I should have known I would end up here...
Give me a good book and I'm in heaven. Especially romance, mystery, mayhem, the fantastic and the fey. Give me a laptop and I'm writing any one of these, and not in any particular order.
Sometimes
one has to break rules in order to find happiness…
Widower
Logan Hendrix is puzzled by the recent series of small crimes against
his son’s new teacher. It’s a mystery to him, and he offers her
his help. There’s an instant attraction, and Logan wants to take
their parent/teacher relationship to a more personal level.
It
doesn’t take Addison Ryker long to fall in love with Alinta Bay,
the small town she’s moved to for her new teaching position at the
local primary school. Her newfound haven is threatened, however, when
her house is broken into and she is relying on the unbelievably
stubborn but very sexy Logan for help. Although captivated by him,
Addison worries her career could be compromised, because there are
rules about dating a parent.
Confronted
with the choice to care for his friend’s family on the other side
of the world or to return to Alinta Bay to be with his own newfound
family, how will Noah choose?
Following
the death of his grandmother, Noah Fielding returns to Alinta Bay and
the first thing — or person — he finds is the next-door neighbour
in his nan’s bathroom — naked no less. Still jetlagged, he
doesn’t hit it off with Molly at first. Yet, over the next few
weeks, as his past uncovers itself bit by bit, she becomes is anchor,
his friend, and his lover.
Molly
Reid had the world at her feet, happily married with a young son …
until a tragic car accident took everything away from her. With her
heart broken, she moves to Alinta Bay to escape the memories of the
past. Her peaceful existence, however, is interrupted after a heavy
storm floods her house and she temporarily moves into her recently
deceased neighbour’s house next door.
When
Noah’s friend and partner goes missing during a routine flight,
Noah returns to Alaska to help, but will he come back for Molly?
Can
two seemingly incompatible people who judge each other on past events
be able to find some common ground?
Harrison
Hendrix believes in second chances, but when it comes to Melody, he
has every reason to doubt it’s possible. He’s conflicted when he
sees her back in town and tries his best to see the change in her
that other friends mention. Even more so when spending a night with
her after being set up for a dinner date.
Life
hasn’t been kind to Melody Foster, and she returns to Alinta Bay
for a new beginning. Hit by tragedy again, she’s determined to live
life to the fullest and with no regrets. She creates a bucket list …
on which #8 the very difficult, yet extremely sexy Harrison has been
included. Why does it seem he’s always around when she’s in
trouble?
Maybe
it’s time to take a risk and leave the past where it belongs, but
will trusting their instinct be the right choice for them?
She
loves the feel of his skin beneath her hands …
Lexie
Marshall packs up and moves 3,000 km east with her daughter Zoe, to
forget and move on. Now, all that matters is her daughter and her new
job. She tries hard to stay focused, but the sexy and extremely kind
park ranger, Jesse, is not making it easy. And when her husband shows
up in the small coastal town creating chaos, all she can do is hang
on and trust her new friends.
After
his last girlfriend walked out on him, Jesse Parker is doing just
fine on his own. Until his accidental meeting with single mother
Lexie, when he rescues her and her daughter from getting lost in the
forest. But when her past catches up with her, he is right in the
middle of it all and it might ruin his career.
Will
returning to her old life be the only chance to save his career?
Iris
Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to
Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her
life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London, as well
as Canada where she met her husband. Her love for putting her stories
onto paper only emerged late in life, but now her laptop is a
constant companion. Iris
resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two
daughters as well as their dog.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendi Zwaduk will be awarding a prize pack with a necklace made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
A scared human plus a vampire with a secret. Things could be better, but they could be a lot worse.
Raine can’t remember time before the darkness. She’s a human in a paranormal world where humans are a commodity, not people, and she’s been abused by the vampires. When she ends up at the slave auction, she fears her nightmare will never end.
Enter Casey. He’s part vampire, part Fae, dangerous and only has eyes for Raine. He saw her at the BDSM club before she entered the vampire slave world and he swore he’d rescue her. He buys her the instant he sees her on the stage. The innocence in her eyes, combined with the sweetness in her soul calls to him. He wants her to serve him in the bedroom and be his partner everywhere.
She’s been hurt, and he’s a born protector. Can they make the attraction last and turn it into something eternal or will the fear win out?
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence, fighting and death, as well as references to forced sex and feeding from humans.
“You’re an odd vampire. Most every other one I’ve known wants me for dinner. Either you don’t because you’re weird or you’re lulling me into liking you so I’ll give in. If you are, you don’t have to make me like you. I’ll give in. I know the rules because you bought me. Remember?”
