Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts

Friday, December 14, 2012

Friday Spotlight- Men in Uniform Anthology @FictionWitches #TMPress

We admire a man in uniform, and what better way to celebrate it than a collection of stories inspired by men fighting to defend our country, and the women who love them? This sweet collection of romance spans the generations of men of valor from present day dating back to World War II.

The Authors: 
The Imposter, Jennifer Johnson
String of Pearls, Margaret Ethridge
Mind over Matter, Ruth J. Hartman
Dorthea’s War, Lozi Hart
Faith, Love, & the Coastguard, Julie Anne Lindsey
Knight in Armor, Jennifer Anderson
Lightning Always Strikes Twice, Patricia Marie Warren

Excerpt from The Imposter by Jennifer Johnson
Ding.
Paige wrinkled her nose as she stared at Giana’s cell phone sitting on the crate they used as a coffee table.
It was Liam again. The poor guy was deployed in Afghanistan, and Giana was blowing him off refusing to answer emails or calls when Liam’s number came up.
“Giana?” she called to her roommate who was in the bathroom dolling up to go out. “Liam’s emailing you again.”
“I wish he’d get a clue,” her friend replied.
“I don’t see how you can treat him like that, Gi.”
“It’s easy when he’s half a world away.” She walked through the room wearing four inch heels and a tight dress, grabbed her purse, and walked back into the hallway. “Liam’s a sweet guy, but who knows what is going to happen when he gets back, or even what he’s doing over there.”
“He’s probably sleeping in a sand pit somewhere wondering how come you won’t talk to him.” Paige picked up the phone and pressed the Internet email icon.
G, ur on my mind. L.
Paige bit her lip. The poor sweetie.
Glancing back toward the bathroom, she pushed the keys on the screen.
I’m thinking of you too. Miss you.
She pressed send and set Giana’s phone down quickly. In less than a minute, the phone signaled an incoming email.
Y cold shldr?
Why the cold shoulder indeed? What should she say? Because I’m a heartless bitch?
Paige glanced behind her to be sure Giana was still occupied with her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
“Are you sure you’re done with Liam?” she asked aloud.
Giana marched out of the bathroom, and Paige hid the phone under her thigh. “Look. I just can’t deal with him fighting a war for a year, and he told me most of the guys are having to turn right around and get redeployed within two years of coming home. That’s not the kind of life I want. He’s a nice guy, but even he’s not worth it.”
“Can’t you wait until he gets home to break up with him?”
“I am waiting until he gets home to break up with him. How mean do you think I am?”
Paige gestured to Giana’s attire with a raised hand.
“Oh, spare me, Miss Goody Two Shoes. It’d be easy for you to love him. You don’t have a life anyway.”
“Thanks a lot. I think you do enough socializing for both of us.”
Giana smiled wickedly. “That’s right. You go hit the books while I hit the bars. I had two men fighting over me last night.”
Paige resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was pretty sure they both had won seeing as how Giana had stumbled in about eleven o’clock this morning wearing last night’s prowling clothes.
“Where’s my phone?” Giana’s gaze scanned the room.
Paige’s grip tightened on the phone while she, too, looked around as if searching. “Maybe it’s in your bedroom.”
“I haven’t been in my bedroom except to get my dress.”
Paige didn’t resist the eye roll this time as Giana stalked toward the hallway—probably to the counter in front of the bathroom mirror—her favorite spot in the apartment.
Quickly Paige pulled out the phone and sent another message:
I’m changing emails. Will email you from my new account.

Here's a link to a book review which includes a review for each of the stories. Another Look Book Reviews

Here is a portion from another review: Men In Uniform is great for the reader that just wants something quick, sweet and warmly romantic. Those that have a little thing for our men that serve and those uniforms they don daily.
I give the Men In Uniform anthology 4 stars

Thursday, September 27, 2012

#ThursdayswithTaryn with Fellow KY #author Michael Embry



Thursdays with Taryn
Michael Embry

Please help me welcome my fellow Kentucky author, Michael Embry to Thursdays with Taryn and find out more about his recently released short story collection, Laments.
 
