Friday Spotlight- Will Work for Love by @AmieDenman @FictionWitches #TMPress

A BAREFOOT Book
When Hurricane Destiny sweeps across the island of St. Thomas in September, the East family isn’t worried about their vacation home. After all, a property management company handles insurance and repairs. Just to be sure, though, they send maid of honor Whitney Oliver to St. Thomas for a two-week vacation just prior to the Christmas Eve wedding of their daughter Taylor.

Instead of a tropical vacation, Whitney finds an estate heavily damaged and untouched by the contractor who cashed the checks. With only two weeks to pull the venue together for a wedding in paradise, she accepts the help of a sexy islander with an amazing skill for construction. Chris Maxwell, owner of Blue Isle Construction, is blown away by Whitney the moment she arrives on the island. Putting the East family estate together board by board is the only thing he can do to help Whitney—and himself.

Working side by side and day and night by the sparkling blue water’s edge, Whitney and Chris fall hard for each other. Hurricane Destiny brought them together, but will secrets surrounding Chris’ construction company tear them apart?


Author Bio: Amie Denman lives in a small town in her native Ohio with her husband and sons. Her two cats and large yellow Labrador are kind enough to share a sunny office where she lets her imagination run wild. Reading books was her favorite escape as a child, and growing up four houses away from the community library encouraged her addition. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys walking and running outside. The helpless victim of a lifetime of curiosity, she’s been known to chase fire trucks on her bicycle just to see what’s going on. Amie believes that everything is fun: especially roller coasters, wedding cake, and falling in love.
Please visit Amie at www.amiedenman.com and say hello.

Taryn Raye Spotlights Silent Partner by @ReneeVincent

Grayson Anders has it all. He’s the co-owner of a happening nightclub in downtown Boston, he’s wealthy, and women practically throw themselves at his feet the moment he steps on the dance floor. His passion is dancing and he wants nothing more than to find the perfect dance partner.

Chloe LaRoche is a talented artist, but a failing entrepreneur. Her once thriving studio is now on the brink of foreclosure and unless she paints the next Van Gogh Starry Night, she’ll have to cut her losses and say goodbye to her quaint little gallery. Fearing her career is at an end, she drags herself to the local hotspot, determined to drown her worries in the bottom of a shot glass.

Then, Chloe finds herself in Grayson’s arms, indulging in a passionate, out-of-control, one night stand. Grayson finds his perfect dance partner and Chloe finally finds her muse. But will her secret destroy both their dreams?

Review

"Ms. Vincent’s writing has the unique ability of capturing both the reader’s heart and mind. The emotional investment in the characters starts from the beginning. You’ll want things for them that you might never have otherwise thought about wanting for someone so fiercely...Another highly recommended read by Renee Vincent!" Night Owl Review, Top Pick
 

“I loved this story. Ms. Vincent packs more feeling into just over one hundred pages than many authors do in a full-length book.” ~Suzanne Barrett, Romance Author



Author Bio: Renee Vincent holds a passionate interest in Irish and Norse history. She lives in the rolling hills of Kentucky with her husband and two children on a beautiful secluded farm of horses and hay fields. When not writing, she spends her time on the back of a horse, whether with her family or with friends, and thinks there is nothing like the feel of sunlight on your face, the wind in your hair, and the power of the animal beneath you. Seeing the world from a saddle, she says, is by far the best view and the best therapy for a heavy heart or a troubled mind.  www.reneevincent.com

Click image at top of blog to go to Amazon to check it out on Kindle!

#TuesdayswithTaryn with J.K. Miller II @JKMillerII #author of Reborn

Tuesdays with Taryn

J.K. Miller II

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?

I grew up reading mystery first. The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, and The Hardy Boys were the first books that I read. These books sparked my interest in mysteries. Then, in high school, I was introduced to the Sword of Truth series by my sister. Admittedly, at first I told her I didn’t want to read them. The first book was way too big and I was snotty at that point in my life. She persisted, though, and told me to read one chapter. It wasn’t long, just a few pages. Then, she laughed at me when I wouldn’t give the book back. Since then, I’ve been stuck on fantasy.

