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Interview with romance author, Erin Bevan!

Hellooooo there! 😀 Today I have romance author, Erin Bevan, for an interview! Her latest novel, WEDDING DAY, just released a few days ago and I’m thrilled to have her stop by today. Without further ado, here’s Erin!

Welcome, Erin! Tell us about WEDDING DAY. 😀

Hey LD! Thanks for having me. My latest book, Wedding Day, just released on April 13. It’s about a tough riding cowboy home resting with an injury. All in good fun, his brother makes a bet that he can’t land the new again veterinarian that’s come back to live in Frisbee. Dallas isn’t one to back down from his brother, so he takes the bet except he has no intentions of seriously dating this lady. Win the bet, and it’s over, or so he thinks.

Ha, sounds like fun! What was the hardest thing about writing this book? The easiest?

Probably the amount of rewrites I had to do. It’s taken four years for this book to see the light of day, but the time has finally come!

And cheers to that! *tips wine glass* If you could bring one of your characters (villain or hero) to life, who would you chose? Why?

Oh, that’s hard. Probably the best friend Spencer. She’s the type of friend I would like to have, and she’s very fashionable. She could help me out!

Great answer! And fun. 😀 Speaking of fun, Paramount Pictures wants to make a movie about your latest novel. Who plays the main characters?

Yah!! Perhaps Dallas is played by Jesse Meltcalfe. (YUM)

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Brittany Snow would be a good Cassie,

brittany-snow-profileand as silly as this sounds, I always pictured Miss Kay from Duck Dynasty as the mother but with acting skills!

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Haha! Awesome! Great choices. 😀 So tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a wife and mother of three. I’m an avid coffee drinker and spend most mornings at the local YMCA. If I don’t exercise, my brain doesn’t work.

Agreed on the coffee drinking and exercise (although I surely could use more of both ;)). Tell us one thing about yourself your readers may not know about you.

Umm… I don’t know! I lived in South Korea for a few years. Maybe you don’t know that!

I did not! That is very cool! Someday I will visit. 😉 What are you working on now?

Right now, I am working on edits for my follow up release after Wedding Day. I currently don’t have a release date on this book yet. Perhaps early next year. And beginning next week, I’m taking a little break. I’m going to read a few books on craft and perfect some outlines for the next three stories I have in mind before I began actually writing again.

Fantastic! And I totally get the need for downtime. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by–it’s been a pleasure! But don’t go too far yet, Dear Reader…here’s more about WEDDING DAY!

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BLURB:

Famous Bull Rider Dallas Day met Cassie Bailey briefly in high school, but her plain looks and quiet personality left no lasting impression on him. Cassie, however, couldn’t say the same about Dallas.

Their paths cross again ten years later when Dallas is home recovering from an injury, and Cassie is the only veterinarian who volunteers her services at the home-town rodeo. She’s jump-starting her new practice, and every eligible man within a ten-mile radius is trying to land a date with the attractive vet.

Dallas’ older brother bets him that, even with all his charm and fame, Dallas can’t land a date with the reserved lady vet. Not one to turn down a challenge, Dallas makes it his mission to win a date with Cassie. After seeing her, he realizes they’ve met before, but he doesn’t remember her being so pretty. His persistence pays off, but when Cassie finds out about the bet, their new love is put to the test.

EXCERPT:

“Is there anything I can help you with?” A deep voice asked from behind her.

“No, I think we have it.” She hopped down from the pen. Glacier blue eyes locked with hers. She would know his eyes anywhere. Her heart quickened just as it did the first time she’d ever laid her gaze upon him, and a tingling sensation shot through her.

Dallas looked older than she remembered, broader, gruffer, but still sexy.

Tucker, you have Tucker.

Where was he, anyway? In her haste to get ready, she’d forgotten to call him.

“Dallas? Yeah, we can use a hand.” Chevy still fumbled with the lock. “Can you come over here and help me with Knuckle Head? Dr. Bailey wants him to walk around so she can get a closer look.”

“I really don’t think that’s necessary–”

“I would love to help. That’s why I’m here.” Dallas jogged to the front of the bull and grabbed the lead rope with his left hand. A plastered cast circled his right wrist and rose halfway up his forearm.

She turned to Spencer and furrowed her brow.

Spencer stared back at her and displayed her pageant winning 2005 Miss Frisbee smile, her thumb up in the air. Some friend she was.

Dallas and Chevy led the bull out of the pen while she observed the bull’s gait.

“Let’s get him over by a water hose. I want to get a closer look at his foot.” She pointed toward a washing station and followed behind the men as they led the bull, sure to steer clear of Knuckle Head’s hind legs in the event he wanted to kick her.

From her position, she had a clear view of Dallas’s backside. Everything appeared to be as tight as she remembered, which did nothing to settle those distracting tingling sensations.

Focus.

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Day-Erin-Bevan-ebook/dp/B01CSM9M92/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458588952&sr=8-3&keywords=Erin+Bevan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Erin Bevan was born and raised in Southwest Arkansas. She spent her teenage years working for her aunt at the local gas station flipping burgers and making milkshakes, dreaming of the day when something better would come her way, and it did in the form of a five foot six, one hundred and fifty pound engineer.

Fast forward ten years later, she found herself stuck inside an apartment in South Korea while her daughter went to preschool and her husband went to work. Alone and unable to speak the local language she turned to books for a friend. After reading a few hundred in such a short time, she decided to try her hand at writing one.

That first one sucked, but by the fifth and sixth book, Erin started to get the hang of this writing thing. Getting the first contract in the mail was a dream come true. Now, with three babies at home, she squeezes in stories one word at a time, one sentence at a time, one day at a time.