“Why don’t you shower and maybe get some sleep? I won’t kill or drain you.” He wanted her to trust him, but he didn’t want compliancy. Not yet and not outside of the bedroom. He liked her fire and the spunk he’d seen at the club.
“I don’t have much of a choice,” she said. “May I have this?”
“The wine? Of course.” He poured himself a glass of merlot. “Let’s drink to your freedom and new home.”
She stared at him, and he couldn’t read her expression. Wary? Confused? He wasn’t sure.
Casey sipped his wine. “Feel free to use whatever’s in the bathroom. I have no secrets from you.” Not many.
Her eyes widened again, and her lips parted. “You scare me.” She drank the wine in one gulp, then coughed.
Good merlot should be sipped—not gulped. But he hadn’t gone two days without food. “Why do I scare you?”
She shrugged out of his coat. “Because I can’t tell what you’re thinking or what you want from me.”
“Oh?” His previous girl had said he’d telegraphed every move.
“I don’t know what you want and I can’t figure out if you’re telling me the truth.” She left the stool. “I’d like that shower, though, please?”
He kept getting her right to the edge of opening up when she shut down again. Soon, he’d know her secrets, and she’d know his. He led her to the set of rooms along the back of the house. “In here. I’ve got towels, soap and anything you need in the drawers.”
“Even a flat iron?”
She’d volleyed a challenge. Nice. He liked her spirit. “If you want.” He turned the water on in the open stall. “I’ll leave you to your shower.”
“You can watch. I haven’t showered in ages.” She removed her filthy dress. “I used to have guards so I wouldn’t run away. I don’t know what it’s like to have privacy.”
Lomax used guards? Interesting. Casey spied the lines on her back. Lashings? “Were you whipped?”
She shuddered and didn’t turn around “I was told I deserved it.”
He touched the silvery scars. He remembered when he’d seen her at the club, she’d gotten off on being flogged, but not to the point of bloodletting. What she’d been through was abuse. She flinched when he touched her again.
“I’m sorry.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “I’ll never do anything like this to you ever.”
She tensed, but didn’t pull away. “Uh-huh.”
Soon, she’d give him her trust, and he’d prove not all vampires were evil. He wasn’t a nice man—more a son of a bitch—but not with her. She could be his salvation, and he refused to screw that up.
About the Author:
Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
1. How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?
The genre was simple. The story came from my own experiences, so it had to be contemporary.
Spending a year and a half in Europe was a unique experience. I wrote French Kiss from old letters I posted to my Mom, journals I had brought back with me, and a clear memory of some exciting times. I worked sometimes, was a tourist other times, met lots of people, and found romance in every country. I combined my events with a fictional story about a young woman deeply in love with someone who does not return that love. Mentally, she knows her college sweetheart doesn’t love her, but her heart continues to look for the possibility that ‘he might.’
Leaving him behind in the States is her way of protecting her heart by creating a future without him and forging a new life for herself.
2. Writers write what they know, and must observe the world. Are you a firstborn, middle or last child, and how does this shape your view of the world?
I was the last child born in my family and the only female. It was not always a peaceful childhood with rough and tumble brothers. However, finding a spot hidden away from them where I could read in peace and safety was my secret pleasure.
I could always count on my books to take me away from whatever the boys were plotting. Becoming a voracious reader expanded my knowledge and made me the lover of fiction I am today.
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
My desk area has lots of drawers and hidey-holes where I can lose papers and notes. Why, just this morning, I found the Spotify list for French Kiss!
4. How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?
I have not had to do that as yet! But my next book, That Wylde Woman!, coming out next year, has an anti-hero who does not die in that one, but there is no guarantee for the second book. Robert is nasty and charming, cunning and witless. Such a complex character! He’s fun to write since he will do anything that pops into his head, but oh my! What trouble he can make.
5. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?
My all-time favorite living author is Sarah MacLean.
I’d love to know if she is a plotter or a pantser when she writes her stories. Plotters write an outline of the story, sometimes from beginning to end.
Pantsers just write whatever comes into their head. The story can have twists and turns galore. At least, until your editor gets a hold of it!
6. Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.
Wow, that’s a hard one to answer. I believe in being very open, so everything I can think of is out there.
7. You are stranded on a deserted island with only a backpack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?
Easy: Lots of water, matches, and large safety pins.
8. If you could have one superpower in your existence, what would it be?
To be able to hear the thoughts of others, but only when I wanted to know their thoughts.