What book do you read over and over again?

The Tears of Elios by Crista McHugh. Right now that’s my favorite book!

Tuesday Trio-

1)      Movie - Avatar

2)      Music – Rockapella or Jason Mraz

3)      Decadent Dessert – Pumpkin Pie

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?

There is such a thing as a take-down bow. I thought I was being creative when I created the Traveler’s Bow that Jason received from Fletcher in my first novel, but as I was researching the diagram to name the parts, I found a take-down bow that was pretty much identical to the one I had created. Completely took the wind out of my sails for the chapter. =(

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading?

The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton. As of now, I’m on Chapter 4. If anyone likes fantasy with a dark twist, I suggest you pick it up. It’s very good, thus far.

Whom would you cast as your Main Characters/Hero/Heroine if your book became a movie?

As much as I could see some of the major actors portraying characters in my book, I would want to debut new actors. You know, people have a reputation of doing a pretty good job, but not already Golden Globe winners. I’m all about promoting new talent. We’ve all had to start somewhere.

Here’s a blurb from Reborn:

“Every now and again an anomaly is born – an enigma, a theorist…a genius. They are born with the sole purpose of changing the course of history. The decisions they make in their lifetime can bring the dawning of a new era of progression, or unfold the beginning of the end of our kind. They have a knowledge that goes far beyond an average person’s dreams, and a power that can make the earth quake in obedience.

“She is that anomaly. She commands a force strong enough to overpower all of Trystrum, but she is patient. She understands that true power does not come in conquering, but in respect…in fear. She now seeks the Gift of Prime and, if she succeeds, will gain a power greater than any before her – a power she was born to command.

“She is the reason we were reborn as Kahnan. Our only purpose in life, now, is to stop her.”

 Reborn is available at

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

You can find J.K at

GoodReads

on his Website

Follow him on Twitter

Friday Spotlight- The Perfect Secretary by @MadisonJEdwards #TMPress @FictionWitches @turquoisemorn

Click image above for

$0.99 Short for Amazon Kindle

Sheila Adams, thrilled to be Troy Reid's personal executive assistant, wants to prove she was the right choice. She's the perfect secretary, who'll do anything to please both her bosses.

Warning: Graphic language and adult situations; intended for age 18 and over.
 
Reviews and Best Seller
"This hot little story sure did rev my engines! --The Romance Reviews


Amazon Best Seller - Top 100 Paid, Erotic Fiction





Top 10 Bestseller, All Romance Ebooks



What a deliciously erotic dirty bit The Perfect Secretary was. I'm still waving my hands over my laptop to clear away the steam. Yowza!
reviewed by Michelle ~ Another Look Book Reviews

I was shocked that even though The Perfect Secretary was 19 pages long, there was so much chemistry going on between the characters. I have to say this whole book screamed 'More' to me Ms. Edwards.
reviewed by Deb ~ Dark Diva Reviews


Author Bio: Madison grew up in small town Saskatchewan, population twelve hundred. By the age of ten, she’d read every book the local library had. Granted it wasn’t large, tucked in the corner of the local carpet store, but it sparked a love of reading that hasn’t diminished. Madison, her family and two spoiled cats, reside in London, Ontario. www.madisonjedwards.com

From the Author

The secretary / boss relationship almost automatically lends itself to a dominant / submissive relationship. This is what I tried to capture in The Perfect Secretary.
Ms. Adams appealed to me because she wanted Mr. Reid to be dominant, yet she didn't want to overstep her bounds as his executive assistant. Imagine her surprise when she finds out he had the exact same thoughts about her.
Mr. Reid also held strong appeal for me, because he didn't immediately use his position of authority to subjugate Ms. Adams to his wishes. He developed a rapport with her, and only after six months had passed, did he take the final step.
A true dominant/submissive relationship must have trust on both sides. Sheila and Troy have it in spades.

