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4-12-2016 #WritingPrompt – Dream

all writer’s are dreamers… we dream of love, adventure, chaos, heartache, reality, and the unbelievable… we dream up stories and we dream about the readers that will enjoy them… but because I know personally that ‘writer’s depression’ is very real, here are a few quotes and sayings to keep you going… and then back to the writing prompt…

Does your MC have a specific place they go to in order to dream??? like a child’s clubhouse, do they have a place to get away from it all and dream??? do they dream of that perfect vacations or home improvement like an upgraded kitchen??? or maybe a library to beat all libraries???

What does your MC do in order to save up for their dreams??? do they have a system that can add some quirk to your story??? orrrr, if there is evil afoot, what happens when their hard earned savings are stolen???

And finally, I had to add dreamcatchers to the mix… I don’t know much about my Cherokee heritage, but I have always loved dreamcatchers… in a paranormal story, you could have a mystical dreamcatcher that protects your MC from evil… or your dreamcatcher could transport you to another realm… or in a contemporary, you MC could make them… I have had some beautiful ones in my lifetime… play around with it, and give your MC a ‘Dream’….

And for the Pinterest writing prompt, here is something that most people consider the opposite of dreaming… Spring cleaning… does your MC enjoy this yearly task, or do they despise it… do they need help, or do they prefer to take it all on alone… happy wordage, tracey

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4-11-2016 #WritingPrompt – Build

I love words… one simple word can be taken in so many different directions… take today’s writing prompt ‘Build’… for starters, I’m building this post… build is a word that can be applied physically, emotionally, or even mentally… soooo many different ways…

you can have your MC be a master craftsman, or a newbie attempting a DIY project… or just have the act of building be something in the background of a dialogue … you can build a garden, furniture, a home, a greenhouse, decorations or items to sell…

or your character could be building a relationship (either romantic or friendship or unknown)… they could be building a fighting group, a band, a working staff, or any number of groups… but mainly, as a writer, you are building your story… and if you write series, with each book you build your characters and your world… I like to introduce characters that will have a front seat as the MC in previous stories…

A writer is always building… we sit in a place that relaxes us and allow our minds to wonder, to build on the story we’re working on… I like to take a relaxing bath and just dream about my characters… we build worlds for others to enjoy… but never give up… building a story is a process… the first draft is merely your first building block…

And now for a Pinterest Writing Prompt… you can use this to build a character that appears bad, but underneath is redeemable… muhahahaha … happy wordage, tracey

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4-10-2016 #WritingPrompt – Wedding

For the most part, it seems that wedding scenes are useful as quickly mentioned and then something happens… like the reception, or the honey moon… or their can be a short story about a hiccup that almost derails the nuptials… the point is that most people want to get through the vows as quickly as possible, and if you don’t enjoy something in real life, why in the world would you want to read about it… so who can you add a wedding scene without losing some of your readers…

a scene from the dressing room, the nervous, the cold feet, or even the giddiness… then in the next chapter, summarize the vows and get to the good stuff… the shower or the honey moon…

and why are they getting married… is this a true love match or is it a one night stand that resulted in pregnancy but after getting married they will fall for each other… or is the marriage all for show (because of work, family, green card) and then there is love… or a drunken night in vagas… what caused the wedding and how do they deal with it…

and just for fun, here are some Oh-crap moments that I found on pinterest… some can be added into a wedding scene but most are for any story you are working on… happy wordage, tracey…

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4-9-2016 #WritingPrompt – Activity

What activities fill your MC’s down time… since spring is here, here is a list of spring related activities for you character to be involved in… you could start a scene with either an activity that will relate to the story, or just something random everyday activity that will be interrupted by either the villain or the love interest… something on the list that a lot of people feel the need to do as soon as the sun starts making itself know is ‘wash the car’… buffing up and making your ride shine is a ritual that some hate, and some seem to enjoy…

if the love interest interrupts it can lead to water fights (the inevitable wet t-shirt issue), or the villain can interrupt and the MC will be more worried about avoiding bullet holes in the car than being shot…

think about the time of year in your story, and then sit down and make your own list… how can those activities work in your story… like my MC paints with oil paints, she loses herself in the activity, but she uses it in her work (as well as artistically) … the paint gets everywhere, it takes forever to dry, and is very forgiving and easily to fix when there is a mistake… and if you use something you do often, you can add the little insights into the activity that most people don’t think of..

I would use a side character to screw up with his first time using oils… trying everything to dry his painting (sun, fan, hair dryer) but I would have it in the underlying story… the MC would mostly ignore while he complains or whines…

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having an underlying activity can help to move the story along… I mean.. you don’t want your MC just standing in the room for every scene…

and what about your Villain??? what is their motivation??? why are they striking out??? for most stories, the emotion and understanding comes from the good guys, but the villains are there, and if you understand why they are attacking your MC you can better write their actions and reactions… so ask yourself to give your villain a motivation… here’s a list to go by… just have fun with it… their motivation can be typical evil logic, or you can take something that can be found in your MC, like romance or justice, and twist how the villain goes about to achieve their goal… muhahahahaha…. happy wordage, tracey

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4-8-2016 #WritingPrompt – Gradening

alrighty… this may sound like a boring Prompt, but the simplest thing can add definition to your character…. I have a favorite series that I read… (Eileen Wilks) and the MC can be found pulling weeds when life is overwhelming… she wont say a word, just go into her grandmother’s back yard and start pulling…

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so think of it this way… what does your MC do to relieve stress??? how do they keep from exploding…

but also, their is the beauty and feeling of accomplishment that can come from gardening… is your MC a landscaper… do they add flowers, hedges, and definition to a boring yard, creating something magical??? or do they work the land to get food for their family, or to sell at the local market…. or maybe they have a large operation that contributes to grocery stores??? I’m not a yard working gal, but I think we all appreciate the end results that come from both landscapers and farmers… the hardship of working outdoors can add definition to your MC… so don’t be afraid to add some hardships…

alright… that is it for now… here is a Pinterest writing prompt for the fantasy/paranormal set… happy wordage, tracey

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#LittleThings Contest winners….

I want to thank everyone for helping with the costume ideas… and if you entered to win and missed my comment, everyone of you are winners… just scroll down and click my FB link… Private Message me you email and your choice of e-copy… I have Shocking Finds in ePub, Mobi, & PDF… woo who… wordage

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okay guys… it was really hard for me to pick a winner … i loved all the suggestions… so a random draw win is…… hangell531 …. but I am so grateful to all you guys that I want to make everyone a winner… wooo whoo… just head over to my Facebook page and sent me a Private message with your email… that way it wont be sent out to the entire world … muahahahaha… also… if you put up a review of either amazon or goodreads, i will make sure that you get a copy of Southern Discoveries (book two: Finder’s Keepers) … okay… gotta run… here is my Facebook https://www.facebook.com/trace.clar

4-1-2016 #WritingPrompt : Eggs

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all pics from pinterest.com

WooWho… It is time for Camp NaNoWriMo… for my writer peeps out there that have never participated in one of the NaNo events, it is easy to join in and definitely worth it… sometimes too worth it… lol… I have a tendency to push myself to reach 50K words during every Nano, which sounds like a good thing in theory… but that also means that I have more and more edits when I still need to finish work on previous projects… I did manage to use the last NaNo as editing time, and instead of creating something new, I worked to edit projects from my growing stack of novels and shorts.. Camp NaNo is great for beginners, as you can set your own goals… and if you happen to reach your goal, you can push the goal line back, and keep going… Go HERE to check out Camp NaNo and see if it is up your alley…

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Now lets hit the page with our first Prompt… (warning… I will be adding some Easter-like prompts even though Easter is over… as writers, it is always a good idea to pull information and ideas from our lives and the lives around us, and what better theme than Holidays… like, this Easter, My cousin (newly pregnant) went to her new in-laws and her new Aunt always decorates eggs with the names of those in her family… and she added an egg this year that said Baby Smith… how cute is that…

it is something that you could use to slip in info in your story… a new mother telling the father to be that way, or a code left on an egg in a spy novel… ooo… your code could only show up in black light, and the spy could be fighting to get some kid to give him the eggs they had collected… lol… or you could have a newbie trying to color eggs and they forget to hard boil them first…