9. Favorite snack?
Hot Coffee and Chocolate
10. Indy 500 – Do you know how to get where you’re going or do you drive the speed limit?
Google Maps are a wonderous thing. I always check before I leave how to get where I am going if it is far away, and leave with time to spare.
FRENCH KISS
by Gloria J. Goldsmith
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
I was DONE! I ditched graduation, dumped my repressed college boyfriend, and dropped my sexual insecurities for a wild ride with Destiny. Unpredictable Fate beckoned with a European adventure!
In a chance encounter, I met Jean Louis. From the instant we met, the dashing young Frenchman soothed my bruised heart, rejuvenated my spirit, and convinced me that leaving my old life was no mistake. Together, we set out to explore southern France.
Jean Louis was torn from my life almost as quickly as he had entered it, yet leaving the haunting memory of his caress permeating my every thought. Driven by love and passion, I journeyed to find my lover, even if it meant scouring all the hidden corners of France.
Would I ever reunite with the man I believe to be my one true soulmate? Would I ever hear him say he feels the same for me as I do him? What twist of Fate will it take for me to find him?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
There was only one window in the room, which had no screen. To keep out the bugs, we closed the shutter, which still allowed some air inside. That evening, I slept on the couch, right below the window, and the guys lay on the cement floor. The males had no blankets or sleeping bags, but at least they were out of the rain.
Some hours into the night, I was dreaming of Luke. Luke, who loved to tease me by fondling me when I was asleep, by touching my cheek or blowing a strand of hair or slowly stroking my hand. I smiled and wiggled my fingers, and he responded. It was so lovely to feel his antics. I missed his night tricks. His hand was trailing up my arm, and soft lips kissed my palm. Luke. So romantic. Always waking me with kisses.
I let out a sigh, slowly drifting my eyes open. It seemed it had been forever since Luke had brushed my cheek or held me close. I longed for his warmth.
The room was so dark, I couldn’t see a thing. I wasn’t on the waterbed. My heart pounded with alarm. Where am I? My arm was hanging over the side of a couch. Where the hell am I? It was pitch-black.
The fingers tickled a bit more with a kiss on my arm, then came a whisper. Was I dreaming? Or awake? The whisper came again.
I whispered back, “What?” I felt the side of the bed depress. The murmuring voice was now by my face.
“J’ai froid.”
“Luke?”
“Oui. J’ai froid.”
This wasn’t Luke. Not my Luke. A bolt of recognition struck me hard as I comprehended. I didn’t recall his name, it did sound something like Luke, and it was the French guy Marc had brought in from the rain.
My high school French was twisting my brain cells to recall…J’ai means I am, right is droite, left is gauche…and a left faucet is chaud, which means hot, and right is froid—COLD. He is cold!
I patted the couch, and he squeezed onto the settee with me. He cuddled his arms around me, kissed my cheek, and we returned to slumber.
All three of us woke as the morning sunlight pierced the slits of the shutter. They bounced off the wall and into the room. We had some tea before the two men left. Around dinner time, Jean Louis returned alone, with sandwiches and chocolates. I had unknowingly passed another sex attraction test.
Constrained by the lack of English language skills, Jean Louis spoke very few words. I am an excellent mimic, but my French language skills were limited.
After dinner, sipping our tea, Jean Louis turned to me.
“I wants stay wis you.” I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant. For the evening? Sleep on the floor? Sleep with me?
“En bas?” I tapped the floor with my foot.
“Si je dois. Je préfère avec toi.” I wasn’t sure about all the words, but the last two, avec toi, meant “with you.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
As a Special Education teacher, I became fascinated by the English language. I still marvel at how it changes and expands over time. My most pleasurable teaching moments were showing children how a wondrous story can take their imaginations to other times, places, even other worlds. When the pandemic began, I started my first foray into publishing⸺ a nonfiction book, The Sensible Parent’s Little Homeschooler Handbook.
My secret pleasure-writing has always been focused on romance. French Kiss is a Contemporary Romance based on a fictionalized version of experiences during eighteen months of living and working abroad before the formation of the European Union.
Next year, my first Historical Regency Romance That Wylde Woman will be published. It has allowed me to indulge my curiosity and enthusiasm for history by incorporating in the storyline a historical geologic event which affected weather and farming and even how England’s war with Napoleon impacted clothing styles.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nancy Fraser will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
When Amanda Thorne arrives on San Bella Island, she’s tired and in bad need of a vacation. She’s just finished paying off her late husband’s many debts by selling their home and belongings. On her way to Dallas for a new job in a medical research lab, she’s taking one week to recoup before beginning her new life.