She’s a full time mom, a full time wife, with a little writer sprinkled in whenever she can get the chance. And the laundry? Well, it’s best not to open the washroom door!

WHERE TO FIND HER:

www.erinbevan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinbevanwrites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinBevan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6927178.Erin_Bevan

 

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Updates! Contest news, blurb, and a new project!

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RELEASING THE DEMONS has officially advanced to the final voting round of The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Awards!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who voted in the initial nomination round! Now I’m going to nag you to vote again (if you’re so inclined). 😉 As before, you’ll have to log in to the site, but TRR is awesome and I bet you’ll find your next great read there. 😀

Check it out here! http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=18793

Any and all votes are greatly appreciated! I’m up against some fierce competition, and I honestly don’t expect to win, but I’d like to at least give them a run for their money (or votes, I suppose, ha).

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BLACK BULLET has an official blurb! Check it out below. I’d love to know what you think!

Fledgling vampire Jonathan Kerr has just met his match.

Not even his past life as a former marine and FBI agent could prepare him for the battle against the monster inside him, struggling to take hold. After an old nemesis of the Senary surfaces in Brooklyn, unleashing chaos and terror in the battered borough, Jon sets out to take him down. Instead, he ends up with far more than he bargained for when he clashes with the beautiful half-vampire hybrid, Lawan Knight.

After escaping near death and suffering unspeakable horror at the hands of vampires, Lawan trusts no one, regardless of species. In between bouts of drunken stupor, her only goal is to exterminate all those who’ve wronged her, including every member of Jon’s vampire bloodline. But Jon’s soulful eyes and quick smile crawls under her skin, transforming her black and white world into a hazy shade of gray.

As the days rapidly grow darker, Jon and Lawan turn to one another, but their inner demons threaten to tear them apart. The only way either of them will survive is if they overcome their greatest fear—love.

I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU ALL! It’s dark and heart breaking and gut wrenching–more than RtD was, IMHO–and I’m terrified of unleashing this story unto the world. BUT I MUST. Slated release is either late this summer/early fall, but you guys will be the first to know about it. 😀

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In the meantime, I’ve been working on a new novella! A secret project for a secret collective by Soul Mate Publishing (set to roll out next year). 😉 I’m about 10K words in and I’m really loving this temporary escape into another crazy world (albeit, it’s still dark, but in a different way). The image above perfectly depicts the hero, a former Navy SEAL and freshly drafted Archangel in Heaven’s Third Sphere. Too bad his old mortal life keeps dragging him back to Earth, especially his widowed wife, Irene… 😀

There will definitely be more to come on this! I’ll send out sneak peeks of this gem soon once I whip the MS into shape.

And last but not least, what do you all think about me starting a FB group? Do you enjoy them? Participate? Find them useful at all? I’d love to know your thoughts! It wouldn’t only be a street team, but we’d discuss all the dark, creepy, and romantic things we love. 🙂

Anywho, that’s all for now! I’m on vacation (for once, haha) and I’ve been focusing on getting some words out while I can. Hope you all have a wonderful week and stay tuned! ❤

Note: I do not own any of the above images. They’re all courtesy of Pinterest. 😉

 

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Interview with contemporary romance author, Ryan Jo Summers!

Contemporary romance author, Ryan Jo Summers, stopped by my blog today for an interview! I’m thrilled to have her here and I’m looking forward to learning more about her latest story, GLIMPSE ETERNITY. So without further ado…

Welcome, Ryan! Tell us about your latest release. 😀

This is a sweet contemporary novella called “Glimpse Eternity”. It is about a woman, Kasey Griffin, who has a full life, her own bookstore and the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis. She’s doing pretty good until hunky musician, Ben Salem, rolls into town and tells her he wants her heart.

A character with a medical condition? You’ve already stolen my heart! What was the hardest thing about writing this book? The easiest?

The hardest thing was facing my own demons. I do not have MS but I do face a lot of the same challenges. This book was actually written as therapy for me to come to terms and cope with my condition and limitations. In order to write it, Kasey and I both had to learn to accept our shortcomings and take a leap of faith—or a few of them—that yes, we can do this. In Kasey’s case, it was believing a man would accept her long term. For me, it was accepting this is my long term life now.

Easiest part would have been the actual writing of each scene, hooking them together into a storyline.

Writing can definitely be a form of therapy and I’m glad you were able to accomplish this for both Kasey and yourself. If you could bring one of your characters (villain or hero) to life, who would you chose? Why?

Logan Riley from Shimmers of Stardust. He’s a Civil War hero who turned outlaw. He was hanged back in 1869 and ended up alive in our modern world. I absolutely love his cowboy logic and sometimes comical approach to this bewildering modern world. Despite how he made some bad choices in life, he still has a hero’s heart and is noble and loyal. Who wouldn’t want a handsome man like that around?

I certainly would! He sounds like a lot of fun. 😀 Speaking of fun, Paramount Pictures wants to make a movie about your latest novel. Who plays the main characters?

Harry Connick Jr. for Ben Salem. I’ve had a crush on Harry for years now and doubtlessly he’s a subconscious inspiration for musician Ben.

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Kasey… I’m not sure. Meg Ryan could do it well. I haven’t watched television in about six years so I am out of the loop as to who the ‘new people’ are these days so my answers might age the characters a bit.

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Great choices! 😀 So tell us a little about yourself.

I live in North Carolina with my beloved pets. I abhor technology, especially all this new-fangled stuff out lately, but I am learning to slowly appreciate its usefulness to my writing. My idea pastime is hanging out on the wicker sofa on my porch, my dog at my side, watching the falling rain, listening to the wind chimes blow and birds flittering at the feeders. I work on current or future projects and dream of having horses again. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons and I always have a mug of sweet coffee at my side.