#TuesdayswithTarynLarry Kollar @FARfetched58 #Author of White Pickups, Book 1 of the Truckalypse

 Tuesdays with Taryn

Larry Kollar

Please help me in welcoming Larry Kollar to Tuesdays with Taryn today!

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?

It's easy to say Lord of the Rings, but it's true. Tolkien's Middle-Earth was a masterwork. He built on familiar tales and myths, and created something entirely new that readers could still understand. The characters were much the same—different but familiar. I've always been a sucker for excellent world-building.

What book do you read over and over again?

The Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, usually in the winter. Another great example of world-building, except that it's the characters doing the building (or terraforming). They go beyond the relatively easy task of creating an ecosystem, and tackle tougher questions like “how do we want to relate to each other”? It can be seen as a metaphor for the writing process.

Tuesday Trio-

1)      Movie- Galaxy Quest

2)      Music- Progressive Trance

3)      Decadent Dessert- hot fudge brownie with Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?

The Georgia Guidestones — is a 2-hour drive from my house, and some call it the “American Stonehenge.” Only one person knows who had it built (besides those who commissioned the work, of course), and he agreed to carry the information to his grave.

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading?

I'm in between at this moment. I just finished Jumping at Shadows, my friend Helen A. Howell's first novel. It's a fantasy for middle-grade readers, about a girl who grows up seeing shadows watching her all the time. She soon learns that her ancestry isn't completely of Earth.

Whom would you cast as your Main Characters/Hero/Heroine if your book became a movie?

Wow, I'm not up on the teen stars at the moment. I'd like to see some unknowns step in and see them interpret Cody, Sondra, and Kelly.

Though the book is not out yet (should be less than 2 weeks from now) in the meantime, you can learn more about it on the White Pickups Goodreads Page.

“Legends are about ordinary people who stepped up and did what had to be done.”

At summer’s end, mysterious white pickup trucks take to the roads and compel nearly everyone to “drive off.” Some of those who remain gather in a suburban Atlanta subdivision, and struggle to cope with a world whose infrastructure is rapidly crumbling. One of the few who are mentally and emotionally prepared for the end of the world is Cody Sifko, a youth who quickly becomes the inspiration for the others. When a strange homeless woman names him “Father of Nations,” is she seeing his future or her own delusions? As winter and a hate group try to destroy Laurel Hills, can Cody overcome personal tragedy and seize his destiny?

You can learn more about Larry and his work at his blog-
Tales from FAR Manor  

#FFF- #Bloom: Seeds of Love by @JulieALindsey @FictionWitches #TMPress

 Novella- $2.99

Amazon Kindle

The debut novella in the Honey Creek Books line. Seeds of Love Series.

In a town filled with her past, she never expected to find her future….

Seven years ago Cynthia left Honey Creek with a broken heart. Three years ago Mitchell arrived with one. Now Cynthia’s come home, and these two hardened hearts can’t stop arguing. If they’d only take a break long enough to find some common ground, they might be surprised to find love can grow anywhere.

If they let it, love will find a way to Bloom.

Author Bio:  Born and raised as an only child in Ohio, Julie had plenty of time to people watch and make things up. When she didn’t think she could make a living at the latter, her love of people led her to Kent State University where she earned a BA in Psychology. A few years and three kids later, she discovered the thrill of writing and hasn’t looked back. Writing allows her to harness her seemingly endless supply of energy and create something of value in the wake.

Julie is a mother of three, wife to a sane person and Ring Master at the Lindsey Circus. Most days you’ll find her online, amped up on caffeine and wielding a book.

She blogs about books and writing at Musings from the Slush Pile.

Look for additional sweet romance titles in the Seeds of Love series to come.

#TuesdayswithTaryn Q&A with @ruthjhartman #Author #Interview #readers #TMPress

Please help me give a warm welcome to
Ruth J Hartman
who was kind enough to answer my
Tuesdays with Taryn Q & A!