But the word Egg can be used as to Prompt your story in other non-Easter ways… like a pregnant person … they have to drop an egg to get pregnant… did you MC want to be pregnant, are they just trying (or trying to trick someone into getting them pregnant) or maybe they just found out they don’t have any eggs…

another way to add eggs to your story is cooking… what can you cook with eggs… does your MC now how to cook… do they need to get the egg from the store or do they live on a farm… or maybe they are new to the farm and don’t know how to retrieve the eggs from the chicken coop… and if you want to combine cooking and Easter… I like the idea of deviled eggs and food coloring… the guests could freak out because the white part of the deviled egg on there plate is green… or some other color that automatically makes them think of food poisoning… lol

alright… time to wrap up our first writing prompt… and this time I decided to use Pinterest pics that I found under Writing Prompt to end my posts… enjoy and happy wordage, Tracey

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#EggcerptExchange – Adam Mann

Eggcerpt Exchange: This is our last Egg-crept… then everything will calm down… 😛 or maybe just go back to my normal insanity… lol…

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this reminds me of my pug Moe-moe… he used to steal anything he could get in his mouth… pillows, underware, shoes…. usually items too big for him, but he grab them and run off to his crate… lol… one time he grabbed up my house-shoe and bolted for the bedroom…but he had his mouth on the rim of the shoe that goes over the arch area of your foot… meaning the shoe flipped up in front of his face… and as he ran from the room, he slammed into the wall…

now back to the Eggie exchange… by now our egg baskets are pretty full… but there is room for one more… Adam Mann is here with his novel The Road to Beira…

 Third Book

The Road to Beira

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Colin and Monique meet one another on a dusty road about one hundred miles from Beira in Mozambique. They had previously known one another when they were students but that was over twenty years ago, and then their lives had taken completely different paths.

Monique had just been through a nasty divorce, and had settled down to raise her two children whilst getting on with her career as a recruitment specialist. The tall dark Colin still attracts her and she realizes that she would have to take the lead if their relationship were to develop and romance were to blossom! Can her glowing auburn hair, her attractive breasts and passionate body win the battle? It works!

But her life is complicated by the lawyers representing her former husband who try to stop her relationship with Colin. Her children are a very necessary consideration and then she realizes that her fourteen year old daughter has a brain like a computer, whilst her son is won over by anything technical.

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Excerpt:

The engine was diesel, which usually is very reliable, and the driver got out to open the bonnet. He was not an engineer so he just poked around at various parts of the engine, checked the water level in the radiator, and looked around for help! He was lucky, as another 4WD vehicle was just approaching.

The driver stopped and a tall thin European got out and approached them, seeing the vehicle bonnet open.

“Can I help?” he asked in English.

“We stopped for lunch and now it won’t start again,” explained Hugh.

“Colin!” exclaimed Monique, “what are you doing here?”

They all looked at Monique, and then the new arrival.

“Monique?” he said, “perhaps I should ask the same!”

Monique turned to the others; “we’re in luck, this is an old friend of mine from university days and his name is Colin.” and then she turned back to Colin.

“What are you doing here?” she repeated.

“I work here,” Colin explained, “I’m doing a survey for a new community development plan,”

“What about you?” he added. Colin could remember the attractive student he had met so many years ago, but circumstances in those days did not allow them to do more than meet for an occasional coffee.

Purchase links:

The Road to Beira

https://www.amazon.com/Road-Beira-Adam-Mann-ebook/dp/B017MOJRCI

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-road-to-beira-adam-mann/1122912861

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theroadtobeira-1921887-149.html

http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=The+Road+To+Beira

Author bio:

I’ve written twenty four romance books all based in parts of the world where I’ve lived and worked. As a result five are in sub-Saharan Africa, eleven are in South or East Asia, and only seven based in the UK. One is still in draft form.

I’ve been married four times, my first wife died, the second divorced me, the third marriage was annulled as that wife had forgotten to get divorced, and thank goodness the fourth wife is fit and well. We have between us seven children and four grandchildren. As a result I think that I know a bit about life and loving.

Author Links:

Click: www.adammannauthor.com

Twitter: @adammannauthor

www.lordmaity.com

Twitter: @Lordmaity

@ButterflyBooks9

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Author’s Questions:

1. Nickname Mai (local name for Mike)
2. Job Retired, now writing full time
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught Masters
4. Birthdate 20 FEB
5. Birthplace Shoreditch, London
6. Currently residing in… Yen Bai, Vietnam
7. Favorite type of pet Large breeds of black dogs
8. Favorite place to visit Mountains rather than Coast
9. Significant other Beautiful Wife
10. Most important goal Sell a few more books
11. Worst fear or nightmare Family member dying
12. Favorite food Roast meat
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? In between
14. Secret desire or fantasy Meet Monica Bellucci
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? Make sure that each member of my family had security for the rest of their life.

 

#EggcerptExchange – Linda Nightingale

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Personally, I love horses… the few time I was lucky enough to ride (aka: full out run) were some of the happiest in my live… there is nothing like the feeling of flying over the land as the horse beneath you thighs cuts loose…

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there are a few things in life that I think everyone should experience at least once… ride a horse; feel the release of free-falling (on a theme park ride, cliff jumping, or for the really extreme – sky diving); and find one thing in life – something beautiful – that takes your breath away, or brings a tear to your eye… now it’s time to check out Linda Nightingale and her latest novel….

Gambler’s Choice
By Linda Nightingale
A novel about people who love horses…
From The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist:  Debbie Taylor
Editor: Mary Harmony

An English aristocrat and a Virginia socialite go head-to-head—and feet-to-feet—in a battle for ownership of a very special horse.

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  • Rating:  Spicy
  • Digital Price:  $4.99
    Print Price:  TBA

Blurb:

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.

Excerpt:

In a blood-stained white robe, Austen drove a knife down on a chopping board. What was he chopping in the middle of the night? Blood leaked from what appeared to be a heart. Sickness rolled in her stomach. Dane sat at his feet, watching his master. A noose of fear tightened around Becca’s neck. Did the heart he diced for the dog belong to the missing Julia? Her stomach flipped. Get a grip, Becca. Your imagination is running away with you. Her phobia didn’t listen. A chill slithered down her spine. She backed away from the door, collided with a table. The mastiff lurched to his feet, barking. Becca froze, unable to tear her gaze from the bloody knife.

Agonizingly slow, Austen turned on one crutch, knife in hand, the gory blade raised. “Stay, Dane. Ah, Becca. Come in. There’s something I’ve been meaning to show you.”

A shudder ploughed through Becca. Her voice shook. “What is that?”

“A beef heart. What did you think? Ah…” he whispered a laugh. “You thought I was dicing Julia’s heart to feed to the dog.” Gripping the knife, he paced her retreat. “I do believe you’re afraid of me.”

The belt slipped, and Austen’s robe parted to his waist. The man’s body would tempt a nun. She retreated. He advanced.

“I couldn’t sleep. That happens quite often. I decided to prepare Dane a special treat.” He tossed his hair out of his eyes, the cruel smile and the condescending tone returning. “Ah, Becca, Becca, you’re thinking I killed Julia because she was pregnant.”

“Yes. No. Put away the knife, please. I can’t think.” She labored for breath.

Austen flung the knife clattering to the floor. The startled dog leapt back. Trembling, Becca stood her ground. She’d chewed the inside of her jaw raw.

“There, Becca,” he snarled. “You can come in now.”

Blood smeared the polished oak floor and the horrible knife. Her stomach ached, and bile stung her throat. She forced herself to look at anything but the stained blade.

Austen halted, leaned against a wall. “I appreciate your confidence and trust. A month of living together has taught you nothing about me.”

Dane disobeyed the command to sit, returned to lick his master’s fingers.