What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?
I suppose the biggest influence was Ernest Hemingway. I liked his short sentences and carefully chosen words. Most of my favorite writers are from the first half of the 20th century including John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and William Faulkner. As I’ve grown older, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for Mark Twain. Of contemporary authors, I like John Updike, Anne Tyler, Richard Ford, Sue Grafton, Elmore Leonard, Cormac McCarthy, and John Irving (and many others). 

If you read books more than once, which ones do you tend to read over and over again?
 I must admit that I don’t read books over and over. I may go back and read a passage, chapter, or excerpt, but I find that there are so many books to read and so little time, so I move on to another book. I do go in cycles about what I read. Sometimes I’ll read mysteries, then move on to romances, then to biographies, etc. I like variety.

Tuesday Trio-
1)   Movie- Citizen Kane
2)   Music- The Moody Blues
3)   Decadent Dessert- Red Velvet cake

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?
 When writing “A Confidential Man,” I learned that chemical compounds can be broken down on clothes to determine a brand of whisky.

Novel on your Nightstand:
Who/what are you currently reading? “All the Living” by C.E. Morgan.

Whom would you cast as your Main Characters/Hero/Heroine in any of your stories if your book became a movie? (doesn’t have to be actors)
Since my novels generally feature older characters, David Strathairn and Meryl Streep would be my choices to bring them to life on the silver screen.


Blurb-

Sometimes best intentions become laments over time. A coach uses harsh discipline on a sensitive player he wants to become a leader. A father wants his son to learn responsibility so he suggests he join the military. A mother hesitates to help her daughter because of moral issues. A friend tries to protect a widow from harm’s way. These stories and more delve into actions that don’t always turn out as planned.





Available at the following-



Michael Embry was born in Louisville, Ky. He spent more than 30 years as an award-winning journalist, working for Kentucky newspapers in Madisonville and Lexington; a national news service with stops in New York, Milwaukee, Lexington, and Louisville; and as editor of Kentucky Monthly magazine.

Embry graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a journalism degree. He also has 45 hours in graduate work in special education.

He has written three non-fiction sports books (as Mike Embry, five novels and a short-story collection. His latest book, released Aug. 10, 2012, is titled "Laments." His novels are the young adult "Shooting Star," murder/mystery "A Confidential Man," and contemporary mainstream "Foolish Is The Heart," "A Long Highway," and "The Touch."

Embry is listed in Who's Who in America and is involved with the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort, Ky. He has served as a judge in the Kentucky Literary Awards contest. He is also a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and U.S. Basketball Writers Association. He is listed in Who's Who in America.

He lives with his wife, Mary, and Yorkie, Baxter, in Frankfort.

You can learn more about Michael at his

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Please welcome @EvelynJules, #author of the new release #BlindFaith from #TMPress @turquoisemorn


Impromptu Thursday with Taryn
Evelyn Jules

Help me in welcoming debut author Evelyn Jules to a Thursdays with Taryn! Please feel free to share your thought or simply say hello!

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer? To be perfectly honest, I’ve read a lot of books, but it wasn’t until I met Margaret Ethridge and read her work that I felt inspired. She’s entirely responsible for renewing my love of reading, and with her guidance and encouragement I managed to break into the author scene too. 

What book do you read over and over again? Um, I’ve read Inamorata by Margaret Ethridge three times now. So I’ll say that. And I’ll stop talking about her now. Or at least I’ll try. :D

Thursday Trio-
1)      Movie- It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World!
2)      Music- Jann Arden – funniest broad I know. If you want to pee your pants laughing every night, follow her on twitter.
3)      Decadent Dessert- Cheesecake with quadruple thick graham cracker crust.

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel? I learned that snakes have two penises. *nods* In fact, most reptiles do. Who knew?

Novel on your Nightstand:
Who/what are you currently reading? I’m currently reading Double Dog Dare by Jennifer Johnson and loving every minute of it. It’s hilarious, heart-warming, and magical.

Whom would you cast as your Hero & Heroine if your book became a movie? One of my good friends once told me that Adrian, my hero, reminded her of Dean Cain. So I’ll say Dean Cain and . . . myself? No? Okay, how about Rachel Weisz? Think of her character in The Mummy—bookish, quirky, sweet, with an underlying dirty side.

Click Cover Image to Left to Purchase on Amazon Kindle. 99 CENTS!
Blind Faith Blurb:

Warning: Graphic language and adult situations; intended for age 18 and over.

