreams with the
real thing. Their one night becomes a wrestling match for control as Regina
strives to keep the upper hand. But Gabriel is just as determined to show her
how to work together for business and for pleasure.
As passion trumps protocol, their one night stand quickly becomes much more than a fantasy.
As passion trumps protocol, their one night stand quickly becomes much more than a fantasy.
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