“There, there, son.” Austen glanced at the dog. “I’ll soon finish your treat. First, I must convince Becca that I am not a murderer.”

Buy Link: 

Amazon

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About Linda:

Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston.  She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award.   She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys events with her car club.  Among her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano.  She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Twitter

Facebook 

Web Site  – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.

Blog  – Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Goodreads

Pinterest

Book Video

Character Interview:

1.      Nickname:  Becca (short for Rebecca) McQuaid

2.    Currently residing in…Horse Country, Virginia, and a lovelier place you’ve never seen…except Somerset, England, perhaps

3.    Favorite type of pet – I wouldn’t really call a horse a pet, more like a friend and partner, but hands down, the horse.

4.    Most important goal – To own Gambler’s Choice, a beautiful bay stallion—a problematic dream, since his owner, the Baron of Hampton, refuses to sell—for any amount of money

5.    Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? I’m a rich girl, but that doesn’t guarantee I get everything I want…like Gambler’s Choice.

6.    Secret desire or fantasy – To get the Baron of Hampton between the sheets

His Temporary Fix

2016 Blitz Banner

*I loved the title and the sexy cover of this, and just had to reblog… 😛 happy wordage…

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – His Temporary Fix
SERIES (& Book #) – Love at the Beach #2
AUTHOR – Sofia Grey
GENRE – Contemporary Military Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – October 26 2015
LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 111 pages, 30k words
PUBLISHER – Entangled Select


BOOK SYNOPSIS

His Temporary Fix -  Book CoverHolly Jacobs loses her heart a little too easily. Never again. But when she meets the sexy soldier on the beach, Holly knows she’s in big trouble. Zack Winter is gorgeous and in pain, and when he kisses Holly, all of her resolve melts away…

Zack is on short-term leave to attend a funeral, and he’s walking a fine line. The loss is unbearable…and he’ll do whatever it takes to distract himself from it. Especially if it means a night of searingly-hot sex with Holly Jacobs. Only his brilliant idea isn’t exactly going according to plan.

One night isn’t nearly enough. But if it goes much longer it might end in broken hearts…

 


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BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US
AMAZON KINDLE UK
AMAZON PAPERBACK
BARNES & NOBLES NOOK
BARNES & NOBLES PAPERBACK
KOBO
ALL ROMANCE


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EXCERPT

“Don’t you need to go, Holly Jacobs?” Even the way he murmured my name was sexy. This was crazy. Add that to my track record of bad decisions and getting involved with Zack was dumb on an epic level. I was incapable of having a no-strings fling. For me, it was all or nothing, and this time I was going to make the sane decision.

“Why don’t you call me just Holly?” Asking him another question was harmless.

I saw a flash of white teeth in the darkness. “I like your name.” He sounded amused. “Is that okay, Just-Holly?”

Dear God. In the middle of his grief and distress, he still had a sense of humor. I really needed to escape before I found any more reasons to linger. But I didn’t move an inch.

“You sure you don’t want to come back to my place?” His whisper reverberated through me, turning my spine liquid and my knees to jelly. He shifted position slightly and I felt him trailing a hand up my back, the fingertips tiptoeing with excruciating slowness and precision.

“Zack, I don’t do one-night stands.”

“I’m here for two nights.”



AUTHOR BIO

Author Photo - Sofia GreyRomance author Sofia Grey spends her days managing projects in the corporate world and her nights hanging out with wolf shifters and alpha males. She devours pretty much anything in the fiction line, but she prefers her romances to be hot, and her heroes to have hidden depths. When writing, she enjoys peeling back the layers to expose her characters’ flaws and always makes them work hard for their happy endings.


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AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST
GOODREADS
SPOTIFY
JOIN SOFIA’S PACK ON FACEBOOK
ENTANGLED LINK
SERIES BLOG
SIGN UP FOR SOFIA’S NEWSLETTER

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#EggcerptExchange – Kryssie Forturn

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the Eggcerpt Exchange is almost over, but there are still a few more authors coming your way…

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soon we will be back to just my insanity… but for now, check you Kryssie’s novel while I head back to my edits.. 😛

Meet Viola Lightfoot, heroine of Kryssie Fortune’s book, To Seduce an Omega    #Eggcerpt Exchange

Hello. I’m Viola Lightfoot.
I’m a healer and I was born right here in Prowlerville. In the alpha’s residence, actually. For the first six years, I was my father’s pampered darling. Then he tossed me out like a bag of trash.
I live in a deserted shepherd’s hut deep in the forest, and while I’d like to visit Prowlerville more often, as the Rock Prowler’s Omega wolf, I’m not welcome. Unless someone needs my healing skills, of course.
I don’t have a significant other, but I’m certain I’m coming into my first heat. I know, that’s odd since I’m in my late twenties. She-wolves’ breeding seasons usually start at puberty, but since the beating that left me with a crippled knee killed my inner wolves, I never expected to have a season at all.
I’m terrified that my father sends his thugs to attack me again. They almost killed me before. A few years later, they burned down the only real home I’ve ever known, and my foster mother perished in the fire. I dream of leaving Rock Prowler territory and starting over. It’s not going to happen though. No pack would accept a crippled wolf like me

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Blurb
The Rock Prowler alpha condemns Viola for her inability to shift. Forced into poverty and isolation, she ekes out a meager existence as a healer. As the pack omega with a crippled knee, she’s forbidden to mate. Her first heat beckons, but no wolf will dare to bed her.

Titus, a wolf rejected by his true mate, overflows with violence and anger. The Lykae King sends him to take over the Rock Prowler pack. He condemns Viola for wanting payment before she treats her patients and threatens to bring in a new pack healer. With her crippled knee and no other income, she’d starve.

She-wolves from families who disagree with the alpha have vanished. When Titus investigates, the alpha’s allies imprison both him and Viola. To escape, he must seduce Viola—the she-wolf he insulted and reviled. If that’s not bad enough, she despises him for his seeming allegiance to the alpha. As he gets to know her, she steals his heart, but after all that’s happened, how can she accept him when even his fated mate refused him?

Buy links

Amazon US
Amazon UK

Amazon au
All romance books

Kobo

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Excerpt

After a quick assessment of Tansy’s injuries, Viola grabbed a knife and a packet of herbs from her dresser. “What happened to her?”

Titus’s expression softened as he stared at the injured woman. “I don’t have a clue. I heard a whimper from a thicket of murder thorns, and the poor woman was lying unconscious in the center. Elves’ blood, you’ve got your gold. Get a move on. Can’t you see she’s lost so much blood she’s going into shock?”

The arrow topped Viola’s priorities. Once she’d pulled a threadbare apron over her head, she poured alcohol over Tansy’s wound. If the archer had barbed the head, pulling the arrow out would tear the flesh from Tansy’s thigh. Given that this looked like a deliberate shooting, Viola prayed the bowman hadn’t poisoned the arrowhead.

Titus laid Tansy on the moss and sweet-herb pallet, his touch so gentle Viola wondered how it would feel if he laid her down with such care. Just once, she wanted someone to be gentle with her. That or teach her about orgasms and sex. I should be concentrating on Tansy, not drooling over Titus’s ass.

She swallowed hard and settled on the floor beside her patient, her bad leg extended in front of her. Getting up again would be hell, but Viola would manage somehow. She always did, but on bad days her knee ballooned to twice its normal size. Her gaze strayed back to Titus’s ass. She pictured herself running her hands over it or stroking it or rubbing up against him and breathing in his musky vanilla essence.

Her nipples ached, and she felt as though flames licked at her cunt—all that for one of Zebadiah’s personal army. Despite his gentle treatment of Tansy, Viola couldn’t trust Titus an inch. This stupid urge to wrap her body around his and run her fingers through his short-cropped hair would fade soon. It had to. Nothing good could come of her having a fling with a stranger, no matter how much he made her heart race.

Tansy moaned when Viola cut the remnants of her skirt and probed her wound.

Titus’s eyes narrowed, and his jaw clenched. “Do you enjoy hurting the helpless?”