Nicholas Holloway is recovering from a 2-year stint undercover for the U.S. Marshal Service. Ordered to take a vacation to clear his head, he ends up on San Bella at the same time.
Will these two battle-scared souls find peace in the other’s arms? And, will they be able to walk away at the end of their one-week fling?
Caution: This book contains love scenes and language some may find offensive. Or hot!
Read an Excerpt
Montauk, Long Island
Saturday Morning
Amanda Thorne turned full circle in the three-story entryway, her sensible two-inch heels clicking against the expensive slate flooring. Sparing one last, longing glance at the great room to her right, she engaged the alarm, closed the door behind her, and dropped her keys in the realtor’s lock box.
The past eight years of her life—the last vestige of her inheritance—gone.
Right on time, the taxi pulled into the long, winding driveway, stopping just inches from where she waited. The driver, a short, stocky man who reminded her of her maternal grandfather, took her single suitcase and placed it in the trunk.
“Where to, Miss?” he asked.
“LaGuardia, please. Domestic terminal.”
He held the door open and waited for her to settle into the seat before slipping behind the steering wheel and shifting his weight to get comfy.
“Going to visit family?” he asked, casually starting up a conversation.
“No,” she said softly. “I’m relocating.”
He shot her a quick glance over his shoulder before pulling the car into gear and starting out across the inlaid brick drive. “You’re moving away from Long Island?”
His question sent a sharp pain through her chest. After all, who in their right mind would leave Long Island, especially the beautiful area of Montauk?
It’s not like you had a choice, now did you?
Amanda bit back an angry curse, willing her conscience back into its allotted corner of her mind. Suddenly remembering the man’s question, she told him, “I’m taking a job out of state. As much as I’ll miss parts of New York, I won’t miss the winters.”
“Ah,” he said, chuckling. “You’re relocating somewhere warm.” He paused, then asked, “Were those your three moving vans I passed on the way from the highway?”
Three vans? Not hardly.
The single small load truck she’d hired had held everything she owned, save for what she’d packed for her trip. So, if there was a caravan of trucks, it wasn’t hers.
“No, not mine,” she acknowledged finally.
He turned the taxi onto the highway leading to the airport. “Good luck to you, wherever you’re headed.”
“Thank you.”
Sliding her fingertips over the screen of her cell, Amanda pulled up her reservation– the short vacation a gift from the real estate agent who’d benefited greatly from the sale of her home.
Diamond Key Resort, San Bella Island. An island paradise, or so the brochure claimed. All she wanted was time to recoup, a handful of days to reset her emotional clock and prepare herself for her new life.
A week alone… away from the cloying pity of her so-called friends and family.
With any luck, she’d come out of her short stay no worse for the wear.
About the Author:
NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.
Nancy has published over forty books in full-length, novella, and short format. When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
O.J. Lovaz will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Silent Pretty Things
by O.J. Lovaz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Mystery, Suspense
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
A small town…a prominent family…a secret. Only two people know the truth, and their silence will have murderous consequences.
Anna Goddard has spent a lifetime being the Good Daughter. Polished and primped into sleek, blond perfection, Anna learned from an early age that being a Goddard meant presenting a flawless façade to the world. But all that changes when Anna stumbles upon a private correspondence that leaves her reeling. With the help of Michael Donovan, a shy but charming local historian, Anna embarks on a journey to find the one thing her family has always denied: The Truth.
Propelled by her mission to protect those she loves, the young woman experiences a tantalizing taste of freedom. But in the process of unearthing the past, Anna and her family will expose a new threat so dangerous it could ruin them all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt:
A thunderous bang shocked Michael Donovan from his light doze. Heart thudding in his chest, he scanned the area and spotted a large brown tome, open face up on the floor. The darn thing must have been sloppily placed on its shelf. He picked it up—nineteenth-century courthouses, many of them still in use. He was fond of sharing such tidbits of information with anyone interested. Not many were these days.
The library of the Blake County Historical Society was otherwise utterly silent. There had been no visitors that day, or the day before, or the day before that. The small museum on the lower level occasionally still received visitors, but scarcely anyone ever made it up to the archives and library department.
Michael glanced at the clock on the wall: twenty minutes before closing time—finally! On his timeworn desk, a book he had been reading to pass the time, something about the unsung heroes of World War II, lobbied for his attention. He put it in the top drawer. In another instant, he would have turned off the lights, but he heard the distinctive sound of the door chime announcing that someone had come in.