Mmm, coffee. Sounds amazing! Tell us one thing about yourself your readers may not know about you.

I have no sense of smell. It’s called Anosmia. I have never had any ability to smell anything, good or bad, pleasant or strong. There is just nothing there.

Wow, that’s crazy! I can’t even imagine. Could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. 😛 What are you working on now?

Two things: a final draft for my first ever romantic comedy. It is about finding love in the most unexpected places. Second: is my problem child. I’ve been pounding away on this novel for over two years and can happily say, with some confidence, I am nearing the finish line on the first draft. Whew! I’ll celebrate when I can finally type ‘the end’ on that literary monster. It began as inspiration from a photo, I uncharacteristically started writing without a sense of plot, storyline, characters, or even genre. I just wrote “by gut” and the story has taken its own course as the months have unfolded. Now, I have set it aside for a few weeks or months here or there to work on other projects and then pull it back to the desktop later on. But I am close to finishing it! I see Chocolate Fudge Cake in my near future!

Chocolate fudge cake is the best reward for typing “The End!” On that note, thanks so much for stopping by and spending some time with us, Ryan. 😀 Where else can we find you? 

WEBSITE: www.ryanjosummers.com 

BLOG: http:summersrye.wordpress.com 

FB:  www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Jo-Summers-author-page/312875648810797

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyanJoSummers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6604705.Ryan_Jo_Summers

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Jo-Summers/e/B00ACOBJ90/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

And here’s more about GLIMPSE ETERNITY!

GlimpseEternityFINAL

Kasey Griffin is determined to prove a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis isn’t going to ruin her life or define her expectations. She is dedicated to her pregnant sister, her pets and operating her bookstore, ‘The Next Chapter’. She has everything she needs to have a full and satisfying life–the daily challenges of her condition notwithstanding.

Then hunky musician Ben Salem rolls into town. Ben’s subtle charm quickly reminds Kasey she is more than a woman with a disease, she is also a woman with a heart. And Ben wants it.

Will Ben still desire her once he learns the terrible details of her condition?

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Glimpse-Eternity-Ryan-Jo-Summers-ebook/dp/B01BR1UME4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/615504

Satin Romance: http://www.satinromance.com/

SNIPPET:

Silence hung between them. Kasey shifted from foot to foot. Should she offer coffee, cook breakfast, or ask what happened that he spent the night? Self-consciously, she tugged at her hair again. Muttonchop whined at the tension slowly filling the room.

“So, does that happen often?” Ben asked slowly, cautiously, reaching out to pat Muttonchop. “Last night?”

Her eyes widened, breath caught. She felt like a deer in the headlights. So this was where he was going to walk out, she decided. Thomas padded into the room and sat, watching them. She wanted to scoop the big cat up, to hold him as a shield from what was to come. He was going to ask just enough questions to find out what was wrong with her and then decide it wasn’t for him. Who would want her once he knew? She took a breath, steeling herself for the inevitable.

“Sometimes.”

He considered that, tilting his head. “Have you seen a doctor? It seems kind of out of character for you.” He cracked a quick grin. “Please don’t look like I’m scaring you because it’s starting to scare me.”

He was scared? She was terrified. She pulled in a hard breath. “I have seen a doctor. It’s complicated.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Ryan Jo Summers is a North Carolina writer who likes to pen romances with a twist. Love stories blended as inspirational, with paranormal, suspense or time travel–or several at once. She also writes non-fiction for regional periodicals. Her dad is a songwriter and his aunt wrote poetry, so Ryan came by the writing gene honestly.

Her hobbies include poetry, bird watching, houseplants and gardening, gathering with friends, hiking in the forest, painting canvas and ceramics, and working wiggly word find puzzles, mah johngg or chess.  She lives in a 1920 cottage with a menagerie of pets. She often daydreams of the shore and frequently uses water as settings in her stories.

 

 

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Character Interview: Heath from SCARRED PROTECTOR!

Hey everyone! I have Midworlder, Heath, from Maggie Mundy’s latest paranormal romance, SCARRED PROTECTOR, on my blog today! He’s talking about his love for Evie and Frederic Chopin. 😀 Check it out and learn more about his story below!

Well, hello there, Heath! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a Midworlder or you would call me an alien. I am a half breed so I cannot live on my world anymore. I look like any regular human but I have wings. I can live a long time but it has its drawbacks. You watch those you love, die. I was born in the 1800’s in England and Evie says I remind her of Mr. Darcy, except with wings.

An alien, neat! I always wanted to be an alien. 😉 Tell us about your work.

I protect the Angelics attached to humans. You call them guardian angels but they are the pureblood form of my species. They absorb the energy from the human they are linked to, but can only be on Earth in an ethereal form. The Demonics have their own Midworlders too. You guessed it; we fight each other to keep the status quo.

Fascinating and very similar to our beliefs of angels and demons! If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?

I would spend it with the woman I love, Evie. I like to take her on my motorbike. She screams and holds on tight when I go fast.

I love me some motorbikes! Favorite alcoholic beverage (and not before you go on a motorbike, mind you :P)?

I like fine wines though I am starting to get a taste for rum since I met Evie.

Maybe mix them both, see what happens? 😉 How about your favorite music?

I like classical music especially Frederic Chopin. His Nocturnes are haunting and beautiful. I have lived long but have never learned an instrument. Maybe it is something I might do in the future.

You should! Why the heck not? What do you love most about Evie?

She is feisty and loyal. Evie has suffered so much but would do whatever she could to help others. She swears a lot but I am getting used to it. In fact it’s starting to rub off on me to the surprise of the members of my Enclave. She also has the most magnificent breasts.

Ha! Lucky girl. 😉 Before the story began, what were your hopes for the future? 