Her? Hurt the helpless. Viola would have laughed if he didn’t make her so fluttery and hot. She stood on quicksand, and the only way to stay safe was to cling to Titus. Yeah, like he’d ever offer his hand.

Her chin rose. “I’m a healer. Only an idiot would think I meant to hurt Tansy. I needed to know if the arrow had struck bone. Fortunately, the head’s embedded in her thigh muscle, but we still need to push it through rather than just yank it out. Once I’ve poulticed the entry and exit wounds, I’ll clean up her scratches.”

“Then get a move on.” Titus’s fingernails turned into claws, and he bared his fangs. At her. She should be scared or even screaming. Instead, she almost came when she pictured those fangs sinking into her flesh as she orgasmed around his cock. No. Not feeling anything for him…really. Besides, who the hell does he think he is? Judging me as though he’s the Rock Prowler alpha.

Viola did her best with limited materials. The alpha refused to let her leave Rock Prowlers’ territory to train further even though that left the pack without a qualified healer. She’d lost her books in the fire that had destroyed her home, and she hated when she didn’t know enough to help.

If Elspeth hadn’t taken Viola in when her mother vanished and her father banished her from her home, she wouldn’t have survived. Twenty-two years later, survival was still a struggle.

Healing was all she had left. She understood difficult childbirths and kept a stock of herbal remedies for the rare occasions a wolf couldn’t heal himself by shifting. Sadly, nothing would fix her knee. Without her inner wolves, Viola would never be whole again.

She stole a quick glance at Titus, and her heart rate sped up again. His confidence and strength along with the way he took charge of a bad situation made her envy his mate—assuming he had one.

The bonded couples in town never left each other’s sides unless they had to, which made her wonder what Tansy had been doing out here alone. Jealousy hit Viola like a fiery arrow. The thought of Titus bonding with another woman turned her stomach sour. Not that she’d ever have children or a mate, but a she-wolf could dream.

#EggcerptExchange – Cheryl Carpinello

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I haven’t read many novels involving time travel, but this one sounds very cool… ancient Egypt… and look at the GIF I found on pinterest… lol… it isn’t from Cheryl Carpinello, but I saw it and thought ‘hmmm Egypt + time travel… that sounds like magic to me…’ and this fast moving sky show looks like Egyptian magic to me…

her novel is full of historical time travel for YA readers… I’ve never been to Egypt but there is something soothing and magical about desert landscapes to me… and I have always been in awe of the tomes and sculptures… not so much the whole slavery to get the back braking work done, but the end result is breathtaking …

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And now lets check out Cheryl’s Eggcerpt goodies…

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Sons of the Sphinx

SERIES – The Quest Books

AUTHOR – Cheryl Carpinello

GENRE – YA Historical Time Travel

PUBLICATION DATE – October 10, 2014

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 192/36,000

PUBLISHER – Beyond Today Educator

COVER ARTIST – Bernistevens Design

From Reviews

“A seamless time travel historical adventure for middle grade, teen readers and adults.”

“If you are looking for a great time travel book; give this one a try!! This would be a perfect gift for the teen in your life too!”

“Prepare yourself for an incredible adventure in ancient Egypt.”

“A titillating paranormal adventure that takes readers on a wild journey through ancient Egypt to help the ghost of King Tut find his Queen.”

Those are some lovely Review Eggs Cheryl has in her basket… 😛

Summary

Time Travel Thriller in Ancient Egypt

When15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena, she doesn’t count on falling for him. Once back in Ancient Egypt, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do and is not as easy as she thought it would be, even though she carries part of that lost queen in her soul. She must also keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb–who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic–if she is to stay alive to make it back home. 2015 Readers’ Favorite Finalist YA; 2015 IAN Book of the Year Finalist YA; 2015 CAL Book Award Finalist YA Fiction; 2014 Literary Classics Silver Medal for PreTeen/Tween; 2014 Literary Classics Seal of Approval

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EXCERPT

From Chapter 13:

Before us, nearly filling up the room and taller than either of us, stands the golden shrine of Tutankhamun. I remembered what else lay in that room. Inside that shrine are three more, each a bit smaller than the outside one. All tucked inside each other like those nesting dolls from my grandmother’s childhood. Inside the last shrine were the four sarcophagi of Tut, each displaying him in golden and jeweled splendor.

The last one holds the famed mask of the golden boy. And beneath that, the body of the young pharaoh who now stands here before me. Beyond my understanding, he has been given back his human form, allowed to return one last time to restore honor to his family, one last time to find his true love. And here I am, trying to help, trying to understand, trying to stay alive. Will I ever be able to go home again? Or will I become as lost as Hesena?

BUY & TBR LINKS

cheryl

AUTHOR BIO

I am a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those young-at-heart to read more through my Quest Books set in these worlds.

Also please visit my other sites: Carpinello’s Writing Pages where I interview Childrens/Tween/MG/YA authors; and The Quest Books where I’ve teamed up with Fiona Ingram from South Africa and Wendy Leighton-Porter of Abu Dhabi to enable readers to find our Ancient and Medieval quest books in one place.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

Alright… I hope y’all enjoyed Cheryl’s Eggcerpt… we have a little over a week left for Eggie Exchanges… see you guys later… happy wordage, Tracey

#EggcerptExchange – Kim Kasch

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How many EGGcerpts have you guys got marked down on your TBR lists… I know I definitely found a few interesting finds over the past few weeks…and I swear, I will eventually get the time to read a few of them… just as soon as I get through a few more edits… lol… evil, evil edits… the month is flying by, and my edit-list is still pretty full…

I really like this next Exchange… it definitely sounds right up my TBR list alley… 😛 sooooo without further ado, here is Kim Kasch…. and her novel The Cats of Cullaby Creek….

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   I’m a writer who grew up in a family with 9 kids and only 1 t.v. so I spent my days reading and, later, writing. I love books. . .maybe because I never got to pick t.v. shows we watched. But I’d run home after school to catch the last fifteen minutes of Dark Shadows…

I still love to run…and read. My favorite romance novels are The Hunger Games…okay, I know, it’s a survival book but it’s really all about romance. Then there were the series: Twilight, Fifty Shades, and more but I also love paranormal, Horror and even light books like Dewey the Small Town Library Cat… Mainly, I just love to read. . . and write.

Sorry to be so long-winded but did I say I love to write? …and talk and…knit, and sew, and bake… I could go on but I’ll stop by saying, I hope you’ll stop by and say “Hi”.

Thanks for listening.

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES:

And join me on Twitter or stop by and see what I’m pinning on Pinterest and, if you’ve read Demon’s Ink and have a question or simply want to share a comment, please feel free to send me an email. I love connecting with readers.

THE CATS OF CULLABY CREEK

Think The Animorphs” Grown Up

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RELEASE DATE: January 21, 2016

PUBLISHER: http://cleanreads.com/

ISBN: 978-1-62135-483-3

BOOK TRAILER: https://youtu.be/JOft7ED0z2Y

BOOK TEASER:

https://youtu.be/729o2HWEAuE

YOU CAN BUY KIM’S BOOKS HERE:

AMAZON & iBOOK

LOVE IS ALWAYS RISKY

BUT

IN CULLABY CREEK IT’S DANGEROUS

IS IT ALREADY TOO LATE FOR SAVANNAH?

FIND OUT IN THE CATS OF CULLABY CREEK

TAG LINE:

Love is in the Air, something else is in the water

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EGG-CERPT:

Kelly and Kyle

These two shared some sort of history. And now I was in the middle of their story.

Sparks flew through the air. But, they didn’t seem to notice—or maybe they just didn’t care how uncomfortable they were making the rest of us.

I scanned the room. The terribly odd thing was that while they stood in the center of the cafeteria—arguing—everyone’s eyes were on me.

What is so interesting about me?

After a few seconds, I heard whispered accusations slammed back and forth, like a ping-pong ball. My name, muttered in odd and angry tones. No one seemed to mind staring at me, but only the bravest few were sneaking sideways glances over at Kelly and Kyle, hoping no one noticed.