He turned around to see a blond woman in her mid-twenties, very attractive, with green, catlike eyes, and a captivating aura of sophistication and grace.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
O.J. Lovaz is the author of Silent Pretty Things—the riveting suspense, mystery, and thriller novel that will keep readers turning pages late into the night. His background in Psychology has offered Lovaz a compelling insight into the human psyche, the raw matter for rich character development.
O.J. might be found reading Dostoevsky or Stephen King; sipping a White Russian or a latte. He’s a fan of drama, dark comedy, and suspenseful movies. His perfect lazy day includes a Quentin Tarantino movie, a stand-up comedy special, and classic hard rock.
His life journey has taken O.J. to New York, Michigan, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico; each holds a special place in his heart. He loves to travel, explore, go on road trips; and tries to be the best possible husband to his awesome wife and father to his brilliant daughter.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
It’s Halloween season in small town San Borromeo, and Abigail and Hyperion are determined to make Beanblossom’s Tea and Tarot spooktacular. But when Hyperion’s boyfriend, Detective Tony Chase, is arrested at Beanblossom’s for murder, the duo is certain someone’s playing a nasty trick. And when the official investigation turns into a witch hunt, the stakes to unearth the truth are raised…
But a clever killer has plans to squash their investigation… and the two amateur detectives. If they don’t solve this puzzle—and fast—it will be out of the cauldron and into the fire for them both.
Never Say Chai is the fourth book in the Tea and Tarot cozy mystery series. A fast-paced and funny cozy mystery, packed with quirky characters, pets, and murder! Perfect for fans of Jana DeLeon, Janet Evanovich, and Donna Andrews. Buy the book and start this hilarious caper!
Tearoom recipes in the back of the book!
Read an Excerpt:
There are some things that should go without saying. For example, don’t leave a coffin in your business partner’s driveway. It’s just not done.
But there was a coffin in my driveway. And it had wheels. I looked from the black coffin to the yellow bungalow. Yep, it was my house. Just above the peaked roofline, fog blurred a watery sun.
“Do you have any idea why there’s a coffin in my driveway?” Because there was really only one person who would put one there. I tore my gaze from the wooden coffin to Hyperion. “And why is it on wheels?”
He shifted his weight. “Didn’t I mention the coffin race?”
“No.”
“Why’d you think I had a t-shirt cannon?”
“I still have no idea why you’ve got one.”
“For the coffin race.” He patted the coffin’s hood.
I waited.
“I entered Beanblossom’s in the race,” he said patiently. “We’re going as the Death card. I’ve got a scythe and everything.”
“A scythe at high speeds. What could go wrong?”
“It’ll be like in one of those Italian medieval morality parades. Did you know those parades most likely spawned the Tarot’s major arcana cards?”
“Oh, boy.”
“Or was it the Renaissance?” He shook his head. “They were in Italy. I know that much.”
About the Author: Amazon bestselling author Kirsten Weiss writes laugh-out-loud, page-turning mysteries. Her heroines aren’t perfect, but they’re smart, they struggle, and they succeed. Kirsten writes in a house high on a hill in the Colorado woods and occasionally ventures out for wine and chocolate. Or for a visit to the local pie shop. Kirsten is best known for her Wits’ End, Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and Tea and Tarot cozy mystery books. So if you like funny, action-packed mysteries with complicated heroines, just turn the page…
The authors will award a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Author Interview
All three of us are here today, so we decided to triple-team these great questions. I’ll take a couple, and then Lisa and Kathryn will answer as well.
1. How did you choose your genre? What made you write this book?
Nancy: The idea originally came from my somewhat weird brain. I wanted to do something different for a multi-author project. What better to try than a four-century mixture? I knew Lisa loved to write pirates, so that was our starting point. As the first book of the four, Lisa picked the start date and set up the wonderful Fairwinds estate. From there, we jumped to the next century, and so on. So, we’re not only crossing time, but also sub-genres.
2. Writers write what they know, and must observe the world. Are you a firstborn, middle or last child, and how does this shape your view of the world?
Lisa: I’m technically a middle child, but the only girl. I have brothers and sons, no sisters or daughters. I joke that I’m an estrogen island! It has given me an excellent understanding of men, which comes in quite handy when writing about a ship full of pirates! It also had added to my resolve to be a strong pirate queen and captain them all!
