Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ You spied on me. #CastawayHearts #excerpt #ebook

“What do you like to do, Catherine?” He seemed to attempt small talk. “What are your interests?”

“Nothing I can enjoy here.” She tipped her head back toward the house and shrugged her shoulders, defeated. “Most of the things I enjoyed while I lived in England were things Grandmother Melanie has made it clear are improper.”

“Like what?” Dawson lowered his voice and leaned toward her. “Splashing in the ocean in the middle of the night?”

Catherine whipped her head back around, her heart thudding in her ears at the remark. A guilty smile brightened Dawson’s face.

Had he been there?

Had he been the presence she sensed the night before?

“You spied on me last night? How dare you.” Her skin crawled with deep crimson heat.

Welcome @LeTeishaNewton #Author of MURDER BY RITUAL to #TuesdayswithTaryn

Tuesdays with Taryn

Welcome LeTeisha Newton!

(clicking image above will take you to LeTeisha's website/blog)

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

Wow. I think that I’d have to say Kushiel’s Dart, by Jacqueline Carey, which was, by far, one of the best debut books I have ever read. I think I was salivating with each one that came out, it was a nine book series by the time she stopped writing in that world. Any time you have people tattooing their flesh with something that was in your book you have done an amazing job. I wanted to do that, and it is still my “I want to get there” novel.

What book do you read over and over again?

It’s a toss-up between Kushiel’s Dart (because I have the first printing with the original cover and I love the feel of it in my hands) and Dark Fire, by Christine Feehan, also in book format. Dark Fire introduced me to paranormal romance and I’ve never looked back!

Tuesday Trio-

1)      Movie-  Fifth Element is still a favorite!

2)      Music-  Danger by Etro Anime

3)      Decadent Dessert- Vanilla ice cream and a warm brownie!

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

That I have family members in England that perform séances! I was researching psychics and people who commune with object of the dead for my heroine, Eris, in my book Murder by Ritual. That was a shock to see! I hadn’t known she was doing it (and I don’t publish her name because she asked me not to. Something about interfering with the spirits and the people who ask for her help). Also, I studied East Asian Studies in college, hence my use of the Chinese Four Mystical Animals in Dragon's Ward.

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading?

Dark Seduction by Gena Showalter. I wanted to read Paris’ story again. I was so heart-broken for him when he lost Sienna, and I was happy to see him get a woman!

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

Hmmm. When I think of Murder by Ritual, which is long enough to be a movie, I would have to say Thadie Newton (no relation I think) for Eris and Ken Watanabe for Ken, my hero and heroine of the story. I would also cast Alexander Skarsgard for Bosnair, head of the Vampire Houses, man he’s a beef cake, Julianne Moore as Bean, the Banshee director of the Special Core for Strands. I think they would be perfect. I would say who my villain would be, but then you’d know who the murder is and that would take away from the story!

Murder by Ritual-
(click book cover to go to Amazon Kindle buy page)

Eris Herrington on the scene of a grisly quadruple murder thinks she’s been pushed too far. Strands--humans who now had the power to walk as animals or, like her, could see into anything they touch--haven’t been public for long. A killer among them won’t be good.

Eris realizes she’s been manipulated for this case in order to join the Strand Special Core, and Ken Satou will be her partner. She’s ready to walk away, but Ken won’t stand for it. If he has to seduce her into submission to solve this case (TWEET THIS!) that is exactly what he’ll do.

Also available at

BARNES AND NOBLE

SMASHWORDS
 

And COMING SOON!
(September 20, 2013)
Dragon's Ward
LeTeisha Newton

She became the Dragon’s Ward.

Brook had been hunted by her stalker, Roach, for nearly two years. He’s become crazed to have her, toying with her, until he can make her his forever. Just that forever for him means death for her.

When Stefan caught a nearly frozen woman in his arms, he never thought he would find the Phoenix to his King Dragon. She’s priceless, and his nobles, Cadoc and Nero, have been awaiting her to complete their quartet as well. Come hell or high water they will save her from Roach and claim her.

You can also check out a podcast reading of the 1st chapter HERE on LeTeisha's PodOmatic Profile!

Taryn's Snippit Sundays~ CASTAWAY HEARTS #historical #romance #excerpt

I'm going to be taking a break from sharing snippits from Love By Design, as I need to rethink and probably do more editing on it, and any other unpublished stories I have for the time being. I've been attempting to do some reassessing and taking note of what does or does not work for my novels.

Also- with summer vacation beginning for my kids, I'm certain to lose track and forget to post every Sunday, but I will try to remember when I can. It might not always be every Sunday and it will most likely be from my published debut historical romance- Castaway Hearts, which is available where most books are sold, in print or ebook.(follow link on image to Amazon or the buy links in the lefthand column here on my blog)

Here is the Blurb for CASTAWAY HEARTS-
Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of—her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.

Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.

Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today I'll leave you with a snippit from Dawson Randolph's POV after he discovers that his seafaring brother, Nathaniel, is secretly engaged to the young Catherine Barrett, the granddaughter of one of his closest companions. 

Marriage was an institute for tenderhearted fools. He might have been one himself years ago, but he would never be a fool again. Dawson stood and crossed to the windows and stared out across the fields full of tobacco.

At thirty, Dawson had his home and his crops and the occasional visits with friends. He had no mind to think of marriage and believed his younger brother would find it in his best interest not to think about it either. He would do what he could to dissuade Nathaniel from it. It would breed only heartache and sadness.