This wasn’t what I needed on my first day at a new school. I hadn’t come here looking for instant enemies, but I knew I’d accidentally stirred a private pot and things were already starting to boil.

I needed to do something and quick. From the sounds floating around me, if they got into an actual argument, I was going to get the blame.

I spit out the first words I could think to say, “What’s a new kid to do, after school, around here… for fun?”

Kyle sighed and chuckled, “That depends on what you’re hoping to find and what you think is fun.” He stepped back away from Kelly for a moment. “You big city kids always think something needs to be going on. But in real life, in a small town, not much ever happens.”

“We could ask my Mom to drive us into Astoria to do some shopping,” I suggested. It was a little too obvious—even to me—Kelly wanted me out of the picture and was trying everything she could think of to keep me away from Kyle. I almost felt sorry for her—but only for a second.

“Or,” Kyle sat down and nodded for me to join him. I could feel a warm rush of air and his scent worked its way up inside my head. I barely heard him finish, “We could go for a run.”

“What?” Kelly demanded, clenching her hands into tight-balled fists at her side.

“Savannah,” Kyle lowered his voice and said my name slow, putting an emphasis on the last syllable, like it was a soft sigh, ‘ah’. And, for the first time in my life, I loved the sound of my own name. “Is a runner. And she’s fast. Aren’t ‘cha?” He nudged me and moved even closer. I could barely think. His smell overpowered my senses; it was the sweet woodsy scent of him that took me by surprise. I closed my eyes and drank it in.

When I opened them back up, Kelly’s eyes were shooting red flames of rage straight at me.

I gazed at Kyle and felt a warmth in my stomach again. It was working its way up into my chest. “That’s not what you said this morning,” I laughed then spun away.

“You two went running this morning?” Her voice came out in a squeak that broke into a high-pitched screech, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

“Yeah,” Kyle said casually, then back to me he added, “And, I’d like to see how fast you are.”

I wondered if everything he said was going to have a double meaning but I wasn’t ready to question his motives. He was my only real friend in this place, and it looked like I was going to need a few because I was making more than a few enemies, without even trying.

“I could use the exercise,” I nodded, looking around the table at the other kids’ faces and wondering why no one else had said a single word. “Plus, you could show me around the town.”

“No problem,” Kyle agreed, and I couldn’t help looking forward to it, even though I knew Kelly wasn’t going to be happy about my running off with Kyle. “But I only think it’s fair to warn you, there’s not much to see—so don’t get your hopes set too high.”

“Great—I mean about the exercise,” I smiled, and without even thinking how it might sound, I added, “Then it’s a date.”

Kelly only heard one word and it was like I’d pulled back a rubber band—hard—and snapped it against her forehead.

She wailed like a wounded animal, “Agghhh!” and spun around on her heels, stomping out of the room.

Kyle shrugged and started to walk toward the exit, then he twisted around to call out, “I’ll meet you out by the flag post after seventh period.” His lips curled softly, throwing me a quick backwards nod, “And, remember, it’s a date.” The last thing I saw was his warm, sensual grin, as he glanced around the room before he gave me an exaggerated wink—meant more for everyone else to see than for me, and then he disappeared out into the hall.

I wished he would have used a different word because he didn’t need to rub it in.

I shrugged. Who cares? I told myself, he’s been the nicest person in the entire school. If it weren’t for Kyle, I wouldn’t want to ever come back to Mist High.

The rest of the day dragged on and on. All I wanted was to see Kyle again, with his sleek body and powerful frame. But what I found fascinating was the casual way he had about himself. He said whatever he wanted, while I worried about everything I said, how it would be taken, and what people would think of me.

Somehow, Kyle was working his way into my system, like a powerful drug. And I was beginning to feel addicted. I couldn’t wait for our meeting out by the flag post.

Finally, after what seemed like absolutely for…ev…er, the bell rang.

I rushed out of class, down the hall, and out the front doors of the school to meet up with Kyle.

But as I got closer, my spine tingled. Something was wrong. I could feel it. Then I knew why.

Kyle wasn’t standing underneath the flagpole; someone else was there, waiting for me.

“Kelly,” I muttered under my breath.

She stood beneath the red, white, and blue banner with an enormous grin carved into her face, like a giant jack-o-lantern beaming up at me. But this look was way more sinister and gloating. My knees suddenly felt weak and my throat went dry.

This girl just kept surprising me.

BLURB:

When Savannah meets Kyle, its love at first sight. And why wouldn’t it be? He’s perfect, as far as she can tell. But Kyle appears whenever things go wrong. Maybe he isn’t everything she thought he was. It’s a complete mystery until she discovers the water in Cullaby Creek is being bottled and sold as vitamin “infused” water. Mistic Water promises the impossible. And then, like a magical elixir, it delivers. People who drink it feel younger, smarter, faster…healthier. But it doesn’t take long before side effects hit. Literally. The secret has to be in the water…or is it something more?

Author Links:

KIM’S AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Goodreads

Website

YouTube

BlogSpot

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Pinterest

LinkedIn

#LittleThings Blog Hop – Freebies

Hey guys… I need help… and not mental… though that is definitely in question… I mean… what have I gotten myself into… Oh, not this hop… this is easy and fun… no I am talking about one of the book signings I will be at this year… one that I will be needed a costume for, for the costume ball… But I am getting ahead of myself… let me introduce the Hop and then Please, for the love of mud, help a girl out… 😛

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Little Things Blog Hop

Hi everyone Tracey Clark here and I am one of over 100 authors/bloggers/ on

the Little Things Blog Hop! This hop has over 200 chances to win prizes, the rafflecopter for the overall event has a ton of prizes just waiting to be won… and each of the 100+ blog stops will have their own give away…

My Giveaway

Make sure you visit each stop and enter the posted giveaway… for this stop, I am giving away an eBook copy of Shocking Finds (epub, pdf, or mobi)… to be entered to win, simply answer the follow:

—If you had to pick a book/movie character to dress up as, who would it be (description of outfit would be great)?

lol… sounds silly, but I am in serious need her peeps… I will be going to a costume ball at the Imaginarium Convention… I am already nervous about being on one of the panels (not sure what they want me to do) and being in front of a lot of people for any reason always throws my system into whack… I can see it now… sweating, red in the face, about to throw up, when I just kill over and pass out…. yep… that would so be my luck… to help me out… use the comment section below and give me some ideas… and be entered to win …

And not to worry… if you already have a copy of Shocking Finds, I will be sure to send you an Arc of Southern Discoveries (Book Two – Finder’s Keepers) when all the bugs are worked out…

And be sure to enter the amazing rafflecopter too which has a ton of prizes to be won!

For those of you don’t already know me, I am the author of Shocking Finds (A Finder’s Keepers Novel), I plan to be attending three book signings this year (Wild in West Virginia – June in Charleston, WV; Imaginarium Convention – Oct in Louisville, ky; & Rebels and Readers RARAE – Nov in Huntington, WV) And I am working to get two more novels ready for the signings… and as stated above, I will be attending the Imaginarium Costume Ball (EKK) I hope to see you all there…

Now… let’s keep this Hop hopping…

Next name on the list: PJ Fiala’s Little Things

Rafflecoptor Link : a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the Little Things Blog Hop Event for more fun https://www.facebook.com/events/562506680576207/

Link to all the Blog Hop spots: http://theclubbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2016/02/LittleThingsBlogHop.html

Thank you for hopping by! Happy Wordage, Tracey

Winner (s) will be chosen by random and announced on this page and on the Little Things Event Page by April 6th.

FB is not in any way responsible or affiliated with this giveaway or the Little Things Blog Hop

 

 

#EggcerptExchange – Mary E. Thompson

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I know I’ve already used this GIF, but come on… lol.. this is great… poor kid… WATCH OUT FOR SWINGING HIPS… 😛

we have hit the midway point on our second month of excerpts… the bookish egg hunt is almost at a close… I have had a lot of fun getting to see all the ideas and responses from my fellow authors… a nice diversion from all the edits… but soon I will have my first contemporary romance back from the beta reader…. and that means??? yep…. more edits… lol… but I love my Skymanns and know that they deserve the best… 

this Eggcerpt also falls in the contemporary romance genre… with a Plump and Pretty MC to show that love comes in all sizes… 😛

#EggcerptExchange

Plump & Pretty

Big & Beautiful series, book 6

by Mary E. Thompson

New Release – will be available March 15 (preorder links are live)

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Blurb:

Riley is a quiet woman. She likes to read, hides behind her books. She doesnt date much and thinks no one would be interested in the quiet, plump girl with her nose in a book.