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
Kathryn: I’ve taken to writing in my dining room because of the great views of our wooded yard. I also share that room with the haunted wedding portrait I purchased from an antique shop a few years ago. Talk about inspiration!
4. How do you feel about killing your darlings, and what do you do with the remains?
Lisa: I’m not heartless, but I have killed off several of my beloved characters. I do write pirates after all, and they live a tough life. Proper burials for most, but I’ve also pulled some from the brink of death by ink, too. Depends on the story, or in one case, my critique partner threatening to disown me.
5. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?
Kathryn: One of my favorite authors is Lara Adrian, who writes the Midnight Breed vampire romance series. We met years ago, and she encouraged me to “come to the dark side.” I did! And I’d love to hear about her writer’s journey and what inspired her to write such hunky, badass vampires.
6. Inquiring minds want to know…tell readers something about you that no one knows.
Kathryn: I once wanted to be a forest ranger and was even accepted into a college program to become just that. I ride horses, love the outdoors, and am passionate about protecting all wildlife and our planet. All my books have pets in them and some sort of outdoor element.
7. You are stranded on a deserted island with only a backpack for company. What three items are in your survival pack?
Nancy: A thick, blank notebook; a magic pencil with never-ending lead; and a battery-operated coffee pot and pods.
Lisa: Solar charger, my Kindle, and if Nancy’s bringing the coffee, I’m good!
Kathryn: I’ve teased that the three things ALWAYS with me are… Dogs, Books, and Dunks Iced Coffee, but those things won’t work on a deserted island. I like Nancy’s answer, but instead of the coffee pot, I’m going with a handsome genie with a magic lamp.
8. If you could have one superpower in your existence, what would it be?
Lisa: To make time stand still.
9. Favorite snack?
Kathryn: Ooo…tough one! As I said above, iced coffee. And anything chocolate to go with it. (Halloween candy works best!) Just don’t get any of it on the pages of your new book. Or the keys of your laptop. *wink*
10. Indy 500 – Do you know how to get where you’re going or do you drive the speed limit?
Nancy: I’ve never driven the speed limit in my life when it comes to my writing, so there’s no reason to start now.
Lisa: I’m something like pedal to the floor, then slamming on the brakes. GPS has lead me off cliffs and down dead ends, but I’ve seen the checkered flag now more than a dozen times, so I keep getting behind the wheel.
Kathryn: If we’re talking about writing here…I’m a Plotser these days. In other words, I plot some scenes yet get inspired when my muse speaks to me.
If we’re talking actual driving, I have a keen sense of direction, and I follow the rules. I LOVE a great road trip, and I’m always “adventuring,” as I call it. Serious case of Wanderlust! However, I’m no wimp when it comes to city driving. Just ask Lisa about our last visit to NYC. hahahaha
Ghosts of New England: Skullery Bay
An anthology unlike any other…
4 Different Centuries
4 To-Die-For Romances
The Same 2 Ghosts!
Widow’s Walk (1737)
RITA nominee & Best Selling Author, Lisa A. Olech
He’s the infamous pirate, Captain John Jacob Wilder. She’s the daughter of his fiercest enemy.
Their love is the beginning of the legend.
Cast to the Wind and Waves (1837)
Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Kathryn Hills
She’s the heiress determined to restore Fairwinds to its former glory.
He’s the solicitor working as a caretaker because of the deadly curse.
Their love will rebuild the legend.
The Bootlegger’s Daughter (1924)
Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Nancy Fraser
She’s the daughter of one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals. He’s her bodyguard, and not at all what he seems. Their love will return dignity to the legend.
Jilly’s Dilemma (Present Day)
Best Selling & Award-Winning Author, Nancy Fraser She’s the new owner of Fairwinds, a flaky artist who talks to ghosts. Repeatedly. He’s the staid, young professor there to document Fairwinds’ history.
Their love will make you believe in the legend.
The Last Kiss (An Anthology Epilogue)
Captain John Jacob Wilder (Ghost Written by Lisa A. Olech)
A Final Note From the Authors:
These past two weeks have been an enormous amount of fun. We’ve enjoyed sharing our anthology with everyone and hope that we’ve provided entertainment along the way. We plan to be back again in 2022 with an all-new Ghosts of New England anthology to share. Until then, stay happy, stay healthy, stay well-read.
Book Links:
The anthology is on sale for 99 cents during the tour.
LISA A. OLECH—loves art, pirates and a cranky curmudgeon she affectionately calls the Wizard of O. Currently the author of eight Romance titles in both the contemporary and historical genres, she uses witty dialog with a side order of sexy to bring to life multi-faceted, adventurous, smoldering characters you’ll not soon forget.