I had none. I was unable to save my first love long ago. I wanted to die but the powers on Homeworld would not allow me to. I fight Demonics and do my job well, but my life was empty.

So what changed?

Evie came into my life and turned it upside down.

Sounds like it was in a good way! Looks like our time is running out…thanks so much for stopping by, Heath. 😀 Any parting thoughts?

Never give up. Just when you think you have nothing to live for, fate will throw you a lifeline.

Well said and so very true! Want to learn more about Heath and Evie? Check out their novel, SCARRED PROTECTOR:

(looooove this cover!)

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Angels and demons are not what you think. They are aliens, and the Midworlders are their representatives on Earth. An Angelic Midworlder called Heath goes to the aid of Evie who is about to be attacked by Demonics. He soon discovers she can see the angels and demons around her and is in grave danger. He is captivated by Evie who has physical and mental scars like him. They are tortured souls who are deeply connected by his past. There is an evil lurking inside Evie that could kill them both.

BUY LINK: http://tinyurl.com/pkch5es

SNIPPET:

Heath stopped ascending into the sky and hovered and allowed himself a moment of reflection as he gazed down at her face. What was going on here? She cradled against his chest and he had to admit he liked the sensation. He didn’t touch people unless he had to and had forgotten what it felt like to have a human pressed against you. It brought out protectiveness in him.

Her reached up and touched her cheek with his fingertips. The glow was gone from around her body, but the tingle still remained. She felt warm, too warm, as if she was running a fever. He moved his hand away surprised at himself. He never let his emotions show and yet he felt drawn to this strange woman with the wet and bedraggled fuzzy hair. It must have been the jolt of lightening affecting him. She looked so vulnerable and yet he had seen her be tough against Charles. She hadn’t known what she was taking on but she had fought well. He didn’t know her but he liked her feistiness. It was irrelevant. He needed to stop these pointless contemplations and concentrate on saving her.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

maggiemundy

Maggie Mundy lives in Adelaide, Australia and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia, and the local chapter SARA (South Australian Romance Authors). She recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Drama, English and Creative Writing at Flinders University. She had a short story published in the RWA Topaz Anthology Little Gems in 2010 called Sea and Vines. She has four books out with Rogue Phoenix Press. Two erotic novellas called Blood Scent and Blood Oath and paranormal romances called World Change and World Apart. She also has a supernatural thriller with Soul Mate Publishing called Hidden Mortality and a paranormal romance called Unknown Protector.

She has also performed for many years in corporate entertainment for which she wrote her own sketches, which probably explains why her head is so full of characters. She loves writing romance but thinks falling in love can be scary.

Where to find her:

Website: www.maggiemundy.com

Blog: http://maggiemundy.blogspot.com.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MundyMaggie

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/MaggieMundyAuthor

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5428101.Maggie_Mundy

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Book Spotlight: As the Liquor Flows by Angela Christina Archer!

I love, love, LOVE stories related to the depression-era, especially when they involve gangsters. 😉 So when I saw this book, and this cover (!!!), I HAD to spotlight it for fellow author, Angela Christina Archer. Not only is the cover dazzling, but the blurb sounds awesome and it definitely sent me clicking over to Amazon. Check it out and see if it blows your wig. 😛

As the Liquor Flows Red no shadow

BLURB:

Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed, and the day Evelyn Ford will never forget.

With the untimely death of her parents and the loss of their only income, Evelyn, and her brother, Frank flee to a make-shift hovel built in Central Park.

After Frank mysteriously goes missing, bare cupboards force Evelyn to seek employment anywhere she can find work, even if that means working at a burlesque theater.

Catching the attention of Don Vincent Giovanni, a Kingpin in the New York mafia, Evelyn discovers that Frank is serving time in prison for running hooch and he owes Vincent a lot of money. In order to pay off her brother’s debt, Evelyn is thrown into the world of mobsters and bootlegging.

Between running hooch all over the city of New York and trying to save her brother, Evelyn finds herself drawn to Max Catalano, Vincent’s Consigliere. Even with secrets of his own, he’s the only one she can trust when she entangles herself in the middle of the New York mafia crime wars.

BUY LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Liquor-Flows-Angela-Christina-Archer-ebook/dp/B01CLKULWS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Angela lives on a ranch with her husband, two daughters, and many farm animals. She was born and raised in Nevada, and grew up riding and showing horses from hunter jumper, English equitation, western pleasure, trail, and halter. While she doesn’t show anymore, she still loves to trail ride her paint horse, Honky. In December of 2007, she and her husband moved to Oklahoma.

From a young age, she always wanted to write a novel. However, she never believed she could write anything well enough for a publisher to even consider her. Every time the desire flickered, she shoved the thought from my mind until one morning, in 2009, she awoke with the determination to follow her dream.

Where to find her:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angela-Christina-Archer-121833387901997/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorACArcher
Website: http://angelachristinaarcher.com/
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Character Interview: Caroline Maplethorpe from SUMMER FLING!

I ran into Caroline Maplethorpe from MJ Compton’s novel, SUMMER FLING, the other day at a fundraising event and she agreed to do an interview with me on my blog today! SUMMER FLING is MJ Compton’s latest contemporary romance (check out that sexy cover!) and Caroline has quite the story. Read on to find out more about this fascinating lady and her dedication to breast cancer awareness.

Hey Caroline, welcome! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am the second of three sisters, and as such, I’m always caught in the middle, acting as a buffer between their very different personalities. I was close to both of my parents; their divorce and my mother’s subsequent death devastated me. I needed a long time to forgive my father for what he did. I think I’ve done a good job of re-entry into my family. I even tolerate my father’s current wife and am fond of my younger half-brother. I live a careful life. I went a little crazy after my mother died and have spent the years since returning to the fold being dutiful. My family expects me to fulfill their definitions of who they think I should be, and for the most part, I go along. Except when it comes to the man my father wants me to marry. There’s a difference between being dutiful and being a push-over.