Connor was the high school hottie. Riley knew of him, but never knew him. So when he approaches her at a wedding shes baffled that he knows she exists let alone knows her name.

Then he disappears, only to show back up a few days later, right when she needs someone to talk to.

Not someone to kiss though.

When everything Rileys ever wanted seems almost within her reach she starts to wonder if its possible, or if it was just a dream all along.

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Excerpt:

I looked down at his large hand circling my smaller wrist. I’d never felt small next to a man, but seeing his fingers wrapped all the way around my arm, the tips resting against his palm as though I was a normal sized woman and not big, made me feel small. I looked over him again, taking my time with my appraisal, enjoying the view of his long, thick legs encased in denim, the drape of his wool coat covering his hips and upper body. His other hand gripped the arm of the chair as though restraining himself.

His blue eyes begged me to reconsider, to take his words at face value then dig deeper into the heart of what he was saying. His lips were parted, poised to continue his argument if I didn’t give him the answer he wanted. Out darted his pink tongue covering the edge of his lip before vanishing again. For some reason with the appearance of his tongue my brain stalled, forgetting momentarily what we were talking about.

“Riley?” he asked, his rich deep voice pulling me from my blankness.

“Sorry. Um, are you for real?”

A glimmer lit his eyes, a spark of a challenge. He looked like the Connor Lee I remembered from high school, the one who never turned down a dare and who always got what he wanted.

He stood slowly, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. At his full height he towered over my 5’10″ height by the eight inches I knew he was taller than me. Broad shoulders dwarfed mine with arms that were almost the size of my legs. Connor Lee hadn’t lost any of the definition or size he had in high school. It looked as though he’d perhaps gained even more size.

“Riley, I like you. I know we don’t know each other well, or really at all, but when I saw you, I knew I had to try to get to know you.”

“Why? I mean, really?” I stammered, not really sure what the hell was going on.

His free hand lifted and approached my cheek. I flinched, wondering what the hell he was doing. He looked into my eyes, peering close, then lifted his arm slowly, as though I was an animal that was spooked. I guess I was.

His palm touched my cheek and I brushed against it like a greedy cat wanting more. He stepped closer, the blue of his eyes darkening to a navy. The hand on my wrist glided up my arm, pausing at my shoulder before ducking under my hair and cupping the back of my neck.

Completely under his control my head tipped back, giving him full access to me. As his head lowered, my eyes drifted closed, a replay of our motions at the wedding. His lips got closer, my breath coming out in hurried puffs as I felt his breath on my face. A heavy pause filled the space, disappointment filling me as I realized he wasn’t going to kiss me like I thought.

“Riley,” he said, making my eyes open. His face was right in front of me, level with mine. His navy eyes bore straight through my body. I’ve never known a feeling of being devoured by a man’s eyes until that moment. He glanced down over me, my flesh heating with every flicker of his eyes. When they met mine again I knew I’d do anything he asked, and that one day he’d crush me.

“Riley? Can I kiss you?” he whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

Buy Links:

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BL2V3EW

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/plump-pretty-mary-e-thompson/1123387585?ean=2940152613407

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/plump-pretty

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/614174

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Author Bio:

Mary E Thompson grew up loving to read, spending many nights hiding under the covers with a flashlight to finish a book. As an adult she still stays up too late, but doesnt need a flashlight anymore thanks to her ereader. When Marys not reading shes playing with her two kids or living out her real life romance with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, Buffalo sports teams, and wine, lots of wine.

Author Links:

Website – http://maryethompson.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authormaryethompson/

Goodreads – http://goodreads.com/maryethompson

Twitter – http://twitter.com/authormet

Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/metdaisy7

Conversational interview: (after the book)

Interviewer: Thanks for being here today, Riley. Its pretty exciting to hear you just got READ. How are you feeling?

Riley (laughs): Im great. This is the best day of my life. I never thought READ would actually be mine.

Interviewer: It sounds like a pretty interesting story. Do you want to share it with us?

Riley: Well, some of it is private, but Ill just say I have the best fiancé ever.

Interviewer: Connor Lee, right? You two grew up together?

Riley (nods): Yeah, we did. We went to high school together, but we didnt really know each other. He was dating a girl whose locker was next to mine.

Interviewer: So how did you get together?

Riley (smiles and gets a dreamy look in her eyes): He approached me at my friends wedding. I didnt know he even knew my name, but he knew a lot more than that. He surprised me at every step, right up until the end when he asked me to marry him.

Interviewer: Does he like to read as much as you do?

Riley (laughs): I dont think anyone likes to read as much as I do, but Connor does read. More now than before though.

Interviewer: How did you get into owning a book store?

Riley: I always loved to read. I was forever that girl with her head in a book. I knew I wanted to work with books so I got a degree in Library Sciences. When I was going through school I wanted to work though, so I got a part time job at READ. By the time I finished my degree I loved it so much I couldnt bear to leave.

Interviewer (smiling): It sounds like you really love it there?

Riley (nods): Its my favorite place in the world. Connor laughs, but when he talks about taking a vacation I talk about how many books I could buy with the money.

Interviewer (laughing): Books are pretty important to you. What else matters?

Riley: Family and friends, without a doubt.

Interviewer: Your friends are like a second family, arent they?

Riley: Definitely. I worry about them as much as I worry about my sisters.

Interviewer: What do you worry about?

Riley: That they wont be happy. That they wont find someone to share their lives with. My friends are mostly paired off, but Carrie and Charlie are still single. I worry about Carrie the most though because all shes ever wanted was to be a mom. Shes starting to think it wont happen.

Interviewer: Do you want kids?

Riley (shrugs): Eventually. Were not there yet. Id like to get married first.

Interviewer: When is the wedding?

Riley (smiling): April 21. We dont want to wait.

Interviewer (eyes wide): Wow, thats soon. Have you always dreamed of your wedding day?

Riley (shakes head): No. Strangely enough I barely thought of my wedding at all until Connor proposed. Thats another reason were doing it so soon. Were keeping it small and are pretty laid back with what were planning.

Interviewer: If you never dreamed of your wedding, what did you dream of?

Riley: The last few years I dreamed of owning READ.

Interviewer: You have that so whats your big dream now?

Riley (shrugs): Im not sure I have one. Im happy. I have everything I could have ever wanted. A fabulous job, an amazing man, and great family and friends. What more could you ask for?

Interviewer: Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

#EggcerptExchange – Traci Sanders

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Traci Sanders is dropping by today to join the Eggcerpt fun, but she has decided to change things up a little… this exchange is more of an interview of all things Traci…

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She is here to bust open communication lines with her author secrets…

I’m excited to be part of the Egg-cerpt tour, and I’d like to thank Tina Gayle for creating it!

Instead of offering character interviews, excerpts of my books, or a boring bio, I decided to offer a bit of insight on the driving forces behind my work. I hope you enjoy!

9 Things to Know about Traci Sanders

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Who is Traci Sanders?

First and foremost, I am a mom of three great kids: boy 18; boy 16; and girl 10. Being a mom is the best job I’ve ever had. I’m also married to my high-school sweetheart. We’ve been together for about twenty-four years. My family is my inspiration for most of my books … with just a bit of embellishment here and there.

What genre do you write?

My first published book was a potty-training guide for parents. Then I published my first children’s book and two more parenting books. Six months into publishing, I released my first adult fiction piece, and I was hooked on the romance genre. So, even though I will continue to write and publish children’s books (because I have eight more already written), I mostly write adult romance. It’s my favorite!

What do you like most about writing?