A 2018 RITA Award nominee for her book, Within A Captain’s Soul, the final book in her Captains of the Scarlet Night series, Lisa’s won a variety of writing contests and achieved the ranks of Amazon Best Seller with her debut book in 2014.
Living on the shores of On Golden Pond, Lisa shares a drafty, old Victorian house with a wizard and two schizophrenic cats she brought into the house in an attempt to fill her empty nest and keep her from talking to herself in a British accent. As an author, artist, Justice of the Peace, and aspiring beekeeper, Lisa finds true inspiration in the beauty and love that surround her. And, she takes full credit for three homes on her quiet New England street now proudly flying the Jolly Roger from their flagpoles.
KATHRYN HILLS—The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for many of Kathryn’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts…all sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories involve time travel. And ghosts! Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure.
When not writing, this best-selling author is researching, gardening, or cooking up something special in her chaotic kitchen. She shares her colonial home in the north woods with those she loves most – her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.
NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.
Nancy has published over forty books in full-length, novella, and short format. When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Wendi Zwaduk will be awarding a Prize Pack featuring a necklace inspired by the book and made by the author to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Will this runaway royal ever find her place…and true love?
All Princess Catherine Zara of Lysianna wants to do is attend college like everyone else her age. So she’s a royal and requires a security guard to move about in public, but if she goes to university, she doesn’t have to marry the man chosen for her. He’s not her true love, so why torture herself? All she has to do to get her life started is to run away to the US…
And then she meets Luke.
Luke Cobb wants to survive college with a degree in studio art and guarantees that he can show his paintings in the local galleries. All he needs is the right break to get his work mainstream and the right woman to stoke his dormant muse. When he meets Zara, he’s smitten and his creativity sparks.
Except, she’s a princess and he’s a commoner, which could be a big problem…
She tapped her pencil against her lips as she debated the next item for her list.
*to meet the tall, dark and handsome artist downstairs
*to model for someone (nude?)
*to attend a real party
*to fall in love
She snorted. Love wouldn’t happen. Not for her. Before things got that far, she’d be found out. The law of averages wasn’t in her favor. If her stepmother didn’t tell someone she’d arrived at the college, Corinne would let the secret slip.
Still, she could dream.
Besides, the list was only one of dreams. It wasn’t like she’d created a checklist to live by. She’d come to the college to get an education, not fall in love. Even if she wanted to be with someone and experience those aspects of life, she had to finish her degree first. She’d paid the money to attend and refused to waste the chance—even for love.
About the Author:
Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lisa Beth Darling will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Lucifer Returns to Eden
Lucifer is unceremoniously yanked out of Hell by his Father so he can return to his old job in the Garden of Eden. When he arrives, broken, battered, and bleeding, he falls into the arms of Eve who is unsure about seeing her old lover again as are the people now living in a dying paradise.
Tasked with returning the Sacred Trees of Life and Knowledge to flourishing bounty once more, Lucifer struggles to learn his new place in his old home. Yet, he hasn’t been placed there solely to tend the Garden. His son, Cain, is on the way with murder and destruction on his mind.
Having lived, cursed by God, for eons, Cain Enoch has made quite a name for himself and amassed a fortune that would make even his Grandfather envious and with it he’ll stop at nothing to find Eden and destroy. Why? So he can finally die even though it means taking the Earth, Heaven, and Hell with him.
Read an Excerpt
“Help me,” Lucifer gasped and held out his arms toward the people behind the veil but they were just staring at him. Then he noticed the weapons in they were holding. “Please, please,” he held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender, “I mean no harm. Just help me.”
“It’s a trick,” Persephone warned in a hiss. “He’s a liar.”
Eve looked to Gabriel and the two passed a silent nod before they looked at Persephone and spoke in unison; “He never lies.”
Then Eve finished their share thought, “The Truth has always been his weapon.”
Those words made the sight of Lucifer Morningstar in his current desperate state even harder to take.
Eve stepped forward to stand just on the side of the veil, “Lucifer, what are you doing here?” She asked in a soft voice.
The sound of his name confused him as he tried to focus on the sight of the woman before him, “You know me? Please help me. Let me in. Please. I will do anything you want.”
The fact that he did not recognize her face was understandable given his condition but still his failure brought a tinge of pain to her heart. “Be quiet and listen, we don’t have much time. If you cross the veil, if you come in here, no harm will come to you so long as you do none, but you can never leave again. You will spend all of eternity here. With us. Do you understand?”