Wow, sounds like your family is quite the handful! If my father was trying to force me to marry someone, I wouldn’t be too thrilled either. What do you do for work?

I work for the Kathryn Maplethorpe Foundation, a not-for-profit focused on educating about breast cancer as well as raising funds for breast cancer research. My father started the foundation to assuage his guilt over divorcing my mother right before she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, but that doesn’t change the good work we do. We don’t need to lose any more mothers, sisters, daughters, wives to this insidious disease.

As someone who frequently diagnoses breast cancer (and sees the havoc it wreaks upon women), I am totally with you on that! If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?

I would watch the man I love pitch the winning game of the World Series.

And that sounds awesome! Favorite alcoholic beverage?

Moonsinger Beer in a bottle.

Hmm, I’ll have to try that one! Favorite music?

Chin music. Ha-ha. (That’s a high, inside fastball aimed at a batter’s head.) Seriously, it depends on my mood. Show tunes are nice. Bob Dylan when things aren’t going well. I have a custom mix of Dylan songs I call “Dylan Says It Best.”

Chin music, HA! I’ve never heard that term, but it’s clever. 😉 Bob Dylan definitely has some great songs! Now let’s move on to the man you love…what do you adore most about Win?

Win fell in love with me as a person before he ever knew my real name, and he never gave up looking for the woman he believed me to be…who turned out to be the woman I truly am. He gave me permission to be me.

He sounds like a great guy. 😀 Before the story began, what were your hopes for the future?

I was content to live my life pretty much on my father’s terms. It was easier to be a balloon drifting in my father’s wake than resist. I was aimless, working for the foundation and going to baseball games.

So what changed?

Win Winston walked back into my life and reminded me of the woman I could be. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.

I need to meet this Win fella! But I’m glad you’ve found happiness and someone who loves you for YOU. Thanks so much for stopping by, Caroline, and to you dear reader, for joining us! Read on to find out more about Caroline and Win’s story, SUMMER FLING.

Summer Fling Cover

BLURB:

Caroline Maplethorpe spent a summer as plaything for a minor league baseball team…and oh, how Win Winston played. Seven years later, she’s respectable, and he’s in the big leagues. Now that he’s found her again, he still wants her in a major way. But their second-chance relationship attracts too much publicity, and the third member of their long-ago fling threatens to destroy the respectable life Caroline so carefully reconstructed after that crazy summer.

BUY LINKS:

LOOSE ID http://www.loose-id.com/summer-fling.html

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-summerfling-1797313-149.html

AMAZON http://tinyurl.com/z7exmh7

BARNES & NOBLE http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-fling-m-j-compton/1121879015?ean=9781623009151

GOOGLE PLAY HtTps://play.google.com/store/books/details/MJ_Compton_Summer_Fling?id=MaH1CAAAQBAJ/

Ibooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/summer-fling/id992251460?mt=114

KOBO https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/summer-fling-8

SNIPPET:

I never thought the indiscretions of my youth would return to bite me in the butt by walking through the door of the Susie Buddha Café in Syracuse’s trendy Armory Square district, but they did. Or rather, one did. Winslow Winthrop Winston the Whatever, commonly known as Win.

I don’t know if I lost my ability to breathe because I was terrified he’d recognize and expose me or because he was just so darned good-looking. Probably the result of both. Win had always had a paralyzing effect on me.

Chuck somebody or other, one of the Syracuse Saltboilers baseball team board members, accompanied Win. They headed straight for our table.

There was no escape. Life as I knew it was about to end.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

MJ Compton Author Photo

MJ Compton grew up near Cardiff, New York, a place best known for its giant, which inspired her to create her own fiction.

Although her 30-year career in local television included such highlights as being bitten by a lion, preempting a US President for a college basketball game, giving a three-time world champion boxer a few black eyes, a mention in the Drudge Report, and meeting her husband, MJ never lost her dream of writing her own stories.

MJ still lives in upstate New York with her husband. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Central New York Romance Writers. Music and cooking are two of her passions, and she enjoys baseball and college basketball, but she’s primarily focused on wine . . . and writing.

Where to find MJ:

Website & Blog www.comptonplations.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/Comptonplations

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMJCompton

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/compton4555/

Tsu http://www.tsu.co/mj_compton

Tumblr http://comptonplations.tumblr.com/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8075221.M_J_Compton

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/MJ-Compton/e/B00J9DFFIG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

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RACE THE DARKNESS: Cover Reveal and Excerpt!

 

I’m SO stoked to reveal the cover for RACE THE DARKNESS, Abbie Roads’ debut dark, gritty, emotional and sexy romantic suspense. I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK, it can’t be published soon enough! Check out the GORGEOUS cover and read the awesome excerpt below…is it fabulous or what?!

First in a gripping paranormal romantic suspense duo by a Golden Heart finalist debut author whose clinical work gives her chilling insights…

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Cursed with a terrible gift
Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn’t have to question you—he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night—the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

That threatens to engulf them…
Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except…there is the man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes, if he comes, it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.

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About Abbie Roads:
Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor known for her blunt, honest style of therapy. By night she writes dark, emotional novels, always giving her characters the happy ending she wishes for all her clients. Her novels have finaled in RWA contests including the Golden Heart. Race the Darkness is the first book in the Fatal Dreams series of dark, gritty romantic suspense with a psychological twist.