Writing has always been there for me. Also, there is no prerequisite to satisfy. Writing shows no prejudice. You don’t have to have a college degree, or be the smartest or most popular kid in school; you simply have to possess a passion for words. For me, growing up in a family of six girls and one boy, writing was many things – an escape from chaos and noise, a friend who understood what I was feeling, and an outlet to pour my emotions into. It has helped me get through some tough times.

 

Who has been your biggest influence in your life?

I doubt she even realizes it, but my mother has always been a huge inspiration for my writing. As a young girl, I watched her play the piano and write songs for church. I once found her journal and read some of her songs, which inspired me to write my own. I also wrote poetry and short stories from the time I was in third grade. Writing was my gift, and I realized this at an early age. As I got older, I wrote and sang songs in church. People told me I had an “anointing” from God—a power to heal with my words and my voice. That was a pretty powerful thing to hear at my age, so I took it seriously. And, while my books are not Christian-based, my upbringing does play a part in my writing.

Who are your favorite Indie authors?

Gosh, having read more than forty books last year, I’ve experienced a plethora of great ones. But, to name a few: Beth Hale, Bethany Turner, Stephen Geez, Beem Weeks, Elizabeth Horton-Newton, Emma Scott, Anita Kovacevik, and Michelle Abbott. And recently, I’ve added Kim Cox and Allaina Daniels to this list because they write such quirky, intriguing characters that are fun to read about!

What is your ultimate reward as an author?

My ultimate reward as a writer is when someone says to me, “your book helped me” or “your words touched my heart.” That is when I feel the most successful and fulfilled. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoy seeing my sales go up; but my biggest payoff is when I get that feeling I had as a little girl—hearing those same words from people in my church or teachers at my school. In a way, it was validation for me. It made me feel as if could change someone’s life through my words, whether it is true or notJ

Name a classic author who has influenced your writing.

I am not usually a dark-natured person; however, in middle school and high school, I was drawn to Edgar Allan Poe. The desperate tone in his writing and rhythmic flow of his words fascinated me. I don’t enjoy horror stories or films, but I remember listening to The Tell- Tale Heart on a tape recorder in class (wow, I’m telling my age now) and being drawn in to the story. It was powerful, and I wanted to have the same effect on readers with my writing.

What is your biggest fear?

Of course I could say it would involve losing a loved one, but that’s a given. So, if I’m being totally honest otherwise, I’d have to say losing my mind is my greatest fear. If I ever lost a limb or an organ, I would find a way to survive and manage from day to day. But if I lost my mind—my ability to think and create—I would soon wither away inside. Therefore, I plan to use my words to entertain, inform, and heal others for as long as I am able.

What is your biggest pet peeve about books?

I can overlook a few grammatical errors if the story is compelling enough; but a major pet peeve of mine is when authors repeatedly misuse simple words such as then, than, your, and you’re. It just drives me crazy. If you ever see that in one of my books, trust me, I DID NOT purposefully put it there!
Thanks so much for having me today and for letting me share a little bit about my writing journey.

Please subscribe to my blog at www.awordwithtraci.com where you will find samples of my poems and stories, excerpts from my books, and daily tips on all aspects of the writing industry (publishing, marketing, writing, etc.) in my new segment for 2016 called “365 Days to Write Right.”

Here is a link to the trailer for my newest release…Unsevered

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Buy links for “Unsevered”

Amazon: http://amzn.to/20zBXtw

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1nUdy0y

traci

Buy links for “When Darkness Breaks”

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TKCG5H

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1SAb7gD

Connect with me:
Blog:
www.awordwithtraci.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWordWithTraci/?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmsanders2014

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tsanders2014/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7508333.Traci_M_Sanders

#EggcerptExchange – Maryann Miller

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ooo… Maryann’s blurb is excellent… you have intrigue, a woman wrongly accused, and mob bosses…

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Will the sheriff get his man??? or maybe his girl??? in more ways than one, Maryann seems to pulling in drama lovers… it sounds like everyone will be walking along a slippery slope… hmmmm….

#EggcerptExchange Boxes For Beds by Maryann Miller

BLURB

The 1960s were a time of peace and love in California, but not so in Hot Springs, Arkansas where the mob still ruled. In Boxes For Beds, babies are being kidnapped, and the local sheriff has to put this case to bed before the bosses come down from Chicago for a big meeting. They don’t need the heat of an open investigation that could interest the Feds, and they have the local sheriff under their control. He thinks it’s a good move to arrest Leslie Richards, the new woman in town, even though there’s only thin circumstantial evidence against her. Better for it to be a stranger taking those babies and not one of their own. Leslie has left New York with her ten-year-old daughter, Mandy, hoping to escape from her past and the ruins of a relationship, only to discover that there is little peace for her in Pine Hollow, Arkansas.

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EXCERPT

January 1936

“Hush little baby, don’t you cry … ” The plaintive melody whispered in the otherwise resounding silence.

One small candle flickered atop the dust-encrusted chest of drawers, the feeble light unable to dispel the gloom born of the murky darkness. The yellow flame wafted in a sudden draft, casting macabre patterns on a precarious stack of old boxes supported by an intricate network of cobwebs. The pale light briefly touched a figure hunched over an open trunk.

The figure loomed more like a shadow than a real person and reached out a hand to lightly trace the features of the tiny bundle nestled within the trunk’s musty interior.

“Would you listen to me? Singing to a doll-baby just like you was real.”

Wide, unblinking eyes stared back.

“Sometimes I wish … but no. It’s better this way. If you was real, then I’d have to tell you to hush for sure. The Man don’t let me play with no real babies. Says I might hurt ’em. But he don’t know. I can be real gentle. Ain’t my fault those others broke. You ain’t gonna do that are you?”

Silence.

March 6, 1961

Leslie Richards sat on the ground, idly picking at the strands of dry grass beside her. No sign of green yet, not even in Pine Hollow, Arkansas. Not that she really expected it. Early March is still winter whether in Arkansas or New York, but at least the breeze blew a little warmer here. She definitely wouldn’t be sitting on the ground if she were still in New York.

Easing herself against the thick trunk of the old oak, which stretched leafless branches high into a shimmering blue sky, Leslie thought of how her agent had reacted to the news of her impending move. Merrill had stolen the response Leslie had expected from her parents.

“What on earth do you want to leave New York for?” Merrill rolled a well-chewed pencil between her slim fingers, staring at Leslie in frank astonishment.

“You’re the one who keeps telling me a writer should be well-traveled. Let’s just say I’m broadening my horizons.”

“Some podunk town in the South is hardly what I had in mind.”

“That ‘podunk town’, as you so colorfully put it, is part of my heritage. My grandmother was raised there. I can reconnect with my roots.”

“Right. Like that’s been a burning issue in your life.” Merrill flashed one of her lopsided smiles. “I think you’re holding out on me, kid.”

“Oh, Merrill,” The tears Leslie had vowed not to burden her friend with welled in her eyes and spilled unbidden down her cheeks. “Everything’s such a mess. Since Ronald … I can’t think. I can’t work.”

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AUTHOR BIO

Maryann Miller is a best-selling author of books, screenplays and stage plays. Boxes for Beds is her first indie release. Her previous books include a police-procedural mystery, Open Season, which is the first in a new series that features two women homicide detectives. Think “Lethal Weapon” set in Dallas with female leads. Miller has won numerous awards for her screenplays and short fiction, including the Page Edwards Short Fiction Award, the New York Library Best Books for Teens Award, and first place in the screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer’s Conference.

BUY LINK – Boxes for Beds is available in paper, electronic, and audio. Links to all formats are on Maryann’s Book Page on her website:

http://maryannwrites.com/books/boxes-for-beds/

AUTHOR LINKS – Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Maryann-Miller/e/B001JP7Y1S/

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/Maryann-Miller-176896965725974/

Author Website http://maryannwrites.com/

Character Questions:

What would I do if I won the lottery? What a great question. We all fantasize about that, don’t we? First, I’d endow the Winnsboro Center For the Arts where I have been the theatre director for many years. WCA offers live concerts, theatre, exhibits, classes and workshops in all areas of creativity, and it has brought so much cultural enrichment and joy to the people in this rural area where I live. Then I would gift my church and my children. Lest I sound too altruistic, I would buy myself a bigger ranch and hire some people full-time to help with the animals.