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer? As a kid, I loved “A Wrinkle in Time.” The author had an amazing imagination for that story. Lately, “The Help.” The author of this book used her own knowledge of growing up in the south with an African-American woman who worked for them. I couldn’t put the book down. The emotions and misconceptions of that time were amazing.

What book do you read over and over again? Mary Higgins Clark is my favorite mystery writer. I’ve read several of her books more than once.

Tuesday Trio-

1) Movie- “While You Were Sleeping”

2) Music- Anything by Journey

3) Decadent Dessert- Anything chocolate!

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?

Halibut begin life with an eye on each side of their head. As they mature, one eye migrates to join the other so both are on the same side. (“Purrfect Voyage”)

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading? “The Jinx” by Jennifer Johnson.

Whom would you cast as your Hero & Heroine if your book became a movie? Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Check out Ruth's Purrfect Voyage, a wonderful little romantic comedy-

Blurb:

Kitty Carter is used to getting into strange situations when she chases her cat, Arthur. But this latest escapade is just too much! When Arthur chases a mouse at the marina while she's doing research for her book, she follows him down the dock and onto a yacht. Not entirely her plan, since she falls down some stairs and hits her head, and wakes to find herself out to sea. And she and Arthur aren’t the only ones on board!

If you'd like to find out more about Ruth, check out her Blog here- www.ruthjhartman.blogspot.com

Thanks for joining me today Ruth!
Hope you have a spectacular Tuesday!

The Thief of Always by #CliveBarker (#Favorite #Book Spotlight)

From the back blurb on my copy-

A magical book for readers of all ages from the inimitable Clive Barker, illustrated with more than forty of his own drawings.

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace. It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied...

There is a price to be paid, of course, but young Harvey Swick, bored with his life and beguiled by Mr. Hood's wonders, does not stop to consider the consequences. It is only when the House shows its darker face—when Harvey discovers the pitiful creatures that dwell in its shadows—that he comes to doubt Mr. Hood's philanthropy.

The House and its mysterious architect are not about to release their captive without a battle, however, Mr. Hood has ambitions for his new guest, for Harvey's soul burns brighter than any soul he has encountered in a thousand years...

"In a tale that manages to be both cute and horrifying, bestselling novelist and screenwriter Barker puts the dark side back into childhood fantasy."- Publishers Weekly

Some 10 odd years or more ago, I knew of Clive Barker as a master of horror novels, most famously because his Hellbound Heart was made into the movie Hellraiser and its sequels, but I hadn't actually read any of his books until a very close friend suggested I start by reading Clive's children's fantasy novel, The Thief of Always. He said it was a great introduction to Barker's work for a first timer like myself.

I fell in love with this book immediately from the first sentence. The vibrant descriptive writing sucked me in and kept me there until I finished the book in short order. This was, as I said, a good decade ago, but the story's message about not wasting your time, your life away, of not taking the important things for granted, spoke volumes to me. I laughed, I shuddered in fear and bawled my eyes out while reading this book.

I can't say I've ever read any other Clive Barker novels, though I might have read Hellbound Heart, but I still enjoy this story immensely. In fact, I recently reread it and remembered why I loved it so, all over again. I loved it so much, that I decided my 9-year-old daughter was old enough to enjoy it and so, for several nights at bedtime, I would read a chapter or two to her.

It was a very emotional ride for both of us, sharing in those moments of fear, her eyes widening in anticipation about what might happen next, the sadness in her tears at the revelation about what the House truly was, the creatures that seemed sad and trapped there, and the triumph of Harvey and his friend Wendall in rectifying the wrongs done by Mr. Hood. We laughed, shuddered in fear and bawled our eyes out together. And there was NOTHING like sharing that story with my daughter, not only because it was a book of my heart that I enjoyed, but because I know it will be a favorite book of HERS the rest of her life as well and I'm thrilled to give her a gift like that, for her to appreciated brilliant writing and vivid imagery in a well told story.