 

Race the Darkness will be available on October 4th but is currently available for preorder:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/22nGnVk
B&N: http://bit.ly/1pwghOK
BAM: http://bit.ly/1RmOgoN

 

A special note from Abbie Roads: 

Dear Readers,

I wrote Race the Darkness from start to finish three different times, with three different story lines, and with three different titles! The only thing that ever remained the same between the versions was Xander and Isleen. I believed in them and the story they wanted to tell. I hope you love reading about their tragedies and triumphs as much as I enjoyed writing them… All three times! And isn’t the cover amazing, beautiful, gorgeous? I cried the first time I saw it! It made all the hard work to get this book to you worth it!

Abbie Roads

An excerpt from Race the Darkness: 

No fucking way was he going to die running. He stopped, turned and faced the truck barreling toward them. The tires ate up the ground at an indecent rate. He clutched Isleen tighter to his chest. For her sake, he wanted it to be a quick death. No more lingering. No more pain.

That thought infuriated him. None of this was right. They shouldn’t be on the verge of death. Again. 

The truck kept coming—twenty-five feet.

Everything slowed, happened as if through the quicksand of time. A white dandelion floaty meandered on the breeze directly between them and the truck. His heart no longer ran a staccato rhythm. Duh…duhm. Pause. Duh…duhm. Pause.

His life didn’t flash before his eyes. The future did. Isleen’s future. In an ethereal dream beyond time, her skin was gilded by firelight, her eyes void of sadness and fear, her body whole and healthy. She smiled, an expression so full of warmth and tenderness and undiluted joy that it plunked itself down inside his heart and wouldn’t leave. 

He ached to create that kind of smile on her face, but their lives were over and it all could’ve gone so differently if he’d only listened to her, believed in her, found her years before now.

**Sign up for Abbie Roads NEWSLETTER for exclusive content and giveaways!**

You can find Abbie Roads here:

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE

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Book Spotlight: Memories of You by Charlotte Daly

Fellow NEC-RWA member, Charlotte Daly, has a new contemporary romance out! And what a premise! I really need to visit Lake George again. 😀 Check out MEMORIES OF YOU and pick up a copy if you’re so inclined. 😉

Memories of You 453x680

BLURB:

Three years ago Zoe Anderson‘s happily-ever-after shattered when her husband was murdered and she was brutally raped. In an attempt to reclaim her life and bury her demons, Zoe sets out for picturesque Lake George, New York, and a visit to the treasured family cottage she recently inherited. But what she finds is a rundown shack.

The neighboring resort owner, Jason Rolland immediately invites Zoe to stay at his upscale lodge. He’s determined to get rid of the eye-sore next door, the last reminder of his less-than-perfect childhood. Now, he needs to charm the red-haired beauty into selling. A challenge he’s definitely up for.

Zoe is attracted to the tall, dark-haired charmer with the intoxicating blue eyes, but is Jason the man who can help her heal or will his player past break her fragile heart?

Book Trailer here: https://youtu.be/Z4rUAhtG5hI

BUY LINKS:

Lachesis Publishing: http://lachesispublishing.com/?product=memories-of-you

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Memories-You-Charlotte-Daly-ebook/dp/B01BH76D8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454690986&sr=8-1&keywords=memories+of+you+charlotte+daly

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Charlotte DalyCharlotte writes contemporary romance that shoots straight for the heart—filled with the emotional intensity & heartfelt experiences we all look for in a story.

She grew up in New York State a few hours south of Lake George, and first fell in love with the region when she was just a kid. Those lazy summers and the undeniable magic of the Adirondack Mountains stirred lots of stories in her head. Charlotte knew that someday she’d create an entire cast of characters to live and love in her own, private Lake George Village.

Charlotte is already at work on Book 2 of the Lake George Series, Anchor My Heart. She plans to spend much more quality time in and around this wonderful village, soaking up inspiration. She yearns to bring her fictional world and characters to life in a way that will bring readers to this magical area of upstate New York—no matter where in the world they reside.

You can connect with Charlotte here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCharlotteDaly/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlotteDalyA1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14950564.Charlotte_Daly

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Character Interview with Dr. Peyton Chase!

Hello, beautiful people! I have a very special character interview to start off the New Year with–Dr. Peyton Chase from PEYTON’S DOLL by Felicity Kates! Whattya know, a fellow doctor, except we’re from very different worlds (well, maybe not that different, LOL). I’m thrilled to have him on my blog today and he’s quite fun. 😉 Read on and find out for yourself!

Well, hello, Dr. Chase! Welcome! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Yeah, okay…*puts empty glass on the mess hall table and leans back in his chair* Well, my name is Peyton, Peyton Chase. I live on Earth, New Earth we call it now, because it’s a new beginning for humanity. It’s 31 years, actually, after the interstellar Arkology ship that my parents were on came back to Earth from surveying the nearby solar systems for a new planet to colonize, only they couldn’t find a suitable one, and when they came back to Earth…everyone was long dead. It was caused by a viral outbreak, we think. We haven’t found any survivors, or a way to make sure it doesn’t happen again. So we live in colonies we created from the dome habitats we carried on board our ship. They were supposed to be for settling on a new planet. Who knew we’d be using them to re-settle Earth instead?

Wow, fascinating! Makes me wonder what kind of virus took out Earth (I could certainly think of a few). Tell us more about your work.

I’m trained as a doctor, but I work mostly as a mechanical engineer now, fixing broken down machinery and robotics at Deliverance Dome, this small colony where I live. *glances around at the mostly empty tables and chairs in the mess hall and frowns*

That’s a definitely a huge leap! Do you like it?

Yeah. I like it. I keeps me busy and my mind off…well, it keeps my mind OFF, which is just the way I like it.

I can totally relate. That’s why I write. 😉 If you had a day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?

Hell. I’d do what I try to do every day; figure out a way to survive. Which has gotten a lot more complicated lately, ever since a certain android walked into my life.