What is my favorite place to visit? I find it interesting that that will change for me depending on the day and my mood. At the top of the list is visiting my family. The bonds I have with siblings, children, grandchildren are strong, and those bonds pull us together. I also love to go to nearby lakes and sit quietly, just absorbing the beauty around me. Sounds sappy, I know. But, hey, I live in a place where Mother Nature has done some of her best work. I also must mention how much I enjoyed visiting the Bath Houses in Hot Springs. We writers do have to suffer for our research. (smile)

Level of Education or self-taught? While I have gone to college, it was not for classes related to writing, although I did audit a Master’s Class in creative writing. My area of study was psychology and sociology, which certainly has helped me in understanding human nature – as much as anyone can understand. I have taken many writing workshops, including a six-week class with Joe Camp on screenwriting. Things that I learned there helped with acting and directing, in addition to what I learned about writing. On stage, or on screen, you don’t always need words. Next time you watch a movie, focus on what an actor can convey with a look or a gesture. I find it challenging, and interesting, to try to translate that into narrative fiction.

 

MS Month is here

okay… lets try this one more time… I just saw that my repost efforts had all the wrong pics… where the heck did all the Shemar pics go… *NOOOOOO…. but no worries… I think I have it fixed now… lol… *evil computer

this is a post I have up on my Multiple Sclerosis site… but I wanted to share it with my regular peeps… *especially the Shemar Moore pics* – Derek from Criminal Minds is sooooo yummy, and an MS supporter… can you say ‘great guy’… I did make a few MS shirts for myself, but I also bought a Baby Girl shirt from his site… anywho… here is some info on MS Walk, support/donations, and fun Shemar pics to finish off with… later guys…


MyWalkGear.com

Okay… I wanted to share a few sites with you guys (like the My Walk Gear site, and Shemar Moore’s Baby Girl site)… if you can’t walk for Walk MS, but still want to show support, check out the My Walk Gear site… just click on the link at the top of this post… 

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right now you can get 24% off

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and the My Walk Gear site can help you support more than just Multiple Sclerosis… Breast Cancer, Autism, AlS Lupus, etc…

You can get team shirts to wear as you walk or socialize, or get some gifts for yourself and others, or maybe pick up one of the non-clothing items… there are ways to design your own shirts, MS ribbon magnets, and jewelry…

I have one of those ribbon magnets on my car, but to show my support (for MS cause and to myself) I made my own t-shirts, all you do is pick up some blank t-shirts, and grab a t-shirt iron-on kit (you just need a printer and a computer) from a hobby store or Wal-Mart…

 If you want to see more about my homemade shirts, and read about the ladies that pulled on their tees and went out to eat with me at an Irish Pub CLICK HERE hey, there’s even a picture of us with a guy in a kilt… 😛 and what ever you do to support this cause, have fun with it…

but this post is getting a little long… I’ll save my chatter about Shemar and his awesome Baby Girl site for another day… thanks for dropping in, and happy wordage…. and just to leave everyone on a high note… here is some yummy Shemar to drool over… I know that’s why I continued watching Criminal Minds during the year the studio started firing beloved actors left and right…

if you want to show your support, but the My Walk Gear site isn’t for you and you don’t wanna make your own Click HERE to check out the Baby Girl clothing and non-clothing items, as part of the proceeds got to the fight for MS… but I will have more on that in my Baby Girl post… later peeps

if you want to donate to Walk MS, Click HERE

or if you just want to check out my Walk MS post, Click HERE

 

#EggcerptExchange – Tina Gayle

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Alrighty… I am welcoming Tina Gayle to the blog today, the lady behind this egg-tastic exchange…. she herded us all together to share and exchange blog posts… I especially liked her idea to add in character/author interviews… I chose to do two different character interviews, and send them out at random… so that each person I exchange with didn’t have the exact same post… after the exchange is over, I plan to post my interviews for anyone that missed out…

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for now, here is a peek at Tina’s romance novel… and yummy cover… 😛 enjoy

Marketing Exec’s Widow #99cent
Tina Gayle’s #EggcerptExchange

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author of heartwarming romance novels for romance readers.

Four women…
One fatal car wreck…
Everyone’s lives changed…

Marketing Exec’s Widow

Letting go and rebuilding a life comes at a price.

Having come to terms with losing her husband, Jennifer is ready to move on with her life, but she faces opposition from her friends, in-laws, and brother-in-law, who see himself as her future husband. None of them know of Jen’s marital problems and she is afraid of their reaction when they learn she has a date for Friday night?
Hagan Chaney is not anything like Craig. He tempts Jen into the future but is she willing to give love another chance after the heartache she faced the 1st time around.

Excerpt –

“God, you must think I’m awful.”

“Not even in the ballpark as to what I think about you. Because I know you would never have said yes to a night out with me if you’d been happy in your marriage.”

His words hit her like a fist to the face and her head snapped backward, striking the wooden partition between the booths. Wow, how could he have guessed the truth when so many people who knew her hadn’t?

She closed her eyes and searched for an answer. For so long, she’d kept her emotions bottled inside, not allowing anyone to see the loneliness or heartache her unhappy marriage had caused. What now? Lie, or admit the truth?

The vinyl cushion squeaked, and a hand touched her shoulder, pulling her from her stupor. Hagan slipped in beside her, his thigh bumped hers and his arm slid along the back of the seat. In the space of a few seconds, his large athletic body blocked her escape from the confining booth.

Nerves pulsed in an agitated rhythm. She couldn’t sit still, and opened her mouth to tell him to back off, but the thin lines of concern marring his brow killed the comment.

“Hey, there’s no reason to get upset.” He cupped a hand over her shoulder and drew her close. “I’m happy you said yes.”

Jolted by his sudden nearness, she exhaled, and then fought to draw air back into her lungs. His crisp, masculine scent acted like a seductive lure, and she had to fight the urge to bury her nose in the curve of his neck.

Read the 1st chapter of any of my books at www.tinagayle.net

Purchase Links

Marketing Exec’s Widow is available at Amazon,

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Tina’s Bio –
Tina Gayle loves writing and is currently working on finishing her Family Tree series, a contemporary paranormal suspense series.
When not writing, she enjoys spending time with my family and traveling around the country. She hasn’t hit every state, but she hopes to someday. You might also catch her on the golf course with her husband of 30 years.

Also, you can read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website or download an exclusive story “My Future Step Brother” and join her special friend’s list. All on her website http://www.tinagayle.net

Home – http://www.tinagayle.net
Blog – http://www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle

Character Questions – Pick 5 you want to use.

1. Nickname – Jen
2. Job – realtor
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught – some college
4. Birthdate – August 8
5. Birthplace – Omaha, NE
6. Currently residing in… Elkhorn, NE
7. Favorite type of pet – dog –
8. Favorite place to visit
9. Significant other – Craig but he was killed in a car wreck
10. Most important goal – to be independent
11. Worst fear or nightmare – spending my live alone
12. Favorite food – all
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? wealthy now
14. Secret desire or fantasy – to have children15. What would you do if you won the lottery? I won the lottery when Craig died. I now have more money than I’ll ever need but sadly it hasn’t made me happier.

Thanks for hosting me on your blog,
Tina

#LittleThings – Join the Explosion

Little Things Blog Hop Use Me

Personally, I will be giving away an eBook copy of Shocking Finds, or for those that have already read Shocking Finds, you can choose to wait for an ARC copy of Southern Discoveries: Book Two – Finder’s Keepers and read before it comes out to buy…

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If you want to be on the blogger list, or maybe you have a read of your own to enter into this blog-fest, be sure to head to the following link to enter the fun… you have until March 11th to sign up… check out the 70+ list of blog sites already listed to participate, and join the explosion… just click the ‘click here’ button below…

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