This is definitely one for the bookshelf and one to reread over and over. I would highly recommend it for children and adults, alike.

Castaway Hearts #Book #Excerpt 2- Mermaid in the Moonlight

Dawson gave the horse a good prod with his heels, and she took off. The wind whipped through his hair and the moonlight illuminated his way through the lush forest across the road from his home, down the embankment to the edge of the beach. Even in the dark, guided by the pale moonlight, his horse knew the way. This was not their first midnight ride.

As they reached the clearing, Dawson gave another prod. Gypsy opened up and flew across the sand. She sensed her master’s troubled heart and in turn mirrored his desire for freedom and wild abandon. Dawson let her run, her thunderous hooves muffled by the gritty sand beneath.

The horse galloped across the sand for a good quarter mile before Dawson gave her a nudge and pulled back on the reins to slow her to a halt. He stared out at the sea, the moon, the stars, and found he felt small, petty, and irritated still.

Aggravation crept into his heart as he looked out into the bay. Nathaniel knew what Dawson went through in his youth and yet his foolish little brother still wanted to take a bride.

Dawson threw a glance over his shoulder to the cliff-side home of Captain and Mrs. Barrett. The building housed the one idea he never imagined he could want.

Catherine.

Don’t dwell on this waif. She’s not yours to want after or worry about.

His brother was another story. Nathaniel had a great mind for sailing, but he had always been bohemian, never content to stay still for long.

A riotous slosh sounded in an alcove to his left and captured his attention. Inch by inch, he guided Gypsy closer to the rocky cliff, afraid of what he might find there. He thought perhaps a fish or some other sea creature had washed ashore, unable to make its way back out to sea.

As he stole closer, he made out the form, but it was not a fish or any other animal he had ever seen wash up on the beach before.

Wrapped in wispy white fabric that rippled in the wind, a ghostly female figure began to solidify in his sight. Dawson pulled Gypsy to a standstill. It reminded him of mermaid stories he had heard as a child, but this was no mermaid. This was an apparition, floating along on the breeze.

The fabric she wore was so thin he could make out the supple curves of her breasts, his eyes traveling down over her full hips, and the long slender legs that carried her to the water’s edge.

Dawson rubbed his eyes with his fists. Surely, the moonlight had deceived him.

When he looked back the image before him remained and his body responded to the nearly bare-skinned specter, so pale in the night. Dawson stared in silence, her body dancing, gyrating beneath the pale moon. The unwelcome tightening of his breeches made him well aware that this ghost was far more than a figment of his imagination. Her lengthy dark tresses trailed behind her, making him think of a mermaid’s tail. But her thin cotton nightgown revealed no signs of transformation as it clung to her shapely thighs. As she waded further into the water, a sharp gust of wind caught the top of her gown, billowing the wide neckline over her flesh. The moonlight caught her profile for a moment. The dainty nose and pouty lips seemed suddenly familiar, but they slipped into the shadows as his eyes fell to the rise and fall of her breasts again.

That’s when it hit him.

Catherine!

Gone was the prim and proper young woman from earlier in the evening. The stiffness in her before had given way to a sensuality so fluid he could feel it in the air and her movements. Her body tempted him like a waking dream, as she blew in on the breeze, wild and free. It reminded him of desires he had not visited in years.

In the moon’s glow, milky skinned and delicate, Catherine was oblivious that anyone watched her dance of free-spirited joy.

Dawson’s blood pounded in his veins the longer he spied on the young minx.

Those supple curves had crossed his mind earlier in the evening, those swells and dips along her edges made his fingers itch and his manhood betray him in the most uncomfortable way.

His brother’s words taunted him. He might find someone else…it flickered through his mind in disdainful amusement.

Gall burned through him—for his body betrayed him in that instance.

He caught his breath and turned one last hungry gaze toward her before he rode off in the other direction.

Then he gave Gypsy full rein to slice through the night as she carried him away from a temptation that would burn him if he didn’t get as far away as possible.