Do you mean, Hell-en? 😛 But more on Helen later. Favorite alcoholic beverage?

*grins* Whisky. And lots of it. How about a top-up on my glass? *pushes it forward expectantly*

*sees that it’s barely touched* Bottoms up first, buddy! *refills her own glass and winks* What’s your favorite music?

I don’t know. Something loud, with a good beat to keep my mind off of Hell. I can’t stop thinking about her. Everything she’s been through. And what it all means that she even exists. A living android. The hope of humanity’s future. And her creators treated her like shit. How am I supposed to help her when I couldn’t even save my own wife? I should never have opened that fucking box that she came in.

I’ve got plenty of loud music we could listen to, but I’m curious about Helen. What do you love most about her? And why do you call her Hell?

Love? You think I love her? Just because she’s got a sweet smile and I can’t stop missing her when she’s not around, doesn’t mean I love her. And I call her Hell, because that’s what she’s turned my life into. Living Hell. The way her eyes light up when she laughs. She has feelings. Feelings! Whoever heard of an android like that? I just want to protect her, so those bastards at The Factory will never hurt her again.

Aw, well it sounds to me like she’s brought you a little happiness in the desolate New Earth. Before your story began, what were your hopes for the future? 

Hope? For the future? *glances around the empty seats again and laughs bitterly* Shit, my biggest hope was to never see the bottom of my whisky glass.

*cocks a brow and glances at the bottom of hers* So what changed?

Hell is what changed. Opening that box and finding her inside. That changed everything. *puts untouched glass of whisky on the table and pushes it aside* Is it better now? No. It’s more chaotic. She’s trouble with a capital T. But…I slept for twelve fucking hours last night. Twelve fucking hours. That’s more than I’ve slept in days. And when I woke up, she was there, smiling at me. And it felt…good to see that. I’ll admit that.

Sleep…that sounds heavenly right now! See? She brings you happiness and I’m glad to hear it! 😉 Unfortunately, it looks like our time is running out. *sigh* We’ll have to do this again sometime! Any parting thoughts for me and my fellow readers?

Thanks for the drink. I’ve got to get going anyway. I need to go repair some machinery that broke down. And figure out what to do about Hell. I don’t know if I can handle her staying with me, but there’s one thing for sure. She’s never going back to that place she came from. The Fucking Factory. Those bastards are going to pay for everything they’ve done to Hell and to the rest of the New Earth colony. I’ll make sure of it.

Sounds like a plan to me! *downs the rest of his whisky* Need any help? 😛

Learn more about THE NEW EARTH SERIES:

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A new adventure in science fiction romance begins…

The New Earth Series, by bestselling author Felicity Kates, is a serial science fiction romance story set in a futuristic dystopian world, where hope for the future of humanity is in danger of being lost to despair. At times humorous, and filled with sizzling chemistry, the series will take you on a journey through intriguing twists and turns, smiles and tears, as Dr. Peyton Chase and his android companion, whom he affectionately calls Hell, must discover the true meaning of love before they can reach their HEA.

The series of books are scheduled to be published on a monthly basis beginning January 2016. Each part of the story is meant be read in sequence.

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PEYTON’S DOLL — Part One

Release date: January 6th, 2016

Genre: science fiction romance

Length: 20 000 words approx.

Heat level: High

Content warning: For readers aged 18+. Contains sexuality, adult situations and graphic language

Formats: epub, mobi. Paperback TBA. Audio is not available at this time.

Price: 0.99 cents US/UK/CA/AU

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

Kobo / iTunes / B&N

BLURB:

She isn’t what the doctor ordered, but she’s just what he needs

1000 years after Earth has been devastated by a viral plague, the few survivors turn to genetic engineering and advanced robotics to ensure the future of the human race. But not everyone is happy with artificial life living amongst humans, least of all Peyton Chase, a doctor with a harrowing past.

When he’s ‘gifted’ with a state-of-the-art companion that he can’t send back, Peyton is far from pleased. She’s sentient. She’s sexy. She’s everything he doesn’t want complicating his life. He nicknames her Hell. She nicknames him lots of unladylike things, at least in her mind. Because there are rules to a relationship like theirs. Master and Slave. She’s supposed to obey him in all things. But if that’s true, why can’t she stop meddling in his life?

Unfortunately, time is running out for Hell. Her own desperate past is about to catch up to her with deadly results. 

EXCERPT:

“You saved my life when it would’ve been easier to let me die,” said Hell. An incredible realization, especially considering killing her had been the thought most on Peyton’s mind when he’d initiated the scan. “Why?”

The warmth of his arm pulled away, but his comforting scent lingered. He picked up a nearby cloth and busied himself with wiping down the scanning array’s control panel. “I swore an oath once, to help those in need regardless of personal opinion.”

“But you don’t practice regularly anymore. Doesn’t that relieve you of clinical obligation?”

A flush spread from the deep “V” of his tunic and up his neck. His gaze snapped to hers, hot and hard. “Would you rather have died?”

“No.” Ignoring the numb tingle in her limbs, she twisted so her feet hung off the scanner bed and touched the icy floor. “I’m grateful for your help. But I don’t want to be an obligation. I’ve caused you enough trouble already.” Chest suddenly tight, she sucked in a breath. “Is there someone else here that I can stay with?”

“You want to stay with someone else?” He tossed the cloth down on the scanning bed, his lips a thin line.

“No, but I figured it’s what you wanted.”

“What I want—” he snapped, then stopped. He turned away from her, his body rigid as he thrust his fingers through his dark hair. His face was set in hard lines when he turned back to her. “What I want is to keep you safe. You’re the most important thing that’s ever happened to humanity, and those bastards—” He stopped again, as if whatever the bastards in question had done was too difficult for him to say. He shook his head and tried again. “I got a call from Markus Willbright from The Factory, just before you woke up. They’re looking for you, Hell.”