Faith Lawson is just your average, wholesome librarian with a dirty mind…until a chance encounter with a handsome stranger brings her fantasies to life in a frantic night of passion. But when he walks out her door, he leaves a piece of his past behind that changes everything.


Also available at-
Author Bio: Hailing from the Great White North, Evelyn Jules loves curling up on the couch with a hot toddy and a steamy book. Nothing warms a girl up faster than a little hanky-panky. When she’s not reading deliciously erotic tales, she’s weaving her own in hopes of warming her readers’ hearts and other parts!

You can find out more about Evelyn Jules at her

Friday, July 20, 2012

Summer Shorts #Anthology- @MKEthridge @SuzanneB1441 @Grace_Greene @kristaames @JulieALindsey @AmieDenman #TMPress @FictionWitches

$2.99
Summer Short Story Anthology, 2011
by Turquoise Morning Press Authors

Summer Shorts is a collection of light romantic reads about love, life and endless summer nights.

With everything from a first kiss, to the rekindling of a long marriage, there is something for everyone. Beaches, cruises and summer days, perfect for tucking into your beach bag or your e-reader, and heading off to lie in the sun, bask in the warm breezes, and dream….
Authors and Stories:

Declarations of Dependence by Margaret Ethridge
Best Friends by Suzanne Barrett
Retrieving Hope by Bobbye Terry
Beach Towel by Grace Greene
Fireworks by Julie Anne Lindsey
The Green House by Amie Denman
Old Devil Moon by Bobbye Terry

About the Authors-
Margaret Ethridge is the author of Contentment, an After Happily Ever book, and the Long Distance Love series. 

Multi-published author Suzanne Barrett, the author of Taming Rowan, pens contemporary and historical romance. 

Bobbye Terry writes mystery, often with a hint of romance. She is the author of the Briny Bay Mysteries.

Grace Greene is the author of the bestselling women's fiction novel, Beach Rental.

Krista Ames is a frequent contributor of short stories to TMP anthologies.

Authors Julie Anne Lindsey and Amie Denman celebrate their first releases with their short stories in this anthology.

Julie is the author of Bloom, the first of the Honey Creek Books.

Amie is the author of Blue Bottle Beach, a Barefoot Book.

Learn more about the authors at Turquoise Morning Press.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

#TuesdayswithTaryn Q&A with Darby York #author #readers #sensual #erotic





Tuesdays with Taryn 

Click here to Purchase for 
99 Cents!

Help me welcome Darby York to Tuesdays with Taryn!




What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. Somehow I missed reading her Tudor books, but I’ve enjoyed her War of the Roses series.
What book do you read over and over again?
Katherine by Anya Seton — I loved the romance in this older book. It spiked my interest in the medieval period, so much so that I took a class in the Middle Ages as a history major in college.
Tuesday Trio-
1)      Movie- Camelot
2)      Music- Anything Celtic
3)      Decadent Dessert- Bread pudding

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?
Did you know buttons were invented in 1330? I’ve written about medieval heroes unbuttoning the sleeves of their heroine’s gowns. My settings were pre-1300. Oops!

Novel on your Nightstand:
Who/what are you currently reading?
The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas — Kindle eBook


Darby is writing a short story for the Carnal Knowledge Anthology (name may change) from Sapphire Nights Books. It should be released in October 2012.

Her three short stories will be packaged together in 2013.

Darby says "I hope to write more of sensual medieval short stories to go along with them."

Her latest is The Troubadour.
Courtly love, as sung by troubadours, is often a refuge for medieval wives. Yet its basis is fantasy, a far cry from the harsh realities of everyday life. Will a reluctant bride find courtly love, or her one true love, and satisfy the longings of her romantic heart?

From an Amazon Review-
I love this story! Told in first person, The Troubadour describes a young woman's decision to determine her own destiny, not one decided for her by men who only seek to advance their own interests. Filled with intrigue, danger, and heart wrenching disappointment, our heroine's quest of her own "happily ever after" is a wonderful foray into Medieval times. Ms. Darby's warm, seductive voice pulls you in from the first sentence. The Troubadour has my highest recommendation. It is a five-star must read.

***
You can also buy The Troubadour via

You can find Darby at her