Dawson knew this fact very well.

Nevertheless, much as he believed it, the moment Catherine Barrett rounded the corner into the parlor of her grandparents’ house, Dawson could not take his eyes from her.

Thursdays with Taryn Welcome @LaramieBriscoe NEW #RELEASE #KYAUTHOR #Indie #BowlingGreen

(Click image above to check it out on Amazon!)

Please check out MEANT TO BE- the debut Book One in fellow Kentucky author Laramie Briscoe's new Heaven Hill Series!

Blurb:
Single mother.
Laid off factory worker.
Drug runner for the Heaven Hill Motorcycle Club.

When Denise Cunningham is served with foreclosure papers on her birthday it’s the last straw in a long line of bad luck. Sitting and crying about things has never been how she solved her problems, but this time she decides to do just that. A phone call interrupts her pity party and changes the course of her life forever.

Loyal brother.
Grease monkey mechanic.
Vice President of the Heaven Hill Motorcycle Club.

William Walker Jr., known as Liam to his club, needs a new recruit that is just naïve enough and desperate enough to do what he asks without question. When Denise Cunningham lands in his lap, he decides to hire her - not because he wants to, because he has to.

Neither are comfortable in their new roles, but he needs help and she can’t stand to lose anything else.

As bullets fly and a local Bowling Green, KY reporter works to bring the club down, Liam and Denise find themselves getting closer to one another. When the stakes get high and outside forces try to keep them away from each other, they have to decide if they really are meant to be.

Find out more about Laramie here-

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FACEBOOK PAGE

Natalie-Nicole Bates SEE ME #excerpt #book #tour

Blurb: Carly Anders is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe.

Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest. She accepts the invitation to visit an Internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs. The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.

Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting. The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed.

Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go.

“The quintessential paranormal romance”
5 Stars~Night Owl Reviews
Leap of Faith Publishing

Excerpt #2

     Even though they lived over one thousand miles apart, he could sense she needed to escape from something…or someone. He didn’t care what drove her towards him, just as long as she would come…and stay. And if he was wrong, and she wasn’t his Carly, it would be pleasant enough to spend time with a woman.

     It was well past ten when the doorbell sounded. Daniel rushed down the stairs from the upstairs flat, and into the hallway of the empty funeral home below. He opened the heavy wooden door that separated the funeral home from the street.

     Lit only from the streetlights behind her, he could see how beautiful she was, but when she stepped into the lighted foyer, her beauty surpassed his imagination. For a start, she didn’t look a day past twenty.

     Her long, straight mane of hair was the color of fallen oak leaves and dusted with gold. Her eyes were a deep espresso brown. An amber briolette hung at her throat. She wore a form fitting purple sweater that hugged her ample curves, and a matching skirt that fell a few inches above her knees. A pair of heels completed the outfit. Her suitcase and handbag sat at her feet.

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.

Amazon

Visit Natalie online
 Natalie-Nicole Bates Website

Social media links for Natalie-Nicole Bates

On Twitter: @BatesNatalie

Facebook

Blog

YouTube

Prize Info:

Natalie is offering a total of 5 ebook copies to random commenters throughout the tour. She is also offering a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one random commenter. All winners will be picked using the rafflecopter below. Readers may enter to win both the ebook and the grand prize each day for additional chances to win. Please only one entry per day.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's the rest of the schedule-

Excerpt Tour Schedule

Jan 20 - Harlie's Books

Jan 21 - Author Taryn Raye

Jan 22 - Salacious Reads

Jan 23 - Mrs Condit and Friends Read Books

Jan 24 - Guilty Pleasures

Jan 25 - Cocktails and Books

Friday Spotlight- How Hard Can It Be? @RobynPeterman

This morning I'm proud to introduce and spotlight fellow KY author and friend, Robyn Peterman, who's new book HOW HARD CAN IT BE? was released yesterday. I've already bought it and spent the better part of yesterday sucked into the story and laughing my behind off at the crazy situations Rena has gotten herself into now that she decided to become romance writer. Crazy porno writing grannies, a sexy cop and a bestselling romance author whose fame has been hard-won through blackmail and theft are just a drop in the bucket. I'm probably going to spend more time today reading than anything else because I'm eager to find out how this ends (and I can't wait to see the movie!)

Check it out!

What happens when an accountant decides to grab life by the horns and try something new? Apparently a pirate named Dave, a lot of pastel fleece, and blackmail—just to start with...

Visualize and succeed, Oprah said. I was sure as hell trying, even if my campaign to score a job as the local weather girl had ended in a restraining order. Okay, TV was not my strength. But a lack of talent has never stopped me before. Which is why I’ve embarked on a writing career. I mean, how hard can it be to come up with a sexy romance?

Leave it to me to wind up in a group of porno writing grannies who discuss sex toys and apple cobbler in the same breath. Also leave it to me to leak an outlandish plot idea to a bestselling author with the morals of a rabid squirrel. And only I could get arrested for a jewelry heist I didn’t commit—by a hunky cop whose handcuffs just might tempt me to sign up for a life of crime. Maybe I’ve found my calling after all...


Here's the interview Robyn did on Lexington's WKYT Channel 27 Newsfirst this past Wednesday-

If you'd like to find out more about Robyn you can hop over to

Robyn's Website
where she has links to follower her on Twitter (and you can follow 2 of the main characters as well- Rena and Shoshanna)