Willbright. Willbright. “Wait…” She clutched her temples as she slid off the scanner and stood. “I remember him!” She glanced at Peyton and caught his grim nod. But the excitement, whisking through her at the fact she could actually remember something, quickly faded. Why did that name make her feel uncomfortable? She had a vague impression of a quiet man of mixed Asian ancestry who’d come to see her in her glass-walled room. He’d only ever looked at her and tapped on his tablet, recording whatever it was that scientists recorded, then disappeared again behind closed doors. But Peyton obviously hated him by the anger flaring in his eyes.

“What did you tell him?”

“I lied. I told him I’d never heard of a Bio-roid before, let alone seen one, and said I was quite happy with my new Factory-made sex doll, thank you very much.”

He’d lied to protect her? She sat back down on the scanner with a thump. “Did he believe you?”

“Probably not.” Peyton’s attention was fixed on retrieving a data cube from the scanner array, the handsome planes of his face set hard. Clearly all of this was a burden to him that he’d rather not carry.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to have just told him the truth and sent me back?”

The flush deepened across his cheeks, giving his tired expression a fevered cast. “No.”

“Why?”

“Because of this.” He held up the translucent blue data cube for her to see before closing his fingers over it again. “I managed to piece together some of the fragmented engrams rupturing your hippocampus.”

“And?” she prompted after it became apparent he wasn’t going to say anything further.

“And, like I told you before, you’re never going back to The Factory again.”

 

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Coming soon…in February 10, 2016! The New Earth series continues.

PEYTON’S DOLL–Part Two

The truth won’t always set you free…

Things heat up in part 2 when Peyton has his hands full…of Hell. Despite his misgivings, their chemistry cannot be denied. He’s driven to protect and help her, but is there a place for her in his life? If it’s not enough that the revelations of her past at The Factory threaten to break their tenuous relationship apart.  Between the appearances of Peyton’s meddling Aunt Joanna, a truly horrible breakfast, a chance encounter with an ex-lover, and the crack of a whip on his ass, Peyton may not survive to see what life with Hell has in store for him next.

 

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

Amazon / Kobo / B&N / iTunes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Felicity Kates is a mild-mannered manager by day. At night, she trades in her high heels for bunny slippers and lets her imagination run wild. Felicity enjoys writing fun, flirty fantasies that combine humor with strong characters who have super-sexy desires. The setting can be any time or any place in the universe as long as it sets her mind on fire.

Felicity lives off of coffee and dreams and enjoys going for walks along the shores of Lake Ontario, taking pictures of whatever catches her eye. A romantic at heart, she loves to snuggle under a blanket with a good book to warm up the cold Canadian winters. When not writing, can most often be found enjoying the quiet company of her husband and son, whom she loves very, very much.

She also loves to hear from her readers, so please email her at: felicitykates.author@gmail.com

For up to date information on Felicity’s books, including upcoming releases and giveaways, please sign up for her newsletter and join her Kate’s Korner Facebook Fun Group

You can also find her at:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Blogger / Pinterest / Secret Hungers Website 

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Why I love romantic horror.

Today’s been one of those days where I need a beer. So I figured I’d write a blog post while sipping on some Blue Moon.

I want to talk about genre. What’s your favorite (to read and/or write)? Why do you love it?

Me? I’m a huge fan of horror.

Horror is my first love, my high school sweetheart, my firstborn—the first story I ever wrote was about a haunting (of course, it helps that I grew up in a haunted house, but that’s a whole other blog post—likely next week’s. 😉 ). I gobbled up horror books growing up (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and anything/everything by R.L. Stine and Stephen King, just to name a few). So why horror?

Because it’s visceral.

There’s no other emotion more primal than fear. And I love to be entrenched in it, swimming amongst the bodies and cackling in delight.

*clears throat* Ahem.

But seriously, I NEED to be invested in the characters and emotion of a story—otherwise, I get bored. Plot is important too, of course, but I want to live through the people—I want to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel what they’re going through. Horror does this for me and more.

So does *drumroll*…

ROMANCE.

Romance made its debut for me later in life, around high school (so late), where my hormones started to ramp up and I wanted to write about luuuuurrrrrve. But I still adored horror, so I decided to mix them up, and voila, HORRIFIC ROMANCE.

Or maybe ROMANTIC HORROR?

Well, actually, it’s dark urban fantasy, but you know, I want my own genre, damn it!

I got into paranormal romance and urban fantasy in college and it was perfect for me—horror, romance, gritty worlds, mythological creatures, bad ass characters—what more could I ask for? So I read and wrote and read and wrote (many unfinished stories, of course) until I finally managed to write a book that shall NEVER BE NAMED (since I’ll use the name again for another book later, haha) because it was awful and over 250K words and COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS, but I learned sooooo much from it.

This book made me suffer and made me realize that sometimes you gotta say “fuck it” and start something new.

So I wrote the novel I currently have out on submission, Releasing The Demons, and I finally finished something I luuuuurrrrrved.

Is it horror? Yes, to an extent. Is it romance? Totally. Is it me? Absolutely.

As a physician by day, I’m constantly told how I should write medical suspense and how I’d make CASH MONEY like Tess Gerritsen and Robin Cook, because I know that “crazy shit” and I can “write”. Granted, these writers are fantastic (no seriously, read their books), but I’m so bombarded with medicine on a daily basis that I need to do something else altogether, to go back to my high school sweetheart and hormonal rage for awhile and write HORRIFIC ROMANCE, MAN.

‘Cause that’s what I luuuuurrrrrve to write about.

So I ask you, dear Reader, what’s your type? Tell me about your first. 😉