No, he really didn’t understand her words. All he did understand was that he could not spend another night out here in the cold wasteland. He could not take another second of being hungry, thirsty, and in pain. “Please let me in.” Was all he could manage to beg.
Eve stepped back from the veil, “Come in, Lucifer, come in and be welcome but do not ever betray us.”
Lucifer stumbled through the veil with no time to spare before full sunrise. He fell to his knees and looked up at his savior through dazed eyes, “Thank you,” he whispered with all sincerity just before he passed out at her feet.
Copyright 2021 Lisa Beth Darling and Moon Mistress Publishing
About the Author:
As of this writing, I am 54 years-old, the mother of two adult daughters, grandmother to one, and wife to my husband, Roy, for the last 34 years. I live and write in my hometown of New London, CT.
I began my writing career in the 4th grade when the class was given its first-ever Creative Writing assignment. I put pencil to paper and was instantly transported to a place I knew that I would never want to leave. I have been publishing my works since 7th grade.
Early influences were Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Harold Robins, Jacqueline Susan and VC Andrews. As such, my works tend to be a grand mash-up of drama, horror, suspense, action, intrigue, and, of course, intimate relations.
My stories are filled with secrets, lust, betrayal, and sometimes rage, they may keep you awake into the wee hours of the morning cheering, weeping, and captured by suspense as our heroes and heroines have their love tested by demons who reside within and without.
In my spare time I enjoy gardening and photography as well as cooking and baking. I also enjoy helping other authors bring their works to the world stage.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Chris Karlsen will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
It’s 1941 and the German war machine has defeated all of Europe except England. In an effort to force a surrender, the German Luftwaffe is bombing villages and cities the length of the country. As the battle rages, Britain is in desperate need to put more pilots in the air.
To free up more men a new unit is formed: The Ack Ack Girls. Teams of courageous young women will now fight in anti-aircraft stations. Excited to be part of the effort, Ava Armstrong has volunteered for one of the special teams. Her unit just happens to be located near an RAF airfield teaming with pilots. Sparks fly, and not just from artillery, when Ava crosses paths with the highly decorated and handsome Royal Air force pilot, Chris Fairfield.
Read an Excerpt
When her mother turned around, the color had drained from her face and her eyes had a haunted look. “What is it, Mum?”
“They’re bombing Coventry. There’s a BBC reporter on site. He said dozens and dozens of planes are over the city.”
Ava sat on the sofa, listening to the live broadcast as the nightmare continued. Her stomach roiled. The mint-flavored tooth powder she’d used had tasted sweet and fresh, but now soured in her mouth.
“The cathedral is destroyed,” the reporter’s voice broke.
“Turn the sound up, Mum.”
“The sky is black with planes now. They’ve blotted out the moon.” The reporter broke into a coughing fit and then continued. “The city is aflame. It’s raining bombs. The terribleness of this night will never be forgotten. Coventry is no more.”
Eleven hours later
“Did you get any sleep?” her mother asked.
Ava shook her head. “The bombing only just stopped. They’re saying that most of the city is destroyed.”
Ava went upstairs to clean up and change clothes. When she came back down she told her mother, “I need to go. I have to see if Miss Finney is all right. I have to see if I still have a home there.”
Coventry-later that day
The train was standing room only. A blast of intense heat clobbered her as Ava stepped from the station. She found herself flashing back to the night of the blitz attack in London. Like London, hours after the last bombs fell flames still raged and painted the sky in orange and red here. Bright, hot embers filled the air, burning holes through the material of the umbrellas of those who carried them for protection.
She slowly and carefully made her way toward Miss Finney’s flat and the upstairs bedsit she let to Ava. She paused in front of the movie theatre around the corner from Miss Finney’s. The entire building had fallen but somehow the marquee remained undamaged. Perched on top of the rubble advertising, His Girl Friday. Ava had just seen the movie the previous week. She’d gone two nights in a row just to watch Cary Grant.
About the Author:
I was raised in Chicago. My father, a history professor, and my mother, a voracious reader passed on a love of history and books along with a love of travel. My husband and I retired to the Pacific Northwest where we live with four crazy rescue dogs.
I am a retired police detective. After twenty-five years in law enforcement I decided to pursue my dream of writing. I’ve completed a historical-time travel romance series called Knights in Time. I currently write a historical suspense called The Bloodstone Series.
I am also working on a world war two series of novella romances.
